From: Angela Williams < ladyangela440@gmail.com > Sent: Sun, Jan 31, 2016 6:57 pm Subject: Please help me to locate in your country Hello dear, how are you doing today ? i know you will be surprised about me, but please let me introduce myself, my name is Angela Williams, as you already knew me, i am 25 years old, i was born and grow up in Libya but from the origins of republic of Chad, still single. I came over here in Senegal, after having serious problems between me and my wicked step mother, she wanted to take over all my late father?wealth and his foreign bank account from me just because of his unexpected death during the war, anyway, i don't want to disclose this now until you tell me more things about yourself, I am looking for a reliable person to guide me through an investment because I am ignorant of this business world and I need to further my studies. I lost my mother when I was twelve years old and my father married to another wife few years after the death of my mother, my father lost his life during the war in Tripoli the capital city of Libya, he was shot death by Islamist-linked militia, It was painful death but i had no options than to move on with life. I believes distance or age does not matter in any relationship, I love cooking, reading and watching movies, I have dearly accepted you as my friend and everything in life, please tell me something more about yourself OK, I have also attached my picture for you, hope you like it. . Please help me to locate in your country so i can further my studies and you will assist me to invest my inherited fund in any good business, i will tell you more details about my future plans for investment when i received your reply and please don't forget to tell me more things about yourself, thanks and have a blessed weekend. With all my love, Angela. From: Angela Williams < ladyangela440@gmail.com > Sent: Mon, Feb 1, 2016 11:16 am Subject: I am willing to give you 15% of this money I'm pleased to write this messages to you with tears and sorrows from my heart. I hope you will provide your valuable times to read the following with sympathetic mind, it was because of the maltreatment that I been receiving from my step mother leads me to this painful conditions, she wanted to kill me and take all my late fathers wealth due to his unexpected death, because I disagreed to change my late fathers bank account to to her name, she suffered me and i am happy to be alive today, do you know that when i wanted to travel out from my country, she noticed and hide my traveling passport, luckily for me, she did not discover where I kept my late fathers file which contains many of his important documents, so I decided to travel out with them, this is why i came here in Senegal through the roads transports from my country to this place is very far journey, we spent almost 6 days on the road before arriving, though its a distance journey but i had no options than to come here for my safety and to plan for a new life. I must confess that, it's with great hopes and trusts make me to write this messages which I believes by faiths, it must surely meet you in a healthy conditions. My late father was a business man and also dealing with oil mining equipment before he passed away on that terrible day, meanwhile, I decided to contact you for a personal relationship but now i trust in you because of the urgency of my situation, my late father deposited the sum of (Seven million eight hundred thousand dollars) in a bank with my name as the beneficiary, this money was meant for his business and purchase of mining equipment in London. However, I will scan all the necessary documents and send to you if you accepted to help me invest the money because i will like to complete my studies before doing any business at my age. And I am willing to give you 15% of this money just to show an appreciations, i have decided it and have chosen you to be my Guardian, please accept this offer with all your heart and help. Immediately I received your reply and your interests to help me, I will introduce you to the banker as my Guardian and will give you more details on how to help me. The death of my father actually brought many sorrows to my life. I will like you to help me invest the money because I am ignorant of this business world but i want to ask you these few questions. 1. Can you honestly help me from your heart ? 2. Can I completely trust in you ? 3. What percentage of the total money will be good for you after the transfer to your bank account ? I am expecting your positive responses so i can introduce you to the banker as my guardian but i will need your details to proceed,only your names, your address and your phone number if you wish to help me so that I will introduce you to the banker. I will tell him you are my guardian and you will represent me for the bank transfer and investment in your country, though, I still needs your strong assurance to make sure we will do this together without any problem, but I am praying and waiting for all your details to proceed without delaying. You can call me through my cell phone number With all my love and trust, Yours Angela. From: Angela Williams < ladyangela440@gmail.com > Sent: Tue, Feb 2, 2016 1:39 pm Subject: Please contact this bank However, i will like you to contact the UK bank where the money was deposited by my late father for confirmation and the possibilities of transferring to the money into your account in your country. The contact information of the bank is as follows, AMRO BANK OF LONDON Contact Person, Lamine M Ambrose Director Foreign Operations amro.laminbank@aol.com lamineamro_plc@ymail.com Tel: +44 7926742226 Tel: +44 7024034953 Fax: +44 8445890230 BELLOW IS THE NAME OF MY LATE DAD Name; Dr. Father Williams Spence Next of kin. Angela Nat : republic of Chad, Amount (Seven million eight hundred thousand dollars) US Dollars Account Number (TAB584W9557H) I will like you to contact this bank immediately on how to transfer the (Seven million eight hundred thousand dollars) by my late father Dr.Williams Spence of which i am the next of kin. Angela Williams and the account number is (TAB584W9557H). Meanwhile, I will like to map out 20% of the total sum for your assistance and 5% for expenses. Moreover, i will need your assistance to manage the money on my behalf since i am too young to handle such money. i believe this document are enough to prove to you am saying the truth, Tel: +44 7926742226Tel: +44 7024034953Fax: +44 8445890230BELLOW IS THE NAME OF MY LATE DADName; Dr. Father Williams SpenceNext of kin. AngelaNat : republic of Chad,Amount (Seven million eight hundred thousand dollars) US DollarsAccount Number (TAB584W9557H)I will like you to contact this bank immediately on how to transfer the (Seven million eight hundred thousand dollars) by my late father Dr.Williams Spence of which i am the next of kin. Angela Williams and the account number is (TAB584W9557H). Meanwhile, I will like to map out 20% of the total sum for your assistance and 5% for expenses. Moreover, i will need your assistance to manage the money on my behalf since i am too young to handle such money. i believe this document are enough to prove to you am saying the truth, God bless you as i wait to hear from you, i am about to go now hoping to hear from you soonest, Yours Angela. From: Angela Williams < ladyangela440@gmail.com > Sent: Mon, Feb 8, 2016 11:21 am Subject: Please contact this bank AMRO BANK OF LONDON Contact Person, L amine M Ambrose. Director Foreign Operations amro.laminbank@aol.com , lamineamro_plc@ymail.com Tel: +44 7926742226 Tel: +44 7024034953 Fax: +44 8445890230 BELLOW IS THE NAME OF MY LATE DAD Name;Dr.Father. Williams Spence Next of kin. Angela Nat republic of Chad, Amount (Seven million eight hundred thousand dollars) $7.8m. US Dollars Account Number (TAB584W9557H) From: Angela Williams < ladyangela440@gmail.com > Sent: Mon, Feb 15, 2016 10:11 am Subject: Please help me to relocate in your country Hello dear, how are you doing today? i know you will be surprised about me, but please let me introduce myself, my name is Angela Williams, as you already knew me, i am 25 years old, i was born and grow up in Libya but from the origins of republic of Chad, still single. I came over here in Senegal, after having serious problems between me and my wicked step mother, she wanted to take over all my late father?wealth and his foreign bank account from me just because of his unexpected death during the war, anyway, i don't want to disclose this now until you tell me more things about yourself, I am looking for a reliable person to guide me through an investment because I am ignorant of this business world and I need to further my studies. I lost my mother when I was twelve years old and my father married to another wife few years after the death of my mother, my father lost his life during the war in Tripoli the capital city of Libya, he was shot death by Islamist-linked militia , It was painful death but i had no options than to move on with life. I believes distance or age does not matter in any relationship, I love cooking, reading and watching movies, I have dearly accepted you as my friend and everything in life, please tell me something more about yourself OK, I have also attached my picture for you, hope you like it. Please help me to relocate in your country so i can further my studies and you will assist me to invest my inherited fund in any good business, i will tell you more details about my future plans for investment when i received your reply and please don't forget to tell me more things about yourself, thanks and have a blessed weekend. With all my love, Angela. From: Angela Williams < ladyangela440@gmail.com > Sent: Mon, Jul 25, 2016 12:07 pm Subject: Hoping to hear from you Hello dear, How are you doing today? i know you will be surprised about me, but please let me introduce myself, my name is Angela Williams, as you already knew me, i am 25 years old, i was born and grow up in Libya but from the origins of republic of Chad, still single. I came over here in Senegal, after having serious problems between me and my wicked step mother, she wanted to take over all my late father?wealth and his foreign bank account from me just because of his unexpected death during the war, anyway, i don't want to disclose this now until you tell me more things about yourself, I am looking for a reliable person to guide me through an investment because I am ignorant of this business world and I need to further my studies. I lost my mother when I was twelve years old and my father married to another wife few years after the death of my mother, my father lost his life during the war in Tripoli the capital city of Libya, he was shot death by Islamist-linked militia , It was painful death but i had no options than to move on with life. I believes distance or age does not matter in any relationship, I love cooking, reading and watching movies, I have dearly accepted you as my friend and everything in life, please tell me something more about yourself OK, I have also attached my pictures for you, hope you like them ! Please help me to relocate in your country so i can further my studies and you will assist me to invest my inherited fund in any good business, i will tell you more details about my future plans for investment when i received your reply and please don't forget to tell me more things about yourself. Thanks and have a blessed day ahead. With all my love, Angela. From: Angela Williams < ladyangela440@gmail.com > Sent: Sat, Jul 30, 2016 2:06 pm Subject: I need your real care and trust, email me back Hello, darling, I'm pleased to write this message to you with tears and sorrows from my heart. I hope you will provide your valuable times to read the following with sympathetic mind, it was because of the maltreatment that I been receiving from my step mother leads me to this painful conditions, she wanted to kill me and take all my late fathers wealth due to his unexpected death, because I disagreed to change my late father's bank account toher name, she suffered me and i am happy to be alive today, do you know that when i wanted to travel out from my country, she noticed and hide my traveling passport, luckily for me, she did not discover where I kept my late father's file which contains many of his important documents, so I decided to travel out with them, this is why i came here in Senegal through the roads transports from my country to this place is very far journey, we spent almost 6 days on the road before arriving, though its a distance journey but i had no options than to come here for my safety and to plan for a new life. I must confess that, it's with great hopes and trusts make me to write this messages which I believes by faith, it must surely meet you in a healthy conditions. My late father was a business man and also dealing with oil mining equipment before he passed away on that terrible day, meanwhile, I decided to contact you for a personal relationship but now i trust in you because of the urgency of my situation, my late father deposited the sum of us$7.8m. (Seven million eight hundred thousand dollars) in a bank with my name as the beneficiary, this money was meant for his business and purchase of mining equipment in London. However, I will scan all the necessary documents and send to you if you accepted to help me invest the money because i will like to complete my studies before doing any business at my age. And I am willing to give you 15% of this money just to show an appreciations, i have decided it and have chosen you to be my Guardian, please accept this offer with all your heart and help. Immediately I received your reply and your interests to help me, I will introduce you to the banker as my Guardian and will give you more details on how to help me. The death of my father actually brought many sorrows to my life. I will like you to help me invest the money because I am ignorant of this business world but i want to ask you these few questions : 1. Can you honestly help me from your heart ? 2. Can I completely trust in you ? 3. What percentage of the total money will be good for you after the transfer to your bank account ? I am expecting your positive response so i can introduce you to the banker as my guardian but i will need your details to proceed, only your names, your address and your phone number if you wish to help me so that I will introduce you to the banker. I will tell him you are my guardian and you will represent me for the bank transfer and investment in your country, though, I still needs your strong assurance to make sure we will do this together without any problem, but I am praying and waiting for all your details to proceed without delaying. Y ou can call me through my cell phone number with all my love and trust, +221.7734.35814 Yours, Angela. If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more.... blog of the State Geologist of Arizona Do your elected leaders reside in the district they claim to represent? It's a question frequently asked and answered in states and municipalities around the country. Except perhaps in Montana, where a public records analysis conducted by the Independent Record shows more than half of the state's residents are represented by a state legislator who lives outside their district. Some of those 55 lawmakers live dozens of miles from the heart of their "home" district. Others live within just a few hundred feet of their nearest constituents. What most have in common is that theyre not breaking Montana law, which doesnt always require legislators or judges to live in the district they represent. But the law is clear that some lawmakers, and most elected judges, must reside in the district or county of their election or appointment at some point before or after taking office. What's also clear is those provisions are likely to go unenforced, at least in the absence of a formal complaint. Meanwhile, political experts say there are good reasons other states take candidate residency requirements seriously, including concerns over ensuring lawmakers have a stake in the decisions they make on behalf of their constituents. It's reasonable for Montanans to assume their elected representatives live nearby, or at least hold some common interest in their community, said University of Montana political science professor Rob Saldin. In some cases, he said, it's fair to wonder whether that assumption is correct. I would sure think Montana has to be kind of unique, Saldin said of the states loose residency requirements. I'm hesitant to say it makes a difference (to constituents), but it's something you could argue. A little-known law Four Montana lawmakers legally required to reside in their district listed an out-of-district mailing or physical address on 2015s legislative roster. Two of those legislators, termed-out state Sens. Christine Kaufmann and Bradley Maxon Hamlett, are what Deputy Attorney General and former redistricting commission appointee Jon Bennion referred to as casualties of the statewide redistricting process. A third lawmaker, state Sen. Eric Moore, confirmed he resides at a physical address that appears to fall just outside the borders of Senate District 19. Bennion said Moores residence in Miles City does, in fact, lie within that district, even if some of his surrounding property does not. The fourth legislator, outgoing House District 17 Rep. Christy Clark, said she lived in-district for most of her life ahead of a January 2015 move to Helena. The three-term Republican from Choteau recently took a job with the Montana Department of Agriculture and does not plan to seek re-election. The state constitution requires only that she and other lawmakers be a resident of the state for at least one year preceding their election and a resident of a multi-district county, or multi-county district, for six months ahead of that race. A 1973 attorney general opinion interpreting that provision clarified a candidate may run in another district wholly contained within their county of residency but may not run in a district that bleeds into another county. Redistricting forced a fifth lawmaker, term-limited state Sen. Jim Keane, afoul of that opinion after his last re-election campaign. Keane who lives in Butte and whose Senate District 38 includes parts of both Silver Bow and Jefferson counties does meet residency requirements for his upcoming run in House District 73. It's hard to say how much those requirements matter to voters. State officials suspect many Montanans dont even know the rules exist. They said candidates themselves don't always know which voters they're allowed to represent, citing "one or two cases per (election) cycle" when an otherwise qualified office-seeker has to be removed from a race theyre not qualified to win. Compliance lax Montana lawmakers dont always make it easy to check their compliance with campaign residency requirements. More than a third of legislators listed a PO box on the states most recent legislative roster, and well over a dozen listed physical addresses that could not be confirmed through state or county property records. It stands to reason that some or all of those lawmakers rent a home or live with a family member. That said, state officials dont always bother to do much checking. Jorge Quintana, chief legal counsel to Secretary of State Linda McCullouch, said addresses listed on candidate filings amount to a legally actionable sworn statement. He also said his office merely accepts those statements at face value, leaving enforcement to Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl. Motl, after looking up the statute to confirm it was his offices responsibility, had to go back to 2009 to find the last time that office had tackled a complaint regarding candidate residency requirements. Motl has the authority to seek a candidates removal from the ballot, should that person be found in violation of residency rules. He said he wouldnt hesitate to do so, provided a complaint with sufficient merit. 'A good rule' State law requires that judges, once elected, reside in the district or county of their election or appointment. It's difficult to tell how Motl or anyone else could readily enforce that provision. Shannon Stevens, a legislative specialist with the Secretary of States office, said jurists are not required to put their physical address on candidacy forms, largely for security reasons. The vast majority of judges who filed for a district court seat between 2008 and 2014 gave an address anyway. Four of those listed a residence outside their judicial district. Only one, District Court Judge Jim Wheelis, won a seat. Wheelis did not immediately return requests for comment on whether he eventually moved into Judicial District 19. Quintana did not respond to requests for further comment on who, if anyone, upholds post-election residency rules applied to Montanas judges. At least one-third of state legislative hopefuls who have filed to appear on Junes primary ballot listed an out-of-district address on their initial campaign filings. Five of those challengers are hoping to fill a seat that requires an in-district office holder. State officials and political experts suspect Montana would have a much harder time putting together a Legislature if each of those candidates was forced to live among their constituents, not least because such rules could make it harder for political parties to recruit candidates. That would mean fewer contested races in a state where Deputy Attorney General Bennion said some legislators have been known to go several election cycles without facing an opponent. Given the advantages to incumbents and political power brokers, it seems unlikely Montanas current office-holders will gin up the political will to reconsider candidate residency requirements anytime soon. For me, its a good rule, state Sen. Kaufmann said of existing law. Im there, in the Legislature, to make policy for the state of Montana. I dont think its a big concern. To me, if youre in the county, you can certainly represent the needs of your community. MUSCATINE, Iowa Entries are due March 1 for the 2016 C&S Pageant Systems Inc. Entries include Miss, ages 4-6 years old; Miss Jr, ages 7-; Miss Pre-Teen, ages 10-12; and Jr. Teen, ages 13-15. The Muscatine program will be June 4. Girls must be a Muscatine County or Louisa County resident and not be older than the age requirement by Feb. 1. This nonprofit organization awards more than $2,000 in cash prizes, college scholarships, trophies and other prizes. Each contestant will receive a rhinestone tiara and participation trophy. For an application or more information, contact Judi Connor at 563-506-1261 or connorjudi@msn.com. The pageant information can also be found on Facebook by searching C&S Pageant Systems Inc. Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that he wants to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin after an incident with a Russian aircraft, which has allegedly violated Turkish airspace. Armenpress informs about the aforementioned citing Ria Novosti. Earlier, the Turkish MFA had announced that the Su-34 jet belonging to the Russian aerospace forces violated Turkish air space on January 29. The Russian Embassy in Ankara confirmed that the ambassador had been summoned, however, did not disclose the reason for the meeting. Yesterday there was a violation of our airspace by a Russian aircraft. Such irresponsible steps in which we see an escalation of the crisis is not beneficial either for Russia or the NATO-Russian relations, or regional and global peace. I asked the deputy foreign minister to contact the Russian side, and inform that I want a personal conversation with Putin. Our ambassador informed that this information had been transmitted to the Russian side, but so far we have not received any response, Erdogan told the journalists. On November 24, 2015, a Turkish F-16 fighter shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board over Syria. Ankara claimed it had downed the Russian warplane as it had allegedly violated Turkish airspace. Both the Russian General Staff and the Syrian Air Defense Command have confirmed that the Russian jet never crossed into Turkish airspace. In response to Ankara's "stab in the back," as the incident has been described by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow imposed a number of economic measures on Turkey. Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi [] Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] Let it be light between us,brothers and sisters from the Earth.Let it be love between all living beings on this Galaxy.Let it be peace between all various races and species.We love you infinitely. I am SaLuSa from Sirius Channel:Laura/Multidimensional Ocean , . . - . . . :Laura/Multidimensional Ocean David Shapiro, deputy chairman at Sasfin Securities, said he feels sorry for MTNs BEE investors who were suckered into investing in the company, and have now lost a large chunk of their money (also see: MTN defends Zakhele share performance). Those people [BEE partners] were suckered into investing in MTN. Theyre gone. Theyre finished, Shapiro said on Business Day TV. The market cap of MTN has halved over the last few months, starting in October 2015 when the Nigerian Communications Commission fined MTN 1.04-trillion for not disconnecting unregistered SIMs on its network. After negotiations with Nigerian authorities, the fine was reduced by 25% to 780-billion. MTN was still not happy, and on 17 December 2015 the company announced it would fight the fine. Earlier this week, the case was adjourned to allow MTN and the Nigerian authorities to reach a settlement. Reuters reported that the Nigerian telecommunications minister Adebayo Shittu said MTN should drop its legal action over the fine to help facilitate talks about a possible settlement. No deal in Nigeria Shapiro said he is not confident of a deal in Nigeria, despite rumours suggesting that one is imminent. My contacts in Nigeria are telling me that the regulator and government in Nigeria are not bending. They are not giving up any ground there. Shapiro advised investors to just stay away from MTN if they are uncertain about the future of the company. He said people found more cockroaches regarding MTN in Cameroon, referring to the countrys corruption board which stated that MTN owed nearly 52 billion CFA francs in taxes and royalties. MTN denied these allegations, but, along with the existing fine in Nigeria, investors are losing confidence in the company. When something like this happens to a company, all credibility is destroyed, said Momentum Wealth portfolio manager Wayne McCurrie. Business Days Giulietta Talevi said that while the smaller shareholders suffer, the Phuthuma Nhlekos and co made plenty of money out of this company. Shapiro agreed, saying that while the top execs and investors made billions of rand, the poor empowerment people who were told to subscribe to the MTN deal have lost all their money. Update 4 February 2016 Shapiro has issued a retraction and apology on Business Day TV over his comments he made about MTN Zakhele. MTN also responded after his comments, stating that since its inception in 2010, shareholders in MTN Zakhele have enjoyed an annual compound growth of over 20%. An investor who had invested R100 in 2010, would now have an investment worth R293.50 today well ahead of inflation, said MTN. MTN Zakhele shareholders were supported in their initial investment by MTN shareholders in the form of a R1.3-billion donation, and a further R3.2 billion in notional vendor financing. More on MTN MTNs R59.7 billion Nigerian fine deadline contradiction MTN must pay R58.5 billion fine by New Years: Nigeria The real reason for Nigerias massive R59-billion fine on MTN Falling out of the sky may well be most passengers worst fear when they board a plane. With this mind, a Ukrainian inventor has proposed building airliners with detachable passenger cabins that could separate from the rest of the plane and parachute safely to the ground in the event of an emergency. This may sound like a reassuring idea for those who find flying more of a terrifying ordeal than an exciting way to start a holiday. But as someone with a keen interest in aircraft design and technologies, I found the plan a bemusing distraction. Not only would such a design be prohibitively expensive, it would also be unlikely to save any lives in all but a very few airline disasters. While the video proposal shows the detachable cabin deploying on a plane experiencing engine failure, it should first be noted that crashes due to this problem are exceptionally rare. Systems and power failures have accounted for less than 3% of all fatal accidents in the past 10 years. From the beginning the argument did not stack up. An aircraft is most vulnerable during take-off and landing because it is closer to the ground (its biggest obstacle), and is travelling at low speeds and therefore is harder to manoeuvre. According to statistics from Boeing, almost three-quarters of deaths from plane crashes between 2005 and 2014 occurred during these phases of flight. But this is the time when a detachable cabin would least likely be successful at saving lives. Being closer to the ground would give the pilot much less opportunity to jettison the cabin following an incident and if it were detached it could well land in a built-up area. Nevertheless, slightly over 1000 lives have been lost in the past ten years due to accidents during the cruise phase of flight, when a detachable cabin might have been of most value. But even during this stage of flight, it is difficult to see that the technology would often be effective. Most aircraft accidents as many as 80% are due to human error, with the most common being loss of aircraft control and flight into or towards terrain. A detachable cabin would probably be impossible to deploy safely if the pilot had lost control of the plane, or if it was about to fly into the terrain. Quick thinking Even in cases where the pilot can respond calmly and quickly to something that wasnt their fault, it is a struggle to see how a detachable cabin could usually play a significant role. Take US Airways flight 1549, which saw pilot Chesley B Sullenberger land the plane in the Hudson river in New York after birds flew into the engines at take-off. Though manufacturers cannot prepare for every scenario, engines are tested for bird ingestion and designed to survive them, at least for a while. Aircraft can also continue to ascend with one engine down. In this case, however, the captain was particularly unlucky to lose all power and was therefore unable to fly back around for an emergency landing at an airfield. What would a detachable cabin have resolved there? At low altitude it is unlikely it could have been deployed in the first place. Then, what if the cabin had landed on the city? Practically, there is also the technical complexity of actually building such a system, the mechanisms and bolts to secure the cabin but also allow its safe release in flight. You can add to this the service issues and maintenance challenges. In addition, there is the excess weight of the proposed system. Weight is everything for aircraft manufacturers. Every extra kilogram requires more thrust and a higher fuel burn. Despite these flaws, this actually is not the first time a detachable cabin system has been envisaged. Following the Challenger shuttle disaster in 1986, designers on the European Hermes space shuttle programme looked at the possibility but found it hugely expensive as well as impacting what the shuttle could carry. The system ended up being one of several fatal blows to Hermes and the shuttle was never built. More recently, Airbus patented an Aircraft Pod Concept in late 2015. This involves switching one cabin full of passengers or cargo for another at the airport in order to reduce turnaround times. This is only a generic concept rather than a full design and is probably based on the idea that the extra weight and fuel costs would be covered by the money saved from the shorter docking time, not on being able to jettison the pod in case of accident. However disappointing it may seem to those with a fear of flying, the parachuting cabin concept would just be too expensive to make a reality and is unlikely to appear soon. But passengers can still rest easy thanks to the ever-improving safety record of the airline industry. Herve Morvan, Professor in Applied Fluid Mechanics and Director, Institute for Aerospace Technology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. More on planes Qatar Airways to launch worlds longest direct flight Son of Concorde supersonic passenger plane unveiled Two South African diplomats based in New York City have gone to court to force the government to pay their kids private school fees, according to a report in the Sunday Times. Raymond Nyembe and Mmalebone Mmekoe part of SAs UN mission filed papers in the High Court in Pretoria after the Department of International Relations recently cut its financial support for school fees in a bid to save money. The court papers reveal that 34 children of 17 officials in New York City cost South African taxpayers just over $1 million (R16 million) a year. Nyembe said the sudden cuts were done without consulting the diplomats, and were not only unfair, but contrary to the already existing budget of the mission. We have been transferred to this mission with the knowledge that we have children and such children should have a right to basic education, he said, adding that his kids had to be removed from school as he could not afford the fees. According to the report, the diplomats refuse to send their children to free public schools. Nyembe said the schools were not well-equipped to accommodate children from other countries and gangs, drugs, and prostitution were rife. The departments chief financial officer Caiphus Ramashau said it was a mistake from the beginning to pay school fees for diplomats in English-speaking countries. There is nothing preventing an official from sending her child to a private school if she is willing to pay for such school, he said. The full report is in the Sunday Times 31 January 2016. More on the government Telkom to be hit very badly by Jacob Zumas own goals Supertax on rich South Africans could be introduced: expert South African spies leak information and the countrys intelligence community is in a shambles, according to an oversight report tabled in parliament. The Sunday Times reported that low skills levels, qualified audit opinions, and an appetite for further intrusion into the lives of citizens were the standout findings of the joint standing committee on intelligences report. The annual report also found that intelligence services are concerned about the loss of skilled staff at defence agencies, and the large-scale employment of foreign nationals by government and academic institutions. Other findings of the report included: Desire to tighten monitoring and control of private landing strips. Intelligence operatives believe the risks attached to foreign missions recruiting South Africans for strategic positions must be assessed. The State Security Agency is awaiting promulgation of the Protection of State Information Bill to establish appropriate standards for securing classified information. Security agencies plan to act on allegations that South African border officials are corrupt. Possible specialised training of South African security agency staff in Russia and Cuba is strongly mooted. Information leaks from security agencies pose a challenge. The report also stated that the inspecting judge for cellphone interceptions, Yvonne Mokgoro, granted 387 requests for the interception of electronic communication, and refused five. The full report is available in the Sunday Times 31 January 2016. More security news Couple robbed of R250,000 by hackers while trying to buy a house Two KZN card cloners jailed for 18 years As owner of this blog, I bear no responsibility to what other contributors/bloggers may post. I encourage all to speak freely without indulging in libel or defamatory content. Anyone who feels offended by any posting can email me and I will remove the offending article if appropriate. Contact me at redbeansg@yahoo.com redbean Here's a really easy recipe from *Martha Stewart* for *White Chocolate Ghost Pops*! It's the perfect treat and activity for *Halloween*. The kids will lov... 1 day ago A large crowd filled the Caldwell Snyder Gallery in St. Helena on Jan. 21 to honor the St. Helena Chamber of Commerces four Community Service Award winners. Honored were: Kim Phinney, Citizen of the Year, for her for St. Helena, including being a volunteer teacher for first- through eighth-graders in the art of calligraphy and being one of the leaders of the citys Parks and Rec Commission, helping with the Fourth of July fireworks and putting on the best Harvest Festival ever. Central Valley, Business of the Year, which celebrated 60 years in the hardware and construction industry in 2015, employing 250 people in five locations throughout the North Bay Area. Francisco Ortiz, Employee of the Year, who has been one of the smiling faces at the St. Helena Post Office for the past 14 years. The Stephen McCullagh Fund, Nonprofit of the Year, which dedicated a new community park in honor of the late McCullagh, an assistant scoutmaster for St. Helena Boy Scout Troop 1. Before the short ceremony, Phinney said the honor is completely overwhelming for me. It is very hard to be in this environment (the Caldwell Snyder Gallery) being recognized for things that I think are normal to do. After hearing about the award, Phinney said she threatened her sister, Katie Leonardini, who serves on the Chambers board of directors. When Phinney told her sister, You better not let this happen, Leonardini responded, Its out of my hands. After accepting the 2015 Commemorative Sculpture from her sister, Phinney said, I would like to curse Pam Simpson, but I will thank her instead. During a short speech, she added, I follow behind so many Citizens of the Year, I will make you proud. I couldnt be up here without my husband, Dave, who works so hard so I can volunteer. Kathleen Patterson and her son, Steve, own Central Valley. Steve Patterson reflected on the award: Id just like to say thank you on behalf of the Patterson family to our community, to our customers, to our employees and to the Chamber for making Central Valley a company worthy of this recognition and of this distinction. He added, I cant thank the community enough. We feel very proud to receive this and certainly weve been around for 60 years and we look forward to serving the community for another 60. When asked what his favorite memory was from the past 10 or 15 years, Patterson paused a minute and said, Ill probably choose the most recent, that is a revitalization, a re-invigoration of the brand, which has changed from Central Valley Builders Supply to simply Central Valley. Patterson added that the move was exciting for me because it was a tribute to the past and got us focused on the future. It was exciting for the employees, it sent a positive message to the community and again about our commitment to be here for the foreseeable future. In nominating the smiling Francisco Ortiz for the honor, Katie Somple said, His positive and helpful attitude personifies the kind of customer service St. Helena encourages. He is well-known and liked by many St. Helena locals. Recently a series of unsolicited, complimentary letters to the editor were published in the St. Helena Star written by citizens affected by his positive and happy nature. After accepting the award from Joshua Cowan, Chamber board president, Ortiz simply put his hands together and said, Thank you. Sam Baxter serves as the head of the board for the nonprofit Stephen McCullagh Fund. Baxter said, We are blown away by what weve been able to accomplish with the support of the community, which culminated with the April dedication of McCullagh Park after years of fundraising. Baxter and McCullagh grew up as best friends and afterward, Baxter said, We worked together, went to college together. He was family to all of us. To more people than we even knew, he impacted so many people beyond our close circle. His connection with people and the way he influenced people throughout his life set a huge foundation of what weve been able to accomplish, Baxter added. The 29-year-old McCullagh and 13-year-old Ryan Collins died during a Boy Scout Troop 1 hike 10 years ago after being struck by lightning in Sequoia National Park. Five others were injured. From across the family room I could hear the two younger Huffman girls giggling. Whats so funny? I asked. Oh nothing, they said. Its just a photo from their big sister, our Colorado College Girl. Really? I didnt get a photo. Let me see, I said. You cant mom, they said. Its gone. The photo is gone already? Cant you save it? No mom, ITS A SNAPCHAT, they said in that isnt it obvious teen voice. One Huffman daughter explained that Snapchat lets you send photos but the pictures disappear after you watch them. This sounded familiar. Isnt it the app that SOME people use to send nekkid photos? Didnt our middle school principal warn us parents about Snapchat? Anyway, why would I want to send photos that disappear? Isnt that the reason you take a photo? To SAVE it? Why dont you just TEXT the photo and you can save it with the other 2,509 photos on your iPhone? You dont get it, Mom, our girls said. Everyones on Snapchat. Oh yeah? Is that a challenge? Well maybe Mom needs to get on Snapchat. I had good reasons. College kids arent always the best communicators. In fact, they are usually the very worst communicators. Try sending a college kid a letter and see what happens. Ill tell you what: NOTHING. Letters from their bank, letters from their own college, letters from grandma college students like to ignore them all. Then theres voice mail, email and texts. College kids cant be bothered to respond to most of those either. But College Girl has plenty of time for Snapchatting. They say if you cant beat em, Snapchat em, so thats what I did. I made my own Snapchat account which I had no idea how to use. Lucky for me, around that same time we went to Colorado to see College Girl. Thats right I flew 1,133 miles to see the person I wanted to Snapchat so she could explain Snapchat to me. Thats got to be some kind of Snapchat record. College Girl thought my newbie Snapchat questions were so hilarious that she did a Snapchat of me asking her how to use Snapchat. Hardy har har. I was now on Snapchat and I was chatting with nobody. None of my friends are on Snapchat. My husband wasnt on Snapchat. Middle Daughter wouldnt let me Snapchat with her. We live with the Youngest Huffman so it didnt make much sense to Snapchat her when shes sitting across the dinner table from me. Lucky for me, College Girl let me be her Snapchat friend. I sent her pictures of our cat. I sent her pictures of me and my husband making funny faces. Apparently the goofier the Snapchat the better it is. You can add cat ears, rainbow tongues or zombie effects to your face in your Snapchat photos. People compete to have the longest Snapchat streaks or back-and-forth Snapchats. And they say Snapchat is worth $19 billion. College Girl sent me a few Snapchat pics, too. Walking to class. A wild rabbit on the sidewalk. The toy store she works at. Its all very normal, ordinary stuff. I love these little glimpses into her everyday life. And even better, no nekkid pics. In 2007, ambitions ran high among Napa officials who hoped to carpet their city with public, wireless Internet service that would let residents, tourists and businesses get online almost anywhere. But the planned citywide Wi-Fi network never got off the ground. But could Napa eventually fulfill that dream, as smartphones and tablets drive explosive demand for go-anywhere Internet? No proposal as bold as the last decades has emerged in the city since Napa and AT&T abandoned a planned $1 million network. But the thoughts of merchants groups, city staff and Internet service providers suggest an outline of what a future Wi-Fi system may look like largely focused on downtown and geared to helping visitors stay in touch with cyberspace, and businesses in touch with visitors. Unlike in 2007, the leading role in planning a future build-out likely would fall to the Napa Chamber of Commerce rather than the city, according to Councilwoman Juliana Inman and Travis Stanley, the chambers chief executive and president. The chamber has discussed the prospects of a downtown public Wi-Fi system with city leaders, business owners and telecommunications firms for about a year, Stanley said in an email Thursday. We are attempting to do our due diligence to gain a full understanding of the collaboration needed to implement and maintain an efficient network that would enhance the downtown Napa experience for locals, vendors and visitors alike, and hope to have an update soon, he wrote. It is our intent that any public Wi-Fi system built in downtown Napa would be implemented under the chambers leadership with input and collaboration with the city. Any public wireless service, according to Inman, will require adequate spaces for routers, utility lines and other equipment the very issue that doomed Napas earlier effort. In February 2007, the city and AT&T agreed to install enough antennas to stretch Wi-Fi transmission over at least 4 square miles of Napa. Anyone with a wireless-enabled computer or cellphone would have been able to log on from parks, yards, public spaces and vehicles, and signal boosters also would have extended reception into buildings. Police officers were to have used the network to quickly send and receive video, photos and reports in the field, and the service also was intended to enable automatic checks on water meters and instant review of databases by building inspectors. But the dream of Wi-Fi everywhere crashed into a fatal roadblock the lack of space on the citys 30-foot-tall utility poles in which to install transmitters. State regulations banned any devices on the lower 16 feet of a pole, leaving too little room up top for both antennas and utility lines. The city dropped its wireless network plan eight months after the announcement. With the restrictions on utility poles and their replacement by buried cables downtown any such service depends on the buy-in of property owners, according to Inman. A Wi-Fi system would have to be mostly on private buildings, (because) the only utility poles we have downtown now are overhead light standards, she said Thursday. Meanwhile, a private company already is trying to create an Internet-anywhere downtown zone, a building at a time. AdSpots Inc., a Canadian company that installs public wireless systems supported by online advertising, is assembling the first pieces of a web that eventually will include 10 hotspots, according to Sandra Schulze, mobile marketing strategist for the firm. The first node in the network went online outside the Downtown Joes brewpub in July, and the second is slated for Napas Riverfront shopping complex on Main Street, she said. We plan to cover the main attractions with our network, said Schulze. (Tourists) expect to find free Wi-Fi here the way they do in other cities, and theyre surprised when they find nothing. Its no longer just a nice-to-have. Since Napas first attempt at delivering public Wi-Fi, the advent of the iPhone which hit the market just four months after the stillborn networks announcement and a host of mobile devices have led to the rollout of cellular data networks far outstripping those available in 2007. But Schulze said Wi-Fi still has a role to play in public spaces particularly for those visiting from abroad and seeking to avoid steep roaming fees for data-intensive photo and video sharing. What is happening is that people still want to ditch that expensive data plan, especially if they come from overseas, she said. A lot of tablets are not equipped with cell capability, and most people dont take their laptops with them anymore; they have their tablets instead. A similarly tight focus on serving a compact town core has marked a Wi-Fi service in St. Helena that, unlike Napas, has served mobile devices for more than two years. Phone, laptop and tablet users can log on without a cell signal along a stretch of Main Street (Highway 29) from Vidovich Street north to Adams Street, thanks to a network the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce launched in August 2013. Like the system planned by AdSpots, the St. Helena service is supported by on-screen ads, not the per-use fees sometimes charged by airports, hotels and other venues. Fourteen transmitters currently comprise the St. Helena network, which was installed by the provider Valley Internet, in Napa and Fairfield, at no charge to the city or chamber. A key to a workable system is to give it a clear mission, and to treat it as a tourist convenience rather than a moneymaker, according to Pam Simpson, president and CEO of the St. Helena chamber. One issue we face is that our system has to compete with what is already present, like (Wi-Fi) in coffee shops, she said. Your purpose has to be clear. We are not trying to create a revenue stream with our Wi-Fi. Weve tried to ensure people can connect as theyre walking up and down Main Street. Downtown St. Helenas modest size and its correspondingly small technical requirements may be the wireless networks strongest asset, Simpson added, pointing to coverage gaps and reception problems that plagued the more ambitious introductions in Philadelphia, San Francisco and other metropolitan areas in the 2000s. We have a very concentrated area and a provider that is very helpful. Therefore, we dont have the issue the big cities have, she said. The bigger it gets, the more complicated it gets. The simpler, the better. Even in a compact Upvalley business district, Valley Internet which has paid the networks estimated $15,000 cost can make wireless data service denser still, according to the companys co-founder, Ofer Tenenbaum. His ultimate goal is to install one transmitter for every 1,500 square feet of the service area, and to convince Main Street merchants to replace private routers with the companys nodes to ensure smooth handoffs of coverage from block to block. I think weve proven in St. Helena that we can do the job, but the job is not done, he said. We need to get the message out (to business owners) that the next step is one solution for the entire downtown. Who doesnt like food?, said librarian Breanna Feliciano when she proposed having a pozole, or hominy stew, contest at the Napa County Library. She pitched the idea as a way to get more, and different, people into the library. She was right. During the contest on Saturday, Feliciano saw many individuals and families whom she has never seen at the library. It was a great turnout, she said. The event was not just about the delicious pozole, typically made with pork, but it was also educational. People were asking questions about the origin of the pozole, what it was, how it was made and if it was a family recipe or an original creation. A tamale contest is planned for the future, Feliciano assured an inquiring patron. Vicky Martinez had been looking forward to the pozole contest all week. She spent days working on the hominy stew using a recipe that has been passed down in her family from generation to generation. She presented her Guerrero-style pozole blanco, or white pozole, during the contest on Saturday afternoon. Vickys son, Dan, said that ever since he was little, his friends have raved about his moms pozole. They all want to come over, he said, always asking when she is going to make it next. About a dozen family members were there to support her. As soon as I told her about it, shes been so excited, he said. Martinez waved her arms and screamed for joy when she was announced as the winner of the other category. Im so happy, she said. Muy (very) happy. She was up against Anthony Halstead, the assistant director of library services, who made a vegan rendition of the traditional Mexican dish. There were an additional eight competitors in pozole rojo category, or red pozole, and three more in the pozole verde, or green pozole, category. For nearly two hours, it seemed that each of the contenders was spooning out their samples continuously, many of them running out of serving cups and spoons. It wasnt a problem, though. The library staff was on it, and people at least 200 of them continued to eat. It seems like a lot of people came and are enjoying it, said Aaron Hangman, a red contender. Hangman came up with his recipe himself just by playing around in the kitchen, he said. But making pozole is still a family tradition his older brother, Erik, also entered the contest. Ive made it my whole life, Erik said of the green pozole. This is my mothers recipe. Erik won the pozole verde category. Maricela Garcia won the pozole rojo category with her recipe, which has origins from Jalisco, Mexico. People attending the event agreed that it must have been a difficult decision for the judges because everything was so delicious. Carol Hamilton said she would definitely come to another event like this one. Im glad to see something like this at the library for the community to come to, she said. Pozole is typically saved for special occasions typically around Thanksgiving and Christmas, said David Dudley, whose wife entered the contest. She and her sister have been watching their mom make it since they were kids, said Xochi Dudley. They dont make it every day, thats what makes it so good, explained Ernesto Segura. Its something that everyone loves, but you cant really get it in a can, he said. If you smell pozole in the house, you know its a party. WASHINGTONRoughly 200 of the nations most prominent police chiefs, Justice Department and White House officials, and police training experts convened in Washington on Friday to discuss policy proposals which, if implemented broadly, would amount to the most drastic police reform in decades. During the forum, titled Taking Policing to a Higher Standard and held in the seventh floor meeting rooms of the Newseum, top officials from many of the nations largest police departments were urged to implement new training and departmental policies that supporters believe could lead to a decrease in the number of fatal shootings by officers each year a topic near the top of the national consciousness in the 18 months since the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. This is a defining moment for us in policing, Charles Ramsey, the recently-retired commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department, told the room. Ramsey, also a former District of Columbia chief, was one of several prominent policing officials who said departments must act pro-actively to change their use of force policies rather than waiting for one of their officers to be involved in a controversial shooting. Privately, several of those in attendance remarked that the shift in attitude of top police officials toward reform seems a direct result of the protests in Ferguson, Baltimore, Chicago and elsewhere and the resulting increase in media scrutiny of police use of force. We need to raise the bar for all police departments, said Chuck Wexler, who runs the Police Executive Research Forum, a policing policy think-tank that organized the gathering. Accurate national statistics on fatal police shootings were unavailable until last year when The Washington Post launched a database to track them, documenting 987 fatal shootings by on-duty officers in 2015. Wexler presented The Posts findings to the gathering of officials, and said that even after removing all shootings in which the person killed had a gun, there were still hundreds of preventable fatal shootings last year. We can impact about 300 of those, he said. The goal of reform, organizers said, should be is to address the large number of shootings that are lawful but awful in that they do not amount to a crime but that they spark community outrage and could have been prevented. Among reforms discussed at length included retaining all officers in de-escalation tactics and abandoning training that teaches the 21-foot-rule a turn of phrase taught to nearly all current American police officers that is often interpreted by officers to mean they are justified in shooting any suspect with a knife or edged weapon who comes within 21 feet of them. It almost gets to the point that officers are thinking my safety is more important than the safety of anyone elses and my safety is more than the safety of everyone else, said Tom Manger, chief of police in Montgomery County, Maryland. Weve got to change the culture of American policing. . . Our goal should be to get have everyone go home safely at the end of the day. How any given department handles an officer-involved shooting or other use of force incident varies depending on that departments policies, local union contracts and state laws. In an attempt to address the lack of national standards governing police use of force, Wexler proposed to the chiefs 30 guiding principles which include prioritizing the preservation of human life, adopting de-escalation as formal agency policy, quickly releasing information about any use of force incident, and training officers that it is their duty to intervene in order to prevent another officer from using excessive force. Its important for us to recognize the gap that exists between what is acceptable in community standards of use of force. . .and what is acceptable under the law, said Scott Thompson, chief of the Camden County Police Department in New Jersey. Currently, almost all fatal police shootings, especially those during which the person killed has a weapon, are ruled legally justified, based in part on the 1989 Supreme Court decision which established the objectively reasonable standard. It excuses an officer who perceives a threat that any other objectionably reasonable officer would perceive, even if the shooting itself violates policies or protocols or the threat turns out to not exist. There is a real mismatch between what community standards are, what the community expects, what they think the law should be, versus what the training and the law allows for, said Vanita Gupta, DOJs assistant attorney general for civil rights, who said a national conversation about police objective reasonableness was potentially revolutionary. One provision that drew significant discussion, and pushback, among the chiefs was a policy guideline calling for all police use of force to meet a proportionality standard, which called for officers to consider how the general public might view any use of force in determining if it is an appropriate. Several of the chiefs noted that they anticipate, or have already seen, significant resistance from their officers and local police unions to an attempt to change policies or to hold officers more accountable. Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn, who said that officers need to be disciplined more consistently for violating policing policy, recalled the anger he provoked with his decision to fire the police officer who shot and killed Dontre Hamilton, a mentally ill man who was asleep on a park bench. While the shooting was not criminal, Flynn said, the actions of former officer Christopher Manney violated department protocol. I made a decision to fire him and announced it at a press conference in which I still defended his use of deadly force at that instant, Flynn said. As you can imagine, that decision wasnt meant to please anybody, and succeeded. I had the Coalition for Justice demand my firing, and the police union vote no confidence, Flynn said, prompting a round of laughter. And I like to think at that moment I kind of brought the police and community together. Others questioned whether departments should train their officers that they are accountable for their behavior above and beyond the objective reasonableness standard. Instead, some of the chiefs said, through re-training, the culture of policing could up the standard for what would be deemed objectionably reasonable. Im totally in agreement that police dont know how to retreat in the United States, and that we kill too many people. There are things that we can do. . .to reduce the death toll, said Ed Davis, the former Boston police commissioner. However, when we get to this point where we start to say that we have to hold ourselves to a higher standard, its great rhetoric but. . .its difficult for an agency to say even though the Supreme Court said this, were gonna say that. The group watched a number of videos taken by both bystanders and body cameras of police shootings that occurred in 2015, as well as other videos of police behavior that went viral, such as the video of an officer breaking up a pool party of teenagers in McKinney, Texas. Im surprised you havent shown my video yet, said Daniel Oates, the police chief in Miami Beach, where in December officers killed an alleged bank robber wielding a straight-edge razor in a shooting caught on camera. Moments later, the chiefs were dissecting the video of the Miami Beach shooting, during which officers surround the man, 51-year-old David Winesett. One officer gets close enough to deploy a stun gun and as he does, another officer opens fire. Ive learned that South Florida doesnt have the longer, less lethal weapons, Oates said, adding that he wishes one of the officers responding to the man had a gun that could fire less lethal ammunition, such as a beanbag. Im kicking myself. I had been there 18 months and I hadnt inquired into it. In my last agency we used less lethal shotguns very effectively. And they also watched videos from Scotland and North Ireland, where police kill very few people despite often facing violent threats in part, the chiefs said, because their officers are trained to back away from potential threats and retreat if necessary. In America, police officers do not have an obligation to retreat, noted William McManus, chief of the San Antonio Police Department. That is problematic. Other chiefs noted that they were initially skeptical of some of the proposed reforms, only to later see their merits after some of the changes were implemented. Among the suggestions were that departments implement a policy that prohibits officers from shooting into a moving vehicle a step taken by the New York Police Department in 1972 that drastically cut down on the departments number of fatal shootings. The Denver Police Department has had several fatal shootings involving people in cars in recent years, including the death of 17-year-old Jessie Hernandez. That prompted Wexler to call the Denver police chief and recommend he research the NYPDs policy. Im saying thats kind of stupid,. . .is what I said to myself. . .but at the same time I realized that we needed to do something different, said R.C. White, Denvers police chief. After researching the departmental policies of other police units, White chose to craft a new policy banning officers from shooting into a moving vehicle and providing his officers with more training in how to get out of the way of a suspect in a vehicle. We ended up changing our policy, White said. I have been confused by the school system here but have never gotten around figuring it out. Until today. That is because little Albany is going to school from tomorrow onward. We enrolled her at a public school within a walking distance from where we live. I was told by lots of people that the suburb I am living in is a bad one. You know, high crime rate (debunked), high presence of Muslim and Aborigines community etc. the usual shit. In general, Asian (actually probably Singaporean) parents tend to avoid sending their kids to schools within suburbs with such reputations. Not me. These are totally fine by me. Will not be moving to Canningvale (New Singapore) because of these. So forward and onward, Albany shall attend the public-independent school within walking distance, because it is within walking distance. I have no idea what is the difference between a normal public school and a public-independent school. All I know is I cannot afford to send my kids to private schools. So any public school will suffice, especially so since the school Albany is going to is one I have been driving past every day on my way home from work. No unruly school children, or idiots darting onto service roads abutting the school like what we used to do during our Primary School days in Singapore. The school compound is old but large and spacious. Facilities are well maintained so the age of school doesn't matter. I shall share what I learnt, it may come useful for any clueless parents of young kids coming my way. The batch of children for each intake has a cut-off date on the 1st of July, so registration for school will take place by June/July. This is unlike in Singapore where we simply took in a batch from 1st Jan to 31 Dec. I am not sure what is the purpose of such arrangement. I have heard comments from slightly annoyed Singaporean parents who lamented that their kids are "slower" because they are born after the 1st of July and have to start school 1 year later then their age equivalence peers in Singapore. Duh. Oh come on. Anyway, this is what I figured out how it should look like: Parents are encouraged to to do "voluntary contributions" to the school. That is a polite way of putting things because parents have to contribute somehow because it is for the implementation and resourcing of additional programs carried out during the year. Let's just regard it as school fees for simplicity's sake. Fees The cost of contribution is $60 per child per year for this school. Some schools only require $50, the others may be more or less but the variance should not be too high across all public schools. Private schools though, you don't want to know. If you are filthy rich to consider sending all your kids to private schools, you probably don't care about that extra $1000 difference across different schools anyway. Some schools require children to attend school in official uniform (pretty much like Singapore schools). Other schools only require children to come in similar coloured clothing. Since this school allows us to clad Albany in own clothes, we opted out of buying the official uniform with the school logo. Besides, we will have to move her to another neighbourhood school when we shift house in a few month's time. So old uniforms will not be reusable due to difference in colour. Uniform Stationery The cost of raising a kid is very high indeed. How does that compare to Singapore at this level though? I don't have the figures. 4-5 years old - "Kindy" (It is a non-compulsory level, 5 days/fortnight)5-6 years old - "Pre-school"6-7 years old - "Year 1"7-8 years old - "Year 2" and so onThe cost of official uniform with logo for this school:$40-$50 a set for Summer (depending on what you choose among shorts/skorts/skirt)$50-$65 a set for Winter (price difference between hooded wear or jacket)$15 for a broadbrim hatshoes and socks (no logos)All these items are compulsory, including the hat since they have a "No hat, no (outdoor) play" policy.The cost of "uncoded" uniform (that we opted for)$9 a set for Summer$20 a set for Winter$6 for a broadbrim hat$9 a pair of shoes$1 a pair of socksEach level will be given a list of recommended stationery to use for the year. For this level, it cost us $64.70 for the entire lot.Fees: $60Uniform: $80 (2 sets)Stationery: $64.70School bag: FreeLunch box: $5.00 I got an interesting letter recently from a reader complaining about a series of religiously themed commentaries we have run lately. The author didnt sign his name, and we have a policy against publishing anonymous letters, but the issue he raised is worthy of some discussion, so Ill invoke the editors prerogative to break the rules a little bit. The Register is increasingly publishing Sunday sermons by various Napa Valley clergy and this past Sunday by Kathy Ball, our correspondent wrote. Unfortunately, these columns seem to be 100 percent Christian. This makes many of us non-Christians uncomfortable who enjoy reading the Register. I know we can avert our eyes and go on reading other content, but the assumption still stings that Napa is a Christian city and the U.S. a Christian nation. No, we are a pluralistic city and a pluralistic nation. This particular column was part of a series that our two Upvalley weeklies run, known as Thursday Pulpit, which is written by a revolving cast of clergy and active church members from churches all over the valley. They include several in Napa (Kathy Ball is, for example, a member of the First Church Christ, Scientist in Napa). I pick up these columns usually once or twice per month when space allows and the topic seems to me to be both timely and relevant to the wider audience that the Register attracts. But in addition to this, I have also welcomed original letters that are commentaries on religious topics on the Opinion page, including a recent series debating whether there is (or even could be) actual verifiable evidence of Gods existence. Also, there is a simmering debate, which flares up every few months, about whether the practice of tithing is Biblically appropriate or a form of extortion by churches. These religiously themed letters and commentaries have drawn a diverse reaction. Based on the letters and comments we receive on them, they certainly seem to be well read. At minimum, they provoke strong reactions. Some have been critical, saying the Opinion page should be a secular institution. Perhaps religious discussions can be printed on the Religion page as essays or sermons, reader Karlyn Williams wrote last year. Those of faith have plenty of venues to celebrate and debate their religious views, commenter MyWrites added. Many have religious study groups and their churches or temples to attend. As a nonbeliever, neither do I share my atheist zeal with others nor attend any church even though some of those religious faithful ridiculously insist that my personal beliefs are in fact a religion. So why do we run such letters? It isnt because I am particularly religious (I am not), but rather because I think faith is a matter of legitimate interest and significance to society. Many, perhaps most, people spend at least some time in church (or the equivalent) and many structure their lives around the beliefs, philosophy, and social structures of their faiths. To close the opinion pages to such views would be arbitrary and unnatural. As to the question of the heavy preponderance of Christian views, that is probably an effect of the fact that the vast majority of houses of worship in Napa County are Christian in some respect, though the range is remarkably wide, from barely spiritual to stridently fundamentalist. Certainly a majority of the Thursday Pulpit authors, though not all, are Christians. Partly, too, its an effect of who is submitting letters and commentaries. I get occasional submissions directly from Bycel, but other than that, every religiously oriented submission I have received directly as a letter to the editor has either been from a Christian or from an atheist arguing against some point of Christian philosophy. I certainly dont want to turn the Opinion page into a theological debating society that would be as excessive and arbitrary as excluding religion entirely but I invite anyone with a good-faith religious opinion to weigh in with a letter or commentary. That includes everyone, including my anonymous correspondent, who reports he is a Buddhist. I am sure there are those who would be surprised and interested to know that there are Buddhists living and practicing in Napa County. There are probably other interesting faiths out there that the wider community knows little about. Love it or hate it, believe in it or not, religion and faith are part of the tapestry of Napa County and our communities. Churches by whatever name you may call them are just as much a part of the civic infrastructure of our communities as schools, stores, service clubs, and government. They deserve to be reflected by the newspaper in an equitable way. Blakeley Construction will move its operations from the rural property it has occupied near Calistoga for 55 years following a dispute with the county over zoning and building permit issues. Representatives for the county and the family-owned business signed an agreement filed with Napa County Superior Court. Blakeley Construction has two-and-a-half years to vacate the 310 Franz Valley School Road site. The dispute came down to whether Blakeley Construction could continue operating on agriculturally zoned land, given that it has done so since 1961. The outcome raises questions about the future of a company that has for a half-century been part of the Calistoga business community. Blakeley Construction President Dick Blakeley said the company remains open and that he wants to continue operations at a different location, if he can find one. But suitable space is tight in wine country. Weve been looking, he said. There are not a whole lot of places out there, nothing weve heard of without going out of the county. Weve heard there might be something in south Napa County, but were a northern Napa County company that has most of our following in a 10-mile or 15-mile radius. Blakeley said the company needs about an acre with commercial zoning at a location where trucks and tractors wouldnt be a problem. The court agreement details how the Blakeleys must phase out their construction operations on the Franz Valley School Road property by June 30, 2018. It calls for the Blakeleys to pay the county $84,272, of which $73,000 is a civil penalty and $11,272 is to cover county administrative and legal costs in the case. Were not on property thats zoned right, Blakeley said. We also have buildings built without the aid of permits in the early 70s. Theres a lot of buildings in the area where that was done. Dick and Kelly Blakeley went before the county Zoning Administrator last June to ask the county to declare their land use as being nonconforming but legal. The county took testimony and then continued the hearing to another day, but that day never came. Instead, we reached a different agreement to go down a different path, Deputy County Counsel Carrie Gallagher said. Code violations have been a hot issue in recent years, with some in the community saying the county too readily grants forgiveness. Usually, however, the controversies have involved wineries. The county is in a tough position, Dick Blakeley said. With the groundswell of what people want right now, with this coming up at this time, it was a hard thing to do. Ten years ago, it might have been grandfathered in, but its not 10 years ago. The court agreement calls for the Blakeleys to withdraw their application for a certificate of legal nonconformity. Zoning Administrator hearings are typically low-key affairs held in a small room in the county Administration Building. But about 80 people turned out for the June 23, 2015 hearing on Blakeley Construction. Calistoga Mayor Chris Canning said before the hearing that Blakeley Construction since opening in 1961 has had a big impact on Calistoga. Theyve employed hundreds, if not thousands, of Calistogans during that period, Canning said. They built a good part of Calistoga. Robert and Melissa Kennedy of Kennedy Estate Vineyards on Franz Valley School Road engaged an attorney who made the case at the hearing against the Blakeleys request. In a letter last year, the Kennedys said they harbor no ill-will against the Blakeleys. Rather, they want to restore the agricultural land use to the Blakeley site so they can peacefully enjoy their own property. The Blakeleys through their attorney asserted that their operations have been acknowledged by the county over the years. The county repeatedly used Blakeley Construction to make emergency repairs and county employees at various times said the business was grandfathered in. But a county report prepared for the hearing said none of these claims of county endorsements compelled the county to declare Blakeley Construction a legal, non-conforming use. With the court agreement now in place, the issue appears to be settled. Blakeley Construction, meanwhile, faces an unsettled future. Im not going out of business, Dick Blakeley said. I dont want to, anyway. The new Lightbridge fuel design Aerial view of the NuScale Plant. Say nuclear reactor and what leaps to mind is a giant machine, powerful enough to run an entire city, with thousands of moving parts.But UPower Technologies has a different concept: a nuclear power plant that is mostly built in a factory, and arrives on site in two standard shipping containers. After set-up, it runs a cluster of buildings or a village. The reactor is more like a nuclear battery, with no moving parts.UPower is one of several new reactor concepts that will be the topic of discussion in the next few days. Third Way , a centrist think tank, holds an Advanced Nuclear Summit and Showcase on Wednesday. Third Way recently issued a report on the future of nuclear power, in partnership with three Department of Energy laboratories: Idaho, Argonne and Oak Ridge. In November, the White House held a summit on nuclear energy Behind the events is the conviction that with technological progress, nuclear power, like microchips or composite materials or a lot of other evolving technologies, can turn up in new applications, in new places.Take UPower. Today, almost all reactors sit on the power grid, where they contribute to a system with many different sources, but off the grid, the big source of energy is diesel generators.These have a variety of drawbacks. Often the fuel has to be hauled long distances, so getting diesel fuel requires burning diesel fuel. Sometimes the fuel comes over routes that are open only seasonally. A reactor like UPowers could run for ten years without refueling. Like a diesel generator, UPowers reactor has an output is in the range of megawatts. (For reference, a gasoline-powered generator you buy at a hardware store is usually in the kilowatt range, and a house with a central air conditioner will draw several kilowatts; a megawatt is about as much power as it takes to run a Super Walmart. A typical reactor today is in the range of 1,000 megawatts.)Diesel is by far the most expensive fuel, and can be the most polluting. And often, people who rely on a diesel generator are paying five or ten times as much, per kilowatt-hour, as customers on a major grid. So the economics of a tiny reactor might not work on a major grid, but would be very attractive in places that are off grid. According to the International Energy Agency s World Energy Outlook , 1.2 billion people have no access to electricity and another 2.7 billion rely on traditional biomass, everything from wood to dung, burned indoors in poorly-ventilated spaces.Upower is not alone in this idea; Toshibas 4S design (Super Safe, Small and Simple) has already attracted interest in Alaska and elsewhere. But Toshiba, Upower and others face obstacles in coming to market, one of which is the high cost of licensing a new reactor design. City officials of Galena, Alaska, wanted a Toshiba reactor as an alternative to shipping in diesel fuel in the brief window when barges can get to the town, but the Nuclear Regulatory Commission told them that the town and the company would have to pay the NRCs costs for licensing the plant. But around the world, such reactors have tremendous environmental promise, for cleaning up indoor air, reducing deforestation caused by burning wood, and reducing air pollution from dirty diesels.By Third Ways accounting, 48 companies, with more than $1.6 billion in private capital, are pursuing advanced reactor technologies.Some are fission, some are fusion. One, Lightbridge, is not pursuing a new reactor, but rather, a new fuel form that can go into existing reactors. Existing fuel uses uranium in ceramic pellets, stacked in long metal tubes called fuel rods. Lightbridge uses uranium embedded in metal, shaped like a liquorish stick. The design as 35 percent more surface area, so it gives off its heat more easily. The Lightbridge fuel is intended to run at less than 700 degrees F, and give off about 10 percent more heat than a conventional fuel rod, which heats to over 2,000 degrees. That creates the opportunity to get more electricity out of current reactors, with fuel that is even less likely to overheat.All these technologies face years of development work, but Lightbridge recently won permission to try out its fuel in a test reactor in Norway Also marching ahead is NuScale , which has a design for clusters of small reactors, installed in a sealed capsule in a large pool of water. The cores are so small, relative to their surface area and the cooling ability of the pools, that fuel damage becomes impossible. NuScale went the opposite route from Lightbridge; its design uses a type of fuel that has been used for decades, except half the size. The strategy reduces the number of new technologies that must be approved.And there is also government help. On January 15, the Energy Department announced that it would provide funds to x-energy and a group that includes TerraPower and Southern Company to develop new reactor designs. X-energy is working on a high-temperature pebble bed design, and the TerraPower/Southern group is planning a molten chloride fast reactor. Pebble beds produce a higher-temperature steam with many uses, and fast reactors make better use of fuel, and their used fuel contains fewer long-lived materials.There is more to come. Watch this space. Question -- What is the goal of this website? Why do we share different sources of information that sometimes conflicts or might even be considered disinformation? Answer -- The primary goal of Nesaranews is to help all people become better truth-seekers in a real-time boots-on-the-ground fashion. This is for the purpose of learning to think critically, discovering the truth from withinnot just believing things blindly because it came from an "authority" or credible source. Instead of telling you what the truth is, we share information from many sources so that you can discern it for yourself. We focus on teaching you the tools to become your own authority on the truth, gaining self-mastery, sovereignty, and freedom in the process. We want each of you to become your own leaders and masters of personal discernment, and as such, all information should be vetted, analyzed and discerned at a personal level. We also encourage you to discuss your thoughts in the comments section of this site to engage in a group discernment process. "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle 11 Paul Ryans capitulation House Speaker Paul Ryan paid lip-service against unvetted Syrian refugees, then turned around and orchestrated an omnibus funding bill that fully funded President Obamas expanded refugee program. rural Montanans are getting stirred up and frustrated by the bare-knuckle approach of the refugee-resettlement groups. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock is a big supporter of refugee resettlement. more than two-dozen governors sent letters to the Obama administration requesting, to no avail, that the flow of refugees into their states be stopped. Its in their book (the Quran) that they are not refugees they are migrants. They are on the hijra (migration), and Muhammad was the first one to migrate, going from Mecca to Medina and that is whats happening, and all the pieces are falling into place, she said. A lot of them are not poor refugees but migrants. The migration is happening and that is what I am afraid of. They say they want 100 per year in Missoula, and the families will come and they will seed them. The first little seed is going to be planted in Missoula but then the families will come. Whats a family for them? They have multiple wives and many children." The MSA was exposed as a front group for the Muslim Brotherhood in court documents filed during the Holy Land Foundation terror-financing trial in 2007. It has hundreds of chapters on college campuses across the U.S. and is notorious for stirring up anti-Israel sentiment and boycotts among college students. Solomon said her ACT For America chapter met with Montanas congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., last summer, and also with Texas Rep. Brian Babin, who is sponsoring House Bill 3314, which would halt all refugee resettlement until a full audit of the program can be conducted. So far House Speaker Paul Ryan has refused to promote Babins bill even though it has more than 80 co-sponsors. http://www.wnd.com/2016/01/plan-to-infuse-small-towns-with-muslim-migrants-meets-resistance/ Nachman says the commissioners Jan. 13 letter was astonishingly naive. Under the resettlement program, as governed by the Refugee Act of 1980 (authored by former Sens. Teddy Kennedy and Joe Biden), local elected leaders are not afforded any control over the number of refugees the federal government sends into their communities. The feds must consult with state and local leaders but are not required to abide by any suggested limits on the number of refugee arrivals. Nor is the federal government bound to restrict refugees coming from any particular country, such as Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan or any other jihadist-infested country.The flow of refugees could begin with 10 Christians from Myanmar, for instance, but quickly evolve into hundreds of Muslims from Syria or Somalia. The Obama administration claims it has carte blanche authority over how many refugees will arrive in any given town and where they will come from. Obama plans to send at least 10,000 Syrians to dozens of U.S. cities and towns this year and thousands more in 2017. The program as a whole will deliver 85,000 refugees to U.S. cities in 2016 and 100,000 in 2017, all completely funded by Speaker Paul Ryans Congress.Since the controversy erupted last fall over Syrian refugees, Secretary of State John Kerrys top refugee lieutenant, Anne Richard, has repeatedly said states have no authority to stop the flow of refugees.Yet, the Jan. 13 letter shows a stunning lack of knowledge on the part of the Missoula County commissioners, said Nachman, who lives in Bozeman. The commissioners seem to believe they can simply put their order in for a specific number of refugees. They are practically begging for 100 refugees per year, says Nachman, a 67-year-old retired physicist. He came to Montana from Southern California in 2005 where he was involved in that states pitched battles over illegal immigration.As in many small towns and rural areas, debates on controversial issues in Montana often play out on the op-ed pages of local newspapers and on talk radio shows. Nachman has written several letters to the editor to local papers, countering what he says has been dishonest propaganda put out by representatives of pro-refugee agencies that stand to make a lot of money off of the resettlement of Syrians in Montana. One group, Soft Landing Montana, is affiliated with the International Rescue Committee or IRC, which is one of nine major contractors the U.S. government pays to resettle refugees. It wants to bring Syrians to Missoula. Another group, WorldMontana, is less advanced in its plans to seed Helena with Muslim refugees. It has held three meetings at the Plymouth Congregational Church to plan a potential refugee resettlement, according to the WorldMontana website Stepehn Maly, president of WorldMontana, said fear is our nemesis, according to a report in the Great Falls Tribune . Maly said the discussion of bringing Syrians into Helena has become very noisy and loud." He said some city officials have spoken against the idea, but he believes state officials are prepared to support the resettlements in due time.The Jan. 21 meeting in Helena was attended by representatives from Catholic Social Services, the Helena Ministerial Association and included input from refugee bureaucrats in neighboring Idaho along with Boise Mayor David Bieter. The agenda also included a presentation by a social justice grant-maker from Minnesota.Maly said he has met with federal officials to discuss refugee resettlement in Helena and was told to go slow, be transparent and inclusive, try to avoid the snares of partisanship and politicization and to be patient and persistent, the Tribune reported. But the inclusiveness only extends to those who are willing to jump on board with the program, say opponents.Caroline Solomon lives in the city of Big Fork in Flathead County, which is tucked away in the northwest corner of Montana. She saidSolomon is a member of the local chapter of ACT For America, an organization that educates the public about the dangers of creeping Shariah law. She is originally from Belgium and lived near a section of Brussels that is now infested with jihadists, several of whom were recruited by ISIS to take part in the Nov. 13 Paris terror attacks. She and her husband retired to Kalispell, Montana, in 1993 and quickly fell in love with the community. We have had 23 years here, and I tell you I cannot describe the way the people are here, she said. You get airlifted to Spokane with a medical problem, and before you know it people are in their cars driving to visit you. I could not understand that as a European. Its like one big family. Everybody is nice. When you go shop, everybody talks to everybody. When I go back to the big city, I think I must look like a country bumpkin because I have a smile on my face. Thats why people come here."Contrast that with the no-go zones in Europe, or the growing enclaves in Minneapolis, Minnesota, or Dearborn, Michigan, and you can see why Solomon and others arent warming up to the changes proposed by liberals in Missoula. This subject (of refugees) is now a very hot topic here, she said. We had over 100 people at our last meeting, and the one in December we had over 300. They all say not in Montana. Well its time to wake up because they are coming to Montana, Solomon said. They are asking the government to send them. We are about 100 miles north of Missoula, but a lot of us will hopefully be going to that rally Monday.She stressed that she is not anti-immigrant. I am an immigrant. So anybody saying Im against that is absolutely wrong. There are people who need help in a serious way. Thats what this country is all about. What makes me mad and sad is they want to bring people in without knowing who they are or what they are involved with, Solomon said. Our own FBI says they cant vet them. We know ISIS is using this loophole to get people into our country. We have seen it from the attacks on Europe and San Bernardino." Assimilation is the problem, she said. Neither Europe nor America is demanding that its refugees from the Middle East assimilate. And 91 percent of refugees from the Middle East were receiving food stamps between 2008 and 2013, according to data from the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement, while 73 percent were on Medicaid and 68 percent were receiving cash welfare assistance.I have a problem with people who come here as immigrants or refugees and do not assimilate. They do not want to assimilate. I would have never thought that this little part of Brussels where we used to shop would be a place where terrorists hide in a no-go zone. The younger generation of Muslims, they do not want to assimilate, and I think there are forces pushing these young people (into jihad)." Solomon said the county commissioners in Missoula are extremely uneducated about the refugee issue. That letter reads like an advertisement for tourists to come to Montana, she said. They say how wonderful the scenery is. Whats so dangerous is, I think thats what they believe. You know, the kumbaya crowd, and thats why we are doing what we are doing and trying to educate them and show what is really going on.While a handful of state legislators and city officials have been receptive and sympathetic to residents concerns, the reaction is often hostile from the community organizers, she said. They call us all kinds of names, like Islamophobes, and I think CAIR is behind it, she said, referring to the Council on American-Islamic Relations. I think political correctness will destroy us. The Muslim Brotherhood, they said it in their Explanatory Memorandum (seized by the FBI as evidence in 2004 from a house in Virginia), that they will destroy us from within using immigration and political correctness as a weapon, and they are using it very aggressively at this time."A WND report from May 2015 exposed the strategy of the refugee-resettlement industry to deride and intimidate any politician or activist who opposes its agenda to change the demographics of a town. The report, titled Resettlement at Risk: Meeting Emerging Challenges to Refugee Resettlement in Local Communities , was authored by one of the nine federal contractors responsible for sending thousands of refugees to the states in return for lucrative taxpayer grants and fees. It calls for new tools to fight back against a determined legislator or governor who has decided to challenge resettlement for political or other reasonsThe pro-refugee organizers in Montana have an ally in Democrat Gov. Steve Bullock, who is from Missoula and has been a vocal advocate of refugees including those from high-risk countries like Syria. After the Nov. 13 attack on Paris in which 130 people were killed by eight ISIS terrorists, including two who are believed to have entered Europe through the ranks of Syrian refugees,But not Bullock. On Nov. 16, he issued a statement that Montana would remain open for business as usual with regard to refugees.Solomon said she doesnt buy President Obamas theory that poverty is the main cause of violent extremism, or that providing jobs to disillusioned Muslims will solve the problem of global jihad.Montana already has at least one mosque, near Montana State University in Bozeman, and several Islamic centers. Missoula has an Islamic Center and a very active MSA (Muslim Student Association) chapter at University of Montana, Solomon saidNachman, who fought many immigration battles in Southern California, said he, too, loves Montana. But the state has many communities that arent prepared for these battles and can be hoodwinked by clever pro-immigration activists. You have a lot of naive communities, he said. When I came in 2005, Montana reminded me of the Midwest in the 1950s. It reminded me of that, lost in time, sort of throw-back community, but the problems of big cities are bound to come here if we dont fight them off. ONeills majority currently stands at a seemingly impregnable 100 of the 111 MPs. But the cost of the K15 million allocated to district MPs in 2015 has meant that he has been unable to deliver landmark policies such as subsidising schooling and free primary healthcare. So how will restricted funds impact upon ONeills political position and the stability of the government? As long as PNGs mining boom lasted, prime minister Peter ONeill could build parliamentary support by allocating constituency funds to each member of parliaments district. THE Papua New Guinea government has finally admitted that PNGs revenue surge has ended. With district funds now cut by a third and expenditures slashed, 2016 will test whether ONeill can maintain his current political dominance or whether economic stresses and legal challenges will become political crises. For most of 2015, as in 2014, PNG politics centred on ONeills financial actions. Allegations of poor governance have become the basis of legal cases that, hypothetically, could lead to his dismissal. Despite ONeills apparent supremacy, these issues dominated public comment throughout 2015; associated cases could place the judiciary in conflict with the executive as happened in 201112. In early 2014 the government took out a US$1.2 billion loan from UBS bank to buy shares in oil and gas company Oil Search, but failed to seek the necessary approval of parliament. Treasurer Don Polye refused to sign off on the borrowing and was sacked. He now leads the small opposition. The loan (via a near-bankrupt state-owned enterprise) has drawn criticism because the shareholding creates a conflict of interest, given that the state is the national regulator. In 2015 the Ombudsman Commission urged the public prosecutor to make ONeill face a leadership tribunal for poor governance, a case he is still fighting. A second financial matter involved the payment, allegedly on ONeills instruction, of K72 million to Paraka Lawyers for unauthorised invoices. In mid-2014 the then police commissioner refused to exercise a court-issued arrest warrant against the prime minister. ONeill is also fighting this case in court. The case has led to factionalism within the police. The former police commissioner was replaced and sentenced to three years in prison for contempt of court. And ONeill defunded the Investigative Task Force Sweep, which had gained several major convictions, though many of its cases investigating alleged corruption are continuing. The fluidity of PNGs political parties, and the resulting shakiness of its governments, is notorious. In the hope of creating some stability, since 1991 the constitution has prevented a vote of no confidence for a grace period of 18 months after a prime minister is elected. In 2013 ONeill persuaded his well-funded MPs to extend the grace period to 30 months. This amendment was challenged as unconstitutional by then opposition leader, Belden Namah. In a unanimous decision on 4 September 2015 the Supreme Court found the 2013 restrictions on votes of no confidence were unconstitutional. The decision may be a case of the Court reasserting itself after the bruising it received in December 2011 and in 2012 when the ONeill government twice defied the courts rulings that ONeills parliamentary takeover was unconstitutional and Sir Michael Somare was still legally prime minister. Two more ongoing legal cases could have a major impact on PNG politics in 2016. One case is an opposition challenge to the governments blocking of two attempted votes of no confidence in late 2015. Another pending case, led by MP Belden Namah, challenges the constitutionality of the incarceration without charge of nearly a thousand asylum seekers in PNG, who are held at the behest and expense of the Australian government. The detention arrangement receives little publicity in PNG but it is quite clear that the PNG government is reluctant to resettle more than a few of the hundreds deemed genuine refugees. The AustraliaPNG regional processing centre on Manus Island has received widespread international criticism, especially at the UN Human Rights Council. It is possible that the Supreme Court could rule the entire project unconstitutional just as it did with Australias Enhanced Cooperation Program in 2005. If Namahs case fails, there will be another constitutional challenge alleging human rights abuses at the detention centre led by lawyer Ben Lomai on behalf of over 200 asylum seekers. The PNG state including the often undisciplined and violent police lacks effective control of much of the country. ONeill is under constant criticism for his governments failure to deliver basic services and meet any of the UNs Millennial Development Goals. ONeill seems defensive and accuses critics of opposing the national interest. He has also moved to restrict international oversight, banning two Australian journalists and passing a government edict that requires all foreign advisers be contracted to and controlled by the PNG government as of 1 January 2016. There have been some tensions in relations with Australia, and the edict will likely rupture some aid programs. PNGs government rushed the 2016 budget through in November, and then adjourned parliament for four months. A vote of no confidence is possible until early August, but not likely PNG politicians have a talent for withdrawing from the brink of crisis. And PNG is already gearing up for the 2017 elections. Opposition Leader Polye warned about early campaigning, saying If these trends continue, I am afraid our country is on the verge of kleptocracy. Yet, despite the prevalence of money politics, some 60% of sitting MPs usually lose out in national elections. How PNGs money politics plays out in the context of restricted funds and persistent legal challenges will help shape domestic politics in 2016. It could well be a turbulent year. Dr Bill Standish is a researcher based in Canberra. Even if I was walking late to school, I would stop at attention if I spotted the flag being raised at the assembly. When I was in primary school in the rural rainforests of south-western Papua New Guinea, I used to stand at attention with my right hand across my heart every morning when the flag was being raised. PNG is the 25th most corrupt nation on earth ranking alongside Bangladesh, Guinea, Kenya, Laos and Uganda. TRANSPARENCY International has ranked Papua New Guinea 139th out of 168 countries in its latest Corruption Perception Index. At Kamusie Primary School, the flag was everything. Wed sing the national anthem to the beat of the traditional Western Province bamboo percussion drum. We'd stand at attention to recite the national pledge. The flag and the pledge meant something to us. They were a source of national pride and a symbol of the hope that one day wed contribute to nation building. For us, that meant the opportunity to further our studies and live our dreams. Decades later, I found myself as a street vendor in the nations capital with no idea of where my life was headed. All those primary school values about nation building and allegiance to the flag evaporated as the daily struggles of life in the city took precedence. I was a street vendor during PNGs golden age of economic growth due to activities related to the construction of PNGs $US19 billion liquefied natural gas project. I wonder to this day what became of all my peers at Kamusie. I believe, for many of them, the PNG flag must seem a monumental let down. And the words of the national pledge seem meaningless to those in power. Of course as a betel nut (buai) vendor, I fell into the category of social outcasts. I remember how at medical school, the lecturers would warn us not to end up being buai sellers. It would be too easy to blame this or that. We all love to blame. But I dont blame anyone or any institution. I believe in collective responsibility for this issue. Everyone in PNG is responsible for the country being classed amongst the corrupt dirt bags. There are three sets of scumbags in PNG. The very intelligent predatory elite who manipulate systems to siphon off the wealth of the nation is one group. The second are the rank and file lawbreakers: violent criminals and filthy, stinky petty thieves being the most obvious. The third group is the rest of us (me included) who tolerate the predatory elite and the criminals. In Port Moresby, you often have to get on the wrong bus to travel to the right place. To save a couple of kina you would otherwise pay to go direct, the cheaper option of travelling from A to B requires several changes of bus. This is because buses often do not complete their designated routes. The drivers get away with this because of a lack of enforcement and the complacency of the travelling public. And even if there is enforcement, it is usually because the traffic officers are looking for spare cash, which they collect from the drivers as bribes in order to waive fines. A couple of months back I visited a friend in hospital. Despite the severity of his condition, the medical registrar was not available in the ward to attend to him. Out of desperation his family asked me a former medical student - to intervene. I wrote an illegal prescription for diuretics and went and ordered the drugs from the pharmacy. After explaining the dire situation to the pharmacist the drugs were dispensed. My friend was recovering the next morning. The registrar saw him later only after a nurse was bribed to contact him. My friend is now well but the whole process to cure him was utterly corrupt, including my own actions. And that, my fellow countrymen and women, pretty much sums up the predicament of our country. You have to get on the wrong bus to get to the right place. You have to do wrong things to cure sick people. In PNG, the national psyche has reached a consensus that the ends justify the means. Even in church, donations from the proceeds of corruption are called blessings because apparently someone had been blessed and wanted to bless others. In PNG, corrupt behavior is tolerated because the alternative would inevitably lead to conflict. Rather than pestering someone to do their job, we bribe them. The alternative is to be in conflict with that person and nothing gets done. Port Moresby is probably the only place on earth where bus and taxi drivers have gone on strike in order to avoid traffic regulations. PNG is an expensive, inefficient and corrupt country and weve internally normalised and sanitised all that filth. Whats new? some people ask. Em normal ya! many say. [Pidgin for that's the way things are.] Others simply convince themselves that, as patriotic Papua New Guineans, they love PNG no matter what and those who say negative things should be deported. I find such blind patriotism pathetic. I wonder if my peers from Kamusie would stand with their right hands across their hearts if they came across a flag being raised today. I wonder if they feel let down like their peers around the country. I dont feel personally let down by anyone or any institution. I dont want to blame others because that is too easy and doesnt address anything. I believe we are all collectively responsible for this mess and to point fingers is to absolve one's self of the responsibility to address the issue. That indeed has been the problem: we blame others for corruption and expect those who we label as corrupt to someone solve the problem. That is the most counter-intuitive rationale. How can you expect someone who benefits from corruption to fight it? Politicians arent going to fight corruption. The system that produces politicians, that is, the electoral process, is corrupt. How can you expect corrupt people and a corrupt system to solve the problem of corruption? By the same token, what hope is there for a population that tolerates corruption? I do not believe in fixing a corrupt system. I prefer to have it replaced. That is the natural order of things. Everybody knows that there are some things in life you cant fix you replace them. Addressing corruption isnt just about replacing people, its also about replacing the system that fosters corruption. It was therefore with much interest last week that I listened to Lawrence Stephens, the chairman of Transparency International, tell the story of Singapores rise. What most people dont talk about is that Singapores rise wasnt just because of Lee Kwan Yews anti-corruption stance but also because of his benevolent dictatorship. Singapore not only had a change of people at the top but a change of the system to enable it to have low levels of corruption and social and economic progress. The question for Papua New Guineans is to ask ourselves whether we want to continue to score 25 out of 100 and be ranked in the toilet pit of nations or to replace not just the people but the systems that enable corruption. There is an alternative, of course. And that is to be spectators watching our nation self-destruct. Dawn reported that the bilateral intelligence dialogue is being facilitated by the United States, while China will attend as an observer. Intelligence officials from the US and China will be visiting Islamabad for the meeting. The chief of Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS), Masoud Andarabi, will visit Islamabad for a meeting with the Director General of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar. The visit takes place as the two countries resume their cooperation to get the Afghan reconciliation process back on track after a suspension of several months. The official emphasized that the intelligence dialogue, was not linked to the reconciliation effort but could contribute in improving the prospects of that initiative. The four countries are also part of a Quadrilateral Framework on the Afghan reconciliation. (ANI) The public and private schools were scheduled to reopen on Monday after the Punjab government had announced their closure from January 26 to 31 due to 'extreme cold weather'. The Dawn reports that All Pakistan Private Schools Federation in a meeting decided that they would not reopen schools until the Shahbaz Sharif administration redressed their grievances. The public and private schools were closed by the Punjab government on the midnight of January 25 on the pretext of cold weather. There is all round speculation as to whether schools were genuinely closed due to adverse weather or there was a security threat that prompted closure.(ANI) The 33-year-old actress shared her before-the-show look on Instagram which was a closet full of heels and was captioned, "Red carpet prep!! My fave part.. @sagawards looking forward." The 'Bajirao Mastani' star also posted her on-the-way aviator look selfie which she captioned, "Red carpet ready! C u there @sagawards." Donning a Monique Lhuillier gown for the event, her strapless mermaid dress showed off her perfect curves as the form fitting beige gown was covered with pink and white lace designs. Her teardrop earrings perfectly matched her hair updo with pink lipstick completing her look. The 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards were held on January 30 in California. (ANI) IN THE WAKE OF THE BLOODBATH at Newtown, Connecticut and the strange year that was 2012, it seems we might need to try to interpret a little... This will be PDP's first formal meeting after the death of its chief Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. The PDP has 28 ministers in the state assembly and needs 16 members to form the government. The state is under the governor's rule. Earlier, the PDP had taken a firm stand and asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party should give out concrete assurances for implementing the coalition since it is in power at the Centre. However, BJP's staunch silence on the matter indicated that the state can be under the Governor's Rule for a longer period of time. Governor's Rule was imposed in the state on January 8 after the death of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. (ANI) Even as two giant Asian economic powers China and India talk of widening and deepening their ties, a "byzantine" visa regime is still deterring the Chinese businessman to take a flight to India, a pro-government Chinese Daily has lamented in an analysis.However, the paper also praises Prime Minster Narendra Modi for liberalising the visa regime "braving objections" and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for taking bold steps to ease border tensions through dialogue with China and adds a friendly visa regime was a "low hanging fruit" that must be grabbed by the two sides aching to become friends again."When it comes to China, India's diplomatic distrust results from the border warfare back in the 1960s and the lingering disputes add an extra layer of complicity. This has rendered China a particular target for the recalcitrant Indian officials. For example, India's security establishments were explicitly against extending a more accessible visa to Chinese citizens, fearing the latter's 'espionage' and 'visa misuses' might compromise India's security," Shi Lancha, a Tsinghua University scholar, wrote in an op-ed "Byzantine Red Tape Holds Up Sino-Indian Ties" in Global Times, an English language version of Chinese government mouthpiece People's Daily.Citing latest available yearly tourist footfall data, Shi said only 6,80,000 Indian nationals went to China, while even less Chinese of just 175,000 made the reverse journey. "These numbers could hardly reflect the increasing political and economic importance attached to the relations between the Asian giants."Noting that the world was becoming a global village in which people are travelling beyond borders "like never before," the author points out that the bilateral exchanges between India and China have long been small compared to the size of the two countries, which together account for more than a third of the world's total population. "Among other things, India's Byzantine visa regime as well as its cumbersome and delayed procedures are a major challenge for foreign tourists. As a result, India only saw 6.5 million tourists in 2012 despite its amazing landscape, enormous population and vast territory, whereas tiny Dubai, with a fraction of the landmass and people of India, attracted more than double that amount every year," Shi wrote.Shi said as these visas required approval from India's Ministry of Home Affairs on a case-by-case basis, the process has been largely ambiguous and subject to hidden and arbitrary rules. "Besides virtually endless checklists of supporting documents, Chinese scholars and businessmen often have to wait for a very long period of time and, if fortunate enough, get their visa only shortly before the intended date of departure. Many of them are simply not lucky enough to have their visas approved and miss the business or academic event all together.""The burdensome procedures and seemingly arbitrary nature of India's visa regime have become a visible bottleneck for the two to widen their cooperation and interaction. As China puts forward its 'One Belt, One Road' initiative, regional and country studies have gained great popularity in top Chinese universities. However, when it comes to Indian as well as South Asian studies, these universities are very reluctant, because many of them had undergone great frustrations in forming partnerships with their Indian counterparts or sending their scholars and students there," Shi said in the analysis. "For instance, in the academic conference of Kumarajiva 2011 held in Delhi, only half of the Chinese scholars invited were lucky enough to eventually be present, whereas the other half were either denied academic visas or delayed," Shi added."In the same vein, tired of applying for business visas, many Chinese businessmen simply use tourist visas instead. However convenient it may be, this kind of practice often deprives these businessmen of the legal protections they should be entitled to," Shi further stated.The author warns that as New Delhi pursues the ambitious "Make In India" strategy while China is in a position to move its world-class production capacities abroad, India's intransigent visa bureaucracy "may backfire badly as it hurts itself more than it bothers China."MORE UNI PRA SV 1134 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0384-565419.Xml Farmers in villages around Kollegal in Chamarajanagara district, one of the most backward district in the state have found an alternative way to improve their earnings and turn their area into a hub for floriculture. Thanks to the poly house technique employed for floriculture, over 15 farmers are growing about 60,000 sticks of gerbera flower every month. Each stick is sold for Rs.6 to Rs.7 in the booming market for ornamental flowers in Bengaluru. Temperature and humidity can be controlled in the naturally ventilated poly houses. By this way, farmers can achieve expected yield and returns. More farmers are getting motivated from those who are already into floriculture and setting up poly houses, Deputy Director of Horticulture H M Nagaraj said. He said that the market for ornamental flowers was encouraging and the demand for flowers such as gerbera peaked during wedding and festival seasons. The Department of Horticulture gives a subsidy of Rs.16.88 lakh for establishing a poly house on one acre. Each farmer may spend between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 40 lakh to develop the poly house. After three months of planting, flowering begins. Each plant can survive for 3-4 years and yield flowers depending on how they are taken care of, explains Senior Assistant Director of Horticulture, Shashidhar. He told UNI that the farmers were motivated to take up floriculture and were helped by stakeholders for establishing the needed infrastructure besides supporting with technical knowledge. Mr Shashidhar said that there were already 15 farmers who were into floriculture and five more were setting up poly houses. The gerbera seedlings were sourced from a Pune-based company. About 4,000 flowers can be harvested from one acre, he said, adding that a few farmers from Mudugunda, Kunagali, Bhootabalu and Cheluvanahalli were into gerbera farming. Importantly, farmers get spot payment for their produce at the Bengaluru market. The department of horticulture is exploring the possibility of establishing market linkage for gerbera growers in kollegal. If traders assured of getting over 60,000 to 70,000 sticks of gerbera at one place, they will of course come to the doorsteps of farmers instead of farmers going to them to market their produce. Keeping this in mind, the department is trying to organize growers and establish a forum for marketing the flowers under one platform. Besides saving their time too since they visit Bengaluru every alternative day to sell flowers, Mr Shashidhar added.UNI BSP cs 1127 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-565699.Xml A high level team of Central Zoo Authority (CZA) is likely to visit Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's dream project Lion Safari here tomorrow following directives from the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court to conduct a spot inspection in view of the recent death of lions. Official sources here today said the safari officials would explain things regarding arrangements of upkeep of animals to the CZA officials. ''The team will also suggest us the remedial measures for conservation of Asiatic lions,'' the sources added. The Allahabad High Court had recently directed the CZA to conduct an inspection at the lion safari and apprise it of the circumstances under which the lions died, the cause of the deaths and suggest remedial measures. The CZA has been directed to submit its report in the next hearing on February 24. A division bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Rajan Roy had passed the order on January 20 in response to a PIL filed by lawyer Satish Kumar Mishra. The lion safari has till now reported eight deaths. Three adults (a lion and two lionesses) and five cubs had died. Four pair of Asiatic lions were brought for breeding between April and September 2014. One lioness died in October, followed by a lion on November 16, both reportedly of heart failure. Two of the lionesses gave birth this summer just four days apart in July 2015. Two cubs from the first died within 24 hours of birth and another two of three that were born four days later died shortly after birth. Lioness Tapasya had been ill and undergoing treatment for a week before her death. Following Tapasya's death, Jonathan Cracknell, director of animal operations at United Kingdom's Longleat Safari Park, had visited the Etawah Lion Safari to check the health of other lions on January 16. The lion safari project, which is being developed in Fisher Forest on Etawah-Gwalior highway, was conceived in 2005 when Mulayam Singh was the chief minister.UNI MB SV RAI1203 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-565697.Xml Kannauj, the parliamentary constituency of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's spouse Dimple Yadav would soon get a 'Centre of Excellence in Vegetable' at Umardha tehsil of the district where the Israeli scientists will impart training to farmers in latest technology for better quality and vegetable yield. Kannauj has nearly 10,000 hectares of agricultural land where vegetables are grown. Official sources here today said that the work on the project has already begun. "The Rs 10 crore project will be completed soon. An initial amount of Rs 1.5 crore has already been released to the nodal agency," sources said. District Horticulture Officer Munna Yadav said here that the farmers of Kannauj as well from nearby districts can earn handsome gains by growing vegetables all through the year after undergoing training from Israeli agricultural experts and procuring seeds from the centre which will be set up in Umardha tehsil of Kannauj. He said that the construction work has already started in nearly 8.6 hectares of land in Umardha to make farmers aware of advantages of poly houses, green houses, open houses and some of the latest international technology in cultivation of vegetables. Vegetables survive for long in poly and green houses, open houses besides shadenets besides this could be an effective means to ward off the crisis of vegetables in off season. The Israeli farm technology is also effective even in drought like situation. Another senior horticulture officer said farmers will be imparted training free of cost by the centre. Seeds of veggies like tomato, green chilly, cabbage, pumpkin, gourd bottle, brinjal and cucurbits, will be provided and which can be cultivated even in off-season. "One would be surprised to see a tomato plant as tall as 10-ft instead of usual 2 to 3 ft, cucurbit crops including musk melon one will find here in the month of November and December. One would be able to see all these and many more exotic vegetables at the upcoming centre," said the district horticulture officer. "The aim is also to introduce diversity in agriculture so that farmers can choose from value crop instead of usual cash crops like paddy and wheat. Drip irrigation, vertigation and intensive cultivation methods will also be taught to farmers to help maximum utilisation of resources," Mr Yadav added.UNI MB SV GC1337 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-565688.Xml Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy will arrive in Dimapur on February 4 to lay the foundation stone of the Industrial Training Institute general building at Dimapur. Nagaland Parliamentary Secretary for Labour and Employment, Skill Development and Border Affairs Mmhonlumo Kikon said Mr Rudy will address college students at Patkai Christian College at Chumukedima, near Dimapur on the same day. UNI AS BM AE AS1509 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-565918.Xml During the visit, the Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva called on his counterpart, Le Hoai Trung, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Do Thang Hai, Vice Minister of Industry and Trade, reports Lanka Page. The Deputy Minister also participated in an event organized by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Hanoi to launch the Sri Lankan Business Council in Vietnam where he addressed top investors, business leaders and professionals. Harsha also highlighted the strategic location of Sri Lanka as an important logistical hub for air connectivity and the promotion of tourism, trade and investment in line with the agreement to be held in Colombo in March 2015. The Deputy Minister also attended the opening ceremony of the Linea Aqua Viet Nam and interacted with the Sri Lankan community in Vietnam. (ANI) Police has arrested a person for allegedly raping his minor niece at Mulowali village under Dera Baba Nanak police station. The 16-year-old victim lodged a complaint with the police that she was living with her aunt (Bhua) at Dera Pathana village when her uncle, Satnam Singh, went to brought her back to at her native village Mulowali. She alleged that her uncle raped her when she was on the way back home. She was forcibly taken to a abandoned field. Her uncle also threatened her of dire consequences if she told anyone about it. She then brought the case in the notice of her mother who further informed the police. SHO Dera Babab Nanak Police Station Paramjit Singh said a case has been registered against him under 376 and 506 of the IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual offense act and he was arrested.UNI XC AE BL/AS1542 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0343-566064.Xml After the recent success of Samajwadi Shravan Yatra to Tripuati and Rameshwaram, Uttar Pradesh government has now decided to take the elderly persons of the state on the pilgrimage to Jagannath Puri and Konarak Sun Temple in Odisha next month. Official sources here today said that the trip to Odisha has been fixed between February 24 to 29 when over 1,000 pilgrims would be taken to Puri and Konarak by train free of cost. The trip would be organised by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the pilgrims would be provided free food and lodging during the trip. As per the norms, around 10 pilgrims would be selected from each of the 75 districts of the state. Besides them, others would be selected by the state government. The pilgrims would also be provided free travel to Lucknow to board the train. The pilgrims would also be provided with free travel kit and other facilities. This month around 1,100 pilgrims have visited Triupati and Rameshwaram while last year, two trips were organised. The first one in March was to Haridwar and Rishikesh and the next one in September to Ajmer Sharif and Pushakar in Rajasthan. Those willing to undertake the yatra can apply both on-line and off-line and they would be selected on the basis of their seniority as per their date of birth and also on first come first serve basis. The Samajwadi Shravan Yatra launched by the state government this year has drawn inspiration from the devotion of a mythological character Shravan Kumar, who carried his blind parents on his shoulders for a pilgrimage. UNI MB SV CS1512 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-565744.Xml Power Ministers of Northeastern states unanimously sought approval of Power Ministry to establish alternative transmission network between Tripura and West Bengal via Bangladesh to strengthen inter-regional transmission network. Tripura Power Minister Manik Dey told media here today that Northeast Regional Power Committee (NERPC) meeting, which concluded yesterday in Guwahati, resolved to write to the Central government for alternative transmission network for the region. "It will not only establish connectivity with national grid for providing upgraded connectivity in transmission system but will also reduce the line length of about 500 km. The region is now connected with Bongaigoan grid passing through high terrain and forest land. The alternative line up to West Bengal via Bangladesh through plain land will facilitate the region to have stable and reliable grid connection, Mr Dey stated. The NERPC contemplated that erection of transmission line through Bangladesh will further boost friendly relation with Bangladesh and offer them benefit in transmission of power from the high voltage double circuit line of India on its territory. Tripura government has demanded immediate alteration of US dollar payment for gas purchase in the power generation companies and till modification, the Government of India not will allow any further increase in gas price. "We are using domestic gas, which belong to India but in 2010 suddenly the then government introduced dollar payment to natural gas exploration companies like ONGC and GAIL. Since it is not imported gas necessarily payment is needed to make by Indian rupee only," Mr Dey argued. He however, stated that distribution utilities are heavily burdened with accumulated outstanding dues to central public sector undertakings and other power generating companies due to continuous hike of power purchase cost. Mr Dey suggested paying one time interest free loan to the states to square up the outstanding dues. Similarly, to reduce the tariff burden from the consumer, Dey proposed to pay the entire cost of Agra-Biswanath Chariali 800 KV transmission line from power system development fund.UNI BB BM AE CS1544 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-565893.Xml State Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco is listed as a member of the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council. He doesn't hide his support of the panel's efforts to secure economic development dollars for projects in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties. But that doesn't mean he thinks it's the best strategy for the state. "If that is the policy of the state at the present time, I'm going to fight for central New York for whatever we can get of that money," he said in an interview. "However, what I'm saying is that we're much better off doing economic development in another way." Since Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched the regional economic development council initiative in 2011, central New York has been successful in securing millions in state funding. The region won a best plan award in 2011, followed by top performer honors in 2012. After not winning in 2013, the council rebounded with a top performer award in 2014. In 2015, the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council was one of three winners in the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, a separate competition. The panel will receive $500 million over the next five years to invest in a series of major projects. The aid is welcome in the region, which has experienced its share of economic struggles over the years. But DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse, favors a different approach one that prioritizes broad-based relief for businesses over competition. "What I want is a long-range plan that is more likely to provide a better business climate for all," he said. The other members of Cayuga County's state legislative delegation each offered different assessments of the REDC initiative and whether it's the best approach. State Sen. Jim Seward's district includes counties located within two regions central New York and the Southern Tier which won $500 million prizes in the URI competition. He also represents areas the Mohawk Valley and a portion of the Mid-Hudson region that didn't win. When it comes to how to spend economic development funds, Seward, R-Milford, doesn't believe picking winners and losers is the best approach. "I think that good, job-creating projects should be funded no matter where they are in the state," he said. Assemblyman Bob Oaks offered a separate criticism of the program that the councils tend to focus on larger urban areas, such as Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, instead of the more rural areas of upstate New York. He also questioned the transparency of the process and said it's unclear whether the councils have been successful in changing the state's economy "in a really significant way." Those issues aside, he noted the benefits of the REDCs and how they have brought people together to work on economic development strategies. "I believe the process has been positive for those who have participated on the councils," he wrote in an email. State Sen. Michael Nozzolio echoed those sentiments. "I believe the focus has been game-changing projects projects that will make a difference and add jobs to our regions," he said. Nozzolio, R-Fayette, added, "We are in a region that's really ideally suited for that type of wise invstment because there's so many resources here that have gone untapped." Assemblyman Gary Finch had his own questions about whether the process is fair for all the regions involved. He said some economically depressed areas may be at a disadvantage because they lacked the skilled individuals who can write competitive grant applications. Despite those concerns, you won't find Finch, R-Springport, being too critical of Cuomo's major economic development program. "Surely to be critical of the REDC that represent central New York would be crazy," he said. "It's been very successful for central New York. The work of Andrew Fish and CenterState and some of the initiatives they've come up with are outstanding and should be pursued and will be. "Is it a fair system? That's to be judged probably by someone else." The regional economic development councils don't appear to be going away any time soon. Cuomo included a sixth round of the REDC initiative in his 2016-17 executive budget proposal. Under his plan, $750 million would be used to fund economic development projects throughout the state. Central New York's council, as it has for the past five-plus years, will compete for its share of state aid. According to the Tech Crunch, the images were taken a few years ago by cameras on the Chang'e 3 lander and Yutu rover. In December of 2013, China joined the ranks of Russia and the United States when they successfully soft-landed on the lunar surface, becoming the third country ever to accomplish this feat. China was the first soft-landing on the moon in 37 years, since the Russians landed their Luna 24 probe back in 1976. One can create a user account on China's Science and Application Center for Moon and Deepspace Exploration website to download the pictures themselves. The process is a bit cumbersome and the connection to the website is spotty if one is accessing it outside China. Chang'e 3, named after the goddess of the Moon in Chinese mythology, was a follow-up mission to Chang'e 1 and Chang'e 2 which were both lunar orbiters. The objective of the Chang'e 3 mission was to demonstrate the key technologies required for a soft moon landing and rover exploration. The mission was also equipped with a telescope and instruments to perform geologic analysis of the lunar surface. China's follow-up mission, Chang'e 4 is scheduled to launch as early as 2018 and plans to land on the far side of the moon. If this happens, China will become the first nation to land a probe on the lunar far side. (ANI) Kathleen Wynne, the premier of Canada's Ontario province known for her support for gay rights, on Sunday offered prayers at the holiest of Sikh shrines Harmandar Sahib and was honoured by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Dressed in a firozi blue (turquoise) suit with her head covered with a dupatta (Punjabi-style stole), the premier was accompanied by SGPC officials as she entered the Golden Temple to offer prayers. Kathleen's visit was preceded by a controversy over the SGPC taking a stand not to honour her with a 'siropa' (robe of honour) due to her views on same sex marriages, support for gay rights and being a lesbian herself. SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar earlier said that the Canadian leader was welcome to offer prayers at the shrine but the SGPC would not honour her with a siropa due to her views on same sex marriages. The SGPC maintained that the Sikh religion did not legitimise same sex marriages. However, a major controversy was avoided as she was welcomed by SGPC officials, escorted to the SGPC information office, and presented with a gold-plated photo of the holy shrine. SGPC officials and volunteers surrounded the Ontario premier from the moment she reached outside the shrine and escorted her till the sanctum sanctorum. She was shown all the important areas of the shrine. Kathleen, in her note in the visitors' book, said she was humbled to visit the "beautiful sacred place". She visited the 'Langar Hall' (community kitchen, the largest facility of its kind in the world), and briefly helped in cooking food. A visibly happy Kathleen bowed down -- on her knees and head touching the ground -- after she walked down the entrance steps of the shrine onto the 'parkarma' (marbled walking path around the holy shrine pool). The Ontario premier arrived here on Saturday evening amid tight security arrangements. She is on a 10-day business trip to India. She met leading businessmen and industrialists here on Saturday evening and Sunday. Canada and its Ontario province have a strong Punjabi connection, with a number of parliamentarians in Canada and lawmakers in provinces there having strong Punjab links. Canada's new defence minister Harjit Sajjan was born in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district. With the presence of a strong Punjabi origin population, Canadian leaders have been coming to Punjab and offering prayers at Sikh shrines. Then Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper visited the Golden Temple complex in November 2009 and Takht Keshgarh Sahib, birthplace of the 'Khalsa Panth' and the second most important Sikh shrine after the Golden Temple. --Indo-Asian News Service js/pm/vt ( 437 Words) 2016-01-31-17:17:34 (IANS) The missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island in the Paracel chain 'to challenge excessive maritime claims of parties that claim the Paracel Islands' without notifying the three claimants beforehand, Defense Department spokesman Mark Wright said in Washington. China, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping claims in the Paracels and require prior notice from ships transiting their territorial waters, reports abc News. China described the maneuver as a 'deliberate provocation' that raised doubts about the United States sincerity just days after Secretary of State John Kerry visited Beijing for meetings about the South China Sea that were called productive by both sides. The latest operation was particularly aimed at China, which has raised tensions with the U.S. and its Southeast Asian neighbors by embarking on massive construction of man-made islands and airstrips in contested waters. The U.S. has claimed the attempts to restrict navigational rights by requiring prior notice is inconsistent with international law and pledged to regularly carry out similar maneuvers. China's Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said that 'unprofessional and irresponsible' U.S. action 'severely violated Chinese law, sabotaged the peace and security.(ANI) The mortal remains of former army chief General (Retd.) K.V. Krishna Rao was cremated with full military honours at Brar Square at Delhi Cantt here on Sunday. He passed away in a military hospital here on January 30. President Pranab Mukherjee in his message stated, "Heartfelt condolences on the passing away of Gen Rao, former COAS. His exemplary services to the nation and the army will always be remembered." Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar condoled General (Retd.) Rao's demise, saying the nation has lost one of our best known military leaders. "He was a visionary who led ably, inspired a generation of soldiers and initiated modernization of Indian Army in the early 1980's. His contribution in the 1971 War and maintaining the unity and integrity of the country shall always be remembered," he said. Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh, laid a floral wreath to pay tribute to the former army chief and expressed his deepest condolences to the family members of the deceased. "Gen. Rao was a soldier statesman, who inspired a generation of soldiers and will continue to do so even after his demise," he said. Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and former COAS Gen. V.K. Singh, former army chiefs General V.N. Sharma, General N.C. Vij, General Deepak Kapoor and General Bikram Singh, representatives of Chief of Naval Staff and Air Staff, representative of Government of Manipur and a host of serving and retired fraternity of Army were present on the occasion as a mark of respect to the former army Chief. General Rao had an illustrious career spanning over four decades in the Indian Army. He served in Burma, North-West Frontier and Baluchistan during the Second World War, participated in the 1947-48 war against Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir and was a founder instructor of the National Defence Academy during 1949-51. He commanded an Infantry Division in the Jammu Region during 1969-70 and a Mountain Division engaged in Counter Insurgency Operations in Nagaland and Manipur during 1970-72. During this period his Division also participated in the 1971 India Pakistan War in Eastern Theatre and was instrumental in capture of the Sylhet Area and liberation of north-east Bangladesh. General Krishna Rao commanded a Corps in the Jammu Region from 1974-78 and the Western Army Command during 1979-81. Post his tenure as 14th COAS of Indian Army, he also served as the Governor of the north-eastern states of Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura from 1984-1989, as also of Mizoram. Later, General Krishna Rao was appointed as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir during 1989-90 and reappointed from 1993-1998. (ANI) Gen. Rao, the 14th chief of army staff and also governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura, passed away on Saturday in the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) here. He was 92. Army chief General Dalbir Singh laid a floral wreath in tribute and expressed his deepest condolences to Gen Rao's family. "Gen. K.V. Krishna Rao was a soldier statesman who inspired a generation of soldiers and will continue to do so even after his demise," he said. Wreaths were also laid on behalf of President Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and former army chief Gen. V.K. Singh (Retd), and former army chiefs V.N. Sharma, N.C. Vij, Deepak Kapoor and Bikram Singh. Representatives of navy chief Admiral R.K. Dhowan and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha were also present on the occasion as a mark of respect to the former army chief. Commissioned in the Indian Army on August 9, 1942 at the height of World War II, Gen. Rao served in Burma, the North West Frontier and Baluchistan during the conflict. During the extensive Punjab disturbances in 1947 following the partition of the sub-continent, he served in both the eastern and western parts of the state and also saw action in the 1947-48 war against Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir. He was a founder-instructor of the National Defence Academy during 1949-51. --Indo-Asian News Service ao/vd/dg ( 273 Words) 2016-01-31-18:53:34 (IANS) Kathleen's visit was preceded by a controversy over the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) taking a stand not to honour her with a 'siropa' (robe of honour) due to her views on same sex marriages, support for gay rights and being a lesbian herself. The SGPC maintained that the Sikh religion did not legitimise same sex marriages. Wynne arrived here on Saturday amid tight security arrangements. She is on a 10-day business trip to India. She met leading businessmen and industrialists here on Saturday and Sunday evening. (ANI) With the view to giving a fillip to the development works in the rural areas a strategy has been drawn up in Himachal Pradesh to implement the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission in letter and spirit.Disclosing this at a news conference at Circuit House here last evening, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Anil Sharma, said committees would be constituted right from the panchayat level to ensure transparency and deter corruption.No representative or office bearers of panchayats have been debarred from taking in any contract of rural development works, he declared. Committees comprising retired officers of integrity from various departments would be constituted to monitor the works and serve as scanners. All works would be awarded through the transparent process by floating open tenders to avoid any kind of favour, he said.He said for the first time the elected representative of the panchayati raj institutions would be imparted comprehensive training as directed by the 14th Finance Commission and a budget had been set apart for it. Vigorous efforts would be made to remove the deficiencies and bottlenecks coming in the way of development in the past, Mr Sharma asserted.He thanked the central government for having allotted liberal budget of Rs 1,800 crore for the rural development to reverse the present trend of migrating from villages to towns. Let the town people go to rural areas to breath fresh air and pollution free environment and healthy life, he exhorted.Anil Sharma made a passionate appeal to the Prime Minister to release the dues of Rs 50 crore payable to the poor and the hard-hit farmers of the hill state who had worked under MNREGA and salvage the state government.UNI XC AJ AE 1841 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-566213.Xml Union Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani today assured that land for the ambitious Central University project of Himachal Pradesh would be finalised soon and the claim of Dehra would not be ignored. Addressing a delegation of party leaders, led by former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Ms Irani said the new campus of the varsity would be unique and come up shortly without any hindrance by anyone. Dehra MLA Ravinder Ravi, who was also present during the meeting, told the Minister that Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was issuing confusing statements on the location of the campus and trying to ignore the case of Dehra people, despite his letter to the former HRD Minister of UPA government, in which he had demanded immediate forest clearance for the setting up of Central University project at Dehra. She also held talks with Hamirpur Deputy Commissioner Rohan Chand Thakur and enquired about the various Central government-based educational projects, being run in the district. Mr Thakur detailed her about educational activities, especially the PRERNA project, that aimed to improve the education quality in primary schools of the district. He told the Minister that PRERNA was in third phase and satisfactory results were seen in the schools, where it was launched. Addressing a meeting of party workers at DAV School, Salasi near here this afternoon, she thanked them for making the party government at the Centre and said nothing could be achieved without the active support and help of the party cadre. It was a matter of pride that about one lakh people had become members of the party in the district credit goes to all, Ms Irani added. She warned the party cadre against the evil designs of Congress party, that was targeting BJP, only to return to power in the next elections. Congress was living in a fool's paradise and people would not vote for it in any coming polls as BJP government, led by Narendra Modi, was doing a lot for the people of India to make them stronger on all fronts, the Minister claimed. She said the party and its organisation were working in unison and that was the main reason of its rising membership.Prof Dhumal said workers were the real backbone of any party and without them, no party could flourish. PRI election results in the state in general and Hamirpur district, in particular, proved that people were with BJP and had rejected the Congress party fully, knowing that their future was safe in the hands of BJP only, he added..UNI XC RJ AE 1846 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-566339.Xml The Joint Action Committee (JAC) at the University of Hyderabad on Sunday wrote to acting Vice-Chancellor M. Perisamy and put forward its demands. The committee has demanded sacking of Appa Rao Podile from the post of the Vice-Chancellor and also demanded that interim Vice-Chancellor Vipin Srivastava should not come back from "leave" as the Vice-Chancellor and he must not be present in the Executive Council while their demands are being looked into. It also demanded the employment of Rohith's family member, adding that Rohith's pending scholarship amount must be disbursed immediately and handed over to his family. The committee also asked the acting Vice-Chancellor to institute Rohith Memorial Lecture in the university, adding that the university must give a public apology to the five Dalit research scholars for the blatant casteist discrimination, humiliation and agony inflicted on them that eventually led to the death of Rohith. It further asked M. Perisamy to implement Thorat Committee recommendations to make higher education campus discrimination free and socially inclusive, adding that the Executive Council must appeal to the Government of India to introduce and implement Rohith Act that provides legislative protection to the students from marginalised communities in higher education. The Joint Action Committee demanded to reformulate the composition of Proctorial Board by removing Alok Pandey and including representatives from students and SC/ST faculty members. Its demand also include that the Executive Council must not accept the resignation letters submitted by SC/ST faculty members and officers and should appeal to them to take up their earlier responsibilities. Earlier today, Periasamy said the students who are agitating in the wake of suicide by Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula had agreed to allow the classes and administrative activities to resume normally from Monday. The students have been agitating after Rohith, a PhD student at the university, committed suicide by hanging himself on January 17. Rohith and five other students were suspended by the university in connection with an alleged attack on an ABVP leader. (ANI) Police said the guerrillas raided an office of a construction company in Ghatkuri village in West Singhbhum, around 60 km from Ranchi, and set ablaze six dumpers and two excavators following the company's refusal to pay levy. In another incident in the same district, a gun battle took place between Maoists and the security forces in Porahaat jungle area, in which two guerrillas were injured, while four Maoist supporters were arrested, police said. Police seized two motorbikes, 12 mobile phones and other items, and were interrogating the arrested Maoist supporters. Maoists are active in 18 of the 22 districts of the state. --Indo-Asian News Service ns/pm/dg ( 135 Words) 2016-01-31-20:23:34 (IANS) To help jump-start her congressional campaign, Democratic candidate Colleen Deacon received a large contribution from her former boss's political action committee. Deacon, D-Syracuse, raised $131,721.69 in the final quarter of 2015 her first fundraising period as a candidate. The largest donation to her campaign was $10,000 from the Off The Sidelines PAC, a committee launched by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to encourage more women to participate in the political process. In addition to the PAC contribution, Gillibrand, D-N.Y., gave $250 to Deacon's campaign. While the support from Gillibrand's PAC is significant, most of the donations to Deacon's campaign $121,841.69 came from individual contributors. "This support shows that voters want someone in Congress who has lived through the same challenges as them and will fight for the opportunities they need and that is what I offer," she said in a statement Monday. "I don't have the funds to buy this campaign I've had to work hard for every dollar. "My ability to raise more than either of my primary opponents in any quarter from individuals proves that I have the support to be successful not only in June but also in November." Deacon, who served as Gillibrand's central New York regional director for six years, stepped down from the post to run for Congress. On Oct. 1, she announced she would seek the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. John Katko in the 24th Congressional District. Days later, Gillibrand sent a fundraising email urging supporters to contribute to Deacon's campaign. Gillibrand isn't the only notable Democrat supporting Deacon. Martha Robertson, a Tompkins County legislator who challenged U.S. Rep. Tom Reed in 2014, donated $350 to Deacon's campaign. Diane Dwire, a candidate for state Assembly in 2014, chipped in $225. Deacon's rivals for the Democratic nomination also submitted their campaign finance reports to the Federal Election Commission. Eric Kingson, a Syracuse University professor and Social Security expert, announced Friday he raised nearly $50,000 in the final quarter of 2015. FEC records show he collected $46,981.22 during that period. Steve Williams, a Syracuse-area attorney and ex-U.S. Navy prosecutor, raised $152,320, including $52,650 in contributions and loans he made to his own campaign. Katko, R-Camillus, outpaced the Democrats in fundraising. He raised $281,414 and has $885,766 cash on hand. On Wednesday, the Cayuga, Oswego and Wayne county Democratic committees will host a candidates forum in Auburn. Deacon, Kingson and Williams are scheduled to attend. Following the meeting, the committees will meet and announce an endorsement in the 24th District race. The Onondaga County Democratic Committee will hold its endorsement vote on Feb. 11. If a primary is necessary, it will be held June 28. On the final day for campaigning today, leaders of major contesting parties, including Ministers made last ditch efforts to woo the voters by conducting road shows, padayatras and door to door canvassing. Party activists took out motor cycle or car rallies seeking support for their party nominees in different parts of the city. The campaigning had been by and large peaceful. The polling will be held between 0700 and 1700 hours on Tuesday next (February two).. In all,1,333 candidates of different parties, besides Independents are in the fray in 150 divisions of GHMC. The counting of votes will be taken up on February five.UNI SMS KNR KVV ADB 2100 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-566642.Xml Union Minister of Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan today hit out at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for playing politics over the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, who allegedly committed suicide in Hyderabad recently. Talking to reporters here this evening, Mr Paswan, who was on a two-day tour, accused Mr Gandhi of playing politics over the suicide of Vemula and said that five such incidents occurred during 2007 to2013, when the Congress-led UPA government was in power at the Centre. Why did not they (the Congress) raise these issues at that time, he asked. Mr Paswan said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made clear the position of his government over the issue of Vemula's suicide and he has also appointed a judicial commission, which will submit an in-depth report on this incident. If anyone is found guilty, action will be taken against them, the Minister assured. Replying to a question detailed report card on the performance of the Union Cabinet ministers sought by Mr Modi, the Chief of Lok Janshkati Party, which is a partner in the present NDA government, justified the Prime Minister's move as good and said Mr Modi as the Prime Minister has every right to ask his Ministersabout their performance, which was never done in the past by any Prime Minister. Mr Paswan praised several welfare measures taken by the NDA-led government, under the leadership of Mr Modi, in interest of common people and listed various schemes, from Jan Dhan Yojana to Fasal Beema Yojana for farmers. He claimed that all these schemes have received tremendous response. Expressing happiness about the ongoing works launched by the NDA government, the Minister assured of taking strict action against the corrupt to bring in transparency in all government works.UNI VKB SS NP RJ RK2040 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-566570.Xml National Green Tribunal Justice Swatanter Kumar today said there was need to adopt a middle path between environment and development for the effective conservation of Himalayan ecology. Addressing the participants after inaugurating the two day workshop International Dialogue on Himalayan Ecology on the campus of Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences at Bhajhol-Solan, he said for a country like India, which is the biodiversity hotspot of the world, it is important to debate and discuss the efforts required to conserve the environment. The workshop is being organised by international study circle Dialogue Highway, in collaboration with the Centre of Research on Himalayan Sustainability and Development, Shoolini University. Academicians, policy makers, environmentalists, activists and civil society leaders are participating in the workshop. Justice Kumar said, The aspect of environment protection needs great attention. A middle path needs to be decided and isolated approach is fundamentally incorrect. Talking about the consultative process adopted by the NGT where all the parties involved are brought to one platform to discuss their issues, Justice Kumar said, We all need to understand and take responsibilities. Appreciating the dialogue, he said he would like to discuss the recommendation which emerge from this event at the UNEP International Conference, which is going to be held in Delhi in March and will be attended by over 1600 delegates from across the globe. The conference will be attended by the officials from over 40 countries, NGT and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. Later, Justice Kumar also inaugurated the Himalayan Centre of Excellence in Nanotechnology, established at Shoolini University. Earlier, Prof PK Khosla, Vice Chancellor, Shoolini University, in his welcome address, said he event was happening in the backdrop of the outbreak of jaundice in the towns of Shimla and Solan due to polluted drinking water and showed the gravity of the problems. which are affecting the environment. Noted food expert, Devinder Sharma, Managing director of Dialogue Highway was the keynote speaker of the event. Addressing the gathering, he said, "A new paradigm of agriculture and managing and maintaining forests is the need of the hour. We need to radically look into the development model, which benefits all." The event was attended by Justice Rajiv Bhalla of the Punjab and Haryana High Court; MS Chatwal, Chairman PPCB; Prof PS Ahuja, Former DG CSIR; Prof Arun Grover, Vice Chancellor Punjabi University; Prof Vijay Singh Thakur, Vice Chancellor Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni- Solan and Vice Chancellor of Sher a- Kashmir University. Directors of 10 institutes working on different aspects of ecology and famous French painter Michel Granger. Padma awardee environmentalists, MC Mehta and Anil Joshi, also graced the event. Six technical sessions are scheduled to be held over two days, in the presence of members of the judiciary, who very often have to hear cases related to the environment. The first technical session with the theme: Environment & Development had Prof Arun Grover as the Chairman and Dr Shekhar Pathak of PAHAR, Nanital as the lead speaker today. The second and third session was on the theme Water Resource and Climate Change respectively. The second day will also see three sessions on theme Mountain Agriculture, Forests and Biodiversity and Towards a Himalayan Model. UNI XC RJ AE VN1954 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-566469.Xml The Chief Minister has also given approval for the construction of two bridges in district Yamunanagar for the revival of Saraswati Nadi and also to facilitate the villagers at a cost of Rs 40.28 lakh. While stating this here today, an official spokesman said earlier the work for the improvement of Ballabhgarh Samepur Sarmathala Road was approved under surface treatment programme during 2014-15 at a cost of Rs 1.27 crore. However, the condition of road deteriorated which could not be improved by providing only surface treatment. The Chief Minister has now given approval to the revised estimate of over Rs 9.93 crore for strengthening the road, the spokesman added.UNI NC VJ AE RK1950 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-566523.Xml Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, has said that the state government does not harbour any feeling of enmity towards any political leader or party. An FIR has been registered against some former MLAs in the Change of Land Use (CLU) case on the basis of recommendations of the Haryana Lokayukta Mr Khattar said. The double bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has also upheld the decision. Mr Khattar was interacting with mediapersons after a function organized on the occasion of the Second Foundation Day Ceremony of Ashoka University in Rajiv Gandhi Education City, Sonepat, today. Answering a query, the Chief Minister said that the BJP Government was working to keep the promises made in the election manifesto. Besides, it has also taken many decisions in publicinterest which do not seem to have gone down well with leaders of Opposition parties. One clear example is addition of the educational qualification condition for contesting elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions. Even the Supreme Court has appreciated this condition and remarked that other states too should implement it. This was not an election promise but an initiative taken to bring educated people with clean image in politics, he added. In reply to a question on the meeting he had with the newly elected members of Zila Parishad, Sonipat, he said that members of 16 Zila Parishads had met him at Ethnic India, Rai, it was just a decorum call. BJP supported candidates had contested and won the elections. The massive and peaceful turn-out in the PRI polls endorsed the policies of the state government, he added. Asked about extension of the Metro Rail Project up to Sonipat, the Chief Minister said a proposal to extend it up to Kundli had already been sent to the Central Government. The service would befurther extended. A state level function would be organized at Rohtak on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti on February 21. The state government has also decided to officially celebrate Kabir Jayanti and Balmiki Jayanti, he added. UNI NC AY RJ VN2020 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-566555.Xml Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh on Sunday said he is proud to see the public toilet construction project for residents in the border district of Kathua take off. Interacting with media persons in Hiranagar after undertaking an inspection of the project, Singh said, "After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement for constructing toilets for women, I had approached the rural development ministry with a proposal that the work on toilets should be taken on priority in villages along the border areas of Kathua region." He added that in other places, women have the option to go outdoors for their ablutions, but in the border areas, due to the continuous patrolling by security personnel, and incidents of cross border firing, it is difficult for women to venture out at night. Singh said he was grateful to the ministry for accepting his proposal. "Today, I can proudly say that 1,120 multi-purpose toilets with an estimated cost of Rs. 4.40 crores would be constructed near the Zero Line border of International Boundary," he said. "We have, for the first time, initiated this project of construction of multi-purpose toilets in Jammu and Kashmir near the International Boundary," he added. He thanked organisations like the Sulabh International and the ONGC for offering technical assistance for the project. He maintained that constructing these public toilets would encourage people from other areas to replicate the same, and firmly asserted that Kathua would emerge as a model district in next two to three years. "Approximately ten acres of land has been acquired for establishing the first ever biotechnology park in Jammu and Kashmir. The work on the project will start in the next few weeks. This will be the Government of India's second mega project in Kathua, close on the heels of the Keedian-Gandyal Bridge," he added. He was accompanied by Jyoti Chopra, Vice President of the Sulabh International Social Service Organisation. He also revealed that the first phase a 60-bunker construction project has begun in Kathua District, which would go a long way in ensuring improved security for border residents. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the second farmers rally at Bargarh in Western Odisha on February 21. Announcing this at a press conference here today, BJP National General Secretary and-charge of Odisha affairs Arun Singh said this would be the second visit of the Prime Minister to the state in a fortnight gap. Mr Modi is arriving here on a two-day visit to the state on February 6 to inaugurate the NISER and dedicate the Paradip Oil Refinery to the country on February 7. Mr Singh said the party would organise four massive farmers rally in the country in February, the first such rally will be held at Bhopal on February 18, followed by Bargarh in Western Odisha on February 21. The third rally will be held in Karnatak on February 27 and the fourth and last rally in Uttar Pradesh on February 28. The BJP leader said the Prime Minister had gladly accepted the request of Odisha BJP leaders to address the royts of Odisha. Lakhs of peasants from across the state would attend the rally. The Prime Minister, he said, would not only interact with the farmers, but also listen to their grievances. Bargarh in Western Odisha has, in November last, witnessed a massive ryots rally by the ruling BJD, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a big way. The Opposition Congress party also launched a farmers padayatra in the district led by party vice president Rahul Gandhi last year.UNI DP BM RJ BD2251 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-566721.Xml Benin's prime minister Lionel Zinsou, favoured by the president to succeed him in next month's election, received a boost on Saturday when the leading opposition party also named him as their preferred candidate. In a ceremony yesterday declaring their support, leaders of the PRD party described Lionel Zinsou as the "consensus candidate" that would bring prosperity to the tiny West African country whose economy has been hit by a slowdown in neighbouring Nigeria. "With him, Benin can begin to develop," said Adrien Houngbdji, president of the PRD party. Zinsou said in December that he was running as the main candidate for the ruling FCBE party, dispelling fears that President Boni Yayi would defy constitutional term limits and seek a third term. He remains that party's candidate. Yayi has led the cotton-producing country since 2006. He is barred under the country's constitution from standing for a third term and the election, scheduled for Feb. 28, is considered wide open. "This is great support," said Zinsou, who has said he will focus his presidency on supporting the poorest and most vulnerable, bringing more workers into the formal economy and establish banking systems for agriculture. "Together we will face great challenges." However, earlier this month a group of dissidents from the ruling party, opposition politicians and trade union leaders said Zinsou was a bad choice, in part because he has spent a large portion of his life in France, far away from the realities of Benin life. He will face competition from a number of candidates, including Sebestien Ajavon, a prominent Benin businessman who announced his candidacy earlier this month, calling for a reduction in youth unemployment, improved access to energy and less corruption.REUTERS JW PR0428 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-565567.Xml Israel would consider a French invitation to peace talks with the Palestinians, but believes France has made a mistake by saying it will recognise a Palestinian state if the talks fail, an Israeli government official said."If and when we get an invitation to a conference, we will examine it and respond to it," the official, who declined to be named, said in a statement yesterday.French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told foreign diplomats on Friday that if the conference he proposes hit a wall, "well ... in this case, we need to face our responsibilities by recognising the Palestinian state".The Israeli official dismissed the idea, saying: "Why would the Palestinians budge on even a comma in a conference if they already know that, without making progress, they will get what they want?"Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, speaking to African leaders at a summit in Ethiopia, urged them to back France's conference plan.But two Israeli cabinet ministers, both allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel should boycott such a meeting."Unequivocally, Israel will not attend a conference under threat," Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz told Channel 2 television, echoing a comment by Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz to Channel 1.PEACE EFFORTS STALLEDUS-led efforts to broker a "two-state solution" collapsed in 2014, and there has been no serious attempt to revive them.Fabius has previously called for an international support group comprising Arab states, the European Union and UN Security Council members to put pressure on the two sides to compromise. But Netanyahu has called France's initiatives "counterproductive".A US official responded cautiously to Fabius's statement."The US position on this issue has been clear. We continue to believe that the preferred path to resolve this conflict is for the parties to reach an agreement on final status issues directly," the official said.Despite anger in the US administration over Israeli settlement building, there is little prospect of President Barack Obama supporting any initiative that could upset the US Jewish lobby 10 months before an election.UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called Israel's expansion of Jewish settlements in occupied land "provocative" and said that it raises questions about its commitment to a two-state solution.Palestine has non-member observer status at the United Nations and its flag flies with those of member states at UN headquarters in New York. Sweden became the first member of the European Union to recognise a Palestinian state in 2014, and several other states have followed.Palestinians seek a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, parts of which have been occupied by Israel since 1967. REUTERS JW0558 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-565576.Xml The FBI negotiated further with four armed occupants at a remote federal wildlife refuge in Oregon while the holdouts in a video posted online expressed their mistrust of the government and reluctance to leave. One of the four protesters remaining at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge said in a darkly lit video posted on Friday that he wanted to be assured he would not be arrested if he left. Others with him expressed similar resolve. Tensions in the standoff remained high, four days after Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, 54, a spokesman for the group that seized buildings at the refuge on January 2, was killed by police during the arrests of occupation leader Ammon Bundy and several other protesters as they traveled on a highway. The FBI said Finicum reached for a gun during the confrontation, which was recorded on grainy video, but his family disputes that account. In taking over the refuge, the protesters criticized federal control of vast tracts of land in a flare-up of the so-called Sagebrush Rebellion, a decades-old conflict over federal control of millions of acres in the West. "Negotiations are ongoing," FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steele said, declining to give details on the talks or comment on the video. Bundy has issued messages through his attorney urging those remaining at the refuge to stand down, and saying they would continue to fight through the courts. But the holdouts at the refuge in the video, which they streamed live on YouTube, said they did not want to leave the site, which is 48 km from the small ranching community of Burns in the state's rural southeast, and they expressed mistrust of the US government. "I don't believe that they have any authority over me because they're illegal and I can't bow down to that," one man, who described himself as defending the US Constitution, said on the video. "And I came out here to see this to the end and I don't just quit because I got scared or I might be killed." The same man later in the video said he did not want to face arrest and the possibility of a felony, which could prevent him from owning a gun. Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward earlier this week said the protesters went too far in their armed occupation of the refuge in his county. REUTERS JW PR0641 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-565577.Xml British Prime Minister David Cameron has asked his lawmakers to investigate possible racial bias against black defendants and other ethnic minorities in the country's criminal justice system, Downing Street announced on Sunday. At present, black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) individuals make up more than a quarter of prisoners, compared to 14 percent of the wider population of England and Wales, according to statistics released by Downing Street, Xinhua reported. Latest figures also show that BAME people make up a disproportionate 24 percent of Crown Court defendants, and those found guilty are more likely to receive custodial sentences than white offenders. "If you're black, you're more likely to be in a prison cell than studying at a top university. And if you're black, it seems you're more likely to be sentenced to custody for a crime than if you're white. We should investigate why this is and how we can end this possible discrimination," Cameron said in a statement. The prime minister has appointed David Lammy, a member of parliament, to lead a review of the criminal justice system in England and Wales to investigate evidence of possible bias against black defendants and other ethnic minorities. Lammy was asked to report back in the spring of 2017 and provide recommendations to reduce the proportion of BAME individuals in the criminal justice system and make sure that all suspects and offenders are treated equally. The review will consider BAME people's treatment and outcomes to identify and help tackle potential bias or prejudice, according to Downing Street. It will address issues arising from the point of arrest onwards, including through the court system, in prisons and during rehabilitation in the wider community. --Indo-Asian News Service vr/ ( 295 Words) 2016-02-01-00:39:34 (IANS) AURELIUS | The name of Fingerlakes Mall's new leasing initiative says it all: Support Local Business. Officially launched Jan. 1, the program offers local businesses a discounted rent to open with a limited schedule of two days a week. The goal of the program is to ease the businesses into being open more days and paying closer to the regular rent rate, such that they're full-time tenants by the end of their first year. Support Local Business has introduced 10 new tenants to the mall so far. Seven have opened: wellness businesses It Works and Infinity Healing and Instruction, bakery Bradford Heights Delights, teddy bear toy shop Teddy Mountain, sports memorabilia retailer Showtime Sportscards and crafters Heaven Sent Creations and Tunison's Treasures. Following in February will be photography studio Powers Images, Twissted RC Raceway and centerpiece crafter Seasons Under Glass. The initiative is the invention of Mall Marketing Manager Vin Gleason, who recruited its first businesses through the mall's monthly craft fairs. "Our vendor numbers doubled this year from the year before. I literally ran out of space," he said. "People had been coming from other malls with their own tables, asking for space." With plenty of storefronts available due to the departure of several national tenants over the past few years, Gleason devised a plan for moving the biggest of those local craft fair vendors into the mall on a permanent basis. "We're making an investment in their business to be here full-time," he said of Support Local Business. "They're the pioneers of this program. We want them to be here as long as possible." Gleason declined to say precisely how much the program discounts rent below the mall's standard $11-$15-per-square-foot rate, but said "it's probably the lowest in the state." Should the mall return to 100-percent capacity, he said, the rate would probably have to be raised, he said. The program comes with other caveats: The stores must file a DBA, have their hours approved by the mall and be ready to relocate should a national tenant covet their space. For instance, homeopathic and herbal product retailer It Works wanted to set up in the former Regis space, Gleason said, but the mall's ongoing efforts to sign another salon could eventually force it to move elsewhere. One of the first stores to be part of Support Local Business, Heaven Sent Creations, moved in Dec. 11, before the initiative had a name. Owned and operated by Carol and John Delano, of Skaneateles, the gift store sells resin figurines, hand-turned wooden bowls, hand-carved gourds and more. The Delanos pour, clean, fire, paint and carve their crafts, and have since they started the business in 1994. They're no strangers to Fingerlakes Mall: From 2003 to 2006, they sold their work in the space that would become Aeropostale. However, Carol said, the rent they pay now is roughly a third of what they paid a decade ago. "This group that's in here now is unbelievable," she said of Gleason and General Manager Rene Patterson. "We hardly ever saw the manager or marketing person those three years that we were here. Now we see Vin every day: 'How are you doing?' 'I love this,' etc." Kim Hill, of Auburn, who co-owns It Works with her husband, Steve, also praised Gleason's commitment to the mall and to local businesses. "He's really doing a great job getting the community into the mall," she said. "His work ethic is unbelievable. He really pours his heart and soul into that mall." Gleason feels tenants like Heaven Sent Creations and It Works complement one another in the new mallscape. They're also intertwined with Gleason's programming efforts at the mall, which continue with monthly Family Fun Days, weekly karaoke and more. However, Gleason said, the mall had to cancel its spring farmers market because many of its vendors have now moved into the mall through the Support Local Business program. For Fingerlakes Mall, it's a good problem to have. Gleason credits the Support Local Business tenants with drawing a few thousand people there the third Saturday in January compared to the same day in 2015. He added that the support he's received for his efforts, in person and on social media, has been "phenomenal." "The demand goes up the more the shops come in, and the more the people come out," he said. "If they grow, we grow." Earlier this week, authorities in Harris County, Texas, announced that after a lengthy investigation a grand jury has cleared Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast of any wrongdoing. The thorough investigation into claims related to the Center for Medical Progress smear campaign instead resulted in felony indictments against David Daleiden and Susan Merritt who perpetrated this scam. Planned Parenthood provides high-quality, compassionate care and has done nothing improper. Planned Parenthood never "sold" fetal tissue. The claim is completely false and unfounded. Officials in 12 other states (Nevada, Kansas, Florida, Ohio, Washington, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri and South Dakota) have cleared Planned Parenthood of wrongdoing. Another eight states (California, Iowa, Delaware, Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Colorado) have declined to even investigate citing a lack of any evidence of wrongdoing. The people who broke the law to spread malicious lies about Planned Parenthood in order to advance their extreme anti-abortion political agenda are now charged with felonies. As the dust settles and the truth comes out, it's become clear that the only people who engaged in wrongdoing are the criminals behind this fraud, and we're glad they are being held accountable. Betty DeFazio Syracuse DeFazio is director of Community Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York Dubuque (Etats-Unis) (AFP) - "Turn to your neighbor and tell them why you're going to caucus for Donald Trump," one of the candidate's men instructs the hundreds of people gathered in an airport hangar in the Iowa city of Dubuque. The responses pour out: "Because he's awesome!" "He's the man!" The Republican candidate had flown here in his private Boeing jet on Saturday, two days before the first contest Monday in the presidential nominating season. He steps unaccompanied from the plane, without notes, strides across the tarmac and moves to the podium, drawing a standing ovation from a mixed crowd of young and old supporters, of disillusioned voters and conservative Republicans. "Here's the story: The United States has just ordered a three billion dollar plane, three billion. Do you think I could have made a better deal than that?" Trump is referring to the government's recent order of a new, ultra-high-tech replacement for the president's Air Force One. "Yes!" the crowd shouts back in unison. Trump's one-man show will go on for 35 minutes. The real estate mogul offers to let children visit his plane. "Not the parents," he quips, "because parents will damage it!" Five high-school students, all wearing Trump hats, exchange bemused looks and laugh uproariously at each of his jokes. When protesters interrupt the Republican frontrunner's speech, his supporters outshout them: "Trump! Trump! Trump" and direct security guards to the interlopers. "Get them out!" Trump says. Then the candidate points to the cameras in the back of the hangar and laments the "dishonesty" of the press. "Can we talk about the competition for five seconds?" he asks. "Yes!" He criticizes his closest rival, Ted Cruz, as Canadian-born, suggesting he might not be qualified to be president; dismisses Jeb Bush as being "at 2 percent in the polls," and attacks Hillary Clinton, even while half-heartedly predicting that she will win the Democratic nomination. Story continues "Hillary for prison!" a woman cries out. The Islamic State group, Syrian refugees, politicians, China, Iran ... Trump touches on all the headlines, in each case deploring the "incompetence" of American leaders. The Chinese send these geniuses, tough as hell, no game, no smile, they don't say hello when they walk into the office, they want to work, he says. And the "Persians are great negotiators." His listeners' interest seems to flag a bit when he mentions Secretary of State John Kerry or when he says that he was once part of the establishment before becoming anti-establishment "in two minutes." But Trump knows how to rile the crowd again. The Republican debate on Thursday, which he boycotted? "Boring. Hard thing to watch. But if I had been there you would have liked it, right?" He mentions a photo that showed the back of his head. "I checked: no bald spot," he says drawing new laughs. - 'He doesn't beat around the bush' - Some people came for the show, but most express their admiration in similar terms: "He says what he thinks." Matt Simon, one of the students who had been laughing earlier, explains: "Hes straightforward, he doesnt beat around the bush or anything; everything he says, I believe that hell do it." But is it a problem that Trump has laid out his agenda only in the vaguest of terms? "He isnt as detailed as Cruz," concedes the 18-year-old Simon, "but he is a businessman and I would trust him to do pretty well on the economy. Trump's goal is to mobilize Americans like this who, disappointed by politics and politicians, have stopped voting. Farah Adams, who waits around for an autograph, has often voted Democratic. This year she says she probably would not be following the campaign at all without the presence of Trump, whose reality television show "The Apprentice" she admired. The prospect of sending a man to the White House who has a reputation for blunt language does not bother her. "When meeting foreign representatives, hes going to have a different filter than when he is doing a debate," says Adams, a 39-year-old nurse who has come down for the event from neighboring Wisconsin. "Hes an intelligent person." Trump's supporters believe in his ability to manage any crisis. Never mind that his knowledge of foreign policy can seem superficial. "He's no dummy, he knows how to run a country," says Laura Anmeth, a 62-year-old retiree. If Trump has released few details of his future program, she sees this as being cagey. "Why would you let that out beforehand?" she asks. Her husband Jerry, a Vietnam War veteran, offers an example. The Islamic State "will be afraid of him more than any other president," he says, "because they dont know what hell be doing; he could bomb them one day, and maybe he won't." By Aaron Maasho ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - The African Union will send a mission to troubled Burundi to press the government to accept a peacekeeping force after the president rejected such a move, a senior AU official said after a summit on Sunday. African leaders, who held a two-day summit, may also ask the U.N. Security Council to exert pressure with a possible sanctions threat if it refuses, a senior Western diplomat who followed the proceedings told Reuters. Officials said a final communique was awaiting clearance from African capitals. The senior official and diplomat were citing its main points before it was endorsed. The AU's Peace and Security Council announced plans in December to deploy a 5,000-strong force, saying it could invoke an article of the AU's charter that allowed it to intervene whether or not the government agreed. President Pierre Nkurunziza, whose bid for a third term angered opponents and sparked months of violence, rejected it. Western powers are pressing African states to intervene to prevent Burundi sliding back into the kind of ethnically charged conflict it witnessed in a civil war that ended in 2005. "We want dialogue with the government of Burundi," Smail Chergui, the AU's Commissioner for Peace and Security, told reporters after the summit, saying a "a high-level" delegation would seek Burundi's approval to deploy the force. He did not give further details, but the senior Western diplomat said the AU was also expected to ask the U.N. Security Council to pass a Chapter 7 resolution, "which could mean sanctions if the Burundians remain defiant." Chapter 7 of the U.N. charter covers the council's authority to enforce decisions with sanctions or military force. The Western diplomat said he understood that African leaders had endorsed the peacekeeping force "with a mandate to disarm militias and protect civilians, in addition to a larger human rights observer mission." Those details could not be confirmed. When Chergui was asked if more AU monitors would go to Burundi, he told Reuters: "That question is too early." Yahya Jammeh, president of Gambia, which is on the 15-member AU peace and security council, had said on Saturday some African states were against sending any peacekeepers to Burundi against its will. He had raised fears the AU was wavering on the issue. Violence in the nine-month-old crisis has already killed more than 400 people, in a country that emerged from an ethnically charged civil war in 2005. U.N. assistant secretary general for human rights, Ivan Simonovic, told Reuters on Saturday that the African Union, if it did not send peacekeepers, should at least boost the number of human rights monitors it has there or send some police. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has praised the plan for a peacekeeping force, has called for African action. "We cannot wait any longer, that is why it is a matter of urgency, that I am urging African leaders to act in one voice," he said in Addis Ababa, adding that Burundi's government should "listen very carefully and engage in inclusive dialogue". (Reporting by Aaron Maasho; Editing by Edmund Blair and Tom Heneghan) This blog is written solely by John Ray, who has a Ph.D. degree in psychology and 200+ papers published in the academic journals of the social sciences. It does occasionally comment on issues in psychology but is mainly aimed at giving a conservative psychologist's view on a broad range of topics. There are very few conservative psychologists.The blog originated in Australia and many (but not most) posts discuss Australian matters. Australians have an unusually good awareness of events outside their own country. Australian newspapers feature news from Britain and the USA not as an afterthought but as a major part of their coverage. So Australians do tend to have a truly Western heart, which is the reason behind the old name for this blog. So events in Australia, Britain and the USA all feature frequently here, plus occasional coverage of other places, particularly Israel.SCOTUS is the Supreme Court of the United States, the highest court in the landThe "GOP" stands for "Grand Old Party" and refers to the Republican party. The GOP is at present center/Right, while the Democrats have been undergoing a steady drift Leftwards and now have policies similar to mainstream European Leftist parties.The ideological identity of both parties has however been very fluid -- almost reversing itself over time. In the mid 19th century, the GOP was the party of big government and concern for minorities while the Democrats advertised themselves as "The party of the white man" -- an orientation that lasted into the mid 20th century in the South. The Democrats are still obsessed with race but have now flipped into support for discrimination AGAINST whites.Was Pope Urban VIII the first Warmist? Below we see him refusing to look through Galileo's telescope. People tend to refuse to consider evidence if what they might discover contradicts what they believe.Climate scientist Lennart Bengtsson said. The warming we have had the last 100 years is so small that if we didnt have meteorologists and climatologists to measure it we wouldnt have noticed it at all.The term "Fascism" is mostly used by the Left as a brainless term of abuse. But when they do make a serious attempt to define it, they produce very complex and elaborate definitions -- e.g. here and here . In fact, Fascism is simply extreme socialism plus nationalism. But great gyrations are needed to avoid mentioning the first part of that recipe, of course.Beatrice Webb, a founder of the London School of Economics and the Fabian Society, and married to a Labour MP, mused in 1922 on whether when English children were "dying from lack of milk", one should extend "the charitable impulse" to Russian and Chinese children who, if saved this year, might anyway die next. Besides, she continued, there was "the larger question of whether those races are desirable inhabitants" and "obviously" one wouldn't "spend one's available income" on "a Central African negro".Hugh Dalton, offered the Colonial Office during Attlee's 1945-51 Labour government, turned it down because "I had a horrid vision of pullulating, poverty stricken, diseased nigger communities, for whom one can do nothing in the short run and who, the more one tries to help them, are querulous and ungrateful."The book,, authored by T.W. Adorno et al. in 1950, has been massively popular among psychologists. It claims that a set of ideas that were popular in the "Progressive"-dominated America of the prewar era were "authoritarian". Leftist regimes always are authoritarian so that claim was not a big problem. What was quite amazing however is that Adorno et al. identified such ideas as "conservative". They were in fact simply popular ideas of the day but ones that had been most heavily promoted by the Left right up until the then-recent WWII. See here for details of prewar "Progressive" thinking.R.I.P. Augusto Pinochet. Pinochet deposed a law-defying Marxist President at the express and desperate invitation of the Chilean parliament. He pioneered the free-market reforms which Reagan and Thatcher later unleashed to world-changing effect. That he used far-Leftist methods to suppress far-Leftist violence is reasonable if not ideal. The Leftist view that they should have a monopoly of violence and that others should follow the law is a total absurdity which shows only that their hate overcomes their reasonFranklin Delano Roosevelt was a war criminal. Both British and American codebreakers had cracked the Japanese naval code so FDR knew what was coming at Pearl Harbor. But for his own political reasons he warned no-one there. So responsibility for the civilian and military deaths at Pearl Harbor lies with FDR as well as with the Japanese. The huge firepower available at Pearl Harbor, both aboard ship and on land, could have largely neutered the attack. Can you imagine 8 battleships and various lesser craft firing all their AA batteries as the Japanese came in? The Japanese naval airforce would have been annihilated and the war would have been over before it began. FDR prolonged the Depression . He certainly didn't cure it. WWII did NOT end the Great Depression . It just concealed it. It in fact made living standards worse Joe McCarthy was eventually proved right after the fall of the Soviet Union. To accuse anyone of McCarthyism is to accuse them of accuracy! The KKK was intimately associated with the Democratic party . They ATTACKED Republicans!People who mention differences in black vs. white IQ are these days almost universally howled down and subjected to the most extreme abuse. I am a psychometrician, however, so I feel obliged to defend the scientific truth of the matter:The average African adult has about the same IQ as an average white 11-year-old and African Americans (who are partly white in ancestry) average out at a mental age of 14. The American Psychological Association is generally Left-leaning but it is the world's most prestigious body of academic psychologists. And even they have had to concede that sort of gap (one SD) in black vs. white average IQ. 11-year olds can do a lot of things but they also have their limits and there are times when such limits need to be allowed for. America's uncivil war was caused by trade protectionism . The slavery issue was just camouflage, as Abraham Lincoln himself admitted . See also here Leftist psychologists have an amusingly simplistic conception of military organizations and military men. They seem to base it on occasions they have seen troops marching together on parade rather than any real knowledge of military men and the military life. They think that military men are "rigid" -- automatons who are unable to adjust to new challenges or think for themselves. What is incomprehensible to them is that being(to use the extreme Prussian term for following orders) actually requires great flexibility -- enough flexibility to put your own ideas and wishes aside and do something very difficult. Ask any soldier if all commands are easy to obey. RIYADH (Reuters) - Nine Americans are among 33 suspects detained on terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia over the past week, the English-language daily Saudi Gazette reported on Sunday citing an unnamed source. It reported that four Americans were detained on Monday and another five in the following days, along with 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, a United Arab Emirates citizen, a Palestinian and a citizen of Kazakhstan. The American embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Saudi Arabia in 2014 declared Islamic State a terrorist organization and has detained hundreds of its supporters. The group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria, has staged a series of attacks in the kingdom. On Friday an attack at a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in Saudi Arabia's al-Ahsa district in Eastern Province killed four people and injured 18, the latest in a string of attacks claimed by Sunni jihadists that have left over 50 dead in the past year. The website of the Interior Ministry's militant rehabilitation center listed four U.S. citizens as having been detained on Jan 25 and four more over the previous three months. It did not yet list any more recent detentions. The Interior Ministry spokesman pointed Reuters toward that website, which gives information on all people detained as militant suspects, but gave no further comment. The ministry on Saturday identified one of the attackers in al-Ahsa as 22-year-old Abdulrahman al-Tuwaijri, a Saudi citizen, who detonated an explosive vest outside the Imam Rida mosque in the Mahasen district of Hofuf in al-Ahsa. A 27-year-old was also arrested wearing an explosive vest and carrying hand grenades after members of the mosque's congregation seized him after he fired shots at them during the attack, the ministry said. Attacks by supporters of Islamic State in Saudi Arabia include two bombings and two mass shootings at Shi'ite mosques. A mosque used by Sunni security services was also bombed The Saudi clergy have denounced the group as "kharijites", an early Islamic sect reviled by Muslims for its extreme ideology. (Reporting By Angus McDowall; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) Australia's most senior recruiter for the Islamic State group in Syria, who was reportedly linked to an alleged plot to attack Anzac Day commemorations, has been killed, local media said Sunday. News of Neil Prakash's death was posted on secure communications app Telegram, Melbourne's Herald Sun reported, citing an IS member. "It was posted on Telegram," the member, who was not named, told the newspaper. "I did not know him, but I heard." The newspaper said there were no details about how, when and where Prakash, who left Australia in 2013, was killed. A spokesman for Australia's Attorney-General George Brandis said the government "cannot confirm reports of the death of Neil Prakash at this time because of the serious security situation in Syria and Iraq". Prakash -- also known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi -- was linked to the alleged plot on Anzac Day, when Australia honours its war dead. Sevdet Besim, 19, is facing four charges related to planning the alleged attack on April 25 last year. A 15-year-old boy in Britain was in October sentenced to a minimum of five years in jail for inciting Besim to carry out a "major terrorist plot" at the event. Canberra lifted its terror threat level to high in 2014, conducted counter-terrorism raids and introduced new national security laws amid fears of home-grown extremism. The government has also cracked down on nationals attempting to travel to conflict zones including Syria and Iraq. Geneva (AFP) - Switzerland is struggling to resolve the case of a Swiss woman kidnapped for a second time by jihadists in Mali, Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter said in an interview published Sunday. "We are facing a case that is very delicate and very difficult to resolve," Burkhalter told Le Matin Dimanche. Beatrice Stockly, who was previously abducted by Islamists from Timbuktu in 2012, was taken for the second time on January 7 by armed men who stormed her home in the country's fabled city. The kidnapping was claimed by Al-Qaeda's north Africa affiliate (AQIM) who issued an eight-minute video in which it denounced Stockly as "a Swiss nun who declared war against Islam". The footage was replete with montages of jihadists brandishing weapons and the masked speaker spoke with a British accent. Stockly, who is in her 40s, has lived in Timbuktu for years and has previously been identified as a missionary and social worker. The last time she was snatched in April 2012, she was described as the last Westerner living in the legendary desert city who had refused to leave despite it being captured by Islamist Ansar Dine rebels on April 1. Two weeks later, special forces from Burkina Faso swept into rebel-held northern Mali aboard a helicopter and whisked her to safety in a pre-arranged handover by Islamist rebels. - Battling for her life - In Sunday's interview, Burkhalter said that the fact that Stockly's kidnapping was her second considerably complicated efforts to free her. He pointed out that the last time she was kidnapped, her abductors had demanded that she leave and never return to Mali. "That's where the difficulty lies," he said. "We are in a battle to try to keep her alive. "Unfortunately, that is not going to be easy." Stockly's decision to remain in Mali has been harshly criticised, with some politicians calling for her to be handed for her rescue -- if she makes it out. Story continues Burkhalter acknowledged Swiss authorities had warned Stockly a number of times about the dangers of remaining in Mali, but said he would not judge her for ignoring the warnings. "She is a missionary who felt her life and her role was over there," he said. Switzerland has a clear policy against paying ransoms, he said, stressing it would only lay "the groundwork for future kidnappings... It would be a vicious circle." Stockly's capture is believed to be the first in northern Mali since the kidnap and murder of two French radio journalists in November 2013. The two were snatched from the northeastern town of Kidal and their bodies found several hours later. Earlier this month, an elderly Australian doctor and his wife were seized by jihadists in a remote town in neighbouring Burkina Faso on the night of January 15-16. Rome (AFP) - Italian police arrested a man for attempted murder on Sunday after he threw a bidet out of a window to knock out his adversary during a brawl, according to media reports. A kick-around between neighbourhood boys in Pozzuoli near Naples degenerated when one player accused another of a particularly dirty foul, and the resulting scuffle deteriorated when youngsters' parents stepped in to defend their offspring. Just as officers arrived on the scene in the seaside town in southern Italy, Domenico Cammarota, 45, father to one of the boys, hurled a bidet out of the window of his apartment, hitting another father in the street below on the head. The injured man, knocked out by the flying bathroom appliance, was taken to hospital, while Cammarota -- who was already known to the police -- was put behind bars, according to Il Messaggero daily. Los Angeles (AFP) - "The Birth of a Nation," a drama about a 19th century slave revolt in Virginia, swept top prizes at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday. The movie, acquired earlier this week by Fox Searchlight for a record-shattering $17.5 million, won the grand jury prize and the audience award at the prestigious festival held in Park City, Utah. The dual awards mark a major victory for filmmaker Nate Parker, who wrote and directed the movie about Nat Turner, who led a slave rebellion in 1831. It also comes at a time when Hollywood is under fire for its lack of diversity in the list of actors and filmmakers nominated for Oscars this year. "Thank you, Sundance, for creating a platform for us to grow, in spite of what the rest of Hollywood is doing," Parker, who is black, said as he accepted the grand jury prize for his film already being touted for a 2017 Oscar. The US documentary grand jury prize was awarded to "Weiner," a behind-the-scenes portrait of disgraced US politician Anthony Weiner as he attempts a comeback by running for mayor of New York. The audience award in that category went to "Jim: The James Foley Story," a documentary about the US journalist slain by the Islamic State group in 2014. In the world cinema category, the grand jury prize for a drama went to "Sand Storm," an Israeli film that follows the struggle of women in a Bedouin village, while the audience award went to "Between Sea and Land," a Colombian movie about a man afflicted with an illness that confines him to his bed, and his mother who cares for him. Both the audience and grand jury prizes for foreign documentary went to "Sonita," about an 18-year-old Afghan refugee illegally living in Tehran and who dreams of becoming the next Rihanna. The Sundance Film Festival founded by actor Robert Redford is considered a showcase for independent and documentary films and festival winners often go on to receive critical acclaim and Hollywood awards season glory. Story continues Last year, the crop of movies shown at the festival yielded "Brooklyn," which is up for three Oscars next month, including best picture and best actress for its Irish star Saoirse Ronan. Here is a full list of prize winners from Saturday's awards: - US DRAMA - Grand Jury Prize: "The Birth of a Nation" Directing: Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan for "Swiss Army Man" Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: Chad Hartigan for "Morris from America" Special Jury Award: "As You Are" Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance: Joe Seo for "Spa Night" Special Jury Award for Individual Performance: Melanie Lynskey in "The Intervention" and Graig Robinson in "Morris in America" Audience Award: "The Birth of a Nation" - US DOCUMENTARY- Grand Jury Prize: "Weiner" Directing: Roger Ross Williams for "Life, Animated" Special Jury Award for Editing: Penny Lane and Thom Stylinski for "Nuts!" Special Jury Award for Social Impact Filmmaking: "Trapped" Special Jury Award for Writing: "Kate Plays Christine" Special Jury Award for Verite Filmmaking: "The Bad Kids" Audience Award: "Jim: The James Foley Story" - WORLD CINEMA DRAMA - Grand Jury Prize: "Sand Storm" Directing: "Belgica" Special Jury Award for Acting: Vicky Hernandez and Manolo Cruz for "Between Sea and Land" Award for Screenwriting: Ana Katz and Ines Bortagaray for "Mi Amiga del Parque" Unique Vision and Design: Agnieszka Smoczynska for "The Lure" Audience Award: "Between Sea and Land" - WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY - Grand Jury Prize: "Sonita" Directing: Michal Marczak for "All These Sleepless Nights" Special Jury Award for Debut Feature: Heidi Brandenburg and Mathew Orzel for "When Two Worlds Collide" Special Jury Award for Cinematography: Pieter-Jan De Pue for "The Land of the Enlightened" Special Jury Award for Editing: Mako Kamitsuna and John Maringouin for "We Are X" Audience Award: "Sonita" "The Birth of a Nation," a drama about a 19th century slave revolt in Virginia, swept top prizes at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday. The movie, acquired earlier this week by Fox Searchlight for a record-shattering $17.5 million, won the grand jury prize and the audience award at the prestigious festival held in Park City, Utah. The dual awards mark a major victory for filmmaker Nate Parker, who wrote and directed the movie about Nat Turner, who led a slave rebellion in 1831. It also comes at a time when Hollywood is under fire for its lack of diversity in the list of actors and filmmakers nominated for Oscars this year. "Thank you, Sundance, for creating a platform for us to grow, in spite of what the rest of Hollywood is doing," Parker, who is black, said as he accepted the grand jury prize for his film already being touted for a 2017 Oscar. The US documentary grand jury prize was awarded to "Weiner," a behind-the-scenes portrait of disgraced US politician Anthony Weiner as he attempts a comeback by running for mayor of New York. The audience award in that category went to "Jim: The James Foley Story," a documentary about the US journalist slain by the Islamic State group in 2014. In the world cinema category, the grand jury prize for a drama went to "Sand Storm," an Israeli film that follows the struggle of women in a Bedouin village, while the audience award went to "Between Sea and Land," a Colombian movie about a man afflicted with an illness that confines him to his bed, and his mother who cares for him. Both the audience and grand jury prizes for foreign documentary went to "Sonita," about an 18-year-old Afghan refugee illegally living in Tehran and who dreams of becoming the next Rihanna. The Sundance Film Festival founded by actor Robert Redford is considered a showcase for independent and documentary films and festival winners often go on to receive critical acclaim and Hollywood awards season glory. Story continues Last year, the crop of movies shown at the festival yielded "Brooklyn," which is up for three Oscars next month, including best picture and best actress for its Irish star Saoirse Ronan. Here is a full list of prize winners from Saturday's awards: - US DRAMA - Grand Jury Prize: "The Birth of a Nation" Directing: Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan for "Swiss Army Man" Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: Chad Hartigan for "Morris from America" Special Jury Award: "As You Are" Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance: Joe Seo for "Spa Night" Special Jury Award for Individual Performance: Melanie Lynskey in "The Intervention" and Graig Robinson in "Morris in America" Audience Award: "The Birth of a Nation" - US DOCUMENTARY- Grand Jury Prize: "Weiner" Directing: Roger Ross Williams for "Life, Animated" Special Jury Award for Editing: Penny Lane and Thom Stylinski for "Nuts!" Special Jury Award for Social Impact Filmmaking: "Trapped" Special Jury Award for Writing: "Kate Plays Christine" Special Jury Award for Verite Filmmaking: "The Bad Kids" Audience Award: "Jim: The James Foley Story" - WORLD CINEMA DRAMA - Grand Jury Prize: "Sand Storm" Directing: "Belgica" Special Jury Award for Acting: Vicky Hernandez and Manolo Cruz for "Between Sea and Land" Award for Screenwriting: Ana Katz and Ines Bortagaray for "Mi Amiga del Parque" Unique Vision and Design: Agnieszka Smoczynska for "The Lure" Audience Award: "Between Sea and Land" - WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY - Grand Jury Prize: "Sonita" Directing: Michal Marczak for "All These Sleepless Nights" Special Jury Award for Debut Feature: Heidi Brandenburg and Mathew Orzel for "When Two Worlds Collide" Special Jury Award for Cinematography: Pieter-Jan De Pue for "The Land of the Enlightened" Special Jury Award for Editing: Mako Kamitsuna and John Maringouin for "We Are X" Audience Award: "Sonita" LONDON (Reuters) - British police arrested nine people after clashes between anti-immigration groups and anti-racism protesters in Dover on Saturday, with media reports of smoke bombs and bricks being thrown. Far-right groups such as the National Front confronted activists rallying against racism, such as the Kent Anti-Fascist Network, resulting in disturbances in the port town that lies 20 miles by sea from France. Kent Police said one person suffered a broken arm and five people sustained minor injuries during the demonstrations, as BBC television footage showed dozens of hooded protesters pushing through police lines. Britain's government is trying to curb rising levels of immigration from both EU migrants and arrivals from elsewhere in the world, over fears about the strain on public services. Dover is symbolic as the entry point for many new arrivals. It is a short ferry or train journey from Calais in France, where thousands of refugees fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East have gathered over the past year, using it as a stopover point before trying to enter Britain. Kent Police said three arrests were made in Dover itself and six at a nearby motorway service station. "Extra officers were on duty in the town to allow a march to the Eastern Docks and a separate protest in the town centre to go ahead as planned, while minimising disorder and disruption to the community," the police said in a statement. (Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Stephen Powell) Kale While frying can reduce the nutritional value of most foods, there's an exception to the rule: It's a group of foods that contain significant amounts of the organic pigments called carotenoids, which studies indicate can help reduce the risk of several chronic diseases in humans, like heart disease, eye disease, and certain cancers. When you expose carotenoids to high temperatures, energy from the heat breaks them down. This makes it easier for the body to absorb into your blood stream, where it goes to work against disease. And if you fry those foods in oil, as opposed to steaming or baking them, you absorb even more because carotenoids are fat soluble. Where to find carotenoids red bell pepper Carotenoids are prevalent throughout nature, but the three that are most common in our foods are: Pro-vitamin A carotenoids like alpha carotene and beta carotene , which gives carrots and sweet potatoes that iconic orange color and has been shown to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration a leading cause of vision loss in people over 50. Lycopene , which provides most red-hued fruits, like tomatoes, pink grapefruit, and red peppers, their color. About 80% of the lycopene we ingest comes from tomato-based products, and over the last decade, studies have found that the lycopene in tomatoes could be linked to a reduced rate of prostate, lung, and stomach cancers. Lutein, which is found in dark leafy greens like kale and Brussels sprouts and has also been shown to reduce the risk of eye diseases, like age-related macular degeneration. A major nutritional boost brussels sprouts 2 So just how much more of these disease-fighting carotenoids do you get by pan frying them in oil (not to be mistaken for deep frying, which is an entirely different method of cooking)? We asked Guy Crosby, who has spent 30 years in the commercial food industry business and is now the editor for Americas Test Kitchen and teaches a food science course at the Harvard School of Public Health. You can learn more about him on his site "The Cooking Science Guy." Story continues As Crosby explains: "In the fresh tomato most of these [carotenoid] pigments are all tied up with proteins," Crosby told Business Insider. "If you cook the tomato you break down the bonds between the proteins and the pigments the lycopene and you absorb about four times more lycopene into your blood from cooked tomatoes than from fresh tomatoes." But wait, there's more: Carotenoids fall under a class of vitamins called fat soluble vitamins, as opposed to water soluble vitamins like Vitamin C and some types of Vitamin B. This means that carotenoids will dissolve in fats, for example the fat in frying oil, just like the Vitamin B-6 in broccoli dissolves in water when you boil it. "Since lycopene is soluble in oil, if you cook your tomatoe in olive oil, you'll absorb two times more again above and beyond from what you absorb from cooking tomatoes without the oil," Crosby said. Now, if you're watching your waist line, it's important to limit the amount of fat you ingest daily. And frying anything is certainly going to up the fat content. However, you don't need very much oil to get this boost in nutrition about three to five grams of fat is enough, which is equivalent to one teaspoon of olive oil. Here's a list from the Micronutrient Information Center at Oregon State University of foods high in the four carotenoids we discussed earlier: alpha-carotine, beta-carotine, lycopene, and lutein. Screen Shot 2016 01 30 at 11.16.38 AM Screen Shot 2016 01 30 at 11.16.52 AM Screen Shot 2016 01 30 at 11.17.07 AM Screen Shot 2016 01 30 at 11.17.18 AM NOW WATCH: Why you should stop using most antibacterial soaps More From Business Insider London (AFP) - British Prime Minister David Cameron on Sunday began talks pressing EU president Donald Tusk to allow the UK to immediately restrict benefits to EU migrants if Britain votes to stay in the bloc. The pair shook hands outside Cameron's Downing Street office before heading inside to thrash out the details over a meal of salmon, beef and pear and apple crumble. If the British people voted to stay in the EU in a referendum, Cameron's proposed "emergency brake" would come into force immediately after the vote and exclude migrants from other EU countries from claiming benefits such as income top-ups for low-paid workers until they had paid into the British system. "The Prime Minister will tell Tusk tonight that an emergency brake on in-work benefits would have to apply immediately if it is to form part of a deal on the UK renegotiation," the senior government source said. "A deal will only be possible if a brake would apply to current levels of EU migration to Britain, could be triggered immediately after the referendum and would apply long enough to resolve the underlying problem." The government says it wants to limit in-work benefits as it considers it a "pull factor" encouraging large numbers of Europeans to come to the UK in search of work. The number of European job seekers has become a hot political issue in Britain and key driver of anti-EU sentiment. Yet Cameron is under increasing pressure from his own centre-right Conservative party, which has a strong eurosceptic contingent, to come back with a robust deal. Opinion polls currently suggest that Britons would vote to leave the EU in a so-called "Brexit" by a small margin. - 'Pretty thin gruel' - Cameron has set out four areas in which he wants reform -- migrant benefits, safeguards against more political integration in the EU, protection of countries such as Britain which do not use the euro currency and boosting economic competitiveness. Story continues Tusk announced on Twitter that all four would be discussed, and that if progress were made he would "table my proposal to EU countries tomorrow" (Monday). An EU source told AFP that Tusk was accompanied by his full negotiation team. "I don't expect Tusk to offer future treaty change on free movement" of people, the source said. The main sticking point has been Cameron's insistence that EU migrants employed in Britain must wait four years before claiming certain welfare payments, which could require a treaty change. "The Prime Minister intends to leave Tusk in no doubt that he will not do a deal at any price," added the source. British officials hope that a final deal can be nailed down at a Brussels summit being held on February 18 and 19, which Cameron would then use to campaign for Britain to remain in the 28-member bloc. An agreement at that time would open the door to a referendum in June, but Cameron insists he is willing to hold out for as long as it takes to secure the right package of reforms, if necessary delaying the referendum until September or even next year. Tusk's visit comes after Cameron held a hastily-arranged meeting with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday to try to resolve the British leader's main concern -- reducing the number of EU migrants coming to Britain. Cameron emerged from the talks with Juncker saying that, while there had been "progress", the proposal on the table was "not good enough". "Reflecting domestic pressure on Cameron, the co-chair of the anti-EU Conservatives for Britain group dismissed the talks as "synthetic" and a "farce". "It is not going to answer the concerns of the British people. We need the power in our own parliament to determine what our migration policy is," he told Sky News. The special envoy of Pope Francis told a gathering of hundreds of thousands in the Philippines on Sunday that they had a special role to play in spreading the gospel, even to developed nations. Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Myanmar was delivering a homily at the closing mass after a week-long International Eucharistic Congress. "This nation holds great promise to the Catholic world," he told a crowd in a fenced enclosure estimated by police to number about 450,000. Senior Superintendent Benjamin Santos, police chief of Cebu City in the central Philippines, said an even bigger number were listening outside the fence. Bo said Catholicism faced problems of empty churches and dying vocations in other nations, and the Philippines held a unique position as the world's third-largest Catholic nation with a largely young population. "Christianity, they say, is in a twilight zone," he said. "Take heart, my brothers and sisters. The Philippines can take the twilight zone into an exciting dawn." While the Philippines suffered from poverty, richer nations were facing "the destruction of the family", he warned the crowd, many of whom stood in the burning sun for two hours. "Some countries have chosen a path to destroy families through laws," Bo told an enthusiastic crowd, adding there was "a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the survival rights of the poor to the lifestyle rights of the rich countries". The cardinal did not specify "lifestyle rights" but the Catholic church campaigns against same-sex marriage, abortion and other practices largely legalised in Western nations. In contrast the Philippines, which is about 80 percent Catholic, still outlaws abortion, same-sex marriage and even divorce. Quoting the Bible, Bo told the crowd: "A prophet to the nations, I appoint you." In a video message to the mass Pope Francis himself praised the deep faith of Filipinos. Story continues "They have given the world an example of fidelity and deep devotion," the pontiff said. He said this was "also a summons to go forth as missionaries, to bring the message of the Father's tenderness and forgiveness and mercy to every man, woman and child". The pope recalled his successful visit to the Philippines last year, saying he found the people's faith unshaken despite natural disasters and hardship. Over 1,200 delegates from 75 nations attended the congress, a major Catholic gathering held every four years. Twenty-seven officials in China have been "penalised" for the wrongful execution of a teenager 20 years ago, state news agency Xinhua reported late Sunday. Hugjiltu was 18 in 1996 when he was sentenced and put to death for the rape and murder of a woman in the toilet of a textile factory in Hohhot in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In 2014 Hugjiltu was finally exonerated after another man, Zhao Zhihong, confessed to the crime and was in turn convicted and sentenced to death. "One of the blacklisted officials responsible for the wrongful conviction of Huugjiltu, Feng Zhiming, was suspected of job-related crimes and was subject to further investigation," Xinhua reported authorities as saying in a statement. Feng, a former deputy chief with the public security bureau in Hohhot, could face prosecution, Xinhua added. The other 26 -- among them police officers and court officials -- "received administrative penalties including admonitions and record of demerit", Xinhua said without giving further detail. The case has highlighted the shortcomings in China's Communist Party-controlled legal system, where acquittals are extremely rare -- 99.93 percent of defendants in criminal cases were found guilty in 2013, according to official statistics. The use of force to extract confessions remains widespread in the country and defendants often do not have effective defence in criminal trials, leading to regular miscarriages of justice. In rural Sioux Center, Iowa, thousands of the faithful fill the pews at Christian Reformed Dordt College. Behind a brightly lit stage, theres a massive organ, and two double-barreled speakers blast a popular spiritual anthem: Your love never fails, it never gives up / It never runs out on me. A Black 20-something with a yellow-topped Mohawk stands up and starts chanting U-S-A and One, two, three, we be-lieve that he can win! while folks hoot and holler in anticipation. Finally, popular Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress announces the man who some see as Americas savior: He is the one leader who can reverse the downward death spiral of the nation we love so dearly. Welcome to the Church of Trump. As Donald J. Trump has barnstormed across the nation, he has built a politically incorrect path to the presidency that has him leading national polls, and experts flummoxed. The billionaire real estate mogul, whose campaign didnt respond to our requests for comment, leads here in Iowa too, with about a third of likely Republican caucusgoers telling pollsters that they would elect him. His overwhelming support from white evangelicals is well documented, but the clergy of Trump is made up of much more than mere churchgoers; its the disenchanted everyman (and woman) who believes the country has lost its intrinsic identity and wants to make America great again. Just a week ago, most political scientists, when asked about Trumps grassroots plan in Iowa the handshaking, phone calling and door knocking that traditionally is crucial for politicians hoping to win the Hawkeye State balked. Donald Trump hasnt done anything on the ground, said Drake Universitys Arthur Sanders. And, some argue, Trumps trumpeters are largely unconventional, disenfranchised folks with a poor record of actually heading to the polls come Election Day. Many believe this means the front-runners lead is fragile, that on caucus day Monday it could all melt away like snow under the midday sun. Yet on this particularly frigid weekend morning, hundreds of the Trump faithful wait in line for an hour or more, a line that extends so far it takes an aerial shot to fully capture the scene. In this context, Trumps strategy in Iowa is not a strategy per se, but an impassioned call for believers to rise up and rebuild their community. Its a revival and one that could ultimately raise him to the office of the president. While gazing at his flock 1,500 seated in front of him Trump speaks: Im a true believer. Is everybody a true believer in this room? Bundled up in a Trump 2016 scarf and beanie, Jeremy Boyts says hes at his 40th campaign event. Im working for the campaign, spreading the good word, says the financial planner from Missouri whos holding up a corkboard with buttons supporting gun rights, the Constitution and other Trumpian talking points. Hes special, says a soybean farmer from Struble, while Kathy Moulton, an evangelical Christian who drove here from South Dakota, says the Donald has strong, solid American values, and America is founded in religion. By now, Trump has been called pretty much everything under the sun. Carnival barker. Xenophobe. Chaos candidate. Gollum. But he also engenders an enthusiasm that seems to shine brighter on the campaign trail than during his tenure as a reality TV star. While gazing at his flock 1,500 seated in front of him, event organizers say, plus an overflow crowd of 500 or so watching a live feed Trump speaks: Im a true believer. Is everybody a true believer in this room? The phrase is a knowing nod to a very specific religious term: a Christian who interprets the Bible strictly and, in most cases, has publicly accepted Jesus Christ as his or her personal Lord and Savior. But Trumps appeal also cuts across religious lines, to those who feel persecuted and no longer see a country made in their image. Its the typical fallen-yet-saved-by-grace narrative that often rings from the pulpit; but in a way, says Anthony Gaughan, a political scientist at Drake University, Trump is presenting himself as a redemption figure: I was one of the corrupting campaign contributors, but now Im going to make the system right because I know how it works. As his critics contend, Trump exploits fear and anger. After the dire talk subsides, though, Trump channels the rhetoric of Hope and Change that precipitated President Obamas rise. Trump has a certain amount of optimism, says Dennis Goldford, co-author of The Iowa Precinct Caucuses. Were in deep trouble, he says, but were going to fix it. Provided you elect him, of course. And the first step starts in Iowa. In the past, holding megachurch rallies here hasnt been a winning strategy. Iowan voters have come to expect intimate conversations in coffee shops and diners, and to be wooed rather than preached at. When Mike Huckabee won the Republican nomination in Iowa in 2008, and Rick Santorum in 2012, it was through smaller, face-to-face interactions across the state. Yet Trump, unlike other presidential candidates, is willing to tell his disciples when theyve strayed from what he sees as the righteous path: How stupid are the people in Iowa? he asked at a rally in Fort Dodge, after Ben Carson overtook him in state polls in November. Last week, at Dordt College, Trump expanded on his remarks: You pick a lot of losers, folks If you vote for Ted Cruz, youre not going to win. By comparison, Cruz Trumps leading challenger has taken the traditional route, drafting volunteers city by city and even announcing a 99 pastor strategy to enlist a faith leader in each of Iowas counties to support him. That approach, and given how some of Trumps supporters are from demographic groups that are less likely to show up on Monday, may gave Cruz a leg up, says Justin Whitely Holmes, who researches political communication at the University of Northern Iowa. And, to be sure, not everyone buys Trumps sermon on the mount: At Dordt, Brenda Fritsch is one of a dozen protesters urging voters to not associate Trumps values with Christian ones. From a philosophical standpoint, you cant overlook the hate, says Fritsch. Then again, winning here didnt do Santorum or Huckabee any favors, both of whom quickly faded after Iowa. Unlike them, Trump has built broader support by creating a movement rather than a moment. Hes a phenomenon, Sanders says. (In national polls, Trump still leads second-place Cruz by about 16 percentage points, on average, while in New Hampshire, he commands almost triple that of Cruzs support.) Even Fritsch is fighting an uphill battle. My parents support Trump, she says. They feel like he gets away with things no one else can get away with, so if he can get away it, then he can get things done. Related Articles By Amanda Becker DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - If Hillary Clinton pulls off a victory in her close race for the Democratic presidential nomination with Bernie Sanders, she will have women like Joan Pinnell to thank. Pinnell, a 32-year-old Chicagoan and former volunteer for Barack Obama's 2008 campaign, has been knocking on doors in Iowa in support of Clinton, Obama's Democratic former rival. Her dedication stems in part from the desire for a president who can "personally understand the struggle that it is to be female" a factor that was far less important to her back in 2008 when she was in her mid-20s. "I get annoyed when I hear women say 'it doesn't matter at all,'" Pinnell says of the gender issue. "It matters." With Iowans ready to cast the first votes of the 2016 presidential race on Monday, polls show Sanders and Clinton locked in a statistical dead heat in the state, although she leads the U.S. senator from Vermont in national polls. The enthusiasm that Sanders has sparked with college students and those just out of college including young women has generated buzz around his campaign. What has gotten far less attention, however, is the split that exists between women in their late teens and early 20s and their cohorts in their 30s. Though Democratic women aged 18 to 29 say they prefer Sanders to Clinton 57 to 24 percent, those aged 30 to 39, like Pinnell, prefer Clinton to Sanders 45 to 28 percent, according to a Reuters/Ipsos tracking poll of 3,466 respondents taken from Jan. 1 to Jan. 26. (Graphic: http://tmsnrt.rs/20bI5ry) In interviews with women voters aged 30 to 39 nationally, many said that in 2008 they had been drawn to Obama's idealistic message of "hope" and "change," but this time around they say they value the experience of Clinton, a former first lady, senator and secretary of state. After navigating their first apartments, careers, moves, marriages and children, these women also said they like Clinton's emphasis on issues such as reproductive health and equal pay for women. Still, Sanders' fiery rhetoric and liberal agenda are drawing support from young women like Abigail Gill, 19, a student at Keene State College in New Hampshire, who say gender does not matter. "To vote for Hillary just because she is a woman is just as bad as not," Gill said. 'A NEW PERSPECTIVE' Clinton played down her gender in 2008 but this time around urges voters not to miss the chance to make history by electing the first woman president. She has worked hard to court women "Millennials" the generation born beginning in the early 1980s. She taped an episode of "Broad City," a sometimes raunchy comedy about two twenty-something women living in New York City and has created a "girl power" music playlist. She makes a point of calling on young women at town hall events and takes countless "selfies" with them. Clinton's senior aide and protege, Huma Abedin, 39, headlined a New York City networking event for women. Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, 35, has hosted a fundraiser at the trendy workout spot SoulCycle. Kellie Lewis, 36, brought her 19-month-old daughter and 5-month-old son to hear Clinton speak at a bowling alley in Adel, Iowa last week. Lewis said she is eager to help make history by supporting Clinton. "I feel like we've had men looking at government for so long, a new perspective is exactly what is needed to get a more equal society," Lewis said. But Erin Batchelder, a junior at Smith College in Massachusetts, is conflicted. She says she'd like to see "one of my own" in the Oval Office but is drawn to Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist whose message centers on fighting income inequality and the excesses of Wall Street. Batchelder plans to vote for Sanders but her best friend, also a Smith student, recently switched from backing Sanders to supporting Clinton. "That's what I'm grappling with right now, especially with my best friend making that shift, a lot of women at Smith are making that shift," Batchelder said. (Editing by Caren Bohan and Mary Milliken) BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia's FARC rebel group will enter politics and seek alliances with other parties after it signs a peace deal with the government, the top guerrilla leader said on Sunday, despite rebel fears they may be targeted by right-wing armed groups. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, have been in talks since late 2012 with the government of President Juan Manuel Santos to end five decades of war. "We will be in politics without arms," FARC leader Rodrigo Londono, known by his nom de guerre Timochenko, said in an interview with local magazine Semana. "We will enter a political scenario where it will be fundamental to unite the largest number of forces possible to guarantee the deal is fulfilled. "We will put our arms to one side and take up the political struggle." Negotiators at the Cuba-based talks have reached deals on land reform, an end to illegal drug trafficking, guerrilla participation in politics, transitional justice, efforts to find missing persons and remove land mines. A United Nations mission will supervise rebel disarmament once an accord is signed. The war has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions. Although rebel ranks support the peace talks, many fear they may be targeted by right-wing groups after a peace deal, Londono said. Paramilitaries, sometimes with the aid of military officials, systematically assassinated 5,000 members of the left-wing Patriotic Union party in the 1980s, including two presidential candidates. "A common question is: 'Comrade, will the same that happened to the Patriotic Union happen to us?' That is the fear," said Londono. The FARC's political party could participate in 2018 legislative and presidential elections, he said. All sectors of Colombian society, including fierce opponents like ex-President Alvaro Uribe, must commit to helping implement a peace deal, Londono said, adding: "Let's give Colombia a chance." (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta and Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Dan Grebler) DEAR ABBY: My fiance is in the Marine Reserves. He has been in for five years, and his contract is due to end next year. After that, he will either resign or re-enlist. He's obsessed with the idea of serving his country and deploying. He says he won't feel like he did his job if he doesn't deploy. While I respect that, for him to deploy, he must re-enlist, and his new contract will be for another six years. He could be sent overseas many times in six years. I can't imagine life without him. Every time I even watch a war movie, I cry. I know it sounds selfish, because he is very brave, but how can I talk him into not re-enlisting or at least communicate that I don't want him to do this again? -- WANTS HIM STATESIDE DEAR WANTS: Frankly, I am surprised you haven't told your fiance your feelings about this already, because you should have. While I wouldn't ask him to choose between you and his military service, I do think you have some serious thinking to do about your own future. Being a military spouse requires a special kind of strong, independent and dedicated person -- as you have already experienced. While you may love him, if this isn't a lifestyle to which you can adapt, then he may not be the husband for you. DEAR ABBY: I just got asked to my first high school dance by "Josh," a boy I really like. I don't know what to do, what to wear or what to say. I don't even know how to dance, and I don't want to mess this up. Josh is very popular and has done this before, but I haven't. He's my best friend, and I'm scared of losing him because I'm not good enough. Should I go, or call it off and just stay home? Maybe I'm just not meant for all this dating stuff. What should I do? -- INEXPERIENCED IN NEVADA DEAR INEXPERIENCED: If you weren't "good enough," Josh wouldn't have invited you to the dance. Because you haven't danced before, ask him to give you some pointers before the big night. If you do, I'm sure he'll be glad to help. As to what to wear, if any of your girlfriends have attended the dances, ask them for suggestions. However, if none of them have been to a school dance either, ask any female relative of the same age -- or ask Josh. Updated on January 31 at 1:49 p.m. ET At least 45 people have been killed in three explosionstwo suicide attacks and a car bombnear a Shia shrine south of Damascus, the Syrian government said Sunday. The blasts, which were claimed by the Islamic State, came amid a UN attempt to mediate peace talks between the government of President Bashar al-Assad and opposition groups. SANA, the state-run Syrian news agency, quoted an Interior Ministry source as saying the explosions hit the Koua Soudan neighborhood near the shrine of Sayyida Zeinab. The car bomb went off at a bus station in the area and, SANA reported, when locals gathered to help victims, two suicide bombers blew themselves up. The agency said at least 110 people were wounded in the attacks. The shrine of Sayyida Zeinab is said to contain the grave of the Prophet Muhammads granddaughter. It is revered by Shiites and, despite the fighting in Syria, continues to be a major center of pilgrimage. The shrine, the area around which is controlled by the Syrian government and Hezbollah, was previously targeted in February 2015. Recommended: What ISIS Really Wants ISIS, as the Islamic State is also known, claimed responsibility for Sundays attacks, which came as representatives of Syrias government and its opposition began gathering in Geneva for indirect, UN-mediated talks. The future of those talks are uncertain. Two of the groups that will be gathering in Geneva are Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam, which Assads government views as terrorist organizations. Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy to Syria, met Friday with the Syrian government delegation. The opposition delegation, which is scheduled to meet with him on Sunday, said it wont take part in the talks until its demands are met, the AP reported. Those include lifting the governments siege on rebel-held areas and an end to the bombardment by Russia and Syria of areas the rebels control. Story continues After meeting with members of the opposition on Sunday, De Mistura said they have been exchanging with me some of their own ideas and they will let you know and let me know when and how they can be part of this exercise. In Washington, John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, called the conflict a humanitarian catastrophe unmatched since World War II, and appealed to both sides to make the most of this moment. The UN hopes the talks will lead to a cease-fire followed by a political settlement to a civil war that has killed more than 200,000 people, displaced millions from their homes, and created a humanitarian disaster. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Addis Ababa (AFP) - African leaders failed on Sunday to authorise a proposed peacekeeping force to stem violence in Burundi in the face of vehement opposition from the government in Bujumbura. Instead, the African Union is to send envoys for more talks, although previous negotiations have done nothing to end months of conflict. The United Nations has warned that Burundi risks a repeat of the 1993-2006 civil war, with hundreds of people killed since April 2015, when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would stand for a controversial third term. At least 230,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries. Burundi has consistently opposed the idea of the AU's planned 5,000-strong peacekeeping mission, saying the deployment of troops without its express permission would be tantamount to an "invasion force". The AU charter's Article 4(h) gives the pan-African bloc the right to intervene in a fellow nation state "in respect of grave circumstances, namely: war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity". But top AU diplomat Ibrahima Fall said Sunday that sending troops without Burundi's approval was "unimaginable," with the bloc deciding to send envoys to hold talks with the government. "There is no will neither to occupy nor to attack," AU Peace and Security Council chief Smail Chergui added, saying that troops could be sent in the future "if Burundi accepts it". Clashes between government loyalists and the opposition have become increasingly violent. "We want dialogue with the government, and the summit decided to dispatch a high level delegation," Chergui told reporters, without giving more details. Burundian Foreign Minster Alain Aime Nyamitwe told reporters he was "satisfied" at the decision and said Bujumbura was "open to cooperating with the international community, particularly the African Union." But he also questioned why AU envoys would want to take the time to travel to Bujumbura "since "everyone is aware of the position of Burundi" already. Story continues - 'We talk too much' - Chad's President Idriss Deby, speaking after he took over the post of African Union chairman on Saturday, warned colleagues against inaction. "Our organisation acts as it has for the past 20 or 30 years: we meet often, we talk too much, we always write a lot, but we don't do enough, and sometimes nothing all," Deby said. Analysts say other African nations are wary of setting a precedent of deploying troops against the government's wishes. AU leaders spent two days debating the crisis in Burundi -- as well as conflict in South Sudan and Libya -- at the 54-member bloc's summit in Ethiopia. "It was never the intention of the African Union to deploy a mission to Burundi without the consent of Burundian authorities," Ibrahima Fall, AU Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, told French radio RFI. "This is unimaginable," the Senegalese diplomat added. - Leaders 'must be held responsible' - Nkurunziza's quest to remain in power sparked weeks of street protests that were brutally suppressed, and a failed coup. The political rhetoric has also become more ethnically-charged, sparking fears the ruling party may be trying to drive a wedge between majority Hutus and minority Tutsis. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, speaking on Saturday as the summit opened, made clear that troops were needed to stem the violence. "Leaders who stand by while civilians are slaughtered in their name must be held responsible," Ban said, insisting that the Burundi crisis required the "most serious and urgent commitment". He said the UN backed the AU's proposal "to deploy human rights observers and to establish a prevention and protection mission". Rwanda hosts the next AU summit, slated for July. Relations between Rwanda and neighbouring Burundi are tense, with Bujumbura accusing Kigali of backing opponents of Nkurunziza, claims Rwanda denies. In Iowa, its said, you cant spit these days without hitting a presidential candidate. This past week, you pretty much couldnt read, watch or listen to the news without encountering Steffen Schmidt. The other day, the political scientist opined to NPR that Donald Trumps boycott of the Republican debate was crazy but crazy like a fox. He told The Hill that Bernie Sanders will get a great turnout at the caucuses, and Bloomberg Politics that Jeb Bushs candidacy will survive if he places at least third. There were quotes for the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post; and appearances on Telemundo, Univision and Fox. Plus he taught his class, showed up for his weekly radio shows and flew down to Little Rock to deliver an endowed lecture at the University of Arkansas. When I hear politicians promise things, I know those things are either not very sincere or not very realistic. We could go on and on and on, and so could Schmidt. Loquaciousness, in fact, is one of the reasons the media calls on the self-proclaimed Dr. Politics so often. This is not to suggest Schmidt lacks other virtues. The professor is zany, a good storyteller and not particularly ideological. He has an endearing, deadpan manner. And having taught political science at Iowa State University since the early 1970s his government class gets very high ratings Schmidt probably is the most authoritative authority on the caucuses out there. As he tapes a show at a community radio station in Ames, Schmidt seems to have an Iowa accent, with curly vowels that kind of close in on themselves. But later, at a cafe, he tells me he wasnt born in the Midwest, or even in the United States. Rather, he spent the first part of his life in Colombia. His parents had come from Germany before World War II; his mother, a Jew, fled as Hitler rose. Like many immigrants, Schmidts family eschewed politics in favor of business. His father started what would become Colombias largest optometry company. Story continues Young Schmidt was supposed to be an optometrist, but he misbehaved. At 14, he was shipped off to boarding school in Switzerland, where he was for a time the classmate of royal heirs and oil-company scions. Then to a military academy in Jacksonville, Florida. Schmidt shaped up by the time he enrolled at Rollins College, and there, under the tutelage of a professor who had a TV and radio show, he became captivated by politics, media and celebrity. It was so interesting to be directly involved with very powerful people and hang around them and listen to how they talked and how they thought, he says. He got his Ph.D. at Columbia University, and then Iowa State, where hes been more or less since the 1970s. To Schmidt, retaining his position as caucus authority means he cant participate in the caucuses themselves. He does vote, but perhaps he has observed politics too long to really be passionate about it. When I hear politicians promise things, I know those things are either not very sincere or not very realistic, he says. Voters dont want to hear complicated truths. Here is a hard truth, as Schmidt sees it: Presidents cant do very much. We the public persist in believing they can, but a lot of the worlds problems arent solved by tapping the hat and pulling a rabbit out of it, he says. Schmidt is careful to note that he respects all politicians, even the ones he disagrees with or makes fun of. Even as he tweets Trumpiavelli my new term for Donald, he notes that Trump has gotten his students more excited about politics than anyone hes seen in ages. And yet the last time Schmidt got excited about a president was in the 1960s, with John F. Kennedy. And in the end, he says, that made me more cynical, because his life was cut short. Maybe his cynicism comes from his mothers side of the family, which was always moving away from places where things were falling apart. His mothers family fled the Spanish Inquisition and Hitlers Germany, and eventually Colombia. By the time Schmidt was a teenager, he says, violence and kidnappings were pervasive. All the members of the Schmidt family, even 15-year-old Steffen, slept with a gun, and they all got green cards for the United States. That history of flight gave Schmidt a realistic appraisal of the fact that, no matter how bad things are, they can just go south very quickly. Or maybe the reason for Schmidts detachment is simpler: Politics is his job. Do them too long and too much and jobs can leech the excitement out of almost anything. Speaking of which, Schmidt has to go now. Iowa Public Radio, CNN en Espanol and Agence France-Presse are waiting. Related Articles Beirut (AFP) - Bombings claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group killed 71 people and wounded dozens more on Sunday near a revered Shiite shrine outside the Syrian capital Damascus, a monitor said. The blasts, which came as the UN's Syria envoy struggled to convene fresh peace talks in Geneva from which IS is excluded, tore a massive crater in the road, overturning and mangling cars and a bus and shattering windows. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said 71 people were killed in two blasts near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine, including five children. The first blast was a suicide car bomb, followed by a second suicide bomber who detonated his explosive belt when a crowd gathered, the monitoring group said. Syrian state media earlier reported more than 50 people killed and over 100 injured in what it described as three blasts. Official news agency SANA said the first blast was caused by a car bomb that detonated at a bus station near the shrine, which both Iran and Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah have vowed to defend. It said two suicide bombers then set off their explosive belts when people gathered at the scene. An AFP photographer said the explosions damaged the facade of a nearby building, scorching all of its six storeys. Sayyida Zeinab, south of Damascus, contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has continued to attract pilgrims from Syria and beyond, particularly Shiites from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, throughout Syria's nearly five-year brutal conflict. Sunni Muslim extremist groups such as IS consider Shiites to be heretics and have frequently targeted them in attacks. In the aftermath of Sunday morning's attack, smoke rose from the twisted carcasses of more than a dozen cars and a bus, as ambulances ferried away the wounded and firefighters worked to put out blazes. In a statement circulated on social media, IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying two of its members had detonated suicide bombs. Story continues "Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120," it said. The area around the shrine has been targeted in previous bomb attacks, including in February 2015 when two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint. - UN envoy meets opposition - Also that month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people, in an attack claimed by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The area around the shrine is heavily secured with regime checkpoints set up hundreds of metres (yards) away to prevent vehicles from approaching. According to the Observatory, members of Lebanon's powerful Shiite group Hezbollah are among those deployed at the checkpoints. Hezbollah is a staunch ally of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and has dispatched fighters to bolster his troops against the uprising that began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. Early on, the group cited the threat to Sayyida Zeinab as the motivation for its intervention in Syria's conflict. More than 260,000 people have been killed in Syria's conflict, which has also displaced upwards of half the country's population internally and abroad. It has evolved into a complex, multi-front war involving rebels, jihadists, regime and allied forces, Kurds and air strikes by both government ally Russia and a US-led coalition battling against IS. In a new effort to find a political solution to the conflict, UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has invited regime and opposition delegations to Geneva for fresh talks. But while the opposition agreed to travel to Geneva after days of delays, it has so far refused to engage in indirect talks with the government. It is demanding that UN Security Council resolutions on ending sieges and protecting civilians be implemented first. On Sunday, the UN envoy held informal talks with the main opposition delegation, saying afterwards that he remained "optimistic and determined". The Damascus delegation's chief negotiator, Syria's UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari, accused the opposition of being "not serious" about the talks. Tripoli (AFP) - International pressure mounted Sunday on Libya to form a national unity government as the Islamic State jihadist group expands at the doorstep of Europe and the rest of Africa. In Libya itself, prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj met controversial army chief General Khalifa Haftar as part of a series of encounters to press the creation of a UN-backed unity cabinet. The meeting came as African Union leaders at a summit in Addis Ababa called for a political solution in Libya to curb the spread of IS. In Paris, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said IS could infiltrate the ranks of refugees using Libya as a springboard to reach Europe, adding that a unity government ould help "eradicate" IS. Libya has been in political turmoil and rocked by violence since the 2011 toppling of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Since the summer of 2014, the country has had two rival administrations, with the recognised authorities based in the country's far east and a militia-backed authority in Tripoli. The situation has been further compromised with the emergence of IS in the oil-rich North African country and a brisk business by people smugglers ferrying migrants to Europe. The jihadist group, which controls swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq, has claimed several attacks and beheadings in Libya and last year captured the coastal city of Sirte. In January, IS jihadist pushed east from Sirte in an attempt to seize oil terminals in Ras Lanuf and Al-Sidra, which lie in an "oil crescent" along the northern coast. That same month it claimed responsibility for a January 7 truck bombing at a police school in Zliten, east of Tripoli, that killed more than 50 people, the deadliest attack since the 2011 revolt. The international community has pressed Libya's rival politicians to accept a power-sharing agreement it hopes will help to reverse IS's territorial gains. - 'Realistic' solution needed - Story continues Sarraj's official Facebook page said he met Haftar in the eastern city of Al-Marj on Saturday to assess "the opinions, fears and worries of influential sides in the crisis". Sarraj and Haftar discussed "finding a practical solution to the war in Benghazi", Libya's second city where Haftar's forces have been fighting Islamists, it said. It said Sarraj was seeking a "realistic" solution based on "realities on the ground" to reach a political consensus between all parties. Sarraj is expected to propose a new government lineup, after the recognised parliament rejected an initial 32-member list last week. Deputies also voted for the removal of an article from the UN-brokered peace deal signed in December that gives the Sarraj government the power to approve top security and military posts,. The move was taken over fears that it will lead to Haftar's ouster as demanded by the Islamist-backed Tripoli-based administration. Haftar, 73, presents himself as Libya's saviour in the face of jihadist expansion and launched "Operation Dignity" in 2014 against Islamists in Benghazi, cradle of the 2011 revolt. - 'They are spreading' - In Paris, Le Drian told French television of the "urgent" need for a political solution to the crisis in Libya to help combat the spread of IS. "Daesh is installing itself," he said using the Arabic acronym for the IS group, adding that a government of national unity was the "only way to eradicate" the jihadists. "I have been very worried about Libya since September 2014. They are there, nearly 300 kilometres from the (Italian) coast, and they are spreading," said Le Drian. In Addis Ababa, African Union leaders discussed the Libya turmoil and its repercussions. "This is something that concerns us all," AU Peace and Security Council chief Smail Chergui told reporters, adding effective action could only be taken "if we have a government in place". He said AU presidents had decided to relaunch the "High Level Contact Group on Libya" -- a team of five heads of state -- "to lend support to the ongoing efforts". The United Nations, in a December report, estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 IS fighters are posted in Libya, including 1,500 in Sirte, which was Kadhafi's hometown. Ottawa (AFP) - A former Mafia don with a long history as a leading figure in Canada's crime underworld has been gunned down at his home in Toronto, police said. Authorities said Rocco Zito, 87 -- for years a senior member of the notorious 'Ndrangheta, or Calabrian mafia -- was found fatally shot at his home late Friday. A suspect, Domenico Scopelliti, 51, identified in the Canadian media as the dead man's son-in-law, has turned himself in, according to news reports, which said he faces a first degree murder charge in the case. Police however, have issued no statement about the relationship between Zito and Scopelliti, and have not yet disclosed a possible motive for the homicide. PARIS (Reuters) - France aims to scale back its military presence in Central African Republic by the end of the year, its defence minister said in a French media interview, as Paris continues to count on forthcoming elections to ease tension in the turbulent African country. France currently has around 900 troops in the country. That is down from a 2,000-strong force it deployed after widespread violence broke out in 2013 involving Muslim-led rebels and Christian militias, but is well above a pre-crisis force of 300. "At the end of the year, our objective is to be back at a (troop) level close to what it was before the crisis," Jean-Yves Le Drian said in an interview with French business weekly Challenges, published on its website on Saturday. President Francois Hollande said this month that France would be able to pull troops out of the Central African Republic quickly once the country elects a new president. The African state is due to hold a presidential election run-off next month after a first round on Dec. 30, which observers hope will lead to a transition to democracy after years of conflict. However, in a setback to that process, the country's constitutional court on Monday scrapped legislative election results, citing irregularities, while hundreds of people protested in the capital Bangui on Friday, calling for the result of last month's presidential vote to be annulled as well, claiming irregularities. France has also been embroiled in allegations of child sex abuse against foreign troops, including French soldiers, in Central African Republic, with the United Nations announcing fresh accusations by children on Friday. Le Drian has handed over to French prosecutors information received from the U.N. about possible abuse by French soldiers, further to an ongoing investigation into previous allegations, the defence ministry said on Friday. Central African Republic is one of several countries where the French army is engaged. Paris is also discussing with Western allies options to curb Islamic State militants in Libya, but Le Drian, when asked whether bombing raids were possible in Libya, said foreign powers should wait to see if a proposed unified government is able to defeat Islamic State by itself. The European Union's Sophia sea force operating against migrant traffickers in the Mediterranean could intervene in Libyan waters if the new government requested it, he added. The French army's chief of staff told reporters on Friday that his forces were "at the maximum" of their capacities, and that France would have to scale down efforts elsewhere or secure extra funding if they were to engage on a new front. Le Drian stressed that the government last year granted an additional 3.8 billion euros to the military budget for 2016-2019 as well as an increase in operational forces. But he acknowledged personnel was under strain while waiting for new recruits, whom he said would alleviate the situation in the second half of the year. (Reporting by Marine Pennetier and Gus Trompiz; Editing by Susan Fenton) Paris (AFP) - France said Sunday its stretched military would pull out of the troubled Central African Republic as it fights on multiple foreign fronts and is increasingly called on for anti-terror operations at home. Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told French media on Sunday that the government was aiming to wind down Operation Sangaris, the military operation it launched in CAR in December 2013 at a time when thousands were dying in brutal ethnic violence. "The aim is to bring Operation Sangaris to a halt. I hope this is done during 2016, with small units remaining on Central African territory as was the case beforehand," Le Drian told French media. He said he wanted the force reduced from its current level of 900 soldiers to around 300. At its peak France had some 2,500 soldiers deployed, mostly in the capital Bangui, supporting around 10,000 UN peacekeepers. But with violence down and presidential elections underway, France is eager to redeploy its troops, who are increasingly needed to combat jihadist forces in the Middle East and other parts of Africa. It also needs manpower in mainland France, where around 10,000 troops have been deployed to protect sensitive sites following terror attacks in Paris last year. International operations in CAR have been dogged by sexual scandals after a slew of accusations of child abuse against French and UN troops. Fresh allegations of child sexual abuse surfaced on Friday. Le Drian has ordered an investigation into the new cases, which are said to date to 2014 but have only been discovered in recent weeks as a result of a UN probe. French soldiers are already being investigated in their home country over allegations they forced children in CAR to perform sexual acts in exchange for food. Le Drian also said on Sunday that he hoped the European Union would agree to train a Central African Republic armed force when the bloc's defence ministers hold informal talks on February 3 and 4 in Amsterdam. Story continues The CAR plunged into chaos in March 2013 when mostly Muslim Seleka rebels ousted President Francois Bozize, a Christian, and installed their leader Michel Djotodia in power for 10 months. A transitional government was installed under international pressure in early 2014, and a presidential run-off election is due to take place on February 14, pitting two former prime ministers against each other. Experts and Central African leaders have criticised Operation Sangaris for failing to disarm all armed groups, as they vowed at the start of the mission. Although relative peace has returned to Bangui, this is partly the result of the extensive ethnic cleansing that led many targeted groups to flee the capital. Meanwhile, powerful warlords and criminal gangs continue to hold power over vast stretches of the desperately poor country. Paris (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande on Sunday pardoned a woman who was jailed for 10 years for killing her husband after he abused her for decades, the president's office announced Sunday. "In the face of an exceptional human situation, the president wanted to make it possible for (Jacqueline) Sauvage to return to her family as soon as possible," the presidency said in a statement. The rare pardon granted by Hollande amounts to a reduction of Sauvage's sentence that will allow the 68-year-old to leave prison in mid-April, her lawyers told AFP. By then, she will have spent more than three years behind bars. The gesture came just two days after the president met for the first time with Sauvage's three daughters and her lawyers on Friday. Sauvage's case had become a cause celebre in France, with more than 400,000 people signing a petition demanding her release. "I'm overwhelmed, happy, grateful, relieved," said Eva Darlan, founder of an advocacy group for Sauvage. Sauvage was married for 47 years to Norbert Marot, a violent alcoholic who she said raped and beat her and her three daughters and also abused her son. On September 10, 2012, the day after her son hanged himself, Sauvage shot her husband three times in the back with a rifle. She was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison in October 2014, which was upheld on appeal in December 2015 as the state rejected her plea of self-defence. The group Osez le Feminisme (Dare To Be Feminist) called for the definition of self-defence to be expanded in cases of "female victims of violence". Sauvage's case has cast a spotlight on the tricky and controversial legal argument known as "battered woman syndrome". Her lawyer Nathalie Tomasini had appealed to the court to "push the limits of self-defence applied to situations of marital violence." - One previous pardon - In French law for an act to be considered self-defence it must be seen as proportional and in direct response to an act of aggression. Story continues Killing in response to repeated acts of violence suffered over decades, as in Sauvage's case, did not meet this test. She was faulted for her passivity faced with the violence and incest carried out by her husband. "We were afraid of him, he terrified us," one of her daughters told the court. Another of her daughters, raped at the age of 16, described her father's death as a "relief". When campaigning for the presidency in 2012, Hollande distanced himself from presidential pardons, describing them as belonging to "a different concept of power". He has used the power only once, when he freed convicted bank robber Philippe El Shennawy -- who had spent 38 years behind bars -- in 2014. 100 YEARS AGO Water at Lake Mary is at least 18 inches over the track. It took the lumber train from the Flagstaff Lumber Mill Camp all day to get into town. The water made its way all the ay to the fire box, luckily without putting fire in the engine entirely out. All eastbound trains are delayed in California by the big storm. Only a single stub came through Tuesday evening on No. 10s time. So far the freezing temperature has prevented a flood flowing in the River de Flag. It has been cut through where it was blocked with snow. City and railroad crews are busy opening ditches through the snow in order to give the water a chance to hit the Bottomless Pit with force and freedom. Illegal booze was captured and Ike Moses arrested by Under Sheriff F. L/ Dickinson. A box trunk containing two 5 gallon kegs addressed to Mrs. A. Schwalbe, shipped from Los Angeles was confiscated by the Sheriffs office while being taken to this address. Arizona is badly soaked by it winter storms but seems to be keeping its spirits up. 75 YEARS AGO Free wildflower seeds. Just call at the Underpass Richfield Station or at Richfield Super Service on E. Santa Fe. Ave. where Lloyd Drake is taking over the management. Franks Place is installing a huge new Floating Air cooler with a large glass front door. Its 6 wide and 8 deep forming 364 cu. ft. of cooling space. Frank says this will accommodate all the cold beer, wine, whiskey or whatever that is apt to be called for. Canned beer, Corn Liker, Ginger Ale & White Soda available at all times. The work is being done by Nelson Burns of Burns Radio and Refrigeration Service. The electrical work is by Johnny Thomas and the wood work by Luke Felts. 50 YEARS AGO The U. S. Reclamation Bureau has expanded its office here into a permanent Meteorological Research facility at a cost of $620,000. This expansion of the existing facility headed by Dr. Paul Macready will be using the micro-climate around The San Francisco Peaks for intensive techniques to be complied on a larger scale with special interest in the west side of Rockies and the Colorado drainage system. Hes been doing this on a much smaller scale since 1957. The Southern Union Gas Company is expecting to spend $1.2 million in this area in this coming year in additions and improvements to its distribution system and in relocating pipe lines to accommodate new street construction. Double Gold Stamps at Bayless on Wednesday. New crop avocados 10 cts each. Cake mix 4 for $1. An armed robber wielding a .38 caliber revolver forced the clerk at the Western Liquor Store to the floor, then removed $136 from the till and left the scene. He remains missing. The City Council has banned parking in the street near the new Grants Shopping Center and has deigned the proposal the place a traffic signal at Rt. 66 and Enterprise. Snow Bowl Manager Gene Gillis expects a record weekend with the arrival of 20 full busloads of skiers from Phoenix as well as the regular crowd. There are 40 at the Poma Lift and 67 at the Upper Chair. Snow tires are recommended. The Arizona State College School of Applied Technology has put into operation a TR-20 analog computer which is available a limited basis to Northern Arizona businesses and industries. Dr. Chester Ainsworth, Director of the School. Water storage at Lake Mary is at an all-time high and the new water treatment plant is nearing completion. H. 4 Fri. L. 3 Thurs. Still no fresh snow. 25 YEARS AGO There is much concern about the Santa Fe plan to spread unused bunker oil formerly used to power steam engines over 15 acres of land in the Spring Valley area. It is claimed that this would allow the microbes in the soil to convert it to water and CO2 in a year or perhaps a bit longer depending upon the weather conditions. Harold Clark, Santa Fe Environmentalist. Baghdad (AFP) - The Islamic State group released a video Saturday purporting to show a French-speaking jihadist threatening attacks against the West and executing so-called apostates and spies in Iraq. The footage, posted on jihadist websites, is said to have been produced by the IS media office in Iraq's Nineveh province, and shows young men testifying to have acted against the jihadists before being shot dead execution style. The French-speaker wears a beige mask and military fatigues and carries a handgun. Curls of blond hair can be seen below his mask. The video appears to have been made after the November 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people and were claimed by IS. The French-speaking man brands the US-led coalition fighting IS in Syria and Iraq "imbecile miscreants" and warns that they will be unable to crush the jihadist group. He vows that IS will carry out acts that will make the West forget the 2001 September 11 attacks against the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people, or the Paris carnage. He also vows that the West, particularly Spain, will "pay dearly" for having crushed Muslim rule in ancient Andalusia, in southern spain where the Moors ruled from 711 AD to 1492. He speaks of Cordoba and Toledo and says the ancient land of Andalusia is Muslim and has not been forgotten. At the end of the almost eight-minute video, the French-speaker and other IS fighters shoot dead five kneeling men in orange jumpsuits. The "execution" appears to take place in the ruins of a building which was destroyed in an air strike. After enduring endless blackouts in Nepal's months-long and ongoing national fuel crisis, management consultant Pankaj Shrestha finally splurged on a set of solar panels for his home in Kathmandu. "First there was no cooking gas available, so we bought an electric cooker. But then there was no electricity, so how could we cook anything?" the 52-year-old asked. With power outages lasting up to 15 hours a day and the price of diesel used to power generators soaring, the Himalayan nation's solar industry is eyeing a boom in sales. Although solar panels are unaffordable for millions of poor Nepalis, the industry is confident the crisis will spur the country's frustrated middle-class to invest in the renewable energy. "We have already seen a 10 percent increase each year in the number of houses using solar energy," said Ram Prasad Dhital, chief of the state-run Alternative Energy Promotion Centre. "But as interest develops in urban areas after the fuel crisis, we expect (the industry) to grow exponentially in coming years," said Dhital, describing solar as "the ideal option" for many in the power-starved country. Landlocked Nepal has historically relied on neighbouring India for petrol, diesel and cooking gas, but these and other critical supplies have slowed to a trickle since a border blockade kicked off more than four months ago. Nepal's Madhesi ethnic minority has blocked a key border crossing with India, in protest over a new national constitution adopted in September that they say denies them political representation. Overnight queues at petrol pumps are routine and a black market for smuggled diesel and cooking gas thrives, as government talks fail to resolve the crisis. - Huge crowds - Until now, solar firms in Nepal have targeted rural households cut off from the electricity grid. NGOs and the government have subsidised sales of solar panels to more than 750,000 homes in need. Story continues But huge crowds thronged a Kathmandu trade fair on clean energy this month, with businessmen, housewives and middle-class professionals among the mix, in a sign of changing times. Sales of solar systems surpassed $18 million during the three-day event, with representatives of about 90 companies struggling to keep up with demand, organisers said. Reliable industry figures are not available, but estimates from the main manufacturers' association suggest annual transactions total around $140 million. Shrestha said he paid nearly $6,500 for the 4,200-watt solar system installed at his home last month. "It was a very good decision," he told AFP. "Now we can't even tell when the power comes and goes. We don't have to stand in queues (either)". Nepal receives more than 300 days of sunlight a year, more than Germany, the world leader in solar power, making it an ideal hotspot to harness renewable energy. But efforts at solving Nepal's energy problems have traditionally focused on tapping its hydro rather than solar potential. However a series of big-ticket projects on harnessing its Himalayan rivers for electricity have either stalled or fizzled out. Foreign investors have long complained of red tape and other delays in getting government approval, with one Norwegian firm this month announcing its withdrawal from a $1.5 billion hydropower project. - 'Investment and time' - Nepal's total installed hydropower generation capacity is only about 800 megawatts - 1.9 percent of its potential -- despite its vast network of rivers. "Hydropower projects are large-scale and require a lot of investment and time," said Dipak Bahadur Shahi, president of the Nepal Solar Power Producers' Association. "Whereas the solar sector is driven by the private sector and we can deliver swiftly according to demand." In recent years, small-scale solar projects have sprouted across Nepal, from dusty villages to Himalayan guesthouses that offer freezing trekkers hot showers at high altitudes. "Earlier the demand was just for basic lighting, (but) now people want high-capacity systems that can power laptops and appliances," Shahi told AFP. Solar remains too expensive for many households and businesses in a country with a per capita annual income of $700. A basic 120-watt package costs about $400 to power six lightbulbs and charge one laptop or a mobile phone. But some who can afford the investment are tired of the crisis. Dinesh Shrestha, chair of the leading Nepalgunj Medical College, said it planned to install a solar system to power its campus of 700 students. "It is impossible to say when Nepal's energy crisis will be resolved," Shrestha told AFP. "We have spent millions on diesel generators every year. Solar is not cheap, but at least it will be a one-time investment." German police say a 13-year-old Russian-German girl has admitted to fabricating a story that she was raped by a group of Middle Eastern or North African men, reports the Guardian. After the girl, identified only as Lisa, disappeared for 30 hours from her home in Berlin and returned with facial injuries on Jan. 11, she said she had been repeatedly raped. State prosecutors say the girl later told a team of specialists she invented the story to avoid getting in trouble. As over 1.1 million migrants arrived in Germany in 2015 as part of the ongoing European refugee crisis, and many Germans were already infuriated by reports of widespread sexual assaults by men matching that description on New Year's Eve in the city of Cologne, the new accusations were like a match to a powder keg. According to BBC, when German police concluded there was no physical evidence to back the girl's accusations, thousands of Russian residents of Germany took to the streets in protest over a perceived coverup. They waved banners saying "Our children are in danger" and "Hands off my child," the BBC reported. Far-right PEGIDA protesters in Germany on Jan. 11. Russian state media and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov further inflamed tensions by repeatedly accusing German authorities of getting the case wrong. Lavrov continues to demand an explanation. "I hope that these problems are not swept under the carpet and that there'll be no repeat cases like that of our Lisa." Lavrov told a press conference, according to the BBC. The Guardian reported the protests were also joined by far-right German political parties, including the fringe National Democratic Party. Many of the migrants come from war-torn nations like Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, while others are fleeing chronic poverty in home countries as far as Pakistan. A refugee hands out flowers in demonstrate goodwill in the wake of the Cologne accusations. In recent months, Germany has been plagued by violent anti-refugee demonstrations involving hundreds of participants a sore counterpoint to the mood in September, when hundreds of Germans met thousands of arriving refugees with supplies, hugs and words of welcome. Anti-refugee groups say the German state cannot provide enough for the migrants (even though expenditures on them comprise less than 1% of the national budget), and perhaps more tellingly, that German society cannot withstand the influx of foreigners. A poll by broadcaster ZDF this month found 60% of Germans believe the current immigration situation is untenable, according to NBC. False claims of rape are rare. In the U.S., Mic's Sophie Kleeman writes, "it's estimated that 2% to 8% of rape claims are later proven false, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. That's about the same as the false reporting rate for other crimes, such as car theft or stalking." By most accounts, the transition to Material Design has been a successful one for Android. Its more responsive, its easier on the eyes and its even made its way over to iOS to some degree. So it only makes sense that Google would take what its learned from Android and implement the best elements in the Chrome browser. DONT MISS: 6 ways Android outshines my iPhone 6s On Friday, The Next Web discovered a Google Code discussion which appears to suggest that the first Material Design alterations to Chrome will begin appearing in Chrome OS with the launch of version 50. By enabling certain flags in the Settings menu, The Next Web was able to see a few of the changes early. Although the changes arent going to turn the world upside-down, theyre a good indication of the direction Google is moving in 2016. For example, tabs have sharp edges rather than rounded ones, the menu button on the right side of the address bar has been converted from three lines into three dots, and many of the other buttons have been visually refreshed as well. The Google Code thread also includes a preview image of an incognito mode with a darker theme, which might make it easier for a user to tell if theyre browsing in an incognito tab or a standard tab. Chrome Incognito Other changes include a better scrolling bar, brand new icons and redesigned pages for Downloads, Extensions, Settings and History. The new Settings page is especially pleasant to look at: Chrome Settings There doesnt appear to be a set release date for any of these features or visual upgrades, but considering the fact that many of them are already available to PC and Chrome OS users (providing theyre willing to do a little digging), it seems likely that some of the updates will begin to appear in the next versions of Chrome released to the public. Related stories The worst Android phones of all time, as picked by Android fans 6 ways Android outshines my iPhone 6s How much Google paid the man who owned Google.com for exactly one minute More from BGR: Colbert brutally torches Trump until theres nothing left but ashes This article was originally published on BGR.com Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The Islamist militant Hamas movement on Sunday raised the prospect of exchanging an Israeli soldier declared dead in the territory's 2014 war in return for Palestinian prisoners. Abu Obeida, spokesman for Hamas's military arm, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said that "the resistance has... cards in its hands that will force the enemy to release you", referring to prisoners in Israeli jail. Israeli soldiers, dead or alive, have in the past proved valuable bargaining chips. The bodies of two soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, are believed to be held by Hamas, which has not clarified their fate. On Friday, the movement's Gaza chief Ismail Haniya said Qassam Brigades were preparing "for any future clashes with the Zionist enemy", including by building tunnels on the border with Israel. He said a collapsed tunnel that killed seven militants in Gaza last week was like the one used to capture Shaul and that led to the release of Palestinian prisoners in return for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011. The tunnels were "strategic weapons" against Israel, Haniya said, adding that Hamas fighters were also training and acquiring "all the means to fight and resist". Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Haya drove the point home on Sunday. "The tunnel in which our seven martyrs died is the same one that was used by Qassam to capture the soldier Oron Shaul," he said. Israel has accused Hamas of rebuilding tunnels destroyed during the 2014 war with the aim of launching fresh attacks against it. The 50-day war in July-August 2014 killed 2,200 Palestinians and 73 people on the Israeli side, and it destroyed or damaged thousands of homes in the besieged Gaza Strip. The tunnels have been used in the past to store weapons or stage attacks. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas against any attempt to attack his country. Story continues "We are systematically preparing for all threats -- including from Hamas," he said. "If we're attacked through tunnels from the Gaza Strip, we'll act very forcefully against Hamas, with far much greater force" than two years ago. "I hope we won't need them, but our abilities -- both defensive and offensive -- are developing rapidly, and I wouldn't recommend anyone tries them," he said in a speech to Israeli diplomats. Hillary Clinton is no stranger to awkward campaign situations. Or pointed criticism. And on the eve of a heated presidential contest in Iowa, she has turned to one of her most trusted aides on the campaign trail: her sense of humor. She used it to defang a particularly barbed question from a college student at last Mondays presidential town hall in Iowa. She deployed it skillfully in a memorable exchange at a presidential debate two days after the 2008 Iowa caucuses when asked by the moderator why voters found Barack Obama more likable: Well, that hurts my feelings she said to raucous laughter right before the smug-sounding senator from Illinois impaled himself on his own youre likable enough, Hillary interjection. And whether or not you find Clinton all that likable, its hard not to admire the comedic resiliency she has demonstrated on occasion and perhaps no occasion demanded it more than the Democratic National Committees roast of its chairman, Ron Brown, on Jan. 30, 1992, just a little more than a week before that years Iowa caucuses. Making fun of something that was perceived as a liability was quite risky. Daniel Urman, Northeastern University It was an event not so remarkable in itself: A schmoozy reception for the D.C. glitterati at the Sheraton Washington, emceed by CNNs Larry King, that Clinton, age 44 and still a lawyer and first lady of Arkansas, had to attend and crack jokes as a surrogate roaster for her husband, who was campaigning for president and too busy to attend. Kings opening number contained a number of jokes about those not in attendance, including then-President George H.W. Bush (out looking for a philosophy), which the leering cable-news legend rounded off by asking, Its 10 oclock, Hillary, where is Bill Clinton? Thats a tough act for any political spouse to follow gracefully, not to mention a cruel jab given that Clinton was not the object of the roast, nor had she, shall we say, had the best week. Three days before, at a motel in Pierre, South Dakota, she had flipped on the TV to Kings network and watched as Gennifer Flowers, looking like every married womans worst early-90s nightmare, claimed to have had a 12-year affair with her husband. And now, after nationally televised appearances on 60 Minutes and Primetime Live and the entire country speculating about her marriage, Clinton had to answer Kings callow question. Story continues Bill Clinton is with the other woman in his life, confessed Hillary after taking the podium in a black evening dress. And Im sure youll read about it as youre checking out of the supermarket next week. He is back in Little Rock attending a Y teen dance with his daughter, Chelsea. Whew. And damn. Making fun of something that was perceived as a liability was quite risky, says Daniel Urman, the director of Northeastern Universitys Doctorate in Law and Policy program. You could sense the nervous laughter in the room. Clinton continued, taking aim at that room: Ive heard so many rumors this week, I cant keep track of them. And I know youve heard them too. She paused. You may have even started some of them. Cue the squirming. Funny? Not especially. Awkward? Absolutely. Tough? As nails. Enjoy the full incredible/cringeworthy performance below. Hillary Clinton at DNC Roast of Ron Brown, January 1992 Related Articles Dubai (AFP) - Human Rights Watch on Sunday accused Yemen's Huthi rebels of confiscating humanitarian aid sent into Taez, urging the Iran-backed insurgents to allow access into the besieged city. The Huthis and their allies have for months tightened the noose on forces backing President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in the centre of Yemen's third-largest city. The rebels "should immediately end the unlawful confiscation of goods intended for the civilian population and permit full access by aid agencies," HRW said in a statement. "Seizing property from civilians is already unlawful, but taking their food and medical supplies is simply cruel," its deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, Joe Stork, said. HRW said the population of the city had dropped from about 600,000 to no more than 200,000 civilians after many fled the fighting, according to UN figures. Since at least September, the rights watchdog said, rebel guards at checkpoints have confiscated water, food, cooking gas and medical supplies that residents tried to carry into besieged areas. International relief agencies are also facing difficulties bringing in food and medicine, HRW said. Doctors Without Borders said it delivered essential medical supplies to hospitals in the city in early January, in the first such "significant" shipment since August. That came several days after a Saudi charity said that aircraft of the Saudi-led coalition that is fighting the rebels had dropped 40 tonnes of medical equipment and food to Taez. The coalition has since March conducted air and ground operations in Yemen to support local forces against the rebels and their allies. More than 5,800 people have been killed in Yemen since March, about half of them civilians, according to the UN. Ames (United States) (AFP) - Engineering student David Karayof does not come in disguise when infiltrating a Hillary Clinton rally at Iowa State University in Ames. Wearing a Bernie Sanders sticker on his T-shirt and armed with a stack of pamphlets, the 24-year-old openly seeks out the former First Lady's supporters to cast doubt on their choice for Democratic presidential nominee. "This is a list of fact-checked statements that Hillary Clinton has made and that I disagree with," Karayof told AFP as he moves through the crowd Saturday. "If you do not look carefully at the candidates, this might end up hurting the whole party." With his promise of a "political revolution," the 74-year-old Sanders has become what the Boston Globe called an "unlikely leader of a youth movement." In a New York Times/CBS news national poll this month, the senator from Vermont attracted 60 percent of Democratic voters under 45, while Clinton's support in this more youthful demographic stood at 31 percent. Citing numbers provided by the Sanders campain, the New York Times reported that of the 15,000 people in Iowa who have done at least one volunteer shift, 27 percent are 18 to 24 years old, and 32 percent are 25 to 34. The campaign has representatives on 38 Iowa college campuses, according to the Times. "I think people are frustrated with Washington," 22-year old Abhijit Patwa, who studies mechanical engineering and political science at Iowa State, told AFP when asked about Sanders' appeal among his peers. While Patwa said he was still deciding on his Monday caucus vote, he acknowledged that the senator with the grey hair and booming voice seemed like "fresh air." Karayof said that Sanders speaks to young voters on issues such as tuition-free public colleges, income inequality and climate change. "There is very little support for Hillary on campus," he added. 21-year-old Clinton supporter Katherine Diaz conceded that Sanders has an edge over the former Secretary of State among Democrats at her university. Story continues "I don't know why, maybe they align with him more on social issues," the accounting student said. Diaz added that she would vote for Clinton because "she is a little bit less radical and has the experience." Her friend Emma Kuntz, who just graduated from Iowa State with a marketing degree, concurred. "It's easier for her to see both sides of the issues," the 22-year-old said. "It will be easier for her to govern." While scores of enthusiastic young fans routinely stand in line for a Sanders rally, Clinton's crowd at Iowa State looked more mature. "I understand that young people vote for him," 64-year-old lawyer Edward Kimmel, who travelled from Maryland to Iowa to campaign for Clinton, told AFP. "That's fine as long as we are on the same page come November. I just hope we don't get Donald Trump, for heaven's sake." Kimmel wished that younger voters would value Clinton's experience more. "Hillary is the most qualified person ever to run for office," he said. "This is an opportunity we have never had before -- having someone that prepared for president." The Katharine Hepburn/Humphrey Bogart classic gets a digital restoration. The perfectly matched pair of actors play a prim missionary and a roguish boat captain sailing down an African river during World War I on a mission to sink a German gunboat. The African Queen (1951) September 1914, news reaches the colony German Eastern Africa that Germany is at war, so Reverend Samuel Sayer became a hostile foreigner. German imperial troops burn down his mission; he is beaten and dies of fever. His well-educated, snobbish sister Rose Sayer buries him and leaves by the only available transport, the dilapidated river steamboat 'African Queen' of grumpy Charlie Allnut. As if a long difficult journey without any comfort weren't bad enough for such odd companions, she is determined to find a way to do their bit for the British war effort (and avenge her brother) and aims high, as God is obviously on their side: construct their own equipment, a torpedo and the converted steamboat, to take out a huge German warship, the Louisa, which is hard to find on the giant lake and first of all to reach, in fact as daunting an expedition as anyone attempted since the late adventurous explorer John Speakes, but she presses till Charlie accepts to steam up the Ulana, about to brave a German fort, raging rapids, very bloodthirsty parasites and the endlessly branching stream which seems to go nowhere but impenetrable swamps... Despite fierce rows and moral antagonism between a bossy devout abstentionist and a free-spirited libertine drunk loner, the two grow closer to each-other as their quest drags on... 105min Rated: (PG) Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Morley WASHINGTON Presidential candidates, congressional hopefuls and the super PACs that back them are preparing to disclose to voters Jan. 31 who has been providing the tens of millions of dollars they have poured into political ads. Theres one hitch: thats only about a third of the money thats been spent shaping the elections. The rest comes from so-called dark money groups social welfare organizations, associations and others which arent required to reveal the interests behind them and have put up more than $213 million on political ads since the start of 2015, an analysis of Kantar Media CMAG data shows. The groups have promoted their views on everything from climate change to health care policy to immigration. Official campaigns and super political action committees have spent about $114 million. American elections are being transformed by a series of court rulings, including the U.S. Supreme Courts 2010 Citizens United decision, which loosened decades-old limits on money in politics by declaring that political spending was a form of speech protected by the First Amendment. The decision opened the door for nonprofit trade associations, social welfare organizations and limited liability corporations to become more active in politics. The campaigns are more complex, as are the money networks, and its much harder for the public to see whats going on behind the scenes, said Sheila Krumholz of the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in politics. Citizens United has given people the psychological confidence and cushion to operate in the shadows. Political operatives know they can do whatever they want so long as they stay within certain boundaries. Even though election law gives corporations a free hand, tax law still restricts most nonprofits political spending to less than half of their budget. Still, almost a quarter of the dark money spending in 2015 about $52.5 million has gone for ads that specifically mention candidates for federal office, including $10.5 million on the presidential race. The biggest spender there is the Conservative Solutions Project, a nonprofit formed in 2014 to support U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. The group has spent about $8.1 million on ads featuring excerpts of Rubios speeches on topics including foreign policy and the need for strong U.S. leadership. The group ran only one ad mentioning a politician other than Rubio: tea party favorite Mike Lee, R-Utah, who worked on a tax overhaul plan with Rubio. While none of the ads asks viewers to vote for Rubio, they prominently feature his views, accomplishments and agenda. Of Conservative Solutions Projects spending, $2.9 million has gone to national cable ads and the rest to the first three states with caucuses or primaries: Iowa ($1.3 million), New Hampshire ($1.5 million) and South Carolina ($2.4 million). Meanwhile, Conservative Solutions PAC, the super PAC supporting Rubio, spent $1.7 million in Iowa, $2.8 million in New Hampshire and just $386,000 in South Carolina, according to CMAG data. Conservative Solutions Project announced it had raised $15.8 million through in July 2015. That same month, according to a report in The New York Times, it said it planned to spend $20 million on issues advertisements, commercials that might mention federal officeholders and candidates without explicitly telling voters to support or oppose them. The group hasnt aired an ad since November 23, and spokesman Jeff Sadosky said there arent immediate plans to run any more. Theyre definitely gaming the system, said Paul Ryan of the Campaign Legal Center, a campaign finance watchdog. The group in November requested that the Tax Division of the Justice Department investigate whether Conservative Solutions Project was engaging in excessive campaign activity on Rubios behalf. Sadosky dismissed the complaint and said the group is simply focused on advocating for a conservative agenda. How much more money Conservative Solutions Project has raised wont become public until after the election. Its annual tax returns are due four months after the end of its fiscal year. Sadosky said returns covering June 2014 through May 2015 will be filed by April, but details about its financial activity during the presidential primary season wont become public until 2017. Rubio isnt the only presidential contender with nonprofit backing. Jeb Bush is being supported by a group called Right to Rise Policy Solutions, which also runs alongside the super PAC that backs him, Right to Rise USA. While the super PAC pays for ads, the nonprofit runs a website featuring policy papers on national security, education reform and biomedical innovation. Until the current election cycle, dark money groups acted outside the network of organizations supporting campaigns. In 2012, for example, Americans for Prosperity, a nonprofit with ties to the wealthy libertarian and conservative donors Charles and David Koch, spent more than $33.5 million opposing President Barack Obama all of it in the general election. In the current cycle, dark money is playing a role in the primaries. Other nonprofit groups that have gone after presidential candidates dont have apparent links to active campaigns. The Foundation for a Secure and Prosperous America, a nonprofit founded in 2007 to support Republican John McCains 2008 presidential run, spent $290,000 in early April 2015 running ads in markets serving Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina attacking Rand Paul for supporting nuclear negotiations with Iran. As recently as December 2014, according to its most recent filing with the Internal Revenue Service, the group had no income, and was about $4,500 in the red. Advertising by dark money groups may be even more effective than messages from the candidates themselves, according to Krumholz. If were completely unfamiliar with a group and have no idea whos bankrolling it, instead of discounting its ad, voters give it more attention, said Krumholz. That gives these groups more power to manipulate and influence voters. Dark money groups are also bearing down on Senate races, where groups have spent more than $39 million since the start of 2015, according to the CMAG data. For example, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., featured in more than $7.1 million worth of ads. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Chemistry Council and Concerned Veterans for America, a nonprofit with links to the network of organizations created by Charles and David Koch, spent almost $2.4 million touting aspects of Toomeys record. Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Environmental Defense Action Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council spent $4.3 million criticizing him. Nonprofits want to shape races, said Travis Ridout, a political science professor at Washington State University, referring to the politically active groups that spend early on congressional candidates. They want to be involved in Senate and House races across the country. They have more ideological goals, whereas super PACs are moving into a single candidate role. Still, the bulk of the political spending by dark money groups targeted issues without mentioning candidates about $161 million of the $213 million spent. While most of the groups focused on legislative issues like the agreement with Iran over its nuclear program, lifting the ban on exports of U.S. crude oil, renewable fuel standards and other matters before Congress, there were some ads that were more subtle. By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Israeli government approved on Sunday the creation of a mixed-sex plaza at Jerusalem's Western Wall to accommodate Jews who contest Orthodox curbs on worship by women there. The wall is revered as a vestige of Judaism's two ancient temples and access to it is segregated by gender. Most religious rites take place in the men's section in accordance with centuries-old Orthodox standards that hold sway in Israel. The new area will be located at a separate expanse of the wall that, when seen from the plaza looking toward the wall, stands to the right of the current Orthodox-administered compound where men and women will still worship separately. More liberal streams of Judaism, which outside of Israel have larger followings than Orthodoxy, chafe at the restriction. It is regularly challenged by the activist group "Women of the Wall", sometimes setting off scuffles and police intervention. Under the plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet over objections from Orthodox members, an old archaeological site will be turned into a plaza where men and women can mix and pray freely. In remarks broadcast before the 15-to-5 vote, Netanyahu said the plan sought a "solution to the question of the Women of the Wall" and "a compromise on this sensitive issue of a place that is meant to unite the Jewish people". Welcoming the blueprint, Women of the Wall activist Rabbi Susan Silverman told Reuters: "This is an extremely joyful day." Natan Sharansky, the head of the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency chosen by Netanyahu in 2013 to resolve the dispute, has said the new plaza would not entail structural damage to the nearby al Aqsa mosque, Islam's third-holiest site. Israel has seen a four-month-old surge of Palestinian street violence fueled in part by Muslim agitation at perceived Jewish encroachment on al Aqsa compound. Israel denies Palestinian allegations it plans to open the compound to non-Muslim prayer. The mosque compound, wall and several Christian shrines are in Jerusalem's Old City, which Israel captured in the 1967 war and annexed as its capital in a move not recognized abroad. An Israeli official said the new plaza will take at least a year to complete. Unlike the Western Wall, it will not have a state-employed rabbi, but will be run by a committee under Sharansky. Plaza regulations will permit bar-mitzvah and bat-mitzvahs - Jewish coming-of-age ceremonies for boys and girls, respectively - to be held there. (Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Tom Heneghan) Rome (AFP) - Italy has urged Egypt to track down an Italian student who "mysteriously disappeared" in Cairo this month, the foreign ministry said Sunday in a statement. The ministry is "following with the utmost attention and concern the affair of Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old Italian student who mysteriously disappeared on the evening of January 25 in the centre of the capital," it said. Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Sunday called his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry to "determinedly ask for the greatest commitment to tracing the compatriot and providing every possibly information about his circumstance". Regeni hails from Fiumicello, near Udine in Italy's north-east, according to Italian media reports, which said he was in Egypt to study. His family flew out to Cairo on Wednesday. The ministry said it was in direct contact with both the Egyptian authorities and Regeni's family, but did not provide any further details about what it believed might have happened to the young man. January 25 was the fifth anniversary of protests that ended former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule and Italian media reports said there was a tough security crackdown in the run-up, amid fears among the authorities of fresh mass demonstrations. Experts say discontent has been rising since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted the Muslim Brotherhood from power, largely due to the country's gloomy economic outlook. London (AFP) - Maro Itoje reminded England boss Eddie Jones of his vast potential as the young Saracens star rebounded from his Six Nations snub by helping the Premiership leaders to a 19-13 win over Bath on Saturday. Itoje was left out of England's 23-man squad for their Six Nations opener against Scotland on February 6 because Jones doesn't believe the 21-year-old lock is sufficiently experienced to shine on the international stage. Jones' decision to deny Itoje his England debut was widely viewed as a surprise given he had just been voted the Premiership's Player of the Month for December. But Itoje shrugged off the disappointment with a dynamic display against Bath that preserved the Premiership champions' unbeaten record at Allianz Park this season. Saracens were held without score at half-time for the first time in three years due to a combination of sloppy handling and a monumental defensive effort from Bath. Rhys Priestland booted two penalties and converted an early Tom Homer try, but the hosts proceeded to chip away at their 13-point lead after the interval. Charlie Hodgson struck twice from the tee before coming up inches short of crossing the whitewash, but ferocious Bath defence was eventually undone by Itoje. He powered deep into Bath territory before Schalk Brits crossed and Hodgson converted to level the scores. Former England fly-half Hodgson struck a further two penalties, the first after smart work from Itoje at the breakdown, condemning Bath to a sixth league defeat in nine games. Third placed Leicester full-back Tommy Bell kicked the Tigers to a dramatic 19-18 victory at Kingsholm as Gloucester folded after their England number eight Ben Morgan was sin-binned. Morgan saw yellow following an off-the-ball challenge on Leicester wing Telusa Veainu with just four minutes left, and Tigers made their one-man advantage count when substitute prop Logovi'i Mulipola crashed for a try that Bell converted with barely a minute left. Story continues Sale maintained their superb start to 2016 with a 38-10 victory over struggling London Irish. Winger Nev Edwards got two tries for Sale and Brian Mujati, TJ Ioane, Sam James and Sam Tuitupou also touched down. The victory extended Sale's fine run that has seen them win every game since the turn of the year, while the Exiles remain second bottom after an eighth defeat from 10 league matches. Billionaire businessman Donald Trump is steaming towards victory in Monday evenings GOP Iowa caucuses while former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton remains locked in a close contest with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the Democratic contest. As GOP and Democratic candidates make one last desperate push to win over supporters, a new Des Moines Register-Bloomberg poll released Saturday night shows Trump leading Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, 28 percent to 23 percent, with Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida at 15 percent and former neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 10 percent. Related: How Sanders Could Pull Upset Over Clinton in Iowa For Cruz, the darling of Evangelical Christians and Tea Party conservatives, Iowa may offer his only chance of slowing down the Trump juggernaut before Trump gains momentum in New Hampshire, South Carolina and beyond. However, Trump has overtaken Cruz in Iowa in recent weeks with relentless attacks on his nasty personality, his failure to properly disclose $1.2 million in loans from Goldman Sachs and Citibank to his 2012 Senate race and questions about whether the Canadian-born Cruz is even eligible to serve as the commander in chief under the Constitution. If Cruz falters, Rubio could make a play to leapfrog Cruz and pose the strongest challenge from among more establishment Republicans, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich or former Florida governor Jeb Bush. On the Democratic side, Clinton continues to hold a modest lead over Sanders, 45 percent to 42 percent, according to the usually reliable Des Moines Register statewide poll. Clinton lost to Barak Obama in the 2008 Democratic campaign after beginning the race as the prohibitive frontrunner. She is once again facing the nightmare of blowing a big lead this time to Sanders, the 74-year-old democratic socialist who is waging war on Wall Street and promising free college tuition, national health coverage for all Americans and expanded Social Security benefits. Story continues Sanders has portrayed Clinton for being far too cozy with Wall Street and accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees and contributions from the financial world. On Sunday, he stepped up his criticism of Clintons mishandling of email while she was secretary of state, saying that the top secret information included in emails that passed through her private server raised questions about her electability as the Democratic nominee. Related: Another Batch of Clinton State Dept. Emails Included Top Secret Material Asked by George Stephanopoulos of ABC News This Week whether he would be slapped by Republicans with the label of socialist, Sanders replied, Well, in terms of what people are going to get slapped with, look at the front pages today in terms of what Secretary Clinton is getting slapped with with regards to her email controversy. Trump returned to Iowa on Saturday aboard his private jet, which made a dramatic roaring pass over a crowd in Dubuque. Later, he warned his supporters that his campaign would prove to be a waste of time unless they turned out to vote for him in the caucuses. Later in his interview with ABC News, Trump lashed out at new Cruz campaign ads seeking to closely link the real estate tycoon to the Clinton family and arguing that Trump favors Obamacare and creating a single payer-style national health program along the lines promoted by Sanders. Ted Cruz is a total liar, Trump said. Related: Iowa Caucuses What Are They and How Do They Work? Trump crowed that after trailing Cruz by three points in the polls three weeks ago, he is now leading the Texan by five point. We had a great week and maybe even a great couple of weeks in Iowa, he explained. We have been here a lot. I have a fantastic relationship with the people of Iowa and the evangelicals and the tea party. We really have done a lot of work in Iowa. Cruz is making similar claims - even as a last-minute flurry of negative ads and allegations against Trump suggests an element of desperation -- and has vowed to bring the conservative movement together again to topple Trump on Monday night. Im thrilled to be where we are, Cruz said today on Fox News Sunday. Were 36 hours away from the Iowa caucuses and were in a statistical dead heat for first place. If you had told me ten months ago we would be where we are now, we would have been thrilled with it. Right now, this is all about turnout, this is all about who shows up tomorrow night at 7 pm, Cruz added. If conservatives come out, we will win. What were seeing is the old Reagan coalition coming together. We are seeing conservatives and evangelicals and libertarians and Reagan Democrats. And if conservatives come out, were going to win tomorrow. Related: As Trump Savages Cruz, Worries Grow About Republicans Self-Destruction Hillary Clinton talked about the latest State Department revelations that at least 22 emails on her private server contained top secret information and therefore couldnt be released during her appearance on This Week. She said, This is a continuation of the story that has been playing out for months and there is no classified marked information on those emails, sent or received by me. Related: The Next Few Weeks Could Determine the Election: Here Are the Key Events She suggested that political games were being played by some government officials involved in an interagency dispute between the State Department and the intelligence community. I just have to point out that the timing of some of the leaks that led up to it are concerning, she said. And I want this matter resolved, and the best way to solve it is to do what I asked months ago, which is release these, let the public see them and lets move on. Experts have been saying for days that much will depend on the candidates ground game or turn-out-the vote effort, and that a huge turnout will greatly benefit Trump and Sanders in their respective races. Estimates have ranged from as few as 160,000 to as many as 250,000. But there will be many variables at play during the caucuses. And the Des Moines Register poll included a huge note of caution: Forty-five percent of those interviewed said they could change their minds before the caucuses begin. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: ASTANA (Reuters) - Kazakh police on Saturday detained a wealthy businessman and public activist known for his close ties with Russia, a move which could strain relations with Kazakhstan's former Soviet overlord. Businessman Tokhtar Tuleshov, best known as the chief executive of one of the country's largest breweries, was among four people detained in a special operation in the southern city of Shymkent, local media reported, citing an Interior Ministry official. Nur.kz news website quoted the official as saying that police had found firearms and some narcotic substance while searching some of the detained men's houses and workplaces. The ministry did not say what the charges were against them. In addition to owning business assets, thoroughbred horses and expensive watches, Tuleshov has run the Kazakh office of a Russia-based organization called the Centre for the Analysis of Terrorist Threats. Its website catu.kz published anti-Western and pro-Russian articles, such as a piece alleging Islamic State militants were sending reinforcements to Ukrainian nationalists. Tuleshov has also advised Russia's parliament on matters of economic cooperation, religion and non-governmental organizations. His detention follows a crackdown by Astana on both pro-Russian and nationalist activists. Last year, a local court sentenced a user of social network Vkontakte from eastern Kazakhstan to five years in prison for posting a poll which asked online community members whether they would support the idea of that region becoming part of Russia. This month, two nationalist activists were given prison terms for posting an excerpt from an unpublished book which they deemed offensive to ethnic Kazakhs, demanding punishment for its author. Despite their mass emigration following the break-up of the Soviet Union, Russians remain Kazakhstan's second biggest ethnic group, accounting for almost a quarter of population. Russia's annexation of Crimea and the conflict in eastern Ukraine were seen by some in the Central Asian state as alarming signs. (Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Stephen Powell) Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Syria's opposition and regime to play a full role in peace talks Sunday, while accusing Bashar al-Assad's forces of starving civilians. "This morning, in light of what is at stake in these talks, I appeal to both sides to make the most of this moment," he said, in an online statement broadcast from Washington. While the top US diplomat aimed his remarks at both sides, his message was clearly directed at the opposition, which has threatened to leave Geneva even before talks start. The opposition High Negotiations Committee has demanded that humanitarian aid be allowed to flow to besieged towns before even engaging in indirect talks with Assad's envoys. Kerry urged them to drop their preconditions, but also had hard words for their regime foe, accusing Assad's forces of deliberately starving the beleaguered cities. "The town of Madaya is just an hour's drive from Damascus and yet its people have been reduced to eating grass and leaves," Kerry said. "How have the regime and the militias that support it responded? By planting landmines and erecting barbed wire to keep relief workers out," he said. Kerry said Washington had received credible reports that another 16 people had starved to death in the rebel-held, regime-besieged community over the weekend. But he described the opening of talks in Geneva under UN envoy Staffan de Mistura as a "pivotal phase" and described the HNC as representing an "inclusive opposition." And he urged both sides to negotiate "in good faith with the goal of making concrete measurable progress in the days immediately ahead. "The world is hoping both sides will move quickly to meet the needs of millions of desperate Syrians," he added. And he warned that if ceasefire talks fail the war will destroy what is left of Syria and leave the field open to recruiters from the Islamic State jihadist group. Story continues "Now, while battlefield dynamics can effect negotiating leverage, in the end there is no military solution to the conflict," he argued. "Without negotiations the bloodshed will drag on until the last city is reduced to rubble ... and that will ensure an increased number of terrorists, created by and attracted to this fight." Kerry, working with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the 17-nation International Syrian Support Group, was one of the principle architects of the Geneva talks. But he has so far made no plans to join the negotiating parties there, preferring to leave the "proximity talks" under the auspices De Mistura and the United Nations. Instead, he was to fly out of Washington later Sunday to Rome and a meeting of the core countries of the US-led military coalition fighting the IS group. And later in the week he is due in London for a conference of donors to the humanitarian effort in Syria. By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES - The last two fugitives who broke out of a California jail last week were arrested on a tip from a man who saw their stolen van in the parking lot of a San Francisco Whole Foods supermarket, authorities said on Saturday, the day after a third escapee turned himself in. The manhunt that began after the three inmates escaped from an Orange County maximum-security jail on Jan. 22 came to an end when Hossein Nayeri, 37, and Jonathan Tieu, 20, were apprehended in San Francisco's park district about 375 miles (604 km) north of the lockup, police said. A man approached police officers and pointed out a white van in the parking lot of a Whole Foods market that looked similar to the one the fugitives reportedly stole in Los Angeles after escaping, San Francisco police spokeswoman Grace Gatpandan said at a news conference. Nayeri fled when police approached the van, Gatpandan said. After a brief chase, officers caught the fugitive. Tieu, who police said was hiding in the van, was arrested a short time later, she said. The white van appears to be the same vehicle the two men stole and were believed to be living in, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said at a separate news conference, where she expressed relief over the capture. "My fear was someone in the community was going to get hurt, because they really had nothing to lose," Hutchens said. The Orange County Sheriff's Department operates the jail in Santa Ana from which the three prisoners escaped. The daring Jan. 22 breakout recalled the escape of a pair of convicted murderers from an upstate New York prison last year. They evaded capture for three weeks before one of them was killed and the other was captured near the Canadian border. Orange County officials had offered a $200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the three inmates. On Saturday, Hutchens said she hoped the citizen who reported seeing the van in San Francisco could receive a reward. Story continues San Francisco police found rounds of .380-caliber ammunition in the van but did not locate a gun, Gatpandan said. The third escapee, Bac Duong, 43, gave himself up on Friday in Santa Ana, officials said. Nayeri, the presumed mastermind of the breakout, was in the Orange County jail on charges stemming from the 2012 mutilation torture of a kidnapping victim. Tieu was facing murder charges, and Duong has been charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, among other crimes. The pair is reputed to be connected with Vietnamese-American street gangs. The men made their getaway by cutting through steel grating inside the jail, climbing through a plumbing conduit to the roof and lowering themselves four floors to the ground with bedsheets, authorities said. Their disappearance went unnoticed for about 16 hours. On Tuesday, they prepaid $200 cash for two nights in a smoking room at the Alameda Motel in San Jose, the Los Angeles Times quoted the motel manager as saying. As in the New York breakout, a female civilian employee of the correctional facility helped in the California escape, authorities say. Nooshafarin Ravaghi, who taught English at the Orange County jail, was arrested on Thursday. She is accused of furnishing the inmates with Google Maps information that included overviews of the jail rooftop and surrounding areas. Ravaghi, who is expected to be arraigned on Monday, had befriended Nayeri, according to authorities. In the New York escape, the fugitive inmates had help from a female prison employee who allegedly had sexual relations with one of them. She was sentenced to seven years for her role. (Additional reporting By Frank McGurty; Editing by Bernard Orr and Lisa Von Ahn) MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - At least 65 people were killed during an attack by Islamist militant group Boko Haram near Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri, a Reuters reporter said after counting bodies at a hospital morgue. The remains of a dozen victims were burnt beyond recognition in Saturday's attack when militants opened fire on residents, set fire to houses and targeted a crowd with suicide bombers, security and medical officials said. A Nigerian military spokesman, Colonel Mustapha Ankas, said that Boko Haram militants attacked the community of Dalori, about 5 km (3 miles) east of Maiduguri in Borno state. It was the third attack this week suspected to have been carried out by the insurgent group - and the most deadly. Since it started losing control of territory, Boko Haram has reverted to hit-and-run attacks on villages as well as suicide bombings on places of worship or markets. In neighboring Adamawa state, a suicide bomber believed to be a Boko Haram militant killed about 10 people on Friday and at least 12 were killed on Wednesday in an attack on the Borno state village of Chibok, from where over 200 schoolgirls were abducted in 2014. Ankas said insurgents entered Dalori in two cars and on motorcycles and opened fire on residents and burned down houses. "While people were running for their dear lives...three female suicide bombers attempted to make their way into the crowd...and subsequently got blown up," he said without providing a casualty figure. An official of the state emergency agency who was at the scene said there were 12 bodies burnt beyond recognition. "We can't even pick those ones, they were seriously burnt," the official who declined to be named said. Borno state capital Maiduguri was struck by several bombs at the end of December that killed at least 48 people. The state is the heartland of the seven-year insurgency that seeks to establish an Islamist state. Over 2 million people have been displaced and thousands killed. Maiduguri has swelled to double its size over the last few years to around 4 million as it has become the refuge for most of the displaced population. Separately, twin suicide attacks by suspected Boko Haram militants killed at least three people in two locations near Lake Chad, around 100 km (60 miles) north of the Chadian capital NDjamena, security sources said. At least one other would-be bomber was reported to have taken flight, they added. (Reporting By Lanre Ola in Maiduguri, Additional reporting by Madjiasra Nako in NDjamena, Writing by Julia Payne; editing by Dominic Evans) Louis C.K surprised his fans with a new show on Saturday. The comedians website LouisCK.net now features a link where fans can pay five dollars to download the first episode of a new show called Horace and Pete. According to the New York Times, fans received an email that stated, Hi there. Horace and Pete episode one is available for download. $5. Go here to watch it. We hope you like it. Regards, Louis." The link leads to a page that features the words Horace and Pete: Episode 1 with no description of the cast or a synopsis. The instructions to download the episode reads: Watch the show, download the show, ignore the show. Whatever you want. After that, you never, ever have to hear from me again. Unless you want to. Read More: Louis C.K., Albert Brooks Team for Animated FX Pilot The New York Times also reports that the 67-minute show co-stars Steve Buscemi who, in the episode, runs an Irish bar with C.K. with appearances from Alan Alda and Aidy Bryant and a theme song by Paul Simon. The show touches upon current events with mentions of Donald Trump's absence from the recent Republican debate. The new project comes just weeks after FX Networks CEO John Landgraf expressed at the Television Critics Associations winter press tour earlier this month that the fate of C.K.'s show Louie was up in the air. Maybe its one of those shows that has 15 seasons over 40 years, said Landgraf. C.K. also echoed Landraf on the show's future at the press tour saying, "I just don't know." Read More: FX Chief on 'Louie's' Future, Netflix's Ratings and Streamers' Lack of Profits Steven Avery's new lawyer believes that the subject of Netflix's popular docuseries Making a Murderer still has a good chance of being exonerated. Kathleen Zellner, who spoke to Dateline NBC on Friday night in her first televised interview since taking Avery's case, said that she believes that Avery is innocent and that developments in scientific testing may be the proof her client needs. "Generally, since 2007, there have been significant advances in forensic testing," Zellner told Dateline's Andrea Canning. "Am I going to tell you exactly what it is? I am not. But it's been a long time. There was a lot of evidence that wasn't tested." Read More: 'Making a Murderer': Why There Hasn't Been a New Steven Avery Interview Yet Avery was convicted of the 2005 murder of 25-year-old Teresa Halbach, and his case has become a cultural sensation since Making a Murderer premiered in December. Dateline, which promoted the episode as "Two Sides of the Steven Avery Case," also spoke to former District Attorney Ken Kratz, who prosecuted Avery. "Steven Avery's guilty and deserves to be right where he is," Kratz told Dateline. One of Avery's lawyers from 2005, Jerry Buting, said that he stands by his defense. "From the evidence I've looked at I think he is innocent," Buting told Dateline. "I think he certainly was not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt under the evidence that was presented." Although Avery's 2005 defense team argued that physical evidence pointed to a possible framing, and Zellner argues that scientific evidence could still exonerate her client, Kratz stand firm in his opinion. "With any one of these facts, you can come up with a 'what-if' scenario," he said. "But at some point this conspiracy theory collapses under its own weight." Read More: 'Making a Murderer': Manitowoc County Sheriff Says Key Evidence Omitted from Documentary Ames (United States) (AFP) - If the Republican establishment can indeed strike back, as several 2016 presidential campaigns are hoping, this might be Marco Rubio's moment. Florida's freshman senator is making his mark just before the Iowa caucuses, the crucial first contest in the party nomination races. At rallies and coffee shops across the state, he presents himself as the rational, policy-focused conservative in the campaign, countering the heated rhetoric of frontrunner Donald Trump and the Tea Party ideology of core conservative Ted Cruz. He is attracting interest from young voters who share his optimism about America and appreciate his family story of a dynamic son of Cuban immigrants who pulled himself up by his own bootstraps. And he his courting Iowa's all-important evangelical voters, invoking God and religion now perhaps more than ever. "He draws from all corners of the party," Rubio's communications director Alex Conant told AFP at a Saturday rally in Ames, one of several Rubio is holding up until caucus time on Monday. While he still trails billionaire Trump and fellow US senator Cruz in polls, a stronger-than-expected bronze medal finish here would boost his claim as the pre-eminent mainstream Republican in the race going into the votes in New Hampshire and South Carolina. "Traditionally there are three tickets out of Iowa, and we'd be thrilled with a strong third place," said Conant, downplaying expectations even as Rubio narrows the gap on Cruz. So why isn't Rubio eyeing Iowa's top two spots? "We're running against the greatest showman on Earth, and the greatest ground game that's ever been assembled in Iowa," Conant observed about Trump and Cruz. "If we can finish ahead of the other traditional Republican candidates going into New Hampshire, I think that's a strong position for us." Rubio is well ahead of Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and son and brother of two presidents, and governors Chris Christie of New Jersey and John Kasich of Ohio. Story continues In New Hampshire, however, he trails Kasich and Bush, along with Trump and Cruz. In Iowa, though, Rubio has risen to 14.5 percent in the RealClearPolitics poll average, while second place Cruz has slipped to 24.5 percent support. Trump has also declined, but still leads at 30.8. While Cruz recently had been launching a comprehensive assault against Trump, he now trains his fire on Rubio, a sign the Texan is concerned about Rubio's Iowa rise. On the campaign trail now, Cruz regularly invokes Rubio's name, often to slam his positions on immigration. - On the 'same wavelength' - Rubio is doing something regularly in Iowa as well -- talking a lot about God. Like his rivals, Rubio has launched a full court press to woo evangelicals, the religious conservatives so vital in first-to-vote Iowa. "Our rights don't come from our government, our rights don't come from our laws," he said in Ames. "Our rights come from our Creator." The 44-year-old Rubio's secret weapon might well be young voters, who are expressing dissatisfaction with Trump's coarse, confrontational rhetoric and are turning to Rubio as an optimistic 21st century leader. "Rubio and I are on the same wavelength on a lot of important issues," said Nathan Haila, 36, a product manager for a manufacturing company. He said he appreciates some aspects of Trump's message, "but at the end of the day, policy matters." Trump's relentless combativeness, insults and simplifications of complex policy issues can be counterproductive, Haila said. "It's hard to hear sometimes through the rhetoric what somebody's actually going to do." Alex Kovac, 20, a sophomore in mechanical engineering at Iowa State University, said he is a "big fan" of Rubio, noting that "he's not wild like Trump" and is more clear-eyed on his positions. Trump is "a little bit of a shot in the dark," Kovac said. Rubio portrays himself as someone who lived "paycheck to paycheck," understands the concerns of working class Americans and commiserates with students over college debt. "I'm not done with school yet, but I can see the debt piling up," Kovac. "He seems to understand that." After Ames, Rubio headed to Urbandale, near West Des Moines, an area with younger, more educated voters who Rubio's campaign is betting will pull through for him. Rubio need only look to 2012 for reassurance that he could still stun the field. Conservative, family values-focused Rick Santorum was languishing in the second tier one week before the caucus, but ultimately won Iowa by a hair. Mexico City (AFP) - Mexican police arrested up to 24 members of the Sinaloa drug cartel in a joint operation with the US that also netted a cache of heavy weaponry and drugs, officials said Sunday. Friday's secretive operation was designed to crack down on a cell of the gang responsible for smuggling large amounts of drugs -- including heroin and cocaine -- into the United States, with millions of dollars and weapons coming back the other way, a US official said. Dubbed "Mexican Operation Diablo Express," the sting targeted high-level members of the Sinaloa cartel operating in and around the Mexican border town of Sonoyta and on the border with Arizona, said US Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Gillian Christensen. "Due to the sensitive nature, this operation was conducted with utmost secrecy to maintain the element of surprise and to ensure the safety of the Mexican law enforcement officers executing it," Christensen said. "The arrest of 24 organizational members, coupled with the seizure of assault type weapons and hundreds of pounds of narcotics, strikes a strong blow to the Sinaloa cartel." The US would seek the extradition of the suspects, she said, adding that Mexican police were brought into the US "to allow them to more safely execute their law enforcement operation in Mexico." The leader of the Sinaloa cartel is Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the infamous drug kingpin who was recaptured by Mexican authorities on January 8 after a dramatic jail break. Mexican officials said police arrested 22 gang members and killed two others in what it called an air-and-ground operation. Mexican federal agents, having observed a property guarded by armed men in Sonoyta, just south of Lukeville, Arizona launched an operation to flush them out, the National Security Commission (CNS) said in a statement. When agents came under attack, they returned fire, killing two men believed to be involved in smuggling drugs or undocumented immigrants, the statement said. Other suspected gang members laid down their arms and were arrested. Story continues CNS said it appeared the property was used to store drugs and house immigrants until they could be smuggled into the United States. The Mexican authorities said that they had seized packets containing roughly 250 kilograms (550 pounds) of what appeared to be marijuana, as well as 18 firearms -- 15 assault rifles and three handguns -- and an assortment of cartridges. Because of its location abutting the US border, Sonora state has a heavy presence of drug cartels and is one of the most violent regions in Mexico. GETTY IMAGE Jerry West. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Magic Johnson. Chick Hearn. And Shaquille ONeal. That esteemed quintet of hoops royalty is synonymous with the Los Angeles Lakers, and the leagues glamour franchise decided to immortalize each franchise legend with a statue standing outside of Staples Center. ONeal, a three-time champion and Finals MVP with the purple and gold in the early 2000s, didnt believe it when the plans for his memorial were unveiled on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this week. The future Hall of Famer had a much, much different relationship with the Lakers than Kobe Bryant, his sidekick en route to that career-defining three-peat. Kobes place in Lakers lore has never been in doubt; the same couldnt always be said for ONeal. But it certainly is now, and with ONeals statue and Bryants retirement both imminent, its easy to wonder just how Los Angeles will honor the latter when his playing days are over. ESPNs J.A. Adande recently caught up with the five-time champion, who shed some light on the design process behind his future memorial most specifically, that he wont be involved in it whatsoever. Thats a weird conversation to have with somebody about their own statue and what they want to have, a grinning Bryant said. Thats just a weird thing to think about. For him, maybe, but certainly not for us. Bryants career lacks a moment like Michael Jordans last shot with the Chicago Bulls. His iconic fadeaway jumper isnt unique enough to serve as the inspiration for a memorial, and his trademark look of maniacal intensity with the jutting chin and toothy snarl isnt exactly fit for artistry. The look of his statue just isnt as obvious ONeals, nor those of West, Abdul-Jabbar, or even Johnson. Could that be why Bryant will supposedly refrain from giving input to those making it? Maybe. After all, its not exactly like he lacks self-confidence. After briefly combing through the most memorable junctures of his career, however, were confident that Bryant and his millions of fans across the globe will love our submission for his monument on the Staples Center exterior. Remember this? Story continues 730 FOX SPORTS Thats Kobe celebrating his fifth and final title, mere minutes after the Lakers beat the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 Finals a victory that avenged a loss to their long-time rivals in the championship series two years earlier. Excellence. Perseverance. Intensity. Longevity. Joy. Love. What moment could possibly be more Bryant than this one? Heres hoping Los Angeles realizes it when the time to memorialize him inevitably comes a few years down the road. London (AFP) - No deal was reached between British Prime Minister David Cameron and European Union President Donald Tusk Sunday in talks to agree changes to Britain's membership of the bloc ahead of an in-or-out referendum. "No deal yet. Intensive work in next 24 (hours) crucial," Tusk wrote on Twitter following a working dinner of salmon, beef and vegetables in Cameron's Downing Street office in London. Cameron is pushing to exclude European Union migrants from benefits such as income top-ups for low-paid workers until they have paid into the British system under a so-called "emergency brake" system. A spokeswoman for Cameron said that "much progress" had been made since a Friday meeting with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker. The Commission has indicated that Britain's "circumstances meet the criteria for triggering the emergency brake" -- which would require countries to argue that their welfare system was under strain. "This is a significant breakthrough, meaning the prime minister can deliver on his commitment to restrict in-work benefits to EU migrants for four years," the spokeswoman said. "But there are still areas where there is more to do and both agreed it was therefore worth taking the extra time to make further progress." The Conservative leader has vowed to secure reform in four key areas to address the concerns of British people with doubts about EU membership, before campaigning to remain within the 28-member bloc in a referendum due by 2017. The EU source said that Tusk would "assess the situation" after 24 hours before deciding whether or not to take the deal to other EU countries for consideration. British officials hope that a final deal can be nailed down at a Brussels summit on February 18 and 19, which Cameron would then use to campaign for Britain to stay in the bloc. An agreement at that time would open the door to a referendum in June, but Cameron insists he is willing to hold out for as long as it takes to secure the right package of reforms, if necessary delaying the referendum until September or even next year. Story continues - 'A farce' - Underlining the challenges ahead, France warned Britain that it would block a separate proposal to allow one country about to be overruled in a vote the ability to pause the process. "To French officials, any provisions giving non-euro countries power to indefinitely stall eurozone votes are unacceptable," the Financial Times reported, saying that France would refuse any "backdoor veto" for the City of London finance hub. The talks in London were to cover all four areas in which Cameron wants reform: migrant benefits, safeguards against more political integration in the EU, protection of countries such as Britain which do not use the euro currency and boosting economic competitiveness. According to government sources Cameron is prepared to accept the "emergency brake" in place of a previously proposed four-year curb on EU migrants claiming benefits, which other countries had objected to as discriminatory and which could require a treaty change. "The prime minister intends to leave Tusk in no doubt that he will not do a deal at any price," a senior government source said. Cameron wants the "emergency break" to come into force immediately after a referendum in favour of membership, in a bid to reduce what the British government considers a "pull factor" encouraging Europeans to come to the UK in search of work. The number of European job seekers has become a hot political issue in Britain and key driver of anti-EU sentiment. Cameron is under increasing pressure from his own centre-right Conservative party, which has a strong eurosceptic contingent, to come back with a robust deal. Opinion polls currently suggest that Britons would vote to leave the EU in a so-called "Brexit" by a small margin. Reflecting domestic pressure on Cameron, the co-chair of the anti-EU Conservatives for Britain group dismissed the talks as "synthetic" and a "farce". "It is not going to answer the concerns of the British people. We need the power in our own parliament to determine what our migration policy is," he told Sky News. Ankara (AFP) - Internationally acclaimed Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk has accused the European Union of turning a blind eye to the state of democracy in Turkey because of its cooperation in the migration crisis, local media reported on Sunday. "They have forgotten all their values," Pamuk told the Hurriyet newspaper in an interview, referring to the EU, adding that the fight against the Islamic State group and the migrant crisis had "tied Europe's hands". Brussels reached an agreement with EU hopeful Turkey in November to encourage Ankara to keep refugees inside its territory, after a mass influx of migrants crossed into the EU last year, stoking tensions in several member states. The deal also gave new momentum to Turkey's years-long push to become a member of the EU, which had long been held up by several issues including its human rights record. Pamuk criticised the 28-nation bloc for ignoring Turkey's recent record in freedom of expression under the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP). "They are looking to us as they looked to Saudi Arabia once upon a time: If (Turkey) is doing what we want, we don't care what they do at home." Pamuk lamented recent developments in Turkey, including the detention of leading opposition journalists Can Dundar and Erdem Gul on charges of revealing classified information. The two journalists with the Cumhuriyet newspaper are facing multiple life sentences on charges of revealing state secrets in a report that alleged Erdogan's government tried to send arms into Syria. "I am a person who says 'let's talk about literature only' but it is no longer possible," Pamuk said. "You cannot sit and write your novel when Can Dundar is in jail." An advocate of Turkish membership of the EU, Pamuk said: "In democratic countries, people do not have to repeat like a parrot the opinions of the (party) that won the last election." The author, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2006, has just completed a new novel "The Red-Haired Woman," which will be released in Istanbul on Tuesday. By Keith Coffman DENVER - A battle involving gunfire and knives erupted at a Denver motorcycle exposition on Saturday afternoon, leaving at least one person dead and sending seven people to the hospital, authorities said. There were no immediate arrests in the mayhem, which took place at the Colorado Motorcycle Expo at the National Western Complex, Denver Police Chief Robert White said at a news conference. The event was canceled for Sunday. Police were talking to several witnesses and a "person of interest" about the incident, in which four people were shot, one stabbed and three injured in other ways, possibly in a fist fight. Three people were in critical condition at area hospitals, while the others had less serious injuries. White said there was more than one shooter but could not say could why the fight started. "Whether it was motorcycle gang-related, whether it was motorcycle club-related, that is still to be determined," White said. "This is very early on in the investigation." The incident recalled a shootout last May outside a restaurant in Waco, Texas. Nine bikers were killed, 18 injured, and scores were arrested in that incident. A witness who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation told the Denver Post newspaper that the fight was started by rival biker gangs. The gun fight occurred during the first day of the annual Colorado Motorcycle Expo, described on its Facebook page as the largest indoor motorcycle swap meet in the country, drawing thousands. (Reporting by Keith Coffman in Colorado and Mary Wisniewski in Chicago; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) The Hague (AFP) - Over 10,000 unaccompanied migrant children have disappeared in Europe, the EU police agency Europol said Sunday, fearing many have been whisked into sex trafficking rings or the slave trade. Europol's press office confirmed to AFP the figures published in British newspaper The Observer, adding that they covered the last 18-24 months. The agency's chief of staff Brian Donald said the vulnerable children had disappeared from the system after registering with state authorities following their arrival in Europe. "It's not unreasonable to say that we're looking at 10,000-plus children," Donald said, adding that 5,000 had disappeared in Italy alone. "Not all of them will be criminally exploited; some might have been passed on to family members. We just don't know where they are, what they're doing or whom they are with." Donald said there was evidence of a "criminal infrastructure" established over the last 18 months to exploit the migrant flow. The Observer reported that Europol found evidence of links between smuggling rings bringing people into the EU and human trafficking gangs exploiting migrants for sex and slavery. "There are prisons in Germany and Hungary where the vast majority of people arrested and placed there are in relation to criminal activity surrounding the migrant crisis," Donald said. Over one million migrants and refugees, many fleeing the Syria conflict, crossed into Europe last year. "Whether they are registered or not, were talking about 270,000 children," Donald told the paper. "Not all of those are unaccompanied, but we also have evidence that a large proportion might be," he said, adding that the 10,000 is likely to be a conservative estimate. He said many of the children are "visible", and not "spirited away and held in the middle of forests". - 'Most vulnerable group' - Raffaela Milano, Save the Children's Italy-Europe programme director, said that "unaccompanied minors who travel without adults are the most vulnerable group of the migratory flow". Story continues "Many minors, in fact, make themselves 'invisible' to the authorities to enable them to continue their journey in Europe, for fear of being sent back," she said. The UN children's agency UNICEF also voiced alarm and urged European countries to do more to protect migrant children who are on their own. "We urgently call for a plan within Europe for unaccompanied and separated children covering family reunification, relocation and other alternatives so that children do not end up being abused and exploited by smugglers and traffickers," it said in a statement. Many children arrive first on the Greek islands before making the journey to relatives across Europe. Laura Pappa, president of the Greek charity Meta-Action, a group accompanying children who travel without relatives, said they "face a destiny that is worse than that of the rest of migrants waiting to be relocated". She said they often have to wait for around seven months to be reunited with relatives, and that procedures can be slow and complicated. "There are some people that present themselves as uncles and take the children. It's not easy in this mess to cross check the identity of the 'uncle'." Pappa said the group has helped 3,000 children reach family, but that it "is not enough". - Escalating tensions - Britain is one country that has said it will take in migrant or refugee children who have been separated from their parents. Despite the constant risk of death and deportation, migrants continue to stream into Europe, risking their lives to escape poverty, repression and conflict. Many children are among the refugees and migrants who have lost their lives making the perilous crossing in the Mediterranean. In the latest tragedy, the Turkish coastguard recovered the bodies of women and children were washed up on a beach after their boat sank, leaving at least 37 people dead. Tensions are escalating across the continent over the increasing numbers of migrants, with many right-wing groups calling for more immigration restrictions and tighter borders. On Saturday, Swedish police said dozens of masked men believed to belong to neo-Nazi gangs gathered in Stockholm and handed out leaflets calling for attacks against young migrants. And anti-fascist and far-right protesters clashed in a southern German town where unknown assailants threw a hand grenade into a refugee shelter on Friday, as the country scrambles to integrate the over one million asylum seekers it welcomed last year. WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland does not support "emergency brake" proposals that could help curb immigration from other European Union states to Britain, Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said on Friday. Sources have told Reuters the European Union was offering Britain a plan under which any member that could convince EU governments its welfare system was under excessive strain would have the right to deny benefits to new workers arriving from other EU countries for up to four years. Asked about the proposal, Waszczykowski told a news conference: "No, Poland does not accept this mechanism. It will not accept a mechanism that denies social benefits to Poles living in the European Union." Commenting on Poland's ongoing negotiations with the U.S. on a $5 billion tender for Raytheon's Patriot missile defence system, Waszczykowski said: "Today everything points towards Poland having to reopen the tender for a missile defence, and we'll talk again with several countries." (Reporting by Pawel Sobczak, writing by Justyna Pawlak) Going into Saturday night's SAG Awards, the top prize of best cast seemed to be a toss-up between the stars of Spotlight and The Big Short. The cast of the former film, about The Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into child sex abuse by the Catholic Church, emerged victorious. While that award was the only one for which Spotlight was nominated, The Big Short lost both of the SAG Awards for which it was nominated, going home empty-handed. In addition to best cast, The Big Short's Christian Bale was nominated for best supporting actor, an award that pundits predicted he had a good shot at winning, including The Hollywood Reporter's awards analyst Scott Feinberg, who still gave the edge to Room's Jacob Tremblay. But instead, that award went to Idris Elba for his performance in Netflix's first original feature film, Beasts of No Nation. Elba wasn't nominated for an Oscar for his role, just one of the many nonwhite actors who failed to land Academy Award nominations. Elba won two SAG awards, also taking home the trophy for best actor in a TV movie or miniseries for his role in Luther, an award pundits predicted would come down to him and his best supporting actor in a movie competitor Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies), also nominated in the TV category for Wolf Hall. But the experts gave the nod to Rylance, who lost in both categories. Also going home empty-handed: the actors in Trumbo, despite going into the SAG Awards with three nominations, more than any other film. The film about famous blacklisted screenwriter and outspoken Communist Dalton Trumbo was up for best cast, best supporting actress (Helen Mirren) and best actor (Bryan Cranston). A win by Cranston, who plays the titular writer, seemed possible, given that he'd won multiple SAG awards for his role as Walter White on TV's Breaking Bad. Carol and Steve Jobs also lost both of the awards for which they were nominated, continuing a disappointing losing streak for the '50s-set lesbian love story, which was also shut out at the Critics' Choice Awards and Golden Globes. While Jobs actor Michael Fassbender wasn't even in attendance at the awards, neither he nor co-star Kate Winslet collected trophies for their work in the film about the Apple co-founder. After the outcry over the Oscars' lack of nonwhite acting nominees, the SAG Awards honored a diverse group of talent, with Elba proclaiming at one point in the show, "Welcome to diverse TV." That trend and backlash from the #OscarsSoWhite controversy made it seem possible for Straight Outta Compton to take home the SAG Awards' top prize of best cast, but the N.W.A biopic lost that award. On the TV side, House of Cards, Game of Thrones and Homeland each scored a leading three nominations, but Thrones and Homeland each received a stunt ensemble mention. With House of Cards star Kevin Spacey winning best actor in a drama series for the second straight year, depriving Mad Men's Jon Hamm of his final shot at winning a solo SAG Award for his role as Don Draper, and Thrones taking home the stunt trophy, only Homeland went home without a win. Indeed, despite scoring two nominations apiece, Mad Men, The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family and Veep were all shut out. See More: SAG Awards: Red-Carpet Photos Downton Abbey took home the award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series at the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday evening. The PBS show, currently airing its sixth and final season, was nominated alongside Game of Thrones, Homeland, House of Cards and Mad Men. "We've been coming here for six years and we have only encountered the most amazing generosity and kindness from American actors," said Lesley Nicol, who plays cook Mrs. Patmore on the show, while accepting the award for the cast. "To be nominated in this category is mind-blowing for us." She continued: "You know, we're a British show what the heck are we doing here? And we're up against your TV royalty, so this is a deep honor, just phenomenal, so thank you." This is the third win in the category for the period drama, which also won last year. Comedy nominees Keegan-Michael Key and Julia Louis-Dreyfus presented the award. "Why would they have two people in comedy do it?" the Veep star asked, prompting Michael Key to say, "Don't overthink it ... the drinks are free." The SAG Awards, which annually honor achievements in film and television, were broadcast live from the Shrine Exposition Center in downtown Los Angeles. See the full list of winners here. See More: SAG Awards: Red-Carpet Photos var el = document.getElementById('targetParams');if (el !== null && typeof(el) != 'undefined') {var srcParams = $('.advert iframe').attr('src');var addParams = srcParams.split(";");for (i=1;i<=addParams.length - 1;i++) {if (addParams[i] != '=null' && addParams[i] != 'dcopt=ist' && addParams[i] != '!c=iframe' && addParams[i] != 'pos=t' && addParams[i] != 'sz=728x90') {el.value += addParams[i]+";";}}}brightcove.createExperiences();>>>>>>> The 22nd annual SAG Awards will get underway at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Saturday night. How much should Oscar-watchers pay attention to the results? Here's my take. SAG-AFTRA is the largest union of actors, representing some 160,000 who work across the media. SAG Awards nominees are determined by nominating committees comprised of small percentages of the whole membership. A heavily-courted group of 2,250 actors chose the film nominees and 2,250 actors chose the TV nominees during a voting period that spanned Nov. 18 through Dec. 7, while winners were chosen by the entire membership during a voting period that spanned Dec. 16 through just yesterday, Jan. 29. The Oscars, meanwhile, are determined by some 7,000 members of the Academy, the largest branch of which is comprised of actors. While not all SAG-AFTRA members belong to the Academy, most members of the actors branch of the Academy belong to SAG-AFTRA, so the SAG Awards offer us a bit of insight into their thinking. Some SAG Awards, on the film side, have proven to be more predictive than others. The individual acting awards tend to be very prescient. Each of the last three years, all four SAG Award winners went on to win at the Oscars as well. And in the 21 previous years in which those awards have been presented, the Academy differed on best actor only four times; best actress only six times; best supporting actor only eight times; and best supporting actress only seven times. The best ensemble SAG Award, however, which is regarded as the top SAG honor, has a less stellar track record. It was first presented at the second SAG Awards, and only half of its 20 winners have gone on to win the best picture Oscar. This may be because SAG-AFTRA members approach it differently: some see it as a prize for the best overall cast, others see it as a prize for the best large cast and still others treat it as a best picture award, since there isn't one at the SAG Awards. Read More: SAG Awards: Hollywood Reporter's Live Blog Story continues Sometimes the best ensemble SAG Award has been the only one to anticipate surprise best picture Oscar winners, such as 1998's Shakespeare in Love and 2005's Crash; other times, as in the cases of 2006's Little Miss Sunshine, 2009's Inglourious Basterds and 2011's The Help, it offered -positives. Regardless, only one film in two decades has won the best picture Oscar without being at least nominated for the prize, and that was 1995's Braveheart, the first-ever recipient. It has been deemed almost essential to send hard-copy screeners of a film to all of SAG-AFTRA in order to have a real shot at winning any major SAG Awards prize especially since doing so propelled Crash to its big win a decade ago. This year, hard-copy screeners were sent to all the members by the distributors of Beasts of No Nation, The Big Short, Room, Spotlight and Straight Outta Compton; meanwhile, the same cannot be said for the distributors of The Revenant and Trumbo, which apparently concluded that doing so was not worth the immense cost and/or would not markedly change their expected results. So what results might we expect tonight? The best ensemble nominees are The Big Short and Spotlight, both of which are nominated for the best picture Oscar, as well as Beasts of No Nation (which has the smallest ensemble ever nominated, with just three names), Straight Outta Compton and Trumbo. (For best picture Oscar nominees Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, The Martian, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant and Room, the lack of a best ensemble SAG Award nom has to be a little disconcerting in light of the aforementioned Braveheart stat.) See More: SAG Awards: Red-Carpet Photos Many see this a three-way race between The Big Short, Spotlight and perhaps Straight Outta Compton, which could benefit from the backlash to its Oscar snub. That's an intriguing possibility, but it has two things working against it: Paul Giamatti is the only "household name" among the Compton cast and, unlike all of the other nominees for best ensemble, it has no individual acting noms. (Only two films ever have won best ensemble without at least one, 1997's The Full Monty and 2003's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.) Did The Big Short get a momentum bump from its win at last weekend's PGA Awards? Perhaps its cast is certainly the most star-studded, featuring Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell, among others. But my suspicion is that it will be edged out by Spotlight, which was widely regarded as the strongest contender until last weekend, and which has a cast packed with veteran actors from across the media, most of whom are far more relatable to your average SAG-AFTRA member. As for the individual SAG Award categories? Six of 20 nominated performances were not subsequently recognized with an Oscar nom those given by Black Mass' lead actor Johnny Depp, Woman in Gold's lead actress Helen Mirren, I Smile Back's lead actress Sarah Silverman, Beasts of No Nation's supporting actor Idris Elba, 99 Homes' Michael Shannon, Room's Jacob Tremblay and Trumbo's supporting actress Mirren but the other 14 were. Read More: What to Watch for at This Year's SAG Awards Best supporting actress is the most wide-open category, with any one of its five nominees looking like plausible winners, particularly in the wake of the corresponding Golden Globe Award going to Steve Jobs' Kate Winslet (a three-time SAG Award winner) and Critics' Choice Award going to The Danish Girl's Alicia Vikander (the "It" girl of the moment). However, more voters preferred and perhaps also saw the films Spotlight, for which Rachel McAdams is nominated, and Trumbo, with Mirren. And then there's Carol's Rooney Mara. The winner of this SAG Award has gone on to win the Oscar in each of the last seven years. My hunch is that Vikander will extend this streak. Seven of the last eight best supporting actor SAG Award winners have repeated at the Oscars. I think that streak will be snapped this year, since Creed's Sylvester Stallone, who is not nominated here, is the Oscar favorite, plus many voters will be tempted to champion the wonderful performance by child actor Tremblay, who is my pick. But if The Big Short's Christian Bale manages a win tonight, as is a real possibility, then we will need to take him more seriously as an Oscar threat. The best actress SAG Award, which has gone to the eventual Oscar winner in five of the last six years, will almost certainly go to Room's Brie Larson, who already has Golden Globe and Critics' Choice awards under her belt. The only conceivable spoiler: Brooklyn's also-excellent Saoirse Ronan. And last, but not least, the best actor SAG Award, which has predicted the best actor Oscar for a remarkable 11 consecutive years, will extend that streak for at least one more year tonight when The Revenant's Leonardo DiCaprio continues his stampede through the Oscar season. Conspiracy theorists will note that DiCaprio has lost all four of his previous individual SAG nominations and that Bryan Cranston, an extremely popular actor whose film also is nominated for the best ensemble prize (unlike Leo's), can give him a run for his money tonight. But I just can't fathom it. If that happens, then anything truly can happen. Now let's hand out some "Actors!" (Not quite as catchy as "Oscars," but it'll have to do until Feb. 28.) San Salvador (AFP) - El Salvador's former president Francisco Flores has died, officials in his political party announced, days after he slipped into a coma following a massive stroke. "We mourn the death of president Francisco Flores, and express solidarity with his family at this time," read a message issued from the Twitter account of his rightist National Republican Alliance (ARENA) party. The announcement of the death of Flores, 56, who led the Central American country from 1999 to 2004, comes as he faced a corruption trial on charges of stealing $15 million donated by Taiwan for victims of a 2001 earthquake. Flores turned himself in to authorities in 2014 to face the allegations, which he steadfastly denied. The former president, who was under house arrest at the time of his death, was rushed to a hospital the previous weekend after suffering a stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body, and slipped into a coma from which he never awakened. DUBAI (Reuters) - The spokesman for a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said on Sunday that American and British military experts were advising its forces on how to improve aerial targeting and reduce civilian casualties. "Experts from the United States ... (will) work on extensive reports and develop operating mechanisms, together with the British side," Saudi coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri told journalists in Riyadh. He said the advisers held a workshop in recent days at the coalition headquarters. (Reporting By Noah Browning; Editing by Dominic Evans) Maiduguri (Nigeria) (AFP) - At least 85 people died this weekend when Boko Haram insurgents stormed and torched a village near the restive northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, a state commissioner said Monday. It was the third deadly attack to hit the area in four days, after suicide bombers killed at least 24 people in two separate attacks on towns to the south. Nigeria's army said the gunmen attacked Dalori just outside Maiduguri late on Saturday after evening prayers, burning down the village and sending residents fleeing into the bush. A first toll Sunday put the deaths at 50 but Borno State health commissioner Haruna Mshelia said 75 bodies were brought into hospitals and 10 others buried. "A total of 65 bodies were deposited at the specialist hospital, 10 others are being deposited at UMTH (another hospital), while another 10 were buried yesterday evening at the Dalori community cemetery" Mshelia said. The attack was swiftly condemned by the European Union on Sunday, which said it was committed to supporting regional African states in the fight against such extremist groups. Eyewitness Bulama Malum said he saw about 20 bodies burnt beyond recognition and that 15 villagers were missing, as another source put the toll at 100 or more. "Even as of last night the people that died were over 100. I am sure many could have died today," vigilante Musa Adamu, a member of a civilian force assisting the military, told AFP. Malam Masa Dalori, a community leader, told AFP that the assailants "came in Golf saloon cars and began to shoot sporadically. Many people ran to the bush including myself," he said. - 'Whole village razed' - "When we came back in the morning the entire community had been razed," he added. Visiting the scene on Sunday, an AFP correspondent found the village largely reduced to piles of smoking ashes scattered with charred cooking pots and household items. Small groups of women and children sat on the ground, gazing at the devastation as men wandered past burnt-out cars and ruined structures blackened by fire. Story continues Army spokesman Colonel Mustapha Anka said the assailants had opened fire after arriving in the village on motorbikes and in two cars and had then begun torching homes. Three female suicide bombers who initially tried to mingle with the villagers "were intercepted then blew themselves up," he said. The assailants also tried to penetrate a camp for people displaced by the Islamist Boko Haram insurgency situated just outside the village, but were repelled by troops, he said. - 'Join the fight' - Following the Nigeria attack, the EU reiterated the bloc's commitment to provide 50 million euros ($54 million) "to assist countries of the region to fight terrorism". "The EU remains committed to providing a comprehensive range of political, development and humanitarian support to Nigeria and the region in tackling this threat and in ensuring the sound development of the region," it said. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who in December alleged that Nigeria had largely won the fight against Boko Haram, urged local people to help the security forces in their bid to crush the group. "I urge all citizens wherever they live to own the war against terror and to be part of the fight because it is the only way we can finish the remaining work that needs to be done to make our country safe again," he said in a statement. Boko Haram which seeks a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria has killed 17,000 people and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since 2009. Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - A Palestinian opened fire at a West Bank checkpoint Sunday, wounding three Israeli soldiers before being shot dead, as four months of violence cast doubt on fresh peace talks efforts. An attempted car-ramming also occurred later at a military checkpoint in the West Bank north of Jerusalem, with the attacker shot and taken to hospital for treatment, Israel's military said. No Israelis were reported wounded. The Israeli army said the shooting attack took place near the Beit El settlement close to Ramallah. Israeli medics said two of the three wounded soldiers had serious injuries. "A gunman opened fire near Beit El, north of Jerusalem," the Israeli military said in a statement. "Forces at the scene responded to the attack and shot the assailant, resulting in his death. Three Israelis were wounded and are being evacuated for emergency medical treatment in hospital." The military later confirmed the victims were soldiers. An AFP journalist saw the body of the Palestinian man killed near the checkpoint. A bullet-riddled silver car apparently used in the attack was next to the body. The car had plates seeming to indicate it belonged to the Palestinian government. A Palestinian intelligence source said Israeli authorities had informed them that the man, Amjad Sukari Abu Omar, around 30 years old, worked as a bodyguard for the Palestinian attorney general's office. Palestinian ambulances sought to move towards the body, but were prevented from doing so by Israeli soldiers. The body was later handed over to Palestinian authorities. A post on what was believed to be the man's Facebook page before the attack spoke vaguely of the possibility of him becoming a "martyr". A wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks erupted in October. Most of the attacks have been stabbings, although there have also been occasional shootings. The violence has killed 25 Israelis, as well as an American and an Eritrean, according to an AFP count. Story continues At the same time, 160 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, most while carrying out attacks but others during clashes and demonstrations. - French push for peace - Some analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israel's occupation of the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have helped feed the unrest. Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a main cause of the violence. Many of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own. International efforts to halt the violence have so far failed. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Friday his country was looking to revive plans for an international conference aimed at bringing about the two-state solution. Should efforts to breathe life into the moribund peace process fail, France would move to unilaterally recognise Palestine as a state, Fabius said. Peace talks collapsed in April 2014 and the situation has since deteriorated, with the prospects of fresh dialogue appearing increasingly remote. Palestinian leaders welcomed the initiative, having long argued for an international process to end the Israeli occupation and bring about the two-state solution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday criticised France's threat to recognise a Palestinian state, arguing that it gives Palestinians no incentive to compromise. "This will be an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting. "The substance of negotiations is compromise and the French initiative, as it has been reported, in effect gives the Palestinians in advance reasons not to do so." The rightwing premier said: "I believe that we will see a sobering up on this issue. "In any case, we will work to bring this about and our position is very clear: We are prepared to enter into direct negotiations without preconditions and without dictated conditions." After 10 days of premieres and deals, the awards for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival were handed out Saturday night in Park City, Utah. Taika Waititi, director of fest film Hunt for the Wilderpeople, hosted the ceremony. "That's what you get - you want to make low-budget films, you get the low-budget host," the New Zealand native joked in his opening remarks. The Birth of a Nation won both the event's top honors, the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award. Read More: Sundance: Why Nate Parker Chose Fox Searchlight Over Netflix for 'The Birth of a Nation' The film, which was bought by Fox Searchlight in the biggest deal in Sundance history for $17.5 million, was directed, written and produced by Nate Parker, who also stars. Following slave rebellion leader Nat Turner, the drama received a rapturous standing ovation when it premiered Jan. 25 and led to a bidding war. "Making films is a very, very difficult thing and often you're left on your own wondering why you're doing what you're doing," Parker said when he took the stage to claim the night's top prize. "Thank you, Sundance, for creating a platform for us to grow, in spite of what the rest of Hollywood is doing." Read More: Sundance Wrap: Race, Politics and a Pet Wolf The complete list of winners below: U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize: The Birth of a Nation, Nate Parker, director U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize: Weiner, Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg, directors U.S. Dramatic Directing Award: Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan for Swiss Army Man U.S. Documentary Directing Award: Roger Ross Williams for Life, Animated U.S. Dramatic Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: Chad Hardigan for Morris From America U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Individual Performance: Melanie Lynskey for The Intervention U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Individual Performance: Craig Robinson for Morris From America U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance: Joe Seo for Spa Night Story continues U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award: As You Are, Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, director U.S. Dramatic Audience Award: The Birth of a Nation, Nate Parker, director U.S. Documentary Audience Award: Jim, Brian Oakes, director U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Verity Filmmaking: The Bad Kids, Keith Fulton, Lou Pepe, directors U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Writing: Kate Plays Christine, Robert Greene, director U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Social Impact Filmmaking: Trapped, Dawn Porter, director U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Editing: Nuts, Penny Lane, Thom Stylinski, editors WORLD CINEMA World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award: Between Sea and Land, Manolo Cruz, director World Cinema Documentary Audience Award: Sonita, Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami, director NEXT Audience Award: First Girl I Loved, Kerem Sanga, director World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize: Sand Storm, Elite Zexer, director World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award: Felix van Groeningen for Belgica World Cinema Dramatic Special Award for Unique Vision and Design: The Lure, Agnieszka Smoczynska, director World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting: Vicky Hernandez, Manolo Cruz for Between Sea and Land World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize: Sonita, Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami, director World Cinema Documentary Directing Award: Michal Marczak, All These Sleepless Nights World Cinema Documentary Special Award: Best Debut Feature: When Two Worlds Collide, Heidi Brandenburg, Mathew Orzel, directors World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for best cinematography: Pieter-Jan De Pue, The Land of the Enlightened As previously announced, Thunder Road won the short film grand jury prize. Read More: 'Birth of a Nation': The Slave-Revolt Movie That Will Have Sundance Talking After 10 days of premieres and deals, the awards for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival were handed out Saturday night in Park City. Taika Waititi, director of fest film Hunt for the Wilderpeople, hosted the closing awards ceremony in Park City Saturday night. "That's what you get -- you want to make low-budget films, you get the low-budget host," the New Zealand native joked in his opening remarks. Read More: Sundance Wrap: Race, Politics and a Pet Wolf THR will update below with all the winners: World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award: Felix van Groeningen for Belgica World Cinema Dramatic Special Award for Unique Vision and Design: The Lure, director Agnieszka Smoczynska World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting: Vicky Hernandez, Manolo Cruz for Between Sea and Land World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize: Sonita, director: Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami World Cinema Documentary Directing Award: All These Sleepless Nights, director: Michal Marczak World Cinema Documentary Special Award: Best Debut Feature: When Two Worlds Collide, directors: Heidi Brandenburg, Mathew Orzel World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for best cinematography: The Land of the Enlightened As previously announced, Thunder Road won the short film grand jury prize. Watch the livestream below: London (AFP) - Sunderland have signed Tunisian attacking midfielder Wahbi Khazri from Bordeaux on a four-and-a-half-year contract, the relegation-threatened Premier League club announced on Saturday. The Tunisia international, 24, has arrived for an undisclosed fee that British press reports said was around 9 million ($12.8 million, 11.8 million euros). "Wahbi is a quick, dynamic attacking player," Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce told the club website. "He has many attributes, not least his delivery from wide areas and set-pieces and of course his ability to score goals. "His versatility will certainly complement our existing forward options and I am delighted to welcome him to the club." Khazri is the fifth player to join Sunderland during the January transfer window after Lamine Kone, Steve Harper, Dame N'Doye and Jan Kirchhoff. Born on the French island of Corsica, Khazri began his career with Bastia and joined Bordeaux in 2014. He played over 50 games for Bordeaux, scoring 14 goals, and has been capped 13 times by Tunisia, scoring six times. "I'm very happy to play for Sunderland," said Khazri, who will wear the number 22 shirt and could make his debut in Tuesday's home game against Manchester City. "It is amazing because I wanted to play in the Premier League. For me it is the best league in Europe, so I'm very excited and I can't wait to play games. "I spoke with my friend Henri Saivet, who plays for Newcastle, so he knows all about Sunderland, and he said it is the best league and that the people are fantastic." Sunderland are currently 19th in the Premier League table, four points from safety. DUBLIN (Reuters) - Support for Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny's party fell for the second time in a row in one of the country's main opinion polls on Saturday, weeks ahead of a general election, but his junior coalition partner posted its best result since September. The poll leaves the coalition several percentage points shy of the numbers needed to secure a majority of seats, leaving the country facing the relative instability of a minority government, an unstable broad coalition dependent on independent deputies or an election re-run. Kenny's Fine Gael secured the support of 29 percent of respondents to the Sunday Business Post-Red C poll, down from 30 percent a week ago and 32 percent in December, but it remains comfortably the most popular party in the country. Junior coalition partner Labour was up 1 point to 10 percent. Centre-right Fianna Fail fell 2 points to 17 while left-wing challenger Sinn Fein was unchanged on 19. Kenny, who has until early April to go to the electorate, is widely expected to call the poll for late February. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Stephen Powell) A Bangladeshi father dubbed "Tree Man" for massive bark-like warts on his hands and feet will finally have surgery to remove the growths that first began appearing 10 years ago, a hospital said Sunday. Abul Bajandar, from the southern district of Khulna, was undergoing preparations for the surgery to cut out the growths weighing at least five kilogrammes (11 pounds) that have smothered his hands and feet. "Initially, I thought that they're harmless," the 26-year-old told AFP at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). "But slowly I lost all my ability to work. There are now dozens of two to three inch roots in both my hands. And there are some small ones in my legs," said Bajandar who was forced to quit working as a bicycle puller. A team of doctors has been formed to perform the operation at DMCH, Bangladesh's largest state-run hospital, which has decided to waive costs of the treatment. Tests are underway to ensure Bajandar's root-like warts can be removed surgically without damaging major nerves or causing any other health problems. The massive warts, which first started appearing when he was a teenager but began spreading rapidly four years ago, have been diagnosed as epidermodysplasia verruciformis, an extremely rare genetic skin disease that makes the person susceptible to skin growths. "Popularly it is known as tree-man disease," DMCH director Samanta Lal Sen told AFP. "As far as we know there are three such cases in the world including Abul Bajandar. It is the first time we have found such a rare case in Bangladesh," he said. An Indonesian villager with massive warts all over his body underwent a string of operations in 2008 to remove them. Bajandar's elder sister, Adhuri Bibi, said hundreds of people have visited their home in Khulna over the years to see the "Tree Man". "Even here at the hospital, hundreds have already gathered," she told AFP. Story continues Bajandar, a father of one, said he tried cutting the warts when they first appeared, but it was extremely painful. "After that I went to a village homeopath and herbal specialist. But those medicines only worsened my condition." He also consulted doctors in neighbouring India, but he and his family could not afford the cost of the operation there. Geneva (AFP) - The UN Syria envoy met with members of the main opposition group at a Geneva hotel Sunday, after they threatened to leave before planned peace talks begin in earnest, several opposition sources said. The sources said the meeting between envoy Staffan de Mistura and delegates of the High Negotiations Committee took place at a hotel and not at the UN's European headquarters, where indirect talks on ending Syria's brutal nearly five-year conflict have been scheduled. KIMBERLEY, South Africa (Reuters) - James Taylor put aside his disappointing Test form to produce a run-a-ball century as England crushed South Africa A by 163 runs in a warm-up game at the Diamond Oval on Saturday. Taylor smashed eight fours and a six in his 116 off the same number of deliveries as England posted a formidable 368 for seven in their 50 overs having won the toss and elected to bat. The home side never looked like reaching that target and were all out for 205 from 30.5 overs. The magnificent Taylor was ably supported by a cameo from Jonny Bairstow (58 from 30 balls), a remarkable innings that included no fours but six massive sixes from the Yorshireman. Chris Jordan also weighed in with a lively unbeaten 33 from 14 balls, while captain Eoin Morgan scored 41 at a run-a-ball. South Africa A managed to score at a rapid rate but lost wickets at regular intervals, with Theunis de Bruyn (73 not out) providing some lone resistance. There were three wickets each for Reece Topley (3-38), Jordan (3-48) and Adil Rashid (3-55). The most economical of the England bowlers was David Willey, who returned figures of 1-23 in his five overs. The first of five One-Day Internationals against South Africa will be played in Bloemfontein on Wednesday. (Editing by Martyn Herman) West Des Moines (United States) (AFP) - Republican White House hopeful Ted Cruz said Sunday he is praying for his rivals, as he worshipped at church in Iowa barely 24 hours before the state holds the first vote in the nominations process. Cruz, who has meticulously courted the all-important evangelical vote in this central state, joined more than 1,000 faithful in the chapel of Lutheran Church of Hope, a huge evangelical sanctuary in West Des Moines. Afterward he spent some 20 minutes shaking hands and taking selfies with attendees, bending down to greet toddlers and occasionally talking politics with admirers. "I prayed that God's will be done," he told reporters as he was leaving the church. Asked if he had prayed for top Republican rivals Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, Cruz nodded and said, "I actually did." "One of the things that the pastor asked was pray for any who are your opponents," he said. "And indeed I'm lifting up prayers to all the candidates who are running that God's blessing and peace and love be upon them." Cruz is in a crowded Republican field with 11 other candidates. Among those with strong evangelical followings, like Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, Cruz has been successful at drawing core Christian voters in the 2016 race. Lutheran Church of Hope is among the largest in Iowa, and features a large cafeteria and a sweeping lobby with video screens showing the service in the prayer hall. Cruz sat quietly in the middle of the congregation, with one of his daughters on his lap. "How do we turn the other cheek? How do we love back?" asked senior pastor Mike Housholder, in a sermon peppered with references to the Iowa caucuses. Washington (AFP) - Once reviled by fellow Republicans as a "wacko bird" eager to shut down the US government, Ted Cruz now aims to outmaneuver rivals and bring his Tea Party conservatism straight into the White House. With the Iowa caucuses looming Monday, Cruz is locked in a tight contest with frontrunner Donald Trump for their party's presidential nomination. But Cruz, who has fought hard to maintain a prominent place for faith in American life, also sees himself in a battle for the very soul of the nation. As a freshman in the US Senate, the 45-year-old Texan -- an intellectual proponent of a grassroots movement that has simmered for years under the Republican mainstream -- has barely three years under his belt in Washington. But in the 2016 presidential race, his outsider status has played well with the right-wing base furious with what he derides as the "mushy middle" GOP establishment unwilling to play hardball against US President Barack Obama. For Democrats, Cruz is a dangerous demagogue they love to hate. To religious conservatives, he is a patriot, a thinking man's champion of the common folk sent to Congress -- and perhaps to the White House -- to disrupt the ways of the go-along-to-get-along establishment and fulfill the principles of smaller government. He has since become the movement's north star, but critics blast him as a posterboy for Washington gridlock. Cruz, a master orator with a clear sense of mission, has angered his elders in both parties for showing little deference to seniority and snatching the spotlight from more experienced political stalwarts. He insists the government has wrecked the economy, infringed on religious liberty, put constitutional rights "under assault," overtaxed Americans and sought to take away their guns. "We know how to fix this. And it's to get Washington to stop screwing it up," he told a conservative event last year. In September 2013, his conservative star power soared when he spoke for 21 hours straight to try to block a stopgap spending bill in the leadup to a crippling shutdown the following month. Story continues Many Republicans blasted Cruz for convincing Tea Party adherents in the House of Representatives to shut down government in a doomed quest to defund Obama's crowning domestic achievement, the Affordable Care Act. Cruz's apparent eagerness to gum up the works led an exasperated John McCain, the 2008 Republican nominee, to deride Cruz and other Tea Party lawmakers as "wacko birds on the right." - From Harvard to the Hill - A Texas-raised, Harvard-educated lawyer with a Cuban father and an American mother, Cruz joined the legal elite when he was accepted as a clerk for US Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist in 1996. He was part of former president George W. Bush's legal team arguing the 2000 Florida presidential recount, later serving in Bush's Justice Department and the US Federal Trade commission. He returned to Texas and in 2003 was appointed solicitor general, arguing many cases before the Supreme Court in Washington. In 2012, he ran for Senate with support from the anti-government, anti-tax Tea Party, defeating the establishment Republican and then steamrolling his Democratic opponent in the election. Cuban-American Cruz may enjoy plenty of support in Hispanic-heavy Texas, but he is a staunch opponent of immigration reform. He blasted Obama's efforts last year to shield millions from deportation as "illegal amnesty," and feuds with fellow candidate Senator Marco Rubio -- whose parents immigrated to the US from Cuba -- over who can clamp down harder on illegal immigration. - A run from the right - For millions of conservatives outside the US capital, the staunchly unapologetic Cruz is a hero, and he has fired up the base during his run. Cruz found himself in a crowded running lane: retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, ex-senator Rick Santorum and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee have sought the far-right conservative vote. Cruz has outshone them all. Only Donald Trump, the billionaire real estate tycoon who has refashioned himself as a conservative populist, now stands in his way of securing the nomination -- or at least winning Iowa. With Trump upending the political playbook and launching personal attacks on his rivals, including Cruz, the Texan pledged not to sink "into the mud" in a battle of insults. "I think issues and substance, policy and vision and record should be the meat of politics," he said during Thursday's Republican debate, which Trump boycotted. Trump has hammered Cruz over his Canadian birth, suggesting bluntly that Cruz may not be eligible for the presidency. It has emerged as a point of contention in the campaign, but Cruz insists he is a natural-born citizen. Cruz pledges to "stitch together a winning majority" by bringing together conservatives, libertarians and evangelicals, who are all-important in Iowa. How will voters know that he is the candidate who will defend life, traditional marriage and religious liberty? "Pray on it," he suggested Thursday. BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's military government will try to persuade media companies Facebook and Line to comply with court orders to remove content it considers harmful to peace and order, a senior official said Sunday. The junta-appointed NRSA advisory council plans to meet executives from the two companies in the next three months, council member Major General Pisit Paoin told Reuters. The government has been granted court orders for the removal of content that damages the country and the monarchy and affects peace and order, which companies have rarely complied with. The firms would be asked to in future respond quickly to such rulings, he said. Thailand's junta has faced repeated criticism for what rights groups say is a deepening slide into authoritarianism since the army took power in May 2014. Its previous attempts to get social media platforms to take down political postings have been largely ineffective, although the country has blocked thousands of websites hosting lese majeste content. Numbers of people arrested under the laws against criticizing the monarchy have also risen sharply. Thai representatives for Facebook and Google could not immediately be reached for comment. Thai authorities made a similar request over content on Jan. 22 to technology giant Google, which owns the YouTube video sharing platform, Pisit said. Authorities have also increasingly cracked down on criticism of the junta. A former politician from the Pheu Thai party of deposed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was charged on Friday for violating the country's Computer Crime Act for sharing on line a video mocking junta leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha. (Reporting by Pairat Temphairojana and Aukkarapon Niyomyat. Writing by Aubrey Belford; John Stonestreet) Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli prosecutors pressed charges on Sunday against three Jewish teenagers for allegedly scrawling anti-Christian graffiti on some of Christianity's holiest sites in Jerusalem, the justice ministry said. Two are suspected of writing sectarian slogans on January 16 in the Via Dolorosa, where Jesus is believed to have walked to his crucifixion, before being joined by the third and vandalising an outside wall of the Dormition Abbey, where tradition says the mother of Jesus died. The Benedictine abbey is on Mount Zion across from east Jerusalem's Old City and next to the site where Christians believe the Last Supper took place. The Hebrew graffiti at the sites included "Christians to hell" and "Death to the Christian infidel enemies of Israel", the justice ministry said in a statement. The three, aged 15 and 16, were arrested on January 20 and charged on Sunday in a juvenile court with "vandalism motivated by religious hostility and offending religious sentiment", the ministry said. It accused the suspects of acting "to hurt the faith and religious feelings of Christians and terrorise those who live and visit the abbey complex". Previous similar incidents, including arson and vandalism attacks on the same church, were blamed on Jewish extremists. Vatican efforts to negotiate greater rights at the neighbouring Upper Room, where the Last Supper is believed to have occurred, have sparked opposition from nationalist and Orthodox Jews who revere part of the building as the tomb of King David. By Steve Holland and James Oliphant DES MOINES, Iowa/COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (Reuters) - Republicans Donald Trump and Ted Cruz battled on Sunday to persuade their supporters to turn out and tried to lower expectations on how well they will do in the first U.S. presidential nominating contest in Iowa on Monday. Iowa will set the tone in the race for the Nov. 8 election, offering the first measure of how strong outsider candidates like billionaire businessman Trump and democratic socialist Bernie Sanders stand against more traditional politicians like Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. The day before Iowa's caucuses, Trump and Cruz, a senator from Texas and conservative Tea Party favorite, reflected anxiety about the unpredictability of the race in the Midwestern state as they and other candidates made their final pitches at rallies across Iowa. A Des Moines Register/Bloomberg News poll of Iowa voters released on Saturday showed Trump in the lead among Republicans with 28 percent, Cruz second at 23 percent and Rubio in third with 15 percent. In the western Iowa city of Council Bluffs, Trump brought his wife and daughter on stage and implored Republicans to pick him, noting that Iowa's 2008 winner, Mike Huckabee, and 2012 victor Rick Santorum both ultimately failed to win the Republican nomination. You have a lousy record - 16 years you havent picked a winner. Please pick a winner this time, he said. In Iowa City, Cruz urged about 500 supporters crammed into a building at the county fairgrounds to turn out to the caucuses if they wanted to help him break the cycle of politics as usual in Washington. "Join us, commit tomorrow night to come out and caucus for us. Stand up and speak for us. If we stand together, we will win," he said. Among Democrats, Clinton, a former secretary of state, senator and first lady, clung to a narrow 45 percent to 42 percent lead over Sanders, putting the senator from Vermont in position for a potential upset win that would be a harsh blow to Clinton. Sanders took a jab at Clinton's electability, pointing to the controversy surrounding her use of a private email server as evidence of potential damage to her campaign. Sanders, on ABC's "This Week," said it was a serious issue for Clinton. Although Clinton spent much of her time at a rally in Council Bluffs contrasting her vision with those of the Republican candidates, she said that while she and Sanders shared the goal of achieving universal healthcare, he had a "different view" of how to accomplish it. Sanders backs a single-payer system paid for by higher taxes, while Clinton would build on President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law. The Sanders and Clinton campaigns have been squabbling over adding more debates to the relatively skimpy schedule of six debates organized by the Democratic National Committee. MNSBC said on Sunday both candidates had agreed to join former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley at a previously announced debate in New Hampshire on Thursday. 'DON'T HAVE TO WIN IT' The central mystery about Trump's campaign in Iowa has been whether the real estate mogul and former reality TV star can convert voter enthusiasm for his candidacy into turnout at the caucuses. Trump, who has never sat through a nerve-wracking night of vote counting, was not predicting victory in Iowa in interviews and stump speeches. "No, I don't have to win it," he told CBS' "Face the Nation" when asked whether he needed to win Iowa. "But I think it would be really good to win Iowa." Cruz, who saw his lead in the state overtaken by Trump but may have a stronger turnout operation, also tried to lower expectations. "No, we don't view any state as a must-win," Cruz told CNN. "We are positioned to do very well." Ten Republicans and three Democrats are campaigning in Iowa for their parties' nominations, but much of the focus has been on the fight between Cruz and Trump and their uneasy relationship with the Republican establishment. Trump described Cruz as a "nasty guy" who had not scored key endorsements in the Senate, and would have trouble leading change in Washington. "Nobody likes him and ... you can't run a country that way. ... It will be a total mess. It will be worse gridlock than you have right now," Trump said in an interview with ABC's "This Week." Cruz attacked Trump on CNN's "State of the Union," calling Trump's refusal to appear onstage at Thursday's Republican debate in Des Moines "a real mistake," and likening Trump's views to those of Democratic President Barack Obama and Sanders. (Addtional reporting by John Whitesides and Amanda Becker in Iowa and Andrea Shalal and Alana Wise in Washington; Writing by Steve Holland; Editing by Mary Milliken, Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney) By Tom Miles and John Irish GENEVA (Reuters) - Syria's main opposition group is considering a proposal by U.N. special envoy Staffan de Mistura that could pave the way to the delegation pressing ahead with talks after holding their first meeting with him on Sunday, a Western diplomatic source said. Representatives of the Saudi-backed Higher Negotiation Committee (HNC), which includes political and militant opponents of President Bashar al-Assad, had warned earlier in the day that they may yet walk away from the Geneva talks unless the suffering of civilians in the five-year conflict is eased. With Islamic State bombers killing over 60 people near the country's holiest Shi'ite shrine, the Syrian government's chief delegate retorted that the blasts in Damascus merely confirmed the link between the opposition and terrorism - even though Islamic State has been excluded from the talks. The United Nations is aiming for six months of talks that would focus on achieving a broad ceasefire, while working toward a political settlement to the civil war that has killed over 250,000 people, driven more than 10 million from their homes and drawn in global powers. After the HNC initially insisted air strikes and sieges of Syrian towns must end before it joins the "proximity talks", in which de Mistura would meet each side in separate rooms, there appeared to be some signs of a softening in their position on Sunday evening. HNC spokesman Salim al-Muslat described discussions with de Mistura as very positive and encouraging "concerning humanitarian issues." The delegation met for several hours later on Sunday to debate the proposal. The U.N. special envoy's office said he would meet the Syrian government delegation on Monday at 1100 (1000 GMT) and the HNC at 1700 (1600 GMT). "De Mistura made them a proposition, and that's tempting them to enter the negotiations. They are very prudent," a Western diplomatic source said, adding he was not aware of the content of the offer. The delegation representing the HNC is seeking a halt to attacks on civilian areas, the release of detainees and a lifting of blockades. It has a list of 3,000 women and children in Syrian government jails. The measures were mentioned in a Security Council resolution approved last month that endorsed the peace process for Syria. "They want tangible and visible things immediately. Things they can give to their grassroots," the source said. "Certain things aren't possible immediately like the end of the bombings, but the easiest is the release of civilians, women and children." "TOTAL" SIEGES U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the talks - the first in two years - as long overdue. "I urge all parties to put the people of Syria at the heart of their discussions, and above partisan interests," he said during a visit to Ethiopia. In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged both sides to seize the opportunity to make progress. "In the end there is no military solution to the conflict," he said in a televised statement. The Syrian government's delegation head in Geneva, Bashar al-Jaafari, said Damascus was considering options such as ceasefires, humanitarian corridors and prisoner releases, but suggested they might come about as a result of the talks, not before them. "Absolutely, this is part of the agenda that we agreed upon and that will be one of the very important topics we will discuss among ourselves as Syrian citizens," Jaafari said. Russian air strikes have killed nearly 1,400 civilians since Moscow started its aerial campaign in support of Assad nearly four months ago, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Saturday. Opposition delegate Bassma Kodmani said the bombings had increased in the last week. "In preparations for the negotiations, everything has intensified. The sieges have become total," she said, adding later that her delegation was likely to stay at least three to four days in Geneva. On Sunday, the United Nations said that Mouadamiya, a rebel-held town of 45,000 on the southwestern edge of Damascus, faced a new siege by government forces. Moscow has objected to two Islamist rebel groups, Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham, taking any part in the talks. However, a negotiator from Jaish al-Islam, Mohamed Alloush, told Reuters he was going to Geneva to show that the Syrian government was not serious about seeking a political solution. In another sign that talks may gather pace, the Western diplomat and a source close to the opposition said the HNC's main coordinator Riad Hijab could also arrive on Monday. ISLAMIC STATE CLAIM Islamic State claimed responsibility for Sunday's attacks in the Sayeda Zeinab district of Damascus, according to Amaq, a news agency that supports the militant group. It said two operations "hit the most important stronghold of Shi'ite militias in Damascus." The Britain-based Observatory put the death toll at over 60, including 25 Shi'ite fighters. Earlier, the Interior Ministry had reported at least 45 dead and 110 people wounded, while state television showed footage of burning buildings and wrecked cars in the neighborhood. The heavily populated area of southern Damascus is a site of pilgrimage for Shi'ites from Iran, Lebanon and other parts of the Muslim world. The shrine houses the grave of the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Taleb, whom Shi'ites consider the rightful successor to Prophet Mohammad. The dispute over the succession led to the major Sunni-Shi'ite schism in Islam. Islamic State has been excluded from the talks as the U.N. has classified it a terrorist group. Nevertheless Jaafari said the blasts confirmed the link between the opposition and terrorism, pointing to the attacks and comments from a leader of the Southern Front, another rebel coalition. "This confirms what the Syrian government has said over and over again - that there is a link between terrorism and those who sponsor terrorism from one side and some political groups that pretend to be against terrorism," he said. Jaafari added that Damascus favored "an enlarged national government" as one phase of the process, but made no mention of creating a transitional administration without Assad, as the opposition demands. (Additional reporting by Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman, Laila Bassam in Beirut, Andrea Shalal in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Writing by David Stamp; Editing by Tom Heneghan and Andrea Ricci) By Edmund Blair and Aaron Maasho ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told African leaders on Saturday they should not use legal loopholes or undemocratic constitutional changes to "cling to power", and that they should respect term limits. Ban was addressing a two-day summit the African Union, a group of 54 states where several leaders have been in power for decades, some have changed constitutions so they can stay on and others are accused of seeking to remove limits. The debate about term limits has gained momentum after triggering unrest in places such as Burundi and Congo Republic. "Leaders should never use undemocratic constitutional changes and legal loopholes to cling to power. We have all seen the tragic consequences when they do," Ban told the gathered presidents, including Zimbabwe's veteran leader Robert Mugabe. It echoed remarks made by U.S. President Barack Obama in the same AU hall on a trip to Ethiopia in July. Mugabe, who turns 91 in February and the only leader Zimbabweans have known since 1980, made one of his regular swipes at Western powers who he accuses of still harbouring colonial ambitions and of monopolising power at the United Nations. "Do we allow that group to continue ... to harass us even in our independent countries," Mugabe asked after Ban had spoken. One of the top items on this summit's agenda is the crisis in Burundi, where violence erupted after President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his bid for a third term that opponents said was illegal. He won a disputed election in July. Supporters cite a court ruling that said he could run. In neighbouring Rwanda, a constitutional change approved in a referendum means President Paul Kagame, who has been in office since 2000 and effectively in power far longer, can now run again in 2017 and could stay on until 2034 if he wishes. Western powers criticised Kagame for not stepping aside, saying he should set an example. Uganda's Western allies have said President Yoweri Museveni, bidding for another term in a February vote after three decades in office, should consider quitting although the Ugandan constitution does not set any term limits. "Leaders must protect their people, not themselves," Ban said. "I commend those leaders who committed to stepping aside and respect constitutional term limits." Tanzania's Jakaya Kikwete left office after a maximum two terms last year. However, the candidate of Kikwete's CCM party that been in power for more than half a century won the vote. (Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) RIYADH (Reuters) - U.S. officials said on Sunday they did not believe nine U.S. citizens were among 33 suspects detained on terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia over the past week, as reported by a Saudi newspaper. The English-language daily Saudi Gazette, citing an unnamed source, on Sunday reported that four Americans were detained last Monday, followed by another five in the following days. Saudi authorities also detained 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, a United Arab Emirates citizen, a Palestinian and a citizen of Kazakhstan, the report said. Six U.S. officials told Reuters that the U.S. government could not confirm that any Americans were among the 33 suspects detained. However, two officials said U.S. authorities were still checking names against databases. Saudi authorities were also investigating the citizenship of those detained, one of the officials said. None of the U.S. officials was authorized to speak publicly, and the U.S. embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Saudi Arabia in 2014 declared Islamic State a terrorist organisation and has detained hundreds of its supporters. The group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria, has staged a series of attacks in the kingdom. On Friday an attack at a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in Saudi Arabia's al-Ahsa district in Eastern Province killed four people and injured 18, the latest in a string of attacks claimed by Sunni jihadists that have left over 50 dead in the past year. The website of the Interior Ministry's militant rehabilitation centre listed four U.S. citizens as having been detained on Jan. 25 and four more over the previous three months. It did not list any more recent detentions. The Interior Ministry spokesman directed Reuters to the website, which gives information on all people detained as militant suspects, but gave no further comment. The ministry on Saturday identified one of the attackers in al-Ahsa as 22-year-old Abdulrahman al-Tuwaijri, a Saudi citizen, who detonated an explosive vest outside the Imam Rida mosque in the Mahasen district of Hofuf in al-Ahsa. A 27-year-old was also arrested wearing an explosive vest and carrying hand grenades when members of the mosque's congregation seized him after he fired shots at them during the attack, the ministry said. Attacks by supporters of Islamic State in Saudi Arabia include two bombings and two mass shootings at Shi'ite mosques. A mosque used by Sunni security services was also bombed The Saudi clergy have denounced the group as "kharijites", an early Islamic sect reviled by Muslims for its extreme ideology. (Reporting by Angus McDowall in Riyadh; additional reporting by Mark Hosenball and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Dan Grebler) By Phil Stewart and Nathaniel Taplin WASHINGTON/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of an island claimed by China and two other states in the South China Sea on Saturday to counter efforts to limit freedom of navigation, the Pentagon said, prompting an angry reaction from Beijing. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of world trade is shipped every year. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have rival claims. Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said no ships from China's military were in the vicinity of the guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur when it passed near Triton Island in the Paracel Islands. The U.S. Navy conducted a similar exercise in October in which the guided-missile destroyer Lassen sailed close to one of China's man-made islands, also drawing a rebuke from Beijing. "This operation challenged attempts by the three claimants - China, Taiwan and Vietnam - to restrict navigation rights and freedoms," Davis said, reflecting the U.S. position that the crucial sea lane should be treated as international waters. Davis said the latest operation sought to challenge policies that require prior permission or notification of transit within territorial seas. He said the United States took no position on competing sovereignty claims to naturally formed land features in the South China Sea. "No claimants were notified prior to the transit, which is consistent with our normal process and international law," Davis said. China condemned the U.S. action as provocative. "The American warship has violated relevant Chinese laws by entering Chinese territorial waters without prior permission, and the Chinese side has taken relevant measures including monitoring and admonishments," China's foreign ministry said. China's defense ministry calling the American action "intentionally provocative and "irresponsible and extremely dangerous". The ministry also said that Chinese navy vessels had taken responsive action, conducted identification checks and promptly gave warnings for the ship to keep its distance. "Regardless of whatever provocative steps the American side takes, China's military will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security," the ministry statement concluded. The operation followed calls in Congress for the Obama administration to follow up on the October operation. This month, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee criticized Obama for delaying further freedom of navigation patrols. Senator John McCain said that allowed China to continue to pursue its territorial ambitions in the region, including by landing a plane on a man-made island in the Spratly Islands archipelago. In a statement on Saturday, McCain said he was "encouraged" by the news. "I continue to hope these operations will become so routine that China and other claimants will come to accept them as normal occurrences and releasing press statements to praise them will no longer be necessary," he said. McCain added that the operation challenged the "excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States". (Additional reporting by Michael Martina and Idrees Ali.; Editing by Tom Heneghan and Nick Macfie) Dar es Salaam (AFP) - Tanzanian police have arrested three men after a British pilot was killed when gunmen opened fire on his helicopter as he tracked suspected elephant poachers, a minister said Sunday. Roger Gower, 37, was killed on Friday when his helicopter crashed after it was attacked during a patrol of the Maswa Game Reserve in northern Tanzania, close to the world famous Serengeti National Park. "The suspects are in the hands of police," Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Jumanne Maghembe told AFP. "They are cooperating, and soon more people making up the poaching gang will be netted and brought to justice." Gower's South African colleague, safari guide Nicky Bester, leapt out of the helicopter midair as it crashed and was injured, according to a spokesman from Tanzania's National Parks, Pascal Shelutete. "Three elephant carcasses that were found indicated that whoever shot the chopper down was on a serious illegal hunting spree," Shelutete said, adding such poachers can be "heavily armed with sophisticated military weaponry". Photographs of the crashed helicopter show twisted metal, as well as apparent bullet holes in the fuselage, and smears of blood on the pilot's seat. - 'Cruel criminals' - It was not immediately clear if Gower was killed by the gunshots or when the helicopter crashed. "The suspected poachers shot the helicopter which was on surveillance at a remote game reserve," Maghembe added. "This is a sad incident. We will continue with the war against poachers... these are cruel criminals." The wildlife charity Gower worked for confirmed his death. "Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a coordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers," said a statement from Dan Friedkin, chairman of the Friedkin Conservation Fund. "In the course of this action, the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded." Story continues Conservation officials appealed for help in catching the culprits. "These people killing elephants in our conservation areas live in the neighbourhood, and those with information should come forward," Shelutete added. "We all need to work together to end the killings of elephants and people fighting poaching." Ivory is sought out for jewellery and decorative objects and much of it is smuggled to China, where many increasingly wealthy shoppers are buying ivory trinkets as a sign of financial success. It is estimated that more than 30,000 elephants are killed for their tusks every year. The international ivory trade was banned in 1989, but one-off sales of ivory stockpiles have since been permitted and trade in old ivory is also allowed, giving criminal smugglers cover for their illegal trade. Neighbouring Kenya, which like Tanzania relies on elephants as a key draw for tourists who provide a massive boost for foreign earnings, announced earlier this month it will set fire to its entire remaining stockpile of ivory. The fire of 120 tonnes, expected in April, will be eight times the size of any ivory stockpile destroyed so far, with tusks from several thousand elephants. Kiev (AFP) - Two Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the country's war-torn east where government forces are seeking to put down a pro-Russian insurgency, the first reported casualties in nearly three weeks, Ukraine's military said Sunday, "Over the last day, as a result of clashes one Ukrainian soldier was killed and another three were wounded," military spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told journalists. He was killed by mortar fire on the outskirts of ,Gorlivka, some 30 kilometres (19 miles) northeast of the rebels' de facto capital Donetsk, Motuzyanyk said. The spokesman said the other Ukrainian soldier was killed when his vehicle hit a makeshift explosive device, which also injured another serviceman. Over 9,000 people have been killed and more than 20,000 injured in the conflict in Ukraine since April 2014, according to the United Nations. Kiev and the West have accused Russia of suporting the insurgency and sending regular troops across the border, claims that Moscow has repeatedly denied. A series of truce agreements have helped to significantly reduce the fighting, although sporadic clashes continue on the frontline. Geneva (AFP) - The UN Syria envoy said Sunday he was "optimistic and determined" following an informal meeting with the main opposition group, after it had threatened to leave before planned peace talks begin in earnest. "I am optimistic and determined because it's an historic occasion not to be missed," UN envoy Staffan de Mistura told reporters as he left a Geneva hotel after an informal meeting with delegates from the High Negotiations Committee. The meeting took place outside the UN's European headquarters, where talks on ending Syria's nearly five-year conflict have been scheduled. It came a day after HNC representatives said for now they would not enter the hoped-for indirect talks with representatives of President Bashar al-Assad's government, who began formal talks with de Mistura on Friday. Before agreeing to sit down for the so-called proximity talks, in which de Mistura is set to shuttle between the sides, HNC has demanded that humanitarian aid first gets through to besieged towns, that bombing of civilians ceases and that hundreds of prisoners are released. "We only came to Geneva after written commitments on the fact that there would be serious progress on the humanitarian issues," HNC spokeswoman Basma Kodmani told reporters. "We are here for political negotiations but we cannot start those until we have those gestures," she said. De Mistura meanwhile said it remained unclear if the HNC would agree to an official meeting at the UN later Sunday. It is "up to the HNC to let us know," he said, stressing though that he was "optimistic, and we are working hard." He said he had paid the "courtesy call to the HNC" since "they deserved that we pay attention to their own concerns." "I have been explaining what is the plan and what all meetings are about," he said. He told journalists that HNC would "let you know and let me know when and how they can be part of this exercise." Syria's war has killed more than 260,000 people since March 2011, while half of the country's population has fled their homes and millions have become refugees in neighbouring countries and beyond. Qamishli (Syria) (AFP) - A delegation including senior US diplomat Brett McGurk met members of a Kurd-Arab alliance fighting the Islamic State jihadist group inside Syria, Kurdish sources said Sunday. The weekend visit to the war-torn country -- confirmed by a US official -- appeared to be the first by a senior US government figure inside Syrian territory. McGurk, who is US President Barack Obama's envoy to an international coalition fighting IS in Syria and Iraq, was accompanied by French and British officials, the sources told AFP. One Kurdish source close to the meeting said a "high-level military delegation from the international coalition (against IS)," met Saturday with senior members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance. The source said the talks in the Kurdish town of Kobane covered "military plans" for the fight against IS. "These meetings will have an impact on many developments that will be seen in the area," he added, without providing further details. The talks were confirmed by a second Kurdish source on the ground and reported in Kurdish media. A US official said that McGurk visited Syria at the weekend to take stock of the campaign against IS extremists, but gave few other details. "This visit and the discussions he had are in keeping with the special envoy's efforts to continue looking for ways to increase coalition pressure on ISIL," said the official, using an alternative acronym for the jihadists. The SDF is an alliance of Syrian Kurds and Arabs who are fighting IS with support from the US-led coalition. It is composed mostly of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a powerful militia that has proved Syria's most effective force against IS, along with smaller units of Syrian Arab Muslim and Christian fighters. - Geneva talks - The meetings come after the YPG's political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), was excluded from new peace talks in Geneva being organised by the UN. Story continues Despite cooperation between the US-led coalition and the YPG in the fight against IS, the Kurdish militia and its political branch face fierce opposition from neighbouring Turkey. Ankara considers the PYD and YPG to be affiliates of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an armed insurgency in Turkey, while Syria's opposition accuses them of being too close to the regime in Damascus. But the coalition has worked closely with the YPG since it launched air strikes in Syria in September 2014, expanding a campaign that began in Iraq a month earlier. And that support has continued since the formation of the SDF last October, with US-led air support helping the alliance seize a key dam from IS last month. US-based Kurdish affairs analyst Mutlu Civiroglu said McGurk's visit appeared intended to assuage the Kurds after their exclusion from the Geneva talks. "The goal is to ease Kurdish anger and give them reassurances that they are not being ignored and that they have a part in this process," he said. Kurdish sources earlier told AFP that US Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken had called PYD chair Saleh Muslim to discuss Washington's view on the Kurdish issue and the peace talks. BOGOTA (Reuters) - Venezuelan navy troops crossed their country's border with Colombia on Saturday night before exchanging gunfire with police, the Colombian foreign ministry said on Sunday. A Venezuelan navy patrol pursued several boatmen to the town of Arauquita, on the Colombian bank of the Arauca river, the ministry said in a statement, sparking an exchange of gunfire with Colombian police. There were no injuries. "The government has been investigating the case since last night and has contacted Venezuelan authorities to clarify the circumstances of the event," the ministry said. Diplomatic relations between the neighbors are often fraught. Venezuela closed several border crossings last year and deported thousands of Colombians, before promising to legalize their status if they returned. (Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Andrew Bolton) Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email sunnews@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes London (AFP) - BBC presenter Terry Wogan, one of British television's most familiar faces and the long-running anchor of its Eurovision coverage, died of cancer on Sunday aged 77, his family announced. "Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but brave battle with cancer. He passed away surrounded by his family," said a family statement. Irish-born Wogan had a successful television career, most notably anchoring Britain's flagship chat show during the 1980s, and hosted a hugely popular radio show for 27 years, retiring in 2009. Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain had lost a huge talent. "I grew up listening to him on the radio and watching him on TV," he wrote on Twitter. "His charm and wit always made me smile. "Britain has lost a huge talent -- someone millions came to feel was their own special friend," he added. Irish counterpart Enda Kenny said it was "with great sadness" that he learned of Wogan's death. "Terry's humour and wit were unparallelled and he graced the top of his broadcasting profession for decades," he added. "As an Irishman, Terry Wogan occupied a special place in British listeners' hearts and he acted in no small way as a bridge between Ireland and Britain." - 'Subversive sense of fun' - Wogan started his career as a banker in Ireland but after five years left to become a radio newsreader, beginning a remarkable broadcast career that was recognised with first an OBE and then a knighthood in 2005. He began presenting the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show in 1972, helping it become Europe's most listened-to radio broadcast with a combination of smooth Irish charm and a subversive sense of fun. He also hosted BBC TV chat show "Wogan" from 1982 until 1992, presiding over many memorable moments watched by millions of viewers. They included football legend George Best turning up drunk, former sports presenter David Icke proclaiming himself as "a son of the Godhead", US actor Chevy Chase remaining silent throughout the interview and music icon David Bowie refusing to cooperate. Story continues "David Bowie, well he probably wasn't at his best when I interviewed him," he later said. "I thought a solid slap would have helped the situation. I didn't hit him, of course, but it came close." - 'Most remarkable' Eurovision host - Tony Hall, the BBC's director general, led the tributes, calling Wogan "a national treasure". "For 50 years Sir Terry graced our screens and airwaves," he added. "His warmth, wit and geniality meant that for millions he was a part of the family." Broadcaster and journalist Piers Morgan called him "one of the greatest broadcasters who ever lived". Wogan offered commentary on the Eurovision Song Contest from 1980 until 2008, garnering a huge following with his light-hearted cynicism of the kitsch music competition. In an address to Eurovision delegates shortly after handing over the British commentary to fellow Irishman Graham Norton, Wogan criticised countries who voted together along political lines in the annual singing contest. He told them to stop taking the event so seriously because "everybody knows it is rubbish". Despite occasionally irritating organisers with his remarks, for instance when he named the 2001 hosts "Dr Death and the Tooth Fairy", Eurovision on Sunday tweeted that it was "deeply saddened" by Wogan's passing. "He was without doubt the most remarkable Eurovision commentator in history," the organisation said. Wogan, born in Limerick in 1938, also hosted popular quiz show "Blankety Blank" and annual fundraising event "Children in Need" for over 30 years. "Sir Terry has always been at the heart of the charity," said the fundraiser. "We will miss him so much." He even entered the pop charts in 1978 with his version of popular English folk song "The Floral Dance". A keen golfer, Wogan holds the distinction of sinking the longest ever televised putt, holing from 33 yards during a pro-celebrity tournament. He is survived by three children and his wife Helen Joyce. Zika (Uganda) (AFP) - Down winding paths through dense jungles, Gerald Mukisa kicks up the dry leaves noisily with his feet to provide warning sounds, noting that the late afternoon heat is "snake time". The forest is calm. Only the sound of insects, birdsong and the rustle of monkeys in the jungle canopy above disturb the air. It was here in the thick woodland of Zika forest, some 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Uganda's capital Kampala, that the mosquito-borne Zika virus was first discovered in 1947. The virus, linked to a surge in birth defects, is "spreading explosively", World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan said this week. An emergency meeting on the outbreak is due on February 1. Mukisa, who has worked to guard the forest for the past seven years, only found out about the virus that takes its name two weeks ago. "A few people who live nearby the forest and have heard about it are getting worried," he said. "Many others don't know about it." Days ago, the tropical Zika forest was a little-known reserve visited only by bird watchers and scientists. "Students come every week, coming from all over the world," said Mukisa, 50, proudly showing off a guest book with signatures and comments from the US, Canada, France and Germany, among other countries. "There are so many types of trees, and all sorts of birds." - Jimmy Carter came to birdwatch - Most local cases of the virus were mild, resulting in rash, fever, and red eyes in a small fraction of cases. Global health authorities barely took notice until an outbreak on the Micronesian island of Yap in 2007. An outbreak that began last year in Brazil has been blamed for a surge in birth defects with thousands of babies born with small heads, an incurable and sometimes fatal condition known as microcephaly. Uganda's health ministry is keen to point out it has no known cases of the virus, and that the current Americas' outbreak did not originate in East Africa. Story continues "We have not recorded a case in Uganda in several years and we don't have such an outbreak," the ministry said in a statement. "As a country, our disease and epidemic response systems are strong as evidenced in the way we have handled past viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks." Uganda has suffered outbreaks of Ebola in the past, as well as a mysterious illness known as "nodding disease". Today the forest, close to the main highway from Uganda's international airport at Entebbe to the nearby capital Kampala, remains a research site for the Uganda Virus Research Institue (UVRI), an environmental health and protection agency founded in 1936, which is headquarted some 15 kilometres (nine miles) away. "Warning! Uganda Virus Research Institute Land. Don't Trespass", reads one metal sign amid the thick vegetation, the red paint peeling in the sun. Ruth Mirembe, 24, who lives beside the forest, learnt about the virus on Facebook. "I'm not worried," she said. - Virus changes over time - Also spelt Ziika, the 12 hectare (30 acre) site with over 60 different types of mosquito, means "overgrown" in the local language, Luganda. UVRI notes proudly the "most prominent visitor" to Zika was the former US President Jimmy Carter "who came on a bird watching tour". The details of the virus' discovery, written up in a 1952 paper by Britain's Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, described the "forested area called Zika", where scientists were researching yellow fever among small rhesus macaque monkeys. "This area of forest consists of a narrow, dense belt of high but broken canopy growth with clumps of large trees," the 1952 paper read. "It lies along the edge of a long arm of Lake Victoria from which it is separated by a papyrus swamp." Top UVRI scientist Julius Lutwama, 56, described how caged monkeys had been placed at different heights, with a 36 metre (120 foot) steel tower allowing researchers to carry out studies in the canopy of the thick trees. "Blood samples would be taken from these monkeys to try to diagnose yellow fever, but actually that is how this disease was found," he said. There is no vaccine against Zika, which top US health authorities described on Thursday as a "brand new" virus that has expanded swiftly in recent years and been linked to brain damage in babies. "What has happened in South America is that it has changed a little bit... and through these changes it has become more aggressive towards humans," Lutwama said. "This small change has resulted in it posing deep problems in the human population." But Lutwama, like Uganda's health ministry, say he is not concerned and it poses little threat to Uganda, where people have always lived with it. "Zika virus has always been a mild infection. Out of say five or 10 people who are infected, only one or two may actually show some fever that is noticeable," Lutwama added. "Probably the other thing for us is that we have so many other viruses in the same group, so they confer some kind of immunity towards each other." Hard times for local meat industry Livestock farmer from Wallerfield, Christopher Springer, told Sunday Newsday he has been in the business for the past ten years but things have gotten especially difficult over the past three to four years. He said while people eat pork throughout the year, local farmers rarely get sales during this time. Instead, he said, the Christmas Season was the time for fresh pork. He pointed out that usually at the beginning of the year he would only have his three sows for breeding, which he would time so that the piglets would be 100 to 150 pounds by Christmas. Springer said previously, he would sell about 20 pigs, but this year, he sold less than ten. This year I didnt raise as many as I would usually and it was a good thing because now Im left with 15. I know other farmers with 50 sows and piglets left over, he said. He identified the main problem as competition from overseas with meat, some frozen for over 180 days, being imported at a cheap price. With a public that is ignorant on the risks of importing chemical laden, months old frozen meat, many make purchases based on price. Imported pork sells at $49 for four pounds, while fresh local pork sells for $14 to $20 per pound, live weight. According to Central Statistical Office (CSO) figures, in 2014, farmers sold 74,162; 0; 23,404; 0; 50,277; and 481 kilogrammes of mutton to processors, butchers, supermarkets, restaurants and hotels, households and other outlets, respectively. It was even worse with goat as 34,721; 0; 18,989; 935; 13,204; and 1,593 kilogrammes being sold. Parents demand new school Yesterdays protest action was led by President of the PTA Nola Ramjohn-Karim and Member of Parliament Princes Town Barry Padarath they both called for an end to the shift system and demanded that a new school be built. Speaking to reporters, Padarath said, We are asking the Ministry (Education) to intervene and give us their short term and long term solution and when can we expect the commencement of a new school for the Princes Town Presbyterian School. We are giving them a time line of one week to respond and failure to do so, we are willing to do whatever it takes to get a new school. Ramjohn said the de-shifting was temporary solution and the last administration had promised that a new school will be built. The condemned school building located at Edward Street Princes Town was deemed unsafe for students and teachers, reporters were told. Newsday spoke to Chairman of the Presbyterian Primary Schools Board Carlyle Mulchan and Education Minister Dr Lovell Francis who both called for patience from the concerned parents as they work together to solve the problem. UNC corporations cry $$ foul Those at the meeting were chairman of the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation Henry Awong; chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation Leo Doodnath; Chairman of the Rio/Claro Mayaro Corporation Hazzari Ramdeen; chairman of the Princes Town Regional Corporation Aiknath Singh; Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodan and former Minister of Works and Transport, Dr Surujrattan Rambachan. The chairman complained that they were being shafted by government, leaving them incapable of efficiently providing goods and services to respective burgesses. Furthermore, they were also concerned about the axing of litter wardens at a time when government is calling on citizens to clean up their environment to prevent the breeding of the aedes aegypti mosquito which spreads diseases including Dengue Fever, Chikungunya and Zika virus. We are very concerned about what is happening to local government in the context of what is happening to the management of the economy overall by the current administration. I want to say in the beginning that we are very much in favor of programmes to deal with the preventative measures as relates to the Zika virus. But at the same time, having said that and having listened to the Minister of Health in terms of what he has defined and elaborated upon for the role of local government, there is a mismatch between what he is asking local government to do and the resources that have been given to local government to carry out those functions, Rambachan said. Chairman Aiknath Singh said the squeeze in money disbursement by Central Government has greatly impacted his corporations ability to provide services to over 110,000 burgesses. Rambachan said the acquisition of chemicals and vehicles to facilitate the spraying of neighborhoods to safeguard against mosquitos has been greatly affected by cuts. He expressed concern over the axing of litter wardens from all UNC-controlled corporations five from the PTRC,14 from the CTTRC, 14 from the Siparia Regional Corporation, six from the Penal/ Debe Corporation, three from the Mayaro Corporation and 14 from the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, which he said has exacerbated the litter crisis in these corporations. Turning to politics, Rambachan said that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowleys appointment of Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses as Minister in the Ministry of National Security was a slap in the face of National Security Minister Edmund Dillon What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames news China is planning to have at least 110 nuclear reactors running by 2030. China, the worlds largest energy consumer, is likely to add five or six nuclear reactors every year from 2016 to 2030, according to estimates in the draft 13th Five-Year Plan. By then, nuclear power will account for 8 to 10 percent of the total energy mix. Its current share is about 2 percent. China is seeking to develop indigenous reactor technologies. Its three nuclear power companies are working to adapt the third-generation nuclear technology to the domestic market. The first unit of Hualong One nuclear power plant already runs on homegrown third-generation technology developed jointly by China National Nuclear Corp and China General Nuclear Power Group. Some 85 percent of such reactors can be made domestically, with a design life of 60 years. Both CGN and CNNC have their own supply chains. So their versions of Hualong One will differ but only slightly as the reactor design is standardized, which means 28 technical features remain the same. CNNC is also developing a fast-neutron reactor, corresponding to fourth-generation technology. This would enable China to depend less on imported supplies of uranium. The state-backed company was behind Chinas first fast-neutron reactor, the China Experimental Fast Reactor, in 2011, whose operations reached full capacity in 2014. The pool-type fast-neutron reactor has a thermal capacity of 65 mW and can produce 20 mW of electricity. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute designed CAP1400, another third-generation nuclear reactor technology, based on the AP1000 reactor technology developed by the United States-based Westinghouse Electric Co. China has promoted CAP1400 both domestically and abroad. The restart of the third nuclear reactor in Japan to clear post-Fukushima safety rules on Friday is a small step in the countrys quest to reestablish atomic energy as part of its energy mix. Kansai Electric Power Co. resumed operations at the No. 3 unit of its Takahama plant near the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto Japans 40 other operable reactors remain shut in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 that caused a meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Co.s Fukushima Dai-Ichi facility. Twenty-five have applied to restart. More nuclear-powered electricity generation will help reduce Japans fuel import bill and lead to lower electricity rates for consumers. The restart will also help the government reach its goal of having nuclear power make up as much as 22 percent of the nations energy needs by 2030. A total of about 30 to 33 reactors will need to restart to meet the governments target, according to Syusaku Nishikawa, a Tokyo-based analyst at Daiwa Securities Co. Rob Chang, a managing director and head of metals and mining for Canada, forecasts three other Japanese reactors will come back online in 2016, bringing the nations total to five. Eight more will start in 2017 and a total of 37 reactors will be online by 2020. Japan imported about 85 million metric tons of LNG last year, down 3.9 percent from the previous year in the first decline since 2009, according to data from the countrys finance ministry. Thermal coal imports rose to a record. The countrys LNG imports will fall by 2.4 million tons this year and by a further 2.2 million tons in 2017, largely because of the restart of nuclear plants. 50 trillion BTU = 1 million tons of LNG Each 1 million BTU of LNG costs japan about $8.75 and that was as high as $18. Each 50 trillion BTU or 1 million tons of LNG is costing Japan $440 million. As of 2012, the PM2.5 pollution level (particulate matter of 2.5 micron size) had exceeded the per-cubic-meter safety ceiling of 15 micrograms (annual average) and 35 micrograms (daily average) at about 60 percent of the monitoring sites around the country. Japan already had significant air pollution deaths before fukushima. Since 2011 air quality has gotten worse Japans air quality is bad because of air pollution blown in from China and because of increased coal and fossil fuel usage. Feb 27, 2014 in Tokyo. China had an air pollution event and it effected Japan. Japan also produces substantial air pollution. Japan went from about 65% power from non-fossil fuel sources to 90% power from fossil fuel (coal, oil and natural gas) after shutting down the nuclear reactors. Most of the new energy construction plans in Japan have been for so-called base-load coal-fired plants. In 2014, Tokyo Electric Power Co, operator of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, and other regional monopolies were planning to add 11,000 megawatts (MW) of gas- and coal-fired electrical capacity. If the plans all come to fruition, Japans coal-fired power capacity would increase to around 47 gigawatts over the next decade or so, up 21% from the time right before the Fukushima accident. In 2009, Japan agreed, along with the other G8 nations, to reduce its carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050. The 43 coal plants would have a combined carbon footprint equal to 10 percent of Japans current total emissions, and equal to 50 percent of the total emissions it had aimed to have in 2050. Welcome to the new Enlightenment, an era when suppressed science, hidden history and the enlightening nature of reality are all revealed to those with eyes to see and ears to hear. These are the thoughts and ideas of New Illuminati - bold forerunners and pioneers of new awareness all over the globe. Notes on new emerging paradigms from the NEXUS New Times Magazine Founder R. Ayana, who lives in a remote Australian rainforest (and is no longer involved with the magazine) - Catching drops from the deluge in a paper cup since 1984. Follow us via Facebook, Google+, Friend Connect, rss, Networked Blogs, Twitter or join the mailing list below for regular updates. We won't use your address for anything else. Please COMMENT at the end of any entry and see the realtime CHAT ROOM below this column, where you can find plenty of STREAMING VIDEOS. Together we can create the best of all possible worlds! Wake County Public Schools are growing at a slower rate than expected, and the reasons for this trend illuminate the growing gap between what the traditional public schools offer and what many parents want for their children.Local news reports say that, despite adding about 3,900 students over the last two years, Wake County school enrollment has actually been about 1,000 students less than projected in each of the last two years. Yet new students have been flocking to charter, private and home schools in increasing numbers.So what do the changes mean? At the very least, they should prompt us to cast a more skeptical eye on WCPSS enrollment estimates. The fact is that enrollment estimates have been consistently too high for the last couple of years. Because the numbers drive operating costs and influence capital budgets, there are consequences to getting the enrollment estimates wrong. School planners recently reported that North Carolina's largest school system will grow by 2,000 students for the next few years - instead of more than 3,000 children annually, as was projected with earlier estimates.While the overall numbers are important, a closer look shows more fundamental changes such as growing public support for school choice. In the past three years, charter school enrollment in Wake County has increased 54 percent. News reports say the number of new students in charter schools (2,022) surpassed the number of new students in the traditional public schools (1,884) last year. (The county opened four new charter schools in that time.)In addition, over the past three years, the number of new homeschoolers is up more than 2,800 students. There are now more than 10,400 homeschoolers in Wake County.The steady migration toward charter and home school alternatives demonstrates that the public has embraced these educational alternatives. Our statewide polls bear this out. In November, the Civitas monthly poll asked likely North Carolina voters: If you could select any type of school to obtain the best education for your child, what type of school would you select? Sixty-two percent of respondents choose charter, private, magnet, virtual or home school options. Thirty-two percent of respondents chose traditional public schools.Lest you think these responses are outliers, in recent years we asked virtually the same question in other polls. The percentages opting for traditional public schools ranged between 32 and 41 percent, while the combined percentages of parents opting for charter, private, home school, virtual or magnet school ranged from 47 percent to 63 percent, with the last three polls producing even higher numbers: 53 percent (March 2013), 59 percent (July 2015) and 63 percent (November 2015).The numbers identify a disconnect between the educational options currently available to parents and the options parents want for their children. These options are indicative of an ongoing discussion about the definition of public education in North Carolina and elsewhere. To better understand what's going on, in Part 2 of this series we will take a closer look at the ideas underlying American education, then and now. Our Mission Nomadicity brings enlightenment to the ignorant, clarity to the confused, empowerment to the dispossessed, healing to the wounded, hope to the downtrodden, drink to the thirsty, redemption to the damned, and grace to the awkward through a unique combination of primary field research, stringently fact-based deductive reasoning interpreted through the twin prisms of the Marxist dialectic and Buddhist philosophy (with the occaisional Roman Catholic influence) and our secret blend of 11 mediterranean herbs and spices. Hypocrisy, racism, xenophobia, capitalism, creationism, mediocrity, and polygamy are rejected as fundamentally flawed; cash donations are however accepted with gratitude and humility as long as no reciprocal obligations beyond the raising of a toast to our patron's health are incurred. Recipes for food, cocktails or improvised explosive devices (IEDs); sex techniques, dating strategies or contraceptive devices (IUDs); advice concerning equity, debt and short-term capital instruments (IOUs); driving directions, first aid information, foreign language phrases, legal advice, self-defence manuvers, hotel and restaurant recommendations, style, fashion, or interior decorating hints; business, marketing, gambling or fund-raising strategies and any other information provided by Nomadicity are given on a good-faith, best-effort basis and are believed to be accurate and effective at the time of posting; however, none have been previously tested on animals and Nomadicity can accept no liability for any consequences; reader discretion is advised. I have been meaning to round up together a post on my accommodations from the places I had the opportunity to travel to in 2015; more like an easy reckoner though. I have mentioned whether free WiFi is available at these places and the tariff bracket under which they could be categorized. The shoe-string budget traveller that I am, I have 3 categories: < 1000 INR < 2500 INR and < 4000 INR. These are single night rates on double occupancy basis. On an island in the Sundarbans (West Bengal, India) Back in 2014, I received feedback from readers that while my posts spoke of my experiences, I had missed out on mentioning places I would stay at. Thats how iAmend happened.I have been meaning to round up together a post on my accommodations from the places I had the opportunity to travel to in 2015; more like an easy reckoner though. I have mentioned whether free WiFi is available at these places and the tariff bracket under which they could be categorized. The shoe-string budget traveller that I am, I have 3 categories:< 1000 INR< 2500 INR and< 4000 INR.These are single night rates on double occupancy basis. Disclaimer #1: Homestays are not as much of a phenomenon in all parts of the country. So I have had to make do by staying at hotels. And sometimes also due to my budgetary constraints! Homestays are not as much of a phenomenon in all parts of the country. So I have had to make do by staying at hotels. And sometimes also due to my budgetary constraints! Disclaimer #2: This is post has been a month overdue! This is post has been a month overdue! Jammu and Kashmir (Ladakh) This trip was my first ever fully sponsored one courtesy a contest run by Tripoto that I had won! Hotel Thongsal located very close to the Shanti Stupa in Leh is not very hotel-like. And that for me was a very good thing; this in spite of the fact that there are rooms and a restaurant (as is in every hotel). The owners have a property in Nubra Valley as well and that turned out to be my first ever glamping experience! WiFi: Yes Tariff: < 4000 INR Want to know why I think you SHOULD NOT go to Ladakh though? Read this Empty kawah cup and two great companions at Thongsal in Leh, Jammu and Kasmir (India) Delhi s apartment. This was just the kind of quiet, relaxed space I needed (and thankfully found). Proximity to the metro station and even the Qutub Minar make it even more likeable. Shubhneet as well as his staff at the apartment were not just helpful but also non-interfering. Towards my last leg in Delhi, I found my accommodation needs being taken care of by AirBnb where I stumbled upon Shubhneet apartment. This was just the kind of quiet, relaxed space I needed (and thankfully found). Proximity to the metro station and even the Qutub Minar make it even more likeable. Shubhneet as well as his staff at the apartment were not just helpful but also non-interfering. WiFi: Yes Tariff: < 2500 INR Zostel Delhi I also spent some time atwhich was very refreshing given that I had - in all this time of traveling about the place - never stayed at a hostel. WiFi: Yes Tariff: < 1000 INR To read about a little experiment I carried out at Zostel read this Zostel Delhi Rajasthan My third stop-over of the year was at the Pink City for a friends wedding. So when I and a few of my friends got in there a day early to indulge in city exploration, we made ourselves comfortable at Hotel Umaid Bhavan. The hotel has some very interesting decor be it in the rooms or even at the restaurant. The pool beckons everyone rather invitingly. Located a little away from the main road, the hotel keeps its patrons away from the din of its noisy streets. WiFi: No Tariff: < 4000 INR I returned to the state to visit Udaipur in September and was glad to have found Aashiya Haveli. Even though we had made a reservation prior to arrival, our host was very generous to upgrade us to the room facing Lake Pichola at no extra cost simply because it was vacant anyway. Whats not to love about a lake view room and hospitality that extends itself so much! For food though one could frequent the multiple restaurants all over the place as the homestay does not prepare and serve food to its guests. WiFi: No Tariff: < 2500 INR Being serenaded by the view of Lake Pichola in Udaipur (Rajasthan, India) Inn Seventh Heaven was a great find with its very relaxed vibe. Somewhat hostel-like in its overall feel, its a great place for backpackers. It is an old haveli that has been restored and converted into a hotel in a very elaborate manner. WiFi: Yes Tariff: < 2500 INR Youll find more about the Udaipur and Pushkar experience here Bihar This goes down as the only place I didnt pre-book prior to making the trip itself. I spent some five weeks in Bihar in early 2015. And it was only natural for me to make that trip to Nalanda and Bodh Gaya. I wasnt certain about where I wanted to make a stop. But when I did, it was at Rajgir. Situated along the road and at a suitable proximity (read: walking distance) from some of the local sites was Siddharth Hotel. The rooms are spacious and the staff warm which matters when traveling solo (at least to me). WiFi: No Tariff: < 2500 INR Curious to know whats there to do in these parts of Bihar? Do read my post which offers a little bit of that insight Venu Van, Rajgir (Bihar) Besides, Rajgir I did stay in Patna, Muzzaffarpur and Madhubani where I was provided accommodation by NGOs or the charity-based organizations I was visiting. In small-town Kishanganj, however, I stayed at a nondescript place - Hotel Puja which truth be told didnt feel very welcoming. West Bengal I began my journey into and through West Bengal by spending some time in Barasat where I was provided accommodation by the organization I was meeting with. From there of course I headed off to Bolpur to celebrate my first ever Holi at Tagores Santiniketan. almost pleading. To this day I maintain that my experience of Holi would not have happened were it not for my host, Ms Nayana, being accommodating and considering my request. Over a phone call. With mepleading. WiFi: No Tariff: < 4000 INR Youll find more about Bolpur, Holi and my homestay experience here Homestay.com came to my rescue in helping me figure my homestay in Kolkata. And as it would turn out, my host Mr. Shomir was also the trustee of one of the NGOs I was meeting with in Kolkata. Shomir and his wife, Connie were great hosts. Not only did they help me figure out the best ways to commute the city and recommend places to eat and see, I also got taken out to dinner by them. It truly felt like I was meeting family in a distant town! WiFi: Yes Tariff: < 2500 INR To read about what I did in Kolkata click here My hosts - Shomir (centre) and Connie (right) with a friend of theirs to the left - in Kolkata (West Bengal, India) This was a TripAdvisor find. Sundarbans had been on the travel bucket-list for much longer than I wouldve liked. So the stint in Kolkata allowed for me to plan my time and ensure I crossed this item. WiFi: No Tariff: < 4000 INR If you want to know about my Sundarbans experience, read this Chhattisgarh The state has enamoured me for some reason; this in spite of other peoples perception of it. But then I dont care so much about how people perceive a place. Were that to ever hold true, Id never ever travel. I got lucky in Raipur because a friends family warmly welcomed me in. This was a homestay experience of a different kind itself, to say the least. But it was Jagdalpur with its natural simplicity that stole my heart. Here in Bastar region, the NGO folk were generous enough to save me the money Id otherwise spend at a hotel by providing me space for a nights stay. You can find out how I unlearnt fear in Chhattisgarh with this post Madhya Pradesh Google homestays in Gwalior and youll find Sambhaji Vilas. Move to its website and you realise what a find it is a family run heritage homestay of the Angres who have been living there through the generations since the late 18th century. WiFi: No Tariff: < 4000 INR If youre the creative kind who thrives in quiet places, Jheelum Homestay would be your kind of place. Located away from the hustle and bustle of the city along Bhojtal - the oldest man-made lake in India - my hosts were a retired Army official and his wife with whom conversations over meals would revolve around sharing notes about experiencing India from its different parts. WiFi: Yes Tariff: < 1000 INR More about the experience of being in Madhya Pradesh here The view of Bhojtal from my homestay in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh, India) Odisha My stay at Hotel Pushpak was a fairly good experience because like Rajgir here too the hotel staff were quite warm (doubling as my go-tos for reccos sometimes). A decently sized room that was well ventilated also made a difference. WiFi: Yes Tariff: < 2500 INR My curiosity around the Chandipur beach in north Odisha near Balasore was realised when it coincided with a visit to an NGO in Baliapal. The OTDC hotel is right at the beach providing its patrons with unrestricted access to this not-so-touristy beach WiFi: No Tariff: < 1000 INR Bhawanipatna is a place that will not ring too many bells in most peoples head but if I mention Kalahandi, it just might! Kalahandi is amongst the regions in India with the lowest HDI. My visit to the region was a little over than 24 hours and my stay Hotel Centre Perk was a lot better than I had expected. It has a business feel to it and reaffirmed to me that not every small-town needs to live up to the repute media paints around it. WiFi: Yes Tariff: < 1000 INR You can read about all about why Chandipur aroused my curiosity, my day trip to Konark and Pipali by public transport and the joy of the train journey to Kalahandi here The countryside at Baliapal in northern Odisha (India) Andhra Pradesh Vijayawada was a very sudden last minute detour I had to make prior to making my way to Telangana. Arriving in Vijayawada felt a lot like Holi in Santiniketan only that instead of a festival every other hotel seemed to have been reserved entirely for the multiple weddings that were happening the very day I had arrived. Hotel Continental Park was where I found refuge. And an extremely comfortable stay. Breakfast was complimentary and so was WiFi (Maslows Hierarchy of Needs always assumes a different avatar when food and WiFi as being complimentary are mentioned in the same breath). The rooms were designed for comfort and a very modern in their look. WiFi: Yes Tariff: < 2500 INR A signage at Hotel Continental Park in Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh, India) Telangana Here is where I sought AirBnB and my luck couldnt have gotten any better because I found a very warm host to add to my list. What I knew of Ambica prior to meeting her, I knew from the reviews left behind by the previous guests. And everything about her and her place were just as described. What made it better was that she shares in the wanderlust, so breakfast conversations alternated between her itching to go to Ladakh and backpacking through parts of Europe! In her, I found a roomie-cum-friend with whom dinner and movie plans became normal in the 10 days I was there. WiFi: Yes Tariff: < 2500 INR The warmest of welcomes are made of things such as these. Ambica's note at Hyderabad, Telangana (India) Tamil Nadu When youve spent almost a week on trains (and one of those was spanned over 80 hours), any place on terra firma feels like bliss. But if youre at the Vivekananda Kendra, be assured it is bliss raised to the power n! The property is not just massive but also very well kept. My friend and I had a massive cottage that came with two gigantic rooms (each with its own gigantic bathroom) in addition to a living room and a kitchen area! Bliss raised to the power n, indeed! WiFi: No Tariff: < 2500 INR More about what I did in Kanyakumari in this post Peacock spotting at the Vivekanada Kendra in Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu, India) 2015 has been a combination of solo and group travel - though it's mostly been the former. So a lot of the places mentioned above are solo travel friendly. It has been an ever widening circle of like-minded people who are driven by a similar mission of making travel within India more comfortable and endearing in every way possible! Do let me know if you've found this post to be helpful and share feedback please! 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. The Secret to Happiness is the Joy of the Lord; and the joy of the Lord is His manifest presence in your life. It is our Privilege and Responsibility to Glorify God; and we glorify God by manifesting His character every moment and in every situation. Humility and Pride You can tell a humble man that he has a problem with pride and he will agree with you; but if you tell a proud man that he has a problem with pride, he becomes your enemy. This one thing I know for sure, that whenever there is a problem with my relationship with the Lord, it is not His fault. Some people are just plain lazy; some people are just overly sensitive to gravity; others are simply economical with their energy. It's not enough to preach the Gospel; you must be the Gospel. If you can describe your life in a nutshell, there's a good probability that you're a nut. As a good Canadian, I'd like to apologize in advance for anything I might say that offends you; sometimes my mouth hits high gear while my brain is still in low. Never allow the thought, "I am of no use where I am"; because you certainly can be of no use where you are not. Oswald Chambers We cannot even begin to approach the Truth until we are willing to go wherever the Truth leads us. The newest object of idol worship is 'my opinion'! Suffering is the only experience we have in common with every other human who ever lived. Conservatives and secular observers may not have noticed, but HRCs approach to religious outreach differs from Obamas. Photo: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images Ever since the rise of the Christian Right in the late 1970s, Democrats have been baffled about how to respond to religion-based attacks on liberal politics. They have often tried to change the subject from cultural to more congenial economic topics. More recently, theyve promoted dialogue and outreach to conservative religious leaders, often seeking common ground that arguably makes irreducible differences on issues like abortion that much more apparent, while undercutting the position of progressive religious constituencies. Barack Obama has been the subject of many intra-progressive debates over religion and politics. He entered the White House unmoored from his own faith community after having to disassociate himself from the inflammatory views (and increasingly, personal antagonism) of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Apparently due to security concerns, he didnt join a church in Washington, and has habitually cited as spiritual advisers relatively conservative figures like prosperity gospel preacher T.J. Jakes and megachurch minister Joel Hunter. Even such progressive advisors as social justice crusader Jim Wallis tended towards conservatism on reproductive rights and marriage issues. Whatever his motives, Obamas approach to religious outreach has not been a political success; his modest inroads into evangelical voting blocs in 2008 were largely reversed in 2012, and as he prepares to leave office, the belief that hes not a Christian or is perhaps even a Muslim has become common among religious conservatives. So would Hillary Clinton, a lifelong adherent of that most middle-of-the-road of Christian faith communities, the United Methodists, represent a step away from religious polarization? One would think so. But then again, a new Pew survey of religious perceptions of presidential candidates shows that Americans do not think of her as being any more religious than her main primary opponent, Bernie Sanders, who has never professed any affiliation with organized religion (both Clinton and Sanders, ironically, are perceived as more religious than evangelical voter favorite Donald Trump, though much less religious than other Republican candidates). Still, the Clinton camp clearly thinks HRCs faith story is important, whether its a matter of voter identification with her or simply a token of authenticity. Bill Clinton mentioned her Methodism as the key to understanding his wife in a conversation with an Iowa voter just yesterday. And Hillary Clinton herself discussed it at some length in an Iowa forum this week, saying, among other things: My study of the Bible, my many conversations with people of faith, has led me to believe the most important commandment is to love the Lord with all your might and to love your neighbor as yourself, and that is what I think we are commanded by Christ to do, and there is so much more in the Bible about taking care of the poor, visiting the prisoners, taking in the stranger, creating opportunities for others to be lifted up, to find faith themselves that I think there are many different ways of exercising your faith. But I do believe that in many areas judgment should be left to God, that being more open, tolerant and respectful is part of what makes me humble about my faith, and I am in awe of people who truly turn the other cheek all the time, who can go that extra mile that we are called to go, who keep finding ways to forgive and move on. Those are really hard things for human beings to do, and there is a lot, certainly in the New Testament, that calls us to do that. This is a classic liberal Christian formulation of the faith, perhaps more prosaic than Obamas own occasionally profound ruminations on doubt as central to faith, but familiar to millions of mainline Protestants and liberal Catholics. If she continues to articulate it, she may not improve her or her partys reputation with conservative evangelicals or traditionalist Catholics. But she will give voice to similarly inclined religious people who will no longer have to watch political liberals look past them in their preoccupation with the Christian Right, whose view of itself as representing the only authentic Christians is often reinforced by secular observers. As veteran religion-and-politics reporter Sarah Posner acutely noted, Clinton might want to make it clear that she not only rejects the conservative monopoly on faith, but also respects political and constitutional limitations on faith and the importance of church/state separation. Replacing an arrogant and intolerant Christian Right with an arrogant and marginally less intolerant Christian Left (not that its ever likely to happen) would indeed represent an affront to important American traditions, and to Christian humility, for that matter. But at least Clinton is hunting for votes on her own religious turf. For Bernie Sanders so-called revolution, the curtain is about to rise. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images DES MOINES Its a relatively warm if occasionally wet day in Iowa, though a winter storm could be bearing down on the western part of the state when the Caucuses start up at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow. (Many of us Caucus-watchers are getting nervous about our Tuesday flights!) But Winter Storm Selzer has already come and gone with the release of the final Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll from Selzer and Company which showed Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton as the likely winners tomorrow night. The poll offered particularly bad news for Republicans Marco Rubio whose supposed big surge was not detected by Selzer and the six once-formidable candidates (Christie, Bush, Fiorina, Kasich, Huckabee and Santorum) who were in the low single-digits. It also made it pretty clear that Bernie Sanders needs to kick out the jams in getting first-time caucus-goers out, because Clintons lead looks solid among the most likely participants. Inside a Clinton campaign office in West Burlington, Iowa. Photo: Michael B. Thomas/AFP/Getty Images Today most of the candidates are out and around the state mostly in the Quad Cities or Cedar Rapids to the East of Des Moines, and Sioux City and Council Bluff to the west though Clinton, Sanders and Cruz all wind up in or near the capital tonight for final pre-caucus events. For those with something to win or lose tomorrow, its all about firing up volunteers and fine-tuning organization at this point. For the also-rans, its a matter of gritting ones teeth and getting through the final huzzahs before quickly moving on to New Hampshire or (most likely for Huckabee and Santorum) getting out of the race altogether. All in might not nearly be enough for Jeb. Photo: Joshua Lott/Getty Images The Democratic race is close enough that theres considerable suspense about the results. A Clinton win would likely squelch all the recent buzz about Sanders and the lip-licking anticipation among Republicans and media types alike that he might win the first two states and send Team Hillary into a 2008-style tailspin. Sanders would likely still be favored in New Hampshire, where hes been leading by double-digits in recent polls, but the pressure would shift to his camp. A Sanders upset in Iowa would put the race right back where it was a couple of weeks ago, with Bernie fans looking for signs of post-New Hampshire momentum but otherwise feeling fine. Really strong turnout for @tedcruz here in Iowa City. This race is TIGHT people pic.twitter.com/7SQnC4OEGO Maeve Reston (@MaeveReston) January 31, 2016 On the Republican side, there are two conflicting dynamics: Cruzs highly reputed get-out-the-vote organization versus Trump supporters enthusiasm; and the leakage in Cruzs zeppelin in recent days as hes been pounded by everyone in sight, culminating in a very shaky debate performance Thursday night. Many establishment Republicans are hoping for a third dynamic: a last-minute burst for Rubio that was not detected by Selzer. The good news for Rubio (even if the surge does not materialize) is that he is likely to finish far, far ahead of his rivals in the so-called Establishment Republican Lane: Kasich, Bush and Christie. So if anyone gets a bump going into New Hampshire, its Marco, and Cruzs late struggles in Iowa could give Rubio a boost as well. Rubio: "This is by far our largest crowd not just today but this week." Having attended all of them, this is true pic.twitter.com/vKLbdBMAg5 Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) January 31, 2016 But putting aside all the speculation about the standing of this or that Republican candidate, the big question coming out of Iowa (assuming the order of finish is what Selzer projected) is exactly where and how Donald Trump is going to lose. Iowa was generally considered his worst state until recently. Hes leading in the polls in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, and in all the March 1 states (with the exception of the Minnesota caucus) and March 15 states with recent polling, including Rubios Florida and Kasichs Ohio. The idea of, say, Rubio prevailing late in a one-on-one competition with Trump requires a clearing-out of the Establishment Lane very soon, and a Rubio victory in his own state on March 15. These are becoming dicey propositions. Establishment Republicans may continue to suffer the agony of trying to decide whether they prefer the self-inflicted gunshot of a Cruz nomination or the poison of Donald Trump. It has been far too many years since the Woke theology interlaced its canons within the fabric of the Indoctrination Realm, so it is nigh time to ask: Does this Representative Republic continue, as a functioning society of a self-governed people, by contending with the unusual, self absorbed dictates of the Woke, and their vast array of Victimhood scenarios? Yes, the Religion of Woke must continue; there are so many groups of underprivileged, underserved, a direct result of unrelenting Inequity; they deserve everything. No; the Woke fools must be toppled from their pedestal; a functioning society of a good Constitutional people cannot withstand this level of "existential" favoritism as it exists now, unending. Trump has previously said he opposed same-sex marriages because hes a traditional guy. Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images In what is surely a last-minute bid for more support among conservative Christians in Iowa, Donald Trump has suggested that he would seek to overturn last summers landmark ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in the U.S. Speaking with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday, Trump attacked the Supreme Courts 5-4 decision, and confirmed he would strongly consider appointing new justices who would overturn the ruling, since he believes it should have been a states-rights issue: I wish that it was done by the state. I dont like the way they ruled. I disagree with the Supreme Court from the standpoint they should have given the state it should be a states rights issue. This is a very surprising ruling. And I I can see changes coming down the line, frankly. But I would have much preferred that they ruled at a state level and allowed the states to make those rulings themselves. If Im elected I would be very strong in putting certain judges on the bench that maybe could change thing, but they have a long way to go. Aside from once supporting civil-union benefits for gay couples back in 2000, Trump has been a consistent opponent of marriage equality and same-sex partner benefits since then, and has maintained that he thought the marriage-rights issue should have remained a state-level decision. However, he also told the Hollywood Reporter in August that anybody continuing to fight the ruling was just playing politics: Some people have hopes of passing amendments, but its not going to happen. Congress cant pass simple things, let alone that. So anybody thats making that an issue is doing it for political reasons. The Supreme Court ruled on it. Back during the Kim Davis marriage-license standoff in Kentucky, Trump additionally remarked that she should have obeyed the law, noting that, You have to go with it. The decisions been made, and that is the law of the land. that was my argument, but then the reveal was like no, it's in the US! I'm like people, that shit is in fucking ontario Reply Parent Thread Link Looks like it's in Quebec. Reply Parent Thread Link It's idioic to assume North America would have one school, there's no way for so many reasons. The general size The fact that the US was slowly expanded over decades and decades taking over other people's lands The Fact that the land started out as OTHER PEOPLES It's easy to say a place like the UK would only have one school because it's so small and basically been the same people for its entire history but there's no way that would work for the US There would need to be like at least four imo Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i'm so sick of hp related media, and i grew up with the damn series Reply Thread Link She just needs to release a bunch of supplementary material listing every wizard school, because I'm choosing to believe there are older magic schools in the Americas. Reply Thread Link God, there would have to be SO MANY schools here, with how much various exploring and land stealing and shit that went down in the Americas there's no way there could only be one like Hogwarts Like you are not telling me California witches and wizards are going all the damn way across this country for school and speaking of California, that shit used to be Mexico. Would there be a Mexcian school there? Would it have been taken over by white witches and wizards???? Imo, JK probs just should have stayed away from trying to get a canon over here. There's too much land changing history. Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, there's an argument that the current school system wouldn't have existed back then, since modern schools and universities were essentially invented in the middle ages. But that's part of the reason the Portuguese school in Brazil strikes me as false. Is she really implying there was no magic or no unified school of magic in places before they were colonized? I don't get it. Reply Parent Thread Link I imagined a few. maybe New Orleans (if only for aesthetics's sake) AND WHY NOT SALEM!? I mean COME THE FUCK ON. Reply Parent Thread Link i saw the fantastic beasts BTS clip when it debuted at the hp celebration in orlando (where i am now) and i did freak out a bit. it was awesome to see jk rowling walking around the sets with everyone Reply Thread Link 11 magic schools and I didn't get a letter from a single one, smh. Reply Thread Link You didn't get yours? Squib Reply Parent Thread Link Ooh maybe Hogwarts should have adopted Mahoutokoro's enchanted robes idea Would have saved a lot of time. Reply Thread Link lmao that's exactly what evanna lynch said when she read about it. 'if hogwarts had these robes, we never would've had a voldemort' Reply Parent Thread Link mte Reply Parent Thread Link Right? Btw, I retook the housing test on Pottermore and I, a PROUD SLYTHERIN, was restorted into Hufflepuff :( This changes everything. Reply Parent Thread Link i too was resorted into hufflepuff from original ravenclaw, this makes no sense lol but im also in the camp of finding the defining house qualities too constricting/i am all for blending houses Reply Parent Thread Link Remember that choice is more important than anything! You're still a Slytherin like the rest of us bb <3 Reply Parent Thread Link i'm afraid to take the test because i'm a slytherin as well and i'm scared i'm not gonna get it again so i just logged into my old account Reply Parent Thread Link I was a Slytherin when I took it. I retook a minute ago and im a Hufflepuff. We're great finders <3 Reply Parent Thread Link I'm mad that she didn't read my unpublished fanfic of a school in Machu Picchu but anyway, the Forbidden Forest sounds like something from Princess Mononoke and the Caipora are cute so <3 Reply Thread Link Ohh a school in Machu Picchu would've been awesome Reply Parent Thread Link Right? Just imagining the city in its old splendor *-* Reply Parent Thread Expand Link publish it so i can read it sis. Reply Parent Thread Link I wasn't excited when they first announced this movie but after the trailer I got so hyped for some reason lol. Idc I love all the new HP information. I just wish she would compile it all in a book so I can have it on my bookshelf with everything else. Reply Thread Link i wasn't excited for the movie either, but i'm so ready to be wrapped up in that world again! Reply Parent Thread Link what the heck kinda name is "wizard castle" for a school. didn't she like live in Portugal she knows Portuguese better than that Reply Thread Link same for mahoutokoro. it literally means "magic place". she's not very good at this, is she? i mean, imagining or at least googling things happening outside the uk Reply Parent Thread Link I'm just thinking, if the school had been located in a spanish speaking country, she totally would have named it castillo encantado, or castillo embrujado lmao. Reply Parent Thread Link lmaoooo nooooo Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lol mte Reply Parent Thread Link To be honest most ancient ruins of past civilizations were pretty unoriginal like "City on Mountains" or "Capital Temple", etc. But on the other hand Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons have these names... Are they last names? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link She's obnoxiously bad when it comes to researching naming in languages that aren't English or French. All the Bulgarian names back in GoF were just cringe-worthy. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm excited for this but I still hate how in the US muggles are called no-maj Reply Thread Link me too, muggle was/is better Reply Parent Thread Link no-maj doesn't remotely sound like US slang, it sounds way too british smh Reply Parent Thread Link really? i'm british and it sounds so american to me....i guess that's why jkr chose it, haha. Reply Parent Thread Link Lol idk what it is but it sure ain't British sounding whatever British sounding is supposed to be Reply Parent Thread Link No-maj...it sounds so stupid. Come on, Jo Reply Parent Thread Link I just redid the Pottermore sorting and wand thing, I got Ravenclaw and a Phoenix feather wand, lmao I love how the Ravenclaw description is just like 'we are smarter and better than everyone, but also we are weird and inclusive' ??? Edited at 2016-01-31 03:55 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link But in the brazilian school then all the south american students who are spanish speakers would have to learn portuguese or the teachers would also know spanish? And what about Mexico and other central-america countries? they also go there? Reply Thread Link i'm glad we're pressed about the same thing!! Reply Parent Thread Link Unless they invent a magic gadget that automatically translate to any language :/ Yes I think the entire continent except Canada/US go there. Reply Parent Thread Link theres 4 more schools she hasn't released any info on....only 7 out of 11 have been named Reply Parent Thread Link That's what I was thinking. Also, everything she named (famous wizards and stuff) relates pretty much only to Brazil. Not that it doesn't sound cool tbh, but I would've thought a South American school would be located or focused more on the language most south american countries speak. Reply Parent Thread Link on a less jokey note, i don't think she meant that's the only school in south america let alone latin america. seems like she's not listing all schools. for example it's not said if chinese students go to Mahoutokoro. and yeah, i would imagine Castelobruxo (yikes) is a bilingual school. yes, y'all #cometobrazil :)on a less jokey note, i don't think she meant that's the only school in south america let alone latin america. seems like she's not listing all schools. for example it's not said if chinese students go to Mahoutokoro. and yeah, i would imagine Castelobruxo (yikes) is a bilingual school. Reply Parent Thread Link I hope that it's true, because if not then it shows she didn't think this too much, i mean, those names lmao. Reply Parent Thread Link Those are the only 11 schools officially recognized by the ICW, the wizarding equivalent of the United Nations. Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao #cometobrazil the ultimate impact Reply Parent Thread Link Rowling put the smallest school in Asia, the continent with the most people and the highest number of languages spoken. Her understanding of the world beyond Europe is both infantile and colonialist. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I refuse to believe there isn't a badass aztec magic school like those calendars fuck Reply Parent Thread Expand Link And Castelobruxo? She didn't even bother to separate the words Reply Parent Thread Link portunhol Reply Parent Thread Link What I have been thinking too, lol. Reply Parent Thread Link wtf I just took the sorting test again and I was sorted into Gryffindor. I took that same test (and similar versions of the test) like 4 times before and was sorted into Ravenclaw every single time. I know I should be in Ravenclaw Edited at 2016-01-31 04:30 am (UTC) My headcanon is that the U.S. school is located in Louisiana.wtf I just took the sorting test again and I was sorted into Gryffindor. I took that same test (and similar versions of the test) like 4 times before and was sorted into Ravenclaw every single time. I know I should be in Ravenclaw #pressed Reply Thread Link i don't really know why, but it's always made me so mad that there are entire continents with just one school, i mean, what is the concept of languages?? Reply Thread Link Asia, the most populous continent, gets the smallest school. ('`) Meanwhile, Europe gets 3, because white people need their options. Reply Parent Thread Link She's releasing 11 in total, 4 more are missing. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Why does the African school not get to be named in a specific country smh Reply Thread Link you know why Reply Parent Thread Link And Africa is a big damn continent, why only one school? why the UK gets one for 4 countries but Africa gets only one? and the languages? idgi at all. Reply Parent Thread Link it says Africa has a lot of small schools around the continent Reply Parent Thread Link The article mentions there are several different African magic schools, but Uagadou is the oldest and most established. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Because darkest Africa is too confusing. Actually, I thought it would be cool if Uagadou was a wandering school in the clouds, like Laputa. Or Chocobo Paradise. Reply Parent Thread Link The EIAs Monthly Energy Review just came out. They have the U.S. production numbers through December along with World, OPEC C+C, Non-OPEC and selected Non-OPEC nations through October. All EIA data is in thousand barrels per day. Notice: When I use the term peaked below, I am referring to the most recent peak, not the all-time peak and not necessarily the final peak. United States C+C production peaked in April at 9,694,000 bpd and has dropped half a million barrels per day by December to 9,191,000 bpd. Here is a 2 year chart of US production that gives an amplified look at what is happening. November and December production is now below November 2014 production. Non-OPEC C+C peaked in December 2014 at 47,207,000 bpd and dropped 763,000 bpd to 46,444,000 bpd by October 2015. The above chart, I believe, clearly shows that Non-OPEC production is in a downward trend. There is little doubt that this trend will continue for the next year or so. The question is how far will it drop before an increase in prices brings back enough upstream investment to turn production back around? And how long will that take? World C+C production peaked in July at 80,531,000 and by October had dropped 461,000 bpd to 80,070,000 bpd. Related:Only Recession Can Prevent An Oil Price Spike Russia peaked in January at 10,246,000 bpd and last October was down 106,000 bpd to 10,140,000 bpd. Russia appears to be on a plateau, likely before a slow decline that begins in 2016. China peaked in June 2015 at 4,408,000 bpd and production in October stood at 4,259,000 bpd. The United Kingdom has been on a plateau of about 800,000 bpd for about three and one half years but in October had production up to 912,000 bpd. Related: 60 Reasons Why Oil Investors Should Hang On Norway, like the UK, managed to halt its decline about three and one half years ago and has been on a plateau of around 1,600,000 bpd since then. They had a gain of 104,000 bpd in October to 1,685,000 bpd. Egypt is in steady decline. In October their C+C production stood at 509,000 bpd. For Canada I am using the data from Canadas National Energy Board. Their numbers are through December and were upgraded just a couple of days ago. The data below is in barrels per day. Canadian production peaked in August 2015 but things have not gone so well since then. The decline in April, May and June is something that happens almost every year but the decline in September was an anomaly. Canada, for the last four months, has declined in year over year production. And since they had record production in January, February and March, that trend will continue for at least for three more months. The data in the chart above is in thousand barrels per day. Related: Oil Crash Only The Tip Of The Iceberg Ambrose Evans-Pritchard and Daniel Yergin come to some startling conclusions. Wealthy predators eye US shale firms The question is whether even U.S. shale can ever be big enough to compensate for coming shortage of oil as global investment collapses. There has been a US$1.8 trillion reduction in spending planned for 2015 to 2020 compared to what was expected in 2014, said Yergin. Yet oil demand is still growing briskly. The world economy will need seven million more barrels a day by 2020. Natural depletion on existing fields implies a loss of a further 13 million barrels a day by then. Adding to the witches brew, global spare capacity is at wafer-thin levels perhaps as low as 1.5 million barrels a day as the Saudis, Russians and others produce at full tilt. Yergin said those hoping for a quick rescue from OPEC were likely to be disappointed. I am of the firm opinion that the vast majority of oil production prognosticators are under estimating the effect of natural depletion of existing fields. Even countries that are increasing production, or are on a production plateau, like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, Iran, Russia and others, all have serious depletion problems. Failing to account for this decline when you make your prediction will likely cause a serious error. Gail Tverbergs blog, Our Finite World, published the following chart last week. But the chart was originally created in 2014 by Alliance Bernstein and may not reflect todays cost as some costs have dropped in the last year. The term breakeven cost refers to the cost to produce a barrel of oil and has nothing to do with a countrys budget. I do not understand why they thought US conventional was so expensive. However it is interesting to note that Canadian Oil Sands is the most expensive oil in the world. Nevertheless there is reason to believe that this chart just has production costs way too high. Eyeballing the chart it looks like they have Nigerian cost per barrel at over $60. But this article has a different figure: Oil crash: Nigeria producing at $5 per barrel loss. By Ron Patterson More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: With Russian-Turkish relations bottoming out after Turkeys downing of a Russian military jet last November, Ankara is scrambling to reduce its dependency on Russian gas. But the help it needs from post-Soviet energy producers may not be swift in coming. The Caspian Sea state of Azerbaijan, Turkeys closest ally in the post-Soviet region, was the first place Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu visited after the November 24 downing incident. And most recently, Davuto?lu met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Davos on January 20. Two nations, one people is a popular mantra that officials in both Turkey and Azerbaijan use to describe their relationship. And yet when it comes to energy, there seems to be limits to this unity. For one, Azerbaijan is not the gas producer that Russia is. The 27 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Russian gas Turkey received in 2015 55 percent of its overall supply is about 1.4 times the size of Azerbaijans entire volume of produced gas for that year, noted Ilham Shaban, director of the Baku-based Caspian Barrel, an energy research center. Turkey currently receives 6 bcm of gas from Azerbaijan, an amount that constitutes about 75 percent of Bakus annual exports, he added. Some Turkish observers pin their hopes for energy diversification on TANAP (Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline), the Europe-bound, 1,850-kilometer-long pipeline from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field that will cross through Turkey. The two countries last month agreed to finish the conduit before 2018, its originally scheduled completion date, even though it is not yet known where all the gas to fill the new route will come from. Although the first gas shipments to Turkey are expected by late 2018, large-scale shipments of 12 bcm per year will not come until 2021, said Shaban. We obviously can improve [the amount of gas sent] in the direction of Turkey, he said. But right now, it is not realistic, regardless of the situation. Revised completion dates for the pipeline and first gas deliveries have not yet been officially announced. Related: Continental Resources 2016 Guidance & Oil Price Impact One Turkish energy analyst believes other factors may also affect Azerbaijans enthusiasm for deepening its energy relationship with Ankara. It is no secret that, mainly due to regional political dynamics, Baku has been playing a balancing act in between Moscow and Ankara, said Emre ??eri, an expert on regional energy politics for Yasar University in the Turkish city of Izmir. That careful balancing act was spelled out this month by Azerbaijans ambassador to Turkey, Faiq Bagirov, in an interview with Turkeys Daily Sabah newspaper, a governmental mouthpiece. There is no other example for relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan apart from always standing together, Bagirov stressed. At the same time, Azerbaijan also has good relations with Russia, along with a strategic partnership. Baku has good cause to be careful. There will be sensitivity in Baku not to be too confrontational with Russia, argued Sinan Ulgen, a specialist on Turkish foreign policy and a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Europe think-tank in Brussels. Russia is a major player in the region. It can hurt Azerbaijan indirectly in many ways, especially in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Indeed, tensions over the disputed territory have recently heightened between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Russias closest military ally in the region. Related: Weak Economy Could Stifle Oil Price Rally With Russias economy already hobbled by low energy prices, Rashad Shirin, an independent Azerbaijani political consultant, wonders whether the state-run behemoth Gazprom can afford to stop gas sales to Turkey, its second largest foreign market after Germany. Shirin does not expect Baku to yield automatically to any Russian pressure to back off Turkey. [I]n this situation, he said, Azerbaijan will do everything in its interest. Turkish and Ukrainian cargo blocked from Russia now travel via Azerbaijan to reach Central Asia. In early December 2015, to enhance this routes attractiveness, Baku slashed transit fees for cargo traveling to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan by 40 percent. We should seize this opportunity, recently stressed Akif Mustafayev, Azerbaijans envoy to TRACECA, a 13-member body that promotes ties between Black Sea countries, the South Caucasus and Central Asia, AzerNews reported. In Central Asia, a predominantly Turkic region that Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party has been cultivating for the last few years, a reluctance to become embroiled in Ankaras tussle with Moscow is more apparent. Related: Russian-OPEC Production Cut Remains A Long Shot President Nursultan Nazarbayev of gas-rich Kazakhstan has taken Russias side in the conflict. Turkmenistan, another major energy supplier, has avoided commenting publicly, and officials in Ashgabat declined to make any public comments on energy relations when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an visited the Turkmen capital in December. Both Ankara and Baku have promoted the idea of a trans-Caspian pipeline from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, but energy expert ??eri cautioned that low energy prices, along with the lingering territorial squabble over the Caspian Sea, mean that investors will think twice to make this kind of politically risky projects. Turkey also has gotten the cold shoulder from Kyrgyzstan, which does not export energy, but does receive an undisclosed amount of Turkish development aid. At Decembers Moscow summit of Commonwealth of Independent States members, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev criticized Ankara for the downing of the Russian plane and suggested that Erdo?an, whom he previously termed my older brother, should apologize to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Erdo?an made little effort to hide his displeasure. If nothing else, it was an unfortunate statement, a presidential aide, Ibrahim Kalin, remarked at a December 28 press briefing. By Dorian Jones and Durna Safarova via Eurasianet More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The solar power industry is welcoming Californias decision to continue its program of allowing homes and businesses with rooftop solar panels to sell excess energy back to their local utilities at the full retail rate. The only hitch: These customers face new fees to join the states electricity grid and as much as $10 each month to stay in the program. The California Public Utilities Commission, in a three-to-two vote on Thursday, approved the new and renewed guidelines for whats called net metering, which will continue providing incentives for home and business owners to install rooftop solar panels, which will mean even more business for the solar industry, making their products more attractive by helping lower the prices for the hardware. New solar-power customers will also be charged a one-time fee of $150 for connecting to the grid and as much as $10 per month to remain in the program. Existing customers wont be charged the fees. And even with the fees, the falling prices for solar equipment will offset the new costs imposed by the state, according to Bernadette Del Chiaro, the executive director of the California Solar Energy Industries Association. At the end of the day, going solar in California will remain a very good economic investment, Del Chiaro said. Related: Weak Economy Could Stifle Oil Price Rally In the run-up to Thursdays decision, the solar industry strongly opposed a footnote in the guidelines that would have required solar owners to pay an electricity transmission charge as their share of the cost of maintaining the grid. The industry complained that would have doubled the fees that solar owners would have had to pay, canceling out their savings from using solar energy. A majority of the commission agreed and, the day before the vote, the panel eliminated that fee. But that doesnt make it fair, said two commission members, Mike Florio and Catherine J.K. Sandoval, who voted against the new guidelines. Florio said that without the extra fees, solar-equipped home and business owners wouldnt be paying their rightful share to support Californias electrical grid. Related: Oil Prices in 2016 Will Be Determined By These 6 Factors Besides, Florio said, the big winner here wouldnt necessarily be solar power users. All of us are pro solar, Florio said, but added, I dont think these benefits are going to accrue to solar customers, theyre going to accrue to solar vendors. California has practiced net metering for the past two decades, Buying and installing rooftop solar panels once was seen as prohibitively expensive, but as with many novel technologies, the more it was adopted on the retail level, the quicker its cost fell, to the financial benefit of the solar power industry. Three of the states largest utilities Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Gas & Electric had urged to commission to equalize the financial burden of solar and non-solar customers by increasing the fees charged to those who rely on solar energy. Related: Do Canadians Want To Stay In The Oil Business? For example, Southern California Edison had argued that under the current arrangement, the average solar customer has a monthly electric bill of about $82. Under the commissions decision, that would increase to $91. The utilities had argued for an increase to $103 per month. Michael R. Picker, the president of the commission, voted with commissioners Liane M. Randolph and Carla J. Peterman against the utilities position. Picker called the decision a big step, but its only one of many to help California keep converting to renewable energy. This has been a very difficult task, to find the right balance, Picker said. Theres a shift in the way we use electricity. [The decision] also forces the utility to come to grips with the technology challenges. By Andy Tully of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: If Martian intelligent life, in fact, exists, then who or what are they observing about our scientific Mars Rover, as an Avatar - a hybrid human alien, now taking "selfie" close ups on their red planet? Little do these potential Martians know about the enviornment where humanoids live, on planet Earth. Mars Rover is a robot Avatar, even takes a "selfie". The hybrid "human-robot" is enjoying a peaceful excursion on the red planet Our Mars Rover is a real time Star Wars " R2D2 ", electronic Avatar, with a hybrid "human-robotic" personality. We should warn Martian intelligent life about "real Earth people". Indeed, Mars Rover is probably a lot nicer than about 98 percent of the humans who occupy the planet Earth. It's an asexual (as far as we know) computer Avatar, with thought processes void of political bias. Perhaps, humans should be taking philosophical life lessons from the Mars Rover. Mankind might consider reinventing ourselves to be more like the curious robot that's exploring Mars because, frankly, the carefree life of a rover seems preferable to dealing with the polarizing influences now consuming our Earthly domain. Republicans must admit to Mars Rover being an undocumented alien to the red planet. This fact alone would give right wing Martians the incentive to throw the Mars Rover right back into space, selfies included. I suspect intelligent Martians wouldn't waste valuable resources building a wall around the Mars Rover, because it's not likely they have any currency to use, to pay for it. Creationists can rightly claim that "Avatar" life began on 2004, on the red planet, with the arrival of the NASA Mars Rover. Therefore, the Bible fundamentalists could justifiably start their Mars Bibilical calendar, with real data, rather than by carbon dated dinosaur bones. Mars Rover can launch a lot of scientific data, but it's impossible for it to wage a "war on women", because the Avatars can't reproduce, at least, as far as we know. Being "asexual" has it's advantages, because the Avatars are exempt from bringing forth "little Avatars", spoiled robots that could become a burden on the Mars environment. Although Mars Rover sends plenty of messages back to earth, the most classified of them seems to be about the chemical composition of the red soil, which is not too "damn" exciting. Let's be honest. Mars Rover is the celebrity apprectice "star", the focal point of its own spectacular red planet. It's not Republican, Democrat, Independent, Catholic, Muslim, Libertarian or a "Saturday Night Live" skit look alike. Instead, the Mars Rover is a Trumponian! It stands alone, taking selfies and grabbing international attention, just because it exsists. Unfortunately, the amazing Mars Rover can't return to earth for the purpose of running for President of the United States. At this point in the world of Republican politics, Mars Rover seems like it would be the Avatar worth voting for, if it were remotely possible for it to show up at an Iowa Caucus or New Hampshir primary election. Oh Wait! Did I say, "remotely"? Well, maybe it's time for the Mars Rover to form a campaign committee by remote control. "It's time for my close up", Mr. Trump. I suppose Mars Rover would win any election over Donald Trump "the Chump", but it certainly seems like the Avatar is having too much fun being the spectacular star of his own private red planet. If Mars Rover finds water on the red planet, there might be plenty of "political refugee humans", those who simply can't believe what is happening here on earth, who would gladly join the Avatar, to populate the red planet. Labels: Donald Trump, R2D2, red planet "Trumpnians" will likely follow the Groucho Marx mantra. He would never join a "party" that would have him as a member. In fact,Trumponians are Republicans in name only. For Trumponians, Republicans aren't extremist enough. Instead, Trumponians worship "Trump" politics. Rather, Donald Trump is transforming American politics, precisely because he isn't a politician, although he wants to be one. It's like the cliche "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV." Donald Trump isn't a politician, but he plays a Trumponian party boss on the 24/7 news media. Unfortunately, Trumponian politics means that politics of the past risks, eventually, becoming the power games of the rich and famous. Americans will be very poorly served by rich people who "wanna bee" politicians, because we can't sell elections like business mogels trade real estate properties. Politics requires sophisticated expertise in leadership. Being a politician certainly isn't like trading properties in a reality Monopoly game, like Trumponians might be led to believe. In fact, good politicians set a tone for the future. Yet, Trumponians are simply mezmerized by the "here and now", blinded by the celebrity of their "wizardry" leader. Trumponians are smitten by their candidates wealth. He's a superficial leader, driven by ego, who knows how to entertain audiences like he's a Saturday Night Live characicture of himself. To use a quaint Yogi Berra cliche, Americans are at a political fork in the road. Trumponians might change the future of all politics or Americans might (hopefully) turn against the "Trumponian party". Let's hope Americans "take the right road" and turn against the Trumponian party. Let's face it, "Trump the Chump" is a reality Saturday Night Live politician, but he is definitely not a "political leader". American perceive "Trump the Chump" somewhere on a spectrum of euphoria, blinded by his celebrity, to being completely disgusted by his bigotry and bombastic intolerance for people he doesn't like. Regardless of how "Trump the Chump" is perceived, the fact is, Trumponians are Republicans in name only. Unfortunately, the real Republican party (aka the "Grand Old Party") is also branded as "Trumponian". Worse, the GOP may never recover from this label, because, never again, will there be a presidential candidate with incendiary celebrity to ignite angry right wing extremism. Unfortuantely, seasoned politicians might have to return to public policy 101, to re-learn transformational campaigning. Frankly, Trumponians have transformed the future of the political process. Celebrity will matter. Yet, "hope springs eternal". Let's pray Americans will reject Trumponians and the Grand Old Party will, somehow, wake up and learn how to be "Grand" again. Let's reject the Trumponian party and support politicians who respect the political process. Labels: Groucho Marx, Yogi Berra Duluth, Minnesota (OpEdNews) January 30, 2016: The editorial board of the New York Times has now endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination for president in 2016 and John Kasich for the Republican nomination. Their endorsement of Hillary Clinton should come as a surprise to no one. As they note in their editorial "the Times editorial board has endorsed her three times for federal office -- twice for Senate and once in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary." In terms of symbolism, the 2008 Democratic presidential primary emerged as the prospect of possibly electing the first woman president versus the prospect of possibly electing the first African American president. In the end, the Democratic Party decided to go for the prospect of electing the first African American president in 2008. And Senator Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election. As a result, President Obama then faced a barrage of anti-Obama books and other commentaries from the conservative noise machine, as Bill Press details in his book The Obama Hate Machine: The Lies, Distortions, and Personal Attacks on the President -- and Who Is Behind Them (2012). If progressives and liberals published as many lies, distortions, and personal attacks about President George W. Bush, I am not aware of a book comparable to Press' 2012 book about them. In the book Decade of Nightmares: The End of the Sixties and the Making of Eighties America (2006), Philip Jenkins details how the conservative noise machine has used anti-60s rhetoric for decades now. But President Obama was born in 1961, so he really was not a significant figure in the 1960s or 1970s. Nevertheless, as the first African American president, he serves as a symbol of the black civil rights movement that made significant headway in the 1960s and 1970s. Now, in terms of symbolism, the 2016 Democratic presidential primary has emerged as the prospect of possibly electing the first woman president versus the prospect of possibly electing the first secular Jew president. In short, a white woman religionist versus a white man secularist. I know, I know, recent polls of religious preference have shown an increasing number of people claim to have no religion -- the "nones." Thus the market share of religionists appears to be diminishing in size, at least with respect to institutional religion. Besides, there's supposed to be no test of religion for political office. Nevertheless, it strikes me as unlikely that the American voters would elect a secularist to be president in 2016. To his credit, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont (born in 1941) is not anti-religion, as are certain other secularists. No doubt a secularist running for president in 2016 would help ignite the conservative noise machine, just as a woman running for president in 2016 would. But there are far more women voters who might rally to help elect a woman president in 2016 than there are secularists -- and secularist sympathizers among religionists. Of course a lot would depend on the Republican Party's presidential candidate in 2016 -- and any independent presidential candidates who might yet emerge in 2016. Like President Bill Clinton (born in 1946) and President George W. Bush (born in 1946), Hillary Rodham Clinton (born in 1947) is a Baby Boomer who lived through the tumultuous 1960s and 1970s. Under the influence of her father's Republican views, young Hillary Rodham was a Goldwater girls in the 1964 presidential campaign, which the Republican candidate Senator Barry Goldwater lost by a landslide to the Democratic candidate President Lyndon B. Johnson. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from Reader Supported News The Washington DC bar announced recently that it would lodge ethics charges against Thomas Tamm, a Justice Department attorney who blew the whistle against the National Security Agency's illegal warrantless wiretapping program. This is despite the fact that the Justice Department ruled in 2010 that Tamm had not committed a crime. Tamm came to the Department's attention in 2008 when he revealed that he had been one of the sources for a 2004 New York Times article on the wiretapping program, which President George W. Bush had begun in 2001. Tamm had learned that information gathered from the warrantless wiretaps was making its way into applications that the Justice Department was filing with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Court asking to conduct legal wiretaps. Fruit from the forbidden tree. Tamm, believing correctly that his superiors were in on the program, elected to go to the press, rather than up the chain of command. This act was prescient. The Times later revealed that Attorney General John Ashcroft had approved of the program from the start. Tamm has moved on with his life and is now a public defender in Maryland. He faces disbarment if found guilty. But this whole situation isn't just about Thomas Tamm. It's about all national security whistleblowers. Thomas Drake, an NSA whistleblower, learned in 2006 that the NSA was conducting dragnet electronic surveillance on American citizens. He did go through the chain of command. First, he reported the illegality to his superiors. He was told to mind his own business. Then he went to the NSA Inspector General. Again he was told to back off. He went to the NSA General Counsel and was told to drop it. He went to the Pentagon Inspector General, which then illegally destroyed evidence that Drake had presented. There is now a criminal case pending against employees there. Drake finally went to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, NSA's oversight committee, and reported the illegal surveillance. His reward? Drake was charged with 10 felonies, including five counts of espionage. The case against him finally collapsed, but not [until] after he lost his job, his pension, his friends, and even his family. But that's the plan. Even if there's no real legal case against the whistleblower, the Justice Department and other bodies, like bar associations, just keep filing charges to make the whistleblower defend himself, knowing full well that at the same time, the whistleblower is going broke and is being abandoned by his friends and colleagues. Jesselyn Radack went through the same thing. Radack, a former ethics attorney at the Justice Department, complained up her chain of command that John Walker Lindh, the "American Taliban," had been interrogated without having been read his rights and without having had access to an attorney. The information gathered in the interrogation was later used to prosecute him. After Radack complained up her chain of command, the Lindh file was mysteriously purged. One of Radack's supervisors told her to walk away. Instead, she went to the media. Within months, she was fired from her job at Justice, and then fired from her next job with a private law firm after Justice officials told her new employers that she was likely to be indicted. (She wasn't.) She was placed on the "no-fly list," presumably as a terrorist sympathizer, and ethics charges were filed against her with the DC bar association. That was 14 years ago. Those charges are still pending. And she's still detained and harassed every time she goes through an airport. Again, the Justice Department never seriously considered charging Radack with a crime. The goal was to ruin her. But they failed. She is now a celebrated whistleblower defense attorney. NSA whistleblowers Bill Binney, Kirk Weibe, and Ed Loomis; State Department whistleblower Peter van Buren; NSA and CIA contractor Ed Snowden; and I all have similar stories. The DC bar should be demanding that the Justice Department protect national security whistleblowers, not harass, indict, and prosecute them. It should then work to protect those whistleblowers. If the Justice Department took whistleblower disclosures seriously and investigated accusations of official waste, fraud, abuse, and illegality, there wouldn't need to be leaks to the press. A good start would be for the DC bar to stop being the Justice Department's lap dog. Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News. The website, "Hourworld" introduces the time banking model as follows We are social architects who believe people are the true wealth of the world as their talents gracefully flow out to the benefit of all. We are grounded in the principles of simplicity and abundance and in the joy of giving and receiving. It is our desire to help the reclamation of local community prosperity by providing gifts of time, training and tools in a pay it forward model within the Hour Exchange networks of Hourworld. https://www.hourworld.org/ The United States is not the only country where people are fostering local economies. There are also groups in the United Kingdom who are involved in fostering localized, resilient economies that use hour exchanges as "pay." This is an important piece to my series regarding local economies here in the States. We are not the only ones fostering local economies. The Mid-Maine Time Bank, which I have reported on, is not isolated. Nor are other Time Banks in the United States isolated in the world. The movements of Transition Town, Permaculture and Time Banks are much larger than what people realize. These are huge movements; yet continue to receive very little coverage by the media. Why? I believe that with Transition, Permaculture and, especially Time Banks, many readers and writers on OpEd are not aware of the extent of the evolution going on in our world. Why are they not aware? My sense is that the media does not report on these "goings on". Why? The answer is inherent in the next question. "Who owns the media?" You know the old saying, "Follow the money!" Could it be because the media is controlled and funded by megalithic corporations that are worldwide? Of course! It could also be that internet media like OpEd take the cap off the bottleneck of information and let the information flow freely. Perhaps we are on the "cusp" of an evolution. No more revolutions, which entail circular motions. What we need is an evolution fostering a movement away from thousands of years of conditioning regarding how we look at economy. In today's world, we need to reclaim the eco in the term ecology, which speaks to the environment. Do you consider the time you spend doing something worthwhile? That's the philosophy of Time Banks. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). We may imagine that the career we choose, and the amount of money we earn, is about our individual ability, but sociologists would argue that this it is conditioned by shifts in the economy and labour market which take place beyond one person's control. This is, of course, hard to see in everyday life because in our society we imagine that our fate is determined by our own individual behaviour. The objective of sociology is to show us that nobody is an island and that our fates are inter-related. In Great Britain, as in the United States, a growing moral consensus and a lack of political diversity among faculty and administrators is moving higher education away from the pursuit and transmission of knowledge in favour of the promotion of politically correct values.Bad as that problem is in the U.S., it is at least as bad on this side of the Atlantic; perhaps worse. While in America there is strong pushback against those who want to change universities from places of open inquiry into places that tell students what they should think, there is less of that in Britain.A particularly revealing incident occurred in October 2013 at the London School of Economics, where a debate was held over the questionOne of the speakers was Professor Helen Reece, who has argued that the subject of rape is surrounded by myths, including that public attitudes toward rape are not as "regressive" as many believe.Just for having allowed Reece and another contrarian to speak, a group of feminist lawyers at the University of Kent wrote that they "deplored" the university's decision to allow them to have a platform for theirAnd that led to a demand from another group of academics that debate over such a "sensitive" question should be limited only to fellow academics who hold "correct" views.We've seen a similarly hostile reaction to free speech over climate issues. In the U.K., many academics say that the science about man-made global warming is settled and therefore public debate on climate issues is "unhelpful." Professor Brian Cox has said, for example, that scientific knowledge can only be challenged by "experts" so people he doesn't regard as experts (in particular, Bjorn Lomborg who takes a non-alarmist approach on climate issues) should not be allowed to speak.We also see the extent to which particular values and political attitudes have come to dominate British higher education in the courses offered to students.Many universities now award undergraduate degrees in Sustainable Development. At the University of St Andrews , such a courseStudents can choose between a range of modules including: Business and Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainable Technologies, Social Justice and Knowledge, and Education for Sustainability.At the University of Central Lancashire, students can earn a Master's degree in Advancing Equality, Rights and Inclusion . The aim is for students to "understand social inequalities and how to enhance the value of diversity and inclusion."Even long established academic courses have begun to blur the lines between knowledge and values. At Keele University , prospective sociology students are informed:Such course information suggests that intellectual outcomes have been determined in advance and are bound up in the broader political goals faculty cohere around. It will be difficult for students to question the political concepts of sustainability, inclusion, or feminism and successfully complete their studies.What is detrimental to critical thought is not so much the particular political agenda that underpins the higher education, but that the transmission of knowledge has been replaced by the promotion of values. Far from being considered problematic, this shift towards inculcating values is welcomed by many.In Britain, it is common for new lecturers to be expected to gain "professional recognition" from the Higher Education Academy (HEA), a body that claims to championPart of the process of gaining recognition involves lecturers demonstrating that they have met the values specified in the HEA's professional standards framework.Lecturers are expected to: respect individual learners and diverse learning communities; promote participation in higher education and equality of opportunity for learners; use the outcomes from research and continuing professional development; and acknowledge the wider context in which higher education operates.There is much to challenge in that arbitrary list of values, most especially what is not listed: a commitment to the pursuit of knowledge. The bigger problem, however, is with prescribing values for lecturers to hold at all.The HEA's expectation that lecturers demonstrate collective values, and that UK universities have gone along with this, suggests that criticality is no longer considered a fundamental part of the academic enterprise. Yet there is little questioning of the promotion of values in higher education because it is often assumed no right-thinking person could disagree with what is being said.Earlier this month I gave a talk at a British university as part of a series addressing the issueUpon arriving, I was told about the previous lecture, which had been given by David Willetts. (Prior to the last UK general election, Willetts was a Conservative Member of Parliament and Minister for Universities and Science.) "Obviously we all disagreed with nearly everything he said. And we told him so!" my host informed me.What struck me about this remark was not so much the disagreement with Willetts, but the use of the word "we." Who was this "we"? How could my host be so sure that everyone in the audience was of the same opinion?The use of the word "we" by academics to refer to the collective views of their colleagues crops up in discussion with surprising regularity. "We" suggests not just that the speaker feels sufficiently confident to talk on behalf of others, but also that there is a set of views that all "right thinking" people obviously share.When particular views are allowed to dominate, the risk is that people with counterarguments either self-censor and keep quiet or are told, "You can't say that."Often, institutional processes for recruitment or promotion, and the peer review mechanisms that gate-keep the publication of research and the allocation of funding, serve to reproduce rather than challenge a dominant consensus. That creates a culture of intellectual conformity and an incremental closing down of debate on campus.Some academics welcome this as a victory for civility and inclusion; others are unaware of the erosion of academic freedom until they come up against restrictions for themselves.The politicised promotion of values rather than subject knowledge means that students soon learn that some ideas are simply not open for discussion. Most recently, attention has focused upon the role of students in calling for university to be a "safe space," free from intellectual or emotional conflict.The recent research carried out by the British publication Spiked shows that 90 per cent of UK universities restrict free speech, and in most instances those restrictions come from students. Students have banned songs, newspapers, art works, and speakers from campuses throughout Britain. Students should be taken to task for curtailing free speech in this way, but they have learned intolerance of dissent and to respond through censorship from their professors. That cannot be ignored.If universities are to survive as places for the transmission and advancement of knowledge, they need to promote intellectual, political, and ideological diversity. Academics need to move away from the all-inclusive "we" and instead actively seek out opposing views to put before students. They need to return to the original idea of a university and encourage the free exchange of ideas. Vice President Joe Biden was not auditioning for a stint on SNL or appealing to divine providence when he quipped to a packed crowd of Democrats recently that the Republicans may have given the Democrats a "gift from the Lord" in the presidential race. The heavenly gift Biden referred to comes in the form of a Trump or Cruz presidential candidacy. Biden and many other Democrats practically salivate at the thought of either one of them getting the GOP presidential nomination. The conventional wisdom is this will deliver the White House back to the Democrats in a handbasket. The election walk-over for presumed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is the nightmare that has haunted the GOP party leaders from the moment that Trump and Cruz declared their candidacies. Both men are the most polarizing presidential ticket candidates since Sarah Palin turned the GOP White House bid into a running Comedy Central riff. This election go round it's far worse than when Palin was on the ticket in 2008 and later made some soundings about a 2012 presidential bid. Trump and Cruz have stayed at or near the top of the polls from the start of their campaigns. They both have big, angry, and aroused constituencies, be it Cruz's evangelicals or Trump's fed up, white blue collar workers. They are mostly, white, older voters, and they would likely show up at the polls on Election Day for one of the two. In the past it was fairly easy for GOP party leaders to rid themselves of a party nuisance such as Palin. After all they controlled the money, media spin and party apparatus. They banked that they could maneuver and massage the primaries and convention to ensure that the noise and mischief the outsiders could make would die before the primary season began. That won't happen this time. Trump has got and will continue to get non-stop, headline coverage from a slavish, fawning media, maintain his mass poll support from the disaffected millions of voters, and will likely get a proportional share of delegates in a number of GOP primaries, win or not. Cruz has a mountainous campaign war chest, the solid support of white protestant conservative evangelicals, and the prestige of holding a national office. They also have gotten a huge lift from the cast of GOP presidential hopeful competitors. With the exception of the momentary fascination with Ben Carson, the other contenders have wallowed in single digits in the polls, have gotten little to no traction in their campaigns, and have been swallowed in the media rush to Trump and Cruz. The bigger problem for GOP leaders are the voter demographics. The average GOP voter is white, older and conservative. Legions of these voters are polarized and put-out with their party. This didn't just happen overnight. The disaffection has been building for almost a decade. They lambasted Presidential contenders John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012 for being too deeply tainted by the Washington bureaucratic, compromising and deal making establishment. A huge swatch of the GOP stayed away from the polls in droves during both campaigns. Their sleep in on Election Day was a big reason for McCain and Romney's defeats. In the near eight year tenure of Obama in the White House, the fury of much of the GOP base to a traditional play by the established Washington rules presidential candidate has risen to a fever pitch. The prospect of a Clinton White House which is tantamount to a third Obama term to them further insures that Trump rallies and appearances will take on the appearance of a crusade rather than a campaign rally. GOP party leaders in the event of a Trump or Cruz break away in the caucuses and primaries can do one of three things. They can continue try to rally support behind a Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio, the party establishment's preferred respectable choices. They can pretend to remain neutral which just gives Cruz and Trump even more room to roam. They can jump on the bandwagon of either one of them. If either one is the eventual party nominee, GOP party leaders, donors and bundlers, and the national and state committees will have no choice but to go full throttle in support of the nominee. Anything less would insure a runaway win for Hillary Clinton, the possible loss of the Senate to the Democrats, put at risk the loss of some GOP controlled statehouses to the Democrats, and worse split the GOP. A Trump or Cruz presidential nomination snub would risk incurring the anger of millions of GOP grassroots voters. That's a catastrophe that GOP leaders will do all to insure doesn't happen even if it means holding their nose and backing a Trump or Cruz. Trump and Cruz, then, are the GOP's textbook Catch-22. One of them figures as a real possibility for the presidential nomination. For GOP leaders to not support them almost guarantees a flaming Election Day defeat. But to support them could mean the same. That's the GOP's much deserved worst nightmare. Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His latest book is Trump and the GOP: Race Baiting to the White House (Amazon Kindle) He is a frequent MSNBC contributor. He is an associate editor of New America Media. He is a weekly co-host of the Al Sharpton Show on Radio One. He is the host of the weekly Hutchinson Report on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles and the Pacifica Network Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 23 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All SHARE Justice for Justice We have all heard or read about animals and humans being cruelly treated. It never gets easy. However, knowledge is wisdom. Hopefully, we can do something about these incidences of cruelty. And don't discount the power of prayer. I always feel that a loving God is always there to not only hear our prayer requests, but to answer them as well. Tuesday, June 26, 2018We have all heard or read about animals and humans being cruelly treated. It never gets easy. However, knowledge is wisdom. Hopefully, we can do something about these incidences of cruelty. And don't discount the power of prayer. I always feel that a loving God is always there to not only hear our prayer requests, but to answer them as well. SHARE Florida's Illegal Slaughter Farms At this point in my life, I am no longer surprised at how cruelly man often treats his fellow inhabitants of this earth - the animals. If you believe in Judgment Day as I do - there will be a reckoning. Friday, June 22, 2018At this point in my life, I am no longer surprised at how cruelly man often treats his fellow inhabitants of this earth - the animals. If you believe in Judgment Day as I do - there will be a reckoning. (17 comments) SHARE Dog Hoarders -the Woodleys As long as I live, I will not be able to understand people like the Woodleys who cared not one iota about the suffering they were causing innocent dogs and puppies. Friday, June 15, 2018As long as I live, I will not be able to understand people like the Woodleys who cared not one iota about the suffering they were causing innocent dogs and puppies. (7 comments) SHARE Premarin - Still a Cruel Product I am saddened that this is still a topic. I had hoped that by now women would have stopped using this product of cruelty. Hopefully, after reading this post or any other on this topic, some may decide to say no to Premarin. Wednesday, June 13, 2018I am saddened that this is still a topic. I had hoped that by now women would have stopped using this product of cruelty. Hopefully, after reading this post or any other on this topic, some may decide to say no to Premarin. (2 comments) SHARE BLM Betrayal I think someone should make the BLM aware of the 1971 Wild Horse Annie Act which assured that the wild horses and burros would be allowed to roam BLM lands in freedom. And recently the SAFE Act banned the sale and transportation of equine animals to be butchered for their meat. Wednesday, May 30, 2018I think someone should make the BLM aware of the 1971 Wild Horse Annie Act which assured that the wild horses and burros would be allowed to roam BLM lands in freedom. And recently the SAFE Act banned the sale and transportation of equine animals to be butchered for their meat. SHARE Cruel Factory-Farm Practices I will never understand how anyone could treat an animal cruelly. The turkeys on this N. Carolina farm are an example of what happens to so many farm animals because some people think they need to eat their flesh. Thank God some of us don't. Sunday, May 13, 2018I will never understand how anyone could treat an animal cruelly. The turkeys on this N. Carolina farm are an example of what happens to so many farm animals because some people think they need to eat their flesh. Thank God some of us don't. SHARE A Cautionary Tale for Parents Today I sadly read about two innocent girls in the 1950's being bullied and the pain they suffered from it as a result. Is bullying still happening in our schools today? I hope not, but if you are aware of it, I hope you will do something to make it stop. Wednesday, May 2, 2018Today I sadly read about two innocent girls in the 1950's being bullied and the pain they suffered from it as a result. Is bullying still happening in our schools today? I hope not, but if you are aware of it, I hope you will do something to make it stop. (34 comments) SHARE Attached to My '72 Comet Some of you have probably gone through a few cars already, so hopefully, you haven't felt the separation anxiety I am experiencing now at this point in my life--having to say good bye to an old friend. Thursday, April 26, 2018Some of you have probably gone through a few cars already, so hopefully, you haven't felt the separation anxiety I am experiencing now at this point in my life--having to say good bye to an old friend. (2 comments) SHARE Hell for Piglets at Hormel I am always astounded at how cruel we can be for profit. I am also astounded that more people are not either vegetarian or vegan when they learn about animal cruelty on farms and in slaughter houses. For me it is a blessing for which I thank God. Saturday, April 21, 2018I am always astounded at how cruel we can be for profit. I am also astounded that more people are not either vegetarian or vegan when they learn about animal cruelty on farms and in slaughter houses. For me it is a blessing for which I thank God. (3 comments) SHARE Legal Help for Animals I think we all recognize that not only humans but animals also need the help of a lawyer at times. Thank God for the lawyers at Animal Legal Defense Fund who have stepped up to the plate in this regard. Monday, April 16, 2018I think we all recognize that not only humans but animals also need the help of a lawyer at times. Thank God for the lawyers at Animal Legal Defense Fund who have stepped up to the plate in this regard. (1 comments) SHARE Two Ways Pigs are Raised If you care about animals, then I know you will want to know how pigs are raised- even if you are a vegan like myself. You may be in a position to do something for them. Sharing this post may change someone's heart and diet. Monday, April 9, 2018If you care about animals, then I know you will want to know how pigs are raised- even if you are a vegan like myself. You may be in a position to do something for them. Sharing this post may change someone's heart and diet. (3 comments) SHARE Professor McLaghlin/Meat-free Diet It is always great to find someone more talented and persuasive in their writing abilities than oneself. False humility? Hardly; I appreciate all those people who write compassionately for the animals. God bless them. Thursday, March 29, 2018It is always great to find someone more talented and persuasive in their writing abilities than oneself. False humility? Hardly; I appreciate all those people who write compassionately for the animals. God bless them. (1 comments) SHARE Animal Action Issues Sadly, human and animal cruelty in all its forms will always be with us. In this post I am addressing some animal cruelty I found listed in the animal-action issues found In Defense of Animals. Saturday, March 24, 2018Sadly, human and animal cruelty in all its forms will always be with us. In this post I am addressing some animal cruelty I found listed in the animal-action issues found In Defense of Animals. (6 comments) SHARE Christmas Gift for Animal Lovers Christmas is not only the time to remember family and friends, but for people like me -it's also a time to remember animals because they too are God's creatures. I was happy to read today One Green Planet's 10 Wins for Animals. You might be too. Sunday, December 24, 2017Christmas is not only the time to remember family and friends, but for people like me -it's also a time to remember animals because they too are God's creatures. I was happy to read today One Green Planet's 10 Wins for Animals. You might be too. (1 comments) SHARE Shame on VA Dog Labs For far too long, dogs and other animals have been used in oftentimes cruel medical research. Today there is no need to use animals so cruelly as there are other non-animal protocols available. Sadly the Cleveland VA and others have either not gotten the message or choose to ignore it. Saturday, November 18, 2017For far too long, dogs and other animals have been used in oftentimes cruel medical research. Today there is no need to use animals so cruelly as there are other non-animal protocols available. Sadly the Cleveland VA and others have either not gotten the message or choose to ignore it. (9 comments) SHARE Change of Heart I think every one will agree that veganism is a compassionate lifestyle. Here is an account of a conversion to veganism at a cow factory farm - a place you probably would not guess would produce such a lifestyle change but it did in this case. Thursday, November 9, 2017I think every one will agree that veganism is a compassionate lifestyle. Here is an account of a conversion to veganism at a cow factory farm - a place you probably would not guess would produce such a lifestyle change but it did in this case. (5 comments) SHARE The True Cost of Meat I doubt that most people will change their meat diet after reading this. However, one never knows and some may. For a certainty, I believe vegetarians and vegans are a special "breed" if they are drawn to a plant-based diet life style out of compassion for animals. Monday, October 9, 2017I doubt that most people will change their meat diet after reading this. However, one never knows and some may. For a certainty, I believe vegetarians and vegans are a special "breed" if they are drawn to a plant-based diet life style out of compassion for animals. (6 comments) SHARE Rabbis Promoting a Vegan Diet It was wonderful to read today re Jewish Rabbis advocating for adopting a vegan lifestyle. I hope and pray that all Jews will recognize what one Rabbi opined- that a vegan diet is in keeping with the Jewish values of compassion, respect for the environment and concern for our physical and spiritual well-being. Saturday, September 30, 2017It was wonderful to read today re Jewish Rabbis advocating for adopting a vegan lifestyle. I hope and pray that all Jews will recognize what one Rabbi opined- that a vegan diet is in keeping with the Jewish values of compassion, respect for the environment and concern for our physical and spiritual well-being. (6 comments) SHARE Kachina's Nightmare People of compassion realize that this beautiful virtue extends not only to humans but to animals as well. Sadly, though- the word hasn't gotten out enough because we will find people like Gordon Bates and his daughter who have no inkling at all as to the meaning of this beautiful word -compassion. Wednesday, September 27, 2017People of compassion realize that this beautiful virtue extends not only to humans but to animals as well. Sadly, though- the word hasn't gotten out enough because we will find people like Gordon Bates and his daughter who have no inkling at all as to the meaning of this beautiful word -compassion. (2 comments) SHARE NRDC's Nature's Voice I receive a newsletter put out by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Today I took the time to read it in depth, and I'm glad I did. If you care about the environment, you may also want to receive this informative newsletter. Tuesday, September 19, 2017I receive a newsletter put out by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Today I took the time to read it in depth, and I'm glad I did. If you care about the environment, you may also want to receive this informative newsletter. Page 1 of 23 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 21 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All (5 comments) SHARE Who the Hell Are We? The new law, which at a first glance looks like a copy of the declaration. It contains two important omissions: the declaration spoke of a "Jewish and Democratic" state, and promised full equality between all its citizens, without regard to religion, ethnicity or sex. All this has disappeared. No democracy. No equality. A state of the Jews, for the Jews, by the Jews. Friday, August 3, 2018The new law, which at a first glance looks like a copy of the declaration. It contains two important omissions: the declaration spoke of a "Jewish and Democratic" state, and promised full equality between all its citizens, without regard to religion, ethnicity or sex. All this has disappeared. No democracy. No equality. A state of the Jews, for the Jews, by the Jews. (1 comments) SHARE Adolf and Amin BINYAMIN NETANYAHU is a perfect diplomat, a clever politician, a talented leader of the army. Lately, another jewel has been added to his crown: he is also a gifted story-teller. He has provided an answer to a question that has perplexed historians for a long time: When and how did Adolf Hitler decide to exterminate the Jews? Friday, July 27, 2018BINYAMIN NETANYAHU is a perfect diplomat, a clever politician, a talented leader of the army. Lately, another jewel has been added to his crown: he is also a gifted story-teller. He has provided an answer to a question that has perplexed historians for a long time: When and how did Adolf Hitler decide to exterminate the Jews? (2 comments) SHARE The March of Folly The real policy is to make life in Gaza so miserable, that the Gazans themselves will rise and throw the Hamas authorities out. With this in mind, the water supply is reduced to two hours a day, electricity the same. Employment hovers around 50%, wages beneath the minimum. It is a picture of total misery. Sunday, July 22, 2018The real policy is to make life in Gaza so miserable, that the Gazans themselves will rise and throw the Hamas authorities out. With this in mind, the water supply is reduced to two hours a day, electricity the same. Employment hovers around 50%, wages beneath the minimum. It is a picture of total misery. SHARE "Not Enough!" Binyamin Netanyahu, King of Israel and would-be Emperor of the Jewish people, has signed a joint statement with the Polish government that clears, in effect, the Polish people from all responsibility for the Holocaust. It condemns anti-Semitism and anti-Polishism in the same breath. Sunday, July 15, 2018Binyamin Netanyahu, King of Israel and would-be Emperor of the Jewish people, has signed a joint statement with the Polish government that clears, in effect, the Polish people from all responsibility for the Holocaust. It condemns anti-Semitism and anti-Polishism in the same breath. (1 comments) SHARE A Very Intelligent Person There is no doubt that Barak stands out. He is far better qualified than any other Israeli politician. If a new young leader does not emerge from nowhere, Barak is the only person who could take Netanyahu on. But one feels in the air a palpable hesitation. He has no following. People admire him, but do not love him. He does not inspire trust, as Rabin did. Friday, July 6, 2018There is no doubt that Barak stands out. He is far better qualified than any other Israeli politician. If a new young leader does not emerge from nowhere, Barak is the only person who could take Netanyahu on. But one feels in the air a palpable hesitation. He has no following. People admire him, but do not love him. He does not inspire trust, as Rabin did. (1 comments) SHARE Princely Visits WHILE THE British prince was touring the country, Jared Kushner, the Jewish son-in-law of President Trump, was also touring the country. He was accompanied by Jason Greenblatt, another Jewish emissary from Trump. This holy pair, who make no secret of their utter contempt for the Palestinians, is supposed to make peace. Sunday, July 1, 2018WHILE THE British prince was touring the country, Jared Kushner, the Jewish son-in-law of President Trump, was also touring the country. He was accompanied by Jason Greenblatt, another Jewish emissary from Trump. This holy pair, who make no secret of their utter contempt for the Palestinians, is supposed to make peace. (1 comments) SHARE Two Souls The Arab populations of Palestine and the "Middle East" realized too late that their very existence was in danger. When they started to resist, Zionism built up modern military forces. Very soon, they became by far the most efficient military machine in the region, and the only local nuclear power. Friday, June 22, 2018The Arab populations of Palestine and the "Middle East" realized too late that their very existence was in danger. When they started to resist, Zionism built up modern military forces. Very soon, they became by far the most efficient military machine in the region, and the only local nuclear power. SHARE The Siamese Twins I met Rabin for the first time at the swimming pool. I was chatting with Ezer Weizmann, the commander of the Air Force, who had angered Ben-Gurion with his highly offensive jokes. Rabin appeared, clad like us in a bathing suit. He ignored me and turned straight to Ezer: "Don't you have enough troubles already without speaking in public with Uri Avnery?" Saturday, June 16, 2018I met Rabin for the first time at the swimming pool. I was chatting with Ezer Weizmann, the commander of the Air Force, who had angered Ben-Gurion with his highly offensive jokes. Rabin appeared, clad like us in a bathing suit. He ignored me and turned straight to Ezer: "Don't you have enough troubles already without speaking in public with Uri Avnery?" (3 comments) SHARE Are YOU Brainwashed? Leaders are busy destroying the courts, stuffing the parliaments with useful idiots and -- especially -- turning the media into brainwashing instruments. In our country, too. How is this done? It's quite simple, really: one has to suppress all other voices. One has to make sure that the citizen hears only one voice. One that repeats a few messages over and over, endlessly. This way the lie becomes truth. Tuesday, June 12, 2018Leaders are busy destroying the courts, stuffing the parliaments with useful idiots and -- especially -- turning the media into brainwashing instruments. In our country, too. How is this done? It's quite simple, really: one has to suppress all other voices. One has to make sure that the citizen hears only one voice. One that repeats a few messages over and over, endlessly. This way the lie becomes truth. (4 comments) SHARE Strong as Death The Gaza Strip could have turned into a blooming island. Optimists spoke about a "Second Singapore." They spoke about a Gaza harbor, with due inspection of incoming goods either in Gaza or in a neutral port abroad. A Gaza airport, with appropriate security inspection, was built and used and then destroyed by Israel. Saturday, June 2, 2018The Gaza Strip could have turned into a blooming island. Optimists spoke about a "Second Singapore." They spoke about a Gaza harbor, with due inspection of incoming goods either in Gaza or in a neutral port abroad. A Gaza airport, with appropriate security inspection, was built and used and then destroyed by Israel. (23 comments) SHARE The Luck of the Gambler The world saw and remained silent. The international reaction to the massacre in Gaza was even less than the usual hypocritical minimum prescribed for such occasions. The only serious reaction came from the Turkish ruler and was buried under a heap of derision in Israel. Saturday, May 26, 2018The world saw and remained silent. The international reaction to the massacre in Gaza was even less than the usual hypocritical minimum prescribed for such occasions. The only serious reaction came from the Turkish ruler and was buried under a heap of derision in Israel. SHARE The Day of Shame If President Donald Trump had declared West Jerusalem the capital of Israel and moved his embassy there, almost nobody would have got excited. By omitting the word "West," Trump ignited a fire. Perhaps without realizing what he was doing, and probably not giving a damn. If and when peace does come, no one will care about some stupid act of a half-forgotten US president. Saturday, May 19, 2018If President Donald Trump had declared West Jerusalem the capital of Israel and moved his embassy there, almost nobody would have got excited. By omitting the word "West," Trump ignited a fire. Perhaps without realizing what he was doing, and probably not giving a damn. If and when peace does come, no one will care about some stupid act of a half-forgotten US president. (1 comments) SHARE Who is the vassal? If you are very cynical, you might well say that both Trump and Bibi are up to their respective necks in criminal investigations. With a bit of luck, both might end up in prison. What better way to divert the attention of their subjects than a little war? It is a precept that has been tried out since the beginning of the world, and it almost never fails. Friday, May 11, 2018If you are very cynical, you might well say that both Trump and Bibi are up to their respective necks in criminal investigations. With a bit of luck, both might end up in prison. What better way to divert the attention of their subjects than a little war? It is a precept that has been tried out since the beginning of the world, and it almost never fails. SHARE That Woman In Drucker's film, Golda pictures herself as a helpless old woman, surrounded by the young and dynamic generals. The truth was quite different. Golda was the dominant and domineering personality at the deliberations; the generals were like children in her presence. Saturday, May 5, 2018In Drucker's film, Golda pictures herself as a helpless old woman, surrounded by the young and dynamic generals. The truth was quite different. Golda was the dominant and domineering personality at the deliberations; the generals were like children in her presence. SHARE The Real Victor Drucker portrays Eshkol as a nice and bumbling politician, a weak person who happened to be in office when the most fateful war broke out with results that have shaped our destiny to this very day. Little Israel became a regional power, with large occupied territories north, east and west. Israel's present situation was shaped almost by accident. Friday, April 27, 2018Drucker portrays Eshkol as a nice and bumbling politician, a weak person who happened to be in office when the most fateful war broke out with results that have shaped our destiny to this very day. Little Israel became a regional power, with large occupied territories north, east and west. Israel's present situation was shaped almost by accident. (3 comments) SHARE The Great Day Zionism from the beginning wanted to dispossess the Arabs from their land in order to create there a new Jewish nation. This was never admitted, but was clear from the beginning. All Ben-Gurion's successors, up to the present occupant of the office, followed this line. Even on its 70th birthday, Israel recognizes no official borders. Friday, April 20, 2018Zionism from the beginning wanted to dispossess the Arabs from their land in order to create there a new Jewish nation. This was never admitted, but was clear from the beginning. All Ben-Gurion's successors, up to the present occupant of the office, followed this line. Even on its 70th birthday, Israel recognizes no official borders. (1 comments) SHARE Eyeless in Gaza I, Uri Avnery, soldier number 44410 of the Israel army, hereby dissociate myself from the army sharpshooters who murder unarmed demonstrators along the Gaza Strip, and from their commanders, who give them the orders, up to the commander in chief. We don't belong to the same army, or to the same state. We hardly belong to the same human race. Sunday, April 15, 2018I, Uri Avnery, soldier number 44410 of the Israel army, hereby dissociate myself from the army sharpshooters who murder unarmed demonstrators along the Gaza Strip, and from their commanders, who give them the orders, up to the commander in chief. We don't belong to the same army, or to the same state. We hardly belong to the same human race. (5 comments) SHARE A Song is Born THE MOMENT I saw the scene of Ahed al-Tamimi boxing the face of an Israeli army captain, I knew that something important had happened. The Palestinian people now have a national heroine. The Palestinian youth now has a model to emulate. The Palestinian Jeanne d'Arc, the national symbol. Saturday, April 7, 2018THE MOMENT I saw the scene of Ahed al-Tamimi boxing the face of an Israeli army captain, I knew that something important had happened. The Palestinian people now have a national heroine. The Palestinian youth now has a model to emulate. The Palestinian Jeanne d'Arc, the national symbol. (1 comments) SHARE Son of a Dog The President of the US totally ignores the rights of the Palestinian people and their aspirations. According to him, the Palestinians must accept what is offered to them, as a dog must accept what his master throws to him and wag his tail. What exactly? Trump's masterful Peace Plan is still wrapped in secrecy. But it is enough to know who is in charge of it: his Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Saturday, March 24, 2018The President of the US totally ignores the rights of the Palestinian people and their aspirations. According to him, the Palestinians must accept what is offered to them, as a dog must accept what his master throws to him and wag his tail. What exactly? Trump's masterful Peace Plan is still wrapped in secrecy. But it is enough to know who is in charge of it: his Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner. SHARE The Fake Enemy Real friends of Israel should advise Netanyahu to make peace as long as Mahmoud Abbas is still around. He is deeply committed to peace. But Netanyahu doesn't care. Peace is the last thing he has on his troubled mind. He is far more committed to the eternal conflict with both the Arabs and the Iranians. After all, what would life be like without enemies? Saturday, March 17, 2018Real friends of Israel should advise Netanyahu to make peace as long as Mahmoud Abbas is still around. He is deeply committed to peace. But Netanyahu doesn't care. Peace is the last thing he has on his troubled mind. He is far more committed to the eternal conflict with both the Arabs and the Iranians. After all, what would life be like without enemies? Page 1 of 21 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 4 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 View All (1 comments) SHARE The Most Important Legislation of My Lifetime Single payer healthcare is morally and economically right. Only the insurance industry would disagree with that. What do insurance companies provide us anyway? An overpriced payee is what they are and all they are. They don't care about our health; they are designed for their own profit. Sunday, September 24, 2017Single payer healthcare is morally and economically right. Only the insurance industry would disagree with that. What do insurance companies provide us anyway? An overpriced payee is what they are and all they are. They don't care about our health; they are designed for their own profit. SHARE Iowa Democrats Unite Behind Cathy and Pete Republicans didn't start winning elections by running to the center; they won by exciting their base. Of course they played on people's fears, scapegoating immigrants, women, people of color, and people's sexual orientation. Our job is to do the opposite. We have to reach out to people's decency. We just have to get better at defining what we stand for. Saturday, September 23, 2017Republicans didn't start winning elections by running to the center; they won by exciting their base. Of course they played on people's fears, scapegoating immigrants, women, people of color, and people's sexual orientation. Our job is to do the opposite. We have to reach out to people's decency. We just have to get better at defining what we stand for. SHARE The 2020 Race for President Has Begun It's just the beginning. We know that Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, and the most speculated non-candidate of 2016, Senator Elizabeth Warren, may be sticking their toes in the water soon. And when since 1988 has former vice president Joe Biden not been rumored as a possibility? I still hope it's Bernie. Wednesday, September 13, 2017It's just the beginning. We know that Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, and the most speculated non-candidate of 2016, Senator Elizabeth Warren, may be sticking their toes in the water soon. And when since 1988 has former vice president Joe Biden not been rumored as a possibility? I still hope it's Bernie. (11 comments) SHARE Bernie Releases Blueprint for GOP Demise You can agree or disagree with the senator from Vermont, but one thing you can't deny is he is a leader with a vision for what he thinks America should become, and he is passionately trying to create that world. I agree with Bernie on almost everything, and I believe he will be a prominent fixture in history books for generations to come. Tuesday, September 5, 2017You can agree or disagree with the senator from Vermont, but one thing you can't deny is he is a leader with a vision for what he thinks America should become, and he is passionately trying to create that world. I agree with Bernie on almost everything, and I believe he will be a prominent fixture in history books for generations to come. (3 comments) SHARE So You Really Think Trump Is Not a Racist? What is your definition of a racist? Sexist? Bigot? Pay close attention to your answer; you might be on the defensive. Exactly; if you don't think Trump is a bigot then you probably are one yourself. Here is the Wikipedia definition of racism: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior. Monday, August 28, 2017What is your definition of a racist? Sexist? Bigot? Pay close attention to your answer; you might be on the defensive. Exactly; if you don't think Trump is a bigot then you probably are one yourself. Here is the Wikipedia definition of racism: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior. (1 comments) SHARE Single Payer Healthcare Is Achievable Republicans are good at staying on-message and turning good ideas into dirty words. We need to do the same. We need to make greedy, for-profit insurance companies the boogeyman and convince people that the government can do a better job providing healthcare. Sunday, August 27, 2017Republicans are good at staying on-message and turning good ideas into dirty words. We need to do the same. We need to make greedy, for-profit insurance companies the boogeyman and convince people that the government can do a better job providing healthcare. (1 comments) SHARE Take the Nukes Away From the Madman in the White House Neither Donald Trump nor Kim Jong-un should have access to the powerful militaries that they lead. Jong-un becomes stronger every time Donald Trump ratchets up the rhetoric. Sanctions and isolation are the right responses to North Korea. Threats and bluster only increase the chance that a catastrophic event will take place. We can no longer count on the current nuclear powers being sane enough not to use nuclear weapons. Friday, August 11, 2017Neither Donald Trump nor Kim Jong-un should have access to the powerful militaries that they lead. Jong-un becomes stronger every time Donald Trump ratchets up the rhetoric. Sanctions and isolation are the right responses to North Korea. Threats and bluster only increase the chance that a catastrophic event will take place. We can no longer count on the current nuclear powers being sane enough not to use nuclear weapons. (1 comments) SHARE Shocking News: "Big" Jim Justice Was a Democrat As I sat and watched the governor of West Virginia, "Big Jim" Justice, announce he was leaving the Democratic Party, it dawned on me that the shocking news was that this guy was ever a Democrat at all. He reminded me of Boss Hogg, and I'm not teasing him based on his weight like Donald Trump did when referring to the "large news" he had to announce. Tuesday, August 8, 2017As I sat and watched the governor of West Virginia, "Big Jim" Justice, announce he was leaving the Democratic Party, it dawned on me that the shocking news was that this guy was ever a Democrat at all. He reminded me of Boss Hogg, and I'm not teasing him based on his weight like Donald Trump did when referring to the "large news" he had to announce. (16 comments) SHARE The Next Step in the Healthcare Fight Of course in this Congress, there is little hope of single payer passing. It is, however, an issue on which Democrats could ride back to power. It is still true that many Americans don't understand the benefits of single payer, so it will take a massive movement in this country to win hearts and minds. Wednesday, August 2, 2017Of course in this Congress, there is little hope of single payer passing. It is, however, an issue on which Democrats could ride back to power. It is still true that many Americans don't understand the benefits of single payer, so it will take a massive movement in this country to win hearts and minds. (4 comments) SHARE Progressives Turning Up the Heat on House Democrats Last summer Democrats passed the most progressive platform in its history. This summer it is time to bring that platform to life and make it mean something. We must return the Democratic Party to the people. The goal is to one day be able to say again that the Democratic Party puts people before profit. Wednesday, July 26, 2017Last summer Democrats passed the most progressive platform in its history. This summer it is time to bring that platform to life and make it mean something. We must return the Democratic Party to the people. The goal is to one day be able to say again that the Democratic Party puts people before profit. SHARE The Healthcare Fight Is Far From Over In the era of Trump, expect the unexpected. The headlines say the Senate GOP healthcare plan is dead. The latest version may be, but we know they will try to dress it up and bring it back. They might not even dress it up -- they may strip it naked and promise they'll fix it up after 2018. Wednesday, July 19, 2017In the era of Trump, expect the unexpected. The headlines say the Senate GOP healthcare plan is dead. The latest version may be, but we know they will try to dress it up and bring it back. They might not even dress it up -- they may strip it naked and promise they'll fix it up after 2018. (3 comments) SHARE Progressives Are Saving the Democratic Party On issue after issue, the Democratic Party could lead but too often chooses to play it safe and take a moderate position in an attempt to get elected. Progressives have been organizing and shaping public opinion. Independent voters are ready for a bold progressive message. It is time for the Democratic Party to catch up to the rest of the American people and support a progressive agenda. Saturday, July 8, 2017On issue after issue, the Democratic Party could lead but too often chooses to play it safe and take a moderate position in an attempt to get elected. Progressives have been organizing and shaping public opinion. Independent voters are ready for a bold progressive message. It is time for the Democratic Party to catch up to the rest of the American people and support a progressive agenda. (3 comments) SHARE Trump Puts Politics Over Health of the Nation Trump and the Republicans are having a difficult time coming up with a replacement for Obamacare. It was easy to repeal it over and over when President Obama was there to veto the repeal. Now the votes mean something, and Republicans don't have a viable replacement. Thursday, June 29, 2017Trump and the Republicans are having a difficult time coming up with a replacement for Obamacare. It was easy to repeal it over and over when President Obama was there to veto the repeal. Now the votes mean something, and Republicans don't have a viable replacement. SHARE People's Summit to Dems: Follow Us The message we have to take from Bernie and Nina is to fight for the future and support the party that follows us! We don't need to follow a political party. The movement must continue to move forward and not wait for Democrats -- if they want our votes they need to open the doors and let us in to lead them to victory. Tuesday, June 13, 2017The message we have to take from Bernie and Nina is to fight for the future and support the party that follows us! We don't need to follow a political party. The movement must continue to move forward and not wait for Democrats -- if they want our votes they need to open the doors and let us in to lead them to victory. (1 comments) SHARE Trump Declares Obamacare Dead I am worried that Obamacare will be repealed without an adequate replacement. The GOP says Obamacare is redistribution of wealth from the wealthy to the poor. They want the money back. They want to take from the poor and give it back to the rich. Sunday, March 19, 2017I am worried that Obamacare will be repealed without an adequate replacement. The GOP says Obamacare is redistribution of wealth from the wealthy to the poor. They want the money back. They want to take from the poor and give it back to the rich. (1 comments) SHARE DNC, Grow the Party and Vote for Keith Ellison a vote against Keith Ellison would be an invitation to millions of progressives to exit the party. A vote for Keith Ellison will be an invitation to stay and rebuild the party. Do the right thing and grow the party with Keith. Who do we gain or lose with Tom Perez as chair? That's right, we keep the corporate cash and lose progressive voters. The cash can be replaced; the voters are irreplaceable. Tuesday, February 21, 2017a vote against Keith Ellison would be an invitation to millions of progressives to exit the party. A vote for Keith Ellison will be an invitation to stay and rebuild the party. Do the right thing and grow the party with Keith. Who do we gain or lose with Tom Perez as chair? That's right, we keep the corporate cash and lose progressive voters. The cash can be replaced; the voters are irreplaceable. SHARE Donald Trump Is Creating Progressives It sucks that Donald Trump is President. We would be facing different obstacles if he had lost, and as I argued we would be better off. That said, we have to take advantage of the opportunities to organize that his presidency is providing. Those opportunities, unfortunately, are numerous. Wednesday, February 8, 2017It sucks that Donald Trump is President. We would be facing different obstacles if he had lost, and as I argued we would be better off. That said, we have to take advantage of the opportunities to organize that his presidency is providing. Those opportunities, unfortunately, are numerous. (1 comments) SHARE Everyone Can Become a Real Progressive We need the corporate Democrats to shed the shackles of Wall Street and start focusing on the needs of the people. We need the underemployed trying to make ends meet to realize we are fighting for them. We need the women who were inspired by Hillary Clinton's receiving the most votes for president to support a progressive agenda. We are not going to agree on everything, but we need to move forward where we can. Wednesday, February 1, 2017We need the corporate Democrats to shed the shackles of Wall Street and start focusing on the needs of the people. We need the underemployed trying to make ends meet to realize we are fighting for them. We need the women who were inspired by Hillary Clinton's receiving the most votes for president to support a progressive agenda. We are not going to agree on everything, but we need to move forward where we can. SHARE Repealing Obamacare Will Be Negligent Homicide The Republican Party is preparing to throw millions of people off their healthcare. Many people will die of conditions that could have been prevented if they were covered. That is why I believe they would be guilty of negligent homicide. Instead of repealing Obamacare, we should take the next step toward universal healthcare and allow the federal exchange to negotiate a public option with healthcare providers. Sunday, January 8, 2017The Republican Party is preparing to throw millions of people off their healthcare. Many people will die of conditions that could have been prevented if they were covered. That is why I believe they would be guilty of negligent homicide. Instead of repealing Obamacare, we should take the next step toward universal healthcare and allow the federal exchange to negotiate a public option with healthcare providers. SHARE Keith Ellison Is the Right Choice to Lead the DNC Debbie Wasserman Shultz and Donna Brazile have created an environment where progressives don't feel welcome in the Democratic Party. For us to bring many back into the fold we need a meaningful first step. Electing Keith Ellison chair of the party is the first step to healing the division in our party. Friday, December 23, 2016Debbie Wasserman Shultz and Donna Brazile have created an environment where progressives don't feel welcome in the Democratic Party. For us to bring many back into the fold we need a meaningful first step. Electing Keith Ellison chair of the party is the first step to healing the division in our party. Page 1 of 4 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 View All Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 2 First Last Back Next 2 View All SHARE Global Ecofeminist Socialism and the Earth Constitution This article describes the relations of domination and exploitation inherent within capitalism, patriarchy, and the system of militarized nation-states. It shows that the feminine principle, the principle of democratic socialism, and the rule of democratic world law under the Constitution for the Federation of Earth share the same revolutionary roots and are fundamental to overcoming both capitalism and patriarchy. Wednesday, October 24, 2018This article describes the relations of domination and exploitation inherent within capitalism, patriarchy, and the system of militarized nation-states. It shows that the feminine principle, the principle of democratic socialism, and the rule of democratic world law under the Constitution for the Federation of Earth share the same revolutionary roots and are fundamental to overcoming both capitalism and patriarchy. (17 comments) SHARE System Change or Climate Change and No Third Possibility This article shows that the fundamental principles of global capitalism interfaced with the system of sovereign nation-states directly contradict the principles of ecology required for planetary sustainability. It also describes the principles of sustainability and shows the many ways in which the Constitution for the Federation of Earth embodies and actualizes these principles. Wednesday, October 17, 2018This article shows that the fundamental principles of global capitalism interfaced with the system of sovereign nation-states directly contradict the principles of ecology required for planetary sustainability. It also describes the principles of sustainability and shows the many ways in which the Constitution for the Federation of Earth embodies and actualizes these principles. (40 comments) SHARE The Clueless Left and the Future of Humanity This article reviews the innumerable problems of today's world and argues that the cause of these problems is the world system itself, which must be changed from the fragmentation of global capitalism intertwined with sovereign nation-states to one of holism under the Earth Constitution. Thursday, May 10, 2018This article reviews the innumerable problems of today's world and argues that the cause of these problems is the world system itself, which must be changed from the fragmentation of global capitalism intertwined with sovereign nation-states to one of holism under the Earth Constitution. (8 comments) SHARE The Coming Climate Collapse This article argues that the U.S. withdrawing from the Paris Climate accord is not the main issue. The main issue is the fact that saving the planet's climate is effectively impossible under the system of militarized sovereign nation-states. We need to really unite, which means ratifying the Constitution for the Federation of Earth. Tuesday, June 13, 2017This article argues that the U.S. withdrawing from the Paris Climate accord is not the main issue. The main issue is the fact that saving the planet's climate is effectively impossible under the system of militarized sovereign nation-states. We need to really unite, which means ratifying the Constitution for the Federation of Earth. (5 comments) SHARE From State Department Madness to Empire of Chaos to Climate Collapse: The Missing Element is Human Unity This article examines our human situation in the light of climate collapse, US military madness, and the system of competing sovereign nation-states. What is lacking is human unity, and human unity is not just some abstract ideal but comes about through concrete system change under the Earth Constitution. Tuesday, June 21, 2016This article examines our human situation in the light of climate collapse, US military madness, and the system of competing sovereign nation-states. What is lacking is human unity, and human unity is not just some abstract ideal but comes about through concrete system change under the Earth Constitution. (20 comments) SHARE The Deeper Roots of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Atrocities This article looks at President Obama's speech in Japan as a massive propaganda stunt, examines the real story behind the bombings and his speech, and identifies the root problem of war in the nation-state system itself. It advocates the Constitution for the Federation of Earth to end both nuclear weapons and all wars. Tuesday, June 7, 2016This article looks at President Obama's speech in Japan as a massive propaganda stunt, examines the real story behind the bombings and his speech, and identifies the root problem of war in the nation-state system itself. It advocates the Constitution for the Federation of Earth to end both nuclear weapons and all wars. (27 comments) SHARE The Left Needs a Vision: A Response to Chris Hedges, Sheldon Wolin, and Pepe Escobar The article proposes the Earth Constitution as an authentic vision for the left and explains why this is absolutely fundamental. Tuesday, May 10, 2016The article proposes the Earth Constitution as an authentic vision for the left and explains why this is absolutely fundamental. (29 comments) SHARE Empire of Chaos meets Global Dracula: Trashing Democracy: What is Our Way Out? A long-overdue presentation of the only concept that could possibly save humanity from certain extinction, this article is a call to endorse the Earth Constitution, which would lead to a World Parliament, giving the left the necessary tools to effect meaningful change. A must tread! Monday, May 2, 2016A long-overdue presentation of the only concept that could possibly save humanity from certain extinction, this article is a call to endorse the Earth Constitution, which would lead to a World Parliament, giving the left the necessary tools to effect meaningful change. A must tread! (10 comments) SHARE Social Democracy in Venezuela, Latin America, and the World Having just returned from Venezuela, this article describes the current situation in Venezuela still identified as a "threat" by the Obama administration. It speaks of the socialist projects currently going on, of the relationship with Simon Bolivar and with the struggles for freedom and justice throughout Latin America. It links this struggle to our need to unite the Earth under the Earth Constitution. Friday, March 18, 2016Having just returned from Venezuela, this article describes the current situation in Venezuela still identified as a "threat" by the Obama administration. It speaks of the socialist projects currently going on, of the relationship with Simon Bolivar and with the struggles for freedom and justice throughout Latin America. It links this struggle to our need to unite the Earth under the Earth Constitution. SHARE Hillary, Bernie, and the World Federalist Vision: Whom Should We Support? As world crises continue to mount, and as it becomes ever-more clear that the system of sovereign nations is unable to deal with these crises, world federalist voices should expect to become much more mainstream. But the US needs an internal environment that ends the Patriot Act and makes real dialogue possible. For this reason alone, Bernie Sanders is by far the best choice. Monday, February 8, 2016As world crises continue to mount, and as it becomes ever-more clear that the system of sovereign nations is unable to deal with these crises, world federalist voices should expect to become much more mainstream. But the US needs an internal environment that ends the Patriot Act and makes real dialogue possible. For this reason alone, Bernie Sanders is by far the best choice. (1 comments) SHARE Patterns of Thought and Human Survival: Holism vs. Fragmentation This article argues that we must begin thinking holistically if we want to survive much longer on Earth. We must look at our problems from a holistic perspective like that in the Constitution for the Federation of Earth. Sunday, January 31, 2016This article argues that we must begin thinking holistically if we want to survive much longer on Earth. We must look at our problems from a holistic perspective like that in the Constitution for the Federation of Earth. SHARE The Global Democracy Manifesto: A Critical Appraisal This article is a critique and analysis of the well-known "Global Democracy Manifesto" that is being circulated worldwide. It shows in what ways the Manifesto is ineffectual and empty, a far cry from that the world absolutely needs if we are to create a decent future and real global democracy. Thursday, December 10, 2015This article is a critique and analysis of the well-known "Global Democracy Manifesto" that is being circulated worldwide. It shows in what ways the Manifesto is ineffectual and empty, a far cry from that the world absolutely needs if we are to create a decent future and real global democracy. (6 comments) SHARE The New Sustainable Development Goals and Global Schizophrenia This article examines the newly formulated UN "sustainable development goals" (SDGs) in the light of the global realities of climate-collapse, militarism, war, imperialism, and economic exploitation. It concludes that achievement of these SDGs is only possible if this reality is addressed through converting the UN to a democratic world government under the Constitution for the Federation of Earth. Friday, October 16, 2015This article examines the newly formulated UN "sustainable development goals" (SDGs) in the light of the global realities of climate-collapse, militarism, war, imperialism, and economic exploitation. It concludes that achievement of these SDGs is only possible if this reality is addressed through converting the UN to a democratic world government under the Constitution for the Federation of Earth. (2 comments) SHARE American Violence and the Commonwealth of God Violence permeates American domestic life and foreign policy, as journalist Tom Engelhardt has pointed out. One book about American Imperialism says that we need to replace this with the "commonwealth of God." This conception of a nonviolent community is indeed the vision of Jesus, but I argue that the real commonwealth of God also requires ratification of the Earth Constitution. Wednesday, September 9, 2015Violence permeates American domestic life and foreign policy, as journalist Tom Engelhardt has pointed out. One book about American Imperialism says that we need to replace this with the "commonwealth of God." This conception of a nonviolent community is indeed the vision of Jesus, but I argue that the real commonwealth of God also requires ratification of the Earth Constitution. (2 comments) SHARE Trans-Pacific Partnership versus National Sovereignty: A False Dilemma The Trans-Pacific Partnership cannot be successfully opposed through protecting an illusory "national sovereignty." We need insight into the global system as a whole, and we desperately need a "utopian" vision of human liberation. This vision is provided by the Earth Constitution. Thursday, May 14, 2015The Trans-Pacific Partnership cannot be successfully opposed through protecting an illusory "national sovereignty." We need insight into the global system as a whole, and we desperately need a "utopian" vision of human liberation. This vision is provided by the Earth Constitution. (5 comments) SHARE Changing the System Requires Seeing It Clearly This article reviews the lies made by the state-terrorist nations that they are fighting terrorism. It points out that the world-system itself is the root cause of our inability to pacify the planet or to protect the environment. We need a global cooperative economics and politics under a global social contract. Nothing else will create a decent future for humanity. Wednesday, January 21, 2015This article reviews the lies made by the state-terrorist nations that they are fighting terrorism. It points out that the world-system itself is the root cause of our inability to pacify the planet or to protect the environment. We need a global cooperative economics and politics under a global social contract. Nothing else will create a decent future for humanity. (16 comments) SHARE Climate Marches May Well Promote, Not Prevent, Climate Collapse This article describes why the giant environmental protests will fail to protect the environment and what we must do if we really want a sustainable future. Saturday, November 29, 2014This article describes why the giant environmental protests will fail to protect the environment and what we must do if we really want a sustainable future. (2 comments) SHARE Global Robocop, a Multipolar World, and Climate Collapse: How to Think Outside the Box This article defines the alternatives between US global domination and a multipolar world as false alternatives characterized by "inside-the-box" thinking. It defines "progressive" and shows that progressives are still thinking inside the box and therefore putting the endangered future of humanity at risk. It shows the genuine alternative to both capitalism and nation-states as ratifying the Earth Constitution. Friday, May 23, 2014This article defines the alternatives between US global domination and a multipolar world as false alternatives characterized by "inside-the-box" thinking. It defines "progressive" and shows that progressives are still thinking inside the box and therefore putting the endangered future of humanity at risk. It shows the genuine alternative to both capitalism and nation-states as ratifying the Earth Constitution. (17 comments) SHARE The Moral Collapse of U.S. and Global Society- and the Necessary Conditions for Rebirth The illegitimacy of Neoliberal domination contrasts with the moral legitimacy of democracy. The destruction of democracy within the U.S. is connected with the same phenomenon worldwide -- the two are inseparable. Thinkers have long understood that democratic values are universal, and that, to really establish democracy, it must be a global democracy under the Earth Constitution. Tuesday, April 29, 2014The illegitimacy of Neoliberal domination contrasts with the moral legitimacy of democracy. The destruction of democracy within the U.S. is connected with the same phenomenon worldwide -- the two are inseparable. Thinkers have long understood that democratic values are universal, and that, to really establish democracy, it must be a global democracy under the Earth Constitution. (7 comments) SHARE Planetary Maturity and Our Global Social Contract: Part Two- The Social Contract Where Part One focused on the emerging consensus regarding 'planetary maturity', this Part Two focuses on our global social contract. It shows in what ways the holism of the contemporary paradigm-shift is embodied in the Earth Constitution and the ways in which the meaning of a 'global social contract' goes far beyond the limited and problematic uses made of the concept by 18th century thinkers such as John Locke. Thursday, April 10, 2014Where Part One focused on the emerging consensus regarding 'planetary maturity', this Part Two focuses on our global social contract. It shows in what ways the holism of the contemporary paradigm-shift is embodied in the Earth Constitution and the ways in which the meaning of a 'global social contract' goes far beyond the limited and problematic uses made of the concept by 18th century thinkers such as John Locke. Page 1 of 2 First Last Back Next 2 View All Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 6 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 View All SHARE Brazil's charges against Glenn Greenwald reek of authoritarianism The move to retaliate against Greenwald, who has reported critically on Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, is a threat to the press everywhere Wednesday, January 22, 2020The move to retaliate against Greenwald, who has reported critically on Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, is a threat to the press everywhere (3 comments) SHARE The Trump Administration Is Coming After WhatsApp While Barr acknowledges it's clear that end-to-end encryption (which he dubbed "irresponsible encryption") provides some consumer protections, he claims it weakens people's overall safety and national security at the same time. Banning strong encryption is a terrible idea no matter the administration in charge. But why should anyone trust Donald Trump, of all people, with this incredible new power? Friday, August 2, 2019While Barr acknowledges it's clear that end-to-end encryption (which he dubbed "irresponsible encryption") provides some consumer protections, he claims it weakens people's overall safety and national security at the same time. Banning strong encryption is a terrible idea no matter the administration in charge. But why should anyone trust Donald Trump, of all people, with this incredible new power? (3 comments) SHARE Assange's indictment is Trump's next step in his war on press freedom To those who have no sympathy for Assange, are you going to trust Trump's justice department here over Obama's? Given the Trump DoJ is relying on nine-year-old evidence on a flimsy charge of "conspiracy" to crack a password, an alleged scheme even the DoJ admits didn't work, do you think they might have ulterior motives when it comes to this case? Saturday, April 13, 2019To those who have no sympathy for Assange, are you going to trust Trump's justice department here over Obama's? Given the Trump DoJ is relying on nine-year-old evidence on a flimsy charge of "conspiracy" to crack a password, an alleged scheme even the DoJ admits didn't work, do you think they might have ulterior motives when it comes to this case? (1 comments) SHARE How Facebook Borrows From the NSA Playbook Facebook has been under a consent decree with the FTC since 2012, when the agency reprimanded the social media giant for violating users' privacy. Facebook was at least supposed to follow strict rules about when and why it could not share users' data with others. But as the Times reported, Facebook relied on quietly redefining "service provider" to get everything it wanted. Saturday, January 12, 2019Facebook has been under a consent decree with the FTC since 2012, when the agency reprimanded the social media giant for violating users' privacy. Facebook was at least supposed to follow strict rules about when and why it could not share users' data with others. But as the Times reported, Facebook relied on quietly redefining "service provider" to get everything it wanted. (4 comments) SHARE Trump's Justice Dept Escalates Its Crackdown on Leaks by Seizing New York Times Reporter's Phone and Email Records Ali Watkins is an excellent reporter. She is having her private records scrutinized and spied on by the government for doing her job as a journalist, and the Justice Department's move should be loudly condemned by everyone no matter your political preference. Saturday, June 9, 2018Ali Watkins is an excellent reporter. She is having her private records scrutinized and spied on by the government for doing her job as a journalist, and the Justice Department's move should be loudly condemned by everyone no matter your political preference. (2 comments) SHARE Whatever You Think of the Trump-Russia Investigation, Whistleblower Reality Winner Deserves Your Support Winner, unfortunately, is caught between two camps -- a whistleblower without a constituency -- even as her alleged transgression proved a pivotal moment in the hot-burning media story of the investigation into potential attempts by Russia to interfere in the 2016 election. Sunday, June 3, 2018Winner, unfortunately, is caught between two camps -- a whistleblower without a constituency -- even as her alleged transgression proved a pivotal moment in the hot-burning media story of the investigation into potential attempts by Russia to interfere in the 2016 election. (3 comments) SHARE ProPublica's mistake was inevitable in age of CIA secrecy over torture A brave government official who has access to the torture report can still leak it to the press. They would be doing a vital public service. Though such an act would put any individual at great risk, there are few things more important to our democracy than holding government officials accountable when they commit crimes against humanity, such as those committed by the CIA. Saturday, March 17, 2018A brave government official who has access to the torture report can still leak it to the press. They would be doing a vital public service. Though such an act would put any individual at great risk, there are few things more important to our democracy than holding government officials accountable when they commit crimes against humanity, such as those committed by the CIA. (6 comments) SHARE Democrats Just Handed Trump More Domestic Surveillance Powers. They Should Know Better. With Section 702 expiring next week, the Trump administration has of course, demanded that Congress pass an extension with supposed "reforms" that do hardly anything to stop the feds from abusing their powers and actually codify the ability for the FBI, in many cases, to search Americans' emails without a warrant. Friday, January 12, 2018With Section 702 expiring next week, the Trump administration has of course, demanded that Congress pass an extension with supposed "reforms" that do hardly anything to stop the feds from abusing their powers and actually codify the ability for the FBI, in many cases, to search Americans' emails without a warrant. SHARE The future of American privacy rights will be defined this year If the US supreme court rules the right way, it could protect the data emitted from our cellphones, often without our knowledge and provide safeguards for police abuse. If they don't, police may have cart blanche power to turn any American's smartphone into a tracking device on demand. This is the most important privacy case in front of the supreme court in a generation concerning NSA surveillance reform. Friday, December 1, 2017If the US supreme court rules the right way, it could protect the data emitted from our cellphones, often without our knowledge and provide safeguards for police abuse. If they don't, police may have cart blanche power to turn any American's smartphone into a tracking device on demand. This is the most important privacy case in front of the supreme court in a generation concerning NSA surveillance reform. (1 comments) SHARE Trump wants to keep our draconian surveillance laws. Don't let him do it The last time Congress had to reauthorize Section 702, they waited until the very last possible moment -- just a few days before the law was to expire -- and used the holiday season, when most people were with their families on vacation and phone calls to the Capitol would be at a minimum, as cover. Many members of Congress then lamented the lack of time to work on reforms. Friday, November 3, 2017The last time Congress had to reauthorize Section 702, they waited until the very last possible moment -- just a few days before the law was to expire -- and used the holiday season, when most people were with their families on vacation and phone calls to the Capitol would be at a minimum, as cover. Many members of Congress then lamented the lack of time to work on reforms. SHARE Niger is the perfect example of the US state of perma-war Congress, of course, has shamefully abdicated its constitutional role as legislative body in charge of declaring war since it passed the AUMF shortly after 9/11. That law -- just 60 words -- has been used for 16 years now to justify conflicts on multiple continents against enemies that didn't exist at the time of its enactment. Sunday, October 29, 2017Congress, of course, has shamefully abdicated its constitutional role as legislative body in charge of declaring war since it passed the AUMF shortly after 9/11. That law -- just 60 words -- has been used for 16 years now to justify conflicts on multiple continents against enemies that didn't exist at the time of its enactment. SHARE Trump's threats amount to a First Amendment violation Everyone knows Trump regularly issues legal threats that he never follows through on. But that may not matter either: Even if Trump's comments on punishing NBC and the NFL are seen as empty threats, it's still a First Amendment issue. it would be interesting if NFL Players Union or individual players decided to sue Trump for violating their First Amendment rights. Friday, October 13, 2017Everyone knows Trump regularly issues legal threats that he never follows through on. But that may not matter either: Even if Trump's comments on punishing NBC and the NFL are seen as empty threats, it's still a First Amendment issue. it would be interesting if NFL Players Union or individual players decided to sue Trump for violating their First Amendment rights. (1 comments) SHARE Did you visit this anti-Trump site? The US government wants your IP address If this extraordinary broad legal order is allowed to stand, Jeff Sessions and the justice department could extend the same type of legal order to a whole host of situations. It should be strongly protested not just in court, but in public and the halls of Congress in the strongest terms possible. Friday, August 18, 2017If this extraordinary broad legal order is allowed to stand, Jeff Sessions and the justice department could extend the same type of legal order to a whole host of situations. It should be strongly protested not just in court, but in public and the halls of Congress in the strongest terms possible. (4 comments) SHARE If Trump wants to fire Jeff Sessions, let him -- it would be a gift to America Sessions leaving office leads to the best of all worlds: a uniquely horrible Trump cabinet official who is making life miserable for millions of Americans is gone; it will be incredibly tough for Trump to get a new attorney general confirmed; he won't be able to make a recess appointment; and it might further the obstruction of justice case against him. Thursday, July 27, 2017Sessions leaving office leads to the best of all worlds: a uniquely horrible Trump cabinet official who is making life miserable for millions of Americans is gone; it will be incredibly tough for Trump to get a new attorney general confirmed; he won't be able to make a recess appointment; and it might further the obstruction of justice case against him. SHARE Here's a reality check: this Trump Jr storm will not lead to impeachment While pro-impeachment advocates scream "treason!" on Twitter every time a new story is published, the truth is much more complicated. Some legal experts wonder whether the Trump clan actually did break any laws in their interactions with Russian nationals, even if their behavior pre-election was incredibly shady, unethical and nefarious. Friday, July 14, 2017While pro-impeachment advocates scream "treason!" on Twitter every time a new story is published, the truth is much more complicated. Some legal experts wonder whether the Trump clan actually did break any laws in their interactions with Russian nationals, even if their behavior pre-election was incredibly shady, unethical and nefarious. (2 comments) SHARE Donald Trump's bloodlust for war in the Middle East risks chaos Lost among the deluge of stories about the Russia investigation and the Republicans' push to take healthcare away from millions of people, the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for a disastrous regional proxy war against Iran in Syria, and possibly beyond. Wednesday, June 28, 2017Lost among the deluge of stories about the Russia investigation and the Republicans' push to take healthcare away from millions of people, the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for a disastrous regional proxy war against Iran in Syria, and possibly beyond. (2 comments) SHARE Ice agents are out of control. And they are only getting worse With arrests of non-violent undocumented immigrants exploding across the country, it's almost as if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents are having an internal contest to see who can participate in the most cruel and inhumane arrest possible. Saturday, June 3, 2017With arrests of non-violent undocumented immigrants exploding across the country, it's almost as if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents are having an internal contest to see who can participate in the most cruel and inhumane arrest possible. (34 comments) SHARE Everyone loves Bernie Sanders. Except, it seems, the Democratic party In the long term, change may be coming for Democrats whether they like it or not. Sanders loyalists are quietly attempting to take over many local Democratic party positions around the country. Sanders' supporters are already organizing primary challenges to incumbent Democrats who aren't sufficiently opposing Trump. One thing's for sure: Democrats who refuse to change do so at their peril. Saturday, March 18, 2017In the long term, change may be coming for Democrats whether they like it or not. Sanders loyalists are quietly attempting to take over many local Democratic party positions around the country. Sanders' supporters are already organizing primary challenges to incumbent Democrats who aren't sufficiently opposing Trump. One thing's for sure: Democrats who refuse to change do so at their peril. (2 comments) SHARE WikiLeaks says the CIA can use your TV to spy on you. But there's good news There will be a heated debate over WikiLeaks and the value of having these documents in the public record for the days and weeks to come -- as any publication by WikiLeaks inevitably does. But whether Trump administration officials like it or not, the hacking powers of our government is a vital topic that needs much more public debate, and this latest release may end up fueling it. Thursday, March 9, 2017There will be a heated debate over WikiLeaks and the value of having these documents in the public record for the days and weeks to come -- as any publication by WikiLeaks inevitably does. But whether Trump administration officials like it or not, the hacking powers of our government is a vital topic that needs much more public debate, and this latest release may end up fueling it. (1 comments) SHARE Why Paul Ryan is just Donald Trump in better wrapping No matter the controversy, it is virtually guaranteed that telegenic and slippery Ryan will be there, using his clean-cut image to tamp down criticism of the increasingly unstable president. Make no mistake: there is no daylight between Ryan and Trump. They are one and the same. The question is, when will everyone stop falling for his act? Monday, February 27, 2017No matter the controversy, it is virtually guaranteed that telegenic and slippery Ryan will be there, using his clean-cut image to tamp down criticism of the increasingly unstable president. Make no mistake: there is no daylight between Ryan and Trump. They are one and the same. The question is, when will everyone stop falling for his act? Page 1 of 6 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 View All This is going to be a place for Malaysian new and used cars reviews and Automotive industry related stuff. Viewers contribution(s) are welcome... Active since 2006 with 1000+ posts and counting. We are Anti-Plagiarism Blog. Please E-mail me at whlim79@icloud.com if you spot any Plagiarism Element. BLF leadrer and four militants killed in Mastung QUETTA: Dr Manan Baloch, a senior leader of the banned Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), and four other suspected militants were killed in a gunbattle with security forces in Mastung on Saturday, according to Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti. Addressing a press conference at the Chief Minister Secretariat here, he said Manan headed the Baloch National Movement (BNM), an organisation supporting militants. The minister was accompanied by the Inspector General of Balochistan Police, Ahsan Mehboob, DIG Frontier Corps Brigadier Tahir and a spokesman for the Balochistan government, Anwarul Haq Kakar. He said security forces conducted a search operation in Killi Datu area of Mastung during which an exchange of fire took place between the security personnel and militants hiding in a house. He said Manan and four other men were allegedly involved in subversive activities, including attacks on law enforcement agencies. After the clash security forces seized arms and ammunition from the house where the five men were hiding. The minister said all law enforcement and intelligence agencies were fighting against terrorists in a methodical manner, adding that despite persistent attacks on security personnel their morale was high. Mr Bugti alleged that some foreign agencies, including Indian secret agency RAW and Afghans, were stoking the unrest in Balochistan. However, the countrys security forces were determined to confront foreign agents and their supporters in Balochistan, he added. The minister said security forces had conducted 239 intelligence-based operations in Balochistan over the past two months in which 22 militants were killed and 14 others injured. In reply to a question, he said subversive activities in the province were parts of attempts to sabotage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. However, he added, security forces of the country would foil all such moves. He said in recent operations conducted in the port city of Gwadar a large number of people who were allegedly involved in subversive activities had been taken into custody. Meanwhile, two suspected militants were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Mastung district late on Friday night. Official sources said that unidentified people attacked a convoy of security forces in the Kanak area of the district. They fired rockets and shots. Intelligence agencies of Pakistan and Afghanistan to hold talks ISLAMABAD: Intelligence agencies of Pakistan and Afghanistan will hold rare talks aimed at bridging their trust chasm on Feb 4, a senior official disclosed on Saturday. The chief of Afghanistans National Directorate of Security (NDS), Masoud Andarabi, will come to Islamabad for a meeting with the Director General of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar. The visit takes place as the two countries resume their cooperation for getting the Afghan reconciliation process back on track after a suspension of several months. The bilateral intelligence dialogue is being facilitated by the United States, while China will attend as an observer. Intelligence officials from the US and China will be visiting Islamabad for the meeting. The four countries are also part of a Quadrilateral Framework on the Afghan reconciliation, but this initiative is separate from that endeavour. The intelligence dialogue, the official emphasised, was not linked to the reconciliation effort but could contribute to improving the prospects of that initiative. The Coordination Group of the Quadrilateral Framework is separately meeting in Islamabad on Feb 6 where the four sides are expected to agree on a roadmap for the Afghan peace talks. The agreement on holding a meeting of the two intelligence agencies, the official said, was scheduled earlier this week. The ISI and NDS had in May last year, following a visit by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Gen Raheel Sharif to Kabul, signed a cooperation accord on Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis initiative, but it could not take off due to strong political opposition to the arrangement in Kabul. Under that agreement the two agencies were to cooperate against terrorism and appoint a liaison officer in each others country. The then NDS chief Rehmatullah Nabil had refused to sign the agreement and it had to be inked at a lower level. Mr Nabil resigned last December over policy differences with President Ghani after the latter agreed during a visit to Islamabad, on the occasion of Heart of Asia ministerial conference, to resume the reconciliation process. Nabil was blocking things, the official said about the former NDS chief who was averse to working with Pakistan. Mr Nabils departure paved the way for a fresh attempt at exploring the possibility of cooperative intelligence ties. The US had been encouraging both sides to start cooperation at the intelligence level, but deep mistrust between them was preventing forward movement, the official noted. Pakistan and Afghanistan frequently accuse each other of lacking sincerity in fighting terrorism and harbouring militant groups, but seldom cooperate to address those concerns. Recently Pakistan alleged that the Jan 20 attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda was planned and directed by a terrorist group based in Afghanistan. The allegation has been denied by the Afghan authorities. Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif, during his visit to Kabul on Dec 27, had agreed with his Afghan interlocutors to improve bilateral military relations following which the two militaries established a hotline (direct telephonic contact) between their military operations chiefs and started exchanges of military delegations. KPK govt investing in people: Imran Khan PESHAWAR - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was investing in people and it would change the health system in six months. He said it would be his failure if he could not bring change in the health department. The reason behind the failure to bring change in government hospitals was the management system, which needed to be overhauled, he added. Addressing the inaugural session of Advances in Cancer and Hematology Conference here at Khyber Medical University, Imran said that 23 per cent of the cancer patients treated at the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital Lahore belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. After the establshement of Shaukat Khanum Mamorial Cancer Hospital in Peshawar they would get treatment in the province, he said. He said no country could make progress without improving health and education departments. He urged the federal government to improve education and health sectors. Pak Afghan military commanders met in Peshawar ISLAMABAD - In a meeting held in Peshawar on Saturday, military commanders from Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to enhance coordination and security measures on both sides of the border. An eight-member delegation of the Afghan National Army, headed by Corps Commander Lieutenant General Mohammad Sharif Yaftali, visited the Corps Headquarters Peshawar and called on Corps Commander Lieutenant General Hidayatur Rehman, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. The visit was a follow up of Army Chief General Raheel Sharifs last visit to Afghanistan, during which it was decided that corps commanders from both sides would hold meetings for better border management. The delegates discussed matters pertaining to mutual interest and security arrangements at the Pak-Afghan border, a statement from ISPR said. Both militaries have also established a hotline to exchange views on security matters in line with decisions taken during the army chiefs visit. ISRAEL - LIGHT TO THE NATIONS It's not exactly what you think. The Washington Post last year overtook The New York Times in digital visitors, claiming 76 million unique users in December, according to research firm comScore Under new owner Jeff Bezos, The Washington Post is no longer just a newspaper. It's reinventing itself as a "media and technology company" that hopes to blaze a trail for newsrooms struggling to transition to a digital era. The transformation may not be apparent on the surface, but the Internet billionaire has ripped up and revamped the technology underpinnings at the Post since buying the storied daily in 2013, while investing in the newsroom with more journalists, video offerings and tools for digital storytelling. In a symbolic step, Bezos was present at Thursday's dedication of the new tech-rich Post headquarters, a few blocks from the musty 1970s building that is being razed. "I am a huge fan of leaning into the future," said Bezos, the founder of online giant Amazon who snapped up the struggling newspaper for $250 million in personal funds. Some of his efforts appear to be paying off. The Post last year overtook The New York Times in digital visitors, claiming 76 million unique users in December, according to research firm comScore. That appeared to put it on track toward Bezos's goal of becoming a new "newspaper of record," an open challenge to its New York rival. The growth comes from upgrading all facets of the Post's digital offeringswith a revamped website and mobile apps, Post content on applications from Facebook and Google, and a Post app pre-loaded onto Amazon Fire and Kindle tablets and offered at a discounted price. The Washington Post is also offering its content for free through websites of smaller newspapers around the United States The Post is also offering its content for free through websites of smaller newspapers around the United States, in a step toward fulfilling its ambition as a national rival to The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. The Bezos experiment is being closely watched in the industry as newspapers struggle with declining print readership and advertising that pressures the business model of once-lucrative metropolitan dailies. "The most important thing he has done is give the Post runwaygiving the organization a chance to actually take some risks that may not immediately pay off financially," said Nikki Usher, a George Washington University professor specializing in new media and the future of journalism. "This has allowed them the freedom to experiment. You see them hiring some of the most talented people in product and business areas, and also doubling down on reporting." Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos has ripped up and revamped the technology underpinnings at the Post since buying the storied daily in 2013, while investing in the newsroom Know thy customer Ken Doctor, a media consultant and analyst who writes a blog called Newsonomics, said Bezos is borrowing some of the techniques he used to build Amazon into an online powerhouse. "Amazon is world class in the customer experience," Doctor told AFP. "It has figured out what people want and made that as seamless as possible. And it is Jeff Bezos's quest to bring that same level of understanding to The Washington Post." Doctor said a big part of that strategy is creating a technology "platform"one that not only performs fast but delivers analytics on how readers are interacting with the website and apps, and also integrates with marketing to deliver targeted advertising and other messages. The Washington Post's technology platform dubbed "Arc" made its debut in August, and is also being offered to other newspapers to improve their performance and analytics The Post platform dubbed "Arc" made its debut in August, and is also being offered to other newspapers to improve their performance and analyticsa move that could according to Doctor help the Washington daily collect useful reader data. "That's the roadmapto learn rapidly about news readers in the same way that Amazon has learned about buyers of goods," Doctor said. Bezos upgraded the Post technology team which he said rivals "any team in Silicon Valley." At the same time, he said he hopes to maintain the strong journalistic tradition at the Post. He has hired dozens of journalists to bring the newsroom staff up to 700, second only to The New York Times, with more than 1,200. "We now have a real newspaper fight on," GWU's Usher said. Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos has hired dozens of journalists to bring the newsroom staff up to 700, second only to The New York Times, with more than 1,200 "Bezos has decided he wants to make the Post a national paper and you are starting to see the results of that." '22nd century newsroom' Post publisher Frederick Ryan, hired by Bezos in 2014, told the dedication event that the Post is "a media and technology company" where "journalists work side by side with rock-star engineers" to produce compelling content. "Our teams are looking ahead to devices and platforms that have not yet been invented," Ryan said. "We are looking ahead to the newsroom for the 22nd century." While Bezos appears to be making strides at the Post, it remains to be seen whether the strategy can be duplicated at other news organizations, many of which lack the same brand recognition and may not have a billionaire owner willing to invest for the long term. Most US newspapers face a conundrum on digital initiatives that are hard to monetize, while revenues still come largely from print. Dailies that are part of publicly traded firms, meanwhile, face shareholder pressure for short-term results, often resulting in staff cuts. "To make it work, you first have to have the commitment to truly changing the business," said Alan Mutter, a former Chicago newspaper editor who now consults on digital media. "You have to have confidence and the competence, and then the cash." At the Post, Mutter said, Bezos has shifted the focus. "It's a work in progress but all of the signs I've seen suggest they know what they are doing in how to take an old and respected print brand and adapt it to the new world," he said. 2016 AFP In this March 5, 2015, file photo, cables are connected to a server capable of handling an email server at the Washington bureau of The Associated Press. News that Hillary Clinton's home email server contained top-secret messages brings renewed attention to the security of her mail system and to the laws and regulations that control classified information. The new disclosure, and the question of whether it exposes her to more serious legal problems, was certain to escalate political heat on the Democratic presidential candidate just days before the first ballots are cast in Iowa in the 2016 nominating process. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick, File) News that Hillary Clinton's home email server contained top-secret messages brings renewed attention to the security of her mail system and to the laws and regulations that control classified information. The new disclosure, and the question of whether it exposes her to more serious legal problems, was certain to escalate political heat on the Democratic presidential candidate ahead of Monday's Iowa caucuses, the first contest on the 2016 nominating calendar. FBI Director James Comey, whose agency is looking into the setup of the server, has said only that the investigation is being conducted without regard for politics. Officials have given no public hint as to when or how the probe will be finished. Stephen Vladeck, an American University law professor and national security law expert, said it would be a stretch, based on what's now known, to think Clinton could be charged under existing statutes for her behavior. The few relevant laws on the books almost certainly weren't written with this situation in mind. "This is an area where the government tends not to test the margins too often," Vladeck said. It's not uncommon for workers with access to classified material to mishandle it, and by far the bulk of those cases don't attract the attention of federal prosecutors. In this Oct. 18, 2011, file photo, then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton checks her Blackberry from a desk inside a C-17 military plane upon her departure from Malta, in the Mediterranean Sea, bound for Tripoli, Libya. The Obama administration is confirming, Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, for the first time that Hillary Clinton's unsecured home server contained some closely guarded secrets, including material requiring one of the highest levels of classification. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP, File) But when the Justice Department does pursue a case, it often relies on a statute that bars the unlawful removal and retention of classified documents. That low-level charge, meant for cases in which defendants improperly hold onto information that they know to be classified, carries a fine and maximum yearlong prison sentence and is reserved for people who have "really, really screwed up," Vladeck said. Other, more serious laws make it a crime to knowingly disclose classified information to someone not authorized to receive it, and threaten punishment for anyone who through "gross negligence" allows national defense information to be removed from its proper place of custody. Each case that's resulted in prosecution has unique facts, making comparisons difficult, but investigators invariably take into account questions of knowledge, potential damage to national security, who sent, received or stored the information, and whether the material was classified at the time of transmission. Some examples of past cases concerning classified information: DAVID PETRAEUS The best-known recent prosecution involves the former CIA director who pleaded guilty last year to a misdemeanor count of unlawful removal and retention of classified materials. He was spared prison as part of his plea and was given two years' probation by a judge who faulted him for a "serious lapse in judgment." The retired four-star Army general admitted that he loaned his biographer, Paula Broadwell, with whom he was having an affair, eight binders containing highly classified information regarding war strategy, intelligence capabilities and identities of covert officers. FBI agents seized the binders from an unlocked desk drawer at his home, instead of a secure facility that's required for handling classified material. One critical distinction is that while Clinton has repeatedly said she didn't send or receive anything that was classified at the timesomething the State Department now says it's investigatingthe Petraeus plea deal makes clear that he knew the information he provided was classified. He told Broadwell in a recording revealed by prosecutors that the binders had "code-word stuff in there." When questioned by the FBI, he denied having given Broadwell classified information, though he avoided being charged with making a false statement. The outcome drew accusations of a double standard for senior brass from defense lawyers who asserted that their less-influential clients wouldn't have been treated with such leniency. ___ JOHN DEUTCH Deutch was CIA director from May 1995 until December 1996. He came under Justice Department investigation after his resignation when classified material was found on his home computer in Maryland. An internal CIA investigation found that he stored and processed hundreds of files of highly classified material on unprotected home computers that he and family members also used to connect to the Internet, making the information potentially vulnerable to hackers. A report by the Defense Department inspector general found that Deutch had failed to follow "the most basic security precautions" and faulted him for rejecting Pentagon requests that security systems be installed on his home computers. Deutch apologized for his actions and was pardoned by President Bill Clinton before the Justice Department could file a misdemeanor plea deal for mishandling government secrets. ___ SANDY BERGER Berger was the national security adviser during Bill Clinton's second term. After leaving office, he found himself in trouble for destroying classified documents. Berger, who died in December at age 70, pleaded guilty in 2005 to illegally sneaking classified documents from the National Archives by stuffing papers in his suit. He later destroyed some of them in his office and lied about it. The materials related to terror threats in the United States during the 2000 millennium celebration. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material, and though he avoided prison time, he lost access to classified material for three years. A judge fined him $50,000, higher than the amount recommended by prosecutors. Berger called his actions a lapse in judgment that came as he was preparing to testify before the Sept. 11 commission that examined the events leading up to the 2001 attacks. "I let considerations of personal convenience override clear rules of handling classified materials," he said at the time. ___ BRYAN NISHIMURA Nishimura, a former Naval reservist in Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008 and a regional engineer for the U.S. military, was investigated for downloading and storing classified information on his personal electronic devices. Prosecutors say he carried the materials with him off-base in Afghanistan and took classified Army records to his home in Folsom, California, after his deployment ended. His lawyer, William Portanova, said Nishimura never intended to break the law but was a "pack rat" who thought nothing of warehousing Army records at home alongside personal belongings. FBI agents who searched his home found classified military records, both in hard copy and digital form. Nishimura also admitted to investigators that he had destroyed some of the information. Nishimura pleaded guilty in July to unauthorized removal and retention of classified materials. A judge fined him $7,500, and he was ordered to surrender his security clearance. The violation was a technical and unintentional one, Portanova said, but one that the Justice Department nonetheless thought it needed to punish "to make its point." 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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. Tom Campbell You may or may not have noticed but North Carolina's political leadership has undertaken a fundamental shift away from unqualified support of traditional public schools towards favoring charter, private and even online schools. The merits of this policy are subject to debate, but there is no denying the trend.It started with the demand for more choice in where and how children received the mandated primary education, culminating, in the waning hours of the 1996 General Assembly, in a new law authorizing the initiation of publicly funded charter schools, capping their number at 100. These charters were granted greater flexibility in organization and implementation of education in hopes that new innovations would emerge; new approaches and instruction that could be implemented in traditional public schools.The movement gained momentum when the cap was lifted in 2011, resulting in the current 158 charter schools serving approximately 70,000 (about 5 percent) of the 1.5 million k-12 students in our state. While data collected from charters is sometimes not as detailed as that from traditional district schools there are some significant trends to note. For the first time, the number of non-white students in traditional schools is larger than white students. In contrast, charter enrollments contain higher percentages of white students from wealthier families than their traditional counterparts.How well are they performing? The Stanford University Center for Research and Educational Outcomes reports that charters outperform district (traditional) public schools in reading while underperforming in math. The Public School Forum of North Carolina data shows that 11 percent of charter schools received "A" grades, compared to 5 percent of district schools. But 14 percent of charters received "F" grades, compared to just 6 percent of district schools.The granting of flexibility was always accompanied by the demand for accountability. Charter schools were required to earn renewal through solid academic performance. There is disturbing evidence those accountability requirements are being relaxed. A 2015 law made it more difficult to refuse their renewal, at the same time shifting some of the oversight of them away from the Department of Public Instruction.But charter schools are not the only move away from traditional public schools. In the 2014-15 school year our state began giving vouchers of $4,200 to low-income parents for "Opportunity Scholarships" to be used to enroll their children in private schools. Many argued this move violated our Constitutional requirement that public monies not be disbursed for private purposes, but our State Supreme Court, in a split decision, allowed taxpayer dollars to pay private school tuition.It is far too early to know how well these "scholarship" students will perform, but we are already rapidly expanding the program. What started as a $10.8 million budget appropriation in 2014 has exploded to an authorized $24.8 million, funding nearly 6,000 students.And we are highly skeptical of online schools.Our purpose here is to neither condemn nor endorse charters, private schools or, for that matter, traditional district public schools. It is to point out the shift occurring in public education. We favor giving educators flexibility and encouraging innovation, however we cannot permit less than total accountability and excellence. Let us not be distracted from our primary goal to provide each child the "sound basic education" our Constitution requires. Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser Salaries for health care jobs are not manufactured out of thin air they are produced by someone paying higher taxes, a patient paying more for health care, or an employee taking home lower wages because higher health insurance premiums are deducted from his or her paycheck. Additional health care jobs leave Americans with less money to devote to groceries, college tuition, and mortgage payments, and the U.S. government with less money to perform all other governmental functions including paying teachers, scientists, and social workers. That trade-off can be justified if it goes along with improved health outcomes, but not if those jobs do not generate benefits that exceed those of alternative uses. This past Monday evening, I spoke on a panel at Wake Forest University's School of Law on whether North Carolina should expand Medicaid, the medical assistance program originally designed for low-income parents, children, elderly, blind, and disabled. Despite the enthusiastic, overwhelmingly pro-expansion crowd (and expansion-leaning fellow panelists), I was pleased to be given the chance to state my case as to why Obamacare's Medicaid expansion presents some very real long-term fiscal and human costs for the state. In this week's newsletter, I give you the fiscal impact. You can watch the full presentation here Before delving into the financing of Medicaid expansion, it's important to have some insight into today's program. Medicaid itself is projected to cost North Carolina over $4 billion for the 2015-16 fiscal year. That's just the state portion. Since Medicaid is funded by North Carolina and Washington, the program is actually a $14 billion behemoth. Medicaid has historically been one of the fastest growing line items of North Carolina's budget. While North Carolina has not opted for expansion, enrollment has surged by 21 percent over the past two years.Medicaid is bankrupting our nation. This is in large part due to the program's perverse financial design. For every $1 North Carolina spends on its Medicaid program, it triggers almost an additional $2 from the feds. The open-ended match rate strongly incentivizes legislators to push for additional coverage options and extended eligibility since the feds cover a majority of the tab. On the flip side, Medicaid's flawed funding is just as much of a disincentive for states to scale down on the size of their programs, since a majority of savings accrues back to Washington.If North Carolina were to expand Medicaid eligibility for those under 138% FPL ($16,000 for an individual) who currently do not qualify for the program 82% are able-bodied, childless adults the federal government promises to fully fund the cost until 2017. At that point, states will take on some of the financing, maxing out at 10% starting in 2020.In the short-term, this is a tempting deal for states to take especially since President Barack Obama has recently offered non-expansion states an additional three years of full funding. To date, 31 states have already gone forward with expansion. Since it seems like more states are catching the "everyone's doing it" mentality, why hasn't North Carolina?Starting in 2020, expansion would cost North Carolina $6 billion over the next decade. That comes out to an extra $600 million per year. In the long-term, this will either lead to a reduction in provider payments, diverting resources from other important parts of the budget such as education or transportation, or tax increases.Despite what expansion proponents say, North Carolina is NOT leaving $5 million a day on the table by opting out of expanding. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS) , when Congress drafted Obamacare, a pot of money was not allocated for Medicaid expansion. Rather, the reality is that an influx of federal funding would merely be adding to the federal deficit taxing future generations and their children.Expansion advocates cite numerous studies suggesting that federal funds pouring into the state would help create upwards of 40,000 jobs in the health-care sector. The thinking that Medicaid is now turning into a jobs program strays away from its original purpose a health insurance program for our most vulnerable citizens. Katherine Baicker, health economist at the Harvard School of Public Health, explains Lastly, evidence indicates that expanding public health insurance programs further increases the cost of private health insurance and crowds out private health insurance. Crowd-out will happen under expansion, in which 186,000 North Carolinians currently benefiting from a heavily subsidized private health coverage plan on the exchanges will be thrown onto Medicaid. The heavier the caseload on Medicaid, the more providers will have to make up for being paid below market levels by negotiating higher payment through private carriers. Drift along with the tumbling tumbleweeds while you travel with the Beaufort County Community College Foundation to America's Cowboy Country on an eight-day trip to the western United States.The fully-escorted tour is scheduled for Sept. 16 to 28 and is offered by Collette through New Trends in Travel. An informational meeting about the trip will be held at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 4 in the Board, Room 6, of Building 10 on the BCCC campus.It is also sponsored by the Washington/Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce.The cost of the trip is $3,609 per person based on double occupancy if booked before Wednesday, March 16. Included in the cost are stays at hotels in Jackson and Sheridan, Wyo., Yellowstone National Park and Rapid City, S.D., seven breakfasts, 1 lunch and four dinners during the trip, round-trip airfare from Raleigh- Durham International Airport, air taxes and fees and hotel transfers. Transportation to the airport in Raleigh is available.A deposit of $250 per person is required at the time of registration. The final payment will be due by July 18.The recommended cancellation waiver and insurance is an additional $240 per person. With the insurance, travelers may cancel for any reason up until the day of departure.The itinerary includes a flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport and transportation to Jackson Hole, Wyo. The trip will end in Rapid City, N.D.Travelers will have the chance to take a wildlife float trip or an exciting whitewater rafting adventure on the Snake River near Jackson Hole and a visit to Yellowstone National Park and Old Faithful geyser. A trip to Deadwood, the rowdy, rambling western town that is the final resting place of many of the West's most famous characters is also included in the tour. Travelers will also have the chance to visit two of the West's most famous landmarks - the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore as well as enjoy a traditional chuckwagon dinner in Custer State Park.For a tour brochure, contact Marcia Norwood, Foundation specialist, at 252-940-6218 or by email at marcia.norwood@beaufortccc.edu. Brochures are also available at the Washington/Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce in Washington.The trip deposit may be made by credit card to Donna Burgin, New Trends in Travel, at 252-945-7403 or 252-975-1304 or by email at donna.burgin18@gmail.com.Betty GrayBeaufort County Community College [reviews in the vague style of... and this one is way too long] 1. COURT So here it is then. Here it is. Dominic's Big Las... This is the latest in a series of posts about the 1916 presidential election between incumbent Democrat Woodrow Wilson and Republican challenger Charles Evans Hughes, a Glens Falls native, as reported in area newspapers. The hometown newspaper of Charles Evans Hughes had a message for the nation a few days before the Republican National Convention opened in Chicago. Every party must take some chances. The Republicans who have studied Mt. Hughes are willing to risk him, concluded an editorial in the June 5, 1916 issue of The Glens Falls Times and Messenger, on file in the microfilm collection at Crandall Public Library. The editorial said Hughes record as New York governor was evidence of his credentials. Hughes was governor from 1907-1910, before he was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. They know how he stood on (military) preparedness even seven years before the light broke on Mr. Wilson. They know his views on the tariff, on nationalism, on administrative efficiency and on clean politics, the editorial stated. They know he is a robust American. They know he is intellectually honest, fair, courageous, well balanced. Click here to read the most recent previous post in the series. Chingachgook hosts family fun LAKE GEORGE YMCA Camp Chingachgook opens its doors Feb. 13 and 20 for families and community members to enjoy a free fantastic day of winter fun. Winter Wonderland Day activities may include hikes, snowshoeing, tubing, campfires and crafts. Both days start at 10 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. and are open to all, regardless of YMCA membership. The day is free for all and hot soup and sandwiches are included; call camp at 656-9462 to RSVP. Fishing tournament will benefit camp LAKE GEORGE YMCA Camp Chingachgook welcomes ice fishermen to its shores Feb. 13 and 14 to raise funds for camper scholarships. Chris Thompson, property manager at the camp and avid fisherman, hopes to raise $10,000 to help area children attend summer camp on Lake George. The contest is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Camp staff will serve hot food and beverages by a bonfire on the camps beach at the end of the Pilot Knob Road off Route 9L. Cash prizes are awarded for the three heaviest fish in categories of lake trout, salmon, pike and perch. All participants are eligible for door prizes. Children 12 years old and younger can win prizes for the three heaviest lake trout and perch. The entry fee is $25 per person per day, or $30 for both days. Kids younger than 12 may register for $6 a day or $10 for both days. Participants may park in Camp Chingachgooks parking lot. All fishermen 16 years and older must have a NYS fishing license. Proceeds of the Chingachgook Classic help children and families participate in camp programs. For tickets or information, call 656-9462 or visit LakeGeorgeCamp.org. Tickets can also be purchased at FISH307.com. Military Museum hosts programming SARATOGA SPRINGS The State Military Museum will host programs throughout the winter and spring. The weekend programs begin at 2 p.m. Saturday and are free to the public. They are sponsored by the Friends of the New York State Military Museum and the Friends of the Saratoga Battlefield. The programs for winter and spring 2016 are: Feb. 20, 2 p.m.: Makin Taken: The 27th Infantry Divisions Baptism by Fire November 2024, 1943 Pat Chaisson, author and retired New York Army National Guard officer, will trace the course of the four-day Battle of Makin, the first clash between U.S. Army troops and their Japanese opponents in the Central Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. Feb. 27, 2 p.m.: USS Virginia: From Sail to Nuclear Power Ray Misciewicz, a nuclear engineer and expert on nuclear submarines, discusses the ten US Navy vessels named Virginia, from the 28-gun sailing frigate built in 1776 to the nuclear powered attack submarine commissioned in 2004. March 5, 2 p.m.: Saratoga Springs and the Civil War Lance Ingmire, a Civil War enthusiast and contributing author to Saratoga Springs: A Centennial History, provides an overview of the contributions of Saratogians to the Civil War and identifies significant local sites, buildings, and landmarks associated with the war and Saratogas veterans. March 19, 2 p.m.: The Life and Wars of John Stark Richard and John Polhemus discuss one of the Americas greatest, yet least celebrated heroes of the Revolutionary War, John Stark, a captain with Rogers Rangers during the French and Indian War and a general during the American Revolution who defeated the British at the Battle of Bennington. April 2, 2 p.m.: She Called Him Raymond Ray OConor, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer, shares the compelling story of love and loyalty between Helen Gregg, daughter of Irish immigrants in New York City, and Clarence Raymond Stephenson, a B-17 pilot during World War II. April 9, 2 p.m.: Commander Will Cushing: Daredevil Hero of the Civil War Jamie Malinowski describes the thrilling life and exploits of Will Cushing, exploring the psychology of the daredevil soldier and what Cushings heroics and tragic death can tell us about the ways we remember the glories of war. April 16, 1 p.m.: When Books Went to War Lawyer, historian, critically acclaimed author and Latham native, Molly Manning recounts how during World War II the War Department teamed with librarians and the publishing industry to create the Armed Services Editions, pocket-sized paperbacks for millions of GIs fighting throughout Europe and the Pacific. The museum will also host the Night at the Brewseum fundraiser from 6 to 8:30 p.m April 8. Ticket bearers will be able to sample a selection of craft beers along with food from local restaurants and caterers. Tickets must be ordered by calling the Museum Gift Shop at 226-0490. 4-H guide program hosts orientation WARRENSBURG The 4-H Adirondack Guide Program orientation meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at Cornell University Cooperative Extension Education Center, 377 Schroon River Road. The 4-H Adirondack Guide Program is an exciting and unique program open to boys and girls (12 to 18 years old) who would like to explore, in depth, natural resource-related topics. The program gives teenagers an opportunity to gain knowledge in the biological sciences and develop outdoor leadership skills. In this program, sponsored by Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Warren County, participants advance from the Beginner Guide level, through Intermediate, to full Advanced 4-H Adirondack Guide status. Activities include field trips and classes, canoe and camping trips, and community service projects. Topics taught include map and compass reading; canoeing; tree and wildlife identification; camping safety and survival skills; first aid training; and environmental career exploration. For more information or to register, call the Cornell Cooperative Extension office at 623-3291 or 668-4881. Museum offers Cabin Fever series BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE Adirondack Museums Cabin Fever Sunday series returns, with installments Sundays through April. On Feb. 7, the museum examines the history and applications of Adirondack agriculture. Steve Kramer, Hallie Bond, Rhonda Brunner and Steven Tucker will introduce both the historical and contemporary implications of farming in this mountainous environment. Farming in the Adirondacks will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the Museum Auditorium, 9097 state Route 30. During the program, presenters will discuss the rich tradition and contemporary applications of farming in the Adirondack region. Homesteading and farming were traditional lifeways in the Adirondacks in the nineteenth century, and the Adirondack Museums collections reflect the impact which farming had on the environment, and vice versa. In the modern day, farming and subsistence living continues in the Adirondack region, but is now often accompanied by research pertaining to exploring agricultural evolution and the ways in which our usage of the land might impact the Adirondack environment and delicate ecosystem. Admission is free for museum members, students and children; $5 for nonmembers. Refreshments will be served, and the Adirondack Museum Store and Visitor Center will be open before and after the program. Future installments of the Cabin Fever Sundays lecture series will include: Living with Beavers with John Warren and Charlotte Demers at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 28; Fierce and Forever-Wild: Adirondack Women with Jess Collier, Sandra Weber, Lorraine Duvall and Noelle Short, and moderated by Niki Kourofsky, at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, March 13; and Trudeaus Rare Romance and Rogers Hotel Hope with Mary Hotaling and Amy Catania, at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, April 3. To learn more about this seasons upcoming Cabin Fever Sundays winter lectures, please call the Adirondack Museum at 352-7311. A complete description of all programs can be found at www.adkmuseum.org/exhibits_and_events/ongoing_events. A Glens Falls man who was arrested last September for selling crack cocaine while on parole for a 2011 drug conviction was sentenced Wednesday in Warren County Court to 7 years in state prison. Robert F. "Phil" Stevenson, 32, pleaded guilty in December to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance in Warren County Court in connection with an arrest by Glens Falls Police. He was charged with selling crack on two occasions earlier this year, while on parole for a 2011 criminal sale of a controlled substance conviction from Warren County Court. Warren County Judge John Hall directed he serve 3 years on parole when he is released from prison. The term for the recent sale will be served after he finishes the sentence in the 2011 case. QUEENSBURY A new state initiative to increase inspections and state oversight of emergency homeless shelters will not affect the Code Blue shelter on Gurney Lane. At this point, we are not taking state funds so it would not include us, said Kim Cook, director of Open Door Mission, which runs Code Blue. If/when we ever accept funding there, then we would. Earlier this week, the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) announced it would start an unprecedented effort to inspect emergency homeless shelters statewide. In a news release, the OTDA said its effort is designed to ensure that shelters are safe, clean, supervised and well-maintained, as well as fully compliant with state and local laws and regulations ... The announcement comes several weeks after Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order requiring police, social services and state agencies to identify the homeless and get them to shelters whenever the temperature is below freezing. He also ordered social services agencies to extend hours at their shelters and keep homeless people inside when temperatures are low. Homeless families are on the streets in all parts of the state, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a prepared release. When they turn to a shelter to get out of the cold, families should feel safe, have clean places to sleep and be treated with dignity. Taxpayer money is going to operate shelters or to contract with local providers running shelters. Were going to take a look at their operations and make sure that taxpayer money is being used for its intended purpose and is best serving vulnerable New Yorkers that have hit hard times. According to the state, there are 887 emergency shelters throughout the state, including 656 in New York City and 14 in Buffalo. More than 75,000 people sleep in homeless shelters across the state each night, and another 4,000 people sleep on the street on a daily basis, according to the OTDA. The Code Blue shelter in Saratoga Springs, hosted at the Salvation Army, could be inspected under the state ruling, because it is now run by Shelters of Saratoga. While the only public funding that the Saratoga Code Blue gets is to pay for its director, S.O.S receives state funding for its main shelters in Saratoga. Like the Open Door Code Blue shelter, Saratogas has been open for 3 years. It had been run by an independent group, but Shelters of Saratoga took it over prior to this season. We wanted to make sure it was there in five or 10 years, said Mike Finocchi, executive director of S.O.S. Other than us stepping in, its business as usual. Finocchi, who said the shelter is averaging about 38 people per night, would welcome the state inspectors. He said S.O.S and Saratoga County DSS are putting together a request for additional funding to allow the shelter to be open when the temperature is 32 or below, as the governor has mandated. Currently the shelter opens when the forecast is for 20 or below. We would love to be open at 32 degrees, and in the long run, we would love to have a separate building so we could have a drop-in center for during the day, Finocchi said. The city is in desperate need of a drop-in center where people could do their laundry, take showers and get job training. Four years ago, I took sides with Cambridge Supervisor William Watkins and said Washington County was wasting the $83,000 it was spending on tourism promotion. Its beautiful country, I argued, but it isnt a destination for tourists from New Jersey, at least not like Lake George and Saratoga. That ticked off a lot of Washington County residents who believed I was insulting the beautiful rolling hills they call home. What I was really doing was criticizing how the supervisors were spending their money. Greenwich Supervisor Sara Idelman later described the column as infamous after the county had spent three months, and part of a board meeting, trying to refute it. She said in April 2012 that Washington County was positioned well for future tourism. Christine Hoffer, the tourism director at the time, said, In a nutshell, Washington County is a destination. Yet here we are four years later, Hoffer has been let go, and the county supervisors are once again scratching their heads and trying to come to grips with what they call the puzzle of tourism. Its a good first step to admit they dont know what they are after, and a smarter decision not to hire a new tourism director until they do. Washington County has plenty of unique and interesting events, recreational activities and a county fair that draws people from all over the region, but you cant be a real destination unless the visitors can stay overnight. Its hard to imagine a time when Washington County will be anything more than a poor stepchild to the vacation lands of Warren and Saratoga counties when it comes to putting heads in beds. That is not an insult, although many will take it that way. Washington County has an opportunity to draw visitors because neither Saratoga nor Lake George have what it has. You can only swim, boat and gamble so much before you start looking for something else to do. Thats the message Washington County needs to deliver to the visitors who are already here. Seeking out those alliances with its neighbors is not only key, but possibly less expensive that promoting itself. This region has always shortchanged itself by not having a universal partnership that included marketing their neighbors. If historic sites such as Grants Cottage, Rogers Island, Fort William Henry and Fort Ticonderoga actively promoted each other as a historic trail, it would benefit them all. Washington County might succeed even without a tourism director, or its own tourism website, if it can work out partnerships with its neighbors. Clearly, Washington Countys tourism market is not on the verge of a renaissance, as was suggested four years ago. Conceding that is the first step toward solving the tourism puzzle. My Family Genealogy and Other Historical Research Quotes I Like Let me give you a tip on a clue to mens characters: the man who damns money has obtained it dishonorably; the man who respects it has earned it. Run for your life from any man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the lepers bell of an approaching looter.Francisco d'Anconia I love getting older...I get to grow up and learn things. Madalyn, 5 years old, Montesorri student, and my grand-daughter The best thing one can do for the poor is to not become one of them. Author Unknown Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed. Francis Bacon Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. Ronald Reagan Thinking is hard work. If it weren't, more people would do it. Henry Ford Intellectual freedom cannot exist without political freedom; political freedom cannot exist without economic freedom; a free mind and a free market are corollaries. Ayn Rand Inventory needs to be managed and managed well, or you are going to get in recurring trouble, and lose your credibility and hard-earned conversions, whether Read more France warned Friday that it will recognize a Palestinian state if its imminent efforts to end the deadlock in peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians end without result. France will engage in the coming weeks in the preparation of an international conference bringing together the parties and their main partners, American, European, Arab, notably to preserve and make happen the solution of two states, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said. France, Fabius said, has a responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to sustain efforts to reach a two-state solution. Should efforts to breathe life into the moribund peace process fail, France would move to unilaterally recognize Palestine as a state, Fabius made clear. And what will happen if this last-ditch attempt at reaching a negotiated solution hits a stumbling block? he said. In that case, we will have to live up to our responsibilities and recognize a Palestinian state. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday welcomed a French plan to recognize the state of Palestine should a fresh push for peace talks fail, and warned that his people would no longer accept Israels occupation or settlements. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced Friday that Paris would shortly try to convene an international conference, with the hope of enabling new Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, but that if this effort reached a dead end, Paris would recognize a Palestinian state. Israel immediately rejected the proposal. Speaking at a summit of African nations in Addis Ababa, Abbas blasted the occupation, settlements, and what he said was Israels seizure of Palestinian natural resources. He also accused the Israeli government of stalling peace efforts by the international community. We cannot accept the current situation, including the occupation and settlements, he said, the Maariv website reported. We have to establish a sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital, he said, according to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa. We wont accept interim or temporary solutions. We wont return to negotiations just for the sake of negotiating and wont continue to unilaterally implement previous agreements, Abbas told the summit. Nor will the Palestinians accept the theft of our natural resources, and the non-utilization of our lands or investment in them, he said. Jerusalem on Saturday downplayed its initial rejection of a new French initiative to kick-start peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, saying the disapproval stemmed from Frances ultimatum that it would recognize a Palestinian state if fresh negotiation efforts fail to yield results. Israel had moved quickly Friday to reject the French ultimatum. This is not how one conducts negotiations and not how one makes peace, the prime ministers spokesman was quoted by the Hebrew daily Haaretz as saying. Another Israeli source said the French threat to recognize Palestine if negotiations failed was an incentive for the Palestinians to be obdurate. Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said earlier Saturday that Israel rejected the French ultimatum. Israel will not negotiate under ultimatums and threats, he said. France will engage in the coming weeks in the preparation of an international conference bringing together the parties and their main partners, American, European, Arab, notably to preserve and make happen the solution of two states, Fabius said. Paris is hoping to hold the conference in the summer. There are two ways to look at the French threat to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state if the stalemate in the peace process persists. Well get to the its a serious challenge for Israel folks lower down. But those who arent overly perturbed by the Paris ultimatum say: So what? Paris is free to convene an international conference to try to break the deadlock and get the two sides to make the concessions necessary for a peace deal. Since this outcome seems unlikely or more accurately, utterly unrealistic France can go ahead and recognize a State of Palestine. Such a move will be condemned in Jerusalem as unhelpful on the path to peace and celebrated in Ramallah as a great victory against the occupation. But declarations and recognitions change nothing on the ground. So French recognition of Palestinian statehood would be merely that: words on a piece of paper, and perhaps a solemn declaration by President Francois Hollande and another stately but ultimately meaningless photo op for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. France would not even be the first Western European state to recognize Palestine. Parliaments in Britain, Spain, Belgium, Greece and elsewhere have already called on their respective governments to recognize Palestine. Sweden did just that in 2014, and the world did not tilt off its axis. Much more significant than a French recognition of Palestine would be a Security Council resolution calling for an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank. While that would still not immediately change anything on the ground, it would create a new legal framework for future negotiations, and probably not in Jerusalems favor. It is currently hard to assess whether the US administration would support or oppose a Palestinian statehood bid at the United Nations. That might depend on the resolutions wording, on timing, and on a whole host of other factors, but it has always been the US position that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict needs to be resolved by the two sides, rather than unilaterally via the UN. Your RSS feed from RSSFWD.com. Update your RSS... Regularly ahead of the curve, the Review has opposed federal drug policy for nearly 50 years, was a lonely media voice against the massive freeways planned for Washington, was an early advocate of bikeways and light rail, and helped spur the creation of the DC Statehood Party and the national Green Party, In November 1990 it devoted an entire issue to the ecologically sound city and how to develop it. The article was republished widely. Even before Clinton's nomination we exposed Arkansas political scandals that would later become major issues. . We reported on NSA monitoring of U.S. phone calls in the 1990s, years before it became a major media story. In 2003 editor Sam Smith wrote an article for Harper's comprised entirely of falsehoods about Iraq by Bush administration officials. The Review started a web edition in 1995 when there were only 27,000 web sites worldwide. Today there are over 170 million active sites. In 1987 we ran an article on AIDS. It was the first year that more than 1,000 men died of the disease. In the 1980s, Thomas S Martin predicted in the Review that "Yugoslavia will eventually break up" and that "a challenge to the centralized soviet state" would occur as a result of devolutionary trends. Both happened. In the 1970s we published a first person account of a then illegal abortion. In 1971 we published our first article in support of single payer universal health care In 1970, we ran a two part series on gay liberation. i n 1965 we called for the end of the draft. In the 1960s we proposed community policing I say we should, for the reason that it gives Ghana a good name. It sends the right signals to investors. Corruption, an over-flogged subject, I must say, has impoverished many in the world, but the levels of it in Ghana is shocking. The 2015 TI rankings on the publics perception on corruption saw Ghana improved from its previous position- 61 out of 175 countries in 2014-- to 56 out of 168 countries in 2015. Fighting corruption shouldn't only be about chasing after missing money. It should include improving peoples lives. When a staggering number of the population are impoverished, it tells of corruption. An estimated 6.4 million people in Ghana cannot afford to spend GHS3.60 on food a day, according to the Ghana Living Standard Survey report authored by the Ghana Statistical service (GSS) in 2014. The report said about 7 million people live below the poverty line and some 8.4% of the population living below extreme poverty. According to the GSS, poverty remains endemic in the northern regions of the country, with poverty rates standing at 70.4 percent and 87.9 percent for Upper East and Upper West respectively in 2006. The country must resolve to measure governments fight against corruption by the number of people it has uplifted from poverty, how the government deals with inequality and gender mainstreaming. The levels of poverty in the country fuels corruption through exploitation, be it child labour, child trafficking and environmental distraction because officials pay their way through. What is more worrying is the fact that the benefits of economic growth and poverty reduction are not equally distributed across the nation and across genders. The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) data on inequality in Ghana shows gaps between the poorest and richest citizens by various indicators is widening including income, under-five mortality, and access to skilled birth attendants where the richest groups (20%) have pulled ahead and the poorest (20%) have been left behind. On gender inequalities in political representations at national and local levels, the data noted that women are very much underrepresented in major political positions and policy making processes. Women account for only 11% of the 275 seats in Parliament and only 8.2% of District Chief Executives at local government level. The publics perception on corruption in the country maybe improving, but the standard of living of many Ghanaians tells a story of how corruption is impoverishing them. For it is through the fight against corruption that lives can be improved. The finance ministry quickly backtracked on the new law in a press statement saying processes were underway to ask parliament to amend the law. Days before Terkper appeared in parliament, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) issued a press statement announcing the suspension of the tax. The suspension however irked parliament, with the ranking member on parliament's Finance Committee, Dr Anthony Osei Akoto accusing the GRA of being in contempt of parliament. He told Accra based Class Fm in an interview that nobody can change a law passed by parliament, and that if anyone wants to make amendments to a law, they must come to parliament. A law is a law and nobody, except parliament, can amend it, he said. His position was backed by the Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho during a brief deliberation on the matter when Terkper tabled the amendment motion. The 2016 ALMA Awards for Excellence went to Botswana, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, and Swaziland for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target for malaria. Liberia, Rwanda and Senegal for Performance in Malaria Control between 2011 and 2015; while Comoros, Guinea and Mali for being the Most Improved in Malaria Control between 2011 and 2015 A statement issued by the 2016 ALMA Awards Committee, said Africa has achieved historic progress in the fight against malaria over the past 15 years. It said since 2000, malaria mortality rates in Africa have fallen by 66 percent among all age groups and by 71 percent among children under five. It said the annual malaria deaths in Africa have decreased from an estimated 764,000 in 2000 to 395,000 in 2015. The statement said approximately 663 million cases of malaria have been averted in sub-Saharan Africa over the last 14 years. According to the World Health Organization, reductions in malaria cases attributable to malaria control activities saved an estimated $ 900 million in case management costs from 2001 to 2014. For the first time in history, a malaria-free Africa is in sight, said Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn of Ethiopia, the current chair of ALMA. The success in these 13 countries and elsewhere across the continent demonstrates that strong leadership is our most powerful weapon against this ancient and deadly disease, he said. The statement noted that in many African leaders have made fighting malaria a key focus over the past several years, assisted by commitments from donors such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the United States Presidents Malaria Initiative, the United Kingdoms Department for International Development, and Frances multilateral and bilateral contributions. It said extensive use of effective and low-cost malaria control interventions, including long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying, has led to the huge declines in incidence and death. Given that malaria-infected mosquitoes in Africa bite indoors and at night, these interventions have been highly effective. Since 2000, more than 1 billion insecticide-treated nets have been distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, the statement said. ALMA is honored to work with these inspiring leaders, said Joy Phumaphi, the Executive Secretary of ALMA. They are saving lives and unlocking human potential as they rid their countries of this horrible scourge. With their renewed commitment and dedicated resources, I am confident Africa can eliminate this disease, she said. The statement however, indicated that there is still much work to do, about 90 per cent of all global malaria cases and deaths occur in Africa; adding that malaria still kills an African child every two minutes. It said in 2015, there were an estimated 188 million cases of malaria in Africa; furthermore, millions of Africans are not receiving the lifesaving health care services and tools they need to prevent and treat malaria. It said the dual threat of insecticide and drug resistance add to the urgency of the problem. The statement said in Africa, mosquito resistance to insecticides is increasing, and in Southeast Asia, resistance to artemisinin, the most common drug used to treat malaria, is a significant threat. Typically, ALMA recognizes countries for their antimalarial efforts in a single year. This year, nations are receiving awards for their progress over a period of five years or for their work over the past 15 years to achieve the MDG target. Two of this years awardees, Liberia and Guinea, were facing a severe Ebola crisis in 2014 and 2015, making their successes in the area of malaria control all the more remarkable. ALMA was founded in 2009, the African Leaders Malaria Alliance is a ground breaking coalition of 49 African heads of state and government working across country and regional borders to achieve a malaria-free Africa by 2030. The Region recorded a total of 604 fire outbreaks last year, claiming 17 lives with more than GH76,000 being the cost of damage to items and properties. To reverse the trend therefore, the Regional GNFS on Friday launched the 2016 Fire Safety awareness campaign aimed at raising public awareness about the effects of undesired fires, methods for preventing fire outbreaks, and safety measures. The campaign dubbed: Operation let the People Hear, saw the Regional Chief Fire Officer, Divisional Officer one (DOI) Gilbert Wiafe and his men troop to the streets in the Cape Coast Metropolis, heralding the role of the individuals in the prevention of undesired fires. DO1 Wiafe said personnel of the Service are fully psyched up to prevent and fight fires that are capable of ruining the huge investments as well as lives. He identified negligence and irresponsible handling of fires by some residents as the most common cause of fire outbreaks recorded in the Region. DO1 Wiafe charged them to be more vigilant adding that fire safety in communities, domestic and industrial environment is of paramount importance. He urged the public to be very cautious and play their parts by ensuring that they handle fire with care and stop engaging in activities that would result in fire outbreaks Areas covered were Abura, Pedu, Tsibu -Darko, Adisadel, Siwidu, Kotokuraba and London Bridge where residents gathered in their numbers to listen to the messages. The Metropolitan Planning Officer, Mr. Joshua Nii Noi Tetteh Nortey, who made this announcement, said it would involve the provision of education and health infrastructure, markets, water and sanitation facilities. He was speaking at a town hall meeting held jointly by the assembly and an NGO, Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP), under the social public expenditure and financial accountability (SPEFA) project. SPEFA is a social accountability mechanism aimed at improving citizens perceptions of urban management and increase their engagement with the metropolitan and municipal assemblies. Mr. Nortey spoke of the need for the people to accept to pay their levies and rates to enable the assembly to generate more revenue to smoothly implement its development agenda. The Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Mr. Kojo Bonsu, said SPEFA was part of the deliberate effort by government to strengthen the decentralization system by deepening the peoples involvement. It provides a perfect platform to gauge public reaction to guide the assembly in its decisions. He underlined their determination to work hard to bring development and transform the living conditions of the residents. The MCE announced that roads covering about 75 kilometers was going to be asphalted and said this would start in the first week of February. Mr. Charles Sakyi, the Executive Director of CEDEP, said SPEFA was offered the opportunity for duty bearers to account for their stewardship and hinted that four more fora would be held during the year. He said since government is unwilling to openly deal with the general public on matters of corruption which is of interest to citizens, such leaks must be commended. Whoever leaked these documents out to the press, I say congratulations and kudos to you. May we please have more leaked documents so we can look at all of this and assess, he said on Accra-based Citi FM. The report, among other things recommended that all officers who handled any aspect of the contract and flouted laid down procedures must be investigated by the Economic and Organised Crime Office [EOCO]. The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has questioned why government refused to make public, the full details of the report and also why the Chief of Staff only ordered for a refund of the excess money. Mr. Casely-Hayford, who is a leading member of pressure group, OccupyGhana which is leading the fight against corruption in the country said he is excited the document was leaked. A statement signed by the NPP's acting General Secretary, John Boadu expressed the hope that Mr. Greenstreet's election will enrich the nation's politics and democracy. The national delegates of the CPP overwhelmingly voted for Mr. Greenstreet on Saturday at the Trade Fair Center in Accra. He beat three others including the immediate past chairperson of the party and daughter of the CPP founder, Samia Nkrumah who was tipped by many to win the election. Ms Nkrumah has subsequently accused the newly elected flagbearer of vote buying but has given indications that she will not contest the results. Below is the full statement from the NPP The New Patriotic Party extends its congratulations to Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, the newly elected Presidential Candidate of the Convention People's Party (CPP).Mr Greenstreet has over the years contributed at various levels to the cause of promoting multi-party democracy in Ghana. We are hopeful that his election will continue to enrich Ghana's politics with ideas and values that will improve the fortunes of the average Ghanaian. He floored former chairperson and daughter of the partys founder, Samia Nkrumah and two other contestants; two-time defeated flag bearer and lawyer, Bright Akwetey and President of Providence Canada, a Canadian telecommunication company Mr Joseph Agyapong. Mr. Greenstreet polled 1288 to become flagbearer while Ms Nkrumah secured only 579 votes. Political commentators tipped Ms Nkrumah to win despite accusations from some quarters within the party that she was dividing the party. The 2012 Presidential candidate of the party, Dr. Abu Sakara resigned early this month after he making claims that a personality cult club was being built around the ambition of an individual. The sole purpose of this seems to begin a process of leadership by dynastic succession, he said in his resignation letter. Find below how the various regions voted Polling station 1: Volta and Greater Accra Regions Samia Nkrumah: 217 Joseph Agyapong: 18 Bright Akwetey: 28 Ivor Greenstreet: 206 Polling station 2: Ashanti and Western Regions Samia Nkrumah: 162 Joseph Agyapong: 10 Bright Akwetey: 11 Ivor Greenstreet: 318 Rejected: 4 Polling station 3: Brong Ahafo, Northern & Upper West Regions. Samia Nkrumah: 76 Joseph Agyapong: 3 Bright Akwetey: 3 Ivor Greenstreet: 448 Rejected: 3 Polling Station 4: Eastern, Central and Upper East Regions Samia: 124 Joseph Agyapong: 52 Bright Akwetey: 3 The Speaker said this when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the departed member in llorin. Ahmad urged the family to take solace in the fact that the deceased lived a life worthy of emulation. He said ``we all know that death is inevitable, but the manner it comes leaves much to be desired. We have lost a wonderful lawmaker and we are grievingtoo. ``All we can say is for the family, especially the wife and children to remain strong, believing that he is resting with the Lord Almighty. ``The House and the state in general will miss his commitment to duty, high sense of patriotism, humane disposition and robust contributions to issues and warmheartedness.'' The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Speaker was accompanied on the visit by Sen. Rafiu Ibrahim, representing Kwara South Senatorial District and some members of the state assembly. Responding on behalf of the deceaseds family, Mr Michael Jolaiya, thanked the Speaker and his entourage for the support and demonstration of love for the family. The Gov. of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, said this at the official inauguration of the redeveloped Apapa Amusement Park in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 40- year- old Amusement Park was shut down on March 17, 2012 by the state government for upgrading. Ambode, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Arts and Culture, Mrs Adebimpe Akinsola, said that the park was now opened to the public. ``Our plan is to see that we generate good income from the parks for Lagosians and visitors to enjoy themselves. `` The park provides picture-perfect moments and memories that last a lifetime; also an ideal place for family fun, he said. Mrs Olufunmilayo Balogun, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, commended Ambode for reopening the amusement park. Speaking on Sunday, January 31, 2016 at a town hall meeting with Nigerians in Addis Ababa, President Buhari said it won't be wrong saying the judiciary system is his major headache when his administrations ongoing anti-corruption fight is concerned. In his words, On the fight against corruption vis-a-vis the judiciary, Nigerians will be right to say that is my main headache for now. If you reflect on what I went through for 12 years when I wanted to be the President, I attempted three times and on the fourth attempt through God and the use of technology, it was possible for Nigerians to elect an APC candidate as President. In my first attempt in 2003, I ended up at the Supreme Court and for 13 months I was in court. The second attempt in 2007, I was in court close to 20 months and in 2011, my third attempt, I was also in court for nine months. No fewer than 200,000 IDPs from 23 of the 27 local government areas of the state were currently staying in 22 camps in Maiduguri after the communities were sacked by the Boko Haram insurgents in 2014. Malam Satomi Ahmad, the the Executive Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that ``we are returning IDPs from communities in five local government areas the state back to their homes in liberated areas. ``The communities are those located in Monguno, Gwoza, Askira-Uba, Mafa and Dikwa local government areas. Ahmed said the movement of the IDPs would begin next week. He added that the government was also considering relocating the IDPs from Damboa Local Government Area back home. ``We are currently engaged in the formalities for the commencement of the exercise next week,'' Ahmed said. He explained that the state government had ordered large stock of food items to be carried along for the IDPs so they could begin new life. ``Government is in the process of buying large stock of food items for the IDPs because there was no farming activity in the last few years and they need food to survive when they return home. ``We plan to provide food stuff that will last them at least two months before they settle down to start economic activities to fend for themselves,'' Ahmed said. He said that the IDPs would be kept in camps, pending when their destroyed houses would be rebuilt. ``We are going to keep them in existing camps in their areas pending when some of them will be able to repair damages done to their homes. ``For those whose houses are habitable, we will encourage them to go back. He said the state government would collaborate with security agencies to ensure that peace was sustained in the areas after their return. ``The police and other paramilitary organisations like the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NDSC) have already deployed their men to the areas to facilitate the return of civil authorities. Ive been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for that. Sinc... 6 years ago The farmers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Hadejia that the trend was seriously affecting agricultural activities. Malam Musa Muhammad, a wheat grower, said he was experiencing difficulties in sourcing for the commodity due to the exorbitant market prices. Muhammad said a bag of assorted fertiliser attracts as much as N6,500 in an open market. He said the situation was discouraging as farmers began cultivation for the dry season, adding, ``the price of fertiliser is too high and it might affect productivity. NAN investigation, however, revealed that a bag of NPK and Urea brand of fertiliser were sold for between N4,500 and N6,000 in the local market. A rice farmer, Malam Yushau Abdu, attributed the hikes to the inability of the government to supply the commodity directly to farmers. Abdu said farmers were accessing the commodity at the markets, a trend which forced prices up. ``In the past, the government under Gross Enhancement Support (GES) programme, distributed fertiliser and seedlings to farmers at subsidised rate. ``We call for the review and expansion of the programme to enhance farmer access to fertiliser and inputs, he said. GES is a critical component of Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA) initiated by former President Goodluck Jonathans administration. The programme, otherwise called e-wallet, was designed to ensure prompt supply of fertiliser and inputs to farmer via Short Messages Service (SMS). According to Hakeem Balogun, the General Manager (Operations) of Tarzan Boats, the captain of the ill-fated boat, who was among those rescued, said the accident was caused by the activities of the dredgers. In his words, "He said they heard a loud noise on impact, before the boat capsized, very close to the spot where a mechanised dredger was working. 'It was when we got there that we saw that the boat actually hit a heap of sand left there by the mechanised dredgers. 'This is what we have been experiencing since the dredgers came here; the same route you plied on your way going, without any incident, could have had a heap of sand on your return journey. 'A similar incident almost happened about four weeks ago, but we lost our engine and the boat was damaged, Balogun disclosed. Ogu, who is Senior Pastor, Abundant Life Evangelical Mission, Port Harcourt, made the call on Sunday in his message at the thanksgiving by All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the church. Rivers needs peace and whatsoever that is required of us to make sure peace reigns in this state, let us give it, because if development starts, it is for the state, he said. Ogu said that it was the duty of the church to cry to God for peace to reign in the state. He prayed that God should do what He wished with masterminds of killing of innocent people before, during and after the 2015 general elections in the state, and allow lasting peace to prevail in the state ``for development. Speaking during the thanksgiving, APCs governorship candidate in the election in the state, Dr Dakuku Peterside, thanked God for His mercies and kindness to him and the party. Peterside said that God did enough for the party and its members during the elections in the state for which it was imperative to appreciate Him. We went round the state for campaigns and we were attacked in several communities and in Okrika in particular, a police officer was killed when unknown gunmen opened fire at us. Many of our women and men were injured; it could have been worse if God had not protected us, he said. He said that though some members of the party were killed during the elections, the party remained grateful to God for standing by it and the members. Peterside also said that it was God that sustained the APC and its candidates throughout the period the election cases lasted in the courts. Bello made the call when he received participants of Senior Course 38, Command and Staff College, Jaji, in Abuja on Saturday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Course 38 participants were on study tour of FCT administration. He said that the topic under discussion, ``Repositioning Nigerias non-oil sector as a major source of revenue,, was timely considering the dwindling oil prices at the international market. Represented by Dr Babatope Ajakaiye, FCT Permanent Secretary, Bello said Nigerias elite should decide whether they were really ready individually and collectively . ``This is what the study is all about. We need to rethink our own role individually in what has happened in the past and what is happening now. ``The most important thing in Nigeria is for those of us who are seated here and representing the elites to have a consensus and agree that we are really ready for change. ``This was what happened in Singapore and Malaysia, the minister said. Bello said he wondered how the country got to the present position that it was just beginning to discuss the issue of diversification after more than 50 years of independence. ``We have had very bad leadership in the history of this country and it is very unfortunate because we did not start with oil after all. ``The major infrastructure that we have in this country today was not built with oil money but as oil came, we lost our senses and today we are trying to bring it back, he added. He expressed regrets that the industries were down, especially the textile industries, second most important area that employed people in Nigeria apart from the public service. ``These are the things we should look at, he said. The leader of the delegation, Rear Admiral Makanju Madison, said in the college, students receive lectures from various areas of interest associated with national development, national security and embark on study tour, once in a year. Madison said that it was a kind of environmental study tour, familiarising the students with the socio-economic and political developments in the country. ``This year, we are here in the Federal Capital Territory, the seat of government. ``When we go out, the students have the opportunity to consolidate the knowledge that we seek by way of interaction with practical experiences in the field. ``This is very important to bridge the gap between theory and practice. ``I want to thank the FCT administration for the arrangements it made for our reception because since we came, we have been very well received. Tyohemba made the call while delivering a sermon on Sunday, which he read from the books of Jeremiah 1: 4-5.17-19, First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 12: 31-13; 13 and Luke 4:21-30. He explained that he had discovered that most people who were insulted and rejected in the society were those who stood by the truth because most people were either afraid or not ready to tell or accept the truth. He encouraged people to change and join the sincere ones, noting that ``the society will still move on, despite the numerous challenges it is facing,because of the few sincere ones.'' He also advised people to be friendly and accommodate one another in order to make progress in life, saying being unfriendly would retard progress. The Chairman of NLC in the state, Mr Austin Chilakpu, expressed the workers fears in an interview in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Owerri on Sunday. NAN recalls that Gov. Rochas Okorocha on Jan.17 announced the sack of more than 5, 000 workers in 19 parastatal organizations, agencies and departments in the state, in line with the policy. But Chilakpu said, "concessioning the primary health sector and the Imo State Agricultural Development Agency (ADP) for instance, is one big mistake that will expose the entire Imo people to danger. ``A lot of international donor agencies funding healthcare and food security programmes in the state would withdraw their support immediately these government outfits get into private hands. ``If Imo state goes ahead with the so-called concession policy, it means that the state would be cut off from assessing funds from IFAD, for instance. This international donor funds agriculture and polio eradication programmes in the country. ``I foresee a situation where cases of wild polio infection will re-surface in the state. The matter is made worse when the health workers are sacked and Lassa fever and bird flu are lurking around; the people will be endangered in the event of any outbreak. The chairman told NAN that the leadership of NLC was not opposed to reduction in the number of workforce of the state government, considering its dwindling resources. ``What NLC is kicking against is the faulty process because these workers are employed under the civil and public service rules. The statute book engaging them spelt out the ways and manners they shall be hired or fired, he added. The NLC added that if the government failed to do that, labour would take the next step considered necessary. According to a report by Daily Trust, the crisis in PDP may have assumed an irredeemable dimension, hence, the decision of some top leaders to meet and discuss possibility of forming a new political party. The report further revealed the ex-governor of Kano State and former Education minister, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, ex-governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido and former Senate President, Ken Nnamani and ex-Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu, as the brainchild of the planned proposed political party. It is believed that the political party would see to the end of PDP and give the All Progressive Congress, APC, run for its money in the 2019 elections. When queried on the speculations, Mantu denied being part of any process aimed at forming a new political party.In his words, I have been attending series of meetings. I have been attending meetings both within the PDP and within the Save Democracy Group. As a member of the PDP constitutional review committee, I have been attending its meetings. I am also a member of a reconciliation committee of the PDP and a member of the northern leaders within the PDP. Im a member of many groups and I am chairing many committees so I dont know which one you are referring to really." On the meeting he allegedly attended at Lamido's house, Mantu said, 'I know that there was a meeting in the office of the former Senate president Ken Nnamani. All these names you mentioned were members of that meeting. The objective of that meeting was to position the PDP in the right direction, look at what went wrong and how we are going to correct the mistake in order to reposition the party before the Nigerian people. That was the essence of that meeting. There were issues like things that needed to be done, including the election of a new chairman and that of the board of trustees so that we can do it in accordance with the provisions of our constitution. That was the meeting at Nnamanis office. I know we are going to suffer; between now and few months to come, I am going to suffer; I am going to suffer because I have no place to lay my head; I am going to suffer because I have no place to keep the Ministrys assets; I know I am going to suffer; fortunate going to suffer because I have no ly its going to happen in the month of Lent; so I am going to use my exit here to observe the Lent. But Jesus said it to His apostles in John 16:20, You will be sorrowful and the world will be rejoicing but very soon I will turn your sorrows to joy. So I am waiting for that moment because for now I know we are going to suffer. The Adoration Ministry is passing through suffering right now; even though I have accepted it as the will of God; it is the will of God through suffering; it is a mega suffering. But however, the grace of God will carry us all; even though some of you may pray that God should remove this thorn from us, the scripture says His grace is sufficient for us; for its even in your weakness that the power of God is demonstrated. So we are moving but dont forget the scriptures, my brothers they make me keeper of vineyards, my own vineyard I keepeth not. All these while we have been keeping vineyards, building for Christ The King ParishBishop Gbuji asked them, how much but because I dont want to disclose my charity, they cant keep that account. How many trailer loads of cement came here? All the monies I made from my cassette and other private crusades all of them were used to build this church. We cannot quantify it but let God be glorified. This announcement was made during a recent courtesy call from French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gaver to the education minister. French language is a matter of necessity. We have to because we have Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Benin Republic, Togo Guinea, and Ivory Coast surrounding us and so there is need for us to get more Nigerians to become proficient in French language. This is good for the continent; it is good for us as a nation. It is good for our brothers at the borders because it will enable us to communicate with them effectively The minister also spoke on the need for more French teachers to take up the subject with from primary to tertiary institutions. We plead that you consider it a lot more expedient in helping us train our teachers in French both for the primary school level, secondary level and tertiary level. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Buhari. The statement said that the president was speaking at the 26th AU summit in Addis Ababa on Sunday. President Buhari decried the use of scarce resources in Africa on armed conflicts rather than economic and social development of the continent. He added that African leaders must also forge a united front to rid the continent of the scourge of terrorism and face together with determination the noble goals of Agenda 2063, as espoused by the AU. ``We have all shed blood for Africa to be free, but the irony is that, today, we are now killing each other. ``Rather than facing the developmental challenges confronting us, we are spending our scarce resources killing our children and inflicting unspeakable horrors and unimaginable hardship on our brothers and sisters. ``That is truly a tragedy and it must stop. Enough is enough! ``Within the framework of the African Union, we have to, as a matter of urgency, reach a consensus on how to silence the guns. Not by 2020 but now. ``Why must we wait? We must say NO to wars and conflicts on our continent, the President maintained. He restated Nigerias determination to wholly defeat terrorism and bring the war against Boko Haram to an end. President Buhari said Nigeria would continue to partner with other member states of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, and Republic of Benin, through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to address the menace of Boko Haram insurgency. He reaffirmed that Nigeria would soon fully redeem its pledge of 100million dollars to enhance the operations of the Task Force, having released the sum of 21million dollars to the task force in June 2016. The President reiterated Nigerias commitment to the unity, peace and prosperity of the continent. ``We in Nigeria have always been attached to the idea of African unity. ``During the struggle to win freedom for our brothers and sisters in Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, Nigeria was considered a front-line State, although we were not geographically on the frontline. In a ceremony on Saturday declaring their support, leaders of the PRD party described Lionel Zinsou as the "consensus candidate" that would bring prosperity to the tiny West African country whose economy has been hit by a slowdown in neighbouring Nigeria. "With him, Benin can begin to develop," said Adrien Houngbedji, president of the PRD party. Zinsou said in December that he was running as the main candidate for the ruling FCBE party, dispelling fears that President Boni Yayi would defy constitutional term limits and seek a third term. He remains that party's candidate. Yayi has led the cotton-producing country since 2006. He is barred under the country's constitution from standing for a third term and the election, scheduled for Feb. 28, is considered wide open. "This is great support," said Zinsou, who has said he will focus his presidency on supporting the poorest and most vulnerable, bringing more workers into the formal economy and establish banking systems for agriculture. "Together we will face great challenges." However, earlier this month a group of dissidents from the ruling party, opposition politicians and trade union leaders said Zinsou was a bad choice, in part because he has spent a large portion of his life in France, far away from the realities of Benin life. The Locke family from Andalusia finished second in the Battle of the Bridges contest last year, so they returned this year and tried to do better. The family Dad, Mike Locke, sons Hunter, 13, and Peyton, 10 were among 57 teams of teens and youths who picked up Popsicle sticks, boards and twine as they designed bridges during the ninth Battle of the Bridges competition. The event was Friday and Saturday at the Putnam Museum, Davenport, and sponsored by the museum and the Quad-City Engineering and Science Council, or QCESC. Organizers said the participation level was down from 2015 when 80 teams competed. The objective of the contest is to build the most efficient bridge on-site, using identical kits of tools and materials provided by the council. Joshua Drake, a mechanical engineer from Walcott, coordinated the contest. Entrants have been from a wide area over the years, he said, including from Galena, Ill., and Cedar Rapids, as well as Iowa City. Teams are organized in age-level groups. Some schools, such as from Maquoketa, Iowa, have multiple teams and sponsor an in-school competition before the contests. There is a limit of eight teams per school, Drake said. Some teams are organized at the start of the day's competition, including one assisted Saturday by Harlan Chernoff, an engineer from Bettendorf. His team included Naoko Sambdman, 11, of Rock Island, and Susan Godat, 16, from Clinton, Iowa. This team's bridge design was kind of like the Centennial Bridge, Sambdman said, but "flipped upside down." "This was a really good experience," said Chernoff, a first-time volunteer. "It's a good way for younger kids to get technical engineering experience." The Locke family, from Andalusia, built a suspension bridge, which Mike Locke explained was a way to put pressure on the main bridge supports at either end. Locke, an engineer with Deere & Co., said the aim was to make the bridge light and powerful. Teams had three hours to build the project. Each design then was weighed and broken by having weights added to a platform suspended below it. The winning bridge was the one that held the most weight compared to its own weight. Trophies were awarded in four categories: Elementary (grades 4-6), junior high (grades 7-8) high school (grades 9-12) and family (any combination of adult, plus students). MASON CITY, Iowa Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush talked about his plans to restore military strength, defeat ISIS and reshape America's fiscal policies during a campaign stop at the Clear Lake VFW Saturday. He also emphasized his penchant for achieving success without belittling people who disagree with him. "We need a president who will support the military and develop strategies to keep us safe," he told a crowd of about 250. "The most important job of the president is to keep us safe and we are less safe now than we were when President Obama took office. "We need to rebuild the military. We have some planes that are older than their pilots." He said the U.S should advocate "peace through strength" and militarily, "other countries should fear us." In one of his few references to a specific political opponent, Bush said, "Hillary wants to lead from behind and thinks we can talk our way through anything. Our Asian allies don't take us seriously, and we have alienated Israel." Early on in his presidency, Bush said, he would act to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as a sign of respect and support. Also, he vowed to take out ISIS: "We don't contain it, we destroy it." He advocates a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a line-item veto for presidents and term limits for public officials. Regarding a balanced budget amendment, Bush said, "Every state has one. Why shouldn't Washington?" On term limits, he said no one in the private sector has a lifetime job. "People should be elected, serve, and then go home to their families and let someone else serve," he said. Bush said the U.S. now has a $19 trillion national debt and a $480 billion deficit. He said the way to fix it is to stimulate economic growth through reforming the tax code, fixing what he called the "regulation mess," enacting Civil Service reforms to help shrink the size of government, including reducing the federal workforce by 10 percent, and managing entitlement program reforms. "The government should not grow faster than the people can pay for it," he said. One way to do this, Bush said, is to shift as much power as possible back to the states, in areas such as transportation, education and Medicaid. Bush devoted several minutes talking about the traits he would bring to the presidency, and although he didn't name anyone specifically, comparisons to Donald Trump were obvious. "You start with the premise that people who disagree with you are not evil," he said. "President Obama is not a bad guy. We disagree on policy issues. "There should be no more trash talk. We need to engage people who disagree with us. Look at what Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neil accomplished. Forging consensus is not bad business. It's life." He also talked about the importance of the personality of the president. "We are not electing an entertainer in chief," Bush said. "(With me) there will be no putting people down to make yourself look better. Government should be focused on lifting people up. I won't disparage people. I'm tired of this, and I hope you are, too. "We have to restore proof that the American system works by doing things rather than just yapping about it." He described himself as being an introvert who has a passion to serve. "Talking about how great I am does nothing for me. But helping increase child support for people who need it that gets me right here," he said, tapping his shirt over his heart. SIOUX CITY, Iowa New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Sunday lobbed barbs at Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump during his final appeal to northwest Iowa voters, a day before Iowa's caucuses. "It is almost impossible for me to believe that Iowans Iowans are going to give the state to Donald Trump," Christie said to 120 people at Morningside College during a 70-minute morning event. Christie, mired in low single digits in most Republican polls in Iowa, also got in digs at two other GOP rivals who have emerged as Trump's chief challengers. He said Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas have the practice of talking about how they may change policies, while governors like himself do the nitty-gritty work of delivering for constituents. Christie also said Cruz and Rubio, in recent comments, have been parsing their records on immigration reform, since they are afraid of being labeled flip-floppers. "What other Washington-speak will they use on you to make you think up is down?" Christie asked. In his closing remarks, which many people said they enjoyed, Christie said Iowans should caucus for the candidate who will best serve to aid military members coming back from conflicts. He said that sober reality demands a president with the mature temperament to help people, so voters should not be acting on "an expression of anger." "We are not electing an entertainer in chief, we are electing a commander in chief. ...This is serious business, everybody. Showtime is over, OK, showtime is over. Everybody loves a show, everybody loves a show. Showtime is over, it is game time," Christie said. Three-fourths of the event was devoted to questions, as Christie responded to queries from people on climate change, immigration policy enforcement and campaign finance reform. Suzan Stewart, of Sioux City, said Christie ably demonstrated his grasp of policy details. "I enjoy every time I listen to him," Stewart said. Stewart questioned him on a state policy detail, which led to her saying New Jersey has little sunshine to tap for solar energy. Christie quickly responded with an apparent nod to his reputation as having a sometimes prickly side, gesturing to the crowd, "You are looking at New Jersey's sunshine, come on!" CEDAR RAPIDS With the finish line in sight, Hillary Clinton went back to the basics Saturday night in Cedar Rapids, touching on all the themes she and other Democratic presidential hopefuls have been campaigning on for the past year or longer. The difference, she told more than 1,200 people at Washington High School, is that shes ready to get those Democratic priorities done. This campaign is like a job interview, and you have to decide who is ready to be president, she said as the crowd drowned her out with shouts of You and Im with her. "If you will caucus for me Monday night, Clinton continued, if you stand up for me, I will promise you this: I will stand for you, I will fight for you, and I will work my heart out for you. Mary Campbell had been working her heart out for Clinton earlier in the day, knocking on doors to get people to caucus Feb. 1. I shed blood for Hillary, the retired school teacher from Bertram said, explaining she was knocked down by a dog and threatened by a man who was not a Clinton fan. Campbell definitely would hire Clinton, although she admitted to being surprised to be supporting her. I would have been a Bernie Sanders supporter, Campbell said, adding that she was a Dennis Kucinich supporter in the past. But it was the ready factor that convinced her this is Clintons time. She has a definite plan and knows how to implement them, Campbell said. It not just that Clinton is ready for the job, but many supporters said they are ready more than ready to elect a woman president. Tamala Choma checked off Barack Obama eight years ago, so now Im ready for a woman, breaking that barrier. If not now, when? asked Linda Anderson of Cedar Rapids. Both said heres more to it than shattering the glass ceiling in the Oval Office. Qualifications, qualifications, qualifications, Anderson said. Stack her qualifications against the myriad Republicans, and she surpasses all of them. Its her policies that support women like pay equity, said Choma, an attorney who moved from San Diego to Davenport just in time to participate in the caucus campaign. Although President Barack Obama defeated her in the Iowa caucuses eight years ago, Clinton said her plans are to build on what Obama has accomplished over the past seven years. Theres a lot of work for us to do here. Im very committed to fighting hard on of these fronts, she said about increasing investments in education and combating climate change, raising the minimum wage and family incomes as well as raising taxes on the rich to pay for her priorities such as a debt-free college education plan and expanding health care coverage to 100 percent of Americans. Reminding the audience shes a progressive who likes to get things done, Clinton said thats why the debate over health care shes having with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is so important. We both have the same goals we want universal coverage, she said, noting that before it was called Obamacare it was called Hillarycare. We have fought too hard, we have fought too long, Clinton said. Im going to fix whats wrong with the Affordable Care Act, such as reducing out-of-pocket costs and prescription drug costs. We cannot start over, my friends, she said. "We cant throw this country back into gridlock. People cant wait for us to have another 20-year debate over what we are going to do about health care." Clinton was introduced by her daughter, Chelsea. The 2016 election will be the first time shes voted as a mother. When she thinks about her 16-month-old daughter, Charlotte, and her future brother or sister, I cant think of a better person to stand up to fight for them. After a couple of minutes, Chelsea said that because she is pregnant she was going to leave the stage and sit down. Her father, the former president, delivered a condensed version of a speech he has been delivering around the state in recent weeks. His wife of nearly 45 years is a world-class change-maker who has left everything she has touched better than she found it, Bill Clinton said. IDA GROVE, Iowa Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz on Saturday slammed progressive policies and pointed to a conservative revolution ahead as he exhorted an enthusiastic crowd to support him in the Monday Iowa caucuses. Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas, was making his final northwest Iowa swing to appeal for votes. He played off the energy of the Siouxlanders near him in the warm community rec center room. They laughed when he said he would return french fries to school lunches, murmured with approval when he cited Bible verses and whooped when Cruz said he would not allow any chipping away of gun ownership rights laid out in the Second Amendment. On the Second Amendment, you all are reminding me of a roomful of Texans, Cruz said to the 200 people packed in the venue to hear him. In response to a question from a man near the end of his 30-minute campaign stop, Cruz talked extensively about a topic that has dogged his Iowa candidacy. Some supporters of ethanol, a fuel blend that uses a lot of Iowa corn, have criticized Cruz for not supporting an extension to the federal Renewable Fuel Standard for ethanol. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad a few days ago said Cruz should not get the backing of Iowans, given his stance on the RFS. The man questioning Cruz noted there is an allegation that the gas industry owns you. Cruz said lobbyists are trying to perpetuate a myth that he hates ethanol. It is complete and utter nonsense, he said. "I support ethanol." Cruz said he supports all energy options and thinks none should be singled out for subsidies. There should be no mandates and no subsidies for any energy source, he said. On other issues, Cruz said he would repeal all of the 2010 Affordable Care Act that reformed health care in America, end the federal income tax and replace it with a flat tax and defeat radical Islamic terrorism. Cruz was joined in Ida Grove by his wife, Heidi, and evangelical conservative Bob Vander Plaats, who formerly lived in Sioux City. Vander Plaats said the Republican race in Iowa has come down to a battle between Cruz and Donald Trump. Vander Plaats said Trump doesnt have the humility to be president, given statements that mocked a person with disabilities and disparaged Vietnam War hero John McCain. Jory Hemer of Odebolt, Iowa, has supported Cruz for many months and was seeing him speak for the second time in the election cycle. (Cruz) holds himself to a high moral standard, Hemer said. Hes got a proven history of standing up for what hes said hell stand up for. Cecile Bargar of Ida Grove said she liked what Cruz had to say as he made biblical references, but she is leaning toward supporting Trump on Monday. She said Trump is most poised to deliver on wholesale changes in how the government operates. At my age, Ive heard it before When I get to the White House, Ill do this and it never happens, Bargar said. Cruz also held a Saturday night event in Sioux City, where he was joined by influential U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, and conservative media critic Glenn Beck. King in late 2015 endorsed Cruz about the time he began to rise to the top of Iowa polls, joining Trump at the top of the 12-candidate pack. King has since campaigned extensively with Cruz. MASON CITY Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina urged voters to dismiss polls and rally to her candidacy during a final stop in Mason City on Saturday. With two days left until the Iowa caucuses, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO told voters to give her a boost to make a strong showing on Monday night. "I am going to count on you to send me with the wind to my back," she said. "I will not falter." A Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll released Saturday shows Fiorina trailing in the Republican field of 602 likely voters polled with 2 percent saying she was their first choice for president. Four percent selected her as their second choice. Businessman Donald Trump led the field with 28 percent selecting him as a first choice, 7 percent as a second choice; Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, polled second with 23 percent indicating he was their first choice, 17 percent as a second choice; and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., was third with 15 percent choosing him as first choice and 20 percent as a second. The poll has a 4 percentage point margin of error. Selzer & Co. of West Des Moines conducted the survey between Jan. 26-29. Speaking to a packed crowd of about 80 people inside Cabin Coffee, Fiorina dismissed Trump as a candidate who could not deliver on a promise to bring a fresh perspective to Washington, D.C. "Donald Trump isn't trying to change the system," she said. "He's taking advantage of it every single day." With attention focused on Trump, Fiorina said she thinks the mainstream media had stymied her campaigns efforts to get her message out to voters and she would show stronger than polls have predicted. "Actually, you guys decide this Monday night," she said. Fiorina touted her six-point "Blueprint to Take Our Country Back" that she would push as president, including reducing the current federal tax code from 73,000 pages to three, repealing the Affordable Care Act, securing national borders, opposing abortion, promoting religious freedom and defeating ISIS. She told voters to "hold me accountable" if elected. Dennis Renner, 66, of Mason City said he was still undecided, but he was impressed with Fiorina's ability to sell her message and was leaning toward caucusing for her on Monday night. "What she brings is just a lifetime of knowledge that I believe she will be able to use when she gets in (the White House)," he said. MASON CITY, Iowa Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul talked about Republican front-runners as he spoke to a crowd of 160 people Saturday at the Historic Park Inn Hotel in Mason City. Paul, a candidate who is receiving 4 percent to 5 percent in most polls, opened by asking how many people watched the debate Thursday. He then followed up by asking how many thought it was better without a certain person, referring to Donald Trump, drawing laughs from the crowd. They asked me how I liked it, and I said I liked it just fine, Paul said. "If he wants to keep having his own rallies and leave us to debate the questions of the day, maybe we can find some solutions." Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie joined Paul and his wife, Kelley, focusing on big government spending, among other topics. Why does government get bigger no matter whos in power? Paul asked. Massie said he is angry and frustrated with fellow Republicans making deals with Democrats to fund the Environmental Protection Agency, Planned Parenthood and other groups in exchange for increased military spending. Thats whats spending us in to oblivion, Massie said. Paul said that he doesnt think the U.S. projects power through debt and borrowing money from China. Paul presented his plan for revitalizing poverty-stricken areas such as the south side of Chicago, parts of Philadelphia and Baltimore among others. I would lower taxes dramatically, Paul said. Rather than a trillion-dollar stimulus coming from Washington, D.C., Paul said he would rather keep that money in those areas and let the people decide what to do with it from what they saved in taxes. I want to get rid of the entire tax code, Paul said. You should be able to fill out your taxes on a postcard. Paul said his goal, simply put, is to make the private sector bigger and the government smaller. He also called for Republicans to expand their appeal and bring in more people to create a bigger, better, bolder party. Massie introduced Kelley Paul as the next first lady of the United States. Kelley talked about how her life with Paul changed seven years ago when he decided to run for U.S. Senate. I was a little skeptical about life in politics, Kelley said. But at the same time, I knew that Rand wanted to make a difference, and I knew he could. Paul said his goal is to win Iowa Monday and head in to the New Hampshire primary with strength. SIOUX CITY With the end within sight to the Iowa caucuses, Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Rand Paul made one more stop in Sioux City Saturday, confident in his chances of winning through his strength with young voters. The Kentucky senator spoke before a crowd of about 160 at the Holiday Inn, 701 Gordon Drive, at noon. The candidate spoke of the disconnect between elected representatives and average Americans. Both parties overspend money, Paul said, before calling out fellow candidates Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Ted Cruz on their ideas to add more than $1 trillion to the military budget. The further we go into debt, the weaker we are, Paul said. Paul also attacked House Speaker Paul Ryan for raising the debt ceiling infinitely and spoke about what he called the over-regulation of agriculture. He also promised he would repeal every executive order President Barack Obama has issued during his administration. The (Environmental Protection Agency) has a SWAT team, Paul said. The way they classify your farms as wetlands so they can control them is insane. On foreign policy, Paul said regime change, which he claimed is the preferred method of dealing with enemies by the establishment in Washington, D.C., is a mistake. Some people thought they would topple (deceased Libyan leader) Moammar Gadhafi and that Libya would elect Thomas Jefferson, Paul said. After asking the crowd to caucus for him through the snow Monday, if necessary Paul stopped for photos and autographs with dozens of people before heading to his next event in Mason City, Iowa. Jeff Sis of Denison, Iowa, got his photo taken with the senator and said he liked Paul's talk about taking on the EPA and farming regulations, as Sis works at an ethanol refinery. "He's in my top two picks," Sis said. "Him and Rubio." In a brief interview after he spoke, Paul said he is confident of his chances of being declared the caucus winner Monday night, despite polls showing him in the bottom tier of candidates with single-digit support. I think were going to surprise people. The polls discount the younger people, especially college age, who support us, Paul said. I think were going to win. Scott County Sheriffs Maj. Thomas Gibbs has declared his candidacy for sheriff. Gibbs, 39, served in the Air Force for five years and 10 months. He then worked for a private security company at the Library of Congress before joining the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., where he was a police officer until 2003. Gibbs was hired by Scott County in 2004. He was promoted to major in October 2014 by Sheriff Dennis Conard. Gibbs and his wife, Heather, live in Davenport with their two daughters. Conard, who has been sheriff since 2001, has announced that he will not run for re-election in 2016. Gibbs is the third person to announce his candidacy. Sheriffs Lt. Tim Lane, who commands the departments special operations unit, and LaMark Combs, have announced they will be running for the job. -- Thomas Geyer With just two days before the Iowa caucuses, Donald Trump, touting a new poll that puts him ahead by five points in Iowa, urged a packed Adler Theatre on Saturday to caucus for him. The Republican presidential hopeful spent a little more than a half hour sitting and talking on stage Saturday night with Jerry Falwell Jr., the president of Liberty University, the last of three events he held along the Mississippi River on Saturday. During the session at the Adler, Trump promised to build a wall, make America great again and take on the Islamic State. Then, at the end, the New York real estate magnate didn't forget to try to close the deal. "It all doesn't matter if you don't caucus on Monday," Trump told the crowd. "The polls don't matter. Nothing matters. The only thing that matters is the poll that's going to be taken on Monday." Trump was the latest Republican presidential hopeful to wind his way through the Quad-Cities in the closing days before the caucuses. There were four GOP candidates in the area on Friday, and four will be here Sunday. Trump had the Quad-Cities to himself Saturday, and he got some good news before he came out on stage. A new Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll put him up by five points over U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, 28 percent to 23 percent. Sen. Marco Rubio was third at 15 percent. The poll was conducted from Tuesday through Friday. Trump credited some of his standing with evangelicals to Falwell, who endorsed him. Trump's remarks were only about half as long as at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in December. But, by now, the elements of his proposals are pretty well known. After pledging to build a wall to stop illegal immigration, he asked the crowd, "Who's going to pay for the wall?" "Mexico!" came the response. Trump also drew cheers when he presented a giant check for $100,000 to a foundation that raises dogs for veterans with mobility problems, money he said was raised at a fundraiser for veterans he held last week while skipping the Republican debate on Fox News. Much of Trump's success at the caucuses depends on whether he draws new people Monday. Julie Miller of Davenport said she plans to go to her first caucus Monday. She said she's "98 percent" sure she'll vote for Trump, although she also was considering Rubio. Of Trump, she said, "Not a lot of people like it, but he's very tough minded." Miller said she's a lifelong Republican, but she isn't bothered by the idea that Trump has said in the past that he's pro-abortion rights. Television ads playing in Iowa have played up those comments. Beth Looker of Tipton said she also didn't doubt his conservative credentials. "He said that he changed his pathways," she said. "I changed my pathways, too. I used to be a liberal." Still, she said she plans to caucus for Cruz and didn't like how Trump insults people. She noted Trump recently said he could shoot somebody and not lose supporters. "That's pretty egotistical," Looker said. One man said that he wouldn't be able to caucus because he would be working Monday night but that he would support Trump if he could. "I'm tired of career politicians. He's a businessman," said Brian Schilling of Bettendorf. "I think he's our best shot." SPRINGFIELD Extending an olive branch to Democrats amid Illinois' seven-month budget impasse, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner used last week's State of the State address to affirm his support for a pension overhaul proposed by Democratic Senate President John Cullerton. Lawmakers for years have been grappling with ways to deal with the state's rising pension costs expected to hit $7.6 billion this year and unfunded liabilities in statewide retirement systems that have grown to more than $100 billion. A state law passed in 2013 would have raised the retirement age and reduced cost-of-living increases for retirees, among other changes. But the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that it violated the pension protection clause of the state Constitution, which says pension benefits for current and retired workers "shall not be diminished or impaired." Rauner had previously proposed a pension plan that his administration said would save $2 billion a year, but critics contend that it would fail to clear the same constitutional hurdle. "As a first step toward bipartisan compromise, President Cullerton and I have agreed to support his pension proposal that will save $1 billion a year from four of the state pension plans," Rauner said in his speech. "I have instructed administration attorneys to work with the Senate president's staff to finalize language as soon as possible. When they do, I urge both chambers to pass it without delay." The details are being worked out, but Cullerton's plan would give each worker a choice: either have future raises count toward your pension or receive yearly compounding cost-of-living raises in retirement. A previous Cullerton plan, which the Senate approved but the House never voted on, would have given the choice between state health benefits or cost-of-living increases in retirement. The plan was abandoned after the Supreme Court ruled in a separate case that the Illinois Constitution also protects state retiree health benefits. The big question is whether this new plan will be found constitutional. "We aren't certain it's constitutional," Cullerton told reporters last week after a speech at the City Club of Chicago, "but we have the benefit of the Supreme Court decision, which we've read, and this is consistent with that." Chris Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, said, however, that the previous Supreme Court rulings have set a high bar. "If both of the choices cut benefits, that's not a true choice that would likely be approved by the court," he said. Before it gets that far, the proposal must pass both houses of the General Assembly. State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, who voted against the previous Cullerton plan, said this is one he can get behind. "The difference is the courts ruled that what we did before was unconstitutional," Brady said. "I think this has a better chance of being constitutional." Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, said he backed Cullerton's previous plan because it was negotiated with a coalition of unions called We Are One Illinois. "Anything short of a negotiated framework with state employees and the representation of those state employees through their unions, it's going to be very difficult to gain my support," Manar said. Those unions have made it clear that they don't back this plan. "The governor described a plan that would force teachers, first responders and other public employees to choose between two losing options that each diminish retirement security," We Are One Illinois said in an emailed statement. "Such a plan is both unfair to working people and clearly unconstitutional." The unions contend that the current problem is the result of a long history of state leaders underfunding pensions to pay for other expenses. Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, has other concerns with Cullerton's idea. With its estimated $1 billion in annual savings, it wouldn't do enough to address the problem, he said. "If you pass something like that, I think there would be a general feeling, 'Well, we've taken care of that,'" Luechtefeld said. "And obviously that doesn't take care of it. That's just a small part of the problem." Another big question is whether the plan would win the support of Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan. Following the State of the State address, Madigan said he was "very anxious to see the governor's language." DAVENPORT Merle Perry Ramirez, 85, a resident of Davenport, died Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf, surrounded by his family. Visitation will be Tuesday, Feb. 2, from 4-7 p.m. at the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport. The family invites you to pray the rosary with them at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday night. Mass will be on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, Davenport, with interment following at Davenport Memorial Park. Merle Ramirez was born at Cooks Point on April 13, 1930, in Davenport to Dionisio and Adelida (Gutierrez) Ramirez. Merle left school after completing the 10th grade so he could work and raise his family. However, Merle returned to school later in life to obtain his high school diploma, demonstrating to all that he cared about the value of education. Merle worked for and retired from JI Case after 39 years of service. During his employment, Merle worked as a welder and UAW representative. While working as a UAW representative, he was able to follow his passions of advocating for labor rights and serving his fellow workers. Merle had a deep passion for community service, education and politics. Merles early years as a union representative paved the way for a second life after retirement. In retirement, Merle became involved in promoting and providing educational opportunities for Quad-City minority youth. Merles second calling came as a programing consultant with American Institute of Commerce, AIC. AIC partnered with local school districts to promote post-high school education for minority youth, and Merle worked tirelessly on programs to educate on the importance of diversity. Merles educational programs focused on racial attitudes in school, teen pregnancy, completing education and the importance of diversity in the workplace. Many people achieved success in life due, in part, to Merles efforts. Merle was also passionate about his service in the local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Club. Merle served as Chairman of the LULAC and helped to promote education and community service within the organization. Merle was particularly proud of his time spent with Cesar Chavez, marching with and fighting for migrant workers rights. Merle loved local and national politics and all that it entailed, especially a lively debate between colleagues and friends. Merle served on many boards and commissions, including Davenports Civil Service Commission. He was often approached by local and national politicians seeking his advice and support. Many politicians sought Merles local endorsement, including Al Gore. Merles life was played on many stages. Merle, in his early years, formed the Latin musical group Los Reales, with whom he played for over 30 years. Los Reales traveled and played for audiences throughout a large portion of the Midwest, including Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska and Minnesota. Merle took great pride in Los Reales, having formed the band with his friends and family, including his brother, Joe, and son, Tony. Above all, Merle loved his wife of 67 years, Carmella. Together, they raised four boys, of which he was immensely proud. Merle was known to constantly pass life lessons and words of wisdom to anyone who would listen. The other love of his life was his dogs, all of whom were named Pepe. Merle had once said naming all of the dogs Pepe made it easier to remember their names. Merle never passed a garage sale without stopping and loved the art of making a deal. Merle prided himself on never paying full price for anything. He loved life and certainly lived it to the fullest. Merle is survived by his wife, Carmella Rita Ramirez, Davenport; sons, Perry (Lisa) Ramirez, Silvis, Tony Ramirez, Davenport, and Phil (Darla) Ramirez, Bettendorf. Merle is also survived by his many beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Merle was preceded in death by his parents; his 10 brothers and sisters; and son, John Henry Ramirez. Online condolences and remembrances can be shared with the family by visiting Merles obituary at www.hmdfuneralhome.com. It's hard to believe that the United States, having resisted the siren song of socialism during its entire 20th-century heyday (the only major democracy to do so), should suddenly succumb to its charms a generation after its intellectual demise. Indeed, the prospect of socialist Bernie Sanders, whatever his current momentum, winning the Democratic nomination remains far-fetched. The Dems would be risking a November electoral disaster of historic dimensions. Yet there is no denying how far Sanders has pulled his party to the left -- and how hard the establishment candidate, Hillary Clinton, has been racing to catch up. The Republicans, on the other hand, are dealing with a full-scale riot. The temptation they face is trading in a century of conservatism for Trumpism. The 2016 presidential race has turned into an epic contest between the ethno-nationalist populism of Donald Trump and traditional conservatism, though in two varieties: the scorched-earth fundamentalist version of Ted Cruz, and a reformist version represented by Marco Rubio (and several so-called establishment candidates) -- and articulated most fully by non-candidate Paul Ryan and a cluster of highly productive thinkers and policy wonks dubbed "reformicons." Trump insists that he's a conservative, but in his pronouncements and policies, conservatism seems more of a rental -- a three-story penthouse rental with Central Park-view, to be sure -- than an ideological home. Trump protests that Ronald Reagan, too, migrated from left to right. True, but Reagan's transformation occurred in his 40s -- not, as with Trump, in his 60s. In radically different ways, Trump and Sanders are addressing the deep anxiety stemming from the secular stagnation in wages and living standards that has squeezed the middle and working classes for a generation. Sanders locates the villainy in a billionaire class that has rigged both the economic and political system. Trump blames foreigners, most prominently those cunning Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese and Saudis who've been taking merciless advantage of us, in concert with America's own leaders who are, alternatively, stupid and incompetent or bought and corrupt. Hence Trump's most famous policy recommendations: anti-immigrant, including the forced deportation of 11 million people; anti-trade, with a 45 percent tariff on Chinese goods and a 35 percent tariff on U.S. manufacturing moved to Mexico; and anti-Muslim, most notoriously a complete ban on entry into the U.S. Temporarily only, we are assured, except that the ban applies "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on" -- a standard so indeterminate as to be meaningless. Trump has limited concern for the central tenet of American conservatism (and most especially of the tea party movement) -- limited government. The most telling example is his wholehearted support for "eminent domain," i.e. the forcible appropriation by government of private property. Trump called it "wonderful." Trump has not yet called Vladimir Putin wonderful but he has taken a shine to the swaggering mini-czar who seems to run his trains on time. When informed that Putin kills opponents and journalists, Trump's initial reaction was, "Well, I think that our country does plenty of killing, also," the kind of moronic what-about-the-Crusades moral equivalence that conservatives have railed against for decades. Although, to be fair, after some prompting, Trump did come out against the killing of journalists. Cruz is often lumped with Trump in the "anti-establishment" camp. That suited Cruz tactically for a while, but it's fairly meaningless, given that "establishment" can mean anything these days. And given the huge gulf between the political philosophies of the two men. Cruz is a genuine conservative -- austere, indeed radical, so much so that he considers mainstream congressional conservatives apostates. And finds Trump not conservative at all, as he is now furiously, belatedly insisting. My personal preference is for the third ideological alternative, the reform conservatism that locates the source of our problems not in heartless billionaires or crafty foreigners, but in our superannuated, increasingly sclerotic 20th-century welfare-state structures. Their desperate need for reform has been overshadowed by the new populism, but Speaker Ryan is determined to introduce a serious reform agenda in this year's Congress -- boring stuff like welfare reform, health care reform, tax reform and institutional congressional reforms such as the return to "regular order." Paired with a President like Rubio (or Chris Christie or Carly Fiorina, to go long-shot), such an agenda would give conservatism its best opportunity since Reagan to become the country's governing philosophy. Unless the GOP takes the populist leap. In which case, a conservative restoration will be a long time coming. John Kasich is the poster-child for all thinking Republicans left behind by a party overrun by an irrational, seething fringe. The Ohio governor is the antithesis of the shrill, bigoted screaming heads dominating the Republican Party field. He should carry the GOP standard heading into November's presidential election, if re-injecting reason into GOP rhetoric is of any concern. Kasich won't wage the dehumanizing ground war against immigrants looking for work. Kasich sees immigrants as human beings, supports bolstering U.S.-Mexico border security, while providing a much-needed pathway to legal status for the 11.5 million people already illegally in the U.S. The former chairman of the U.S. House Budget Committee offers a workable tax plan, which includes reducing the corporate rate to 25 percent, that Ronald Reagan would no doubt endorse. He was a co-architect of the last balanced federal budget, brokered with Democratic President Bill Clinton. Once-faltering Ohio is back on stable footing, under his watch. In many ways, Kasich is a model Republican. He's a thoughtful, pragmatic workhorse, who's disinterested in mounting divisive social battles that reduce people to political fodder. The fact that those qualities have so far worked against him is an indictment of small-tent conservatism. A frothing hoard has seized the GOP. It's a rag-tag band of evangelicals, nationalists and intolerant demagogues looking to scapegoat anyone unlike themselves. Muslims. Check. Immigrants. Check. Liberals. Of course. They claim a monopoly on the Constitution, only to toss it in the trash whenever it doesn't serve their purposes. It's a group that pays no mind to the rights of the uninitiated. They've flocked around the likes of New York City real estate mogul Donald Trump. A master of self-promotion, Trump has created a cult-like following, one that rejects any information counter to its base instincts. We're not convinced that Trump even means half of the things he says. He's a self-aggrandizing showman without substance, pitching an overarching narrative wholly bereft of policy. He berates women. He hammers minorities. He despises anyone who questions his monopoly on truth. He's a disaster waiting to happen. Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, is also preaching to those fueled by rage. Cruz's America is one without religious freedom. It's a nation ruled by a hyper-specific interpretation of Christian Scripture. It's a land where one religion crushes the rights of anyone with a different worldview. True to form, neither Trump nor Cruz took us up on our offer to meet. They, instead, prefer to sermonize to true believers. In deciding this endorsement, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio made our short list. Both men can speak with authority about the problems in the Middle East. Both offer plans to crush the Islamic State. Both correctly recognize that a coalition of Muslim nations, supported by the U.S., is the only way to concurrently combat the ideas that fuel Jihad and the men who wage it. Kasich, who prefers an American-led effort in Iraq and Syria, should take a page from their books. Rubio, we believe, is the one "establishment" Republican most likely to unite the party after the bruising primary. But, throughout the primary, Rubio couldn't jet to the right fast enough. In 2013, the Florida senator was among the "gang of eight," a bipartisan Senate coalition that drafted common-sense immigration reform, which died in the more conservative House. Rubio sacrificed his brightest moment to court the radicals. And, in so doing, displayed a striking lack of conviction. Bush is haunted by his last name, something he clearly doesn't enjoy broaching. But, like with Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side, Americans are rightly wary of dynastic politics. There's an appealing air of human decency surrounding Bush. But he's proved incapable of inspiring even his closest political allies, perhaps due to his discomfort with going for the throat. If he can't inspire friendly Republicans, his message would be dead-on-arrival in the White House. We found Carly Fiorina light on facts, a reality that's plagued the former Hewlett-Packard executive throughout her bid. Her campaign peaked when she jumped on the now-discredited Planned Parenthood videos. The videographer was, this past week, a charged with a slew of misdemeanors and a felony by a Texas grand jury. Ben Carson is, by all accounts, a brilliant surgeon. But, frankly, the man isn't dealing in reality, particularly with his flat tax proposal. The decline of "the family" is the root of all social ills, Carson argued. He basically told us, in code, that the rise of the independent, modern woman is ruining society. We respectfully disagree. The GOP is in a fight for its soul. Reason has been muscled aside by the loud, hateful and self-absorbed. But Kasich is rising in New Hampshire and a strong showing in Iowa could only help his cause. He's capable of reaching out to minorities and women. Kasich is one of the few Republicans in the race who honestly believes in big-tent conservatism. There's plenty of vacant, divisive absurdity in the battle for the GOP nomination. We encourage anyone interested in actual solutions to caucus Monday for John Kasich. In the news recently, doctors are now screening pregnant women for depression. Being a freedom-lover and gun-enthusiast, this is alarming to me. With a few notes written down by your doctor, a pregnant woman can lose her freedom and end up in a mental health institution. I urge caution when dealing with your family doctors because they are the ears and eyes of a tyrannical government. Obama wants to take away as many of our guns as possible out of cowardliness. Mike Maschmann Park View Twenty years after a deep personal tragedy, Rajni Lermans journey to find healing and peace has led her to Hot Springs, where she has opened a new business, helping others find organization from chaos and personal wholeness through yoga and therapeutic essential oils. Her business is named Gaia Services, which Gaia defined as The Earth viewed as a self-regulating organism. Just as our earth Gaia is a self-regulating organism, thus are we as individuals, Lerman explains on her website. Lerman had lived in Boulder, Colo., working for non-profits to help young people for more than a decade. In the mid-1990s, she decided to join her sister in Crestone, Colo., to pursue mutual interests, but those plans came to a sudden and tragic halt when her sister was the victim of a murder less than a week after Rajni arrived. She spent some time grieving with her parents at their home in central New York, then returned to Colorado and decided to find a temporary job with a small construction company. She quickly impressed the owner of the company with her skills and was promoted to office manager. Thats when I realized I was good at organizational tasks, she said. After four years there, Lerman decided to go out on her own as a professional organizer when the construction business declined. She had business cards printed under the name of Gaia Business Services. Customers responded to her ability to bring order to piles of excess paper and clutter and appreciated her calm demeanor, she said. Just having a professional coming over and helping them, being calm and making suggestions give them a sense of ease, where they can relax and get through it, she said. Thats what I do, just get my hands dirty, she said. I like to help people get rid of that stress and get through those piles so they can enjoy their lives. Remarried three-and-a-half years ago, Lerman and her husband decided to leave Colorado and move to Hot Springs, where they had visited many times. Lerman found Kundalini Yoga to be a help in her recovery and after becoming an instructor began teaching classes in Colorado. She now teaches two yoga classes per week at Bluebird Mesa Wholistic Health and Retreat Center in Hot Springs. She also offers the duTerra line of essential oils. Since she was doing more than professional organization work, she decided to change the business name simply to Gaia Services. Lerman can be reached by calling 303-564-0787 or visit gaiaservices.net. Cabinet shop opens Also new to Hot Springs is D.R. Cabinetry, specializing in custom cabinetry, countertops, moldings and other woodworking creations. Owners Dwayne Springer and Roger Childress boast 20 years of experience in cabinetry. They moved to Hot Springs from Montana in September and opened the business in December, according to the Hot Springs Star. For more information, call 605-745-4015. Happenings east of Fifth A chain-link fence now surrounds the old Imperial Hotel on St. Joseph Street. New owner Ray Hillenbrand earlier indicated plans to demolish the longtime downtown hotel that has seen better days, and it looks like the heavy equipment is poised to start chewing at the old building. No plans for redevelopment of the property have been announced, however. Over on Main Street, an interior demolition has been completed at the former Tire Muffler and Alignment auto repair shop. The stately brick building at 329 Main St. dates back to 1930 and once was the home of Rapid Chevrolet. It is being offered as a Will Build to Suit space. Ive heard rumblings of plans afoot, but there is nothing I can confirm just yet. Also, the former home of Black Hills Vinyl in the Fairmont Creamery Mall may not be vacant for long. The record shop is still finishing up a move to 622 St. Joseph St., and a new tenant may be waiting in the wings to take over the space. Details are still being worked out at this writing, so stay tuned for further developments, as they say. Editor's note: As the South Dakota Legislature marks the one-third point of the 2016 session, capital correspondent Bob Mercer catches us up on a number of topics swirling around Pierre. Goodnight moon Sen. Betty Olson, R-Prairie City, fell one aye short of winning Senate approval Wednesday for her legislation that would have put South Dakota on daylight saving time year round. Naturally, Lt. Gov. Matt Michels couldnt resist teeing off some good lines as he presided over the debate. Sen. Olson, does anybody really know what time it is? Michels asked. Not out in my neck of the woods, Olson replied. The roll call on SB 60 produced 17 ayes and 16 nays. Legislation generally needs at least 18 ayes for Senate passage. Would you like to reconsider this in an hour? Michels asked. Olson declined. What's in a name? The state House of Representatives is considering whether to officially designate the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum of South Dakota at Hill City as what else? the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum of South Dakota. Official status doesnt bring any state funding. In fact, the legislation specifically says the museum wont receive any for operation or maintenance. But the designation would do what Peggy Sanders of Hill City thought had been already done long ago. Sanders and Rep. Mike Verchio, R-Hill City, testified for the legislation Wednesday before the House State Affairs Committee. The panel unanimously endorsed HB 1065. Angela Ehlers, the executive director for the association of South Dakota conservation districts, spoke in favor too. She said the Depression-era CCC workers built many public improvements throughout the state, including in the Black Hills. There was thousands of projects, Ehlers said. Sen. Betty Olson, R-Prairie City, said her father was a CCC worker who was very proud of what they accomplished. For Rep. Spencer Hawley, the bill was a revelation. I wasnt aware there was a museum and Im happy to hear that, said Hawley, D-Brookings. He noted the sign near Blue Bell Lodge in Custer State Park thanking the CCC for getting rid of mountain pine beetles in the Black Hills as part of its 1930s work. Foresters and land owners have been fighting that battle anew the past few decades. Veteran's preference House members approved Rep. Fred Deutchs legislation Wednesday that would require state government, cities, counties and school districts to give interviews to armed services veterans when they meet minimum job qualifications. Not the job, just the interview, said Deutsch, R-Florence. Its a small token, a very small way for South Dakotans to say thank you for your service. The 68-0 vote sends the measure, HB 1056, to the Senate for consideration. Child abuse The Senate approved a definition for child advocacy centers Wednesday. They are places that will provide training for law enforcement and people involved in handling child sexual-abuse cases. They also would be places where children in such cases can be processed so they are not victimized again, according to Sen. Deb Soholt, R-Sioux Falls. She is chairwoman of the Jolenes Law task force that has been working on child sex-abuse issues. Soholt said the official estimate is that 4,000 children in South Dakota experience sexual abuse each year. We know that number is highly under-represented, she said. Sen. Art Rusch, R-Vermillion, spoke from his perspectives as a prosecutor for 12 years and a judge for 18 years. He said so many of the cases he saw were badly investigated and the children were badly interviewed that convictions were difficult. He said that in other states people have been wrongly convicted because of what was presented to children during interviews. He said the centers will be a tremendous step forward to train law enforcement and interviewers. The vote on SB 21 was 33-0. The measure now goes to the House of Representatives. No hammer time Rep. John Wiik, R-Big Stone City, offered the amendment Wednesday that removed some enhanced penalty provisions from a regulatory bill dealing with gas stations. The House Commerce and Energy Committee approved his change on a voice vote. The committee then unanimously endorsed the amended bill, HB 1031. The full House of Representatives will consider it next week. Its a beginning. Its a slippery slope, Wiik said about allowing state inspectors to charge businesses if their fuel documents werent immediately at hand. Im going to go against the heavy hand of government on this. His amendment came on the heels of testimony against that section by Dawna Lietzke, executive director for the South Dakota Petroleum and Propane Marketers Association. She said bills of lading for fuel deliveries werent required until after the 2012 dispute over octane ratings. The state Department of Public Safety wanted to be able to charge for the cost of time spent locating documents if the retail establishment didnt have the required documents on site at the time of the inspection. Department lawyer Jenna Howell said the intent was to only cover the actual costs. The documents are supposed to be on site, Howell said. I'm just a bill ... Thursday was the deadline for unlimited filing of legislation; The Senate now has 123, the House has 175. Were starting to get quite a few House bills here, said Rep. Dean Wink, R-Howes, the house speaker, told the representatives during the first readings of the latest ones Thursday afternoon. Take your best shot State Attorney General Marty Jackley of Sturgis hosted the annual target-shooting competition for legislators and staff Wednesday night at the law enforcement training center. Last year, Rep. Mathew Wollmann, R-Madison, won. But Wink bought a 9-mm STI target model with a 6-inch barrel and used that instead of the short-barreled .45 he had last year. He won a shoot-off with Wollmann, who placed second, and Rep. Isaac Latterell, R-Sioux Falls, who finished third. Wollmann told House members Thursday hes never seen Wink so focused and engaged as during the competition. Rep. Karen Soli, D-Sioux Falls, who is a minister, placed fourth as she won a shoot-off. She clenched her fists in the air like a champion boxer when Wink reported her achievement. The shooters raised $528 for the CASA organization and $585 for Rep. Dan Kaiser, R-Aberdeen, whos been unable to attend legislative session because of a childs illness. A trial has been averted in a lawsuit brought by 87 plaintiffs who accused Black Hills Power of causing a massive 2012 wildfire and then hiding crucial evidence. The settlement also allows another step forward in the power companys quest to build a $54 million, 144-mile electrical transmission line from northeast Wyoming to Rapid City on a route across some land owned by plaintiffs in the fire lawsuit. Public court documents indicate that a confidential, out-of-court settlement has been reached between the electric company and the plaintiffs in the fire lawsuit. That assumption is unconfirmed because the Journals calls to Black Hills Power, two of the companys attorneys and the plaintiffs lead attorney were not returned last week. At one of the plaintiffs homes, someone answered the phone and said the plaintiffs were told to refrain from talking about the case. Meanwhile, Black Hills Corp., the publicly traded owner of Black Hills Power, said previously in its 2014 annual report that the litigation was likely to lead to settlement negotiations. We believe such negotiations would effect a settlement of all claims, the annual report said. The same report went on to say, Based upon information currently available, we believe that a loss associated with settlement of pending claims is probable. Public court documents show that Black Hills Power and the plaintiffs jointly agreed earlier this month to a dismissal of the case with each side bearing its own costs. The resulting order, filed by a federal judge Jan. 4, prevented a trial that was scheduled to begin Monday. The order was issued with prejudice, which is a bar against re-litigation of the plaintiffs claims. The lawsuit arose from damages caused by the 2012 Oil Creek Fire, which burned a nearly 100-square-mile area of forest and ranch lands northwest of Newcastle, Wyo., just west of the South Dakota portion of the Black Hills. A fire investigator determined that a damaged power pole owned by Black Hills Power fell on a tree and ignited vegetative material that dropped to the ground and sparked the blaze. The lawsuit was filed in April 2013 and came to be known as Tavegie v. Black Hills Power et al., for first-listed plaintiff Todd Tavegie. The plaintiffs blamed the pole collapse on negligent maintenance by Black Hills Power, but the company denied the accusation. The climax of the lawsuit appeared to happen in November when the plaintiffs accused Black Hills Power of deliberately concealing the existence of the fallen tree that was believed to be the fires ignition source. The plaintiffs claimed Black Hills Power discovered the tree on the companys right-of-way one month after the fire began and then hid its existence for 16 months. During those 16 months, the plaintiffs claimed, the tree was cut up and Black Hills Power lost or destroyed the portion of the tree top that was believed to have struck the power line. Plaintiffs believe this evidence, if they had a fair opportunity to evaluate it, may have provided further proof of BHPs negligence in maintaining its high-voltage power lines, said a brief filed by the plaintiffs attorney, Ken Barker of Belle Fourche. The plaintiffs asked a judge to sanction Black Hills Power. The company's response to the plaintiffs' brief in support of that motion is inaccessible in the federal electronic court system, where it is marked as a non-public document "pursuant to the Judicial Conference Policy on Privacy and Public Access" with no further explanation. The judge never ruled on the motion for sanctions. About two weeks after it was filed, both sides were scheduled to participate in a status conference with the judge on Nov. 30. The day after the scheduled conference, the court filed a notice that various pretrial deadlines were extended due to the parties continued settlement negotiations. On Dec. 10, another status conference was scheduled. Then came the Jan. 4 agreement by both sides to dismiss the case and an order to that effect from a judge. Its not publicly known whether the plaintiffs received money as part of a settlement, or how much. Black Hills Corp.s 2013 annual report said claims resulting from the fire totaled $15 million for fire suppression; reclamation and rehabilitation costs; damage to fencing and other personal property; alleged injury to timber, grass or hay, livestock and related operations; and diminished value of real estate. By the time of the companys 2014 annual report, the claims total had risen to $55 million. The companys 2015 annual report is not yet available. The 2014 annual report said the company has insurance coverage for litigation and will pursue recovery of its costs to the maximum extent possible. The deductible for some types of claims arising out of the fire is $1 million, the report said. The end of the lawsuit could have some bearing on Black Hills Powers effort to build a $54 million, 144-mile transmission line across northeast Wyoming, through the Black Hills National Forest and into Rapid City. The line would cross the property of some of the plaintiffs in the Oil Creek Fire litigation, and those plaintiffs unwillingness to grant easements legal permission to cross their property has held up construction of the line. In Black Hills Powers latest monthly update letter to the Wyoming Public Service Commission, which was filed Friday, the company did not reference the Oil Creek Fire litigation but said it had never received acceptance of route modifications proposed to a group of landowners represented by attorney Ken Barker. He was the lead attorney for the plaintiffs in the Oil Creek Fire litigation. The letter says Black Hills Power has begun condemnation proceedings against seven of Barkers clients, although one of those actions has already produced an agreement. Black Hills Power has obtained permits for the transmission line from South Dakota, the U.S. Forest Service and Wyoming, although Wyoming required the company to obtain additional permission to begin construction. That permission was granted earlier this month for the segment of the line stretching from Teckla, Wyo., northeast of Osage, Wyo. The segment of the proposed line lying east of there between Osage and South Dakota would cross property affected by the Oil Creek Fire. Most of the proposed route in South Dakota is across public land. Black Hills Power needs some easements from private South Dakota landowners, but little is known about the status of those easements because the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, unlike the Wyoming Public Service Commission, does not require written status updates from Black Hills Power. The company's effort to build the transmission line dates to at least 2009, and the company had hoped to build the line last year and energize it this month. Sean Covel, a movie producer who grew up in Edgemont, was having breakfast with a friend in December and making small talk when he asked an apparently innocuous question. Are your kids excited for break? His friend is a kindergarten teacher at Robbinsdale Elementary School in Rapid City. She said about half the students were excited, but the other half not so much. She explained that half her students are reliant on school-provided lunches and on Feeding South Dakotas Back Pack Program, which provides children in need a backpack of food so they have a guaranteed meal at home. Discovering that a dozen kindergartners might not have enough food for the two-week break was worrisome to Covel. Despite only having a couple of days to act, Covel thought of a way to help the students. Those 12 days become a long period of time if you dont know where your next meal is gonna come from, Covel said. Inspired by the title of one of the movies he produced, "The 12 Dogs of Christmas," Covel came up with the name "12 Days of Pizza." Covel then reached out to Meg Warder, president of the 1880 Train in Keystone, who got him in touch with Jack Lynass, president and CEO of Black Hills Community Bank. Covel told Lynass all he needed was a sponsorship from the bank. Lynass agreed, and asked Shawn Kerns, the commercial lender at the bank, if he knew of a pizza place that would like to help. Kerns suggested Pizza Ranch. It seems like a lot of work but it really took maybe a couple hours, Lynass said. Warder agreed to have the 1880 Train co-sponsor the program with the community bank. We didnt wanna just go to Pizza Ranch at the last minute and say 'Would you provide pizza every day for 12 families at your cost?' Lyness said. So we just said Whatever the cost is, the 1880 Train and Black Hills Community Bank will split the cost.' After about a 10-minute conversation, Covel said, the owners of Pizza Ranch committed to providing 144 meals. It was impressive, Covel said. They stepped up for the community in a really big way. Steve Cronin, and Terry Larsen, co-owners of both Rapid City Pizza Ranch locations, thought the pizza program was a great way to give back to the community that has given them so much. Children going home for winter break, and not knowing when theyll be able to eat a hearty meal, was disconcerting to the owners, Cronin said. Pizza Ranch made gift certificates to present to the teacher for her to give to the students. The owners designed the certificates so that all three companies Pizza Ranch, 1880s Train and Black Hills Community Bank could split the cost of the pizzas. But Cronin said the cost didnt matter as much as the fact that they were helping the children and their families. The certificates last through the end of January and offered families a pizza or an 8-piece order of chicken. Each of the 12 families got 12 certificates. Families had the choice to have their meal delivered, order it for pickup or dine in. PIERRE | In my professional lifetime there have been big changes at the Legislature. Smoking is banned in the Capitol. Drunkenness isnt tolerated. Legislators overall behave more professionally, thanks to Internet simulcasts digitally archived. Were in a time of another big change: The rise of the handgun. Turn on your imagination lamp for a moment. Look ahead a few years. See three or four legislators gathered in the House or the Senate, showing one of their handguns. That would be illegal today under state laws that generally ban guns and other weapons from the Capitol and county courthouses. But legislators every year try to knock down the Capitol ban, or create an exemption for legislators to legally carry concealed weapons into the building. During the few dull times in a legislative session, I sometimes look row by row and try to guess which lawmakers are secretly carrying a handgun, in defiance of the state law. Many of them would argue they are upholding the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. State law requires people to obtain a permit to carry a concealed pistol. Its not hard to get. Pass the criminal background check, and if your sheriff doesnt have some other reason to block it your application most likely will be granted. As of Dec. 31, 2015, there were 85,273 active permits in South Dakota, according to Secretary of State Shantel Krebs. Her office processes them. Thats a big number. Statistically, of the next 10 people you see today, one very well could have the permit to carry a concealed pistol. The ratio goes higher when you knock out the underage population that cant legally have a pistol. You cant know who has a concealed-carry permit, however. The Legislature in 2006 passed a law making the records confidential. Last year Rep. Thomas Brunner, R-Nisland, passed a state law that offers an enhanced permit, requiring special training, which other states may recognize. The Brunner law now is the platform for House Bill 1129 that attempts to allow concealed-carry in the Capitol and courthouses for people who have enhanced permits. Rep. Lee Qualm, R-Platte, is the bills prime sponsor. Brunner is among the co-sponsors. Its not such a stretch. Judges and magistrates can carry in the courthouses. So can law enforcement and armed forces personnel. So can hunters and people attending firearm-safety courses. Attorney General Marty Jackley has taken to hosting an annual target-shooting competition for the Legislature and its staff at the law-enforcement training center. This year it was Wednesday night. His office issued a news release and a photograph of the three top shooters Thursday. The top finishers this year were House Speaker Dean Wink, R-Howes; last years champion, Rep. Mathew Wollmann, R-Madison; and Rep. Isaac Latterell, R-Tea. The evenings surprise: Rep. Karen Soli, D-Sioux Falls, in fourth. Who knew a 67-year-old Lutheran clergywoman might also be a pistol-packing mama who can shoot a final score of 49 with nine bulls-eyes? But I digress. Colorado has pot. South Dakota likes handguns. And in these times, maybe we soon will have handguns in the Capitol, too, legally hidden. WASHINGTON | Woodrow Wilson, who enjoyed moralizing about the mundane, called paying taxes a "glorious privilege." In 1865, when there was a Civil War income tax, one taxpayer shared this sensibility, sort of. Mark Twain said that his tax bill of $36.82 (including a $3.12 fine for filing late) made him feel "important" because the government was paying attention to him. Today, Rep. Kevin Brady wants to change the way government pays attention to taxpayers. Congress is like a Calder mobile: Something jiggled here causes things to wiggle over there. When conservatives toppled Speaker John Boehner, they inadvertently propelled Brady into the House's most important chairmanship, that of the Ways and Means Committee. Because revenue bills must originate in the House, Brady now wields Congress' most important gavel, all because the committee's previous chairman, Paul Ryan, now sits in Boehner's chair. If there is going to be growth-igniting tax reform and if there isn't, American politics will sink deeper into distributional strife Brady will begin it. Fortunately, the Houston congressman is focused on this simple arithmetic: Three percent growth is not 1 percent better than 2 percent growth, it is 50 percent better. If the Obama-era's average annual growth of 2.2 percent becomes the "new normal," over the next 50 years real GDP will grow from today's $16.3 trillion to $48.3 trillion. If, however, growth averages 3.2 percent, real GDP in 2065 will be $78.6 trillion. At 2.2 percent growth, the cumulative lost wealth would be $521 trillion. Brady, however, would like to start with the approximately $2 trillion that U.S. corporations have parked overseas. Having already paid taxes on it where it was earned, the corporations sensibly resist having it taxed again by America's corporate tax, the highest in the industrial world. "(The $2 trillion) won't just naturally fly back to us," Brady says. Measures should be taken to make it rational for corporations to bring money home. And to make it rational for corporations like Pfizer, which recently moved its headquarters to Ireland for tax purposes, to remain here. In the last 30 years, Brady says, more and more taxes have been paid by fewer and fewer people. And fewer and fewer businesses have been organized as corporations: Three quarters of job-creating entities are not paying corporate taxes. "You can't," Brady says, "ask people to make big changes, leapfrogging our global competitors, just to get to average." But making big changes "is why we all came to Congress." And the benefit that comes from something unfortunate the fact that there are so few (perhaps fewer than 40) competitive House seats is that members can take risks. Presidential engagement is necessary for tax reform, and Brady says that will require a new president who understands that "just a little respect goes a long way up here (on Capitol Hill)." All Republican presidential candidates have tax reform proposals, but only one candidate proposes increasing the cost of government for every American. Here, at last, Donald Trump actually resembles a Republican. Unfortunately, it is a Republican from 125 years ago, when the party stood for big government serving crony capitalism with high tariffs. As Steven R. Weisman demonstrates in his splendid history of American taxation, "The Great Tax Wars," the GOP's tariffs were indirect, hidden sales taxes that crimped consumption by Americans with small incomes. In 1913, the first year of Wilson's presidency and the year the 16th Amendment and the income tax arrived, the glorious privilege of paying taxes was enjoyed primarily through tariffs: They provided nearly half of federal revenues, with most of the rest coming from tobacco and liquor taxes, which also were hardest on persons of modest means. Trump, who works himself into a lather because Nabisco is making some Oreo cookies outside the country, is obsessed with America's trade with China. "We're going to get Apple to start building their damn computers and things in this country," says he, aiming to raise the price Americans pay for Apple products that today are assembled in China, which, according to trade attorney Scott Lincicome, makes about $6 by assembling an iPhone from parts (many of which China has imported). Trump favors a 45 percent tariff to protect customers of Wal-Mart and similar retailers from the onslaught of inexpensive Chinese apparel, appliances and food. He can explain the glorious privilege of paying taxes-as-tariffs when he makes his next visit to a Wal-Mart, perhaps the one in Secaucus, New Jersey, just seven miles from his Fifth Avenue penthouse. It seems just about everybody loves email. It is, after all, a convenient way to hold private conversations. Unless, of course, youre a city councilor, school board member or county commissioner who is discussing official business with fellow elected members. At this time, however, nothing in state law prohibits a majority of an elected body to discuss an agenda item or other public business via email, which according to Dave Bordewyk of the South Dakota Newspaper Association is a growing problem in the state if you are a proponent of open meetings and government transparency. A bill co-sponsored by 22 lawmakers seeks to address that by bringing clarity to the murky waters of electronic communications and defining what actually constitutes an official meeting in South Dakota. Senate Bill 73, whose sponsors include Senate Majority Leader Corey Brown, addresses two soft spots in the states open meetings law. First, it defines what constitutes an official meeting. Now, based upon a previous attorney generals opinion, it is generally understood that it requires a quorum or a majority of elected officials present for a meeting to be considered official. The quorum requirement, however, is not addressed in state law. HB 73 changes that and applies the official meeting standard to teleconferences, which is when elected officials take advantage of technology to attend meetings via the telephone or through video services. The proposed legislation also broadens the definition of teleconferences to include the Internet to discourage elected officials from taking advantage of what Bordewyk calls the "slippery slope of conducting public business via email." The general manager of the newspaper association says he has heard from numerous editors and reporters who suspect that elected officials are making decisions via email before meetings are held. In one case, Bordewyk said he saw emails exchanged by elected officials that clearly show a decision being made before the meeting. Since emails exchanged by government officials are not public information in South Dakota, it is difficult if not impossible to tell how many decisions are being made behind the firewall of the Internet. While HB 73 doesn't change that troubling fact, it does make it illegal for say six of the 10 Rapid City council members to discuss public business via email unless the city devises a method to let the public participate in the official meeting, which seems impossible at this time. A violation of this proposal would be a Class 2 misdemeanor, which means a possible penalty of 30 days in jail and a $500 fine. Certainly, a determined group of elected officials can find ways to skirt this proposed addition to the state's open meetings law, but nonetheless the legislation makes it illegal to do so and provides consequences for conducting the public's business in private. The Legislature should overwhelmingly support HB 73. It sends the right message to the public and elected officials. WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the renewal of the USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force and the selection of its members for the 2016-2018 term. The task force is composed of representatives from agriculture, industry, academia, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and other agricultural and environmental experts."The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force is another example of USDA's continued commitment to developing science-based solutions and conservation measures that not only reduce the agriculture industry's environmental impact, but in many ways enhance our natural resources through improved agricultural practices," said Vilsack. "Bringing together a variety of perspectives and scientific insights to this task force will help reach solutions to resolve air quality challenges."The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force promotes USDA research efforts and identifies cost-effective ways the agriculture industry can improve air quality. It also helps better coordinate activities and resources among USDA agencies and other federal partners such as the Environmental Protection Agency.The task force advises the Secretary of Agriculture on air quality and its relationship to agriculture based on sound scientific findings; Reviews research on agricultural air quality supported by federal agencies; promotes intergovernmental (federal, state, local and tribal) coordination in establishing agricultural air quality policy to avoid duplication of efforts; and ensures that air quality conservation practices supported by USDA are based on peer reviewed research and are economically feasible for agricultural producers.The task force was formed in 1996 at the direction of Congress to address agricultural air quality issues. Chaired by Jason Weller, chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, this is the ninth task force since the first was assembled in 1997.Members of the 2016-2018 task force are:IdahoApril Leytem, USDA Agricultural Research ServiceIowaChris Petersen, ProducerCharles Stanier, University of IowaMinnesotaLarry Jacobson, University of MinnesotaNorth DakotaShafiqur Rahman, North Dakota State University Hamilton High School English teacher Beth Hunter McHugh received the Meadowlark Award for her novel The Actor published by Riverbend Publishing in March. I feel honored that they selected me, McHugh said. I had been sending out book proposals to see if I could get an agent and go that route but I didnt have a lot of luck so I started to look at smaller independent presses. I sent a synopsis and the editor asked if I was submitting it for the Meadowlark contest. I said yes and won $1,000 and a publishing contract. According to Chris Cauble, publisher of Riverbend Publishing, the award was the inaugural Meadowlark Award for a first book by a woman writer with the setting in Montana. McHugh attended college at the University of Montana, received multiple degrees and taught classes as an adjunct instructor at UM and Bitterroot College. Currently she is teaching the same class to high school students and her students are earning dual credit. McHugh said the books started because of her love of writing. It started off as a short story in a writing workshop in my MFA program, McHugh said. For my masters thesis for that program I wrote a novel, which was this book in a much rougher format. I have been editing it and adding to it for about seven years. The Actor is written first person about the lives of a Montana family from the perspective of a 15-year-old girl. It is about the year in the life of her family as they undergo big changes, McHugh said. Basically her father leaves her family and thats the set up. The rest of it is about her life with her mother and younger sister and how they recover from this change and shift in family dynamics. McHugh is from a Montana family with relatives growing up in Libby and Butte, but said the story is not autobiographical. She encourages writers to have persistence. I think that if I can be an author anyone can, McHugh said. You have to be very patient if your goal is to be a published author and send your work out into the world and get paid for it and have people read it. It wont happen overnight. McHugh said she was encouraged by the story of J.K. Rowling receiving 75 rejection letters before receiving an acceptance letter. Its not easy to create something that you put so much of yourself into and then ask other people to publish it , promote it, and present it. Youre probably going to be told no a lot before you hear a yes. McHugh said she was often told no and has received a lot of silence and criticism. Thats one thing Im used to because in the MFA program I had to get used to people being critical of my work and not being super nice, McHugh said. It comes down to picking and choosing what criticisms are useful and which are just unnecessary and just letting those go. Her advice for future authors includes plenty of writing and reading. It is important to read your favorite authors so you can develop your own voice I think that takes time but youll know it when youve found it, she said. Writing is not easy for me and takes a lot of energy out of me. There is a concept called being in the flow when everything else fades away. I feel in the flow when I work to figure out how to say what I want to say. McHugh said, for her, writing is similar to teaching. In the classroom you are so in the moment you cant be thinking about anything else all your energy is focused on teaching, she said. McHugh said that reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn greatly influenced her book The Actor. It is from the perspective of a young girl and it was so great I had to change my book to a first person perspective, McHugh said. The Actor is available at Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton, several Missoula bookstores, and at Amazon.com. TRAPPER CREEK Last year, Trapper Creek Job Corps students spent just a little over 29,000 hours fighting wildfire or offering support in fire camps. They turned in another 11,000 hours in training and helping on a variety of natural resource projects around the west. The appraised value of their efforts was $225,540. But beyond all of those numbers, there were lives that were changed forever. When Matthew Perez came to Trapper Creek Job Corps from Colorado Springs, the 22-year-old had no marketable skills. I could mow a lawn, but thats about it, Perez said. After a year in the corps wildfire program with actual firefighting experience now under his belt Perez is proud to say that his name is officially on the regional list that Forest Service officials will consider when putting together fire crews for this upcoming season. Job Corps was the best thing that ever happened for me, Perez said. I was on the wrong path. I was blessed to come to this placeit gives you a foundation that you can build your life around. At 23, Perez knows theres no going back to his old life. I have a fresh start on life, Perez said. Its an amazing thing. Sitting on the bleachers just above Perez is his fellow squad leader, Kenneth Gieber. The two have been leading a group of young men and women through a grueling two-hour physical training session that happens five days a week for students enrolled in Trapper Creeks natural resources program. Gieber comes from Polson. He was attracted to the program because it offered him a chance to develop the skills he needed to find work in the outdoors. I love the outdoors, he said. If I had to work behind a desk, it would drive me crazy. Gieber was too young to go fight wildfire last year. Instead, he was invited to work on the Bitterroot National Forests trail crew. I went out there and killed it, he said, proudly. I got good reviews. He was asked to come back this summer to the West Fork Ranger District to work on the trail crew. Justin Abbey has seen what this place can do for young men and women struggling to find their way. This is the most rewarding job that Ive ever had, he said. You see lives changed. You watch students change their way of thinking. These students appreciate everything that they are given. And they earn everything thats given to them. Abbey is a Forest Assistant Fire Management Officer with the Bitterroot National Forest who serves as a liaison with Trapper Creek Job Corps. Working with two others in Trapper Creeks natural resources program, Abbey helps with training while reaching out to different national forests in the region to place students at ranger districts where they fully integrate into fire crews, live in government housing and work side-by-side with district personnel in a program called work-based learning. The students are paid when assigned to a wildfire. Otherwise, they serve as volunteers and gain valuable on-the-job experience. Once students obtain the required qualifications, they can serve fire crews. Last summer, 45 students earned their red cards needed to join a crew. They helped fight fires in Alaska, Idaho, Washington State, Oregon and Montana. Abbey has been alongside many when they find themselves on the fire line for the first time. They are wide-eyed man, Abbey said. The adrenaline is pumping. You can see it in them. They have done all this work thats led up to this point. They go from zero to 60. Not everyone who comes to Trapper Creek knows the backwoods. Its kind of a mixed bag, Abbey said. Some are from Montana. Some come from families that have spent a lot of time camping, hunting and fishing. Others are from the inner city in places like Salt Lake, Jackson, Mississippi, and Denver. They may have gone camping once and that was enough to be open to the idea, Abbey said. They come from all different backgrounds. They have faced all sorts of challenges in their young lives, but Abbey said its an amazing thing to see when they see the light and their lives take on new meaning. Some of them have that motivation when they get here, Abbey said. Some are still treading water. They dont know exactly what they want to do. We try to provide them options so they can figure it out. Once the light comes on for them, you cant stop them, he said. Our job is to find them opportunities. What they do with those opportunities is what they do with it. From that point on, Abbey said he and the others at Trapper Creek teach them how to exploit their strengths and build off their weaknesses. What I see here are students with a lot of inner drive who want to please people, Abbey said. They want to do the job right and impress the people they are working for. They want to be accepted in the fire community because they know if they are accepted, they will have a better chance of getting a job. They learn what its like to become part of a team, he said. Its like they become part of a family here. What they accomplish together is huge for their lives. The fact that ranger districts are receptive to bringing them on and providing them with valuable experience is huge. The districts really go all out in accepting them, Abbey said. They take them under their wing. In return, our students will bleed for those guys. They come back proudly wearing the districts fire shirts. Students can stay for two years at the center. During that time, they can earn a high school diploma while learning a trade. Once they leave, Abbey said they all know that theyre going to have to compete for jobs with everyone else. We tell them that they have to be in better shape than everyone else, Abbey said. We want them to believe that they have something to prove. We instill a never quit attitude that they can draw on. We try to make sure that they are as competitive as possible when they leave here, he said. We do that through training and experience. They learn skills here that they will have for the rest of their lives. Food section photo I was drawn by the picture of the fruit in the photo and the caption on fructose. I enjoyed many of the facts presented and concur with the idea that eating the fructose together with the fiber and getting exercise is the right way to go. During World War II shipping was limited. I remember the only oranges we saw were in the lunch boxes of the kids whose parents were on welfare. Apples were available to anyone willing to pick them and put them in the cellar; thanks to the apple boom days. Native American Mary Combs told me that before apples were available they would dry chokecherries, later crushing the fruit with the seeds and storing them in leather pouches. Since the fruit was eaten seeds and all I doubt they overloaded the liver with fructose. I would agree that periods in the past have had less fruit and particularly the sweet juicy varieties. As a creationist I reject the idea that our bodies evolved during periods when fruit wasnt available. Remember our creator placed us in a garden (see Genesis chapters 1 and 2) and fruit was given on the third day of creation week. Bill Kyle Como Reaffirm commitment to public lands The occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is coming to a close. With the Bundys in custody, life around the refuge can start returning to normal. While Im so happy to see the occupation end, the fight over public lands is far from over. The Bundys allies have been emboldened by the occupation, which lasted over three weeks. Westerners need to take this time to reflect on the foolishness of the Malheur occupation and reaffirm our commitment to public lands and collaborative management. The Bundys represent a minority of westerners who believe that public lands should be turned over to state or private control. In reality, people all across the West continually support public lands. Places like Malheur provide opportunities for hunting, fishing, bird watching, and hiking. It also provides important wildlife habitat, as do most of our public lands. Unfortunately, Montana has witnessed several efforts in the legislature that would rob us of our outdoor recreation and natural resource heritage. This idea is shortsighted and would severely harm our states economy, erode public access for recreation, and degrade millions of acres of wildlife habitat. Montanans value our natural resources, and our public lands ensure that those resources are used appropriately and conserved for future generations. Like the Bundys, those in Montana who would give up our public lands are a small, yet vocal, minority. Hundreds of Montanans have stood behind Gov. Bullock as he has fought off attempts that would transfer public lands out of public hands. Republicans, Democrats, hunters, anglers, conservationists, mountain bikers, snowmobilers, and more have all turned out to support our public lands. Montanans have shown time and again that the best way to move forward is not to privatize the lands that we love, but to collaborate. Win-win solutions continue to arise across the state, showing that we can (and should) keep our public lands public. Robb Krehbiel Missoula By now the whole world knows about the armed takeover of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Malheur is a beautiful and very popular recreational area near the rural town of Burns, in Harney County, Oregon. The takeover by out-of-state terrorists started Jan. 2 and continues to this day. The armed terrorists, who have threatened Harney County officials, plus local and federal law enforcement, have been quoted as saying theyre prepared to die. Not only have they obviously closed the refuge, denying access to public lands that we all own and have a right to visit, but theyve closed local schools and cost Harney County and us taxpayers some $1-2 million so far. Public employees have been put on administrative leave, while police and other security forces have been brought in to protect the townspeople. Public property has been damaged and stolen, and Native American artifacts have been rifled through. Theyre losing some $40,000/day in tourism. The FBI has been brought in. Its a disaster. Under the lies of protesting grazing fees and coming to the aid of father and son ranchers convicted of arson (now both in prison), these out-of-state white terrorists, led by Ammon Bundy, have shown their real motive: They want our public lands taken out of public hands and placed in their private hands. This of course sounds very similar to the local and state Republicans platform one thats soundly rejected by most Montanans. This land transfer lunacy has no constitutional basis. And we know what the end result would be: public access denied or a fee charged; more taxes, unsustainable and damaging resource extraction, transfer of lands to billionaires and developers who dont share Montanans love for the outdoors, wild places, abundant wildlife, and more public lands to explore and hunt on than you can shake a stick at. Back to Malheur and Burns. I used to travel through Burns and southeast Oregon often, en route to temp work in places like Klamath Falls and Alturas. I usually stopped in Burns shopped, ate, relaxed. The people there are friendly, helpful, and down-to-Earth hardworking folks. I like and respect them. They are also very, very conservative. They are against this takeover. I emailed the editor at the Burns Times Herald the local paper. He said he hopes itll all end soon. Its not locals who are the armed extremists. Its out-of-state right-wing ideologues. One is a convicted killer Neil Wampler who bludgeoned his dad to death with an iron bar. These are not the honest, conservative citizens of Burns. Its ironic that while these armed wackos claim to be conservative constitutionalists who just want their lands back and full access, they are denying public access to thousands of law-abiding citizens, and costing us taxpayers millions of dollars. Just imagine if these armed extremists were Muslims or blacks? Or even [white] environmentalists? There would be zero tolerance and no negotiation. Overwhelming force would be swiftly rendered. The sincere hope is that the siege at Malheur will end soon. Peacefully. Followed by legal justice and fair punishment. As for the proud people of Burns, their message is loud and clear: They want the terrorists the hell out of Harney County. Amen. Van P. Keele Hamilton Masters Of War Come you masters of war You that build all the guns You that build the death planes You that build all the bombs You that hide behind walls You that hide behind desks I just want you to know I can see through your masks. You that never done nothin' But build to destroy You play with my world Like it's your little toy You put a gun in my hand And you hide from my eyes And you turn and run farther When the fast bullets fly. Like Judas of old You lie and deceive A world war can be won You want me to believe But I see through your eyes And I see through your brain Like I see through the water That runs down my drain. You fasten all the triggers For the others to fire Then you set back and watch When the death count gets higher You hide in your mansion' As young people's blood Flows out of their bodies And is buried in the mud. You've thrown the worst fear That can ever be hurled Fear to bring children Into the world For threatening my baby Unborn and unnamed You ain't worth the blood That runs in your veins. How much do I know To talk out of turn You might say that I'm young You might say I'm unlearned But there's one thing I know Though I'm younger than you That even Jesus would never Forgive what you do. Let me ask you one question Is your money that good Will it buy you forgiveness Do you think that it could I think you will find When your death takes its toll All the money you made Will never buy back your soul. And I hope that you die And your death'll come soon I will follow your casket In the pale afternoon And I'll watch while you're lowered Down to your deathbed And I'll stand over your grave 'Til I'm sure that you're dead.------- Bob Dylan 1963 Registered Former Offenders Restoration Movement (ReFORM), restoring hope, rehabilitation, and reintegration to Alabama's registered citizens Conservatives need to remember the Constitution in 2016 Bookworm The overriding message in the 2016 election should be just two words: "The Constitution!" After Obama's Constitution-shredding governance, 2016 is America's last chance to return the Constitution to its central in American politics. America's Founders had the unique opportunity to build a government from scratch. They had several models from which to choose, such as a British-style monarchy, a communal approach (which almost killed the Pilgrims), or Plato's elite philosopher-rulers. They chose none of those. The Founders' genius was realizing that that all existing government models, no matter their nature (monarchies, theocracies, etc.), invariably had a pyramidal structure, with power vested in the top of the pyramid. The Founders wanted power at the base of the pyramid, with the people, as they stated in the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Unlike other so-called revolutionaries who substituted themselves for the rulers they overthrew, the Founders created a true revolutionary paradigm. They broke governing authority into its constituent parts (legislative, executive, and judicial) and divvied that power amongst three different, but equal, branches of government. No government branch could act alone. The theory was that each branch would guard its power jealously, thereby keeping either of the other two branches from becoming dominant. We know this system as one of "checks and balances." As an additional check on government power, the Founders enacted the Bill of Rights, a list of inviolate rights vested in the individual that the government can neither give nor take away. While the First through Eighth Amendments detail these rights, the Ninth and Tenth hammer home the limits of government power. The Ninth Amendment affirms that Americans have more rights than those listed in the Bill of Rights, with unlisted rights presumptively in the People. The Tenth Amendment holds that, unless the Constitution specifically reserves an affirmative right for the federal government or prohibits it to a state, all other rights - the universe of rights, whether or not articulated - belong to the states or to the people within those states. This extraordinary document makes the United States the exceptional nation it is. We are the only nation in the world ever, at any time or in any place, that truly places power in the individual. In other modern nations, although citizens may gain some temporary material benefits before their bureaucratically-controlled economies run out of other people's money, they are as fully enslaved as they ever were in the bad old days. Our uniqueness is also demonstrated by the fact that we are the only nation in history that, after shedding our blood to free other countries, turns back control to their self-rule, secure in the belief that the benefit we receive from our efforts will come about solely because we serve as their friend and role model. And then there's President Barack Obama. . . . "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." - Presidential Oath of Office Progressives misleadingly claim that Obama has issued fewer Executive Orders than past presidents, including Reagan. In fact, as of January 2016, in addition to executing 230 Executive Orders, Obama also executed 273 "Presidential Memoranda." While Memoranda are identical in effect to Executive Orders, they're not formally published in the Federal Register. Obama is therefore responsible for a grand total of 430 unilateral executive actions. Obama's unilateral acts also differ in scope from past presidents' acts. Executive orders are intended to be managerial documents, along the lines of closing offices on December 24. Obama, however, uses them for substantive actions encroaching upon Congress's purview. After Obamacare's disastrous debut, Obama amended the law to prop it up. He enacted amnesty, directly contravening federal immigration laws he was unable to pass even with a Democrat Congress. He entered into a treaty with Iran, freeing billions of dollars for Iran and putting America's imprimatur on Iran's continuing nuclear development. Obama ludicrously contended his "engagement" with Iran wasn't a treaty, which would require Senate approval; it was a just a "non-binding agreement." Most recently, Obama began his unilateral executive push to limit American's all important Second Amendment rights, something else he could not get through Congress. These unconstitutional power grabs should not surprise anyone. During a 2001 radio interview, Obama already spoke slightingly about the Constitution: The Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society [The Supreme Court] didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as it's been interpreted, and the Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. [It] says what the states can't do to you. [It] says what the federal government can't do to you, but [it] doesn't say what the federal government or state government must do on your behalf. What conservatives see as the Constitution's greatest virtue namely, that it elevates the individual over the government is something Obama sees as its greatest defect. Obama's disdain for the Constitutionreappeared when he touted his new limitations on Second Amendment rights: This is a ritual about this whole thing that I have to do. I believe in the Second Amendment. It's there written on the paper. It guarantees a right to bear arms. No matter how many times people try to twist my words around, I taught constitutional law and I know a little bit about this. The Second Amendment is not just something "written on paper." It is an inalienable right fed by the blood of every American who has died in liberty's defense. When Americans in 2010, 2012, and 2014 rebuked Obama's overreach by denying him a Democrat Congress, Obama's response was to dismiss the People's will: We're not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we're providing Americans the kind of help they need. I've got a pen and I've got a phone. And I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions and administrative actions that move the ball forward in helping to make sure our kids are getting the best education possible, making sure that our businesses are getting the kind of support and help they need to grow and advance, to make sure that people are getting the skills that they need to get those jobs that our businesses are creating. Obama is not the first Democrat to find the Constitution frustrating. Since Wilson, Progressives have championed the bureaucratic state as a way to govern outside of the Constitution. Under Democrat administrations federal agencies routinely passed regulations with the force and effect of law, effectively voiding the Constitution's checks and balances. Where Obama differs from his predecessors is his abandonment of subtlety, incrementalism, and popular support. He simply launches all-out attacks on the Bill of Rights and the balance of power. Here are just three egregious examples: (1) The EPA's unilaterally designated carbon dioxide as a pollutant, even though a Democrat-controlled Congress's refused to pass legislation to that effect. (2) The EPA's implemented cap-and-trade through their new power plant rules, another concept a Democrat-controlled Congress rejected. (3) The HHS published rules requiring all health insurance to cover birth control and abortifacients, something that impinges on many American's religious beliefs and that would never have survived Congress. Congress bears some blame for Obama's power grab. During his first two years, a Democrat-majority Congress actively encouraged his "fundamental transformations." After Americans booted that Congress, though, the new Congress was quiescent when Obama's encroached on its sphere of interest. The Founders were therefore wrong about one thing: When the executive branch strengthened itself at the legislature's expense, the latter did not jealously protect its power; instead, it collapsed. Obama's dangerous rule by bureaucracy means that Republican voters in 2016 have a very stark choice facing them: Do they vote for the candidate who promises to make American great through his charisma, or do they vote for the candidate who promises to make America great by restoring the Constitution to its central place in American governance? The answer to that question lies within the question itself: You cannot "restore" America unless you first restore the Constitution to its rightful place in American politics. If elected, Donald Trump will probably fulfill many of his promises to undo some of the damage Obama has done. The problem is that his free-wheeling stump promises and well-known business history indicate that he'll carry out his promises the same way Obama did it: Using executive ukases, manipulating existing laws to his advantage, playing the crony capitalist game, and smearing his political opponents. Trump's past statements about Constitutional issues reveal that he used to be a liberal Democrat. Thus, the pre-primary Trump identified himself as a Democrat on those issues, being wholeheartedly pro-Choice, pro-government land grabs, pro-Obamacare, and anti-gun: Given Trump's past disdain for the Constitution, even if he carries out his promises, the cost to America may be too high. Trump appears set to wreak more of the same havoc on the Constitution that Obama already has. Ted Cruz is the only candidate who has had a decade's long reverence for the Constitution. He appreciates that the Constitution is the only document in human history to vest power away from the elite and in each individual, making it a bulwark against tyranny. Moreover, Cruz can clearly articulate his constitutional convictions and is willing to stand by them, even if it means taking on his own party. Cruz has promised to issue Executive Orders voiding Obama's extra-constitutional legislative activities, but after that he will return power to the People through their representatives in Congress. He'll also reliably nominate Supreme Court justices who understand that American constitutionalism means a limited government tasked with individual liberties. That this constitutional fealty will appeal to the general public was demonstrated during Cruz's appearance on Stephen Colbert's show. When Colbert asked Cruz about gay marriage, the reliably Leftist audience started booing Cruz. However, after Cruz explained that gay marriage is a decision for the people, not the political anointed, he got a round of applause from that same audience (at 2:58): Cruz effectively used the Constitution to reassure Progressives that they need not fear his presidency because our constitutional structure prevents demagoguery. Instead, it vests power in the people where it belongs. This is a very appealing, all-American message. Even if you agree with Trump's stated goals or his possible effectiveness, you should think twice before you vote for a person who appears to be a vaguely conservative, populist "white Obama." Meanwhile, remember that Cruz has long supported the causes that Trump suddenly espouses: He's always been for strong national security; a strong military; strong borders; free market, not crony, capitalism; freedom of worship; Second Amendment rights; support for Israel; and enmity to jihadist Islam. Even better, Cruz's history shows that he'll govern through, not around, the Constitution. That's certainly got my vote. Bookworm is the proprietor of Bookworm Room Rick Moran Donald Trump has come under fire during the campaign for his supporting Hillary Clinton and specifically, the Clinton Foundation. Records show Trump donated $250,000 to the Foundation and many conservatives have questioned how he can run as a Republican while playing on his extensive ties with the Clintons. The Hill: Republican primary front-runner Donald Trump on Sunday explained why he gave a quarter of a million dollars to the Clinton Foundation before he ran for president. "I did give to the Clinton Foundation. What I didn't know is they'd be using it for private aircraft and things like that," Trump said on "Fox News Sunday." "The Clinton Foundation was helping with Haiti and with lots of other things, and I thought it was going to do some good work, so it didn't make any difference to me," he added. The real estate mogul also pointed to his business interests in cultivating support among politicians from each party. "Again, I was a businessman, and it was my obligation to get along with everybody, including the Clintons, including Democrats and liberals and Republicans and conservatives," he said. "As a businessman, I had an obligation to do that." As a high profile member of the New York establishment, Trump naturally gravitated toward the former president and his wife, the sitting Senator from the state. That he felt it necessary as a businessman to cultivate the Clintons is not in dispute. But some of the glowing words he had for Hillary are not easily reconciled with his current thoughts about her. Is insincerity a part of "getting along" with everybody? That's what most Republicans will have to decide before they vote. The EU Google says the EU requires a notice of cookie use (by Google) and says they have posted a notice. I don't see it. If cookies bother you, go elsewhere. If the EU bothers you, emigrate. If you live outside the EU, don't go there. A popular Billings accountant is facing federal charges for embezzling almost $100,000 from a corporate client. Michael Leonard Wombolt was indicted in December on eight counts of wire fraud through his dealings with Harvey Ost Oilfield Services, a Malta company. He's accused of moving money from the client to his own business accounts and trying to cover the tracks. Wombolt made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Billings on Jan. 26, the same day the case was unsealed. He pleaded not guilty and was released. Wombolt owned A+ Accounting and Consulting in Billings and managed accounts for Harvey Ost Oilfield Services. According to court documents, he embezzled money by writing checks from the Harvey Ost Oilfield account to one of two A+ Accounting accounts. He's accused of doing this eight times in 2014 for a total of $98,033. To cover his tracks, federal prosecutors say that Wombolt falsified entries on Harvey Ost Oilfield's general ledger. The transactions were made to look like "routine business expenses," the indictment states, and that Wombolt once claimed that the money was reimbursement for personally paying the payroll taxes for Harvey Ost Oilfield Services. The indictment includes allegations of interstate wiring, as the transactions moved through an out-of-state clearing house. Wombolt's business, A+ Accounting and Consulting, has shut down, and another firm took over his clients. Wombolt is required to seek employment during his release, according to court documents. Voters chose Wombolt as the top accountant in the 2014 Billings Gazette Readers' Choice poll. The deadline for a plea agreement is set for 10 days before the trial, which has been scheduled for March 28. Contact/Like/Follow Roboseyo is my gmail handle. Find me on Facebook Instagram , or twitter as well @roboseyo "If your everyday life seems poor, don't blame IT, blame yourself; admit to yourself that you are not enough of a poet to call forth its riches; because for the creator there is no poverty and no poor, indifferent place." -Rainer Maria Rilke Dec. 5, 2011 ...they have for over the past decade fueled up for twice-a-week bombing raids of random rants, slurs and anonymous hit jobs on public officials, Democrats, school teachers and labor unions ...more>>> February 2016 TIF Districts: Generations of Theft and Broken Memes ...more>>> April, 2017 Gerrymandered Janesville: ...a city no longer divided by a river. more>>> December, 2015 According to this report by the Tax Foundation, Gov. Scott Walker's Wisconsin ranks as the fifth worst state in the country for property taxes ... more>>> I give my consent to Sakshi Post to be in touch with me via email for the purpose of event marketing and corporate communications. Privacy Policy Ex-officer was a churchgoer, family man. Police say he may be a serial rapist. The Allen family lived on the northwest side of Hutchinson, less than two miles from Rice Park, where several women said they were accosted. While her doctor left the room for a moment, Kimberly Grenz got up from an examination chair at Billings Clinic and gazed at herself in a mirror across the room. She leaned in close and turned her head, smoothing back long dark hair normally draped over the right side of her face. She stared at her right eye. And then Grenz did something that, for the past two years, hasn't happened when she looked in a mirror. She smiled. This is huge, she said, wiping back tears while the doctor and a handful of staff stood just outside the room. Thank you, guys. Now Im making my mascara run. Wow. I hate looking in the mirror, but now its not so bad. Grenz is the survivor of what she describes as a horrific and brutal domestic assault that, among other things, left her blind and scarred in the right eye, the iris and pupil clouded over and mostly a milky silver-white. Since late 2015, shes been working with ophthalmology staff at Billings Clinic and a small Colorado-based company that creates custom contact lenses to get a hand-painted lens matching her right eye to her left. In January she received the finished version after a handful of fittings and retouchings to make it match and sit perfectly. For Grenz, 48, the lens isnt just about making her eyes look the same. Its about learning to deal with the attack and what she says is an important step in recovering. Its helping her to regain confidence and control of her life. Im hoping that when I can look myself in the mirror and I can like what I see, I can heal more, she said. I can remember it all Grenz said she remembers the May 20, 2014, vividly. A lifelong Oregonian, she was living in the small town about 45 miles outside of Eugene when a man she knew attacked her at her home. I can remember it all, she said. I was a victim of domestic violence and got my teeth knocked out. He stabbed me in the eye. He kicked me and he beat me. I had to sit there for several days, and he wouldnt let me go. He wouldnt let me get medical care. Grenz said the man beat her for several days, including kicking her while wearing steel-toed boots and throwing her down a set of stairs. She escaped only when she managed to slip away and make a quick phone call to her father, who raced over and took her to a nearby hospital. Since the initial attack happened days before her escape, many of Grenzs wounds had begun to heal or had stopped bleeding, which meant doctors did not admit her to the hospital overnight. She eventually checked out of the hospital to go home and found that her attacker was gone, she said. By the time I got back, hed left, she said. He cleared everything out, and I havent seen him since. Grenz said that in the aftermath, she was so focused on escaping the trauma of the attack that she didnt report it, and no charges were filed against the man. She just wanted to leave, she said. She and her then-teenage daughter, Krystal Grenz, moved in with Grenz' sister in nearby Junction City. In February 2015, the two moved to Billings to stay at the home of a friend who was working in North Dakotas Bakken oil fields. I left Oregon, and I dont ever want to go back," she said. PTSD The attack left Grenz with a mouthful of broken teeth, a damaged eye and two compression fractures in her spine. But it also left her emotionally scarred and scared, struggling daily with post-traumatic stress disorder and a loss of confidence regarding even some basic daily tasks. Kelly Christy, a licensed clinical professional counselor with the Yellowstone Counseling Center, said that the long-term psychological effects of abuse manifest in different ways, varying from survivor to survivor, and can be difficult for survivors to address. "Everybody really is different," she said. "The most common thing that we see is theyll experience some level of PTSD, along with usually some chronic depression, some long-term stress reaction. Therell be different struggles, different triggers that theyll experience, and theres still a stigma for women." They can also experience feelings of guilt, shame, fear, self-blame and low self-esteem. For Grenz, it starts with a reminder every time she looks in a mirror. Its something she said she doesnt do too often, but when she does, seeing the physical effects of the attack brings everything back. Every time I look in the mirror, I relive that, she said. Every time I look in my mouth and at my eye, I see what he did to me. Dr. James Cornetet, the Billings Clinic ophthalmologist whos been working with Grenz, said that the attack left a very dense scar on the surface of her eye, which gives it the clouded-over look. Had she been able to get treatment right after the attack, the scarring might have been limited. Her injury was pretty severe, but it took a while for that scar to form, Cornetet said. Christy said that fear is the No. 1 reason domestic abuse survivors stay in abusive environments and delay recovery. That could be fear of another attack, financial consequences, losing their children or what others will say and think if they learn of the abuse. It's something Christy said can happen to people no matter their income level or support system. Taking the first steps to recovery can be difficult, she said. "There's a lack of trust, not really trusting themselves and not being able to trust others," she said. "Theres a lot of talk about learning how to trust again. You have to be able to learn to trust yourself first. The first step really is to provide a safe, supportive environment. That can take quite a while." For the past two years, Grenz has mostly stayed at home, she said. A disabled veteran she served in the U.S. Navy from August 1987 to December 1992 Grenz hasnt been able to work and relies mostly on disability and Social Security, along with Medicare and Veterans Affairs benefits. She said that shes felt like her appearance scares people or makes them uncomfortable. She rarely leaves home, going out only to get the necessities before returning home. She wears her hair so that it hangs down over the right side of her face, obscuring her eye. But a custom-painted lens to match her left eye from a Colorado-based company called Adventure In Colors, found with help from Billings Clinic staff, has Grenz feeling better and safer than she has in years. Its hard when people look at you like that, she said. Thats not really the reaction you want from people. But now itll be so nice to not feel like people look at me like Im different. I could see myself feeling normal again. Every time I look in the mirror, I would see what he did to me, and now I dont have to do that. Custom lens Grenz initially went to meet with Cornetet and his staff about options in treating her eye after VA staff recommended she seek more specific treatment there. Theyd talked about a cornea transplant it wouldnt likely bring her eyesight back at this point, but could change the appearance and Grenz asked about special lenses that might help. Cornetet said hes worked with a similar custom lens only once before but that the technology isnt new. Two ophthalmology technicians, Amanda Brons and Marisa Morrison, began researching options. You can tell that it was really holding her back, Brons said. So taking the time to find something that could be so life-changing, it wasnt even a question. They decided on Adventure In Colors, which colors custom lenses for a number of different uses, including sports; special effects; medical issues like dyslexia or red-green correction; and prosthetics, including hand-painted iris tints for patients like Grenz. "With our lenses, we really give people their confidence back," said Meltem Kilinch, the company's owner. "Once they start wearing these custom lenses, I do believe they can change their lives." Adventure In Colors gets lenses from another company in Grenz's case, the lens is a little thicker and denser than a typical corrective lens and isn't made to fix any vision issues. The company then colors the lenses using FDA-approved dyes and processes. Kilinch said that the lenses are medical devices because they can be created to help with a wide range of medical conditions. Grenz had her first fitting in late 2015. While wearing the trial lens, she said she was shocked at the difference reflected in the mirror. I honestly felt like I couldnt breathe for a moment, she said. Ive just waited for this for a long time. Im anticipating it. Its going to make a big difference in my life. Grenz has gone through a handful of fittings since then to get the color and fit just right, with hospital staff sending a lens back each time with small tweaks or changes that need to be made. She expects to receive the finished version in early February. Kilinch said that the process usually takes about seven weeks from start to finish, after fittings and coloring corrections yield a match to the patient's eye. The lens must be replaced about once a year, and Adventure In Color will keep Grenz's information on hand so they can easily make a new one when she needs it. At a mid-January fitting, Grenz spent a few minutes studying the trial lens, an example of what the finished lens will look like. With it in, its tough even up close to tell the difference between her two eyes. Who knows what Ill do Grenz said that getting the lens is one step in her recovery. The medical staff at Billings Clinic whove worked with her said they have seen a new attitude slowly creep into her demeanor. You can see shes more confident now, said Brons, one of the ophthalmology techs who has worked with Grenz. Its obvious when you see her. Recovering from domestic violence can be a long process that varies from person to person. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report by Margaret J. Huges and Loring Jones titled Women, Domestic Violence, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder examines, among other things, PTSD treatment strategy and effectiveness. The report notes one aspect across the board in recovery. Most importantly, women experiencing domestic violence, PTSD, or both must be treated in a way that validates their experiences (both past and present), validates their symptoms through both individual counseling and support groups, and gives them problem solving skills to overcome their battering and achieve a safe and healthy lifestyle for themselves and their children, the report states. Grenz said shes in the early stages of her active recovery from the assault. She said she finally feels that shes in a safe space and is cautiously looking forward to what comes next. One of those steps comes in the form of sharing her story. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a woman is assaulted or beaten every nine seconds in the U.S., and one in three women has suffered of some type of physical violence at the hands of a partner. Grenz agreed to share her experience with the hope that others can learn or benefit from her own story and either avoid a similar situation or begin recovering from their own. Its important to share this, she said. If theres somebody out there that can learn from me, that I can help, or thats going through this, then Ill share it. I lived through it and I lived through it for a reason. Maybe if theres one other person out there I can help, its worth it. You dont know how strong you are until you have to be. You can survive. Grenz said that her daughter, who now is 20, has been vital in making her feel safe and in supporting her. During a January lens fitting a Billings Clinic Grenz looked in a mirror shortly after Brons popped in the trial lens, hand-painted to match her left eye, and blurted out, I cant wait to show this to my daughter. Christy said that a strong support system, like a loved one such as Grenz' daughter, is vital in moving forward. She also said that acts like getting the custom lens can help survivors regain their confidence and take more control of their situation. "The empowerment there is, 'Im taking my life back,'" she said. "'Im not going to let that define who I am.' Any time we start to do some self-nurturing, it really is about being able to say, 'Im choosing to not let this offender have power and control over my life.'" One of the things Krystal Grenz has been telling her mother is that shes beautiful regardless of the eye injury or the lens. Its something that Grenz said shes still working to accept. The lens is helping her take the steps she needs to believe it, she said. Its giving me the confidence to get up and go out, she said. I feel like I can do more now. I want to be more social. Ill get my teeth fixed. Who knows what Ill do next after that?" Click On Our Advertisers Ads Most of our ads have links to take you directly to their Websites. Just click on an ad and away you go. The position reports update hourly when we are at sea. However position reporting may be switched off for a variety of reasons, so no update is not a cause for alarm About this blog Print Media/Music/Video selections: RonDoids does not own the copyright to certain media posted within our site. "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use." If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). This well-established Blog is worth visiting on a regular basis for a wealth of information of interest to Armenian nationals and to the Armenian Diaspora world-wide. Although it has a particular role in promoting international recognition of the Genocide, the Blog encompasses much more and includes many articles of general appeal to all those concerned with Armenian affairs. Much of the content is difficult or impossible to find elsewhere and the long list of links provided gives easy access to a plethora of material on social, political, religious, educational and cultural matters, and many news items from around the world. I Miss my Husband very much! Todd was simply all about loving God, County, Family and People. My love , My husband is with Jesus in Heaven. He enjoyed communicating with each of you on Sierra Dragon's Breath. Todd was a Great, Loving, Kind man and will be Missed. Love you honey! Till wee meet again. 125 years ago COMMUNITY NEWS: Sioux City's natives of the Orient say that February 8 is the Chinese New Year. This day will be celebrated in an appropriate way. ...The attorneys of the city are talking among themselves of organizing a bar association. TRAMPS GALORE: For the past few months, the cells at the police station have been filled with an army of vagrants, lodging at the expense of the city. None seem anxious to obtain work, and most hang out in the saloons during the day. Judge Neilan decided to try an experiment this week, sentencing 10 vagrants to five days in jail and fed nothing more than bread and water. He hopes the menu will rid the city of the tramp nuisance. WINTER FUN: CHEROKEE, Iowa | Everybody is out sleighing on these days that are pleasant and with elegant roads. From appearances, the farmers are all in town and to judge from the very large number of well-bread and smooth fat horses pulling fashionable sleighs and expensive bobsleds, they have been doing well. 100 years ago NEW ZOO: The state of Iowa is to lend its birds to aid in creating a zoo at Stone Park. Game Warden E. C. Hinshaw will donate several varieties of migratory and native birds, including ringneck pheasants, wild mallard ducks and Canada geese. The city has promised to provide special housing for the birds. It will be necessary to build a dam in one of the gulches to provide a pond. It is expected the birds will be sent here in the spring. SOFT DRINKS ONLY: The police made another raid on Teutonia hall, 413-415 Jennings street, Saturday night. Only ginger ale and other soft drinks were found in the place, where just a week ago, a raiding squad seized a large quantity of liquor. The place was deserted Saturday night except for five men. RACES PLANNED: Sioux City will stage two stock car races this year on May 6 and July 4, according to the Sioux City Speedway association. Entrants are expected from across the country from automobile manufacturers. The first race will be from 50 to 100 miles. The July 4 race will be the annual speedway event with a distance of 100 miles and a purse of $10,000. 50 years ago HISTORICAL DISPLAY: Selected works from the famous Maximilian-Bodmer collection will be on display at the Sioux City Art Center Feb. 6-27. The famed collection tells the stories of the plains and its Indians through the literary and pictorial records of German Prince Maximilian and Karl Bodmer, a Swiss-born artist. They journeyed with fur traders from 1832-1834. COMING HOME: Two former Sioux City prep high school standouts have decided to continue their education at Morningside College. Central High's cage star Dan Smith will leave the University of Colorado, while East High track star Jon Winkel will leave Iowa State University. Smith set a season's scoring record of 1,530 points while playing for Central last winter. Winkel topped 6-5 last spring in the high jump competition. IPS CHANGES: Iowa Public Service Co. announced it will consolidate its Sioux City and West divisions effective Feb. 1. The new division is made up of new districts, with headquarters at Sioux City, Le Mars, Storm Lake and Humboldt, according to F. W. Griffith, executive vice president. Among the promotions are naming Scott Phelps to commercial manager of the Sioux City District and Maynard Bennett to operations manager here. 25 years ago HISTORIC IDEA: A proposal to create an historic preservation commission to help preserve buildings of historic significance in Sioux City will be voted on by the City Council at a later date. Its fate isn't clear since Mayor Bob Scott and Councilman Loren Callendar said they need to be convinced to vote for it. Councilman Jim Wharton said he's afraid the commission could be a hindrance to future development. Council members David Paulsrud and Joanne Grueksin favor it. MAKING NEWS: Gary Mass, 40, was sworn in as Sioux City's new police chief. He comes to Sioux City from Wheat Ridge, Colo. ...HomeLand Realty will handout more red, white and blue ribbons this weekend at its Southern Hills Mall office, according to company president Ron McManamy. ...Lynn Swanstrom, a member of the Sioux City school board, was honored as the "Siouxland Woman of the Year" by Quota Club of Sioux City. TO THE RESCUE: YANKTON, SD | Emergency helicopter services are now available at Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton that will make emergency care more accessible to rural residents. Arrangements with Marian Air Care in Sioux City made the service available. The twin-engine BK117 will carry a critical care/emergency nurse and a paramedic. These items appeared in The Journal Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 1891, 1916, 1966 and 1991. SIOUX CITY | When insurance adjusters told Dave Ferris it would likely be 60 to 90 days before he could reopen Sneaky's Chicken, he refused to accept that estimate. On Monday, 20 days after a fire damaged a storage shed and caused smoke damage inside the longtime restaurant at 3711 Gordon Drive, Ferris plans to reopen a newly refurbished Sneaky's for lunch at 11 a.m. "We started gutting it four hours after the fire department let us back in. We've been there until about midnight every night," Ferris said. An improperly disposed of cigarette was determined to be the cause of the fire, which was reported at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 11 and was contained to a back storage area. Ferris said he wanted to reopen as soon as possible to lessen the financial burden a longer closure might have had on his 19 staff members. Hence the hectic construction schedule to replace much of the interior, which was damaged by smoke and soot. Ferris said all the ceilings and carpet and most of the walls were torn out and replaced. The kitchen and bathrooms were redone. There's a new exhaust system. The 50-year old bar has been refinished to show off the mahogany wood. Some exterior painting will have to wait until warmer weather in the spring. Some new touches were added, but Ferris said care was taken to reproduce many of the elements with which longtime customers are familiar. "We were cautious to keep it Sneaky's," he said. Ferris said he was encouraged during the closure by the many friends and customers who have stopped by the restaurant to check on progress or reached out via social media. That support and a fresh new look inside the restaurant have provided a positive outcome from a bad situation. "It was tragic and very scary, frustrating," Ferris said of the fire. "At the end of the day, you look for the silver linings, and I'm very happy with how things turned out." JERUSALEM | Throughout the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, and while incarcerated in two prison camps, Mirjam Bolle wrote letters to her fiance that she never sent but hoped to share with him after the war. Yet when the two ultimately reunited she decided to leave the past behind and stashed them away. Now, decades later, she has published them as a memoir. The result is "Letters Never Sent," 18 months of diary entries and observations that experts say shed new light on one of the Holocaust's most controversial legacies the Judenrat, or Jewish Councils the dark bureaucracy of intermediaries responsible for implementing Nazi orders. They were often despised by fellow Jews as traitors, but Bolle, still lively at 98 years old, defends their actions. She says the Judenrat had little choice and yet managed to lessen the blow to the community. As a secretary for the Jewish Council of Amsterdam, she was privy to their inner workings and says they managed to save lives by staving off Nazi deportation orders. "The Germans decided that there would be a Judenrat, we had nothing to do with that," Bolle said in the living room of her meticulously kept old stone home in Jerusalem, where she has lived alone since her husband's death in 1992. "The Germans did what they wanted to do. I always say that if the war had ended after two years, no one would have had a problem with the Judenrat." With time, however, Bolle believes they outlived their usefulness. The nearly 1,200 Jewish councils continued to enjoy preferential treatment, even as they devolved into an administrative body for the Nazis' so-called "Final Solution," the planned extermination of the Jewish people. For some, the burden was too great to bear. Adam Czerniakow, head of the Warsaw Ghetto Judenrat, killed himself after he was forced to deport Jews to their deaths. Bolle's role was more limited. She took dictations, dispatched letters and was sitting in on discussions when the first mention was made of the Nazi system of concentration camps. "It was a different world ... You cannot judge what people did," she said. "People who are living a relatively normal life just cannot imagine." Six million Jews were killed by German Nazis and their collaborators during the Holocaust, wiping out a third of the world Jewry. Today, fewer than 190,000 elderly survivors remain in Israel. Bolle is among the oldest. Israel's main Holocaust memorial day is in the spring, marking the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising when Jews in the Polish capital launched a brave, but ultimately doomed, attempt to resist the Nazis. The United Nations designated Jan. 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorating the date of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp in 1945. Bolle's entries began on this date in 1943. Her fiance, Leo Bolle, had left in 1938 to what was then the British Mandate territory of Palestine and she had stayed behind a bit longer to work. Her letters describe German raids and deportations, the struggles of the Judenrat to postpone them and her own escape from one roundup when a German officer saved her by chaperoning her down the street. She described other soldiers as "wild beasts" and detailed how Jews were shot by German firing squads. Eventually, she was sent to Westerbork, a transit camp, before moving on to Bergen-Belsen, the infamous German camp where fellow Dutch Jew and diarist Anne Frank died. Bolle managed to smuggle her collected letters out by wrapping them in a shirt, tossing them over the barbed-wire fence out of sight of a Nazi guard and collecting them on the other side. "I did something very foolish," she said. "If he had seen that, I wouldn't be here today." In one segment, she writes to her fiance that "we'll need years to talk about everything we've been through." They were reunited in July 1944, four years before Israel gained independence, when she arrived in the Holy Land through a prisoner exchange of Dutch Jews for German prisoners of war. "I had a lot of luck," she said. Hoping to put the war years behind her, she stored the letters in a drawer and forgot about them for decades. Her hardship didn't end in Israel. Her son, an Israeli air force pilot, was killed in the 1967 Mideast war, and three years later her younger daughter died in a military accident when the jeep she was riding in drove over a Syrian mine on the Golan Heights. Her only remaining child, a daughter, died of illness in 2011. Dan Michman, head of the International Institute for Holocaust Research at Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, said Bolle's insights were particularly valuable because of the scope of devastation in the Netherlands, where 75 percent of the country's 140,000 Jews were exterminated. He said the Jewish Council in Amsterdam was colloquially known as "Jewish treason," but it did succeed in employing around 35,000 Jews who were exempt from immediate deportation. "We are approaching the moment that all survivors will not be with us anymore. Memoirs are therefore very important, but even more important are diaries and letters written during the period itself," he said. "They're real time documents and therefore they are very important for future teaching and studying the Holocaust." Bolle stumbled upon the letters in a drawer in 2000 and later decided to publish them. An English translation was published just over a year ago. Despite wanting to move on from the Holocaust, one entry from the 280-page book indicates how even as a younger woman, Bolle cared deeply about keeping the memory alive. "I am vain enough to believe that this diary may be found hundreds of years from now and serve as an important source of information," she writes on Jan. 29, 1944. "That's why I included all the trivial things, because they may provide an outsider with a more vivid picture ... Perhaps one day our children will read it." SIOUX CITY | New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Sunday lobbed barbs at Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump during his final appeal to Siouxland voters, a day before Iowa's caucuses. "It is almost impossible for me to believe that Iowans -- Iowans -- are going to give the state to Donald Trump," Christie said to 120 people at Morningside College during a 70-minute morning event. Christie, mired in low single digits in most Republican polls in Iowa, also got in digs at two other GOP rivals who have emerged as Trump's chief challengers. He said Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas have the practice of talking about how they may change policies, while governors like himself do the nitty-gritty work of delivering for constituents. Christie also said Cruz and Rubio, in recent comments, have been parsing their records on immigration reform, since they are afraid of being labeled flip-floppers. "What other Washington-speak will they use on you to make you think up is down?" Christie asked. In his closing remarks, which many people said they enjoyed, Christie said Iowans should caucus for the candidate who will best serve to aid military members coming back from conflicts. He said that sober reality demands a president with the mature temperament to help people, so voters should not be acting on "an expression of anger." "We are not electing an entertainer in chief, we are electing a commander in chief....This is serious business, everybody. Showtime is over, OK, showtime is over. Everybody loves a show, everybody loves a show. Showtime is over, it is game time," Christie said. Three-fourths of the event was devoted to questions, as Christie responded to queries from people on climate change, immigration policy enforcement and campaign finance reform. Suzan Stewart, of Sioux City, said Christie ably demonstrated his grasp of policy details. "I enjoy every time I listen to him," Stewart said. Stewart questioned him on a state policy detail, which led to her saying New Jersey has little sunshine to tap for solar energy. Christie quickly responded with an apparent nod to his reputation as having a sometimes prickly side, gesturing to the crowd, "You are looking at New Jersey's sunshine, come on!" OKOBOJI, Iowa | As he prepared to play broomball on West Lake Okoboji's Miller Bay Saturday morning, Noah DeYager of Hull, Iowa, said he wasnt even sure -- or care -- who his hometown team, the Fightin Halibuts, was facing. It doesnt matter. Weve been doing this for 10 years, just for fun., DeYager said. Surprisingly enough, the opposing team was a cross-town rival Winklebox. DeYager was among the contestants for the 36th annual Okoboji Winter Games. As temperatures soared into the 40s before noon, the mild weather brought out a throng of revelers and spectators to the Iowa Great Lakes region. And for the record, the final score in the broomball contest was Winkelbox 2, Fightin' Halibuts 1. The four-day event concludes Sunday. On the ice, but out of any competition, Frank Collins, drove from Kingsley Saturday to pull his grandchildren around East Lake Okoboji on a sled with his ATV. He later took off, almost on his own, with only his golden retriever Paisley along to enjoy the ride. Joe Leyden came with son Grant, 9, to participate in the North Iowa Off Road Groups races that included motor bikes, several classes of four-wheel vehicles and motorcycles. If not the youngest, 6-year-old Emmett Schmidt, of St. Joseph, Missouri, was at least one of the youngest to compete with his own four-wheeler Saturday. Schmidts father Ryan explained this is is sons second year of competition. Its a good winter sport, he said. When it comes to large-scale four-wheel racing the competition isnt just among the drivers. Angie Pratt, Samantha Reeves, and Bobi Ziegler, all of Fort Dodge, Iowa, enjoy friendly competition off the track. In their husbands races last weekend, Corey Pratt was first, followed by Tanner Reeves, and Jamie Ziegler. Asked who was going to win Saturday, Pratt said the second and third place order might change. But Corey will be number one. But in the first heat Jamie Ziegler was first, following by Pratt and Reeves. The second race -- the one that counts for the record books had Pratt in first place, with Ziegler and Reeves in second and third. Angie was right -- unfortunately, Bobi Ziegler admitted when the races were over. MARINETTE, Wis. | With all the pomp and ceremony befitting such an occasion, the USS Sioux City left the land behind, splashing into the water where it is meant to be. The ship was christened and launched Saturday into the Menominee River at the Marinette Marine Shipyards, where she has been under construction since 2013. Hundreds of people, including Naval dignitaries, Sioux Cityans and many of the workers who built the ship, gathered near the dock on an unseasonably warm day to witness the first ship named for Sioux City move one step closer to joining the Navy fleet. "For the United States of America, I christen thee Sioux City. May God bless this ship and all who sail on her," ship sponsor Mary Winnefeld said seconds before shattering a bottle of champagne across the bow in one swing, drawing cheers. Within seconds, the ship slowly slid down the launching skids and landed with a splash that created waves shattering the ice covering the river. As the USS Sioux City rocked and bobbed in the water, a Navy band played "Anchors Aweigh," as the crowd cheered and whistled. Nancy Kielhold, who traveled from Sioux City with her husband, Nick, was still emotional after witnessing the ship strike the water. "I could have cried it was so emotional. The speeches connected to Sioux City and Iowa. It was so patriotic," she said, choking up slightly. "I swear I got hit by drops of water from the launch." Sioux City was well-represented by some two dozen people who stood to be recognized by the crowd during the ceremony before the launch. That so many would travel so far for the occasion showed Sioux City's commitment to supporting the ship and her crews in any way possible, mayor Bob Scott told the crowd. "We as a community are honored in a way you can't imagine," Scott said. "Our community has embraced this already and will continue to do so for the lifetime of the ship. We do have a rich history in the military, and this is an honor we will not soon forget." Throughout the past two days, shipbuilders, Naval officers and contractors expressed the amount of pride they had in a ship that has yet to sail. The pride Sioux City has showed in this ship made an impression on them, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce president Chris McGowan said. During the weekend, McGowan said, Navy officials were surprised that so many from Sioux City came to the launch. Most cities have far fewer citizens attend these ceremonies. "It's interesting to have learned some communities have not embraced their namesake ship and crew as Sioux City has," McGowan said after the launch. "The entirety of the two days just gave me an enormous sense of pride to say Sioux City is my home town. "We're going to do everything in our power to make sure the community continues to support the ship and its crew in the future." That the ship was named for a smaller city in a land-locked Midwestern state brings pride to sailors from those areas. Having a ship named for Sioux City is special, said Capt. Paul Young, a Fremont, Nebraska, native who oversees the crews that will serve on the ship. "It tugs at the heartstrings for sure because I know the quality of people in the Midwest, especially in Nebraska and Iowa," Young said. The launch capped off a ceremony of speeches from executives, Navy brass and politicians, many of them paying tribute to Sioux City. Though the USS Sioux City is a warship, it also will take part in peace-keeping missions and relief efforts, calling to mind Chief War Eagle and his desire for peace with early settlers in the Sioux City area, said Gloria Valdez, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for Ship Programs. Adm. Michelle Howard, vice chief of Naval Operations, the Navy's second-in-command, complimented Iowans' innovative spirit, citing the invention of the Eskimo Pie ice cream treat in Onawa. "This spirit is wrapped up in (the ship's) motto: 'Forging a New Frontier'. The Sioux City is going where few ships have gone before," Howard said. The ship is the 11th in the littoral combat class, a new class of ships designed to sail nearer the coast -- in the littoral zone -- and into shallower waters than other naval vessels. The ships are designed for mine detection and clearing, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare. Building and development of the ships in the Sioux City's class involve 10,000 people and 900 companies in 43 states, said Stephanie Hill, general manger and vice president of Lockheed Martin mission systems and training, ship and aviation systems. Work remains to finish the ship's interior and install many of its operating systems. After up to 12 months of testing on Lake Michigan, the USS Sioux City will be commissioned before arriving in its home base in Florida. DES MOINES | Donald Trumps campaign has defied almost all the conventional wisdom regarding what it takes to win the Iowa caucuses. With Iowa Republicans set to caucus Monday night, several important questions will remain unanswered until all the secret ballots are counted. Iowa campaign veterans and experts say these are the five most pressing keys to the caucus: 1. TRUMP TURNOUT Will Trump turn those huge crowds into caucus supporters? That was easily the top question posed by the experts. Trump frequently drew hundreds, sometimes thousands to his campaign events. But often, the crowd was a mixture of Iowans and out-of-staters, and some said they were there for the spectacle, not as supporters. Whether Trump can turn those crowds into caucus-goers will go a long way toward deciding what polls say is a close race in Iowa between Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. The larger the turnout of new caucus attendees, the higher the probability of a Trump caucus night victory, said Matt Strawn, a former state party chairman. Some media reports have suggested Trumps campaign lacks the organization to churn out caucus supporters. But Robert Haus, who has worked on several campaigns in Iowa and also has been a political consultant, said Trump has a solid Iowa campaign team. The candidate who has built his campaign around the concept of winning cant afford to lose, Haus said. His events have been huge, his team is knowledgeable, and they know how to organize. They will need to deliver those new voters to contend with Cruzs ground operation. 2. CRUZ ORGANIZATION Experts and observers have lauded Cruzs campaign infrastructure, which has been described as expansive and technologically savvy. If those observations are true, it could make the difference between gold and silver on caucus night for Cruz, Strawn said. Is conventional wisdom that Cruz has the most robust organization in the state accurate? If turnout resembles recent history, rather than a significant increase, then his organization may well be the difference, Strawn said. 3. CRUZ VS. CORN Gov. Terry Branstad said a Cruz victory would be tragic for Iowa, given the candidates opposition to the federal ethanol mandate that benefits Iowas agricultural economy. Cruz, who said he opposes all federal energy subsidies and mandates, said he would phase out the ethanol mandate over five years. Cruz has the much better ground game, but hes also been hit hard on the (ethanol) issue and whether hes flip-flopped on some issues, said Timothy Hagle, a political science professor at the University of Iowa who wrote a book on the 2012 caucuses. Will that hurt him relative to Trump? Might some go with (Florida Sen. Marco) Rubio instead? Cruz will want as much separation from Rubio as possible here in Iowa because he will want some momentum for New Hampshire, where (Cruz) hasnt been polling as well. Doug Gross, who has been Branstads chief of staff and chaired Mitt Romneys 2008 presidential campaign in Iowa, said the ethanol issue could be Cruzs deciding factor. I think (the ethanol issue) has had some impact, Gross said. It will be interesting to see whether that (limited) his potential vote. It probably will make the difference between whether he wins or loses, I think. 4. MODERATE LANE Trump and Cruz, who hold a comfortable lead in the polls in Iowa, are considered so-called outsider candidates. Trump, a billionaire businessman and reality television star, has never held elected office and frequently decries political correctness. Cruz is a tea party firebrand whose tactics have rankled some of his fellow U.S. senators, including Republicans. The expansive GOP field thus far has not coalesced around a more traditional or moderate candidate. Current and former governors Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and John Kasich, for example, remain mired in the middle or bottom of the pack in the polls. With no moderate candidate emerging, the outsiders are running away with the race in Iowa. Right now, those (moderate) Republican voters are largely split among Bush, Christie, Rubio and to a lesser degree Kasich, Strawn said. Can one candidate consolidate that support into a strong, top-three finish and a boost of momentum into New Hampshire? Gross thinks one of the moderate candidates will surge late and finish strong Monday night. Its between Bush and Rubio and Kasich and Christie. I get a sense here in the 11th hour that there is some movement (in the polls), Gross said. Well see if that occurs. John Stineman, who works as a political consultant and managed Steve Forbes 2000 presidential campaign in Iowa, said because the field of moderate candidates has not been winnowed, there may be more than the traditional three tickets out of Iowa. With a crowded GOP field and much uncertainty in the 'establishment' lane of the race, a strong showing by Bush, Christie or Kasich all of whom are doing reasonably well in New Hampshire in the fourth-place slot could give them enough energy to prosecute their case in the Granite State, he said. 5. RAND PAUL In 2012, libertarian supporters of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas took the Iowa GOP caucuses and even the state party structure by storm. This year, it does not appear those libertarians have automatically shifted their allegiance to Ron Pauls son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who is in the middle of the pack in polling on the race. Rand Paul has been courting younger voters and pitching less common GOP campaign issues such as criminal justice reform and an opposition to bulk data collection by federal surveillance programs. He wont do anywhere near as well as his father did, but they are still very well organized and have been working campuses very heavily, Hagle said. I expect that he will do better than what the polls show, but it will be interesting to see how close he comes to double digits. Experts say Iowa caucus results are as much about exceeding or failing to meet expectations as they are the one-two-three finish. So if Rand Paul successfully turns out young voters, he could enjoy a caucus night bump. If the Paul campaign is successful in finding 10,000 new votes among college students as they have boasted, he could be poised for a top-five finish, Strawn said. While not enough to grab major headlines, it (would be) enough to keep him alive in a field that is sure to winnow. AMES, Iowa | Steve Berger is no rookie at the cover crop game. He and other veteran conservation farmers have been popular for the past couple of years as Midwestern producers try to figure out how to do a better job on the land. And soil health is a part of that discussion. Berger, who farms in Washington County, was joined by Eastern Iowa farmer Jerry Mohr and Ida Grove area farmer Jolene Riessen on a recent panel about soil health sponsored by the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Fisher Theater, Iowa State University in Ames. Invited to moderate the discussion is Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey moderated the discussion at Fisher Theater on the Iowa State University campus in Ames. My dad was a conservationist, Berger explained. We started experimenting with cover crops in the 1970s. Berger, Mohr and Riessen said cover crops can work on Iowa farms and adds the use of cover crops and other conservation techniques will not only reduce erosion and nitrogen loss but will build a healthier soil structure over time. But they caution it takes time to build soil structure. Forty years ago we had no idea about soil health or soil quality, Berger said. We just wanted to stop erosion. He said the combination of stopping (or at least reducing) tillage and keeping plant life on the soil year-round is a key toward building up a healthy and productive soil. All three farmers agreed every farm situation will be different, and what works on one farm may not work on another. Mohr said on his farm, the best combination so far appears to be drilling a cover crop into the field right behind the combine, although he said using an airplane to fly on seed works if it can be done before Sept. 1. Riessen and her family are cattle producers, so their approach to cover crops has been different than it might be for a farmer who has no livestock. Their cover crops are used to produce forage for the cattle. Of course, there are challenges. Berger said farmers using cover crops may need to make multiple nitrogen applications to make sure it is in the right place at the right time for corn. Corn doesnt play well with other living plants, he said. And he added there can be insect problems. Army worms are a common issue for cover croppers. There will be times where farmers who are new to cover crops will have problems with killing the cover crop or getting growth before cold weather hits in the fall, especially in northern areas. Still, cover crops clearly do help build soil structure and over time that will improve a farm, the three farmers said. And that is part of the discussion on cover crops that is just starting. Baylor dean's list More than 3,500 students were named to the dean's academic honor roll for the 2015 fall semester at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. To be named to the dean's list, a student must be an undergraduate with a minimum grade-point average of 3.7, while enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours. Area students are: Bismarck Elizabeth Bender, College of Arts and Sciences; and Anne Sandstrom, College of Arts and Sciences; and Tioga Taylor Anderson, Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. Zent included Katie Zent, of Lefor, was among 8,370 Iowa State University undergraduates recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the 2015 fall semester dean's list. Students named to the dean's list must have earned a grade-point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0-scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work. Scholarships The North Dakota Water Education Foundations deadline for applications for the Dushinske & Jamison Water Resources Scholarship is April 1. There will be two $1,500 scholarships awarded to one female and one male applicant. The NDWEF, family members, friends and colleagues have established an endowment within the North Dakota Community Foundation in Warren Jamisons and Russell Dushinskes memory called the Dushinske & Jamison Water Resources Scholarship Endowment. Income from the Dushinske & Jamison Water Resources Scholarship Endowment will provide scholarships to two deserving students who attend or plan to attend a North Dakota college or university. Preference will be given to, but not limited to, students studying a water-related field or whose families have taken an active role in North Dakota water management. Scholarship applications are available by calling the NDWEF office at 701-223-8332, e-mailing ndwaterusers@btinet.net, or visiting http://ndwater.com/programs/north-dakota-water-education-foundation and clicking on the scholarship application link. Contributions to the endowment can be made to the NDWEF at P.O. Box 2254, Bismarck, N.D. 58502. Logemann achieves Amber Logemann, Medora, was named to the Miami University dean's list. Students who achieved a 3.5 or better grade-point average for first semester 2015-16 have been named to the dean's list recognizing academic performance. Logemann is earning a bachelor of science majoring in biology. Marchus admitted Spencer Marchus, son of Kevin and Sarah Marchus, Bismarck, has been admitted to North Dakota State University with distinction. He will enter NDSU in fall 2016 and plans to major in computer science and mathematics. Distinction means that NDSU is acknowledging Marchus as an honor student. Kaip on Wis. list Michael Kaip, Mandan, has made the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater deans list for the 2015 fall semester. These students have demonstrated their academic abilities by receiving a grade-point average of 3.4 or above in the semester. Creating an estate plan isnt always at the top of a persons to do list. The business of daily life already doesnt leave a lot of room for extras, and the topic of your own demise isnt something you look forward to discussing. However, discussing it and then creating an estate plan is exactly what everyone should do as it is essential for you and your children. If you become incapacitated or die without a will, the decisions regarding your children and property not to mention your care no longer are yours to make. What is an estate plan? The term estate planning may create a little confusion and procrastination in those who dont feel they have any sort of estate for which planning is worthwhile. Not the case, says Kurt Nilson, an attorney and estate-planning expert in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Estate planning should be considered any time we establish a relationship involving long-term financial dependency, such as births, adoptions, marriages and long-term cohabitation, he says. Moreover, although the actual mechanics of an estate plan necessarily involve directing post-death property ownership, most can establish a more beneficial estate plan by considering who relies on us for their daily needs and how those lives would change with our sudden absence, Nilson adds. Without an estate plan, what happens to property? To that end, the biggest financial ramification of not having an estate plan is that the surviving spouse and children may have to share the estate with unintended heirs. Nilson explains that any property that does not have valid instructions for its ownership is subject to the states intestate laws, which often will require some type of division between the surviving spouse and other relatives of the deceased including siblings, parents or even nieces and nephews. Most people assume that their surviving spouse automatically receives the entire estate when they die, Nilson says. However, more than 30 U.S. states require the surviving spouse to share the deceaseds property with the deceaseds issue (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc.) even if the issue is from a former relationship. Adds John Litscher, a certified financial planner and partner at The Capital Group in Madison, Wisconsin, adds: You want to consider the different aspects of your family situation if something were to happen to you. Additionally, if you die without a will your property goes through the probate process before your inheritors can take ownership. Depending on the state, the process can be long and costly both financially and emotionally. What happens to me without a living will? Death isnt the only event that necessitates directives. In the event you are incapacitated, the question of who will make the decisions regarding your medical care varies by state. Further, if you have not expressed your wishes, those caring for you may not make the decisions youd hoped they would. By designating a health care power of attorney and creating a living will you head off any potential legal battles between family members and receive the care youd intended for yourself. Advanced-care directives are a good idea for everyone, not just those who own property or have children. What happens to my children? Most concerning to parents should be what happens to their children if they die. Too often parents put off creating a will, as the thought of leaving their children is a difficult thing to confront, or theyre uncomfortable with their choices in possible guardians. However, if parents die without a will, the state decides who will raise their children and that person may not even be your last choice. Moreover, consider the emotional and financial toll it would take on your children and family members should they legally battle each other. Is this expensive? That depends on how you look at it. It may feel costly to sit down with a financial planner and estate attorney; however, it will be a lot more costly to your family in the long run not to have your estate in order. From a financial planning standpoint, [you should start] right away, Litscher says. You want to protect yourself from the bad scenarios. Litscher also notes that if youre already using a comprehensive financial planner, he or she routinely works with attorneys on estate planning and can facilitate that process. There also are do-it-yourself programs and sites that will give you basic documentation. However, experts advise caution as those DIY options may contain a lot of loopholes. The best way to ensure that you, your dependents and your property are fully protected is to meet with an attorney specializing in estate planning. The bottom line is that these decisions are too important to leave up to someone youve never met, which is exactly what will happen without an estate plan. CTW Features With more and more businesses going virtual, live streaming has become far more popular. Whether youre running live events or trying to engage with team members with pre-recorded videos and live features in a more dynamic way, using a live streaming app can help. Well help you pick out the best live streaming platform in this article. What is a Live Streaming App? A live streaming app is a software that allows you to capture, stream and share live videos as well pre-recorded videos. You can create your own live broadcasts that others can tune into using a live streaming app. Best Live Stream Apps of 2021 There are many great live stream apps available that you can use on a variety of devices. When evaluating apps, its important to look at what kind of live streams can be done and what features they have to make the process easier and more engaging for audiences. This includes choosing cameras specifically designed for video calls and live streaming such as the Papalook webcam. Weve researched some of the best live streaming platforms for 2021. 1. Streamlabs With the Streamlabs mobile app, you can set up your camera for live streams across multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Youtube, and Twitch. You can set up a live stream within minutes and stream to multiple platforms while using custom mobile themes. Available on: iOS and Android 2. UStream UStream (also known as IBM cloud video) is great for live streaming events since it has advanced event features, including AI-generated captions and real-time analytics. In addition, UStream includes video hosting, transcoding, live streaming, automated speech-to-text, and analytics all in one platform, making it a great option that businesses can get a lot of value out of. Available on: iOS, Android, and desktop 3. Facebook Live Facebook Live is one of the most popular live-streaming video apps since its incredibly convenient since you can operate live streams straight from the Facebook app. Some Facebook live tips to keep in mind is that you can download previous live streams to post on other social media platforms needed. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 4. YouTube Live Another incredibly popular option, Youtube Live, is one of the best video platforms to live stream content, including speeches, talks, and even YouTube gaming streams. It includes a host of live streaming features to make streaming live videos simple and easy for content creators and viewers. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 5. Brightcove For event professionals looking for a more advanced video streaming platform that also offers live event support, Brightcove is a good option. It also features multi Bitrate streaming, which means higher quality live streams and communications. Brightcove also has marketing features, video analytics, and an extensive list of features and integrations to make video management easy for businesses. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 6. LinkedIn Live LinkedIn Live is another great option if youre looking to stream directly on social media. You can stream live quickly and easily with LinkedIn Live and reach a wide audience of professionals. LinkedIn Lives features include audience engagement tools, content inspiration, and other ways to reach your audience directly. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 7. Instagram Live Asides from Facebook Live, Instagram Live is another incredibly popular option to live stream. Using Instagram Live, you can stream video and connect to your audience on the social media network and attain high audience numbers for your stream. Similar to Facebook Live, Instagram Live offers free live streaming, audience analytics, and more to make it easy for live streamers to use the feature. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 8. Vimeo Live Vimeo Live is a really good option as you can not only store videos on Vimeo itself but also use its live video streaming capabilities through Vimeo Live. With Vimeo Live, its easy to get started with the live streaming service and its definitely one of the best live video streaming apps available. The app is reliable, and streams are high-quality, plus there are multiple features available to make it easy to run different kinds of events. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 9. Notified Notified turns webcasts and video streams into interactive events, making it perfect for professionals. It includes a host of event planning features, including automatic recording options, an online lobby to manage viewers and audiences, and event-specific features such as picture in picture so that you run presentations simultaneously with the live event. See Also: 8 Live Chat Best Practices You Never Knew Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 10. 6Connex 6Connex is slightly different from some of the other live streaming apps mentioned in this list since it offers a more event-like experience. With 6Connex, you can live stream video easily and run hybrid and in-person events as well if needed. 6Connex is more of an event technology platform that also includes a live streaming feature to make the event feel more immersive overall. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 11. ON24 ON24 is a powerful live streaming platform that enables users to run interactive and engaging webinars, virtual events and deliver personalized content to viewers. ON24 is one of the best live streaming apps because it has various features to make it exciting to stream live videos, including keynote sessions, breakout rooms, and more. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 12. YouNow If youre looking to live stream while also meeting other live streamers, YouNow might be the right option for you. Similar to YouTube events, YouNow is an online streaming platform that features many different kinds of streams for users and has built a community around that. You can stream live music, chat with the live streamer, and more using YouNow. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 13. Dacast Dacast offers live streaming services for businesses and has a host of capabilities in both the free version and the paid version. Dacast includes secure video hosting, flawless and reliable live streams, live video integration with your own website, and many more advanced event features. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android 14. Restream If youre looking for streaming platforms that have multistreaming capabilities, Restream has that and more. With Restream, you can have your online video going to many different platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Youtube stream, and any others networks that you need to stream on. It also has features to ensure stream reliability and reduce broadcast delay, such as monitoring stability, video quality, and more for a reliable streaming experience. Available on: desktop, iOS, and Android How to Choose the Best Live Streaming App for your Business? When considering what live streaming app to use, there are a few things you can look for to help you choose the best live streaming apps for your needs. Here are some key features that any live streaming app you choose should include: Availability on different devices such as Android and iOS Advanced event features Audience engagement tools Analytics to help you understand your viewership and content better Ability to stream to multiple social networks What you share on social media wont stay private forever. Increasingly, prosecution and defense attorneys are requesting copies of a plaintiffs social media history in order to prove or disprove liability and damage claims. While most of the lawsuits have been limited thus far to medical malpractice and personal injury lawsuits, could similar social media requests be made for business lawsuits like criminal negligence? Maybe. It all goes back to the right to privacy and whether content posted on social media is no longer private, regardless of a users privacy settings. Are My Private Social Media Posts Permissible as Evidence in Court? Current court rulings are coming down in favor of privacy and free protections for non-public social media postings. Consider the case of Pennsylvania man Anthony D. Elonis, who posted threatening messages on Facebook after his wife left him. While Elonis was convicted under a federal threat statute, the Supreme Court overturned the conviction, ruling that the man could not be convicted solely on the idea that a reasonable person would regard his communication as a threat according to CNN. Elonis claimed the messages were simply inspired by rap music lyrics and he never claimed to act on these posts. This marked the first case in which the Supreme Court considered the implication of social media postings and free speech, although the ruling was narrow and only applied to this case rather than establishing a new legal precedent moving forward. The courts generally put strict limitations on Defense requests for information regarding a Plaintiffs online activities, said Robert H. Bohn, Jr. a criminal defense attorney at Bohn & Fletcher, LLP, who monitors the role of social media in criminal prosecution. Even the inclusion of some public portions of a social media profile or public commentary can only be included if this information contradicts a Plaintiffs claims. Arguing that investigating a social media account could lead to the discovery of new disclosures is not sufficient and amount to nothing more than a fishing expedition. That said, social media posts are absolutely admissible in court. Whether it is divorce proceedings or a white collar criminal prosecution, posts on social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are increasing popping up as evidence in courtrooms. And with Facebooks new Search FYI delivering real-time results for any public posting, its increasingly important to self-monitor your comments. Posting about a current event or news article could come back to haunt you, especially if you fire off a flippant comment without thinking. Finally, defendants could also use your social media account as evidence to disprove false allegations. Doesnt My Right to Privacy Protect My Facebook Post Content? Your right to privacy may not apply to all social media postings. Consider the recent case from an appellate court in Florida, helpfully dissected for legal laymen on Lexis Nexis by lawyer and legal analyst Margaret (Molly) DiBianca. In the case, Nucci v. Target Corp., the plaintiff sued Target over physical injuries the plaintiff claimed to have sustained while shopping. Target responded with a discovery motion for photos of the plaintiff from her Facebook account going back at least two years. According to Target, the photos would be necessary to establishing a plaintiffs quality of life before and after the alleged accident. The plaintiff countered that disclosing the photos would be an invasion of privacy. According to DiBianca, the case is significant for two reasons. First, the case takes place in Florida, where individuals have a constitutional right to privacy. While all citizens have a federal constitutional right to privacy, DiBianca points out that this right only extends to actions taken by the Federal government. Secondly, while Floridas constitution does guarantee a right to privacy, the court concluded that generally, the photographs posted on a social networking site are neither privileged nor protected by any right of privacy, regardless of any privacy settings that the user may have established. After all, whats more relevant for a personal injury case than photos from an individuals social media account establishing their quality of life? Social Media Increasingly Serves as a Character Reference For cases that come down to the credibility of one person versus another, a persons social media profile could be used against them. Ian Friedman, the former president of the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense, says that social media evidence is playing an increasingly important role in criminal prosecution cases, including establishing a Plaintiff or Defendants character. A prosecutor in Ohio, for example, used the Facebook posts from a defendant accused of murder to establish that the defendant glorified violence. I published an article on the role of social media solving crimes, and I have been monitoring developments. Stupid criminal cases aside, like the Florida woman who live-streamed drunk driving on Periscope (and was subsequently arrested), police, prosecutors and defense attorneys are increasingly turning to social media to gather evidence. Bottom Line The U.S. court system is still developing legal precedent for the admission of social media in legal cases and how best to deal with emerging technologies. As a general best practice, keep in mind that anything you post on the Internet is there forever. If you wouldnt want a posting admitted as evidence against you in a court of law, then dont post it. Period. PUBLISHER'S NOTE: Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case. I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot. ca/2013/12/the-charles-smith- award-presented-to_28.html Harold Levy: Publisher ; The entire story can be found at: Thanks to Ronald for the link! As befits all the best practitioners of his shadowy trade, no-one is quite sure whether he is one man or many, or even simply an urban legend. But after a string of assassinations of its local henchmen, the Islamic State's new "Caliphate" in the Libyan city of Sirte is abuzz with talk that an anti-Isil sniper is at work. In recent weeks, no fewer than three Isil commanders in Sirte have been shot dead from long range, according to local media. The killings - reported to be the work of a sniper who honed his skills in Libyas uprising against Colonel Gaddafi - are said to have sowed panic among Isil's forces in the city, who have carried a string of arrests and executions in a bid to track down the culprit. The Sirte assassin's most recent casualty, according to social media reports from Sirte, was Abdullah Hamad Al-Ansari, an Isil commander from southern Libyan city of Obari, who was shot dead on January 23 as he left a city centre mosque. The birthplace of Libya's late Colonel Gaddafi, Sirte has been under Islamic State control since last summer, Libyan intelligence officials estimating that there may now be up to 2,000 jihadist fighters now based there. The port citys new masters have made brutal examples of opponents, via a regime of floggings and beheadings enforced by black-masked religious police. Adding to the sense of intrigue is speculation that the sniper might be a American special forces soldier, some of whom are thought to be operating in the region to gather intelligence on the Isil presence. And then this...Interesting. Whoever this is (or they are) this is some hardcore stuff. Operating in an urban environment without backup or support? The skill being displayed is beyond awesome. This guy should be teaching this stuff.Not only does he have to have intel on the targets but also have to set up a good firing position that won't be detected (in a city!), escape routes if he's noticed setting up or firing, and do all this while (yeah I'm getting redundant) not getting ratted out by some little kid, or bozo on his way to tend herd (or whatever it is they do in Libya).This is one story that I hope we never learn the truth about...well at least while the guy or guys are in harm's way. Whoever it is they're doing work...good work. I wish them well. Nine US citizens have been arrested on terror charges in Saudi Arabia, local media report. The Americans were among a total of 33 terror suspects detained over the past week. The arrests come following a string of attacks against Shia targets claimed by Sunni jihadists that have killed 50 people over the past year. Among the suspects are 14 Saudi citizens, nine Americans, three Yemenis, two Syrians, a Filipino, an Indonesian, a citizen of Kazakhstan, a Palestinian, and a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Gazette, an English-language daily, reported on Sunday, referencing an unnamed source. Two US officials have told Reuters that Washington cannot immediately confirm that American citizens are among the 33 suspects. However, one of the officials said that US authorities are still checking the names against their databases. via RTGet ready.Saudi Arabia beheads terrorist suspects. This is the new meta in the Middle East. Our enemies hate us and so do our so called friends. These people are already dead ... they just don't know it. Disclosure This blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. There are many fitness goals out there that we desire. Some of us want to be leaner and others wish to put on muscle mass. The thing is, for you to achieve your fitness goals, you need to Some people make history while others write history, and, there are a few who do both. One of those people was Dana Wright, author of at least 10 articles for the North Dakota Historical Quarterly and North Dakota History: Journal of the Northern Plains, official publications of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. He also wrote articles for North Dakota newspapers and magazines. From 1915 to 1962, Wright served on the board of NDHS and was chairman of the State Parks Committee, where he was responsible for locating sites of historical interest. As a prominent member of the North Dakota National Guard, Wright served out-of-country in four military conflicts. As a civilian, he held a variety of jobs, including teacher, farmer, railroad engineer, county sheriff and border patrolman. In his work as a law enforcement officer, Wright was known as fearless and was a subject in John J. Floherty's popular book, "Men Against Crime." Dana Monroe Wright was born Aug. 30, 1878, in Eaton Rapids, Mich., to Monroe Wellington Wright and Clara (Morse) Wright. Monroe was a Michigan farmer who saw an opportunity to improve his economic situation by obtaining free land in Dakota Territory. Dana Wright attended the public schools of Jamestown and did what he could to help on the farm. On Feb. 23, 1898, he enlisted in Company H, of the National Guard at Jamestown. With the advent of the Spanish-American War, Wright was called into active service on April 28, 1898, and sent by train for military training. While enroute, in western North Dakota, another guardsman pointed out the site where Gen. Henry H. Sibley's troops fought the Indians. This ignited a passion in Wright to learn more about North Dakota history. During the war, Wright was sent to the Philippine Islands on July 30 and was involved in the capture of Manila two weeks later. After putting down an insurrection by Filipinos who wanted independence, Wright returned to the U.S. on July 30, 1899. He helped his father with the harvest and later attended an institute in Jamestown to become a teacher. In 1900, Wright became an elementary school teacher in Sydney, 10 miles south of Jamestown. He also homesteaded near Montpelier, in the south-eastern corner of Stutsman County. In 1902, Wright moved to Jamestown, where he was hired by the Northern Pacific to work as a train fireman and engineer. He also remained active with National Guard and was promoted to corporal in 1902 and sergeant in 1903. In 1904, Wright was commissioned a first lieutenant and promoted to captain in 1906 and major in 1913. In 1913, he also made his entry into politics by successfully running for sheriff of Stutsman County. In 1915, Wright was elected to the board of NDHS and, in 1916, decided to run for a house seat in the state legislature. He had very little time to campaign, because, on June 19, he was called back into active duty to pursuit Mexican bandit, Pancho Villa, who had made raids into U.S. Territory. While in Mexico, Wright learned that he had won his race in District 23. When the legislative session began on Jan. 2, 1917, but Wright was not discharged until Feb. 14 and attended little of the session because the legislature adjourned on March 2. On March 26, Wright was called back into the military because of U.S. involvement in World War I. Fort Lincoln became a training base and he was named post commander from August to Oct. 1. Frustrated by not seeing any action, Wright applied for front line duty with the 89th Division in the Argonne. He returned stateside on June 26, 1919, and was discharged on Aug. 25. When Wright returned to Jamestown, he was employed as deputy sheriff and, in 1920, was again elected sheriff of Stutsman County. Because Wright was active as an officer with the Army Reserves, he did not run for re-election of sheriff in 1921. This also gave him more time to do historical research. When the NDHS released the first issue of the North Dakota Quarterly in 1926, Wright was the author featured in that publication. In 1933, Wright was named chairman of the State Parks Committee, and he was responsible for locating sites of historical interest which were to be marked and, if necessary, restored. Upon learning of the appointment, Fargo Forum historian, Roy Johnson wrote, "The state of North Dakota is getting a big bargain historically, chiefly because one of its citizens loves its history and is working diligently to preserve it." Those sites that Wright identified that are now designated as state sites include Palmer Springs, Fort Seward, Streeter Memorial Park, the Gingras trading post and Dr. Josiah Weiser's grave. In 1941, Wright retired from the customs service and became the superintendent and game warden for the state game farm at St. John. He retired from this position in 1949, from the Army Reserves in 1951 and from the board of NDHS in 1962. Wright died on Feb. 16, 1964. Upon receiving word of his passing, Robert Corey, a columnist for the Minot Daily News wrote, "I wish I could be sure that among the younger generation of North Dakotans there is someone who has half the devotion and half the self-discipline to carry on where he left off." (Written by Curt Eriksmoen. Reach Eriksmoen at cjeriksmoen@cableone.net.) Florence Julia Haux, a longtime resident of Bismarck, passed away suddenly at her home on Jan. 27, 2016. A celebration of her life will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 1, at Bismarck Funeral Home with a visitation one hour prior to the service. Florence was born on July 27, 1940, to Dena and Jack Birdsell in Emmons County in North Dakota. She was raised on the family farm with four brothers and seven sisters, and attended school in Temvik. In 1959, she moved to Bismarck where she met and married Melvin Haux. Shortly after they were married, they moved to Hazelton where they raised two sons, Kelly and Keith. After retiring, they returned to Bismarck to be closer to their family. All her life, Florence has been known for her caring and giving heart, which shined through in her work as a CNA at Med Center One for many years. She was later employed at Macs Hardware for six years. Some of her many hobbies included painting, crocheting, crafting, cooking, as well as being an avid reader of anything she could get her hands on. She also enjoyed playing cards and board games, bunco and loved going to play bingo with her granddaughter, Amanda. Florence always enjoyed spending time with her family and many friends. She loved starting her day with her favorite cappuccino from Tesoro, and spending the day creating wonderful crocheted and embroidered gifts for her family and friends, and watching her favorite show Wheel of Fortune. She will forever be remembered for her spunk, her curiosity for life, and most of all, her selflessness. Florence is survived by her sons, Kelly Haux, Bismarck, and Keith (Ardis) Haux, Minneapolis; one brother, Gerald (Mona) Birdsell; two sisters, Alma Doolittle (Larry) and Lou Glass; one granddaughter, Amanda Haux; two step-grandchildren, Nicole (Travis) Brandt and Shaun Ulrich; two step-great-granddaughters, Ashlyn Persons and Hadley Brandt; and her special friends, Diane St. Germain, Diane Keyes, Marie Hauser, Geri Bleth and many more special friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Haux; her parents, Dena and Jack Birdsell; her brothers, William, Mike and Patrick Birdsell; her sisters, Mary Karvo, Jeanette Holsti, Alvina Flannigan, Judy Wise and Jackie Birdsell; and one infant sister. Florences ashes will be buried alongside her husband, Melvin, at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Those wishing to sign the online register book or leave a message of condolence please go to www.bismarckfuneralhome.com. The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless. The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well. By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism. Privacy statement: This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do we store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. We are not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without our permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on January 1, 2017. If you have any questions feel free to contact Springfield Vermont News directly here: ed44vt@gmail.com Talking about what concerns China in this situation, the analyst said that this is one of the most vulnerable frontiers for China. Their jurisdiction under the international law is limited to only the Northern part of the South China Sea but the South China Sea extends more than that. Historically, that region has been more of a shared sea between China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and so on. The international community has also been using it and sharing it as a maritime corridor, Batongbacal said. The analyst pointed out that the fear is that China may be going a little too far in asserting just its own interest and its own claims in this area. Talking about what claims the US has in the region, Batongbacal said, Historically, the US claims here would really be only limited to the freedom of navigation and over flight, not the ability to traverse this region freely due to its military mobility. Although this kind of interest was also shared by major powers like the USSR before, Russia now and the United Kingdom, as any military naval power would like to have this passage. Regarding the future of this situation, the analyst said that the tension will not die down for a while. It will remain at this tense level and it might get worse before it gets better. It depends on major powers and how they calibrate their diplomacy at this point by finding some way of living with each other, the analyst concluded. But now Germany seems to have changed its stance, urging the EU to listen carefully to the Polish concerns. Meanwhile, the project has also been opposed by the US since it would cut Russias reliance on gas transit via Ukraine. Thus, Russias political positions as well as its economic ties with Europe would grow stronger. Washington has repeatedly pledged to bury the project, as was the same for the South Stream pipeline. So, could the Gabriels statement mean that finally Germany has caved in to the US? "I think what Germany is doing now is calming the concerns of Eastern European states. Some of these states now risk losing hundreds of millions of euros if transit of Russian gas ends," Igor Yushkov, an analyst at the National Energy Security Fund, told Svobodnaya Pressa. For example, Slovak Economy Minister Vazil Hudak warned that his country would lose up to $400 million a year due to the new pipeline. However, some of the countries, including Poland, would not sustain transit-related losses. Currently, Poland receives Russian gas via the Yamal pipeline. If desired, Warsaw could also join Nord Stream-2. "As for 'guarantees from Russia', it is unclear what Gabriel meant. If it is about long-term contracts it should be settled via multilateral talks. But I think Germanys main concern is Ukraine which would lose over $2 billion of transit incomes that cannot be compensated. If this happens, the EU, and particularly Berlin, would have to help Kiev. This is why Gabriel has urged a compromise building Nord Stream-2, but with guaranteed gas supplies to Ukraine," the expert pointed out. However, opposition to the new pipeline is dictated by politics, Yushkov said. Earlier, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said it summoned the Russian ambassador to Ankara late Friday to express its strong protest and indignation over the alleged violation of the countrys airspace. The Russian Defense Ministry denied the claim and said no such violation had actually happened. Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov dismissed Ankara's statement as "naked propaganda." There were no violations of Turkish airspace by aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic. Turkish authorities' statements of an alleged violation of Turkish airspace by a Russian Su-34 jet are naked propaganda, Maj. Gen. Konashenkov emphasized. On November 24, a Turkish F-16 fighter shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board over Syria. Ankara claimed it had downed the Russian warplane as it had allegedly violated Turkish airspace. Both the Russian General Staff and the Syrian Air Defense Command have confirmed that the Russian jet never crossed into Turkish airspace. In response to Ankara's "stab in the back," as the incident has been described by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow imposed a number of economic measures on Turkey. The Social Democrats (SPD), the CDU's coalition partner, came in at 24 percent, one percentage point down from the previous count. The German Left was favored by 10 percent of respondents, with the Greens in fifth place with 9 percent. This means that if parliamentary elections were held today the AfD, founded just three years ago, would easily clear the five percent threshold to win seats in the Bundestag. Meanwhile, AfD leader Frauke Petry made headlines with a call for tighter border controls with neighboring Austria to keep illegal migrants away. She even said that if need be police should be allowed to use firearms. The Emnid poll of about 1,600 people across Germany was conducted before Petry made her scandalous statement. Support for Chancellor Angela Merkel is slipping over her handling of the nations refugee crisis and her refusal to curb the number of migrants flowing into the country. With the next parliamentary elections still a year away, the results of regional polls in March would give a clear picture of the impact the migrant crisis has had on the political situation in Germany. Having said that Brussels ordered the Greek government to improve its border controls within the next three months, otherwise Greece would be at risk of being kicked out of the Schengen area. If Greece were to be ousted from the passport-free zone, it would affect Greek citizens traveling within the EU they would be treated like third-world nationals, the US intelligence company said. The EU is using the threat of expulsion as a political tool aimed at putting pressure on the Greek government to tighten the country's border with Turkey. The problem with punishing Greece by expelling it from the Schengen area is that the country doesn't share any land borders with other Schengen members. This means refugees wouldn't be affected by the move [but Greek citizens would], because they would continue to march on, pass through the non-Schengen Balkan states and then re-enter the EU again in Hungary, Stratfor said. EU members have been looking for ways to isolate Greece from the rest of the union by strengthening the border between Macedonia and Greece, with EU members putting extra border guards and equipment on the Macedonian border. It would be a weird and complicated political move, because if the EU was to fortify the Macedonian border it would be "helping a non-member state [Macedonia] while harming one of its own [Greece]," Stratfor said. If the EU helps Macedonia to strengthen its border, refugees would be simply stuck in Greece, as asylum seekers wouldn't stop pouring in from Turkey. With Macedonia closing its border, refugees would find it hard to move further north and would be bottled up in Greece, potentially creating social unrest in the Hellenic Republic, the US intelligence firm explained. "Developments in the next few months may determine who the long-term winners and losers are in the region for decades. President Bashar al-Assads forces are advancing on several fronts under a Russian air umbrella. The five-year campaign by Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogans to overthrow Assad in Damascus, by backing the armed opposition, looks to be close to defeat," journalist Patrick Cockburn wrote in his article for The Independent. During the last year, the Syrian Kurds and their militia forces have been effectively engaged in combat against Daesh. They managed to take control over a half of the territories along the Syrian-Turkish border and cut off the militants supplies line. The Kurdish forces have been advancing in all directions, sealing off northern Syria from Turkey in the swath of territory between the Tigris and Euphrates. In 1936 George Orwell wrote a magnificent essay called Shooting an Elephant. Orwell had been working as a British police officer in Burma, enforcing colonial rule. An elephant had gone must, broken its chains, trampled some homes and killed a man. As Orwell walked, gun in hand, toward the elephant, a crowd of more than 2,000 Burmese gathered behind him. They hated him, but it would be a diverting spectacle to see an elephant shot and they could use the meat. Orwell didnt want to shoot the poor creature, whose must, or frenzied state, had passed and who was peacefully eating grass. But he felt the pressure of the crowd behind him. Theyd laugh at him if he didnt kill the thing. I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind, Orwell wrote. And so he subjected the animal to a long and agonizing death. In his essay nobody feels like they have any power. The locals, the imperial victims, sure didnt. Orwell, the guy with the gun, didnt feel like he had any. The imperialists back in London were too far away. Thats sort of the way much of the world is today. As Anand Giridharadas writes in The International New York Times, If anything unites America in this fractious moment it is a widespread sentiment that power is somewhere other than where you are. The Republican establishment thinks the grass roots have the power but the grass roots think the reverse. The unions think the corporations have the power but the corporations think the startups do. Regulators think Wall Street has the power but Wall Street thinks the regulators do. The Pew Research Center asked Americans, Would you say your side has been winning or losing more? Sixty-four percent of Americans, with majorities of both parties, believe their side has been losing more. These days people seem to underestimate their own power or suffer from what Giridharadas calls the anxiety of impotence. Sometimes when groups feel oppressed, they organize by coming up with concrete reform proposals to empower themselves. The Black Lives Matter movement is doing this. But in other cases the feeling of absolute powerlessness can corrupt absolutely. As psychological research has shown, many people who feel powerless come to feel unworthy, and become complicit in their own oppression. Some exaggerate the weight and size of the obstacles in front of them. Some feel dehumanized, forsaken, doomed and guilty. Today we live in a world of isolation and atomization, where people distrust their own institutions. In such circumstances many people respond to powerlessness with pointless acts of self-destruction. In the Palestinian territories, for example, young people dont organize or work with their government to improve their prospects. They wander into Israel, try to stab a soldier or a pregnant woman and get shot or arrested every single time. They throw away their lives for a pointless and usually botched moment of terrorism. In a different way, the American election has been perverted by feelings of powerlessness. Americans are beset by complex, intractable problems that dont have a clear villain: technological change displaces workers; globalization and the rapid movement of people destabilize communities; family structure dissolves; the political order in the Middle East teeters, the Chinese economy craters, inequality rises, the global order frays, etc. To address these problems we need big, responsible institutions (power centers) that can mobilize people, cobble together governing majorities and enact plans of actions. In the U.S. context that means functioning political parties and a functioning Congress. Those institutions have been weakened of late. Parties have been rendered weak by both campaign finance laws and the Citizens United decision, which have cut off their funding streams and given power to polarized super-donors who work outside the party system. Congress has been weakened by polarization and disruptive members who dont believe in legislating. Instead of shoring up these institutions, many voters are inclined to make everything worse. Plagued by the anxiety of impotence many voters are drawn to leaders who pretend that our problems could be solved by defeating some villain. Donald Trump says stupid elites are the problem. Ted Cruz says its the Washington cartel. Bernie Sanders says its Wall Street. The fact is, for all the problems we may have with Wall Street or Washington, our biggest problems are systemic the disruptions caused by technological progress and globalization, mass migration, family breakdown and so on. Theres no all-controlling Wizard of Oz to slay. If were to have any hope of addressing big systemic problems well have to repair big institutions and have functioning parties and a functioning Congress. We have to discard the anti-political, anti-institutional mood that is prevalent and rebuild effective democratic power centers. This requires less atomization and more collective action, fewer strongmen but greater citizenship. It requires the craft of political architecture, not the demagogy of destruction. (David Brooks writes a syndicated column for the New York Times.) The journalist also said that there is a lot of bad blood between the Syrian government and the Saudi backed and Turkish backed opposition groups. One good thing from the view point of Syrian government is with Russias intervention they got Russia on their side now and of course with the agreement on nuclear weapons and dropping of sanctions on Iran, Iran is playing a much more important role in what is going on in Syria, so the Assad government isnt going into these negotiations without allies certainly and they are in a much stronger position now than they would have been even a year ago, the journalist said. Madsen further said that the issue is how committed the Obama administration is. "It was Hilary Clinton, Samantha Power and Susan Rice at the UN when their responsibility was to protect people, the Soros connected Arab Spring got this thing rolling to begin with. Now with just a year left in this administration, it is much interested in going for a regime change in Syria." The journalist noted that, There will be some sort of government change but this outright regime change, I am really skeptical about the Obama administration wanting to put too much faith in the Syrian opposition because they saw how this has played out in this bloody civil war which was engineered by then Secretary of State, Clinton. He went on to talk about the Syrian opposition forces and how much the United States is willing to stand by the Turkish government which looks like it is trying to recreate a neo Ottoman Empire under President Erdogan, Madsen concluded. "The group sees its main task in disrupting the peace conference mediated by the UN," the newspaper wrote. The Syrian talks started on Friday with a meeting between UN envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura and the delegation of the Syrian government. The HNC delegation attended the negotiations only after a long hesitation, previously claiming that the UN should put an end to the "crimes" of the Syrian government as a condition for their participation. Shortly after their arrival in Geneva on Saturday, the delegation threatened again that it would not participate in the negotiations until their conditions are met. "In fact, the envoys of the Saudis seek to create unrest at the negotiation table after Russias military success [in Syria]," DWN wrote. In September 2015, Russia launched an aerial operation against the terrorists' positions in Syria at the request of President Bashar Assad. As a result of the operation, many terrorists have been eliminated and their infrastructure destroyed. The indictment states the couple knew some of the body parts supplied to them came from people who had died from infectious diseases. IBI also bought some of these diseased parts at reduced prices, and then sold them to customers claiming they were free of certain diseases, according to documents. "The scheme included (1) directly profiting from infectious remains supplied to unwitting customers in violation of contractual agreements and (2) not disclosing to customers that IBI failed to take industry standard precautions to prevent potential cross-contamination between infections and non-infectious remains," the indictment read. According to the indictment, Arthur used a chainsaw, band saw, and reciprocating saw to dismember bodies without taking sanitary precautions," and "stored human heads by stacking them directly on top of each other without any protective barrier." The couple is accused of selling the body parts from January 2007 to December 2013. Charges against them include wire fraud, aiding and abetting, and transportation of hazardous material. Elizabeth was released on bond. Arthur remains in custody. Last March, federal officials unsealed documents revealing they were targeting similar practices in Chicago Phoenix. A strikingly similar incident occurred in 2009, at Camp Chapman, near Khost in Afghanistan, claiming the lives of seven CIA officers. The crux of the problem is that the US intelligence service does not have a sufficient number of operatives and team-leaders with the knowledge of local languages and environment in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. "one would think that after 15 years of the global war on terror someone might have figured out a solution," Giraldi notes, adding that, unfortunately, US military and intelligence officers do not rush to learn foreign tongues, since "language training is not particularly career enhancing." "So American military officers, intelligence personnel, and even diplomats often tend to be the blind leading the blind when they arrive at an overseas post where the local language is challenging," he stresses. In this context, The 27 Articles of T.E. Lawrence, a famous British intelligence operative who was sent to the Middle East during the First World War, comes to mind. "Learn all you can about your Ashraf and Bedu. Get to know their families, clans and tribes, friends and enemies, wells, hills and roads. Do all this by listening and by indirect inquiry. Do not ask questions. Get to speak their dialect of Arabic, not yours," Lawrence wrote. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Friday, the highly-anticipated talks on Syrian reconciliation mediated by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura began in the Swiss city of Geneva. "This morning, in light of what is at stake, I appeal to both sides to make the most of this moment, to seize the opportunity for serious negotiations, to negotiate in good faith with the goal of making concrete measurable progress in the days immediately ahead. The word is hoping that both sides will move quickly to meet the needs of millions of desperate Syrians," Kerry said in a statement on the ongoing negotiations. Successful negotiations are necessary to reduce pressure on neighboring countries, stem migration, restore peace and stability, he added. "Europe is in a process of institutional disintegration," the expert said. "Each state is trying to go its own way." According to Friedman, Germany is highly dependent on its export markets and therefore needs cooperation with other countries. However, the choice of partners for the German government is quite limited. Rapprochement with Russia would be particularly favorable for Germany in all respects, but it would cause great resentment from the United States, Friedman argued. According to the analyst, Washington will do anything to prevent the improvement of relations between the two countries. Moreover, there are countries which are not interested in cooperation between Moscow and Berlin, such as Poland and France. "It is not just the United States that wants to prevent an alliance between Germany and Russia. There is not a single country in Europe that would support such an alliance. Poland and France are for example vehement opponents of such a union. An alliance between Germany and Russia would lead to fear and terror in Europe," the expert concluded. There are several means of operating robotic suits, including via a muscle interface. Teaching them to understand brain commands is a real challenge though. We believe that a neuro-interface connecting the human brain with an exo-suit is the most efficient means of controlling it. The problem is that we need to teach the computer to understand brain-transmitted commands and this is exactly what we are now working on, Alexander Kulish said in conclusion. The main function of a powered exoskeleton is to assist the wearer by boosting their strength and endurance. They are commonly designed for military use, to help soldiers carry heavy loads both in and out of combat. In civilian areas, similar exoskeletons could be used to help firefighters and other rescue workers survive dangerous environments. The medical field is another prime area for exoskeleton technology, where it can be used for enhanced precision during surgery, or as an assist to allow nurses to move heavy patients. http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/01/29/freedom-by-the-numbers-freedom-house-in-the-world/ Freedom Houses index of freedom in the world is flawed but the story it tells is indispensable. BY ILYA LOZOVSKY , JANUARY 29, 2016 Its January, which means weve just learned that freedom around the world is declining. This for the tenth year in a row is the conclusion of an annual report released earlier this week by Freedom House, the venerable human rights and democracy organization. Freedom lost ground in 72 countries in 2015, the report somberly concludes. This is the largest such number over this gloomy ten-year period, during which the percentage of the worlds population that lives in free countries declined from 46 to 40 percent. These annual Freedom in the World reports, which describe and numerically rate the state of freedom in every country on earth, inevitably generate buzz, and this year will be no exception. And its not just the media. Ministers, diplomats, Washington policymakers, U.N. bureaucrats, and other international wheelers and dealers will be paying close attention. Theres little doubt that diplomatic cables reporting the latest scores are already flying and in some capitals (Im looking at you , Budapest) you can almost hear the gnashing of teeth. In spite of all this commotion, the ivory tower regards the exercise with a mixture of skepticism and exasperation. In spite of all this commotion, the ivory tower regards the exercise with a mixture of skepticism and exasperation. Over the last decade, political scientists have produced a wealth of literature documenting the annual reports biases and methodological problems. Their conceptual basis is flawed; the data collection is opaque; the results are overly simplified; Freedom House has a neo-liberal bias. Jay Ulfelder, a political scientist and independent consultant, has convincingly disputed Freedom Houses overall findings that freedom in the world is steadily declining for two years in a row And yet, flawed as they may be, Freedom Houses ratings still matter. They are a crucial tool for pro-democracy activists. They drive dictators crazy. And, perhaps most important of all, they get worldwide attention. The reason is simple: Unlike the number crunchers, Freedom House knows how to tell a story. And in the world of international human rights advocacy, one good story is worth a thousand finely tuned disaggregated indicators. There is good reason to treat the critics complaints seriously. Start with the obvious: how do you assign a number representing an amount of freedom to every country on earth? One social scientist who has worked on several Freedom House reports put it quite simply: The numbers are bullshit. The numbers are bullshit. The problem is that each countrys scores arent really a measure of anything concrete they are, in essence, assigned by feel. The people Freedom House hires for this job are generally experts on both the country in question and on democratic processes, so its not a question of competence. Rather, the problem is that awarding 0 to 4 points for each of a countrys 10 political rights indicators and 15 civil liberties indicators is, by definition, an arbitrary exercise. Take just one of these indicators, which are phrased in the form of questions: Is there open and free private discussion? So whats the score going to be? Two? Or three? What, exactly, does either choice mean? And are the dozens of researchers assigning scores to other countries interpreting the scale in the same way? The problem is compounded by the fact that Freedom House doesnt release these subscores individually; only in the aggregate. As a result, scholars laugh at how bad the measure is, said the social scientist (who declined to be named to preserve a good relationship with Freedom House), adding that graduate students who try to use the scores in a study get a polite but firm talking-to. Freedom Houses Arch Puddington, who is in charge of the reports, dismisses such criticisms, emphasizing that each countrys scores are reviewed, and adjusted as necessary, by additional experts and a core group of Freedom House staff. He has also promised more transparency: in future reports, he said, each score for each indicator will be made publically available. But theres a more fundamental problem that no review committee can address. No matter how carefully or systematically the scores are assigned, first you have to decide what youre going to measure and on this there can be no widely accepted consensus. Do you think free trade unions and peasant organizations and effective collective bargaining are as important as an independent judiciary? Freedom House does . But when these subjective judgments are collapsed into just a few numbers which are then treated as authoritative, impartial measures of something called freedom (or democracy; the distinction is often blurred) the result is something of a conceptual mess. To try to resolve these issues, or at least address them in a different way, a host of alternative indices have been devised in recent years. The problem is that, unless youre a democracy scholar, its a safe bet you havent heard of any of them. Perhaps the most ambitious is one of the most recent: faced with the impossible task of creating a single scientifically rigorous measure of freedom, the V-Dem index doesnt attempt to do so at all. Instead, it divides democracy into seven high-level principles, each of which are subdivided into about 400 minute and highly specific indicators with precise definitions and scoring guidelines, all of which are made publically available. This makes this index much more useful to academics than the Freedom House scores, which, in any event, were always meant more for advocacy than research. Alexander Cooley, a political scientist who has recently co-authored a book critiquing the spread of international rankings, has a broader criticism. Why, he asks, do we need to delegate our understanding of a particular countrys democratic trajectory to Freedom House? Why is it that we let these indicators and these scores about countries be a shortcut for our own judgment for grappling with these issues? Theres a simple answer. Its because people who are not democracy scholars (including diplomats and policymakers) can only pay so much attention to complex topics outside their areas of expertise. In their most extreme act of simplification, Freedom Houses reports boil down a host of complicated phenomena into a single value for each country: Free, Partly Free, or Not Free. Yes, its a shortcut but people need shortcuts. Yes, its a shortcut but people need shortcuts. Journalists need them when theyre trying to understand a country on deadline. Activists need them when hammering home an important point to a bored politician. Diplomats need them when pressing a reluctant government to open the window of freedom just a crack wider. And, in our schizophrenic, distracted age, we all need them to make sense of just what in the hell is actually going on. The most effective shortcut of all is a story and this is where Freedom House really excels. Unlike any of the other indices, Freedom in the World comes with an overview essay that paints a portrait of what happened over the previous year. The full version of the report also includes a detailed narrative for each country, noting the most important developments and providing context for the raw numbers. The reports are illustrated with colorful charts and maps. And with the full might of a 75-year-old organization behind them, they reach audiences around the world. A document published by V-Dem itself notes that the Freedom in the World index gets almost 367,000 Google hits. The next-most popular, Polity IV, gets just a fifth of that number, and none of the others come close. Its telling that, while producing these reports constitutes just a small fraction of Freedom Houses budget, they are, by far, the main thing the organization is known for. This makes the index a powerful policy tool. International development agencies follow each years results and use them to guide their policies. The Millennium Challenge Corporation even makes achieving some minimum score a formal requirement before it will disburse assistance. United States diplomats, too, pay close attention. A 2010 diplomatic cable from the embassy in Bahrain criticizes Freedom House for being too harsh on the U.S. ally (and repressive dictatorship). A 2007 cable from Cambodia, on the other hand, describes Freedom Houses upgrade of the countrys press rating from Not Free to Partly Free as a victory in its battle to get the government to clean up its act (Freedom Houses Freedom of the Press report is distinct from Freedom in the World, but uses a similar methodology). Foreign governments especially those that are sensitive about their reputations watch the reports closely. Foreign governments especially those that are sensitive about their reputations watch the reports closely. Russian officials, who have long had it in for Freedom House for its essential documentation of the countrys slide into authoritarianism, reacted with particular vehemence in 2007 after media reports inaccurately described Russia as having been given the lowest possible rating. Other governments respond more constructively. Freedom Houses Arch Puddington noted that the organization has had half a dozen meetings with diplomats and other officials from Hungary in the past 4-5 years because [they] take seriously our scores, which call into question the democratic bona fides of the government. When Kyrgyzstan was not upgraded in Freedom Houses press freedom report after its 2010 revolution, the new government was furious and immediately dispatched a delegation to discuss the results. Freedom in the World works not because its scientifically rigorous it works because it deftly packages a complex phenomenon into a powerful, easily-understood message. In that way, it betrays its origins as a labor of love by one man: Raymond Gastil, a social scientist who worked for Freedom House for nearly two decades, developed the survey and ran it for many years until it was taken over by a larger team in 1989. And, today no less than during the Cold War, its stories, not statistics, that have the power to change the world. A sentence to be pondered upon: I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. (Evelyn Beatrice Hall) I was one of the bus drivers taking the University of Mary students in Bismarck to participate in the March for Life in Washington, D.C. With a storm approaching D.C., it was decided to depart after the March for Life had concluded. Traffic came to a standstill on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The delay turned into a 20-hour delay. My job is to make each trip as safe, enjoyable and comfortable as possible for the passengers. There were many thoughts that ran through my mind as we sat there motionless throughout the night. At one point, the students began singing It Is Well With My Soul and I almost lost it. It was the exact same thing a dear friend of mine told me when he was dying of cancer. Such a calmness came over me and the bus. The students from the University of Mary never once complained during the whole trip. The students brought in cold travelers to warm up and use the restroom. They welcomed in a Muslim truck driver and sang "Happy Birthday" to him. I witnessed so many great acts of kindness on this trip and their strong relationship with God. We as drivers were so blessed to have taken this trip with such a wonderful sampling of students from the University of Mary. Thanks to the administration and staff that made the trip possible. Its not likely Ill see the students and staff here on Earth, again. You made our trip truly a blessing by your actions, deeds, kind words and including us in all of your activities. In an odd way, I really didnt want the trip to end. You represent the University of Mary very well it was a blessing to be stranded. Theoretically, a student could pass the states science test, get a high school diploma, and still know nothing about chemistry, physics or engineering. Thats because since 2009 the states science test for high school students has been exclusively on biology, and most years, kids had to pass it to graduate. This sounds bizarre to everyone now, given the national emphasis on more and better science education. And its why the state is designing a new test expected to be piloted spring 2017. It will be cover a wider array of sciences: earth, chemistry, biology and engineering. But already some educators are worrying it may be too difficult. For now, though, students and teachers are caught between past and future, because teachers started mingling the new standards into classes two years ago, yet students are still having to pass an exam that is exclusively on biology. Two bills in the state House would eliminate the need to pass the biology exam to graduate. And one of them, backed by Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn, would eliminate the need to pass any of the standardized exams including those in language and math to graduate. Mark Morris High School science teacher SueDean Langlois and Kelso High School science teacher Lynda Carlson say students need an end-of-course science test to hold them accountable. (Generally, passing rates among area students havent diverged much from state averages, ranging between 63 and 74 percent.) As a biology teacher, it helps me put spurs to the students, Langlois said. If the state is going to have high-stakes testing, they need to have a way for kids to prove that they know biology. Even the all-biology test has shortcomings, Langlois said, noting that it bypasses some key areas such as viruses and bacteria, for example. And if by chance a student simply cant pass, the process to prove that theyve learned the material called a collection of evidence is time consuming for students and teachers, said Kalama science teacher Peter Chapman. Broadening schools approach to science could attract more money to teach it, science teachers say. What gets tested gets money and attention, Langlois said, adding that she thinks Mark Morris has beefed up its biology curriculum and teaching staff because of the test. Hoping that theory works, Kalama staff this week applied for a $4 million grant to build a state-of-the-art science building. With labs, a lecture hall and collaborative spaces for teachers and students, the building will give the district the space and tools it needs to get students ready for science-related careers as well as college. Especially with all the studies coming out about all the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) jobs that will be available in the next 10 years, the need for science literate graduates is higher than ever, said Nathan Olson, a spokesman for the state superintendents office. Teachers are trying their best to prepare for a new science test, even if its not ready. Chapman tries to give his students a taste of many standards in his class to help prepare them for new standards, and to do that he uses a variety of teaching materials. Chapman and Carlson said they think the new test will better measure how well schools are teaching STEM skills in general, not just biology skills. For the first time, Chapman said Washington will be able to compare itself to the many other states that have adopted the same standards. Like many teachers, Langlois, Chapman and Carlson wish for some stability in standardized testing, noting the many changes the state has gone through in the last decade. And they want a test that causes less anxiety in other words, with lower stakes and that gives more immediate insight into students learning. The existing test, now taken at the end of the school year, can take months to grade and therefore is useless to teachers who want to help struggling students during the school year. Langlois also is worried the new test may be too difficult, causing chronically low scores that would cause the state to scrap it and start all over yet again. Kids will fail it badly, she said. And well rearrange our curriculum, and well do all this stuff, and they (the students) wont pass it, ... and theyll throw it out. That is the cycle of the state and testing. Were going back to what we did on the WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning). It didnt work then, and it wont work now. We were dumbfounded with the news this week that last year, high school seniors left $2.7 billion (yes, billion!) in financial aid on the table. The aid is from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA. Free money for higher education is being left unused. Weve heard about free college tuition from some candidates running for president. Other countries make it work, so why cant we? Its a big issue that wed like to see tackled. We believe that knowledge is power and education helps create a stronger and more stable work force. Education also helps to increase an individuals lifetime earnings. In a study published by the Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce, a person who holds a bachelors degree will earn about $2.27 million over their lifetime. Compare that to someone with only a high school diploma, whose earnings would be nearly $1 million less, and the difference is clear. While a free education might not seem feasible, there are programs out there to lighten the financial burden. And there is money out there free money to help students earn an education. Last year, high school seniors in the state of Washington left $53.7 million in FAFSA money unspent. That averages to $1,646 per eligible student. According to FAFSA, 50 percent of Washington state high school graduates didnt even fill out the form. This money is in the form of Pell Grants, which does not have to be paid back. The maximum amount available per person changes yearly. This year, that amount is $5,775. And a student can receive the Pell Grant for up to but no more than 12 semesters. Eligibility for the FAFSA funds is pretty simple. It requires a Social Security number, registration with Selective Service if required, be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or eligible non-citizen, have a high school diploma or GED, sign a certificate stating that the aid will be used for education and you are not in default on other loans or aid, have not been found guilty of selling or possessing illegal drugs while federal aid was being received and have a C-average minimum GPA. These are pretty basic requirements for a high school senior and the free applications take about 20 minutes to complete. As recipients of scholarships and Pell grants, we know firsthand that these type of programs help to give an individual a top notch education that might not have been accessible without them. According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition for the 201516 school year at a public college for in-state residents is $9,410. Private colleges average $32,405. Lower Columbia College charges an estimated $5,284 for a full-time student to study this entire school year. Thats $1,761 per quarter, including books and supplies. What this means is if student in Washington State is awarded a Pell Grant, they might be able to have from one quarter up to the entire year paid for in the form of a grant. Not bad for free money. Wed like every high school senior in our area to fill out this form. What is there to lose? hidden The latest version of the Yahoo! Mail application brings a host of qualities and functions that have already found success in increasingly popular email apps like Outlook and Inbox. Yahoo! Mail Following a major redesign in autumn 2015, the Yahoo! Mail app has been updated with a set of new functions. A group of messages can now be moved or deleted by pressing and holding the selection. Plus, its possible to toggle easily between Google, Outlook, AOL or several Yahoo! accounts. A set of customisable swipe controls have arrived too, so swiping a message in the inbox left or right can mark it as read, archive it, mark it as spam, move it to another folder or delete it completely. Yahoo! Mail is available to download free of charge from Apples App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). Outlook These are functions that have already been seen in other popular email apps, in particular, Outlook. Microsofts app is one of the most function-rich and innovative mobile email applications out there. It can manage a users various email accounts, calendars and files all in one handy app. Outlook also uses swipe actions for a quick way to sort through a long list of emails. Inbox While Yahoo! Mail and Outlook can be linked to accounts from other email services, Googles Inbox can only be used with Gmail accounts. Google is constantly innovating with this app, adding functions like the new Smart Reply tool which analyzes messages then suggests three short template responses based on their content. The application can even add real-time information relating to a messages content, such as the status of an online order. For a restaurant reservation, Inbox will automatically add a map to the confirmation email. Mailbox One of the main competitors for Googles Inbox is Mailbox, a service thats set to close on February 26, 2016. Developed by Dropbox, it was supposed to shake up the way we use email by letting users sort and archive messages in a new and intuitive way. Users can sort messages into lists, archive them or save them for later, keeping the inbox clutter-free. AFP hidden By Mahesh Bhalla Never before in Indias history, has there been a better time to be an entrepreneur. Indeed, there is a certain romance in the term start-up nowadays. We have seen our share of success stories in India and there is a certain pride in seeing Indian start-ups make it big. There is a fair amount of media coverage, especially about the ones that get high valuations, though arguably, the numbers may be frothy in many cases. But at what point does the romance cease - when does a start-up stop being a start-up? Is it based upon time (say, 5 years from inception)? Or turnover based (say, 100 crores in revenues, or to use a recent industry term Gross Merchandise Value)? Or should it be employee base (say, over 100 employees)? Unfortunately, there is no single benchmark and everyone has a different answer to this question. While there is romance in doing a start-up, no entrepreneur wants his start-up to remain a start-up forever; there is an ambition to scale for sure. In fact, the only facet of a start-up that companies of all sizes want to emulate, is the scrappiness in decision making and the ability to execute quickly on calculated risks. Other than those aspects, every company wants to mature in terms of scale, size, and processes. Entrepreneurs look for funding, industry connects, and mentoring to help scale their company. From an investors standpoint, the ability to scale is very important. At the end of the day, an investor is just that an investor. They want to put in their money and see a return in multiples, over a period of time. So, minimal downside (risk) to the business plan, with lots of upside, is what investors typically look for. Customers have a different lens. There is an inherent risk in being a customer of a start-up, as against buying from a larger, more mature company. Therefore, there only two reasons why a customer will buy from a start-up. One, if the product (or service) is very unique and not available from a larger, more established company, or Two, if it is delivered at a far superior value (read price), which balances the risk of buying from a start-up. This is why there is a deluge of young companies offering unbelievable deals and discounts, to lure customers to try out their services. Over the last few years, we have seen largely seen innovations in the aggregation space, be it information or delivery aggregation. We have seen several start-ups bringing multiple products and sellers onto a single platform (e-tailer or marketplace), aggregating taxi services, or even bringing about the ability to conveniently order from different restaurants. But the underlying essence in all of these has been about aggregation. I heard a speaker at an event talk about the last revolution being about moving electrons (information age), and the next one being about moving atoms (product delivery services, people transportation, drones, etc.). This certainly sounded like an interesting take on things. We would like to see innovation in solving some of Indias most pressing problems. We all know that farmers make a very small fraction of money as compared to the price customers pay for his farm produce; the supply chain is very inefficient with several middle-men, and a lack of cold storage facilities. How do we get farm produce to their end consumers more efficiently, so that the consumer pays less, and the farmer earns more? Bangalore produces 5,000 tons of garbage every day. Most of urban India struggles to dispose of its domestic waste. How do we dispose of this waste in an efficient and ecologically friendly manner? The typical urban worker in India spends 1-3 hours each day in trying to get to work and getting back home. How do we return this time back to their lives? It would be great to see a section of the newer wave of entrepreneurs focus on solving some of Indias pressing problems. The author is the President of Qwikcilver Solutions. He is an angel investor and actively involved in the startup space. This is the first part in a series on the startup ecosystem in India. Follow this space for more. Volleyball results from Thursday Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, 8:34 a.m. -- LAPEER COUNTY -- The Almont varsity volleyball team beat Madison Heights Lamphere and New Lothrop in a triple header at Almont Thursday. Dryden beat Bay City All Saints... Golf and tennis regional results Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, 5:41 p.m. -- LAPEER COUNTY -- Boys' high school tennis regionals and girls' golf regionals took place yesterday. Lapeer girls' golf placed 11th at the Div. 1 regional hosted by Oxford... Friday night football scores Friday, September 30, 2022 10:15 p.m. LAPEER COUNTY Lapeer beat Grand Blanc 39-17 at Lapeer to remain undefeated at 6-0. Almont upset Croswell-Lexington 37-26 North Branch routed Richmond 62-10 Imlay City/Dryden fell to Yale... Summer sports camps/clinics Wednesday, June 15, 2022, 4:40 p.m. -- LAPEER COUNTY -- Below is a list of the summer sports camps and clinics that will take place through early Aug. The regular sports update posting of high... Tree man! Staff Reporter : For the first time in Bangladesh, a patient suffering from rare "tree man illness" has been admitted to Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment. The patient, identified as Abul Bazandar, 25, hailed from Paikgachha of Khulna, is now undergoing treatment under supervision of Burn Unit Coordinator Dr Samanta Lal Sen, reported BBC Bangla Service on Saturday. He has been suffering from the disease for last ten years. Some parts of his hands and legs now look like roots of trees. Once he was a driver of a rickshaw van. But he has to leave the job since last six years due to said illness. "It was at first like a small tumour. It had started spreading after some days. I met village doctors, then I went to Khulna and Kolkata. But the disease did not stop. Now the doctors say it will need an operation," Abul Bazandar said while talking with media at DMCH. According to medical journals, epidermodysplasia verruciformis or colloquially called tree man illness. It is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder that affects human skin and increases the risk of carcinoma of the skin. It causes abnormal susceptibility to human papillomaviruses [HPVs], which eventually leads to the overgrowth of scaly macules and papules, especially on the feet and hands. Although several types of HPVs contribute to this condition, HPV types 5 and 8 are most commonly associated with tree man illness. These types are usually found in more than 80% of normal population but they aren't reactive and don't cause any symptoms either. The condition most often affects people between the age 1 and 20, but it may also hit middle-aged people as well. Syria conflict: Dozens killed near Sayyida Zeinab shrine The explosions took place near one of Syria`s holiest Shia shrines At least 45 people have been killed in three blasts near the Shia shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, south of the Syrian capital Damascus, state media say. The Islamic State group said on social media it had carried out the attack. The shrine, which is highly revered by Shia Muslims, has been targeted before, most recently in February last year. The attacks came as delegates from the Syrian government and opposition groups gathered in Geneva for tentative UN-sponsored peace talks. The main opposition group backed down from its threat to boycott the talks but says the Syrian government must meet key demands if negotiations are to start. The head of the Syrian government delegation at the Geneva talks, Bashar al-Jaafari, said the attack confirmed the link between the opposition and terrorism. Syrian state media say the blasts near Sayyida Zeinab were caused by a car bomb and two suicide bombers. TV footage showed burning buildings and destroyed cars. The shrine contains the grave of one of the Prophet Muhammad's grand-daughters. It continues to draw many Shia pilgrims, despite the civil war. -- bbc.com Demolition of Babri mosque shamed India: Mukherjee Dawn.com, Karachi : From the controversial and fateful storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar to the aftermath of Indira Gandhi's assassination to the demolition of the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee has been privy to many significant events in Indian history. In the second volume of his memoirs - "The Turbulent Years: 1980-96", released this week by Vice President Hamid Ansari - he has revealed what transpired behind the scenes during such events. In his book, the Indian president termed the inability to prevent the demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992 one of P.V. Narasimha Rao's biggest failures as prime minister. He also talks about how the incident "deeply wounded the sentiments of the Muslim community in India and abroad. "The demolition of the Babri Masjid was an act of absolute perfidy, which should make all Indians hang their heads in shame. It was the senseless, wanton destruction of a religious structure, purely to serve political ends. It deeply wounded the sentiments of the Muslim community in India and abroad. "It destroyed India's image as a tolerant, pluralistic nation where all religions coexist in peace and harmony," he writes. "In fact, the foreign minister of an important Islamic country later pointed out to me that such damage had not been inflicted on a mosque even in Jerusalem, which has seen religious conflicts for centuries." Talking about the Operation Blue Star in 1984 to flush out terrorists from the Golden Temple, he has recalled that then prime minister Indira Gandhi "understood the situation well and was clear that there was no other option. Aware that her own life was at risk, she took a conscious decision to go ahead in the best interest of the nation". "It can easily be said that the military operation could have been avoided. However, nobody really knows if any other option would have worked," he says. "Such decisions are always taken based on the conditions prevailing at that time. The situation in Punjab was abnormal. Urgent action was needed to put an end to the indiscriminate killings, the misuse of religious sites for terrorist activities and all efforts to break up the Indian union." About the aftermath of Mrs Gandhi's assassination, Mr Mukherjee writes: "After some time, he (Rajiv) came back and announced, 'She is dead.' There was absolute silence. Tears started rolling down my face, and I wept inconsolably, managing to compose myself only after some time and with great effort. "Rajiv was exceptionally calm and displayed total control and fortitude, possibly a trait he had inherited from his mother." Explaining how the party stalwarts decided to elevate Rajiv Gandhi to the post of prime minister, the Indian president says: "Once we were able to regain some semblance of composure, we began discussions on what was to be done next. Balram Jakhar, Ghani Khan Choudhury, Shyamlal Yadav, Uma Shankar Dikshit and Sheila Dikshit (Congress leaders) started discussing the future course of action amongst themselves, and I joined in a bit later. Work hard to push Bangladesh ahead UNB, Chittagong : President Abdul Hamid yesterday said there must be relentless efforts, self criticism and cooperation to turn Bangladesh into a middle income nation by 2021 and a developed nation by 2041. "Bangladesh is advancing towards prosperity. Significant advancement has been made in education, women empowerment, per-capita income, sanitation, agriculture and information technology sectors. But social discipline and democratic values have to be upheld to continue the progress," he said. The President made the statement while addressing the 4th Convocation of Chittagong University (CU) on its campus. At the convocation, a total of 7,194 students received degrees. Abdul Hamid underscored the need for making united effort so that the hard-earned democracy was not hampered. "The government has taken up programmes to turn Bangladesh into a middle income country by 2021 and a developed country by 2041. There must be continuous efforts, self-criticism and cooperation to implement these programmes. ..There must be duties and responsibilities," he added. Mentioning that research is one of important parts of higher education as it creates new knowledge, the President, also the Chancellor of the university, said "We have to put continuous efforts to upgrade the standard of education to international level. We have to expand the research area too." Congratulating the graduates for completing their university education successfully, the President said "Now you are graduates higher human resources of the country." He went on saying: "Today's convocation is giving recognition of your achievement and on the other hand, it is bestowing responsibilities on you and these responsibilities are towards your family, society, above all towards the country and nation." University Grants Commission Chairman Prof Abdul Mannan and Chittagong University Vice-chancellor Dr Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury spoke at the convocation while Professor Emeritus of Dhaka University Dr Anisuzzaman delivered the convocation speech. Life of few will not be safe if it is unsafe for all FEBRUARY comes here with colorful festivities for the jovial Bangladeshis and certainly Ekushey Book Fair is the center of all cheers. Since the inception of 'gathering of million hearts', the book fair over the decades has been getting more and more assiduously colorful diversity. The iconic book fair of the nation with the ever increasing magnificence and majesty has been grabbing the attention of million minds and hearts in arts and culture. But sometimes, a dark cloud hovers over the symbol of national integration due to shortcomings of security measures and outrageous attacks by fundamentalists. The last year book fair witnessed the horrified attack on a "free-thinker" and writer, who later succumbed to death, and the celebration rally of Bengali New Year was also mired in molestation that demands special security attention. As per media reports, Bangla Academy has taken all-out measures to prevent any untoward incident as the month-long festivity is taking place amid a challenge of ensuring security. Security experts fear militants may become active to flaunt their strength disguising huge gatherings. In the premises of the fair, writer Avijit Roy and Prof Humayun Azad were attacked and killed last year and 2004 respectively. We must say that life is precious; it matters for all, not to a few. So security must be ensured to all, escort to few notables or powerful persons is not what may make all safe and feel free from militants' hands. We all know crimes have grown manifold, outfit groups have money to engineer sabotage and what is awful is that nobody bothers when somebody falls victims. So all-out security measures and vigilance need to be at work inside the fair ground and outside so that any attackers can't run away from security nets. There can't be any recurrence of bloody incidents of last year's. Director of Bangla Academy has briefed newsmen that as many as 200 CCTV cameras and several watchtowers have been setup for proper monitoring of the area to avoid any untoward incident. He suggested writers and other intellectuals to remain careful while moving outside the fair. But, book publishers are not fully confident upon the assurances from Bangla Academy and law enforcing agencies. Citing the last year incident "an experience", the city police chief confirmed that law enforcers this year have taken additional measures to ensure adequate security in and around the fair. It is noteworthy that harsh security measures may also decrease the mood of the festival and fade out its brilliant colors. The law enforcers should also be vigilant to fending off molestation and harassment in the book fair. This year the diamond jubilee celebrations of Bangla Academy will hopefully add a new color to the fair. We think the law enforcers must take the challenge to conclude the book fair successfully. Ekushey Boi Mela begins today Massive security includes CC cameras, watch towers Dog squad being deployed in and around the venue of Ekushey Boi Mela beginning today (Monday) as part of massive security steps. Joynal Abedin Khan :The month-long Amar Ekushey Boi Mela begins today (Monday) on the Bangla Academy and the Suhrawardy Udyan premises amid the unprecedented four-tier security measures following a widespread anxiety of terror attack on free-thinkers.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the programme at the main venue of the academy premises at 3:00pm.The Prime Minister will hand over Bangla Academy Literary Award 2015 at the inaugural ceremony on the day, Bangla Academy Director General Professor Shamsuzzaman Khan told The New Nation on Sunday afternoon. The award recipients are-Altaf Hossain (poetry), Shaheen Akhtar (fiction), Abdul Momen and Dr Atiur Rahman (jointly for essay), Moniruzzaman (research), Abdus Selim (translation), Tajul Mohammad (literature on Liberation War), Faruk Chowdhury (biography and travelogue), Masum Reza (drama), Sharif Khan (science, technology and environment) and Sujan Barua (juvenile literature).A copy of the newly edited 'Adhunik Bangla Ovidhan' published by Bangla Academy will be handed over to the premier, the DG said. British poet Joe Winter who translated the poetry of Jibanananda Das, African writer Martin Reback and Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduz-zaman Noor will be present on the occasion, among others. The academy will also unveil the Braille and audio version of the book titled 'Bangabandhu Birgatha' written by Sayed Shamsul Hoque, said Professor Shamsuzzaman Khan. The theme of the incumbent year of the Boi Mela is 'Diamond Jubilee of Bangla Academy', Jalal Ahmed, Member Secretary of the Boi Mela organising committee, told The New Nation on Sunday afternoon. Jalal Ahmed said that the academy authorities have taken all-out measures to make the mela a success. The mela will remain open for all from 3:00pm to 8:00pm on the working days while 11:00am to 8:00pm on holidays, he said. A total of 651 stalls have been allocated to 402 organisations this year. Of them, 82 organisations got 111 stalls on the academy premises while 320 organisations got 540 stalls at Suhrawardy Udyan. This year the Suhrawardy Udyan ground of the fair has been divided into 15 parts, which are named after 15 prominent personalities. They are language martyrs Abul Barkat, Abdus Salam, Shafiur Rahman, Rafiq Uddin Ahmad, Abdul Jabbar, martyred intellectuals Monir Chowdhury, Munier Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta, Altaf Mahmud, Sirajuddin Hossen, Dr Alim Chowdhury, Selina Parvin, writer Sajedul Karim, Habibur Rahman, Foyez Ahmad and Rokonuzzaman Khan Dada Bhai.A corner of little magazine will be set up in the southern part of the academy premises.Children's corner, which used to be set up inside the Bangla Academy, has been shifted to Suhrawardy Udyan this year. The month-long fair will also feature special day 'Sishu Prahar' to give special opportunity to the kids.New books will be unveiled at the Nazrul Mancha while discussion and cultural programmes will be held at the main stage during the month-long mela. Two media centres, an information centre and Lekhok Adda will also be established at the fair.The publishers will sell their books with 25 percent commission while Bangla Academy books will be sold with 30 percent commission. On the other hand, the 3rd day of the Boi Mela will feature an International Poetry Festival with the presence of poets from both home and abroad, including Slovakia, Morocco, Sweden, Taiwan, UK and India.Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia categorically said that they have taken four-tier security measures to avert any untoward situation during the Boi Mela.The DMP boss came up with the information while briefing journalists about the security of the mela at DMP media centre on Sunday morning.Assaduzzaman Mia said, "Based on previous experiences of killing of blogger Avijit Roy and other attacks, the law enforcers will work to ensure the security of visitors during the Boi Mela.""We have list of bloggers and we are ensuring security for them. Despite having the steps, if any bloggers feel insecure, we will arrange special security for him as well," said the DMP Commissioner.He also mentioned that the road in front of Bangla Academy where blogger Avijit Roy was killed last year was not adequately lighted.We have requested Dhaka University and the concerned city corporation authorities to provide adequate lighting in and around the Boi Mela premises, the DMP boss said. Special safeguard teams of police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansar and intelligence agencies will be deployed in and around the venue and its adjacent areas, he said. Some 250 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be installed in and around the venue of the mela which is nearly four times the number of CCTV cameras from last year, the DMP Commissioner said. "Besides these, walk-through metal detectors and watch towers will also be set up in the area for security and surveillance. There will be nine watch towers, from which we will monitor the area round-the-clock," he further said.The law enforcing agencies will control traffic movement from Suhrawardy Udyan via Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University to Doyel Chattar intersection during the month-long Boi Mela. British pilot killed by poachers in Tanzania Roger Gower AP, Johannesburg :A conservation group working in Tanzania says a British helicopter pilot has been shot and killed by elephant poachers who firedon his aircraft. The Friedkin Conservation Fund says in a statement that Roger Gower was shot on Friday while flying on a joint operation with Tanzanian wildlife authorities who were trying to track and arrest the poachers.The Texas-based group, which oversees a number of wildlife areas in Tanzania, says Gower's death highlights the "appalling risk" of protecting wildlife in a country whose elephant population has been slaughtered in large numbers. Canada ex-mafia boss Zito shot dead BBC Online :A former Mafia boss has been shot dead at his home in the Canadian city of Toronto. Rocco Zito, 87, had been a senior member of the notorious 'Ndrangheta, or Calabrian mafia, based in southern Italy, according to Canadian media. He was once one of Toronto's most powerful mafia leaders, the Toronto Sun reported.Zito's son-in-law, Domenico Scopelliti, has been charged with murder after turning himself in to police.Police said officers arrived at Zito's home on Friday to find a man with gunshot wounds. Attempts were made to resuscitate him but he died of his injuries. Laws soon to block bails to militants Over 150 hardcore criminals awaiting freedom: Terror financiers under vigil: Instant investigation against mobile threat Sagar Biswas : The government has decided to take legal steps to check bail procurement of militants, terrorists and hardcore criminals with a view to keeping law and order situation under control. At present over 150 listed criminals, convicted of murder, kidnapping, militancy, sabotage, drug trafficking and other organized crimes, are waiting to come out of jail getting bail from the relevant courts using the loopholes of existing laws, official sources said. Apart from it, several members of crime rackets have recently managed bail just within hours of their arrest exercising monetary or political influence, which has also become a major concern of the government high-ups, the sources added. "The government will take legal steps so that criminals cannot secure bail easily after their arrest. The decision was taken at a meeting of Cabinet Committee on law and order on Sunday. The meeting also decided to strengthen anti-narcotics drive and nab the drug traffickers," Minister for Industries Amir Hossain Amu said. Amu, who is also head of the Cabinet Committee, said, "Several criminals those were arrested on charge of terrorism, sabotage, drug trafficking and other crimes have secured bail in the recent time. So, the cabinet committee has decided to harden the relevant laws. We will ask the concerned department to make laws more critical so that the hardcore criminals cannot get bail." Sources close to the Home Ministry said that police and other security agencies are now worried fearing possible breakdown of law and order as about 150 local hardcore criminals may come out from jails in the next few months getting bail from different courts. Senior officials of law enforcement agencies, including Rapid Action Battalion [RAB], reportedly expressed anxiety over the issue in a meeting held at Police Headquarters recently. Later, the decision of the meeting was transmitted to 64 district headquarters where the Superintendents of Police [SPs] were asked to conduct special directives and take extra precaution about the criminals. According to sources, top terror Sweden Aslam, who has been facing 18 criminal cases, including several murders, with different police stations, may be freed from jail getting bail from court. Another top terror Tofail Ahmed alias Joseph is also waiting for coming out of jail. Recently the High Court cancelled his death sentence and awarded him with life term. His jail term [14 years] has been completed recently and so, there is no bar to let him free. Of the top terrors, Islami Chhatra Shibir laeder Nasir obtained bail in 16 cases out of 17. Besides, Tofail Ahmed alias Joseph, Arman Mia and Sanjedul Islam Imon have got bail in eight cases out of nine. The situation is all the same for other criminals. Police Headquarters sources said that like Sweden and Joseph, about 150 hardcore criminals are now waiting to come out of jails. Most of the criminals have managed bail in last one year by exercising political influence, the sources said. Meeting sources said that the government has decided to take tough stance against Yaba, a synthetic drugs usually trafficked from neighbouring Myanmar. The elite force Rapid Action Battalion [RAB] recently caught two large consignments of Yaba and secured huge important information about the drug racket from the arrestees. "We have started negotiation with Myanmar government to stop Yaba smuggling from there. The smuggling of Phensidyl is now reduced due to effective measures taken by Indian government," the Minister disclosed. In the latest incident, one person was killed in a violent dacoity at a jewellry shop in the city on Saturday night. The Cabinet Committee, however, expressed satisfaction over the present law and order situation. "The incidents of murder, robbery, dacoity and others are now in tolerable figure," said Amu. About terror financing issue, Amu said, "We have got enough evidences and proofs about the terror financing, and we have discussed the matter in the Cabinet Meeting for several times. The relevant agencies have also conducted investigation into the matter. The government will take tough legal action against financers of terrors." The Industries Minister said that law enforcement agencies have taken extra precautionary measures to check issuance of death threat and extortion through mobile phones. "The police have been asked to initiate an instant investigation even if anyone complains verbally," he said. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and other officials concerned were present at the cabinet committee meeting. Allocate budgets for SDGs UNB, Dhaka : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged the Speakers and parliamentarians of South Asia for allocating budgets enabling the countries to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as it is a collective journey. "As a key institution of democracy, parliaments have an important role to play in making the SDGs a success. Practical steps need to be taken to advance the integration of the goals at the national level and monitor progress," she said. Sheikh Hasina was addressing the closing session of the first-ever South Asian Speaker's Summit on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) at a city hotel in the afternoon. She also pledged to build political will in South-Asian Parliaments to implement the SDGs through partnership, dialogue and cooperation with key stakeholders, including citizens, civil society, community and religious leaders, and young people. About the Dhaka Declaration of the Summit on achieving the SDGs, Hasina said she and her government fully endorse the declaration. Noting that Bangladesh has made a tremendous success in achieving the MDGs, she said, "We want to sustain the momentum of the MDGs, build on their successes and transform Bangladesh to realise the SDGs. "I believe Agenda 2030 is about a collective journey the international community has to deliver on the means of implementation. Recognising fully the interdependence between health and development, the Prime Minister said she firmly believes that parliaments in regions and beyond must increase their efforts in both quantitative and qualitative terms to ensure healthy lives as propounded in SDG-3, by tackling the growing burden of tobacco related diseases in particular and non-communicable diseases in general, seemingly pervasive in the countries. Terming Tobacco as now an epidemic, Hasina said in South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka) the estimated total number of tobacco users is 384 million, which accounts for over a third (34.8 percent) of the total tobacco users in the world (about 1.1 billion). "The economic and health costs of tobacco use in all of these countries are staggering. In India and Bangladesh alone, tobacco kills over 1.1 million people annually based on conservative estimates," she said. Hasina said, her government would take all possible measures for effective implementation of existing tobacco control laws and in turn we will make our laws fully complaint with FCTC in line with our national priorities to achieve SDGs. Organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Bangladesh National Parliament hosted the summit while the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids provided technical support and cooperation. Held with President of IPU Saber Hossain Chowdhury in the chair, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Sri Lanka Thilanga Sumathipala, Speaker of the House of the People, Afghanistan Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi, Speaker of the National Assembly (Tshogdu), Bhutan Jigme Zangpo, Speaker of the Majlis, the Maldives Abvdulla Maseeh Mohamed, Speaker of Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad), Bangladesh Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, and Speaker of the House of the People (Lok Sabha), India, Sumitra Mahajan, among others, spoke at the closing session of the Summit. Saber Hossain Chowdhury also made a presentation on the summary of Dhaka declaration. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe . NEWS AND VIEWS THAT IMPACT LIMITED CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT "There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty." - - - - John Adams The Gay Courier has been established to provide news, information and info on, from and about the gay community, and other social events and happenings from around the world, from all sorts of sources, to all who are interested in this news, information and info! The postings are as is, and all copyrights and or ownerships are and remain with the original copyright-holder and or owner! If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs. Monet rahapelien ystavat ovat viime vuosina loytaneet netticasinot ja olleet ihmeissaan. Verrattuna kotimaisen Veikkauksen kivijalkarahapeleihin puhutaan aivan eri tason palautusprosenteista ja lisaksi pelaaminen on aarimmaisen helppoa ja turvallista. Netticasinoiden maara on tana paivana todella suuri ja niita loytyy jokaiseen lahtoon, suurin ongelma aloittelevalla pelaajalla onkin tehda valinta siita, minka netticasinon valitsee. Kaikkien netticasinoiden mainospuheet naet lupaavat kauniita asioita ja niiden lapinakeminen on tietysti tarkeaa. Nyrkkisaantona voidaan kuitenkin jo kattelyssa todeta, etta jos valitsemasi netticasino on lisensoitu ETA-alueella, sen kanssa ei tule olemaan ongelmia, ellei niita itse jarjesta. Kay tutustumassa parhaisiin netticasinoihin osoitteessa www.ilmaiskierroksia.info! Ensimmainen nyrkkisaanto on siis varmistaa, etta valitsemallasi netticasinolla on ETA-alueen lisenssi. Suurimmassa osassa tapauksista se on Maltan eli MGA:n lisenssi. Myos Viron, Englannin ja Gibraltarin lisensseja nakyy ja naissa valvonta on jopa Maltaa tiukempaa. Lopputulema on kuitenkin se, etta ETA-alueen lisenssi takaa suomalaisille verovapaat voitot seka sen, etta niita valvotaan kontrolloidusti. Maailmalla on iso nippu Curacaon lisenssilla toimivia netticasinoita ja niistakin suurin osa on laadukkaita. Ne eivat kuitenkaan ole suomalaisille asiakkaille verovapaita, joten emme suosittele niita. Tana paivana markkinoille on ilmaantunut paljon ETA-alueella toimiva netticasinoita ilman rekisteroitymista. Jos tarkoitus on vain pelata yksittaisia pelikertoja, on varsin helppo suositella naita. Netticasinot ilman rekisteroitymista tarjoavat palvelun tunnistautumisen verkkopankin avainlukulistan avulla ja saman palvelun kautta tapahtuvat talletukset ja mahdolliset voittojen nostot silmanrapayksessa. Normaaleihin netticasinoihin pitaa asiakkaan rekisteroitya, tehda talletukset ja tunnistautua dokumenttien avulla. Tama on lisenssiehtojen mukainen kaytanto, eika kovinkaan monimutkainen, mutta silti monet asiakkaat haluavat yksinkertaista ja nopeaa palvelua. Toki normaalit netticasinot tarjoavat usein asiakkailleen laadukkaita talletusbonuksia ja erilaisia kampanjoita, joten kannattaa tarkkaan punnita, kumman ratkaisun valitsee. Kannattaa myos muistaa, etta tunnistautuminen tehdaan vain kerran, joten mikaan jatkuva riippakivi se ei ole. Suomalaiset asiakkaat ovat netticasinoille tarkeita, joten kaikilla vahankin laadukkailla netticasinoilla on suomenkieliset sivut seka suomenkielinen asiakaspalvelu suomenkielisyys kannattaakin ottaa netticasinoa valittaessa nyrkkisaannoksi. Vaikka tana paivana englanninkielisyys on harvoille ongelma, on suomenkielisten netticasinoiden maara niin valtava, etta suosittelemme niiden kayttoa. Rahansiirrot ovat tana paivana niin hyvassa mallissa, etta niiden kanssa tuskin tulee mitaan ongelmia. Kolme tarkeinta segmenttia: Suomalaiset verkkopankit, luottokortit (Visa, Mastercard) seka nettilompakot (Skrill, Neteller) loytyvat jokaisesta laadukkaasta netticasinosta. Viime vuosien trendiksi noussut verkkokauppa on kehittanyt rahansiirrot niin laadukkaiksi ja nopeiksi, etta niiden suhteen ei ole enaa vuosiin ollut ongelmia. Luonnollisesti netticasinot kayttavat naita samoja palveluita ja hyotyvat kehityksesta. Naiden isojen linjojen jalkeen netticasinon valintaan vaikuttavat luonnollisesti tarjottavat tervetuliaisbonukset uudet asiakkaat saavat tana paivana kovan kilpailun myota merkittavia etuja netticasinoilta ja niita kannattaa luonnollisesti vertailla. Erilaiset talletusbonukset, ilmaiskierrokset seka ilmaiset pelirahat tuovat suuriakin rahanarvoisia etuja ja niiden vertailu on ehdottomasti kannattavaa. Myoskaan useampien tilien avaaminen ja tervetuliaistarjousten kayttaminen ei missaan nimessa ole huono idea. Kun edella mainitut asiat ovat mieleisia ja vaihtoehtoja on vielakin jaljella, mennaan jo nyansseihin. Toki pelivalikoima on yksi kriteeri, mutta taman paivan netticasinoissa tamakin asia on paasaantoisesti varsin samanlainen. Toki useamman samantasoisen netticasinon vertailussa kannattaa yleensa valita se, jossa on eniten peleja tarjolla. Vaikka omat suosikit loytyisivatkin useammasta, voi tulevaisuudessa mielenkiinto nousta joihinkin muihin peleihin ja silloin on tietysti mukavampaa, etta ne loytyvat valikoimista. Viimeisena voidaan nostaa esiin kaytettavyys joidenkin netticasinoiden sivut ovat vilkkuvia, valkkyvia ja epakaytannollisia. Omaan silmaan ja kaytettavyyteen sopiva sivusto on luonnollisesti aina se paras valinta. Tarjonta netticasinoissa on tana paivana valtava ja jokaiselle loytyy varmasti se oma netticasino onnea matkaan! Please consider a donation. We are a 501c3 Nonprofit and 100% volunteers working with law enforcement and families of missing. We thank you, in advance. President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war? You voted: By AM Sunday, January 31, 2016 Share Tweet Share Share Email Robert Manne* for your very perceptive, wise and sensitive opinion piece (The Age, 19/1/16) on asylum seekers and refugees being held on Nauru and Manus Islands. The remote, tropical Pacific islands of Manus Island (in northern Papua New Guinea) and Nauru first became the locations for Australias offshore immigration detention centres in 2001, when former Prime Minister John Howard launched the Pacific Solution. Labor reopened them in 2012 as part of a plan to prevent any asylum seeker arriving by boat from gaining resettlement in Australia. Liz Thompson, a former migration agent involved in refugee-assessment interviews on Manus, described the process on SBSs Dateline as a farce, saying, Manus Island is an experiment in the ultimate logic of deterrence, designed to frustrate the hell out of people and terrify them so that they go home. Offshore detention is designed to be so brutal that asylum seekers are forced into despair and agree to go back home to whatever they have fled. The purpose of dumping people in such remote locations is to deny them proper legal support, medical services and contact with the Australian public. Nauru is 3000 kilometres from the Australian mainland, while Manus Island lies 300 kilometres north of the main island of Papua New Guinea. Conditions on Nauru There were 543 asylum seekers and up to 500 people recognized as refugees on Nauru on 30 November 2015. On Nauru, according to Dr Robert Adler, a paediatric psychiatrist who worked there providing medical services, Families were living under a marquee, separated from one another with plastic sheets, with no easily accessible toilet or kitchen facilities, no privacy and no air-conditioning in 40 degree heat. Since late 2014 there have been a series of bashings, robberies and rapes on asylum seekers and refugees, as locals blame them for taking jobs and bringing high-handed Australian expats to their island. The change to an open centre arrangement, where the detention centre gates are open, has changed little. There is no other accommodation outside the centres for people to move to. There is not enough transport to take more than a fraction of the asylum seekers out of the camp at any one time. And many are too afraid to leave the camps because of the threat of bashings and rape. Lateline has recorded 20 rapes or sexual assaults of refugee women on Nauru in the last year. Nazanin, an Iranian asylum seeker raped in May 2015, was only brought to Australia in August. Recommendations from doctors in Australia and Nauru that Nazanins brother and mother be brought to Australia to aid her recovery have been ignored by the Immigration Department. The case of Abyan, the raped Somali refugee, exposed the lies and brutal mistreatment of refugees by the Minister for Immigration, Peter Dutton and the Immigration Department. Dutton lied when he said Abyan had changed her mind and no longer wanted a termination. The Guardian reported that he ignored three separate IHMS recommendations to transfer Abyan, the first on 16 September, confirming advocates version of events. Manus Island There are 934 people detained on Manus Island. Amnesty International described the situation on Manus Island as tantamount to torture, after visiting the centre in November 2013. In February 2014 Reza Barati was murdered in the Manus Island detention centre during an attack on asylum seekers by PNG guards. During the attack another man was shot in the hip and others lost eyes. Threats from locals against the asylum seekers continue. Medical and other services are grossly inadequate. In August 2014 a second asylum seeker, Hamid Kehazaei, died after a simple skin infection developed into septicaemia. Former Manus Island doctor John Vallentine told the ABCs Four Corners that the centre was just a disaster, medically, saying it was just too remote to provide proper services there. Infections and skin diseases are rife among the asylum seekers on Manus Island. In addition to the extreme humidity, broken toilets mean asylum seekers are forced to walk through raw sewerage, often barefoot. About one in six people living on Manus Island contract malaria each year. Asylum seekers suffer snakes inside their accommodation, malaria, lack of malaria tablets, no mosquito nets, [and] inedible food that often has cockroaches in it, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Neither Nauru not Manus Island can provide safety, security or a future for asylum seekers or refugees. The government is attempting to find other countries to agree to resettle them, but has so far failed. PNG is a poor country that is unable to accommodate refugees permanently. It still has no arrangements in place to resettle the asylum seekers, more than two years after the PNG deal was first signed under Kevin Rudd in 2013. On top of everything else, it is now clear that asylum seekers lives are in danger if they stay there. The attempt to send refugees to Cambodia has also proven farcical. Just five have been resettled there, at a cost of $55 million. One already wants to go back home to Burma. Cambodia is one of the worlds least developed countries and has no infrastructure for resettlement. It is also guilty of refoulement (the forcible return of refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they are liable to be subjected to persecution). In 2009, the government deported two Uighur refugees seeking asylum back to China, the country they fled. The Philippines has also refused to accept refugees from Manus or Nauru. The latest country floated as a destination is Kyrgyzstan. Information from Refugee Action Coalition, Sydney, Australia. Melbourne activist and writerin a letter expresses appreciation to:Indeed the refugee boat crisis is over now and there is no logical reason to keep these people seeking asylum imprisoned in such dire conditions on remote islands anymore.Many of these people have fled horrible situations and instead of helping them heal our government have held them locked up and caused more misery and torment. The terrible effects on the health of these already fragile people and the great financial cost of keeping them in prison camps are deplorable and unjust. These people and their skills will have tremendous worth to this country and we should be positively utilising these, allowing them to contribute, instead of inflicting even more harm on them.Like all of us, these fellow humans want a safe, peaceful place for their families to live and decent shelter, food and work. I hope our politicians will listen to Robert Mannes and others compassionate pleas for common sense to prevail and we can very soon see an end to offshore detention and these long suffering people released to live the productive and happy lives they deserve to have.Apart from anything else the present plight of these people on these island camps should disturb us, as it demeans us as a people and nation. The asylum seekers and refugees must be brought to Australia, the country that is responsible for them. These cruel and expensive offshore detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru ought to be closed.Detention on Manus and Nauru islands alone cost the government $1.2 billion to June 2015. This huge amount of money could be better used to reverse government cuts and boast spending on health care, jobs and education.The cost of allowing a refugee to live in the general community is $35 000, compared to $225, 000 in detention on Manus Island or Nauru. Closing down offshore detention centres on Manus Island, will save over $827 million and on Nauru, save $970 million.Robert Mannes heartfelt words should make us look at this issue more deeply and with more empathy and kindness, as there are other viable, humane ways to resolve this situation that also saves billions of dollars that is wasted imprisoning people on these islands.*Robert Manne, is a leading Australian public intellectual, academic, lecturer and writer. He is an Emeritus Professor of politics at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. KSN&C is intended to be a place for well-reasoned civil discourse...not to suggest that we dont appreciate the witty retort or pithy observation. Have at it. But we do not invite the anonymous flaming too often found in social media these days. This is a destination for folks to state your name and speak your piece. It is important to note that, while the Moderator serves as Faculty Regent for Eastern Kentucky University, all comments offered by the Moderator on KSN&C are his own opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of the Board of Regents, the university administration, faculty, or any members of the university community. On KSN&C, all authors are responsible for their own comments. See full disclaimer at the bottom of the page. Thoughts and stuff about science and history. The S.P.D. Murder of John T. Williams On a sunny, warm Seattle August day in 2010, Native American wood carver John T. Williams was murdered by the Seattle Police Department as he walked down the crowded downtown streets while on his normal daily routine of carving small totem poles with a small pen knife, then selling them to the tourists that flock by the Seattle Public Market. Seattle Police Officer Ian Birk noticed Mr. Williams walking down the city streets and deemed him a threat, do in major part I believe - simply because he was Native American. Williams was one of many homeless Native Americans who roam downtown Seattle. These people are usually dismissed and overlooked by Seattles daily bustle of businessmen, the working class, and tourists. When the officer approached Williams from behind, and then ordered him to freeze and drop his small carving knife and a stick of carving wood he was carrying, Williams was hard of hearing in one ear, and failed to hear the police officer over the traffic and pedestrians, thus did not immediately comply; officer Birk then instantly felt that this gave him the right to use lethal force against John T. Williams. No threat was ever given by the homeless woodcarver. Officer Ian Birk coldly gunned down John T. Williams from behind, murdering him in the streets of Seattle, Wash, right in front of many horrified citizens who later professed that they felt no threat from the homeless Native American man whatsoever. The officer was fired thats it, and was allowed to live his life somewhere else, work a steady job, live in a nice house, somewhere out of media sight, and out of the publics mind; smug in the fact that he got away with legal murder with just a slap on the wrist. We must all remember that this type of legal homicide happens every day all over this nation of ours, by those sworn to Serve and Protect us. And that this violent tragedy can happen to anyone, or anybodys family members, especially if they are citizens of color. This makes it everybodys problem who believes in justice, personal safety from unwarranted persecution, and true American freedom in the society they live in. Let us still remember John T Williams, and never forget the fact that he was ruthlessly murdered by the S.P.D. The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. At 5:58 p.m. Saturday, Carbondale Police Department responded to a reference to a victim with a gunshot wound in the 700 block of East Grand Avenue. The victim reported walking in the area of Cedarview Drive, south of East Walnut Street, when a black male suspect approached with a firearm and demanded personal property. Two other black male suspects appeared and a physical altercation took place between the victim and the suspects, during which the victim suffered a gunshot wound to his shoulder, believed to be a non-life threatening injury. The victim was treated at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale and will be transported to a St. Louis area hospital. Anyone with information should call the police department at 618-457-3200, the Carbondale/SIU Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 618-549-2677 or Murphysboro/Jackson County at 618-687-2677. Tips can also be made on the Crime Stoppers tab at www.carbondalepolice.com. Original story: CARBONDALE Police are investigating the shooting of a man Saturday evening who was picked up from a local bar/club in Carbondale. The man, who was not identified, was taken to the hospital, according to Lt. Matt Dunning of the Carbondale Police Department. Dunning said the man was shot in the upper right shoulder area and was talking to police when he was taken to the hospital. Police were alerted around 5:50 p.m. Saturday about the shooting victim by staff at the Pinch Penny, whose parking lot was filled Saturday evening with area students and others celebrating Polar Bear, a mid-winter event targeting students. A handful of Pinch Penny staffers declined to comment about the shooting Saturday night. The shooting did not happn at that business, Dunning said. Dunning would not disclose whether the shooting victim was a student or not. Illinois State Police assisted with the search. CAIRO Cairo united will never be defeated. That was the rallying cry of about 30 people who marched 14 blocks through the heart of Cairo on Saturday morning to show solidarity and support for their struggling community. A dozen or so other people cheered them on along the way. We have to come together and show that we still have a voice, said Gabrielle Harris, who organized the Cairo Matters walk. Harris is the owner of G&L Clothing, as well as vice president of the Cairo School District board and director of the addiction intervention program at Chesi Community Health Emergency Services, Inc. After the walk, the participants met at a community center also owned by Harris, and talked about strategies for getting involved and making positive changes. Its going to be more than just a march, Harris said. At the meetings conclusion, Harris pitched a community forum as a next step, and asked for volunteers to help plan it. Harris said he plans to organize the forum for late February, and invite various public and agency officials to speak to the community and share their own ideas and concerns, as well as to make themselves available to answer questions from citizens. Brittany Matthews, a lifelong Cairo resident, said she joined the march because she wants to offer her support and time to any efforts that can make a difference in Cairo. We have to remain active so that we can better our town for the families and the kids, said Matthews, an SIU student studying early childhood education. At the top of the meeting that followed the walk, Harris wrote on a large notepad, What is the problem? and then asked the people in attendance to begin answering that question. The problems attendees named included a lack of businesses, inadequate housing, high utility bills, a lack of community involvement, parent involvement and accountability and transparency among governmental bodies and elected leaders. Steve Tarver, an owner of the Talk of the Town bar in Cairo, said that when the community is upset about the actions of elected or appointed leaders, they need to show up at meetings by the hundreds to make a statement. He encouraged people to attend meetings of the Alexander County Board and housing authority board to voice concerns about problems within public housing as well as with its management. "If we lose housing, we lose the city," Tarver said. Sharon Rembiesa, who has lived in Cairo since the late-1970s, said she participated in walk because she has concerns about the quality of the public housing, as she recently moved into the Shuekmaker building, and is battling infestation. Rembiesa said shes also worried about Cairo's struggling economy. I hope that they can get stuff like a grocery store again, she said. Its difficult when you dont have a vehicle to get transportation to towns where there is a grocery store. The towns only grocery store, Wonder Market, closed in December. There is a Dollar General in Cairo, but food options are limited, especially in terms of fresh produce. The next closest grocery stores are about 10 minutes away, in Mounds, and Wickliffe, Kentucky. Public transportation is available, but taking the bus, depending on where one is on the drop off and pickup schedule, can take hours, she said. If someone gives her a ride, Rembiesa said shes often asked for $10 to get to Wickliffe or Mounds, and $20 to $30 to go to Cape Girardeau. On a fixed income, she said, spending that amount of money on transportation eats into her grocery budget, and could mean she runs low on healthy food options by month's end. In his State of the State speech on Wednesday, Gov. Bruce Rauner laid out a 10-point plan for education that called for a bevy of policy changes, including increased funding to support small and rural schools. In Southern Illinois, K12 administrators applauded some of the bullet points especially increased funding but said they had little confidence 2016 would bring anything but business-is-usual in Springfield. Rauner's 10-point plan for education 1. Work closely with President Cullerton to significantly increase state support for educati I am hopeful, said Greg Goins, superintendent of Frankfort Community Unit School District 168. But this is not a new problem. This is my 14th year as a superintendent. Every year we talk about it. There has to be a change in the school funding formula. Illinois K12 schools have been underfunded since 2011, receiving only a portion of the general state aid owed them. The trend has disproportionately impacted poorer districts, which rely more heavily on the funds. Rauner increased general state aid by $207 million, or 4.7 percent, this past year, but that not enough to restore it to 100 percent. Goins said district superintendents are dealing with a lot of anxiety right now because theres a chance state aid could be prorated late in the fiscal year, as it has been in years past, leaving districts with even less money than they were promised at the beginning of the year. We need stability in Illinois when it comes to finances and state funding, and we havent had that in a very long time, he said. PARCC in Flux? Another of Rauners proposals hinted at an uncertain future for Illinoiss newly adopted standardized test, PARCC. The computer-based exam replaced the Illinois Standards Achievement Test, or ISAT, and the Prairie State Achievement Exam, this past year. Some administrators said it would come as no surprise to see the governor distancing himself from the controversial exam. PARCC was a disaster, said Steve Webb, superintendent at Goreville Community Unit School District 1. Theres a lot of issues with PARCC and a lot of frustration for schools and parents. I think distancing himself from a disaster such as PARCC at this point, and Common Core, is probably not a bad idea. In Goreville, test administrators encountered technical glitches that resulted in dropped answers and delayed test taking. It just was not ready to be administered, Webb said. Educators didnt receive students scores until late 2015, which made it impossible to glean any helpful information for the new school year, he said. Steve Murphy, superintendent of Carbondale Community Unit School District 165, said he wouldnt be surprised if the state decides to replace PARCC altogether in high schools. Illinois recently signed a contract with College Board, the company that administers the SAT. Murphy said that companys test offerings could easily stand in for the polemic PARCC exam, while also decreasing the number of tests students have to take. Murphy said its been curious to watch education discussions or lack thereof play out in the national political process this year, too. We have a major presidential race going on right now, and almost no one has talked about education, he said. And I think its because no ones quite sure what to say about it. No ones sure what mine theyre going to step into if they mention it. Educating the Whole Child Rauner also recommended creating the Cabinet on Children and Youth to better align our health and human services with our cradle to career education. Murphy said hes happy to see the governor embracing the connection between a healthy, nurturing home and student success. I think the governor has a desire there to say, How can we coordinate those services better? because they directly impact education, he said. If the kids not eating at home, or if theyre staying with a different relative every night, theyre going to have trouble doing algebra when they get to school. Still, administrators said even the best plans hold little value in the face of budget stalemate and what they see as crisis in school funding. I dont know why we need a 10-point plan when we have really obvious problems that need to be tackled right off the bat, Goins said. We know what the problem is. We know what the elephant in the room is. We just need people to role up their sleeves and try to change some things. We have to do something, and we have to do something now, Webb said. Schools are exhausted with the blame game, and were tired of seeing our kids held hostage for political gain. This week, a Houston grand jury returned a surprise indictment. It was tasked with investigating videos that purported to expose Planned Parenthood for selling the body parts of aborted fetuses. The grand jury found no wrongdoing by Planned Parenthood, but instead charged the video producers, David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt from the anti-abortion group The Center for Medical Progress, with tampering with a government record, a felony. Meanwhile, another video was released this week, this one an accurate depiction of the threat to women's reproductive rights around the country. "TRAPPED" is a moving documentary that premiered Sunday night at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. It demonstrates how access to safe, legal abortions has come under assault in the U.S., as state after state passes restrictive "TRAP" laws, that's "Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers." These laws, which have proliferated since the tea-party sweep of state legislatures in 2010, purport to protect the health of women, but actually result in the closure of women's health clinics. The film is being released nationally as a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion faces a crucial challenge before the U.S. Supreme Court on March 2. Dawn Porter is the award-winning filmmaker who wrote, directed and produced "TRAPPED." While in Mississippi shooting an earlier film, she learned that the state had only one remaining clinic where abortions were available. She went there to meet Dr. Willie Parker, an obstetrician/gynecologist. Appearing on "Democracy Now!" early in the morning after the premiere of "TRAPPED," Dr. Parker told me: "I've been an OB-GYN for 21 years, a doctor for 25. And when it became clear to me ... that one in three women need abortion care in their reproductive lives and that disproportionately poor women and women of color were not having those services, it became important to me to guarantee access to these very important health services by moving back to my hometown in Birmingham and to provide services in the South." The film follows Dr. Parker and several other abortion providers in Alabama, where TRAP laws have been passed that mandate onerous changes to clinics where abortions are provided. Most of these laws are based on model legislation drafted by an anti-choice group called Americans United for Life. They force safe, legally functioning abortion service providers to make costly and unnecessary improvements to their facilities. In scores of cases, the clinics cannot afford to make the changes, and have to shut down. In one scene of the film "TRAPPED," Dr. Parker is shown with a patient. He is relaying to her information that is required by Alabama's TRAP law: "I'm required by law to tell you that by having an abortion, it can increase your risk for breast cancer. There is no scientific evidence to support that. Now, the state requires me to tell you that if you were having this procedure, there is the risk of complications. I think that's a good thing to know, the risk. The state requires me to tell you that you can have heavy bleeding that can be life-threatening, and it could require you to be transferred to the hospital and need a blood transfusion. If you're having a bleeding that can only be controlled with removing your uterus, you'd have to have a hysterectomy, and you'd lose your ability to have babies in the future. Those are all the risks associated, but guess what. Those are the exact same risks that's associated with having a baby. It is to say that you're not taking any extra health risk. So abortion is extremely safe." In Texas, the TRAP law, known as HB2, passed in 2013. Before HB2 became law, there were 40 operating abortion clinics in Texas. Only 19 remain. A San Antonio clinic filed a lawsuit opposing HB2's restrictions. That case, Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt (formerly v. Cole), will be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on March 2, with a decision expected by June. The doctored videos that were created to take down Planned Parenthood failed in their goal; their creators face years in prison. While "TRAPPED" will be airing in June on the PBS documentary series "Independent Lens," it also will be shown in movie theaters, with concurrent community screenings. Dawn Porter hopes her latest film will engage, persuade and mobilize people across the country as this critical health-care issue is decided by the Supreme Court. Amy Goodman is the host of "Democracy Now!," a daily international TV/radio news hour. She is the co-author, with Denis Moynihan, of The Silenced Majority. John Pfeifer John Pfeifer is the editor and publisher of The Southern Illinoisan. Follow John Pfeifer 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 Ill admit it. Im a conspiracy theorist. When something looks wrong or just different I want to know why. I frequently also question things that appear illogical even when they are normal. When an election year rolls around and Im suddenly paying less for gas than I have since 2008 Im naturally suspicious. It turns out Im not alone. The internet is full of questions from my fellow cynics who have asked the same or similar questions. Like, Why did the price of a gallon of gas decline by two dollars and 50 cents in the six months surrounding the 2008 general election? Articles from Forbes, Business Week and many other credible sources debunk the myth that gas prices are manipulated up or down to favor candidates of a particular party. Those articles show that gas prices rise as frequently as they fall in the run-ups to elections. They implore a silly little economics theory like supply and demand. How boring. Thanks to hundreds of bonus points and a 60-cent-per-gallon discount from Kroger, I put 14.446 gallons of gas in my tank last Thursday for only $15.01. Conspiracy or not, Ill take it. Our newsroom is in the process of collecting salary information on all public employees that work in Southern Illinois and plan to roll it into an online database. When completed, it will allow readers one-stop access to seeing what their mayor, school superintendent or favorite SIU professor earns and how it compares with others. It will include federal, state, county, and local municipality information for positions that range from prison guards to council members to librarians. When launched, it will immediately become a work in progress. Weve made Freedom of Information Act requests to dozens of area units of governments; OK, probably hundreds. But since Illinois has (much to everyones chagrin) more units of government than any other state, we may have missed a few. Well get to them. The database will be somewhat modeled on one used for over a decade by the Press-Citizen in Iowa City, Iowa. You can take a look at http://db.press-citizen.com/salaries. In preparation for this weeks caucus in Iowa, that same Press-Citizens website in Iowa City became the Bernie Sanders sponsored site last week as they allowed the websites entire homepage to be taken over by the Democratic presidential candidates advertising message. The journalist in me is appalled; the businessman in me is conflicted. I truly wonder how I would respond if that much money was being thrown at The Southern. For now I offer the publisher of the Press-Citizen the following two questions: 1) who will you endorse in the Democratic caucus? and 2) will you allow a local 52-week-a-year auto dealer the identical sellout ... I mean, sales spot next week? Even if Anthony had a year to analyze and dissect each piece...(he couldn't tell if it would)... stand the harsh light of public exposure. WUWT insider Willis Eschenbach tells you all you need to know about Anthony Watts and his blog, WattsUpWithThat (WUWT). As part of his scathing commentary , Wondering Willis accuses Anthony Watts of being clueless about the blog articles he posts. To paraphrase: Click here to read more. Bruce Rauner campaigned for and was elected governor in 2014 by positioning himself as an outsider; a businessman and a successful one at that. He have his inaugural address last January as a businessman and spent most of 2015 holding firm to the ground that got him elected. At his State of the State address on Wednesday we were introduced to Gov. Rauner the politician, and that is a very, very hopeful sign. We know what you're thinking; we understand that the four-syllable word "politician" is used more frequently as a four-letter word; but such should not be the case. Rauner tipped his hand early in his State of the State address when he said: "Today we are gathered to discuss our great state of Illinois: our opportunities, our challenges, our goals for the future. We were all elected to do a job. Our job is to improve the quality of life for ALL the people of Illinois. That means more economic opportunity, to increase real incomes for all families: higher pay and lower cost of living for everyone. The KEY to that is excellent education and vocational training, combined with multiple career opportunities made available by companies competing to hire workers." Did you get that? No more "sacrifice." No more bashing of the status quo. No more heres what I did when I was CEO. He went straight to what we most want to hear; namely, that government needs to be all things to all people. But he didn't stop there. Rauner proceeded to paint a picture of that place in which "more" is the ultimate good and where we will all no, make that ALL be paid more while simultaneously enjoying a lower cost of living. He then moved directly to the KEY. We know he was serious about it being the key because it was printed in all capital letters when released Wednesday morning. That key, of course, is education. Now, if this seems curious just two weeks removed from his blasting the bloated, wasteful cronyism that he claims ensnares Illinois' public universities, then it's because we're used to hearing from Rauner the outsider. No more. Politicians frequently criticize the cost of things while stressing their intrinsic importance. "So why is all of this good?" you are asking. Simply this. Governor as CEO does not work. Excellent CEOs are great at seeing and seizing opportunity, making decisions and leading their people to accomplish great things. Building consensus? Oh, that's nice but probably more visible in a company's mission statement than in the nitty-gritty implementation of the CEO's plan. Compromise? Nothing more than a sign of weakness to many successful CEOs. It appears that our governor now realizes that he does not hold all the cards. Illinois Republicans have come to realize (if not accept) this fact over the past decade. Rauner appears to have come to grips with the fact that in Illinois, Republican legislators have little power beyond having Murphysboro named barbecue mecca of the universe. In his Wednesday address the governor consciously extended a hand to Senate President John Cullerton while purposefully ignoring Speaker Madigan. Again; well played. In order to move forward GOP politicians must negotiate with and compromise with Democratic politicians. We may not like the term, but we certainly like things getting done and politicians have a circuitous but effective way of getting things done. Weve been fairly critical of the governors treatment of post-secondary education funding, his negotiation tactics and, recently, his economics, but the tone of Wednesdays address gives us some hope. He seems to now realize that he cannot mandate change or make it happen by force of will. As governor he must work with others to get things moving. Exit Rauner the CEO; enter Rauner the Governor. A good lesson to learn should a CEO ever decide to run for president. News as we get it and please send your news basic Copyright of Royal Mail I want to be successful. I want to see myself on top. I want to strive to be the best that I can be. These are the words of Guy Watkins Best, Jr., a 15-year-old freshman at Orangeburg Preparatory School, who was recognized as a Carolina Master Scholar in Dec. for completing three Adventure Series courses at the University of South Carolina. The Carolina Master Scholars Program takes students beyond the classroom providing hands-on experiences in forensic sciences, health sciences, engineering and computer gaming. Best completed the courses over a period of three summers. The classes are held specifically during the summer for one week. He was one out of 23 high school students in the state to be named a Carolina Master Scholar. There were also students in the program from Puerto Rico, California, and Europe. Best was selected to attend the Carolina Master Scholars Program through the Duke TIP program, which identifies gifted children and provides resources to nurture the development of the students. They look at our standardized test scores, he explained. Best got to get a small glimpse of the college lifestyle at the tender age of 12, taking his first Adventure Series course at USC in the 7th grade. We actually stayed in the honors dorm. We went to classes and had different teachers. USC is a great college, he said. Best says the University of South Carolina is now one of his top choices for where hed like to attend college. Some days we would have a lecture. Other days, the instructor would bring someone in, he said. In Bests last engineering course, the students cut blocks of wood to build a bridge. We had to look at how well the bridge held weight and actually stuck. What we made in a machine actually balanced everything out, he said. At the end of the week, the students parents are invited back for a presentation. In his forensic science course, instructors had an actual crime scene set up for the students. Best also measured his mother, Jan to help discover how his genetic traits are carried. Learning about all of the career choices that are in the engineering field stuck out to Best the most. There are 100 different jobs to choose from, whether you want to be civil, mechanical, or bio. There are so many different subfields under the fields of engineering, he said. Jan says she was excited for her son, after dropping him off for the program. I didnt feel anxious. I left and I said, this is a very nice college. I was very excited for him to be a part of that, she said. Jan says her son also works well with others. Best is a tutor at Orangeburg Prep and volunteers in the community with Catch the Vision. We went around, and there were houses that needed work so we built their houses, he said. Last summer, Best built a wheelchair ramp for a house across from the library. Jan says she always wanted her son to be the best that he could be. She was a stay-at-home mother and focused on sitting down with her child to help him do his homework. I studied with him. I wanted him to be a good speller, so we spelled and spelled and spelled words. We havent made it to that spelling bee yet, she said as she laughed. Jan says she is always proud of her sons, and tries to attend all of their programs. Guy Watkins works for his good grades. He has very good study habits. He studies everyday at the same place and same time, she said. Best thanks his grandmother, May Best and his parents for pushing him to strive for great things. All I want to know at the end of day is that Ive done that best that I couldve done. I try to do that in everything that I do. If I commit to something, Im going to do it 100 percent, not 99.9. Im going to give my all to it, he said. Now that Best has completed three Adventure Series courses at USC, the Orangeburg native plans to continue his journey to success by spending his summers studying for the SAT and ACT. He already has a practice booklet and has downloaded an app to help him study. As a part of the Duke TIP program, Best took the SAT once in 7th grade, and will take it again next year in 10th grade. He has aspirations to pursue a career in government or business. Best urges others to apply themselves in every situation. Its always good to just to look back on all of your accomplishments. I feel very privileged, Best said. With South Carolinas first major winter storm approaching, State Fire Marshal Bert Polk is urging citizens to be fire safe. More home fires occur during the winter months than during any other part of the year, Polk said. In our state, during last years winter months, there were 21 fatal fires resulting in 46 fire deaths. Our records indicate just about a third of those fatalities were heating related. However, many of these fires are preventable. South Carolinians can reduce their risks of becoming a fire casualty by identifying potential hazards and following these safety tips: Only use kerosene heaters and space heaters according to the manufacturers instructions. They can be a convenient source of supplemental heat. However, they must be used properly and safely. Inspect the heater for cracked or broken plugs. If frayed, worn, or damaged, do not use the heater. Never leave a heater unattended. Turn it off when leaving a room. Dont let pets or children play too close to it. Keep the unit on a flat surface at least three feet away from anything that can burn. Refuel a kerosene heater outdoors. Additionally, always plug the space heater directly into the wall. Dont use an extension cord or power strip. Heating pads and electric blankets also pose a fire risk especially if more than 10 years old. Dont allow anything on top of either one when in use this includes other blankets or pets. Never fold electric blankets or use while sleeping. Portable generators are commonly used in the winter as a result of storm-induced power outages. Carbon monoxide fumes are odorless and deadly. Follow manufacturers instructions to prevent death from carbon monoxide. Be careful when using candles. They are an open flame. Never use if oxygen is used in the home. Use sturdy candle holders and extinguish upon leaving a room or going to sleep. Have flashlights ready to use in case of a power outage. Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home. Chimneys should be cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional. If not, it can become filled with highly flammable layers of creosote. Do not use the kitchen oven to heat the home. It is not designed to heat large areas, and the element may fail causing a fire. Chief Polk also is reminding citizens that smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home and inside and outside sleeping areas. If the alarm is more than 10 years old, replace it. Lastly, if there is a fire emergency, call 9-1-1 as soon as possible and remain outdoors. Never return inside a burning building to retrieve an item. The State Fire Marshals Office and the Fire Academy make up the Division of Fire and Life Safety, which is a division of the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. The School Improvement Council of Denmark-Olar High is one of 10 across the state named to the South Carolina School Improvement Council 2016 Honor Roll. Its in the running for the 2016 Dick and Tunky Riley Award for School Improvement Council Excellence. D-O High Schools SIC has always been very active in promoting activities and school projects, art teacher Dr. Anna Martin said. We felt wed always gone done above and beyond, said Martin, who is also a member of the SIC. She said she thinks what made the councils activities in 2015-2016 stand out above those of previous years was its health initiative. Healthy Eating, Active Living Initiative While the SIC, which is made up of teachers, students, parents and community leaders, focuses on academics and getting parents and the community involved in the school, it also takes on a couple of special projects each year, Martin said. This year, it helped identify a school-wide need to improve the health and nutrition of our students, she said. Many of them suffer from health issues like asthma and obesity. We had a two-fold goal -- get students moving and eat healthy, Martin said. The SIC felt the health initiative fit in well with its academic focus because research has shown that brain activity is much more stimulated in people who are active than in sedentar, she said. The project involved everyone from the school family, students, teachers, parents, businesses, etc., according to Martin. The school nurse, Brenda Kemper lined up partnerships with a number of organizations, including the Medical University of South Carolina and Boeing. Some organizations provided services while others supported the project financially. Locally, the Regional Medical Center offered health screenings for the faculty, Martin said. The health and wellness initiative has filtered down to the classroom, Principal Mickey Pringle said. Through partnership with nutrition and agriculture classes, students actually went out this year and harvested home-grown vegetables, cooked them and served them to classmates, he said. What were trying to do now is assure its sustained over a period of time, Pringle said. Martin noted that the health initiative also encourages activity. A number of teachers and staff members have gotten involved in exercise programs that helped them lose weight, she said, adding the initiative has become a part of all kinds of school projects. For example, Career Specialist Zelda Douglas added healthy eating and exercise into the schools College and Career Day. After the morning segment, we had healthy snacks, popcorn, fruits, and an area set aside for students, she said. We pulled in an instructor, and they did zumba." This is a kind of dance that targets all different parts of the body and gives people a full workout, Douglas said. The health initiative is not the only school activity supported by the SIC, Martin noted. A number of initiatives across the school are part of the big picture, she said. Community involvement, service Denmark-Olar High students are being taught go get involved in community service and outreach, Martin said. Last year, students learned about Habitat for Humanity and furnished the kitchen of a Habitat house that was completed in Orangeburg late in the year. They provided everything, including pots, pans, glassware, and even a grill, Douglas said. It was really a service learning project for them, she said. The high schools Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Program also participated in community service this year, MSG. Phillip Robinson said. They held a food drive and collected enough food to furnish a complete Thanksgiving meal for 14 families, he said. The School Improvement Council and Denmark-Olar High were involved in the process and supported the students by making donations, Robinson said. A culture of learning The SIC supports and advises the principal in the academic area and helped create the schools five-year strategic plan, Martin said. The council also writes up information that goes out with the districts report card. Were trying to create a culture of learning at D-O High that offers students extensive career opportunities and provides them with cultural knowledge, Pringle said. High school students can currently earn up to 12 college credits through dual enrollment with Denmark Technical College, he said. Denmark Tech instructors actually come to the high school and teach some of the courses. The high school is working to add more science, technology, electronics and math courses, the principal said. Ozante Fields, a senior whos taken dual credit courses in pre-engineering, including mechatronics, digital electronics and civil engineering, plans to study civil engineering at Clemson University. His years and studies at D-O High School have helped make me a better person, he said. Fields said his dual credit courses have taught him hands-on responsibility. A number of D-O students attend Orangeburg Consolidated School District Fours Cope Area Career Center, where they earn dual credits though Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, Pringle said. Students also benefit from speakers the school brings in to teach them about careers they had never even heard about, he said. One student who was planning to study welding, for example, learned about a very profitable career in underwater welding, Pringle said. Last year, about 85 individuals came to Career and College Day to talk with students about various careers, he said. But we want them to be well-rounded, too -- to learn some cultural things, he said, adding that the school brings in guest speakers on talk to the students about cultural events. We want to expose them to as many things as we can, he said. Students have been on field trips to BMW in Greenville and the marine science research center at Pawleys Island. Job shadowing is another way Denmark-Olar High helps students prepare for future careers, Pringle said. Last year, KeOndrae Gilbert shadowed a teller at Enterprise Bank in Denmark. I liked it very much, he said. It was a fascinating opportunity. However, working at a bank would not be his first choice of a job, Gilbert said. I just wanted the feel of being a job shadow. His number one choice for a career is to be an orthopedic surgeon, he said. When the job shadowing project comes around again in February, Gilbert said he hopes to shadow a surgeon in Augusta. The JROTC opens the way for its cadets to build careers in the military, Robinson said. Approximately 91 of the school's 200 students are in JROTC, he said. Every year, military officials come to the school and test students to see which would qualify and are suited for the military, Robinson said. Last year, six students entered various branches of the military after graduation. Commander Lauren Jamison has been in the JROTC for the past four years. Its taught her to be a leader and do the right thing, she said. According to Jamison, shes taking a great deal away from the program. She said it strengthened her character and taught her you shouldnt go against what youve been taught, she said. You should go with your morals. JROTC has also taught her how to handle her finances, how to make wise decisions for the future and how to be a better adult when she gets there, Jamison said. After she graduates in May, she plans to go to a four-year institution and earn a degree in public health and delivery. This is basically a psychology track that will also give her the training she needs to become a hospital administrator. As for going into the military, that could come later, Jamison said. She said the greatest thing she got from her JROTC training was that it laid a foundation of skills for her life that she can use regardless of where she goes or what she does. Other projects at D-O High A relaxing break-room for faculty, painted in restful colors, has been created for faculty, Martin said. The room is furnished with comfortable seating and reading material. When faculty members have a few free minutes, they can go there for quiet time. The space also provides a resting place for teachers who live a distance away from school and have to stay for meetings at night, Martin said. Pringle said the school is in the process of creating a wall of fame for Denmark-Olar graduates who have gone on to become successful and prominent locally and nationally. One such person is Dr. Robert Lee Satcher Jr., a physician, chemical engineer, orthopedic surgeon and NASA astronaut. Burlette Carter, another D-O graduate, is a lawyer at Johns Hopkins University. We want our students to see that they can be successful, Pringle said. People who came before them have done it. S.C. SIC Honor Roll In February, five finalists will be selected from the S.C. School Improvement Council 2016 Honor Roll. From those five, the winner of the Dick and Tunky Riley Award for School Improvement Council Excellence award will be chosen and announced in March. The S.C. Improvement Council was created by the state legislature more than 30 years ago to encourage community involvement and give leaders the strategies and tools needed to provide a quality public education. All schools are required by state law to have an SIC. They are funded by the state. No, this is not a journey down memory lane to the good old days, and its not an advice column to encourage young people to cherish and treasure their youth. I recently turned 60, yet some recent comments and experiences confirmed that youth can be a state of mind regardless of your age. In 2014, I was in an automobile accident, hit head-on by someone who turned in front of me. I never saw the vehicle, as it turned in front of me across two lanes of traffic. In a matter of seconds, the wreck had totaled my daughters 14-year-old car. As a back-story, when we bought the car for her, I drove it for one year before she was a licensed driver; so she got a car with mileage on it. We also told her this was the only car we would ever buy for her and that she should take care of it. Finally, if we ever suspected drinking/driving, riding with others who had been drinking or transporting friends who had been drinking, we promised her we would put the car in the front yard with a for sale sign on it. She gave us no reason to suspect any such behavior so she valued the gift and took good care of it. Through high school, college and medical school, she maintained it. It even survived a Charleston flood during Superstorm Sandy, but had to undergo major repair. When she left for a residency in Nashville, we decided to send her with my car, a newer model. That is why her car, and not mine, was totaled on that awful day. Her teasing response? I took care of it for 14 years; you have it three months and total it! As a result of that accident, I suffered from a bruised knee for quite a long time. Eventually, I sought a second opinion when the knee continued to feel weak. That orthopedist, after looking at my MRI, remarked, Mrs. Murray, you may be 59, but your knees are much younger. They will last you for a long time! Now that made me feel young and very positive about the exercise thats been a part of my life for over 40 years. Two weeks ago, I was waiting in a consultation room while my husband was undergoing a follow-up examination for surgery he had last February. When the young nurse entered the room, she laughed and said, I just told your husband that he would be joining his daughter in the consultation room before the physician came to speak to him! Im 10- years younger than my husband. He is 70; I am not. I asked him if he was going to tell me what the nurse said. Sheepishly, he never answered. Finally, in 1979, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, our first movie date was to see the much-anticipated new film, Star Wars. We saw several more over the years but then lost interest as the life of raising a child consumed much of our free time and available funds. Recently, we decided to see the newest episode of the series, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. New characters populated the movie, but before we knew it, we were re-introduced to Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, C3P0 and R2D2. Transported in my mind to the early stages of our courtship, I felt young again, remembering the newness of our friendship and the adventure of getting to know one another. Young and old generally may be considered as a judgment of age; I prefer to think of them as descriptors of spirit. Perhaps, as I do, you know an 80-year-old who has more spunk and zest for life than many 40-year-olds. Ill take the orthopedists observation, the nurses mistaken identity and a reminder of an early date experience to enforce my belief that age is a state of mind. I dont have to be old. I much prefer to be young, because at 60, its so good to be young! Angel Malone beams with pride when she talks about the students who make up the Orangeburg Consolidated School District 5 High School for Health Professions. She considers them an inspiration. As her students have grown, so has the charter school. Now its preparing for their future. The construction of a new $4 million, 17,000-square-foot facility on U.S. Highway 601 near the OCSD5 Technology Center is part of the school's plans to accommodate its growth. The site is being prepared. The school is currently located in the former Nix Elementary School building on Stilton Road. The school opened in 2012 with seven classrooms and 73 children. It now boasts 357 students, Malone said. The new building will house 22 classrooms, four office spaces, a library and a cafeteria. "We have been planning for probably two years. We have the land, Malone said. Malone said she met with Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson, who put the school in touch with a private investor, Lincolnton, N.C.-based Piedmont Companies Inc. They have seen over the scope of two years what were doing at our school. Theyve visited, seen the classrooms, talked with kids and liked the idea of what were doing here. Theyre actually building a school for us. It is a lease option for us, Malone said. Andrew Silver of Piedmont Companies stood before Orangeburg City Council on Jan. 19 to request $138,000 to help with infrastructure needs at the site on which the new school will be built. Malone said the $138,000 is part of the total $4 million cost to build the school. An earlier report based on a discussion in the city council meeting indicated the cost could be $20 million or more. The total cost of our project is $4 million, not $20 million. There are various projects that are going on, but our initial project our project that were doing - is $4 million, Malone said. Initially we tried to find a site that was closer to town, but there are a lot of logistics with satisfying South Carolina DOT and the Office of School Facilities with the state Department of Education. As a charter school principal, Ive learned a lot about roads and traffic and making sure there are enough spaces for buses to come in, Malone said. Because of the tight fit of so many buildings moving further in town, some of those areas would not work, or cost a lot more money than we could afford to pay," she said. Charter schools are independent public schools. They receive a portion of the state funding that would otherwise go to local districts for their students. Malone said the new school construction will not end up costing local taxpayers more. With our acquiring the building, there is not a rise in taxes because what weve done is gone through an investor that does not raise or ask for a bond referendum of any type. Thats not something that we do. One of the challenges that charter schools throughout the country have is finding suitable facilities, she said. Malone said the charter school has enjoyed a very fruitful relationship with OCSD5, which provides the use of the former Nix Elementary School. Were just outgrowing it, Malone said. Students at the school come from various areas within Orangeburg, but are mainly students from OCSD5. We are a sponsored school within our district. We do have some children that come back into the school district, including students who attended private school in areas as far away as Columbia, Malone said. The students come from everywhere, including from within the neighborhood that surrounds this (Nix-Stilton) area. Its just a mixture of kids throughout the county, she said. OCSD5 is the charter schools parenting body which provides it with negotiated services, but operating funds do not directly come from the district, the principal said. State and local funds through the state Department of Education are trickled down through our local district and then disbursed to us based on our population and whatever the allocated funds are per pupil for our district. Thats what we get for those children just like any other school, Malone said. She said while Piedmont Companies is building the new school, we will have to pay a lease payment, which is generated through the disbursement of funds that come to our school through the school district. In the meantime, the principal said she is pleased with the success the school has seen, including increasing English and math scores and partnerships with institutions including the Medical University of South Carolina, Family Health Centers Inc., the Regional Medical Center and the Orangeburg-Calhoun Free Medical Clinic. The school has also enjoyed partnerships with Charleston Southern University, Claflin University and South Carolina State University, where students are on campus working in STEM labs as they pursue dual-credit courses. I think thats a strong point for us. Weve been able to create partnerships with MUSC, where our kids are able to go during the school year and in the summer to be mentored by med students, as well as other health professional students, Malone said. Our students do have the opportunity to get an associates degree, or just have college credit. Kids can get the transferrable credits for college and take those college transfer courses at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College. Theyre also able to go into school with 24 credit hours. And its free of charge to them, she said. The main goal, however, is to offer students choices that will prepare them for future success in the world, the principal said. I like the fact that the students on their own want to give back to the community even now. I think thats a very special quality to see the many things that they do to inform, uplift and support the community, she said. Namdar Realty acquires Advance Auto site in Holly Hill HOLLY HILL -- Joel J. Gorjian, vice president of acquisitions and dispositions at Namdar Realty Group, has completed the acquisition of the 8522 Old State Road retail property in Holly Hill. The one-story, single-tenant building is currently leased by Advance Auto Parts. Namdar is a national commercial real estate investment and management firm headquartered in Great Neck, N.Y. The seller was a private investor. The current lease for the 11,000-square-foot property is below the market value and the tenant is doing phenomenally well thanks to the highly visible and trafficked location at the intersection of Old State Road and Eutaw Road, with neighboring retailers including a CVS Pharmacy, a Piggly Wiggly supermarket, Hardee's and ACE Hardware. The transaction was negotiated off-market, Gorjian said. Built in 1996, the structure sits on a 1.29-acre property. Advance Auto Parts has been operating at this location since 2005. The recent increase of the federal funds rate creates buying opportunities for all-cash buyers and long-term investor/operators such as Namdar by reducing demand and lowering the cost of commercial real estate, Gorjian said. We are currently negotiating six deals in Michigan, Iowa, and New York, and are looking for additional acquisition opportunities in the Southeast, including South Carolina. Our focus is on underperforming properties with high cap rates negotiated through off-market deals. Edward Jones gets J.D. Power President's Award Financial-services firm Edward Jones was awarded the prestigious J.D. Power President's Award recognizing its commitment to excellence in customer satisfaction, according to representatives Jack Rose and Michial Smith of Orangeburg. The President's Award is presented periodically and recognizes individuals or companies demonstrating dedication, commitment and sustained improvement in serving customers. During the 40-year history of J.D. Power, only 11 companies have previously received the award. Edward Jones has ranked highest in the J.D. Power U.S. Full-Service Investor Satisfaction Study in six of the past 10 years and has ranked highest seven consecutive times in the J.D. Power U.S. Financial Advisor Satisfaction Study. Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company, provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Santee Cooper scores high in customer satisfaction MONCKS CORNER Nearly perfect marks in power reliability and outage restoration kept Santee Coopers latest residential customer satisfaction score well above the national average, with an overall satisfaction score of 97 percent, according to an independent study conducted in October by Market Search. Beyond overall satisfaction, the study looks at 10 other factors including power quality, customer care, service, rates, environmental responsibility and planning for the future. Nationally, 92.5 percent of customers are satisfied with their utility. Some of Santee Coopers highest ratings from customers were in the areas of reliability and responsiveness. The survey showed 99.7 percent of customers feel their power is reliable and 98 percent are satisfied that Santee Cooper works to keep power outages at a minimum. Some 97.6 percent are satisfied that Santee Cooper restores power as quickly as possible when outages occur. Customer Service also scored well, with 97 percent indicating Santee Cooper both responds quickly to customer questions or problems and shows care for its customers. A record number of customers (93.3 percent) indicated awareness of Santee Coopers energy efficiency programs, with 95 percent of those customers satisfied with Santee Coopers efforts to help them use energy efficiently. Customers also gave Santee Cooper strong marks in concern for the environment. In fact, Santee Cooper scored higher than the national average in every area measured. Chamber helps streamline process for exporters COLUMBIA The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce has announced a partnership with e-certify that will allow South Carolina businesses to more efficiently secure the documentation needed to do business internationally. Through this online tool, the state chamber is able manage the stamping and signing of electronic certificates of origin on behalf of South Carolinas exporters. Interested businesses may visit www.scchamber.net to learn more. State Chamber President Ted Pitts said, We are pleased to introduce this new online resource to help South Carolina companies who are doing business internationally. As the state continues to produce record export numbers and attract international business to our borders, the last thing we want is more paperwork to get in the way of trade. This online process will save businesses time. We look forward to South Carolina businesses being able to use this resource as the state continues building momentum to be the most business friendly state in the country. A Certificate of Origin is a document that states the origin of goods being exported. Chambers of commerce are the primary authorized body to stamp these documents. In addition to being required by specific countries, a Certificate of Origin may be requested by customs administrators, importers, freight forwarders or banks for clearance of letters of credit. Electronic Certificates of Origin are the digital version of this document. On the surface, South Carolina residents should be happy with the course of the debate in Columbia about fixing the states roads. Gov. Nikki Haley is pushing a plan to spend $345 million in fiscal 2016-17 on repairing infrastructure, with a key component of funding being a 10-cent increase in the states gasoline tax of 16.75 cents a gallon. But the governor is again tying the tax increase and money for roads to a corresponding decrease in state income taxes. The Legislature appears to be on the same track, with legislation to fix roads presently being front and center in the Senate after the bodys failure to pass legislation in 2015. The House has already approved legislation designating up to $400 million per year for road repairs and making about $50 million in cuts in income taxes. In the Senate there is sentiment to move forward and approve a gas tax increase, but to gain the upper chambers OK, there will have to be approval of some kind of tax cut to prevent delaying the plan or derailing it altogether. And senators are keenly aware there is the promise of a gubernatorial veto if there is a gas tax hike with no tax reductions. Thus the prospects are road repairs that the states residents are demanding, a gas tax increase that South Carolinians say they support and lower income taxes, at least for some. Add to the happiness factor the estimates that a third of the money for roads raised by an elevated gas tax will come from out-of-state residents and whats not to like? Heres our list: Stalling the legislation in arguments over reforms at the S.C. Department of Transportation, most notably the big question of transferring oversight of the giant agency to the governor. Ironing out the DOT future -- and further increasing gubernatorial power -- does not have to be accomplished in the context of legislation that earmarks new gas tax money and other funds specifically to repairing existing roads. The equity factor. A gasoline tax increase and a plan to spend up to $400 million on roads seem paltry against a reduction in income taxes that under the governors plan could cost the state $1.8 billion. The states poorest residents would be hit hardest because they would pay more in taxes in purchasing necessary gasoline and receive no tax reduction. The $400 million for roads is not nearly enough. Orangeburg Sen. Brad Hutto is pushing for up to $800 million a year. The final number may end up somewhere between, leaving the funding at about half of the $1.2 billion that SCDOT says is needed for repaving, bridge work and widening to get the state's roads and bridges to good condition. The governors plan focuses on repairing the most heavily traveled roads and bridges. While that is a sensible approach in priorities, underfunding the road-repair plan means rural counties will be waiting a very long time for infrastructure improvements. Proposals to use all or most of an additional $1.2 billion in revenue available to the state for road repairs in lieu of an increase in the gas tax. Priorities that must be addressed with the same money include court-mandated improvements in education and flood relief, particularly for farmers who lost nearly their entire crop from summer drought and Octobers flooding. Getting a plan in place and moving quickly on road repairs in South Carolina are being demanded by state residents. Lawmakers should be listening, particularly in an election year. No one is excited about paying more taxes but there appears to be little doubt that state residents are willing to do just that with the gasoline tax if the money can yield improvements. Further delays put South Carolinians in danger every day and put lawmakers political futures at risk as well. Staff Sgt. Anthony O. Thompson was remembered Feb. 21, 2015 as a dear friend whose bright smile and loving spirit touched the lives of not just his fellow soldiers, but his family and community. The 81st Regional Support Command honored Thompson's life by naming the new U.S. Army Reserve Center at 112 Cook Road in Orangeburg after him. The memorial ceremony celebrated the life of the Orangeburg native who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Thompson and two other soldiers died on Sept. 18, 2003 of injuries sustained in a rocket-propelled grenade attack during combat operations near Tikrit. "We're proud to honor this soldier," said Maj. Gen. Janet L. Cobb, commanding general for the 81st RSC. Cobb said Thompson, whose awards included a Bronze Medal and a Purple Heart, was special because of his selfless service to the military and what he meant to his family and friends. The Army Commendation Medal and the NATO Kosovo Medal were among Thompson's other awards and decorations. Thompson was the son of the late Hattie Moorer Thompson and the youngest of five children. He graduated from Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School in 1995 and joined the U.S. Army in 1996 through the delayed entry program. He was married to Valerie Green Thompson, who gave birth to their son, Jaykwon Tyreek Thompson, in 1999. Thompson's wife and son were among several family members and friends who attended the memorial ceremony. Jaykwon and his mother were both presented proclamations in honor of Thompson's life and service. Army Reserve Ambassador George Goldsmith presented a state proclamation, while Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler presented a proclamation designating Feb. 21, 2015, as Staff. Sgt. Anthony O. Thompson Day in the city of Orangeburg. "As we name this beautiful Army Reserve Center in his honor and memory, it assures vividly and forthrightly that Sgt. Anthony Thompson will never be forgotten," Butler said. The 46,367-square-foot facility is home to the 414th Chemical Company and the 414th Transportation Company. The new facility replaced the former center on John Calhoun Drive. Like old wine, the 104th annual Orangeburg County Fair got better with age as it debuted a new carnival. "We are excited," Orangeburg County Fair Office Manager Molly Smith said about Georgia-based Family Attractions Amusement Co. in September. "We are expecting it to be the best fair we have had in 20 years." The fair was held Oct. 5-11. Smith said the carnival had much to offer and would bring a big-town fair experience to Orangeburg. The carnival had worked both the North Carolina State Fair and the Jacksonville, Florida, fair in recent years. "They have great games and great rides," Smith said. "It will look like the State Fair. It is so awesome!" She said the new carnival was a breath of fresh air as the fair had struggled the last few years to remain relevant and to keep the young entertained. "We have had the older ride companies and older games," Smith said. "The teenagers did not want to come out because they could go to Columbia and Ladson and ride the bigger and better rides. They won't have to do that anymore. You will be able to do that right in Orangeburg this year." She added, "We went to Jacksonville, Florida, and watched them set up. We wanted to see if they would come to Orangeburg and help rebuild our fair." The carnival had both kiddie, family and thrill rides for those who like to more excitement. "We are really striving to make a lot of changes," Fair Manager Rodney Barr said. "Getting a new carnival is one of them. I think that is a major change." Barr said the company promised big things. "They are guaranteed to have eight spectacular rides," Barr said. "For a spectacular ride it has to be very fast, very noisy and it has to have a lot of extra lights on it." Overall, the carnival had 28 rides. POLL CHART.jpg Good Sunday Morning, Everyone. Now that the state's political gears are grinding back into motion after an extended lull, so too has our weekly countdown of the state's political winners and losers. Let's get right to it, shall we? EQUAL END The U.S. Senate Race: Everyone knows that three Democrats are running for a chance to face U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., this fall. It's just that no one knows how they feel about them quite yet. In a new Franklin & Marshall poll, nearly two-thirds of registered Democrats still don't have an opinion of the U.S. Senate primary hopefuls, that poll found. Then there's last week's Harper poll, which found former U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak leading the pack with 33 percent support, compared to 28 percent for ex-Wolf administration aide Katie McGinty. Braddock, Pa. Mayor John Fetterman trails at 11 percent. But more than a quarter of voters (28 percent) are still undecided with more than three months to go before the primary. UP ARROW BEGIN UP ARROW END Attorney General Kathleen Kane: The embattled Scranton Democrat improbably goes up in that new Harper poll, taking 31 percent support, compared to 18 percent for Allegheny County District Attorney Steve Zappala, 13 percent for Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro and 9 percent for Northampton County DA John Morganelli. Critically, three in 10 voters (30 percent) are still undecided. Without Kane in the race, nearly half of voters (49 percent) remain undecided, with Zappala and Shapiro running neck and neck (20-19 percent), while Morganelli trails at 12 percent. Gov. Tom Wolf: The York Democrat took a hit , with 33 percent of respondents having Wolf doing an "excellent" (5) or "good" (28) job, down from 36 percent in October, and 39 percent in August. For those of you playing along at home, that's lower than Wolf's predecessors -- Tom Ridge, Ed Rendell and Tom Corbett -- at this point in their first terms. The poll has rated first-year governors' since Ridge's election in 1994. If there's any consolation for Wolf, it's that more blame the Legislature (52 percent) than Wolf (32 percent) for the state's seven-month-old budget impasse. EQUAL END The General Assembly: A proposed constitutional amendment that would shrink the size of the 203-member state House by 50 members (but would leave the Senate untouched) passed a key hurdle in the state Senate last week. That's the good news. Now, the bad news: The exact same bill has to clear both chambers in the 2017-18 legislative session and then go to the voters in a statewide referendum before it can become law. Historically, these amendments have a terrible track record of becoming law. This time, though, lawmakers might want to take it seriously. Their approval rating in that F&M poll was a dismal 15 percent. DOWN ARROW BEGIN DOWN ARROW END The Budget: Yes, there's an 11-month stopgap plan in place and money is flowing to schools and nonprofits. But, no, that doesn't mean there's a revenue bill or any other piece of enabling legislation in place to pay for it. Budget talks continued last week, and while friendly, there wasn't much in the way of results. In the meantime, Gov. Tom Wolf is getting ready to roll out what's expected to be pretty much a placeholder spending plan for fiscal 2016-17 that will propose more money for schools and a continued push for a severance tax. DOWN ARROW END Hillary Clinton: The Democratic front-runner leads a Des Moines Register poll heading into Monday's first-in-the nation Iowa caucus. And she picked up the utterly unsurprising endorsement of The New York Times this Sunday morning. But as The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend, lingering questions about the former SoS email habits remain. And that's been eating into Clinton's trustworthiness among voters. EQUAL END Donald Trump: The real estate magnate is standing atop the Des Moines Register poll heading into the Iowa caucus, leading Texas Sen. Ted Cruz 28 percent-23 percent. But here's the thing: The contest is still volatile. Just 9 percent of GOP caucus goers say they haven't made a choice. But they're among the 45 pecent of voters who could be persuaded to change their minds on Monday. That's because, unlike a primary, which is closed, caucuses are open proceedings in which voters are appealed to directly for their support. Does a cliffhanger loom? That's it for this Sunday. See you all back here on Monday. Firm again among 'Best Places to Work' An Orangeburg construction management firm again ranks among the Best Places to Work in South Carolina. For the seventh consecutive year, Orangeburgs C.F. Evans & Co. Inc. was ranked 21st in the top 25 Best Places to Work in South Carolina of small and medium employers, the S.C. Chamber of Commerce announced in August. The small-medium employer category consisted of about 25 businesses throughout the state that employ between 15-249 individuals. The 2015 rankings were unveiled at an awards banquet Aug. 6 in Columbia. The South Carolina Chamber, Best Companies Group and the publishers of SC BIZ magazine announced the winners. SCSU team gets $225,000 for SRS research Cleaning up environmental impacts from Cold War operations is a main focus of U.S. Department of Energy operations at the Savannah River Site, located in Aiken. When nature helps with the cleanup, tax dollars are saved. A South Carolina State University research team headed by Dr. John B. Williams, professor in the Department of Biological and Physical Sciences, played a role in cleaning up the Savannah River Site in Aiken. The DOE and the Savannah River Nuclear Solutions in August announced the new award of a $225,000 contract to S.C. State to continue this work. S.C. State monitoring data has been called "very valuable" for SRS efforts to document regulatory compliance to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA has endorsed the sampling quality by Williams and views the S.C. State team as an objective third party in monitoring environmental progress at SRS, according to an S.C. State release. S.C. State monitors the natural removal of volatile organic compounds along the plume fringe from a waste site linked to the EPA-designated Superfund program. Students learn Yes I Can give back Several little voices were heard saying thank you as the students of the Yes I Can Runway Program of Project Life: Positeen Inc. presented the children of Glenfield Apartments with free lunches in August. Dr. Liz Zimmerman Keitt, founder and director of Project Life Positeen Inc., asked the students of the Yes I Can Runway Program to get in two groups to decide what they would like to see happen in Orangeburg that would help others. The groups ideas were judged by three former educators. The winning groups idea was to have a bus go to several apartment buildings in Orangeburg to feed the children. The students called their idea, Meals On Wheels: PLP On the Move. The students boarded a 15-passenger van to Clark Middle School to pick up 75 bag lunches to distribute to the children of Glenfield Apartments on Columbia Road. The lunches consisted of sandwiches, fruit, milk, juice, vegetables and a snack. The Yes I Can Runway Program started about three years ago during the summer with students from Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School and Edisto High School. The goal is to make sure that the students are getting structured programs that will help them when they return to school. Cypress Creek Renewables, a company that specializes in the ownership and development of long-term solar energy projects, plans to invest $34 million in three new solar energy facilities in Calhoun County. Cypress Creek Renewables is a national leader in solar development and we are thrilled with the opportunity to provide clean, stable energy to thousands of homes in Calhoun County, Cypress Creek Renewables CEO Matthew McGovern said in an October release. We are grateful to county leaders, the State of South Carolina and Sustainable Energy Solutions for their leadership and we hope to create more win-win opportunities together in the future, he said. Cypress is working with regulators, utilities and business development groups throughout the United States to build more than one gigawatt of new solar projects between now and the end of 2016. It is primarily focused on projects generating between two to 10 megawatts. The company is working in partnership with Sustainable Energy Solutions, which is assisting Cypress by identifying sites, obtaining necessary permits and coordinating with the utilities. Together, they have received approval to build three facilities in and around two different towns within Calhoun County, all of which are expected to be fully operational by the end of 2016. In St. Matthews, Cypress is constructing a 10-megawatt facility off of Preference Road. In Cameron, the company is constructing a four-megawatt facility and a 20-megawatt facility off of Cameron Road. The experience weve had working with Calhoun County is another example of how the state of South Carolina wants more clean energy and all of the benefits it provides, Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC owner and Director of Business Development Paul Fleury said. Projects like these dont happen without the support of the local government and strong partnerships with organizations like Cypress Creek and the rest of our development team, he said. Gov. Nikki Haley said, Cypress Creeks continued investment in South Carolina and our people is a reason to celebrate. This Calhoun County project is further proof of the business-friendly environment we have worked to create across our state for companies in all industries and from all around the world. While the projects arent expected to create permanent jobs, officials welcomed the investment and construction jobs. Calhoun County Council has agreed to provide the projects with the fee-in-lieu of taxes incentive, which allows the company to pay property taxes based on 6 percent rate instead of the standard 10.5 percent. The solar farms power will go onto the grid and will be sold to companies like Santee Cooper or South Carolina Electric & Gas. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. If the shoe fits, wear it: "... in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt." -- Bertrand Russell "There's no firewall for stupidity." -- Mike Hamilton "I won't insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said." -- William F. Buckley, Jr. "There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true." -- Sren Kierkegaard Turkey will get three billion euros by late February, Volkan Bozk?r, the Turkish minister for EU affairs, said, Anadolu agency reported Jan. 30. Bozk?r said that the funds were allocated by the EU for Syrian refugees in Turkey. The funds will be fully spent for Syrian refugees, he said. Currently, Turkey is hosting more than two million Syrian refugees on its territory. The Syrian refugee camps in the country accommodate about 300,000 people. The rest of them are spread across the provinces and cities of Turkey. In Istanbul alone, there are currently 40,000 refugees from Syria. Ankara has so far spent $8 billion to upkeep the Syrian refugees. A group of Iranian lawmakers have probed into the model of oil and gas contracts known as the Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC), an Iranian MP said. Gholamali Jafarzadeh, an Iranian lawmaker, citing Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that a parliamentary committee for legal issues has carried out investigation into the IPC, Mehr news agency reported. So far, the committee has not obtained any evidences confirming the government has breached the constitution regarding the IPC, the MP added. A group of Iranian students affiliated with paramilitary Basij organization gathered outside Oil Ministry building in Tehran to protest against the IPC suggesting the new model of the oil contract is against the Iranian constitution. Earlier in November, Tehran hosted 137 companies from 45 countries for a two-day conference, during which legal generalities of the IPC were introduced and it was announced that more details about the contracts would be unveiled during a conference likely to be held in London in February 2016. However, on Jan. 30 Iran announced that the country has decided to cancel the London conference due to problems for issuing UK visa. The IPC is a framework that lays out the basic structure -- and some details -- regarding all future petroleum contracts in Iran. As a Cabinet Resolution (which has similar status to a by-law) passed under the Petroleum Act (and a similar status to a by-law), it is by nature more open to legal and political challenge. /By Trend/ Dubai has launched a number of new initiatives for the disabled including Smart Gate Special Counters at the airports, guidelines in Braille and ease of wheelchair access to facilities, among others. Hamid Mohamed Al Qatami, chairman and director general of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), said Dubai has proved itself to be a successful universal model in dealing with people with disabilities. It also completed a set of regulations that ensure full support for people with disabilities, integrating them in the society and areas where they can be gainfully employed and contribute effectively in the development of Dubai, he added. Al Qatami said: The DHA will spare no effort in providing the highest level of medical services for people with disabilities and the Authoritys strategy includes a set of advanced programs that ensures health and happiness for people with disabilities including programmes for early detection of disability, child health programs and specialised services for different types of disabilities. The DHA offers diagnosis and early intervention services and has opened a specialized center in the Al Jalila Hospital, which offers a bouquet of smart applications and services for the disabled. Meanwhile Dubai Municipality, which has been actively working towards providing facilities such as floating wheel chairs at beach areas, easy access to public areas and its service centres, will highlight community initiatives and the facilities it has introduced toward attaining the Vision 2020 at the upcoming AccessAbilities Expo, the Middle Easts largest expo for individuals with disabilities. The event runs from February 9 to 11 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Organised by Reed Expo and Nadd AlShiba PR & Event Management, the expo will bring more than 100 exhibitors from 30 countries to showcase the latest smart technologies in the field of disabilities. Dubai Municipality offers easy and comfortable access to its services for the disabled at its service centres and trained staff members are available for assistance of those who need it. The civic body takes feedback from the residents regarding its services and develops its plans based on these views and requirements, constantly evaluating its initiatives to ensure maximum benefit to different segments of the society. The municipality has also built its service centres in a way that these are easily accessible for people with disabilities. Electronic doors that ensure ease of entry, special counters with low height, staff that knows sign language, iPads to show procedures related to service applications and important documents for hearing-impaired customers, and an alarm system with red lights to inform the customer in case of any untoward happening are a few of those facilities. TradeArabia News Service Commercial Officers from the US Embassy will promote bilateral trade between Bahrain and the United States at Gulf Industry Fair 2016, the showcase for industrialization in the GCC, taking place next week in the kingdom. The event, held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, takes place from February 9 to 11 at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. Gulf Industry Fair 2016 is strategically sponsored by Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) (with the support of NOGA) and Aluminium Bahrain (Alba). The Gulf Industry Fair, which was designed to promote commercial opportunities in the GCC, offers an excellent venue for US companies to learn about doing business in the Gulf, said Christiaan De Luigi, Economic and Commercial Officer at the US Embassy in Bahrain. Through our presence at Gulf Industry Fair, we hope to help orient US companies interested in investing in the region. Bahrain was the first member of the GCC to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States. The FTA, which entered into force ten years ago in 2006, guarantees tariff free access for most products traded between the two countries. In 2014, Bahrain and the USs bilateral trade was valued at over $2 billion, a 22 per cent increase over 2013. The US embassys Commercial Section plays a valuable role in promoting Bahrains industrial credentials to US companies, said Jubran Abdulrahman, managing director of HCE, the event organizers. The Commercial Section will be part of a US contingent at Gulf Industry Fair that includes Grip Machineries debut of A W Chesteron USA, amongst a host of many USA industrial brands, he added. The Commercial Section at the US Embassy in Bahrain is dedicated to strengthening trade and commercial ties between Bahrain and the United States. It is part of the US Department of State and represents the US Department of Commerces Foreign Commercial Service in Bahrain. TradeArabia News Service Dubai-based Ducab, a leading manufacturer of high-quality cables and cabling products, has announced that it will be offering 30 career opportunities for Emirati talent at Tawdheef 2016 to be held tomorrow (February 1), in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The event will take place from tomorrow (February 1) to 3, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The company is looking to fill technical, support and managerial vacancies among its plants in the UAE, said a statement from Ducab. Through its presence at Tawdheef 2016, Ducab is aiming to highlight its continued commitment to providing rewarding career opportunities to Emiratis, it said. The company believes that these individuals will help in boosting the company further not only as a leader in the industry, but also as a true international success story, powered by the skills that have contributed to building UAE into the great nation it is today, it added. Mona Fekri, general manager of human resources at Ducab, said: Tawdheef is a unique platform that helps us communicate to the right talent and inspire them to join the Middle Easts leading cable company. Ducab plays a strong role in contributing to the growth of the UAEs economy and our participation here is part of a larger strategy to support the local youth. We welcome all Emiratis to visit us to explore how they, too, can play a part in our growing business, she added. TradeArabia News Service Bahrain-based Batelco, a major player in the telecommunications industry, has announced the completion of a major global network expansion project. The project allowed Batelco to grow its global business, ensure network diversity, avoid single points of failure, provide better country resiliency, and efficiently use international capacities. These aggressive expansion plans allowed Batelco to deploy new Points-of-Presence (PoPs) around the world, the company said. In 2015, Batelco formed strategic partnerships with high calibre companies such asdatamena, China Unicom, Airtel, Turk Telekom, and many others. This further allowed Batelco to offer high value services to its customers by providing cutting edge solutions, it said. Batelcos global foothold has also been solidified with the company establishing its presence in all major areas of the world. The companys active Points-of-Presence (PoPs), strategic partnerships, and joint ventures (JVs) have enabled it to secure a multitude of projects connecting multi-national organisations in disparate locations across the globe, it said. Batelcos expansion project was shortlisted in Capacitys prestigious Global Carrier Awards for the Best Middle Eastern Project Award. All our efforts are geared towards empowering customers to focus on their core operations, while their network is fully managed by Batelco as a single point of contact no matter where they are, highlighted Batelco chief global officer Adel Al Daylami. This expansion project allows us to offer a superior customer experience to more businesses around the world. We can offer this experience, with our expanded network, as we have unique capabilities and experts in the project office, an advanced monitoring portal, and a high quality resilient network, Al Daylami added. - TradeArabia News Service Turkey warned of consequences on Saturday after saying a Russian SU-34 jet had violated its airspace despite warnings, but Russia denied that there had been any incursion. Turkey warned of consequences on Saturday after saying a Russian SU-34 jet had violated its airspace despite warnings, once more stoking tensions between two countries involved in Syria's war, but Russia denied that there had been any incursion. In a similar incident in November, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane flying a sortie over Syria that it said had violated its airspace, triggering a diplomatic rupture in which Russia imposed economic sanctions. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov denied that any Russian plane had entered Turkish airspace, and called the Turkish allegation "pure propaganda". He said Turkish radar installations were not capable of identifying a particular aircraft or its type or nationality, and that no verbal warning had been issued in either English or Russian. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in its statement that the Russian ambassador had been summoned late on Friday, and that the violation was a clear sign that Russia wanted issues between the two countries to escalate. "We are making a clear call to the Russian Federation not to violate Turkish airspace, which is also Nato airspace," the statement said. "We are emphasising once again that the unwanted consequences of such irresponsible behaviour will belong fully to the Russian Federation." Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the violation had taken place, and urged Russia to "take all necessary measures" to ensure Nato airspace was not violated again. "Previous incidents have shown how dangerous such behaviour is," his statement said. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after the incident. "I told our Foreign Ministry to convey my desire to meet Mr Putin personally. There has been no answer on this yet," Erdogan told reporters at the airport before departing for a visit to Latin America. The downing of the Russian warplane in November left relations between the two countries in tatters. Russia responded with economic sanctions that have hit Turkish exports and tourism revenues. Reuters Lebanese group Phoenix Energy, has won a contract from the Egyptian government to build a big solar power farm near Luxor and Aswan region in the country. Under the contract, the company will be installing around 200,000 solar panels on a land area of 1.1 million sq m to produce a 62 megawatt peak, reported the Lebanese portal Businessnews. The electricity production will be sold to Egypt for $16 million, yearly, at a price of 14.35 cents per kilowatt hour, the report stated. Phoenix Energy is one of 40 companies working on the project and the only Lebanese company to qualify. The construction work on the soalr farm is likely to start in November, it added. Many Middle East fund managers expect to start rebuilding their regional equities holdings in the next few months and have become less bearish towards bonds, a monthly Reuters survey shows. The survey of 14 leading fund managers, conducted over the past 10 days, does not suggest funds are heavily bullish on stocks; many see a risk of further losses as austerity policies, adopted by governments in response to low oil prices, weigh on economies. But the survey does suggest that funds have gone so far underweight on equities that they feel there is little room to continue cutting allocations, and that the next major change in allocations will be to increase them. Forty-three per cent of respondents expect to raise their Middle East equity allocations in the next three months, while 7 per cent expect to cut them. That is little different from last month's survey, when 50 per cent anticipated increasing equity exposure and 14 per cent expected to reduce it. "Volatility in the international markets increased pressure on oil prices, which dropped to levels below many of the Gulf countries' conservative average crude price assumptions used for their 2016 state budgets," said Mohammed Ali Yasin, managing director at Abu Dhabi's NBAD Securities. But he added, "We believe the first quarter of 2016 is an opportunity to build a portfolio based on value stocks with low price-to-equity values and high dividend yields." Sachin Mohindra, portfolio manager at Abu Dhabi's Invest AD, said that while he expected markets to remain weak and volatile over the next quarter, there would be bright spots in some companies that were resilient to the economic downturn. The survey also shows managers becoming somewhat less bearish on fixed income, after January's global market volatility appeared likely to make the U.S. Federal Reserve more cautious about tightening monetary policy. Fourteen per cent of fund managers now expect to reduce their allocations to regional fixed income and 7 per cent to increase them, compared to ratios of 36 per cent and zero last month. UAE, QATAR The United Arab Emirates remains by far the favoured equity market among its peers in the region. Fifty-seven per cent of managers expect to increase exposure there and 7 per cent to reduce it, compared with 71 per cent and zero in December. Qatar also looks like a major beneficiary of any rebuilding of equities positions. Forty-three per cent expect to increase their Qatari allocations, the highest level since February 2014, and 7 per cent to reduce them; last month, the figures were 36 per cent and 7 per cent. "We are increasing our allocation in the regional banking sector, especially in Qatar, because they offer attractive valuations and high dividend yields," said Muhammed Shabbir, head of equity funds at Dubai-based Rasmala Investment Bank. In many sectors and markets, however, earnings growth has become a major concern as companies are forced to adapt to governments' austerity measures, such as cuts in electricity, gas feedstock and fuel prices. "So far corporate earnings announcements by regional companies have largely lagged behind consensus estimates," said Vijay Harpalani, fund manager at Dubai-based Almal Capital. "We believe there is an increased likelihood for further earnings downgrades for fiscal year 2016 and beyond." Managers remain ambivalent about Saudi Arabian stocks, with 29 per cent planning to raise their allocations and 21 per cent to cut them. In the last survey, they were equally split towards the Saudi market. They have also become somewhat less positive about the Egyptian stock market, where many see a risk of a currency devaluation soon. Twenty-one per cent now expect to raise their allocations in Cairo and 7 per cent to cut them, compared to 29 per cent and zero last month. Reuters ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: All right. You just heard Sarah Palin giving her endorsement for Donald Trump. That was a pretty riveting speech. I don't think anyone could say otherwise. Zinger after zinger, one liner after one liner. That was something else to watch. That was something that Donald Trump is hoping turns the tide for him in the state of Iowa where she is so popular to evangelicals. You just heard her bring in his faith in the almighty among many other things that are red meat to those evangelical voters. I want to go straight now to the co-chair for the Ted Cruz campaign Bob Vander Plaats, Trump supporter Jeff Lord who served as White House political director for President Reagan and our chief political analyst Gloria Borger. Gloria, do you agree with my assessment? I mean, that was something to watch, that was Sarah Palin at the best she can be to the people who love to see her. GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Right. And it was kind of deja vu all over again if you recall Sarah Palin's speech at the McCain convention where she was riveting. I think this time she did two things. It was kind of an ode to Donald Trump for those evangelicals here talking about and for conservatives who might have questions about Trump say, verses Ted Cruz and it was a complete dis of the Republican establishment and that is always attractive to Republican based voters, particularly, Iowa caucus goers. She said the establishment has been so busted as she put it and that Donald Trump is going to take on the establishment to talk about the dopes in Washington. She gave a little shout out to Rand Paul. She reminded people in Iowa that Donald Trump may be rich but he's not an elitist. He is on your side. So, she checked every box she had to check. [19:20:34] BURNETT: I mean, she really did. And Jeff Lord, you're sitting here nodding. I mean, look, you were chuckling and laughing during part of it. I think that was part of what is compelling about this. JEFFREY LORD, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Right. BURNETT: She reprised some of her old favorite lines, right? She called him a rogue, you know, she made her comments. She could be salty at times, she also laughed at Donald Trump at one point. LORD: Right. BURNETT: You know what I mean, it's going to be huge. I mean, she had the ability to do that. LORD: She did a very, very good speech. I mean, this audience, I mean, her speech was directed primarily at the number two audience, the conservative audience and that is particularly important considering the flak that Donald Trump has gotten the last few days from Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, et cetera. Sarah Palin is an anecdote to that. I mean, I think that she can help a lot with Donald Trump in terms of conservatives and the conservative movement. And the second thing which is very, very important is the establishment critique. That is a huge issue with a lot of Republicans. BURNETT: Yes. LORD: And her critique on that, I mean, it was pretty scathing. And that frankly is the kind of thing that you do here on talk radio. That's the kind of thing you hear with a lot of grassroots Republicans and she was very good on it. BURNETT: What do you say, Bob? I mean, obviously you're sitting there on the Ted Cruz side of things. Sarah Palin, you know, endorsed Ted Cruz for Senate, something he called game changing saying he wouldn't be in the Senate without it. She now is coming out here ahead of the Iowa caucus when Ted Cruz is neck and neck with Donald Trump endorsing Donald Trump. So, this is a very big moment. First of all, would you agree that this speech was what that audience wanted, that this is a powerful speech and going to help with the evangelicals? BOB VANDER PLAATS, NATIONAL CO-CHAIR FOR TED CRUZ CAMPAIGN: Well, Sarah Palin does definitely give a good speech and it's a good endorsement for Donald Trump. And we do like Sarah Palin. But as Jeffrey knows and Gloria knows and I know, when it comes down to the Iowa caucuses a week from Monday night, the Iowa voter are very independent, they're very savvy, they usually don't let people tell them who to vote for. They're assessing the candidates and I would say right now with Ted Cruz being in first or second place with over 50 percent of the Iowa caucus goers, he's in great shape to perform on February 1st. We know this race is going to go right down to the wire and I think people are going to be drawn to Ted Cruz and the consistency of convictions that allows him to be the real conservative in this race. Etihad Airways has celebrated a major milestone in its Emiratisation programme with over 3,000 Emirati nationals now employed by the UAEs national airline. In 2015 alone, the airline welcomed more than 1,200 UAE nationals to its global workforce, representing 29 per cent of its core staff. The airline plans to employ a further 5,000 Emirati employees by 2020. The airline hosted a celebratory event to raise awareness of its successful Emiratisation drive, starting with a panel discussion involving Emirati staff from various departments within Etihad Airways. A commemorative video was premiered at the event profiling 12 national employees hired in 2015, highlighting the diverse role Emiratis are playing in the aviation industry. James Hogan, Etihad Airways president and chief executive officer, said: Since its inception in 2003, Etihad Airways has been a driving force in the nations Emiratisation programme, recognising and promoting the role of Emiratis in the aviation sector and empowering them to pursue their goals. Today, as one of the worlds youngest and fastest growing major airlines, we are proud to have delivered on our commitment to develop a cadre of highly qualified Emirati aviation professionals. In 2015, Etihad Airways also recruited a record number of 26 Emirati executives and senior managers across its various departments and disciplines. Additionally, 280 Emiratis graduated from the airlines development programme, making it the largest graduation year to date, and 90 graduates were offered the opportunity to represent the UAE at the joint Alitalia-Etihad Airways Pavilion at EXPO Milan. The airline currently boasts an equal ratio of male to female Emirati employees, and in August last year celebrated the first Emirati Womens Day, acknowledging the increasing number of female staff in its workforce and the diverse roles they perform across the airlines business, from pilots and engineers to cargo ramp managers and aviation medicine specialists. Etihad Airways also offers UAE nationals the opportunity to work in a dynamic, multi-cultural environment and to be posted on international assignments to accelerate their development. More than 90 UAE nationals are currently positioned at the airlines offices and airports across the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas. The airline has formed strategic collaborations with a range of UAE educational and Emiratisation institutions, including the Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council, Higher Colleges of Technology, Ministry of Higher Education, Zayed University and Abu Dhabi University, with the aim of offering UAE nationals various opportunities to develop into world-class industry professionals. The diverse range of roles includes cadet pilots, technical engineers, sales managers, guest service agents, contact centre agents, administrative positions, as well as various posts in the airlines operations and commercial functions. Sultan Al Mahmoud, Etihad Airways vice president corporate strategy, said: Etihad Airways provides a great platform for learning, accompanied by a strong sense of corporate identity and culture which in turn contributes greatly to our continued growth and success. TradeArabia News Service Jordans Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) welcomed over 7 million passengers in 2015, marking a marginal increase in passenger traffic of 0.1 per cent in comparison to the previous year. According to figures released by Airport International Group (AIG) the Jordanian company responsible for the rehabilitation, expansion and operation of QAIA, the airports cargo traffic figures rose significantly in 2015, experiencing an overall growth of 7.3 per cent and totalling 100,691 tons, whereas aircraft movement (ACM) figures registered a year-to-date (YTD) fall of 1.9 per cent, settling at 71,753. Bringing the year to a positive conclusion, passenger traffic for the month of December 2015 surpassed half a million for the first time in the airports history. QAIA welcomed 533,051 passengers in December, signalling a 7.1 per cent increase in comparison to the 497,824 passengers received in the same period in 2014. During December, QAIA also achieved its largest cargo figures ever registered in a single month, handling 9,764 tons of cargo. Meanwhile, QAIA registered 5,813 ACM as opposed to 5,439 ACM in 2014, bringing about a year-on-year increase of 6.9 per cent. The first half of 2015 recorded year-on-year declines in passenger numbers and ACM statistics, attributed primarily to route cancellations and turmoil in neighbouring countries; however, QAIA rallied in July, registering universal improvement including a 29.6 per cent rise in passenger numbers compared to the same period in 2014. In the second half of 2015, QAIA enjoyed four record-breaking months, registering its highest-ever passenger numbers for the months of July, August, September and December. Moreover, following consistent YTD growth in cargo traffic throughout 2015, QAIA closed the year with a notable 7.3 per cent rise against 2014 figures. Ending another milestone year on a high note, in the final month of 2015, QAIA registered remarkable results across the board, as illustrated by its unprecedented reception of more than 500,000 passengers in December, its record-breaking cargo figures, and year-on-year increases in ACM, said airport international group CEO Kjeld Binger. Despite regional challenges and circumstances, three new airlines joined QAIAs network last year, bolstering Jordans standing as a secure and stable country, as well as the Airports position as a transit hub. We look forward to persisting in our efforts to increase the number of passengers and aircraft passing through the kingdoms prime gateway to the world, enabling both QAIA and Jordan to realise their full potential. TradeArabia News Service Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, a popular water-theme park in the UAE emirate, is celebrating three years of success since it opened in 2013. Kick-starting a new year of celebrations, events, offers and announcements, guests are invited to begin the year on an enjoyable note with the popular Yalla Friends 4-for-3 online offer now set to continue throughout the year, as well as the Resident and Annual Passes offers being available for a limited time in early 2016. The park has continued to exceed all of our expectations through 2015, with positive responses from our guests from within the UAE as well as from the region and across the world, said Tim Mow, general manager at Yas Waterworld. Our world-class offering and thrilling rides, slides and attractions have been instrumental in establishing us as a preferred family-friendly destination in the UAE and the GCC region. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our guests who have been part of our amazing journey for the past three years, and look forward to welcoming new and returning visitors as we announce some more exciting news later this year! TradeArabia News Service Stuff to help you. Faith-based groups begin Lifeline/Teen Challenge will be offering the following faith-based groups in the community this Winter/Spring: Single and Parenting (Sundays), Understanding Depression (Tuesdays), Committed Couples (grow together spiritually, TBA), Save One (post abortion healing, Thursdays), Insight (developing the path to Christian character, TBA), and Professionals in Recovery (Thursdays). All groups meet in the evening and begin in February. For more information, call Pat at 265-7755. Peoples Law School begins Have you ever wondered how our legal system works? Class is in session! The Peoples Law School at Casper College is back by popular demand. The Peoples Law School is open to anyone interested in learning about the judicial system. Legal topics will be addressed by the Chief of Police, judges, and attorneys in their areas of practice, including: history and structure of the court system, laws of arrest, criminal defense/prosecution, domestic relations/family law, bankruptcy law, estate planning, and personal injury litigation. Dean Michael Shickich himself will teach the class on personal injury litigation. Classes will be held at Casper College on Wednesday nights from 7 to 9 p.m., beginning February 3 through March 9. To sign up, send in a Community Education Registration Form and payment of your registration fee (only $25) to Casper College Enrollment Services, 125 College Drive, Casper, WY 82601. You can find the registration form online at http://www.caspercollege.edu/sites/default/files/documents/communityed/cc-conted-spring16-form.pdf. The Peoples Law School is sponsored by the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association (WTLA). All speakers donate their time, and the WTLA covers the cost of providing the course materials. For more information, call Michael Shickich or Karyn at the Injury Law Firm at 266-LAWS (5297). Family continues suicide support Good Grief, Support will continue 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesdays at the 12-24 Club, 500 S. Wolcott, by request of attendees. The family of J.R. Hunter who died from suicide in June 2015 began the support prior to the especially tough holiday season. Anyone who is grieving a suicide, death, or considering suicide is welcome and encouraged to attend. All attending this meeting, as well as the content, will be strictly confidential. The Fresh Start Cafe will be open and you can eat during the meetings. This meeting place was graciously offered by Dan Cantine of the 12-24 Club, you need not be a member to attend our meetings. Celebrate Recovery every Friday Looking for a nontraditional approach to recovery from your hurts, habits and hangups? Celebrate Recovery meets every Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Highland Park Community Church, just south of Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital on East Second Street. Join us in a welcoming, positive environment where you can come as you are! We start with a family meal, followed by praise and worship. At 7 p.m., theres either a lesson from Celebrate Recoverys planned curriculum or a testimony by a person who has found recovery through Christ. Then, people go to gender-specific small groups until 8:30 p.m., when dessert and fellowship conclude the evening. Child care is available at no cost. For more information, contact Chris at 265-4073. Using pesticides safely The 2016 private pesticide applicator training is set for three days. Register by phone at least three days in advance. Times are Feb. 8, 2 to 4:30 p.m.; Feb. 22, 2 to 4:30 p.m., and March 9, 2 to 4:30 p.m., all at Extension Agriculture Resource and Learning Center, 2011 Fairgrounds Rd. Call 235-9400 to register. Instructor is Scott Cotton, area extension educator. Facebook Security The Natrona County Library will offer a Facebook Security computer class on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Tech Center. This class will explain Facebooks basic and advanced security features. In addition, you will learn how to recover a hacked Facebook account and how to avoid scammers. Call 577-READ ext. 2 for more information. Wednesday Writers Would you like to leave a legacy by sharing your memories with the world? Practice writing, share your work and receive constructive feedback from fellow writers Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Natrona County Library. Call 577-READ ext. 2 for more information. Saturday morning watercolor Art 321, Casper Artists Guild has reopened with our first exhibit of the new year, Anything Goes. Saturday morning watercolor classes have begun, 10 a.m. to noon, with the following lineup of classes: February 6, trees, instructed by Jennifer Morss; February 13, practice session; February 20, reflections and shadows; February 27, practice session. For more information or questions about these classes, please call Ellen Black at 265-6783. We are looking forward to our next busy year of classes, workshops, exhibits and the making and sharing art! Boyds bring Marriage Live to Casper The Art of Marriage Live featuring Family Lifes Weekend to Remember speakers Bruce and Julie Boyd is coming Casper on February 19 and 20 at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church, 4100 Casper Mountain Road. Through teaching, stories, and humor, the Boyds will address the challenges and beauty of Gods design. The event begins on Friday, February 19, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. and continues on Saturday, February 20, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Cost is $50 per couple which includes the seminar, workbooks, and refreshments. Child care will be provided. For more information and to register call 235-6363 or visit www.cornerstonefree.org. Workshop at Art 321 ART 321 Casper Artists Guild workshop for February: Upholstery workshop, instructed by Connie Atkinson (Hi-Mark Upholstery), will be held for three consecutive months: First session, Saturday and Sunday, February 20 and 21, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; second session, Saturday and Sunday, March 19and 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Third and final session, Saturday and Sunday, April 16 and 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee is $60 for members/$80 for non-members + a $10 supply fee. Open to all levels. Register on line or stop by the gallery please. Order trees from extension office Premium quality seedling trees, shrubs and perennials are available for windbreaks and wildlife habitat enhancement from the UW/Natrona County Extension. Order forms are available at the Agriculture Resource and Learning Center, 2011 Fairgrounds Road, Casper, WY 82604. For more information, call Rose Jones at 235-9400. There are 40 species available: Bareroot species are 25 for $30; large tubed species, 30 for $83; small tubed species, 30 for $70; small trays are 50 for $99; XL potted species are $12 each. Order now for best selection with May delivery. Healing seminar set A Conscious co-creation/self-transformation and healing seminar taught by Cathy Hazel Adams, practitioner in Intuitive Quantum Transformation and Energy Healing, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 20-21 at the Agricultural Resources Learning Center, 2011 Fairgrounds Road. Its not too late to receive the Early Bird registration discount! For complete registrations received on or before Jan. 31, $105. Price is $130. For more information or to register, visit www.cathyhazeladams.com or call 307-797-9677. Free tax help begins The Wyoming Free Tax Service (VITA) runs through April 13, 2016. Our hours will be Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We will be closed on Sunday and Monday as well as Easter Weekend, Friday March 25, and Saturday, March 26. Our location is the Aspen Creek Building, 800 Werner Court, Suite 180. This is a first come, first serve service so no appointments will be scheduled. Please bring your social security card, photo identification and appropriate paperwork that is needed, or we will not be able to assist you in your tax return. If you have any questions, please feel free to call (307) 315-1830 during our hours of operation. www.wyomingfreetaxservice.org Powerful tools for caregivers free Wyoming Dementia Care is offering family caregivers of those with dementia-related illnesses, including Alzheimers, a new self-care education program called Powerful Tools for Caregivers. The free class will meet each Tuesday for six weeks, beginning Tuesday, February 2 and ending on Tuesday, March 8 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Central Wyoming Senior Services, 1831 E. 4th St. Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a nationally recognized, evidence-based program that provides caregivers with the tools and strategies they need to better handle the unique challenges of caregiving. The six-week curriculum includes self- care options for relaxation and exercise, ways to reduce emotions like guilt and anger, how to confidently manage caregiving demands and suggestions on how to use local resources. The three hour per week class is provided at no cost to caregivers by Wyoming Dementia Care in collaboration with Powerful Tools for Caregivers, with partial funding from a Wyoming Geriatric Education Center grant. Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. Call Dani Guerttman at Wyoming Dementia Care, 265-4678, for information. Open Sky Meditation Saturday Morning Sits Open Sky Meditation Group is offering a three-hour meditation practice on the second Saturday of each month through May. Meditation will start at 9 a.m. and end at noon. First hour will be meditation instruction. Second hour will be open meditation. Third hour will be a guided meditation. On Feb. 13 and May 14, we will meet in the yoga room 101 at Skelton Energy Institute, Casper College. On March 12 and April 9, we will meet in room 217 of Strausner Hall, Casper College. These sits are open to all. Please feel free to come and leave as your schedule dictates. We hope to see you there. If you have questions, feel free to call Gale Sleep at 307-251-6959. Here and Now: Dementia-focused monthly art class Every third Tuesday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m. There is no charge. Here and Now is a program made possible through a collaboration between Wyoming Dementia Care and the Nicolaysen Art Museum. It is designed to provide a supportive environment for people with dementia and Alzheimers and their loved ones. The class offers a chance to experience sensory and intellectual stimulation, communicate through art and explore various art media including paint, clay, collage and printmaking. To register for class contact Dani with Wyoming Dementia Care 265-4678, ext. 106, or at wyodementia@casperseniorcenter.com or Zhanna Gallegos at 235-5247 or at zgallegos@thenic.org Parent conference on disAbilities 4th Annual Parent Conference on DisAbilities- Expectations: Open Doors, is Friday, Feb. 26, through Sunday, Feb. 28 at noon at the Parkway Plaza, sponsored by the Parent Information Center. $50 for Wyoming families of children with disabilities, $100 for educators, child care providers and others. NCSD #1 is covering the cost of registration for Natrona County families of school-aged students on IEPs. Featured keynote speaker Friday, Feb. 26, will be Paula Kluth, nationally renowned speaker and author on Inclusion and Autism. Other topics over the weekend will include IEPs without conflict, practical assistive technology for everyday use, sensory disorder, studentdirected IEPs; transition to employment and more! Limited number of travel stipends available. Respite available separately through Arc of Natrona County. PTSB and STARS credit available. For more information, contact Teri Dawson at (307) 684-2277 or tdawson@wpic.org Parents Helping Parents The 25th Anniversary Banquet Celebration & Silent Auction for Parents Helping Parents of Wyoming, Inc., is 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Parkway Plaza. Cost is $35/person or $60/couple; tickets available online at www.wpic.org PHP is celebrating 25 years of helping raise families expectations and opening doors for children with disabilities by increasing family engagement and meaningful partnerships with schools through its projects, the Parent Information Center and the Parent Education Network. We want to say thank you to the families who have honored us with their trust in supporting the ups and downs of their journey. Join us as we celebrate 25 years of educational milestones! No host cash bar begins at 6. For more information, contact Teri Dawson at (307) 684-2277 or tdawson@wpic.org FORT COLLINS, Colo. Police in Larimer County shot and killed a man who had taken a woman hostage in a mobile home park northeast of Fort Collins. The incident began about 11 p.m. Friday and ended with the man being shot about 2:30 a.m. Saturday. Lt. Bobby Moll of the Laramie County Sheriff's Office says the initial call to police reported a domestic disturbance. Moll said it turned into a barricaded and hostage situation when police arrived. Police did not immediately release the names of the man and the woman and they provided no other details about the incident. Moll says the incident remains under investigation. Crossposted from Curriculum Matters . Today, the White House announced what its calling an ambitious, all-hands-on-deck initiative to get every student in the United States coding. In the new economy, computer science isnt an optional skill--its a basic skill, right along with the three Rs, President Obama said in his weekly address today. In a phone call with reporters, John King, the acting U.S. secretary of education, explained that the presidents budget proposal for fiscal year 2017, expected to be released early next month, will include $4 billion for states and $100 million for districts to expand access to K-12 computer science. Under that proposed initiative, states would submit their Computer Science for All five-year plans, and those with well-designed strategies would receive funding. The $100 million would be allocated like other district-level competitive grants, King said. The funding would bring hands-on computer science courses to more public high schools, help create computer science programs for elementary and middle schools, and ensure all students have the chance to participate, including girls and underrepresented minorities, the press release says. Its worth noting that the Presidents budget is a pie-in-the-sky proposal--and much of it may very well be ignored by Congress. In fact, Obama may not even be around to sign the budget, depending on how long it takes Congress to agree on one for next year. In many ways, the move is symbolic--a way for Obama to reiterate his commitment to STEM and pencil in computer science on the next presidents to-do list. Support on the Rise King said the White House will partner with the National Science Foundation, which is committing $120 million in existing funding to the Computer Science for All effort. The Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that runs AmeriCorps and other service programs, will also give $17 million to supporting computer science teachers. Support for computer science education has been growing steadily among state and local leaders, the White House representatives noted. As Ive written, Chicago , New York , and San Francisco have all committed to making computer science courses available to all public school students in the coming years. And more states are putting policies in place that allow computer science to count as a mathematics or science credit toward high school graduation . The great news is, momentum is building, said Megan Smith, the presidents chief technology officer. The president has been a cheerleader for STEM education, with special attention to computer science, throughout his tenure. He launched Educate to Innovate, a billion-dollar public-private partnership to improve U.S. students performance in science and math , and has called for the recruitment of 100,000 new STEM teachers by 2021. Hes hosted science fairs , maker fairs , and astronomy nights at the White House. A year ago, Obama became the first president to write a line of computer code . He hinted at this current effort in his final State of the Union address earlier this month , saying helping students learn to write computer code was among his goals for the year. Image: President Barack Obama talks with middle-school students from Newark, N.J., during an Hour of Code event at the White House in 2014.--Jacquelyn Martin/AP-File Related stories: Wyoming is trying to improve its rules for flaring at oil wells. Oil companies often burn off natural gas that comes up with the oil at the wellhead a practice that, most of us agree, is a waste of a perfectly good natural resource. The state, to its credit, is trying to get a handle on this problem. But what it has proposed so far in the form of a new draft rule will not solve our problems or reduce the waste. But its not too late for Wyoming and the Mead administration to fix that. We all understand that sometimes flaring is done for safety reasons, but most of the time it happens because companies want the oil, and not the gas. So they just burn it off. They do this because a lot of times there are no existing pipelines. And they do it, more importantly, because nobodys stopping them. The gas burned off at oil wells is a huge waste. If youre conservation-minded like I am, its an offensive amount of waste. According to state figures, enough natural gas was flared or vented in Wyoming in 2014 to heat more than 45,000 homes for a full year. In 2015, the amount wasted could have heated over 62,000 homes for a year. And now all of that fuel is gone forever, never having been put to beneficial use. Whats worse is that most of this waste wasnt even reviewed by the state commission thats tasked with minimizing waste because a majority of this flaring didnt even require a permit. In the past few years, nearly all of the new oil drilling in Wyoming has been happening in the eastern part of the state, not far from where I live. Around here, theyre drilling into the Niobrara Shale. Next door in North Dakota theyre drilling into the Bakken. Not many people saw the oil boom coming, and both states were caught flat-footed when it came to our shared flaring problem. Now were playing catch-up. The states draft rules for flaring as theyve been proposed wont change much at all for industry. If these rules pass as theyve been drafted, itll basically be business as usual in Wyoming with maybe a little more paperwork. Industry representatives, including the spokesman for the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, have admitted as much in the media. This is not acceptable. In addition to keeping better track of waste which is basically all the proposed rule changes would do the state needs to also make changes that will actually reduce the waste. If Wyoming and the Mead administration want to make a positive difference and set us on a better path toward reducing waste, Im urging them to start with some simple additions and changes to their proposed rule. And I encourage you to reach out to the governor and to the oil and gas commission and urge the same. First, there should be no flaring without a permit in Wyoming. Some states have prohibited non-safety-related flaring altogether. The least Wyoming can do is require a permit. Second, the state should prohibit venting entirely (venting is when companies just release the gas straight into the atmosphere, which is bad for air quality as well as an explosion hazard). North Dakota has prohibited venting; Wyoming can too. Third, the state should make sure that any flaring that happens is done as efficiently as possible. And fourth, the state should require companies that want to flare to explain, with a real economic analysis, why it isnt feasible to collect the gas rather than burn it off. The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission will be holding a public hearing on this topic, and its draft rule, from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at the oil and gas commission building in Casper. If you agree this is a problem, I highly recommend attending. Last spring, the Joint Agriculture Committee passed a resolution calling on the federal government to limit the rights of states to pass policies that would label genetically modified organisms. Calling GMO foods safe, the resolution takes away the rights of states, including Wyoming, to act in the best interest of their citizens. The Committees bill will be up for debate in the legislative session starting Feb. 8 in Cheyenne, and I encourage legislators to think twice before endorsing such a sweeping statement on a subject that is hotly contested by scientists who are experts in the field. A handful of states have responded to concerns about the safety of GMO foods by passing legislation requiring foods containing GMOs to be labeled as such. This would allow their citizens to make informed choices about the foods they were purchasing. In response to these laws, and under pressure from the large corporations that dominate our nations food system, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill which bans states from passing GMO labeling policies in their states. This bill was deceptively called the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. Opponents of the bill have taken to calling it the DARK ActDenying Americans the Right to Know. And now our Wyoming legislators have weighed in on the issue, relying on faulty rhetoric and problematic logic. Supporters of the resolution claim that genetic modification has been going on forever and is so ingrained in our food system that there is nothing to worry about. However, Wyoming ag producers and consumers know better. Traditional plant selection and breeding, evolution and domestication, the modification that has been going on forever, is not the genetic engineering that has consumers concerned. Supporters of the resolution are playing bait and switch with the terminology. The true definition of GMO is clearly spelled out in the National Organic Programs regulations, which define the process as a variety of methods used to genetically modify organisms or influence their growth and development by means that are not possible under natural conditions or processes. The insertion of genetic code from one organism into another, completely different, organism is what the term GMO specifically means. GMOs most often use non-plant genetic codes from insects and bacteria to produce plants that create their own pesticides or that are resistant to pesticides. According to these regulations, genetic modification does not include the use of traditional breeding, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization or tissue culture. In other words, the GMO process that citizens are concerned about has not been going on forever and cannot be conducted by your average farmer out in the field. But perhaps more problematic is that supporters of the resolution insult the ability of Wyomingites to make informed decisions. By denying consumers the right to know if their food items contain genetically modified organisms, they are telling us we are not wise enough to determine whether or not we want to put something into our bodies. Instead, we need to trust Congress to make those decisions for us. Finally, it seems that our elected officials are trying to have their cake and eat it, too. The same legislators which defend states rights and denounce government overreach from the EPA or other federal agencies are now for limiting states rights regarding GMO-labeling. Supporters claim that they are trying to avoid a patchwork of different state laws, but they are forgetting there is a reason the 10th Amendment recognizes the regulatory and police powers of states and, in doing so, limits the powers of the federal government. Im sympathetic to how hard it is to make a living as a farmer. I am one, myself. But the first rule of any business is the customer is always right, and what the customer wants, is what the customer gets. American consumers almost unanimously favor labeling genetically modified foods. You dont, or at least, shouldnt, succeed by hiding what you really are from the customer. You may disagree with them, and that is your right. You may launch a PR campaign to convince them of the correctness of your position. But you may not hide the truth from them. I am not going to try to convince you either way in regards to the safety of GMOs. Unlike our state representatives, I trust your intelligence and ability to look into the issue and make your own decision. I do encourage you to contact your representatives and demand your right, and the rights of citizens of other states, to be allowed the knowledge and ability to make one of the most fundamental decisions we have: what to eat. Editor: This is an open letter to Wyomingites. If you live in Wyoming, chances are you or someone you care about receives services which are administered by the Department of Health, whether its services for the aging, developmentally disabled, public health, rural mental health, or early screening and intervention for children. For the past few years, the Legislature has put tremendous pressure on the Department of Health to become more efficient. According to Wikipedia, Efficiency is the (often measurable) ability to avoid wasting materials, energy, efforts, money, and time in doing something or in producing a desired result. In a more general sense, it is the ability to do things well, successfully, and without waste. In more mathematical or scientific terms, it is a measure of the extent to which input is well used for an intended task or function (output). The governor asked the department heads in our state to submit frugal budgets in anticipation of the revenue shortfall our state will experience in the foreseeable future. So, what does that mean for the Department of Health? It means continuing to provide services and programs within the constraints of a reduced budget. How is this possible? Considering the Department of Health had a budget shortfall in just one service in the last biennium, it would appear that the director will have to continue to rob Peter to pay Paul; often resulting in a reduction or deletion in the programs and services for our most vulnerable citizens the elderly, children, and the developmentally disabled. It appears that our state government has a different definition of efficiency. If their actions were to define it, it would be; efficiency is cutting the amount of money and other resources to provide programs and services to the states citizens regardless of the negative impact it may have on those they serve. I encourage -- no, I implore you to write to the governor and members of the Joint Appropriations Committee and legislators, to demand that the Department of Health be fully funded, above and beyond what Director Forslund has asked for, in order for the department to provide the vital services and programs for our citizens without taking funds from one program or service to pay for the another. We simply must do better. Turkey Police recover painting resembling Picassos work ANKARA, Turkey Turkish police and media say police have recovered an oil painting that looks like a Picasso in a sting operation in Istanbul. The state-run Anadolu Agency said Saturday that police posed as buyers for the painting, detaining two suspects who tried to sell it for $8 million. Anadolu said the painting, which shows an abstract nude female figure brushing her hair, is an authentic work by Pablo Picasso stolen from a woman in New York. But a statement from Istanbul police said the painting hasnt been authenticated yet. The painting must still be sent to Istanbuls Mimar Sinan University to be examined, Anadolu reported. Turkish police have recovered paintings in similar operations in the past which turned out to be forgeries. France Thousands protest state of emergency PARIS Thousands of people marched in the Paris rain Saturday to denounce plans to renew Frances state of emergency and revoke the French citizenship of dual nationals convicted of terrorism. Human rights groups, politicians and unions joined the march in the French capital, and in other demonstrations around France. The protests came just days before the Cabinet plans to review a measure on Wednesday to prolong the state of emergency, first imposed after the Nov. 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people. The state of emergency gives more power to police and administrative authorities, allowing for searches without warrants, house arrests and other measures. The current state of emergency expires Feb. 26. Israel Police say Israeli teen stabbed by 2 Palestinians JERUSALEM Police say two Palestinians stabbed an Israeli teenager in the back before running away near Jerusalems Old City. Spokeswoman Luba Samri said the 17-year-old Israeli was rushed to hospital in light condition. Officers are searching for attackers who fled the scene, she said. Saturdays violence is the latest in four months of near-daily Palestinian attacks on civilians and soldiers. Palestinians killed 26 people on the Israeli side and wounded dozens more since mid-September, mostly in stabbings, shootings and vehicular assaults. Some 146 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire during that time, over 100 identified by Israel as attackers. The rest died in clashes. China US warship sails near disputed island BANGKOK A U.S. warship sailed near a disputed island in the South China Sea on Saturday to exercise the U.S.s freedom to navigate in international waters, a defense official said. The USS Curtis Wilbur destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island, in the Paracels chain, without notifying the three claimants to the surrounding seas beforehand, according to Defense Department spokesman Mark Wright in Washington. China, Taiwan and Vietnam have claims in the Paracels and require prior notice from ships transiting in nearby waters. Wright said the claimants attempts to restrict navigational rights by requiring prior notice are inconsistent with international law. The area has some of the worlds busiest shipping lanes, and U.S. officials say ensuring freedom of navigation there is in U.S. national interests. Yemen Coalition airstrikes kill more than 32 SANAA Airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition targeting Yemens Shiite rebels killed more than 32 people overnight including at least eight civilians in the capital, Sanaa, officials said on Saturday. The airstrikes appeared to target a rebel camp and factories producing food and plastic in northern and western Sanaa, the security and medical officials said. Yemen has been torn by conflict since 2014, when Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, allied with a former president captured large swaths of the country, including Sanaa, which they took in September that year. The Saudi-led coalition launched its air campaign against the rebels in March 2015. Since then, more than 5,800 people have been killed and over 80 percent of Yemens population is in dire need of food, water and other aid. The Associated Press Shera Nealon is still waiting for the comfortable nights rest she sought two years ago, when she first walked into a Mattress Firm store in Green Valley. Nealon and her husband, Dane, have since exchanged two Mattress Firm mattresses she says sagged and hurt her back, and have been waiting two months to have a third one picked up from their home. At the moment, shes out over $2,000 and, she says, is still stuck with a mattress that sags. Unaddressed complaints like theirs are what has earned the national chain an F rating from the Better Business Bureau, said Leah Napoliello, senior director for investigative services with the BBB of South Texas and Greater Houston, which is where Mattress Firm is based. Mattress Firms complaint volume is not high for a corporation its size, she said. Nationwide, there have been about 650 complaints filed, with 442 of those unanswered and eight considered unresolved, which Napoliello said means the business responded to the customer but failed to make a good-faith effort to resolve the problem. The company did reach out to the BBB recently to work on these issues and is still in the processing of resolving them, she said. Nealon is one of 19 Tucson-area customers who have filed complaints since Mattress Firm stores started opening here more than two years ago. So far, seven complaints have been left unanswered and one is considered unresolved. Meeting the needs of customers is a top priority, said Sunni Goodman, Mattress Firms vice president of communications. We take it very seriously and are sorry to learn that the BBB has open complaints logged on their online system, she said. We are continually working with the BBB to resolve customer service complaints as we stated before, customer satisfaction is a top priority. Goodman said Mattress Firm has a customer service process available online at www.mattressfirm.com, as well as various outlets for customers to share concerns in stores and online. There are now 35 Mattress Firm stores in Pima County, with the corporation buying out many of its competitors and leaving fewer choices for local customers. Mattress Firm has nearly 3,500 stores and 80 distribution centers in 48 states, Goodman said, and is the largest mattress retailer in the country. Complaints about customer service sometimes occur when businesses experience explosive growth, the BBBs Napoliello said, but she said its unclear if thats whats happening with Mattress Firm. The company has had complaint issues dating back to 2012, she said. Nealon, who lives in Sahuarita, said that when she and her husband bought their first mattress from the company in July 2013, they received a 100-day comfort guarantee. Shortly after their purchase, they decided the mattress wasnt quite right. They returned it and got a new one, but after 60 days realized that the latest one was uncomfortable, too. They filed a warranty claim and got approval to exchange it for a new one, but were disappointed to find no improvement. This time we went right to Sealy, she said, but they told us we had to go directly to Mattress Firm. It took two months to set up an inspection, she said, and another month before the inspection was carried out. That was in the first days of December, she said, and she hasnt heard anything since. Tom Shambo is also waiting for a resolution. He said he purchased a mattress from the company in August and was told the delivery would be between noon and 3 p.m. At 3:30 that day, I called the store, he said. We had plans for later in the day, and I wanted to make sure it was on its way. Shambos mattress didnt arrive until 5 p.m. and he was told hed be reimbursed for the delivery, since company policy requires a refund if the delivery is late. Shambo is still waiting for that $80. Every other week or so, we would call to ask where we are at, he said. They kept making excuses why we wouldnt have it yet. They just give you the runaround. Dozens of Tucsonans filled a hearing room to share their concerns about a new proposal: earned sick and safe time for employees of all businesses within Tucson city limits. The discussion, which in three public hearings has devolved into name-calling and crying, has two polarized sides digging in. The side opposing the proposal says it is an egregious government overstep that will hurt the very people it was designed to help. Supporters say it is a human-rights issue for parents and workers, and a public health issue for all of Tucson. Councilwoman Regina Romero of Ward 1 recommended the proposal. It would require all businesses within Tucson city limits to give workers one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours work. After 90 days of employment, workers could begin accumulating paid sick leave and could use up to 40 hours a year at a small business with fewer than 10 employees, or up to 56 hours per year at a larger business. Workers would not be required to find someone to cover their shifts while using sick time. The final of three public hearings to discuss the potential proposal was Thursday. No decisions have been made. After the public hearing, stakeholders sent their ideas for next steps to the city manager, Michael Ortega, who will create a report on the outcome of the three meetings. Theres no sign the City Council will take action any time soon. Councilman Paul Cunningham, of Ward 2, hosted the most recent public hearing. No matter what happens long term, Tucson will be better after this for having had a healthy discussion of the issue, Cunningham said. The meeting allowed 26 small-business owners, employees, physicians and concerned citizens two minutes each to comment on the proposal. Of the 26 who spoke, 11 supported the proposal and 15 opposed it. The public comments began with name-calling when Shirley Muney of the American Association of University Women compared employers who dont offer earned safe and sick time to plantation owners in the South. After public comments, 13 stakeholders stated their official positions and discussed recommendations. Many participants hoped to find common ground, but with the divisions so deep, most refused to budge. Fred Ronstadt of the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association, representing over 100 small businesses, opposed the proposal. The city should focus on the things its responsible for, Ronstadt said. Stay out of small private businesses. Ronstadt said while the aim of the proposal is to help members of the community with lower income, the proposal would adversely affect them most. Some of the business leaders said there would be fewer jobs, or businesses would move jobs to areas outside city limits. Those opposed to the plan include the Tucson Metro Chamber, the Downtown Tucson Partnership, the Arizona Restaurant Association, the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance, the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Arizona Transportation Builders Association and the Arizona Builders Alliance. Molly McGovern and Jim Parton of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 99 supported the proposal. Tucson has a chance to play a leadership role, McGovern said. Its a public health issue. Others supporting the proposal include the Arizona Center to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, Jobs with Justice, the Center for Neighborhood Leadership and some members of the University of Arizona College of Law. Parton gave the audience a step-by-step math problem. Lets assume every employee takes their leave, Parton said. Thats 56 hours, a 2.5 percent increase on the cost of payroll. Now, lets assume that the employers only cost is payroll. Their total cost will go up 2.5 percent. Now lets say all of that goes to the consumer. Now the consumer has to pay $10.25 for a $10 sandwich. And thats the maximum. Many members of the audience disagreed with Partons example, some calling him a liar and others saying the figures were subjective. Shelby Collier, owner of Beyond Bread, said it would cost his business in excess of $250,000. Some people said that while the proposal is well intentioned, it should be state-mandated, not a city ordinance. Romero said the concept of earned safe and sick time has been discussed on a city, state and national level, but there are clear reasons the proposition hasnt ever made it far. Many employers already have safe and sick time, and yet theres no action, she said. Mostly because our Republican Congress has not moved it forward. Romero said she plans to continue pushing the proposal despite opposition. ALFORD, John Crane, died peacefully in Tucson January 23, 2016 with his wife of 67 years, Diane, and their four children, Dana, Brandon, Valerie and Darcy, by his side. He was born in New York, lived in New Jersey, graduated from Hill and Thatcher and Yale with an ME degree. In World War II he served as a 1st Lieutenant in the Air Force, mostly in the Pacific. He worked in the paper board industry and was a board member of G.A. Saxton on Wall Street. With his wife he founded the Saddle River Day School in 1958 and was president of the Board of Trustees for 25 years. After living in Saddle River until 1983 he moved to Tucson. He was a member of the Arcola and Tuxedo Clubs in the east and Skyline Country Club in Tucson. He and his wife did a lot of off- beat adventure traveling in out of the way places from Alaska to Antarctica with many trips to Africa and around the globe. There will be a small family service in the east at a later date. Arrangements by VISTOSO FUNERAL HOME. of Tucson, Arizona, passed away January 25, 2016, after a long struggle with complications from congestive heart failure. She was born in Albuquerque, NM July 18, 1938, but lived in Tucson from 1941. She had extensive roots in Southern Arizona. Her maternal grandfather, William F. Foy enlisted in the 7th Cavalry in 1898 at Ft Huachuca and deployed from there to Cuba during the Spanish American War. Foy returned to Arizona after the war and married Irene Kearney (born in Tombstone, AZ), daughter of James F. Kearney, a prominent Arizona miner. Foy was involved in mining operations in southern Arizona for many years and operated the Copper Queen mine from 1923 to 1926 and the Twin Buttes (underground) mine until 1947. Her paternal grandfather Albert Lott was a very successful farmer in Somerton, AZ, in the early 1900s. Her mother, Vivian (Foy) Lott taught in TUSD for many years and her father, William Lott was a very successful commercial land realtor in Tucson. Andrea graduated from Tucson High in 1955 and from the UofA in 1959 with a BA in Education. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority. She married James E. Malmberg in 1959. James also graduated from the UofA in 1959 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army through ROTC. The couple left Tucson January 1960 for a 22 year tour of duty which included assignments to Ft Monmouth, NJ, Ft Gordon, GA, Washington, DC, Ft Leavenworth, KS, Ft Huachuca, AZ and overseas assignments at Schofield Barracks Oahu, HI, Mannheim and Stuttgart, Germany. During this time she taught at several schools both on and off base. The couple retired to Tucson in 1981 and she retrained to become a medical transcriptionist, working as such until 1995. Andrea was a life-long Wildcat fan. She is survived by her husband, James of Tucson; daughter, Janet Forbes of Sierra Vista and son, William Malmberg of Tucson; three grandsons and three nephews. Viewing will be from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the BRING'S BROADWAY CHAPEL, 6910 E. Broadway Blvd. on Monday, February 1, 2016 where Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be at Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Sierra Vista. Donations in lieu of flowers to the UofA Foundation. THE source for news of bluegrass and old-time music events in Ireland - and more Send in news or queries to the Bluegrass Ireland Blog (BIB) by e-mail , please; we can't send a direct reply to a comment on a post. The BIB does not do reviews or accept posts with 'marketing messages'. Thinking of touring in Ireland? Look at the BIB's THINKING OF TOURING IN IRELAND? page. The Arizona Department of Economic Security is investigating Tucson charity Cross Country Outreach, which the Star has found is violating building, zoning and health codes, and is likely breaking labor laws. DES spokeswoman Tasya Peterson would not give details on the subject of its investigation, but the announcement that it has begun came on the heels of a Star reporters questions about the charity, which describes its mission as transitional housing, meals, clothing distribution and job training. Public records show DES previously found that Cross Country Outreach and its predecessor, The Giving Tree, have operated as an unlicensed child welfare agency and may have mishandled homeless clients welfare benefits. Were trying The Giving Tree, which shut down in 2012 amid plummeting public support, was the subject of a 2009 Star investigation that found myriad violations of local and state rules, as well as widely accepted standards for charities. Director Libby Wright stepped down in 2011, then launched Cross Country Outreach in 2013 and registered it as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) in 2014. In an interview last week, Wright maintained that The Giving Tree did a great deal of good as it tackled homelessness in Tucson. We are trying to meet a need that is not met in this community, she said. She sees rules and regulations as a burden but says Cross Country Outreach wants to do things right. It shouldnt be so hard to help, she said. Were trying. Thats all I can say. Whatever regulations need to be met, were willing to do it. But the Stars investigation found that Cross Country Outreach still engages in the types of practices that got The Giving Tree in trouble: violating city building codes; giving out perishable food without required health department oversight; compelling homeless clients to work without pay in the nonprofits thrift store, leaving them less time to seek employment; failing to provide workers compensation insurance; and having only one board member, who is the nonprofits co-director. food stamp scam Four former clients of Cross Country Outreach also told the Star they were required to spend their food stamps on communal meals at the shelter, a practice that is frowned upon by advocates for the poor. Earlier this month, the charitys co-director, Jere Pedrazza, said clients must share $100 of their monthly food stamps with roommates at one of the charitys shelters. But last week, Wright denied that clients are compelled to share food. She said people sometimes sell their food stamps for cash and she doesnt want that happening at her shelters. So residents must prove they are spending at least $100 of their food stamps on food each month by bringing food to the shelter and showing their receipts. We dont need their food, she said. We dont want to be a part of the scam. Pedrazza said Cross Country Outreach is a scaled-down version of The Giving Tree, which once provided services at 20 locations and brought in $1.4 million in donations and revenue in 2007. Wright said the new nonprofits first 990 form, for 2015, is due to the IRS in the spring. She would not provide financial information and said her financial advisers were not willing to speak to the Star. But she said, Were trying to cross all our ts and dot all our is. ... We have nothing to hide. Cross Country Outreach has two shelters, one for women and children and one for men, and runs Shop 4 A Cause thrift store at 5140 E. Speedway. Like The Giving Tree, operations run on revenue from the thrift shop, which is not a nonprofit, and from private donations, Wright said. Troubled past The 2009 Star investigation of The Giving Tree uncovered breaches of city and state regulations and common standards for nonprofits, including making a public display of giving children gifts, only to take them back later; charging homeless clients hundreds of dollars a month to live in crowded rental homes; serving expired food to the public; and hoarding food that was donated. Questionable financial practices at The Giving Tree included paying employees as independent contractors to avoid federal payroll taxes, workers compensation and unemployment insurance; failing to reconcile accounts and track credit card payments; and requiring clients to sign over their food stamps and other benefits for the needy. Former clients also alleged Wright failed to help them get back on their feet, instead requiring them to work without pay 20 to 40 hours a week at the nonprofits thrift store, leaving little time for them to go to job interviews. The Giving Trees practices raised eyebrows among advocates for the homeless in Tucson. We had clear concerns when The Giving Tree was in operation about the way that they chose to help people experience homelessness and whether the approach they were using was best practices, or even ethical, said Patti Caldwell, chief executive officer of Our Family Services. Regarding Cross Country Outreach, she said, We would be concerned about any organization that adopted a similar approach to serving people in need. Stonewalled, city says Those familiar with Wright and her nonprofit work say she chafes at government or board oversight, but many emphasize her good intentions. She didnt give a hoot about the rules, said Craig Littlefield, a former board member of The Giving Tree. She could talk anybody into anything and I think she really cared. But she did everything her way. She didnt want anybody telling her what to do. That seems to be the case at Cross Country Outreach as well. Its Grace Home shelter for women and children has an outdated certificate of occupancy issued by the city in 2004 allowing for eight people. As of Jan. 8, the shelter housed about 20 people, Pedrazza said. Two former residents said there are often closer to 30. To meet building codes, a property housing more than 10 would trigger additional safety requirements, including a fire sprinkler system, said Clayton Trevillyan, the citys interim building official. The Promise Home mens shelter, next door, doesnt have a certificate of occupancy, which the nonprofits directors should have applied for when it opened. A bigger problem is zoning compliance. The shelters are in an R-2 residential zone, so a shelter housing more than 15 people requires at least 1.5 acres, or 65,340 square feet. Grace Homes lot is 8,289 square feet. Code inspectors responding to complaints of overcrowding at Grace Home have been stonewalled, said Michael Wyneken, code enforcement administrator for the city. After a December 2013 complaint, The inspector was out there three times and couldnt get someone to open the door, Wyneken said. We could never establish there were more than eight people living there because nobody is really cooperative. Getting a court warrant to enter against the occupants will is difficult unless there is evidence of an immediate threat to health and safety, he said. Wright said she didnt know of any compliance issues with Grace Home and Promise Home. Still, she said, Were willing to comply. The Shop 4 A Cause thrift store was given a notice of violation in April 2015 for dispensing potentially hazardous food those that require temperature controls to remain safe without a license. The store receives regular donations of food past its best-by date from grocery stores. It gives away produce and dry goods like bread at the front of the store, but it also keeps refrigerated items in the back. But the nonprofit never secured the license required to distribute potentially hazardous food, which would require regular inspections, said David Ludwig, program manager at the Pima County Health Department. In response to the Stars inquiry, inspectors followed up this month at the thrift shop and ordered it to cease and desist distributing potentially hazardous foods until it obtains a license and a commercial-grade refrigerator. A lone board member Cross Country Outreach does not have an independent board of directors. Four directors are listed with the Arizona Corporation Commission, but two, Jill Reilly and Vickie Williams, have left the board, Pedrazza said. Another, Sylvia Figueroa, died last year. Reached by phone, Reilly would not comment. Her husband owns the building that houses Shop 4 A Cause, the nonprofits main source of revenue. Williams could not be reached for comment. That leaves Pedrazza as the only director. The Arizona Corporation Commission only requires nonprofits to have one board member, but experts say an independent board, including members who arent involved in the operations, is critical to running a reputable nonprofit. For nonprofits, integrity in financial practices and proper oversight is critical to ensure effective use of donors contributions, said Peggy Hutchison, chief executive officer of the Primavera Foundation. The nonprofit provides transitional housing and other services to help clients escape poverty and homelessness. Careful tracking of how well programs perform allows Primavera to drop or adjust programs based on real data, she said. Its not about us feeling good about what were doing, Hutchison said. Its really about, whats the impact and how do we know we really are making a difference? The nonprofit has a new volunteer, whom Pedrazza would only identify as Tom, who helps with finances, which she acknowledged are not her or Wrights strong suit. We share a common ground in that we like helping people, but there are times when certain areas are neglected, she said. Thats why we have Tom. Employment violations Documents reviewed by the Star show that The Giving Tree was cited by two state agencies for failing to comply with employment requirements and that Cross Country Outreach appears to be replicating its predecessors violations. In 2011, The Giving Tree paid $1,000 to the Industrial Commission of Arizona for its failure to pay for workers compensation coverage. In 2012, DES determined that the nonprofit was also not exempt from requirements to pay state taxes for unemployment insurance. It ordered the nonprofit to pay $1,466 for unemployment insurance for the nonprofits executive director, bookkeeper, store manager, program director and office staff for 2010 and 2011, the DES audit report shows. Neither the DES nor the Industrial Commission would say whether Cross Country Outreach is in compliance with employment regulations. But Wright said she recently received a letter of inquiry from the Industrial Commission asking for proof the nonprofit is paying for workers comp. Wright maintains she has no employees, only volunteers and independent contractors. But she said if shes required to pay for workers comp and unemployment insurance, she will. Pedrazza said clients are required to either pay $50 a week to stay in the shelters or work 20 hours a week at the thrift store to help bring in revenue to support the shelters. The arrangement is likely a violation of federal and state labor laws, said Don Awerkamp, employment attorney at Awerkamp & Bonilla law firm in Tucson. The $50 value of the housing benefit clients receive in exchange for their work-week equates to $2.50 an hour less than Arizonas minimum wage of $8.05, he said. He also disputes the argument that thrift store workers are volunteers, if the work is required. If theyre forced to do so, thats really not volunteering. If theyre doing so in return for a benefit like housing, thats not volunteering, he said. That would also mean the business is required to pay for workers compensation insurance, he said. Unlicensed agency Wright and the charities she runs are well-known among state agencies, including the Department of Health Services, the former Child Protective Services, and the Office of Licensing, Certification and Regulation within DES, according to records the Star received last month in response to a public-records request. DHS, OLCR, CPS and the Tucson Police Department are very familiar with Ms. Wright and her questionable practices, said an Aug. 8, 2013, DES Office of Special InvestigationsInternal Affairs memo. Once accepted into the home, Ms. Wright persuaded parents and vulnerable adults to transfer guardianship, executor or payee status over to her. Then Wright retained the residents Supplemental Security Income, for people with disabilities; Direct Express Debit Card, which holds federal benefits like Social Security payments; EBT card for food stamps; or child support payments, the memo said. Wright called the claim ludicrous. I am financially secure, she said. I dont need anybodys Social Security card or anything like that. DES spokesman Todd Stone said he could not say whether any disciplinary action resulted from the investigation. A separate, undated report from the DES Office of Internal Affairs describes a 15-year-old girl who lived at Grace Home in 2009 and was released into Wrights custody after a hospitalization. It concludes: All documentation supports the determination that Ms. Wright is in fact operating an unlicensed Child Welfare Agency. In 2009, the investigator would have been referring to The Giving Trees activities. Allegations of the nonprofits habit of caring for unaccompanied children were detailed in the Stars 2009 investigation. The 2013 DES memo shows the DES believed those practices continued at Cross Country Outreach. It notes that the Arizona Corporation Commission lists someone else as statutory agent, but that information gained by a member of the Office of Child Welfare Investigations (OCWI) demonstrates Ms. Wright is probably operating Cross Country Outreach as an unlicensed group home. DES spokesman Stone said he doesnt know of any disciplinary action that resulted from the finding, as those records would now be with the Department of Child Safety, created in 2014 to replace Child Protective Services. DCS spokesman Bryan Pahia said the agency has no public documents related to those findings but that operating as an unlicensed child welfare agency would typically result in a Superior Court injunction to stop the activity. Wright said she was never notified by DES that she was doing anything wrong and that children only come to the shelters with their parents. Like The Giving Tree, Cross Country Outreach has been criticized for staffing the thrift store with homeless clients, who work in exchange for their housing if they cant afford a $50-per-week fee. Some positions with more responsibility pay clients a stipend, co-director Pedrazza said. Jose Amador, 41, started living in the Cross Country Outreachs mens shelter in summer 2013, while he was on parole following a conviction for drunk driving. He said he worked nearly 40 hours a week at the thrift store when he was unable to pay the $50 weekly charge, and was still told to work 15 hours a week even when he could pay. The time commitment made it difficult to apply for other jobs, he said. Shes not helping people go look for work, said Amador, who said he was kicked out of the shelter in January 2015, referring to Wright. Recent Grace Home resident Holley Augusta lost her job last summer and fell into homelessness. Augusta, 33, stayed at Grace Home in August and September 2015. She recalls being scolded for missing a work shift at the thrift store in order to attend orientation for her new job at Jack in the Box. Its not a transitional living program if theyd rather me work at their thrift store than doing things to get myself back on my feet, she said. Wright said many clients have found jobs and independence after working at Shop 4 A Cause. We have enough success stories, she said, that we want to continue helping the community. Two days after she started classes at the University of Arizona, someone wrote No nig**rs on Nicollette Buckles mailbox. It made me feel like I didnt belong here, said Buckle, 24, a graduate student from New York City, who said she thought about leaving town and abandoning her quest for a masters degree in geosciences. I felt scared and unsafe, like maybe someone would show up in the night and try to do something to me. I didnt really know what to think because nothing like that had ever happened to me before. Hers was one of many accounts of discrimination that emerged when UA faculty senators recently went on a listening tour to better understand challenges facing female students, students of color and those who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. The faculty outreach was in response to recent racial tensions on other U.S. campuses such as the University of Missouri, said Lynn Nadel, a psychology professor and chair of the UA faculty. Given the national climate, we thought it would be good to check in with our students. In December, UA faculty senators met with students at six campus centers that provide support to women and minorities. According to faculty notes from the meetings, the incidents students described included: Five cases of black students encountering the N-word. They included a group of black females on the UA Mall being referred to as bitch nig**rs by white males and no nig**rs scrawled on bathroom stalls in a residence hall. A professor who likened Mexicans coming over the U.S. border to an invasive species of desert rabbit. White students referring to Hispanic students as illegals and anchor babies. A professor who led the class in laughing at a foreign student after mocking her accent. A lecturer in the School of Government and Public Policy who told students racial profiling is necessary to keep everyone safe. A Chinese-American student whose professor assumed she was low-English proficient even after she told him she was born in Tucson. The professor said he was a veteran of Vietnam and therefore knew a lot about China. Faculty failing to realize, or failing to intervene, when gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender students were being harassed by other students. Advisors who discourage students of color from applying to medical or graduate school. Many of the students felt their advisors had low academic expectations of them. Native American students frustrated by well-intentioned but frequently ignorant professors making racial slights against them. One student attending on a scholarship said a professor told her she wasnt like other Native Americans. There was a strong issue raised about Islamophobia on campus, and how it affects more than just the Muslim population (i.e., some were harassed even though they werent Muslim). A professor who joked about pop star Chris Browns domestic violence record. Complaints that UA police officers are insensitive to sexual assault victims. Their reaction is often one of slut-shaming e.g what were you wearing. Some faculty members expressed shock over what they heard. I was absolutely taken back by what the students tonight were saying and felt my ignorance toward many issues being exposed, chemistry professor John Pollard wrote after a listening session with black UA students. In response to student concerns, some senators are calling for new measures such as mandatory cultural awareness training for students, the staff and professors. UA Senior Vice President Melissa Vito said plans are in the works to improve the intercultural climate on campus, such as training staffers at UA residence halls to engage with freshmen on how to break down stereotypes and question personal assumptions about others. We have many people, students, faculty and staff who come here with varying degrees of maturity, insight and experience with people who are different from themselves, Vito said. Nadel, the faculty chair, said it was disappointing to hear of students facing problems at an institution of higher learning. Were a university. Were supposed to be smart people. Its kind of hard to figure why anyone would do some of these things. In some cases, Nadel suspects people are unaware that their words or actions are offensive to those of other backgrounds. I think a lot of it is mindless. You tell a little joke, you dont stop to think that its at someones expense. Nadel said he doesnt believe discrimination is rampant at UA, but even if its happening to 1 percent of the students on our campus, thats too many. Its not what we want. The students who spoke up said faculty members could prevent many problems by making it clear on the first day of class that discrimination is unacceptable. Nadel agrees. There are practical steps faculty can take, like saying we will not tolerate students picking on each other or making fun of accents. I expect we will be having more discussions around those types of things. Vito, of UA administration, said the faculty listening tour is one of many efforts underway to better serve all types of students. Were listening and talking with multiple groups on campus, getting their experiences out into the open and doing the work to improve peoples understanding, she said. We cant fix anything if we dont acknowledge the problems and talk about them. Buckle, the masters student whose mailbox was defaced, said faculty senators deserve credit for reaching out and said they seemed sincere in their desire to help. Its a start, she said. At least they were willing to listen. Two dozen members of the Sinaloa cartel were arrested, and assault weapons and hundreds of pounds of drugs seized Friday during an operation staged from the Arizona -Mexico border. Several federal and state U.S. law enforcement agencies worked with Mexican authorities in the Lukeville-Sonoyta area on a Mexican operation dubbed Diablo Express, Immigration and Customs spokeswoman Gillian Christensen said in a written statement. "ICE applauds the Government of Mexico for their bold action in taking down this criminal organization and for their continued pressure on the Sinaloa Cartel throughout Mexico," she said. The Sinaloa Cartel is one of worlds most notorious drug-trafficking rings, led by Joaquin Guzman, known as El Chapo, recently arrested after he escaped from a high-security Mexican prison. The targeted Sinaloa cell has been responsible for the importation of millions of pounds of drugs, including marijuana, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, into the United States from Mexico, the release said. The organization is also responsible for the smuggling of millions of dollars in U.S. currency, along with weapons, into Mexico. Due to the sensitive nature, Christensen said, the operation was conducted with "utmost secrecy to maintain the element of surprise and to ensure the safety of the Mexican law enforcement officers executing it." Those arrested are in custody of the Mexican government, she said, and U.S. authorities will seek the extradition of those who face criminal charges in the U.S. As the midterm elections come ever closer, it can feel as if were stewing in a cauldron of tribalism, of our side vs. their side with no middle ground and little agreement on much of anything. That makes it a good time to take a breath and realize the consensus weve reached on some issues that were incredibly contentious not long ago. It gives us hope in the angry days ahead. A consortium says it wants to bring renewable wind and solar energy to Arizona cities by building two power lines from New Mexico. But its fighting hard against being required to guarantee it will put renewables on the line. Building the 515-mile-long SunZia project will make Arizonas electrical transmission more reliable, reduce congestion on existing lines and help Arizona meet increasingly strict clean air and clean power rules, the consortium says. Opponents want 50 percent of one line set aside for renewables, to make SunZia put its money where its mouth is. They want to ensure that dirty fossil fuel isnt a major source of power on lines run through the lower San Pedro River valley. But such an order would violate federal law forbidding power lines from undue discrimination against energy suppliers, SunZia officials say, although opponents believe it would be legal. This is a central issue in the power-line proposal that will go before the Arizona Corporation Commission in Phoenix on Tuesday. The five-member commission must decide whether to grant the hotly contested SunZia proposal a certificate authorizing construction. That would be one of the last major permits the project needs. The renewables condition that line opponents want was turned down, at the consortiums urging, in November 2015 by ACCs Line Siting Committee, whose approval of power lines is also required. The Obama administration has already fast-tracked approval of SunZia as one of six major transmission line projects being planned nationally to integrate renewables into the electric grid. The power lines have been estimated to cost $1.2 billion to $2 billion and would carry enough electricity to power about 1.5 million homes. The projects backers hope the first line will be operating by 2021. The proposal is sponsored by a consortium of five companies including Tucson Electric Power, which has a very small percentage stake, and Phoenixs Salt River Project. Opponents who dont want any power lines through the largely untrammeled San Pedro valley question the sincerity of SunZias commitment to renewables. They also question the economic feasibility of building the line and selling renewable power in Arizona or California when those states already have a huge potential for solar. They suspect and Sun Zia denies that the consortium most likely will use the first line to transmit fossil fuel natural gas from an approved, still unbuilt natural gas power plant slated for Bowie in eastern Arizona. The Bowie plant will be developed by the Southwestern Power Group, a leading sponsor of the SunZia project. Opponents also want SunZia ordered to build the 300-plus mile-long New Mexico portion of line before building the 200-mile Arizona segment. Promoting a power line as serving renewables and using it to carry only fossil fuels through the San Pedro valley would be the ultimate sin, said Peter Else, an opponent intervening in this case who lives along the river in rural Cascabel. SunZia Project Manager Tom Wray counters, You cant put a condition on that would require the applicant to violate federal statutes in order to comply with the condition. CLEAN ENERGY NEEDED Last fall, Wray testified that New Mexicos high quality wind energy resources are stranded, with no way to transmit them to cities. Thats one of the reasons the line is so long, 515 miles, to get that resource and bring it back to its endpoint in Pinal County, where an existing substation connects to big transmission lines serving Phoenix and Tucson, Wray told a Line Siting Committee hearing. The panel signed off on SunZia in November after 13 days of hearings. The lines renewable energy will help Arizona comply with the federal Clean Power Plan, which limits power plants greenhouse gas-producing, carbon dioxide emissions, Wray said. Another tougher rule that the line will help Arizona meet, Wray said, is the recently tightened federal ozone air quality standard, which will leave many Arizona counties in violation. Wray displayed maps citing federal estimates of extensive solar and wind energy resources in New Mexico and solar resources in Southern Arizona that could replace much of the coal fired power that will be eliminated by the tougher rules if theres adequate transmission to bring it to cities. SunZia also has a letter of intent with the San Francisco-based SunEdison company, a global firm that builds wind and solar power projects, to supply wind energy. It would be produced at SunEdisons planned Gallo wind farm in Lincoln County, New Mexico, near where the lines would start. The letter was signed with the anticipation of an agreement to be a formal user, testified Ravi Sankaran, a top SunEdison official, at the hearings. Sankaran handles the companys renewable energy marketing for the western U.S. The company has raised $10 billion globally to finance renewable projects, including a Davis-Monthan Air Force Base solar project, a Tucson Electric Power solar project in Marana and four other Arizona solar projects. The Gallo project would produce about half as much energy as SunZias lines could carry, he said. Assuming Lincoln County OKs the project, the company plans to start operations by 2021, he said. The wind can complement Arizonas solar energy when the sun isnt shining, Sankaran said. While natural gas plants can also meet this need, its going to be increasingly difficult to build them because their methane and other air emissions could run afoul of federal clean air standards, he said. If you are a utility planner . . . you dont want to be too dependent on any one resource, he testified. While this plants wind energy is also being marketed to California, at this point none of the energy is committed to any utility or state, he said. Necessity questioned Opponents say Arizona wont need much of SunZias energy, that California is the most likely target for most of SunZias New Mexico wind power, and that Arizona may not even be that interested. Norm Meader, one of three intervenors opposing SunZia in the Arizona Corporation Commission case, introduced graphs and pie charts produced by Tucson Electric Power and Arizona Public Service Co. He said they show that solar resources in Arizona are far more widespread, robust and cost-effective than wind energy would be. He also introduced a paper written by advocacy group Environment America that said Arizonas solar capacity grew 142 percent from 2010 to 2013, and that if it continues growing at even one-seventh that pace the state will be producing 25 percent of its electricity through in-state solar by 2025. Meader also cited a statement by a TEP official that while the utility would likely buy some New Mexico wind energy if available, the future of SunZia and several other planned New Mexico transmission projects depends on the California market. Were not big enough in Arizona to justify those lines, even with all of Arizonas renewable energy needs combined, Carmine Tilghman, TEPs director of renewable resources, told the Albuquerque Journal last year. Opponents also warned that an agreement SunZia made last year to bury five miles of its line north of White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico could prove expensive enough to make that leg of the line unfeasible. Originally, SunZias Wray pegged the line burials cost at $500 million, but later lowered the estimate to $200 million. In part, he based that estimate on recent conversations his company has had with large manufacturers of high-voltage transmission cables in Korea and Japan. As more evidence of their view that SunZia wont be for renewables, opponents cited a 2015 Salt River Project letter to the commission saying that its main interest in SunZia would be for importing power from existing generation sources located in eastern Arizona. The utility said those existing sources are coal-fired power plants, although it didnt rule out buying renewables from the line. BETTER THAN NOTHING Last November, the corporation commissions Line Siting Committee wrestled with this issue before approving a much less restrictive condition. Despite some members desire to insure that the lines carry renewables, they accepted SunZias argument that a requirement could chill prospective investors. The condition says SunZia will, in good faith and consistent with the requirements of state and federal law, use its best efforts to secure transmission service contracts for renewable energy generation. I think thats helpful, said member Mary Hamway, after saying a few minutes earlier that the projects purpose has kind of gone up in smoke in my mind due to uncertainty about renewables. I think it is better than nothing, said Chairman Thomas Chenal. Not much, replied member Pat Noland. This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. It is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way. The underprivileged and marginalized ragpicker community has rarely been depicted in art forms in India. Aatika S | TwoCircles.net NEW DELHI - The work of progressive art is to annihilate every form of inequality. It has to produce a societal meaning with ethical representation. The ragpicker community has rarely been depicted in art forms. In the Indian context, we look at... Cable Text Indias over 150 million Muslim population is largely unattracted to extremism. Separatism and religious extremism have little appeal to Indian Muslims, and the overwhelming majority espouse moderate doctrines. With Indian Muslim youth increasingly comfortable in the mainstream, the pool of potential recruits is shrinking, while Muslim families and communities provide little sanction or support to extremist appeals. Islamic extremism is not popular in India and most adults are not interested. This forces extremists to pitch to young and naive audiences who may be more amenable. - Above view expressed by former US ambassador about Indian Muslims rejection of extremism and is quite contrary to image portrayed by right wing parties and certain section of media. Earlier bomb blasts were blamed blindly on Muslims and innocent Muslim youths were locked up. Whole community and religion was blamed for either supporting terror activities or not doing enough to stop it. Few parties and organization held the notion that all Muslims are not terrorist but all terrorists are Muslim. It took some time for Muslim community to get grasp of the situation. Muslim community and religious leaders campaigned actively to change the perception and isolate any extremist element in the community. They held close to 40 anti-terror rallies all over the country and issued fatwa denouncing terrorism. The massive public gatherings in May 2008 at the Ramlila Grounds of Delhi and in November 2008 in Hyderabad have helped in mobilising the Muslim masses against terrorism. Imams at the local Masjids also got involved actively in this task and spread the message of peace. Community themselves initiated neighborhood watch schemes to keep unwanted elements out. George Bush reportedly introduced Manmohan Singh to his wife, Laura, as the prime minister of India, a democracy which does not have a single Al Qaida member in a population of 150 million Muslims. USA was convinced about Indian Muslim rejection of terrorism but Indian leaders and media were not. We never heard these encouraging words from Indian leaders or even intellectuals. None of them came out and vouched for Muslims integrity. Muslims were left to fight these twin battles all alone, one was to counter the propaganda and other to isolate extremist element in the community. Earlier, all the blasts were blamed on extremist Muslims but 2008 Malegaon blast changed it all. Malegaon blast investigations led to extremist Hindu groups. Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit are the main accused. After their arrests all right wing parties and group like RSS, VHP, Hindu Mahasabha and Shiv Sena came out openly in their favour. BJP President at that time Rajnath Singh declared those believing in cultural nationalism cannot ever take to terror. BJP Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani forcefully took up the alleged torture case of the Malegaon blast suspects, Lt Col Purohit and Sadhvi Pragya with PM Manmohan Singh. After this, National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan, along with Intelligence Bureau chief P.C Halder, called on Advani at his residence with all the evidence of Malegaon Blast case which Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) led by Hemant Karkare was investigating. A TV channel broke the story of extremist Hindu group plot to target Vice-President Hamid Ansari and planning an underground outfit to kill Muslims. The channel was attacked by the RSS workers. RSS initially accused the opposition and the media for conspiring and targeting Hindu leaders and saffron-robed sanyasis and now they maintain that terror and religion should not be mixed and the word Saffron terror should not be used. Cable Text Indias Muslim population is estimated to be as large as 150 million (the second largest in the world after Indonesia), and suffers from higher rates of poverty than most other groups in India, and can be the victims of discrimination and prejudice. Despite this, the vast majority remain committed to the Indian state and seek to participate in mainstream political and economic life. - This observation comes when Indian Muslims are asked to prove their loyalty to India time and again. This clearly shows that inspite of abject poverty and discrimination, Indian Muslims faith on Indian state is unshaken. Right wing parties and organization continue to blame the government for minority appeasement. It was difficult to understand what kind of appeasement brought Muslims to become worse than dalits, who have faced discrimination for thousands of years. Muslims continue to use the legal and political means to address their economic and social problems. They have high hopes from government, judiciary and media. They have used legitimate means like protest rallies,signature campaigns and legal route to press for their demands be it implementation of Sachar Committee report, Babri Masjid demolition case, Batla House encounter, detention of innocent youths, demand for reservation or other demands. Whereas Jat had cut off water supply of Delhi and threatened to block supply of vegetable, food and milk to press for their demand of reservation. Jats even threatened to to disrupt the Commonwealth Games if their demands were not met. Gujjars in Rajsthan blocked and disrupted the main rail routes and roads for days demanding reservation. Other marginalized section have taken up arms in form of Naxalism. PM Manmohan Singh termed naxalism as The single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country. Naxals are active in around 200 districts of India. They claim to represent the most oppressed people in India, those who are often left untouched by Indias development and bypassed by the electoral process. Invariably, they are the Adivasis, Dalits, and the poorest of the poor, who work as landless labourers for a pittance, often below Indias mandated minimum wages. Thousand of Indian lost their life in this battle including 76 CRPF jawans, who lost their life in deadliest single strike against government forces in April 2010. Right from political leaders, intellectuals to religious leaders have sympathized with the naxalites. Cable Text The Indian media has published colorful stories implying that Madrassas are recruiting centers for Islamic terrorism and that many are funded by Pakistans ISI. The accounts are mostly anecdotal, however, and there has been little or no hard evidence linking Indian Madrassas to terrorist recruitment. - This observation also breaks the myth propagated by certain section of Media and right wing parties. During NDA regime, Madrasa were the targets with L K Advani taking the lead in the attack. He as Home Minister had termed the Madarasa as breeding ground of extremism and dens of Pakistani espionage and training ground for the terrorists Cable Text Attempts by extremist groups to recruit children from Muslim homes are likely to run into a wall of opposition from parents who would see involvement in extremism as counterproductive and a threat to future success of their children. This means that extremism is most attractive to children from families that are so poor that opportunities for education and advancement are all but non-existent. - It is the fact the poor are most vulnerable to extremist groups. Though majority of Muslim population living in abject poverty they have manage to keep these groups at bay. This shows that inspite of living in hopelessness they have faith on Indian government and system. Muslims have continued to be loyal and proud citizen of India. It is high time that their loyalty test is put to an end. Few members of other communities who are much better off are indulged in all kinds of anti-national activities like corruptions, scams, siphoning off money to Switzerland, tax evasion, adulteration of milk and food, hording and making spurious drugs, but their loyalty are never in doubt. Their actions are taking India down the slope. Hopefully this US convictions reflected on this cable will help Muslims in regaining some credibility which they lost during smear campaigning. Their loyalty test will be over for once and all. It is imperative that Muslims are not kept away from the development. Inclusive growth will be the real growth for India. Muslims have no doubt in their mind about their Indianness and they just want others also to not to doubt. Politicians, intellectuals and media need to work towards undoing the damage done by malicious campaigning against Indian Muslim. Muslims are ever hopeful, optimistic and faithful, now it is turn of the government to pass this faith test. Help India! By Najiya O, TwoCircles.net, Malappuram: The election results that came out on May 13, 2011 will surely mark its place in the history of Kerala. The people of the state have voted for the UDF, yet it was not a vote against the LDF government. The UDF will form the government but the LDF will have the Assemblys single largest party CPI (M) with 47 MLAs. The next five years are going to be real tough for the UDF with 72 MLAs as the LDF with 68 MLAs has vowed to be a strong and creative Opposition (and Kerala knows they really can be a tough opposition). And one of the most important factors regarding this election is the rise of the Muslim League from 7 (plus an independent) in the last Assembly to 20 MLAs, which will give it a crucial position in the state politics. Support TwoCircles The Muslim League won 20 of the 24 seats it contested. P Ubaidullah who won from Malappuram has bagged the largest margin of 44,508 in the state. Next only to him is party general secretary PK Kunjalikkutty who got 63,138 votes with a winning margin of 38,237 votes. National general secretary Abdussamad Samadani won by a margin of 35,902 votes in Kottakkal, his winning margin being the third highest in the state. Out of the 20 winners, 11 won over a 10,000 votes lead, with four having more than 30,000 votes lead. Winning UDF candidate M. K. Muneer greets followers after declaration of results in Kozhikode. [Photo courtesy: thehindu.com] Muslim League candidates who won Assembly poll 2011 in Kerala Sl No Name Constituency Votes polled Majority 1 PB Abdurazaq Manjeshwar 49817 5828 2 NA Nellikkunnu Kasargod 53068 9738 3 KM Shaji Azheekode 55077 493 4 Dr MK Muneer Kozhikode South 47771 1376 5 VM Ummer Master Koduvally 60365 16552 6 C Moin Kutty Thiruvambadi 56386 3833 7 K Muhammedunni Haji Kondotty 67998 28149 8 PK Basheer Ernad 58698 11246 9 Adv M Ummer Manjeri 67594 29079 10 Manjalamkuzhi Ali Perinthalmanna 69730 9589 11 TA Ahmed Kabeer Mankada 67756 23593 12 P Ubaidulla Malappuram 77928 44508 13 PK Kunjalikkutty Vengara 63138 38237 14 Adv KNA Qader Vallikkunnu 57250 18122 15 PK Abdurabb Tirurangadi 58666 30208 16 Abdurahman Randathani Tanur 51549 9433 17 C Mammootty Tirur 69305 23566 18 Abdussamad Samadani Kottakkal 69717 35902 19 Adv N Shamsudheen Mannarkkad 60191 8270 20 VK Ibrahim Kunju Kalamasseri 62843 7789 Out of the 20 seats that the League has won, 12 are in Malappuram district which is the partys safe haven where the party can give a fitting reply to the state conference of the CPI (M) by a mere district conference. Only the rest eight go to other districts three in Kozhikode, two in Kasargod, and one each in Kannur, Ernakulam and Palakkad. The party won all the 12 seats it contested in Malappuram and it is said that there was no election mood at all in the League-dominant constituencies of the district like Vengara, Malappuram, Manjeri and Kondotty. The four contestants who failed are UC Raman (Kunnamangalam), Soopi Narikkatteri (Kuttiadi), Ashraf Kokkoor (Guruvayur) and PKK Bava (Eravipuram). Mr Raman was the lone non-Muslim contestant of the party and was the sitting MLA of Kunnamangalam. He lost to PTA Raheem, a League rebel and CPI (M) independent who was the sitting MLA of Koduvally. Soopi Narikkatteri has recently been in news in connection with the violent strife between the League and the CPI (M) in Nadapuram in Kozhikode which even led to the death of five suspected League members while making bombs in February this year in Nadapuram. Ashraf Kokkoor was defeated in his debut election by the sitting MLA and Waqf Board chairman MR KV Abdul Qader of the CPI (M). PKK Bava is a senior leader and was the former MLA of Eravipuram in Kollam district. Youth League president KM Shaji had lost in Eravipuram in the last Assembly election by a huge margin, which prompted the League leadership to give the reins back into Mr Bavas hands. But that did not go right as the sitting MLA AA Azeez of RSP had already made the constituency his safe haven where he won by a margin of 8012 votes. The candidacy of general secretary PK Kunjalikkutty was a major issue during the election time for not only the party but the whole state itself. The media speculated whether the leader, accused in a sex scandal, would be fielded again by the party especially since he was defeated by the rebel League leader KT Jaleel in the 2006 elections. In addition to these, new revelations had also come up showing that Kunjalikkutty had tried to influence the judiciary in the case. Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan brought the issue as an important matter and gave much coverage for it in almost all the venues he spoke. Despite all these, the Muslim League decided to field Mr Kunjalikkutty. The party found the new constituency of Vengara as a safe haven to field its leader without any fear of losing. It is said that Vengara was selected after conducting surveys which ensured the victory of Kunjalikkutty. Kunjalikkutty won with the second-largest majority in the state and now speculations are on regarding his position in the ministry. While the League selected the secure seat of Vengara for a person like Kunjalikutty who doesnt have a good image among the non-League people because of his alleged involvement in the ice-cream parlour sex scandal, it kept aside the comparatively insecure seats of Azheekode and Kozhikode South for Dr MK Muneer and KM Shaji, who are not as popular among the party members as among the general public. Both Mr Muneer, who is a secretary of the party and son of Leagues former leader late CH Muhammed Koya, and KM Shaji, who is the president of the Muslim Youth League, are known for their stand on terrorism. They have been strong voice against Islamic terrorism just like the so-called secular intellectuals and for the same reason, the two are not very popular among the League and the community but are apparently accepted by the general public. Muneer has also been in controversy regarding the revelations against Mr Kunjalikkutty that came in the news channel, of which Muneer is the chairman. Choosing the insecure seats for the two leaders the League made a big win if they lost the party members would not be unhappy, and if they won that would be with the votes (and support) of the general public also. And their victory has in a way relieved it of a conflict within the party also. The two got the least margins among all the League candidates Muneer with 1376 and Shaji with a mere 493. The victory of the League in 20 seats and carving its place as the second-largest party in the UDF is indeed important for the party, especially since now it is clear the Kerala Congress (M) is only third in the front with just 9 seats. Both parties had only 7 MLAs in the last Assembly. The merger of the KC (J) in the KC (M) had raised hopes of the latter to overcome the League in the front. A better victory of the KC (M) and a poor performance of the League would have given the former a better bargaining power even to gain the Deputy CM post. However, now the ball is in the court of the League. However, the victory of the party is also seen as the failure of the Congress and the UDF, which had to pay a dear price for the candidacy of PK Kunjalikkutty among others, mainly outside the Malappuram district and especially in southern Kerala. The CPI (M) and VS Achuthanandan could raise the issue so much as to say that the UDF was supporting women-harassers. While they were beneficial for the LDF in other parts to attack the UDF and the Congress, those very campaigns helped the League in Malappuram, where the party members took it as a crucifixion aimed at Kunjalikkutty in a state where many ministers and public personalities have been accused of women-harassment. The Muslim League began by winning 11 out of the 12 seats it contested to the Assembly in 1960 and its presence was marked in the Assembly ever since by 14 seats in 1982, 15 in 1987, 19 in 1991, 13 in 1996, 16 in 2001 and 7 in 2006. Before this election the most number of seats the League won in the Assembly was in 1991, when it secured 19 out of the 22 seats it contested. And it might be noted that the 1991 election saw the notorious Co-Lea-B alliance of the Congress, League and the BJP. In this election also, there have been reports of secret agreements between the UDF and the BJP, by which the UDF did not field any strong candidate against BJPs O Rajagopal in Nemom constituency. However, the Leagues candidates could inflict a crushing defeat on the BJP candidates who apparently posed a big threat in north Kerala. PB Abdurazaq defeated K Surendran in Manjeshwar with a lead of 5828 votes and NA Nellikkunnu won in Kasargod against Jayalakshmi N Bhat with a margin of 9738 votes. An important part of the rise of the League from 7 to 20 goes the unity that the party could manage to create among the major Muslim organizations in the state. The party and general secretary PK Kunjalikkutty were in the front to keep the major organizations in the community with the Muslim League, even before the Panchayat elections of 2010. The Panchayat elections saw the entry of the SDPI and the Janakeeya Munnanis led by the Jamat e Islami in the election zone. The Popular Front of India, the mother organisation of the SDPI, had earlier supported the UDF and the League and their sudden entry into elections would mean much loss to the League. While, the Jamat e Islami had supported both the LDF and the UDF at times and its support was never entirely for the Muslim League. However, the entry of these two new sections would indeed have an effect on the Muslim voting pattern, so the League took precautions by holding an anti-terrorism meeting. All Muslim organizations but for the Jamat and the PFI-SDPI were invited to the meeting held at Kottakkal and the organizations apparently helped the League in the Panchayat elections and now in the Assembly elections, which helped the League secure such a big win. And in the present elections, the SDPI was in the poll fray and the Jamat extended support to the UDF in only 15 constituencies which included Kasargod, Manjeri, Kondotty, Malappuram and Eravipuram where the League had contested. Now that it is time for the formation of the government, the League is again in the limelight. The party is reported to get five ministries with its remarkable victory. And besides the talks of its own ministries, it has other works also to do such as holding talks with other parties in the UDF with regard to the division of ministries. And above all it has to make sure that the UDF comes to power even though it has got only a very small majority in the Assembly. Help India! By IANS, Kolkata : The West Bengal government will establish 341 special markets Kisan Mandi to help farmers to sell their produce at the right price, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Tuesday. Support TwoCircles Because of the inability to find suitable markets, farmers often do not get appropriate prices for their produce. Moreover, they are fleeced by middlemen. We will establish 341 Kisan Mandis to enable them sell their produce at the right price, said Banerjee. The chief minister was speaking at a programme organised to hand over papers for various government schemes for farmers, in the district town of Burdwan, about 100 km from here. Banerjee also said the state had registered a record rice production this year for which it will rent warehouses and godowns to store them. This year the rice production has been a record 157 lakh tonnes, eclipsing the previous record of 133 tonnes. Currently we have a capacity to store only 50,000 tonnes. We will rent godowns which will increase the storage to three lakh tonnes, said Banerjee. Neither the crops nor the farmers can wait, so we will rent the godowns now but will later build them, she added. The government will also provide Rs.75 crore to farmers in the district for purchasing agricultural machineries and implements. She also said the government had procured 20 lakh tonnes of grains. It will procure more in the near future. She asked the farmers to cultivate pulses as they more rewarding and have export potential. She also asked them to use manures and fertilizers in the right proportion. An honest essay has numerous characteristics: original thinking, a good structure, balanced arguments, and plenty more. But one aspect often overlooked is that an honest essay should be interesting. It should spark the readers curiosity, keep them absorbed, make them want to stay reading and learn more. An uneventful article risks losing the readers attention; whether or not the points you create are excellent, a flat style, or poor handling of a dry subject material can undermine the positive aspects of the essay. The matter is that a lot of students think that essays should be like this: they believe that a flat, dry style is suited to the needs of educational writing and dont even consider that the teacher reading their essay wants to search out the essay interesting. You might want to have online essay editor service to boost your confidence in writing with an error-free output. Academic writing doesnt need to be and shouldnt be bland. The excellent news is that there is much stuff you can do to create your essay more attractive, while youll be able only to do such a lot while remaining within the formal confines of educational writing. Lets study what theyre. Have an interest in what youre writing about Dont go overboard, but youll be able to let your passion for your subject show. If theres one thing bound to inject interest into your writing, its being fascinated by what youre writing about. Passion for a subject matter comes across naturally in your essay, typically making it more lively and fascinating and infusing an infectious enthusiasm into your words within the same way that its easy to talk knowledgeably to someone about something you discover fascinating. Include fascinating details Another factor that may make an essay boring maybe a dry material. Some topic areas are naturally dry, and it falls to you to form the article more interesting through your written style and by trying to seek out fascinating snippets of knowledge to incorporate, which will liven it up a small amount and make the data easier to relate to. A way of doing this with a dry subject is to create what youre talking about that seems relevant to the critical world, as this is often easier for the reader to relate to. Emulate the fashion of writers you discover interesting When you read lots, you subconsciously start emulating the fashion of the writers you have read. Reading benefits you a lot, as this exposes you to a spread of designs, and youll start to require the characteristics of these you discover interesting to read. Borrow some creative writing techniques Theres a limit to the quantity of actual story-telling youll do when youre writing an essay; in the end, essays should be objective, factual and balanced, which doesnt, initially glance, feel considerably like story-telling. However, youll apply a number of the principles of story-telling to create your writing more interesting. consider your own opinion Take the time to figure out what its that you think instead of regurgitating the opinions of others. Cut the waffle Rambling on and on is dull and almost bound to lose the interest of your reader. Youre in danger of waffling if youre not completely clear about what you wish to mention or havent thought carefully about how youre visiting structure your argument. Doing all your research correctly and writing an essay plan before you begin will help prevent this problem. Editing is a vital part of the essay-writing process, so edit the waffle once youve done a primary draft. Read through your essay objectively and eliminate the bits that arent relevant to the argument or labor the purpose. employing a thesaurus isnt always a decent thing Avoid using unfamiliar words in an essay; theres too great a likelihood that youre misusing them. You may think that employing a thesaurus to seek out more complicated words will make your writing more exciting or sound more academic, but using overly high-brow language can have the incorrect effect. Avoid repetitive phrasing Please avoid using the identical phrase structure again and again: its a recipe for dullness! Instead, use a variety of syntax that demonstrates your writing capabilities and makes your writing more interesting. Mix simple, compound, and complicated sentences to avoid your paper becoming predictable. Use some figurative language Using analogies with nature can often make concepts more accessible for readers to know. As weve already seen, its easy to finish up rambling when youre explaining complex concepts mainly after you dont know it yourself. One way of forcing yourself to think about a couple of pictures, present it more simply and engagingly is to form figurative language. This implies explaining something by comparing it with something else, as in an analogy. Employ rhetorical questions Anticipate the questions your reader might ask. One of the ways ancient orators held the eye of their audiences and increased the dramatic effect of their speeches was by using the statement. A decent place to use a statement is at the top of a paragraph, to steer into the following one, or at the start of a replacement section to introduce a brand new area for exploration. Proofread Finally, you may write the top interesting essay an instructor has ever read. Still, youll undermine your good work if its plagued by errors, which distract the reader from the particular content and can probably annoy them. Help India! New Delhi : Over 150 eminent personalities on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, seeking arrest of Rajasthan BJP legislator Kanwarlal Meena, accused of leading an attack on NGO workers affiliated to organisations of activists Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey in Jhalawar. We strongly condemn the culture of impunity that allowed Kanwarlal Meena to blatantly violently attack the Jawabdehi yatra. We demand his arrest, said a statement signed by over 150 eminent people including journalist Pamela Philipose, professor Achin Vanaik, former information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi, and economist Jayati Ghosh among others. Support TwoCircles Others who signed the statement include Medha Patkar, Uma Chakravarti, Harsh Mander, Baba Adhav and Annie Raja. The social activists through their letters demanded immediate action against the perpetrators of the assault. Those guilty of the attacks and the leaders behind them be brought to justice promptly. Proper compensation be paid for the medical treatment of those who were assaulted, and for the mental and physical trauma they have suffered, the letter said. They also demanded that the Rajasthan government publicly condemn the incident and institute a proper inquiry into it. This attack is one more example of criminalisation of politics and the threat it poses to our democratic fabric. Using physical violence and leading a mob against social activists raising awareness about issues related to access to entitlements and justice by the poor shows how much our political establishment is willing to use criminal elements to suppress any dissent, said Jagdeep Chhokar of the Association of Democratic Reform. Help India! By Manzar Imam for TwoCircles.net, Despite belief in the inevitability of death, sometimes one struggles in shock and awe to believe in its eventuality. The passing away of Padma Shri Dr. Syed Hasan was one such sad and shocking time. Founder director of INSAN School, Dr. Hasan died on Monday January, 25, 2016. He was 91 and is survived by three sons and a daughter. Support TwoCircles Syed Bhai, as he was so fondly called, has passed away but he is to live long in the hearts and minds of thousands of people of Seemanchal and elsewhere. People of the Purnea Commissionerate of Bihar owe him special thanks for inculcating in them not just the value of education but also, for taking necessary steps to ensure availability of it. He established INSAN School on November 14, 1966 in the then Kishanganj Sub-Division of Purnea District to provide education to children. It is worth noting here that all the four districts of the Commissionerate which also includes Kishanganj still lag far behind rest of India in this most crucial index of social development called education. But it can also be rightly said that a major credit for whatever success in terms of education is seen in the area today, goes to Syed Bhai. The School he set up earned huge success in the 1970s and 80s. And, it continues to contribute to the educational uplift of Kishanganj and its adjacent districts. Due to untiring efforts of Dr. Hasan, INSAN School later grew into a college. Had it not been for his hard work, the area would have still remained insignificant in education. Today schools alumni include writers, teachers, politicians, doctors, entrepreneurs, engineers, civil administers and above all, true to the nomenclature, they include a galaxy of sincere and humble human beings (insan) who are committed to serve humanity. Besides other parts of the State, today hundreds of students from each panchayat of the four districts of this northeastern Division of Bihar are successful in different spheres after going through the loving and inspiring guidance of Syed Bhai. My wish to meet Syed Bhai could not fulfill. But like many others I also benefitted from his ideas directly or indirectly as I had the opportunity to learn about him through many students of the school in Delhi and elsewhere as also through his affable, elegant and intellectual son Reza Syed Hafeez who taught a whole batch of computer class students more than just the syllabus. Born on October, 24, 1924 in Paithana village, Islampur in the academic soil of Nalanda, Bihar, Syed Hasan graduated from Jamia Millia Islamia. In 1954, he went to the US for further studies and obtained his doctoral degree from Southern Illinois University. Dr. Hasan returned to India after spending ten years in the US to establish INSAN School in Kishanganj. Within a short span, the school achieved a great milestone in providing quality education. Its reputation spread far and wide which excited students and their parents from different parts of the country to seek admission to study in the thatched classrooms in the small bordering town of Kishanganj, which then was not even a district. In recognition of the services of Dr. Hasan to education the Government of India conferred on him Padma Shri in 1991. According to an alumnus of School, the Government of India also nominated him member of an Educational Advisory Committee. He won several awards and accolades. He was also nominated for Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. But the real prize is the respect he earned from the people. His death is being widely mourned. While thousands of his students find it hard to bear the loss, intellectuals, educationists and political leaders from across India continue expressing their grief. In his condolence message, Member of Parliament Maulana Mohammad Asrarul Haque Qasmi said that the invaluable efforts made by Dr. Syed Hasan for promotion of education in Kishanganj cannot be forgotten. Through INSAN School he brought an educational revolution and offered Muslims a golden opportunity to excel and move ahead. While mentioning his personal relations with Dr. Hasan, the MP said that Dr. Hasan was a sincere and moderate person of high moral character. In his demise, Kishanganj has lost a true educationist. It is a huge loss for the whole region, he said. Former central minister and Member of Parliament, Mohammad Taslimuddin said that through INSAN School Syed Bhai not only worked for elimination of illiteracy in Seemanchal but also succeeded in getting Bihar a respectable position in the realm of education. With his demise Bihar has lost a hero. The Araria MP also appealed to the people to carry forward Dr. Hasans mission to turn his unfinished dream into reality. An alumnus of INSAN School and former Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly, Akhtarul Iman paid glowing emotional tribute to Dr. Syed Hasan stating that when Syed Bhai set foot in Kishanganj in 1965, the literacy rate there was a mere 6 percent, but because of his continuous efforts this was raised to 35 percent. He expressed displeasure with the Government of Bihar for not according Dr. Hasan the Guard of Honour. Whether or not the Government felt it necessary to honour Dr. Syed Hasan, the huge number of people paying him their tribute is certainly a great honour which he enjoyed both in life and death. He will continue to command respect in peoples hearts. On January, 26, 2016 presence of more than 25000 people from Bihar, West Bengal, Nagaland and Nepal in the prayer and burial of Dr. Hasan within the premises of the school was a well-deserved honour to both his persona and to the cause that he stood for throughout his life. However, the real tribute to Syed Bhai would be to carry forward his unfinished agenda of educating the children to bring about a dramatic social change in the educationally backward region of Bihar. Love nurtures growth, said a dear friend of mine. And, Syed Bhai loved children. He said, Children are a world in themselves. And, through best part of his life, he nurtured them for a better world. May Allah get him best reward for his noble work and grant him His pleasure and paradise! Manzar Imam is a Delhi-based freelance journalist hailing from Purnea. He can be reached at [email protected] Help India! New Delhi: Condemning the BJPs insensitivity over the death of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, the Congress on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shedding crocodile tears over the issue. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has raised doubt about Rohith Vemula being a Dalit student. This is condemnable. This also makes it clear that whatever the prime minister said (about Vermulas death) during a programme in Lucknow recently was fake and he shed crocodiles tears over it, Congress leader Anand Sharma told media persons here. Support TwoCircles Modi, in a speech at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow on Friday, said he was deeply saddened by Vemulas suicide. The prime minister also choked while referring to Vemulas January 17 death in Hyderabad University after being suspended for allegedly assaulting an ABVP leader. I am not going into the reasons, the politics of the issue. But I empathise with the family which has lost so much, Modi had said with tears in his eyes. Anand Sharma said accountability over the issue should have been fixed and people responsible punished. The prime minister did not carry out his moral and constitutional duties in this case, he alleged. Sharma said Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, Labour and Employment Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and University of Hyderabad Vice Chancellor P. Appa Rao were being given shelter by the prime minister. He said Vemula, who struggled for his rights when alive, was being humiliated even after his death. Help India! Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said on Sunday that she needs effective, time-bound assurances on implementation of the agenda of alliance from the central government to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir. Noting the Narendra Modi government will have to reach out to the states people with decisive political and economic confidence-building measures (CBMs), she said her father, late chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, took a courageous, although unpopular, decision of aligning with BJP, hoping its government will take decisive measures to address the core political and economic issues concerning the state and its people. Support TwoCircles Unfortunately, instead of partnering with and implementing Mufti Mohammad Sayeeds vision of bringing peace, stability and prosperity to Jammu and Kashmir, certain quarters, both within J&K and in New Delhi, started overtly and covertly triggering frequent controversies over avoidable contentious issues resulting in wastage of the state governments energies in firefighting and propitiation, she said in a statement after her partys core group meeting here. In such violative circumstances around, we will have to reassess whether we can absorb the shocks which Mufti Sahab had to do so frequently in his effort to forge reconciliation between the regions and the people of the state, she said. PDP cant form a government just for the sake of power but, if it does, it will be, as envisioned by Mufti Sahab, with the objective of addressing the core political and economic issues confronting J&K as was done by the PDP-led government between 2002 and 2005, she asserted. She said the Modi government will have to take substantive measures towards implementation of the PDP-BJP Agenda of Alliance and her PDP needs a set timeframe to be worked out. The PDP will have to reassess whether the central government is ready to trust the people of Jammu and Kashmir and carry out implementation of Agenda of Alliance with sincerity of purpose, she said, noting it makes clear that the present position will be maintained on all the constitutional provisions pertaining to the state including on special status. She said the agenda made it clear that the coalition government will seek to support and strengthen the approach and initiatives taken to create a reconciliatory environment and build stakes for all in the peace and development within the sub-continent including normalisation of relations with Pakistan. Mehbooba Mufti noted though real progress was made during the past 10 months towards the implementation of good governance practices listed in the agenda of alliance, there was little movement forward on implementation of political and economic initiatives. Instead there were some recurrent unsettling developments which led to lack of congenial atmosphere and had a negative impact even on the good work done on the governance front, she said, adding the Sayeed governments some pioneering developmental and welfare initiatives could not make a mark among the people because of some unsettling issues being raised by certain quarters repeatedly. Amid recurring contestations and controversies, Mufti Sahab worked tirelessly and tried his best to carry everybody along and bring some relief to the people on the governance front and unfortunately, this taxing overdoing ultimately took a heavy toll on his health. Jammu and Kashmir today needs the political will and statesmanship to pull the state out of the morass, which no government in the state could do amid recurrent rumblings over the issues that have already been settled in the constitution, she said. Help India! Bengaluru: Terming as absurd the law mandating Class 8 as the minimum qualification for granting licence to auto-rickshaw drivers, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged the central government to abolish a clause of the Motor Vehicles Act 2007, saying it would be misused to harass them. You dont need a certificate to read road signs or traffic signals, which are common even for those who do not have formal schooling, Kejriwal said at a rally of his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) organised at a school ground here. Support TwoCircles Kejriwal, who is in city since January 27 for naturopathy treatment at a private hospital, said he would soon write to union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to scrap the clause by amending the Act. Our prime minister (Narendra Modi) should learn about ease of doing business from common people like auto drivers and not tycoons like Ambanis or Adanis, Kejriwal said in Hindi, addressing hundreds of auto-rickshaw drivers. Thousands of auto-rickshaw drivers have been protesting against the new rule that mandates Class 8 as the minimum qualification for licence to ride a three-wheeler. Assuring the aggrieved drivers of his partys support to their demand, Kejriwal said he too did not have a Class 8 certificate though he had graduate degrees. According to a party statement, about 25,000 auto-rickshaw drivers from across the city have already signed a petition to abolish the controversial clause. Help India! By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net, The whole country is soothing with sad demise of Rohith Vemula, 26, a research scholar from a Dalit community who was suspended by Hyderabad Central University leading him to commit suicide on January 17 and there are numerous demonstrations continue to be hold at different places condemning the circumstances created at the University that compelled him to take extreme step. Support TwoCircles But this is not the first instance when an educated youth from socially and educationally backward background has lost life due to the unprovoked indulgence of people having dominance in the society. The murder of a Muslim techie in Pune by the activists of Hindu radical outfit is another example when an innocent had to face the brunt of others who do not respect humanity and identify every individual only from the religion one follows. On June 2, 2014 Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh, 24, a resident of Solapur in Maharashtra who was working in an IT company at Pune was assaulted by the members of Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS) while he was returning from a Mosque to his rented home after offering night prayer at around 9.00 pm. He was allegedly killed after HRS members spotted beard on Shaikhs face. As Shaikh is not around and his sudden death has seized him to write anything, I am seeking this as an opportunity on his behalf to write a letter to Rohith. Dear Rohith, I feel very sad that you had to choose this path but I feel you must be contented that at least you could achieve something after your death that you were not able to while alive. Your demise has resulted into many movements against discrimination and supremacy of any single religion or caste. Like you, I too loved Science, Stars and Nature, but I was shouldered with the responsibilities of my family. I kept my dreams after the duties of my family that consisted of a diabetic father, old mother and a young aspiring brother. I was living and enduring for their betterment first. However, I was not aware that there are people of hatred who are searching to spill blood of people like me. Your thought The value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility was proved right 18 months before when I was killed by the radicals after spotting my beard. I was beaten by the group black and blue without even telling what my fault was. Unfortunately, my killing did not result into strong protests across the country else hostile environment might not have been created at Hyderbad University and you would not have to kill yourself. You feared that people would call you coward for your decision, but let me tell you, neither do people called me courageous to have died with sporting a beard which was a part of my personal belief. You got a chance to write a letter to the world that echoed behind after your death but I could not even get an opportunity to at least inform my family what is the PIN of my ATM and whom I have borrowed money from. You could also obtain pseudo privilege when Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed sympathy with your mother, though after five days of your death, and if you dont consider it to be then remember when I died he was silent as if I had no mother or that I was not the Indian citizen. Another providential thing happened to you soon after you left the world and it was that the Andhra government announced it would offer job to your mother and brother, but for my family it had to run pillar and post for months after the Maharashtra State Mantrayala hoping the fulfillment of promise of a job to my brother made by then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan that was finally rejected by him. I am weeping after reading your letter with the thought that I could not get an opportunity to tell my family to maintain dignity by not accepting any kind of compensation that the government would offer in order to buy my death. I now expect that your sacrifice will enlighten the society to protect precious lives and you are always remembered not as a victim but as a champion against bias. As I could not get this possibility before my death, I try it now and ask readers of this letter to help my family in sustaining a noble life without daily haunting of my death to them. I would also request them to not limit you and your letter to mere prosecution of guilty, as like in my case, but to see that people like you and me do not lose life due to coercions and repressions of others. Concepcion Picciotto, the woman who protested against nuclear weapons in a camp across the street from the White House since 1981, died on Jan 25 in the N Street Village, a homeless shelter for women. The New York Times described the 80-year-old woman as President Barack Obamas closest neighbor. The two shared the same cause against nuclear proliferation. Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize largely for his call for a nuclear-free world. So far, Obama has not commented on Picciottos passing. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on Jan 27 that he didnt know if Obama was aware of her death. Earnest praised Picciotto for her commitment to peace. While the camp has been a constant presence across from the White House on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, there has been no report that any US president had ever spoken to Picciotto, who started her vigil in Ronald Reagans first year as president. The reason could have been Picciottos opposition to Israels policies toward Palestine. Such a protest was politically risky for most US politicians in a nation where Israel is regarded as a close ally. Picciotto was a familiar figure to Chinese who saw her over the decades. Videos on YouTube show Chinese tourists making donations to her cause and praising her as an exemplar of American democracy. No one knows if Obama will acknowledge the non-proliferation cause that he and Picciotto advocated when world leaders gather at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington at the end of March. Obamas progress in building a nuclear-free world has been disappointing compared with the high expectations people had when he took office in 2009. Indeed, Obama should take some credit for concluding a nuclear deal with Iran, achieved in conjunction with other world powers including China, but he has not made any progress on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. It came as a surprise to many Chinese that right after the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan 6, US Secretary of State John Kerry quickly shifted the blame to China, saying Chinas approach had not worked and we cannot continue business as usual. Kerry pressured China to take stronger actions during his trip to Beijing last week, reportedly including cutting oil supply to North Korea, something Chinai immediately rejected. China condemned North Koreas nuclear test in the strongest terms, but many Chinese see the US as hardly doing anything conducive to resolving the issue. The US has not addressed DPRKs security concerns, such as the US habitual pursuit of regime change, should it abandon its nuclear program. The US and its NATO allies toppled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, only years after his country gave up its nuclear ambitions. That has not sent the right message to DPRKs leaders. The US has offered no good alternative this time, except calling for stronger sanctions. On Jan 27, Mark Toner, the deputy State Department spokesman, described sanctions as some of the most effective and potent tools. But if sanctions were a silver bullet, the DPRK would not have conducted its fourth nuclear test, because it already is the most sanctioned nation on the planet. Over the decades, plenty of studies have proved that most sanctions have not worked. A year ago, Obama admitted the comprehensive US blockade on Cuba that had been in place for half a century had been a failure. Just as the huge suffering the US embargo inflicted on 11 million Cubans, sanctions targeting the lifelines of the DPRK will hurt 25 million people in the already poor nation, causing a possible humanitarian disaster that could destabilize the region. The US has long believed that sanctions can bring a nation to its knees, but what has happened in the case of both Cuba and DPRK show the opposite is often true. Obama should be praised for improving ties with Cuba and Iran in the past year. However, the US has so far refused to hold bilateral talks with the DPRK, a country with which it has no diplomatic relations. The US has been unwilling to resume Six-Party Talks without conditions attached, and its frequent military drills on the Korean Peninsula are hardly helpful to the situation. As Obama calls for a nuclear-free world, the US itself plans to spend more than $1 trillion over the next 30 years to significantly upgrade its nuclear weapons capabilities. It is not certain if Obama will be able to truly draw any inspiration in his last year in office from his formerly closest neighbor. Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com I'm heading south today for the annual gathering of Rabbis Without Borders fellows at Pearlstone, a Jewish retreat center outside of Baltimore. This will be my third annual retreat. It's always fun to reconnect with this group of colleagues in person. Like my ALEPH community, RWB spans denominational boundaries. Rabbis Without Borders fellows come from backgrounds ranging from Reform to Orthodox and everything in between. And like my ALEPH community, we're consciously pluralistic, and deeply invested in the work of co-creating a Judaism which will serve the future's needs. This year I'm giving back to the community a bit more than in years past. With Rabbi David Markus, I'll be co-leading a Renewal-style weekday morning service on Monday. We're planning a mixture of weekday nusach, beloved melodies, and new uses for Nava Tehila's Livnat HaSapir. We'll also be offering a session with Rabbi Evan Krame of The Jewish Studio, themed around a four-worlds look at the ecosystem of Jewish innovation. (That ecosystem is being talked about a lot on our Listening Tour.) Speaking of which, we'll also be holding informal Listening Tour conversations with groups of RWB colleagues over the course of the retreat. We already have hundreds of pages of notes from the stops we've already made, and every time we sit down with people to talk about Jewish Renewal's past, present, and future, I come away more energized about the work we're doing in ALEPH. (So RWB colleagues, if y'all want to share your perspectives on the renewing of Judaism, come and find us.) If past years' experiences are anything to go by, those of you who follow me on Twitter are likely to see an upsurge in my posting there over the next several days. (This year's retreat is themed around Exploring Rabbinic Risk-Taking -- if that interests you, keep an eye on @rwbclal and #rwbclal.) I expect that when I get home late on Wednesday night I'll be physically tired, but the tiredness will be balanced by the energizing experience of learning, talking, and davening with this great group of hevre. Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. Garri a staple food for a lot of people in the world. Garri is basically eaten as Eba with different soups or poured into cold water and t... A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying, 'You are mad; you are not like us. St. Antony the Great Worried over declining exports, the commerce ministry has prepared a strategy to boost shipments to Africa and has identified engineering as a major sector for export to several nations of that continent. The Department of Commerce will now hold consultations with Ambassadors and High Commissioners of major African nations and industry stakeholders to implement that strategy, an official said. At a time of global demand slowdown, African nations including South Africa and Nigeria, are major export destinations for India, he said. The ministry has identified several sectors as part of the strategy and engineering including agriculture and farm equipment have emerged as a major one, the official said, adding that the ministry is also engaged with the Engineering Export Promotion Council for the implementation of the strategy. Exporters body Federation of Indian Export organisations (FIEO) too said that Africa is ideally suited for engineering exports. Indian farm and agri equipment are competitive as compared to western products. There are huge tracts of land in Africa and agriculture is the growing sector there. There is good demand for tractors and also automobiles in African countries like Nigeria and South Africa, FIEO Director General Ajay Sahai said. The two-way commerce between India and Africa is about USD 75 billion. India's exports contracted for the 13th month in a row, dipping about 15 per cent in December to USD 22.2 billion due to steep decline in engineering and petroleum shipments. The total exports in 2015-16 will thus be lower than the previous fiscal's figure of USD 310.5 billion. Engineering accounts for about 25 per cent of the country's total exports in 2014-15. Engineering exports slipped 16 per cent to USD 5.8 billion in December. What do we do to keep the lights on?, asks Andrews Daniel Andrews at a press conference on Thursday asked "what do we do to keep the lights on?" once coal fired power stations close before insisting his government had a plan to address the question. Were on our own: Flood levee divides Victorian town Residents on the wrong side of Echuca's "great wall" have voiced their frustrations about being left "on our own" as the Victorian town braces for rising flood levels. Palaszczuk responds to review into Australias COVID-19 response Speaking at the Housing Summit in Brisbane on Thursday, Ms Palaszczuk was asked to weigh in on the independent review into Australias COVID-19 response. Went too far: Dutton takes aim at Andrews in response to damning COVID-19 report The Opposition Leader has defended the former government's actions in Australia's coronavirus pandemic response while taking aim at Victoria for its lockdowns, which led to Melbourne being the longest locked down city in the world. ASHISH PHANSOPKAR has joined the Waterloo practice of Larry K. Fox & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., as a paraplanner. Phansopkar previously served as an investment associate for the Deere Employees Credit Union. ROXANNE BENESCH and PATTY CRESAP have joined Black Hawk County Abstract & Title in the Settlement Services department. Benesch has 20 years of experience in real estate and is a closing agent. Cresap has 40 years of experience in real estate and is a closing coordinator. ERIC CONLON has been named a senior director of sales for U.S. Cellulars corporate channel. Conlon, a New Hampton native, is responsible for leading market locations in Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Vermont and Wisconsin. A graduate of Kaplan University with a bachelors degree in business administration, Conlon has 12 years of wireless leadership experience. He previously served as the agent channel director of sales for Iowa and Nebraska and director of sales in New England. ROBERT REGENWETHER, AFM, of Hudson, was presented the Top Business Development Award for 2015 by Farmers National Co. Regenwether, a farm and ranch manager and licensed real estate agent, received the award in a company-wide competition among 100 professional farm and ranch managers in a 24-state area. CHRIS STEPHENS and KEVIN RICHARDSON have joined Curran Plumbing Inc. They have been plumbers in the Cedar Valley for a combined total of 37 years. At least 37 migrants die trying to reach Greece ANKARA, Turkey (AP) A boat carrying Syrians attempting the short sea journey from Turkey to Greece struck rocks and capsized at dawn Saturday, causing at least 37 people to drown, among them several babies and young children. Images of dead children on a beach on Saturday were another soul-searing reminder that Europes migrant crisis keeps destroying lives and families by the day. They recalled the photo of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi lying face down on a Turkish beach last year. His story put an intimate face on the Syrian refugee crisis for people across the world, prompting many to finally grapple with the magnitude of the suffering caused by the war in the Middle East and the treacherous journeys many risk seeking shelter in Europe. By contrast, the heartbreaking images Saturday met a muted response, perhaps a sign many have grown weary of the unending reports about the suffering of migrants even though the number of people dying at sea is rising. 1 dead, 7 hurt in Denver shooting, stabbing DENVER (AP) One person died and seven others were injured in a shooting and stabbing at a motorcycle expo Saturday, Denver police said. The incident occurred about 1 p.m. Saturday at the National Western Complex. The Colorado Motorcycle Expo is being held this weekend at the complex. Investigators believe there was an exchange of gunfire at about 1 p.m. In addition to the person who was shot and killed, three others were shot, another person was stabbed and three others suffered injuries from a fistfight, officials said. Georgia Davis Powers, civil rights icon, dies LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Georgia Davis Powers, a giant in the fight for civil rights in Kentucky and the first African-American woman elected to the state Senate, has died. She was 92. She died Saturday at her brothers home in Louisville, said Louisvilles NAACP President Raoul Cunningham, a friend for five decades. She fought for fair housing and employment rights, became a close confidant of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and served 21 years in the state Senate. Phoenix Council wants Satanists exorcised PHOENIX (AP) Members of the Phoenix City Council on Monday will discuss a new rule to stop a satanic group from delivering the opening prayer at an upcoming meeting. The Satanic Temple of Tucson submitted a request in December to the city clerks office. The group was scheduled to participate in a Feb. 17 meeting. Under a new system, the mayor and council members would choose the prayer leader on a rotating basis. China condemns U.S. as warship nears island BEIJING (AP) China strongly condemned the United States after a U.S. warship deliberately sailed near one of the Beijing-controlled islands in the hotly contested South China Sea. The missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island in the Paracel chain to challenge excessive maritime claims of parties that claim the Paracel Islands, without notifying the three claimants beforehand, Defense Department spokesman Mark Wright said Saturday. China, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping claims in the Paracels and require prior notice from ships transiting what they consider their territorial waters. The latest operation was particularly aimed at China. CEDAR FALLS They say Iowans are an undecided bunch when it comes to caucus night. Nowhere was that more true than at a recent rally for Jeb Bush. Trucks emblazoned with TRUMP bumper stickers were in the Cedar Falls Eagles Club parking lot. Registered Democrats were intermingling with Republicans and independents inside. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, in introducing the former governor of Florida, kept the tradition of elected Iowa congresspeople not endorsing any candidate as long, as he said, we dont elect Hillary. But Bush, taking the stage to a crowd of several dozen, took it in stride. The eyes are on Iowa, he said. I have much more confidence in you than the pundits whove got it all figured out. Bringing Medal of Honor recipients and veterans with him, Bush put the priority Saturday night on his foreign policy proposals, saying he would destroy ISIS in the caliphate before they come here and reform the Department of Veterans Affairs, the latter of which drew applause from the crowd. Languishing in the polls, however, he also took veiled aim at Republican front-runner Donald Trump while positioning himself as a compassionate conservative like his father, President George H.W. Bush. We dont need a leader that disparages POWs, which is disgusting, in my opinion, Bush said. We dont need a divider-in-chief. He was eager to answer policy questions from the crowd, which included questions about Social Security, the national debt, immigration, separation of church and state and student loan debt. He also answered a question about the divisive rhetoric heard this campaign cycle. I think were seeing the fracturing of our society, the fracturing of our culture, and politics is a reflection of that culture, Bush said. As president, he said he would try to repair that fracture not exploit it like other candidates would. If you want someone conservative in the White House, youd better vote for someone who talks with their arms wide open not someone who is nurr, nurr, nurr, nurr, Bush said. Katie Orlando, who heads up Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa, said she was a registered Democrat but she was not feeling any of our candidates. Though she was still undecided after Saturdays rally, she said shed probably put Bush in her top three choices come Monday night. I think Jeb, just being a governor, is already accountable to his state, and he has a track record there, Orlando said. I think hes more relatable. Bush hopes voters like her will head to the Republican caucus and stand up for him. The starting point is Monday night, he said. You all have this incredible responsibility. CEDAR FALLS | Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul made the case Saturday night hes the candidate who can best attract new people to the polls, not just for Mondays caucus but in November. I think you need a candidate that excites Republicans but that also welcomes new people into the party. I think we need a bigger, better, bolder party, Paul told a crowd of more than 200 at the University of Northern Iowas Maucker Union. Paul, a U.S. senator from Kentucky, said the GOP can attract new people without sacrificing its core principles of balanced budgets, lower taxes and fewer regulations. We need to compete for every vote in America, from the south side of Chicago to downtown Houston to rural Kentucky. Paul said at the end of his 20-minute speech. Im going to do it, and I hope youll be there with me. Paul and his supporters made clear they arent worried about polls that show him near the middle of the pack just days before the first-in-the-nation caucuses Monday night. U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced Paul. You may be saying Why did you drive 15 hours here? Did you look at the polls before you came? No, I didnt look at the polls The polls never get it right, OK. So, I am here to support liberty, and Im here to support Sen. Rand Paul in his run for the president of the United States, Massie said. Massie noted polling in Kentucky had Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin losing three months ago. Instead, he won by 9 points. Sydney Lundgren, a Students for Rand member and UNI sophomore, has been helping to organize students on campus and expects Paul will do well Monday night. Im super pumped about it. Im really excited. I think that people are going to be shocked, Lundgren said. Hes got a lot more student votes than you would ever think, so itll definitely be a shock. Lundgren, who will caucus for the first time, has supported Paul since she first saw him in her hometown of Dubuque in the spring. She likes his message of small government and his opposition to National Security Agency spying. Joe Phipps, a UNI freshman from Pilot Mound, also plans to participate in his first caucus Monday and said Pauls speech Saturday night solidified his decision to support Paul. Since hearing him tonight, hes got me on his side now, Phipps said. Ive always liked what his dad had to say, and then just the smaller government is just what really got me, because we cant give up liberties for anything. CEDAR FALLS Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio had one question for Cedar Valley voters as the countdown to the Iowa caucuses ticked down to its final hours. If, in the end, on policies, the differences are not enormous, then who gives us the best chance to win? Rubio said Sunday afternoon at the University of Northern Iowa at one of his last Iowa events ahead of the caucuses. Think about that for a moment. Because we cant lose. This election is not about making a point. Its about making a difference. Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida, made the case he is best suited among the GOP hopefuls to win in the general election during an hourlong event before a crowd of more than 400 people. We will take our message to people who havent voted for us before, and we will convince people to vote for us that havent voted for us before, Rubio said. We wont just unite the party. We will grow it. We wont just unite the conservative movement. We will expand it. He said because he has faced issues first-hand like student loans, immigration and living paycheck to paycheck he will present a conservative solution to problems that can win new voters. You have to talk about people, of what theyre facing and then you apply the solutions to their problems, Rubio said. We have to convince people that free enterprise and limited government is the best way to help people who are trying to make it, and if we take the time to make that argument, its not a hard one to make. In making one of his last of three stops before tonights caucuses, Rubio continued to focus on his core issues of national security and border protection rather than spend time criticizing his primary opponents. The closest he came to taking on the Republican front-runner Donald Trump was to say being angry is not enough and being angry is not a plan. If youre thinking about (caucusing) for someone else that you like a lot, I respect that. There are some really good people running for president, Rubio said. Really good people. None of our candidates is a socialist, and none of our candidates is under FBI investigation. His message resonated with Cedar Falls Dillon Drefke, who decided to support Rubio after one of his area stops about a month ago. Hell be caucusing for the first time tonight. I like that fact that he started from the end, like he started at the bottom so he wasnt born into wealth. He knows what its like, so he knows how to fight for us, Drefke said. He also likes Rubios policies on immigration and his vision to unite people. He just sticks to his values. Nothing really changes. Julie Eckhardt, of Fort Madison, also said Rubios policies and values line up with hers. Before I participate in the caucuses tomorrow night, I really wanted to hear personally what he had to say, and so Im really energized because I can tell you, there wasnt anything that I heard him say I disagreed with. He lines up with my core values and what I think our government and this country needs, Eckhardt said. WATERLOO Sen. Bernie Sanders called on his Iowa supporters to show the world the country is ready for a new direction. Sanders, speaking to more than 650 supporters Sunday at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in downtown Waterloo, fired up supporters as new polls show him in a statistical a dead heat with Hillary Clinton heading into todays Iowa Democratic presidential caucus. Not only will the entire country be looking at Iowa, actually much of the world will be looking at Iowa, Sanders said. And what they will be looking at is not just to see who wins the caucus. What they will really be looking at is to see whether or not Iowa is prepared to move this country away from establishment politics and establishment economics and move us in a very, very different direction, he said. Sanders, who trails Clinton by just 3 percentage points in the Des Moines Registers Iowa Poll released Saturday - within the margin of error - drew cheers when he noted the same poll eight months ago showed him trailing the former secretary of state by 41 percentage points. His stump speech focused on the same progressive themes hes been espousing throughout the campaign: raising the minimum wage, addressing income inequality, free college tuition, womens rights, climate change and criminal justice reform. We have have more inequality in America today than at anytime since 1928, and it is worse here now than almost any major country on earth, Sanders said. The top one-tenth of 1 percent now owns almost as much as the bottom 90 percent. The words resonated with Alex Scholl, a University of Northern Iowa student, who plans to caucus for Sanders tonight. Hes been consistent, and hes been consistent for 50 years, Scholl said. Hes somebody who cares about the people. When you hear him speak hes actually talking to the people and with the people and for the people. Krissy Haglund wont be caucusing for Sanders. But the Minneapolis physician couldnt resist driving to Waterloo on Sunday to support her candidate, who acknowledged her home-made pizza box poster calling for student loan reform. Finally someone who matches my values, said Haglund. She said the high cost of education was preventing a needed influx of new medical professionals. Sanders also picked up an endorsement shortly before hitting the podium. Black Hawk County Democratic chairwoman Pat Sass, who had endorsed Clinton in October, switched her support to Sanders. I believe in what hes for, Sass said. I also think hes really for unions big time, and thats really important. Sarah Werkmeister of Evansdale has attended a couple of Sanders rallies and began writing him with her ideas. Ive never actually caucused because I wasnt into politics, she said. But now I realize how important it is. Hes like that grandpa for the country, Werkmeister added. He cares. WATERLOO Iowa is the first major hurdle in the long race for the White House. The first presidential contest, the Iowa precinct caucuses, are Monday night. In an open race with no incumbent, a crowded field on the Republican side and a tight race for the Democratic nomination, Black Hawk County political officials are preparing for heavy participation. Although the lead-up to the caucuses gets international attention, theres still much about the caucuses outsiders dont know, said Scott Adkins, chairman of Republicans of Black Hawk County. We may not pick the nominee, but we thin the herd, Adkins said. Thats our job. In the states approximately 1,700 precincts, one thing is common, Adkins added. Its all a volunteer thing, he said. Thats the biggest secret of the Iowa caucuses. Mike Bayer attended a training meeting Thursday at the Waterloo Center for the Arts. He is helping organize and coordinate the caucus at his precinct this year. The caucus is really a neighborhood meeting, Bayer said. I volunteer to make sure it happens and things get done smoothly. At each site, there is a precinct chairperson, a secretary and other volunteers to help people attending and direct them where to go. Ideally, each site has a volunteer to report results. Not every position at every location has been filled, party officials said. Some recruiting for small tasks takes place on caucus night. The biggest thing people can do is help, Adkins said. Were all neighbors, so if you see something that needs to be done, it would be good to help out and be patient. Volunteers will staff the sites that accommodate the countys 62 precincts. The Republicans will have 10 caucus sites, while the Democrats have 31 locations. Volunteers will help people sign in, register and sign up to be delegates for the congressional convention, state convention and the presidential nominating convention. Training for volunteers with both parties has wrapped up. Party leaders are focused on the next step. We just want people to show up, said Pat Sass, chairwoman for Black Hawk County Democrats. People must be registered with a declared political party to participate in the caucuses. Voter registration in both parties has increased slightly in the last month. As of Tuesday, 28,234 people in Black Hawk County were registered Democrats up from 28,160 as of Dec. 28, according to the Black Hawk County Auditors office. Registered Republicans went from 20,210 to 20,274 in the same time. Although people can declare and register their party affiliation at the caucus site, party leaders said taking care of that before the caucus helps things run more efficiently. If people know theyre going to caucus, that would move things along, Adkins said. Caucuses are held every two years, but the ones leading up to a presidential election draw national candidates and attention. The Republican and Democratic processes are different, but both ultimately determine how many delegates each candidate gets at each partys national convention. GOP process This year, the Republican National Committee has mandated a change in how Iowa delegates will be selected for Republican National Convention, so the national convention delegation is more representative of the caucus results. Delegates to the national convention are selected at the state district conventions. Those representatives are chosen at the county conventions. The caucuses chose those county delegates. The winner of the Republican caucus is declared as a result of individual secret ballot voting at the precinct caucuses. Precinct delegates sent to the county convention arent required to declare a presidential candidate preference. This can sometimes make it difficult to determine how many delegates candidates will get at the state convention. In a change this year, state convention delegates will be bound to support candidates in proportion to the caucus results at the national convention. Democratic process The Democrats system for selecting a presidential candidate is more complicated and more transparent. Supporters of individual candidates physically stand or sit in designated areas of the room, and undecided voters stand in another area. Participants then have a chance to talk fellow to caucusgoers to persuade them to support a particular candidate. To receive any delegates from the precinct, a candidate must be supported by at least 15 percent of voters there. If a candidate doesnt meet that threshold, supporters can chose a different candidate. Delegates are then chosen from the precinct to go to the county convention. There, delegates are selected to the district convention where state delegates are chosen. Generally those delegates are bound to continue supporting their chosen candidate. Those who do not know their ward or precinct find can that information through the county auditors office or at the Iowa Secretary of States website at sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterreg/pollingplace/search.aspx. WATERLOO Voters Tuesday will weigh in on a plan that would make far-reaching changes to education in the Waterloo Community Schools. They will cast ballots on a $47 million bond issue to pay for the proposal, developed over the past four years. Polls are open across the district from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. The measure will need a 60 percent approval rate to pass. Expanded career and technical education, or CTE, offerings are central to the plan as officials seek to better engage students and increase the districts graduation rate. Students from all three Waterloo high schools who choose from among 30 CTE pathways would spend a portion of their day learning at a new $35 million career center, where they could earn concurrent college credit. CTE courses integrate the technical, academic and employability skills needed by students for various high-demand occupations and can lead to an industry-recognized certificate. Major improvements also would be made at East and West high schools totaling $6 million each, including fully air conditioning all classrooms, updating electrical and lighting systems, replacing windows and completing tuckpointing and masonry repairs. Other work needed at the two high schools and Expo Alternative Learning Center would be identified and prioritized, to be done with existing district funds. While a new property tax is required to repay the bond funds, its impact would be completely offset, partially by shifting the cost to the districts state income tax filers over the 20-year life of the bonds. A 4 percent surtax on individual state income taxes would be instituted, the first time this has been done in the district. That is a Board (of Education) decision, the actual percentages, said Superintendent Jane Lindaman, that is set when the district budget is approved each spring. But we have publicly stated it would take a 4 percent increase, she added. As (property) valuation goes up, it could drop that percentage. Remaining costs would be covered with 1 percent sales tax revenues, estimated at $995,000 the first year. A minimum of $8 million in sales tax revenues would be used over the 20 years. About 82 percent of Iowa districts have the surtax, but it has raised a lot of questions among Waterloo Schools residents. Officials tout it as the most-supported approach to repaying the bonds, based on a random telephone poll of 400 district residents in October and other community contacts. It is perceived as a fairer tax, because the burden is spread across a broader base of payers. That includes those who dont own a home and arent directly paying property taxes. Unlike a property tax, the surtax would decrease or increase based on income changes. However, the state law authorizing the surtax does not allow districts to apply it to income generated by a business. Eighty-one percent of the districts 45,000 individual Iowa income tax filers typically are required to pay some amount, according to Waterloo Schools chief financial officer Michael Coughlin. He said that breaks down to 36,500 state income taxpayers. Of those 29,000 filers would pay a surtax of less than $100 while the other 7,500 would pay more under the plan. The average district taxpayer owes $1,330 in Iowa income tax, which means a surtax of $53.20 at 4 percent. The remaining 8,500 filers in the district who pay no state income tax would also pay no surtax. If the bond issue passes, the surtax will first affect Waterloo Schools residents on the taxes they file in April 2018. Individuals can estimate how much theyll pay using the amount owed on line 53 of this years tax forms. Need for center Questions have also been raised about the need for the district to provide career and technical education since such programs are already available at Hawkeye Community College which offers them throughout the region to high school students. But Hawkeye and the University of Northern Iowa are working with the district to expand programs in a way that doesnt duplicate services. Presidents of both institutions have endorsed the proposal. Officials believe students who enroll in the career centers CTE programs and then continue on at Hawkeye after high school will be more focused and more likely to complete a degree or certificate, said Lindaman. They believe it is an expansion that will enhance their enrollment, she told attendees at a town hall meeting earlier this month. Those who developed the proposal looked to needs of Cedar Valley business and industry in choosing which CTE pathways to offer. And the business community has gotten behind the plan. From internships to equipment donations, they will be supporting the sustainability of this program year after year after year, said Lindaman. There would be some initial equipment that we would purchase with the bond. Lindaman noted at a town hall meeting times have changed since the current high school structure was created. We have to change our thinking, she said. We really wanted to give our kids a jump start on what they want to do after high school. Officials are also focused on increasing the graduation rate, which was just above 74 percent for the class of 2014, and reducing dropouts, currently 150 to 200 per year. They believe many of the students now dropping out could be better engaged through classes at the career center. And, for example, if we can keep 50 kids in school, the graduation rate goes up 8 to 10 percent, said Lindaman. There may be some evidence that CTE programs could help accomplish such improvements. She told a town hall meeting theres a 92 percent graduation rate on average nationally for schools that have this type of program. In addition, they have a 98 percent attendance rate and 75 percent of students go on to post-secondary education. For many students, exploring CTE may be the right path. We know that 60 percent of jobs out there need a technical education, said Lindaman. While enrolling in a CTE program doesnt prohibit a student from earning a bachelors degree, not everyone who starts college finishes. About 37 percent of people nationally who go into a four-year college setting actually complete it, she noted. The career center would be a 130,000 square foot facility on district-owned property south of Central Middle School along Huntington Road. Opening is slated for the fall of 2018, when Waterloo Schools would begin phasing in the CTE pathways over three to four years. Crystal Buzza, executive director of professional technical education, said the district is working closely with industry to ensure the facility reflects the workplace. It doesnt look like a typical classroom, she noted at a town hall meeting, requiring more space for specialized equipment. Students would learn about the CTE pathways as freshmen and could decide by their sophomore year if they want to take any courses at the career center. Because they would have to travel to the center, classes would be held in blocks of 90 minutes or more. Initially, two blocks of classes would be offered at the center, each serving 510 students, with the possibility of a third time block added later. Buzza noted some students may stick with a pathway while others could switch to another or decide not to take further classes at the center. Some who do complete a pathway may use the skill to find a job while they earn a college degree in another field. Its helping set them on the right path, said Buzza, even if students dont end up working in the field they study. Career and technical education truly is a gateway to all careers. DES MOINES Donald Trumps campaign has defied conventional wisdom regarding what it takes to win the Iowa caucuses. With Iowa Republicans set to caucus Monday night, several questions will remain unanswered until the secret ballots are counted. Iowa campaign veterans say these are the five keys to the caucuses: Trump turnout Will Trump turn huge crowds into caucus supporters? That was the top question posed by experts. Trump frequently drew hundreds, sometimes thousands to campaign events. But often, the crowd was a mixture of Iowans and out-of-staters, and some were there for the spectacle, not as supporters. Whether Trump can turn those crowds into caucusgoers will help decide what polls say is a close race in Iowa between Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. The larger the turnout of new caucus attendees, the higher the probability of a Trump caucus night victory, said Matt Strawn, a former state party chairman. Some media reports suggest Trump lacks the organization to churn out caucus supporters. But Robert Haus, who has worked on several campaigns in Iowa and is a political consultant, said Trump has a solid Iowa campaign team. The candidate who has built his campaign around the concept of winning cant afford to lose, Haus said. His events have been huge, his team is knowledgeable, and they know how to organize. They will need to deliver those new voters to contend with Cruzs ground operation. Cruz organization Experts have lauded Cruzs campaign infrastructure, described as expansive and technologically savvy. If those observations are correct, it could make the difference between gold and silver on caucus night, Strawn said. Is conventional wisdom that Cruz has the most robust organization in the state accurate? If turnout resembles recent history, rather than a significant increase, then his organization may well be the difference, Strawn said. Cruz vs. corn Gov. Terry Branstad said a Cruz victory would be tragic for Iowa, since the candidate opposes the federal ethanol mandate that benefits Iowas agricultural economy. Cruz, who opposes all federal energy subsidies, said he would phase out the ethanol mandate over five years. Cruz has the much better ground game, but hes also been hit hard on the (ethanol) issue and whether hes flip-flopped on some issues, said Timothy Hagle, a political science professor at the University of Iowa who wrote a book on the 2012 caucuses. Will that hurt him relative to Trump? Might some go with (Florida Sen. Marco) Rubio instead? Cruz will want as much separation from Rubio as possible here in Iowa because he will want some momentum for New Hampshire, where (Cruz) hasnt been polling as well. Doug Gross, who has been Branstads chief of staff and chaired Mitt Romneys 2008 presidential campaign in Iowa, said the ethanol issue could be Cruzs deciding factor. I think it has had some impact, Gross said. It will be interesting to see whether that (limited) his potential vote. It probably will make the difference between whether he wins or loses, I think. Moderate lane Trump and Cruz, who hold a comfortable lead in the polls in Iowa, are considered outsider candidates. Trump, a billionaire businessman and reality television star, has never held elected office and frequently decries political correctness. Cruz is a tea party firebrand whose tactics have rankled fellow U.S. senators, including Republicans. GOP voters have not coalesced around a traditional candidate. Current and former governors Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and John Kasich, for example, remain at the middle or bottom of the polls. With no moderate candidate emerging, the outsiders are running away with the race. Right now, those (moderate) Republican voters are largely split among Bush, Christie, Rubio and to a lesser degree Kasich, Strawn said. Can one candidate consolidate that support into a strong, top-three finish and a boost of momentum into New Hampshire? Gross thinks one of the moderate candidates will surge late and finish strong Monday night. Its between Bush and Rubio and Kasich and Christie. I get a sense here in the 11th hour that there is some movement (in the polls), Gross said. Well see if that occurs. John Stineman, a political consultant who managed Steve Forbes 2000 presidential campaign in Iowa, said because the field of moderates has not been winnowed, there may be more than the traditional three tickets out of Iowa. With a crowded GOP field and much uncertainty in the establishment lane of the race, a strong showing by Bush, Christie or Kasich all of whom are doing reasonably well in New Hampshire in the fourth-place slot could give them enough energy to prosecute their case in the Granite State, he said. Rand Paul In 2012, libertarian supporters of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas took the Iowa GOP caucuses and even the state party structure by storm. This year, it does not appear libertarians have shifted their allegiance to Ron Pauls son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who is in the middle of the pack. Rand Paul has been courting younger voters and pitching less common GOP campaign issues such as criminal justice reform and an opposition to bulk data collection by federal surveillance programs. He wont do anywhere near as well as his father did, but they are still very well organized and have been working campuses very heavily, Hagle said. I expect that he will do better than what the polls show, but it will be interesting to see how close he comes to double digits. Experts say Iowa caucus results are as much about exceeding or failing to meet expectations as they are the one-two-three finish. So if Rand Paul successfully turns out young voters, he could enjoy a caucus night bump. If the Paul campaign is successful in finding 10,000 new votes among college students as they have boasted, he could be poised for a top-five finish, Strawn said. While not enough to grab major headlines, it (would be) enough to keep him alive in a field that is sure to winnow. Please vote yes for Waterloo Schools proposed Career and Technical Education Center on Feb. 2. I was on the Board of Education in 1998 when the last school bond was submitted for a vote. I opposed it because it did not meet the high standard of public good all requests for tax money should. This proposal meets that standard. Heres why: Three years ago a study was launched to answer a single question How do we best improve Waterloo schools? After visiting many successful schools throughout the United States and after considering numerous educational programs, a CTE center was selected as the surest way to improve Waterloo schools. It improves the status quo in several important ways. Individualized opportunity: Education has, arguably, migrated too far toward a one-size-fits-all format. The concept of graduating 1,000 students who all know the same thing is obsolete. We need to graduate 1,000 students, each uniquely skilled in their specific area of interest. This CTE proposal adds 30 career opportunities, which provide pathways for each student to become extraordinarily skilled in an occupational area of interest. Concurrent learning: Visits to successful schools revealed learning traditional basics and career skills is best accomplished concurrently, not sequentially. Students best learn the basics when actually applying them. An early life example is a parent asking a preschool child to set a dinner table while counting out loud the silverware. The child learns how to properly set a dinner table, but the real objective is learning the basics how to count. Likewise, geometry and trigonometry are often best learned cutting a rafter of correct length and angle. Computer coding is often best learned programming a CNC machine. Concurrent learning of basic skills and career skills needs to begin much sooner than the date when students have enough maturity and have met prerequisites to attend Hawkeye Community College or any other post-secondary school. We observed a culture of concurrent learning, which the CTE will inspire, yields a deeper understanding of academic fundamentals than does classroom instruction alone. Business case: High school dropouts do not, on average, earn enough income to be self-sufficient. Their employment rate is low and their incarceration rate is high. Almost 70 percent of those incarcerated lack a high school diploma. It is estimated taxpayers lose $292,000 per dropout through welfare, health care, incarceration (about $30,000 per year) and other tax-related costs. While this tax burden attributable to dropouts is not identified as a line item on any tax bill, it is nonetheless imbedded in every one. After the time value of money was considered and math was complete, the result is the number of dropouts needs to be reduced by 17 per year for the tax benefit of fewer dropouts to fully offset the tax increase required to pay off the CTE bond. Currently about 175 students drop out each year. We are confident the CTE will help increase Waterloos graduation rate from 75 percent to at least 85 percent, which equates to 70 fewer dropouts each year. The business case for the CTE is it becomes taxpayer neutral with a reduction of only 17 dropouts per year, a fraction of the expected reduction of 70. Obviously there is ample opportunity beyond that. Human Capital: Waterloos graduation rate has stubbornly remained in the 75 percent range, despite numerous academic strategies to improve it. It is unacceptable for 175 young adults a year to exit formal education, their single best opportunity to become proud, productive citizens and to live the American dream. Dropping out is especially unsettling when opportunity is so abundant; business and industry are crying for skilled workers. For many, the moral aspect of so many young adults entering the world woefully unprepared for success is more important than the business case. According to the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University, 10 percent of male dropouts end up in prison. These sad statistics in an environment of abundant opportunity for skilled workers is why the initial Waterloo Schools improvement team was launched. The initial team, and subsequent teams, judged tweaking the existing system would not yield adequate improvement, and students should be offered an opportunity to learn while doing, as opposed to learn, then do. The CTE concept was chosen over others because visits to CTE schools revealed the lure of hands-on-learning dramatically improved the level of student engagement, which in turn transformed potential dropouts into students remarkably eager to learn. It is wrong to think dropouts lack talent. Many simply become disinterested in traditional classroom learning; they fail to see the relevance of what they are being taught and become bored and distracted. Many have high potential that is being wasted. Facility: Neither East nor West has clear-span, high-bay space a number of the programs will require, especially construction, agriculture, manufacturing technology, automotive, diesel and sustainable energy. Consequently new construction is required. It is not financially feasible to duplicate any of the career courses at both East and West. Consequently, a single site is desirable. This facility will look and feel more like business and industry space than a traditional school building. Career programs are not the shop classes of old. As budding entrepreneurs, students will spend less time learning from an instructor and more time investigating, managing, marketing, ordering, coordinating, analyzing, presenting and supervising. Our observation of other CTEs was these types of learning activities fostered student leadership and engagement and a better mastery of both basic and career skills. In summary, the CTE proposal warrants your support because it is a fundamentally new approach to education in Waterloo that complements our existing high schools. It promises to thwart potential dropouts by offering an alternative hands-on method to learn academic basics and marketable skills at the same time. Various committees judged all the alternatives studied; the proposed CTE has the highest potential to advance the lives of many young adults in our community The CTE is there to benefit all students. Given that only 37 percent of students who enter a four-year college graduate, many college-prep students will become more broadly prepared for college by exploring relevant courses at the CTE. While only 30 careers will be initially offered, it is a gateway to all careers. The CTE is supported by local business, industry, labor and surrounding educational institutions. They have been involved in its design and have endorsed it as a wise investment. They will be very involved in its furnishings and curriculum. It has a solid business case. Over time, fewer dropouts will reduce our collective tax burden. The proposed CTE is the surest way to improve Waterloo schools. Please join me in launching a new era of career and technical education in Waterloo Schools. Organizing and actions to resist the moral, environmental and financial bankrupting of the U.S. through wars against the poor, at home and abroad. Advertisement By Matt McClain, West Kentucky Star Staff Jan. 28, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By Matt McClain, West Kentucky Star Staff Jan. 28, 2016 | 04:59 PM | PADUCAH, KY A surgeon at Baptist Health Paducah was arrested after allegedly having a "melt down" during surgery. According to a police report by Paducah Police, Dr. Ted Jefferson, 49 of Mayfield, was in surgery on Tuesday at around 5:30 pm, when he apparently had what's being described in the report as a "melt down" and began using profane language. The police report indicates other employees inside the surgery suite heard Jefferson state "I guess administration will be happy if I come in here with an assault rifle." Jefferson, who is reported to have a history of having a temper while at work, according to the police report, was initially allowed to "cool off" for around 30 minutes after being confronted by members of the hospital administration. After the 30 minutes was up, administration officials deemed Jefferson calm enough to go back into surgery and continue. The police report states that as soon as he went back into the surgery suite, he immediately stated "Who's the weasel who called administration to complain about me?" Police say at this point two members of the hospital administration once again confronted Jefferson about his actions being intolerable. Hospital administration told police that Jefferson became belligerent with them and made another reference to an assault rifle. He then mentioned something about "not knowing when." Jefferson was suspended for 3 days and escorted out of the hospital by security. Paducah Police then report that officers were patrolling around Baptist Health the following morning and they spotted Jefferson at around 3:15 am (Wednesday) in the parking lot of the hospital. Jefferson told police he was going to his office to write the hospital administration an email. The police report states two officers wearing body cameras recorded Jefferson indicating that he was upset over apparent medical supplies that were "unsanitary." He went on to tell police that he was acting out of anger the previous day at the hospital, and then went on to tell the two officers that the only way to "get anything done is to go home and get a pistol or rifle." Jefferson was arrested on Terroristic Threatening and Disorderly Conduct charges. He has since posted bail. Calls to Jefferson's attorney from WestKentuckyStar.com were not returned Friday. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jan. 27, 2016 | FRANKFORT, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jan. 27, 2016 | 05:22 PM | FRANKFORT, KY Leaders from both parties came together on the Kentucky Senate floor Wednesday to condemn Virginias recent decision to stop recognizing Kentucky concealed carry permits. Senate Joint Resolution 36 was passed by a by a 37-1 vote, condemning the move by Virginia, and urges them to restore a so-called reciprocal agreement that allowed concealed carry permit holders to legally carry a concealed firearm in Virginia. The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the attorney general have arbitrarily and unilaterally made a determination that the Commonwealth of Virginia would no longer recognize Kentuckys concealed carry permits, said Democratic Floor Leader Ray S. Jones II of Pikeville. Now, this is a significant problem for Kentuckians, particularly those of us from Eastern Kentucky who, when we travel south, have to travel through the Commonwealth of Virginia. Republican Floor Leader Sen. Damon Thayer of Georgetown joined Jones as a primary sponsor of the resolution. Eighteen other senators were cosponsors. Tens of thousands of Kentuckians, law-abiding citizens, have been trained and permitted to carry firearms for personal protection and defense of their family, Jones said. As we see so many mass shooting and terrorist attacks on American soil, I believe it is vitally important that Americans have the right to protect themselves, their families and their friends. Jones said Kentuckys concealed carry law has been a model since its inception and that Kentucky concealed carry holders are not the ones committing mass shootings. Gun violence is a problem in this country, he said. It is a horrific problem in this country but the question is how do you address the violence. Do you address it by infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens? I dont believe that is the answer. SJR 36 now goes to the House for consideration. US and NATO Forces Are Butchering Civilians en Masse in Iraq and Syria... by Martin Berger, New Eastern Outlook : As its been recently noted, the latest mass-casualties inflicted by US and NATO airstrikes i... CBO Warns Of Fiscal Catastrophe As A Result Of Exponential Debt Growth In The U.S. "The resulting losses for mutual funds, pension funds, insurance companies, banks, and other holders of governmen... 10 Dead, 50 Injured After Briefcase Bomb In St. Petersburg Metro; Second Device Found & Disabled - Live Feed A St. Petersburg Metro train has been hit by an explosion this afternoon. The entire transit system is shutdown. Preli... The Academy Awards decision process can often be frustratingly arbitrary. Actors are apparently gifted Oscars for political decisions rather than actual merit, with some seemingly winning either as reparations for prior snubs or just for having played someone with a hard life. In these instances there is almost always another actor who was overlooked for the great work they did, and as pointless as the Oscars are - it's a lot of patting on the back, after all - it's a damn shame they didn't get the recognition they deserved. Although admittedly it's not like the luminaries who comprise the Academy have a What's App group chat where they all plot and plan who the winners of the awards will be, you can sense the workings of their decision-making. The kind of process that leads to Marlon Brando winning an Oscar for simply having the wherewithal to stuff cotton wool in his cheeks. Much like Highlander, unfortunately, there can be only one - it just sucks that the Academy usually picks the wrong one. 12. 1974 - Al Pacino, The Godfather Part Two Art Carney for Harry And Tonto Can you imagine if Matt Damon won a Best Picture Oscar for The Martian this year? Can you see how that would unfairly deprive Leonardo Di Caprio of an Oscar for The Revenant? That's pretty much what happened with Pacino back in '74. Art Carney (either fairly or unfairly, depending on who you ask) took home the Best Actor award for a long-forgotten film called Harry And Tonto, about an old man who goes on a road trip with his cat. Yup. This is the reason that Al Pacino did not receive the appropriate recognition for his devastating turn in The Godfather Part II. Have you ever heard of Harry And Tonto? No, but I'd wager you've heard of the bloody Godfather movies, haven't you? The word "deception" immediately summons negative connotations; it suggests that someone has deliberately perpetrated a fraud by using pretence and cunning. Unsurprisingly, deception has been an ever-present throughout the course of human history - although not always in a negative sense. The majority of deceptions perpetrate a fraud against the public and the citizens of a nation, and obviously this is undesirable and unacceptable. American Presidents are prime offenders when it comes to defrauding the public, with two featuring on this list, while some of the most infamous and daring crimes in history have involved duplicity in order to succeed. Yet some of the most remarkable examples of deception in history have been carried out for, it can be argued, the "right" reasons. Naturally during a war under-handedness and double-dealing with occur - that is expected during battle - and, down the centuries, that has led to false information or deception altering the course of an entire conflict. In fact, in one of the most-successful and remarkable cases of deception throughout history, a Welsh tramp helped to dupe the Nazis and allow for the Allied assault on southern Italy during World War II. Here are the 10 most-outrageous examples of deception throughout human history. He may have died almost four centuries ago, yet the name of William Shakespeare remains one of the most iconic in world literature. The English playwright wrote about 38 plays, 154 sonnets and two long-narrative poems during his lifetime, many of which are considered to be among the greatest works in history. Having lived between 1564 and 1616, Shakespeare posthumously gained the nickname the "Bard of Avon" in recognition of the fact he is widely considered to be the greatest writer in the history of the English language. Aside from the various authors of the Bible, he is the most-quoted writer in history as Shakespeare wrote almost a tenth of the most-quoted lines in written or spoken English - and he is credited with introducing up to 3,000 words into the English language for the first time. And, what with it being William Shakespeare Day - as well as Saint George's Day - on April 23rd, it is once again time to celebrate the life of the great dramatist. On this occasion, certain fallacies and misconceptions about the Bard will be corrected - such as the belief he was an "Elizabethan playwright", that he wrote all of his plays himself, and that "Shakespeare" is actually the correct spelling of his surname... Well, here are 12 things everyone gets wrong about the "Bard of Avon" himself, the great playwright Mr William Shakespeare. Star Trak They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. It's also the most annoying. And in some cases, the most lucrative. Given how protective artists are of their own work - particularly when it comes to things they own the copyright to - it should come as no surprise that unlawful imitation in the creative world tends to lead to an awful mess. And in the cases where justice is done, that means monetary punishment, usually. In music, it happens all the time. And while things like samples and conscious nods are seemingly acceptable (within reason), there's a more nefarious thread of musical pilferers who have apparently outright stolen songs - sometimes wholesale - from existing works. And you can probably guess how that tends to go for the offending parties... 12. 'Shakermaker' - Oasis Where It Was Stolen From: 'I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing' - The New Seekers There's an old saying in music" where there's a hit, there's a writ. In the majority of copyright infringement cases, the writ comes from the writer of the lesser-known song. This is for two principle reasons; firstly, most people have more sense than to copy a smash and secondly, it's only really worth suing if the rip off turns out to be a big seller and generates sufficient income to make it worthwhile. Or to quote another old saying, "You can't sue the pants off someone who doesn't have any pants." But Oasis ignored these facts in 1994 and ripped off an already well known classic. It was a textbook case of a top line melody being lifted wholesale and transplanted, with new lyrics, into a new song. 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(1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) March writing prompt For the windy month of March, we suggest writing about the weather. It could be a story set in the sunny Caribbean, pioneers' winter on the Great Plains, a poem about your favorite season, short story about your summers as a youth, the effects of this winter on the Northeast or how about a story about season specific sports? Try your hand at haiku, fantasy or a murder mystery set in? If youre looking to try out an online casino, there are several things that will help you make a decision. Heres what you should look for when choosing an online casino Are they regulated? A lot of the larger ones have licenses issued by the authorities in their respective regions, so its worth checking this first. Do they offer games from different software providers? Some casinos just use one software provider and limit your selection. This is fine if you like playing those types of games but you may want to check other casinos as well. What does their payout percentage look like? The payout rate refers to how much money you can expect to win after every bet. A high payout rate means youll be able to play more often without having to worry about losing all your money. Its also important to know the minimum and maximum bets allowed on each game. If youre going to play roulette, for example, then you probably dont want a casino with a minimum bet of less than $2.50 or even lower than that. The players used to play the game slot online in the land based casinos in the past time. But now with time after the invention of the online casinos players play the game slot online. Online platform provide the players with the convenience in playing and even better winning. Even after keeping a good percentage of the profits, they distribute good funds to players. How many games do they offer? There are lots of different types of games to choose from. Roulette, blackjack and poker are some of the most popular options, but you might find slots, video pokers, video bingo and others as well. You can usually filter these games down to only show the ones that interest you best, so make sure that your list isnt too long! Is there a bonus offer? Many online casinos offer free bonuses as part of their welcome package which includes new players being awarded 100% up to $10 instantly, for example. These offers are great but not everyone has access to them all the time (and some require you to deposit real money). If youd prefer to avoid paying a fee, some casinos offer no-deposit bonuses where you can get a certain amount of funds before you need to put any actual money into the account. These are usually offered alongside welcome bonuses, so make sure you read both parts of the terms and conditions carefully before signing up. Does it offer live dealer games? Live dealers are much preferred by many over regular virtual versions, so it pays to check this option out too. Most online casinos now offer live dealer games in addition to their regular offerings, allowing you to experience the thrill of the real thing without needing to leave home. Now that youve got an idea of what to look for when choosing an online casino, heres some tips for making the right choice It really comes down to personal preference. No two people are exactly alike, so everyone has an opinion on what they like and dislike about each casino. That said, here are some things to consider in order to narrow down your choices Popularity. Check out reviews, forums and Facebook pages to see what other people think of the casino. Also, ask around at work or friends houses who they would recommend to you. You could always take a look at the casinos website too, to see what kind of information they provide about themselves. Reputation. Find out what the general public thinks about the casino. Check out any customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot, Amazon and Google Play to find out more. As far as gaming goes, you can also check out the Better Business Bureau to see whether there have been any complaints against the casino. Security. Make sure the casino uses SSL encryption to secure its transactions, meaning that your private data stays safe during transactions. Other than that, look for security seals on the site itself and verify that theyre legitimate. You can also check out the casinos privacy policy to see how they handle confidential information. Payment methods. Its good to have multiple payment options available, especially if you plan to play frequently. Its also nice to find a casino that accepts cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. If youre worried about safety, you can always opt for a credit card or PayPal instead. With all those criteria in mind, heres our top picks Betway: Betway is a relatively new UK casino offering online gambling to residents of the United Kingdom and European Union. They offer hundreds of games across both land based and digital platforms, with plenty of top software providers like Net Entertainment, Microgaming and Yggdrasil Gaming Network. With a generous welcome offer that gives players 100% up to 100, you really cant go wrong with Betway. Coral Casino: Coral Casino is operated by the same company that runs the famous Caribbean casino, Grand Reef. Like many casinos, Coral Casino offers a wide variety of games, including plenty of video slots and table games. New players can benefit from a huge 100% match bonus up to 1000, while existing customers enjoy 25% cash back on deposits made within 48 hours of opening an account. Ladbrokes Casino: Ladbrokes Casino is owned by the same company as the famous bookmaker that started life in 1921. With more than 500 games from leading software providers such as Amaya, NetEnt and Microgaming, you wont be disappointed by the quality of the games here. 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Called Kisi, they have developed an app-controlled 3D printed device that replaces keycards and keys with the simple swipe on an app. This intriguing alternative for spare keys has been under development for some time, and is now finally ready for the prime time with the help of MakerBot. Started in a small office in Munich, Germany as Kisibox in 2012, it got a lot of attention in innovation competitions. Winning the 2012's Grunderwettbewerb IKT Innovativ hosted by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, it was taken to New York where it won the NYC Next Idea Competition (cash prize of $35,000). The startup settled in Brooklyn soon afterwards. As Alex Shamy explains, their interesting concept grew out of their own frustrations with office keys. Our founders worked in a cloud-based fitness machines company that grew from five employees to 50 in a year, explained Kisis Alex Shamy. Being two of the early employees, they found themselves with 50 coworkers and only five security keys. That didnt exactly improve the security in the office, everyone was buzzed in manually without checking who was at the door. This frustration grew into a software solution that issues keys and access digitally: Kisi, named by combining key and easy. So how does it work? Kisi is essentially a keyless access control system for offices that enables management of access through the web. A 3D printed device is installed at the main security panel and is integrated into any existing key card system. But instead of swiping a keycard, you need to use the Kisi app to unlock the door. Once installed, the device is wired to the main access doors and connects to the office WiFi, Alex Shamy explains. Office managers can then connect to the KISI dashboard on the web and begin issuing smartphone keys to employees. Keys can be restricted by time, date, door, and lock. Once an employee connects to the Wi-Fi, Kisi will recognize what doors you have access to. And interestingly enough, 3D printing technology is key in producing the Kisi devices. Its hardware essentially consists of installation board, made up of printed circuit board(PCB) components. This is embedded into a 3D printed case, a technology chosen for its fast prototyping and testing possibilities. We develop all of our physical hardware in sprints, a method that is normally reserved for mobile development, Shamy explained. Thats why sometimes 3D printing is the only way to get a product to the market within our timeframe. Making a tool, ordering from Asia and waiting for shipment often takes six to eight weeks and that is way too long for todays new technology. In fact, the company revealed that contracting a vendor or machining the part themselves using traditional technologies would take far more time and money than 3D printing. One US vendor charged $10,000 for five identical prototypes, which would be developed over three months, while an overseas vendor asked $5,000 for five over a course of two months. Machining the parts themselves was also expected to cost around $10,000. This is why they turned to MakerBot, whose Replicator 2 3D printers would make several pieces a day for a fraction of those costs. As a result, 3D printing was extensively used when prototyping the Kisi. Their products are still being refined through feedback of early customers, and each new iteration is being produced in the office for about $2.50 in filament costs. Kisi cofounder Bernard Mehl told MakerBot that altering designs in that fashion would be financially impossible. So youd say, Id rather accept the bad design than change it. Whats more, this 3D printing approach is also enabling Kisi to customize device housing to match company logos and colors. It seems undeniable that 3D printing has played a key role in developing this interesting concept, which has already become quite a hit in New York City and surroundings, where hundreds of tech companies and startups have adopted Kisi already. KISI is perfect for co-working spaces with high tenant turnover and fast growing startups. It gives the office manager a clear understanding of who has access and at what time and location, Shamy explains. When an employee or tenant leaves, access can be revoked instantly. New keys are issued instantaneously. The company is understandably growing at a very high rate, with an initial round of funding being invested in R&D. More Kisi solutions are expected in the first quarter of 2016, while their offices are expanding. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Jan 29, 2016 | By Benedict Denmark-based 3D printing specialist PLM Group has lent its expertise to plastics manufacturer Vilecon, also from Denmark, in order to optimize production of plastic components. Vilecons newly installed 3D printing facility has enabled the company to revive a long-abandoned project. Although several contemporary manufacturers have been using 3D printers from the get-go, other more established firms are making more gradual transitions into the world of additive manufacturing. Vilecon, a plastics manufacturer based in Hillerd, Denmark, is one such company. Vilecon witnessed the 3D printing revolution happening worldwide, considered investing in additive technology, but wanted to first ensure that a 3D printer could really help business. Consequently, the company contacted the additive manufacturing experts at PLM Group to see just how 3D printing could be used to support Vilecons day-to-day operations. After taking a good look at Vilecon, representatives from PLM Group agreed that the plastics manufacturer could use 3D printing to produce high quality, inexpensive molds for its injection molded parts. Injection molded parts offer some advantages over directly 3D printed alternatives, namely smooth and precise surface textures and a wider range of available colors. Unfortunately, producing the molding tools required for the process can be costlywhen traditional production methods are employed. This means that many good ideas end up in the drawer and development projects are often are discarded at an early stage, explained Andreas Vind, Support Specialist for Additive Manufacturing at PLM Group. Furthermore, companies normally do not want to invest in an expensive metal tool for projects where only a few parts are needed. Luckily for Vilecon, injection molding tools can also be made with a 3D printer, using a specialized technical plastic able to withstand temperatures of up to 350 degrees Celsius. Using 3D printed tools enables manufacturers to make parts in smaller batches, without large financial investment. Specifically, ordering a traditionally made aluminum tool can cost 11-12k and can sometimes take months to produce. In comparison, a 3D printed tool can be produced in a day, for less than 500, representing a price reduction of more than 95%. Vilecon experienced these savings first-hand, after using a 3D printer to produce a tool for an abandoned project. The plastics manufacturer had previously worked on an unusual project concerning the maintenance of Swedish churches, designing a series of small electronics boxes which would contain temperature and humidity sensors, as well as a small SIM card module. These boxes were to be installed in the churches so that their owners could monitor and therefore optimize energy consumption, but the project was shelved for several years due to the high cost of the required molding tool. The support of PLM Group enabled Vilecon to revive the project, with the company testing a number of designs before selecting the most suitable choice. The parts have now been produced using a 3D printed tool, and churches across Sweden could soon be dramatically reducing their gas and electricity bills. Throughout the process we have documented all the lessons learned, said Vind. This goes about getting the part design ready for print, about the structure of the tool to get the success rate as high as possible, and last but not least: How to adjust the injection molding machine correctly to take into account that the mold is made from the special plastic material. It is a very exciting technology, enthused Karsten Videbk, Development Manager at Vilecon. During the process with PLM Group we learned a lot which convinced me that there are great future perspectives in the use of 3D printed tools in the plastics industry. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Smith, Bengs talk health care, education during stop in Watertown Democratic candidates met with Watertown area voters to discuss critical issues facing our state during a meet the candidates event. Our weekly roundup of tax-related investment strategies and news your clients may be thinking about. No receipts for IRS? Key tax case says they're optional: Clients may not need to present receipts when claiming tax deductions if they can prove those tax-deductible expenses using some other means, according to Forbes. A recent tax case overturned an IRS decision to disapprove a taxpayer's deduction claims because of a lack of receipts may have set the precedent for others to file without documentation. An appeals court argued that the IRS should allow the deductions if taxpayers can present "other credible evidence" to prove they really incurred the expenses. -- Forbes Retirement tip: States with no income tax: Retirees can save substantially on taxes if they live in Washington, Texas Alaska, Florida, Nevada and Wyoming, where Social Security benefits, pensions and other retirement income are not subject to income tax, according to Kiplinger. They can also save on their tax bill if they opt to reside in New Hampshire and Tennessee, where only their dividend and interest income will be taxed. However, these states impose higher sales and property taxes to make up for lost revenue for not taxing retirement income. -- Kiplinger When can your client deduct legal expenses on their taxes?: Although the IRS generally doesn't treat legal expenses as tax-deductible, clients can deduct these expenses if the costs are related to an active business, according to MarketWatch. Clients also can deduct legal expenses if they were incurred in the course of collecting wages, unpaid insurance claims, alimony and other income, as well as computing and claiming a tax refund. Legal expenses from discrimination lawsuits and collection of whistleblower awards can also be tax-deductible. -- MarketWatch Tax tips for a down market: Market volatility creates opportunities for clients to save on their tax bill, according to The Wall Street Journal. These opportunities include realizing losses to offset gains, making contributions to retirement accounts, and converting to a Roth IRA. When markets dwindle, clients can also reduce their taxes by undoing a Roth conversion, taking advantage of employee stock options and giving assets as gifts to loved ones. -- The Wall Street Journal This tax-avoiding haven's luck is running out: Clients are advised not to expect too much from their shares of U.S. companies that moved their business operations to a lower-tax domicile, such as Ireland, according to USA Today. Data from S&P Capital IQ shows that 10 of the S&P 500's firms based in Ireland have been trailing behind market performance over the last 12 months, dropping at an average of 15% during the period. -- USA Today A roundup of our favorite recent tax fraud cases. Champlin, Minn.: Preparer Rona Griffin, 52, has pleaded guilty to 17 counts of preparing fraudulent taxes and failing to pay her own taxes. Griffin was accused of costing the state more than $1.6 million in tax revenue between 2009 and 2013. In pleading guilty to nine charges of preparing fraudulent returns for nine of her clients and failing to pay her personal income taxes and the taxes for her company, HAH Broker Inc., Griffin admitted to a number of aggravating circumstances. They included that she abused a position of trust, that she forged church and mileage documents to cover up the fraud, and that she sent a letter to the Minnesota Department of Revenue stating that her only income was from child support and Social Security. According to the criminal complaint, Griffin started HAH Broker out of her home in Champlin before moving to Minneapolis. Investigation determined she had hundreds of individual and business clients and made false statements on most of their tax filings. In talking to a number of the individuals who went to Griffin for tax prep, investigators learned that Griffin consistently lied about their charitable contributions and about business expenses that were not reimbursed. Many of her clients contributed nothing or just a few hundred dollars to charity. Griffin would report on their income tax forms that they contributed 10 percent of their income to charities, often to churches they never attended, authorities added. Griffin also would change clients occupations: For instance, one client worked as a forklift operator in a warehouse. She changed that to sales representative and indicated that he had more than $10,000 in unreimbursed employee expenses in mileage, travel and other expenses, according to the complaint. When her clients began receiving letters that they would be audited, Griffin invited the clients to meet in her home in March 2013. She told a number of them to buy ledgers and create mileage reports to support their travel deduction, the complaint states. She has admitted to forging those documents. Griffins company was profitable from 2008 to 2013, yet in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 she filed no returns for HAH Broker and only one individual return. The latter was false, showing an adjusted gross income of $9,237, while a Department of Revenue audit found that she made more than $150,000, according to the complaint. Sentencing is March 28, when she faces up to 68 months in prison. Laguna Hills, Calif.: Former tax preparer Randall Craig Hutchens, 62, has received 57 months in prison and was ordered to pay $1.4 million restitution to the IRS for selling fraudulent tax shelters to numerous clients through his tax prep company, Accounting Services Inc. Hutchens pleaded guilty in May to three counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false returns. According to the plea agreement, from approximately May 2010 until October 2013, Hutchens sold numerous clients fraudulent tax shelters that required them to purchase an equity interest in an LLC on condition that it could, typically within two years, repurchase that interest for substantially less than the price paid for it (typically, $1). None of the LLCs was legitimate. Hutchens prepared tax returns for clients who bought the shelters, including in them false losses related to the tax shelter LLCs. During this scheme, Hutchens prepared and filed with the IRS at least 125 false federal income tax returns that cost the U.S. at least $1,622,512 in lost taxes. The three counts to which Hutchens pleaded guilty relate to fraudulent 2011 federal income tax returns filed on behalf of clients that included either a false Schedule E, a false loss on Form 4797 or a false Schedule C. According to authorities, a few months after a federal search warrant was executed at ASI, Hutchens made a series of structured transactions involving at least six different bank accounts in what appeared to be an effort to hide proceeds totaling $279,280 from the sale of his Laguna Hills residence. Over two weeks, Hutchens made 44 cash withdrawals, keeping the amounts under the $10,000 bank reporting requirement. Hutchens sentence was further enlarged by prior convictions for fraud-related offenses dating back 30 years, including grand theft, federal securities fraud, false claims to a federal agency and forgery. Doral, Fla.: A federal court in New Jersey has permanently barred preparer Felix Taveras Santos from preparing federal income tax returns for others. Santos is prohibited individually and doing business as Latino Tax from operating a preparation business; he agreed to the entry of the injunction but did not admit to the allegations in the civil complaint against him. According to the complaint, Santos and his business, which was located in Atlantic City, N.J., prepared false and improper returns during the 2010 through 2014 filing seasons. The IRS audited 43 federal returns that Santos or one of his employees prepared, and the audits resulted in adjustment of four out of every five of those returns and a total income tax deficiency of approximately $100,000, according to the complaint. The complaint also alleged that Santos and his employees understated clients tax liabilities or inflated refunds by improperly claiming child tax credits, including for children who lived outside of the U.S.; declaring dependency exemptions, for instance, for clients who had no proof that they supported the children; and using incorrect filing statuses. The injunction order requires Santos to provide the U.S. with a list of his clients since 2010 and to send a copy of the courts injunction order to all clients for whom he and Latino Tax prepared returns starting in 2010. Phoenix: Preparer Paula Anthony, owner of FYI Business Services, has been indicted in connection with allegedly running a fraudulent tax prep business from her home and stealing more than $300,000. Anthony faces charges of mail fraud, aggravated ID theft, conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to defraud. According to the indictment, in early January 2013 Anthony and a co-conspirator, listed as T.C., devised a scheme to collect refunds by using stolen IDs, prepaid debit cards and numerous bank accounts. Using an online bill-payment feature, 367 checks totaling more than $300,000 were issued to Anthony, the indictment said. Local news outlets said Anthony denied involvement and claimed that someone stole her identity for the fraud. She reportedly added that the returns cited in the indictment were filed with a program other than the ATX software that she used. Topeka, Kan.: Preparer Maurice L. Stewart, 38, has been charged with filing false returns, including 13 counts of filing false tax returns and 13 counts of wire fraud. According to the indictment, which alleges the government paid more than $479,000 in refunds to Stewarts clients based on returns containing false information, Stewart filed returns in clients names, falsely claiming the returns were self-prepared and fraudulently reporting that clients had suffered business losses. Authorities added that he e-filed returns using the IP address of a Topeka business where he was formerly employed as an online IT technical services coordinator and also that he prepared returns using an online program where he had opened an account using another persons name. If convicted, he faces a maximum of three years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of filing a false return, and a maximum 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each wire fraud count. Happy to say I found a way to profile the adventurous young forest ecologist Park Williams for the Santa Barbara Independent. The on-line version is the complete version of what I wrote; the print version is somewhat shorter. But let me add a couple of images and notes, because this story has a lot of different angles. First, heres a pic (if I can find it) of the way fog characteristically forms on Santa Cruz Island: Under those fog banks grow Bishop Pines and nowhere else on the island. These pics came with the help, may I add, of researcher Sara Baguskas, who presented a paper on the subject of Bishop Pines and other trees on Santa Cruz Island at the AGU science conference this past December, and passed on her slides.* But thats background. Heres the story. A sense of play and a willingness to take big chances have always been important to Park Williams. Although he is one of the most honored young scientists to attend UC Santa Barbara in recent years, winning a Graduate School Researcher of the Year award at UCSB and an Ecological Society of America award for young scientists in 2013, as well as becoming a fixture at the prestigious Tree Ring Lab of Columbia Universitys Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Williams didnt plan to become an ecological scientist, and he didnt have his heart set on attending UCSB. Born in l981 and raised near Sacramento, he went to UC Irvine for his B.S. degree but had a difficult time choosing a field after graduating. He applied to Berkeley, to Davis, and to Santa Barbara, each in different fields, from atmospheric chemistry to geology to forest ecology (at UCSB). I applied to UCSB, but I thought I was going to Berkeley because it had a bigger name. But then I visited Santa Barbara and talked to Chris Still, who later became my graduate advisor, he said. After talking to him, I accepted their offer the next day. Still, who now leads an ecosystem research lab at Oregon State University in Corvallis, remembers working with Williams well. They bonded over a fascination with cloud forests moist tropical or subtropical forests filled with low-level clouds. Park is a terrific scientist, but hes also a person who loves life and has a great time, which is a balance not all scientists have worked out, Still said, mentioning a wild and crazy charitable project Williams launched after Hurricane Katrina. Amazingly, a little of that direct-from-the-time is available on line through archives kept in UCSBs geology division. Heres the link. In fact, there is an on-line available picture of Park in this wild and crazy phase of his life. And how does Park explain his outfit? From September 21, 2005: Thanks for noticing, Park Williams said when I commented on his outfit. Well, its hard not to notice a strapping weightlifter when hes wearing a pink tutu, pink hair curlers, and pink slippersand sporting a new moustache. No, hes not campaigning for gay rights or doing field research on an arcane aspect of behavioral geography. As Park, a grad student working on his PhD in Climatology, puts it, In an attempt to spice up my life and do my part to save the world at the same time, until November 1, 2005 I will be accepting and acting upon dares and double-dog-dares for monetary donations that will go directly to the Hurricane Katrina Red Cross relief effort. Heres what happened: After New Orleans was devastated late in the summer of 2005, Williams set out to raise money for the Red Cross. He launched a site called Daring is Caring and took on dares for contributions to the cause. It was really a hilarious thing he did, said Still. Basically he enlisted a bunch of his friends to help him out and solicited dares for pledges to the Red Cross. Williams began by singing karaoke rap songs down on State Street but soon graduated to wilder gigs, wearing tutus, delivering pizza around campus in a Speedo, and taking a double dog dare from a local radio show, which included going to a high-end pet store now defunct on State Street dressed only in a bathing suit and covered with dog treats and allowing the dogs to lick him clean. (A reliable source told that Williams raised considerable funds with the help of a radio station into the thousands.) In an interview at the enormous fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco in December, Williams admits that at first he had a little too much fun at UCSB. I think it is a party school, at least compared to some of the other UCs, he said. And I think undergraduates especially need to be careful to be sure they can succeed in an environment where theres a party going on almost all the time. It took me a couple of years. Williams initially wanted to do research into the cloud forests of Costa Rica, but he couldnt find funding and ended up working in cloud forests much closer to home on Santa Cruz Island. I dont think I appreciated at the time how beautiful it was and what an opportunity it was to be living in Southern California but isolated from the gigantic human population, he said. Although he spent most nights in the field station on the western side of the island, the work often called for camping and rising at dawn to check the harp-like machine constructed to harvest fog water. By comparing the chemical composition of fog water to that inside the trees, the research group discovered how dependent the tree was on fog about 10-15 percent it turns out. So, it seems, Williams went from a wild and crazy party life at UCSB, to pursuing his science into beauty and isolation on Santa Cruz Island and, somewhat to his own surprise, discovering a whole new world out there. This world includes some tough news, an example being how devastated Bishop Pines were on the islands by long (five-year) droughts, as of 1987-l991, and the most recent drought, which is also going into its fifth year. The land is changing profoundly out there, even without direct human intervention. Heres a slide from Sara Baguskas research, linked below. Let Park explain: Williams went on to compare tree ring growth with records of fog occurrence kept by local airports and showed that the trees do grow significantly more in years with foggy summers. The rare pine species also depend on winter rain, and droughts such as the drought of 1987 to l991 led to mass tree mortality. Williams went on to pore over decades of cloud records collected at airports since the 1940s to see if fog behavior has been changing, possibly as part of global warming. I was really surprised what a clear story came out of the data, he said. Out of that jumps this correlation between the urbanization of Southern California and the warming which comes with that. In a widely publicized study last year, Williams showed that in large urbanized areas the warming associated with the heat island effect means that marine moisture condenses into clouds at higher altitudes than it does in wild environments, reducing shading and fog and raising temperatures on land in cities. These low clouds are really important regulators of drought at the Earths surface, he said. For people, its not such a big deal [because they have alternate water sources], but for ecosystems the fog water is all theyve got during summer. Williams has gone on to become something of a wizard at crunching vast datasets. He has worked with noted researchers in the Southwest, including Nate McDowell and Craig Allen, showing how imperiled forests in the region are by climate change. With a team led by Richard Seager, he studied global warming and drought in California, showing that about 15-20 percent of the droughts impact can be attributed to human-caused warming. Global warming has significantly enhanced an existing trend towards fire weather in the Southwest, he said. Its tough watching this happening, and it makes for a lot of sad stories, but maybe this work will be of benefit to western land managers and allow them to peer into the future. As for advice Williams would give to younger researchers, he turns contemplative. Dont sweat too much about the decision of what to study, he said. Just go and work very hard. Do something youre interested in, and dont worry too much about the forks in the road. And then, the way I would like to present the image: And then he grinned. [*Baguskas presented a paper at the AGU on fog and mass mortality among pines at the AGU, filling in for a colleague, but it happened not to be the paper available from the conference for linkage.] President Barack Obama plans to visit a mosque near Baltimore on Wednesday to make a plea for tolerance and religious freedom, the White House said. It will be Obamas first visit as president to an American mosque though he visited a Jakarta mosque during a 2010 visit and comes at a time when American Muslims have reported a surge of anti-Muslim sentiment, linked partly to comments from Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. The president will travel to Maryland to visit the Islamic Society of Baltimore mosque to celebrate the contributions Muslim Americans make to our nation and reaffirm the importance of religious freedom, a White House official said. The mosque is in the city of Catonsville, just west of Baltimore. The official said Obama would meet with community members and then deliver remarks emphasising the importance of staying true to our core values welcoming our fellow Americans, speaking out against bigotry, rejecting indifference and protecting our nations tradition of religious freedom. Following the deadly attacks late last year in Paris and in San Bernardino, California, both linked to radical Muslims, Trump called for a temporary ban on all Muslims entering the country until we can figure out whats going on. He has also insisted that he saw television images of Muslims celebrating in New Jersey after the World Trade Center attacks in 2001 something no independent news source has been able to confirm. Amid anecdotal reports of increased attacks on Muslims and mosques, US faith leaders called for Obama to visit a mosque and make a high-profile appeal for tolerance, much as President George W Bush did when he visited the Islamic Cultural Center of Washington just days after the 2001 attacks and said, Islam is peace. Senior BJP leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla hit out at her party-led government in Maharashtra for allotting land in Mumbai to actor and MP Hema Malini at throwaway price, terming it as illegitimate benefit. She also asked whether only the MP is promoting the countrys culture. The Maharashtra Government has allotted a prime piece of land valued in crores to actor and MP Hema Malini for a dance academy for just Rs. 70,000. For a Parliamentarian, this kind of benefit is illegitimate, Chawla said in a statement issued here today. A month after the BJP-led government in Maharashtra announced allotment of a prime piece of land to Hema Malini for a dance academy, an RTI activist claimed the plot valued in crores was being given for mere Rs. 70,000. The BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra should explain whether Hema Malini was the only one in the state who was propagating the countrys culture through her dance academy, the former national vice-president of BJP said. The government should stop the drama of charging Rs. 70,000 for the land and give it for free, she said sarcastically and demanded, Those promoting culture as social work should also get land for free. Local residents demanded the closure of the Deonar dumping ground and urged the BMC to relocate it outside the city limits. Even though the massive fire which erupted at Deonar was brought under control but residents of eastern suburbs like Chembur, Ghatkopar, Shivaji Nagar were complaining about the rising pollution in the area. The BMC had ordered the closure of 70 schools in the area as residents were adversely affected and complaining about suffocation, eye and throat irritation. Local residents of Shivaji Nagar demanded the closure of the dumping ground and urged the civic body to relocate it outside the city limits. The government talks about developing Mumbai into a world class city but if garbage continues to pile up in the city then how can this vision turn into a reality? Since Mumbai generates approximately 7,500 metric tonnes of garbage around 80 per cent of the garbage is being dumped in Deonar dumping ground. The residents of Shivaji Nagar and Chembur have to bear the brunt of foul smell emanating from the dumping ground. Shivaji Nagar corporator Shaikh Siraj had staged a protest demanding the closure of the dumping ground. The closing down of Chincholi Bunder dumping ground in 2001 and Gorai dumping ground in 2008, had increased the pressure on the two dumping sites in the eastern suburbs. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took stock of the situation and directed the Mumbai Municipal Commisioner Ajoy Mehta to take effective steps for dousing the fire. Spoke to municipal commissioner. He assured that no stone will be left unturned to control the smoke at Deonar, Fadnavis tweeted. Irfan Shaikh, a Deonar resident said, The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained as rag-pickers often set the dumped garbage on fire. There is a possibility of fire spreading into large area rapidly as people remained unaware about it. The fire brigade officials played a vital role in dousing in the fire thereby averting a major mishap as there were several hutments and residential buildings in the vicinity Abdul Nasir, a Govandi resident said, Since our house is located near to the dumping ground we remain the worst affected. The government should take steps to relocate the ground or else our health will be affected if fires continue to erupt in the future. Corporator Shaikh Siraj said that the capacity of the Deonar dump yard had exhausted years ago. It will take no time to close it down if MLA Abu Asim Azmi takes the efforts. Shamshad Khan, a Chembur resident said, The manner in which Mumbais population is rising it will only generate additional amount of garbage every year. The government will have to find areas for starting new dumping grounds as the Deonar dumping ground lack space to accommodate more garbage. Rashid Raza another resident said, Often politicians arrive in our locality before the onset of election for soliciting votes. Once they get elected they are least bothered about the problems faced by us. Whenever we file a complaint with the corporator he only gives us false assurance about resolving the problem. Shivaji Nagar police registered a case under section 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) of the IPC against three unidentified juveniles in connection with the fire at the Deonar dumping ground. Police sources informed that a case was registered on basis of a statement of security guard at the dumping ground. The East Indians are a community of Catholics who are the original residents of Mumbai. The word East Indian has been derived from the East India Company that converted a large section of the local Marathi-speaking people to Christianity. Since the East Indians did not want the British Colonial government to confuse them with the Goans, the Mangaloreans and other Christian settlers in the region, they decided to adopt a name for themselves that would make them stand out as a separate Christian identity. East Indians speak Marathi, but their language is quite different from that of the Maharashtrian community. It is very similar to the language spoken by the kolis of Mumbai. The cuisine of the East Indian community Kunbis (farmers), Bhandaris (toddy tappers), Agris (salt pan tappers) and Kolis (fisherfolk) is rich. A day before the wedding which is called the Umbracha Pani, people go about in a procession around their neighbourhood singing East Indian Marathi songs in order to draw water from the well, which is used by the bride-to-be or groom-to-be to bathe. Since there are no wells in Mumbai, people go to one of their relative or friends house to bring water. The water is then poured on the bride-to-be or the groom-to-be in his or her respective home. On the day of the wedding, the groom-to-be sends a car to pick up the bride-to-be and waits for her outside the church. After she arrives, the best man of the groom-to-be welcomes her with a bouquet of flowers. Then the couple walks down the aisle along with the bridesmaid, flower girl, best man, page boy and other family members to reach the altar where they are given a special place to sit. There, the priest shakes hands with them and offers them his best wishes. The Mass is then celebrated and the priest reads passages from the Holy Bible, which is followed by a sermon called the homily on the sacredness of their wedding. The couple then makes promises to stay with each other in good times and in bad and in sickness and in health all throughout their married life. Rings are then exchanged which are blessed by the priest. The East Indian Marathi word for Mumbai is Mobai. The traditional dress for East Indian women is the nav vari lugra (nine-yard saree). These sarees are worn in colours of navy blue, red and green by the women. Currently, East Indian Marathi is the fastest dwindling language in the metropolis of Mumbai. Though it is the mother tongue of the East Indian community, it is only spoken in a few East Indian villages like Uttan, Bhayandar, Dongri, Juhu, Bandra, Marol, Culvem, Manori, Kharodi, Gorai and in some parts in Vasai as well. With the ever changing surroundings of the cosmopolitan lifestyles in Mumbai, most East Indians prefer to speak English; some tragically do not have the least knowledge of East Indian Marathi since they have been brought up in an English-speaking environment. It has to be noted that even within the East Indian Marathi, there are dialects, that is to say a person speaking East Indian Marathi in Bandra may pronounce some words quite differently to those in residing in Versova or those residing in Vasai. Goans and Mangaloreans have a special bangle-wearing ceremony during their weddings for girls called the chuddo, which consists of a set of fifteen bangles of green, brown and yellow colours on each wrist. The boy or the girl getting married is also drenched in milk. Coconut juice and a paste of turmeric are also applied on the boys or the girls hands and face. Goans and Mangaloreans call this ceremony, roce. This signifies the last bath that the bride-to-be or the groom-to-be will be taking in their bachelorhood/spinsterhood. With the ceremony of roce, the wedding celebrations begin. Both, the bride-to-be and the groom-to-be have to undergo this ritual in their respective homes. This ceremony also signifies the mothers love towards her son or daughter. Jubel DCruz (The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.) After going through repeated sexual abuse and humiliation in the hands of the notorious Islamic State militants, young girls from the Yazidi community are now forced to undergo traumatic virginity tests in Iraqi courts. A UN report has estimated that 3,500 people mainly Yazidi women and young girls were being kept as sex slaves by IS (Daesh) in Iraq. Those being held are predominantly women and children and come primarily from the Yazidi community, but a number are also from other ethnic and religious minority communities, the joint report issued by UN Assistance Mission for Iraq and UN human rights office said. The tests are seen as proof of rape by Iraqi courts, even as its validity is not accurate. WHO has previously said that the belief that all virgin women and girls have intact hymens and bleed on first intercourse is inaccurate. Kurdistan officials took their needs seriously, but subjected some unmarried women and girls to virginity tests an abusive and inaccurate procedure as part of a forensic, post-rape examination. Judge Ayman Bamerny, who heads a committee gathering evidence of ISIS crimes, told us these tests were seen as evidence of rape by Iraqi courts, Human Rights Watch researcher (Womens Rights Division), Rothna Begum, said. She spoke to a woman called Luna who had been kidnapped by ISIS as the group swept through northern Iraq in 2014, sold four times and raped by all her owners. She was one of hundreds of Yazidi women and girls believed to have since undergone painful virginity tests as a method of proving the rapes to Iraqi officials documenting ISIS crimes. A judge told Human Rights Watch researchers that the committee gathering evidence has subsequently stopped using the examinations and that a new reporting method has been adopted by the health directorate in Dohuk, based on UN recommendations. This is an important step for women and girls like Luna who can now pursue justice for the crimes against them in a process that shows deeper respect for womens rights and a commitment to providing better care for rape survivors, Begum said. Virginity exams, which are conducted out of cultural or religious beliefs, are commonly used in many parts of the world, including India, Turkey, Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya, Jordan, Indonesia, and South Africa. However, such tests have been long been under fire by the World Health Organization, which has pointed out that they can cause pain and psychological harm. NATO has called on Russia to act responsibly after Turkey summoned the Russian ambassador to protest what it claimed a violation of its airspace by a warplane. A Russian combat aircraft violated Turkish airspace on Saturday, despite repeated warnings by the Turkish authorities, Xinhua quoted NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as saying on Saturday. Previous incidents have shown how dangerous such behaviour is, he said. He called on Russia to act responsibly and to fully respect NATO airspace. Turkey has been a member of the alliance since 1952. Stoltenberg urged Russia to take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not happen again. I welcome the direct contacts between Ankara and Moscow, and I call for calm and de-escalation, he said. The Turkish foreign ministry summoned the Russian Ambassador to Ankara late Friday and protested against the violation of Turkeys airspace by a Russian SU-34. In a written statement, the ministry said Turkish air force warned the Russian aircraft several times on Friday in Russian and English, adding that the violation was also a new and concrete indicator of Moscows actions which aims at accelerating problems despite open warnings by our country and by NATO. The claim was immediately denied by Russia. There were no violations of Turkish airspace by planes of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic, Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said. The statements of the Turkish side about the alleged fact of violation by the Russian Su-34 is unfounded propaganda, said Konashenkov. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday warned Russia of consequences if it continues to violate Turkish airspace. He blamed Russia for acting irresponsibly and escalating the tension in the region, while emphasising that the issue was closely followed by NATO. These kinds of irresponsible acts not only damage NATO-Russian relations but also the regional and global peace, the president said. Erdogan said he was trying to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin but to no avail. Relations between Turkey and Russia plummeted after Turkish air force shot down a Russian jet on November 24, claiming it had violated Turkish airspace, while Moscow insisted the Su-24 did not cross into Turkey. Following the incident, Russia imposed sanctions against Turkey and deployed S-400 missiles at a Russian air force base in Syria. According to him women should not be barred from entering into temples. Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who has been chosen for Padma Vibhushan, the countrys second highest civilian award, backed the campaign by women activists to break gender bias and allow them entry to the sacred sanctrum of the Shani temple and all other holy places in the state. He also offered to help for ending the ongoing tussle between women activists and locals over the entry of women in Shani Shingnapur shrine in Maharashtra. He had recently said that religious leaders should intervene in such issues to resolve the matter and bring an end to the standoff over the Shani Shingnapur Shrine. Terming the campaign of women as justified, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said that there is no scriptural sanction that should discriminate against female devotees. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said, Women are justified in seeking to enter the sacred sanctum of the temple as there was no sanction to gender discrimination in our scriptures. If men can enter temples, women too can. Different temples follow different rules, but if men can enter a place of worship, women can also do so. There is no scriptural sanction for any gender discrimination. Awareness on gender equality has to be created, scriptures have to be understood properly. It is the work of religious and spiritual leaders to make people understand. Though they may be following some traditions, it has no scriptural injunction, he said. Over 400 women activists in Maharashtra launched a protest last week against the centuries-old ban of not allowing female devotees inside the premises of Shani Shingnapur Shrine in Maharashtra. They have submitted a memorandum to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking his support to end gender bias and allow womens entry at the temple and all other sacred places in the state. Looking at the very limited employment opportunities various state governments are coming up with innovative job openings for Transgender. Transgenders, who are striving hard to find a place in mainstream society, will soon turn entrepreneurs in Kerala with the launch of a taxi service which will be owned and operated by them, a first in the state. After unveiling the first Transgender Policy in the country with an aim to end societal stigma towards the Transgender (TG) community, the Kerala state government is now getting ready to launch Gender Taxi, owned and operated by transgenders. The objective of G-Taxi programme is to provide a better means for livelihood for the minority group and to ensure them non-discriminatory treatment in society. The state-run Gender Park, under the Department of Social Justice, has drawn up a programme to roll out G-Taxi on the model of its successful all-women cab network She-Taxi. If She-Taxi has targeted mainly women commuters, G-Taxi is envisaged as an equality taxi, in which all travellers, irrespective of their gender, can avail service. If everything goes as planned, the first fleet of G-Taxi cabs will be rolled out in Kerala this March. Government of Kerala is doing good, generating jobs for this community and bringing them in mainstream through various schemes is good initiative. Really, this is what they needed at the moment. The main problems that are being faced by the transgender community are of discrimination, unemployment, lack of educational facilities, homelessness, lack of medical facilities like HIV care and hygiene, depression, hormone pill abuse, tobacco and alcohol abuse, penectomy, marriage and adoption. In 1994, transgenders received the voting rights but the task of issuing them voter identity cards got caught up into the male or female debate. Several of them were denied ID cards with sexual category of their choice. The other fields where this community feels neglected are inheritance of property or adoption of a child. They are often pushed to the periphery as a social outcaste and many of them end up in begging and dancing. Even some caught in the trap of pimps and human trafficking. Sometimes running out of all options to feed themselves, they even engage themselves as sex workers for survival. Most families do not accept their male child if he starts behaving like a feminine or inappropriate to the expected gender role. Consequently, family members may threaten, scold or even assault their son/sibling from behaving or dressing-up like a girl or woman. Some parents may outright disown and evict their own child for crossing the prescribed gender norms of the society and for not fulfilling the roles expected from a male child. Parents may provide several reasons for doing so: bringing disgrace and shame to the family; diminished chances of their child getting married to a woman in the future and thus end of their generation (if they have only one male child); and perceived inability on the part of their child to take care of the family. Thus, later transgender women may find it difficult even to claim their share of the property or inherit what would be lawfully theirs. Sometimes, the child or teenager may decide to run away from the family not able to tolerate the discrimination or not wanting to bring shame to ones family. Some of them may eventually find their way to Hijra communities. Many Hijras are uneducated and consequently find it difficult to get jobs. Moreover, it is hard to find people who employ Hijras/Transgender people. Some members of the society ridicule gender-variant people for being different and they may even be hostile. Even from police, they face physical and verbal abuse, forced sex, extortion money and materials, and arrests on false allegations. Absence of protection from police means ruffians find Hijras as easy targets for extorting money and as sexual objects. A 2007 study documented that in the past one year, the percentage of those Hijras who reported: forced sex is 46%; physical abuse is 44%; verbal abuse is 56%; blackmail for money is 31% and threat to life is 24%. Transgender face discrimination even in the healthcare settings. Types of discrimination reported by TG communities in the healthcare settings include: deliberate use of male pronouns in addressing Hijras; registering them as males and admitting them in male wards; humiliation faced in having to stand in the male queue; verbal harassment by the hospital staff and co-patients; and lack of healthcare providers who are sensitive to and trained on providing treatment/care to transgender people and even denial of medical services. Discrimination could be due to transgender status, sex work, HIV status or a combination of these. Social welfare departments provide a variety of social welfare schemes for socially and economically disadvantaged groups. However, so far, no specific schemes are available for them except some rare cases of providing land for Aravanis in Tamil Nadu. Recently, the state government of Andhra Pradesh has ordered the Minority Welfare Department to consider Hijras as a minority and develop welfare schemes for them. Stringent and cumbersome procedures and requirement of address proof, identity proof, and income certificate hinders even the deserving people from making use of available schemes. In addition, most TGs having no knowledge about social welfare schemes available for them. Only the Department of Social Welfare in the state of Tamil Nadu has recently established Aravanigal/Transgender Women Welfare Board to address the social welfare issues of Aravanis/Hijras. No other state has replicated this initiative so far. Now, Kerala has come up with brilliant idea of empowering transgenders. Lets hope that the implementation of the scheme will be done with hundred per cent will. Turkey warned of consequences after saying a Russian SU-34 jet had violated its airspace despite warnings, once more stoking tensions between two countries involved in Syrias war, but Russia denied that there had been any incursion. In a similar incident in November, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane flying a sortie over Syria that it said had violated its airspace, triggering a diplomatic rupture in which Russia imposed economic sanctions. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov denied that any Russian plane had entered Turkish airspace, and called the Turkish allegation pure propaganda. He said Turkish radar installations were not capable of identifying a particular aircraft or its type or nationality, and that no verbal warning had been issued in either English or Russian. Turkeys Foreign Ministry said in its statement that the Russian ambassador had been summoned late on Friday, and that the violation was a clear sign that Russia wanted issues between the two countries to escalate. We are making a clear call to the Russian Federation not to violate Turkish airspace, which is also NATO airspace, the statement said. We are emphasising once again that the unwanted consequences of such irresponsible behaviour will belong fully to the Russian Federation. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the violation had taken place, and urged Russia to take all necessary measures to ensure NATO airspace was not violated again. Previous incidents have shown how dangerous such behaviour is, his statement said. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after the incident. I told our Foreign Ministry to convey my desire to meet Mr Putin personally. There has been no answer on this yet, Erdogan told reporters at the airport before departing for a visit to Latin America. At a time when the globe is brimming with stories about the bad world of the Internet, a 60-year-old American woman has done almost the unthinkable by attending her Facebook sons wedding in Gorakhpur. Four years ago 28-year-old Krishna Mohan Tripathi started interacting with Deb on Facebook. Krishna began sharing his feelings with her. Krishnas mother had died when he was a teenager. Deb, a native of California, US, began to emotionally support him and accepted his wedding invitation. The wedding guests were left surprised when they saw 60-year-old Deb Miller on the sides of the groom. The Krishna Mohan Tripathi and Deb Millers relationship goes back four years ago when the he stumbled upon Millers profile while surfing social networking site Facebook. Soon both of them started exchanging their feelings. Tripathis mother had died when he was a teenager and Miller, a resident of California, also do not have children. During the course of interaction on Facebook, both of them developed a mother-son relationship and Miller accepted Tripathi as her son. Tripathi was surprised when Miller accepted his wedding invitation and agreed to come to India and attend the ceremony. Miller also brought jewellery worth Rs. 25 lakh as gift for the newly-wedded couple. Krishna is currently pursuing MSc from Awadh University in Faizabad and wants to become a lawyer. Deb has also invited the couple to US after the wedding. Deb, dressed in a Banarasi saree, was impressed by the Indian tradition and culture. Deb said she has bought about two dozen of sarees to take back home. She left for the US on Sunday. By Anne Dachel Read Anne's commentary and view the links after the jump. The Dachel Media Update is sponsored by Lee Silsby Compounding Pharmacy and OurKidsASD , an online supplement retailer for patients with special needs. CBS News As autism rates continue to rise in the U.S., researchers are searching for reasons why. Even though children don't typically show signs of autism until a few years after birth, some of the most significant risk factors may actually be encountered in-utero. A new study finds children born to mothers who had preeclampsia during pregnancy are as much as twice as likely to develop autism spectrum disorder. Preeclampsia is a complication during pregnancy in which a mother develops high blood pressure and often kidney damage. The symptoms can come on suddenly, typically late in her second trimester or early in the third. The condition, which affects approximately 5 to 8 percent of all pregnancies, can be fatal to a mother if left untreated. The latest research indicates that the sicker a mother was with the disease, the more likely autism may occur in their child. I TRIED TO POST THIS COMMENT ON CBS---BUT I COULDN'T. On a regular basis we just have to have another study BLAMING AUTISM ON THE ACTIONS OF THE MOTHER! We have ones linking autism to: fat moms, old moms, moms who marry old dads, moms who drink, moms who smoke, moms who have babies too close together, moms who take anti-depressants, moms who don't get enough folic acid, moms who have premature babies, and moms who live too close to freeways. Now we can add, pregnant moms with high blood pressure. WE ARE NOT FAR REMOVED FROM THE DAYS OF BLAMING THE REFRIGERATOR MOTHER. Jessica Firger said that the autism rate of one in every 68 children (one in every 42 boys) is because of "increased awareness." She doesn't mention that according to experts, 30 percent of children with autism regressed into this condition with loss of learned skills, including speech. How does "preeclampsia" or anything else happening in pregnancy explain why kids who were healthy and normally developing stopped being that way. Doctors can't explain regressive autism. Health officials aren't interested in studying these kids. In 2006, the late Dr. Bernadine Healy, former head of NIH, was on CBS News saying that we need to study these kids and find out what suddenly made them sick. So far, no one is willing to do that. Instead, health officials, mainstream medicine and the media continue to pretend that autism is a normal and acceptable part of childhood. Its cause and cure is a mystery. It's genetic and kids are born that way. Anne Dachel, Media editor: Age of Autism The Federalist Measles is making a terrifying comeback in the U.S., with some 600 cases reported this year, more than in any year in the past two decades. There are two reasons: the ease of international travel, and an increasing number of people refusing vaccinations, usually on behalf of their children. These refusals have directly resulted in an increase in the incidence of almost forgotten diseases like whooping cough and measles. After the introduction of the whooping cough vaccine in the 1940s, cases dwindled to about 1,000 cases annually. Yet the CDC reported nearly 77,000 cases of whooping cough in 2012 and 2013. . . . I became pretty pro-vaccine after reading "Deadly Choices," by Paul Offit, which summarizes the available evidence and shows, quite definitively, that vaccines are not a giant conspiracy to increase autism. Joy Pullman wrote this pro-vaccine piece. There are so many false and misleading points expressed here that I hardly knew where to begin. I highlighted so many things, I could write for hours. Pullman is a journalist and a teacher. She also has never looked into this controversy. I POSTED SEVEN COMMENTS! ABC News . . . Whooping cough vaccine was developed in the 1940s and is very effective, Schaffner said, but developed a sour reputation for side effects, including high fever, swelling of the lymph nodes and others. So scientists developed a new vaccine that was lumped in with the tetanus and diphtheria vaccines to make TDaP. The new vaccine effectively prevents whooping cough but its effectiveness weakens over about 5 years, making the population more vulnerable to the bacteria's cyclical nature without regular boosters, Schaffner said. Dr. Jeff Duchin, who also chairs the public health committee for the Infectious Disease Society of America, said the latest outbreak in California is a sign of what's to come until a better vaccine can be developed. What's most important is to make sure pregnant women get vaccinated, . . . So it isn't non-vaxxing parents, it's the vaccine's fault. Solution: Vaccinate pregnant women against whooping cough. (Maybe at the same time they get that recommended flu shot.) Step aside prenatal vitamins. I envision a whole list of prenatal vaccines coming our way. Logan (UT) Herald Journal Immunizations and vaccines can be controversial. From their side effects to the ramifications if children and adults aren't immunized, many people have questions about them. . . . There has been increasing concern about the possibility immunizations could cause autism spectrum disorders. According to the Center for Disease Control, there were questions raised about whether or not certain ingredients in the immunizations or vaccines lead to autism. A study done by the Institute of Medicine concluded that "the evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism." No links have been found between any ingredient in vaccines and autism, according to the CDC. Two percent of kids in Utah have an autism diagnosis (higher than the national rate). No one can explain why kids have autism or find a comparable rate among adults. NO MATTER. Reporter Shannon Nielsen is happy to go to the agency that runs the vaccine program and is heavily connected to the vaccine industry to ask them if their vaccines cause autism. They don't, according to the both the CDC and the Institute of Medicine. What exactly goes on in journalism school today? Are students taught to visit ONE SOURCE and never doubt what anyone in the government tells them? The media sure acts that way. Maybe that's why a Gallup poll revealed that 60 percent of Americans don't trust the news reports they see. The Dachel Media Update is sponsored by Lee Silsby Compounding Pharmacy and OurKidsASD. Lee Silsby is one of the most respected compounding pharmacies in the country and is committed to serving the needs of the Autism community. OurkidsASD is an online retailer for nutritional supplements for patients with special needs. OurkidsASD carries thousands of products from more than 60 brands and offers free ground shipping on all orders. Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism and author of The Big Autism Cover-Up: How and Why the Media Is Lying to the American Public, which is on sale this Fall from Skyhorse Publishing. By Cathy Jameson Word spread quickly in several of my online groups that Delegates in the Commonwealth of Virginia had introduced a vaccine bill. Like other vaccine bills that have popped up in other states, HB1342 was a bad bill. As quickly as the bill was introduced, it was assigned to a Subcommittee and added to the next Health, Welfare and Institutions Committees agenda. It was imperative that those who opposed the bill act quickly. Virginians wasted no time. Representatives were contacted. Travel plans were made. Parents, providers and many, many others helped to spread the word. I was one of those parents. Since I could get to the hearing where 3 minutes of public testimony was to be included, I drafted a short speech. Delagate Filler-Corn, Dr. Stolle and other Members of the Committee, You know your child best. As the mom to five kids, Ive heard that statement several times over the last few years. I hear that one and that I should always trust my mothers instinct. Ive made mistakes before when I didnt listen to my instinct which is why Im here today. My gut tells me that HB1342 is a bad bill. Id like to tell you why. This bill violates existing law that protects religious and parental rights. To take those rights away, something that so many in the Commonwealth have fought to secure, preserve and protect, is incomprehensible. HB1342 not only violates religious rights and personal rights, it undermines our doctor and their ability to work with my children, including my son who was severely injured by vaccines. Finding the right doctor to attend to that injury took time. Our doctor understands my childs healthcare needs well, not you, Dr. Stolle, nor any of the other members of this committee. This bill would prevent my sons doctor from using professional judgement which would impede them from appropriately treating him. That, plus mandating vaccines while also restricting the existing medical exemption, which is what HB1342 would do, is unethical and would not serve any of my children well. I could now cite a few statistics for the committee, like the fact that Virginia has a high vaccine rate despite already low exemptions rates, or I could remind you that those who manufacture vaccines have no liability for their product and that those who administer them can do so without being held accountable for any injury or death resulting, or I could point out that the CDC states that all vaccines come with risk, or I could make it clear to you that when there is a risk, there must always be a choice, but Ill leave you with a final statement and a request instead. HB1342 is an overreach of the government. I respectfully ask that you withdraw this draconian bill and refrain from introducing other bills like it. -- I never had to make that speech. Thankfully, HB1342 was stricken from the docket soon after the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee meeting started. I was overjoyed. Assyria At Mardi Gras An Assyrian Empire themed float for Endymion, which is celebrating 50 years, is seen at an open house of the float den in New Orleans, La. Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 (photo: Matthew Hinton). As might be expected from a Mardi Gras organization celebrating its 50th anniversary, the 2016 Endymion parade will take a long look back at its history. In keeping with this year's theme, "Endymion Through the Years," individual floats will illustrate past themes. Endymion rolls at 4:15 p.m. on Feb. 6. Last weekend, many of the 3,000-plus krewe members and their families got their first look at the 2016 floats parked inside the Endymion den, just off Howard Avenue. They include a float depicting the theme of the inaugural Endymion parade in 1967, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." 2015's "Fantastic Voyages" is represented by the same float from last year that shows a giant squid attacking a submarine a la Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." Other throwback themes represented include "Happily Ever After," "Broadway on Parade," "American Masters" and "Endymion's Rockumentary." That latter category likely explains the float featuring larger-than-life depictions of Kiss' Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, in full make-up. Fun fact: members of Kiss were supposed to ride in the 1979 Endymion as grand marshals. But a police strike that year canceled Carnival in Orleans Parish. Endymion moved to Kenner but, alas, Simmons and company chose not to ride. Endymion founder Ed Muniz, who is still the krewe's captain, took Simmons out to dinner in Metairie anyway. At one point, Simmons put his girlfriend at the time, Cher, on the phone with Muniz. In 2015, Endymion premiered its new "E-TV" float, essentially a 20' by 8' rolling video wall that projects images of the crowd watching it pass by. Large video screens will turn up on another new float this year, "Club Endymion." It features a replica of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the longtime home of Endymion's post-parade Endymion Extravaganza. Screens aboard "Club Endymion" will show footage of Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and Latin rapper Pitbull, the featured entertainers for the 2016 Extravaganza. Float builder Barry Kern, who oversees construction of the Endymion fleet, was on hand during last weekend's krewe preview to talk up the innovations, both aesthetic and practical. "This whole parade is unbelievable," Kern said. "When you think about where it came from and what it represents now... Not only the size, but the whole spectacle of it -- the lighting, the props, the throws." For 2016, the Endymion organization spent a small fortune to upgrade the fiber optics and other lighting on floats. Of course, given Endymion's 4 p.m. start time, the lighting effects are lost on many spectators. "It's still light when I get to Claiborne and Canal," Muniz said. "I cringe, with all that money we spend on lights." Breakdowns along the parade route are far less common now that Endymion uses solid rubber tires and heavy-duty chassis capable of supporting 30 tons of float, riders and throws. "If they're properly maintained," Kern said, "these floats will be around 100 years from now." By then, the lights will likley be even brighter. A Struggle to Classify ISIS Acts As Genocide The eyes are going back and forth between the cheat sheet and the Bureau of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Lars Adaktusson (KD) has one and a half minutes to present his case, and does so by quickly explaining that the Islamic State is guilty of the worst crimes there are under international law. -- The ongoing persecution lives up to the most rigorous definition of genocide, he says right before he is interrupted mid-sentence, and finds himself indifferent that the speaking time has run out. The debate that follows goes on for about forty minutes, where speaker after speaker from the entire political spectrum goes up to show their disgust with IS. Many of those present agree with Adaktusson's statements, one for example, Bodil Valero, of the Swedish Green Party (Milj Translated from Swedish by Daniela Babylonia Barhanna. January 29, 2016 Egypt and Cyprus appear to be taking quick action on decisions they made with Greece during their December summit that addressed issues including the economy, energy and politics. On Jan. 4, Cypriot Minister of Agriculture Nicos Kouyialis visited Egypt and met with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and a number of Egyptian officials, including the ministers of agriculture and environment. Kouyialis said his visit was to discuss joint cooperation projects to be implemented between Egypt and Cyprus in aquaculture and among Egypt, Greece and Cyprus with regard to land reclamation and the development of new agricultural methods. The Cypriot ambassador in Egypt, Haris Moritsis, also met with Egyptian Minister of Transportation Saad al-Geyoushi on Jan. 14 to discuss cooperation between Egypt and Cyprus in maritime transport. Egyptian Ambassador Hossam Zaki, who is assistant foreign minister for European affairs, said in a Jan. 17 statement to Egypts Al-Youm Al-Sabea newspaper that he is preparing for another meeting this month with officials of the tripartite summit projects. Cooperation among the countries was the product of the Cairo Declaration, which the three presidents forged during a November 2014 summit. The declaration includes a preliminary agreement among the countries on their visions for political, economic and security cooperation, especially with regard to energy and counterterrorism. Their cooperation is expected to introduce a broader regional dialogue between the Arab world and the European Union. Regarding opportunities to increase trade, Cyprus Kouyialis said in a press statement, Egypt views Cyprus as its gate to the EU, while Cyprus views Egypt as its gate to the Arab world and Africa. The pursuit of increased trade exchange between the three countries might not be the only reason for the development of relations. There may be more important common interests that pushed them for developing their cooperation. The need to create new economic alliances beyond the EU has perhaps become a priority for Greek leaders, especially since the economic crisis has cast a shadow over Greece since 2010. This situation prompted European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to threaten to kick Greece out of the eurozone should it fail to comply with the EUs bailout program. Greece took out numerous EU loans to pay off its debts. The country defaulted on some of its debts and still might stall in paying off some others, most recently a 7 billion euro bridge loan ($7.6 billion) in July. Also last year, Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister, threatened to seek an international court injunction to block Greeces expulsion from the eurozone. The economic crisis has led to a decline in foreign direct investment stock in Greece, from $40.3 billion in 2010 to $24.8 billion in 2012. EU direct investment stock in Greece declined from $33.8 billion in 2010 to $19.1 billion in 2012. Greek direct investment stock in the EU also declined to $27.4 billion in 2012, compared with $29.2 billion in 2011. Economist Farag Abdel Fattah told Al-Monitor such declines may continue, especially in light of the increasing tensions in the eurozone from 2013 until 2015. Greece is unlikely to return as a hub for EU investors, and the latter are unlikely to attract Greek investors. Therefore, Greece is looking for new partnerships with other countries, including Egypt, he said. Abdel Fattah expects the same for Cyprus, whose economic crisis began in 2012 and peaked in 2013. According to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, there are no official foreign direct investment statistics for many countries, including Cyprus and Greece after 2012. However, the 2012 figures show EU direct investment flows in Cyprus fell 42%, declining from $796 million in 2011 to $461 million in 2012. However, the yearly decline in investment flowing from the EU to Cyprus did not result in a corresponding drop in EU direct investment stock in Cyprus. On the other hand, Cyprus direct investment stock in EU countries dropped significantly from $8.33 billion in 2011 to $3.6 billion in 2012, a decline of 56.8%. Following the economic problems of Greece and Cyprus with the EU, both countries developed relations with Russia Egypts most prominent ally, currently. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades declared in February 2015 that his country would allow Russia to establish a military base in Cyprus. The two states signed nine military cooperation agreements in the same month. Athens criticized the EU economic sanctions on Russia for annexing Crimea and ending its affiliation to Ukraine in 2014, as Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said that sanctions are leading to a dead end. Greece also sought to establish partnerships with Moscow in a number of projects, mostly importantly the Russian Gazprom Turkish Stream gas pipeline. As is the nature of shifting relationships in the region, these new rapprochements may have much to do with Turkeys strained relations with both Russia and Egypt, especially since there's an old conflict between Greece, Cyprus and Turkey about gas discoveries in the Mediterranean Sea. During the Cairo Declaration conference in November 2014, Turkey was warned to stop natural gas exploration in the Mediterranean Sea without a clear demarcation of the maritime borders to protect each states discoveries and gas fields. Turkey responded by commissioning naval forces to engage in the area to protect against any actions toward its projects of oil and gas excavation. This suggested that the gas exploration operations may stir conflict among Egypt, Cyprus, Greece and Turkey. Yasri al-Ezbawi, a researcher at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor at the time that Egypt, as a pre-emptive step, rushed to ally with Cyprus and Greece. January 30, 2016 No concessions to al-Qaeda allies at Geneva talks In a potentially encouraging sign, the High Negotiations Committee, the Saudi-backed Syrian umbrella opposition group, has agreed to attend the UN-mediated Geneva peace conference. The committee is saying, however, that it will not meet with the government delegation until the Syrian military ceases bombardment of rebel-held areas and lifts the siege of opposition-controlled towns. UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura will shuttle between the delegations in what are deemed proximity talks. According to press accounts, the United States and Russia seem to agree on the broad outline of a two-year transition plan that envisages moderate Syrian opposition political figures and fighters merging with the Syrian state over several years, with the question of the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad deferred until the end of the transition. The United States and Russia still publicly disagree on whether Assad should stay or go at the end of the transition. While we continue to support de Misturas diplomacy and are encouraged by the committees willingness to participate in the Geneva talks, the key trend to watch is actually in Syria, where last week government forces, backed by Russian air power, achieved significant gains in the strategic Latakia region. In addition, this column recently explained how Aleppo is the bridge to an endgame in Syria. Just this week, Syrian armed groups, including Ahrar al-Sham and other rebel forces, joined with Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, to rally against advances by the Syrian military and its allies around Aleppo. So let us state again, for the record, and in response to the bewildering advocacy effort to open the door to Ahrar al-Sham al-Qaedas brother in arms and fellow believer in Sharia rule for all that the United States should keep Ahrar al-Sham, the Army of Islam (Jaish al-Islam) and any and all Jabhat al-Nusra collaborators out of the Syria peace talks. Jabhat al-Nusra is the Syria affiliate of al-Qaeda, the same group killing innocents around the globe, the perpetrator of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, and the committed enemy of the United States and its people, values and allies. The evidence of the collaboration among Ahrar al-Sham and other groups with Jabhat al-Nusra is well documented, including in wire and press accounts of the recent battles around Aleppo and elsewhere. It might also be worth rereading the column by Ali Mamouri, who dissected the hateful and divisive ideology of Zahran Alloush, the former commander of the Army of Islam who was killed in Syria in December, to understand why these individuals and groups do not at all fit the objective of a secular and nonsectarian Syria. Such groups are a disservice to the aspirations of Syrians who rose up in 2011 to call for a more transparent and inclusive government. Many of those good people, who support a unified and nonsectarian Syria, are represented among the Syrian opposition groups. Their voices need to be heard and not drowned out by the agents of sectarianism and hate, even if those Salafi groups have forces on the ground. The Syrian government, for its part, should immediately heed UN calls to bring humanitarian relief and assistance to besieged cities, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2258. Hamas caught in Iran-Saudi dispute Adnan Abu Amer reported this week from Gaza that Hamas finds itself in a bind over the recent tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. This is nothing new for Hamas, which lost some Iranian backing in 2011 after it withdrew support for Syria, an ally of Iran. Further complicating the issue, Hamas is aware that Irans influence in the region could increase now that the international sanctions have been lifted, at a time when the Saudi economy is deteriorating due to declining oil prices, Abu Amer wrote. Hamas politician Ahmed Yousef told Abu Amer that Iran had indeed reduced, but never stopped, providing assistance to the groups military wing, adding that the Palestinian resistance counts on Irans backing and that Iran benefits from the leverage it gains with the support. The Palestinian Authority, which is dependent on Saudi Arabia for financial aid and assistance, has rallied to the kingdoms side in its dispute with Iran. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told Aaron Magid, The Iranians should stop poking their noses into the affairs of others or exporting their revolution. Asked about Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas participation in Fatahs 51st anniversary celebration in Damascus, where Abbas reportedly praised Assad, Erekat told Al-Monitor, We said from day one that we would not have any interference in the events of Syria. There are 600,000 Palestinian refugees in Syria, Erekat said. When Fatah holds any of its annual support [celebrations] in Moscow we have Palestinians there it is with President [Vladimir] Putin and President Abbas. We ache for what is going on in Syria. But we are guests in Syria and not citizens. Erekat conveyed an urgency about the potential threat from the Islamic State (IS). My main priority is not to allow IS to raise its flag in Palestine, Erekat said. We must defeat IS and extremism. Judaism to me is not a threat. Judaism is one of Gods religions, like Christianity and Islam. Our conflict is not a religious one. IS today is killing Iraqis, the French and Turks; no one sympathizes with them. If IS begins to kill Israelis, who do you think in the Islamic world will condemn them? No one. It is worth recalling here the very first Week in Review, published in November 2012, where we noted that Iran has the wherewithal to shift the equation and provide some payback, even in those areas where its adversaries allegedly hold sway and hegemony. Erdogans spin chorus Semih Idiz reported that the visit to Turkey last week of US Vice President Joe Biden served to highlight a growing disconnect between Washington and Ankara over Syria policy. Many analysts see Bidens awkward talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as a harbinger of tense moments to come in what are already strained ties between the two countries, Idiz reported. Biden criticized the governments treatment of journalists and academics who are critical of the Erdogan government, provoking a backlash from the Turkish establishment media. Mustafa Akyol explained how pro-government media outlets promoted a blatantly untrue story that Biden had backed a US Senate-mandated arrest of American academics who had claimed US government complicity in the 9/11 attacks. There was of course neither such a Senate vote nor such arrests, but the latest fake news blitz served as a retort to Bidens criticism and is consistent with Erdogans spin that neither Europe nor any other country has as much media freedom as Turkey. In those countries, you cannot attack the president or the prime minister. However, Idiz wrote, differences with regard to the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the umbrella organization of the Syrian Kurds, and the People's Protection Units (YPG), its military wing, emerged as the principal stumbling block in Bidens talks with Davutoglu and Erdogan. Turkey wants the PYD banned from the Geneva peace talks on Syria. The United States considers the PYD a reliable ally in the fight against IS. Given the urgency of the Syria crisis, and the beginning of UN brokered proximity peace talks in Geneva, we can only expect these disagreements to worsen. January 29, 2016 Iraq needs to up its game if it hopes to keep up or rather, catch up with ever-evolving terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS). The Iraqi government is unable to secure its cities, including the capital, Baghdad, even in Shiite areas that offer no support or accommodations to IS. In fact, terrorist acts are often carried out in the heart of Baghdad's Shiite areas. In July, a suicide car bombing targeted a security checkpoint at the entrance of the city's Shiite majority neighborhood of Kadhimiya. Most recently, a Jan. 11 operation included a suicide car bombing, shooting and hostage taking in the crowded al-Zahra shopping center in the Shiite-majority area of New Baghdad; 32 people were killed by the bomber and accompanying gunmen. IS officially claimed responsibility for the Jan. 11 attack. Four soldiers of the caliphate carried out a suicide fighting operation amid a crowd of apostate polytheists in central Baghdad [and] caused a large death toll," IS said on its social media pages. This raises questions about how the terrorists managed to reach these areas despite the many police checkpoints and internal security forces. Security forces may have found some answers after arresting a group of terrorists Jan. 4, with officials saying the group was responsible for a series of bombings in Baghdad, the most recent one being a Nov. 8 attack in Sadr City. The terrorists actually spoke on Iraqi Al-Sumaria TV about the various means IS uses to carry out terrorist acts in Shiite areas. IS pays individuals to help it and pressures others by threatening their family members or taking them hostage in IS-controlled areas. IS also takes advantage of those who have joined the organization through religious calls made by imams and other preachers at mosques affiliated with IS. The group of terrorists further explained that any terrorist act takes place with collaboration among groups specialized in each part of the operation. One group plans how to deliver explosive devices to a targeted area while another group executes the delivery. The process is divided into different stages that include dismantling and reconstructing the explosive devices. Then another group accompanies the suicide bomber to the attack site. The Jan. 11 attack was an example of a new multipronged approach IS is using called inghimasiya, Arabic for suicide fighting attacks. An earlier example was the Nov. 4 IS attack on a police station in al-Dibs, in eastern Kirkuk, which killed six police officers. A distinction is made between the term inghimasi (suicide fighter) and "istishhadi (martyr), which is traditionally used by jihadi groups. The suicide fighter carries bombs and guns, and is accompanied by other fighters. Together, they attack the target, kill victims or take hostages. The suicide fighter usually blows himself up in the middle of the operation, paving the way for his companions to implement the next stages of the attack, such as taking hostages, stealing documents or killing people at the scene and sometimes withdrawing. The suicide fighter sometimes holds off on blowing himself up to allow his companions to cause the greatest damage possible, provide a cover for their withdrawal and remove evidence of the perpetrators identities. Such suicide fighting attacks included the ones in New Baghdad in early 2016 and Sadr City in late 2015. Terrorist attacks aren't always religiously motivated; other reasons include financial motives or political revenge, with operations carried out in both Shiite and Sunni areas. In addition, the rampant corruption in government agencies, including military and security establishments, contributes to the access of terrorists to areas that are far away from their area of influence. They are able to do so by bribing security officers at checkpoints. The head of the Citizen Alliance, Baqir Jabr al-Zubeidi, said in 2013 that the security establishment's corruption is behind the bombings. The Iraqi security apparatus has not made any significant progress in the way it deals with security breaches. Security forces still use old tools and devices, such as inefficient or ineffective bomb detectors and surveillance cameras, while terrorist groups have developed and diversified the way they implement terrorist attacks. The most prominent example of outdated Iraqi equipment is the sonar handling system (ADE 651 bomb detection device), which turned out to be completely fraudulent. Six years ago, it was proved that the device does not detect bombs or explosives at all. The company's British owner was convicted of fraud by a UK court in October 2014 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Yet, the device is still being used at various checkpoints in Iraq. The ongoing "improvements" in the way terrorists carry out their attacks require that the Iraqi government take firmer and tougher preventive measures. The government needs to update its security plans to protect the cities, based on international security standards and with the help of international, specialized security companies, as is the case in many other countries. Egypt, for example has turned to an international company to help secure its airports. Otherwise, the terrorist bombings will not be prevented at the heart of government-controlled areas, including the Shiite-majority areas. January 28, 2016 Arab-Jewish relations within sovereign Israel have reached an unprecedented crisis. Discrimination against Arabs and the lack of any hope for a two-state solution have pushed Arab-Israelis into the arms of their brethren east of the Green Line, fighting for independence. In some ways, this could provoke a return to the pre-Israeli statehood situation. The Israeli government perceived the Tel Aviv terror attack of Jan. 1 as a strategic warning. Gunman Neshat Melhem was driven and inspired by nationalistic and religious motives; hence the dilemma in the Cabinet room must have been whether this was an isolated incident, or the beginning of Arab-Israeli involvement in a wider Palestinian national struggle against Israel. It appears the government was already worried about the latter: The day before the attack, the Cabinet had announced a 15 billion shekel ($3.8 billion) socio-economic development plan for the Arab sector. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is worried and has every reason to be. Yet, this did not stop him from making racist incriminations at his Jan. 2 eulogy on Tel Aviv's Dizengoff Street following the attack. I am not prepared to accept two states of Israel, a state of law for most of its citizens and a state within a state for some of them, he said, equating the entire Arab-Israeli population with the attackers. Netanyahu understands the need to tackle the significant socio-economic gaps between Israeli Jews and Arabs, yet, for fear of being perceived by his right-wing base as leaning toward Arabs, he conditioned the 15 billion shekel development plan to the Arab sector on greater legal compliance regarding building permits and firearm possession. Economic assistance in exchange for greater loyalty to Israel is his hidden motto. Still, the support for the Arab sector to the degree that it materializes is a far cry from the government's development investment in the rest of Israel, not to mention the West Bank settlements. Furthermore, Netanyahu appointed right-wing Likud Ministers Yariv Levin and Ze'ev Elkin, not exactly pillars of liberal democracy, to be responsible for establishing nationalistic conditions before any development resources are distributed to the Arab sector. An official close to Minister for Social Equality Gila Gamliel, one of the sponsors of the economic assistance plan, told Al-Monitor that Gamliel sees equal opportunity for Arabs as a critical condition for Israels social stability. The minister is now concerned with the erosion of the assistance package. Indeed, the inequality is blatant. It is the result of decades of discrimination only made worse during Netanyahus years in power. Among a population of 8.5 million Israelis, according to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, 20.8% are Arab. Yet, according to the June 2013 report of the UK Task Force on issues relating to Arab citizens in Israel, Arab municipalities consist of only 2.5% of the total Israeli land. Since the establishment of the state in 1948, 700 new communities have been established, but not a single Arab community. Arab health-care and educational services are considerably less developed than such services for Jewish towns and villages, due to lack of governmental support. According to the same UK report, life expectancy of Arab-Israeli men is four years under that of Jewish men, and 3.2 years lower for Arab women than for Jewish women. In Israeli universities, 12% of undergraduates and only 2% of the academic staff are Arabs. The general economic situation is also poor: Although the Arab sector comprises 20% of the population, it only represents 8% of Israels gross domestic product. The disenfranchisement of Arab-Israelis runs much deeper than the socio-economic dimension. At the root of the rift is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which challenges the identity of Arab-Israelis. By definition, they identify with their brethren under occupation on the other side of the Green Line. The challenge to their identity became even more dramatic with the complete halt in the peace process and by the Green Line becoming virtually irrelevant due to the governments settlement policy. This identity crisis of Arab-Israelis, who more and more see themselves simply as Palestinians, is made worse by the rampant racism emanating from government rhetoric and legislation such as the proposed nationality law. In todays Israel, an Arab man or woman is concerned about walking on the streets of many cities, for fear of harassment by right-wing hooligans or being questioned by the police. A young Arab man or woman will have a hard time finding a respectable job, let alone renting an apartment from a Jewish landlord. The relative integration of Arab-Israelis into Israeli society, which seemed to improve during the government of Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres in the 1990s, was one of the states biggest achievements. Currently, the socio-economic gap, prevalent racism and the de facto elimination of the Green Line have set Jewish-Arab relations on a dangerous course. As long as there was a viable and realistic two-state solution process, Arab-Israelis were for the most part worried observers. Now that this option is buried, Arab-Israelis increasingly identify with the fate of West Bank and Gaza Palestinians, as well as with their struggle for independence. Those among the Arab sector who relate more to Islamic fundamentalism (such as the outlawed northern branch of the Islamic movement) identify with Hamas. Most Arab-Israeli members of the Knesset favor nonviolent resistance to the occupation. But there are some among the young Palestinian generation who are inspired by violent attacks against Israelis, which was the case with the Dizengoff Street terrorist of Jan. 1. The writing is on the wall. If the current trend continues, especially without the possibility of a two-state solution on the horizon, we risk witnessing one day the Arabs of Galilee and the Negev colluding with Arabs of the West Bank and Gaza, in a combined national struggle for Palestinian independence: back to 1947. At one end of Birmingham's sprawling, new Time Inc. Food Studios, in a kitchen bathed by the morning light, recipe developer Karen Rankin slices chocolate ganache squares that she is testing for a new cookbook by celebrity chef Ryan Scott. In the nearby video studio, videographer Caleb Zorn zooms in for a tight shot as food stylist Nicole McLaughlin prepares stuffed Granny Smith apples for an online how-to video for Health magazine. And just around the corner, Iain Bagwell, the directory of photography, huddles with a small team of stylists and photographers as they go over the images from a photo shoot for a Cooking Light recipe makeover. This year, the Time Inc. Food Studios crew will test, develop, publish and photograph more than 4,000 recipes -- along with creating another 1,500-plus food videos -- for 11 different Time Inc. brands. Those brands include not only the traditional Birmingham publications Southern Living, Cooking Light and Coastal Living, but also Real Simple, People, InStyle, Health, Essence, MyRecipes.com, Sunset and Time Inc. Books. "It's definitely a culture shift because we are not just the Southern Living kitchen anymore, or the Cooking Light kitchen," Allison Lowery, director of the Time Inc. Food Studios, says. "We are still the Southern Living kitchen to that consumer base . . . but the kitchens are also for Real Simple, they are for Essence, they are for all of the brands. "When we go to New York and we meet with our brand clients, I always tell them every brand is treated equally in the Food Studios," Lowery adds. "Just because Southern Living is here doesn't mean Southern Living gets all of our best people or all of our best time. We really have to give every brand our all." A creative team that includes 12 test kitchen professionals, 14 food and prep stylists, five photographers and about a dozen others moved into the Food Studios in mid-November. The 40,000-square-foot space occupies the previously vacant fifth floor of Time Inc.'s Birmingham campus on Old Montgomery Highway in Homewood. Included within that space are 28 test kitchens, two demo kitchens, 13 photography studios, two video studios and a private dining room. The studios also have the facilities to live-steam cooking demos and chef and author interviews, and they may be used as an event space for cooking classes, private parties and benefits, such as a recent dinner for Birmingham's Jones Valley Teaching Farm. While sleek and modern and open -- with natural light streaming in from every direction -- the space is also simple and efficient. "The important thing to know about our kitchens is they are not commercial-grade kitchens," Lowery says. "They are like home kitchens because the hallmark of what we do is we make recipes that people can make at home." Food stylist Nicole McLaughlin and videographer Caleb Zorn film a video demonstrating how to prepare stuffed baked apples at the Time Inc. Food Studios. (Tamika Moore/tmoore@al.com) 'Very collaborative' Before becoming director of the Time Inc. Food Studios, Lowery was executive digital editor at Cooking Light for six years, and prior to that, managing editor and food editor at Oxmoor House, a division of Time Inc. Books. Like Lowery, several of the photographers, stylists and test kitchen professionals at the Food Studios were already working in Birmingham, but others have come here from New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Denver and London. "A lot of them had positions here, but everyone had to apply for their jobs again and get repositioned here," Lowery says. "But in the last five years, we've been recruiting a lot of people from New York and different cities, so it's a pretty diverse staff." While recipe developers such as Rankin previously worked for one Time Inc. brand -- in her case, it was Oxmoor House -- these days, she might cook for Coastal Living magazine one day and Real Simple the next. "It is very collaborative, very cooperative." Rankin says. "I've learned more by being able to work with different people from the different brands. We were so secluded back when we were separate. Now, we get to collaborate with people who have worked with different brands and who have different frames of reference." Within that environment, chefs such as Robby Melvin -- who came to the Food Studios after more than two years as the test kitchen director at Southern Living -- are also learning to broaden their skill sets, not only developing recipes but also creating content. Melvin recently shot a selfie video in which he shares a handy tip that he uses when he make biscuits. The trick is to freeze the butter and shave it into the flour using a box grater, and his video likely will show up on MyRecipes.com. "We have to re-imagine what content can be," Mike Grady, supervising producer of Time Inc.'s video division, says. "Maybe it's 'How to cook pancetta like a chef,' or Robby's would be, 'The secret to classic Southern biscuits.' "As we grow the Food Studios, the type of content we are able to provide outside of the pages of the magazine also can continue to grow," Grady adds. "Over the next few months, there is going to be a big change in the types of content that we are able to start providing our brands with that we haven't done before." Recipe tester and developer Karen Rankin, standing, presents some chocolate ganache desserts during a taste-testing at the Time Inc. Food Studios. The recipes will appear in an upcoming cookbook. (Tamika Moore/tmoore@al.com) 'A huge commitment' That a media giant like Time Inc. chose to locate the Food Studios in Birmingham speaks volumes about the available talent here, Lowery says, as well as it does about the Magic City's growing reputation as one of top food cities in America. "It was a big investment for Time Inc. to move everything here," she says. "Lots of brands wanted it to be in New York, of course, but we just have the proven track record on food. We have the food talent down here. "They really believe in the Birmingham campus as a food hub, and it doesn't hurt that Birmingham is really becoming known as a great food city." One of those chefs who have helped put Birmingham on the culinary map is John Hall, who grew up here but went to New York to hone his skills at such restaurants as Gramercy Tavern, Per Se and Momofuku. Hall came home a couple of years ago to open Post Office Pies pizza restaurant in Avondale. Hall was one of a who's who of local chefs -- including Highlands Bar and Grill and Bottega chef and owner Frank Stitt, along with Highlands chef de cuisine Zack Redes and Bottega chef de cuisine Paul Yeck; Brandon Cain of Saw's Soul Kitchen and the forthcoming Roots & Revelry; and Rob McDaniel of SpringHouse in Alexander City -- who cooked for Southern Living 50th anniversary celebration at the Food Studios this past week. The Food Studios are a natural complement to what's happening on the food and restaurant scene in Birmingham, Hall says. In fact, one of his business partners, Saw's BBQ founder and Post Office Pies co-owner Mike Wilson, is an alum of the Cooking Light test kitchen. "I think it's a huge commitment that (Time Inc.) took in Birmingham," Hall says. "I think they're saying that there is definitely a future here, or they wouldn't have spent the money that they did on this beautiful facility. So I think a lot of people are investing in Birmingham. That's what I think of when I see this." Chef John Hall of Post Office Pies plates smoked trout, sauce gribiche, watercress and caviar on grilled sourdough at Southern Living's 50th anniversary party at the Time Inc.Food Studios. (Tamika Moore/tmoore@al.com) 'Living a dream' Bagwell, the director of photography, came here from Atlanta to work for Oxmoor House in 2014 before transitioning into his current role at the Food Studios. "I've always felt like I'm living a dream in a kind of way, because it doesn't feel like you're working most of the time," Bagwell says. "It's certainly not easy, but at the same time, we're doing something that, for the most part, all of us love doing." And then there are the fringe benefits. Just ask associate video producer Ryan Moriarty, who interned at a local TV station before he came to work at the Food Studios. "I realized I didn't want to be in news and wanted to be in a more creative-type field," Moriarty says. "Now I get to eat food and make it pretty all day." l.jpg Jordan Fisher in "Grease: Live" (FOX) (Picasa) Actor and Birmingham native Jordan Fisher will find out if he's got what it takes to be a T-Bird in tonight's one night production of "Grease: Live" on FOX. Fisher, who will portray Doody in the live musical production, got his start singing and dancing in Birmingham before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting in 2011. Since then, the 21-year-old has landed roles in Disney's "Teen Beach Movie" and its sequel, "Liv and Maddie," "Teen Wolf," "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" and more. While Fisher did his share of singing and dancing in "Teen Beach Movie," this will be the first time he's starred in a live production that will air across the country and stream online for the world to see. "Grease: Live" stars Julianne Hough as good girl "Sandy" and Aaron Tveit as bad boy "Danny Zuko." In addition to Fisher, the supporting cast of pink ladies and T-Birds will be portrayed by Vanessa Hudgens, Keke Palmer, Carlos PenaVega and more. You can watch "Grease: Live" tonight at 6 p.m. CST on FOX. For more information, click here. A Vestavia Hills woman eating breakfast with her family before church this morning was abducted during a home invasion. She was released unharmed a short time later at a Birmingham hospital, and now police said the Vestavia Hills crime is linked to similar crimes in at least two other cities this morning. A gunman believed to be the same man tried to rob a fast-food restaurant manager in Hoover only 15 minutes earlier. He fled that scene without taking anything after the victim in that case began screaming. The car he was driving initially is believed to have been taken in a similar robbery and abduction of a motel clerk in Tuscaloosa, also this morning. The victim in the Tuscaloosa case was hidden under a blanket in the vehicle when the Hoover robbery happened. Vestavia Hills police late this afternoon announced the identities and charges against the two suspects, who are from Joplin, Missouri: Blake Fitzgerald and Brittany Harper, both 31. Fitzgerald is charged with one count of first-degree burglary, one count of first-degree kidnapping and one count of first-degree theft of property. Harper is charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping and first-degree theft of property. There is a no-bond on all of the charges. It's not Fitzgerald's first brush with the law. He was arrested in Missouri in 2013 after police say he and another man robbed a 63-year-old woman at knifepoint, and again last year. He is currently on probation in Missouri. Vestavia Hills police Lt. Kevin York said more charges are expected against Fitzgerald and Harper. Officers are still searching the Highway 280 area, but believe its possible the suspects are already out of the area and possibly heading to Florida. He said the pair should be considered armed and dangerous. In the Vestavia Hills crime, York said officers were dispatched about 7:58 a.m. to a home in the 2400 block of Monte Vista Drive. York said a white man in his 30s entered the home through the garage, went up into the house and told the husband and wife at the home that he was having car trouble. He then pulled a gun and demanded the keys to the family's vehicle. When the husband went to call 911, the gunman took the keys to the family's 2010 silver Ford Edge. He then forced the wife into the vehicle, and a female accomplice joined them, York said. They drove east on Highway 280 and dropped the victim off at or near the Grandview Emergency Room entrance. The woman flagged down a passerby who then brought her home, York said. There were children home at the time, but the victim's father said they were unharmed and hopefully too young to realize what happened. Dennis Dawson said he received a call from his daughter this morning and she said, "Daddy, I've been kidnapped,'' Dawson told AL.com. He got in his car and rushed to Vestavia Hills to be with his daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren. He said his daughter was on the phone with police the entire time. "This is a nice neighborhood and bad things don't usually happen here,'' an emotional Dawson said. "But she is safe, the kids are safe. God took care of them." Police said the Vestavia Hills crime happened not long after another robbery attempt at the McDonald's in Hoover. Capt. Gregg Rector said at 7:45 a.m., a manager at the McDonald's across the street from the Galleria was walking into the restaurant when a gunman approached her in the parking lot and demanded cash and her keys. That woman, Rector said, threw her keys and began screaming for someone to call the police. The gunman fled at that time without taking anything. That McDonald's manager, Zora Harris, said the entire ordeal happened quickly. She said she had just gotten out of her car when the suspect pulled up next to her. As she got out, she said the suspect opened his jacket to show her the gun and said, ''I'm fixing to rob you." "He said, 'Give me the (expletive) car and that's when he pulled the gun and said, 'I'm not (expletive) playing with you,'' Harris said. She said she yelled to another coworker and threw her keys in his direction. Another man also came to her rescue. Harris said she didn't know until later about the abductions in Tuscaloosa and Hoover. "That could have been me,'' she said. "He could have abducted me." She said they got the suspect's tag number, and called police. She said she had no idea there was another victim in the suspect's car, and said she will pay more attention to her surroundings in the future. "I believe God had to be intervening,'' Harris said. "I think I was covered by an angel today." Earlier today, a motel was robbed and the clerk kidnapped in Tuscaloosa. The victim in that case was released about a block away from the Vestavia Hills kidnapping. He is currently at Vestavia Hills police headquarters, where he is being interviewed by detectives. He is Ok, police said. Vestavia Hills resident Connor Graves said he was leaving this morning for a Student Life mission trip in Kenya and left his apartment to go get breakfast before catching his flight. That's when he saw a man running toward him at Montreat Apartments. "He starts coming directly at my car trying to flag me down. I rolled down my window down and he asked if he had cell phone,'' Graves said. "He said, 'I was kidnapped in Tuscaloosa and they brought me here, dropped me off.''' Graves said he then called 911 for the victim and started talking to the dispatcher. The victim told Graves he was kidnapped from the Microtel Inn and Suites lobby where he worked in Tuscaloosa. He had driven his girlfriend's car, a blue Volkswagon Jetta, to work this morning. The suspect forced the victim into the Jetta and told him he was only going to get gas because he had run out and would then bring him back. Instead he drove to Jefferson County. He told Graves the suspects hid him under a blanket in the Jetta while they carried out the attempted robbery in Hoover. "It was crazy,'' Graves said. "He was a little frantic and kept saying, 'you can't make this up.''' Graves waited with the victim until police arrived and then went on to catch his flight to Atlanta, and then Kenya. "I was just kind of freaking out the whole time,'' Graves said. Fitzgerald is described as white and bald. Harper is described as white, about 5-feet, 9-inches to 5-feet, 10-inches tall with brownish-red hair. She was wearing a beige jacket. Fitzgerald was charged in Jasper County Missouri in 2013 with felony first-degree burglary, vehicle tampering and theft. Police responded to the reported burglary at 2:21 a.m., according to The Joplin Globe. The 63-year-old female victim said the intruders were wearing cloth masks, broke into the house and robbed her at knife point, taking prescription medicine, cash and electronic equipment. They left in the victim's vehicle. According to the Missouri publication, Fitzgerald was also arrested on a drunken-driving accident injured two people and destroyed a fence. The Joplin Globe said he received "shock prison time" in those cases. Shock inprisonment is a boot-camp type of program as an alternative to prison geared toward rehabilitation. Last year, he received a suspended imposition of sentence for felony assault of another man at a nightclub. In that case, he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in a plea agreement allowing probation but requiring the defendant to pay the victim's $17,596 in restitution. Vestavia Hills police said the Alabama license plate number for the silver Ford Edge is 2720AG7. York said if anyone sees the vehicle, they shouldn't approach them but should called Vestavia Hills police at 205-978-0140. Updated at 3 p.m. with an interview with the McDonald's manager. A Gurley man is accused of driving under the influence and causing a tractor-trailer carrying 20 tons of frozen chicken to overturn early Saturday morning. The two-vehicle crash occurred at near 6 a.m. on Alabama 67 near Somerville Church of God, the Decatur Daily reported. Clay Thomas Dunlap, 31, is charged with driving under the influence of illegal drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and a traffic violation, the newspaper reported. The crash occurred when Dunlap's pickup truck crossed into the northbound lane of the highway and clipped a tractor-trailer. The tractor-trailer overturned in a field and dumped tons of frozen chicken on the grass. Authorities have identified the three victims of a Saturday afternoon airplane crash near the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport. Kevin Coalson, 49, Britt Knight, 40, and Brittany Kerfoot, 30, were the only people aboard the aircraft, WALB reported. According to the report, Coalson was a retired state trooper, who flew helicopters. Knight was the father of two, and Kerfoot was a second-grader teacher in Albany, Ga. The plane crashed shortly after taking off at 2:45 p.m. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The type of airplane involved in the crash hasn't been released. In just a few hours, the people of Iowa will give their verdicts on who they would like to see as candidates in the 2016 Presidential election. After months of campaigning, this is the first real test of public opinion. Thousands will caucus across the mid-west state for both the Republicans and the Democrats. Al Jazeeras Alan Fisher has been following the Republican campaign and here he gives his predictions on how things are going to turn out. There are a number of reasons why the eventual winner in Iowa is tough to call not least because this is a race unlike any other. Ive made predictions on what Ive seen, what Ive heard and what Ive read. JEB BUSH: Has finally started to gain momentum in the right direction after plunging in almost every poll since late summer. A good debate performance in Des Moines last week will have helped, but he still sees more potential in the next contest in New Hampshire rather than Iowa, which tends to attract more right-wing, evangelical voters. No matter what happens here, the former Florida Governor is staying in for a few more rounds yet. LIKELY FINISH 5th BEN CARSON: The retired neurosurgeon has been around the top of the polls since the summer, but the debates have exposed his weakness on foreign and economic policy. He needed a win in Iowa to gain momentum for his campaign. Its not going to happen. His run could end here. LIKELY FINISH 4th CHRIS CHRISTIE: Another who sees better prospects in New Hampshire. Hes spent time in Iowa, had reasonable debate performances and was the man many wanted to run four years ago. A finish outside the top half of the contenders will not hurt him as badly here as it would others. LIKELY FINISH 6th TED CRUZ: Hard one to make a final call on. Started the year topping many of the polls in Iowa but there is a feeling that the Texas senator may have peaked too early. In the absence of Donald Trump at last weeks debate, he was the target of most of the attacks from others. He remains the name Ive heard most from activists in the state and has one of the best organisations, geared to getting people out to vote for him. Could still be topped by the Trump bandwagon but I think his ground game might just give him the edge. LIKELY FINISH 1st CARLY FIORINA: The former businesswoman had her best moment early in the campaign and has failed to recapture the sparkle or the momentum. She has campaigned strongly but just hasnt done enough to suggest she would be a better candidate in any of the areas the voters care about. This is where her White House dream will end. LIKELY FINISH 10th MIKE HUCKABEE: Surprisingly won the Iowa caucus eight years ago. Remains popular in the state, but really only has a small band of supporters. Said that anything less than a top three finish would mean the end of his campaign. The former Arkansas Governor will be another signing off here. LIKELY FINISH 8th JOHN KASICH: The Ohio Governor cant quite understand why he is not doing better as he sees himself as the Republican in the field most likely to win the White House. Another who has concentrated more of his efforts in New Hampshire and does well in the polling there. A low finish wont trouble him, which is just as well as thats where hes headed. LIKELY FINISH 9th RAND PAUL: Had perhaps the best performance in the final debate before Iowa last week. Will tap in to the support built up by his fathers presidential run four years ago. The Kentucky senator sees a better chance of success in the caucuses in western states. Is running a low-cost campaign so can keep going for a while but still no chance of the nomination. LIKELY FINISH 7th MARCO RUBIO: Has been building momentum at the right time. Is still the most likely figure to emerge as the establishment candidate to face down the outsiders like Trump and Cruz. But the questions over his stance on immigration still leaves many in his party wary. Can see him picking up a number of 2nd and 3rd place finishes but at some point he needs a breakthrough and actually win a state, and Im not quite sure where that happens. LIKELY FINISH 3rd RICK SANTORUM: Against the odds, he won the Iowa caucuses four years ago. Then the former Pennsylvania senator went from single digits to be the biggest challenger to Mitt Romney. He believes that he can catch lightning in a bottle one more time, but has been passed by others. His moment has gone. LIKELY FINISH 11th DONALD TRUMP: This will be the real test for of Trumps hype and unorthodox campaign strategy. Does he have fans, who turn out to rallies to see the show? Or does he have supporters, who are willing to put in the work and actually get out and vote. Has dominated the headlines for months. But his organisation on the ground is not where it needs to be. He will be hoping for a last-minute surge of people turning up to cast their votes. If that happens, he could actually win the state. But if he loses, he could be seriously damaged. How can you talk about being Americas most winningest President but lose your first real test. Could still top Cruz but on the basis of existing evidence. LIKELY FINISH 2nd How many of the promises made to this indigenous community forced off their land to accommodate a dam have been kept? Concepcion, Chile While some of the indigenous Mapuche in Chile are picketing in the streets of Santiago for better political representation or setting fire to vehicles in the rural south to demand ancestral land reparations, the indigenous people of one community say they are still patiently waiting for the compensation they were promised a decade ago after being displaced from their homes. The Mapuche-Pehuenche live in the Andes of central Chile, along the Bio Bio River, a few hours drive from the Argentine border. For centuries, they survived by farming the same sacred land. That was until 2004, when the energy company Endesa completed the 570-megawatt Ralco dam that flooded more than 30 square kilometres of the region, forcing many of those indigenous residents to relocate. Though Endesa promised to compensate those affected with new land and homes, as well as a variety of agricultural and social support programmes, many Pehuenche said they were still waiting for those promises to be fulfilled more than 10 years later. On top of this, they said the relocation has created far more cultural and farming difficulties than they had anticipated. At best, some people may consider that [the] dam construction was not a negative process, said Jeanne Wirtner Simon, a professor of legal and social sciences at the University of Concepcion. But it is hard for people to find positive elements. An Endesa spokesperson said all programmes designed to help families affected by the Ralco dam had been carried out, but did not directly comment on the possibility of undelivered promises. Endesa outlined a relocation plan for residents that generally included a new house with electricity for each family on land appraised for more than the property they had lost, farm animals and a corral to hold them, as well as a small, open-top hut for keeping a continuous fire. Endesa records and Pehuenche community leaders both confirmed that these promises had been kept, but other parts of the plan, such as the Programme for Continued Assistance designed in part to boost agricultural production and improve the condition of infrastructure are still debated during community meetings held with Endesa. Very little of what they promised has been fulfilled, said Juan Rosales, the chief of Ralco Lepoy. Yes, we have our home, but they offered so much more than that money to repair the land, to repair the house. Broken promises Endesa records said the company successfully fulfilled these promises. During the 10 years following relocation, every resident received financial reparations and several hundred visits were made to assist with farming and social needs, resulting in more fruitful livestock and agriculture than the community had experienced before the relocation sometimes by more than 1,000 percent. But many residents contest these numbers. Jose Quilapay, the president of the Quinelan community, said he and many other residents in his sector never received the financial reparations Endesa promised, and that he has never been told how much he is actually owed. Quilapay also said he has never known an Endesa representative to make visits to individual Quinelan families for any purpose. Jose Basilio Rosales Gallena, 75, of Ralco Lepoy said an Endesa representative actually did visit his home twice a month for four years as the contract stated, but that the visits did not solve most of the problems the community still faces today, such as with growing vegetables on their new land. Twenty-eight families were moved higher into the mountains, at an elevation the local government lists as nearly 3,000 feet above sea level. The new sector of the community, given the name El Barco, can get as much as five feet of snow at any one time during the winter months, which is far more than residents claimed to get on their previous properties lower down the mountain. As a result, many farmers said they were not able to grow the vegetables they once could. Jose Mancopay, 48, of El Barco, said his animals were thin because they did not always have enough to eat on the rocky, unfertile land raising questions less about whether Endesa fulfilled its promises to the community, and more about why the community accepted the companys relocation plan in the first place. Nivaldo Pinaleo Llaulen, the mayor of Alto Bio Bio, the region that encompasses these indigenous communities, said residents did not think about the long-term outcome of the negotiations, so Endesa did not reimburse them with the kinds of resources that create long-term sustainability. The agreement wasnt written in a way that accounts for generation after generation, he said. My son, my grandson to educate them and show them how to be professionals. We dont have professionals here. There is a lack, therefore, of development. Alex Quevedo, a lawyer who represents the Quepuca-Ralco district, said the Pehuenche received inadequate legal counsel during the construction of the dam, in part because the Chilean government was in favour of the project. Rather than help the Pehuenche negotiate better, he said, the state allowed the construction of Ralco, and in ways that would be cheaper for Endesa. Quevedo said the families he currently represents, of which there are more than 90, received fewer indemnities and benefits than the four clients he represented during the negotiations. Not knowing how to read An Endesa spokesperson said the company now often works with the community through the Pehuen Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the living conditions of the Pehuen communities and was established after the completion of a different dam in the 1990s. Projects and aid previously agreed upon in meetings with the community are carried out throughout the year and are then introduced to the Foundation directory, mostly composed of Pehuenche leaders for their approval and implementation, the spokesperson said. Maria Curriao, a former president of the Aukin Wallmapu community, said she did not attend such meetings any more, because that system of negotiation resulted in many residents never being consulted during the original discussion about relocation. An Endesa document listing people supposedly in agreement with the relocation proposal, for example, included Curriaos name. But she said she never signed anything. Others, she said, signed the contract without knowing how to read. READ MORE: The crying forest Without concrete documentation, many Pehuenche were under the impression that they still lacked certain material reparations that were never actually part of the agreement, or that were allegedly promised verbally a trusted form of negotiation in Pehuenche culture. Juan Calpan Pichay, 70, of El Barco, said Endesa promised to build him a bridge over a river that separates the road from the property he was given after the flood. But there was no mention of a bridge in the agreement he signed with Endesa. Feliciano Puelma, 73, of El Barco, said he was promised free electricity, a belief held by numerous Pehuenche despite there being no document to support it. Instead, electric bills are higher in Alto Bio Bio than in any other region of Chile, according to the Ministry of Energy. Not only can residents not afford to pay electricity costs, said the director of the Department of Social Works Monica Leal, but a lot of them also do not know how. So many people lined up outside her office every day wanting to know why their electricity had been turned off that the municipality created a programme to teach them about paying bills. Modern technology The introduction of more modern technology has been a gift and a curse in the Pehuenche community. Before Endesa, many residents lived without electricity or running water, often in one-room homes heated by an open, central fire. Endesa supplied the 81 relocated families and more than 180 other families indirectly affected by the flood with multi-room homes that have floors, windows, electricity and running water. But as good as these improvements are, some chiefs and residents point to the dam construction as a turning point in the community that had palpable effects on its cultural heritage. The dam flooded a Pehuenche cemetery and many sacred sites that have still not been replaced by Endesa, said Romina Ocares Orellana, an official at the local Department of Public Works. Its easy to change houses if youre Chilean, said Pamela Gutierrez, 35, an administrator at the middle school in Ralco Lepoy. You think, Im just moving, its not a big deal. Its just land. But for them, the land is part of who they are. READ MORE: Michelle Bachelet: I love my country A 2013 letter from the Bio Bio regional office of the National Indigenous Development Corporation a federal government agency responsible for all indigenous affairs in Chile said relocation generated cultural changes that explain the growing tendency toward the deteriorating mental health of families, which are expressed in the alarming rates of depression and suicide, among other things. Officials at the local Department of Health said the relocation also coincided with an increase in alcoholism; however, they did not have statistics available. Chiefs and residents alike expressed concern at the diminishing number of people attending traditional Pehuenche ceremonies, as well as the number of adolescents who do not want to learn Mapudungun because they believe being identified as an indigenous person is a disadvantage in more urban settings. Now, Endesa is starting up its long-term support plan for the region, which a spokesperson said will contribute to sustainable development through various programmes and activities until 2022. For me to arrive at the belief that Endesa will change its relationship with the Pehuenche, Quevedo said, there must be concrete actions carried out that I do not yet see. Max Radwin travelled to Chile on a fellowship from the Pulitzer Center. Madhusudankati, West Bengal, India For decades, Manatosh Biswas a farmer who lives in the middle of eastern Indias so-called arsenic belt had no idea that he was drinking contaminated water. About 15 years ago, he sought treatment for some lesions on his feet and was told that he was suffering from arsenicosis after having been exposed to the toxic element for years. Doctors advised him to stop drinking the arsenic-contaminated groundwater from his villages wells, but he could not afford to buy bottled water. Fortunately for Biswas, last year the Sulabh Safe Drinking Water Project (SSDWP), an initiative run by a New Delhi-based NGO, found a way to provide clean and cheap drinking water to the region. This water costing one-third or one-fourth of the other, cheaper packaged water in the market has brought a big relief to all in my village, Biswas told Al Jazeera. Most of the poor residents in my village, who, for financial constraints, could not access arsenic-free packaged water, are drinking safe water after decades. While regular bottled water may cost between four rupees (6 cents) and 15 rupees (22 cents) per litre, SSDWP is providing clean water to the villagers for 50 paise (1 cent) a litre. Some among us got the Sulabh water tested at some labs and found it free from all contaminants, including arsenic, said Biswas. Also, its very cheap. This water has come as a wonderful gift for the poor people in our village. A recent survey conducted by the NGO running the project found that arsenicosis victims who switched to drinking Sulabh water last year have seen rapid improvements in their health. A dangerous drink When the practice of drilling deep tube wells in eastern India began in the 1960s, people were advised to drink groundwater drawn through them to protect themselves from water-borne diseases such as cholera that often trigger epidemics. Later, tens of thousands of shallow tube wells were also sunk in the areas where aquifers lie closer to the ground. But in the 1990s, high levels of naturally occurring arsenic were detected in water drawn from tube wells in Bangladesh and eastern India. Drinking arsenic-rich water for a long period of time leads to arsenicosis, which causes skin lesions, cancer, and many other diseases. After scientists and doctors warned that millions of people in West Bengal were drinking the contaminated groundwater, the state government set up a number of groundwater de-arsenification plants. But most of them failed to effectively remove the arsenic from the water, and many scientists have long suggested that using treated surface water is a better solution to the problem advice largely ignored by the government. Towards the end of 2014, Sulabh International Social Service Organisation (SISSO), a New Delhi-based NGO, set up the SSDWP with assistance from 1001 Fontaines, a French NGO. Managed by Madhusudankati Samabay Krishi Unnayan Samity, a local village cooperative, the project treats pond water using modern filtration technology and has succeeded in mitigating the arsenic problem in some villages, said local residents, doctors, and those running the project. Kalipada Sarkar, who heads the Madhusudankati village cooperative, said this is the first project in the region to use pond water to produce potable water. After running the plant for over a year, we find that our mission to provide clean water in about a dozen villages has been very successful, Sarkar explained, adding that ponds used for the project are fenced off, and that villagers are not allowed to access them to bathe or do their laundry. Every month, samples from our plant get tested at the lab of a reputed engineering college [the Indian Institute of Engineering and Science Technology]. They never found arsenic or any other substance, which makes water harmful for drinking, beyond permissible level, said Sarkar. In an attempt to provide arsenic-free water, the Madhusudankati village cooperative initially set up an arsenic removal plant attached to a deep tube well. But that plant failed to solve the crisis, Sarkar said. Safe disposal of the sludge generated at the plant, without contaminating the surface water sources with arsenic, was a very difficult task. Also, with time, we found that the contamination level with arsenic of the groundwater was increasing. The situation was turning unmanageable and we were forced to shut it down, he said. Since the Sulabh surface water project began functioning, it has been a big relief for the mostly poor residents in the dozen villages served, said local doctor, Subal Sarkar (no relation to Kalipada Sarkar). Among people who have been using the Sulabh water for some time now, the occurrence of dermatitis, dysentery, some gynecological diseases and other ailments, which are often caused by an overdose of arsenic in drinking water, has dropped considerably. Even in many cases arsenic keratoses [a type of skin growth] and other arsenic-triggered dark spots are fading away from the skins of the arsenicosis patients who have switched to drinking the Sulabh water, Dr Sarkar told Al Jazeera. Surface water as a solution Six years ago, the School of Environmental Studies (SoES) at Kolkatas Jadavpur University reported that in West Bengal, more than five million people were drinking water with arsenic contamination at 50 parts per billion (ppb) five times the World Health Organisations permissible limit of 10ppb. SoES research director Dipankar Chakraborti, who has studied the arsenic problem in South Asia for three decades, said that treating surface water can provide the best solution to arsenic-contaminated groundwater, given the abundance of ponds and small lakes in rural West Bengal. We have seen how over the years most of the groundwater arsenic removal plants in West Bengal have failed to supply clean water. Its heartening to know that some organisations have set up a drinking water project sourcing water from a pond, said Chakraborti. If they can keep the water finally free from pesticide, insecticide, fertiliser, harmful microbes, etc, the project will succeed to solve a decades-old problem of clean drinking water in some villages of the arsenic-affected region, Chakraborti explained. Arsenic-rich groundwater is also used in irrigation and food preparation, which poses a threat to public health, the scientist noted. In West Bengal, SISSO has set up three drinking water projects to provide safe drinking water. While the project at Madhusudankati uses pond water, the other two, located in other districts of the state, use water from the Ganges River. Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of SISSO, said the projects success has encouraged him to try to bring safe water to wider areas of the arsenic-risk zone. Among our three projects in Bengal, the Madhusudankati project is unique because, in a first among all water projects in arsenic-risk zone of West Bengal, it uses pond water. We have followed the advice of some experts like Dipankar Chakraborti, refrained from drawing groundwater, and have built a successful drinking water project using pond water, said Pathak. We are planning to come up with some more such pond water-based water projects across this state, aiming to bring relief to many more arsenic-affected villages in West Bengal. Follow Shaikh Azizur Rahman on Twitter: @azizinnews The Democratic and Republican Iowa Caucuses, the first step in nominating a candidate, will take place on February 1. On February 1, the first voting contest in the presidential nominating process kicks into gear in the US state of Iowa. Because it is the first state to do so, candidates invest heavily there, whether by holding debates or canvassing. Iowans vote in caucuses, which are small political meetings held throughout 1,681 locations scattered around the state. They are similar to primaries in that residents cast ballots for their preferred party candidate, and whoever garners the most votes wins. But people do not just show up and vote the process is essentially a meeting of friends and neighbours in high school gyms and church basements, where discussions about candidates are held. Representatives for the candidates are present and, at one point, attempt to persuade undecided voters. This is what makes caucuses different from primaries. The Iowa caucuses, which have represented the nations first ballot-marking since the 1970s, is also different for Democrats and Republicans. The caucuses: Republican vs Democrat In the US, elections take place like this: Citizens elect delegates, delegates elect nominees, and nominees become presidents. On the Republican side, the caucuses are straightforward: Voters turn up, listen to speeches, and then cast their vote by a secret ballot. Votes are tallied statewide. A winner is subsequently declared. RELATED: A look at Iowas millennials and whats driving them to caucus On the Democratic side, the process is more convoluted and time-consuming. The number of people in the room are counted, and any candidate who does not get a certain percentage (a threshold set at the beginning of the night) in the first round, is eliminated. Those who voted for losing candidates are then coaxed by the others to join their side and to vote for their candidate of choice. At the end, the results are collated across the state in all precincts. Despite the hoopla surrounding the Iowa caucuses, the real impact of this process happens further down the line, when results are eventually translated into votes for delegates, who represent their states at their respective party conventions. These delegates are the ones who vote for a candidate to run in the national election. Why are the Iowa caucuses significant? Iowans defend the caucus as an exercise in real grassroots democracy, given the extent of politicking and discussion that goes on. However, some argue that the lengthy and complex caucus is archaic and should be changed. One of the problems with placing so much weight on Iowa is that it is not demographically representative of the US, with a population that is approximately 90 percent white versus 77 percent nationwide. The importance of Iowa is enshrined in tradition. Its not practical, said Jason Johnson, a professor of political science and communication at Hiram College in Ohio. Other states are more demographically and economically diverse and are a better indicator of how you would do nationally. Its just that we have been doing it for so long that no one wants to advocate its change, Johnson, who has worked for both Republicans and Democrats as a campaign manager, told Al Jazeera. If this state is small and unrepresentative, why does it have such an impact on the race? In a nutshell, it is because it is the first contest for people to get their party nomination. If a candidate does not do well in those early states, like Iowa and New Hampshire, financial and electoral support eventually begins to dry up. This gives Iowa the power to narrow down the playing field. Because it is the first, a large number of voters within the two parties and a large number of the press and party elites in [Washington] DC choose to make it an important contest, Johnson said. Your success in Iowa is perceived to be an indicator for your ability to organise, to get people on the ground and to have voters enthusiastically support you. What do the Iowa caucuses achieve? Because of the sequential system, the results of the first-in-the-nation caucuses can affect how people in the next state vote (it helps them adjust their expectations accordingly), give winning candidates more airtime and media attention, and impact the behaviour of donors. More importantly, it narrows down the number of candidates to a manageable size. Its most important facet is that it winnows the field, said Lara Brown, the author of Jockeying for the American Presidency: The Political Opportunism of Aspirants. It typically brings out two to three candidates who have the media momentum and organisational campaign to go forward. The winnowing effect of the Iowa caucuses helps predict the losing nominee. That is because it separates the starters from the non-starters, according to Bill Schneider, a political analyst who has covered every US presidential and midterm election since 1976. You will see candidates dropping out after Iowa, Schneider told Al Jazeera. People who vote in the Republican caucuses tend to be evangelical. They are not representative of the larger party. On the Democratic side, they tend to be very liberal, because its people who have the commitment to attend whats essentially a meeting. Since 1972, no Democratic or Republican candidate who finished worse than fourth place in Iowa has gone on to win their partys nomination, according to the Christian Science Monitor. Most often, it is those hopefuls who get a top tier spot who continue to do well in their campaigns. Those who do not usually drop out of the race soon thereafter, although there are a few exceptions. A case in point is former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who, in 2008, won the Republican caucus, but dropped out just three months later, without securing the GOP nomination. What does this mean for this years race? Essentially, pundits, strategists, candidates and people will be using the Iowa caucuses results as a litmus test to see how the nation responds to candidates and to set the stage and build momentum for the first primary held in New Hampshire about a week later. It is also a chance for voters and the media to see if the results measure up to their expectations. In the Democratic contest, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was leading in polls until Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders caught up with her. In Iowa, he recently topped Clinton at 49 percent to 45 percent, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll, essentially locking both candidates in a tight battle. RELATED: How secret donations influence US elections While Sanders has positioned himself to seriously compete in this race, Iowa may be a tough win for him, according to some observers. Hillary Clinton has long focused on Iowa as essentially a shortcoming of her previous campaign, and Id be surprised if she doesnt win there, Brown told Al Jazeera. Bernie Sanders has to bring a lot of first-time caucus-goers who may not be as active and knowledgeable as Clintons supporters. On the GOP side, all eyes will be on billionaire Donald Trump, and whether people will actually go out and vote for him. The celebrity tycoon is leading in Iowa with about 31 percent, compared with 29 percent for Senator Ted Cruz, according to the same Quinnipiac University poll. As Trump gains momentum, there will be a lot of caucusers who think hes going to be the nominee so they say let me get on board, said Joe Watkins, a Republican strategist. They see whos going to win and they want in. Thats how it works. Trump, who won the endorsement of former GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, recently exuded confidence at an Iowa rally when he said he could shoot somebody on New Yorks Fifth Avenue and wouldnt lose any voters. With Palins endorsement, hes digging into Ted Cruzs base, which is the evangelical Christian base, Watkins, who was a White House aide to former President George Bush senior, told Al Jazeera. In New Hampshire, Trump has a much larger lead over the other Republican presidential hopefuls there, so if he wins in Iowa, he can bring both contests to South Carolina, which then puts him in a comfortable position on Super Tuesday, a day on which several US states hold primaries. Schneider explained that there are two ways things can go for Trump: His supporters, many of whom have never voted in a caucus before, may not show up, especially since he has not invested as much time and energy on the ground there. A caucus is a meeting. It takes a lot more energy to attend a meeting, Schneider said. You need something to pull people out of their beds, find babysitters for their kids, to get them to that meeting. Without that sort of operation, his people wont show up. On the other hand, it is possible that Trumps supporters will show up without any organisation. His people are so fired up, they want their voice to be heard. So it could happen. It happened to [Barack] Obama in 2008. What happens after the caucuses? Just because a candidate wins Iowa doesnt mean he wins the general election, Republican strategist Watkins said. Its all very fluid and not automatic. Its possible Trump can win Iowa and even the Republican nomination, but winning the general election is something else; hed have to win constituents who arent Republican, or he has to walk back many of his comments that alienated others. The results of Iowas caucuses and New Hampshires primaries also tend to go hand in hand. Iowa and New Hampshire are different kinds of tests, but they go together: Iowa is a very restricted electorate. New Hampshire is more open because they allow independents, Schneider said. If you fail both these tests, then its time to leave. Hyderabad, India On January 17, 2016, Rohith Chakravarathi Vemula, a Dalit research scholar at the University of Hyderabad in southern India, hanged himself from a ceiling fan in his friends hostel room. Two weeks earlier, Vemula and four of his friends, all Dalits and associated with a campus political group called the Ambedkar Students Association, had moved out of their hostel rooms after being suspended by the university administration. The students say they were allowed to attend classes and other academic sessions, but were barred from entering the hostels and common areas in groups and participating in student union elections. Lacking the means to afford private housing, they pitched a camp in front of the university shopping centre and started a hunger strike protesting against their social boycott. They called their camp Velivada Dalit Ghetto. The traditional caste system still has influence over Indias Hindu population. At the bottom of the caste hierarchy are groups like the Dalits, who were traditionally given jobs considered ritually impure, such as rubbish collection, street sweeping, the cremation of dead bodies, and the disposal of human waste. People unfortunate to be born into a family deemed Dalit have been battling prejudice and discrimination which they face daily, within and outside their own communities. Rohith and his friends were entangled in a rivalry between student groups. Susheel Kumar Nandanam, the leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, accused the five suspended students of assaulting him. The accusation led to the formation of an inquiry committee by the vice chancellor. Protesters allege that the universitys final decision to bar the students from hostels and public spaces on January 3, 2016, was heavily influenced by a series of letters written by union ministers Bandaru Dattatreya and Smriti Irani, describing them as anti-national and casteist. The university was rocked by protests soon after Rohiths suicide, with angry students saying it was yet another case of discrimination against Dalits on campus. The Turkish states battle with the PKK in urban districts across the southeast imperils locals and chances of peace. Early one morning in Diyarbakir last October, Halil Tuzuner, a 31-year-old construction worker, was on his roof tending to his pigeons when a bullet from a Turkish military assault team on the street below pierced his back and took his life. His stunned, pregnant wife Hulya found him minutes later. Soon after, the newly widowed mother-of-three gathered her young sons and moved to new lodgings on the edge of central Diyarbakir or Sur, as the old city is known and did her best to start again. Its so difficult, the 25-year-old said during a recent interview, sitting on the carpeted floor of her modest new home as her sons clambered all over her, and her now one-month-old daughter slept in the next room. You cant understand how difficult it is without him. I havent even been able to go to the cemetery to visit him. For two months now, the heart of Diyarbakir, a city of a million people and the de facto Kurdish capital of Turkey, has been under 24-hour curfew and near-constant military assault. Some 20,000 people have fled, 1,500 shops have closed or been destroyed, and 10,000 people have been put out of work, according to local estimates. Both sides to blame Those who remain face limited water and electricity and are largely trapped in their homes owing to regular blasts and the rat-tat-tat of gunfire. Hulya has barely left the house in months. Thankfully, Halils older brother, Aziz, who has three children and lives near by, has been helping her, caring for his brothers kids as if they were as his own. Like Hulya, hes tired of the fighting between the Turkish state and Kurdish fighters. Despite their frustrations, young Kurdish fighters need to stop declaring self-rule and commandeering urban districts, while the PKK would be wise to stop bombing police stations. And with no elections on the horizon, Turkey's leaders should stop politicising the Kurdish conflict, pull back in the southeast and resume peace talks. by Both sides are just playing for their own nationalism, and both have their reasons, he said. They might be right, they might be wrong but both sides are killing people. And we, the people who live here, are in the middle of it. The minute we stop moving, we become targets. There have been a lot of targets in cities across the region. Turkeys Human Rights Association says nearly 200 civilians have been killed, including 33 children. Ankara says since December 2015, it has killed more than 600 fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which Turkey, the United States and the European Union have labelled a terrorist organisation. More than 100,000 people have been displaced, and entire neighbourhoods destroyed. Recent images from Sur, Cizre, and Silopi evoke the devastation of neighbouring Syria. It all started last August, when Kurdish activists declared autonomous zones in cities across the southeast. Ankara responded with a harsh crackdown, prompting young fighters linked to the PKK to secure central urban districts, digging trenches, building makeshift barricades and commandeering shops and apartments to defend territory they see as under self-rule. The Turkish state turned the screws, implementing 24-hour curfews and dispatching tanks, urban assault vehicles and waves of troops to root them out, street by street. You will be annihilated in those houses, those buildings, those ditches which you have dug, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said recently, warning that military operations would continue until the area had been cleansed of terrorists. Reminiscent of the past Turkey and the PKK have fought an off-and-on war since 1984, and in that time, no government had made as much progress towards peace as that of Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP). But after two years of negotiations, the violence resumed last July, when Kurdish militants assassinated two policeman days after a bombing in Suruc killed 33 people who had come to help rebuild the besieged Syrian Kurdish city of Kobane. Now, the two sides seem farther apart than theyve been in decades. Kemal Oyman has been repairing watches in Sur for 35 years, and has never seen violence like this in Diyarbakir. Both sides are to blame, says the 68-year-old. I hope it will get better soon. OPINION: Turkeys Kurdish issue: From peace to low-intensity war But chances of the situation improving are slim. Last Wednesday, Turkey extended the curfew to five new neighbourhoods in Sur, after which dozens of families were seen lugging their belongings through the old citys massive, UNESCO-listed stone walls, heading for safer ground. Among Kurds in Diyarbakir, the consensus seems to be that, rather than undermining the fighters and muting anti-Turkey sentiment among Kurds, Ankaras recent operations in the southeast have inflamed it. Everything changed with these kind of operations, especially among the people in these neighbourhoods, said veteran Kurdish journalist Vecdi Erbay. Now theres more anger. Also, these fighters getting killed, and their bodies in the street, just lying there, for days this is something people wont forget. On such instance is the death of Mesut Seviktek, whose dead body laid on a Sur street for three weeks, inspiring his brother Ihsan as well as his mother and sister to go on a 20-day hunger strike. Finally, the state allowed the family to collect Sevikteks body and bury him. Ihsans eldest son, a 14-year-old, recently left home to join the fighting, following in the footsteps of two of Ihsans younger brothers. OPINION: Turkey is not in bed with ISIL I have six children and 11 younger sisters and brothers, and if all of them made the same decision I would support them because all of them are slaves here, says Ihsan, a 42-year-old shopkeeper. We never know when or how we will die, but at least this way it is honourable. We wont fall on our knees for the AKP government. Negotiations, no more The fighters tactics seem to have had a similar effect on Turkeys leaders. Erdogan has said the state would bring the whole world down on those who seek autonomy, and that from now on, neither the PKK nor any related political party would be accepted as a negotiating partner. That affair is over, he told a group of village heads visiting his presidential palace. Ankaras determination to beat back the Kurds has given the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group room to operate, resulting in at least three major attacks over the past seven months. Consider the way Erdogan focused on the PKK in the speech he delivered just after the January 12 attack in Istanbul. Or how he all but dismissed pro-Kurdish politician and activist Leyla Zanas recent request for a one-on-one meeting. Despite their frustrations, young Kurdish fighters need to stop declaring self-rule and commandeering urban districts, while the PKK would be wise to stop bombing police stations. And with no elections on the horizon, Turkeys leaders should stop politicising the Kurdish conflict, pull back in the southeast and resume peace talks. This will enable its military, security, and intelligence bodies to focus on the greater threat, ISIL, and the root issue, Syria. Otherwise, the divide will only deepen, spurring another generation to take up the gun against Ankara. Somehow, Ihsan Seviktek can still see the two sides sitting down again. This war mentality belongs to the AKP government, not the Turkish people, he said. Thats why I have hope, because I know there are millions and millions of people in this country that want peace, not war. David Lepeska is a freelance journalist based in Istanbul. His work focuses on Turkey and the Middle East. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Unless the imbalance of power behind the Syria talks is rectified, Geneva is doomed to fail just like Oslo. On the day the Geneva talks on Syria were due to begin, France announced it intended to hold a new round of Oslo talks on Palestine. The Oslo Process has gone on for almost a quarter of a century but Palestine remains under Israel occupation. Will the Syria peace talks face a similar fate long on talk, short on peace? My crystal ball isnt responding with its usual clarity, but what is becoming clear is an eerie resemblance between the forces, dynamics and diplomatic jargon that characterise both Geneva and Oslo. There are similarities and differences but when it comes to the scope of the violence and the ineffectiveness of diplomacy, the similarities are all too shocking even before the Geneva talks get underway. On violence Like Israel, the Assad regime has imprisoned, tortured, starved, killed, and bombed neighbourhoods, but the barrel-bombing of towns is Bashar al-Assads ingenuity and should be trademarked accordingly. Since the peaceful Syrian uprising began in 2011, the regime in Damascus has grabbed more than a page from Israels occupation manuals. He labeled the peace demonstrators foreign-backed terrorists. He even called them germs (leading to cries of solidarity between Syrias germs and Libyas rats). ALSO READ: Has the West betrayed the Syrian people? Its perhaps coincidental that the Assad dictatorship has been in control of Syria since a year after Israel occupied the rest of Palestine in 1967, but its been no less tragic. A quarter of a million Syrians have already died in Assads war, which also resulted in the displacement and exodus of half of its population. In four years, Assad forces killed more people than Israel killed Palestinians in four decades. And unlike the Israeli leaders who never accepted foreign forces, not even US forces or air forces were ever allowed to deploy in Israeli controlled areas, Assad has evidently been trigger happy that Iran, Hezbollah and Russia have all accepted his invitation to deploy. Together, they helped destroy the country in order to save the regime. For these and other sinister reasons, Assad has lost all legitimacy, even as a sovereign dictator. For all practical purposes, he, his forces and his allies are behaving like an illegal occupying force, or worse. The Geneva talks come against the backdrop of US failure in Iraq and Russian and Iranian military interventions that are tipping the balance of power in favour of the Assad regime. by Like in diplomacy Diplomatic processes compare and contrast depending on a number of variables, but in essence, diplomacy is a reflection of balance (or imbalance) of power. (And when it comes to the Middle East, you could add the balance of bullsh*t a powerful diplomatic tool that the Israelis and Assad often use.) The Madrid and later the Oslo peace process started against the backdrop of the Soviet Unions loss of the Cold War and Moscows realignment with Washingtons policies, which favoured Israel. The Geneva talks come against the backdrop of US failure in Iraq and Russian and Iranian military interventions that are tipping the balance of power in favour of the Assad regime. Washingtons complicity and its realignment with Moscow made it possible to pass UN Security Council Resolution 2254 that frames these talks in favour of the Assad regime. Like the Oslo process, the sponsors of the Geneva talks say there should be no preconditions for the Syria talks. For the Palestinians, that basically meant continued Jewish settlement expansion on their land, continued occupation and the incarceration of thousands of political prisoners etc. For Syrians, it means continued bombardment, and imprisonment under Assads rule. ALSO READ: Arabs in the eye of history In reality, however, there are preconditions. Like the Palestinians, the Syrian opposition must denounce and renounce terrorism if they are to join the talks, but the regime is invited as a legitimate partner in the these talks despite its continued terrorism in the form of aerial bombardment and the starvation of whole communities. For the Syrians like the Palestinians, the objectives of the talks have been blurred and the road to achieve them marred with ambiguity and this only serves the Israeli and Syrian regimes. In that way, the end of all occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian state were omitted from the Oslo process. And for Syrians, neither 2254 nor the official invitation to the Geneva talks, mention the need for Assad to go. Indeed, like in Palestine where the PLO was forced to share power with the Israeli occupation until it acquiesces to Israeli dictates and accepts restrictions on its sovereignty, the Syrian opposition is now expected to share power with Assad in some form of unity government, instead of the original understanding agreed upon in Geneva-1, that stipulates a transitional ruling body with executive powers without Assad. In both cases, the ultimate objective of the talks is neither freedom nor justice, but rather combating terrorism. As with the condition and objectives of the talks, there are also increasing similarities in the diplomatic jargon. Proximity talks, no preconditions, moderate (and not-so-moderate) representation, Washington guarantees, multi-track discussions, simultaneous meetings, flexible framework, etc., might be familiar concepts in international diplomacy, but in Palestine and Syria, these are only meant to avoid pressuring the Israelis or the Assads to do the right thing: leave. Even the role of the envoys is no less eerie. Unlike his predecessors, Kofi Annan and Lakhdar Brahimi, Staffan de Mistura is already behaving like a crossway between a scheming Dennis Ross and a bombastic Tony Blair. Learning the right lessons Why the impatience? Why not wait until the process gets underway to pass judgments? The same questions were also asked when the Oslo process began. Since its power that ultimately determines the outcome of diplomacy, unless the imbalance of power behind the Syria talks is rectified, Geneva, like Oslo, is doomed to fail. By adopting a similar approach to Syria, one assumes the US and Russia have failed to learn the lessons of Oslo; a failed process that lasted over two decades and achieved more of the same failures and violence. But perhaps they did learn the lessons, albeit the wrong lessons. Long diplomatic processes, like proxy wars, are indispensable tools for prolonging their hegemony over the Middle East region. Marwan Bishara is the senior political analyst at Al Jazeera. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. In a recent interview with Al Jazeera, the eminent US dissident and world-renowned linguist Noam Chomsky comes out in support of the presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, whom he considers to have the best policies of the Democratic presidential contenders in this election year. But since he does not believe Sanders has much of a chance of winning, he concludes by resorting to a conventional position that he would absolutely vote for Clinton over any Republican, for the Republicans are, as he puts it, a danger to the world. In a remarkably similar move, the liberal Zionist outlet The Nation has also announced wholeheartedly that it endorses Bernie Sanders, and yet tJoan Walsh, he magazines national affairs correspondent, has come out of the closet and declared Glory Hallelujah bourgeois feminists of the world unite! choir in her background Why Im Supporting Hillary Clinton, With Joy and Without Apologies. Liberal Zionists have a nicely located corner store in the political shopping mall of the United States one corner from which they dish out what passes for progressive politics in domestic affairs, while from the other, they sell monstrous, warmonger corporate lackey Wall Street errand boys and girls, Israel-firsters with a Janus double-face like no one is watching. Enemy of my enemy is not my friend A vote for Hillary Clinton, however, is first and foremost a vote for Hillary Clinton before it is a vote against Republicans. A vote for Clinton may indeed be soothed by the lullaby of a vote against climate change-denying Republicans who want to destroy the world and evidently fly to another planet, but a vote for Clinton is a vote for an unrepentant warmonger carpetbagger corporate lackey who will flood the Israelis and the Egyptians with even more massive shipments of arms to destroy the poorest and most vulnerable parts and peoples of the world, while letting Afghanistan, Iraq, and, unavoidably, Syria rot to pieces with no sense of moral responsibility for having wreaked havoc on sovereign nations. READ MORE: The media and their masochistic love of Donald Trump I would happily vote for Sanders in the primaries and hope he will beat Hillary Clinton and all her Republican cohorts and become the next US president. But even if he does not, there is no snowball chance in hell I would vote for Hillary Margaret Thatcher Clinton, who I, in fact, consider an infinitely more dangerous warmonger than all those hot-air crackpot Republicans put together. Hillary Clinton and her husband are master practitioners of that statecraft. They will sail through any legislation that will facilitate dropping more bombs on brown and black people around the world ... by The lunatic Republicans are political non-entities and have no clue how to navigate legislations through Congress. Hillary Clinton and her husband are master practitioners of that statecraft. They will sail through any legislation that will facilitate dropping more bombs on brown and black people around the world and could not care less if their liberal domestic agenda is stonewalled in the Congress. It is a point of astonishing liberal hypocrisy to ignore that fact and vote for Clinton because she is against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and an ardent Zionist on the pretence that a vote for her is a vote against Republicans. The US is first and foremost an empire built on the fragile illusion of a republic. Billions of human beings around the globe have every reason to be scared witless of a vicious imperialist presidency of Hillary Clinton. If liberal Zionists who, with identical logic, oppose the BDS and vote for Hillary Clinton, want to sustain the illusions of that republic over the deadly fact of that empire, it is, of course, their choice. But the tired old cliche of voting for Clinton by way of voting against the Republicans, fortunately, does not wash any more. Democratic limits of an empire Sanders, to be sure, is not going to be the Salvador Allende, Hugo Chavez, or even Jeremy Corbyn or Alexis Tsipras of the US. This fact has nothing to do with him, but with the empire in which he wants to become president. There are structural limitations that would make such a possibility entirely improbable. This fact extends not just to his chance of winning this presidential election, but even more seriously to what he can do as the president of a belligerent, warmongering empire. Be that as it may, a vote for Sanders is a vote for the historic unfolding of a noble struggle within the US as a fragile republic that has appeared in the civil rights and anti-war movement in the 1960s; in the anti-Iraq war rallies in 2000s; in the Occupy movement in the 2010s; and now, in rallying behind Sanders in the 2016 presidential election as it has historically been around Ralph Nader in many other such elections. This movement is weak, and has never achieved a critical mass, and the presidential campaign and eight-year presidency of Obama have done everything to destroy it. But it is a streak of hope that has a modest catalytic effect on the rest of US politics. READ MORE: Noam Chomsky Bernie Sanders has the best policies The liberal Zionist opponents of the BDS who are jumping on the bandwagon of Hillary Clinton with the poor excuse of an argument that Sanders is not electable, or that voting for Clinton is a vote against Republicans, is a fundamental betrayal of the very thrust of that defiance. Sanders is as real as it gets. Clinton is as fake and phony and corrupt as can be. Sanders is the last surviving antithesis of the dominant US politics. Clinton is the embodiment of its deepest layers of corporate corruption. Voting for Sanders, in the end, is also a matter of profound personal choice for me. This is the first and the last time in my life and in any presidential election that I can actually vote for an unabashedly Jewish socialist New Yorker, the last of an endangered species, who bravely flaunts his Brooklyn accent, who looks like a retired university professor, who, like my four children, is the first-generation offspring of an emigre, and yet, he is actually older than me! Hamid Dabashi is Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Thousands of children have disappeared raising fears they are being exploited, says Europol, Europes police agency. More than 10,000 unaccompanied refugee and migrant children have disappeared in Europe, the EU police agency Europol said on Sunday, fearing many have been whisked into sex trafficking rings or the slave trade. Europols press office confirmed to Al Jazeera the figures published in British newspaper The Observer. The number relates to the past 18-24 months. Brian Donald, the agencys chief of staff, said that the vulnerable children had disappeared from the system after registering with state authorities after their arrival in Europe. Its not unreasonable to say that were looking at 10,000-plus children, Donald told The Observer, adding that 5,000 had disappeared in Italy alone. Not all of them will be criminally exploited; some might have been passed on to family members. We just dont know where they are, what theyre doing or whom they are with. READ MORE: Syrian children struggling to eat in Istanbul Donald said there was evidence of a criminal infrastructure established since mid-2014 to exploit the refugee flow. The Observer reported that Europol found evidence of links between smuggling rings bringing people into the European Union and human trafficking gangs exploiting migrants for sex and slavery. There are prisons in Germany and Hungary where the vast majority of people arrested and placed there are in relation to criminal activity surrounding the migrant crisis, Donald said. More than one million migrants and refugees, many fleeing the Syria conflict, crossed into Europe last year. Whether they are registered or not, were talking about 270,000 children, Donald told the paper. Not all of those are unaccompanied, but we also have evidence that a large proportion might be, he said, adding that the 10,000 is likely to be a conservative estimate. He said many of the children are visible, and not spirited away and held in the middle of forests. Invisible to authorities Raffaela Milano, Save the Childrens Italy-Europe programme director, said that unaccompanied minors who travel without adults are the most vulnerable group of the migratory flow. Many minors, in fact, make themselves invisible to the authorities to enable them to continue their journey in Europe, for fear of being sent back, she said. Many children arrive first on the Greek islands before making the journey to relatives across Europe. Laura Pappa, president of the Greek charity Meta-Action, a group accompanying children who travel without relatives, said that they face a destiny that is worse than that of the rest of migrants waiting to be relocated. She said that they often have to wait for around seven months to be reunited with relatives, and that procedures can be slow and complicated. There are some people that present themselves as uncles and take the children. Its not easy in this mess to cross check the identity of the uncle. Pappa said the group has helped 3,000 children reach family, but that it is not enough. Britain is one country that has said it will take in migrant or refugee children who have been separated from their parents. Deaths continue Despite the constant risk of death and deportation, refugees continue to stream into Europe, risking their lives to escape poverty, repression and conflict. Many children are among the refugees and migrants who have lost their lives making the perilous crossing in the Mediterranean. In the latest tragedy, the Turkish coastguard recovered the bodies of women and children were washed up on a beach after their boat sank, leaving at least 37 people dead. READ MORE: Deadliest January on record for refugees raises alarm Tensions are escalating across the continent over the increasing numbers of refugees, with many right-wing groups in Europe calling for more immigration restrictions and tighter borders. On Saturday, Swedish police said dozens of masked men believed to belong to neo-Nazi gangs gathered in Stockholm and handed out leaflets calling for attacks against young unaccompanied migrants. In England on Saturday, anti-fascist and far-right protesters, pro and anti welcoming refugees respectively, clashed in the coastal town of Dover. Similar clashes erupted in a southern German town on Friday, where unknown assailants threw a hand grenade into a refugee shelter. More than one million asylum entered the country last year. Pan-African body will not send troops to crisis-hit country after government said any such force would be an invasion. The African Union has decided against sending peacekeepers to crisis-hit Burundi after the embattled government said that any such move would be considered an invasion. Smail Chergui, AU commissioner for peace and security, told a press conference in the Ethiopian capital on Sunday that a proposed deployment of 5,000 troops would be deferred until permission was granted by Bujumbura. The decision came after a closed-door session at the AU where African leaders are meeting for a two-day summit. African Union decides against peacekeepers for Burundi Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi, reporting from the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, said the decision was not a surprise considering Burundis opposition to the plan. It is going to be interesting to see how this delegation will be able to convince them to accept the troops, she said. Chergui said that an AU delegation would now fly to Burundi to hold talks aimed at ending the violence. AU high level delegation to be sent to Burundi to discuss with gvt on dialogue and try to convince the president to say yes to MAPROBU. Catherine Wambua- Soi (@C_SOI) January 31, 2016 African Heads of State put on hold deployment of troops (MAPROBU) to Burundi until gvt consents. #26thAUSummit Catherine Wambua- Soi (@C_SOI) January 31, 2016 Speaking to Al Jazeera, Stephanie Wolters, from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), said the decision could galvanise the armed opposition and lead to an escalation of violence in the country. It would appear that [Burundian] government propaganda about the situation in the country, had won over certain countries, and this may have led to this decision. Also i think there is no indication that the Burundian government will give its consent to the deployment of troops any time soon, Wolters, who heads the conflict prevention and risk analysis program at the South African based think-tank said. #AU remains gravely concerned about situation in #Burundi; strongly condemns all violence & #HumanRights violations: Comm. @AU_Chergui African Union Peace (@AU_PSD) January 31, 2016 The AU charters Article 4 (h) gives it the right to intervene in a fellow nation state in respect of grave circumstances, namely: war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. Analysts say other African nations are wary of setting a precedent of deploying troops against the governments wishes. Solomon Dersso, a political analyst, told Al Jazeera that while Burundi has demonstrated some flexibility on the issue of dialogue, there has been complete disagreement between Bujumbura and the AU when it has come to the deployment of [AU] troops. On Saturday as the AU summit opened, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, made clear that troops were needed to stem the violence. The UN has warned that Burundi risks a repeat of a 1993-2006 civil war, with hundreds killed since April 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced that he would stand for a controversial third term in office. At least 230,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries. Since Nkurunzizas re-election in July, clashes between government loyalists and the opposition have turned increasingly violent. Brussels, Belgium At least 10 civilians injured in clashes have died in southeastern Turkey over the past two weeks because ambulances could not reach them to take them to hospitals. The people have either bled to death on the street or in homes, or were admitted to hospitals only after it was too late and residents fear there will be more deaths in the coming days. The deaths have occurred since the Turkish government began enforcing a round-the-clock, open-ended curfew on Cizre, a majority-Kurdish town with a population of 120,000. Some have risked going outside to buy daily necessities, while carrying a white flag to show they are not a threat; others have remained holed-up indoors. The Turkish government says the curfew, which has been in effect since December 14, is necessary in its fight against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an armed group that the Turkish government labels as terrorists. Human rights organisations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused Turkish security forces of using disproportionate violence in clashes with armed, PKK-affiliated young people in Cizre, noting that dozens of civilians have died as a result. READ MORE: Kurdish city battered by Turkeys crackdown According to Turkish media, many Cizre residents have fled the violence, and only an estimated 20,000 people remain in the town today. Turkish MP Faysal Sariyildiz, a member of the pro-Kurdish HDP party, has been spending time in the southeastern town amid the recent crisis. He said that 28 civilians wounded in recent clashes between Turkish security forces and PKK-affiliated youth have been stuck in the basement of a house, waiting in vain for ambulances to take them to hospital. Six of the injured succumbed to their wounds, Sariyildiz told Al Jazeera in a recent telephone interview. They are lying in the same two basement rooms where the wounded are waiting for help. Turkish authorities will not give permission for ambulances to enter areas of Cizre where operations are ongoing. About two weeks ago, 16-year-old Huseyin Paksoy, who was shot and lost a significant amount of blood, died in a hospital in Cizre after he had waited for medical help for four days. An ambulance was only allowed to pick him up after a Turkish lawyer appealed for an urgent procedure at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which decided that the Turkish authorities could not endanger Paksoys right to life and physical integrity. Lawyers then decided to file more applications at the ECHR in other cases, five of which were accepted by the court within a day of their submission. The life of 20-year-old Helin Oncu, a student who was shot while visiting Cizre under circumstances that are unclear, was saved through an ECHR order a week ago. This marks the first time in the history of the ECHR that the urgent procedure motion has been used to enable injured civilians to be brought to a hospital. Usually, the urgent procedure motion is used to prevent extraditions to countries where deportees lives may be at risk. I by Faysal days.] Ramazan Demir, a lawyer in Istanbul who coordinates the urgent procedure applications to the ECHR, said: We decided to use this urgent procedure after the ECHR turned down our request to immediately ban the round-the-clock and open-ended curfews. They will only rule on whether the curfews are violating fundamental rights later, possibly this year. But Turkish lawyers have found that their access to the ECHR has been hampered since last Tuesday, after they sent an application to save the lives of 14 heavily injured people in the basement. Demir showed Al Jazeera a letter that he received from the court at that time, which stated that domestic judicial options must be exhausted before the ECHR may be asked to intervene. We did that [filed suit in domestic courts] in the first few cases and didnt get a positive result, so in the next cases we decided to skip the domestic court to save time. This was accepted by the ECHR, but now, suddenly, they stopped accepting it, Demir said, noting the application concerning the 14 wounded people was brought back to Turkeys Constitutional Court, which ruled against them. The application has now been brought back to the ECHR, which is set to issue a ruling on Tuesday. We are losing precious time, since its a matter of life or death, Demir said. Authorities in Sirnak province, where Cizre is located, deny that ambulances have been blocked by authorities. A written statement released by the governorship stated that reports that ambulances have not been permitted to pick up the wounded were false and unfounded. According to the statement, the wounded can be brought to a certain point in the town from where they can be transported to hospital. Sariyildiz, however, says that under such a procedure, the wounded would risk being fired at again, and many are too seriously injured to be moved anywhere without a stretcher. READ MORE: Cizre back on the frontlines of Turkey-PKK conflict Demir says he is angry at the ECHR for referring him back to domestic courts after first accepting his applications. This cannot be anything else than a political decision, he said. The Kurds are being sold out by the international justice mechanisms. However, the ECHR stated that Turkeys domestic courts are considered an effective remedy. In a letter to Demir, the ECHR wrote that given the fluidity and unpredictability of a situation of apparent armed conflict, the Courts task is hampered by a lack of information and the difficulty of ascertaining the facts. Sariyildiz said he had little faith in a positive outcome. We expect no democratic decision from any Turkish court, he said, noting the Turkish judiciary had been increasingly brought under the political control of the governing AK party over the past couple of years. While the courts were deliberating over the fate of the people in the basement, another young woman died, bringing the total number of dead to seven. Sariyildiz said he feared who may be next. One of the injured is a 12-year-old boy, and there are elderly among the wounded too, he added. I fear more people will die in the cellar in the [coming] days. At least 86 people, including children, killed in a series of attacks on a village in northern Nigeria. At least 86 people, including a number of children, have been killed in a series of attacks on a village in north-eastern Nigeria, according to officials. Witnesses said that suspected Boko Haram fighters firebombed huts and opened fire on civilians on Saturday evening in the village of Dalori, leaving bullet-ridden and charred bodies strewn across the streets. Gunmen also tried to storm a camp close to Dalori, home to some 25,000 refugees, but were repelled by troops. Witnesses said that they heard the screams of children burning to death as huts and homes were razed to the ground. READ MORE: One million forced from school by Boko Haram war Mohammed Kanar, area coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, told the Associated Press news agency that 86 bodies had been collected by Sunday afternoon. Another 62 people were being treated for burns, said Abba Musa of the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri, the biggest city in northeastern Nigeria, which is about 10km from from Dalori. Nigerian troops were initially unable to fight off the attackers, and Boko Haram fighters only retreated after reinforcements arrived with heavier weaponry, soldiers said. As they saw the flames of the fight, then they alerted us. I informed the soldiers and thats how they checked, Lawana Geti, head of a local vigilante group called Kondugua, said. And when the soldiers were coming, Boko Haram rushed out of the village. The Lake Chad region which borders Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger has been frequently targeted by Boko Haram and all four countries have formed a coalition along with Benin to fight the group. Two soldiers also wounded in the attack and medical sources say one is in a critical condition. Egyptian medical officials said a home-made bomb has killed two soldiers and wounded two others in the northern part of the Sinai. Rafah Hospital said in a statement that the incident happened early on Sunday morning and that one of the wounded, an officer, was in critical condition, the AP news agency reported. Violence picked up in the area, near the border with Gaza, last week when four civilians were killed in fighting between the army and armed groups, and at least six soldiers were killed in roadside bombings. Egypt has been hit by a wave of suicide bombings and attacks that intensified after the military overthrew former president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. A local Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant affiliate has claimed responsibility for most of the attacks. Coalition says a commission of inquiry is to investigate possible abuses against civilians in the Yemen conflict. The command of the Arab coalition battling Houthi rebels in Yemen has announced the creation of an independent commission of inquiry to examine charges of possible abuses against civilians in the conflict. In a brief statement published by the official Saudi SPA news agency on Sunday, the coalition command said that it had formed an independent team of experts in international humanitarian law and weapons to assess the incidents and investigate the rules of engagement. The coalition said the objective was to develop a clear and comprehensive report on each incident with the conclusions, lessons learned, recommendations and measures that should be taken to spare civilians. The statement followed a UN report which concluded that civilian targets were part of the coalition air strikes in Yemen. Meanwhile, the spokesman for the coalition said on Sunday that American and British military experts were advising its forces on how to improve aerial targeting and reduce civilian casualties. Experts from the United States (will) work on extensive reports and develop operating mechanisms, together with the British side, Saudi coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri told journalists in Riyadh. He said the advisers held a workshop in recent days at the coalition headquarters. The conflict in Yemen has killed more than 5,800 people and wounded 27,000, according to UN figures. It began in March to prevent Iran-backed Houthi fighters from taking complete control of Yemen after seizing much of the north. At least 70 people killed and several wounded in blasts near Sayyida Zeinab shrine in Syrias capital, monitor says. Three blasts have killed more than 70 people and wounded at least 40 in Syrias capital Damascus, a monitor said. The explosions, one of which was caused by a car bomb, occurred near the Shia Muslim shrine of Sayyida Zeinab on Sunday, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Observatory said several Shia militia fighters were among the dead, adding that the casualty number was expected to rise. State television footage showed burning buildings and car wreckage in the neighbourhood where the shrine is located. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Amaq, a news agency that supports the group. It said two operations hit the most important stronghold of Shia militias in Damascus. The heavily populated area of southern Damascus is a site of pilgrimage for Shias from Iran, Lebanon and other parts of the Muslim world. The shrine houses the grave of the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Talib, whom Shias consider the rightful successor to Prophet Mohammad. The dispute over the succession led to the major Sunni-Shia schism in Islam. The shrine has been targeted before, including in 2012 and in February 2015, when two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint nearby. In the same month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shia Muslim pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people in an attack claimed by the armed group al-Nusra Front. Trading blame The latest attacks came as the United Nations plan to hold negotiations on ending the Syrian war was dealt a new blow, as opposition and government delegations traded charges against each other. READ MORE: Syria rivals trade blame over stalled talks Delegates from the Syrian government and the countrys main opposition bloc in Geneva accused each other of not being serious in creating conditions for meaningful talks. Salem al-Meslet, spokesman for the oppositions High National Committee, told reporters on Sunday that the bloc would not join the talks before the implementation of their humanitarian demands. Syrian ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari, who is leading the government delegation, said Damascus would not accept preconditions for negotiations. Jaafari branded the opposition as terrorists backed by foreign powers, but said his government was considering humanitarian moves as demanded by the opposition delegation. AU official says no possibility of sending in troops without the approval of the Burundian government. The African Union will not deploy peacekeepers to Burundi unless the government in Bujumbura agrees, a senior AU official has said. Ibrahima Fall, Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, told French radio RFI, that deploying troops to the conflict-hit east African country without the consent of Bujumbura was unimaginable. It has been, I think, bad communication. It was never the intention of the African Union to deploy a mission to Burundi without the consent of Burundian authorities, the Senegalese diplomat said. AU leaders are debating the crisis at a two-day summit at the 54-member blocs headquarters in Ethiopia. The talks are being held behind closed doors and it is unclear when a final decision will be taken. Escaping Burundi: Life in refuge Fall said that the leaders were considering sending a high-level delegation, not to say very high to Burundi to hold talks with the government. Burundi has consistently opposed the idea of the AUs proposed 5,000-strong peacekeeping mission, saying the deployment of troops without its permission would be tantamount to an invasion force. The United Nations has warned Burundi risks a repeat of a 1993-2006 civil war, with hundreds killed since April 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would stand for a controversial third term in office. At least 230,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries. Since Nkurunzizas re-election in July, clashes between government loyalists and the opposition have turned increasingly violent. The AU charters Article 4 (h) gives it the right to intervene in a fellow nation state in respect of grave circumstances, namely: war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. But analysts say other African nations are wary of setting a precedent of deploying troops against the governments wishes. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, speaking on Saturday as the AU summit opened, made clear troops were needed to stem the violence. Why is Burundi rejecting African Union peacekeepers? Leaders who stand by while civilians are slaughtered in their name must be held responsible, Ban said, insisting that the Burundi crisis required the most serious and urgent commitment. He said the UN backed the AUs proposal to deploy human rights observers and to establish a prevention and protection mission. Of at least 25 child refugees being held, Youssef Aden has served far longer than the average detention period. Campaigners have called on Egypt to immediately release a 17-year-old Somali refugee who has been held for nearly six months. Youssef Mohamed Aden was arrested in Egypt on July 6, 2015. A member of a small minority clan, he had fled home after his brother was killed by al-Shabab, an armed group linked to al-Qaeda. Reports of deaths and negligence in Egypts prisons The UN agency for children, UNICEF, has identified at least 25 children among the 50 total documented refugees currently held in Egypt. There is a noticeable decrease in the number of children in detention at this time of the year, Ahmad Hafez, a child protection consultant with UNICEF, told Al Jazeera, adding that the total number reaches to more than 160 children in detention during summer months. Most of these minors are usually unaccompanied, coming from the Horn of Africa, while Syrian children are usually with parents. The average detention time for a child is between two weeks and a month, Hafez said. Aden, however, has been held for nearly six months. After being picked up by Egyptian police, he was placed in the Karmooz detention centre in Alexandria, according to a new report by the Sweden-based Centre for Refugee Solidarity. With no passport or identification documents to prove his nationality, Egyptian authorities have been unable to deport him. Since his arrest, Aden has been subjected to several punitive measures, including having his cell phone confiscated, being threatened with deportation and not provided with legal counsel. He was seemingly punished for sending pictures of the conditions inside the jail cells and exposing the situation and the deliberate neglect by the Egyptian police, Alia al-Ghussain, a senior researcher and advocate at the Centre for Refugee Solidarity, told Al Jazeera. Ghussain explained that Aden has been detained in the same cells as adults, a widespread practice that contravenes both international and Egyptian laws. READ MORE: Smuggling Syrian refugees out of Egypt Egypt is host to an estimated 127,000 Syrian refugees, as well as some 50,000 African and Iraqi refugees, according to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR. Many refugees smuggled through Egypt are fleeing political violence in Eritrea, Sudan and Ethiopia, among other countries risking their lives to make the perilous journey to seek asylum in Europe or Israel. Some have been shot, sometimes fatally, by security forces, while others have been tortured by Egyptian and Sudanese human traffickers, according to Human Rights Watch. Ghussain said that there has been a recent escalation against African refugees in terms of imprisonment, as well as shooting people on the borders. Back in November, Egyptian police were accused of shooting dead 15 Sudanese refugees in the Sinai region as they attempted to enter Israel. The police dont have the capacity, training or knowledge to deal with refugees, and therefore they often dont know how to de-escalate the situation, Ghussain said. Mohammad al-Kashef of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights visited Aden twice in Karmooz and spoke to him regularly through phone calls, text messages and WhatsApp before his phone was confiscated. However, he could not reach him since he was transferred to another detention centre in Cairo on December 3. We have tried to visit him since then, but [the authorities] have denied us, Kashef told Al Jazeera. Kashef explained that while the conditions of Adens detention are common for detained refugees, his case is a difficult one. He cant prove his name or nationality because he doesnt have a passport, any documents, a personal statement and isnt registered with the UNHCR, he said. He lived in a very poor community in the desert [in Somalia], and his name was never registered with authorities, he said, adding that Aden has not been able to speak to his family since he was detained. Egypts Ministry of Interior was not available for comment at the time of publication. Follow Patrick Strickland: @P_Strickland_ At least three people killed in an early-morning raid in Lamu county claimed by the Somalia-based armed group. At least three men were killed in a village in Kenyas coastal Lamu county in the early hours of Sunday during a raid claimed by Somalia-based armed group al-Shabab. At least five gunmen came to Pandanguo village, searching for men. They interrogated them and killed some of them, a survivor who was shot during the attack said from a local hospital. The village sits about 40km inland from the Indian Ocean town of Lamu, which is popular with Western tourists, and is 100km from the border with Somalia. They asked me questions in the Somali language. When I struggled to respond, they shot me but hit my hand, said the victim, who asked not to be named. The al-Qaeda-linked rebel group claimed responsibility for the early-morning raid in a phone call to Al Jazeera. Our fighters attacked non-believers in the occupied Muslim land of Lamu. Our Mujahideen killed several non-believers in the attack. We will give more details later, a spokesman for the group told Al Jazeera. Mombasa county commissioner Nelson Marwa said the attack resembles one of those executed by the al Shabab, though he said investigators were still looking into the reports that the attackers were speaking Somali. In 2014, at least 60 people were killed in the area in a spate of attacks that targeted non-Muslim men. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for those attacks. Like the attack on Sunday, those attacks took place inland from the coast. Attacks in Kenya have increased since Nairobi sent its troops across the border into Somalia in October 2011. Early this month fighters from the group attacked a Kenya military base deep in southern Somalia, leaving scores of soldiers dead. Following the attack Kenya carried out several air strikes in Somalia that it claimed targeted fighters from al-Shabab. Kenyan troops have also withdrawn from three towns since the attack in El Adde on January 15. Israeli forces kill Palestinian after shooting attack at a military checkpoint near Ramallah injures at least three. Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian after an alleged shooting attack at a military checkpoint near Ramallah, Israeli police have said. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed on Sunday the death of Amjad Sukari, a sergeant with the Palestinian Authority police, at the DCO checkpoint near the illegal settlement of Beit El in the occupied West Bank. Local news reports said the attacker fired at the soldiers after approaching the checkpoint in a car before being shot dead. At least three soldiers were injured in the attack, two of whom were transferred to hospital in critical condition. Al Jazeeras Stefanie Dekker, reporting from West Jerusalem, said the DCO checkpoint is used by VIPs, PA officials, foreigners, diplomats, press going in and out of the occupied West Bank close to Ramallah. Protests against Israels ongoing occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, have become increasingly violent in recent months. READ MORE: France to recognise Palestine if talks fail Since October 1, Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least 166 Palestinians, including bystanders, unarmed demonstrators and attackers. At least 25 Israelis have also been killed in attacks carried out by Palestinians. Northwest Europe braces for another round of violent winds and flooding rains. Atlantic storms continue to roll into western Europe, bringing damaging winds and severe rainfall and, at times, heavy snow. More than 13,000 homes and businesses were left without power when the latest storm, known officially as Gertrude, rattled across northern Britain on Thursday and Friday. Wind gusts in excess of 100 kilometres per hour were recorded across Scotland and Northern Ireland. Winds reached 232km/h at the summit of Caingorm Mountain in the Scottish Highlands. Meanwhile, over the lower ground, the strongest winds were across the Shetland Isles where they peaked at 169km/h on Friday. Train and ferry services were badly disrupted right across the UK. One such ferry from Rotterdam was unable to dock in the east coast port of Hull, and had to remain at sea until the storm had passed. As the storm cleared through, cold northerly winds brought heavy snow to parts of Scotland. Up to 15cm of snow were recorded over the higher ground on Saturday. The UK can expect quieter weather throughout Sunday, with some rain in the west. Yet the next storm, known as Henry, is set to bring more severe weather across the region. The UK Met Office is warning of widespread travel disruption on Monday. The system is expected to affect much of northwest Europe. Flash floods and damaging winds leading to power outages are likely for many. Beijing rebukes Washington after US Navy destroyer sails within 12 nautical miles of an island in the disputed sea. China has condemned the United States for sailing a warship in the disputed South China Sea, accusing it of undermining peace and stability in the region. A US Navy destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of an island claimed by China and other countries in the South China Sea to counter efforts to limit freedom of navigation, the Pentagon said on Saturday. The US action severely violated Chinese law, sabotaged the peace, security and good order of the waters, and undermined the region s peace and stability, said Yang Yujun, Chinas Defence Ministry spokesman, according to Xinhua News Agency. READ MORE: China warns US over provocative acts in South China Sea China claims most of the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which more than $5 trillion of world trade is shipped every year. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have rival claims. The US says it wants the crucial sea lane to be treated as international waters. Freedom of navigation Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said on Saturday that no ships from Chinas military were in the vicinity of the guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur when it passed near Triton Island in the Paracel Islands. This operation challenged attempts by the three claimants China, Taiwan and Vietnam to restrict navigation rights and freedoms, Davis said. Yet, Chinas defence ministry called the US action intentionally provocative and extremely dangerous. The American warship has violated relevant Chinese laws by entering Chinese territorial waters without prior permission, and the Chinese side has taken relevant measures including monitoring and admonishments, Chinas foreign ministry said. Davis said that the operation sought to challenge policies that require prior permission or notification of transit within territorial seas. No claimants were notified prior to the transit, which is consistent with our normal process and international law, he said. In October, the US Navy conducted a similar exercise in which the guided-missile destroyer Lassen sailed close to one of Chinas man-made islands, also drawing a rebuke from Beijing. UN bid to hold indirect talks hampered as opposition says it will not negotiate until humanitarian demands are met. Delegates from the Syrian government and the countrys main opposition bloc in Geneva have accused each other of not being serious in creating conditions for meaningful peace talks. The United Nations plans to hold negotiations on ending the Syrian war was dealt a new blow on Sunday as opposition and government delegations traded charges against each other. The main opposition bloc met the UN Syria envoy Staffan De Mistura in a hotel in Geneva, not at the UN headquarters in the Swiss city. Salim al-Muslet, spokesman for the oppositions High National Committee, told reporters on Sunday that the bloc would not join the talks before the implementation of their humanitarian demands. We wish to see food reaching people who are starving to death, to the women and children. We want women released from regime prisons and the criminal bombardment from Russia to end, Muslet said. Bassma Kodmani, an opposition member, told Al Jazeera that the opposition delegation agreed to come to Geneva because they had received promises from US Secretary of State John Kerry and a number of European politicians. Kodmani said the bloc was assured that a move would happen on the humanitarian front in Syria. We do not trust the regime but we are waiting for something to happen any minute, she said. In a televised address on Sunday, Kerry said there was no military solution to the conflict. He also demanded that the Syrian government would allow aid into besieged towns when residents have been starving. Kerry said a negotiated settlement would undercut support for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group. Success (in Geneva) is not assured. But the US urges all parties to seize this opportunity, he said. The UN has created a framework to bring this war to an end. This opportunity is real and present We call upon the parties in Geneva to take the first steps and not miss this opportunity that this moment presents. Humanitarian moves Syrian ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari, who is leading the government delegation, said Damascus would not accept preconditions for negotiations. Jaafari branded the opposition as terrorists backed by foreign powers, but said his government was considering humanitarian moves as demanded by the opposition delegation. We dont deal with terrorists, Jaafari told reporters in Geneva. There are foreign powers endorsing foreign agendas, aiming at making political pressure on the Syrian government by using terrorism as a political weapon. Asked if the government was considering moves such creation of humanitarian corridors, ceasefires and prisoner releases, he said: Absolutely, this is part of the agenda that we agreed upon and that will be one of the very important topics we will discuss among ourselves as Syrian citizens. He said, however, that those issues should be discussed as part of the talks, not ahead of them. Additional reporting by Al Jazeeras Basma Atassi in Geneva What does the end of economic sanctions mean for Iran and the global economy? Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has started a shopping tour in Europe just days after the lifting of international sanctions over Irans nuclear programme. He wants to let the world know that Iran is back in business. And European companies are lining up for a share in the Iranian market promising billions of dollars in new deals. But what does the end of Iran sanctions mean for the global economy? As President Rouhani is signing billion-dollar deals to rebuild his country, we look at the biggest new market entering the global economy in decades. Nigeria: Flirting with disaster? Also on this episode of Counting the Cost: More pain than gain in the oil-rich Niger Delta region as low oil prices spell bad news for Nigerias economy. With low oil prices and Nigerias currency under devaluation pressure, is Nigeria flirting with disaster? Yvonne Ndege reports on the economic storm clouds facing Africas biggest economy. Zambia and the end of the commodity boom Zambia is one of the countries feeling the effects of falling commodity prices. The countrys economy relies heavily on copper, but prices have hit a six-year low. The metal is often used as a barometer for global demand growth because of its widespread use in manufacturing. Thousands of people have lost their jobs as mining companies across the country are shutting down operations. We find out why the decade-long commodity boom appears to be ending and how it affects ordinary people and the global economy. After being charged with rape five days earlier, a UF campus employee was fired Tuesday. At about 3 a.m. Friday, Eric Javonta Garvin, 23, drove a woman home after a night of drinking and then sexually assaulted her, according to a police report. Garvin, who started working at Einstein Bros. Bagels in 2012, came into work later that day, said UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes. The woman Garvin assaulted drank four mixed drinks at several downtown bars before blacking out at a friends house, according to the report. She felt sick throughout the night and almost threw up before getting into Garvins car for a ride home, according to the report. The drive was her last clear memory before regaining consciousness as Garvin raped her on her living room floor, according to the report. When asked what he was doing, Garvin told her he was almost finished before he ejaculated, according to the report. Garvin told police he considered the sex to be consensual. Friday afternoon, he texted the woman, I knew you were drunk. But I thought you were interested a little. I didnt do it on purpose, according to the report. Police arrested Garvin on a charge of sexual assault and took him to the Alachua County Jail where he was released Monday on a $25,000 bond. He was fired Tuesday after missing three days of work, and he is banned from campus, Sikes said. Contact Martin Vassolo at mvassolo@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @martindvassolo. Eric Garvin, 23, was fired from working at UF's Einstein Bros. Bagels Tuesday after police charged him with sexual assault five days earlier. He had worked there since 2012. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now ACTUALITES Indian Christianity can show the way to bring succor to mankind through PARTICIPATORY philanthropy. Alwihda Info | Par Hem Raj Jain - 31 Janvier 2016 Bengaluru, India Open letter to Indian Churches To Your Holiness / Dear Sir / Dear Madam Indian Churches Sub:- Indian Christianity can show the way to bring succor to mankind through PARTICIPATORY philanthropy. -- I am an Indian citizen and a permanent resident (green card holder) of USA hence will be living for more than six months in USA. I am deeply concerned by the international disturbances especially emanating from Islamic terrorism originating from North Africa and Middle East (NAME) region and South Asia (Indo-AF-PAK region), which has left millions of people bleeding and weeping profusely. At the same time communal-ism of Hindus in India (against Muslims, Christians and Sikhs) has also been contributing in this gory state of affairs as mentioned in my open letter to President of India http://www.alwihdainfo.com/Open-letter-to-Prez-Mukherjee-to-act-if-really-serious-about-protecting-rule-of-law-secularism_a27391.html Apart from violence through terrorism and communal-ism poverty too in these regions is making the lives of majority of the people of these regions miserable. I believe this sorry state of affairs is for the simple reason that Christianity (known for its human rights friendly values and under obligation to proselytize without physical coercion) has left Islam and Hinduism to do whatever they want, to keep its followers in medieval mindset and there is no competition to Islam and Hinduism worth the name from Christianity. Presently as the situation is, only the Christianity can instill human rights friendly modern and progressive values in the people of these regions (avoiding conversion in the first stage as it unnecessarily invokes hostilities). This can easily be done if Indian Christianity takes the lead to launch participatory philanthropic institutions (PPI) for health and education in India then it can be expanded in other countries also. [PPI is especially suitable for democracy with capital from charity (like in limited companies / corporations as shareholders) and revenue from fees from beneficiaries on no profit no loss basis]. Here it is in context to add that:- (1)- Indian Christianity has to kick start these PPI and then people of India from all religions from all over the country (urban and rural) will join it as shareholders of these PPI. (2)- First the PPI for health should be started which will easily become economically viable by launching Medical-tourism where patients from other countries [economically humble persons from rich western countries (especially from USA) where health care is prohibitively costly] will come to India for treatment / operations etc in these PPI in India. (3)- These PPI will get contributions (through shares) from all over the world and will be able to open its branches in other countries too. (4)- For these Indian PPI to-be started by your goodness, I shall be able to assist (through my social service) :- (i)- In getting monetary contributions (shares) from USA etc for this PPI (ii)- In removing any legal hurdle (through UN at New York with the help of US Government, US Congress etc) so that international character of these PPI (regarding monetary contribution and opening of branches in other countries) is ensured (iii)- In ensuring (through human rights enforcing mechanism of UN) that these PPIs are not subjected to violence and instead work peacefully (even while proselytizing in second stage) in India and in other countries (iv)- In getting patients from USA etc through medical-tourism for this PPI If your goodness is interested in above mentioned then I am prepared to come any where in India to further discuss this matter with your goodness. Regards Hem Raj Jain Presently at - Bengaluru, India CC : for taking interest in global philanthropy, to:- (i)- US Churches (ii)- US Veterans (iii)- US Academicians (iv)- US Ambassadors (v)- US Media (vi)- Indian media Dans la meme rubrique : < > Le rugby a Madagascar : le pays fou du rugby TeslaCoin : plateforme de trading ou cryptomonnaie ? Tchad : un projet dassistance et de protection en faveur des migrants au Batha Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) From: Christina M Hammock Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2015 09:14:51 +0000 Subject: Hello Dear this is Christina M Hammock. Hello Dear, How are you doing, I know that this letter may come to you as a surprise, My name is Christina M Hammock, I am US military/Nasa officer currently in Libya now. and i will like to get acquainted with you, I am loving, honest and caring person with a good sense of humor, I enjoy meeting new people and knowing their way of life, I enjoy watching the sea waves and the beauty of the mountains and everything that nature has to offer. however, i really want to establish a true relationship that may lead into a business partner or something else. It is my pleasure meeting you, I hope all is well with you and how are you enjoying your day?. I want you to know that we are being attacked by insurgents everyday and car bombs and during one of our rescue mission we came across a safe box that contain huge amount of money that belongs to the supporters of the over thrown government of Libya, which I believe was money meant for buying weapons and ammunition, and it was agreed by all Army officers present on that rescue mission that the money will be shared among us and which we did. Out of the total fund my share was $2.3,000,000 (Two Million Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) I am seeking your assistance to evacuate my share of the money out of this country (Libya) to your own country for you to keep it safe on my behalf till i come over to your country, So i want you to assure me that if this money is been delivered to you in your country that you are going to be trustworthy to keep the money till when i will come to your country to meet you face to face to collect the money back from you. It's clear to me that you might be scared of this proposal, but i want to let you know that i have made solid arrangements with a Security Company and they have promised to deliver the fund through diplomatic method to any of my choosing destination. This delivery is going to be handle legally by the Security Company and there will not be any form of risk involve in the process and the money will be pack safely in a truck case and the same case will be deliver to you in your country. I have decide to compensate you with 30% of the total money once after the money is delivered to you, while the rest balance shall be my investment capital in your country. One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this matter to a third party, if you do not want to be party to this business please delete, this letter from your email box to avoid any leakage of this information and it will be dangerous to me based on my position here. I have chosen to contact you after my prayers and I believe that you will not betray my trust nor thwart my dream, though you may wonder why I am so soon revealing myself to you without formal introduction, well, I will say that my mind convinced me that you are the true person to help me in receiving and investing this Fund. Note; I do not know how long we going to remain here and my fate since I have survived two bomb attack here, which prompted me to search out for a reliable and trust worthy person to help me receive and invest the Fund, because I will be coming over to your home country to invest and start a new life not as a soldier anymore. I hope my explanation is very clear but if you need further clarification just let me know and i will explain further, I want to let you know that here in the military zone we are not allow to make use of mobile phone, we only make use of radio message and email communication so please let us continue communicating through email for the mean time. Conclusively,i wish you could send me a reply immediately in regards to this proposal,your urgent reply will be highly appreciated. Attached here is my picture and the photocopy of the money. I Wait to receive your acceptable reply as soon as you read this letter. Love from. Christina M Hammock. From: Christina M Hammock Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2015 12:24:21 +0000 Subject: Hello Dear Send your below information to me urgently. My beloved, Hope you're in good healthy and fine today? I want to say a big thanks to you for making out time to write to me again, the content of your letter are well understood, i do not want you to see this deal as some thing that will bring problem to you, but i want you to trust and believe me when i say that there is nothing to worry about in this deal, honestly i have made every necessary arrangement that will lead to safe delivery of the cash box to you without any form of problem nor risk OK. Am a Woman that does things in accordance to the directives of my spirit, i chose you to be my partner and also help me in receiving this cash box because my spirit has been bearing me witness that you are the rightful person for me and i know you will not disappoint me, i chose to use you as partner in this deal because am not permitted to send package down to any of my friends nor relatives since am still in the military camp outside USA, if i eventually send out any thing to the USA it will be suspicious and i will be query for the action, so i chose you because i know you are the ideal person for this deal as foreigner who is not a USA citizen. Please put away fear or doubt and make up your mind to help me in this matter, i promise you you will not regret been part of this matter, i do not know what else i can say to convince you and make you to believe me, but i pray that God will give you the grace to make up your mind. One more time i want to let you know that there is no complication on this matter, if you follow my instruction every thing will go smooth and well in the process of receiving the cash box, Please try and keep this matter secret between you and i,to avoid making room for enemy because if you and i should agree on one thing with our heart with seriousness then we must surely achieve success at the end. Please i want to remind you once again that every arrangement towards this project is intact between both of us and on no account should you let the security company to know the content of the box, remember that the consignment was registered as diplomatic package to the security company and that is what they believe to be in the box, so you should not let them know that the content of the box is money. Please i will like you to send your contact information to me so that i can forward to the security company to enable them proceed to your country for the final delivery of the cash box to your door step. Send your below information to me urgently; Your full names:........... Your age:........... Your address:.............. Post code:................. City:...................... Country:................... Telephone number:......... Profession:................ Once am through here with my official assignment i will come over to meet you one on one in your country and after that we shall decide on how to carry on with our life, but for now please i will appreciate us to be more focus on this issue of you receiving the cash box and safe keeping it on my behalf till i come over then i will handle the depositing of the money in the bank by myself. I await your immediate response Love and care from, Yours Christina. From: Christina M Hammock Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2015 18:01:26 +0000 Subject: Please contact the delivery company immediately. Hello Sweetheart, Greetings from the Military Base, how are you doing today? it is my prayers that you will always be in good health where ever you are presently,as for me? i am fine,but only thinking and meditating on how to handle and fulfill this my desire of being together with you. Thanks for your information and I am doing everything possible to make sure you receive the money successfully, I have contacted the courier's firm (GTB GLOBAL DELIVERY/SECURITY COMPANY) they are reliable and trustworthy, They will tag the box as diplomatic luggage and bring it to your door-step in your country and as personal luggage, I have handed the box to them through their agent here, you will receive it as personal items,They pick all packages to their head office Lome-Togo before departing to other parts of the world, I have chosen this fast service so that you can receive the package within 72 hours after departure, they will bring the package to your home address that you have provided, I have inform them about your traveling for holidays but i was told that you will receive the package in the next hours I have registered the box/consignment and handed it to the company through their agent here ,the company is with all your details, Here in our Military Base, the government provide us with everything we need, our paycheck is paid to our bank account in the United States till we go back home after the assignment, so as far as i remain in Libya, i cannot receive or send out money, i have paid for the registration of the consignment and have placed a shipment instruction to the shipment company for the delivery of the box to your door step in your country. Note that the diplomat do not know the content of the box for security reason and Below is the company's contact details, please contact them now, tell them your name and country, that you are the rightful person to receive the cargo from Christina M Hammock , the US Army Officer and the name of the delivery company are below, GTB GLOBAL DELIVERY/SECURITY COMPANY. WEBSITE: www.gtb-globals.tk EMAIL: michaeldickson.gtb@gtb-globals.tk EMAIL: gtbcustomercareservice@hotmail.com Telephone +22893539619 DIRECTOR IN CHARGE MR MICHAEL DICKSON Meanwhile, i have forwarded your contact details to the company but still advice that you write to the company to the email above immediately, the company will attend to you as soon as you contact them,i have started with the arrangement to meet you before ending of the month. Please permit me to pause so far, and i will be waiting to receive your positive update as soon as you contact the company. God bless you and your family. Hug and kisses. Love and care from, Christina ! From: Christina M Hammock Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2015 18:04:37 +0000 CC: "michaeldickson.gtb@gtb-globals.tk" , "gtbcustomercareservice@hotmail.com" , "gtbcustomercareservice@gmail.com" Subject: Request for the Delivering of my Package. Dear Sir I am from I am contacting you regarding my package that was send to me by Gen Christina M Hammock presently now in Libya. i was told to contact your company regarding my package which was sent to me through your company, and i plead to you to use your good office and make the delivering at my destination as fast as possible. Below here is my contact details. Here are my personal details: Name: Age: Address: Country: Phone: Occupation: Best Regards, Site: waydate From: christina46 Date: 2015-12-18 19:52:43 Hello dear friend Please contact me now i have something important to share with you for more detail, here is my private email address christinahammock02@gmail.com Date: Sat, 19 Dec 2015 10:33:56 +0100 From: christina hammock Subject: FROM CHRISTINA.M.HAMMOCK Hi Dear, Thanks for your urgent response, I know that this letter may come to you as a surprise, My name is Christina M Hammock, I am US military/Nasa officer currently in Libya now. and i will like to get acquainted with you, I am loving, honest and caring person with a good sense of humor, I enjoy meeting new people and knowing their way of life, I enjoy watching the sea waves and the beauty of the mountains and everything that nature has to offer. however, i really want to establish a true relationship that may lead into a business partner or something else. It is my pleasure meeting you, I hope all is well with you and how are you enjoying your day?. I want you to know that we are being attacked by insurgents everyday and car bombs and during one of our rescue mission we came across a safe box that contain huge amount of money that belongs to the supporters of the over thrown government of Libya, which I believe was money meant for buying weapons and ammunition, and it was agreed by all Army officers present on that rescue mission that the money will be shared among us and which we did. Out of the total fund my share was $6.7,000,000 (six Million seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) I am seeking your assistance to evacuate my share of the money out of this country (Libya) to your own country for you to keep it safe on my behalf till i come over to your country, So i want you to assure me that if this money is been delivered to you in your country that you are going to be trustworthy to keep the money till when i will come to your country to meet you face to face to collect the money back from you. It's clear to me that you might be scared of this proposal, but i want to let you know that i have made solid arrangements with a Security Company and they have promised to deliver the fund through diplomatic method to any of my choosing destination. This delivery is going to be handle legally by the Security Company and there will not be any form of risk involve in the process and the money will be pack safely in a truck case and the same case will be deliver to you in your country. I have decide to compensate you with 30% of the total money once after the money is delivered to you, while the rest balance shall be my investment capital in your country. One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this matter to a third party, if you do not want to be party to this business please delete, this letter from your email box to avoid any leakage of this information and it will be dangerous to me based on my position here. I have chosen to contact you after my prayers and I believe that you will not betray my trust nor thwart my dream, though you may wonder why I am so soon revealing myself to you without formal introduction, well, I will say that my mind convinced me that you are the true person to help me in receiving and investing this Fund. Note; I do not know how long we going to remain here and my fate since I have survived two bomb attack here, which prompted me to search out for a reliable and trust worthy person to help me receive and invest the Fund, because I will be coming over to your home country to invest and start a new life not as a soldier anymore. I hope my explanation is very clear but if you need further clarification just let me know and i will explain further, I want to let you know that here in the military zone we are not allow to make use of mobile phone, we only make use of radio message and email communication so please let us continue communicating through email for the mean time. Conclusively, i wish you could send me a reply immediately in regards to this proposal, your urgent reply will be highly appreciated. Attached here is my picture and the photocopy of the money. I Wait to receive your acceptable reply as soon as you read this letter. Love from. Christina M Hammock Date: Sat, 19 Dec 2015 14:25:14 +0100 From: christina hammock Subject: FROM CHRISTINA.M.HAMMOCK My beloved, Good day to you and how is your health today, i hope you are healthy and fine? I want to say a big thanks to you for making out time to write to me again, the content of your letter are well understood, i do not want you to see this deal as some thing that will bring problem to you, but i want you to trust and believe me when i say that there is nothing to worry about in this deal, OK. Am a Woman that does things in accordance to the directives of my spirit, i chose you to be my partner and also help me in receiving this cash box because my spirit has been bearing me witness that you are the rightful person for me and i know you will not disappoint me, i chose to use you as partner in this deal because am not permitted to send package down to any of my friends nor relatives since am still in the military camp outside USA, if i eventually send out any thing to the USA it will be suspicious and i will be query for the action, so i chose you because i know you are the ideal person for this deal as foreigner who is not a USA citizen. Please put away fear or doubt and make up your mind to help me in this matter, i promise you you will not regret been part of this matter, i do not know what else i can say to convince you and make you to believe me, but i pray that God will give you the grace to make up your mind. One more time i want to let you know that there is no complication on this matter, if you follow my instruction every thing will go smooth and well in the process of receiving the cash box, Please try and keep this matter secret between you and i,to avoid making room for enemy because if you and i should agree on one thing with our heart with seriousness then we must surely achieve success at the end. Please i want to remind you once again that every arrangement towards this project is intact between both of us and on no account should you let the security company to know the content of the box, remember that the consignment was registered as diplomatic package to the security company and that is what they believe to be in the box, so you should not let them know that the content of the box is money. Please i will like you to send your contact information to me so that i can forward to the security company to enable them proceed to your country for the final delivery of the cash box to your door step. Send your below information to me urgently; Your full names:........... Your age:........... Your address:.............. Post code:................. City:...................... Country:................... Telephone number:......... Profession:................ Once am through here with my official assignment i will come over to meet you one on one in your country and after that we shall decide on how to carry on with our life, but for now please i will appreciate us to be more focus on this issue of you receiving the cash box and safe keeping it on my behalf till i come over then i will handle the depositing of the money in the bank by myself. I await your immediate response Love and care from, Yours Christina. Date: Sun, 20 Dec 2015 08:59:00 +0100 From: christina hammock Subject: Please contact the delivery company immediately Sweetheart, Greetings from the Military Base, how are you doing today? it is my prayers that you will always be in good health where ever you are presently, as for me? i am fine ,but only thinking and meditating on how to handle and fulfill this my desire of being together with you. Thanks for your information and I am doing everything possible to make sure you receive the money successfully, I have contacted the courier's firm (GTB GLOBAL DELIVERY/SECURITY COMPANY) they are reliable and trustworthy, They will tag the box as diplomatic luggage and bring it to your door-step in your country and as personal luggage, I have handed the box to them through their agent here, you will receive it as personal items, They pick all packages to their head office Lome-Togo before departing to other parts of the world, I have chosen this fast service so that you can receive the package within 72 hours after departure, they will bring the package to your home address that you have provided, I have registered the box/consignment and handed it to the company through their agent here, the company is with all your details, Here in our Military Base, the government provide us with everything we need, our paycheck is paid to our bank account in the United States till we go back home after the assignment, so as far as i remain in Libya, i cannot receive or send out money, i have paid for the registration of the consignment and have placed a shipment instruction to the shipment company for the delivery of the box to your door step in your country. Note that the diplomat do not know the content of the box for security reason and Below is the company's contact details, please contact them now, tell them your name and country, that you are the rightful person to receive the cargo from Christina M Hammock, the US Army Officer and the name of the delivery company are below, GTB GLOBAL DELIVERY/SECURITY COMPANY. WEBSITE: www.gtb-globals.tk EMAIL: michaeldickson.gtb@gtb-globals.tk EMAIL: gtbcustomercareservice@hotmail.com Telephone: +22893539619 DIRECTOR IN CHARGE MR MICHAEL DICKSON Meanwhile, i have forwarded your contact details to the company but still advice that you write to the company to the email above immediately, the company will attend to you as soon as you contact them, i have started with the arrangement to meet you before ending of the month. Please permit me to pause so far, and i will be waiting to receive your positive update as soon as you contact the company. God bless you and your family. Hug and kisses. Love and care from, Christina! Date: Sun, 20 Dec 2015 09:03:23 +0100 From: christina hammock Cc: gtbcustomercareservice@hotmail.com, michaeldickson.gtb@gtb-globals.tk Subject: Request for the Delivering of my package Dear Sir I am from , i am contacting you regarding my package that was send to me by Gen Christina M Hammock presently now in Libya. i was told to contact your company regarding my package which was sent to me through your company, and i plead to you to use your good office and make the delivering at my destination as fast as possible, Below here is my contact details. My full names: My age: My address: Post code: City: Country: Telephone number: Profession: Yours Faithful From: Christina M Hammock < christinah205@hotmail.com > Sent: Mon, May 30, 2016 7:30 pm Subject: Hello Dear, please kindly write me back for better communication Hello Dear How are you doing, my name is Christina from United States, i come across your e-mail contact on facebook.com, please kindly write me back for better communication, i have something important i want to discuss with you, Christina From: Christina M Hammock < christinah205@hotmail.com > Sent: Thu, Jun 2, 2016 9:07 am Subject: Out of the total fund, my share was $2.300,000 Hello Dear, Thanks for your email, how are you doing , I know that this letter may come to you as a surprise, My name is Christina M Hammock, I am US military/Nasa officer currently in Libya now. and i will like to get acquainted with you, I am loving, honest and caring person with a good sense of humor, I enjoy meeting new people and knowing their way of life, I enjoy watching the sea waves and the beauty of the mountains and everything that nature has to offer. however, i really want to establish a true relationship that may lead into a business partner or something else. It is my pleasure meeting you, I hope all is well with you and how are you enjoying your day. I want you to know that we are being attacked by insurgents everyday and car bombs and during one of our rescue mission we came across a safe box that contain huge amount of money that belongs to the supporters of the over thrown government of Libya, which I believe was money meant for buying weapons and ammunition, and it was agreed by all Army officers present on that rescue mission that the money will be shared among us and which we did. Out of the total fund, my share was $2. 300 ,000 (Two Million Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) I am seeking your assistance to evacuate my share of the money out of this country (Libya) to your own country for you to keep it safe on my behalf till i come over to your country, So i want you to assure me that if this money is been delivered to you in your country that you are going to be trustworthy to keep the money till when i will come to your country to meet you face to face to collect the money back from you. It's clear to me that you might be scared of this proposal, but i want to let you know that i have made solid arrangements with a Security Company and they have promised to deliver the fund through diplomatic method to any of my choosing destination. This delivery is going to be handle legally by the Security Company and there will not be any form of risk involve in the process and the money will be pack safely in a truck case and the same case will be deliver to you in your country. I have decide to compensate you with 30% of the total money once after the money is delivered to you, while the rest balance shall be my investment capital in your country. One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this matter to a third party, if you do not want to be party to this business please delete, this letter from your email box to avoid any leakage of this information and it will be dangerous to me based on my position here. I have chosen to contact you after my prayers and I believe that you will not betray my trust nor thwart my dream, though you may wonder why I am so soon revealing myself to you without formal introduction, well, I will say that my mind convinced me that you are the true person to help me in receiving and investing this Fund. Note I do not know how long we going to remain here and my fate since I have survived two bomb attack here, which prompted me to search out for a reliable and trust worthy person to help me receive and invest the Fund, because I will be coming over to your home country to invest and start a new life not as a soldier anymore. I hope my explanation is very clear but if you need further clarification just let me know and i will explain further, I want to let you know that here in the military zone we are not allow to make use of mobile phone, we only make use of radio message and email communication so please let us continue communicating through email for the mean time. Conclusively,i wish you could send me a reply immediately in regards to this proposal,your urgent reply will be highly appreciated. Attached here is my picture and the photocopy of the money. I w ait to receive your acceptable reply as soon as you read this letter. Love from Christina M. Hammock From: Christina M Hammock < christinah205@hotmail.com > Sent: Fri, Jun 3, 2016 9:34 am Subject: Kindly send your below information to me urgently My beloved, Good day to you and how is your health today, i hope you are healthy and fine ? I want to say a big thanks to you for making out time to write to me again, the content of your letter are well understood, i do not want you to see this deal as some thing that will bring problem to you, but i want you to trust and believe me when i say that there is nothing to worry about in this deal, honestly i have made every necessary arrangement that will lead to safe delivery of the cash box to you without any form of problem nor risk OK. Am a Woman that does things in accordance to the directives of my spirit, i chose you to be my partner and also help me in receiving this cash box because my spirit has been bearing me witness that you are the rightful person for me and i know you will not disappoint me, i chose to use you as partner in this deal because am not permitted to send package down to any of my friends nor relatives since am still in the military camp outside USA, if i eventually send out any thing to the USA it will be suspicious and i will be query for the action, so i chose you because i know you are the ideal person for this deal as foreigner who is not a USA citizen. Please put away fear or doubt and make up your mind to help me in this matter, i promise you you will not regret been part of this matter, i do not know what else i can say to convince you and make you to believe me, but i pray that God will give you the grace to make up your mind. One more time i want to let you know that there is no complication on this matter, if you follow my instruction every thing will go smooth and well in the process of receiving the cash box, Please try and keep this matter secret between you and i,to avoid making room for enemy because if you and i should agree on one thing with our heart with seriousness then we must surely achieve success at the end. Please i want to remind you once again that every arrangement towards this project is intact between both of us and on no account should you let the security company to know the content of the box, remember that the consignment was registered as diplomatic package to the security company and that is what they believe to be in the box, so you should not let them know that the content of the box is money. Please i will like you to send your contact information to me so that i can forward to the security company to enable them proceed to your country for the final delivery of the cash box to your door step. Send your below information to me urgently, Your full names:. . . . . . Your age:. . . . . . Your address:. . . . . . . Post code:. . . . . . . . . City:. . . . . . . . . . . Country:. . . . . . . . . . Telephone number:. . . . . Profession:. . . . . . . . Once am through here with my official assignment i will come over to meet you one on one in your country and after that we shall decide on how to carry on with our life, but for now please i will appreciate us to be more focus on this issue of you receiving the cash box and safe keeping it on my behalf till i come over then i will handle the depositing of the money in the bank by myself. I await your immediate response. Love and care from, Your Christina. From: Christina M Hammock < christinah205@hotmail.com > Sent: Tue, Jun 7, 2016 6:25 pm Subject: Safe delivery of this cash box to you without any form of problem nor risk My beloved, Good day to you and how is your health today, i hope you are healthy and fine ? I want to say a big thanks to you for making out time to write to me again, the content of your letter are well understood, i do not want you to see this deal as some thing that will bring problem to you, but i want you to trust and believe me when i say that there is nothing to worry about in this deal, honestly i have made every necessary arrangement that will lead to safe delivery of the cash box to you without any form of problem nor risk OK.I'm a woman that does things in accordance to the directives of my spirit, i chose you to be my partner and also help me in receiving this cash box because my spirit has been bearing me witness that you are the rightful person for me and i know you will not disappoint me, i chose to use you as partner in this deal because am not permitted to send package down to any of my friends nor relatives since am still in the military camp outside USA, if i eventually send out any thing to the USA it will be suspicious and i will be query for the action, so i chose you because i know you are the ideal person for this deal as foreigner who is not a USA citizen. Please put away fear or doubt and make up your mind to help me in this matter, i promise you you will not regret been part of this matter, i do not know what else i can say to convince you and make you to believe me, but i pray that God will give you the grace to make up your mind.One more time i want to let you know that there is no complication on this matter, if you follow my instruction every thing will go smooth and well in the process of receiving the cash box, Please try and keep this matter secret between you and i,to avoid making room for enemy because if you and i should agree on one thing with our heart with seriousness then we must surely achieve success at the end. Please i want to remind you once again that every arrangement towards this project is intact between both of us and on no account should you let the security company to know the content of the box, remember that the consignment was registered as diplomatic package to the security company and that is what they believe to be in the box, so you should not let them know that the content of the box is money.Please i will like you to send your contact information to me so that i can forward to the security company to enable them proceed to your country for the final delivery of the cash box to your door step. Send your below informations to me urgently, Your full names:. . . . . . Your age:. . . . . . Your address:. . . . . . . Post code:. . . . . . . . . City:. . . . . . . . . . . Country:. . . . . . . . . . Telephone number:. . . . . Profession:. . . . . . . . Once am through here with my official assignment i will come over to meet you one on one in your country and after that we shall decide on how to carry on with our life, but for now please i will appreciate us to be more focus on this issue of you receiving the cash box and safe keeping it on my behalf till i come over then i will handle the depositing of the money in the bank by myself. I await your immediate response. Love and care from, Yours Christina. If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more.... The overriding message in the 2016 election should be just two words: The Constitution! After Obamas Constitution-shredding governance, 2016 is Americas last chance to return the Constitution to its central in American politics. Americas Founders had the unique opportunity to build a government from scratch. They had several models from which to choose, such as a British-style monarchy, a communal approach (which almost killed the Pilgrims), or Platos elite philosopher-rulers. They chose none of those. The Founders genius was realizing that that all existing government models, no matter their nature (monarchies, theocracies, etc.), invariably had a pyramidal structure, with power vested in the top of the pyramid. The Founders wanted power at the base of the pyramid, with the people, as they stated in the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Unlike other so-called revolutionaries who substituted themselves for the rulers they overthrew, the Founders created a true revolutionary paradigm. They broke governing authority into its constituent parts (legislative, executive, and judicial) and divvied that power amongst three different, but equal, branches of government. No government branch could act alone. The theory was that each branch would guard its power jealously, thereby keeping either of the other two branches from becoming dominant. We know this system as one of checks and balances. As an additional check on government power, the Founders enacted the Bill of Rights, a list of inviolate rights vested in the individual that the government can neither give nor take away. While the First through Eighth Amendments detail these rights, the Ninth and Tenth hammer home the limits of government power. The Ninth Amendment affirms that Americans have more rights than those listed in the Bill of Rights, with unlisted rights presumptively in the People. The Tenth Amendment holds that, unless the Constitution specifically reserves an affirmative right for the federal government or prohibits it to a state, all other rights the universe of rights, whether or not articulated belong to the states or to the people within those states. This extraordinary document makes the United States the exceptional nation it is. We are the only nation in the world ever, at any time or in any place, that truly places power in the individual. In other modern nations, although citizens may gain some temporary material benefits before their bureaucratically-controlled economies run out of other peoples money, they are as fully enslaved as they ever were in the bad old days. Our uniqueness is also demonstrated by the fact that we are the only nation in history that, after shedding our blood to free other countries, turns back control to their self-rule, secure in the belief that the benefit we receive from our efforts will come about solely because we serve as their friend and role model. And then theres President Barack Obama. . . . I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Presidential Oath of Office Progressives misleadingly claim that Obama has issued fewer Executive Orders than past presidents, including Reagan. In fact, as of January 2016, in addition to executing 230 Executive Orders, Obama also executed 273 Presidential Memoranda. While Memoranda are identical in effect to Executive Orders, theyre not formally published in the Federal Register. Obama is therefore responsible for a grand total of 430 unilateral executive actions. Obamas unilateral acts also differ in scope from past presidents acts. Executive orders are intended to be managerial documents, along the lines of closing offices on December 24. Obama, however, uses them for substantive actions encroaching upon Congresss purview. After Obamacares disastrous debut, Obama amended the law to prop it up. He enacted amnesty, directly contravening federal immigration laws he was unable to pass even with a Democrat Congress. He entered into a treaty with Iran, freeing billions of dollars for Iran and putting Americas imprimatur on Irans continuing nuclear development. Obama ludicrously contended his engagement with Iran wasnt a treaty, which would require Senate approval; it was a just a non-binding agreement. Most recently, Obama began his unilateral executive push to limit Americans all important Second Amendment rights, something else he could not get through Congress. These unconstitutional power grabs should not surprise anyone. During a 2001 radio interview, Obama already spoke slightingly about the Constitution: The Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society [The Supreme Court] didnt break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as its been interpreted, and the Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. [It] says what the states cant do to you. [It] says what the federal government cant do to you, but [it] doesnt say what the federal government or state government must do on your behalf. What conservatives see as the Constitutions greatest virtue namely, that it elevates the individual over the government is something Obama sees as its greatest defect. Obamas disdain for the Constitution reappeared when he touted his new limitations on Second Amendment rights: This is a ritual about this whole thing that I have to do. I believe in the Second Amendment. Its there written on the paper. It guarantees a right to bear arms. No matter how many times people try to twist my words around, I taught constitutional law and I know a little bit about this. The Second Amendment is not just something written on paper. It is an inalienable right fed by the blood of every American who has died in libertys defense. When Americans in 2010, 2012, and 2014 rebuked Obamas overreach by denying him a Democrat Congress, Obamas response was to dismiss the Peoples will: Were not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that were providing Americans the kind of help they need. Ive got a pen and Ive got a phone. And I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions and administrative actions that move the ball forward in helping to make sure our kids are getting the best education possible, making sure that our businesses are getting the kind of support and help they need to grow and advance, to make sure that people are getting the skills that they need to get those jobs that our businesses are creating. Obama is not the first Democrat to find the Constitution frustrating. Since Wilson, Progressives have championed the bureaucratic state as a way to govern outside of the Constitution. Under Democrat administrations federal agencies routinely passed regulations with the force and effect of law, effectively voiding the Constitutions checks and balances. Where Obama differs from his predecessors is his abandonment of subtlety, incrementalism, and popular support. He simply launches all-out attacks on the Bill of Rights and the balance of power. Here are just three egregious examples: (1) The EPAs unilaterally designated carbon dioxide as a pollutant, even though a Democrat-controlled Congresss refused to pass legislation to that effect. (2) The EPAs implemented cap-and-trade through their new power plant rules, another concept a Democrat-controlled Congress rejected. (3) The HHS published rules requiring all health insurance to cover birth control and abortifacients, something that impinges on many Americans religious beliefs and that would never have survived Congress. Congress bears some blame for Obamas power grab. During his first two years, a Democrat-majority Congress actively encouraged his fundamental transformations. After Americans booted that Congress, though, the new Congress was quiescent when Obamas encroached on its sphere of interest. The Founders were therefore wrong about one thing: When the executive branch strengthened itself at the legislatures expense, the latter did not jealously protect its power; instead, it collapsed. Obamas dangerous rule by bureaucracy means that Republican voters in 2016 have a very stark choice facing them: Do they vote for the candidate who promises to make American great through his charisma, or do they vote for the candidate who promises to make America great by restoring the Constitution to its central place in American governance? The answer to that question lies within the question itself: You cannot restore America unless you first restore the Constitution to its rightful place in American politics. If elected, Donald Trump will probably fulfill many of his promises to undo some of the damage Obama has done. The problem is that his free-wheeling stump promises and well-known business history indicate that hell carry out his promises the same way Obama did it: Using executive ukases, manipulating existing laws to his advantage, playing the crony capitalist game, and smearing his political opponents. Trumps past statements about Constitutional issues reveal that he used to be a liberal Democrat. Thus, the pre-primary Trump identified himself as a Democrat on those issues, being wholeheartedly pro-Choice, pro-government land grabs, pro-Obamacare, and anti-gun: Given Trumps past disdain for the Constitution, even if he carries out his promises, the cost to America may be too high. Trump appears set to wreak more of the same havoc on the Constitution that Obama already has. Ted Cruz is the only candidate who has had a decades long reverence for the Constitution. He appreciates that the Constitution is the only document in human history to vest power away from the elite and in each individual, making it a bulwark against tyranny. Moreover, Cruz can clearly articulate his constitutional convictions and is willing to stand by them, even if it means taking on his own party. Cruz has promised to issue Executive Orders voiding Obamas extra-constitutional legislative activities, but after that he will return power to the People through their representatives in Congress. Hell also reliably nominate Supreme Court justices who understand that American constitutionalism means a limited government tasked with individual liberties. That this constitutional fealty will appeal to the general public was demonstrated during Cruzs appearance on Stephen Colberts show. When Colbert asked Cruz about gay marriage, the reliably Leftist audience started booing Cruz. However, after Cruz explained that gay marriage is a decision for the people, not the political anointed, he got a round of applause from that same audience (at 2:58): Cruz effectively used the Constitution to reassure Progressives that they need not fear his presidency because our constitutional structure prevents demagoguery. Instead, it vests power in the people where it belongs. This is a very appealing, all-American message. Even if you agree with Trumps stated goals or his possible effectiveness, you should think twice before you vote for a person who appears to be a vaguely conservative, populist white Obama. Meanwhile, remember that Cruz has long supported the causes that Trump suddenly espouses: Hes always been for strong national security; a strong military; strong borders; free market, not crony, capitalism; freedom of worship; Second Amendment rights; support for Israel; and enmity to jihadist Islam. Even better, Cruzs history shows that hell govern through, not around, the Constitution. Thats certainly got my vote. Bookworm is the proprietor of Bookworm Room Donald Trump created a media firestorm when he called for a moratorium on Muslim immigration to the US. Trump was denounced as a xenophobic racist -- as if Islam was not a religion, but a race (go figure). Trump's announcement was apparently prompted by a terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, where two Islamic terrorists killed fourteen people. The San Bernardino incident followed in the wake of a coordinated strike by ISIS in November that slaughtered 130 people in Paris, France. It's an absurd but deadly circus. Time after time, Islamic terrorists murder innocent people, and leftists immediately fall all over themselves to embrace Muslims and declare Islam to be a "religion of peace." In my home state, the director of the Oklahoma chapter of CAIR denounced anti-Muslim rhetoric and warned, "hateful words too often lead to violence." Listening to this sort of propaganda one might obtain the impression that Christian Crusaders were massacring innocent Muslims. The reality is that Islamic terrorists worldwide are intent not just on the genocide of Christians but the replacement of Western Civilization by a universal caliphate. If any people doubt this, I would invite them to watch the Frontline documentary, The Rise of Isis. A group called the Islamic Circle of North America has been putting up billboards in major cities in the US. The billboards read "Muhammad believed in peace, social justice, and women's rights." Of course he did. Muhammad's idea of peace and social justice was killing anyone who refused to accept his religion. And it is true that women have certain rights in Islam. So did African slaves in the antebellum South. Southern States enacted Slave Codes that detailed and protected these rights. It's easy to completely deceive people with half-truths. Michael Moore scaled the heights of stupidity by standing outside the Trump Tower in New York City holding up a sign that read, "we are all Muslim." Moore knows we're not literally all Muslims, so presumably his message was that we're all capable of being victims of religious discrimination. President Obama has steadfastly refused to even acknowledge the existence of Islamic terrorism. The message we're supposed to take from this is that Islam is just another religion, like Buddhism, Hinduism, or Presbyterianism. In 1997, a left-wing think tank in the UK, the Runnymede Trust, coined the neologism "Islamophobia." "Islamophobia" is now defined in a lengthy Wikipedia article as "prejudice against, hatred towards, or fear of the religion of Islam or Muslims." A phobia is an irrational fear. Thus the term by its very existence presumes what necessarily must be demonstrated: that dislike of Islam is irrational. We're repeatedly assured that Islamic terrorists are not Islamic, that Islam is a religion of peace, and we should wholeheartedly embrace our peaceful Muslim brothers and open our borders to them. We're supposed to accept all of this while we're being slaughtered like sheep. What makes the promulgation of this nonsense possible and acceptable to a large segment of our society is simple ignorance. According to a recent Pew Poll, most Americans "know little or nothing about Islam." I know something about Islam, and I'm writing to tell you that it's worse than you think. When Donald Trump suggested a cessation to Muslim immigration he didn't go far enough. We need a Constitutional Amendment to exclude Islam from the protections of the First Amendment. I hesitate to suggest such a radical idea, but will explain myself at length. There was a time when I would have wholeheartedly embraced the extension of religious toleration to Islam. The idea that Islamic terrorism is promulgated by a tiny, radical minority that does not represent the heart of the faith is certainly a plausible proposition for anyone who has not studied the history of Islam. It is precisely because I know something about Islam and its history that I am led to the conclusion that our Constitution must be amended. My views on Islam are informed by the research I did when writing the second volume of my history of science, Early Christianity, the Rise of Islam and the Middle Ages. Prior to studying the history of Islam, I would have assumed that it is just another religion. Views of religion held by most people in the US have been strongly influenced by the historical dominance of Christianity in Western Civilization. We tend to view religion as a matter of individual conscience. Different denominations may have different views on obscure matters of doctrine, but all religions are seen as promoting peace, justice, love, and mercy. Ignorant of the true nature of Islam, most Americans implicitly see it as a nothing more than a quaint variant of Christianity. Islam is nothing like Christianity. For that matter, it's unlike every other religion on earth. Islam is not just a religion -- it's a vicious totalitarian system that governs every aspect of human behavior. Islam is not based on concepts of love or mercy. It's based on tyranny, killing, and suppression. Islam is utterly antithetical to the Western ideal of individual freedom. The very word "Islam" means "submission." William Muir (1819-1905) was perhaps the most perspicacious and knowledgeable Western scholar who ever studied Islam. The first one-hundred and five pages of his monumental Life of Mahomet is devoted to a discussion and evaluation of primary and original sources. Muir concluded "the sword of Mahomet, and the Koran, are the most fatal enemies of civilization, liberty, and truth, which the world has yet known." Islam began with Muhammad, an illiterate merchant who resided in the city of Mecca during the seventh century. Around the year AD 610, Muhammad purportedly began to receive revelations from the god, Allah, through the angel Gabriel. The gist of these messages was that he was to preach a new, monotheistic religion designed to replace the animistic and polytheistic faiths of the Meccans. Unlike Jesus Christ, who readily attracted a multitude of followers (Matthew 15.30), Muhammad failed to spread his message by proselytizing. After ten years of preaching, he had only a handful of converts. During his final three or four years of residency in Mecca, Muhammad was unable to obtain a single new convert. Having failed in Mecca, Muhammad tried his luck in the nearby city of Taif. The town's inhabitants endured Muhammad for ten days. Then they beat him and summarily expelled the would-be prophet from their city. In 622 AD Muhammad emigrated to the Arabian city of Yathrib, subsequently renamed Medina, the City of the Prophet. The move to Medina is known as the Hegira. This date marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. Islam under Muhammad now took a new direction. Having failed to spread Islam by peaceful means, Muhammad resolved to initiate holy war, a jihad. The proliferation of Islam by violence continues to the present day. It is not an anomaly. Jihad was initiated by the founder of Islam and it will continue so long as Islam endures on earth. The Koran (Sura 61) asserts that Allah loves "those who...do battle for his cause," and that conflict must continue until Islam is "victorious over every other religion." Seven months after his arrival at Medina, Muhammad and his followers began to support themselves through brigandry. They raided mercantile caravans that traveled back-and-forth from Mecca. Initially, the Muslim raids failed. The caravan leaders had centuries of experience in evading and defending themselves from thieves. So Muhammad resolved to commit yet another crime. He decided to make a raid during the holy month of Rajab. During the raid, one of the Meccan traders was killed. This initiated full-scale warfare between the Muslims and Meccans. The Meccans were not the only victims of Muhammad. In the seventh century, Arabia contained a number of thriving Jewish communities. They're not there any longer because Muhammad and his followers began a process of ethnic cleansing that resulted in the removal of all Jews from the Arabian Peninsula. In 627 AD Muhammad besieged the Jewish tribe of the Coreitza. After fourteen days the Jews surrendered. Muhammad ordered long, narrow trenches to be dug. He then led the Jewish men out of their enclave in small groups with their hands bound behind their backs. Seven-hundred Jews were made to kneel by the side of the trenches and decapitated. All the men were killed. The women and children were taken as slaves. When it came to the genocidal murder of Jews, Muhammad made Adolf Hitler look like a piker. If this seems like an unnecessarily inflammatory statement to you, you have to understand -- I'm just giving you the unvarnished truth. There is no controversy about the historical reality of the massacre of the Coreitzan Jews. The account is found in the eighth-century biography of Muhammad by Ibn Ishaq, a primary source. Eventually Muhammad won his wars with the Meccans. He rode into Mecca, removed all idolatrous images from the Kaaba, and established Islam as the dominant religion in the Arabian Peninsula. After Muhammad's death in 632 AD, Islam continued to be spread by warfare. Muslims conquered the Middle East and North Africa. They crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and were stopped from overrunning Europe at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD. Muslims remained in Spain and Sicily until Europeans finally expelled them during the High Middle Ages. Christianity and Islam are diametric opposites. Jesus Christ preached mercy (Matthew 5.7) and advised people to love their enemies (Luke 6.27). Muhammad killed his enemies. Furthermore, he exulted and reveled in bloodshed. He gave Muslims permission to "kill any Jew that falls into your power." At the Battle of Badr in AD 624, one of his followers brought Muhammad the severed head of an enemy. The prophet was overjoyed. He pronounced the gift as "more acceptable to me than the choicest camel in all Arabia." But there is another, more ominous difference between Christianity and Islam. From the beginning, there has been a basis for separating the religious and the secular in Christianity. Asked if it was proper for a Jew to pay Roman taxes, Jesus Christ replied "render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22.21). Jesus also professed, "my kingdom is not of this world" (John 18.36). Unlike Christianity, there is no basis in Islam for separating church and state. Islamic countries are necessarily theocracies. Islam is not just a matter of individual conscience. Islam is a totalitarian system designed to instruct and govern nearly every aspect of human life. William Muir explained "scattered throughout...[the Koran are]...the archives of a theocratic government in all its departments...the elements of a code both criminal and civil are...introduced. Punishments for certain offences are specified, and a mass of legislation laid down for the tutelage of orphans, for marriage, divorce, sales, bargains, wills, evidence, usury and similar concerns." The implementation of the Islamic religious law is known as Sharia. Sharia Law governs not just religion, but a Muslim's "political, social, domestic, and private life." The Western tradition is that laws are implemented by men to establish just societies, however people living in different times and places may construe justice. But Sharia Law is based on the Koran. Muslims regard the Koran to be the literal word of Allah, a god they consider to be God. It cannot be amended, modified or reformed. It is an absolute. Since at least the advent of Greek democracy in the fifth century BC, this is a concept utterly foreign to the Western experience and tradition. Observant Muslims cannot conscientiously participate in democratic governments. They will go along with them until they reach the point at which they can implement Sharia Law by force. Islamic countries are among the most backward and technologically primitive in the world. Lacking the technical means of conquering Western countries they have hit upon a far simpler method: reproduction and immigration. According to the Pew Poll, "Muslims have more children than members of other religious groups." Muslim women have, on average, 3.1 children. This is nearly twice the European fertility rate of 1.6. Unless it is stopped, the Muslim surge into Europe will erase twenty-five hundred years of Western achievements in science, technology, art, and literature. Libraries will be emptied. Every book that is not a copy of the Koran will be burnt. Michelangelo's David will be smashed with a hammer. The Mona Lisa will be incinerated. If you think I'm exaggerating, take a look at how ISIS is currently destroying art and antiquities. I want to anticipate and rebut some of the arguments that are made in favor of the toleration of Islam. One of these is that most Muslims are peaceful people who have no intention of committing acts of violence or desire to force people of different faiths to convert to their religion. I concede this to be true, but it does not change my conclusions. The Pew Poll found that 86 percent of Muslims in the US agree that terrorism, in the form of violence against civilians for the purpose of promoting Islam, is "rarely or never justified." This statistic is not reassuring, but troubling. Muslims constitute 0.9 percent of the current US population of 322 million. That means we have 405,720 Muslims in the US who will not renounce terrorism. Pew furthermore found that a full seven percent of US Muslims (202,860 people) "say suicide bombings are sometimes justified." Whether they are personally involved or not, every person who identifies as Muslim supports Islam and therefore implicitly supports jihad, the propagation of terror and violence, and the complete eradication of our freedoms. Based on election results from the early 1930s, about one-third to one-half of the German people supported the Nazi Party. The vast majority of Nazi supporters were not personally involved in rounding up Jews and herding them into railroad cars for trips to death camps. Rather, it was their implicit support that made the implementation of Nazi policies possible. I often hear the argument that Christianity is as bad as Islam. It's denounced as being intolerant and having a history of violence. Frequently this claim is made by individuals resentful of the fact that traditional Christian morality condemns their lifestyle. I will concede that the history of Christianity is blemished. I cannot and will not defend the Spanish Inquisition, the Witch Mania, or the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. For hundreds of years in Europe, Catholics persecuted Protestants and the Protestant sects fought among themselves. It took a long time before people learned to tolerate those of different faiths. Accepting, however, that the history of Christianity is riddled with violent persecution, let's turn the thesis around. If human nature is so corruptible that it allows men to persecute, maim, and kill in the name of a religion that teaches us to love our enemies, what are human beings capable of when empowered by a direct message of hate and violence? If Christianity, a religion based on love, mercy, and universal brotherhood, has produced violence, what may be expected of Islam, a faith based on violence, hatred, and death? Is it any surprise that ISIS revels in some of the most inhumane atrocities in human history? Some people have argued that Islam can be reformed and metamorphose into a faith that can coexist peacefully with other religions. Good luck with that. Revealed religions in general tend to be extremely conservative. In all the major Abrahamic faiths, the age of prophecy is closed. There is no Jew or Christian who will entertain the idea of adding new chapters to the Torah or the Bible. Islam is even more conservative. The Bible and the Torah are considered to be the inspired word of God. Christian and Jewish theologians accept that their scriptures were written by men. For example, Moses is traditionally considered to be the author of the first five books of the Bible. Because the Bible was written by a human being, it is more subject to interpretation than the Koran. Muslims believe the Koran to be the literal word of Allah. It is profound heresy in Islam to attribute authorship of the Koran to Muhammad. Muhammad is regarded as the mouthpiece, repeating words given to him by Allah through Gabriel. Because the Koran is considered to be the literal word of Allah, it cannot be revised, and its text is less subject to vagaries of interpretation than the Bible or the Torah. Muslims view the Koran as infallible, absolute, and final. Thus reformation of Islam is impossible. The preceding considerations lead me to a point that most conservatives and libertarians will be initially reluctant to consider: amending the Constitution to exclude Islam from the protections of the First Amendment. Specifically, what I have in mind is an Amendment that not only excludes Islam from the First Amendment but also grants Congress and the States the power to tax and regulate it. To justify such a drastic step, I will review the historical underpinnings of the First Amendment. The modern concept of religious toleration developed among Protestant sects in seventeenth-century Europe. In A Letter Concerning Toleration (1689), John Locke (1632-1704) argued for religious toleration and the separation of church and state. "The toleration of those that differ from others in matter of religion," Locke argued, "is so agreeable to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to the genuine reason of mankind, that it seems monstrous for men to be so blind, as not to perceive the necessity and advantage of it, in so clear a light." That same year (1689), England enacted a Toleration Act that guaranteed freedom of worship to differing Protestant sects. However Catholics and Unitarians were excluded. John Locke went further, arguing that toleration should also be extended to Jews, Muslims, and pagans. Locke excluded only atheists. He believed they had no place in civil society because "promises, covenants, and oaths, which are the bonds of humane society, can have no hold upon an atheist." The most fervent advocate of religious toleration was Pierre Bayle (1647-1706), an exiled Huguenot residing in Holland. Largely forgotten today, Bayle has been called "the father of modern toleration." His greatest work, the Historical and Critical Dictionary, is commonly referred to as the "arsenal of the Enlightenment," reflecting the fact that later Enlightenment writers such as Voltaire derived most of their arguments and ideas from Bayle's Dictionary. Bayle advocated toleration of all faiths. He went beyond Locke and argued that everyone should enjoy complete freedom of religion because "religion is a matter of conscience subject to no control." Bayle pointed out the absurdity of trying to change a man's conscience through force. "Is falsehood to be overcome by any other arms than those of truth? Is not attacking errors with a cudgel, the same absurdity as attacking bastions with syllogism and harangue?" Bayle pushed for complete freedom and toleration in religion. "There can be no solid reason for tolerating any one sect, which does not equally hold for every other." However even Pierre Bayle had his limits. He deliberately made an explicit exception to what was an otherwise universal policy of toleration. No civil society was under any obligation to tolerate a sect that preached lawlessness and violence. "Any sect, which strikes at the foundation of human society, and bursts the bounds of the public peace and amity, by exciting seditions, by preaching up rapine, murder, calumny, perjury, deserves to be immediately cut off by the sword of the magistrate." And this is exactly why Islam must be excluded from the First Amendment. Unlike every other religion on earth, Islam is not just a matter of individual conscience. Islam is a totalitarian system dedicated to the complete eradication of every other faith and the erasure of every freedom. Muslims believe they are commanded by their god to make war on anyone who is not a Muslim. This warfare must continue until everyone on earth is Muslim. That is why Islam must be excluded from the First Amendment. Not because it is offensive, illiberal, or wrong. Everyone has the right to be wrong. No, an exception must be made for Islam because its continuing inclusion under the umbrella of the First Amendment would ultimately lead to the destruction of that law and all the freedoms it was designed to protect. Once Islam has been excluded from constitutional protections we can begin the processing of curbing its growth. This must be done lawfully and peacefully. The simplest way to stop the spread of Islam in the US would be to tax Muslims and their institutions. This is exactly what Muslims do to non-Muslims. The jizya is a tax levied upon non-Muslims residing in Islamic countries. Taxation will exert a gradual but persistent pressure that will discourage immigration while simultaneously encouraging emigration and conversion. Imagine, for example, a tax that begins at ten percent a year and is mandated to increase five percent every year thereafter until it reaches a maximum of ninety-percent. Even the introduction and discussion of a constitutional amendment would immediately dampen Muslim immigration. What about the slippery slope of intolerance? I concede that the action I am proposing opens the door to excluding other faiths. If Buddhists, Taoists, and Hindus start walking into cafes and theaters and shooting people with Kalashnikov rifles simply because they refuse to convert to their faith, they can be excluded also. Until that time, Islam remains the only religion that has a thirteen-hundred year record of violence, intolerance, and totalitarianism. Excluding Muslims from our society will ensure that everyone else is able to live in peace and practice the beliefs dictated by their conscience. Why do liberal Democrats love Islam? The Democratic Party in the US purports to be a fervid advocate of women's rights. They talk about an imaginary Republican "war on women" while turning a blind eye to the way women are treated in Islamic countries. Islam is infamous for treating women like dogs. The Koran (Sura 4) states plainly that "men are superior to women." A virtuous wife is instructed to be "obedient" and her husband is advised to "scourge" an insubordinate spouse. The Democratic Party is also an advocate of gay rights, yet remains silent when ISIS summarily executes gay men by dropping them off the tops of buildings, head first. The answer to this apparent quandary is found in the Pew Poll. According to Pew, a full 70 percent of American Muslims identify as Democrats versus only 11 percent as Republicans. No wonder the Democratic Party wants to flood the US with Muslim immigrants! It's not about ideology; it's about obtaining power. The Democrats obsession with outlawing guns is another symptom of this lust for power and control. What can average people do to save their country and preserve Western Civilization? First, educate ourselves. We need to understand not only the true nature of the Islamic threat but also be able to articulate the virtues of Western Civilization and how it differs from the Islamic totalitarian system. Second, have the courage to speak freely without fear of being criticized. In the last few months, one man, Donald Trump, has almost single-handedly broken the shackles of political correctness by refusing to back down or surrender the moral high ground. Cast off the guilt and shame that the enemies of this country have tried to hang around our necks! Our ancestors bought our freedoms with blood in the snow. The longer we wait to act, the greater the chances our children will have to repeat their sacrifices. Dr. Deming is professor of arts and sciences at the University of Oklahoma, and the author of Science and Technology in World History (McFarland, 2010, 2012). Largely because of the unconventional nature of the Trump campaign and the increasingly hard to ignore accounts of Hillarys email and Clinton Foundation pay-to-play wrongdoing, it is increasingly difficult to predict the outcome of this years primaries. It seems to be an anything can happen year. As the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto observes: "The cultural authority of journalism rests not only on its practitioners fealty to the facts but also their willingness and ability to recognize and respect the actually existing diversity of opinion in the population. In that regard (and for a variety of reasons), that authority has been eroding for decades. Donald Trump is the first national politician to challenge that authority directly and persistently. Little wonder that, for all his flaws, he has found a receptive public." Days before the last FNC debate the comely Megyn Kelly tweeted This race will be totally different, I promise, on Friday than it does today. It didnt turn out that way. Trump was apparently ahead before the last debate and still appears to remain in the lead. Trumps appeal in large part is twofold -- he opposed open borders and the politically-correct culture which had tamped down criticism of it and he was unafraid to bash the media which for so long has dominated and defined the cultural and political life of the country. The ambush attempt by FNC -- with the aid of two YouTube commenters -- one an illegal alien and the other a Sanders-loving, Trump-hating Moslem emigre from Bangladesh -- had to be recycled when Trump bailed and FNC was forced to use that segment and a video of a flip- flopping Rubio on the issue of immigration (along with an attempt to do the same to Cruz). In essence, any plan to dent frontrunner Trumps popularity probably hurt his opponents more than it did him. It was an especially big downer for Cruz, who most agree came off as personally unappealing. Next week the Iowa caucuses take place and with a snowstorm expected beginning Monday night and the unpredictability of caucuses generally its anybodys guess how theyll turn out, but with no visible Trump ground game, folks on the ground are still calling the Republican race for him. As CNN reports: Ted Cruz started the month riding high in Iowa. Now, he just wants to get out of the state alive. The self-styled rock-ribbed conservative is under siege, battling attacks from his right and left flanks who say the Texas senator with tea party and evangelical credentials isn't who he claims to be. And as Cruz appears to be falling farther behind front-runner Donald Trump, his campaign is now looking in the rear-view mirror, concerned that Marco Rubio and the rest of the GOP field are closing in. Cruz's problems were in sharp relief at the Fox News debate in Des Moines Thursday night, where he was everyone's favorite punching bag. The consistent charge: Cruz is a fake. For Hillary, the news is grimmer. Investigators have so far found 22 classified documents on Hillarys unsecured email account. Foxs Catherine Herridge reported: The intelligence community has now deemed some of Hillary Clintons emails too damaging to national security to release under any circumstances, according to a U.S. government official close to the ongoing review. A second source, who was not authorized to speak on the record, backed up the finding. The decision to withhold the documents in full, and not provide even a partial release with redactions, further undercuts claims by the State Department and the Clinton campaign that none of the intelligence in the emails was classified when it hit Clintons personal server. Lives of those who bring to us critical intelligence were put at risk. Here, from NRO, are just 7 of the emails which were less highly classified than those 22 and released: Just a few things on @HillaryClinton's unprotected server: Travel and security details for U.S. ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens in 2011. Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists murdered him and three other Americans on September 11, 2012. Military intelligence from U.S. Africa Command in 2011, based on satellite observations of Libyan troops. Clintons illegal instructions to advisor Jake Sullivan to transmit classified talking points via an unprotected fax in June 2011: Turn into nonpaper w no identifying heading and send nonsecure. Investigative details about a suspected Benghazi terrorist sought by the FBI. This 2012 message cited a security officer in the region. If this was unclassified, imagine what the cannot-be-released emails were like. I havent yet seen anything from David Corn on this. He was, you recall, the guy who spun Richard Armitages disclosure of Plames CIA employment to Novak into a deliberate outing of Plames identity by Vice President Cheney and his staff, a phony baloney claim the press lapped up and that resulted in the conviction of an innocent man. In fact, in a tribute to the power of the press to muddle the facts into a made-up narrative and the ahistorical nature of Dem voters, Plame is going to campaign for Hillary. That brings me to the hyped-up suggestions that Hillary will be led off to a grand jury and thereafter made to account for her outrageous negligence on national security. (Despite her usual spinner's weak defenses that she didnt know the stuff was classified, what does it matter and such blather, it appears her critics have her dead to rights on the law). If it were your son or daughter or husband or wife, whose life was in jeopardy because of her conduct, would you want her to walk? If you think David Petraeus was an outstanding general and had been punished too harshly for his errors -- should she get special treatment for far worse security breaches? And apart from the email scandal, reminding us of her long history of corruption, Judicial Watch this week released the independent counsels memo which laid out the criminal case against her in the Whitewater Castle Grande land scandal, charges never pursued. Truly, as Carly Fiorina said Hillary Clinton has escaped prosecution more times than El Chapo. Hillary may well escape criminal prosecution again. Even if FBI head James Comey recommends prosecution, I cannot imagine Attorney General Lynch convening a grand jury to indict. As Tom Maguire reminds us: James Comey is a bit of a left-wing darling since he stood up to Team Bush/Cheney during the hospital room drama involving re-authorization of an NSA surveillance program, not to mention his part in siccing Special Counsel Fitzgerald on Cheney et al in the Plame "investigation". Bygones. Depicting Comey as an eternal partisan hack will of course be Job One for the White House and the legacy media, and 2004 was a long time ago. Since Comey has been on the wrong side of the "Ferguson effect" question and the screening of Syrian refugees, a good progressive thrashing is overdue. And after the Hillary non-indictment and the mass FBI resignations? Well, timing is everything -- can AG Lynch really delay a decision not to indict past the election? With the leaks we have been seeing it does seem as if the kettle is about ready to whistle. If Comey recommends an indictment in February, can Lynch sit on that for nine months with no leaks? Please. At a rare Democrat debate Hillary contended There should be no bank too big to fail, and no individual too powerful to jail. My thoughts exactly. Still, the voters have a chance to register their vote on this, and by all indications theyre turning thumbs down on her. That leaves the aged commie Bernie Sanders, whose only gainful employment has been in government, for the Democrats. If the Republicans cannot stop batting all their candidates around and coalesce (even under a no one is perfect banner) he may win. And what a horrible choice this would be as we head into an almost certain recession and global turmoil. With bigger armies of bureaucrats, we could be like Europe, where residents are being forced to facilitate and finance their own destruction by armies of invading jihadis, having their lives made into a horror of even heavier taxation and preposterous regulations choking daily existence, unable to mount a credible defense to our enemies, or like Venezuelan and Soviet and Cuban residents before them, left scrambling in lines for hours waiting for scraps of food. Such an outcome would be particularly galling because the millennials flocking to his cause in anger over their present state were impoverished by the nincompoop policies of the present leader of his party and his army of ideological and corrupt appointees. For six days straight during his visit to the United States last year, Pope Francis was, to borrow a phrase from Norman Gimbel, killing us softly with his words. The boulevards of New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. were lined with adoring throngs as the Pope benignly smiled and blessed these hundreds of thousands of immigrant Americans -- especially the newest illegal arrivals from the other side of our southern border. But apparently nobody noticed the pontiffs thinly disguised partisanship, except a few grumpy pundits like Wall Street Journal columnist Mary Anastasia OGrady who commented in her May 17, 2015 article about the Popes visit to Cuba before coming to the United States: In December, we learned that Pope Francis brokered the Obama-Castro thaw, which while unlikely to spur improvements in human rights is already generating new interest in investing with the military government. Of course, OGrady wasnt the only Wall Street Journal observer to see convergence between the global political agendas of Pope Francis and President Obama. Only four days before, Daniel Henninger noted that, in 2013, Pope Francis complained that Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. Henninger also cited Raul Castros comment that, if the Pope continues this way, I will go back to praying and go back to the church. Writing in a September 22 posting on Front Page Magazine, Daniel Greenfield dug even deeper into the hypocrisy of this papal pandering: Pope Francis spoke of Obamas deal with Castro as a process of normalizing relations between two peoples following years of estrangement. But he knows quite well that its nothing of the kind. The Cuban people are not estranged from Cuban refugees in America by a lack of diplomatic relations, but by the brutal suppression of political and religious freedom by the Castro regime. Faux alliances with communist dictators like the Castro brothers is not the only part of Pope Francis soft touch. He has also aligned himself with Obama on climate change and immigration "reform". Since the United States has long been a leading producer and consumer of fossil fuels as well as the most prosperous economy in the world, these two social justice proponents clearly see us as the evil empire. Few United States citizens may realize that Pope Francis grew up in Argentina, a country saturated with socialism since the days of Juan and Eva Peron. Although Pope Francis was not raised as a hard-core communist, both his family and many of his most influential mentors were deeply committed to the authoritarian principles of Peronist socialism. This line of thinking aligns perfectly with their shared view that capitalism is synonymous with big carbon footprints. It is no small irony that Obamas past cozy relationship with Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, as well as his most recent deal with the mullahs of Iran, has been motivated not by any desire to curtail fossil fuel production but to redistribute that capability to so-called third-world nations. Hence, while Obama has stubbornly blocked building the Keystone pipeline in the United States, he has encouraged building the same kind of pipeline in Kenya. While it may be unfair to ascribe such sinister motives to Pope Francis, he obviously agrees in principle with Obamas immigration reform plans for the United States. How else can anyone explain his planned visit to Mexico next month? According to a recent Breitbart report, The Pope plans to visit Mexico from February 12-17 and will travel to the border town of Ciudad Juarez on the final day of his trip Mass is scheduled to take place at El Punto, a large field near Benito Juarez Stadium and just a stones throw from the border. The report also notes that The Popes visit to Ciudad Juarez will also take place just as voters are heading to the polls in both Iowa and New Hampshire, where immigration policy is a major issue. Dare we go so far as to say Pope Francis also blesses the presidents plan to allow 10,000 unvettable immigrant refugees from Syria later this year -- with, according to some reliable reports, hundreds of thousands more to come? The New York Times certainly seemed to think so. Anyway, thats what columnist Patrick Healey implied in his September 26, 2015 commentary: The prospect of taking in 10,000 Syrians next year, as the Obama administration recently proposed, may be the sort of humanitarian goal that Francis was urging, but it does not reflect the inward-looking mood of many Americans. When Pope Francis addressed Congress last September, his words were chosen very carefully: if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. Our world is increasingly a place of violent conflict, hatred and brutal atrocities, committed even in the name of God and of religionWe know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind. The Pope was not so soft-spoken with the Germans he addressed in Munich when he visited there shortly before coming to the United States. He basically told them they had to welcome all refuges from Syria with open arms. According to a September 6 report on Aljazeera.com, He called on every Catholic parish, convent, monastery and sanctuary in Europe to shelter a family, and asked bishops throughout Europe to urge their dioceses to do the same. His comments came after about 8,000 refugees arrived in Munich over the past two days, with a further 8,000 expected to arrive on Sunday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel tried hard to make nice with the thousands of mostly young and male Syrian refuges pouring into her country last year. But this effort backfired badly when, on New Years Eve in the cities of Cologne and Hamburg. CBS reported on January 11 that not only were hundreds of German women sexually assaulted by these rude newcomers but they themselves quickly became the targets of German citizens rage. So much for Pope Francis Golden Rule strategy. Some of us will recall that, when Pope John Paul II left the sacred precincts of the Vatican, he first went to visit his native country, Poland. Pope Francis, however, first goes to Cuba and, yesterday, welcomed Iran leader Rouhani for an audience and exchange of gifts, The January 27 print edition of the Wall Street Journal boldly displayed a photo of this artful deal on its front-page, although text of the report was on page A-8. There is no evidence of either the photo or the text of this story in the online editions. To get the story online, one has to go to the New York Times. Maybe Clinton, Sanders and Trump are irrelevant after all. How about a Bloomberg-deBlasio ticket? Now thats what Id call a real New York values administration. Donald Trump is winning the GOP Presidential primary race for one simple reason: he can think strategically and his opponents cannot. Increasing numbers of voters sense this, and they are fed up with leaders who are confused. Far from being silent or low information, these voters have discovered the key to this election -- strategic thinking. What will happen in the big show later this year is that Trump will likely square off against Ms. Hillary Clinton and, once again, strategic clarity will surely win that contest. Her history of strategic blunders, including, but not limited to, her email fiasco and the Libyan adventure (as part of a reaction to an non-existent Arab Spring) -- while likely not rising to the level of indictments -- will probably sink her candidacy. No, Toto, we aren't in Kansas anymore. Past Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has been making the rounds declaring, running a business (i.e. Trump) isn't the same as running a government (i.e. the two Presidents for whom he worked, Bush and Obama). On this he is certainly correct, though it raises the question of whether, as SecDef, Mr. Gates had a strategy. We don't have a strategy . . . -- President Barak Obama (27 August, 2014) Based on work we have done consulting to senior strategic officers in the Pentagon over the past decade, we would have to say, No, he didn't. His Pentagon was (and still is) chronically confused. As it turns out, our experiences, including a long career on Wall Street engaged with technology companies, such as IBM, Apple, Google and others, suggests that strategy is also extremely rare in the business world today. What is usually attributed to short-term/quarterly focus goes much deeper than that. Indeed, as veteran Fortune magazine reporter Walter Kiechel documented in his masterful 2010 book The Lords of Strategy: The Secret Intellectual History of the New Corporate World, strategic-thinking in business world largely disappeared by the 1990s -- dying out with the WW II generation of corporate leaders for whom strategy was a way-of-life. As Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School's Arbuckle Professor of Business Administration, specializing in corporate strategy, put it in public comments addressing the 2012 HBS U.S. Competitiveness Survey, Unless you're a small, authoritarian enterprise like Singapore, strategic thinking in business today is nearly impossible. All this raises two basic questions: How is Trump different and why has this happened now? We begin by noting that we do not know Donald Trump personally and we are not supporting his candidacy. This is not a partisan argument. It is a strategic one. Mr. Trump is hardly a secretive character and his approach to his real estate and other businesses is, as such things go, fairly widely known. Repeatedly, as he reminds us, through every New York City administration from Lindsey to Deblasio, Trump has figured out how to make the deal. We believe that any honest account of his business success will quickly reveal the source of his success -- he out-strategized his opponents. For those inclined to denigrate what this involves -- from calling him an opportunist to eminent domain bully -- Trump's trajectory seems baffling. Some think that he came across the bridge from Queens with a chip-on-his-shoulder and some just presume that he inherited his empire. Woe to those who have lost the plot line of his life and shame on those who judge him but have never faced a life defining strategic challenge themselves. Some who know him, and his business operation, point to a singular event that shaped Trump perhaps more than any others. On Oct. 11, 1989, Trump's closest business colleagues died in a helicopter crash in New Jersey. This accident and resulting adversity forced him to rebuild in a way that few others have experienced. The fun-and-games had ended. Going forward Trump and his newly assembled team would have to be far more strategic in their outlook. Trump's strategy-centered approach to the GOP primary race reflects the results of these repeated trials-by-fire. Clearly he has out-strategized the television networks -- where the logic of ratings compels them to cover his every move, saving him millions. In Iowa, instead of either the classic mailing-list driven, army of volunteers knocking-on-your-door approach or the new-and-improved television niche marketing segmentation approach, Trump has relied on the combination of mass-rallies and social media -- strategically aligning himself with how the voters do their politics today -- adding the old-fashioned touch of sending signed Christmas cards to his supporters. We believe that Trump deserves to be called the only digital candidate in the race. The contrast between how politics was considered fully established with opposition-research/consultant/focus-group driven television-advertising campaigns and Trump's approach is impossible to miss. Strategically speaking, his opponents are bringing a roller coaster (i.e. television-based campaigning) to an F1 Grand Prix race. Answering our second question, why has this happened now? we are convinced that television itself deserves much of the blame. As Merrelyn Emery details in her 1986 PhD thesis, a wide-range of psychological and neurological research points to the dissociative and maladaptive behaviors that result from television watching. We believe this is a result of the intense suspension of disbelief needed to confuse television for reality. Far worse than motion pictures that are composed of a series of still photos, television technology presents the viewer with a hallucinatory display of blinking-lights, without any picture, or motion or even colors. In a culture shaped by television, make believe (verging on psychological warfare) takes over and the mental qualities required for strategic thinking decline and eventually disappear. This condition is, arguably, beneficial for the commercial purposes of advertising and (often needless) consumption growth but it is disastrous for economic, political and security planning. Those who have become habituated to believe that reality is socially constructed and that humans are hardwired for story-telling cannot be expected to think strategically. And, as the Trump campaign makes clear, they simply can't. The current dust-up between Trump and Fox News is a prime example of his opponents strategic blunders. For decades, television has driven the fantasy of the globalism that is the basis of Rupert Murdoch's business empire. As Brietbart has recently pointed out, Murdoch is co-chair of the open borders Partnership for a New America, a prime lobbyist for the 2013 Gang of Eight immigration bill. Correctly, Trump understands that this world-without-borders has collapsed. Indeed, this fundamental change has been driven by digital technologies -- which, unlike analog television, point us towards a world of differences not one of world federation. Trump's signature campaign promise, the wall with Mexico, undercuts the Murdoch/Fox One World ideology so, to their own peril, they have lined up against him. No, digital reality is not on their side. Yes, as Trump succinctly puts it, You either have a country or you don't. In addition to rebooting our basic views of world affairs, we are convinced that digital technology brings with it very different behavioral and cultural implications. Instead of being based on images that truly aren't there, like television, digital technology is structured around memory -- from internal computer memory, to disk storage, to the cloud and the World Wide Web. All of this reflects a vast potential to retrieve or remember, witness how every American teenager with a smartphone is carrying a Library of Alexandria in their pocket. No, we are not saying that this is without any social or personal dangers. Plato worried that literacy would destroy his fellow Athenians ability to memorize epic poems (at the same time he banned poets from his Republic). Today we rely on computers to correct our spelling and remember our spouse's work phone number (if not our own). Surveillance is, of course, a larger form of memory -- likely a more important effect on our lives than concerns over privacy etc -- throwing us into a world in which nearly everything we do has been recorded and can be indexed, searched and shared. When history becomes a Wikipedia search, mistakes and manipulation are serious problems. No, humanity has never lived under such conditions and the effects on our behaviors and attitudes are expected to be massive. At root, the conflict between television (aka the establishment) and digital technology (aka the outsiders) is analogous to the contest between hallucinations and memory as the organizing principle for psychology and society. This means we are facing far greater strategic implications than just the 2016 Presidential election, particularly in our dealings with China and Russia, neither of which as succumbed to the same fantasy-based television culture as the West. We think that we know which of these will prevail and, in the process, we are convinced that those who understand what is happening to us in our new digital environment and can think strategically about the outcomes will as well. Mark D. Stahlman is the President of the Center for the Study of Digital Life, a not-for-profit strategic research group dedicated to understanding the effects of digital technologies on society -- East and West. He is a retired Wall Street analyst and investment banker. Jeffery A. Martineau is the Center's Vice President for Development, and was previously President of the American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE). His doctoral studies in Constitutional Law, Political Philosophy and Diplomacy were done at the Claremont Graduate University. The authors can be reached at The Center for the Study of Digital Life. The UNs obsession with the State of Israel was fully illustrated on January 26, 2016 at the quarterly meeting of the 15-member UN Security Council on Middle East affairs. It was particularly troubling that the meeting coincided in the same week as the occasion on January 27 of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the commemoration of the six million Jews killed by Nazi Germany and its allies. The analogy is obvious. The obsession with Jews and consequent anti-Semitism and attacks on them has existed for centuries; now the obsession at the UN, rhetorical in nature, and the attacks, physical and deadly, by Palestinian individuals and groups are being directed against the Jewish State of Israel. In the UN debate, there was occasional perfunctory mention of some problems in the Middle East. But little attention was given to the insecurity in the Gaza Strip, the friction with and between with Palestinian factions, the conflict in Syria, the chaos in Libya and Yemen, the nuclear ambitions of Iran, or the menace of ISIS. The focus of attention was, as usual, the actions and policies of Israel. It was acknowledged by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that 2016 had begun, as had 2015, with violence and polarization. But the source of the violence was not stated. Indeed, on January 1, 2016 a Palestinian attack on a bar in Dizengoff Street in central Tel Aviv killed three Israelis and wounded 8 others. Two weeks later, on January 17, a 38-year-old nurse and mother of six was stabbed to death in her home in front of her children. Nothing was heard in the UN debate about the extent of the violence instigated by Palestinians by stabbings, vehicle attack, and shootings against Israeli civilians. Since October 2015, 28 Israeli civilians have been killed. In his remarks in the UN debate, Ban Ki-Moon did urge the two parties to agree to a two-state solution, and he did condemn rocket fire from terrorist groups in Gaza into Israel and called for an end to incitement. But more important are his remarks, in connection with Palestinian terrorism, that it was human nature to react to occupation which often serves as a potent incubator of hate and extremism. He explained security measures (presumably Israeli) alone did not address the profound sense of alienation and despair driving some Palestinians, especially young people. Moreover, he said, Palestinian frustration is growing under the weight of half a century of occupation and the paralysis of the peace process. On the very day before the UN debate, two Israeli women were attacked by two Palestinians in a West Bank settlement in Beit Horon community, between Jerusalem and Modiin. One of them, a 23-year-old woman, was stabbed and died on the day of the debate. Later, three pipe bombs were found near the area of the attack. During the last four months the UN Security Council has been concerned about the terrorism in 12 countries; the continuing terrorism against Israel was not one of them. Even the most fervent believers in the usefulness of the UN to help bring peace in the area can recognize the double standard towards Israel and the lack of neutrality regarding the Israel-Palestinian issue. They can also distinguish between frustration and terror. Ban Ki-moon, by his remarks, may not have given a tailwind to terror, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, but did not exercise moral force or political judgment in his comments on human nature. Much of the specific criticism of Israel was focused on Israeli plans in two areas. One is to build 150 new homes. The other was, as always, settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, now containing 555,000 Israelis compared to a Palestinian population of 350,000 in East Jerusalem and 2.7 million in the West Bank. In particular, many UN delegates complained of the Israeli decision on January 21, 2016 to appropriate and term state land a tract of land, 380 acres, in the Jordan Valley close to Jericho. Left unsaid is the fact that Israeli farmers have been farming the land for many years. Even the building of a new town for Bedouins, instead of being praised, was termed a forcible transfer of Bedouin communities living in the Jerusalem area. A not so funny thing happened on the way to and during the UN Forum where something familiar was voiced by the assembled ambassadors. A few examples will suffice. Kuwait told us that Israels actions were racist and they sought to challenge the Islamic character of Jesus. Syria, forgetting the brutal civil war in its country spoke of Israeli war crimes. Turkey, which has assisted ISIS in a number of ways, condemned Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights. The UK thought the underlying causes of conflict must be addressed, but then concluded that Israeli settlement construction and demolition of Palestinian homes harmed the peace process. Lebanon, in which Hizballah has at least 100,000 rockets, one of which was launched at Israel the previous week and some of which are stored in private homes, and also has advanced strategic weapons systems, contributed a remarkable, precise, statistical analysis that no international military or political expert had previously found or counted: Israel had committed exactly 1,168 violations of Lebanese sovereignty by land, air, and sea. Riyad Mansour, the so-called Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, perhaps auditioning for a role in a Broadway comedy, said he was disturbed that the UN had failed to hold Israel, the occupying Power, accountable for not implementing the countless UNSC and UNGA resolutions. He failed to explain what had happened to the countless UN Resolutions since 242 of November 22, 1967, and the Oslo Accords of 1993 and 1995, calling on the Palestinians to come to the bargaining table. The answer to the failure is that Palestinian leaders want to destroy a state, rather than concentrating on building one. This was made clear by the voluble Tawfiq Al-Tirawi, member of the Palestinian Central Committee and head of the Palestinian committee still investigating the death of Yasser Arafat, though as he said the investigation was searching for a needle in the ocean. Perhaps to coincide with the republication of Adolf Hitlers Mein Kampf, he also said that Hitler wasnt morally corrupt, he was daring. Tirawi is one of the many Palestinian leaders calling for armed resistance. Nevertheless, on January 18, 2016 he revealed the truth. The creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders (sic) with Jerusalem as its capital was just a phase, in the struggle with Israel. The map of Palestine, in a remark he made that may dismay well-meaning supporters of J Street and Amnesty International, is not limited to the West Bank and Gaza. He revealed that the cities of Haifa, Jaffa, and Acre are Palestine, and the entire land belongs to the Palestinians. He outlined the contours: Palestine stretches from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. U.S. policy towards Israel has been defined in varying ways. U.S. ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, outlined it in the debate. While strongly opposing settlement activity and the construction of new settlements, she believed that activity can never in itself be an excuse for terrorism, and that Palestinian attacks on civilians were reprehensible and inexcusable. Her argument appeared moderate, but the ill-advised words of Dan Shapiro, U.S. ambassador to Israel, supposedly a vigorous supporter of Israel were not. Speaking in Tel Aviv on January 25, 2016 Shapiro was critical of Israeli settlements and its West Bank policy. But remarkably, he also spoke of double standards, not referring to the hostile UN resolutions on Israel, but regarding Israel, which he said had two standards of adherence to the rule of law, one for Israel and one for Palestinians. Though Shapiro was not rebuked, the statement on January 27, 2016 by President Barack Obama has appeared to mollify the situation. It was fitting he made it at a ceremony held at the Israeli Embassy in Washington honoring four people, two of whom were brave Americans, who had been named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. One of the Americans, Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, had protected his fellow prisoners in a German prison camp in 1945, and refused the German demand to identify who was Jewish. He said, We are all Jews here. Obama repeated those words, adding that anti-Semitism was an expression of an evil. One looks forward to U.S. Administration that is based on his words that Americas commitment to Israels security remains now and forever unshakable. If only the UN would regard this as a fundamental moral principle. This article was also published on the America-Israel Friendship League website. Before he achieved political office, Bernie Sanders never had a steady paycheck in the first four decades of his life. Now, he aspires to the highest office in the land where he could play a decisive role in shaping the circumstances under which the rest of us work and receive (when we can) our paychecks. It is a sobering record, as Investors Business Daily explains it: His family managed to send him to the University of Chicago. Despite a prestigious degree, however, Sanders failed to earn a living, even as an adult. It took him 40 years to collect his first steady paycheck and it was a government check. I never had any money my entire life, Sanders told Vermont public TV in 1985, after settling into his first real job as mayor of Burlington. Sanders spent most of his life as an angry radical and agitator who never accomplished much of anything. And yet now he thinks he deserves the power to run your life and your finances We will raise taxes; he confirmed Monday, yes, we will. One of his first jobs was registering people for food stamps, and it was all downhill from there. Sanders took his first bride to live in a maple sugar shack with a dirt floor, and she soon left him. Penniless, he went on unemployment. Then he had a child out of wedlock. Desperate, he tried carpentry but could barely sink a nail. He was a shi**y carpenter, a friend told Politico Magazine. His carpentry was not going to support him, and didnt. Then he tried his hand freelancing for leftist rags, writing about masturbation and rape and other crudities for $50 a story. He drove around in a rusted-out, Bondo-covered VW bug with no working windshield wipers. Friends said he was always poor and his electricity was turned off a lot. They described him as a slob who kept a messy apartment and this is what his friends had to say about him. The only thing he was good at was talking non-stop about socialism and how the rich were ripping everybody off. The whole quality of life in America is based on greed, the bitter layabout said. I believe in the redistribution of wealth in this nation. So he tried politics, starting his own socialist party. Four times he ran for Vermont public office, and four times he lost badly. He never attracted more than single-digit support even in the Peoples Republic of Vermont. In his 1971 bid for U.S. Senate, the local press said the 30-year-old Sanders describes himself as a carpenter who has worked with disturbed children. In other words, a real winner. He finally wormed his way into the Senate in 2006, where he still ranks as one of the poorest members of Congress. Save for a municipal pension, Sanders lists no assets in his name. Under growing pressure to resign, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is proposing that Syrian and Iraqi refugees who were welcomed with open arms just a few months ago, will now have to leave Germany and return home when the wars in those countries are over. Daily Caller: We need to say to people that this is a temporary residential status and we expect that once there is peace in Syria again, once [ISIS] as been defeated in Iraq, that you go back to your home country with the knowledge that you have gained, Merkel told a meeting of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party on Saturday, according to Reuters. Merkel likened the situation to the arrival of refugees from war-torn Yugoslavia in the 1990s. About 70 percent of those refugees returned home when the war ended, she said. Despite being in charge of the conservative CDU, Merkel has been one of the most aggressive European leaders when it comes to welcoming migrants and asylum seekers from countries such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. An astonishing 1.1 million migrants arrived in Germany in 2015. Recently, scandal has erupted after the revelation that police in Cologne initially covered up a wave of organized, migrant-related thefts and sexual assaults during New Years Eve celebrations. The German public is increasingly dissatisfied, with a recent poll showing 40 percent of Germans wanted her to resign over her refugee policy. Its also causing division within Merkels own party, with the leader of its sister Christian Social Union (CSU) party threatening to sue the government if doesnt act to stem the rush of migrants. Donald Trump is excoriated world wide for proposing that illegal immigrants should be sent home while Merkel is proposing something similar? Will she become the target of open borders advocates too? The Balkan refugee situation is not analogous to refugees from the Middle East returning home. It was but a short distance for Balkan refugees to return - a home where war damage was limited. The Middle Eastern refugees must travel thousands of miles and return home to a country devastated by a long war. It is extremely doubtful that refugees from Syria and Iraq would want to trade their comfortable life in Germany for the misery of trying to rebuild. Each new incident of violence by refugees causes Merkel's numbers to plummet. At this rate, she may not survive in office in 2016, becoming a casualty of good intentions gone bad. President Obama will pay a visit to his first US mosque this week in order to celebrate the contributions Muslim Americans make to our nation and reaffirm the importance of religious freedom to our way of life. There's only one problem; the mosque the president has chosen to honor with his presence - the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB) - has a history of ties to extremist Muslim groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood. Daily Caller: An imam who served at ISB for a total of 15 years has also been a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood network and has worked for an Islamic relief group that was designated as a terrorist organization by the Treasury Department in 2004. Mohammad Adam el-Sheikh, who served two stints as ISBs imam, from 1983 to 1989 and from 1994 to 2003, was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan in the 1970s. He also co-founded the Muslim American Society, a Falls Church, Va.-based group that is controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood. While in Baltimore, el-Sheikh served as a regional director for the Islamic American Relief Agency. That groups parent organization is the Islamic African Relief Agency, which the Treasury Department says provided funds to Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, Hamas and other terrorist organizations. After leaving Baltimore, el-Sheikh served as imam at the infamous Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church. That mosque has a lengthy roster of known terrorists and terrorist sympathizers. Its imam during much of the 1990s was Mohammed al-Hanooti. He was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which killed six people. Dar al-Hijrah came under the control of Anwar al-Awlaki in 2001. Hes the American al-Qaeda recruiter who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2011. Nidal Hasan, the U.S. Army major who killed 13 people at Fort Hood in Nov. 2009, is said to have attended the Virginia mosque when al-Awlaki served there. The pair also reportedly exchanged emails. Two of the 9/11 hijackers also attended Dar al-Hijrah during al-Awlakis tenure. El-Sheikh defended Palestinian suicide bombers while at Dar al-Hijrah: If certain Muslims are to be cornered where they cannot defend themselves, except through these kinds of means, and their local religious leaders issued fatwas to permit that, then it becomes acceptable as an exceptional rule, but should not be taken as a principle, he said in 2004, according to a Washington Post article at the time. It should be noted that all of this disturbing information comes from the Justice Department and not Islamophobic bigots. In short, the president is ignoring the facts dug up by his own law enforcement agencies and will lend credibility to a mosque with obvious ties to groups dedicated to destroying Israel and killing Americans. Why the Baltimore mosque? It's not like there aren't any mosques without ties to extremists in Washington or the nearby Virginia suburbs. The president has left himself wide open to criticism by visiting the ISB. Whatever statement he is trying to make with this visit will be lost in questions about his judgment. Citing the humanitarian crisis in Syria, the opposition group known as the High Negotiating Council (HNC) is threatening to leave Geneva where peace talks have yet to get off the ground unless Russian and Syrian troops besieging several rebel held towns lift their blockades and the bombing of rebel positions cease. Fox News: The indirect peace talks began here Friday with a meeting between the United Nations envoy and the Syrian government delegation. The main opposition group, the Higher Negotiations Committee or HNC, boycotted that session saying it won't take part until a set of preliminary demands are met: releasing detainees, ending the bombardment of civilians by Russian and Syrian forces, and lifting government blockades on rebel-held areas. The HNC later agreed to send a delegation to meet with U.N. officials, while still insisting it would not negotiate until their demands are met. The HNC decision to come to Geneva gave a glimmer of hope that peace efforts in Syria might actually get off the ground for the first time since two earlier rounds of negotiations collapsed in 2014. "We are here to discuss humanitarian matters first and if this happens we will start the negotiations," the opposition's delegation chief spokesman Salem al-Mislet told reporters upon the arrival of some two dozen members at their hotel in Geneva. "If not, there will be no negotiations and there will be no reason for us to stay here." He added that the HNC team will discuss these issues with U.N. Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura during a meeting scheduled for Sunday. "We are keen to make this negotiation a success but you should ask the other side. The other side is pretending to present the Syrian people. In fact he is killing the Syrian people. We're here to save the remaining children of Syria," al-Mislet said in English. Another senior delegation member, Riad Naasan Agha, said their team includes several rebel groups including the Army of Islam that controls large areas near the capital Damascus. Asked if the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham group is part of the team, he said "they did not withdraw (from the HNC) but they are not with us" in Geneva. It's hard to see the point of any negotiations. Some of the opposition groups in the umbrella organization are fighting between themselves as much as they are fighting President Assad. And the Kurds - the most effective and organized fighting force among the rebels - hasn't even been invited to the peace talks. The Russians are insisting that President Assad remain in power through any transitional period while the HNC says he's got to go. The US, with limited influence, can't seem to make up their mind on that point, with Secretary of State Kerry saying it's something to be negotiated. Russia won't stop bombing and Assad will not lift the blockade of rebel held towns for the simple reason that they are winning. Assad doesn't care about the tens of thousands of starving Syrians because it plays to his advantage. Russia doesn't care about killing civilians as they bomb rebel strongholds, killing hundreds. In short, these "peace talks" are a mirage - a PR stunt that allows Russia and President Assad the appearance of trying to end the conflict with the onus of any breakdown in negotiations falling on the rebels. Meanwhile, the war goes on, people are dying, and the catastrophe that Syria has become shows no signs of ending. Trump's angry refusal to appear at last week's Fox debate in Iowa marks a highly significant turning point, perhaps at the level of paradigm shift. It can be seen as an effort to turn the clock back to an era that effectively ended on June 17, 1972. On that date, the police arrested five men for breaking and entering into the DNC headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. which, incredibly, led to the resignation of 37th president of the United States, Richard M. Nixon, on August 9, 1974. Trump is surely right that media outlets acquired a dangerous amount of power after Watergate and have not been exercising it responsibly or fairly. He should be fed up with their bias. It's no surprise that he's "mad as hell and won't take it anymore." However, June 17, 1972 was "a date which will live in infamy" not because President Nixon was forced to resign two years later as a result of the silly and pointless cover-up that followed the silly and pointless Watergate brake-in by a crew of Keystone Kops. Nixon would have made even more of a mess had he stayed in power. The rise of China and its deep pockets allowed subsequent presidents to run up a huge national debt and enabled North Korean intransigence. And then there's affirmative action, which Nixon pushed way past where Johnson left it. Rather, June 17, 1972 represents a disaster nearly equivalent to other such dates Pearl Harbor and 9/11 because after Watergate, the mainstream media dropped all pretense of being an objective and impartial observer and became an overt and effective propaganda arm of the Democratic Party, which it still is to this day, more than four decades later. If this judgment seems over the top, ask whether the three Democrat presidents after Nixon Carter, Clinton, and Obama would have been elected had the mainstream media refrained from taking sides and merely reported the relevant facts objectively and impartially, the way it is supposed to. For example, Bill Clinton and his many, many...many escapades while governor of Arkansas were well-known. A Republican with this sort of, um, pedigree would never have been the party's candidate for president. And when Clinton's appalling behavior continued in the White House and he was impeached, enormous pressure was applied by the media to prevent his well-deserved conviction and removal from office. Remember the vilification of Kenneth Starr? I'm not even going to bother illustrating obvious media bias toward Obama throughout his presidency. Several thick books could be filled with example after example of his presidential abuse of power conveniently covered up or rationalized away by the MSM. Let's hope a full accounting will appear after Obama leaves office. I doubt such a document will be on the shelves of his presidential library. Fox competitors who feel like rubbing their hands with glee at what happened should skip the schadenfreude and bear in mind that Trump will not put up with bias from any of them, either. Once the dust settles and the contest is between Trump (I hope) and Clinton, the MSM had better think twice about resuming its role as Democratic Party mouthpieces. As to why Trump fired his warning shot at Fox, it seems to me this was only partly about perceived bias by debate moderators. It was also in reaction to the gaggle of geese who flapped their wings and honked at him in the pages of National Review the other week. One hopes this hectoring will die down after New Hampshire including invective by Charles Krauthammer and other conservatives who insist on characterizing Trump's justified self-confidence as "narcissistic." Save it for deserving underachievers like Bill Clinton, his wife, and Barack Obama. The province of Brittany, in North-western part of France, forms a large peninsula that stretches towards the Atlantic Ocean bordered by the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the south. The waters located between the western coast and Ushant island form the Iroise Sea. This section of the coastline of Brittany remains one of the most dangerous seas in Europe with frequent violent storms, huge waves and strong currents. Over thirty ships were lost in this region between 1888 and 1904. Because of this, the rugged coastline is crowded with lighthouses - more than one third of all the lighthouses and fire towers illuminating the French coast are located here. These granite fortresses have been warning distant sailors of the dangers of this jagged coastline and treacherous rocks since the 18th century. One of the most famous lighthouse is the one built on a rock called La Jument, about 300 metres from the coast of the island of Ushant. La Jument became well known in 1989, through a series of photographs taken by Jean Guichard. On 21 December 1989, a low pressure front coming from Ireland brought gale force winds and huge waves of 20 to 30 metres high which crashed spectacularly against the lighthouse. The waves smashed through the lower windows of the lighthouse, ripped the front door, flooded the tower and washed away the furniture. Lighthouse keeper Theodore Malgorn decided to take refuge up in the lantern room while waiting to be rescued. About the same time, photographer Jean Guichard was in Lorient hiring a helicopter to take aerial pictures of the storm. Guichard wanted to fly over the Iroise Sea despite extremely dangerous flying conditions. The helicopter made it to La Jument and hovered around for Guichard to take shots of the waves pounding the lighthouse. Inside the tower, Theodore Malgorn heard what he thought was his rescue helicopter and hurried downstairs to open the door. At that very moment, a giant wave rose over the rear of the lighthouse and Guichard took his world-famous shot as the wave smashed against the tower. Theodore Malgorn, suddenly realising that a giant wave was about to engulf the structure, rushed back inside just in time to save his life. Photo credit: Jean Guichard Photo credit: Jean Guichard Photo credit: Jean Guichard Photo credit: Jean Guichard Photo credit Photo credit: Frederic le Mouillour Photo credit: Frederic le Mouillour Another lighthouse worth a visit is Phare de Kereon or the Kereon lighthouse. The lighthouse is built on a small rocky outcrop named Men Tensel located in a strait called Passage du Fromveur between the islands of Ushant and Bannec. Passage du Fromveur exhibits strong tidal currents, often running at 8 Knots, the second strongest in France after those of the Raz Blanchard in Normandy. As a result, the sea around Phare de Kereon is never calm, and terrifyingly large waves crashes against it relentlessly. The inside, however, is another story. The floor is oak adorned with mahogany and ebony inlays, the walls are panelled in oak from Hungary, the stairwell is tiled and the enclosed beds are worthy of farms in Brittany. Indeed, Phare de Kereon was nicknamed "The Palace" because of its lavishly decorated interior. Photo credit: Frederic le Mouillour The lighthouse was built between 1907 and 1916, supported in part by a donation from Madame Jules Baudy, a descendant of Charles-Marie Le Dall de Kereon, a naval officer guillotined at the age of nineteen during the 18th century French Revolution, and after whom the lighthouse is named. When Madame Jules Baudy learnt that the Ministry of Public Works was about to begin the construction of lighthouse on the rock "Men Tensel", she proposed a donation of 585,000 francs on the condition that the lighthouse be named after her great-uncle. Madame Baudys generous sum not only brought down the total expenses for the state but also left them with enough cash to turn the interior into a luxurious residence. The hall, the kitchen and two rooms for the lighthouse keepers, that occupy the first four levels, are richly panelled in oak. But it is the room of honor, located at the 5th level, which holds your attention: walls lined in Hungarian oak with several panels decorated with star of the lighthouses in relief. The parquet floor, built on bitumen, is decorated in its center with a large roseate of the winds carried out of ebony and mahogany. The lighthouse is built of granite with a base diameter of 4 meters and stands 48 meters tall. Its fire was lit for the first time in 1916 and it continued working in oil until 1972, when it was electrified. Today the lighthouse is powered by batteries, and two wind-powered generators. The guards, who were still responsible for proper operation and maintenance, left the lighthouse in 2004. Since then, the lighthouse is fully automated. Photo credit: Jean Guichard Photo credit Photo credit: Frederic le Mouillour Photo credit: Frederic le Mouillour Photo credit: Jean Guichard Photo credit: Jean Guichard Photo credit: Jean Guichard Sources: Wikipedia / DIRM-NAMO / www.ot-ouessant.fr / www.parc-marin-iroise.fr A collection of interesting articles that you may have missed, pulled out from Amusing Planets nearly 8-year-old archives. The Eizo: Pin-up Calendar 2010 offers you more than the usual nude it shows everything. Bobby's Bus Shelter at Unst, one of the northernmost isle of Shetland Islands in Scotland, might be the only bus stop in the world that is visited by bus loads of tourists every day during the summer. The reason: the inventive decor, some homemade fudge, a pair of resident beer-quaffing hamsters and an intriguing story. Every year during the month of June, the Spanish village of Castrillo de Murcia near Burgos holds its traditional Baby-Jumping Festival as part of its Corpus Christi celebrations. During the act, known as El Colacho, men dressed as the Devil (known as the Colacho) leaps over babies born during the previous twelve months of the year who lie on mattresses in the street. A company called Bevshots has produced a series of shots of booze under the microscope at the Florida State University's chemistry labs. This is Dry Martini at 1000x magnification. Huacho is a small and picturesque city in the costal regions of the South American country of Peru. For the last few years the locals of Huacho has been organizing an unusual kind of festival the festival of guinea pigs. In this one-day event, guinea pigs are dressed up in traditional Peruvian local dresses. Some of them are turned into kings and queens while others are dressed up as miners and peasants. They are fed and pampered. But towards the end of the day, they are chopped up and eaten. Backpages: Arsenal win The Double, Man United cut academy, Chelsea sign Griezmann, Liverpool blow So there it is the first newspaper report telling Arsenal fans the Gunners can win The FA Cup and Premier League Double. Newspapers love to talk of teams winning multiple trophies. They believe it quickens the fans hearts. It does if those fans are age 6 and below, or the type who started to follow Chelsea or Manchester City after the money arrived. The Mail also says Chelsea are looking to spend 60m on Atletico Madrids French striker Antoine Griezmann in the summer if Eden Hazard moves to either Real Madrid or Paris St Germain. The Daily Star and Independent both lead with West Ham United and Liverpools 0-0 draw in the FA Cup. The Indy says a replay is just what Liverpool dont need. Surely defeat would have been worse. But why let the facts stand in the way of a pun. So it is that Liverpool staying in the Cup is a Hammer Blow? Liverpool are lucky to be in the Cup, says the Star. It says Steven Caulker handled in the area but the referee failed to give West Ham a penalty kick. You might call that a Hammer blow. The Star also says Pep Guardiola is heading to Manchester City. We know this because Mrs Pep has been looking at St Bedes College, where the club have 40 Academy players studying. According to the schools website, it is a leading Catholic Independent Co-Educational Grammar School, founded in 1876, inspiring excellence and instilling values in pupils from 3 to 18 years. All Citys academy players are educated at St Bedes. The Express leads with Manchester United, who didnt even play yesterday. The clubs owners, the Glazer family, have ordered cuts behind the scenes with up to 15% reductions in most departments. The Mirror picks up the rumour that Manchester City are favourites to sign Evertons 50m-rated defender John Stones. Anorak Posted: 31st, January 2016 | In: Arsenal, Back pages, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink Just caught the PBS American Masters documentary on Mike Nichols , in essence a smartly made interview directed by Elaine May. Its thrilling from start to finish and doubly so because, unexpectedly, he gives Willy Wyler a shout out. I especially appreciated what Nichols said (45 minutes in) about the froggy conspiracy. In A Talent for Trouble, I pointed out (as recently mentioned here) that Wylers movies had been the touchstone for an entire generation but were later dismissed by auteurist snobs. Heres what Nichols says: The people who describe all our work to us often dont know what theyre talking about. Theyre wrong. Theyre literally people who think that expressing an opinion is a creative act. The auteur stuff I think theyre these French guys with cigarette ashes all over them, they basically misunderstood the whole thing. The first thing they misunderstood is the so-called pantheon of great directors because, as we know, French people have some bizarre perception of our movies. Howard Hawks was a wonderful director, but he was not the greatest director Hollywood ever knew. The guys with the cigarette ashes on them ignored our greatest directors and humiliated George Stevens, Willy Wyler, Billy Wilder Billy Wilder not so much, he became fashionable again. But the tragedy of Willy and Stevens and Fred Zinnemann, these were great men, but they just werent part of the froggy conspiracy. As Nichols continued talking, it could have been Wyler himself speaking: To say its the work of one man is to completely misunderstand a quite mysterious process. And the only answer to it is, its different with different pictures. You know, if Robert Bolt has written a picture, I would say the script has a lot to do with it. Even David Lean, who was, god knows, a great director, maybe THE great director, yes but Bolt wrote the goddamned script. What? Is it only David Lean? No! And so on and so forth down the line. One man cant make a movie. But, it is necessary that all the decisions, down to which cup [to use], which line, when you make the cut, which desert, come from one mind. That really is necessary. Wyler tended to ignore the snobs, but he was stung. When he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute, Wyler joked about auteurism in his acceptance speech. Having retired from making Hollywood films, he said he had discovered a new passion making home movies: Its a case of a professional turned amateur. He had become an auteur. But his family showed no appreciation for the out-of-focus and overexposed shots that would make critics jump for joy. In any event, as someone fluent in French Wyler was born in Alsace and was also fluent in German he quipped that he was one of the few directors in Hollywood who can pronounce the word correctly. Change of subject: Im told Wyler will be getting a memorial space at the American Air Museum in Duxford, England, which is opening on March 19. They are giving Willy a corner all his own! his daughter Catherine Wyler says. Wylers wartime documentary, The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, captures the experience of an American B-17 bomber crew, which carried out 25 missions from a base in Britain during World War II. Wyler went on five bombing runs over Germany and France, and nearly died while shooting much of the films aerial combat footage himself. sIn a video-message for the conclusion of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress, Francis stresses the joy of the meeting that "brought together so many people from the vast continent of Asia, where bearing witness to Jesus takes place through the testimony of lives. The next Congress will be held in Budapest, Hungary, in 2020. Cebu (AsiaNews) Pope Francis sent a video-message to the International Eucharistic Congress that ends today in Cebu, Philippines, particularly happy that this Congress has brought together so many people from the vast continent of Asia and from throughout the world. In Asia, where the Church is committed to respectful dialogue with the followers of other religions, the witness to Jesus most often takes place, as we know, through the dialogue of life. Through the testimony of lives transformed by Gods love, we best proclaim the Kingdoms promise of reconciliation, justice and unity for the human family. Our example can open hearts to the grace of the Holy Spirit, who leads them to Christ the Savior. Francis mentioned his recent apostolic visit to the Philippines, which occurred soon after typhoon Yolanda struck the country. I was able to witness at first hand the deep faith and resilience of its people. Under the protection of Santo Nino, the Filipino people received the Gospel of Jesus Christ some five hundred years ago. Ever since, they have given the world an example of fidelity and deep devotion to the Lord and his Church. They have also been a people of missionaries, spreading the light of the Gospel in Asia and to the ends of the earth. The theme of the Eucharistic Congress Christ in You, Our Hope of Glory is very timely. It reminds us that the risen Jesus is always alive and present in his Church, above all in the Eucharist, the sacrament of his Body and Blood. Christs presence among us is not only a consolation, but also a promise and a summons. It is a promise that everlasting joy and peace will one day be ours in the fullness of his Kingdom. But it is also a summons to go forth, as missionaries, to bring the message of the Fathers tenderness, forgiveness and mercy to every man, woman and child. This is fundamental commitment. How much our world needs this message! When we think of the conflicts, the injustices and the urgent humanitarian crises which mark our time, we realize how important it is for every Christian to be a true missionary disciple, bringing the good news of Christs redemptive love to a world in such need of reconciliation, justice and peace. For the pontiff, it was quite appropriate for the Congress to be held in the Year of Mercy. We are called to bring the balm of Gods merciful love to the whole human family, binding up wounds, bringing hope where despair so often seems to have the upper hand. In his address, Francis called on participants to focus on two aspects of the life and teachings of Jesus: conviviality and the washing of feet. We know, he said, how important it was for Jesus to share meals with his disciples, but also, and especially, with sinners and the outcast. Sitting at table, Jesus was able to listen to others, to hear their stories, to appreciate their hopes and aspirations, and to speak to them of the Fathers love. At each Eucharist, the table of the Lords Supper, we should be inspired to follow his example, by reaching out to others, in a spirit of respect and openness, in order to share with them the gift we ourselves have received. In Asia, where the Church is committed to respectful dialogue with the followers of other religions, this prophetic witness most often takes place, as we know, through the dialogue of life. Through the testimony of lives transformed by Gods love, we best proclaim the Kingdoms promise of reconciliation, justice and unity for the human family. Our example can open hearts to the grace of the Holy Spirit, who leads them to Christ the Savior. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as a sign of humble service, of the unconditional love with which he gave his life on the Cross for the salvation of the world. The Eucharist is a school of humble service. It teaches us readiness to be there for others. This too is at the heart of missionary discipleship. Here I think of the aftermath of the typhoon. It brought immense devastation to the Philippines, yet it also brought in its wake an immense outpouring of solidarity, generosity and goodness. People set about rebuilding not just homes, but lives. The Eucharist speaks to us of that power, which flows from the Cross and constantly brings new life. It changes hearts. It enables us to be caring, to protect the poor and the vulnerable, and to be sensitive to the cry of our brothers and sisters in need. It teaches us to act with integrity and to reject the injustice and corruption which poison the roots of society. Now, at the end of the Congress, I am happy to announce that the next International Eucharistic Congress will take place in 2020 in Budapest, Hungary. I ask all of you to join me in praying for its spiritual fruitfulness and for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all engaged in its preparation. As you return to your homes renewed in faith, I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing to you and your families as a pledge of abiding joy and peace in the Lord. Speaking about todays Gospel, Francis focused on the temptation "to which religious men are always exposed, to which we are all exposed, and from which we should definitely stay away. What is this temptation? It is the temptation of considering religion as a human investment so that we start to bargain with God for our own self-interest." Young members of Romes Azione Cattolica were in the square for the annual Peace Caravan. The pope pleaded for people living with leprosy, a disease that still affects mostly the poorest and the most marginalised. Vatican City (AsiaNews) The only privilege in the eyes of God "is not to have any privilege, not to have any godfathers, to abandon oneself into the hands of the Lord, said Pope Francis before todays Angelus prayer, recited from the window of his studio in St Peter's Square. Right after the Angelus, the pontiff welcomed to the window some young Romans, members of Azione Cattolica, who read a message for peace. As he usually does, Francis commented todays Gospel before the prayer. Today, the Evangelist Luke "takes us again, like last Sunday, to the synagogue in Nazareth, the village in the Galilee where Jesus grew up among his family and where everyone knew him. Soon after he left to start his public life, Jesus came back a first time and presented himself to the community who had gathered in the synagogue. Here he read the passage from the prophet Isaiah who spoke about the future Messiah and eventually said, Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing. However, Jesus compatriots, noted the pope, did not react well. "At first amazed and full of admiration, they then begin to frown and whisper to each other, saying: Why doesnt this man, who claims to be the Consecrated of the Lord, repeat here, in his village, the wonders that he is reportedly to have performed in Capernaum and neighbouring villages? At that point, Jesus said, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. [In reaction,] Those present felt insulted. Filled with fury, they rose up, drove him out of town, and led him to a cliff to hurl him down headlong. However, by the strength of his peace, he passed through the midst of them and went away (v. 30). His hour had not yet come." For Francis, this passage from the Evangelist Luke "is not simply the story of a row between neighbours, which does happen sometimes even in our neighbourhoods, caused by envy and jealousy, but rather highlights a temptation to which religious men are always exposed, to which we are all exposed, of considering religion as a human investment so that we start to bargain with God for our own self-interest." Conversely, the story is actually about "welcoming the revelation of a God who is Father, who cares for every creature, even the smallest and most insignificant in the eyes of people. Therein lies the prophetic ministry of Jesus, i.e. in proclaiming that no human condition may constitute grounds for exclusion no human condition from the Fathers heart, and that the only privilege in the eyes of God is to have no privileges, to abandon oneself into his hands." The only privilege in the eyes of God, the pope stressed, "is to have no privileges, to have no godfathers, to abandon oneself in his hands." The "Today", Christ announced on that day, applies to all time. "It also resonates for us in this square, and reminds us of the relevance and necessity of the salvation Jesus brought to humanity. God comes to meet the men and women of all times and places in the actual situation in which they find themselves. He also comes to meet us. It is always him who takes the first step: he comes to visit us with his mercy, [and] to raise us from the dust of our sins; He comes to extend a hand to get us back from the precipice in which our pride made us fall; and he invites us to welcome the consoling truth of the Gospel and walk on the paths of righteousness. [. . .] he always comes to visit us, looking for us." Speaking about the synagogue, the pope said, "Certainly Mary, the Mother, was also there that day. We can imagine the trepidations of her heart a small preview of what she would suffer at the foot of the cross seeing Jesus there, in the synagogue, first admired, then challenged, eventually threatened with death. In her heart, full of faith, she kept everything. May she help us convert from a God of miracles to the miracle of God, who is Jesus Christ." Right after the Marian prayer, the pope spoke about World Leprosy Day. "Although declining, this disease unfortunately still affects mostly the poorest and the most marginalised. It is important to keep alive solidarity with these brothers and sisters who have become disabled as a result of this disease. Let us assure them of our prayers and pledge our support to those who assist them: Well done, lay people; well done, sisters; well done, priests!" After extending his greetings to the other pilgrims, Francis addressed the youth members of Romes Azione Cattolica (Catholic Action). "Now I understand why there was so much noise in the square! he said. This year, your witness of peace, enlivened by faith in Jesus, will be even more joyful and informed because it is enriched by the deed you just performed: crossing the Holy Door. I encourage you to be instruments of peace and mercy among your peers." After this, a child read the message and a large number of balloons, symbols of peace, rose from the square. I can tell you right now that marrying your gf will NOT help you in any way - it's very expensive - you don't have enough time to gather the necessary evidence - a rush wedding after a visa cancellation is a sure fire way to make any case officer deny the visa I would seek the services of an excellent migration agent to find out what your options are and might I suggest that you abide by the conditions of any future visas you may hold to live in Australia. it's a bad situation but you put yourself into this mess by breaking the rules. Last week, the Warsaw Daily reported that, after eight long years of production, the Tychy factory in Poland that currently makes Ford Ka models would stop as of April 2016.No problem, since a Ka replacement has already been developed in Brazil and is ready to take its place, right? But when the preview concept was shown back in 2013, a 2015 debut in Europe was promised. That date came and went, so now we are waiting to see when Ford plans to launch its new A-segment car.European customers have shown that they are clearly not interested in cheap cars developed for the Brazilian market. The EcoSport subcompact crossover needed a rapid refresh after disappointing initial sales figures. That's probably why the all-new Ka is taking longer to reach showrooms.The old Ka is also being discontinued because it doesn't fit the "One Ford" strategy because of its Fiat 500 underpinnings. Due to the Italian's architecture, it takes longer for Ford to implement its newest technologies. But the all-new Ka will be all-Ford. Almost everything comes from the Fiesta in one way or another. The platform belongs to the old Fiesta that was discontinued in 2007.Meanwhile, the engines will be borrowed from the current generation Fiesta supermini. According to our insider information, the 2016 Ka will be offered with two types of engines. One will be a naturally aspirated version of the 1.0 EcoBoost. This 3-cylinder unit will have the same integrated exhaust manifold and low-friction internal components, but because of the lack of a turbocharger, the output will be limited to 80 PS and 105 Nm.Ford is also considering a turbocharged model, a successor for the old and very popular SportKa. That will take longer to develop, so at launch, the only turbo you should look for is the 1.5 TDCi with 75 PS.Despite very low-profit margins, Ford is not the only European carmaker to invest into an all-new A-segment hatchback. Opel dropped the big bucks to make the Karl, which is now assembled in Korea alongside the Chevy Spark.Volkswagen currently has no plans to replace the Up! and its two sister models. Due to economic constraints, they could be discontinued at the end of this decade.For now, our best bet is that the 2016 Ka will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, though a private event is also possible. 31 January 2016 15:13 (UTC+04:00) The position of the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs on the resolutions on the situation in the Armenia-occupied territories of Azerbaijan, which were discussed at the winter session of the PACE, is wrong, said Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administrations foreign relations department, AzerTac reported. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan expressed its position on this issue. We are waiting for the serious steps to be taken by the Minsk Group. This is the most important thing. The OSCE Minsk Group, which has not taken any step to solve the dispute, must not interfere with the efforts of other organizations, Novruzov said. So far we have had different principles Prague principles, now Madrid principles. Previously there were other approaches. But, unfortunately, the conflict has not been solved because of Armenia`s non-constructive position and passivity of the co-chairs. The co-chairs are directly responsible for this issue. The OSCE Minsk group co-chairs are incapable of fulfilling their mission even on a normal level, not to mention a high level, he added. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 January 2016 15:35 (UTC+04:00) The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmens recent statement on Nagorno-Karabakh once again showed that the co-chairmen support only the aggressor and occupation, Bakhtiyar Aliyev, the Azerbaijani MP, told Trend Jan. 30. Aliyev made this statement in connection with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs criticism over the Minsk Group. President Aliyev stressed at a meeting with a group of Azerbaijani young people that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen aspire to freeze the conflict, rather than resolve it. The president said that they do not even put pressure on Armenia, moreover, they protect it from possible problems. The MP said that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmens recent statement on Nagorno-Karabakh shows that they will never seek for the just and peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "One can say that they deny the fact of occupation of Azerbaijani territories, the MP said. Therefore, Azerbaijani citizens express distrust to the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen. 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 two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 January 2016 16:21 (UTC+04:00) On February 4, the CIS headquarters in Minsk will host a ministerial consultations dedicated to cooperation in the framework of CIS in 2016. The 2-day event will discuss the following issues: Kazakhstan`s proposals regarding the transformation of CIS; priorities of the presidency Kyrgyzstan of CIS in 2016; the interaction between foreign policy departments to ensure implementation of the plan of events dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the CIS; draft plan of multilevel ministerial consultations within the Commonwealth in 2016. CIS Executive Secretary Sergey Lebedev is expected to attend the meeting, AzerTac state news agency reported. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 January 2016 16:42 (UTC+04:00) Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday that Iran is willing to develop comprehensive and multi-faceted relations with other countries to ensure sustainability of ties, Irna reported. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Conference on reviewing Iran's opportunities in the post-sanctions era, Zarif said that Iran will never forget those countries that stood by Tehran during the sanctions. 'We have maintained and boosted ties with Russia and China,' Zarif said in response to a reporter who criticized signing economic contracts with France and Italy. 'We told all Western countries that we do not want to be a new market for your exports, rather we will be a partner for producing export-oriented industrial outputs in the supply cycle and not a mere consumer,' Zarif said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 January 2016 12:26 (UTC+04:00) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries has put an end to the Iranophobia campaign, Press TV reported. Zarif made the remarks in an address to a meeting on opportunities in Iran after the nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), went into effect on January 16. One of the achievements of the nuclear negotiations [between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries] was that we succeeded in putting an end to the Iranophobia project, Zarif said on Saturday. Before the conclusion of the nuclear agreement, he added, a false image of Iran was depicted which introduced the Islamic Republic as a threat to international peace and security and based on which, every move against Iran could be justified, he said. The Iranian minister said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put a lot of pressure on Western and European countries, and Saudi rulers made every efforts to prevent the realization of the JCPOA because they did not want to see their long-term subversive investments in Iran disappear and also sought to portray a harsh and horrible image from Iran. He emphasized that the nuclear negotiations opened a new phase in Irans relations and finally led to the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. After the JCPOA went into effect, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the UN Security Council and the US were lifted. Iran in return has put some limitations on its nuclear activities. The JCPOA was signed on July 14, 2015 following two and a half years of intensive talks between Iran and the P5+1 the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 January 2016 14:20 (UTC+04:00) Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour said on Saturday that bilateral and regional cooperation between Iran and Turkmenistan will grow up considerably in the post-sanctions era, Irna reported. Rahimpour made the remarks in a meeting in Ashgabat with Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov. The two officials discussed Tehran-Ashgabat cooperation on political, economic and trade areas as well as Caspian Sea affairs. The Turkmen foreign minister congratulated the Iranian government on its nuclear achievements, voicing his country's readiness for further cooperation with Tehran on different areas including carrying out joint venture projects. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 January 2016 14:45 (UTC+04:00) Turkey will get three billion euros by late February, Volkan Bozkr, the Turkish minister for EU affairs, said, Anadolu agency reported Jan. 30. Bozkr said that the funds were allocated by the EU for Syrian refugees in Turkey. The funds will be fully spent for Syrian refugees, he said. Currently, Turkey is hosting more than two million Syrian refugees on its territory. The Syrian refugee camps in the country accommodate about 300,000 people. The rest of them are spread across the provinces and cities of Turkey. In Istanbul alone, there are currently 40,000 refugees from Syria. Ankara has so far spent $8 billion to upkeep the Syrian refugees. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 January 2016 18:15 (UTC+04:00) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is going to visit Austria and Belgium in coming weeks following official invitations from these two countries, Irans Presidential Office Director Mohammad Nahavandian said. We are going to have foreign officials visiting Iran and vice versa, he said in reference to Irans post-JCPOA agenda, adding, in coming weeks the president of Switzerland (President of the Swiss Confederation Johann Schneider-Ammann) will visit Iran, IRIB TV reported January 30. Commenting on Rouhanis recent trips to Italy and France, he said the trips showed that foreign companies are very willing to work with Iran. Rouhani wrapped up his four-day visit to Italy and France by leaving Paris for Tehran on January 27. During his visit to Italy, he started a serious start-up in the two countries' relations in political, economic, cultural, tourism, scientific and technological fields. Iran and Italy signed a total of 14 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and the two countries agreed on a cooperation roadmap for joint cooperation. President Rouhani was accompanied by a group of activists of Iran's private sector during his visit to Rome. During his visit to France, the Iranian president met with his French counterpart Francois Hollande. Iran and France signed 20 cooperation pacts while the two countries' private sectors signed over 10 cooperation pacts. Nahavandian explained that during Rouhanis European tour, one of the main kinds of the document signed between Iran on one side and Italy and French on one on separate occasions was roadmaps about economic relations. He said rather than short-term, limited agreements, the roadmaps lay out Irans economic relations with partners over long periods, aimed at ensuring sustainable development and immunity from sanctions. Iran was freed from years-long sanctions after the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Irans nuclear deal with six world powers) came into force on January 16. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 January 2016 19:16 (UTC+04:00) A group of Iranian lawmakers have probed into the model of oil and gas contracts known as the Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC), an Iranian MP said. Gholamali Jafarzadeh, an Iranian lawmaker, citing Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that a parliamentary committee for legal issues has carried out investigation into the IPC, Mehr news agency reported. So far, the committee has not obtained any evidences confirming the government has breached the constitution regarding the IPC, the MP added. A group of Iranian students affiliated with paramilitary Basij organization gathered outside Oil Ministry building in Tehran to protest against the IPC suggesting the new model of the oil contract is against the Iranian constitution. Earlier in November, Tehran hosted 137 companies from 45 countries for a two-day conference, during which legal generalities of the IPC were introduced and it was announced that more details about the contracts would be unveiled during a conference likely to be held in London in February 2016. However, on Jan. 30 Iran announced that the country has decided to cancel the London conference due to problems for issuing UK visa. The IPC is a framework that lays out the basic structure -- and some details -- regarding all future petroleum contracts in Iran. As a Cabinet Resolution (which has similar status to a by-law) passed under the Petroleum Act (and a similar status to a by-law), it is by nature more open to legal and political challenge. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Wondering what to do when it comes to saving during a recession? Heres what the experts have to say. 5 min read Aug 25, 2022 Looking at the world through the eyes of the Web On Monday, Feb. 1, the 2016 election really began with the first caucuses in Iowa. So what is a caucus? Why is Iowa the first? What is a caucus? A caucus is a meeting of like-minded people, say members of a political party, to decide policy or, in this case, to select candidates. For instance, groups of lawmakers in Congress with like-minded ideas form caucuses and meet routinely to discuss what bills or lawmakers they will support. In some states, members of a political party meet and select their candidates for political office in this case, president. How does it work? The caucus rules in Iowa are set by the parties. These presidential candidates are battling for delegates to either the Republican National Convention or the Democratic National Convention. The caucuses are not winner-take-all, either. And the Republicans do their caucuses differently from the Democrats. Here's what's the same: There are 1,681 voting precincts in Iowa. At 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. Central), party members will get together at caucus sites. Each caucus site may have more than one precinct in it Democrats seem to have more caucus sites than Republicans. Voting is done at each caucus site. From here, the details get complicated. So we've tried to break it down more easily. Republicans Democrats So, why is Iowa first? Iowa's prominence in the presidential nomination process is a child of the 60s and 70s. Following the turmoil of the 1968 election, Democrats in Iowa created the modern caucus system. They moved the caucus to January because they wanted to make sure they had enough time to get every delegate a copy of the rules and platform proposals. But as a result, Sen. George McGovern campaigned heavily in Iowa and got 20 percent of the delegates in 1972, defying experts who said McGovern had no shot. He went on to win the nomination. Iowa Republicans liked the plan so much that both parties decided to implement the caucuses on the same date in 1976. It's been that way ever since. The debate over whether the current primary/caucus calendar should stay the same has been going on for years. There have been whole studies on the subject. Does it affect the course of the election cycle? To be sure, there's no guarantee of success later on in the campaign if you win early states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. "The early state primaries (Iowa and New Hampshire) are usually better predictors of who will get the Democratic nomination than who will be nominated by the Republicans," said University of South Florida Prof. Susan MacManus. "But then again, this is not your normal election year!" Consider the last three major elections: 2008: (Final candidates: Barack Obama, John McCain) Iowa: Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee New Hampshire: Hillary Clinton, John McCain 2000: (Final candidates: Al Gore, George W. Bush) Iowa: Al Gore, George W. Bush New Hampshire: Al Gore, John McCain 1992: (Final candidates: Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush) Iowa: Tom Harkin, George H.W. Bush New Hampshire: Sen. Paul Tsongas, George H.W. Bush "It is true that candidates who do better than expected get a boost going into the next states' primaries, and the opposite happens to those who do worse," MacManus said. "In a way, these early state primaries are all about exceeding expectations -- beating the polls." Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts were bridesmaid at the nuptials which took place in Barbados on Saturday Kimberley Walsh said her wedding to long-term love Justin Scott was everything she hoped it would be. The Girls Aloud star tied the knot with former Triple 8 band member Scott in Barbados on Saturday with her band mates Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts as bridesmaids, and the couple's 17-month-old son Bobby as pageboy. The wedding celebrations kicked off with a beachside welcome party, before the couple, who have been together for almost 14 years, exchanged vows at St James Parish Church. Walsh told Hello! magazine: "I might just push it to the limit on keeping him waiting, since he's kept me waiting pretty much our whole relationship. "But it's been worth it. It's lived up to everything we wanted our wedding to be. Everyone we love has been waiting for this wedding for so long and are all the more emotional for that." Fernandez-Versini told the magazine: "The way they've done it is so perfect and right for them. It's exactly the kind of place I envisaged them getting married - chilled and elegant - and I'm just so excited and ecstatic for them." Speaking about their destination choice, Scott said: "I don't think either of us had ever felt that a wedding in the UK was for us, whereas everything about Barbados just felt so right." :: Read the full article in Hello!, out now. The family of broadcaster Sir David Frost have launched a fund in memory of his eldest son Miles, who died while jogging last July. The Miles Frost Fund aims to raise 1.5 million to test for a genetic heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Miles, who worked as a financial investor, collapsed while running in Oxfordshire and the family have revealed his death was caused by the condition. Around one in 500 people are born with the faulty gene which causes HCM and each child of someone with HCM has a 50% chance of inheriting it, the British Heart Foundation said. HCM causes the muscle wall of the heart to become stiff leading to heart failure. Wilfred Frost, younger brother of Miles, said his death was "incredibly hard to take". He said: "Miles' death will always be incomprehensible to us but the circumstances surrounding it have made losing him even more difficult to bear. "However, we are determined to look forward, and plan to use his passing to create a positive legacy by improving diagnosis for HCM. "If the Miles Frost Fund helps to prevent just one similar death occurring, then Miles will not have died in vain." Miles' father Sir David died in 2013 aged 74 after suffering a heart attack on the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship, and a post mortem revealed he also had HCM. The British Heart Foundation said the majority of people with HCM are undiagnosed and will have no symptoms. The fund, which has been launched in partnership with the British Heart Foundation, aims to ensure genetic testing for immediate family members of those affected by HCM is available nationwide. Miles's mother, Lady Carina Frost, said: "I will never forget the joy of handing Miles over to David. David was just totally besotted with Miles the moment he was born. "He quite simply was born an old soul. And everybody was drawn to his wisdom, love, loyalty and laughter. After David died I just couldn't have survived without Miles." George Frost, youngest brother of Miles, added: "The hole left by Miles' death can never be filled. But if we can help prevent other families experiencing something similar it will be a great relief." Simon Gillespie, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation, said: "I cannot praise highly enough the courage and vision of the Frost family in setting up this fund. "The money raised by the Miles Frost Fund will help to establish a fully functional, UK-wide cascade testing service for parents, siblings and children who could be at risk. "Working with the Frost family, our aim is to ensure people who have HCM are identified and treated to prevent a needless loss of life." Currently landowners in England and Wales receive up to an additional 10% top up payment as compensation for the loss of their land Regional Development Minister Michelle McIlveen has announced plans to introduce a new Land Acquisition and Compensation Bill. And Miss McIlveen is seeking accelerated passage for the Bill which would bring compensation levels for landowners in Northern Ireland affected by compulsory land purchase on a par with England and Wales. The move comes ahead of two major road schemes - the A5 and A6 - where many landowners will be affected by compulsory land purchase to accommodate the works. "There is clearly an anomaly in respect of compensation payments for landowners whose land is vested, usually as a result of major road schemes. In England and Wales, landowners receive up to an additional 10% top up payment as compensation for the loss of their land but this does not apply here," she said. "With the prospect of two major road schemes starting construction this year, namely the A5 and the A6, it is only fair that the many landowners who will be impacted are compensated fairly." Seeking accelerated passage of the Bill will enable it to be debated in the Northern Ireland Assembly with the prospect of it being introduced before the summer this year. Concluding the Minister said: There will be financial implications for some departments as a result of this Bill, with my own Department being most affected. However, it cannot be right for people in Northern Ireland not to enjoy the same entitlements as those enjoyed by citizens in England and Wales. Mrs Campbell, widow of murdered RUC Sergeant, Joseph Patrick Campbell, leaving a court in Belfast in 1982 with her two son, Thomas (left) and Joseph Sergeant Joseph Campbell was shot dead 39 years ago There will not be political progress in Northern Ireland until it is accepted that victims' issues need to be dealt with in a transparent way, the son of a Catholic RUC officer shot dead 39 years ago said. Sergeant Joseph Campbell's murder is one of more than 50 stalled inquests forming part of a review into the most highly-disputed legacy cases in a bid to assess why they have not been heard, in some instances almost 45 years after the event. Sgt Campbell's son, also Joe, said the granting of an inquest into his father's killing is a "victory" for his family, and praised Lord Justice Weir for his comments during the two-week review when he posed serious questions to the Government about its resourcing of investigations into past murders. Mr Campbell was speaking at a conference in London on the legacy of the Troubles, chaired by former President of Ireland Mary McAleese. Relatives of those killed, including Michael O'Hare, whose 12-year-old girl sister Majella was shot by the British Army, and Alan McBride, whose wife Sharon was killed in the IRA bombing of a fish shop on Belfast's Shankill Road, attended the Troubles, Tragedy And Trauma: Northern Ireland's Historic Legacy event. Mrs McAleese said the pain felt by loved ones of those who died in the violence that gripped the country is still fresh. She said: "It tells us something about the shelf life of these stories, the shelf life of grief, and of sadness and of these people who have been what you might call, I believe, patiently impatient." Sgt Campbell, a father-of-eight, was shot dead as he closed a police station in 1977. A Police Ombudsman's report subsequently said the murder could have been prevented by senior RUC commanders, but said it did not believe there had been collusion. His son, Joe Campbell, said explaining to the next generation what happened to the loved ones they never got the chance to meet is "difficult when the system will not acknowledge the wrong that was done". It is necessary to accept the need for truth and justice regarding the past, he said, before Northern Ireland can progress to a brighter future. He said: "In order that the political institutions in Northern Ireland can make progress, people need to come to an understanding that issues like ours have to be dealt with in the public eye." Describing the moment on Friday when Lord Justice Weir acknowledged his family's wait for truth had gone on "too long", Mr Campbell said "the lights came on" for his mother Rosemary. He said: "It is the first time in 39 years my family has felt this is someone (the judge) who is on the side of attempting to get to the truth, and he's dealt very robustly with the notion some organisations over there (Northern Ireland) cannot provide the necessary correspondence in order that the cases can be progressed." Lack of money to search for and process documents has been a constant refrain from lawyers for the Police Service of Northern Ireland and watchdogs which scrutinise them as well as the Ministry of Defence. Despite having been left disappointed countless times in the past after "knocking on so many doors", Mr Campbell said he still has hope, adding that he and others affected will not stop in their struggle for justice. He said: "We're resilient people and we will continue until we find the truth." The killings under review span allegations of security force misinformation to frame the IRA for bombings, state collusion in loyalist murders, inept police investigations, and IRA men shot dead by the army as part of a claimed policy of shooting to kill in which civilians were killed in the cross-fire. Lord Justice Weir will now compile a report on the cases, which relate to almost 100 deaths, for the head of Northern Ireland's judiciary, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan. He is determining why they are still stuck in the coronial system and identifying a sequence for hearing them. There will not be political progress in Northern Ireland until it is accepted that victims' issues need to be dealt with in a transparent way, the son of a Catholic RUC officer shot dead 39 years ago said. Sergeant Joseph Campbell's murder is one of more than 50 stalled inquests forming part of a review into the most highly-disputed legacy cases in a bid to assess why they have not been heard, in some instances almost 45 years after the event. Sgt Campbell's son, also Joe, said the granting of an inquest into his father's killing is a "victory" for his family, and praised Lord Justice Weir for his comments during the two-week review when he posed serious questions to the Government about its resourcing of investigations into past murders. Mr Campbell was speaking at a conference in London on the legacy of the Troubles, chaired by former President of Ireland Mary McAleese. Relatives of those killed, including Michael O'Hare, whose 12 -year-old girl sister Majella was shot by the British Army, and Alan McBride, whose wife Sharon was killed in the IRA bombing of a fish shop on Belfast's Shankill Road, attended the Troubles, Tragedy And Trauma: Northern Ireland's Historic Legacy event. Mrs McAleese said the pain felt by loved ones of those who died in the violence that gripped the country is still fresh. She said: "It tells us something about the shelf life of these stories, the shelf life of grief, and of sadness and of these people who have been what you might call, I believe, patiently impatient." Sgt Campbell, a father-of-eight, was shot dead as he closed a police station in 1977. A Police Ombudsman's report subsequently said the murder could have been prevented by senior RUC commanders, but said it did not believe there had been collusion. His son, Joe Campbell, said explaining to the next generation what happened to the loved ones they never got the chance to meet is "difficult when the system will not acknowledge the wrong that was done". It is necessary to accept the need for truth and justice regarding the past, he said, before Northern Ireland can progress to a brighter future. He said: "In order that the political institutions in Northern Ireland can make progress, people need to come to an understanding that issues like ours have to be dealt with in the public eye." Describing the moment on Friday when Lord Justice Weir acknowledged his family's wait for truth had gone on "too long", Mr Campbell said " the lights came on" for his mother Rosemary. He said: "It is the first time in 39 years my family has felt this is someone (the judge) who is on the side of attempting to get to the truth, and he's dealt very robustly with the notion some organisations over there (Northern Ireland) cannot provide the necessary correspondence in order that the cases can be progressed." Lack of money to search for and process documents has been a constant refrain from lawyers for the Police Service of Northern Ireland and watchdogs which scrutinise them as well as the Ministry of Defence. Despite having been left disappointed countless times in the past after "knocking on so many doors", Mr Campbell said he still has hope, adding that he and others affected will not stop in their struggle for justice. He said: "We're resilient people and we will continue until we find the truth." The killings under review span allegations of security force misinformation to frame the IRA for bombings, state collusion in loyalist murders, inept police investigations, and IRA men shot dead by the army as part of a claimed policy of shooting to kill in which civilians were killed in the cross-fire. Lord Justice Weir will now compile a report on the cases, which relate to almost 100 deaths, for the head of Northern Ireland's judiciary, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan. He is determining why they are still stuck in the coronial system and identifying a sequence for hearing them. The union NUS-USI is taking its "campervan of dreams" on a tour of all third level education campuses in Northern Ireland this week. A leading students' organisation is hitting the road in an effort to encourage young people to vote in May's Assembly election. President of NUS-USI Fergal McFerran explained the rationale. "Overall voter turnout for elections to the Assembly has dropped by over 14% since 1998, yet our engagement with students across Northern Ireland suggests that they are passionate about making their voice heard," he said. "Students have great hopes, big dreams and excellent ideas for the future. There are so many issues that students feel strongly about, and this tour is all about saying that in order to be heard, you must register to vote. "It's crucial that everyone registers to vote to ensure that they can have their say on all the issues that they care about. "We are going around campuses across Northern Ireland with the campervan of dreams, to emphasise that it's essential to register to vote, and we will be doing it in a fun way. "Students are the present and the future of our society. They are the future teachers, doctors, engineers, and business leaders. Their voice must be heard, and it is vital that all students register to vote to enable this. "NUS-USI is taking the campervan of dreams on tour to set the wheels in motion and encourage students to register to vote and have a say on their own future." The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough, Councillor Billy Ashe pictured at the Princess Victoria Memorial in Larne with William McAllister who is the only living survivor of the of disaster. The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough, Councillor Billy Ashe pictured at the Princess Victoria Memorial in Larne with William McAllister who is the only living survivor of the of disaster. A total of 133 lives were lost in the tragedy, which at the time was the UK's worst peacetime disaster at sea. The Princess Victoria disaster happened on January 31, 1953 after a ferry crossing from Stranraer to Larne sank after being battered by monstrous waves in the North Channel. Only 33 passengers and crew survived the terrible disaster. The loss of so many lives sent shockwaves through Northern Ireland. It had a particularly strong impact on County Antrim and the Port of Larne with 27 of the 133 victims coming from the town. On Saturday, the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Billy Ashe led tributes to those who perished in Larne with William McAllister who is the only living survivor of the of disaster, when he was 17 he was a galley boy on the ship. They were among those who attended the 63rd anniversary commemoration service marking the poignant anniversary. The Mail on Sunday said the Prime Minister and his wife Samantha had discussed registering Elwen, nine, at Colet Court Preparatory School. The school, in Barnes, south-west London, is a feeder for St Paul's School, which was once attended by Chancellor George Osborne. It describes itself on its website as "an independent school offering an outstanding, all-round education for gifted boys aged seven to 18 years". Colet Court costs 6,000 per term and charges fees for registering and entrance exams. As opposition leader in 2009, Mr Cameron said he "would like my children to go through the state sector". ''I think it's crazy that we should pay lots of money for private schools. We all pay our taxes. You should have really good state schools available for all," he said. He spoke last year of his relief after daughter Nancy, 12, secured a place at a top state school near Downing Street. He said the news that she had been accepted at the Grey Coat Hospital School, in Westminster, which was founded in 1698 and is now a Church of England academy, was "a weight off everybody's mind". Downing Street declined to comment on the report. The books of condolences will be opened from Monday morning in Limerick, where Terry Wogan grew up Limerick City and County Council has confirmed that members of the public will be able to express their condolences from 10am on Monday with separate books being opened at the Council buildings in Dooradoyle and in Merchants Quay. An online Book of Condolences also will be hosted on www.limerick.ie. The Mayor of Limerick Liam Galvin said Wogan was a "true son of Limerick". "These Books of Condolences afford Limerick people at home and abroad the opportunity to convey their sympathies to the family of the late Terry Wogan, a true son of Limerick and a broadcasting institution whose passing will be mourned by millions," he said. "Despite his fame and the fact that he was based in the UK throughout much of his career, Sir Terry often returned home to Limerick and never missed an opportunity on radio or TV to speak about his Limerick roots. "The Council honoured him with the title of Freeman of Limerick in 2007, which I know was a title that meant very much to him and his family. "On behalf of the Council and the people of Limerick, I wish to extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to Sir Terry's family." Terry Wogan was honoured to have been given freedom of Limerick Sir Terry Wogan's home city is opening a book of condolences to allow citizens to mark the passing of a "true son of Limerick". The legendary broadcaster regularly returned to his home town and was honoured as Freeman of the city in 2007. City leaders have confirmed separate books of condolences will be opened at council buildings in Dooradoyle and Merchants Quay on Monday morning to allow the public express their loss. An online book of condolences also will be hosted on the city's official website www.limerick.ie . Limerick Mayor Liam Galvin said the books will allow people at home and abroad convey their sympathies to the family of "a true son of Limerick and a broadcasting institution whose passing will be mourned by millions". "Despite his fame and the fact that he was based in the UK throughout much of his career, Sir Terry often returned home to Limerick and never missed an opportunity on radio or TV to speak about his Limerick roots," he said. "The council honoured him with the title of Freeman of Limerick in 2007, which I know was a title that meant very much to him and his family. "On behalf of the council and the people of Limerick, I wish to extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to Sir Terry's family." On receiving the freedom of his native city nine years ago, Sir Terry said he felt honoured and privileged as he had such an affection for his birthplace. "I have nothing but the happiest memories of Limerick and I was very proud when I watched O'Connell Street full of people when the Munster rugby team won the Heineken Cup," he said. Jeremy Corbyn put forward the dividend ban as one way to "institutionalise fairness" in a recent keynote address to the Fabian Society Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's proposal to ban companies from paying shareholder dividends unless they pay all their workers the living wage has been dismissed as unworkable by his own shadow business secretary. Angela Eagle told The Sunday Times that the plan was "not a runner" and said the Opposition had to make sure it was "realistic" in the policies it put forward to press firms for action over issues such as pay inequality. The snub came as Ms Eagle - who as shadow first secretary of state is the leader's de facto deputy - again declined to rule out Mr Corbyn being ousted before the 2020 general election. And she poured cold water on his push for negotiations with Argentina over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and questioned the approach to the divisive issue of Trident renewal. Mr Corbyn put forward the dividend ban as one way to "institutionalise fairness" in a recent keynote address to the Fabian Society alongside t he imposition of "pay ratios" between those at the top and those at the bottom of a company's pay scale. "Only profitable employers will be paying dividends. If they depend on cheap labour for those profits then I think there is a question over whether that is a business model to which we should be turning a blind eye," he said. It drew criticism from bosses and Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron called it "anti-business". Ms Eagle, who heads the party's manifesto-setting National Policy Forum and has been tipped as a possible successor should Mr Corbyn be removed, told the newspaper: "A ban on dividends is not the way to do it. "It is an interesting idea, but it does not actually work." She said: "It was an idea. It has since been reported as a policy but it is not a policy. "The idea that you could ban people from paying dividends unless they pay the living wage is not a runner." Stressing the need for a "credible economic and business offer", she went on: "We need to be realistic about how we make steps towards fairness." She laughed off questions about Mr Corbyn's controversial call for some kind of accommodation with Argentina over the Falklands. "The Falklands issue was settled when I was at university," she said. Speculation over a challenge to Mr Corbyn has rumbled ever since his shock victory in the contest to succeed Ed Milband, fuelled by a series of stark disagreements with MPs over issues such as Syria air strikes and the UK's nuclear deterrent. Asked if she believed Mr Corbyn would take Labour into the next general election, Ms Eagle said only : "I'm not going to speculate about who is going to be anywhere." The Government has been accused of trying to take decision-making on fracking out of the hands of local people Campaigners fear fracking applications could ultimately be decided upon by the Government instead of local councils in "another attack on democracy". A letter leaked to Friends Of The Earth suggests ministers want to promote shale gas exploration and potentially bring the industry under the umbrella of nationally significant infrastructure planning. Such a designation would mean that the final say on fracking applications would likely rest with the Communities Secretary. Craig Bennett, the chief executive of Friends Of The Earth, said: "The Government is planning another attack on democracy in relation to fracking. "The Prime Minister has said that communities would have a fair say in whether or not fracking should happen near them, but as this letter makes clear, this isn't being reflected or honoured in the highest levels of government." The letter was reportedly sent from the Energy Secretary Amber Rudd, the Communities Secretary Greg Clark and the Environment Secretary Liz Truss to Chancellor George Osborne. A Government spokeswoman stressed communities will "always be involved" in the planning application process. "We are backing shale because it's good for our energy security and will help create jobs and growth," she said. "We need to press ahead and get exploration under way so that we can determine how much shale gas there is and how much we can use. "Ministers have made very clear that communities will always be involved in planning applications and people's safety and the environment will remain paramount." The tax settlement between Google and the Government "wasn't a glorious moment", the Business Secretary has admitted. The Government came to an agreement with the internet giant which will see 130 million paid in back taxes covering the last decade. And while George Osborne initially labelled the deal a "major success", Sajid Javid told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that he shares the feeling of many people that there is a sense of "injustice" with the deal. The Business Secretary said: "It wasn't a glorious moment, when people look at these issues, but it is important, I think, to talk about also what the Government is doing." Mr Javid was asked if he agrees it is unfair that a large corporation like Google can speak directly with the Government and HMRC about its tax affairs while small and medium businesses don't have that option available to them. "I speak with thousands of companies, small and medium sized as well as of course large companies, and there is a sense of injustice with what they see," he said. "They do look at this and they say 'look, I don't operate all these multiple jurisdictions around the world, I can't shift profits around, what about me, where's the level playing field?' and I share that sense and the sort of sense of unfairness that exists." The agreement between Google and HMRC has sparked a fierce political row, with critics labelling it a "sweetheart deal". Meanwhile, the settlement could be investigated by the European Commission following complaints from the SNP and Labour. However, Mr Javid insisted the deal was a success. "The way in which it was a success is that it helps to change behaviour," he said. "It is absolutely clear to me, I think when other companies, other large companies, they look at this and they see that HMRC no matter how long it takes - I think this particular investigation if I am not mistaken took five or six years - that HMRC will not give up, they will come after you if they feel you are not paying your fair share in taxes." Google's vice president of communications and public affairs, Peter Barron, also appeared on the Andrew Marr Show and defended the settlement. "In the UK we pay corporation tax at 20%, there is no sweetheart deal, it is absolutely the same corporation tax rate as everybody else," he said. Mr Barron was asked if he believes Google lives up to its corporate motto: "Don't be evil." He said: "I think we do, absolutely. In everything that we do across the business we always try to do the right thing." Responding to a report in The Observer that Google will tomorrow announce 30 billion of profits held in the tax haven of Bermuda, Mr Barron said the arrangement has no impact on the amount of tax it pays in the UK. He said: "It's very, very important to make it clear that the Bermuda arrangement has absolutely no bearing on the amount of tax that we pay in the UK. No bearing whatsoever." When asked how much of the 30 billion may have come from the UK, he said: "I don't know the answer, I haven't got the answer to my fingertips, except I would say that about 10% of global revenues come from the UK." Meanwhile, Mr Javid rejected the accusation that the UK Government is defending the island's tax haven status from EU attack. "I don't think that's the case at all," he said. Susanne Hinte said the controversy over her water-damaged lottery ticket made her feel suicidal The grandmother who claimed she put a lottery ticket worth 33 million through the wash has said she felt suicidal and will never play again. Susanne Hinte had said she bought a ticket bearing the winning numbers after it was badly damaged in a washing machine. The 48 year old hit the headlines as Camelot appealed for the second winner of the record 66 million Lotto jackpot to come forward. But she said the spotlight had left her "going out of my mind". Ms Hinte told the Sun on Sunday: "No amount of money I could ever get could make up for what has happened. I wish I'd never done it. I am never going to buy a lottery ticket again. I mean that with all my heart. "I wanted to kill myself last week because I just thought nothing can be worse than this. I am sorry for what's happened, my life has been taken away from me." She admitted she "never believed it was the winning ticket" but denied altering it in an attempt to fool Camelot, which warned it would take action against attempted fraud. The ticket emerged crumpled in a jeans pocket after being washed at 60 degrees, the paper said. Ms Hinte, from Warndon, Worcester, took it to the newsagent where she bought it to see if it could go through the scanner but when it did not, she returned home and wrote to Camelot instead. She said talk of possible police investigations into fraudulent claims was "frightening". "I'm not perfect but I haven't done anything wrong. Everyone is mentioning fraud but I don't think I am in the wrong. My conscience is clear," she added. The lottery operator had been investigating hundreds of claims of lost, damaged or stolen tickets in Worcester before the punter who scooped the half-share came forward. The winner has chosen to remain anonymous. Married couple David and Carol Martin, both 54, from Hawick in the Scottish Borders, won the other half of the massive payout from the January 9 draw. Roger Gower was helping authorities in Tanzania track elephant poachers when they fired on his aircraft, the Friedkin Conservation Fund (FCF) said Three people have reportedly been arrested over the shooting of a British helicopter pilot by elephant poachers in Tanzania. The men were held by police in the East African country on Sunday over the murder of Roger Gower, the Agence France Presse (AFP) agency reported. Mr Gower, 37, was helping authorities in Tanzania track the criminals when they fired on his aircraft on Friday, the Friedkin Conservation Fund (FCF) said. He managed to bring the helicopter down in the Maswa Game Reserve, near Serengeti National Park in the country's north, but died from his wounds before he could be rescued. Pictures posted online show the badly damaged remains of the helicopter, including a bloodied bullet hole in the pilot's seat of the aircraft, which lay on its side in the savannah grass. In a message posted on its website, FCF founder Dan Friedkin said the organisation was "profoundly saddened by the loss of our dear friend". He said: "Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a co-ordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers. In the course of this action the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded. "We are committed to honouring Roger and his work. We are also committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack are found and brought to justice. We believe that Roger can best be honoured by redoubling our commitment to protect elephants and our priceless wildlife heritage. "This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzanias wildlife." Tanzania is fighting a bitter struggle to stop ivory poachers, a report last year saying 60% of its elephant population had been lost in the previous five years. China is the world's largest market for illegal ivory, which has been thriving under the cover of legal ivory sales. Tanzania also last year charged a Chinese woman, Yang Feng Clan, 66, with smuggling 1.9 tons of ivory from the country between 2000 and 2014 Mr Gower was a former accountant who qualified as a pilot in 2004 and moved to Africa around two years later, according to a profile with his former employer Tropic Air Kenya. It also says he helped the British Army on exercises in the country. In a Facebook post Tropic Air Kenya said it was "shocked and immensely sad" at the news that he had been killed "in the long and ongoing battle against elephant poaching". It said: "Roger, only 37 years old, was a fantastic heli pilot in every way, and flew for Tropic Air for four years, leaving last August to pursue new flying ambitions #Tanzania. Bye Bye Rog .. you will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family." Mr Gower's brother Max said he was proud of him and how he had managed to land the helicopter and allow his passenger, a friend and colleague, to get out. He said that his sibling did not want to sit behind a desk and quit as an accountant the day he qualified so he could go and work with the two things he enjoyed the most, flying and animals . Max Gower told Sky News: "I'm proud of what he did. I'm proud he got his passenger down safely. I'm proud he got himself out of the helicopter and I'm proud that even after he was shot he was still laughing." Max Gower has set up a Just Giving page with the aim of raising 50,000 in his brother's memory, writing: " I am proud to have known him and to be able to say he was my brother. Those who knew him will remember his idiosyncrasies but also his principles, his morality and his infectious love of having fun." The page is at https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Roger-Gower Hilary Benn says Britain 'a long way' from attacks in Libya Britain is "a long way" from launching military action against the self-styled Islamic State in Libya, shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn said following reports of a secret reconnaissance mission to scope possible air strikes. The Sunday Times claims that RAF officers, MI6 operatives and diplomats joined US and French colleagues at an airbase in Tobruk controlled by pro-western militia forces to establish potential targets. It comes amid concerns the terror group could switch its base from Syria in order to start targeting the Mediterranean. Prime Minister David Cameron has said the UK will do "everything we can" to support a new Libyan government in its efforts to combat IS (also known as Daesh) and the criminal gangs behind the migrant boats heading to Europe. The Government has offered British forces in a training role if a new unity administration in Tripoli requests support. The Ministry of Defence said no decisions had been taken on British involvement in any international coalition force. Mr Benn - who backed UK strikes in Syria in defiance of Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn - told Sky News that questions about whether Labour would support such action were premature. "Nothing has been, as far as I am aware, said publicly or reported to the House of Commons," he said on the Murnaghan programme. "The threat from Daesh and its affiliates is to be found, sadly, in too many places now, not just Syria and Iraq. "We saw the downing of the Russian airline over the Sinai and we have seen right over in Nigeria what Boko Haram have been doing, and there is a problem with a Daesh presence in Libya. "There is no proposition, there is no proposal, there is no UN resolution and I think we are a long way away from that." An MOD Spokesperson said: "The UK, along with international partners, is supporting the process to form a recognised Libyan government and we are developing plans to support this. "No decisions have been made about the future deployment of any British military forces to Libya as part of an international coalition force." A triple bombing claimed by the extremist Islamic State group has killed at least 45 people near Damascus, overshadowing an already shaky start to what are meant to be indirect Syria peace talks. Syria's state news agency SANA said that the blasts went off in Sayyda Zeinab, a predominantly Shiite Muslim suburb of the Syrian capital. SANA said attackers detonated a car bomb at a bus stop and that two suicide bombers set off more explosives as rescuers rushed to the area. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 47 people were killed in the explosions, and that the death toll was expected to rise because a number of people were seriously wounded. An IS-affiliated website said the blasts were carried out by members of the extremist group, which controls large areas in both Syria and Iraq. UN-hosted peace talks in Geneva are part of a process outlined in last month's UN resolution that envisions an 18-month timetable for a political transition in Syria, including the drafting of a new constitution and elections. The talks got off to a rocky start on Friday, with UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura meeting only with a Syrian government delegation. A delegation of the main opposition group said it will not take part in the indirect talks until its demands are met, including lifting the siege imposed on rebel-held areas and an end to Russian and Syrian bombardment of regions controlled by opposition fighters. "It's the duty of the responsibility of members of the Security Council to put the pressure on Russia to stop these crimes in Syria," opposition spokesman Salem al-Mislet said. "It's enough killing our children, killing civilians. They pretend to fight terrorism. In fact they don't fight terrorism because they bring terrorism there and Isis is spreading in many areas in Syria more than before because of these Russian strikes," Mr al-Mislet said. The opposition delegation is to meet with Mr de Mistura later on Sunday, Mr al-Mislet added. Meanwhile, a senior Syrian official said President Bashar Assad's government will "never accept" the inclusion in the peace talks of two militant groups it considers terrorists. Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam, two Islamic groups fighting to overthrow Assad, agreed to take part in the Geneva talks. The ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham is not part of the team sent to Geneva, but the delegation has named Army of Islam official Mohammed Alloush as its chief negotiator. Mr Assad's government has long referred to all those fighting to overthrow him as terrorists, but has agreed to negotiations with some armed groups in the latest talks. A UN Security Council resolution adopted last month tasked Jordan with compiling an agreed list of terrorist organisations that would be excluded from the talks. Work on the list is still under way. While virtually all parties agree that both IS and the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front should be excluded, the two sides are divided over Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam. The mainstream opposition views both groups as fellow rebels, despite their ideological differences, while the Syrian government and its close ally Russia view them as extremists. "We will neither sit down directly with terrorists, nor have dialogue with them," Syrian information minister Omar al-Zoubi told state TV Saturday evening. US president Barack Obama is to visit an American mosque for the first time US president Barack Obama is visiting an American mosque for the first time, in a public show of support for the Muslim community. Mr Obama plans to hold talks with Muslim leaders at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, the White House announced. The visit will amount to a public embrace of Muslims by Mr Obama at a time when public sentiment against them seems to be growing, largely fuelled by fears of terrorist acts carried out by extremist groups. Mr Obama has largely put distance between himself and US Muslims, opting against feeding the rampant theories that he is a closet Muslim who was born in Kenya, the country of his late father's birth. He is American by virtue of his birth in Hawaii and has released his birth certificate as proof, and is also Christian, but segments of the US population still believe neither to be true. The visit will come during the final year of Mr Obama's two terms in office. He will go to the Baltimore mosque to "celebrate the contributions Muslim Americans make to our nation and reaffirm the importance of religious freedom to our way of life". In remarks to be delivered at the mosque, Mr Obama "will reiterate the importance of staying true to our core values: welcoming our fellow Americans, speaking out against bigotry, rejecting indifference and protecting our nation's tradition of religious freedom", the White House said. The president has been outspoken in pushing back against calls by Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump and others to block Muslims from being admitted to the US over fears of terrorism linked to radical extremist groups. Others have cited potential security risks in pushing legislation in Congress to limit the resettlement of refugees from Iraq and Syria, where the Islamic State (IS) group is active and from which it has exported its brand of terrorism to other regions of the world. Mr Obama has argued that such efforts are wrong and serve only to incite extremist groups, weaken America's leadership around the world and put US security at risk. "We're not going to build progress with a bunch of phony tough talk, and bluster, and over-the-top claims that just play into Isil's hands," the president said, using an acronym for IS. He spoke to House of Representatives Democrats on Thursday as they strategised at a meeting in Baltimore, saying: "We're not going to strengthen our leadership around the world by allowing politicians to insult Muslims or pit groups of Americans against each other. That's not who we are. That's not keeping America safe." It was not immediately clear why the White House chose the Islamic Society of Baltimore for the visit. A man walks past burnt-out houses following an attack by Boko Haram in Dalori village, Nigeria (AP) Boko Haram extremists have fire-bombed huts, burning people including children to death, in the latest attack by the Nigerian group, according to a survivor. Scores of charred bodies lay on the streets following Saturday night's attack on Dalori village, three miles from Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram and the biggest city in north-east Nigeria. The attack continued for four hours, survivor Alamin Bakura said, adding several members of his family were killed or wounded. The violence continued as three female suicide bombers detonated their devices among people who managed to flee to neighbouring Gamori village, killing many, according to a soldier at the scene. It was not known how many people were killed as bodies were still being collected, including from the surrounding bushes where the insurgents hunted down fleeing villagers, according to security guard Abba Shehus. Boko Haram has taken to attacking soft targets, increasingly with suicide bombers, since the military last year drove them out of towns and villages in north-eastern Nigeria. The six-year Islamic uprising has killed about 20,000 people and driven 2.5 million from their homes. China has strongly condemned the United States after an American warship deliberately sailed near one of its islands in the hotly-contested South China Sea to exercise freedom of navigation and challenge Beijing's vast territorial claims. The missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island in the Paracel chain "to challenge excessive maritime claims of parties that claim the Paracel Islands", without notifying the three claimants beforehand, defence department spokesman Mark Wright said in Washington. China, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping claims in the Paracels and require prior notice from ships transiting what they consider their territorial waters. The latest operation was particularly aimed at China, which has increased tensions with the US and its south-east Asian neighbours by embarking on massive construction of man-made islands and airstrips in contested areas. In October, another US warship sailed in the nearby Spratly Islands near Subi Reef, where China has built one of seven artificial islands. Mr Wright said the attempts to restrict navigational rights by requiring prior notice were inconsistent with international law. US officials said such ship movements would be regular in the future. China responded swiftly, with defence ministry spokesman Yang Yujun saying the US action "severely violated Chinese law, sabotaged the peace, security and good order of the waters, and undermined the region' s peace and stability". According to Yang, Chinese troops on the island and navy vessels and warplanes took actions immediately, identified the US warship and "warned and expelled it swiftly." He said the US operation was "very unprofessional and irresponsible for the safety of the troops of both sides, and may cause extremely dangerous consequences". Chinese armed forces would take whatever measures "necessary to safeguard China's sovereignty and security, no matter what provocations the US side may take", he added. Foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said the Chinese side conducted surveillance and "vocal warnings to the US warship". China claims almost the entire South China Sea and its islands, reefs and atolls on historic grounds. The area has some of the world's busiest shipping lanes and US officials say ensuring freedom of navigation is in American national interests, while not taking sides in the territorial disputes. China seized the unpopulated Triton Island, an area of 0.46 sq. miles, from former South Vietnam in 1974. In May 2014, China parked a huge oil drilling platform off the Vietnamese coast in the area, prompting Vietnam to sent fishing boats and coastguard vessels to harass the rig and nearby Chinese vessels. Skirmishes led to collisions and the capsizing of at least one Vietnamese boat. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Moscow that it will "endure the consequences" if its jets continued to enter his country's airspace, after Ankara reported a new border infringement incident by a Russian plane. Nato member Turkey said another Russian warplane breached its airspace on Friday despite several warnings - two months after Turkey shot down a Russian jet for crossing over its territory. The past incident seriously strained the previously close ties between the two countries, damaging a strong economic partnership. "We regard this infringement which came despite all our warnings in Russian and in English as an effort by Russia to escalate the crisis in the region," Mr Erdogan said before embarking on a Latin American tour. "If Russia continues the violations of Turkey's sovereign rights it will be forced to endure the consequences." He did not specify what those consequences might be. Russian defence ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov denied any violation of Turkey's airspace and called the Turkish statements "unsubstantiated propaganda". Mr Erdogan said he attempted to reach Russian president Vladimir Putin to discuss the issue but he did not respond. "These irresponsible steps do not help the Russian Federation, Nato-Russia relations or regional and global peace," Mr Erdogan said. "On the contrary they are detrimental." Turkey's foreign ministry said the Russian SU-34 crossed into Turkish airspace on Friday, ignoring several warnings in Russian and in English by Turkish radar units. It said Ankara summoned the Russian ambassador to the ministry to "strongly protest" at the violation. It was not clear where exactly the new infringement had occurred. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg also called on Russia "to act responsibly and to fully respect Nato airspace" but also urged "calm and de-escalation" of tensions between Moscow and Ankara. "Russia must take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not happen again," he said. "Nato stands in solidarity with Turkey and supports the territorial integrity of our ally Turkey." In November, Turkey shot down a Russian plane which violated its airspace near Syria, sparking a crisis between the two countries. It was the first time in more than half a century that a Nato nation had shot down a Russian plane. Turkey brought down the Russian SU-24 bomber near the border with Syria on November 24, saying it entered its airspace for 17 seconds despite repeated warnings. Russia insists the plane never entered Turkish airspace. One pilot and a Russian marine of the rescue party were killed in the incident. The Russian military quickly sent missile systems to Syria and warned that it would fend off any threat to its aircraft. Moscow also punished Turkey by imposing an array of economic sanctions. On Saturday, Mr Stoltenberg said Nato had agreed in December to increase the presence of AWACS early warning planes over Turkey to increase the country's air defences. He said the decision was taken before Friday's incident. ON Sunday and Monday, there was disruption to trains at Lurgan because of a security alert. If it turns out to be the responsibility of dissident republicans then people will again ask why the Belfast to Dublin railway service continues to be a target for such groups. It is highly likely that those responsible for organising and carrying out the campaign against the rail service could not give a rational explanation for what they are doing. Perhaps a short history lesson might help. The tactic of attacking and disrupting trains was used extensively by the IRA during the War of Independence (1919-1921). At that time, trains were used to move uniformed British soldiers and their equipment around the-then extensive Irish rail network. Thus, by attacking the train services, the IRA sought to disrupt the Army's logistical operations. However, the British security forces of today do not use scheduled train services. So, decades after the original rationale for the attacks has disappeared, the out-of-date tactic continues to be employed. The IRA of 1919-1921 also attacked telegraph offices and cut telegraph wires. No doubt the dissidents of today, with a 1919 IRA manual in hand, are actively searching for the location of telegraph equipment. MARTIN MELAUGH By email We all have read about Jesus journey to the cross and the pain and agony he went through to save mankind. Jesus was a political nuisance and saw him as a threat, and the rabbis believed he was blasphemous calling himself the son of God. Additionally, Jesus was condemned by Pontius Pilate for rebelling against the Roman Empire, for helping the poor, chastising the greedy and the establishment. The Sadducees, who only believed the written law of Mosses--Pharisees and the chief priest also played their part in Jesus journey to the cross. Was the death of Jesus a calling, a murder, or both? The death of the Lord was predicted in the Old Testament as it was written he was despised, afflicted, rejected and led like a lamb to his slaughter, according to Isaiah 53. Zechariah also shares about Jesus death and what his ministry on earth would be. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself." This He said, signifying by what death He would die (John 12). The Bible shares in Psalm 22 that Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones-- people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. It seems that Jesus persecutors were all part of the bigger plan. Jesus knew he was going to be betrayed, he knew Peter would deny him, and knew Judas would betray him. He knew from the foundations of the world he was brought to earth to die for mans sins. Before Abraham, Jesus said I am. In Mathew Jesus revealed to the disciples what was to come of him. He was going to be rejected by the scribes, elders, and chief priests and would be killed and rise in three days. From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Jesus had to die to fulfill the calling to save the world from spending eternity away without God, and being killed was his sacrifice to all men. Experience A.D. The Bible Continues today with your very own Blu-ray copy. 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. Two men violently attacked a muslim in Prague 31. 1. 2016 cas cteni 1 minuta A 41-year-old muslim male, originally from Russia, was attacked with a knife by two skinheads in Prague on Saturday morning when he went for a run. He was taken to hospital with a knife wound in his stomach and was later released into home care. The attackers insulted the man's religion before the attack. The Czech police are looking for the attackers. The victim's girlfriend is convinced that her partner had been attacked because the couple are both well-known pro-refugee helpers and activists. "We have received many death threats," says the girlfriend, adding that someone had painted a swastika on her partner's car. Two other men had apparently tried to find the victim in one of the Prague's muslim prayer rooms. "Most muslims in Prague are trying to keep a low profile, they are afraid of provoking the anger of the majority population by their presence," said the girlfriend. Most Czech citizens have assumed a hostile attitude to the muslim community since the beginning of the refugee crisis. 60 per cent of Czechs are against receiving any refugees in their country. Officially, some 1500 muslims live in the Czech Republic. According to unofficial estimates, there may be some 15 000 of them. Sources in Czech HERE HERE 0 Conservative news, video and comment from the Bluegrass state. On December 7, Matthew William Gust allegedly "filled a 40-ounce beer bottle with gasoline, broke the window of Juba Coffee and Restaurant and threw the bottle inside, resulting in an explosion that caused $90,000 in damage." The Grand Forks Herald reports that Gust hurled the Molotov cocktail through the window just days after words go home along with Nazi-like symbols were spray-painted on the restaurant, leading many to suspect that the small business was targeted because the owners are Somali. He's in custody after pleading not guilty, waiting for a March 15 trial. But the story doesn't end there. A former resident of Grand Forks set up a Go Fund Me account--and the Herald reported of December 20 that Donations for Grand Forks coffee house exceed expectations. The Washington Post reported about the episode and the Post article on Juba arson netted national support. On Saturday, the Grand Forks Herald published a letter from Juba cafe owners: Thank you, Greater Grand Forks: We are writing to express our deepest gratitude to the Greater Grand Forks community for its residents' most kind wishes and donations. We are deeply grateful to be part of this community. We have hope in this country because of you residents. Thank you for your generosity. All of the donations will help us rebuild our restaurant, Juba Coffee and Restaurant, which served all people any color and religion. Juba provided free meals to the unemployed and to newcomers. We don't see color and religion. We see humans first. The horrible act that happened to our restaurant has no place in the Greater Grand Forks community. We know that this hate does not represent North Dakota. The welcoming comments and best wishes from members of the community are truly appreciated. Again, many, many thanks for the support and donations from members of the Greater Grand Forks community. We sincerely appreciate it. It means the world to us. Ilhaam Hassan, Abdulaziz Moallin, Noura Ahmed and family Grand Forks The owners' mention of feeding the unemployed and newcomers echoes one such story the Grand Forks Herald included in coverage the day after the fire: . . . Wayne Torrey, who lives at the nearby Ambassador Motel and said he was incredulous of the destruction. Torrey said he regularly walked past the restaurant on his way to the bus stop and would greet patrons and workers there. One day, he was having a rough day when restaurant employees offered him a free meal, he said. If theyve got that much heart, I dont even know why someone would do this he said. The Go Fund Me page is still accepting donations here. The effort is still $2,734 short of the goal--we hope readers can help reach that if they have not given already. Photo: The Juba Cafe in better days. If you appreciate Bluestem's original research and analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below: Email subscribers can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen at gmail.com as recipient. On Friday, we posted about HF2489 in Four MN House Republicans introduce companion to Senator Brown's "foreign law" bill, noting that the senate version of the bill was a key point for those criticizing Brown's presence at a controversial talk last week in St. Cloud. There's more about that meeting in Sunday's Star Tribune. Maya Rao reports in St. Cloud comes to grips with clashes between immigrants, longtime locals: There are fresh signs that tensions are still simmering. Last week, a crowd attended a chicken dinner and talk titled Shariah 101 by Jeffrey Baumann, a Coon Rapids man who said he believes Muslims and sharia law will take over the country. Standing at the front of a ballroom at Michaels Restaurant in St. Cloud, Baumann said Muslims will eventually outnumber Christians in the United States. The evening was organized by Kathleen Virnig, the former owner of a Catholic bookstore in St. Cloud. She said she was dragged through the mud by critics on social media in the days before the event. They arent even willing to hear what the other person is saying and they condemn them, she said. Virnig said refugees have overwhelmed St. Clouds ability to care for them, costing the taxpayers too much and bringing changes to the city that arent supported by local Christians. Baumann encouraged people to go to interfaith dialogues and public talks on Islam in Mankato, Brooklyn Park and, next week, at St. Cloud State University. Baumann said that people should go to the foot-washing station at the SCSU student union and use it to make a scene. The station was installed in 2001 after a Muslim student slipped and hit her head while washing her feet at a bathroom sink. If theyre challenged, ask Is this Muslim-only or is this a public facility? said Baumann, adding that someone should bring a video camera to make sure that it has an effect. Where did Minnesota's Anti-Sharia bills come from? And Rao adds a couple of more names to the list of Minnesota legislators who attended the event: The four legislators who attended Baumanns speech were Sens. David M. Brown, R-Becker, and Bruce D. Anderson, R-Buffalo, and Reps. Jim Newberger, R-Becker, and Cindy Pugh, R-Chanhassen. None returned calls and e-mails last week seeking comment, though Brown told MPR that Baumanns talk was not an Islam-is-terrible type of thing. Pugh spoke briefly at the event, according to a source; she is a co-sponsor of HF2489. The sponsor of the pre-filed bill is Lake Shore Republican Mark Anderson, whose campaign committee chair, Bill Dain, organized an anti-refugee talk in Baxter on behalf of the Central Minnesota Tea Party Patriots. Based in Browerville, the group is a separate Tea Party organization from the St Cloud area's Central Minnesota Tea Party. The legislation appears to be modeled after laws passed in at least seven states by the spring of 2015, according to Anti-Sharia Laws: A Solution in Search of a Problem, a Jurist guest column by Associate Professor of Law at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago Steve D. Schwinn: There is a growing trend in the states to ban the use of foreign and international law, including Sharia law, in state courts. At least seven states have enacted measures to prohibit their courts from considering foreign and international law and many others are considering such a ban. But despite the lofty rhetoric of supporters, these bans can do nothing that state law does not already do. The bans do not protect against the undue influence of foreign or international law upon our own domestic law and they do not protect against any real threat to individual rights. At their best, they are a solution in search of a problem. At their worst, however, they alienate politically unpopular groups and gratuitously condemn their beliefs. The trend started in Oklahoma when, in 2010, Oklahoma voters approved the "Save Our State" constitutional amendment. The amendment banned the use of international law and foreign law in Oklahoma courts; it singled out Sharia law for particular disapprobation. It provided that "[t]he courts shall not look to the legal precepts of other nations or cultures. Specifically, the courts shall not consider international law or Sharia law." The US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit roundly struck the amendment in Awad v. Ziriax [PDF]. The court ruled that the ban on Sharia violated the Establishment Clause because the ban discriminated among religions without a compelling interestor without any interest, for that matter. Indeed, the court noted that defenders of the amendment could not identify a single instance when an Oklahoma court applied Sharia law or other foreign law, much less an instance when such application resulted in a concrete problem for the state. But even if the state could identify an interest, the court said that the amendment was so crude that it could not "closely fit" any interest, anyway. The plaintiff's case illustrated why: Awad claimed, among other things, that the ban on Sharia would prevent Oklahoma courts from probating his will, which contained references to Sharia law. Before the amendment, state courts would have probated Awad's will, including its references to Sharia, so long as it did not violate public policy. But after the amendment, the courts could not have considered Sharia law at all, even as part of Awad's will. It is hard to see how that result serves any purpose. . . . But in truth ALAC is worse than unnecessary and irrelevant; it is harmful and divisive. That is because it contains the same gratuitous anti-Islam intention as "Save Our State." According to the American Public Policy Alliance, which spearheads ALAC, ALAC is designed as a bulwark against Sharia law in American courts, even if ALAC itself does not specifically mention Sharia. Yet for all the blustering, advocates for ALAC have yet to identify a single instance when a court has applied foreign law, including Sharia law, in a way that created problems. They have not even coherently explained how such problems might arise, especially in light of the existing public policy exception to the general comity rule. "Save Our States," ALAC and other attempts to restrict the use of foreign law in domestic courts are solutions in search of a problem. At their best, they do what the law already allows and requires. At their worst, they reveal an ugly underside of law and politics that seems calculated only to alienate and disempower certain disfavored peoples and to condemn certain disfavored faiths. Update: In the St. Cloud Times, Kirsti Marohi got the same answer (it's already in the US Constitution) from two legal scholars at the University of Minnesota for her Fact check: Is ban on Sharia law necessary?. In short, it's a redundant law, but Baumann and his pals believe they've found a way around Constitutional protections for Muslims. Just convince folks that Islam isn't a religion. Baumann's anti-Islam views Baumann's past published views about Muslims suggest that indeed he believes that Islam is terrible. In a 2013 letter to the editor of the ABC newpapers, "Bombings in Boston," Baumann wrote: The bombings in Boston horrified us all, or at least we would like to believe it did, if we could just have a clear idea of who us is. Its easy to be confused when there is today little clarity about language, borders, citizenship, voting, culture, religion and even marriage, our history and our Constitution. One bomber is dead, and the other in custody. Were there others? Maybe. Probably. But what was the motive? . . . Lost in all this will be the simple and accurate answer. These were Muslims, being fully activated Muslims, waging Jihad against Kufr as best they could, just as Mohammed did and just as he instructed. But despite this simple truth, our politicians, media and intellectuals will inundate us with calls to respect Islam, stressing that these two were part of a tiny fringe, reminding us that Islam is a Religion of Peace, and shaming us into being more and more deferential to the demands of the most easily offended group on the planet. And we will be lulled into returning to our lives, comfortable in the knowledge that our all-knowing, all-caring, beneficent government will keep us safe. And informed. And tolerant. And deluded. Until one day, the number of young, male, fully activated Muslims will be such that they will simply slaughter us with impunity, as is currently happening in Thailand, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Pakistan, India, Tanzania, Algeria, Iraq, Sudan, Norway, the Philippines, Indonesia, Lebanon, and Syria. And Mali and Tunisia. And Kosovo. And Chechnya. And right here in America (Nidal Hasan). If only we had a clear idea of who us is. Eventually they will have killed more Americans than Kermit Gosnell. Would it be too much to ask that no more Muslims be granted citizenship until this can all be sorted out? In short, Baumann believes, based on his reading of Islam, that Muslims are not "us," and because some Muslims adopt extremist terrorist beliefs, all Muslims are a threat. According to our source, part of Baumann's policy agenda is to remove Islam from the protections of the First Amendment because it is a "complete replacement social system, not a religion. The view is not original to Baumann and it's not homegrown in Minnesota. It's typically espoused by speakers associated with Act! For America. Some hard right politicians have embraced the notion. In 2014, Oklahoma State Rep. John Bennett gained national attention in articles like the Huffington Post's State Rep. John Bennett Stands By Anti-Islam Comments: 'Islam Is Not Even A Religion.' Despite debunking, the meme still circulates. Mother Jones reports that Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson shared the same idea last week at an event at the University of Iowa in Ben Carson Says Islam Is Not a Religion But a "Life Organization System." Though often circulated by the hard right, constitutional scholars believe the interpretation has little merit. Constitutional scholar Eugene Volokh, beloved by many gun rights supporters given his brilliant defense of the Second Amendment, has been on it for years. In 2011, the Volokh Conspiracy blogger wrote in Islam and the First Amendment, concluding after claims that the Framers of the Constitution only extended religious freedom to Christian that: I know of no sources that suggested that anyone during the Framing era understood the Constitution as excluding Mahometans, or non-Christians more generally, from either the Free Exercise Clause or the No Religious Test Clause. (The Framers were open to general religious references, and sometimes references to Christianity, in the speech of the federal government; they likely had a much narrower view of the Establishment Clause than that reflected in the Supreme Courts modern caselaw. But that is a separate matter from which religions were protected by the Free Exercise Clause and the No Religious Test Clause.) As the anti-Islam claims grew more extreme to the point where those those making them argued that this is no religion, Volokh grew salty in his responses. Now a columnist at the Washington Post, Volokh wrote in response to Bennett's statement Islam is not even a religion; it is a social, political system that uses a deity to advance its agenda of global conquest: So says Oklahoma state legislator John Bennett using logic under which much of Christianity would have not even been a religion for much of its history. Im delighted that modern Christianity prefers to advance its agenda of global conversion through peaceful means rather than through conquest. But its pretty clear that many varieties of Christianity have been spread more forcefully than that at various times, and have been social[ and] political system[s] as well as purely theological ones. This didnt make them not even a religion back then, and similar behavior on the part of some streams of Islam doesnt make Islam not even a religion today. Now I do think that criticism of various religions can be perfectly sound, and is often proper, whether the religion is Christian Science, Mormonism, evangelical Christianity, Catholicisms, Christianity generally, Judaism, Islam or theism generally. Religions are ideological belief systems that often lead many of their adherents to act in particular ways; they may rightly be criticized just as other belief systems may rightly be criticized. (I also think that much criticism of various religions has at times been overstated or ill-founded, and that includes Islam as well as the other religions.) But the first requirement has to be to talk candidly and accurately about whats actually going on; attempts to deny that Islam is a religion dont qualify. Anti-Muslim and anti-refugee advocates often cite Volokh when it fits their version of "facts." Baumann, Butt Hurt and Knoblach Baumann provides his audience with an opportunity for motivated reasoning. Uncomfortable with change and new neighbors who don't share their heritage, they're looking for answers; some look for "facts" to support their fears. Speakers like Baumann and Corcoran offer affirmation to those fears. Fact checks? Evaluation of sources? Fire up the butthurt machine after closing events to the general public. We agree that these events shouldn't be cancelled--and those efforts to shut them down on the part of regional labor council staff member Jane Conrad have done more harm than good. Indeed, these event should be opened to the general public. But those who organize closed events aren't promoting open discussion. They're embracing their fears, including a fear of the rough and tumble of open debate. It's unlikely that the Anderson and Brown bills will get hearings in the short time of the coming session--and we suspect that even Speaker Daudt will want to provoke this nest of wasps, given Jim Knoblach's support of restoring funding for a local office of the state Department of Human Rights in St. Cloud. Unlike Brown's senate district --and those House districts held by the authors of the House version--Knoblach serves in swing district, having been elected in the slightest of margins. As we noted in That awkward moment when we point out Knoblach's contribution to Gov's equity agenda: As a point of fact, the first bullet point in the list, $180,000 to support the establishment of a Civil Rights in St. Cloud, was brought to the governor's attention by House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jim Knoblach, according to an October article in the St. Cloud Times. In Gov. Dayton provides harsh criticism of racial tensions, Vicki Ikeogu reported: Harsh words and heartfelt sentiment were exchanged by community members and local officials on racial issues in Central Minnesota at the St. Cloud NAACP Community Conversation with Gov. Mark Dayton. Hosted on Tuesday at St. Cloud Public Library, about 100 people from diverse backgrounds gathered to ask questions of St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis, St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson, Rep. Jim Knoblach, Minnesota Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lindsey, Council on Black Minnesotans Community Program Specialist Kolloh Nimley and St. Cloud AFYA Pharmacyco-owner Dr. Edris Kosar. . . . Knoblach vowed to repeat last year's efforts in the Legislature to increase funding for the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, including money for the department's office in St. Cloud. Since Knoblach wasn't serving in the legislature in 2014, we'll assume the reporter is considering the last session and he means HF1364, a bill for which he was a co-author; retiring St. Cloud Republican John Pederson was a co-author of the companion bill, SF889. Knoblach co-chairs the Legislative Working Group on Disparities. While those pushing anti-refugee sentiment and anti-Muslim bills are conservatives in the Tea Party and Republican Party, not all Republicans are embracing this tripe. Knoblach, who chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, was a panelist at the NAACP Community Conversation in October. It might be convenient for both conservative and progressive operatives to heighten tensions in St. Cloud-- whatever their motives might be--but Bluestem suspects that many residents would like to see efforts that lead to a stronger community for all residents, new and old. Image: Jeffrey Baumann (left) and Sen. David Brown (left), via cropped banner for Twin Cities IWW's Phone Blast Demand Senator David Brown Publicly Remove His Support. If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie's reporting and original analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below: Email subscribers can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen at gmail.com as recipient. The Anti Austerity Alliance has launched its general election campaign. The party has said it wants to build a mass movement to create a political revolution in Ireland. The AAA has said there will be no recovery for the majority of Irish people unless the country fights back. Deputy Paul Murphy outlines what they will do if elected to Government: What were offering people is really the opportunity for a political revolution in this country. To build a mass lead movement based on the energy, the strategy, the tactics, of the anti-water charge movement and the movement for marriage equality that will be able to deliver a real recovery for the people. LAHORE: While there is no let up in the spread of dengue, the Punjab government has increased the number of beds for... LONDON: Liz Truss said on Thursday she would resign as British prime minister, brought down just six weeks into the... NEW DELHI: A panel of Indias top court said on Thursday it was divided on a decision to allow hijabs in classrooms,... The recent Netflix crackdown on renegade customers who use virtual private network (VPN) services to access the far superior US offering is of more than academic interest to at least one Australasian CEO. Last year, Xero founder Rod Drury, was happily interviewed by the New York Times on his own adventures in VPN-land. Xero founder Rod Drury is backing Amazon Web Services in the arms race for the best machine learning and data analytics assets. "People here can't get Netflix, so they get a VPN that gives them a US IP address, and watch Netflix like they're in America," he told the NYT. Netflix hit the Antipodes one month later. And it has has now started to crack down on customers using VPNs on both sides of the Tasman. I'm confident this year will see the economy performing better than many people expect those who underrate the importance of domestic influences but I'm far from confident it will be a year of great progress on economic reform. There are plenty of things that need reforming, but anyone who thinks the top two are the tax system and industrial relations is confusing rent-seeking with reform. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has canvassed the possibility of raising the GST. Credit:Andrew Meares Rent-seeking involves interest groups pressuring governments to change laws and regulations in ways that advantage them at the expense of others. Look at our tax "debate" and that's just what you see. Big business and high income-earners want to pay less tax a cut in the rate of company tax and in the top personal tax rate and if that means other people paying higher tax, say through a higher goods and services tax, so be it. It was considered to be the longest political protest in American history. Maybe even the world. When Concepcion Picciotto died during the week, aged about 80 (no one knew for sure), she had been holding her "peace vigil" near the White House for more than 30 years. Camped on a red brick sidewalk under a plastic tarp and usually clad in wig, helmet and head scarf, the diminutive Spanish immigrant (and transplanted New Yorker) became a familiar sight to passers-by and tourists. She denounced nuclear weaponry and fended off those who dismissed her as daft with hand-lettered signs declared "Read My Lips, No New Wars" and "Live by the Bomb, Die by the Bomb". Picciotto was also a familiar sight to five presidents but they ignored her. "Not a single president ever walked across the street from the White House to meet her or to recognise her quest for peace and justice," said consumer advocate Ralph Nader, an admirer. Picciotto gained a measure of wider celebrity when she appeared in Michael Moore's documentary film Fahrenheit 9/11, which was scathingly critical of President George W. Bush's war on terror. Another admirer was Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton. "During Picciotto's more than 30 years of vigilance for nuclear proliferation and peace, many of her goals were achieved," said Norton, citing "a measured reduction" in atomic weapon proliferation, including the Obama administration's recent accord with Iran. In 2011, Picciotto was honoured by the Shafeek Nader Trust for the Community Interest, established by Ralph Nader and his sisters to honour their late brother. The group lauded her for "setting the highest standards for testing the authenticity of free speech protection under the constitution". It's almost a year since Malaysia's highest court upheld the five-year jail sentence of former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on a dubious charge of sodomy. So, from the spartan jail cell with a squat toilet and a thin foam mattress on the floor as described by his lawyers, Mr Anwar is not in a position to comment on the deteriorating state of democracy in his country. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Credit:Bloomberg We can't know whether he shares the dismay and despair of many ordinary Malaysians at the wave of repression that has occurred since his jailing. We don't know what he thinks about the government's attempts to keep a lid on the mind-boggling scandal in which a $US681 million no-strings-attached gift attributed to the Saudi royal family found its way into Prime Minister Najib Razak's personal bank account. But we could guess. This week Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali issued a "move along, nothing to see" order to anyone worried about the donation of such a princely sum to a sitting Prime Minister's personal bank account in a country claiming to be a representative democracy. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV," Idris Elba joked on stage after winning twice at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where actors of colour claimed a slew of wins amid a furor in Hollywood over the lack of on-screen diversity. The Revenant's Leonardo DiCaprio, Room star Brie Larson and the cast of Spotlight all white actors won the top three film awards of the night, but the rest mainly honoured diverse cast and roles. Leonardo DiCaprio, winner of the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for The Revenant, and Brie Larson, winner of the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for Room. Credit:Getty Images Ruby Rose and Guy Norris were the only Australians to win at the SAG awards. "I am always interested in the ways of cultures that we don't talk about and how that resulted in the music we have today. That is the history of America as far as I'm concerned, the interactions between people and the music that came out of it. The idea of the mixing and fearlessness of 'whatever this is, it doesn't matter, it's telling the story'." "I think you can't point to a particular voice but you can point to a kind of voice," she says. "There are so many musics that are such a mixture of different cultures and experiences, and there is so much of that in the American lexicon that I think that is definitely a part of what you would think of as the American voice. And that history is so hidden, the true strain of American voices. The idea of blacks speaking Gaelic, for example; that happened, but you would never think of that. One of the great aspects of folk, whether it be traditional English, from the Kentucky hollers or the southern blues, is the continuing extension of the story. Songs can be added to and reshaped in each generation or in each iteration to reflect their time and circumstances. Stories that might be 200 years old keep growing, something Giddens has embraced. "With my work in the Chocolate Drops and now my solo stuff, I'm always interested in being a modern person, because that's what I am; I'm not a black woman in 1923, and it's important to go through the lens of yourself because then it is authentic, it's real," says Giddens. "But then continuing the tradition of adding and changing lyrics. The song Factory Girl, a song that didn't make it onto the original record, is about a girl in a very different kind of factory to a factory now but is it? If you think about the collapse of that factory in Bangladesh where over 1000 people died, that's a lot of people making cheap clothing for the West, so it continues, this struggle we thought was over. It's just out of our sight." While she sees herself as an interpreter principally, latterly she has also begun writing: "I've been writing like a mad woman this past year. Something has opened in me." However, the process of writing and interpreting, like the history and the music from which she draws, is entwined. "So I got this song and OK, it needs to be rewritten to reflect where we are now, so that's what I do. That is a time-honoured tradition and I will continue to do that," says Giddens. "I will be writing new songs as well, because I am a songwriter, but that is something I never want to let go because I think it's important to connect what is happening now to what happened 100 years ago, 200 years ago, so we can see that these things have a pattern and they repeat until we dispense with the underlying problems, like greed, power. Slide guitar virtuoso Matt Walker has Neil Murray's trusty Holden wagon to thank for an unexpected partnership evolving at his Dandenong Ranges studio. When Walker gave the Warumpi Band legend his CD to play on the drive home from a gig in Sydney, unusually high rotation ensued. Neil Murray and Matt Walker. "Neil's always in his car," Walker says. "He'll drive a thousand k's to play two shows. He's a machine." The two ARIA winners have since been co-writing songs whenever the Holden finds itself in the vicinity of Walker's 8-Track Shack in Upwey. Tributes have begun pouring in for UK broadcaster Terry Wogan who has died aged 77 after a battle with cancer. The veteran voice of UK and Ireland radio and television passed away surrounded by his family on Sunday night. Sir Terry Wogan was the face of the BBC Children in Need appeal. Wogan's BBC radio show Wake Up to Wogan had an audience of eight million, making him the most listened-to radio broadcaster in Europe before his departure in 2011. BBC Director General Tony Hall said Wogan "truly was a national treasure", while British Prime Minister David Cameron has called him a huge talent. Take a time machine 10 years into the future and you are likely to find a very different Melbourne. Driverless electric cars could be purring along Princes Bridge near Flinders Street station. Or perhaps this area has been completely shut to ordinary motorists and turned over to cyclists and pedestrians. By 2026, 1 million people are expected to flood the central city every day. Virtual friends: Entrepreneur Marita Cheng with the robot likeness of fellow entrepreneur Alberto Rizzoli. Credit:Mathew Lynn Intermingled among the crowd you may notice little robots they look like suitcases on wheels as they scoot around purchasing sandwiches and dropping off parcels for their owners. Drug disposal bins should be introduced at music festivals so revellers can discard illicit substances without fear of being caught by sniffer dogs, health promotion groups say. The so-called "amnesty bins" could prevent dangerous situations where partygoers panic and take multiple pills at once when faced with being searched by authorities, according to proponents. Harm Reduction Victoria chairman Bill O'Loughlin says amnesty bins would allow drugs experts to analyse the contents of substances deposited in the bins. Credit:Viki Yemettas Harm Reduction Victoria chairman Bill O'Loughlin said amnesty bins were a good "halfway measure". Harm Reduction Victoria has also been calling for pill-testing laboratories to be made available at events, which would allow revellers to test the make-up of the substances they had brought with them. Meadow Springs near Mandurah is the worst suburb in the state for school zone speeders almost double the next worst school in 2015, according to figures released by the WA government. This is the third year in a row Meadow Springs has topped the list with 1494 traffic infringements recorded on Gordon Road and Slade Street in 2014 and more than 2,000 motorists caught speeding through Meadow Springs school zones in 2013. Meadow Springs is the school zone speeding capital of WA. Credit:Aaron Sawall With many kids heading back to school on Monday and hundreds starting school for the first time, the Barnett government released the five worst suburbs where motorist speed through school zones on Sunday. 1. Meadow Springs - 892 infringements Australia and Indonesia should consider vacating their leadership roles of the main regional forum to combat people smuggling after failing to respond to last year's crisis in the Bay of Bengal, according to former Indonesian foreign minister Dr Hassan Wirajuda. Dr Wirajuda, who played a critical role in establishing the Bali Process to deal with people smuggling, has suggested it is time to rotate the co-chair roles the two countries have monopolised since 2002. A Rohingya woman weeps at a temporary shelter in Lapang, Aceh province, Indonesia, last May. Credit:AP His call to dramatically strengthen the Bali Process to deal with forced people movements has been backed by an unprecedented gathering of government and non-government experts in Bangkok. The gathering has warned that, unless forced migration is managed under a comprehensive regional plan, it will have "permanent and intensifying negative impacts on countries in our region". Latest News Australian Mortgage Awards 2022 broker winners reflect on big night Best of the best celebrate achievements Household Capital enters strategic partnership with Genworth The insurer now has a 22% share of the firm Overseas expansion presents a huge opportunity for brokers to diversify their business in 2016 as the Australian property market starts to come off the boil.According to a recent poll conducted by Australian Broker, 53% of brokers agreed that overseas expansion would be a good way for them to diversify their services this year.Josh Gilbert, the managing director of a Loan Market franchise in St Kilda, Melbourne, is one of these brokers. Gilbert, who diversified his services to Malaysia last year, told Australian Broker that the current property market conditions are ideal to tap into the foreign investor market.With an oversupply coming for off-the-plan property I think it is a really good time to look at that market, he said.Speaking to Australian Broker about his experiences in Malaysia, Gilbert said there are two very distinct markets for brokers who want to expand into the south-east Asian country.There are two really distinct markets in Malaysia Malaysian nationals and expats. Both are very different but both are very strong, Gilbert said.According to Gilbert, Australian property is a comfortable and stable decision for Malaysian nationals looking to invest.They are definitely comfortable with the Australian property market. There is a little bit of political unrest in Malaysia at the moment so they are very keen to shift some of their wealth out of the country. A lot of it also ties in with better lifestyle and education opportunities.Besides just investment opportunities, Gilbert says the migration market for Malaysian nationals also offers brokers a big opportunity.There are a lot of Malaysian nationals who have future plans to migrate to Australia and a lot of them already have children who are over here studying and working.So there are options for people buying investment properties for their assert portfolio and also buying property working with migration agents as well with the opportunity to move across to Australia.Diversifying his business into Malaysia has been easy with the help of a local financial planner, according to Gilbert. For other brokers looking to expand their services offshore, he says establishing a referral relationship with local businesses is the key.I had friends over there living and working and they put me in touch with financial planners who were looking at trying to do seminars to the Malaysian national market looking to invest over here," Gilbert told Australian Broker.I have been several times to speak at a couple of seminars there, organised by the financial planner in partnership with a migration agent. The financial planner can tap into their database that they have and we will work together to run a seminar which gives everyone information under the one roof. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Brooklyn wont host the this years Democratic National Convention, but it could stage a Democratic debate! Sen. Bernie Sanders (IVermont) on Saturday challenged fellow Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to a war of words on Kings County turf ahead of the New York presidential primary in April. Why wont they debate in Brooklyn? Whats the matter with Brooklyn? Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said in a statement. Both campaigns just agreed to add four more debates to their schedule pending party approval but are still negotiating over dates and locations. In its latest statement, Sanders camp laid out its terms: it will accept Clintons demand to wrangle in Flint, Mich. in March if the former secretary of state agrees to one in the borough of Kings the following month. We are pleased to do it on March 3 before the Michigan primary provided the Clinton campaign will agree to Brooklyn, New York, on April 14, Weaver said. Both parties boast solid Brooklyn bona fides. Sanders was born and raised in Flatbush, attending PS 197 in Midwood and James Madison High School in Sheepshead Bay, as well as studying for a year at Brooklyn College, before making the inconceivable decision to leave the borough. Clinton stationed her campaign headquarters in Brooklyn Heights though reportedly hasnt spent a lot of time there since creating this video of her walking the brownstone streets and sometimes weighed in on borough issues during her time as a senator for New York including slamming development in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Clinton proved particularly popular with voters in waterfront neighborhoods and Park Slope former Sloper Mayor DeBlasio is out door-knocking for her in Iowa this weekend during her race for the 2008 nomination against President Obama. Neither campaign responded immediately to requests for comment. Nola parents watch Austin best younger brother Aaron in Padres win Austin Nola, with one swing of the bat off his brother Aaron, led San Diego to an 8-5 victory over Philadelphia with his family in the stands. Bordentown exhibit showcases items belonging to Joseph Bonaparte The Bordentown Historical society is gaining international attention for its Joseph Bonaparte exhibit, former King of Spain and brother of Napoleon. Apple Inc has bought San Francisco-based education- technology start-up LearnSprout, which creates software for schools and teachers to track students' performance. Apple is working on education tools for its iPad, which will allow students to see interactive lessons, track their progress, and share the tablet with peers. About 2,500 schools in the US use LearnSprout's software, according to a Bloomberg News report. The Strategic Debt Restructuring scheme introduced by the Reserve Bank of India is set to change the managements of the companies which have failed to repay bank loans despite repeated extensions. In a 10-part series, we find out what ails these companies and why Kolkata-based Electrosteel Steels, the first company where lenders invoked the strategic debt restructuring (SDR) after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed banks to take management control of defaulting companies last year, is set to get new promoters. Bankers have zeroed in on London-based First International Group (FIG), partnered by Chinas Laiwu Steel Group, having a capacity of 25-28 million tonnes (mt). The Chinese firms association with Electrosteel Steels is not new. It was an equipment supplier to the steel plant and has receivables of Rs 100 crore, which would be converted into equity subject to necessary approvals. However, there is a twist to the tale. While FIG was a unanimous choice for bankers, it sprang a surprise on January 27 at a lenders meet. The fund wants the change of management to be outside of the SDR mechanism. Subsequent to the SDR mechanism introduced last June, RBI came out with another circular for a non-SDR mechanism. This allows banks to upgrade credit facilities for borrowers whose ownership had been changed outside an SDR to the standard category, provided the stress was due to operational or managerial inefficiencies. The basic difference, as pointed out by bankers, is that the SDR mechanism is less flexible and lenders have a greater say. The SDR route is always beneficial for the banks, as they have a greater say in the company as they are the majority shareholder, Karan Sachdeva, analyst with RBSA Advisors, explained. Bankers are yet to decide whether it would accept the FIG proposal of going for the non-SDR route, but they are under pressure to make a success out of Electrosteel Steels. It is extremely critical for lenders and new buyers to discover a price so that the haircut is minimal. If the new promoters are in the same line of business or a business of strategic importance, it is advantageous for the lenders as well as the new promoters, said Vibha Batra, group head, financial sector rating at Icra. A Religare report suggested the haircut to attract a new promoter for Electrosteel could be around 65 per cent. Electrosteel has an outstanding debt of Rs 8,000 crore. Electrosteel Steels 2.51 mt integrated steel plant and ductile iron pipes project in Jharkhand was practically an import from China, with design and engineering all undertaken by Chinese companies. The existing promoters, the Umang Kejriwal group, is, however, upbeat about the change of management. We will support the new promoters in whatever way is required, Kejriwal said about the FIG-Laiwu combine. Kejriwal is likely to handhold the new promoters with a minority stake. A number of stumbling blocks had made Electrosteel Steels go haywire. Delay in project commissioning increased the cost by 20 per cent. The Religare report said that Electrosteel Steels had been reporting losses since FY11 owing to inadequate installed capacity and nascent stage of operations. Net loss increased to around Rs 620 crore in FY15 due to lower realisations, higher interest cost and depreciation while debt/equity ratio increased to 9.4x in FY15 vis-a-vis 3.2x n FY12. In 2013, a consortium of 27 banks and financial institutions had supported a corporate debt restructuring proposal for the company that would have translate into cash generation of Rs 2,000 crore. Banks supported the company largely due to the raw material linkages it flaunted. Electrosteel Steels was promoted by Electrosteel Castings, which had already secured Parbatpur coalmine having reserves of 231 mt. Plus, it had an iron ore mine and a non-coking coal mine in Jharkhand. Electrosteel Steels was to source iron ore and coking coal from Electrosteel Castings for a period of 20 years. But, then, the coal blocks of Electrosteel Castings were de-allocated in 2014 and Electrosteel Steels had to buy raw material at high prices from the market while finished product prices crashed. Myntra, the fashion arm of Flipkart, is looking to enter the $60-billion online apparel and accessories market in the US and has set up a subsidiary Myntra Inc, US. The move underlines parent Flipkarts global ambitions. Since its takeover in May 2014, Indias largest e-commerce company has used Myntra as a test bed for new technology and business models. For Myntra, the plan to expand its business overseas comes at a time when losses at home continue to pile up and retail giant Reliance plans an entry into the space. Myntras US plans were revealed in its annual report for FY15 filed with the Registrar of Companies (RoC). The unit is yet to start commercial operations. In FY15, Myntra had reported a loss of Rs 740 crore on a revenue of Rs 758 crore, compared with a Rs 173 crore loss from Rs 427 crore in the previous year. The four-fold jump in losses is due to increased spending on advertising and undercutting costs of products, Myntra said in a filing with RoC. Myntra is trying to scale up its operations, getting more users to download its app on their smartphones in the light of Reliances entry into the online fashion space with LYF, which it plans to launch alongside the 4G LTE services of Reliance Jio. Aditya Birla group, which owns brands such as Louis Philippe and People in the offline space, has also launched its fashion e-commerce portal Abof. While Myntra was not an exception to the trend of e-commerce players reporting surging losses as competition in the space increased, it expects to be profitable by the end of 2016, according to Myntras Chief Executive Officer Anant Narayanan. The nuance is that I will push for Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) profitability because that is important for a sustainable business model. I also want to make sure we are investing for the next 10 years, as the business will be 10-fold, Narayanan had said in an interview last month. Currently, we are at $550 million gross merchandise value (GMV). Next year, we will become $1 billion but we have to ensure were building the organisation for a $2-3 billion GMV. Myntra expects to achieve a GMV of Rs 6,436 crore (approximately $1 billion) by 2016 according to the companys RoC filing. The shift to better margins would come from promoting more in-house brands, which yield better margins in the wholesale segment when compared to external brands. Private brands contribute around 20 per cent of Myntras revenue, which will be increased to 30 per cent. Flipkart, which has infused Rs 1,150 crore in Myntra since its acquisition in May 2014, has kept it as a separate platform. Instead, Myntra has become a test bed for Flipkart, with the company experimenting with an app-only strategy which it was eager to adopt for itself, but is now distancing itself from. While the true impact of Myntra going app-only isnt known, its operational costs shot up nearly three times to Rs 1,465 crore for FY15. A consortium of lenders led by Bank of India and State Bank of India (SBI) is considering strategic debt restructuring (SDR) of liquor major Tilaknagar Industries. According to sources, the decision was taken at a high-level meeting of lenders in the city last week. Besides Bank of India and SBI, Punjab National Bank, IDBI and Axis Bank have exposure to Tilaknagar, whose debt is close to Rs 800 crore. Bank of India alone is estimated to have an exposure of Rs 200 crore in Tilaknagar, the highest among lenders. At the meeting, the banks also discussed other restructuring options, but eventually settled for SDR, which will allow them to pick up a minimum of 51 per cent stake in the company, officials privy to the development said. The proposal, whose nitty-gritty will come up for discussion later, envisages conversion of debt to the tune of Rs 325 crore into equity. "Tilaknagar's current problem has been high leverage. With conversion of its debt into equity, the remaining amount of Rs 450 crore will be sustainable," said an official. Amit Dahanukar, chairman and managing director of Tilaknagar Industries, was not immediately available for comments. A mail sent to him remained unanswered till the time of going to press. Tilaknagar's interest costs in the past five years have grown 151 per cent even as total debt touched Rs 790 crore for FY15. Total debt, according to sources, is now down to Rs 775 crore for the current financial year. The SDR gains importance since Tilaknagar has been facing a cash crunch on account of cessation of operations by the company's main bottler in Tamil Nadu, imposition of prohibition in Kerala and the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. These states are key markets for the company. If close to 42 per cent of its debt, say industry analysts, is converted into equity, interest costs will proportionately come down. This money is expected to be ploughed back into the business to improve operational performance. According to sources, the SDR will also pave the way for a stake sale, something that Tilaknagar has not been averse to. Reserve Bank of India rules mandate banks to hold stake in a company under SDR for not more than 18 months, implying that interested buyers are expected to knock at their doors to pick up the stake in the future. In the past, Tilaknagar was in talks with the Kishore-Chhabria-owned Allied Blenders & Distillers for a stake sale, which did not materialise. Highly placed sources have told Business Standard that firms such as Jagatjit Industries, maker of Aristocrat brandy, whisky, gin, vodka and rum, had also approached Tilaknagar for a buyout and so had funds such as KKR and TPG. But, none of these talks resulted in a deal. Gunjan is an MBA student based in Bengaluru. She needed some attention a month back but was not very keen to visit a doctor in person. A friend recommended her to download a medical app and seek remedy online. "That is when I downloaded the Lybrate app. Initially, I sought medical advice free. Then went for paid service and got in touch with a top gynaecologist in Mumbai. I am very happy that I did that," says Gunjan over the phone from Bengaluru. Gunjan is one of many users of Lybrate. Launched in January 2015 by Saurabh Arora and Rahul Narang, the company aims to be a leading online consultation platform. While Arora, an IIT-Delhi alumnus, has worked as a data scientist at Facebook, Narang was a software engineer at Snapdeal. The medical app is the company's revenue generator. It offers, among others, free interaction with doctors, paid consultation with specialists, audio and video calling facilities between doctors and patients, and a regular health feed on more than 400 topics. The company claims that nearly two million apps were downloaded in a year, making it one of the top medical apps in the country. "We are already the country's largest online OPD (out-patient department) and our aim is to make it the world's largest," says Lybrate Chief Executive Officer Arora. The company also facilitates online appointment with doctors and guides patients in selecting the right specialists. "But that is not the core of what we do. We want to build a communication platform that helps people consult doctors online and seek their advice in the post-consultation period," adds Arora. "Lybrate's concept of making health care accessible by using smart and innovative technology is disruptive and the need of the hour. The platform enables people to directly talk to doctors online through its app and web portal - accessible from anywhere, anytime. That is how it overcomes the logistic and geographical chasm," observes Mumbai-based oncologist Purvish M Parikh. While working at Facebook as a data scientist, Arora started working on the idea of increasing access to quality health care to the people. After quitting his job at the social networking company, he met his former colleague Gokul Rajaram and discussed the idea. "It was Gokul who put me in touch with some investors and helped secure initial funding," says Arora. The company was registered in the US, which is where Arora was based then, and secured $1.23 million in seed funding in August, 2014, from Nexus Ventures Partners. After shifting to Delhi, the next four-five months were devoted to developing the product, talking to doctors, engaging investors and building the team. From a team of just seven in December, 2014, Lybrate now boasts of a team of 110 people. "After we built a team of 50 people, we finally hired a person to handle human resources," he says. Company officials say the initial response to the app was so encouraging that it was decided to scale up the business. That is when Tiger Global was roped in to infuse more capital. In July 2015, the company raised $10.2 million from Tiger Global, Nexus Venture Partners and former Tata group chairman Ratan Tata. "What is heartening to see is that behaviour changes are taking place in the country. The fact that 300-400 consultations are taking place online everyday through Lybrate shows that the communication platform has the potential to make it big," says Sandeep Singhal of Nexus Venture Partners. The company claims to have 80,000 doctors on board. It boasts of monthly interactions (doctor-patient) of nearly 5 million. However, monetisation of the increasing traffic has not been very easy. Company officials say that not more than 10 per cent of such consultations are paid. All others are for-free services. Another big challenge for the company is to reach out to customers in non-metro cities. Currently, 60 per cent of its traffic comes from metro cities. Offering services in local languages is one of the options being considered to expand the reach. Other options being considered to increase the traction in non-metro cities is by undertaking non-digital promotional activities. "Increasing revenue and profit is not the target in the short-term. We have set engagement target for ourselves. We plan to bring 500,000 doctors on board and expand our reach in Tier-II and III cities," says Arora. FACT BOX Inception: January 2015 Founders: Saurabh Arora and Rahul Narang Area of business: Online OPD Fund raising: $11.43 in two rounds from Tiger Global, Nexus Venture Partners and Ratan Tata Bajaj Auto, India's second-largest two-wheeler maker, has cleared the decks for the launch of not only a new motorcycle but a whole new motorcycle brand. The company will on Monday launch a 150cc commuter motorcycle under the brand 'V', which derives its name from the INS Vikrant, India's first aircraft carrier. Bajaj's distant rival, Royal Enfield, will follow this up with the launch of the Himalayan, an off-road heavy-duty motorcycle that is visually distinct from any of Enfield's current product range. This launch is scheduled for Tuesday. These products and their launches are quite different from each other, but there is one common thread running through both - the launches are happening outside of the Auto Expo, India's most celebrated automobile extravaganza, which takes place once every two years. Bajaj Auto and Eicher Motors-owned Royal Enfield are not participating in this years' Expo, which kicks off on Wednesday. These two, besides a string of others, have decided to give the event a miss. Among other popular names, Harley-Davidson, Ducati, SkodaAuto, Volvo Cars and Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, too, are not participating in the Expo. The non-participating companies do not want the news of their launches getting drowned in the Auto Expo crescendo. So, these launches are taking place a few days before the event. Harley-Davidson, the world's best-known cruise bike manufacturer, for example, launched its 2016 Sportster 1200 Custom, priced at Rs 8.9 lakh, on Friday. BMW launched the 3 Series last Wednesday, while Jaguar launched its flagship luxury saloon XJ the next day. Ford, which does not have any new product to offer at the Expo, launched the performance car Mustang last week. Struggling two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motorcycles also jumped on the bandwagon, launching an updated version of the 110cc bike, Hayate. TVS last week launched the Apache 200 and Victor. While not having any new product to offer is one of the reasons why many brands are staying away from the Expo, another key reason is the cost of managing the five-day event which, according to a company that has opted out this year, is prohibitively high. The average spending for the Auto Expo, including the cost of floor rental, ornamentation, transport and accommodation, food & beverages, wages to volunteers and security, comes to Rs 5 crore to Rs 15 crore, depending on the floor space taken. The industry body, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, however, said floor rentals had not increased since 2012. "It is the adornment cost that pushes up overall expenditure. At Rs 8,100 per sq metre, this cost is the lowest in India and globally. Floor rentals charged at other auto events in India are Rs 10,000-12,000 a sq m," said a senior Siam executive. With a 25 per cent drop in sales last year, Volkswagen-controlled Czech auto brand SkodaAuto decided against participating in the event. The company is cutting costs by investing in improving its brand image through a boost to marketing and after-sales support, even as it is limited by a small product line. Pune-based Bajaj Auto says that showcasing products that are going to debut some months down the line proves to be a huge disadvantage for the company. "If I am showing products that will come three or six or 12 months later, it is a huge forewarning to the competition. Last year, we only showed the RS and CS 400, which are in the niche segment. We did not declare we would make the RS or AS 200 but we launched these a few months ago," Rajiv Bajaj, managing director, Bajaj Auto, had told Business Standard in an earlier interview. OFF THE EXPO ROAD Despite TVS Motors production was hit due to heavy rain and flood in Chennai, the company managed to perform well in the December 2015 quarter. The countrys third largest two-wheeler firm reported a 19.4 per cent growth at Rs 107.7 crore, against Rs 90.2 crore a year ago. Revenue increased 11 per cent to Rs 2,940 crore. TVS Motor Chief Financial Officer S G Murali speaks to T E Narasimhan about the factors that helped TVS regain market share. Edited excerpts: What helped TVS Motor during the December quarter? We are focusing on brand and products. Jupiter (in the scooter segment), for example, is selling around 50,000 units a month. It has now become a mega brand. Similarly, we are selling around 30,000 units of Apache a month in the premium segment. We are also pushing exports. TVS is the only company which is present in all the three segments mopeds, scooters and motorycles in the country. All this helped TVS regain its market share and achieve profitable quality growth. Can the momentum be sustained considering the two-wheeler segment is not growing much? Certainly, we should do that. When the industry was going through a tough phase, TVS grew and gained market share. The two new products, 110 cc Victor (for executive segment) and new 200 cc Apache, are very important and they should help us improve market share. We want to improve our margins also. Currently, our Ebitda (earning before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) margin is about 7.5 per cent, and our target is to take it to double digits in the next two years. Our focus will be on improving revenue and, then, bringing down fixed cost of sale and, consistently increasing portfolio quality. What sort of growth are you looking at? The two-wheeler segment, in longer term, has grown by eight to 10 per cent CAGR (compound annual growth rate). The fundamentals have not changed. Whenever the industry remains static or declines, it has grown 25-30 per cent the next few years. The government has started investing in infrastructure, the Pay Commission will put extra money into the pockets of people. Last year, monsoon was bad but the second monsoon was helpful in south India. The region suffered due to lack of monsoon in the past two-three years, current monsoon brought lot of rains. The service sector is growing. All these will increase the income level and peoples willingness to buy two-wheelers. In the medium term (next three years), the industry might grow eight to 10 per cent. TVS Motor is targetting to improve market share from 14 per cent to 18 per cent. To achieve this, the company has to grow twice the industrys rate of growth. We believe the market still continues to be driven by 100-110 cc. So, we need to have product in that space. Jupiter and Victor will help us address the demand in this segment. How are exports growing? In value terms, it contributes around 20-25 per cent and it is going to be an important growth engine. The company is focusing on African, Asian and Latin American markets. Africa is currently going through tough phase, as low crude oil and commodity prices have weaken the region's economy. It has resulted in restricted availability of dollar, which, in turn, devalued the local currency. But, things in the region will stablise. It is a continent waiting to explore. The Indonesian subsidiary is considered to be one of the key drivers for TVS Motor to tap global markets. How is the performance of this subsidiary and when do you expect a break-even? Next year is the target for break-even. We launched Apache 200 cc and other products. We are hoping that new products will help the company cater to both domestic and neighbouring countries (of Indonesia). What are your capital expenditure plans? About Rs 350 crore for 2015-16 for capacity expansion and products, and in 2016-17, the company would invest around Rs 300 crore on new products and capacity expansion. With the channel set three years ago to import gold illegally into the country not giving enough returns to cover the risk involved, operators of these channels - the smugglers, in simple words - are now increasingly switching over to illegal import of cigarettes. This is because of the "much higher RoI (return on investment)", according to intelligence officials. The cost of a Rs 10 cigarette typically goes up to Rs 220 if imported legally. That is the margin the smugglers can corner, since they don't pay import duty. Even if they pass on some of the benefit from the evaded duty, they still make a good amount of profit. Among other items these dealers are focusing on for unofficial imports are foreign currencies, especially those of West Asian countries. Operators keenly look at the economic viability of a business. In gold, for example, the earlier 10 per cent duty was a major benefit. Among expenses, they had to count out an average three-four per cent hawala cost for procuring dollars from the illegal market to pay the carriers bringing gold bars, and for cost of seizures. An average 6-10 per cent premium in 2013 and 2014 made the business very lucrative. But now, gold smuggling is becoming increasingly difficult, with the premium for physical delivery vanishing, and the risk increasing because of revenue agencies' tighter vigilance. In 2014, the World Gold Council had estimated that unofficial imports into the country could be worth around 200 tonnes. Now, GFMS Thomson Reuters has pegged unofficial imports in 2015 at a little over 100 tonnes. The operators, however, want to use the channel set for gold more profitably. And cigarettes, especially with a significant increase in duties, present a lucrative option. Through seizure of imported cigarette consignments sought to be brought into the country clandestinely, without paying duties and other taxes, has increased significantly over the past year, smugglers are bringing products of top global brands more frequently. These include the costlier ones like Davidoff, Gudang Garam, Djarum Black Slimz, Moods, Esse Lights, Dunhill Switch and Mond. A reliable source in the know of intelligence agencies says: "Department of revenue intelligence (DRI) has seized more than 50 containers of various brands of imported cigarettes like Gudang Garam, Esse, Dunhill, etc, valued at Rs 200 crore in the past 18 months. These seizures have taken place across India. Cigarettes are usually shipped from Dubai." "Such a huge haul was not seen previously. The reason for this are the steep import duty and local taxes on this product," said the source, adding, "what we see is that the same groups that were involved in gold smuggling earlier are now active in cigarettes now". Syed Mahmood Ahmad, director, The Tobacco Institute of India, said: "The reported seizures reflect only the tip of the iceberg. For every seizure by enforcement agencies, there are dozens of consignments of contraband cigarettes that slip through surveillance and find their way into the market." Euromonitor International, a global research organisation, estimated illegal cigarette imports into India in 2014 at 22.8 billion sticks, making the country the fourth-largest market globally for illegal cigarettes. In fact, industry body Ficci recently estimated that the overall market for illegal cigarettes in India now was 20.2 per cent of the cigarette industry's total size, up from 15.7 per cent in 2010, resulting in a revenue loss of Rs 9,139 crore to the national exchequer. Ahmad said: "Over the past three-and-a-half years, on a per-unit level, excise duty and VAT on cigarettes have cumulatively gone up by 98 per cent and 124 per cent, respectively. This is exerting a pressure on the legal cigarette industry's volumes, even as illegal trade grows unabated." Besides, with a tightening of regulations to curb the flow of unaccounted money, as well as anti-money laundering provisions, bringing West Asian currencies illegally and selling those to travellers and businessmen planning to visit those countries is also gaining ground. BOOMING BLACK MARKET Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann ki Baat', today talked about how his campaign of 'Start-Up India' and his appeal for increased use of Khadi would generate opportunities and jobs. As part of his government's continued push towards farmer-friendly policies, Modi sought help from people at large to ensure that at least 50 per cent of all farmers in the country should subscribe to the PM's crop insurance scheme. In what was his first 'Mann ki Baat' of 2016, the PM's focus was clearly on showcasing his government's farmer and youth friendly policies. He said the youth of the country surprised him by their enthusiastic participation to his 'Start Up India' campaign, launched in early January. Modi said just as he has taken to talk about his cleanliness campaign in his radio broadcasts, he would henceforth also speak equally about the 'Start Up India' campaign. "The Start Up event has broken the myth that it is only about IT (Information Technology). IT is just a small part of it. 'Start ups' will unleash a multitude of opportunities," he said, recounting 'start-ups' that have come up in diverse fields. The PM said his appeal for encouraging the use of Khadi by government departments is all set to create 18 lakh man days of work. He said Khadi could give employment to millions, particularly farmers. "Earlier, Khadi was used by government departments but this changed over the years leading to unemployment among Khadi weavers," the PM said. He said now several government departments, like the Indian Navy and Indian Railways have encouraged the use of Khadi that would lead to potentially more work. The PM quoted from the writings of Sardar Vallabbhai Patel on how the welfare of the farmers of India was in Khadi. "Bapu (Gandhi) espoused the cause of the farmers. I have also stressed on use of technology in the making of Khadi. Khadi has become a symbol...even the youth are now attracted to the fabric. Khadi is carving its place in the market," he said. Modi said people across the country paid their respects to Mahatma Gandhi and other martyrs by observing silence for two minutes at 11am on Saturday, the martyrdom day of the father of the nation. "But there might be several who didn't. It (observing the two minute silence) should become part of our culture. It should become the responsibility of each of us. Such efforts strengthen the sense of nationhood," he said. He also explained the advantages of the PM's crop insurance scheme. He said the rate of premium was a mere 1.5 per cent for Rabi and 2 per cent for Kharif crops and how farmers would benefit if their crop is damaged because of any natural calamity. He said much is said in the name of farmers, but his government launched the crop insurance scheme. The PM lauded the state governments of Haryana and Gujarat for celebrating the Republic Day by asking the most educated woman of their villages to hoist the flag in village schools. He said the poor sex ratio of Haryana has been a matter of concern, but the heartening bit was that attitudes towards the girl child were changing, more girl children were taking birth in that state. Modi said he had raised the issue of Haryana's abysmal sex ratio during his public rallies in the state. "I accomplished this in Haryana, despite officials cautioning me about the negative atmosphere in the state on this issue," he said. He also said the campaign to beautify railway stations by wall paintings, which in many instances depict local art traditions, is welcome. The PM said why only railway stations, such art with the help of common people should beautify hospitals, schools, temples, churches and mosques. Keeping its agenda, records of discussions and results of safety trials under wraps, the environment ministrys Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is set to decide next week whether it is safe to commercially grow genetically modified mustard. The committee is scheduled to meet on February 5 and could make a final recommendation on what could be Indias first commercially-grown genetically modified food crop. The GEAC comprises of government officials and scientists, housed under the environment ministry. It appraises the environmental and public health hazards of conducting field trials of genetically engineered crops, of their release for open planting by farmers and consumption by people. It is headed by special secretary in the environment ministry and its recommendations are only rarely opposed by the government. Any GM crop, including food crops like mustard, are required to go through two levels of safety tests including field trials, called Biosafety Research Level I and II trials, before they can be appraised for commercial cropping by GEAC. Both the trial stages have been completed for the GM Mustard. Sources in the government confirmed that the GEAC had discussed the GM Mustard case in its meeting in January first week when the developers of the GM mustard were asked to make a presentation. Then a sub-committee of experts was set up to examine the biosafety and other data. The sub-committee is scheduled to submit its report on February 2 after which the full GEAC will meet on February 5 to conclude its deliberations. Neither the agenda of the scheduled meeting in February nor the records of the proceedings of the January meeting have been put in public domain following a practice now formally established in the ministry. The chairman of the GEAC a senior IAS official from the environment ministry had earlier informed other members that the committee would put out only brief summarised points of the decisions of GEAC meeting for public consumption. This decision was put on record in a GEAC meeting and emerged in public domain later through an RTI. He had also informed that the detailed proceedings of GEAC would be made available only if someone asks for them through RTI. The detailed proceedings of the January meeting, where the commercial cultivation of GM Mustard was discussed, have also been denied in response to an RTI and the summary decisions are yet to be put out. The environment ministry has also denied access to the results of the biosafety trials conducted on GM mustard. The GEAC is required to assess the results of these trials to make its decision on the commercial release of GM mustard seeds to farmers. The release of such existing data for all crops was mandated by the apex courts and then was disclosed by the government for Bt Brinjal as well. But, in the case of GM mustard case the environment ministry, replying to an RTI, has said that the biosafety results would not be released, because the biosafety dossier of GM mustard pertains to third party. The Central Information Commission, too, had concluded in a case pertaining to biosafety data records on Bt Brinjal that the RTI law allows disclosure of such information if public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm to the protected interests. It concluded that toxicity allergenicity of any product to be put on large scale field trial is a matter of overriding public interest. It asked that such data be made available for all agricultural crops before any massive field trial. The GM mustard crop appraisal is now at the stage beyond even field trials and is being considered for commercial release. An appeal against the denial of biosafety data on GM mustard has been lying before the CIC for months now. In 2008 the government had committed to the Supreme Court that such biosafety data would be put out in public domain for the trials being conducted then for seven crops, which included GM mustard. The particular variety of genetically modified mustard that is to be appraised has been developed by Deepak Pental and his team at Delhi University. It is a herbicide tolerant variety, a kind of technology that the majority report of the Technical Expert Committee of the Supreme Court had strictly recommended against. But, the apex court has not yet decided on the matter. Pental has consistently advocated that his research would provide higher yields. He has acknowledged that the crossing of the transgenic gene to other non-GM mustard varieties is expected but not unsafe. At the same time he has reportedly recommended that the farmers in eastern India should not be growing the variety and seeds come with labels on where they should be grown. Critics of the GM mustard crop have warned that the seed is being cleared without the evidence of its health and environmental safety being put out for scrutiny. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has opposed growing GM mustard in a letter to the centre while officials and ministers from some BJP-governed states such as Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been reported in media stating that they are opposed to GM mustard. These are some of the main states growing mustard in India and a clearance for the state governments is essential for permitting field trials or commercial planting of GM crops. Karnataka is to showcase investment opportunities in the state outside of Bengaluru, its capital to global and Indian firms at a three-day invest in Karnataka summit to begin on February 3. The state's push comes at a time when industry leaders in Bengaluru are up in arms over infrastructure woes such as lack of adequate public transport and power cuts that hurts productivity and cost over runs. It also is witnessing increased competition from neighbouring states such as Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, who are pushing for investments in their respective states. "Every state has to compete for investments. We have an advantage over others - our human resources. No other state provides the ecosystem that Karnataka offers for global investors," says R V Deshpande, Karnataka's industries minister, who is driving the investment initiative. Deshpande, as industries minister in the S M Krishna cabinet steered in 2000 Karnataka's first global investors meet just at a time when Nara Chandra Babu Naidu was stealing the thunder for Hyderabad, positioning the Andhra Pradesh capital as "Cyberabad," an alternate to Bengaluru. As global technology firms expanded in Bengaluru, the city cemented its position as the tech hub, while transitioning from becoming the country's startup hub. In recent months, Karnataka has been at logger heads with global e-commerce behemoth Amazon on tax issues and Uber, the ride hailing app on complying with motor vehicle rules in the state. But the biggest challenge has been the concerns over power and traffic. "There needs to be quick resolution to the power crisis," Bosch India managing director Steffen Berns told Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah at an event organised for Invest Karnataka early this month. Bosch has four factories in Bengaluru with nearly two thirds of its over Rs 20,000 crore investment in recent years in the state, but finds each factory has to shut a day off due to staggered blackouts by the power utility. Karnataka, which has a significant power generation from hydel plants expect the power situation to ease by July. Deshpande admits that concerns of investors such as Bosch, who have a significant presence in the city for over six decades are genuine and efforts are being made to address them, in collaboration with the industry representatives. Karnataka has listed 117 infrastructure projects in nine sectors, including roads, railways, airports, ports, energy and water and expects an investment commitment of over Rs one lakh crore. While Siddaramaiah is aggressive in pushing for the Invest Karnataka, he is also battling dissent from his own party men in the event. Most importers, at one time or the other, find their transaction value rejected and goods assessed on the basis of contemporaneous imports - that is, the price at which identical goods of the same origin were imported at the same time and place. The customs resort to their database and come up with a reference price for contemporaneous imports and collect duty on that basis. Our courts have upheld determination of value on the basis of contemporaneous imports, with certain caveats that the customs usually ignore. Now, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), in a policy statement, has expressed deep concern about the misuse of customs valuation databases to set reference or minimum prices. The customs valuation law prohibits the use of a number of valuation methods such as the selling price of goods produced in the country of importation, a system which provides for the acceptance of higher of two alternative values; the price of goods in the domestic market of the country of exportation; the cost of production other than computed values, which have been determined for identical or similar goods in accordance with the prescribed provisions; the price of goods for export to a country other than the country of importation; and minimum customs values, among others. The term that is used most often to refer to any or all of the above deviations is 'reference pricing' although 'indicative pricing' and 'criterion pricing' are among the terms that are also employed. Although reference pricing is prohibited, it frequently manifests itself in the form of a valuation database that may be defined as a compilation of prices extraneous to the import transaction, often organised on a discrete tariff classification basis. The customs valuation law permits the assessing officers to satisfy themselves as to the truth and accuracy of any statement, document or declaration presented for valuation purposes. The Technical Committee on Customs Valuation (TCCV) of the World Customs Organization, in its 'guidelines on the development and use of a national valuation database as a risk assessment tool', says application of an appropriate risk assessment and management procedure enables Customs to exercise this right in a pragmatic manner. Such procedures may use a valuation database, but may not determine the customs value of imported goods, either as a substitute value or as a mechanism to establish minimum values, reject the declared value solely on the basis of a difference between the declared value and the database values, disregard the release of goods on sufficient guarantee in order to use a database or use a database as a substitute for other techniques, such as post-importation audits, to assess the truth or accuracy of the declared value. The ICC policy statement details many different ways in which various countries misuse databases to arrive at a reference price for assessment with a view to rejecting transaction value, gives many examples of various commercial pricing practices applied by cross-border traders that may result in a lower declared value than indicated by the customs valuation databases and suggests the way forward. The Central Board of Excise and Customs should take cognizance of the TCCV guidelines and ICC policy statement and if necessary, review the laws and its instructions suitably. Predictability and transparency of customs procedures are vital for smooth cross-border trade flows and for investment. email: tncrajagopalan@gmail.com Stage set for All India Regional Editors Conference tomorrow in Jaipur . . Editors start arriving for Interaction with Union Ministers on Social and Infrastructure Sector issues . . Stage has been set for All India Regional Editors Conference in Jaipur with the arrival of regional editors from across the country to deliberate on social sector issues. Over 100 media persons are expected to arrive. Media work stations are being set up to facilitate visiting media delegates and other arrangements for holding the conference nearing completion. The conference being organised by Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, and Government of India in Jaipur on 1st & 2ndof February 2016 will have nine sessions on core social & infrastructure Ministries of the Government of India. The conference will begin tomorrow with inaugural session by Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, the Union Minister for Women & Child Development in the presence of Dr.ArunChaturvedi, Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of Rajasthan. This will be followed by another session by Smt Meneka Gandhi discussing various issues and policy decisions taken by her Ministry pertaining to Women & Child Development. . . Dr.Najma Heptulla, Union Minister for Minority Affairs will also address a session on the day followed by other sessions by Chaudhary Birender Singh, Union Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water & Sanitation, Shri Sudarshan Bhagat, Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Shri Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of State for Tourism & Culture(independent charge). . . Second day will open with discussion on the issues pertaining to Health & Family Welfare by Union Minister Shri J.P.Nadda, followed by Social Justice & Empowerment which has seen many landmark initiatives recently by Union Minister Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot. Shri Kiren Riijju, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs (Disaster Management) and Dr.Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State for Development of North East Region.(DoNER) will also interact with editors.The conference will conclude with the session to be addressed by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping on 2nd of February 2016. During the conference senior officials from respective ministries will also be present. . . The participating editors will be treated to glimpses of Swachh Bharat initiative with a field visit to ChakNangal. It is an open defecation free village on the outskirts of Jaipur. . . Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba Takes Over Western Naval Command . . Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba took over the reins of Western Naval Command (WNC) as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) on 31 January 2016 from Vice Admiral SPS Cheema at a ceremonial parade held at INS Shikra. Later in the day, officers of the Western Naval Command accorded Vice Admiral Cheema a warm send off, with the traditional Pulling Out ceremony. Vice Admiral SPS Cheema retires today, after completing nearly four decades of service to the nation and the Navy. . . Calling the personnel on parade as his 'ship mates', Vice Admiral SPS Cheema expressed his gratitude to all personnel of the command for their support and their dedicated efforts in functioning of the command. Recounting his expanse of service he said that he has seen many changes in the Indian Navy in terms of technology, quality of man power and resources. He was however indeed very glad that the spirit of enthusiasm, ability to face all odds and above all a deep sense of patriotism has not changed among the men in uniform. . . Vice Admiral Lanba, a specialist in Navigation and Direction and an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, has very rich operational and staff experience over a career spanning more than three decades. He has served as Navigating Officer of INS Sindhudurg (Corvette) and INS Dunagiri (Frigate). During his illustrious service he commanded four frontline warships namely, INS Kakinada (Minesweeper), INS Himgiri (Frigate), INS Ranvijay and INS Mumbai (Destroyers). He is also an alumnus of the College of Defence Management, Secunderabad, where he also served as the faculty. . . He has also held important staff assignments such as Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet and Chief of Staff, Southern and Eastern Naval Commands. He has also been the Flag Officer Sea Training, Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area, Commandant, National Defence College and Vice Chief of Naval Staff. He was Commander-in-chief of the Southern Naval Command at Kochi, prior to being appointed to head the premier operational Command of the Indian Navy. . . Vice Admiral Lanba is a recipient of the Param Vishist Seva Medal and the Athi Vishist Seva Medal for distinguished service of an exceptionally high order. . . Mrs Reena Lanba who will now preside over the Navy Wives Welfare Association (Western Region) is a qualified teacher and a home maker. . . Every weekday at 7 am, a van drives slowly through the southeastern Brazilian city of Piracicaba carrying a precious cargo - mosquitoes. More than 100,000 of them are dumped from plastic containers out the van's window, and they fly off to find mates. But these are not ordinary mosquitoes. They have been genetically engineered to pass a lethal gene to their offspring, which die before they can reach adulthood. In small tests, this approach has lowered mosquito populations by 80 per cent or more. The biotech bugs could become one of the newest weapons in the perennial battle between humans and mosquitoes, which kill hundreds of thousands of people a year by transmitting malaria, dengue fever and other devastating diseases and have been called the deadliest animal in the world. "When it comes to killing humans, no other animal even comes close," Bill Gates, whose foundation fights disease globally, has written. The battle has abruptly become more pressing by what the World Health Organization (WHO) has called the "explosive" spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus through Brazil and other parts of Latin America. Experts say that new methods are needed because the standard practices - using insecticides and removing the standing water where mosquitoes breed - have not proved sufficient. "After 30 years of this kind of fight, we had more than two million cases of dengue last year in Brazil," said Dr Artur Timerman, an infectious disease expert in Sao Paulo. "New approaches are critically necessary." But the new efforts have yet to be proved, and it would take some years to scale them up to a meaningful level. An alternative to mosquito control, a vaccine against Zika, is not expected to be available soon. So for now, experts say, the best modes of prevention are to intensify use of the older methods of mosquito control and to lower the risk of being bitten using repellents and by wearing long sleeves. Women are being advised to not get pregnant and to avoid infested areas if pregnant, since the virus is strongly suspected of causing babies to be born with abnormally small heads and damaged brains. One old method that is not getting serious attention would be to use DDT, a powerful pesticide that is banned in many countries because of the ecological damage documented in the 1962 book "Silent Spring." Still, it is being mentioned a bit, and some experts defend its use for disease control. "That concern about DDT has to be reconsidered in the public health context," said Dr. Lyle R. Petersen, director of the division of vector-borne diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He said the damage to fish and wildlife stemmed from widespread outdoor use of DDT in agriculture, not the use of small amounts on walls inside homes to kill mosquitoes. Other experts say the old methods can work if applied diligently. "We've had great success using old methods for the last 50, 60 years," said Dr. Peter J. Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. "We just need to be very aggressive and exercise political will." A determined American doctor named Fred L. Soper eradicated a malaria-carrying mosquito in Brazil in the 1930s, even before the widespread use of DDT. And dengue-carrying mosquitoes were eradicated in 18 Latin American countries from 1947 to 1962, Dr. Hotez said. But Dr. Soper was a fanatic, making sure every house was thoroughly inspected and all standing water removed. In Brazil, he was backed by the government, which made it a crime to deny entry to an inspector. According to a profile of him in The New Yorker, Dr. Soper used to say that mosquito eradication was impossible in a democracy. Such an autocratic approach might not be feasible in today's societies. Moreover, Latin American cities have grown tremendously since then, said Carlos Brisola Marcondes, a medical entomologist at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil. "The situation is much worse than it was in the past," he said. The main mosquito that transmits Zika virus - and also dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever - is Aedes aegypti, a particularly wily foe. It prefers urban areas and bites mainly people, making it very efficient at spreading disease. It bites in the day, so bed nets, a common way to protect people against the night-biting malaria mosquitoes, have little effect. It breeds in small containers of water, such as flower pots, cans and tires that collect rainwater. "I've seen Aedes aegypti merrily breeding in discarded soda caps," said Joseph M. Conlon, technical adviser to the American Mosquito Control Association. Aedes aegypti is found in the southern part of the United States, so public health authorities say there will be some local transmission of Zika in this country, though it will be far less serious than in Latin America. Dr. Petersen of the C.D.C. said he envisioned "almost a SWAT team approach" in which resources would be rapidly deployed to areas of local transmission to control mosquitoes using conventional methods. The genetically engineered Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were developed by Oxitec, a British company, to fight dengue, but would also work to curtail the spread of Zika. Since last April, the mosquitoes have been released in one neighborhood of Piracicaba populated by about 5,000 people. By the end of 2015, there was a reduction in wild mosquito larvae - as opposed to larvae inheriting the lethal gene - of 82 percent, the company said. Oxitec and the city said this month that they would extend the project for another year and expand it to cover an area of up to 60,000 people. Oxitec is building a new factory to rear enough mosquitoes to cover an area with 300,000 people. The company, which was acquired last year by the American biotechnology firm Intrexon, calls its creation the "friendly Aedes aegypti" and notes that it releases only male mosquitoes, which do not bite. It says its solution is ecologically friendly because only the one species is targeted, whereas chemical spraying can affect many types of organisms. But critics worry about the long-term effects of releasing genetically modified organisms. Oxitec has run into public opposition to a proposed test in the Florida Keys. A Brazilian commission that oversees genetically engineered organisms declared the Oxitec mosquitoes safe to release into the environment in 2014. But Oxitec still does not have a license from Brazil's health regulators that would allow it to actively market its approach to Brazilian cities. Still, said Hadyn Parry, the company's chief executive, with the outbreak of Zika, "We've had a huge amount more interest from different municipalities." Another approach, being tested in one Rio de Janeiro neighborhood, is to infect the mosquitoes with Wolbachia, a bacterium that does not infect them naturally. Once infected, the mosquitoes do not pick up and transmit viruses as easily. The bacteria can be passed to the next generation through eggs, so they spread through the mosquito population. "The beauty of it is it is a sustainable method - once you put it out it sustains itself in the environment and gives ongoing protection," said Scott O'Neill, dean of science at Monash University in Australia. He is the leader of Eliminate Dengue, a Wolbachia project supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and . Tests are now underway in Indonesia and Vietnam to see if the technique can reduce the number of people getting dengue fever. Dr. Paulo Gadelha, president of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, a scientific institute under the Brazilian Ministry of Health, said initial results in his country were good and there were plans to try it on a larger scale, in Niteroi, a municipality across Guanabara Bay from Rio. "We are planning to scale this up," he said. "The mayor has already agreed." A new and even more powerful tool may be gene drives, which are genetic mechanisms that rapidly propagate a trait through a wild population. Just in the last few months, scientists have made gene drives that work in mosquitoes in the laboratory. Anthony A. James, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, said it would be straightforward to use a gene drive to spread something like a sterility trait through the Aedes aegypti population to kill them off. "We have all the blueprints and have demonstrated proofs of principle," he said. "It's just public will to do this." The public might not be ready to deploy gene drives outside the laboratory because once a new trait is let loose to spread through the population, it would be difficult to reverse it if something went wrong. Dr. Petersen of the C.D.C. said of all the new approaches, "We don't know about the efficacy of any of them on a wide enough scale." He added, "For now, we've got to deal with what we have." 2016 The New York Times News Service There were 7 correct entries to quiz No 445. R.K.Gupta from Jharkhand, wins Rs 2000. The winner is based on the first correct entry received. Advertisers and publishers are not new to ad blocking - it has been in existence since the time of desktop publishing. Over the last couple of years they have rushed to native primarily because of the sharp rise in ad-blocking - working with the theory that if an ad is harder to identify as an ad, it would perform better against ad blockers. A recent study by IPG Media Lab and Sharethrough shows that consumers look at native ads 53 per cent more often than they look at traditional display ads. But here's a problem: The ability of an ad to fool blockers relies on how well it is able to camouflage itself - as soon as the telltale "sponsored content" message appears alongside the native ad content, blocking that becomes easy. So what are brands doing to get around ad-blockers? And what are the dos and don'ts in pushing creative and editorial boundaries with paid content? Here are few lessons from what some smart brands are doing. Take fashion brand Lifestyle's promotional campaign that highlighted its end of season sale. For the announcement ad, the company tied up with a popular content site, and created a fun and engaging article on the types of people an average shopper would meet during a sale. Lifestyle got over 20,000 social shares for the campaign. "Native is about being highly contextual and more audience centric than brand centric," says Srinivasa Rao, vice-president (VP), marketing, Lifestyle. "It keeps the sanctity of the platform intact and does not intrude audience's span of attention." That the secret sauce really: don't try to deceive the consumer - try giving him relevant content instead. Consumer PC and laptop vendor Dell India has just started experimenting with native . The company recently concluded its PC Literacy Days campaign in which the key message was that personal computers were indispensable to content creation. It also talked about Dell's special EMI offer highlighting its affordability among first time buyers. To reach the tier 1 and metro audiences, Dell looked at bumper ad formats, missed call and article promotion that was native in format. The company claims that it witnessed a better engagement rate compared to its regular campaigns. Weddingz.in spends 80 to 90 per cent of its marketing budget on online marketing through native content and ads. Sharing the key to getting the native ad experience right for the brand as well as the consumer, Sandeep Lodha, CEO, Weddingz.in, says, "Readers will outright reject content that sounds like a sales pitch. This is especially true in case of blogs and content marketing. It's also important to know where not to advertise as it can lead to brand dilution." For Shamik Banerjee, chief marketing officer, Aegon Life Insurance, the biggest test for native ads lies in the creativity of the marketer. He says, "It boils down to how well you know your customer." Emotive communication may not be effective; the communication should add value and it should never... repeat... never disrupt an user's online experience. That's also what Pratik Shah, vice-president marketing, Craftsvilla.com, would recommend: "Successful integration and relevance makes native advertising stand out. If the native ad experience does not offer that, users are quick to push back," he says. Zafar Rais, chief executive officer, MindShift Interactive, suggests that brands such as BuzzFeed focus on creating content that is shareable. "Successful native advertising conveys a sponsored message through storytelling." In all this, the advertiser has to remember that he needs to track the result to be able to modify its ad and improve. Ritu Gupta, director, marketing, consumer and small business, Dell India, says, "Currently, most publishers have their own ad formats and hence an advertiser has far too many sets of rules to adhere to. Also, tracking the overall result becomes difficult for media platforms that are not using specialised software to help them track their results across channels." BBC, for instance, asks brands to look beyond clicks. John Williams, VP, South East Asia and South Asia, BBC advertising sales, says, "While these do work well, we recognise that the role of native content isn't just to drive clicks etc, but rather to create and nurture an emotional and engaged response between reader, publisher and advertising partner. The traditional metrics don't measure the emotional aspects of native content and as such measurement of native is effectively being under reported." Much depends on changing the advertiser's mindset. Sapna Desai, head, marketing and communication, Cigna TTK Health Insurance, says, "Over the years, marketers have been moulded into direct response-first thinkers: drive traffic, increase conversions, and then increase sales." At a time when consumers are bombarded with offers and deals daily, companies should focus on using native ads to connect with consumers on a deeper level, rather than scout for short-term benefits. The good thing is publishers are actively handholding advertisers to get around entry hurdles. Twitter India, for instance, offers brands the know-how to leverage native advertising through a host of products such as Promoted Tweet, Promoted Trend, and Native Video, that surface in the form of content that the user is familiar with. "Brands need to be where their customers are, but that is increasingly a challenge as consumers' consumption of content today takes place across multiple platforms, from TV to online to mobile apps. Not every brand has the capacity to develop campaigns for multiple platforms," says Taranjeet Singh, business head, Twitter India. Just as brands are struggling to get the content format right, publishers are facing their own set of challenges. "Going by our experience, we recommend that native ad slots shouldn't be fixed," says Sumit Kumar, director global sales and strategy and commerce, Tyroo Technologies. "Fixed slots leave an empty area in between the news feeds in case there is no response on the native ads. Therefore, native ads should be created dynamically based on user interaction like scroll etc. and the ad response from server." Meanwhile, Aloke Bajpai, CEO, ixigo.com, believes that publishers face a double-edged sword, "as they have to ensure that there is a premium on native advertising and at the same time the inventory does not go underutilised." For Nitin Agarwal, assistant VP, marketing, ShopClues, buying native inventory over an exchange continues to be a challenge. He adds, "A majority of the inventory is with publishers and direct talks with their sales team reduces advertisers' ability of negotiating." "There's a sheer real estate problem to start with," says Suparna Singh, CEO, NDTV Convergence. "For one, we have strict rules about how much advertiser-driven content we will allow on our platforms." That said, she asserts, "if handled carefully and chosen selectively, native advertising - with clear and full disclosure that it is paid content - can help compensate for a serious loss of revenue caused by ad blocking". A key concern for publishers is maintaining editorial integrity as they partner advertisers for branded content. Arnav Ghosh, CEO, Blippar India, emphasises, "Content mismatch needs to be taken care of - which means that the editorial veracity plays a crucial role." To fix this missing piece of the jigsaw, BBC StoryWorks' new "Science of Engagement" (SoE) research project, has been exploring facial coding techniques and it suggests the maxim that "your face never lies" holds true. The SoE facial coding measured an individual's unconscious response to partnered content, looking at both branded and unbranded pieces. According to the research - well executed and clearly labelled content-led marketing is considered trusted and persuasive when seen in quality environments, and has a powerful emotional impact for the brands involved. Most importantly, says, Williams, "Native advertising requires a client that is committed to the project and who is willing to work collaboratively and dedicate time, effort and resource. In addition there is often a longer production process than that which is associated with branded partnerships, so these expectations need to be managed. It also needs to be supported by a strong social media campaign because promoting and amplifying the content is crucial - this needs to be hard baked into the proposal from the outset." A delegation of eight members of the Afghan army led by Corps Commander Lieutenant General Mohammad Sharif Yaftali called on Commander of 11th Corps Lieutenant General Hidayatur Rehman, the Inter Services Public Relations said. According to the Dawn, the two sides discussed matters of mutual interest and security arrangements at the Pak-Afghan border. They agreed on better coordination and enhancing security measures on both sides. Earlier, the delegates laid floral wreath at the Shuhada monument and appreciated sacrifices of Pakistan Army in the fight against terrorism. More than 100 mediapersons are expected to participate in the All India Regional Editors Conference here on Monday, which is being organised by Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Government of India on February 1 and 2. Media work stations are being set up to facilitate visiting media delegates and other arrangements for holding the conference nearing completion. The conference will have nine sessions on core social and infrastructure ministries of the Government of India. The conference will be inaugurated in presence of Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in presence of Rajasthan Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. ArunChaturvedi. This will be followed by another session by Meneka Gandhi, discussing various issues and policy decisions taken by her ministry pertaining to Women and Child Development. Union Minister for Minority Affairs Dr. Najma Heptulla will also address a session on the day, followed by other sessions by Chaudhary Birender Singh, Union Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water & Sanitation; Sudarshan Bhagat, Union Minister of State for Rural Development; Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Tourism and Culture. The second day will open with discussion on the issues pertaining to health and family welfare by Union Minister J.P. Nadda, followed by social justice and empowerment which has seen many landmark initiatives recently by Union Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs (Disaster Management) Kiren Riijju and Union Minister of State for Development of North East Region (DoNER) Dr. Jitendra Singh will also interact with editors. The conference will conclude with an addressed by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on February 2. During the conference senior officials from respective ministries will also be present. The participating editors will be treated to glimpses of Swachh Bharat initiative with a field visit to ChakNangal. It is an open defecation free village on the outskirts of Jaipur. United States has been strongly condemned by China after a US warship deliberately sailed near the Paracel chain, one of the Beijing controlled islands in the hotly contested South China Sea to exercise freedom of navigation and challenge China's vast sea claims. The missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island in the Paracel chain 'to challenge excessive maritime claims of parties that claim the Paracel Islands' without notifying the three claimants beforehand, Defense Department spokesman Mark Wright said in Washington. China, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping claims in the Paracels and require prior notice from ships transiting their territorial waters, reports abc News. China described the maneuver as a 'deliberate provocation' that raised doubts about the United States sincerity just days after Secretary of State John Kerry visited Beijing for meetings about the South China Sea that were called productive by both sides. The latest operation was particularly aimed at China, which has raised tensions with the U.S. and its Southeast Asian neighbors by embarking on massive construction of man-made islands and airstrips in contested waters. The U.S. has claimed the attempts to restrict navigational rights by requiring prior notice is inconsistent with international law and pledged to regularly carry out similar maneuvers. China's Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said that 'unprofessional and irresponsible' U.S. action 'severely violated Chinese law, sabotaged the peace and security. The mortal remains of former army chief General (Retd.) K.V. Krishna Rao was cremated with full military honours at Brar Square at Delhi Cantt here on Sunday. Array He passed away in a military hospital here on January 30. Array President Pranab Mukherjee in his message stated, "Heartfelt condolences on the passing away of Gen Rao, former COAS. His exemplary services to the nation and the army will always be remembered." Array Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar condoled General (Retd.) Rao's demise, saying the nation has lost one of our best known military leaders. Array "He was a visionary who led ably, inspired a generation of soldiers and initiated modernization of Indian Army in the early 1980's. His contribution in the 1971 War and maintaining the unity and integrity of the country shall always be remembered," he said. Array Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh, laid a floral wreath to pay tribute to the former army chief and expressed his deepest condolences to the family members of the deceased. Array "Gen. Rao was a soldier statesman, who inspired a generation of soldiers and will continue to do so even after his demise," he said. Array Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and former COAS Gen. V.K. Singh, former army chiefs General V.N. Sharma, General N.C. Vij, General Deepak Kapoor and General Bikram Singh, representatives of Chief of Naval Staff and Air Staff, representative of Government of Manipur and a host of serving and retired fraternity of Army were present on the occasion as a mark of respect to the former army Chief. Array General Rao had an illustrious career spanning over four decades in the Indian Army. Array He served in Burma, North-West Frontier and Baluchistan during the Second World War, participated in the 1947-48 war against Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir and was a founder instructor of the Defence Academy during 1949-51. Array He commanded an Infantry Division in the Jammu Region during 1969-70 and a Mountain Division engaged in Counter Insurgency Operations in Nagaland and Manipur during 1970-72. Array During this period his Division also participated in the 1971 India Pakistan War in Eastern Theatre and was instrumental in capture of the Sylhet Area and liberation of north-east Bangladesh. Array General Krishna Rao commanded a Corps in the Jammu Region from 1974-78 and the Western Army Command during 1979-81. Array Post his tenure as 14th COAS of Indian Army, he also served as the Governor of the north-eastern states of Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura from 1984-1989, as also of Mizoram. Later, General Krishna Rao was appointed as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir during 1989-90 and reappointed from 1993-1998. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is sharing his thoughts with the nation on the 16th edition of his 'Mann Ki Baat' programme. Here are the highlights of his address - Mann ki Baat has bound me with you so tightly that I feel strong urge to share it with you, whatever I see or think. - Yesterday, I went to Rajghat to pay homage to revered Bapu. This event is organised every year in honour of the martyrs. - Exactly at 11 a.m., we observe a two-minute silence to remember the sacrifice, valour and patriotism of great men and women who were martyred for the country. - However, there are many amongst us, who must not have joined in this prayer. Don't you think that this should become a part of our nature? We should consider it our duty. - I know that this is not going to happen through my 'Mann ki Baat' alone - However, I want to share what I felt yesterday. These are the thoughts which inspire us to live for the country. - Can you imagine that impact it will create when 1.25 billion people will together observe two-minute silence in honour of the martyrs. - You can easily imagine what tremendous energy this single event will generate. - We will all march together, speak together and let our minds unite. - This is the true strength of our country and such events provide life blood to this strength. - I was recently reading Sardar Patel. One this impressed me a lot, referring to Khadi, he said India's independence is manifested in Khadi. - India's civilization is represented in Khadi and 'Ahimsa' or non-violence, which we consider as our foremost value, is reflected in Khadi. Welfare of farmer, for whom we all are so concerned, is also inherent in Khadi. - Sardar Patel was in the habit of giving effective message in simple language. Array - He has brought out the importance of Khadi in an effe4ctive manner. Array - Yesterday, on the occasion of the Martyrdom Day of revered Bapu, I tried to reach out through letters, to as many as possible people involved with Khadi and village industry. - Beloved Bapu was an advocate of science and I too used technology to reach lakhs of people. - Khadi has now become a symbol, a distinct identity in itself. Now, Khadi is becoming a centre of attraction for the youth too. - Especially for those who prefer organic and holistic health, Khadi has become a great option. Khadi has made place for itself in the field of fashion too. - I laud the people associated with Khadi for their enormous efforts to bring freshness in Khadi. It has become essential for Khadi to find a space in the markets too besides occupying emotional space. - Khadi has a potential to provide employment to millions of people. Recently, several government institutions such as Railways, Police Department, Indian Navy and the postal department of Uttarakhand have taken good initiatives towards promoting the use of Khadi. - These days the experiment to power the spinning wheel with Solar energy has been very successful. - It has not only reduced labour and increased production, but has also brought a qualitative improvement. - We all celebrated 26th January with great fervor and enthusiasm. In the midst of terror threat all around, people showed courage, grit and celebrated the Republic day with pride. - In Gujarat and Haryana, the two states did a novel experiment. This year in Government schools, they invited the most educated daughters of the village, for flag hoisting. - Haryana and Gujarat, by giving importance to daughters, especially educated daughters, have given an excellent example of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday demanded abolition of Rule 8 of Motor Vehicles Act that mandates eighth class pass for obtaining auto driving license, saying he doesn't have the same. "I have heard that here, you need to have class eight certificate for getting a badge. I don't have a class eight certificate. I do have degrees but I don't have the eight class certificate," Kejriwal said while addressing a rally here. "Who keeps the class eighth certificate? An auto driver told me that class eight certificates are available for Rs. 20,000," he added. The Delhi Chief Minister, who is here for the naturopathy treatment, criticised the Karnataka Government for this anarchic whip. "You don't certificates to read signs placed roadside. The Minister who made this rule, I want to ask them, if they understood foreign language when they visit abroad. The signs are made so that even illiterates can understand the rules easily," Kejriwal said. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday backed his earlier remark on Khap Panchayats, saying that it would not be appropriate to perceive that they always work in a wrong manner. "I have always maintained that if the Khap Panchayats do something wrong, we will check it. But the credit of the Khaps in the society is still maintained and it not right to say that Khaps always work in a wrong manner," Khattar told reporters here. The Haryana Chief Minister had reportedly earlier voiced his support for the Khap Panchayats, saying they have strength of their own and there was no proposal to ban them. Khattar asserted that the Khap Panchayats are a "useful instrument" of society and added that they carry out social reforms. The Chief Minister stated that one or two mistakes don't make them wrong as a whole. Responding on the controversies over Khap Panchayats' diktats, Khattar said, "One or two mistakes or incidents don't make Khap Panchayats wrong as a whole. Even human beings and institutions commit mistakes. The Khap Panchayats have a strength of their own." Khap Panchayats mostly operating in parts of northern India have very often made headlines for their alleged encouragement to "honour killings and bizarre diktats". Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday backed his earlier remark on Khap Panchayats, saying that it would not be appropriate to perceive that they always work in a wrong manner. "I have always maintained that if the Khap Panchayats do something wrong, we will check it. But the credit of the Khaps in the society is still maintained and it not right to say that Khaps always work in a wrong manner," Khattar told reporters here. The Haryana Chief Minister had reportedly earlier voiced his support for the Khap Panchayats, saying they have strength of their own and there was no proposal to ban them. Khattar asserted that the Khap Panchayats are a "useful instrument" of society and added that they carry out social reforms. The Chief Minister stated that one or two mistakes don't make them wrong as a whole. Responding on the controversies over Khap Panchayats' diktats, Khattar said, "One or two mistakes or incidents don't make Khap Panchayats wrong as a whole. Even human beings and institutions commit mistakes. The Khap Panchayats have a strength of their own." Khap Panchayats mostly operating in parts of northern India have very often made headlines for their alleged encouragement to "honour killings and bizarre diktats". The Parliament of Sri Lanka has decided to host a three day Commonwealth regional seminar from tomorrow to improve the abilities of parliamentarians to promote and protect human rights in Asia. The seminar reportedly will take place from February 1 to 3 in Colombo. Members of parliament, ministers, and human rights experts from Sri Lanka and other Commonwealth Asia countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Maldives will attend the seminar. Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will deliver the keynote address during the opening of the seminar, reports the LankaPage. The Commonwealth Secretariat and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), in collaboration with the CPA Sri Lanka Branch, are jointly convening the seminar for Asia, India and South-East Asia Legislatures and will focus on 'strengthening the role of Parliamentarians in the promotion and protection of human rights'. The Parliamentarians in these three days will consider their relationship with the international human rights system including the work of the Human Rights Council and its Universal Periodic Review mechanism. The Asia regional seminar in Sri Lanka will be the fourth in the series and seeks commitment to a practical set of actions as well as support for the establishment of a regional network of parliamentarians dedicated to implementing the declaration. Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva, during his recent high level visit to Vietnam, held discussions with high ranking officials on attracting investments from Vietnamese businesses to the island nation. During the visit, the Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva called on his counterpart, Le Hoai Trung, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Do Thang Hai, Vice Minister of Industry and Trade, reports Lanka Page. The Deputy Minister also participated in an event organized by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Hanoi to launch the Sri Lankan Business Council in Vietnam where he addressed top investors, business leaders and professionals. Harsha also highlighted the strategic location of Sri Lanka as an important logistical hub for air connectivity and the promotion of tourism, trade and investment in line with the agreement to be held in Colombo in March 2015. The Deputy Minister also attended the opening ceremony of the Linea Aqua Viet Nam and interacted with the Sri Lankan community in Vietnam. The police on Sunday found a cache of ammunition dumped in a canal in Pathankot, which is on high alert since the attack on the airbase earlier this month. A few boys, who were taking bath in the canal, accidentally found the ammunition. Some children while bathing in the canal found magazines with cartridges. We have recovered two magazines of INSAS with 29 live cartridges, two magazines are of AK-47 with 59 live cartridges. Some 315 bore round have also been found," Senior Superintendent of Police R.K. Bakshi said the media here. Security had already been stepped up here and surrounding areas following a terror attack at the Pathankot Air force station on January 2 in which seven security personnel were killed. Few days back, Punjab police had arrested a resident of Madhya Pradesh from a railway station here and recovered a country-made pistol along with two live cartridges. On January 28, a 25-year-old Afghan was caught by railway police for travelling without ticket at Pathankot Cantonment railway station here. As the indefinite protest by the MCD workers who are agitating over the non-payment of their dues enters its fifth day on Sunday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were seen taking to the streets to clear up the growing pile of garbage across the capital. Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel will lead a team in Shahdara while Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will get to work in Patparpanj. Meanwhile, AAP ministers Kapil Mishra and Imran Hussain will be seen in action at Karawal Nagar and Ballimaran respectively. Earlier, the Public Works Department, which comes under the Delhi Government, set up a task force to clean up the piling garbage across the city. PWD minister Satyendra Jain deployed around 100 trucks with ten workers each to clean up the city. MCD workers who are venting their ire by dumping piles of garbage outside the homes and offices of AAP leaders, agitated outside the residence of Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel yesterday. "We are not being paid because of AAP's iternal conflicts. We are suffering because of them and so are our families. We have to pay rent and send our kids to school. What should we do if we don't get paid?, " a protestor told ANI. Earlier, state transport and rural development Minister Gopal Rai faced the fury of the workers who left a mountain of garbage right outside his residence. Delhi's deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was also meted with the same treatment as a pile of refuse was dumped outside his office by the MCD workers. Over 1.5 lakh MCD employees including sanitation workers and other employees of the three municipal corporations - NDMC, SDMC and EDMC - have decided to go on a three-day strike from today over non-payment of dues. The cash-strapped North and East Delhi civic bodies have been unable to pay salaries to workers for three to four months now. In view of doctors now joining the indefinite protest by the MCD workers who are agitating over the non-payment of their dues, Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satyendra Jain on Sunday called for an emergency meeting. Jain has called the meeting at his residence at 9:30 am where members from the Health Ministry will also join the discussion to tackle to crisis. Before the emergency meet, Jain is also set to meet the North and East MCD commissioners at 9 am. Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will be seen taking to the streets to clear up the growing pile of garbage across the capital. Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel will lead a team in Shahdara while Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will get to work in Patparpanj. AAP ministers Kapil Mishra and Imran Hussain will also be seen in action at Karawal Nagar and Ballimaran respectively. Earlier, Jain set up a task force to clean up the piling garbage across the capital and deployed around 100 trucks with ten workers each to clean up the city. The indefinite strike by the MCD workers has entered its fifth day today as they have shown no signs of backing down from their agitation so far. MI5 is signing up teachers in various Muslim schools across the United Kingdom to work as spies to stop the radicalisation of students. Many have agreed to work as agents spying on fellow members of staff and are now sending intelligence reports on suspected jihadis to their handlers in London, the Daily Star reports. There are fears that students as young as seven are being targeted by hate preachers. Some youngsters have been told all non-Muslims are the enemies of Islam. Intelligence sources said that there have even been reports of teachers showing execution videos to Muslim pupils as part of their religious education. Some teachers are known to have contacted MI5 independently to volunteer their services but many others have been approached by the service seeking help. In a bid to bridge their trust chasm, intelligence agencies of Pakistan and Afghanistan have decided to hold talks on February 4. Dawn reported that the bilateral intelligence dialogue is being facilitated by the United States, while China will attend as an observer. Intelligence officials from the US and China will be visiting Islamabad for the meeting. The chief of Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS), Masoud Andarabi, will visit Islamabad for a meeting with the Director General of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar. The visit takes place as the two countries resume their cooperation to get the Afghan reconciliation process back on track after a suspension of several months. The official emphasized that the intelligence dialogue, was not linked to the reconciliation effort but could contribute in improving the prospects of that initiative. The four countries are also part of a Quadrilateral Framework on the Afghan reconciliation. The Russian Defence Ministry has denied Turkey's claim that a Russian aircraft violated the latter's airspace. According to Xinhua, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that the claim by Turkey is "unfounded propaganda". Turkish Foreign Ministry released an online statement saying that a Russian SU-34 aircraft violated Turkish airspace at 11:46 local time (0946 GMT) on Friday, and summoned Russian Ambassador to Ankara. Ankara said the Russian plane was warned numerous times by Turkish air radar units "through appropriate channels" both in English and Russian languages. However the Russian Defense Ministry refuted such claim saying that none of Turkey's radars could establish the type and affiliation of the aircraft. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has declared that the Rangers would stay in Karachi until complete restoration of peace takes place. Sharif reportedly said that the city has seen an improvement in law and order since the operation against the terrorists was launched. Sharif admitted that there was a need to expedite the implementation of some points of the National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism, reports the Dawn. He also said the ongoing Operation Zarb-i-Azb has drastically brought down the number of terrorist attacks across the country and is yielding positive results. Sharif further added that the investigations into the Pathankot attack would be completed soon and reiterated his commitment that Pakistan would never allow terrorists to use its soil against any other country. The Colombian national health institute has revealed that more than 2,100 pregnant women in the country have been infected with the mosquito borne Zika virus, as the disease continues to spread across America. The Daily Star reported that the virus has been linked to the devastating birth defect microcephaly, which prevents foetus brains from developing properly as there is no vaccine to it. The Government has urged women to delay pregnancy for six to eight months to avoid potential infection. The national health institute confirmed 20,297 cases of the disease in Colombia that includes 2,116 pregnant women. There are so far no reported cases of microcephaly or deaths from the virus in Colombia. The institute said 37.2 percent of pregnant women infected with Zika live in Norte de Santander province, along the eastern border with Venezuela. The health ministry said that Zika infection falls within the health requirements and women must get abortions in the country. Honda India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Magma Fincorp Limited in order to provide easy finance to the customers. Magma will be providing loans up to 90% of total cost of the car which can be repaid in a time period of 5 years. Expressing pleasure over the tie-up, Mr. Raman Kumar Sharma, Sr. Vice President and Director, Honda Cars India Limited said, "We are glad to associate with Magma Fincorp to provide end to end car finance facilities to our customers. Honda is a customer centric company and respects the needs and aspirations of our customers. This tie-up will provide a single window for purchase of the car including its finance and will give better buying experience to our customers. Magma brings to the table, in additional to Urban presence, a special focus on RURBAN sector (Rural and Semi-urban) with a widespread coverage through 228 branches and presence across 1,600 Talukas & 2,900 Locations. Magma has a base of 6.5 lac plus "active customers" & manages a Loan book of about Rs 19,000 crore, apprised Mr. Sachin Khandelwal, Chief Sales Officer & CEO & MD, Magma Housing Finance while elaborating on the MoU. He added that Magma and Honda, leading players in their respective fields complement each other perfectly and would enable the prospective customers of Honda Cars, the privilege & opportunity of owning a Honda Car even in remote areas through Magma. The finance facility will be available at all the branches covered by Magma. Stressing on the importance of finance, Mr. Sumit Mukherjee, National Business Head of Asset Based Finance in Magma Fincorp Limited said, Our Field force of 3700 address the informal & Rurban customer segment with limited banking access & no prior credit history. These customers are taking a loan for the first time. This is real time financial inclusion at work. Our Field Officers are equipped with Tablets & printers making them capable of operating from any location (virtual office) which allows Electronic transfer of loan application with all documents from point of sale. Due to this we are able to increase Penetration, Turnaround Proposals faster & convert leads better resulting in significantly better customer engagement & customer experience. Our field officers are capable of providing single day decisions with offerings up to 90% with maximum loan tenures up to 5 years. Also Read: Honda Motors Registers 22.3% decline in Profits Source : CarDekho Sixteen Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants were killed on Friday in operations in southeast Turkey, the Turkish military said on Saturday. The Turkish General Staff said in a statement that nine PKK militants were killed in Cizre, Sirnak province, and seven in Sur, Diyarbakir province. The two districts have been among areas that have been the focus of counter-terror operations of Turkey and military curfews for more than a month, Xinhua reported. A total of 627 PKK militants were "neutralised" in Cizre and Sur since early December, the statement added. Meanwhile, a village guard in Sirnak province was killed by PKK militants in the evening of January 30, Dogan News Agency reported on Saturday. Since early December last year, more than 240 members of the security forces and thousands of PKK militants have been killed in clashes across Turkey and northern Iraq. The PKK, considered as a terrorist organisation by the US and the European Union, resumed its armed campaign against the Turkish government in late July 2015. At least 44 militants were killed in past 24 hours as Afghan security forces conducted clean-up operations, the country's defence ministry said on Sunday. A total of 27 militants were injured and one militant was arrested during the operations which were launched in Wardak, Kandahar, Helmand and Baghlan provinces of the country, Xinhua quoted the defence ministry as saying in a statement. The statement also confirmed the loss of three army personnel during the same period of time. Afghan security forces have pressed on clearing the militants in restive provinces. The Taliban responds by bombing and armed attacks. On Saturday, four security force members, including a district police chief, were killed after a roadside bomb struck a security convoy in Kunar province. The Islamic State terror group on Sunday claimed responsibility for three deadly bombings that rocked a Shiite district south of the capital Damascus earlier in the day killing over 76 people. The triple bombings rocked the sprawling Sayyidah Zaynab district, which was guarded by the Shiite Lebanese Hezbollah group, in the southern countryside of Damascus. The first explosion was caused by a booby-trapped car that targeted a passenger bus on the al-Sudan street in that area, state news agency SANA said, adding that after the first bombing, two suicide bombers detonated their explosives-laden belts in the crowed that gathered at the blast site. Meanwhile, a source familiar with the incident told Xinhua that 76 people were killed in the explosions, adding that the death toll could rise as tens of wounded people were critical. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitor, said 25 Shiite fighters were among those killed. The IS militant group holds deep grudge against the Shiite people, who are considered as "infidels" by the IS. The enmity toward the Shiite people also emanates from the terror group's battles against Hezbollah and the Syrian army across Syria. The Sayyidah Zaynab tomb became a centre of religious studies of the adherents of the Shiite sect of Islam and a destination of mass pilgrimage by Shiite Muslims from across the Muslim world. On June 14, 2012, a suicide car bomb tore through that district, wounding around 14 people. Since mid-summer 2012, the district has been under frequent attacks and shelling by the ultra-radical rebels, who aim to attack the Shiite people due to their supportive stance towards the Syrian government and their religious background of the Shiite-Sunni conflict. As the district holds religious significance for the Shiite people, Hezbollah sent fighters to protect the shrine and manned checkpoints surrounding it. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, on Sunday cleared garbage piled up by protesting civic workers in various parts of the national capital. Employees of three civic corporations of Delhi are on indefinite strike from January 27, demanding immediate payment of their salaries and pending wages. In some areas, sanitation workers have not only refused to clear garbage but have littered it on the streets. While Sisodia cleaned up garbage in his assembly constituency Patparganj in east Delhi, Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra swept streets in the city's Karawal Nagar. Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel also led a team in Shahdara area to clear the garbage littered on the street. Delhi's civic body was divided into three entities in May 2012, and all three are run by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP has accused the AAP-controlled Delhi government of starving the civic corporations of funds, leading to the present crisis. The Delhi government denies the allegation. The Delhi government on Saturday formed a taskforce as part of special arrangements for removing garbage from across the national capital. The public works department of the city government has deployed 93 vehicles to clean garbage dumps. What makes a successful secret agent - at least the ones we read about or see on-screen? Is it the infinite ability to take pains and remember and connect small details, like John Le Carre's Smiley, or a debonair approach, a way with women and plenty of innovative gadgets a la James Bond? How about the ability to never sleep? It is this power acquired accidentally that helps American agent Evan Michael Tanner accomplish a range of fiendishly-difficult tasks - instigating revolution in communist Yugoslavia, arranging defections from behind the Iron Curtain, foiling nefarious plots - communist and otherwise - in Southeast Asia, Canada and Afghanistan, tracing from the bush and jungle an escaped African leader who fled with the treasury, and shaking up (rather badly) Myanmar's military junta. Unfortunately, he is not as well known as his other famous contemporaries. Tanner, who served in the Korean War, was hit by a shred of shrapnel which destroyed his brain's "sleep centre". Since then he has been awake and used the extra time to learn languages - "he's fluent in Basque, but has trouble with Chinese" - and join lost causes, political and otherwise. These include The Flat Earth Society, the League for Restoration of Cilician Armenia, the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation, the Free Latvian Army, the Irish Republicans, Quebec secessionists, and so on, which help him with a network of sympathisers and helpers in many countries which he cannot enter legally. Augmenting his $112 monthly disability pension by writing term papers for rich but clueless students, he eventually finds himself working for an American spy organisation so secret that even the CIA doesn't know about it, and is sent to various exotic locations on complex missions. Tanner is the invention of prolific American crime writer Lawrence Block, who has hundreds of books under his own name and a string of pseudonyms. Tanner, overshadowed by his creator's other more famous series of alcoholic private investigator Mathew Scudder and erudite cat burglar Bernie Rhodenbar, still holds his own for a vivid, wicked but informed portrayal of international politics in the 1960s and an uproariously satirical send-up of the espionage genre. He appears in eight novels - seven published between 1966 and 1970 but the final one only coming out in 1998. The debut, "The Thief Who Couldn't Sleep" (1966), sees Tanner go to Turkey to trace a stash of gold hidden by fleeing Armenians in World War I's aftermath and facing double-crosses galore while trying to recover it. Returning through (then Yugoslav republic of) Macedonia, he triggers an ethnic revolt. Taken into custody by the CIA on his return, he pretends to be working for an ultra-secret outfit - and to his stupefaction, is claimed by it. "The Canceled Czech" (1966) has him storming an impregnable castle in Prague to rescue an old Slovak Nazi facing the gallows and succeeding - with the unwilling help of Mossad agents and a well-endowed ethnic German girl - but eventually delivering his own justice. "Tanner's Twelve Swingers" (1967) has him on his most complex - and hilarious - mission. Talked into helping rescue his buddy's gymnast girlfriend from then Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, he begins his trip behind the Iron Curtain from Yugoslavia and then works his way northward, picking up more people and documents to smuggle out - including a dissident politician and the descendant of the Lithuanian king, till in Riga, he finds the entire 12-member troupe wants to defect. How will he manage? Well, there is always the Soviet Air Force's latest advanced bomber. "The Scoreless Thai" (1968) takes him to Thailand and war-torn Vietnam, "Tanner's Tiger" (1968) to Montreal where the Cuban pavilion at the World Expo is dodgy, "Tanner's Virgin" (1968) has him swim the English Channel on his way to Afghanistan to rescue a friend forced into white slavery - and defeat a purported Soviet-inspired coup, and "Me Tanner, You Jane" (1970) to Modonoland (west Africa) where he has to confront a murderous gang led by a missionary's daughter who is a maneater in all senses of the word. He returns in "Tanner on Ice" (1998) where he is resurrected from a cryogenic tank in which he was placed by a Scandinavian agent too fastidious to kill him outright. Slowly taking in a quarter century of political, social and technological development, he finds his old boss is still in action and is sent to Myanmar on a mission of destabilisation, including assassinating Aung San Suu Kyi. But he is his own man. Block admitted the plots "generally range from far-fetched to absurd" but he had stopped writing them when they grew too close to the truth. Packed with a gamut of memorable characters, abundant hilarity but plenty of darkness and collateral damage too, the series offer a unique perspective of a world seemingly past but still having many resonances to our present - especially on nationalism. (31.01.2016 - Vikas Datta is an Associate Editor at IANS. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in ) Model Blac Chyna, who is rumoured to have a romantic relationship with reality TV personality Rob Kardashian, was arrested at an Austin airport, Texas, after getting drunk on a flight. Chyna was taken into custody on Friday, reports tmz.com. Chyna was on a Delta flight from Los Angeles International Airport to London with a layover in Austin. According to an eyewitness, she appeared to be "heavily intoxicated" and got engaged in a fight with a flight attendant on the plane. Another eyewitness claims that she at one point screamed: "Y'all got no respect for me. I gotta tie my shoes. Let me tie my Yeezys." When the plane landed in the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, police met her at the gate and arrested her after she screamed at an airline employee: "Nasty a** b***h." She was reportedly crying while handcuffed and taken away. A day before her arrest, Chyna was spotted with Rob heading to his mother Kris Jenner's house in Hidden Hills for a supposed family meeting. British Prime Minister David Cameron on Sunday announced that a new government law will require universities to publish statistical data on admissions by gender, class and ethnic backgrounds. The move comes as a response to criticisms that students from the 'wrong' backgrounds were under-represented at elite universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, Xinhua news agency reported. Downing Street said in a statement: "Under the proposal, all universities will have a new 'transparency duty', part of a drive to highlight those institutions failing to improve access." "There are currently huge discrepancies in the offers made by universities to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In 2014, just 27 black students entered Oxford University out of an intake of more than 2,500, and only one in ten of the poorest white working class boys enter higher ." Under the duty, which will be introduced in legislation, wide-ranging data will be published showing the ethnic, gender and socio-economic breakdown for applications, entry, and retention in key disciplines at all higher institutions. Government Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: "This new transparency duty will highlight where progress is being made and where institutions could do much more. Only by working together can we tear down barriers and create a genuine level playing field for those with the potential to study at our world-class universities." Campaigning came to an end on Sunday evening for February 2 elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. Leaders of major political parties including central and state ministers criss-crossed the city on the final day to campaign for their respective candidates. All the parties were involved in hectic campaigning and leaders, candidates and workers conducted door to door canvassing. As many as 1,333 candidates will fight it out for the 150 divisions of the municipal body. About 75 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. Central ministers M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prakash Javadekar addressed few elections meetings in the city on the last day, urging people to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party-Telugu Desam Party (BJP-TDP) alliance to ensure real development of the city. For the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), several ministers led by K. Tarakarama Rao campaigned for the party candidates. Stakes are high for TRS as it is making a debut in Hyderabad's municipal polls. It is a major test for the party which was not considered strong in the city with a sizeable population from Andhra Pradesh. The TRS, which was considered "anti-Andhraites" during the movement for separate Telangana state, tried to reach out to voters from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions settled here. Tarakarama Rao, who is son of Chief Minster K. Chandrasekhar Rao, has thrown a challenge at the opposition, saying he will quit if the TRS fails to win 100 seats in 150-member body. The campaigning saw TRS highlighting the welfare and development schemes launched by it during last 18 months. In its manifesto, the party promised to protect the cosmopolitan culture of the city, provide basic amenities and ensure development of Hyderabad as a global city. The TRS is contesting all 150 seats. The chief minister has indicated that the party may have a post-poll alliance with Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) to capture key posts of mayor and deputy mayor. MIM, a key player in Hyderabad's politics, had bagged 43 seats in 2009 elections and had shared power with then ruling Congress party. It is contesting 75 seats this time. MIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi led the campaign with his younger brother and party leader in Telangana assembly Akbaruddin Owaisi. This time Congress, the main opposition party in Telangana, is contesting all seats. National general secretary Digvijay Singh, party's Telangana unit president Uttam Kumar Reddy and others campaigned for the party candidates. They claimed that Hyderabad developed during Congress rule. The GHMC polls are also a major test of strength for the TDP-BJP alliance after its defeat in 2014 general elections in Telangana. The TDP is contesting 90 seats while the BJP has fielded candidates in remaining 60 divisions. TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also campaigned for the alliance during last few days. He sought vote for the alliance to once again develop Hyderabad. At every public meeting, Naidu recalled how he transformed Hyderabad during his nine year rule as the chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh. He claimed credit for placing the city on world IT map, for developing international airport and numerous institutes of excellence. Several central ministers including Venkaiah Naidu and Bandaru Dattatreya, who is a member of Lok Sabha from Secunderabad, campaigned for the alliance. It has been described as Britain's Pompeii, a Bronze Age settlement from around 3,000 years ago, frozen in time. Archaeologists are preparing to remove roof timbers from homes once occupied by ancient Britons to reveal the secrets of their lives, reports Xinhua news agency. The Italian city of Pompeii was trapped in time by a volcanic eruption, the settlement at Must Farm in Cambridgeshire was hit by fire, causing the timber houses to collapse into a river bed where they have been preserved in silt. It is thought the families were forced to flee, leaving behind their possessions. A team from Cambridge Archaeological Unit, part of the city's famous university, rate the site as Britain's best preserved Bronze Age dwellings. It is thought there was a settlement of around six circular dwellings on the site at Must Farm, built on wooden stilts above a river channel. Once the roof support timbers have been carefully catalogued, they will be removed to expose the contents of the houses. The dig at Must Farm has this week reached its half way stage, already documenting hundreds of pieces of remains and finds. Kasia Gdaniec, Senior Archaeologist at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: "We think those living in the settlement were forced to leave everything behind, an extraordinarily rich range of goods and objects are present in the river deposits. "The settlement was built on a platform on piles over a river channel and dates back to the end of the Bronze Age. "The piles were destroyed by fire, causing the structure to collapse into the river, thereby preserving the contents in situ. As work progresses, we are making extraordinary discoveries and learning more and more about this unique site." The site was first discovered in 1999 when a local archaeologist noticed a series of wooden posts sticking out of the edge of a working quarry. The initial discovery led to small evaluations. Those preliminary excavations, revealing incredibly preserved artefacts. But although they only scratched the surface of what was there, they gave a real glimpse into life during the Bronze Age. It paved the way for the current major exploration of the site. Items including tools, bowls still containing food, and textiles have already been found around the site, the archaeologists believe the contents of the houses remain buried, and preserved, in the silt beneath the wooden roofs. A spokesman for Cambridge Archaeological Unit, which describes the discovery at Must Farm as unique, said: "We currently have the amazing remnants of a Bronze Age round house roof, which has led to great excitement. "This roof is sitting on top of, and currently sealing, all of the remains of the building's interior. These remains are most likely a source of lots of new information about homes during this period of prehistory." Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said on Sunday that she needs effective, time-bound assurances on implementation of the agenda of alliance from the central government to form the government in Jammu and . Noting the Narendra Modi government will have to reach out to the state's people with decisive political and economic confidence-building measures (CBMs), she said her father, late chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, "took a courageous, although unpopular, decision of aligning with BJP", hoping its government will take decisive measures to address the "core political and economic issues" concerning the state and its people. "Unfortunately, instead of partnering with and implementing Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's vision of bringing peace, stability and prosperity to Jammu and Kashmir, certain quarters, both within J&K and in New Delhi, started overtly and covertly triggering frequent controversies over avoidable contentious issues resulting in wastage of the state government's energies in firefighting and propitiation," she said in a statement after her party's core group meeting here. "In such violative circumstances around, we will have to reassess whether we can absorb the shocks which Mufti Sahab had to do so frequently in his effort to forge reconciliation between the regions and the people of the state," she said. "PDP can't form a government just for the sake of power but, if it does, it will be, as envisioned by Mufti Sahab, with the objective of addressing the core political and economic issues confronting J&K as was done by the PDP-led government between 2002 and 2005," she asserted. She said the Modi government will have to take substantive measures towards implementation of the PDP-BJP Agenda of Alliance and her PDP "needs a set timeframe to be worked out". "The PDP will have to reassess whether the central government is ready to trust the people of Jammu and and carry out implementation of 'Agenda of Alliance' with sincerity of purpose," she said, noting it makes clear that the present position will be maintained on all the constitutional provisions pertaining to the state including on special status. She said the agenda made it clear that the coalition government will seek to support and strengthen the approach and initiatives taken "to create a reconciliatory environment and build stakes for all in the peace and development within the sub-continent including normalisation of relations with Pakistan". Mehbooba Mufti noted though real progress was made during the past 10 months towards the implementation of good governance practices listed in the agenda of alliance, there was little movement forward on implementation of political and economic initiatives. "Instead there were some recurrent unsettling developments which led to lack of congenial atmosphere and had a negative impact even on the good work done on the governance front," she said, adding the Sayeed government's "some pioneering developmental and welfare initiatives could not make a mark among the people because of some unsettling issues being raised by certain quarters repeatedly". "Amid recurring contestations and controversies, Mufti Sahab worked tirelessly and tried his best to carry everybody along and bring some relief to the people on the governance front and unfortunately, this taxing overdoing ultimately took a heavy toll on his health. "Jammu and today needs the political will and statesmanship to pull the state out of the morass, which no government in the state could do amid recurrent rumblings over the issues that have already been settled in the constitution," she said. President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday extended his greetings to all ranks of the Indian Coast Guard on the force's 39th anniversary, commending them for living up to its motto "We Protect". "I am happy to learn that the Indian Coast Guard is celebrating its 39th anniversary on February 1. Over the years, the Indian Coast Guard has evolved into a professional maritime force dedicated to the service of the nation," the president said in a message. "It has lived up to its motto 'We Protect' through concerted efforts which have resulted in not only protecting hundreds of precious lives at sea, but also the marine environment surrounding us." "I am sure that the Indian Coast Guard will continue to discharge its maritime responsibilities in a diligent and responsible manner. On this occasion, I extend my greetings and good wishes to all members and families of the Indian Coast Guard. I wish them every success in their future endeavours," he added. Former union minister and Congress leader Srikant Jena on Sunday mocked the Odisha and central governments for taking credit for IOC's Rs.34,555 crore refinery project at Paradip in the state. The state-of-the-art 15 MMTPA capacity project of public-sector Indian Oil Corporation is scheduled to be dedicated to the nation on February 7 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jena said it was UPA government that deserved credit for implementing the project and not the Modi government which made no contribution. Besides, the Odisha government, led by Naveen Patnaik, was actually responsible for delaying the project causing Rs.5,000 crore in cost overruns, said Jena, who was chemicals and fertilisers minister during the second stint of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. "Both BJP and BJD are now trying to capitalise on the project and competing with each other to bring maximum people to the meeting venue to be addressed by Modi and Naveen Patnaik," he said. He said Rs.60 crore was being spent on publicising the inauguration of the project and several publicity vehicles have been fanned out across the state to gather crowds at the function. While Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundation of the refinery in 2000 when he was prime minister, the project had been conceived way back by the Congress government led by P.V. Narasimha Rao, said Jena. The project was stalled in 2002 when the Naveen Patnaik government withdrew incentives to it, he said. "Modi and Patnaik should have the courage to admit the truth when they inaugurate the project," Jena said. A day after the death of a six-year-old boy after falling into an open septic tank at a private school, the Delhi government on Sunday ordered all schools in the city to prepare a "safety report" within a month. The government's order came after an emergency meeting held by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and officials of the Directorate of Education on security arrangements for students in government and private schools. Sisodia said schools should be safe for students. "Yesterday's (Saturday's) incident has shocked me. How could an innocent child die while roaming around in a school campus?" "By next month, every school will prepare a safety report and based on these reports, I will personally inspect these schools," he added. The city government also decided to form a task force to verify the arrangements in the schools, officials said. Dewansh Kakrora, a Class 1 student, was found dead in a water reservoir at Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj in south Delhi on Saturday afternoon. Police on Sunday continued to question the school authorities, including principal Sandhya Sabu. A first information report (FIR) has been filed against the school authorities on charges of negligence under the Indian Penal Code. The Delhi government had on Saturday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the case. The sequel to Dhanush-starrer Tamil entertainer "Maari", which released last year in cinemas, is in the pipeline and will go on the floors later this year, a source said. "Director Balaji Mohan has been working on the script of 'Maari 2' over the last few months. The project is expected to go on the floors around October this year. By then, Dhanush will be relieved of all his commitments, including his Hollywood project," a source close to Dhanush told IANS. In "Maari", Dhanush played a lungi-clad, moustache-twirling local don. "He will reprise the same role in the sequel. The team is waiting for Dhanush to grow back his handlebar moustache for the film," the source said. Meanwhile, Dhanush is wrapping up for Tamil political thriller "Kodi". From June, he will start working on his international project "The Fakir". The source added that he also has a film with "Raanjhanaa" director Anand L. Rai in the offing. As a young Director in UN Division of India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in 1990, when the world was not networked as it is today, I have vivid recollections of following Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait along with my colleagues in our office on a short-wave radio which carried the BBC hourly bulletins. At lunch time, colleagues from the then WANA and Gulf Division would update us on the meticulous arrangements and organisation the MEA had mounted under the leadership of the then External Affairs Minister I.K. Gujral, who later became Prime Minister, to evacuate over 100,000 Indians stranded in Kuwait. After the UN Security Council announced sanctions against the Saddam regime, their situation became desperate since their only possible escape route was across the desert to Jordan. It was one of the most complex rescue operations in the annals of recent history. When I went to see the recently released Bollywood film "Airlift", I anticipated that the film would provide belated and welcome recognition to the efforts of our colleagues in MEA, who along with our ambassadors in Kuwait and Jordan and their diplomatic and other staff worked tirelessly for the final happy conclusion of bringing our Indian diaspora in Kuwait safely home. It would, I hoped, also chronicle the efforts of our heroic Air India pilots who willingly flew countless flights through a war zone to bring their compatriots back to Mumbai. The encouragement and leadership provided by the then minister Gujral also required to be highlighted. "Airlift" is a well produced film with great acting by Akshay Kumar and others. It also arouses our patriotic feelings with our beautiful flag and national anthem preceding the screening. The problem arises because, despite the notification that the film is purely fictitious, the reality is that it distorts recent history and reduces facts to fantasy. This will mislead millions of Indians who were born after 1990. The film portrays Gujral in a most unflattering manner, completely divorced from reality. It ridicules an entire MEA, the Indian envoys at the time serving in Kuwait, Iraq and Jordan and their colleagues except for one fictitious joint secretary, portrayed sitting in a large hall drinking tea and taking a call from desperate Indians in Kuwait because others refused to do so during their lunch break. Fantasy is to portray Akshay Kumar like Moses leading the Jews in the famous exodus across the desert to the Promised Land. Reality is that a convoy of 100,000 people could not cross 1,000 km of a harsh desert without stopping, eating and refuelling. Reality is that there were actually 110,000 Indians at that time in Kuwait to be evacuated and this evacuation continued for several weeks. Reality is that the evacuation was organised by the MEA, through frantic efforts made behind the scenes to obtain Saddam's agreement for the safety of our Indians and their safe return to India. This reality became complicated no doubt due to the infamous embrace of Gujral by Saddam but it is often forgotten that it is our then minister Gujral and MEA, whose forceful interventions also ensured the safety of our air hostesses who had been stranded after the invasion. "Airlift" also hits out at Air India, depicting its pilots as uncaring and unpatriotic, with some pilots stating in the film that they would not fly in a war zone since they were not Indian Air Force pilots. The film shows the fictitious joint secretary pleading helplessly with Air India pilots while taking calls from Ranjit Katyal (Akshay Kumar). This is a travesty of the truth and should be strongly contested by Air India. MEA's official spokesperson Vikas Swarup recently noted: "This is a film, and films often take liberties with actual events, facts. This particular film has also taken artistic liberties in the depiction of the events as it actually happened in Kuwait in 1990." He added that those who remember the 1990 evacuation would also know the "very pro-active" role that the MEA played. Official delegations were sent to Baghdad and Kuwait City. The entire operation was coordinated along with the civil aviation ministry, Air India and a host of other government departments. When responsible film makers and famous actors take gross liberties with facts and mix fantasy with fiction, playing on local prejudice against politicians and bureaucrats, it results in historical distortions, leading to younger Indians believing that the political leadership of India and MEA were and continue to be completely callous and indifferent to the fate of so many of their compatriots stranded in a dangerous war zone. It is important to underline that the Indian political leadership, cutting across party lines, and the MEA and concerned ministries have always responded quickly and effectively to the Kuwait crisis and other evacuations such as the Indian Navy's Operation Sukoon in Lebanon in 2006, Operation Safe Homecoming in Libya in 2011, and more recently the Indian Navy's heroic efforts, along with support from the Indian Air Force and Air India, to rescue more than 5,000 Indians and others stranded in Yemen. Perhaps it is time for Bollywood to do a reality check and produce another rousing film like "Airlift", but this time focussing on the real, unsung and forgotten heroes of these evacuations. They owe it to India and to those Indians who cared enough for their compatriots to work day and night to bring them home safely. They owe it to the history and posterity of this great nation. (Bhaswati Mukherjee is a former Indian ambassador. The views expressed are personal. She can be contacted at rustytota@gmail.com) Common citizens and not politicians or celebrities were the ones who, using the micro-blogging site Twitter, shaped the national dialogue in the US following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014, a new research has found. The fatal shooting of Michael Brown on August 9, 2014, set off a national wave of dialogue and protests, from the streets to social media, as people nationwide grappled with myriad complex issues, including police use of force, race relations in the US, and criminal justice reform. Sarah Jackson and Brooke Foucault Welles, both assistant professors of communication studies at the Northeastern University, examined 535,794 tweets from August 9 to August 15, 2014, that included the word or hashtag "Ferguson". They identified the top 10 tweets each day that were most retweeted or mentioned and then analysed how these Twitter users -- who they described "early initiators" and "crowdsourced elites" -- drove the discussion in the days following Brown's killing. Twitter, they argued, catalysed the national response. The first week of "Ferguson" tweets, from the time of Brown's death up till the national media coverage and President Barack Obama's public address -- illustrated the power of social media to allow everyday citizens, particularly those in marginalised groups, to influence larger public debates, they said in a paper published in the journal Information, Communication & Society. "From my perspective, what's significant is that Twitter can allow everyday people who otherwise have little social or political power to shape a narrative about their experiences and what matters about those experiences," Jackson noted. Former army chief Gen. K.V. Krishna Rao (Retd) was cremated with full military honours here on Sunday. Gen. Rao, the 14th chief of army staff and also governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura, passed away on Saturday in the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) here. He was 92. Army chief General Dalbir Singh laid a floral wreath in tribute and expressed his deepest condolences to Gen Rao's family. "Gen. K.V. Krishna Rao was a soldier statesman who inspired a generation of soldiers and will continue to do so even after his demise," he said. Wreaths were also laid on behalf of President Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and former army chief Gen. V.K. Singh (Retd), and former army chiefs V.N. Sharma, N.C. Vij, Deepak Kapoor and Bikram Singh. Representatives of navy chief Admiral R.K. Dhowan and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha were also present on the occasion as a mark of respect to the former army chief. Commissioned in the Indian Army on August 9, 1942 at the height of World War II, Gen. Rao served in Burma, the North West Frontier and Baluchistan during the conflict. During the extensive Punjab disturbances in 1947 following the partition of the sub-continent, he served in both the eastern and western parts of the state and also saw action in the 1947-48 war against Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir. He was a founder-instructor of the National Defence Academy during 1949-51. It's got a dark, smoky feel, extensively uses the hexagonal beehive motif and serves a wide array of cuisines. Welcome to the Hive Kitchen and Bar, the latest entrant to the Green Park Main Market, which is slowly becoming as busy at night as by day. "After being a social media influencer for so many years,I realized the importance of networking. That is when I imagined a place where people could come together to enjoy a meal or a drink and network. This is my first venture in the restaurant business and I hope it will be amongst many ventures in the future," the eatery's co-founder, Abhinav Mathur, a lawyer by profession, told IANS. As I took a seat beside a large window that allowed me a partial view of the market, I was greeted with a red wine with orange caramelised honey as a welcome drink. As I gazed around the restaurant, I realised what creates the atmosphere is perhaps the lighting. It softens the edges of the wooden, chic furniture and lends the place a hazy, almost tipsy air. In fact, the interiors seemed to be an amalgamation of New York attic grunge and a Parisian cafe. It has been intelligently designed to serve both party-goers and families together at different levels of the outlet. The lower level is in a cheerful cafe style and the upper level is the pub-cum lounge area with aesthetic, monocycle bar stools and chic industrial furniture. The food menu is much inspired, introduces the concept of "dinner theatre", with some interesting, tempting options on the list, a combination of light finger food and Spanish tapas that sit well with a round of cocktails. "The alcohol selection in the bar is for mature lovers of premium spirits accompanied by a small plates' menu that allows you to pair your favourite short eats with the drinks," Mathur pointed out. The kitchen serves lively world fare with diverse flavours: Moroccan tagine cuisine, hearty Italian dishes and Spanish tapas-style finger food with a touch of fusion. Among the others are Saked sea bass with hummus, mint & tahini served with quinoa tabbouleh and braised lamb shank served with mashed potatoes. FAQs: Location: S-27,Green Park, Main Market Cost for two: Rs.2,000 (including alcohol) Timings: 11am - 12:45am (Shamshad can be contacted at shamshad.a@ians.in) Indonesia may be attracting almost double the number of global tourists than India but visitors from here are few and the southeast Asian country has decided to grant free visas to Indians to attract more travelers from India which is a "big market" for them. Vinsensius Jemadu, Indonesia's tourism director, was in India to promote Indonesian tourism and attract more Indians. He says Indonesia and India enjoy very good relations which will help in attracting more tourists. Indonesia is also participating in the South Asian Tourism and Travel Expo (SATTE) 2016. Jemadu said that more than 10 million people from across the globe visit Indonesia every year - but only 270,000 from India. Indonesia attracts the highest number of tourists from Singapore, followed by Malaysia, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and then India. "Realising that India is a big market, the Indonesian government decided to grant free visas to Indians. We have set a target to attract 350,000 tourists from India this year, which is a big challenge for us," he said. "Most of the people from India visit Bali. May be it is because they do not know about other places there. We want them to explore other places of the country as well," he said. Indonesia's tourism industry contributes nine percent to the country's GDP. "Our plans are to boost tourism industry and increase it to 15 percent of the GDP by the end of 2019." "As many as 60 percent of the total tourists visit Indonesia because of its rich cultural heritage while 35 percent come to the country to see its natural beauty. Five percent tourists come here to enjoy manmade activities," Jemadu told IANS. Expressing concern over lack of direct connectivity between India and Indonesia, Jemadu said: "So far there is no direct flight between the two countries. People from India reach Indonesia via Singapore or Malaysia which is not good for tourism because people have to spend more time and money in travelling." He, however, added that this issue will be sorted out soon as both the governments have agreed to start direct flight between the two nations. "I am hopeful that the direct flight between Mumbai and Bali will start by March or April. Garuda Indonesian airline had agreed to operate flights between the two countries," he said. Israeli and Turkish energy firms signed an agreement on Sunday to sell $1.3 billion worth of gas to Edeltech, Israel's Leviathan natural gas field offshore partners announced. The Leviathan natural gas field was discovered in 2010 and holds an estimated 622 billion cubic metres (bcm) natural gas reserves, according to Xinhua. The partners said they commit to providing 6 bcm within 18 years. Edeltech and Zorlu Enerji, a Turkish energy conglomerate, will employ the gas to operate two new energy plants being established in southern Israel. Both plants will provide energy to the industrial sector. The privately owned Edeltech and Zorlu have already become partners with three energy plants in southern Israel. The deal involves selling the first gas from the Leviathan reservoir to the Israeli market. The agreement ensues two memorandums of understandings signed by the partners with neighboring Jordan and Egypt last year. The Leviathan gas field and the smaller Tamar field are controlled by a consortium headed by Texas-based Noble Energy and Israel-based Delek Group. Gas production in Tamar, however, kicked off in March 2013. Noble believes that gas from Leviathan could be sold as soon as 2019, despite plummetting gas prices. The long-awaited agreement allowing Noble and Delek to develop the Leviathan was finally signed in December 2015 by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Approval followed years of political upheaval and widespread public protest, with weekly rallies in major cities protesting against "selling out" the country's natural resources to a monopoly. "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling has revealed the names of the wizard schools in North America and several other locations from around the world. As seen on a map shared on Rowling's Facebook page, the wizard school in North America is called Ilvermorny and is located on the north-eastern part of North America, reports aceshowbiz.com. In South America, the school is called Castelobruxo. The school in Africa is Uagadou, which is the largest of all wizarding schools, and wizards in Asia go to Mahoutokoro wizarding school. The author wrote on Pottermore.com that "as a general rule, magical schools tend to be situated in landlocked, mountainous areas (although there are notable exceptions, as will be seen), as such regions are difficult for Muggles to access, and easier to defend from Dark wizards." "The precise location of each of the following schools is a closely guarded secret," Rowling added. Kapu leaders on Sunday night withdrew their protest for reservation after large-scale violence rocked Tuni town in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. M. Padmanabham, a key leader of the community, announced that he is withdrawing the blockade. The vehicular traffic between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada is expected to resume soon. Padmanabham, a former minister, asked the government to issue orders by Monday for including Kapus in the backward classes list so that they can get the benefit of reservation in education and employment. He warned that if the government failed to respond by Monday evening, he would launch fast-unto-death. It was after a massive public meeting at Tuni that the protestors set afire a train, two police stations and other public property. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday came out in support of employees of the city's main civic body who are on strike demanding salaries. "I support (the) demand of protesting MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) employees that they should get their full salaries," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader tweeted. "I hope some solution will emerge" after Tuesday's hearing on the issue in the Delhi High Court, he added. Sanitation workers have been on strike demanding immediate payment of salaries and pending back wages. In some areas, they have not only refused to clear garbage but have littered it on the streets. Health department workers of the civic body have also joined the protest, also demanding payment of salaries. The civic body is divided into three zones, all three run by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP has accused the AAP-controlled Delhi government of starving the civic body of funds, leading to the present crisis. The Delhi government denies the charge. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday supported striking sanitation employees of Delhi's three main civic bodies seeking salaries as AAP leaders cleared garbage from across the capital. "I support (the) demand of protesting MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) employees that they should get their full salaries," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader tweeted. "I hope some solution will emerge" after Tuesday's hearing on the issue in the Delhi High Court, he added. The president of the Mazdoor Vikas Sanyukta Morcha, Sanjay Gehlot, however told IANS that the strike by sanitation workers will continue till their demands were met. "We are going to meet Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung on Monday afternoon to discuss the whole issue," he said. Sanitation workers have been on strike demanding immediate payment of salaries and pending back wages. In some areas, they have not only refused to clear garbage but have littered it on the streets. While Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia cleaned the garbage in his assembly constituency Patparganj, Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra swept the streets in Karawal Nagar, both in east Delhi. Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel also led a team in Shahdara area in east Delhi to clear the garbage littered on the streets. Other AAP legislators and residents undertook cleanliness drives in various residential areas. "The AAP is of the view that any part of Delhi cannot be allowed to remain dirty. It is shocking the civic agencies - the three municipal corporations - have failed in their primary and obligatory duty of keeping the city clean," it said in a statement. "Due to largescale corruption and mismanagement, the three MCDs have financially and functionally collapsed. The corporations are even unable to explain how they have spent the planned and unplanned budgetary grants provided to them by the Delhi government," the party said. "It is condemnable that despite having received the entire budgetary amount before time and having been given the concession by the Delhi government of not seeking any repayment of the Rs.6,000 crore outstanding loan and even the interest amount from the MCDs for the current financial year, these corporations instead of paying their employees salaries have provoked them to go on strike." The Delhi government on Saturday formed a task force as part of special arrangements to remove garbage from across the national capital. The public works department of the city government deployed 93 vehicles to clean the garbage dumps. Health department workers of the civic body have also joined the protest, also demanding payment of salaries. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain told the media that he met senior officials of the civic bodies to discuss the issues. He said the workers had a right to get their salaries. The civic body is divided into three zones, all run by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the AAP's main rival in Delhi. The BJP has accused the AAP-controlled Delhi government of starving the civic body of funds, leading to the present crisis. The Delhi government denies the charge. Terming as absurd the law mandating Class 8 as the minimum qualification for granting licence to auto-rickshaw drivers, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged the central government to abolish a clause of the Motor Vehicles Act 2007, saying it would be misused to harass them. "You don't need a certificate to read road signs or traffic signals, which are common even for those who do not have formal schooling," Kejriwal said at a rally of his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) organised at a school ground here. Kejriwal, who is in city since January 27 for naturopathy treatment at a private hospital, said he would soon write to union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to scrap the clause by amending the Act. "Our prime minister (Narendra Modi) should learn about 'ease of doing business' from common people like auto drivers and not tycoons like Ambanis or Adanis," Kejriwal said in Hindi, addressing hundreds of auto-rickshaw drivers. Thousands of auto-rickshaw drivers have been protesting against the new rule that mandates Class 8 as the minimum qualification for licence to ride a three-wheeler. Assuring the aggrieved drivers of his party's support to their demand, Kejriwal said he too did not have a Class 8 certificate though he had graduate degrees. According to a party statement, about 25,000 auto-rickshaw drivers from across the city have already signed a petition to abolish the controversial clause. Condemning the BJP's "insensitivity" over the death of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, the Congress on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shedding crocodile tears over the issue. "External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has raised doubt about Rohith Vemula being a Dalit student. This is condemnable. This also makes it clear that whatever the prime minister said (about Vermula's death) during a programme in Lucknow recently was fake and he shed crocodile's tears over it," Congress leader Anand Sharma told media persons here. Modi, in a speech at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow on Friday, said he was deeply saddened by Vemula's suicide. The prime minister also choked while referring to Vemula's January 17 death in Hyderabad University after being suspended for allegedly assaulting an ABVP leader. "I am not going into the reasons, the of the issue. But I empathise with the family which has lost so much," Modi had said with tears in his eyes. Anand Sharma said accountability over the issue should have been fixed and people responsible punished. "The prime minister did not carry out his moral and constitutional duties in this case," he alleged. Sharma said Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, Labour and Employment Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and University of Hyderabad Vice Chancellor P. Appa Rao were being given shelter by the prime minister. He said Vemula, who struggled for his rights when alive, was being humiliated even after his death. Actor Jr. NTR's Telugu outing "Nannaku Prematho", despite mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike, has managed to earn over Rs.50 crore in the worldwide ticket window in just two weeks. "We are really happy that the film has entered the Rs.50 crore club. It's doing really well at the box-office, especially in the US. I'm glad audiences have accepted a novel attempt. I can't thank them enough," film producer B.V.S.N. Prasad told IANS. Directed by Sukumar, the film also stars Rakul Preet Singh, Jagapathi Babu and Rajendra Prasad in important roles. Prasad hopes the film will soon enter the Rs.100 crore club. "The way it's performing, it's most likely to rake in over Rs.100 crore very soon," he said. At least nine Indian fishermen were arrested on Sunday by the Sri Lanka Navy for illegally poaching in the country's waters, the navy said. Two Indian fishing trawlers were also seized at the Analative island off Jaffna peninsula, Xinhua news agency reported. The navy said the arrested fishermen along with the trawlers were handed over to the department of fisheries and aquatic resources. The arrests took place just a day after four Indian fishermen, released from Sri Lankan custody, were repatriated at the International Maritime Boundary Line. Sri Lanka and India have been trying to resolve the row between their fishermen, with both sides having to face arrests. In January, Sri Lanka released 102 Indian fishermen from jails as a goodwill gesture. However their fishing boats were not released. Premier Kathleen Wynne of Canada's Ontario arrived on Sunday on a six-day visit leading a 100-member business delegation in a bid boost the province's trade relations with India, the Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC) said in a statement here. "Wynne's delegation will visit four cities -- New Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Mumbai -- and will formalize agreements and memorandums of understanding within the research, infrastructure, technology, science, health and education sectors," the statement said. "Wynne will also meet with political and cultural leaders to build new relationships, strengthen existing ones and examine areas for future cooperation," it added. Ahead of her visit, Wynne, in provincial capital Toronto, noted that she "really believes that 2016 can be a huge year for Ontario and India because of what is going on in India and the plan that Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi has put in place, the smart cities, the clean tech that is going be needed, and because of our potential here to provide capacity in all of those areas". With 700,000 Ontarians being of Indian descent, ties between the province and India are already strong," former C-IBC president Kam Rathee, who is India-born, told reporters here. "India is an important trade partner for Ontario. In 2014, total goods trade between Ontario and India was valued at almost $2 billion," he said. Bilateral ties, that had become dormant, got a big boost with Prime Minister Modi's visit to Canada last year, he added. In December last year, the first consignment of Canadian uranium was delivered in Mumbai marking the first commercial outcome the Canada-India Nuclear Co-operation Agreement that came into force in September 2013. The India-Canada bilateral trade last year in goods amounted to over $6 billion, while that in services was worth $1.6 billion. The Ontario premier began her India tour with a visit on Sunday to the Golden Temple at Amritsar. A substantial part of the Indian-origin population of the province is Sikh. Considering that 2015 was an extraordinary year for the global environmental movement for saving the planet, 2016 has begun with a bland and flat business-as-usual. I had heard European Parliament President Martin Schulz's intervention after the climate agreement was adopted in Paris on Dec 12, 2015. "Historic is an often-abused adjective in politics, but today's agreement deserves this qualification", he had said. Interestingly, less than 50 days later, another adjective has emerged in the US on the climate change issue during the presidential debates among Republican and Democratic candidates. "Callous" is that adjective used to describe the attitude of the candidates, and even the moderators of the debate on climate change. The most crucial election in the world to elect a leader in the most powerful country is now signaling the true fate of the Paris climate agreement. Benjamin Franklin, the first US ambassador to France, is credited with creating the world's first bifocal lens. Tired of switching between two pairs of glasses, Franklin cut two sets of lenses in half and assembled them in a frame. The Paris summit did exactly that after two groups of countries haggled for more than two decades about their distinct history of carbon emission and future road map to de-carbonize the development space. Tired of these wrangles, the Paris summit succeeded in forging the two groups in such a way that both serve a common purpose with differentiated responsibility. The significant success of bringing the two blocks together can be attributed to honesty and French diplomacy. Interestingly, it was American diplomacy that raised a literally last-minute issue about an innocent and decent four-letter word - shall - that almost cracked the bifocal frame assembled so carefully by French presidency. That was in article 4 in its fourth para, that was earlier missed by American team. When it was noticed, all hell broke and the whole COP-21 came to a halt. French efforts with seductive diplomacy turned into bizarre show of calls behind the curtain. The sentence that made the American delegate pull the chain in the running train was the sentence: "Developed country Parties shall continue taking the lead by undertaking economy-wide absolute emission reduction targets. Developing country Parties should continue enhancing their mitigation efforts." English dictionaries, including American editions, explain that "shall" expresses certain laws, rules and events that are intended to be certain in the future. It gives a legally binding coloor to the sentence. "Should" is used to express advisability, possibility or making suggestions, permissibility, making propositions and recommendations that has colour of encouragement. What happened next for nearly an hour in that high frequency excitement is the subject of classical case study in modern multilateral diplomacy. It was conveyed by the US that either the French presidency change the word to "should" or the Americans would not support it. It was, indeed, too late to fail the Paris agreement. The sentence was changed to: "Developed country Parties should continue taking the lead by undertaking economy-wide absolute emission-reduction targets." Witnessing that high-octane development, sitting and waiting in the delegates' hall and corresponding at TGV speed on WhatsApp with my friends in the frontline of negotiations, I was not baffled. I had seen such terse turns, tricky trials and turbulent tribulations in environmental diplomacy before. What baffled me was what triumphed at the end of that drama - a spirit of "we shall", passing the phase of "we should". Without such "we shall" instinct proactively demonstrated by the developing countries, the Paris Summit would have opened yet another round of negotiations for next two decades. But the French presidency's seductive gravel went down to adopt the Paris agreement. The American drama in the "green room" was brought on stage with a script that was read out by the UNFCCC secretariat as a "typographical error", which of course was a cover-up. Earlier drafts clearly indicated "shall" and were overlooked by the Americans. It all boils down to the fact that US did not want the Paris agreement to be legally binding, because the Republican dominated Senate would never approve it. The verb "should" would give a developed country the freedom from legality. While presenting the draft agreement, French Foreign Minister and COP-21 president Laurent Fabius described it as "ambitious and balanced, fair, sustainable, dynamic and legally binding". French President Francois Hollande just described it as "binding" as did the UN press release issued immediately after Hollande's gravel went down. International legal experts say any agreement is not binding in so far as it does not provide for coercive or punitive mechanism for countries that fail to comply with their commitments. If the states that would ratify the Paris agreement want to just walk out of commitment, there is no provision to deter them. The intent, however, as can be read from the Paris pact is that legally binding policies on compliances would emerge in future. As per the agreement, countries are required to re-convene every five years, starting in 2020, with updated plans that would tighten their emission cuts and starting in 2023, to publicly report on how they are doing so. Considering the on-going presidential debate in the US, those dates appear to be, to use another adjective, a "distant" dream that does not show any sign of getting ready. Benjamin Franklin's quote, loaded with verbs, says: "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." (31.01.2016 - Rajendra Shende, a former director of the UNEP, is chairman of the TERRE Policy Centre. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at shende.rajendra@gmail.com) Is there any link between low levels of mental functioning and poor health? A study shows that the same genes which influence people's health also shape how effectively they think. The scientists found that genes associated with diseases, including Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and autism, also have an impact on some cognitive functions. "In addition to there being shared genetic influences between cognitive skills and some physical and mental health states, the study also found that cognitive skills share genetic influences with brain size, body shape and educational attainments," said lead research professor Ian Deary from the University of Edinburgh. The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, was led by the University of Edinburgh that analysed data from around 100,000 people held in the UK Biobank. To test the findings, researchers gathered data from previous genetic studies of other mental and physical health factors -- such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and autism. To come to the conclusion, the national resource of health data helped researchers discover why some people develop particular diseases and others do not. The researchers compared each person's mental test data with their genome-organism's complete set of DNA and found that some traits linked to disease and thinking skills shared the same genetic influences. "The study supports an existing theory which says that those with better overall health are likely to have higher levels of intelligence," said another researcher, Saskia Hagenaars. Shanghai will stage an exhibition of films adapted from the works of William Shakespeare in June to mark the 400th anniversary of the British playwright's death. The organising committee of the Shanghai International Festival on Sunday said they would co-host the event with the British Film Institute during the Shanghai International Festival, Xinhua reported. Ian McKellern, who starred in a number of Shakespeare dramas and who is best known in China for his portrayal of Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings", will attend the event, the committee said. Fu Wenxia, deputy secretary general of the committee, said the exhibit will feature classic films adapted from the British writer that showed the "passionate clashes between stage plays and the big screen". Shakespeare enjoys immense popularity among Chinese readers, but movies adapted from his works are unfamiliar to Chinese movie-goers. The 2015 hit Macbeth failed to make China's quota for overseas movies. The 19th Shanghai International Festival is scheduled to take place from June 11 to 19 this year. Actress Sonam Kapoor, who is prepping for her upcoming film "Neerja", is campaigning against fear on social media platforms. The "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo" actress uploaded a less than a minute video on Instagram, where she urged her fans and followers to share a clip of themselves talking about their fears and how they overcame it. "Hi everybody, I have a request, I want you to talk about your fear and how you overcame it. Neerja's fear gave her courage. The best videos you put out I will post. It will give other people courage to face their fears," Sonam said in the video. She captioned the video: "Hi everyone. I often wonder how fear gave Neerja courage. I would love to hear your stories in 15 second Instagram videos." "The most fascinating and touching stories will be posted by me, so that your stories can inspire other people to overcome their fears. You can be also be #Neerja. Use #fearvsneerja when you post." "Neerja" is a biopic on Neerja Bhanot, a valiant Indian flight attendant who lost her own life, but saved the lives of passengers during a hijack. The Ram Madhvani-directorial features Sonam as Neerja, a Pan Am chief purser who was gunned down by terrorists when Flight 73 was hijacked in Karachi in 1986. She saved a number of lives, but lost her own. The film is set to release on February 19. When serious negotiations on Security Council reforms finally begin this week based on a framework document, they will be a legacy of Asoke Kumar Mukerji who worked incessantly during his tenure as India's top diplomat at the UN to move the long-stalled process ahead. His peers at the UN acknowledge the leadership of Mukerji in mobilising support for the text-based negotiations to break decades of deadlock and standing up to last minute machinations against it during his tenure as India's Permanent Representative that ended in December. "Ambassador Mukerji is a formidable, professional diplomat, highly competent, highly respected by his peers," said Antonio Patriota, a former foreign minister of Brazil. "He played a specially significant role in coordinating the L-69, which is a coalition of developing countries, large an small, from Africa, Latin America, Middle East and Asia" that works for Council reform. Brazil and India constitute along with Japan and Germany a group known as G-4, which works together for the expansion of the Council and mutually support each other for permanent seats on it. "Brazil and India coordinated vigorously on this issue," said Patriota, now his country's UN Permanent Representative. Mukerji was a "very articulate spokesman for India, for its democratic and legitimate Security Council representation." The reform movement in the UN had been stifled for years mainly by China and a group of 13 countries known as Uniting for Consensus (UfC), which is led by Italy and includes Pakistan. They created a Catch 22 situation by blocking the adoption of a negotiating text, saying it couldn't be done unless there was a consensus, while a consensus couldn't be reached without a text on which to base the negotiations. Sam Kutesa, the president of last General Assembly session, took the decisive step last year to create a negotiating text based on a survey of opinions of member nations on Council reform. Over 120 countries took part in the survey carried out by the Jamaican Permanent Representative, Courtenay Rattray, the former head of the reform process known as the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN). On the final day of the last session of the General Assembly, Kutesa, who is also the foreign minister of Uganda, had the negotiating text adopted. China and Pakistan and other members of the UfC as well as Russia were overcome by the breadth of the support for the negotiating text that they ended their opposition and it was adopted unanimously by the Assembly. But there was a last minute attempt using some UN staffers to sabotage it. Under pressure from China and some other countries, they tried to change the wording of Kutesa's agreed communication with the negotiating text drafted in July before sending it out. Mukerji, who has the look of a gentle, grey-haired academic, went on the offensive and, backed by British, French and other diplomats, threatened a walkout from their meeting. The staffers backed down and the agreed text was sent out and eventually adopted. Mukerji developed ties to key groups of nations, large and small, backed by initiatives in New Delhi like outreach to Pacific island nations, the India-Africa summit and development assistance to various nations. Patriota noted that beyond his role in the L-69, Mukerji "also established a network of relationships with our colleagues, others the permanent representatives". And he, along with the IGN, was able to call on this network to support the text-based negotiations. Mukerji ascribed the success in this and other issues to India interacting in a more inclusive and open manner with other countries. "Inclusiveness gives India the strength," he said. "That is why we get cooperation from other countries." Sylvie Lucas, the Luxembourg Permanent Representative who succeeded Rattray as the head of the IGN, is to convene this week the first meeting that will be based on the negotiating text. India's chances of getting a permanent seat on the Council hinge on the outcome of the negotiations. In a twist to the often-quoted diplomatic dictum that nations have no permanent friends but only permanent interests, despite the unfriendly bout with Beijing on Council reforms, Mukerji turned first to China for getting the UN to declare the International Yoga Day. Mukerji explained to IANS that getting China to endorse the proposal would be seen as a sign of the idea's universality and get other countries to line up behind it. Even as some in India expressed misgivings about it, 177 nations cosponsored the Yoga Day resolution and Islamic nations supported its unanimous passage at the UN. To get the Chinese interested, Mukerji told them about the joint yoga programME that schools in New Delhi and Shanghai held during China's First Lady Peng Liyuan's visit to a south Delhi school. During Mukerji's UN tenure that started in April 2013, India won several elections to UN bodies, including a re-election to the UN Human Rights Council, and elections to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the Executive Board of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). "The yardstick of a nation's strength is in elections," he said. And this can be measured by the fact that India has won every election it contested during his tenure. Another high point of Mukerji's term was India's role in helping develop UN's ambitious development goals for the next 15 years known as Agenda 2030. The earlier such agenda were top-down affairs, but this time the developing nations that are most directly involved were actively involved in setting the goals. "Eradication of poverty is the objective of Agenda 2030, and India spearheaded this issue in the negotiations," Mukerji said. "The major takeaways for India are the inclusion of Economic Goals such as infrastructure, employment, Smart Cities, etc. for the first time as Development Goals, and also the identification of energy as a goal." On the last day of 2015, the Council conceded a key demand by India in the area of peacekeeping operations. Mukerji had campaigned persistently for the troop contributing countries to be consulted on peacekeeping mandates and operations. US Permanent Representative Samantha Power, who presided over the Council in December, admitted the consultation process had been flawed and said on behalf of the Council that there should be be full participation by the troop contributing countries and that these should extend to other important areas beyond mandates. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in) The final poll ahead of the first nominating contests in the US presidential race Monday gave Donald Trump a 5 point lead over Ted Cruz while Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were neck-and-neck. The Republican real estate mogul Trump had the support of 28 percent of likely caucus-goers in Iowa, with Texas Senator Ted Cruz at 23 percent and Florida Senator Marco Rubio at 15 percent, according to The Des Moines Register and Bloomberg poll. On the Democratic side, the poll which is said to have a history of accuracy found former Secretary of State Clinton with 45 percent support to Vermont Senator Sanders' 42 percent within the poll's margin of error. The poll took place January 26-29, three days before Trump skipped the Republican Iowa debate to one day after and held his own rival event to raise funds for veterans. The candidates crisscrossed Iowa Saturday in a frenzied weekend prelude to the first presidential contest of the 2016 race. Trump, according to CBS News, made a dramatic entrance to a Dubuque rally as his jet flew low over a hangar half-filled by the waiting crowd and music played from the movie "Air Force One." There was more drama inside, as a small group of protesters interrupted him and Trump joined the crowd in chanting "USA" to drown out the discord. He asked security to "get them out" but "don't hurt them." In the Democratic race, Sanders called the contest against Clinton a likely tossup depending on the turnout. "It's virtually tied," Sanders said at a Manchester rally. "We will win the caucus on Monday night if there is a large voter turnout. We will lose the caucus on Monday night if there is a low voter turnout." "The eyes of America, in fact much of the world" would be on Iowa, and the state could be a model for the future of American democracy, he said. Meanwhile, Clinton's campaign received a boost with the influential New York Times endorsing her in the Democratic presidential primary describing her as "one of the most broadly and deeply qualified presidential candidates in modern history." The Times said "some of the campaign attacks (against Clinton) are outrageous, like Donald Trump's efforts to bring up Bill Clinton's marital infidelity." But it acknowledged "Some, like those about Mrs. Clinton's use of a private email server, are legitimate and deserve forthright answers." Describing "the battle to be the Republican choice for president" as "nasty, brutish and anything but short" the Times came out against two current front-runners - Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Both "are equally objectionable for different reasons," it said. "Trump has neither experience in nor interest in learning about national security, defence or global trade." And "Cruz's campaign isn't about constitutional principles; it's about ambition," the Times said. (Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in) Turkey summoned Russia over the country's SU-34 violation of Turkey's airspace, Turkish foreign ministry said. Turkish foreign ministry summoned Russian ambassador to Ankara late Friday over Russia's violation of Turkey's airspace, Xinhua quoted the foreign ministry statement as saying on Saturday. "Turkish air elements warned the aircraft of Russian Federation several times on Friday in Russian and English. This violation is also a new and congrete indicator of Russian Federation's actions which aims accelerating problems despite open warnings by our country and by NATO," the ministry said. The Turkish foreign ministry has urged Russia "not to violate Turkish airspace, which is NATO airspace. We underline that such actions could lead to serious consequence," said the statement. "We once more underline that unwanted serious developments as outcome of this kind of irresponsible acts will be on Russian Federation's liability," added the statement. The ministry said all these arguments were conveyed to the Russian ambassador. Turkish air force shot down the Russian jet on November 24 claiming it has violated Turkish airspace, whereas Moscow insisted the Su-24 stayed over Syria during its flight. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded an apology from the Turkish leadership and a compensation for the damage. Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered economic sanctions against Turkey. Large-scale violence broke out in Andhra Pradesh's Tuni town on Sunday as protesters demanding reservation for Kapu caste set afire a train, two police stations and many vehicles, police said. Kapu leader M. Padmanabham on Sunday night announced that he was withdrawing the protest. The mobs went on a rampage in the town -- about 100 km from Visakhapatnam -- in East Godavari district and sat on rail tracks and the national highway, bringing to a halt the movement of trains and vehicles between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. The protesters set afire rural and urban police stations and 25 vehicles. Fifteen police personnel, including two officers, and four railway employees were injured in the attacks by protesters. All trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and vehicular traffic on the Chennai-Kolkata national highway came to a halt as thousands of protesters squatted on the tracks and the highway. Padmanabham on Sunday night announced that he was withdrawing the protest, but gave an ultimatum to the state government to issue orders by Monday evening to include Kapus in the list of backward classes. He threatened to launch a 'fast-unto-death'. The violence broke out around 3 p.m. during a massive public meeting organised by the Kapu State Committee at Tuni. Kapu leaders declared that they will not leave the rail tracks and highways till the government issues an order to meet their demand. Soon the protesters marched towards the tracks and stopped the Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada Ratnachal Express near Tuni railway station. They attacked the engine and set afire bogies after ordering passengers to get down. A railway official said no one was injured in the incident but the passengers including women and children ran in panic. The protesters later attacked the Tuni railway station and ransacked the furniture. Four railway employees were injured. Railways cancelled 14 trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and partially cancelled several others. Many trains were also diverted. With the situation going out of control, additional forces were rushed to the region. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu termed the violence "pre-planned". He said the government was committed to include Kapus in the backward classes list but the orders can be issued after a detailed study. Naidu said some political parties were instigating people for their narrow interests. He appealed to people to maintain peace. Trouble began soon after Padmanabham announced at the public meeting that they will not tolerate any further delay. "We will not move from highways and tracks till the government issues an order," he said amid loud cheers from tens of thousands who had gathered from different parts of the state. The Kapu leaders were angry with the ruling TDP for not implementing its poll promise to include Kapus in the backward classes list. There exists a stark "digital divide" among states, with Delhi having the highest score of 238 percent while Bihar and Assam lag behind at around 55 percent, business chamber Assocham said on Sunday, on the basis of "tele-density" or telephone connections for every 100 individuals. "India may have achieved a significant success in reaching the number of telephone subscribers to over one billion, but the tele-density data points to a stark 'Digital Divide' with large populations in Bihar, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh still being deprived to communicate with the rest of the country," the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) said in a statement here. "The digital divide is clearly visible between different states with some of the eastern states not finding favour with the telecom service providers. The reasons may vary between the lack of infrastructure like power availability to even indifference in terms of business opportunities," it added. Compared to the national tele-density of 81.82 percent, the figure for Bihar is 54.25 percent, Assam 55.76 percent, Madhya Pradesh 62.33 percent and Uttar Pradesh 62.74 percent, the report said. On the other end, while the tele-density in Delhi is over 238 percent, that of Himachal Pradesh is 123.19 percent. Other states figuring higher on the tele-density scale are Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka and Kerala. Assocham said the central government along with the states should double their efforts to ensure that both state-run BSNL, as well as private telecom service providers, should reach the states with low tele-density, otherwise the digital divide could widen. On December 24, the Rajya Sabha approved amendments to the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, at the end of Parliament's winter session and the President granted assent on December 31. With these amendments, the wage threshold for determining applicability of the Act has increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 21,000 a month. The wage ceiling for calculation of bonus also increased from Rs 3,500 to Rs 7,000 a month. Three somewhat different views seem to be emerging on China's likely fate over the next few months. There's of course the doomsday view in which economic slowdown is followed by an implosion of the financial system. The flight of capital that is underway intensifies as over-leveraged firms begin to default, the yuan goes into free fall and so on and so forth. UNITED STATES OF JIHAD Investigating America's Homegrown Terrorists Peter Bergen Crown Publishers 387 pages; $28 Since September 11, 2001, Peter Bergen reports in his new timely book, 330 people in the United States have been charged with some kind of jihadist terrorist crime, and a startling four out of five of them were American citizens or legal permanent residents. Many assumptions about these militants, Mr Bergen asserts, do not hold up: Most jihadists in the United States were not young hotheads without family obligations, and the decision to turn to terrorism, for the most part, was not rooted in some traumatic life experience. According to Mr Bergen's research, their average age was 29, and more than a third were married-many with children. In addition, more than one in six supporters of the Islamic State in this country were women. American jihadists, Mr Bergen says, are "on average, as well educated and emotionally stable as the typical citizen. They are ordinary Americans." Mr Bergen's latest book, United States of Jihad,is a kind of anatomy of "homegrown" terrorists. The author of four books on terrorism, Mr Bergen writes with authority and range, drawing on his many sources in the intelligence community, and putting recent developments like the San Bernardino attacks in context with larger dynamics in the war on terror. His profiles of jihadists leave the reader with a harrowing appreciation of the banality of evil and an unnerving sense of missteps made by the authorities. Parts of this volume will be familiar to readers who follow the subject. The sections about Anwar al-Awlaki - an American-born cleric who evolved from an online jihadi propagandist into a senior operative in Al Qaeda's branch in Yemen, and who was targeted and killed by a United States drone strike in 2011 - remain highly indebted to The New York Times reporter Scott Shane's impressively detailed 2015 book, Objective Troy. Like Mr Shane, Mr Bergen looks at the potent role Awlaki would play (in life and posthumously) in inspiring other jihadists. He also deconstructs the arc of Awlaki's radicalisation and provides a similarly detailed account of the paths that other American-born or American-raised militants would take. Nidal Hasan, who grew up in Virginia, enlisted in the Army and became, in Mr Bergen's words, "the deadliest lone wolf of all," killing 13 people at Fort Hood. David Coleman Headley, who had run a video store in Manhattan and worked as an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration, took part in plotting the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed more than 160 people. And Samir Khan, a Long Island teenager "keen on video games and girls," became a radical jihadist blogger. After moving to Yemen, he started Inspire in 2010, an English-language webzine whose jauntily titled articles about explosives ("Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom") and preparing for holy war ("pack light" and use a backpack, not a suitcase) seized the attention of a new generation of Western terrorists like the Tsarnaev brothers. Mr Bergen refrains from trying to speculate about his subjects' motivations, but points out that many militants share "a desire for recognition or belonging." Cited here is a 2007 report by two New York Police Department intelligence analysts that suggests that some kind of personal difficulty (loss of a job, death of a family member, experience of racism) often created a "cognitive opening" for the turn toward radical religious belief. Another theorist mentioned by Mr Bergen has argued that bonds of friendship and kinship are often more important than ideology in creating jihadist groups, underscoring the power of social networking as a recruiting tool. By understanding the stages of radicalisation of many would-be terrorists, Mr Bergen explains, law enforcement hopes to spot potential threats and intervene before the "jihadization" process is complete-or at least before a plan is carried out. There have been cases of militants returning from abroad to attempt serious attacks in the United States: Faisal Shahzad, for instance, who was trained to make bombs by the Pakistani Taliban and left a (faulty) car bomb in Times Square in May 2010. In Mr Bergen's view, however, a bigger threat in the US is posed by lone-wolf terrorists, ones inspired by the Islamic State or Qaeda affiliated groups over the web. The problem for counterterrorism officials in recent years, he writes, was not that they lacked information "but that they didn't adequately understand or share the information." In fact, he notes, cases like those of Mr Hasan and Mr Headley (in which early heads-ups were dismissed or overlooked) "argue not for the gathering of ever-vaster troves of information"-like the collection of telephone metadata by the National Security Agency. They instead argue, Mr Bergen writes, for "making smarter judgments about information collected through established, legal means." While he says that it will be "many, many years" before jihadist terrorism "withers and dies," he believes that it does not pose an existential threat like World War II or the Cold War. Rather, in his view, it represents a "persistent, low-level threat" that should not be allowed to "crowd out" other serious issues like climate change and gun violence. In the years after September 11, he says, "an American residing in the United States was around five thousand times more likely to be killed by a fellow citizen armed with a gun than by a terrorist inspired by the ideology of Osama bin Laden." 2016 The New York Times News Service Barclays is still grappling with the effects of the lifeline that saved it from nationalisation in 2008. The UK bank is being sued by Amanda Staveley, whose outfit PCP Capital Partners helped arrange the Abu Dhabi leg of an 11.8-billion capital hike. The injection stopped Barclays falling into government ownership, as Royal Bank of Scotland did. But the positive returns from that are under some pressure. Had investors been given a choice on June 20, 2008 - just before the first of two capital raisings - they would almost certainly have preferred to hold Barclays' shares than RBS's. Since then, Barclays' shares have fallen 34 per cent, but RBS's are down 88 per cent, after allowing for various shifts to the share count and price. Rebase the two banks' price-to-book values - a key valuation measure for banks - to the same date and Barclays' is down 34 per cent against RBS's 65 per cent. Barclays also escaped years of state meddling that arguably damaged RBS's franchise. But the Middle East capital raising has had obvious drawbacks. As well as Staveley's legal challenge, there's a 50-million pending fine to the UK's Financial Conduct Authority for inadequate disclosure over the primary purpose of fees paid in connection with the Qatari leg of the capital raising, and an ongoing probe by Britain's Serious Fraud Office. If shareholders were narrowly focused on stock performance, they would be comforted by the 10-billion buffer between the market capitalisation Barclays has lost since 2008, and what it would have lost if it had fared as badly as RBS. If Staveley wins her 1-billion claim she was denied co-investment rights on the Abu Dhabi deal, that calculus will be reduced. Shareholders and bank managers probably don't think narrowly about stock performance these days. Reputational and ethical issues matter more. Had Barclays been nationalised, it might not have avoided a reputational implosion from the Libor scandal in 2012. After all, RBS got stung for that too. But the UK government might have taken an axe to Barclays' culture before it was lambasted in a 2013 UK review, and forced a resolution to the strategic headache over what Barclays should do with its investment bank. The Middle East blessing still has elements of a curse. In Jammu, litchi was flowering-much earlier and out of season. This is because winter had not come and it was warmer than usual. But now as the chill has set in, the flowers are falling and there will be no fruit this summer, fear horticulturists. In Bihar, standing wheat crops were hit last fortnight by unseasonal hail and bitter cold that came after days of warmer-than-usual temperatures. Corporate India would have to look at any increase in the cost of compliance - brought about by changes in the company law, Sebi's listing agreement, and stricter corporate governance codes - as an investment for creating sustainable businesses, says Nick Sutcliffe, executive director, Asia Pacific, The Conference Board. You have got money and want to shift abroad? There is some good news. Many countries are offering long-term visas for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), if they are willing to invest Rs 3.5 crore or more. The money can be used to even buy a property. Also, the residency rights obtained through a 'golden visa' can be upgraded to citizenship after a few years. This is also the fastest way to get a long-term visa for a country - be it the US, Canada, Australia or small countries like St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and Dominica in the Caribbean. In general, there are two separate categories for investment - active and passive. Under active investments, the person needs to start his or her own business (or acquire one). Under the latter, one invests either in projects, bonds or property. Why migration by investments? Indians usually migrate using these programmes for benefit of their children, says Pankaj Joshi, managing director at NYSA Consultancy Services. These migrants feel that the facilities offered in developed countries are better for overall development of their kids. "To get ahead in education and career, children need to have citizenship or permanent residency (PR)," says Joshi. For example, a person wants his/her child to be a doctor in the US. It's much easier to get a job if they study in the US. Also, if they have a PR or citizenship, the seats available to them are more than international students. They can also get scholarships easily. CITIZENSHIP THROUGH INVESTMENT Ajay Sharma, president, Abhinav Outsourcings, says for these migrants, it's about improving quality of life. Many countries also offer subsidised medical facilities and social security benefits. Sandeep Chauhan, AVP - sales & marketing at WWICS, says those planning to expand their business internationally also prefer migration by investments. Some of the smaller nations, especially those in Caribbean, have low taxes. Moving there can be more tax-efficient for businesspersons. These programmes also offer freedom of movement and these individuals can get into many more countries globally either without a visa or availing visa on arrival. Many such individuals prefer a residency permit in another country while holding an Indian passport. For example, a person holding a Green Card in the US gets almost all citizenship benefits. The only difference is that Green Card holders can't vote or serve jury duty, says Joshi. Requirements An investor is allowed to take spouse and unmarried dependent children along. Usually, children above 18 or 21 are not allowed as dependents. In case of the US, the dependent child's age limit is 21 while for Canada it is 19. Apart from investment, for many countries, like Canada and Australia, the applicant needs to be proficient in a local language. Few countries also specify a cut-off age for the applicant. One strict requirement is that the funds need to be legal and the person should be able to establish the money trail. An application for developed countries takes around two years. For smaller nations, like in the Caribbean, it can be as fast as six months, and the person can even get citizenship on processing of the papers. The investment criteria differ widely. While for the US, you cannot apply without having the funds, Canada first lets you apply and only if you are selected, other documents are needed. For Spain, the applicant can buy property and own it, and for countries such as Hungary, the investment should be in government bonds. Risk While passive investment visas are the easiest to get, they have pitfalls. For example, almost all the projects in the US are under the private sector. There have been cases in the past when lesser known developers tried to take advantage of the programme by taking the investor's money and never launching the project. Though investors didn't lose money, as it's kept in the government's escrow account, they had to return home. The US also has strict guidelines. For example, the projects are required to generate certain amount of employment. Rules also change every year for these programmes. For example, the demand for Australian investor visas slowed after the government changed the rules last year. Applicants now need to invest in riskier assets such as venture capital and emerging companies to qualify for a visa. There's also cap on residential real estate investment. In 2014, one of Canada's provinces, Ottawa, scrapped a programme offering residency to rich foreigners as there was a feeling that it undervalued Canadian citizenship. And the programme was also cited as a reason for a spike in house prices. A BUSINESS CAN TAKE YOU PLACES If a person plans to set up a business abroad, many countries are willing to roll out the red carpet for him/her. The idea behind these visas is to generate employment for citizens and help economic growth. These visas are called as entrepreneur or active investment programmes. The UK, for example, has an entrepreneur visa. The applicant needs to start a business (or takeover one) in the country and should be able to generate employment for 10 citizens or should be able to maintain a turnover of more than 5 million in three years. To apply, the person needs to have 200,000 in regulated financial institutions and also access to an additional 200,000. In many countries entrepreneur visa is based on points. Each criterion is assigned specific points. And, the aggregate should cross a minimum threshold. Many English-speaking countries also mandatorily require the person to prove language proficiency by taking a test. But, if you are planning to set up a business for the purpose of visa, do explore different programmes in the country. Canada and Australia have more than one programme for entrepreneurs. They vary depending on the nature of business, investment amount and location. Then there are also smaller countries such as Armenia where one can obtain a business visa easily and there are no requirements to make an investment, buy or rent property, prove annual income, deposit money within a bank, obtain insurance, provide character references, etc. All countries offer citizenship after a person has met the objectives of the programme and has stayed for certain years. SKILLS CAN BE YOUR ASSET Every year, countries such as Canada and Australia release a list of profession and skills they need. If you are below 35, well-educated, proficient in English and with relevant work experience your chances are high. The person needs to have a budget of Rs 12-15 lakh. This would include various fees that country charges, visa cost, flight tickets, consultant bill and three-month expenditure the family will incur after going abroad. Most of these countries have a point-based system. They allot points for each criterion, such as age, education and work experience. English proficiency is mandatory for many countries. Some give additional points for spouse's qualification and language ability, and for children below 18 years of age. There is demand for professionals in software, finance and medicine. Business Standard asked five eminent thinkers of Dalit issues whether anything had changed for the community in 68 years after independence. What is responsible for this change, or lack of it? Is it politics, economics or the society? Social reform most important for amelioration of Dalits: K N Govindacharya elite. Amelioration of the Dalits needs to be mainly on the societal plank, for which social reform based upon social consciousness and assertion will be most important. The democratic set up responds favourably, and we have felt wherever socialisation and increased economic participation of castes have occurred in Bharat, it has resulted in trickling down of the benefits to the lowest level of the ladder. We have also experienced how some new creamy layer in a particular caste has been generated wherever political involvement and assertion has been in the mix of finding solutions. And, the benefits have failed to accrue to the common man of that particular caste. That has been the feature of our society. For example, in Tamil Nadu, it has been seen that the Thevars and Dalits could not prosper as much as Gondas and Nadars because Thevars and Dalits took as instruments of upward social mobility while Nadars and Gounders focused their attention on economic enterprise and social reform. As for the society at large, when you want to bring a particular social group in the mainstream you need to recognise that they have an equal right to satta (power), sampatti (property) and samman (dignity). Tokenism is not enough, upkar ki bhavana se nahin ho sakta (it cannot be achieved if its being done merely from a sense of charity). K N Govindacharya Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan (former general secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party) Dalits also need to change their priorities: Sanjay Paswan (power),(property), samman (respect) and soch (thought) - Dalits will not become part of the mainstream as long as they don't have participation in these four aspects of our social life. Until then, our society also cannot be called 'complete'. For long, the intellectual freedom of Dalits has been constricted. Our societal structures have not allowed them to think for themselves. I believe is the most responsible factor for the state of affairs, as is the engine of social change. But having said that, I believe the world has moved on from the 1940s and 50s. The instrument of reservation in jobs and educational institutions should become more inclusive. What I say is 'No More Four'. If three generations of Dalits have received the benefits of reservations, or if an MP or an MLA has won on a reserved seat thrice, or if three people in a family have got government jobs because of reservation, they should not take any further benefits of the reservations. What has happened is that new people are unable to come up. The instrument of reservation is not benefitting those on the lowest rung of the ladder. But this call needs to come from Dalits, otherwise there will be a counter-reaction. Today, it is a serious situation when even Jats and Marathas have started to demand benefits of reservations. Dalits shouldn't just be treated as a vote bank but also as a thought bank. The Dalit thought represents simplicity, morality, hard labour and sincerity. Efficiency may not be of the highest level but the commitment to sincerity is in surplus. Sanjay Paswan Former Union minister and former chief of BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha The society is still reluctant to embrace Dalit achievers: Chandrabhan Prasad In the last 68 years, Dalits in the northern countryside have declared their freedom. Hunger is no more the prime concern. Earlier, the landlord needed a small stick to control an entire Dalit hamlet. Now, they need guns to control one Dalit family. I have seen in my own lifetime how Dalit women would work in the fields of the landlord even on their wedding day. Grooms were not allowed (by upper castes) to come to the house of the bride astride a horse, but only if they were barefoot. Now, a Dalitwould be thrown out of the village if it doesn't come in a car. The atrocities you see on Dalit students have their genesis in this declaration of freedom. The situation is comparable to the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 in the United States. Lynchings of blacks started after the proclamation, as before that blacks were the property of the landlords and protected. In India, upper caste landlords owned Dalits as their property. Landlords fought with each other if they were to harm the other's Dalit 'property'. Now, the caste has weakened but society is reluctant to embrace Dalit achievers. They are okay with Dalits studying to become school or even degree-college teachers. But a Dalit doing a PhD, or a super-specialty course or becoming a professor and vice-chancellor of a university - one arm of society is reluctant to accept this. Today, therefore, the conflict is of a different kind as Dalits will no longer accept the subordination and submission. Chandrabhan Prasad Journalist and advisor to Dalit Chamber of Commerce and Industry Varna dharma is part of Hindu economic, social system: Kancha Illaiah Primarily, religion is responsible. The Hindu religion has created caste and untouchability as part of its evolution, what is calledIt is part of its economic and social systems and now it is also part of its political system. This basic character of the Hindu religion is not only harmful to Dalits, tribals and backwards but harmful to upper castes also. A recent study has shown how the(traders) community is losing its existential resistance power bit by bit because of not marrying outside their caste. Secondly, the Hindu society has existed as inhumane in modern times. You don't want to respect others' choice of food, don't allow inter-caste marriages and won't allow women to enter temples. This has now extended to higher education institutions in a very significant way and needs a drastic socio-economic cultural change to reposition the Hindu society and the social relation within Hindu religion. The Muslims don't have it to such an extent that they won't break bread with each other, neither do Christians. This is basically a Hindu problem. The BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who are a religious party or represent a religious ideology, practice this and blame others. For example, beef is a sustenance issue. People and their professions are dependent on it. But, when you tell them that by banning cow slaughter, you are taking away right to life, they blame people for being anti- . Kancha Illaiah Dalit intellectual and director of Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at Maulana Azad Urdu University, Hyderabad Measures don't get implemented due to feudal mindset: P L Punia It is the society that is responsible because of its feudal mindset, preventing all initiatives from getting implemented on the ground. Also, politics is a reflection of society and this mindset plagues politics and bureaucracy as well. Both don't want Dalits to prosper and be equal to the rest of the people. For example, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat first said that the reservation policy should be reviewed. He has now said it should be implemented with honesty. Now, what is the parameter of this honesty? Who will determine that? Were they honest to research scholar Rohith Vemula, the Hyderabad Central University student who committed suicide? What Vemula suffered from was this samemindset. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes form 26 per cent of India's population. Won't they give as large a population as 26 per cent participation? They are happy and have no objection as long as Dalits are babus, chaparasis (peons) and safai karmacharis. But not in governance, for then Dalits will rule, hukum karenge. P L Punia Chairman, Commission for Scheduled Castes, and Congress leader Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has summoned party leaders in West Bengal to Delhi for a brainstorming session on February 1. The meeting will be significant because a decision on whether the party will fight the upcoming Assembly elections in an alliance with any other political force will be taken after the meeting. This comes days after senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Surya Kant Mishra asked the Congress to spell out its stand on the Trinamool Congress (TMC), while expressing their own willingness to join hands with the grand old party for the Bengal elections. "I don't know if the CPI(M) has formally approached the Congress' central leadership (for an alliance). But, there is a sentiment among leaders here about forming an alliance to stop the violence unleashed by the ruling party," Congress' state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told local media. He also brushed aside newspaper reports that Gandhi was keen on an alliance with the TMC and that the latter had hinted so when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Delhi recently. "That (meeting) was out of courtesy. How can you infer the exchange of normal pleasantries as talks of an alliance? This is media speculation," he said. Besides Chowdhury, other leaders from the state expected to meet Gandhi in Delhi are Somen Mitra, Om Prakash Mishra, Pradeep Bhattacharya, Deepa Dasmunshi and Manas Bhuniya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun his tryst with South India ahead of Assembly elections in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. He will be in Kerala on February 3 to inaugurate the Global Ayurveda Festival. and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Tamil Nadu, Tamilisai Soundararajan, has said Modi is expected to come to Tamil Nadu in the first week of February to inaugurate the party's election campaign. The PM has not been to Puducherry since he assumed office, although BJP president Amit Shah was in the former French colony in August last year. BJP leaders from Puducherry were in Delhi last month to brief Modi and Shah about the prospects of their party, which is in alliance with the ruling All India NR Congress (AINRC). The party will begin its election preparation from February 1, when applications from prospective candidates will be invited. The BJP says it has 75,000 members in Puducherry. At least 17 people were killed and 20 others injured today in two separate accidents in Egypt. In the first accident, at least 10 people were killed and 20 others injured after scores of vehicles, including private cars and microbuses, collided due to heavy fog in eastern Egypt. The collisions between 22 vehicles occurred near the Upper Egyptian city of Bani Suef, security officials said. The injured were rushed to the hospitals while security forces cordoned the area. In a separate incident, at least seven people were killed after a train collided with a vehicle in Al-Ayat area in Giza, officials said. The incident took place few hours after the first accident. Egypt has one of the world's highest accident rates mainly due to careless driving, poor road and vehicle conditions which lead to many deaths and injuries to thousands of people every year. The WHO ranks Egypt as the world's tenth worst country in road accidents, after India, China and the US. A teenaged girl today jumped to death from the top floor of five-story residential complex in Olidih under Olidih police station area of the steel city, the police said. The about 18-year-old victim identified as Khushboo, was a first year student of BA of Huntergunj college in Chatra district, jumped from the fifth floor of the residential complex Moon city," said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Amit Kumar. Khusboo was staying with her brothers, who were out for some work when the incident occurred, he said. The family members told the police that the victim was under depression for past several months and they even sought an appointment with a reputed doctor in Cuttack. Following the incident, local residents rushed Kushboo to a nearby hospital but, the doctors declared her "brought dead. At least 23 people were killed and 21 others injured today in two separate road accidents in Egypt. In the first accident, at least sixteen people were killed and 21 others injured after scores of vehicles, including private cars and microbuses, collided due to heavy fog in eastern Egypt. The collisions between 30 vehicles occurred near the Upper Egyptian city of Bani Suef, according to the Health Ministry. The injured were rushed to the hospitals while security forces cordoned off the area. In a separate incident, at least seven people were killed after a train collided with a vehicle in Al-Ayat area in Giza, officials said. The incident took place few hours after the first accident. Egypt has one of the world's highest accident rates mainly due to careless driving, poor road and vehicle conditions which lead to many deaths and injuries to thousands of people every year. The WHO ranks Egypt as the world's tenth worst country in road accidents, after India, China and the US. At least four Madhesis and as many policemen were injured today when a clash erupted between them during a protest by the United Democratic Madhesi Front in Nepal's Janakpur city. Police barred a group of United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) cadres who were allegedly vandalising the house of Nepali Congress leader and parliament member Lila Koirala at Bharmapuri in Janakpur city. The UDMF had planned to foil the selection process of Nepali Congress booth representatives as part of the 13th general convention of the main opposition party and today's attack was part of the protests. Police personnel were mobilised from early this morning soon after the UDMF cadres began protesting in front of NC leaders' houses in Janakpur. "We had to use force after the protesters started pelting petrol bombs at us," Deputy Superintendent of Police Nakul Pokharel said. The police fired seven rounds of tear gas canisters to disperse the protesters. The injured persons were admitted to Janaki Medical College. Madhesis, who share strong cultural and family bonds with Indians, demand demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation. Life in southern plains have been seriously hit for the past five months due to the Madhesi stir, blocking key trade points with India and leading to shortage of supplies. So far, more than 50 people have died in the agitation. The India Art Fair, which in its eighth edition was a tightly curated affair, with major focus on art from South Asia and participation by around 70 galleries from across the world, drew to a close here today. For city-based Dhoomimal Gallery, one of the oldest art galleries in the country, which has been participating in the fair ever since it began in 2008, the event served more as a platform to project their works. This time it showcased over 30 works by Indian greats such as Anjolie Ela Menon besides masters like S H Raza, Jamini Roy, Souza among others. "We sold a lot of works over the past four days. However, we we don't see the fair as a platform to buy and sell alone but more as a platform to project our works," Amrita Ghosh, a researcher manning the gallery's booth at IAF said. Roshni Vadehra from Vadehra Art Gallery said "The fair has been great." "We have shown fresh works by the artists that we represent. Artists like Atul and Anju Dodiya, Ghulam Sheikh and Shilpa Gupta had made new works just before the exhibition. So both contemporary and old artists have done really well," she said. Representatives at Bengaluru and Delhi based GallerySKE talked about a "fantastic response" "We sold nearly 70 per cent of the works we had brought. There was a lot interest in the work by Navin Thomas besides which have sold works by better known artists like Bharti Kher and Sudarshan Shetty," she said. Other artists displayed by the gallery included Abir Karmakar, Avinash Veeraraghavan and David Alesworth. A representative at the Chemould Prescott gallery seemed to opine differently "There have been potential interests and we have made new contacts but it is mostly the general public that is visiting. I think it should be understood that the purpose is to sell and when we have the top most artists exhibited and they receive no appreciation, it feels that there is something out of order." The Mumbai-based gallery owned by Shireen Gandhy, sported latest works by Hema Upadhyay, the artist who was found dead last year, Desmond Lazario, Gigi Scaria, Atul Dodiya, Jitish Kalat besides a few sculptures by Ritesh Meshram. On the innagural day of the Fair, on January 28 several galleries were sporting the Red Dot signs, signifying sold works. Art Houz gallery from Chennai sold a work by Vijay Pichumani. Harry Hutchison of New York based Aicon gallery, which has participated in previous editions of the fair called it "a great experience." "We have sold quite a lot of paintings particularly by artists like G R Irana, Salman Toor, Adeel Uz Zafar, Adeela Suleman and Natvar Bhavsar." The booth also had a painting each by M F Husain and Raza. Refusing to quote figures, a representative from Kolkata-based Experimenter Gallery said they managed to sell almost all their works. "Julie Segard and Ayesha Sultana have been popular in particular," she said adding that the gallery had showcased works by 8 artists including Rathin Barman, Bani Abidi, Prabhakar Pachpute and Adip Dutta. Rasika Kajaria, director, Delhi based Exhibit 320 which has been a regular at the Fair said they sold works by artists Sonakshi Singh and Sunoj D. Kajoli Khanna from Grosvernor Gallery from London, which is participating for the sixth year claimed the response, "was not to bad" and that the "experience has been pretty much the same." with bookings recieved for all works by Olivia Fraser and five works of Senaka Senanayake. Shefali Somani, Director, Shrine Empire Gallery said the response to the Fair has been definitely better that the last edition. "We have sold some works of Neerja Kothari and Samanta Batra Mehta. Although we did not sell any of Tayeba begum's works but they have been received really well." Under its new International Director Zain Masud the IAF brought together programmes and collaborations, especially commissioned for the Fair by a number of international and national museums and foundations. The participants include the Delfina Foundation, Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Jindal Art Centre and the Korean Cultural Centre of India. A new programme 'Platform' represented young emerging artists, key art-spaces and collectives. Participants include Blueprint 12 (India) Nepal Art Council (Nepal), Theertha Artists Collective (Sri Lanka), Taser Art Gallery (Pakistan) and Swaraj Art Archive (India). Delhi Art Gallery, showcased hundreds of masterpieces from Indian Modern art in two specially designed spaces set apart at the Fair in what is billed as a survey of Indian Modern art. It also had a separate section 'Abhas' with tactile experiences in braille for the visually challenged. For the first time the IAF showcased 'Moving Image Art' focussing on film as art where cutting edge film and video art curated by Shai Heredia, Director of Experimenta, India's international festival for moving image art. One of the major head turners at event was a colourfully gorgeous Art Car by BMW, which was an official partner. The AAP government has decided to organise 'mohalla sabhas' to seek suggestions from people on civic projects only after the budget for 2016-17 has been presented in the Assembly. The Delhi government had last year held mohalla sabhas in 11 Assembly constituencies for preparing a "participatory budget" at which the residents were asked to decide which development projects should be taken up in their localities. However, the exercise, aimed at making citizens active participants in governance, will be undertaken this year after budget presentation. "This year, we have decided to organise mohalla sabhas to seek public suggestions on civic projects only after the budget for 2016-17 has been presented in the Assembly. "After presenting the budget, we will hold these public meetings where development projects will be finalised in particular areas," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told PTI. He said in these meetings people would make suggestions to the government about which projects should be carried out in their localities keeping in mind their requirements. A senior government official said while last year the experiment was limited to only 11 of Delhi's 70 assembly constituencies, the exercise to be conducted this year will cover all segments. Only voters registered at the polling centres where meetings are held can participate. The government had last year allocated Rs 20 crore per constituency under the pilot programme. Projects recommended by people were placed in the Assembly. An AAP functionary said the practice will ensure maximum involvement of citizens in governance. Delhi Ministers, AAP MLAs and hundreds of party workers today hit the streets to clear the garbage dumps in several areas of the capital as the strike by over 60,000 sanitation workers of BJP-ruled municipal bodies demanding payment of their dues entered the fifth day. The sanitation workers on their part maintained they will continue with their protest until their "just" demands were met. They warned that the situation in the city may "deteriorate" after the government engaged PWD teams in the cleanliness drive. AAP legislators and workers joined the PWD taskforce, which has been pressed into action yesterday to shift garbage to landfill sites, particularly in East and North Delhi where the strike has had maximum impact. Also, more than 2,000 Delhi Jal Board workers teamed up with PWD workers for the cleanliness drive. PWD Minister Satyender Jain held a meeting with North and East MCD commissioners at his residence. Kejriwal, who is in Bengaluru for naturopathy treatment, lauded the PWD staff for working through the night to clear garbage and urged AAP functionaries to help the department personnel. "I am told PWD people and trucks worked whole nite to clean up garbage. I would urge all AAP volunteers to help PWD," he tweeted, urging them to "keep it up". Hospitals run by the civic bodies were also hit hard as around 7,000 doctors and 12,000 nurses joined the strike yesterday seeking payment of their dues. The nearly 12,000 strong engineering staff of the civic bodies has also struck work since yesterday. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who took part in cleanliness drive in his Patparganj constituency, alleged a "salary scam" in the corporations. He said the government is looking for a "permanent solution" to the problem. Besides Sisodia, Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra, PWD Minister Satyendra Jain and Assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel participated joined in the cleanliness drive in their respective constituencies. (REP DEL 29) Extending support to striking workers demanding dues, Kejriwal hoped that "some solution" will emerge after the High Court hears the matter next week. "I support demand of protesting MCD employees that they should get their full salaries. I hope some solution will emerge after Tuesday's High Court hearing," he said. The court has issued notices to Ministry of Urban Development, Delhi Government and three Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCDs) seeking their stand on petitioner Rahul Birla's claim that the concerned authorities were not paying salaries and arrears since 2003 to the workers of the MCD. It also asked the Delhi Police Commissioner to ensure there is no hindrance to lifting of garbage in coordination with the civic bodies here, in view of the indefinite strike, that began on January 27. "We have already paid them (corporations) funds for clearing salaries. We cannot let people live amid garbage. Hence, we have undertaken the cleanliness drive," Sisodia said. Meanwhile, Rajendra Mewati, general secretary of the United Front of MCD Employees, warned that the situation may "deteriorate" if the government continues to engage PWD workers. "The situation may deteriorate if the government continues to engage PWD workers in cleaning the city when sanitation workers are on an indefinite strike," he said. Mishra took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that by the time the latter finishes his 'Mann Ki Baat', AAP would wind up its 'Kaam ki Baat'. "Whenever he (PM) indulges in mann ki baat, his detachment from the country's real issues and problems comes out. He is full of himself (atmomugdh)," Mishra tweeted. The Congress targeted both BJP and AAP over the "crisis" saying the two parties were "fooling" people of Delhi. It slammed AAP for allegedly cutting budgetary allocation for payment of sanitation workers' salaries and asked the ruling party to show a "large-heart" by releasing funds to bring the "crisis" to an end. "AAP government has brought down budgetary allocation for municipal corporations from 9.3 per cent during our dispensation to 5.98 per cent now. And, it has increased the budget for its self-promotion," Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken rued. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today regretted the absence of a Sikh regiment contingent in this year's Republic Day parade and termed it as a "grave omission". "Particularly when President Francois Hollande of France, where turban is banned at public places, was the chief guest. There could not have been a better occasion to convey the importance of the turban to him," Singh said. Ruing the state government's "failure" to send its contingent to represent the glorious culture of the state at the parade, he said, "The Akalis actually have no idea about the significance and importance of such occasions." Speaking about the state Assembly elections slated next year, the former Punjab Chief Minister predicted the exit of the ruling SAD-BJP combine and was dismissive of the challenge posed by Aam Aadmi Party. "While the Akalis' exit is a forgone conclusion, the AAP stands no chance on the ground," he said, adding that AAP did not have any "experienced" or "competent" leader who could inspire confidence among electorate. On Arvind Kejriwal's plans to launch an aggressive campaign in Punjab, Singh said the Delhi Chief Minister was welcome to do whatever he wanted. Singh said the people of Delhi were already feeling "let down and disillusioned" with Kejriwal and his government. Idris Elba, Viola Davis, Queen Latifah and Uzo Aduba were among winners at the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, amid controversy surrounding the Oscars not nominating actors of colour for the second year in a row. The big individual winner was Elba, who won two awards, the first time a single performer has won two honours for two different roles in the same night. The British star won the supporting actor in a motion picture prize for "Beasts of No Nation" and best actor in a TV movie or miniseries award for "Luther". His win also makes him the first film actor to take home a SAG award the same year as being snubbed by the Oscars. Elba was overcome when his name was called for the second time in quick succession. When he returned to the stage for the third time during the evening as a presenter, he announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV." The diverse cast of the Netflix series "Orange Is The New Black" also won big, with the award for best ensemble in a comedy series and a best actress trophy for star Aduba. Davis won for her performance in the TV series "How To Get Away With Murder" and Latifah took top honour for her performance in HBO's "Bessie". Tom McCarthy's journalism drama "Spotlight" won the outstanding cast honour, making it another strong contender for the best picture Oscar. Other major prizes went to Leonardo DiCaprio for "The Revenant" and Brie Larson for "Room", who continued their successful march to the end of awards season. "The Danish Girl" star Alicia Vikander bagged outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role. The nominations were led by the biopic "Trumbo", which didn't win any major prizes. The awards are handed out to both films and television series. The cast of "Downton Abbey" won best outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series. Jeffrey Tambor won best actor in a comedy for "Transparent". Netflix took home three awards this evening, including a surprise win for "House of Cards" star Kevin Spacey (best actor in a drama). Early awards for stunt performers were handed out to "Mad Max: Fury Road" and "Game of Thrones" respectively. The remaining 13 awards were handed out on the televised ceremony. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey presented Carol Burnett with the Lifetime Achievement SAG Award. SAG Awards are the only ceremony where actors vote for the year's best performances in movies and television. It is often seen as a good predictor for success at the Oscars, which will takes place on February 28. However, a number of Oscar nominees and frontrunners, including "Creed" star Sylvester Stallone, were not nominated here. A 25-year-old Afghan national, who was caught by railway police for travelling without ticket three days ago, had worked with Afghanistan police, a senior police official said today. Identified as Najok Mir, son of Wali Mohammad, from Badakhshan Province in Afghanistan, was arrested on January 28 at Pathankot Cantt railway station. An Apple laptop, two mobile phones without sim cards, two pen drives, a dongle and two diaries were also recovered from his possession. "During our investigation, he (Najok) has admitted that he had worked with Afghanistan police in 2012 for a brief period," Government Railway Police (GRP), DSP, Makhan Singh said today. Najok has also admitted to have come to India earlier twice. "He came to India first in 2011. He was deported to his country for not having required documents. Again, he came to India in 2013," Singh said. Najok had come to India on a tourist visa in 2013 and stayed in a mosque in Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, acting as a deaf and dumb as he did not knew the local language. He then moved to Bangalore and then to Jammu and Kashmir, police said, adding that he had also stayed in Delhi where he worked as a labourer. Police, during questioning, also found that one of the two mobile phones was a stolen one. "We have found that one mobile phone, which he was possessing, belonged to a Delhi-based woman. Her phone was stolen in Jammu," he said. The Cyber Crime cell of Punjab police is also examining the detail contained in the laptop and the two pen drives recovered from the Afghan national," he said. Najok was arrested by RPF for travelling without ticket and misbehaving with ticket checker after he got off a train coming from Jammu at Pathankot Cantt railway station. He was also not carrying visa and passport. Initially, the Afghan national had tried to mislead investigators by giving his name as Sarosh Qureshi, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir. Najok, who understands Hindi very well, was booked for staying in India without visa and passport, travelling without ticket and misbehaving with a government servant, police said. A local court has remanded him in police custody till February 4. African leaders failed today to authorise a proposed peacekeeping force to stem violence in Burundi in the face of vehement opposition from the government in Bujumbura. Instead, the African Union is to send envoys for more talks, although previous negotiations have done nothing to end months of conflict. The United Nations has warned that Burundi risks a repeat of the 1993-2006 civil war, with hundreds of people killed since April 2015, when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would stand for a controversial third term. At least 230,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries. Burundi has consistently opposed the idea of the AU's planned 5,000-strong peacekeeping mission, saying the deployment of troops without its express permission would be tantamount to an "invasion force". The AU charter's Article 4(h) gives the pan-African bloc the right to intervene in a fellow nation state "in respect of grave circumstances, namely: war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity". But top AU diplomat Ibrahima Fall said today that sending troops without Burundi's approval was "unimaginable," with the bloc deciding to send envoys to hold talks with the government. "There is no will neither to occupy nor to attack," AU Peace and Security Council chief Smail Chergui added, saying that troops could be sent in the future "if Burundi accepts it". Clashes between government loyalists and the opposition have become increasingly violent. "We want dialogue with the government, and the summit decided to dispatch a high level delegation," Chergui told reporters, without giving more details. Burundian Foreign Minster Alain Aime Nyamitwe told reporters he was "satisfied" at the decision and said Bujumbura was "open to cooperating with the international community, particularly the African Union." But he also questioned why AU envoys would want to take the time to travel to Bujumbura "since "everyone is aware of the position of Burundi" already. Chad's President Idriss Deby, speaking after he took over the post of African Union chairman yesterday, warned colleagues against inaction. Transgenders, who are striving hard to find a place in mainstream society, will soon turn entrepreneurs in Kerala with the launch of a taxi service which will be owned and operated by them, a first in the state. After unveiling the first Transgender Policy in the country with an aim to end societal stigma towards the Transgender (TG) community, the state government is now getting ready to launch 'Gender Taxi', owned and operated by transgenders. The objective of 'G-Taxi' programme is to provide a better means for livelihood for the minority group and to ensure them non-discriminatory treatment in society. The state-run Gender Park, under the Department of Social Justice, has drawn up a programme to roll out G-Taxi on the model of its successful all-women cab network She-Taxi. If She-Taxi has targetted mainly women commuters, 'G-Taxi' is envisaged as an 'equality taxi', in which all travellers, irrespective of their gender, can avail service. If everything goes as planned, the first fleet of G-Taxi cabs will be rolled out in the state this March. State Minister for Social Justice M K Muneer said the G-Taxi is part of the government's first step towards the practical implementation of the TG Policy, unveiled here last November. "We have unveiled the transgender policy with an aim to improve the life and living conditions of TG community. The G-Taxi is the first major step as part of the implementation of the TG Policy," Muneer told PTI. Gender Park CEO Dr P T M Sunish said the project is expected to promote entrepreneurship among TGs and provide them a better means for livelihood. "We are hopeful that the project will help them fetch not only a better income but also a good opportunity to mingle with the mainstream society. People who avail the service of G-taxi can interact with them which will help change their mindset towards TGs," Sunish told PTI. Sunish said a number of transgenders, on the sidelines of the recent International Gender Conference held here last year, had requested the minister to launch an entrepreneurial programme for them on the model of She-Taxi. They had also requested to entrust it with the Gender Park as it has successfully implemented the She-Taxi network, envisaged for the empowerment of women. Like the She-Taxi, G-Taxi cabs will also have advanced security features, including GPS. "The business model of G-Taxi is being prepared in amanner in which more government funds can be utilised for it," the official said. A first round of meeting with transgender members was over and more detailed discussions would be held before the implementation of the programme. "The government is committed to implementing the TG policy. We will try to rectify all flaws which happened in the implementation of She-Taxi and try to bring out the G-Taxi project in a better way," Sunish added. Nawaz, a transgender who lives in Ernakulam, said he was happy that the government has initiated such a programme for the TG community. "I am more happy that the government is implementing such a programme. I consider it as an acceptance of the TG community. It has been extremely difficult for us to find a decent means for livelihood," he said. Nawaz, however, said he had concerns about the people's attitude towards them as G-Taxi drivers. "We are happy that the Kerala government has unveiled a Transgender Policy for us. But mainstream society still has very little knowledge about our life and problems. So, I have some apprehensions about society's response towards us when we come in the garb of drivers," he said. Anil Arjun, state coordinator of Sangama, an NGO working for the protection of human rights of transgender community, expressed confidence that the 'G-Taxi' concept would bring significant changes in the life of TGs. "As far as TGs are concerned, it is a major step from the side of government. I hope that it will give TGs societal acceptance and visibility in the public," he said. When TGs get a steady income and a dignified means for livelihood, it would surely improve their life, he said. "Education and employment is a major issue for TGs. Majority of them could not complete their education or find a good job. TGs mainly depend on begging, sex work or dancing during festivals to win their daily bread," Anil, who recently conducted a survey among TGs on behalf of the state government, said. According to official figures, there are about 25,000 transgenders in Kerala. The state Department of Social Justice has drawn up the TG policy to enforce the constitutional rights of transgenders, taking into account the Supreme Court judgement in 2014 and findings of the recent Kerala State TG Survey. It also recommends the setting up of a TG Justice Board with state Minister for Social Justice as its chairperson. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A law student at the Aligarh Muslim University was shot at and critically wounded by nine persons at Shamshad Market, adjoining the university campus. The victim, Mohammad Khalid, was returning to his hostel after a students' meeting to discuss the issue of minority character of AMU when the assailants on separate bikes opened fire at him and then attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon, AMU spokesperson Rahat Abrar said. The victim was rushed to the Jawarlal Nehru Medical College where his condition is stated to be serious. "Personal rivalry led to the incident," Abrar said. An FIR was registered at civil lines police station against nine persons including five AMU students and some former students. Those named in the FIR include Siraj, Faisal Mustafa, Divyaanshu, Dawood and Mohammad Faizan. Vice President Hamid Ansari will leave on a five-day tour of Brunei and Thailand beginning tomorrow to carry forward India's bilateral engagements with the two South East Asian countries as part of its Act East policy. He will go to Brunei first -- at the invitation of crown prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah. This will be the first high- level visit from India since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Brunei in May, 1984. Brunei was on the itinerary of Ansari's two-nation trip in November, but he had to return home from Indonesia, which was hit by a volcano. The Vice President will be accompanied by Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary, four MPs and senior officials. Ansari will hold talks with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Billah on issues of bilateral and multilateral significance, including civil aviation, space, trade and investment, hydrocarbons, information and communication. Cooperation in ASEAN and East Asia Summit and other multilateral fora will also be on the agenda and a couple of MoUs on health and defence cooperation will be signed. Ansari will deliver an address at the University of Brunei Darussalam and address the Indian community at a reception. Brunei is an important partner for India in ASEAN and besides contributing to energy security, hosts a 10,000-strong Indian community. From Brunei, Ansari will go to Thailand on February 3 at the invitation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, making it the first visit by an Indian Vice President after a gap of 50 years. In Thailand, he will hold talks with Chan-o-cha and have an audience with Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. He will also deliver a speech at the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok on 'From Look East to Act East: India's Partnership with Thailand and ASEAN' and address the Indian community at a reception to be hosted by the Indian Ambassador to Thailand. India's relations with Thailand are an important and integral component of its strategic partnership with ASEAN. India's 'Act East' policy is complemented by Thailand's 'Look West' policy in bringing the two countries closer. Germany's vice chancellor called today for a nationalist party to be put under observation by the government agency that tracks extremists after its leader suggested that police should be allowed to shoot refugees trying to enter the country. Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel told Bild newspaper that "there is massive doubt that (the Alternative for Germany party) stand by the free democratic order of the republic." Frauke Petry, the head of the party also known by its German initials AfD, told the Mannheimer Morgen daily yesterday that a border police officer "must stop illegal border crossings, and also make use of his firearm if necessary." Pushed by the newspaper for more, she continued that "no policeman wants to fire on a refugee and I don't want that either. But the last resort includes the use of armed force." Germany saw nearly 1.1 million asylum-seekers enter the country last year and the AfD has been gaining in support as more people question whether the government will be able to deal with the influx. Joerg Radek, vice-chairman of the GdP police union, slammed Petry's suggestion, saying no German police officer would shoot at a refugee. "Whoever proposes such a radical approach apparently wants to overturn the rule of law and exploit the police," he said in a statement. Chancellor Angela Merkel, meanwhile, received support from an unlikely source for her handling of Germany's refugee crisis. Baden-Wuerttemberg governor Winfried Kretschmann, a member of the Greens party that is in opposition at the federal level, told Berlin's Tagesspiegel newspaper the chancellor's insistence on "working step by step" on a European solution to the refugee crisis was the correct path. "Which of her counterparts in the EU will hold Europe together if she fails?" he asked. "Far and wide there's nobody in sight. Therefore I pray every day that the chancellor remains healthy." Europe has endured a huge influx of migrants, most of whom undertake a dangerous journey in search of a better life. Yesterday, at least 37 people drowned, including children and babies, when their boat capsized during the short trip from Turkey to Greece. A controversial member of the powerful Army of Islam rebel group said today he was coming to Geneva to serve as the Syrian opposition's lead negotiator in thorny UN-brokered peace talks. "I'm on the way. I will be the chief negotiator," Mohammed Alloush said, adding that he expected to arrive in Geneva before noon tomorrow. The main opposition umbrella group, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), controversially appointed the Islamist chief as its lead negotiator earlier this month. The choice of Alloush, the political leader of the Saudi-backed armed group Jaish al-Islam, or Army of Islam, has sparked an outcry. Syria's ally Moscow has slammed the appointment, saying it considers Jaish al-Islam as "terrorists" and other opposition groups insisted it was unacceptable for the delegation to be led by a member of an armed group. Other members of Jaish al-Islam had reportedly arrived in Geneva with other HNC delegates late yesterday, but it had remained unclear if Alloush himself would actually join the troubled negotiations which have yet to get started in earnest. The indirect talks on ending Syria's nearly five-year conflict had been scheduled to start on January 25, but were postponed until the 29th, when the Syrian government delegation sat down with UN mediator Staffan de Mistura. But the HNC has until now been debating whether to formally engage in the process, demanding that humanitarian aid first gets through to besieged towns, that the bombing of civilians ceases and that hundreds of prisoners are released. Both delegations were to meet separately with de Mistura tomorrow, the UN said, sparking hope the talks might finally get moving. The opposition delegation was to meet with the UN envoy at 5:00 PM, but it was unclear whether Alloush would take part in that meeting. At least 11 people perished in Russia after a fire in a Moscow factory caused the roof to collapse, authorities said today. Investigators said the blaze engulfed an area covering 3,000 square metres in the factory situated in the city's east. "The bodies of 11 people were recovered when the fire was put out," the local branch of the Investigative Committee said in a statement. The fire broke out at around 1130 IST yesterday and was only extinguished around five hours later, authorities said. The cause of the blaze remains unknown. A criminal investigation was launched to determine whether it may have been caused by negligence or arson. The emergency situations ministry initially reported that there had been no fatalities in the fire, but investigators later said that bodies had been recovered from the site. The victims are believed to be migrant workers, Russian agencies reported. Business schools had a strong placement season this year with rush of offers from domestic as well as international MNCs and average salaries witnessing a double digit growth. Reflecting the optimistic business sentiment, corporates across industry verticals showed keen interest in this year's placement season. Moreover, many firms also increased their number of offers this year and hiked the average offer size. Some of the country's leading business schools like IIM Bangalore, IMI-New Delhi, and IIM Kozhikode are revelling in robust placements results. IIM Kozhikode, saw over 119 recruiters and 370 offers, The average salary offered to the students was Rs 17.1 lakh per annum, a rise of 12 per cent from last year and highest domestic package offered was Rs 37 lakh per annum. IMI-New Delhi, also saw robust placements particularly from the BFSI, FMCG, Information Technology and manufacturing sectors. Offers from the analytics and the consulting domains also increased. "Recruiters have also increased their compensation with the average compensation rising to Rs 14.9 lakh per annum. The highest salary offered at IMI New Delhi this year is Rs 29 lakh per annum," IMI-New Delhi Professor of Marketing & DEAN (Placements & Corporate Relations) Manaswini Acharya told PTI. IIM Bangalore also successfully concluded an accelerated summer placement. This year IIM Bangalore saw participation of 410 eligible students and over 150 companies came to hire students for summer stint in roles such as consulting, investment banking, sales and markets and product among others. Ankur Agrawal, Placement Representative IIM Bangalore said, "Consulting firms continued their preference towards hiring IIMB students with some of them making unprecedented number of offers. Also, marquee and first time PE/VC firms added to the quality of offers rolled out to the students." Around 30 per cent of the entire batch received offers in consulting sector, which also included names like Bain & Co, A T Kearney and Roland Berger among others. Accenture with 16 offers and McKinsey & Co with 12 offers were also top recruiters this year. Meanwhile, at the end of recruitment cycle for summer internship 2016, across Indian Institute of Managements (IIMs), the Boston Consulting Group made 71 offers at IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta and IIM Lucknow. The e-commerce space also saw heightened interest with Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Hopscotch, Uber, Myntra, Ola Cabs, Quikr, Infoedge, LinkmySport and Channelplay participating in the summer recruitment process. Private Equity/Venture Capital roles by Blackstone, IDG Ventures and Brand Capital were offered to the students. Regarding the overall hiring scenario, Souvik Bose, Co-founder & Director, YOMA Multinational, said: "This year hiring would be dominated by E-commerce and Make in India initiatives. Manufacturing and engineering is another area where there would be substantial hike in the hiring. Belgium has charged three people with trying to go to Syria and join jihadists there, press reports said today. Police arrested four people yesterday after raids in Jumet, near the southern city of Charleroi, on suspicion that they planned to go to either war-torn Syria or Libya. The reports said one person had been released after questioning and that the three others, including a couple which had become radicalised recently, were charged. Of the couple, the man aged 23 and a convert to Islam had told police he wanted to travel to Syria to do humanitarian work, the reports said. He was charged with participating in a terrorist organisation, they added. Officials at the federal prosecutor's office were not immediately available for comment. Around 500 Belgians may have gone as foreign fighters to Syria, joining up with jihadists, including from the Islamic State group which claimed the November attacks on the French capital. Belgian police have arrested 11 people in connection with the November 13 attacks in Paris which left 130 people dead and hundreds wounded as it emerges that the onslaught was largely organised and coordinated from Belgium. Earlier this month, the authorities identified three safe houses used by key Paris suspects -- in Brussels, in Charleroi, an hour's drive south of the capital, and in Auvelais, a village near the French border. The prosecutor's office said Saturday that the Jumet arrests were not linked to the ongoing investigation into the Paris attacks. BJP today appealed to sanitation workers and medical staff of MCD to end their strike in the "larger interest of the people of Delhi" or, at least, modify the nature of protest to ensure basic sanitation and health services. In a letter addressed to various staff unions, BJP Delhi Pradesh President Satish Upadhyay said his party "understands the problems faced by the staff and has all sympathy for them". "But, in the larger interest of Delhi, it is important that we ensure no epidemic strikes the city," he said. Upadhyay said BJP Mayors and leaders are trying to work out a solution but due to "political vengeance", the Delhi government is not ready to release municipal funds despite orders from the High Court. Reacting to comments of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia about municipal bodies, Upadhyay said ministers of the Arvind Kejriwal-led government "should have this basic knowledge that in municipal bodies, all expenses are incurred by government officials, while Mayors and councillors have no financial power". Asserting that municipal accounts are always accessible for inspection, Upadhyay "challenged" the Delhi government to make public the list of hundreds of AAP volunteers who, he claimed, have been enrolled in Delhi government's co-terminus jobs, along with their salaries. He also challenged the Delhi government to put out lists of AAP volunteers on whom "crores of rupees" have been spent during the odd-even road rationing scheme trial and in other government functions in the past year. North Delhi Mayor Ravindra Gupta and his East Delhi counterpart Harsh Malhotra - both from the BJP - today issued the last four years' data of "non-plan funds" received by the municipal bodies, along with the amount spent on paying salaries. The two Mayors said these figures reflect that municipal bodies have been facing financial crunch for long the basic reason being that money from sales tax, property registration and excise goes to the Delhi government, while MCDs have to realise property tax and octroi which is not an easy job. Senior BJP leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla today hit out at her party-led government in Maharashtra for allotting land in Mumbai to actor and MP Hema Malini at "throwaway" price, terming it as "illegitimate benefit". She also asked whether only the MP is promoting the country's culture. "The Maharashtra Government has allotted a prime piece of land valued in crores to actor and MP Hema Malini for a dance academy for just Rs 70,000. For a Parliamentarian, this kind of benefit is illegitimate," Chawla said in a statement issued here today. A month after the BJP-led government in Maharashtra announced allotment of a prime piece of land to Hema Malini for a dance academy, an RTI activist claimed the plot valued in crores was being given for mere Rs 70,000. "The BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra should explain whether Hema Malini was the only one in the state who was propagating the country's culture through her dance academy," the former national vice-president of BJP said. "The government should stop the drama of charging Rs 70,000 for the land and give it for free," she said sarcastically and demanded, "Those promoting culture as social work should also get land for free. (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.) All public sector and private banks have been asked by the Reserve Bank of India to conduct a thorough internal audit and put the report before their respective audit committees, as part of the central bank's efforts to check fraudulent foreign exchange transactions. The move comes in the wake of irregularities that came to light last year in Rs 6,100-crore import remittances effected by Bank of Barodas Ashok Vihar branch in New Delhi. A circular has been issued to all scheduled commercial banks, advising them to conduct a thorough internal audit and place the report before audit committee of the board of the respective banks and to forward the summary of findings to RBI, the central bank said in reply to an RTI query filed by PTI. The RBI was asked to provide details of action being taken by it to check fraudulent forex transactions by banks. We are in the process of receiving the internal audit report from various banks,it said. The RBI has asked Bank of Baroda to conduct a bank-wide review of the outward remittances to rule out similar wrong doings at other domestic branches and submit a report thereof to it. The bank has since completed the internal audit and placed the report before its audit committee for directions. The Bank of Baroda has also selected a consultant to review its Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) policy and practises, to set up robust systems, the central bank said. "They have also framed a policy for advance import remittance which covers system check points like cooling period of six months in respect of newly opened account, multiple transactions in a day for $100,000 and below, etc," the RBI said. Both the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate (ED) are probing remittances of Rs 6,100 crore to Hong Kong from the Bank of Baroda's Ashok Vihar branch. The huge transaction is believed to be trade-based money laundering as the amount was transferred in the garb of payments for imports that never took place, investigators say. Dozens of people were feared killed when Boko Haram Islamists armed with guns and explosives attacked a village in northeastern Nigeria, officials said today. Suicide bombers also carried out deadly attacks on Sunday in the Lake Chad region, an area frequently targeted by Boko Haram fighters, a local security official said. Nigeria's army said the jihadists attacked Dalori, some 12 kilometres from Maiduguri late yesterday, and burnt down the village. Dalori is near camps set up for people displaced by the seven-year Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast. "During the incident lives were lost while some people sustained injuries," army spokesman Colonel Mustapha Anka said in a statement. Residents claimed at least 50 people were killed in the attack which happened after evening prayers late yesterday. Anka said the jihadists arrived the village in cars and on motorcycles "before they started opening fire and burning houses". He said three female suicide bombers trying to mix with the villagers were "intercepted and subsequently got blown up". And in the Lake Chad area, three people were killed and dozens wounded in two suicide bombings, a security official said. In the first attack in Guie, a bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up, killing one person and injuring 32, while the second attack in the village of Miterine left two dead and 24 wounded, the official said. Boko Haram, which seeks a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has killed some 17,000 people and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since 2009. Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez shone for Pakistan but received little support as New Zealand were set a 291-run target in the deciding one-day international in Auckland today. With the pair at the crease, Pakistan were set to threaten the Eden Park ODI innings record of 340, but with their departure the innings collapsed and they were unable to bat out their 50 overs. Pakistan, who need to win to tie the series, were all out for 290 with 15 balls remaining with Babar contributing a career-best 83 and Hafeez 76. The tourists were 20-2 in the sixth over when the pair embarked on a 134-run partnership for the third wicket, in which they lifted the run rate to 6.81 by the time Hafeez was dismissed with 27 overs remaining. Shoaib Malik joined Babar and the run rate continued to rise to 6.90, but when New Zealand's leading strike bowlers Trent Boult and Matt Henry combined to remove Malik and Babar, Pakistan's lack of depth was exposed. Their last six wickets fell for 63 runs. Martin Guptill, who was in doubt on the eve of the match because of a twisted ankle, was instrumental in the first two wickets that fell. Fielding at short midwicket, he took a smart catch low down to give Boult the wicket of Ahmed Shehzad for 12. Two balls later, fielding at slip to Henry, he caught Azhar Ali for three and Pakistan were quickly two down after winning the toss and electing to bat. The wickets dried up as Babar and Hafeez wrested control away from the bowlers, forcing New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum into quick bowler rotation to try to unsettle the pair. Hafeez eventually fell to Mitchell Santner, caught by Adam Milne at deep backward square leg, for 76 which included five fours and five sixes. It was a satisfying wicket for Santner in his third over after his first two cost 23 runs. Malik maintained the onslaught with Babar, adding a rapid 32 off 27 until he was caught behind to give Boult his second wicket. Babar, whose 83 off 77 contained 10 fours and a six, was removed two overs later when he slashed a Henry delivery to the safe hands of Guptill at point. Mohammad Rizwan tried to keep the innings alive with 16 before he was unlucky to be run out off a straight drive, which deflected off bowler Grant Elliott's hand and on to the stumps before he could regain his crease. For New Zealand, Milne took three for 49 while Boult and Henry finished with two apiece. Egyptian medical officials today said that a homemade bomb in the restive northern part of the Sinai Peninsula has killed two soldiers and wounded two other military men. Rafah hospital said in a statement that the incident happened early morning, and that one of the wounded, an officer, was in critical condition. Violence picked up in the area, near the border with the Palestinian Gaza Strip, last week, with four civilians killed in fighting between the army and Islamic extremists, and at least six soldiers killed in roadside bombings. Egypt has been hit with a wave of suicide bombings and militant attacks that intensified after the military's ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in 2013. A local Islamic State affiliate has claimed responsibility for most of the attacks. At least 45 people were killed and 110 wounded today in three bomb blasts near the revered Shiite shrine of Sayyida Zeinab outside the Syrian capital Damascus, state media said. State agency SANA said the first blast was caused by a car bomb that detonated at a bus station near the shrine. It said two suicide bombers then detonated their explosive belts when people gathered at the scene. An AFP photographer at the scene said the blasts caused massive damage, shattering windows and ripping a huge crater in the road. Smoke rose from the twisted carcasses of more than a dozen cars and a bus damaged in the blasts, as ambulances ferried away the wounded and firefighters worked to put out blazes started by the bombings. The shrine south of the capital contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammad and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has continued to attract pilgrims from Syria and beyond, particularly Shiites from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, throughout the war, and has been targeted in previous bomb attacks. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for bombings near the revered Shiite shrine. In a statement circulated on social media, the jihadist group said two of its members had detonated suicide bombs near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine. "Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120," the group said. In February 2015, two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint near the shrine. Also that month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people, in an attack claimed by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The area around the shrine is heavily secured with regime checkpoints set up hundreds of metres away to prevent vehicles from getting close to Sayyida Zeinab. The Britain-based monitor said 47 people were killed in the blasts, including a car bomb that targeted a checkpoint, and included non-Syrian Shiite militants without specifying their nationalities. A book on the Sikh heritage in Pakistan has been launched here, highlighting the legacy of the community that was left behind following the partition. The 500-page book, by financial services executive-turned author Amardeep Singh, is his personal journey. Singh travelled through West Punjab, Northwest Frontier and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir covering the rich history of the Sikhs, while in search of his roots of origin and the loss of his extended family in the massacre. Professor Tan Tai Yong launched the book 'Lost Heritage: The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan' as he highlighted the magnitude of the migration -- 4.5 million Sikhs and Hindus uprooted from their homes in West Punjab and moved east while 5.5 million Muslims went in the opposite direction to Pakistan. The boundary lines drawn based on a report by Cyril Redcliffe resulted in the world's biggest migration of Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims, as they were uprooted from their ancestral homes, leaving behind valuable land and heritage, Tan said. "With this exodus came the emergence of the Sikh diaspora," Tan said yesterday. "Many of the sites featured in this book are probably unknown to younger generations of Sikhs living in the diaspora," he said, pointing out that numerous of these sites have been forgotten and are falling into serious disrepair. Congress is likely to convene a meeting of opposition leaders ahead of the budget session of Parliament so as to ensure coordination among them on the floor of the House to corner the government on various issues. A senior Congress leader, who declined to be identified, said talks with other "like-minded" parties was almost a certainty ahead of the session. The government is set to take a decision this week on the schedule of the session, which is likely to begin on February 23. There has been no such formal consultation among the opposition parties ahead of parliament sessions since the BJP-led NDA came to power 20 months ago. The Pathankot terror strike, imposition of President's Rule in Arunachal Pradesh and suicide by a dalit research scholar at Hyderabad Central University are among the matters on which opposition parties could make a common cause. The budget session comes ahead of assembly elections in five states -- West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala. European Council President Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister David Cameron have failed to strike a deal aimed at keeping the UK in the EU, but agreed to more talks for another day. Both sides had hoped the dinner meeting would close the gap over Britain's demand for more control over immigration. But Tusk emerged from 10 Downing St and told reporters there was "no deal." Cameron tweeted that it had been a "good meeting" and said late yesterday the two men had agreed on "another 24 hours of talks" before proposals were published. Before the meeting, Tusk had said that if the two men reached an agreement, he would present it to the 27 other EU member states today. After the two politicians failed to resolve their disagreements over a distinctively British dinner of smoked salmon, fillet of beef and fruit crumble, Tusk tweeted that "intensive work" over the next day would be crucial. Britain and the EU have been hoping to reach a final pact at a February 18-19 summit -- an increasingly unlikely prospect unless there is quick progress. Welfare benefits have become the key issue, and main sticking point, in Britain's negotiations with the rest of the EU before a UK referendum on whether to remain in the bloc. The referendum must be held by next year and could come as early as June. Cameron wants to limit British welfare benefits to migrants from other EU countries, but other EU leaders say that undermines the right of EU citizens to work and live freely among member nations. Britain's Conservative government says hundreds of thousands of people from Eastern Europe who have flocked to the UK are straining schools, hospitals and social services. On Friday, top EU officials offered Britain a mechanism known as an "emergency brake" that would let the UK temporarily limit tax credits -- given to workers in low-paid jobs -- and housing benefit to immigrants if the country's welfare system comes under pressure. The proposal could satisfy Britain's goal of regaining some control over immigration and other countries' desire to maintain the principle of free movement. Cameron said the proposal was positive, but didn't go far enough. Britain wants the "emergency brake" to take effect immediately after a British vote to stay in the EU, and last for as long as it takes to reduce the level of migration. Cameron's initial proposal was for a four-year halt on benefits to new EU immigrants. Delhi High Court has asked the AAP government to inform it whether compensation paid to the wife of a youth, mauled by a white tiger in 2014 inside Delhi zoo, can be enhanced. A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath posed the query to the Delhi government, after the advocate for the victim's wife said only Rs one lakh was paid to her. The woman's lawyer further contended that the family of a person who had allegedly hanged himself at Jantar Mantar during Aam Aadmi Party rally in April last year, had got a compensation of Rs 10 lakh. "There are cases, where more than Rs 20 lakh has been paid...," the counsel also said. To this, the bench, which is hearing a plea filed by the youth's wife seeking compensation of Rs 50 lakh, asked the counsel for Delhi government to take instructions and inform it before March 21. Earlier on December 18, 2014, Delhi Police had requested the court to dismiss the woman's plea saying the probe in the matter was pending. The woman had claimed that the government was liable to pay compensation for their "act of negligence, safety and security lapses which resulted in the tragic death of 22-year-old Maqsood who was mauled to death by the white tiger at National Zoological Park here on September 23, 2014". The petition also said the deceased was the only earning member in his family, which had his wife, who was then seven months pregnant, and his 43-year-old mother. Maqsood's father had deserted him and his family members 15 years ago. Two men have been sentenced to three years in jail for stealing cell phones, with a Delhi court saying that a deterrent was needed to curb these offences which are increasing alarmingly. The court, while sending convicts Harish and Veerpal to jail for the offences of house trespass and theft, observed that releasing them on probation would mean overlooking the gravity of the offence. "In my view convicts do not deserve too much leniency and giving them benefit of probation would be overlooking the gravity of the offence. "I am not in favour of releasing them on probation as such offences are increasing day-by-day in alarming numbers and deterrent affect must be shown to the prospective evil elements," Metropolitan Magistrate Ashok Kumar said. The court said such a conduct needed to be discouraged and sentencing should be in proportion to the illegal and wrongful conduct. "Accordingly both the convicts are sentenced to a period of three years rigorous imprisonment each for offences under sections 457 (lurking house trespass) and 380 (theft) of the IPC and a fine of Rs 5,000 each," it said. According to prosecution, on March 24, 2012ataround 4 AM the duo broke into a shop in south-east Delhi using a screw driver and stole two mobile phones. A constable caught the duo when they were coming out of the shop and arrested them, it said. The court, while convicting the accused, said the sentencing is a balancing act and it should act as a deterrent as well as help a convict become a good member of society. "The purpose of sentencing after conviction is a balancing act. On one hand, punishment should be sufficient to deter the accused not to repeat the offence in future and become a good member in the society. On the other hand, punishment should not be too harsh which results in accused becoming a hardcore criminal," it said. "It is clear that accused entered into the shop without the consent of the owner and by means of instruments of house breaking which have been duly exhibited and which are the iron rod and screw driver from which the locks were broken," the court said. The Centre will next month invite bids from milk companies to turnaround loss-making Delhi Milk Scheme (DMS) by taking over its operations and maintenance on a long-term lease basis. Last year, the Cabinet had given the go-ahead for corporatisation of state-owned DMS and its progress was reviewed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week. "The concession agreement is being finalised. Once that is ready, we will issue next month the Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking bids for operation and maintenance of DMS," a senior Agriculture Ministry official told PTI. The DMS will be leased out for at least 30 years to ensure the company makes profit using the existing infrastructure and resources, the official said. Milk companies like Amul, Nandini (Karnataka), Sudha (Bihar), Mother Dairy (Delhi) and Saras (Rajasthan) have evinced interest in running DMS, which has 800 employees. DMS has milk production and packaging capacity of 5 lakh litres per day, besides a network of 1,298 outlets in the NCR. It was set up in 1959 with the primary objective of supplying wholesome milk to Delhi citizens at reasonable prices as well as for providing remunerative prices to milk producers. DMS has been procuring raw/fresh milk from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. Besides processing and supplying milk, DMS is also manufacturing and marketing yogurt, ghee, butter, paneer, butter milk and flavoured milk. The Union Government is going to give Rs 148 crore to the National Legal Services Authority (NLSA) for providing help to those who cannot afford legal services, chairman of the parliamentary committee on law and justice today said. Standing committee of the Department of Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, headed by its chairman Dr EM Sudarshana Natchiappan, visited Nagpur Central Prison today. Speaking to reporters during the visit, Natchiappan said the Centre was going to provide Rs 148 crore to NLSA. The committee is preparing a report on implementation of legal aid provisions across the prisons in the country. The members of the panel met some of the inmates at the Central Prison here and sought their feedback on the legal assistance received by them, Natchiappan said, adding that the committee would soon be visiting Tihar Jail in Delhi. Other members of the committee include advocates KTS Tulsi, Joice George and Varaprasad Rao Velagapalli. The committee will also give inputs to the government for the drawing up of the new jail manual. An early marriage at a tender age of 14 had forced Santana Murmu out of school when she was in class VIII. A mother of two daughters now, the poor tribal girl from West Bengal has fought back her way to school after four years to finish her studies. Not only that, she is actively working for stopping child marriages and was even invited to the UN General Assembly last year to share her stories. Leaving her children with her in-laws and husband, she walks three km every morning from Kushmandi village in South Dinajpur district to attend Manikore High School. Her first class resumed last week after a gap of four years. "I am very excited. I am the senior-most in the class now and they look up to me with lot of respect. All I want is to be a teacher and fulfill my dream," Murmu, whose elder daughter Vasundhara is three-years-old and attends the Anganwadi playschool, told PTI. Throughout her journey, her labourer-husband Gobind Hemram has been a constant support besides members of the child rights NGO Child In Need Institute (CINI). "I am proud of her and have realised that life would have been better for her had we not married early. Education and health is very important and so I am supporting her," said Hemram, a class V dropout himself. Before becoming a child bride, Murmu always dreamt of being a teacher one day in life. Her father funded education of her brother till the master's level but when it came to the daughter's future he unfortunately had a different yardstick. "Suddenly one day I was told that I am getting married to someone. That time I could do nothing to stop my marriage or continue my studies. But now I have convinced my husband," Murmu said. After realising the burden of being a 'child bride' the school dropout took a vow to help other young teens in her village. So far she has stopped at least three such underage girls from being forcibly married off by building societal pressure in the tribal Santhali community where a girl is considered fit for marriage after puberty. It was during this period that she got associated with CINI and started working as an NGO volunteer for stopping child marriages. Her work got noticed and she got invited to the UN General Assembly in New York last year to share her stories of how maternal mortality can be prevented by implementing ban on child marriages. The turning point came when people in America asked her about her education. "I felt sad to tell them that I studied only till class eight. I told them that time that I will go back to my village and restart my studies. Now I have kept my word. I took it as a challenge," she said. Getting admission to the school wasn't easy. "The headmaster initially refused to admit her but after the intervention of the BDO (Block Development Officer) the matter was settled," said Sujoy Roy from CINI. An activist now, the class IX student doesn't mind ruffling feathers with elders in the village. "Some people do get very irritated with her as she is challenging the age-old tradition of early marriage. But nothing discourages her," he said. Twenty-seven officials in China have been "penalised" for the wrongful execution of a teenager 20 years ago today. Hugjiltu was 18 in 1996 when he was sentenced and put to death for the rape and murder of a woman in the toilet of a textile factory in Hohhot in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In 2014, Hugjiltu was finally exonerated after another man, Zhao Zhihong, confessed to the crime and was in turn convicted and sentenced to death. "One of the blacklisted officials responsible for the wrongful conviction of Hugjiltu, Feng Zhiming, was suspected of job-related crimes and was subject to further investigation," state news agency Xinhua reported authorities as saying in a statement. Feng, a former deputy chief with the public security bureau in Hohhot, could face prosecution, Xinhua added. The other 26 among them police officers and court officials "received administrative penalties including admonitions and record of demerit", Xinhua said without giving further detail. The case has highlighted the shortcomings in China's Communist Party-controlled legal system, where acquittals are extremely rare 99.93% of defendants in criminal cases were found guilty in 2013, according to official statistics. The use of force to extract confessions remains widespread in the country and defendants often do not have effective defence in criminal trials, leading to regular miscarriages of justice. A Chinese court has sentenced two men to death in the 2013 killing of Akong Rinpoche, a well-known religious figure who founded the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the West. Thubten Kunsal, a Tibetan man who had worked at Akong's monastery in the United Kingdom for nine years, fatally stabbed Akong, his nephew and his driver after confronting the monk at his home in the city of Chengdu over unpaid wages totaling USD 415,000, according to a statement today by the Chengdu People's Intermediate Court. Thubten and another man, Ciren Banyue, were given the death penalty while a third man was sentenced to three years' prison for hiding daggers used in the killings. Akong's monastery Kagyu Samye Ling, which has branches in several European countries, has denied it owed Thubten pay. China strongly condemned the United States after a US warship deliberately sailed near one of the Beijing-controlled islands in the hotly contested South China Sea to exercise freedom of navigation and challenge China's vast territorial claims. The missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur sailed within 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) of Triton Island in the Paracel chain "to challenge excessive maritime claims of parties that claim the Paracel Islands," without notifying the three claimants beforehand, Defense Department spokesman Mark Wright said in Washington. China, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping claims in the Paracels and require prior notice from ships transiting what they consider their territorial waters. The latest operation was particularly aimed at China, which has increased tensions with the US and its Southeast Asian neighbors by embarking on massive construction of man-made islands and airstrips in contested areas. In October, another US warship sailed in the nearby Spratly Islands near Subi Reef, where China has built one of seven artificial islands. Wright said the attempts to restrict navigational rights by requiring prior notice are inconsistent with international law. US officials said that such ship movements would be regular in the future. China responded swiftly. Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun issued a statement saying the US action "severely violated Chinese law, sabotaged the peace, security and good order of the waters, and undermined the region' s peace and stability," according to the official Xinhua Agency. According to Yang, Chinese troops on the island and navy vessels and warplanes took actions immediately, identified the US warship and "warned and expelled it swiftly." He said that the US operation was "very unprofessional and irresponsible for the safety of the troops of both sides, and may cause extremely dangerous consequences." Chinese armed forces will take whatever measures "necessary to safeguard China's sovereignty and security, no matter what provocations the US side may take," Yang said. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said separately that the Chinese side conducted surveillance and "vocal warnings to the US warship." China claims almost the entire South China Sea and its islands, reefs and atolls on historic grounds. The area has some of the world's busiest shipping lanes, and US officials say ensuring freedom of navigation is in US national interests, while not taking sides in the territorial disputes. China seized the unpopulated Triton Island, an area of 1.2 square kilometers (0.46 sq miles), from former South Vietnam in 1974. In May 2014, China parked a huge oil drilling platform off the Vietnamese coast in the area, prompting Vietnam to sent fishing boats and coast guard vessels to harass the rig and nearby Chinese vessels. Skirmishes led to collisions and the capsizing of at least one Vietnamese boat. The Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said the cabinet committee on parliamentary affairs will meet on February 4 to fix the schedule of the budget session of Parliament. "Committee will be meeting on February 4. We are also holding talks with some of the opposition parties. During the session period Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala may take place. "The elections are likely to be held in April. Same thing happened in 2011. We are talking to political parties from these states on how to schedule the session," he told reporters here. After fixing the schedule of the session, it will be informed to the Prime Minister. "After his signature, it will go the President and then the notification on Parliament session will be issued," he said. Asked about selection of cities for the ambitious 'smart city' program, he said three international agencies were involved in the process, and dismissed allegation of nepotism. He pointed out that his own native place Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, or Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi do not figure in the list of cities selected for the project. Delhi Congress workers today held demonstrations across the city holding AAP and BJP responsible for the ongoing MCD employees' strike in the national capital. "Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken blamed the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi and the BJP government (at the Centre) for the present plight of Delhi as MCD sanitation workers and others have been on strike due to non-payment of their salaries," a statement said. The demonstrations were held in 14 districts including Adarsh Nagar, Karol Bagh, Chandni Chowk, Tilak Nagar, Najafgarh, Rohini, Mehrauli, Badarpur and Karawal Nagar. Maken warned that Delhi Congress would intensify its agitation against AAP and BJP if they did not immediately solve the problems plaguing the municipal corporations, the statement said. Thousands of MCD sanitation workers, doctors, nurses and engineering staff have been on strike, affecting services in the national capital. Keeping up the offensive on the Rohith Vemula suicide issue, Congress today lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not taking any action against Union ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya. Party's senior spokesman Anand Sharma regretted that the Prime Minister did not even refer to the issue in his 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme despite the fact that the dalit scholar's death has sparked of agitation on university campuses in the country. He alleged that the Prime Minister's "failure" to sack his colleagues showed that the sympathy he showed towards Rohith in a speech last week was just a "pretence". Sharma alleged that senior BJP leaders were adding insult to injury by claiming that Rohith was not a dalit. He accused the government of being "directly responsible" for the tension and the agitation in the wake of the suicide of Rohith. Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi had yesterday gone on a day-long fast at Hyderabad Central University backing protesting students on the Dalit scholar suicide issue and accusing the Prime Minister and the RSS of trying to crush the spirit of students by imposing "one idea from the top". The BJP-led Maharashtra government had failed to provide employement to the rural population under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employement Guarantee Act, district Congress chief Keshavrao Autade said here today. Congress would hold a conference on the issue here on Tuesday, he said. MLA Abdul Sattar said that a large number of farm workers were being driven to suicide in the drought-stricken Marathwada region because there was no work for them under MNREGA and they were facing starvation. Union Minister Jitendra Singh today said construction of bunkers for those living along the International Border (IB) with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district has already begun. "A major demand of residents of border areas was construction of bunkers near the IB... The work on it has already begun," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Kathua. The Union Minister of State in the PMO visited a few border hamlets and took stock of the "border area toilets" project, the work on which started two weeks ago in collaboration with Sulabh International. Under the project, 1,120 toilets will be constructed in the first phase at a cost of Rs 4.4 crore. In the next three years, Singh said, Kathua will become a model district. Enumerating some of the major initiatives undertaken in Kathua district during the last one-and-a-half years of his term as an MP, Singh said Aarogya Gram Yojana has been launched in the district with a budget of Rs 10 crore. A biotech park has been sanctioned and will come up at Gati. Singh said the Basohli "Atal Setu" has been inaugurated and the tender for building the Keediyan-Gadiyal bridge has been floated. "These two bridges will be game-changers for not only the state of Jammu and Kashmir but for Punjab and Himachal Pradesh also in the form of generating revenue, tourism, trade and employment avenues," he said. Creating spaces within spaces is the new mantra to drive innovation and firms offering experiential platforms to the new generation of thinkers and doers say this not only helps in regular interaction, networking and sharing of ideas but also facilitates an organic connect for cross pollination. According to Parmesh Shahani, head of experimental ideas space Godrej India Culture Lab, these platforms are trying to find solutions to some of India's most pressing problems by fostering collaboration and creating alternative kinds of education - what the community needs and what it teaches each other. Godrej India Culture Lab is a collaborative space, whose physical infrastructure is within a company, but it is open to everyone. Jaaga in Bengaluru builds temporary structures on unused land. It exists both in urban Bengaluru as well as on a farm outside Bengaluru. Then there is Maker's Asylum where they get people to give them space, and then fill it up with equipment, learning and skills where the whole community collaborates. In both cases, it is really is about bringing knowledge and skills and sharing it with each other. There are learning spaces and conferences like Unbox, which can be both structured and unstructured, that aim to make people grow. So basically, different stakeholders - companies, individuals and educational institutions - are coming together and creating these hubs for non-traditional knowledge. "Spaces like Jaaga, Maker's Asylum and events like Unbox attract outliers - people who don't fit into the regular standard paradigm. These could be artists, scientists, hackers, or organic farmers. These alternative people share ideas, collaborate on projects and find alternative solutions and so these spaces are great magnets for bringing together these diverse people," Shahani told PTI. "Our Godrej India Culture Lab is a similar kind of an alternative space that has really added value to the city, created a new cultural destination in Vikhroli. When we started it was an ambiguous experiment, but we realised that it provides value to both the city and the company that hosts it," he says. Vaibhav Chhabra, co-founder of Makers Asylum, insists that the concept of shared spaces is steadily getting stronger and in turn aligns closely with the greater sharing economy. "Given the current landscape, I think a model of providing spaces is extremely interesting. The Asylum itself was born out of the concept of sharing tools and knowledge, leading to the birth of a collaborative space that brings together interdisciplinary activities covering science, technology, engineering, art and math," he says. He feels spaces such as these allow for cross pollination of ideas, opening up new and varied opportunities. "Shared spaces act as catalysts in bringing together interdisciplinary skill sets, resources and by extension activities, which are already changing the business and startup landscape. In the case of Maker's Asylum, by bringing together engineers, designers and artists, we catalyse innovation on a budget." Avik Kedia, founder and CEO of FinanceBazaar.Com, says the concept of co-working spaces has gained prominence due to boom in startups. "Business incubators can play an important role in shaping the startup ecosystem. Many prominent business incubators like IITM, Startup Village and CIIE already play a crucial role in filtering and nurturing good ideas that can be scaled," he says. He terms the government's startup idea as bold but feels that it requires a strategic shift in policy and governance at the grass-roots level, at the state and district level. " "Another challenge would be sticking to fiscal discipline to actually see these ideas get fully implemented over the course of time," he says. Shahani is also of the view that the future of India is in creating many more start-ups. "We are partially an agrarian and partially an industrial economy, but for us to leapfrog into the future and meet the severe challenges that we will have soon, we need to innovate rapidly and across various sections," he says. The Start-up India movement is adding a lot of impetus to what is already emerging on the ground but an ecosystem can't be started overnight, it takes years for all the components to come together, he says. Dalit IAS officer Shashi Karnawat, who is under suspension in a graft case, today dropped her plan to end her life by taking 'jal samadhi' (drowning) in river Narmada in Khandwa district on February 2. Speaking on behalf of Karnawat, another Dalit IAS officer Ramesh Thete said state Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya was in continuous touch with him after Karnawat sat on 'maun vrat' (observe silence) from January 29 and had decided to take 'jal samadhi', pressing for her demand of reinstating her and higher wages during the suspension period. Notably, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet will for the first time meet in a boat in Narmada river at Khandwa on February 2. The state government has softened its stand on the two demands of Karnawat, one, on reinstating her, second, on offering her 75 per cent of wages during the suspension instead of 50 per cent which she is currently getting, Thete told PTI today. She has decided not to go for 'jal samadhi' as the government was positive in its response to her demands, Thete said. Time has come to reinstate Karnawat as the MP High Court has admitted a petition challenging her conviction, he said. Karnawat, was sentenced to five years jail by Mandla district court in 2013 in a corruption case and is under suspension since then. The state government had recently given its nod to prosecute Thete in an alleged case of illegal disposal of land in Ujjain during his tenure as additional commissioner around two years back, lodged against him with the Lokayukta (state anti-corruption watchdog). Thete and Karnawat have opened a front against MP government for over a fortnight now alleging that it was prompt in taking action against Dalit officers while ignoring similar cases of misconduct involving officers from upper castes. Thete had also taken part in a dharna (sit-in) organised by Dalit Adivasi Forum (DAF) on January 11 here to protest against the alleged discrimination against Dalit and tribal bureaucrats. On the sideline of the DAF protest, Mohan Patil, a national office-bearer of Republican Party of India, had told reporters that complaints were pending against 18 upper caste IAS and IPS officers with MP Lokayukta but sanction to prosecute was given only against Thete. In the wake of the death of a six-year-old student in his school premises, the Delhi government today asked all schools in the city to submit a report to it over safety aspect in their buildings and also decided to form a task force to verify the arrangements. "We have asked principals of each school, be it government, MCD or private, to carry out a prima facie inspection and give us a report. As soon as we get the report, we will carry out an inspection based on their report. "I will get all 3500 schools inspected in next one month through SDMs, fire department, PWD, DJB, education department and MCD," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said. He made the remarks after attending an emergency meeting of the Education Department officials to review safety aspect for students in both government and private schools at the state secretariat. Sisodia said the boy's death had "shattered" everyone and that the team of government personnel will carry out inspection for an hour in each of the school buildings to ensure there is no repeat of the incident. In a shocking incident, Divyansh Kakrora, a Class I student of Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj area of South Delhi, was found dead in a water tank under the school's amphitheatre yesterday. The incident triggered demands for cancellation of the school's licence even as the government ordered a magisterial probe in the matter. (Reopens DES33) Sisodia further said that he is upset by the death of a boy first at a corporation-run school in southwest Delhi and, three days later, at a prominent private school in south Delhi. "I am very concerned about security of children inside schools," he added. Meanwhile, a senior government official said that all schools have been directed to submit 'self-declarations' to the education department about safety inside their campus, assuring that all such measures are in place. After one month, the task force will inspect schools and examine the safety and security arrangements, he added. A 25-year-old unmarried woman who cannot hear or speak was reportedly sterilised in Bihar's Banka district and a probe has been ordered into it. According to local media reports, villagers of Barkathan had complained that the woman was sterilised at a referral hospital at Baunsi in Bihar's Banka district on Friday last. The media reports suggested that an ASHA worker facilitated the sterlisation on the request of her parents who were worried as anti-socials have taken advantage of her in the past. "I have directed Additional Chief Medical Officer (ACMO) to probe the matter and submit a report," Civil Surgeon Sudhir Kumar Mahto told PTI today. Based on the report of ACMO, suitable lawful action would be initiated, he said. Mahto said preliminary information said there is consent signature of the woman's parents on the form for sterilisation. Accredited social health activists (ASHA), who function as community health workers instituted by Union Health Ministry and are part of the National Rural Health Mission, are given targets for female sterilisation. Discovery Channel is set to premiere OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network's BELIEF, a television series that depicts how people with a wide range of beliefs search for deeper meaning and connection with the world around them. Narrated by Winfrey, the series invites viewers to witness and be moved by some of the world's most fascinating spiritual journeys through the eyes of the believers. Through vivid, emotional storytelling and cinematic visual imagery, the series illuminates different faiths and spiritual practices from around the world - the rituals, stories and relationships that bind us all together as human beings Travelling to the far reaches of world and to places cameras have rarely been, the series will search the origins of diverse faiths and the heart of what really matters. Commenting on the programme, Rahul Johri, EVP and GM-South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific said, "We are delighted to present the landmark series to our viewers in India. Exploring different faiths, it will highlight the spiritual journeys of human beings around the world." The epic series, will showcase some of the Indian stories of people on their spiritual journeys including Reshma Thakkar, a young Indian-American Hindu woman from Chicago, who travels to the banks of the Ganges for the Kumbh Mela, joining millions at the world's largest spiritual gathering. The story of Anju, a young woman in central India who has committed to forgo all of life's conveniences and permanently sever ties with her family in order to be initiated as a Jain nun is also featured. The series also touches upon India and one of the world's largest religions, Hinduism. It will share a glimpse of how Hindus from all walks of life unite to celebrate the festival of colours - Holi. The seven part series premiers on February 1 and is set to air every Monday on Discovery Channel. A military general who opposes Uganda's longtime president was arrested ahead of presidential elections next month, his lawyer said today. Gen David Sejusa, who has called President Yoweri Museveni a dictator, is being detained at a military barracks in the Ugandan capital Kampala, said Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi. Sejusa's home was surrounded by armed military police early Sunday, he said. Sejusa's arrest is likely to raise tensions ahead of presidential elections on February 18. It was not possible to get a comment from the government or military. Museveni, who is campaigning for re-election, has ruled Uganda since 1986, when he led a group of rebels who had waged a bush war against a government they accused of rigging elections. Sejusa was one of the senior commanders of those rebels and eventually became a four-star general, was on the military high command and led Uganda's domestic and external spy agencies. Now Sejusa openly accuses Museveni of violating the ideals for which they waged that guerrilla war. In 2013, Sejusa wrote a letter to the domestic spy chief urging him to investigate allegations of a plot to kill high-ranking government officials seen as being opposed to the political rise of Museveni's son, a brigadier who commands the country's special forces. Facing likely arrest, Sejusa, who, was traveling in Europe at the time, sought asylum in London. He quietly returned home in December 2014. "It is thought that the Museveni regime, which has ruled Uganda for nearly 30 years, and may be facing defeat at the coming elections ... Has a plan to arrest top Uganda pro-democracy activists, like General Sejusa, so as to forestall possible mass uprising that is seen as inevitable should Museveni refuse to hand over power to the victorious political opposition," Free Uganda, a pro-democracy group, said in a statement. Germany-based food products maker Dr Oetker, which acquired Fun Foods in 2008, is setting up a manufacturing unit with 25,000-tonne annual capacity in Rajasthan with an investment of Rs 250 crore. The unit is expected to be operational in April this year. "We have two manufacturing units in Kashipur (Uttrakhand), of which one is owned by us and the other is a rented one. We are now setting up a new manufacturing unit in Kahrani in Rajasthan with a 25,000 tonne annual capacity," Dr Oetker India Managing Director Oliver Mirza told PTI. He said, if required in future the annual capacity of the Rajasthan unit can be expanded to 50,000 tonne. The company has invested Rs 250 crore in equity for setting up the unit, he added. The two existing units have manufacturing capacity of 12,000 tonne at present. He said the company is also looking at exports from the Rajasthan unit. "This new manufacturing unit will mainly cater to the domestic market as the consumption in India is big enough. However, with the additional capacity we are also looking at exports. We expect to begin exports from 2017, to countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Nepal and South Asia, where there is a demand for vegetarian Mayonnaise," he said. In sauces, this plant in Rajasthan will be the company's biggest unit globally. Dr. Oetker has 40 manufacturing units world over. "Currently, the overall Mayonnaise market in India is Rs 100 crore, of which we enjoy 70 per cent of the market share. It is growing and we want to make Mayonnaise as interesting for others to enter the business and expand the overall market size to Rs 1,000 crore by 2020," he added. The company is also looking at relaunching muesli in India in 2017. "In 2011, we had launched muesli in the country, which was entirely imported. So in 2013, it was a business decision to withdraw the product from the Indian market. We are planning to relaunch our muesli range sometime in 2017, which will be manufactured from the Rajasthan unit," he added. The product range of the company includes mayonnaises, sauces, spreads, salad dressings, cakes, dessert toppings amongst others. The draft of 'Unfair Practices in Education' bill is ready and would be introduced in the Parliament after consultations with all stake holders, including parents and students, Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani today said. The bill seeking to check irregularities in Private Educational institutions and providing access to students and parents about the information related to institutions was sent to the states for comments and also uploaded on the website to seek suggestions from stakeholders, Irani said in Una. All stakeholders including the students and parents would be apprised of the provisions of the bill before introducing it in the Parliament, she said. The bill would go a long way in "curbing the unfair practices adopted by private institutions" whose details including the fees and infrastructure would also be in public domain. Without naming anyone, she referred to the recent suicide by Hyderabad University research scholar and said that there should be no politics over it. "We can also speak on the issue but we don't want to politicise the issue and would speak only in the Parliament," she said. Replying to a question regarding opening of an IIIT at Haroli in Una, she said, "laying the foundation stone for electoral gains was not sufficient. Land, infrastructure and budgetary provisions are also required for opening educational institutions." Referring to the campus of Central University at Kangra, Irani said a team of HRD would soon visit the proposed site. Later, addressing the BJP workers at Hamirpur, Irani said the site for the main campus of Kangra Central University would be finalised soon and the claim of Dehra would not be ignored. Earlier, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and BJP MLA from Dehra, Ravinder Singh Ravi met the Union minister and said that chief minister Virbhadra Singh was issuing "confusing statements" on Kangra University, ignoring the claim of Dehra. Joysticks at their fingertips, the mostly male students packing the classroom lift their virtual helicopters into the air, part of a new cottage industry that's sprung up in China: drone pilot schools. China is already the world's biggest drone manufacturer, churning out remote-controlled flying machines that range from 3-D urban mappers to tear-gas spraying models for police. But it lacks qualified pilots to fly them. Young men in particular are flocking to drone schools such as TT Aviation Technology Co, one of more than 40 in China, hoping to land a potentially lucrative job in an exciting new field. TT Aviation offers a two-week intensive course for 8,000 yuan (USD 1,200) where students learn regulations and how to pilot using simulators and real drones. At the end of the course, they can try to earn the license required by China's Civil Aviation Administration to operate drones that are heavier than 7 kilograms (15 pounds) and fly higher than 120 meters (400 feet). Xu Honggang, 24, believes the license will open doors to piloting jobs that make at least 5,000 Chinese yuan per month (USD 780), higher than average. Some experienced pilots bring in double that amount, he said. "I want to build my own company with drone services," Xu said one recent afternoon next to a grassy field where his instructor demonstrated basic moves with a small radio-controlled helicopter. "I like to work for myself. This is a new and popular line of work." The opportunities appear promising. More than 10,000 new pilots are needed this year across all industries in China, but only 1,000 pilots now hold licenses, said Yang Yi, the general manager of TT Aviation, which also manufactures and sells drones to private and public sector customers. "The drone pilot and the car driver are the same: They both need systematic skill training and regulated studying to make sure everyone knows the rules before the real operation," she said. Drones are touted as game-changers in a range of industries, including agriculture, logistics, film production and law enforcement. The sector has gotten support from the central government, which is keen on promoting robotics and automation to sustain economic growth as labor costs rise. Chinese firms are making inroads producing unmanned machines beyond industrial use as well. pressure mounted today on Libya to form a national unity government as the Islamic State jihadist group expands at the doorstep of Europe and the rest of Africa. In Libya itself, prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj met controversial army chief General Khalifa Haftar as part of a series of encounters to press the creation of a UN-backed unity cabinet. The meeting came as African Union leaders at a summit in Addis Ababa called for a political solution in Libya to curb the spread of ISIS. In Paris, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said IS could infiltrate the ranks of refugees using Libya as a springboard to reach Europe, adding that a unity government could help "eradicate" ISIS. Libya has been in political turmoil and rocked by violence since the 2011 toppling of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Since the summer of 2014, the country has had two rival administrations, with the recognised authorities based in the country's far east and a militia-backed authority in Tripoli. The situation has been further compromised with the emergence of IS in the oil-rich North African country and a brisk business by people smugglers ferrying migrants to Europe. The jihadist group, which controls swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq, has claimed several attacks and beheadings in Libya and last year captured the coastal city of Sirte. In January, ISIS jihadists pushed east from Sirte in an attempt to seize oil terminals in Ras Lanuf and Al-Sidra, which lie in an "oil crescent" along the northern coast. That same month it claimed responsibility for a January 7 truck bombing at a police school in Zliten, east of Tripoli, that killed more than 50 people, the deadliest attack since the 2011 revolt. The community has pressed Libya's rival politicians to accept a power-sharing agreement it hopes will help to reverse ISIS's territorial gains. Sarraj's official Facebook page said he met Haftar in the eastern city of Al-Marj yesterday to assess "the opinions, fears and worries of influential sides in the crisis". Sarraj and Haftar discussed "finding a practical solution to the war in Benghazi", Libya's second city where Haftar's forces have been fighting Islamists, it said. It said Sarraj was seeking a "realistic" solution based on "realities on the ground" to reach a political consensus between all parties. Experts, professors and research scholars from universities and colleges across India will gather here for two-day national seminar to discuss the NDA government's 'Act East Policy'. The two-day national seminar on "Act East Policy of the NDA Government", sponsored by New Delhi-based Indian Council of World Affairs, is being organised by the RCA Girls (PG) College here from tomorrow. The Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has demonstrated its intention to pursue a more ambitious foreign policy agenda, said seminar director and Principal of RCA Post Graduate College Preeti Johari. Interaction with the East and South East Asia have so far been positive and partnerships with Japan, Vietnam, ASEAN and Indonesia hold great promise. "The two-day seminar will analyse the external and internal factors that have the potential to accelerate or diminish India's emphasis on engagement with the East Asia," Johari said. Abhijeet Chakratory, Secretary in the East Asia division and the nominee of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for the seminar, would inaugurate the seminar as Chief guest, Johari said, adding that Chancellor of Dr B R Ambedkar University, Agra, Prof M Muzammil will chair the seminar and former ambassador and professor emeritus Prof S D Muni deliver the key note address. Gen (retd) Prof Govind Dwivedi would focus on the strategic aspect of the Act Asia Policy. About 60 research papers have been received for presentation. "Seminar would not only be fruitful but may also guide the policy makers, to be more effective in achieving the goals in the area," she said. In the wake of deficit monsoon rains, farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have received insurance claims totalling Rs 686 crore directly in their bank accounts, against damage to kharif crops in this fiscal so far. Farmers in these two states had insured crops sown in the kharif 2015 season under two schemes -- Modified National Agriculture Scheme (MNAIS) and Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS). The crops were hit by drought. "All admissible claims under MNAIS and WBCIS for kharif 2015 have been released to the bank and the same have been credited into the bank accounts of farmers," a senior Agriculture Ministry official said. In Rajasthan, the entire insurance claim of Rs 525 crore under the WBCIS has been disbursed to farmers, while the insurance claims under MNAIS is also being settled, he said. In Uttar Pradesh, a total of Rs 339 crore insurance claims were filed under the two schemes, of which claims worth Rs 169 crore have been settled. During the kharif (summer) season of 2015-16 crop year (July-June), 63.68 lakh farmers had insured about their 68.95 lakh hectare of farm land in Rajasthan, while 15.32 lakh farmers had insured 16.16 lakh hectare in Uttar Pradesh, as per the government data. The crops were affected largely due to drought in these two states following deficit monsoon rains. It may be noted that at present, three crop insurance schemes -- MNAIS, NAIS and WBCIS -- are available for farmers. Not all three schemes are implemented in all states. Some are implementing MNAIS and WBCIS, while others only NAIS. The insurance claim settlement is faster under MNAIS and WBCIS, while there is huge delay in NAIS. As many as 11 government empaneled insurance companies like ICICI Lombard, HDFC ERGO and SBI General Insurance are selling these insurance schemes in these two states. Merging the existing schemes, the government has launched the new crop insurance scheme called Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to be rolled out during the kharif 2016 season. The new scheme has fixed less premium on farmers and aims to settle claims faster using modern technologies. A day after three alleged ISIS sympathizers were remanded in 10 days' NIA custody, the father of an arrested Kashmiri youth claimed that his son was "innocent" and had gone abroad for a job to support his family. "I am a poor man and have debt on me. My son went abroad to relieve us of the debt. He is innocent and has no connection with them (ISIS)," Abdul Sattar Sheikh, the father of Sheikh Azhar-ul-Islam, said. Azhar, hailing from central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, was one of the three youths, who were arrested on Friday for purportedly being on a mission to carry out terror attacks in India and some other countries. The trio were deported from the UAE and they were detained by NIA upon their arrival at the IGI airport. Adnan Hussain from Karnataka and Mohammad Farhan from Maharashtra are the other two youths. Azhar's father said the allegations leveled against his son were untrue as he had nothing to do with ISIS. "He is not involved in it. Check our family history. No one among us has ever taken the path of violence. People in our area will vouch for him. What do we have to do with them (ISIS)?" he questioned. Sheikh said his son is being "framed" and appealed the government for his release. The youths were produced before a Delhi court, which remanded them in 10 days' NIA custody yesterday. Former Army Chief General K V Krishna Rao was today cremated with full military honours here. Rao, who played a key role in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, died at the military hospital yesterday following a cardiac arrest. He was 92. President Pranab Mukherjee in his message said that Rao's exemplary services to the nation and the Army will always be remembered. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar condoled the passing away of General Rao, saying, "He was a visionary who led ably, inspired a generation of soldiers and initiated modernization of Indian Army in the early 1980s. His contribution in the 1971 War and maintaining the unity and integrity of the country shall always be remembered". Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag laid a floral wreath and expressed his deepest condolences to the family of the former chief. "Rao was a soldier statesman who inspired a generation of soldiers and will continue to do so even after his demise," he said. Marshal of Air Force Arjan Singh, Union minister and former Army Chief General VK Singh, former Army Chiefs V N Sharma, N C Vij, Deepak Kapoor and Bikram Singh, representatives of chiefs of Naval Staff and Air Staff, representative of Manipur Government and a host of serving and retired officers of Army were present on the occasion. Four suspected ultras belonging to the People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) were arrested today following an encounter in Anandpur police station area in West Singhbhum district today. An encounter between security personnel and PLFI ensued when the former were on routine combing operations in the extremist-hit areas, Superintendent of Police Michael Raj S said. One PLFI militant was reportedly sustained injury in the encounter but managed to flee, he said. Goa Tourism has decided to go ahead with helicopter joy rides in the state amid opposition from various quarters, but cancelled its formal launch slated today. The helicopter commercial joy rides, as a part of a tourism deal signed with Pawan Hans company, will commence in the state soon, a senior official of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) told PTI today. "The scheduled launch of helicopter rides has been cancelled as Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma could not come due to his pre-occupations," he said. "From tomorrow or day after, we will start the commercial operations. This is a demand of the tourism industry to get high-end tourism," he said. The GTDC has entered into an agreement with Pawan Hans company to fly Bell-206 helicopters, which will take off from Panaji and land at Aguada helipad across Mandovi river. The helipadwas constructed during Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGUM) in 1983 for emergency evacuations. "The opposition to the project is unsubstantiated. If required we will take police security and go ahead with it," a senior official said, on condition of anonymity. The protesters, led by BJP MLA Michael Lobo and Congress spokesman Agnelo Fernandes, had earlier decided to stage protests on the helipad at Aguada on the arrival of the inaugural flight. "We had decided not to allow the helicopter to land," Lobo told PTI today. Fernandes said local guest house owners had expressed apprehensions that landing of helicopter will create noise pollution around, besides affecting flora and fauna on the plateau where the helipad is located. Pawan Hans and GTDC in a statement released last evening had strongly countered the opposition raised by locals and the industry stakeholders from Candolim and Sinquerim to the new service. Describing the objections as frivolous and baseless, they stated that the helicopter joy rides will not cause any noise pollution nor turn the waters rough or damage the eco-sensitive areas of Candolim and Sinquerim. Pawan Hans also pointed out that the Bell-206 helicopter deployed for joy rides is a two-blade single engine helicopter with extremely low noise signature as compared to any other machine. The helicopters are being flown at more than 500 feet above the ground level, reducing the noise which is much less than other commercial airlines. The landing and take-off phase is about 30-40 seconds and the down draft of the rotor does not damage the flora and fauna of the area, it said. The helicopters are being used for various purposes, including transporting people to places of pilgrimage like Vaishnodevi, Amarnath, Kedarnath, Tirupti and others, the statement pointed out. "Helicopter rides will bring up the profile for tourism in the area and boost the local economics and employment opportunities for locals from the area," GTDC General Manager Sanjay Chodankar said. The new helicopter joy ride service is being commenced within GTDC's own property measuring area of 10,000 square metres and the area is being developed for the same, he said. Customs officials at the city Airport today seized 643 gms of gold valued at Rs 17.42 lakh from a Myanmar national. Khin Maung Win landed at the NSCBI Airport from Dhaka by a Bangladesh Biman flight, customs officials said. During checking, 643 gms of gold in the form of ring and chain was found attached to her bag. She was subsequently detained. Gunmen killed two Saudi policemen on Sunday in an attack in the eastern Qatif region, home to the kingdom's Shiite minority, police said. The two officers were escorting a truck used for transporting cash when they came under "heavy gunfire from unknown attackers in Sihat in Qatif province", a spokesman said. The police spokesman, cited by the official SPA agency, did not say whether the attack was being treated as political or criminal. On January 4, police gunfire killed a civilian in Awamiya, the birthplace of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr who had been executed two days earlier on "terrorism" charges. Two days later, Shiites protesting against Nimr's execution torched a bus in the same area. The cleric, a virulent critic of the regime in predominantly Sunni Saudi Arabia, was revered in the east of the country. His execution sparked protests in several Muslim countries and a crisis with Shiite Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival. Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran, in a move followed by Bahrain and Sudan, while the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait recalled their ambassadors from Iran. Hyderabad University's Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Social Justice, spearheading the protests over Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide, today sought public apology from the varsity administration over suspension of the five Dalit research scholars, including Rohith, last year. "The University of Hyderabad must give a public apology to the five Dalit research scholars for the blatant casteist discrimination, humiliation and agony inflicted on them that eventually led to the death of our friend Rohith Vemula," JAC said in a statement. The statement came against the backdrop of the acting Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad Central University, M Periasamy saying that the agitating students have agreed to allow the classes and administrative activities to resume normally from tomorrow. The varsity had already revoked the suspension of the four research scholars after Rohith's suicide triggered a massive outrage. The five students were suspended in last August for allegedly manhandling an ABVP leader. The students' body further said that Vipin Srivastava, who took charge as interim Vice Chancellor after Appa Rao Podile had proceeded on leave, should not be the Vice Chancellor. Incidentally, Srivastava also proceeded on leave after he was replaced by M Periasamy. The JAC also sought to reformulate the composition of the Proctorial Board by removing Alok Pandey as its head. The students' body has been demanding a job for one of the family members of Vemula who hanged himself in one of the hostel rooms on Hyderabad Central University campus on January 17, triggering a political slugfest. In a separate statement, the Students' Union of HCU demanded that the administration should consider the extension of current semester. Meanwhile, the indefinite fast by three students of the varsity entered third day today. However, the condition of the students is stable, said Ravindra Kumar, Chief Medical Officer of the University Health Centre. Genes that influence people's health also shape how effectively they think, according to a new study which suggests that those with better overall health are likely to have higher levels of intelligence. Researchers analysed data from around 100,000 people which could help them discover why some people develop particular diseases and others do not. To test the findings, researchers gathered data from previous genetic studies of other mental and physical health factors - such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and autism. When they compared each person's mental test data with their genome, they found that some traits linked to disease and thinking skills shared the same genetic influences. "In addition to there being shared genetic influences between cognitive skills and some physical and mental health states, the study also found that cognitive skills share genetic influences with brain size, body shape and educational attainments," said Ian Deary from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, one of the researchers. "The study supports an existing theory which says that those with better overall health are likely to have higher levels of intelligence," said Saskia Hagenaars from University of Edinburgh. "The research highlights the importance of investigating biological pathways that influence both cognitive function and health related traits," added Sarah Harris from University of Edinburgh. The findings were published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. The Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) today said the setting up of Khalsa University Amritsar (KUA) was "the need of the hour" in order to provide quality education and appealed to all political parties to support the move. The Governing council has come under fire after it proposed to set up a Khalsa University Amritsar. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh had questioned the logic behind this move and apprehended that it would dilute and subvert "the heritage status" of Khalsa College. KCGC President Satyajit Singh Majithia in a statement issued today said the "concerns" of all including the respected political leaders that "heritage" of the Khalsa College should be protected at all cost, are valid and the KCGC is committed to maintain the "historic character" of the building intact. He said Khalsa College is run by an elected body of the Council which is a non-profit making charitable society that owns the land and going to private hands is just a "figment of an imagination". The charitable body runs 17 colleges and schools in the state. "As the same society that runs the Khalsa College and other institutions will be running the University, the question does not arise that the land or any infrastructure of the varsity will go to any individual or any particular family, least to his own, as reported in section of media," stated Majithia. "We need to generate employment through professional courses thus the university degrees are must. If cities like Delhi or Hyderabad can have 7-8 universities why cannot Amritsar have two Universities," he said while rubbishing the statements that one city should have only one University. Meanwhile, KCGC honourary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said as per University Grants Commission (UGC), the country need 1,500 universities by 2020 and it has just 777 today. In the state of Punjab alone, eight private universities were established in the last five years, then why KCGC, which has the experience, financial back up and fulfil all norms required for the university as per state government and UGC rules and regulations, is being denied the opportunity to start institution of higher learning, he said. "Today when the KCGC wants to set up its own University, unnecessary controversies are being raised," he said. Chartered accountants' body ICAI is awaiting an in-principle approval from the government for its "completely revamped" course curriculum that is in tune with current economic landscape. The curriculum for the chartered accountants programme is revised every 10 years and the latest one has been prepared after long drawn consultations with stakeholders. "Our (revised) course curriculum is in advanced stage of getting approval from the central government. It is a completely revamped course curriculum... It has gone to the Corporate Affairs Ministry (for approval)," ICAI President Manoj Fadnis told PTI. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), set up under an Act of Parliament, comes under the Corporate Affairs Ministry. "It is an upgrade in 10 years. When we do it, we will look at what is the syllabus and how is it relevant with requirements of trade and commerce. The whole syllabus gets updated, with course corrections, new changes and (by incorporating) best practices worldwide," Fadnis noted. Post the Ministry's approval, the curriculum would be put up for public comments. After taking into account the comments received from various quarters, the final draft would be sent to the Ministry. Fadnis said once the final nod from the Ministry is received for the revised curriculum, then the same would be implemented in five to six months. Thousands of students are pursuing chartered accountants' programme and there are more than two lakh qualified chartered accountants. Terming infrastructure building as a major challenge, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said the country requires $1 trillion for the development of new roads, ports and airports over the next few years. Upgrading infrastructure is a major challenge for policy makers of the Asia's third largest economy and India needs about $1 trillion (about Rs 67,00,000 crore) for new roads, ports and airports over the next few years, Gadkari said. He said the NDA government is set to transform India's infrastructure and added there is no dearth of funds for this priority area. "Money is not a problem, mentality is. Unfortunately we have a demoralised bureaucracy," Gadkari said. Confident of removing bureaucratic hurdles in the way of road projects, the minister said companies in the sector are victims of the government's indecisiveness and the need for multiple approvals. He said the government had several rounds of discussions with bankers and contractors to clarify issues relating to land acquisition and project approval. "In the next five years we are going to change the infrastructure of this country. I know my work, I am doing it," he added. Building of infrastructure will add 2 per cent to the India's GDP growth, said the minister. Gadkari said his ministry is working on a target of 30 km of new roads per day by March 31 besides working towards achieving an ambitious target of 100 km a day. On the forthcoming Budget, the minister said he is expecting an increased allocation for his ministry to speed up road construction. He said the ministry expected additional Rs 1520,000 crore in the Union Budget for 2016-17, over the current year's outlay of Rs 45,000 crore. Gadkari, who is also the minister for waterways, expressed disappointment over the treatment accorded to Inland waterways. "My priority is waterways. We have a Rs 45,000 crore budget for roads, but only have Rs 1,000 cr for waterways," he said adding his government will focus on developing the sector. An Indian national has pleaded guilty in a US court on charges of running a multimillion- dollar illegal prescription drug operation over the internet. Zuned Sunesra, 35, hailing from Mumbai, pleaded guilty to the three conspiracy charges before a District Court in Pennsylvania. Prosecutors have requested that he should not be released on fears he could flee the country. Sunesra and his family operated a network of websites that from 2004 to 2014 were used to sell illegal prescription drugs to more than 40,000 customers around the world, including the US, prosecutors alleged. The websites were used to sell India-made Viagra, Celebrex, Cymbalta and other drugs not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the family's gross monthly sales were USD 400,000. They earned millions over the course of the scheme, prosecutors said. October 15, 2022, Saturday US President Joe Biden has said Pakistan is one of the most dangerous nations in the world as it has nuclear weapons without ... A 25-year-old Indian woman in the US has been sentenced to three years' probation for money laundering and faces imminent deportation for her role in an USD 170,000 phone scam in which thousands of dollars were netted from unwitting victims from 32 states. Nikita Patel worked as a "runner", picking up money sent by people. She fooled people into believing that they owed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) back taxes, according to authorities. She would take a cut for herself and then send the rest to India, where the fraudulent phone calls originated, Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Brian Lynch said on Friday. Patel was arrested with another runner, Akash S Patel last September. She has been sentenced to three years' probation for a charge of money laundering on Friday by Superior Court Judge Susan J Steele who said that frauds like the one perpetrated by her seem to be an endemic problem. Local prosecutors said scam involved 72 people in 32 states. Federal government has placed a deportation detainer on her. As a result she continues to be in jail. The Patels were originally charged with conspiracy to commit theft by deception, a second-degree crime. Nikita later pleaded guilty to third-degree money laundering, a media report said. Akash, 33, pleaded guilty to a third-degree theft charge in November. He was also sentenced to probation, according to court records. Lynch said yesterday that Akash, who is an Indian citizen, has since been deported. The inquiry committee, set up by Uttarakhand government to examine the controversial infertility medicine produced by Ramdev's pharmacy, has submitted its report which is "not in favour" of the Yoga Guru. The state government had formed the three-member committee last year to probe 'Putrajeevak Beej', an ayuvedic product which allegedly promises a male child. The report has been sent to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat and will be submitted to the Union government after he gives the go ahead, state's Principal Secretary, Health, Om Prakash, said. "The inquiry report on Putrajeevak medicine is not in favour of Ramdev. The report has been sent to Chief Minister Harish Rawat," Prakash said, while refusing to divulge the details. The product courted controversy when on May 1, Rajya Sabha MPs led by JD(U)'s K C Tyagi demanded a ban on it and sought stringent action against the manufacturer. The Centre had then directed the Uttarakhand government to launch an inquiry into the matter. However, Ramdev had rejected the allegations, saying the medicine helps in curing infertility in women and termed as "false and misleading" reports that it promises a male child. The committee, which was earlier headed by AYUSH Drug Controller PD Chamoli, however, gave a clean chit to Ramdev, saying that the nomenclature of the drug was in accordance with the ancient Ayurvedic books and literature. But, after the Chamoli committee report, the state government asked the DG Health and state law department to examine the matter and submit its report, which has turned out against Ramdev, Prakash added. ISIS has reportedly beheaded over 20 of its fighters in full public view for trying to flee a war zone in Iraq's Mosul city, sending out a chilling warning to in the terror group against desertion. Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) captured a group of its own militants who tried to escape the battlefront in Mosul city of Nineveh province, and executed them in public, Ara News reported. "The dissidents were arrested at a checkpoint in the vicinity of Mosul on Friday evening. After being identified as fighters who have left their positions at the fighting front in western Mosul, they were transferred to the Sharia Court for prosecution," a local source cited an ISIS "official" as saying. "Subsequent to a brief interrogation, the Sharia Court decided to behead the dissidents on charges of treason," the source was quoted as saying. Observers said the beheadings were made in a bid to terrorise ISIS members who may leave their posts in the war-torn region. The jihadis were beheaded in central Mosul in front of hundreds of people, mostly ISIS members and commanders, the report said. "Witnessing the brutal punishment has caused a state of panic among the members of the group," the source said. ISIS considers jihadis who leave their posts without permission as traitors and enemies of its so-called Caliphate. This is not the first time that ISIS has executed its own militants on charges of treason. Earlier, it was reported this month that ISIS militants who lost a key town to Iraqi forces were burned alive in full public view by their own men after they fled to the group's stronghold of Mosul. Several Mosul residents claimed that when the black clad jihadists made it to Mosul, over 400 km north of Ramadi city retaken by Iraqi forces, they were set on fire in the town's main square. They were reportedly made to stand in a circle and set on fire. In December, the extremist group had beheaded ten militant fighters "convicted of high treason" for evacuating their post at the battlefront without the group's permission. In November, ISIS executed 73 militant fighters for escaping battles with the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Shingal (Sinjar) district in northern Iraq, the report said. ARA News is an independent press agency reporting on local developments across Rojava, Kurdistan Region, Syria, Iraq and Turkey. The Islamic State terror group has warned Britain of an attack more severe than the Paris assaults, saying the country will receive the "lion's share" of the slaughter for its "declaration of war against Muslims". In the latest edition of its Arabic newspaper 'al-Naba' (The News), ISIS warns that the UK should be prepared for an attack more severe than in Paris last November which claimed 130 lives. According to 'The Sunday Times', the article eulogises Mohammed Emwazi, the British murderer dubbed Jihadi John who was killed by a US drone strike. It said "his words will never die" and that his message of slaughter did not end "with the blood of the soldiers of the caliphate who sent it to France in their own special way". Britain will receive the "lion's share" of the slaughter "in response to its declaration of war against the Muslims", the group said in reference to last month's UK Parliament vote on airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. An attack on Britain will be so severe, it claims, "that it will turn children's hair to white". The warning refers to a Quranic verse outlining the horrors of the Judgement Day. ISIS had released a video last week that featured nine of the Paris attackers, including ringleader Abdelhamid Abaaoud. By examining the montage frame by frame, 'The Sunday Times' has identified a string of potential targets, including Buckingham Palace and the National Gallery in central London. A palace spokesperson said, "We never comment on security matters." The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is visited by more than 6 million people a year. The fact that ISIS may have the gallery in its sights is reinforced by a new Europol report that says the terrorist group prefers "soft targets with a potential to cause mass casualties". "We routinely monitor and review our security procedures," the gallery said. Scotland Yard said, "We want the public to be alert, not alarmed. The current threat level across the UK from terrorism remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely." "UK police and security and intelligence services are working tirelessly to confront this terrorist threat and keep the public safe," it said. More than 50 people were killed and 110 others wounded today in three bomb blasts near the revered Shiite shrine of Sayyida Zeinab outside the Syrian capital Damascus, state media said. The blasts, which came as the UN's Syria envoy struggled to convene fresh peace talks in Geneva, tore a massive crater in the road, overturning and mangling cars and a bus and shattering windows. Syrian state media said more than 50 people had been killed in three blasts near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine, with some 100 people wounded. Official agency SANA said the first blast was caused by a car bomb that detonated at a bus station near the shrine. It said two suicide bombers then set off their explosive belts when people gathered at the scene. An AFP photographer said the explosions damaged the facade of a nearby building, scorching all of its six storeys. Sayyida Zeinab, south of Damascus, contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has continued to attract pilgrims from Syria and beyond, particularly Shiites from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, throughout the nearly five-year war. In the aftermath of this morning's attack, smoke rose from the twisted carcasses of more than a dozen cars and a bus, as ambulances ferried away the wounded and firefighters worked to put out blazes. In a statement circulated on social media, IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying two of its members had detonated suicide bombs. "Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120," it said. The area around the shrine has been targeted in previous bomb attacks, including in February 2015 when two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint. Also that month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people, in an attack claimed by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The area around the shrine is heavily secured with regime checkpoints set up hundreds of metres (yards) away to prevent vehicles from getting close. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, members of Lebanon's powerful Shiite militant group Hezbollah are among those deployed at the checkpoints. Early on, the group justified its intervention in Syria by citing the threat to Sayyida Zeinab. The Britain-based Observatory said 58 people were killed in today's blasts, among them 20 civilians, including children. It also said 25 non-Syrian Shiite militants were among the dead, without specifying their nationalities. More than 260,000 people have been killed in Syria's conflict, which has also displaced upwards of half the country's population internally and abroad. Bombings claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group have killed 71 people and wounded dozens more near a revered Shiite shrine outside the Syrian capital Damascus, a monitor said. The blasts, which came as the UN's Syria envoy struggled to convene fresh peace talks in Geneva from which IS is excluded, tore a massive crater in the road, overturning and mangling cars and a bus and shattering windows. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said 71 people were killed in two blasts near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine yesterday, including five children. The first blast was a suicide car bomb, followed by a second suicide bomber who detonated his explosive belt when a crowd gathered, the monitoring group said. Syrian state media earlier reported more than 50 people killed and over 100 injured in what it described as three blasts. Official news agency SANA said the first blast was caused by a car bomb that detonated at a bus station near the shrine, which both Iran and Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah have vowed to defend. It said two suicide bombers then set off their explosive belts when people gathered at the scene. An AFP photographer said the explosions damaged the facade of a nearby building, scorching all of its six storeys. Sayyida Zeinab, south of Damascus, contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has continued to attract pilgrims from Syria and beyond, particularly Shiites from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, throughout Syria's nearly five-year brutal conflict. Sunni Muslim extremist groups such as IS consider Shiites to be heretics and have frequently targeted them in attacks. In the aftermath of yesterday morning's attack, smoke rose from the twisted carcasses of more than a dozen cars and a bus, as ambulances ferried away the wounded and firefighters worked to put out blazes. In a statement circulated on social media, IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying two of its members had detonated suicide bombs. "Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120," it said. The area around the shrine has been targeted in previous bomb attacks, including in February 2015 when two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint. Also that month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people, in an attack claimed by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The area around the shrine is heavily secured with regime checkpoints set up hundreds of metres (yards) away to prevent vehicles from approaching. Israel's Cabinet voted today to allow non-Orthodox Jewish prayer at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, a move advocates said marked a historic show of government support for liberal streams of Judaism. The issue is of particular importance to the Jewish community in the United States, where the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism are dominant. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed the plan in an attempt to please American Jews, a key source of support for Israel, despite stiff opposition by ultra-Orthodox and religious nationalist elements in Israel who are key members of his own government. "I know this is a sensitive topic, but I think it is an appropriate solution, a creative solution," Netanyahu said at the start of today's Cabinet meeting, where members voted on the plan. According to the government plan, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, Israel will build a new plaza for mixed gender prayer at the Western Wall, adjacent to the Orthodox prayer plaza but separate from it. The Jewish Federations of North America, an umbrella group of Jewish communities, issued a joint statement with the Reform and Conservative movements calling the decision a "dramatic, unprecedented and critical acknowledgement" by Israel that the holy site should incorporate liberal Jewish prayer traditions. "Though much work regarding the implementation of this decision still remains, it is because of our perseverance and commitment to Jewish peoplehood that we are measurably closer today to the ultimate symbol of that reality - one wall for one people," the statement read. The Western Wall, a remnant of the ancient Jewish Temple complex, is the holiest site where Jews may pray. The site is administered by ultra-Orthodox rabbinic authorities, who have a monopoly over religious affairs in Israel. There are separate men's and women's prayer sections and non-Orthodox prayer, like mixed-gender services and women-led prayers, are forbidden. A leading women's prayer group, Women of the Wall, caused controversy for years by holding monthly non-Orthodox prayers at the site. Police arrested women carrying Torah scrolls and wearing religious articles traditionally reserved for men, practices ultra-Orthodox Jews oppose and consider a provocation. The Reform and Conservative movements of Judaism have supported the group's cause and demanded representation at the holy site. JD(U) and RLD are exploring the possibility of an umbrella alliance with Congress and some smaller parties in Uttar Pradesh for the 2017 Assembly elections after the JD(U)-RJD-Congress coalition inflicted a humiliating defeat on BJP-led NDA in the Bihar polls. Sources said RLD chief Ajit Singh had a meeting with JD(U) President Sharad Yadav a couple of days back during which the two leaders discussed the broad contours of a larger coalition against the BJP at a time when both SP and BSP, the two major parties in the state, have ruled out forging any alliance. The RLD chief had also discussed the issue with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Delhi last month when the latter was here for the launch of Yadav's autobiography. Peace Party chief Ayub Ansari had also met Nitish Kumar and JD(U) general secretary K C Tyagi to discuss the issue, sources said. Peace Party has its presence in Eastern UP, mainly in areas around Gorakhpur. Some clarity on such an alliance is likely to emerge in a day or two after JD(U)'s state executive meeting in Lucknow today, they said. Tyagi, a senior party leader from Uttar Pradesh who has been assigned the task of organising a joint rally of the RLD and JD(U) in western Uttar Pradesh said, "We are keen to be part of any anti-BJP campaign or front. "In any such campaign in western Uttar Pradesh, RLD is an important element. Any grand alliance minus RLD will not be successful in Western UP," he said. When asked whether the party is in talks with RLD on the issue of an alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Tyagi said, "We keep talking to RLD leaders. Nitishji and Sharadji have spoken to the RLD leadership". Sources in JD(U) said the party was also keen on forging an alliance with Congress in Assam, but the latter's state unit was not inclined. The JD(U) today announced it will back RLD candidates in the by-polls to three assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, a move that comes amid talk of the two parties exploring the possibility of forging an alliance for the state polls next year. Making the announcement, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav said doors were open for the formation of a grand alliance in the state for which "talks were on". "Our party will support RLD candidates on all three seats in the by-elections going to be held on February 13," Yadav told reporters after a meeting of the party's state executive committee. RLD chief Ajit Singh had a meeting with the JD(U) president a couple of days back during which the two leaders were reported to have discussed the broad contours of a larger coalition against the BJP at a time when both SP and BSP, the two major parties in the state, have ruled out forging any alliance. By-elections are scheduled for Bikapur, Muzaffarnagar and Deoband assembly seats. On the possibility of a "Mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) on the lines of Bihar ahead of 2017 assembly polls in UP, Yadav said, "Talks are on but nothing concrete has come up till now." In Bihar, JD(U) had formed a grand alliance with Congress and RJD, and dealt a major blow to BJP in the assembly elections. On Samajwadi Party's role in the future alliance, Yadav said, "We had made them leader of the Mahagathbandhan but they left it." The SP chief had walked out of the JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar and formed a third front to contest the polls. When asked whether SP had some tacit understanding with BJP, Yadav said he would not like to comment. Criticising the Narendra Modi government, Yadav said it had promised "acche din", which continued to be elusive. "Their promise of acche din is a distant dream. Youth are not getting employement, price rise is at its peak...Common man is facing hardships under the present dispensation," he said. On Hyderabad Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide, Yadav said it was a matter of "concern" that after so many years of Independence a young man had to commit suicide. "Bhimrao Ambedkar had converted to reform society, but nothing has changed and a youth Rohith had to commit suicide", he said. India's squash stars Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal made a winning start in the USD 50,000 Cleveland Squash Classic, a PSA World tour event. Both of them got past their respective first round opponents yesterday night to reach the quarters in the draw of 16. Sixth seeded Joshna survived a scare before beating the English qualifier Georgina Stoker 3-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-9 while Dipika, who is unseeded set aside the seventh seeded Low Wee Wern of Malaysia, in four games 11-2, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9. The highest-ranked Indian at 15, Joshna, faces top seeded Camille Serme of France while Dipika takes on former world junior champion Amanda Sobhy of US in the quarterfinals. Extending support to striking MCD workers demanding dues, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today hoped that "some solution" will emerge after the High Court hears the matter next week. "I support demand of protesting MCD employees that they shud get their full salaries. I hope some solution will emerge after Tue HC hearing," Kejriwal, currently in Bangalore for naturopathy treatment, said on Twitter. The Chief Minister also lauded personnel from the state's public works department (PWD) for working the "whole night" to clear garbage and urged AAP functionaries to help the department men. "I am told PWD people and trucks worked whole nite to clean up garbage. I wud urge all AAP volunteers to help PWD," he said on the micro-blogging site, urging the PWD to "keep it up". The Government had yesterday deployed hundreds of PWD workers to lift garbage from across the city as nearly 60,000 civic sanitation workers continued their indefinite strike demanding payment of dues amid a blame game over the issue between AAP and BJP, which rules the three municipalities. The strike was launched by sanitation workers on January 27, demanding timely salaries and payment of arrears. US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Syria's opposition and regime to play a full role in peace talks today, while accusing Bashar al-Assad's forces of starving civilians. "This morning, in light of what is at stake in these talks, I appeal to both sides to make the most of this moment," he said, in an online statement broadcast from Washington. While the top US diplomat aimed his remarks at both sides, his message was clearly directed at the opposition, which has threatened to leave Geneva even before talks start. The opposition High Negotiations Committee has demanded that humanitarian aid be allowed to flow to besieged towns before even engaging in indirect talks with Assad's envoys. Kerry urged them to drop their preconditions, but also had hard words for their regime foe, accusing Assad's forces of deliberately starving the beleaguered cities. "The town of Madaya is just an hour's drive from Damascus and yet its people have been reduced to eating grass and leaves," Kerry said. "How have the regime and the militias that support it responded? By planting landmines and erecting barbed wire to keep relief workers out," he said. Kerry said Washington had received credible reports that another 16 people had starved to death in the rebel-held, regime-besieged community over the weekend. But he described the opening of talks in Geneva under UN envoy Staffan de Mistura as a "pivotal phase" and described the HNC as representing an "inclusive opposition." And he urged both sides to negotiate "in good faith with the goal of making concrete measurable progress in the days immediately ahead. "The world is hoping both sides will move quickly to meet the needs of millions of desperate Syrians," he added. And he warned that if ceasefire talks fail the war will destroy what is left of Syria and leave the field open to recruiters from the Islamic State jihadist group. "Now, while battlefield dynamics can effect negotiating leverage, in the end there is no military solution to the conflict," he argued. "Without negotiations the bloodshed will drag on until the last city is reduced to rubble ... And that will ensure an increased number of terrorists, created by and attracted to this fight." Kerry, working with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the 17-nation International Syrian Support Group, was one of the principle architects of the Geneva talks. But he has so far made no plans to join the negotiating parties there, preferring to leave the "proximity talks" under the auspices De Mistura and the United Nations. Instead, he was to fly out of Washington later Sunday to Rome and a meeting of the core countries of the US-led military coalition fighting the IS group. And later in the week he is due in London for a conference of donors to the humanitarian effort in Syria. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has approved the proposal to introduce National Cadet Corps (NCC) as an elective subject in colleges and schools in the state. Director General, School Education and Secretary, Haryana Board of School Education, Bhiwani have been directed to introduce NCC as an elective subject in the curriculum of classes VIII, IX and X, an official spokesman said here today. He also said that the University Grants Commission has been urged to select at least one state University from Haryana where NCC may be introduced as an elective subject at under graduate level in the colleges. The spokesman said the Director General, Health Services, has been directed to provide free medical assistance to the NCC Cadets, if needed, during the camps. Government hospitals are already providing vaccination for Chicken Pox to the NCC Cadets, he added. Khap Panchayats are a "useful instrument" of society and carry out social reforms and one or two mistakes don't make them wrong as a whole, according to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Khap panchayats have a strength of their own, he stressed, adding there is no proposal to ban them. "They are not formed by the government. These Khap Panchayats are there for the last 800 years. These Panchayats have been made by the people of those areas only. They have carried out various social reforms such as fighting against dowry system, they worked for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and gender ratio," Khattar told PTI here. "I rather feel it is an useful instrument of society. It is not as if they indulge in something, which is wrong. Khap is a big Panchayat," he said. Time and again Khap Panchayats operating in various parts of North India have made headlines for their alleged encouragement to "honour killings and bizarre diktats", which drew flak from various quarters. On various controversies that have cropped up over Khap Panchayats' diktats, Khattar said, "One or two mistakes or incidents don't make Khap Panchayats wrong as a whole. Even human beings and institutions commit mistakes. Khap Panchayats have a strength of their own." Commenting on the issue of cow slaughter and consumption of beef, the Haryana Chief Minister said, "In our state we have banned cow slaughter and we had the support of Muslims MLAs also. The bill was passed unanimously in the state Assembly." The Haryana Assembly last year had passed the Gau Sanrakshan Avm Gau Samwardhan Bill-2015 Bill, which provides for a complete ban on cow slaughter in the state. When asked whether cow slaughter should be banned in states like Bengal, Khattar said, "I don't want to comment on it. In our place no one takes cow slaughter positively. On the achievements of his government, Khattar said, "The biggest achievement is to implement confidence building measure. The people now feel they will get justice. Now there is no scandal." "Corruption was high during the previous Congress rule in the state. We have improved law and order situation in the state. On the issue of corruption, we have zero tolerance. We have strengthened delivery system and ensured transparency," he said. Turning to the law passed by the Haryana government laying down some qualifications for contesting Panchayat elections as a part of its initiative to check corruption at grass roots level, he said, "The response has been tremendous. A new leadership has come up and corruption was eliminated." Asked whether he wants the Centre to pass similar laws for contesting elections in state Assemblies and Parliament, Khattar said, "I would support it if such an initiative is taken but, it is in the hands of the Centre to decide." Khattar, who was here in connection with holding a roadshow in the run up to "Happening Haryana-Global Investors Summit 2016" at Gurgaon in March, said the aim of inviting the industrialists of Kolkata was to give them the opportunity to expand their base in Haryana. "Our aim is to attract maximum investment in Haryana from across the country and abroad so as to ensure industrial development and provide maximum employment opportunities to the youth," he said. "We sought investments in agro-based industries, infrastructure, technology, IT and ITes, skill development and received good response here. We have no labour problems, have the proximity to Delhi and have land for setting up industries," he added. A Howrah-based jeweller, who was kidnapped from Kolkata two days ago, was rescued from Bihar's Gaya district today and two persons were arrested in connection with it. Senior Superintendent of Police Garima Mallik said the kidnapped jeweller, Laxmi Narayan Sao was rescued from a place under Vishnupad police station of Gaya today. A man and his son, native of Nagma village under Fatehpur police station of Gaya have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping. The kidnapped jeweller also hails from the same village. The jeweller's wife had registered a complaint with Howrah police about the kidnapping of her husband from near their residence in Howrah on Friday last. The SSP said the Howrah police have taken the jeweller and the arrested with them to Howrah. Brij Bedi, social activist and the husband of first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi, today died at a hospital in Gurgaon following a cardiac arrest. "Brij Bedi, 76, was suffering from cancer in the bladder, which affected his kidneys too. He was undergoing treatment for the past five months both in Amritsar and Delhi," Kiran Bedi told PTI. "He was airlifted from Fortis-Escorts in Amritsar and brought to Medanta - the Medicity Hospital on January 28 and admitted in the ICU," Bedi said. He died around 11 AM after cardiac arrest. Following her husband's death, Bedi tweeted, "City of Amritsar lost a man who loved his city the most. One who gave all his life to the cause of the needy. We will carry forward his service." "He loved his city, Amritsar. Worked passionately to make it better. He educated the children of fathers lost to drugs. He was very concerned about the problem of drug addiction in Punjab. He was a courageous voice for several causes," she tweeted. Brij Bedi also founded a school in Amritsar which provides education to around 600 children, whose fathers are drug addicts. He was a social activist, an avid photographer and a painter. Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay condoled the death of Brij Bedi saying, "He was a pious man who played an important role in allowing illustrious growth of Kiran Bedi", who was BJP's chief ministerial candidate in the 2015 Assembly election. (REOPENS DES63) Bedi's last rites will be performed in Amritsar on Monday. Brij Bedi and Kiran Bedi got married in 1972. They have a daughter. After the spread about his death, many BJP leaders from Haryana and Delhi visited to hospital. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has mourned the demise of Brij Bedi and said he would be remembered by the people for his philanthropic deeds and commitment to the service of mankind. He also expressed his sympathies for the bereaved family. As it hopes to feature among the top three smartphone players in India, Chinese firm LeEco today said it will advertise its products using Facebook's Immersive Canvas Mobile ads technology. "Technology giant LeEco is one of the first few advertisers to be selected to use Facebook Immersive Canvas Mobile ads, a new experience which allows advertisers to use a mix of videos, photos and other elements in new and compelling ways," the company said in a statement. "It's like an alternate version of a brand's website but will load more quickly and be more interactive because the content is native to Facebook," the statement said. "With canvas ads, we are giving advertisers a lot of flexibility to build the type of experience they feel best representing their brand identity, and ultimately achieving their business objectives," Fei Yu, Head of Industry Sales, Greater China, Facebook, was quoted as saying in statement. ALSO READ: LeEco enters Indian market with flagship smartphones "It is great to see LeEco being one of the first advertisers to embrace the new experience on Facebook."Chinese firm LeEco had earlier said it hopes to grab a spot among the top three smartphone players in India within this year, on the back of its disruptive technology. The company, which had launched three new handsets this month, had said that it would also bring its ecosystem of devices and services including televisions and smart cycles to the Indian market later this year. Budget carrier SpiceJet expects to address all its legacy issues, including those related to aircraft costs, in the next 2-3 quarters after tackling the low-hanging ones, its chief Ajay Singh has said. SpiceJet, which has remained profitable for four straight quarters, also plans to order over 100 aircraft in the current financial year and ramp up its headcount in tune with its expansion plans. "We have addressed the low-hanging issues. There is a lot of work that still needs to be done but now there is a lot of confidence among partners, vendors...," Singh told PTI. "We will take another two to three quarters (before addressing all these issues)," he said in response to queries on dealing with legacy issues at the airline. Singh took over the reins of SpiceJet from the Marans last year when the carrier was on the verge of closure. Under Singh's stewardship, there has been a marked improvement in the overall performance of the airline. Recording its highest ever profit number, SpiceJet posted a net profit of Rs 238.40 crore for the three-month period ended December 2015. Besides, the no-frills carrier has managed to reduce its debt burden by Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 800 crore. When Singh took over the reins early last year, the debt burden was around Rs 2,000 crore. As part of ambitious expansion plans, SpiceJet is in the process of inducting more planes as well as increasing headcount. The carrier is evaluating various options with respect to ordering new aircraft, Singh said. "We have received proposals from Airbus and Boeing... We have undertaken an extensive process of evaluation with regard to placing new aircraft orders," he said. On the number of planes that would be purchased, Singh said it could be more than 100. "The order is likely to be expected to be placed in this financial year itself but a final decision is yet to be taken," said Singh, who is the airline's chairman and managing director. Currently, SpiceJet has a fleet of 25 Boeing 737s, 14 Bombardier Q-400s and two Airbus A320s. "We are preparing ourselves (for expansion). The process for hiring pilots and cabin crew has already started," Singh said. The carrier has a headcount of about 4,000 people, including 350 pilots. A looter, Kuldeep Dungdung, who carried a reward of Rs 20,000 on his head, was arrested from Kolebira area of Simdega district, police today said. Addressing a press conference here today, Superintendent of Police, Rajeev Ranjan said Dungdung had been committing crimes since 2008 soon after he completed matriculation. He was involved in cases of road robbery, petrol pump loot in Simdega and adjoining Sundergarh district of Odisha. Police recovered a country-made pistol, two cartridges and a mobile phone from his possession, Ranjan added. Delhi Police has arrested a man, involved in more than 100 cases of ATM fraud in Delhi-NCR, from south Delhi's Mahipalpur area, police said today. Imran alias Bali (25), a native of Haryana, has been arrested by Delhi Police's Crime Branch, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav said. During interrogation, "the accused confessed of his gang's involvement in more than 100 cases of ATM fraud. Nineteen cases, registered at various police stations, have been linked to him so far. The other cases are being verified," police said. The accused told the police that the gang used to target ATMs with no security guard. The gang members would enter an ATM booth under the pretext of extending help to an unassuming customer. When the customer entered the amount to be withdrawn, one of the gang members would divert his attention and press the 'clear' button, police said. Another gang member would then enter the ATM booth and tell the customer that the ATM was not functioning. Believing his words, the customer would leave the booth without cancelling his last transaction and the gang members would withdraw the money. At times, the gang would discreetly observe the PIN number of a customer, exchange ATM cards with him under the pretext of extending help and withdraw the money from the latter's account, police added. A 37-year-old man killed his 67-year-old mother by hitting her with a wooden plank, used for washing clothes, in Dadar here today, police said. The incident took place around 7 PM when the accused Tejas Sanghvi, hit his mother Rekha at their house in Shivaji Park area in Dadar, Central Mumbai, a senior police officer said. The wooden plank, which he used to commit the crime, has been seized, he said. A case under relevant sections of the IPC has been registered at Shivaji Park police station, police said, adding Tejas has been detained and investigations are underway. A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by the district court here for raping his teenage step-daughter. Additional Sessions Judge U M Nandeshwar passed the judgement yesterday against the man, who is a resident of Bhiwandi taluka. Additional Public Prosecutor Ruma Navle told the court that the victim was raped in March, 2013 by her step-father in their house. After the incident, the traumatised girl fled the house and came to Kalyan train station here, from where she reached Dadar train station in Mumbai, she said. Some persons, who saw her wandering, enquired why she was there following which she told them about the ordeal. The girl was then taken to Sneha Sadan, a children's home, whose volunteers brought her to her residence, she said. There, she divulged the incident to her mother, following which a case was registered and investigation initiated, she said, adding the accused was arrested on April 3, 2013. Later, the victim's mother disappeared from the house, after which the girl was brought to Sneha Sadan again, she said. The prosecutor, stressing on the serious nature of the crime, demanded strictest punishment for the accused. The accused was held guilty under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on the convict, and ordered additional imprisonment of six months in case of default in payment of fine, she said. In the wake of strike called by the doctors of civic hospitals, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain today held an emergency meeting with senior officials from East and North Delhi Municipal Corporations to take stock of the situation and discuss solutions. According to Delhi government officials, Commissioners of the two civic bodies told Jain that doctors from MCD hospitals have not participated in the strike, a claim which was dismissed by an association of the medical staffers. "Jain had called the meeting to take stock of the situation. During the meeting, the Commissioners briefed him that MCD doctors have not participated in the protest and are performing their duties," a senior government official said. He added that Jain held parleys also with health department officials to discuss preparations in case MCD doctors go on indefinite strike. "Purpose of the meeting was to check preparations (to handle the situation) if MCD doctors go on indefinite strike and see that patients do not face problems in such a scenario," the official added. A MCD doctors' association though maintained they were continuing with their strike. "All the medical staffers including senior and resident doctors, nurses, para medical staff and other hospital employees are on strike. "We are working only in cases of emergencies, while stable patients are referred to other hospitals in view of the strike," president of Municipal Corporation Doctors Association Dr R R Gautam said. The civic doctors said they have been on indefinite strike in solidarity with sanitation workers since yesterday. Around 7,000 doctors and 12,000 nurses are ssaid to have joined the strike. Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio says he had a "great" meeting with Pope. The 41-year-old "Revenant" actor had a private meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Thursday with an intention to discuss the subject of protecting the environment and climate change, reported E! online. "It was great," DiCaprio said at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. During the 15-minute meeting, the actor presented the pontiff with a check from his environmental philanthropy foundation for the Pope to use for charity works, and gifted him with a book containing works by the painter Hieronymus Bosch. Mexican police arrested 22 suspected gang members and killed two others in an air-and-ground operation near the US border to stamp down on drug trafficking and people smuggling, authorities have said. Federal agents, having observed a property guarded by armed men in the border town of Sonoyta, just south of Lukeville, Arizona launched an operation to flush them out, the National Security Commission (CNS) said in a statement yesterday. When agents came under attack they returned fire, killing two men believed to be involved in smuggling drugs or undocumented immigrants, the statement said. Other suspected gang members laid down their arms and were arrested. The statement did not give the date of the operation nor did it name the criminal gang. But local media said the 22 belonged to the Sinaloa cartel of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the infamous drug kingpin who was recaptured by authorities on January 8 after a dramatic jail break. CNS said it appeared the property was used to store drugs and house immigrants until they could be smuggled into the United States. The authorities said that they had seized packets containing roughly 250 kilos (550 pounds) of what appeared to be marijuana, as well as 18 firearms -- 15 assault rifles and three handguns -- and an assortment of cartridges. The detainees were turned over to the state prosecutor's office. Because of its location abutting the US border, Sonora state has a heavy presence of drug cartels and is one of the most violent regions in Mexico. Over 5,000 police personnel are on security duty across the city in connection with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on February 2 to dedicate a Medical College attached to ESI and to address a party public meeting. The strong contingent has been drawn from nearby districts and also Chennai, as nearly 450 personnel will be on position in the vicinity of the Airport. Modi is arriving around 2.30 PM, police said. The Prime Minister will straight away drive from Airport to ESI, some six Kms away, where about 1,000-strong SPG and Quick Reaction Force will be deployed en route as part of the five-tier security, they said. The Government Guest House--Circuit House-- has also been brought under tight security, in case Modi needed a break, they said. Stating that a large number of personnel from intelligence wings are spread across the city since Thursday evening, after getting confirmation about the visit, police said that over 500 police personnel will be manning the traffic, which need diversion to facilitate the smooth movement of VVIP. Madhya Pradesh BJP has expelled Anwar Mev, former vice president of its minority cell in Tonkkhurd Mandal in Dewas district, days after he was charged with slaughtering a cow at his house and arrested. "We have expelled Mev from the party," state BJP spokesman Dr Hitesh Bajpai said. Mev and nine others are facing a criminal case under the Madhya Pradesh Cow Slaughter Ban Act and the IPC, according to Dewas additional superintendent of police Rajesh Raghuvanshi. Tension had prevailed in Tonkkhurd Nagar town after carcass of a cow was recovered from Mev's house in Maniyarpura locality on November 27, leading to protests by right-wing organisations. The district administration has also invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against Mev and shifted him to Ujjain central jail. Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha has said Mumbai will continue to be the headquarters of the Western Railway (WR). Sinha, who was on a two-day tour of Vadodara division, WR, told PTI yesterday, "Mumbai will continue to be the WR headquarters and the proposal to shift it to Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar (in Gujarat) has been rejected in the past. There arises no question to deliberate on the issue again." Sinha said the location of railway headquarters is decided on the basis of operational and administrative requirements, consistent with the needs of economy and efficiency and not on regional considerations. "Railways (Ministry) did not find the proposal feasible," he added. It may be noted that BJP MP from Ahmedabad West constituency, Kirit Solanki, last year had sent a proposal to the ministry on shifting the WR headquarters to Gujarat. Similar demand was also made during the tenure of former state chief minister Narendra Modi. The proposal to shift the headquarters from Mumbai has been strongly opposed by Maharashtra ruling ally, Shiv Sena which had even alleged that such a move is a "conspiracy" to weaken Maharashtra. The socio-economically backward, tribal dominated and Naxal-hit Ambagarh Chowki in Rajnandgaon district has set an example by becoming the first open defecation-free (ODF) development block in Chhattisgarh. As many as 151 villages of 69 village panchayats of the development block, located around 150 kms from state capital Raipur and having a population of around 1.05 lakh, have quit the traditional practice of defecating in the open after constructing toilets at home. "No one defecates in the open now in Ambagarh Chokwi area. Even if someone tries to do so, the vigilance committee set up at each village makes them aware about shunning the practice," Rajnandgaon Collector Mukesh Bansal told PTI. Not only is Ambagarh Chowki development block the first to become ODF, it is also leading among the Nagar Panchayats to achieve 'no open defecation', Bansal said. This has become possible with the efforts of women self- help groups (SHGs), local communities and public representatives along with district administration under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Activities like wall painting and catchy posters also played a crucial role in propagating the messages under the campaign, the Collector said. Ambagarh Chowki's neighbouring block Chhuriya, which is also a tribal-dominated area, is also expected to achieve the target of ODF by the end of next month, he said. According to statistics, nearly 500 villages under 200 village panchayats of Rajnandgaon district, the electoral region of state Chief Minister Raman Singh, have become ODF under the cleanliness drive campaign. The entire state is swiftly heading to meet the ODF target under the 'Swachh Bharat Mission', SBM's state consultant Rupesh Rathore said. Since the inception of the 'Clean India' mission in 2014, about 1,232 villages have been made open defecation-free and by the end of this year, around 5,000 villages across the state will be covered under it, Rathore claimed. As per a survey of 2012-13, only 17 lakh out of the 44 lakh rural households in the state had toilets. During the launch of SBM, the target was set to construct 26 lakh toilets by 2019, and of it around 1.50 lakh have been constructed so far, he said. On the measures being taken by the government under the SBM, he said, "'Navratna' (nine persons) have been nominated each at state, district, development block and village panchayat-level to generate mass awareness regarding Clean India campaign." Monitoring committees have been set up at various levels to keep a constant vigil on a village once it achieves the target of ODF, Rathore said. An extensive strategy has been devised to achieve the target of ODF within a stipulated time under SBM, he added. State-owned construction firm NBCC is aiming to increase its order book from Rs 17,000 crore to around Rs 1 lakh crore by the end of 2020. Bluechip navratna National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) had a turnover of around Rs 5,000 crore in the 2014-15 fiscal. "Despite the weak market, we are able to perform better and I am confident that it will continue in the coming years," NBCC Managing Director Anoop Mittal told PTI. Stating that NBCC has bagged big-ticket projects this year, he said the company's order book is expected to reach about Rs 40,000 crore by end of this fiscal from the current Rs 17,000 crore. "Now we are aiming that our order book by the end of 2020 should reach Rs 1 lakh crore," Mittal said. The company has broadly three areas of operations -- project management consultancy (PMC), real estate development and EPC contracting. Mittal, under whose tenure company achieved the feat of obtaining Navratna status, added that its PMC segment accounts for about 85 per cent of its annual revenues, while the other two segments are also doing well. The company is executing various major projects under the PMC vertical, its core strength. The areas covered under this segment include roads, hospitals, offices, airports and industrial and environmental structures, among others. Earlier this month, the state-run firm bagged a Rs 2,149- crore order from the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) for redevelopment of exhibition venue Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. Besides this, in November last year the company had bagged a Rs 5,828 crore redevelopment project from AIIMS, involving construction of 3,000 flats. NBCC has also ventured into overseas operations and opened an office in Oman. It has also signed an MoU with Al Naba Services LLC to jointly develop infrastructure projects in the Sultanate of Oman and neighboring countries. To further its prospects overseas, the company has also signed MoUs with Construction Industry Development Board Holdings, Malaysia and Form Yapi Malzemeleri Insaat Samayi Ticaret Ltd, Turkey. NBCC was listed on stock exchanges in April 2012 with a total market capitalisation of about Rs 1,270 crore. At present, its market cap is close to Rs 11,559 crore -- an increase of close to ten times within a span of just three years. 'High Definition Cameras through Radio Link' will soon be installed across the national capital to enable Delhi Police to assess traffic volume real time and capture images of even small objects causing obstructions on arterial roads, taking traffic monitoring in the city to a new level. "Delhi Police will soon have high definition CCTV cameras installed at 50 important locations connected to the traffic headquarters through direct radio link with the help of directional transmitters or receivers," a senior police official said. The quality of video streaming achieved with the help of High Definition Cameras through Radio Link technology is far superior in comparison to other technologies and will greatly aid the traffic police in monitoring live traffic situation across the city, said the official. "The high quality video will also help in detecting traffic violations at the chosen locations, thus promoting traffic discipline. The direct radio link (wireless) technology is cost-effective too and requires no recurring expenditure," the official said. Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander said the project has already been started on a pilot basis at five important locations which includes Dhaula Kuan, ITO junction and AIIMS, and the feeds received so far from four of the five chosen places have helped in traffic monitoring and regulation. "One particular camera is facing some technical issues and once it is fixed we shall plan further expansion of the project," he said, adding traffic in several developed cities, including New York, is regulated through a similar system. "The system involves high-definition cameras, which can capture not only registration numbers but also images of small objects obstructing traffic in close proximity. The system is specialised in traffic monitoring," Chander added. Earlier this month, Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi had said choppers will be used for round-the-year aerial surveillance in the national capital, mostly to monitor and regulate traffic during peak hours, by next year. The National Green Tribunal has directed the Uttar Pradesh government and its state pollution control board to apprise the public about pending proceedings as it may order shifting of polluting industrial units located on the banks of Ganga. The green panel also asked Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Water Resources to take a clear stand on all aspects of industrial and domestic sewage entering directly or indirectly into the river. "We direct UP government, UPPCB and the counsel for some of the industries that notice should be given by public advertisement and other ways informing them of the next date of hearing, as well as stating that the matter in relation to all aspects including the industrial clusters, which are the most serious source of pollution of Ganga, also could be directed to be shifted," a bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar said. It also directed Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, officers from the Jal Nigam and all other departments concerned to be present in a chamber meeting on February 4 at 3:00 pm for final deliberations prior to passing of the judgment on the stretch from Haridwar to Kanpur. The green panel had divided the cleaning work of Ganga into different segments -- Gomukh to Haridwar, Haridwar to Kanpur, Kanpur to border of Uttar Pradesh, border of Uttar Pradesh to border of Jharkhand and border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal. On December 11, last year, the tribunal had imposed a complete ban on use of plastic of any kind from Gomukh to Haridwar along Ganga with effect from February 1 while slapping a penalty of Rs 5,000 per day on erring hotels, dharamshalas and ashrams spewing waste into the river. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today hit out at opposition BJP as he sought to defend his government's decision to invite RJD chief Lalu Prasad for an official function. "They (BJP) are raising questions over Prasad's presence at the programme. Why should he (RJD chief) not come? He is a former chief minister and a leader of the ruling coalition," Kumar said after the programme. The chief minister said he was following the "gatbandhan dharma in letter and spirit" and his dispensation consults partners RJD and Congress on every decision. Invitation was extended to BJP and NDA leaders for the programme but they did not turn up, Kumar further said as he slammed BJP for "doing politics even in the work of development". "Some people have the habit of only speaking and not doing any work. The only work they do is to give statements in newspapers," he said in an apparent jibe at senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. Responding to the BJP's criticism of the event today that the foundation stone for the bridge across the Ganga was being laid for a second time, Kumar clarified that today's programme was for starting work. Prasad attended the function at Raghopur, his bastion, along with his minister sons Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap. Sushil Modi, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, had yesterday raised questions on the invitation to Lalu Prasad for the function. "What is the rationale behind inviting in an official programme a person who is neither a minister nor an MP or MLA and is out on bail in a fodder scam case?" BJP had said in a statement. Prasad, too, had hit out at BJP on this issue and said there was perfect understanding between himself and Kumar. "If Nitish Kumar wishes, then this government will run not only for the next five years but for 20 years. "Like I got the railways to shine during my tenure as its minister, Kumar is making Bihar shine through his good works," Prasad said in his address. Hitting out at BJP, Prasad said "they will not leave (their) old habits". The 9.76-km bridge over the Ganga, when completed, will connect Kachchi Dargah in Patna to Bidupur in Raghopur, the constituency of Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav. The project would take some load off Gandhi Setu, which is considered to be the lifeline between Patna and north Bihar, officials said. (REOPENS CAL2) Union Agriculture Minister and senior BJP leader Radha Mohan Singh, too, took a swipe at the ruling alliance over Prasad's presence at official functions. "There are three CMs in Bihar. One is 'super CM' (Lalu), another a CM (Kumar) and third is 'Deputy CM' (Tejaswi)," Singh told reporters here as he pointed to the RJD chief's presence at the government event today and at a function of homoeopathy doctors yesterday in place of his son Tej Pratap Yadav, the state health minister. Tejaswi Yadav, in his address at today's event, took potshots at BJP, saying, "They (BJP) have been raising controversy over this programme for the past 3-4 days. The bridge over Ganga is being built purely by the state government and if they (BJP) are getting a pain in their stomach, I can do nothing about that." Prasad said the construction of the bridge by 2020 would lead to a turnaround in Raghopur's fortunes as many industries and ancillary units would come up there as a result. The bridge would cost Rs 5,000 crore of which the Bihar government has raised Rs 3,000 crore through a loan from the Asian Development Bank, officials said. The BCCI top brass today did not give any reply to DDCA working president Chetan Chauhan's plea for a 10-day extension to get the required NOC for hosting the ICC World T20 matches at the Feroz Shah Kotla. "Yes, Chetan Chauhan had written to the BCCI top office-bearers asking for 10-day extension in which we would be able to procure all the compliance certificates. However today being last day for the deadline set by BCCI, there has been no response from their end," a senior DDCA official told PTI today. BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur had set January 31 as deadline for DDCA to get the required approvals from various authorities. However the DDCA officials feel that no response from BCCI could be because of the fact that both president Shashank Manohar and Thakur are in Dubai for the ICC board meeting. Meanwhile, the MCD engineers will be coming to the Kotla tomorrow to inspect the work being done by the association. Ontario's Premier Kathleen Wynne was today accorded a red carpet welcome at the Golden Temple here but was not offered the traditional 'Siropa' (robe of honour) by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee due to her views on same-sex marriages. Wynne paid obeisance at the shrine and also cooked food at the community kitchen. She was received by the senior staff members of Golden Temple, including special staff which usually receives the VVIPs during their visit to the holiest shrine of the sikhs. The Premier was presented a gold plated photo of Golden Temple along with a set of Sikh religious books by the Chief Secretary of SGPC, Harcharan Singh but was not offered the 'Siropa'. The SGPC had last evening announced that it would not offer her the 'siropa'. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said, "The SGPC's decision was correct not to offer her Siropa. To pay obeisance in the Golden Temple is everyone's right, but to give siropa to dignitaries, Sikh tenets need to be followed carefully." Former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti had issued an edict in 2005 against same-sex marriages. Same-sex marriages is a practice opposed by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. SGPC's senior Information officer Gurbachan Singh, who was accompanying Wynne during her visit in the shrine, said "The premier was also apprised about the Sikh history with regard to the Golden Temple." "The Ontario premier took keen interest in Sikh history," he added. Later, she also visited the 'Langar' (community kitchen) where she cooked food with rest of the devotees. In the visitor's book, the premier wrote that it was a very humbling experience to have visited the sacred place. On a 10-day business trip to India, Wynne is making a strong pitch for Indian companies to invest in her province. The number of Syrian refugees stranded on Jordan's border and waiting for permission to enter has risen to 20,000, with 4,000 to 5,000 more arriving in the remote desert area every month, the head of the UN refugee agency in the kingdom said today. In recent months, Jordan has permitted only several dozen refugees to enter each day, leading to rapidly growing crowds of Syrians, including women and children, who are stuck in two areas along the Syrian-Jordanian border. Jordanian authorities have cited security concerns for the bottle neck, saying many refugees come from areas controlled by the Islamic State group and need to undergo strict vetting. aid officials have urged Jordan to speed up the process and move refugees quickly to the UN-run Azraq refugee camp which is still more than half empty and could house thousands of newcomers. Andrew Harper, the refugee agency chief in Jordan, said today that he is working with Jordanian officials to provide the "most basic necessities" to refugees stuck in the desert. It's challenging because the nearest town is about 150 kilometers away, Harper said. The UN understands the Jordanian security concerns, but is also working with local officials to try to expedite the vetting, he added. Despite such efforts, the refugee agency is also preparing for the possibility of a continued rise in the number of refugees into the summer, at the current rate of 4,000 to 5,000 every month, Harper said. Earlier today, the head of Jordan's statistics department, Qasem al-Zoubi confirmed preliminary census results showing that 1.265 million Syrians live in the kingdom, or twice the number of registered Syrian refugees. The figures were released ahead of next week's annual Syria aid conference where Jordan will seek a significant increase in support to help it and other refugee host countries deal with the fallout from the five-year-old war. In appealing for more aid, Jordanian officials usually cite the total number of Syrians in the country, including those who arrived before the outbreak of the 2011 Syria conflict, often in search of work. The United Nations has registered about 635,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan since 2011. A shooting and stabbing at a large motorcycle show in the western US state of Colorado has killed one person and injured at least six others, officials said. The early afternoon incident in Denver prompted a precautionary lockdown at a local hospital where the wounded were taken. "During the disturbance, there were shots fired and at least one stabbing," Denver police spokeswoman Raquel Lopez told reporters yesterday. "We do have one deceased party and multiple other victims. At this time, we do not have anyone in custody." The Denver Post, describing the incident as a "shooting/stabbing melee," cited an anonymous witness as saying that the feud was started by rival biker gangs. The newspaper said the witness asked not to be named out of fear of retaliation. Lopez could not confirm that biker gangs were involved, saying an investigation into the incident was ongoing. The Denver Health Medical Center said its paramedics brought in seven people -- including one deceased. Of the six injured, three were in critical condition and three in serious condition, it said. It temporarily went into lockdown mode as a precaution but tweeted in the late afternoon that it had returned to normal operations. The Colorado Motorcycle Expo, held at Denver's National Western Complex, bills itself as one of the largest motorcycle events in the country. CPI-M today said the opposition in Kerala would intensify its agitation demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, both inside and outside the state assembly, following allegations against him in the solar scam. "If a person who is unfit to be in the CM's post, continues to be in that chair, we will oppose him. The opposition will intensify its agitation against Chandy both inside and outside the assembly once the session begins," Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI-M politburo member, who is leading the 'Navakerala yatra', said at Thrissur. Vijayan also slammed the UDF decision to reject the resignation submitted by Excise Minister K Babu, who had quit in the wake of the vigilance court registering FIR against him in the bar bribery case. Not accepting the resignation of K Babu and efforts to clear the way for the cabinet re-entry of K M Mani, who resigned as Finance minister after High Court made some strong observations against him, were part of strategic "self-defence" moves by Chandy, he alleged. BJP state President, Kummanam Rajesekharan, said the chief minister's decision to bring back Babu was against all "democratic principles and political ethics." Meanwhile, Kerala PCC President V M Sudheeran felt there was nothing wrong in Babu's return to the cabinet. The vigilance court's decision had become 'insignificant' in the wake of the High Court staying it, he said. After Solar scam accused, Saritha S Nair, had deposed before the Justice Sivarajan commission that Rs 1.90 crore had allegedly been paid to a close aide of Chandy and Rs 40 lakh to Power minister Arayadan Mohammed for favourable decisions for her Solar company, Vigilance court had directed filing of FIR against them. However, subsequently, the decision was stayed by the Kerala High Court. The Opposition had launched agitations in various parts of the state, demanding Chandy's resignation. The assembly session is to begin from February 5. Internationally acclaimed Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk has accused the European Union of turning a blind eye to the state of democracy in Turkey because of its cooperation in the migration crisis, media reported today. "They have forgotten all their values," Pamuk told the Hurriyet newspaper in an interview, referring to the EU, adding that the fight against the Islamic State group and the migrant crisis had "tied Europe's hands". Brussels reached an agreement with EU hopeful Turkey in November to encourage Ankara to keep refugees inside its territory, after a mass influx of migrants crossed into the EU last year, stoking tensions in several member states. The deal also gave new momentum to Turkey's years-long push to become a member of the EU, which had long been held up by several issues including its human rights record. Pamuk criticised the 28-nation bloc for ignoring Turkey's recent record in freedom of expression under the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP). "They are looking to us as they looked to Saudi Arabia once upon a time: If (Turkey) is doing what we want, we don't care what they do at home." Pamuk lamented recent developments in Turkey, including the detention of leading opposition journalists Can Dundar and Erdem Gul on charges of revealing classified information. The two journalists with the Cumhuriyet newspaper are facing multiple life sentences on charges of revealing state secrets in a report that alleged Erdogan's government tried to send arms into Syria. "I am a person who says 'let's talk about literature only' but it is no longer possible," Pamuk said. "You cannot sit and write your novel when Can Dundar is in jail." An advocate of Turkish membership of the EU, Pamuk said: "In democratic countries, people do not have to repeat like a parrot the opinions of the (party) that won the last election." The author, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2006, has just completed a new novel "The Red-Haired Woman," which will be released in Istanbul on Tuesday. Over 10,000 unaccompanied migrant children have disappeared in Europe, the EU police agency Europol said today, adding that it fears many have been whisked away into sex trafficking rings. Europol's press office confirmed to AFP the figures published in British newspaper The Observer. The agency's chief of staff Brian Donald told the newspaper that the figures are for children who disappeared from the system after registering with state authorities following their arrival in Europe. "It's not unreasonable to say that we're looking at 10,000-plus children," Donald said, adding that 5,000 had disappeared in Italy alone. "Not all of them will be criminally exploited; some might have been passed on to family members. We just don't know where they are, what they're doing or whom they are with." Over one million migrants and refugees, many fleeing the conflict in Syria, crossed into Europe last year. Europol estimates that 27 per cent of them are children, the Observer said. "Whether they are registered or not, we're talking about 270,000 children," Donald told the paper. "Not all of those are unaccompanied, but we also have evidence that a large proportion might be," he said, adding that the 10,000 is likely to be a conservative estimate. The Modi government's vision of creating 100 smart cities will require an investment of over USD 150 billion over the next few years with private sector being a significant contributor, says a report. According to Deloitte, nearly USD 120 billion will come from the private sector. The government has already initiated two programmes with an initial outlay of USD 7.513 billion for 'Smart Cities Mission' and the 'Atal Mission for Rejuvenation of Urban Transformation (AMRUT)' for the upgradation of 500 existing cities. "Even as funding for these smart cities is an area of concern, the major challenges remain with respect to the development of smart cities project management, government decision making and policy and regulatory framework," Deloitte India Senior Director PN Sudarshan said. The government recently announced the list of first 20 cities to be developed as 'smart cities' with Bhubaneswar topping the list followed by Pune, Jaipur, Surat, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Jabalpur, Vishakapatnam, Sholapur, Davangere, Indore, New Delhi, Coimbatore, Kakinada, Belagavi, Udaipur, Guwahati, Chennai, Ludhiana and Bhopal. While several cities have made incremental investments in smart solutions, the challenge will be to replicate these on a larger scale, he said. According to the study, in 2016, service providers and over-the-top content providers will invest heavily in city- wide Wi-Fi networks which will be the back-bone for smart city services. "As smart solutions are heavily dependent on ICT, service providers will play a significant role in smart cities. In 2016, service providers will participate in (and lead in many cases) consortiums for responding to RFPs for smart/digital solutions for various city and state governments," Sudarshan said. Reliance Jio is likely to roll out Wi-Fi services across over 50 cities in 2016. Similarly, Bharti and Vodafone are deploying Wi-Fi through a joint venture company, Firefly. Facebook is working with BSNL to deploy Wi-Fi in 100 areas in rural India, while Google has announced a partnership with the railways to provide hotspots in 400 railway stations by 2016. "Over the next 10-15 years, these cities will emerge as key technology, economic, and social hubs for the country. We believe that service providers that expect to be serious players in smart cities will take a center-forward position in leading consortiums in the development of smart cities," he added. IPS officer Dattatray Padsalgikar today took charge as the new Mumbai Police Commissioner. "I have worked in Mumbai long time ago and several things has changed. The city being a dynamic and a mega-polis, (it) has several challenges," he told reporters here. "In this regard, the police personnel have to always be alert to deal with the problems arising day in and day out", Padsalgikar, a 1982 batch officer, said. He took over from outgoing Police Commissioner Ahmed Javed, who is set to head to Saudi Arabia as its Ambassador after he retired from police serive today. Speaking on terror outfit ISIS, Padsalgikar said, " Considering the threats of ISIS, an awareness about such organisation should be among everyone." "The youths should be alert (about) what they are offered and how they are lured into the trap of terrorism. The parents, teachers and other people should also be educated about ISIS and should be told to inform the police if they notice anything with regard to their children," he added. "From police's side, we have to identify the indoctrinated youths, the recruiters and take appropriate action, which will be done in near future," Padsalgikar added. The top cop praised the lower level and middle level rank officers saying, "these cops has lots of pressures to deal and they work a lot in reality than the higher ups. A Pakistani court will finally hear from Wednesday a petition to prove the innocence of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in the murder case of a British police officer, nearly 85 years after his execution by the colonial government. Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice Ijazul Ahsan constituted a division bench headed by justice Khalid Mahmood Khan to hear the case from February 3. The petition was last heard by justice Shujaat Ali Khan in May 2013, when he referred the matter to the chief justice for the constitution of a larger bench. Advocate Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi, chairman of the Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation, had in November filed a plea in the LHC for early hearing of the matter. In the petition, Qureshi said Bhagat Singh was a freedom fighter and fought for independence of undivided India. The case was filed against Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru for allegedly killing British police officer John P Saunders. Singh was hanged by British rulers on March 23, 1931 at the age of 23, after being tried under charges for hatching a conspiracy against the colonial government. He said Singh was initially jailed for life but later awarded death sentence in another "fabricated case". The petitioner further said Bhagat Singh is respected even today in the subcontinent not only by Sikhs but also Muslims as the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah twice paid tribute to him. "It is a matter of national importance and should be fixed before a full bench," he said and pleaded the court to set aside the sentence of Singh by exercising principles of review and order the government to honour him with state award. In 2014, Lahore police provided the copy of the original FIR of the killing of Saunders in 1928 to the petitioner on the court's order. Singh's name was not mentioned in the First Information Report of the murder of Saunders for which he was handed down death sentence. Eighty three years after Singh's hanging, Lahore police searched through the record of the Anarkali police station on court's order and managed to find the FIR of the murder of Saunders. Written in Urdu, the FIR was registered with the Anarkali police station on December 17, 1928 at 4.30pm against two 'unknown gunmen'. The case was registered under sections 302, 1201 and 109 of Indian Penal Code. Petitioner Qureshi said special judges of the tribunal handling Singh's case awarded death sentence to him without hearing the 450 witnesses in the case. Singh's lawyers were not given the opportunity of cross-questioning them, he said. "I will establish Bhagat Singh's innocence in the Saunders case," Qureshi said. A Palestinian detained by Israel and on hunger strike for over two months has lost his ability to speak and most of his hearing, his lawyer and family said today. Mohammed al-Qiq's condition is "very dangerous. He lost his ability to speak and 60 percent of his hearing," his lawyer Jawad Boulus said in a statement. Boulus visited Qiq today at the Emek Medical Centre in the northern Israeli city of Afula, where he is being treated. Speaking at a press conference, Qiq's wife Faihaa said doctors had told her family that her husband could no longer speak. "What are they waiting for in order to release my husband or look into his arrest?" she asked, and answered: "Until he suffers a brain haemorrhage or becomes a martyr." Spokeswomen for the hospital and the Israel Prison Service would not comment on the reports. Qiq, a 33-year-old father of two and a correspondent for Saudi Arabia's Almajd TV network, was arrested on November 21 at his home in the West Bank city of Ramallah. He is being held under Israel's controversial administrative detention law, which allows the state to hold suspects for renewable six-month periods without trial. He has been refusing food since November 25 in protest against the "torture and ill treatment that he was subjected to during interrogation", according to Addameer, a Palestinian rights organisation. He has appealed against his internment but Israel's Supreme Court refused to order his release on January 27 although it said it would follow his health on a daily basis. Shin Bet, the Israeli domestic security service, says Qiq was arrested for "terror activity" as part of the Islamist group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. Qiq was jailed for a month in 2003 and then for 13 months in 2004 for Hamas-related activities. In 2008, he was sentenced to 16 months on charges linked to his activities on the student council at the West Bank's Birzeit University. Signalling that Budget session is unlikely to be a smooth affair, Congress today latched on to BJP leader Yashwant Sinha's comments to accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "not believing in dialogue" and blamed it for the "confrontation" between the government and opposition. "The Prime Minister does not believe in dialogue. He likes one way communication, be it with his organisation or with the media. Even inside Parliament, he does not believe in discussion," senior Congress spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters "His mindset is responsible for the atmosphere of confrontation. His arrogance and obstinacy are responsible for the situation of confrontation between the government and the opposition," he alleged. Sharma, who is also the deputy leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha, claimed that the Prime Minister has not made any effort in the past 20 months since coming to power to usher in an atmosphere of constructive cooperation by taking into confidence the opposition and its leaders. "His style of functioning, his concentration of decision making is proving detrimental to parliamentary democracy,"he said, adding that it was a matter of concern. Sharma's remarks came in response to queries on senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha comments made at a conference in Goa yesterday which indicated that he was critical of Modi though Sinha today contended that his remarks had been "completely misunderstood" and misinterpreted. During the discussion, Sinha was asked about the present day culture of "I, me, myself" and what was the use for dialogue in such case. The former minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government replied that elected representatives including to Parliament and Assemblies have to continuously go back to the people who elect them. Sinha then referred to the Emergency of 1975 and said the country knew what happened to the "most concerted effort in our country to still the voice of dissent". "We all know how the people of India reacted. So, there would be aberrations here, aberrations there, we might be very concerned about the present situation because some of these things according to us are taking place. "But the great Indian society will take care of it and will consign to the dust those who do not believe in dialogue in India. The people of India will consign him to the dust, you just have to wait for the next elections," Sinha said yesterday, without naming Modi. Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi took to twitter to take a dig at the BJP over Sinha's remarks. "A party which has people like Shatru, Kirti, Yashwant and Joshi, does not need any opposition," he remarked in apparent reference to Shatrughan Sinha, Kirti Azad, Yashwant Sinha and Murli Manohar Joshi. In an apparent dig at the Prime Minister, he said in another tweet, "Due to the democratic structure put up by Congress in 68 years, people not believing in democracy are today occupying the top posts". Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra turned heads at the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards red carpet wearing a strapless Monique Lhuillier mermaid gown with pink and white lace designs on top and beige helm. Sporting her 'favourite' hair updo, the 33-year-old "Quantico" actress completed her look with jewellery from Kimberly McDonald and an Edie Parker clutch. Later Priyanka took to the stage with actor Pedro Pascal, to present the award for outstanding male actor in a drama series. The actress is currently in Montreal, Canada, shooting the second season of the ABC thriller series. Radical extremists today are countering Mahatma Gandhi's teachings with "hate, violence and war", an eminent Indian-American entrepreneur said as he cautioned community members that such ideology could make democracy a distant memory. "Without Mahatma Gandhi,there would have been no Republic Day for India and without his influence on others, the United States and the world would be a far different place," said entrepreneur and philanthropist Frank Islam in his key-note address to the India Republic Day celebrations here as community members gathered in large numbers. "As you know, Gandhi's teachings centred on love, non- violence and peace. In 2016, radical extremists are countering Gandhi with preachings of hate, violence and war. If they are successful, Republic Day in India and in places around the world that celebrate democracy will become a distant memory," Islam said. 63-year-old Azamgarh-born Islam was awarded the Uttar Pradesh Ratna Award earlier this month to recognise his achievements and outstanding contributions in a foreign country. Indian-Americans, with their connections to both India and the US, should try to understand that values of a free society can prevent that apocalyptic vision, said Islam. "This is our responsibility as concerned citizens. It is my responsibility. It is your responsibility. It is our responsibility as citizens with connections to two great nations and republics - India and the United States," he said. Islam founded IT firm QSS in 1994 with him as the sole employee and expanded it to over 2,000 employees and sales of USD 300 million before selling it in 2007. He has donated USD 2 million to alma mater Aligarh Muslim University for construction of a new school of management, and currently heads the FI Investment Group, a private investment holding company that he established in 2007. The event was organised by National Council of Asian Indian Associations in partnership with over 15 community organisations representing a cross-section of the Indian- American Community. Following the inputs provided by the visiting police team from Vizag in Andhra Pradesh, the city police today conducted raids at some undisclosed locations of the state to unearth further links and fortunes of the arrested mafia Dhalasamanta brothers. Booked under several criminal cases, Sushil Dhalasamanta and his elder brother Sushant were arrested by the Commissionerate police on Friday. After multiple raids at their houses and offices located in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, the police so far have seized huge cache of arms and ammunition and stacks of currency notes. While a police team went to Vizag yesterday, more teams would leave for Kolkata, Mumbai and Bengaluru soon as it has already been established that the brothers had business links in these cities. A top police officer confirmed of the raids conducted today but, refused to divulge the details in view of the ongoing investigations. At least four to five persons, believed to be close associates of the brothers were now being quizzed by different police stations of the city, a senior police official said. "We are now verifying the seized bank and other property documents to establish the sources and modus operandi by which the brothers were able to make such a huge fortune," he said confirming no fresh arrests have been made in this connection yet. He also refused to comment whether any more cash or weapons have been seized during the raids today. Meanwhile, endorsing the recent achievement of the Commissionerate police, DGP K B Singh said the state police have now changed its crime-control strategy and would make all out effort to come down heavily on tender and transport mafias. "Our strategy has now changed. Instead of waiting for the crime to happen, we will now identify the criminals first and chase them, so that they are not able to commit any further crime," the DGP told a local TV channel. Possessing barely 1.6 per cent of water resources of the country, the desert state of Rajasthan has launched a 'people's movement' to recharge its scarce natural resource through the ambitious Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan. MJSA, started by the Rajasthan government, aims at making every village self-reliant in water and increasing productivity of the land. More than 3,000 villages will be covered under the campaign in four years in different phases. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who kicked off the first phase of the campaign from her constituency Jhalawar, noted that many stakeholders like private individuals, NGOs, corporates, social, religious and even caste organisations have been roped in for the initiative. "Water scarcity is one issue that is common among all strata of the society. That is why this campaign is a mass movement, wherein everybody feels connected to the issue. They are welcome to lend their support in kind, labour or money. "For a state that receives very low amounts of rainfall and even the little rain that does fall is concentrated in just 3-4 months every year, a campaign like this is the need of the hour. We have combined the traditional knowledge systems as well as the modern technology to devise a water conservation plan that will make our villages self-water reliant," she told PTI. The MJSA was envisioned after studying a similar pattern adopted by Maharashtra, where eight water scarce districts saw a turnaround after adopting this model. The first phase of the campaign estimated to cost Rs 3,568 crore will end on June 30. Construction of minor irrigation tanks, canals, pipelines for drinking water, check dams, afforestation on wastelands, plantation and pasture development are some of the water conservation interventions planned under the campaign. Under the project, the state government has, for the first time, taken the help of crowd-funding. "Out of the Rs 3,568 crore meant for the MJSA, the government has pooled in Rs 2,400 crore. We still have a gap of Rs 1,200 crore. Here is where the people pitch in. Rajasthan has not been entirely swept away by the waves of modernization yet. Thus, the mantle to make the state water sufficient lies with its people, more than any establishment," Anurag Bharadwaj, Director, Watershed Development said. Sriram Vedire, Chairperson, Rajasthan River Basin and Water Resources Planning Authority, said the areas covered under the drive were selected by remote sensing. "A lot of planning went into the selection of areas under the programme. For instance, in a village, the nature of conservation work is decided by taking stock of the usage of water like for drinking, irrigation, livestock and other commercial purposes. Technology, like remote sensing and mapping, came in handy to decide on the water-starved areas," he said. Talking about the hurdles faced by the government in executing the plan, Vedire noted there was a clear lack of convergence among various government departments. "Many water conservation schemes have been implemented in the state before. But most of them remained localised and were never taken up holistically. The MJSA aims at plugging all these lacunae. The CM has directed 9 cabinet ministers to look into the various aspects of the campaign," he said. The BJP government raised Rs 7 crore from various stakeholders on the first day of the campaign at Jhalawar. The state police donated another Rs 8 crore by contributing a day's salary of its personnel. The donors include village heads, retired school teachers, youth, social workers, students and trading companies. Various organizations pledged free supply of machinery, labour and other support. Vijender Singh, a retired government school teacher from Gardankheri village here contributed Rs 51,000 to the campaign's kitty. "Water problem in Rajasthan is huge. Farmers do not have water for irrigation. Women have to walk kilometers to fetch a jug of water even in the modern times. I am hopeful that the government's water conservation drive would bring positive results," he said. Mullah Yusuf Ali from Dawoodi Bohra Samaj, who contributed Rs 1 lakh, said an initiative's success is measured by the people's participation. "The CM convinced us that such a drive can be the answer to our water woes," he said. The Chief Minister noted that the government wished to link the rivers through the watershed programmes that would be executed as part of the campaign till June 30. "Inter-linking of rivers was the dream of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We will fulfil his dream with this initiative," she said. On being asked about accountability in execution of the campaign, the CM said she would make surprise visits to all the villages where the watershed programmes are being implemented. The district authorities have also been asked to submit timely reports about the progress of the work. "Rajasthan is the only state to take forward e-governance beyond the administration's sphere. We maintain a record of every penny of the MJSA campaign on our website," she said. "Harry Potter" author JK Rowling has revealed the name of the wizarding schools in several locations from around the world. As seen on a map shared on Rowling's Facebook page, the wizarding school in North America is called Ilvermorny and is located on the north-eastern part of North America. In South America, the school is called Castelobruxo. The school in Africa is Uagadou, which is the largest of all wizarding schools, and wizards in Asia go to Mahoutokoro wizarding school, reported Ace Showbiz. The author noted on Pottermore.Com that "as a general rule, magical schools tend to be situated in landlocked, mountainous areas (although there are notable exceptions, as will be seen), as such regions are difficult for Muggles to access, and easier to defend from Dark wizards." She added, "The precise location of each of the following schools is a closely guarded secret. Serious security lapses were responsible for the deadly Taliban attack on the Bacha Khan University, a probe panel has found, recommending the removal of the Pakistani varsity's vice-chancellor and security chief. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's provincial government had set up a three-member committee to probe the January 20 assault on the university - named after the iconic Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan - in Charsadda that killed 21 people, including 19 students. The committee held the university's vice chancellor Fazal-ur-Rahim Marwat and security in-charge Ashfaq Ahmed responsible for "serious lapses in the security management" and recommended their removal. They were also held responsible by the committee for their failure to take any security aspect into consideration. The "university leadership failed its students and employees at all levels," the committee said in its report. According to the report, though preventative security measures including observation posts were in place and CCTV cameras installed but there was no central control room for monitoring the cameras. The committee found that the cameras installed at the point from where the terrorists scaled the campus wall were facing the wrong direction. It said the security staff at the university were not trained and most of them were employed on daily wages. The committee filed its report based on oral and written statements of the staff, and also reviewed the available data and evidence. The attack revived memories of the horrific December, 2014 Taliban strike on an army-run school in the nearby city of Peshawar that killed 150 people, 144 of them children. Taliban militants have often threatened to target Pakistan's educational institutions. El Salvador's former president Francisco Flores has died, officials in his political party announced, days after he slipped into a coma following a massive stroke. "We mourn the death of president Francisco Flores, and express solidarity with his family at this time," read a message issued from the Twitter account of his rightist National Republican Alliance (ARENA) party. The announcement of the death of Flores, 56, who led the Central American country from 1999 to 2004, comes as he faced a corruption trial on charges of stealing USD 15 million donated by Taiwan for victims of a 2001 earthquake. Flores turned himself in to authorities in 2014 to face the allegations, which he steadfastly denied. The former president, who was under house arrest at the time of his death, was rushed to a hospital the previous weekend after suffering a stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body, and slipped into a coma from which he never awakened. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu today voiced support for Syrian opposition figures who have travelled to Geneva for UN-brokered peace talks. "We share the same position which consists of supporting our Syrian brothers directly or when they take part in international meetings," Jubeir said in Riyadh at a joint conference with Cavusoglu. Turkey's top diplomat echoed him, saying: "We back demands for a truce and for sending humanitarian aid" to besieged towns in Syria as requested by the opposition. The opposition Higher Negotiations Committee had threatened to boycott the talks involving Syrian government representatives which opened Friday in Geneva unless a host of conditions was met. A delegation from the HNC arrived late yesterday in the Swiss city and today some members met UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. "We only came to Geneva after written commitments on the fact that there would be serious progress on the humanitarian issues," HNC spokeswoman Basma Kodmani told reporters. "We are here for political negotiations but we cannot start those until we have those gestures," she said. Saudi Arabia and Turkey are both opposed to the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad and have called for his removal from power. Today's joint Saudi-Turkish conference came as Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu wrapped up a three-day visit to the oil-rich kingdom and met King Salman. Jubeir told reporters that Riyadh and Ankara have agreed to set up a "strategic cooperation council" to coordinate their positions, including in "the battle against terrorism, politics, security and military affairs". Saudi authorities have arrested nine American citizens among 33 "terror" suspects rounded up over the past days, media reported today. Four Americans were arrested on Monday and five others over the past four days, the Saudi Gazette newspaper reported citing an unidentified source. The arrests also included 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, an Emirati, a Kazakhstan national and a Palestinian, the paper said. It did not say if any of the "terror suspects" was linked to the Islamic State group, which has claimed several deadly attacks against security forces and Shiites in the kingdom in recent months. On Friday, a suicide bomber attacked a Shiite mosque in Eastern Province killing four people before worshippers disarmed and tied up his accomplice who had fired on them. IS, a radical Sunni group that considers Shiites heretics, did not claim that attack. The Saudi Gazette said some 532 IS suspects accused of plotting attacks in the kingdom are being questioned ahead of their trial at the criminal court in Riyadh. They are members of six cells arrested in "pre-emptive" raids across the kingdom and include a Saudi woman and a Filipina, the paper said. Also today, the Saudi interior ministry said they were searching for nine suspects allegedly involved in an August suicide bombing that targeted a mosque inside a police headquarters, killing 15 people. IS had claimed the attack in the southern city of Abha. The ministry said in a statement that three other suspects, including a member of the kingdom's special forces, had been arrested in connection with the Abha mosque bombing. The oil-rich kingdom offered rewards between one million riyals (USD 276,000) and seven million riyals ($1.87 million) for anyone who helps in the arrest of a suspect or thwarts an attack. A major fire today gutted a godown of a sawmill at Seuli village in North 24 Pargans district. The 3,000 sq feet godown packed with logs caught fire at about 2.30 AM and four fire tenders fought for about nine hours to control the flame, fire brigade officials said. Two employees of the mill sustained minor injuries when they tried to douse the fire initially. The cause of the fire was being ascertained, the officials said. A controversy erupted today over whether Canada's Ontario province Premier Kathleen Wynne was presented a Siropa when she visited the Golden temple here, with SGPC authorities denying extending such an honour, while the Canadian High Commission released a photograph of her with the traditional Sikh robe. The Golden Temple authorities rolled out the red carpet for Wynne, who paid obeisance at the holiest of the Sikh shrines and also cooked food at the community kitchen. However, according to Golden Temple's Information Officer Gurbachan Singh, she was not presented the Siropa, the traditional robe of honour, a gesture usually extended to dignitaries visiting the shrine. The SGPC had last evening announced it would not offer her Siropa because of her views favouring same-sex marriages opposed by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh religion. "No Siropa was presented to Wynne," Gurbachan Singh said. However, the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi released a photograph of Wynne in the evening with the Siropa. Besides Gurbachan Singh, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee Chief Secretary Harcharan Singh was also seen in the photograph. When asked to comment on it, Gurbachan Singh said,"The photograph is morphed." Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said, "The SGPC's decision was correct not to offer her Siropa. To pay obeisance in the Golden Temple is everyone's right, but to give siropa to dignitaries, Sikh tenets need to be followed carefully." Former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti had issued an edict in 2005 against same-sex marriages. Courtesies were, however, extended to Wynne when she arrived at the temple, with senior staff members, including special staff which usually receives the VVIPs during their visit, welcoming her. The Premier was presented a gold plated photo of the Golden Temple along with a set of Sikh religious books by SGPC Chief Secretary Harcharan Singh. Gurbachan Singh, who showed Wynne around, said "The premier was also apprised of the Sikh history with regard to the Golden Temple. The Ontario premier took keen interest in Sikh history." Wynne later wrote in the visitor's book it was a humbling experience for her to visit the shrine. Canada has a sizeable Sikh population and three members of the community were sworn-in as ministers in the Justin Trudeau cabinet last year. A Palestinian opened fire at a checkpoint near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank today, wounding three Israelis before being shot dead, officials said, the latest in four months of violence. The Israeli army said a shooting attack had occurred near the Beit El settlement, close to Ramallah. Israeli medics said two of the three wounded had serious injuries. "A gunman opened fire near Beit El, north of Jerusalem," the Israeli military said in a statement. "Forces at the scene responded to the attack and shot the assailant, resulting in his death. Three Israelis were wounded and are being evacuated for emergency medical treatment in hospital." It was not immediately clear whether the victims were civilians or members of the security forces. An AFP journalist saw the body of the Palestinian man killed near the checkpoint. A silver car apparently used in the attack was next to the body. The car had plates seeming to indicate it belonged to the Palestinian government. A Palestinian intelligence source said Israeli authorities had informed them that the man, Amjad Abu Muamar, around 30 years old, worked as a bodyguard for the Palestinian attorney general's office. Palestinian ambulances sought to move toward the body, but were prevented from doing so by Israeli soldiers. A wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks erupted in October. Most of the attacks have been stabbings, though shootings have occasionally occurred. The violence has killed 25 Israelis, as well as an American and an Eritrean, according to an AFP count. At the same time, 160 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, most while carrying out attacks but others during clashes and demonstrations. Some analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israel's occupation of the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have helped feed the unrest. Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a main cause of the violence. Many of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own. International efforts to halt the violence have so far failed. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Friday his country was looking to revive plans for an international conference aimed at bringing about the two-state solution. Should efforts to breathe life into the moribund peace process fail, France would move to unilaterally recognise Palestine as a state, Fabius said. As the fight against black money continues, Switzerland has said cooperation with India on tax matters has made significant progress with regular contacts between officials from the two sides. India and Switzerland have been working closely on mutual administrative assistance on tax matters and both sides have expressed their willingness to step up the cooperation. Swiss government has said there has been a regular dialogue at various levels since 2014. These dialogues have contributed to better understanding and significant progress in cooperation on tax matters, the European nation said in the latest report on 'international financial and tax matters'. When it comes to cooperation on tax matters, India is one of the four important partners for Switzerland. Other countries are the US, France and Italy. Prepared by the Swiss Federal Department of Finance, the report provides information on activities in the areas of financial market regulation, engagement in international financial bodies and international tax policy in 2015. It also gives an outlook on upcoming challenges. The report was approved by the Swiss Federal Council on January 27. Earlier this month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his Swiss counterpart Ueli Maurer had met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting at Davos. Separately, Jaitley and Maurer had told PTI that both the countries are willing to step up their cooperation on tax matters. Jaitley had said that Switzerland is "extremely keen" on greater cooperation in India's fight against suspected black money stashed in Swiss banks. Maurer had said the country's cooperation on tax matters with India in terms of sharing information on suspected black money cases would continue at "a good level". On whether there could be a greater cooperation on information exchange in tax matters, Maurer had said: "We have already agreed on more cooperation and this is working well and should continue." "We will continue the cooperation at a good level". In recent months, Switzerland has disclosed names of over a dozen Indians about whom information has been sought by the Indian government amid suspicion that their Swiss bank accounts were being used for stashing illicit funds. Meanwhile, FDF has said the report shows Switzerland still has to overcome numerous challenges regarding international financial and tax matters. Switzerland should continue to have the best framework for a secure and competitive financial centre which should contribute significantly to the country's prosperity in the future too, FDF noted. Sri Lanka's Health Minister Dr Rajitha Senarathne today inaugurated the third edition of Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF) here. "Our visit to participate in the festival is for initiating collaboration in indigenous heath care systems between Sri Lanka and the state of Kerala", he said. Similar to Sri Lanka, the state has an "unique" indigenous health care system comprising Ayurveda, Siddha, Homoeopathy and Unani.Medicinal health care could progress when all the systems were included, Senarathne said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the "Vision Conclave" on February 2, to be held as part of the five-day festival. About 5,000 delegates, including 400 from abroad, will participate in the GAF and about 500 firms will exhibit their products. GAF is being organised by the Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action in association with the State Government, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), besides several other government agencies and NGOs. To ensure continuous power supply to sevashrams - residential school for SC and ST students - in interior pockets of Odisha's Koraput district, the administration has decided to set up rooftop solar power units at 56 hostels during the current financial year. "Owing to remoteness, these schools are either not electrified or the power supply is erratic. The students face difficulties while studying at night," said Koraput district Collector, Jaya Kumar V. Eight sevashrams with 250 to 600 students from each of the 14 blocks in the district have been shortlisted for the project. The final 56 will be picked from these. The units will be set up in at least four sevashrams in each block. "Bulbs and fans could be run using solar energy. These schools will be supplied LED bulbs, which consume less power," said District Welfare Officer (Koraput) Trinath Rao. Around Rs 5 lakh will be spent on installing each unit and funds from Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana will be used for the purpose, he said. "Depending on students' strength, we get monthly electricity bill ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. The solar power units will bring down the expense," Rao added. There are 154 sevashrams in the district and these are being run by ST and SC development department. Earlier, the administration had installed solar energy-powered hand pumps in 151 sevashrams to help the students draw water from tubewells. Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prashad Rajkhowa has said he will soon recommend certain cases in the state for probe by either CBI or NIA. "Specific cases would be directed to be sent to NIA and CBI at the earliest," the governor told representatives of Jan Andholan Committee and People's Party of Arunachal who called on him at Raj Bhavan yesterday. "Necessary action is being initiated against the officials responsible for the derailing of the administration and break down of law and order," a Raj Bhawan release said today quoting the governor. Referring to the President's Rule, the governor said it "is only an emergency measure and a temporary phase. Sooner or later, a democratically-elected government will be here". "However, until then, law and order has to be maintained effectively at all cost and we also have to ensure good governance and combat the corruption that has badly affected governance in the state," he added. Rajkhowa, meanwhile, said that the message had been given to security forces to maintain law and order while at the same time having a humane approach in dealing with the people. The JAC members apprised the governor of their efforts to eradicate corruption in the state and the hurdles they have encountered in their endeavour. Seeking the governor's intervention for addressing the challenges facing the state, PPA President Kahfa Bengia said that the party deeply appreciates the imposition of President's Rule in Arunachal Pradesh to check alleged anarchy. He had added that they have great expectations of the governor, the release said. The Centre had on January 26 brought Arunachal Pradesh under President's rule and kept the Assembly under suspended animation after more than a month of political turmoil and in the midst of a raging battle in Supreme Court with the decision having come under strong attack from Congress and other parties. Breakdown of governance, including law and order, and lock down of Assembly building were cited by the governor as being key reasons for the collapse of the constitutional machinery in Arunachal Pradesh as he sent a report to the Centre recommending President's rule in the state. The governor had further said reports indicated the involvement of ruling Congress through third parties with banned underground Naga outfit NSCN (Khaplang) for pressurising dissident MLAs. Congress President Sonia Gandhi today condoled the death of former Army Chief General K V Krishna Rao and described him as the brave son of India who played exmplary role during the Bangladesh war in 1971. She said that Rao always led by example and his contributions as Governor in sensitive states like Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura can never be forgotten, a statement said. A decorated Chief of Army Staff, Rao, who played a key role in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, died yesterday at the military hospital here following a cardiac arrest at the age of 92. He was "a brave son of India who played an exemplary role during the 1971 Bangladesh War and always led by example," Gandhi said. Rao served as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir at a time when militancy was at its peak in the state. He was commissioned into the Army on August 9, 1942. As a young officer, he had served in Burma, North West Frontier and Baluchistan during the Second World War. During extensive Punjab disturbances in the run up to the partition in 1947, he served both in East and West Punjab. Rao had commanded a brigade in the forward area of Ladakh during 1965-66, an infantry division in Jammu Region during 1969-70 and a Mountain Division engaged in counter insurgency operations in Nagaland and Manipur during 1970-72. During this period, his Division also participated in the 1971 India-Pakistan War in Eastern Theatre and was instrumental in the capture of Sylhet area and liberation of North-East Bangladesh. He was awarded the Param Vishist Seva Medal for displaying outstanding leadership, courage, determination and drive during this war. Sri Lanka Navy has released four Indian fishermen who were detained last month after their boat developed snag in Lankan waters. The fishermen from Nagapattinam were handed over to the Indian coast guard vessel 'Rani Durgawathi' yesterday, the Lankan Navy said today. Their release came on a day when the Lankan Navy arrested nine Indian fishermen while fishing near Iranatheevu island, a sensitive area where the LTTE had their camp earlier. Earlier this month, Sri Lanka released 104 Indian fishermen lodged in its jails on goodwill gesture. Of the 104 fishermen, 61 fishermen were from Nagapattinam, Pudukottai and Karaikal districts while the rest were from Rameswaram and Mandapam. Senior IPS officer B D Sharma today retired as the Director General of border guarding force SSB, even as the government is understood to be considering appointing a woman as the chief of the paramilitary for the first time. Sharma, a 1980-batch officer of West Bengal cadre, had taken over the charge as DG of Sashastra Seema Bal, which guards Indian borders with Nepal and Bhutan, in August, 2014 and has completed 36 years in service. Officials said Sharma will handover the charge to Additional DG S S Deswal tomorrow as no new chief has been appointed. "It is expected that a woman IPS officer could soon be appointed as the new SSB chief. It would be the first time a woman would head a paramilitary force," they said. Sharma, during his farewell speech to his troops on January 29, asked them to "always respect the sovereignty of India's friendly neighbours while performing their duties on the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders". "Remain sensitive, respect others, serve and protect," he told his personnel and officers during the parade held on his superannuation. The SSB, a 60,000-strong force, is mandated to guard Indian borders with Nepal and Bhutan even as it is deployed for a variety of internal security duties including conducting anti-Naxal operations in states of Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand. Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin spied on 'Chairman' Mao Zedong and other world leaders in the 1940s by analysing their excrement to construct psychological portraits, a former Soviet agent has claimed. Former Soviet agent Igor Atamanenko claims to have uncovered this unusual project while doing research in the archives of the Russian secret services. The secret lab was headed by Stalin's henchman Lavrenti Beria. Under this, special toilets were allegedly installed for the Chinese Communist Party leader Mao to use when he visited Moscow for 10 days in December 1949. During those 10 days, Mao was piled with food and drink and his waste products whisked off for analysis. The toilets were not connected to sewers, but collected his waste in secret boxes to be taken to the lab and studied for varying levels of potassium and amino acids, which were thought to aid psychological profiling, the BBC reported. Once Mao's stools had been scrutinised and studied, Stalin reportedly poo poo-ed the idea of signing an agreement with him, the report said. "In those days the Soviets didn't have the kind of listening devices which secret services do today," Atamanenko told the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper. "That's why our specialists came up with the most extravagant ways of extracting information about a person." "When I contacted Atamanenko, he told me what the Soviet scientists had been looking for in faeces. "For example, if they detected high levels of amino acid Tryptophan," he explained, "they concluded that person was calm and approachable." But a lack of potassium in poo was seen as a sign of a nervous disposition and someone with insomnia." The Pravda reports that Stalin's successor, Nikita Khrushchev, scrapped the project and closed the laboratory. When asked if it could confirm Stalin's secret stool project, Russia's Federal Security Service told the BBC: "We cannot comment on this story. Tele-density data points to a stark digital divide among states, with Delhi having the highest score of 238 per cent while Bihar and Assam lagging behind at around 55 per cent, says a report. Tele-density, the number of telephone connections for every 100 individuals, points to a stark 'digital divide' with large population in Bihar, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh still being deprived to communicate with the rest of the country, industry body Assocham said in a paper. Deeper tele-density and a quality service is critical to the government's Digital India programme, which has been launched to reach government services to the citizens through e-governance, it said. "The digital divide is clearly visible between different states with some of the eastern states not finding favour with the telecom service providers. The reasons may vary between the lack of infrastructure like power availability to even indifference in terms of business opportunities," it added. Against the national tele-density of 81.82 per cent, the figure for Bihar is dismal 54.25 per cent, Assam 55.76 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 62.33 per cent and Uttar Pradesh 62.74 per cent. On the other hand, the tele-density in Delhi is over 238 per cent, whereas that of Himachal Pradesh is 123.19 per cent. The paper said the Himalayan state with difficult terrain is only next to Delhi in terms of tele-density. Other states mapping rather well on the telecom prosperity are Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka and Kerala. Assocham said the Centre with the help from the state governments should double the efforts to ensure that both the government-owned BSNL and the private telecom service providers should reach the states with low tele-density, or else the digital divide can get deeper. "The government's own programme of laying the broadband services would play a critical role," it added. The future of the biggest push to date to end Syria's brutal civil war looked highly uncertain today with the main opposition group threatening to walk away before planned peace talks even begin in earnest. Representatives from the umbrella body for mainstream opposition groups, who arrived in Geneva late yesterday, are refusing for now to enter the hoped-for talks with President Bashar al-Assad's government. The High Negotiations Committee (HNC), set to meet with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura today, are demanding that humanitarian aid first gets through to besieged towns, that bombing of civilians ceases and that hundreds of prisoners are released. "If the regime insists on continuing to commit these crimes then the HNC delegation's presence in Geneva will not be justified," coordinator Riad Hijab warned in a statement in Arabic posted online yesterday. "The delegation will inform de Mistura of its intentions to withdraw its negotiating team if the UN and world powers are unable to stop these violations," he said. Highlighting the dire humanitarian situation, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) yesterday said 16 more people had starved to death in Madaya, one of more than a dozen towns under blockade by regime or rebel forces. More than 4.5 million people with "immense humanitarian needs" are living in areas extremely hard to access because of fighting, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). On Friday, the scheduled start of a planned six months of talks, protesters in Geneva highlighted the plight of ordinary Syrians with "siege soup" of grass and leaves. The war that has killed more than 260,000 people since 2011 is a complex conflict sucking in - on different sides - Turkey, Iran and Gulf states and also Western countries and, since September, Russia. A fresh spat between Russia and Turkey, two of the many outside powers embroiled in the conflict, erupted yesterday after Ankara accused Moscow of violating its airspace two months after it shot down a Russian jet. The chaos in Syria has allowed the extremist Islamic State group to overrun swathes of Syria and also Iraq, giving it a launchpad to launch attacks the world over, most notably in Paris on November 13 with 130 dead. Half of Syria's population have fled their homes, forcing million to seek refuge in neighbouring countries and also in Europe, where the influx is proving to be a major political and social headache. Yesterday, dozens of migrant men, women and children, including Syrians, drowned when their boat sank off of Turkey -- adding to the almost 4,000 who perished trying to reach Europe by sea in 2015. Damascus wants to end the violence ravaging Syria for nearly five years, a top official said today, but lamented that the main opposition was "not serious" about UN-brokered peace talks. The Syrian government "wants to put an end to the bloodshed," Damascus's UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari told reporters in Geneva. But he lashed out at the opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), which made a late showing in Geneva for scheduled UN-brokered peace talks but has said, for now, it will not negotiate. The indirect talks on ending Syria's nearly five-year conflict had been scheduled to start on January 25, but were postponed until the 29th when Jaafari and his delegation sat down with the UN's Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura. But HNC, the main opposition umbrella group, spent days debating whether to travel to Geneva, before finally arriving in the Swiss city late yesterday, only to announce it would not be engaging in talks. Before agreeing to sit down for the so-called proximity talks, in which de Mistura is to shuttle between the sides, HNC has demanded that humanitarian aid first gets through to besieged towns, that the bombing of civilians ceases and that hundreds of prisoners are released. Jaafari said the government firmly rejected any "conditions" imposed by the opposition delegation, saying it would be a "violation" of de Mistura's invitation to talks. "The conference did not start on time because the opposition delegation is late. This is a sign that they are not serious," Jaafari said. President Bashar al-Assad's government wanted "to stop the suffering of the Syrian people," he said. "We are ready to work to find a solution." The problem, he said, was that the opposition delegation was "not credible." He said the full list of opposition delegates remained unclear, hinting some might even be "terrorists". "We don't know who is taking part in the talks, neither does de Mistura," he said, insisting: "We are not holding talks with terrorists. This is exactly why the special envoy insisted on holding indirect talks." Syria's government uses the word "terrorist" to describe a host of armed opposition groups, including the Army of Islam rebel faction which is a member of HNC. Since the conflict began in March 2011, more than 260,000 people have been killed and half of the country's population have fled their homes, with millions exiled to neighbouring countries and beyond. Three major Indian IT -- Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro -- have joined US President Barack Obama's ambitious computer science for all initiative as part of a public-private collaboration, pledging thousands of dollars in grants. Obama announced his 'Computer Sciences for All' plan in his weekly address yesterday as he emphasised on the need for teaching the subject as a "basic skill" to all children across schools in the country in a changing economy. While Infosys has pledged a $1 million in donation, Tata Consultancy Services is providing support in the form of grants to teachers in 27 US cities, the White House said in a fact sheet, also issued yesterday. Wipro announced a $2.8 million grant for multi-year project in partnership with the Michigan University to involve over a hundred school teachers, with the aim of nurturing excellence in science and mathematics. This would start with the public school systems of Chicago, Obama's hometown. According to White House, the TCS and Infosys pledge is part of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) effort to collaborate with the private sector to support high-school CS teachers. "Infosys Foundation USA will be a founding member of this public-private collaboration with a USD 1 million philanthropic donation, and, as an initial participant, Tata Consultancy Services is providing additional support in the form of grants to teachers in 27 US cities. "This collaboration will ultimately provide opportunities for as many as 2,000 middle- and high-school teachers to deepen their understanding of CS," said the White House. A joint Wipro and Michigan University statement said the Wipro STEM Fellowship Programme will focus on building leadership in these disciplines in urban schools by leveraging on research validated expertise of the College of Education at the university in designing transformative and innovative instructional experiences. Wipro's initiative is aligned with the US national goal to significantly improve the quality of education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), it said. "Wipro is committed to being an involved participant in its communities. This initiative seeks to develop and inspire young people to contribute to excellence in STEM education," said T K Kurien, chief executive officer and Member of the Board, Wipro Ltd. "There is a critical shortage of excellent math and science teachers nationwide and even more so in urban school districts," said project co-leader Sonya Gunnings-Moton, assistant dean in the College of Education, Michigan State University. Aarti Dhupelia, Chief Officer of College and Career Success at Chicago Public Schools said this partnership with Wipro and Michigan State University that will have a transformational impact in classrooms and communities. Three major Indian IT companies -- Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro -- have joined US President Barack Obama's ambitious computer science for all initiative as part of a public-private collaboration, pledging over USD 3 million in grants. Obama announced his 'Computer Sciences for All' plan in his weekly address yesterday as he emphasised on the need for teaching the subject as a "basic skill" to all children across schools in the country in a changing economy. While Infosys has pledged a USD 1 million in donation, Tata Consultancy Services is providing support in the form of grants to teachers in 27 US cities, the White House said in a fact sheet, also issued yesterday. "TCS offered micro grants of USD 3,000-5,000 to teachers in 27 US cities for formal training to teach Computer Science. This will create a multiplier effect through a cadre of teachers who can teach CS courses," a TCS spokesperson said. "We are delighted to partner with the White House and support President Obama's bold new initiative to empower American students with the computer science skills," the spokesperson said. Wipro announced a USD 2.8 million grant for multi-year project in partnership with the Michigan University to involve over a hundred school teachers, with the aim of nurturing excellence in science and mathematics. This would start with the public school systems of Chicago, Obama's hometown. According to White House, the TCS and Infosys pledge is part of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) effort to collaborate with the private sector to support high-school CS teachers. "Infosys Foundation USA will be a founding member of this public-private collaboration with a USD 1 million philanthropic donation, and, as an initial participant, Tata Consultancy Services is providing additional support in the form of grants to teachers in 27 US cities. "This collaboration will ultimately provide opportunities for as many as 2,000 middle- and high-school teachers to deepen their understanding of CS," said the White House. A joint Wipro and Michigan University statement said the Wipro STEM Fellowship Programme will focus on building leadership in these disciplines in urban schools by leveraging on research validated expertise of the College of Education at the university in designing transformative and innovative instructional experiences. Wipro's initiative is aligned with the US national goal to significantly improve the quality of education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), it said. "Wipro is committed to being an involved participant in its communities. This initiative seeks to develop and inspire young people to contribute to excellence in STEM education," said T K Kurien, chief executive officer and Member of the Board, Wipro Ltd. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's domestic help Narayan Singh and driver Bajrangi have been questioned again by Delhi Police in the light of the AIIMS medical board's opinion on the FBI report in connection with his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing Sunanda's case questioned Singh and Bajrangi twice in the past three days. The SIT also questioned around a dozen chemists in and around Tharoor's bungalow in Lodhi Estate, a police source said today. "They were all questioned in light of the information emerging out of the AIIMS medical board's opinion on the FBI report in connction with the case," said the source, adding that the questions revolved around the source of drugs suspected to have caused 51-year-old Sunanda's death. The investigators have so far conducted polygraph test on six persons, all prime witnesses in the case, including Narayan Singh, Bajrangi and Sanjay Dewan, a close friend of the couple. Tharoor was not subjected to the test but was questioned thrice in the case. The AIIMS medical board, which gave its opinion on the FBI report on Sunanda's viscera and other samples, had unanimously concluded that she died of poisoning, with the presence of Alprax in her stomach. The board did not rule out the possibility of any injectable poison, in view of a particular mark on Sunanda's body, and said that the FBI report confirmed the presence of lidocaine in her body. It ruled out death due to combination of illicit drugs and also said that the medical board is "highly afraid" that this case may have led to a complete "botched-up" scenario in the absence of the FBI report. It also said that the Special Investigation team (SIT) probing the case should "thoroughly investigate" if any person had access to injectable agents in view of a syringe mark spotted in Sunanda's body. In January last year, Delhi Police had registered a case of murder in connection with the death of Sunanda. An AIIMS medical board had found poisoning as reason for her death following which the police had sent her viscera samples to an FBI lab in US. The FBI had sent its report to Delhi Police two months ago. The report said the radiation levels in Sunanda's viscera samples were "within the standard safety norms" besides mentioning other details. As police could not firm up about cause of the death based on the FBI report, they requested a medical board of AIIMS to analyse the contents of the report. A top leader of a banned separatist outfit and four other militants have been killed in a gunbattle with security forces in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province. Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said commander of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) Abdul Manan, a doctor-turned militant, was involved in many attacks on security forces. The minister said Manan and the four others were killed yesterday in a gun battle with security forces in Kanak area of Mastung district. "He was a senior leader behind the insurgency in the province and also headed the Baluch National Movement, an organisation which openly supported militants," the minister said. Manan was also involved in subversive activities and in attacks on security forces and government installations, he said. Inspector General of Police Balochistan, Ahsan Mahboob said that security forces had conducted a search operation in the Killi Datu area of Mastung during which an exchange of fire took place between the security personnel and militants in which Manan and four others were killed. Bugti said subversive activities had been stepped up in a bid to sabotage the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. A top Republican senator has welcomed the move to send a US guided missile destroyer within 12 nautical miles of an island in the disputed South China Sea claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam "to challenge excessive maritime claims" that restrict freedom of navigation. "I am encouraged to hear that the US Navy has conducted a freedom of navigation operation near Triton Island in the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea," Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said yesterday. This operation challenged excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the US and other nations under international law, he said. "I continue to hope these operations will become so routine that China and other claimants will come to accept them as normal occurrences and releasing press statements to praise them will no longer be necessary," McCain said. The "freedom of navigation operation" was conducted yesterday near Triton Island in the South China Sea, rich in natural resources and a major shipping lane. Over half of the world's commercial shipping passes through the Indo-Pacific waterways including one-third of the world's liquefied natural gas. The development comes three months after US warship USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island Beijing is building in the Spratly Islands, triggering a major face-off. The lifeless body of Yemen's top Salafi cleric in the southern port city of Aden was found disfigured today hours after he was abducted following an anti-extremism sermon, security officials said. Government forces repelled Shiite rebels from Aden last July, but have been unable to restore order there ever since. With government forces now pushing north toward the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, the vacuum in Aden has given rise to affiliates of extremist groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, who have grabbed lands and exercised control in various parts of the city for months. The influential cleric, Samahan Abdel-Aziz, also known as Sheikh Rawi, had delivered a fiery sermon against the al-Qaeda and ISIS branches on Friday, the officials said. His body was found bloodied and bearing signs of torture in Sheikh Othman, an area largely controlled by extremists, they added. Abdel-Aziz was kidnapped by gunmen outside his mosque late yesterday in the pro-government neighborhood of Bureiqa, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to talk to the media. Also today, Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence said in a statement that a rocket fired from inside Yemen towards Saudi Arabia's southern border region of Najran landed on a Saudi home, killing an 11-year-old child and wounding nine in the family. Saudi forces frequently fire rockets at rebel positions in Yemen from just inside the kingdom's border and the Yemeni rebels frequently fire ballistic missiles at Saudi border guard positions, killing dozens of soldiers and civilians. Yemen's conflict pits a loose array of forces fighting on the side of the internationally recognised government against the Shiite rebels and troops loyal to a former president, who together control the capital and much of northern Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition backed by the US intervened on the government's side last March. Earlier in the day, Human Rights Watch said the rebels, known as Houthis, have for months restricted food and medical supplies to Yemen's third-largest city, Taiz, in what it described in a statement as "serious violations of humanitarian law". "The Houthis are denying necessities to residents of Taiz because they happen to be living in areas that opposition forces control," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. With Transgender Model Agency all set to open here soon, the community is looking forward to a new lease of life. The agency, which is the brain child of Rudrani Chettri, a Delhi-based transgender activist and head of Mitr Trust, would be launched with photographer Rishi Raj in charge of the photo operations. Chettri says the idea behind opening up a model agency comes from the feeling of 'frustration' which she and other transgenders had to face. "The idea came out of a feeling of frustration as I saw many young beautiful transgenders who are made to feel ugly from a young age. I was one of them," says Chettri. Eminent fashion stylist and photographer, Rishi Raj aims to get a prominent coverage to the soon-to-be-launched agency in a leading fashion magazine. "I think everybody should have the right to experience life to the fullest, facing the same challenges and struggles like everybody else," Rishi Raj says. Meanwhile, the MITR trust has been working with an Indian-British team of filmmakers for the last one year. They have been closely documenting their lives and struggles, with the hope that it will connect the long isolated 'hijra' community with the national and international audience. "It is also our desperate desire to be seen, to be accepted into the mainstream society and to get jobs like everyone else. I hope this creates a spark in young transgenders to follow their dreams," says Chettri. Funds for the initiative are being collected by Bitgiving.Com, a crowd-funding platform. "We have been raising funds for social causes and believe that there is no social change without destructive advocacy. This is a small step for a long battle ahead," says Ishita Anand, CEO Bitgiving. Auditions for models are being conducted which are open to all members of the 'hijra' and LGBT community. "At this stage, 5 models will be selected to join in who will get a professional photo shoot and we are crowd-funding for the same," says Chettri. The initiative is being received well by the community and entries for auditions have been flowing in to the modeling agency. "Younger members of the transgender community are very excited. The media has responded positively and has been supportive. Rishi Raj, who is conducting the photoshoot has been very supportive" says Chettri. With the agency, Chettri aims to bring the community in the mainstream society and change the mindset of the people. "The agency would bring a big change. For the community it would be a spark of home - a possibility where a young hijra doesn't have limited work options of Toli Badhai, sex work and begging," he says. Chettri has been working for more than 10 years in spreading awareness and fighting to improve transgender's lives in India. MITR, helps over 1500 of them in Delhi alone. The trust and the idea has been hit by serious financial crisis leading to various problems. "We want to raise awareness to the funding cuts, we hope these are revoked and funds flow freely. This will allow us to carry on working with the community. We have not been able to pay our workers for 8 months now nor have been able to provide condoms to high risk sex workers. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton have narrow leads over their respective opponents in Iowa, the crucial state which formally kicks off the American presidential elections with the beginning of the primaries tomorrow. However, the final polls before the crucial Iowa caucus, released by the prestigious Des Moines Register newspaper in association with Bloomberg reveal a different story for the two front runners - Trump and Clinton. While Trump has overtaken Senator Ted Cruz from Texas in this latest Iowa poll, Clinton has a slim edge over Senator Bernie Sanders. "Donald Trump has muscled ahead in Iowa, regaining his lead on the brink of the first votes being cast in the 2016 presidential race," the Des Moines Register said. Trump has support of 28 per cent, while Cruz follows him with 23 per cent. In a previous poll released on January 13, Trump (22 per cent) had trailed Cruz (25 per cent). "Trump is leading with both the inner core of the caucus universe and the fringe - that's what any candidate would want," said veteran Iowa pollster J Ann Selzer, who conducted the survey. On the other hand, the poll revealed that Clinton's lead over Sanders is very slim. The former secretary of state is the favourite of 45 per cent of prospective Democratic caucus-goers, while 42 per cent support Sanders. As a result, many see this as a dead heat in the Democratic Party. "This race is as tight as can be. If Bernie Sanders had momentum headed into the final month, the race now is static and essentially tied," said national political strategist David Axelrod. The poll conducted by Selzer has long been influential and accurate, Politico reported. Selzer's surveys predicted victories by Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee in 2008, and foresaw Rick Santorum's late surge in 2012, it said. Meanwhile, the influential New York Times daily has endorsed Clinton and John Kasich as the respective Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. The decision of the NYT editorial board on Clinton was not surprising, but the top US daily surprised many by rejecting the credentials of top the three Republican aspirants including its city resident Trump who has been leading all major polls ever since he declared his candidacy last summer. "Hillary Clinton is the right choice for the Democrats to present a vision for America that is radically different from the one that leading Republican candidates offer - a vision in which middle-class Americans have a real shot at prosperity, women's rights are enhanced, undocumented immigrants are given a chance at legitimacy, alliances are nurtured and the country is kept safe," the daily said. Heading into the crucial Iowa caucuses that will officially kick off the race for the White House tomorrow, controversial Republican presidential aspirant Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton have leads over their respective opponents after days of political bickering. The Iowa caucuses loom tomorrow - the first votes after 1,500 candidate rallies, 60,000 TV ads and a nail-biting tightening of the polls here. The state's voters are poised to play a significant role ever in both parties' nominating contests. The final polls before the Iowa caucus, released by the prestigious Des Moines Register newspaper in association with Bloomberg show a different story for the two front-runners -- Trump, 69, and Clinton, 68. While Trump has overtaken Senator Ted Cruz from Texas in this latest Iowa poll, Clinton has a slim edge over Senator Bernie Sanders. "Donald Trump has muscled ahead in Iowa, regaining his lead on the brink of the first votes being cast in the 2016 presidential race," the Des Moines Register said. Trump has support of 28 per cent, while Cruz follows him with 23 per cent. In a previous poll released on January 13, Trump (22 per cent) had trailed Cruz (25 per cent). "Trump is leading with both the inner core of the caucus universe and the fringe -- that's what any candidate would want," said veteran Iowa pollster J Ann Selzer, who conducted the survey. On the other hand, the poll showed that Clinton's lead over Sanders is very slim. The former secretary of state is the favourite of 45 per cent of prospective Democratic caucus-goers, while 42 per cent support Sanders. As a result, many see this as a dead heat in the Democratic Party. "This race is as tight as can be. If Bernie Sanders had momentum headed into the final month, the race now is static and essentially tied," said national political strategist David Axelrod. The poll conducted by Selzer has long been influential and accurate. Selzer's surveys predicted victories by Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee in 2008, and foresaw Rick Santorum's late surge in 2012, it said. Meanwhile, the influential New York Times daily has endorsed Clinton and the lesser-known John Kasich as the respective Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. At least 12 people were killed today in a double bomb blast near the Shiite shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, south of the Syrian capital Damascus, a monitor said. Dozens more were wounded in the blasts, one of which was caused by a car bomb, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The monitor had initially reported eight deaths in the blasts. It said the cause of the second blast was not immediately clear. Syrian state media also reported the explosions. State television carried a breaking alert reporting "two terrorist blasts, one of them a car bomb, followed by a suicide bomber... In the area of Sayyida Zeinab." It said there was "information about deaths and injuries," but gave no further details. The Sayyida Zeinab mosque contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has been targeted before, including in February 2015, when two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint near the shrine. Also that month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people, in an attack claimed by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. Two Sri Lankan nationals were today detained here for questioning for staying beyond their visa period, police said. Lamudin of Mannar in Sri Lanka and Mohammed Jasmin had come to India on labour visa and were staying with Indian nationals. While Lamudin was staying with Indian national Nawaz Khan at a hotel in Ramanathapuram, Mohammed Jasmin was staying with Murugan. Nawaz Khan has also been detained for questioning, police said. The detention followed reports of security threat to some important shrines in the state including the Ramanathaswamy temple in this district, police added. Two years after the temple town of Kedarnath was ravaged by a massive flood, reconstruction efforts are in the final stages, with Uttarakhand government and other agencies taking a string of measures to tackle similar disasters in future. As many as six helipads have been constructed to be used for rescue operations during emergency, mandatory registration has been introduced for pilgrims and horses/mules, wider roads have been laid, weather forecast is done at least three times a day and a three-tier protection has been put in place around the temple against water and boulders. "We thought about how we can protect the shrine if similar disaster takes place in future. The protection has to be mainly from two things-- water and boulders. So a three-tier protection plan was carried out. We will fence the area with gabion wall near the Chorabari lake, from where the devastation started, to stop the boulders from hurtling down," Rakesh Sharma, Principal Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand said. A gabion wall is a retaining wall made of stacked stone-filled gabions tied together with wire. Only 40,000 pilgrims visited Kedarnath in 2014 where the total number of yatris in a single season used to go beyond five lakh prior to the devastation, he said. According to the state government officials, only a fixed number of pilgrims will be allowed to visit the shrine every day and all of them will be registered through a biometric system. "There will be compulsory biometric pilgrim registration and verification system. We have fixed quota per day for number of pilgrims starting yatra at Sonprayag. Pilgrims will also have to go through compulsory medical examination," he said. Most of the development work was outsourced to Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, which also identified new routes from Rambara, one of the points between Gaurikund and Kedarnath, to the shrine and built roads and bridges. "New alternative routes were carved from Rambara to Kedarnath. A 9 km new alignment has been worked out which will be helpful in evacuating people during such floods," Sharma said. Facilities have been created for 5000 yatris to stay at various halting points along the route and 20 rain shelters have been erected between Sonprayag and Rambara. "New halting places have been created with boarding and lodging facilities for pilgrims at Kedarnath Mi-26 Helipad, base camp Kedarnath, Lincholi, Bheembali and Junglechatti," he said. Kedarnath, one of the most sacred of Hindu shrines, is located at an altitude of 11,755 feet above sea level. The UK Royal Air Force is planning to create an elite unit of fighter pilots along the lines of Hollywood film 'Top Gun' to boost its aerial combat skills to counter any potential threat. The new squadron is part of the expansion of the Royal Air Force (RAF)'s fleet of Typhoon jets, from five to seven squadrons, announced last November. The increase means each squadron can now specialise in one of several "prioritised" roles, The Sunday Times reported. Some will be expert in hitting enemy troops with the precision Brimstone missile, while others will use Storm Shadow cruise missiles or air-to-air combat. After two decades of mainly carrying out bombing missions against insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, commanders have decided pilots need to boost their aerial combat skills to counter any potential threat from new Russian fighters that patrol Syria and eastern Europe. Air Vice-Marshal Gary Waterfall, the head of the RAF's air combat group, this month identified what he termed the "Red Air" mission as a "prioritised" role. Red Air was the nickname of the elite unit of instructors who posed as enemy fighters against students on the American navy's Top Gun fighter-pilot course, made famous in the 1986 Hollywood movie starring Tom Cruise. They wore Soviet flying suits and used Warsaw Pact tactics. The Typhoon crews will take over the "Red Air" role from 100 Squadron based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, which uses 1970s subsonic Hawk jets. The crews will put other pilots through simulated fights, both in the air or on networked hi-tech simulators. The comes as the newspaper reports that British military and intelligence officers last week undertook a secret reconnaissance mission to Libya to plan RAF airstrikes against ISIS terrorists in the strife-torn north African state. Tom Cruise starring Top Gun was based on the US navy's fighter pilot course. A 50-year-old man in the UK who abused his dog has been banned from keeping pets for five years and sentenced to a 12-month community service besides ordered to pay 750 pounds in costs. Paul Anthony Archer, a resident of Leeds, was seen shouting at Denver, his English bull terrier, while poking him with a hammer before slamming his car's boot on him. Archer can be heard shouting at the dog to go 'die' in the footage that emerged of the incident. He appeared before Leeds Magistrates' Court yesterday and admitted failing to meet the needs of his dog. "Watching the footage, it's clear that Denver is frightened of the way his owner is behaving towards him," said Gemma Fowler, inspector Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). "Archer wants him to get out of the car, and is becoming increasingly angry and violent because he is refusing to do so, finally slamming the boot closed on him and shouting at him to 'die'," Fowler was quoted as saying by mirror.Co.Uk. The court in mitigation heard that the defendant was cleaning the car when Denver jumped in and broke the screen on an iPad on one of the car seats. Archer was also sentenced to a 12-month community service with rehabilitation for his unresolved aggressive manner and ordered to pay 750-pound costs. "We all get angry sometimes, but Archer's behaviour towards Denver is totally unacceptable," Fowler said. Archer was deprived of Denver who will now be able to re-homed by the RSPCA. The footage was sent into the RSPCA anonymously. RSPCA is a charity operating in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare. Two Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the country's war-torn east where government forces are seeking to put down a pro-Russian insurgency, the first reported casualties in nearly three weeks, Ukraine's military said today. "Over the last day, as a result of clashes one Ukrainian soldier was killed and another three were wounded," military spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told journalists. He was killed by mortar fire on the outskirts of Gorlivka, some 30 kilometres northeast of the rebels' de facto capital Donetsk, Motuzyanyk said. The spokesman said the other Ukrainian soldier was killed when his vehicle hit a makeshift explosive device, which also injured another serviceman. Over 9,000 people have been killed and more than 20,000 injured in the conflict in Ukraine since April 2014, according to the United Nations. Kiev and the West have accused Russia of suporting the insurgency and sending regular troops across the border, claims that Moscow has repeatedly denied. A series of truce agreements have helped to significantly reduce the fighting, although sporadic clashes continue on the frontline. A delegation including senior US diplomat Brett McGurk met with members of a Kurd-Arab alliance fighting the Islamic State jihadist group inside Syria today, Kurdish sources said today. The visit appeared to be the first by a senior US government official inside Syrian territory. McGurk, who is US President Barack Obama's envoy to an international coalition fighting IS in Syria and Iraq, was accompanied by French and British officials, the sources told AFP. One Kurdish source close to the meeting said a "high-level military delegation from the international coalition (against IS)," met yesterday with senior members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance. The source said the talks in the Kurdish town of Kobane covered "military plans" for the fight against IS. "These meetings will have an impact on many developments that will be seen in the area," he added, without providing further details. The talks were confirmed by a second Kurdish source on the ground and reported in Kurdish media. Contacted by AFP, the US State Department was not immediately able to confirm or deny the reported visit. The SDF is an alliance of Syrian Kurds and Arabs who are fighting IS with support from the US-led coalition. It is composed mostly of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a powerful militia that has proved Syria's most effective force against IS, along with smaller units of Syrian Arab Muslim and Christian fighters. The meetings come after the YPG's political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), was excluded from new peace talks in Geneva being organised by the UN. Despite cooperation between the US-led coalition and the YPG in the fight against IS, the Kurdish militia and its political branch face fierce opposition from neighbouring Turkey. Ankara considers the PYD and YPG to be affiliates of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an armed insurgency in Turkey, while Syria's opposition accuses them of being too close to the regime in Damascus. But the coalition has worked closely with the YPG since it launched air strikes in Syria in September 2014, expanding a campaign that began in Iraq a month earlier. And that support has continued since the formation of the SDF last October, with US-led air support helping the alliance seize a key dam from IS last month. The US has boosted its emergency food aid to Ethiopia by nearly USD 100 million to combat one of the worst droughts in decades, the US Agency for International Development announced today. The aid is urgently needed to head off a humanitarian disaster brought on by the El Nino climate phenomenon that has affected seasonal rains, said USAID administrator Gayle Smith. "The funding for this is not where it needs to be and we are up against very tight timelines," she said at a briefing during the annual African Union summit. "This is the worst El Nino in history and it has affected the African continent in particular, most dramatically in Ethiopia where 11 million people have been affected." The El Nino warming over the Pacific Ocean has been particularly severe this year with spring and summer rains failing in Ethiopia and causing crops to fail and killing livestock. The USD 97 million from USAID will include some 176,000 metric tons of food to be distributed to 4 million people. Since October 2014, the US has given USD 532 million in humanitarian aid to Ethiopia. The UN has issued an international appeal for USD 1.4 billion in emergency funding for Ethiopia, of which less than half has been met by donors. Smith said the US will urge other international donors to step in and support Ethiopia's efforts to deliver food aid and preserve the development gains of the last two decades. Donors have been distracted by crises in Syria, South Sudan, Yemen and the European migration issue, she said. Ethiopia was famously devastated by a drought in the 1980s exacerbated by a civil war that killed hundreds of thousands. Despite the severity of the current drought, the existing government safety net is expected to prevent another famine, according to aid officials. China today hit out at US' "irresponsible" move to send a warship near a disputed island in the strategic South China Sea to challenge its sovereignty, warning that America's deliberate provocations would have "extremely dangerous consequences" to regional stability. The Chinese armed forces will take whatever measures necessary to safeguard China's sovereignty and security, no matter what provocations the US side may take, China's Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said. Yang's statement came hours after the USS Curtis Wilbur, a guided missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Zhongjian Dao (Triton Island), part of the Xisha Islands (Paracel Islands)-- an archipelago claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam. ALSO READ: US warship near islands in disputed sea irks China "This operation was about challenging excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States and others, not about territorial claims to land features," a US Defence Department spokesman Commander Bill Urban said in Washington yesterday. But Yang described the US move as "very unprofessional and irresponsible" for the safety of the troops of both sides, and may cause "extremely dangerous consequences". He said the US act severely violated Chinese law, sabotaged the peace, security and good order of the waters, and undermined the region's peace and stability. The Chinese Defense Ministry is firmly against this, he said. The South China Sea is rich in natural resources. It is also a major shipping lane. Over half of the world's commercial shipping passes through the Indo-Pacific waterways. China claims almost the whole of the South China Sea, resulting in overlapping claims with several other Asian nations like Vietnam and the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. They accuse China of illegally reclaiming land in contested areas to create artificial islands with facilities that could potentially be for military use. In October, USS Lassen, a guided missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island China is building in the Spratly Islands. Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also came out with a separate statement, calling on the US to respect and abide by China's laws, and not to undermine the mutual trust and regional peace and stability. "The US warship violated Chinese law and entered China's territorial sea without authorisation. The Chinese side conducted surveillance and vocal warnings to the US warship," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. Defence Ministry spokesman Yang claimed that China's law on the territorial sea and contiguous zone accords with the law and practice. "The US side is fully aware of this, yet it still sent its warship into China's territorial sea without authorisation. It is a deliberate provocation," Yang said, adding that Chinese military "warned and expelled" the US warship from the South China Sea area "swiftly". The official Xinhua news agency reported that US's move to send a warship close to the Zhongjian Dao has generated angry outcry from Chinese on the Internet. "The Chinese people have every reason to feel offended," it said, noting that many comments were "much more radical than the official response". "If this is the US way of being objective, fair and reasonable, there must be serious doubts about its sincerity to settle the issue and maintain regional peace," the article said. "Freedom of navigation and flyover in the South China Sea has never been a problem and will not be a problem," it said. "More than 100,000 vessels of various countries sail through the South China Sea with no incident every year. There is no logic that sending a warship to challenge China's sovereignty and security will help to the situation, unless, peace and stability in the South China Sea is not the US objective," it said. "The South China Sea is decidedly not US waters. The US claims to be a bystander, but judging from its recent warship and aircraft activities, it is a bystander too eager to become involved," it alleged. The US has been "accustomed to hegemony and power politics, but the times have changed. Compromising sovereignty and security of another country under the name of freedom has lost its facade," the article said. As long as Washington stops operating under a "Cold War mentality and stops manipulating the issue to inhibit China's development", China will welcome its constructive role. "With such provocation, the US will find itself alienated from extensive public opinion in China, and its commitment to peace and stability will be seriously eroded. People around the world have sharp eyes for that," the article concluded. The US yesterday said it sent a naval ship near a contested island in the South China Sea to challenge the "excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States and ." "This operation challenged attempts by the three claimants, China, Taiwan and Vietnam, to restrict navigation rights and freedoms around the features they claim by policies that require prior permission or notification of transit within territorial seas," Urban had said. "The US takes no position on competing sovereignty claims between the parties to naturally formed land features in the South China Sea. The US does take a strong position on protecting the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all countries, and that all maritime claims must comply with law," he had said. Union Minister Harsh Vardhan today urged farmers and entrepreneurs to adopt improved technologies for cultivation of better varieties of medicinal and aromatic plants to raise their income. Speaking at a Kisan Mela (farmers' fair) organized at CSIR-Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants CSIR-CIMAP in Lucknow, he said this would also help in production of quality raw material demanded by user industries. Stating that medicinal and aromatic plants are the "valuable green wealth" of the country, he said these should be sustainably used for creating livelihood opportunities of poor people residing in rural areas. Vardhan, who is Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, said that there are immense possibilities for promotion and production of medicinal and aromatic plants and industries by startups. He called upon the scientists to develop improved technologies for conservation and cultivation of these plants keeping in view the changing climatic conditions and limited as well as diminishing agriculture resources. Vardhan said that today people are inclined towards the use of drugs and cosmetics made from natural resources as the ill-effects have been reported from the use of synthetic drugs world over. It is also necessary to make initiatives to improve trust of the people towards herbal drugs, he added. The Minister said that scientists should standardize the ayurvedic drugs so that their use can be increased in health care of the poor people. Others who attended the event included Naveen Chandra Bajpei, Deputy Chairman, State Planning Commission, UP, Praveer Kumar, Agriculture Production Commissioner, UP, Sudeep Kumar, Head Planning and Performance Division of CSIR and R A Vishwakarma, Director, CSIR-IIIM, according to a release. About 4000 farmers and entrepreneurs from UP, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha and others states of the country participated in the Mela, the release added. Diversified group Vatika is looking to invest Rs 100 crore to open around 200 restaurants under the 'Nukkadwala' brand across the country by the end of 2019. The quick service restaurants will serve street food from all corners of the country reflecting regional diversity, Vatika Group said. "We plan to invest Rs 100 crore to open around 200 Nukkadwala restaurants in India by the end of 2019," Vatika Group Managing Director Gaurav Bhalla told PTI. The brand is being launched first in Gurgaon to be followed by four locations in the National Capital Region, he added. "Deployment of state of the art technology at these restaurants would aim to enhance the guest experience, aid the operations and drive down the costs," Bhalla said. When asked how the company plans to raise the funds for investment in these outlets, Bhalla said: "It will be through internal accruals. Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today defended the RSS from Congress attack, saying it is the "most upright and patriotic" organisation in the country and dubbed it as "Ready for Selfless Service". Naidu also alleged that by not allowing Parliament to function, the Congress was not stopping the Modi government but "creating hurdles" in the country's development. Taking on the Congress in a blistering attack, Naidu accused it of doing 'tamasha' politics over the suicide of research scholar Rohith Vemula, and asserted that the party never bothered about Dalits during its own rule. The latest attack on the RSS from the Congress came when its vice president Rahul Gandhi yesterday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS of trying to crush the spirit of students by imposing "one idea from the top". "RSS is the most upright and patriotic organisation in the country. We are all proud (of it). Yes, we were all brought up by RSS and that is why we got this character, calibre, conduct, discipline, dynamism and devotion," Naidu, a senior BJP leader, said. Addressing a public meeting ahead of civic polls here. On Congress attacks on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS), Naidu said, RSS means "Ready for Selfless Service". He also said Congress, which had allegedly followed "divisive and vote-bank agenda" and encouraged parties such as MIM and Muslim League, has no "moral right" to criticise RSS. "You (Congress) are reduced to 40 seats in the Lok Sabha. You don't know what to do and don't allow Parliament to function. You are not allowing the GST and real estate bill to pass and even stall efforts to reform the labour laws." "You are not stopping Modi, but creating hurdles in the development of this country. You are causing loss to the poor people. Congress should know this and I am hopeful that the party will realise it shortly," the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said. "NDA government is doing good work. The country is progressing. Market is also picking up and there will be more measures for welfare of the poor," Naidu said. "Good days ('achche din') have come and better days are ahead. Congress asked where are the good days. I said there are no good days for you, but bad days," he said, adding, people gave Congress the mandate to sit in the opposition, "but you are not ready". Naidu alleged that divisive agenda of Congress party and also its vote-bank agenda has spoilt the social harmony and that's why a incident like Vemula suicide had happened. "Rohith's is not the first incident (suicide)...10 (such suicides) incidents have happened during Congress regime. Nobody had time. No Sonia, no Rahul and no Digvijay Singh. Nobody came to Hyderabad Central University. Nobody consoled nor condoled. Suddenly now they are doing drama," he alleged. Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba today took charge as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command (WNC) from Vice Admiral S P S Cheema at a ceremonial parade held here. Officers of the WNC accorded Vice Admiral Cheema a warm send-off with the traditional 'Pulling Out' ceremony. Cheema retired after completing nearly four decades of service in the Navy. Calling the personnel who participated in the parade as his 'ship mates', Vice Admiral Cheema expressed his gratitude to all personnel of the command for their support and their dedicated efforts in the functioning of the command. Recounting his service, he said he has seen many changes in the Indian Navy in terms of technology, quality of manpower and resources. The spirit of enthusiasm, ability to face all odds and above all, a deep sense of patriotism has not changed among the men in uniform, he said. Vice Admiral Lanba, a specialist in Navigation and Direction and an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, has rich operational and staff experience of a career spanning more than three decades. He has served as Navigating Officer of INS Sindhudurg (Corvette) and INS Dunagiri (Frigate). During his illustrious service, he commanded four frontline warships, namely INS Kakinada (Minesweeper), INS Himgiri (Frigate), INS Ranvijay and INS Mumbai (Destroyers). He is an alumnus of the College of Defence Management, Secunderabad, where he also served as faculty. He has also held important staff assignments such as Fleet Operations Officer of Western Fleet and Chief of Staff of Southern Naval Command and Eastern Naval Command. He has also been the Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST), Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area, Commandant of National Defence College and Vice Chief of Naval Staff. He was Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command at Kochi, prior to being appointed to head the premier operational Command of the Indian Navy. Vice Admiral Lanba is a recipient of the Param Vishist Seva Medal and the Athi Vishist Seva Medal for distinguished service of an exceptionally high order. His wife Reena Lanba, who is a teacher, will now preside over the Navy Wives Welfare Association (Western Region). Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya today accused media of distorting his remarks on Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide, saying the incident is being probed and truth will come out soon. "What I had said was that if any student who had a zeal to swim against the tide commits suicide, there must be something. But the media distorted my statement," he said. Speaking at a function here, Vijayvargiya said the incident is being probed by a retired judge of a High court and the whole truth will come out soon. Commenting on Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's participation in the ongoing students' protest at Hyderabad University, the BJP leader said Rahul's protest is an excuse to disrupt the upcoming Budget session. Vijayvargiya had earlier termed Rohith's expulsion from Hyderabad University hostel as a "small incident". "The suicide of Vemula is unfortunate. He was a courageous youth who had a zeal to swim against the tide. Though a probe is on in his death, I don't believe he committed suicide just because of a small incident of his expulsion from the hostel. I don't think he took the extreme step because he was perturbed over his expulsion," he had said yesterday. Vijayvargiya, BJP's in-charge of poll-bound West Bengal, alleged that the TMC government poses a threat to the internal security of the country due to cross-border arms, drug and currency trafficking. He hoped that like Lok Sabha elections, BJP will perform very well in the upcoming Assembly polls in West Bengal. The BJP leader said that his party was ready to enter into an alliance for the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. He also said that the PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir will continue. Your pet dog may love you five times more than your cat, according to a new study which found that the canines release the love hormone when they see their owners while the felines barely produce any. Scientists already know that canines and humans release the love hormone known as oxytocin when they are together. "We have pretty good evidence that dogs actually love their humans," said US neuroscientist Dr Paul Zak, who conducted the study. In the study completed for the upcoming BBC Documentary "Cats vs Dogs", Zak took saliva samples from 10 cats and 10 dogs prior to a 10-minute playtime session with their owners. He then took another saliva sample from all of the participants after their playtime encounter, testing it for the presence of oxytocin. According to the results, a 57.2 per cent increase of the hormone oxytocin was found in dogs; whereas a 12 per cent increase of the hormone was found in cats. "From this sample it is true to say that these dogs love their owners five times more than the cats do," Zak was quoted as saying by catchannel.Com. "I was really surprised to discover that dogs produced such high levels of oxytocin. The dog level of 57.2 per cent is a very powerful response. "It shows these dogs really care about their owners," Zak added. Europe's largest lender, HSBC, is imposing a hiring and pay freeze across the bank globally in 2016, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. An e-mail was sent to staff on Friday detailing the latest cost-saving measures, according to the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. Like numerous other global banks, HSBC is in the midst of a cost-cutting drive to boost profitability and returns to shareholders, and is pushing through with plans for annual cost savings of up to $5 billion by 2017. The bank had said in June that it planned to slash nearly one in five jobs and shrink its investment bank by a third in response to sluggish economic growth and tighter global regulation of bank balance sheet risk. As flagged in our Investor Update we have targeted significant cost reductions by the end of 2017, a spokeswoman for HSBC told Reuters, confirming the content of the staff email. In October, contractors at its investment banking division in London had their pay cut by 10 per cent in line with the banks efforts to rein in costs, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters at the time. News of the pay and hiring freeze follows a significant week for HSBC, after its board met last week to consider moving headquarters to Hong Kong and to focus on the banks strategy. A decision on the domicile issue could come early next week, a senior source at the bank told Reuters on January 27. The European Union needs an ambitious grand bargain at its next summit to rescue itself from an accumulation of crises that threaten to blow apart its model of integration. Like children at a birthday party, each leader has to get a going-home present. And as with many childrens parties, there may be a tantrum along the way. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is at risk at home from a backlash against a mass influx of Syrian refugees. British Prime Minister David Cameron is trying to win a referendum on staying in the EU and cannot help her due to public hostility to immigration. Nor can French President Francois Hollande, who is struggling for re-election in a country transfixed by the threat from Islamist militants. Berlin, the EUs pivotal power, sees controlling migration as the central priority as it tries to cope with one million asylum seekers who have arrived in the last year. Ideally, EU leaders need to forge a deal on February 18-19 that encompasses effective action to strengthen Europes external borders and share the refugee burden, and a mutually acceptable solution to Britains demands to change its membership terms. A comprehensive package would also need to address Italys political and economic frustrations with the EU, Greeces quest for substantial debt relief, and Polands wish to see NATO raise its military presence in eastern Europe to deter Russia. These deals are only possible when countries are in a state of symmetrical despair, said Laszlo Andor, a professor at Brussels ULB University and former Hungarian EU commissioner. A package deal might yield a more integrated core Europe, adding an EU border and coast guard and a common asylum policy, and a looser union for countries like Britain that opt to stay outside the 19-nation euro single currency area. A deal seems within reach with London that would formally exempt the UK from the EU goal of ever closer union, shield its financial sector from being regulated abusively by the euro zone and let it withhold some benefits from new migrant workers if its social welfare system were under great strain. The EU would cease to be a two-speed Europe, with all 28 members converging at different paces toward the same goal, and become a permanent two-tier or multi-tier construction, possibly with an outer circle of associates such as Turkey and Ukraine. Tipping point While European leaders despair may not be symmetrical, the refugee crisis is concentrating minds on a threat that could break the union, fan populism and alienate British voters. European Council President Donald Tusk has warned that the EU is close to a tipping point, saying it has only six to eight weeks left to save the Schengen zone of passport-free travel or see national barriers slam shut for the duration. That raises the urgency of a deal with Greece and Italy, the main arrival points for migrants from Turkey and North Africa. Horse-trading to accommodate multiple national interests is a classic technique for advancing European integration and seems designed to break logjams in what Juncker calls a polycrisis. Rome is blocking an EU aid package for Turkey to help curb the influx of migrants into Europe; Athens stands accused of failing to guard its borders or to register and retain asylum-seekers on its soil; and Warsaw is under scrutiny in Brussels over laws shackling the judiciary and the media. Each of those countries has hinted it is willing to do more to help if its own interests are taken into account. Merkel is keen to help Cameron win his planned referendum on whether Britain should stay in the EU, but she is increasingly fighting for her own political skin in the refugee crisis. Berlin feels it has received little solidarity from its EU partners, while elsewhere there is a sense that reluctance to share the refugee burden is partly payback for perceived German bullying during the euro zone crisis. Germany and its Dutch, Austrian and Finnish allies are more inclined to use sticks than carrots with Greece. The European Commission this week gave Athens three months to fix serious deficiencies in its management of the blocs external frontiers or face suspension from the Schengen area. That deadline expires just as Greek debt talks are due to start. Domestic headwinds may make it harder for Merkel to use her dwindling political capital to offer concessions to Greece on rescheduling its debt to euro zone countries. Many in Berlin and Brusssels doubt Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras can deliver tighter border controls or keep tens of thousands of migrants penned up in Greece until they can be relocated to reluctant EU countries. Yet the chancellor has voiced understanding for Greeces plight as a frontline state and says she wants a European solution to the refugee crisis. No one wants another Grexit crisis this year on top of the EUs other woes. If Greek compliance is uncertain, Turkeys cooperation in preventing migrants leaving its shores for Europe in return for euro 3 billion in aid is subject to deep scepticism. The Italians want more EU cash to cope with migrants landing on their own shores and more fiscal leeway from Europes budget supervisors to stimulate their sluggish economy. Poland is the biggest supplier of migrant labor to Britain. Its foreign minister has hinted it could acquiesce in Londons needs to curb in-work benefits for new arrivals if Cameron sends troops to provide a long-term NATO presence on its soil. The makings of trade-offs are easy to see, but in the fraught state of relations among EU leaders, it is a tall order. 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The political campaign season is the perfect time to debate tough issues like immigration, but it is the worst time to actually get any action. Yet the dysfunctional immigration system is crying out for a fix every day. Waves of unaccompanied Central American children and women are arriving almost by the hour at the Texas border, mistakenly believing that they will all qualify for asylum. That surge prompted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in December to extend the 18-month assignment of the National Guard at the Rio Grande. The federal government, in turn, is forced to find housing for all these new arrivals even while they are figuring out where many of these children can be placed until their asylum requests go through the immigration system. At the same time, the federal government has been disrupting immigrant communities with a series of raids to round up immigrants whose appeals for asylum have failed. And the U.S. Supreme Court this month decided to take on the appeal of the Obama administration, which has been trying to act on a presidential executive order that would shield millions of illegal immigrants from deportation. Yet the comment that has created the most buzz on the presidential campaign that had any semblance to immigration reform was Donald Trump's promise to "build a wall around Mexico and have them pay for it." This is not a solution. This is demagoguery. But the discussion has not risen to any serious level among candidates who have emerged as leaders in the GOP presidential race (or at least ahead of the Iowa caucuses). The few candidates who have risked advancing plans that have some semblance of workability are now busy disavowing them (Marco Rubio) or have had them hung around their necks like albatrosses (Jeb Bush). The Democratic contenders, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, have platforms on immigration that echo some of the initiatives that have passed the Senate but have no chance in the House. Short of Democrats becoming the majority in the House of Representatives, if a Democrat wins the White House, that president would still be at loggerheads with a GOP Congress. You don't have to be a bleeding heart to understand the need for a fix on immigration. There is, first of all, the need to bring order to the border. Lining up National Guard troops along the river and running heavily armed boats along the shores brings some semblance of order but at the cost of militarizing what is essentially a policing function. If we value this vast labor pool and new talent that comes with immigration, then finding a way of putting all those hands to work in a transparent labor market has to come with immigration reform. As it is, the 11 million immigrants already in the country represent millions of dollars in income not earned because they can't work in an open labor market and consequently that means millions of those dollars not spent in the economy. Then there is this: as a nation of immigrants, we should be demonstrating to the world how an open democracy compassionately and efficiently receives and absorbs the energy and aspirations of immigrants. The gulf between the parties on the issue of immigration seems unbridgeable. But it doesn't have to be if somehow compromises can be made. One point, just to name a key deal breaker, is the insistence on a path to citizenship. That is going nowhere. The first order of business should be to get people out of shadows. Obtaining some sort of legal status with a work permit is a middle ground. Guest worker programs have their pitfalls as years of the Bracero program showed. But it is at least a beginning. So is stopping the illogical process which sends foreign students back to their home countries immediately after graduation. Let the United States enjoy the fruits of the education they received here. The status quo just can't go on. Presidential executive orders are at best a stop gap, but they are no substitute for immigration reform written by Congress and signed by the president. As the presidential campaigns accelerate into harvesting delegate votes after Monday's Iowa caucuses and as leaders emerge, there will be more rhetoric on immigration. Will that talk only generate votes or will it actually lead to action? Nick Jimenez has worked as a reporter, city editor and editorial page editor for more than 40 years in Corpus Christi. He is currently the editorial page editor emeritus for the Caller-Times. His commentary column appears on Wednesdays and Sundays. | BY Ricki Green | Havas has today announced the appointment of Naked New York MD, Matt Houltham (left) as its new group managing director to lead a combined integrated village offering in Melbourne. Houlthams appointment will see Havas drop its Worldwide and Media branding to become Havas Melbourne, making it the first Havas operation in APAC to operate as a single P&L combining creative, media, digital and employer brand. Havas Melbourne will be supported by PR, with Havas-owned Red Agency operating from the same office. Havas aims to be the most integrated global marketing and communications Group worldwide. The move signals a major strategic shift for Havas Melbourne and fully embraces the groups village strategy to aggressively integrate creative, digital, PR and media to provide more effective and efficient solutions for clients. Houltham joins the Havas Melbourne team on 27 January 2016. He will report directly to group COO James Wright (above, right), and also work alongside Havas Creative Group CEO Anthony Gregorio and Havas Media CEO Mike Wilson, who he previously worked for as the MD of Naked in Melbourne. Says Wright: Our focus for the Havas village is to excel at creating meaningful connections between people and brands through creativity, media and innovation. Matt will help us integrate each discipline to make us more nimble and agile to the market, uniting some of the best minds in Melbourne to create ruthlessly effective campaigns for clients. Its no small feat to lure Matt away from the bright lights of New York but were thrilled to be bringing such as well-respected and experienced talent back to Melbourne to help us deliver on some of our exciting plans for 2016 and beyond. Says Houltham: Its great to be coming home to work alongside some of the best in the business, even the idea of working with Mike Wilson again didnt put me off. The industry is evolving and we need to put client and consumer needs above siloed business units to create programs that drive growth for brand. Im looking forward to bringing our Melbourne teams together to drive our business forward in 2016. Houltham steps into the role with more than 14 years leadership experience from some of the biggest advertising and media agency names. Most recently, Houltham was managing director of Naked Communications in New York where he transformed the business into a strategy-led creative agency. Prior to this he held a number of leadership roles at Naked Communications in Australia, ZenithOptimedia and Mojo and Publicis Digital. "The health of Canberrans is paramount and must be put above any economic considerations. Like the neighbours of Mr Fluffy homes, all local residents ought to be advised of the process for and timing of the removal of asbestos in Northbourne House, regardless of whether or not they have read the development application." "We try to resist putting them into a box as to which twin is more this and that and how similar or different they are. They are unique children and we want them to have their own identities and friendship groups," said Mr Buffier. "I think the bond he has with Barbara is just beautiful," she said. "And it is wonderful he is creating such a sense of community among the people of Gungahlin. However, it does seem a bit hypocritical to have a dog being allowed to roam just because he is beautiful and fluffy. If he was a pitbull, for example, or a random cross-breed dog, with exactly the same personality as Franklin, I do wonder if he would have been left to roam." [Your Business Name] Contact Info Phone: Fax: Email: Web: CAPITOLHILLCUBANS.COM Business Overview Geographic Area Line of Business Brands We Carry Products and Services Discounts Offered Additional Information Business Hours Timezone We Accept 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. Renaults budget crossover was recently spotted testing in Europe. Completely wrapped in camouflage, the Kwid test mule carries the same overall lines and identical taillights as its Indian counterpart. The questions that arise are a.whether Renault will bring it to European markets, and b. if so, will it be under its own brand or marketed as a Dacia? Upgrading the Kwid to comply with European emission and safety standards will surely have an impact on its price, which in India starts from just under $3,900. On the range-topper, sold for the equivalent of $5,340, the automaker offers a 7-inch touchscreen MediaNAV with Bluetooth, AUX, USB, keyless entry & central locking, front power windows and fog lights, but ABS is not available and the drivers side airbag is optional. Since it rides on the CMF-A global platform, Renault-Nissans Global VP, Gerard Detourbet, said that the the budget crossover can be equipped with ABS, ESP and other safety features, making it Euro-compliant. CEO Carlos Ghosn has ruled out rebadging it as a Dacia. Thus, perhaps we already have our answer unless, that is, the group has changed its original plan. Image via IAB PHOTO GALLERY The cars pictured above are most certainly three of 2015s highlights, each offering hardcore driving thrills and being produced in limited numbers. The Porsche 911 GT3 RS, McLarens 675LT and the Lamborghini Aventador SV: priced differently and offering varying levels of performance, yet all three throwing caution, and almost everything else, to the wind in favor of thrills. A rain-soaked road trip is not most certainly not part of their briefing. Such pure driving machines must be utterly hopeless in this environment. Or are they? Top Gear Magazine recently embarked on a trip in some of Europes best roads to find out. Sacrificing their comfort in the interest of the public, you know, nothing to do with having fun, no sir VIDEO Photo: Nicholas Johansen Stuart McKay bites into the scorpion from his 'extreme' donut. When was the last time you were forced to sign waiver before diving into dessert? Thats what one man did Saturday morning before trying out what Dolicious Donuts calls the worlds most extreme donut. So how does one go about making a donut extreme? If youre Torsten Kaminski, owner of Dolicious, you throw a whole bunch of the worlds hottest peppers at it. We have a nuclear hot sauce that we make ourselves, Kaminski said. Its a combination of ten different hot peppers. It's got the Naga Pepper, which used to be the hottest pepper in the world, but now its the Scorpion (Pepper) which is even hotter, so we use the Scorpion on top as well. Kaminksi says in making their nuclear hot sauce, they boil it for over a week, to fully let the flavours out of the mix of peppers. Its not just to take the buzz away from you where you can't taste anything, its got a lot of unique flavours, he said. Its more barbeque flavours. In addition to the hot sauce, the chocolate donut comes with a spicy pepper gummy and a real scorpion thats been soaked in vodka. One man was up for the challenge Saturday morning, when the donut was debuted at Dolicious in West Kelowna. Stuart McKay said hes a fan of spicy food, but doesnt think hes ever encountered anything quite like this. Armed with a glass of milk, McKay got to work on the donut, dipping the creamy dessert into the nuclear sauce. He handled himself well and, despite reminders from employees that he didnt have to finish it, took it all down within 10 minutes. Youre a chicken if you dont finish it, McKay said with a laugh, mid-bite. Once he had finished it, McKay said he was definitely a fan. I would say, if you like spicy, youve got to try it. But asked if he was ready to take on a second, he said he might wait a day or two. Human beings in the workplace tend to take that tendency and multiply it by a thousand. Often the simplest of gestures like buying a cake for a co-worker's birthday turn into complex logistical nightmares. (Is one cake enough, or should we get two? Should we have gluten-free cake? Do we invite just our department or will that offend the folks in marketing? What about people whose birthdays we missed? Are they going to feel hurt?) Protesters stand in front of the Harney County Courthouse in Burns, Ore. Protesters were upset about the fatal police shooting of the spokesman for an armed group that has occupied a nearby wildlife refuge to protest land use policies. (Nicholas K. Geranios / AP) BURNS, Ore. BJ Soper has never supported the nearly monthlong occupation of a national wildlife refuge by armed anti-government activists. He sympathized with their frustrations about the federal government, but he thought calm negotiation was a better strategy. Then on Tuesday, an Oregon state trooper shot and killed LaVoy Finicum, a cowboy-hat-wearing grandfather who acted as the occupiers' spokesman. Advertisement Now Soper is furious, and he's calling for people from all over the country to come to Burns to show their outrage at Finicum's "ambush." "I'm angry," Soper, 39, said late Friday, joining two dozen protesters in a light sleet outside the Harney County Courthouse. "We've got a man that's dead. Over what? I don't want to see any more bloodshed, and that's not what I'm condoning. But at some point when American people keep getting killed by their government, people are going to fight back." Advertisement Finicum's killing has re-energized anti-government activists, even as the occupation at the nearby Malheur National Wildlife Refuge seemed to be running out of steam. Only four occupiers remained holed up at the refuge, while 11 others have been arrested. Their jailed leader, Ammon Bundy, who was arrested in the same operation in which Finicum was killed, has called for the three men and one woman still at the refuge to go home peacefully. The FBI took the unusual step of releasing a video of Finicum's shooting, which officials say shows him reaching at least twice for a holstered handgun. But the video, taken from an FBI aircraft, is of poor quality and is ambiguous, and it has only added to the conviction of Finicum's supporters that his killing was nothing less than an execution. Graphic content warning: Edited video showing the fatal shooting of an Oregon protester. A car crash and the eventual shooting begins at roughly the 5:45 mark in the above video. (via FBI YouTube channel) (Chicago Tribune) "It was an assassination," said Monte Siegner, 79, a Harney County resident at the protest who was holding a sign that said, "Ambushed and assassinated." "He had his hands up," Siegner said. "He didn't have a gun in his hands, and he wasn't threatening no one." FBI officials have withheld further comment on the shooting until a formal investigation concludes. But they have repeatedly said they want a peaceful resolution to the standoff. Greg Bretzing, the FBI spokesman who presented the video, said that "our negotiators are working around the clock" to end the standoff. "I want to acknowledge the stress and disruption that the occupation of the refuge has caused has to the people of Harney County," he said. "We know this is difficult. We know that you want this concluded as soon as possible. We are doing everything we can to bring this to a resolution safely and quickly." 'The FBI lied to us Soper, of the Pacific Patriots Network, which he described as an organization that helps people in need, said FBI officials have not been honest. "They were ambushed in that canyon," Soper said. "There's no doubt about it. It was planned, it was premeditated. The FBI has lied to us from the get go, and we're tired of it. They said they wanted a peaceful resolution, there was never an attempt to negotiate, and now a man's dead." Advertisement He said protests would continue daily "until some sense of reason is re-established here." He said he had put out calls on social media for people from around the country to come to Burns on Monday for a peaceful demonstration to show their anger over Finicum's death and the government's response to the wildlife refuge occupation. "It's time the American public knows exactly what's going on out here," Soper said. "It's time for the militarized federal presence to end." Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 42 Lights are seen from the Narrows roadblock near Burns, Ore., as FBI agents have surrounded the remaining four occupiers at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016. The four are the last remnants of an armed group that seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Jan. 2 to oppose federal land-use policies. (Thomas Boyd / The Oregonian) In Burns, the new round of protests has elicited a collective groan from many people. Most in this remote town, high on the eastern Oregon desert plains, have never supported the occupiers. While many people here have complaints about the management of federal lands, which comprise more than half of Oregon's total land, few supported an armed take-over of federal property as the way to express their frustrations. "I haven't spoken to one person who is for any of this," said one Burns resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he feared reprisals from anti-government extremists. "It was not the fault of anybody here that he got killed. And it wasn't the police's fault. They didn't just shoot him for no reason." In the past month, tiny Burns has become a bustling outpost for hundreds of federal and state authorities, journalists and members of militia groups attracted by the refuge standoff. The snowy streets are filled with federal agents in black SUVs, armed occupiers in pickups and reporters in rental cars. Advertisement While it's been good for business in a usually dead time of year (local waitresses said the occupiers are by far the best tippers), residents said the occupation has caused tremendous friction in town. Finicum's death has dashed hopes for life returning to normal anytime soon, as people debate the two competing versions of blame for his death that have emerged. Many in Burns, while expressing sorrow over Finicum's death, blame the occupiers and their leaders, Ammon Bundy and his brother, Ryan, for deliberately creating an armed standoff with authorities that ultimately - perhaps inevitably - led to shots being fired. But the anti-government activists say the authorities responded with ham-handed and disproportionate force against a group of Americans exercising their rights under the First and Second amendments to the Constitution. Little common ground has emerged between the two sides, and people in Burns are bracing for more protests and anger in an episode that most had thought was just about over. On the slushy sidewalk outside the courthouse on Friday, protesters said they planned to come out every day. Advertisement "It was totally unjustified, and completely unnecessary," said Clint Siegner, 43, who traveled from Eagle, Idaho, to join his father, Monte Siegner, and show his anger over Finicum's death. "It's a pretty sad state when you get killed for exercising your First Amendment rights." "They weren't threatening anybody," said Siegner, carrying a sign that said "Federal supremacists murdered an innocent man." "It didn't have to end like that. They set an ambush and they killed him." Siegner, who sells precious metals for a living, subscribes to a popular belief among anti-government groups that the Constitution gives virtually no power to the federal government to regulate people's daily lives. Critics call that a selective and incorrect reading of the Constitution, but it underpins much of the long-simmering dispute in the western United States over federal land-management policies. "There is a constitutional case to be made for the federal government not to have any authority," he said. "This has been around for a long time, and it's not just something people dreamed up." He said that authorities' shooting of Finicum "gives you the impression that they are afraid of these ideas." One man walked through the crowd of protesters Friday taking video of people, asking them, "What do you want to say to all the patriots out there?" He spun out anti-government rhetoric, including his belief that the U.S. government was responsible for the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Advertisement Mostly, he seemed to be using the video to motivate people to come to Burns for the big protest scheduled for Monday. "It's time to ride, boys," he said. "Get in your vehicles and get your butts out here." One person he interviewed was Susy Pearce, a rancher who drove 6 1/2hours from Jefferson, Calif., for a Jan. 2 protest in Burns to protest the jailing of two ranchers on federal arson charges, which led to the takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Pearce has not left town since. "I'm a rancher and we feel the same way they do about the overreach of the federal government," said Pearce, wearing a big cowboy hat and a long oil-skin coat as the snow fell. "If you're a rancher, you get taxed, fined, fee-d and over-regulated to death." She said she had gotten to know Finicum over the past weeks at the wildlife refuge, and she called him an "amazing man." She teared up as she talked about a man she called "smart and honest" and his "outrageous, uncalled-for murder." Pearce said she had seen the FBI video of Finicum's death, and she said she was suspicious of the intentions of law enforcement. Advertisement "I don't think they intended for any of them to survive," she said of Finicum and the others in the car, including an 18-year-old girl. "I think he sacrificed himself to save them." A wooden cross appeared late Friday at the site of Finicum's death, on a highway just north of Burns. Carissa Wolf contributed to this report. Former University of Chicago political science professor Lloyd Rudolph was an expert on India and South Asia who did much of his work in collaboration with his wife and fellow faculty member, Susanne. She died in December. Lloyd Rudolph, 88, died of prostate cancer Jan. 16 in his home in Oakland, Calif., according to his daughter, Jenny. He and his wife, longtime Hyde Park residents, moved to California after their retirement in 2002. Advertisement In 2014, the Indian government awarded the couple the Padma Bhushan Award, the nation's third-highest civilian award, given in recognition of their distinguished service to India. Retired University of Chicago professor Richard Taub said the Rudolphs "always took the position that India was a huge democracy and a successful democracy and worth admiration." Advertisement Lloyd Rudolph was born in Chicago and grew up in the city and in Elgin. After graduating from Elgin High School in 1944, he went on to Harvard University. He interrupted his Harvard career to spend a year at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point "discovered it was not a good fit for him," said his daughter then returned to Harvard in 1946 to finish work on his undergraduate degree. He continued at Harvard, receiving a master of public administration degree in 1950, and a doctorate in political science in 1956. He met fellow graduate student Susanne Hoeber at Harvard. They married in 1952, the start of a partnership that spanned more than 60 years. In 1956, the couple made the first of many trips to India, driving from Austria to New Delhi in a Land Rover. In 2014, they wrote a book about the trip, "Destination India." Rudolph and his wife joined the Harvard faculty in 1957 and taught there until he was appointed to the University of Chicago political science faculty in 1964. At U. of C. he was chair of the Committee on International Relations and of the master's program in the social sciences, and was also chair of concentrations in political science, public policy, international studies and South Asian studies. Rudolph and his wife lived in India every fourth year for nearly 50 years, educating their three children in Indian schools. With his wife, he studied modern politics and examined India's states, both in the British colonial period and after independence, from a home base in Jaipurin the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.. Jenny Rudolph said leaving home and American friends for a year at a time was a bittersweet experience for her and her siblings. But once in India, she said, "we all totally relished the adventure and even as kids perceived the excitement and the difference of being there." Advertisement As co-author of "The Modernity of Tradition," first published in 1967 and still in print, Rudolph helped introduce political scientists to what was then a groundbreaking idea, that the politics of countries outside Europe could differ from the European model and still be "modern." Rudolph's approach to research also pioneered the use of narrative analysis and native literature along with demographic information to understand other cultures and countries. He also incorporated political psychology to understand motivations behind political action. In all that, both Rudolphs were important participants in what is called the "perestroika" movement in political science, expanding research sources and processes beyond numerical and strictly empirical sources. Taub, who met the Rudolphs at Harvard, said when they came to Chicago they brought a lively and social approach to understanding India and the Indian people. Rudolph and his wife hosted what Taub called, "a kind of salon" in Hyde Park. Students and faculty would be invited, along with a diverse group of people from India, a group that might include government ministers, newspaper reporters and others for what Taub called "incredibly intense conversations." "Susanne and Lloyd created in their house a golden bubble of the Indian world," Taub said in an email. With his wife, Rudolph was co-author, co-editor or contributing author for a number of books and journal articles on India and the region. In 2008, Oxford University Press published a three-volume, career-spanning collection of the couple's writings, "Explaining Indian Democracy: A Fifty-Year Perspective." Advertisement In 1999, he received the university's Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching. He retired as professor emeritus in 2002. Survivors include another daughter, Amelia; a son, Matthew; a brother, Wallace; and three grandchildren. A memorial service for both Rudolphs is planned for Chicago in May or June. Megan is a freelance reporter. Students walk in front of the University of Chicago's International House on Jan. 26, 2016. The university is opening the dorm to all undergraduate students, not just foreign students, in August. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune) John D. Rockefeller Jr., who founded the University of Chicago's International House in the 1930s, intended the stone Gothic estate at the heart of campus to foster cultural exchange among campus members and foreign students, who could call the dormitory a temporary home. The residence has been loyal to this mission: It has housed notable faculty like Italian scientist Enrico Fermi and American writer Langston Hughes, held foreign music singalongs and staged energetic cuisine showdowns. In a cook-off a few years ago against French students, German students stole the show with their hot mulled wine. Advertisement So when the university announced this month that International House would temporarily become an undergraduate-only dormitory starting this fall and stop housing international graduate students, residents felt as though Rockefeller's mission was being betrayed. "This choice will destroy the purpose of International House, and is completely against the original statement of Rockefeller. (The university) is going against his will," said Daniele Macuglia, a doctoral student from Italy and a resident of the dorm since 2009. "Even if this is temporary, it will interrupt the continuity of nearly 85 years during which the older residents of International House transmitted the traditions of the house to newcomers." Advertisement U. of C. officials said the switch would last for only a few years, until the next major residence hall is constructed. Jeremy Manier, a spokesman for the university, said this new dorm is in "active planning" but could not provide details regarding the construction timeline or location. Karen Warren Coleman, vice president for campus life and student services, said in an emailed statement that the university would still adhere to Rockefeller's intentions. The dorm, she said, will continue to host an internationally focused arts and lecture series as well as music and cultural performances. It will also add a Diplomatic Encounters series to the list of dorm events. But residents say such programming isn't enough to preserve the house's identity. "It's about living together every day. Studying together, making dinner together," Macuglia said. "This is the special thing about these communities. It is an opportunity to open your eyes on a global community, not just a collection of events." International House currently houses 65 graduate students, most of whom are international students, and 311 undergraduates, Manier said. In addition to changing International House into an undergraduate-only dorm, U. of C. will close its Blackstone, Breckinridge, Broadview and Maclean off-campus dorms. Students who live in those dorms will have the opportunity to move into the new Campus North residence hall, which will house roughly 800 undergraduates. Students from one of the closing houses will instead move into International House, officials said. The moves are part of the university's long-term plan to strengthen its housing experience for undergraduates by providing them with more on-campus options. U. of C. is currently able to house just over 56 percent of its undergraduates on campus, and it aims to house 70 percent in the coming years, Manier said. The push to house more students on campus is in part to bolster the university's Resident Master model, designed to stimulate interactions between students and senior faculty outside the classroom, officials said. The four residence halls that are closing could not accommodate Resident Masters faculty members who live among students and reinforce a sense of community. Advertisement The university in November announced plans to sell the Blackstone, Broadview and Maclean buildings, Manier said. There are no plans to sell the Breckinridge building. Also closing this summer is the New Graduate Residence Hall, which university officials in 2014 announced would become the Keller Center, and the new home of the Harris School of Public Policy. French foreign exchange students Jeanne Sorin and Philomene Chagniot, both 20, and Camille Godbillot, 22, all who live in International House, said almost all their friends reside in the dorm, as they found it hard to become close friends with non-international students. Now, Godbillot is unsure whether she could recommend U. of C. to her classmates back home, she said. The graduate students living at International House, she said, are "an enormous part of the experience." "We wouldn't be able to tell (classmates) about our experience here without them," she said. Advertisement Students are concerned about how future international graduate students will find easy and affordable housing, which they say is difficult. In a letter to the dorm's residents, university officials offered a meeting between students and representatives from U. of C.'s Residential Properties to help ease the housing search. Some students also worry that the "temporary" nature of the change to International House will, in fact, be permanent. In 2000, International House risked closure. University officials at the time estimated the building needed more than $20 million in renovations to remain open. Students held rallies and tried to raise money to fuel their fight, which included a lawsuit against the university that claimed administrators were ignoring Rockefeller's intentions. After months of deliberating, the administration decided to keep the dorm open. This fall, International House will still be home to some international students, as they make up 11 to 14 percent of U. of C.'s undergraduate class, university officials said. Lucy Duan, a 2013 U. of C. graduate from China who lived in the dorm for two years, said that while university officials plan to continue global programming for undergraduate residents, it was the international residents' own planned activities that defined her experience. Advertisement She fears that with the removal of graduate students those activities will be gone. They included "I-Monday," a weekly dinner cooked by students of different nationalities in the dorm's communal kitchen, with a new cuisine highlighted each week. There was "I-Focus," an opportunity for students to showcase their cultures in a casual atmosphere. And there were the energetic screenings of the finales of Eurovision, Europe's TV singing competition. "I was very humbled by the people I was living among. It was such a big community, and people mixed very spontaneously," Duan said. "There was so much music residents who are musicians play music together. Each of those little moments was so extraordinary on its own." meltagouri@tribpub.com Twitter @marwaeltagouri ABUJA, Nigeria A survivor hidden in a tree says he watched Boko Haram extremists firebomb huts and heard the screams of children burning to death, among 86 people officials say died in the latest attack by Nigeria's homegrown Islamic extremists. Scores of charred corpses and bodies with bullet wounds littered the streets from Saturday night's attack on Dalori village and two nearby camps housing 25,000 refugees, according to survivors and soldiers at the scene just 3 miles from Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram and the biggest city in Nigeria's northeast. Advertisement The shooting, burning and explosions from three suicide bombers continued for nearly four hours in the unprotected area, survivor Alamin Bakura said, weeping on a telephone call to The Associated Press. He said several of his family members were killed or wounded. The violence continued as three female suicide bombers blew up among people who managed to flee to neighboring Gamori village, killing many people, according to a soldier at the scene who insisted on anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to journalists. Advertisement Troops arrived at Dalori around 8:40 p.m. Saturday but were unable to overcome the attackers, who were better armed, said soldiers who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. The Boko Haram fighters only retreated after reinforcements arrived with heavier weapons, they said. Journalists visited the carnage Sunday and spoke to survivors who complained it had taken too long for help to arrive from nearby Maiduguri, the military headquarters of the fight to curb Boko Haram. They said they fear another attack. Eighty-six bodies were collected by Sunday afternoon, according to Mohammed Kanar, area coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency. Another 62 people are being treated for burns, said Abba Musa of the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri. Boko Haram has been attacking soft targets, increasingly with suicide bombers, since the military last year drove them out of towns and villages in northeastern Nigeria. The 6-year Islamic uprising has killed about 20,000 people and driven 2.5 million from their homes. Associated Press JERUSALEM Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian on Sunday after he opened fire at a West Bank checkpoint and wounded three soldiers, the military said. The attacker opened fire near the Jewish settlement of Beit El. Medics said two of the wounded were in serious condition. Palestinians identified the gunman as Amjad Sukkari, a 34-year-old police officer who worked as a bodyguard for the Palestinian attorney general. Posts on his Facebook page from just hours before the attacks read "your mourning will be victorious," ''there is nothing worth living for on this earth as long as the occupation strangles our breaths" and "everyday someone dies, I may be the next." Gaza's Islamic militant Hamas rulers praised the shooting attack, the latest in four months of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and soldiers. Later Sunday, the military said a Palestinian attempted to ram his vehicle into soldiers north of Jerusalem. It said troops opened, fire wounding the man, who was taken to the hospital for treatment. Palestinians have killed 26 people on the Israeli side and wounded dozens more since mid-September, mostly in stabbings, shootings and vehicular assaults. Israeli fire has killed 150 Palestinians during that time, with 105 identified by Israel as attackers. The rest died in clashes. Advertisement Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 33 An injured Palestinian suspected attacker is treated by Israeli medic soldiers after he was shot following a stabbing attack on Jan. 18, 2016 in the Tekoa settlement south of Jerusalem. (Menahem Kahana, AFP/Getty Images) Israel says the bloodshed is fueled by a Palestinian campaign of incitement. Palestinians say it stems from despair over nearly 50 years of occupation. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius last week said his country will recognize a Palestinian state if its efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at an international conference fail. At his weekly Cabinet meeting Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said such a move by the French "will be an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise." "The substance of negotiations is compromise and the French initiative, as it has been reported, in effect gives the Palestinians in advance reasons not to do so," he said. "We are prepared to enter into direct negotiations without preconditions and without dictated conditions." Associated Press All politicians like to brag about their abilities and achievements. But rarely has a presidential hopeful emerged like Donald Trump, who consistently touts his resume and plans for the nation in sweeping and over-the-top terms. Trump is particularly unique in how he talks about himself. Plenty of would-be presidents make dubious claims about what they have accomplished in elected office (created millions of jobs! slashed spending!). Few make such claims about their personal attributes. Trump has no such hesitation. Just before the Iowa caucuses, here are five of the biggest myths Donald Trump tells about himself. Advertisement 1. "I'm, like, a really smart person." Trump is not shy about his intellectual prowess. As he tweeted in 2013: "Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure, it's not your fault." Advertisement Of course, "smart" is a bit subjective. There's book smarts as well as street smarts. Many would say Trump has run a pretty smart campaign. But clearly he's saying that his brain is very sharp as he puts it, "super-genius stuff.'' At one point, Trump rebutted criticism from Washington Post columnist George Will and GOP consultant Karl Rove by saying: "I'm much smarter than them. I think I have a much higher IQ. I think I went to a better college better everything." Trump's college background, in fact, is often his key piece of evidence for his intellectual superiority. But there's less here than meets the eye. Trump did graduate from the Wharton School of business at the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League college. But Trump did not get an MBA from Wharton; he has a much less prestigious undergraduate degree. He was a transfer student who arrived at Wharton after two years at Fordham University, which U.S. News & World Report currently ranks 66th among national universities. (Besides, simply going to an Ivy League school doesn't prove you're a genius.) Gwenda Blair, in her 2001 book "The Trumps," said that Trump's grades at Fordham were just "respectable" and that he got into Wharton mainly because he had an interview with an admissions officer who had been a high school classmate of his older brother. And Wharton's admissions team surely knew that Trump was from one of New York's wealthiest families. For years, numerous media reports said Trump graduated first in his class from Wharton, but that's wrong. The 1968 commencement program does not list him as graduating with any sort of honors. In fact, The Boston Globe reported that he barely made an impression at all: "His former classmates said he seemed a student who spoke up a lot but rarely shined in class, who barely participated in campus activities, shunned fraternity parties." 2. "I have the world's greatest memory." One of Trump's most controversial statements is his claim that he saw a television news report about thousands of Muslims in New Jersey cheering the collapse of the World Trade Center in 2001. That statement ended up on The Washington Post Fact Checker's list of 2015's biggest Pinocchios. Trump insisted he was right because he has such a great memory. But no television network could find such a clip though extensive searches were made. No news reports were tracked down to validate Trump's claim of "thousands." The closest thing ever found was a local newscast at the time, from a CBS affiliate in New York, that reported on the arrest of eight men who neighbors said had celebrated the attack. That's a far cry from thousands. There were also video clips of several Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territories cheering. But that wasn't New Jersey and again, it wasn't thousands. Advertisement Trump also pointed to a line in a Washington Post article written days after the attacks that said law enforcement authorities detained and questioned some people who were allegedly seen celebrating. But when one of the reporters, Serge Kovaleski, said the article did not validate Trump's claim, the real estate magnate mocked Kovaleski's disability. (Kovaleski has a chronic condition that limits his mobility.) Trump later denied doing so, claiming that he didn't know the reporter even though Kovaleski had closely covered Trump in the 1980s and 1990s and had interviewed him several times. Maybe Trump should rephrase his boast: "I have the world's most selective memory." 3. "I'm proud of my net worth. I've done an amazing job." Trump frequently touts his financial acumen. He often says he is worth $10 billion, though most analysts say that is exaggerated. Bloomberg News closely studied his 92-page financial disclosure report and concluded that he is really worth $2.9 billion. That may sound like a lot of money. But don't forget that Trump inherited a lot of money, too about $40 million in 1974. In 1978, his net worth was estimated by BusinessWeek at $100 million. The Post's Wonkblog calculated that if Trump had gotten out of real estate, put his money in an index fund based on the Standard & Poor's 500 index and reinvested the dividends, he'd be worth twice as much $6 billion today. Advertisement National Journal noted that Warren Buffett was also worth $40 million in 1974 and he managed to turn that into $67 billion today. But then Buffett doesn't have a long list of business flops, such as Trump Airlines, Trump Vodka, various Trump casinos, Trump Steaks and Trump University. 4. "I'm self-funding my campaign." Trump keeps saying that unlike his rivals, he's paying for his own presidential campaign, but that's largely false. At the start of his campaign, he loaned his political operation $1.8 million. As of Oct. 1, he had given his campaign an additional $104,829.27 but he had also received $3.9 million from donors, which accounted for the vast majority of the $5.8 million his campaign had taken in by then. His campaign website features a prominent "donate" button on its homepage. Trump has spent $5.4 million, and interestingly, about one-quarter of his spending has gone to Trump-owned entities (mainly his private jet company). In January, Trump launched an ad campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire, saying he planned to spend $2 million. He also claimed that his campaign was $35 million to $40 million below budget. Ultimately, all of his spending and where the money came from will have to be disclosed in campaign finance reports. The odds are his personal share of the spending will be less than 50 percent. 5. "I'm probably the least racist person on Earth." Advertisement When people have criticized Trump for promising to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border or proposing a ban on all Muslims from entering the country, he has defended himself by saying he's not motivated by racism. Still, he has a pattern of racially tinged remarks and actions. The very first article about Trump in The New York Times it appeared 42 years ago was headlined "Major Landlord Accused Of Antiblack Bias in City." Trump was quoted in the report as saying that the charges in a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department against the company he and his father ran were "absolutely ridiculous." The two sides eventually settled the case but three years later, the Justice Department charged Trump's organization with continuing to discriminate against blacks. When five black and Latino teenagers were implicated in a brutal attack on a white woman jogging in Central Park in 1989, Trump took out full-page newspaper advertisements calling for the death penalty for "criminals of every age." The suspects were convicted but later exonerated by DNA evidence and Trump then called their wrongful-conviction settlement a "disgrace." Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino President John R. O'Donnell, in the 1991 book "Trumped!: The Inside Story of the Real Donald Trump," alleged that Trump once said that "laziness is a trait in blacks." He also claimed that Trump said, of his accountants: "Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are little short guys that wear yarmulkes every day." (Trump has called O'Donnell a disgruntled employee, but he has not disputed the remarks. "The stuff O'Donnell wrote about me is probably true," he told Playboy in an interview published in May 1997.) Speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition in December, Trump made a speech riddled with Jewish stereotypes, such as: "Look, I'm a negotiator like you folks; we're negotiators." And: "I know why you're not going to support me. You're not going to support me because I don't want your money." Another Trump observation: "A well-educated black has a tremendous advantage over a well-educated white in terms of the job market. . . . If I were starting off today, I would love to be a well-educated black, because I believe they do have an actual advantage.'' Advertisement When Trump launched his campaign, he made a broad-brush accusation against Mexico: "They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing . . . drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." Washington Post Glenn Kessler is a veteran diplomatic correspondent who writes the "Fact Checker" blog for The Washington Post. The first voting in the presidential campaign takes place Monday in Iowa, but many Americans are already wishing the whole thing were over. The saturation coverage, the endless debates, the flood of candidates and the polarizing tone are enough to make anyone reconsider the merits of democracy. It's easy to forget that the 2016 election gives voters a rare framework for choosing the future of each major party as well as the nation. This year is unusual because it features no incumbent president and a wide-open contest in each party unlike in 2012, 2004, 1996, 1992 and 1984. Unlike the campaigns of 1988 and 2000, which like 2016 didn't include incumbents, there is also no natural heir apparent this year in the form of a sitting vice president seeking a promotion (as were George H.W. Bush and Al Gore, respectively). Advertisement Something similar occurred in 2008, when George W. Bush was finishing his second term, but it doesn't happen often. And the nature of presidential campaigns has changed enough to open up possibilities that didn't exist even eight years ago. The rise of super PACS, the growing importance of social media and the tepid economic recovery have produced a more volatile political environment. It's no accident that this campaign has yielded so many surprises. Parties also have less control over the nominating process than before, and nothing confirms it more than the dominance of the Republican race by Donald Trump, who in the past has contributed to the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. Not taken seriously at the outset, he has said and done things that by conventional political logic should have been fatal. Advertisement Yet for months he has ridden high in the polls in Iowa, New Hampshire and the nation. His closest rival is Ted Cruz, a hard-edged right-winger loathed by his fellow Republican senators not one of whom has endorsed him. The major players in the Republican Party see either Trump or Cruz as sure losers who would alienate independent voters and jeopardize GOP control of the Senate and even the House. They would much rather see the nomination go to Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, John Kasich or Chris Christie. But so far the rank and file appear to be in open rebellion. Democrats have their own donnybrook. Hillary Clinton was expected to have little trouble with an irascible and little-known 74-year-old democratic socialist from Vermont. But Bernie Sanders' populist economic message has him leading in New Hampshire and threatening to derail Clinton much as Barack Obama did eight years ago. Like Trump, Sanders is not the darling of his adopted party's hierarchy. Sanders has served more than two decades in Congress not as a Democrat, after all, but as an independent. Party insiders think he would produce a debacle in November. This year, Americans are not watching a normal presidential campaign. What is going on is nothing less than a war for the soul of each party. Republicans have been known for favoring limited government, social conservatism on issues like same-sex marriage and abortion, and free trade. Trump has ignored or contradicted conservative doctrine on those issues, relying instead on his opposition to illegal immigration, suspicion of Muslims and grand vows to "make America great again." Democrats learned in the 1970s the political perils of drifting too far to the left, and they have won the popular vote in five of the past six elections with pragmatic candidates like Gore, Obama and Bill Clinton. Hillary Clinton's liberal credentials are not in doubt, but her incremental approach and sober realism seem pallid next to Sanders' visions of drastic change. Her still unfolding email scandal, which evokes earlier Clinton controversies, doesn't help voters envision her taking a presidential oath. This year, each party will find out who will dictate its future restive insurgents heedless of the lessons of the past or more temperate souls who know the importance of reaching beyond the party base. The fateful outcome will be determined, of course, by the American people. It's a serious responsibility and, especially in this unusual year, a priceless opportunity. Rachael Becker (left) and Sarah Lewis of Quincy describe an experiment Sunday at the open house at Fermilab in Batavia. (David Sharos / The Beacon-News) Fermilab in Batavia held its annual Family Open House Sunday and the emphasis was - not surprisingly - on science. A crowd of at least 2,500 people got the chance to view the facilities as well as exhibits, which included physics projects offered by students living in neighboring communities including St. Charles, Naperville and Aurora. Advertisement Spencer Pasero, head of the office of education and public outreach at Fermilab, said a record number of student exhibits were on display this year. "We send out proposals for exhibits to the schools in hopes of gaining some student interest, and we got 13 proposals back this year which is the highest number we've seen," Pasero said. "We review them after students sketch out what they have in mind. We see this as at least potentially showing that interest in science is on the rise and that more students are looking into going into the fields of science, technology, and math." Advertisement Student projects at the annual open house at Fermilab Sunday included the "Electric Circuit Puzzle." (David Sharos / The Beacon-News) Andre Salles of the Fermilab Office of Communication said each year, the open house is Fermilab's most popular event and that typically "families have a good time while kids get to learn about science." "We generally have activities for all ages and many repeat visitors," Salles said. "Hopefully we continue to attract younger kids who will continue to come as they get older." Mike Schram from Geneva brought his 5-year-old grandson Jake along to view the exhibits. "Jake's father and I talked about this, and we thought it would be good to bring my grandson to this as there are programs scheduled here the next three months at Fermilab and we plan to come to those as well," Schram explained. "My son and I feel it's good to expose Jake to everything." Schram said his grandson "plays with Legos and likes machines" and has already shown an interest in experiments. Reina Macias of St. Charles expressed similar thoughts about her daughter, Corymar, 10, who were both visiting the exhibits Sunday for the first time. "This is a new experience for us, and we wanted to learn about things in the building as well as see the exhibits," Macias said. "I have an English mentor who works at this building and she is the one who told me about today's event." Corymar said she hopes to be a scientist one day, although she isn't sure what her specialty might be. Advertisement "We've started science classes in school, and I think it will be fun to see how some things work," she said. Exhibits ranged from "Fun with Magnets" and an "Electric Circuit Puzzle" to a "Gravity Collider" and "Speeding Particles from Outer Space." Sarah Lewis, 17, of Quincy, and her science partner Rachael Becker, 18, also from Quincy, showed a simple motor powered by copper wire and a AA battery. "We have a science teacher who is new to our school this year, and he told us at the beginning of the year there would be an opportunity for this great experience," Lewis explained. "Our experiment uses a copper wire and a battery and the positive and negative charges make it turn. I'm looking to major in biology next year, and I enjoy science." Becker said that physics is a subject she enjoys. "I want to be a doctor someday, so science is something I'll have to focus on, even if it doesn't involve something like motors," she said. Advertisement An estimated 2,500 people came to view exhibits and tour Fermilab Sunday during the annual open house event. (David Sharos / The Beacon-News) Landon Heming, 17, from Quincy Notre Dame High School, worked with colleagues like Tanner Marshall on the "Quantum Levitation" exhibit, which Heming said uses principles similar to those used in magnet trains. "We have a ceramic plate here and when we cool our object down to minus 180 degrees centigrade, we have super conductivity and it levitates," Heming explained. "It's a magnetic field, and it's pretty cool." David Sharos is a freelance writer for The Beacon-News Amy Diaz, a care coordinator with Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities, handles inmates with mental health concerns at the Lake County Jail in Waukegan. (Mark Kodiak Ukena / Lake County News-Sun) Lake County Undersheriff Ray Rose said he believes when officers encounter suspects with potential mental health issues it's like approaching a fork in the road. A left turn could result in the suspect going to jail, or, even worse, an officer-involved shooting. Advertisement A right turn, however, could lead to programs that provide long-term treatment to help break the cycle of incarceration, release and return to jail, a hallmark of untreated mental illness, Rose said. But most officers, Rose said, aren't trained to recognize the signs and triggers of mental illnesses, a skill that can defuse situations with the potential to turn violent or even deadly. Advertisement "If you don't know about autism, for example what triggers actions and responses you may end up shooting or hurting people who have a mental condition," Rose said. "Our goal is to train all law enforcement in Lake County to be part of our Crisis Intervention Team." That training has already begun at College of Lake County. Lake County Health Department Executive Director Tony Beltran said people with mental health problems who commit violent crimes will almost always be arrested and incarcerated, but the training will teach officers how to react to lesser crimes, such as disturbing the peace. Beltran said a large part of crisis intervention training involves learning "how to stop those situations from escalating." The training teaches officers to recognize people with mental illness, and perhaps take them to a hospital or treatment center instead of jail, Beltran said. Officers have welcomed the training because it helps protect their safety as well, Beltran said. "It also helps keep law enforcement safe," he said. "There is a dual benefit. Everyone gets to go home safely that night." Rose agreed, saying those from the Lake County sheriff's office who have taken the classes found it well worth the time. Advertisement "They rave about it," Rose said. Stopping the cycle More common than violent confrontations is the ongoing cycle of incarceration, temporary treatment in jail and eventual release of people with mental health issues, many of whom stop taking needed medications upon release and end up back in jail, officials said. It is a costly cycle Rose said he believes can be broken with new grant-funded initiatives being put into practice. If mental health programs involving everyone from patrol officers to court personnel are developed properly, relapses into criminal behavior can be significantly decreased, Rose said. "So now you have productive citizens with jobs, taking care of their families, instead of being in jail," he said. Advertisement The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board is already watching programs underway in Lake County for possible use as a statewide model, Rose said. The College of Lake County, a local partner in the initiative, provides space and instructors to teach officers mental health crisis intervention. Rose said two grant-funded classes have already trained 80 officers, including 23 deputies from the sheriff's office. An increased nationwide concern about mental health, substance abuse and police-involved shootings have led to easier access to grants for these programs. Lake County's new initiatives are partially based on existing programs in Memphis, Tenn., and Dade County, Fla., Rose said. He and other local leaders have attended national conferences to learn, and emulate, the most successful strategies being used in other locations. Treating addiction Advertisement As first responders are being trained, Amy Diaz, a care coordinator with Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC), has been working full-time in the Lake County Jail for the past six months performing substance abuse and mental health assessments of inmates to create better treatment alternatives. Grant funding for her position has been provided by the nonprofit Healthcare Foundation Network of Northern Lake County. Diaz said her goal is to not only make sure those with addiction or mental health issues receive the proper care in jail, but that they also have referrals and options upon release to work toward more long-term recovery outside of the jail setting. She said even in her relatively short tenure with the jail the need is apparent. "I'm increasingly seeing more people who have mental health issues along with addiction," Diaz said. Diaz said she often works with local agencies to provide ongoing help following release. Advertisement She said more than half the people she has worked with have gone on to receive long-term help outside of the jail environment, and many are grateful for the opportunity to access such options. "They always express how thankful they are," Diaz said. "They weren't given the option before." Chief David Wathen, who heads jail operations for the sheriff's office, said he has seen a positive impact from the new programs and supports the effort. "It's great," Wathen said. "Even if it helps just one person get on the right track and saves a life, it's priceless." Based on recent evaluations, about 18 percent of the jail's average 550-person inmate population have mental health and/or addiction issues, Wathen said. Whereas specialty courts such as Mental Health Court and Drug Court are designed as a voluntary resort to prevent qualified offenders from ending up in prison, the new mental health efforts are designed to be a diversion from jail, attacking the problems at an earlier stage, Beltran said. Advertisement "What they've done is create a community mental health group," Beltran said, with members including law enforcement, the health department, Nicasa Behavioral Health Services, PADS, the Lake County Board and the courts. The health department's main role is to help provide ongoing health and mental health services to those who may not be covered by insurance and need ongoing treatment to prevent illnesses from reaching crisis stage, Beltran said. This includes providing temporary medications after being released from jail to allow people time to find or be placed with a regular health care provider often the health department and to help the qualified enroll in Medicaid and Affordable Care Act programs. Nicasa, a drug treatment center, adds to the mix by providing direct substance abuse services, because many offenders with mental health issues are also diagnosed as having addiction issues. The effort presents challenges, from securing continuing grants to provide assessments to those in jail to the cost and time involved in attempting to train most or all county officers in crisis intervention training. But Rose and Beltran expressed optimism that the partners in the program are devoted to its success. Advertisement "All of us got on the same page as to what we want to do," Beltran said. "Lake County is a progressive county." jrnewton@tribpub.com Twitter @jimnewton5 Chinese zodiac-inspired designs released by top fashion brands for the upcoming Year of the Monkey have been ridiculed on Chinese social media, exposing the challenges Western designers face when catering to Chinese aesthetics. The widely-mocked new products include the Vuittonite monkey pendant necklace by Louis Vuitton, Dior's monkey bracelet, Givenchy's limited edition Chinese New Year Prisme Libre, Estee Lauder's limited edition of Monkey Powder Compact and Piaget's limited edition timepiece featuring a monkey holding a peach. An article published by MOMENT Magazine on WeChat, the popular messaging app, jeered at these designs for going against the idea of high fashion. "A big big Ugly here," reads one comment left by WeChat user "CatSister." "Don't forget to add the New Year edition of Nike, I almost laughed myself to death," wrote another user "Yoyo." The Nike Air Force I Chinese New Year 2016 editions feature a lotus sewn on the tongue, and the brand's Chinese translation "Nai Ke" and a carp were on the back. Although in Chinese culture, the decorative design with lotus and carp together indicates auspiciousness and prosperity, Chinese fashion pundits see it as rustic, and passe. Netizen "Yvpong7J" wondered what had led foreigners to think this was "du jour" while most netizens said the products looked like they were fakes. Wang Chenmin, advertising manager of yoka.com, a fashion website, said that although the new designs seemed to have fallen short of the aesthetic standards of domestic customers, the designers had put a lot of effort into creativity and artistry. "While beauty and ugliness are subjective, a mixed response is inevitable. As long as the brands' fixed customers are there, business will be OK," Wang said. Wang also believes the monkey zodiac this year might have caused the mixed feelings. According to Wang, the best years for creative design are the dragon and horse, partly because Chinese likes these two signs the best and they are close to existing fashion logos. For example, Hermes's horse leather pendant in 2014 was a huge success in China, said Wang. "The horse was in the brand's history and it echoed with the Chinese New Year without looking too deliberate." Freelance branding consultant Wang Zhe believes the top fashion brands are keen to tap into the rising influence of China economically and culturally, most importantly the huge purchasing power of the Chinese market. "But to link brands with Chinese culture is not an easy task," Wang said. "Brands have their own styles and if Chinese elements are just boldly added, the result may not be a success," Wang said. Analyst Sun Xiaohu from the Chinese marketing department of LVMH group said that a solid cultural background is needed to survive the test of time. Billionaire George Soros speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF)in Davos, Switzerland. The billionaire George Soros is a wily investor. His analysis of market trends and what motivates investors is astute with decades of experience and success gambling big stakes against the weakest links in global markets. Soros puts his money where his mouth is and this encourages other market players to seek to emulate him in speculative gambling. In 1998 he moved markets by attacking weak currencies in Asia, leading speculators acting for global financial institutions to follow suit and cripple many economies. While the speculators earned fantastic bonuses and embarked on a hedonistic lifestyle, many millions or ordinary people faced penury from the collapse of their currency. On special occasions Soros, however, takes an opposite stance, calling for a new Marshall plan - after the comprehensive investment and development plan of the United States that restored prosperity to Western Europe after World War II. For example, in 1989, he proposed a Marshall plan for Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to draw them into the orbit of West European capitalism - but was ignored by policy-makers. Today, he proposes a Marshall plan for North Africa and the Middle East to tackle the migration crisis sapping away at the foundations of the European Union, as new border controls are imposed, and freedom of movement comes to an end. Before he could speak, however, Wolfgang Schauble, Germany's hitherto, orthodox finance minister, surprisingly abandoned support for fiscal austerity and advocated his own Marshall plan to resolve the European migration crisis. Thus, Mr. Soros turned his attention to China, identifying it, as an economic saboteur. In fact, China's Five Year Plans are far bolder and more dramatic in their societal impact than any "Marshall Plan." For example, every year China faces urban migration far larger than that arriving in Europe from Syria and other countries. Western economic orthodoxy argues that China still needs to complete its "transition" from a planned to a market economy. One thing market advocates agree on is that China still requires profound and painful change - painful for the majority of the population that is. They say it must curtail its vast long-term investment and development plans - aimed at urbanization, modernization, and prosperity for all and make a fundamental shift towards a system of "consumer-led" capitalism. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. Flash Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday warned Russia of "consequences" if it continues to violate Turkish airspace. "If Russia continues to violate Turkey's sovereignty, it will have to face the consequences," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul before leaving for a visit to Chile. He blamed Russia for acting "irresponsibly" and escalating the tension in the region, while emphasizing that the issue was closely followed by NATO. "These kinds of irresponsible acts not only damage NATO-Russian relations but also the regional and global peace," the president stressed, as his country is a NATO member. Erdogan said that he hoped to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin but to no avail. Earlier, Turkish foreign ministry said it summoned Russian ambassador to Ankara late Friday after it claimed that Russia's SU-34 violated Turkey's airspace. In a written statement, the ministry said Turkish air force warned the Russian aircraft several times on Friday in Russian and English, adding that the violation is also a new and concrete indicator of Moscow's actions which aims at "accelerating problems despite open warnings by our country and by NATO." The ministry has urged Russia "not to violate Turkish airspace, which is NATO airspace. We underline that such actions could lead to serious consequence," said the statement. "We once more underline that unwanted serious developments as outcome of this kind of irresponsible acts will be on Russian Federation's liability," added the statement. The ministry said all these arguments were conveyed to the Russian ambassador. In Moscow on Saturday, Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov dismissed Turkey's accusations as "baseless propaganda," saying that there has not been a single violation of Turkish airspace by Russia air force planes in Syria. Turkish air force shot down the Russian jet on Nov. 24 claiming it has violated Turkish airspace, whereas Moscow insisted the Su-24 stayed over Syria during its flight. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded an apology from the Turkish leadership and a compensation for the damage. Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered economic sanctions against Turkey. Flash Turkish Air Forces are ready to shoot down any aircraft out of order after Ankara claimed that a Russian SU-34 war plane violated Turkey's airspace on Friday, local daily Hurriyet reported on Saturday. Turkish Air Forces have reportedly raised the alert level at air bases to "orange warning" and authorized pilots to shot down any aircraft out of order in case of airspace violation, said the report. Many F-16 jets are dispatched to an air base in Diyarbakir province in southeastern Turkey, according to the report. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday warned Russia of "consequences" if it continues to violate Turkish airspace. "If Russia continues to violate Turkey's sovereignty, it will have to face the consequences," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul before leaving for a visit to Chile. He blamed Russia for acting "irresponsibly" and escalating the tension in the region, while emphasizing that the issue was closely followed by NATO. "These kinds of irresponsible acts not only damage NATO-Russian relations but also the regional and global peace," the president stressed, as his country is a NATO member. Erdogan said that he hoped to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin but to no avail. Earlier, Turkish foreign ministry said it summoned Russian ambassador to Ankara late Friday after it claimed that Russia's SU-34 violated Turkey's airspace. In a written statement, the ministry said Turkish air force warned the Russian aircraft several times on Friday in Russian and English, adding that the violation is also a new and concrete indicator of Moscow's actions which aims at "accelerating problems despite open warnings by our country and by NATO." The ministry has urged Russia "not to violate Turkish airspace, which is NATO airspace. We underline that such actions could lead to serious consequence," said the statement. "We once more underline that unwanted serious developments as outcome of this kind of irresponsible acts will be on Russian Federation's liability," added the statement. The ministry said all these arguments were conveyed to the Russian ambassador. In Moscow on Saturday, Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov dismissed Turkey's accusations as "baseless propaganda," saying that there has not been a single violation of Turkish airspace by Russia air force planes in Syria. Turkish air force shot down the Russian jet on Nov. 24 claiming it has violated Turkish airspace, whereas Moscow insisted the Su-24 stayed over Syria during its flight. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded an apology from the Turkish leadership and a compensation for the damage. Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered economic sanctions against Turkey. You are here: Home Flash At least one person was killed and numerous others wounded Saturday afternoon at the Denver motorcycle rally, The Denver Post reported, quoting police as saying. Multi shootings and at least one stabbing have been reported at the Denver Coliseum shortly before 1 p.m. local time, the report said, quoting police spokesman Sonny Jackson. Nine people have been transferred to area hospitals, Denver Health twittered later. The 38th Annual Colorado Motorcycle Expo is being held this weekend at the Coliseum on the National Western Stockshow complext. A worker collects rice at a corn processing factory in Linghai, Northeast China's Liaoning province, Nov 19, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua] BEIJING -- The Agricultural Development Bank of China, a major policy bank, provided more financial supports to China's agriculture in 2015. The bank poured 780.34 billion yuan (nearly $120 billion) into the sector last year, more than double that of 2014, Xie Xuezhi, the bank's board chairman said Sunday. The surging lending marked increasing efforts from the government to modernize agriculture and boost rural development. In a tone-setting official document released Wednesday, policymakers vowed to make more efforts to improve the sector partly by promoting reforms to step up modernization. The bank's yuan-denominated outstanding loans stood at 3.44 trillion yuan at the end of 2015, up 21.54 percent year on year, and its total assets amounted to 4.18 trillion yuan. Obstetric nurses in the Central Hospital of Enshi, Hubei province, take care of newborns at the hospital. [Li Yuanyuan / for China Daily] XI'AN - China's introduction of the two-child policy this year has caused worry that the change will further aggravate a current shortage of pediatricians. The number of pediatricians in China dropped from 105,000 to around 100,000 within five years, according to China's public health statistical yearbook in 2015. On average, there are only 43 doctors per 100,000 children. Wang Baoxi, a pediatrician with the Shaanxi branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, told Xinhua that situation was even worse in smaller cities and counties. In Weinan city, which is about 70 kilometers away from Shaanxi's capital Xi'an, they only had 17 doctors to care for 100,000 children. The Lingnan branch of No 3 hospital affiliated with Sun Yat-sen University posted a notice telling people emergency treatment services in the pediatric department were canceled due to lack of doctors. "Since the department was established in 2011, we have employed eight doctors. Four left in the following years," said Shan Yutao, who works in the hospital's medical management office. In 2014, the number of patients in the hospital exceeded 63,000. The number increased 12 percent in 2015. The shortage of pediatricians has made it difficult for parents. In the Tangdu Hospital, one of the best hospitals in Xi'an, capital city of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, the waiting area for the pediatric department and surrounding corridor was swarming with hundreds of parents and sick children, with cries ringing out continuously. The department, which receives more than 500 patients daily, has 36 doctors in total. "In the mornings I receive more than 100 outpatients," said Wang Baoxi. He said such high demand means he can only spend only a few minutes with each patient. In Xi'an Central Hospital there are 16 pediatricians, among whom only three are senior doctors. "We have lowered our standard, but still we don't have enough pediatricians," said Luo Zhijuan, director of the pediatric department. Statistics by the health and family planning commission of Shaanxi showed that among all the pediatricians only less than one third are university graduates, and another one third are graduates from junior colleges. Low salary, high pressure and high risk are the main causes behind people's reluctance to become pediatricians, said Luo. Doctor Fu Rong told Xinhua she works treating outpatients two days per week, does group consultations for two days and visits the ward every day. "My working time a day is, on average, more than 10 hours," she said. Every four days she works a 24-hour shift. Even when a child is given treatment conflict arises. Child patients are usually too young to give a precise description of their symptoms but parents have high expectations from the doctors. "Conflicts are not rare," said Li Pei, a nurse with the Xi'an Central Hospital. "We always find ourselves facing anxious parents yelling at us." However, pediatricians are not well-paid. "Pediatricians earn 30 percent less than other departments, because the department earns less income," said Xia Ling, another nurse. In China, medicines and examinations are the primary source of income for a medical department and children are prescribed less medicine than adults. The dosage for 10 to 15 children equals that of roughly one adult. A decrease of pediatric graduates has also fueled the shortage. In 1998, the Ministry of Education abolished pediatric departments in universities. Qian Xueming, a political adviser who attended the "two sessions", the meetings of the local legislature and political advisory body, in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, only knew five universities with pediatric departments. Most stopped accepting pediatric majors. "Without timely measures, the situation will become worse," he said. According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, 90 million Chinese women are allowed to have a second child under the two-child policy, which took effect on Jan 1. Qian submitted a proposal to the regional political advisory body this year calling for a "supply-side reform." They suggested free training programs for pediatric majors. This was echoed by Wang Baoxi, who called for pediatric departments to be restored in medical universities. An Haiyan, an official with the Shaanxi provincial health and family planning commission, suggested that more importance be attached to pediatric departments in hospitals, and pediatricians be given subsidy for their job. She told Xinhua last month that the commission has passed a regulation requesting general hospitals have pediatric departments and at least five percent of the hospital beds be given to pediatric departments. Rescuers have successfully lifted out 4 miners who had been trapped for 36 days after a gypsum mine collapsed in Pingyi County, east China's Shandong Province in late December. Meanwhile, rescue efforts are still in full swing for the 13 trapped miners still listed as missing underground. Zhang Shuping, mayor of Linyi City, said the search and rescue for the 13 miners remaining underground is ongoing. "As long as there is a glimpse of hope, the search will continue. Now we are organizing experts to examine the situation and give us some sort of indication concerning the health and condition of the miners and try to figure out new rescue measures." The four miners rescued on Friday, named as Guan Qingji, Hua Mingxi, Li Qiusheng and Zhao Zhicheng, were brought to the surface one after another in a rescue capsule via a specially drilled access shaft. They're now receiving treatment at a local hospital. One of them had suffered a fibula fracture on his left side. Their conditions are said to be stable both physically and psychologically. However, Cao Qingde, deputy head of the Pingyi People's Hospital, said there still remain a lot of uncertainties since the miners were trapped underground for so long. "Our hospital will work with experts on both provincial and municipal levels to make a treatment plan for the miners based on the development of their conditions and the test results from the laboratory." At one point in the rescue operation, the rescuers found out that silts were amassing inside the tunnels underground, gravely endangering the their. At that time, about 1 million cubic meters of water contained in the goaf were also threatening the miners' confined living space. Gao Guangwei is an official in charge of emergency response from the State Administration of Work Safety. He recalled the measures they took to deal with the emergency: "We finally reached a conclusion that those silt and water came from a neighboring shaft, and we immediately blocked the shaft's bottom by pouring in 100 tons of cement, so as to keep the miners' living space safe and sound." A total of 29 people were working underground when the gypsum mine collapsed, and 11 people narrowly escaped while one was confirmed dead. Zhang Shuping believed that changes need to be made in current mining practices. "One of the lessons we have learned from the accident, is that entirely depending on our current mining resources is unsustainable. We must conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation into current practices in order to assess what changes need to be made and implement new strategies for non-coal mining. Moreover, those who are responsible for the accident must be held accountable." The owner of the mine committed suicide by jumping into a flooded shaft in the earlier days of the rescue. Pingyi County's Party Chief, government head and 2 deputy heads have been sacked following the accident. Several executives of the mine are under police investigation. Beijing municipal government will subsidize the phase-out of old elevators in high-rises across the city, authorities said on Saturday. Funding from Beijing Municipal Administration of Quality and Technology Supervision (BMAQTS) will be mainly used to replace elevators with unclear ownership. Beijing has more than 192,000 elevators, about 26 percent of which are at least 10-years-old and at risk of malfunctioning. Of the total number, about 94,000 elevators are in residential buildings, among which 26,000 are over a decade old. Chen Hui, deputy director of the safety inspection office of BMAQTS, said at least 3,956 elevators in 2015 were deemed "high risk." The administration will urge maintenance for these malfunctioning equipment this year, he said. In 2015, Xicheng district government forked out 23 million yuan (3.5 million U.S. dollars) to replace 60 elevators. The district has earmarked 20 million yuan for elevator repair and replacement this year. Other districts also have similar plans. Beijing conducts elevator safety checks annually. The number of elevators and escalators has increased by 20 percent every year. A drill that was used to dig a 220-meters-deep ascending tunnel to reach trapped miners during a rescue operation after a mine collapsed in Baotai, Pingyi county of Linyi, East China's Shandong province. [Photo by Ju Chuanjiang/chinadaily.com.cn] Pingyi's collapsed-mine rescue operation rescued trapped miners through a large caliber hole for the first time in China, the third such case in the world, setting an example for mine rescue. Special: Shandong rescue More than 15 different types of drills applied to different geologic structures were used to dig more than 200 meters down into the shaft of the collapsed mine to make an ascending tunnel. The drills can dig 7 meters per hour at full speed. The drilling was a tough task, as continuous cave-ins occurred inside the mine, which severely deformed the pitshaft and destroyed several pathways that rescuers dug out and restored. Also, often drills would get stuck due to the complex geologic structure. On Dec 25, 2015, a Yurong Commerce and Trade Co gypsum mine collapsed in Baotai, Pingyi county of Linyi, Shandong province, trapped 29 workers. Eleven escaped or were rescued, one was confirmed dead, four were found alive underground and 13 others were listed missing. Rescuers sent four survivors food, drinks, clothes, medicine and lamps through a small hole drilled into the ground. They were pulled from the mine alive 36 days after it collapsed. They are in stable condition. KUNMING -- Police in China's southwestern province of Yunnan seized 23.3 tonnes of illegal narcotics in 2015, the police authority said Sunday. Police in the border province cracked down on 22,000 drug cases and local rehab centers took in over 67,000 drug users in 2015, according to the public security department of Yunnan. Last year marked the end of the province's five-year campaign against drug crime. Yunnan is among the Chinese regions most affected by drug use, due to its proximity to the opium-growing Golden Triangle in neighboring Southeast Asian countries. It is also a source of domestic drugs. SHANGHAI -- Shanghai customs said Sunday they seized more than 2,000 endangered turtles last November in what could be the city's largest turtle smuggling case. Customs officials said they discovered large numbers of live turtles hidden in six containers of crabs imported from Indonesia on Nov. 19. The containers were claimed by a Shanghai company. Most of the turtles were endangered species including Amboina box turtle, pig-nosed turtle and spotted pond turtle. The turtles are now in the care of local zoos, officials said. The customs did not give more details, saying the investigation was still underway. LANZHOU -- Procuratorate in northwest China's Gansu Province confirmed Sunday they have launched an investigation into the arrests of three journalists. The provincial procuratorate told Xinhua they had sent an investigation team to Wuwei City, where the reporters were arrested, and would make the results known to the public. The reporters from three local newspapers were reported missing in Wuwei on Jan. 7. Local police on Jun. 9 said one reporter was detained for involvement in a prostitution case, but changed the wording days later, saying the three were detained on racketeering charges. A swan with a bird band on its throat at the Gahai Wetland in Gansu province in January, marking the fifth consecutive year it was seen there.[ZHANG YONG/CHINA DAILY] Conservationists are calling for more efforts to be made to protect wildlife habitats. They want mandatory provisions to be included in a revised draft of the Law on Protection of Wildlife, along with support measures. The revised draft was presented to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation on Dec 21. After the deliberation, the NPC posted a notice on its website seeking public opinions on the draft, and the consultation period ended on Friday. It is the first time that the law has been revised since it took effect on March 1, 1989. Yi Lan, deputy head of the Forest and Ocean Unit at Greenpeace East Asia, said it is the first time that habitat protection has been addressed by the law, marking huge progress in safeguarding China's wildlife. "The loss and fragmentation of wildlife habitats are the direct, or even the most important reason, behind wildlife extinction," Yi said. "However, the articles (in the draft) relating to habitat protection are not focused and not strong enough. There should be a separate chapter dealing with habitat delineation, management and related legal responsibilities." WWF China has offered many suggestions relating to habitat protection. The organization said that habitat areas not only refer to areas where wildlife species live, but also to migration areas. It said there should be regular investigations, evaluations and monitoring of habitat status organized by governments, with specific time requirements such as evaluations being carried out every 10 years. "If the revised law doesn't specify a time requirement, then there is a high possibility that it will not be enforced," the organization said. The People's Liberation Army has said it is testing its new rocket force with various battlefield scenarios, including extreme weather and strong electronic jamming. A rocket force brigade, which is equipped with short-range ballistic missiles, has built a training base that can simulate rain, snow, galeforce winds, fog and lightning, as well as electronic warfare situations, according to a PLA statement. Senior Colonel Shi Hongyan, commander of the brigade, was quoted in the statement as saying that missile units must use every means to make training as realistic as possible, so that soldiers can understand the complexities of a real battlefield. China Central Television has aired footage that shows missile operators during a "heavy rain" simulation at the base, as well as soldiers in protective suits taking part in a biological warfare scenario. In addition, the force has been using simulated launch vehicles and missiles to facilitate training, the PLA statement said. Last week, another short-range ballistic missile unit held live-fire drills in a desert in Northwest China in temperatures as low as -30 C, PLA Daily reported. The story was accompanied by an image of a DF-15 missile being launched. Shao Yongling, a professor of military strategy at the PLA Rocket Force Command College, told China Daily that the Chinese military has spared no effort in making sure its personnel are able to perform in any circumstances. "Rain, snow and the cold do not cause problems to missiles, but lightning does," she said. "Normally, operators avoid lightning when they launch missiles. However, we must train our operators in every weather condition, as enemies will not wait for a nice, clear day to strike." On electronic jamming, Shao said the measure would have little effect on ballistic missiles because unlike cruise missiles, which receive in-flight guidance, the parameters for ballistic missiles are preset before launch. Yet command and communications equipment is susceptible to electronic jamming, so operators need to use drills to find solutions, she said. President Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission, announced on Dec 31 the establishment of the PLA Rocket Force to replace the former Second Artillery Corps, which had managed China's ballistic missiles since the 1960s. China firmly upholds her sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua] An incursion by a US warship in Chinese territorial waters on Saturday is the latest attempt by Washington to return tension to the South China Sea and encourage more regional stakeholders to challenge China, according to observers. They made the comments after the USS Curtis Wilbur, a guided missile destroyer, intruded into the territorial waters of China's Xisha Islands. Zhang Junshe, a senior researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, said the South China Sea situation had been eased for some time before the latest outspoken remarks and intrusion by Washington. One of the US' goals is to bring tension back to the region, Zhang said. Renewing the tension will also showcase support to countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam, encouraging them to take more provocative actions against China on the South China Sea, Zhang said. "In the long run, Washington still defines the South China Sea issue as a tool to contain China," Zhang added. Liang Fang, a professor of naval studies at the PLA National Defense University, said Washington aims to test Beijing's bottom line on the sea and is also attempting to defy China's sovereignty over the waters. China should stick to its construction plan for the South China Sea and take further countermeasures in case of provocation, Liang said. In recent years, the United States has sent warships or aircraft into Chinese waters or airspace a number of times, leading to brushes between the two militaries. The People's Liberation Army warned the vessel on Saturday and succeeded in driving it away, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Yang Yujun said in a statement on Saturday night. "Chinese troops stationed on the islands, naval ships and airplanes made an immediate response, took countermeasures and conducted identification and verification (action) against the US warship," Yang said. The US action was "a serious violation of law" and damaged the peace and security of the South China Sea, Yang said. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Saturday that under a Chinese law enacted in 1992, foreign warships entering China's territorial waters must be approved by the Chinese government. zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn RAMALLAH -- China's Special Envoy on Middle East affairs Gong Xiaosheng said Sunday that Beijing firmly supports the Palestinian people and the Middle East peace process. The visiting envoy told media in the West Bank city of Ramallah that the Palestinian issue should not be marginalized, and China supports the establishment of a state of Palestine with full sovereignty on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. According to Gong, Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent visit to the Middle East could signal the beginning of a new era in relations between China and Palestine as well as other countries in the region. It was the president's first overseas tour of 2016 and his first visit to the region since assuming office. When President Xi addressed the Arab League in Cairo, his message was clear: What China wants for a region dogged by decades of troubles is peace, development and stability. Xi said the Palestinian issue should not fall into oblivion as it is of fundamental importance to peace in the Middle East, adding that to bring an end to the conflict, the international community should not only promote the resumption of the talks and implementation of the agreements, but also uphold fairness and justice. To improve the well-being of the Palestinians, Beijing promises to provide 50 million yuan ($7.53 million) of grant to the Palestinian side and support the solar power station project in its territories. Prior to Xi's visit, China released its first policy document specifically addressing relations with the Arab world, leaving no one in any doubt that cooperation and development come hand-in-hand with peace and stability. On regional affairs in the Middle East, Gong said China has called for an all-round solution to the region's hot issues, stressing that China supports the idea of holding an international peace conference in line with the principle of the two-state solution. While pushing for peace in the Middle East, the international community should also help its economic development and provide more humanitarian assistance, he said. (Photo : Reuters/Tyrone Siu) Wang Yanfang holds a picture of her husband Tang Jingling. Tang was one of three activists sentenced recently for inciting subversion. Advertisement Three Chinese activists have been sentenced to three to five years in jail for "inciting subversion of state power." An intermediate people's court in Guangzhou announced the ruling on Friday to debarred lawyer Tang Jingling, and activists Wang Qingying and Yuan Xinting. Tang, being the leader, received five years in prison while the other two received three. The public has dubbed them "The Three Gentlemen of Guangzhou." Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The indictment said that the three pro-democracy activists "promoted ideas of civil disobedience with the goal of overthrowing the socialist system." Tang was also accused of inciting people to join a "Citizen Non-Cooperation Movement." Accusations The most important evidence cited by the prosecution during the trials in June and July last year was the publication of books about civic activism, peaceful democratization, and civil disobedience. The books mentioned include 'From Dictatorship to Democracy' by Gene Sharp, 'Organizing: A Guide for Grassroots Leaders' by Si Kahn, and 'Breaking the Real Axis of Evil' by Mark Palmer. Prosecutors also said that the defendants were involved in different "illegal activities" from 2006 onwards such as commemorating the victims of the Tienanmen Square Protests in 1989, paying tribute to Lin Zhao, a dissident who was executed during Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution. Tang also campaigned to end the country's 'hukou' policy where social welfare such as education and healthcare are only limited to a person's birthplace where he or she is registered. This means that if a person moves to another city for greener pastures, that person can no longer enjoy government benefits. "I think that this sentence by the [ruling] Chinese Communist Party and the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court is an extreme error of judgment that nonetheless recognizes the contribution of Tang Jingling to the democracy movement in China," Tang's lawyer, Ge Yongxi, told RFA. "This verdict is unacceptable. They violated no laws, and the charges are politically motivated. They were only trying to help society," said Tang's wife, Wang Yanfang. Tang will not appeal the ruling as he says that "the judicial system under the Chinese Communist Party has no legitimacy." "He said he will instead appeal to the people of China and to Go," Ge said. His wife respects his decision. "The trial itself wasn't legal. Courts should be fair and reasonable places, but they aren't any more. So really, it makes no difference whether they appeal or not, it's meaningless," she said. Advertisement TagsTang Jingling, Wang Qingying, Yuan Xinting, democracy in China, Chinese activists, Guangzhou, Human rights violation in China (Photo : Reuters/Yuya Shino) Macau is looking to attract more Indian tourists to avoid over-dependence on visitors from China. Advertisement The head of Macau's tourism department says that the city will focus on the Indian market as part of the its goal to diversify visitors. "India is the market that we will focus on and make continuous assessment of the market conditions," said Helena de Senna Fernandes, head of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO). Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Although only 30.7 million visitors arrived in Macau in 2015, down by 2.6 percent year-on-year, the city administration still achieved its forecast of more than 30 million by then end of last year, and the city wants to maintain it. Visitors from mainland China accounted for 20.4 million while 44 percent came from Guangdong province. Similar to Taiwan, too much reliance to mainland visitors might be Macau's chink in the armor in the future. Macau has now turned its eyes to India, which has a no-visa agreement with Macau. "China is the number one market for Macau, but we hope to increase the number of tourists visiting from India to Macau significantly this year. We consider India as one of the key markets for promotional activities. There is no visa requirement for Indians, an Indian can just land up in Macau and get free entry there," said Arzan Khambatta, head representative of MGTO in India. Khambatta said that Macau's unique culture and cuisine, which is a mix of Portuguese and Chinese, will be a key in attracting Indian tourists. "Macau has world cuisine like Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese and Indian food is very easily available there. Macau also has to offer unique Macanese cuisine which is the fusion of the Chinese and the Portuguese, something which every Indian should try," Khambatta said. MGTO is promoting Macau in India's key cities such as Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi. Advertisement TagsMacau tourism, Macau India relations (Photo : Photo by Stephen Chernin/Getty Images) Bill Gates' Corbis has signed a deal with Visual China Group (VCG) that gives the latter control over its photo archive. Advertisement Bill Gates' extensive archives of the world's most famous photos have been sold to Visual China Group (VCG). Corbis, the photography archive owned by Bill Gated, inked a deal with VCG that transferred the control of culturally important photos such as Rosa Parks on a bus, Jimi Hendrix playing at the Woodstock Festival, scandalous Marilyn Monroe on a subway grate with her skirt blowing in the wind, and Albert Einstein sticking out his tongue. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "The transaction strengthens our dominant position in China's image industry, enhances our core competence in the global high-end image market, and marks a significant milestone on our journey of globalization," said Amy Liang, VCG's chief executive officer. Some experts and critics have expressed concern over this deal considering the fact that the Corbis archive include the famous 'Tank Man' photo, which shows a Chinese man facing tanks in Beijing during the Tiananmen Square protests. Although widely seen in other parts of the world, any use of the photo of the Tank Man is strictly prohibited in China. Those involved in the sale said that they do not expect this deal to change anything as the photo will still be censored in China even though the license has changed hands. VCS purchased Corbis via its affiliate Unity Glory International. Getty Images, Corbis' rival, will distribute the photos in all countries except China. Craig Peters, Getty's senior vice president for business development, assured that they will protect the availability of politically sensitive images. Advertisement TagsBill Gates, Tiananmen Square Protests, Corbis, Visual China Group (Photo : Photo by Alex B. Huckle/Getty Images) Ai Weiwei has pulled his artworks from display in Denmark to protest a new law that allows authorities in the country to seize expensive valuables from Middle Eastern migrants to cover the cost of taking care of them. Advertisement World-renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has announced that he has withdrawn his artworks from display at two Denmark museums to show his objection to the country's new law that allow the government to strip immigrants of their belongings. Ai pulled out his exhibition "A New Dynasty-Created in China", which was on display at the ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum. It was supposed to be on display until April this year. Erlend Hoeyersten, ARoS' museum director, said that although he respects Ai, he "finds it unreasonable that an entire people is punished for the government's policies." Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The new Danish law dictates that police can seize any valuables from asylum-seekers that are worth more than 10,000 kroner ($1,500). The government said that the confiscated goods will fund the refugees' stay in the country and will avail them social benefits. "They come with nothing, barefoot, in such cold, they have to walk across the rocky beach. Then you have this news; it made me feel very angry," Ai told The Guardian. "The way I can protest is that I can withdraw my works from that country. It is very simple, very symbolic - I cannot co-exist, I cannot stand in front of these people and see these policies. It is a personal act, very simple," he added. Jens Faurschou, owner of the Faurschou Foundation in Copenhagen, where Ai also pulled out his artworks, said that he did not expect Ai's decision but that he is not surprised. "I didn't try to dissuade him. This is not so much about which country does more or less for refugees, it is the symbolic importance of the new law. This [kind of thing] is spreading over Europe, and we in Denmark are taking the lead in this by making this law," Faurschou said. But Ai said that he is not only pointing fingers to Denmark, but other government who do not fulfil their moral obligations during this humanitarian crisis. "Other countries have disgusting policies too. It has not ended, it still continues. No nation can separate themselves," he said. Advertisement Tagsimmigrants in Denmark, Ai Weiwei, Controversy, Danish law (Photo : US Navy/Photographers Mate 3rd Class Todd Frantom) The guided missile cruiser Curtis Wilbur is seen conducting exercises in the Pacific Ocean in the above photo courtesy of the US Navy. The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer entered waters near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on Saturday, in direct defiance of China's claims that the island group falls within Chinese borders. Advertisement A United States Navy destroyer entered waters near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on Saturday, the Pentagon announced, in direct defiance of China's claims that the island group falls within Chinese borders. A spokesman for the US defense department said the American guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur patrolled waters off Triton Island, on the southern tip of the Paracel Island Group, in an operation meant to demonstrate Washington's defiance of overlapping territorial claims oVER the area. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "The operation challenged attempts by the three claimants -- China, Taiwan and Vietnam -- to restrict navigation rights and freedoms," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told the press. China claims most of the South China Sea, a vital international trade route through which an estimated $5 trillion in ship-borne commerce passes each year. Brunei, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines have rival claims, and the diplomatic row over the territory has elevated tensions in Southeast Asia over the past few months. Conflicting Narratives The US naval operation drew pointed criticism from Beijing, which said the move was "intentionally provocative" and "irresponsible and extremely dangerous." In a statement published by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Beijing claims that the Chinese navy quickly responded to the provocation by sending out vessels to conduct identification checks and issue warnings for the US warship to keep its distance. "Regardless of whatever provocative steps the American side takes, China's military will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security," the statement said. Beijing's account of the incident, however, runs contrary to the US narrative on the patrol, which says no Chinese vessels were seen in the vicinity of the USS Wilbur throughout its transit near the contested islands. "No claimants were notified prior to the transit, which is consistent with our normal process and international law," said Davis, who emphasized that the US takes no sides in the territorial row over the South China Sea. "No Problem" The latest US sortie into what China claims for its territorial waters comes after calls from US Congress for the Obama administration to follow up its freedom of navigation operation last October, in which the USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles of one of China's manmade islands in the Spratly Islands. US Senator John McCain had earlier criticized the Obama administration for delaying more freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea. He said the delay allowed China to pursue its territorial ambitions in the South China Sea, where it has now established a pervasive -- and often intimidating -- naval presence. McCain welcomed news of the USS Wilbur's operation. "I continue to hope these operations will become so routine that China and other claimants will come to accept them as normal occurrences and releasing press statements to praise them will no longer be necessary," McCain said in a statement issued ON Saturday. The Chinese government had earlier lashed back at critics of its South China Sea policy, accusing "some countries" of exaggerating tensions in the territory. "I want to declare once again that there is no problem with freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Tuesday. "Countries outside the region should respect other countries' sovereignty." Advertisement TagsChina-US relations, Territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Paracel Islands (Photo : Photo by Ralph Orlowski/Getty Images) A shipment of Australian eggs have been approved for sale in Taiwan, opening a new avenue for bilateral trade between both nations. Advertisement The first shipment of poultry eggs from Australia to Taiwan has been approved on Thursday for release by Taiwanese authorities, marking a landmark in Australia-Taiwan trade relations. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Sunny Queen Australia, a farmer-owned eggs distributor, is the first company to crack its way into Taiwan. The first shipment had more than 21,000 eggs, which is considered a small number in export markets. "We now have bilaterally agreed certification for Australian eggs and egg products exported to Taiwan. I hope that they can become a significant destination for Australian eggs alongside Singapore and Hong Kong," said Barnaby Joyce, Australia's Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Joyce added that he and his team worked closely with Taiwan's Bureau of Animal and Planet Health Inspection and Quarantine. Australia's poultry egg market is largely focused on domestic demand, but it is now slowly exploring the international scene. Sunny Queen Australia exports eggs to countries in the South Pacific, but its first Chinese market was Hong Kong last year. The company's eggs will be sold in high-end supermarkets in Taiwan. "We believe that this first shipment to Taiwan is just the start of an exciting new direction for our business. The assistance of Minister Joyce and his team has been invaluable in making this happen, and we hope to build on this partnership to drive future growth," said John O'Hara, Sunny Queen managing director. O'Hara said that they had to have "tough talks" with the Department of Agriculture and Trade to make the trade happen. "About a year ago we decided we needed to look at offshore markets. Like any major agribusiness we've found there are limited outlets we can sell our produce in Australia so we've set out to expand our distribution base," O'Hara said. Sunny Queen Australia's next step is entering Southern China. "The market there won't open up immediately though because we're further down the priority list of the Free Trade Agreement but it's certainly in the medium-term for us," O'Hara said. Advertisement TagsAustralia Taiwan relations, Australia China trade relations, Australian eggs, Sunny Queen Australia (Photo : Photo by China Photos/Getty Images) Archaeologists have found the oldest evidence of tea drinking in the tomb of an emperor in China. Advertisement Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have found evidence of the oldest tea in the world buried with a Chinese emperor. A bunch of tea packets were found in the Han Yangling Mausoleum in Xi'an, Western China, which houses the tombs of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty and his wife. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Emperor Jing, personal name Liu Qi, was the sixth emperor who ruled the Chinese Han Dynasty from 157 to 141 BC. Research shows that the emperor loved the drink so much that he wanted to be buried with it, along with wooden tools, various ceramic vessels, an 'army' of ceramic animals, and real life-sized chariots with horses. The tea leaves were found to be of the highest quality. The report, published in online journal Scientific Reports, explained that tea buds or 'tips' are the small, unopened leaves of the tea plant. Tips are of better quality than larger tea leaves, so it makes sense that Imperial tea are only made of up the tea buds and the two closest leaves. Almost all of the plants found in Emperor Jing's tomb were tea buds. The discovery surpassed the oldest physical evidence of tea in China's Northern Song Dynasty from 960 to 1127. "The identification of the tea found in the emperor's tomb complex gives us a rare glimpse into very ancient traditions which shed light on the origins of one of the world's favourite beverages," said Professor Dorian Fuller, Director of the International Center for Chinese Heritage and Archaeology in London. Millet, rice, and chenopods were also found in Emperor Jing's tomb. The site was excavated from 1990 to 2005, but the findings are only coming to light. The emperor's tomb was found in Xi'an, formerly Chang'an (the city where the Silk Road starts), but data shows that tea had arrived in the Tibetan Plateu by 1800 before present. "These data indicate that tea was part of trade of luxury products, alongside textiles, that moved along the Silk Road around 2000 years ago, and were traded up into Tibet," the report said. Advertisement Tagschinese culture, world's oldest tea, Han Dynasty, Northern Song dynasty discoveries, Emperor Jing (Photo : Photo by ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images) Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed that the company will scale the number of cars its ships to China this year as it looks to expand further in the local market. Advertisement Tesla Motors Inc. wants to ship 5,000 units of its electric vehicles (EV) to China this year, a 50 percent cut from last year's target. Speaking at the StartmeupHK festival in Hong Kong, Tesla's chief executive officer Elon Musk said that they adjusted their EV sales target for mainland China following a not-so-impressive 2015. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "We are still doing reasonably well in mainland China, but we do face quite high import duty, and we do not yet have access to local incentives. The obstacle for our cars in mainland China is much greater than it would be, actually, anywhere in the world," he said. Tesla has 15 stores in seven major cities in the mainland, has more than 1,600 destination chargers, and 340 superchargers. It started operating in the country in 2013, but had to lay off human resources to offset the losses it experienced during its first year in the world's largest EV market. Tesla projected 10,000 EV sales in China last year, but only sold 3,015 Model S cars during the first nine months of the year. In a quarterly perspective, Tesla's Q3 fared considerably well, being its strongest in China. Up to 1,345 Model S vehicles were sold, which account for 11 percent of Tesla's global deliveries. China is the only country where Tesla had more than a thousand excess EVs. In 2015, 1,600 cars were shipped to China, but most remained unlicensed because resellers "u-turned on orders." The company also wants to begin shipping its new SUV, the Model X, to China this year. Musk said that it would be easier of the company could find local partners to be eligible for government incentives. "Quite frankly, China is well developed, has better highways and better trains than the United States by far. The challenge for Tesla in China is we need to establish a local partnership," he said. Looking for a location for a possible Gigafactory in China is also in the pipeline as the company wants to start producing cars in China by 2020. China is the world's biggest market for electric vehicles because of its record-breaking pollution. "I think there is an understanding by the Chinese government that [electric vehicles] are important to the future. In order to have clean air in cities, you have to go electric," Musk said. Advertisement TagsHong Kong, china, Electric vehicles in China, Elon Musk, Tesla vehicles in China (Photo : Getty Images) Taiwan netizens have been quick to criticize the image of the 'Fulu Monkey' which will be the highlight of the 2016 Taipei Light Festival Advertisement The "Fulu Monkey" is expected to be the center of attraction at this year's Taipei Lights Festival. However, the image of the monkey, which was recently released by organizers, has attracted criticisms from Taiwan netizens for its ugliness. After the organizers released an image of the Fulu Monkey, netizens were quick to deliver their criticisms, according to China Daily. The Fulu monkey (which literally means a monkey who brings good fortune) will be the main attraction of the 2016 Taipei Lights Festival. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement One netizen named Renzhawenben accused the organizers of not creating a new design and describe the image of the Fulu monkey as that of a 'baboon.' Some netizens mockingly suggested that they change the name of the festival to "2016 Taipei Baboon Lights Carnival". Others compared the Fulu monkey image with the Spring Festival Gala mascot which featured a red and green-colored monkey. The design, which was released a few days ago, has also received criticisms like the Fulu Monkey. The red, yellow and green cartoon monkey called Kang Kang was been unveiled by China's state broadcaster CCTV last week. When asked about the two tumour-like round balls growing on its cheeks, it was explained that the designer wanted to create a cute monkey with mouthful of food that its cheeks swell. However, netizens do not seem to get that impression. Meanwhile, the designer of the Fulu Monkey Lin Shumin said that the design circulating the web is a smaller model. The real one stands 14.2 meters tall and shows different lighting effects at night, he revealed. Advertisement TagsFulu Monkey, Taipei Lights Festival, Year of the Monkey, Kang Kang, Criticisms on Fulu Monkey, Chinese New Year 2016 (Photo : Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) About 32 suspects have been charged with fraud over a scam that involved selling gold bars to investors. Advertisement Seven Singaporeans and 25 Taiwanese have been charged with violating Taiwan's Banking Act for running a gold-buying scam worth billions. Chia Ser Leong, 56, was the business director, local media reported. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Prosecutors at the Taoyuan district said that Chia established Tianjin Group Holdings in 2013, an investment company that sold gold bars as products of Swiss PAMP, a gold refinery based in Switzerland. The group's general manager, 42-year-old Xie Jiaya, and the deputy general manager Jiang Ziwen were also charged. Investors were promised 24 percent profit and 1 percent interest every month for two years if they join. After two years, the company promised to buy the gold back at the original price. But before anyone could buy the gold bars, they had to first pay NT$80,800 ($2,400) for membership. The gold bars, which only cost NT$1.23 million ($37,000) per kilogram, was being sold at NT$2.6 million ($78,000) per kilogram. The group managed to lure 5,000 members, 200 of whom are Taiwanese - all of them reportedly paid the membership fee. Members get a commission of two percent to 16 percent for every person they recruit. Tawanese Zeng Shaoli was reportedly the group's "Gold Fortune Goddess" as she persuades prospects using her sexual appeal and physical beauty. Members also attract investors by displaying their wealth, taking them to cruises and renting luxury cars. The group collected a total of NT$1.9 billion ($58 million) since 2013, but NT$1.6 billion ($47 million) have been transferred to Singapore. The Tianjin Group has expanded their business and opened offices in other areas of Taiwan. The company officials have maintained that their business is legal. However, 195 people reported to the police that they invested tens to hundreds of thousands in the scam. Police learned that not all the gold bars they sell were genuine and they also had fake photocopied certificates. A yacht, a Porsche, hundreds of gold bars, diamond rings, branded bags, and more than NT$2 million ($59,000) were seized by the police. Advertisement Tagsgold scam in Taiwan and Singapore, Tianjin Group Holdings, Swiss membership, impure bullions (Photo : Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) A F18 Super Hornet prepares to land on the deck of the USS Eisenhower off the coast of Virginia, December 10, 2015 in the Atlantic Ocean. The Chinese Ministry of Defense admitted recently that there is a "definite gap" between Chinese military technology and some developed countries. Advertisement Chinese jet fighters are likely to be at a disadvantage in the event of an aerial confrontation with Western combat aircraft -- or even fighters from US ally Japan -- over the East and South China Seas, foreign and Chinese aviation experts have said. In a brief statement released to Reuters recently, the Chinese Ministry of Defense admitted that there is a "definite gap" between Chinese military technology and some developed countries. The statement said Beijing will continue to strengthen China's armed forces. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Douglas Barrie of the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London says the country's fighter jet engine technology, in particular, lags behind those of Western jet engine manufacturers such as Pratt and Whitney, General Electric (GE.N) and Rolls Royce (RR.L). Barrie has in the past suggested that the frame of China's fifth generation stealth fighter, the Chengdu J-20, borrows heavily from the MiG 1.42, a Russian prototype designed in the 1980s but abandoned by the Kremlin sixteen years ago. Sheer Numbers The technology gap has led many experts to suggest that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force will have to rely on sheer numbers to overwhelm Western combat aircraft in the event of a dogfight over contested territories in Asia. US defense expert Dave Majumdar told the state-run Russian news agency Sputnik in September last year that -- while US jet fighters are superior to their Chinese counterparts -- China is building a vast number of fighter aircraft. He likewise points out that US warplanes require bases or tankers from which they could refuel, a necessity which could render America's superior jet fighters ineffectual in an all-out air air contest against China. "If there were to be a war in the Western Pacific, the massive air battles that many envision are not likely to take place because the United States and our allies have few bases in the region to host tactical fighters like the F-35," says Majumdar, who adds that China is likely to destroy those bases should a conflict erupt between the two countries. The technology divide is nevertheless is a thorn in China's side as an unnamed Chinese military expert familiar with Beijing's defense policies admitted to Reuters that Chinese fighters do not perform as well as US fighters. Closing the Gap Experts say much of the disparity between Chinese and US jet fighter technology is a consequence of Western restrictions on arms trading with China, which prohibit the sale of Western engines for military use. The restrictions have forced Chinese engineers to rely on their own designs or borrow from engine technology that Russia has agreed to sell. And so far, Chinese designs have fallen short of those produced by US experts. China's best warplane engine, the WS-10A Taihang, which was designed by engineers at the Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute, doES not produce enough thrust and require frequent repairs, sources tell Reuters. "They are trying to improve the Taihang, but reliability is a major problem," says one source. The same sources also claim that the Chinese J-20 and J-21 stealth fighters are unable to fly at supersonic speeds like the US F-22 Raptor without using afterburners, which make them visible on radar. These problems are not lost on China's military establishment, which has seen a rapid increase in the pace of Chinese jet engine research and development. The Shanghai-based aerospace consulting firm, the Galleon group, says China will spend an estimated $300 billion on civil and military aircraft engine programs over the next two decades alone. China is, in fact, advancing its aviation technology at breathtaking pace. The J-20 first took to the air in January 2011, and officially entered the early stages of production last yeAR. In comparison, it took the US -- which has more experience building state-of-the-art fighter aircraft -- nearly 20 years to develop the F-35. Advertisement TagsPeople's Liberation Army Air Force, Chengdu J-20, jet fighter (Photo : Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) For Ip, the mink trade doesn't pose any problem and sees no reason in interfering as its ban will also leave many people unemployed. Advertisement A lawmaker in Hong Kong has compared wearing a mink coat to eating beef, drawing flak from animal rights activist and netizens. Regina Ip, a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, wore a blood-red mink coat during a council meeting on Wednesday. When reporters asked her about the coat, she made the comment. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Ip first said that the coat was designed in Italy and made in Guangzhou. It was valued at 10,000 ($1,500) when she bought it ten years ago in Harbin. But the highlight was her comparison that irked many. "Wearing fur is just as bad as eating beef," Ip said, adding that she doesn't know why people are very much against wearing fur. According to The Stand News, Ip said many believe that eating beef, or any other animal, for that matter, damages the environment because of the carbon footprints its production leaves, such as greenhouse gases and deforestation. She added that "all animal husbandry is inhumane." She also cited unnamed American documentaries "that talk about how inhumane the poultry industry is." "Mink farms in North America rear a few million animals, which is actually environmentally friendly," she said. However, she did not answer the reporters' questions of how it's more eco-friendly. "There's also a website called 'Fur is Green,' times are changing. Mink farming can be more humane than rearing chicken or cattle. The trend has changed, they just haven't caught up," Ip said. Fur is Green is a Canadian website that encourage using clothes made from fur. It also provides information on how the fur is collected, which does not involve skinning animals alive. Some only get the fur while some are euthanized before they are skinned. "Eating beef is nothing to be proud of, and it should also not be encouraged. But wearing mink coats is a thousand times crueller than eating beef. It's astounding how shameless and ignorant she is, being a lawmaker," said Mark Mak Chi-ho, an animal rights activist. "Today she tried to rationalise an unethical behaviour. It not only harmed animals, but is also a blow to our civil quality," he added. For Ip, the mink trade doesn't pose any problem and sees no reason in interfering as its ban will also leave many people unemployed. Advertisement TagsRegina Ip, animal rights in Hong Kong, Legislative Council of Hong Kong, Mark Mak Chi-ho (Photo : Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images) China is facing a shortage of pediatricians to take care of patients and with the recent implementation of the two-child policy the situation is expected to worsen. Advertisement When the year began, 90 million Chinese women were allowed to have a second child because of the new two-child policy, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said. This means that the country's current population of 1.4 billion will significantly increase. Hospitals are feeling most of the pressure that comes with the two-child policy. China's public health statistics show that the number of pediatricians dropped 105,000 to 100,000 in a span of five years, which means that there are only 43 doctors for every 100,000 children. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement At the Sun Yat-sen University Third Hospital, the pediatric department's emergency services is closed because of lack of doctors. "Since the department was established in 2011, we have employed eight doctors. Four left in the following years," said Shan Yutao, a worker at the hospital's medical management office. Many pediatricians are leaving their posts because of many factors such as high pressure and risk, but the most prominent is the low pay. Chinese hospitals' pediatric department receive less funds than the other departments because its primary source of income, medicines and examination fees, are minimal as children are prescribed less medicine. The dosage for 10 to 15 children is only equal to one adult's. Shortage of doctors, deluge of patients Xinhua learned that the pediatric department of Tangdu Hospital, one of the best hospitals Shaanxi province's capital city Xi'an, is overwhelmed every day with patients. It receives more than 500 patients daily but only has 36 doctors working in shifts. The situation is much worse in smaller cities and counties. Wang Baoxi, a pediatrician at the Shaanxi branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, said that he receives more than 100 outpatients in the morning. Because of too many patients, he can only spend a few minutes with each patient. In Weinan City in the east of Shaanxi, only 17 doctors are available to take care of 100,000 children. In Xi'an Central Hospital, there are only three senior doctors out of the total 16 pediatricians. "We have lowered our standard, but still we don't have enough pediatricians," said Luo Zhijuan, director of the pediatric department. Qian Xueming, a political advisor, said that he only know five universities with pediatric departments because most stopped accepting pediatric majors. He proposed a supply-side reform to the annual "two sessions," a trilateral meeting that includes various administrative bodies. Before the two-child policy was implemented, the government passed a regulation that mandates general hospitals to have a pediatric department and donate five percent of the hospital beds to the said department. Advertisement Tagstwo-child policy effects, pediatricians in China, Chinese hospitals not ready for two-child policy 250 Muslim and evangelical leaders issue declaration calling for Christian protection from persecution Around 250 Muslim and evangelical leaders recently assembled in Morocco to issue a declaration of religious freedom, calling on Muslim nations to defend Christians against persecution. The Muslim religious leaders, scholars and heads of states released the Marrakesh Declaration, a groundbreaking document that seeks to put an end to the mounting violence towards Christians in Muslim countries. "We call upon the various religious groups bound by the same national fabric to address their mutual state of selective amnesia that blocks memories of centuries of joint and shared living on the same land," it says, CBN News reported. "We call upon them to rebuild the past by reviving this tradition of conviviality, and restoring our shared trust that has been eroded by extremists using acts of terror and aggression." The gathering was made possible through the peace efforts of Bob Roberts, pastor of Northwood Church in Texas, who travelled to Morocco with over 250 Muslim religious leaders to release the declaration. Roberts has reportedly been forming strategic relations with Muslim leaders. Together with his friend, "Imam Muhammad Magid, he initiated and hosted the October "Spreading the Peace Convocation" that saw the gathering of more than 200 imams and evangelical pastors. "It was a time to 'build bridges' and 'share mutual concerns,'' he said, acknowledging that how the Christian majority treats minority Muslims in the U.S affects how the Muslim majority treats the Christian minority in Muslim countries. "This is a Muslim conference put together by the top sheiks, ministers of religion, the grand muftis of the top Muslim majority nations, and they came up with a declaration, literally using the language of religious freedom to declare that violence cannot be done in the name of Islam," said Roberts. Open Doors reported that violent Islamic extremism will be the "lead generator of persecution for 35 out of 50 nations" on the 2016 World Watch List, and that Christian persecution in Muslim nations "has risen to a level akin to ethnic cleansing." The Marrakesh Declaration is based on Muhammad's Charter of Medina, a seventh century document instructing how to govern a religious pluralistic state. It borrows ideas from the charter like "principles of constitutional contractual citizenship" and "freedom of movement, property ownership, mutual solidarity and defence, as well as principles of justice and equality before the law,'' according to reports. The declaration is meant to challenge Muslim leaders to actively fight against extremism in their own countries but does not grant religious liberty protection to non-Muslims against blasphemy or apostasycrimes that notoriously lead to death penalties for Christians, CBN News said. After nearly getting raped, Danish girl could face charges for using pepper spray to fend off her attacker Instead of getting government support, a 17-year-old Danish girl who was sexually attacked near a migrant asylum centre found herself facing prosecution after she used pepper spray to fend off her assailant. The teenager told police she was walking through the Danish town of Sonderborg last Wednesday when an English-speaking man knocked her to the ground and tried to undress her. But she managed to quickly end the assault by whipping out her pepper spray and using it on him. Despite her act of bravery in defending herself, authorities now say the young woman could face charges and a fine of 500 kroner for using the pepper spray. "It is illegal to possess and use pepper spray, so she will likely be charged for that," local police spokesman Knud Kirsten told TV Syd. The man who attacked the teen reportedly fled the scene of the crime and has yet to be charged. It is unclear if the man was an asylum seeker or refugee. The Local reported that the case has "sparked a backlash among some Danes who point to increasing reports of sexual harassment in Sonderborg and other Danish cities." Some groups have reportedly extended their support, including financial assistance, to the luckless girl. "Many readers wrote in the comments section on TV Syd's story about the incident that they would be willing to pay the girl's fine, which will most likely be 500 kroner ($72),'' said Kirsten. Recently, stories about rapes made big headlines in Sonderberg after several women there reported feeling harassed by the aggressive behavior of some male asylum seekers and refugees at the local asylum centre. Measures have been considered and implemented in attempts to prevent the same from happening. A nightclub in the city is also now precluding guests from entering if they can't speak Danish, English or German. Other nightclubs in Denmark are reportedly considering similar measures, WND reported. The language requirements have reportedly been put in place in several establishments in the wake of reports of "foreign men in groups" harassing female guests. ''We have some rules so that our guests can have a pleasant experience and feel safe," owner Tom Holden, owner of Buddy Holly, a night club in Soderborg told TV2, adding that it has been the club's policy for years. Meanwhile, Denmark's parliament has voted in favour of seizing asylum seekers' assets in a controversial bid to reduce the number of migrants moving there, Mirror UK reported. Under a new law, officials will have the power to search migrants for valuables and take cash and possessions worth more than around 1,000 to help pay for their stay. Only wedding rings and items of sentimental value will be exempt. Asylum seekers will also have to wait three years before family members can join them in the country, instead of the current one year, the paper said. North Korea preparing to launch rocket in space soon in bid to develop ICBM, U.S. officials warn U.S. officials claimed that North Korea is preparing for a space launch soon as shown in a recently obtained satellite imagery of a site around the Sohae Satellite Launching Station. The officials, however, said nothing indicated that it would be a ballistic missile test launch. "Our concern though is that they do a space-launch, but really it's the same technology to develop ICBMs (inter-continental ballistic missiles),'' an official said on Thursday. An unnamed U.S. official in Washington also told AFP: "The indications are that they are preparing for some kind of launch... Could be for a satellite or a space vehiclethere are a lot of guesses." "North Korea does this periodicallythey move things back and forth... There's nothing to indicate it's ballistic-missile related." On Thursday morning, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that Japanese officials have expressed concern by the recent activities at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, also known as Tongchang-ri. Kyodo also cited a government source as saying that a missile launch could occur in about a week at the earliest. The revelation comes just 24 hours after speculation that North Korea was preparing to launch a long-range missile as soon as next week, which followed claims by supreme leader Kim Jong-un that he had weapons capable of obliterating the U.S, according to the Daily Mail. U.N. Security Council members are currently calling for fresh sanctions against North Korea after it conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6. The country is already under sanctions for its nuclear and missile programmes. South Korea's Yonhap news agency, meanwhile, cited a government source as saying screens had been set up at key areas at the site, possibly to deter satellite surveillance. The country last conducted a long-range rocket launch in late 2012, successfully putting an object into orbit in what is believed by experts to be part of its effort to build an ICBM, according to reports. Real-life Catwoman? Norwegian claims she's 'born in the wrong species' a cat trapped inside human body Thought Catwoman was only a fictional character from the Batman franchise? Well, maybe not anymore. A 20-year-old girl from Oslo in Norway believes she is a cat trapped inside a human body. Appearing in a news broadcast posted to the NRK P3 Cerdens Rikeste Land YouTube channel, the girl named "Nano" asserted that she has "been a cat all [her] life." The Norwegian girl, who wears fake cat ears and a tail, also said she was "born in the wrong species." She said she came to this realisation some four years ago. "I realised I was a cat when I was 16 when doctors and psychologists found out what was 'the thing' with me. Under my birth there was a genetic defect," Nano said, as quoted by Christian News. Asked if she believes she has been a feline since birth, the girl answered, "Yes. I am born like this... Born in the wrong species. ... It's obvious I'm a cat when I start purring and meowing and walking around on four legs and stuff like that." True enough, Nano crawls on her hands and knees to move around. She also has the habit of scratching doors. At one point during the interview, the girl also hissed and jumped back when she saw a dog, just like what a cat will do. Nano also said because of her feline instinct, she "automatically reacts by hissing." More bizarrely, the girl also claims she prefers to sleep in the sink and on window sills than on her bed, and that she likes to chase mice. "I have been running a lot after animals that can be seen in the shadows," she said. "I have tried, but have never managed to catch [a mouse]." Although her psychologist said she will eventually outgrow her belief that she is a cat, Nano is convinced that she will be a feline all her life. "It is exhausting, but you get used to living with cat acts and cat instincts," she further said. "My psychologist told me I can grow out of it, but I doubt it. I think I will be cat all my life." Residents from small Montana towns stand firm against plan to accept Muslim refugees Montana is one of only two states in America that have firmly closed their doors to Muslim migrants throughout the years. They plan to keep it this way, in the face of U.S. President Barack Obama's plan to absorb tens of thousands of Syrian refugees affected by the ongoing civil war in their own country. Rural folk from the small towns of Helena and Missoula are planning to hold a protest rally on Monday morning to oppose plans to allow Muslim migrant settlements in their areas. The residents are particularly protesting the Missoula Board of County Commissioners' request to the U.S. State Department to send Syrian refugees in their town, conveyed in a letter sent on Jan. 13. "We look forward to seeing approximately 100 refugees per year resettled in Missoula," the letter stated, as quoted by WND.com. The letter even portrayed Missoula as a place ideal for refugees from the Middle East. "Missoula is an ideal city for resettling refugees," the letter stated. "Our community enjoys good schools, incredible natural beauty, and a low unemployment rate, among other factors." Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey, however, admitted earlier that it is impossible to vet all Syrian refugees, most of whom are Sunni Muslims, for potential ties to terrorist groups like the Islamic State. Paul Nachman, a Bozeman activist who described Missoula as a town dominated by progressive politics, said Comey's statement shows how naive the commissioners are in proposing a plan to accept Syrian refugees in Montana. He also questioned why the commissioners were "practically begging" for Syrian refugees to resettle in Montana. Nachman likewise criticised Republican legislators in the state legislature for not strongly opposing the plan to accept Muslim migrants in Montana. "They've done little to help us and have basically given lip-service," he told WND.com. Rory Feek mixes gratitude and grief as he updates fans on wife Joey's valiant, yet losing battle to cancer Rory Feek of the Christian music duo Joey+Rory expressed mixed feelings of gratitude and grief in a touching new blog on his website called "This Life I Live" which he wrote last Thursday to update their fans on his wife's valiant struggle against cancer. He said he is thankful for "all the extra days and weeks that we've been given together" after Joey's "doctors here didn't expect Joey to make it to Thanksgiving," The Gospel Herald reported. However, Rory said he can't wish away the grief in his heart knowing that Joey is moving closer to the brink of eternity. Joey remained in hospice care after a terminal cancer diagnosis in June. "I cannot even begin to imagine going home to Tennessee without Joey, or living my life and raising Indy without her, but I know that day is coming," he shared. The loving husband said despite the long days spent reflecting on life's mortality, he and his wife of 13 years are still coming to grips with the "hard questions" about life and death. "We don't have any answers for them," Rory wrote. "But still, we have faithwe choose to believe. I think that's why they call it faith," he said. "If we knew all the answers, no faith would be required. And so Joey and I do our best each day to only see the plus's in our life." In his latest blog, Rory also reminisced on the highs and lows he and his wife experienced when they formed their country act on CMT's singing competition "Can You Duet" in 2008. "When we found out we had made it through the first round of auditions, they asked us what our stage name was going to be," Rory recalled. "I told Joey that I think we should tell them 'Joey+Rory', because that's what it actually was ... You + Me = whatever this is going to be." "Without knowing it, what we were actually adding into the equation that day in 2008... was God," Rory reflected. "It was faith that we addeda willingness to trust Him and be OK with whatever He had in store. I think that's where the power is. There's nothing magical about Joey and I together. We bring our skills and talents into this union, but God brings the magic." In an earlier blog post, Rory revealed that Joey is having "serious talks with Jesus" as she prepares to enter the gates of Heaven. "I'd like to tell you that she's doing great and is going to beat this thing. But I can't," Rory wrote, adding that Joey's pain and discomfort had increased daily and the morphine dosage needed to help her comfort had to be quadrupled. "Yesterday with tears in her eyes and mine, Joey held my hand and told me that she has been having serious talks with Jesus. She said she told him that if He's ready to take her... she's ready to come home." The Grammy-nominated Christian couple has inspired countless supporters with their unbreakable faith in God and dedication to one another. Sweden to expel 80,000 refugees after crime surge, lack of resources prompt policy reversal Sweden is moving to expel at least 80,000 immigrantsabout 45 percent of the number of people who have filed for asylum claimsas crime incidents involving migrants have significantly increase since last year. At the same time, the government is finding its resources and police force stretched to the limit in accommodating the refugees and handling the disturbances. Citing recent reports from asylum centres, National Police Commissioner Dan Eliasson said crime incidents jumped from 148 in 2014 to 322 in 2015, an increase of 174 cases. The latest incident was the vicious attack on 22-year-old Alexandra Mezher, an employee at a reception centre, who was stabbed to death in Molndal on Monday. She was trying to stop a fight that broke out at a youth centre, BBC reported Tuesday, when a 15-year-old male migrant stabbed her to death. The youth was quickly arrested. "I believe that there are quite many people in Sweden who feel a lot of concern that there can be more cases of this kind, when Sweden receives so many children and youth, who come alone [to seek asylum]," Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told Radio Sweden on Tuesday, BBC said. According to Eliasson, the police would need additional 4,100 employees to quell the chaos alone. Many other countries in Europe have likewise reported a surge in criminal acts since the arrival of the migrants from the Middle East and North Africa, the BBC said. These countries include Austria, Finland, France and Germany. The incidents reported were mostly sexual assaults committed by Muslim attackers. Robbery incidents were also recorded. Swedish authorities said around 80,000 immigrants, comprising 45 percent of the 163,000 people who sought asylum in the Scandinavian country last year, would be deported to ease the police heavy workload. Already, Interior Minister Anders Ygeman said police and authorities in charge of migrants have been ordered to organise their expulsion. He added that the expulsions will be done using especially chartered aircraft. According to Eliasson, the policy reversal, while welcome, "comes too little, too late.'' "We have to go to work against unrest in the asylum centres which places a much greater demand than might appear outwardly,'' he said. "In some places in Sweden this eats significant resources out of the police's capability. From several sources there are reports that staff are poorly prepared to handle violence, threats and conflicts while there are too few security guards." "Police do not have the resources to handle all the disturbances at reception centres," he said. Sweden, which is home to 9.8 million people, is one of the European Union countries that have taken in the largest number of refugees in relation to its population. Sweden: Trollhattan stabbings were racist, police say A masked man who killed one teacher and a boy and wounded two others in a Swedish school was driven by racist motives, police said on Friday. Sweden was shocked by Thursday's attack in which the assailant walked through a school stabbing students and staff in Trollhattan, an industrial town of about 50,000 inhabitants in western Sweden that has a large proportion of immigrants. Police shot the suspect, a local man in his early 20s, who died of his injuries at a hospital. He had no criminal record. "We are convinced that the assailant was driven by racist motives when he carried out the act," police chief Niclas Hallgren told Swedish public service radio. "We have reached this conclusion based on what we found when we searched his apartment and his behaviour during the act, and also on the basis of how he selected his victims." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Sadly it seems that Internet hoaxes have an aggravating trait of never going away. The information superhighway is littered with crazy rumors that get regurgitated and passed on without the posters thinking to check the source. For the past year or so Houston rapper Mike Jones has been plagued by a hoax TMZ site claiming hes a human trafficker. In 2012, other websites claimed he was dead. He also died this month too. Since most people on social media sites like Twitter shoot re-tweets first and dont check sources, the rumor lingered even while the rapper was active on the site itself. Setting the Record Straight ! Call the Sgt of the City where they say the rumor happened n see what he say! When the story of Jones and a friend being charged with a hefty, troubling list of 34 crimes began to make waves again this weekend, Jones took to Twitter to set the record straight again. The supposed report from the San Antonio Police Department is authored by a Peter Brady on the force there. Its not beyond the realm of possibility that a Peter Brady works there, but its a good hoax tip-off. The fake TMZ story was posted in March 2015 and states that Jones is being held on $100,000 bond, is facing between 5 to 14 years of imprisonment and if aggravated assault, aggravated sexual assault, or death were to come into play, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. Meanwhile Jones played Free Press Summer Festival last June sharing the stage with Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Devin the Dude, Bun B, Paul Wall, and The Suffers. Sgt. Bill Grayson with the SAPD drafted a letter to Jones lawyer affirming that there was no investigation into the rapper, which he posted onto his official Instagram page. Still, people still share the TMZ story without batting an eye. I swear People will Believe Anything! The time these people be having to come up with these rumors amaze me! Spread this Rumor... The inspector Jonas Dresden doesnt exist either, Grayson noted. Dresden is quoted in the TMZ story. Who is Mike Jones? Not an accused human trafficker. A man died Saturday afternoon after he was struck in east Houston by a driver who fled the scene. The man was crossing the road outside a crosswalk in the 800 block of Maxey around 4:45 p.m. A gold Toyota Corolla carrying two passengers struck the pedestrian, who later died, said Houston police spokesperson Victor Senties. Instructions were kept simple at the Market Square Park paint party: paint on one side, be colorful. Whether the 2-inch-wide wooden strips were covered in paint drizzles, monochromatic color blocks, stripes or fingerprints, it all worked for artist Patrick Renner. Ultimately, the heap of colorful wooden strips will be woven into an art installation, called Trumpet Flower, destined for Main Street Square. The structure will have two essential parts: a 60-foot spiraling cone that attaches to the roof of a parking garage and a canopy meant to resemble the downward-drooping form of the namesake flower that will provide shade. Renner hoped the loose instruction Saturday would lead to unexpected forms of creativity, setting in motion the overall theme he and his team hoped to embody. "I like to create work that's abstract, so people can come to their own conclusion," said Renner, creative lead and member of the artist collective Flying Carpet, the group behind the concept and installation of Trumpet Flower. "In a way, being downtown brings something into a space that's unexpected." Downtown dichotomy Trumpet Flower will debut in late March, just in time for the NCAA Final Four tournament, and stay up until the 2017 Super Bowl. It's part of the Downtown District's $700,000 public art initiative Art Blocks, which will bring temporary art installations within two blocks of Main Street to encourage more activity, both planned and unplanned. It may remind some of a previous work of art. Renner's Funnel Tunnel snaked through a median in Montrose with a similar wooden, colorful pattern. While the median's trees provided inspiration three years ago, Renner now wants to capitalize on the dichotomy of downtown. Trumpet Flower's roots are natural, but it will reside in the city's central business core, surrounded by commerce. The tension and fusion of art and engineering is fitting, he said, with Houston's business mindset. Courtney Nicholas finished a purple and green wooden strip and stopped to snap a selfie with the paint party in the background. As a research scientist in the Texas Medical Center, Nicholas has her own personal and professional contrast. She often turns to artwork as a therapeutic outlet and regularly paints with friends. But they typically paint on canvases, while Saturday, they painted on reclaimed wood that will become a piece of public art. 'I painted one of those' "I don't get to participate in art that goes beyond my living room," said Nicholas, who lives in the Westchase area. Her friends planned to paint a few more, until the unexpectedly warm January afternoon would get the best of them. Priscilla Chacon lives in Channelview but often swings by downtown for Discovery Green treks or to catch an Astros game. She snapped pictures of her granddaughters while they worked on two very different strips. Judy, 9, painted hers in evenly-spaced sections of purple, orange, red and seafoam green, while her sister Julie, 6, mixed red and white to achieve the perfect shade of pink. Chacon planned to incorporate the drizzle method she saw others use. "I can't wait 'til it goes up so we can see it," she said. "I can say I painted one of those things." After the paint party, organizers planned to haul the 1,250 square feet of wood back to the workshop where Renner and team will construct the metal frame for the wooden pieces to weave into. The entire structure is set to be installed in March. Much like the variation in downtown Houston's day and night crowd, Renner expects Trumpet Flower to feel different depending on the time of day. On one hand, daytime hours can be appealing, as the direct sun will beam through the interwoven structure, creating geometric shadows that will dapple across the sidewalk. At night, the installed uplighting will give a dramatic look and feel. Four hours later, the pavement, sidewalks and grass surrounding Market Square Park were completely covered with hundreds of drying wood strips. While the installation of Trumpet Flower remains weeks away, the public art piece had already made its mark downtown with parts of Preston Street permanently more colorful with excess paint. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate No, El Chapo didn't escape again. Social media is buzzing this afternoon about a rumored third jail bust by drug cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. The story is coming from a hoax ABC News site, but even still some are sharing the story of the daring escape. The quote from a woman who works for a group that provides the homeless and those less fortunate with brand new socks was the big tip-off that the story isnt real. The references to the 1993 Harrison Ford flick "The Fugitive" were a nice touch though. The abcnews.com.co URL has helped proliferate plenty of hoax stories before. Remember when President Obama signed an executive order limiting U.S. gun owners to three guns, or when Donald Trump announced Sheriff Joe Arpaio as running mate? Yup, stories both made up by the fake ABC news site. Bill Murray isn't running for president either. Fake ABC tricked folks again. Although, that would be kind of cool. In the real world Guzman was apprehended earlier this month by officials, ending his time as one of the most wanted men on the planet. On the lam since his July 11, 2015 escape from a Mexico prison, Guzman was returned to custody Jan. 8, after Mexican marines seized him in a raid at a home in the coastal city of Los Mochis, in Guzman's home state of Sinaloa. During the shootout, five of Guzman's supporters were killed and six were arrested, according to the Associated Press. Actor Sean Penn interviewed the fugitive last fall for a story that would eventually run in the beginning of January in Rolling Stone magazine. Penn had the first-ever interview with Guzman in early October, but it took a few months for the interview and Penns story to be published. The story didnt last very long at the top of the headlines as musician David Bowie died just a day later. A Mexican law enforcement official told reporters that it was that interview conducted in the remote community of Tamazula in the state of Durango that helped authorities track down Guzman. Penn meanwhile told 60 Minutes that in many ways he regretted his involvement with Guzman, saying that the intent of the interview wasnt for Guzman to be captured, but to shed light on the environment that made a character like Guzman possible to thrive. RELATED: Sean Penn tells '60 Minutes' his 'El Chapo' mission 'failed' Mexican authorities have said they are committed to returning him for prosecution to the United States, which requested extradition in June. That was before his escape from the maximum security prison known as Altiplano in the state of Mexico. We'll let you know if "E l Chapo" escapes the pokey again. For now, he's eating jail food. The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. RENT 20th Anniversary Tour Announced: Celebrating 10,512,000 Moments So Dear RENT is coming back to a stage hopefully somewhere close to you, this fall. That is right, in celebration of 10,512,000 moments so dear, and 20 years of still owed back rent, the beloved Broadway musical is going back on tour. RENT took Puccini's opera La Boheme and centered it in New York City circa the 1990s amidst the AIDS crisis. Following the lives of seven friends and one frenemy, RENT took us into a new decade and all the trials that come with it. Written by Jonathan Larson, the cast of the original production included Anthony Rapp (Little Shop of Horrors, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown), Adam Pascal (Aidia, Disaster), Daphne Rebin-Vega (Rocky Horror Show), Jesse L Martin (Law & Order, The Flash), Wilson Jermaine Heredia (San Francisco Playhouse's Camelot),Fredi Walker (The Lion King) Idina Menzel (Wicked, Frozen, If/Then) and Taye Diggs (Hedwig & The Angry Inch, The Wild Party). Producer Stephen Gabriel spoke to Broadway World about the upcoming 20th anniversary tour: "For the past 20 years, RENT has touched the lives of audiences around the world from Broadway to regional productions to high school auditoriums. We're thrilled to introduce a new generation to this timeless story of love, friendship and community." The 20th Anniversary tour of RENT will be directed by Evan Ensign based on the original production direction by Michael Greif. What is your favorite RENT memory? Have you gotten a chance to the show live? Are you planning to go see it again? Share your RENT experience with us in the comments section at the bottom of the page. The RENT Tour will kick off this fall. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsRent, 20th Anniversary, Tour, Announced, Celebrating, .10, 512, 000, Moments So Dear, Seasons of Love, broadway, favorites Lin-Manuel Mirandas Broadway Hit Hamilton Coming to Chicago, San Francisco, LA & PBS Lin-Manuel Miranda new musical Hamilton is one of the hottest tickets on Broadway. If you dont already have tickets to see it, than chances are you will be waiting a good long time before you make in the room. However, you might not be completely out of luck. Hamilton is gearing up to visit stages on the west coast, at SHN Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles as well as a sit down performance at Broadway in Chicago event series at the PrivateBank Theatre. Cant make it to NYC, LA, San Francisco or Chicago? Well there is still some hope. Hamilton will also be coming to your very own living room.sort of. It was recently announced that PBS Great Performances series, will feature a documentary based on the hit show, titled Hamiltons America, later this fall. A previous documentary on Lin-Manuel Miranda's other hit musical In The Heights titled, In The Heights - Chasing Broadway Dreams, also aired as part of PBS Great Performances series. Hamilton is making away west in 2017. The hit musical will be performed at San Franciscos SHN Orpheum Theatre in March 2017. Hamilton will than head to L.A. for Augs -Dec Showings at Hollywood Pantages Theatre. The sit down Broadway in Chicago performance is set for Sept. 27, 2016 at the PrivateBank Theatre. PBS Great Performances: Hamilton's America is scheduled for the fall of 2016. Hamilton is currently playing on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theater located at 226 West 46th Street between Broadway and 8th. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsLIn-Manuel Miranda, broadway, Hit, Hamilton, Coming, Chicago, san francisco, La, PBS 'Chivalry: Medieval Warfare' Captures the Bloody, Gritty Essence of Medieval Combat Chivalry: Medieval Warfare has very little chivalry involved. Between decapitating foes or murdering peasants and royalty (or contaminating a well), the dirty side of medieval warfare is the delicious, gritty essence of sword and arrow combat. Like many excellent games out there, Chivalry: MW was originally a mod for the Half-Life Source Engine. It was an excellent mod, and Chivalry keeps very closely to that original game, even featuring some of the same maps from it. On the plus side, Chivalry adds in more class options and abilities lacking from the mod. It's a very challenging game, and friendly fire is a common way to die. Who knew swinging a sword in a wide arc was going to lop off the heads of not only that enemy, but also the three friends of yours attacking him? Archers are a much hated class, regardless of the team they're on, as most are as likely to hit a friend as a foe. On the plus side, combat isn't something you can just pick up and be an expert at. It takes experience and practice to learn the range of various weapons, where they move when swung, and the timing needed to keep your foe from blocking your swing. Shields are a wonderful tool, blocking a lot of the damage you take, but keep in mind, every strike blocked depletes your stamina, and when that's gone, your swings do less damage and your shield doesn't work. You also get to use "a variety of siege weapons ranging from catapults, boiling oil, ballista, battering rams and more." The sheer variety of game modes and objectives provide lots of replay value. With everything from Free-for-all melees to Defend the King, each mode and map has it's own unique objectives and there will be something for everyone. Community servers provide some of the best options, with battles ranging up to 32 players on a side. According to Destructoid, "There are five game modes in total: Free-For-All, Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill, Last Team Standing, and Team Objective. The latter is where I got most of my kicks. Objectives are simple things like killing villagers, besieging or defending castles, or assassinating people." If you're looking for a sword-fighting game with good depth, humorous dialogue, chopped off limbs ('Tis just a flesh wound), and more, definitely check out Chivalry: Medieval Warfare on Steam. You can also get it for PS4 and Xbox One. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsVideo Game, PC, Xbox One, PS4, Steam, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare Minnesota Orchestra to Perform Young Composers Work Seven young composers got the opportunity of a lifetime this week, when the Minnesota Orchestra performed their work as part of its Composer Institute. According to the Institute's Director, Kevin Puts, emerging talents run into the catch-22 of not getting a chance to write for an orchestra until they have already proven themselves capable of doing so, but now at least 7 out of 150 applicants will be able to potentially launch their careers thanks to Minnesota Orchestra's Composer Institute. For New York fans of the orchestra, Music Director Osmo Vanska will be leading the group in all-Sibelius program at Carnegie Hall -- their first concert there in five-years. As part of their Composer Institute the Minnesota Orchestra performed original works by seven different young composers last week. Kevin Puts, the Director of the Composer institute, explained to MPR News, that he envisioned their working with the orchestra as leading to vibrant careers for the seven up-and-comers getting to participate: "The way to get orchestra performances is to prove that you can write for orchestra. But if you never get an opportunity, how are you going to do that? "I am hoping, in the end, to launch careers for these composers." Their New York devotees need not worry, however, the Minnesota Orchestra won't be performing anything that they haven't heard before at the upcoming concert at Carnegie Hall. According to the recent press release touting the March 3, concert, Finnish Music Director Osmo Vanska will be leading the orchestra in an all-Sibelius program to honor the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth: "The concert includes Sibelius' First Symphony, a work that confirmed Sibelius' status as a Finnish national hero, and his Third Symphony...[And] features violinist Hilary Hahn in the composer's Violin Concerto." To get your tickets to the Minnesota Orchestra return to Carnegie Hall March 3, be sure to call by phone at (212) 247-7800 or visit their official website online. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsMinnesota, Orchestra, Young Composers, Composer Institute, Carnegie Hall, Osmo Vanska south euclid police car.jpg After pulling over a shoplifting suspect, police found the stolen liquor, as well as stolen clothing and a loaded handgun, in this week's police blotter. (File photo) SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Breaking and entering, E. Antisdale Rd: About 9:45 a.m. Jan. 20, a man who owns a home on East Antisdale Road called police to say his contractor discovered that the house was broken into. The contractor noticed that the house was cold and saw that the back door was open. The home had been broken into sometime between Jan. 16 and Jan. 20. The house's furnace and water heater were stolen. No suspects have been identified. Theft, King George Blvd: About 7:20 a.m. Jan. 22, police were dispatched to a home on King George Boulevard after a woman reported that her car was broken into overnight. The officer observed that the car's driver-side window was smashed. The woman said only about $5 was taken from the car. A few minutes later, another woman on the same street reported that her Nissan had been broken into as well. The officer observed that the car's passenger window was broken, but nothing appeared to be missing. There were no witnesses to either break-in, and no suspects have been identified. Theft, Mayfield Rd: About 5:30 p.m. Jan. 22, officers responded to a shoplifting call at Giant Eagle. Loss prevention officers told police they were investigating a man who allegedly stole alcohol from the store and had left in a red car. Police soon found the red car and conducted a traffic stop on Monticello Boulevard. The driver appeared to be acting suspiciously, and after a probable cause search of the car, police found the stolen alcohol, shoplifted clothing from H&M and a loaded handgun. The man was arrested. Child endangerment, Warrensville Center Rd: About 11:20 p.m. Jan. 28, police were dispatched to the Walmart parking lot on Warrensville Center Road. A customer reported to store security that she heard a small child crying in a car. The security officer went to the lot and found two small children, ages 1 and 4, alone in a car. The car was off, and the temperature was about 32 degrees at the time. The car's owner, the children's mom, was located inside the store. She told police that she left the kids in the car about 10:30 p.m., believing she would only be in the store for a few minutes. The woman was cited for child endangerment. The Rock Hall has an extensive program throughout February in celebration of Black History Month. (Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A sampling of Black History Month Events in the area: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will celebrate national Black History month with a series of events and programming. Events include live concerts, film screenings, special programs for Museum visitors and intimate evenings of conversation. The Rock Hall's annual Black History Month celebration is a cornerstone of the museum's programming and outreach, recognizing the extraordinary contributions that African-Americans have made to rock and roll music. Since 1996, highlights have included conversations with Solomon Burke, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Ruth Brown, Al Green, Bobby Womack, Bootsy Collins, Chuck D and Little Anthony and the Imperials. Lake View Cemetery and Hiram College have partnered to produce a series of four programs tied to prominent African Americans buried at Lake View Cemetery. The presentations will include: Charles Chesnutt and his daughter Helen Chesnutt, Jane Edna Hunter, Garrett Morgan, and Carl and Louis Stokes. The programs will be every Sunday in February at 2 p.m. in Daffodil Hall on the cemetery grounds. Sunday, Feb. 7: Liz Piatt, assistant professor of sociology, will speak on author and activist Charles Chesnutt and his daughter Helen Chesnutt. Sunday, Feb. 21: Vivien Sandlund, professor of history, will discuss inventor Garrett Morgan. Sunday, Feb. 14: Anisi Daniels Smith, instructor of sociology, will speak on social worker Jane Edna Hunter. Sunday, Feb: 28: Sandlund will speak on Carl and Louis Stokes, respectively the late Cleveland mayor and U.S. congressman. Reserve a spot by calling 216-453-0990. Reservations are required at $15 per person, per program. Cleveland Public Library is hosting programs throughout the month of February, from recommended books to keynote speakers to musical performances. All activities are free and open to the public. At 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, CPL will welcome Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, director of the Schomburg Center for Research on Black Culture at the New York Public Library, to speak on "The Criminal 'Injustice' System," in the Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium of the Main Library, 325 Superior Ave. At 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, Anthony T. Browder, founder and director of IKG Cultural Resources, will speak on "African Origins" in the Main Library. In 30 years researching ancient Egyptian history, science, philosophy and culture, he was the first African American to fund and coordinate an archaeological dig in Egypt. He is the author and co-author of a number of publications on the African Diaspora. Other CPL programming highlights: Guest columnist Bill Koehler was chosen to lead the economic development organization, focused on creating jobs for Northeast Ohio, in June, 2015. As an executive with KeyBank for nearly 20 years, he was known as a solutions-oriented executive who helped corporate and middle market commercial clients grow while aligning his team to deliver results. At Team NEO, he puts his knowledge and expertise to work as he builds relationships that serve the best interests of Northeast Ohio as well as the companies seeking to grow and prosper in the region. Ohio is an automotive powerhouse, with more than 600 businesses directly involved in the industry, producing 13 different models and delivering more than a million cars annually. The Northeast Ohio region, with our deep roots in manufacturing, is particularly strong in this area: Team NEO works across the region along with JobsOhio and our 18 county partners and chambers to help automotive companies and its suppliers grow and thrive in Northeast Ohio. We look for this sector to continue investing in our region and our people for decades to come. Historically, manufacturing has been the backbone of our region's success, with automotive manufacturing an integral part of that sector. GRP in overall manufacturing is projected to grow 43 percent by 2024, though production efficiencies required to remain competitive have caused a decline in employment. However, the automotive sector is expected to grow 19% by 2024, adding new jobs and invigorating the economy, locally and nationally. The supply chain for the automotive sector remains strong, as industry partners enjoy easy access to raw material sources, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and other suppliers and support services. Ohio is home to 24 OEMs and 26 Tier 1 suppliers with 500 or more employees. In fact, nearly 10 percent of all Tier 1 auto suppliers are located in Ohio, making us second only to Michigan in the U.S. The breadth of expertise and resources available in Northeast Ohio provides a pipeline of innovations that instills confidence in automotive corporation decision-makers, who are choosing to continue investing in the region. General Motors, for example, announced plans in 2014 to invest $50 million in its Lordstown Complex for a new flexible trim shop and upgrades to the press room for the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan. You'll recall that GM's Lordstown plant has been producing the Chevrolet Cruze, now GM's best-selling car, since 2010. Ford made an even larger investment into its Engine Plant No. 1 in Brook Park, recently committing $200 million and adding 450 jobs to build new four-cylinder EcoBoost(r) engines. The automotive giant has also made a $168 million investment in its Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, where, in 2015, 1,000 Ford workers took over production of medium-duty trucks previously produced at a plant in Mexico. While Northeast Ohio has always had strong ties to America's major automakers, it is also attracting investments from international companies. In October, Borgers USA Corp., a German-based Tier 1 automotive parts supplier, opened a new facility in Norwalk, Ohio. The company is investing $60 million in the new facility and could employ as many as 230 people over time. This high level of commitment, coupled with our culture of innovation, knowledge, expertise and unwavering work ethic of our workforce, gives Northeast Ohio a significant advantage. As GM, Ford, Borgers and other companies continue to invest in our region and our people, we are confident that the automotive industry will continue to fuel our economic strength. Even as this segment leverages evolving advances in manufacturing automation, it continues to create new jobs for Northeast Ohio's workers. To learn more about what makes Northeast Ohio an automotive powerhouse, visit clevelandplusbusiness.com. Readers are invited to submit Opinion page essays on topics of regional or general interest. Send your 500-word essay for consideration to Linda Kinsey at lkinsey@cleveland.com. Essays must also include a brief bio and headshot of the writer. Essays rebutting today's topics are also welcome. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Nancy Callahan Cronin, a longtime community activist and Cuyahoga County official known especially as an advocate for women, died Saturday at home, days after her 85th birthday. She had moved to a retirement community last spring, her family said, after more than 40 years in the Shaker Square neighborhood she loved. Inspired to political and social activism by the civil rights movement in the early 1960s, she was active in almost countless causes and groups. Even in retirement, in the 2000s, she was a co-chair of the successful effort to reform Cuyahoga County government, something residents had sought since 1917. She was one of the first four women to join the City Club of Cleveland, in 1972, became its president a decade later and was inducted into its hall of fame in 2006. She was a founding member of Friends of Shaker Square; of the advocacy center Women's Space; of the Ohio Women's Political Caucus, which she also served as state chair, and of Women Elected Democratic Officials (WEDO). A lifelong Democrat, she served for decades as precinct committee person in Cleveland's Ward 4. Her professional life, which grew out of her volunteer activities, focused on community development and combating discrimination. Appointed chair of the Parma Fair Housing Oversight Committee by U.S. District Judge Frank Battisti, she specialized in fair housing after going to work for Cuyahoga County's Development Department, was named its director by 1985 and became government and international liaison for the Port Authority in 1993. Born and raised in Vermilion, she graduated in 1953 from St. Mary of the Woods College in Indiana, taught at a private high school in Washington, D.C., and returned to Cleveland, earning a master's degree in 1959 from what is now Case Western Reserve University. She and her husband, William Kiely Cronin, were married in 1960 in Germany, where he was stationed with the U.S. Air Force and she taught school. Back in Cleveland after he left the service, the couple became active in politics, working to elect Carl B. Stokes as mayor. Kiely, as he was known, was named ports director in 1968 and ran a brief campaign of his own for mayor in 1971. He died at 45 in 1979. Nancy Cronin said, years later, that her greatest accomplishment was raising their three children on her own. One of them, her son Kevin, said they would see her impact greatest as "an advocate for strengthening the roles for women in politics and society." Also surviving are sons William Kiely Jr. and Robert, a granddaughter, a sister and a brother. Services have not been announced. John Kasich Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks during the Republican presidential primary debate Thursday night in Des Moines, Iowa. While most presidential candidates will be in Iowa on Monday for caucus night, Kasich will be campaigning in New Hampshire. (Chris Carlson, The Associated Press) It's Iowa caucus time: Presidential caucuses open around the state at 8 p.m. Eastern time, with results coming (probably) 2-3 hours later. Check with cleveland.com throughout the night for the latest updates and analysis. Kasich stays in New Hampshire: While most presidential candidates will be in Iowa, Ohio Gov. John Kasich will keep his, ahem, primary focus on the Granite State, campaigning there throughout the day. However, he'll be sending a number of prominent Ohio Republicans to speak on his behalf during caucuses around Iowa. Better know a district: Ohio's newest state representative, Columbus Democrat Kristin Boggs, will kick off a listening tour in her district starting this afternoon. Boggs, a former assistant attorney general and the daughter of ex-Ohio Senate Minority Leader Bob Boggs, was sworn in Tuesday to succeed Mike Stinziano in House District 18. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has tried to placate the increasingly vocal critics of her open-door policy for refugees by insisting that most refugees from Syria and Iraq would go home once the conflicts there had ended. Despite appearing increasingly isolated, Merkel has resisted pressure from some conservatives to cap the influx of refugees, or to close Germany's borders. Support for her conservative bloc has slipped as concerns mount about how Germany will integrate the 1.1 million migrants who arrived last year, while crime and security are also in the spotlight after a wave of assaults on women in Cologne at New Year by men of north African and Arab appearance. The influx has played into the hands of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), whose support is now in the double digits, and whose leader was quoted on Saturday saying that migrants entering illegally should, if necessary, be shot. Merkel said it was important to stress that most refugees had only been allowed to stay for a limited period. "We need ... to say to people that this is a temporary residential status and we expect that, once there is peace in Syria again, once IS has been defeated in Iraq, that you go back to your home country with the knowledge that you have gained," she told a regional meeting of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on Saturday. Saudi Arabia wants to cooperate with other oil producers to support the oil market, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television reported on Sunday, quoting an unnamed Saudi source. The source also told the Dubai-based satellite channel that the kingdom was not the source of a proposal to cut production that Russia was studying. Russia said on Thursday that OPEC had proposed oil production cuts of up to 5 percent in what would be the first global deal in over a decade to help reduce a glut of crude and prop up sinking prices. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak also told reporters that there was a proposal of a meeting between Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members and non-OPEC countries, and that Russia was ready for the meeting. So far, OPEC powerhouse Saudi Arabia has withstood pressure from other cartel members to cut output, instead sticking to a strategy of allowing the price of oil to drop to levels that were likely to force rivals such as U.S. shale producers out of business. The prospect that Saudi Arabia could relent helped oil prices rebounding on Friday, gaining more than 25 percent on the 12-year lows hit earlier in the month. Brent futures for March, which expired on Friday, closed at $34.74 a barrel, 85 cents or 2.5 percent higher. On Jan. 20, it hit $27.10, its lowest since November 2003. U.S. crude settled up 40 cents or 1.2 percent, at $33.62 per barrel, having hit a high of $34.40 in the session. Saudi Arabia's stock market rose sharply in early trade on Sunday, led by petrochemical companies, after oil prices climbed at the end of last week. Sir Terry Wogan is pictured onstage while hosting the BBC Proms in the Park at Hyde Park, London, on Sept. 12. Veteran broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan has died, according to multiple reports. Wogan died after "a short but brave battle with cancer," the BBC said, citing a statement from the 77-year-old television and radio star's family. Born in Limerick, Ireland, Wogan was best known for his work for the national broadcaster, where he presented a long-running radio program called "Wake up to Wogan," as well as a chat show and a beloved annual, and highly sardonic, commentary of the Eurovision Song Contest. Prime Minister David Cameron said "Britain has lost a huge talent, someone millions came to feel was their own special friend." BBC director general Tony Call called Wogan, whose full name was Michael Terence, a "national treasure." Wogan was married to Helen Joyce for 50 years, with whom he had four children. - Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. Images courtesy of the Official Journal of the European Union. Luxembourgs 2016 circulating commemorative 2 coin honors the 50th anniversary of the Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge in Luxembourg City. Luxembourgs 2016 circulating commemorative 2 coin honors the 50th anniversary of the Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge in Luxembourg City. The bridge nicknamed the Red Bridge was opened in 1966, crossing the Pfaffenthal district 74 meters (about 243 feet) above the Alzette River. It was named for Grand Duchess Charlotte, who was then ruling the nation. The current ruler, Grand Duke Henri, is the grand duchess's grandson. The obverse of the coin shows the bridge, which is the main route connecting the city center of Luxembourg to the urban quarter of Kirchberg, the site of the citys European Union institutions. Connect with Coin World: The text PONT GRANDE-DUCHESSE CHARLOTTE (translating to Bridge Grand Duchess Charlotte) and, underneath, the year it opened, 1966, are inscribed on the image of the bridge. At the top of the design are a bust of Grand Duke Henri and the year of issuance 2016. Across the lower part of the design is LUXEMBOURG. One million coins are due for release in February or March. The reverse carries the common European map design. The 12 stars of the European flag appear on both sides of the ringed-bimetallic 2 coin. The 2 coin weighs 8.5 grams and measures 25.75 millimeters in diameter. Each nation is allowed to issue up to two different circulating commemorative designs annually with designs of their choosing, though few nations issue the maximum number of designs. Joint euro programs like the 2015 coins honoring the 30th anniversary of flag of the European Union do not count toward this limit. Danny Santulli's siblings, cousins hold vigil for him in Peace Park An end to hazing was the point of a Wednesday candlelight vigil in Peace Park organized by Danny Santulli's siblings and cousins. SHARE By Kayleigh Skinner of The Commercial Appeal Memphis Police officers are on the scene of an accident where a man was shot and drove his car into a home, officials say. The accident occurred on the 700 block on Decatur Street Saturday evening, according to MPD spokesman Karen Rudolph. "According to Communications, the male was in his vehicle when he was shot," Rudolph said. "The victim drove off the roadway and struck a house. There were no injuries reported due to the crash." Officials speaking on the police scanner said the victim drove a Cadillac. The victim is in critical condition at Regional One Medical Center. No arrests have been made, but the shooter is believed to be known to the victim, Rudolph said. Police are investigating the situation. January 29, 2016 - Traffic travels east on Sam Cooper Blvd. Friday afternoon. TDOT has opened another eastbound lane on Sam Cooper approaching the I-40/240 interchange, another sign of progress in the $109 million project to enlarge and renovate the interchange. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE January 29, 2016 - Traffic travels east on Sam Cooper Blvd. Friday afternoon. TDOT has opened another eastbound lane on Sam Cooper approaching the I-40/240 interchange, another sign of progress in the $109 million project to enlarge and renovate the interchange. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal) By Tom Charlier of The Commercial Appeal Stanley Durden noticed something different, something improved, not long ago during his daily commute home on Sam Cooper Boulevard. At about the point where eastbound traffic normally grinds to a stop approaching the construction zone at Interstate 40/240 interchange, vehicles were actually moving. Not fast, but moving nonetheless. "It was a little quicker. It got a little better," Durden, a 45-year-old Cordova resident, said of the traffic delays. Nearly two years after it began constricting traffic down to one lane in each direction along Sam Cooper, the Tennessee Department of Transportation this month opened a second eastbound lane between Perkins and the interchange. One lane is dedicated to traffic bound for I-240 west. Aside from alleviating one of area's worst evening rush-hour congestion problems, the lane opening served as another sign of progress on the largest single construction project in TDOT history: the $109.3 million renovation of the I-40/240 interchange in East Memphis. Construction crews are making major headway on the final phase of the project, which involves the incremental replacement of the I-40 bridge over the Wolf River with a wider, sturdier span. Workers are nearly complete replacing some of the outside lanes of the bridge, and within a month or so they'll start tearing out the inside lanes, said TDOT spokeswoman Nichole Lawrence. With that switch, traffic will be rerouted to the newly finished outside lanes. Congestion problems still persist at the interchange, however, especially in the morning along I-40 approaching the westbound flyover spans to I-240 and I-40 and in the evening near the eastbound flyover. The congestion may have played a part in what Memphis police described as a road-rage shooting Friday morning on Sam Cooper near the interchange. The victim, who was shot multiple times. was being hospitalized in noncritical condition Friday afternoon. Lawrence said a major reason congestion remains is that only one lane on each of the new flyovers is open. TDOT can't open the second lane on the spans until the Wolf River bridge is complete, which is projected to be summer of 2017. "That's what's hard for people to understand. They're going to be one lane until the bridge is open," Lawrence said. Gov. Bill Haslam SHARE By Richard Locker of The Commercial Appeal NASHVILLE Gov. Bill Haslam will unveil his state budget proposal in his 2016 State of the State speech Monday evening to the Tennessee Legislature, to be broadcast live on public television and radio stations across the state. The budget covers the state's fiscal year 2016-17, which starts July 1. Lawmakers will begin reviewing the spending blueprint Tuesday and ultimately approve it possibly with some legislative alterations before adjourning for the year in April. The speech starts at 6 p.m. CST. In addition to public TV and radio, the speech will be streamed live on the state's website, www.tn.gov. Haslam said last week he will use the speech in part to outline his recommendations on how to deal with huge budget surplus, which is approaching $1 billion by some accounts. The governor told newspaper executives attending the Tennessee Press Association's annual meeting Thursday that he wants to "invest" heavily in education K-12 and higher education and in state facilities in need of upgrades. But lawmakers have their own ideas about what to do with the surplus, including abolishing the state's tax on income from stocks and bonds. Haslam told the TPA, "Our object in this budget will be to spend those dollars on places where the state has either under-invested in the past and I would say education is at the top of that list or smart investments that will save us money in the long run, taking care of our own buildings and things like that there is not a lot of sexiness or glamour to. "It is a unique opportunity to have a budget surplus. Given that, how do we shape this for the long term. I'll spend a good bit of time talking about that," he said. January 30, 2016 - Brad Larschan explains what will happen after the lights go down for his daughters Esme and Thea Larschan during a trip to the newly reopened Sharpe Planetarium at the Pink Palace. The newly revamped planetarium has a new digital projector and a new dome. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Kayleigh Skinner of The Commercial Appeal Esme and Thea Larschan wiggled with excitement as they waited Saturday for the doors to open and let them inside the revamped planetarium at Memphis Pink Palace Museum. Once seated, they tapped their father, Brad, on the shoulder repeatedly to remind him to look up at the domed ceiling overhead. Larschan and his 7-year-old twin daughters were one of many families who visited the Pink Palace for the grand reopening of the AutoZone Dome Sharpe Planetarium, where a yearlong renovation has been completed. The president of Konica Minolta Planetarium Co., who came from Tokyo, was present for Saturday's opening, as was the president of Magna-tech Electronic Co. of Miami. Konica Minolta provides digital planetarium systems and Magna-tech installed it. As for visitors like Larschan and his daughters, it didn't matter who provided the system. "The girls are studying the stars and the night sky at school, and so we thought it would be great to come and see it at the planetarium," Larschan said. The planetarium now features new seats and carpeting, and a switch from the analog technology to digital video technology, said Ronda Cloud, marketing and public relations manager for the museum. The renovation of a little more than $1 million was funded by the museum and the city, assisted by the museum's board of trustees and AutoZone, a naming partner. During the renovations, a fire destroyed the dome so it was replaced as well, Cloud said. The new technology and lighting allow for a variety of shows and effects, she said. The new software can show the night sky a million years into the future and the past. The planetarium offers three shows, and the new technology allows the museum to produce its own shows. There will be music shows in the future, Cloud said. "With the old planetarium, you could look up into the space," Cloud said. "With the new planetarium, you can go up into space and look down onto Earth." Nancy Riethoff took her husband and son to the Pink Palace on Saturday to see the "Firefall" show for their first experience in a planetarium. "I thought it was great," Riethoff said. "It was about meteors and asteroids and their effect on the planets." Her 12-year-old son, Gavin Hile, agreed, calling the experience "pretty cool." John Phillips and Chris Schooley made a day out of their visit. They originally planned to watch the "Winter Stargazing" show but bought tickets to see "Firefall" as well. "If you don't have a fine knowledge of constellations, it really spelled it out for you and made it easy to find things so that later in the evenings you could go 'look, now I know how to find Orion,'" Phillips said. "It's a very immersive experience when they start moving the screen," Schooley said. "You definitely get that (feeling) where you're not sure if the screen is moving or you are moving." Giannotto: Ja Morant show is back and everybody wants a piece of it The full effects of what Ja Morant and the Grizzlies created last year were on display in Wednesday's season-opening win over the Knicks. SHARE This undated photograph released by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial shows World War II, United States Army Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds. Edmonds is being posthumously recognized with "Righteous Among the Nations" Israel's highest honor for non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during World War II. He's the first American serviceman to earn the honor. (Courtesy of Yad Vashem via AP) By Michael Collins of The Commercial Appeal WASHINGTONFor refusing to back down even when staring down the barrel of a Nazi officer's pistol, Army Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds was honored last week by Israel for an act of bravery that saved as many as 200 Jewish Americans during World War II. Members of Tennessee's congressional delegation think it's time for his own government to officially recognize his heroics. U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr., R-Knoxville, and the state's two U.S. senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker have begun looking for ways the U.S. government might be able to formally honor the Knoxville soldier, who died in 1985. Duncan's office has been working for two years to round up the supporting documentation needed to nominate Edmonds for the Medal of Honor. It's a huge undertaking. The medal has been awarded to just 3,496 recipients since it was first presented in 1863. Complicating matters further are the eligibility requirements, which state that the medal is to be awarded for personal bravery or self-sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty during actual combat with an enemy of the United States. Edmonds' defiance against the Germans certainly was an act of personal bravery that went above the call of duty. President Barack Obama said so last Wednesday during an emotional ceremony at the Embassy of Israel, where Edmonds posthumously became the first U.S. serviceman to receive the highest honor Israel bestows upon non-Jewish people who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Edmonds' almost unbelievable display of courage happened in 1945, when he was a prisoner of war. One day, the Germans ordered all Jewish POWs in his camp to report the next morning in front of their barracks. Edmonds, the highest-ranking officer in the camp, ordered all of the camp's POWs Jews and non-Jews alike to stand together. An estimated 1,000 serviceman assembled in front of their barracks the next morning, Jan. 27, 1945. Upon seeing the mass of prisoners, the German officer in charge said, "They cannot all be Jews." "We are all Jews," Edmonds replied. Some of the men standing beside Edmonds that day remember him standing his ground, even when the German officer pulled out his pistol and threatened to shoot him. "If you shoot me," Edmonds said, "you will have to shoot all of us, and after the war, you will be tried for war crimes." The German officer gave up and left. Edmonds' actions are credited with saving the lives of 200 Jewish American POWs. But Edmonds' act of bravery took place while he was a prisoner of war, not in actual combat. That raises questions about whether he's eligible for the Medal of Honor. Certain eligibility requirements for the medal have been waived on a number of occasions, although that is rare. But Duncan's office thinks Israel's recognition of Edmonds' heroics might strengthen the case for awarding him the medal. "After Wednesday's ceremony, President Obama, Steven Spielberg and Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu now all know Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds' name," said Duncan's spokesman, Patrick Newton. Spielberg, who directed the Oscar-winning film "Schindler's List," spoke at the ceremony. Netanyahu offered videotaped remarks. "We are very hopeful that with this huge exposure and support, it will give renewed effort to award (Edmonds) the Medal of Honor," Newton said. "Congressman Duncan is working with Sens. Alexander and Corker and the Edmond family, including his son, Chris, to try to make this happen." Sens. Corker and Alexander both said after the ceremony they, too, are exploring ways for the U.S. government to honor Edmonds. "We're working all angles," said Corker, who described the observance as one of the most moving experiences of his nine years in the Senate. "To be here was a blessing it really was," Corker said. "I wish every Tennessean could have been here and heard firsthand the story of a great Tennessean and just the way he conducted himself. It's an incredible story and very uplifting." Michael Collins is The Commercial Appeal's Washington correspondent. His weekly Tennessee in D.C. column highlights Volunteer State lawmakers, causes and connections. Contact him at 202-408-2711 or michael.collins@jmg.com. Scott Morgan/Associated Press Presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has run the most focused campaign, said GOP consultant Alex Castellanos. But does it count if he doesnt have the support of fellow Republicans? Nobody likes him, says longtime Kansas Sen. Bob Dole. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., calls Cruz a wacko-bird. SHARE By Carl P. Leubsdorf BOONE, Iowa On a frigid, gray morning, Rafael Cruz's unnamed target was as evident as his message touting his son's principles as he addressed some two dozen Ted Cruz supporters in a basement room of a converted livery stable. "Don't listen to the rhetoric," the elder Cruz pleaded. "Slogans didn't build America." His comments and more direct comments by Cruz and other surrogates reflected the fact that, in the weeks before Monday's Iowa caucuses, Donald Trump's onslaught of criticism halted the Texas senator's eight-month rise from conservative outsider to Hawkeye State favorite. And this small but intense group one of dozens of caucus training sessions the Cruz campaign has convened represents the traditional organizational effort the meticulously organized Cruz campaign hopes will blunt Trump's effort to capture the caucuses by stirring excitement through highly publicized large rallies. Later that same day, at a raucous rally at Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, commentator-turned-Cruz-backer Glenn Beck succinctly spelled out the stakes: "If Donald Trump wins (in Iowa)," Beck said, "it's going to be a snowball to hell," perhaps providing him unstoppable momentum toward the GOP nomination. That would undercut Cruz's plan to ride Iowa success into the bigger states, especially in the South. "Cruz has run the most focused campaign," said GOP consultant Alex Castellanos, no supporter. "He's raised an exceptionally large sum of money. He's built the best ground game and the most powerful social media operation." And he benefited from the cratering of rivals for the evangelical vote crucial here and in South Carolina: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, and former governors Rick Perry of Texas and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana withdrew; prior Iowa winners Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum failed to rekindle past support; and Ben Carson faded after weak debate showings. But polls suggest Trump's endorsement by Sarah Palin, whose backing Cruz credits with his Texas Senate victory, might cost Cruz among evangelicals. And Trump's invective not only put Cruz on the defensive, but it also revived issues that prompted initial doubts about his chances. While polls indicate few Republicans seem concerned about Trump's harping on Cruz's Canadian birthplace, his assertion that "nobody likes him" has reverberated among establishment Republicans. "I don't know how he's going to work with Congress," echoed longtime Kansas GOP Sen. and 1996 nominee Bob Dole. "Nobody likes him." Others liken his doctrinaire conservatism to former Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, who pulled the GOP sharply right in 1964 and lost 44 states, dooming dozens of other Republican candidates. "The fact is, when Barry Goldwater lost, (Republicans) lost big-time," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told a Christian Science Monitor breakfast last December. McCain once called Cruz and fellow hopeful Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., "wacko-birds." Cruz supporters dispute that comparison. "The electorate has been so abused the last eight years, they're going to see that the alternatives are a corrupt politician (Hillary Clinton) or a socialist U.S. senator (Bernie Sanders) and someone who is principled," said Aaron Cronk, 38, a stay-at-home father and Boone County co-chair for Cruz. Another problem: Cruz's rejection of government subsidies for ethanol as part of his anti-government stance prompted the opposition of popular Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, threatening to undercut support from rural conservatives. Dan Hanson, 58, a Callender corn farmer, cautioned here that, while he backs Cruz, some fellow corn farmers might not. "They're going to be hesitant about Sen. Cruz, just because of what the governor said," he said. To counter Trump's attacks, the whirl of his publicity and attacks in television ads, Cruz is relying on that old Iowa standby, organization. The stress here and at similar sessions was on making personal contact with family, friends and neighbors. Each local Cruz chair received last week a list of all who support the senator in his precinct. "Your neighbors trust you," said Paul Dayton, 58, another Boone County co-chair. "They may not trust some attack ad that was from a super-PAC. And that can make a difference." Eight years ago, though, Barack Obama won the Democratic caucuses by flooding them with new voters, many young. Trump hopes to replicate that, and a mild weather forecast might encourage it. But the Cruz campaign believes many won't take the trouble to turn out. If that happens, his organization may yet carry the day. Carl P. Leubsdorf is former Washington bureau chief of the Dallas Morning News. Andrew Harnik/Associated Press Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. jokes with reporters as he leaves his bus to speak at a town hall at Santa Maria Winery in Carroll, Iowa, this month. SHARE By Greg Sargent As Iowa comes down to the wire, the parallels to the 2008 battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are striking. Clinton has reverted to a hard-boiled message about the need for experience and toughness to confront a dangerous, complicated world. Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders is increasingly sounding an optimistic, inspirational message that promises a bright, progressive future that can, and will, be secured through mobilizing the masses, particularly younger voters, a vision that Clinton surely sees (just as she saw Barack Obama's vision) as vague, airy and naive. Sanders is up with a remarkable new ad in Iowa whose tagline "a future you can believe in" conspicuously echoes Obama's 2008 "change you can believe in" formulation. In a way, the ad perfectly captures Sanders' theory of change, or at least, a version of it that has had its more pessimistic or even apocalyptic edges airbrushed away to make it easier on the eyes and ears. Hence the dulcet tones of Simon and Garfunkel's "America," which tells a tale of young lovers on a road trip, suffusing this ad with an odd mix of nostalgia (this song was recorded in the late 1960s, when Sanders and Clinton were both in their 20s) and idealism about the future. The Sanders argument, to put it simply, has essentially been that America is in deep, deep trouble it faces structural challenges so pressing and urgent, from climate change to soaring inequality, that the failure to meet them with proportionately outsize solutions risks a slow-motion slide into disaster that could prove irreversible. Sanders' message has been that the version of progressive change we've seen during the Obama years from Dodd-Frank to Obamacare to the global climate deal is basically small beer compared to the epic problems we face. That's what makes this new ad so striking: It doesn't detail these challenges, instead suggesting vaguely that inspiration and mobilization can secure America's future. Sanders has discussed his theory of change on multiple occasions, in ways that capture this tension between pessimism and urgency about the depth of our challenges and optimism that people-power can meet them, regardless of our political system's structural impediments to the sort of change Sanders seeks. In a recent interview with Vox, Sanders was asked how, given GOP control of Congress, he would realize goals such as single payer, far-reaching climate policies, much higher marginal tax rates on the very wealthy, reforms that would break the hold of big money over our politics, and so on. He responded: "The real way that change takes place and that's always been the case in this country is when people on the bottom begin to stand up and say enough is enough. That's true of the civil rights movement, it is true of the women's movement, it's true of the environmental movement, of the gay movement. Millions of people begin to stand up and say, 'We need change. Current situations are intolerable.' That is when change takes place ... ." Sanders has also said: "The major political, strategic difference I have with Obama, is it's too late to do anything inside the Beltway. You gotta take your case to the American people, mobilize them, and organize them at the grass-roots level in a way that we have never done before." This theory of change is perhaps unrealistic, given the structural realities of how our political system works and of the GOP grip on the House of Representatives. It may not be sufficiently nuanced to do justice to the lessons of our history: major change has arguably been won both from the outside and the inside. It has sometimes been the product, in part, of very ugly exercises of inside manipulation, deal-making, log-rolling, bullying and ethical corner-cutting, and has required not just inspiration, but fighting, bloodshed and death. To be clear, it's indisputably a good thing that Sanders is setting the policy bar very high. That's great for the debate, and has made the Democratic primary deeply substantive and has forced Clinton to be a better candidate and offer more ambitious proposals than she otherwise might have if she had followed only her own instincts. Sanders' success in energizing young people and, hopefully, engaging them more deeply in the process is a big positive and should alarm Clinton and get her to take notice. Still, it's worth noting that their differences go beyond policy, to the very core of how change can be secured. Clinton has come to see politics as essentially trench warfare. Her closing ad in Iowa vows to "stop the Republicans from ripping all our progress away," an implicit acknowledgment that a new Democratic president (whoever it might be) would be deeply constrained from realizing his or her agenda, meaning the 2016 election is mostly about whether Dems can prevent total Republican rule from rolling back the gains of the Obama years. Clinton acknowledges the true nature of the structural impediments to change; that the nation is deeply divided ideologically; and that we will probably remain stuck in a grueling holding pattern for years meaning legislative advances will be ground out on the margins, through difficult, painstaking efforts to peel off Republicans and forge compromises that will look dirty and will be really, really unsatisfying. That's not very inspirational, but it's probably accurate dispiritingly so, in fact. Meanwhile, Sanders wants people to feel swept up in a movement. Greg Sargent writes the Plum Line blog for The Washington Post. SHARE The Tennessee comptroller's report that said large numbers of the state's high school graduates still arrive at state postsecondary institutions inadequately prepared for college work is not new information. It reinforces an already known fact that underpins the education reforms taking place across the state and especially in Memphis. And, in our minds, that makes all the discord over the Achievement School District versus the Shelby County Schools' iZone District, tuition vouchers and charter schools a distraction from the reality that all of these have a role to play in making sure teenagers graduate from high school ready for college or a career. Unfortunately, the discord will continue. The reform efforts have had an impact, demonstrated by the fact that the percentage of college freshmen needing remedial help dropped. Still, in 2014, 75 percent of freshmen at the state's community colleges, 48 percent at the six Tennessee Board of Regents universities and 28 percent at the three University of Tennessee campuses did not meet their schools' criteria for college readiness in math, reading and/or writing, based on an analysis of available ACT scores, the comptroller's office of research and education accountability found. UT Knoxville had the lowest percentage of freshmen 18 percent not meeting college-readiness guidelines, and Tennessee State University had the highest at 82 percent. At the University of Memphis, 45 percent of freshmen were not college-ready. According to the report, among the state's 13 community colleges, Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis had the highest percentage of freshmen not meeting readiness guidelines at 90 percent. Those stats mean that Southwest has had to invest more of its financial resources on remedial classes, and that is not a good harbinger in our corner of the state for Gov. Bill Haslam's Tennessee Promise initiative, which aims to increase the number of Tennesseans with a four-year degree, associate degree or technology certificate in the state by 2025. Tennessee Promise offers last-dollar scholarships to any high school graduate who enrolls in a state two-year college or school of applied technology, tuition-free for two years, when combined with Pell grants and other tuition assistance programs. The lack of college preparedness means a high percentage of the new enrollees will not receive a degree. This lack of preparation also is partly responsible for the high percentage of freshmen enrollees at the state's public four-year colleges who do not earn a degree. That factor is taken into account in the schools' funding requests. Shelby County Schools, in launching its "Goal 2025: 80/90/100" initiative, included this 2013 data snapshot: 94.2 percent of 11th-graders were not college ready, according to the ACT benchmarks. Goal 2025 has an ambitious goal of having 80 percent of seniors ready for college or a career, 90 percent of seniors graduate on time, and 100 percent of college- and career-ready graduates enroll in a postsecondary opportunity. The comptroller's report reiterates that as a state and community we have to do a better job of educating students. That quest gets sidetracked when people are fighting over who is doing a better job or where the money is going. SCS's concerns about losing state education dollars are justified. But children deserve every opportunity available to get a good education. Instead of fighting, would it not be better if all the stakeholders in this conflict sat down with legislators to find a way to keep all these reform avenues open so that no entity gets hurt? SHARE Deborah Fisher By Deborah Fisher Nearly 40 bills have been filed in the Tennessee General Assembly in recent weeks that would make changes to citizen access to government records or meetings. As lawmakers head deep into the session, with literally thousands of bills to consider, they would do well to remember a message sent last summer through a series of public hearings and surveys: Citizens do not want more obstacles to finding out what their government is doing. This view is documented in a new report by Open Records Counsel Ann Butterworth that was developed in response to a legislative proposal last year to charge citizens new fees to inspect public records. The public response for the hearings was so great that citizens stood along the walls after all the chairs were filled. "The public's participation and comments in the surveys and hearings indicate an overwhelming concern, by citizens and government representatives, to maintain, and a desire to increase, transparency of government," Butterworth writes in her introduction. She then outlines the opposition she received in response to the fees proposal. "Keep the records free and easily accessible, our liberty and freedom depend on it," says one citizen quoted in the report. That echoed the tenor of all of the hearings where many citizens gave patriotic and practical speeches about the need for citizen oversight of their government. The state representative who sponsored the fees bill, Steve McDaniel, R-Parkers Crossroads, withdrew it, but has filed another bill that opens up the public records law. Other bills introduced this month raise questions. One would create a new exemption allowing the government to keep secret the names of vendors that provide services and goods used to protect government property. Some roll back the requirements on how government gives notice of hearings and meetings. Others affecting public records or open meetings law were filed as "caption bills," meaning the language in the filed bill is likely to change and a different proposal could emerge later in the session. This also means the public doesn't know what the bill is about yet. Still, some of the bills filed this month appear to increase government information, such as a bill by state Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, that would require a publicly available report on findings of any TBI investigation into an officer-involved shooting. Two bills would require more public participation in meetings at University of Tennessee. A significant proposal deals with an issue that has been debated across the country the use of police body cameras. That bill, with backing from the ACLU of Tennessee, seeks to balance citizen privacy with the need for police accountability by governing how police use body cameras and guaranteeing public access to certain video. The summer study to gather citizen input on government transparency was the most far-reaching in years. It gathered 952 comments from citizens and government officials. In addition to documenting opposition to fees, the hearings gave voice to many who have been frustrated over access to government information and the difficulty of overcoming roadblocks. "Instead of creating a new barrier with a fee, we need to be looking for ways to remove existing bureaucratic obstacles," said public interest advocate Helen Sharp of Chattanooga. "We all need to work at creating a climate where members of the public and government officials realize we are on the same team and wear the same color jersey." Unfortunately, just a few months after the hearings in late December, a piece of bad news for open government emerged when an audit revealed that the Open Records Counsel in the past year has accumulated a backlog of 603 inquiries that have gone unanswered. The Comptroller's Office, which houses the open records office, is now trying to fix the problem and seeking funding for additional staff. But the gradual restrictions placed on citizens each year are harder to reverse and, if not checked, eventually cut off their ability to know the workings of their own government. SHARE By Eraina Schauss It is an exciting time to be in Memphis, especially for those aware of the tremendous work being done in our community to improve the lives of our youngest children. My work as a professor in the field of clinical mental health counseling focuses on child cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral development, and related clinical interventions. It is imperative that I am able to teach my students the critical significance of the first three years of life for children's long-term outcomes. But understanding early social and emotional development is important for everyone not just parents and caregivers. Research shows us how early brain development, along with our earliest experiences, affect our health and well-being throughout our entire lives. During the first three years, children's brains are more active and develop more rapidly than later in life. As a result, experiences and interactions during these earliest years have a profound effect on how our brains organize themselves. As children develop, their early experiences become embedded into the architecture of their brains. The first three years are a crucial period for social and emotional development. Beginning at birth, a child rapidly develops the capacity to feel and express different emotions. A little later, she will acquire the ability to understand and manage her emotional reactions and impulses. Her social and emotional development is strongly influenced by her home environment and by interactions with her parents and other caregivers. The social competence and emotional well-being that develop early in life are linked to a child's later ability to adapt and succeed in school and form meaningful relationships throughout life. Children who experience sensitive and supportive relationships during infancy and early childhood tend to have better academic and social outcomes in school. As adults, their physical health and success in the workforce are strongly related to their early social-emotional development. On the other hand, children who miss out on the positive early experiences that support healthy social-emotional development are at higher risk for later problems. Outcomes like childhood behavior problems and adult criminal behavior have been linked to deficits in early social and emotional development. Given these facts, early intervention counseling services and programs are critical for families. Last year, I attended Tennessee's first Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) summit hosted by the Memphis-based ACE Awareness Foundation in partnership with our governor and first lady, Bill and Chrissy Haslam. The goal of the conference was to increase awareness among participating groups social service agencies, nonprofits, businesses, health care organizations, and others of the importance of early experiences for later development. I recently served as a consultant and staff trainer for the newly formed Memphis-based Universal Parenting Places in their effort to provide evidence-based, free counseling services to all parents in the community. By learning about stress and its influence on early brain development, parents can improve their parenting skills and buffer their children from the effects of negative early experiences. Over time, the program hopes to prevent the transmission of social, emotional and behavior problems from one generation to the next. This is just one example of the many agencies across the city of Memphis working to make positive changes for families in our community. This new year, let's make the resolution to continue to spread the word and join the movement. Let's help to put Memphis on the map for leading the nation in its effort to recognize and promote healthy social and emotional development in our youngest residents. When our children experience healthy social and emotional development, we all benefit. Dr. Eraina Schauss is an assistant professor in clinical mental health counseling and program coordinator for the clinical mental health counseling masters program at the University of Memphis. This is one in a series of occasional guest columns on the importance of public/private investment in early childhood. For more information, call The Urban Child Institute at 901-385-4233 or visit tuci.org. President Barack Obama's $4 billion computer science initiative, announced Saturday, is getting financial help from two India-based IT offshore firms. They are joining other tech firms contributing to parts of this program. The firms, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, sit at the top of the pyramid of IT services firms that rely on H-1B visas. They are among the most successful firms in the IT services business. Infosys and Tata delivered IT services to Southern California Edison and Northeast Utilities (now called Eversource Energy). Employees complained of being forced to train foreign workers to take their jobs, often as a condition of their severance packages. Most recently, Northeast Utilities IT workers hung small American flags on their cubicles. The flags were meant to protest the transfer of their jobs to the IT services firms. "It's a no-brainer for Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services to contribute to this Obama administration-driven initiative," said Ron Hira, an associate professor of public policy at Howard University, who has testified on the H-1B use before Congress. "For very little cost it buys both companies ... positive public relations, but more importantly a perception by those inside and outside of government that they have a close working relationship with the White House," he said. TCS spokesman Benjamin Trounson responded with this statement: "Over the past five years, TCS has been a leading proponent of creating much needed and scalable STEM education programs in the U.S. We're delighted by President Obama's bold new initiative and our involvement in the National Science Foundation and NPower, in addition to being a founding partner of key campaigns such as Million Women Mentors and US2020. Moreover, TCS' own goIT program has already engaged 10,000+ middle and high school students in 27 cities via design, digital technology and career readiness workshops." Under the new plan, the Obama administration wants to expand computer science training in elementary and secondary schools. The administration estimates that only about a quarter of all K-12 schools provide computer science instruction. Infosys Foundation USA, the company's philanthropic arm, is contributing $1 million for computer science professional development programs for teachers, and Tata is providing an unspecified number of grants to teachers in 27 U.S. cities. The effort was described in a White House fact sheet. The White House is also getting help from Microsoft, Google and Salesforce.com, among other tech firms. Congress will still need to fund $4 billion to pay for the program; the tech firms are contributing above and beyond that level. Hira said it's "downright baffling" why the White House is partnering with Infosys and Tata. "Whatever ethical judgment you make about their business model, it is clearly designed to undermine the objectives of the White House initiative," said Hira. "These firms employ a pure-play offshore outsourcing business, where their goal is to ship as many IT jobs offshore as possible," he said. Tech industry trade groups run public relations campaigns that tout the benefits of raising the H-1B cap and deny, dismiss or minimize reports of U.S. worker displacements. Those most affected face risks in speaking out. Severance agreements with non-disparagement clauses, along with fears of being blacklisted in a job hunt, make it hard to IT workers to tell their stories. Meanwhile, the tech industry's public relations effort continues, with handouts to lawmakers that say: "H-1B workers complement -- instead of displace -- U.S. workers." The IEEE-USA, the largest engineering association in the U.S., is running a petition drive urging the U.S. Department of Justice to open an investigation into the H-1B program. The tech industry says there is a skills shortage and it wants more H-1B visa holders to meet the need. "This makes me angry," said Sara Blackwell, a Florida attorney representing some laid-off Disney IT workers, said of the involvement of the IT services firms with the White House initiative. "Thousands of tech American workers are being fired and replaced" by firms "that are offering money to help educate Americans," said Blackwell. "This puts out the message that Americans are not educated enough to do these IT jobs, which is wholly incorrect and offensive," said Blackwell, The Disney employees Blackwell is representing have filed lawsuits against Disney and two IT services firms, Cognizant and HCL, which are not involved in the White House program. The idea that there is a skills shortage is sharply disputed among independent researchers, but especially among U.S. IT workers displaced by foreign workers on temporary work visas. Both Tata and Infosys are facing discrimination lawsuits from U.S., workers. Both firms have called the lawsuits groundless. Infosys, in 2013, paid $34 million to the U.S. to settle allegations of visa abuse. The settlement, signed by both parties, included no admission of wrongdoing and imposed no limits on the firm's federal contracting. In the settlement, Infosys denied the claims, calling them untrue and unproven. Last June U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) announced that the U.S. Department of Labor had opened an investigation into Infosys and Tata following the layoffs at Southern California Edison to determine whether there was any violation of the law. In a joint statement, the two senators wrote: "A number of U.S. employers, including some large, well-known, publicly-traded corporations, have laid off thousands of American workers and replaced them with H-1B visa holders. To add insult to injury, many of the replaced American employees report that they have been forced to train the foreign workers who are taking their jobs. That's just plain wrong and we'll continue to press the Administration to help solve this problem." In September, Infosys said the Department of Labor had concluded its investigation and found no violations. If IT services firms "are off the hook, then it's open season to replace any and every American white-collar worker," said Hira. "That's not only disappointing, it is self-defeating since the best ambassadors to any profession are the workers who are already in it." After reading this announcement, IT workers are "right to feel like the current government is working to undermine their careers," said Hira. "Any rational IT worker would tell young people to stay away from the IT profession," he said. FOUR out of five people in France are in favour of extending the country's state of emergency, introduced after the Paris terror attacks, ahead of a debate in parliament next week. The state of emergency was brought in for a fortnight on November 13 and then extended by three months to February 26. Ministers will discuss a further three-month extension to the end of May this Wednesday, followed by a debate in the Senate on February 9 and the National Assembly a week later. The Ifop poll, carried out on a representative sample of 1,000 people earlier this week, found 79% supported an extension and only 7% were strongly opposed to the idea. The extension had cross-party support, with Socialist voters just as likely to say yes as Front National and Republicains supporters. Extending the state of emergency also appears to have the support of French people across the age range, with 78% of under-35s in favour of the idea and 81% of over-65s. Four UN rights specialists recently urged France not to extend the state of emergency after its current deadline amid concerns over restrictions of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and the right to privacy. In a statement, the experts said they had "stressed the lack of clarity and precision of several provisions of the state of emergency and surveillance laws" to government officials in Paris. France's state of emergency includes emergency policing powers that have allowed numerous police raids and house arrests. Stricter border controls are in place, with particular attention paid to 61 main access routes into France. More comprehensive checks also apply at airports, ferry terminals and main rail stations. DO YOU have a Boulevard Aristide-Briand near you? Or do you send your child to school in a Jules-Ferry or a lycee Emile Combes? If so, you are already familiar with key names in the construction of the French Republic. Between them, these three politicians were responsible for free state schooling, obligatory education for girls and the rock of state neutrality towards religion on which la Republique is built: the principle of laicite. The term is very much in the news, with a new laicite charter being introduced into schools this autumn alongside classes in morale laique. Presenting the charter, Minister for Education Vincent Peillon explained: Everyone is free to have his own opinions but no one has the right to contest teaching content or miss a class in the name of religious precepts. Public debate over the Muslim community in France pops up in the news regularly and is nearly always related in one way or another to perceived challenges to this element of the Constitution. Peillons remarks refer also to repeated evangelist pressure to alter class content, in particular regarding the theory of evolution. A recent example was the proposal to swap two Christian holidays with Jewish and Muslim ones: confusing whether France was secular or multi-religious. Left and Right politicians often unite to initiate laws to protect laicite. Once the source of conflict with the Catholic Right over private education funding, the principle, an important element in the integration process, regularly generates ill feeling these days among extremist sectors of the Muslim community. That is why, a century after the original 1905 law, several new laws have been passed to protect it. First, a few explanations. Laicite does not translate well. Secularity is close but confusing. Laicite is not easy to define either. It has evolved over two centuries and is evolving still. The concept was born of the Revolution, which guaranteed freedom of conscience to all and first separated State and Church. Napoleon backtracked, signing a concordat with the Vatican in 1801 that was to poison Church-State relations during the 19th century and put laicite on the back burner for much of it. (For historical reasons, this concordat still applies in Alsace and Moselle.) Having been suppressed by the Vichy regime (along with liberte, egalite, fraternite without which laicite could not function), the principle was cast in the constitution of the Fourth Republic in 1946 the State is indivisible, laic, democratic and social and remains firmly in that of todays Fifth. To understand the concept is to go a long way towards understanding the French. Maybe it could be defined as their permanent search for a delicate balance between sharing what they all hold in common, the Republic, and catering for diversity. It is the principle that protects both personal and collective liberty and, as such, is the responsibility of both State and citizen. The indivisibility of the State is the States refusal to recognise any religious or ethnic community. France is one. There are two major dates in the history of laicite: 1881 and 1905. In 1881-82, Minister of Education Jules Ferry decreed school to be publique, gratuite et laique state-run, free and non-clerical. Teaching in French to a national programme provided children, whatever their linguistic background or beliefs, with the theoretical possibility of equal opportunity. It created a framework in which adults could bring no pressure to bear on pupils to adhere to any philosophy, religion or political idea. That remains the basis of the French educational system today. The 1905 law, engineered by Emile Combes and Aristide Briand, enforced the neutrality of the State and State institutions through the separation of the Churches and the State. Since that date, the State recognises no religion and therefore cannot directly fund any either. If the same law grants the individual total liberty and privacy regarding beliefs, there is one condition: they must not disturb public order. Given the repeated trauma that religion has caused in Frances recent history from the Wars of Religion to the expulsion of the Huguenots and the Dreyfus affair this means no proselytising and nothing that could be remotely interpreted as such. It also explains why, in France, religious belief is far more than a private matter. Things spiritual belong to the realm of intimacy. It is extremely unusual to see anyone wearing any conspicuous religious symbol in public. To do so is perceived as a deliberate act, a message to others. It is unthinkable to ask someone what their religion is and most people will be frankly embarrassed by anyone saying what theirs is. When Nicolas Sarkozy publicly announced he had appointed Frances first Muslim prefect, he sent shockwaves throughout the land. Knowing this helps in understanding intense French reaction to young girls wearing veils. It is seen not only as an unacceptable way of bringing religion into the public sphere, but also a form of peer pressure on other girls to do the same. Which takes us back to Jules Ferry and neutrality in the classroom. This insistence on the privacy of beliefs was of course also reinforced after World War II by the fate of Frances Jews under the Vichy regime, and the obligation to publicly show their religion by wearing the yellow star. As a result of the trauma of State responsibility in their deportation and extermination, no statistics may be made regarding peoples religious beliefs, ethnic origin or colour. All citizens are not only equal, but remain neutral in the eyes of the State. The mosque debate The 1905 law was finally well accepted by both Catholic and Protestant churches in France, who benefited financially when the State handed existing buildings and their costly maintenance over to local authorities. But the State cannot fund new religious buildings. Hence the mosque-building debate and recent legislation allowing local authorities to contribute. For with generous donations from Saudi Arabia and Muslim foundations abroad pouring in, the inherent risk of encouraging fundamentalist movements to develop in France is obvious. Under the Nicolas Sarkozy government, the training of imams in France to Republican principles was considered. But the State cannot finance religious education either. The impasse has been paradoxically circumvented by the Catholic University offering courses, and Algerian imams due to work in France being trained in French and laicite at the government-funded Institut Francais in Algiers. Conspicuous symbols and full-face veils After a number of potentially inflammatory cases in which some schools were confronted with Muslim girls wearing Islamic headscarves, legislation was passed in 2004 banning the wearing of any conspicuous religious symbol or sign in state schools. Never specifically aimed at the Muslim community (kippas, large crosses and Sikh turbans fall under the same category), the new law, despite fears it would be perceived as discriminatory and arouse further reaction, had the almost immediate effect of calming the situation, though some veiled Muslim girls and turbaned Sikhs found their way to private schools. But this legislated solely for public schools, not privately run establishments. In March of this year, Fatima Afif, an employee dismissed in 2008 from the privately run Baby Loup creche in the Yvelines for refusing to remove her headscarf, won on appeal for wrongful dismissal on the grounds of religious discrimination. New legislation is now under consideration to cover pre-school structures and religious symbols in the workplace, none of which are currently covered by law. When, in late July, a police officer in the town of Trappes stopped a fully veiled young women for an ID check in the middle of Ramadan, he did not know he was unleashing days of rioting. But Cassandra, 22, was not infringing any law on laicite. This time it was the one against dissimulating the face in the public sphere, put into effect by the Sarkozy government in 2011. Introduced ostensibly as anti-terrorism legislation, many felt its real purpose was more anti-veil. In fact, the number of women in France wearing the niqab is extremely small, and the number of women fined likewise. Laicite with an adjective The latest solution of Frances politicians to calm the debate has been to add adjectives. Sarkozy invented laicite positive, in which the government took into account the existence of religious groups in France. He created a representative Muslim council, through which to address the Muslim community in France. Representative of only a portion of Frances Muslims, many of whom are non-practising, it has created more problems than it has solved. The Hollande government has coined laicite apaisee, a low-profile approach in which negotiation would replace legislation as the best way of winning over those who regard the principle with suspicion. True laicistes believe the principle cannot survive any moderating tags. It must exist alone. Universities oppose campus headscarf ban proposal In early August, Le Monde published a report signed by members of the Haut Comite de lIntegration (HCI), a body no longer briefed to deal with laicite since the creation of a separate mission last April. It called for a Muslim headscarf ban in universities. Government replies were swift but hardly in unison. Minister of the Interior Manuel Valls stated evasively that the subject needed to be considered, while Genevieve Fioraso, Minister for Higher Education, warned that we should avoid problems where there are none. For Gerard Blanchard, president of La Rochelle University, and vice-president of the national CPU, Conference des Presidents dUniversite, laicite is not an issue on his campus or anywhere in France. We have 14% foreign students in La Rochelle, mostly from South East Asia, and we only ask women students to take off their veils in science laboratories, for safety reasons. That has never posed a problem. The University Presidents Conference has issued a public statement against any specific university ban. For Blanchard, the over-mediatised debate that burst upon us mid-summer is without foundation. He is adamant that he has never had a complaint from a teacher. An environmentalist, he is far more concerned by pressure that could be brought on teachers to introduce non-scientific versions of the origins of the universe into the syllabus. No university teacher should ever have to submit to any pressure on the content of his teaching. Jean-Loup Salzmann, president of the CPU, and president of Paris XIII, in the heart of Seine- Saint-Denis, one of the most multi-cultural universities in France, firmly believes in laicite, but sees no need for new laws on the campus. His main concern is elsewhere. He is angered by the incongruity of the State promoting laicite on the one hand, while financing the Catholic universities on the other. Expressing a personal opinion, he said: The main issue for these young Muslim women, who have enough problems coping with family pressure, is to achieve independence and emancipation through their studies, whether they wear a veil or not. An anti-veil law would achieve the opposite of what we want. Many of these women would then not have access to university at all. How the principle of laicite is applied today NICOLAS Cadene, chairman of the Observatoire de la Laicite, a watchdog committee created last April by President Francois Hollande to report on how the principle of laicite is applied in France today, spoke to Connexion. Can you define this difficult concept for our readers? Laicite is a principle which allows us all to live together. It is not a ban on religion or religious practices. On the contrary, it guarantees believers and non-believers alike the freedom to express themselves, to practise or not to practise a religion as they choose, on condition that public order is not disturbed. The State adopts an attitude of total impartiality towards citizens, who are all equal in the eyes of the State. Do the current religious bank holidays not favour one religious group? Christian festivals have, for the majority, become traditional holidays with little religious significance. Still, the State does not want to be seen as favouring one religion over another. In 1905, there was no Muslim population. But I dont think this poses a real problem. Employees can use their RTT (recuperation of unpaid overtime in the form of days off) as they wish. The Stasi Commission (set up by President Jacques Chirac in 2003) went a long way towards identifying issues in the workplace. We shall build on that. The conspicuous religious symbols ban was seen as directed only at women. Is that not a form of discrimination? If people set out to present themselves in a way which is obviously a proselytising or a provocative attitude, that is not acceptable. It is not so much what people wear or their physical appearance, as the reason behind the choice. This is one of the subjects we shall be working on. Islam has no clerical hierarchy. Isnt the laicite legislation trying to apply to individuals a law aimed at an institution? Doesnt the 1905 law need to be adapted? Not at all. The principle enables us all to live together. But, of course, we must avoid situations in which one group feels stigmatised by the law. That is one of our major subjects of reflexion. But there is no question of adapting the principle to new circumstances. It is one of bringing people to understand that laicite is not a ban on religious practice but a system of personal freedom and helping them to adapt to the principle. There has been talk in the press over banning the Islamic headscarf at university. [The full-face veil is already banned anywhere in public]. The State has a duty to protect minors from any form of ideological persuasion, hence the headscarf ban in schools. University is a world of adults. But the Republic has a duty to protect its citizens against the dangers of extremism. Some people attribute to laicite powers it simply does not have. There is an urgent need for strong political action, at state and local level, in order to resolve the many problems the threat of extremism has brought to certain sectors of society. The Observatoire has published its first report, a history and background to the concept. What else has it achieved? We helped draw up two important documents: the laicite charter and the syllabus for non-religious morality for schools. Both take effect this year. In addition, our report has pinpointed situations needing close attention in public administrations and local authorities (non-Metropolitan France included), as well as in the private sector. How do you see your work developing? We need a better definition of laicite that reiterates the States position of neutrality and is more clearly understood by all, in France and at an international level. We are drawing up guidelines for the application of laicite and religious practice in the workplace, and in the wake of the Baby Loup issue [see main article], for pre-school structures. We must show people how to react to situations. Overreaction is one of the major problems we face, when so much could be achieved by negotiation and taking things calmly. Close Billionaire Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder is in a spot of trouble. The anchor of his yacht, the Tatoosh, is said to have hit the protected coral reefs in the Cayman Islands, situated in the West Bay Replenishment Zone. It damaged 80 percent of the corals, reported the Department of Environment in the Cayman Islands, according to CNN Money. It destroyed about 14,000 square feet (1,300 square meters) of reef in the islands' West Bay area. However, Allen was not on board the yacht when it happened. The port officials were directing the yacht when it happened, according to a statement from Allen's company, Vulcan. "When its crew was alerted by a diver that her anchor chain may have impacted coral in the area, the crew promptly, and on their own accord, relocated their position to ensure the reef was protected," the statement said. "Vulcan and the ship's crew are actively and cooperatively working with local authorities to determine the details of what happened. An investigation by local authorities is ongoing," the statement added. The billionaire might be fined up to $600,000, said Scott Slaybaugh, the Deputy Director for the Cayman Islands Department of Environment. "It's not going to depend at all on who's vessel it is, or what assets they have," Slaybaugh said, according to the Telegraph. "It's the value of the reef and that's what we take seriously, so the consequence would be the same for anyone." Last year, Allen donated almost $4 million to fund the research to stem the rapid decline of coral reefs, said Vulcan. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close While post childbirth has most women feeling exhausted physically and emotionally, one odd solution by British women is to eat their own placentas! Some consume it in the form of smoothies, while others make vitamin supplements of it, according to the Daily Mail. Placentophagy, or eating their own placenta, is being thought by many women to give them the hormones, minerals and nutrients needed. They say that recovery becomes easier while others claim that it improves breast milk production and protects them from post-natal depression. However, there has never been evidence to support placentophagy. A scientific review in 2015 said that there is no proof of advantages from the practice. While doctors warn that it might not be safe for mothers and babies, some even report "depression, excessive production of breast milk and feelings of jitteriness" after the practice. Still, it is recommended by many to mothers. "I felt so weak and tired. Just a walk down the street would exhaust me," said Ruth Parfitt, who had her placenta encapsulated after the birth of her second child. "That was really hard with a newborn to look after. We were new parents and were already sleep-deprived. I didn't feel right until six to eight weeks after the birth. When we discovered I was pregnant again in September 2014, I was determined to avoid feeling that way again." She claims that after she took the placenta capsules, she has been healing rapidly. "It was a completely different experience. I was up and about much more quickly, my mood was better and I felt really well," she said. "I lost a lot of blood when I had Elvi, too, so my iron was low again. But instead of iron tablets, I took placenta capsules and recovered far more quickly." A few "placenta encapsulation specialists" even help mothers to create the pills effectively and they are certain that they are helping new mothers to "recover from birth with the most natural remedy around," says The Telegraph reported. The beneficial hormones of placenta include oxytocin, even though it has not undergone enough research to prove that placentophagy has all positive effects. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, and American Billionaire, Bill Gates, joined hands to fund $4.3 billion fight against malaria for the next 15 years. According to a London based Times Newspaper, the two released a joint statement "when it comes to human tragedy, no creature comes close to the devastation caused by the mosquito". "We both believe that a malaria-free world has to be one of the highest global health priorities," they added. UK made a pledge of $715 million annually for the next 5-years and Bill and Melinda Gates foundation will pay $200 Million dollars this year towards this noble cause, reported Newsweek. This fund will be directed towards malaria research and also assist local programs to help fight the disease. According to the World Health Organization, about 3.2 billion people are at risk of malaria, mostly in Sub- Saharan Africa. However, between 2000 and 2015, the malaria cases fell by 37% globally with death rate falling by 60% all over the world, among all age groups and 65% among children less than 5-years. Even then, there were 214 million cases of malaria reported in 2015 that led to 438,000 deaths, out of which 91% occurred in the Sub-Saharan Africa. A new fund called Ross Fund is launched by Osborne and Gates that has been named after a British scientist, Sir Ronald Ross, who also won a Nobel Prize in 1902 for proving the role of mosquitoes in spreading Malaria. Writing in The Times, the duo hoped that within decades, malaria should be wiped out from the face of the earth. "We are optimistic that in our lifetimes we can eradicate malaria and other deadly tropical diseases, and confront emerging threats, making the world a safer place for all," said Osborne and Gates. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close An important news for all the dog owners in US, your pet may be developing a case of H3N2 influence, also popularly known as the dog flu. Veterinarians have warned the pet owners in United States as the virus seems to be spreading across the country. According to the media reports, the canine influenza is a highly contagious H3N2 strain and has been detected in Austin, Texas. The experts recommend the owners to be careful. Since last spring, more than 2,000 dogs have been infected by the H3N2 outbreak in over 40 states. The virus came to light in Chicago when more than 1,000 dogs contracted the disease, reported Tech Times. H3N8 and H3N2 virus together cause the dog flu. As per Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the disease has only been known to infect the animals. There has been no evidence of its transference from dogs to humans. However, as a precautionary measure, the dog owners are advised to refrain from taking their pets, that have been infected by the virus, to dog parks and other places where the pets gather. "Be wary of public places," said Meredith Millwood, a spokesperson for Atlanta Humane Society. "Dog parks are a gamble you're taking with dogs you don't know," as reported by CNN The virus is known to spread amongst dogs from shelters and kennels. "It kind of stunned most of us in the veterinary community because it spread like wildfire," veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward told CBS News when the first wave of the outbreak was raging last April. As per the experts, this strain of virus was first spotted in Asia and has appeared in US only recently. "None of the dogs have immunity to fight it off, so you see large numbers of dogs getting ill when the virus starts to circulate," Dr. Beth Lipton, veterinarian for Public Health Seattle and King County, told CBS News. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close Health authorities are launching an investigation into Norovirus outbreak that sickened nearly 400 people after eating at the New Theater Restaurant in a Kansas City suburb. Kansas' Health and Environment Department initially confirmed 100 restaurant patrons showing signs of the food-borne illness. The number has since burgeoned to 390 as more people were reportedly sickened after eating at the said dinner theater. Laboratory tests of four sickened individuals yielded positive Norovirus results. New findings by health regulators point that the outbreak may have possibly affected restaurant-goers from 15 January to 17 January. A highly transmittable disease, the food-poisoning illness has signs and symptoms that include frequent vomiting, stomach aches, diarrhea, and fever. Some patrons recalled their extremely uncomfortable ordeal after getting sick from the restaurant. "The next night, wow, I got sicker than a dog. It hit hard and it hit fast. All of the people who ate the chicken got food poisoning, same thing," remarked Nancy Gilbertson who went to see the dinner theater's performance last on 16 January as quoted saying by AOL. However, New Theater Restaurant VP for sales and marketing, Rob McGraw refuted claims that have originated claims that the virus outbreak started in their kitchen. He said three employees were found to have been exposed after serving a man who was also tested positive for norovirus on 17 January, the Kansas City Star reported. Despite the unfortunate food poisoning outbreak, its customer base remains highly supportive as its tickets are almost completely sold out throughout February. "They [customers] say, 'We know this is not your fault, and we will continue to come. The theater, the entire theater, is thoroughly cleaned every day," McGraw confidently said as mentioned in a report by ABC News. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Where Is The West's Compassion And Condemnation Following Terror Attacks In Middle East? By Eva Bartlett 31 January, 2016 Russia Today Zein Abudllah, 8, injured by shrapnel to his face in the December 12, 2015, triple terorist bombing in al-Zahraa, Homs. Eva Bartlett Facebook users were not instructed to do so, but may nonetheless wish to change their profile pictures in solidarity with the families and friends of victims of recent terrorist attacks. A great many of the victims were aspiring university students, others were school teachers, children, infants, parents, and elderly. Their bodies were torn apart in the acts of violence, many unidentifiable. Most of these innocent victims will go unnamed, their murders obfuscated, or largely unnoticed, in Western media. Consider the following cycle of carnage: On November 12, 2015, a double suicide bomb ripped through the Bourj al-Barajneh neighbourhood of southern Beirut, killing 45 and injuring 200 more, many critically so. The terrorists attacked just before 6 pm, on a narrow and crowded residential and commercial street, ensuring maximum loss of life. More would have been murdered had not a local man, Adel Termos, tackled an approaching suicide bomber. Termos lost his life in the blast, but saved countless others with his act of courage. On December 12, 2015, terrorists car-bombed, then suicide-bombed, the al-Zahraa neighborhood of Homs, Syria, killing at least 16 civilians and injuring over 50, according to initial reports from Syrian State media (later updates noted 20 dead and over 100 injured). The deaths and destruction from the initial car-bombingnear the Ahli Hospitalwas made worse since the terrorists set off their bomb next to a natural gas delivery truck. Later, a terrorist returned to the scene and detonated his explosive vest among rescuers who had come to help the injured. Site of the terrorist car-bombing on December 12, 2015, in al-Zahraa, Homs. This pattern repeated itself on December 28, 2015, in al-Zahraa, where a car bomb followed by a suicide bomb, killed up to 30 civilians, and injured over 100, according to Syrian state media initial reports. Again, on January 26, terrorists car and suicide bombed al-Zahraa, killing at least 24 and injuring over 100, many critically-so, according to Syrian state media. The al-Zahraa district of Homs had been terror-bombed many times prior to the December 12 attacks, as have other areas of Homs, including the Ekrama district, which suffered a school bombing on October 1, 2014. There, terrorists car and suicide-bombed next to the school, killed 45 people, mostly children and women, according to al-Masdar News. Video footage showed terrified, maimed and dead children being carried away from the school. The terror attacks are not limited to Homs. Over the past 5 years of this foreign war on Syria, Western-backed militants have committed such acts of terrorism all over Syria. On December 30, 2015, members of Daesh (ISIS) triple-bombed Qamishli, north-eastern Syria, remote-detonating explosives in three restaurants, killing at least 16 civilians. On January 24, 2016 Daesh again terror-bombed the city, killing at least three people. The list of terror attacks in Syria, and neighbouring Lebanon and Iraq, is an endless and long list. Yet, while the vast majority of the victims are civilians, their deaths do not merit the same front-page coverage as similar acts do in the West; the terror attacks do not merit the same statements of condemnation and outpouring of sorrow issued by Western leaders when terrorism strikes elsewhere. Immense Suffering in Beirut and Homs I paid a visit to Bourj al-Barajneh and al-Zahara, in November and December 2015, respectively. I witnessed firsthand their narrow roads with their destroyed buildings and homes, which emanated an immense suffering that most Western media glossed over. The Bourj al-Barajneh tragedy occurred one day before the November 13 attacks in Paris, yet the latter attack on the French capital would make headlines for weeks following; Facebook users changed their profile photos to images of the French flag; world leaders who were largely silent on Beiruts tragedy the day prior, as well as the repeated terror attacks in Syria convened in Paris to march in solidarity with the victims. Western medias coverage of the Beirut attack was loaded with sectarian lexicon, essentially relegating those murdered civilians as belonging to a Hezbollah stronghold or a Shia neighborhood, which to Western readers obscures the fact that while indeed proudly supportive of Hezbollah these are everyday humans who have been targeted by terrorism. The Shia/Sunni Lebanese area is also home to many Christian and Palestinian residents. Visiting in the evening, as when the November 12 attacks occurred, I saw heavy pedestrian, motorcycle and automobile traffic along the narrow streets and lanes that host a number of shops and stalls. Commerical and residential streets in the Bourj al-Barajneh area of Beirut which was double terror bombed November 12. Eva Bartlett At the site of the second explosion, residents had erected a memorial and large poster of Adel Termos, the young man who gave his own life to prevent further loss of lives. On the school door opposite, a photo of a Rawan Awad, a young teacher who was killed in the attacks. A local woman pointed to second-story windows, telling me, the blood reached the windows up there, flesh, too. The blast was huge. It was said to be the biggest explosion in Beirut for years. Along the memorial were photos of other victims of these terror attacks: elderly, children, young men and women, victims of Western-backed terror and Western hypocrisy. Their lives didnt merit worldwide sorrow and solidarity. Adel Termos, the hero who prevented further loss of lives. Je Suis Blind and Deaf The sting that the Lebanese people felt when the worlds attention was focused on Paris, the day after the massacre in Beirut, is a sting that Syrians have known deeply over the past five years. Take the example of Homs al-Zahraa. Any Western media reporting that does cover the repeated terrorist bombings of the neighborhood does so in sectarian and biased lexicon. The neighbourhood is described as: an Alawite area; a government-held area (AP). But it is not described in terms of its reality, a district comprising a majority of Alawis, but also significant numbers of Christians, Sunnis, and Shia, many of whom are Internally Displaced Syrians who have moved to this government held area after fleeing the terrorists violence in their own home areas of Aleppo, Idlib, and elsehwere. The depiction of al-Zahraa merely as an Alawite district is in line with the NATO alliances sectarian project in Syria, a sectarianism which the vast majority of Syrians continue to refuse. Depicting al-Zahraa merely as a government held area feeds into the Western narrative of obfuscating on the vast amount of support for the Syrian president, and further confuses readers as to the civilian suffering at each terrorist attack in al-Zahraa. This human suffering I saw on a December 15, 2015 visit to the neighbourhood, meeting with family members of the dead. On the second story of what was the shell of his home, teenager Yousef Abdullah walked me through the ruins of the three story home housing two families, outside of which the car bombing had occurred just days prior. It was he who carried out the body of his 17 year old cousin, Caroline, crushed under rubble on the ground level. The small clothing shop on ground level belonged to Anaya Abbas, a 50, killed in the bombing. Her son, Alaa al-Hamwi, had only days prior returned to see his family. One of the Syrian soldiers defending the Kuweires airbase against terrorist attacks, the al-Hamwi family suffered doubly, from worry over their long absent son, and now from the murder of Anaya Abbas. Visiting al-Zahraa one sees a vividly different face, a tormented face, than that which the corporate media allows. Many human stories abound, if journalists care to convey them. The sad hypocrisy is that when terrorist attacks occur on Western soil, these human stories are conveyed, ad naseum. Homes opposite the terrorist car bombing blast in al-Zahraa, Homs Eva Bartlett UN Selective on Terrorism Syrias Foreign and Expatriates Ministry has repeatedly issued letters to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) requesting that such acts of terrorism in Syria be officially condemned, and that action be taken against those states supporting, financing, and enabling terrorism in Syria, namely Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The letters specify that the terrorism being committed in Syria is not only by Daesh (ISIS) but also by other terrorist groups, including Jebhat al-Nusra, Jaish al-Islam, al-Jabha al-Islamiya, Jaish al-Fateh, Ahrar al-Cham, and the so-called Free Syrian Army. These letters are routinely ignored by UNSC and the Secretary-General, although they are based on the tenants of UN resolutions pertaining to terrorism. It its latest letters, following the January 24, 2016 terror-bombings in al-Zahraa, the Ministry noted the significance of their timing with respect to the upcoming Geneva talks. Following the December 12, 2015 attacks, the Syrian Ministry sent their standard letters, requesting condemnation of the terrorism. The request was supported by Russia, with their own draft statement, which was rejected at the UNSC. In the Face of Terror Youre on Your Own When the majority of the above-listed terror bombings have been claimed by Daesh (ISIS), whom the West claims to be fighting, the glaring lack of condemnation of the Homs bombings, and the once-off condemnation of the Beirut bombings, reveals again the blatant hypocrisy of Western leaders. In his November 13, 2015 address, President Obama, unsurprisingly, made no mention of either Beirut or Syrias suffering under western-backed terrorists. Instead he called the Paris situation heartbreaking and uttered: we stand together with them in the fight against terrorism and extremism. Not to be outdone, Vice President Biden offered his deepest condolences and called the attacks heartbreaking outrageous and tragic and vowed, We will look out for one another. We will stand together. We will never bow. We will never break. We will respond. We will overcome. We will endure. In his November 21, 2015 address, Biden, in his opening remarks did actually mention the name Beirut, and commented, in the face of terror we stand as one. Yet, his address focused primarily on Paristhe simple human acts carried out by Parisians post Paris attackand made no other mention of Beirut, nor the simple human acts carried out there. Like Beirut residents rushing to donate blood, post-attacks, for example. Rather than addressing Beiruts humanity, or even deigning to mention terror attacks carried out on Syrians throughout Syria, Biden used the rest of his address to talk about Syrian refugees and the rigorous screening, fingerprinting and background checks refugees go through to enter the US. In other words, he used his platform to negate true suffering in Syria, and instead subtly indoctrinate his audience into equating Syrians with terrorism. Obama issued a proclamation Honoring the Victims of the Attack in Paris on November 15, 2015, ordering the US flag to be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts, and so on. In a search of the Whitehouse.gov website, using key terms like: Bourj Barajneh, Burj al-Barajneh, Beirut, Zahra, Zahraa, Homs + bombing, I came up with just one match, aside from the above-mentioned November 21VP Bidens uttering of the name Beirut before his ode to Paris. The entry was a Statement by NSC Spokesperson Ned Price, on the day of the Bourj al-Barajneh attacks. Neither Obama, nor Biden, deigned to personally make this statement. One paragraph, the statement condemns in the strongest terms todays horrific terrorist attacks in Beirut, Lebanon that killed dozens and wounded hundreds more. We offer our deepest condolences to the families and other loved ones of those killed and injured in this violence. The United States will stand firm with the Government of Lebanon as it works to bring those responsible for this attack to justice. Compare the fiery rhetoric in the Paris statements with this meek Beirut statement. Little sorrow was expressed, nor unwavering solidarity, nor fighting against extremism. Such is Western hypocrisy towards those murdered by Western-supported death squads. Eva Bartlett is a freelance journalist and rights activist who has lived in the Gaza Strip since late 2008. She was aboard the Dignity, one of five Free Gaza missions to successfully sail to the Strip in 2008. Eva rode in ambulances during the 2008/2009 Israeli attacks on Gaza, and documented from a central Gaza hospital during the November 2012 Israeli attacks. She has worked extensively with Gaza's fishermen and farmers, accompanying them as they come under fire from the Israeli army. She keeps a blog In Gaza. Monsantos Roundup Kills And Damages More Than Weeds By Shepherd Bliss 31 January, 2016 Countercurrents.org Sebastopol, California: Protests against Monsantos Roundup, with its poisonous, weed-killing glyphosate, have spread around the globe. An arm of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a probable cause of cancer in 2015. Californias Environmental Protection Agency (CA EPA) recently decided to label it as such. Environmental groups and activists in Northern California, a region known for its wines, advocate a moratorium on this herbicide as health concerns mount. Roundup is the worlds most widely used pesticide. Roundups active ingredient, glyphosate, was the focus of a January 28 informational event. It was initiated by the Watertrough Childrens Alliance as a fundraiser for a lawsuit against winemaker Paul Hobbs for converting an apple orchard into a vineyard adjacent to schools, thus putting the health of around 500 children at risk by spraying Roundup. The Sierra Club, Sonoma Group, co-sponsored the evening. Sebastopol Mayor Sarah Glade Gurney welcomed a panel of three experts and around 60 people from Sonoma and Napa counties attended and moderated an active discussion. Attorney Jonathan Evans of the Tucson, Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity, organizer Ella Teevan of the Washington, D.C.-based Food and Water Watch (FWW), and former Petaluma Vice-Mayor and City Council member Tiffany Renee spoke. Monsanto also makes Roundup Ready, which are Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). 93% of soy beans and 80% of corn in the U.S. are grown with Monsanto GMO seeds, reported Teevan. Food and Water Watch wants a moratorium on more GMOs and their labeling. Our food system and how we interact with our environment is broken. Instead of serving people, profit is served. We need to fix our food system, Teevan added. Glyphosate has become a pervasive presence in the environment. 65% of water in some countries has traces of it, said Evans. Exposure can create a number of problems, including liver and kidney damage. It can even change ones DNA. Our goal is to protect health and keep these products out of the market. After the CA EPA decision to label Roundup, Monsanto filed a lawsuit against them. They claimed that their First Amendment rights to free speech were being violated, Evans reported. BECOME EDUCATED CONSUMERS We need to become educated consumers and not buy these products. We need to empower elected officials to act, Evans suggested. We need to get involved in grassroots actions and push for a just food system, added Teevan. Become active participants in democracy. The California city of Richmond banned all pesticide a year ago, reported Renee. "We advocate such a ban in Petaluma, which must include neonicotinoids. Portland, Oregon has banned neonicotinoids, systemic pesticides that damage bees. Glyphosate is a public health threat. The many costs are suffered by humans, animals, and plants. The benefits are only to a few humans, she added. The highest use of glyphosate in Sonoma County is for winegrapes, yet non-toxic alternatives are available, said Evans. Monsanto is a bad actor. They sue farmers when GMO seeds blow onto their lands from neighbors, he said. The Huffington Posts January 26 article 8 Reasons to Avoid Doing Business with Monsanto, by business editor Alexander C. Kaufman, reports that the giant bioengineering firm has been dubbed the worlds most evil corporation. Mounting criticism of Monsantos litigious, secretive, and combative practices have made it financially vulnerable, asserts Kaufman. It plans to cut 3,600 jobs, which would be 16% of its global workforce. Roundup and Roundup Ready constitute 90% of Monsantos revenue. Several countries, cities, and retail chains worldwide have banned or severely limited glyphosate products, notes Kaufman. Hundreds of Moms Across America groups exist nationwide, he adds, and more than 2 million people in 52 countries internationally took to the streets to March Against Monsanto. Monsanto is desperately seeking a merger, according to the January 25 issue of GMWatch from the United Kingdom (www.gmwatch.org). One of their goals seems to be to abandon their tarnished name. CITIZENS SPEAK UP When Mayor Gurney opened the discussion to the crowd, more than a dozen people promptly came to the microphone. The first speaker quoted a study of seven wines from Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake counties conducted by the Biochemical Working Group in Ukiah. It documented that traces of glyphosate exceeding EPA safe levels were found in all of them. People are drinking Roundup in their wine. Glyphosate has been banned in Europe. Were tired of our children and babies being damaged by Roundup. We need to mandate a real school protection zone, declared Janus Matthes of Wine and Water Watch (www.winewaterwatch.org). Instead, the vineyards are being protected, she added. It is so easy to use Roundup. The breads that you eat that are not organic have glyphosate in them, noted geologist Jane Nielson, Ph.D. Roundup is an antibiotic that kills gut bacteria, said Amy Martenson of Label GMOs Napa County. She added that we are having problems with the vineyards. Napa County has the highest rate of cancer in California. We want a GMO free zone up and down the coast. Most counties on the North Coast have prohibited growing GMO crops, explained Pam Gentry of Citizens for Healthy Farms and Families. They are collecting signatures to place an initiative on this years ballot that would ban growing genetically engineered crops in Sonoma County Monsanto controls an area in South America larger than California called soybean republic. Jim Stoops noted, Sixty doctors have complained about higher cancer rates in that area. Meanwhile, GM Watch reported the following: Monsantos attempts to build its GMO seed plant in Argentina have met with three years of unflinching popular opposition. Protesters received an eviction notice, but local activists mobilized to strengthen the blockade, and a prosecutor suspended the order. The demand was, Monsanto, get out of Latin America! Back in the U.S., GM Watch reports the following: Campbell Soup Company said it supports the enactment of federal legislation for a single mandatory labeling standard for GM foods. The company said, Printing a clear and simple statement on the label is the best solution for consumers and for Campbell. Campbell says its prices will not increase as a result of labeling. The article Half of All Children Will Be Autistic by 2025 appears in the December 23, 2014, newsletter of the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH), with the subtitle Warns Senior Research Scientist at MIT. MITs Stephanie Seneff, Ph.D., noted that the side effects of autism closely mimic those of glyphosate toxicity. Children with autism have biomarkers indicative of excessive glyphosate, including zinc and iron deficiency, low serum sulfate, seizures, and mitochondrial disorder. ANH describes the revolving door between Monsanto and the federal government, with agency officials becoming high-paying executivesand vice versa! Money, power, prestige: its all there. Monsanto and the USDA scratch each others backs. Food and Water Watchs booklet Monsanto: A Corporate Profile, further documents this: Monsantos board members have worked for the EPA, advised the U.S. Department of Agriculture and served on President Obamas Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. Renee concluded that we need activism. Eat locally, hopefully organic or biodynamic. Grow part of your own food. KOWS-FM recorded the evening, which will eventually be available at www.kows.fm. For Further Information: www.foodandwaterwatch.org www.biologicaldiversity.org info@wcachildren.org (Dr. Shepherd Bliss {3sb@comcast.net), a recently retired college teacher, has contributed to 24 books and farmed since 1992.) The Times Endorses Hillary: Heinous Non-Surprise By Steve Breyman 31 January, 2016 Countercurrents.org What is it about some radicals (including this ones) problem with the inevitable, the predictable? Given our accurate worldviewthe world is run for the rich and powerful, by the rich and powerfulwe ought not be perturbed when the rich and powerful do whats in their perceived interest. Is it because the expected is so loathsome? Could it be we still harbor some jot of hope that right makes might? The latest example of disgusting normal is the New York Times endorsement of Hillary Clintonits fourth across the years (twice for US Senate, and for the Democratic nomination in 2008). What makes it so vile is the editorial boards feigned confidence and enthusiasm on behalf of one of the most broadly and deeply qualified presidential candidates in modern history. Clintons broad and deep qualifications, and the record she carved while earning them,make up one half of whats wrong with her as prospective president. The Times cites her Senate experience, her stint as secretary of state, and her experience on the national stage as first lady with her brilliant and flawed husband, President Bill Clinton, but says little about her accomplishments in these roles. We learn nothing from the endorsement about her ingrained corruption, her pay to play existence, including service on Wal-Mart and other corporate boards, her repellent speaking fees, or her role in soliciting large foreign contributions for the Clinton Foundation. The Times breezes past her militarism and jingoism, her readiness to invade anywhere at anytime but we have no doubt that Mrs. Clinton would use American military power effectively and with infinitely more care and wisdom than any of the leading Republican contenders. Theres very little if any distance between the Republicans and Clinton on defense and foreign policy, including the formers grotesque promises to kill even more innocents in the War on Terror. Unable to cite a single example of the effective use of American military power from the past seventy years, the paper must keep it vague. The editorial forgets and thus forgives Clintons awful record in Haiti, her demonization of Chavez in Venezuela, and her central role in the Honduran coup.Instead, the paper coos, As secretary of state, Mrs. Clinton worked tirelessly, and with important successes, for the nations benefit. She was the secretary President Obama needed and wanted: someone who knew leaders around the world, who brought star power as well as expertise to the table. Theres no mention of Clintons support for nuclear weapons modernization or her critical role in ginning up the new cold war with Russia. The paper apologized for its own role in enabling George Bushs invasion of Iraq; it ignores Hillarys. As Senator and Secretary of State, Clinton favored force over negotiation at every juncture, but you wouldnt learn this from the Times endorsement.The paper lauds Clintons lecture to Arab leaders to neoliberalize their economies and polities, before the Arab Spring, as if she werent a personal friend of Hosni Mubaraks who helped him hang on longerresulting in the deaths of hundreds of nonviolent protestersthan he wouldve without her and Obamas support. The endorsement misses Clintons role in spreading lies about Gaddafi regime atrocities, propaganda indispensable for NATOs campaign of regime change. Were not reminded of her cold-blooded quipWe came, we saw, he diedupon the occasion of the despots murder at the hands of a street mob. The horrors of post-Gaddafi Libya are conveniently ignored. The Times acknowledges that certainly, the Israeli-Palestinian crisis deepened during her tenure, but quickly adds,she did not cause that. Not singlehandedly, of course, but her unwillingness to stand up to Netanyahu, her continued and unwavering defense of Israel in international bodies, and her failure to threaten an aid cut off, surely helped to sustain the occupation. Clintons current policy prescriptions make up the second half of the case for why shed be at least as bad a president as Barack Obama. Clinton was and is a cheerleader for assassination by drone. She voted for the Patriot Act, and its reauthorization, and remains a supporter of mass surveillance. Shes as vindictive and wrong headed about whistleblowers, including Edward Snowden, as Obama. Shes ready to go to war in Syria, a bridge too far even for the Times: We are not convinced that a no-fly zone is the right approach in Syria. The paper defends Clintons proposals for tweaks to the inadequate Dodd-Frank, and lauds her milquetoast proposals for controls on high-frequency trading and stronger curbs on bank speculation in derivatives as if their enough to defend Main Street from Wall Street. The editorial writers likely cramped up with their stretch defending Hillarys pledge to support the well-being and rights of working Americans. Where was Clinton as labor unions shriveled following sustained attack from business lobbies, offshoring of manufacturing jobs, and the anti-labor policies of recent presidents including those of her brilliant and flawed husband? Seen her at a Fight for $15 rally? Opportunistic labor leaders may endorse Hillary, but the rank and file is hardly enthused. Like the candidate herself, the Times highlights her feminist icon status, as if reproductive rights and verbal support for equal pay were all American women need. The paper is satisfied by her underwhelming proposals for paid family leave, child care and work schedule stabilization. The contradictions between her brand of feminism and the substance of her corporate Democrat economic policiesincluding eager backing for free trade agreementsgo unaddressed.The Times explains her recent reversal on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a corporate domination scheme for which she robustly campaigned as Secretary of State, as a refreshing willingness to learn. The editorial finds in Clinton a steeliness that will serve her well in negotiating with a difficult Congress on critically important issues like climate change. It ignores that she waited to oppose the Keystone XL pipeline until it was going down to defeat. Theres nothing about her years-long sales pitch for fracking overseas. The deluge of oil money flowing to the Clinton Foundation is skipped. Her support for offshore drilling and lack of leadership on climate change go unraised. At best, Hillary Clintons energy and environmental policies would look like Barack Obamas third term. At worst, theyd look like Bill Clintons. The Times case against Bernie is the same thin gruel dished up by the Washington Post, and the growing chorus of liberal attacks on the Vermonter as he catches on with publics in early primary states. He lacks experience (after serving as a mayor, member of Congress, and US Senator), exhibits insufficient breadth of policy ideas (while his program puts everybody but Jill Steins to shame), and lacks realism (the editorial flags his calls for dismantling too big to fail banks and for Medicare for All). Like the Clinton campaign,the editorial writers gun control-bait a guy with a D- rating from the NRA, and suggest Hillary is the better womens advocate because she came out against the Hyde Amendment before Sanders did. The Times apparently believes Hillary is more electable than Bernie, despite polls showing that Sanders matches up as well against the Republican field as does Clinton. The timing of the endorsement is telling, coming right before the Iowa caucuses (just like its endorsement of Clinton in 2008). The editorial board must be nervous that someone besides their preferred candidate wins in Iowa, again. Steve Breyman was a William C. Foster Visiting Scholar Fellow in the Clinton State Department, and serves as an advisor to Jill Stein, candidate for the Green Party presidential nomination. Reach him at breyms@rpi.edu What Is Happening In Libya And Why Nobody Talks About It? By Shubhda Chaudhary 31 January, 2016 Countercurrents.org Politically overshadowed, Libya, in spite of its tumultuous irony with Arab Spring hardly marks advent into limelight. With a government that barely exists, Washington is preparing to take decisive military action in Libya against the alarming growth of ISIS. Action in Libya is needed before Libya becomes a sanctuary for ISIL (another name for ISIS), before they become extremely hard to dislodge, said US Defense Official. A team of six British RAF officers and MI6 operatives flew to an airbase near the eastern Libyan city of Tobruk, which is under control by internationally recognized militia forces. In November, a US F-16 fighter jet struck the eastern town of Derna, killing Abu Nabil, also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi, the local ISIS leader. In October 2011, the U.S., France and Britain launched attacks that led to the overthrow of the Libyan leader Gadaffi. The majority of Libyans are demonstrably worse off today than they were under Gaddafi, notwithstanding his personality cult and authoritarian rule. The slaughter is getting worse by the month and is engulfing the entire country. There is an ongoing civil war between the Council of Deputies in Tobruk and its supporters, the New General National Congress in Tripoli and its supporters, and various jihadists and tribal elements controlling parts of the country. While foreign pressure builds to tackle a threat from Islamic State militants, Libyas internationally recognized parliament, based in the east, has rejected a main article in the U.N. accord as well as a proposed list of ministers. It now has two governments and parliaments, with the internationally recognized authorities based in the east and a militia-backed authority in the capital Tripoli. In December, Libyas warring factions signed a UN-backed peace deal designed to establish a unity government that could lead a military push against Isis. However, earlier this week Libyas internationally recognized parliament rejected the proposed new government. Noted journalist Patrick Cockburn had rightly stated Human rights organisations have had a much better record in Libya than the media since the start of the uprising in 2011. They discovered that there was no evidence for several highly publicised atrocities supposedly carried out by Gaddafi's forces that were used to fuel popular support for the air war in the US, Britain, France and elsewhere. Libya is imploding. Its oil exports have fallen from 1.4 million barrels a day in 2011 to 235,000 barrels a day. Militias hold 8,000 people in prisons, many of whom say they have been tortured. Some 40,000 people from the town of Tawergha south of Misrata were driven from their homes which have been destroyed. Unfortunately, the militias are getting stronger not weaker. Libya is a land of regional, tribal, ethnic warlords who are often simply well-armed racketeers exploiting their power and the absence of an adequate police force. Nobody is safe. Libya represents a classic case of the failure of Arab Spring. Even though pro-democracy outbursts took place in 2011, after the death of Gadaffi, Libya has descended into a political morass. The foreign intervention of US, France and Britain in Libya with the imposition of a No Fly Zone, camouflaging the Western vested interests of implementing neo-conservative regime have failed in Libya as it did earlier in Iraq. There are few hard-line questions though that makes Libya a difference. Firstly, the media blackout regarding the political condition in Libya is making it very difficult to meticulously decipher what is happening in the country. Whether the media blackout is deliberate or just because Libya is unsafe for journalists, still can be debated. Secondly, media is flooded with the news and narratives about the refugees from Syria but why no one talks about Libyan refugees. What happened to them, amidst the tribal and ethnic tension that is catapulting the state into a condition of complete failure? Thirdly, there are numerous militants being recruited from Libya into ISIS. The main question here is how they are getting arms and financed. There is hardly any concrete evidence regarding it. The revolution has failed in Libya for sure, but what about the future, what about the solution? The western countries are hardly interested in a non ambiguous plan of action along with the UN. So, will be mutely be spectators as Libyas case worsens and it implodes? Shubhda Chaudhary is a PhD scholar in International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University. She specialises in West Asian politics and works with think-tanks in Abu Dhabi and South Africa. Email id: shubhda.chaudhary@gmail.com Shame! We Are Turning Our Rivers Into Sewers By Marianne Furtado de Nazareth 31 January, 2016 Countercurrents.org The Vaigai river at it's source. Plenty of sand with fairly clean water and out of the city limits. Pic credit: Francis Harry Roy S The fronds of grass waved gently in the breeze along the banks of the river Vaigai in Madurai. And almost 80 of us scrunched on the sands, down the almost dry river bed to listen to the DHAN Foundation tell us, about their inspirational work with Madurai's rivers. This was during the three day National Training Programme Climate Change News Coverage for Aspiring and Young Vernacular media persons in Madurai. Nothing like a field visit to see the crisis situation in the Vaigai and Kirudhumal river beds, in Madurai. After all the Vaigai river is considered to be the lifeline of Madurai and the importance of protecting and preserving and reversing the damage done, cannot be stressed enough. Unfortunately this was the idyllic and clean area of the river. We were in for a rude shock as the field visit wore on. Like anywhere in India, Madurai district is dotted with hundreds of small and large water tanks that are networked with its main river Vaigai and minor river Kruthumal with the help of many distributor channels. However the wisdom of the city forefathers, has been lost in the greed of a growing population and urbanization. Valuable water collection tank beds have been built upon and the river itself is used like a sewer and so, the city now struggles for a decent supply of fresh water. Pic credit: Francis Harry Roy S The source which is kept clean According to a paper entitled --Future Proofing Indian Cities: Towards an approach to spatial and social analysis for sustainable development of Madurai by Jayaraj Sundaresan. Development Planning Unit, University College London J. Kanagavalli. DHAN Foundation, Madurai their documentation has revealed the significant role of Kruthumal River in the historic, cultural, ecological and economic growth of Madurai. Centuries ago, Madurai city developed as a small urban settlement on the banks between the rivers Kruthumal6 and Vaigai. Appearing in epics and sacred texts such as Srimad Bhagavatham and Narayaneeyam, Kruthumal has significant presence in the written history of Madurai. It was also known as Narayana Cauvery. It supplied water to the Ahazhi (moat) around the Tirumalai Nayakkar palace in Madurai. The origin of the river was in the Nagamalai hills, west of Madurai city. Apparently there are five original natural springs, nine in the foothills of Nagamalai all of which at some point feed into the Kruthumal River. Map above-Various large water Tanks existing (blue) and reclaimed (red) in Madurai Urban region. Source: (Sivakumar and Kanagavalli, 2007) During 70's the Kruthumall flowed with strength all through the year. Over the period, many changes to the source, the catchment and the inlet-outlet resulted in the depletion of the original source of water. Well irrigation that boomed in the command area of the tanks resulted in poor cooperation among the farmers. The river bed has been encroached and its width reduced drastically. With urbanisation and a growing population, agricultural lands were converted for residential use. Land use changes at the original catchment, the redirection of water to Nilayur channel and the changed geomorphology of the Vaigai River contributed to the drying up of the Kruthumal river channel. Over the years indiscriminate sand mining, lowered the Vaigai riverbed, while the bed level of the off-take channels from Vaigai1 carrying water to Kruthumal remained at the higher elevation. For example, many parts near the Thuvariman tank, the Vaigai river bed is almost three meters below the original river bed level. This resulted in dysfunction of the supply channels, even when there is a normal flow. The paper goes on to explain that Madakulam Keel Madurai refers to a village under the Madakulam tank, which expanded into an urban area after 1950's. Many rural communities migrated to the city and settled on either side of the river. A combination of inefficient Planning to meet the demand for space along with the poor infrastructure facilities of the newly developed area resulted in the Kruthumal River channel being used for sewage and waste disposal. DHAN then undertook a basic documentation of the river channel which revealed how the shift in the use of the adjoining land destroyed the river corridor. For example from Thuvariman tank to Achampathu, the river is relatively clean. The first ingress of wastewater occurs between Achampathu and Virattupathu. This grows worse as the river moves into the city. Ducks being nutured on the dry Vaigai river bed once it reaches the city. Pic credit: Francis Harry Roy S In the central parts of the city, for example, near the Periyar bus stand, the river becomes a swamp of solid waste, heavy metals, sewage, sullage, and other kinds of waste from different parts of the city. Not only do individual households, public and semi-public institutions and industries discharge their waste water onto the channel but the municipal corporation's centralized sewage system as well as the septic tank cleaning companies also utilizes the channel to dispose of waste in large quantities. In many places like Achampathu, Virattipathu, Dhidir Nagar . If the government adopts this method of waste disposal local residents too do the same. Solid waste is disposed all along the river length including animal waste from meat and fish selling units and corpses of dead animals. Moreover, the waste water is blocked using various means to pump up to grow greens and vegetables. Due to insufficient capacity of the drainage and sewerage network and the waste disposal system, a large number of land uses along the river corridor use the channel to get rid of their waste; these include cattle farms, rice mills, garage and metal works and so on. This highly poisonous wastewater is finally drained on to Samanatham tank again in the south East of the city, before it moves on. The shockingly filthy river once in the city. which has turned into a sewer Pic credit: Francis Harry Roy S We stood on the concrete banks of the same 'river ' in the city holding our noses. The stench was unbearable. the women from the surrounding slums came to complain, the living conditions of the people around were sub-human. They surely realised that the crisis they were facing was due to a combination of governmental apathy and a complete lack of civic sense. At many places the channel is silted and infested with weeds resulting in the blockage of flow and stagnation of polluted water. Concretization of the channel edge as well as the riverbed (funded by JnNURM project) not only reduced the channel width (abrupt reduction of channel, it varies between 12 m to 3m) but it also leads to flooding in many places even during a normal rainfall, This pollutes the ground water which is being pumped out to use in households. According to DHAN, ownership and management of the system tanks and water bodies and river channels in Madurai used to be the responsibility of the Public Works Department. Being a department that manages such networked infrastructure across the region, their management style considered the corridor in its entirety rather than as fragmented pieces located in different parts of the city. A couple of decades ago, the maintenance responsibility of those parts of the water network that ceased to have an ayacut within the city, were transferred to the Municipal Corporation. Being an organization that works mostly with ward boundaries and city corporation boundaries and over strained on its services infrastructure and management capabilities, the river corridor ( and other such water channels) became the default location that the corporation depended on to solve the challenges that arose out of the insufficient waste management capacity. In short a complex confluence of situations, actors, institutional governance setup and so on resulted in the transformation of Kruthumal River that used to be one of the most significant ecological, cultural and heritage water systems that contributed to a range of eco system services like micro climate stabilization, ground water recharge, purification of the soil and so on in Madurai to become a sewage channel that just carries out the dirt of Madurai's urban life. Picture credit: DHAN In its present state, the river corridor actively contributes to poor living condition in the city - polluted environment, unhealthy agriculture, water borne diseases, flooding, water stagnation, and poses very high challenges to any remediation efforts. Within the city, the river passes through 16 wards; many middle class locations and 18 informal settlements. While the middle class localities suffer from the foul smell, mosquitoes and threat of communicable diseases, the informal settlement dwellers suffer the most due to their active dependency and proximity to this water body. Even though the whole city contributes to the pollution, significant impacts are felt by the slums adjacent to the channel. Further, the farmers downstream who depend on the water from the river are affected severely. Due to the unplanned development upstream, the river became a default carrier of sewage and sullage from the households. Since there is no flow in the river, banks were encroached by buildings and the wastewater from most of that drains on to the river. The many tanks to which this river carried water dried and the means of ground water recharge disappeared. Further, when the riverbanks and tanks are encroached, the tanks do not anymore function as flood moderators; the area around these water bodies gets frequently flooded. Though the city gets 928 mm of annual rainfall, the groundwater table fluctuates constantly. Moreover the quality of ground water is poor and not potable. As a result the city's water needs are met from the sources based on Vaigai River and reservoirs located 70 km from the city. Individual households depend on bore wells and this has resulted in a rapidly depleting ground water table. According to the paper Madurai has exhausted its shallow aquifers. Plus the number and the depth of the bore wells are increasing every year, posing serious questions on water management. As we stood covering our noses near the river alongside a slum the women of the area told us about the swarms of mosquitos that would descend every night on them. These mosquitos gave their children and them a range of communicable diseases. It was reported by the women that the expenditure on health, mosquito repellents and electricity (for Fan and Air Conditioners) have increased drastically. The polluted water contributes to spread of water borne diseases such as frequent fever, chronic cough and skin infections. The paper gave various methods to look after the river: 1) Protection of source: Kruthumal origin at Thuvariman Lake should be protected to revive the origin and to ensure water flow in the channel. Madakulam and Thuvariman tanks and their catchments should be protected. And during the monsoon, the water should be diverted from Nilaiyur channel to enable a better flow in the Kruthumal. This say the scientists will not only clean the channel, but also will reduce encroachments and improve ground water recharge. 2) There should be regulation of sand mining in place by the government: Rivers, and channels running close to city are found to be mostly prone to extensive sand mining damaging and the ecology of these water bodies. Sand mining should be strictly regulated. 3) Effective storm water management: All the storm water drains should be properly connected to the Kruthumal to ensure the inflow of the monsoon rainwater. Further, sewage and sullage and other polluting waste water outlets into the storm water drains should be sealed. 4) To see that all the above works effectively, the government should build efficient and complete sewerage networks: Effective systems are to be put in place for underground drainage and solid waste management that cater to the future population growth. A large number of properties in the city, both formal and informal are not connected to the existing sewage and drainage network. Such properties continue to discharge into the city's channels in addition to the large scale pumping by concerned authorities and commercial sewage disposal companies. 5) The scientists also feel that the city fathers should build social capital: Citizens should recognize the importance of the river. Therefore appropriate platforms for campaign advocacy and multi-stakeholder involvement should be developed. The Government should take proper steps for building of basic toilet facilities for slum dwellers in the area. 6) Enforcement of Law: According to DHAN, though there are laws to evict the encroachers of waterways, interference of political figures makes it difficult to enforce such laws. Therefore people should be mobilized to protect the water bodies so that law enforcement could be more effective. Special laws should be enacted within the local body and state government to protect the waterways and water bodies. Eviction of encroachment, construction of access roads on either side of Kruthumal, tree planting and so on could open the corridor as a valuable public space. This will ensure that people will have a healthy relationship with the river corridor and the river does not remain in the backyard of the public eye. Looking at the condition of the water body one feels it is hopeless, but there is hope if together with the government, something is done to control the destruction of the river, by law. And with organizations like DHAN Madurai can hope for a clean Vaigai in the future. Marianne Furtado de Nazareth : Freelance science and environment journalist, adjunct faculty St. Joseph's College, PG Media & Communications and registered PhD scholar, MKU University, Madurai Lala of Lahore And Lion of Punjab: Lala Lajpat Rai By Ravi Nitesh 31 January, 2016 Countercurrents.org Freedom struggle in British India witnessed emergence of many leaders in society who fought at their levels to achieve the common goal of getting freedom from British reign. During freedom struggle movements, Lahore (then in British India, now in Pakistan) played an important role, as this city was one of the main centers of revolution. Many freedom fighters stayed here and even started their movements from this city. Lahore was also the place where Purna Swaraj (complete self rule) was demanded first time during the Congress Convention in 1930. Lala Lajpat Rai was born in Dhudike, Moga district of Punjab (now in India), went to Lahore in 1880 to study law from Government College. His father Munshi Radha Krishan was a Urdu teacher. He started practice in Hisar and later in Lahore. He gave major share of his income to DAV College, Lahore and to other schemes of social welfare. Lala Lajpat Rai started various movements against British Raj. During Simon Commission arrival to India in October, 1928, Lala Lajpat Rai led the protest against Simon Commission and got injured in police lathicharge. After some time, he died in Lahore on 17th November due to heart attack but it is believed that injuries hastened his death, with which British Parliament denied any role. Later, Bhagat Singh along with Sukhdev and Azad planned to take revenge from Scott, the police officer who was responsible for injury of Lala lajpat Rai. His works are still among us. He thought and fought for independence through various ways. Very few people know that he was also founder of Punjab National Bank and Lakshmi Insurance Company. Actually he was one of the pioneer politicians who took interest in insurance and banking on practical grounds. He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari or Lion of Punjab. After his death, many institutions have been named after him. There are colleges, libraries, roads, markets upon his name. Lala ji was fond of writing and had written many articles and books. One of his famous quote reads If I had the power to influence Indian journals, I would have the following headlines printed in bold letters on the first page: Milk for the infants, Food for the adults and Education for all. He founded People weekly and daily Bandematram. He wrote books on Arya Samaj, Englands debt to India, Young India and others. During his jail days in Mandalay jail, he wrote The story of my deportation. He founded National College, Tilak School of Politics and Dwarkadas Library. Bhagat Singh was also a student of National College. Servants of the People Society was founded by him in Lahore and still running for social welfare. During an event of Aaghaz-e-Dosti, Secretary of Servants of the people society participated and shared that still there are memories of Lala Lajpat Rai in Lahore and which are well-preserved. He also informed that how many people who traveled there found it so mesmerizing to see the connected past of India and Pakistan that has history of heritage and role of people. Lala ji founded a hospital Gulab Devi Chest Hospital in Lahore, in the memory of his mother who was died due to tuberculosis. This hospital still exists and operational as a part of Fatima medical college. In 1947, when Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah visited this hospital, he wrote I visited the Gulab Devi Hospital which is now tending to the refugees on 6th November, 1947. Those who are incharge of it viz Doctors, Nurses and other are doing excellent work and deserve our thanks for their selfless devotion to this humanitarian work. Though his way of politics was not very aligned with Gandhian principles and he was also seen as hindu nationalists with his affiliation to Hindu Mahasabha but there could be reasons behind that and many writers and researchers have seen that none of his activities led any attack over minorities. Though there were differences with Gandhian principles, but on his death, Gandhi ji wrote in Young India Men like Lalaji cannot die so long as the sun shines in the Indian sky. Whatever was his own alignment, that can be one of the angles to see him, but his greater role and broader motivation towards freedom struggle and towards social welfare schemes through school, colleges, hospitals, banks and libraries cannot be ignored and these activities served the society through their works. As, Lala Lajpat Rai is famous as "Lion of Punjab", I find that he has so strong connection with Lahore that we can call him as Lala of Lahore as well. Present India and Pakistan are actually the same piece of land for which Lala ji and others sacrificed their life. But, it is unfortunate that the two countries have developed many conflicts by the time. It must be remembered that those who fought against British rule were actually belonged to India and Pakistan both and they fought for all the people who were living in British India. Now, it is turn of present generation to move together, to make these sacrifices meaningful. Keeping it in mind will be important in terms of the motivation that it can provide, for working genuinely towards common betterment with the true sense and emotions of love. Ravi Nitesh is a Petroleum Engineer by profession and founder of Aaghaz-e-Dosti, an Indo-Pak Friendship Initiative. Follow on twitter: www.twitter.com/ravinitesh Blog: www.ravinitesh.blogspot.com The West Is Reduced To Looting Itself By Paul Craig Roberts 31 January, 2016 Countercurrents.org Myself, Michael Hudson, John Perkins, and a few others have reported the multi-pronged looting of peoples by Western economic institutions, principally the big New York Banks with the aid of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Third World countries were and are looted by being inticed into development plans for electrification or some such purpose. The gullible and trusting governments are told that they can make their countries rich by taking out foreign loans to implement a Western-presented development plan, with the result being sufficient tax revenues from economic development to service the foreign loan. Seldom, if ever, does this happen. What happens is that the plan results in the country becoming indebted to the limit and beyond of its foreign currency earnings. When the country is unable to service the development loan, the creditors send the IMF to tell the indebted government that the IMF will protect the governments credit rating by lending it the money to pay its bank creditors. However, the conditions are that the government take necessary austerity measures so that the government can repay the IMF. These measures are to curtail public services and the government sector, reduce public pensions, and sell national resources to foreigners. The money saved by reduced social benefits and raised by selling off the countrys assets to foreigners serves to repay the IMF. This is the way the West has historically looted Third World countries. If a countrys president is reluctant to enter into such a deal, he is simply paid bribes, as the Greek governments were, to go along with the looting of the country the president pretends to represent. When this method of looting became exhausted, the West bought up agricultural lands and pushed a policy on Third World countries of abandoning food self-sufficiency and producing one or two crops for export earnings. This policy makes Third World populations dependent on food imports from the West. Typically the export earnings are drained off by corrupt governments or by foreign purchasers who pay little while the foreigners selling food charge much. Thus, self-sufficiency is transformed into indebtedness. With the entire Third World now exploited to the limits possible, the West has turned to looting its own. Ireland has been looted, and the looting of Greece and Portugal is so severe that it has forced large numbers of young women into prostitution. But this doesnt bother the Western conscience. Previously, when a sovereign country found itself with more debt than could be serviced, creditors had to write down the debt to an amount that the country could service. In the 21st century, as I relate in my book, The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism, this traditional rule was abandoned. The new rule is that the people of a country, even a country whose top offiials accepted bribes in order to indebt the country to foreigners, must have their pensions, employment, and social services slashed and valuable national resources such as municipal water systems, ports, the national lottery, and protected national lands, such as the protected Greek islands, sold to foreigners, who have the freedom to raise water prices, deny the Greek government the revenues from the national lottery, and sell the protected national heritage of Greece to real estate developers. What has happened to Greece and Portugal is underway in Spain and Italy. The peoples are powerless because their governments do not represent them. Not only are their governments receiving bribes, the members of the governments are brainwashed that their countries must be in the European Union. Otherwise, they are bypassed by history. The oppressed and suffering peoples themselves are brainwashed in the same way. For example, in Greece the government elected to prevent the looting of Greece was powerless, because the Greek people are brainwashed that no matter the cost to them, they must be in the EU. The combination of propaganda, financial power, stupidity and bribes means that there is no hope for European peoples. The same is true in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK. In the US tens of millions of US citizens have quietly accepted the absence of any interest income on their savings for seven years. Instead of raising questions and protesting, Americans have accepted without thought the propaganda that their existence depends upon the success of a handful of artificially created mega-banks that are too big to fail. Millions of Americans are convinced that it is better for them to draw down their savings than for a corrupt bank to fail. To keep Western peoples confused about the real threat that they face, the people are told that there are terrorists behind every tree, every passport, under every bed, and that all will be killed unless the governments overarching power is unquestioned. So far this has worked perfectly, with one false flag after another reinforcing the faked terror attacks that serve to prevent any awareness that this a hoax for accumulating all income and wealth in a few hands. Not content with their supremacy over democratic peoples, the One Percent has come forward with the Trans-Atlanta and Trans-Pacific partnerships. Allegedly these are free trade deals that will benefit everyone. In truth, these are carefully hidden, secret, deals that give private businesses control over the laws of sovereign governments. For example, it has come to light that under the Trans-Atlantic partnership the National Health Service in the UK could be ruled in the private tribunals set up under the partnership as an impediment to private medical insurance and sued for damages by private firms and even forced into abolishment. The corrupt UK government under Washingtons vassal David Cameron has blocked access to legal documents that show the impact of the Trans-Atlantic partnership on Britains National Health Service. http://www.globalresearch.ca/cameron-desperate-to-stop-scandal-as-secret-plans-to-sell-the-national-health-service-are-discovered/5504306 For any citizen of any Western country who is so stupid or brainwashed as not to have caught on, the entire thrust of their governments policy is to turn every aspect of their lives over to grasping private interests. In the UK the postal service was sold at a nominal price to politically connected private interests. In the US the Republicans, and perhaps the Democrats, intend to privatize Medicare and Social Security, just as they have privatized many aspects of the military and the prison system. Public functions are targets for private profit-making. One of the reasons for the escalation in the cost of the US military budget is its privatization. The privatization of the US prison system has resulted in huge numbers of innocent people being sent to prison, where they are forced to work for Apple Computer, IT services, clothing companies that manufacture for the US military, and a large number of other private businesses. The prison laborers are paid as low as 69 cents per hour, below the Chinese wage. This is America today. Corrupt police. Corrupt prosecutors. Corrupt judges. But maximum profits for US Capitalism from prison labor. Free market economists glorified private prisons, alleging that they would be more efficient. And indeed they are efficient in providing the profits of slave labor for capitalists. Here is a news report on UK Prime Minister Cameron denying information about the effect of the Trans-Atlantic partnership on Britains National Health. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/26/anger-government-blocks-ttip-legal-documents-nhs-health-service The UK Guardian, which often has to prostitute itself in order to maintain a bit of independence, describes the anger that the British people feel toward the governments secrecy about an issue so fundamental to the well being of the British people. Yet, the British continue to vote for political parties that have betrayed the British people. All over Europe, the corrupt Washington-contolled governments have distracted people from their sellout by their governments by focusing their attention on immigrants, whose presence is a consequence of the European governments representing Washingtons interests and not the interest of their own peoples. Somthing dire has happened to the intelligence and awareness of Western peoples who seem no longer capable of comprehending the machinations of their governments. Accountable government in the West is history. Nothing but failure and collapse awaits Western civilization. Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West, How America Was Lost, and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order. Murder In The Cathedral: A Study Of Power Relations By Gaither Stewart 31 January, 2016 Countercurrents.org CC BY-NC-ND by Storm Crypt The worldwide influence of the Roman Catholic Church emanates from the Holy See,which is the Churchs central government headed by the Pope and physically located within the territory of the Vatican State inside the city of Rome with a population of 821. The Holy See has diplomatic relations with world nations which maintain two separate embassies in Rome: one to Italy and one to the Holy See. Now why the hell, one wonders, should Argentina or the USA, China or Gabon maintain diplomatic relations with a church? Likewise the Holy See has its embassies around the world, the nunciatures, while from day to day the Roman Church insists on meddling in Italys and world affairs. Today the Roman Catholic is effectively blocking new legislationon on same sex marriages and concommitant rights in Italy and other countries. One of the first demonstrative acts of each new pope is a triumphant cortege through the streets of Italy, just across the Tiber River from the Vatican. Rome: One Sunday morning in the residential wasteland of Queens, New York, a friend I only thought I knew cited a famous quote of T.S. Eliot, words, my friend said, that had changed his life. As we lumbered through the barren streets of a non-descript neighborhood of non-descript houses and miniscule front yards of dry yellow grass, he suddenly took my arm and apropos of nothing pronounced: The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason. To the two young men walking through dismal Queens, both inebriated with the hubris of youth and morning vodka, two doubters unmindful of even the possibility of God and the debate raging about it, those words spoken in the suburban desert rang humbling, menacing and earth-shaking. Silence followed. Neither of us commented. In the many years since that day in Queens I have never seen the Eliot play performed, and of the film of the same name I recall chiefly the scenes of debauchery of two young friends of 12th century England, one a King, the other his Chancellor and future Archbishop of Canterbury.. Still, the text of Murder in the Cathedral is enduring and lives apart from the performance of play or film as befits the artistic work of a Nobel writer (1948). At home in Rome I occasionally I pull down from the shelf the azure and deep red Faber & Faber edition of the book, anxiously awaiting the lines I first heard on that hot Queens street. Now, in these spring-like winter days I by chance saw a documentary film on the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket and as a Rome resident I follow Pope Francis bid for more temporal power, often with the 12th century Archbishop, Thomas Becket, in mind. Living in Catholic Rome and in the proximity of the Islamic world makes you constantly aware of the age-old persisting power struggle between state and church. The Roman Catholic Church seems to see temporal power as the chief aim of its ministry on earth while an analogous dichotomy between state and religion exists on the Islamic side of the Mediterranean Sea. In any case, I find that Eliots play is an auspicious start for a look at the classical power struggle. The individuals opposition to authority as was that of Thomas Becket, is even more pertinent in todays globalization than it was in Eliots time in the 1930s when fascism was rising in Europe. Although Thomas Beckets internal struggles are the essence of the play, the of secular vs. religious power continues to plague mankind. Those two struggles are the subject of this essay. PART ONE The Events In 1163, the two friends, Thomas Becket (1118-1170), Archbishop of Canterbury and the English King, Henry II (1133-1189), quarreled over the respective power roles of the English Church and Henrys state in change. So stormy did the dispute become that Becket escaped to France to rally support for the Church against the pressures of the State of Henry II. Seven years later, after an apparent reconciliation with his old friend, Becket returned to England only to be murdered in his Canterbury cathedral by four of Henrys knights. CC BY by Ben Sutherland His assassination nearly a millennium ago reminds us of the political murder in modern times of the Archbishop Oscar Romero at the altar of a chapel in El Salvador in 1980. Like Beckets early relationship with the King Henry, Oscar Romero was at first considered an ally of the ruling oligarchy of El Salvador in the grip of US imperialism. However, after he was named Archbishop in 1977, mounting repression, attacks on the clergy, murders of priests and the misery of the poor changed his views. Romero became a spokesman for the poor and the Liberation Theology so despised by reactionary governments on the one hand and by the popes of Rome on the other. Oscar Romero boycotted the new Presidents inauguration on July 1, 1977, denying him the blessing of the Catholic Church, declared the election invalid and outlined in a sermon a moral justification for mutiny against state power. Mural of Oscar Romero as a Monsenor by Giobanny Ascencio y Raul Lemus- Grupo. (CC BY-SA 3.0) As Thomas had intimated 800 years earlier, Romero said: If they kill me, I shall arise in the Salvadoran people. If the threats come to be fulfilled, from this moment I offer my blood to God for the redemption and resurrection of El Salvador. Let my blood be a seed of freedom.. Though he is already called San Romero in El Salvador, a saint-martyr for the faith, the Roman Church still rejects his sanctification because it would be the same as approving the radical pro-poor movement, Liberation Theology, which during the Cold War (and still today) was seen by political power as a Marxist Trojan horse that would allow communism into South America. The complex procedure for Romeros canonization only began in 1997, twenty years after his murder. Still not a Church saint, Romero was merely beatified as a sop to the people by Pope Francis on May 23, 2015. In the England of Henry II, the Crown and the Church were at war for supremacy. Thomas Becket was weaker and had to die. His was a martyrs death. Three years later he was canonized and pilgrims flocked to his tomb, including a repentant Henry II himself, in search of epiphany. The reality was less a story of martyrdom of Becket than it was a story of a political assassination, relevant in all times. While Romeros assassination was in the name of capitalist imperialism, Thomas was murdered by the State of King Henry II in order to supplant Church law with the Kings State courts, to introduce trial by jury and constitutional and legal reforms. His assassination was a case of the wrong thing though for the right reason. Eliots play is thus not just about the murder of Thomas Becket. It is also about standing up for what is right in the face of the temptations of power on the one hand and glory on the other. Henry expected Thomas to allow him to exploit his friendship and his church title in order to abuse the power of the Church for the benefit of the State. Thomas refuseda courageous display of not giving into state powers pressures. Here, Thomas did the right thing for the wrong personal reasons. Somewhere within this narrow interpretation of Eliots intention, apparently lay my drunken friends epiphany which he claimed changed his life. And who can smirk and presume that he exaggerated that hot morning in Queens? As a matter of political approachand unlike T.S. Eliot in his playI am more interested here in the social aims of King Henry II than in the qualms of conscience of Archbishop Thomas Becket. In our daily lives many of us do not yet have someone as powerful as Henry II breathing down our necks. But we do face moral challenges. How to say No! at the risk of being different? Join the majority or dare to remain independent? Display your intelligence or be cool all-American and act dumb? As Oscar Romero showed, power struggles are not all the same. But the issues in this play are disturbingly real and perilously relevant to todays world: mans nearly meaningless place in the conflicts of this era of authoritarian military-industrial power combined confusedly with the churches of philistine fundamentalism, God-is-on-our-side hypocrisy dominating human affairs. On the first level, Eliots Murder in the Cathedral is a play in verse about the dangers of temptations on the way to sainthood or to political power. Thomas Becket resisted several temptations coupled with cajolery and threat. He is offered a return to political power alongside King Henry while at the same time he is accused of disloyalty to the nation and his ecclesiastical office and threatened physically. He is tempted with a return to his halcyon youth with his friend Henry, and the concomitant danger of being forgotten by history. While Thomas if lured by a return to political power, he also tempted by the glory of sainthood for all eternity. He is offered both the glory of martyrdom and earthly pleasure, both of which he sees as human weaknesses. Not wanting to be compromised, he declines the temptation of earthly power. But like Islamic shahids today he allows himself to become Gods instrument and succumbs to the temptation of eternal gloryhis fatal weakness: he allows his pride to lead him to a martyrs death at the hands of powers executioners: the right deed for the wrong reason. Maybe he did not really seek death but his fate did not permit him to act otherwise. To the tempters he responds with these famous words: Now is my way clear, now is the meaning plain; Temptation shall not come in this kind again. The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason. One may justly reject the idea that the martyrdom as a religious heretic of Giordano Bruno in Rome or that of Sophie Scholl as a political dissident in Nazi Munich really contributes much to some greater good because man can live a moral life, full of good deeds, without God, and without ultimate sacrifices to a greater good. As Dostoevsky writes: harmony is not worth the tears of that one tortured child. PART TWO Temporal Power The temporal power of the Roman Catholic Church refers to the political and governmental activities of the Church as distinguished from its spiritual mission. power. Map of Papal States to 1870 (Public Domain) The Popes of Rome named themselves Gods vicars on earth. The former Papal States in Italy achieved the status of a country with relations with other countries. When on Christmas day in the year 800 the Pope crowned Charlemagne Emperor, the Roman Church gained power over the entire Holy Roman Empire. Church and State were one. In our times, though officialy separated, Church and State are again often one. Distant from its religious doctrine and its pastoral mission, the Churchs temporal bent is one of its worst aspects which the Church explains is an unavoidable bridge that must be crossed in order to disseminate the Christian faith: earthly power is considered necessary to spread the doctrine of Jesus Christ. In any case, over and over again religions have shown that they have no capacity for temporal power. We see the proof in practice today in the exercise of power in the USA under the sway of a mystical sort of Americanistic religious persuasion bordering on voodooism infected with the disease of false religion. As Henry II had done before him, Napoleon abolished the Churchs temporal power and in his conquests dissolved the Papal States as natural rivals for power. Temporal power was then restored to the Church by the Congress of Vienna of 1815 when Napoleonic laws were abolished. Back in power, the reactionary Church returned to the destruction of modern improvements and reforms, forcing society back to medieval days, for example in Italy banning vaccination against smallpox which then devasted peoples in Papal lands. The Jews were again locked in the Rome ghetto, while the Churchs historic neglect of the environment made of Latiumexcept for rich Papal estatesthe most godforsaken part of Italy. Finally, in the nineteenth century the new Italian Republic which united the diverse states of the peninsula declared an end to the Papal States. Formally, the Churchs temporal power ended in 1929 with a treaty, the Concordat, between the Vatican State and Italy, according to which the papacy was to have no more political interests in Italy and the rest of the world. But the meddling of the Roman Catholic Church in temporal affairs has never ended. Its continues to be worldwide. The popes and their bishops pressure temporal society on a wide spectrum of civil issues such as marriage and the role of the family, contraception, abortion, euthanasia, same sex marriage and all progressive legislation. Internationally, the Pope makes statements in favor of peace but carefully refrains from serious criticism of the United States from where come substantial funds to pay for the huge Church bureaucracy. In ethics, the Church line is the defense of life in all its aspects, except for capital punishment. Faith and Politics Before shifting my point of view to Henry, a few words about Eliots faith and a guess at his reasons for writing this powerful text, the second and underlying level of his play. The question is germane. Though Eliot embraced Christianity, the more I get to know him the more I wonder if he really believed. Did he believe in what he wrote here and in his Notes Toward A Definition of Culture? In his play, King Henry only hovers in the background as the representation of Thomas past of pleasure, his present of contrast and threat, and the mysterious future. Thomas Becket stands on center stage as if the writer. T.S. Eliot were searching in the Archbishops psyche for answers about his own faiththe temptations, doubts and hesitations Eliot the super but uncertain intellectual felt about his faith and his choices. Dante in Exile CC BY-NC-ND by Antonio Cinotti Among spiritual thinkers and seekers, Eliot returns often to Dante and Shakespeare. Dante, whose universe is dominated by Satan and whose Hell has much more to do with Church and secular politics than religion. Eliot must have known what Thomas-Eliot would say if only he had faith. If only he lived in a world of faith. In the voice of Thomas Becket in the end seeking to purify his motives for accepting martyrdom, Eliot says it: I have had a tremor of bliss, a wink of heaven, a whisper, And I would no longer be denied. Yes, most certainly the writer had his doubts. Not as Dostoevsky, yet, a tremor. A clairvoyant glimpse toward the future. I believe Eliot wanted to believe but I do not believe he even believed he believed. Born to an age of avant-garde thought defined by its rejection of faith in God, Eliot did made faith respectable. Yet his faith seems to have been based on hope. And it was largely aesthetic, prompting Harold Blooms remark that T.S. Eliot aspired to the triple identity he claimed of royalist, Christian, and classicist with considerable bad faith. In Notes Toward the Definition of Culture written after World War II, Eliot wrote of religion in the USSR some lines pertinent today, especially the last phrase: From the official Russian point of view there are two objections to religion: first, religion is apt to provide another loyalty than that claimed by the State; and second, there are several religions in the world still firmly maintained by many believers. Or, he might have added, the concomitant danger of conformity of the State to religion as is the case in puritan America. Lakewood Church in Houston, one of the so-called mega churches. (CC BY 3.0) You can encounter super believers anywhere, those supercilious religious people-bigots who feel superior, convinced that God sustains their actions. The result is their assurance that the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan are holy and that war crimes are just. In their view the just war is a religious war. And in fact, religion is at the heart of many of historys wars. As a rule, the fundamentalist Fascist State uses religion as a tool to manipulate people. The organized religions through which Power works become malleable tools for perpetrating the crime of wars of conquest. This is not necessarily the fault of the religious impulse in human beings. It is the fault of organized religion itself which today justifies the odious slogans in the USA of our way of life and they (the others) hate our freedoms. It is the way the self-proclaimed vicars of Christ exploit organized religion. If not for Eliots own religious hang-up, his play Murder In the Cathedral could have centered on politics, not morality and the spiritual instinct. Instead, for a great part the play is seen from an individual religious point of view. In that sense the murder of Thomas Becket at Canterbury was of less importance for us than the assassination of Archbishop Romero in El Salvador. Thomas was in fact more a rogue killing by soldiers who thought they were carrying out what their King wanted done. Maybe Becket died from an act of stupiditywhich was most certainly not the case of the murder of Oscar Romero. State power knew exactly what it was doing. Still, because of the temporal power of the Catholic Church in the England of Henry II, murdering an archbishop was a dangerous act. Not so for the perpetrators in the El Salvador of our times where the hierarchy of the Roman Church stood on the side of brutal imperialist-capitalist power. To Eliot and the modern reader, Thomas murder was of much less importance than the democratic belief that not even the king is above the law. For that reason, I believe, Eliot centered the play on Beckets motives for sainthood, not on his resistance nor on Henrys potential quest for redemption, and who knows? perhaps the King really hoped for an epiphany. Though the play was written at the time of the rising of Fascism and Nazism in Europe and can be understood also as an individuals opposition to authority as in the Sophocles play Antigone, Beckets internal struggle over his opposition to Henry II is in my reading secondary. Having come into conflict with secular authority, the Archbishop is visited by a succession of tempters urging him alternately to avoid conflict and give in to the King, or, to seek martyrdom. While three priests consider the rise of temporal power, Becket instead reflects on the inevitability of martyrdom, which, though he embraces it, he also interprets it as a sign of his own fatal weakness. Eliots Becket thus becomes a Christ figure whose role is the martyr, reflecting the writers own quest for faithaesthetic or genuine, who knows? In any case, Eliots Becket is led step by step to provoke violence against himself and to submit to it. Self-murder or suicide? Or martyrdom of both suffering and the resulting glory? Henry II, Great Grandson of the Norman Conqueror Henry II via Google Art Project. (Public Domain) Though the King never appears in Eliots play, his shadow is a powerful presence, his power fills Thomass past and present. O Henry, O my King he laments, while the chorus chants: The King rules. Yet though a shadow, the King is human. And state power is real. The priests declaim: But as for our King, that is another matter. Or: Had the King been greater, or had he been weaker Things had perhaps been different for Thomas. Though the author T.S. Eliot leaves little room for partisanship, I began to side with the shadow which is King Henry. In real life the Kings struggles against a strong-willed wife and unruly sons and his relationship with his friend Thomas Becket detract from his accomplishments and lasting influence on Anglo-Saxon judicial systems. Eliot however did not favor the King role at all which the Tempter notes when he offers Thomas eternal glory after a martyrs death: When King is dead, theres another king, And one more king is another reign. King is forgotten, when another shall come: Saint and martyr rule from the tomb. Henry II improved the affairs of his kingdom, reaching from Scotland to the Pyrenees. Though he failed to subject the Church to his courts, his judicial reforms endured. His centralized system of justice and modern court procedures replaced the old trial by ordeal. He initiated the concept of common law administered by royal courts, thus encroaching on feudal courts and on the jurisdiction of Church courts. He decreed that priests should be tried in royal courts, not in Beckets ecclesiastical courts. Henrys aim was the overthrow of the feudal system, unknowingly to him paving the way for the role of the bourgeoisie and capitalism and making him an active link in Marxs historical dialectic. To achieve that he had to control the Church by combining under the crown of England both State and Church. Neither Becket nor the faith could stand in his way. He did not eliminate the Church; he absorbed it and used it. For the same reasons modern political leaders of West and East use religion, wrapping themselves in religious language and religious issuesour Christian values, our Christian heritage and God is on our side. Now, a leap ahead of five centuries to the English Revolution and the three civil wars beginning in 1642. Henry II could not know what he was setting in motion and would have been horrified at the results. For the most radical achievements of the English bourgeois revolution were the temporary abolition and permanent weakening of the monarchy, confiscation of both Church and aristocratic estates. Though not a working-class movement with a revolutionary theory, the English Revolution declared the monarchy unnecessary, burdensome, and dangerous to the liberty, safety and public interest of the people. Henrys impulse resulted centuries later in the execution of the King, a redefinition of the English monarchy and the dangerous and useless House of Lords, and the proclamation of a republic. That is not to say that those 17th century men were particularly foresighted. Still, until recent times western men could see our problems in secular terms because our ancestors had put an end to the use of the Church as a persecuting instrument of political masters. As long as the power of his state was weak, as Henry II understood, the Church could tell people what to believe and how to behave, as do Roman popes today. For behind the threats and censures of the Church, all the terrors of hell fire are real for its unfree believers-subjects. Under Church control as in El Salvador social and political conflicts become also religious conflicts. In 17th century England the haute bourgeoisie was terrified of the revolutionary torrent it had let loose. It needed a reformed monarchy responsive to its interests, to check the flow of popular feeling. It also needed the Church of England. The fear then was todays fear: that the people will rise in revolt in mighty numbers against the rotten capitalist order, which as Marx predicted is indeed rapidly hanging itself with its own rope. As according to Marx religion is the opium of the people and is the close and inalienable ally of political power. A second lesson of the historically under-rated English Revolution was the Revolutions need for organization. People must choose sides. To decide, they must know what they are fighting for. They learned that freedom of assembly and freedom of speech are the first freedoms to fight for. The ruling bourgeoisie needed the people yet it feared them. Therefore it kept also the monarchy as a check against too much democracy. The condition of the petty bourgeoisie of 17th century England was similar to that of the former middle class in the USA today, where what was once the middle class, filled with all its false consciousness, is dependent on the corrupt system, dominated and rocked to sleep by the blandishments and rewards given them by the minute upper class. Therefore, in order to change things, the urgent need for a movement of the lower classesand an informed and educated class to lead the wayboth liberated from the binds of religious fundamentalists in the pay of the system. Civilizations and cultures have meanwhile gone their own ways, some helped along the way, some hindered. Revolution to revolution, social progress and social setbacks. Who knows if civilization has really peaked and its time is up? While we battle for survival, the question of social evolution remains open. The State-Church equation is different today. The issue is raw power itself, Power in which religion is so enmeshed as to be one and the same with the disastrous results before us. As Thomas Becket says to the tempter suggesting a return to his past of power and glory, singing at nightfall, whispering in chambers: We do not know very much of the future Except that from generation to generation The same things happen again and again. Men learn little from others experience. The same time returns. Sever The cord, shed the scale. Only The fool, fixed in his folly, may think He can turn the wheel on which he turns. Gaither Stewart, based in Rome is a veteran journalist and essayist on a broad palette of topics from culture to history and politics, he is also the author of the Europe Trilogy, celebrated spy thrillers whose latest volume, Time of Exile, was just published by Punto Press. It seems people still care about Hovey Lake's future. In my last column, I touched on how I believed that the sprawling state fish and wildlife area wasn't what it used to be to me and so many others in the past. I was far from the only person who lamented Hovey's changing face - the missing buildings, the abandoned camping area and would like to see it restored to its former glory. Tony Greenwell was among them, and certainly the most proactive. The retired businessman and long-time officer and committeeman with the Evansville Chapter of Ducks Unlimited would like to have a voice in helping shape plans for Hovey Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area. "I understand there are plans to build a new headquarters for Hovey Lake," said Greenwell. "I understand this includes relocating the new facility off the actual property, away from the lake. "I have spoken with many people who would like to see a new building in its original location. Doing this utilizes the large parking lot already in place and will help manage the boat ramp." That's where the building was until a 100-year flood on the Ohio River got in the old check station, causing its condemnation and eventual razing. It's just a flat spot now and still subject to the most-extreme whims of the Ohio River. "I understand putting the building back on the existing site would require extra preparation," said Greenwell. "The grade would have to be raised or the building put on pilings. "However, the extra cost would be invaluable to visitors. Any questions could be answered immediately and any potential safety issues with boats or hunters could be resolved quickly." Hovey's new property manager, Nick Echterling, who took over last August, confirmed the Indiana Department of Natural Resources had purchased property for a new headquarters "about six miles" north of the current location on the west side of Ind. 69. "The plan is to build there in the future, although there are no set plans," said Echterling, who was formerly the assistant property manager at Glendale. "It's sometime in the future. "Until then we're going to move the trailer we're currently in up there. That will be this spring or summer." Echterling doesn't have a horse in the race, but Greenwell and others, including me, do. There's a petition drive underway. "I'm right there with Tony," said Evansville jeweler Bryan Turley. "Another (waterfowl) hunter was in the store complaining about Hovey and I showed him the petition. He couldn't wait to sign." Greenwell plans to give plenty of other sportsmen and bird watchers (two dozen wild swans passed through this week) the chance to join the movement. "I'm going to get with every conservation organization I can in the Tri-State," said Greenwell. "I'll have it at the DU Gun Raffle on Feb. 20 at the 4-H Center and anywhere else I can. I'm not going to give this up." Greenwell, Turley and I won't be a party of three. If you want to help, call Greenwell at 812-457-8867 or contact me at stevef752@gmail.com. SHARE Music Tuesday University of Evansville Music Events: Faculty Chamber Winds, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wheeler Concert Hall; faculty recital featuring Alanna Keenan, soprano, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9, Wheeler Concert Hall; faculty recital featuring Carol Dallinger, violin, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16, Wheeler Concert Hall; Wind Ensemble and University Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23, Neu Chapel; Evansville Jazz Society Guest Artist Series, 4 p.m. Feb. 28, Wheeler Concert Hall (general admission $15; members $10; students $5). Call 812-488-2754. Wednesday Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana Brown Bag Concert: The Joshua Academy Voices, noon in the Bower-Suhrheinrich Foundation Gallery, 318 Main St. Other performances include Gina Moore-Thompson, Monte Skelton and Bob Green on Feb. 10; Maestro Alfred Savia will be joined by Professor James Ware of the University of Evansville, Rabbi Gary Mazo and Pastor Kevin Fleming to preview the Evansville Philharmonic presentation of the oratorio "Elijah" on Feb. 17; retired news personality Hal Wolford will present a musical program on Jazz from the Backroads on Feb. 24 (performances are free). Call 812-422-2111. theater Tuesday Peppa Pig Live!: 6 p.m. at Aiken Theatre, 715 Locust St. ($29.50-$39.50, subject to fees). Tickets available at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 800-745-3000 or at ticketmaster.com. Talks & readings Wednesday University of Evansville Andiron Lecture: "Emotional Responsibility and Teaching Ethics: Student Empowerment" presented by Lisa Kretz, UE assistant professor of philosophy, 4 p.m. in Eykamp Hall, Room 252, Ridgway University Center (free). Call 812-488-1070 or 812-488-2589. Extras Sunday Collectors Carnival Antique and Flea Market: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Vanderburgh 4-H Center, 201 E. Boonville-New Harmony Road ($2 per person). Call 812-471-9419 or visit collectorscarnivalshows.com. Tuesday Spring Films: "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" (2011), 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Forum I, University of Southern Indiana; "The Last Command (1928), 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Feb. 16; "You Can't Take it With You" (1938), 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Feb. 23 (films are free). Galleries, Museums Sunday Evansville Museum: 411 SE Riverside Drive, Rob Millard-Mendez's exhibition on display through April 24; 44th Mid-States Craft Exhibition, through March 6. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday (admission to the museum is $7 for adults and $5 for ages 4-17. The museum is open until 8 p.m. Thursdays; free Fridays are the first Friday of each month. Call 812-425-2406 or visit emuseum.org Scholle House: New Harmony, "Painter of the Indiana Dunes: The Art of Frank V. Dudley," through December. Call 812-682-3702. Vincennes University's Shircliff Gallery of Art: "Inside/Outside," a collection of prints and paintings by Robert Eagerton and Peg Fierke, through Friday. The artists will discuss their works at an artists' talk Friday at 10 a.m. A reception will follow (free admission). Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. Call 812-888-4316. Monday The Michael Dunn Gallery: Oakland City University, Cornwell-Reed Fine Arts Center, 138 N. Lucretia St., Oakland City, "Fred Robberts and Jason Stockburger: Drawings, Paintings and Frescos," through Feb. 26. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or by appointment. Call 812-749-1426. Tuesday Koch Family Children's Museum of Evansville: 22 SE Fifth St., The Magic of bubbles, 10:30 a.m., 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Story Time Spot, 10:30 a.m. Thursday and Feb. 11 and 18; Free Family Night, 5-8 p.m. Thursday; Educators' Appreciation Day on Feb. 7; Dino Dig, 10:30 a.m., 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 9-13; Happy Birthday cMoe, 12:30 p.m. Feb. 10; Presidents Day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 15; Windmills, 10:30 a.m., 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 16-20; Military Appreciation Day on Feb. 21; Art Lessons, 10:30 a.m., 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 23-27; Symphony of Color presented by the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. View works of art by local students inspired by classical music, Feb. 23-29. Call 812-464-2663 or visit cmoekids.org. By Bradie Gray The baby born of a woman who died after the September Interstate 69 van wreck was released from the St. Mary's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit this week. After being born at 24 weeks, defeating a 50 percent survival rate and a four-month stay in the NICU, the baby is in good health. St. Mary's does not have consent to release the sex or name of the baby, date of release, caregiver or caregivers' identity or medical treatment details. The baby's mother, Christela Georges, 29, was one of two people killed after an overcrowded 16-passenger van overturned on Interstate 69 on Sept. 24. Georges died the morning after the wreck. The crash also killed 60-year-old Gena Moise. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Both women were natives of Haiti who were living in Washington, Indiana. Crash investigators said one of the van's rear tires blew out while the vehicle was traveling near the Fort Branch exit in Gibson County. It overturned with a total of 24 people inside. Officials have said a combination of the van being overloaded and having four badly worn tires contributed to the crash. The driver of the overcrowded van, James D. Allen, was also under the influence of a controlled substance during the time of the crash and is now facing 19 criminal charges. The van was traveling from the Washington area to Vanderburgh County because the occupants were scheduled to work at AmeriQual. SHARE By Mary Berendes With a renewed emphasis on the church to meet the needs of their congregation in relation to holistic health, community health, spiritual health and professionalism Faith Community Nurses and Health Ministry Teams are rising to the challenge. FCN do not provide hands-on care (such as; changing wound dressings or blood draws), but we do evaluate and help congregation members find resources for medical/social services in the community. Often FCNs arrange for health screenings, provide speakers for education programs, set up exercise classes, and provide articles for bulletins and newsletters on topics of spirituality and health. Providing the Faith Community Health within my church community of All Saints Church is where the light of nursing and spirituality come together. The ability to serve others spiritually while using my professional training brings a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment. I am currently chair of the Tri-State Health Ministry Organization. Our mission is to support people of faith who promote whole-person health through faith groups in the communities they serve. Tri-State Health Ministry Organization was established in 1995 as the Tri-State Parish Nurse Organization. In November of 2005, it was decided to rename the group TSHMO to encompass all health ministries. The purpose of our organization is to promote faith community nursing and health ministry within all faith-based communities, regardless of denomination. This is accomplished by providing guidelines, resources, support, and training to any interested nurse and/or health ministry members. A large part of the ministry involves assessing and evaluating the congregation and their predominant life-style issues. We are then able to begin organizing healthy lifestyle programs designed to address ongoing physical and spiritual health. Programming may include organizing exercise classes or nutrition classes. The FCNs also act as advocates, helping individual congregation members navigate the health care system and find the services they need. TSHMO invites anyone to attend our meetings. The group meets on a quarterly basis and a variety of guest speakers as well as networking opportunities. Nurses from around the Tristate attend and share resources and ideas. The meetings can be a vital aspect of developing and growing their health ministry programs. The next meeting will be April 4 with Mary Ellen Ziliak, a local nurse and MS Advocate. as a guest speaker. TSHMO, Welborn Baptist Foundation, University of Southern Indiana and Vincennes University-Jasper Campus work together to promote Faith Community Nursing through the initial training course. USI offers Faith Community Nursing Certification classes twice a year. The spring class begins March 21 with a registration deadline of March 11. VUJC offers a weekend course beginning March 4, 2016 with a registration deadline of February 26, 2016. To participate contact one of these organization: The Tri-State Health Ministry Organization at www.tristatehealthministry.org Welborn Baptist Foundation at (812) 437-8260 or www.welbornfdn.org USI Faith Community Nursing Certification Program at USI.edu/health/certificate-programs Vincennes University Jasper Campus Foundations of Faith Community Nursing at vujcce.edu Mary Berendes is Chairperson of TSHMO, a FCN at All Saints Church and a proud partner of the HCP HealthyByFive.org Photos by JASON CLARK / COURIER & PRESS Lauren Risley of Evansville hands out cups filled with chicken, fish and sausage gumbo while working at the Snicker Doddle Kids booth during the third annual Gumbo Cook-off along Franklin Street in Evansville Saturday. Risleys booth was collecting money for the Ronald McDonald House. SHARE Scott Herrenbruck of Evansville pours gumbo into a container while volunteering at the Atlas Van Lines booth. Herrenbrucks booth was collecting money for United Way during the event. JASON CLARK / COURIER & PRESS Cook-off attendees line up for gumbo outside of Schon Boutique during the third annual Gumbo Cook-off along Franklin Street in Evansville Saturday. That booth was collecting money for Another Chance for Animals. JASON CLARK / COURIER & PRESS Dalton Greenwell of Owensville plays his soprano saxophone outside of Thyme in the Kitchen during the third annual Gumbo Cook-off along Franklin Street in Evansville Saturday. The business was collecting money for Special Olympics of Vanderburgh County. By Megan Thorne People wearing colorful Mardi Gras beads held tiny cups filled with gumbo Saturday, scurrying from booth to booth on Franklin Street trying to experience all the options before voting. This year's annual Gumbo Cook-off featured 15 nonprofit organizations and raised over $15,000 to help them out. In its third year, the cook-off sold more than 100 wristbands and gave people an option to consume about 44 ounces of gumbo if they went to every tent. Nicole Shultz jumped around dressed in a green and purple polka-dotted outfit with a matching purple and green checkered mask, handing out beads with her husband who was in a bright red crawfish suit. As the two laughed and danced around, Shultz said this was her favorite part of the event: being able to dress up and have fun. Shultz said this is her third year being with Villages team a foster agency and said this year they had an advantage with their gumbo. "We are so lucky," Shultz said. "The kitchen manager here makes the gumbo and he is from Louisiana, so it's about as authentic as you're going to get in terms of gumbo." Shultz said she likes the events like this because it gives nonprofits an opportunity to connect with people and to help share with them what the organization does. "We come out to have an opportunity to interact with people, serve gumbo and have fun," she said. Doug Wilcox and Jimmy Morrow, members of the Guardianship Services of Southwest Indiana, said their gumbo was unique due to it not being spicy. "Our gumbo is a Cajun recipe. We have chicken, ham and sausage. We can't disclose the spices we put in there, but it is not hot," Wilcox said as he stirred and served his gumbo. "A true gumbo is not spicy because it is meant for the whole clan, or family, and all the kids have to eat it, too. It's a creamy chicken, peppery, onion gumbo." Wilcox said they started making their gumbo at 10:30 a.m. Friday and they finished at 7:30 p.m. with 23 gallons. "We have been making gumbo or Cajun food for about 15 to 20 years," he said. "We just got into cooking (for the cook-off) last year." Jeff Thompson from the West Side Nut Club also had a special touch with his gumbo by including smoked pulled pork with Tasso Creole smoked ham which took them over six hours to make. "We just ran out with almost an hour left," Thompson said at about 3 p.m. Saturday. "We had about 13 gallons and we went through it really quick." Thompson said he has been planning for this for about a month now and it was just a matter of buying all the ingredients. "It's more than buying one onion," he said. "You have to buy like 24 onions." As people crowded around to get the last of the West Side Nut Club gumbo, Robert Wolfe was among those who enjoyed the pulled pork taste. "I was in New Orleans last year and it kind of reminds me of that because of the gumbo on the street and people out and socializing and just having fun," Wolfe said. Although Wolfe said it doesn't have quite the same feel as New Orleans, he is glad Evansville is doing events like this. Amy Word, president of the Franklin Street Events Association and owner of Lamasco Bar and Grill, said this event is absolutely fantastic. "We have got about 100 people who came out to support 15 different nonprofits, we are raising about $15,000 for an afternoon of eating gumbo," Word said. "It can't get any better than that." Word has been a gumbo fan for quite some time and she said at Lamasco they have always done a big Mardi Gras celebration with gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice and this was a great way to kick off the event next week and to have fun with friends. "Everyone gets to eat for a great cause," she said. The People's Choice Award in the Gumbo Cook-off for the third year in a row went to the team from Special Olympics, who raised $1,097.5 in their bucket. Most Spirited also went to Special Olympics. Best Gumbo went to Thyme in the Kitchen (for a three-peat); tied for second and third place were Tin Man Brewing Company and Smitty's Italian Steakhouse. The Celebrity Judge choices went to Sochon Boutique for Most Exotic; Smitty's Italian Steakhouse for Best Gumbo and Tin Man Brewing Company for most spicy. SHARE evansville YMCA to host 28th annual Pancke Days The YMCA will host its 28th annual Pancake Days. Proceeds are used to provide financial assistance for children and families who are unable to afford program costs. Hours will be 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 19 and 20 and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Downtown YMCA at 222 NW Sixth St. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for kids and includes all the pancakes you can eat. In addition to food, there will be live music, a magic show and gospel groups. For more information, visit ymcaswin.org. SHARE The Rev. Michael Coyner said it best: "First, do no harm." In a commentary published in Saturday's Courier & Press, the bishop for Indiana's United Methodist Church was referring to the state Legislature's attempts to balance religious freedom with equal rights to all with a tenet that failed first Gov. Mike Pence and, to this point, the Legislature. He just as well could have been pointing to ongoing attempts to fix school assessments in this state. ISTEP Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress is, undeniably, a failure. Three separate attempts to find a workable test for elementary and high school students have done nothing but alienate teachers, frustrate parents, and border on belittling students. Finding a fix has been impossible. It didn't help that former school chief Tony Bennett's tenure ended not only in an election loss to little-known Glenda Ritz but in disgrace over playing favorites in the grading process. It also didn't help that Ritz, a Democrat, has spent much of her term battling a Republican-leaning State Board of Education. An answer must be found, and it could be in one of the Methodists' founding rules: "First, do no harm." Or, in Hoosier speak, keep it simple. Let teachers teach. No one does his best work under intense scrutiny or with the fear that they may suffer economically. An engaged principal, through interaction with students, parents and other teachers, will know who's doing the job. Those who aren't should be managed out of our schools. Make time in the day for reading. Even if school hours must be extended, set aside time for reading comic books, text books, Harry Potter for every grade level. It may sound simplistic, but if all our students have the ability to read, write, add and subtract and don't for a moment believe all do they'll have a much better chance for success. Put your best teachers in the poorest performing schools and keep them there. In a Canvass podcast archived at courierpress.com, Tamara Skinner, principal of the high-risk (and ISTEP failing) Glenwood Leadership Academy, said her school had made 74 teaching hires in four years, basically turning over the staff twice. Students in at-risk schools never get a chance to bond with teachers, who never get a chance to know families. As Skinner, who has about 400 students, said, "Your first year on the job is not your best year." There must be incentives to keep teachers in tough positions. Hold school systems, not individual schools, accountable. Economics and geography determine whether a school is filled with students who are well-fed, well-rested and come from stable environments, or are hungry, tired and don't sleep in their own bed. Businesses and voters are more likely to invest their time and effort if the struggles of a center-city school directly reflect on their suburban situation. Elected school boards might then understand that no matter how many times they agree-to-unanimously-agree, it's their responsibility not the state's to hold administrators accountable for our children's progress. The Legislature must do no harm. Local school officials must do more good. All of our students must be given an equal chance at success. This editorial was written by Tim Ethridge on behalf of the Courier & Press editorial board. Email team at tim.ethridge@courierpress.com or tweet to him at @ECP_TimEthridge. SHARE In less than a year, Barack Obama no longer will be president of the United States. For many Americans, that will be cause for rejoicing. Most conservatives in this country have seen Obama's rise to power as little more than an abomination, an ongoing assault on all they hold dear. From the beginning, they have blamed him for every problem, real or perceived, they and this country face. Many progressives see him as a disappointment, a leader who failed to meet the lofty expectations they had for his presidency because he couldn't, single-handedly, reverse a half-century-long drift to the right in American politics. They dismissed his successes in the face of unremitting opposition as capitulations, half-measures that hurt rather than help the cause. In his State of the Union speech a few days ago, Obama expressed regret that he had not been able to do more to bridge the divide separating Americans. That part of his address met with guffaws on the right and shrugs of dismissal on the left. Then the world moved on. It's an election year, and the president's speech was the last stop before the campaigning could kick into top gear. Lost in the rush to hustle votes was the fact that Obama did try to bridge the chasm separating us. No presidential candidate in either political party is trying to do that right now. Elections, admittedly, are about forcing choices. They are designed to make people pick one party or the other, elevate one candidate above a pack. Still, it's difficult to argue that 2016's crop of presidential hopefuls hasn't escalated the natural electoral politics of division to growling new levels. On the Republican side, candidates for the nation's highest office have vied to determine who will build the biggest and most formidable wall along the Mexican and, at times the Canadian borders. They've blasted immigrants as criminals and thugs and pledged to ban Muslims from the country. On the Democratic side, the candidates at different times have declared the National Rifle Association and Republicans as the "enemy." They've called for a war on Wall Street and Americans of wealth, attacking all signs of affluence as inherent proof of moral and spiritual corruption. Nowhere on either side of this divide is there a sense that, regardless of background, faith, social status or other circumstance of birth, we all are part of one country that we are linked in the sacred work of preserving the world's oldest self-governing society. When he ran for president, part of the reason Barack Obama kept his message somewhat vague Hope and Change was that he wanted to reserve room to reach across partisan and ideological divides. He talked on the stump of redrawing the political map and ushering in a new era of consensus. That's what he attempted to do. He miscalculated, of course both in terms of the resistance he would face from the right and the length of the leash the left would allow him. The health care reform plan that became the signature domestic policy initiative of his presidency drew its inspiration from a concept first developed by a conservative think tank and adopted by a Republican governor, the man who would run against Obama in the 2012 election Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. That presidential campaign was a wearying, dispiriting affair but it may have proved to be a turning point in American history the last time, for the foreseeable future, that both presidential candidates tried to claim the political center. In vain, as it turned out. The cliche now is to cite William Butler Yeats and lament that the center cannot hold. True enough, but I find myself these days thinking more and more about a prescient essay the late rock critic Lester Bangs wrote about the death of Elvis Presley. Bangs said we never would agree on a cultural figure again the way we agreed about Elvis. Days of division and fragmentation, he said, stretched before us. He wrote that, rather than say goodbye to Elvis, we should say goodbye to each other. Barack Obama will depart office soon, leaving behind an America where citizens snarl at instead of speak to each other. Instead of saying goodbye to him, perhaps we Americans should say goodbye to each other. John Krull is director of Franklin College's Pulliam School of Journalism, host of "No Limits" WFYI 90.1 Indianapolis and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students. Continue Reading Below Advertisement "It's not all whips and chains," Holland says. "It gets much more strange than that. I had a session with a guy once who had -- I'm not kidding -- a denim fetish. He liked the look and feel of denim, and only wanted me to try on a ton of denim clothing while he watched. We've also done a couple of crying fetish sessions where the client just wants to watch you cry, one where he wants to hit you hard enough to make you cry, and one where he wants you to cry because you are 'so sorry' for some made-up thing you did. There's also a client who comes in and wants one of us to tell him the story of a car accident in graphic detail. There's even one client who likes to just sit and talk about how he would eat you if he could -- like, literally go Jeffrey Dahmer on you." studio2013/iStock/Getty Images Continue Reading Below Advertisement In a building full of whips, it's still possible to be more intimidated by the plastic forks in the employee lounge. Clearly, you have to have an open mind to do this kind of work. Holland can't exactly pass judgment, because it would be kind of a gimp-calling-the-mistress-black situation: "The other day, I had a client who came in for some basic S&M play, and after flogging me, he exclaimed, 'I have no idea why I do this, but I've always liked it.' I can relate. I don't know why I have a predilection toward giving and receiving pain, but I'm glad I've found an environment where I can safely act out my BDSM fantasies and help others do the same." Continue Reading Below Advertisement Holland Jones is a writer and instigator of mischief whose favorite hobby is skinny dipping. You can read her unsolicited sex and relationship advice here. You can hurl insults at Manna for free on Twitter. Where did the Academy Awards go wrong? What used to be a prestigious event is more and more becoming a train wreck worthy of its own bullshit-filled "based on a true story" film. Join us at the UCB Sunset Theatre on Feb. 3 at 7:00 p.m. for a LIVE podcast featuring Stanley Wong (The Big Short), Liana Maeby (South On Highland), Jack O'Brien, Dan O'Brien, and Alex Schmidt as they break down where the Oscars have lost their way and how they can be fixed. Get your tickets here! For more insider perspectives, check out 7 Strange Realities Of BDSM '50 Shades Of Grey' Leaves Out and No Fat Tourists: 5 Rules Of Life As A Prostitute In Vietnam. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check out 11 Sex Toys Seemingly Designed To Ruin Sex, and watch other videos you won't see on the site! Also, follow us on Facebook, but don't expect us to touch your gabbles. Have a story to share with Cracked? Email us here! Microsoft is making major changes to volume licensing as its steers away from Enterprise Agreements (EAs) and toward newer, more flexible models. From 1 July 2016, the software giant will increase the minimum threshold for EAs from 250 seats or devices up to 500. Resellers will still need to engage Licensing Solutions Partners (LSPs), such as Data#3, Datacom, HP or Insight to obtain MPSA licences for sub-500 seat customers. (Note: a previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the coming change meant resellers could buy MPSA licences without engaging LSP partners.) Instead of EAs, customers will be steered toward one of two alternative licensing constructs a Microsoft Products & Services Agreement (MPSA) or the new Cloud Solutions Provider (CSP) program. Customers currently on an EA will be given the option of a one-time, 36-month extension when their current agreement expires. The only exception is government clients, which will be able to stay on EAs from 250 seats and above. According to a Microsoft 'field FAQ' document obtained by CRN, "Partners have asked us to simplify the purchasing experience, in particular reducing the high cost of sales and deal complexity. Also, customer data confirms that MPSA and/or CSP can be a better fit for sub-500 customers." Microsoft said that 67 percent of new EAs were for customers with fewer than 500 users, but that renewal rates in this sector were "weak", with a significant portion choosing not to renew at the end of the three-year EA term. "This leads us to believe that the EA is no longer the ideal licensing vehicle for these customers," Microsoft advised customers. MPSA will be the recommended alternative. Unlike the three-year term of an EA, the MPSA licence comes in one-, two-, or three-year durations, and "will soon offer short-term durations of between one to 11 months". "MPSA is the fastest and most flexible way for customers to buy all the software and cloud services they need through one simplified agreement. With MPSA, customers can create a purchasing structure that meets their organisational needs and at the same optimise pricing through point consolidation," according to the Microsoft document. CSP is another option; this licensing construct covers cloud services such as Office 365 and Intune and can be bought through Microsoft distributors Ingram Micro and Rhipe. However, Microsoft stressed that EAs are not being retired and remain "our flagship volume licensing solution for enterprise cusomters with 500 or more users/devices". Why the change? Dr Joseph Sweeney, advisor at IBRS and Microsoft watcher, told iTnews part of the reason for Microsoft's change in policy was the midmarket's tendency to sweat assets for as long as possible. "It's an issue that's been haunting Microsoft for some years now. People realised they didn't need to upgrade, they could sweat assets because Microsoft kit is pretty solid in the long run," Sweeney said. "Under a traditional EA, when organisations realised they weren't going to be upgrading in any serious way for three years, a lot of them moved to an on-premise version only and sweated that asset." Microsoft's volume licensing partners will remain responsible for MPSA licensing for 250 to 500-seats customers. As part of the change, Microsoft is introducing a new rebate for these companies which used be known as LARs and include Data#3, HP, Datacom, Dimension Data, Insight, SoftwareOne, Rhipe, Staples and Dell of $5,000 for "every qualified order per customer who purchases 250 or more licenses for enterprise products or enterprise online services on MPSA". Brad Colledge, executive general manager at Data#3, told CRN that the shift from the EA to MPSA model was "nothing new to those that are close to Microsoft volume licensing". He said most customers will continue to buy MPSA licences through Data#3, adding that the Brisbane-based company is also a CSP partner. "MPSA was indeed introduced as the next-generation volume licensing program to reduce complexity and make it easier for customers to consume Microsoft technology either on premise or in the cloud. "It makes sense that Microsoft will gradually implement MPSA into the traditional volume licensing markets reducing the dependency on EAs," said Colledge. Karl Sice, head of Staples Technology Solutions in Australia, said he was "not at all surprised at changes to the traditional LAR-LSP model". "The fact they launched CSP last year was an early warning bell that this part of the market was changing," said Sice. Volume licensing can be big-dollar deals for example, Data#3 received a $49 million payment from the Department of Finance for software licensing and maintenance for Microsoft products but pure licence sales are widely viewed as low-margin. "No one can make margin in that business," Sice added. Channel reaction Nathan Belling, general manager of Brisbane-based Insync Technology, said the problem with Enterprise Agreements for the midmarket was they didnt align to Microsoft's mobile and cloud focus. "Businesses are transforming so rapidly. Say you have 250 staff and sign an EA for three years then lose some staff you are stuck paying that 250 for years after." Chris Greatrex, chief executive of Sydney-based Artis Group, said there was still reticence over buying licensing through an LSP. "With the EA, you are dealing with an LSP. We work mainly in the enterprise space, in government, where there are a lot of EAs. We will often have to stop the design discussion to engage the LSP to look at the licensing consideration. Say Dimension Data or Data#3 are the licensing partner. Because they have the specific pricing for that customer, we have to expose our architectural designs to our competitors to keep those discussions going and lock down the most cost-effective design." Stephen Parker, former head of cloud strategy at Microsoft distributor Rhipe, said the EA construct was "long in the tooth" and would be "replaced by a more flexible program" in MPSA. "EAs were originally designed for big companies rolling out Microsoft products. But an 1000-employee organisation only had 250 seats in a day when only top power workers had a PC. Now a 50-person organisation can have 200 devices," said Parker, who now heads up his own consultancy, 1 Vision OT. Consumption economics When expensive licences go unused "shelfware" it makes the customer less likely to renew or pushes them toward free or cheaper alternatives. Microsoft has increasingly been focused on the metric of consumption because it shows customers are using what they paid for. The problem, said Insync's Belling, is when the "customer gets 12 months into the EA and they haven't deployed anything. Why would I renew?" However, if the customer has deployed the software and "they are using it, they are happy to renew", added Belling. Microsoft has ways to promote usage and hence renewals, such as its T-36 program which seeks to demonstrate business value in Enterprise Agreements. The software vendor is increasingly compensating resellers based on customers' active usage of products something much easier to track with cloud services like Office 365. Updated with comments from Data#3 and clarification of the role of LSPs in MPSA licences. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Connecticut cant compete with lower-cost states in the South, officials have managed to appeal to businesses that place importance on less tangible benefits like quality of life and a highly educated workforce. But with its neighbor to the north emerging as a growing economic force, those attributes dont go as far. Massachusetts, chosen two weeks ago as the new home for General Electric, presents a unique challenge to Connecticut, with good schools and high incomes in its own right. And according to data from Fitch Ratings, the Bay State is attracting businesses in key sectors even as they are fleeing Connecticut. Its been a hard recovery for a number of sectors that call Connecticut home, said Richard Park, a director who analyzes data for Fitch, citing the finance and insurance industries. That stress, combined with GEs move, paints a picture of how much of a struggle Connecticut is having compared to some of its neighbors. According to many national surveys ranking business friendliness, Massachusetts and Connecticut have similar profiles. CNBCs 2015 ranking of Americas Top States for Business puts Massachusetts at No. 20, with high marks for education and technology but low grades for living expenses and the cost of doing business. The same survey put Connecticut at No. 33, with roughly the same strengths and weaknesses, only more pronounced in most cases. Massachusetts, however, has a world-renowned city in Boston, which puts the state in a different category and has been cited among the top reasons for GEs planned departure. In effect, Connecticut is competing with a mirror image of itself while having no answer for its counterparts greatest asset. Massachusetts has had a pretty robust economy in recent years, largely driven by greater Boston, Park said, calling the technology and health care sectors major drivers of job growth. Its a result of the knowledge industries that have built a presence in Boston over the last few decades. The abundance of universities, which include Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the research they perform was specifically cited by GE as a reason for its move. GE is giving itself access to the talent pool in greater Boston, said Douglas Offerman, a senior director in Fitchs states group who rates Connecticut. The tax part of the story has gotten a lot of the headlines, but there is so much more to the story than that. Gains and losses According to Fitch, between 2009 and 2013 Massachusetts has added companies in the information industry; professional, scientific and technical services; and management of companies and enterprises, while Connecticut has lost companies in each of those fields. However, even as Connecticut was losing companies, it did manage to add employees in both the information and professional services category, while losing workers in executive management roles. The data from 2013 is the most recent available. In Connecticut, among the concerns during the slow economic recovery has been the replacement of high-salaried pre-recession jobs with lower-paying positions, so that the overall employment numbers may nearly match, but the lower pay means less tax revenue coming in. The loss of companies in the management category fits that pattern, analysts said. If youre losing headquarters and corporate jobs, youre losing higher-paying jobs, and if theyre not being replaced, you may replace them with jobs that are not of equal pay and quality, Park said. The tax question Though Boston is proving a major draw for companies, there are other differences in Massachusetts offerings that make it competitive, even as both states rank high nationally on costs. The corporate tax rate is a little lower in Massachusetts, but not by much, Offerman said, with Massachusetts at 8 percent and Connecticut at 9 percent. More significant, he said, is the personal income tax. Connecticut has gone from being much simpler to having multiple brackets now, Offerman said, with the highest tax rate of 6.99 percent comparing unfavorably with Massachusetts flat 5.1 percent rate. Its symbolic of a state trying to realign its revenue to support the spending it thinks it needs to have, Offerman said. Connecticuts surtax on corporate income has also raised objections, he said. The history was that it was put in during a downturn, and they pulled it back during a recovery, Offerman said. But it has become more or less a permanent tax. It starts to become a symbol of a broader willingness to tax corporations. Playing to strengths Without a Boston, and with somewhat higher costs, Connecticut could look to some of its other selling points when competing with Massachusetts. But they are factors that earn high marks in both states. We have great schools, a highly skilled and highly educated work force, and a high quality of life, said Peter Gioia, vice president and economist with the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. Massachusetts has got all that, too, and in some of them they rank higher than us. Not only do they have that, but they have the kind of predictability that we havent been able to offer. While acknowledging Massachusetts has been known in the past as unfriendly to business, Gioia said the state is moving in the right direction. Massachusetts is still a high-cost state, he said. But they seem to be moving toward lowering that cost, and theres more predictability in how they treat businesses. In the last 10 years here, you never know whats going to come out of the General Assembly. He said some people among the Hartford establishment are starting to understand the problems. I think the governor gets it, he said. Some of the legislators who dont win by a lot they get it. But theres a large number who are so protected, so insulated, that it hasnt started to sink in yet what a problem we have. News / Africa by Stephen Jakes The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Cameroonian authorities to drop all charges against three journalists for failing to disclose information to the state. The three are scheduled to stand trial before a military court on Friday.Baba Wame, president of the Association of Cyber Journalists, Rodrigue Tongue, a reporter who formerly worked for the privately owned daily Le Messager, and Felix Cyriaque Ebole Bola, a reporter for the privately owned daily Mutations, will appear in the military court in Yaounde on charges of "non-denunciation," Denis Nkwebo, president of the Cameroon Journalism Trade Union, told CPJ."Journalists should not be required to disclose information they uncover in their work or act as police informers," said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Sue Valentine. "The government should immediately drop these charges against Baba Wame, Rodrigue Tongue, and Felix Cyriaque Ebole Bola, and allow all journalists to do their work without fear of prosecution."The journalists were first charged with failing to disclose information that could harm national security on October 28, 2014, according to news reports. According to the news website Camer.be, they had found allegations that members of the security forces were colluding with the leader of an armed group from Central African Republic.When they charged the journalists, prosecutors also issued an order banning them from publishing in the news media and requiring them to register with police weekly. That order expired in January 2015, according to reports.If convicted, the three journalists face jail terms of between one to five years and a fine between 50,000 and 5 million Central African Francs (US$83 to $8257), according to Amnesty International.The journalists deny having uncovered any information about any act that could have harmed Cameroon's national security, and maintain that they were bound to protect their confidential sources, the reports said. BRIDGEPORT The solar panel field United Illuminating is installing atop the old city landfill is supposed to further solidify Bridgeports standing as a leader in green industry. But subcontractors involved in the project one local, one from New York claim they are being stiffed the long green they were supposed to be earning, which has delayed the high profile installation. UI, which began leasing the shuttered dump in 2014 from then-Mayor Bill Finchs administration, had hoped to commission the 9,000 solar panels by December. This issue has delayed that date, said UI spokesman Michael West. West said the solar field is ninety-nine percent complete and should be operational by early March. P&C Fence Company of Bridgeport and New York-based Eldor Contracting Corporation have filed separate mechanics liens to recoup nearly $1.9 million they allege they are owed by main contractor American Capital Energy of Massachusetts. Filed with the Town Clerk, a mechanics lien is, according to findlaw.com, a legal claim against property that has been remodeled or improved ... to recover the money. The legal website said the aggrieved contractors usually then have two to six months after filing to resolve the issue or head to court. Eldor is, according to the liens, owed $1.2 million for wiring and other equipment and P&C is owed $679,320. West said UI is trying to help the contractor and subcontractors work out their differences. We dont try to manage the subcontractors. We manage the contractor, West said. Legal documents filed in Massachusetts and provided Hearst Connecticut Media indicate ACE faced a similar complaint about failing to pay a subcontractor for nine solar projects in that state. Ronald Pacacha, an attorney for the city who had helped negotiate the landfill lease with UI, on Friday confirmed ACEs money woes. (ACE) has recently run into financial problems on other projects and has been late in making payments to subs (subcontractors), Pacacha wrote in an email sent to Av Harris, spokesman for Mayor Joseph Ganim. West said ACE was chosen following a competitive bidding process. It included checking into some past performance, West said. My understanding is some of the issues that this company now has began after we actually had already signed an agreement and contract. West would not say whether UI required ACE to have a performance bond essentially money set aside as insurance to ensure the job was properly completed and to cover outstanding issues. Pacacha said that, according to UIs project manager, ACE was supposed to provide a bond but did not, and UIs people failed to make sure that a payment bond was posted. West said UI has withheld some payments from ACE. West said, Our ultimate goal is to get the project completed, online and to provide this clean, green and reliable power to our customers. UI also benefits. According to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the solar panels once activated will qualify for a New England renewable energy program and energy credits. Championed by Finch and the Bridgeport business community, the solar field proved far more controversial than initially anticipated. Some residents questioned the 20 year leases terms UI will pay Bridgeport $7 million total. Others argued the solar panels would defile views of Long Island Sound and the citys nearby Seaside Park, and that the landfill should be used for passive recreation. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HARTFORD With every seat up for grabs in November, the General Assembly will reconvene Wednesday in the shadow of General Electrics exodus to Boston, an angry political climate and rising deficits. Its going to be acrimonious, said State Sen. Scott Frantz, R-Greenwich. The big issue is the budget and its an election year. We have our hands full. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, scheduled to offer budget adjustments and kick off the session with the annual State of the State speech, is not supporting new taxes. The governor is not proposing tax increases, nor will he support them, said Devon Puglia, Malloys spokesman. This is a tough budget that will require a different solution. Malloy plans to delay until next year decisions over higher gas taxes, electronic congestion tolls and other ways to fund his 30-year, $100 billion plan to improve the states roads, rails and bridges. Instead, he is expected to focus on getting a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would place a lockbox around state transportation funds and prevent legislators from using the money for other purposes. Criminal justice reforms to make it easier for nonviolent offenders to make bail and raise the age for some criminal charges to 21 are also at the top of Malloys list. While growing deficits - estimated at more than $500 million next fiscal year - will dominate the session, there will be plenty of room for discussions of other issues. State Rep. William Tong, D-Stamford, said because of the Stamford High School sex scandal the passing the trash legislation, will be an important one this year. The legislation would require school districts to disclose personnel information and allegations of abuse when a teacher is considered for a job in another school district. It would make it a felony to fail to report such information, he said. Red ink The states deficit this year has grown to $72 million, the nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis says, despite significant budget adjustments last fall. A deficit of more than $500 million is projected for the 2017 fiscal year. The deficit is being blamed on lower than anticipated income tax revenue. Still, Malloy is holding firm on his no new taxes pledge. I have made it clear that I am not proposing the raising of any taxes and I oppose the raising of taxes across the board, Malloy recently told reporters. No one believes him anymore, said State Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, referring to Malloy. Where are they going to take the money from? Boucher said. You cant be running hundreds of millions in shortfalls every year. Its sounds like they want to withhold road and education aid to towns and cities. People are worried about the financial crisis and tolls and higher gas taxes and mansion taxes. House Speaker Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, said he wants to find ways to increase efficiency in local and state government through regionalizing services and removing duplication. He noted replacing local police call and dispatch centers with regional facilities, and pushing towns to adopt the same school calender regionwide required this year for the first time could save significant dollars. We can incentivize this, Sharkey said. But if this is the way they want to go, we are not going to pay for it anymore. The moment is here when he have to demand more efficiencies at the state and local level and target savings rather and focus on cuts. Boucher noted there are 16 union contacts with state employees up for renewal this year and urged the Democratic majority to find savings there. State Rep. Steven Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, said lawmakers need to have a conversation about deficits, taxes, the business climate and the states competitiveness. We know the challenges, Stafstrom said. Its a matter of finding solutions. Everyone is committed to addressing the big problems. We need to look at the transportation system and long term pension obligations. We need to talk about the cost of doing business in Connecticut, and that involves property tax reform. Obstructionists During a talk radio show appearance last week, Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said he fears Democrats will wait until after the election to raise taxes. My fear is the Democratic majority is nervous and dont have an answer, Fasano said on WTIC 1080 radio. They know that if they raise taxes and cut services they will have a problem with voters come November. They will try to stall this out and wait until after the elections and say we have to raise taxes. State Rep. Robert Godfrey, D-Danbury, said the deficit is not the result of poor management. We have not gone on a spending spree. The revenue is declining. The question will be how deep are the [spending] cuts, he said. I expect Republicans to be obstructionists, and that they have no plan of their own, Godfrey said of the minority party. They wont actually do anything. I get tired of hearing how we have to make Connecticut safe for really rich people and if you get sick, too bad. Justice reforms Malloy last week unveiled new criminal justice reforms as part of his Second Chance initiative. Criminal justice is evolving, and Connecticut should be at the forefront of implementing cutting-edge strategies, he said. Malloy is seeking to raise the age under which a juvenile can be charged with certain criminal offenses to 21 years old. Low-risk offenders between 18 and 20 years old would to be tried within the juvenile justice system rather than the adult system. The proposal ensures that violent offenders, regardless of age, would be tried in adult court, Malloy said. The initiative would also prevent lifetime punishment by providing a way to erase criminal records earned as a juvenile and prohibit judges from setting bail for someone charged only with a misdemeanor, unless that person is a threat to another person or charged with failure to appear. Stafstrom, a member of the judiciary committee, said he supports Malloys concept. I think its simple fairness. As a nation we have the highest percentage of people in jail. Tolls and lockboxes Malloy has said decisions on using electronic tolls and gas tax increases to fund his $100 billion transportation plan will have to wait until next year. But lawmakers predict the issues will come up anyway. Some of those proposals well be brought up, Frantz said, referring to gas and sales taxes and installing electronic congestion tolls on state highways. Thats so they have another funding source. Sharkey said the lockbox a statutory prohibition against using money deposited in the Special Transportation Fund for purposes other than roads, railways and bridges will be a priority. It means getting the House Republicans to go along. The lockbox passed the Senate last year but failed to gain enough votes in the House to place it on the ballot. Sharkey said hes also interested in creating a statewide committee charged with prioritizing the transportation plan and make funding and construction decisions. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3 A federal program that provided surplus military gear to local police departments now wants some of the powerful weaponry back. But area police say they dont have the items the government wants returned and they havent experienced the kind of strife the Obama Administration cited as a reason for taking back the armored personnel carriers, grenade launchers, bayonets and other combat gear. HARTFORD - The Milford Arts Council is receiving a $60,000 state grant to install new signage and information kiosks at its downtown facility. The Milford Arts Council has played a vital role in the growth and success of downtown Milford and this grant will allow them to expand that role, said state Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford. A federal program that provided surplus military gear to local police departments now wants some of the powerful weaponry back. But area police say they dont have the items the government wants returned and they havent experienced the kind of strife the Obama Administration cited as a reason for taking back the armored personnel carriers, grenade launchers, bayonets and other combat gear. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT The good news is the cash-strapped Port Authority a quasi-public entity responsible for promoting the waterfront no longer owes a $900,000 loan for a never-built parking garage. Unfortunately that pay-off was made with city money officials claim was improperly transferred from public works accounts, behind the City Councils back, by a now ex-mayoral adviser. That adviser, Andrew Nunn, was angling for the full-time job of Port Authority chief last fall as defeated Mayor Bill Finch and his inner circle prepared to depart City Hall ahead of Mayor-elect Joe Ganims Dec. 1 inauguration. One complication was the authority could not afford Nunn because of outstanding debts. And even though Nunn found a way to pay off the parking garage loan, he still did not get the job. The questions surrounding the $900,000 transfer add up to the fiscal headache Ganims administration has been complaining about inheriting. The Port Authority already owes city taxpayers $2.2 million. To have another obligation just increases that problem, said Kenneth Flatto, Ganims finance director. R. Christopher Meyer, Ganims city attorney, said his office is reviewing the payment but would not discuss it further. Were looking at the transaction as an irregularity and well take appropriate action if necessary, Meyer said. The authority was founded in 1993 during Ganims first, 12-year tenure as Bridgeports chief executive. The quasi-public organization was supposed to help with development of the waterfront and be a self-sustaining entity. It had authority to seize private property through eminent domain and to finance projects that benefited Bridgeport without adding to the citys red ink. But the authority has suffered from internal, legal and financial turmoil and become less-and-less relevant. And a statewide Port Authority established last year could eliminate the need for Bridgeports. Years ago the Bridgeport authority borrowed $900,000 from lender Titan-LB LLC to build a $6.4 million, 200 space parking garage adjacent to the ferry terminal. By the early 2000s the project was dead, and that $900,000 was added to an authority deficit that included $2.2 million borrowed from the city. By the late 2000s the authority could not even afford its own executive director. So Finch made Nunn a former Monroe First Selectman his chief administrative officer, acting Port Authority chief in 2009. Nunn kept that title through last year. In early 2013 the authority and the Finch administration considered asking the City Council to help the authority get out from under the parking garage loan. But the request was abruptly withdrawn. As recently reported, Nunn this past November, anticipating he would be laid off by the returning Ganim, had been pushing for a full time position running the port authority. Nunn had even gone ahead and purchased a pair of new sport-utility vehicles costing nearly $72,500 to use for the port authority job. Nunn and Finchs budget czar, Thomas Sherwood, authorized that purchase on Nov. 19 - the same day Nunn had anticipated the appointed Port Authority Commission would vote on his contract. But the commission decided it was not right to hire Nunn so quickly and before Ganim took office. It was in December when Authority Chairman Denis OMalley phoned Nunn seeking his resignation and learned Nunn had transferred city funds to pay off the parking garage debt. He says, I left you a parting gift. I arranged to take care of the loan, OMalley recalled. Flatto said the administration determined that Nunn transferred the $900,000 from accounts for upgrading and fixing municipal buildings. Asked if such an expense required City Council approval, Flatto said, Absolutely. Nunn in an email referred questions to Sherwood, who could not be reached for this story. As for the Port Authoritys future, OMalley said, Candidly, I dont know. Everythings kind of up in the air, he said. John Gomes, who Ganim hired to succeed Nunn as Chief Administrative Officer, said the administration is trying to understand the authoritys finances. From there we will evaluate the need of their existence, Gomes said. Paul Timpanelli, president of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, is not a fan of the authority. I think its a duplication, an unnecessary expense and administrative burden, Timpanelli said. Its an entity that doesnt need to exist. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As a new mom, Belinda Santana, was always going to be a little nervous about her familys upcoming trip to Brazil. But the 26-year-old New Fairfield residents anxiety went into overdrive when she heard about the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease that has swept Brazil and more than 20 other countries, most of them in Central and South America. I was kind of terrified, said Santana, whose son is 7 months old. I was new to the whole issue of How do you protect your child? Its definitely a concern. The World Health Organization said the virus is spreading rapidly through the Americas and has called an emergency meeting for Monday to consider declaring the outbreak an international public health crisis. In this country, 31 Zika cases have been reported in 11 states including some in New York and New Jersey all in people who had traveled to Brazil or another country where the illness is widespread. Though most people who get the virus wont get sick or will only get a mild illness, theres strong evidence linking infection in pregnant women with risk to the unborn child. In Brazil alone, there have been 4,180 reported cases of microcephaly, in which a babys head is smaller than normal, which some have connected to Zika. Fears about microcephaly and other problem pregancies have led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to urge pregnant women not to travel to Zika-afflicted countries, and have led some countries where the illness is rife including El Salvador to ask women to delay getting pregnant. Santana and her son are going to visit her husbands relatives in Bahia. Her husband, who is in the Navy and stationed in Norfolk, Va., cant come, so shes going with her in-laws. While she isnt pregnant, she is still nervous about the voyage and plans to be particularly cautious. More Information Zika facts Zika virus is caused by the Aedes mosquito. People with Zika usually have a mild fever, skin rash and conjunctivitis (pink eye). Only one in five people infected with Zika will get sick. Zika is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. It can also be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her baby, and possibly through infected blood or sexual contact. There have been reports of the birth defect microcephaly and other poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with Zika while pregnant. There is no vaccine to prevent infection or medicine to treat Zika. Experts said the best way to prevent the illness is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, stay in places that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside, and use an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent. See More Collapse Because there is no treatment for Zika, or any vaccine to prevent it, doctors said the best way to protect against it is to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes. Santana is taking that to heart. Her family will provide her with mosquito netting when she gets to Brazil, and shes loading her suitcases with mosquito repellent. Were going to be liberally applying mosquito repellent, she said. Another local woman planning a trip to Brazil wonders whether it might be better not to go after all. Ordinarily, Michele Kekac would consider it a pleasure to go there. The 34-year-old Shelton resident hails from the country and has family in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Sao Paulo, including a sister graduating from college in April. I wanted to visit, but now I dont know if I should go through with it, Kekac said. According to health experts, Kekac, who isnt pregnant, isnt at high risk of getting seriously ill if she contracts Zika, but the rapidly spreading disease still gives her pause. I dont know that much about it, but it definitely is worrisome, she said. About Zika Zika virus is not a new illness, having first been identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys. It was first spotted in humans in 1952, in Uganda and Tanzania. Until last year, outbreaks were largely limited to Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. In May, the Pan American Health Organization announced the first confirmed cases in Brazil. Since then, the disease has spread to several countries, including Mexico, El Salvador and Bolivia. Last week, the CDC added travel alerts for two more locations the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the United States, the only locally transmitted cases have been in Puerto Rico; other infected U.S. residents have contracted the illness after traveling to an afflicted country. To date, no one in Connecticut has tested positive for Zika, though doctors said they have referred some people for testing. So far, there have been no reported cases of Zika at Western Connecticut Health Network hospitals in Danbury, Norwalk and New Milford, said Andrea Rynn, a spokeswoman for the hospital group. Dr. Majid Sadigh, director of global health at the network, said Connecticut residents should not fear a Zika epidemic coming to the state, but warned pregnant women to avoid the afflicted areas in South America. At this stage, nobody should be worried about Zika, Sadigh said. This is not the Ebola virus. You dont just need a mosquito, you need the right species of mosquito, and not just the right species of mosquito, but you need an infected right species of mosquito. He said if pregnant women must travel to areas where Zika has been spreading, they should use caution and protect themselves against mosquitoes. Wear long sleeves and a collar and use mosquito repellents, Sadigh said. In most cases, Sadigh said, people infected with Zika have no symptoms at all. When there are symptoms, he said they are often mild typically a fever, rash and weakness and dissipate in about a week. Mosquitoes carrying the virus could eventually make their way to the northeastern U.S., he said, but it is not likely. There are other viruses similar to Zika that were introduced into South America and got to the southern part of the U.S., but not the northern, he said. Theres always a chance that a traveler might bring the mosquito back or that it might come in on a plane at JFK, but thats a remote possibility at this point in time. Dr. Michael Parry, director of infectious diseases at Stamford Hospital, said he hasnt personally referred anyone for testing, but he knows patients have asked for blood tests, and some pregnant women have requested ultrasounds to check for potential birth defects. We have had women who were pregnant who traveled to South or Central America, he said. There have been a lot of questions about this. All testing is being done through the CDC, meaning anyone who wants to be tested must consult their doctor, who will refer them to the state Department of Public Health. The department will take samples, then send them to the CDC for testing. Dr. Randall Nelson, senior epidemiologist at the state Department of Public Health, declined to say how many people had been tested for the illness. As of yet, he said, it isnt a major concern in the state. He added there is nearly no chance of mosquitoes in the state spreading the illness because Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that primarily carries Zika, is a tropical mosquito. It does not thrive here in Connecticut, Nelson said. Its very unlikely that well get local transmission in our state. The danger right now is for travelers. Cause for worry? Meanwhile, some local people with family in the afflicted region arent sure how worried to be. That included Kekac, who has two sisters living in Brazil the one who is about to graduate, and one who works as a nutritionist at a hospital in Sao Paulo. That sister, Milena Nascimento, said in an email that, despite working in the medical profession, shes heard little about the disease. Kekac said shes done some reading on Zika and has been particularly moved by the photographs of babies with microcephaly. Obviously, thats a scary picture to see, she said. News / Africa by Staff Reporter President Mugabe has threatened to drag the entire Africa continent out of the United Nations if Westerners continue to block efforts to reform.Mugabe gave the warning in the presence of UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in Ethiopia.UN Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-Moon sat at the high table with President Mugabe, and nodded his head."We are supposed to be free and independent Mr Ban Ki Moon; supposed to be free - the 54 countries (of Africa). We come to the United Nations for the ceremonial (General Assembly); every year, September, we are there."We pay lots of money, go there and attend the General Assembly and make speeches, go back home: year in year out."But the bosses in the Security Council say you shall never have the powers that we have as permanent members Reform the Security Council!"He added "I want to tell you, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, you are a good man. But, of course, that does not make you a fighter; it's not what your mission was.""We will fight for our own identity, for our own integrity and personality as Africans. We are Africans. If we decide - and we shall certainly do so one of these days - that down with the United Nations, (then) we are not members of it."Others are real members of it, we are artificial members of it. We can't continue to be artificial members of itHow can only a handful of people (dominate the Security Council)?"In fact, there is only America and the Europeans those who say they are white-skinned. . .because they are white-skinned.Anyone who is not like us shall not have the powers, strength and integrity that we have.' If the United Nations is to survive, we must be equal members of it; equal members who can say when we go to the body, that we are now speaking fully as members with a voice that's understood, respected and honoured."But no, that's not it. We met in Swaziland years ago and we came up with (the) Ezulwini Consensus. We have said we want two permanent members with a veto if the veto is to continue. We don't like it, but if the veto is to be retained those (African) members must also have IT, but if the veto is to be abolished they shall be like others."Britain, China, France, Russia and the US are the current veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council.China and Russia have been open to discussing reforms, as have emerging powers like India and Brazil who also want to sit on the Security Council. News / Africa by Staff Reporter IN A typical case of love gone sour, a Lusaka policeman has been threatening to shoot his former wife after the two broke up.Idah Phiri 34, of Chazanga narrated in the Matero local court that she fears for her life and that of her daughter because her former husband Philip Mwanza 39, of Matero Township has also been threatening to slash her throat and break her jaw.Zambia Daily Mail reported that Phiri sued Mwanza for restraining order over threats. The case was heard before magistrate Lewis Mumba. The couple who divorced eight years ago have one child together."Mwanza has been monitoring my movements. Sometimes he would come to my office and start tearing pictures on my wall and insult me in front of my workmates. He even refuses to pay tuition fees for her his daughter," she said.She wondered why he monitors her when he has re-married and has children with his new wife."I want him to stop interfering with my life. He claims he wants me to refund him for all the money he spent sending me to college when we were married or else he will shoot me," Phiri said.Mwanza said Phiri is an ungrateful woman as she does not appreciate what he did for her by sending her to school to further her education."It's not true that I have been threatening to kill her. The thing is that I am an officer and I move with the gun everywhere I go," he said.The court granted a restraining order and warned of an arrest for contempt of court if he went 100 metres near Phiri. 'Joe Biden can have them': Mastriano vows to bus migrants to Delaware politics Democrats demand DeSantis share plans on restricting abortion Abortion is among the biggest campaign topics. But Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and many Republicans are silent as the midterm election nears. News / Local by Stephen Jakes The Zimbabwe Peace Project has reported that on December 19 2015 the Nkulumane by-election was marred by poor voter turn out an indication that the majority of people did not vote and has no confidence in the holding of by elections."Political activities were mostly in Nkulumane, where a by-election was held in the constituency on 19 December 2015 following the death of former Member of Parliament (MP) Thamsanqa Mahlangu of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T)," reported ZPP. "The by-election which was boycotted by the major opposition parties, was won by Zanu-PF against Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe and Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe. Only about 3000 people voted out of 32000 registered voters."Zanu PF's candidate Killian Sibanda defeated the Progressive Democrats Zimbabwe (PDZ) candidate and the Renewal Democratic Zimbabwe (RDZ) canmdidates.ZPP said intra-party conflict within Zanu-PF markedly increased as party members jostled for places to represent the party at the Victoria Falls Conference which was held first week of December."Tensions were reported within the MDC-T over differences on whether to join forces with People First," reported ZPP. "On 13 December 2015, in Luveve, at the war veterans offices situated at 8742 Old Luveve, John Langa (not real name) was verbally insulted by fellow war veterans who accused him of having campaigned for opposition party, ZAPU, during the June by-elections. He was then barred from participating or vying for office in the organization' s structures or in Zanu-PF ." As countless people clamour for a recipe they think might bag them a mate, others are starting to wonder: do we need to worry if our partner leaves the house with cookware? by Samantha Selinger-Morris Cancer surgeon J Meirion Thomas, pictured, says the NHS 'cannot cope' with 500million people receiving free care The trickle is already a steady stream, and, for once, we cant blame Brussels or Strasbourg. Our NHS is being flooded by health tourists - people who come to this country for the sole purpose of receiving free treatment. And the fault lies with our misplaced liberalism and our Governments repeated failure to protect our National Health Service, its workforce and the British taxpayer. We in Britain are rightly proud of our NHS. But it has a central - and possibly fatal - flaw. Unlike any other comparable system in the world, entitlement to free state-funded healthcare in this country depends on residency and not the contributions that individuals have made. As a result, half a billion EU citizens are now eligible to claim free treatment in our hospitals and clinics. When I explain this to friends, especially those from America, Canada and Australia, they respond with incredulity. Even in mainland Europe, the vast majority of health systems are based on insurance or employment - which is why our problem with health tourism is quite unique. As a cancer specialist in London, I have come across all too many examples. I have seen patients from abroad brought to hospital by a relative who does live permanently in the UK. In one case, the relative baldly explained that because of a recently diagnosed cancer, the patient could no longer live alone and was migrating to live with family here. No checks of any kind were made - nor under the current rules are they even necessary - because the simple test for ordinarily resident status had been met! Another example would be the father and son from Corfu, who came to my clinic clutching recent scans of a pelvic tumour. The son presented a letter from an estate agent to prove his father was moving here for good, as his Corfu house was on the market. In what other country would that work? Im sorry to say that British expatriates are in on the act, too - guilty of travelling back here for free care that might be ruinously expensive in the country where they have chosen to live, but for which they have made no financial contribution. These patients can be difficult to identify because they will probably have an old NHS number. Moreover, any ex-patriate Briton can return after any length of absence and claim to be ordinarily resident here regardless of whether they intend to stay. The longest time of non-contributory absence I experienced was 48 years. The case - I will never forget it - was that of a university educated British woman who had spent her working life abroad before returning to UK with an abdominal cancer. She had not resigned her job nor transferred her home and family, but confidently informed me that, according to NHS guidelines, she was currently ordinarily resident in UK and was therefore entitled to free NHS care. I protested to a senior manager who rang a Department of Health overseas visitor helpline...which confirmed her entitlement to free NHS care. Scroll down for video Doctors are performing costly and complex procedures on European 'health tourists', writes Prof Meirion Thomas (file picture) The patient underwent successful surgery to remove a tumour weighing many kilograms. She made an uneventful recovery and returned to her family abroad. I have not seen her since. I had to postpone the planned operation of another patient with recurrent cancer to make way for her. The simple residency qualification for state-funded health care has existed since the NHS was established in 1946, but for decades it proved to be no real problem. In the days of strict immigration control and expensive travel, few could or would travel to Britain purely to get health treatment. Now though, we are in danger of inundation, and the recently-published Department of Health guidance on implementing charges for overseas visitors has, if anything, made matters worse. It confirms the principle that anyone who is lawfully ordinarily resident in the UK is entitled to free NHS care. The document defines a person as ordinarily resident if that residence is lawful and for settled purposes as part of the regular order of their life, whether of short or long duration. It adds: If a patient is ordinarily resident in the UK, then they are entitled to free NHS care even if they have only been in UK for a few days or weeks. A person can be ordinarily resident in more than one country at once. The guidance also says it is perfectly possible to be ordinarily resident from the day of arrival providing that that person has, upon arrival, taken up settled residence. In other words, the door to free health care is wide open. This Department of Health definition of ordinarily resident is not contained in any Act of Parliament and is Instead, it was extrapolated from a series of legal rulings, all delivered before 1983, which had little to do with heath - relating instead to education and immigration disputes. (Needless to say, the Home office, HMRC and especially the UK Borders Agency do not take such a charitable view of who is resident and are far more restrictive.) To anyone currently working in the NHS, it is clear that the NHS approach to free treatment belongs firmly in the past. It has failed to keep up with a changing world, and woefully. Our-less-than-insightful hospital managers wonder why the NHS is on its knees, yet one of the reasons is staring them in the face. As a result of freedom of movement across the European Union, any EU citizen who chooses to reside in UK can be ordinarily resident here. And the population of the European Union was last year estimated at just over 500 million people. Then theres the extended European Union. We have Albanians on Romanian passports, Russians on Baltic state passports, South Americans on Spanish passports and Brazilians, Angolans and Indians on Portuguese passports. Nowhere is the folly of the Department of Healths current ordinary resident policy more fully exposed than in the scandalous abuse of the European Health Insurance Card, whose nature is regularly misunderstood. The EHIC is meant to cover the cost of emergency medical treatment if that becomes necessary during a trip to another European country. Anyone resident in UK can secure a British EHIC on line by providing their name, address and either a National Insurance number or their NHS number. By contrast, mainland Europeans are not entitled to their native EHIC card unless they contribute to the native health insurance system, and even then, the benefit may be time or cost restricted. This explains why most migrants (60 per cent of whom are job seekers) and most students from the EU have no native EHIC card. The Department of Health, led by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, pictured, has made an error with its 'ordinarily resident' resident policy, says Prof Meirion Thomas When asked to provide an EHIC card in A&E, migrants and students from EU often produce a British EHIC card to which they are fully entitled solely by having gained a National Insurance or NHS number. But why would they need a British EHIC card if they are already entitled to free NHS care by virtue of being ordinarily resident? Because the card can be used back in their native country or anywhere in Europe to cover emergency medical care and the bill is sent back to the British government. This explains why our government paid out 750million in 2014 to other European countries for medical costs incurred abroad, but recovered only 50million. This is a rare example of official figures being of some use in calculating the size of the problem. The Government has no way of even estimating the volume and costs incurred to the NHS by migrants, students and their families from the European Union, a problem which has surged since the expansion of the EU. Why, despite the chaotic state of our oversubscribed NHS, will our Government not address these debilitating flaws? As David Cameron renegotiates our relationship with the EU, and especially his key demand that migrants must wait four years to claim in-work benefits, should the same not apply to NHS care? After all, travel insurance for those without a pre-existing illness is not expensive and is the only way that British students and migrants below retirement age can access non-emergency healthcare in other European Union countries. Should not the conditions be the same the other way round? Of all the loopholes associated with health tourism, ordinarily resident status is the most common and most expensive by far. As our NHS continues to struggle with soaring costs and creaking provision, surely it requires urgent reform before the health service collapses under the weight of patients from abroad. Sometimes you get something very wrong, and I did last week. It was about that bossy headmistress in Darlington, who wrote to the parents of Skerne Park Academy asking them not to wear their jimjams to school. Kate Chisholm fired off the round-robin as about 50 parents (out of a school of 450 pupils) werent bothering to get washed and dressed when morning had broken, but were shuffling into school in dressing gowns and slippers. They werent just doing the drop-off in PJs, but meetings, Christmas plays and afternoon pick-ups too, suggesting they were reluctantly interrupting busy timetables of daytime TV, takeaways in bed, cuppas, and Jezza Kyle. Karen Routh wore pyjamas to drop her daughter at Skerne Park Academy, Darlington, after the head teacher sent parents a letter home warning them not to wear nightwear at the school gate After reading the heads request, many mums stropped out. Some removed their children. It was the nightie of the long knives. The worlds media clustered on wet pavements in County Durham to interview the slummy mummies, who obliged by appearing in PJs under their parkas. One said she didnt have time to get dressed, let alone put her false teeth in, and she also blamed cramp for running late. But what did it matter what she wore, so long as her child got to school on time? I was asked to pronounce on the mamas and papas in pyjamas on the Today programme, and I pounced at the chance. I told the nation this hoo-ha was a classic power struggle, as the head was in theory exceeding her authority over the parents. There may be a dress code for staff and a uniform code for children but there was none for parents. She could exclude pupils for breaches of the uniform code but she couldnt ban parents, could she? And what the headmistress was suggesting in the letter, I went on hypocritically, as I live in trackie bums, was that they were common and they were bad parents. I now realise I was completely wrong on almost every count, including saying that Darlington was in the North West, and that what I said was cheap and snobbish, and made me realise what a ghastly person I am sometimes. As I now see, the brave headmistress was trying to do something far more important than stop a few mums sporting slobwear at the school gates and lowering the tone. For Ms Chisholm would be well aware without having to read Iain Duncan Smiths seminal 2013 report, The Causes Of Educational Failure, which sets it all out that the new underclass are white working-class children who come to school on a breakfast of cheese and onion crisps, who still wear nappies aged four, and who are unable to answer to their names. In 2013, only 26 per cent of poor white boys managed to gain five or more A to C grades at GCSE, despite the education budget going up by 50 per cent in the past ten years. She would know from long and saddening personal experience that it is these children who are most at risk of becoming a forgotten, unemployable cohort in a world that no longer values manual skills, which is one of the main causes of the death of working-class pride. All Ms Chisholm was trying to do was to tell these parents that, despite the children having the dice stacked against them, she cared about their futures and really needed the parents on board. Her letter wasnt about accusing parents of being slack and letting the side down so much as about aspiration, standards and self-respect. If the parents had any, and cared even a tiny bit as much as she did about their childrens futures, please could they make the tiniest effort and get dressed in the morning, and set some sort of an example? Im on Ms Chisholms side. It was the very least she could ask. Sweetie Sam was simply delectable Sam Cam was totes adorbs on Celeb Bake Off. Im genuinely really pleased to be given flowers, said Sam, on coming first and being bunched by Paul Hollywood and the gang. Delectable: Im genuinely really pleased to be given flowers, said Sam, on coming first on Celeb Bake Off Normally Im only given flowers for being Davids wife so its really nice to be given flowers for something Ive done on my own. It was all so sweet one wonders why Dave favours a sugar tax. Here's my review of The Revenant. Its basically a remake of Gladiator, only with Leonardo DiCaprio in skins rather than Russell Crowe in sandals. I couldnt understand a word the actors were saying (even before Leos gullet was shredded by a bear), so its a good thing that, as a watch, its breathtaking. Long, gruelling and as unpleasant as an Antarctic trek. In other words, totally gongworthy! As it is now agreed that we have reached peak stuff and live in a throwaway culture, I have chucked out half my clothes. The problem is they are now all appetisingly displayed in a nearby charity shop and I am fighting the urge to buy them back again. I need help. My iPhone changes you to jog in messages, which is maddening given how many times I want to type you, and how few I want to type jog. How can I stop this? Congratulations to the Rooneys on the arrival of Kit, a younger brother for Kai and Klay. Whats the betting they call the next one Kat, whether its a boy or girl (or, indeed, any of the other 25 genders listed in a recent Government-backed survey). Kat. You wait. They have no place left to go. I felt a pang at the death of Henry Worsley, who perished on a lone traverse of Antarctica, as we all wonder why he did it. It cant have been only for charity, although he raised twice as much as he had hoped for wounded soldiers. It is not enough to use the old cliche of such men that they died doing what they loved. They are consumed sometimes fatally by their passion. 8 January: Worsley tweets a pictured of him looking tired, taking a rest day after an upset stomach Such men dont just tolerate suffering in pursuit of their personal summits, they actively embrace it. Last week I spent a few days with one. Tom Avery holds records as the youngest Briton to reach both Poles, and for the quickest crossing of Greenland (I just love playing in the snow, he says, even though his team-mate lost seven toes). He said Worsley was a seriously driven man who achieved so much not just on the ice, but also with all the work he did for wounded soldiers. We push our bodies to the limit on these expeditions, but you never imagine that something like this will ever happen I cant imagine what Henrys poor wife and children must be going through, but their father and husband is a true hero who will never be forgotten. So, men do it because they can, because its there, but above all, because they want to. You may remember the stand-off in Monty Pythons Life Of Brian between the Judean Peoples Front and the Peoples Front of Judea. Something remarkably similar is unfolding in the rival factions of the Out campaign as we embark on the giddy black run towards an EU referendum. I hear that Vote Leave is in mounting chaos at the very time that its arguments for life outside the EU are starting to appeal to wavering voters. And this is much to the delight of Leave.EU, the more populist outfit closer to Ukip, as the two campaigns vie for official funding status. Immigration woes in Germany and mounting pressure on the EUs open-border Schengen zone have bolstered the Outers, currently running just behind the Stay campaigns in the polls and boosted by a lamentable performance by Britain Stronger In Europe boss Lord Rose, who repeatedly forgot his own campaigns name at an event this week. You may remember the stand-off in Monty Pythons Life Of Brian (pictured) between the Judean Peoples Front and the Peoples Front of Judea. Something similar is unfolding in the rival factions of the Out campaign But there was a verbal punch-up between senior Tory Eurosceptics, led by Chris Grayling and Bernard Jenkin who tried to persuade other members of Vote Leave's board to oust its pugnacious helmsman Dominic Cummings. I am supporting Vote.Leave and hope other MPs do so, Jenkin tells me stiffly. These upheavals are bad news for the Outers since Jenkin is a well-connected, old-school Tory. So much so that he was caricatured as Bernard in Four Weddings And A Funeral by the screenwriter Richard Curtis, who once dated Jenkins wife, Anne, a Baroness in her own right and well-liked supporter of Tory female candidates. Eurosceptic Bernard Jenkin (pictured) has resigned from the board of Vote Leave The couple are regarded as pre-Dave vintage Tories but important fixers, according to my source in the shires. I gather the row will not stop there and Cummings will have to fight to keep his place at Vote Leaves helm. A former aide to Michael Gove when he was Education Secretary, Geordie Dom is a street-fighting campaigner who combines an attraction for pointless brawls with a keen intellect. He predicted to me well ahead of events that David Camerons renegotiation strategy would be so pointless that the Outers could take a risk on dismissing it from the start. But, sighs a friend, Dom could start a fight in an empty bar, and I hear that Matthew Elliott and Stephen Parkinson, two of his seasoned colleagues at Vote Leave, are being encouraged to calm Cummings down. One deep-pocketed figure who supports the fractious Outers tells me that the combination of Elliott, who ran the Taxpayers Alliance, and Parkinson, a former aide to Theresa May and widely considered to be one of the brightest special advisers, is crucial to Vote Leaves continuity. The broad hint is that if it comes to a choice between them and Cummings, the latter would have to go. As with most feuds, it is the question of underlying loyalties that drives suspicion. QUOTES OF THE WEEK Tennis star Johanna Konta in the Australian Open, representing Britain A similar situation to what happened in Cologne could be described on Broad Street in Birmingham every week. Labour MP Jess Phillips controversially compares the baiting and heckling of women in Birmingham to the New Year assaults in Germany. Once youre Left of Blair or Right of Cameron, I dont trust you. Sir Michael Caine sums up his political philosophy. If we are to raise standards its not too much to ask parents to have a wash and get dressed. Headmistress Kate Chisholm orders parents at Skerne Park primary in Darlington to stop wearing pyjamas when dropping off their children. Im running late I even forgot to put my false teeth in. Skerne Park parent Karen Routh explains why she was wearing her pyjamas on the school run. A bunch of migrants. David Cameron riles Labour MPs with his description of refugees at a camp in Calais. There wasnt a lot going through my mind except I hope I stop as soon as possible. Skier Angel Collinson, who survived a 1,000ft tumble down a mountain in Alaska. My journey is at an end. I have run out of time, physical endurance and the ability to slide one ski in front of the other to reach my goal. Explorer Henry Worsleys final message before being rescued 30 miles from reaching the South Pole. He subsequently died last week. Ive never had to concentrate so hard. Samantha Cameron during her appearance on a celebrity version of Bake Off. Im finding, just from travelling from New York and being in heated hotel rooms, my skin feels like a Walkers crisp. Catherine Zeta-Jones, who combats the problem by saturating her face in argan oil. Advertisement Cummings owes no allegiance to the Tory tribe and is often spotted at the soirees of Stuart Wheeler, the genial Ukip donor. MPs, however, are wary of floating too close to what one calls tub-thumping, anti-foreigner Ukippery and feel dismissively treated by Cummings. Chris Grayling, the leading Cabinet Eurosceptic, sighs to colleagues that Doms often abrasive personality is a mixed blessing. He wants to cool things down with a more positive, unified message about the benefits of life in the EUs outer core. Good luck with that one. Long before the big battle is joined, the euro-wars are running hot. Justice Secretary Michael Gove has slaughtered one of Chris Graylings favourite bits of legal reform Will ambitious Govey rue the day he claimed the softy crown? Michael Gove is often seen whisking around Westminster as manfully as his ruffle-necked formal garb of Lord Chancellor permits. His main occupation is culling draconian changes to criminal justice brought in by his predecessor Chris Grayling, Camerons legal rottweiler before the last Election. Now the Justice Secretary has just slaughtered one of Graylings favourite bits of legal reform, which would have severely curbed legal aid access. He has, I gather, convinced Cameron that it is not worth having to fight off multiple challenges from high-profile lawyers. I understand there is to be greater emphasis on rehabilitating prisoners, based on models from Singapore to Norway, rather than meting out long sentences. Many short, sharp shock colleagues are grinding their teeth. But I gather that Boris Johnsons barrister wife Marina, who has just been made a QC, congratulated Gove on his new brand of Softy Justice. And Lord Falconer, the Blairite who remains, unaccountably, Jeremy Corbyns shadow justice spokesman, jokes to me that Goves New Labour tendencies are developing nicely. That may not quite be the look ambitious Govey is aiming for. 'Just send Diane': Source says former flame Abbott is now Jeremy Corbyn's stand-in In his Lothario days, Jeremy Corbyn was quick to move on from a marriage to a passionate entanglement with Diane Abbott. A new biography suggests that some of the appeal of the liaison was that back in the late 1970s, dating an attractive black activist leant street cred to Corbyn. These days, Abbott is a platonic fixture in his circle. Shes an ambassadorial presence, whispers a Corbynite MP. When Jeremy doesnt want to do something he says, Just send Diane. Below the surface, though, old slights rankle. Neither Corbyn nor his Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell formally endorsed Abbotts mayoral candidacy last year, to her intense frustration. At one point a Corbyn spokesman texted a denial that Jeremy was supporting his old girlfriend and a hefty row ensued. So much for old-flame loyalty. Susan Sarandon has come under fire after wearing a very low-cut, cleavage-baring ensemble to introduce the in memoriam tribute at this year's SAG Awards. The 69-year-old actress caused quite a stir on social media with her very busty bra and blazer combination, which showed off her ample chest to full effect. However, while some praised the star for her youthful-looking decolletage, many were up in arms about the inappropriate nature of her outfit when it came to honoring Hollywood's late stars. 'That's what Susan Sarandon wore to do the in memoriam? It's a lace bra... #classy,' Twitter user Bobby Hall commented, while Margo Howard jokingly noted: 'Good of Susan Sarandon to show us her brassiere introducing the in memoriam segment. It was appropriately black.' Scroll down for video How low can you go? Susan Sarandon left many viewers of the 2016 SAG Awards stunned when she chose to present the in memoriam tribute while wearing a very risque, cleavage-baring outfit Distracting: Many people complained that the 69-year-old's busty display meant that couldn't fully concentrate on the otherwise-moving tribute, which honored the Hollywood stars who passed away this last year Shame: A number of people took to Twitter to slam the actress, with one person joking that it felt more like her 'cleavage was presenting' the tribute Poll Was Susan's cleavage-baring outfit inappropriate? Yes No Was Susan's cleavage-baring outfit inappropriate? Yes 14833 votes No 16172 votes Now share your opinion Plenty of people insisted that the screen star's bosom distracted from her heart-warming and thoughtful tribute, which she began by honoring her 'dear friend' David Bowie, who passed away just a few weeks ago at the age of 69. 'My dear friend David Bowie once said: "All cliches are true. The years really do speed by. Life really is as short as they tell you it is,"' Susan said as she walked out on stage. 'Those words resonate when weve lost someone who made a special impact on us. 'So now lets pause to remember some of the actors whose earthly voices have been silenced, but whose brilliance and creativity still speak in the unforgettable work theyve left behind.' But, according to dozens of Twitter users, they were unable to fully appreciate Susan's poignant and moving speech, thanks to her extremely low-cut blazer. Many suggested that Susan would have been better off changing into an alternative ensemble before stepping out on stage, a move which would have allowed her the opportunity to show off her ample cleavage, while also donning a more demure look for her somber on-stage segment. At least she found one fan! While Susan's cleavage caused controversy online, she received nothing but affection from fellow actress Kate Winslet, who seized the chance to feel up a breast while posing for a snap All about the angle: When Susan took her seat for the award ceremony, her ample cleavage was even more exposed, as her tuxedo jacket gaped open further Fun and games: For her part, Susan looked like she was having a wonderful time during the ceremony and was seen laughing throughout the various speeches 'Um, looks like Susan Sarandon's cleavage is presenting the in memoriam segment at the SAG Awards,' one person commented, with another adding: 'Susan Sarandon, if you knew you were going to be doing the in memoriam part of the SAG Awards, why the eff did you wear a bra top?' Michael Wachowiak prompted: 'So blessed that Susan Sarandon's breasts were able to present the in memoriam.' Even before the actress took her place on stage, however, the internet was thrown into a frenzy over her saucy choice of attire, with many people taking to Twitter to note how young she looked while walking the red carpet. 'Susan Sarandon's boobs were anything but saggy this eve at the #SAGAwards,' one person wrote. 'I [pray] mine will look this good at 69.' Red carpet hit: Before people realized that she would be presenting the in memoriam honor at the award ceremony, many actually praised her youthful-looking decolletage Like mother... Susan's daughter Eva Amurri, right, also opted to bare her, albeit slightly smaller, chest to the world in a low-cut blue dress Proud mother: Susan also took her son, director Jack Robbins, left, as her date for the evening Another person chimed in: 'Susan Sarandon may be 69 but her boobs don't look a day over 30.' The actress had even more opportunity to put her youthful cleavage on display once she took her seat for the award ceremony, showing off her bosom while leaning forward to laugh at jokes throughout the evening, while her blazer gaped even more at the front, affording viewers at home a very full-on view of her chest. Indeed, some beady-eyed spectators even took snapshots of the Susan's appearances on their screen, sharing them on Twitter alongside a series of entertaining posts about her breast-heavy display. 'I couldn't stop looking at Susan Sarandon's boobs during the telecast,' Chad Meisenheimer admitted on Twitter - and he wasn't the only one, with another user, joking: 'My TV has Susan Sarandon's cleavage burned into the screen.' The butt of the joke: Twitter was thrown into a frenzy of debate over whether or not Susan's outfit was a bit of harmless fun - or wildly inappropriate 'Rack-diculous': Other people took the opportunity to put their punning skills to the test Why? This user wondered why the actress couldn't have donned a more conservative outfit before stepping out on stage to present Making light of the situation: Margo Howard pointed out that, at the very least, Susan's bra was the correct color for such a somber segment of the evening Freeze-frame: Some Twitter users actually took screen grabs from their television when they saw a particularly busty shot And it wasn't just the viewers at home who were entertained by Susan's bust; SAG Awards nominee Kate Winslet took the opportunity to have a cheeky grab of her breast once inside the ceremony, and even posed for a picture with her hand pressed against one of Susan's boobs. Posed alongside Michael Shannon, who admirably managed to keep his attention focused on the camera, and not on Susan's cleavage, Kate can be seen making a funny face, while Susan is simply smiling happily into the lens. While Susan's breasts were perhaps the most talked-about of the evening, she wasn't the only one to opt for a low-cut cleavage-baring outfit for the night. In fact, her daughter Eva Amurri, who attended the awards as Susan's date, as did the actress' son Jack Robbins, also took the opportunity to show off her chest in a unique blue dress, which featured a very risque plunging neckline. Ironically however, the low-cut dress actually looked rather demure in comparison with Susan's white tuxedo. 2016 SAG AWARDS: WINNERS FOR FILM Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Lead Role In A Motion picture Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn Sarah Silverman, I Smile Back WINNER: Brie Larson, Room Cate Blanchett, Carol Helen Mirren, Woman In Gold Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Lead Role In A Motion picture Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs WINNER: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl Bryan Cranston, Trumbo Johnny Depp, Black Mass Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture Rooney Mara, Carol Rachel McAdams, Spotlight Helen Mirren, Trumbo WINNER: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture WINNER: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation Michael Shannon, 99 Homes Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies Jacob Tremblay, Room Christian Bale, The Big Short Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture Beasts of No Nation The Big Short WINNER: Spotlight Straight Outta Compton Trumbo Advertisement There is a fabulous love nest waiting for Pippa Middleton and her millionaire boyfriend James Matthews - a Victorian mansion set in 'Scotland's most beautiful glen'. Affric Lodge - owned by her new beau's family - comes with ample opportunities for hunting, shooting and fishing, along with personal gamekeepers, world-class cuisine from personal French chefs and a butler service. Pippa, 32, who graduated from Edinburgh University with an English Literature degree, loves Scotland and knows Glen Affric and the Lodge well having run past it on the gruelling cross Scotland 50 mile Highland Cross. She also has friends in the Highlands. Scroll down for video There is a fabulous love nest waiting for Pippa Middleton and her millionaire boyfriend James Matthews - a Victorian mansion set in 'Scotland's most beautiful glen'. The couple pictured on a family holiday in the Caribbean David Matthews bought the Victorian mansion, Affric Lodge, in 2008, resplendent in 10,000 acres on a peninsula on a loch of the same name, in glorious Glen Affric about 40 wild miles from Inverness The estate costs 11,880 for a three night stay for up to eight people or 17,880 for a party of 16. But for the Duchess of Cambridge's younger sister and her new man it will cost nothing because it belongs to James' father. David Matthews bought the Victorian mansion in 2008 - resplendent in 10,000 acres on a peninsula on a loch of the same name, in glorious Glen Affric, about 40 wild miles from Inverness. He also owns the magnificent Eden Rock, in St. Barths favoured by A-listers including Beyonce, Elton John, Brad Pitt, Leonardo Di Caprio, Sir Paul McCartney, Steven Spielberg and Daniel Craig where suites go for up to an eye watering 25,000 a night. Affric Lodge may be small scale compared to its Caribbean counterpart but, after a five-year renovation programme, it is the ultimate bolthole. James' father - who first saw the Lodge 30 years ago - describes the moment as a Eureka effect. Pippa and 40-year-old hedge fund manager James are rumoured to have been an item since October and have been friends for a long time. Pictured in Soho, London in May last year Pippa competes in the cycling leg of the event. David Matthews bought the Victorian mansion, Affric Lodge, in 2008, resplendent in 10,000 acres on a peninsula on a loch of the same name, in glorious Glen Affric about 40 wild miles from Inverness. Sports enthusiast Pippa will be able to enjoy hunting, fishing and shooting 'I was driving a beat up Land Rover down to the loch. It was a romantic moment, like when I first saw Eden Rock. 'The standards will be as stratospheric as in St Barth's with the same your-wish-is-my-command butler service. We have taken our time making the place ready, to be sure we have it perfectly right. Affric's dedicated and amiably disposed Highland team will do all in its power to care for you with anticipation, efficiency, good manners and humour.' The lodge has five principle bedrooms and a further three smaller ones. Downstairs includes a whisky room, sitting room, dining room and reading rooms which are painted with Highland scenes by Sir Edwin Landseer, celebrated 19th century artist famous for The Monarch of the Glen painting. Eden Rock sees the Lodge as a venue for family reunions, corporate get-togethers and movie making. David Beckham and a film crew, joined by his pal British director and Madonna's ex hubby, Guy Ritchie, shot the TV advert for the exclusive Haig Club Single Grain Scotch Whisky there. Pippa, 32, competed in the Highland Cross Race in 2011, which passes through the Glen Affric estate, owned by the family of her boyfriend James Matthews, 40. Pippa, who graduated from Edinburgh University with an English Literature degree, is known to love Scotland For Pippa and 40-year-old hedge fund manager James, who are rumoured to have been an item since October, Affric Lodge could be the perfect getaway from it all. The fitness fanatic dated James - who is Made In Chelsea love rat Spencer Matthews' brother - dated briefly in 2012. However, the pair remained very good friends and have been pictured together a number of times. In August, Pippa her brother James and mother Carole holidayed in St Barts and were photographed larking around in the sea with James. A week before Pippa's split from her boyfriend of three years, Nico Jackson, was reported, a Sunday newspaper published photos showing Pippa entering a house in West London with James after taking his dog for a walk. She was seen emerging the next morning, holding a bouquet of flowers. News / National by Staff Reporter Private grain millers will import at least 400 000 tonnes of maize to complement Government's efforts to beef up the country's grain levels that are under threat due to this season's drought, it has emerged.This follows the granting of import permits to private players by Government early this month.The grain, which is being sourced from South Africa, South America, Ukraine and Russia, is expected to start landing in the country soon.Last year, the private players imported a similar amount of grain from Zambia.Responding to questions from The Sunday Mail last week, Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe chairman Mr Tafadzwa Musarara said."The milling industry has imported close to 400,000 tonnes of maize from Zambia since February 2015. These stocks complimented locally produced maize."Our members have been able to mop up all the maize that was offered by local farmers on the market. The country requires an additional 400,000 tonnes between now and June 30. We shall be importing all of it."Demand has risen due to quick depletion of maize stocks due to the heat waves of the past months that saw crops wilting and grazing pastures getting damaged, thereby also increasing demand for cattle feeding.Mr Musarara said private grain buyers are happy that Government is now issuing them the maize import permits.In addition to the private sector efforts, Government has secured US$200 million in lines of credit for grain imports.The Grain Marketing Board will also import 230 000 tonnes of maize, starting with the 30 000 tonnes that is needed urgently.Currently, the country has enough grain stocks to last for at least eight months.Zimbabwe is facing a drought that is causing maize shortages with areas such as Midlands, Masvingo, Matabeleland North and South already affected.The country has received low rainfall since the start of the rain season and has also been experiencing high temperatures, a situation that has affected crops and livestock. A woman who is dying from breast cancer has hit out at Facebook for removing a photograph of her nipple she shared to raise awareness of symptoms of the disease. Rowena Kincaid, 40, from Cardiff, posted an image showing a rash around her nipple to make people aware that a lump isn't the only possibly symptom of breast cancer, and it was seen by 72,000 in the first two hours. But when she logged on later in the day, she found a notification to say the picture had been automatically removed due to the site's anti-nudity policy. Scroll down for video Rowena Kincaid, 40, from Cardiff, has secondary stage-four breast cancer and is terminally ill after exhausting all treatment options. She has made a BBC documentary and runs a Facebook page Before I Kick The Bucket , which has more than 10,000 followers. She was upset after the site removed a picture of her nipple she shared to raise awareness of cancer symptoms Rowens posted this photo showing a rash on her nipple to make people aware that a lump is not the only possible sign of breast cancer. However it was automatically removed by Facebook An upset Rowena, who has secondary stage-four breast cancer, shared the news on her Before I Kick The Bucket page, which has more than 10,000 followers. 'It doesn't see what the reason behind it is, it's just automatic,' she wrote. 'It can't see that the picture I posted earlier, may actually save lives. 'I'm obviously totally gutted, as it took a lot to share my picture with you, because I'm so body conscious, and fretted about sharing at all.' Facebook has now apologised, saying the picture was removed in error. 'Facebook is a place for people to share the things that matter to them,' a spokesperson said. 'In this instance we made a mistake and have reinstated the photograph. We apologise for any inconvenience that this caused.' Rowena, who was first diagnosed with cancer in 2009, has made a BBC documentary Before I Kick the Bucket, and uses her Facebook page to keep followers up to date with her condition. An upset Rowena, who has secondary stage-four breast cancer, shared the news on her Before I Kick The Bucket page, which has more than 10,000 followers After the site removed her photo, she posted a new version with a smiley face covering the nipple, and explained that people should look out for symptoms such as rashes and puckering Rowena thanked her followers for supporting her and asked them to share the nipple picture to help raise awareness She was determined to share the image because, before her diagnosis, she was unaware what signs to look for - such as inverted nipples, rash and puckering - and didn't want the knowledge to die with her. 'I wasn't out to offend anyone. It looks like something out of a medical journal,' she told The Independent. 'Posting that photograph was the bravest thing I've done. It's so personal; I was petrified.' She also questioned whether the site would have taken down the photo if she'd posted a picture of cancer in her big toe to show what it looked like. Following the removal of her initial post, she shared a new version of the photo with a smiley face covering the nipple. 'What you are looking at is a rash on the chest, around an imaginary nipple,' she explained. 'In my case it is definitely cancer. In this example it's also quite severe. 'Breast cancer can present itself in this way - not necessarily around the nipple, but anywhere in the chest or breast area. 'It may also start small and look like nothing, but any rash on the breast or chest that doesn't go away, or seems to be growing should be investigated.' Rowena was flooded with supportive messages from followers who criticised Facebook for taking down her photograph and praised her for being brave enough to share it. Tanya Ryan, the mother of another breast cancer patient, said: 'Am glad you put that picture up. Women need to be aware of what to look for. There is no more that can help me when cancer works out how to resist this chemo I'm on, and takes over again. 'As you know my daughter is is only just 22 and gone through breast cancer. She only felt a lump but you're right it can form itself in different ways, so needs to be addressed.' 'Still cannot believe they took it down,' Helen Mandy Jeremiah commented. 'Yet, they'll happily allow hideous videos of terrorist propaganda and of abused animals, which I and many others find offensive. You go girl.' Karen Saffy said she'd even shared a picture of her own nipple on Rowena's page as a gesture of solidarity, while Brian Hanlon said he 'admired her bottle'. Rhuanedd Richards simply wrote: 'Well done Rowena - absolutely stupid decision by Facebook. You really are a remarkable woman. Sheryl Jones said the idea of Rowena's post being offensive was 'beyond humanity' and encouraged her to keep sharing. Julie Dyne congratulated Rowena and said that Facebook should be 'embracing' people like her. Meanwhile Gordon Scott Russell encouraged everyone to 'paste it and post it'. Rowena was 33 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2009. She had been travelling in New Zealand and was catching up with a friend on the phone when she felt a lump in her breast. Recalling the symptoms, she said: 'It felt like an electric shock when I touched it and seemed to grate against my pectoral muscle, but I was too young to think of something as sinister as cancer.' She was diagnosed with triple negative cancer, which affects about one in five people with breast cancer, and cannot be treated using hormone therapy. After gruelling chemotherapy, she was told she was cancer free and returned to work. However in 2013 the cancer returned and she was given six months to live. She defied doctors' predictions, but her health is now deteriorating and she's having radiotherapy to prolong her life. 'I'm officially on my last treatment option. I've exhausted all chemos available to me,' she said. A young woman's social media campaign against the stigma surrounding bisexuality is winning her thousands of fans online. YouTuber Rachel Whitehurst, 23, of Seattle, Washington, is one of thousands of Americans to identify as bisexual, and recently decided to use her popularity to help herself and others fight against prejudice from others over their sexuality with her #ByeBiphobia campaign. 'As an out bisexual woman, my sexuality is constantly being questioned by other people,' says Rachel in her first episode of the #ByeBiphobia series, simply titled Stop Proving Your Sexuality. Scroll down for video Head on: YouTuber Rachel Whitehurst , 23, of Seattle, Washington, started the #ByeBiphobia campaign last year to tackle important issues facing bisexuals Getting a word in: The young redhead has so far recorded four episodes on YouTube for the campaign, with the first looking at the issue of bisexuals being made to feel like they need to 'prove' their sexuality 'You don't have to be bisexual to have your sexuality questioned by other people, but I believe that bisexuals get the most invalidation from other people about their sexuality because there are still people out there who don't believe that it's something that even exists.' In her first clip in the series, Rachel addresses, as the title suggests, the issue of proving sexuality. She explains how she has been accused of 'faking' her bisexuality by others who don't believe it is real. The issue, she says, is that when people hear the term bisexual, they feel 'entitled' to that person's sexual history in order to 'form their own opinion' over whether or not it's true. Rachel also strikes a chord with fellow bisexual people when she explains how someone can still be bisexual even if they haven't had sexual experiences with both sexes. Gaining fans: Rachel's videos have gained her plenty of fans, with many fellow bisexuals expressing their support in the comments One way or the other: In her videos, Rachel (pictured with her boyfriend Chris) explains how someone doesn't need to have had sexual experiences with both sexes in order to be bisexual 'Thank you so much for saying this!' wrote one elated viewer. 'I hate that whenever someone asks me if I've ever had a girlfriend or a kiss a girl I feel like I have to explain to them that it's not because I don't know who I am or what I want.' Another said: 'Thank you so much for making this video Rachel I look up to you and this just made me so happy!! I'm bisexual myself and I've never dated anybody, and I hate when people relate sexuality to dating... because I know who I am despite not having dated anybody. 'This video made me feel so much better!' Since her first video posted in July last year, Rachel has created four episodes of the series under the hashtag #ByeBiphobia. Making friends: Rachel has over 160,000 subscribers to her channel, where she also gives make-up and cooking tips Queries: Rachel also shares in one of her videos that people have questioned her sexuality because she has a boyfriend More coming: Each of Rachel's videos, including her most recent Q&A video, have been uploaded under the hashtag #ByeBiphobia Each of the clips have views into the tens of thousands. The second episode, posted in September, tackles the issue of coming out as bisexual, and in the clip she explains how she has frequently been asked why she bothered to come out when she has a boyfriend. She replies saying that staying in the closet and not being true to yourself will only hurt you in the long run and no matter the struggles you will be happier out. She will return to the catwalk on When Jesinta Campbell made her debut on the David Jones catwalk in August 2015, she turned heads for all the right reasons. The 24-year-old beauty sizzled on the runway in a monochrome bikini and held her own as she walked alongside the store's ambassadors Jessica Gomes, Montana Cox and Jason Dundas. And now the former Miss Australia is officially part of the family, having announced on Monday she will represent the brand as an ambassador. Scroll down for video Welcome to the family! Jesinta Campbell, pictured walking the catwalk for the store in August, was announced as a David Jones ambassador on Monday Jesinta will return to the catwalk on Wednesday for the David Jones Autumn/Winter 2016 Fashion Launch. 'Its been a massive career goal of mine,' Jesinta told The Today Show. 'I grew up watching Megan Gale on the catwalk and then Miranda Kerr and obviously Jessica Gomes and now Im going to be joining them as an ambassador, so its a very big highlight for me and very exciting.' When asked what she would bring the the brand, Jesinta said she embodied what it means to be a 'great Australian woman': Being fashionable, friendly and fun. 'Its been a massive career goal of mine': Jesinta will join the likes of Jessica Gomes, Megan Gale and Miranda Kerr who all represented the brand Speaking out: Jesinta said she would like to use her role as ambassador as a chance to use her voice, share her passions and stand up for what she believes in Rise to the top: The model and personality has seen her star power rise since her Miss Australia and Miss Universe days in 2010 Makeover: From pageant queen to high fashion, Jesinta's style has become noticeably more sophisticated over the years But for her, the role as ambassador means more than simply looking good in clothes. Jesinta said she would like to use the platform as a chance to use her voice, share her passions and stand up for what she believes in. The model joins an elite group of Australian models who have represented the iconic brand. Former ambassadors include Megan Gale and Miranda Kerr, who went on to earn her wings as a Victoria's Secret Angel and front editorial campaigns around the world. Gale holds the record for the longest relationship with the retail giant, first walking the catwalk for David Jones in 1995, and representing the store in different capacities before finally breaking ties last year. Joining the team: Jesinta joins current ambassadors Jessica Gomes (left) and Montana Cox (right), as well as Jason Dundas A-list: Past ambassadors for the luxury department store include Miranda Kerr (left), who represented the store between 2008 and 2013 and Megan Gale (right) for almost 20 years, between 1995 and 2015 Jesinta said representing David Jones can further models' careers, and while she does not know what her own future holds, she looked forward to embracing the opportunities she is given. As well as her catwalk duties, Jesinta has already attended David Jones luncheons and more recently flew to Melbourne to attend model castings. The brunette beauty sat alongside Montana Cox and designer and stylist Kelvin Harries on the judging panel to determine the models that best represent David Jones as a brand. Erwin Jamess mother died when he was seven and his father was a violent alcoholic. Erwin was taken into care. At ten, he committed his first crime, notching up a further 50 convictions. He was jailed for murder at 27. In prison he met Joan. Here, he describes how she helped him turn his life around 'In my drunken criminal thinking, I had become selfish and psychologically detached from other human beings. Every crisis Id had, from adolescence to adulthood, had been of my own making,' said Erwin James All my life I had been a liar, a thief and a cheat. Now I had to face the rest of my life as a convicted murderer, among the other category-A prisoners at Wakefield serial killers and torturers, child abductors and notorious rapists. Each wing had its own dedicated psychologist. All women, whose offices were converted cells. Mine told me her name was Joan and asked me how I would like to be addressed. I had never spoken to any kind of mental or emotional health professional before so had no idea what to expect. I tried to anticipate her first question; tried to figure out a strategy with which to keep control. So, she said, easing back slightly on her chair, how are you settling in? The gentleness in her voice was a surprise, as was the hint of a sympathetic smile on her face when she looked at me. It felt good to be in the company of a woman again, even one whose job was to assess my dangerousness. Her manner gave me the impression that she was kind and considerate everything I and the hard prison environment were not. Im fine, I said my usual response whenever I was asked and then I started talking. I told her that I thought the food was OK and went on about the prison generally. The only real downside so far is the work I have to do. Joan Branton, the psychologist who helped Erwin change his life. 'Her manner gave me the impression that she was kind and considerate everything I and the hard prison environment were not,' said Erwin I hadnt realised that Id been wittering on so much Id barely given her a chance to say anything. Whats the job theyve given you? she said eventually. When I told her I was in the so-called engineering fabrication workshop, where I spent four hours a day filing down bits of metal and filling little boxes with the filings for, as far as I could tell, no discernible reason, she shook her head in mock puzzlement. I didnt want her to think I was complaining. I really didnt mind the job. At least Im out of the cell for a good part of the day. She nodded. There are better jobs in the prison once people get to know you. You might want to keep your eye out for a job in the Braille unit. I had no idea what a Braille unit was, but didnt want to appear ignorant so nodded back. Though I didnt know it then, being able to speak to her was going to be the key to finding a way to live again. * * * * * I was on my sixth visit to Joans office when I let down my defences for the first time. Joan said that nobody was born bad. Whatever a person might have done to end up in prison, that did not define everything about them. I had behaved as badly towards others as it was possible to, yet I had to hang on to the idea that I wasnt inherently a bad person. For all my failings, I never went out wilfully looking to harm anyone. Were all much more than the sum of the result of our actions, she said. Even though you are here, you still have important choices to make and my job is to try to help you make the right ones. But before you can do that you need to understand your past and the path that led you here. And I have to understand it, too. We can only achieve that by talking. I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to know how I had become what I had become. Joans nonjudgmental tone gave me hope. She made me feel safe and despite all I had done she made me feel that I might have some value. So, she said, tell me, when do you remember being happy? I took a deep breath. It wasnt a question I had anticipated. Happy? That was a tough one. We sat in silence, me staring at my knees as my mind rummaged for a happy memory. All I could find was misery, strife and pain. Erwin aged six, a rare childhood photo. Being shuttled from pillar to post and then subjected to violence without solace or comfort was bound to have a detrimental effect on your development, Joan explained There were recollections aplenty of drunken revelry, almost all of which ended painfully, for me and others but a jolly picnic with friends or loved ones? I couldnt recall any of those. A family celebration a wedding? A birthday? I couldnt remember a single one. Suddenly I remembered a moment of joy. I lifted my head and looked at Joans face. Her eyes opened wide in anticipation. Watching my first daughter being born, I spluttered. That was a lovely moment; beautiful, exquisite. It was only going to be a matter of time before I failed them both completely and I knew it even then. But for those few minutes, when that vulnerable little thing took her first breath of life, I think I was happy. I was just as happy when my second daughter was born. Now, sitting quietly in Joans office, I thought about the disadvantages I had saddled these two new people with. Neither had chosen the life they had been born into. I was just glad that, thanks to their mothers, both had been blessed with lives that hopefully would be much better than mine. Eventually I asked Joan if we could talk about something else. Take your time, she said. Do you want to tell me about when you were a child? * * * * * For the best part of my second year at Wakefield, my conversations with Joan involved me reliving my childhood over and over while she offered some tentative interpretations of my drivers and triggers; the factors which pre-empted my deviant and criminal behaviour. Her assertions that much of what had happened to me when I was young had not been my fault were bittersweet assurances. She said that I was vulnerable on a number of fronts. Just the fact that my mother had died so unexpectedly, without any comforting explanations from other responsible adults and with no reassurance that I was still going to be safe and loved, was one. Being shuttled from pillar to post and then subjected to violence without solace or comfort was bound to have a detrimental effect on your development, she explained. Talking to Joan helped me to understand how my behaviour seemed to be driven by whatever I instinctively decided was necessary to get me through a day safely. My fathers punitive violence had no remedial impact on my troublesome behaviour. During one visit, Joan presented me with the complete documented account of my failed life. My criminal record was laid out on her desk. It was the first time I had ever seen it on paper seven A4 pages. I counted 51 criminal convictions, ranging from burglary to theft, to criminal damage, to assault and, finally, two murders, after a series of muggings with a more violent accomplice turned nasty. I looked at the date of my first court appearance for breaking into a television factory. It was just a month after my 11th birthday. With hindsight it looked so trivial. I understood that what I had done would not have been trivial to whoever was in charge of the factory, but had I been a criminal? If I had been looking at the history of someone else, I would have seen a little boy who was no more than a bone-raggedy, troubled scamp in dire need of care, attention and, dare I say it, love. How do you feel looking at your criminal record? I think Joan had a good idea how I was feeling my past criminality was just so appalling. Angry, I said finally. Ashamed, guilty. I wish Id never been born. Most of the people in this prison have been hurt and damaged at some point in their formative years and the rest of us have had to pay for it, she said. Unless we try to understand well have no chance of ever resolving what drives such harmful behaviour. * * * * * Wakefield prison, where Erwin was incarcerated. Most of the people in this prison have been hurt and damaged at some point in their formative years and the rest of us have had to pay for it, Joan said Earlier that year, Joan had persuaded me to enrol in education classes. I resisted, which irritated the hell out of her. Nobody is thick, as you put it, she said. We are all born with potential and we owe it to ourselves to realise that potential, to become who we should be. What she meant was that now I had food, clothing, accommodation and a structured existence, I should choose more effectively. Even though those choices were limited in prison, there were still plenty to be made. Get out of bed; dont get out of bed. Go to the workshops; dont go to the workshops. Read a book; dont read a book. Educate yourself, or... You have to make those choices when they are presented. Joans calm rationality helped me to clarify my thinking. I would have loved to have had the values and integrity she had. When I thought about it, there was no reason why I could not adopt her principles and learn to live a life that had meaning and purpose, a decent life, and maybe one day become who I should have been even in prison. Her job was to assess my risk, but her underlying manner was very much that of a champion, something I had never had before. She inspired hope that it might be possible to find a better way to live and, as the months edged by, I became more determined that that would be my goal. I was still pretty convinced, however, that I was beyond being able to be educated. I was almost 30 years old but, eventually, and only as a means of acknowledging Joans efforts, I put myself down for evening classes. One day a prison officer opened my cell door and asked me if I would like to work in the Braille unit. The tests indicate you have the aptitude for it, he said. He explained the job transcribing the written word into Braille for the blind and said there was a place for me if I wanted it. It took a couple of months to get the hang of it. I had never done anything for other people before, never understood that giving could be more satisfying than taking. Being able to do this for ordinary souls who could not see was about as worthwhile a way imaginable of spending time in prison. It also helped me cope with the guilt of my crimes. Steadily, as the weeks and months passed, I was creating a pattern of living that was giving me a sense of purpose. My job, the evening classes and the books Joan gave me were providing me with more fulfilment than I had ever experienced before. Joan and I talked about the various convictions on my record and I told her as much as I could remember about the circumstances. Every serious conviction had resulted from a crime committed while I was under the influence of alcohol. I hated myself for being so weak. Can you imagine what it must have been like for your victims? Joan asked. You have to take responsibility for all the consequences of your actions as well as the actions themselves. Do you understand that? I couldnt look at her. I was so ashamed of myself. Yes, I said. I wasnt sure that I would ever be able to put my confession to murder into words for I had pleaded not guilty in court. But Joan had brought me to this point with incredible skill and care and I knew I had to. I decided to write it down. It was a long and painful night. Since his release 12 years ago, Erwin has become an authoritative voice on prison issues in the UK After breakfast the next morning I slid the 20-odd pages under her office door. I went to work in the Braille unit and tried not to think about what she would be thinking when she read it. By the end of the day I had made up my mind to pack in all my educational activities. Who was I trying to kid? Now that I had come clean about my crimes I couldnt face anyone, especially not myself. I still went to the gym, but my workouts became acts of contrition as I hammered myself to sheer exhaustion. In the meantime Id handed all my educational coursework back to the various teachers. During a lunch time, three weeks after I had delivered my confession to Joan, I heard the key turn in the cell door and looked up. Joan was standing next to the landing officer. What are you doing? she asked. I was lying on my bed reading. Nothing, I said. She stepped into the cell and I sat up. They tell me youve given up your education. Why? She had never spoken to me so firmly before. I cant see the point. Look, she said, youve worked hard with me since youve been here and youve made good progress. But you need to have a rethink. You can give up. As we discussed before, you have a choice. 'But I want you to think about this: you owe it to your victims to become the best person you can. She turned and left the cell and the landing officer banged the door shut. For days, Joans words reverberated in my head. I couldnt sleep. I barely ate. All the stresses and strains of prison life paled in contrast to this idea: what I owed my victims could never be paid. For the first time I thought seriously about making a little rope and a noose from my bed sheets. I looked at the bars on the window. I could be free within minutes. I saw Joan another half a dozen times before she retired. Those sessions were the most difficult of all. While she gently coaxed and cajoled, we talked about the contents of my confession in forensic detail. I cried in Joans office, in my cell. Understanding how I had become what I had become before prison was central to knowing that it was possible to live again. But the more I found out about myself that was positive, and the more I came to understand the importance of moral values, the deeper became my shame, guilt, regret and sorrow when I thought of my victims. In my drunken criminal thinking, I had become selfish and psychologically detached from other human beings. Every crisis Id had, from adolescence to adulthood, had been of my own making. * * * * * In August 2004 I was released and I tried to find Joan. I knew she lived in Wakefield before she retired in the late 1980s, but hadnt a clue if she had stayed on in the town. It had been 16 years. I didnt even know if she was still alive. The internet brought up a blank. There was no sign of her on the electoral register. But then I remembered her telling me that she often attended services at Wakefield Cathedral. I rang the cathedral administration, took a deep breath and explained exactly how I knew Joan and why I was searching for her. I really need to find her. She as good as saved my life. The woman on the other end of the phone went quiet. Im really sorry, shes in a nursing home. Shes really poorly. I rang the nursing home and asked the manager to pass on a message that I would like to visit her. When I rang again I was devastated by what he told me. Joan cannot speak and she is very fragile. She communicates with a pencil and paper and asked me to tell you that she is pleased you are free, but she would rather you did not see her in her present condition. I thanked him and put down the phone, squeezing my eyes tight in an effort not to cry. That Christmas, my first in the outside world for 21 years, I decided I was going to visit Joan. I was sure that once we met again she would know that how she looked was unimportant. That was my plan until I received the email from her solicitor telling me that Joan had passed away. We all need champions, people who believe in us and want us to succeed, whatever life path we find ourselves on. I found a champion in Joan Branton. She made me believe I was redeemable. Erwin James is a pen name. He is the author of two collections of essays written while he was incarcerated. He is a fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, a trustee of the Prison Reform Trust and one of the most authoritative voices on prison issues in the UK This is an edited extract from Redeemable: A Memoir of Darkness and Hope by Erwin James, to be published by Bloomsbury on 11 February, price 16.99. Divyansh Khosla, 6, was found dead in the tank inside Ryan International School Six-year-old Divyansh Kakora could not recite the poem at the school contest, which he had been preparing for last several days. The class 1 student of Ryan International School at Vasant Kunj was all geared up to participate in a poetry competition scheduled on Saturday. By afternoon, the authorities had to fish out Divyanshs body from a water tank at the schools amphitheatre, where he was found dead. He loved reciting poems and always used to do it in front of friends and relatives. He wont be able to do it now. We have lost our son, RK Meena, Divyanshs father said. Meena and his wife work as paramedic staffers at All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS). They also have a three-year-old daughter. Meenas, who reside in Sultanpur located in Delhis Mehruali area, accused the school authorities of negligence. According to the family, Divyansh was last seen before the seventh period around 12.20pm, after which he went missing. The school authorities immediately started to look around for him, said the sources. According to the police, his body was later recovered inside the water tank, which is under the amphitheatre situated at the schools playground. The school authorities rushed him to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Police personnel outside Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj after six-year-old Divyansh (inset) was found dead in a water tank within the school premises The family has alleged that the school authorities hushed up the matter. We received a phone call from the school around 1.30pm on Saturday, asking us to rush to the hospital. The principal was also present at the school, but she refused to utter a word about the incident. Later, when we went to her and asked about the incident, she asked us to stay quiet and requested us not to raise this issue. She even told us that it is better for the family to keep mum about the incident, said Meena. No fault The school administration, however, has refuted the charges made by the parents. They claim that Divyansh was a "special child" and have denied the allegations slapped by the family. We are saddened. It is a freak accident. He was a special child. We understand that it is a loss for the parents. But their allegations are wrong. Our medical staff gave him first-aid and rushed him to the hospital, said Sandhya Sabu, the principal of Ryan International School, Vasant Kunj. The area where the body was found has been cordoned off by the police The parents, who are still in a state of shock, have raised questions over safety and security of the students in the school premises. This is the second death of a child inside a school premises in the national Capital in less than a week. On January 27, a five-year-old boy while going to the toiled had fell in a septic tank in a school run by a civic body. The tank is in the school premises. There are three gates to enter the tank, and all the gates were open. Isnt it the responsibility of the school authorities to ensure that the gates are closed? They are trying to shrug off their responsibility by calling our son as a special child, Meena said. Magisterial probe The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident. Ordered District Magistrate of New Delhi to probe Ryan child death case. To find facts, responsibility and ascertain exact role of school management (sic), Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia tweeted. As soon as the incident came to light, police teams rushed to the school. The school authorities were questioned and a case of negligence is likely to be registered against them, a senior police officer told Mail Today, adding that it is yet to be ascertained how the child fell into the tank. It was around 2.40pm that the hospital authorities informed the police about the matter. An investigation is underway and necessary legal actions will be taken, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Prem Nath said. As the strike of municipal employees entered its fourth day, the agitation among sanitation workers and other employees from the three civic agencies picked up pace. On Saturday, scores of BJP workers also joined the protesters. Sanitation workers took out a protest march in east Delhi. Over 1.5 lakh workers are on strike depriving the city of its basic services. The municipal workers strike entered fourth day thereby converting the capital into a huge dumpyard For the last three days, heaps of garbage has been left abandoned, causing immense inconvenience to the residents. Apart from this, services were affected in seven major hospitals as well as polyclinics and dispensaries run by the civic bodies as the associations of senior doctors, resident doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and other hospital staff too joined the strike. The Delhi government, in its defence, has accused the BJP-run MCDs of instigating the workers to throw garbage outside ministers residences and offices. BJP workers join MCD workers as they protest non-payment of salaries Demanding regular salaries, payment of long-pending arrears, regularisation of contract-based workers, health cards and unification of three municipal corporations, the workers launched the strike on January 27. Teachers and the health staff are agitating due to non-payment of salaries. Amidst the strike, the blame game between the MCDs and the state government has reached to a new height. The Delhi governments apathetic attitude is causing inconvenience to residents. With no garbage lifted in the last three days, the health of the residents is at risk, said Ravinder Gupta, Mayor, North MCD. Following the orders of the Delhi High Court, which directed the Delhi government and the police to ensure that the garbage is lifted despite the strike, a task force has been set up by the state. Cleaning of Delhi is the most important thing for us and keeping this in mind, the PWD, with 91 vehicles, has started removing heaps of garbage in different areas since morning. Around 10 labourers have been deployed in each vehicle. We have also informed the police about our cleanness drive and asked them to provide security to PWD staff in case anyone tries to obstruct the drive, said Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. He also questioned as to where the money released by the Delhi government had gone and alleged a salary scam in the civic bodies. There is a salary scam and that is why they (MCDs authorities) are not being able to pay the dues, he said. The agitating sanitation workers staged a protest in front of the residences of Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and Delhi Health and PWD Minister Satyendar Jain. Delhi government is deploying PWD staff to lift the garbage, while it has no money to pay the salaries of employees of corporations. How will it pay to those lifting the garbage now? asked Sanjay Gehlot, president of Swatantra Mazdoor Vikas Sanyukt Morcha. The general secretary of United Front of MCD Employees and leader of sanitation workers Rajendra Mewati said protests were held across the city in all the 272 wards of municipal corporations. As per municipal corporation officials, a total of around 7,200-7,400 metric tonnes of garbage is generated in the areas under the three civic bodies. The Narendra Modi government had big plans for the Swachh Bharat Mission. But, rural India will need to drastically accelerate the pace of building toilets if the dreams of a Swachh Bharat are to be realised, the latest government data accessed by Mail Today shows. There has been significant improvement since PM Narendra Modi launched his pet sanitation programme, 16 months ago. Half of the Indian population still defecates in the open Rural sanitation coverage has gone up from 42.05 per cent when a five-year Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was launched in October 2014, to 49.29 per cent in January 2016. At the current rate, vast swathes may remain without toilet access by 2019. As it is, many toilets are lying unused or are used to dump garbage or piles of husk. People are repulsed by the idea of having a toilet in their houses. For them, going out is a healthier and a cleaner option. Half of India's population relieves itself outdoors, exposing children to bacterial infections and women to the risks of violence. One in every 10 deaths in India is linked to poor sanitation. Modi's target is to ensure zero open defecation by 2019, through toilet building and bringing about behavioural changes. The government will be sitting for a brainstorming session at Vigyan Bhawan, on February 3, with all states and union territories to review and rev up the programme. In this latest national jump of 7.24 percentage points in toilet building, Rajasthan (20.40) has contributed the most, followed by Manipur (14.05) and Meghalaya (14.59). Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry and Kerala haven't made any progress in these 16 months. Sikkim (99.72%), Kerala (96.31%) and Himachal Pradesh (94.43%) lead rural India's overall toilet coverage, while Odisha (21%), Bihar (23.62%), J&K (31.60%) found themselves at the bottom of the list. Access to toilets does not necessarily mean they are being used, though the data suggests usage has also gone up significantly. In any case, of India's 6,12,157 villages, only 39,309 have been declared open defecation free (ODF) - the ultimate objective of SBM. Himachal Pradesh (9,684), West Bengal (8,079), and Maharashtra (5,322) are on top of the declared list. Goa, Kerala and Puducherry haven't claimed even one village on that list. Sikkim says all its villages are ODF, while half of Himachal Pradesh has claimed this distinction. About 30 per cent of Meghalaya's villages are free of the scourge. But these are just claims. The number of ODF villages, whose claims have been verified through a multi-layer process, is only 5,103. This includes Meghalaya (2,079), Uttarakhand (1,341) and Chhattisgarh (929). Toilet building is only the first step towards achieving total cleanliness. The government is working extremely hard in getting people to shun age-old practices. Lots of payments under the scheme are subject not just to construction, but real changes happening on the ground, a senior official of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation told Mail Today. The PM wants to reboot SBM and has sought a revised action plan. He has already received ideas from a group of secretaries after they were told enough is enough, and it is time for real action. A total 95 lakh toilets have been built SBM's first year. The target is 6.84 crore new toilets in rural India by October, 2019. This will need Rs 1.34 lakh crore, to be sourced from budgetary provisions, multiple cess options and a World Bank loan. In urban areas the SBM envisages Rs 62,010 crore. At a time when the globe is brimming with stories about the bad world of the Internet, a 60-year-old American woman has done almost the unthinkable by attending her Facebook sons wedding in Gorakhpur. It was four years ago that 28-year-old Krishna Mohan Tripathi was browsing through profiles on Facebook when he stumbled upon Deb Millers pictures. Gradually, they started interacting and he began sharing his feelings with her. Krishnas mother had died when he was a teenager. US citizen Deb Miller (left) reached Gorakhpur to attend her Facebook son Krishnas wedding Deb, a native of California in the United States of America, began to emotionally support him and to his surprise, also accepted his wedding invitation. I was surprised to receive a call from her on January 20. She informed me that she had reached Delhi and was inquiring about trains details to reach Gorakhpur, Krishna said. Expressing their gratitude to Deb for her kind gesture, Krishnas relatives and neighbours went to Gorakhpur railway station to receive her. Upon her arrival in the Uttar Pradesh city, Deb said: I do not have children and when I interacted with Krishna, I felt God had fulfilled my wishes. He is a very nice person and I pray to God that all his wishes come true. Krishna is currently pursuing MSc from Awadh University in Faizabad and aspires to become a lawyer. He married a local girl named Neha in a traditional ceremony, on Saturday. Excited to have the blessing of his FB mom Deb, he said: Mom (Deb) has invited us to America and soon we will go there. Debs arrival was just the beginning of the many pleasant surprises that were in store for Krishna. Little did they know they were in for another one. They were left astounded when Deb gave Krishna jewellery worth Rs 25 lakh and a 125-year-old ring, which she had purchased from an auction house in Britain, as the wedding gifts. The American woman was dressed in a golden Banarsi saree as she has evidently fallen in love with India. I used to see Indian women (wearing saree) on TV and always wondered how they carried it. However, it is a very nice and suave dress. I am taking back two dozen sarees as return gifts. I will come back to India and visit the Taj Mahal with my son, she said. As a Kolkata sessions court pronounced the quantum of punishment in the horrific Kamduni gangrape and murder case on Saturday, Tumpa Kayal and Mousumi Kayal - the faces of the Kamduni protests, broke down. The duo, friends of the 20-year-old victim, had no words to express their relief and joy as three convicts Ansar Ali, Saiful Ali and Amin Ali were sentenced to death and the other three - Emanul Islam, Bhola Naskar and Aminur Islam - were handed life terms for the brutal gangrape and murder that shocked the state in 2013. Additional district and sessions judge Sanchita Sarkar pronounced the sentence. Social activists protested outside the court following the judgment in the Kamduni rape and murder case Tumpa and Mousumi were seen crying profusely in television studios as anchors hurled pointed questions at them. We have fought a long battle, for almost two-and-a-half years. We continued to fight with the Maoist tag. A lot of social and political pressures were on us and on those who stood up against the gruesome crime, said a sobbing Tumpa Kayal. Politics at play Tumpa said they waited desperately for this very day of justice. We belong to very ordinary families. We dont understand political implications. We were never involved in any political play over the gangrape and murder of our friend. We just wanted justice. But we were given several political titles by the ruling party. People stayed indoors in fear and preferred to keep mum, she said. Tumpa said the women of Kamduni wanted to vent their anger about the general security of women in the village, but Didi had termed them Maoists. The six men accused of the Kamduni rape and murder case. Three have been sentenced to death for gangrape and murder and three have been given life terms I ran for about two kilometres after her convoy just to express our helplessness. And yes, I also wanted to tell her that we were neither Maoists, nor affiliated to any political party, Tumpa added. The Kamduni gangrape and murder had taken place on June 7, 2013, in West Bengals North 24 Parganas district. The girl, a second year college student, was abducted, forcibly taken inside a factory and brutally gang raped by nine men, while she was returning home after appearing in an exam. The men had torn apart her legs up to the navel and slit her throat before dumping the body in a fish pond. Public protests I know she must be up there now and has seen how we fought the battle for her justice. She must be showering her blessings on all of us now. This is not the fight for the victim of Kamduni, but for all women who face similar physical assaults with deadly consequence, said Mousumi, pointing out that the Kamduni incident had kicked up a storm in the state. Ahead of the landmark verdict, protesters armed with placards and banners, which read We want justice, clashed with the police outside the court. The protesters were said to be members of the student wing of a Left party. The court area was chock-a-block with people, including friends and family members of the victim and Kamduni villagers. A large contingent of police was deployed to ensure tightened security. The hearing started around 11 am on Saturday went on for more than an hour. We have argued that this was the rarest of rare cases. One of those convicted had, in court, described in graphic detail how they had tortured the girl, gang raped her and then murdered her. Ansar Ali, Saiful Ali and Amin Ali were sentenced to death for gang rape and murder. They deserved capital punishment, Public Prosecutor Anindya Raut told reporters, adding that three others, Emanul Islam, Bhola Naskar and Aminur Islam, were given life terms for gang rape. Defence lawyer Phiroze Edulji said: Let us get the copy of the judgment. We will go to high court within the next week. The new issue of India Today is a celebration of sex, as we Indians know it, and well, do it. It covers cities big and small, from Mumbai and Bengaluru, to Kochi and Indore, and everything in between. The issue got me thinking about my own early experiences: growing up in provincial Allahabad in the late 1980s, moving to Delhi University - a big campus in a big city, and finally to Oxford where sex, for the first time, felt like a normal act, like going to the ATM. The Indian society needs to evolve in terms of its thinking and the vocabulary to talk about sex Crassness In East UP lingo, the words for sex are often violent and crude. From seal todna to chinar, one has to wade through a lot of linguistic crassness if one wants to talk about sex. It was a conservative town, as you can well imagine. If you were having sex, you were immediately under the radar. A Muslim businessman bought an apartment in our housing society. He didnt live there. But on some days, maybe two Sundays in a month, hed be seen entering his own apartment with a lady friend. The pillars of the housing society clamped their jaws down on the hapless and embarrassed businessman. By the way, the acronym of the housing society was JAWS: Jyoti Apartments Welfare Society. The businessman was pulled up and he had to stop what he was doing. Maybe he was doing nothing inside the house! Maybe he was just spending some time with his lady friend in a small town where tongues would wag if he was seen in a restaurant. Why not meet in the privacy of the walls of ones own home. But just that act was not going to be tolerated and he must have taken his interest elsewhere, though he still kept his house for a few years. Thats how bad things were. Things were better at my place because a friend of my fathers, Adil Jussawala, the well-known poet and journalist, had just become the editor of Debonair. Wed get a complimentary copy every month, and that sent my stock soaring in school. Pimply 14-year-olds would drop in after tuition lessons and hurriedly flip through the magazine. Every time my mother walked in to use the fridge in the living room, the magazine would be stuffed under the sofa cushion. Debonair was a sophisticated magazine; everyone from Vinod Mehta to Anil Dharkar was its editor at some point. There was poetry and new fiction and some soft porn, shot by top photographers like Gautam Rajadhyaksha. For many of us across the country, it was the only respectable access to nudity that we had. For there was little available in terms of images. Everyone read Nancy Fridays books on womens fantasies, but those books didnt have pictures. Fantasy Not to be left behind, an Allahabad businessman launched his own soft porn magazine called Fantasy. Fantasy had none of the sophistication and intellectual pretensions of Debonair. It was so successful that they launched a second version of the same magazine called Fantasy Fun. In Allahabad, sex was not something we spoke about. I remember Kamasutra condoms had just come into the market, backed by a bold-for-the-time advertising campaign. Some of us schoolboys decided to go buy a packet, not that we had any use for it. Our tween attempt at buying an adult product was scuttled by the adult behind the counter in the chemists shop. When we asked for Kamasutra condoms, he gave us a bottle of Kayam Chooran. Dirty Time to move to Delhi for college. By now I had a girlfriend, but we didnt know where to go to discover each other. The hostel prohibited girls from entering. Someone tipped us off about a park close by which was administrated by eunuchs and where a couple would be given a spot behind a bush to do their thing. I think the rate was Rs 50 for an hour. One always had the sense that one was doing something dirty in a dirty place. The next hostel I was in was a postgraduate one. The International Students House students actually went on strike to allow women into the rooms. The agitation lasted several days and was front-page news. The students finally won. The girlfriends joined in the protest. I remember a very angry warden, stumped by this act of collective civil disobedience, shouting at the girls: Pata nahin kaise ghar se aati hai. It was in Oxford, that sex finally became an undirty word. The hostels were mixed and one realised how normal that experience could be. One shared bathrooms and corridors with the opposite sex. Student couples hugged and kissed freely on college campuses, adding to the beauty of the spectacular medieval architecture. No one cared two hoots. The gargoyles looked on benevolently. To come back to the present, while Indians seem to have become more adventurous in the bedroom, we still have some distance to travel. We had a glorious tradition of explicit erotic poetry in Tamil and Prakrit, much of it from the womans point of view. All of this is available in excellent English translation. We need to reconnect with this past. Hindi still hasnt evolved a vocabulary for lovemaking. In the wildly popular show Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai, sex is still referred to as romance. I also dont see why Hindi cinema shies away from shooting full-fledged love-making/ kissing scenes. No law prevents them from doing this. Sex needs to be part of our public discourse, and Bollywood is the perfect vehicle. News / National by Mabasa Sasa The outgoing Chairman of the African Union, President Mugabe, has been elected Rapporteur of the AU Bureau for 2016, keeping him in the leadership of the continental bloc for yet another year.After revealing that President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad would succeed him as the AU Chair, President Mugabe was himself announced as Rapporteur.This means President Mugabe will have been on the AU Bureau for three years by the end of 2016, having been elected to the body in 2014 when fellow African leaders made him their First Deputy Chair. Last year he chaired the bloc and this year he continues on the Bureau.The AU Bureau steers the bloc's activities and comprises the Chair, three deputies and the Rapporteur. For 2016, the other members of the Bureau are Deputy Chairs Benin, Rwanda and Libya. And on taking over the Chairmanship, President Deby conceded what a tough job it would be to emulate President Mugabe.His first words on taking to the podium were: "It is not an easy task to succeed His Excellency President Robert Mugabe as you all know."I doubt that I have the words, that I have the language, the frank and direct language, nor his capacity. But we will try and do our best."He (President Mugabe) served his term with passion and determination and has attained the objectives that he laid out."This was after President Mugabe gave one of the most memorable addresses to the AU Assembly at the 26th Summit of Heads of State and Government here yesterday. That rich address, which on several occasions was stopped by sustained applause and ended with an extended ovation, hearkened back to other great speeches in Addis Ababa by fellow continental giants such as Ahmed Ben Bella, Haile Selassie I and Julius Nyerere.But before he used his renowned wit, attention to detail and fiery passion to good effect in his speech, President Mugabe also received plaudits for his leadership from AU Commission Chair Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.She praised the historical contextualisation he gave proceedings during his tenure, his political acumen, towering intellect and the dose of humour with which he eased things along.The applause rang loud as she departed from her prepared address and said, "Let me thank the Chairperson of the Union for the excellent guidance over the past year"Gratitude must also go to the Foreign Minister (Mr Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, who was Chair of the AU Executive Council) and the Ambassador (Permanent Representative to the AU Mr Albert Chimbindi)." On the night of February 23, 1991, a battalion of the 4th Rajputana Rifles of the 68th Brigade conducted a cordon and search operation in the villages of Kunan and Poshpora in frontier Kupwara district. Residents said that men and women were segregated in the darkness of the wintry night. While the men were taken to field for an overnight interrogation, the women, regardless of their age, were allegedly gang raped. An allegation strongly opposed by the Indian Army. The lawyers and social activists wrote the book 'Do You Remember Kunan Poshpara', which chronicles the life of survivors in the Kashmiri village where Indian army conducted search operation With the villagers pursuing the case in various courts of law since and authorities evading responsibility, the fight for justice for those in Kunan and Poshara goes on. This week a book titled 'Do You Remember Kunan Poshpora' was launched at the Jaipur Literature Festival, reviving the agonies of the women from the neglected villages, 125 km northwest of Srinagar city. The book has been jointly written by five women - aged between 22 to 26 - Samreen Mushtaq, Ifrah Butt, Essar Batool, Natasha Manzoor and Munaza Rashid and is published by Zubaan Publications. The authors are lawyers and social workers who work voluntarily with a Srinagar-based human rights group, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), on the Kunan Poshpora survivors. The authors chronicled the lives of the survivors as well as what happened on that dreadful night. In the days to come, the authors are planning to release the book in Srinagar and bring Kunan Poshpora back in discourse after a gap of almost 25 years. The State Human Rights Commission in 2012 recommended a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to 34 women petitioners and action against officials who closed the case in 1991. In 2013 a group of 50 women, including the five authors, filed the petition in the high court seeking the reopening of the Kunan Poshpora case. The high court admitted the petition and took it as a PIL. We filed the petition not because we expect justice from the system, but because we wanted to make Indian army answerable and to make them understand they cannot go scot free to repeat the same crime. Our struggle is not about the outcomes but developing culture of resistance where people would question impunity and where we will not remain silent in the face of injustice, writes Samreen Mushtaq, a co-author of the book. The book talks about reopening the case and documents the legal struggle faced by the survivors and the authors. Five of the women victims died as the legal battle raged on. The authors have written different chapters while being a part of the ongoing legal battle. The chapters include ones titled - That Night in Kunan Poshpora, Life in Kunan Poshpora, Inquires and People who Remember. Before Christmas, The Mail on Sunday reported that UK discount deals website nCrowd, also trading as BoomStreet, was on the cusp of going bust. Since then the business has gone into liquidation but the brand has reappeared online. Another company, called Mighty Deals Ltd, has purchased the name and database used by the former business and continues to operate a discount deals website under the name nCrowd. There is no suggestion that Mighty Deals Ltd had any connection with the former nCrowd business. Here, Laura Shannon explains how this can happen and warns of the hidden dangers of internet shopping. Iconic: nCrowd was operated from the Sunsphere building in Knoxville, Tennessee Thousands of shoppers and small businesses who lost money when the UK arm of online deals website nCrowd went into liquidation have been warned they will not be getting a refund. More than 2,800 people and businesses are estimated to be owed around 1.6million following the collapse of nCrowd. The company also traded as BoomStreet, which is still up and running in the US but under a different company name. The man behind the online enterprise was US citizen Brian Conley. The 51-year-old serial businessman, who operated nCrowd from an iconic building called Sunsphere in Knoxville, Tennessee, is also facing legal action by small business owners who claim to have lost money in the US. In the sun: Brian Conley, ex-owner of nCrowd, with wife Christa Only recently Conley was pictured smiling and sipping drinks with his wife in sunny Cabo San Lucas, in Mexico, while his customers counted their losses some of which run into thousands of pounds at home and across the pond. In the UK, owners of small companies including pubs, hotels, restaurants and beauty salons were approached by nCrowd to offer discounts to customers in a supposed win-win move designed to help the website, small businesses and customers alike. Merchants honouring these deals say they started to lose out when nCrowd failed to reimburse money paid by customers. Many shoppers buying discount goods never received their items. The company ceased trading late last year and officially folded in mid-December. Shortly afterwards a letter from the liquidator responsible for winding up nCrowd sent to creditors warned that 'no refunds will be issued by the company and nor will any orders made now be fulfilled'. A statement from Conley shows money was funnelled from the UK website to help keep the US version afloat. In legal documents filed in the US defending Conley's handling of the business, it says: 'Mr Conley at all times acted in good faith and in the best interest of nCrowd when making business decisions affecting creditors.' New identity: Now the nCrowd website has reappeared this time run by Mighty Deals Ltd WEBSITE RISES FROM ASHES Since the demise of nCrowd, it has reappeared online, selling anything from cut-price smartphones to spa days. The website is no longer in the hands of Conley but is a trading name of Mighty Deals Limited, demonstrating how easily website names can be sold on. But people ordering from their computers are given only basic information. According to records kept by Companies House, Mighty Deals' accounts are up-to-date and it has two British-based directors. But it is not immediately obvious from looking at the new nCrowd website who it belongs to, unless visitors click on the terms and conditions in the smallprint at the foot of the webpage. Customers should be aware that the website does not list any contact numbers should any problems arise with their orders. Shoppers with queries about anything from returns to missing deliveries must set up an account and sign in, or send questions via the website rather than using an email address. Mighty Deals boss Mike Rowe says: 'We have a good reputation in the marketplace. We have ambition to grow and therefore want to provide a good level of customer service we don't want customers to find it hard to contact us.' ONLINE SHOPPING ON ANY WEBSITE CAN HAVE RISKS. HERES HOW TO AVOID THE ONLINE PITFALLS: Consumer experts say research is key to a good experience when shopping online. Websites such as Trustpilot and TripAdvisor are a good starting point, listing details of other customer experiences. Online operations run by high street brands are likely to exercise higher standards and provide easier routes of redress if something goes wrong. But anyone buying through a lesser known entity should check for visible contact numbers and email addresses, as well as clear explanations of how it deals with deliveries, returns and complaints before parting with any money. Steve Nowottny, of consumer website MoneySavingExpert, says: 'Never assume a website is reputable just because you find it via a reputable search engine.' He adds: 'If you are unsure, check whether you are buying from a registered UK company by referring to the Companies House website. 'Search online for complaints, check social media for feedback and look for any news coverage of the website.' Read the terms and conditions of buying through a website and consider paying with a credit card. Customers who do this have added protection because if goods or services are not delivered and the website does not respond to refund requests, or if it goes bust, the credit card company should pay back the money. This applies when goods are priced between 100 and 30,000 and comes under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. Nowottny adds: 'It's worth bearing in mind you actually have better rights shopping online compared to in-store, thanks to Consumer Contracts Regulations. 'In most cases, you have the right to simply change your mind, even if there is no fault with what you have bought.' In this scenario shoppers have 14 days to tell the company and 14 further days to send back an item. Check also for a padlock sign and 'https' when the website address is typed in, which indicates a payment is secure. 'We were frustrated by awful service' One family tell of their ordeal after shopping at another website, 24Studio. Fed up: Aidan and Sian Bailey bought a bed for son Quentin Aidan and Sian Bailey's order from a discount catalogue website failed to arrive, but so did the refund they consequently asked for in an online experience they describe as 'frustrating'. The couple, from Henfield, West Sussex, paid 315 upfront for a bed for their 13-year-old son Quentin from 24Studio in October last year. It never turned up so they cancelled the order but were left waiting until the New Year for a refund, which only landed in their account after several calls to a helpline, dozens of emails and complaining via social media. Aidan, 45, who works as an operations director for a tax and financial planning company, says: 'The service was awful. Funds were eventually returned to our bank account early this month though by this time, I was also seeking a letter of apology and compensation for wasted time and frustration.' Eventually the Baileys were put in touch with a complaints manager who looked into their order and offered a 500 goodwill gesture, which they accepted. Aidan adds: 'If something goes wrong it is not as simple as popping into the local shop to explain and sort out. 'We ended up spending weeks making phone calls to a helpline where no one seemed willing or able to take ownership of the complaint. Being ignored after 20 emails only served to anger and frustrate us.' A spokesman for 24Studio said: 'We apologise that our normal standards of customer service were not met. Following communication with Aidan and Sian they have accepted compensation, which has been sent to them.' FCA incoming boss: Andrew Bailey is against the cap on banker bonuses put in place by the EU Andrew Bailey, the incoming chief of the Financial Conduct Authority, has a mountain to climb. On top of the litany of gripes about the FCA's performance, the watchdog will this week get a roasting from MPs as they debate a vote of no confidence in it. Whether or not the vote passes is of less consequence than the public drubbing it will doubtless receive. But let me pin my colours to the mast I think Bailey is the right man for this job. Some critics have already wondered whether his appointment signals a new 'go soft on the banks' approach, directed by the Chancellor. Those who have met and chatted to Bailey about banking would know he is not a stooge for the banks and that his criticism can be as trenchant as anyone's. But he is also a considered and intelligent analyst of the banking system. His current role of Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and head of its Prudential Regulatory Authority has put him on the front line of efforts to make sure banks are stable, that the risk they pose to the wider economic system are minimised (they can never be eradicated). He has had more than his fair share of confrontations with bank chiefs over these issues. Some of his views do not chime with an easy populism about bankers. He has stated his opposition to the cap on banker bonuses put in place by the EU. He is right to have done so, not because bankers need a break, but because it was counterproductive and has demonstrably led to higher basic pay in the banking industry. Basic pay, which unlike a bonus, cannot be clawed back in the event of misconduct. He has also criticised the current predominant system of banks offering apparently 'free' current accounts. He is right. Free bank accounts mean the banks must make up the money elsewhere in charges and selling (or mis-selling) other products. These are not easy consumer arguments to make. A simplistic view is that they look 'pro-bank'. They are not. Ironically, one of the errors of the FCA in the past has been to be too keen to play to the public gallery to 'look hard'. Its worst gaffe was when it caused chaos in the stock market in 2014 after it botched a briefing to a journalist. The story, which portrayed the FCA as being poised for a vicious crackdown, sent shares in insurance companies plunging. It took six hours to issue a statement clarifying its plans. Ms J.B. writes: I paid a cheque made out in Canadian dollars into my account at Barclays and staff assured me it would take no longer than five days to clear. Five days later the funds were cleared in my account, but two weeks after that I received a letter from Barclays saying the cheque was counterfeit. The bank has added charges and taken into account exchange rate differences and has deducted 1,770 from my account. Mixed messages: Barclays headquarters in Londons Canary Wharf You have been a victim of deliberate overpayment fraud. You run a small business and received an email, supposedly from a Canadian couple who were travelling to London and wanted you to do some work for them. They sent a cheque, quickly followed by another email claiming that by mistake they had included their air fares. They asked you to bank the cheque and then return 1,600 they had accidentally overpaid. You banked the cheque, and five days later when it cleared, you sent back the 1,600. Barclays now says the cheque was a forgery good enough to fool its counter staff but not good enough to fool the Canadian bank on which it was drawn. Barclays has deducted from your account the face value of the cheque, plus about 170 in charges and exchange rate differences, leaving you 1,770 out of pocket. This fraud is not unusual, and it does not just affect businesses. People advertising cars, boats and even horses for sale have been swindled by fraudsters who claim to be overseas buyers and then send a large cheque, followed by an explanation that they have accidentally included shipping costs, so will the seller please send a refund. The scam relies on you and other victims not knowing or being told that when bank staff say a cheque will clear by a certain date, this is not the same as saying that the cash cannot be snatched back later. You have told me that two members of staff at Barclays assured you that the Canadian cheque would clear in five days, which it did. But Barclays itself says that when you deposited the cheque you were given a three-page form that included a full page of terms and conditions, including banking terminology asking you to decide between collection, negotiation, and deferred credit. The document went on to warn that if any cheque bounced, then even if Barclays had already told you the money was yours, it would be entitled to take it back. According to the bank, you signed this agreement when you paid in the cheque. Yet the agreement lays down no time limit when you would be out of danger. The cheque could have bounced six weeks after you paid it in, or six months, or six years and Barclays would have taken back the money. How does this stack up against the simple assurance that the cheque would clear in five days? Barclays gave you a mixed message. The bank told me its staff are fully trained to explain that while funds are available in five days, this does not mean the cheque will have cleared. So why is there no time limit after which a customer can be sure they are on safe ground? The bank told me: The clearance timings will vary between countries and banks. This variation means they are not included in the terms and conditions document. In short, you and other customers are expected to appreciate the differences between the various ways a foreign cheque can be banked and if staff did say funds would clear in five days they should have said funds would be available but could be grabbed back months or years later. This simply is not good enough. Although I should probably know better than to be optimistic, I wonder whether consumer protection officials at regulator the Financial Conduct Authority should be looking into this instead of cosying up to the banks? Monster bill: A fraudster opened the account in store Mystery of the O2 mobile account set up in my name R.J.W. writes: I am sending you letters from phone firm O2 saying I owe 115 as I have not settled my account. But I do not have an account with O2, and have never had one. Since the first letter, two more demands have arrived for the same sum. I asked O2 to investigate. It told me the account was opened via Carphone Warehouse. Meanwhile, someone was making heavy use of the phone registered in your name and the bill rocketed to 891. O2 quickly decided: We accept the account is fraudulent and have closed it down with immediate effect. But how was the account opened in the first place, with your name and address? Carphone Warehouse refused to say how the trickster proved he was you. It told me: Regrettably on this occasion, Mr W has been a victim of identity fraud and we have apologised for the inconvenience caused. The firm said it makes rigorous checks to verify every customers identity, and told me the fraudster had enough of Mr Ws details to pass all of those checks. Proof, surely, that the checks are not rigorous enough, forcing you to prove your innocence as the demands mounted. Not good enough. If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. Defensive: Talib Sheikh is concentrating his share buying on sectors such as healthcare Tomorrow sees the JPM Multi-Asset Macro investment fund reinvent itself as JPM Global Macro Opportunities. Though there will be no change in the management team or the way the fund is run, JP Morgan Asset Management believes the reincarnation will result in a name that better reflects what the fund is all about. Talib Sheikh, one of three managers who oversee the fund, explains: 'What we are trying to do with this fund is identify the key macro themes driving the global economy and then select an investment strategy that will best extract value from them. 'We do this while carefully managing investment risk.' The approach results in them investing in a broad church of assets everything from equities through to fixed income securities, currency and derivatives. The managers are also as happy backing equities in the expectation of share price gains as they are 'short selling' others when they believe their prices will fall. So far, the strategy has paid off handsomely. Since the fund was launched nearly three years ago, it has delivered a return of 34 per cent, compared with 8 per cent from the FTSE All-Share Index. 'It's proving popular with a range of investors,' says Sheikh. 'Private banks, retail investors and family offices. Investors see it as a diversification tool, a new way of delivering investment returns.' Though the young fund's size is relatively modest at 140million, it has big potential an equivalent JPM vehicle targeted at investors outside the UK is nearly nine times the size. What the new name does not indicate is that the fund is one of a growing number that aim to appeal to investors who want more certainty over returns from investments. It is a 'targeted absolute return' fund striving to deliver positive returns in all kinds of economic and stock market conditions. In JPM's case, it aims to deliver absolute returns equivalent to cash plus seven per cent over rolling 12-month periods. JPM aims to deliver absolute returns equivalent to cash plus seven per cent over rolling 12-month periods Targeted absolute return funds are increasingly popular among investors as stock markets become more volatile and returns from cash remain negligible. According to figures released in the past few days by trade body the Investment Association, targeted absolute return funds were the second best-selling type of investment fund in 2015. Only UK equity income funds were more popular. Of the 18billion of investment funds bought last year, more than one in five (4billion) were focused on absolute returns. Sheikh says he and the two other managers James Elliot and Shrenick Shah remain 'pretty nervous' about stock markets. As a result, equity exposure is concentrated in defensive sectors such as healthcare and telecoms. They are 'relatively bearish' about emerging markets and are currently shorting oil stocks and the FTSE 100 Index generally. As for the future, Sheikh warns it will be harder for the fund to deliver returns as markets be they equity, bond or currency become 'more difficult'. But he is adamant that the fund's flexibility makes it an attractive counterpoint to a traditional equity portfolio. Britain's biggest oil groups will this week report a near 10billion slump in profits as the calamitous effect of the low oil price takes its toll on the blue chip giants. Both BP and Shell are expected to see their full-year profits for 2015 slashed by about 40 per cent leading to fears that they will struggle to maintain their dividend payouts to shareholders. BP is predicted to report profit for the year of $6.8billion (4.8billion) down from $12.1billion previously, while Shell is set to report profit down to $10.7billion (7.5billion) from $19billion. Dividend fears: BP and Shell are expected to see their full-year profits for 2015 slashed by about 40 per cent Oil companies have traditionally been among the biggest and most reliable payers of dividends on the stock market, making them a favourite of pension funds and institutional investors. Shells dividend accounts for more than 10 per cent of FTSE 100 payouts and it has not cut it since 1945. However, the price of oil has nosedived from a high of $115 a barrel 18 months ago to just $27.88 a barrel earlier this month, although it rose at the end of last week to $34.45 on reports that Russia and Saudi Arabia might agree to cut production. The oil price tumbled after Saudi Arabia refused to cut back its output in an attempt to drive US producers of shale oil out of business. Shale oil, which is pumped from oil-bearing rock, has led the US to the brink of oil self-sufficiency. BP is still recovering from the $40billion cost of the environmentally devastating Deepwater Horizon oil spill six years ago. The company last slashed its dividend after that disaster, but chief executive Bob Dudley has said he will maintain it. However, analysts at JP Morgan Cazenove reckon the company will now be forced to cut the $7billion dividend and they are expecting an announcement later this year. Shells boss Ben van Beurden saw his shareholders vote overwhelmingly in favour of his 36billion deal to acquire Britains other leading energy producer BG Group last week. He has insisted Shell will maintain its near $12billion dividend even after reporting a $7.4billion loss in the three months to September last year in the wake of the failure of its Arctic drilling project. He has said the dividend from the new merged company will be $15billion for 2016. BP plans to shed 4,000 workers including one in five in its North Sea operations. Shell has said it will axe 10,000 jobs following its merger with BG Group and it aims to sell more than $20 billion of assets by 2018. City watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority will face fresh humiliation this week as Parliament debates a vote of no confidence in the organisation. One MP warned that without a Government whip to support the regulator the vote could go against the FCA and damage the reputation of Britains financial services. The debate and possible vote will raise the pressure on Andrew Bailey, the incoming boss of the FCA who has been charged with salvaging its battered reputation. Under pressure: Andrew Bailey is the incoming boss of the FCA Critics fear the replacement of Martin Wheatley, a hardliner who was ousted last summer, could signal a return to light regulation. Backbenchers are set to debate the issue which is in the form of a backbench business motion in the Commons tomorrow. The Government has told its MPs they need to be on hand to vote for the Bank of England Bill, which is being debated tomorrow afternoon, but it has not been made clear whether it will whip MPs to support the regulator. A vote of no confidence would be an embarrassment for the Chancellor who created the FCA as part of his much-vaunted overhaul of financial regulation. Mark Garnier, Tory MP for Wyre Forest, said: This motion is running the risk that Parliament is saying it doesnt trust our financial services regulator. Parliament must hold their feet to the fire and must make certain they are doing a good job. But that doesnt mean you have no confidence in them. Bailey, currently deputy governor at the Bank of England, will take over the FCA in July. Wheatley was reportedly removed because he was said to shoot first and ask questions later. The Government department that deals with business rate appeals is struggling to cope with a huge backlog of cases fuelling speculation that private sector firms could be called in to take over part of the work. Senior sources in the commercial property market said they could not see how the Valuation Office Agency would be able to deal with a backlog of almost 300,000 appeals without more funding or outside help. The agency is preparing new charges for 1.8 million properties, which will be made public in September and come into force in April 2017. Business rates: The agency is preparing new charges for 1.8 million properties But the number of appeals is estimated at almost the same it was a year ago, according to analysis by property advisory firm Colliers. It suggested the agency typically works through up to 10,000 appeals a month. One source said that many businesses were facing historic rate rises next year because of the massive rise in property values in some areas, which will lead to another wave of appeals. He said: Youve either got to resource the agency properly and clearly that is not the direction of travel or outsource the appeals process to a third party. Capita already assists some local authorities in the collection of business rates and council tax collection. Last year it bought property consultancy GL Hearn which describes itself as one of the UKs leading firms of business rates advisers. Property firms and business rates campaigners have argued for a simpler system with more regular rates valuations, cutting the current five year cycle to three years or even one year. That would reduce the number of appeals by linking current property values more closely to business rates. A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government, which is responsible for the Valuation Office, said: We provide significant funding to the Valuation Office Agency for its valuation duties, including responding to appeals. The VOA is independent and has to prioritise its resources appropriately, including delivering the major programme of preparing for Revaluation 2017.' The government is bringing forward a modern and more effective business rates appeals system, where cases can be resolved earlier and refunds can be paid quicker, he said. Warning: Business rates campaigner Paul Turner-Mitchell said there will be an explosion of new appeals The Mail on Sunday has also learned that property advisers Colliers have sent a letter to the Government warning of the pressure facing the Valuation Agency and the appeals system. John Webber, head of rating at Colliers International, said: With revaluations only every five years, we have clearly created a culture of appeals. We are calling on government to seriously consider three-yearly revaluation as a way of producing a more accurate rateable value, thereby suppressing the need to appeal. He said extra-funding is required for the Valuation Office to deal with the unacceptable backlog of appeals. But business rates campaigner Paul Turner-Mitchell said: By April next year the Valuation Office will be firefighting an explosion of new appeals. There are already concerns there are not enough staff. He said any move to prop up the current system by outsourcing appeals decisions to a firm such as Capita could be fraught. London mayor Boris Johnson is launching a scheme to help fast growing technology and life science firms in the capital to trade abroad. The first cohort of 50 to be announced on Tuesday is known to include bicycle light maker Blaze; Kano, which produces computer kits for children; job search engine Adzuna; and Bloom & Wild, which delivers flowers in packaging that fits through letterboxes. Blazes lights make drivers aware of bicycles approaching junctions by projecting a bike-shaped image on the tarmac 20ft ahead of cyclists. They are being fixed to Transport for Londons hire bicycles known as Boris bikes after a successful trial. Green light: Boris Johnson will help Blaze to export its bike lights Blaze was started by Emily Brooke. The mayors office said a third of the founders on the first cohort are women. As part of Johnsons International Business Programme, firms will have one-to-one mentoring from Rhodri Thomas at predictive text firm Swiftkey and angel investor Sherry Coutu, as well as workshops on exporting. Johnson said: Firms in London are bursting at the seams with new ideas. This is a perfect opportunity for them to branch out and put their business on the world stage. Google will continue to pay minimal tax in the UK by heaping yet more costs on to its British business, according to insiders at the group. The internet giant continues to insist its Irish trading arm has no 'permanent establishment' in Britain, though changes to tax rules may force it to revise this position as early as next year. However, Google sources said even then it could keep its tax bill low by adding more to its bills. Insiders said the UK arm could be charged billions of pounds more by its US parent for using technology and services offsetting UK efforts to increase its tax bill. Even if HMRC had decided its Irish arm did have a presence here for the past ten years, that would not have significantly raised its tax bill, insiders said. Incredible: Google boss Eric Schmidt's pay package far exceeds its UK tax deal Fury over Google's tax affairs will be further stoked tomorrow when it unveils its final results for 2015, which are expected to show global profit of nearly $16billion (11.25billion), up from $14.5billion last year. The Revenue has been unable to show that either Google's American parent now called Alphabet or its Irish business, which takes all payment from UK advertisers, have 'permanent establishment' in Britain. The company was repeatedly challenged on the issue during a six-year audit of its tax affairs. Google is building a 1billion office complex in King's Cross, Central London. The 1,000ft-long 'groundscraper', dubbed the Lying Down Shard, will allow it to expand its staff numbers from the current 2,400, including 800 of its top research and development specialists. But it claims this operation is not responsible for UK earnings. The issue hinges on where a firm closes sales deals. Google says all its sales to British companies are done in Ireland. Changes to tax rules, being introduced under an agreement between major economies, will close this loophole as early as next year, but insiders said the group's UK operations could be made to pay more to its parent as current payments 'don't come close to attributing the right amount of cost'. A source said: 'Even if we had a permanent establishment here, there would still be huge costs associated with a UK business.' Tax advisers also said the issue was not clear cut. One told The Mail on Sunday: 'All the main assets, the computer algorithms, the ownership of the servers with trillions of terabytes of data, the value of its intangible assets, are all held elsewhere.' Any future tax bill would be larger, insiders said, but nowhere near the 200million annual bill some believed it should pay. Though Google's agreement to pay 130million in tax in the UK for the past ten years was hailed by Chancellor George Osborne as a 'victory' it is dwarfed by some of the group's other statistics. Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google since 2011, has been paid 166million in just four years. The average pay at the group's UK offices stood at 165,000 last year. Google's 130million bill does not just relate to its complex international structure. The Mail on Sunday understands the deal included settlement of a 24 million row over share-based payments to staff. The group will not say how much it paid to settle the row, a revelation that could spark further controversy over the lack of transparency surrounding the deal. Settling in: Google's new London HQ will include plush sofas for staff Google is under attack in other countries, notably for its notorious tax structure, known as the 'double-Irish'. Though sales are booked in Ireland, the Irish subsidiary pays a royalty for the use of the Google brand to The Netherlands, and from there to another Irish firm, which is officially tax-resident in Bermuda. A clampdown in Dublin means the Bermudan business will come onshore to Ireland from 2020. But even this could provide furthher opportunities for Google to cut its Irish tax bill. The Bermudan firm is sitting on tens of billions of pounds in cash from worldwide operations. Google will not say what its plans are, but one expert told The Mail on Sunday that Google Ireland could buy some of the rights to royalties from the Bermudan business, running up huge costs, which it could offset against Irish tax for years. Other efforts to squeeze firms that export profits have proved ineffective. Even a so-called 'Google tax' launched in 2014 by Osborne will not affect Google itself. The rules are meant to penalise firms that shift profits offshore, but a clause says if an appropriate amount of profit is allocated back to the UK according to its overall contribution to the global business, no penalties apply. 'Groundscraper': Google is building a 1billion office complex in King's Cross, Central London Tax authorities in Italy and France are taking a hard line on Google, but again sources inside the group poured cold water on claims it faced a significant bill in those countries saying the sums suggested 380million in France were speculative and not what Google expected to pay. Deals with France or Italy are not imminent, the source said. Google insists its tax arrangements are consistent with global tax rules that try to attribute profit to where economic value is created, rather than just where revenues are earned. Both it and Revenue & Customs believe it has now paid the right amount of tax in the UK, with a Google spokesperson saying: 'Governments make tax law, the tax authorities enforce the law and Google complies with the law.' News / National by Stephen Jakes The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) on Tuesday met the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services at his Munhumutapa Offices.The ZUJ delegation was led by President- Michael Chideme, Secretary General- Foster Dongozi, Treasurer- Evince Mugumbate and some members of the Secretariat.Charamba was had the Principle Director in the Media Regis Chikowore in attendance.Issues that came up for discussion included the safety and security of journalists, implementation of IMPI recommendations, the welfare of journalists, failure by newly licensed radio stations to broadcast and many other issues.Ends. Peer-to-peer finance platform Assetz Capital has today announced that it has secured 525million to be lent to UK small and medium-sized enterprises in the next few months after securing funding from institutional investors. There are around 11,000 individuals lending through the platform, who account for 200million of the total available. Stuart Law, chief executive of Assetz Capital, said: Through collaboration, we are now an important cog in driving the UK economy forward. There are around 11,000 individuals lending through the platform Assetz Capital Since launching in March 2013, Assetz Capital has financed more than 220 loans totalling almost 100million. In additional to peronal guarantees from directors, the business takes asset security, including charges on property and other hard assets such as plant machinery, to support the loans. Meanwhile on Tuesday the All-Party Parliamentary Group For Small Businesses hosted its first discussion on supporting the growth of the UK finance industry at the House of Commons. Panelists discussing what policymakers can do to incentivise the growth of the alternative finance market included David Warburton MP, chair of the APPG for Small Businesses; Mike Cherry, the Federation of Small Businesses policy director; Patrick Magee, chief operating officer of the British Business Bank; David de Koning, head of communications at Funding Circle; and Louise Beaumont, head of public affairs and marketing at GLI Finance. Asset-based finance supports 15 per cent of all UK company turnover - or 189.7billion (144.86billion) - a third higher than an average of 10 per cent of the economy across Europe, according to new research. Despite increases in businesses using asset-based finance in France and Germany, both lag behind the UK in both the proportion of the economy supported by asset-based finance and absolute terms, pan-European data from the Asset Based Finance Association has revealed. The trade body representing the invoice finance and asset-based lending industry in the UK and the Republic of Ireland said 11 per cent of French company turnover (117.7billion or 89.66billion) and seven per cent of German company turnover (100.5billion or 76.56billion). ABFA said around 80 per cent of asset-based finance is invoice finance, in which businesses secure funding against their unpaid invoices ABFA said around 80 per cent of asset-based finance is invoice finance, in which businesses secure funding against their unpaid invoices, while the other 20 per cent represents the fast-growing area of asset-based lending, in which businesses can raise funding secured against a range of other assets they own, including inventory, property and machinery. Aside from the UK, the top three European countries in terms of proportion of the economy supported by asset-based finance are: Belgium (14.5 per cent), Republic of Ireland (13 per cent), and Portugal (12 per cent). Jeff Longhurst, chief executive of ABFA, said: Invoice finance has played a pivotal role in keeping funding flowing to SMEs as more businesses look to complement or replace traditional bank lending with asset based finance. Given how important EU markets are to UK businesses, perhaps what is most encouraging is that more businesses across Europe are realising the value of asset-based finance - its up five per cent overall - and it has cemented its position as a key alternative source of funding for businesses of all sizes. It sounds like a scene from The Godfather/ But it happened in downtown Melbourne, when one Australian member of the Calabrian mafia threatened to kill another over a 1.2 million Ecstasy tablet importation scheme that was coming unstuck. Francesco 'Frank' Madafferi is from one of Australia's 31 Calabrian mafia families who are believed to control 60 per cent of Australia's illicit drug trade. In July 2008, Madafferi was highly agitated about a drug syndicate underling called Pino Varallo, who he was threatening to 'chop into little pieces' and eat 'one bite at a time'. Caught on Australian Federal Police telephone intercepts, Madafferi was talking down the phone to ecstasy drug syndicate boss, Pasquale Barbaro, complaining that the tablets he had sold cheaply for $8 each had been onsold by Varallo for $8.50. Scroll down for video Ecstasy importer Pasquale Barbaro, pictured under police surveillance with drug syndicate henchman, Jan Visser, in Melbourne comes from a Calabrian Italian family one of just 31 in Australia who control drug trades When Barbaro put Varallo on to talk, Madafferi claimed the right to set the price of ecstasy in his home city, although acknowledging that the other states were under Barbaro's control. '[I'm] responsible fo Melbourne... Melbourne is mine,' he yelled at Varallao, warning him not to 'break my f***ing balls on my f***ing turf'. In the ensuing days, Madafferi did not let up telling Barbaro: 'I'm going to pull his f***ing head off ... I'm going to eat him alive. Tell him that he can go get his f***ing coffin, get it f***ing ready.' A terrified Varallo told Barbaro that Madafferi was 'going off his rocker... off his tree' and had threatened to slit Varallo's throat or shoot him. Barbaro told Madafferi he had authorised Varallo to sell the ecstasy an $8.50 a pill and an uneasy truce was called. Australia's most notorious godfather 'Aussie Bob' Trimbole was sought for the murder of anti-drugs campaigner Donald Mackay in 1977 Griffith furniture retailer and anti-drugs campaigner Donald Mackay (pictured with his wife Barbara and son James) was murdered in a 1977 hit organised by godfather of the local cannabis trade, Bob Trimbole These are the tomato tins filled with ecstasy pills imported from Calabria that were part of two $22.5 million drug importations by the Pasquale Barbaro syndicate that came unstuck causing tensions Melbourne mafia don Frank Madafferi, from one of Australia's 31 Calabrian mafia families that control 60 per cent of the Australian drug trade, threatened to chop Pino Varallo 'into little pieces' and eat 'one bite at a time' The real scene is relayed in a new book Evil Life, published by Allen and Unwin, and written by former NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Clive Small and journalist and writer Tom Gilling. In dramatic and often thrilling scenes, the authors recount the history of the mafia in Australia, beginning in the 1920s when shootings, bombings and extortions began among Italian immigrants to a new life. What was to become the Australian mafia came exclusively from Calabria, the region in the far southern 'boot' of Italy, known for its rugged territory and its secret societies. In their new country, this handful of families were controlled back in Calabria and known as 'Ndrangheta, which means heroism or manly virtue. 'Ndrangheta was to flourish and thrive, with Australia's most senior crime-fighting group refusing, to their peril, for almost two decades to acknowledge their existence in this country. On the morning of February 11, 1930 Domenico Belle was stabbed to death at Newtown train station in inner city Sydney after attempting to collect a debt from barbershop owner Giuseppe Mammone (pictured) Stabbed to death at Newtown in Sydney in 1930, Domenico Belle (above) was one of the first Calabrian mafia deaths in Australia perpetrated by Italian immigrants who brought with them their feared society 'Ndrangheta In 1934 in far Northern Queensland, Giuseppe Parisi (above, left) and Giuseppe Bueti (centre) held down Giovanni Iacona while a third man, Nicola Mamone, cut off his ears. Iacona later murdered Mamone. Francesco Gugliemo Femio (above, right) was murdered by a Black Hand assassin in 1936 Rocco Medici (pictured) was one of two men tortured and killed in 1984 near Griffith, NSW, which was the centre of Australia's cannabis trade Culturally, the Sicilian mafia known as the Cosa Nostra is more well known outside Italy than 'Ndrangheta, but in the late 1990s and early 2000s 'Ndrangheta became Italy's most powerful crime syndicate. '[To this day] the 31 Calabrian mafia families across Australia report to five families in Calabria, which are really nine families integrated by marriage,' Clive Small told Daily Mail Australia about the new facts he reveals in his book. In 1935, prosperous cane farmer Domenico Scarcella (above) was fatally hit with three blasts from a shotgun at his stables near Ingham, Queensland 'I don't list their names because they are common Italian family names in Australia.' For example, Small said, at least two mafia bosses had been called Pasquale Barbaro - the Griffith drugs boss also called 'Il Principale' who was murdered in an 'Ndrangheta hit in Brisbane in 1989 and the ecstasy importation boss who is currently in jail. Small says the Calabrian mafia infiltrated capital cities and country towns and intermarried, Il Principale describing at one point the two or three dozen bosses - 10 from Sydney, 6-8 from Melbourne, Adelaide and Mildura and 11 from Griffith - nine of whom were related to Barbaro by marriage. He recounts the agenda items of an 1989 meeting of 20 senior 'Ndrangheta in a backyard shed in Adelaide, in which police bugs picked up talk about mafia rituals, revenge killings, cannabis production and weapons purchases. They also discussed the need to infiltrate police and the judiciary, use 'government friends' and access criminal intelligence through corrupt police. 'This later happened,' Small said. In fascinating detail, the book takes the spread of the mafia from Queensland canefields where in the 1930s early Calabrian immigrants ran prostitution rackets of 13 and 14-year-old girls to the labourers, to the big cities and the NSW country town of Griffith, which was eventually the centre of the Calabrian cannabis production. Small says in Australia between the 1920s and 1940s the 'Ndrangheta committed 10 murders, multiple woundings and 30 bombings. Known then as 'the Black Hand', this emerging violent group introduced practices including gruesome mutilations and revenge killings that alarmed Australians. On the morning of February 11, 1930 Domenico Belle was stabbed to death at Newtown train station after attempting to collect a debt from barbershop owner Giuseppe Mammone In 1934 Italian barber Nicola Mamone was shot six times from behind while walking with a friend in Innisfail, in far northern Queensland. His killer, Giovanni Iacona had allegedly been involved in a fight with Mamone, who had cut off both of Iacona's ears while two men, Gisueppe Bueti and Giuseppe Parisi, held him down. A year later, prosperous cane farmer Domenico Scarcella was fatally hit with three blasts from a shotgun at his stables near Ingham, Queensland. By the 1960s, the Calabrian were 'well-organised and entering the drug trade', Small said. The scene at Newtown Station in inner city Sydney after startled Australians learnt of one of Australia's earliest mafia hits by a barbershop owner on Domenico Belle Drug baron Bob Trimbole (above) organised the hit on Donald Mackay but escaped overseas. James Bazley (above, right) was charged with having conspired with others to murder Mackay Police conduct aerial surveillance of an orange orchard near Griffith in 2011. It is one of four sites in which marijuana crops were found hidden in vegetaion Robert Trimbole was to become synonymous with the Griffith 'grass mafia' and Australia's first 'Godfather' and drug baron Trimbole went into the cannabis business with their orange growing neighbours, the Sergis, in 1970. When furniture retailer and anti-drugs campaigner Donald Mackay disappeared from a hotel car park in Griffith in 1977, the town's reputation as Australia's 'marijuana capital' and home to Italian mobsters was cemented. The murder led to the Woodward Royal Commission into drug trafficking. The by now notorious 'Aussie Bob' Trimbole was sought for Mackay's murder, but fled overseas and died in Spain in 1987, aged 56. Saviero Zirilli (pictured after his arrest in 2008) was a member of the Calabrian mafia drug ring who thought they were goign to get rich from a multi-million dollar ecstasy importation that landed him in prison Scenes from the Ingham bombing in far northern Queensland. It was one of several atrocities carried out in the 1920s in which Black Hand boss Vincenzo Dagostino spread fear Police burn part of a $23 million cannabis crop uncovered in 2011 raids at Griffith, NSW - Australia's notorious drug capital The tomato tins filled with Ecstasy tablets that were imported into Australia and sat on the Melbourne wharf for six months while the drug syndicate wondered if police were surveilling them Ecstasy pills that were part of the giant 2008 importation, stamped with the symbol of a kangaroo Clive Small acted as an investigator in the royal commission, working in Griffith examining the Calabrian families intimately involved in the drug trade. He tables in his book the astonishing dominance by Calabrians of Australia's cannabis trade which at one point, according to arrest statistics, was 80 per cent controlled by Calabrians who came from 14 closely related families in Griffith. Calabrian mafia boss Pasquale Barbaro pictured after his arerest for running a syndicate which imported millions of ecstasy tablets Small says that the 'Ndrangheta is politically an equal opportunity group with connections in both Labor and Liberal Coalition parties. In 1994, National Crime Authority senior investigator Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen was killed in a targeted bombing of the NCA's Adelaide office. Bowen had been investigating the 'Ndrangheta's involvement in the Australian drug trade. But for the 16 years after the tragedy, Small says the NCA, which became the Australian Crime Commission, 'remained silent or denied there was a mafia in Australia' and as a consequence the mafia flourished. In 2007, Pasquale Barbaro's syndicate imported $10 million of ecstasy in tomato tins from Italy. The pill crammed tomato tins sat on the Melbourne wharf as Barbaro wondered whether a rival gang had appropriated the importation or the Australian Federal Police had him under surveillance. The latter was true. The AFP spent tens of thousands of hours keeping Barbaro, Frank Madafferi and their gang under video and phone intercept surveillance. Back in Calabria, the 'Ndrangheta godfathers were putting on presure to be paid their $10 million. Police spent tens of thousands of hours keeping Pasquale Barbaro (second from right) and his gang including (left to right) John Higgs, Rob Karam and Saviero Zirilli under video and phone intercept surveillance. Pasquale Barbaro's Calabrian mafia drug syndicate associates John Higgs (above, left) and Carmelo Falanga (above right) following their arrest in 2008 after federal police blew apart their ecstasy importation ring The ecstasy haul, uncovered by the Australian Federal Police in 2007, and kept as the Calabrian mafia tried to work out whether the police knew about the drugs of a rival gang had appropriated their haul Rob Karam (pictured) was arrested after police swooped and made multiple arrests across four states in relation to the importation of millions of ecstasy tablets from Calabria Barbaro flew to Calabria and brokered a deal whereby a further shipments of 1.2 million tablets would arrive and be distributed in Sydney, Melbourne, South Australia and Western Australia. A profit of $12.5m was sent back to the suppliers to cover the $10m Calabrian debt, and as a down payment on the second shipment. The AFP then swooped and made multiple arrests across four states. Clive Small has high praise for the AFP's operation in the tomato tin case. 'It was a very good operation. I want to emphasise that. And for 'Ndramngheta it was a significant setback,' he said. 'But it was only a temporary setback. I am confident that the Calabrian mafia is operating drug deals across Australia at this very second and that they have affiliations with both political parties,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'There have been 35 murders since Donald Mackay's by the Calabrian mafia and that does not include domestic murders. The 31 mafia families in Queensland, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia have business connections with the nine leading 'Ndrangheta families in Plati, San Luca, Sinopoli and Africo where the bulk of Calabrian migration to Australia originated. 'History shows that for 'Ndrangheta busiens is ultimately all that matters,' he said. Evil Life, by Clive Small and Tom Gilling, published by Allen and Unwin $32.99 is available from January 27 throughout Australia. Nearly 3billion was 'misappropriated' from the Malaysian government - and some of it ended up in officials' Swiss bank accounts, it has been claimed. An investigation carried out by Swiss prosecutors into state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad identified four cases of alleged criminal conduct. Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber asked Malaysia to help with its probes into possible violations of Swiss laws related to bribery of foreign officials, misconduct in public office, money laundering and criminal mismanagement at the fund. Scroll down for video Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak is under pressure as allegations of corruption mount Lauber's office said a small portion of the money had been transferred to accounts held in Switzerland by former Malaysian public officials and current and former public officials from the United Arab Emirates. 1MDB, whose advisory board is chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, has been probed by Malaysian authorities following accusations of financial mismanagement and graft. Earlier this week, Malaysia's attorney general cleared Najib himself of any criminal offences or corruption, declaring that $681 million deposited into his personal bank account was a gift from Saudi Arabia's royal family. The Malaysian attorney general's office said in a statement on Saturday that it would take all possible steps to follow up and collaborate with its Swiss counterpart, but noted that the investigations into donations made to Najib were entirely separate from those into 1MDB. Najib has consistently denied any wrongdoing, saying the funds were a political donation and he did not take any money for personal gain. In its statement seeking Malaysia's assistance, the Swiss attorney general's office said: 'The monies believed to have been misappropriated would have been earmarked for investment in economic and social development projects in Malaysia.' It added that each case involved 'a systematic course of action carried out by means of complex financial structures.' 1MDB said it has not been contacted by foreign legal authorities on any matters relating to the company. Malaysia has been rocked for more than a year by allegations that perhaps billions of dollars had gone missing from complex overseas transactions involving the Najib-linked company, 1Malaysia Development Berhad The Swiss authorities began investigations last August into 1MDB for suspected corruption of public foreign officials, dishonest management of public interests and money laundering. Lauber's office said a small portion of the apparently misappropriated money had been transferred to accounts held in Switzerland by former Malaysian public officials and current and former public officials from the United Arab Emirates. The four cases of suspected criminal conduct related to former 1MDB subsidiary SRC international, Petrosaudi, Genting/Tanjong, and ADMIC between 2009 and 2014, it said. When presenting his findings last week, Malaysia's top lawyer had asked the country's anti-graft agency to close all probes into SRC and the money deposited in Najib's account. Officials from Malaysia's anti-graft agency were not immediately available for comment on the statement by the Swiss authorities. In a statement, Petrosaudi denied any wrongdoing in connection with its joint venture with 1MDB, which was wound up in 2012. Petrosaudi said that in the event that its assistance 'is requested, it will cooperate fully with the authorities.' Petrosaudi said further it has not been accused of any criminal conduct and denied being the subject of any investigation. The firm said: 'The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland announced on 29 January that it had sent requests for mutual assistance to Malaysia in connection with an on-going investigation into two former officials of 1MDB (1 Malaysia Development Berhad). 'PetroSaudi was one of 4 companies to which reference was made in the announcement. PetroSaudi entered into a Joint Venture (JV) agreement with 1MDB in 2009. 'PetroSaudi is not the subject of any investigation and has not been accused of any criminal conduct. As it has publicly stated, PetroSaudi denies any wrong-doing in connection with the JV, which was wound up in 2012. In the event that PetroSaudis assistance is requested it will co-operate fully with the authorities.' The January 29 press release from the Swiss authorities said four cases involving criminal misconduct 'have come to light' relating to Petrosaudi, SRC, Genting/Tanjong and ADMIC. But the release did not specify how the firms were involved. Reuters was unable to determine their involvement. Genting and Tanjong did not answer calls seeking comment. ADMIC could not immediately be reached. In its statement, the Swiss prosecutor's office said Lauber had discussed the 1MDB case with his Malaysian counterpart at a meeting in Zurich in September. Sources familiar with the September discussion between the two law enforcement officials said the Malaysian official strongly urged Lauber to abandon his 1MDB-related investigation. 1MDB is also under investigation by law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong and the United States, media and other sources have said. Tony Pua, a member of the Malaysian parliament with the opposition Democratic Action Party, called on the Malaysian attorney general to cooperate fully with foreign investigating agencies. 'Such cooperation will not only go a long way towards identifying the culprits ... but also removing the perception that the Malaysian AG was biased in favor of the Prime Minister,' Pua said. Malaysia's anti-corruption commission has said it will seek a review of a decision by the attorney-general to clear Najib. by the New Zealand army until the end of World War I and World War II Ripapa Island was used as a Maori fortress and later a military fort was built during urban explorers sneaked into an historic abandoned island fortress that was built in the 1800s Advertisement A group of New Zealand urban explorers swam across a small channel to sneak into a historic abandoned island fortress - once used to defend against Russian attacks. Members of Urbex Central, who prefer to remain anonymous, made the voyage to Ripapa Island, off the coast of Lyttelton in the South Island. The group shared photos of their adventure on their website and wrote, 'we hope they can restore this unique part of New Zealands history once again for visitors to appreciate'. Ripapa Island: A group of New Zealand urban explorers swam across a small channel to sneak into an historic abandoned island fortress - once used to defend against Russian attack Rusted gates of the Fort: Members of Urbex Central, who prefer to remain anonymous, made the voyage to Ripapa Island, off the coast of Lyttelton in the South Island Fortress: The group shared photos of their adventure on their website and wrote, 'we hope they can restore this unique part of New Zealands history once again for visitors to appreciate' Big guns: Two 8-inch rifled muzzle-loaders and two 6-inch hydro-pneumatic disappearing guns were in place by 1889 Ripapa Island was originally used as a Maori tribe's fortress, and later to defend against Russian attacks during a period of tension between the British and Russian empire in the mid-1880s 'On arrival and after a short swim across to the island we navigated our way up the steep barbed wire bank. The historic wartime island is only accessible by boat and has been closed to the public since the Christchurch Earthquakes in 2011. Ripapa Island was originally used as a Maori tribe's fortress, and later to defend against Russian attacks during a period of tension between the British and Russian empire in the mid-1880s. 'Once inside the fort we were met by a beautifully designed historic fort which included a labyrinth of tunnels with torpedo and mine stores. 'The two disappearing guns on the fort were completed in 1895 and were never actually used to fire a shot in their years as part of the island fortification,' reads Urbex Central's blog post. Urban explorers: 'Once inside the fort we were met by a beautifully designed historic fort which included a labyrinth of tunnels with torpedo and mine stores' The fort was occupied by the New Zealand army until the end of World War I and re-occupied again during World War II. The Island has been managed by the Department of Conservation since 1990 The urban explorers have made similar adventures into other historic New Zealand sites, including the earthquake shattered Christ Church Cathedral, abandoned schools, prisons and psychiatric hospitals The fort was occupied by the New Zealand army until the end of World War I and re-occupied again during World War II. The Island has been managed by the Department of Conservation since 1990. The urban explorers have made similar adventures into other historic New Zealand sites, including the earthquake shattered Christ Church Cathedral, abandoned schools, prisons and psychiatric hospitals. 'We are artists, and it is hard to codify artistic inspiration,' reads a post on the Urbex Central Website, 'we see it as a natural human inclination to acclimatise to our surroundings.' Urbex Central is part of a global urban explorer movement who strive to research, document, escape forbidden spaces where the everyday public never get to see. Ripapa Island is registered Category 1 by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and an historic reserve. It has been given an 'actively managed' status by the Department of Conservation 'The two disappearing guns on the fort were completed in 1895 and were never actually used to fire a shot in their years as part of the island fortification' During the First World War it was battery HQ for Lyttelton and the examination battery, and it also briefly held Lieutenant Commander Graf Felix von Luckner, a noted German navy raider A US warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of a disputed island in the South China Sea Saturday to assert freedom of navigation, drawing a protest from Beijing, officials said. 'We conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea earlier tonight,' Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said in a statement. Davis said the guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur made the 'innocent passage' off Triton Island in the Paracel island chain, which is claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam. Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said the USS Curtis Wilbur made the 'innocent passage' off Triton Island in the Paracel island chain, which is claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam China claims virtually all of the South China Sea, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have partial claims No Chinese navy ships were in the area at the time the US destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of the tiny 1.2 square kilometer island, he said. The operation was conducted 'to challenge excessive maritime claims of parties that claim the Paracel Islands,' Davis said. While the United States takes no position on the various claims to the island, it does not recognize any claimant's right to its territorial waters. Beijing quickly responded, saying the move violated Chinese law and urging the United States to maintain peace. 'The US warship, in violation of relevant Chinese laws, entered China's territorial waters without authorisation. The Chinese side has taken lawful surveillance, vocal warnings and other related measures,' China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement. 'We urge the US side to respect (and) abide by relevant Chinese laws, to do more things conducive to Sino-US mutual trust and regional peace and stability,' the statement said. China refers to the islands as the Xisha archipelago. China claims virtually all of the South China Sea, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have partial claims. US Navy personnel raise their flag during a 2014 maritime exercise in the South China Sea China has asserted its claims by rapidly building artificial islands in another South China Sea island chain, the Spratlys, raising tensions in the region. Port facilities, air strips and military buildings have gone up on the built-out islands, prompting US warnings that it would assert its rights to 'fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows.' In October, the US Navy sent a guided missile destroyer within 12 nautical miles of the Spratlys to press home the point. Davis said Saturday's mission was conducted with no notice given to any of the countries laying claim to the Paracels. 'This operation challenged attempts by the three claimants -- China, Taiwan and Vietnam -- to restrict navigation rights and freedoms around the features they claim by policies that require prior permission or notification of transit within territorial seas,'Davis said. 'The excessive claims regarding Triton Island are inconsistent with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention.' In a public show of support, President Barack Obama will meet with Muslim community members Wednesday in Baltimore on his first presidential visit to an American mosque. Obama plans to hold talks with Muslim leaders at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, the White House announced Saturday. The visit will amount to a public embrace of Muslims by Obama at a time when public sentiment against them seems to be growing, largely fueled by fears of terrorist acts carried out by extremist groups. In a public show of support, President Barack Obama will meet with Muslim community members Wednesday in Baltimore on his first presidential visit to an American mosque. Obama is seen earlier this month Obama plans to hold talks with Muslim leaders at the Islamic Society of Baltimore (pictured), the White House announced Saturday Obama has largely put distance between himself and U.S. Muslims, opting against fueling the rampant theories that he is a closet Muslim who was born in Kenya, the country of his late father's birth. Obama is American by virtue of his birth in Hawaii and has released his birth certificate as proof. He also is Christian. But segments of the U.S. population still believe neither to be true. As such, the visit will come during the final year of Obama's two terms in office. The White House said he will go to the Baltimore mosque to 'celebrate the contributions Muslim Americans make to our nation and reaffirm the importance of religious freedom to our way of life.' In remarks to be delivered at the mosque, Obama 'will reiterate the importance of staying true to our core values: welcoming our fellow Americans, speaking out against bigotry, rejecting indifference and protecting our nation's tradition of religious freedom,' the White House said. Obama has been outspoken in pushing back against calls by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and others to block Muslims from being admitted to the U.S. over fears of domestic terrorism linked to radical extremist groups. Obama and his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, are seen in this file photo at a Jakarta, Indonesia, mosque in November 2010 Obama visited a mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, in April 2009. He is seen at the Blue Mosque Others have cited potential security risks in pushing legislation in Congress to limit the resettlement of refugees from Iraq and Syria, where the Islamic State group is active and from which it has exported its brand of terrorism to other regions of the world. Obama has argued that such efforts are wrong and serve only to incite extremist groups, weaken America's leadership around the world and put U.S. security at risk. 'We're not going to build progress with a bunch of phony tough talk, and bluster, and over-the-top claims that just play into ISIL's hands,' the president said, using an acronym for the Islamic State. He spoke to House Democrats on Thursday as they strategized at a meeting in Baltimore. 'We're not going to strengthen our leadership around the world by allowing politicians to insult Muslims or pit groups of Americans against each other. That's not who we are. That's not keeping America safe.' A group of four friends who had been flying together in lightweight planes for years were heading to a Tasmanian Island on Friday when their plane crashed into the ocean. Daniel Flinn, 55, and Donald Hateley, 68, were flying with Dianne Bradley and Ian Chamberlain a couple in their sixties when the four-seater plane plummeted into water near Barwon Heads in Victoria, according to The Age. Police found three bodies floating near debris of the plane soon after it crashed but are still searching for the fourth body, which they believe might still be inside the wreck of the plane which quickly sank after the crash. Scroll down for video Police are still searching for the fourth person who died in a plane crash near Barwon Heads near Victoria on Friday Daniel Flinn, 55, Donald Hateley, 68, were flying with Dianne Bradley and Ian Chamberlain a couple both in their sixties when the four-seater plane plummeted sideways into the water - killing all of them The plane hasnt been yet been located but Victoria Police Inspector Graham Banks said police have a good idea of where it is and are hoping to find it soon. It is unknown what caused the crash and who was flying Mr Chamberlains Piper PA-28 Cherokee plane, but people who knew the group said experienced pilot, Mr Hateley, had flown the plane on occasion. "He was an avid pilot, and that was his passion," Mr Flinns brother Tom said. Officers believe the fourth body is still in the plane wreckage, which quickly sunk to the bottom of the ocean and hasn't been found yet Police and emergency services are still at the scene of the incident at Barwon Heads in Victoria, sifting through debris All four friends were involved in Victorias flying community and Mr Hateley and Mr Flinn were both active in the Royal Victorian Aero Club. The group was heading to King Island, in between the Victorian coast and Tasmania when it crashed into the waters off the coast between Point Lonsdale and Ocean Grove. I don't want to give too much detail, but suffice to say there were a number of families involved," Inspector Banks said. "Obviously they are in shock and they're trying to process what has occurred." All four of the friends were active in the flyers community and had taken numerous trips together for years A fisherman said he watched the plane fall rapidly from the sky. He was just one kilometre away from the plane crash and found three bodies in the water alerting emergency services straightaway. Inspector Banks explained just after the crash on Friday that the fisherman had seen it all happen. Torrential rain in the area has been making it a very difficult recovery mission 'He observed clearly a plane had impacted the water, and had dispersed over a wide area. There were three persons clearly deceased at that time,' Inspector Banks said, adding that the fisherman was extremely distressed and had been checked out by Ambulance Victoria. A second fisherman described seeing an oil slick on the ocean that he followed to the wreckage debris and saw that the plane had already sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Marco Rubio had a response for Ted Cruz who has been labeling him the 'Republican Obama' in new attacks ads a shrug and a smile. 'None of it bothers me,' the Florida senator told an audience in Ames, Iowa, this afternoon, suggesting it's just part of the end of the road in Iowa. 'The desperation kicks in, the kitchen sink comes out and is thrown at you,' he added, before complaining specifically about Cruz. He said the ad, which suggests that Rubio supports cap-and-trade legislation, is disingenuous. 'He literally edits my words,' Rubio told reporters before his rally. 'It cuts off an interview in the middle of an interview so that you can't hear my real position in cap and trade.' Scroll down for video 'He literally edits my words,' Marco Rubio told reporters today as he defended himself against an attack ad launched on him at the last minute by Ted Cruz's campaign. 'It cuts off an interview in the middle of an interview so that you can't hear my real position in cap and trade' Rubio's response today to Cruz, who has been labeling him the 'Republican Obama' in new attacks ads? A shrug and a smile Today in Iowa, Rubio made a late pitch, inserting humor into his stump speech, which made him look more personable and less severe than the way he comes off in debates. He's seen here at his rally in Sioux City Rubio is hoping for a third-place finish in Iowa, before heading to New Hampshire, where his brand of conservatism and Senate pedigree have better standing with voters. Cruz, on the other hand, is trying to take out Trump, but recent polls show that the billionaire continues to dominate the race and the Texas senator's standing in the Hawkeye State is slipping. A Des Moines Register poll released tonight confirmed rumblings that Cruz's support had dropped while Trump and Rubio's had risen since the last time the news organization polled Iowa voters. Rubio is still eight points behind Cruz and the survey's other sponsor, Bloomberg Politics says in its analysis that the Florida senator's support went down, not up, in the final two days of the four day poll. If the poll is correct, Rubio will take third in the state, as his campaign expects, and Cruz will come in second to Trump, who led the poll with 28 percent to Cruz's 23 percent. In recent days Cruz has pivoted and waged a two-sided attack, with the new ads, taking on both Trump and Rubio, suggesting that the latter might finish stronger in Iowa than expected. 'They call Ted Cruz Obama's nemesis,' one of the ads says. 'Marco Rubio's different, the Republican Obama who championed Obama's amnesty and led the Gang of Eight.' The ad also includes a clip of Rubio talking about cap and trade and is cut to suggest he supports the energy policy, even though he says he does not. 'Tax hikes. Amnesty. The Republican Obama,' the Cruz endorsed video says. And at a campaign stop on Friday in Iowa, Cruz said, 'If were tired of getting burned by politicians who claim to be against amnesty, who campaign against amnesty, and then go to Washington and join the Democrats to support amnesty, then we need to look to if they have a proven record.' Today in Ames, Rubio stayed positive as he made a late pitch to Iowans, inserting humor into his stump speech, softening his image from the one that comes across in debates, where he's touted his national security credentials and derided Cruz over illegal immigration. Rubio announced to the crowd, gathered in close quarters on the upper floor of a building on the Iowa State University campus, that he had pinpointed the exact moment America had started going down the tubes. Reacting to an audience member, he said, 'No, not Super Bowl 42,' adding that he wasn't exactly sure who competed that season. (The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots.) 'But it wasn't the Miami Dolphins, I can tell you that,' the Florida senator quipped, mocking the not-so-stellar record of his hometown team. The answer, Rubio said, was the year 2008, when President Barack Obama was elected. The conservative senator interpreted Obama's hope and change mantra as 'changing our government's role in our lives,' which was not a good thing. 'After seven years of Barack Obama this is no time for patience,' Rubio added. Rubio is hoping for a second-place finish in Iowa, before heading to New Hampshire, where his brand of conservatism and Senate pedigree have better standing with voters Rubio then moved to another Democrat, but not the frontrunner. 'We can not afford to wake up on the first Wednesday of November to the news that Bernie Sanders has been elected president of the United States,' he said. Rubio tried using a laugh line from Thursday night's debate, that Sanders would make a great president of Sweden but an audience member completed his sentence before the candidate got to the end. 'You knew what I was going to say,' he chuckled. Rubio segued into a quick story, telling the crowd that he had actually met three 'nice people' from Sweden the night before, three young men. 'I thought they were going to be angry and they said, "why would you with that on our country?"' Rubio said, getting more laughs. He also noted how someone had come up and corrected him about Sweden's leadership, saying the Scandinavian country didn't have a president. 'I know, but if they did, it would be Bernie Sanders,' Rubio still said. He then got to Hillary Clinton, using a line he's used before. 'Hillary Clinton does not want to run against me, I cannot wait to run against Hillary Clinton,' Rubio said. In recent days Cruz has pivoted and waged a two-sided attack, with the new ads , taking on both Trump and Rubio, suggesting that the latter might finish stronger in Iowa than expected. One calls him 'the Republican Obama' He also whacked the former secretary of state for 'lecturing' him on the issue of student loans. 'I had a student loan like three years ago. I never thought I'd pay it off. The only way anybody can get rid of a student loan is either you pay it or you die. You can't even get rid of it in bankruptcy,' Rubio said. 'I was able to pay it because I wrote a book, it's called, American Son now available in paperback,' he said, getting the crowd to chuckle for throwing in a little shameless self-promotion. 'Yeah, I'm trying to sell a few books along the way because my kids will have loans, OK?' the senator laughed back. In asking for the audience's vote at the caucuses, Rubio turned on the charm too. 'I had somebody at the last event say, "any church or school?" I said no, it's got to be the one that you're supposed to caucus, so make sure you find out the right one,' Rubio said with a smile. He also asked those there to sign up for his email list. 'I always tell people we're not going to bombard you with emails, but that's not true, we are - for like 48 hours, but only for 48 hours because we want to make sure you'll go caucus,' Rubio said. 'And then we're going to leave you along for awhile. We'll stay in touch. But not everyday,' he continued. But then he promised to be back in September. But he will tell Donald Tusk the brake must be applied immediately to work David Cameron is to tell Brussels an 'emergency brake' on migrants benefits will only be acceptable if it starts the day after the referendum on Britain's EU membership. The Prime Minister will tonight have crunch talks to hammer out the details of a deal with Donald Tusk, the EU council president, over dinner in Downing Street. Mr Tusk is due to produce a letter for all 28 EU member states outlining the changes demanded by Britain's renegotiation ahead of a key summit on February 18-19. Prime Minister David Cameron (left) will meet European Council president Donald Tusk (right) at a No 10 dinner But following meetings in Brussels on Friday, Mr Cameron insisted what was currently on offer was 'not good enough'. The PM is in a race against time to seal a deal at the February summit and press ahead to a rapid referendum on June 23. But he will tell Mr Tusk at tonight's dinner he is prepared to wait and keeping pushing for more concessions. Downing Street said the 'brake' would only be accepted as part of the negotiations if it could be triggered immediately after the referendum, apply long enough to resolve the underlying problem and was 'significantly strengthened' to come closer to Mr Cameron's original proposal. A Government source insisted: 'The Prime Minister intends to leave Mr Tusk in no doubt that he will not do a deal at any price, making clear he is not in a hurry, and that it's far more important to secure significant reforms.' The source said the PM would tell Mr Tusk the 'brake' proposal should be 'a stopgap to a more permanent mechanism'. The Sunday Times said Mr Cameron would demand a signed agreement from all 27 other EU leaders confirming the 'brake' would be used by Britain immediately. The version of the deal discussed by the PM and commission president Jean Claude Juncker on Friday reportedly would have left the brake in the hands of bureaucrats in Brussels and the European Parliament. The latest suggestion was derided by 'Out' campaigners, who pointed out that just two months ago Mr Cameron had insisted any agreement 'must be on a basis that is legally binding and irreversible'. The migrant crisis is looming over the talks and the prospect of a million or people entering Europe this year could imperil both the prospect of a quick deal and impact the outcome of Britain's referendum when it comes. Mr Cameron previously said he would stop all migrants coming to the UK from claiming in-work benefits for four years. However, he is now set to agree a new 'emergency break' deal on benefits with EU ministers Mr Cameron and Jean Claude Juncker, the commission president, met on Friday but after the meeting in Brussels the PM declared the current deal was not good enough Matthew Elliott, the chief executive of Vote Leave, said: 'The idea that the UK is going to be fobbed off with a 'stopgap' is embarrassing. 'The Prime Minister aimed very low and appears to be missing spectacularly. The demands are trivial. Even if Mr Cameron is successful, EU judges not British politicians would be in control of our borders.' Tory MP Mark Pritchard made the surprise announcement today would vote for Britain to stay in despite euroscepticism A Eurosceptic source added: 'This is a gift to us. The proposal is an admission that the deal, far from being legally binding and irreversible, is only a promise of some sort of ill-defined mechanism after the referendum. 'This is handing Brussels a blank cheque. No 10 is making more promises of change to be agreed after the referendum, when the EU will have no interest in making concessions.' It follows a tumultuous week for the two groups seeking to lead the 'Out' campaign Vote Leave and Leave.Eu which included failed talks about a merger and a botched attempt by Tory MPs in the Vote Leave group to remove their controversial campaign director, Dominic Cummings. Mr Cameron was boosted today by the endorsement of Tory backbencher Mark Pritchard, a senior eurosceptic MP. Mr Pritchard told the Sunday Times he was persuaded Britain's national security was best served by staying inside the European Union. The move is the latest indication Mr Cameron's backbenchers will swing behind their leader in the referendum campaign. Reports have indicated as few as 35 could now actively campaign against the Prime Minister - far below earlier estimates. Mr Pritichard said: 'An insecure Europe is a strategic problem for Britain whether or not we remain in the EU. 'However, by Britain remaining in Europe the likelihood of major crises or conflicts arising on the continent are greatly reduced. News / National by Stephen Jakes MDC-T Leader Morgan Tsvangirai is set to hold several rallies in parts of Masvuingo asa a way of boasting party suppio5rt and rejuvenate it aghead of the 2018 elections.This was revealed by Job Wiwa Sikhala--MDC-T Secretary of Mobilization and Recruitment.His Excellency President Tsvangirai will hold a rally at Mukore in Bikita on 10 February, will be at Bhasera in Gutu on 11 February, on 12 February will address his supporters at Ngundu in Chivi before making another address at Muchakata in Masvingo on 13 February. His last rally will be at Tshovani Stadium in Chiredzi on 14 February,": Sikhala said.The developments come in the wake of reports that the former unionists is developing some fears over former Vice President Joice Mujuru who seem to be gaining support even before her party is officially launched. Punishing winds, hail and heavy rain lashed Sydney during a wild electrical storm that caused widespread power outages, evacuations and flash flooding across the city. An ominous storm cell shrouded Sydney's west in darkness around 3.30pm on Saturday and had made its way towards the CBD by about 5pm. Winds reached speeds of almost 100 kilometres per hour, uprooting trees and forcing terrified residents to evacuate after the roof of an unit block in Lidcombe was blown off. Scroll down for video An ominous storm cell shrouded Sydney's west in darkness around 3.30pm on Saturday and had made its way towards the CBD by about 5pm inds reached speeds of almost 100 kilometres per hour, uprooting trees and forcing terrified residents to evacuate after the roof of an unit block in Lidcome was blown off SES volunteers received more than 1,000 calls for help during Saturday's intense storm, with Sydney's west and north-west copping the brunt of the terrible weather. Among those saved was a 50-year-old man who clung to a tree at Edmondson Park, in Sydney's southwest, for more than two hours after his car was swamped by rising floodwaters. SES spokesman Phil Campbell said around 20 people were rescued after they tried to drive across flooded roads at Ashfield, Silverwater and around Penrith. 'People just chanced their luck on what they thought was a safe road and it was deeper than they thought,' he told AAP. Punishing winds, hail and heavy rain lashed Sydney during a wild electrical storm that caused widespread power outages, evacuations and flash flooding across the city SES spokesman Phil Campbell said around 20 people were rescued after they tried to drive across flooded roads at Ashfield, Silverwater and around Penrith SES volunteers received more than 1,000 calls for help during Saturday's intense storm Menacing clouds roll in over the city on Saturday afternoon, delivering another intense storm to Sydney A car sits in murky flood waters after a severe hits Sydney A black Mercedes is inundated by flood water during Saturday's storm A large tree was pulled from its roots in Guilford, west of Sydney It landed on top of a gold car, narrowly missing the house and another vehicle In Mount Druitt a gum tree fell and took out a cream coloured fence Penrith, Mount Druitt and surrounds were the worst hit parts of Sydney while at Forbes Creek, east of Canberra, seven of the 12 homes in the village were severely damaged by fallen trees and strong winds. Power was cut to more than 50,000 homes and businesses across Sydney, with the Sutherland area the hardest hit. Endeavour Energy on Sunday said power had been restored to all but 1350 of its 25,000 customers who had lost power, mostly in Sydney's west and northwest. The Bureau of Meteorology recorded unusually high levels of rain during the storm, with an astonishing 30mm of rain falling in Sydney's west in only ten minutes. 'The rainfall totals don't look that impressive but a lot of it fell in a small amount of time, its quite phenomenal,' senior forecaster Jake Phillips told Daily Mail Australia. The Bureau of Meteorology said there was significant lightning activity in the storm cell Residents took to social media to post pictures of the hail that fell in their area The Bureau of Meteorology recorded unusually high levels of rain during the storm, with an astonishing 30mm of rain falling in Sydney's west in only ten minutes Power was cut to more than 50,000 homes and businesses across Sydney, with the Sutherland area the hardest hit Forecasters have predicted a break in the storms around Sydney on Sunday, with humidity set to drop and temperatures expected to reach 32 degrees At Strathfield 36mm of rain fell in just 15 minutes and 42mm was dumped at Goulburn Strong winds caused branches on a large tree to break and fall into a neighbouring property A large tree gave way in strong winds falling against a building and on top of a parked car At Strathfield 36mm of rain fell in just 15 minutes and 42mm was dumped at Goulburn. 'We don't often see that type of rainfall, especially in the Sydney basin,' he added. Forecasters have predicted a break in the storms around Sydney on Sunday, with humidity set to drop and temperatures expected to reach 32 degrees. Mr Campbell said SES crews will be working hard to finish the jobs they can ahead of a expected return of foul weather early in the week. Crews had been working through most of the night and expected to resume work about 8.30am on Sunday. 'It's a fairly average summer storm event for us,' Mr Campbell told AAP. This January more than 8000 calls for help have been made to the SES, making it one of its busiest starts to the year. 'That's pretty much one job for each of our volunteers so far,' Mr Campbell told AAP. A severe weather warning has been eased after a violent downpour over Sydney A storm which hit Sydney on Saturday has cause flash flooding across the city Heavy rain and dark clouds were lit up by lightning which streaked across the sky A whirl pool on someone's flooded veranda An undercover Bunnings' car park filling with water The view of the harbour during the storm A view of the storm as it lashed Sydney The SES are expecting more call outs than usual because of the severity of the storm This storm could be worse than the one on Friday The storm was responsible for power outages across the city which included a shopping centre in the southern suburb of Miranda, while a house's roof in the Blue Mountains collapsed in the ferocious weather. 'Emergency crews were being hampered in patrolling these areas to make safe and commence the restoration process by ongoing lightning and heavy rain,' Endeavour Energy said in a statement. SES spokeswoman Sue Pritchard again warned people to steer well clear of floodwaters. 'Don't drive through them, don't walk through them, don't let your kids play near them,' Ms Pritchard told AAP. 'We've had so much rain lately that anything that hits the ground is going to run off, and there are so many spots where it's just too dangerous. 'If you're driving and come across floodwaters, stop, turn around and find another way.' Traffic lights are blank at an intersection in Miranda Shoppers continue their grocery shopping in darkness after a power failure at Woolworths in Westfield Miranda The storm brought with it strong winds, reaching up to 98km/h at Badgerys Creek at 4:19pm. Severe weather warnings were eased for the city however the Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains, Australian Capital Territory and parts of the Hunter, Central West Slopes and Plains, Riverina and Northern Tablelands districts are still under alert. On Friday one man was killed and a 17-year-old girl was injured in Queensland as huge storms battered Australia's east coast. Hervey Bay - a holiday town 300 kilometres north of Brisbane - appeared to be the worst hit by a storm front that battered southeast Queensland on Friday evening. Parramatta road is flooded following the storm Traffic was forced to slow down to travel through the floodwater Heavy rain fell across Sydney on Saturday afternoon The rain clouds turned the sky black Impressive lightning featured against the darkened sky Saturday's storm as it moved across Sydney The heavy rain can be seen dropping in the distance A 68-year-old man died after being struck by a falling tree branch at a caravan park in the region. And a 17-year-old girl sitting on a metal toilet seat in a public bathroom block was struck by lightning and rushed to hospital - luckily with non life-threatening injuries. In contrast to the rain in the east, a raging bushfire in Western Australia threatened to wipe out Wedge Island - a coastal town about 170 kilometres north of Perth. The threat eased on Saturday. Menacing storm cell passing through Mountain Tamborine in southeast Queensland on Friday afternoon. The state is expected to be hit with similar conditions today A storm passes over suburban Sydney Rain falling as a storm passes over Sydney The sky turned dark mid-afternoon By 5.10pm the sky looked as dark as night Hervey Bay (pictured) in southeast Queensland appeared to be the worst hit by the wild storm on Friday night. A 68-year-old man was killed by a falling tree and a 17-year-old girl was struck by lightning Hail, destructive winds and flash flooding is expected to continue in parts of NSW including Sydney on Saturday The Bureau of Meteorology issued severe weather warnings in place for Tasmania and Victoria. The mercury in Brisbane could reach as high as 32C on Sunday, but the muggy temperatures are unlikely to stop a passing thunderstorm - which could bring as much as 80mm of rainfall in two days. Flood warnings were also issued in Queensland on Saturday morning for the Fitzroy, Condamine, Thomson, Cooper, Georgina, Eyre, Dawson and Maranoa Rivers. Emergency services deal with flood waters in southern Sydney late on Friday night Trees were ripped from their roots and smashed homes in Hervey Bay The weather bureau warns that Sydney could be hit by thunderstorms More than 50,000 properties across central and southern Queensland lost power on Friday In Victoria, thunderstorms and heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding are expected for people in the North Central, North East, South West, Central, West and South Gippsland and East Gippsland districts. Melbourne will endure light winds and rain on Saturday afternoon, which should stick around for much of Sunday and could linger till Monday afternoon. The heat and humidity experienced by Sydneysiders on Saturday morning could quickly turn to large hailstorms, flash flooding and punishing winds by afternoon, the weather bureau warns. WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST SYDNEY Saturday: Showers increasing - min 20, max 29 Sunday: Shower or two - min 20, max 29 ADELAIDE Saturday: Shower or two - min 14, max 25 Sunday: Mostly sunny - min 15, max29 MELBOURNE Saturday: Shower or two - min 14, max 24 Sunday: Shower or two - min 15, max 25 HOBART Saturday: Shower or two - min 17, max 23 Sunday: Shower or two - min 17, max 23 BRISBANE Saturday: Possible storm - min 25, max 34 Sunday: Possible storm - min 24, max 33 PERTH Saturday: Possible storm - min 22, max 29 Sunday: Morning shower or two - min 19, max 23 DARWIN Saturday: Possible storm - min 27, max 32 Sunday: Possible storm - min 26, max 31 CANBERRA Saturday: Likely storm - min 12, max 27 Sunday: Possible storm - min 12, max 24 Advertisement Liverpool in Sydney's south west was hit by lightening and thunder early Friday afternoon The storms are also expected to drench Sydney well into Saturday and people are being told to make sure their homes are secure and cars are undercover Emergency services on Australia's east coast are now bracing for more thunderstorms on the horizon Residents in many parts of NSW including Sydney were on Friday warned to batten down the hatches as another round of severe storms and damaging winds closed in on the state. The brutal storms on Friday triggered more than 350 calls for help and cut power to more than 40,000 homes in the state. Flooding sparked at least three rescue calls, with State Emergency Service crews swooping on a Sydney family of four whose car was overcome on Friday afternoon. Emergency services are now bracing for more thunderstorms on the horizon, SES spokesman Phil Campbell told AAP on Friday. 'There still are some storms kicking around the west and northwest, and the real risk now is those storms redeveloping tomorrow. 'We could be looking at a repeat of today all over again.' The deputy leader of far-Right group Britain First has led a 'Christian patrol' through the streets of Luton, insulting the Muslims who live there. Brandishing large white crosses, the group - led by Jayda Fransen - is seen on video marching through the Bedfordshire town. She rounds upon a Muslim woman, who is out with her two young children, telling the shocked mother that the reason she has to cover herself from head to toe is because 'Muslim men cannot control their urges'. One man also shouted that Mohammed is a 'false prophet' in the video, which has been viewed almost two million times on YouTube. Brandishing a cross in the heavily Muslim area of Bury Park in Luton, Bedfordshire, far-Right group Britain Firsts deputy leader Jayda Fransen is seen on video leading fellow activists in a so-called Christian Patrol She rounds upon a Muslim woman who is out with her two young children, telling the shocked mother that the reason she has to cover herself from head to toe is because Muslim men cannot control their urges Local shopkeeper Hassan Uddin, 34, confronts Fransen over bringing her protest into his area. He reacts with understandable fury and insists: Its our country' Its the craze that promises lithe, honed bodies and spiritual enlightenment to millions of devotees worldwide, from the vogueish middle classes to celebrities such as Madonna, David Beckham, Lady Gaga and Jennifer Aniston. But the flamboyant 69-year-old guru behind hot yoga whose disciples endure 90-minute workouts in 105F heat has been described as a vile sexual predator by his British-educated former lawyer. Minakshi Jafa-Bodden was last week awarded more than 5 million compensation by a jury in Los Angeles for sexual harassment, gender discrimination and wrongful dismissal. Scroll down for video Minakshi Jafa-Bodden, left, won 5million in compensation after suing hot yoga guru Bikram Choudhury for sexual harassment in a Los Angeles court The three-week case gave a disturbing insight into what Miss Jafa-Bodden called the sickening hypocrisy of Calcutta-born yogi Bikram Choudhury, controller of the fashionable Bikram Yoga franchise, who sacked her, she claims, after she refused to cover up a rape allegation. In an exclusive and devastating expose of what she dubbed the mad, mad world of Bikram, the 46-year-old solicitor spoke exclusively to The Mail on Sunday last night to reveal how the yogi: Posed like a king on a throne while devotees stroked his hair, massaged his back and fondled him under an orange towel on his lap; Privately branded female employees and followers of his yoga fat bitches and stupid f***king bitches while sexually harassing young devotees who paid thousands to learn his techniques; Urinated in front of her when she arrived for a business meeting. He is a pig, a vile, nasty human being, Miss Jafa-Bodden said. Choudhury thinks hes God and can get away with anything. Six women have filed US civil cases accusing Choudhury of sexual attacks. Five of them claim they were raped, but so far no criminal charges have been brought against him. Last weeks case was the first time a woman had taken on Choudhury in a courtroom and won. Indian-born Miss Jafa-Bodden, said: People ask all the time how he could get away with such appalling behaviour for so long but you have to understand the world he lives in. A class at Bikram's Yoga College of India exercising in London (file picture) 'He is treated as a God who is the centre of the Bikram universe. People who are attracted to Bikram yoga are either very high performing, highly functioning people or those who have depression or addiction issues. 'Bikram, like any form of yoga, helps deal with stress, depression and anxiety. Its the ultimate paradox. 'He created a therapeutic exercise for people and then he preyed upon them. He sucks people in mostly women makes them feel comfortable and then takes advantage of them. This woman who threatens to bring down the 40 million Bikram empire moved to Britain at 16 to do her A-levels and graduated in law from Birmingham University. She still has an English accent after spending much of her early career in London. She then worked in the Cayman Islands and had returned to her native India when, in 2011, she first heard about LA-based Bikram Choudhury after a family friend told her he was looking for an in-house lawyer. Intelligent and smart, she is not the type of woman one would imagine falling prey to a man she calls a cult leader. He is famed for posing in black Speedos while wearing a 1 million diamond-encrusted Rolex. He once bragged: I have balls like atom bombs. Yet, Miss Jafa-Bodden says, entering Choudhurys warped world cost her her job, her health and very nearly her sanity. She moved to Los Angeles to take up her 90,000-a-year job in spring 2011, living with her daughter Alex in a flat provided by Choudhury. She said: I was a single mother of a six-year-old so I jumped at the chance to move to LA. It was a great job opportunity and way to support my family. She was given a car and was sponsored for a work visa by the man who had turned hot yoga into a multi-million-dollar enterprise, with 700 Bikram Yoga Schools in 30 countries since founding his first class in San Francisco in the 1970s. Her office was directly opposite Choudhurys in the two-storey world headquarters of Bikram Yoga in LA. At first, she was charmed by her charismatic boss and his wife Rajashree, who filed for divorce last December after 31 years of marriage, yet testified for him in court last week. Miss Jafa-Bodden said: He can be very charming when you first meet him. But that didnt last very long. Bikram portrays himself as a spiritual leader. There was an atmosphere of complete and utter obedience to him. No dissent was tolerated. She began to see Choudhurys darker side after she questioned him about complaints from women devotees of Bikram Yoga that began to cross her desk some of them extremely serious. There were allegations of rape and assault. Perhaps the first complaint was a surprise but then I began to see a pattern. He told me to fix the women that were saying things about him. But when I refused, he became abusive. It was f***ing bitch this and f***ing bitch that. I began to witness inappropriate, unacceptable behaviour in front of my eyes. He licked his fingers in a suggestive, sexual manner. He pushed his tongue through his fingers to simulate a sex act. It was repulsive. I was expecting a spiritual guru but he was manipulative and in my opinion rather evil. 'He brainwashes people, saying Bikram is the only true form of yoga. He makes you feel the outside world is not real. Its a virtual reality and he will take care of you because hes Bikram and he is God, he can do anything. And as bizarre as it sounds, you start to believe him. Choudhury has joked he invented hot yoga after being so cold in his San Francisco studio after moving from Calcutta that he cranked up the heating, only to discover students were able to bend and flex more easily and enjoyed a euphoric high from excessive sweating. Miss Jafa-Bodden said Choudhury's house is lined with pictures of him with celebrities including Elvis Presley, pictured left, and former US President Bill Clinton, right Shirley MacLaine was an early devotee as was former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe. Miss Jafa-Bodden said: Bikrams house is lined with pictures of him with the rich and famous with Elvis, Bill Clinton, everyone who is anyone. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher signed in for a class one night. The bulk of Choudhurys fortune comes from training others to practise his method and from franchising the Bikram Yoga brand. Twice a year, hundreds of trainee Bikram teachers come to LA from around the world most of them young women to attend nine-week courses costing 10,000. Many regarded him as their guru and would do anything to ingratiate themselves with him. The office had staff but there were scores of young, unpaid women around who I can only describe as devotees, Miss Jafa-Bodden said. Id go to his office for a business meeting and there would be a devotee stroking his hair, another massaging his thighs. 'When I objected he would snap, Whos going to do my massage then? Are you going to f***ing massage me? He told me I was a f***ing stupid bitch. One time I showed up for a meeting and he had the door open and was urinating in front of me. In court documents she outlined Choudhurys racist and homophobic slurs, alleging that he said AIDS is caused by gays and blacks just dont get my yoga. Another alleged comment was: Hitler had the right idea he was just not efficient enough. So why, as an intelligent and well-qualified woman, didnt she simply walk out? I felt trapped, Miss Jafa-Bodden replies. I am a single mum. I was living in a flat paid for by Bikram. He controlled my work visa, my phone. I drove his cars. He said hed get my visa revoked. She said the worst behaviour took place during teacher-training courses. He would sit on a throne at the front of this vast room filled with trainees with an air-conditioning unit blasting cold air on him while everyone else was sweating madly. During lectures the throne would be lowered. He would be on this throne and there would be a girl stroking his hair and another massaging his back and another stroking him under orange towels that would be placed on his lap. It was disgusting, but it was a daily occurrence. The girls were emaciated because he told them not to eat. One of his sayings is, No food is the best food. The Bikram studios that carry his name around the world are recruiting grounds for his victims. 'Those studios are required to send a certain number of students to teacher-training every year. They are taught to seek out Bikrams type very thin, white, very pale. But little do these women know his world is a nightmare. 'He is a cold, calculating predator. The young trainees, they are 21, 22 years old. 'He would take the presidential suite in the hotel where the training sessions took place and would summon these girls. This is when some of the girls said he attacked them. I was called to a meeting in his room one night because we had to do a conference call. I walked in and he was under the bedcovers and he patted the bed and indicated that I should get in. I was terrified. Bikram looks small but he is muscular, extremely powerful and intimidating. I managed to escape but these young women look up to him and he has complete control over them. Miss Jafa-Bodden was fired in March 2013 after, she claims, she refused to cover up the rape allegations. Penniless and terrified of testifying against Choudhury, her lawyer gave her a picture of Margaret Thatcher to inspire her. She described her courtroom victory as a victory for women everywhere, adding: He never once denied his behaviour in court. 'When he was asked about the abuse he just shrugged it off and pretended he was a clown, that it was a joke. But it is no laughing matter. He needs help. Miss Jafa-Bodden was replaced as Choudhurys lawyer by Petra Starke, a former White House lawyer. She corroborated much of Miss Jafa-Boddens evidence in court. Choudhury who was once caught walking through an American airport with $10,000 in cash pleaded poverty, and said he had been forced to give away his collection of more than 40 cars including Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Ferraris, a claim dismissed as pure fiction. Miss Jafa-Bodden said: People were terrified to stand up to this man. I wanted to show my 11-year-old daughter that its OK to be scared but you can fight through the fear. He destroyed my life and my career. Choudhury denied wrongdoing in court and denies the separate claims of sexual assault. Controversial Kids Company founder Camila Batmanghelidjh has been captured on camera admitting she would stretch and slightly break the law and branding the Government bastards. A bombshell fly-on-the-wall documentary provides an astonishing insight into her fall from grace as one of Britains best-known charities fell apart around her amid allegations of financial mismanagement. The documentary features a series of damning revelations. In it, Batmanghelidjh: Openly admits she would slightly break the law if it was in the interests of children; Brands the Government bastards when they ask for their 3 million bailout money back; Ignores a call from HMRC, joking: They want their money. Ive got no money to give them; Insults the charitys interim financial officer, calling him a hatchet man; Plots with the charitys PR director to suppress Mail on Sunday stories about Kids Companys misspending, including details about how she racked up a 40,000 taxi bill. Scroll down for video Camila Batmanghelidjh, pictured, is caught on camera admitting breaking the law in the BBC documentary Airing on BBC One on Wednesday, Camilas Kids Company: The Inside Story provides a fascinating account of the final months of the charity which received 46 million of taxpayers money as it crumbled beneath the weight of political pressure following revelations about misspending, mismanagement, and sexual abuse. It is made by independent filmmaker Lynn Alleway, who ten years earlier made a documentary about Kids Company and returned at Batmanghelidjhs invitation to film again at the height of the unfolding scandal. What apparently began as an attempt by Batmanghelidjh to answer her critics develops into an astonishing portrayal of the implosion of Kids Company, where she refuses to accept any blame and accuses politicians and the media of conspiring against her. In one extraordinary scene, Batmanghelidjh discusses her plans to launch a campaign to use funds intended to cover redundancy payments to keep staff on, seemingly oblivious to the financial consequences of such a move. Alleway asks: Youre going to be doing something behind the scenes? Tellingly, Batmanghelidjh replies: I never break the law. We have to be very clear about that. I never break the law, I just stretch it a bit. Because if youre asking me, the correct law is to take care of these children properly. So I want to follow the correct law and if the law of the land is not correct then we have to slightly break it. Camila was well known for courting influential politicians including David Cameron and Boris Johnson, pictured The charity chief was well known for courting politicians such as David Cameron and Boris Johnson, but the film also shows a hidden side. While negotiating controversial Government funding of the charity, in an apparent reference to her dealings with Ministers, she adds: Its a chess game. Im playing chess with psychopaths. Someone might think, well youre an equally big nutter. My nuttiness is in the service of children, so its OK. She is then filmed clutching her phone as it rings, joking: HMRC. They want their money and Ive got no money to give them. It is not clear what tax bill she is referring to but in July 2015, the MoS reported how HMRC wrote off 589,000 in unpaid employment tax contributions in 2002. The documentary begins in late June last year, as allegations of financial mismanagement continued to mount against the charity. In return for a 3 million bailout to keep the charity alive, the Government wants Batmanghelidjh to stand down as chief executive and for Kids Company to downsize its budget. But mounting allegations continue to harm the charitys reputation, including revelations that cash was handed out in brown envelopes to clients on a weekly basis. The Kids Company boss is shown reacting to Mail on Sunday stories in the BBC programme Kids Companys PR director Laurence Guinness is shown feeding Batmanghelidjh stock answers to media questions. Telling her to limit her media appearances, he says: Just focus on the children. You can take personal attacks but youre not going to let the children suffer. Camila replies approvingly: OK, thats good. He cynically adds: Dont even respond to financial mismanagement unless youre asked. And just who are these children? A 34-year-old Jamaican migrant with special needs is featured prominently in the documentary. Until recently, the documentary claims, she was an asylum seeker meaning she could not work or claim benefits. Since the age of 21, Kids Company has provided her with cash, food vouchers and accommodation. There is no doubt she has had a hard life. She suffered a violent and traumatic childhood. But why are Kids Company supporting this adult? Shes very special, very, very special, Batmanghelidjh says. Any household who has an adult child with special needs will recognise this. We are no different. If I dont see her and literally look after her like a special person that she is then she could fall apart. Camila pictured arriving at a select committee hearing at Portcullis House, London ahead of questioning by MPs over the management of Kids Company after its collapse Challenged by Alleway, who says in theory the charity should not be supporting the woman, Batmanghelidjh adds: In theory I shouldnt be doing a lot of things but in spirit, I hope I make the right choices. When Kids Companys board of trustees appoints an interim finance officer, Colin Whipp, to help slash the charitys budget, Batmanghelidjh throws a strop. He looks like a double glazing salesman and when he communicates he doesnt connect with you for real, she says. She later adds: Hes perfectly reasonable. Vanilla like. Nondescript. Hatchet man hell just do a clean bit of surgery and be gone. After staff went three days without being paid as Kids Company faced financial meltdown, the charity received its 3 million bailout. But then things get worse. Only days later, on July 31, after allegations of sexual abuse at the charity, trustees voted to close Kids Company. Last week, Scotland Yard closed its investigation into the allegations, saying there was no evidence of criminality. Batmanghelidjh brands the Government bastards when she hears they want the 3 million bailout money back after the charity announces its closure. Later, viewers see her and PR man Guinness plotting how to respond to MoS revelations that the charity paid to send her drivers daughter to private school. As Batmanghelidjh sits painting her nails, she ponders how they can argue he is not her chauffeur, saying: Also, we can prove it because when I go to other places, I use a completely different driver. Alan Yentob, pictured, quit his 183,000 BBC creative director role over claims of meddling over the Kids Company charity - but an investigation said he had not 'influenced the BBCs journalism' In another scene we see the pair reading something, growing increasingly concerned. Oh no, oh no, Guinness says, this is the one that is bad. I completely ignored him. When Alleway asks what they are discussing, Guinness snaps: No, we are not even going to talk about that... its all rubbish. A voice-over tells us they were discussing a MoS story which exposed how Batmanghelidjh had a personal private swimming pool in a 5,000-a-month mansion paid for from the charitys funds. One of Batmanghelidjhs aides, Azem Yousefi, also lived in the 1.5 million North London home. At the time of the story, the Kids Company chief said she did not know her from Adam yet Yousefi features frequently in the documentary by her side. In a later clip, Batmanghelidjh, who is sat next to a copy of the MoS, attempts to defend herself as Alleway turns on her. Camila, what is going on? I thought this was a charity for disadvantaged children Could you not have found another house without a swimming pool? Batmanghelidjh says: I didnt think about it in terms of what outsiders would think. Batmanghelidjh remains defiant to the last, refusing to admit any fault over Kids Companys downfall. I just think its a collective madness that the media, the politicians engaged in, and I was supposed to be killed off, she says. Challenged by Alleway over whether she too was to blame, Batmanghelidjh retorts: The only thing Im sorry about is I didnt raise enough money. As the world teeters on the edge of Armageddon, Britain's top brass are faced with the most chilling decision of all. After Russia has invaded a Nato state, the rapidly escalating crisis threatens the very existence of Britain. Now, with a nuclear strike on London imminent, military commanders and senior Government figures in a Whitehall bunker must choose whether to launch our Trident missiles in response, having already decided against a nuclear strike at an earlier stage in the crisis. But the decision is no and this outcome of an utterly realistic 'war game' throws up deeply troubling questions, not least with the current political row over Government plans to spend 100 billion replacing our fleet of Trident submarines. In the end, the committee votes overwhelmingly against responding to a nuclear bomb being dropped on the UK Now, with a nuclear strike on London imminent, military commanders and senior Government figures in a Whitehall bunker must choose whether to launch our Trident missiles in response, having already decided against a nuclear strike at an earlier stage in the crisis The terrifying moment is the climax of a simulated emergency, in which retired senior military and diplomatic figures convene around a table in a war room, just as a Cabinet Office committee would give their advice to the Prime Minister. With unprecedented access to the normally highly secret 'war game', BBC film-makers reveal how the decisions unfold minute by minute. The exercise, designed by military strategists, envisages a Russian invasion of Latvia to support pro-Kremlin separatists who have taken over 20 towns near its border. When Nato leaders become divided about how to respond, America and Britain go it alone to launch a ground offensive to force Putin's troops back, during which four British soldiers are taken hostage until they are rescued by Special Forces. Then Russia hits back with a nuclear strike on Royal Navy warship HMS Ocean instantly killing 1,200 Royal Marines and sailors. Remarkably, the committee votes against retaliating with a nuclear strike. But America, which also lost a warship, ignores the British advice and unleashes its own nuclear attack on a Russian military target pushing us into all-out atomic war. Footage from the forthcoming BBC programme, World War Three: Inside the War Room Target: HMS Ocean is hit by the Russians, killing 1,200 on board during the war game The committee is faced with one final decision does it launch a like-for-like retaliation? The tension builds and the doomsday scenario reaches its climax as the war room hears that Putin has ordered London to be nuked next. The committee is faced with one final decision does it launch a like-for-like retaliation? General Sir Richard Shirreff, until recently Nato's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, takes a long pause, and declares: 'I say do not fire.' Sir Tony Brenton, a former ambassador to Russia, adds: 'Do we pointlessly kill millions of Russians or not? To me it's a no-brainer we do not.' In the end, the committee votes overwhelmingly against responding to a nuclear bomb being dropped on the UK. Former Royal Navy supremo Admiral Lord West took part in the war game but by the time of the vote was detained elsewhere in the simulated crisis. However, last night he said he was in favour of retaliation. The Labour peer, in comments at odds with Jeremy Corbyn's disarmament stance, told the MoS: 'We should use our second strike capability with Trident to wipe them out as well. 'The whole point of deterrence is the uncertainty of whether you would use it. 'If you don't intend to use it in such circumstances then there is no deterrent.' Sir Richard, meanwhile, told this newspaper: 'At that point it was clear deterrence had failed. My feeling was it had become a moral issue that the use of force can only be justified to prevent a greater evil if the UK is going to be obliterated, what is going to be achieved if we obliterate half of Russia as well? It was going to create an even worse evil.' Controversy: The Prime Minister says combat roles should be open to female armed forces recruits. Pictured, a female soldier on patrol near Basra, Iraq Senior military officers are preparing to go to war with David Cameron over his decision to let female soldiers join frontline combat units, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Top brass from the three services are ready to speak their minds behind closed doors and tell the Prime Minister to ditch plans for women to fight in Army infantry regiments, the Royal Marines and the RAF Regiment. Mr Camerons announcement last month that combat roles should be open to female recruits pre-empted a review on whether including women in fighting units would compromise combat effectiveness. The Mail on Sunday has learned the Women in Ground Close Combat review uncovered such serious problems that senior officers are insisting the PM reconsider his position. Their concerns are based on: A US Marine Corps (USMC) study that found all-male infantry groups performed 30 per cent better than mixed groups. Women struggled to lift male casualties and had higher injury, failure and drop-out rates. lnfantry regiments could not offer careers to female recruits as, while some women could pass basic training, almost none would beat male soldiers on selection cadres and justify promotion to higher ranks. Research found that, even with gender fair training programmes, strength and endurance differences between the sexes would always cause issues on the battlefield. The MoD would face multi- million-pound legal actions if women suffer career-ending injuries, difficulties giving birth or miscarriages as a result of infantry training. One serving Army Colonel told The Mail on Sunday: The Prime Minister seems hell-bent on imposing this potentially fatal exercise in political correctness upon us. 'But we will not shut up and the fight isnt over yet. While I applaud the fantastic contribution by female soldiers in Afghanistan, infantry soldiering is uniquely demanding. 'My view is based on leading men and women in combat zones. Woe betide Mr Cameron if standards slip to facilitate women. That will cost lives. The USMC study found women struggled in physically demanding tasks such as long marches with heavy packs. Putting women in combat units added a level of risk. A US Marine Corps study found all-male infantry groups performed 30 per cent better than mixed groups The study said: That level of risk is highest for infantry. The bottom line is that the physiological differences between males and females will likely always be evident. Former Army medic Sergeant Chantelle Taylor, 40, who killed a Taliban insurgent in Afghanistan, said: This move to put women in the infantry is just box-ticking driven by politicians. I feel sorry for the first women to be put through this. They will struggle, male soldiers will resent them and this could put back the cause of women in Britains military by many years. We should do our own testing first. Women have a lot to offer but we must be more thorough in our approach. Admiral Lord West, former First Sea Lord, said: We simply cannot afford to go ahead with this if there is the faintest doubt over it being a positive move. There appear to be significant problems and I remain nervous about this. Failing grade: The MoD estimates only 4.5 per cent of female Army recruits could pass infantry physical tests Yet the MoD has already begun building accommodation for female recruits at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, with training expected to start in September. Armed Forces Minister Penny Mordaunt insisted last week women can make the grade in the military across lots of different roles. The MoD estimates only 4.5 per cent of female Army recruits could pass infantry physical tests, and no woman has ever passed the Parachute Regiment selection course, which has a male pass rate of up to 80 per cent. The EUs equal treatment directive allows women to be excluded from certain military units for public safety. The Equality Act 2010 has a similar clause, though Britain is obliged to periodically reassess discriminatory legislation. The MoD said: A final decision is expected to be made in mid-2016 which will be informed by the ongoing review into opening ground combat roles to women. European health tourists are milking the NHS for expensive cancer treatments, drugs and dialysis by claiming they are UK residents on the day they arrive in the country, top doctors reveal today. They are being granted complex therapy sometimes worth hundreds of thousands of pounds thanks to incredibly lax guidelines governing full access to Britains treasured Health Service, medics have told The Mail on Sunday. Despite Government claims that it is cracking down on health tourism, the doctors say these instructions potentially allow immediate access to everything the NHS has to offer to around 500 million Europeans. Top doctors say European 'health tourists' are being granted complex procedures in the UK by claiming they are residents when they arrive in the country (file picture) All that individuals from across Europe have to do, say the consultants, is come here and claim to be ordinarily resident in the UK which they can do by quoting a friend or relatives address. Until recently, official guidance was that EU passport holders had to prove they had been living in Britain for at least six months to qualify. But new guidelines have all but scrapped the six-month rule plainly stating: It is perfectly possible to be ordinarily resident here from the day of arrival. As a result the senior doctors say: Patients are coming to hospital straight from the airport to demand treatment for serious diseases they have had for some time; One Spaniard racked up bills topping 200,000 for cancer surgery and drugs none of which he was billed for by simply claiming he was living at a friends UK address; Eastern Europeans are regularly flying in for treatment they cannot get at home, which can cost tens of thousands of pounds, by claiming to be staying with relatives; Expatriate Britons who have not paid taxes or lived in Britain for decades are also eligible for immediate treatment. Bizarrely, people can even claim to be ordinarily resident both in their home country and in Britain meaning they do not have to prove they live here full-time to qualify for all NHS services. They merely need to be able to show they are in the UK lawfully for settled purposes as part of the regular order of their life for the time being. The Department of Health guidance, pictured, that allows EU nationals care on the day they arrive in the UK Foreign visitors and short-term migrants cost the NHS up to 2 billion a year, according to an official report published in 2013. It estimated illegal use by health tourists made up 300 million of that figure. While many EU passport holders have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) this only entitles them to free NHS urgent and emergency care. By contrast, ordinary residence grants access to everything including expensive cancer drugs and even fertility treatments such as IVF. The UKs policy is in stark contrast to that of other European countries, where British citizens must pay tax or be enrolled in an insurance scheme in order to access routine health services. Last night, eurosceptic Tory MP Peter Bone said: If thats not an invitation for health tourism, I dont know what is. It seems to be an open door for anyone in Europe to come here and claim treatment. The MP for Wellingborough added: This will be another reason why people vote to come out of the EU. Its the sort of abuse that drives people in my constituency up the wall. CASE STUDY: SPANIARD GOT 200k CARE...USING FRIEND'S HOME ADDRESS A Spaniard obtained cancer care worth 200,000 by giving a friends address to claim they were ordinarily resident in the UK. Their only prior relationship with Britain was that they had once worked here for less than a year back in the 1990s. The patient underwent two operations costing 20,000 each and had two radiotherapy sessions with Gamma Knife machines, also at 20,000 a piece. In addition, the patient benefited from three cancer drugs one of them cost 120,000. Advertisement Most of the doctors who have raised the issue with The MoS have done so on the condition they remain anonymous knowing that to raise it publicly would jeopardise their careers. They have also censored details of European health tourism cases they know about to maintain patient confidentiality. But one of them, a London cancer consultant who has treated lots of Eastern Europeans, revealed: The issue of health tourism, where patients come for urgent but not emergency treatment, is increasing. My team alone treats at least one patient a week in this category and if you multiply that across the whole NHS, thats an awful lot of people. He continued: Cancer treatment has to start in days or weeks of a diagnosis and, once it has started, you cant stop. 'It is very expensive major surgery can cost 20,000 and drugs can run into the thousands. 'The expert said cuts to the Cancer Drugs Fund meant treatment of bowel and pancreatic cancer had gone back ten years, as patients now cant get the drugs they need. Yet we also see patients who are not entitled to treatment, getting treatment. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, pictured, is facing calls to clamps down on the 'abuse of the NHS' Writing in The Mail on Sunday another cancer surgeon, J Meirion Thomas, says he believes the problem is so serious it needs ministerial intervention. He added: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt urgently needs to address these incredibly lax guidelines to clamp down on abuse of the NHS. 'Sadly, every time I write offering to talk him through the problem I am told he is too busy to see me. Another NHS insider said EU passport holders were swiftly claiming ordinarily resident status to access dialysis and maternity services. The source said: One of the biggest problems is elderly family members of EU citizens already in Britain, coming over and claiming ordinary residence. The definition is so wide it is easy to manipulate. Even though it wrote the guidelines, the Department of Health recognised in a consultation published in December that there was a serious problem. He is accused of drunkenly crashing his Porsche in the Hamptons and dragging passenger Paul Hansen out into the street to die in August Real estate developer was on $1million bond but is now held without bail He claims he was simply trying to soak in the sun in Puerto Rico Hundreds of Google searches revealed he was looking to flee to Venezuela A New York real estate developer accused of drunkenly crashing his Porsche and leaving his friend to die in the Hamptons last August claims he was simply trying to relax on a recent trip to Puerto Rico, even though his internet searches show he was looking to flee to South America, prosecutors say. Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said Sean Ludwick, 43, had already wired $385,000 to Puerto Rico to purchase a 50-foot sailboat in order to flee to Venezuela while he was free on $1million bond. Ludwick, who faces up to 32 years in prison on charges of vehicular homicide, driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a fatal crash, told the New York Post he was simply soaking in the sun on his vacation. He said: 'There was a lot of pressure. I cant drive because I have the DWI, so I went sailing. Makes sense, right?' Scroll down for video Sean Ludwick, a real estate developer, is pictured in court Tuesday wearing a tan jacket. He is currently being held without bail after he was deemed a serious flight risk Ludwick, 43, traveled to Puerto Rico, where he wired $385,000 to buy a sailboat. A sailing instructor and off-duty FBI agent in Puerto Rico became suspicious after Ludwick asked about extradition laws (file photo of Puerto Rico). Ludwick claims he was just relaxing, not trying to flee He also told the Post: 'I'm an educated man. I have two master's degrees. I have five businesses. Where am I fleeing? I have two kids and my high-school sweetheart.' The real estate executive was arrested last week on suspicion of trying to evade prosecution and held without bail after an off-duty FBI agent, who had given Ludwick sailing tips in Puerto Rico became suspicious of his inquiries. Court documents state the sailing instructor was alerted when Ludwick asked about extradition laws and whether the sailboat he was planning to buy would make it to Venezuela. A concierge at the hotel where Ludwick stayed also alerted authorities. Both the concierge and the sailing instructor googled Ludwick and learned about his pending charges, prosecutors said. Ludwick, left, is accused of drunkenly driving his Porsche into a utility pole, a crash that killed Paul Hansen, right. Prosecutors said Ludwick dragged Hansen's body into the street and threw his personal belongings in the woods Long Island authorities and the US Marshals Service tracked the real estate executive through his cell phone, and arrested him when he returned home to Sag Harbor, New York. District Attorney Spota also said the real estate developer had plans to return to the island to purchase the sailboat. Ludwick allegedly searched 'why do fugitives get caught', 'how do fugitives escape', '5 countries with no extradition' and 'seeking citizenship in Venezuela', according to 27East. Hundreds of other internet searches revealed he researched the percentage of bail jumpers who are caught, how to be an effective liar, and whether he could hitchhike to Puerto Rico to Venezuela. Ludwick's defense attorney Benjamin Brafman said the Google searches were simply a 'fantasy'. He also said his client wanted to buy the boat to spend time with his children before his potential prison sentence. Ludwick had made hundreds of Google searches, including 'how do fugitives escape', '5 countries with no extradition' and 'seeking citizenship in Venezuela' Ludwick, the founder of Manhattan-based Black House Development, lives in this Upper East Side building Ludwick is indicted in the death of Paul Hansen, a 53-year-old real estate broker. On August 30, Ludwick was driving Hansen home after a night out. Ludwick allegedly crashed his Porsche into a utility pole and is accused of dragging Hansen's body in the street, where he died a few feet from his home. Ludwick did not call 911. Prosecutor John Scott Prudenti also said Ludwick had also thrown Mr Hansen's personal belongings into the woods before fleeing. So far 24 countries have reported cases of Zika, which is linked to microcephaly in babies, where skulls and brains fail to form properly Best protection is 'covering up and avoiding areas where the bugs live' British tourists warned over Zika virus protection by Which? British holidaymakers are being warned against relying on High Street insect repellents to protect them from the Zika virus ravaging South America and the Caribbean. Tests indicate a string of popular repellents give little protection against the Aedes aegypti mosquito the main species carrying Zika. Consumer experts Which? tested 19 brands to discover which repelled mosquitoes best. Only six offered 100 per cent protection. Scroll down for video Zika can cause microcephaly in babies, where skulls and brains fail to form properly (file picture) The top performers, which all contained the chemical DEET, included Lifesystems Expedition Plus 50+, Tesco Insect Protection Max Strength, Sainsburys Extra Strength Insect Repellent and Superdrug Buzz Off. Among the least protective were Lifesystems Natural Plus 30+ and Incognito Anti-Mosquito. Ian Burgess, senior entomologist at Insect Research and Development in Cambridgeshire, said last night: Covering up and avoiding areas where mosquitoes are active is the best protection. Howard Carter, founder of Incognito, rejected the Which? results, saying they were unreliable. A female Aedes aegypti mosquito, pictured, the main species that carries the Zika virus Zika is spreading northwards fast: last night a case in a four-year-old child was confirmed in Jamaica, the 24th country to report the virus. Meanwhile, British hospitals are braced for cases of pregnant women exposed to the virus returning from abroad. Infection by Zika has been linked to babies being born with microcephaly a condition where infants skulls and brains can fail to form properly. The two-month-old boy allegedly murdered by his father, a senior Queensland police officer, had died of significant injuries. The 38-year-old senior constable was arrested on Saturday following an 18-month investigation, which involved the child sex unit into the death of his two-month old son. Police said the baby boy died with fairly significant injuries at a home in Victoria Point, south-east of Brisbane, in June 2014 following an argument between the father and wife. Scroll down for video The two-month-old died with 'fairly significant injuries' at a home in Victoria Point, south-east of Brisbane, in June 2014 The 18-month-investigation into the boy's death on Saturday resulted in the arrest of the two-month-old's father, a Queensland senior constable Hed dialled triple-0 and told them his son had stopped breathing, reported The Courier Mail. The child suffered serious head injuries He then commenced CPR on the child, following the instructions of the operator. His wife was reportedly not at home at the time, as shed left following the argument. An autopsy revealed the child had serious head injuries, and had not died as a result of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Police will allege the police officer was having an affair with a co-worker at the time of his son's death and throughout the time of the investigation, according to the Courier Mail. He was not on duty at the time of the alleged murder, according to police. The officer was suspended from duty 'for the integrity of the investigation' around a month after his son's death, police said. 'This is a very tragic event with the loss of a young innocent life and the devastation of a family,' Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said He said the officer had been on suspension on full pay but this would be reviewed now that charges had been laid. Queensland Police Service pays its senior constables between $68,894 and $82,638 a year. Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the family has been left 'devastated' by the death of the two-month-old. 'This is a very tragic event with the loss of a young innocent life and the devastation of a family,' he said. 'I'm a father, these sort of crimes - irrespective of who commits them are tragic and terrible, we are committed to making sure the offender is brought to justice.' He refused to provide any specific details about the case as it is now 'a matter before the courts, but said he was confident they had gathered compelling and conclusive evidence. 'We take no charges of such serious nature lightly, we make sure we have the evidence that is needed to prove to a court we're confident we have that.' The officer will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday. News / National by Stephen Jakes A group of Zanu PF youth allegedly hijacked food distribution meant for the elderly, orphans and vulnerable members of the community in Epworth"On 19 December 2015 at the Epworth Local Board, a group of Zanu-PF youth allegedly hijacked the process of food distribution meant for the elderly, orphans and other vulnerable members of the community and took the rice for themselves leaving the intended beneficiaries without food," Zimbabwe Peace Project Reported on its December issue."On 24 December 2015, residents of Kuwadzana were gathered where groceries donated by MP Nelson Chamisa were being distributed to members of the community."ZPP said the goodies were a hamper that included salt, sugar, and cooking oil among other things. During the distribution a member from another MDC faction who is allegedly aspiring to contest the MP seat in 2018 election, disrupted the proceedings and the distribution of the goodies had to be stopped for a while."Things only came back to normal after the intervention by the MDC-T Harare province. Chamisa confirmed the incident to ZPP," ZPP reported. The husband of Formula 1 heiress Petra Ecclestone has been ridiculed in court papers over claims that he suffered serious and severe distress after seeing his niece fall over and cry. It is the latest twist in a bitter war of words being waged in a Los Angeles court between art collector James Stunt and his ex-butler Carl Hajik, who is said to have kicked 17-month-old Sophia. New papers filed by Hajiks lawyer mock Stunts distress, saying: Toddlers cry. All the time. And sometimes for no reason at all. At war: Former butler Carl Hajik, left, and Petra Ecclestone and James Stunt, right 'Seeing a toddler cry over a cut or scrape or get a boo boo does not cause severe emotional distress, such that damages apply. 'If it did, every parent would have a payday after suing babysitters, teachers, playground friends, parents of other kids and yes, even butlers. The dispute started after Hajik, who worked at Stunt and Petras 123-room Los Angeles mansion, knocked over the couples niece last August as he leaned over to pour chilli oil on Stunts pizza. Hajik, who is gay, was fired immediately and claims that Stunt flew into a rage, spat at him, pushed him into a wall and a water cooler, and accused him of being a lady hater who should be wearing a dress. The 56-year-old is suing the businessman for battery, harassment and discrimination all of which Stunt has vigorously denied. Stunt, who has three children with his 27-year-old heiress wife, then filed his own lawsuit against Hajik for extortion and negligence, describing the butler as a failed entertainer and an abusive conman. How we reported the claims last month He claims the butler deliberately kicked Sophia the daughter of Petras sister Tamara and her husband Jay Rutland refused to properly apologise, and threatened to go public if he was not paid off. The latest filing by Hajiks lawyer seeks to have the case thrown out as a reasonable man would not suffer after seeing a toddler fall, as well as claiming Stunt is not a close enough relative of Sophia. The documents add: Its a safe bet on Stunts $86 million mansion that his little niece has cried for much longer periods over having a toy taken away, but Mr Stunt does not get to sue everyone that makes his little niece cry. Lawyers for Mr Stunt contest Mr Hajiks claims. A spokesman said: Mr Hajik assaulted Mr Stunts niece and refused to offer an apology. It seemed to come from nowhere. And by the time we sat up and took notice, the Zika virus was rampaging through Brazil and on to more than 20 South and Central American countries, carried in the saliva of the Aedes mosquito. Let loose in human populations that had no existing immunity, it has rapidly spread to millions. For most people, the symptoms are negligible. But there appears to be one horrific consequence for pregnant women. Scroll down for video The Zika virus is being spread in South America by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, pictured Because with the arrival of Zika has come a 20-fold increase in the number of babies with small heads and underdeveloped brains, a condition known as microcephaly. A few of those affected will die, and those that survive will have development problems. The World Health Organisation has convened an emergency meeting, describing the spread of the disease as explosive, with some suggestions it could infect three to four million people in the Americas alone in the coming year. Pregnant women have been advised against going to afflicted areas which would include Rio de Janeiro; host to this years Olympic Games. And because there is some evidence of sexual transmission, Public Health England has advised men to use condoms for at least a month after returning from an affected country if they believe their partner is at risk of becoming pregnant. No wonder the authorities are increasingly alarmed. And with the virus likely to spread to other areas where the mosquitoes thrive for example the southern US and southern Europe including some Mediterranean resorts the potential threat to British visitors is real. The virus is spreading, detailed right, and is linked to microcephaly, which affects the development of the brain and skull in babies, pictured left There is little if any prospect of eradicating mosquitoes indeed a warmer Europe will see more of them. So I believe the next step, and the only one available that will ultimately protect from possible horrific consequences of infection, will be to develop a vaccine. Zika virus is named after the small Ugandan forest where it was first isolated way back in 1947, but has never until now been a cause for alarm. Only a fifth of people infected showed any symptoms at all, and those that did feel unwell suffered only mild fever, a rash and joint pain. But some ten years ago, when the virus made a march from its tropical and sub-tropical African and Asian strongholds to the idyllic Pacific islands that make up Micronesia then Polynesia, scientists found something worrying: an increase in cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, an illness that affects the nervous system, in some of those infected. The Polynesian outbreak also showed that the virus could pass from mother to child during pregnancy. Zika continued its eastward sojourn, making its way into Brazil in the early part of last year. And doctors started noticing a very worrying trend. Since the arrival and rapid spread of Zika, there was a huge increase in the number of newborns with abnormally small heads. Rather than being a benign force, the virus seems to be harming unborn babies a silent but potentially destructive force that treats tourists and Amazonian villagers alike. Many virologists, me included, expect the worst of the Zika virus outbreak will burn itself out. More than 2,700 babies were born in Brazil with microcephaly, pictured, in 2015, up from 150 in 2014 Once you become infected with the virus you should develop immunity protection that should last for the rest of your life. Eventually the number of women who have this natural protection will increase. So even though the virus wont disappear from the Americas, its more sinister features will become less frequent over time. But that cant stop the Zika virus spreading now, or stop the thousands of terribly damaged newborn babies that will probably result. Moreover, the virus has been found not just in the Aedes aegypti mosquito, but in the related Aedes albopictus the Asian Tiger mosquito. This is prevalent in many tropical and sub-tropical regions, including the US and southern Europe. The threat of Zika virus infection in the US and Europe is very real indeed. The only thing needed to spark a new outbreak is a single infected mosquito or its water-dwelling young stowed away in a goods shipment. The used-tyre trade is, after all, the thing that helped the global spread of the Asian mosquito. Mosquitoes dont respect international boundaries. Alternatively an infected tourist returning from an outbreak country could pass on their infection to a resident mosquito, allowing onward transmission to ensue. And remember, European populations or North Americans wont have pre-existing immunity either, so the danger of further Zika outbreaks is very real. It is hard to know how many people have been infected so far as the virus isnt easily diagnosed, particularly in countries where healthcare facilities are often under-resourced. So if Zika virus is damaging unborn children, what can be done, especially when the weapons we have in our armoury are crude? Complete mosquito eradication is unimaginable. Getting rid of mosquitoes, especially from urban areas where there is so much poverty and so much standing water the breeding ground for the Aedes mosquito is possible but not easy. Some are arguing we should release genetically modified mosquitoes with offspring guaranteed to die off. Theres always public resistance to this type of genetic experiment, however. Preventing bites is equally tricky especially when the mosquito concerned loves urban areas and feeds voraciously in the daytime. Covering up and using a good insect repellent is almost the best that you can do. Women can either reduce the risk of being bitten by an infected mosquito or avoid becoming pregnant advice offered by authorities in some of the countries experiencing this outbreak. Until we understand the virus better, we will have to assume that getting infected during any stage of pregnancy should be avoided. No wonder the clamour for a vaccine is growing, especially now that the virus is threatening the Southern regions of the US. (A health threat to the rich Western world is a sure-fire way of gaining interest and ensuring mobilisation of resources and frantic scientific effort.) Unfortunately, we are starting from scratch Zika, after all was thought to be harmless. Theres a lot of work to be done, but thankfully we know that vaccines against related viruses such as yellow fever work. to select their favorite for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations On Monday, Iowans will gather for the The poll was conducted by the Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics with 45 percent while Sanders has 42 percent and Martin O'Malley has three percent Despite opting out of the most recent GOP presidential debate, The Donald has taken the lead in the latest and most regarded poll out of Iowa. Trump is currently at 28 percent while his rival Ted Cruz has slid down to 23 percent, according to the highly respected Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll, which was released Saturday ahead of the caucuses. Coming in third place is Florida Sen. Marco Rubio with 15 percent and former neurosurgeon Ben Carson received 10 percent of support. Sen. Rand Paul received five percent in the poll while the other remaining Republican presidential candidates received less than five percent of support. All smiles: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives on stage for a campaign event at Clinton Middle School on Saturday. Despite opting out of the most recent GOP presidential debate, he has taken the lead in the latest polls out of Iowa The Donald is currently at 28 percent while his rival Ted Cruz has slid down to 23 percent, according to the Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll Trump blasted Cruz to enliven the crowd as he barnstormed through eastern Iowa. At the Dubuque airport, Trump's plane, with his name emblazoned on the side, did a fly-by before he spoke to a crowd of about 400 On the Democratic side, former first lady Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders are locked in a close race. Clinton received 45 percent support in the new poll, which is a three percent increase from the last poll conducted. The Vermont senator received 42 percent, while Martin O'Malley dropped one percentage point down to three percent. The pollster for the Iowa Poll, J Ann Seizer, has conducted polling on the Iowa caucuses since 1988. According to Politico, she was the only person to predict the order of the Democratic candidates in 2004, she accurately predicted the surge of first-time caucus attendees in 2008, and she also was the only pollsters to see the rise of Rick Santorum in 2012. Trump told the crowd, 'You've got to go out and caucus. You've got to get out there. I don't care what happens'. Above he is pictured signing autographs at the airport rally He added: 'If your wife leaves you for another man, if you leave your wife because you don't like her, I don't care what it is. If you're sick, you've got to get out' This poll, which is known as the most respected one, was conducted of 602 likely Democratic caucus-goers and 602 likely GOP caucus-goers from January 26-29. It has a margin of error of +/- four percent. On Monday, Iowans will gather in homes, gymnasiums, libraries, taverns and even grain elevators for caucuses to select their favorite for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations. When they are finished, the race will take on a new dynamic and several candidates are expected to drop out altogether. 'This is your time,' Cruz told a crowd of about 1,000 at a hotel ballroom. 'This is the time for the men and women of Iowa to make a decision. We are inches away.' Ted Cruz told a crowd of people during a campaign event at a hotel ballroom that 'This is your time. This is the time for the men and women of Iowa to make a decision. We are inches away' Across the state, Trump used stagecraft and blasted Cruz to enliven the crowd as he barnstormed through eastern Iowa. At the Dubuque airport, Trump's plane, with his name emblazoned on the side, did a fly-by before he spoke to a crowd of about 400, small by Trump standards. 'You've got to go out and caucus,' Trump told them. 'You've got to get out there. I don't care what happens. 'If your wife leaves you for another man, if you leave your wife because you don't like her, I don't care what it is. If you're sick, you've got to get out.' While Trump made his remarks before the release of the Iowa poll, he noted that other polls have shown his lead in Iowa more tenuous than in other states. 'I'm not used to 5 points,' he said. On the Democratic side, former first lady Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders are locked in a close race. Above she is pictured with her daughter, Chelsea, at a campaign event in Carroll, Iowa Saturday Clinton received 45 percent support in the new poll, which is a three percent increase from the last poll conducted While at his event in Ames, Cruz refrained from attacking Trump but the New York developer was not so circumspect. He continued to suggest that Cruz may not be legally qualified to be president because he was born in Canada. 'How the hell can you run for president?' Trump said. 'Ted has a big problem.' On the Democratic side, Clinton and Sanders, along with former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, agreed in principle to add four debates to their calendars, Clinton's campaign said, although the Sanders campaign said there remained disagreements over where they should be held. If the campaigns can find agreement, the first will be next week in New Hampshire, contingent on approval by the Democratic National Committee. Chai, a 37-year-old Asian elephant who was at the center of an animal captivity debate last May when she was moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City, has died. She was discovered in the elephant yard on Saturday at 7:30am, despite regular wellness checkups and routine observations that deemed she was healthy, zoo officials said. A statement released by the Oklahoma City Zoo said results from the autopsy won't be available until next week. Scroll down for video Chai, pictured in Seattle before the move, was found dead in Oklahoma City Zoo today at the age of 37 Chai, left, and Bamboo, right, were moved from Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo to Oklahoma City Zoo (pictured), where they had more outdoor space. Activists unsuccessfully rallied to have the animals placed in a sanctuary The median life expectancy for female Asian elephants is one decade older, at 47 years. Chai was moved from Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo to Oklahoma City eight months ago with a 48-year-old elephant named Bamboo. Activists at the Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants in Seattle rallied to have Chai and Bamboo placed in a sanctuary last spring. In response to the elephant's death, the group released a statement that read: 'Chai is at peace now - free from suffering at the hands of the zoo industry. 'At 37, Chai would have been at the prime of her life in the wild, and still bearing calves, but Woodland Park Zoo and now the Oklahoma City Zoo bear the responsibility of another elephant dying prematurely. 'Zoos must stop incarcerating and breeding elephants into a life sentence of misery.' David Schaefer, a spokesman for the Woodland Park Zoo, told the Seattle Times: 'Everybody feels terrible about it at the zoo, particularly the keepers who spent a lot of time with her.' In March, amidst the controversy over the animals' relocation, Seattle Council member Sally Bagshaw backed the elephants' move to a sanctuary. The median life expectancy for female Asian elephants is 47 years. Previous research has shown that elephants who were living in the wild or in natural environments lived two times more than those in captivity. Pictured, a general view of the Oklahoma City Zoo However, as the plans to move Chai and Bamboo to Oklahoma City were being finalized, she conceded, saying their new home would prove beneficial. She pointed out that the elephants would have a larger barn and about three times the outdoor space in Oklahoma City. In October another elephant died at Oklahoma City Zoo. Four-year-old Malee died from herpes, a virus commonly carried among elephants Previous research compared the life span of elephants in European zoos to those living in the wild in Kenya or on a timber enterprise in Myanmar. The animals in Kenya and Myanmar had life spans two times or more that of the elephants in zoos. The infant mortality rates for elephants in zoos is also nearly three times those who live in the wild, the Seattle Times reported. David Cameron has persuaded a leading Labour MP to defect by launching a Government investigation into why black people make up such a high proportion of the prison population. In the latest sign of the disenchantment with Jeremy Corbyns leadership among moderate Labour MPs, David Lammy has agreed to head the review into racial bias in the Criminal Justice System. The Tottenham MP who lost out to Sadiq Khan in the race to be selected as the partys London mayoral candidate is believed to be on a hitlist of moderates targeted for deselection by radical Corbynistas, who have signed up in droves to join his constituency party. Leaving: Prime Minister David Cameron has persuaded leading Labour MP David Lammy, pictured, to defect Mr Lammy nominated Mr Corbyn for the leadership, in order that a broad coalition of ideas and beliefs were represented in the contest, but made clear he had no intention of voting for him. Mr Cameron said Mr Lammy would examine why blacks and ethnic minorities make up nearly a quarter of Crown Court defendants compared with just 14 per cent of the wider population. He added: If youre black, youre more likely to be in a prison cell than studying at a top university. And if youre black, it seems youre more likely to be sentenced to custody for a crime than if youre white. We should investigate why this is and how we can end this possible discrimination. Thats why I have asked David Lammy to lead a review. The family of one of five men who died in a large avalanche in British Columbia has paid tribute to him and his passion for the outdoors. Todd William Chisholm, 47, of St. Albert, was caught in the avalanche on Friday while snowmobiling in the Renshaw area east of McBride in the North Rockies, which is about 130 miles southeast of Prince George. 'He died too young doing what he enjoyed with his sledding buddies, his family told CTV Edmonton in a statement. 'Thanks to the four friends who were with Todd for their efforts. 'Todd will be sadly missed by his wife of 18 years, children, mother & father, brothers and sister, extended family, friends and community. Todd William Chisholm (pictured) was one of five men who died while riding snowmobiles in the Renshaw area east of McBride in the North Rockies, which is about 130 miles southeast of Prince George The five men were caught in an avalanche just northeast of Mount Monroe (pictured) around 1:30pm on Friday. They were part of 17 people snowmobiling in the area in four different groups. All five died at the scene The four other men who died while snowmobiling near Mount Monroe (pictured) were Vincent Eugene Loewen, 52, of Vegreville, Tony Christopher Greenwood, 41, of Grand Prairie County, Ricky Robinson, 55, of Spruce Grove, and John Harold Garley, 49, of Stony Plain 'Todd enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping and playing games with his children and wife. He also enjoyed music, quading and playing drums with the band.' The four other men who died were Vincent Eugene Loewen, 52, of Vegreville, Tony Christopher Greenwood, 41, of Grand Prairie County, Ricky Robinson, 55, of Spruce Grove, and John Harold Garley, 49, of Stony Plain. All five were part of 17 people who were snowmobiling in the Renshaw area in four different groups, BC Coroners Service said. A sign displayed a 'considerable' avalanche hazard warning near Mount Renshaw, in a parking lot where snowmobilers embark, the day after Chisholm and his four friends died McBride mayor Loranne Martin listening during a news conference the day after. Karl Klassen of Avalanche Canada said the 'very large, significant' avalanche appeared to be human-triggered Six to eight people also lost their snowmobiles in the avalanche in the area near McBride (pictured) and had to be shuffled off the mountain They were caught in the avalanche just northeast of Mount Monroe around 1:30pm. All died at the scene. The BC Coroners Service and RCMP are still investigating their deaths. The Coroners Service has ordered to close the Renshaw snowmobiling area until an avalanche technician investigates it. The McBride RCMP said on Friday evening it was coordinating the search for a number of snowmobilers involved in the avalanche. Six to eight people had to be be shuttled off the mountain after losing their snowmobiles, RCMP told CBC. The Renshaw snowmobiling area, near McBride (pictured) will be closed until a certified avalanche technician is done investigating it, BC Coroners Service said Robson Valley Search and Rescue manager Rod Whelpton (right) spoke during a news conference as mayor Loranne Martin and (from left) Robson Valley Search and Rescue managers Chris Gibbs and Dale Mason and RCMP Cpl. Jay Grierson listened. Rescue crews worked throughout the afternoon after the avalanche Karl Klassen of Avalanche Canada said rain and snow following by clearing and cooling could have produced stresses in the snowpack capable of triggering large avalanches A helicopter was dispatched to the area to assist and two search-and-rescue technicians were on the scene almost immediately because they were already in the area, police said. Rescue crews assisted with the rescue of several people throughout the afternoon and searched for people believed to have been buried, RCMP said. Karl Klassen of Avalanche Canada said the 'very large, significant' avalanche appeared to be human-triggered, but he did not elaborate. 'There are layers of concern in the snowpack in many parts of this region (and others) and a fairly significant weather event added rain and snow to the snowpack over the last few days followed by clearing and cooling today,' he said in a statement. 'This may have produced stresses in the snowpack capable of producing large avalanches and this condition could take several days to settle and bond,' he added. The 48-year-old grandmother who claimed to have won a 33m Lotto jackpot has insisted she did not fake the ticket and trying to cash it in has destroyed her life. Susanne Hinte, who moved to the UK from her native Germany at 19, said submitting the ticket had ruined her life and left her suicidal. She vowed to never play the lottery again and put the the false claim down to an innocent mistake and the fact she is 'a bit dappy'. Uncovered: Miss Hinte apologised for her failed 33million jackpot claim and said 'I have been foolish' Miss Hinte is pictured here posing in front of her washing machine (circled in red bottom right) - she said she found her crumpled ticket in her jeans and opened it with tweezers as it was so badly damaged Miss Hinte, who is on benefits and receives 122 a week in working tax credits, claimed to have a golden ticket with the winning numbers on it which she had accidentally put it through the wash. However, on January 28, the actual winner came forward, who wished to remain anonymous. Miss Hinte is now 'frightened' police will come after her for making the false claim and her son is worried she might go to prison. Speaking to the Sun on Sunday from her secret bolthole, she denied suggestions she had purchased the ticket and altered it to defraud Camelot. She insisted: 'I have not messed with any ticket I can assure you. I have been foolish. I feel daft about it all. When it comes to things like that I am a bit dappy. I am so embarrassed.' The German grandmother said her crumpled ticket had dried in the jeans pocket after being washed at 60 degrees days earlier. Ms Hinte's photocopied ticket: The draw date has been obliterated by a tear, while the barcode at the bottom and the ticket's ID number have also been ruined. The numbers, however, were still visible She explained: 'It was folded up and all dried and would have fallen to pieces if I had opened it. 'I dampened it and then opened it with tweezers, that's why it was so badly damaged.' She claimed: 'I never believed it was the winning ticket. But I had to find out, I think anyone would do the same.' It was then she decided to go to nearby Ambleside News, in Worcester, where she purchased lottery tickets every fortnight. There she presented the damaged ticket to owner Natu Patel. She returned to her 145,000 housing association home and starting writing a letter to Camelot to submit the ticket as a damaged claim. Miss Hinte came to national attention after claiming she purchased the winning ticket, but said she had put it through the washing machine But word quickly got out and soon dubious stories about her past and seedy pictures surfaced. This included a topless selfie she sent to a lorry driver. Referring to that, she said: 'Everyone has got a past. I was on a dating website and never thought those pictures would be made public.' COUNTDOWN TO THE BIG WIN January 9 - The draw for the record-breaking Lotto jackpot of 66million is made. Two tickets match the winning numbers of 26, 27, 46, 47, 52 and 58. January 13 - David and Carol Martin, both 54, from Hawick in the Scottish Borders, announced they had one of the winning tickets to the 33,035,323 prize. January 21 - Camelot announce the holder of second ticket bought it in Worcester. Ambleside News is used by TV crews as one shop where customers are checking tickets. January 22 - Susanne Hinte walks into Ambleside News near her home in Warndon, Worcester, and presents a tatty ticket she claims was damaged in a washing machine. January 24 - Ms Hinte's family claim she is the winner but faces agonising 180 day for Camelot to confirm her win. January 28 - Camelot announce a winning ticket holder has come forward and confirm Miss Hinte is not a winner. Advertisement The 48-year-old bemoaned how the ordeal had devastated her life and she was 'sorry because of what has happened.' She said: 'I can't go home, I can't eat, I can't sleep. My children have been destroyed, they have been hounded. Surely I have only done what any other person would have done? 'I wanted to kill myself last week because I just thought nothing could be worth this. My life has been taken from me. I am never going to buy a lottery ticket again.' Despite her emotional account, Barry Tomes, who represents Benefits Street character White Dee, claimed last week she could earn 2,000 in nightclub appearances. He said: 'She could be looking at earning 1million over the next couple of years. That's not bad at all. 'I've seen pics of her topless that are doing the rounds so she'll be offered porn and adult work. 'She needs to be handled carefully but she looks like a woman who is up for plenty of things. She will be in demand even though Camelot have said her claim is not valid.' Miss Hinte has had court appearances for non-payment of fines, failing to reveal a driver's identity and failure to pay her TV licence. She is facing two trials in March for theft and motoring offences. She is also facing a criminal trial after being accused of stealing a purse and an Xbox controller. A spokesman for Camelot: 'If we believe somebody has intentionally attempted to defraud the National Lottery we reserve the right to take whatever action we consider is appropriate.' For more of the latest Islamic State news visit The 24-year-old used social media to urge others to join the terrorist group He fled to Syria in 2013 and had since become a high ranking IS recruiter Prakash, from Melbourne, was radicalised after converting to Islam Government officials have been unable to confirm if or when he was killed service was used to tell other militant fighters An Australian man who converted to Islam, fled to Syria and quickly became one of Islamic State's highest-ranked and most notorious recruiters has reportedly been killed. Senior figures from the terrorist group have discussed the death of radicalised Melbourne man turned recruiter Neil Prakash on an encrypted messaging service, the Herald Sun reported. Prakash, known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, has been linked to a number of domestic terror threats including an alleged Anzac Day terror plot in Melbourne. Senior figures from the terrorist group have discussed the death of radicalised Melbourne man turned recruiter Neil Prakash on an encrypted messaging service Prakash, known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, has been linked to a number of domestic terror threats including an alleged Anzac Day terror plot in Melbourne The 24-year-old rose up the ranks of the radicalised terror group by using social media to convince others to join the group. The government has been unable to confirm reports that the former Buddhist, who left Australia in 2013 just over a year after converting to Islam, has been killed in Syria. 'The Australian government cannot confirm reports of the death of Neil Prakash at this time because of the serious security situation in Syria and Iraq,' a spokesperson for the Attorney-General told AAP on Sunday. While no details have emerged about the circumstances of the Australian's death or the reliability of the claims that he has in fact died, a government source reportedly highlighted that his online activity has ceased. The 24-year-old rose up the ranks of the radicalised terror group by using social media to prey on vulnerable and often young individuals in a bid to convince them to carry out heinous crimes in Australia The government have been unable to confirm reports that the former Buddhist, who left Australia in 2013 just over a year after converting to Islam, has been killed in Syria A government source has reportedly admitted that the 24-year-old's online activity has ceased The terrorist group have used the encrypted messaging service Telegram to advise other fighters that Prakash has been martyred The terrorist group used the encrypted messaging service Telegram to advise other fighters that Prakash has been martyred, using the term 'shahada' to describe a fighter who has been killed, according to the Herald Sun. An IS fighter reportedly said that they saw news of an Australian terrorist's death posted on Telegram as well as another messaging service used by the terror group. 'I did not know him, but I heard,' the unnamed source told the Herald Sun. Prakash starred in a 12-minute long propaganda video where, cradling a gun, he ordered his 'beloved brothers' to 'rise up' and attack targets in Australia. 'You must start attacking before they attack you,' the 23-year-old says in the propaganda video. 'Look how much your sisters have been violated.' Donald Trump finished a day-long sprint through eastern Iowa on Saturday night with a town hall event designed to draw the state's most fervent faithful in his direction and burnish his bona fides as a fundraiser and cheerleader for military veterans. A Des Moines Register poll released at dinnertime found that 47 per cent of Republican caucus-goers on Monday will be self-described 'born again' or evangelical Christians. Delivering Saturday's Trump sermon at the Adler Theater in Davenport, Iowa was Jerry Falwell Jr., son of the polarizing Moral Majority preacher who died in 2007. 'We need a businessman' as the next president, Falwell said, explaining that he isn't penalizing The Donald for not being the GOP field's most outwardly religious White House hopeful. People who are sick, he told a capacity crowd, 'look for the best doctor you can find. It may not be a doctor who goes to your church.' HE'S CHRISTIAN ENOUGH: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, co-hosted a town hall event Saturday night with Jerry Falwell, Jr., son of the controversial late 'Moral Majority' pastor, in Davenport, Iowa SUPPORT: Trump said he credits a public endorsement from Falwell, who runs Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, for a recent polling boost among Christian voters POLITICS IS FOR DOGS: Trump handed a $100,000 check to the Puppy Jake Foundation, which trains service dogs for disabled veterans the first distribution of funds he raised this week instead of participating in a Fox News Channel debate 'We know Jimmy Carter was a great Sunday School teacher, but look how he did as president,' Falwell said. Trump and Falwell faced each other on stage, seated on either side of a 'TRUMP' podium sign. The billionaire Republican front-runner showed off the first fruits of his high-profile effort to raise money for veterans charities, handing a $100,000 check to the founders of the Puppy Jake Foundation, which raises and trains dogs for wounded veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and mobility issues. Trump raised more than $6 million on Thursday with a rally that he hosted while the rest of the GOP field was engaged in a debate that he boycotted over a disagreement with the Fox News Channel. Falwell said he had never before seen 'a presidential candidate on the campaign trail giving money away.' KEEP WORKING: Trump, who holds a five-point Iowa lead in the Register poll, cautioned against coasting into Monday's all-important caucuses PUSH: The Donald and more than a dozen other Republican hopefuls are crisscrossing Iowa in a final mad dash to whip votes and drive turnout on Monday night. People holding Trump signs are seen Saturday at the Adler Theater But he described a behind-the-scenes Trump whose unexpected generosity hasn't been chronicled in bold colors before. He said Trump once paid off the mortgage of a couple who stopped to help Trump when his limousine broke down. And Trump, he said he once learned, had quietly written a sizable check to a Christian program he had told him needed sustaining funds. He asked Trump to explain his controversial views about denying non-citizen Muslims entry into the United States while it's unknown how great a danger jihadists aligned with the ISIS terror army pose to Americans. PUPPY JAKE: The nonpartisan charity says it costs about $20,000 to raise and train a dog, and provide it to a sounded veteran at no charge to him or her STAR POWER: Ivanka Trump, daughter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, released a video on Saturday aimed at helping at first-time Iowa caucus-goers understand how the arcane process works Trump described seeing 'a level of hatred that's going on that's unbelievable. And we have to get to the bottom of it.' 'And whether you want to say it or not we have a president who refuses but you can say radical Islamic terrorism. It's there! It's there! And we have to get to the bottom of it.' 'And I said call a temporary ban,' he continued. 'We have to do it. And the word is "temporary".' Trump said he credits a public endorsement from Falwell, who runs Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, for a recent polling boost among Christian voters. Falwell predicted that in addition to people of faith, a second group of Americans will show up to support Trump: Democrats. 'The last time I saw Democrats cross the aisle to vote for a Republican, and I saw people from every demographic, from every religion, from every race come across, was when Ronald Reagan ran in 1980,' he said. 'It's happening again right now with Donald Trump.' Trump, who holds a five-point Iowa lead in the Register poll, cautioned against coasting into Monday's all-important caucuses. 'It all doesn't matter if you don't caucus on Monday. It all doesn't matter,' he said. 'The polls don't matter. Nothing matters. The only thing that matters is the poll that's going to be taken on Monday.' Trump said he would personally visit 'two or three or four' caucus sites, 'as many as I can go to,' on Monday. OH, CANADA! Ted Cruz's 1970 birth in the Canadian province of Alberta has given Trump a series of easy layups against him, and depressed Iowans' enthusiasm about supporting the Texas senator ALLIES: Falwell endorsed Trump this week, saying America needs a businessman to put it on sound financial footing Hours earlier in a middle school gym in the town of Clinton, the real estate tycoon made an even more over-the-top plea. 'Get out and vote! Get out and caucus! And don't stay back!' he boomed. 'I don't care if you're feeling horrible you have a 104 temperature the doctor says, "You cannot leave! It'll be the end of you if you leave bed! You cannot leave! You will not be able to make it!" 'Get out of bed and caucus, okay? I love you!' Trump beamed. The Donald and more than a dozen other Republican hopefuls are crisscrossing Iowa in a final mad dash to whip votes and drive turnout on Monday night at a time when weather forecasters say much of the state may see a blizzard. Trump even leveraged the star power of his daughter Ivanka, nearly nine months pregnant, to release a YouTube video explaining to first-time Iowa caucus-goers how the process works. The process should take about a half-hour, she explains: 'You just write down the name Trump, and you are done!' At the afternoon rally in Clinton, Iowa, Trump resumed his steady doubt-sowing operation intended to depress enthusiasm about his closest rival, Texas Senator Ted Cruz. WHAT A DAY! Trump began Saturday in Dubuque, Iowa, with a fly-by in his Boeing 757 jet before landing in the plane, delivering a stump speech and offering children tours of his private aircraft ARMS WIDE OPEN: Trump is seen at the airport in Dubuque, Iowa, on Saturday NOTHING LEFT TO CHANCE: Trump urged his supporters on Saturday afternoon in the town of Clinton to caucus for him Monday night even 'if you're feeling horrible you have a 104 temperature the doctor says, "You cannot leave! It'll be the end of you if you leave bed! You cannot leave! You will not be able to make it!" 'Get out of bed and caucus, okay?' THE COMPETITION: At the afternoon rally in Clinton, Iowa, Trump resumed his steady doubt-sowing operation intended to depress enthusiasm about his closest rival, Texas Senator Ted Cruz WARNING: Two crowd members in Clinton, Iowa, wore shirts that read: 'Washington, D.C. You're Fired!' Cruz's 1970 birth in Calgary, Alberta, Canada has become his albatross as Trump has subjected him to a barrage of 'birther' concerns focusing on his eligibility to serve as president. 'He was born in Canada, okay? I think it's a problem, alright? I think it's a problem,' Trump said in the afternoon. 'Now, maybe it'll turn out not to be. Maybe it'll turn out to be. I think it's a problem' 'The Democrats are going to sue him if he got the nomination. They're going to sue Ted Cruz. So what the hell are we doing? What are you you want to have a cloud over your head?' 'What are we doing here?' Trump asked. 'It's going to be tough enough, because structurally it's tougher for the Republicans' to win. 'It's going to be tougher. So what are we going to do? Have a candidate who can't run, or he's going to be under litigation during the campaign?' 'I just think the Canada thing is a big problem,' he concluded, before suddenly remembering who he was talking to. In her latest attempt to woo Iowa voters before they caucus on Monday, Hillary Clinton had her husband and daughter introduce her at a campaign event where she again begged the state's Democrats to support her over Bernie Sanders. Chelsea and Bill have campaigned for the former first lady before, but never at the same time at an event that Hillary Clinton herself was also speaking at. The triple-down in Cedar Rapids stood in contrast to Sanders' own get out the vote efforts a half hour away in Iowa City, where he hosted a rally with Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson and musical guests Vampire Weekend and Foster the People at the University of Iowa. Scroll down for video All together now: In her latest attempt to woo Iowa voters before they caucus on Monday, Hillary Clinton had her husband and daughter introduce her at a campaign event where she again begged the state's Democrats to support her over Bernie Sanders Chelsea and Bill have campaigned for the former first lady before, but never at the same time at an event that Hillary Clinton herself was also speaking at Clinton watches through an opening in a curtain back stage as his wife rallies her supporters at the Col Ballroom in Davenport, Iowa The competition: The triple-down in Cedar Rapids stood in contrast to Sanders' own get out the vote efforts a half hour away in Iowa City, where he hosted a rally with Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson and musical guests Vampire Weekend and Foster the People at the University of Iowa As the 74-year-old Sanders relied on his celebrity guests to get the 5,000 students who showed up to do the caucus groove, Clinton went with the familiar, a stump speech that claimed Republicans 'really rip away our progress' and 'turn back the clock.' 'We can't let that happen,' she declared at her third rally of the day. The Republicans, Clinton said, are 'nervous' about running against her because they know that she knows 'how to go after them' and prevent them from taking a wrecking ball to the nation's economy again. 'We're going to take the fight to them, and we can, but we also have to make progress,' she said, returning to a claim she's frequently made on the campaign trail - that's she's a progressive 'who actually likes to make progress.' The dog whistle at Sanders, whose ideas she says are unobtainable, preceded her assertion the debate she's having with Sanders over health care is important, because 'we both have the same goals, we want universal coverage.' 'You know before it was called Obamacare it was called Hillarycare. I was working to get us to universal coverage,' she said. She got beat by insurance and drug companies, 'but I got up off the floor' and got the Children's Health Insurance Program passed. 'We know what the alternative is, the Republicans want to repeal it,' she later said, 'We cannot start over my friends. We can't throw this country back into gridlock. People cant wait for us to have another 20-year debate about health care.' Embrace: Hillary Clinton and her daughter Chelsea Clinton are seen kissing on Saturday But first she took a few moments talking about an incident that happened at a Cruz rally earlier in the day. According to Politico, a man who said his brother-in-law died from tumors that were detected too late confronted Cruz in Iowa and asked him to say what he'd specifically do to change the health care law to be more effective at preventing death's like the one he described. 'Well, sir, Im sorry for your familys loss, Im sorry for your wifes loss,' he said before giving his usual talking points on the job loss caused by the law and other flaws Republicans like to play up such as high premiums. He then tried to crack a joke and said, 'Anyone whose premiums have dropped $2500 as President Obama promised should vote for Hillary Clinton.' 'I'll take everybody else.' The man again asked him, 'what are you going to replace it with?' Politico says, at which pointed listed a few ideas backed by Republicans like allowing health insurance to be sold across state lines. Telling her audience about the back and forth today, Clinton said Cruz 'went off on one of his ideological, critical comments about affordable care, never said what the alternative would be.' 'Well, they can't tell you,' she said, 'because they don't have anything' other than turning health insurance management back to the prescription drug and insurance companies. 'That's fine with them. It's not fine with me. I am not going to let that happen,' Clinton charged as her audience roared with applause. 'We have fought too hard, we have fought too long.' Speech: Clinton went with the familiar, a stump speech that claimed Republicans 'really rip away our progress' and 'turn back the clock' Support: The ex-president said his wife is 'a sticker - somebody who won't quit on you, somebody who won't quit when the going gets tough.' He is seen sitting with his daughter Chelsea Bill Clinton said in his introduction of his wife that Republicans were willing to work with her before because it was the right thing to do, but are being 'so mean to her now' because they don't want her to be the Democratic nominee. 'Because then they'll have to deal with the fact that she will make everybody be the grown up in the room and do what's right for America,' he said. The ex-president said his wife is 'a sticker - somebody who won't quit on you, somebody who won't quit when the going gets tough, someone who both will stand her ground and will always leave the door open to common ground.' 'She's the best at that I've ever known,' he said. Chelsea Clinton was the first of the three to speak, and she said on behalf of her family, 'We are so excited to be here this evening. We're so grateful that you came out on a Saturday night. I could not be more enthusiastic and grateful to hear and see so much enthusiasm in the crowd this evening.' 'I am so proud to be my parents' daughter, and I am so proud to support my mom in her campaign,' she said, The Republicans, Clinton said, are 'nervous' about running against her because they know that she knows 'how to go after them' and prevent them from taking a wrecking ball to the nation's economy again Crowd: One person in the audience held up a sign with the words '227 Years of Men. It's HER time!' Upcoming: The Iowa caucus will take place on Monday. Clinton is seen Saturday in Iowa Chelsea told the crowd 'the main reason I'm so proud to support my mom in this election is because this is the first election for president that I will vote in as a mom.' The former first daughter said that when she things about her own daughter, Charlotte, now 16-months-old, and Charlotte's 'future little brother, or little sister, I could not imagine a better grandmother, but also a better person to stand up and fight for them and to fight for the right of every child to live up to his or her God-given potential.' Chelsea kept her remarks short, speaking on stage for just three minutes. News / National by Staff Reporter Raunchy pole dancer Norleen "Zoey" Sibanda regularly visit a prominent traditional healer, Sekuru Linde, in the high density suburb of Budiriro 5, to seek counsel and for "power enhancement" ceremonies.Zoey was introduced to the traditional healer by her mother on the first occasion."Zoey's mother is the one who used to visit Sekuru Linde in search of help for Zoey's young sister whose life was purportedly not moving on so well."And that is how Zoey was introduced. Since then, she has been frequenting the place many times," said the source.Sekuru Linde is understood to have been a sangoma for more than seven years now, yet is strict about people he assists.When contacted for comment, Zoey at first professed ignorance about the issue, threatening to take legal action if ever her mother was mentioned in the story."I am warning you to leave my mother out of this, who told you this? I don't consult and have never in my life consulted a sangoma before."Who is this Sekuru Linde you are talking about? I don't participate in rituals, I believe in God and you can even ask people from my Apostolic Faith Mission sect," she said."I don't move around with my sisters because they are all married and they live with their husbands," she said. The manager of a bank branch thwarted an attempted robbery by holding a door shut even as the suspect banged on the door with a small handgun, police in North Carolina said. A person wearing a mask approached the back door of a PNC Bank branch in Zebulon, just east of Raleigh, shortly after it opened Thursday, authorities said. The manager saw the suspect approaching the building, realized what was happening and quickly moved to the door to hold it shut. The suspect then showed a small, black handgun and used it to hit the door, a statement from police said. But the manager continued to hold the door, and the suspect gave up, running off without getting into the bank. Officials said a nearby middle school was placed on lockdown after the would-be robber escaped. A person wearing a mask tried to enter of a PNC Bank branch in Zebulon, North Carolina, on Thursday morning The quick-thinking manager saw the man and quickly rushed to the door to hold it shut before the robber entered The suspect then showed a small, black handgun and used it to hit the door, but the manager wouldn't budge The Bernie Sanders campaign used two avenues to reach Iowa's youngest voters at tonight's packed rally at the University of Iowa, just two nights before the Iowa caucuses. First, the opening and closing acts included the band Vampire Weekend, singing along with the Hawkapellas, the university's acapella group, and Mark Foster, the frontman of Foster the People, known for the tune 'Pumped Up Kicks.' 'Hunger Games' actor Josh Hutcherson also joined. Second, Sanders talked about drugs much to the delight of the college-age crowd. 'Now I know you know nothing about marijuana,' the Vermont senator joked, though warned the young people, 'Stay away from heroin.' Scroll down for video Talking points: Bernie Sanders spent time talking about heroin and marijuana to a college-age rally gathered on Saturday at the University of Iowa Face the nation: Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday Speech: He also noted how a possession of marijuana charge could really screw up someone's life while the greedy Wall Street bankers got away with almost destroying the economy Help us Bernie Wan Kenobi: A Princess Leia lookalike tells the Democratic nominee he's their only hope Besides warning students about a drug that has ravaged communities in his own New England, Sanders had broader points to make when he brought up drugs so early in his speech. He talked about the black and white divide when it comes to punishment. He also noted how a possession of marijuana charge could really screw up someone's life while the greedy Wall Street bankers got away with almost destroying the economy. 'It could hurt your ability to get a job,' he said at one point. 'It should not be a federal crime,' he said at another. He said legalization should be up to the states. After the drug discussion, Sanders tossed an array of other liberal meat out into the crowd. He defended a woman's right to an abortion. He mocked the GOP's use of the term 'family values.' 'What they also mean by family values is our gay brothers and sisters shouldn't have the right to marry,' he said. 'I disagree.' He got a 'BERNIE' chant for suggesting siphoning the United States off of fossil fuel to combat global warming. Family: Jane Sanders, right, looks on as her husband as he waves to the crowd during a campaign rally in Iowa City Greetings: Jane Sanders, left, and her husband, Democratic presidential candidate Sen Bernie Sanders wave during a campaign rally at the University of Iowa May the odds be ever in your favor: Actor Josh Hutcherson speaks to supporters before Sanders (not seen) greets the crowd at a Students for Bernie Concert and Rally, at the University of Iowa, Iowa Field House All together: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., second from left, and his wife Jane Sanders sing along to This Land is Your Land with Vampire Weekend Musician: Lead singer of Vampire Weekend Ezra Koenig performs at the rally for Sanders Onlookers: A general view shows a crowd of over three thousand people waiting for Sanders during the Students for Bernie Concert and Rally He promised he would work toward universal health care and free public college tuition. Sanders has stolen the thunder from Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton in recent weeks. While at one point Iowa was considered an easy Clinton win, Sanders has challenged her and, while a couple points behind, is within the margin of error in several recent polls. As he makes his final pitch to Hawkeye State voters, he's brought along a number of surrogates deployed throughout Iowa this weekend. Last night, Foster played a quick pop-up acoustic concert in downtown Des Moines and today went canvassing with other supporters. Hutcherson is expected to campaign for the senator in Iowa tomorrow. Actress Susan Sarandon, another celebrity Sanders surrogate, spent time in Iowa earlier this week. At the rally, filled with students wearing Bernie Sanders t-shirts and purple-lit signs, Cornell West, another popular Sanders surrogate, popped his head up and implored the raucous crowd to join the 'love train.' Sanders made his trademark pitch. 'This government belongs to us, not just a handful of billionaires,' Sanders said. And as a finale, he put the message to music, joining his musician surrogates on stage and swaying to 'This Land is My Land.' Fans: People waited in line for hours to see and hear Sanders speaking to supporters at a Students for Bernie Concert and Rally Iowa's Secretary of State has slammed Ted Cruz for ignoring the 'spirit' of the caucus after he sent out controversial mailers to voters, accusing them of a 'Voting Violation' for failing to turn out in past elections. The letter, which was flagged by Twitter users on Saturday, was circulated to certain homes in a bid to shame recipients because of 'low expected voter turnout in your [the recipient's] area'. The document, which has 'official public record' printed in red on the top, then grades the resident's voting history and that of several neighbors, citing public records. Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate said the Texas senator's mailers 'misrepresents the role of my office, and worse, misrepresents Iowa election law.' Scroll down for video Ted Cruz's presidential campaign sent mailers to voters in Iowa that appear to look like official documents that accuse them of a 'Voting Violation' for failing to turn out in past elections. Above Cruz is pictured in Ida Grove, Iowa at an event on Saturday The mailer tells the recipient it's been sent due to 'low expected voter turnout in your area' and then grades the recipient's voting history and that of several neighbors, citing public records The front of the mailer shows 'Voter Violation' in huge letters and insists the document is'time sensitive' 'There is no such thing as an election violation related to frequency of voting,' said Paul, who was elected statewide as a Republican in 2014, according to Politico. 'Any insinuation or statement to the contrary is wrong and I believe it is not in keeping in the spirit of the Iowa Caucuses.' Tom Hinkeldey, a resident of Alta, Iowa, tweeted a photo (which was later deleted because it included his personal address) with a picture of the mailer that was addressed to his wife Steffany. Scrawled across the paper were the phrases: 'ELECTION ALERT,' 'VOTER VIOLATION,' 'PUBLIC RECORD,' and 'FURTHER ACTION NEEDED.' According to the Independent Journal, the text then reads: 'You are receiving this election notice because of low expected voter turnout in your area. Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate condemned Cruz's mailers in a statement 'Your individual voting history as well as your neighbors are public record. Their scores are published below, and many of them will see your score as well. 'CAUCUS ON MONDAY TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORE and please encourage your neighbors to caucus as well. A follow-up notice may be issued following Mondays caucuses. Hinkeldy was annoyed by the mailer, and later wrote on the social media site: 'Hey @tedcruz your brilliant public shaming campaign has inspired me to caucus on MondayFor @marcorubio.' Another Iowan, Braddock Massey, tweeted a photo of his copy of the mailer. Earlier in the evening he had been at an event with Rubio and said he would 'definitely' be caucusing for him. Cruz is defending the campaign mailer and told reporters in Sioux City, Iowa, on Saturday that the mailing is 'routine.' He said he won't apologize for 'using every tool we can' to encourage Iowa residents to vote. In addition, Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said Saturday that the piece was 'a standard mailer that folks at the Iowa Republican Party and other get-out-the-vote groups have used to help motivate low-propensity voters.' 'We're going to do everything we can to turn these folks out,' she said. However, Frazier did not immediately respond to comment about Pate's criticism. In Pate's statement, he also said: 'The Iowa Secretary of State's Office never "grades" voters. 'Nor does the Secretary of State maintain records related to Iowa Caucus participation. 'Caucuses are organized and directed by the state political parties, not the Secretary of State, nor local elections officials.' Cruz's Iowa State chairman and the former Iowa secretary of state, Matt Schultz, responded to Pate and said that the mailers are 'common practice to increase voter turnout.' 'Our mailer was modeled after the very successful 2014 mailers that the Republican Party of Iowa distributed to motivate Republican voters to vote, and which helped elect numerous Republican candidates during that cycle,' Schultz stated, Politico reported. The Texas senator is defending the campaign mailer and told reporters in Sioux City, Iowa, on Saturday that the mailing is 'routine' He said he won't apologize for 'using every tool we can' to encourage Iowa residents to vote In addition, Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said Saturday that the piece was 'a standard mailer that folks at the Iowa Republican Party and other get-out-the-vote groups have used to help motivate low-propensity voters Cruz tries to answer a veteran's question after a campaign event at the Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City, Iowa, on Saturday He walks along the stage while talking to fans in Iowa on Saturday just hours before the caucuses begin Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul agreed with Pate and tweeted: 'Tactics of a career politician #busTed.' While speaking to reporters in Ames, Marco Rubio said that voters even approached him about the controversial Cruz mailer. 'They were upset about it obviously. They had people's names and they gave them an F rating for how they voted. I think a lot of voters are disturbed by it,' Rubio said. He suggested that Cruz was getting desperate in the campaign's final days before the Iowa caucus, and he called it 'an unusual way to end your campaign in the state.' 'You'll have to ask him, you know, how he's feeling about his campaign but it doesn't sound like he's feeling too good,' Rubio added. 'It sounds like he's under a lot of pressure and maybe not reacting very well to it. Which is I problematic because presidents are under pressure every day.' Similar mailers were sent out during the 2012 race to encourage people to vote for Barack Obama. Residents who received them also condemned them. Rand Paul sent the above tweet Saturday afternoon about the Cruz campaign In addition, Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said Saturday that the piece was 'a standard mailer that folks at the Iowa Republican Party and other get-out-the-vote groups have used to help motivate low-propensity voters' El Chapo is to be extradited to the U.S. to face murder and drugs charges The cartel boss had been on the run since escaping jail in July last year Sting comes just weeks after gang's crime lord El Chapo was recaptured U.S. and Mexican law enforcement worked together to arrest gangsters Around 24 members of the Sinaloa Cartel were captured in Friday's raid Dozens of gangsters from El Chapo's cartel have been arrested in a U.S.- Mexico sting just weeks after their drugs lord boss was recaptured. Around 24 members of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, which commands most of the illicit drugs trade in the United States, were caught in the secretive joint operation on the Mexican border. It's a serious blow for the drugs gang after their crime lord boss Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman Loera, who had been on the run since escaping jail last July, was finally arrested earlier this month in a shoot out. Now the Sinaloa Cartel has taken another hit as Mexican and American law enforcement crack down on the gang who have been trafficking heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana across the border on an industrial scale and flogging it to dealers. Scroll down for video The gang was dealt a serious blow when, on January 8 this year, El Chapo (pictured after his arrest) was recaptured during a raid in the town of Los Mochis which killed five cartel gangsters and saw another six arrested The highly secretive, day-long sting, known as Mexican Operation Diablo Express, took place on Friday as numerous law enforcement agencies converged on border cities Lukeville, Arizona, and Sonoyta, Mexico. Homeland Security Investigations, a unit of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) helped Mexican arrest the gang members, who were operating around Sonoyta and the U.S. border, spokeswoman Gillian M. Christensen said. The DEA, FBI, Customs and Border Protection and Arizona state and local agencies were on hand to assist. This graphic drawn up by the DEA shows where El Chapo's criminal gang, the Sinaloa Cartel, has the most power, in dark and pale yellow. The darker the yellow, the more influence the gang has. However, it is still the most influential gang even in the pale yellow areas 'The targeted Sinaloa cell has been responsible for the importation of millions of pounds of illegal drugs, including marijuana, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, into the United States from Mexico during its existence. 'The organization is also responsible for the smuggling of millions of dollars in U.S. currency, along with weapons, into Mexico,' Christensen said in a statement. The sting also netted the seizure of several assault-type weapons and hundreds of pounds of drugs. ICE are also supporting Mexican federal police against the gang's revenge attacks by helping them into the U.S. while the gang members are taken to court. 'ICE applauds the Government of Mexico for their bold action in taking down this criminal organization and for their continued pressure on the Sinaloa Cartel throughout Mexico,' Christensen said. Crime lord El Chapo is currently waiting extradition to the U.S. to face murder and drug charges. Mexican and U.S. officials want to have El Chapo, whose real name is Joaquin Guzman Loera, tried and imprisoned in America because of his track record of escaping from Mexican prisons. Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman Loera pictured above in the moments after his capture in January Guzman (pictured), the former boss of the Sinaloa cartel, had been on the run since his audacious prison break in July Guzman, who made billions of dollars smuggling drugs from the east of Mexico into America, was first captured by authorities in 1993 when he was sentenced to 20 years behind bars. However, he was free again in 2001 after bribing prison guards with a reported $2.5million to turn a blind eye as he was wheeled out of jail in a laundry basket. It took authorities 13 years to relocate Guzman, who narrowly avoided capture several times, before he was locked away again in 2014. Despite repeated warnings by U.S. authorities that Mexico did not have the means to hold Guzman he was again thrown into their most secure prison, and freed himself for a second time in 2015. This time his audacious escape used a mile-long tunnel dug underneath his cell complete with oxygen pipes, lighting and a motorbike mounted on rails to help him get away. In September, authorities thought El Chapo escaped the country to Costa Rica, after one of his sons posted a photo to Twitter tagging their location in the Central American country. But authorities were unsuccessful in finding him. The highly secretive, day-long sting, known as Mexican Operation Diablo Express, took place on Friday as numerous law enforcement agencies converged on border cities Lukeville, Arizona, and Sonoyta, Mexico (file photo of Mexican Federal Police) The next month, marines tracked El Chapo down to a mountainous region in Sinaloa. Soldiers engaged in a shootout with El Chapo and his cartel thugs, and he got away yet again. However, at the time it was reported that El Chapo appeared to have broken his leg fleeing from authorities. He was finally recaptured by Mexican marines after a fierce firefight in January this year and is now facing life behind bars on drug trafficking and murder. The raid also ended in the capture of El Chapo's right-hand man 'El Cholo', a hitman who was also on the run from the law. A vast arsenal of weapons was seized, including rocket launchers, machine guns and armored vehicles. This time Mexican authorities have agreed to have the cartel boss extradited, a move which his lawyers are bitterly resisting. The 24 people arrested on Friday have not been identified. They are in the custody of Mexican authorities, and the U.S. will seek extradition. The three men were up for a total of $30,000 or around $10,000 each One forcibly led the girl to the bathroom before the other two joined them Three Australian men who pleaded guilty to gang-raping a 17-year-old girl in a Croatian toilet have narrowly escaped a 15 year jail sentence by paying $30,000 restitution to the victim's family. The three friends, who have not been identified, are expected to touch down in Australia on Sunday after spending six months in Croatia since being charged with assaulting the young backpacker. The two 23-year-old's and their 21-year-old travelling partner were set to return to court on Monday but the prosecution cut a deal with the tourists, allowing them to avoid a maximum 15 years in jail. Three Australian men who pleaded guilty to gang raping a 17-year-old girl in a Croatian nightclub toilet have narrowly escaped a 15 year jail sentence by paying $30,000 restitution to the victim's family According to the Daily Telegraph, they received a suspended one year prison sentence with a five year good behaviour bond on the condition that they gave the victim's family 20,000 euros, which is equivalent to around $30,575. Police seized the men's passports in July last year after the 17-year-old Norwegian backpacker told officers that the trio had tried to gang rape her in the toilet of the Tropic nightclub at the popular Croatian tourist destination, Split. The court heard that the men had been drinking at the beach-side nightspot when one forcibly led the 17-year-old to the men's bathroom before the other two joined them and started assaulting her. The girl was able to fight them off at the last moment but not before the three left forensic evidence to tie them to the assault. The court heard that the men had been drinking at the beach-side nightspot when one forcibly led the 17-year-old to the men's bathroom before the other two joined them and started assaulting her Police seized the men's passports in July last year after the 17-year-old Norwegian backpacker told officers that the trio had tried to gang rape her in the toilet of the Tropic nightclub Three semen samples were found on her clothing, with two of the accused men claiming they had consensual sex with the woman and the other denying any interaction her. All three men were charged with rape and having endangered the girl's sexual freedom. According to the Daily Telegraph, it was alleged in court that the attack was premeditated and that the men had planned plotted the sexual assault before making a move at around 1.30am. Mladen Ostro, a lawyer from Split, said that in recent years deals where one party pays the other damages have started to become more commonplace in Croatia and can often lead to a much quicker outcome. 'Deals between the accused person and the State Attorney's office are not obligatory to the court but in most cases the court accepts it to avoid long processes and to save money if all the participants of the case were happy with the deal,' he told the Daily Telegraph. Mladen Ostro, a lawyer from Split, said deals where one party pays the other damages have started to become more commonplace in Croatia in recent years The men, who were on bail and free to roam Croatia, are believed to have left for Australia on Saturday when the deal became public The men, who were on bail and free to roam Croatia, are believed to have left for Australia on Saturday when the deal became public. A source close to the case said the men made some regrettable decisions while under the influence of alcohol but were looking forward to getting back to their lives. 'They are young and she younger but mistakes were made they can all restart their lives,' the source told the Daily Telegraph. Police named Ms Kumala as a suspect and arrested her on Saturday woman and her friends Jessica Kumala and Hani studied in Australia A woman has been arrested after police found cyanide in the iced coffee that she ordered for her friend in the moments before she dropped to the floor, started convulsing and died. Indonesian police arrested Jessica Kumala on Saturday over the murder of her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin, who died in Olivier restaurant in Central Jakarta on January 6. The 27-year-old newlywed reportedly complained that her coffee tasted quite bitter before she fell to the ground, started foaming at the mouth and convulsed while at the restaurant with Ms Kumala and another friend Hani. Scroll down for video Indonesian police arrested Jessica Kumala on Saturday over the murder of Wayan Mirna Salihin, who died in Olivier restaurant in Central Jakarta on January 6 Her friend Jessica Kumala, who was with her when she died, has been the focus of the investigation so far Testing revealed that the coffee had been laced with the deadly chemical, according to reports. Indonesian authorities searched Ms Kumala's home for the pants she was wearing that day but according to local media outlets she said her maid had discarded them. According to Adelaidenow, Chief Detective Krishna Murti said officers have collected about 20 witness statements and have conducted a re-enactment of the events. Ms Kumala was named a suspect on Friday and arrested at a hotel at around 7am on Saturday Tests found that she had been poisoned by cyanide, traces of which were found in the coffee she was drinking when she collapsed and died POLICE TIMELINE The three young women agreed to meet at a coffee shop in the city on January 6. Jessica was the first to arrive and ordered a cocktail for herself and a cold Vietnamese coffee. Minutes later, Mirna and Hani arrived and Mirna proceeded to drink the coffee. 'It's awful - it's bad,' Mirna cried. Shortly afterwards she collapsed with convulsions and began to foam at the mouth. She died as she was being rushed to hospital. Advertisement Ms Kumala was named a suspect on Friday and arrested at a hotel at around 7am on Saturday. Local authorities made inquires with the Australian Federal Police about the relationship between the two friends, who had studied together in Sydney and Melbourne before moving to Indonesia. 'We have contacted the Australian Federal Police because we need some information,' the head of Jakarta Police general crime division, Senior Commander Khrisna Murti, told the Jakarta Post. Wayan Mirna Salihin and two friends were having coffee at Olivier cafe in Jakarta when she collapsed and died According to the Jakarta Post, Mirna and Jessica studied together at the Billy Blue College of Design in Sydney before moving on to the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. The paper said that Jessica continued to work in Australia following her graduation in 2008 before finding a job in Indonesia last month. This is the moment two violent inmates returned to the maximum-security facility in California they broke out of more than a week ago. Hossein Nayeri, 37, and Jonathan Tieu, 20, who were recaptured in San Francisco on Saturday, were filmed as they were led back inside Orange County Mens Central Jail in Santa Ana in orange jumpsuits. Their capture came 24 hours after fellow escapee Bac Duong, 43, surrendered Friday after walking into an auto repair shop in Santa Ana just a few miles from the jail. At a news conference on Saturday afternoon, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said: 'I can say this morning that the entire state can breathe a sigh of relief, because we have the other two dangerous individuals back in custody, where they should be.' Hossein Nayeri, the suspected mastermind behind the jail break, is led back inside Orange County Mens Central Jail in Santa Ana Nayeri (pictured) and Tieu were recaptured in San Francisco on Saturday morning after a tip-off from a civilian Jonathan Tieu, dressed in an orange prison outfit, is led back to the maximum-security California jail Hutchens said she was elated to announce the arrests of the final two fugitives on Saturday after eight days on the run from the jail she oversees. But the tough work is just getting started to determine how the criminal trio were able to saw, crawl and climb their way out of the jail and fix the security lapses that allowed them to escape. Believe me, we will be looking top to bottom on that, she added. We do not want another escape from an Orange County jail. Nayeri, dubbed 'Hannibal Lecter' by prosecutors in his case, and Tieu were arrested after a tip-off from a member of the public who spotted their stolen van outside a McDonalds near San Franciscos Golden Gate Park. Duong told police he had been with the others in San Jose, and the search immediately shifted to the San Francisco Bay Area. The information led police to shift their search 400 miles north after Duong had previously suggested the men had not left Southern California. Hutchens earlier said Hossein Nayeri (pictured), dubbed 'Hannibal Lecter' by prosecutors in his case, was 'most probably the mastermind' of the stunning jail break Nayeri escaped the maximum security prison along with Jonathan Tieu, 20 (left), and Bac Duong (right), 43 Nayeri and Tieu were caught after a civilian flagged down officers on Saturday morning and pointed out a parked van that looked like one believed stolen by the trio of inmates during the brazen escape. At around 8.50am, the man flagged down two officers, who were responding to an unrelated call, and said they had recognized one of the fugitives and 'had seen them on TV,' authorities said. The men were eventually traced to a McDonald's restaurant on Haight and Stanyan streets along with a stolen utility van they were using. When the officers approached the van, Nayeri fled on foot ,down Stanyan Street toward Waller Street and then toward Kezar Stadium. He was captured after a short foot chase. Tieu was found hiding in the van with ammunition but no gun. He surrendered without incident. Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said work is getting started to determine and fix the security lapses that allowed three inmates to escape from the Orange County Mens Central Jail in Santa Ana This banner atop the Orange County Sheriff's Department website shows the latest update on the trio, announcing that all three escaped inmates are in custody as of January 30 Two of the inmates were arrested after a tip-off from a member of the public who spotted their stolen van outside a McDonalds near San Franciscos Golden Gate Park Authorities have interviewing the inmates, hoping to find the answers to questions about the escape and their week on the run. How did they get the sharp cutting tools to hack their way through jail walls? What did they do outside the walls? Where did they stay? How did they get money for gas and food? The three, who did not know each other before being housed in the Orange County jail, were awaiting trial in separate crimes on charges including murder, attempted murder, torture and kidnapping. Duong and Tieu have ties to street gangs that operate in the shadows of Orange County's thriving Vietnamese community. While behind bars, they were all housed together in a large jail module that held 65 other men, about half of whom were in custody for violent felonies. But early on January 22, the trio sawed through a metal grate covering a plumbing tunnel, then crawled through piping to reach the jail's roof. There, they pushed aside barbed wire and used a rope made of bedsheets to make their way down four stories to the ground. Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said she was elated to announce the arrests of the final two fugitives at a news conference outside Orange County Sheriff's Department headquarters in Santa Ana on Saturday Jail officials did not realize the inmates were missing for 16 hours which has been an embarrassment for Hutchens and prompted changes in jail operations, but no firings. The intensive search and investigation produced no tangible results for days. Then, on Thursday, authorities arrested a woman who taught English at the jail. Nooshafarin Ravaghi, a 44-year-old children's book author, gave Nayeri a paper copy of a Google Earth map that showed an aerial view of the entire jail compound, sheriff's spokesman Lt. Jeff Hallock said. She was booked on suspicion of being an accessory to a felony and was being held pending a court appearance set for Monday. It wasn't clear if she had a lawyer. Authorities say she and Nayeri - who both were born in Iran - exchanged letters and had a relationship that was closer than it should have been, but stopped short of calling it romantic. Nayeri is a former Marine who grew up in the Fresno area. Authorities say it is unclear why, as an English speaker, he was in her class, which teaches English as a second language. Prosecutor Heather Brown previously compared Nayeri to horror movie character Hannibal Lecter, most famously played by Antony Hopkins. She called him 'sophisticated, incredibly violent and cunning'. He is accused of participating in a 2012 attack against a Newport Beach resident who ran a licensed marijuana dispensary in Santa Ana. Nooshafarin Ravaghi, 44, who taught English classes at the jail, was was arrested on suspicion of helping three inmates escape. Authorities say she gave Nayeri (right) a paper copy of a Google Earth map that showed an aerial view of the entire jail compound In that attack, according to Brown, Nayeri burned the victim with a butane torch, beat him with a pistol and a rubber hose, and eventually ordered another suspect to cut off the man's penis. Authorities allege the men took the dispensary owner's penis with them 'so that it could never be re-attached.' Tieu had been held since 2013, accused of murder and attempted murder in a 2011 gang shooting, while Duong, who had been in the jail for only a month, is charged of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. Duong, who is originally from Vietnam, was charged with attempted murder and assault in the shooting of a man outside a home in Santa Ana last year. The day after the escape, Duong responded to a Craigslist ad for a white GMC van and stole it during a test drive, authorities said. Hutchens said the men's capture clears the way for an intense probe into how they were able to escape. We're going to do everything we can in our power and it's not enough to say, 'Gee, we have an old jail, it's a challenging place, she said. Built in 1968, the jail that housed the men holds about 900 inmates. It was the first breakout from the facility in nearly 30 years. The three will now return to the jail from which they escaped, Hutchens said. She added: I can tell you they won't be together. The 2008 White GMC Savana utility van that authorities believe the three escaped inmates stole from South Los Angeles on January 23, following their jailbreak the day before Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer accidentally fired dozens of employees in a bureaucratic mix-up, the New York Post reported. An insider told The Post: 'They put people on firing lists who they didn't mean to - people who were lower on the performance scale but who weren't meant to get fired.' The anonymous source said the managers were not informed that approximately 30 employees were mistakenly listed, so they went ahead and delivered the bad news. A Yahoo! spokesperson refuted the claims, however, and said there was 'zero truth' to the rumor. Scroll down for video The Yahoo! boss Marissa Mayer (pictured) told her staff there would by 'no layoffs this week' during a company meeting, it has been claimed Just earlier this month, Marissa Mayer told her staff there would by 'no layoffs this week' during a company meeting, it was claimed. Mayer made the comments at an internal 'Friday FYI' gathering believed to have taken place at the firm's headquarters in Silicon Valley, California earlier this month. A source claimed the 40-year-old 'wasn't trying to be funny' as she told workers there would be no layoffs 'this week' - a remark which is said to have drawn nervous chuckles from those attending the meeting. According to the New York Post, an 'insider' who did not want to be named revealed said: 'She said there are going to be no layoffs "this week," and many of the employees laughed at her. This is the reason employee morale is so low.' Another source told the Post that news of the meeting, on January 8, has been widely discussed around Silicon Valley. A Yahoo! spokesman told the newspaper: 'We don't comment on rumors or speculation.' MailOnline has attempted to contact the company for a comment. Mayer made the comments at an internal 'Friday FYI' gathering believed to have taken place at the firm's headquarters in Silicon Valley, California earlier this month Just days before the meeting, a key investor in Yahoo demanded that the board of directors undertake a management change and warned it could push for a board shakeup if that did not happen. Activist hedge fund Starboard Value said investors appear to 'have lost all confidence in management and the board' after the company, led by Silicon Valley star Marissa Mayer, has failed to turn around Yahoo's struggling core Internet business. In a letter to the board, Starboard said Yahoo needed to sell off the core business to other investors, but that so far the company has ignored expressions of interest from buyers. Last month SpringOwl, another sizeable Yahoo investor, demanded the company cut more than 80 percent of its workforce and replace chief executive Mayer. The criticisms come after Yahoo reversed course in early December and decided not to sell off its lucrative stake in China's Alibaba and instead spin off its core Internet business. Investors like Starboard point out that current market valuations of the company put the value of the core business at zero, and that selling it to investors would reap far more for investors than keeping the business. Britain is planning aerial bombings against Islamic State militants controlling parts of war-torn Libya, according to a military source. A team of six RAF officers and MI6 operatives flew to an airbase near the eastern Libyan city of Tobruk, which is under control by internationally recognised militia forces. Diplomats from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and US and French military personnel also took part to the gathering, the Sunday Times reports. A team of six RAF officers and MI6 operatives flew to an airbase near the eastern Libyan city of Tobruk to plan airtstrikes against ISIS, according to reports The mission participants are working together to draw up a list of possible targets for future British and coalition airstrikes Over past weeks, ISIS have stepped up attacks against the country's oil infrastructure and made the most deadly single raid since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi The mission participants are working together to draw up a list of possible targets for future British and coalition airstrikes. There are widespread fears that Daesh, which has seized a long stretch of coastline around the city of Sirte, wants to move its headquarters from Syria to north Africa and threaten the Mediterranean. Over past weeks, ISIS have stepped up attacks against the country's oil infrastructure and made the most deadly single raid since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. 'The targeting teams want to find out where the friendly militia fighters are so that any coalition strikes against Isis don't hit them by accident,' a British military source told the Sunday Times. The presence of RAF officers in the reconnaissance team could indicate that the coalition is considering setting up a military base there. Reports that British troops would be deployed to Libya as part of an international peacekeeping mission surfaced in August last year. At the time, it was reported that American, French, Spanish and German officials would join Britain in an international mission to stabilise the country once the rival warring faction agree on forming a unity government. One of the members of the military protecting a demonstration against candidates for a national unity government proposed by U.N. envoy for Libya Bernardino Leon, is pictured in Benghazi, But a UN-backed plan to end the 20-month civil war that has torn Libya apart is struggling to take off. Last week, the country's internationally recognised parliament rejected a main article in the UN accord as well as a proposed list of ministers. It is not yet clear whether a rival parliament in Tripoli will participate and its chief said that separate negotiations without UN involvement were the 'only solution'. The Sunday Times also reports that Britain is preparing to send troops to train Libyan security forces against the ISIS threat. A group of fishermen have been so heavily criticised for hauling in a potentially record-breaking shark that they will not discuss the catch. An image of three unidentified men standing next to a huge tiger shark caught on Australia Day, reportedly weighing 635.5 kg and reeled in using a 15 kg line - which could be a world record - sparked extreme reactions. The picture, posted to Facebook page Offshore Fishing NSW, was reportedly taken at Lake Macquarie New South Wales where the shark was weighed, but as the men who caught it have not commented, further information about the catch is not available. Scroll down for video This picture of three fishermen and a potentially record-breaking shark catch has caused fury online Out of the thousands of comments on the story online, many were opposed to the catching of the shark Many people said the fishermen should have let the shark live and questioned what enjoyment could be had from taking its life Some compared the killing of a shark to that of shooting lions and elephants, actions which often draw international outrage Some social media users took their comments further than just abuse, suggesting the men themselves should be 'hung up by their feet' Their silence has been attributed to the massive backlash they received by a fisherman who was not involved in the catch but wanted to remain anonymous, Fairfax reported. More than 2,400 comments have been made on the picture, and it is hard to find many in support of the anglers. Mostly, people are incensed at the catch, asking why it was not tagged and returned to the sea, abusing the fishermen. Katharine Taylor wrote: 'Would look more impressive if it was alive and swimming - and if any of these three get taken by a shark well all I can say is touche'. This man appreciated how many people were opposed to catching sharks and speaking out about it Many of the comments made became offensive and abusive towards the anglers Even fellow fishermen joined in the criticism of the three men in the photograph The shark was reportedly caught off the coast of Swansea, New South Wales, (pictured) on Australia Day The tiger shark was then reportedly brought back to Lake Macquarie where it was weighed Rhian Duff's comment noted the obvious - that the posting of the photograph had backfired on the fishermen Cynthia Tucker wrote: 'You guys need to protect not kill, what joy can be got from taking the life of such a magnificent creature. Shame on you'. 'D***heads', 'Disgusting', 'dumb f***s', 'pathetic, 'a***holes' and 'c***s' are just some of the things the men have been called. The man who caught the shark refused to speak to Fairfax, directing them to the Lake Macquarie Game Fishing Club. Its secretary, Casey Sadler, would not comment, and the president, Paul Hogg, failed to reply to 'repeated' attempts to contact him. Local fishermen would not speak either, saying the backlash was not worth it. While positive comments on the photograph were hard to find, they did exist. One poster, Geoff Marsh, called for reason, writing: 'Did anyone consider there was no intention to catch and kill it? It was a side affect [sic] of the hook up? Got to love social media. Everyone has a conclusion without all of the facts. Kieran N Ash wrote: 'Top job boys... If people don't like this picture, why follow the page or comment? Simple don't like it move on. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean everyone hates.' By Sunday evening, the picture of the men with the shark had been 'liked' on Facebook more than 3,800 times and shared nearly 4,000 times. Despite the majority of the comments being opposed to the catching of the shark some, like this, were in support While there were comments in support, they were often hard to find among the nearly 2,500 posted on the photograph News / National by Thobekile Zhou Mamuka sei maCdes. Ehe Munhu Wese kuAiport Nhasi na3pm Masikati Kunotambira Gushungo. "Ndizvozvo. Regai Vatonge Baba! "We have to organise the 3pm Gushungo welcome back reception at Harare Airport today while studying for law exams!" Moyo was recently salvaged by Presidential spokesperson George Charamba. "Ndizvozvo. Regai Vatonge Baba!"We have to organise the 3pm Gushungo welcome back reception at Harare Airport today while studying for law exams!"Moyo was recently salvaged by Presidential spokesperson George Charamba. Bruised Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo is this morning calling on Zimbabweans to rally behind President Robert Mugabe saying he should rule for ever.Moyo said Mugabe is touching down at Harare Airport at 3pm.He wrote on his official tweeter account :Charamba gave two radio stations an unsolicited interview last week where he made thinly-veiled attacks against Moyo, accusing him of fuelling factionalism.Mugabe's aide claimed a faction that did not want Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa to succeed the soon to be 92-year-old leader was fuelling factionalism in Zanu PF. A debate erupted on social media after some defended the cafe's decision The cafe said none of their staff drink it and was an 'inferior match' A small New Zealand cafe has sparked a bitter dispute between coffee purists and skinny-milk drinkers after it refused to serve customers the low-fat alternative. Lyttelton Coffee Company, in New Zealand's South Island, hand wrote a sign instructing customers that the cafe didn't provide skimmed milk. 'Don't do trim eh. Your'e fooling ya self anyway,' read the hand-written note which was stuck to the front of the till. Lyttelton Coffee Company, in New Zealand's South Island, hand wrote a sign instructing customers that the cafe didn't provide skinny milk Skimmed off: Co-owner Stephen Mateer (left) defended his cafes stance as being a matter of taste Coffee backlash: 'If they don't do trim I won't go there, I love coffee but can't handle full fat milk... They must have more than enough to customers then' FULL FAT OR SKINNY MILK? WHOLE COW'S MILK Calories per pint: 370. Fat per pint: 22 grams. Cow's milk is packed with a range of nutrients, including protein, calcium, zinc, vitamins A and B, and iodine SEMI-SKIMMED COW'S MILK Calories per pint: 255. Fat per pint: 9.9 grams. Semi-skimmed milk is created by skimming cream from whole milk, producing a more watery liquid. SKIMMED COW'S MILK Calories per pint: 195. Fat per pint: 0.5 grams. Skimmed milk contains 0.1 per cent fat and about half the calories of the full-fat version. However, even though fat is removed, it still retains most of its nutrients. Advertisement Lyttelton Coffee Company co-owner Stephen Mateer defended his cafes position and told Fairfax that it came down to taste. 'None of our staff drink trim milk and we don't drink it and we think it builds an inferior match with the product that we roast.' Another New Zealand Cafe, who has the same policy, said some customers had their staff in tears about not being served a skinny milk coffee. 'People come in and they expect a bit of an argument with us about it. Like, ''Who are these hipster baristas?'' We don't want to fight. It's just not a product that we sell,' C1 cafe owner Sam Crofskey told Fairfax. The fiery debate erupted after a local magazine, Avenues, shared a photo of the makeshift sign and asked readers if the cafe was justified in not serving low-fat milk. 'If they don't do trim I won't go there, I love coffee but can't handle full fat milk... They must have more than enough to customers then,' wrote Vicky. 'I have walked away from Lyttelton Coffee Company before as they told me they don't do trim. I would rather go without than drink full fat, it tastes like cream,' shared Michelle. Inside the Lyttelton cafe: 'People come in and they expect a bit of an argument with us about it. Like, ''Who are these hipster baristas?'' We don't want to fight. It's just not a product that we sell' Customer's in line at the Lyttelton Coffee Company: The fiery debate online erupted after a local magazine, Avenues , shared a photo of the makeshift sign and asked readers if the cafe was justified in not serving low-fat milk However, there was also strong support for the cafe's stance, with many social media users sharing their own disdain for skinny-milk in coffee. 'Kudos to you for doing your thing! Keep it up! I am a barista and work for a coffee company in Australia and I can't wait for the day that Melbourne cafes take on the same bravery you have shown,' wrote George. 'Good on you guys! It's your cafe stick to your guns & keep doing what you are doing!! your coffee is awesome,' posted Joanna. The Lyttelton Coffee Company jumped in on the post to 'politely inform what we do in our cafe in Lyttelton,' 'Honestly, tried it.. tastes like crap, still not selling it.' Surrounded by his family in a 'desperately sad scene', Sir Terry Wogan held prayers with his long-term friend and priest who flew over from Ireland to be at his bedside in his final dying days. Sir Terry, a veteran broadcaster and 'national treasure', passed away aged 77 today following a 'short but brave' battle with cancer which he kept secret from everyone except his close family. The much-loved radio host and television presenter, who celebrated 50 years in broadcasting this year, was said to have fallen 'very ill' rather quickly and died while surrounded by his family. Following his death, Priest Brian D'Arcy, who knew Sir Terry for 40 years and presented Pause for Thought on his breakfast show for nearly 20 years, said he saw the much-loved star on Thursday. He said the pair had a 'family day' during which they held prayers and said their goodbyes, which suggests Sir Terry knew his death was rather imminent. He said the broadcaster was 'very ill' and described his death as a 'sad but beautiful occasion'. Scroll down for video Veteran broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan has died aged 77 following a short battle with cancer, his family said today. This is the last photograph thought to have been taken in public of the presenter. He is pictured with his wife Helen outside the BBC Radio 2 studios after appearing on the Terry Wogan Show on November 8 Prime Minister David Cameron, Radio DJ Tony Blackburn and Piers Morgan all paid tribute to Sir Terry today Speaking on BBC Radio 2 this morning, Father D'Arcy said: 'I was with Terry on Thursday to say goodbye. I'm glad he went without a long, lingering illness. 'It was a short enough illness at the end of the day for him. He came across it very suddenly, but he was such a man for a laugh.' He added that Sir Terry - a self-declared atheist who was brought up Catholic - prayed with him during a 'desperately sad scene' in his final days. 'All the family were there,' he said. 'Everyone was trying to make Terry as comfortable as he could be and we knew it wouldn't be long. 'In fact I dreaded that by the time I got back off the plane at home that he would have gone to his eternal reward.' He added that Sir Terry 'really was a total family man', and his death would be 'awfully, awfully sad' for his wife, Lady Helen, who he had four children with. 'He was one of the most thorough, educated, friendly, charitable gentlemen that I've ever met,' Father D'Arcy said. Priest Brian D'Arcy, who knew Sir Terry for 40 years, spent last Thursday holding prayers with him after flying over from Ireland to be at his bedside 'Everything revolved around Helen, who was the centre of his life. They were married for over 50 years. Anyone who ever went to the Wogan household understands there are no pictures of stars around the walls of his house. 'The living room is festooned with pictures of children young and old, grandchildren, family gatherings, food, together round a table, weddings, baptisms, all of those things surround the walls of his entire house. 'The family was the centre of his life and everything revolved around the happiness of Helen and the family.' 'They will be awfully, awfully sad... Relieved, though, that his suffering is over.' It came as friends and former colleagues expressed their shock at Sir Terry's death, after he kept his battle with cancer a secret from almost everyone except his close family and priest. Richard Madeley, who had been sitting in for Sir Terry on Radio 2, said 'none of us saw this coming', adding that he expected to see the veteran presenter back working early next month. Sir Terry had expressed his desire to continue working for the 'next decade' in an interview as recent as September, but fears began to grow over his health after he pulled out presenting Children in Need in November. It was the first time he hadn't hosted the charity fundraiser for 35 years. Around the same time, he disappeared from his weekly BBC Radio 2 show, Weekend Wogan, which airs on Sunday mornings. Floral tributes were left outside Sir Terry's home in Taplow, Buckinghamshire, today (pictured. He has lived at the property with his wife, Lady Helen, since the 1970s and brought his children up at the sprawling property Well-wishers placed flowers outside the large black gate at the entrance to the family home in Taplow, Bucks Neighbours of the couple said they kept a low-profile but were always pleasant. Pictured: Flowers for Sir Terry Artist Darren Birdie created this image in memory of Sir Terry today. Sharing it on Twitter, he said: 'Such sad news to hear of the loss of Terry Wogan. A broadcasting legend who helped lighten many people's lives. RIP' Fearne Cotton, who presented Children in Need with Sir Terry on several occasions, left a touching tribute A POIGNANT FINAL SPEECH: 'THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR BEING MY FRIEND' 'Thank you for being my friend': Sir Terry Wogan's final speech on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show Sir Terry Wogan gave an emotional 'goodbye' speech when he left his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, Wake Up With Wogan, in December 2009. The words seem even more poignant today. 'This is it, then. This is the day I have been dreading - the inevitable morning when you and I come to the parting of the ways, the last Wake Up To Wogan. 'It wasn't always thus. For the first 12 years it was the plain old Terry Wogan Show and you were all Twits, the Terry Wogan is Tops Society. 'When I returned to the bosom of our family, it became Wake Up To Wogan and you all became TOGs, Terry's Old Geezers and Gals. 'It's always been a source of enormous pride to me that you have come together in my name, that you are proud to call yourself my listeners, that you think of me as a friend, someone that you are close enough to laugh with, to poke fun at and occasionally, when the world seemed just a little too cruel, to shed a tear with. 'And the years together with you have not only been a pleasure but a privilege. You have allowed me to share your lives with you. When you tell me how important I have been in your lives it's very moving. You have been every bit as important in mine. 'We have been though at least a couple of generations together, for many of you - your children, like mine, now have children of their own. And your support for Children In Need has been consistent and magnificent. You've baked the bakes, you've held the quizzes, you've sold the calendars, you've packed the CDs and the DVDs. You've answered the phones - always there when we've called on you, unheralded and unsung. And if anybody embodies the generous, warm spirit of this country it's you, my listeners. 'I am not going to pretend that this is not a sad day - you can probably hear it in my voice. I am going to miss the laughter and the fun of our mornings together. I know you are going to welcome Chris Evans with the same generosity of spirit that you have always shown me. 'So, I am going to miss you, until we are together again in February, have a happy Christmas. 'Thank you, thank you for being my friend.' - Sir Terry Wogan Advertisement Stars around the world paid tribute to the 'warm, witty' entertainer following the news of his death. Sir Terry charmed the nation with his wry, rambling thoughts on life on his long-running BBC breakfast show, while also hosting annual shows such as Children in Need and Eurovision. His daily Radio 2 show 'Waking Up With Wogan' achieved the biggest and most loyal audience at the time, while he quickly became the face of Children in Need after hosting for 35 years - helping to raise a staggering 600million for the cause. Former colleagues described him as 'welcoming and generous', branding him a 'radio genius' who was also a 'total family man'. In a statement released this morning, his family said: 'Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but brave battle with cancer. 'He passed away surrounded by his family. While we understand he will be missed by many, the family ask that their privacy is respected at this time.' Britain has lost a huge talent - someone millions came to feel was their own special friend Prime Minister David Cameron Leading the tributes, BBC director general Tony Hall described him as 'truly a national treasure'. He added: 'Today we've lost a wonderful friend. He was a lovely, lovely man and our thoughts are with his wife and family. 'For 50 years Sir Terry graced our screens and airwaves. His warmth, wit and geniality meant that for millions he was a part of the family. 'For decades he's been such a huge part of the BBC on television and radio and leaves so many wonderful memories. 'At the centre of Children In Need since its beginning he raised hundreds of millions of pounds and changed so many lives for the better. He leaves a remarkable legacy.' Paying tribute to the 77-year-old outside Broadcasting House in central London just hours after news of his death broke, Drive Time presenter Simon Mayo described him as a 'radio genius'. He first met Sir Terry covering the 1992 Olympics, and recalled his ability to put people at ease. He said: 'He was warm, funny, welcoming, generous. You would think 'Oh my goodness, it's Sir Terry' and then as soon as you met him he'd offer you a biscuit and some cold curry that had been brought in the night before. I've worked with intimidating broadcasters and Terry wasn't that.' He added: 'I think people are shocked and stunned because of the fact that he was a radio genius. The staple of all great radio is the friend behind the microphone and he was the ultimate friend behind the microphone.' Veteran broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan has died aged 77 following a short battle with cancer, his family said Sir Terry Wogan and Gaby Roslin are pictured with Pudsey the Bear ahead of Children in Need in 1997 Gary Linekar, Chris Moyles and Jonathan Ross all paid tribute to the iconic broadcaster on Twitter today Broadcaster Henry Kelly expressed his shock at the death of his long-time friend who he thought simply had a 'bad back', and said his passing would be felt across Britain like a death in the family. His partner Kaorlyn Shindler broke the news to him as he returned home from Mass this morning. 'It's a shock and a shame,' said the Game For A Laugh and Going For Gold presenter. 'I didn't know he was that seriously ill. I knew he'd been told not to do Children In Need because, as he quipped himself, they don't want an 'oul fella of 77 standing up for ten hours asking for money.'' Mr Kelly grew up among the Wogan family under the watchful eye of Sir Terry's mother Rose - 'known affectionately as Mammy Wogan' - after first becoming good friends with his younger brother Brian at Belvedere College in Dublin. He later followed Sir Terry to Britain and into a career in broadcasting. 'It is a real, real shame,' he said from his home in Hampstead. 'For so many people in this country, it is going to be like a death in the family - they adored Wogan. 'They didn't care whether or not he was or wasn't a professional broadcaster, he was just Terry Wogan.' 'I can't speak highly enough of him. I think it is a terrible loss.' Prime Minister David Cameron also paid tribute to the Limerick-born broadcaster, who charmed the nation on both radio and television. He said on Twitter: 'My thoughts are with Terry Wogan's family. Britain has lost a huge talent - someone millions came to feel was their own special friend.' He added: 'I grew up listening to him on the radio and watching him on tv. His charm and wit always made me smile.' As well as his long-running stint presenting Children in Need, Sir Terry was also the face of the Eurovision Song Contest for a period. He is pictured with Gina G who represented the UK with 'Just a Little Bit' in 1996 Sir Terry, who died surrounded by his family today following a secret cancer battle, is pictured in 1974 Sir Terry, pictured leaving the BBC Radio 2 studios after recording his final breakfast show in December 2009 President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, added: 'I have heard with sadness of the death of Terry Wogan, one of the great figures of broadcasting. 'His was a distinguished contribution to television and in particular to the medium of radio. 'People in Ireland will remember his early career in Irish broadcasting. On his move to Britain his voice became one of the most often quoted, favourite radio voices. 'Always proud of his origins in Limerick, he made many returns to his native country for television and radio projects. 'His rise to the top of radio listenership in the United Kingdom was a great tribute to his breadth of knowledge and in particular his unique, very personal sense of humour.' SIR TERRY BECOMES LATEST STAR TO SUCCUMB TO CANCER BATTLE The death of Sir Terry today comes following the loss of three other iconic stars within the last month. Singer David Bowie, actor Alan Rickman and rockstar Ian 'Lemmy' Kilmister all passed away recently following secret cancer battles. Sir Terry died after a 'short but brave' battle with cancer, his family said. He had chosen to keep his illness secret from the public eye. His death echoes that of David Bowie, who died from liver cancer in New York, aged 69, on January 10. The musical genius had known his cancer was incurable for around a year before his death, but only told close friends and relatives. Just days after Bowie's death, Harry Potter star and much-loved actor Alan Rickman died. The 69-year-old, who was also known for his roles in films such as Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Die Hard, was another to keep his battle with cancer secret from the public, and died unexpectedly on January 14. It came less than two weeks after the death of Ian 'Lemmy' Kilmister, of Motorhead. The 70-year-old was told on Boxing Day that he had an aggressive form of cancer, and died from the disease 48 hours later at his Los Angeles home. Advertisement Piers Morgan described Sir Terry as 'one of the greatest broadcasters who ever lived', while DJ Tony Blackburn added: 'I can hardly believe my old friend Sir Terry Wogan has died. RIP Terry and thanks for being a friend.' Former colleagues at the BBC also paid tribute to the 'radio legend', who was one of the UK and Ireland's best known stars. Helen Boaden, director at BBC Radio, said: 'For decades, he gave great pleasure to radio listeners with his wit, warmth and inimitable humour. He was an extraordinary broadcaster but also incredibly good fun, and will be sorely missed.' Bob Shennan, controller at Radio 2, said he made meeting Sir Terry his first priority when he took over the station seven years ago. He said: 'I thought the first thing I ought to do is go and see Terry. He was just such a welcoming, warm, generous person. Instantly I felt I'd just really lucked out doing this job to be perfectly honest. 'I realised what sort of a man he was, and that was the man I'd seen and heard in television and radio.' He described him as a natural when it came to radio, and recalled fellow presenter Jeremy Vine's shock when Sir Terry turned up five minutes before a show one day having done no preparation. Mr Shennan said: 'The thing about Terry was that he really didn't go into a lot of preparation for his programme. He fed off the audience. He didn't pre-judge what it would be about that day. 'Jeremy said to Terry 'How are you going to prepare for everything, have you done all your prep for that?' And Terry said 'No, I'll just get out of the lift and I'll wander into the studio. I'll open the microphone and we'll see what people have got to say.' 'And that was how he did it. And it was why he was so good.' He added: '[He] established himself as one of the greatest and most popular radio hosts this country has ever heard. 'We were brightened by his wonderful personality and charm as he woke us up every weekday morning, becoming an essential and much-loved part of our lives. 'His millions of listeners adored him, as did his whole Radio 2 family. We will miss him enormously and our thoughts at this very sad time are with Helen and all the family.' In the last photograph he posted on Twitter, Sir Terry posed with Shane Filan, of Westlife fame, and Nadine Coyle, who was part of girlband Girls Aloud. It was taken after they were interviewed on his BBC Radio 2 show Sir Terry received a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2005 (pictured outside Buckingham Palace, left). Right: Sir Terry is pictured with his wife Helen, who he married in 1965, at Royal Ascot Sir Terry is pictured meeting Her Majesty The Queen during a reception at Buckingham Palace in March 2005 Tributes have poured in for the broadcasting legend on social media from a host of stars and presenters Tributes also poured in from the world of showbusiness and beyond for the broadcasting great, who received a knighthood for his work in the 2005 Queen's Honours. Sir Bruce Forsyth said in a statement: 'Terry was such a great broadcaster and part of our lives for so many years. He will be much missed.' Tess Daly, who previously presented Children in Need with Sir Terry, said: 'So so sad at the news Sir Terry has passed away.He was the funniest, kindest man, it was a huge privilege to work with him and a joy to know him. 'Terry was a true gentleman on and off camera. He never stopped working tirelessly for charity. A legend is lost. My thoughts are with his family.' Chris Evans, who took over from Sir Terry after he left BBC Radio 2, said: 'We are all so terribly. I can't put into words how the whole Radio 2 family is feeling.' Phillip Schofield added: 'Waking up to the very sad news that Sir Terry Wogan has died. Such a very charming man & a great broadcaster. Sending love to his family.' Pop star Sir Elton John paid tribute by posting a photograph of him and Sir Terry on Instagram, with the caption: 'Such a special and funny man. A brilliant broadcaster and presenter. He came to our civil partnership celebration and was a loyal supporter. Love to his family. E xxxx.' Fawlty Towers star John Cleese paid a simple tribute, acknowledging Sir Terry's popularity. He tweeted: 'I remember one morning driving to work, and at a red light I looked around and all the other drivers were laughing. Terry was on the radio.' DJ Lauren Laverne said: 'Oh, man. RIP Sir Terry Wogan. Broadcasting hero', while Julian Clary said: 'RIP Terry Wogan. A witty, warm and wonderful man.' Richard Osman, of TV's Pointless, said: 'So sad about Sir Terry Wogan. What a wonderful, clever, funny man. Did nothing but make the world a happier place.' Cricketer Ian Botham wrote: 'Very sad to hear the news about Sir Terry Wogan passing away this morning !! A wonderful man just the same rain or shine !! RIP', while actor Sir Roger Moore added: 'Oh no. It's a sad weekend. BBC News - Sir Terry Wogan: Veteran broadcaster dies aged 77.' And English actor David Schneider said: 'It's truly like God's put an intern in charge of deaths and he's going through the list of celebrities people really love. RIP Terry Wogan.' Most people were unaware Sir Terry had been secretly battling cancer, with only close friends and family told Stars from the world of showbiz have come together today to pay tribute to the 'maestro' that is Sir Terry Paying tribute to his friend, BBC broadcaster Jeremy Vine said: 'Terry started doing the Radio 2 breakfast show when I was six. When, aged 37, I joined the network, he was unfailingly encouraging and friendly. 'He did nearly 40 years at breakfast, with an intermission for TV work: surely an unbeatable record. 'Someone asked Terry how many listeners he had. Instead of answering nine million, which would have been accurate, he said: 'Only one.' 'And it was this approach that made him one of the greatest broadcasters this country has ever seen. He only ever spoke to one person.' Vine also quoted a conversation between Sir Terry and the Queen, during which she asked him how long he had worked at the BBC. Sir Terry replied: 'Your Majesty, I've never worked here.' He added on Twitter: 'Truly one of the greatest we have ever seen. And treated his colleagues like friends.' Meanwhile, Clare Balding wrote: 'Devastated about Terry Wogan. Grew up listening to him & have been privileged to know & work with him. Warm, generous and supremely talented.' Noel Edmonds said: 'He mastered broadcasting's greatest challenge - to be admired and respected by public and peers alike - a true master has gone.' And actor Matt Lucas said: 'So so sad to hear the news today about Terry Wogan. Warm, traditional and yet brilliantly subversive. A true TV and radio icon. What a loss.' Sir Terry was visited by close friends on Thursday, who said 'goodbye' to him, before his death this morning Radio DJ Chris Evans, who took over from Sir Terry after he left BBC Radio 2, said: 'We are all so terribly. I can't put into words how the whole Radio 2 family is feeling.' The pair are pictured together in December 2009 Sir Terry is pictured during an appearance on a Strictly Come Dancing special for Children in Need THE FACE OF CHILDREN IN NEED: SIR TERRY DEDICATED LIFE TO THE CAUSE Sir Terry Wogan dedicated his time to Children in Need, becoming the charity's life president in 2010 Sir Terry Wogan's warm and gentle style provided the bedrock for Children in Need for more than three decades as it amassed hundreds of millions of pounds for charities. Despite his advancing years he fronted the gruelling six-and-a-half hour telethon for 35 years alongside an ever-changing supporting cast of household stars. His ever-present record only ended in November when surgery on his back saw him drop out at the last minute on the advice of doctors, to be replaced by Dermot O'Leary. Sir Terry was a trustee of the Children in Need charity for many years, before becoming its life president in November 2010. Children in Need's chief executive David Ramsden said: 'Sir Terry Wogan has been at the heart of the charity for over 30 years raising millions to change the lives of children. 'We have lost a wonderful friend and we will miss him so much. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.' O'Leary tweeted on Sunday: 'Sir Terry. Just the most warm hearted, generous, funny, clever, life affirming man. Part of the foundations of @BBCRadio2 so very sad.' Gaby Roslin, who co-presented Children in Need alongside Sir Terry for more than a decade, tweeted: 'No no no! In total shock. Goodbye my cheeky chum. Forever in our hearts.' What would become Sir Terry's final show as a presenter in 2014 saw it raise a then record total of more than 32million. The star-studded marathon effort featured One Direction, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and the cast of EastEnders. He presented alongside a younger generation of BBC stars including Tess Daly, Nick Grimshaw, Fearne Cotton and Rochelle Humes from the pop group The Saturdays. Grimshaw said: 'So sad to hear about Sir Terry, what a man! Funny, sharp, warm, inspiring and so much fun to be around. We'll miss him. rest in peace.' Humes added: 'Such a sad day today. The loss of such a legend...had the pleasure of being around such a warm welcoming person. Such a inspiration..' Advertisement Fears had been raised over Sir Terry's health after he pulled out of presenting Children in Need in mid-November. The grandfather-of-five and father-of-four had been off work since then and had rarely been seen in public. Doctors advised him not to front the six-and-a-half-hour charity fundraiser, so that he could recover from a 'procedure on his back'. He had been the face of the annual broadcast since it began in 1980. Announcing he had pulled out of the BBC show at the time, he said in a statement: 'I'm going to miss our wonderful, inspiring evening together, but I'll be with you, watching, cheering and donating.' Around the same time, Sir Terry disappeared from his weekly BBC Radio 2 show, Weekend Wogan. Television presenter Richard Madeley has been standing in for him. Sir Terry did not give a reason for his long absence, and had not posted anything on Twitter in three months - which further sparked alarm among listeners. Friends of the 77-year-old previously said he had been keeping a low profile but he had planned to return to work - perhaps suggesting he did not realise how advanced his cancer was. His agent confirmed earlier this month that the Irish presenter would be returning to the airwaves after all, and that the details would be confirmed in due course. She added that the reasons for Sir Terry's absence were 'a personal issue'. Concerns had been raised over the veteran broadcaster's health after he pulled out of Children in Need Sir Terry is pictured sampling an oyster at a reception at Scott's restaurant in London in September 1973 The much-loved television presenter is pictured presenting Lunchtime with Wogan in October 1972 Sir Terry is pictured in the BBC Radio 2 studios at Broadcasting House in London in August 1976 Neighbours and friends of the star spoke of their shock and sadness today, as they placed floral tributes outside his family home in Taplow, Buckinghamshire. Residents of the small village, where Sir Terry had lived with his wife since the 1970s, said they had no idea he was suffering from cancer. Ian Burne, the landlord of the village's public house the Oak and Saw, said: 'Everyone's very sad because he lived just around the corner. It's terrible, everyone thinks it's such a shame. 'We would see his wife Helen around in the village and often see him in his Rolls Royce coming out of his house. 'MOST REMARKABLE EUROVISION COMMENTATOR IN HISTORY' Sir Terry Wogan was the best commentator in Eurovision Song Contest history, the organisation said today. Sir Terry helmed the BBC's coverage from 1973 to 2008 and became known for his cutting commentary and deadpan one-liners. He finally got a chance to present the programme proper in 1998, taking to the stage alongside Ulrika Jonsson in Birmingham. He eventually hung up his microphone after Andy Abraham's song Even If came 25th ten years later, upset at the tactical voting which has become synonymous with the show. He was replaced by Irishman Graham Norton. A Eurovision spokesman said: 'We are deeply saddened by the passing of Terry Wogan. He was without doubt the most remarkable Eurovision commentator in history.' Norton added: 'He made it seem effortless and for a young boy in Ireland he made it seem possible. RIP Sir Terry Wogan. I'll raise a glass during song 9.' Advertisement 'Nobody had any idea he was suffering from cancer. It must have been very quick. With so many well-known people dying suddenly recently, you think, 'what's going on?' Friend Nigel Smales said: 'When I last saw him, Terry didn't look anything other than Terry. None of the village grapevine had mentioned that he wasn't well. 'The last time I spoke to him would have been the first week in November - it was the week before Children In Need. At that time he was still intending to do Children In Need and I was surprised at news he had a back problem. 'He was what he was on television. He came across as a nice guy. He recognised he could talk well and entertainingly and made a living out of it. 'When you would speak to him it was just like bumping into a neighbour and chatting about the weather. 'He was a good neighbour. They tended to keep themselves to themselves in the recent past. Everybody respected their privacy - you didn't push that. 'When they first came and their children were younger they were very much involved with things. He was very involved at the cricket club in organising charity cricket matches and using his contacts to do it. 'He and Helen didn't lord it around the village, they were very, very pleasant when I spoke to either of them.' An elderly woman walking through the village added: 'It all seems so sudden, I think that's the saddest thing - I don't think anybody realised he was ill. 'It's terribly sad. He was such a lovely man - exactly how he was on the radio.' His death comes following the passing of both David Bowie and Alan Rickman this month, who both died following secret cancer battles. Sir Terry was well-loved within the entertainment industry. He is pictured (from left) with former EastEnders actress Wendy Richard, the late Cilla Black, presenter Esther Rantzen, Prince Charles and Nicholas Parsons Sir Terry is pictured at the BBC Radio 2 studios in London in January 2005. He died today aged 77 The veteran broadcaster is pictured at the BBC studios in Manchester in an undated picture from his career BOOK OF CONDOLENCES TO BE OPENED IN SIR TERRY'S HOME CITY Sir Terry Wogan's home city is opening a book of condolences to allow citizens to mark the passing of a 'true son of Limerick'. The legendary broadcaster regularly returned to his home town and was honoured as Freeman of the city in 2007. City leaders confirmed separate books of condolences will be opened at council buildings in Dooradoyle and Merchants Quay tomorrow morning to allow the public express their loss. Limerick Mayor Liam Galvin said the books will allow people at home and abroad convey their sympathies to the family of 'a true son of Limerick and a broadcasting institution whose passing will be mourned by millions'. 'Despite his fame and the fact that he was based in the UK throughout much of his career, Sir Terry often returned home to Limerick and never missed an opportunity on radio or TV to speak about his Limerick roots,' he said. 'The council honoured him with the title of Freeman of Limerick in 2007, which I know was a title that meant very much to him and his family. 'On behalf of the council and the people of Limerick, I wish to extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to Sir Terry's family.' On receiving the freedom of his native city nine years ago, Sir Terry said he felt honoured and privileged as he had such an affection for his birthplace. 'I have nothing but the happiest memories of Limerick and I was very proud when I watched O'Connell Street full of people when the Munster rugby team won the Heineken Cup,' he said. Advertisement As recently as September, Sir Terry had said that he planned to work for at least another decade. 'I'd love to keep going for another 10 years, I'll cling to the wreckage for as long as I can,' he told the Daily Record. 'I'm supposed to be retiring, but I'm not. I have no plans to retire they'll have to carry me off stage,' he said. In the same interview, Sir Terry admitted that he and his wife Helen tend to drink too much, 'in common with every other middle class person our age'. 'Of course you shouldn't drink every day, I'm not advocating people drinking, but the fact is that, yes, I have a glass of wine with my dinner and I may have a dry martini before my dinner. 'When you get to a certain age you think, 'How much longer have I got to have a dry martini?' So you've got to make the most of it. 'I make a wonderful dry martini and an excellent champagne cocktail, with a cube of sugar, bitters and Cointreau. It's delicious,' he said. The presenter, who used to front the Eurovision Song Contest, was famous for having a tipple throughout the evening. Sir Terry is pictured with left his wife Helen last November, and right leaving the BBC studios on October 6 Richard Madeley, right, paid tribute to Sir Terry outside BBC Broadcasting House in central London today and played some of his favourite songs on air. Left, Sir Terry presenting Children In Need with Tess Daley in 2012 FROM POPULAR BREAKFAST SHOW TO CHILDREN IN NEED: WOGAN'S HIGHS Sir Terry Wogan enjoyed a glittering career spanning more than four decades. Here are 10 of his CV highlights: Sir Terry's first taste of television came when he began working at Irish broadcaster RTE where he was a newsreader and announcer. He moved on to become a DJ and hosted quiz and variety shows. Making the move to the BBC, he hosted a mid-'60s programme called Midday Spin and later began working on the Late Night Extra slot on Radio 1 - a job which he travelled back and forth from Dublin for. A big break came when he provided holiday cover for Sir Jimmy Young, which went so well that it resulted in him getting his own show. He got the afternoon show - which was broadcast simultaneously on Radio 1 and 2. Millions of people woke up to his Irish brogue during the 27 years he presented his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show. Listeners enjoyed his commentary on light-hearted and serious issues each day, and his announcement in September 2009 that he would be quitting the show was met with an outcry from devoted fans. Sir Terry's commentary at the Eurovision Song Contest made for an amusing listen, as he spoke - often quite honestly - about the variety of acts vying for the title. The contest, which tends to feature many songs that do not enjoy commercial success, was made all the more entertaining by Sir Terry's sometimes stinging narration. He gave the role up in 2008. He was very much a TV star as well as a radio veteran. He fronted the long-running panel show Blankety Blank, complete with his famous 'wand' microphone, and appeared as a guest on shows including Celebrity Squares and New Faces. Sir Terry will always be known for his association with the BBC's Children In Need. He was one of the founders and hosted the telethon for more than 20 years, helping to raise more than 400 million for charity. He missed last November's appeal at the last minute on the advice of doctors following a procedure on his back. Sir Terry returned to Radio 2 in 1993, and his popularity and worth to the BBC was accompanied by one of the Corporation's biggest presenter salaries, said to be around 800,000. He saw his audience pass the eight million mark in 2005. On hearing the news, he joked: 'Hang on, there's 60 million people in the country - what are the other 52 million listening to?' An accomplished star of TV and radio, Sir Terry tried his hand at singing too and had a novelty hit single in 1978 when he released a version of the Floral Dance. Advertisement The bank clerk who became the King of Breakfast: How Sir Terry became one of Britain's biggest stars with a velvet brogue and wry take on life By Alexander Robertson Sir Michael Terence Wogan was born in Limerick City in Ireland on August 3, 1938, the son of the grocery store manager. He was educated at a Jesuit school called Crescent College from the age of eight and experienced a strong religious upbringing. He later moved to Dublin when he was 15, attending Belvedere College, where he first discovered his love for music and amateur dramatics. Despite his new found interests, Wogan began a career as a banker at the Royal Bank of Ireland in 1956, but he soon gave it up to join Ireland's national broadcaster RTE as a newsreader and announcer. Sir Terry Wogan is pictured after receiving his honorary degree from Leicester University in July 2010 Sir Terry's breakfast show, with his velvet voice and wry thoughts on life, achieved the UK's biggest audience He married Helen Joyce in 1965, which would eventually lead to four children and five grandchildren. He later moved into light entertainment on radio, becoming a disk jockey and the host of shows such as RTE's top rated quiz show Jackpot. His first work with the BBC came in 1969 on the Light Programme, before moving to the Late Night Extra show on BBC Radio 1, commuting weekly from Dublin to London. He proved himself during a stint as holiday cover for Sir Jimmy Young, and was rewarded with his own show. He landed the afternoon show - which was broadcast simultaneously on Radios 1 and 2 in those days - and then from April 1972, he was given the Radio 2 morning show, soon achieving listening figures of up to 7.6million. His BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, with his velvet voice and his wry, rambling thoughts on life, achieved the UK's biggest and most loyal audience. Sir Terry Wogan pictured after he was given a knighthood at an investiture at Buckingham Palace in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2005 Millions of early-morning listeners tuned in to hear his gentle and witty commentary on the affairs of the day, both trivial and momentous. It was all delivered in a soft Irish brogue, sometimes cutting but never malicious. He put a smile on the faces of countless people at their breakfast tables. He would leave the show 12 years later to pursue a full-time career in television, having become synonymous with his TV commentary of the Eurovision Song Contest, taking part every year from 1980 until 2008. Those outside his loyal circle of listeners probably had no idea what a TOG (Terry's Old Gits and Gals) was, or the significance of Deadly, Boggy or the 'Totty from Splotty', but to his dedicated audience of eight million, they were all part of the Wogan lexicon. In 1980, the BBC's charity appeal from children was first broadcast as a telethon called Children in Need, with Wogan continuing to serve as a presenter of the annual show up until 2015. His first chat show would come in 1982, simply called Wogan, with memorable interviews including a drunk George Best and a silent Chevy Chase. The chat show Wogan would run until 1992, but its star returned in 2006 to present Wogan Now and Then, interviewing former guests from his old chat show as well as new ones. Sir Terry returned to Radio 2 in 1993, and his popularity and worth to the BBC was accompanied by one of the Corporation's biggest presenter salaries, said to be around 800,000. His easy-going manner on-air and his cheery natters with colleagues also made his studio team part of his listeners' extended family with his late producer Paul Walters and newsreaders 'Deadly' Alan Dedicoat, Fran Godfrey and John 'Boggy' Marsh all part of the Wogan experience. His final breakfast show came on December 18, 2009, but he returned to Radio 2 a year later to host a live weekly two-hour Sunday show. Wogan was appointed an Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1997 and elevated to an Honorary Knight Commander of the same order (KBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2005. The national treasure passed away today after a short battle with cancer, at the age of 77. Sir Terry Wogan and his wife Helen with their baby daughter Katherine at three weeks old, and their sons Alan, five (right), and Mark, two, in September 1972. Friends of the star said today he was a 'real family man' Sir Terry (back), winner of the Old Court Whisky TV Personality of the Year Award, with three other winners Kenny Everett (left), Ernie Wise (right), and Frank Bough, in 1981 Gloria Hunniford and Sir Terry are pictured left in 1981, while he is pictured right working as a DJ in 1969 Sir Terry charmed the nation with his velvet voice and wry, rambling thoughts on life. His final breakfast show came in December 2009, but he returned to Radio 2 a year later to host a live weekly two-hour Sunday show He branded David Cameron 'an evil creature' in interview with The Independent A Muslim convert from Oxfordshire known as 'Jihadi Jack' is under investigation for posting a threat on Facebook against a British soldier, according to sources close to the inquiry. Jack Letts, the 20-year-old who left his home in Oxford to live under the Islamic State rule in Syria in 2014, said on social media that the soldier was a 'legitimate target'. The threat, issued on July last year, is now under examination by the southeast counterterrorism unit (Sectu) at Thames Valley police. Jihadi Jack is under investigation for posting a threat on Facebook against a British soldier, according to sources close to the inquiry Jack Letts, pictured here when he was 17 on his last family holiday to Morocco, said on social media that the soldier was a 'legitimate target' 'He's been under investigation by Sectu since March 2015 in connection with his trip to Syria and his time out there,' a source close to the inquiry told the Sunday Times. 'Everything, including his social media postings, is being looked at closely.' In an interview with The Independent, Letts, a former pupil at Cherwell School, Oxford, called on Britons to convert to Islam and branded David Cameron 'an evil creature'. He admitted he would 'probably' be sent to prison if he came back to Britain but denied being an ISIS member: 'Im not Isis, but I believe in the Sharia. I believe we should follow Islam how the first Muslims did.' The Muslim convert described the western coalition against Isis as 'a plan concocted in the diseased hearts and minds of some of Allah's enemies'. '[It is] a plot with the intention of collecting sincere Muslims who believe in taking action for their religion in one place and then killing them off one by one.' Jack Letts is suspected of being the first white Briton to join the terror group after he was pictured giving the so-called 'tawhid' gesture next to the Tabqa Dam, which has been at the centre of the group's fighting. The gesture, in which fighters put their index finger in the air to represent the 'oneness of God', has been adopted by ISIS fighters throughout Syria and Iraq. John Letts and his wife Sally. They are seen on the right and left of the photo with a baker, (centre). Reports also emerged that Letts sought spiritual advice online from an extremist cleric in the UK who cannot be named for legal reasons. His shocked parents spoke for their first time last week about their anguish that he had been linked to ISIS, and claimed he had fled for humanitarian reasons. Letts's story made headlines this week and garnered mass speculation that he had become a frontline fighter for the terror organisation and had settled in Fallujah with a wife and child. Speaking from their home in Oxford, father John Letts - an organic farmer - and his wife Sally Lane said that they monitor Letts's social media accounts 'every day' and described their ordeal as a 'nightmare'. They condemned the nickname 'Jihadi Jack' given to their son. 'The things that have been written about him are completely false,' the couple said. Shocking photos show a widespread plague of foxes local farmers are hunting to protect livestock and native animals. The RSPCA have said amateur hunting of the introduced pest is often cruel, but controlling foxes is widely considered a necessary evil. Residents in Riverina, south-western New South Wales, have been sharing pictures of the foxes theyve hunted to Riverina Pig Hunting and Fishing Facebook page. WARNING: Distressing images Locals to Riverina, in south-western New South Wales, have been sharing pictures of the foxes theyve hunted to Riverina Pig Hunting and Fishing Facebook page Foxes cause significant production losses to farmers through lamb predation, Ray Willis, Manager Biosecurity and Emergency Services at Riverina Local Land Services said The red fox has endangered and contributed to the extinction of a myriad of native Australian species after it was introduced in the 1870s, according to the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. Several species of bettong, the greater bilby, numbat, bridled nail-tail wallaby and quokka have been wiped out by the feral pest. Foxes have also been linked to the extinction of four ground-nesting birds, and the decline of many other species. Studies have shown that foxes continue to suppress populations of several species of rock-wallabies, the eastern grey kangaroo, brush-tailed bettong, long-nosed potoroo and the numbat, the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage website reads. Because of foxes, numerous attempts to reintroduce threatened native fauna into areas of their former range have also failed. Im afraid its a necessary evil, most people I know who shoot, have cracking shots and try to do it the cleanest, quickest way possible,' one person said of hunting foxes It is not believed eradication is possible in the immediate future, but that hasn't stopped Riverina locals from hunting the pest. In contrast, most hunting is primarily done as a desire to kill pest or game animals as a recreational activity, the RSPCA website said While some have commented on photos that their deaths are cruel, one hunter responded that cruel is when you see a cow that has had its udder eaten off. They [foxes] will often attack ewes while they are in labour, either killing the lamb as it comes out or the mother, another wrote. Im afraid its a necessary evil, most people I know who shoot have cracking shots and try to do it the cleanest, quickest way possible. A spokesperson from RSPCA directed Daily Mail Australia to their website. Pest management must be carefully planned and coordinated, which hunting is not, the website said. RSPCA said pest management should be done with the aim of reducing negative impacts on agricultural and natural resource systems using humane and target specific techniques. In contrast, most hunting is primarily done as a desire to kill pest or game animals as a recreational activity, the website reads. The RSPCA believes recreational hunting, or the act of stalking or pursuing an animal and then killing it for sport, cannot be justified. If all hunted animals could be killed without fear - from being chased or followed - and with a gunshot to the brain that rendered them immediately unconscious - and they died without regaining consciousness and without causing the suffering of other animals such as dependent young, then hunting could be considered completely humane, the website reads. One local responded to claims that hunting foxes is cruel by pointing out how foxes ravage livestock and native animals (fox pictured next to five dead lamb) Landholders and their dogs are pictured with a line-up of hunted foxes in the Riverina area However, even in the best possible circumstances, this does not occur and distress, injury and suffering are highly likely, if not inevitable. A fox is pictured leaping from a hollow tree as dogs circle it Ray Willis, Manager Biosecurity and Emergency Services at Riverina Local Land Services said landholders are obliged to control the declared pest on their own land. Foxes cause significant production losses to farmers through lamb predation, Mr Willis told Daily Mail Australia. He said Local Land Services encourages humane control of foxes, through group fox baiting. In the Riverina, we promote baiting through our successful Feral Fighters program that starts early February, he said. To get involved we encourage landholders to contact us on 1300 795 299 to register. A spokesperson from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage told Daily Mail Australia foxes are baited in national parks, not hunted. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Riverina Pig Hunting and Fishing for comment. Google today denied it had a 'sweetheart deal' with the taxman and claimed it paid 20 per cent corporation tax like every other business. Peter Barron, the firm's head of communications, insisted Google paid all tax owed on profits officially made in the UK - including 46 million last year. Chancellor George Osborne has been under fire since he declared an agreement struck by HMRC for Google to pay an extra 130 million in taxes for the past decade was a 'major success' - despite the firm's sales in Britain amounting to around 3 billion. And criticism of the Government was set to increase today after it emerged Britain has lobbied EU officials to remove Bermuda from an official 'blacklist' set to be hit by sanctions as punishment for allowing tax avoidance. Peter Barron, Google UK's head of communications and public affairs, today insisted the firm did not have a 'sweetheart deal' with HMRC In other developments today, it emerged Google has contracts with HMRC to help make it more at collecting taxes - reforms which could cost thousands of jobs as local tax offices are closed in favour of a small number of regional centres. Mr Barron told the BBC Andrew Marr programme: 'In the UK we pay corporation tax at 20 per cent there is no sweetheart deal. 'We are taxed on the economic activities of Google UK. We pay corporation tax in the UK at 20 per cent. 'Globally, our effective tax rate over the last five years is roundabout 20 per cent.' Mr Barron said its new accounts showed Google UK paid 46.2million for the last year, plus 130million for the period of 2005 to 2014. He insisted the additional payment was the result of six years of cooperation with HMRC to ensure the firm abided by the law. George Osborne, pictured, is facing three inquiries over his deal with Google that will see the internet giant pay 130m to cover a decade of back-taxes Mr Barron - a former editor of the BBC's Newsnight - claimed: 'Everything we do across the business, we always try to do the right thing.' He defended Google's decision to headquarter its European businesses in Ireland and then operate 'subsidiaries' in the UK and other European countries. And pressed on why the company the moves 30billion of global revenues onward to Bermuda - which has a corporate tax rate of 0 per cent - Mr Barron said: 'It's very, very important to make it clear that the Bermuda arrangement has absolutely no bearing on the amount of tax we pay in the UK.' The Observer said today Britain had complained to the European Commission about its targeting of tax havens including Bermuda. The paper said Britain had described the measures as 'misleading and deeply unhelpful' and rejecting suggestions of 'countermeasures'. It said Tory MEPs in the European Parliament were reportedly ordered to oppose the measures on six occasions last year. And it published remarks made by David Cameron to Real Business magazine in 2006 when he claimed Google built its base in Ireland because Britain was 'no longer tax-competitive'. Chancellor John McDonnell told the Observer: 'The mask has finally slipped. The Tories have been saying they want to clamp down on tax avoidance to the British people, but when they think our backs are turned they are telling their MEPs to oppose any measures to make it happen. 'The truth is they run a 'don't know, don't care' approach to tax avoidance.' FACEBOOK PAYS JUST 4% ON ITS CORPORATION TAX BILLS AROUND THE WORLD Facebook's fractional corporate tax bills are set to fuel a scandal over corporate tax avoidance. The social media giant paid 4,327 in UK corporation tax in 2014 - despite revenues in Britain of more than 700million. And it has emerged it paid just 86million to all tax authorities outside the United States despite reeling in profits of around 2.4 billion. The figures suggest Facebook pays around 4 per cent in corporation tax around the world. The Sunday Times today said Facebook was resisting an investigation by HMRC into the taxes it paid in Britain between 2010 and 2014. Facebook has reportedly slashed its UK tax bill by paying staff with shares and channelling payments offshore to the Cayman Islands. Baroness Joanna Shields, Facebook's former European boss, is the Government minister for internet security. The revelations, coming on the back of a scandal over an HMRC agreement with Google, is set add fuel to a fire over the taxes paid by multinationals. Advertisement Business Secretary Sajid Javid rejected the charge the Government was failing on corporate tax avoidance. But asked about the 130 million deal for Google, he admitted: 'It wasn't a glorious moment, when people look at these issues, but it is important, I think, to talk about also what the Government is doing.' In the BBC interview, Mr Javid continued: 'Just look at the action the Government has taken over the last five years, since 2010, we have closed 40 tax loopholes. 'We have led work at the G20 and the OECD, and we have led work on international tax transparency.' But he added: 'There is still more work to do.' The Sun on Sunday revealed today Google's Bermuda 'base' is no more than a non-descript PO Box bearing the number 666. The tech giant employs no staff on the Caribbean island and there is no sign of the huge glass offices it has around the world - including in London. The Sunday Mirror revealed details of contracts signed between Google and HMRC to supply software known as 'Google gear'. It will provide access to Google Apps and Google Docs to help HMRC staff work more efficiently and communicate more easily. The paper said tie will help to 'streamline' tax collection under an existing IT contract between HMRC and data processing firm Capgemini UK. The deal has reportedly been raised at union meetings to discuss job losses where one former civil servant said: 'It highlighted just how cosy the HMRC is with Google. 'It's wrong they paid so little tax and then on the other hand you see they have these government contracts.' Google has agreed to pay just 130million in taxes dating back to 2005. The amount was branded 'derisory' in light of the fact that the firm racked up sales of 4.5billion in Britain in 2014 alone At least 10,000 refugee children have vanished after arriving in Europe with many being forced into sex work and slavery, officials believe. Thousands of young migrants have been targeted by criminals and are now missing, according to the European Union's law enforcement agency Europol. The news emerged as charity Save the Children estimated that around 26,000 children were forced to travel into Europe alone last year. At least 10,000 refugee children have vanished after arriving in Europe with some being forced into sex work and slavery, officials believe. Above, a child waits with other migrants and refugees for security check after crossing the Macedonian border into Serbia on Friday. It is not known if the boy was by himself Brain Donald, Europol's chief of staff, told Mark Townsend at the Observer: 'It is not unreasonable to say that we are looking at 10,000-plus children. 'We just don't know where they are, what they are doing and whom they are with.' He said there was evidence some were being sexually exploited by gangs also linked to human trafficking, but stressed not all children would have been linked to criminal activity. Mr Donald added that the abuse was not happening 'in the middle of forests' but in towns and built-up areas. He said: 'These kids are in the community, if they're being abused it's in the community.' UNICEF told MailOnline that there are as many as 90,000 unaccompanied minors in Germany and Sweden alone, and more than one in three migrants in Europe are children. Thousands of young migrants have been targeted by criminals and are now missing, according to the European Union's law enforcement agency Europol. Above, a boy eats in Canakkale, Turkey and another is covered with a blanket as he waits to cross the Greek-Macedonian border A spokesman said that protection systems are inadequate so many are being 'exposed to abuse and exploitation' - and traffickers will 'abuse their vulnerability' as border policies tighten. The charity has called for better guardianship programmes for children while authorities process their asylum claims. The figures emerged after the Home Office announced it would work towards accepting a higher number of 'unaccompanied' migrant children. The vulnerable children, which will be identified by the Home Office in relation to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, will be in addition to the 20,000 Syrian refugees the Government has already pledged to take in by 2020. James Brokenshire, immigration minister, said: 'The crisis in Syria and events in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond have separated a large number of refugee children from their families. The news emerged as Save the Children estimated that around 26,000 children arrived by themselves in Europe last year. Above, volunteers pull a raft packed with refugees and migrants as they arrive on a beach on the Greek island of Lesbos 'We have asked the UNHCR to identify the exceptional cases where a child's best interests are served by resettlement to the UK and help us to bring them here.' Aid agencies welcomed the announcement. A spokesman for Unicef said: 'The UK has a responsibility to protect vulnerable children, it is absolutely right that the government is committed to resettle unaccompanied children from conflict regions.' Hotel staff have been reviewing guests whove left negative feedback on travel site TripAdvisor which they claim is unfair. Managers have been responding to online reviews in a bid to defend the Gold Coast, Queensland, hotels from misinformation, even accusing the guests of illegal activity. Paradise Resort and neighbouring Centrepoint Resort have both lashed back at one-star reviews by pointing out the bad behaviour of the customers. Paradise Resort in Queensland's Gold Coast has lashed back at one-star reviews by pointing out the bad behaviour of the customers If you want a bad experience come here you will surely get that for your money, the scorned guest at Paradise Resort (pictured) wrote If you want a bad experience come here you will surely get that for your money, one scorned guest at Paradise Resort wrote. I called police on them they damaged my car pushing it into the wall. They told me he dont [sic] get paid enough for this stuff but used a swear word he used in front of my children. That was the general manager, the guest, travelling with family in January, wrote last week. It is a shame you didnt mention your constant abuse, ranting unacceptable behaviour and shouting at my staff for issues outside of our control, or for leaving your car broken down across the main drive way preventing access, or for the police telling you that if your behaviour continued you would be evicted the hotels general manager, David Brook, responded. If there was a TripAdvisor for banned guests I can assure you that you would be on it. General manager at Paradise Resort (pictured) David Brook replied to the complainant: 'If there was a TripAdvisor for banned guests I can assure you that you would be on it' Meanwhile, a guest at Centrepoint Resort accused the manager of being racist in their review, adding that there was no toilet paper. The manager responded that the guest had illegally snuck an additional eight people to stay in the room. It is very disappointing to get a review that states we are racist and that the apartment was old, when it is one of our deluxe apartments, the manager, Penny, replied. We are sorry that we had to ask you to leave because you had booked for four people and had 12 people in the apartment. This is not only a fire and safety issue but it is also illegal to bring the extra eight people. Each apartment is given enough toilet paper etc as a starter pack and then it is up to the occupants to supply there [sic] own, as these are self-contained apartments. Accommodation Association of Australia chief executive Richard Munro told Courier Mail some comments posted on review sites were vexatious or of a person nature and shouldnt be on a public forum. However, he said it was fair enough for legitimate complaints to be made. A guest at Centrepoint Resort accused the manager of being racist in their review, adding that there was no toilet paper We are sorry that we had to ask you to leave because you had booked for four people and had 12 people in the apartment. This is not only a fire and safety issue but it is also illegal to bring the extra eight people,' the manager fired back Fascist was captured by British soldiers after the war and was put on trial fled to Germany following the outbreak of the war in 1939 Fascist William Joyce fled to Germany following the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 The execution of one of Britain's most infamous traitors has been declared a miscarriage of justice by a top human rights lawyer. William Joyce, better known by the nickname Lord Haw Haw, was executed for treason 70 years ago following the end of the Second World War. Joyce, who was a Nazi sympathizer, fled to Germany following the outbreak of the war in 1939 and became well-known for radio broadcasts from Berlin back to Britain and the US. In his broadcasts, which were directed on behalf of senior Nazi Joseph Goebbels and his propaganda ministry, Joyce would affect a upper-class English accent, giving rise to the Lord Haw-Haw moniker. A member of Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists before the war, Joyce used the broadcasts to denounce Jews and mock the war effort of Britain and its allies. Following the war Joyce has captured, much to the delight of people in Britain, and was put on trial for treason at the Old Bailey, eventually being found guilty in September 1945. However 70 years later, human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson has criticised the decision to execute Joyce, as he could not be guilty of treason given he was not a UK citizen. During BBC Radio 4's Treason on Trial programme, Mr Robertson said: 'Joyce, when he made these broadcasts, was an American living in Germany. 'It's one of those regrettable episodes, listed with Stephen Ward and the Birmingham Six. British justice has gone terribly wrong on a number of occasions.' Human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, right, has criticised the decision to execute Joyce, left, as he could not be guilty of treason given he was not a UK citizen Joyce was born in New York, USA in 1906 before emigrating with his family to Ireland a few years after his birth. Mr Robertson said Joyce's US birth certificate had been produced at his trial but was still tried for treason as he had lied on a passport application form in 1939 that he was born in the UK. He appealed the verdict to the House of Lords but it was swiftly rejected with no reason as to why, and was hung soon after on January 3, 1946. Mr Robertson added: 'They didn't waste any time executing him and that's one of the disgraces of this wretched proceeding.' Donors have raised tens of thousands of dollars after a newly-retired police officer was told he couldn't buy his K9 partner due to Ohio law. Police Officer Matt Hickey, of Marietta, Ohio, retired earlier this week and believed he would be able to keep his police dog Ajax, who has lived and worked with him for the last three years. The 30-year police veteran has offered the city $3,500, the amount the Ajax is worth, but due to Ohio state law, the city says it cannot let the retired cop buy the dog. Scroll down for video Retired Officer Matt Hickey has lived and worked with police dog Ajax for three years. When Officer Hickey retired this week he hoped to keep Ajax but was told the dog was set to go to auction because of state law 'There is a bond between us and it's very special and I would hate to lose my buddy. 'Ajax is a family member, one of my children,' Hickey told local news station WBNS. The law says if the officer leaves the force while the dog 'is still fit for duty', that officer 'forfeits ' the right to directly buy the animal. 'The dog is property of the city of Marietta. 'Because it is personal property, it is treated like a shovel. That's just the way it is,' Marietta Law Director Paul Betram III told WBNS. Hickey (left) is qualified to bid on Ajax (right) but fears someone will outbid him for his beloved companion More than 1,500 people have donated to a GoFundMe page raising more than $35,000 for Hickey to keep Ajax Ajax is now to be sold at auction and only active and retired officers or K9 trainers will be allowed to bid. Officer Hickey is qualified to bid on Ajax, but he's afraid he won't be the highest bidder. But a group of more than 1,500 donors has banded together to make sure that isn't the case. A GoFundMe page set up by a man named Corey Orr has raised more than $35,000 for Officer Hickey to buy back Ajax. The page says any remaining funds will be donated to 'a K-9 fund to the purchase of bullet resistent vests for our Law Enforcement Officers furry partners'. Marietta Mayor Joe Matthews said he wants Ajax and Hickey to stay together but there's nothing he can do 'Dogs are not inanimate objects to be auctioned off when their handler retires. 'They have a strong bond with each other. 'The State Law needs to change,' donor Lois Krempel wrote. Donor Gary Branham wrote: 'I am disappointed that the city Marietta treated Officer Hickey this way, rescinding the offer so they could possibly get more money? 'I hope everyone respects this and doesn't bid. 'He should get Ajax for $1. And that would be what the city deserves, for playing this greedy game.' Social media erupted as the photos were re-shared by shocked users A 21st birthday dress up party has stirred a huge social media backlash after two men shared photos of themselves dressed in black face as Indigenous Australians. The Victorian man who held the party shared images of the two men on his Facebook page. 'These 2 legends had the best costumes last night, I reckon they nailed the "Australian Icons" theme perfect! Top stuff lads!' read the post. A 21st birthday dress up party has stirred a huge social media backlash after two men shared photos of themselves dressed in blackface as Indigenous Australians Facebook post :The 21-year-old event holder posted a comment after his photos were shared over 100 times The photos show the two men covered entirely in thick black paint, wearing red loincloths, headbands and painted in Aboriginal-style body art The photos show the two men covered entirely in thick black paint, wearing red loincloths, headbands and painted in Aboriginal-style body art. In another photo, a woman is also wearing brown face paint, while wearing a bright green track suit with an Australian flag draped around her shoulders. The costume is believed to be a reference to Aboriginal Olympic gold medalist, Cathy Freeman. Disgusting little boys who think it's OK to paint their white bodies black and mock my people The event appears to have been held at Learmonth Football Club, about 135km west of Melbourne, where revelers wore an array of Australian themed costumes, including Dame Edna, Crocodile Dundee and a tub of Vegemite. The photos were shared on Facebook by the 21-year-old man, and later re-shared by shocked social media users, many labeling the costumes and racist, including one woman who says she is high school friends with many of the people in the photos. In another photo, a woman is also wearing brown face paint, while wearing a bright green track suit with an Australian flag draped around her shoulders. The costume is believed to be a reference to Aboriginal Olympic gold medalist, Cathy Freeman Dress up: The event appears to have been held at Learmonth Football Club, about one and half hours from Melbourne, where revelers wore an array of Australian themed costumes 'Today through the social media world I have been called a bully, been told I should be ashamed of myself and told that I am a horrible person. The reason for this is because I confronted the individual who casually uploaded this photo after an "Aussie Icon" themed party last night.' Other social media user's also commented on the photos. 'Disgusting little boys who think it's OK to paint their white bodies black and mock my people,' wrote Thelma. 'Are you f***ing kidding me. Disgusting. Idiotic. Imbeciles. So disrespectful. Wtf is wrong with people in this country,' asked Jason. I think its hilarious...I see the funny side? What's wrong please tell me There were also a string of comments from people who thought the costumes were 'just harmless fun'. 'I think its hilarious', wrote one woman, 'Would anyone be complaining if they were dressed as Indians or Muslims? Asked another man. The host of the party spoke to Sky News and described the backlash as 'political correctness gone wrong.' The 21-year-old host said the men in the photos were his 'best mates' who are 'decent Australian blokes.' The 21-year-old host said the men in the photos were his 'best mates' who are 'decent Australian blokes' News / National by Staff Reporter Former Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Andrew Langa has claimed that God appointed President Robert Mugabe to lead Zimbabwe.Langa, said this while declaring himself a born-again Christian in Filabusi and was quickly baptised at the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA)."The Head of State, President Mugabe is a God fearing man and was appointed to be President by God. When the Head of State and Government is a God-fearing man and has demonstrated to all and sundry that he has people at heart, why can't I also go to church.""I have decided to repent. We know that Zimbabwe is a peace-loving country and God-fearing nation and I thought that as a leader I have to go to church. I have been going to church but had no specific church and I have been prayerful."I then decided to join SDA because that's where I have been called. I want to ask church members to pray for me so that I can be able to abide by my vows and also grow spiritually."It's tough luck to my friends because they are going to miss me. There is no reason to tempt God hence I will not be going from one bar to another. That is in the past. I will be at this church every Saturday and I am very thankful to church leaders and I will not disappoint God."Last year, Langa spent two weeks at Catholic-run Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo. He was fired as minister after being accused of being aligned to axed Vice-President Joice Mujuru. A 21-year-old university student has died in hospital surrounded by family and friends after she was struck by a driver who had run a red light as she crossed the road. Louisa Huang, from Sydney, sustained such horrific injuries when she was hit by a car in Strathfield, in Sydney's inner west, on Friday night that she was declared brain dead. The woman, who according to her social media accounts had been studying medicinal chemistry at the University of New South Wales, died surrounded by loved ones after having her life support turned off at noon on Sunday, her friend Timothy Lim wrote in a blog. Scroll down for video University student Louisa Huang, 21 (pictured), died after her life support was turned off on Sunday. Three people were injured, and Ms Huang later died, after being hit by a car while they crossed a road in Sydney's inner West on Friday night Police said Ms Huang was crossing on a green pedestrian signal when she and two other men, aged 20 and 25, were hit by a white Toyota Corolla at about 9pm on Friday. The 37-year-old alleged driver, who was not injured in the crash, was initially charged with five offences including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and failing to stop at a red light. He has now also been charged with dangerous driving causing death. The man's licence has been suspended and he is expected to face Penrith Local Court on February 25 She had received critical injuries when she was struck by a car on Friday night in Sydney's inner West Police said Ms Huang was crossing on a green pedestrian signal when she and two other men, aged 20 and 25, were hit by a white Toyota Corolla at about 9pm on Friday The 37-year-old alleged driver was charged with five offences which include failing to stop at a red light but since Ms Huang's death he has also been charged with dangerous driving causing death Mr Lim, one of Ms Huang's friends on Facebook, wrote in his blog post that she had been declared brain-dead in hospital after the accident and lay in a coma, unrecognisable due to her injuries. 'Its times like these that make you feel a plethora of emotions. Anger. Shock. Sorrow. Disbelief. Despair,' Mr Lim wrote. 'If youve ever had someone close to you pass away, or if youve ever known people who have lost loved ones, you know theres no right answer to be said. Nothing that instantly makes things better when faced with the reality of death, and the loss of precious life.' Other friends of the university student have taken to social media to pay tribute to Ms Huang. Rachel Fong wrote: 'Heaven has gained another angel today. It's such a shame you left us so early but you will never be forgotten' Timothy Lim wrote a touching message about Ms Huang's death on his blog on Sunday and also posted to Facebook Friends have paid tribute to Louisa Huang, from Sydney, who was struck by a car in Strathfield on Friday night Ms Huang's friends took to social media to remember her, posting photos and recalling experiences togeth Rachel Fong wrote: 'Heaven has gained another angel today. It's such a shame you left us so early but you will never be forgotten'. Nickole Sembrano wrote: 'It's shocking to find out that someone you saw every day at high school can be gone in an instance because of someone's reckless actions. Rest in peace Louisa Huang. 'You'll always be remembered by all of us... for having such a bubbly and happy personality and it's not fair how someone so loving and cheerful can be taken away so young.' Nickole Sembrano wrote: 'It's shocking to find out that someone you saw every day at high school can be gone in an instance because of someone's reckless actions. Rest in peace Louisa Huang The three people injured in the crash were walking over a pedestrian crossing when they were hit by the car in this image After the incident, the two other men involved were also taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, one with a possible broken pelvis and the other with head injuries. Witness Andrew Taylor watched the devastating accident unfold, telling 9 News that he was only moments away from being caught up in the crash. Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook could come under fire after figures suggested its international corporation tax bill was just 4 per cent Facebook's fractional corporate tax bills are set to fuel a scandal over corporate tax avoidance. The social media giant paid 4,327 in UK corporation tax in 2014 - despite revenues in Britain of more than 700million. And it has emerged it paid just 86million to all tax authorities outside the United States despite reeling in profits of around 2.4 billion. The figures suggest Facebook pays around 4 per cent in corporation tax around the world. The Sunday Times today said Facebook was resisting an investigation by HMRC into the taxes it paid in Britain between 2010 and 2014. Facebook has reportedly slashed its UK tax bill by paying staff with shares and channelling payments offshore to the Cayman Islands. Baroness Joanna Shields, Facebook's former European boss, is the Government minister for internet security. The revelations, coming on the back of a scandal over an HMRC agreement with Google, is set add fuel to a fire over the taxes paid by multinationals. Google has agreed a bill of 130 million for the period of 2005 to 2014 - but it includes no fines or penalties. Other giant firms - including Apple, Amazon and Starbucks - have also come under scrutiny in Brussels for their methods of moving money around to avoid taxes. The complaints last week led senior US Treasury official Robert Stack to warn: 'We are concerned that the EU commission appears to be disproportionately targeting US companies.' Facebook's share price soared last week after it reported a 52-percent jump in quarterly revenue as it sold more ads targeted at a fast-growing number of mobile users. Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg said: '2015 was a great year for Facebook. Our community continued to grow and our business is thriving. 'We continue to invest in better serving the community, building our business, and connecting the world.' Peter Barron, the firm's head of communications, insisted Google paid all tax owed on profits officially made in the UK - including 46 million last year. Chancellor George Osborne has been under fire since he declared an agreement struck by HMRC for Google to pay an extra 130 million in taxes for the past decade was a 'major success' - despite the firm's sales in Britain amounting to around 3 billion. Mr Barron told the BBC Andrew Marr programme: 'In the UK we pay corporation tax at 20 per cent there is no sweetheart deal. Facebook reportedly reduced its tax bills by paying staff with shares and moving revenues via the Cayman Islands 'We are taxed on the economic activities of Google UK. We pay corporation tax in the UK at 20 per cent. 'Globally, our effective tax rate over the last five years is roundabout 20 per cent.' Mr Barron said its new accounts showed Google UK paid 46.2million for the last year, plus 130million for the period of 2005 to 2014. He insisted the additional payment was the result of six years of cooperation with HMRC to ensure the firm abided by the law. Mr Barron - a former editor of the BBC's Newsnight - claimed: 'Everything we do across the business, we always try to do the right thing.' He defended Google's decision to headquarter its European businesses in Ireland and then operate 'subsidiaries' in the UK and other European countries. And pressed on why the company the moves 30billion of global revenues onward to Bermuda - which has a corporate tax rate of 0 per cent - Mr Barron said: 'It's very, very important to make it clear that the Bermuda arrangement has absolutely no bearing on the amount of tax we pay in the UK.' Healthy patients taking the heart drug statins have a significantly higher risk of new diabetes and a very high risk of serious diabetic complications, a study has found. The research, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine in May 2015, tracked individuals in a database for almost ten years. It discovered statin users had a higher incidence of diabetes and also weight gain. Patients using the drugs were also more likely than the others to develop diabetes with complications including eye, nerve and kidney damage. The research, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine in May 2015, tracked individuals in a database for almost ten years Ishak Mansi, who led the study, said the link between statin use and diabetes complications 'was never shown before' Professor Ishak Mansi, a heart specialist at the University of Texas who led the study, said the association between statin use and diabetes complications 'was never shown before. Users of statins were more than twice as likely to develop diabetes and were 250 percent more likely than their non-statin-using counterparts to develop diabetes with complications. Patients included in the study were identified as healthy adults and researchers assessed of 3982 statin users and 21,988 non users over the decade. 'The risk of diabetes with statins has been known, but until now it was thought that this might be due to the fact that people who were prescribed statins had greater medical risks to begin with,' said Dr Mansi in a statement. Mansi told the Express that those results are 'alarming'. He added that drugs may be doing more harm than good for people at low risk of heart disease: 'I am sceptical about the prescribing guidelines for people at lower risk (of heart disease). I am concerned about the long term effects on the huge population of healthy people on these drugs who continue for many years.' Dr Mansi said those results are 'alarming However, Mansi said last year that patients should not stop taking their statins based on the study 'No patient should stop taking their based on our study, since statin therapy is a cornerstone in treatment of cardiovascular diseases and have been clearly shown to lower mortality and disease progression,' he told Medical Research. 'Knowing these risks may motivate a patient to quit smoking to lower risk rather than swallowing a tablet, or may motivate patient to lose weight and exercise.' Znoneofthe admits that his family and friends still refer to him as Sheldon He has pledged to keep the unusual title if he wins February's by-election Candidate says he hopes new name will attract fed up or first time votes Father-of-two's new moniker to appear on Ontario by-election ballot papers Sheldon Bergson has officially changed his name to Above Znoneofthe in time for an Ontario election Canadians will be able to vote for 'none of the above' in an upcoming by-election after a candidate legally changed his name. Father-of-two Sheldon Bergson paid $137 to officially change his name to Above Znoneofthe in time for an Ontario election on February 11. As names on the ballot papers are listed alphabetically by their surname first, he will appear underneath the list of other candidates, as Znoneofthe Above. The candidate explained that he had changed his name to try and offer fed up voters an alternative to the main parties. 'I'm aiming for all of the people who don't normally vote,' Znoneofthe told CBC News. 'I thought one of these days we should get 'none of the above' on the ballot. The married 46-year-old began the process to change his name last fall in the hopes of running in the federal election but it didn't happen in time. The official change went through in December last year and Znoneofthe, a customer services representative for a bank, insists he will keep his new name if he wins the byelection. He admits his family and friends still call him Sheldon however. The Ontario by-election was called after Christine Elliott announced she was stepping down as an MPP for Whitby-Oshawa after she lost the PC leadership race. When the ballot papers are issued on February 11, Znoneofthe will appear last, below Greg Vezina who is leader of the None of The Above Party. Despite the confusing similarity in names, the two are not affiliated. As names on the ballot papers are listed alphabetically by their surname first, he will appear underneath the list of other candidates, as Znoneofthe Above Kentucket govenor hopeful Terrill Wayne Newman (right) also legally changed his name in the hope of gaining votes - in his case to Gatewood Galbraith after the late local celebrity (left) who bid five times for the title but never won Other candidates include Progressive Conservative's Lorne Coe, the NDP's Niki Lundquist and Liberal Elizabeth Roy. It is not the first time an election candidate has changed their name in an attempt to appeal to the voters. Last year, a man vying to become the next Kentucky governor legally changed his name to Gatewood Galbraith after a late local celebrity who bid five times for the title but never won enough votes. The 68-year-old Pulaski County resident, who was known as Terrill Wayne Newman until last April, told the Lexington Herald-Leader, he hoped the gesture would 'warm Galbraith's grave.' His predecessor, who died in 2012 from chronic emphysema, gained a following for his wit, sharp dress sense and support of legalizing marijuana. ntiques dealers say prices of mahogany antiques have rapidly decreased Experts claim the price of valuable mahogany antiques is rapidly decreasing as young homeowners opt for modern interiors popularised by television shows such as Mad Men. Classic antique pieces have fallen by the wayside as people now choose more muted, neutral furnishings and specialist antiques dealers say collectors could be left disappointed when selling, as prices are tumbling. Fuelled by home design magazines and television shows, tastes and styles have shifted - meaning sales of items such as mahogany chests and chairs have more than halved in the last decade. 'Mad Men' style furnishings, with retro or muted palettes have taken over, with fewer people choosing to buy classic, antique mahogany furniture Specialist dealers say modern pieces will not offer the same quality and longevity as classic mahogany items But specialist dealers say modern pieces will not offer the same quality and longevity as classic mahogany items. The cast of Mad Men - an influence on young homeowners Patrick Sandberg of Sandberg Antiques in London, told Gregory Walton of The Sunday Telegraph that high-end mahogany items would retain most of their original saleability - unlike 'pedestrian' modern items. 'The good stuff is still making the money,' he said. 'It's the sort of pedestrian bow-front chest that's in your top bedroom that isn't.' Today, the price of mahogany furniture is at its lowest since the First World War, when the death toll led to high volumes of furniture going on the market. After the end of World War Two the demand for furniture went up and prices increased as young couples set up home. Prices for mahogany furniture were at their highest in the 1980s before a dramatic slump. Mr Sandberg added: 'When we had the crash I think it was partly due to the decorators and the media and the magazines telling everybody that they had to have beige and white floors. 'They were minimalist and generally telling everybody that old things were not good.' Mad Men style: Don Draper's office Paul Ledger of Ledger Brothers Antiques in Stockport also told The Sunday Telegraph the export market had suffered a decline in sales. 'Styles change and I think things went too expensive,' he said. 'Suddenly the demand wasn't there anymore. I can't see the wholesale business ever recovering. 'Young people just don't seem to be interested.' At Ledger Brother Antiques, a mahogany armchair which would have fetched 850 a decade ago is now on sale for just 375. However, with pieces worth several thousand pounds a decade ago now being sold for a few hundred pounds, experts are advising buyers to take advantage of the low prices. Many say now is the best time to buy, before the winds of fashion change again and prices rocket once more. Advertisement These are the haunting pictures from a frosty, wintry day at Europe's biggest cemetery. Saint Lazarus cemetery, also called 'Doina', is located in Chisinau, the capital of the Eastern Europe's Republic of Moldova. Founded in 1966, the cemetery occupies a surface of 2 million square metres and has more than 300,000 grave sites, including about 600 family vaults. Some of the graves are of deceased persons whose bodies have been moved to the cemetery from other locations. Considered one of the top places to visit in the Moldovan capital, the cemetery hosts endless rows of iron crosses, colourful wreaths and large picture-decorated gravestones. The skyline of the Moldovan capital is seen from the Saint Lazarus cemetery in Chisinau, Moldova Saint Lazarus cemetery, also called 'Doina', occupies a surface of 2 million square metres and has more than 300,000 grave sites, including about 600 family vaults Considered one of the top places to visit in the Moldovan capital, the cemetery hosts endless rows of iron crosses, colourful wreaths and large picture-decorated gravestones. A grave stone which reads: 'This is the resting place of USSR national team player Serghei Savcenko' is also depicted in the cemetery. A large part of the cemetery hosts the remains of German soldiers found on the territory of Moldova and belongs to the German government. At least a thousand Wehrmacht soldiers and officers have been buried in a special plot at the cemetery, according to local reports. In 2010, a documentary on 'Doina' entitled Digging For Life and produced by HBO Romania explores the life of the only living inhabitants of the cemetery - the gravediggers. The film describes the daily life of a group of gravediggers in Europe's largest cemetery and the microcosm that surrounds them. A grave stone which reads: 'This is the resting place of USSR national team player Serghei Savcenko' marks his grave in the Saint Lazarus cemetery in Chisinau Large photographs decorate grave stones in the Saint Lazarus cemetery with a backdrop of a suburban city in Chisinau A woman struggles on a muddy path between graves in the cemetery A large part of the cemetery hosts the remains of German soldiers found on the territory of Moldova and belongs to the German government In 2010, a documentary on 'Doina' entitled Digging For Life and produced by HBO Romania explores the life of the only living inhabitants of the cemetery - the gravediggers Flowers lay by fresh graves in Saint Lazarus, on a cold, crispy morning A dog tries to warm up sitting on an abandoned wreath in the cemetery A 27-year-old man has been rushed to hospital after the fourth slashing on New York's Subway in just seven days. The victim was on the southbound platform at 110th Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem at 5am on Sunday morning arguing with another woman. She then went to talk to another man and asked him for help. It was then that the stranger took out a knife and slashed the man across the face, according to CBS 2. Scroll down for video A 27-year-old man has been rushed to hospital to get sticthes after he was the victimn of the fourth slashing on New York's Subway in just seven days He was attacked on the southbound platform at 110th Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem The suspect fled the scene and is on the run. The victim was taken to get stitches and is expected to survive. The latest attack is part of a disturbing trend appearing on New York's main transit system. Since December, about a dozen such random, unprovoked slashings have been reported across the city, including four this week. On Monday Damon Knowles, 21, allegedly attacked 71-year-old Carmen Rivera on board a train in Soho. He has since appeared in court and been charged with the attack. On Tuesday, a 29-year-old woman was supposedly cut by Ras Alula Nagarit, who was wielding a cloth-covered machete, police said. Carmen Rivera, 71, was attacked on board a train in SoHo earlier this week. She is stood outside her home with a dressing on the wound Damon Knowles, 21, (left) and Ras Alula Nagarit (right) have both been arrested and have appeared in court, accused of slashing Subway riders Amanda Morris (pictured), 24, of Brooklyn, was walking to a grocery store job in Manhattan on January 6 when a man who had been walking beside her suddenly reached out, slashed her face and dashed off He allegedly pulled out a knife when she bumped into him at the Atlantic Avenue/Barclays Center station in Brooklyn. Nagarit handed himself into police after he allegedly threatened to 'chop up' his victim. Yet another man was slashed Wednesday night on a subway in East Harlem, police said. That incident happened on the southbound No. 6 train platform beneath Lexington Avenue and 116th Street, police said. All were committed by strangers, police said. They used knives, razors and, in one instance, possibly a machete. Police say the spate of attacks is largely a coincidence. Investigators believe they were committed by different, unconnected people. It was the wedding Anna Goldschmidt had been dreaming of since she was a child. Surrounded by family and friends in Manhattan's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, with glistening decorations, food, and a pop star flown over from Russia, the event came close to $1 million. But as the 24-year-old bride exchanged vows with her high school sweetheart Elan Stratiyevsky, a cousin's semiautomatic pistol went off in the lobby, injuring four and bringing the fairy tale to a sudden end. Now, as the couple and hotel engage in a bitter legal battle with the groom's cousin - Vladimir Gotlibovsky - they have spoken out about the moment everything fell apart. 'It felt worse than if someone would have died in [my] family. It was a tragedy,' Goldschmidt, who is six months pregnant, told the New York Post. 'I dont even remember myself screaming, but everyone says it was blood-curdling.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Bride Anna Goldshmidt (pictured) has spoken out, saying she was so traumatized she can't even remember her blood-curdling scream that ripped through the hall as she was told the event had to be cancelled High school sweethearts Elan Stratiyevsky and Anna Goldshmidt pictured at their wedding on June 13 minutes before a cousin's gun went off in the lobby of the Waldorf Astoria, injuring four and shutting down the event The whole saga was hidden from Goldschmidt for hours as her family tried to quietly clean up the scene, telling her instead that a chandelier had fallen from the ceiling. In fact, the gunshot had hit Gotlibovsky in the leg and ricocheted across the hall, grazing a female guest in the head. The bride's mother was grazed on the foot by debris. Her father pulled the groom aside, telling him the full story and warning him not to tell Anna. And so, as Goldschmidt signed her Jewish wedding contract, mingled with guests and reveled in her big day, staff were subtly trying to keep everyone in one room while police dealt with an active crime scene. 'I thought something was weird. They told me a chandelier broke and they closed off that area,' she explained to the newspaper. I'm still traumatized. This will affect me for the rest of my life, and my children The bride, Anna Goldschmidt 'All the guests are just pushing through these doors. You cant keep 350 people in one room - not my guests! Everyones saying, "Im a lawyer!"' Finally she noticed police tape. 'One of the sergeants said, "You cant come here". They start pushing everybody back. My mom literally fainted,' she told the Post. 'Im looking at [the wedding planner], and Im screaming, "Whats going on?" 'Hes looking at me, hes shaking his head. I lost it. I was hysterical. I couldnt believe it was happening and I couldnt believe it was happening to me. You dont see things like this in movies. 'I asked Elan who it was, and he refused to tell me. I turned to my mom and grabbed her and said, "Tell me who it was!" The situation was then delicately explained as the wedding planner broke the news that the party had to be shut down immediately. They solemnly went to their hotel room and by the time they thought to reclaim their lavish spread of food, it had already been thrown out, the New York Post reports. 'Im still traumatized. This will affect me for the rest of my life, and my children,' Goldschmidt told the paper. A New York judge ruled in January that the hotel isn't completely off the hook - and may still have to pay the jilted bride and groom for the 'emotional distress' it caused by canceling their reception. Gotlibovsky sued the Waldorf Astoria, claiming it was liable for the economic damages and emotional hardship, after he was sued by the newlyweds. A judge ruled Vladimir Gotlibovsky (pictured front) can't hold the Waldorf Astoria accountable for economic damages caused by his 'own negligence' when his gun went off at the hotel during his cousin's wedding Gotlibovsky and his brother Felix, 52, (center) were both charged with one count of criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence in December A New York judge ruled the Waldorf Astoria (pictured) still may have to contribute damages related to the couple's 'emotional distress' if the claim is supported during trial and the newlyweds win their case Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Cynthia Kern ruled that Gotlibovsky had no right to hold the Waldorf Astoria accountable for economic damages caused by his 'own negligence', according to the New York Daily News. But Kern said the hotel may have to contribute damages related to the couple's 'emotional distress' if the claim is supported during trial and the newlyweds win their case. Joel Simon, the attorney for the Waldorf Astoria, said the hotel does not plan to appeal the decision, he told The New York Post. Goldshmidt's attorney, David Jaroslawicz, said they were hoping for a settlement. 'As long as the Waldorf's in, maybe everyone can sit down in a room together and finally reimburse this couple for what happened,' he told the Post. Gotlibovsky and his brother Felix, 52, were both charged with one count of criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence in December. Vladimir was also charged with an additional six counts of third-degree misdemeanor assault. Felix Gotlibovsky is accused of taking the gun from his brother and then hiding it in Vladimir's house. Vladimir was licensed to carry the gun. His attorney says he plans to contest the charges. The government is now prosecuting people who were involved in accidents, Arthur Gershfeld told the New York Times in December. The facts do not support any criminal acts. An attorney for Felix told the Times that his client did what he thought was lawful, and hes right. According to court documents, Vladmir was carrying a 9mm Ruger semiautomatic pistol in his pants pocket for which he possessed a valid permit to carry. The gun discharged once at around 7.15pm, hit his right leg, ripped his pants and hit the floor. Maya Rafailovich, 55, was grazed in the head when the bullet ricocheted off the hotel lobby's floor. Maya Rafailovich (pictured) was grazed in the head when the bullet ricocheted off the hotel lobby's floor The Manhattan hotel (pictured after the shooting in June) called off the reception due to safety concerns A man and two hotel workers were also injured from shrapnel. The brothers then allegedly went into a bathroom, where Vladimir gave the firearm to Felix, who was not licensed to carry it, and the pair began to leave. Later that evening, NYPD detectives recovered the gun from Vladimirs home, as well as ammunition, two empty gun boxes, a holster and his permit. , is in last place with just a 3% tally Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are neck-and-neck in Iowa as voters prepare to head to the caucus. The former secretary of state and favorite to win the race for the Democratic nomination is ahead of her rival by just three percent. According to The Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll, the ex-first lady has 45 percent while the Vermont senator has 42. Martin O'Malley, a distant third favorite, dropped one percentage point down to three percent. Scroll down for video Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, and favorite to win the race for the Democratic nomination, is ahead of her rival Bernie Sanders by just three percent She turned her event in Iowa on Saturday night into a family affair by getting husband Bill and daughter Chelsea to invite her onto the stage in Cedar Rapids This poll, which is known as the most respected one, was conducted of 602 likely Democratic caucus-goers and 602 likely GOP caucus-goers from January 26-29. It has a margin of error of +/- four percent. On Monday, Iowans will gather in homes, gymnasiums, libraries, taverns and even grain elevators for caucuses to select their favorite for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations. When they are finished, the race will take on a new dynamic and several candidates are expected to drop out altogether. 'This is your time,' Ted Cruz told a crowd of about 1,000 at a hotel ballroom. 'This is the time for the men and women of Iowa to make a decision. We are inches away.' In her latest attempt to woo Iowa voters before they caucus on Monday, Hillary Clinton had her husband and daughter introduce her at a campaign event where she again begged the state's Democrats to support her over Bernie Sanders. Chelsea and Bill have campaigned for the former first lady before, but never at the same time at an event that Hillary Clinton herself was also speaking at. The triple-down in Cedar Rapids stood in contrast to Sanders' own get out the vote efforts a half hour away in Iowa City, where he hosted a rally with Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson and musical guests Vampire Weekend and Foster the People at the University of Iowa. First, the opening and closing acts included the band Vampire Weekend, singing along with the Hawkapellas, the university's acapella group, and Mark Foster, the frontman of Foster the People, known for the tune 'Pumped Up Kicks.' 'Hunger Games' actor Josh Hutcherson also joined. Sanders is just three per cent behind Hillary, and has gained a huge amount of ground in build-up to the Iowa caucuses, which are vital for candidates Second, Sanders talked about drugs much to the delight of the college-age crowd. 'Now I know you know nothing about marijuana,' the Vermont senator joked, though warned the young people, 'Stay away from heroin.' As the 74-year-old Sanders relied on his celebrity guests to get the 5,000 students who showed up to do the caucus groove, Clinton went with the familiar, a stump speech that claimed Republicans 'really rip away our progress' and 'turn back the clock.' 'We can't let that happen,' she declared at her third rally of the day. The Republicans, Clinton said, are 'nervous' about running against her because they know that she knows 'how to go after them' and prevent them from taking a wrecking ball to the nation's economy again. Sanders, and his wife Jane (center) sing along to 'This Land is Your Land' with Vampire Weekend during a campaign rally at the University of Iowa on Saturday night 'We're going to take the fight to them, and we can, but we also have to make progress,' she said, returning to a claim she's frequently made on the campaign trail - that's she's a progressive 'who actually likes to make progress.' The dog whistle at Sanders, whose ideas she says are unobtainable, preceded her assertion the debate she's having with Sanders over health care is important, because 'we both have the same goals, we want universal coverage.' 'You know before it was called Obamacare it was called Hillarycare. I was working to get us to universal coverage,' she said. She got beat by insurance and drug companies, 'but I got up off the floor' and got the Children's Health Insurance Program passed. 'We know what the alternative is, the Republicans want to repeal it,' she later said, 'We cannot start over my friends. We can't throw this country back into gridlock. People cant wait for us to have another 20-year debate about health care.' The 26-year-old also posed with her son wearing a black balaclava bearing the slogan of ISIS Jihadi mother Tareena Shakil - the first British woman convicted of joining ISIS - has been exposed as an attention-seeker who stole another woman's husband. The 26-year-old, who took her toddler to war-torn Syria using a student loan, fled Britain after leaving her husband of four years. His former wife said Shakil had a secret affair with the man while they were still married when she enjoyed a party-girl lifestyle and regularly smoked cannabis. The woman even accused Shakil of threatening to petrol bomb her home 'to get rid of her'. She knew nothing of her husband's affair until Shakil arrived on her doorstep late one evening and told her about it. The woman first met the man in 2004 and married him just a week later - even though he was then married to another woman which she was unaware of. She said: 'I remember the night Tareena turned up to my home like it was yesterday. 'I'd been in a rocky relationship with him for about five years. 'She knocked on my door at 11pm and she told me she was having an affair with my husband. She was only 18 or 19 at the time. 'I'd actually left him two months prior to Tareena turning up, but then she told me that the affair had been going on for seven months. 'She said she was living in a flat with him and that she was besotted by him. The pair has met in a nightclub in Birmingham and he wouldn't leave Tareena alone. 'She decided to give up her job and leave university because he asked her to put a deposit on a flat so they could live together. 'That happened just two weeks after they met. At his point, he was still married to me and he was sleeping around with Tareena behind my back. 'Tareena told me that she liked getting drunk every weekend, as well as smoking cannabis. 'She would wear short, revealing dresses in order to attract men. She loved being the centre of attention. Shakil sent photographs of her son in Syria, including one image showing him sitting next to an AK-47 machinegun. The caption of the picture describes him as 'Abu Jihad al-Britani' 'When she turned up at my door, she was a petite girl, dressed in skinny jeans and she looked modern. 'She asked me if I thought she was pretty, and she kept looking at herself in the mirror. She seemed so self-obsessed. That day I met her I didn't see a single Muslim bone in her body. 'I asked her if she was religious and she said she wasn't.' She added: 'Because she confessed the affair to me after I left him, I told her she was welcome to him. 'But I warned her about him. He is the most vile man I have ever known. Even talking about him makes me feel physically sick. 'I told her that he would change her, and would force her to cover up like he did to me and his other ex-wife. But she laughed it off, she didn't believe me.' Shakil pictured in her mugshot and at East Midlands Airport with her toddler before they boarded a flight to Turkey en route to Syria Photos shown to the jury showed Shakil posing in an ISIS balaclava and with a Kalashnikov rifle She went on: 'I couldn't believe it when I saw the photos of Tareena in the papers. She was not the girl I met all those years ago. 'She looked so drugged up - she used to be a vibrant, dolly girl. It's as though she is trying to pull of this false pretence that she is a good Muslim woman who obeys by the rules. 'But the reality is, she used to be a heavy drinker, she would take drugs.' She added: 'She divorced him but he still believes they are married. He is delusional. 'He was fascinated by guns, and always used to mention AK47s. I definitely believe Tareena's demise was down to him. 'What Tareena has done is inexcusable. I am in no way supporting what she has done. What I don't understand is why she chose to go to Syria. 'But she's an attention seeker, she always has been for as long as I've known her. 'She also told someone I know that she would pay someone to petrol bomb my house to get rid of me. She is a crazy woman and not the girl I met all those years ago. 'Whatever sentence she gets is what she deserves. It's her just desserts.' Shakil booked a one-week package holiday to Turkey and left the UK in October 2014 with her 14-month-old son before crossing the Syrian border. Three months later she crossed back into Turkey where she was detained and was eventually arrested at Heathrow Airport on February 18. She was found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday of being a member of ISIS and encouraging terrorism with her vile tweets. Shakil, of Sparkbrook, Birmingham, is due to be sentenced tomorrow at Birmingham Crown Court. News / National by Staff Reporter Charismatic preacher, Prophet Walter Magaya was kicked out of an undisclosed hospital, after several women went into unexpected labour when they saw him.Speaking to Sunday Life about the incident, one of PHD Ministries pastors - Pastor Ray, said it was a common phenomenon with Magaya."It's nothing new, it happens all the time. It's the anointing that leads to these miracles. What people need to understand is that some of these things are spiritual."Some women have pregnancies that last too long and because of his anointing, his presence there led them to going into labour and giving birth," said Pastor Ray.He added: "He (Magaya) is considering stopping visiting people in hospitals because of such phenomenon."Prophet Magaya also confirmed the incident to an online publication, stating that there was always chaos when he visited people in hospitals.He said: At some point I went into one hospital visiting a relative and there was chaos, as most of the women went into labour at once and I was kicked out by security. The last time I visited another hospital there was chaos, as all the patients wanted to be laid hands upon and we had to rush out."Prophet Magaya was also quoted as having said that he couldn't just visit hospitals and homes for the mentally challenged."I cannot just go there. If there is no agreement then there is no power that can be released. I can walk into the hospital and leave them all the same. I have written to hospitals but they have never invited me."As a minister you might want to visit such institutions but it takes an invitation from the authorities to go there," said Prophet Magaya. Donald Trump ramped up his rhetoric again this morning against Ted Cruz upon hearing that the Texas senator questioned his commitment to getting rid of Obamacare. 'Look, Ted Cruz is a total liar,' Trump told George Stephanopoulos on This Week. 'I am so against Obamacare. I've been saying it for two years in my speeches, I'm going to repeal and replace Obamacare.' Trump has used the 'liar' line against Cruz in recent weeks as the two are fighting for Iowa voters in advance of Monday's caucuses. Cruz said this weekend in Iowa that 'a vote for Marco Rubio is a vote for amnesty, and a vote for Donald Trump is a vote for Obamacare,' according to Breitbart News. Scroll down for video Donald Trump appeared on the Sunday shows this morning, just one day before the Iowa caucuses, and again called chief rival Ted Cruz a liar Donald Trump repeated his attack on Ted Cruz this morning by sending out a tweet. He called Cruz a liar on This Week with George Stephanopoulos Our Principles PAC, a project ran by Katie Packer, Romney's deputy campaign manager put out a full-page ad in the Des Moines Register, and other Iowa newspaper, in a last ditch effort to derail Donald Trump Trump used the Obamacare question to again point out that Cruz is unpopular in Washington something that Cruz has touted to voters but the billionaire suggests proves that Cruz is a 'nasty guy.' 'I mean, look, Ted is a liar. This is why nobody likes him, this is why he doesn't have ... one endorsement from one senator, not one,' Trump continued. Stephanopoulos asked if any senators had endorsed Trump yet. 'They will very soon,' the Republican frontrunner replied. 'You watch.' 'I am so against Obamacare,' he added, repeating the line 'He lies!' in a tweet dashed off this morning as well. Stephanopoulos asked the question because Cruz has brought up Trump's stance Obamacare, but the billionaire was also hit in a full-page ad on the issue that ran in the Des Moines Register this morning. The advertisement was the product of a newly formed super PAC led by a senior staff from Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign who is making a last-ditch effort to convince Iowa voters not to select Trump as the GOP nominee. The advertisement, courtesy of Our Principles PAC, a project ran by Katie Packer, Romney's deputy campaign manager, asks Iowa voters 'Do We Really Know Him?' The PAC also put seven figures behind an ad highlighting Trump's past support for left-wing causes such as universal health care and partial birth abortion At the same time, Ted Cruz and other staunch conservatives are hammering Trump, seen here last night at a rally, on social issues like abortion, which he's now against, but was formerly pro-choice It notes Trump saying he was for a single-payer health care plan that the 'government is going to pay for,' which is what Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders is supporting. The ad also notes Trump's 'very pro-choice' comment, a proposed tax increase that he laid out in his book 'The America We Deserve,' which was released in 2000. It also portrays Trump as a flip-flopper on immigration the central issue of his campaign along with the Second Amendment and Planned Parenthood. Packer's PAC previously released a television ad with similar messaging, putting seven figures behind the campaign, according to Politico. 'We want voters to hear for themselves how flimsy he is on some of these critical issues,' Packer told USA Today about the advertising campaign. 'He doesnt seem to have any kind of philosophical anchor Right now, hes winning because of his personality,' she added. On the immigration issue, which was included in today's print ad, but not the television spot, Packer said in an op-ed that ran on Poliitco the day Trump announced his candidacy that the GOP has to take a softer touch or it will alienate a quarter of the overall electorate. 'Using harsh rhetoric that defines anything short of deportation as amnesty without any plan for real immigration reform may receive applause at a town hall meeting in Concord, New Hampshire, or a house party in Cedar Rapids. Iowa,' she said. 'And it may be popular with a small number of GOP primary voters and conservative talking heads, but it doesnt win the hearts of the majority of primary voters and it alienates critical general election constituencies.' Packer said she came to those conclusions after reviewing research conducted by her firm Burning Glass Consulting. Romney aide Katie Packer said in an op-ed that ran the day Trump announced his candidacy that the GOP has to take a softer touch on immigration or it will alienate the general electorate Her data found that roughly two-thirds of young people and Hispanics would be less likely to vote for a candidate with hard-line views on illegal immigration. 'We explored the issue further with focus groups, and while early-state GOP voters want to see real criminals who enter this country illegally sent home, most want hardworking immigrants who are here illegally to have a chance to come clean, get straight with the law and become productive taxpayers like the rest of us,' she said. Packer urged the GOP's presidential contenders 'not lose sight of the ultimate goal of winning the White House....overly harsh talk on immigration will allow Democrats to paint our party, and our nominee, as anti-Hispanic once again.' Her former boss would know. He lost Hispanics by 44 points to Obama in the last presidential election and fell short of the Oval Office by 126 electoral votes after his defeat in Florida, a state with a heavy Hispanic population, by less than one percent. Trump's taken a different strategy than the one Packer described in her op-ed. He's embrace zero-tolerance policy for illegal immigration and has further called for moratorium on entry to the country of Muslim refugees. His positions have earned him praise from conservatives in the party and scowls from establishment Republicans, including Jeb Bush, who think the party should tone down its rhetoric on the issue. At the same time, Ted Cruz and other staunch conservatives have hammered him on social issues like abortion, which he's now against but used to be for. Both of Cruz's super PACs, as well as the candidate, have attacks ads out that rely on footage from a 1999 interview Trump did with the late Tim Russert on Meet the Press in which he said he was pro-choice and was for partial-birth abortion. The Cruz-aligned Keep the the Promise I had $2.5 million behind its ads in Iowa and South Carolina, CNN reports. One of the ads focuses on health care and claims the billionaire will introduce 'Trumpcare'. The other PAC, which calls itself Stand for Truth, will put $4 million behind its efforts to support Cruz, the network said, but not all of that will go toward the current ad buy. The ad Our Principles PAC, Packer's group, is airing also relies on a clip from the Russert interview. It also shows Trump in a more recent interview that aired last fall and is used in the Trumpcare commercial and shows him endorsing government-funded health care. This quote is also used in today's print campaign. In the interview 60 Minutes' Scott Pelley asks Trump about 'universal health care.' 'I am going to take care of everybody,' Trump responds. After Pelley asks, 'Who pays for it?' Trump tells him, 'The governments gonna pay for it.' And while the attack ads use these comments, Trump hasn't acknowledged that he's ever said them. Hillary Clinton brushed off the latest episode in her ongoing email saga as Republican smear tactics 'very much like Benghazi' today and declared that her political rivals in the opposing party were 'grasping at straws.' Clinton denied this morning that she sent or received classified email and told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, 'I just want this matter resolved. The best way to resolve is to do what I asked months ago, release these, let the public see them and let's move on.' The Obama administration acknowledged on Friday that 22 of the emails once held on Clinton's private home-brew server were 'top secret' and so sensitive that they can't be shown to the public in any form. Republican presidential hopefuls sharpened their rhetorical knives in hopes the bombshell that coincided with the final days of their Iowa caucus campaigns would derail her campaign. Scroll down for video Hillary Clinton brushed off the latest episode in her ongoing email saga as Republican smear tactics 'very much like Benghazi' today during an appearance on This Week and declared that her political rivals in the opposing party were 'grasping at straws' Clinton, seen here campaigning yesterday in Iowa, denied this morning that she sent or received classified email. 'I just want this matter resolved. The best way to resolve is to do what I asked months ago, release these, let the public see them and let's move on' Clinton, they say, is unfit to be commander-in-chief because of trust issues raised by cavalierly handling America's closely held secrets and hiding the ball when congressional investigators caught her with a hand in the digital cookie jar. 'Hillary has said she's done nothing wrong,' former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Thursday during a rally in Iowa, 'but she has lied.' The revelations were a 'disaster' for Clinton, GOP front runner Donald Trump said on Twitter. 'At a minimum, how can someone with such bad judgement be our next president?' Also on his Twitter feed, The Donald boomed that 'Hillary Clinton is a major national security risk. Not presidential material!' Some of the emails are said to contain information gathered by human intelligence sources, raising the possibility that releasing them or failing to secure them, as Clinton is accused of doing could endanger human lives. Clinton downplayed those accusations today and said the new information is a 'continuation of the story that has been playing out for months.' 'There is no classified marked information on those emails sent or received by me,' she said, citing Senate Intelligence ranking member Dianne Feinstein's assessment that the email chains under review did not originate with her and did not contain classification markings. Continuing Clinton said, 'So I do want them released and of course I can't be clear about exactly what the reasons might be for some in the government, as part of this interagency dispute, to make this request not to make them public.' 'But I would like to see them disclosed and I think they can. It should be disclosed.' Republican front runner Donald Trump weighed in after the revelation that 22 of Clinton's emails contained 'top secret' information was a 'disaster' for Clinton She declined, even after the ABC News host's urging, to castigate the review process results as a political hit job. However, she said, 'the timing and some of the leaks that have led up to it are concerning.' Clinton pointed out that one of the emails now considered top secret included information published in a news article. 'That seems a little hard to understand, that we would be retroactively over classifying a public newspaper article,' she told Stephanopoulos. 'So let's just get it out. Let's see what it is and let the American people draw their own conclusions. This is very much like Benghazi, George,' she told him. 'You know, the Republicans are going to continue to use it, beat up on me. I understand that. That's the way they are.' She regaled her run-ins with Republicans over the terrorist attack in Libya and said, at this point, 'I think it's pretty clear they're grasping at straws.' The former secretary of state refused to say last week that her email practices at the State Department - she not only used a private email address to conduct business, she housed her emails on her own server - was an 'error in judgment.' 'No, Im not willing to say it was an error in judgment because...nothing that I did was wrong. It was not...in any way prohibited,' Clinton said of the controversy Monday at a CNN-hosted forum in Des Moines. She told Stephanopoulos this morning as he revisited her remarks that, 'It was not the best choice.' 'I wouldnt be here talking to you about it. I'd be talking about what people in Iowa are talking to me about, about affordable health care and jobs and rising wages and all of the concerns that are on their minds.' Both Chris Christie and Marco Rubio said last week that Clinton's behavior 'disqualified' her from returning to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. 'Now, didn't she look us in the eye and tell us that there was not a bit of classified information on her personal server?' Christie asked a roomful of Iowa voters on Friday. 'She has now definitively, without any question, lied to us.' Marco Rubio said Clinton's behavior 'disqualified' her from becoming President of the United States Trump's main challenger Ted Cruz said Clinton's legal predicament 'is getting more and more serious' Rubio added during a campaign stop that 'Hillary Clinton put some of the highest, most sensitive intelligence information on her private server because maybe she thinks she is above the law'. 'This is unacceptable. This is a disqualifier.' Ted Cruz, a tea party senator who is fighting with Trump for the top spot on the Republican side of the Iowa contest, said in rural eastern Iowa on Friday night that Clinton's legal predicament 'is getting more and more serious'. When a woman in his audience shouted that 'She's a criminal!', Cruz responded: 'That actually is an accurate statement.' Cruz said reporters in Washington have accepted the idea that 'whether Hillary gets indicted depends on whether the Obama White House wants to indict her'. 'If they decide politically that they've had enough with Hillary, then she gets indicted,' he said journalists generally believe. 'If they decide they haven't, then she doesn't.' Cruz called it 'a disgrace' that 'the administration of justice depends on some political hack in the West Wing'. He told radio host Hugh Hewitt earlier on Friday that if Hillary Clinton is criminally indicted, 'it is difficult to see how she could successfully run for president'. 'I would put nothing past the gall and audacity of the Clintons to try. But even the Democratic Party I would find it hard to believe that they would be eager to nominate someone who is under indictment and could well face felony incarceration.' Clinton's main opponent in the race for the Democratic nomination Bernie Sanders refused to politicize the issue in his own appearance on This Week. Even though he has the most to gain from her email scandal, he has kept his powder dry famously declaring in their first primary debate that 'the American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damned emails!'. I will 'not attack Hillary Clinton on that issue. I stand by what I said in the first debate,' Sanders said this morning. 'Republicans, needless to say, have a different point of view on that.' Sanders said he believes is campaign is doing well because he is 'treating the American people with intelligence.' 'That's why we're winning, because we're running an issue oriented campaign. And that's why I think we can win in November.' Clinton has said repeatedly that she did nothing that was forbidden by State Department rules when she kept all her digital correspondence as the agency's chief on a private server in her Chappaqua, New York home and that the materials were not 'marked' classified at the time. That distinction may not matter under the federal Espionage Act, which includes a provision for prosecuting 'negligence' the crime of merely failing to exercise appropriate caution with the nation's secrets. That distinction may not matter under the federal Espionage Act, which includes a provision for prosecuting 'negligence' the crime of merely failing to exercise appropriate caution with the nation's secrets. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie accused Clinton of lying to voters by claiming none of the emails on her private server were top secret Lady in red: Clinton looked like she had more positive matters on her mind as she arrived at a campaign stop in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday Clintons' campaign on Friday asked the government to release all the emails in question, saying they contained nothing the public shouldn't see. That demand, however, is fraught with problems: Only President Barack Obama can unilaterally declassify top secret materials, and the White House doesn't want to be seen as putting its thumb on the scales of justice while the FBI is investigating Clinton. The Iowa caucuses, a collection of more than 1,000 neighborhood meetings across the state, will take place Monday. While Clinton is leading her main Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders in national polls and in New Hampshire, the two are running neck-and-neck in the Hawkeye State. Clinton is still trying to shake the ghosts of 2008, when she entered the Iowa caucuses as the presumptive favorite and ended up finishing third behind the unheralded then-Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and the scandal-prone Senator John Edwards of North Carolina. Her nemesis this time around is Sanders, a self-described 'Democratic socialist' Vermont senator whose campaign has caught fire among young voters and typically attracts much larger numbers of people than Clinton does to campaign events. Happy families: Chelsea Clinton had her mother's crowd cheering as they campaigned together in Iowa, alongside Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly All the Iowa hopefuls are barnstorming the state this weekend, trying to motivate their bases of supporters to show up for Monday night's caucuses. Polls show Clinton and Trump leading their parties' fields Hillary more narrowly than the billionaire real estate developer but anything can happen in the caucuses, and usually does, in the first-in-the-nation balloting in the 2016 presidential race. Clinton has studiously avoided mentioning her email scandal on the campaign trail. On Saturday morning in Des Moines, according to a press pool report, she talked about the Affordable Care Act and jobs in African-American communities, but took no questions. Chancellor George Osborne, pictured in Liverpool this week, is facing calls to reform corporation tax as it emerged six of Britain's 10 biggest firms paid nothing in 2014 At least six of Britain's 10 biggest companies paid no corporation tax in 2014 despite ringing up global profits of more than 30billion, it was claimed today. An investigation into the firms - which includes household names Shell and Lloyds Banking Group - is set to raise yet more questions about the corporation tax regime in Britain. Chancellor George Osborne has been underfire after praising a 130million HMRC deal with Google as a 'massive success' - despite it allegedly amounting to taxes of just 3 per cent. Former chancellor Lord Lawson has called for corporation to be overhauled and instead of taxing profits - which company's are accused of routinely sheltering offshore - instead charging a levy on revenues. Today's Sunday Times investigation is set to heighten calls for reforms of corporate tax arrangements. The newspaper said Shell paid no corporation tax in 2014 despite global profits of almost 20 billion. The way corporation tax is set up means it charges 20 per cent on all profits declared in Britain but a complex series of arrangements can allow transactions to be effectively made overseas. Lloyds Banking Group said it paid no corporation tax in 2014 after offsetting losses in previous years against a profit of 1.76billion. Vodafone said it paid no corporation tax in 2014/15, despite making profits of 1.97bn in the year to the end of March 2015. Also on the zero corporation tax list was British American Tobacco (BAT) - the firm paid corporation taxes in other countries after profiting by 4.55billion in 2014 but none of it was paid in Britain. It said only a fraction of its revenues were made here and they were swallowed up by staff costs and research./ Pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca said it paid no corporation tax in 2014, telling the Sunday Times it made no taxable profits. BP's four main British subsidiaries showed no corporation tax was paid in the UK and the firm said it did not expect to make payments while the oil price remained far below its recent highs. HSBC Group, with profits of 11.3bn worldwide, told the Sunday Times it paid about 160m in UK corporation tax in 2014. Drinks firm Diageo said its UK corporation tax charge for 2014/15 was 78m. Household names Shell, left, and Lloyds Banking Group, right, both were named by a newspaper investigation today as having paid no corporation tax in 2014 Yesterday, Lord Lawson told the Telegraph: 'It is profoundly unsatisfactory that corporation tax has to be collected from large multinational corporations by a series of ad hoc compromise deals, as we have once again seen with the Google affair. 'It is also grossly unfair on smaller businesses, who are unable to shift profits between tax jurisdictions and have to pay the full amount due under UK law.' Google's head of communications Peter Barron told the BBC today the search engine would welcome simpler and more transparent corporate taxes. Amid an angry storm over Google's tax bill, he said: 'We think the international tax system could do with reform. We would like to see more simplicity and more clarty. We would like to be seen to be paying the right amount. It comes as representatives of Syria's government and its divided opposition meet in Geneva for peace talks Explosions tore a massive crater in the road and was so powerful that it scorched the facade of a six-storey building Sayyida Zeinab contains grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is Shiite pilgrimage site ISIS claimed responsibility for attacks that killed 25 Shiite fighters, among the others, and wounded dozens Dozens killed in suicide blasts near the Shiite shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, south of Syrian capital Damascus Advertisement Bombings claimed by the Islamic State group have killed at least 60 people, including 25 Shiite fighters, and wounded dozens near Syria's holiest Shiite shrine outside the capital Damascus. The first blast was caused by a car bomb that went off at a bus station by a public transport garage near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine. Two suicide bombers then set off their explosive belts when people gathered at the scene, according to official SANA news agency. Syrian security forces and residents gather at the site of suicide bombings in the area of a revered Shiite shrine in the town of Sayyida Zeinab, on the outskirts of Damascus The first blast was caused by a car bomb that went off at a bus station by a public transport garage near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine Two suicide bombers then set off their explosive belts when people gathered at the scene, according to official SANA news agency 'Bodies were still being pulled from the wreckage,' a witness told state news channel Ikhbariyah. The explosion tore a massive crater in the road and was so powerful that it scorched the facade of a six-storey building. State television showed footage of burning buildings and wrecked cars in the neighbourhood. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack with a statement circulated on social media. The explosion tore a massive crater in the road and was so powerful that it scorched the facade of a six-storey building State television showed footage of burning buildings and wrecked cars in the neighbourhood The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the casualties were expected to rise from the attack, which targeted a military bus carrying Shiite militias who were changing guard there Sayyida Zeinab, south of Damascus, contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims from Iran, Lebanon and Iraq The Sunni extremist group, which considers Shiite 'heretics' and legitimate targets, said two of its members had detonated suicide bombs. 'Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120,' it said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the casualties were expected to rise from the attack, which targeted a military bus carrying Shiite militias who were changing guard there. Sayyida Zeinab, south of Damascus, contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims from Iran, Lebanon and Iraq. ISIS, which considers Shiite 'heretics' and legitimate targets, said two of its members had detonated suicide bombs A member of the Syrian pro-government forces inspects the damage following suicide bombings in the area The explosions occurred as representatives of Syria's government and its divided opposition began convening in Geneva for the first U.N.-mediated peace talks in two years A portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is seen at the site of the suicide bombings The cover of a Koran, Islam's holy book, is seen in the wreckage of a car following the attack It is a heavily populated area and has continued to attract pilgrims throughout the five-year-old civil war. It has been targeted by ISIS extremists before, most recently in February last year. The explosions occurred as representatives of Syria's government and its divided opposition began convening in Geneva for the first U.N.-mediated peace talks in two years. He was arrested at the airport and taken into custody by federal agents Wright flew to San Diego on Friday with the intent to travel to Mexico A 23-year-old man from Ohio, who was in training to become a priest, has been arrested for allegedly planning to have sex with infants in Mexico, officials have said. Joel A. Wright was a student at a Roman Catholic seminary in Columbus and had arranged to 'buy' a three-year-old child via an advert he posted on Craigslist. He was arrested at San Diego airport on Friday with the intention to engage in a sexual act with a minor and attempting to travel 'in interstate and foreign commerce' for the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual conduct. Scroll down for video Joel A Wright (pictured) was arrested on Friday by federal agents at San Diego airport with the intention of travelling to Mexico to engage in a sexual act with an infant The probe was conducted as part of ICE's Operation Predator, launched in 2003 as 'an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators The arrest is the culmination of a months-long investigation by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, after an undercover agent engaged in an email conversation with Wright back in November, Fox Baltimore reported. According to the 11-page report by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego, an undercover agent received a tip-off that prompted the agent to take over an email account and start communicating with Wright. The priest-in-training still believed he was speaking to a Mexico-based male tour guide whom he had met after placing an ad on Craigslist. In an email, Wright allegedly said: 'I want to adopt/ own a baby girl (under the age of three) and I want to have intercourse with her after I own her (but don't be telling people that)'. He also included a picture of himself and said that he had previous experience with infants, Fox said. Wright later booked a flight from Ohio to San Diego to meet a friend of the tour guide, after which he planned to travel across the border to Mexico to meet female infants. He was taken into custody at San Diego International Airport by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement and is due to be arraigned in federal court on Monday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were alerted to Wright's intentions following a tip off about an advert he had posted on Craigslist. He is pictured here in handcuffs being led away to custody on Friday Wright was in training to be a priest at the Roman Catholic Pontifical College Josephinum in Ohio but is no longer a student there after he left without authorization. Wright is pictured here in handcuffs with HSI agents Dave Shaw, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego, said in a statement to KTLA: 'Pedophiles who mistakenly believe they can escape justice by committing child sex crimes outside the U.S. should be on notice that HSI will seek to vindicate the rights of those victims regardless of where they live.' Wright is no longer a student at the Pontifical College Josephinum, where he had studied for one semester, after he left without authorization, and is no longer a member of his diocese in Steubenville. Father John Allen, of the Pontifical College, told Fox News that the seminary was 'shocked, saddened and truly sickened by the intent of the alleged actions'. He added that they are 'eager' to help with the investigation. The probe was conducted as part of ICE's Operation Predator, launched in 2003 as 'an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators'. Triple killer Levi Bellfield will be questioned in prison over the murders of a mother and daughter nearly 20 years ago. Lin and Megan Russell, six, died after being tied up and beaten with a hammer while walking down a country lane near Canterbury, Kent. Michael Stone, 55, was found guilty of the murders in 1996 but has continued to protest his innocence. Scroll down for video Triple killer Levi Bellfield (left) will be questioned in prison over the murders of a mother and daughter Lin and Megan Russell. Michael Stone (right), 55, was found guilty of the murders in 1996 but has continued to protest his innocence Now, Stone's lawyer is insisting he needs to interview Bellfield, who last week confessed to murdering 13-year-old Milly Dowler, about the attack. Mark MacDonald told Karen Rockett at the Sunday People: 'I want to go and ask Bellfield and ask if he did it. What we have learnt could be hugely significant.' It comes as police probe a number of unsolved cases to see if Bellfield, who was jailed for life for the murders of Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22, in 2008, has any connection to them. The Russell revelations add to the already complicated legal battle surrounding the mother and daughter's death. Mrs Russell (left) died alongside her daughter Megan (right) after being tied up and beaten with a hammer while walking down a country lane near Canterbury, Kent Stone's lawyer is insisting he needs to interview Bellfield, who last week confessed to murdering 13-year-old Milly Dowler, about the attack. Above, the scene where Mrs Russell and Megan were killed Stone was initially convicted of killing Mrs Russell and Megan, and attacking her other nine-year-old daughter, Josie, who suffered head injuries. But his convictions were quashed on appeal in February 2001 after a key witness admitted lying and a retrial was ordered. In October that year a jury at Nottingham Crown Court again found Stone guilty and he lost a second battle to overturn his convictions. Stone has always denied the killings and his lawyers have claimed there is 'compelling' evidence linking Bellfield to the case. Bellfield, who was jailed for life over the murder of Marsha McDonnell (right), 19, in 2008, has recently confessed he also killed schoolgirl Milly (left) Bellfield was also found guilty of the murder of Amelie Delagrange, 22, and attempted murder of Kate Sheedy The evidence includes his similarity to an e-fit issued at the time of the killings and his ex-girlfriend's claim that he used to drive to Kent in the 1990s to sell drugs. The car he drove was said to be similar to one Josie described at the murder scene. Lawyers also suggested the Russells were attacked at a similar time of day to Milly, who was abducted as she walked home from school. They were struck from behind by a man with a hammer, the same method Bellfield used to kill Ms McDonnell and Ms Delagrange, they added. Bellfield's sister has also urged officers to investigate the disappearance of Elizabeth Chau, 19, and US-born computer graduate Lola Shenkoya, 27, who both went missing more than a decade ago. A U.S. Senator has declared that pornography is creating a state-wide 'public health crisis' in Utah. The conservative state has one of the highest rate of porn use across the Unites States, according to a 2009 study. Now Senator Todd Weiler has filed the resolution, SCR. 9 Concurrent Resolution, warning that X-rated materials were so dangerous he wants it ruled as a public health crisis, The Independent reports. Scroll down for video The conservative state has one of the highest rate of porn use across the Unites States, according to a 2009 study (stock image) His resolution, filed on Friday, claims that pornography is leading to unhappy marriages, addiction, hypersexualisation of teenagers and even prostitution. The motion goes onto warn that porn use makes young men more likely to cheat and less likely to settle down and get married. 'Legislature and the Governor [must] recognize the need for education, prevention, research, and policy change at the community and societal level in order to address the pornography epidemic that is harming the people of our state and nation.' However, the move has come under criticism by experts who claimed the motion was 'based on hyperbole and morality, ignoring much of what is known about pornography and its effects'. Senator Todd Weiler complained pornography was a 'public health crisis' while others have criticized the move as being based on nothing but pseudoscience Psychology Today said the resolution's pseudoscience 'has no place in governmental action.' There have been numerous studies into pornography extolling both its virtues and dangers. For many, X-rated images are an easy way to explore sexual fantasies, boost their libidos and even improve relationships. PORN SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE DRINK DRIVING, EXPERTS ARGUE America is in the grip of a pornography pandemic that has become so serious it should be treated the same way as teenage smoking or drink driving, activists have warned. Dawn Hawkins, executive director of Morality in Media said porn must be tackled no differently than any major public health crisis. Speaking ahead of a two-day conference on sexual exploitation earlier this month, she said, if left untreated, addiction to pornography can leave users with psychological damage. 'There's a lot of science now proving that pornography is harmful,' Hawkins said at the National Press Club in Washington. Porn sites get more visitors per month than Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined, a third of all downloads contain porn and the Internet now hosts 4.2 million porn websites. Advertisement But for some, it can have a more sinister effect on their brains - from releasing mood-boosting hormones to triggering addictive tendencies. German researchers found that excessive of use of porn may even shrink the brain of some users over time - although researchers noted that is possible that people who spend more time looking at pornography are born with a certain type of brain. Some people can also become 'addicted' to porn in a similar way to drug addicts or alcoholics. When porn addicts watch X-rated material, the 'addiction' part of the brain 'lit up like Christmas trees' on scans, Cambridge University researchers discovered in 2013. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2014 found regularly viewing pornography seemed to dull the response to sexual stimulation over time meaning - like drug users - people needed more over time. And a 2011 study, published in Psychology Today, found that these dopamine spikes mean porn-users start needing increasingly extreme experiences to become sexually aroused. After being exposed to so many lurid images in films, men have become de-sensitised and are increasingly unable to become excited by ordinary sexual encounters. Teenagers as young as 13 are now believed to regularly watch pornography. But a slew of studies show regularly consumption may actually re-wire the brain But for the average American male, another study refutes claims adult videos and images make men so desensitised to sexual images that they struggle to perform with their partners. Research by Nicole Prause at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour, and Jim Pfaus, a professor in Concordia's Department of Psychology, found watching sexual films makes men more aroused generally. 'Many clinicians claim that watching erotica makes men unable to respond sexually to 'normal' sexual situations with a partner,' Ms Prause continued. 'That was not the case in our sample.' 'While many people think easy access to porn leads to problems in the bedroom, our study suggests the opposite: that erectile dysfunction is most likely caused by the same issues that have been known for some time, such as performance anxiety, poor cardiovascular health, or side-effects from substance abuse,' added Professor Pfaus. A larger issue concerns recent assertions that watching porn causes addiction and ruins relationships. Professor Pfaus said their data disputes those claims: 'The study participants represent a good cross-section of men that view porn on a regular basis. 'The fact that doing so increased their arousal to the erotic stimuli should cause clinicians and sex therapists to rethink their attributions.' More than three quarters of American men and women, aged between 18 and 30, watch porn at least once a month, Covenant Eyes - a site that filters pornography sites - reports. The couple is now expecting their first child together A Chilean miner who was trapped underground for 69 days in 2010 has married the woman who fell in love with him after watching his miraculous rescue on TV. Daniel Herrera, now 31, was the 16th miner to be pulled out of the ground during a massive rescue operation that managed to haul to safety all 33 miners trapped nearly half a mile underground in San Jose copper and gold mine in the Atacama desert. Four years after Chilean miner Daniel Herrera was rescued, he married German Melanie Mayer. She had watched the rescue on TV in Germany Daniel Herrera asking Melanie Mayer for her hand at Santiago's airport. He is offering her the wedding ring The woman tracked him down on Facebook and though initially Daniel thought it was a prank, their relationship started to take off As soon as she saw him being rescued, German secretary Melanie Mayer, who was holding her breath on television 8,000 miles away, felt a connection, as she told the Mirror. 'I knew he had a good soul,' the 36-year-old single mum said. 'When he smiled, I felt the strong, warm rays emanating from him. 'As crazy as it sounds, I fell in love. That's the way it was.' Unlike some of the miners, who had to confess to having mistresses when their lovers turned up to greet them, Daniel was single and living with his mum. The woman tracked him down on Facebook and though initially Daniel thought it was a prank, their relationship started to take off. 'We started to write to each other and she told me she was attracted to me,' Daniel said. 'I didn't believe it. I thought it was a game, a joke. I didn't believe in love on the net.' Daniel Herrera greets his mum after his rescue on 12 October 2010 Herrera waves from a wheelchair inside Copiapo hospital after he was rescued from the San Jose mine On October 13 the fourth anniversary of his rescue Daniel took Melanie and Noah to visit the mine. Melanie said: 'It was a moving moment for him because he doesn't like that place.' Unlike some of the miners, who had to confess to having mistresses when their lovers turned up to greet them, Daniel was single and living with his mum The pair were soon writing to each other every day for weeks, they then started to talk on the phone. Daniel says that Melanie helped him overcome his trauma. When he had nightmares about what happened 'she just took me in her arms and all was fine'. The woman and her 10-year-old son Noah eventually moved into a home in Santa Cruz, two hours from Santiago, and two weeks later they married in a civil ceremony. Now, Melanie is expecting her first baby with Daniel, in two weeks. 'My family and friends said I was crazy for moving to Chile for Daniel. That changed when they met him at our wedding. They perfectly understand now,' she said. Daniel said: 'Just a few days after I met her, I wanted to marry her.' Daniel spent 18 months with a psychologist after his ordeal, but says thanks to his new family he's slowly overcoming the trauma Trapped miner Johnny Barrios is greeted by his girlfriend Susana Valenzuela after reaching the surface to become the 21st to be rescued from the San Jose mine in Copiapo Elizabeth Segovia, sister of rescued miner Dario Segovia, collects a religious figure as she dismantles a site that was set up in honor of the trapped miners at the San Jose mine On October 13 the fourth anniversary of his rescue Daniel took her and Noah to visit the mine. Melanie said: 'It was a moving moment for him because he doesn't like that place.' He said he struggled after leaving the mine and many colleagues also had psychological and financial issues. Returning there with her newly-found love was extremely difficult for him. 'Mines make me feel anxious, fearful and suspicious now. 'I don't think I'd be able to work in an underground mine again. Inside the mine I felt a huge sense of fear, despair and anguish. 'I felt I needed to resolve something inside me. I didn't make it more than 100 metres in when I realised the San Jose mine had kept a part of my life.' Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said open borders were 'inevitable' Completely open borders allowing unfettered migration around the world are 'inevitable', shadow chancellor John McDonnell claimed today. During an interview about the migrant crisis facing Europe, which could see more than a million people try to cross its borders this year, Mr McDonnell said the movement of people around the globe would render border controls 'irrelevant'. The shadow chancellor, a crucial close ally of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, said conflict, poverty and climate change would drive mass migration of people around the world. He told the BBC Sunday Politics: 'The movement of peoples across the globe will mean that borders are almost going to become irrelevant by the end of this century, so we should be preparing for that and explain why people move. 'In our policy making, as politicians, we should be working now to see how we address that because it will mean that we need to look at how we resolve conflicts, how we make the world more equal and also how we tackle climate change. 'In that way in that way we can deal with the reality of the world which means that people arent forced to move but there will be movement.' Pressed on whether he meant totally open borders, he said: 'I think at the end of this century thats what will occur. Were seeing people ignoring borders already as they fly from Syria.' Mr McDonnell said borders would be 'difficult to maintain' and added: 'We should be opening up the debate of how we handle that and one of the issues that we have to tackle is why people are moving and it is about conflict, it is about climate change.' Earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund warned four million migrants could reach Europe by the end of 2017. In new forecasts, the organisation adjusted its estimates to conclude 1.3million people could move to Europe every year between 2015 - 2017. Mr McDonnell said people fleeing the war in Syria, including people pictured near Ayvacik, Turkey, waiting for boats to Lesbos, were already ignoring borders Thousands of people have tried to walk across Euorpe's borders, despite freezing weather in the Balkans. Pictured: Hundreds of people who last week walked across the Macedonian border into Serbia as they tried to reach Europe It added the Middle East refugees should boost European economic growth over the short term, but their longer-term impact would depend on efforts to integrate them. The report came as governments across Europe wrestle with the political, social and economic implications of admitting huge numbers of migrants fleeing the conflicts in Syria and elsewhere. More than one million refugees flooded into Europe last year seeking asylum, and in many countries, the administrative apparatus for handling such a large influx is overwhelmed. Statistics showed an estimated 31,244 migrants have braved the deadly boat crossing over the Mediterranean Sea to Greece in the first 16 days of this year. The shocking statistic represents 21 times the number of migrants who crossed during the same period in January 2015, according to the International Organisation for Migration. It is expected that the number of new arrivals to Greece is likely to exceed the 853,650 migrants who crossed over to Greece by sea last year. Almost half [48 per cent] of the migrants who have made the journey are Syrian nationals, fleeing the long standing war in their homeland. The man has not been identified The man 'was arrested on suspicion of child abuse, child porn possession' A U.S. citizen has been arrested in Rome on suspicion of prolific child sex abuse after he was caught raping a 14-year-old boy, according to Italian newspaper reports. The man, said to be a 52-year-old former Boeing engineer from Chicago, has allegedly spent a month luring scores of young teenage boys to a rented apartment near the city's Termini station, which has become an epicenter for illegal immigrants, underage prostitutes, and criminal gangs. He paid the victims - mostly North African and Romanian migrants, some Italian - between 50 and 150 for sex, the Interior Ministry told Il Messaggero. His arrest concludes a two-week police investigation into reports that a foreign man was seen skulking around the station every night scouting young boys for sex, according to official statements. AMERICAN ARRESTED: The man, said to be a 52-year-old Boeing engineer from Chicago, has allegedly spent a month luring scores of young teenage boys to a rented apartment near Rome's Termini station (pictured), which has become an epicenter for illegal immigrants, underage prostitutes, and criminal gangs After placing hidden cameras around the station, police said, they identified the man - known locally as 'The English' - then burst into his apartment as he was sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy. He has been arrested and jailed, the reports claim. Police believe that the man came to the Termini station ghetto specifically to 'prey' on young teenagers for sex, and that he intended to stay in the city until February. They suspect he targeted Termini after widespread international reports about child prostitution rings run in the station's toilets and back alleys. Boeing told Daily Mail Online: The arrested person is not a Boeing employee. We will look into whether it is a former employee.' Daily Mail Online has contacted the U.S. State Department and the Interior Ministry for comments. It comes less than a year after Termini station police uncovered a large-scale child prostitution ring in May 2015, which led to the arrest of at least eight men including a priest and a pastor. The station has become a hub for the underage sex trade, with Middle Eastern, African and Romanian boys and girls - some as young as 11 - loitering around toilets to sell themselves. They operate under the control of a number of older men aged 35 to 70, Il Messaggero reported last year. But despite widespread efforts by Termini police to crack down on the ghetto of illegal immigrants, today's report suggests children and their abusers are finding ways to evade law enforcement. The age of consent in Italy is 14. Prostitution is legal but streetwalking, promoting prostitution, or working in a brothel is illegal. News / National by Stephen Jakes The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has revealed that in Zimbabwe youth are used as political guns mostly by the ruling party to coerce people and force them to support it.In its December 2015 report ZPP said the highest number of perpetrators was found in the 30 59 years age group. Very few were above 69years of age. This trend has been consistent always and demonstrates the fact that youths are used as hired guns' in political conflicts."Like previous months, December showed the number of male victims of violence being more than that of women. Male victims were 260,while female victims were 142. Last month had more men victims at 252, while women were at 142. However, it is key to note that not all casesof violence are reported or in broad daylight. Others occur out of sight," ZPP reported.ZPP said the number of male perpetrators of violence for December was 219 which was slightly lower than in November which had 317."December male perpetrators figure is more than ten times that of women which stands at 22. This shows that men were more likely toperpetrate violence than women. In comparison November had 21 females, a trend that shows a very slight increase in women perpetrators of violence," reported ZPP. A list of all the movies Bill Clinton watched in the White House has been revealed. The list was compiled by Gizmodo, but is based on heavily-redacted documents provided from the Clinton Presidential Library and National Archives through a Freedom of Information request. Clinton, who once declared that having a private movie theater was the best perk of being president, watched 171 movies during his two terms in office between 1993 until 2001. And the list which as Gizmodo notes, shows some curious gaps in the record could shed some light on Clintons affair with Monica Lewinsky. Scroll down for video A list of all the movies Bill Clinton watched in the White House has been revealed - but it shows that he apparently very few films during the course of his affair with Monica Lewinsky Clinton (pictured in the White House movie theater in 1993) watched 171 movies between 1993 and 2001 The best perk of the White House is not Air Force One or Camp David or anything else, Clinton told legendary film critic Roger Ebert in December 1999. Its the wonderful movie theater I get here. Despite Clintons self-confessed fondness of movies, he apparently only watched three films in 1996 and seven in 1997. But the following year, he managed to fit in 37. In 1995, he watched 17. And considering that Lewinsky stated her nine sexual encounters with Clinton when she was a White House intern spanned from November 1995 to March 1997 it is indeed curious that so few movies are listed in that time frame. According to Gizmodo, most of the names of other attendees in the theater alongside Clinton were redacted, so it is not known if Lewinsky ever watched a movie alongside the former president. Clinton (pictured second from left, watching the Super Bowl in 1994) once described the theater as the 'best perk' of the White House Hillary Clinton (left) and director Ron Howard (right) can be seen at a screening with former president Bill Clinton in the White House's movie theater But in the days after the scandal broke in the Washington Post on January 21, 1998, Clinton watched a number of movies including Titanic, Fallen and Hard Rain. During a screening of The Apostle on January 24, guests were reportedly keeping a close watch on the interactions between Clinton and his wife Hillary. On February 7, Clinton watched Temptress Moon reportedly mislabeled Tempest Moon in the documents. It is described on Amazon as the captivating story of a beautiful young woman, her seductive love, and their struggle for power, passion and revenge. However, the vast majority of movies Clinton watched appear to form a generic list of the biggest films from the 1990s from romantic comedies such as Jerry Maguire, Youve Got Mail to blockbusters like Independence Day and Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Clinton mentions his favorite movie is western High Noon and also discusses L.A. Confidential (1997) in an interview with the late Roger Ebert, but neither feature on the list The list largey appears to be a generic list of the most popular movies of the 1990s, including Jerry Maguire (1996), starring Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger Almost everything he watched in office were new movies. But presidents often entertained guests, including world leaders and celebrities, at movie screenings, so the chosen flick may not have been the Clintons choice. Newly released blockbusters are often shown in special White House screenings. Most recently, President Barack Obama signed off his year-end press conference by announcing that he needed to get to a screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens along with Gold Star families. But he did watching films that he featured in incluing The Siege and Crimson Tide, which both used clips of him. Interestingly, in the interview with the Ebert, Clinton stated a love for classic films. He mentioned that his favorite movie is western High Noon and claims to have seen it more than 20 times. But, High Noon along with other favorites mentioned in that interview, including and Casablanca, dont make the list at all another suggestion that the list may not be complete. Clinton also discusses L.A. Confidential, which came out in 1997, in detail in his 1999 interview with Ebert - but it doesn't appear on the list at all. 'Functioning alcoholic' Richard Ford, 50, got behind the wheel of his Mercedes after landing at Heathrow intending to drive the 120 miles to his home in Wales A senior British Airways cabin crewman crashed his car while four times over the drink drive limit after guzzling free booze on a long haul flight. 'Functioning alcoholic' Richard Ford, 50, got behind the wheel of his Mercedes after landing at Heathrow intending to drive the 120 miles to his home in Wales. Midway through the journey he decided to find a hotel for the night but crashed on a roundabout as he pulled off the M4 at Swindon, Wilts. Police were called and he gave a breath test reading of 149 mgs of alcohol - the legal limit is 35. Magistrates heard that Ford was flying home as a passenger from Singapore in December and took full advantage of the free wine and port on the flight. Defending, Sebastian Winnett put his actions down to a 'bit of a drinking culture' within BA. He said: 'There is a bit of a drinking culture among BA staff and on the flight back he indulges in the free alcohol. 'Normally when he gets back to Heathrow he uses public transport to get back to South Wales, it is cheaper and it means he can sleep. 'He doesn't know for whatever reason he decided to drive.' He said Ford became a 'functioning alcoholic' following the shock death of his father in 2008 and added: 'The shock hit him quite hard. That was the start of his clinical depression and alcoholism.' Prosecuting, Nick Barr said Ford arrived at the Hilton on Great Western Way in Swindon and told staff he needed help moving his car after breaking down. He said: 'He was a bit concerned about where his car was. He told the member of staff it was on a roundabout, and when he went outside he saw it is literally on the roundabout.' Chairman of the Swindon bench Felicity Dowell said in her 25 years as a magistrate she had never seen anyone with as high an alcohol reading. She said: 'This was a very, very high reading and I would hate to think what it would have been when you left Heathrow. 'I have been a magistrate for 25 years and I have never had anyone with as high a reading as the one you blew. We believe it is serious enough for a prison sentence.' Ford, from Caldicot, Gwent, plead guilty to drink driving and was given a 15-week suspended sentence, as well as 40 hours of community service and a 575 fine. He was also banned from driving for 36 months. Democratic and Republican presidential candidates scrambled across Iowa on Sunday to close the deal with the first voters to have a say in the 2016 race for the White House, urging their supporters to take part in Monday's caucuses in which outsiders Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are pinning their hopes on a large turnout. The caucuses will provide a big test of whether the large enthusiastic crowds turning out at rallies for Trump and Sanders will turn into actual votes when Iowans gather on a wintry night for meetings at schools, libraries and even private homes in the first in a series of state-by-state nominating contests. However, the direction of American politics may all come down to a snowstorm, which is due to sweep in from the west and dump six inches of snow on the state by Tuesday. Trump and Sanders are dependent on support from younger voters and anti-establishment types who tend to turn up less reliably - especially in poor weather - than the party faithful backing Clinton and the more traditional Republicans. Scroll down for video The caucuses will provide a big test of whether the large enthusiastic crowds turning out at rallies for Trump and Sanders will turn into actual votes. Trump is seen speaking during a campaign rally in Clinton, Iowa, on Saturday Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, is depending on enthusiastic young voters to turn up in greater numbers at the Democratic caucuses. He is seen Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Iowa offers only a small contingent of the delegates who will determine the nominees at each party's national nominating convention in July. But those candidates exceeding expectations will gain a burst of momentum heading into New Hampshire with its Feb. 9 primary and other early voting states. The caucus results should also help winnow the crowded Republican field of nearly a dozen candidates. In the last major preference poll before the caucuses, Trump had the support of 28 percent of likely caucus-goers, with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at 23 percent and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio at 15 percent. The Iowa Poll, published by The Des Moines Register and Bloomberg, also found Hillary Clinton with 45 percent support to Vermont Sen. Sanders' 42 percent. The poll of 602 likely Republican caucus-goers and 602 likely Democratic caucus-goers was taken Tuesday to Friday and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Cruz, who describes himself as a 'consistent conservative,' is relying on a strong get-out-the-vote operation, particularly among the key bloc of evangelical voters who reliably turn out for Republican caucuses. Trump is hoping his star power will encourage a large turnout of first-time caucus-goers. A similar dynamic is playing out on the Democratic side where Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, is depending on enthusiastic young voters to turn up in greater numbers at the Democratic caucuses. Clinton has more support among older voters who regularly show up for the caucuses. 'People are really enthusiastic, and if people come out to vote, I think you're going to look at one of the biggest political upsets in the modern history of our country,' Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, told CNN's State of the Union. Clinton, the former Secretary of State, said she had been subjected to 'years of scrutiny, and I'm still standing.' On ABC's This Week, she said, 'I feel vetted. I feel ready. I feel strong, and I think I'm the best person to be the nominee and to defeat whoever they nominate in November.' On the Republican side, Trump said 'I don't have to win' in Iowa, before adding that he believes he has 'a good chance' of victory. Hillary Clinton has more support among older voters who regularly show up for the caucuses. She is seen on Saturday in Cedar Rapids Both former President Bill Clinton and the couple's daughter Chelsea Clinton campaigned on behalf of Hillary Clinton on Saturday The billionaire reality TV star said he was confident of taking New Hampshire and many other contests down the road. 'One of the reasons that I'll win and, I think, none of the other guys will win is because I'm going to get states that they'll never get,' he told CBS' Face the Nation, citing Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, along with strong hopes for New York and Virginia. Trump predicted that 'many' senators 'soon' would endorse him rather than Cruz. Trump didn't name any such senators, and none immediately emerged. Cruz is conceding nothing, saying he's bringing 'the old Reagan coalition' together. 'We're seeing conservatives and evangelicals and libertarians and Reagan Democrats. And if conservatives come out, we're going to win tomorrow,' the Texas senator told Fox News Sunday. Cruz is conceding nothing, saying he's bringing 'the old Reagan coalition' together. He is seen in Ida Grove on Saturday Marco Rubio told CNN that as voters learn more about Cruz's record, they will understand that 'he's always looking to take whatever position it takes to win votes or raise money' Cruz directed much of his final advertising against Marco Rubio as the senators' feud grew even more bitter in the final day before the caucuses. Cruz took to the airwaves to challenge the conservative credentials of Rubio. One ad said of Rubio: 'Tax hikes. Amnesty. The Republican Obama.' Rubio shot back, telling CNN that as voters learn more about Cruz's record, they will understand that 'he's always looking to take whatever position it takes to win votes or raise money.' Rubio said Republicans won't beat Clinton 'with someone that will say or do anything to get elected.' Advertisement It is known for its impressive port and being the home for the eastern section of the Great Wall but the Chinese city of Qinhuangdao has had such a hard winter that the landscape has been transformed into a stunning winter wonderland by the freezing temperatures. Situated in the northern Chinese province of Hebei, Qinhuangdoa sits next to the Bohai Sea and the northern Huanghai Sea which have been frozen along the coast, creating a icy scene which looks like the backdrop of a fairytale. The industrial city, which has a population of 2.7 million, looks out on to the sea which has now become a picturesque landscape of icicles and sheets of hardened ice. The North China Sea Marine Forecasting Center of State Oceanic Administration has issued a blue alert for sea ice in Liaodong Gulf for three consecutive days since earlier last week. Stunning: The seaside at the Chinese city of Qinhuangdao has had such a hard winter that the landscape has been transformed into a stunning winter wonderland Staggering natural beauty: Although it is melting in parts, the seaside remains heavily frozen and covered in a thick layer of snow Fabulously frozen: Situated in the northern Chinese province of Hebei, the Bohai Sea and the northern Huanghai Sea have been frozen along the coast of Qinhaungdao, creating a icy scene which looks like the backdrop of a fairytale Picturesque perfection: The picturesque scene was made even more impressive with the stunning sunset on the horizon Close up and frosty: Much of the inner sea coast has been turned into a magical icy scene Winter wonderland:The North China Sea Marine Forecasting Center of State Oceanic Administration has issued a blue alert for sea ice in Liaodong Gulf for three consecutive days since earlier last week Eye-catching landscape: One photographer takes the opportunity to snap several pictures of the spectacular landscape sighting Stunning seaside scene:The industrial city, which has a population of 2.7 million, looks out on to the sea which has now become a picturesque landscape of icicles and sheets of hardened ice A Californian mother-of-three married the man of her dreams only seconds after meeting him for the first time in person on Friday. Erica Harris, 36, of Murrieta, and Arte Vann, of Earlton, New York, spontaneously met on Instagram in March of last year, using pages they have both since deleted. Vann bought a one-way plane ticket to the Ontario International Airport on Friday and shortly after he landed the two lovebirds laid eyes on each other for the first time. Moments later, they exchanged vows. After being together for just three days, they say they are madly in love. Erica Harris (left) and Arte Vann (right) met for the first time in the Ontario International Airport just minutes before they married in the California terminal Erica Harris, of Murrieta, and Arte Vann, of Earlton, New York, spontaneously met on Instagram in March of last year, using pages they have both since deleted I didnt realize how much I love this man, Harris told Daily Mail Online. Now that we've spend three days together, I can't believe how much I love him. Harris called their meeting on Friday an insta-engagement and an insta-wedding'. She invited CBS News to film the event as a gift to her new mother-in-law, who wouldn't be there. I believe this man deserves a lot of love, and I want to give him the love he gives me, she said. [Calling CBS] was a present to his mom, because she wouldn't be at the wedding since we were eloping. A spokesman for the airport said they had nothing to do with the nuptials and were alerted by local media prior to the event. 'It was set up by them. All we did was crowd control, the spokesman said. Our PR told us they never met and the first time they met they got married in the terminal. Harriss Instagram page now says she is married to the 'the man of her dreams' and Vann's says he is married to 'the love of his life'. Harris first contacted Vann last year when she came across his profile on Instagram, and noticed his cute avatar. What drew me to him is a lot of men, you can tell how they are to women through their comments, she said. I saw that Arte was very personal, and he was very attentive, and thought Wow this guy seems like a nice guy. Harris waited patiently in the Ontario International Airport for Vann to arrive so the couple could meet at last, after a year of speaking over the phone and on Instagram Taking a leap for love: Finally having met, Vann dropped to one knee and proposed to Harris in the airport terminal So then the mother-of-three began liking Vanns pictures, though she hadnt followed him. Vann took notice to the likes, and he checked out her page, and soon tagged her in a full-body mirror selfie that he posted on his page. I'm like a tag? i've never gotten this. and I said, Oh my gosh this man is good-looking, so I followed him right off the bat and he followed me right back, Harris said of the moment. Soon after, they started commenting back and forth, and eventually moved to direct messaging one another. But the messages were flowing so quickly to one another that the soon moved to speaking on the phone. Harris said the couple spoke for five or seven hours for the first night, and it went on for several months. In May, however, Harris said that Vann began breaking down her walls, and she feared they were getting too close so she cut off communication with Vann, and they deleted their Instagrams. They both later opened new Instagram accounts, but didnt interact for several months. During that time, Harris said her life started to unwind, so she eventually reached out to Arte in hopes of reconnecting with the man who was always there for her. Love at first sight: Harris accepted Vann's proposal and the two married - using their own vows and God as their officiator - before ever leaving the terminal Vann said couples who want to do what they did should not listen to their head but instead listen to their heart I messaged him 'Arte i need you' and nothing. and a week later, nothing. unbeknownst to me he got into a car accident and wrapped himself around a tree, she said. But after recovering from his horrific accident in November, Vann opened his Instagram for the first time in weeks. Fast forward to November, he goes back on instagram, we reconnect and we're right where we left off, Harris said, adding that they began speaking on the phone again for hours at a time, so much so that her sons would say goodnight and I love you to him on the phone. Both Harris and Vann are part of a tight-knit writing community on Instagram and often post poems and videos on their page, even collaborating in some projects. As active users, they comment on other community members poems and interact with other users. In December, one commentor told the couple that they need to get hitched, and Harris, in an insta-proposal, replies, Yeah, well, ok, why dont we get hitched? and started sending Vann direct messages featuring Beyonces Single Ladies lyrics, If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it. After the wedding, Harris and Vann left the airport to begin their lives together as husband and wife. When Harris spoke to Daily Mail Online on Sunday, Vann was busy playing Pokemon with Harris's three young boys Vann started looking into flights to California, and told his now-wife, I cant come out there and go back to New York. I cant leave you, Harris said. So Vann quit his job in New York and bought a one-way ticket to California. As Harris spoke to Daily Mail Online, Vann was playing Pokemon with Harriss nine-year-old twin boys and her five-year-old son. And moments after they met each other in the airport, they said vows to one another, letting God be their officiator. We know God brought us together, so we let God be our pastor, Harris said, adding that they wrote their own vows. The couple, who have both been abused in the past, believe that love always conquers all hurt in our lives, Harris said. The couple have now been married for three days. I used to hate the idea of marriage, Harris said. But hes a Prince Charming. Harris said she knows their relationship is strong, and she is very much looking forward to the future with Vann. Former defence secretary Liam Fox has called on eurosceptic cabinet ministers to stand by their beliefs and back a British exit rather than fall in line behind David Cameron Cabinet ministers must put their consciences ahead of loyalty to David Cameron when they decide how to campaign in the referendum, Liam Fox declared today. Dr Fox, the most senior Tory currently on the campaign trail for Out, spoke out amid reports the number of Tory MPs prepared to back a British exit is dropping. The former defence secretary and Tory leadership contender today insisted senior ministers who believe in leaving the EU should show 'integrity' and back their belief. Commons leader Chris Grayling is the only cabinet member to clearly signal his intent to campaign for out - a position to which the Prime Minister has given his blessing in a rare planned suspension of collective responsibility. He is expected to be joined by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith and Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Viliers. But other ministers - notably Justice Secretary Michael Gove and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond - appear poised to set aside their euroscepticism and join Mr Cameron in the campaign to keep Britain In. Dr Fox told BBC Radio 4s The World This Weekend: Its nothing to do with loyalty to the Prime Minister. We promised the people a referendum in our manifesto and its our duty to give our best judgment to the people on what we think the issues actually are. I would say [to Cabinet ministers] make your judgment and in your own way remember that the judgment you make will reflect upon your judgment politically for the rest of your career. And I would say go with what you actually believe, because whether its popular or unpopular in the short term, be protected by the cloak of your own integrity. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, left, is known to be eurosceptic but is yet to declare how he will campaign. Justice Secretary Michael Gove, right, is thought to share eurosceptic rules but has reportedly been brought on side by David Cameron 'In the end MPs need to do what they believe is right for the country, not whats right for them. Dr Fox campaigned with Ukip leader Nigel Farage earlier this month, speaking at a Grassroots Go campaign launch in Northamptonshire. Steve Baker, the backbench chairman of then influential Conservatives for Britain group, forecast the number of Out MPs had fallen to around 50 to 70. But he said the 'row' between Mr Cameron and Brussels was 'synthetic' and designed to suggest drama before a deal is concluded. Later tonight, Mr Cameron is due to hold talks with European Council President Donald Tusk on the details of the deal - the outline of which could be circulated in writing as soon as tomorrow. The PM is in a race against time to seal a deal at the February summit and press ahead to a rapid referendum on June 23. But he will tell Mr Tusk at tonight's dinner he is prepared to wait and keeping pushing for more concessions. Concerns have been raised scientists could be to blame for the Zika virus outbreak after genetically modified insects were released into Brazil three years ago. Didcot-based biotechnology company Oxitec worked on the same type of mosquito that carries the virus in 2012, engineering them to have offspring that die out before they can breed, reducing the population of disease-carrying bugs. Some scientists questioned the wisdom of the plan at the time and it has led to critics claiming the modification could have sparked the current outbreak. The Aedes mosquito, pictured, was genetically modified by British firm Oxitec in 2012 and released into Brazil to mate with disease carrying bugs and produce offspring that would quickly die off, reducing the numbers But Oxitec refuted these claims and has actually been asked to expand its work in Brazil to help tackle the outbreak, opening a new mosquito facility in Piracicaba. Chief executive Hadyn Parry labelled the claims as 'simply untrue'. He added: 'All vector control solutions insecticides, traps, and sterile mosquitoes get deployed in areas with a high incidence of disease to help stop the spread of the disease at its source. 'The fewer the mosquitoes, the lower the risk of disease. Our approach has proven to be more effective than the alternatives with a lower environmental impact.' Oxitec, which was set up by Oxford University scientists in 2002, confirmed it was developing genetically modified 'sterile' mosquitoes in 2012 to tackle the spread of dengue fever and malaria. The insects were released in Brazil, Malaysia, India and the Cayman Islands, aiming to wipe out as much as 80 per cent of the Aedes aegypti species, which are now the primary carrier of Zika. Some critics have linked the work with the spread of the Zika virus, which affects pregnant women, pictured in Brazil, and can cause babies to not properly develop their skulls and brains The company said its technique would be less damaging to the environment than killing the bugs through radiation, and added the gene could not be passed on to other species. Critics at the time claimed the process was rushed, including Dr Helen Wallace of watchdog Genewatch, who told The Guardian it was 'an experimental approach' which 'could do more harm than good'. It comes as the World Health Organisation is to hold an emergency meeting to discuss cures for Zika, which can infect pregnant women and affect a child's development. Zika has been linked with microcephaly in babies, a potentially fatal condition where skulls and brains fail to form properly. On the expansion of its project in Brazil, an Oxitec spokesman said: 'We are delighted Piracicaba is encouraged by our strong results and expanding the program. 'Our new facility will support the roll out of our groundbreaking vector-control across the heart of the city and beyond. Oxitec has refuted the claims their works is linked to the outbreak and the firm has been asked to expand its project in Brazil by building a new mosquito facility 'As the principal source for the fastest growing vector-borne infection in the world in Dengue Fever, as well as the increasingly challenging Zika virus, controlling the population provides the best defense against these serious diseases for which there are no cures.' Pedro Mello, secretary of health in Piracicaba, also defended the company and said it's work had helped protect the local population from different viruses including Zika. He said: 'The initial project in CECAP/Eldorado district clearly showed that the 'friendly Aedes aegyptisolution' made a big difference for the inhabitants of the area, helping to protect them from the mosquito that transmits dengue, Zika and chikungunya. 'It is important to remember that in dengue year 2014/15 CECAP/Eldorado had 133 cases of dengue, the highest incidence in the city of Piracicaba. The virus is spreading across South America and one solution is to stem the outbreak by fumigating mosquitoes, pictured in Honduras 'In 2015/2016, after the beginning of the Friendly Aedes aegypti Project, we had only one case. 'With this result, in addition to extending the project for another year in CECAP/ Eldorado, we decided to expand the use of the friendly Aedes aegypti to the central area of Piracicaba.' Many scientists have supported the British firm, including Alex Perkins, a Notre Dame biological sciences professor, who told Business Insider UK: 'It could very well be the case that genetically modified mosquitoes could end up being one of the most important tools that we have to combat Zika. 'If anything, we should potentially be looking into using these more.' Zika is spreading northwards fast and a case in a four-year-old child was recently confirmed in Jamaica, the 24th country to report the virus. Currently no cure for illness and 600 new cases are diagnosed a year in UK is caused by abnormal protein deposits in tissues and organs Concerned relatives explain it has been 'picking them off' for generations Four members of the same family were killed off by a genetic condition and now surviving relatives are praying for a miracle cure as they live with the reality that they could be next. Sisters Maggie Maguire and Pauline McCartney, from Glasgow, both died of familial amyloidosis, as did their brother George and father Paul. Sadly, it is now beginning to affect relative 37-year-old Gary Maguire. An illness caused by deposits of abnormal protein, called amyloid, in tissues and organs throughout the body, familial amyloidosis can lead to organ failure and death within as little as year. From left to right, relatives Stephen McCartney, Gary Maguire, Kelly Boyle, Kenny McCartney and Kevin Maguire. Front row, from left to right, Sophie McCartney, Chloe Paterson , Casey Maguire and Declan Maguire. All have had to live with effects of the familial amyloidosis. The illness is diagnosed 600 times a year in the UK There is currently no cure for the disease and six hundred new cases a year are diagnosed in the UK, according to the NHS. Gary, of Glasgow, said: 'Now I'm 37 I have had a couple of kidney infections and fear it is time to be tested for the gene. 'It's an agonising decision. Until now, I have lived with uncertainty.' Last year a consultant urged Gary to get tested, but he has still 'not gone ahead and done it'. Tests are available to see if he carries the faulty gene. He is now considering going through with them after experiencing a number of worrying twinges. Most sufferers of familial amyloidosis, which strikes just one in 100,000 families, die young, normally in middle age, from kidney failure. Gary's brothers, Kevin and Paul, don't know whether they're carrying the ticking time bomb condition either. Kevin, 32, a joiner from Glasgow, believes he is too young to be screened. The married father-of-one said: 'I am not ready to find out. I have a lot more living to do and I want to work hard and enjoy family life. 'But I know I will probably opt for testing around 50. There has to be a breakthrough soon to stop this in its tracks.' The eldest brother Paul, 41, said: 'My mum fought on bravely well but it was heart-breaking to watch. But she taught us how to cope should we face it ourselves.' The family's biggest hope is a miracle medical discovery which would allow doctors to repair the faulty gene or prevent the way it destroys organs with dangerous protein build-ups. Thomas McCartney with son Henrik Travis, nine, and daughter Zoe Pauline. Thomas admits he still needs to be tested for the illness - he had the chance years ago but did not as the result could have affected his finances Gary: 'This has been killing our family for generations. who's aware it could be many years before medical science has found a cure. It's picking us off one by one.' Gary also explained he was concerned for the next generation of the family, who are growing up and will have to make the same, scary life decisions as the current adults. The younger generation include Sophie McCartney, 11, whose dad Stephen, 41, hasn't been tested, Kevin's daughter, Casey, seven, and Paul's son, Declan, 11, are also untested. There are currently an extended family of 22 cousins, brothers, sisters, aunties or uncles, nieces, nephews and grandchildren who face the simple blood or urine test. Gary: 'This has been killing our family for generations. who's aware it could be many years before medical science has found a cure. It's picking us off one by one.' All are descendants of grandfather Paul. One member of the family, Kenny McCartney, 53, summoned up the courage to get tested last month and was given the all-clear. The rail worker from Glasgow, said: 'I feel hugely relieved for me, my three children and three grandchildren, as I can't pass it on. 'But I worry about the rest of my family who live with the painful uncertainty of not knowing, and the dilemma whether to be tested.' Kenny's brother Thomas, 50, who now lives in Flensburg, Germany, is planning to get screened the next time he returns to the UK. He said: 'I didn't take the test about 10 years ago as it could have affected my life insurance, mortgage and other important issues. 'I was just about to start a family so I thought it best to be ignorant for those reasons. But the older I get the more I realise it might be better to know. 'For me it's too late but while my children have a chance, then it is vitally important.' Cousin Kelly Boyle (nee McCartney), an accounts assistant from Glasgow, knows only too well the heartache the condition can cause. She explained her mum Pauline died of organ failure after a brave fight against it. She said: 'She had a transplant but it failed and she went back on dialysis and died from a burst blood vessel. Her veins were weakened by the illness.' Kelly, 31, whose pals are all starting families, described having children with her husband as a 'huge' decision. She hasn't started a family yet and knows there's plenty of time to try, should she choose to do so, but bringing a little one into the world who faces the same uncertain future has caused her hours of endless agonising. She said: 'It's a huge decision for me to have a family. Next generations of the family, like Thomas's children Henrik Travis and Zoe Pauline both pictured with their father, could also face difficult decisions regarding their health in the future 'I'm now looking to see if there have been any breakthroughs in embryo selection which could spare my children this.' To date Gary has worked tirelessly to raise more than 50,000 for research into the disease. He said: 'If we can't be cured then we must work to give the children who have inherited the gene some hope.' Last night expert Professor Philip Hawkins, from University College London, said 'great care' is given to counselling and testing. He said: 'Not everyone with familial amyloidosis will develop the illness. But this family seem to have a very active form judging by the numbers who have died. 'There is no definite treatment currently except for dialysis and transplant if patients are well enough. 'A glimmer of hope lies in drugs being tested to make the gene less harmful. 'Another study is ongoing to clear harmful blood proteins which damage the vital organs.' Doctors encourage people affected by the condition to research their family tree - with surprising results. Gary Maguire said his mother found long-lost cousins after travelling to London's Royal Free Hospital, pictured, for treatment in 2001. Experts also say finding relatives can be helpful to raise awareness Professor Philip Hawkins, head of the National Amyloidosis Centre at University College London, said finding lost relatives is helpful as it raises awareness of the condition and brings families together. He said: 'We have constructed family trees from patients referred to us.' Gary Maguire said his mum Margaret and aunt Pauline discovered long-lost cousins after travelling to London's Royal Free Hospital for treatment in 2001. Gary said: 'Mum and auntie Pauline found themselves sitting opposite two women who bore a strong family resemblance. 'My mum told me she recognised one of the women and asked where she was from. It was then they discovered they were long-lost cousins. 'The cousins too had inherited the gene. From there they were able to piece together our worrying family tree. 'Unfortunately then there were the funerals to attend as their cousins died.' Gary is being supported in his search for a cure by Gogglebox stars Sandy Channer and Sandra Martin. The comedy duo from the hit Channel 4 television series are set to appear at a ball he is organising to raise funds for Kidney Research UK. His desperate drive for treatment and a cure for the condition has netted 50,000 to date. He said: 'I watched family fade and die on dialysis and want to spare anyone else that pain. 'There is no way I could watch this happen to my family and not work for a cure. It would be impossible to sit and wait for it coming for us. 'We are just not that kind of family.' Marco Rubio slapped Ted Cruz again today by setting expectations for him to win tomorrow night's Iowa caucuses, which polls predict will go to longtime GOP frontrunner Donald Trump. 'Ted Cruz is clearly the frontrunner going into tomorrow night,' Rubio said this morning on Face the Nation. 'He has 10,000 volunteers on the ground.' To improve Rubio's own standing in the Hawkeye State his campaign released a 30-minute television special using clips from a recent town hall showing the candidate at his best on the stump. Scroll down for video Marco Rubio called Ted Cruz the Iowa frontrunner this morning on Face the Nation, heightening expectations for the Texas senator who most likely will be beat by Donald Trump Rubio's response today to Cruz, who has been labeling him the 'Republican Obama' in new attacks ads? A shrug and a smile Cruz has run ads against Rubio in recent days, which the Florida senator suggested was a good thing. 'People dont attack a candidate that has no chance to win and we feel even better its having no impact,' Rubio said. The Florida senator did, however, criticize his Texas peer for editing spots that put words in Rubio's mouth. 'He literally edits my words,' Rubio told reporters before a rally in Ames, Iowa yesterday. 'It cuts off an interview in the middle of an interview so that you can't hear my real position cap and trade.' But the Florida also shrugged it off. 'None of it bothers me,' the Florida senator told the audience in Ames. 'The desperation kicks in, the kitchen sink comes out and is thrown at you,' he added, before complaining specifically about Cruz. Rubio is hoping for a strong third-place finish in Iowa, before heading to New Hampshire, where his brand of conservatism and Senate pedigree have better standing with voters. Cruz, on the other hand, is trying to take out Trump, but recent polls show that the billionaire continues to dominate the race and the Texas senator's standing in the Hawkeye State is slipping. A Des Moines Register poll released last night confirmed rumblings that Cruz's support had dropped while Trump and Rubio's had risen since the last time the news organization polled Iowa voters. Yesterday in Iowa, Rubio made a late pitch, inserting humor into his stump speech, which made him look more personable and less severe than the way he comes off in debates. He's seen here at his rally in Sioux City Rubio is still eight points behind Cruz and the survey's other sponsor, Bloomberg Politics says in its analysis that the Florida senator's support went down, not up, in the final two days of the four day poll. If the poll is correct, Rubio will take third in the state, as his campaign expects, and Cruz will come in second to Trump, who led the poll with 28 percent to Cruz's 23 percent. In recent days Cruz has pivoted and waged a two-sided attack, with the new ads, taking on both Trump and Rubio, suggesting that the latter might finish stronger in Iowa than expected. 'They call Ted Cruz Obama's nemesis,' one of the ads says. 'Marco Rubio's different, the Republican Obama who championed Obama's amnesty and led the Gang of Eight.' The ad also includes a clip of Rubio talking about cap and trade and is cut to suggest he supports the energy policy, even though he says he does not. 'Tax hikes. Amnesty. The Republican Obama,' the Cruz endorsed video says. And at a campaign stop on Friday in Iowa, Cruz said, 'If were tired of getting burned by politicians who claim to be against amnesty, who campaign against amnesty, and then go to Washington and join the Democrats to support amnesty, then we need to look to if they have a proven record.' Today in Ames, Rubio stayed positive as he made a late pitch to Iowans, inserting humor into his stump speech, softening his image from the one that comes across in debates, where he's touted his national security credentials and derided Cruz over illegal immigration. Rubio announced to the crowd, gathered in close quarters on the upper floor of a building on the Iowa State University campus, that he had pinpointed the exact moment America had started going down the tubes. Reacting to an audience member, he said, 'No, not Super Bowl 42,' adding that he wasn't exactly sure who competed that season. (The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots.) 'But it wasn't the Miami Dolphins, I can tell you that,' the Florida senator quipped, mocking the not-so-stellar record of his hometown team. The answer, Rubio said, was the year 2008, when President Barack Obama was elected. The conservative senator interpreted Obama's hope and change mantra as 'changing our government's role in our lives,' which was not a good thing. 'After seven years of Barack Obama this is no time for patience,' Rubio added. Rubio is hoping for a third-place finish in Iowa, before heading to New Hampshire, where his brand of conservatism and Senate pedigree have better standing with voters Rubio then moved to another Democrat, but not the frontrunner. 'We can not afford to wake up on the first Wednesday of November to the news that Bernie Sanders has been elected president of the United States,' he said. Rubio tried using a laugh line from Thursday night's debate, that Sanders would make a great president of Sweden but an audience member completed his sentence before the candidate got to the end. 'You knew what I was going to say,' he chuckled. Rubio segued into a quick story, telling the crowd that he had actually met three 'nice people' from Sweden the ni ght before, three young men. 'I thought they were going to be angry and they said, "why would you with that on our country?"' Rubio said, getting more laughs. He also noted how someone had come up and corrected him about Sweden's leadership, saying the Scandinavian country didn't have a president. 'I know, but if they did, it would be Bernie Sanders,' Rubio still said. He then got to Hillary Clinton, using a line he's used before. 'Hillary Clinton does not want to run against me, I cannot wait to run against Hillary Clinton,' Rubio said. In recent days Cruz has pivoted and waged a two-sided attack, with the new ads, taking on both Trump and Rubio, suggesting that the latter might finish stronger in Iowa than expected. One calls him 'the Republican Obama' He also whacked the former secretary of state for 'lecturing' him on the issue of student loans. 'I had a student loan like three years ago. I never thought I'd pay it off. The only way anybody can get rid of a student loan is either you pay it or you die. You can't even get rid of it in bankruptcy,' Rubio said. 'I was able to pay it because I wrote a book, it's called, American Son now available in paperback,' he said, getting the crowd to chuckle for throwing in a little shameless self-promotion. 'Yeah, I'm trying to sell a few books along the way because my kids will have loans, OK?' the senator laughed back. In asking for the audience's vote at the caucuses, Rubio turned on the charm too. 'I had somebody at the last event say, "any church or school?" I said no, it's got to be the one that you're supposed to caucus, so make sure you find out the right one,' Rubio said with a smile. He also asked those there to sign up for his email list. 'I always tell people we're not going to bombard you with emails, but that's not true, we are - for like 48 hours, but only for 48 hours because we want to make sure you'll go caucus,' Rubio said. 'And then we're going to leave you along for awhile. We'll stay in touch. But not everyday,' he continued. But then he promised to be back in September. A student is demanding a lifetime supply of KitKats under the threat of legal action after she bought eight of the chocolate bars and none of them had the the trademark wafer inside. Saima Ahmad, 20, bought the multi-pack from a supermarket for 2 last month, and has now written to manufacturer Nestle claiming that they ignored their duty of care to consumers. Miss Ahmad, a second-year student at Kings College, London, even included details of a legal precedent set in the 1930s to back up her case. Have a break: Saima Ahmad, 20, bought the multi-pack from a supermarket for 2 last month, and is now pursuing manufacturer Nestle, demanding a lifetime supply of chocolate Waferless: None of the bars in the pack had wafer inside. In the letter to Nestle, she wrote: 'Clearly, if I wanted to purchase a confectionary item that is purely chocolate, I would have purchased a bar of Galaxy' She said: 'They go about advertising the unique concept of KitKat, but I'm so disappointed by what I have purchased. 'I'm hoping they will apologise to me and in future focus more on quality of their product. 'No one else in that industry has that unique concept about mixing the wafer with the chocolate and that's why I'm a fan.' Before she wrote her letter, the student did her research and found that others had complained of similar experiences in online forums. In the letter, she claims that giving her a lifetime supply of the bars will allow her to act as 'quality control' for the company. She added: 'Nestle have a huge following and I don't think these mistakes are acceptable. 'I have researched this problem and I found that it wasn't just a one off and it has happened quite a few times. 'There are quite a few forums online where people complain of having KitKats without wafer. Favourite: Miss Ahmad said that even if the company gives her a lifetime supply, she will never get bored of the bars 'They should definitely give in to me. I'm hoping my demand will go higher than the customer service platform. 'I'd like the CEO of Nestle to respond to my letter because it's an extremely important issue. I'm trying my luck - if you don't ask you don't get.' Miss Ahmad is so fond of the chocolate bars that if the company offers her a lifetime supply, she insists she will still never get bored of them. 'They are my favourite chocolate bars, I love them.' In her letter to Nestle, she wrote: 'The truth of the matter is; manufacturers owe a duty of care to consumers. 'The specific duty you owe in consistency in your manufacturing process. The failure to take due care in the manufacturing process resulted in a product being defective. 'As a result I feel as though I have been misled to part with my money and purchase a product that is clearly different from what has been marketed by Nestle. 'The loss I have suffered is of monetary and emotional significance. 'I would like a full refund of the defective pack of KitKat I purchased. I have also lost my faith in Nestle. 'Clearly, if I wanted to purchase a confectionary item that is purely chocolate, I would have purchased a bar of Galaxy. 'I would therefore like to request a life-long supply of KitKat so that I can act as a means of quality control - it appears you need me more than I need you.' Miss Ahmad is adamant that she will take legal action if the company does not comply with her demands. She added: 'I wouldn't rule out taking this further if Nestle do not apologise or compensate me adequately. News / National by Stephen Jakes The ruling Zanu PF has accused a Bindura North man for recruiting members for the former Vice President Joice Mujuru's project People First.Zimbabwe Peace Project reported that on 7 December 2015, John Sozi (not real name) was intimidated by Samuel Kaseke Bonde, who is the vice chairperson of Gushungo Branch of the party at Garikai Shopping Centre in Bindura North."Sozi was accused of recruiting people for People First party. Bonde declared that people like Sozi must not benefit because he is a gamatox'(Gamatox'is a derogatory name given to those suspected of supporting the former Vice President Joice Mujuru.)" reported ZPP. "He also added he must be evicted from the land he was already given. Although Sozi had not been evicted yet at the time of going to print, he is living in fear, scared that anything could happen to him." A 57-year-old man who has been on California's death row for 30 years is set to be the next prisoner executed by the state, even though five judges say he is innocent. Kevin Cooper was sentenced to death in 1985 for the brutal slaying of Douglas and Peggy Ryen, their 10-year-old daughter Jessica, and 10-year-old Chris Hughes, who was staying at their house in the Los Angeles suburb of Chino Hills. Their eight-year-old son Josh was the only survivor, even though he had his throat slit, and his account of that night would be the key to the prosecution's case. In November, a moratorium on executions in The Golden State was lifted, paving the way for Cooper's date with the gurney at San Quentin prison. Scroll down for video Kevin Cooper, 57, who has been on California's death row for 30 years is set to be the next prisoner executed by the state, even though five judges say he is innocent However he says he is planning to file a last-ditch motion to Gov. Jerry Brown to keep an 'open mind' about evidence in the case. He has run out of other options so, if Brown doesn't intervene, he will be given the lethal injection. In an interview with NBC from behind bars, he said: 'I am the only person in the history of the state to have five federal circuit judges say that 'the state of California may be about to execute an innocent man. 'I'm not asking America as a whole, or any one person in particular, to believe me. Forget what I say. I'm asking people to believe those [judges]. 'When I was convicted of burglary, I pled guilty to those,because I did them.' 'The only people who are on death row are poor people,' he says. 'No matter what their culture, or their skin color, or their religion, we're all poor 'I am innocent. And it's not my execution, it's my murder.' The young Ryen who survived the attack initially said that three white or Latino men murdered his parents. That account, combined with physical evidence suggested multiple killers and prompted police to release a criminal bulletin seeking three suspects who were 'white or Mexican males.' On the night of the murders, two witnesses saw three white men driving a station wagon down the dead-end road away from the house. The family's station wagon was stolen that night. He was sentenced to death (pictured) in 1985 for the brutal slaying of Douglas and Peggy Ryen, their 10-year-old daughter Jessica, and 10-year-old Chris Hughes, who was staying at their house in the Los Angeles suburb of Chino Hills Then a local woman, Diana Roper, told police she thought her ex-husband was involved in the 'Chino Murders,' according to records from the sheriff department. She said a hatchet owned by convicted murderer and white supremacist Lee Furrow was missing. She also claims he left pants covered with blood at her home after the murder. According to NBC she gave police the pants but she didn't test them. Later the Ninth Circuit would rule that action by police was illegal. But the cops focused on Cooper, primarily because he had escaped from prison and was staying at a house nearby. Beginning with circumstantial evidence, they then picked up on physical evidence - such as blood and a footprint at the scene of the crime. Prosecutors said it was from a prison-issue shoe, and therefore could have only been from Cooper. However the warden of the prison from where he escaped said this wasn't true - a rebuttal the prosecution hid from the jury. They also highlighted his long criminal record. At trial, Ryen also changed his testimony to see that it was Cooper who murdered his family and tried to kill him. He changed his mind despite the fact that when he saw a picture of Cooper ob TV, he said: 'Thats not the man who did it.' After a week of deliberating, the jury found Cooper guilty and he was sentenced to death. Some people questioned the ruling, but others said it was clear-cut. Their eight-year-old son Josh (pictured) was the only survivor, even though he had his throat slit, and his account of that night would be the key to the prosecution's case Dennis Kottmeier, the district attorney who prosecuted Cooper, maintained it was 'the strongest evidentiary case' he 'had ever seen.' Bill Hughes, the father of victim Chris Hughes, said the 2004 ruling was 'unfathomable.' In 2004, he was three hours away from being put to death after the then Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger denied his request for clemency. He was saved by the Ninth Circuit Court, who said some of the evidence against him was flawed and illegal. They also said Cooper was 'almost certainly' not wearing shoes from the crime scene. 'You watch the clock as your life goes off, minute by minute,' Cooper told NBC News. 'I was ten feet away from being murdered.' It would also turn out that the blood found at the scene did not belong to Cooper. Tests found it contained DNA from two people - a discovery the judge said was 'startling'. It was enough to raise questions, however prosecutors maintained that cigarette butts found linked him to the crime. Mary Ann Hughes holds a photo of her late son, Christopher in 2004 in her home in Chino Hills, California. He was staying with the Ryen family and was also killed that night On November 30, 2009, the United States Supreme Court upheld the Ninth Circuit Court's denial of his appeal - but the judges were bitterly divided. In an unprecedented 103-page dissent signed by five of judges, they warned: 'The State of California may be about to execute an innocent man.' His case was also highlighted in July 2015 during an episode of CNN's Death Row Stories, which suggested that there was evidence which could exonerate Cooper. On October 28, 2015, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights found Cooper's basic rights had been violated throughout the trial. They also concluded that he had been given ineffective council at trial. A statement on a website dedicated to Cooper's case reads: 'Mr. Cooper was prosecuted, tried and convicted 30 years ago in an atmosphere of racial hatred. 'When the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Dept. identified their suspect in the Ryen/Hughes murders as an African-American man, it set off a wave of racial hatred that culminated in acts such as a monkey being hanged in effigy outside the courthouse with a sign saying Kill the N****r. 'Mr. Cooper has never received a fair hearing on his claims of innocence. Commenting on post-conviction legal proceedings in Mr. Coopers case, five federal appellate judges said: There is no way to say this politely. The district court failed to provide Cooper a fair hearing. ... The district court impeded and obstructed Coopers attorneys at every turn". 'Lacking a motive to ascribe to Mr. Cooper for the crimes, the prosecution claimed that Mr. Cooper, who had earlier walked away from custody at a minimum security prison, stole the Ryens car to escape to Mexico. 'But the Ryens had left the keys in both their cars (which were parked in the driveway), so there was no need to kill them to steal their car. 'The prosecution also claimed that Mr. Cooper needed money, but money and credit cards were found untouched and in plain sight at the murder scene.' Donald Trump brought a new swagger to western Iowa on Sunday, boasting that he could win states in November that the Republican party traditionally cedes to Democrats. 'I think we have a chance to win New York. They love me in New York!' he told a capacity crowd in a Council Bluffs middle school gymnasium. 'We're going to win Pennsylvania. We're going to win Virginia. We're going to win Michigan ... We're going to win Ohio ... We're going to win Florida [where] I'm at 48 per cent against 16 people.' 'A lot of states that aren't even thought of ... they don't even talk about those states as Republican. They're already written off,' he explained '...I think we can win states that aren't even thought of in the normal realm.' New swagger: Trump, who was joined by wife Melania (pictured), said: 'I think we have a chance to win New York. They love me in New York!' Home stretch: Donald Trump (pictured on Sunday) told a capacity crowd in Iowa that he can win states in November that Republicans usually write off as unwinnable including liberal New York Trump indulged his fans on Sunday, taking selfies with members of the crowd decked out in T-shirts and his 'Make America Great Again' hats. Pictured right, Trump with a young supporter Trump's Iowa staff distributed a leaflet on Sunday that emphasized the secret-ballot process in Monday's Iowa Republican caucuses meaning that sheepish Trump supporters don't have to publicly declare that they're in his corner Trump made a point of continuing his claim that rival candidate Ted Cruz is a liar, hammering the Texas senator for advertisements that claimed Trump supports an expansion of the Obamacare medical insurance overhaul. He also blasted Cruz for get-out-the-vote mailers flagging 'voter violations' ratting out Iowans' neighbors whom voter rolls show haven't participated in past statewide presidential caucuses. 'It looks like a government voter violation,' Trump said in Council Bluffs. 'It's a social thing you're not allowed to do, and they're investigating him now.' 'It is so dishonest! It is so dishonest,' he said. 'And then he took out an ad about me and said I'm in favor of Obamacare ... it's such a lie.' The ads are calculated to depress Trump-backing turnout on Monday night as Iowans become the first Americans this year to decide who will represent America's two major parties in the November race for the White House. 'First there was HillaryCare. Then there was Obamacare. We cant afford TrumpCare,' says a television ad placed by a Cruz-related super PAC in Iowa. A similar super PAC ran a full-page ad Sunday in the Des Moines Register, the state's largest newspaper, claiming that Trump wants 'universal, single-payer, government-run health insurance.' Trump told a '60 Minutes' audience in September that 'everybody's got to be covered,' saying that view could be 'an un-Republican thing for me to say.' 'I am going to take care of everybody. I dont care if it costs me votes or not,' he said then. 'Everybodys going to be taken care of much better than theyre taken care of now.' Trump raised $6 million on Thursday for veterans charities and handed out his second $100,000 check to a group that raises service dogs for wounded vets Partners for patriots: The Sioux City-based charity says service dogs 'offer companionship and ... assist in many common tasks' Jerry Falwell Jr., the son of the Moral Majority preacher who died in 2007, introduced Trump and stayed on stage with him, moderating a Q-and-A interview. 'I see him as something that our country desperately needs,' Falwell said as he introduced 'the next President of the United States.' 'He's the only one who's electable, in my opinion,' he said in his closing. Trump also handed out his second $100,000 grant to a veterans assistance charity on Sunday as he entered the final stretch of his Iowa caucus campaign. A representative of Partners for Patriots, a Sioux City, Iowa organization that trains service dogs for military veterans, appeared on stage in Council Bluffs to accept a ceremonial check. With her came a rottweiler, which Secret Service agents green-lighted after a long conversation, one agent in the middle school auditorium said. Trump's audience, crowding shoulder-to-shoulder, was ready for a final lap around the Trump track before Monday. 'I love him. Just love him. He wears his balls outside his pants,' Jason Byrne said through a weather-beaten smile outside Gerald W. Kirn Middle School. 'He's really something, ain't he?' Trump is expected to outperform his showing in the latest polls on Monday night. He leads Texas Senator Ted Cruz by five percentage points in a Des Moines Register poll released Saturday. Wild: A massive audience greeting The Donald in Council Bluffs, Iowa inside a middle school gym Pastor Joshua Nink, right, lays his hands on Trump's shoulder and prays for the Republican presidential candidate at First Christian Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa, as Melania looks on But other polls have found a hidden trend: Some Trump voters who tell live-interview pollsters they are undecided end up choosing him in the anonymity of telephone push-button surveys. Trump's campaign has emphasized at every turn that Iowa's Republican caucus meetings don't require voters to publicly declare who they're supporting. 'The ballot is Secret,' reads a leaflet Trump's campaign is handing out at every Hawkeye State rally. The word 'Secret' is in boldface type. 'It's a secret ballot. It's not something you have to share with anybody else,' Iowa State Senator Brad Zaun told Trump's crowd in Council Bluffs. Waiting for the storm: Trump could lose momentum if an expected blizzard hits Iowa as caucus-goers decide whether to venture out of their homes Monday evening Complicating Monday's high-stakes political pageantry, a blizzard is expected to sweep across Iowa's prairies on Monday evening. And timing will be everything. If the storm comes early enough to depress turnout, it may hurt Trump more than Cruz whose extensive ground game reportedly includes shuttle service to some precinct caucus locations. And in the eastern part of the state, Iowa's more liberal region, Trump may lose the support of registered Democrats who are considering crossing over to support him. But if the snow comes after Iowans begin making their way to caucus sites, Trump's rabidly vocal base is expected to deliver him a victory and a giant springboard to New Hampshire. 'I'm really considering caucusing for Trump this time,' Carolyn Martin of Council Bluffs told DailyMail.com. 'I voted twice for President Obama, and I just can't see supporting another Democrat. I can switch over tomorrow night, so I might do that,' she said. Five navy commanders who detained ten American sailors earlier this month have been awarded medals by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A diplomatic crisis was narrowly avoided after two US Navy patrol boats crossed into Iran's waters from Kuwait to Bahrain on January 12. The sailors were released a day later after being held on Farsi Island in the Gulf after it was established the trespassing was not 'hostile or for spying purposes'. Scroll down for video A diplomatic crisis was narrowly avoided last month after ten US sailors (pictured) strayed into Iranian waters, causing them to be detained on Farsi Island in the Gulf for one day But despite it being established that the incident was not 'hostile' and was caused by a faulty GPS, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (pictured) awarded the Victory medal to US sailors captors and said that Iran should remain wary of America Despite this, Mr Kamenei awarded the Fath (Victory) medal to Admiral Ali Fadavi, the head of the Guard's navy, and the four commanders said that Iran should remain wary of America despite their recent nuclear deal, Reuters reported. The medal has previously been awarded to war heroes, politicians and military commanders. While Mr Fadavi had initially accused the sailors - nine men and one woman - of spying, an investigation later established that the US personnel were led astray by a 'broken navigation system'. Speaking at the time, Secretary of State John Kerry had said: 'That this issue was resolved peacefully and efficiently is a testament to the critical role diplomacy plays in keeping our country safe, secure, and strong.' But relations with Washington were strained last month by claims that Iran fired rockets close to a US aircraft carrier in the Gulf. The move comes despite Secretary of State John Kerry statement at the time saying: 'That this issue was resolved peacefully and efficiently is a testament to the critical role diplomacy plays in keeping our country safe, secure, and strong.' Pictured are the US sailors detained by Iran after straying into their waters Relations with Washington were strained last month by claims that Iran fired rockets close to a US aircraft carrier in the Gulf. Pictured are the US sailors detained by Iran after straying into their waters US military criticized the move, calling it 'abnormal and unprofessional'. Last year, Iranian patrol boats seized the Maersk Tigris, a cargo ship sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, which meant it was under US protection. And in March 2007, Iranian patrols captured 15 British Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel, interrogated them and held them for 13 days before releasing them. The US and European nations lifted oil and financial sanctions on Iran and released roughly $100 billion of its assets on January 16 after international inspectors found that the country had followed through with its promise to dismantle large parts of its nuclear program. A female former trader has lifted the lid on Wall St sexism and revealed how male colleagues mooed at her when she was lactating - and once drank her breast milk. Maureen Sherry claims that the few women at Bear Stearns were sat together on what was disparagingly called Estrogen Row by the men. They were mocked as fertile lassies and one man even knocked back a shot of breast milk she had stored in the office fridge. Miss Sherry, 51, claimed that the sexism was so bad that in interviews women were asked if they were married and if they planned to marry. Some were supposedly made to promise never to have children. Wall St has long been accused of sexism but has done little to address it despite a string of multi-million pound lawsuits brought by former female executive Miss Sherry made the revelations in her forthcoming novel Opening Belle, a thinly fictionalized account of her 11 years as a managing director at now defunct investment bank Bear Stearns in the 90s and 00s. The book is due to be made into a film starring Reese Witherspoon that will come out later this year. Miss Sherry, a mother-of-four who attended Cornell University and the Wharton School of Business, writes that on her first day on Wall St she opened up a pizza box to find condoms instead of pepperoni slices put there as a prank. Men openly debated hiring women based on their looks and one young woman noticed that her interviewer - a man - had drawn her breasts at the top her CV. In the trading room there was an area called The Dais of the D**** where the high earning men sat. They would order women to come over with a microphone before subjecting them to Game of Thrones style humiliations, the book says. The book is due to be made into a film starring Reese Witherspoon (pictured) that will come out later this year Miss Sherry writes that at one point when she was walking to the company nurses office with a breast pump, some men made mooing noises at her. Mooing happened on other occasions too when she was lactating. Miss Sherry writes: I ignored the time someone taped torn panties on my screen when I came back from my honeymoon. I dont want to hear slut jokes all day long. I dont want to work in a frat house. Miss Sherry writes that she lost count of the times a woman shared an idea at a meeting - only for a man to take credit for it. One male colleague told her that they should hire only women who have brothers because they are used to the banter. Miss Sherry had gone to Wall St with the idea of a career where you move quickly and you eat what you kill but the reality was far different. She never brought up the machismo and was called a team player by sexist men who complimented for her thick skin. One male colleague supposedly told her: Youre all fertile lassies.(We dont) want some bumper crop of equities markets pushing ever higher while (were) caught with sowers and reapers who arent available to harvest the goods. If the reason theyre unavailable is because theyve been having unprotected sex...you ladies are a pain in the a**. Writing in the New York Times, Miss Sherry says that she began to have second thoughts about Wall St because her children gave me perspective about the price of money. She wrote: The women labeled stellar successes were giving up more than I was willing to part with. With the benefit of some perspective, I began to think more deeply about what I and my female colleagues had experienced. Miss Sherry quit, took an MFA from Columbia University in nonfiction writing and is now a writer and mother in New York. Her husband Steven Klinsky, 59, works at a private equity firm in Manhattan. Wall St has long been accused of sexism but has done little to address it despite a string of multi-million pound lawsuits brought by former female executive. Miss Sherry's book seems similar to the account published last year by former Citigroup trader John LeFevre, who was born in the UK and worked in London and Hong Kong. In Straight to Hell he told how he and his colleagues threw thousands of dollars over a shopping mall balcony in Manila in the Philippines during a party. The group laughing as they watched poor people scoop the cash up until the police told them to stop. Mr LeFevre also claims his team made a young banker take a poll of them about how attractive they thought the women in the office were - and then give a presentation to them. Coyotes are attacking cars in California because they are high on magic mushrooms, officials believe. Drivers in West Marin, California, have reported that the animals have been acting strangely on Highway 1. They stare down the vehicles as they go round turns, force the motorists to stop by running at them and then they sniff around the cars. The incidents have become so frequent local officials, including The Marin Humane Society are trying to figure out why, the Pacific Sun reported. Coyotes are bizarrely attacking cars in California because they are high on magic mushrooms, officials believe (file picture) Rabies has been ruled out as an explanation, because the coyotes would have died already. But a possibility is that the coyote has eaten something, such as a fly agaric mushroom (amanita muscaria) which has hallucinogenic properties. Lisa Bloch, the director of communications for the Marin Humane Society, told the newspaper she has also been counselling dog owners of the dangers of poisonous mushrooms. The coyotes had been eradicated in the area in the 1970s because of the way they were treating cattle. However officials believe there could be as many as 750,000 in the Golden State. It is not known whether the coyotes are being fed the psychedelic mushrooms or they are eating them inadvertently. The coyotes being fed in general also causes a problem, and may be behind the phenomenon. Bloch added: 'One possibility is that the coyote has been fed, and this is a real problem for us in Marin. Its possible that someone was feeding him and thinking that its cool, and magical and mystical to have a coyote eating out of his hand. 'What this means is that basically we want the animals to be afraid of us naturally. A witness to the drowning of 37 people including babies and children off the Turkish coast has said the screams that came from the boat after it slammed into rocks will haunt her for the rest of her life. Gulcan Durdu, who lives on the beach in the Aegean resort of Ayvacik, broke down on Sunday as she shared her account of the tragedy that unfolded 24 hours before. Coastguards rescued 75 migrants from the sea after the boat en route to the Greek island of Lesbos capsized yesterday morning. Scroll down for video A Turkish gendarme carries the body of a child after yesterday's shipwreck. In total, 37 people - including children and babies - died in the tragedy Coastguards rescued 75 migrants from the sea after the boat en route to the Greek island of Lesbos capsized yesterday morning Gulcan Durdu, who lives on the beach in the Aegean resort of Ayvacik, broke down on Sunday as she shared his account of the tragedy that unfolded 24 hours before The 56-foot vessel - which set off from near Bademli, a village in Turkey's Canakkale province - was full of Afghan, Syrian and Burmese asylum-seekers, when it sank. Ms Durdo, 47, described how terrified screams woke her as she slept at her home on the coast. She said: 'I thought somebody was being murdered. 'I will never stop hearing those cries for the rest of my life. 'I will never forget. It was terrible. They died screaming. It was dark. 'We were only able to save those who were able to swim ashore.' Durdu recounted her she and her husband rushed to try to help survivors and brought a boy to their home to try to warm him up. Ms Durdo described how terrified screams woke her as she slept at her home on the coast. She said she thought somebody was being murdered 'We wrapped him up (in blankets),' she said. 'I brought the hair dryer to "warm". The boy became limp in my arms' before losing consciousness.' The overturned boat was still sitting on rocks offshore today. The beach near Ms Durdo's home remains littered with grim reminders of the disaster, including lifejackets, a child's sandal, clothing and other personal belongings that had washed onshore. The lifeless body of a migrant boy lies on the beach near the Aegean town of Ayvacik, Canakkale, Turkey Bodies of refugees are seen on Ayvacik beach after the shipwreck that killed up to 39 people The migrants were trying to make the short journey from Turkey to Greece. Europe has endured a huge influx of migrants, most of whom undertake a dangerous journey in search of a better life The migrants were trying to make the short journey from Turkey to Greece. The Turkish coast guard said that it had dispatched three boats, a team of divers and a helicopter after receiving calls for help. 'We are sad. At least 20 friends are still missing,' a woman who was among the survivors told AFP. Images of dead children on a beach on Saturday were another soul-searing reminder that Europe's migrant crisis keeps destroying lives and families by the day. A refugee woman cries after being rescued by Turkish Coast Guard after a boat sank in the Aegean sea The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said 218 people have died this year while trying to cross by sea from Turkey to Greece They recalled the photo of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi lying face down on a Turkish beach last year. His story put an intimate face on the Syrian refugee crisis for people across the world, prompting many to finally grapple with the magnitude of the suffering caused by the war in the Middle East and the treacherous journeys many risk seeking shelter in Europe. European countries have been strained by the influx of migrants, leading to disagreements over what to do with the large number of new arrivals and how to share the burden. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said 218 people have died this year while trying to cross by sea from Turkey to Greece. Joel Millman, a spokesman for the IOM, said the rate of deaths on Turkey-Greece human trafficking routes was 'increasing at an alarming rate.' Turkey is hosting an estimated 2.5 million refugees from Syria. The government in El Salvador has urged women not to get pregnant until 2018 to avoid having babies born with defects as the Zika virus sweeps across the Latin America. There have been 5,397 cases of the virus confirmed in El Salvador so far, although no babies have yet been born with microcephaly - underdeveloped skulls and brains - linked with the disease. Deputy Health Minister Eduardo Espinoza warned women not to conceive for two years, as it emerged that 96 pregnant women were among those diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus. Scroll down for video Women wait their turn for their pre-natal exams at the National Hospital for Women in San Salvador, amid calls from the government for women to avoid getting pregnant until 2018 because of the Zika virus 'We'd like to suggest to all the women of fertile age that they take steps to plan their pregnancies, and avoid getting pregnant between this year and next,' he said on Thursday. Although there has been some opposition to the minister comments, with some women claiming his requests are unrealistic. Vanessa Iraheta, 30, who is seven months pregnant with her second child, said: 'It's not up to the government; it's up to God. I don't think the youth will stop having children.' reports The New York Times. The minister also said that women who are already pregnant should stay covered outdoors to avoid getting bitten by mosquitos, which carry the virus. City workers fumigate a park as part of preventive measures against the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases in Santa Tecla, El Salvador It is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is also known to carry the dengue, yellow fever and Chikungunya viruses. Health experts are unsure why the virus, which was first detected in Africa in 1947 but unknown in the Americas until last year, is spreading so rapidly in Brazil and neighboring countries. Although research is still underway, significant evidence in Brazil shows a link between Zika infections and rising cases of microcephaly, a neurological disorder in which infants are born with smaller craniums and brains. He said the government decided to make the announcement because 5,397 cases of the Zika virus had been detected in El Salvador in 2015 and the first few days of this year. Since going off his meds for treatment Sheen admits HIV numbers are up The controversial doctor who famously injected himself with Charlie Sheen's HIV positive blood has claimed his goats milk treatment can cure the virus. Dr. Samir Chachoua made the extraordinary claims he had 'cured countries' of HIV and Aids during an interview on Real Time with Bill Maher last night. Chachoua - who is not licensed to practice medicine in the U.S. - has been treating Sheen who revealed last year that he has been battling with with virus for four years. He added that his 'cure', based on the milk of arthritic goats, had made the virus 'undetectable' in the Hollywood star, Gawker reports. Scroll down for video Charlie Sheen's (right) doctor, Dr. Samir Chachoua (left), made the extraordinary claims he had 'cured countries' of HIV and Aids during an interview on Real Time with Bill Maher last night 'I'm amazed that I'm actually alive': Charlie Sheen admitted the troubling news that his HIV numbers are 'up' on Tuesday's episode of The Dr. Oz Show after following Chachoua's 'cure' The doctor says that the CAEV virus present in the milk 'destroys HIV and protects people who drink it for life.' Chachoua went onto announce he had eradicated HIV and another virus called chikungunya in Comoros, an island nation off the eastern coast of Africa, in 2006. The doctor did not go into any detail to how his supposed treatment would 'destroy HIV', neither did he offer any scientific studies backing up his wild claims. The 50-year-old Golden Globe winner - who was immediately put on strong antiviral drugs which suppressed the virus after his diagnosis - stopped taking his medication in order to try an experimental 'vaccine' in Mexico. Sheen has since admitted earlier this month on The Dr. Oz Show that his HIV numbers are 'up'. But Chachoua claimed the troubled star was 'the first adult in history to go HIV negative' during his appearance on Maher's show. Chachoua went onto announce he had eradicated HIV and another virus called chikungunya in Comoros, an island nation off the eastern coast of Africa, in 2006 Sheen stopped taking the drugs to try a treatment in Mexico with Dr Sam Chachoua, pictured above, who is not licensed in the United States He told the host that when Sheen was on 'the incredibly powerful medical cocktails, he still showed virus.' 'As soon as he started my treatment he became undetectable,' he claimed. The bizarre and false claims were followed by a pre-recorded clip of Sheen complaining to the doctor about some of the side effects of his antiretroviral therapy including migraines and 'poo poo pants.' 'It's a horrible way to live, all these side effects disappeared the minute he started my therapy and the minute he started my therapy, his liver went to normal levels,' claimed Chachoua. 'Even the charts they held up on our show, all the great tests they showed, they were during my treatment, not theirs.' Chachoua also discussed the moment he had injected himself with Sheen's blood, saying he had been 'that confident' of his cure. Sheen has previously admitted he is risking his life with the untested treatment. Charlie - born Carlos Estevez - boasted in a pre-recorded segment on the Dr Oz show: 'I've been off my meds about a week now. I feel great. Am I risking my life? So what? I was born dead. That part of it doesn't phase me at all.' 'I didn't see it as Russian roulette. I didn't see it as a complete dismissal of the conventional course we've been on. I'm not recommending that anyone - I'm presenting myself as a type of guinea pig.' But his latest series of tests showed that Chachoua's 'cure' had actually led worrying news that his HIV numbers were going up for the first time. 'I had been non-detectable, non-detectable and checking the blood every week and then found out the numbers are back up,' the Anger Management star told the 55-year-old cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Oz. 'I'm amazed that I'm actually alive'. A 27-year-old man has been convicted of murder after he gave his 14-year-old niece a revolver, which she then used to kill another teenager over a Facebook dispute. Donnell Flora was found guilty by a jury after just two hours of deliberation on Saturday after his gun was used to kill Endia Martin, 14, in Chicago in April 2014. The niece, who has been charged as a juvenile and has not been identified, went to a house to confront her rival and Martin's best friend Lanekia Reynolds after she posted death threats on the social media site. Donnell Flora, 27, has been convicted of murder after he gave his 14-year-old niece a revolver, which she then used to kill another teenager over a Facebook dispute in Chicago Flora saw the messages, and thought the threat was seriousness enough that she needed to take a gun with him. He admitted in court he gave the .38 revolver to his niece, but said he told her to pass it on to her 'auntie' so she could hold onto it His attorneys claim he was armed so he could protect his young relative, but prosecutors blamed him for the slaying that took place. Assistant State's Attorney Barbara Bailey told the Chicago Tribune: 'He became her provider the provider of a handgun. 'When there were about 1,000 other options that could've been taken by an adult, he chose to continue the cycle. He was found guilty by a jury after just two hours of deliberation on Saturday after his gun was used to kill Endia Martin, 14, (left and right) in Chicago in April 2014 'Life is precious. No one knows that more than the family of Endia Martin. No one knows that more than the defendant.' Joel Brodsky, Flora's lawyer, brought up the case of self-defense, arguing Flora took the gun to the scene so he could protect his niece. 'These were not mere threats,' Brodsky said. 'They were 'I'm going to kill you. I'm going to out you in the ground next to your dad. 'It was not the brightest idea he [Flora] ever had. But it doesn't change the fact that that was his intent.' However, he said of the jury's decision: 'It's a very difficult thing to see the body of a dead 14-year old girl... and not want to make somebody have to pay for that.' Martin's family were in the courtroom for the hearing and stayed quiet throughout the proceedings. According to the Tribune, after the verdict was read and as the jury left the room, Flora began rocking back and forth in his wheelchair and briefly put his head down. Many expeditions staged to find yeti but none have ever found proof of it about the tracks and believe they could belong to a goat For decades, it has remained abominably elusive. But now it seems the game could finally be up for the yeti after a mountaineer claimed to be on its trail. Steve Berry believes the footprints in this photo, taken in the depths of the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, were left by the legendary beast. Discovery: Steve Berry believes the footprints in this photo, seen in the Himalayas, were left by the Yeti They are bigger than human footprints and, in any case, were left on a mountainside so far untouched by man. Placed in a single line, one in front of the other, Mr Berry insists they couldnt have been made by a snow leopard, or any other four-legged creature. While a bear can walk on two legs, its sheer bulk would make it impossible for it place its paws so precisely. Instead, he believes they were left by a gorilla-like animal as it carefully picked its way across the steep, snow-covered slope. The tracks were spotted on Gangkhar Puensum, the worlds highest unclimbed mountain, when Mr Berrys Bhutanese guide spotted them 200 yards away across an impassable chasm in October 2014. Mr Berry, 66, who lives near Badminton in South Gloucestershire, said: The local people said we were the first to ever set foot on that pass. I had always thought that stories about the yeti were a bit of old bunkum. But there is no denying these tracks existed. The prints were clearly visible with the naked eye from where we were standing on a pass at 17,800ft. There was a vertical drop in front of us, not to mention a very serious mountainside to cross, so we could not get to them. Legend: The yeti has been searched for many times over the years but no one has found proof of its existence It was another four days before Mr Berry reached human habitation and was able to share news of his find. There a yak herder told him he had seen the yeti, or migo as it is known in Bhutan, once, some 11 years earlier. Mr Berry said: He said it was about 100 yards from him and standing upright facing him and looked straight at him. It was completely covered in long dun brown-coloured hair and a face covered in hair like a cat or dog but of human height. Location: The yeti tracks were spotted on Gangkhar Puensum, the worlds highest unclimbed mountain Then, he said, You can recognise migo tracks because they put one foot directly in front of the other and I nearly fell over. I showed him the pictures from my camera and he said, Yes, these are migo tracks. Mr Berry's company specialises in Himalayan treks, so no doubt an appearance by the abominable snowman would be good for business. FACT OR FICTION: YETI FACTS Tibetan folklore has it that the yeti is nocturnal, whistles, and can kill with a single punch. Actor James Stewart smuggled a yeti finger into London by hiding it among his wifes lingerie after holidaying in India in 1959. Sherpa tradition holds that the yeti will only show itself to those who believe in it. Possible explanations for yeti tracks include melting snow, overlapping hind and forefeet animal tracks and prints left by nomads wearing snow sandals. Until 1847, the gorilla was thought of as a myth in the west and was believed to be supernatural being by African tribespeople. Heinrich Himmler is said to have had an interest in finding the creature, sending scientist Ernst Schaefer, to Tibet to search for it in 1938. Advertisement However, while Mr Berry, his guide and even the Bhutanese royal family who take a keen interest in the creature are convinced, others are more sceptical. The explorer, whose photographs will feature in a Channel 4 documentary later this year, admits that the fact that his company Mountain Kingdoms specialises in trips to the Himalayas will lead to scepticism about his claims. Jon Downes, director of the Centre for Fortean Zoology, said the slope is so steep that only an animal like a mountain goat would have been able to negotiate it. He said: I think that the chances of these prints being from anything more interesting are negligible and it is certainly not a bipedal higher primate. The centre of gravity for such an animal would mean it just wouldnt be able to venture up a mountain like that. The yeti has fascinated the western world since 1921, when a Royal Geographical Society expedition found footprints made by a wild man of the snows leading to the nickname abominable snowman. Since then, the creature, whose size, shape and name varies from part to part of the Himalayas, has steadfastly resisted detection despite numerous attempts to find it. Searching for the positive in everyday life News / Regional by Thobekile Zhou I have never had a spokesperson talk for me nor wish to have one no matter where fortune lands me one day. I speak my mind and for myself without fear. As I have evidenced here on my Facebook and is being spread throughout the social media, indeed I did have a closed door meeting with Madam Joyce Mujuru. I have not made any official statement in my own capacity nor a report to whoever feels compelled that I report to them what we discussed and how. Shockingly, am already being bashed, accused and denigrated by even some of those who I believed would openly come forward and seek audience with me on the matter. As if that was not enough I am also getting threats and warnings from those who I have known to be sworn enemies to my beliefs and struggles. With God on my side I stand guided and not easily moved or intimidated. There is always a guarantee of the victory of good over evil. For the record, Madam Mujuru narrated the motivation and direction of the proposed new dispensation she would like us to follow. We raised all our issues as a region from the Gukurahundi era through the years of marginalisation, suspected election rigging right up to our cry for the devolution of power and principled democratic leadership. Being convinced or not on the issues raised is subjective. An issue I wish we could realise as a region is that Mujuru's project has attracted a lot of buy in from our people on the ground. Our people want 2018 to be the definite time that ZANU PF goes and for whatever reason we may want to know they believe that Mujuru is finally that person they have been waiting for to topple ZANU PF. Question remains, should then this project be left in the hands of only those former ZANU PF people some with dirty hands and expose our people to a ZANU PF part 2? Is current main opposition really showing any signs of indeed wanting to go out in 2018 and wrestle power from ZANU PF? People First prospective leader, Joyce Mujuru has held private talks with Gwanda Residents Association chairman Bekezela Maduma.The details of the talks are still sketchy but Maduma has said that he is being criticised dfor meeting with Mujuru.He posted a picture of himself shaking hands with Mujuru.He wrote on his official Facebook page : While many people spend February indoors nesting and avoiding the latest winter storms, there are a number of varied and exciting events taking place across the country. From stepping back in time to the Vikings to taking a romantic break for Valentines, we round up some of the best things to do in England next month. Celebrate a Viking Festival in York The Jorvik Festival is now recognised as the largest event of its kind in Europe, attracting more than 40,000 visitors annually A sword-slashing, horn-blowing celebration of Yorks rich Viking heritage, the Jorvik Festival is now recognised as the largest event of its kind in Europe, attracting more than 40,000 visitors annually. This year the festival will celebrate all things King Canute he was crowned the first Viking King of England 1,000 years ago. Running from February 15 to 21, the festival will feature everything from an elaborate Viking banquet to a fiery battle finale. Youll also have the chance to mingle with warriors at the Viking Encampments in the heart of the city, join a Viking party complete with songs and games of old, and watch the march to Coppergate, where warriors will parade past the citys ancient sites. Search for fossils in Dorset Join an experienced team at the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre for a guided fossil-hunting walk along Dorsets Jurassic coastline. Youll need a bucket, spade and a beady eye as you go in search of prehistoric relics nestling in the shingle. Patience is key, but your efforts will hopefully be rewarded with iron pyrites (fools gold), ammonites, and maybe even a dinosaur tooth. Alternatively, head inland to the National Trusts Corfe Castle, which is inviting all brave teddies to join a wacky challenge between February 13 and 20. See how your favourite fuzzy friend fares as they travel across the beautiful ruins via a zip wire, all in the name of fun. Youll need a bucket, spade and a beady eye as you go in search of prehistoric relics nestling in the shingle Spend Valentines Day in Canterbury Use the spires of the world-famous cathedral to guide you through Canterburys picturesque cobbled streets on a romantic break where youll stumble across top-notch restaurants and fascinating museums, not to mention plenty of ancient sites. Start your break at Canterbury Cathedral, a Unesco World Heritage Site where Thomas Becket was famously killed. Soak up more culture at the citys many museums and galleries, including The Beaney House of Art And Knowledge, and the Roman Museum. Come lunchtime, blend in with the locals with a bite to eat at the farmers market and restaurant, The Goods Shed, before strolling along cobbled streets lined with boutiques. Then as dusk sets in, pop into one of Canterburys historic watering holes or independent microbreweries. Enjoy a show-stopping break in London Know someone who lives for the stage? Whether youre a fan of the outrageous Book Of Mormon, the ever- popular Phantom Of The Opera, or toe-tapping musicals such as Guys And Dolls, Londonbreaks.coms gift vouchers give theatre-lovers free rein on an evening out or even a weekend break in the capital. Vouchers can be exchanged against full- priced tickets, as well as against a variety of restaurant and hotel packages. He mentioned the rich diversity on the small screen in his speech, saying: 'Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV!' Elba won Best Supporting Actor for Beasts Of No Nation and Best Actor in a TV Miniseries for Luther Stars including Idris Elba, Viola Davis, Queen Latifah and Uzo Aduba won big TV prizes at the awards on Saturday night Advertisement While the Academy Awards is in the grips of a race row crisis, the Screen Actors Guild proved to be a clear celebration of diversity on Saturday. The winners list, unveiled at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, was a stark antidote to the controversy that has overwhelmed Hollywood's awards season and the #OscarsSoWhite backlash. There was a double win for British star Idris Elba, who won Best Supporting Actor for Beasts Of No Nation, about child soldiers in Africa, and Best Actor in a TV Miniseries for Luther. Elba, in fact, succinctly summed up what was happening when he took the stage for a third time, as a presenter, and said: 'Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV!' It followed not only his wins but those by the cast of the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black for Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series and for its star Uzo Aduba for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series. There were also wins for Viola Davis won for her performance in the TV series How To Get Away With Murder and Queen Latifah for her performance in HBO's Bessie. Scroll down for video Celebrating diversity: Idris Elba won the first of his two Screen Actor's Guild Awards on Saturday night for his supporting role in the film Beast Of No Nation, about child soldiers in Africa. He also won for his role in Luther Victory: Uzo Aduba won for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for Orange Is The New Black; Viola Davis picked up the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for How To Get Away With Murder; Queen Latifah won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries for the HBO film Bessie Proud: The cast of Orange Is The New Black took home the SAG Award for Best Comedy Series Ensemble for the second year in a row. Laura Prepon took to the microphone and pointed out her co-stars, saying that they represented what is meant by diversity on screen What made the night's events so interesting was the fact that members of SAG were casting their votes right up until the end of the day on Friday. That meant that the 160,000 guild members were making their decisions as the lack of diversity row over the Academy Awards was in high gear and talks of a boycott were being bandied about. And since actors make up the largest voting bloc in the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences, it's interesting to see them voting firmly in favor of diversity on big and small screens. It would be hard not to wonder how much the 'OscarsSoWhite' backlash influenced the way votes were cast for Saturday night's SAGs. Making a statement: SAG Award winner Elba declared 'this is diverse TV' as he took to the stage with his Beasts of No Nation co-star Abraham Attah to introduce a clip from their film which was shot in Ghana Small screen and big screen: He won a SAG for his Outstanding Performance in the BBC America drama series Luther. He also nabbed an award for his supporting role in the movie Beasts Of No Nation in which he plays an African warlord British star Elba was overcome when his name was called for the second time in quick succession. Elba, who first made his name in the gritty drama series The Wire, was a surprise winner despite the critical acclaim he has received for his performance in Beasts Of No Nation and as a tormented detective in Luther. 'I remember getting my SAG card from Law & Order 20 odd years ago,' the actor said as he excitedly collected his first award of the night for Beasts Of No Nation. 'We made a film about real people and real lives, you know, and to be rewarded for it is very special. Thank you for giving this film some light, respect, love.' Taking it all in: The 43-year-old Londoner was a clear favorite among the members of the Screen Actors Guild Spring in his step: Elba literally bounded up the steps onto the stage and couldn't contain his delight after his name was announced and he took home awards for his performances on both the big and the small screen Thanks, buddy! The popular actor was presented with his award for Luther by nine-year-old Jacob Tremblay, the young star of Room, who had to stand on a box at the podium in order to reach the microphone to speak Viola Davis won her first SAG Award in 2012 for her supporting role in the movie The Help and on saturday night she picked up another one, this time for her work on the small screen. Davis stars as criminal defense professor Annalise Keating in the popular ABC series How To Get Away With Murder. She said in her speech that her job as an actor is to 'create a human being' and she does her job to the best of her ability. Here she comes! Viola Davis approached the stage a little more sedately than did Elba in her heels and low-cut gown. It was the second time the actress won a SAG Award - she was awarded one for her supporting role in the film The Help back in 2012 Hot topic: The spectre of an Oscars boycott hung over the SAG Awards with winners being asked about the controversy backstage. USA Today reporter Andrea Mandell tweeted Davis' reaction to the situation Bright star: The 50-year-old actress was honored this time for her small screen role as Annalise Keating in How To Get Away With Murder. Backstage she told reporters: 'Weve become a society of trending topics. Diversity is not a trending topic, its just not' Netflix series Orange Is The New Black picked up the award for Outstanding Comedy Ensemble while star Uzo Aduba was honored with the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series trophy. As the OITNB cast took the stage to collect their Actor, as the SAG trophy is known, actress Laura Prepon addressed the audience. 'Look at this stage. This is what we talk about when we talk about diversity,' she said. Time to celebrate: Actress Laura Prepon, who accepted OITNB's ensemble award, gestured to the cast of the prison comedy with her on stage and said that they represented what diversity looks like Fan favourite: Orange Is The New Black has been a hit with fans since it debuted on Netflix in 2013 and opened the doors for a number of actors launching the careers of transgender star Laverne Cox and Uzo Aduba Another SAG for Uzo: Aduba received her Actor, as the SAG trophy is known, from Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig and the 34-year-old said her win was 'truly touching' Honoured: The actress has won over fans and critics alike with her performance as Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren in the prison comedy that looks at the lives of an assortment of women behind bars Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig presented the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series, to OITNB's Uzo Aduba. 'Oh my gosh,' she said as she collected the award. 'It's truly touching,' she said before adding that the show features characters that represent 'so many people.' Queen Latifah picked up the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries for Bessie.The film that aired on HBO was a labor of love for the rapper and TV personality who spent 20 years trying to bring the story of the celebrated Blues singer to the screen. Keep fighting: Queen Latifah encouraged people to celebrate diversity. 'You build your own boxes, not people. So knock that thing away and do you! she said Hit role: The actress and TV personality spent 20 years trying to get a biopic of Blues singer Bessie Smith made for the screen and she expressed her gratitude to SAG members for honoring her work in the film that aired on HBO 'I am in shock right now,' Latifah said. 'I'm really just very grateful.' She spoke in her acceptance speech about how her mom and dad had told her she could be whoever she wanted to be and she urged others not to be pigeon-holed or settle for less than who they are. I hope that anyone out there who does not come in the package that people say you should, keep fighting for it, said Latifah. Flip those rocks over. Keep pushing, keep turning. You can do it. You build your own boxes, not people. So knock that thing away and do you! Sparkling: Alicia Vikander cemented her Oscar chances with a win at SAG for her supporting role in the movie The Danish Girl. The pretty 27-year-old from Sweden has become a one of the breakout stars of the year Support: The actress paused to greet her co-star Eddie Redmayne on her way to collect her trophy and said in her acceptance speech that actors don't work in a bubble and it takes a collaboration for magic to happen Moving: The Danish Girl stars Redmayne, left, as Danish artist Lili Elbe and Vikander as Gerda Wegener, Elbe's wife who supports his transgender transition in the based-on-a-true-story movie Swedish actress Alicia Vikander was named Best Supporting Actress for The Danish Girl, about transgender pioneer and Danish artist Lili Elbe, played by Eddie Redmayne. She paused on her way to the stage to greet Redmayne and thanked him in her speech saying actors 'don't work in a bubble.' Vikander, who picked up the Golden Globe earlier this month, is now the out and out favorite to win an Oscar for her performance in the Tom Hooper-directed movie. So, too, is Room star Brie Larson who fresh off her Golden Globe victory took home the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Lead Role in a Motion Picture. Larson said in her acceptance speech that watching movies as a child had made her feel 'less alone' and she discovered that acting gave her 'a safe place to explore my creativity.' Best actress: Room star Brie Larsen won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Lead Role in a Motion Picture and is now the firm favorite to repeat the success at the Academy Awards on February 28 Big smile: The Californian picked up her award from a beaming Eddie Redmayne, who won a SAG last year for The Theory Of Everything In Room, Larson, 27, plays a young mother who has been held captive for several years with her son, played by Tremblay, and explores what happens when they are finally free It was a good night for Leonardo DiCaprio who finally took home his first SAG Award for The Revenant. He seemed to be a popular winner with the audience applauding and cheering when his name was announced by presenter Julianne Moore. He was immediately on the receiving end of a huge hug and embrace for his Titanic co-star Kate Winslet who has been championing his cause all awards season. Golden boy: Leonardo DiCaprio couldn't hide his sense of satisfaction as his name was called out as winner of Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role in a Motion Picture for The Revenant Don't let go! First to congratulate the actor was his Titanic co-star and good friend Kate Winslet who has been championing his cause all awards season and would dearly love to see him finally win an Oscar Air kisses: DiCaprio also got a congratulatory kiss from Julianne Moore who presented him with his award DiCaprio, 41, is now the clear frontrunner for the Best Actor Academy Award - a recognition that has eluded him time after time in his more than 20-year career in Hollywood. Individual actor SAG winners the last three years have exactly corresponded with eventual Oscar winners. In collecting his award, the hearthrob star had some advice for those aspiring to join the profession. 'For any young actors out there, I encourage you to watch the history of cinema,' he said. 'As the history of cinema unfolds, you realize that we all stand on the shoulders of giants.' It's Leo's year: The Hollywood heartthrob was rewarded for his recreation of an 19th century frontiersman who is left for dead by his traveling companions and sets out to seek revenge in The Revenant which was shot on location in Canada and Argentina 'This means so much to me,' said DiCaprio, 41, who has been nominated five times for an individual SAG Award but never won until now At the top of their game: DiCaprio and Larsen, shown here bumping into each other backstage, are now the clear frontrunners to repeat their wins at the Academy Awards The SAG equivalent of Best Picture went to the movie Spotlight, about the work by reporters at the Boston Globe to reveal the Catholic Church's cover up of pedophile priests. The cast including Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber and John Slattery took to the stage and appeared somewhat surprised at their win. 'No way,' exclaimed Ruffalo who accepted the statuette from Demi Moore. Suprise win: Mark Ruffalo accepted the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Motion Picture for Spotlight from Demi Moore Making headlines: Ruffalo dedicated the award to the victims and survivors of Catholic pedophile priests who had served as inspiration for the film about the Boston Globe's reporting on the scandal The actor described the sexual abuse of children by priests as 'one of the most horrific things that our culture has allowed to happen' and dedicated the award to the victims and survivors. 'This movie allows them to be seen in the world in a world that has been blind to them,' he said. Ruffalo's co-star Michael Keaton said that for him personally, the award 'is really for the disenfranchised everywhere.' 'This is for every Flint, Michigan, in the world. This is for the powerless,' Keaton said. 'It comes down to two things: There's fair and there's unfair, and I am always going to vote for the fair. I'm always going to vote for the good guys.' Sombre moment: Michael Keaton also spoke about how the award was for 'the disenfranchised and the powerless' as his costars watched - from l-r, Billy Crudup, John Slattery, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Brian d'Arcy James and Rachel McAdams Based on a true story: Spotlight explores how journalists at the Boston Globe investigated allegations of widespread sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests in the Archdiocese of Boston Celebration: Backstage the cast of Spotlight let loose with their delight at winning and whopped it up as they brandished their Actors in the air Surpise presenter: Demi Moore presented the final award of the night to Spotlight and the 53-year-old star looked simply stunning in her vintage outfit The cast of British series Downton Abbey won the Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Award and their delight was plain to see as they gathered on stage. Lesley Nicol, who plays cook Mrs. Patmore in the PBS drama, spoke on behalf of her co-stars to thank the American actors for their warmth and generosity over the six years that the Downton Abbey crew had been coming to the awards show. 'We're up against your TV royalty so it's a deep, deep honor, and to win this is simply phenomenal,' Nicol said. Brits win big: The cast of Downton Abbey were honored for their Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series with Lesley Nicol, who played the cook Mrs. Patmore, thanking the American actors for their generosity towards them Autographs please! Backstage, Phyllis Logan, left, who plays Mrs. Hughes, and Joanne Froggatt, right, who plays Anna, autographed posters on their way to the press room to talk to reporters Last hurrah: It's the fourth year in a row that the BBC/PBS period drama has won the Best Ensemble Screen Actors Guild Award. The show has completed its sixth and final season Kevin Spacey won Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series for House of Cards. It marked another big win for the streaming service Netflix whose shows and films accrued quite a collection of trophies throughout the ceremony. He's ace: Kevin Spacey won a SAG Award for his leading role in Netflix's House Of Cards that has just been greenlit for a fifth season on Netflix Power player: Spacey was honored for his portrayal of the scheming and ruthless politician Francis Underwood in the series that premiered on the streaming service in 2013 Jeffrey Tambor was handed the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Comedy Series for his role in Transparent. This is the group of my brothers and sisters, he said of the Screen Actors Guild. And he dedicated his win to trans men and women. I play Maura Pfefferman, she's very entitled and she has a lot of money, and I would just like to dedicate this award to the non-Maura Pfeffermans who don't have a lot of cash for their operations, for their medicines, for their freedom,' Tambor said. Emotional: Veteran actor Jeffrey Tambor won the first SAG Award of his career for Transparent and gave a shout out to trans men and women who struggle to win 'their freedom' Amazon hit: Tambor, 71, has garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of a middle-aged man who finally comes out to his family as transgender Starry night: The SAG Awards are held at the cavernous Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles and represent the votes of the 160,000 members of the actors union Cheers: Carol Burnett received a SAG Lifetime Achievement Award from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Round of applause: The TV veteran, who pioneered female comedy on television, received a standing ovation as she took to the stage Carol Burnett was honored with the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award. The 82-year-old TV icon was presented with the trophy by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler after they paid tribute to her long-lasting and hugely successful career. 'This is a very special honor,' the star of The Carol Burnett Show said as she received a standing ovation. She concluded with a tug of the ear and her signature phrase: 'I'm so glad we had this time together.' Big smile: Burnett, who's 82, appeared genuinely touched by the outpouring of affection Girl power: Funny ladies Fey and Poehler introduced a showreel of some of the highlights of Burnett's career The three comediennes kept the laughter going backstage as they posed with Burnett's Lifetime Achievement Award The SAG Awards honor the best of movies and television and it's the one show where actors' performances are judged by their peers. The star-studded ceremony opened with several celebrities including Queen Latifah, Jeffrey Tambor and Rami Malek talking about their dream of being an actor and their early experiences as an actor. Some of Hollywood's top names also turned out to help with presenting the awards and celebrate their actors union. Step right up! Room stars Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay were among the big names who served as presenters at the awards show held at LA's Shrine Auditorium Hair-raising moment: Sarah Silverman and Jason Bateman brought some humor to proceedings Keegan-Michael Key and Julia Louis-Dreyfus also served as presenters The nominees and the audience enjoyed dinner during the awards show that was broadcast live on TNT Mr. Robot star Rami Malek was among those who introduced the show by talking about why they wanted to be actors and how they came to get their SAG cards Kunal Nayyar, from The Big Bang Theory, joked about how he'd been cast as a terrorist and punched by Mark Harmon during his first professional gig on TV's N.C.I.S. Following the telecast, the winners gathered backstage where they autographed posters and put their signatures on champagne bottles. They also did the rounds of the media crews waiting to ask them questions and naturally the diversity - or lack of it - in the Academy Award nominations was a hot topic. Viola Davis said she didn't mind if people watched or didn't watch the Oscars but made it clear that becoming more inclusive was not something that should just be talked about during awards season. 'Weve become a society of trending topics. Diversity is not a trending topic, its just not,' she told reporters. Davis, posing backstage with her Actor, said the discussion about diversity in Hollwyood must continue even once awards season is over Best actor DiCaprio and best actress Larson looked ot be having a blast backstage once the awards show ended The 27-year-old California native was clearly having the time of her life as she celebrated another awards win for Room Spotlight star Michael Keaton added his moniker to one of the large bottles of Taittinger champagne backstage at the awards show The men of Downton Abbey exhibited the best of British backstage The women of Downton Abbey showed off their playful side Winner Uzo Aduba did some heavy lifting with her pair of SAGs Idris Elba, too, can also use his SAG Awards as bookends after collecting a matching pair Burnett greeted Spacey like a long lost friend, running over to give him a big hug after spotting him backstage at the Shrine Auditorium The 56-year-old will reprise his House Of Cards role for a fifth season on Netflix Latifah had clearly fallen in love with her Actor as she posed for photos with a dreamy smile on her face and next to a vase of red roses Alicia Vikander's winning smile was as bright as her shimmering sequinned gown The large cast of Orange Is The New Black posed a challenge for photographers as they all gathered backstage for a photo op clutching their Actors 2016 SAG AWARDS: WINNERS FOR FILM FILM Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Lead Role In A Motion picture Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn Sarah Silverman, I Smile Back WINNER: Brie Larson, Room Cate Blanchett, Carol Helen Mirren, Woman In Gold Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Lead Role In A Motion picture Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs WINNER: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl Bryan Cranston, Trumbo Johnny Depp, Black Mass Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture Rooney Mara, Carol Rachel McAdams, Spotlight Helen Mirren, Trumbo WINNER: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture WINNER: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation Michael Shannon, 99 Homes Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies Jacob Tremblay, Room Christian Bale, The Big Short Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture Beasts of No Nation The Big Short WINNER: Spotlight Straight Outta Compton Trumbo Advertisement The big day is finally here as Kimberley Walsh and her long-term partner Justin Scott prepare to tie the knot in front of friends and family in Barbados. And Denise Van Outen and her partner Eddie Boxshall were supporting the Girls Aloud star as she prepared to walk down the aisle at on Saturday afternoon. The 41-year-old blonde and her man headed-up the celebrity guestlist as they arrived at St James Parish Church for the nuptials, which will see Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts acting as bridesmaids. Scroll down for video Celebrity arrivals: Denise Van Outen and her partner Eddie Boxshall were the first guests to arrive at Kimberley Walsh and Justin Scott's wedding at St James Parish Church in Barbados on Saturday The wait is over: After dating for 13 years, Justin, 33, and 34-year-old Kimberley's big day has finally arrived. The couple are pictured here attending Nicola Roberts' 30th birthday party in October 2015 Looking glam as she stepped out in the sunshine, passers-by watched as the TV presenter and actress put on a leggy display in her summery ensemble. Wearing a yellow and green dress which was fitted to her form, she certainly dressed to impress for the big event, set just off the main street. Carrying a gold YSL clutch bag with a pair of silver, strappy shoes, the mother-of-one walked a fine line between sexy and occasion-appropriate. Stepping out in style: Wearing a yellow and green dress which was fitted to her form, Denise certainly dressed to impress for the big event Lookimg good: The blonde performer and her man headed-up a celebrity guestlist in Barbados as the Girls Aloud singer finally tied the knot Church service: Carrying a gold YSL clutch bag with a pair of silver, strappy shoes, the mother-of-one walked a fine line between sexy and occasion-appropriate Meanwhile, her handsome stockbroker beau looked dapper in a light blue suit, which he matched with a blue shirt and matching tie. Stepping out with a pair of designer sunglasses, he was the ideal plus-one for Denise. Together, they put on a stylish display alongside a host of like-minded guests, who included Cheryl's mum, Joan Callaghan. Blue is the colour: Meanwhile, her handsome man looked dapper in a light blue suit, which he matched with a blue shirt and matching tie Arm-in-arm|: The pair certainly appeared to be feeling the romance as they linked each other Other guests at the bash included close members of Kimberley's family, including her lookalike mother. Wearing a grey dress emblazoned with white flowers, the matriarchal figure looked somewhat nervous as she made her way to the church. Kimberley's former bandmates, Cheryl and Nicola Roberts, are set to help walk her down the aisle. Here comes the dress! The pop star's bridal gown was carried to the venue by a duo of assistants Mum's the word: Other guests at the bash included close members of Kimberley's family, including her look-a-like mother Parents allowed: Others who attended included Cheryl Fernandez-Versini's mum, Joan Callaghan And hours before the bride and her husband-to-be arrived at the oldest church on the island, final preparations could be seen by passers-by as a group of local handymen got to work. It's unclear what purpose the sheltered walkway will serve during the ceremony but it could prevent onlookers having a sneak-peek of Kimberley and her dress before she enters the venue. However, the church doors remain unblocked, suggesting the just-married couple will make a traditional grand exit, confetti and all, following the intimate ceremony. Inside, the antiquated building is romanesque in design mixed with traditional Anglican touches - making it the perfect spot for the couple's low-key nuptials. Setting up camp: From the street, a group of local workmen could be seen erecting a marquee-style walkway to the side of St James Parish Church where the couple will marry All top-secret: The temporary shelter appeared to consist of three parts and it's unclear what purpose it will serve on Kimberley and Justin's big day Here comes the bride: The former Girls Aloud singer may enter the church via the sheltered walkway in order to avoid unveiling her dress before the ceremony Taking no risks: Security were on hand to avoid any one interfering with the set-up Many hands make light work: The workmen were apparently building the structure for a good few hours Perfect weather: Kimberley and Justin had the sun on their side as clear-blue skies blessed their big day Kimberley was spotted heading inside to check over the venue after arriving on the island on Monday. A source confirmed to MailOnline on Friday that the mother-of-one, who has brought their one-year-old son Bobby over to the Caribbean, was seen at the location on Thursday night after rehearsals. Suited to the 30C and above temperatures at this time of year, the building is made from light, local limestone, complete with mahogany beams. It features just enough space for friends and family to gather, seating 550 and with 360 standing spaces on offer. The church was built originally in 1628 but has been reconstructed twice in its history and is thought to be among four of the last remaining Anglican churches on the island. Romantic: The venue is the oldest church in Barbados, meaning the ceremony will no doubt be steeped in tradition Romanesque: The venue is built supported by mahogany beams and features stain glass windows Enough room for all: It's expected to hold just enough room for friends and family Married in the morning: The duo have been together for 13 years now Previously, The Mirror reported that Kimberley was due to wed outdoors at the luxury Bellevue Plantation. She obtained the wedding certificate, accompanied by boyfriend Justin, on Tuesday and is now thought to be sharing the big day between the two idyllic locations. Kimberley and Justin, who have been dating for 13 years, arrived in the Caribbean on Monday with their 18-month-old son Bobby as they started prep for their highly-anticipated nuptials. Traditional: Their venue was first built in 1628 but has been rebuilt twice Getting wed: The duo are expected to exchange vows in front of 18-month-old son Bobby too Look of love: The couple arrived in Barbados on Monday ahead of their nuptials The island spot, which is said to cost 10,000-a-day to hire, boasts a main house with a host of luxury features, including full staff and an array of optional beauty treatments. The main house on the island contains eight bedrooms, suggesting other guests, including Cheryl and Nicola, will be staying at guest cottages on the idyllic island. Photographs of the venue revealed stunning views, dreamy white sand beaches with turquoise seas and the grand mansion at the centre of the home. Taking care of business: Kimberley and Justin picked up their marriage certificates at local government offices Kimberley and Justin were pictured after having picked up their marriage certificates at local government offices on Tuesday. The blonde beauty's bridesmaids, Cheryl and Nicola, were spotted touching down the following day and were evidently excited. Also arriving on the same Barbados-bound flight was Denise van Outen and her partner Eddie Boxshall as well as actress Kara Tointon. Stunning: The main house on the island contains eight bedrooms, suggesting other guests, including Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts, will be staying at guest cottages on the idyllic island Perfect setting: The duo will no doubt love celebrating in the stunning setting Kimberley recently told HELLO! magazine she'll be unable to look at close pal Cheryl during her big day as she'll break down in front of the altar. 'I used to be good at keeping up an icy exterior but since I had Bobby, I'm so much more emotional,' she explained. 'I'm slightly worried about the wedding to be honest. 'A few happy tears are fine, but I don't want to spend the whole day sobbing, so I'm going to have to be careful about even looking at Cheryl and my sisters, because they'll definitely cry and that will set me off.' Luxurious: The house boasts a host of luxury features including lavish dining facilities Beautiful: The newlyweds are certainly in for a blissful marital getaway Nicole Trunfio treated the sidewalk like her personal runway during a coffee run on Saturday. Spotted in Los Angeles with a takeaway cup in her hand, the 29-year-old Australian model was dressed to impress in a stunning white dress. The mother-of-one showcased her petite figure thanks to the off-shoulder design of her mini summer frock turning heads along the way. Scroll down for video Strutting it: MOdel Nicole Trunfio treated the sidewalk like her personal runway during a coffee run on Saturday The laced number finished well above the knee putting a generous glimpse of her trim pins on show. Choosing to inject a rocker chic touch to her look, the fiancee of musician Gary Clark Jr wore a black choker around her neck and sassy circular shades. Her caramel tresses were worn out in a natural wave, while her footwear of choice was a pair of black ankle boots. Fashionista: The 29-year-old Australian model was dressed to impress in a stunning white dress, with equally as chic accessories Stunning figure: The mother-of-one showcased her petite figure tin a mini summer frock Leggy lady: The laced number finished well above her knees, allowing a generous glimpse of her trim pins to be on show Holding onto her takeaway cup of coffee, she leisurely strolled down the street while maintaining a firm grip of her phone in her left hand. Meanwhile, having relocated from Australia to the Texan capital of Austin to be with her troubadour husband and their infant son Zion, Nicole celebrated her heritage last Sunday with an Australia Day party. With a group of beautiful ex-pats including model sisters Jessica and Ashley Hart, and presenter Susan Mourad, the clan fell into trendy, Australian-owned, haunt L.P. in West Hollywood. Ethereal: The fiancee of Gary Clark Jr. wore a black choker around her neck Shady lady: The Australian model sported a pair of sassy circular sunglasses on the day Brunette beauty: Nicole chose to wear her caramel locks loosely in a natural wave There they enjoyed a barbecue served up on the rooftop bar with Melbourne house DJ Grant Smillie spinning the tunes. Before his set, however, Grant posed with the group of girls for some fun shots, with the flag patriotically waving in the background. Jess held tight to young Zion in one photo, with the tiny tot looking more interested in poking Grant's ears than being among the bevy of beauties. Nicole and Gary announced their engagement in November 2014, welcoming their first son Zion a year later. Hands full: The Perth-born model leisurely strolled down the street while maintaining a firm grip of her phone in her left hand Family life: She has relocated to Austin, Texas, to be with Gary Clark Jr. and their adorable infant son, Zion Ariel Winter topped off a huge celebratory week by attending the SAG Awards in LA on Saturday. The Modern Family star turned 18 on Thursday, then celebrated with a lavish party with 300 friends and family on Friday night. By Saturday the fun times rolled on as she hit the red carpet for the ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium. She looked every in the grown-up star in a fishtail black dress and elegant jewels. Ariel's raven-coloured locks were worn down into waves flowing over her shoulders as she sported natural make-up including light pink blush and lip. Scroll down for video Big week! Modern Family star Ariel Winter attended the SAG Awards in LA on Saturday night Making a splash: The star, who turned 18 on Thursday, opted for a glamorous long mermaid-style gown featured a lacy detailing Birthday girl: The actress revealed she spent Friday night celebrating with 300 friends and family Though hitting up a red carpet event is always an experience, the Modern Family actress seemingly couldn't wait to dish the details on her 18th birthday celebration the previous night. Her party had a 'Moroccan' theme as she told E! television presenter Brad Goreski: 'We had Aladdin guys and belly dancers and we had a a lot of really cool things. My Cake was awesome!' No doubt it was a fun affair as she revealed there was over 300 friends and family at the event as she explained: 'I'm Greek, so you gotta factor in family members, how many cousins I have, and stuff like that!' See full coverage of the 2016 SAG Awards with more news and red carpet pictures Natural beauty: She wore her raven-coloured locks down into waves and had light pink blush and lipstick Big changes: In June of last year, the starlet underwent a breast reduction surgery to decrease her size from a 32F to a 34D, and now feels 'comfortable' in her own skin It's a celebration: She was happy to share the details of her recent 18th party which had a 'Moroccan' theme Things seem to be going well in the young starlet's life as her boyfriend Laurent Gaudette posted a short video on his Instagram on Thursday of them kissing while posing for a selfie. There were reports that the two had split in December but the intimate clip definitely proved that things are still going well. He captioned the clip: 'Had the pleasure of spending the day with this beautiful and perfect birthday girl. Happy Birthday love.' Sibling revelry: Ariel with Sarah Hyland who plays her TV sister on Modern Family More co-star fun: Ariel with Rico Rodriguez and his sister Raini In June of last year, the starlet underwent a breast reduction surgery to decrease her size from a 32F to a 34D, and now feels 'comfortable' in her own skin. Explaining the decision to People at the time she said: 'Being a 5-ft.-tall girl and having extremely large breasts is really ostracizing and excruciatingly painful.' 'It was an instant weight lifted off my chest - both literally and figuratively,' she added. 'There's a confidence you find when you finally feel right in your body.' So in love: Ariel seemed to take a break from boyfriend Laurent Gaudette in December. But on Thursday he confirmed they're back on as the actor posted to Instagram a clip of the two kissing while posing for a selfie I like you! The two were celebrating the Modern Family star's 18th birthday In love:The actors both wore black outfits for their big night out 2016 SAG AWARDS: WINNERS FOR FILM FILM Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Lead Role In A Motion picture Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn Sarah Silverman, I Smile Back WINNER: Brie Larson, Room Cate Blanchett, Carol Helen Mirren, Woman In Gold Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Lead Role In A Motion picture Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs WINNER: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl Bryan Cranston, Trumbo Johnny Depp, Black Mass Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture Rooney Mara, Carol Rachel McAdams, Spotlight Helen Mirren, Trumbo WINNER: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture WINNER: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation Michael Shannon, 99 Homes Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies Jacob Tremblay, Room Christian Bale, The Big Short Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture Beasts of No Nation The Big Short WINNER: Spotlight Straight Outta Compton Trumbo Advertisement Advertisement The Screen Actors Guild Awards celebrate the best of the world's acting talent. And flying the flag for the Brits at the 22nd annual ceremony were some of the UK's A-list talent including Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren and Emilia Clarke as the glitterati descended upon the The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Saturday. The leading ladies put on a strong sartorial display as they rocked the red carpet at the film awards in an array of brightly coloured dresses, joined by the likes of Game Of Thrones favourites Maisie Williams and Gwendoline Christie. Scroll down for video Stealing the show: Kate Winslet (L), Helen Mirren (C) and Emilia Clarke (R) led the glamorous brigade of British beauties at the Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Saturday Kate looked every inch the English rose, opting to play it safe, staying true to her classic sense of style in a dark green fishtail gown that clung to her hourglass figure. The 40-year-old star was the picture of elegance in her glamorous gown, which boasted a plunging green neckline and a flowing train. Kate is up for one of the biggest prizes of the night: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for her performance in Steve Jobs. Giving her a run for her money was timeless beauty Helen Mirren, who dazzled in a sparkling silver number that suited her to perfection. See full coverage of the 2016 SAG Awards with more news and red carpet pictures Beautiful in blue: The A-list actresses were also joined by Game Of Thrones favourites Maisie Williams (left) and Gwendoline Christie (right) Classic beauty: Kate stayed true to her classic sense of style in a dark green fishtail gown that clung to her hourglass figure Timeless beauty: Veteran actress Helen, 70, proved that age is just a number as she rocked the red carpet in a dazzling silver number Sparkling sensation: The Oscar-winning star's metallic gown featured intricate sequinned stitching and beaded detailing at the bust The 70-year-old actress proved age is just a number as she turned heads in the delicately embroidered dress, featuring sequinned detailing on the neckline and shoulders. Dame Helen proved she really was in her golden years in her showstopping gown, which added a touch of bling to the proceedings. Game Of Thrones beauty Emilia Clarke injected a vibrant pop of colour into the rainbow array of gowns on display, looking better than ever in a dramatic ball gown. The hot pink number featured a deep V-cut, showing off her slender figure, before splaying out at the waist in an elegant full skirt. Eye-catching: Game Of Thrones favourite Emilia looked picture perfect in her hot pink ballgown with its full skirt sweeping the floor Tickled pink: The plunging number worked perfectly with the actress' porcelain skin Belle of the ball: Maisie, 18, put on a cute display as she arrived onto the red carpet outside the Auditorium & Expo Hall Dazzling display: The Arya Stark actress' electric blue gown was made from swathes of ruched satin and was prom in style to ensure she didn't look mature beyond her teenage years Emilia's fellow Game Of Thrones star Maisie Williams joined her in a bright blue number, putting on a glamorous display in the flattering prom dress. It also featured a sweetheart neckline which ensured Maisie, 18, didn't look styled beyond her teenage years, adding a touch of sparkle to her chic look with a pair of glittering silver perspex heels in which she walked with confidence. The girls were also joined by a number of their fellow GOT stars including Sophie Turner, Alfie Allen and Kit Harington, who had all crossed the pond for the ceremony. The fantasy series cast were nominated in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series category, facing tough competition from Downton Abbey, Homeland, House of Cards and Mad Men. Covering up: Gwendoline Christie, 37, looked absolutely flawless in a blue floor-length number which somewhat swamped her figure Pulling out all the stops: Sophie Turner, 19, played it safe when it came to her colour scheme, there was no denying the show-stopping nature of her fancy dress Dapper dude: Kit Harington, 29, opted for a fuss-free approach to the black tie dress code and picked out a simple two-piece suit for the special occasion Feeling confident: The Jon Snow actor looked hopeful the cast would nab the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series prize Also flying the flag for the Brits abroad was former Downton Abbey star Joanne Froggatt, who looked incredible in a plunging red dress with a subtle thigh-high split. The former Downton star has relocated to the US since leaving the period drama in order to pursue a Hollywood career, and she looked every inch the leading lady as she took centre stage at the ceremony. The TV favourite accessorised with a black clutch bag and a pair of strappy black heels with a chunky ankle strap. Sophisticated style: Joanne Froggatt looked amazing as ever in a red dress with a plunging neckline and a daring split as she arrived at the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, held at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Saturday Rock 'n' roll touch: Joanne set off her look with a liberal amount of smoky eye shadow and a black clutch Last but not least, Eddie Redmayne walked the red carpet with his pregnant wife Hannah Bagshawe, who covered up her baby bump in a glittering gown. Smiling at onlookers, Eddie was no doubt apprehensive to find out if his work in The Danish Girl has done enough to bag him his second Screen Actor's Guild Award. Last year, the star scooped Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for his work in The Theory Of Everything, and is up for the same gong this year for his role as a transgender artist in The Danish Girl. This year, he is once again nominated in the same category, but is now up against Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender and Bryan Cranston. Looking good: Smiling at onlookers, Eddie was no doubt apprehensive to find out if his work in The Danish Girl has done enough to bag him his second Screen Actor's Guild Award Hoping for a second win: Eddie - who scooped the Best Actor prize last year - was clearly delighted to be out and about with his supportive partner Hannah Winner! Idris Elba accepted the award for outstanding male actor in a supporting role for Beasts of No Nation 2016 SAG AWARDS: WINNERS FOR FILM FILM Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Lead Role In A Motion picture Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn Sarah Silverman, I Smile Back WINNER: Brie Larson, Room Cate Blanchett, Carol Helen Mirren, Woman In Gold Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Lead Role In A Motion picture Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs WINNER: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl Bryan Cranston, Trumbo Johnny Depp, Black Mass Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture Rooney Mara, Carol Rachel McAdams, Spotlight Helen Mirren, Trumbo WINNER: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture WINNER: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation Michael Shannon, 99 Homes Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies Jacob Tremblay, Room Christian Bale, The Big Short Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture Beasts of No Nation The Big Short WINNER: Spotlight Straight Outta Compton Trumbo Advertisement She's one of Hollywood's most iconic screen sirens, and at the age of 70, Helen Mirren gave her younger counterparts a run for their money in the glamour stakes. The Queen actress looked resplendent in a glittering gold and silver metallic gown as she graced the red carpet on Saturday. Dame Helen proved she really was in her golden years in her showstopping gown as she joined fellow Brits including Kate Winslet and Eddie Redmayne at the star-studded Screen Actor's Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in LA. Scroll down for video Golden years: Dame Helen Mirren, 70, oozes glam in a glittering gown at the Screen Actor's Guild Awards in LA Helen oozed glamour as she glided onto the red carpet in her gown that fitted her like a glove. The sculpted number showed off her enviable curves and svelte frame as she joined the A-list nominees for the annual film awards. Much detail went into the unique frock on the night, which boasted delicate beading which added a touch of bling and drama to her ensemble. See more of the latest news and red carpet pictures from the 2016 SAG Awards Regal: The Queen actress Helen was the epitome of sophistication in this classic gown Svelte star: The sculpted number showed off her enviable curves and svelte frame as she joined the A-list nominees for the annual film awards The actress let her natural beauty shine through with her silver hair softly curled in romantic waves which framed her face. She kept her make-up simple with a nude lipstick and a touch of black eyeliner. The Woman in Gold star went all out in the glamour stakes by accessorizing her look with a bold diamond bracelet, layered hooped diamond earrings, and a gold boxed clutch bag. A touch of bling: Much detail went into the unique frock on the night, which boasted delicate beading which added a touch of bling and drama to her ensemble There's nothing like a dame: All eyes were on Dame Helen in her showstopping number at The Shrine Auditorium. She looked the picture of class as she made her way into the venue, giving her younger counter parts a run for their money. Dame Helen joined a host of A-list names at the glitzy event at the Shrine Auditorium in LA including Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Orange Is The New Black star Laverne Cox, Eva Longoria. Eddie Redmayne was joined by his pregnant wife Hannah Bagshawe, who stepped out at the 22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards in LA on Saturday night. A friendly face: The Oscar-winning star saw a familiar face as she made her way along the red carpet, and pause to share a joke and a word with Michael Shannon All smiles: Helen seemed delighted to be in the presence of the star, and couldn't contain her glee as they paused for a picture She couldn't attend the SAG Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday to support her fellow cast members from Orange Is The New Black. But Australian actress Ruby Rose took to Instagram from Prague to congratulate the cast for landing a gong for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series. The 29-year-old posted an image of the cast on stage as they accepted the award and shared a heartfelt message in the caption. Scroll down for video Wishing she was there: Ruby Rose shared an image of the cast of Orange Is The New Black on stage as they accepted a SAG award saying the show has opened doors for her Ruby reposted the image from E! Online writing: 'Wow thank you #sagawards I am without words, sad that I couldn't fly back to see my beautiful cast and family.' She went on: 'Life long friends who changed everything about life as I know it. Something so special to be so proud of so many people, to be part of such an important show. 'I will forever be grateful I was lucky enough to be cast in this series. People took a chance on me. Perfect pins in Prague: The actress jetted to Prague to take a break from filming, and showed off her svelte frame on Saturday, the result of hard work in the gym for upcoming roles Heartfelt: The Australian star took to Instagram to gush about the cast the show which she thanks for taking a chance on her 'It's because of this show I'm here in Europe shooting a film and that my life will never be the same.' She concluded the post: 'To be given an award for something that we all dreamt to be doing our whole lives seems surreal. I love you all. God bless.' The Australian actress also gushed over the cast in a Tweet and wrote: 'What a time to be alive! Oh my... Orange Is The New Black we won! I wish I could have been there. Congratulatory Tweet! Ruby was unable to attend the awards' ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday and also took to Twitter to congratulate the cast of the Netflix series in which she portrays Stella Carlin 'Congrats Uzo Abuda.. Wow I'm speechless love from Prague X.' Ruby portrays the character Stella Carlin in the series and is currently in Europe filming an upcoming action blockbuster. She has been braving the cold in Italy while for shooting scenes the upcoming action blockbuster, John Wick 2. She jetted to Prague to take a break from filming, and showed off her svelte frame, the result of hard work in the gym to prepare for her role. Ruby bundled up against the cold bitter weather wearing a pair of black jeans that showcased her trim pins. Bear hug! Later in the day the 29-year-old cosied up with giant stuffed polar bear in what appears to be a store and mimicked its pose She wore a chic black beanie, with a thick grey scarf wrapped around her neck, and went for minimal makeup to show off her striking features. Her look was finished with a pair of heavy polished black boots and she posted the image of herself without a caption to her 6.3 million followers on Instagram. Later in the day Ruby cosied up with giant stuffed polar bear and mimicked its pose with her arms outstretched. On location: The actress is an avid social media user and has been documenting her European trip with fans, including the sights of Italy (pictured) Action star: Ruby has been on the gun range firing weapons as she trains for her upcoming role in xXx: Return of Zander Cage Girl's got guns: The Australian actress has been hitting the gym hard in the wake of landing roles in two action packed Hollywood blockbusters She has been hitting the gym hard in the wake of landing roles in two action packed Hollywood blockbusters John Wick 2 and xXx: Return of Zander Cage that both begin filming this year. Her new svelte figure is proof that she is working hard and she recently joked on social media that she keeps looking for 'couch potato' roles with no luck. The multi-talented beauty has thrown herself into fitness showing fans her varied work outs in a collage of two pictures writing: 'Mattteeeee if I don't start looking like the hulk soon!' Work it: She shared a collage of two pictures and made a reference to how muscular her physique should be writing: 'Mattteeeee if I don't start looking like the hulk soon!' As Christian Bale turned 42 on Saturday he was no doubt hoping to have more than one reason to celebrate at the SAG Awards. But sadly for the British-born actor - who stars in critically acclaimed The Big Short - he didn't get to take home the gong for best supporting actor, which instead went to Idris Elba. On the bright side The Dark Knight star had his wife Sibi by his side, who helped ease the sting of the loss with some passionate displays of affection as the couple sat in the audience at the Shrine Auditorium. Scroll down for video Who needs and award? Christian Bale was pictured kissing his wife Sibi during the SAG Awards on Saturday night Bale was suited up in a black Dolce & Gabbana tux with satin lapels while his wife of 16 years looked stunning in a bold red Dolce & Gabbana dress. Sibi, 45, left her long glossy brunette locks loose and carried a chic white beaded clutch. The duo - who share two children together - were pictured sat in the star-studded crowd with Bale's Big Short co-stars Ryan Gosling and Marisa Tomei. See full coverage of the 2016 SAG Awards with more news and red carpet pictures Hoping for a double celebration: The actor turned 42 on Saturday and was nominated for a best supporting actor award for The Big Short at the event Longtime loves: The couple have been married since 2000 Presenting: The British born actor took to the stage with his The Big Short co-star Steve Carell during the ceremony The stars of the biographical drama also missed out on the gong for outstanding performance by an ensemble cast - which instead went to Tom McCarthy's Spotlight. In The Big Short Bale plays financial genius Michael Burry who was one of only 20 people in the world to realize that the global mortgage industry was on the verge of collapsing. After gaining some early momentum in Hollywood's award season, The Big Short - which also stars Steve Carell and Brad Pitt, lost some traction this month when it failed to win the top prizes at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice awards. Not their night: Sadly The Big Short also lost out on the award for best cast performance. Bale is pictured with his co-stars Ryan Gosling and Marisa Tomei in the audience Star-studded night: The couple - who have been married 16 years - posed alongside Steve Carell and his wife Nancy On the same page: Christian wore a black Dolce & Gabbana suit while Sibi looked gorgeous in a Dolce & Gabbana dress Meanwhile, Bale has previously won two SAG Awards; including best supporting actor for 2010's The Fighter. He also shared in American Hustle's win in 2014 for best Best Performance by an Ensemble. Looking ahead to the 2016 Academy Awards, The Big Short is nominated for Best Picture, while Bale is again nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The Adam McKay-helmed flick is also up for Best Directing, Editing and Writing nods. 2016 SAG AWARDS: WINNERS FOR FILM FILM Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Lead Role In A Motion picture Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn Sarah Silverman, I Smile Back WINNER: Brie Larson, Room Cate Blanchett, Carol Helen Mirren, Woman In Gold Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Lead Role In A Motion picture Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs WINNER: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl Bryan Cranston, Trumbo Johnny Depp, Black Mass Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture Rooney Mara, Carol Rachel McAdams, Spotlight Helen Mirren, Trumbo WINNER: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture WINNER: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation Michael Shannon, 99 Homes Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies Jacob Tremblay, Room Christian Bale, The Big Short Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture Beasts of No Nation The Big Short WINNER: Spotlight Straight Outta Compton Trumbo Advertisement She confirmed their split in March last year and they have only been spotted together on very few occasions since, including back in August. But it seems Brynne Edelsten and on-off bodybuilder boyfriend Cemre Volkan, 23, are definitely back on, as they were spotted at the weekend putting on an affectionate display. On Sunday, the duo were seen looking cosy together at Bond Saturdays Night Club, with the muscly man planting a kiss on her cheek at one point. Scroll down for video Off the market? Brynne Edelsten and Cemre Volkan were spotted together at Bond Saturdays Night Club on Sunday Looking cosy! It seems Brynne and on-off bodybuilder boyfriend Cemre Volkan, 23, are definitely back on, as they were spotted at the weekend putting on an affectionate display The bubbly blonde at the weekend celebrated turning 33 with friends, and was seen sitting close to her former flame as they partied at the hot spot. Brynne was dressed to impress and showed off her new figure - after a dramatic 13 kg weight loss - in a sequinned little black dress and heels. Flaunting her ample cleavage, the former partner of businessman Geoffrey Edelsten, 72, turned heads with a golden tan and perfectly applied make-up. She wore dewy foundation, layers of bronzer, lashings of mascara, and finished her look with a classic red lip. The personality also had her long bleached locks pulled back off her face and into a neat ponytail. Birthday girl! The bubbly blonde at the weekend celebrated turning 33 with friends Looking good for him? Brynne was dressed to impress and showed off her new figure - after a dramatic 13 kg weight loss - in a sequinned little black dress and heels At the venue, the pair appeared in high spirits as they enjoyed one another's company, and he draped his arms around her throughout the night. The pair were seen happily posing for photographs together and she placed her hand on his inner thigh. Interestingly, she flaunted a large diamond ring on her engagement finger. One of the most recent times they were spotted together last year was at an active wear launch in Melbourne in August. Happy! At the venue, the pair appeared in high spirits as they enjoyed one another's company, and he draped his arms around her throughout the night. They are seen here with a friend Affectionate: The pair were seen happily posing for photographs together and she placed her hand on his inner thigh Timing: One of the most recent times they were spotted together last year was at an active wear launch in Melbourne in August In March last year, Brynne confirmed to the Herald Sun that she and her man - also known as Red Ra- had called time on their ten-month relationship. The pair reportedly began dating in June 2014. More recently, police in Western Australia dropped a drug possession charge against her. The reality TV star was accused of possessing an ecstasy tablet early last year and was due to stand trial over the incident on Christmas Eve, after pleading not guilty to the charge in July. According to ABC News Brynne, who arrived at the Perth Magistrates Court in December in a black lace shift dress and matching gloves, spoke to the waiting media outside, saying: 'I don't condone the use of drugs'. History: In March last year, Brynne confirmed to the Herald Sun that she and her man - also known as Red Ra- had called time on their ten-month relationship Lovers: The pair reportedly began dating in June 2014 Pop a bottle! Other friends also joined the personality on the night Spinning some tunes: Brynne hopped into the DJ booth for a round having fun! The blonde looked thrilled at her efforts 'I don't use drugs and that's what's been proven today,' she said, adding: 'I'm happy to put this behind me and that the truth has come out. Wanting to be a good role model, the socialite explained: 'I'm proud of my choices as a person.' 'I have two little sisters who are 15 an 16 and they mean the world to me and I try to set a good example for them, and even just for them, let alone anyone else.' Moving on: More recently, police in Western Australia dropped a drug possession charge against her Brynne is well known for her relationship with ex Husband Geoffrey, who split from in 2014. The pair had married in a lavish $3 million affair in Melbourne in 2009. In happier times: Brynne is well known for her relationship with ex Husband Geoffrey, who split from in 2014. They are seen here at an event in 2013 News / Regional by Vusumuzi Dube A FAMILY in Siboza village, more than 100 kilometres outside Gwanda town will rue the day they decided to hire tsikamutandas (witch doctors) to rid evil spirits at their homestead after the self-proclaimed witch-hunters stripped them of their entire property while they were sleeping in one hut.The tsikamutandas reportedly forced the entire family to sleep in one room, imploring that in the event that they hear any noises or commotion during the night they should ignore it and not come outside as they will be fighting off the alleged goblins.Relating his family's ordeal to Sunday News Mr Frank Dube said he was initially reluctant to hire the tsikamutandas but was forced into doing so by his wife who claimed she was not sleeping well because of "evil spirits"."These people came to us in early December where they initially told my wife that our family was haunted by evil spirits, surprisingly that is when my wife began to have all these sort of complaints during the night, having nightmares and all."We then decided to engage these tsikamutandas but little did we know that we are starting a serious problem for ourselves," said Mr Dube.He revealed that the witch-hunters told them to go and sleep in the kitchen hut together with their three children, telling them they had cleansed the hut but were now working on the other four huts during the course of the night."The leader of the gang who identified himself as Madzibaba Moyo advised us that we must all sleep in the kitchen hut, they told us to lock the door and that in the event that we hear any noises or commotion outside, we must simply ignore as it would be them fighting the goblins."On the following day we only woke up at 9am, when a neighbour came to our homestead after noticing that doors of all huts were left wide open and he was trying to investigate as there was clearly no movement within the homestead. When he called out that is when we decided to open the hut and to our utter surprise we found our entire property looted," said Mr Dube.He alleged the witch-hunters only left large items like beds and wardrobes but went away with various items ranging from a television screen, stoves, blankets and grocery items.Bishop Shecks Ncube of the Apostolic Jerusalema Church of God in Zimbabwe, who is also a warden of the Siboza neighbourhood watch committee said he was one of the first to attend the scene noting this was not the first time the unscrupulous witch-hunters had pounced on unsuspecting villagers."These young men usually aged between 20 and 30 years come and mislead people that they are witch-hunters. This particular case is not isolated, this has been going on for a long time so much that it is time the local leadership to try resolve this matter."But villagers should also be careful and not be easily susceptible. As members of the neighbourhood watch committee, we try to warn them but we cannot be everywhere at once," said Bishop Ncube.Siboza village head, Mr Palondo Nare also confirmed the incident. She's the reality TV star turned model who staged a major return to the spotlight last year as the host of The Biggest Loser. And on Sunday Fiona Falkiner showed one of the reasons she's become so popular again by flaunting her very impressive bikini body in a two-piece that showcased her assets. The 33-year-old looked more svelte than ever in the patterned bikini, proving exactly why she's become such an inspiration to other Australians trying to lose weight. Looking good! Fiona Falkiner flaunted her killer curves in a bikini over the weekend Despite her slimmer figure, the 5'11'' stunner still sported some bombshell curves thanks to her womanly hips and enviable 36D bust. Fans on Fiona's Instagram account were quick to shower the blonde beauty with praise, leaving comments like 'very sexy' and 'now that is the perfect body'. The Maxim cover girl was recently announced as the new celebrity ambassador for dating site eHarmony, and told Daily Mail Australia she had to have words with a male suitor after he asked if she was fertile and invited another woman along to their date. New horizons: The 33-year-old stunner was recently announced as the new celebrity ambassador for dating site eHarmony Recounting the experience she said: 'I learnt a few lessons from this date, one of them being, always be in a location you can exit from easily! 'We were driving up to Palm Beach and having a conversation and all of a sudden turned to me and asked me if I was fertile. 'My jaw dropped and I was like, what? Is that a new criteria for dating? I've never been tested! At that point I just wanted to get out of the car [but] we were already half way to Palm Beach,' she exclaimed. The inappropriate remark proved to be the least of Fiona's concerns as the date quickly went from bad to worse when they finally reached their beach-side destination. Inappropriate remark: The TV personality was once asked if she was 'still fertile' while on an awkward date 'I learnt a few lessons from this date, one of them being, always be in a location you can exit from easily!' joked Fiona The blonde - who has since joined eHarmony herself - had been left at a restaurant table while her date ordered their food at the bar when she received a message from him saying: 'Oh I just invited a friend to come along. 'Oh my gosh, why would you invite a friend on this date,' Fiona remarked, before continuing: 'And then this older lady arrived and they spent the whole day laughing chatting! 'I swear he didn't even look at me again. It was pretty bad!' She couldn't let the disastrous experience end without voicing her opinion and said: 'In the end I said, "Look, can you please get me back to Sydney, I've spent the whole day listening to you two get to know each other, this is the worst date I've ever been on!"' What?! The former Biggest Loser contestant's date went from bad to worse when her suitor invited along another woman Looking for love: Fiona celebrated her 33rd birthday last week and hopes to find husband material via the dating site Fiona is now hoping to find love online with a family-oriented man, preferably a tall one. The beauty told Daily Mail Australia that after fulfilling many of her weight and career goals, meeting Mr Right would mean 'my life would be complete'. 'I just came off the back of spending Christmas with my family and once again my nieces and nephews asked me, "Why aren't you married auntie Fee?"' she said. 'I've been single for a long time now, I've been dating but haven't had a long term relationship for a while so it would be nice to have that completeness in my life.' Just last month there were whispers that there may be trouble in paradise for husband and wife duo Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, after she didn't attend his father's funeral. But laying the rumours to rest on Saturday evening were the pair, both 48, as they put on a very affectionate display at this year's Screen Actors Guild Awards. The couple couldn't take their eyes off one another as they descended upon the red carpet at the event in Los Angeles, with the duo looking like newlyweds embracing one another and giggling. Scroll down for video They only have eyes for one another! Nicole Kidman and husband Keith Urban put on a very affectionate display at this year's Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday Nicole, was dolled to a nines in a multi-coloured Gucci frock while her man attended the event looking smart in a black and white suit. The pair happily posed for photographers with Keith wrapping a protective arm around his girl while she sweetly held his face in her arms. The pair - who are proud parents to daughters Sunday Rose, seven, and Faith Margaret, five together - looked more smitten than ever as they made their way up the red carpet. At one point the couple looked to lean in for a cheeky smooch. See more of the latest news and red carpet pictures from the 2016 SAG Awards So happy: The couple couldn't take their eyes off one another as they descended upon the red carpet at the event in Los Angeles Smitten: The duo looking like newlyweds embracing one another and giggling Wrapped: The pair happily posed for photographers with Keith wrapping a protective arm around his girl while she sweetly held his face in her arms This year marks a decade of marriage for the couple, who first tied the knot in June 2006 in a lavish ceremony in Sydney's Manly. They had met a year earlier at an event in Los Angeles. Just last month, it seemed as though the couple were going through a bit of a rough patch when Nicole didn't travel to Queensland Australia to support Keith at his father's funeral. But it appears all is well between the pair, who are now based in the US with their family. Indeed at the event, the pair spoke about their relationship and their secret to making it a long and happy one. Still going strong: This year marks a decade of marriage for the couple, who first tied the knot in June 2006 in a lavish ceremony in Sydney's Manly 'Just want it more than anything,' Keith told ET. 'That's it, isn't it?' 'Yeah, prioritize it,' Nicole added. 'Also, as much as we love each other, we really like each other,' Kidman said. 'I'm speaking for myself, but that is a huge part of being married. Always, the first person I want to share anything with is him. It's true.' It wasn't Nicole's PDA with her man that made her stand out on the night. Nicole, who was given a shock nomination for her part in critically panned telefilm Grace Of Monaco, brought a splash of colour to the glitzy event with a unique floor-sweeping dress by Gucci. Affectionate: Nicole and Keith packed on the PDA on the red carpet Giving tips: Indeed at the event, the pair spoke about their relationship and their secret to making it a long and happy one. They are seen here looking cosy inside the event Interesting look: Nicole certainly knew how to stand out when she stepped out at the event The design fell in glittering layers and featured a plunging V-shaped neckline trimmed with fills that quickly divided fashion critics. Many eyebrows were raised when Nicole was named last month as a contender in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie category - which she eventually lost on the night to Queen Latifah for Bessie. Grace Of Monaco was so troubled it was met with booing when screened at the Cannes film festival in 2014 and went on to be dropped from a feature film that had Oscar hopes, to a Lifetime movie that did poorly in the ratings. Reviewers panned the motion picture and even the country's royal family were enraged. Unique: The 48-year-old's frock divided critics with its mix of colours, sparkle and frills Low-cut: It fell in glittering layers to the ground and featured a plunging V-shaped neckline that displayed a hint of decolletage Loved-up: Nicole arrived with her husband Keith Urban who beamed as he watched his love twisting and turning for the flashbulbs Surprising choice: Many eyebrows were raised when Nicole was named last month as a contender in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie category Speaking to E!'s Giuliana Rancic from the red carpet Nicole said: 'The film itself had such a strange journey so for it to culminate in this was very lovely. 'I just love what I do, I've known I wanted to be an actress since she was little, I've given so much to the craft and I feel so honoured to be still doing it.' When asked if she still had something to prove as an actress, the mother-of-four responded: 'I feel like I still haven't been tapped in terms of what I can do. So much is about the directors you work with, the alchemy.' Nicole ended up losing the SAG to Queen Latifah, with Christina Ricci for The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, Susan Sarandon for The Secret Life Of Marilyn Monroe and Kristen Wiig for The Spoils Before Dying also nominated in the category. Happy to be recognised: Speaking to E! Giuliana Rancic from the red carpet Nicole said Grace Of Monaco 'had such a strange journey so for it to culminate in this was very lovely' Sweet couple: The country music star was looking dapper in a black tuxedo and bow tie and wrapped his arm around Nicole Multi-coloured: Nicole's Gucci frock brought a splash of colour to the red carpet She arrived on the evening with her husband Keith Urban by her side. The country music star was looking dapper in a black tuxedo and bow tie and beamed as he watched his love twisting and turning for the flashbulbs. Sure to highlight her natural beauty, Nicole kept her makeup look simple with a touch of pink on her cheek and a nude lip. Her signature strawberry blonde locks meanwhile were left loose in a relaxed, sleek and straight style and she accessoried with a long silver necklace with a green pendant. Missed out: Nicole lost the category to Queen Latifah for her role in Bessie Not fans: Reviewers panned Grace Of Monaco and even the country's royal family were enraged Close: Keith sat with his arm around Nicole during the ceremony She's rarely caught out when it comes to the style stakes. And The Only Way Is Essex's Chloe Lewis didn't disappoint on Saturday night, as she stepped out in a chic and stylish ensemble for a night at Drama nightclub, in London. Defying the cold winter weather, the 25-year-old star stepped out in a light and breezy pair of culottes which she teamed with a low-cut silver top. Scroll down for video Sartorial sass: The Only Way Is Essex's Chloe Lewis didn't disappoint on Saturday night, as she stepped out in a chic and stylish ensemble for a night at Drama nightclub, in London Chloe, who was out on the town with her pal Becky Cissell, arrived at the club with a huge beaming smile on her face - obviously looking forward to a night out with her pal. The ITVBe star donned a sparkling, knitted tank top, which allowed the reality star to show some skin thanks to its low-cut neckline. And adding to the more summery vibe of her wardrobe, the TOWIE beauty teamed the garment with a pair of white linen culottes. Warm in the winter? Defying the cold winter weather, the 25-year-old star stepped out in a light and breezy pair of culottes which she teamed with a low-cut silver top Rounding off her look, the reality star wore a towering pair of black strappy stiletto heels. Accessorising her look with a chic yet minimal edge, wearing a black neck choker, a silver watch and ring, before completing her look with a small black handbag. Wearing her brown locks perfectly style so that the ends were flicked out, Chloe let her tresses fall around her shoulders. All that shimmers: The ITVBe star donned a sparkling, knitted tank top, which allowed the realitys tar to show some skin thanks to its low-cut neckline Floaty fashion: And adding to the more summery vibe of her wardrobe, the TOWIE beauty teamed the garment with a pair of white linen culottes Towering fore the dancefloor: Rounding off her look, the reality star wore a towering pair of black strappy stiletto heels Wearing a natural palette of make-up, the star accentuated her striking look a liberal does of eyeliner and a slick of pale pink lipgloss. Taking to Twitter the TOWIE beauty could barely hide her excitement during the girls' night out, as she posted a pouting selfie alongside her friend. And while Chloe and her on/off boyfriend Jake Hall seem to be on a good footing at the moment, the reality beauty was obviously intent on enjoying some quality time away from her man. However the couple recently showcased their romance during a holiday to Dubai, as the stars posted snaps and videos of them packing on the PDA. While it's still unclear what her current relationship status with on/off boyfriend, Alex Mytton. Nicola Hughes made sure to keep herself at the centre of attention by flashing plenty of flesh, as she enjoyed a night out in London with her Made In Chelsea co-stars, on Saturday night. Heading out to Mexican eatery Cafe Pacifico, the 25-year-old reality star joined her co-stars for a girls night - including Lucy Watson, who showed off her slinky legs in a pair of leather trousers. Scroll down for video Flashing PLENTY of flesh: Nicola Hughes was sure to keep herself at the centre of attention by flashing plenty of flesh, as she enjoyed a night out in London with her Made In Chelsea co-stars, on Saturday night Nicola, who was last seen on TV in the midst of a crumbling relationship with co-star Alex Mytton, defied the capital's cold winter weather by opting for a flesh-flashing ensemble. Donning a longline, sleeveless blazer, the Irish model made sure that more than a hint of her ample assets were on display, as she opted to only wear a bra underneath the jacket. Featuring low-cut slashes for the arms, the garment left even more of Nicola's flesh and underwear exposed. Defying the winter weather: Heading out to Mexican eatery Cafe Pacifico, the 25-year-old reality star joined her co-stars for a girls night - including Lucy Watson, who showed off her slinky legs in a pair of leather trousers Going Hell for leather: Lucy also made an impact in the fashion stakes by showcasing her pins in a pair of skintight leather trousers Teaming the top with a tiny and tight leather mini skirt, the reality star made sure that her her toned and tanned legs were firmly on display as well. Rounding her look off with a pair of brown leather ankle boots, the MIC regular drew further attention to her pins. Carrying a leather jacket in one hand, Nicola left her look largely uncluttered with accessories, bar a small red handbag. Donning a longline, sleeveless blazer, the Irish model made sure that more than a hint of her ample assets were on display, as she opted to only wear a bra underneath the jacket Contrasting looks: Her co-star Lucy Watson took a very different sartorial root, as she showcased her lithe limbs in a pair of skintight leather trousers Seasonally sassy: Opting to for a seasonally sensible yet stylish look the MIC stalwart, 24, teamed her racy trousers with a black jumper and olive bomber jacket Wearing her blonde locks in carefully styled flicks, she let her golden tresses tumble down around her shoulders. Opting for a smokey eye effect make-up, Nicola also plumped up her lips with a slick of pink lip-gloss. Her co-star Lucy Watson took a very different sartorial root, as she showcased her lithe limbs in a pair of skintight leather trousers. Opting to for a seasonally sensible yet stylish look the MIC stalwart, 24, teamed her racy trousers with a black jumper and olive bomber jacket. She rounder her look off with a pair of black suede boots, choosing to accessorise with only a pair of earrings and a small black handbag. Also out on the town was her younger sister Tiffany, Jess Woodley, and on/off friend and co-star Louise Thompson. Girls' on the town: Also out on the town was her younger sister Tiffany, Jess Woodley, and on/off friend and co-star Louise Thompson Legs on display: Tiffany flaunted her gym-honed legs in a halter-neck mini dress, which featured an A-symmetrical hemline Going her own way: Jess Woodley opted for an eclectic ensemble, which also allowed her to show off her legs All white on the night: Louise Thompson opted for a white jumpsuit which she teamed with a matching wraparound jacket They finally said 'I do' after over 10 years together, and Kimberley Walsh and partner Justin Scott certainly pulled out all the stops to ensure their big day was one to remember. The couple, who have a son, Bobby, walked down the aisle surrounded by their showbiz friends and family in Barbados on Saturday. New details from their big day have no emerged showing the lengths the pair went to to ensure their congregation had a ball. Scroll down for video Let's celebrate: They finally said 'I do' after over 10 years together, and Kimberley Walsh and partner Justin Scott certainly pulled out all the stops to ensure their big day was one to remember over the weekend Get ready to party... just don't take a photo: All guests - including Kimberley's former bandmates Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts - were sent a detailed list of activities they could expect to enjoy over the three-day celebrations, but were banned from snapping the celebrations All guests - including Kimberley's former bandmates Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts - were sent a detailed list of activities they could expect to enjoy over the three-day celebrations. The couple met their pals and relatives for cocktails and canapes on the eve of the wedding at the luxurious Drift Ocean Terrace Lounge, one of the hotspots in Holetown. St. James. They were then whisked in private cars to St James' Parish Church to see the couple exchange vows, before dinner and dancing at The Cliff. After a night of partying, guests were treated to Sunday of cruising the crystal-clear waters on a catamaran, where they could swim with turtles. Big day: The couple walked down the aisle at the St James Parish Church in Holetown, with guests being ferried to the place of worship from their hotels Celebrity arrivals: Denise Van Outen and her partner Eddie Boxshall were the first guests to arrive at the wedding on Saturday Stepping out in style: Wearing a yellow and green dress which was fitted to her form, Denise certainly dressed to impress for the big event Lookimg good: The blonde performer and her man headed-up a celebrity guestlist in Barbados as the Girls Aloud singer finally tied the knot Church service: Carrying a gold YSL clutch bag with a pair of silver, strappy shoes, the mother-of-one walked a fine line between sexy and occasion-appropriate However, the idyllic trip did come at a personal price - all guests were banned from taking any pictures of the three-day celebrations as the couple have cut a reported six-figure deal with a magazine. The couple were so insistent that guests didn't take a cheeky snap, they dished out stickers so the camera was blocked out on all phones. Among those sent the instructions was one of Kimberley's close showbiz pals, Denise Van Outen. The 41-year-old blonde and her man headed-up the celebrity guestlist as they arrived at St James Parish Church for the nuptials, which saw Cheryl and Nicola acting as bridesmaids. Looking glam as she stepped out in the sunshine, passers-by watched as the TV presenter and actress put on a leggy display in her summery ensemble. Blue is the colour: Meanwhile, her handsome man looked dapper in a light blue suit, which he matched with a blue shirt and matching tie Wearing a yellow and green dress which was fitted to her form, she certainly dressed to impress for the big event, set just off the main street. Carrying a gold YSL clutch bag with a pair of silver, strappy shoes, the mother-of-one walked a fine line between sexy and occasion-appropriate. Meanwhile, her handsome stockbroker beau looked dapper in a light blue suit, which he matched with a blue shirt and matching tie. Stepping out with a pair of designer sunglasses, he was the ideal plus-one for Denise. Together, they put on a stylish display alongside a host of like-minded guests, who included Cheryl's mum, Joan Callaghan. Arm-in-arm|: The pair certainly appeared to be feeling the romance as they linked each other Here comes the dress! The pop star's bridal gown was carried to the venue by a duo of assistants Other guests at the bash included close members of Kimberley's family, including her lookalike mother. Wearing a grey dress emblazoned with white flowers, the matriarchal figure looked somewhat nervous as she made her way to the church. Kimberley's former bandmates, Cheryl and Nicola Roberts, are set to help walk her down the aisle. Mum's the word: Other guests at the bash included close members of Kimberley's family, including her look-a-like mother Parents allowed: Others who attended included Cheryl Fernandez-Versini's mum, Joan Callaghan And hours before the bride and her husband-to-be arrived at the oldest church on the island, final preparations could be seen by passers-by as a group of local handymen got to work. It's unclear what purpose the sheltered walkway will serve during the ceremony but it could prevent onlookers having a sneak-peek of Kimberley and her dress before she enters the venue. However, the church doors remain unblocked, suggesting the just-married couple will make a traditional grand exit, confetti and all, following the intimate ceremony. Inside, the antiquated building is Romanesque in design mixed with traditional Anglican touches - making it the perfect spot for the couple's low-key nuptials. All top-secret: The temporary shelter appeared to consist of three parts and it's unclear what purpose it will serve on Kimberley and Justin's big day Here comes the bride: The former Girls Aloud singer may enter the church via the sheltered walkway in order to avoid unveiling her dress before the ceremony Taking no risks: Security were on hand to avoid any one interfering with the set-up Many hands make light work: The workmen were apparently building the structure for a good few hours Perfect weather: Kimberley and Justin had the sun on their side as clear-blue skies blessed their big day Kimberley was spotted heading inside to check over the venue after arriving on the island on Monday. A source confirmed to MailOnline on Friday that the mother-of-one, who has brought their one-year-old son Bobby over to the Caribbean, was seen at the location on Thursday night after rehearsals. Suited to the 30C and above temperatures at this time of year, the building is made from light, local limestone, complete with mahogany beams. It features just enough space for friends and family to gather, seating 550 and with 360 standing spaces on offer. The church was built originally in 1628 but has been reconstructed twice in its history and is thought to be among four of the last remaining Anglican churches on the island. Romantic: The venue is the oldest church in Barbados, meaning the ceremony will no doubt be steeped in tradition Romanesque: The venue is built supported by mahogany beams and features stain glass windows Enough room for all: It's expected to hold just enough room for friends and family Married in the morning: The duo have been together for 13 years now Previously, The Mirror reported that Kimberley was due to wed outdoors at the luxury Bellevue Plantation. She obtained the wedding certificate, accompanied by boyfriend Justin, on Tuesday and is now thought to be sharing the big day between the two idyllic locations. Kimberley and Justin, who have been dating for 13 years, arrived in the Caribbean on Monday with their 18-month-old son Bobby as they started prep for their highly-anticipated nuptials. Traditional: Their venue was first built in 1628 but has been rebuilt twice Getting wed: The duo are expected to exchange vows in front of 18-month-old son Bobby too Look of love: The couple arrived in Barbados on Monday ahead of their nuptials The island spot, which is said to cost 10,000-a-day to hire, boasts a main house with a host of luxury features, including full staff and an array of optional beauty treatments. The main house on the island contains eight bedrooms, suggesting other guests, including Cheryl and Nicola, will be staying at guest cottages on the idyllic island. Photographs of the venue revealed stunning views, dreamy white sand beaches with turquoise seas and the grand mansion at the centre of the home. Taking care of business: Kimberley and Justin picked up their marriage certificates at local government offices Kimberley and Justin were pictured after having picked up their marriage certificates at local government offices on Tuesday. The blonde beauty's bridesmaids, Cheryl and Nicola, were spotted touching down the following day and were evidently excited. Also arriving on the same Barbados-bound flight was Denise van Outen and her partner Eddie Boxshall as well as actress Kara Tointon. Post wedding chill: Nicola enjoyed a day by the pool on Sunday following Saturday's revelry Kimberley recently told HELLO! magazine she'll be unable to look at close pal Cheryl during her big day as she'll break down in front of the altar. 'I used to be good at keeping up an icy exterior but since I had Bobby, I'm so much more emotional,' she explained. 'I'm slightly worried about the wedding to be honest. 'A few happy tears are fine, but I don't want to spend the whole day sobbing, so I'm going to have to be careful about even looking at Cheryl and my sisters, because they'll definitely cry and that will set me off.' Luxurious: The house boasts a host of luxury features including lavish dining facilities Beautiful: The newlyweds are certainly in for a blissful marital getaway He unceremoniously ended his long-term relationship with Stephanie Pratt last summer. But with 2016 now in full swing, Josh Shepherd appears to have put the past well and truly behind him by moving on with new love interest Tessa Seward. The couple - who seem to have started dating towards the end of last year - were pictured kicking back as they enjoyed the beautiful sights and surroundings of sunny Barbados on Saturday. Scroll down for video Moved on: Made In Chelsea's Josh Shepherd was seen with new love interest Tessa Seward in sunny Barbados on Saturday Stripped down to blue swimming trunks, the Made In Chelsea hunk proudly showed off his impressive physique, while the Stephanie lookalike paraded her slender frame in a chic Aztec-design bikini. While soaking up the glorious sun on the beach, the pair appeared to be having a wonderful time as they topped up their tan during the romantic getaway. The reality TV star took to his social media sites to document his recent travels, with one snap simply captioned: What a time to be alive. The MIC hunk, ended his long-term relationship with Stephanie Pratt last summer, has been taking to his social media sites to share pictures from his travels Chilled vibes: Stripped down to blue swimming trunks, the TV star proudly showed off his impressive physique Judging by his Instagram page, Josh whisked the blonde beauty to Paris where they celebrated the New Year together. His new blossoming romance comes a few months after he publicly dumped the former Hills star, 29, on the hit E4 reality show last summer. Speaking to MailOnline in October, Stephanie revealed that her family never really liked the British TV star. 'They thought he was really stiff and then gave him a second chance thinking maybe it was just a British thing but they didn't like him at all, she explained. Keeping her cool: The pretty blonde paraded her slender frame in a chic Aztec-design bikini Relaxed: While soaking up the glorious sun on the beach, the pair appeared to be having a wonderful time as they topped up their tan during the romantic getaway Smitten: His new blossoming romance comes a few months after he publicly dumped the former Hills star, 29, on the hit E4 reality show in August 'I've told them the next time I date someone to tell me the truth about them but I really should have listened to Lucy [Watson] from day one.' Stephanie, who started dating Josh in November 2014, went on to reveal that her and her ex would row over the smallest things, by saying: 'I am usually single so I feel like I'm back to square one but I'm having a good time; I can take naps without someone telling me to "get up!" 'It was so hurtful what happened and I could easily be crying every single day, I thought he was the love of my life but you just need to look on the bright side.' City of Love: Judging by his Instagram page, Josh whisked the blonde beauty to Paris where they celebrated the New Year together They were no doubt partying until the early hours following their BFF Kimberley Walsh's wedding to Justin Scott the previous night. However, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts shrugged off any hangovers they may have had on Sunday as they headed off for an afternoon cruise in Barbados. The former Girls Aloud bandmates were spotted looking relaxed as they headed to the port in the island capital Bridgetown. Scroll down for video Chilled out: Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts are spotted at the port in Barbados capital Bridgetown on Sunday afternoon ahead of an afternoon catamaran cruise How you feeling? The pair could be forgiven for feeling tired or hangover after their eventful Saturday serving as bridesmaids to Kimberley The pair were expected to join the newlyweds and assorted wedding guests on a catamaran cruise in the Caribbean sea. Their day trip to go snorkelling with turtles came after Cheryl and Nicola served as bridesmaids to Kimberley as she tied the knot with her long-term love Justin on Saturday. For her leisurely afternoon, newly-single Cheryl, 32, looked beachy in a sheer black dress over a bright orange bikini, which she teamed with some black sliders. See Cheryl Fernandez-Versini updates as she and Nicola Roberts enjoy a day in the sun Island life: Cheryl seemed in good spirits as she chatted to boxer friend Shane Collins, boyfriend of her PA Lily England Babe in blue: Redhead Nicola flashed her blue bikini underneath her shirt dress as she made her way through the port Glam: Nicola, 30, was rather more dressed up for the occasion than Cheryl in a blue and white shirt dress and a pair of wedge sandals She completed her look with her hair pulled into a messy topknot and carried a fringed bag. Meanwhile, her pal Nicola, 30, was rather more dressed up for the occasion in a blue and white shirt dress and a pair of wedge sandals. She showed off her fashionista credentials with a stylish navy and cream oversized handbag, with a pair of oversized sunglasses. Glossy: Nicola showed off her fashionista credentials with a stylish navy and cream oversized handbag, with a pair of oversized sunglasses A bit of light reading: Nicola spent time reading Patti Smith's memoirs M Train by the pool on Sunday before heading off on the cruise Also spotted at the port was Cheryl's mother Joan Callaghan, who looked summery in a khaki shirt dress and orange flip-flops. Before the cruise, it looked like Nicola had been relaxing by the pool with a copy of Patti Smith's memoirs A Train. She posted a photo of her slim figure in a black bikini perched on the side of a pool on her Instagram page, writing: 'Happy with Patti.' A family affair: Cheryl's mother Joan Callaghan was also in the Caribbean for the nuptials Put your phone away! Guests at the wedding have been asked not to photograph any of the festivities to protect the couple's magazine deal Ahead of the wedding, Kimberley, 34, and her new husband Justin, 33, sent out an itinerary to guests, with a detailed list of activities they could expect to enjoy over the three-day celebrations. The couple met their pals and relatives for cocktails and canapes on the eve of the wedding at the luxurious Drift Ocean Terrace Lounge, one of the hotspots in Holetown on the island's west coast. On the big day itself on Saturday, guests were whisked in private cars to St James' Parish Church to see the couple exchange vows, before dinner and dancing at The Cliff. Just married: Kimberley Walsh and Justin Scott married on Saturday after 13 years together However, the idyllic trip did come at a personal price - all guests were banned from taking any pictures of the three-day celebrations as the couple have cut a reported six-figure deal with a magazine. The couple were so insistent that guests didn't take a cheeky snap, they dished out stickers so the camera was blocked out on all phones. Among those sent the instructions was one of Kimberley's close showbiz pals, Denise Van Outen, who she famously hiked Mount Kilimanjaro with in 2009. Get ready to party... just don't take a photo: All guests - including Kimberley's former bandmates Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts - were sent a detailed list of activities they could expect to enjoy over the three-day celebrations, but were banned from snapping the celebrations The 41-year-old blonde and her boyfriend Eddie Boxshall headed-up the celebrity guestlist as they arrived at St James Parish Church for the nuptials. Also in attendance was Cheryl's mother Joan Callaghan, Kara Tointon and, of course, the bride's mother Diane Walsh. Missing out on the big day were Kimberley's former Girls Aloud bandmates Sarah Harding and Nadine Coyle. Sarah is currently in Austria starring in Channel 4 reality show The Jump, while Nadine was celebrating her daughter Anaiya's 2nd birthday at home in Los Angeles. A source confirmed to MailOnline on Friday that Kimberley, who has brought their 18-month-old son Bobby over to the Caribbean, was seen at the church on Thursday night after rehearsals. Celebrity arrivals: Denise Van Outen and her partner Eddie Boxshall were the first guests to arrive at the wedding on Saturday Mum's the word: Other guests at the bash included close members of Kimberley's family, including her look-a-like mother Diane Suited to the 30C and above temperatures at this time of year, the building is made from light, local limestone, complete with mahogany beams. St James' Parish Church features just enough space for friends and family to gather, seating 550 and with 360 standing spaces on offer. The church was built originally in 1628 but has been reconstructed twice in its history and is thought to be among four of the last remaining Anglican churches on the island. Parents allowed: Others who attended included Cheryl Fernandez-Versini's mum, Joan Callaghan Kimberley and Justin, who have been dating for 13 years, arrived in the Caribbean on 25 January with their son Bobby as they started preparations for their highly-anticipated nuptials. The couple were pictured after having picked up their marriage certificates at local government offices the following day. The blonde beauty's bridesmaids, Cheryl and Nicola, were spotted touching down on Wednesday and were evidently excited. Big day: The couple walked down the aisle at the St James Parish Church in Holetown, with guests being ferried to the place of worship from their hotels Romanesque: The venue is built supported by mahogany beams and features stain glass windows Kimberley recently told HELLO! magazine she'll be unable to look at close pal Cheryl during her big day as she'll break down in front of the altar. 'I used to be good at keeping up an icy exterior but since I had Bobby, I'm so much more emotional,' she explained. 'I'm slightly worried about the wedding to be honest. 'A few happy tears are fine, but I don't want to spend the whole day sobbing, so I'm going to have to be careful about even looking at Cheryl and my sisters, because they'll definitely cry and that will set me off.' Australian IS recruiter reported dead Australia's most senior recruiter for the Islamic State group in Syria, who was reportedly linked to an alleged plot to attack Anzac Day commemorations, has been killed, local media said Sunday. News of Neil Prakash's death was posted on secure communications app Telegram, Melbourne's Herald Sun reported, citing an IS member. "It was posted on Telegram," the member, who was not named, told the newspaper. "I did not know him, but I heard." Australia's most senior recruiter for the Islamic State group in Syria has been killed, local media reports say The newspaper said there were no details about how, when and where Prakash, who left Australia in 2013, was killed. A spokesman for Australia's Attorney-General George Brandis said the government "cannot confirm reports of the death of Neil Prakash at this time because of the serious security situation in Syria and Iraq". Prakash -- also known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi -- was linked to the alleged plot on Anzac Day, when Australia honours its war dead. Sevdet Besim, 19, is facing four charges related to planning the alleged attack on April 25 last year. A 15-year-old boy in Britain was in October sentenced to a minimum of five years in jail for inciting Besim to carry out a "major terrorist plot" at the event. Canberra lifted its terror threat level to high in 2014, conducted counter-terrorism raids and introduced new national security laws amid fears of home-grown extremism. Philippine leader says Muslim peace bid to continue after his term Philippine President Benigno Aquino has ordered special efforts to ensure a peace agreement with Muslim rebels is implemented even after his term ends this year, his spokesman said Sunday. Congressional leaders have said they are unlikely to pass the peace bill before the president's term ends in June. Aquino had ordered "consultation and meetings with the stakeholders as well as meaningful action so we can continue the peace process", his spokesman Herminio Coloma told reporters. Philippine President Benigno Aquino (C) had hoped to pass a bill to seal a peace accord with the largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front during his term in office Noel Celis (AFP/File) Aquino had hoped to pass the bill to seal a peace accord with the largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). But opposition from some legislators had delayed its passage despite his lobbying. Aquino's chief peace negotiator Teresita Deles had told him that her office would be meeting concerned parties especially the MILF to firm up the mechanisms and the transition for when the peace deal is implemented, Coloma said. "We need to do all that is possible to ensure the full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement... beyond this administration," he quoted Deles as saying. The draft law is aimed at ending a Muslim separatist revolt in the main southern island of Mindanao that has claimed over 100,000 lives since the 1970s. The law would create an autonomous area and grant a measure of self-rule to the Muslim minority in the south of the largely Christian nation. Aquino wanted it passed this year but the timetable was set back severely following public outrage over the death of 44 police commandos in an encounter with Muslim separatist guerrillas last year. Adding to the time pressure is parliament's scheduled adjournment in February before the campaign for presidential and other elections in May. 'The Birth of a Nation' wins top prizes at Sundance "The Birth of a Nation," a drama about a 19th century slave revolt in Virginia, swept top prizes at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday. The movie, acquired earlier this week by Fox Searchlight for a record-shattering $17.5 million, won the grand jury prize and the audience award at the prestigious festival held in Park City, Utah. The dual awards mark a major victory for filmmaker Nate Parker, who wrote and directed the movie about Nat Turner, who led a slave rebellion in 1831. Director/actor/producer Nate Parker attends the 'The Birth Of A Nation' Premiere during the 2016 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2016 in Park City, Utah Nicholas Hunt (Getty/AFP) It also comes at a time when Hollywood is under fire for its lack of diversity in the list of actors and filmmakers nominated for Oscars this year. "Thank you, Sundance, for creating a platform for us to grow, in spite of what the rest of Hollywood is doing," Parker, who is black, said as he accepted the grand jury prize for his film already being touted for a 2017 Oscar. The US documentary grand jury prize was awarded to "Weiner," a behind-the-scenes portrait of disgraced US politician Anthony Weiner as he attempts a comeback by running for mayor of New York. The audience award in that category went to "Jim: The James Foley Story," a documentary about the US journalist slain by the Islamic State group in 2014. In the world cinema category, the grand jury prize for a drama went to "Sand Storm," an Israeli film that follows the struggle of women in a Bedouin village, while the audience award went to "Between Sea and Land," a Colombian movie about a man afflicted with an illness that confines him to his bed, and his mother who cares for him. Both the audience and grand jury prizes for foreign documentary went to "Sonita," about an 18-year-old Afghan refugee illegally living in Tehran and who dreams of becoming the next Rihanna. The Sundance Film Festival founded by actor Robert Redford is considered a showcase for independent and documentary films and festival winners often go on to receive critical acclaim and Hollywood awards season glory. Last year, the crop of movies shown at the festival yielded "Brooklyn," which is up for three Oscars next month, including best picture and best actress for its Irish star Saoirse Ronan. Here is a full list of prize winners from Saturday's awards: - US DRAMA - Grand Jury Prize: "The Birth of a Nation" Directing: Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan for "Swiss Army Man" Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: Chad Hartigan for "Morris from America" Special Jury Award: "As You Are" Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance: Joe Seo for "Spa Night" Special Jury Award for Individual Performance: Melanie Lynskey in "The Intervention" and Graig Robinson in "Morris in America" Audience Award: "The Birth of a Nation" - US DOCUMENTARY- Grand Jury Prize: "Weiner" Directing: Roger Ross Williams for "Life, Animated" Special Jury Award for Editing: Penny Lane and Thom Stylinski for "Nuts!" Special Jury Award for Social Impact Filmmaking: "Trapped" Special Jury Award for Writing: "Kate Plays Christine" Special Jury Award for Verite Filmmaking: "The Bad Kids" Audience Award: "Jim: The James Foley Story" - WORLD CINEMA DRAMA - Grand Jury Prize: "Sand Storm" Directing: "Belgica" Special Jury Award for Acting: Vicky Hernandez and Manolo Cruz for "Between Sea and Land" Award for Screenwriting: Ana Katz and Ines Bortagaray for "Mi Amiga del Parque" Unique Vision and Design: Agnieszka Smoczynska for "The Lure" Audience Award: "Between Sea and Land" - WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY - Grand Jury Prize: "Sonita" Directing: Michal Marczak for "All These Sleepless Nights" Special Jury Award for Debut Feature: Heidi Brandenburg and Mathew Orzel for "When Two Worlds Collide" Special Jury Award for Cinematography: Pieter-Jan De Pue for "The Land of the Enlightened" Special Jury Award for Editing: Mako Kamitsuna and John Maringouin for "We Are X" Audience Award: "Sonita" News / Religion by Staff reporter Following cases in which a Chinhoyi prophet has made his congregants eat grass, tree leaves and mud to receive their "deliverance", it seems Zimbabwe is not immune to the controversial acts of faith that have been happening in other parts of the world.South Africa's pastor Lesego Daniel grabbed international attention last year when he made his congregants eat grass.In the same manner, prophet Bernard Takavadiyi of Ruach Embassy Worldwide Ministries has also assured his congregants that they will be delivered through this act.Prophet Takavadiyi confirmed to the Sunday Mail Religion that he uses grass, tree leaves and mud to deliver his congregates."Whatever we decree here is also decreed in heaven, Jesus did many things when he was here but a lot was not recorded (scriptures in the book of John from Chapter one to ten), thus the miracles God is revealing through me are some of those that were not recorded.He said a miracle does not need any person's reasoning and as a son of God, he has the authority to speak to anything in the universe, including the grass to perform what he wants."Why is it you people are not against the result of a miracle, but the method? Jesus himself delivered people not only by laying of hands. Jesus healed a blind man with mud and saliva, (John 9:14). The Bible says you shall do greater things, now is the time for greater things," he said.His controversial methods of deliverance have since drawn criticism from people across the town. However, his congregates have vowed to adhere to them.Fellow prophets and Chinhoyi residents have described Takavadiyi's deliverance methods as unscriptural."Can God do such things, making people eat grass, tree leaves, mud and supposedly poisonous flowers, all in the name of deliverance and healing?" questioned one of the residents.A Chinhoyi prophet who requested anonymity said this kind of practice is questionable and unorthodox. He said people can be healed by simply laying hands on them.A Chinhoyi resident, Justin Rukukwe accused today's prophets of hoodwinking people into fellowship.Among the church's congregants is a lady from Chikonohono who claimed that she had breast cancer and when she ate the grass, the lump that had been in her right breast disappeared. UN envoy 'meets main Syrian opposition group' The UN Syria envoy met with members of the main opposition group at a Geneva hotel Sunday, after they threatened to leave before planned peace talks begin in earnest, several opposition sources said. The sources said the meeting between envoy Staffan de Mistura and delegates of the High Negotiations Committee took place at a hotel and not at the UN's European headquarters, where indirect talks on ending Syria's brutal nearly five-year conflict have been scheduled. West Bank shooting wounds 3 Israeli soldiers, attacker killed A Palestinian opened fire at a West Bank checkpoint Sunday, wounding three Israeli soldiers before being shot dead, as four months of violence cast doubt on fresh peace talks efforts. An attempted car-ramming also occurred later at a military checkpoint in the West Bank north of Jerusalem, with the attacker shot and taken to hospital for treatment, Israel's military said. No Israelis were reported wounded. The Israeli army said the shooting attack took place near the Beit El settlement close to Ramallah. Israeli medics said two of the three wounded soldiers had serious injuries. Israeli security forces gather around the body (unseen) of a Palestinian man who was shot dead following a reported shooting attack on Israelis at a checkpoint near the Beit El settlement, close to West Bank city of Ramallah, on January 31, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) "A gunman opened fire near Beit El, north of Jerusalem," the Israeli military said in a statement. "Forces at the scene responded to the attack and shot the assailant, resulting in his death. Three Israelis were wounded and are being evacuated for emergency medical treatment in hospital." The military later confirmed the victims were soldiers. An AFP journalist saw the body of the Palestinian man killed near the checkpoint. A bullet-riddled silver car apparently used in the attack was next to the body. The car had plates seeming to indicate it belonged to the Palestinian government. A Palestinian intelligence source said Israeli authorities had informed them that the man, Amjad Sukari Abu Omar, around 30 years old, worked as a bodyguard for the Palestinian attorney general's office. Palestinian ambulances sought to move towards the body, but were prevented from doing so by Israeli soldiers. The body was later handed over to Palestinian authorities. A post on what was believed to be the man's Facebook page before the attack spoke vaguely of the possibility of him becoming a "martyr". A wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks erupted in October. Most of the attacks have been stabbings, although there have also been occasional shootings. The violence has killed 25 Israelis, as well as an American and an Eritrean, according to an AFP count. At the same time, 160 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, most while carrying out attacks but others during clashes and demonstrations. - French push for peace - Some analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israel's occupation of the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have helped feed the unrest. Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a main cause of the violence. Many of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own. International efforts to halt the violence have so far failed. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Friday his country was looking to revive plans for an international conference aimed at bringing about the two-state solution. Should efforts to breathe life into the moribund peace process fail, France would move to unilaterally recognise Palestine as a state, Fabius said. Peace talks collapsed in April 2014 and the situation has since deteriorated, with the prospects of fresh dialogue appearing increasingly remote. Palestinian leaders welcomed the initiative, having long argued for an international process to end the Israeli occupation and bring about the two-state solution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday criticised France's threat to recognise a Palestinian state, arguing that it gives Palestinians no incentive to compromise. "This will be an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting. "The substance of negotiations is compromise and the French initiative, as it has been reported, in effect gives the Palestinians in advance reasons not to do so." The rightwing premier said: "I believe that we will see a sobering up on this issue. "In any case, we will work to bring this about and our position is very clear: We are prepared to enter into direct negotiations without preconditions and without dictated conditions." West Bank violence I.Vericourt / J.Jacobsen, jj/mjs (AFP) Israeli security forces gather around the body of a Palestinian man who was shot dead following a reported shooting attack on Israelis at a checkpoint near the Beit El settlement, close to West Bank city of Ramallah, on January 31, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised France's threat to recognise a Palestinian state Jack Guez (AFP/File) Saudi police arrest 9 American 'terror' suspects: report Saudi authorities have arrested nine American citizens among 33 "terror" suspects rounded up over the past week, the Saudi Gazette newspaper reported Sunday. Four Americans were arrested last Monday and five others over the past four days, the paper reported, citing an unidentified source. Washington, a strong ally of Riyadh, confirmed it was aware of the report but declined to elaborate. Members of a Saudi special police unit Fayez Nureldine (AFP/File) A US State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP: "We are aware of reports alleging that several US citizens were detained in Saudi Arabia. "The Department of State takes its obligation to assist US citizens abroad seriously. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment." The Saudi Gazette said the arrests also included 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, an Emirati, a Kazakhstan national and a Palestinian. It did not say if any of the "terror suspects" was linked to the Islamic State jihadist group, which has claimed several deadly attacks against security forces and Shiites in the kingdom since last year. On Friday, a suicide bomber attacked a Shiite mosque in Eastern Province, killing four people before worshippers disarmed and tied up his accomplice who had fired on them. IS, a radical Sunni group that considers Shiites heretics, did not claim that attack. The Saudi Gazette said some 532 IS suspects accused of plotting attacks in the kingdom are being questioned ahead of their trial at the criminal court in Riyadh. They are members of six cells arrested in "pre-emptive" raids across the kingdom and include a Saudi woman and a Filipina, the paper said. Also on Sunday, the interior ministry said they were searching for nine suspects allegedly involved in an August suicide bombing that targeted a mosque inside a police headquarters, killing 15 people. IS had claimed the attack in the southern city of Abha. The ministry said in a statement that three other suspects, including a member of the kingdom's special forces, had been arrested in connection with the Abha mosque bombing. Toll climbs to 85 in weekend Boko Haram attack in Nigeria At least 85 people died this weekend when Boko Haram insurgents stormed and torched a village near the restive northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, a state commissioner said Monday. It was the third deadly attack to hit the area in four days, after suicide bombers killed at least 24 people in two separate attacks on towns to the south. Nigeria's army said the gunmen attacked Dalori just outside Maiduguri late on Saturday after evening prayers, burning down the village and sending residents fleeing into the bush. Children stand near the rubble of a burnt house after Boko Haram attacks at Dalori village on the outskirts of Maiduguri in northeastern Nigeria on January 31, 2016 A first toll Sunday put the deaths at 50 but Borno State health commissioner Haruna Mshelia said 75 bodies were brought into hospitals and 10 others buried. "A total of 65 bodies were deposited at the specialist hospital, 10 others are being deposited at UMTH (another hospital), while another 10 were buried yesterday evening at the Dalori community cemetery" Mshelia said. The attack was swiftly condemned by the European Union on Sunday, which said it was committed to supporting regional African states in the fight against such extremist groups. Eyewitness Bulama Malum said he saw about 20 bodies burnt beyond recognition and that 15 villagers were missing, as another source put the toll at 100 or more. "Even as of last night the people that died were over 100. I am sure many could have died today," vigilante Musa Adamu, a member of a civilian force assisting the military, told AFP. Malam Masa Dalori, a community leader, told AFP that the assailants "came in Golf saloon cars and began to shoot sporadically. Many people ran to the bush including myself," he said. - 'Whole village razed' - "When we came back in the morning the entire community had been razed," he added. Visiting the scene on Sunday, an AFP correspondent found the village largely reduced to piles of smoking ashes scattered with charred cooking pots and household items. Small groups of women and children sat on the ground, gazing at the devastation as men wandered past burnt-out cars and ruined structures blackened by fire. Army spokesman Colonel Mustapha Anka said the assailants had opened fire after arriving in the village on motorbikes and in two cars and had then begun torching homes. Three female suicide bombers who initially tried to mingle with the villagers "were intercepted then blew themselves up," he said. The assailants also tried to penetrate a camp for people displaced by the Islamist Boko Haram insurgency situated just outside the village, but were repelled by troops, he said. - 'Join the fight' - Following the Nigeria attack, the EU reiterated the bloc's commitment to provide 50 million euros ($54 million) "to assist countries of the region to fight terrorism". "The EU remains committed to providing a comprehensive range of political, development and humanitarian support to Nigeria and the region in tackling this threat and in ensuring the sound development of the region," it said. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who in December alleged that Nigeria had largely won the fight against Boko Haram, urged local people to help the security forces in their bid to crush the group. "I urge all citizens wherever they live to own the war against terror and to be part of the fight because it is the only way we can finish the remaining work that needs to be done to make our country safe again," he said in a statement. Boko Haram which seeks a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria has killed 17,000 people and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since 2009. People walk past burnt-out houses after Boko Haram attacks at Dalori village on the outskirts of Maiduguri in northeastern Nigeria on January 31, 2016 Iraq militia attacks may constitute war crimes: HRW Iraqi Shiite militiamen abducted and killed civilians following bombings earlier this month, actions that may constitute war crimes, Human Rights Watch said on Sunday. Shiite paramilitary forces have been repeatedly accused of abuses including summary executions, kidnappings and destruction of property in the course of the war against the Islamic State jihadist group. Following January 11 bombings claimed by IS in Muqdadiyah, a town northeast of Baghdad, militiamen attacked "Sunnis as well as their homes and mosques, killing at least a dozen people and perhaps many more," HRW said, citing local residents. Fighters from the Iraqi Imam Ali Brigade take part in a military parade on August 8, 2015 in the mostly Shiite holy city of Najaf Haidar Hamdani (AFP/File) "Again civilians are paying the price for Iraqs failure to rein in the out-of-control militias," Joe Stork, HRW's deputy Middle East director, said in a statement. Killing civilians, looting and unjustified destruction of property during an armed conflict "are serious violations of international humanitarian law" and "may amount to war crimes," the rights group said. Iraq turned to Shiite militia forces in 2014 to help counter an IS onslaught that overran large areas north and west of Baghdad, and they played a key role in halting the jihadist advance and later pushing them back. Kerry urges rebels to 'seize moment' at Syria talks US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Syria's opposition and regime to play a full role in peace talks Sunday, while accusing Bashar al-Assad's forces of starving civilians. "This morning, in light of what is at stake in these talks, I appeal to both sides to make the most of this moment," he said, in an online statement broadcast from Washington. While the top US diplomat aimed his remarks at both sides, his message was clearly directed at the opposition, which has threatened to leave Geneva even before talks start. US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks during a joint press conference after the North American Foreign Ministers Meeting(NAFMM) on January 29, 2016 in Quebec City Florence Cassisi (AFP/File) The opposition High Negotiations Committee has demanded that humanitarian aid be allowed to flow to besieged towns before even engaging in indirect talks with Assad's envoys. Kerry urged them to drop their preconditions, but also had hard words for their regime foe, accusing Assad's forces of deliberately starving the beleaguered cities. "The town of Madaya is just an hour's drive from Damascus and yet its people have been reduced to eating grass and leaves," Kerry said. "How have the regime and the militias that support it responded? By planting landmines and erecting barbed wire to keep relief workers out," he said. Kerry said Washington had received credible reports that another 16 people had starved to death in the rebel-held, regime-besieged community over the weekend. But he described the opening of talks in Geneva under UN envoy Staffan de Mistura as a "pivotal phase" and described the HNC as representing an "inclusive opposition." And he urged both sides to negotiate "in good faith with the goal of making concrete measurable progress in the days immediately ahead. "The world is hoping both sides will move quickly to meet the needs of millions of desperate Syrians," he added. And he warned that if ceasefire talks fail the war will destroy what is left of Syria and leave the field open to recruiters from the Islamic State jihadist group. "Now, while battlefield dynamics can effect negotiating leverage, in the end there is no military solution to the conflict," he argued. "Without negotiations the bloodshed will drag on until the last city is reduced to rubble ... and that will ensure an increased number of terrorists, created by and attracted to this fight." Kerry, working with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the 17-nation International Syrian Support Group, was one of the principle architects of the Geneva talks. But he has so far made no plans to join the negotiating parties there, preferring to leave the "proximity talks" under the auspices De Mistura and the United Nations. Instead, he was to fly out of Washington later Sunday to Rome and a meeting of the core countries of the US-led military coalition fighting the IS group. On Iowa campus, Clinton a tough sell among young voters Engineering student David Karayof does not come in disguise when infiltrating a Hillary Clinton rally at Iowa State University in Ames. Wearing a Bernie Sanders sticker on his T-shirt and armed with a stack of pamphlets, the 24-year-old openly seeks out the former First Lady's supporters to cast doubt on their choice for Democratic presidential nominee. "This is a list of fact-checked statements that Hillary Clinton has made and that I disagree with," Karayof told AFP as he moves through the crowd Saturday. Supporters listen as Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addresses a campaign event at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, January 30, 2016, ahead of the Iowa Caucus William Edwards (AFP) "If you do not look carefully at the candidates, this might end up hurting the whole party." With his promise of a "political revolution," the 74-year-old Sanders has become what the Boston Globe called an "unlikely leader of a youth movement." In a New York Times/CBS news national poll this month, the senator from Vermont attracted 60 percent of Democratic voters under 45, while Clinton's support in this more youthful demographic stood at 31 percent. Citing numbers provided by the Sanders campain, the New York Times reported that of the 15,000 people in Iowa who have done at least one volunteer shift, 27 percent are 18 to 24 years old, and 32 percent are 25 to 34. The campaign has representatives on 38 Iowa college campuses, according to the Times. "I think people are frustrated with Washington," 22-year old Abhijit Patwa, who studies mechanical engineering and political science at Iowa State, told AFP when asked about Sanders' appeal among his peers. While Patwa said he was still deciding on his Monday caucus vote, he acknowledged that the senator with the grey hair and booming voice seemed like "fresh air." Karayof said that Sanders speaks to young voters on issues such as tuition-free public colleges, income inequality and climate change. "There is very little support for Hillary on campus," he added. 21-year-old Clinton supporter Katherine Diaz conceded that Sanders has an edge over the former Secretary of State among Democrats at her university. "I don't know why, maybe they align with him more on social issues," the accounting student said. Diaz added that she would vote for Clinton because "she is a little bit less radical and has the experience." Her friend Emma Kuntz, who just graduated from Iowa State with a marketing degree, concurred. "It's easier for her to see both sides of the issues," the 22-year-old said. "It will be easier for her to govern." While scores of enthusiastic young fans routinely stand in line for a Sanders rally, Clinton's crowd at Iowa State looked more mature. "I understand that young people vote for him," 64-year-old lawyer Edward Kimmel, who travelled from Maryland to Iowa to campaign for Clinton, told AFP. "That's fine as long as we are on the same page come November. I just hope we don't get Donald Trump, for heaven's sake." Kimmel wished that younger voters would value Clinton's experience more. "Hillary is the most qualified person ever to run for office," he said. "This is an opportunity we have never had before -- having someone that prepared for president." Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks during a campaign rally at the Delaware County Fairgrounds January 30, 2016 in Manchester, Iowa Alex Wong (Getty/AFP) Clinton speaks during a "get out the caucus" event at Iowa State University on January 30, 2016 in Ames, Iowa Justin Sullivan (Getty/AFP) Supporters of democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cheer during a "get out to caucus" event at Washington High School on January 30, 2016 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Justin Sullivan (Getty/AFP/File) Three Jewish teens charged over graffiti at Jerusalem church Israeli prosecutors pressed charges on Sunday against three Jewish teenagers for allegedly scrawling anti-Christian graffiti on some of Christianity's holiest sites in Jerusalem, the justice ministry said. Two are suspected of writing sectarian slogans on January 16 in the Via Dolorosa, where Jesus is believed to have walked to his crucifixion, before being joined by the third and vandalising an outside wall of the Dormition Abbey, where tradition says the mother of Jesus died. The Benedictine abbey is on Mount Zion across from east Jerusalem's Old City and next to the site where Christians believe the Last Supper took place. Father Nikodemus Schnabel, spokesperson of the Dormition Abbey, points towards anti-Christian graffiti in Hebrew, on the Church of the Dormition, one of Jerusalem's leading pilgrimage sites, outside of the Old City of Jerusalem, on January 17, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP/File) The Hebrew graffiti at the sites included "Christians to hell" and "Death to the Christian infidel enemies of Israel", the justice ministry said in a statement. The three, aged 15 and 16, were arrested on January 20 and charged on Sunday in a juvenile court with "vandalism motivated by religious hostility and offending religious sentiment", the ministry said. It accused the suspects of acting "to hurt the faith and religious feelings of Christians and terrorise those who live and visit the abbey complex". Previous similar incidents, including arson and vandalism attacks on the same church, were blamed on Jewish extremists. Saudi-led Yemen coalition announces probe into possible abuses The Saudi-led Arab coalition battling Shiite rebels in Yemen announced Sunday the creation of an independent commission of inquiry to examine charges of possible abuses against civilians in the conflict. The coalition command, in a brief statement published by the official Saudi SPA news agency, said it had formed "an independent team of experts in international humanitarian law and weapons to assess the incidents and investigate the rules of engagement". The coalition said the objective was to "develop a clear and comprehensive report on each incident with the conclusions, lessons learned, recommendations and measures that should be taken" to spare civilians. A Yemeni security member inspects the damage at the Queen Arwa University campus following a Saudi-led airstrike in the capital Sanaa, on January 30, 2016 Mohammed Huwais (AFP/File) A panel of United Nations experts in a report obtained by AFP on Tuesday said the coalition has carried out 119 sorties that violated humanitarian law, and it called for an international commission of inquiry. The report said the UN Security Council should consider setting up the inquiry to "investigate reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in Yemen by all parties and to identify the perpetrators of such violations." The panel said it had documented coalition strikes on civilian targets including refugee camps, weddings, buses, residential areas, medical facilities, schools, mosques, markets, factories, food warehouses and airports. "Many attacks involved multiple air strikes on multiple civilian objects," it said. Sunday's coalition statement made no mention of the UN recommendation, nor did it elaborate on the names or nationalities of its own experts. Yemen descended into chaos when the coalition began air strikes last March to support the government and push back Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels who had taken over the capital Sanaa. More than 5,800 people have since been killed and 27,000 wounded, according to UN figures. About 60 percent of all civilian deaths and injuries were caused by air-launched explosives, the report said. The UN experts documented at least three alleged cases of civilians fleeing residential bombings and being chased and shot at by helicopters. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has been increasingly vocal in his criticism of the Saudi campaign in Yemen. Bern battles to keep Swiss woman kidnapped in Mali alive Switzerland is struggling to resolve the case of a Swiss woman kidnapped for a second time by jihadists in Mali, Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter said in an interview published Sunday. "We are facing a case that is very delicate and very difficult to resolve," Burkhalter told Le Matin Dimanche. Beatrice Stockly, who was previously abducted by Islamists from Timbuktu in 2012, was taken for the second time on January 7 by armed men who stormed her home in the country's fabled city. Swiss hostage Beatrice Stockly, pictured on April 24, 2012, was taken for the second time on January 7, 2016 by armed men who stormed her home in Timbuktu Ahmed Ouoba (AFP/File) The kidnapping was claimed by Al-Qaeda's north Africa affiliate (AQIM) who issued an eight-minute video in which it denounced Stockly as "a Swiss nun who declared war against Islam". The footage was replete with montages of jihadists brandishing weapons and the masked speaker spoke with a British accent. Stockly, who is in her 40s, has lived in Timbuktu for years and has previously been identified as a missionary and social worker. The last time she was snatched in April 2012, she was described as the last Westerner living in the legendary desert city who had refused to leave despite it being captured by Islamist Ansar Dine rebels on April 1. Two weeks later, special forces from Burkina Faso swept into rebel-held northern Mali aboard a helicopter and whisked her to safety in a pre-arranged handover by Islamist rebels. - Battling for her life - In Sunday's interview, Burkhalter said that the fact that Stockly's kidnapping was her second considerably complicated efforts to free her. He pointed out that the last time she was kidnapped, her abductors had demanded that she leave and never return to Mali. "That's where the difficulty lies," he said. "We are in a battle to try to keep her alive. "Unfortunately, that is not going to be easy." Stockly's decision to remain in Mali has been harshly criticised, with some politicians calling for her to be handed for her rescue -- if she makes it out. Burkhalter acknowledged Swiss authorities had warned Stockly a number of times about the dangers of remaining in Mali, but said he would not judge her for ignoring the warnings. "She is a missionary who felt her life and her role was over there," he said. Switzerland has a clear policy against paying ransoms, he said, stressing it would only lay "the groundwork for future kidnappings... It would be a vicious circle." Stockly's capture is believed to be the first in northern Mali since the kidnap and murder of two French radio journalists in November 2013. The two were snatched from the northeastern town of Kidal and their bodies found several hours later. Italy urges Egypt to resolve missing student mystery Italy has urged Egypt to track down an Italian student who "mysteriously disappeared" in Cairo this month, the foreign ministry said Sunday in a statement. The ministry is "following with the utmost attention and concern the affair of Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old Italian student who mysteriously disappeared on the evening of January 25 in the centre of the capital," it said. Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Sunday called his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry to "determinedly ask for the greatest commitment to tracing the compatriot and providing every possibly information about his circumstance". Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old Italian student, disappeared on January 25, 2016 in Cairo Patrick Baz (AFP/File) Regeni hails from Fiumicello, near Udine in Italy's north-east, according to Italian media reports, which said he was in Egypt to study. His family flew out to Cairo on Wednesday. The ministry said it was in direct contact with both the Egyptian authorities and Regeni's family, but did not provide any further details about what it believed might have happened to the young man. January 25 was the fifth anniversary of protests that ended former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule and Italian media reports said there was a tough security crackdown in the run-up, amid fears among the authorities of fresh mass demonstrations. Army of Islam member, chief opposition negotiator, heads to Syria talks A controversial member of the powerful Army of Islam rebel group told AFP Sunday he was coming to Geneva to serve as the Syrian opposition's lead negotiator in thorny UN-brokered peace talks. "I'm on the way. I will be the chief negotiator," Mohammed Alloush said, adding that he expected to arrive in Geneva before noon on Monday. The main opposition umbrella group, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), controversially appointed the Islamist chief as its lead negotiator earlier this month. A rebel fighter with the Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) places their flag in the snow during a training session in Eastern al-Ghouta, a rebel-held region outside the capital Damascus on January 11, 2015 Abd Doumany (AFP/File) The choice of Alloush, the political leader of the Saudi-backed armed group Jaish al-Islam, or Army of Islam, has sparked an outcry. Syria's ally Moscow has slammed the appointment, saying it considers Jaish al-Islam as "terrorists" and other opposition groups insisted it was unacceptable for the delegation to be led by a member of an armed group. Other members of Jaish al-Islam had reportedly arrived in Geneva with other HNC delegates late Saturday, but it had remained unclear if Alloush himself would actually join the troubled negotiations which have yet to get started in earnest. The indirect talks on ending Syria's nearly five-year conflict had been scheduled to start on January 25, but were postponed until the 29th, when the Syrian government delegation sat down with UN mediator Staffan de Mistura. But the HNC has until now been debating whether to formally engage in the process, demanding that humanitarian aid first gets through to besieged towns, that the bombing of civilians ceases and that hundreds of prisoners are released. Both delegations were to meet separately with de Mistura Monday, the UN said, sparking hope the talks might finally get moving. US anti-IS envoy visits Kurdish, Arab fighters in Syria: sources A delegation including senior US diplomat Brett McGurk met members of a Kurd-Arab alliance fighting the Islamic State jihadist group inside Syria, Kurdish sources said Sunday. The weekend visit to the war-torn country -- confirmed by a US official -- appeared to be the first by a senior US government figure inside Syrian territory. McGurk, who is US President Barack Obama's envoy to an international coalition fighting IS in Syria and Iraq, was accompanied by French and British officials, the sources told AFP. A fighter from the Syrian Democratic Forces monitors the countryside of the northeastern town of Al-Hol, in the Syrian Hasakeh province, on November 5, 2015 Delil Soulieman (AFP/File) One Kurdish source close to the meeting said a "high-level military delegation from the international coalition (against IS)," met Saturday with senior members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance. The source said the talks in the Kurdish town of Kobane covered "military plans" for the fight against IS. "These meetings will have an impact on many developments that will be seen in the area," he added, without providing further details. The talks were confirmed by a second Kurdish source on the ground and reported in Kurdish media. A US official said that McGurk visited Syria at the weekend to take stock of the campaign against IS extremists, but gave few other details. "This visit and the discussions he had are in keeping with the special envoy's efforts to continue looking for ways to increase coalition pressure on ISIL," said the official, using an alternative acronym for the jihadists. The SDF is an alliance of Syrian Kurds and Arabs who are fighting IS with support from the US-led coalition. It is composed mostly of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a powerful militia that has proved Syria's most effective force against IS, along with smaller units of Syrian Arab Muslim and Christian fighters. - Geneva talks - The meetings come after the YPG's political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), was excluded from new peace talks in Geneva being organised by the UN. Despite cooperation between the US-led coalition and the YPG in the fight against IS, the Kurdish militia and its political branch face fierce opposition from neighbouring Turkey. Ankara considers the PYD and YPG to be affiliates of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an armed insurgency in Turkey, while Syria's opposition accuses them of being too close to the regime in Damascus. But the coalition has worked closely with the YPG since it launched air strikes in Syria in September 2014, expanding a campaign that began in Iraq a month earlier. And that support has continued since the formation of the SDF last October, with US-led air support helping the alliance seize a key dam from IS last month. US-based Kurdish affairs analyst Mutlu Civiroglu said McGurk's visit appeared intended to assuage the Kurds after their exclusion from the Geneva talks. "The goal is to ease Kurdish anger and give them reassurances that they are not being ignored and that they have a part in this process," he said. Kurdish sources earlier told AFP that US Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken had called PYD chair Saleh Muslim to discuss Washington's view on the Kurdish issue and the peace talks. Israel in 'historic' Jerusalem prayer move The Israeli cabinet on Sunday approved a plan to allocate an area at the Western Wall in Jerusalem for egalitarian Jewish prayer in a "historic" end to a decades-long dispute. The decision, based on a proposal by Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky, was welcomed by liberal Jewish movements but condemned by ultra-Orthodox leaders, whose cabinet representatives voted against it. The new prayer section would enable men and women to pray together in a space comprising hundreds of square metres (square yards) around the archaeological site known as Robinson's Arch, which has over the years hosted egalitarian ceremonies. Members of the liberal Jewish religious group Women of the Wall, wearing traditional Jewish prayer apparel for men, pray at the plaza near the Western Wall in Jerusalem on August 7, 2013 Menahem Kahana (AFP/File) It is separated by the traditional women's and men's adjacent prayer sections by the ramp leading up to the Mughrabi Gate, the only entrance for non-Muslims to the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. Before the vote Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the arrangement "a compromise" and "a fair and creative solution". The decision preempted a court discussion on a petition filed by Women of the Wall, activists who had insisted on their right to pray in the traditional women's section, despite the objections of the ultra-Orthodox rabbi who controls the holy site. In accepting the compromise, Women of the Wall ceded their original demand, while forcing the state to acknowledge the right of non-Orthodox groups to worship at the site, the holiest place where Jews are legally allowed to pray. "In approving this plan, the state acknowledges women's full equality and autonomy at the Kotel (Western Wall) and the imperative of freedom of choice in Judaism in Israel," Women of the Wall wrote on their Facebook page. - 'Historic decision' - The debate, which Women of the Wall say has lasted for 27 years, had raised tensions between the government and United States Jewry, where the Reform and Conservative movements have significant clout. "We applaud Israel's historic decision," a joint statement from the Conservative, Reform movements and Jewish Federations in the United States read. "The decision sends a powerful message to Israelis and Jews across the Diaspora about the permanent value of Jewish pluralism and about what we can do when we work together." The move was slammed by the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, who opposed it in the vote, as well as by Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel of the far-right Jewish Home, who called it "an affront to our tradition". Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitz said he received the decision "with a heavy heart" since he disapproved of egalitarian prayer, but also "a sigh of relief" as the Women of the Wall would no longer be praying in the traditional women's section. The new prayer section is estimated to cost 35 million shekels ($8.8 million, 8.1 million euros) funded by the government and Jewish Agency. The cabinet decision does not say how long implementing it will take. The Western Wall is venerated by Jews as a remnant of a wall supporting the Second Temple complex, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. On its other side is the compound housing the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest site. The compound is a deeply sensitive location where clashes frequently erupt between Palestinian worshippers and Israeli forces. Rumours of Israel's intention to change the status quo there fuelled the latest four-month wave of Palestinian violence. Israeli authorities do not allow Jews to pray on the compound. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) speaks during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, on January 31, 2016 Amir Cohen (Pool/AFP) China punishes 27 officials over teen's wrongful execution Twenty-seven officials in China have been "penalised" for the wrongful execution of a teenager 20 years ago, state news agency Xinhua reported late Sunday. Hugjiltu was 18 in 1996 when he was sentenced and put to death for the rape and murder of a woman in the toilet of a textile factory in Hohhot in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In 2014 Hugjiltu was finally exonerated after another man, Zhao Zhihong, confessed to the crime and was in turn convicted and sentenced to death. The judge of the higher people's court delivers retrial files to Hugjiltu's parents (C) in Hohhot, northern China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on December 15, 2014 "One of the blacklisted officials responsible for the wrongful conviction of Huugjiltu, Feng Zhiming, was suspected of job-related crimes and was subject to further investigation," Xinhua reported authorities as saying in a statement. Feng, a former deputy chief with the public security bureau in Hohhot, could face prosecution, Xinhua added. The other 26 -- among them police officers and court officials -- "received administrative penalties including admonitions and record of demerit", Xinhua said without giving further detail. The case has highlighted the shortcomings in China's Communist Party-controlled legal system, where acquittals are extremely rare -- 99.93 percent of defendants in criminal cases were found guilty in 2013, according to official statistics. Biden, Cuomo call for more paid family leave in New York NEW YORK (AP) One man remembered the anguished nights he spent at the bedside of his fatally ill son. The other spoke movingly about the last days he spent with his dying father. Vice President Joe Biden and Gov. Andrew Cuomo drew from their own experiences of recent loss on Friday to push for Cuomo's plan to provide 12 weeks of paid family leave in New York state, which would be among the most generous state plans in the nation. The leave could be used for childbirth, adoption or to care for a sick or dying relative. Biden, whose son Beau died last year, choked up as he discussed the decisions people have to make for fear of losing their jobs. Vice President Joe Biden talks with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo during a rally on the economy, Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) "How do you choose between leaving the bedside of your dying son or daughter to go to work?" Biden asked at a rally in Manhattan. "Because if you don't go to work, you may not be able to afford to turn the light on in your son's apartment." Cuomo, who wants the State Legislature to pass his plan this spring, is proposing that the program be funded by small deductions to employees' paychecks, likely no more than 60 cents a week. The program would begin in January 2018 and employees, to start, would be eligible for 35 percent of their pay each week. By 2021, it will increase to 50 percent. Only three states California, Rhode Island and New Jersey currently have paid family leave plans, though 18 others are considering them. New York City just moved to increase its plan to six weeks of fully paid leave to 20,000 non-union municipal workers and Mayor Bill de Blasio has called for the city's unions to follow suit. Some business leaders, including the state Business Council, have moved to oppose Cuomo's plan and previous discussions had been opposed by Republicans who control the State Senate. Cuomo, who was also joined by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, some state leaders and model-turned-family rights activist Christy Turlington, has been loudly championing economically progressive cause in recent months and linked the paid leave plan to call his to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. "You shouldn't have to choose between losing your job and being in debt and being a decent human being," the governor said. "This is about restoring economic sanity to workers." Model Christy Turlington, of Every Mother Counts, listens at left as Vice President Joe Biden speaks about the economy, Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Model Christy Turlington, of Every Mother Counts, speaks about the economy as Vice President Joe Biden, center, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, listen, Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) China sentences 2 men to death in slaying of Tibetan monk BEIJING (AP) A Chinese court sentenced two men to death in the 2013 killing of Akong Rinpoche, a well-known religious figure who founded the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the West and built an international network of spiritual retreats. Thubten Kunsal, a Tibetan man who had worked at Akong's monastery in the United Kingdom as an artist for nine years, fatally stabbed Akong, his nephew and his driver after confronting him at his home in the city of Chengdu over $415,000 in wages he believed he was owed, according to a statement Sunday by the Chengdu People's Intermediate Court. Thubten and another man, Ciren Banyue, were given the death penalty while a third man was sentenced to three years' prison for hiding daggers used in the killings. Thubten and Ciren said they planned to appeal, according to the court statement. Akong's monastery Kagyu Samye Ling, which is based in southwest Scotland with branches in Europe and Africa, has denied it owed Thubten pay. It did not immediately have comment on the sentences. Born in 1939, Akong was recognized at age 2 by a search party as a lama incarnate and entered the Dolma Lhakhang monastery before fleeing to India as Chinese forces moved in to stamp out the 1959 Tibetan uprising. He moved to Britain several years later, studied at Oxford University and founded his Buddhist center in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1967. Israel's Netanyahu warns Gaza militants against attacking JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Islamic militant group Hamas that rules Gaza on Sunday that his country will retaliate with "greater force" than deployed in the 2014 Gaza war if cross-border tunnels are used to attack Israel. Hamas has built a sophisticated network of tunnels to infiltrate Israel in order to carry out attacks. Israelis living near Gaza have reported hearing tunneling sounds under their homes recently. "We are operating systematically and calmly against all threats, including those from Hamas, both with defensive and offensive means, and of course in the event we are attacked by tunnels in Gaza we will operate with great force against Hamas, with much greater force than what we used in Operation Protective Edge," Netanyahu said in a speech to diplomats Sunday night, referring to the 50-day war with Gaza gunmen in 2014 by its military name. Israeli security forces inspect the body of a Palestinian identified as Amjad Sukkari, inside a car, at the checkpoint between the city of Ramallah and Jewish settlement of Beit El in the West Bank, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. Sukkari opened fire at a West Bank checkpoint and wounded three people, the Israeli military said. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi) "I think that is understood in the region, it's understood in the world. I hope we won't need to do it but our abilities both defensive and offensive are developing rapidly, and I wouldn't recommend anyone to try us," he said. A senior Hamas leader boasted on Friday that Gaza militants dig tunnels and test rockets to attack Israel "every day." Ismail Haniyeh spoke at the funeral of seven militants who died this week when a tunnel from Gaza to Israel collapsed while they were repairing it. He said the tunnels are a "preparation" for war with Israel and boasted Hamas has "has built tunnels two times more than Vietnam tunnels." The 2014 Gaza war was sparked by a chain of events stemming from the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank by Hamas gunmen and the kidnapping of a Palestinian teenager who was killed by Israeli extremists in a revenge attack. Israel arrested hundreds of Hamas members in raids in the West Bank, prompting militant groups in Gaza to escalate rocket attacks on Israeli cities. More than 2,200 Palestinians, including 1,462 civilians, were killed during the fighting. In Israel, 66 soldiers and seven civilians were killed. Parts of Gaza were devastated in the fighting. The war also exposed Israeli communities near Gaza to a new threat: underground Hamas attack tunnels that surfaced close to their homes. Earlier Sunday, a Palestinian opened fire at a West Bank checkpoint and wounded three soldiers before he was shot and killed by troops, the military said. Palestinians identified the gunman as Amjad Sukkari, a 34-year-old policeman who worked as a bodyguard for the Palestinian attorney general. Posts on his Facebook page from just hours before the attacks read "your mourning will be victorious," ''there is nothing worth living for on this earth as long as the occupation strangles our breaths" and "everyday someone dies, I may be the next." Gaza's Islamic militant Hamas rulers praised the shooting attack, the latest in four months of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and soldiers. Also Sunday, the military said a Palestinian attempted to ram his vehicle into soldiers north of Jerusalem. It said troops opened fire wounding the man who was taken to the hospital for treatment. Palestinians have killed 26 people on the Israeli side and wounded dozens more since mid-September, mostly in stabbings, shootings and vehicular assaults. Israeli fire has killed 150 Palestinians during that time, with 105 identified by Israel as attackers. The rest died in clashes. Israel says the bloodshed is fueled by a Palestinian campaign of incitement. Palestinians say it stems from despair over nearly 50 years of occupation. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius last week said his country will recognize a Palestinian state if its efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at an international conference fail. At his weekly Cabinet meeting Sunday, Netanyahu said such a move by the French "will be an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise." "The substance of negotiations is compromise and the French initiative, as it has been reported, in effect gives the Palestinians in advance reasons not to do so," he said. "We are prepared to enter into direct negotiations without preconditions and without dictated conditions." Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. (Amir Cohen/Pool Photo via AP) Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, speaks during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. (Amir Cohen/Pool Photo via AP) Israeli security forces inspect the body of a Palestinian identified as Amjad Sukkari, at the checkpoint between the city of Ramallah and Jewish settlement of Beit El in the West Bank, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. Sukkari opened fire at a West Bank checkpoint and wounded three people, the Israeli military said. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) Saudi Arabia IDs mosque attacker as 22-year-old national RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) One of two attackers who wore explosive belts in Friday's deadly assault on a Shiite mosque in the country's east was a 22-year-old Saudi national, Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry announced. Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki, in a statement released Saturday night, identified the suicide bomber as Abdulrahman bin Abdullah bin Suleiman al-Tuwaijri. He had been briefly detained in 2013 in the Saudi city of Buraydah during a protest to demand the release of imprisoned Saudis accused of fighting abroad and having ties to extremist groups. Al-Tuwaijri died when he detonated his suicide vest at the entrance of the Imam Reda Mosque in al-Ahsa during Friday prayers. A second attacker was detained after an exchange of gunfire with police. He was not identified. Al-Turki said four Saudis were killed and 33 people were wounded in the attack. Fourteen of those wounded are still receiving treatment for their injuries, he said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Islamic State militants have targeted the kingdom's minority Shiites in the past. Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef visited the National Guard hospital in al-Asha on Saturday, where some of the wounded are being treated. He was quoted saying that what happened, "will only strengthen our resolve in this country to eradicate this aggressor." Also, a state-linked Saudi newspaper reported that at least four U.S. citizens are among 41 terror suspects detained in recent days in the kingdom. The Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper, quoting unnamed security officials, reported on Saturday that the four U.S. citizens were detained on Tuesday, bringing the total number of U.S. citizens detained in Saudi Arabia since 2007 up to nine. The newspaper said one of the nine U.S. citizens was convicted by a Saudi court in 2007, while the rest are still being investigated. Cameron, Tusk fail to strike deal on British reform demands LONDON (AP) European Council President Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister David Cameron failed Sunday to strike a deal aimed at keeping the U.K. in the EU but agreed to extend talks between the two sides for another day. Both sides had hoped the dinner meeting would close the gap over Britain's demand for more control over immigration. But Tusk emerged from 10 Downing St. and told reporters there was "no deal." Cameron tweeted that it had been a "good meeting" and said late Sunday the two men had agreed on "another 24 hours of talks" before proposals were published. Before the meeting, Tusk had said that if the two men reached an agreement, he would present a draft text to the 27 other EU member states on Monday. After the two politicians failed to resolve their disagreements over a distinctively British dinner of smoked salmon, fillet of beef and fruit crumble, Tusk tweeted that "intensive work" over the next day would be crucial. Britain and the EU have been hoping to reach a final pact at a Feb. 18-19 summit an increasingly unlikely prospect unless there is quick progress. Welfare benefits have become the key issue, and main sticking point, in Britain's negotiations with the rest of the EU before a U.K. referendum on whether to remain in the bloc. The referendum must be held by next year and could come as early as June. Cameron wants to limit British welfare benefits to migrants from other EU countries but other EU leaders say that undermines the right of EU citizens to work and live freely among member nations. Britain's Conservative government says hundreds of thousands of people from Eastern Europe who have flocked to the U.K. are straining schools, hospitals and social services. On Friday, top EU officials offered Britain a mechanism known as an "emergency brake" that would let the U.K. temporarily limit tax credits given to workers in low-paid jobs and housing benefit to immigrants if the country's welfare system comes under pressure. The proposal could satisfy Britain's goal of regaining some control over immigration and other countries' desire to maintain the principle of free movement. Cameron said the proposal was positive, but didn't go far enough. Britain wants the "emergency brake" to take effect immediately after a British vote to stay in the EU, and last for as long as it takes to reduce the level of migration. Cameron's initial proposal was for a four-year halt on benefits to new EU immigrants. Cameron's office said Sunday that the meeting with Tusk had made progress on that key issue, but "there is still more hard work required." Police ask Venice carnival-goers to lift masks for security ROME (AP) Carnival-goers in Venice are being asked by police to momentarily lift their masks as part of new anti-terrorism measures for the annual festivities. Police are also examining backpacks and bags and using metal-detecting wands before revelers are allowed into St. Mark's Square, the heart of the Venetian carnival. Sunday's main crowd-pleaser known as the Flight of the Angel went off without a hitch. In that event, a costumed young woman, attached by wires, "flies" over the crowd, starting from St. Mark's bell tower and gradually descending to the square. A Police officer watches a woman holding a mask, in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. People attended the Venice Carnival, celebrated Saturday under heightened security following the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve in Cologne and the ongoing terror threat in Europe. Authorities have increased surveillance throughout the city, including the number of officers on patrol, both under-cover and in uniform. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) Police officers check a man wearing a carnival costume in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. People attended the Venice Carnival, celebrated Saturday under heightened security following the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve in Cologne and the ongoing terror threat in Europe. Authorities have increased surveillance throughout the city, including the number of officers on patrol, both under-cover and in uniform. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) A Police officer inspects a man wearing a carnival costume in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. People attended the Venice Carnival, celebrated Saturday under heightened security following the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve in Cologne and the ongoing terror threat in Europe. Authorities have increased surveillance throughout the city, including the number of officers on patrol, both under-cover and in uniform. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) A masked woman goes through a security check in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. People attended the Venice Carnival, celebrated Saturday under heightened security following the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve in Cologne and the ongoing terror threat in Europe. Authorities have increased surveillance throughout the city, including the number of officers on patrol, both under-cover and in uniform. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) Police officers patrol St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. People attended the Venice Carnival, celebrated Saturday under heightened security following the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve in Cologne and the ongoing terror threat in Europe. Authorities have increased surveillance throughout the city, including the number of officers on patrol, both under-cover and in uniform. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) A Police officer patrols St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. People attended the Venice Carnival, celebrated Saturday under heightened security following the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve in Cologne and the ongoing terror threat in Europe. Authorities have increased surveillance throughout the city, including the number of officers on patrol, both under-cover and in uniform. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) A mask crosses St. Mark's Square as police officers patrol on the occasion of the Venice Carnival, in Venice, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. People attended the Venice Carnival, celebrated Saturday under heightened security following the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve in Cologne and the ongoing terror threat in Europe. Authorities have increased surveillance throughout the city, including the number of officers on patrol, both under-cover and in uniform. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) A Police officer inspects a man wearing a carnival costume in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. People attended the Venice Carnival, celebrated Saturday under heightened security following the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve in Cologne and the ongoing terror threat in Europe. Authorities have increased surveillance throughout the city, including the number of officers on patrol, both under-cover and in uniform. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) A Carabinieri (Italian paramilitary police) officer walks a dog in St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. People attended the Venice Carnival, celebrated Saturday under heightened security following the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve in Cologne and the ongoing terror threat in Europe. Authorities have increased surveillance throughout the city, including the number of officers on patrol, both under-cover and in uniform. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) Two masked women pose in St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. Carnival-goers in Venice are being asked by police to momentarily lift their masks as part of new anti-terrorism measures for the annual festivities. Police are also examining backpacks and bags and using metal-detecting wands before revelers are allowed into St. Marks Square, the heart of the Venetian carnival. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) Police officers patrol St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. Carnival-goers in Venice are being asked by police to momentarily lift their masks as part of new anti-terrorism measures for the annual festivities. Police are also examining backpacks and bags and using metal-detecting wands before revelers are allowed into St. Marks Square, the heart of the Venetian carnival. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) Two masked women pose in St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. Carnival-goers in Venice are being asked by police to momentarily lift their masks as part of new anti-terrorism measures for the annual festivities. Police are also examining backpacks and bags and using metal-detecting wands before revelers are allowed into St. Marks Square, the heart of the Venetian carnival. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) People wearing costumes pose in St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. Carnival-goers in Venice are being asked by police to momentarily lift their masks as part of new anti-terrorism measures for the annual festivities. Police are also examining backpacks and bags and using metal-detecting wands before revelers are allowed into St. Marks Square, the heart of the Venetian carnival. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) After arrests, focus turns to how 3 men escaped from US jail SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) Now that the three violent inmates who escaped from a U.S. jail are back in custody, the focus will turn to how they were able to saw, crawl and climb their way out of a maximum-security facility in California. Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said she was elated to announce the arrests of the final two fugitives Saturday after eight days on the run from the jail she oversees. But the tough work is just getting started to determine and fix the security lapses that allowed the escape. "Believe me, we will be looking top to bottom on that," she said. "We do not want another escape from an Orange County jail." Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is all smiles as she answers questions about the capture of both outstanding jail escapees Hossein Nayeri and Jonathan Tieu are in the custody of the San Francisco during a news conference outside Orange County Sheriff's Department headquarters in Santa Ana on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. (Ken Steinhardt/The Orange County Register via AP) The last two escapees were caught after a civilian flagged down officers near San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and pointed out a parked van that looked like one believed stolen by the trio of inmates during the brazen escape. The man also said someone who looked like one of the fugitives was in the area. Police approached Hossein Nayeri, the suspected mastermind of the jail break, and he was captured after a short foot chase. The second fugitive, 20-year-old Jonathan Tieu, was found hiding in the van with ammunition but no gun. He surrendered without incident. Both men were returned to Orange County early Sunday. A third inmate, Bac Duong, 43, surrendered Friday after walking into an auto repair shop in the city Santa Ana just a few miles from the jail. Authorities were interviewing the inmates, hoping to fill the many holes about the escape and their week on the run. The three did not know each other before being housed in the Orange County jail. They were awaiting trial on charges including murder, attempted murder, torture and kidnapping. Duong and Tieu have ties to street gangs that operate in the shadows of Orange County's thriving Vietnamese community. While behind bars, the three were housed together in a large jail module that held 65 other men, about half of whom were in custody for violent felonies. Early on Jan. 22, the trio sawed through a metal grate covering a plumbing tunnel, then crawled through piping to reach the jail's roof. There, they pushed aside barbed wire and used a rope made of bedsheets to rappel four stories to the ground. Jailers did not realize the inmates were missing for 16 hours, an embarrassment for Hutchens that has prompted changes in jail operations, but no firings. In a letter sent Friday to Hutchens, the head of the deputies union said his members complained nearly a year ago that department policy on inmate counts was not being followed. Tom Dominguez, president of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, wrote that his members received "push-back from jail management with the justification that 'This is the way we have always done it.'" Dominguez called for the dismissal of Capt. Chris Wilson, who runs the jail. Hutchens said in a statement Saturday that she wouldn't comment until an internal investigation was complete. he intensive search and investigation produced no tangible results for days and then, on Thursday, authorities arrested a woman who taught English at the jail. Nooshafarin Ravaghi, a 44-year-old children's book author, gave Nayeri a paper copy of a Google Earth map that showed an aerial view of the entire jail compound, sheriff's spokesman Lt. Jeff Hallock said. She was booked on suspicion of being an accessory to a felony and was being held pending a court appearance set for Monday. It wasn't clear if she had a lawyer. Authorities say she and Nayeri who both were born in Iran exchanged letters and had a relationship that was closer than it should have been, but stopped short of calling it romantic. Nayeri is a former Marine who grew up in the Fresno area, and authorities say it's unclear why as an English speaker he was in her class that teaches English as a second language. Built in 1968, the jail that housed the men holds about 900 inmates. It was the first breakout from the facility in nearly 30 years. The three will now return to the jail from which they escaped, Hutchens said. "I can tell you they won't be together," she said. ___ Rodriguez reported from San Francisco. This undated photo provided by the Orange County Sheriff's Department shows Nooshafarin Ravaghi. Ravaghi, 44, who taught English classes at Central Men's Jail in Santa Ana, Calif., was was arrested Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, on suspicion of helping three inmates escape the lockup. She was arrested nearly a week after the men one an alleged killer cut their way out of the jail and rappelled down an outside wall last Friday. (Orange County Sheriff's Department via AP) CORRECTS DAY TO SATURDAY, JAN. 23- This undated photo provided by the Orange County Sheriff's Office shows a 2008 White GMC Savana utility van that authorities believe three escaped inmates from Orange County, Calif., stole from South Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, following their jailbreak Friday. Sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock said Nooshafarian Ravaghi, a 44-year-old woman who taught English as a second language to inmates, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of helping three inmates escape the lockup. (Orange County Sheriff's Office via AP) This undated photo provided by the Orange County Sheriff's Department shows Hossein Nayeri. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens earlier this week cited Nayeri's troubled and conniving past when she labeled him as "most probably the mastermind" of a stunning jail break that blindsided authorities and has put three inmates on the loose. Nayeri racked up a stunning list of criminal exploits in the decade leading up to his breakout, including a high-speed police chase, a sordid torture case and a flight overseas to avoid capture. (Orange County Sheriff's Department via AP) His fame was cemented with his comic turn as over-the-hill detective Phil Fish in Barney Miller, which ran from 1975 to 1982 Vigoda was a character actor best known for his portrayal of Mafia soldier Sal Tessio in The Godfather His comments referenced a running joke about whether Vigoda was dead or alive - due to a false report of his death by People Magazine in 1982 at a memorial service audience of more than 100 in Manhattan's Upper West Side Nobody who knew The Godfather and Barney Miller actor Abe Vigoda made mourners smile through their tears on Sunday faster than comedian and friend Gilbert Gottfried. 'This is the 20th time we buried Abe Vigoda,' Gottfried announced to a memorial service audience of more than 100 in Manhattan's Upper West Side. It was a reference to a running joke about whether Vigoda, the character actor best known for his portrayal of Mafia soldier Sal Tessio in The Godfather, was dead or alive - the result of a false report of his death by People Magazine in 1982. The true end came Tuesday when Vigoda died in his sleep at age 94 at his daughter's Woodland Park, New Jersey, home, where he went to escape the hazards of a blizzard. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried speaks during a funeral service for Abe Vigoda in New York City on Sunday Comedian Gilbert Gottfried gestures to the casket while speaking during the funeral service, where he referenced a running joke about whether Vigoda, the actor best known for his role in The Godfather, was dead or alive - the result of a 1982 false report of his death A police officer gets a closer look at a painting of Abe Vigoda during his funeral service in New York on Sunday Vigoda, pictured here in October 2015, died in his sleep at age 94 on Tuesday at his daughter's Woodland Park, New Jersey, home 'His big wish was not to be alone and not to die alone,' said the daughter, Carol Vigoda-Fuchs. 'So I'm grateful he got what he wanted.' Vigoda's step into fame came when director Francis Ford Coppola plucked him from obscurity as a supporting actor in New York theater for a role in the Oscar-winning The Godfather. Vigoda played Sal Tessio, an old friend of Vito Corleone's (Marlon Brando) who hopes to take over the family after Vito's death by killing his son Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). But Michael anticipates that Sal's suggestion for a 'peace summit' among crime families is a setup and the escorts Sal thought were taking him to the meeting turn out to be his executioners. Vigoda's fame was cemented with his comic turn as over-the-hill detective Phil Fish in Barney Miller, which ran from 1975 to 1982. He liked to tell the story of how he won the role of Detective Fish. An exercise enthusiast, Vigoda had just returned from a five-mile jog when his agent called and told him to report immediately to the office of Danny Arnold, who was producing a pilot for a police station comedy. Vigoda's daughter Carol Vigoda-Fuchs speaks while holding his great-grandson Johnathan Fuchs during the funeral service Former New York City Mayor David Dinkins speaks during the memorial service for Vigoda in Manhattan on Sunday More than 100 people attended the funeral service for Vigoda, pictured here in 2008. The service took place in the Upper West Side of Manhattan Arnold remarked that Vigoda looked tired, and the actor explained about his jog. 'You know, you look like you might have hemorrhoids,' Arnold said. 'What are you a doctor or a producer?' Vigoda asked. He was cast on the spot. 'The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows,' a reference book, commented that Vigoda was the hit of Barney Miller. 'Not only did he look incredible, he sounded and acted like every breath might be his last,' it said. 'Fish was always on the verge of retirement, and his worst day was when the station house toilet broke down.' Vigoda remained a regular on Barney Miller until 1977 when he took the character to his own series, Fish. The storyline dealt with the detective's domestic life and his relations with five street kids that he and his wife took into their home. The show lasted a season and a half. Vigoda continued making occasional guest appearances on Barney Miller, quitting over billing and salary differences. Vigoda was a character actor best known for his portrayal of Mafia soldier Sal Tessio in The Godfather films The star (far left) with Marlon Brando, Richard Castellano, John Cazale, Al Lettiere, James Caan and Robert Duvall in The Godfather Vigoda, pictured with Al Pacino in The Godfather; Vigoda's character Tessio hopes to take over the family business by killing Michael Corleone, only for his plans to go awry The program for the memorial service at Riverside Memorial Chapel featured a photograph of the actor in a suit and tie with a line from Coppola's movie: 'Can you get me off the hook ... for old times' sake?' It was one of Vigoda's more memorable lines from the 1972 classic as his character, the doomed Tessio, pleaded for his life after he had turned against the Corleone family. His request was denied. 'Abe Vigoda, it's like his name became a punchline, but in a nice way, a loving way,' Gottfried said. 'He was just one of those people you just laughed looking at him.' 'Abe was so old, he had a bible that was signed by the author,' Gottfried said of Vigoda, according to Page Six. Family members remembered Vigoda as a true New Yorker who grew up during the Great Depression in Brooklyn and worked his way up from selling potatoes from a push cart on the streets of New York City to a household name for his appearances on the big screen. His fame was cemented with his comic turn as over-the-hill detective Phil Fish in Barney Miller, which ran from 1975 to 1982 The New York native (center), pictured with Hal Linden (right) and Jack Soo (left), remained a regular on Barney Miller until 1977 'He was just a regular guy,' Vigoda-Fuchs said. 'He loved his fans, he taught us great values. He was very squeaky clean... I'm very thankful he was able to share his many gifts with everybody and made everybody laugh and be happy.' The printed program included written tributes from fellow actors, including Robert Duvall, who said it was impossible to watch The Godfather and not remember Vigoda's performance. Fellow Godfather actor Al Pacino sent flowers and a card to Vigoda's family, recalling his friend as a 'gentle kind soul' whose personality shined through his work. Those who spoke at the memorial, where a large picture of Vigoda rested beside white flowers and before the crowd, included former New York City Mayor David Dinkins. 'This city, this country, this world are all better places because Abe Vigoda was here,' Dinkins said. As the service ended, the theme from The Godfather serenaded the departing crowd. Photographers, not just candidates, battle for midnight vote CONCORD, N.H. (AP) Decades ago, the fierce competition to win the New Hampshire primary wasn't limited to the presidential candidates. News photographers also fought to be first. In just over a week, voters in three tiny northern towns will cast their ballots at midnight, delivering the debut results of the first-in-the-nation primary hours before polls open elsewhere. While each tradition has its quirks Millsfield is muscling its way into the spotlight after a long break Dixville's story is the most dramatic, depending on which version you believe. Some say a United Press International photographer not only urged the owner of the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel to host a midnight vote in 1960 but nudged the hands of the clock ahead to ensure he'd beat his rivals in Hart's Location, where residents had been voting early since 1948. Others say it was an Associated Press photographer who suggested the early voting idea to hotel owner Neil Tillotson. FILE - In this Feb. 28, 1984, file photo, Neil Tillotson gets ready to cast the first ballot in the New Hampshire presidential primary in Dixville, N.H. In Dixville, one of three tiny northern towns where voters will cast ballots just after midnight Feb. 9, no one quite knows how the early voting tradition started. But most agree it had something to do with rival photographers. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File) A UPI article published in 1979 gives Tillotson sole credit for starting the tradition, but says a UPI photographer "spent two days convincing one reluctant resident to come down from his mountain home to vote so the polls could close right away." On Feb. 9, Dixville residents all nine of them will keep the midnight vote tradition alive for the 100th anniversary of New Hampshire's primary, said Tilliston's son Tom, himself the town moderator. The voting won't happen inside the hotel's famed ballot room, however, because the resort is undergoing renovations. No one knows for sure where the idea for the midnight vote came from the key players have all died. But there's no question the stakes were high given that the first photo sent ended up on newspaper front pages around the country the next morning. "It was key to get that first shot off," said Dan Wolf, a former UPI photographer who covered the primary from 1968 to 2004. "People would pull the plug on the phone to cause trouble. It was a very friendly rivalry, but it was a rivalry." Wolf remembers running from his makeshift darkroom waving a still-wet photo in the air to dry it as he rushed to the transmission machine. The competition was so intense, one year he was tempted to re-use a photo from the previous election cycle when he realized Tillotson always wore the same outfit. Wolf said it was Don Robinson, UPI's chief photographer in Boston, who asked Tillotson to have Dixville which mainly consisted of hotel workers incorporated as a town for voting purposes. "Don said ... 'Why don't you do this thing and we'll put Dixville on the map? And that's basically what happened," Wolf said. "The AP and UPI always went to Hart's Location. Don didn't show up, and nobody could figure out why he wasn't there. He was over in Dixville, taking that first picture." Asked whether Robinson tinkered with the clock, Wolf laughed before answering. "That has been suggested for many, many years," he said. "It may have been very difficult to beat the AP without a little bit of help." Tom Tillotson, 70, says he's heard lots of jokes about his father's watch being set a minute or two fast, but he doubts it was true. He does remember his father discussing the idea of midnight voting with a photographer in 1959 and getting permission from the Legislature in time for the 1960 general election. Steve Barba, who started working at the Balsams in 1959 and retired as general manager in 2006, said the elder Tillotson told him it was AP's J. Walter Green who made the suggestion. Moving the action to the hotel made the logistics much easier for the media, he said. While some suggested Tillotson seized on the midnight voting idea as a publicity stunt, the hotel never promoted it in its brochures or ads, Barba said. For him, what made the spectacle special was what happened in the months leading up to midnight, when many candidates would venture north to meet Dixville voters. Budget fight leaves Illinois stuck with overdue bills SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) The Friday afternoon email read with remarkable alacrity, given its message: The trip to a Springfield store to buy all-purpose Fabuloso Cleaner for the Secretary of State's office was for naught. "They would not sell to us because we are shut off due to lack of payment," the storeroom worker wrote to his boss and others. "Have a great weekend!" As Illinois politicians continue to squabble over a budget that should have taken effect July 1, hundreds of state contractors have been left with little more than I.O.U.s, according to more than 500 pages of documents just since Nov. 1 released to The Associated Press under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. In this Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016 photo, Frankie Redditt, President/CEO of Ashleys Quality Care, Inc., left, and Michael Robinson, CFO, are joined by other officers at the company headquarters with stacks of invoices to the state and payroll bills on the table in Chicago. As Illinois politicians continue to squabble over a budget that should have taken effect July 1, hundreds of state contractors have been left with little more than I.O.U.s, according to more than 500 pages of documents, since Nov. 1, released to The Associated Press under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. The state owes $2 million to Ashleys Quality Care in Chicago, according to Robinson. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) From a $28.44 late-notice water and sewer bill at the 1848 Mt. Pulaski Courthouse which had neither when Abraham Lincoln practiced law there to $4.8 million that Illinois owes Michigan for a health partnership, vendors have flooded the Capitol with disconnect warnings, credit-hold notices, desperate pleas and even a frowny face stamp in an effort to get paid. The state owes $2 million to Ashley's Quality Care in Chicago, which provides in-home care workers to keep seniors out of nursing homes, according to chief accountant Michael Robinson. The company has not met its payroll for 14 weeks, forcing the departure of 40 percent of its previous 1,000 employees; clientele has dipped by one-third, to 800, slicing revenue. "You go from affecting a company, to its employees, to the clients, to the social well-being of the community," Robinson said. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, insistent on pro-business changes to boost commerce, can't agree on an annual spending plan with Democrats who control the Legislature. They oppose his conservative agenda, saying a multibillion-dollar deficit needs tax-increase and spending-cut triage. "No one is more frustrated about the lack of a budget than Gov. Rauner," said his spokeswoman, Catherine Kelly. "Bills could be paid if the Democratic majority in the Legislature worked with the governor to pass structural reforms and a balanced budget." The Department of Central Management Services, which oversees state facilities and purchasing, doesn't track service disruptions because the number constantly changes as officials work to resolve issues, spokeswoman Meredith Krantz said. As for CMS, the agency declared the AP's FOIA request for vendor notifications too burdensome to honor. A preliminary search revealed 7,800 emails related to the subject. Billions of dollars continue to be spent on services ordered by federal court orders or limited legislative action, but the lack of spending authority means bureaucrats are spending more time dealing with angry vendors. Consider: The storeroom staffer's failed shopping trip led a supervisor to compile a list of Springfield businesses that had cut off the state. It included a janitorial supply shop, hardware stores, a carpet store, an electrical supplier and a general construction firm. A Department of Human Services rehabilitation counselor in Downers Grove sought a taxi for a client and received an email that "all service is on hold due to non-payment." An Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission arbitrator's personalized date-stamp broke but it wasn't replaced because the supplier was awaiting $511.06 that was past due. A New Jersey landlord threatened to evict Illinois Revenue Department tax auditors from their rented home in that state unless he received five months' rent totaling $37,936.20. It was paid. John Ulzheimer, an Atlanta-based consumer-credit expert, said credit risk is judged the same way for a government with a $35 billion budget as it is for an individual: If you don't pay, you get cut off. "People are going to start avoiding doing business with you or setting terms that are punitive because you're risky to do business with," Ulzheimer said. One such vendor is Beatty TeleVisual, in Springfield, which is owed almost $400 by the state. Co-owner Wilma Beatty said she used to do more state work, but 56 years in business have taught her how to keep red ink out of the books. On a $207 bill to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, she used a stamp that reads, "Please" with a frowny face. The debacle has produced provocative exchanges. "I feel sorry for the people who live in Illinois. Pretty sad!" wrote a St. Louis company's administrative assistant. One bureaucrat, forwarding a sales rep's overdue-payment warning up the chain, protested without irony, "I am only ordering what we need, nothing more." The state has deflected blame at times. When the Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging laid off a state-paid worker because of the spending freeze, the contract-termination letter noted, "the state does not intend to pursue damages as a result of this breach." That made the Peoria-based agency's director, Keith Rider, scratch his head. "If you have a contract with someone, and part of the contract is to pay them, and you don't pay them, we're in breach?" Rider asked. "That's an ironic attitude for the state to take." ___ Associated Press researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed. ___ Contact Political Writer John O'Connor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/john-oconnor . Bayern's Martinez vows to return 'soon' from latest injury MUNICH (AP) Bayern Munich midfielder Javi Martinez said Sunday that reports of another injury setback were exaggerated and that he will be back in action soon. The Spain midfielder wrote on Twitter "Thank you all for caring! fortunately it's not a serious injury (hashtag) Backsoon." Sport1, Sky, Kicker and Sport Bild all reported earlier Sunday that Martinez would be ruled out for several weeks with another knee injury. Martinez had been the first replacement for Bayern's injured central defender Jerome Boateng, especially with Juan Bernat and Rafinha working their way back into form following their injury setbacks. Medhi Benatia is still working on his recovery and Holger Badstuber has to prove his long-term fitness. Bayern sporting Matthias Sammer has all but ruled out any new signings before the winter transfer window closes on Monday. "There is nothing that will improve us. And therefore I can't imagine that we will do anything," Sammer told Sky television. Sammer said Martinez' injury was "not too serious" but he could need an operation. "It's no big deal. It can be that something needs to be done and that's annoying," Sammer said. A look at New Hampshire's midnight voters Under New Hampshire state law, communities with fewer than 100 voters can get permission to open their polls at midnight and close them as soon as all registered voters have cast their ballots. On Feb. 9, three tiny northern towns will share the spotlight when their residents cast the first ballots in the first-in-the-nation presidential primary: HART'S LOCATION Nestled in the middle of the White Mountain National Forest, Hart's Location first hosted midnight voting in 1948 but gave it up after the 1964 election when residents grew weary of the late hours and media frenzy every four years. Energized with new blood, town residents revived the tradition in 1996. In the most recent presidential primary, Mitt Romney won the 2012 Republican contest with 5 votes. President Barack Obama won all 10 of the town's Democratic votes. It's unclear how many people will cast ballots at the town hall this year. Hart's Location has 41 registered voters and had received five absentee ballots as of Friday night, according to town clerk Katie Landry. ___ DIXVILLE: Dixville, about 20 miles from the Canadian border, exists as a town only for voting purposes. Almost all of its voters are employees of the Balsams Grant Resort Hotel, which closed in 2011 but is currently undergoing a major overhaul under new owners. Former owner Neil Tillotson started the midnight voting tradition in 1960, likely at the suggestion of a news photographer looking for an advantage in getting his pictures out to newspapers ahead of his rivals. For many years, voters cast their ballots in individual booths in the hotel's posh ballot room. Because of the renovations, the nine current residents will vote in another building on the property, the Hale House. In 2012, there was a tie for first place on the Republican side, with Romney and Jon Huntsman getting two votes apiece. All three Democrats voted for Obama. ___ MILLSFIELD Millsfield is making a comeback this year, though it's unclear just when the town last voted at midnight or when its tradition started. According to a 1952 article in Time magazine, eight residents voted at midnight during the general election that year. Town Selectman Wayne Urso says he believes early voting happened sometime before and after that election, but there's no hard evidence. This year, there are 22 registered voters. About 14 are expected to vote in person on primary day, with the rest voting by absentee ballot. After arrests, focus turns to how 3 men escaped from jail SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) Now that the three violent inmates who escaped from a California jail are back in custody, the focus will turn to how they were able to saw, crawl and climb their way out of a maximum-security facility. Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said she was elated to announce the arrests of the final two fugitives Saturday after eight days on the run from the jail she oversees. But the tough work is just getting started to determine and fix the security lapses that allowed the escape. "Believe me, we will be looking top to bottom on that," she said. "We do not want another escape from an Orange County jail." This banner atop the Orange County Sheriff's Department webpage shows the latest iteration of their Internet "wanted" poster, showing that all three escaped inmates are in custody as of Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. After a week of SWAT raids and a gang dragnet, it was a tip that led San Francisco police to the two remaining fugitives who broke out of a Santa Ana, Calif., jail. A third surrendered Friday. (Orange County Sheriff's Department via AP) The last two escapees were caught after a civilian flagged down officers near San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and pointed out a parked van that looked like one believed stolen by the trio of inmates during the brazen escape. The man also said someone who looked like one of the fugitives was in the area. Police approached Hossein Nayeri, the suspected mastermind of the jail break, and he was captured after a short foot chase. The second fugitive, 20-year-old Jonathan Tieu, was found hiding in the van with ammunition but no gun. He surrendered without incident. Both men were returned to Orange County early Sunday. A third inmate, Bac Duong, 43, surrendered Friday after walking into an auto repair shop in Santa Ana just a few miles from the jail. He told police he had been with the others in San Jose, and the search immediately shifted to the San Francisco Bay Area. Authorities were interviewing the inmates, hoping to fill the many holes about the escape and their week on the run. How did they get the sharp cutting tools to hack their way through jail walls? What did they do outside the walls? Where did they stay? How did they get money for gas and food? The three did not know each other before being housed in the Orange County jail. They were awaiting trial on charges including murder, attempted murder, torture and kidnapping. Duong and Tieu have ties to street gangs that operate in the shadows of Orange County's thriving Vietnamese community. While behind bars, the three were housed together in a large jail module that held 65 other men, about half of whom were in custody for violent felonies. Early on Jan. 22, the trio sawed through a metal grate covering a plumbing tunnel, then crawled through piping to reach the jail's roof. There, they pushed aside barbed wire and used a rope made of bedsheets to rappel four stories to the ground. Jailers did not realize the inmates were missing for 16 hours, an embarrassment for Hutchens that has prompted changes in jail operations, but no firings. In a letter sent Friday to Hutchens, the head of the deputies union said his members complained nearly a year ago that department policy on inmate counts was not being followed. Tom Dominguez, president of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, wrote that his members received "push-back from jail management with the justification that 'This is the way we have always done it.'" Dominguez called for the dismissal of Capt. Chris Wilson, who runs the jail. Hutchens said in a statement Saturday that she wouldn't comment until an internal investigation was complete. The intensive search and investigation produced no tangible results for days and then, on Thursday, authorities arrested a woman who taught English at the jail. Nooshafarin Ravaghi, a 44-year-old children's book author, gave Nayeri a paper copy of a Google Earth map that showed an aerial view of the entire jail compound, sheriff's spokesman Lt. Jeff Hallock said. She was booked on suspicion of being an accessory to a felony and was being held pending a court appearance set for Monday. It wasn't clear if she had a lawyer. Authorities say she and Nayeri who both were born in Iran exchanged letters and had a relationship that was closer than it should have been, but stopped short of calling it romantic. Nayeri is a former Marine who grew up in the Fresno area, and authorities say it's unclear why as an English speaker he was in her class that teaches English as a second language. The day after the escape, Duong responded to a Craig's List ad for a white GMC van and stole it during a test drive, authorities said. Hutchens said the men's capture clears the way for an intense probe into how they were able to escape. "We're going to do everything we can in our power and it's not enough to say, 'Gee, we have an old jail, it's a challenging place,' " she said. Built in 1968, the jail that housed the men holds about 900 inmates. It was the first breakout from the facility in nearly 30 years. The three will now return to the jail from which they escaped, Hutchens said. "I can tell you they won't be together," she said. ____ Rodriguez reported from San Francisco. Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is all smiles as she answers questions about the capture of both outstanding jail escapees Hossein Nayeri and Jonathan Tieu are in the custody of the San Francisco during a news conference outside Orange County Sheriff's Department headquarters in Santa Ana on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. (Ken Steinhardt/The Orange County Register via AP) This undated photo provided by the Orange County Sheriff's Department shows Nooshafarin Ravaghi. Ravaghi, 44, who taught English classes at Central Men's Jail in Santa Ana, Calif., was was arrested Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, on suspicion of helping three inmates escape the lockup. She was arrested nearly a week after the men one an alleged killer cut their way out of the jail and rappelled down an outside wall last Friday. (Orange County Sheriff's Department via AP) For Brazil's rich and poor, disparate response to Zika RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Two Brazilian women, two pregnancies, one nightmare. But two very different stories. Regina de Lima and Tainara Lourenco became pregnant at a scary moment the dawn of an extraordinary Zika outbreak, as authorities came to suspect that the virus was causing an alarming spike in a rare birth defect called microcephaly. Both have reason to fear for the health of their unborn offspring. But that is where the similarities end. In this Jan. 29, 2016 photo, Tainara Lourenco, who's five months pregnant, stands outside her stilt home that stands over polluted water in a slum in Recife, Brazil. Lourenco became pregnant at a scary moment the dawn of an extraordinary Zika outbreak, as authorities came to suspect that the virus was causing an alarming spike in a rare birth defect called microcephaly. "If you have to get sick you will get sick," she said. "It's everywhere." (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) Lima is well-off, and took advantage of the options of affluence. Lourenco lives in a slum. She has no options, except to hope for the best. ___ When Lima learned she was pregnant, her initial, vertiginous rush of happiness was almost immediately smothered by dread. Lima and her husband had been trying to start a family but decided to put the project on hold in late November, after the Brazilian government announced a possible link between mosquito-borne Zika and microcephaly, in which infants are born with unusually small heads and can sometimes suffer mental retardation or a host of serious health and developmental problems. The connection between Zika and microcephaly is not yet understood, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is strong evidence of a link. And with more than 3,700 confirmed or suspected cases of microcephaly registered here since October compared with fewer than 150 cases in all of 2014 the Brazilian government took the drastic step of urging would-be parents to put off pregnancies. But for Lima, an audiovisual producer from Rio de Janeiro, it was too late. She was already pregnant, and her first trimester thought to be when the fetus is most susceptible to Zika would coincide with Rio's summer mosquito season. "The first weeks were terrifying," said Lima. "I cried and cried." She was haunted by fears she may have already had Zika without knowing it the illness can cause a fever and red splotches on the skin, but is asymptomatic in most cases and that her baby would develop microcephaly, which ultrasounds only pick up starting in the seventh month. So Lima did what growing numbers of wealthy Brazilian women are doing: She requested an extended vacation from work, packed her bags and left for Europe. She plans to stay at least through the end of the dicey first trimester. "I am in a sort of exile I could be at home with my husband, seeing my own doctors, but instead I'm here in Europe with a suitcase," Lima said in a telephone interview from London, quickly adding that she wasn't complaining. "I am lucky to have options, to be able to make decisions. Most women in my situation don't have that luxury. They're completely at the mercy of fate." ___ Indeed, although she's living on a shoestring crashing with friends and moving weekly so as not to overstay her welcome Lima's peace of mind comes with a price tag that would be unthinkable for the vast majority of women in this most socially stratified of countries. Her airline ticket alone cost several times the monthly minimum wage of just over $200, and with Brazil's currency at historic lows amid an economic recession, even everyday expenses in Europe have become exorbitant by Brazilian standards. Unemployed and five months pregnant, 21-year-old Lourenco lives in a slum at the epicenter of Brazil's tandem Zika and microcephaly outbreaks, the state of Pernambuco in Brazil's impoverished and underdeveloped northeast. Her shack is cobbled together from bits of wood and perches on stilts over a giant puddle of fetid water below. To eke out a living for herself and her 2-year-old daughter, Lourenco ventures into a nearby swamp to hunt for crustaceans she hawks for $2.50 a kilogram. "I think I got Zika or some other disease not long ago," she said. "What can we do? Just hope that it doesn't affect the baby." Zika is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is well-adapted to humans, thrives in people's homes and can breed in even a bottle cap's-worth of stagnant water not to mention the pools of rain water that lurk in just about every nook and cranny during the muggy summer rain season. While anyone can be bitten by Aedes, public health experts agree that the poor are more vulnerable because they often lack amenities that help diminish the risk, such as air conditioning and window screens. The only precautionary measure Lourenco could possibly take, long-sleeve clothing, is unworkable in the unrelenting equatorial heat. Like many of the estimated 400,000 women currently pregnant in Brazil, she can't afford mosquito repellent. Microcephaly fears have sparked a run on repellents, emptying out the stock in many pharmacies in hard-hit areas; where it's still available often fishing supply stores it now often costs several times the normal price. The government has pledged to start providing repellent to low-income women and promises to deploy some 220,000 members of the Armed Forces to help eliminate Aedes' breeding places as part of President Dilma Rousseff's declared war against the insect. But the measures are too little, too late for women whose worries about microcephaly have transformed their pregnancies into a period of unending anguish. In the Central American nation of El Salvador, where authorities have urged women to put off pregnancy for two years, Guadalupe Urquilla is struggling to take fate into her own hands. She's traded her dresses for long pants and closed shoes, scrubs out the family's concrete water tank every three days, and writes San Salvador city officials, demanding that they fumigate the debris-strewn public housing complex where she lives with her husband and 2-year-old daughter. Urquilla said her husband is believed to have had Zika last fall and her daughter had dengue. "We're really scared," said Urquilla, who's in her 13th week of pregnancy. "Imagine my baby does not get Zika, but imagine how stressed out it will be when it comes out. The whole pregnancy we're stressed out about mosquitoes. ... It's a huge paranoia." Lourenco, though, is more fatalistic. "If you have to get sick you will get sick," she said. "It's everywhere." ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in San Salvador, El Salvador, contributed to this report. In this Jan. 29, 2016 photo, Tainara Lourenco stands in the entrance of her stilt home with her hand on her baby bump, at a slum in Recife, Brazil. Unemployed and five months pregnant, 21-year-old Lourenco lives in a slum at the epicenter of Brazils tandem Zika and microcephaly outbreaks, in the state of Pernambuco. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Jan. 29, 2016 photo, Tainara Lourenco, who is five months pregnant, stands outside her stilt home, built over a polluted body of water at a slum in Recife, Brazil. To eke out a living for herself and her 2-year-old daughter, Lourenco ventures into a nearby swamp to hunt for crustaceans she hawks for $2.50 a kilo. I think I got Zika or some other disease not long ago, she said. What can we do? Just hope that it doesn't affect the baby. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Jan. 29, 2016 photo, a girl looks out from her stilt house, built over a polluted body of water at a slum at the epicenter of Brazils tandem Zika and microcephaly outbreaks, in Recife. Zika is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. While anyone can be bitten by Aedes, public health experts agree that the poor are more vulnerable because they often lack amenities that help diminish the risk, such as air conditioning and window screens. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Jan. 29, 2016 photo, Tainara Lourenco, who is five months pregnant, sits inside her house at a slum in Recife, Brazil. Like many of the estimated 400,000 women currently pregnant in Brazil, she cant afford mosquito repellent. The government has pledged to start providing repellent to low-income women and promises to deploy the Armed Forces to help eliminate Aedes breeding places. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Jan. 29, 2016 photo, stilt houses sit atop a polluted body of water at a slum at the epicenter of Brazils tandem Zika and microcephaly outbreaks, in Recife. Zika is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito and anyone can be bitten by the insect, public health experts agree that the poor are more vulnerable because they often lack amenities that help diminish the risk, such as air conditioning and window screens. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) a) In this Jan. 28, 2016 photo, a city worker fumigates a classroom in a mosquito eradication effort to battle the insect blamed for spreading a virus suspected of causing birth defects, in Santa Tecla, El Salvador. While anyone can be bitten by the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever, public health experts agree that the poor are more vulnerable because they often lack amenities that help diminish the risk, such as air conditioning and window screens. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez) In this Jan. 29, 2016 photo, women wait their turn for their pre-natal exams at the National Hospital for Women in San Salvador, El Salvador. In the Central American nation authorities have urged women to put off pregnancy for two years after it was reported that there may be a possible link between mosquito-borne Zika and microcephaly, in which infants are born with unusually small heads and can sometimes suffer mental retardation or a host of serious health and developmental problems. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez) In this Jan. 29, 2016 photo, Guadalupe Urquilla, who's pregnant, looks at her daughter Alejandra, 2, in their home in San Salvador, El Salvador. As the Zika virus spreads through the hemisphere, authorities in El Salvador have urged women to put off pregnancy for two years. In the meantime, Urquilla has traded her dresses for long pants and closed shoes, scrubs out the family's concrete water tank every three days, and writes her city officials ceaselessly, demanding that they fumigate the trash- and debris-strewn public housing complex where she lives with her husband and daughter. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez) FA Cup: Man United heads to Shrewsbury, Chelsea faces City SHREWSBURY, England (AP) Chelsea will host Premier League title favorite Manchester City in the last 16 of the FA Cup, while Wayne Rooney faces an unpleasant trip down memory lane when Manchester United travels to third-tier Shrewsbury, the lowest-placed team left in soccer's oldest club competition. Sunday's fifth-round draw followed shortly after Chelsea won 5-1 at MK Dons, as interim manager Guus Hiddink's side continued its sporting rehabilitation after a dreadful start to the season. Hiddink likes this competition, having won the FA Cup in 2009 during his last temporary spell in charge of Chelsea. Tottenham hosts Crystal Palace in a London derby, while Bournemouth takes on Everton in another all-Premier League clash. Chelsea's captain John Terry acknowledges the fans as he celebrates after the final whistle of the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Milton Keynes Dons and Chelsea at Stadium mk in Milton Keynes, England, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. Chelsea won 5-1. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Arsenal chasing a third straight FA Cup title is at home to Hull, the team it came from 2-0 down to beat 3-2 in the 2014 final. Arsenal has won the cup a record 12 times, one more than United. Currently 20th in League One, Shrewsbury's weekend has swung from bad to brilliant. Trailing second-tier Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in the fourth round on Saturday, the West Midlands club equalized in the 87th minute and snatched a 3-2 win in the seventh minute of injury time to set up a lucrative match against United. Shrewsbury, which has reached the fifth round for the first time since 1991, will be the underdogs at its New Meadow stadium but Rooney won't be taking victory for granted. The 17-year-old Rooney was part of the Everton team managed by future United boss David Moyes which lost 2-1 to Shrewsbury at its downtown stadium Gay Meadow in the FA Cup third round in 2003. "We will focus on what's important and that's the next league game at home to Southend United," Shrewsbury manager Micky Mellon said on the club's website. "I'm delighted that always on the horizon we will have a game against one of the biggest clubs in the world. This game should keep performance levels high from the squad because everyone will want to play in that game." Peterborough, which is eighth in the same division as Shrewsbury, faces a replay against West Bromwich Albion, with the winner going to League Championship team Reading. Blackburn hosts either Liverpool or West Ham, which drew 0-0 on Saturday, while Watford faces Leeds, which won the cup in 1972 before a famous defeat in the following year's final to unfancied Sunderland. The fifth round takes place from Feb. 19-22. Manchester Citys Fernandinho, centre, battles for the ball with Aston Villas Jordan Ayew, left, and Aston Villas Leandro Bacuna during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Aston Villa and Manchester City at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira) Rubio seeks a balance between anger and optimism in Iowa DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio thinks he has struck the perfect balance between anger and optimism needed to win over the outraged and inspire potential conservatives to turn out and vote. In his closing argument to Iowans ahead of Monday night's leadoff caucus, Rubio is looking to set himself apart from his more traditional rivals and the fiery outsiders vying for the Republican presidential nomination. "Now, our time has come," Rubio said in Des Moines last week. "If we do what needs to be done...history will say we lived in the early years of this new century, a time of great uncertainty. But like all the generations before us, we did our part, we rose up to confront our challenges." Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign rally, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Should Rubio's efforts fall short, it could be in part because he's misjudged the depth of anger among voters in both political parties. If he succeeds, it could be because he will have been able to convert that frustration into the inspiration as a son of immigrants projecting faith in the U.S. as a land of opportunity. "We will turn this nation around and we will leave for our children what our parents left for us the single greatest nation in the history of all mankind," Rubio told a crowd at the Des Moines banquet hall, igniting applause. Rubio's call to action was catching on with many Iowa Republicans as the junior senator from Florida campaigned across the state in the lead-up to the Feb. 1 caucus. "I was so impressed with how eloquently he identified as a regular person," said Jim Diehl of Des Moines, a Rubio supporter, said after an event in nearby West Des Moines. "He understands." But some are proving to be a harder sell. Dubuque resident Jo Lynn Bentz, waffling between Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, said the message makes her "feel good," but said it's "too rehearsed." At the heart of Rubio's campaign pitch is his family's exodus from Cuba to Florida in the 1950s and his working class upbringing. The 44-year-old husband and father notes he isn't the son of a wealthy or a politically connected family, as are some of his rivals. But Rubio, a leader in the Florida legislature before becoming a U.S. Senator in 2010, conveys a sense of duty to the nation that he says "changed the history" of his family. That history also fuels the contempt he expresses for the current economy politics, but especially for the current foreign policies under President Barack Obama's administration, and by proxy, those of Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, Obama's former secretary of state. "No one who lies to the families of those who have given their lives in the service of our country can ever be commander in chief of the United States," Rubio roars at every campaign stop, referring to ongoing condemnation that Clinton didn't do enough to prevent the deaths of four Americans in an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Rubio also expresses frustration with politics in Washington, despite the seat he holds in the Senate. In Oskaloosa Tuesday, Rubio indignantly told about 100 supporters: "You're frustrated with Washington? I have to work with these people." During an Associated Press interview in Iowa Friday, Rubio embraced the anger as enough to inspire action. "It's righteous anger," he said. But the crux of his argument is about urgency. "If we get this election wrong, we may not be able to turn back," Rubio said in conservative Sioux Center this month. "It may be too late." Senior Rubio adviser Todd Harris zeros in on Rubio's contention that Obama's policies will only continue under Clinton, unless younger conservatives unite behind him. "Marco is creating a sense of urgency in a way that doesn't scare people, but that inspires them," said senior Rubio aide and speech consultant Todd Harris. "It's a rallying cry." In Dubuque on Friday, more than 500 people in an iconic hotel ballroom stood and applauded as he called upon them to help "be the authors of the greatest chapter in the amazing story of our country." Attending the same event, Jackie Koontz described herself as "hopeful" and "almost tearful." Koontz, daughter of an Iowa farm family, said the greatest gift her parents gave her was the chance to go to college to become a registered nurse. Inspired by Rubio's message about the American dream, Koontz said she plans to caucus for the young senator come Monday. "My greatest wish for my children is exactly what he's talking about," she said. Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign rally, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign rally, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign rally, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) 2 Virginia Tech students arrested in death of 13-year-old BLACKSBURG, Virginia (AP) Two Virginia Tech engineering students have been arrested in connection with the death of a 13-year-old girl whose disappearance last week from her Virginia home set off a frantic, four-day search. Blacksburg Police say David Eisenhauer, 18, was arrested Saturday and charged with first-degree murder and abduction in the death of Nicole Madison Lovell, who disappeared from her home Wednesday. Natalie Keepers, 19, of Laurel, Maryland, was arrested Sunday and faces charges of improper disposal of a body and accessory after the fact in the commission of a felony. Both are being held without bond at the Montgomery County Jail. This undated photo provided by the Blacksburg Police Department shows Virginia Tech student David Eisenhauer, who was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Nicole Madison Lovell. (Blacksburg Police Department via AP) "Based on the evidence collected to date, investigators have determined that Eisenhauer and Nicole were acquainted prior to her disappearance. Eisenhauer used this relationship to his advantage to abduct the 13-year-old and then kill her. Keepers helped Eisenhauer dispose of Nicole's body," Blacksburg police said in a statement. Virginia State Police located Lovell's remains Saturday afternoon in Surry County, North Carolina, just over the Virginia border. Hours later, police announced the arrest of Eisenhauer, a freshman from Columbia, Maryland. The Roanoke Times newspaper quoted Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson as saying that Eisenhauer has not confessed to involvement in Lovell's death and did not give police information that led to the discovery of her body. Police initially charged Eisenhauer with abduction; he was charged with murder after the girl's remains were found. The girl had been missing since last week. Her family says she disappeared after pushing a dresser in front of her bedroom door and climbing out a window. Lovell's family members did not immediately return messages seeking comment Sunday. Davy Draper, who said he's a close family friend who knew Lovell most of her life, said she had a liver transplant when she was a child and had to take daily medication. But despite her health problems, Draper said Lovell was an energetic and outspoken girl who got along with everyone. "She was an awesome little girl. She was an angel here on Earth and she's an angel now," Draper said. Eisenhauer was as a standout track and field athlete in high school, who was named Boys Indoor Track Performer of the Year by the Baltimore Sun newspaper in March. The Sun said Eisenhauer had moved to Columbia from Yakima, Washington state, for his junior year. Joe Keating, who said he was a co-captain alongside Eisenhauer on the Wilde Lake High School track team, described him as a normal kid who seemed to enjoy being at school and never started any problems. Keating said he's "appalled" by the thought that Eisenhauer could be involved in Lovell's death. "All of my friends that knew him, that graduated with him, as well as everyone on the team, we're just in total shock about this entire thing. We would never have seen this coming," Keating said. Virginia Tech said on its website that Eisenhauer was a freshman engineering major at the school and that hundreds of students and researchers had assisted in the search for Lovell. The school said in a statement Saturday that he has been suspended from the university. A number listed for Eisenhauer's parents was busy Sunday. A message left at Keepers' home in Laurel, Maryland was not immediately returned. Officials at the county jail where the two are being held would not say whether either suspect has a lawyer. George Groves makes winning return to ring George Groves made short work of Italian Andrea Di Luisa on his return to the ring at London's Copper Box on Saturday night. In his first fight since losing to WBC champion Badou Jack in September and with new trainer Shane McGuigan in his corner, Groves dominated the super-middleweight contest before claiming victory in the fifth round when Di Luisa's team threw in the towel. The 27-year-old Londoner now boasts a record of 22 wins from 25 fights, with his other two defeats coming against Carl Froch. George Groves, right, needed only five rounds to overcome Andrea Di Luisa Groves told Sky Sports 1 after the bout: "I'm really happy with the performance. I think I boxed really well. Obviously I'm gonna make a couple of mistakes, first time back in a little well, but I felt really sharp. I felt I dictated the pace from the get-go." 'Three held' over shooting of British helicopter pilot by 'elephant poachers' Three people have reportedly been arrested over the shooting of a British helicopter pilot by elephant poachers in Tanzania. The men were held by police in the East African country on Sunday over the murder of Roger Gower, the Agence France Presse (AFP) agency reported. Mr Gower, 37, was helping authorities in Tanzania track the criminals when they fired on his aircraft on Friday, the Friedkin Conservation Fund (FCF) said. Jumanne Maghembe, Tanzania's minister for tourism and natural resources, and other officials walk towards helicopter wreckage at the site where a British pilot was killed (ITV Tanzania via AP) He managed to bring the helicopter down in the Maswa Game Reserve, near Serengeti National Park in the country's north, but died from his wounds before he could be rescued. Pictures posted online show the badly damaged remains of the helicopter, including a bloodied bullet hole in the pilot's seat of the aircraft, which lay on its side in the savannah grass. In a message posted on its website, FCF founder Dan Friedkin said the organisation was "profoundly saddened by the loss of our dear friend". He said: "Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a co-ordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers. In the course of this action the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded. "We are committed to honouring Roger and his work. We are also committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack are found and brought to justice. We believe that Roger can best be honoured by redoubling our commitment to protect elephants and our priceless wildlife heritage. "This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzanias wildlife." Tanzania is fighting a bitter struggle to stop ivory poachers, a report last year saying 60% of its elephant population had been lost in the previous five years. China is the world's largest market for illegal ivory, which has been thriving under the cover of legal ivory sales. Tanzania also last year charged a Chinese woman, Yang Feng Clan, 66, with smuggling 1.9 tons of ivory from the country between 2000 and 2014 Mr Gower was a former accountant who qualified as a pilot in 2004 and moved to Africa around two years later, according to a profile with his former employer Tropic Air Kenya. It also says he helped the British Army on exercises in the country. In a Facebook post Tropic Air Kenya said it was "shocked and immensely sad" at the news that he had been killed "in the long and ongoing battle against elephant poaching". It said: "Roger, only 37 years old, was a fantastic heli pilot in every way, and flew for Tropic Air for four years, leaving last August to pursue new flying ambitions #Tanzania. Bye Bye Rog .. you will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family." Mr Gower's brother Max said he was proud of him and how he had managed to land the helicopter and allow his passenger, a friend and colleague, to get out. He said that his sibling did not want to sit behind a desk and quit as an accountant the day he qualified so he could go and work with the two things he enjoyed the most, flying and animals . Max Gower told Sky News: "I'm proud of what he did. I'm proud he got his passenger down safely. I'm proud he got himself out of the helicopter and I'm proud that even after he was shot he was still laughing." Max Gower has set up a Just Giving page with the aim of raising 50,000 in his brother's memory, writing: " I am proud to have known him and to be able to say he was my brother. Those who knew him will remember his idiosyncrasies but also his principles, his morality and his infectious love of having fun." Tributes for 'national treasure' Sir Terry Wogan as he loses cancer battle Sir Terry Wogan has been hailed as a "national treasure" after his death from cancer aged 77. The veteran broadcaster, known for his velvety voice on radio and television, was one of the UK and Ireland's best known stars. A statement said Limerick-born Sir Terry died surrounded by his family after "a short but brave battle with cancer". Sir Terry Wogan, who has died aged 77 following a short illness Leading figures in showbusiness and politics paid tribute to the much-loved star, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying he was "someone millions came to feel was their own special friend". Sir Terry was last on air on BBC Radio 2 just under three months ago, on Sunday November 8, and days later was forced to pull out of presenting Children In Need at the last minute due to health issues. A family statement issued by the BBC said: "Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but brave battle with cancer. He passed away surrounded by his family. While we understand he will be missed by many, the family ask that their privacy is respected at this time." Sir Terry, whose career spanned more than four decades, was known for his work on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, Children In Need, and the Eurovision Song Contest. BBC director general Tony Hall described Sir Terry as a "national treasure", adding: " Today we've lost a wonderful friend. He was a lovely, lovely man and our thoughts are with his wife and family. "For 50 years Sir Terry graced our screens and airwaves. His warmth, wit and geniality meant that for millions he was a part of the family." He added: "For decades he's been such a huge part of the BBC on television and radio and leaves so many wonderful memories." Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "My thoughts are with Terry Wogan's family. Britain has lost a huge talent - someone millions came to feel was their own special friend. "I grew up listening to him on the radio and watching him on TV. His charm and wit always made me smile." President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, praised his "distinguished contribution" to TV and radio, adding: " His rise to the top of radio listenership in the United Kingdom was a great tribute to his breadth of knowledge and in particular his unique, very personal sense of humour." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he will be "missed by millions", while First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon said he was a "broadcasting institution". Paying tribute to his friend, BBC broadcaster Jeremy Vine quoted a conversation between Sir Terry and the Queen, during which she asked him how long he had worked at the BBC. Sir Terry replied: "Your Majesty, I've never worked here." Broadcaster Tony Blackburn thanked Sir Terry for "being a friend", p resenter Dermot O'Leary described him as "just the most warm-hearted, generous, funny, clever, life-affirming man", and Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans added: "We are all so terribly sad upon hearing of the passing of Terry. I can't put into words how the whole Radio 2 family is feeling." Speaking outside BBC Broadcasting House, Radio 2 DJ Simon Mayo told the Press Association: "I think people are shocked and stunned because of the fact that he was a radio genius. The staple of all great radio is the friend behind the microphone and he was the ultimate friend behind the microphone." Despite Sir Terry's experience and great reputation Mayo, who first met him covering the 1992 Olympics, said he was the opposite of intimidating. He said: "He was warm, funny, welcoming, generous. You would think 'oh my goodness, it's Sir Terry' and then as soon as you met him he'd offer you a biscuit and some cold curry that had been brought in the night before. I've worked with intimidating broadcasters and Terry wasn't that." Piers Morgan hailed Sir Terry as "one of the greatest broadcasters who ever lived", and f ellow Irishman Graham Norton said: "He made it seem effortless and for a young boy in Ireland he made it seem possible." Pop star Sir Elton John posted a picture on Instagram of he and Sir Terry together from several decades ago, writing: "Such a special and funny man. A brilliant broadcaster and presenter. He came to our civil partnership celebration and was a loyal supporter. Love to his family. E xxxx." Sir Terry lived for more than 40 years with his wife, Lady Helen, in the Buckinghamshire village of Taplow, where he was the patron of the Thames Valley Adventure Playground in Taplow, a centre for disabled children and adults, and once commentated on a celebrity cricket match for charity. Nigel Smales, author of a history of the village, Taplow Moments - for which Sir Terry wrote the foreword - said: "This was a sanctuary to him and Helen in that he was a big, famous person but he came here to be private, and everybody respected that. "While he had some very good friends and some slightly less well-known people like me, he was always very friendly, very convivial, always willing to talk and in fact just what you'd expect to see on television. "He never flaunted his fame, he was just a really nice person, and we're all very sad to hear of his passing." Among the floral tributes laid outside his home was one from Mark Jones, a neighbour and owner of the Wall Of Sounds record label. He said: "He was just one of those legends of television and radio that you grew up with. "He has always had that spirit of friendship." Sir Terry Wogan was a darling of national radio Sir Terry Wogan with Pudsey the bear during a Children in Need photo call Sir Terry Wogan with his wife Lady Helen Sir Terry Wogan back in his Radio 1 days Sir Terry was famous for his wit during Eurovision Song broadcasts Sir Terry with his family in the early 70s Sir Terry fronted many shows for the BBC like Blankety Blank Sir Terry Wogan with a life-size cake replica made to mark the 30th anniversary of his presenting BBC Children in Need, as the veteran broadcaster has died aged 77 following a short illness The Duke of Edinburgh appearing with Sir Terry Wogan on the Wogan chatshow Security men pretending to frogmarch Sir Terry Wogan from Broadcasting House in London Sir Terry Wogan celebrating being given the Freedom of the City of London Ever the clown, Sir Terry at a pro-celebrity golf event in Scotland UK attacks on IS in Libya a long way off, says Hilary Benn Britain is "a long way" from launching military action against the self-styled Islamic State in Libya, shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn said following reports of a secret reconnaissance mission to scope possible air strikes. The Sunday Times claims that RAF officers, MI6 operatives and diplomats joined US and French colleagues at an airbase in Tobruk controlled by pro-western militia forces to establish potential targets. It comes amid concerns the terror group could switch its base from Syria in order to start targeting the Mediterranean. Hilary Benn says Britain 'a long way' from attacks in Libya Prime Minister David Cameron has said the UK will do "everything we can" to support a new Libyan government in its efforts to combat IS (also known as Daesh) and the criminal gangs behind the migrant boats heading to Europe. The Government has offered British forces in a training role if a new unity administration in Tripoli requests support. The Ministry of Defence said no decisions had been taken on British involvement in any international coalition force. Mr Benn - who backed UK strikes in Syria in defiance of Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn - told Sky News that questions about whether Labour would support such action were premature. "Nothing has been, as far as I am aware, said publicly or reported to the House of Commons," he said on the Murnaghan programme. "The threat from Daesh and its affiliates is to be found, sadly, in too many places now, not just Syria and Iraq. "We saw the downing of the Russian airline over the Sinai and we have seen right over in Nigeria what Boko Haram have been doing, and there is a problem with a Daesh presence in Libya. "There is no proposition, there is no proposal, there is no UN resolution and I think we are a long way away from that." An MOD Spokesperson said: "The UK, along with international partners, is supporting the process to form a recognised Libyan government and we are developing plans to support this. Germany seeks to calm Polish concerns over Nord Stream-2 By Barbara Lewis and Alissa de Carbonnel WARSAW/BRUSSELS, Jan 29 (Reuters) - A new pipeline to double Russian gas flows to Germany will only go ahead if Russia does not cut off Ukraine and eastern European gas flows, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel told the Polish government on Friday. Germany says the Nord Stream-2 project will mitigate declining European gas production and the possible disruption of supplies piped via conflict-ravaged Ukraine. But the plan has bitterly divided the European Union since an outline agreement with Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom was signed in September last year. Poland has been particularly hostile and the issue has stoked tensions with Germany, already cool since Poland's Eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party won elections last October. During a day-long visit to Poland, Gabriel sought to calm Polish fears, saying he had told Moscow that Nord Stream-2 could only proceed if gas flows through Ukraine continued after its transit contract with Russia -- worth about $2 billion per year -- expires in 2019. Shipments to eastern Europe via the Yamal pipeline from Russia to Poland, Belarus and Germany would also be guaranteed, he said. Russia and Ukraine have been in conflict since street protests forced out Ukraine's Moscow-backed president in 2014. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea region and supported separatists in the east of the country, triggering EU sanctions and increasing anxiety among eastern European nations like Poland. Gabriel said the pipeline was "a business issue for Germany and a political issue for Poland." But Polish Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said it was risky to increase reliance on gas from Russia, which provides roughly one third of EU oil and gas. "We have a problem ... there is a war in Ukraine, while our main trade partner is conducting talks about increasing the bandwith via Nord Stream-2," Morawiecki said. EU regulators have yet to rule on Nord Stream-2. Already the European Commission is investigating whether Gazprom overcharged customers in Eastern Europe, where it supplies nearly 100 percent of some states' needs. Next month, the EU executive will continue efforts to reduce reliance on Russian gas by proposing to increase its oversight of gas deals and improve coordination between states to counter disruption. The Commission wants access to "key security of supply gas contracts" -- defined but not restricted to those which provide more than 40 percent of annual supplies in a member state, according to an early draft of the plan seen by Reuters. Gazprom's agreements for Nord Stream-2 with E.ON, BASF/Wintershall, Royal Dutch Shell, OMV and Engie would likely fall under the provision. Brussels also wants to vet bilateral energy deals with non-EU countries, a move opposed by some states. Poland supports giving the Commission such powers, but Germany and some private companies, worried about commercial secrets, oppose the plan. The draft document, which will require approval from member states and the European Parliament, says it seeks to redress the EU nations' approach that "remains almost purely national" and is "not very effective in case of a severe disruption." The plan estimates Europe's gas dependency will remain stable or grow as production within the 28-member bloc declines over the next two decades. It seeks a more interconnected energy union to let power and gas flow freely. Israel would consider invitation to peace talks with Palestinians-spokesman By Ori Lewis JERUSALEM, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Israel would consider a French invitation to peace talks with the Palestinians, but believes France has made a mistake by saying it will recognise a Palestinian state if the talks fail, an Israeli government official said on Saturday. "If and when we get an invitation to a conference, we will examine it and respond to it," the official, who declined to be named, said in a statement. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told foreign diplomats on Friday that if the conference he proposes hit a wall, "well ... in this case, we need to face our responsibilities by recognising the Palestinian state". The Israeli official dismissed the idea, saying: "Why would the Palestinians budge on even a comma in a conference if they already know that, without making progress, they will get what they want?" Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, speaking to African leaders at a summit in Ethiopia, urged them to back France's conference plan. But two Israeli cabinet ministers, both allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel should boycott such a meeting. "Unequivocally, Israel will not attend a conference under threat," Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz told Channel 2 television, echoing a comment by Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz to Channel 1. PEACE EFFORTS STALLED U.S.-led efforts to broker a "two-state solution" collapsed in 2014, and there has been no serious attempt to revive them. Fabius has previously called for an international support group comprising Arab states, the European Union and U.N. Security Council members to put pressure on the two sides to compromise. But Netanyahu has called France's initiatives "counterproductive". A U.S. official responded cautiously to Fabius's statement. "The U.S. position on this issue has been clear. We continue to believe that the preferred path to resolve this conflict is for the parties to reach an agreement on final status issues directly," the official said. Despite anger in the U.S. administration over Israeli settlement building, there is little prospect of President Barack Obama supporting any initiative that could upset the U.S. Jewish lobby 10 months before an election. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called Israel's expansion of Jewish settlements in occupied land "provocative" and said that it raises questions about its commitment to a two-state solution. Palestine has non-member observer status at the United Nations and its flag flies with those of member states at U.N. headquarters in New York. Sweden became the first member of the European Union to recognise a Palestinian state in 2014, and several other states have followed. - T. S. Eliot Thoughts After Lambeth "The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide." "State-of-the-art" subterfuge: how Iran kept flying under sanctions By Tim Hepher TEHRAN, Jan 31 (Reuters) - In December 2012, aircraft trader James Kim received a letter from a company based in Cyprus offering to buy four jetliners. It was brief and to the point. The hitherto unknown firm was "ready, willing and able" to buy four used Airbus A340 jets for which Kim was trying to broker a sale. "I talked to them and when I got the Letter of Intent with an Iranian name, I informed them that a deal was not possible because of sanctions," Kim, managing director of British-based aircraft trading company AvCon Worldwide, told Reuters. The company that tried to buy them, registered in a Nicosia apartment with two directors with names that sounded Iranian, vanished from the radar, Kim said in a telephone interview. The planes, for which there is little demand, remain with their Asian owner but the suspected approach typifies a shadowy trade in airplanes and parts that spanned the globe for decades. Suspected front firms sought to trade in spare parts and even whole aircraft, according to people involved in the trade and other experts who mostly spoke on condition of anonymity. "The Iranians would set up companies to try to do deals and then fold them up. They didn't stay around for long," said Kim. The methods used to evade sanctions mirror those used in other countries that are or have been under international sanctions in recent decades, such as South Africa, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Iraq and North Korea. After the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions on Jan. 16, Iran's aviation industry is coming out of the shadows. With an order for 118 Airbus jets witnessed in Paris by President Hassan Rouhani, Iran moved swiftly to exchange a collection of vintage jets held together with smuggled parts for a new fleet capable of taking on rival Gulf carriers. Like Cuba's preserved 1950s automobiles, the aircraft they will replace symbolise the ingenuity wrought by sanctions but also the scale of the task needed to reconnect the economy. "Our strategy until now has just been to survive," Iranair chairman Farhad Parvaresh said. AIRLINE "MASTERMINDS" At Tehran's airport, rows of mothballed aircraft still sit with bright orange covers on their engines, ready to give up their parts for other old planes needing repairs. Through constant patching, transplants from grounded donor jets and discreet purchases, Iran's fleet stayed aloft although with an alarming safety record. "It was state-of-the-art 'Under the Table'," Heydar Vatankhah, deputy managing director for engineering and maintenance at Iran's Kish Air, said of the overall effort. "Every airline has a mastermind on this," he said. Vatankhah spent 31 years helping to maintain an ancient fleet at state-owned Iranair including the world's oldest passenger 747, built in 1976 before the majority of Iranians were born, according to aviation consultancy CAPA, which organised an aviation summit in Iran in January. One Iranian airline official, who asked not to be identified, said he had obtained a Western-built engine weeks after it left the factory by passing it through three countries. While Iran says it can manufacture parts, the preference was for genuine components, but they came at a price. "It's simple. If this costs $10,000, I had to pay $70,000," the engineering chief of an Iranian airline said, waving a can of soda to illustrate his point. Others said they paid four or five times over the odds. As they did so, the middlemen prospered. "After decades of doing this you see a lot. Everyone takes their cut. It's a dirty business," the engineering chief said. As confidence grew, a smuggled jet flew directly to Tehran Mehrabad airport, a former senior Iranian official said. However, Iran's covert resupply operation clashed increasingly with foreign law and intelligence agencies. The United States has targeted dozens of front companies suspected by diplomats of links to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, widely seen as a beneficiary of the sanctions trade. "They (the West) listened to our calls and read our emails; of course we knew that," said one airline employee. "But we are commercial people, not military men," he said, adding the deals had been elusive but not always complicated. "They know where the wall is, but not where the hole is," he added. NEW AMBITIONS, NEW CHALLENGES The United States last year imposed sanctions on two firms in Iraq and the United Arab Emirates for helping Iran's Mahan Air purchase second-hand aircraft. The airline, Iran's largest, was blacklisted in 2011 for allegedly ferrying operatives, arms and funds for the Revolutionary Guards' overseas unit. It remains under sanctions. Iran says it has been forced to use the black market to preserve safety following fatal accidents and sanctions that prevented it from gaining access to parts and manuals. The West says the sanctions were effective in convincing Tehran to negotiate the recent deal on curbing its nuclear activities. "It was a great suffering for all of us, so we haven't been able to develop in this field," lawmaker Mahdi Hashemi, head of the parliament's Development Commission, told the CAPA event. Now, Iran's plans to absorb 500 new aircraft in the next decade look set to turn the well-worn system of improvised repairs and clandestine purchases on its head. As middlemen dissolve into the post-sanctions landscape, with many of them expected to reinvent themselves as legitimate partners for investors, the airlines must contend with foreign regulators and insurers whose mindset is compliance. The can-do mentality which kept Iran's rotting fleet flying through sanctions will be less welcome in future. That means airlines must adapt to a forest of norms required by manufacturers, investors, lenders, lessors and regulators, said Mark Tierney, director of Crabtree Capital, which provides strategic advice and transaction execution services for airlines, aircraft and engine-leasing companies and financial institutions. The problems of resuming normal operations do not end there. A revolution in plane design has taken place while Iran was off the market. While mastering every nut and bolt of the Boeing 747, its engineers must get used to new types like the A350. "The level of training and technology in airlines to be able to bring those aircraft in and operate without problems doesn't happen overnight," Dick Forsberg, strategy chief of leasing company Avolon, told a panel of Iranian officials. Even with sanctions lifted, airlines may struggle to get some existing aircraft repaired while waiting for the new European jets, to which Iran hopes to add over 100 Boeings. Many are so riddled with contraband parts that they would be unlikely to pass muster with repair shops, an engineer said. Blasts close to Damascus' main Shi'ite shrine kill 60-monitor By Laila Bassam and Suleiman Al-Khalidi BEIRUT/AMMAN, Jan 31 (Reuters) - At least 60 people were killed, including 25 Shi'ite fighters, and dozens wounded on Sunday by a car bomb and two suicide bombers in a district of Damascus where Syria's holiest Shi'ite shrine is located, a monitor said. Sunni fundamentalist Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, according to Amaq, a news agency that supports the group. It said two operations "hit the most important stronghold of Shi'ite militias in Damascus". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the casualties were expected to rise from the suicide attacks in Sayeda Zeinaba, a district of southern Damascus where the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and other Iraqi and Iranian militias have a strong presence. Rami Abdulrahman, head of the British-based Observatory, said the suicide bombers had targeted a military bus carrying Shi'ite militias who were changing guard there. The explosions occurred as representatives of Syria's government and its divided opposition began convening in Geneva for the first U.N.-mediated peace talks in two years. Syrian Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, head of the government delegation at Geneva, said the blasts in Damascus just confirmed the link between what the government says are a Saudi-led and funded Islamist "opposition" and terrorism. State television showed footage of burning buildings and wrecked cars in the neighbourhood. Syrian state news agency SANA, quoting an interior ministry source, said a group of militants had detonated a car bomb near a public transport garage in the neighborhood's Koua Sudan area. Two suicide bombers then blew themselves up nearby as people were being rescued. The authorities put the dead at 45 people. "Bodies were still being pulled from the wreckage," a witness told state news channel Ikhbariyah. The heavily populated area in the south of the city is a site of pilgrimage for Shi'ites from Iran, Lebanon and other parts of the Muslim world. Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halaki was quoted as saying the attacks were prompted by "terror groups" who sought to "raise their morale after a string of defeats" by the army. The United Nations has said it is aiming for six months of talks, first seeking a ceasefire and later working toward a political settlement for Syria. The nearly five-year conflict has killed more than 250,000 people, driven more than 10 million from their homes and drawn in global powers. The Sayeda Zeinab shrine area witnessed heavy clashes in the first few years of the war but has since been secured by the Syrian army and Shi'ite militias led by Hezbollah, which has set up protective roadblocks around it. The shrine houses the grave of the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Taleb, the cousin of Prophet Mohammed, whom Shi'ites consider the rightful successor to the prophet. The dispute over the succession led to the major Sunni-Shi'ite schism in Islam. Iraqi and Iranian Shi'ite militia groups that have volunteered to fight Sunni Islamist radicals in Syria in a conflict that has heavy sectarian overtones often say they are coming to Syria to defend the shrine. Rebels says the area is the first destination of thousands of Shi'ite militias drawn from Iran to Afghanistan alongside neighbouring Iraq where they are based before heading to fight in battlefields across the country. Shi'ite militias from the region led by Hezbollah have played a crucial role in covering the shortfall in manpower faced by Syrian President Assad's overstretched army during nearly five years of conflict. Three killed in suspected Islamist attack in northern Kenya By Joseph Akwiri MOMBASA, Jan 31 (Reuters) - At least three men were killed in a village in Kenya's coastal Lamu county in the early hours of Sunday during a raid by suspected Islamist militants, police and officials said. At least five gunmen who spoke Somali came to Pandanguo village, searching for men. They interrogated them and some of them they killed, a survivor who was shot during the attack said from a local hospital. The village sits about 40 km (25 miles) inland from the Indian Ocean town of Lamu, which is popular with Western tourists, and is 100 km from the border with Somalia. "They asked me questions in the Somali language. When I struggled to respond, they shot me but hit my hand," said the victim, who asked not to be named. In the past, such attacks in Kenya have been carried out by al Shabaab, a Somali militant group which wants to punish Kenya for sending its troops into Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping force. Al Shabaab, which is aligned to al Qaeda, did not claim credit for the attack and spokesman for the group could not immediately be reached. But Mombasa county commissioner Nelson Marwa said the attack "resembles one of those executed by the al Shabaab," though he said investigators were still looking into the reports that the attackers were speaking Somali. In 2014, at least 60 people were killed in the area in a spate of attacks that targeted non-Muslim men. Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for those attacks. U.S. officials say cannot confirm Americans detained in Saudi Arabia WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The U.S. government cannot confirm any American citizens were among 33 suspects detained on terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia this past week, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Sunday. The English-language daily Saudi Gazette had reported earlier that four Americans were detained on Monday and another five in the following days, along with 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, a United Arab Emirates citizen, a Palestinian and a citizen of Kazakhstan. Colombia's FARC rebels will enter politics, seek alliances -leader BOGOTA, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Colombia's FARC rebel group will enter politics and seek alliances with other parties after it signs a peace deal with the government, the top guerrilla leader said on Sunday, despite rebel fears they may be targeted by right-wing armed groups. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, have been in talks since late 2012 with the government of President Juan Manuel Santos to end five decades of war. "We will be in politics without arms," FARC leader Rodrigo Londono, known by his nom de guerre Timochenko, said in an interview with local magazine Semana. "We will enter a political scenario where it will be fundamental to unite the largest number of forces possible to guarantee the deal is fulfilled. "We will put our arms to one side and take up the political struggle." Negotiators at the Cuba-based talks have reached deals on land reform, an end to illegal drug trafficking, guerrilla participation in politics, transitional justice, efforts to find missing persons and remove land mines. A United Nations mission will supervise rebel disarmament once an accord is signed. The war has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions. Although rebel ranks support the peace talks, many fear they may be targeted by right-wing groups after a peace deal, Londono said. Paramilitaries, sometimes with the aid of military officials, systematically assassinated 5,000 members of the left-wing Patriotic Union party in the 1980s, including two presidential candidates. "A common question is: 'Comrade, will the same that happened to the Patriotic Union happen to us?' That is the fear," said Londono. The FARC's political party could participate in 2018 legislative and presidential elections, he said. All sectors of Colombian society, including fierce opponents like ex-President Alvaro Uribe, must commit to helping implement a peace deal, Londono said, adding: "Let's give Colombia a chance." Debris found on Malaysia's east coast not from flight MH370 - minister KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Aviation officials said on Friday a metal object recovered from Malaysia's east coast a day earlier was not from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. It was the second time in a week authorities have dismissed speculation that wreckage from the jet had been found, after a similar piece of ocean debris recovered from a beach in Southern Thailand on Jan 23 proved not to be from MH370. Malaysia's transport minister Liow Tiong Lai said the two-metre-long object found in the eastern state of Terengganu on Thursday had been examined by officials from the ministry, the Department of Civil Aviation and Malaysia Airlines. "The assessment found that the debris does not match those of a Boeing 777, thus confirming that the debris is not from MH370," he said in a statement. The new issue of India Today is a celebration of sex, as we Indians know it, and well, do it. It covers cities big and small, from Mumbai and Bangalore, to Kochi and Indore, and everything in between. The issue got me thinking about my own early experiences: growing up in provincial Allahabad in the late 1980s, moving to Delhi University - a big campus in a big city, and finally to Oxford where sex, for the first time, felt like a normal act, like going to the ATM. Crassness In east UP lingo, the words for sex are often violent and crude. From "seal todna" to "chinar", one has to wade through a lot of linguistic crassness if one wants to talk about sex. It was a conservative town, as you can well imagine. If you were having sex, you were immediately under the radar. A Muslim businessman bought an apartment in our housing society. He didn't live there. But on some days, maybe two Sundays in a month, he'd be seen entering his own apartment with a lady friend. The pillars of the housing society clamped their jaws down on the hapless and embarrassed businessman. By the way, the acronym of the housing society was JAWS: Jyoti Apartments Welfare Society. The businessman was pulled up and he had to stop what he was doing. Maybe he was doing nothing inside the house! Maybe he was just spending some time with his lady friend in a small town where tongues would wag if he was seen in a restaurant. Why not meet in the privacy of the walls of one's own home? But just that act was not going to be tolerated and he must have taken his interest elsewhere, though he still kept his house for a few years. That's how bad things were. Things were better at my place because a friend of my father's, Adil Jussawala, the well-known poet and journalist, had just become the editor of Debonair. We'd get a complimentary copy every month, and that sent my stock soaring in school. Pimply 14-year-olds would drop in after tuition lessons and hurriedly flip through the magazine. Every time my mother walked in to use the fridge in the living room, the magazine would be stuffed under the sofa cushion. Debonair was a sophisticated magazine; everyone from Vinod Mehta to Anil Dharkar was its editor at some point. There was poetry and new fiction and some soft porn, shot by top photographers like Gautam Rajadhyaksha. For many of us across the country, it was the only respectable access to nudity that we had. For there was little available in terms of images. Everyone read Nancy Friday's books on women's fantasies, but those books didn't have pictures. Fantasy Not to be left behind, an Allahabad businessman launched his own soft porn magazine called Fantasy. Fantasy had none of the sophistication and intellectual pretensions of Debonair. It was so successful that they launched a second version of the same magazine called Fantasy Fun. In Allahabad, sex was not something we spoke about. I remember Kamasutra condoms had just come into the market, backed by a bold-for-the-time advertising campaign. Some of us schoolboys decided to go buy a packet, not that we had any use for it. Our tween attempt at buying an adult product was scuttled by the adult behind the counter in the chemist's shop. When we asked for Kamasutra condoms, he gave us a bottle of Kayam Chooran. Dirty Time to move to Delhi for college. By now I had a girlfriend, but we didn't know where to go to "discover" each other. The hostel prohibited girls from entering. Someone tipped us off about a park close by which was administrated by eunuchs and where a couple would be given a spot behind a bush to do their thing. I think the rate was Rs 50 for an hour. One always had the sense that one was doing something dirty in a dirty place. The next hostel I was in was a postgraduate one. The International Students House students actually went on strike to allow women into the rooms. The agitation lasted several days and was front-page news. The students finally won. The girlfriends joined in the protest. I remember a very angry warden, stumped by this act of collective civil disobedience, shouting at the girls: "Pata nahin kaise ghar se aati hain." It was in Oxford, that sex finally became an "undirty" word. The hostels were mixed and one realised how normal that experience could be. One shared bathrooms and corridors with the opposite sex. Student couples hugged and kissed freely on college campuses, adding to the beauty of the spectacular medieval architecture. No one cared two hoots. The gargoyles looked on benevolently. To come back to the present, while Indians seem to have become more adventurous in the bedroom, we still have some distance to travel. We had a glorious tradition of explicit erotic poetry in Tamil and Prakrit, much of it from the woman's point of view. All of this is available in excellent English translation. We need to reconnect with this past. Hindi still hasn't evolved a vocabulary for lovemaking. In the wildly popular show Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai, sex is still referred to as "romance". I also don't see why Hindi cinema shies away from shooting full-fledged lovemaking/ kissing scenes. No law prevents them from doing this. Sex needs to be part of our public discourse, and Bollywood is the perfect vehicle. Director Colin Trevorrow Wants To Shoot Star Wars Episode IX In Space Trending News: Will Star Wars: Episode IX Be Filmed In Actual Space? Why Is This Important? Long Story Short Long Story Because Star Wars profits are out of this world, why not shoot the movie outside of it, too?The director of Star Wars: Episode IX Colin Trevorrow said hes inquired about shooting in outer space for his 2019 addition to the franchise.Director Colin Trevorrow has an idea to make one of his next movies out of this world, literally. Coming off of his successful directing gig for the second highest grossing film of 2015, Jurassic World, Trevorrow told a panel at the Sundance Film Festival that hes inquired about shooting in space when he begins directing Star Wars: Episode IX. "I asked the question, 'Is it possible for us to shoot IMAX film plates in actual space for Star Wars, and I haven't gotten an answer yet," said Trevorrow during the panel, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. The idea isnt as far out as you might think. The 2008 8-minute short film Apogee of Fear broke the boundary of shooting in space as the first movie to do so, as pointed out by Business Insider. And Interstellar Director Christopher Nolan had the same idea for his movie. Funny enough, we had that conversation with Interstellar . . . There's incredible footage from space now." But is shooting in space actually plausible? With the profits that Disney raked in from The Force Awakens, I can't see why not? Even if only short moments of the movie are shot in space, that could bring a new level of excitement to the movie-going experience not like Trevorrow will need to work that hard to get people in the seats for a Star Wars movie, though. While The Force Awakens was episode VII of the franchise, that means episode IX will be the Star Wars movie after next, right? Wrong. Disneys big plans for the future of Star Wars includes Rogue One to come out next year and a Han Solo spinoff for 2018. After that, Trevorrows Star Wars: Episode IX will finally come to theatres in 2019. Own The Conversation Will they be shooting objects and ships in space or just the star-filled abyss? Disrupt Your Feed: With the soaring prices of film shoots, maybe shooting in space will actually be a bang for Disney's buck by 2019. Drop This Fact: NASA blocked the release of the first sci-fi movie actually filmed in space, Apogee of Fear, because "it's too playful," according to astronaut and filmmaker Richard Garriott. WHAT IS CALIFORNIA STREETS? California Streets is a blog that celebrates the history of the automobile in California. We feature old, interesting and often rare cars and trucks found parked on public streets and roads around the state of California. CANNONFIRE is back! From 2004 to 2021, the original CANNONFIRE blog kept finding ways to irk nearly everyone on nearly every side of nearly every issue. Last year, Google shut down the site. Why? Dunno. The banishment occurred without warning. Despite numerous inquiries, Google refused to explain or to rescind its edict. The shutdown may have some connection to the compromising of my email. (Damn hackers!) Or maybe it has some connection to my history as a surly, unclassifiable oddball. But now the site is back. Don't ask me why or how. Resurrection is a mysterious business and this one is particularly confounding. Revival came only when a reader calling herself Faust -- I'm not making this up -- employed incantations and conjurations unknown to mere mortals and thereby compelled the gods of Google to raise the dead. I owe this female Faust much. As a notable 18th century highway commissioner once said: Das ewig weibliche zieht uns hinan. The site may migrate to another platform in the future. Google's capriciousness has injured my trust. My name is Joseph Cannon. That's the name I've used professionally throughout this century; feel free to call me Joseph or Joe. I've decided to use my former name -- my 20th century name, if you will -- when writing about true crime and other non-political topics. Why? Reasons. If Google can be mysterious and capricious, so can I. Email: cannonfire [at] vivaldi [dot] net Rules for comments: Do not insult the host. Try to stay on-topic. Days Until DST 2019 Start Powered by knowndays.com When is Daylight Savings Time 2019 Daylight Savings Time in USA Daylight Savings Time in Europe DST Calendar DST Quick Facts The idea of DST was first introduced in 1784 by Benjamin Franklin. In 1916, Germany and its allies were the first countries to use DST. Out of 196 countries in the world only 70 countries observe DST. Arizona (except some areas) and Hawaii, and, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and, Virgin Islands are the only States and Territories of United States that don't observe DST, respectively. On 31st October 2007 in a Press Release, Western Power researched and reported despite of saving DST caused "a 0.6% increase in electricity consumption in WA's main grid". PR also stated that "The daylight saving research showed slightly less power was used on days when the temperature went below 30 degrees, and slightly more power when the temperatures went above 30 degrees". Thanks to this idea, your solar outdoor lights can operate a bit later and last whole night. A day when people of most countries and states across the world set their clocks one hour a head of the standard time. The practice was first introduced in Europe during the First World War. The idea was to take advantage of the longest summer days by gaining an extra hour of daylight and shortening the days in winter. It was not a new concept, back in 1784 American inventor and politician Benjamin Franklin suggested that starting the day earlier in summer will save a considerable number of candles. Those in favor of practice same today's energy consuming society the environmental benefits links to changing a clock on considerable or of a small amount of electricity as save per household added up they can be significant.Many countries change their clock twice a year to observe day light saving time. The date of Daylight Savings Time Starts and Ends may vary with year to year and also depends on location.In United States DST starts on the second Sunday of March at 01:00 AM by setting clocks ahead to 02:00 AM. And it ends on the first Sunday of November at 02:00 AM by setting clocks back to 01:00 AM.will begin on 10th March 2019 and will end on 3rd November.In Europe DST starts on March's last Sunday (31st March 2019) at 02:00 AM and, clocks sets one hour backward at 02:00 AM on October's last Sunday (27th October 2019). Vijayawada: Chief Minister Naidu said that Sundays Kapu Garjana violence had been preplanned by the YSRC and that a leader with a criminal background was behind the violence. The people of East Godavari and Kapus have never done this kind of criminal acts in the past. Some persons with criminal backgrounds did this. The YSRC leaders are expanding the Pulivendula mark of rowdism to other parts of the state, he said. Expressing worry over the incident, the CM alluded to YSRC leader Jagan Mohan Reddy and asked why his father YSR had not given reservation to Kapus. They are creating hurdles by encouraging disputes between Kapus and BCs. How can the government implement GO 30? The government is committed to implementing the promise of Kapu reservation. But we have to convince other BC communities. The government has set up a commission and has allotted `100 crore for Kapus. What was the need to attack the police, railway stations and police personnel? he asked. The TD-BJP government including deputy CM and Home minister N. China Rajappa and other leaders also blamed the violence on Jagans goons. Visakhapatnam: Andhra University has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), in the areas of research and academic collaborations on Saturday. In a programme held at the collectorate here in Visakhapatnam, the authorities of both varsities executed the MoU by signing the pact and later exchanged the documents, in the presence of HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao. Mr Rao said that the MoU helps both the institutes in driving students towards right set of skills. Besides training AU students, the SIM also helps students in finding employment in Singapore and other countries, he added. Speaking on this occasion, AU vice-chancellor, Prof. G.S.N. Raju, said that the two universities work for the common aspiration of improving education and work together on the issues of mutual interest with student-centric approach. Representatives of the Singapore Institute of Management informed that both the institutions will take up collaborations in teaching and research and publications and exchange of students and faculty. We connect faculty, staff and administrators to their counterparts at the other institution for information sharing and cultural exchange. Prof. GSN Raju further added. Anakapalle MP Srinivasa Rao, AU Registrar V. Umamaheswara Rao, Govin Holdings CEO Anand Govindaluri and others were present. Protests, relay hunger strike continue in AU: Protests and a relay hunger strike over the suicide of UoH research scholar Rohith Vemula continued on Saturday in Andhra University. Leaders of political parties and activists of women groups joined the students and faculty of AU in the relay hunger strike on Saturday. Speaking to this correspondent, Prof. Sharon Raju, a faculty of Andhra University, said that it is unfortunate to see caste politics making its way into varsities and cutting short a young mans life. The irony was that Rohiths birthday fell on Saturday, a day when the entire nation observes the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The same communal forces which killed Mahatma Gandhi took the life of Rohith. We demand the government to remove both Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Smriti Irani from the Cabinet besides sacking vice-chancellor Prof. Appa Rao Podile, he said. Ex-MLA and YSRCP leader Golla Baburao said, the HRD minister was making baseless assumptions about the death of Rohith. She should immediately resign from the Cabinet. Mahila Chetana leader K. Padma asked the government to expedite the proceedings of the inquiry committee and punish the culprits who are responsible for Rohiths suicide. The government should grant ex-gratia besides employment to Rohith's family who were dependent on him, she said. BENGALURU: IT czar N.R. Narayana Murthys comment that India should send 10,000 students to the US to pursue their PhDs, but they should not be allowed to work in that country for the next 10 years has left the techies and student fraternity shocked. An overseas job means experiencing a better quality of life, better perspective, professional ethics, discipline and knowledge. For long, Indian students have been going to the West for higher studies and professional exposure after which they decide to stay on or come back home, which is purely a personal choice. Mr Murthys statement asking the US to enforce a law against such a practice seems draconian and retrograde. We caught up with two techies, Anshul Pant and Shardendu Jha, who were in the midst of a heated debate over the issue. Anshul says, In my view, there are two points here. First, if Mr Murthy stops at saying that India should send 10,000 or 50,000 students for PhD or higher studies and the US should not allow them to study there and send them back immediately, then it is not fair. However, if he goes on to say that in the fields like mathematics, research and IT there are better opportunities in India and he is ready to invest, then it is fine. However, after a brief pause, he says that if Mr Murthy believes that the Indian government should provide for these PhD scholars, then it doesnt lead anywhere. Everyone has been debating about it. Everybody wants to pursue higher education. Look at the condition of IITs, whose quality is going down every year. I dont think it is the right way. First, of all, he thinks the Indian education system is not good enough", Anshul, a resident of Whitefield. "Most of the people who have worked or working in his company have studied in India. His statement will make them look foolish and stupid. In my view, most of the people he hires for his company are from IITs. But that is only a small percentage, as majority of them dont stay in the country, said Anshul. Moscow: Their armys equipment and strategy was outmoded; their air forces bombs and missiles were more dumb than smart; their navy was more rust than ready. For decades, this was Western military leaders view, steeped in condescension, of their Russian counterparts. What they have seen in Syria and Ukraine has come as a shock. Russian military jets have, at times, been carrying out more sorties in a day in Syria than the US-led coalition has done in a month. The Russian navy has launched ballistic missiles from the Caspian Sea 900 miles way, and kept supply lines going to Syria. The air defences installed by the Russians in Syria and eastern Ukraine would make it extremely hazardous for the West to carry out strikes against the Assad regime or Ukrainian separatists. Its the same forces that killed Mahatma Gandhi, said a combative Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi who on Saturday undertook a day-long fast along with the agitating students on the University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus protesting the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula. At the Dalit Ghetto, he addressed the students who sat with him for mass hunger strike to commemorate Rohiths birthday. Rahul said certain forces do not want the young minds to think differently. Mahatma Gandhi was eliminated because he had his vision of India, he said, adding that Rohith also had his own dream. I urge the prime minister to bring in a legislation to ensure freedom of thinking in all Indian educational institutions. An act to guarantee freedom of expression for the marginalised and women. The Digital India, the startups wont work if people are divided on the basis of caste, colour or creed, he added. The AICC vice-president who had visited the campus for the second time in 10 days, participated in a candlelight vigil in the early hours along with over 2,000 students to mark the birth anniversary of Rohith who would have turned 27 on Saturday. The Congress leader flew down from New Delhi by flight shortly after midnight, drove straight to the campus at Gachibowli, interacted with the protestors and Rohiths family members and expressed solidarity with them. A young life full of dreams and aspirations was cut short. We owe it to him, to the memory of Gandhiji and to every single Indian student who dreams of an India free from prejudice and injustice, Rahul tweeted. After spending a couple of hours with the agitating students and participating in the candle light vigil, he returned to the campus in the morning to commence the fast in support of the demands of the Joint Action Committee for Social Justice, a conglomeration of 14 student organisations. V-C goes on leave Hours before the arrival of Rahul, the university authorities announced that acting vice-chancellor Srivastava has proceeded on leave and in his absence, M Periasamy, a Dalit professor from the School of Chemistry will hold the charge. I am like a grandfather to the students. I have sympathy for them but I am bound by rules. I will speak to them and convince them to return to classes, Periasamy told media. Pristine Bellandur lake with water fit even to drink. But that is a distant memory, cherished only by a few elderly residents of the village. Today, the residents want to be rescued from the severe health hazards posed by the alarming levels of pollutants in the lake. Dengue and other diseases linked to the lakes dreaded water have taken several lives over the years. People have died due to complications after repeated exposure to the gases coming out of the chemical-infested lake. For instance, Monil, who stays barely 100 metres away from the lake, lost his mother to lung infection followed by a multiple organ failure two years ago. With a heavy heart, he recalls, The incident happened all of a sudden. She could not breathe properly and was having cough along with cold for two days. When we took her to hospital, the doctors said that both her lungs were infected. Later she succumbed to multiple organ failure. Monil and his wife themselves feel suffocated. He adds, Respiratory aliments are common here. We are planning to move out from here soon. Monil sees desilting of the lake as the only solution to the problem. As a temporary measure, he recommends making a channel system to divert sewage water and closing down the inlets that let sewage water into the lake. Another Bellandur village resident, Tulsi N, complains of frequent headaches despite closing the doors and windows all through the day. Besides, due to the infectants in the air, all silver articles at her house turn black every now and then. This is due to the air and water pollution. At night, we see industries releasing hazardous chemicals into the lake. Garbage dumping into the lake is also a common sight here. Residents say that four months back, two to three sprinklers were put up across the lake by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). But, this has not been of much help as the sprinklers are used only when the foam rises to a certain level. Says Tulsi, These sprinklers are functional for an hour every day. Also, the borewells are defunct with groundwater being contaminated. We depend on private tankers for drinking water. As if these issues are not tough enough, the residents have to battle the problem of improper garbage collection, mosquito menace and illegal stormwater drain connections. Earlier, we used to visit the lake to get a whiff of fresh air. Now we cannot stand there even for a minute because of the mosquitoes and the smell. All the houses in the area are using mosquito nets, says Sandeep B J, another Bellandur resident. Polluted to the core, encroached all around, vandalised mercilessly, Bellandur lake remained orphaned for years. But even as the citys biggest lake gasps agonisingly in its deathbed, a faint ray of hope has arisen: An unprecedented collective push by locals, scientists, lake activists and students for a final solution. That passion to save the lake somehow was clearly evident on Friday, as a bunch of active stakeholders met in Varthur to chalk out a plan of action. Many of the stakeholders had been fighting for the lakes cause for years on end without much effect. Yet, their spirit appears unwavering. Yes, a concrete, workable solution is nowhere in sight. Neither the government nor the civic agencies have woken up from their deep slumber. But concerned citizens are teaming up, in big numbers. Human chain, marches First on the agenda is a 1,000-strong march and a human chain with schoolchildren, all designed to attract the States attention in the next few weeks. The big idea, as veteran lake activist Narayana Reddy asserts, is to spur a multi-agency, coordinated response to revive the lake. There is just no time to lose. The lake is totally contaminated due to sustained inflow of industrial effluents and untreated sewerage, large-scale dumping of building debris and solid waste. Stormwater drains and the lakebeds are encroached, reminds Dr T V Ramachandra, Indian Institute of Science. Armed with lake research reports spanning decades, he draws attention to another dangerous twist: Contamination by heavy metals, a sure recipe for groundwater pollution in all areas surrounding Bellandur lake. High Nitrate in the water could take health concerns -- hitherto restricted to skin allergies, asthma and other lung ailments -- to more serious, cancerous levels, warns the scientist. Ineffective STPs An estimated 40 per cent of the citys sewage ends up untreated in Bellandur lake through a chain of lakes and Stormwater Drains (SWD). One standard solution offered by the government is the sewage treatment plants (STPs). But the cost to build, operate and maintain them is prohibitive. For proof, check the partly dysfunctional 248-MLD capacity Koramangala and Challaghatta Valley STP. Part of the treated water from this STP does get into Bellandur lake. But it quickly gets mixed with untreated sewage that comes in through the other inlets, negating the very treatment exercise. Several activists, scientists and urban experts repeatedly stress that smaller STPs of capacities in the range of 10 to 20-MLD could be cheaper and more workable. Yet, the civic agencies push for large STPs, eyeing lucrative contracts and potential for kickbacks. Localised solutions The priority then should be to explore localised solutions. But opinion is divided over the issue of drying up and desilting the lake. Bellandur Gram Panchayat ex-president and long-time lake campaigner, Jagannath K prefers to first divert all water entering the lake and then take away the muck accumulated over decades. However, many fear that drying up the lake could be a risky proposition. It would be an invitation for further encroachments by builders and other vested interests, including government agencies. Dr Ramachandra suggests a different approach: Wet-dredging. He explains: Desilting the lake without draining out the water is possible through wet dredging. The Navy, for instance, uses this method even in the sea, at the ports. The same strategy had been adopted to desilt Ulsoor lake too, although subsequent entry of untreated sewage negated the benefits. Once the accumulated silt is removed, options will open up to store rainwater and eventually recharge the groundwater resources in the surroundings. The solutions proposed are aplenty. But nothing can work without a sustained, collaborated approach by all the stakeholders involved. The local communities, lake activists, scientists and concerned environmentalists are readying for a final push to save Bellandur lake. But caught up in blame-game, are the Citys civic agencies ready to shed their fragmented ways and willing to participate in this big campaign? A 50-year-old woman was attacked with a sword by her son-in-law in west Delhis Moti Nagar late on Friday. Veena Nayyar sustained deep wounds on her hands, police said. The accused, Pankaj Kathuria, tried to flee but was overpowered by locals near Moti Nagar Metro station. Veena claims she was attacked over her daughter Meenakshis deteriorating married life with Pankaj. A heated argument led to Veena being attacked with a sword. She has undergone treatment at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Pushpender Kumar. Veenas injuries are not life-threatening. Pankaj was thrashed before police arrived at the scene to rescue him. Veenas husband Ashok told Deccan Herald that Meenakshi married Uttam Nagar-resident Pankaj a couple of years ago. Pankaj is employed with a private firm. Police said the couple faced adjustment issues and was embroiled in matrimonial disputes right from the start. Ashok alleged that Pankaj would often get physically abusive. The couple was on a visit to Meenakshis parents house in Moti Nagar on Friday. The problem began when it was time to leave from there at night. Veena wanted Meenakshi to stay back for the night, but Pankaj was not willing to leave her behind. That led to a quarrel between Pankaj and Veena, Ashok added. The matter was briefly sorted out as Pankaj and Meenakshi left for their Uttam Nagar house. However, the issue again cropped up between the couple when they reached home. It soon snowballed into a heated argument and an enraged Pankaj allegedly left for his in-laws house armed with a sword. Before Veena could comprehend the situation, Pankaj attacked her with the sword. Veenas cries for help drew the attention of the locals who chased Pankaj and nabbed him near Moti Nagar Metro station. Pankaj was subsequently thrashed and handed over to the police. He faces a case of attempt to murder under Indian Penal Code and Arms Act. Pankaj was produced before a court on Saturday and sent to Tihar Jail. Meenakshi has also left the Uttam Nagar house and has decided to file for divorce. Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi enters the last month of his service with enough to ponder over his flashpoints with the Aam Aadmi Party government , particularly over the arrests of ruling party legislators. Unlike his predecessors, the 59-year-old Indian Police Service officer, due to retire on February 29, worked for almost a year with a very demanding elected city government which spared no opportunity to slam the men in khaki, who happen to be under the control of the Centre. Bassi reports to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, not Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The tug-of-war hit headlines with high frequency in all these months. The scenario is such that police refuse to take orders from Delhi government, and several MLAs face police complaints and cases. So far, six of the 67 AAP MLAs have faced arrest. The latest, AAP MLA from west Delhis Vikaspuri, Mahendra Yadav, was arrested on Friday over an FIR filed with Nihal Vihar police station. He has been blamed for inciting violence while holding a protest, alleging police inaction in the rape of a three-year-old girl. Earlier this month, the husband of AAPs RK Puram MLA Pramila Tokas was arrested in two cases filed in December 2015. In August 2015, AAP MLA from Chandni Chowk, Alka Lamba, had also found herself in the middle of a controversy when CCTV footage showed her vandalising a sweet shop in the presence of policemen in north Delhis Kashmere Gate. Both Delhi government and police officers tell Deccan Herald that the scenario is unlikely to change much under Bassis replacement. Police say they have full backing of the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre to take action against AAP MLAs. The complaints are considered for being converted into criminal cases without any delay, says a police officer. The latest episode in the ongoing tussle has been the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry to probe instances of police laxity in crimes against women. On the other hand, Bassi says the force is willing to kill rapists if the Constitution allows it. Citing law and order problems, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has repeatedly urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hand over the control of police to the AAP government with the assurance that he would set the cops right. Bassi, however, says the people of the city are fortunate that the force is not under the Delhi government. The commissioner maintains that if police falls under the state government, then they would have been forced to work under local pressure. Kejriwal obviously doesnt think so. His infamous TV interview in which he referred to the men in khaki as thulla a slang used for referring to policemen had also left a few policemen, including Bassi, hurt. Bassi feels the AAP attacks were well-concealed attempts to tell voters that the blame for shocking rapes and crimes lay solely on police. The top cop, too, seemed shrewd enough to time the questioning or arrest of AAP MLAs to give Kejriwal and his team a tough time in the political arena. On an average, an MLA or his family member is booked every 45 days. Bassis tact was at its peak when he avoided a public outburst against the AAP government functionaries while ducking verbal attacks which described his officers and force as BJP agents and Modi Police. The Kejriwal government managed to somewhat corner Bassi by highlighting alleged wrongdoings related to cooperative society flats owned by the police chief and his brother, a lawyer. They were accused of contravening rules and hiding facts regarding properties at Lucky Home Cooperative Group Housing Society and Civil Service Officers Welfare Society. Bassi, however, distanced himself from the allegations, blunting the ruling partys attempt to hurt his image. The biggest challenge in the last few months was to balance the forces efficiency with strong attempts by the AAP government to run down Delhi Police, Bassi has claimed. But claiming that the MLAs are framed, the AAP says that police were being used as a political weapon by the Central government. With the current situation, we expect similar cases in the future as well. We are prepared and will continue to fight for justice, says spokesperson Raghav Chadha. The stand-off intensified when police told the Union Home Ministry that senior AAP leaders and volunteers had provoked Rajasthan farmer Gajendra Singh to commit suicide during a party rally in April 2015. Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and senior leader Ashutosh were among those present at the rally. The AAP-led government also conducted a separate inquiry into the death, but police refused to join the probe calling it illegal. The differences were also reflected at a public event when Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai openly attacked Bassis staff for loot and harassment of transporters and drivers. The event was attended by Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander. The gruesome stabbing of a 19-year-old girl in Anand Parbat, the alleged custodial death of a man in Seemapuri and police allegedly leaking details of Kejriwals security were some other points when the ruling dispensation turned on the heat on Bassi. Failed dream project Bassi failed to complete some projects he handled in the last five years. As Special Commissioner (Administration), a 5,000-flat residential complex for head constables and constables at north Delhis Dhirpur was Bassis brainchild. The construction was supposed to begin in 2013 and finish in 885 days. In 2012, the Rs 1,500 crore project was seen as a huge step to boost the motivational levels of the constabulary. Bassi would have hoped to retire on a high note with its completion. However, in 2014, a petition was filed before the National Green Tribunal seeking a stay on the construction, alleging that the Ministry of Urban Development illegally changed the land use from district park and river and water body to residential so that the complex could be constructed on the wetland. Currently, the project is way behind schedule. Only 18 per cent of head constable and constables live in government accommodation right now. Bassis career The 1977-batch IPS officer was posted as the Special Commissioner (Administration) before his appointment as Commissioner in August 2013. A Commerce graduate from Shri Ram College of Commerce, he had cleared Union Public Service Commission examination at the age of 21. Bassi began his career as Assistant Superintendant of Pondicherry Police in 1980. Since then he has served in various capacities in Delhi and other parts of the country, including Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Goa. In Delhi Police, Bassi has served as Special Commissioner (Vigilance), Joint Commissioner (Southern Range) and Deputy Commissioner in North and North-East. He also served in Security and the Intelligence units. Before the appointment as Special Commissioner (Administration), Bassi was heading the Traffic unit in 2011 and 2012. He previously served as Goa Police Director General (2009-2011) and Chandigarh Police Inspector General (2000-2002). In plans for his post-retirement life, Bassi has applied for the post of Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioner. Sources said he has been shortlisted for the post of Information Commissioner and is likely to be appointed on one of the three vacant posts. If I get a chance to serve the nation after retirement, I will definitely do it. If I dont, then I will enjoy myself, Bassi has told the media. With Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi retiring on February 29, speculation over the name of the next Delhi Police chief has intensified in the corridors of Police Headquarters. According to sources, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has sent the names of three senior IPS officers Alok Kumar Verma, Deepak Mishra and Dharmendra Kumar to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for consideration for the post. The most senior of the three, 1979-batch IPS officer Verma is currently posted as Director General of Tihar Jail. He has served as Special CP (Administration) the number two post in the Delhi Police, Director General of Mizoram, Puducherry, Special CP Intelligence, Vigilance and Joint CP Crime. Verma is also considered to be the natural successor of Bassi as after 1978-batch officer Vimla Mehra, the senior-most officer in the Delhi Police after Bassi, will retire on the same day as Bassi, thus clearing the succession line. Although, there is no rule which bars a rank junior to supersede his senior for the post of the Delhi Police commissioner, in the last three terms the trend of senior-most IPS officers being appointed as the Delhi Police Commsioner has been followed. Dharmendra Kumar and Deepak Mishra are both 1984-batch IPS officers and are currently Special Commissioners of Police in Delhi. Kumar holds the charge of Special Commissioner of Police (Special Unit) while Mishra is Special CP (Law & Order). If Verma becomes the Delhi Police chief in March, he shall be in the saddle for 17 months until his retirement, again leaving open the top cop's position for Kumar and Mishra, who are expected to serve 14 and 16 months respectively, even after Verma's scheduled retirement. Challenges before the new CP are manifold. One among them is to deal with the present Delhi Governmnent. With the current Delhi governement constantly demanding that the police force is brought under its command, friction between the CM and the Delhi Police CP was a highlight of the stint of the previous CP. The commissioner will have to take the cooperation of everyone, especially the Delhi governent, as the governemt is answerable to the people of the city, says Kanwaljit Deol, former Director General (Investigation) of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).. With a limited budget, the Commissioner of Police has to ensure protection for VIPs and keep the crime rate down. Delhis ambiguous status makes his role tedious as he often has to struggle between two power centres, she adds. Another challenge before the new CP will be to reorganise the police force which has been plagued with the shortage of funds and, more importantly, manpower. There is no shift-system in the Delhi Police. On an average every policeman is putting in around 16 hours of work dally. There has to be a rationalisation of it, otherwise the force will not be able to attract quality manpower, says Deol. Police modernisation, demarcation between investigation and law and order and efforts to attract the best talent in the police force are some of the initiatives which the present CP started and the new CP will have to take them forward. The city is becoming more and more vulnerable for the women. We need a police force which has the capability to deal with the new kind of threats in the form of cyber crime and terrorism that are emerging in the city. We need smart, educated and talented people to become part of the police force. The next CP should have his task cut out for him, Deol says. Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha today contended his remarks in Goa yesterday had been "completely misunderstood" and misinterpreted but the comments he made at a conference indicated that he was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without naming him. At a panel discussion in the 'Difficult Dialogues' conference in Dona Paula yesterday, Sinha was quoted as having said: "The people of India will consign him to the dust, you just have to wait for the next elections", without naming Modi. Sinha today denied that he made any reference to Modi. "It is complete misinterpretation. Anyone who has reported this, has completely misunderstood what I have said," he said. During the discussion, Sinha was asked about the present day culture of "I, me, myself" and what was the use for dialogue in such case. The former minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government replied that elected representatives including to Parliament and Assemblies have to continuously go back to the people who elect them. Sinha then referred to the Emergency of 1975 and said the country knew what happened to the "most concerted effort in our country to still the voice of dissent". "We all know how the people of India reacted. So, there would be aberrations here, aberrations there, we might be very concerned about the present situation because some of these things according to us are taking place. "But the great Indian society will take care of it and will consign to the dust those who do not believe in dialogue in India. The people of India will consign him to the dust, you just have to wait for the next elections," Sinha said yesterday. Today, he said the reference to Emergency has nothing to do with the present government. President Barack Obama will make his first visit as presidentto a U.S. mosque next week in a defense of religious freedom, the White House said, following a rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric in the United States. Obama will visit on Wednesday the Islamic Society of Baltimore mosque, where he will hold a roundtable with the community and deliver remarks, a White House official said on Saturday. At the mosque, the president will "reiterate the importance of staying true to our core values - welcoming our fellow Americans, speaking out against bigotry, rejecting indifference, and protecting our nation's tradition of religious freedom," the official said. He has visited mosques outside the United States on his trips abroad. Obama, a Democrat in his last year as president, has appealed to Americans to reject anti-Muslim comments by politicians, most notably Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump. Trump, who is leading the Republican field in opinion polls, called for a ban on Muslim visitors to the United States after a Muslim couple inspired by Islamist militants killed 14 people in a shooting in San Bernardino, California, in early December. According to a Gallup poll in December, Americans are now more likely to name terrorism as the top issue facing the United States than any other issue. PDP today kept the guessing game on over the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir even as its chief Mehbooba Mufti met senior leaders and made it clear that she will decide only after being "convinced" that BJP will take the objective of the alliance to its logical conclusion. The party, however, termed as "presumption" whether fresh elections could be called in the state which is under Governor's Rule since January 8, imposed a day after then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed away. Mehbooba, who is seen as the successor to her late father as Chief Minister, held four-hour long meeting with party leaders, who included MPs, MLAs, zonal presidents and block presidents, on the issue of government formation and "how to take forward Mufti's vision of peace and development." One MP Tariq Karra, who has openly been opposing alliance with BJP, was not present in the meeting. The government formation is not stuck but "it's a process that will carry on", party leader Naeem Akhtar said. Giving details of the meeting, he said Mehbooba, who has already been authorized by the party to take a decision on government formation, told the meeting that she is "ready to take a call on it once she is convinced that the purpose and the objective of the alliance that Mufti had forged with Prime Minister Narendra Modi" would be taken to its logical conclusion. The PDP chief said the "purpose of that (alliance) was not limited to government formation, but it was to take Jammu and Kashmir out of the trouble that it has faced for most part of its history". For Mufti, the alliance was based on "trust and belief that it will translate into real relief for the people of the state which ultimately would also serve the national interest and also bring peace into the sub-continent between India and Pakistan," Mehbooba told the meeting held at her residence. "That is why he (Mufti) always spoke about Indo-Pak relations even on his death bed and the other things which include the economic side of it so that the state is taken out of its problems," Akhtar said. PDP would take no time to form the government with BJP "once we believe that the country believes in us, they repose their trust in us and we can carry forward the agenda which has a strong political side to it, which has the economic side to it and we are able to carry that forward, we will not take time (to form government)," Akhtar said. "Mehbooba will take a call on this once she is sure that we can purposefully carry forward that agenda," he said. PDP, with 27 MLAs in the 87-member Assembly and BJP with 25 legislators, ran a coalition government headed by Mufti Sayeed for 10 months before his demise on January 7. Akhtar said PDP was not demanding anything from the BJP or the Centre as they are aware of the problems of the state. "We are not demanding anything. They know where the implementation is needed and government of India, the BJP, is more aware of the problems of Jammu and Kashmir than we are," he said. "Jammu and Kashmir is not our monopoly. It is the problem of entire country and the government of India knows what to do and how to do about it," Akhtar said. Responding to questions, he said, "Mehbooba will take a call, surely, on the basis of 'Agenda of Alliance' once she is convinced and the party is convinced that the trust reposed by us in the entire country through that document (Agenda for Alliance) is reciprocated." The PDP leader said "the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the government that comes into being in the state" should be "worthy of that trust and they (should) think the government of India, the people of India trust us with our destinies and the Agenda that has been set by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in alliance with the other party can be carried forward to its logical conclusion." He said the purpose of alliance with the BJP was not just to form the government but to carry forward the agenda set by the late chief minister. "The purpose of alliance was not just to form the government. It was beyond that and the government formation was only a component of that," the PDP leader said. The PDP leader said though he was not authorized to say anything about the issues or whether any BJP leader was formally in touch with the party leadership, "there are issues which the government of India, the BJP, is aware of. And those issues are not confined to government formation." He said, "it is not about courtesies or personal conduct but about the issues that we feel are necessary to be addressed for the betterment of the people of the state and the primary need of reposing trust in the people of the state. The issues are known to everybody." Akhtar said the basic aim of the today's meeting was to discuss the party affairs and the how to take forward Muftis vision of peace and development. "This was the agenda, but there was a talk about government formation as well and it became inevitable to discuss that in view of the ideas and views expressed by various leaders," he said. Asked whether the party was preparing for fresh elections, Akhtar said "we have not said that. That is your presumption." Retired judge of Allahabad High Court Justice Sanjay Mishra was today sworn in as the new Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh bringing to an end a bitter year-long feud between Raj Bhawan and the state government on the appointment of the anti-graft ombudsman. The new Lokayukta was administered oath by Governor Ram Naik at a brief function at Raj Bhawan. He would replace justice (retd) N K Mehrotra, who was appointed Lokayukta on March 16, 2006 and had a nearly ten-year tenure. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was present at the swearing-in ceremony along with his senior cabinet ministers. Besides the chief minister, two other members of the selection panel -- Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court D Y Chandrachud and Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Swami Prasad Maurya -- were present. Expelled SP leader Amar Singh was also present. The appointment of Lokayukta had snowballed into a major controversy last year with the Governor refusing to accept the name of Justice (retd) Raveendra Singh and asking the chief minister to follow proper procedure for selecting the ombudsman. BSP supremo Mayawati has welcomed the Appointment of the new Lokayukta in the state by the Supreme Court and said this is a justified step against massive irregularities and lies. "The appointment of Justice Sanjay Mishra to the post of Lokayukta by the Supreme Court is a welcome move. He is known as an honest and unbiased Judge," she said congratulating both chief justice of the Allahabad high court D Y Chandrachud and leader of opposition Swami Prasad Maurya on it. This step of the Supreme Court is in fact a slap on the face of casteist politics of Samajwadi Party and its chief", she said ,adding that SP government got the punishment for making appointment of the new lokayukta political, casteist and controversial issue. In it he said Colonel Rehman had "put a gold-plated tooth belonging to Netaji (Subhas Bose) given to him by Japanese officials after the cremation in the urn containing the 'ashes'". In the same letter, Ray informed the leaders that in course of his probe he had visited "the son of Colonel Habibur Rahman". "The veracity of Naeemur Rehman's claim can easily be determined by a scan of the urn. The existence of an un- cremated tooth will virtually guarantee success of a DNA test," he said. Another telling piece of information provided by Rehman junior to Ray was that his father was devastated by people in India disbelieving his story about Bose perishing in the tragedy and the remains at Renkoji Temple being his which Colonel Rehman had carried from Taipei to Tokyo. Naeemur further disclosed to Ray that his father, because of the suspicion with which his testimony to the Shah Nawaz Khan Netaji Inquiry Committee in 1956 was received by Bose's followers and relatives, refused to come to Delhi from Islamabad to appear before the Justice G D Khosla Commission in the early 1970s. "Why would I lie?" Colonel Rehman is said to have told his son. A UK website set up to catalogue the last days of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose today claimed that his gold-plated tooth is likely to be found in his last remains held at Renkoji Temple in Tokyo.Bose's trusted aide de camp Colonel Habibur Rehman, who was involved in the same air crash that is believed to have killed Bose in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, had told his son he had dropped the tooth in the urn containing Netaji's ashes when he went to collect the remains after the cremation.It had apparently been extracted before the body entered the furnace and given to him by one of the officials associated with the last rites, www.bosefiles.info claimed today.The Netaji Papers declassified by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 23 confirm that the creator of the website, Ashis Ray, brought the matter to the attention of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, Leader of the Opposition Atal Bihari Vajpayee and West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, among other Indian political leaders in 1995.Colonel Rehman passed away in 1978, leaving the information, among other details, with son Naeemur.Rehman junior shared what his father had told him with Ray when the latter met him in Islamabad in the 1990s in course of his investigation of the tragedy.In turn, Ray brought the disclosure to the notice of Rao, Vajpayee, Jyoti Basu, President of Janata Dal S R Bommai and General Secretary of the Forward Bloc Chitta Basu.File G-16(3)/95-NGO in the Netaji Papers, released by the Indian government, reveal Ray wrote to all five on 11 August 1995. Notwithstanding Pakistan government's ban on the media coverage of militant groups like the JuD and LeT, Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has appeared on a private Pakistani channel's talk show. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on November 2 had restrained all Pakistani television channels from "all kinds of coverage" of the JuD, its front Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF)and about 60 other proscribed organisations and their leaders. Saeed made an appearance on a talk show on Channel 24 on January 27. He glorified his organisation's "public welfare" works and talked about how India and the US were "pressuring" the Pakistani government to take action against organisations like the JuD and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Saeed, in reference to the Pathankot terror attack, dismissed the suggestion that the government was "patronising" some "non-state actors and banned organisations". A PEMRA official told PTI that a notice to the channel would be issued for the violation of the directive. "We had warned the electronic media that in case of non-compliance (to the directive), we will take legal action -- imposition of fine or suspension or cancellation of licence," the PEMRA official said. The PEMRA notification banned all TV channels and FM radio from coverage of banned groups including LeT, JuD and FIF under UN restriction. The UN declared JuD a terror organisation and also individually designated Saeed as a terrorist in December 2008. The US has already put USD 10 million bounty on his head. Saeed, who orchestrated the November, 2008, Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed, roams around freely in Pakistan despite being a designated terrorist and has made many anti-India remarks and speeches. Union Urban Development minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said the Congress and its allies had imposed president's rule on several occasions when they were in power. Reacting to the criticism on the imposition of President rule in Arunachal Pradesh, Naidu said the opposition party (Congress) does not have moral right to question the intentions of the (present) NDA government. Reading out statistics, Naidu said, "During Jawaharlal Nehru's rule eight times, Lal Bahadur Shastri once, Indira Gandhi about 50 occasions, during Charan Singh who was supported by Congress, VP Singh, Chandrasekhar and Rajiv Gandhi rule (together) 6 times, during PV Narasimha Rao tenure 11 times, Deve Gowda once and Manmohan Singh regime had imposed president rule on 12 occasions. What moral right does the Congress have to question the NDA Government on imposition of President rule in Arunachal Pradesh". Explaining the circumstances that led to imposition of President Rule in the northeastern state, the minister said there was constitutional crisis in that state as the Assembly was not convened within six months from the last session. "In Arunachal Pradesh, due to constitutional crisis, President rule was imposed. There, the Speaker has locked the Assembly to prevent the session from taking place. Ministers and MLAs tried to attack the (state) Governor. They abused him. "There the government lost majority. Assembly has to be convened in six months that did not take place," he said. Naidu said the present NDA Government has imposed President Rule on three occasions in the three different states - Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. President Pranab Mukherjee had earlier this week given assent to the Union Cabinet's decision to impose central rule in Arunachal Pradesh. On issuing ordinances, the minister said the Congress Government had issued 456 ordinances during the last 50 years. Replying to a query on the demand made by Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to make a special legislation to end discrimination in educational institutions, Naidu said, "there is no necessity for Bill. All you must have is political will." Meanwhile, Naidu took a dig at MIM Party chief Asaduddin Owaisi's for his comments supporting the agitating students of the Hyderabad Central University, who are protesting over the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula. "Owaisi talking about secularism is joke of the century," the Minister quipped. Aiana Hotels and Resorts is one of the newest players in the Indian hospitality space, which is facing a rather topsy-turvy turn. With its differentiator and unique product strategy, and properties planned in India and the Gulf, the hotel chains Joint Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Amruda Nair tells Deccan Heralds Hrithik Kiran Bagade, whats the journey forward. Could you share the story of Aiana Hotels and Resorts? In what category of properties do you rate yourself? Aiana Hotels and Resorts is an independently owned, completely new brand of hospitality. My partner in this business is Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, one of Qatars leading entrepreneurs and Chairman of Al Faisal Holding. I would call it a meeting of minds thats redefining hospitality. We aspire to becoming a global hospitality brand, with a presence across the West Asia, the Indian Sub-Continent and South East Asia. Aiana will cater to the upper-upscale category of hotels with fresh and relevant product design complemented with immersive, experiential concepts. How do you view the Indian hospitality space, given the sector is going through challenging times? As a management company, we are very optimistic about the Indian hospitality space, particularly the strength of the domestic leisure market. Our first property under management in India will be a 33-villa resort in Munnar, which has been designed and developed by Moonriver Resorts, which is due to open this year. With Ferns Estates in Karnataka, we are looking at four resorts across the various leisure destinations that the state has to offer. We believe that holiday resorts within a four-hour driving radius of an Indian metro will continue to gain traction in terms of domestic travelers. Whats your differentiator? Aianas authentic service, design, and operating philosophy is geared to exceed the expectations of a new generation of savvy travellers and explorers. We call it Hospitality 2.0. Our USP will be our Indian service ethos, commitment to the environment and community, signature restaurant and spa concepts. For all the resorts we have announced to date, we are looking at the fractional ownership model which is a first in the country, and a strong differentiator. What are your plans for the India and West Asian markets? We currently have hotels under construction in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and India. Our flagship hotel in Doha is a 180-key hotel apartment complex located in the Diplomatic and Financial District of Doha. We also have a 574-room hotel in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which will cater to religious travel. Both hotels are scheduled to open this year. What is your strategy for the Indian market? In India, we are looking at a cluster strategy with urban hotels in key gateway cities, which form the hub and multiple leisure resorts within a four-hour driving radius that form the spoke. Our present focus is on South India, particularly the leisure circuits in Kerala and Karnataka. We will then look at having a presence in key leisure destinations in the North, such as Agra and Jaipur. While a lot of hotels are bullish on business guests, you claim a leisure to business ratio of 75:25. Could you describe your focus customer base? Aiana is all about experiences, whether in a leisure or urban environment. The emphasis we lay on local relevance, intuitive service and authenticity matches the leisure mindset of the traveler. While we have many urban hotels in gateway cities under construction, our primary focus shall be leisure travel. Even in city locations, Aiana endeavours to create urban retreats that offers our guests a break in monotony, and a calm and relaxed atmosphere to unwind. Experts say that domestic tourism has picked up in India. How do you see this trend affecting your business? We have, as a brand, always been very bullish on the prospects of the Indian domestic market. Our reading of the market indicates that this is perhaps the fastest growing segment globally (especially in the wake of indications of a slowdown in the Chinese economy). The Indian domestic market is yet to be penetrated and serviced to its potential this segment is therefore growing at a double-digit CAGR and will continue to grow for the next decade, steadily. As a brand, our focus is entirely on this segment in India, and all our hotels are planned and designed to serve the growing Indian domestic market demand. DH News Service Karnataka, which was the base of industrial and investment programmes backed by solid governance, since the era of the Wadiyars, is embarking on yet another journey of investment and business, with the Global Investors Meet, Invest Karnataka 2016, which will begin on February 3, in Bengaluru. The immediate thought that comes to the mind is the reasons for an investors summit, and the state machinery giving primacy for it. Since the time of consumerism gripping the society and services becoming the centre-stage of a states GDP, there is an immediate requirement to give importance to manufacturing-led industrialisation in the state. The new investment meet really sets the ground for this by attracting fresh investment in this regard and thus, pave the way for generating employment and meet the growing aspirations of the people. Even though the state has its share of investments from private, central and state government establishments, the government is looking at more growth, which can be garnered by new investments in diverse sectors of manufacturing, where it can make an impact. Karnataka enjoys the geographical diversity that helped it harvest diverse crops, which ultimately fostered various anciliary industries. It also helped in building tourism, infrastructure and education. Its diversity in farming and mining dates back ages, while the sphere of the services sector, backed by IT, has brought laurels to the state and the country. With a solid foundation in R&D, and importance given to IT, BT, Nanoscience, and Medicine, Karnataka has achieved a unique identity in India. Besides emerging as the most favoured state among overseas companies, its cities, led by the worlds second largest R&D ecosystem Bengaluru have made a solid contribution for its emergence as a frontier state in India for investment. Meeting of the minds According to Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, Invest Karnataka aims to create a platform for the best minds to meet, exchange ideas and drive forward the states vision of prosperity for all by employing technology, innovation, inclusivity and sustainability as key factors for development. The investors meet will have focus sectors with very high growth potential, which include Manufacturing, (Automobile, Aerospace, Machine Tools, Defence and Heavy Engineering), ITBT&Electronics (Information Technology, Bio-Technology), Agro and Food Processing, Textiles and Garments, Smart Cities and Urban Infrastructure, Energy, and Tourism. Organisers had earlier said that partner countries which have confirmed their participation in the summit include France, Japan, Sweden, South Korea, the UK, Italy and Germany. Karnataka will be showcasing 145 projects to investors, during the event. The summits have succeeded in enthusing the investor community around the globe and in the country, as the roadshows organised by the state government got an overwhelming response. But the naysayers have another story to share. They find that the last two meets, held in 2010 and 2012, failed to materialise in investments promised. As per official data, only 108 out of 389 projects have taken off with an implementation rate of 28 per cent. As per statistics, of the 439 projects committed during the 2012 Global Investors Meet, 58 per cent dropped, and the remaining 244 are still under implementation. Additional Chief Secretary at the Industries Department, K Ratna Prabha, said that these investments were mainly in the mining industry. Recently, Karnataka Industries and Tourism Minister R V Deshpande, during the Assembly session, said that less than 15 per cent projects cleared by the state in the last seven years, have seen the light of day. The concept of global investors meet was initiated by Karnataka in 2000, by Deshpande, who was the Industries Minister at that time, when out of the Rs 27,000 crore investment offers the state received, Rs 17,000 crore became reality. Even though the big ticket investment from two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp (Rs 2,200 crore), and South Korean steelmaker Poscos $5.3-billion steel plant, and the state has failed to attact $5 billion investment by Foxconn, as part of Make in India. Recently, eCommerce major Amazon also decided to set up its warehouse in Telengana, after it was unable to resolve tax disputes with the Karnataka government. Ratna Prabha told Deccan Herald that the state government is only eyeing realistic projects. This time, we are not running behind big ticket investments and investment on mining. The Industries Department has already received proposals worth Rs 62,770 crore for the GIM, out of which, Rs 24,577 crore has been cleared. The rest is in the pipeline. Our aim is to get Rs 40,000 crore or so in the next 40 days, to reach a realistic target of Rs 1 lakh crore in this meet, she said. Land is one of the biggest road blocks in Karnataka. We have noticed lots of land parcels available with the KIADB that are allotted, but unutilised till now. The government should come up with stringent measures to tackle it, said an official working with the Japanese External Trade Association. In an exclusive interaction with Deccan Herald, ahead of Invest Karnataka 2016, German Consul General Jorn Rohde expressed that the state government take up the infrastructure issue seriously to attract more investments. It is a reliable parameter for investment so that you can have sustained growth. Reliable investment parametres and infrastructure are the preconditions for becoming competitive in a globalised economy. Karnataka is competing with other states, and other destinations in Asia, he said. Karnataka, blessed with the presence of a majority of Fortune 500 companies, can steer the destiny of India. Siddaramaiah has claimed that the states GDP saw a growth of 7 per cent for 2014-15, as against 5 per cent in 2013-14. The State Budget claims that the industrial sector in the state has registered a growth of 4.4 per cent, while the services sector has seen a growth of 8.9 per cent. Now it is the turn of investors to bring fresh investment to further boost the growth of Karnataka, and there by catapulting Indias entry into the full-fledged developed nation status. Industrial past Karnatakas industrial legacy stems from the princely state of Mysore, and backed by the Hubli-Karnataka region, the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, Dakshina Kannada, and Kodagu. Chamarajendra Wadiyar X, who ascended the throne of the Mysore Kindom on March 25, 1881, as the 23rd Maharaja, was backed by democratic administrative practices, thanks to a representative assembly, which heralded the industrialisation of the state. He gave emphasis to industrialisation of the Mysore Kingdom by instituting several industrial schools, and other educational institutions. Besides founding agricultural banks, he started the annual Dasara Industrial Exhibition. The illustrious Maharaja Sri Sir Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, who ruled the princely state of Mysore from 1894 until his death in 1940, further pushed industrialisation with the guidance of his Diwan, Sir M Visvesvaraya. During the British rule, areas that now comprise Karnataka were under as many as 20 different administrative units with the princely state of Mysore, the Nizam-ruled Hyderabad, the Bombay Presidency, the Madras Presidency and the territory of Kodagu being the most important ones. In effect, nearly two-thirds of what is now Karnataka fell outside the rule of the Wadiyar kings of Mysore. Mysore became the first Indian state to generate hydroelectric power in Asia, and Bengaluru became the first Asian city to have street lights, first lit on August 5, 1905, the Hydro Electric Project at Shivanasamudra Falls in 1902. Vani Vilasa Sagara Chitradurga, completed in 1907, the first dam in Karnataka state. The Unification of Karnataka gave birth to the formation of the Indian state of Karnataka, then named Mysore State, in 1956. Regional imbalances in Karnataka have been an area of concern hindering the states sustainable economic growth. The income generated from industries is largely concentrated in a few districts in the state, especially Bengaluru Urban. Of the total income generated from manufacturing in Karnataka, about 81 per cent is generated from just nine districts, while the remaining 19 per cent is from 21 districts. As few districts in the state generate a major chunk of manufacturing income, this results in lop-sided growth in the manufacturing sector of the state. In order to reduce the regional imbalances, the Government of Karnataka aims to provide equal opportunities for industrial and urban development in every district/zone, and create job opportunities for youth and women, across all regions of the society. The state aims to enhance the development of tier-II cities to take the pressure off Bengaluru. The state government encourages setting up of semiconductor units in tier-II cities other than Mysuru, Mangaluru and Hubballi. Besides, the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation (KEONICS), whose main objective is to promote electronics industries, is involved in establishing IT Parks in tier-II cities, such as Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Shivamogga, Mysuru and Mangaluru. In addition, the state government is also looking at taking measures to improve connectivity, removal of VAT on aviation turbine fuel (ATF), setting up airports in smaller cities, development of industrial corridors, public-private partnership initiatives, and ease of land acquisition, among others. Special focus on industrial development in Hyderabad-Karnataka through the provisions of Article 371 (J) of the Constitution is also in place, which provides Special Status to the region, which includes six districts: Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Ballari, Bidar, Raichur and Koppal. During the first three decades post-independence, India witnessed Hindu rate of growth, and later got its big push with the first phase of economic reform in the 1980s. Later, following the liberalisation of the economy after 1991, India registered a stellar growth performance with per capita income rising to Rs 38,408 in FY 2010. But around 30 per cent of the nations citizens still live in abject poverty, and there is a growing divide in haves and have-nots. Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the previous BJP government held two investors meets popularly called the Global Investors Meet in June 2010 and 2012. It conducted the Global Agribusiness and Food Processing Summit in 2011. DH News Service Embattled Sahara conglomerate has been funnelling cash from small savers to fund one of its biggest projects, a luxury resort south of Mumbai, according to documents Reuters reviewed. Sahara has ploughed at least Rs 1,500 crore from two of its credit cooperatives into the Aamby Valley resort project through investments in preference shares, according to documents filed with the companies regulator. It is doing so as some investors in its credit cooperatives complain they have struggled to get Sahara to pay out their matured time deposits even for sums as low as Rs 30,000. The credit cooperatives investments into Aamby Valley are not illegal. Cooperatives are allowed to invest in shares and bonds of infrastructure and real estate companies after board approval, if they are in the interest of the cooperatives, according to the law under which these cooperatives operate. Responding to Reuters queries, a spokesman for Sahara Credit Cooperative Society said in an emailed statement that all required approvals were in place, and the investments would not put investors at risk. Sahara Credit Cooperative had shares worth Rs 1,039 crore in Aamby Valley, according to the latters 2014 annual report. Saharayn E-Multipurpose Society, which had shares worth Rs 460 crore in the resort, did not respond to requests for comment. Experts say if Sahara is using deposits from the cooperative societies to finance Aamby Valley, members of the cooperatives might face difficulty recouping their money. That is because the conglomerate is under pressure to sell of some of its prized assets to pay off investors in a savings deposit scheme the Supreme Court has declared illegal. Over the past four decades, Sahara founder Subrata Roy used his series of small deposit plans to build Sahara into an empire that encompasses businesses ranging from New Yorks Plaza hotel and Londons Grosvenor House, to television stations, and a stake in a Formula One racing team. Three years ago, Charles Chase, an engineer who manages Lockheed Martins nuclear fusion programme, was sitting on a white leather couch at Googles Solve for X conference when a man he had never met knelt down to talk to him. They spent 20 minutes discussing how much time, money and technology separated humanity from a sustainable fusion reaction that is, how to produce clean energy by mimicking the suns power before Chase thought to ask the man his name. Im Larry Page, the man said. He realised he had been talking to Googles billionaire co-founder and chief executive. He didnt have any sort of pretension like he shouldnt be talking to me or Dont you know who youre talking to?' Chase said. We just talked. Larry Page is not a typical chief executive, and in many of the most visible ways, he is not a CEO at all. Corporate leaders tend to spend a good deal of time talking at investor conferences or introducing new products on auditorium stages. Page, who is 42, has not been on an earnings call since 2013, and the best way to find him at Google I/O an annual gathering where the company unveils new products is to ignore the main stage and follow the scrum of fans and autograph seekers who mob him in the moments he steps outside closed doors. But just because he has faded from public view does not mean he is a recluse. He is a regular at robotics conferences and intellectual gatherings like TED. Scientists say he is a good bet to attend Googles various academic gatherings, like Solve for X and Sci Foo Camp, where he can be found having casual conversations about technology or giving advice to entrepreneurs. Page is hardly the first Silicon Valley chief wi-th a case of intellectual wanderlust, but unlike most of his peers, he has invested beyond his companys core business and in many ways has made it a reflection of his personal fascinations. He intends to push even further with Alphabet, a holding company that separates Googles various cash-rich advertising businesses from the list of speculative projects like self-driving cars that capture the imagination but do not make much money. Alphabet companies and investments span disciplines from biotechnology to energy generation to space travel to artificial intelligence to urban planning. In search of novel technology Investors will get a good look at the scope of those ambitions on February 1, when the company, in its fourth-quarter earnings report, will disclose for the first time the costs and income of the collection of projects outside of Googles core business. As chief executive of Alphabet, Page is tasked with figuring how to spin Googles billions in advertising profits into new companies and industries. When he announced the reorganisation, he said that he and Sergey Brin, Googles other founder, would do this by finding new people and technologies to invest in, while at the same time slimming down Google now called Google Inc, a subsidiary of Alphabet so their leaders would have more autonomy. In general, our model is to have a strong CEO who runs each business, with Sergey and me in service to them as needed, Page wrote in a letter to investors. He said that he and Brin would be responsible for picking those chief executives, monitoring their progress and determining their pay. Googles day-to-day management was left to Sundar Pichai, the companys new chief executive. His job will not be about preventing cancer or launching rocket ships, but to keep Googles advertising machine humming, to keep innovating in emerging areas like machine learning and virtual reality all while steering the company through a thicket of regulatory troubles that could drag on for years. Pages new role is part talent scout and part technology visionary. He still has to find the chief executives of many of the other Alphabet businesses. And he has said on several occasions that he spends a good deal of time researching new technologies, focusing on what kind of financial or logistic hurdles stand in the way of them being invented or carried out. His presence at technology events, while just a sliver of his time, is indicative of a giant idea-scouting mission that has in some sense been going on for years but is now Pages main job. In the investor letter, he put it this way: Sergey and I are seriously in the business of starting new things. Page declined multiple requests for comment, and many of the people who spoke about him requested anonymity because they were not supposed to talk about internal company matters. Many former Google employees who have worked directly with Page said his managerial modus operandi was to take new technologies or product ideas and generalise them to as many areas as possible. Why cant Google Now, a predictive search tool, be used to predict everything about a persons life? Why create a portal to shop for insurance when you can create a portal to shop for every product in the world? By breaking Google into Alphabet, Page is hoping to make it a more welcoming home for employees to build new businesses, as well as for potential acquisition targets. It will also rid his office of the kind of dull-but-necessary annoyances of running a corporation. Several recently departed Google staff members said that as chief executive of Google, Page had found himself in the middle of various turf wars, like how to integrate Google Plus, the companys struggling social media effort, with other products like YouTube, or where to put Google Now, which resided in the Android team but was moved to the search group. Such disputes are a big reason Page had been shedding managerial duties and delegating the bulk of his product oversight to Pichai, these people said. In a 2014 memo to the company announcing Pichais promotion to product chief, Page said the move would allow him to focus on the bigger picture at Google and have more time to get the companys next generation of big bets off the ground. A crowd-puller Given that he is worth in the neighbourhood of $40 billion and created the worlds most famous website, Page has the tendency to attract a crowd when he attends technology events. At last years DARPA Robotics Challenge, he was trailed closely by a handler who at times acted as a buffer between Page and would-be cellphone photographers. That commotion could annoy anyone, but it is particularly troubling for Page, who, because of damaged vocal cords, speaks just above a whisper and sometimes uses a microphone in small meetings. When Page does talk in public, he tends to focus on optimistic pronouncements about the future and Googles desire to help humanity. Asked about current issues, like how mobile apps are challenging the web or how ad blockers are affecting Googles business, he tends to dismiss it with something like, People have been talking about that for a long time. Lately, he has talked more about his belief that for-profit companies can be a force for social good and change. During a 2014 interview with Charlie Rose, Page said that instead of a nonprofit or philanthropic organisation, he would rather leave his money to an entrepreneur like Musk. Of course, for every statement Page makes about Alphabets technocorporate benevolence, you can find many competitors and privacy advocates holding their noses in disgust. Technology companies like Yelp have accused the company of acting like a brutal monopolist that is using the dominance of its search engine to steer consumers toward Google services, even if that means giving customers inferior information. Leslie Dewan, a nuclear engineer who founded a company that is trying to generate cheap electricity from nuclear waste, also had a brief conversation with Page at the Solve for X conference. She said he questioned her on things like modular manufacturing and how to find the right employees. He doesnt have a nuclear background, but he knew the right questions to ask, said Dewan, chief executive of Transatomic Power. Have you thought about approaching the manufacturing in this way? Have you thought about the vertical integration of the company in this way? Have you thought about training the work force this way? They werent nuclear physics questions, but they were thoughtful ways to think about how we could structure the business. Dewan said Page even gave her an idea for a new market opportunity that she had not thought of. Asked to be more specific, she refused. The idea was too good to share. In the last 15 years of my professional career, many concepts around urban development have come and gone, but none have evoked such an excitement as the Narendra Modi governments proposed 100 Smart Cities initiative, that has a price tag of Rs 1,00,000 crore over the next five years. This excitement isnt only restricted to India. Experts are discussing it globally, and many have sharp and contrasting views on the subject. Global experts, like Catherine Morency, Professor at EcolePolytechnique de Montreal, have noted that smart cities are not sustainable per se. There is a need to advance social, environmental and economic asp-ects as part of the smart city concept and to provide citizens with the tools to make this happen. Gil Penalosa, former Commi-ssioner of Bogota and a thought leader on urban sustainability, further reinforces this point, saying that smart cities arent just about technical solutions theyre about serving people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the launch of the Smart Cities programme, defined a smart city as one that provides for the needs of its citizens. This is a simple yet revolutionary way of looking at smart cities. On the one hand, it looks at the obvious issues around infrastructure of cities, and on the other, it links the issues around governance, service delivery, citizens aspirations, and quality of life. Smart Cities isnt the first initiative aimed at addressing urban issues. The UPA-I regime launched the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Programme (JNNURM), which was the first major programme of its kind, where over $20 billion was earmarked for urban infrastructure improvements and basic services to the urban poor in 65 mission cities over the course of seven years. The JNNURM received mixed reviews from experts as it was felt that the programme didnt match up to the desired level. There were various issues, such as the quality of project planning, funding processes, lack of capacity, and others. While the programme left a lot to be desired, what it did well was bring cities to the forefront of planning and development through the Central government, for urban development is usually a state subject. The Smart Cities programme is, in many ways, a completely different approach compared to other schemes of the Centre. All other programmes, including the JNNURM, were based on the principal of allocation, wherein states were allocated money as per proposals submitted within stipulated guidelines. The Smart Cities program-me, on the other hand, is based on the principal of competition. Cities are competing against each other to access funds and, to some extent, for prestige, given the hype around the scheme. When Minister of Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu announced the first list of 20 shortlisted cities on January 28, it marked the end of the first phase of competition, wherein 20 out of the 97 cities that submitted proposals were selected as the winners. List of surprises While Bengaluru, Gurgaon and Patna were surprise omissions from the Smart Cities race, as the respective state governmen-ts deemed other cities more competitive for the national challenge, the 20 shortlisted cities also have quite a few surprises. The biggest surprise was the fact that Bhubaneswar topped the challenge with 78.83 per cent marks followed by Pune (77.42 per cent) and Jaipur (73.83 per cent). In fact, the top 20 cities list was dominated by tier II and III cities, with only Delhi and Chennai representing the metros of the country. Lesser known names like Davanagere, Kakinada, Belagavi outweighed many big cities like Howrah and Hyderabad, who failed to make it to the top 20. Ludhiana is the only city from the northern and eastern belt of the country. Guwahati is the only city from the north-eastern states, suggesting it was much better prepared than its peers. As part of the competition, the cities had to submit area and city-wide development projects aimed at improving the quality of life for citizens by engaging with them and addressing their needs, and building capacity amongst city officials by moving towards e-governance and the use of technology. Cities were asked to develop holistic city development plans with a vision for zero emissions and zero waste, and funding would be provided to pursue strategic infrastructure projects. Priority sectors were identified, with Rs 100 crore of financial assistance from the Centre for five years and a matching contribution from state governments. Cities were asked to submit proposals that would not merely change, but transform them. The Rs 100 crore should be seen as initial capital that can be leveraged for this transformation. India is currently one-third urbanised. Global trends have shown that urbanisation stabilises at 75-80 per cent mark. This means two-third of urban India is yet to be built, which gives us the opportunity to get it right. Choosing the right implementation framework for smart cities is critical. Creating the framework from cities to compete is a great idea but the real success would depend of the implementation. Nevertheless, a good start has been made. (The writer is Director Transport, WRI EMBARQ India) A police inspector shot at a murder accused and injured him in the leg, after the latter attacked three policemen at Jigani Industrial Area on the outskirts of the City on Sunday. Jigani police station sub-inspector (SI) and two constables suffered injuries after Deepak Kumar Jha attacked them with a brick and the handcuff. Jha too suffered injuries as the Jigani police inspector shot at him in the leg with his service revolver. SI Murali, constables Raju and Dutta and Jha are all being treated at a private hospital and are out of danger. The incident took place around 3.30 pm near Cipla factory in Jigani industrial Area when the police had taken Jha there for a mahazar. Jha and his associates had attacked five persons on the night on January 24. One person died in the attack. The cops had detained Jha and had taken him there to complete formalities, police said. A team led by CPI Mallesh received credible information on Saturday that Jha and his associates executed the attack on five persons, killing Akash a native of Odisha. The police detained Jha, a native of Bihar and Santosh from Nepal, and interrogated them till early morning. The police took the handcuffed Jha to the spot for mahazar. The cops allowed him to relieve himself following a request. He sat down for a while before attacking Murali with a stone and brick. Another constable Raju rushed to the rescue of Dutta and Murali. Jha clamped his hand around Rajus neck and held it tight as the constable was gasping for breath, said the police. Mallesh, who witnessed the attack from inside his vehicle, warned Jha to stop attacking the constables, but he started dragging the constable away in an attempt to escape. Mallesh fired twice in air as a warning, but the latter kept dragging away the constables. Mallesh fired again and injured Jhas left knee, the police added. Jha collapsed on the ground and police rushed all the four to hospital. The police have taken up a suo motu case. Jha, who grew up in the City, was unemployed and was involved in several criminal cases. He (Jha) seems to be mentally disturbed and wanted to be a don. Hence, he attacked and killed a man recently, Bengaluru Rural SP B Ramesh said. The murder accused had threatened to slit police men like the Islamic State terrorists. He was yelling at the cops till early morning on Sunday. He kept torturing cops while he was interrogated, said the police. A fourth standard student was brutally killed after reportedly being gang-raped by three drunk youths in Uttar Pradeshs Bareilly district, about 250 km from here. The police on Sunday claimed to have arrested two of the three accused, who reportedly admitted to killing the Dalit girl after sexually assaulting her in the fields near Anandapur village in the district on Saturday. The youths, who are residents of a nearby village, according to the police, also told the cops during their interrogation that they were drunk, when they committed the crime. One of the accused is still absconding and a manhunt has been launched to nab him, the police added. Police sources said the minor had gone into the fields for collecting firewood, when the culprits caught hold of her and brutalised her. The body of the victim was recovered a few hours later, after a search was launched by the family members and the local villagers. Sources said the body bore injury marks on her chest, face and private parts. There were around half a dozen injury marks on the face only, they added. It appears from the condition of the body that the child must have put up resistance, said a district police official in Bareilly. A Blog about [1] Corporate Governance issues in Malaysia and [2] Global Investment Ideas For the first time in six years, security personnel have killed more Maoists than the number they lost in gunbattles in operations last year. This may not be the reason for cheer as there is only a very miniscule decrease in the number of incidents related to Maoist violence from 1091 in 2014 to 1088 in 2015. One of the worrying signs could be Chhattisgarh as it has shown a 41 per cent increase in the number of Maoist-related incidents in the state from 378 in 2014 to 466 last year. Andhra Pradesh also saw a rise in Maoist incidents from 18 to 35 while all other states, including Jharkhand reported the highest incidents in 2014, recorded a decline. Officials said the increase in numbers in Chhattisgarh has resulted in keeping the countrys yearly figure almost similar to that of last year. However, security establishment is upbeat. But they do not claim that the Maoists have been routed. Security forces lost 58 personnel last year in gunbattles as against Maoists 89, a reversal of trend that is seen among security circles as a positive, according to an analysis by the Union Home Ministry. Since 2010, the Maoists always had an upper hand in casualties with more security forces losing more personnel. One of the reasons could be the increase in number of encounters with the Maoists. While there were 221 gunbattles in 2014, it rose to 247 and increasing trend is there since 2012. At the same time, the attacks on police have decreased to 118 from 155. While it was 172 Maoists killed in 2010, the toll on security forces side was 285. In 2014, 88 security personnel were killed as against 63 Maoists. The security establishment is also happy that the civilian casualty has gone down to 168 from 222. However, the number of police informers killed remained almost same 91 in 2014 and 92 in 2015. Intelligence agencies have also collected details of 18 training camps conducted by the Maoists last year as against 34 in 2014. This is the lowest number of training camps held in the last six years. With smoke and toxic gas still coming out of the Deonar dumping ground, the city has come under a blanket of smog which has affected visibility besides adding to health concerns, prompting the Maharashtra government to order a probe into the causes of fire and check whether it was an act of sabotage. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta and newly-appointed Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar to check out on the possible causes of the fire that had affected Mumbai. For the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), this has become a major challenge. BMC Commissioner informs that smoke at Deonar is substantially under control. Ive asked CP, Mumbai, to enquire into possibility of a sabotage, Fadnavis tweeted. The Deonar dumping ground, set up in 1927, is one of the biggest landfills of the country. The dumping ground extends over 132 hectares and receives 5,500 metric tonnes of waste, 600 metric tonnes of silt and 25 tonnes of bio-medical waste daily. Between March and June, the daily amount of silt rises to more than 9,000 metric tonnes because of drain cleaning in advance of the monsoon season. A special team of the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) has been deployed to control the fire and they are camping there round-the-clock to monitor the situation. A strong contingent of fire brigade officials, comprising 21 officers of MFB along with 132 fire fighters and personnel, battled with the blaze for the third consecutive day. The fire had broken out at the Deonar dumping ground on Thursday. Though the fire brigade had brought the blaze under control in the early hours of Friday, it spread to another 2 km area on Saturday. Since Sunday morning, the situation has eased a bit, but the concerns remain. Former minister and NCP leader Sachin Ahir hit out at the Maharashtra government for its failure to douse the fire at the Deonar dumping ground. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad believes that urine is an effective medication and as useful as Dettol. Besides, it could be used as an anti-septic in an emergency situation. The former chief minister said this while presiding over a two-day session on Diverse disease and simplicity of homoeopathy organised by the Homoeopathy Science Congress here in the state capital. Lalu said, Earlier, during our childhood days, whenever we used to sustain injuries, we would apply urine, which worked as anti-septic. Now people use Dettol, and some of them now use it (Dettol) to wash their hands. This is the only progress we have made, said Lalu as the audience burst into laughter. On a serious note, Lalu added that it was in the homoeopathy methodology where each and every disease nowadays gets cured without any side effects. Allopathy mein toh sirf chir-phad hota hai. (In allopathy treatment, only surgery is done) said Lalu. Clarifying that he had to come to the doctors meet instead of his son, Lalu said, The Health Minister was busy. So I decided to fill in. Lalus interest in the health departments functioning, of late, has drawn flak from the opposition with senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi wondering that in what capacity Lalu, a fodder scam convict, had been making visits. Earlier this month, Lalu inspected Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) and asked its director to improve the healthcare facilities. Later, he asked the Darbhanga Civil Surgeon to reinstate some sacked Mamta (health staff appointed on contract) workers. Lalu, during homoeopathy doctors meet, clarified that he went to inspect the IGIMS as the hospital was built during his tenure (when he was Bihar CM). So I just wanted to survey how the hospital was functioning nowadays, he said. The Janata Dal-United (JDU) is moving ahead on its plan to forge a grand alliance against the Samajwadi Party and the BJP in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled next year. The party on Sunday announced support to Rashtriya Lok Dal candidates for byelections in three Assembly seats of the state. The announcement came after a meeting of the state committee on Sunday at Lucknow. The meeting was attended by party chief Sharad Yadav and general secretary K C Tyagi. This is part of our preparation for the Assembly election of 2017. The RLD is going to be our major partner, a senior party leader told Deccan Herald. However, things do not seem to be clear as far as the proposed grand alliance is concerned. Since the Congress is likely to be the major partner of this alliance, the JDU was supposed to support it in the bypolls. Instead of doing so, the party chose to support Ajit Singh led RLD. It will not affect our relationship with the Congress, said a party leader. The JDU poll strategy in Uttar Pradesh is inspired by the betrayal of Mulaym Singh in Bihar elections. The JDU and the RJD buried their bitter rivalry to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. They had also decided to project Mulayam Singh as the leader of Janata Parivar and wanted him to lead them against BJP in Bihar polls and at the national level. After SPs coming out of the alliance and contesting Bihar polls against JDU-RJD-Congress combine, both Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar have been working for making inroads in UP. The JDU has already announced a mega rally in Varanasi sometime in March this year. The Bihar chief minster is also likely to address a Kushwaha rally scheduled this week in Ghazipur in eastern UP. Besides the Congress and the RLD, the JDU is trying to bring smaller political parties including the Apna Dal (the group led by the wife of partys founder Sone Lal Patel), the Peace Party and the Welfare Party. While the Apna Dal has some base among Kurmis, the Peace Party and the Welfare Party have base among Muslims in eastern UP. The exclusion of the contingent of the Sikh Regiment in the Republic Day parade is courting controversy with the Akali Dal, an ally of the BJP-led NDA, describing it as sad and regrettable. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal wasted no time in writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting what he described as a widespread feeling of hurt and resentment that has been caused by the non inclusion of the Sikh Regiment in the Republic Day parade. French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest on the occasion. Badal said the exclusion of the Sikh regiment from the parade would be regrettable at any time but it was magnified this year because of the presence of the French president as a special guest at the event. Badal said, The Sikhs have been facing several practices in France which amount to the denial of freedom to observe the fundamental religious practices to the community, including a ban on the wearing of turbans one of the five symbols of their religion. He said that this would have been an appropriate occasion to demonstrate to the French dignitary the place of the Sikh community in Indias rich cultural identity and its contribution to the cause of freedom. Badal said the event is always regarded as a great occasion to showcase Indias multi-cultural and multi-religious identity, highlighting its secular ethos. As a vibrant and fiercely patriotic minority community in the country, the Sikhs are always seen as the most powerful symbol of this multi-dimensional identity and secular character of the country, Badal wrote. He said the Sikh community has a strong presence in the armed forces and their patriotic and martial traditions are something on which the entire country rightly takes pride. Because of this, Badal said, the presence of the Sikh regiment in the parade needs to be regarded as a natural part of our nationalistic symbolism. The chief minister appealed to Modi to have the issue looked into. Necessary instructions needs to be issued to ensure that in future the Sikh Regiment is always included in the Republic Day parade, the chief minister wrote. A 35-year-old woman was killed on the spot after a car that was rashly driven by a Sudanese student rammed three motorcycles on Hesaraghatta Main Road on Sunday night. The driver did not stop after the fatal accident and enraged locals chased the car and assaulted the driver, Mohammed Ismail. They also set on fire two cars belonging to African students. They thrashed a group of two boys and a girl from Tanzania mistaking them to be Ismails friends, the police said. All the four Africans students are said to be pursuing different courses at Acharya Institute of Technology and Saptagiri Engineering College on Hesaraghatta Main Road. The woman killed in the accident has been identified as Shabana Taaz, a home maker and a resident of Ganapathinagar. The police rushed to the spot, deployed additional forces and brought the situation under control as locals staged a demonstration at Chikkabanavara near Hesaraghatta Main Road seeking action against African students, who they say are involved in frequent incidents of rash driving. An injured has been admitted to KC General Hospital in Malleswaram while the three Tanzanian students are being treated at a private hospital on Hesaraghatta Main Road. Ismail was subjected to medical test to ascertain if he was drunk and had consumed any banned substance, said the police. Around 7 pm, Ismail attended a party at his friends house and was returning in a car which collided with three bikes near Andhra Bank at Dasaharalli on Hesarghatta Main Road. He did not stop. We were walking along the roadside when the accident took place, Taazs husband Sanawulla K, a contractor, told Deccan Herald. The car moved in a zig-zag manner and hit me. I fell down and suffered injuries on my hands and back. I turned back to see my wife. She was tossed up in the air. She fell down, came under the cars front wheel and died on the spot, he said. Residents chased the car, caught Ismail and thrashed him before setting his car ablaze. A few others spotted another car with two boys and a girl inside. Presuming they were Ismails friends, the locals dragged them out of the car and thrashed them. Later, they set that car also on fire, said the police. Locals allege that drunk African students often create ruckus. They had even thrashed the police on a few occasions. Yesterday, I had a chat in FB with one of my close friends in Sri Lanka. Yesterday, I had a chat in FB with one of my close friends in Sri Lanka. "Chandima, Can you remember what you predicted in 2005. It has gone totally wrong, hasn't it?" he started laughing........... "Chandima, Can you remember what you predicted in 2005. It has gone totally wrong, hasn't it?" he started laughing........... ************************************************ ************************************************ I used to make good predictions about local and global scenarios since I was quite young. I used to make good predictions about local and global scenarios since I was quite young. When former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev launched the policies of perestroika and glasnost", I told several of my friends that soon this gentleman will be stranded as "The Leader of No-country". This was simply an educated guess as any nation that has been automated with iron hand rules for nearly 8 decades cannot withstand the abrupt opening of "Democracy" floodgates without undergoing splitting into pieces. When former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev launched the policies of perestroika and glasnost", I told several of my friends that soon this gentleman will be stranded as "The Leader of No-country". This was simply an educated guess as any nation that has been automated with iron hand rules for nearly 8 decades cannot withstand the abrupt opening of "Democracy" floodgates without undergoing splitting into pieces. And that happened. And that happened. In the early 90s, USA launched an assault on Iraq, after President Saddam Hussein was foolish enough to attack Kuwait. As the American juggernaut was rolling towards Baghdad, we in Sri Lanka were so much excited and heated up (usually Sri Lankans worry much about other people's problems than their own). I was in the second year of the university. Usually 90% or more of university students in SL are anti-American. And there was Dr. Nalin de Silva (later became professor) who was firing at US policies at all corners during his lecturers. As usual, Dr Nalin developed his own imaginary theory. If US forces march any further the whole Arabic world will stand against them. Then US will attack these countries destroying all oil wells. This will lead to a huge energy crisis in the world. There were some nuclear attacks also in the story. Finally, as we all have to start the civilization from the right beginning Sri Lankans could easily rise up with so called "Jathika Chinthanaya" and "Sinhala or Hela Technologies" that were diminished a millennium or two ago. Many students in our batch were fascinated and started commenting on many fancy concepts and possible outcomes. Then Dr. Nalin turned towards me (one of his most popular targets at that time) and asked "Thamuse mokada kiyanne?" (what do you say?) Many students in our batch were fascinated and started commenting on many fancy concepts and possible outcomes. Then Dr. Nalin turned towards me (one of his most popular targets at that time) and asked "Thamuse mokada kiyanne?" ( I immediately said that within two weeks US will capture Baghdad which will be the end of Saddam and none of the other Arabs will raise a word against the whole operation. Not only Dr. Nalin even his followers in the batch were mad at me and branded me as a "Yankee foot licker" (this was on top of the CID label that Dr. Nalin had already pasted on me). Again, a very easy guess. The leaders of the whole Arabic-Middle East, at that time were enjoying the flow of dollars through their sales of oil (or drain of oil) to US, so that why should they self demolish themselves. The only option in the region, Iran, had a long-term dispute with Saddam, so that why should they worry about the demise of their enemies. Irrespective of the popular expectation of our people, what I predicted happened with a slight modification; Baghdad was fallen within one week, not two. Irrespective of the popular expectation of our people, what I predicted happened with a slight modification; Baghdad was fallen within one week, not two. November of 2014 started with many speculations in Sri Lanka about the presidential candidate from opposition that will contest against the then President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksha. Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe was the obvious selection for many. Then came the names of Ven Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thero, Mr. Sajith Premadasa and Mr. Karu Jayasuriya as well. Several times the names of Mrs Chandrika Kuamaranatunge and General Sarath Fonseka were also popped up. During this period, Chiranjaya Nanayakkara (popularly known as Chiro), one of my old school buddies, posted an article in his FB, which stated that KJ is almost confirmed to be the candidate. A sequence of comments followed stating that MR victory is imminent as KJ was no match at all to him. The debate was only about the winning lead. Then, on November 9th, I made the following comment. "Most probably the final candidate will be some one that no one may guess...... Keep your fingers crossed". Just after a couple of weeks, the totally unexpected Mr. Maithripala Sirisena broke away from the ruling party to become the presidential candidate. Just after a couple of weeks, the totally unexpected Mr. Maithripala Sirisena broke away from the ruling party to become the presidential candidate. This time my guess was little complex but not very tough. This time my guess was little complex but not very tough. The point that many people have forgotten is that whoever be the candidate, he should get the green light from RW to get UNP support. May be the shrewdest politician since late Mr. J R Jayawardena, RW may have known very well that despite his intelligence and other skills, he is way behind MR with respect to the charisma in the country. Additionally, he has to go against all odds; state power, media support, organization and networking etc. The point that many people have forgotten is that whoever be the candidate, he should get the green light from RW to get UNP support. May be the shrewdest politician since late Mr. J R Jayawardena, RW may have known very well that despite his intelligence and other skills, he is way behind MR with respect to the charisma in the country. Additionally, he has to go against all odds; state power, media support, organization and networking etc. RW would never have given the chance to a fellow UNP leader as if such person wins all RW's leadership strengths are gone out of his hands. CBK would have been an equally threatening force to RW as if she gets into power, all SLFP forces + anti-RW elements in the UNP camp will rally around her. RW would never have given the chance to a fellow UNP leader as if such person wins all RW's leadership strengths are gone out of his hands. CBK would have been an equally threatening force to RW as if she gets into power, all SLFP forces + anti-RW elements in the UNP camp will rally around her. RW and the whole UNP had to taste the bitter pill after appointing SF during the previous presidential election due to the aloof attitudes of the General, thus, SF was out of the equation. A Buddhist Monk was never in the UNP card as such move could drive away many UNP supporters, especially from the minority. RW and the whole UNP had to taste the bitter pill after appointing SF during the previous presidential election due to the aloof attitudes of the General, thus, SF was out of the equation. A Buddhist Monk was never in the UNP card as such move could drive away many UNP supporters, especially from the minority. Hence, the only viable option was to take someone from right inside the ruling party; who could get some chunk from the party but not strong enough to stand on his own feet. MS was an ideal fit. Hence, the only viable option was to take someone from right inside the ruling party; who could get some chunk from the party but not strong enough to stand on his own feet. MS was an ideal fit. There are several other stories of my "correct prediction"...... There are several other stories of my "correct prediction"...... And then it went all wrong. ***************************************************** About 10-12 years ago I told my friends that internet is the Master of Knowledge and this master will surely make the whole world a much better place to live within a decade. For centuries, people lived in isolation, thinking that their religions and races were the best. Thus, they tried to spread what they thought the best, most often by force. The result was mass murder and torture, destruction of wealth and resources, spreading of mythical concepts that adversely affected the human race as well as the animal kingdom. For several millenniums people believed that the earth is the center of everything while the sun and the moon are there to serve human needs. In some extreme cases, people thought that all these things are specifically made for the benefit of their particular race or religion. This made them crazy and barbaric as they could not tolerate seeing other people utilizing or consuming the same. In the 18 th and 19 th centuries, thanks to the scientific boom, the world, especially the western sphere, understood that earth is just a teeny tiny spec on an enormous universe. Even with limited communication modes available at the time, this conceptual transformation made a massive impact on the human society. Gradually people started respecting one another, started thinking about human rights, then animal rights then environmental conservation etc. etc. This is what we call Civilization today. With some ups and downs, the world turned to be a better place to live sans the stupidity of few individuals such as Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Since the Second World War the rate of civilization accelerated at a rapid pace. Power of intelligence, tolerance, psychological freedom, right of questioning and freedom of expression replaced the formerly established concepts; power of muscle, rigidity, psychological imprisonment, denial of questioning and suppression of the right of speech. However, most of these characteristics of civilization were confined to the countries where the access of knowledge was well facilitated. The inability to access knowledge kept some communities in darkness making them practice the same uncivilized deeds for the last many centuries or millennium. And then the Internet started bringing the knowledge just on to everyone's lap. And I thought that this may be the "savior of man kind" mentioned in many religions and even by Nostradamus. Today...after a decade, that prediction has gone insanely wrong proving that my analysis were simply illogical and senseless. The internet has turned to be the Master of un-intelligence. It has not only limited to the spreading of myths and false or pseudo knowledge, but has also become a huge source of hatred, vengeance and cruelty as well; the most uncharacteristic features for the very civilization that we were talking about. It is simply destroying the human psyche, little by little. Starting from ones very own-self, then family, community, country and world internet is poisoning the entire human race. I think I have grossly overlooked a famous adage in Sri Lanka before I made my prediction. Good news do not even have legs whereas bad news have wings. Dedicated to (1) protecting the Charles River in Cambridge/Boston, MA, USA.(2) standing up to destructive governments.(3) protecting the Charles River White Geese & other wildlife. See: http://www.friendsofthewhitegeese.org. Viewed in 121 plus countries. Email: boblat@yahoo.com. Friend the Charles River White Geese on Facebook. 2005-22, Friends of the White Geese, a MA non-profit. You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site. by Kathleen Gilbert BEIJING, September 7, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) Escaped Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng is leading international opponents of forced abortion in calling upon the worlds largest company to end compliance with the Chinas one-child policy. Family planning police have targeted employees (569) Sign up below to have the hottest Catholic news delivered to your email daily! Close Sign up below to have the hottest Catholic news delivered to your email daily! Church Militant, we need to band together to protect our religious liberties and win the culture war! Sell shares in Ocado , said the Sunday Times' Inside the City column, as it has failed to deliver its long-promised deal to license out its online grocery technology to an overseas supermarket. Of course such a deal could still appear and help stop the shares' decline. However, it would require more than one in the long-run as, after falling to 264.1p on Friday, Ocado is trading at around 19 times earnings, considerably more than double the grocery sector average. With its robot-operated warehouses and slick website, Ocado was supposed to leave the supermarkets in its wake since it floated in 2010. But after years of jam-tomorrow it seems investors' are pinning their hopes of a bumper return on a takeover by the likes of Wal-Mart or Amazon. Rumours about an Amazon bid put a flame under the shares earlier this month but the story makes little sense as Ocado has only 1% share of the UK grocery market, while the Amazon Pantry food delivery service has launched effectively with the US giant's current technology. Amazon doesnt need Ocado. And it also seems no one else does either. Shares in Satellite Solutions Worldwide (SSW) are worth buying, said Midas in the Mail on Sunday. For most people the internet is now an essential facet of daily life, but for 15% of people in Europe, or 0.3m in the UK, cable broadband is an impossibility due to living in inaccessible or uneconomic locations. Mobile phones offer one, expensive solution, while satellite broadband has historically been almost as slow as dial-up but too expensive. However, speeds have doubled in the past year and a half and many EU governments, including the UK, are subsidising the service for people in remote areas. This should help 2015 AIM newcomer SSW bump up its customer numbers from the current 7,500 in the UK towards is 2017 target of 100,000 across the continent. Since its May IPO, five acquisitions have been completed in Ireland, France and Poland, where governments have pledged to subsidise satellite broadband, with others planned to speed expansion. The internet services SSW provides are via renting capacity from satellite companies like Avanti Communications, Viasat and Gilat, with customers supplied with a satellite dish and other necessary kit in exchange for a monthly payment, which customers in remote areas can apply to be subsidised. SSW is forecast to make a small loss for the last full year, moving to break-even in 2016. The mining sector is generally best avoided, wrote Questor in the Sunday Telegraph. Although commodities excavators like BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Glencore and Anglo American are as cheap as they've been for a dozen years and offering highly attractive dividend yields, it's not necessarily a time to be "greedy when others are fearful" as much danger still lurks. Demand for commodities is falling from China while many miners have embarked on major expansion plans, leveraging themselves up to their eyeballs. But, as lower commodities still need to feed through to the company's results and bring balance sheet write-downs, it will not be possible to calculate their true valuations. This could temps some investors to walk into a classic 'value trap' when they should keep watching and waiting. As waves of debt refinancing sweep through the industry, so will dividend cuts, cut-price fundraises and some debt-for-equity swaps - as has been seen as some big payers already. Once some business collapse by the wayside production will fall to a manageable level, but investors need to be patient as this cycle is nowhere near completion yet. Please note: Digital Look provides a round-up of news, tips and information that is impacting share prices and the market. Digital Look cannot take any responsibility for information provided by third parties. This is for your general information only as not intended to be relied upon by users in making an investment decision or any other decision. Please obtain a copy of the relevant publication and carry out your own research before considering acting on any of this information. GOP officials call Republican PACs misleading ahead of election A network of 88 county GOP political action committees are deceptive by endorsing candidates not endorsed by the Republican Party, GOP officials say. Friday morning Chattanooga lost one of it's amazing residents, Brother Ron Fender (Episcopal Brotherhood of St Gregory). I had the extreme pleasure of knowing him for over 15 years. Brother Ron was a colleague, co-worker, great friend, and an amazing human being. Brother Ron spent many years as an outreach case manager at the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. I have worked with some cool people over the years, but he was special. He was kind, compassionate, empathetic, accepting and a very holy and spiritual man. Brother Ron embodied what a Christian really is and should be. Non judgmental, open minded, loving, and understanding. Working with him was like having Christ in the room with you. Brother Ron did the Lord's work- caring for poor and needy people. He always put others needs first. The Episcopal churches in and around Chattanooga were blessed to have this man as part of the Diocese and community. His loss will be mourned by many. He is now dining at the Lord's Table. Rest in peace my brother. Dale R. Souders USN RET Chattanooga * * * I agree wholeheartedly with Dale Souders, and echo his sentiments concerning the death of Brother Ron Fender. I had the pleasure of interviewing Ron on a professional basis a number of years ago, and from that point forward we quickly became personal friends. I have known very few Christians who not only talked the talk, but indeed walked the walk to the extent Ron Fender did. He was a selfless servant to his ministry, his community, and his fellow man. Always quick with a smile, he could make you feel truly blessed in numerous ways. He was indeed non-judgmental, caring, and a truly kind soul. We've always been taught that God knows best; but I've often wondered why so many sorry, basically worthless human beings are left alive - and some thrive - while so many jewels like Ron Fender are taken from us way too soon. Rest well, Brother Ron. You've Earned it. Chip Chapman * * * I can only concur with Mr. Souders and my friend Chip Chapman. Brother Ron made a lasting impression on so many and, thank God, one of them was me. He was a true blessing to this city and way beyond as well. Michael Lawrence Brainerd Presbyterian Church, 1624 Jenkins Road, will host the LeFevre Quartet. on Friday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. "The group has been traveling the country for 75 years, singing the gospel message in the southern gospel style. This latest edition of the group, headed by Mike LeFevre sings many up-to-date arrangements and a number of old favorites as well. This highly-professional music group will touch your heart and cause your toes to tap, as well as turn your thoughts to the Lord," officials said. There is no admission charge for the concert, but an offering will be taken to help defray the expenses of the program. The public is invited and encouraged to 'bring all of your friends.' Millions of Chinese are expressing outrage over the fact that beloved "Monkey King" actor Zhang Jinlai has been left out of the national TV gala celebrating the upcoming Lunar New Year. Many have threatened to boycott the most-watched variety show in China, which usually airs on the Lunar New Year's eve. This year it is scheduled for Feb. 7. With 2016 marking the Year of the Monkey according to the Chinese zodiac, many assumed the character would greet the audience during the show. But media reports said Zhang had not even been invited to the show, sparking an overwhelming outcry on Chinese social media in the past week. State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) was under attack by Internet users soon after Zhang posted a photo of himself rehearsing as the Monkey King for CCTV's opera show, instead of the gala show, on his Weibo account. The photo gained more than a million likes within three days, while the Weibo account for the CCTV gala show was flooded with millions of comments and retweets demanding the Monkey King. Many were offensive, sarcastic or rude. "The show belongs to the Chinese people, and the people want him in the show! Our Monkey King is already 56. If he misses this show, we will have to wait 12 years for another Year of the Monkey," one of the most popular comments read. The monkey is the 9th of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the lunar calendar. Early on Friday, CCTV turned off the comment function, deleting the previous posts and triggering another round of online protests through retweets, which cannot be turned off at CCTV's wish. CCTV has not responded to Xinhua's interview requests by phone or via social media platforms. It has yet to address the issue on its Weibo account. CCTV's gala show has been a staple of Lunar New Year celebrations since the 1980s. In recent years, however, younger generations have found alternatives as the show is criticized for not capturing the interest of ordinary people. But it still manages to attract hundreds of millions of viewers every year, making the advertising opportunity before and during the show very attractive to large brands despite hefty prices. Zhang, better known by his stage name "Liu Xiao Ling Tong". He performed during the 2004 gala show during the last Year of the Monkey, but it was a last-minute decision and he had not been invited at the beginning. "I have made no other work plans for the New Year's eve. I can be ready for the show at any minute," Zhang told Xinhua in an exclusive interview, adding that he had received no invitation from CCTV yet. It remains unclear why CCTV did not invite Zhang to the show. Some wonder whether it is because Zhang recently became a Pepsi spokesperson and Pepsi did not sponsor the event. However, such speculation cannot be verified. There are also suspicions that the online outcry was partly a marketing hype that would benefit Zhang and Pepsi, which cannot be confirmed either. But a majority of people interviewed by Xinhua said they would like to see Zhang on stage, because the actor reminds them of their good old days watching the TV series "Journey to the West". The TV series, adapted from a 16th-century novel, first hit the small screen three decades ago, starring Zhang as the "Monkey King". It has been aired more than 3,000 times and is a cornerstone of the nation's pop culture. As one of the four classics of Chinese literature, the novel is a greatly embellished recounting of a real pilgrimage made during the Tang Dynasty (618--907) by Buddhist monk Xuanzang, as he traveled to the "West", which is in fact India, in search of sacred scriptures. With a dragon-prince in the form of a white horse as his steed, Xuanzang is accompanied on his quest by three disciples, Sun Wukong (the Monkey King), Zhu Wuneng (Pigsy) and Sha Wujing (water buffalo). According to the novel, the Monkey King is a hero with many superpowers. Incredibly strong and fast, he is a shape-shifter capable of taking on 72 different forms. He is a great fighter and each of his hairs can be transformed into weapons, animals or other objects. For many Westerners, the TV series was their first encounter with Chinese culture. For many Chinese, Zhang's portrayal of the simian swashbuckler will never be surpassed. Apart from CCTV's opera show, Zhang has been invited to perform at several gala shows hosted by local televisions, but not on New Year's eve. You are here: Home Two former Communist Party of China (CPC) officials from North China's Hebei Province have been expelled due to "serious law and discipline violations," the provincial discipline inspection department said in a statement Saturday. Chen Gui, former party chief of Hengshui City and Hou Zhiyu, deputy head of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Tangshan City, have been expelled from the Party, according to the statement. Chen severely violated the Party's political discipline, and obstructed investigation against him by the party, the statement said. He also took advantage of his post to seek promotions for others and accepted bribes. Hou was expelled on similar grounds, their cases have been transferred to prosecutors. (Reuters) The US presidential elections will officially kick off on Monday with the Iowa caucuses and Americans will finally know whether mogul Donald Trump commands as much Republican support as he claims he has and whether Bernie Sanders can pose a challenge to Hillary Clinton. The Hindu site reported that Trump has a five-point lead over rival Ted Cruz while Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders' numbers are quite close. The latest polls reportedly show that Trump has the support of 28 per cent of probable Iowa caucus-goers, Texas Senator Ted Cruz enjoys the support of 23 per cent while Senator Marco Rubio of Florida has 15 per cent. On the Democrats' side, 45 per cent support Clinton while 42 per cent support Sanders. It should be pointed out that the poll was held between January 26 and 29, before Trump generated controversy by skipping the Republican's Iowa debate and holding his own event that raised funds for veterans. As expected, all the candidates crisscrossed the state in a bid to drum up support and interest before the prelude to 2016 presidential elections kicks off. It was reported that there was the usual drama in Trump's campaign as he had security throw out a small group of protesters. The Iowa caucus is the starting point in a long process that will eventually end with the two political groups finally picking their official nominee. It's interesting to note that the future state of the nation, and the fate of Clinton, Trump et al, rest in the hands of the people of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina as they choose between the party's candidates. This system has been in place for the past 40 years and is admittedly a source of pride for residents of Iowa. Tom Henderson, chairman of Polk County's Democratic Party, told Reuters that Iowans look at it "as a great privilege and a great gift" and said that the residents take the task very seriously. The caucus is set to start on Monday, with the results expected to be out in 2 to 3 hours. Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o... General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged non-communist parties to make greater contribution in accomplishing ambitious development goals in the new year. Chinese President Xi Jinping(3rd R, rear), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee,Yu Zhengsheng(2nd R rear), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Vice PremierZhang Gaoli(4th R, rear) attend a gathering extending Lunar New Year's greetings to all people from non-communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and those without party affiliations, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 29, 2016. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) Xi made the remarks at a gathering Friday in Beijing, extending Lunar New Year's greetings to all people from non-communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and those without party affiliations, an official statement said Saturday. Xi said under the leadership of the CPC, Chinese people have overcome major risks and challenges, and made great achievements in improving national strength in terms of economy, science and technology, defense, and international influence, over the past year. He said he appreciated the work and efforts of the non-communist parties and personages in providing valuable suggestions and ideas, and he expected even greater contributions from them in the new year. Xi called for more consultation between the CPC and non-CPC political parties as one of the key aspects of the consultative democracy with Chinese characteristics. Xi said the whole nation should be united as one in terms of development path, direction and goal, to better carry forward the implementation of the CPC Central Committee's decisions and arrangements. He also encouraged all members to serve the national goals set for the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) for social and economic development and carry out the idea embodying an innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development. Consultative democracy is defined as a democratic pattern led by the CPC that sees all sections of society consulted on major issues before and during policy-making processes. Xi said the non-communist parties and personages can serve as an abundant think tank, and he called for more valuable advice, especially on major and difficult issues concerning economic development and comprehensive deepening reform. He also invited democratic supervision from the non-CPC parties and individuals to ensure the sound performance of significant policies and reform measures. Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli attended the event to mark the Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 8 this year. By Estelle Shirbon LONDON (Reuters) - Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai will seek to inspire world leaders at a conference in London on Thursday to commit $1.4 billion this year to give Syrian refugee children access to education, she told Reuters on Sunday. Heads of state and government and ministers from countries around the world will converge on London for the "Supporting Syria and the region" conference, which aims to raise funds for humanitarian crises caused by the Syrian war. Some 700,000 Syrian children living in refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon and in other Middle Eastern countries are out of school, according to a report issued by the Malala Fund, which campaigns and fundraises for educational causes. "I have met so many Syrian refugee children, they are still in my mind. I can't forget them. The thought that they won't be able to go to school in their whole life is completely shocking and I cannot accept it," Malala said in a telephone interview. "We can still help them, we can still protect them. They are not lost yet. They need schools. They need books. They need teachers. This is the way we can protect the future of Syria." A Pakistani teenage education activist who came to prominence when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head on her school bus in 2012, Malala continued campaigning on the world stage and in 2014 became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner. Now 18, she lives in Britain but devotes much of her time and energy to the cause of education for Syrian refugee children. An accomplished public speaker who brought a United Nations audience to its feet in a celebrated speech in 2013, she hopes to make a powerful impact at the London event. "WE CAN'T WAIT" "I'm hoping to encourage and inspire world leaders to take action. I'm not going to wait. We can't wait. It needs to happen." She will appear at the London conference alongside 17-year-old schoolgirl Muzoon Almellehan, who will be the only young Syrian refugee to address world leaders at the event. "Without education we cannot do anything," Muzoon said on the same call as Malala. She said she was working hard on improving her English so she could complete her schooling in Britain and go to university, but also wanted to dedicate herself with "my sister" Malala to the cause of education for fellow Syrian refugees. The pair first met in 2014 at the sprawling Zaatari refugee camp in the Jordanian desert, and were reunited in December last year when Muzoon was resettled in northern England. "She is the one that I want people to listen to. Her story is so powerful, it's so inspiring. She's going to tell world leaders that these children have a right to an education and they must not ignore it," said Malala. Co-hosted by the United Nations and the governments of Britain, Germany, Norway and Kuwait, the London conference is not limited to education but aims to obtain pledges from countries to meet a range of Syrian humanitarian needs. U.N. agencies are appealing for a total of $7.73 billion to cope with Syria's needs this year and an additional $1.2 billion are required by regional governments for their own plans to deal with the impact of Syria's conflict. In previous years, donor funding has fallen short of U.N. appeals. (Editing by Stephen Powell) By Paul Taylor BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union needs an ambitious grand bargain at its next summit to rescue itself from an accumulation of crises that threaten to blow apart its model of integration. Like children at a birthday party, each leader has to get a going-home present. And as with many children's parties, there may be a tantrum along the way. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is at risk at home from a backlash against a mass influx of Syrian refugees. British Prime Minister David Cameron is trying to win a referendum on staying in the EU and cannot help her due to public hostility to immigration. Nor can French President Francois Hollande, who is struggling for re-election in a country transfixed by the threat from Islamist militants. Berlin, the EU's pivotal power, sees controlling migration as the central priority as it tries to cope with one million asylum seekers who have arrived in the last year. Ideally, EU leaders need to forge a deal on Feb. 18-19 that encompasses effective action to strengthen Europe's external borders and share the refugee burden, and a mutually acceptable solution to Britain's demands to change its membership terms. A comprehensive package would also need to address Italy's political and economic frustrations with the EU, Greece's quest for substantial debt relief, and Poland's wish to see NATO raise its military presence in eastern Europe to deter Russia. "These deals are only possible when countries are in a state of symmetrical despair," said Laszlo Andor, a professor at Brussels' ULB University and former Hungarian EU commissioner. A package deal might yield a more integrated "core Europe", adding an EU border and coast guard and a common asylum policy, and a looser union for countries like Britain that opt to stay outside the 19-nation euro single currency area. A deal seems within reach with London that would formally exempt the UK from the EU goal of "ever closer union", shield its financial sector from being regulated abusively by the euro zone and let it withhold some benefits from new migrant workers if its social welfare system were under great strain. The EU would cease to be a "two-speed Europe", with all 28 members converging at different paces toward the same goal, and become a permanent two-tier or multi-tier construction, possibly with an outer circle of associates such as Turkey and Ukraine. TIPPING POINT While European leaders' despair may not be symmetrical, the refugee crisis is concentrating minds on a threat that could break the union, fan populism and alienate British voters. European Council President Donald Tusk has warned that the EU is close to a tipping point, saying it has only six to eight weeks left to save the Schengen zone of passport-free travel or see national barriers slam shut for the duration. That raises the urgency of a deal with Greece and Italy, the main arrival points for migrants from Turkey and North Africa. Horse-trading to accommodate multiple national interests is a classic technique for advancing European integration and seems designed to break logjams in what Juncker calls a "polycrisis". Rome is blocking an EU aid package for Turkey to help curb the influx of migrants into Europe; Athens stands accused of failing to guard its borders or to register and retain asylum-seekers on its soil; and Warsaw is under scrutiny in Brussels over laws shackling the judiciary and the media. Each of those countries has hinted it is willing to do more to help others if its own interests are taken into account. Merkel is keen to help Cameron win his planned referendum on whether Britain should stay in the EU, but she is increasingly fighting for her own political skin in the refugee crisis. Berlin feels it has received little solidarity from its EU partners, while elsewhere there is a sense that reluctance to share the refugee burden is partly payback for perceived German bullying during the euro zone crisis. Germany and its Dutch, Austrian and Finnish allies are more inclined to use sticks than carrots with Greece. The European Commission this week gave Athens three months to fix "serious deficiencies" in its management of the bloc's external frontiers or face suspension from the Schengen area. That deadline expires just as Greek debt talks are due to start. Domestic headwinds may make it harder for Merkel to use her dwindling political capital to offer concessions to Greece on rescheduling its debt to euro zone countries. Many in Berlin and Brusssels doubt Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras can deliver tighter border controls or keep tens of thousands of migrants penned up in Greece until they can be relocated to reluctant EU countries. Yet the chancellor has voiced understanding for Greece's plight as a frontline state and says she wants a "European solution" to the refugee crisis. No one wants another "Grexit" crisis this year on top of the EU's other woes. If Greek compliance is uncertain, Turkey's cooperation in preventing migrants leaving its shores for Europe in return for 3 billion euros in aid is subject to deep scepticism. The Italians want more EU cash to cope with migrants landing on their own shores and more fiscal leeway from Europe's budget supervisors to stimulate their sluggish economy. Poland is the biggest supplier of migrant labour to Britain. Its foreign minister has hinted it could acquiesce in London's needs to curb in-work benefits for new arrivals if Cameron sends troops to provide a long-term NATO presence on its soil. The makings of trade-offs are easy to see, but in the fraught state of relations among EU leaders, it is a tall order. (Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) Relacionados Un testigo exculpa a la doctora Pinto de acosar al empresario Lopez Madrid RIYADH (Reuters) - Nine Americans are among 33 suspects detained on terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia over the past week, the English-language daily Saudi Gazette reported on Sunday citing an unnamed source. It reported that four Americans were detained on Monday and another five in the following days, along with 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, a United Arab Emirates citizen, a Palestinian and a citizen of Kazakhstan. The American embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Saudi Arabia in 2014 declared Islamic State a terrorist organisation and has detained hundreds of its supporters. The group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria, has staged a series of attacks in the kingdom. On Friday an attack at a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in Saudi Arabia's al-Ahsa district in Eastern Province killed four people and injured 18, the latest in a string of attacks claimed by Sunni jihadists that have left over 50 dead in the past year. The website of the Interior Ministry's militant rehabilitation centre listed four U.S. citizens as having been detained on Jan 25 and four more over the previous three months. It did not yet list any more recent detentions. The Interior Ministry spokesman pointed Reuters towards that website, which gives information on all people detained as militant suspects, but gave no further comment. The ministry on Saturday identified one of the attackers in al-Ahsa as 22-year-old Abdulrahman al-Tuwaijri, a Saudi citizen, who detonated an explosive vest outside the Imam Rida mosque in the Mahasen district of Hofuf in al-Ahsa. A 27-year-old was also arrested wearing an explosive vest and carrying hand grenades after members of the mosque's congregation seized him after he fired shots at them during the attack, the ministry said. Attacks by supporters of Islamic State in Saudi Arabia include two bombings and two mass shootings at Shi'ite mosques. A mosque used by Sunni security services was also bombed The Saudi clergy have denounced the group as "kharijites", an early Islamic sect reviled by Muslims for its extreme ideology. (Reporting By Angus McDowall; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) By Mariam Karouny BEIRUT (Reuters) - The leader of al Qaeda's Syrian wing tried unsuccessfully at a recent meeting to convince rival Islamist factions to merge into one unit, several insurgency sources have told Reuters. Abu Mohamad al-Golani, head of the Nusra Front, even suggested he was willing to change the name of his group if the others, including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham organisation, agreed to the deal, the sources said. But he made clear that Nusra would not cut its ties with al Qaeda, and its allegiance would remain to Ayman al-Zawahri, who took over as leader after U.S. Navy SEALS killed Osama bin Laden in 2011. Much was riding on the outcome of the meeting, which the sources said took place about 10 days ago. Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham are the most powerful groups in northern Syria: when they briefly teamed up with other Islamists last year in an alliance called the Fatah Army, the rebels scored one of their biggest victories by seizing the city of Idlib. Some rebels believed a merger would create a stronger rival to Islamic State and might attract much-needed military support and recognition from regional and international powers. But the leaders left without an agreement, and the sources said the atmosphere was tense, with Nusra blaming Ahrar al-Sham for the failure. A few days later, members of the two groups clashed in the towns of Salqin and Harem in Idlib province, near the border with Turkey. Several fighters were killed on both sides, but other insurgent groups brokered a quick ceasefire. Jihadi sources, including some from Ahrar al-Sham, say it is only a matter of time before another battle between the two erupts. They say the rift between them is getting deeper, although mediation continues. One restraining factor has been an imminent assault by the Syrian army and its allied forces in northwestern Syria. "The situation is charged, the failure of initiatives could cause an explosion," said a jihadi in Idlib who is close to the two groups. "What happened just avoided all-out conflict, all-out battle. But it will be hard to tell what will happen in the future." Outright war between Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham would still further complicate the five-year Syrian conflict, in which rebel groups are mushrooming under different slogans and sometimes fighting each other. A delegation from Syria's main opposition group, the Saudi-backed Higher Negotiation Committee (HNC), arrived in Geneva on Saturday to join United Nations-mediated peace talks, demanding President Bashar al-Assad's government be made to comply with a U.N. resolution on humanitarian aid and human rights. Nusra and Islamic State - designated as terrorists by the U.N. - have been excluded from the Geneva talks, the first attempt in two years to end a war that has killed a quarter of a million people. Ahrar al-Sham, which presents itself as a Syrian nationalist force in contrast to al Qaeda's global jihadist ideology, recently joined the HNC but Russia opposes its participation in the talks. LACK OF TRUST Distrust between Nusra and Ahrar is mutual. Nusra accuses its Islamist rival of being a front for Turkey, addressing not the "interests of Muslims" but the agenda of Ankara in order to be part of a future political deal to rule Syria. Ahrar and other groups are pushing Nusra to cut its ties with al Qaeda as a step towards becoming more fully engaged in the struggle against Assad. "The problem is with the Qaeda link and its ideological implications. Nusra insists on its agenda, it doesn't want to manoeuvre at all," said a frustrated Ahrar commander, accusing it of "damaging the revolution". In the first few weeks after last year's capture of Idlib, the two groups divided responsibilities and territory without problems. But gradually divisions began to surface, as Ahrar and other insurgents became wary of Nusra and accused it of trying to seize power and sidelining them. "Nusra cannot work with others, they have a dominating project, they do not accept the others," said a fighter from Ahrar al-Sham in Idlib via the Internet. Some insurgents are suspicious of Nusra's long-term agenda in the region and globally, distrusting its declaration that it has no ambitions outside Lebanon and Syria. "This declared goal is an interim one. After it wins and establishes itself in Syria, they will move to the next step, which objects to the goal of the revolution," said an Islamist rebel who is allied with Ahrar al-Sham. "They will join the global jihad and this is against our revolution. Our revolution is limited to Syria." NO JEANS On the ground, Nusra imposes strict Islamic rules in villages and towns where it shares power. It has banned women from wearing make-up, showing their hair or wearing tight clothes like jeans, and applied a policy of segregation between the sexes. All these moves have served to assert its dominance, while provoking other groups. "There is no group on the ground that actually objects to having an Islamic government but the implementation and methods are different," said another Islamist fighter from a group that is allied with Ahrar. Highlighting the dilemma facing Syrian rebels, a local commander of an Islamist brigade that works closely with Ahrar al-Sham said: "It will be difficult for Nusra to disengage from Qaeda and it will be difficult for us to work with them. The situation is really difficult. Things are complicated and interlocked all together." Asked how long the groups could avoid hostilities, an Ahrar al-Sham military commander said: "We can avoid fighting with Nusra for now. For how long? That is a difficult question. Only God knows." (Writing by Mariam Karouny; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and David Stamp) By Saif Hameed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United Nations appealed on Sunday for $861 million to help Iraq meet a big funding gap in its 2016 emergency response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the war against Islamic State. Baghdad, whose revenues have fallen as oil prices have plunged, has said it would manage to finance less than half of its $1.56 billion plan to assist 10 million people in need. "With the expanding needs, the allocation through the federal budget will not be sufficient. We expect that the highly prioritised (U.N.) Humanitarian Response Plan will help cover part of the gap," Minister of Migration and Displacement Jassim Mohammed al-Jaff said in a statement. U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Iraq Lise Grande said she expected the crisis in Iraq "to widen and worsen" in coming months. The United Nations expects huge numbers of civilians to flee Mosul when Iraqi forces mount an offensive to retake the northern city from Islamic State, which the authorities have pledged to do this year. "The number of people who need help is going up, the amount of resources is going down and that's why you have a really big gap. What we're trying to do in a very clear way is to prioritise," she told Reuters after launching the appeal in Baghdad. Among the 10 million Iraqis requiring urgent assistance are more than 3.3 million people displaced by the conflict with Islamic State since 2014 and a quarter million people from neighbouring Syria who have fled from their country's nearly five-year-old war, according to the United Nations. Children make up half of the displaced population. The Iraqi government allocated around $850 million last year for efforts to shelter such families and help them return to recaptured areas, but it ended up funding less than 60 percent of that, according to a government report. The U.N. plan said it was only asking for a fraction of the $4.5 billion deemed necessary to meet humanitarian needs in an acknowledgment of security and funding constraints on its operations. "The amount being requested is not commensurate with the overall humanitarian needs in Iraq... (but) accurately reflects the absolute minimum required to help Iraqis survive the crisis," the plan said. Islamic State seized about a third of Iraq's territory in the north and west in 2014, but has slowly been pushed back by Iraqi forces, Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias and Kurdish peshmerga fighters - backed by U.S.-led coalition air strikes. Most of the displaced people, living in makeshift camps, disused buildings and homes in Baghdad, the northern Kurdistan region and other areas, are from Iraq's Sunni minority. Jaff said he expected 200,000 families could return home this year. (Reporting by Saif Hameed, Writing by Stephen Kalin,; Editing by Angus MacSwan) ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - A senior delegation from Iraq's Kurdish north held talks in Baghdad with the government on Sunday, a spokesman said, after weeks of warnings from officials in the autonomous region that it faced an economic collapse. Both Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) rely heavily on oil export revenue and have been hit hard by the global slump in crude prices. Relations between the two sides have been strained in recent years by disputes over the budget and revenue sharing. The delegation led by KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani met with Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and other senior Iraqi government officials. KRG spokesman Safeen Dizayee, who is part of the delegation, said "a wide range of issues, including security, finance, political and military" were on the agenda. Earlier this month, the KRG deputy prime minister said the region was in danger of being drowned by an economic "tsunami". Kurdistan enjoyed an economic boom in the wake of the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, receiving a share of the revenue from Iraq's rising oil exports. But Baghdad cut funding to the region in 2014 after the Kurds built their own pipeline to Turkey and began exporting oil without federal government approval in pursuit of economic independence. The KRG has since increased independent oil sales to more than 600,000 barrels per day (bpd), but with depresses prices and a bloated public payroll is now five months in arrears and deeply in debt. Kurdish Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani warned earlier this month the region was in danger of being drowned by an economic "tsunami" as oil prices dropped below $30 per barrel and said it could harm the war effort against Islamic State. Baghdad has projected a budget deficit of 24 trillion dinars for 2016. (Reporting by Isabel Coles; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) By Laila Bassam and Suleiman Al-Khalidi BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - At least 60 people were killed, including 25 Shi'ite fighters, and dozens wounded on Sunday by a car bomb and two suicide bombers in a district of Damascus where Syria's holiest Shi'ite shrine is located, a monitor said. Sunni fundamentalist Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, according to Amaq, a news agency that supports the group. It said two operations "hit the most important stronghold of Shi'ite militias in Damascus". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the casualties were expected to rise from the suicide attacks in Sayeda Zeinaba, a district of southern Damascus where the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and other Iraqi and Iranian militias have a strong presence. Rami Abdulrahman, head of the British-based Observatory, said the suicide bombers had targeted a military bus carrying Shi'ite militias who were changing guard there. The explosions occurred as representatives of Syria's government and its divided opposition began convening in Geneva for the first U.N.-mediated peace talks in two years. Syrian Ambassador Ibrahim Jaafari, head of the government delegation at Geneva, said the blasts in Damascus just confirmed the link between what the government says are a Saudi-led and funded Islamist "opposition" and terrorism. State television showed footage of burning buildings and wrecked cars in the neighbourhood. Syrian state news agency SANA, quoting an interior ministry source, said a group of militants had detonated a car bomb near a public transport garage in the neighbourhood's Koua Sudan area. Two suicide bombers then blew themselves up nearby as people were being rescued. The authorities put the dead at 45 people. "Bodies were still being pulled from the wreckage," a witness told state news channel Ikhbariyah. The heavily populated area in the south of the city is a site of pilgrimage for Shi'ites from Iran, Lebanon and other parts of the Muslim world. Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halaki was quoted as saying the attacks were prompted by "terror groups" who sought to "raise their morale after a string of defeats" by the army. The United Nations has said it is aiming for six months of talks, first seeking a ceasefire and later working towards a political settlement for Syria. The nearly five-year conflict has killed more than 250,000 people, driven more than 10 million from their homes and drawn in global powers. The Sayeda Zeinab shrine area witnessed heavy clashes in the first few years of the war but has since been secured by the Syrian army and Shi'ite militias led by Hezbollah, which has set up protective roadblocks around it. The shrine houses the grave of the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Taleb, the cousin of Prophet Mohammed, whom Shi'ites consider the rightful successor to the prophet. The dispute over the succession led to the major Sunni-Shi'ite schism in Islam. Iraqi and Iranian Shi'ite militia groups that have volunteered to fight Sunni Islamist radicals in Syria in a conflict that has heavy sectarian overtones often say they are coming to Syria to defend the shrine. Rebels says the area is the first destination of thousands of Shi'ite militias drawn from Iran to Afghanistan alongside neighbouring Iraq where they are based before heading to fight in battlefields across the country. Shi'ite militias from the region led by Hezbollah have played a crucial role in covering the shortfall in manpower faced by Syrian President Assad's overstretched army during nearly five years of conflict. (Reporting by Laila Bassam; Writing by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Catherine Evans) RIYADH (Reuters) - U.S. officials said on Sunday they did not believe nine U.S. citizens were among 33 suspects detained on terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia over the past week, as reported by a Saudi newspaper. The English-language daily Saudi Gazette, citing an unnamed source, on Sunday reported that four Americans were detained last Monday, followed by another five in the following days. Saudi authorities also detained 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, a United Arab Emirates citizen, a Palestinian and a citizen of Kazakhstan, the report said. Six U.S. officials told Reuters that the U.S. government could not confirm that any Americans were among the 33 suspects detained. However, two officials said U.S. authorities were still checking names against databases. Saudi authorities were also investigating the citizenship of those detained, one of the officials said. None of the U.S. officials was authorized to speak publicly, and the U.S. embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Saudi Arabia in 2014 declared Islamic State a terrorist organisation and has detained hundreds of its supporters. The group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria, has staged a series of attacks in the kingdom. On Friday an attack at a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in Saudi Arabia's al-Ahsa district in Eastern Province killed four people and injured 18, the latest in a string of attacks claimed by Sunni jihadists that have left over 50 dead in the past year. The website of the Interior Ministry's militant rehabilitation centre listed four U.S. citizens as having been detained on Jan. 25 and four more over the previous three months. It did not list any more recent detentions. The Interior Ministry spokesman directed Reuters to the website, which gives information on all people detained as militant suspects, but gave no further comment. The ministry on Saturday identified one of the attackers in al-Ahsa as 22-year-old Abdulrahman al-Tuwaijri, a Saudi citizen, who detonated an explosive vest outside the Imam Rida mosque in the Mahasen district of Hofuf in al-Ahsa. A 27-year-old was also arrested wearing an explosive vest and carrying hand grenades when members of the mosque's congregation seized him after he fired shots at them during the attack, the ministry said. Attacks by supporters of Islamic State in Saudi Arabia include two bombings and two mass shootings at Shi'ite mosques. A mosque used by Sunni security services was also bombed The Saudi clergy have denounced the group as "kharijites", an early Islamic sect reviled by Muslims for its extreme ideology. (Reporting by Angus McDowall in Riyadh; additional reporting by Mark Hosenball and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Dan Grebler) PARIS (Reuters) - A stricken cargo ship drifting on its side off the French Atlantic coast will run aground in southwest France if a renewed attempt to tow it to port fails on Monday, a French maritime official said. The 164-metre-long Modern Express, which was transporting 3,600 tonnes of wood along with construction machinery from Gabon to France, has been drifting towards the coast since its crew was evacuated by helicopter last week. Officials believe its cargo may have shifted in heavy seas, causing it to list heavily to one side. The distressed ship was about 100 kilometres from the resort town of Arcachon and would hit the French shore some time between Monday evening and Tuesday evening unless a last salvage effort on Monday is successful, Emmanuel de Oliviera, the head of France's Atlantic coast authority, told reporters on Sunday afternoon. "As of today the sea is stronger than us," he said. "There is still a favourable window tomorrow to try and connect a tugboat." If the salvage fails the ship was expected to hit the coast somewhere in the Landes administrative department, south of Arcachon, he said. High winds and rough seas ruled out towing operations on Sunday, after the failure of a previous attempts this week in which a member of the salvage team was injured. There was still no sign of fuel leaking from the crippled ship but the authorities would escort the vessel to limit any environmental pollution if it ran aground, de Oliviera said. The extreme incline of the ship as well as the difficult sea conditions had so far prevented teams from boarding but calmer weather conditions were forecast for Monday. (Reporting by Gus Trompiz and Emmanuel Jarry; additional reporting by Claude Canellas in Bordeaux; Editing by Andrew Callus) Flash A local court in India's eastern state of West Bengal Saturday sentenced three convicts to death and three others to life imprisonment for the gang-rape and murder of a 21-year-old woman, officials said. "Chief judicial magistrate in Kolkata has granted death sentences to three convicts and handed down life sentences to other three in a case of gang-rape and murder of a college student," a court official in Kolkata said. "The case falls under rarest of rare cases and was a gruesome crime." The young woman was abducted while returning home from her college in 2013. Police said the accused took her inside an isolated compound of a factory at Kamduni village in Paraganas district, about 40 km from capital city Kolkata, and murdered her before committing gang-rape. The court however acquitted two in the case for lack of evidence. Prosecutors said nine men were arrested for the crime, of whom one died of illness last year. The case triggered public anger and massive demonstrations in the state, demanding safety for women. The verdict was pronounced by judge Sanchita Sarkar in a packed court room where the victim's family was also present. Kamduni gang-rape as it was known came months after the fatal gang-rape of a medical student in India's capital city New Delhi in Dec. 2012, which brought spotlight on crimes against women in the country. The incident saw huge protests and resulted in new anti-rape laws in the country. Brutal sexual attacks however, against women continue to be reported across the country. Re: On call during vacation without pay Quote: Muuvaara What I am asking is - where do I stand (1) legally, and (2) Swiss-work-ethically, if I refuse to give my private phone number? Unpaid standby is quite common, at least in IT. I've had it stipulated in the contract - what is stipulated in your contract? The last place, where I ran a large service organisation the deal was that if you were on call you had to be reachable within 30 min, and able to get to the office within 2.5 hours. The company paid for the phone, and my guys got to claim the duration of the call, the travel, and the time in the office as overtime. The guys had a rota system so that there was one person designated on call for each office - their vacation was blocked out of the rota calendar. Ronnie might be on call and phone Bill, who wasn't on call, and ask "Bill, how do I restart the discombobulator?" but I expected them to settle this themselves (and they did - Ronnie eventually pursued a career in the food service industry which is more suited to his skillset). Refusing to give them your private phone number won't go down well, and chances are they already have it. Some companies abuse it, some don't. How often do you get called on the weekend, in the evenings, when you are in a meeting, or on a course? If they aren't already been doing it, then they aren't likely to start. If you are already getting calls in your off time then you need to change things: Document procedures and make sure your people know what to do, and never implement a system (or make a major change) shortly before a vacation, designate a standby decision maker for times when you are not there (as you already have). The company has a legal duty to allow you blocks of holiday time, and it is also in their own interest that your department can continue to function when you are on vacation. Unpaid standby is quite common, at least in IT. I've had it stipulated in the contract - what is stipulated in your contract?The last place, where I ran a large service organisation the deal was that if you were on call you had to be reachable within 30 min, and able to get to the office within 2.5 hours. The company paid for the phone, and my guys got to claim the duration of the call, the travel, and the time in the office as overtime. The guys had a rota system so that there was one person designated on call for each office - their vacation was blocked out of the rota calendar. Ronnie might be on call and phone Bill, who wasn't on call, and ask "Bill, how do I restart the discombobulator?" but I expected them to settle this themselves (and they did - Ronnie eventually pursued a career in the food service industry which is more suited to his skillset).Refusing to give them your private phone number won't go down well, and chances are they already have it.Some companies abuse it, some don't. How often do you get called on the weekend, in the evenings, when you are in a meeting, or on a course? If they aren't already been doing it, then they aren't likely to start.If you are already getting calls in your off time then you need to change things: Document procedures and make sure your people know what to do, and never implement a system (or make a major change) shortly before a vacation, designate a standby decision maker for times when you are not there (as you already have).The company has a legal duty to allow you blocks of holiday time, and it is also in their own interest that your department can continue to function when you are on vacation. __________________ If everyone you know agrees with you consistently, they are either not listening, or not capable of critical thought. Re: Tax Return on Permit B Adding a very late response to this, that might be helpful for others looking this up. You are able to check the percentage of tax you should be paying, either on your annual or monthly pay. As people have said here, it depends on each canton, so you need to look up the canton where you work or where you live (depending on how your employer processes it): in French speaking cantons search for impots a la source + bareme + (name of canton) [and forgive my spelling, the search engine will understand ;-)], in German speaking cantons search for Quellensteuer + [name of canton]. Somewhere on the official site there is usually a document of explanations that includes various pages with all tax brackets. Check what column you fall under (ie single, married, dependent kids, etc) and move down to either your monthly or annual salary. Important: check it is is the correct table for the right year as rates can sometimes change! If you get paid a regular salary, the tax deduction should be the same from month to month; it varies when you have received an additional salary or a bonus or some other taxable payment through your salary; I understand the trend is to adjust any change in tax bracket in that month rather than adjusting all previous months retroactively, which might explain the differences some have posted above (but this part I am not sure of...). Again, a good pointer are the tax tables: control your salary for that month against the tax rate and it should give you a good direction. And on the issue of tax at source vs tax return: I kept living in hope that I could get much more back by filing a tax return. So I had it checked by a tax expert in my canton and he said that I would be CHF200-300 better off by filing a return but that I should consider if the time and hassle would be worth it, so I left it at that. And note also that at least in my canton once you have opted once to file a return you cannot go back to the tax at source system, even if you later notice it is not in your favour. Flash Heads of the AU members and guests pose for a group photo during the 26th AU summit in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, on Jan. 30, 2016. [Xinhua] The 26th AU Heads of State Summit opened on Saturday in Addis Ababa, with a rallying call for unity, tolerance, respect for human rights and improved governance in order to tackle the continent's myriad challenges effectively. Dozens of African leaders and a host of foreign dignitaries including the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, attended the opening ceremony of the summit. The outgoing AU Chairperson, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in his opening remarks stressed that unity is key to help overcome social, political and economic challenges blighting the African continent. "We must speak with one voice as we chart a new chapter on our journey to become self-reliant and free from emerging threats like terrorism, dangerous epidemics and conflicts," Mugabe remarked. The two-day summit will discuss a range of topics including human rights, women empowerment, financing of the continental body, terrorism, conflicts and reforms in the UN security council. Likewise, African leaders and senior policymakers will also discuss progress achieved in the implementation of development projects identified in the Agenda 2063. Mugabe said despite the threat of terrorism and a slump in the commodities market, Africa's socio-economic transformation remained on course thanks to domestic reforms and an improved political climate. "Several AU member states in 2015 conducted fair, transparent and peaceful elections while the outlook for this year is bright. Africa has come of age despite recurrent threats to our common future," Mugabe told leaders. African countries are united in their quest to eradicate terrorism that currently poses a mortal threat to the continent's stability and development. Mugabe regretted that violent extremism has reached crisis levels in the horn of Africa, the Sahel and northern African region hence the need for concerted efforts to stamp it out. "Terrorism is a major scourge in Africa that negatively impact on our quest for peace, security of our people, development and integration," he noted, adding that creation of an African Standby force with deployable capability will embolden the war against terrorism. African governments have prioritized the war against poverty, unemployment, discrimination and environmental degradation in line with the Agenda 2063 aspirations. "We have endorsed an African resource mobilization strategy to help accelerate economic growth and tackle youth unemployment. There is a consensus on the need to tackle challenges like migration and climate change as a united bloc," said Mugabe, adding that strategic cooperation with emerging economies like China and India will advance economic growth, peace and security in Africa. Sustainable development in Africa hinges on institutional reforms, empowerment of women and girls, respect for the rule of law and inclusion. Ban Ki-Moon urged African leaders to promote tolerance, human rights and inclusive development in order to sustain peace and long-term growth. "We must resolutely invest in good governance, women empowerment and human rights as a prerequisite to achieve peace, security and development," said the UN chief. He stressed the unity of African states was crucial to help address the menace of terrorism, poverty, disease and forced migration. "Africa should provide a shining example on potential of unity and tolerance to help tackle challenges facing humanity. The unity you demonstrated during the Ebola crisis was inspiring," he remarked. The AU member states will this year pay special attention to human rights, women empowerment, skills development and industrialization in line with the Agenda 2063 goals. According to AU Commission Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, African countries will dedicate greater efforts to the advancement of human rights alongside speedy implementation of projects identified in the Agenda 2063 so as to hasten their socio-economic transformation. "We must continue to place our people and their basic human rights at the center of Agenda 2063. This include our people's rights to education, nutrition, health, safe water, sanitation and energy,"she said. The ESRF is a French Societe civile and subject to French law. Its direction is the responsibility of the Director General and its Council, made up of representatives appointed by the Member Countries. In matters of science, the Director General draws upon the personal expertise of the members of the Science Advisory Committee As an international leader, the ESRF participates in many local, national, and international partnerships. The facility shares a physical site, called the European Photon and Neutron Science Campus, with the neutron source Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). Together, they have created a hub of excellence that has stimulated co-location of specialist laboratories such as the Institute for Structural Biology, the Partnership for Structural Biology, the Partnership for Soft Condensed Matter and industrial research collaborations. In Grenoble, the ESRF is also member of the GIANT campus and partner of the COMUE (University) Grenoble Alpes. Internationally, as a member of EIROforum, the ESRF works with research institutions across Europe to support the development of the European Research Area and to promote science education. The ESRF-EBS project has been highlighted as an ESFRI landmark in the 2016 ESFRI roadmap. Governance documents As part of the European Union's research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020, the ESRF is set to play a significant role in several major projects that were launched this autumn. The European Cluster of Advanced Laser Light Sources (EUCALL) is a three-year long 7m project designed to foster closer collaboration between major X-ray sources and advanced laser facilities for the benefit of users. The project will be managed by the European XFEL, the X-ray free electron laser in Germany that is due to switch on in 2017, with the ESRF and the Extreme Light Infrastructure in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania playing key roles. The second project is a four-year long, 4.5m effort to develop high-power diamond electronic devices, which could help to reduce the huge energy losses associated with electrical power transmission and transport. The ESRF is one of 14 institutes involved in the "Green Diamond" project, and will play a vital role in characterising the diamond material that will be used by the other partners (www.greendiamond-project.eu). NFFA-EUROPE (12M) sets out to implement the first integrated, distributed research infrastructure as a platform supporting comprehensive user projects for multidisciplinary research at the nanoscale extending from synthesis and nanolithography to nanocharacterization, theoretical modelling and numerical simulation, through a coordinated open-access to complementary facilities. The integration and the extension of scope of existing specialized infrastructures within an excellence network of knowledge and know-how will enable a large number of researchers from diverse disciplines to carry out advanced proposals impacting science and innovation. The full suite of key infrastructures for nanoscience will become, through the NFFA-EUROPE project, accessible to a broader community extended to research actors operating at different levels of the value chain, including SMEs and applied research, that are currently missing the benefits of these enabling technologies. The ESRF is involved in several Joint Research Activities (JRA) and in coordinating the networking activity. Nanoscience foundries & fine analysis (nffa.eu) website. Shropshire A Full-Time position is available for an assistant herdsperson on a family dairy farm in mid Shropshire. We have a 250 dairy herd rearing own replacements together with a b... Fayetteville man sentenced in 2020 strip mall parking lot killing Damarcus Jerome Ray, 22, was sentenced to at least nine years and five months in prison by Cumberland County Judge Claire V. Hill on Oct. 7. Russell Crowe warned Douglas Booth that working with him would be the most "interesting" thing he ever did. Douglas Booth Booth ran into trouble with his 'Noah' co-star because he spent so much time on the set of the blockbuster texting his then-girlfriend, but following the telling off, he now leaves his phone in his trailer. Douglas said: "I was on set in New York and always on my phone texting and I remember Russell coming up to me and saying, 'You're never going to be doing anything more interesting than working with me and [director] Darren Aronofsky. What are you doing on your phone?' "And he was completely right. Now my phone doesn't come on to set so I stay present in every moment." Douglas - who previously dated actress Vanessa Kirby and has also been linked with Taylor Swift, Emma Watson and Cara Delevingne - has just finished filming 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' with Lily James, Matt Smith, Suki Waterhouse and Sam Riley and found working on the comedy a "pleasure". He told Britain's Marie Claire magazine: "Some movies are a slog to get through. "Sometimes you think, Why are we all here? Slogging these long hours, going through hell, but you do it because you're making something wonderful and you're immensely proud at the end. "We all hung out and had a wonderful time. It was a pleasure to go to work every day." John Krasinski reveals that he auditioned for the role of Captain America. John Krasinski The role of Captain America eventually went to Chris Evans, but Krasinski reveals that he had a great time auditioning for the part. Speaking to Digital Spy about the experience, Krasinski said: "The Captain America thing was hilarious... I had so much fun doing it and got to wear the suit and screen-test and sign my life away that I wouldn't tell anyone. Krasinski is great friends with Evans and the actor says that he wants to go head to head with his pal on screen by landing a villain role in a Marvel film. The actor continued: "Chris is a good friend and very good at what he does, so I was so happy to see him do it... Maybe now I need to play a villain and fight Chris... That's what we need to do." Krasinski returns to the big screen this week as he teams up with filmmaker Michael Bay in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. The movie is inspired by real-life events and sees Krasinski star alongside James Badge Dale, Pablo Schreiber, and David Denman. Krasinski has also completed work on The Hollars and is currently lending his voice to animation film to Animal Crackers. The Hollars will see the Krasinski back in the director's chair for the second feature film of his career. As well as being in the director's chair, he will take on the role of John Hollar alongside Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anna Kendrick, Charlie Day, Sharlto Copley, and Richard Jenkins. by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk find me on and follow me on LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Credit Suisse Group AG (CS) and Barclays PLC (BARC.L, BCS) agreed to pay $154.3 million combined to settle allegations by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and New York Attorney General that they misled investors on how they managed their private trading platforms, according to media reports citing people familiar with matter. A news conference is scheduled for Monday. As per the settlement, Credit Suisse reportedly will pay a total of about $85 million-$30 million to each of the SEC and New York Attorney General and $24.3 million in disgorged profits. The reports indicated that Barclays will pay about $70 million to settle charges that include those brought in a high-profile fraud case by the New York Attorney General against Barclays in connection with its dark pools in June 2014. In that case, the New York Attorney General alleged Barclays misled clients about the extent of high-frequency trading in its dark pool, called LX. Barclays is expected to admit it misled investors and violated securities laws. The London-based bank also agreed to install an independent monitor, the reports said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 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. Back to the Roots, an Oakland, California-based food company, raised $5m in seed financing. A $3m portion of the round is being raised through CircleUp. The private and public equity funding round, which will remain open for thirty days through a crowdfunding campaign on CircleUp led by Agency of Trillions, saw participation from previous investors Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS, John Foraker, founder of Annies, and Nicolas Jammet, co-founder of Sweetgreen. The company, which had raised a $2m convertible note in June 2015, intends to use the funds to accelerate product development (10 new products in the pipeline for 2016), expand distribution into retailers and schools, and build the team at its Oakland headquarters. Co-founded in 2009 by Nikhil Arora and Alejandro Velez,Back to the Roots is to commercialize its new breakfast cereals and organic breakfast toppers, and sign an exclusive national partnership with Sodexo to launch in K-12 schools. The company currently sells its products in over 14,000 stores worldwide, including Whole Foods Market, Target, Costco, The Home Depot, Nordstrom, Petco, Cost Plus World Market, Loblaw, Giant Eagle, Wegmans, The Fresh Market, Crate & Barrel, Urban Outfitters, Safeway, Kroger, and Amazon. FinSMEs 30/01/2016 New Delhi: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said government may clarify its stand on Vodafone tax controversy in Parliament at the time of discussion on Finance Bill, 2012. "I cannot respond to any speculative questions. Parliament is in session. If anything is to be clarified, I will (do it) only at Parliament at the time of finance Bill," he told reporters in New Delhi. He was responding to queries on whether the government would waive penalty on Vodafone, which may have to pay tax after Parliament approves amendments to Income-tax, 1961, with retrospective effect. Parliament is scheduled to take up the Finance Bill, which contains tax proposals, next week. The Bill was introduced by Mukherjee in Parliament on 16 March. On the General Anti-Avoidance Rules, proposed in Budget, the minister said he would respond on the issue in Parliament. Vodafone Group CEO Vittorio Colao had called on Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday to discuss issues concerning India's decision to amend the Income Tax Act with retrospective effect and its possible impact on the Rs 11,000 crore tax demand. PTI KV Krishna Rao: July 16, 1923 January 30, 2016 A huge bomb exploded during the Republic Day celebrations in Jammu in 1995. The gathered crowd and dignitaries ran helter-skelter as smoke billowed, shrapnel flew and the blast echoed. Governor KV Krishna Rao, who had been giving his speech, carried right on speaking. He stood erect and unflinching until his wife instructed his Aide-De-Camp to pull him off the rostrum. The no-nonsense, straight-talking General Krishna Rao, who died on 30 January aged 92, was first appointed governor of Jammu and Kashmir in 1989, when armed militancy was first picking up. He tried to boost Chief Minister Farooq Abdullahs morale, for the latter had lost heart. But things went to pieces after militants abducted the daughter of the new Home Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on 8 December. Rao was forced to resign on 18 January, when he was informed that Jagmohan was being appointed in his place. That did not work out, and GC Saxena was brought in on 26 May 1990. With a steady and firm hand, Saxena gradually brought the situation under control over the next couple of years. However, Minister of State for Internal Security Rajesh Pilot was uneasy with the catch-and-kill methods that had been adopted to deal with militants. When the BSF men deployed in Sopore burnt the town down after a rifle was snatched from a bunker at the beginning of 1993, Pilot manouevered to have Krishna Rao replace Saxena. If Pilot or anyone else thought Rao would do their bidding, they were in for a shock. While the entire government was under him during governors rule, until October 1996, his aides used to whisper that the governor only speaks to two people God and the prime minister. Krishna Rao took over at a critical juncture. One, the forces, led by the BSF under Deputy Director General Ashok Patel, had by then crushed most of the militant groups other than the Hizb-ul Mujahideen. Hizb had three advantages: it was largely rural-based, it had a vital network of over-ground support from Jamaat-e-Islami adherents, and it had been Pakistans prime favourite since that country had more or less dumped the JKLF in early 1990. The second important factor was that Pakistan had just begun to send foreign militants mainly the Afghan-dominated Harkat-ul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba from December 1992 on. This substantially pushed up the lethality of militant attacks over the next few years. Raos response was to induct battalion upon battalion of military forces. Patel had infiltrated Kashmiri militant outfits and gathered cutting edge information. Plus, he (and later AS Dulat of IB) made deals with some JKLF and other commanders, often while they were prisoners. Rao preferred to flood the Valley with troops. As Rashtriya Rifles and BSF camps sprang up all over the Valley from 1994, entire villages were rounded up in cordon and search operations. And, the rumps of militant outfits, which had been scattered by Patel and targeted by Hizb, worked as mercenary extensions of these forces. The result was that the state re-established physical control over the Valley but lost the hearts and minds of the people afresh. Since Kashmirs militancy is too often viewed as a continuous blur, the great untold story of 1993 is that many Kashmiris had become alienated from the militancy, and Pakistan. Not only had they realized that it was futile, they missed the basic services and security which the state apparatus used to provide. For, although Srinagar had been brought under control by the winter of 1990, vast rural swathes remained under militant control. Some of these areas suffered at the hands of Jamaat and Ahle-Hadith activists who set themselves up as kangaroo courts. Backed by Hizb guns, those Taliban-like 'judges sometimes had women stripped and beaten and men hung from electric poles. No wonder, many rural Kashmiris complained of being crushed from both sides. 'The forces come by day, militants by night. Both have guns. What can we do, was a common refrain. That was a major factor that led to 20 to 30 per cent of rural voters defying death threats to vote in 1996. Between '97 and '99, however, their complaints became one-sided. As the state gained more control, the forces cruelty alienated people more than ever before with the Special Operations Groups of the state police at the forefront. By the turn of the century, it had become clear that, although Rao had inducted too many troops, the forces were far more cruel under the post-1996 civilian government. A relatively free hand to corruption, in the civil administration and the forces, may have been the key difference. It caused those in authority to view common people as objects to squeeze rather than citizens to serve. Soon, it also became clear that increasing deployment on the ground did not win the proxy war, for Pakistan kept stepping up militant tactics. Militant attacks peaked in 2001. It was only after the Indian Army was deployed along the border in December 2001 that Pakistan brought down militancy in Kashmir. It also became clear that the attitudes of common Kashmiris made the key difference. Krishna Rao introduced the policy of crushing `anti-nationals and winning over good citizens with development. This neat good-bad division does not work. Nor are development and functioning services enough though these are vital. Hope for a stable future affects the overall mood of the people. Once the forces excesses were reined in from 2000, and Atal Behari Vajpayee pushed forward peace processes, Kashmiris became distinctly less hospitably disposed towards militants. It is good that the government has not responded to the current increase in militancy by deploying more troops. Intelligence gathering is being used again for successful encounters. However, this will prove inadequate until common Kashmiris are convinced enough about the prospects of a peace process to stop supporting militants. The government must work purposefully towards this, on the ground. Kolkata: A Kolkata court on Saturday sentenced three convicts to death and awarded life term to three in the infamous Kamduni gangrape case. With the arguments on the quantum of punishment not concluded on Friday, the court on Saturday continued with the hearing before deciding the sentence to the six people convicted in the brutal gangrape and murder of a college student in West Bengal's Kamduni village. The court of additional district and sessions judge Sanchita Sarkar on Thursday convicted Saiful Ali, Ansar Ali and Amin Ali of gangrape and murder. The trio got death penalty. Three other accusedSheikh Emanul Islam, Aminur Islam and Bhola Naskarhave been convicted of gangrape, criminal conspiracy and causing disappearance of evidence and have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Amid tight security arrangements, the proceedings of the day began with the defence counsel pleading that the case did not warrant awarding death penalty. With the counsel yet to conclude their arguments, the court announced it will pronounce the sentencing on Saturday upon conclusion of the arguments. The 20-year-old girl was attacked while she was returning home from college on 7 June 2013. The second-year BA student was forcibly taken inside a factory where she was gangraped and then savagely murdered, sparking widespread outrage across the country. Nine people were arrested and charged for the crime, with the court on Thursday acquitting Rafiqul Islam and Nur Ali while the ninth accused Gopal Naskar died while the trial was on. The residents of Kamduni led by Tumpa Koyal and Moushumi Koyal continue to press with their demand for death penalty for the convicts and also opposed the acquittal of the two accused. Led by the two Koyals and several eminent personalities from the city, many of the friends and relatives of the victim, had floated a platform 'Kamduni Pratibadi Mancha' seeking speedy justice and capital punishment to the guilty. They knocked on the doors of top political and constitutional authorities including the president, demanding the trial be expedited. IANS In the latest developments in the Section 377 issue, the Supreme Court is set to hear a curative petition filed by gay rights activists and Naz Foundation on 2 February. The curative petition is against the apex court's 11 December 2013 judgement upholding the validity of section in the Indian Penal Code and the January 2014 order by which it had dismissed many review petitions. The bench will be headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur and will hear the petition filed for 'curing' the "defects in the judgement," reports IBNLive. Earlier the Delhi High Court in 2009 had repealed the Section 377, however the Supreme Court in 2013 declared that the Delhi Court could not have a say in the matter and that it was up to the Parliament to amend or strike down the law. The battle so far The journey for 'emancipation' has been a long one for the LGBTQI community in India. In the 15 years that the case has caught the public's attention, there have been ups and downs. If there is one good thing that has come from this long drawn battle for basic equality and liberty, it is that homophobia is not celebrated in the Indian mainstream anymore. Actors, activists, politicians have come out in favour of striking down the law. 2 days to go for the SC hearing- Vigils across the country today. Lets raise our voices and demand that the archaic Section 377 be scrapped Neha Poonia (@NehaPoonia) January 31, 2016 The LGBTQI groups have mobilised themselves, hundreds of gay men and women came out to their families, friends and to the world because the personal is political. In light of the awaited verdict on the curative petition, the LGBTQI communities are conducting vigils across the nation, if you want to be a part of them and express your solidarity, follow this list. If the curative petition does not come out in favour of the community, the next recourse would be to pressure the Parliament to strike down the law or amend it. "It is a matter of when and not if. We go to Tuesday with pride, not fear" Gautam Bhan #NoGoingBack to #Section377 pic.twitter.com/IYsdWsTirl delhiqueerpride (@delhiqueerpride) January 31, 2016 Section 377: A history and key highlights This section in Chapter XVI of the IPC was introduced during the colonial rule criminalising any sexual activity 'against the order of Nature'. The law states that those who voluntarily indulge in carnal intercourse against the order of Nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment for life or for a term which may extend to 10 years and also be liable to a fine. According to Rudranee Goswami in her paper, Historical evolution of Section 377 and its location within the LGBT movement in India, the section was written to criminalise, discourage and prevent homosexual relations, especially acts involving penile penetration and "even heterosexual acts such as fellatio and penile penetration maybe a punishable offence." According to Lawyers Collective, the section has become subject to "varied judicial interpretation" over the years. The section initially covered only anal sex, later included oral sex and also covers penile penetration of other "artificial orifices like between the thighs or folded palms" age and consent do not feature in this decree at all, and there is a blanket prohibition "on all penile-non-vaginal sexual acts" under the ambigious term unatural offences. Lawyers Collective, on behalf of Naz Foundation filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court in 2001, challenging the constitutionality of section 377 on the grounds that the draconian law grossly violates the right to privacy, dignity and health under Article 21, equal protection of law and non-discrimination under Articles 14 and 15 and freedom of expression under Article 19 of the Constitution. A notice was issued to Union of India in 2002 and the Attorney General was asked to appear. In 2004, the petition was dismissed by the High Court (citing lack of action). A review petition was then filed against the dismissal, which ironically was dismissed too and then after a Special Leave to Appeal was filed in 2005, a year later the Supreme Court said, "the matter does require consideration and is not of a nature which could have been dismissed on the ground afore-stated." In 2009, the Delhi High Court, much to the relief of the LGBTQI community passed a judgement that Section 377 indeed was violative of Articles 21, 14 and 15 of the Constitution as it criminalised the consensual sexual acts of adults in private. Before India could take its first steps towards progress, the Supreme Court quashed Delhi High Court judgement in 2013 and declared that it was a judicial overreach and that it was not "for courts to create the law" said the two-judge bench headed by Justice GS Singhvi. The Supreme Court backed out, but passed the ball to the Parliament to review a law that considered private sexual activity criminal. According to News Laundry, Shashi Tharoor used social media to raise awareness and sign petitions and introduced a private bill that sought to allow adults to have consensual non-vaginal sexual intercourse, but it was almost immediately rejected without being introduced. Striking down Section 377 Naz Foundation in its petitions and documents has maintained that this section is dangerous to a community because the law sought to criminalise someone's sexual identity and expression, putting them at the risk of extortion, blackmail and harassment. Since the law condemns them as "criminals", they have no legal recourse but only stigma and prejudice. Many homosexual men with HIV do not get tested because of fear of discrimination and prosecution. "the recent prosecutorial use of Section 377 IPC, the same is detrimental to peoples lives and an impediment to public health due to its direct impact on the lives of homosexuals; that the section serves as a weapon for police abuse in the form of detention, questioning, extortion, harassment, forced sex, payment of hush money; that the section perpetuates negative and discriminatory beliefs towards same sex relations and sexual minorities in general; and that as a result of that it drives gay men and MSM and sexual minorities generally underground which cripples HIV/AIDS prevention methods." (Suresh Kumar Koushal vs NAZ Foundation, read more at the end of this article) A 'curative' petition The constitution of India guarantees appeals to judgements passed by courts and also apex court through Article 136 of the Constitution of India, 1950. The Supreme Court in its discretion may grant "special leave to appeal from any judgment, decree, determination, sentence or order in any case or matter passed or made by any Court or tribunal in the territory of India except the Court or tribunal constituted by or under any law relating to armed forces." According to the The Supreme Court of India Handbook, the curative petition came into being after a 2002 case, Rupa Ashok Hurra vs Ashok Hurra and Anr. where after the dismissal of a review petition, the Supreme Court may entertain a curative petition and reconsider its judgement/order in order to "cure gross miscarriage of justice", but to prevent the abuse of its process, it can only be filed if a Senior advocate certifies that its meets the requirements. The petition is circulated in chambers, and not in open court, before a bench (comprising three senior most judges and judges which served the previous order/judgement). In the Hurra case, the bench held that a judgement passed by the apex court could not be attacked by an aggreived party, but recognised the need for flexibility and substantive justice so a concept 'curative petition' was evolved. Previously, Yakub Memon's lawyers had sought to use the curative petition, however, it was dismissed by by a bench of Chief Justice of India HL Dattu, Justice TS Thakur and Justice AR Dave on 21 July 2015, as reported by Hindustan Times. The Supreme Court quashed BJP's Subramanian Swamy's curative petition against then Finance Minister P Chidambaram's role in the 2G scam. Sanjay Dutt had also used a curative petition to review the court's verdict on the 1993 blasts case, however, the Supreme Court did not entertain it, reports NDTV. According to Daily Mail, the Supreme Court did allow a curative petition against a 2009 judgement which held that if a woman kicked her daughter-in-law or threatened her with divorce it would not amount to cruelty under section 498A of the Indian Penal Code. In 2010, the Supreme court corrected a verdict which led to the wrongful detention of four-accused in a 21-year-old murder case. The Indian Express reports that a 'curative petition' be "rare than regular, and be entertained with circumspection." Doc Hyderabad: The acting Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad Central University M Periasamy on Sunday said the students who are agitating in the wake of suicide by Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula had agreed to allow the classes and administrative activities to resume normally from Monday. The varsity has been roiling with agitation ever since Vemula's suicide on 17 January. The students, however, said final decision would be taken at the meeting of the Joint Action Committee for Social Justice (which is heading the agitation) this evening. "We had a meeting with student (JAC) representatives. They agreed to allow regular functioning from tomorrow. This is a conditional agreement," Periasamy told PTI. "They wanted that some of the individuals involved in this punishment (suspension of Vemula and four others over alleged assault on an ABVP leader) should not be in the decision-making body or the administration, and all the SC/ST faculty members who have quit the administrative duties should resume their duties. We agreed to that," he said. A JAC member said the students were not against the resumption of classes but they would take decision at a meeting of JAC in the evening. The in-charge VC said he would request the SC/ST faculty members to take up their administrative duties once again. As demanded by the JAC, some staff members would be taken off administrative duties, he added. PTI New Delhi: Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Sunday contended his remarks in Goa on Saturday had been "completely misunderstood" and misinterpreted but the comments he made at a conference indicated that he was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without naming him. At a panel discussion in the 'Difficult Dialogues' conference in Dona Paula on Saturday, Sinha was quoted as having said: "The people of India will consign him to the dust, you just have to wait for the next elections", without naming Modi. Sinha today denied that he made any reference to Modi. "It is complete misinterpretation. Anyone who has reported this, has completely misunderstood what I have said," he said. During the discussion, Sinha was asked about the present day culture of "I, me, myself" and what was the use for dialogue in such case. The former minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government replied that elected representatives including to Parliament and Assemblies have to continuously go back to the people who elect them. Sinha then referred to the Emergency of 1975 and said the country knew what happened to the "most concerted effort in our country to still the voice of dissent". "We all know how the people of India reacted. So, there would be aberrations here, aberrations there, we might be very concerned about the present situation because some of these things according to us are taking place. "But the great Indian society will take care of it and will consign to the dust those who do not believe in dialogue in India. The people of India will consign him to the dust, you just have to wait for the next elections," Sinha said yesterday. Today, he said the reference to Emergency has nothing to do with the present government. PTI (corrects first name of Syrian envoy to Bashar from Ibrahim para 6) By Laila Bassam and Suleiman Al-Khalidi BEIRUT/AMMAN At least 60 people were killed, including 25 Shi'ite fighters, and dozens wounded on Sunday by a car bomb and two suicide bombers in a district of Damascus where Syria's holiest Shi'ite shrine is located, a monitor said. Sunni fundamentalist Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, according to Amaq, a news agency that supports the group. It said two operations "hit the most important stronghold of Shi'ite militias in Damascus". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the casualties were expected to rise from the suicide attacks in Sayeda Zeinaba, a district of southern Damascus where the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and other Iraqi and Iranian militias have a strong presence. Rami Abdulrahman, head of the British-based Observatory, said the suicide bombers had targeted a military bus carrying Shi'ite militias who were changing guard there. The explosions occurred as representatives of Syria's government and its divided opposition began convening in Geneva for the first U.N.-mediated peace talks in two years. Syrian Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, head of the government delegation at Geneva, said the blasts in Damascus just confirmed the link between what the government says are a Saudi-led and funded Islamist "opposition" and terrorism. State television showed footage of burning buildings and wrecked cars in the neighbourhood. Syrian state news agency SANA, quoting an interior ministry source, said a group of militants had detonated a car bomb near a public transport garage in the neighborhood's Koua Sudan area. Two suicide bombers then blew themselves up nearby as people were being rescued. The authorities put the dead at 45 people. "Bodies were still being pulled from the wreckage," a witness told state news channel Ikhbariyah. The heavily populated area in the south of the city is a site of pilgrimage for Shi'ites from Iran, Lebanon and other parts of the Muslim world. Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halaki was quoted as saying the attacks were prompted by "terror groups" who sought to "raise their morale after a string of defeats" by the army. The United Nations has said it is aiming for six months of talks, first seeking a ceasefire and later working toward a political settlement for Syria. The nearly five-year conflict has killed more than 250,000 people, driven more than 10 million from their homes and drawn in global powers. The Sayeda Zeinab shrine area witnessed heavy clashes in the first few years of the war but has since been secured by the Syrian army and Shi'ite militias led by Hezbollah, which has set up protective roadblocks around it. The shrine houses the grave of the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Taleb, the cousin of Prophet Mohammed, whom Shi'ites consider the rightful successor to the prophet. The dispute over the succession led to the major Sunni-Shi'ite schism in Islam. Iraqi and Iranian Shi'ite militia groups that have volunteered to fight Sunni Islamist radicals in Syria in a conflict that has heavy sectarian overtones often say they are coming to Syria to defend the shrine. Rebels says the area is the first destination of thousands of Shi'ite militias drawn from Iran to Afghanistan alongside neighbouring Iraq where they are based before heading to fight in battlefields across the country. Shi'ite militias from the region led by Hezbollah have played a crucial role in covering the shortfall in manpower faced by Syrian President Assad's overstretched army during nearly five years of conflict. (Reporting by Laila Bassam; Writing by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Catherine Evans) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Melbourne: An Indian-origin Fijian who is Australia's most wanted Islamic State terror recruiter has reportedly been killed in Syria, according to media reports today. The report of Neil Prakash's death, a Melbourne-born radical, was posted on secure communications app Telegram, quoting an IS member. The IS claim Prakash, also known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, has been "shahada" - the terror group's description when a fighter is killed. No details have yet emerged of how or where he reportedly died, Herald Sun reported. The terrorist, who allegedly had contact with some of those accused of plotting an Anzac Day terror attack in Victoria, flew to Syria in 2013, the report said. Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that commemorates those who served and died in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. Until recently Prakash had used social media to groom potential terror recruits, but was forced to change his communication methods because of concerns he would be tracked by countries fighting IS. Federal Government and police sources were last night unable to confirm Prakash's death, which would hurt the terror group's international recruitment efforts, the report said. However, one Government source has admitted that Prakash had "gone quiet" recently on his usual communication platforms. Reports of Prakash's death have been communicated within IS groups. If Prakash's death is eventually confirmed by anti-terror agencies, it would be likely to lead to an increase in security measures, with the Australian believed to have local supporters and sympathisers, the report said. Australian police last year issued a warrant for his arrest. PTI ANKARA Turkey warned of consequences on Saturday after saying a Russian SU-34 jet had violated its airspace despite warnings, once more stoking tensions between two countries involved in Syria's war, but Russia denied that there had been any incursion. In a similar incident in November, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane flying a sortie over Syria that it said had violated its airspace, triggering a diplomatic rupture in which Russia imposed economic sanctions. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov denied that any Russian plane had entered Turkish airspace, and called the Turkish allegation "pure propaganda". He said Turkish radar installations were not capable of identifying a particular aircraft or its type or nationality, and that no verbal warning had been issued in either English or Russian. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in its statement that the Russian ambassador had been summoned late on Friday, and that the violation was a clear sign that Russia wanted issues between the two countries to escalate. "We are making a clear call to the Russian Federation not to violate Turkish airspace, which is also NATO airspace," the statement said. "We are emphasising once again that the unwanted consequences of such irresponsible behaviour will belong fully to the Russian Federation." NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the violation had taken place, and urged Russia to "take all necessary measures" to ensure NATO airspace was not violated again. "Previous incidents have shown how dangerous such behaviour is," his statement said. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after the incident. "I told our Foreign Ministry to convey my desire to meet Mr Putin personally. There has been no answer on this yet," Erdogan told reporters at the airport before departing for a visit to Latin America. The downing of the Russian warplane in November left relations between the two countries in tatters. Russia responded with economic sanctions that have hit Turkish exports and tourism revenues. (Additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Maria Tsvetkova in Moscow; Editing by Kevin Liffey) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. 2000 - 2022 24 .- . focus-news.net, () . 24 . 24 . . 24 . Weve known so far that Samsung will be debuting the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge sometime during MWC next month in Barcelona, Spain. The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge will be announced at a separate event on February 21st which happens just a day before the MWC kick off between 22nd 25th. Samsungs invite is the one that provides us information about the launch. The invite has the usual box sort of a teaser that is in usual Samsung fashion. [HTML1] They have used #TheNextGalaxy on the invite as well and should remain the hashtag they continue to use to promote and tease the device up until the announcement and possibly even after. Earlier rumours indicated that Samsung would announce the S7 and S7 edge much before MWC but that isnt the case here. But what is surprising is that they will be releasing the devices supposedly on March 11th which is less than 3 weeks after the announcement. The upcoming Galaxy S7 and S7 edge is expected to build on the positives of the S6 and S6 edge/edge+ and improve on the shortcomings. They might pack microSD card slots, waterproofing abilities and larger batteries judging by the rumours and photos so far. There will not be an edge+ variant this year since the default S7 edge model will be a 5.5 one while the regular S7 will be a 5.1 model. The 5.7 screen size will most likely be reserved for the Note6 which will be launched later in the year. Source | Via Beware an "Eyes Only" Site Stories All About Alaska and More... Contact the Ghost of Spam McGee We All Tweet in a Twitter Submarine: @AlaskaChinook E-mail: doctorv.roomvroom@gmail.com (CopyRight Protected) [ 47 U.S.C. 230 ] ~ This Machine KILLS Fascists ~ Solidarity National Anthem "This Land Is Your Land" Sony has just released new OTG drives with USB Type-C connectors. The new drives will fall under the USB CA1 series from Sony. Since USB Type-C uses the same port on smartphones, tablets, PCs, laptops etc, it becomes much easier for data transfer. The drives also supports USB 3.1 Gen1 which allows for data transfer speeds (read) of upto 130MB/s. Additionally, it has a USB Type-A connector for wider compatibility. The drives have a sleek metal design with a silver matte finish. Each drives weighs around 5 grams without the silicon sleeve. They come with protective cases which also feature lanyard eyelets and in 16, 32 and 64GB capacities as well. They will become available for purchase starting from February 2016 however, no details regarding the pricing has been revealed yet. Source Billionaire-watching is a fast-growing sport among individual investors looking to hone their investing savvy. There are sites and feeds devoted to divining the latest moves made by some of the biggest names in investing as more and more individuals look to learn from the investments made by the greats. Sometimes, watching the big names can lead us to intriguing investments that we might have otherwise overlooked. But sometimes, the companies that have big positions in the great investors' portfolios aren't necessarily great buys for the rest of us. Here's a look at three very well-known companies that are big holdings in some high-profile portfolios -- with our Foolish takes on whether they're good investments for the non-billionaires among us. Evan Niu, CFA In November, David Einhorn's Greenlight Capital disclosed a new position in Garmin GRMN 0.69% ) In November, David Einhorn's Greenlight Capital disclosed a new position in. The fund picked up a total of 625,000 shares, representing a fairly modest position, at just 0.4% of the total portfolio's weight. The fund has not yet released a shareholder letter to discuss the investment thesis, nor has Einhorn made a flashy presentation at any investment conference, as of this writing. Still, I find this pick a little odd, since Garmin has many headwinds going forward. The company's core auto segment continues to decline expectedly (down 14% last quarter), as does its outdoor business (down 5% last quarter). Meanwhile, gross margins are also compressing, in part due to a shift in geographical revenue mix and the strengthening U.S. dollar. The company also says the aviation industry is weak, although Garmin's aviation segment is a relatively smaller part of the business. The only silver lining is growth in the fitness category, bringing up $143.2 million last quarter (up 23%). The activity tracker market is indeed young and growing, and Garmin wants a piece of the action. But it's also going up against market leader Fitbit, which utterly dominates the fitness tracker market right now. Additionally, full-featured smartwatches should soon begin to cannibalize fitness trackers, and it's unclear whether Garmin's vivoactive smartwatch can hold its own. Of course, Greenlight Capital takes a value-oriented approach and prefers "misunderstood companies at low valuations relative to their underlying assets and future cash flows," and Einhorn has a strong track record of bargain-hunting. In my opinion, though, there's not a lot to love about Garmin. Brian Feroldi It's been a rough couple of years to be a shareholder of IBM (IBM 3.82%). For 15 quarters in a row, Big Blue has reported declining sales, causing shares to wane. IBM's stock has shed more than 40% of its value since reaching its peak in 2013, leaving many investors to wonder what it's going to take to get this growth story back on track. Despite the stream of disappointing results, IBM has made a believer of at least one billionaire: Warren Buffett. Buffett has turned Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.14%) (BRK.B -0.26%) into the largest shareholder of IBM, as Berkshire currently owns more than 8% of IBM's shares outstanding. Unfortunately, Buffett's ringing endorsement of the company's shares -- and its management team -- has done little for shareholders who followed him into the stock. IBM's recent results continue to show that the company is struggling. Revenue declined by 9%, while earnings dropped by an even steeper 17%. Currencies continue to wreak havoc on the company's financial statements, but even after adjusting for them, the company's total revenue continues to fall as businesses everywhere shift away from IBM's legacy enterprise systems and toward cloud and data centers. While IBM is pushing hard into the cloud and having a lot of success, it hasn't been enough to stem the declines elsewhere. 2016 looks to be more of the same as its management team is forecasting that earnings will fall another 9.5% from here. I'll admit that when Buffett put his seal of approval on IBM's stock, I become a believer, but the company's results have been tough to swallow. While its P/E of 9 and a dividend yield approaching 4% will likely mute any more downside, without any revenue or profit growth coming, it's hard for me to see how this company becomes a market-beater from here. John Rosevear It might be hard to see what Buffett and the Berkshire Hathaway team see in IBM. But if you haven't been paying close attention to developments in Detroit over the last couple of years, it might be even harder to see what they like about General Motors (GM 1.04%) -- a company lots of Americans seem to love to hate. As of the end of the third quarter, Berkshire held a nice, round 50 million shares of the General, making it GM's fifth-largest shareholder. That might seem strange, but speaking as someone who gets paid to watch GM and its rivals, it's no surprise to me that Berkshire has put a big bet on the General and its savvy CEO, Mary Barra. Under Barra (and her now-retired predecessor, Dan Akerson), GM has moved a long way from the company that crashed into bankruptcy court in early 2009. It's not just that GM is solidly profitable, or that its product-quality ratings are now on par with the best of the Japanese brands (yes, really) -- it's that Barra and her team have adopted management approaches that seem to be taken right out of Buffett's playbook. For decades, GM's biggest measure of its own success was sales volume. That led past management teams to some dubious decisions, like dumping cars onto rental-car fleets at deeply discounted prices. Under Barra, GM measures its results using positively Buffettesque metrics like "return on invested capital." If a product or a business line isn't generating a good return, Barra won't hesitate to shut it down and put that capital to work elsewhere, without any worry about its effect on GM's place in the global sales race. She has done exactly that more than once -- perhaps most notably, in withdrawing GM from the troubled Russian market. While other old-line automakers are scrambling to respond to the threat of disruption from high-tech upstarts. Barra and her second-in-command, GM president (and Morgan Stanley veteran) Dan Ammann, have been taking bold action. GM's $500 million investment in Lyft and its surprisingly competitive new electric Chevrolet Bolt EV are just the most visible recent signs of yet another major shift in the thinking at America's largest automaker. Simply put, in the last few years, GM has turned into an extremely well-managed and disciplined leader in a very tough business. That's clearly what Buffett, who loves well-managed but understandable basic businesses, sees in GM. But what about the rest of us? On one hand, automakers are cyclical businesses, meaning their profits and share prices tend to rise and fall with economic cycles. GM has a massive global presence, but it still earns the bulk of its profits here in the United States -- and there are good reasons to think new-vehicle sales in the U.S. are close to peaking. But on the other hand, GM has a very strong balance sheet that will allow it to ride out a downturn without worry, it pays a solid dividend (with a yield close to 5% as I write this), and it has a sharp and future-oriented management team that is focused on delivering good returns to shareholders. Buffett thinks that adds up to a winning long-term investment, and I agree. When it comes to hot-button issues, there's perhaps none bigger than marijuana. The case for legalization Viewed just two decades prior as a drug with minimal public appeal, marijuana is now viewed favorably by respondents (albeit by a slim margin) in pretty much all national polls. When examining just the concept of medical marijuana, favorability jumps considerably higher, as evidenced by a number of independent polls in swing states. Since California first legalized medical marijuana in 1996, 22 additional states have joined in, allowing certain patients with terminal, serious, and/or chronic illnesses access to cannabis. Beginning in 2012, residents of Washington state and Colorado voted to approve a recreational marijuana initiative. These states have since been followed by Oregon and Alaska in 2014, and the upcoming election in 2016 could feature between a half-dozen and a dozen states voting on whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana. When it comes to legalization for consumers, the reason behind their support often varies. Some want access to marijuana's potential therapeutic benefits, whereas others simply want the federal government out of their business. The reasoning for states, though, is crystal clear: money. Legalizing marijuana offers a new avenue of revenue for states that doesn't involve increasing taxes on all residents. The only parties taxed are those who want to grow, process, sell, or buy marijuana. Marijuana tax revenue isn't going to be a game-changer by any means in terms of narrowing large budget deficits -- NerdWallet has suggested nationwide legalization would result in $3.1 billion in tax revenue generation per year -- but it does provide certain facets of state-level budgets, such as education and law enforcement, with much needed capital. Colorado's marijuana industry generates big numbers Since Colorado was the first state to officially sell recreational marijuana (recreational sales in Washington didn't kick off until the summer of 2014), it's often the go-to state to analyze in terms of growth and feasibility. With one month still left to be reported for fiscal 2015, it's looking very likely that Colorado will deliver substantial year-over-year sales and tax revenue growth. First, based on the latest data from November provided by the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (CMED), medical marijuana and retail marijuana sales are on pace to total more than $900 million in 2015. For some context, pot sales in 2014 for Colorado totaled just $573 million, meaning we're on pace to see well over 50% year-over-year growth. What's truly remarkable about Colorado's rapid growth is that legalization within the state is still very mixed. Even though residents of the state voted to legalize recreational marijuana in November 2012, it was still up to each individual jurisdiction to decide whether or not to allow retailers to set up shop. Around three-quarters of all Colorado jurisdictions sent marijuana retailers back from whence they came, so we're talking about potentially $900 million-plus in sales from just a handful of cities. The other big number, also based on CMED data through November 2015, is that Colorado looks to be on pace for more than $80 million in tax revenue in 2015. CMED data from the entirety of 2014 showed tax revenue of $52.6 million. Through November 2015, CMED data shows $72 million has been collected. Colorado actually has four ways of generating revenue from marijuana: The state imposes a 15% marijuana excise tax on the transfer of wholesale cannabis, which is primarily designed to go toward education. It tacks on a special 10% retail marijuana sales tax, some of which goes back to participating communities and local governments. It has a standard 2.9% sales tax imposed when a medical or recreational consumer buys the product. It collects licensing and application fees associated with processing marijuana, growing marijuana, or operating a marijuana business. Proposition BB wound up giving Colorado schools around $40 million in tax revenue generated in 2014, so schools could wind up getting in the neighborhood of $60 million when the next state budget is drawn up. It's also worth noting that the bulk of growth has come from the retail side of the equation. Based on revenue collected from the standard 2.9% tax, medical marijuana tax revenue jumped 16% through the first 11 months of 2015, compared to a 76.2% increase in retail marijuana tax revenue. Colorado's success doesn't guarantee success for the industry The success in Colorado certainly bodes well for other recreational legal states, such as Washington and Oregon, and it gives other states considering recreational marijuana in 2016 all the more reason to get an initiative or referendum on the ballot. But, here's what's really interesting: Marijuana's expansion into new markets still may not mean a big degree of success for marijuana businesses as a whole. Why? Primarily because the federal government continues to hold firm to its position of classifying marijuana as a schedule 1 drug. As a schedule 1 drug, marijuana is deemed to be illicit and have no medical benefits. Lawmakers are in no rush to consider changing marijuana's scheduling until they have an opportunity to get a more encompassing view of its safety profile -- both the good and the bad. This inaction is a big problem for marijuana businesses. Without legalization at the federal level, marijuana businesses are unable to take normal business deductions off their gross profits, meaning they're paying more in taxes than they should be, and many have limited access to basic banking services, such as a line of credit, or even a checking account. No banking access makes paying employees in anything other than cash nearly impossible, and it also makes security a big concern. So, what does that mean for you? It could mean legal marijuana is coming to your state or a state near you soon, but it doesn't appear to suggest marijuana is in any way worthy as an investment at this time. If the federal government changes its tune in the future, then marijuana stocks may turn out to be viable investment opportunities. In the meantime, they remain very high-risk investments, with the long-term survival of marijuana businesses simply not guaranteed. PepsiCo (PEP -0.41%) rewarded investors last year with a stock that climbed more than 5%, compared with a decline in the broader market. The soda and snack giant also continued its 42-year legacy of dividend increases. With a stock price of around $97 today, PepsiCo offers investors an annual dividend yield of 2.93%, which is above the industry average yield of 1.98%. Throw in Pepsi's history of superior shareholder returns and we have all the markings of a Wall Street darling. However, with public markets on shaky ground and soda sales declining at a steady clip, 2016 could prove a challenging year for the soda and snack conglomerate. Let's take a closer look at the factors working against Pepsi in the year ahead. A pricey starting point If you were thinking about scooping up shares of PepsiCo in 2016, you may want to hold off. The stock looks pricey today, with shares trading just 5% below the stock's 52-week high. On top of that, Pepsi's price-to-earnings growth ratio of 4.93 is one of the highest in the industry. Much of Pepsi's growth potential is already priced into the stock. Nonetheless, valuation is only part of the story. Investors should keep an eye on currency risks as well. Pepsi is especially vulnerable to this given its position as a multinational conglomerate. The company generates nearly 50% of its annual net revenue outside the United States. This situation puts Pepsi at additional risk to foreign exchange rates. In fact, it's already having a negative impact on Pepsi's net revenue. For example, a 12% impact of unfavorable foreign exchange caused Pepsi to post a 5% decline in net revenue for its recent third quarter, down from what otherwise would have been a 7.4% rise in revenue in the period. These risks will only increase in the year ahead as Pepsi continues to grow its footprint in foreign and emerging markets. Regulators crack down on soft drinks Soda sales have been declining for years now, as consumers opt for healthier options such as flavor-packed carbonated water. However, new regulations could make things worse for soda giants such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola (KO -1.27%). The U.S. government kicked off 2016 by introducing new health guidelines that strongly recommend Americans reduce their consumption of sodas and snacks containing high-fructose sugars. This news could negatively affect soda companies, particularly as soda volumes already declined more than 2% last year, according to Nielsen. On the face of it, this seems like it would be a bigger problem for Coca-Cola. After all, Coke is the largest beverage company in the world. Moreover, sales of Coke's regular size cans of soda accounted for as much as 85% of Coke's U.S. sales last year. Pepsi, on the other hand, generates half of its net revenue from its Frito-Lay snack portfolio of brands. In one sense, this helps diversify Pepsi's portfolio and offset some of the losses from declines in soda consumption. However, unhealthy snacks are also under attack from regulators these days. The culprits of poor health -- sugar, saturated fat, and sodium -- are some of the main ingredients in Pepsi's most popular snack brands. including Cheetos, Doritos, Fritos, and Lay's potato chips. Going forward, Pepsi should continue investing in its "good for you brands" to help the company get ahead of shifting consumer preferences to healthier snacking. Pepsi's portfolio of "good for you brands" is currently its smallest overall, with just four standout names covering both beverages and snack foods, including Sabra hummus, Tropicana, Naked juice, and Quaker. Down but not out The year ahead will no doubt be a challenging one for Pepsi, particularly given the stock's already inflated valuation. However, it won't be Pepsi's worst year. I want to be clear: Pepsi is a solid long-term play. The company has plenty going for it, including strong brand equity, cash flow generation, and a history of putting shareholders first through reliable dividend growth and share buybacks. Therefore, investors with a time horizon that extends beyond 2016 shouldn't worry. Although Jack Daniel's maker Brown-Forman (BF.B -0.63%) and distiller Sazerac had locked horns in court over their competing cinnamon-flavored whiskey brands, that apparently didn't preclude them from laying aside their differences for a while to consummate a deal. In fact, it may have helped spur it. Brown-Forman is selling to Sazerac for $544 million two liqueurs: the once popular Southern Comfort and the lesser known Tuaca. The sale is part of Brown-Forman's effort to focus more closely on its "highest strategic priorities," mostly its Jack Daniel's family of brands but also its Woodford Reserve, the super- and ultra-premium whiskey label. But it also reflects the failure of the distiller in being able to gain any traction for the Southern Comfort brand. It had launched a big marketing campaign around it, but volumes still fell. While it has a purportedly storied past, one that includes having been the drink of choice of legendary blues artist Janis Joplin, net sales of the liqueur have been steadily falling, down 7% over the first six months of the current fiscal year and 4% lower in fiscal year 2015. In comparison, Brown-Forman's Jack Daniel's family of brands grew 7% year over year in the first half of FY 2016, and its Fireball cinnamon-flavored whiskey is up 14% from last year over the same period. There's a reason for that. Flavored whiskies are hot right now, accounting for 12% of all whiskey sales, and none is hotter than cinnamon-flavored spirits, which saw sales double in 2014 and continued to push revenues for distillers higher in 2015. According to various state alcohol control boards, whiskey has become the best-selling spirit, surpassing vodka, driven higher by flavored whiskey sales like those for the cinnamon concoction. Sazerac's Fireball, in fact, was tops in states like Pennsylvania, where sales surged 88%, far outpacing the 27% gains seen in the broader flavored-whiskey category, and it outsold Brown-Forman's Fire cinnamon whiskey 10-to-1. In Iowa, Fireball was fourth overall, while Fire was 97th. The competition between the two cinnamon-flavored whiskey brands landed in court last year after Sazerac accused Brown-Forman of buying search engine keywords to confuse consumers looking for its Fireball whiskey. Instead of the Sazerac brand, they'd end up landing on Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire page. But Sazerac quietly dropped its lawsuit against its rival late last month without offering an explanation for the decision. Considering just a few weeks later it was buying the Southern Comfort brand, perhaps the two are related. Brown-Forman began unloading the brand last year, and The Wall Street Journal reports Sazerac's president, Marc Brown, was conciliatory in purchasing the spirit, noting its rival had "done an excellent job of building" the brand, though the company's chairman told Shanken News Daily that Sazerac can do better now that it owns it. "One key reason why Southern Comfort has struggled is that it's been losing share to Fireball," he said. With half of Southern Comfort's sales generated internationally, Sazerac has an opportunity to expand its own global brand portfolio, which also just added flavored Scandinavian spirit Aquavit last week. Last quarter SoCo enjoyed surprising strength in Germany and South Africa, though volumes fell in the U.K. and Australia. What will be key will be its ability to overcome weakness domestically. Yet it's the continued popularity of premium and flavored spirits that Sazerac is counting on to drive growth, a niche in which Southern Comfort neatly fits. Coupled with the shared history in New Orleans the two have -- SoCo was created by French Quarter bartender M.W. Heron in 1874 while Sazerac was a drink before it was a company, a blend of brandy, absinthe, and a dash of bitters (the Sazerac) made by Creole pharmacist Antoine Peychaud in 1838 -- the distiller could capitalize on the trend toward authentic, craft spirits. That authenticity could be the difference for Sazerac succeeding where Brown-Forman stumbled, and may mean the distiller ends up regretting selling the liqueur to its rival. "I think it's terrible. Can you imagine if you went back 40 years ago and told people that in 2014 the United States would be at the mercy of Russia for access to low-earth orbit, let alone the moon or anything else? ... Something needs to be done to get us out of this." -- SpaceX CEO Elon Musk "The main goal today is to make space cheap [but] competitors are stepping on our toes. Look at what billionaire Musk is doing with his projects." -- Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin Ever since the fall of the Soviet Union, when the U.S. began buying RD-180 rocket engines from Russia, the American and Russian space programs have enjoyed a love-hate relationship. On one hand, United Launch Alliance partners Boeing (BA 2.04%) and Lockheed Martin (LMT 0.11%) love buying cheap Russian rocket engines, and using them to power their expensive Atlas V rockets -- and Russia loves siphoning hard currency away from foreign rivals and plowing it into its space program. On the other hand, the U.S. Air Force is less than thrilled at relying on Russian engines to get our rockets into space, and NASA resents the ever-rising cost of renting rides on Russian rockets for astronauts heading to the International Space Station. At the same time, Russia has found that threatening to cut off access to its RD-180 is a useful tool for retaliating against U.S. sanctions. Now, this conflict is finally coming to a head. Capitalism versus... state capitalism Recent moves in Congress to restrict the use of Russian rocket engines on national security missions sparked a revolution in the U.S. commercial space program. Private businesses such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, as well as Aerojet Rocketdyne, are lining up to offer homegrown rocket engines to NASA. Meanwhile, Russian President Putin just abolished his country's own Federal Space Agency, replacing "Roscosmos" with a new corporation that "will design new spacecraft and implement new projects by itself." But before you assume that Russia has been bitten by the Capitalism bug -- don't. In contrast to SpaceX, which is a private venture, Russia's new-and-improved Roscosmos will be wholly owned by the Russian state. Asserting complete control over the space effort is, to Putin's mind, a way to control costs and prevent corruption, such as when certain persons at Roscosmos famously embezzled or wasted as much as $1.8 billion in 2014. Whether the restructuring will also make space travel "cheaper," as Rogozin hopes, remains to be seen. Who charges how much? Consider: SpaceX publishes the price it charges for a rocket launch right up front on its website: $61.2 million for a simple Falcon 9 launch; $90 million for a ride on the new Falcon Heavy. Already, ULA (the Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture) is finding these prices hard to beat. Citing the oft-mentioned price tag of "$400 million" that ULA has famously charged for some of its larger launches, SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell once quipped: "I don't know how to build a $400 million rocket. ... I don't understand how ULA are as expensive as they are." And yet, other SpaceX rivals are in much the same boat as ULA. At a Congressional hearing on the subject of launch costs last year, California Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez described a conversation she had with France's Arianespace a few years ago: "They were telling me that their launch costs about $200 million equivalent. They said they weren't worried about UAL [sic] but could I get rid of SpaceX? Because they were going to drive them out of business!" And over in China, officials interviewed by Aviation Week recently lamented that "published prices on the SpaceX website [are] very low." So low, in fact, that with China's own Long March rockets costing $70 million per launch, "they could not match them." What it means to investors Boasting that it is "very competitive on price," Arianespace confirmed in 2014 that its share of the global market for purely commercial space launches had reached 60%. That left 40% to be fought over by rivals at ULA, Roscosmos, and the rising national space programs of India and China. Charging as much as $400 million per launch, ULA was pricing itself out of the market -- and then SpaceX arrived and complicated matters even further. Today, we see China complaining that it can't beat SpaceX on price, Arianespace fantasizing about "getting rid of" SpaceX, and Russia complaining about stubbed toes. The clear implication: If SpaceX can stick to its published prices, earn a profit at those prices -- and then earn an even bigger profit once it turns its rockets reusable -- then everybody else is going to be hard-pressed to survive in this business. The moral of this story: If you own shares of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, you had better darn well hope their military and civilian airplane businesses do well. Because the way things are going, they're not going to be in the space-launch business much longer. Traditional 401(k) distributions are taxable on your federal return, and in most states that impose an income tax of their own, you'll end up including those distributions in taxable income for state purposes as well. But Pennsylvania is an outlier when it comes to retirees and taxes, and its favorable treatment of income from sources like retirement accounts and pensions means that many people don't have to pay state income tax at all on their retirement income. Still, there are some exceptions you have to keep in mind if you plan to take a 401(k) distribution as a Pennsylvania resident. 401(k)s in Pennsylvania: usually tax exempt Pennsylvania income tax laws make most retirement and pension income exempt from state tax. The reason for this is that Pennsylvania typically doesn't allow you to exclude your 401(k) contributions from your state taxable income in the year you make them, again departing from the federal practice. From a policy standpoint, Pennsylvania lawmakers are willing to make the trade-off that having denied a tax break up front, it's reasonable to allow distributions to be tax-free -- even though they include the income the 401(k) generated during your career. In effect, Pennsylvania forces all 401(k) participants into a system that resembles the Roth IRA or Roth 401(k). In a Roth, contributions aren't eligible for a tax deduction, but withdrawals in retirement are free of tax. A word of warning One thing that 401(k) participants need to be aware of, though, is that Pennsylvania does not give tax-free treatment to early distributions. Instead, distributions are treated as being made first from the amount you contributed, which doesn't generate any taxable income. If you withdraw more than your total contributions, then you'll pay state income tax on the excess. One area of uncertainty has to do with the age at which you're allowed to take 401(k) distributions without facing this exception. On one hand, Pennsylvania law often points to age 59 1/2, which is the appropriate early withdrawal age for IRAs and certain other retirement accounts. Federal law allows for 401(k) distributions as early as age 55 under certain circumstances, but it's unclear whether Pennsylvania's rules allowing distributions when a worker has met the eligibility requirement for separation from service by retirement based on old age, infirmity, or long-continued service apply to 401(k) plans that set 55 as the earliest permitted distribution date. What is clear, though, is that Pennsylvania doesn't recognize any federal exceptions that would avoid an early withdrawal penalty. For instance, some early distributions for a first-time homebuyer or medical expenses avoid a penalty for federal purposes, but they'd still be taxed in Pennsylvania. The key takeaway is that Pennsylvania taxpayers should wait until age 59 1/2 to take 401(k) distributions if at all possible to avoid any uncertainty about how the provisions work. That gives you the full benefit of Pennsylvania's favorable treatment of 401(k)s. We've touched a little here on IRAs, which you can roll 401(k)s into. If you'd like to learn more about these investment vehicles for retirement, make sure to visit the Fool's IRA Center. This article is part of The Motley Fool's Knowledge Center, which was created based on the collected wisdom of a fantastic community of investors. We'd love to hear your questions, thoughts, and opinions on the Knowledge Center in general or this page in particular. Your input will help us help the world invest, better! Email us at [email protected]. Thanks -- and Fool on! UPDATED New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has reached a long-awaited settlement with two major Wall Street banks over alleged improprieties involving activities in their private trading venues known as "dark pools." As first reported by FOX Business back in the summer, Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) was in settlement talks with the New York Attorney General over charges that the firm gave preferential treatment to high-frequency traders who bought and sold stocks through its dark pool. Under the terms of the deal, Credit Suisse will pay $84.3 million in fines and disgorgement as part of a joint settlement with the New York Attorney General's office and the Securities and Exchange Commission. We are pleased to have resolved these matters with the SEC and the New York Attorney General, a Credit Suisse spokesperson said in a statement. Also part of the announcement will be a separate settlement with Barclays (NYSE:BCS) totaling $70 million for similar charges. A Barclays spokesman declined to comment. A formal announcement of the settlement is expected to come on Monday. In a statement provided to FOX Business, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said, These cases mark the first major victory in the fight against fraud in dark pool trading that began when we first sued Barclays: coordinated and aggressive government action, admissions of wrongdoing, and meaningful reforms to protect investors from predatory, high-frequency traders. We will continue to take the fight to those who aim to rig the system and those who look the other way. An SEC spokesman had no immediate comment. FOX Business was first to report the inquiry into Barclays over similar charges: that the bank gave preferential treatment to high-frequency traders over other investors in its dark pool. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 After being married just a few months, Bryan and Casey Kirsch, both 36, were overjoyed to find out they were pregnant with their first child. It was 2010 and the Hoboken, N.J., couple was enjoying a normal and healthy pregnancy, until they received devastating news after their 12-week ultrasound. It looks like the baby has something called an omphalocele, her doctor explained, then immediately referred her to a specialist. His last words were, Im so sorry, Casey recalled. Casey and Bryan immediately started to research omphalocele (pronounced uhm-fa-lo-seal), a congenital abdominal wall defect whereby the babys anterior abdominal wall fails to close, said Dr. Holly L. Hedrick, an attending pediatric and fetal surgeon at The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Hedrick would later be the surgeon who cared for their baby. The couple was shocked to learn that the birth defect was linked to heart defects and genetic disorders, among other serious conditions. I sat in the corner of my couch and I sobbed all night, Casey said. We were both so distraught and neither of us were strong enough to lean on each other. The next day, the family found out that their baby had whats known as a giant omphalocele. Although there isnt an exact definition of the defect, the distinction is that the liver or a portion of the liver is outside of the abdominal wall. The intestines and stomach can be outside of the abdominal cavity as well, Hedrick said. A thin layer of skin will cover the abdominal wall defect but they still have a big hole in their abdomen so they dont have the strong muscle and fascia to keep everything inside, said Dr. Benjamin Padilla, a pediatric surgeon at the University of California San Franciscos Benioff Children's Hospital. The diagnosis of a giant omphalocele is rare and it affects approximately 1 in 10,000 babies and is more common in boys than girls. Sadly, between 30 and 50 percent of babies will die from it. In addition, some moms will choose to terminate the pregnancy. Although there are no known genetic or environmental risk factors, women over 35 have a greater risk for having a baby with the defect. Omphalocele is also associated with other chromosomal abnormalities like trisomy 13, 18 and 21, or Down syndrome, but these are more common in babies with small omphaloceles, Padilla said. Risks to the baby Babies with giant omphalocele are vulnerable to a host of complications both in the early days and throughout their lives. Since the lungs do not develop properly, babies are at risk for developing pulmonary hypoplasia, a condition whereby the lungs are abnormally small. Babies may need oxygen, a ventilator or a tracheostomy, a surgical procedure that creates a hole in the windpipe so they can breathe. Approximately one-third of affected babies will also develop pulmonary hypertension, a type of high blood pressure which can affect the heart and lungs and can be life-threatening. Pulmonary hypertension is also under-recognized, so babies may be sent home and then have problems later, Hedrick said. Babies with giant omphalocele who require IV nutrition may also develop problems with their livers. They can also develop hernias and have developmental and cognitive delays throughout their lives. In fact, a study in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery found that about 40 percent of babies between 6- and 26-months-old had severe cognitive, language, and motor delays and 13 percent had autism. Its unclear however, if these delays are directly related to the birth defect itself or to prolonged hospitalization, which can be anywhere between three and 12 months, Padilla said. We felt hopeless At 18 weeks, Casey and Bryan went to CHOP, where Casey underwent an entire day of testing and meetings with doctors. A fetal MRI confirmed that their babys liver, spleen, bowel and intestines were all outside of his body. Although they had a lot of information, they still wouldnt know how thin the membrane was, if the babys lungs would be developed and if hed be able to breathe on his own. Though they felt hopeless, the couple decided that when the baby was born, they would opt for the paint and wait, treatment. Instead of having surgery immediately, doctors wait as the baby grew and got stronger and treat the amnion (the membrane) with antibiotic cream and dressing changes to prevent infection and protect the abdominal wall contents. The amnion then scars in so the skin can grow over it and later be closed with surgery, Hedrick said. For some babies their abdominal wall defect isnt as big and sometimes we can close it shortly after theyre born, Hedrick said. Jackson is born Although Casey was scheduled for a Cesarean section at 37 weeks, she went into early labor at 35 weeks. When Jackson Frederick was born, Casey heard a cry. Is that my baby?, she asked, since she was told he would have to be intubated. Immediately when I heard him cry I said, Hes going to be ok. For six long days, Casey and Bryan couldnt hold Jackson and doctors werent sure if he would live. He also needed oxygen and several blood transfusions. Yet Jackson continued to get stronger and defy the odds. Bryan and Casey were prepared for Jackson to be in the hospital between six and 9 months, Jackson went home after just eight weeks. Once home, Jackson underwent early intervention services, which were to continue until he had closure surgery at age 2. We were determined to have Jackson have as normal a life and as good of a chance as possible, Casey said. Then at six months, Jackson suffered a setback and had emergency surgery for an incarcerated hernia. His parents revealed that he almost died. Hedrick thought Jackson wouldnt undergo the closure surgery until he was 3, but then he proved them wrong again, having the surgery the day before his first birthday. Five days later, he was home. Hope for the future With consistent monitoring, early intervention and the right support, experts agree children with giant omphaloceles can live healthy, productive lives. Today, Jackson is a smart, happy and determined four year old who attends preschool and has reached all of his developmental milestones. Although their journey hasnt been easy, Bryan and Casey said it has made their relationship stronger and given them renewed hope for the future. I feel like I can do anything because now we have this baby who basically stared in the face of adversity and laughed, Casey said. !--StartFragment--> DAVENPORT, Iowa Bill Clinton welcomed his wife on stage with something you don't see often from the Clintons: a hug and a kiss. As the two made their first joint campaign stop in Iowa Friday night, Bill Clinton energized the crowd as the high powered pair assured voters they'd be getting a two Clintons in the Oval Office if they elect Hillary. "When I'm elected president I'm sure he'll be a really good advisor about how to get jobs growing and incomes rising and help folks get ahead," Hillary said as Bill walked off stage to roaring applause. In Iowa, Hillary Clinton is nearly equally popular as her chief opponent Bernie Sanders. But at the Friday evening event in Davenport, you might think that the Clintons have all the enthusiasm. Read more on WashingtonExaminer.com Two days before the Iowa caucuses, Hillary Clinton's campaign announced the endorsement of more than two dozen African-American ministers from around the country. The Democratic front-runner met with African-American faith leaders in Philadelphia on Wednesday and discussed issues including women's health, the economy, the Flint water crisis and criminal justice. She attended a private fundraiser in South Philadelphia afterwards. "When I agreed to host the small gathering of African American clergy from around the country, I wasn't expecting to endorse Hillary Clinton," Rev. Mark Tyler of Pennsylvania, on the 28 ministers to announce support for Clinton, said in a statement. "I left that meeting convinced that she is the best person in this campaign season capable of serving as our next president. I believe that she is ready to lead and has all the requisite abilities." Tyler said Clinton's plans for investing in historically black colleges and breaking down barriers for women helped sway his decision, along with her talk on economic disparity and funding public education. Read more on WashingtonExaminer.com The campaign for Republican presidential contender Ted Cruz was slammed on Saturday because of a mailer that was sent out to potential Iowa voters that seemed designed to look like an official notice warning recipients about low voter turnout in your area. The Cruz campaigns mailer also contained the recipients voting history, a grade for their history and that of several of their neighbors. Your individual voting history as well as your neighbors are public record, the mailer read. Their scores are published below, and many of them will see your score as well. CAUACUS ON MONDAY TO IMPROVE YOUR SOCRE and please encourage your neighbors to caucus as well. A follow up notice may be issued following Mondays caucuses. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate took exception to the flier, saying it is not in keeping in the spirit of the Iowa caucuses. He added that Cruzs campaign misrepresents Iowa election law. Theres no such thing as an election violation related to frequency of voting, he said. Pates comments didnt seem to deter Cruzs attitude about the mailers as he brushed off the fuss, saying I will apologize to nobody for using every tool we can to encourage Iowa voters to come out and vote. Matt Schultz, the campaigns Iowa state chairman, reiterated to The New York Times that the use of mailers isnt uncommon to try and increase voter turnout. Our mailer was modeled after the very successful 2014 mailers that the Republican Party of Iowa distributed to motivate Republican voters to vote, and which helped elected numerous Republican candidates during that cycle, Schultz added. Similar fliers were also mailed out during the 2012 presidential race to encourage potential voters to vote for Barack Obama, according to the Independent-Journal Review. Those mailers were also met with similar scrutiny. These kind of mailers are fraught with risk, Republican strategist Rick Wilson told the paper. They do work, but the social pressure stuff has got to be subtle. This, on the other hand, is like a sledgehammer. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from the Independent-Journal Review. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz and Iowa governor Terry Branstad traded criticisms Sunday over Cruz's opposition to renewable energy subsidies, which could play a major role in Monday's caucuses in the state. "Cruz's voting record has been against ethanol," Branstad said during a panel on Iowa politics on "Fox News Sunday." "It's been against the tax credit for wind energy, and those are thousands of jobs in our state." Branstad, also a Republican, has declined to endorse any candidate but encouraged Iowans to vote against the Texas Republican because of his stance on subsidies. "We've got a lot of really great candidates and most of them support renewable energy," he said Sunday. Separately, in an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," Cruz accused Branstad of being compromised on the issue by his financial interests. Read more on WashingtonExaminer.com The first major test for the 2016 presidential candidates is now just hours away with the Iowa Caucus on Monday -- its outcome a likely sign of whether front-running Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump can hold their leads or if the unpredictable and often-angry electorate has other plans. Trump and Clinton made their closing arguments Sunday, barnstorming across Iowa and battling on the political shows, in a final effort to beat back close rivals like Democratic candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, both eager for an upset in the first-in-the-nation balloting. Thirty six hours from now, the men and women of Iowa are going to caucus, Cruz, who is trailing Trump in Iowa by roughly 5 percentage points, told Fox News Sunday. And we have a grassroots army. We've got 12,000 volunteers in the state. Still, Cruz, who argues that hes the true conservative in the GOP field, was, like the rest of this years White House candidates, steering clear of predicting a win, then having to face the fallout from a loss or even a below-expectations finish. Right now, this is all about turnout, said Cruz, a Texas senator in a close race for second with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. This is all about who shows up tomorrow night at 7. ... If conservatives come out, we will win. Sanders, a Vermont independent, told ABCs This Week: I think we have a shot to win it, if people come out. His populist message about the economy being rigged against the middle class and billionaires buying elections has resonated with the largely disaffected and angry electorate and has posed a clear alternative to the Clinton political dynasty. Even the supremely confident Trump, who has a double-digit national lead over the GOP field, tamped down Iowa expectations Sunday. "I don't have to win it," he said on CBS' Face the Nation. I'm doing really well with the evangelicals in Iowa. But I'm also doing tremendously well all over the country with the evangelicals. I think we have a good chance of winning Iowa." Still, Trump, who has a wider lead among the more independent-minded voters of New Hampshire, who vote second, on Feb. 9, realizes the importance of a lead-off victory. I have a very substantial lead in New Hampshire, he told CBS. But I think it would be really good to win Iowa. I'd like to win Iowa. And at least 9 percent of potential Iowa caucus-goers remain undecided, according to a Des Moines Register-Bloomberg Politics poll released Saturday. After New Hampshire, the voting continues in South Carolina and Nevada, with the outcomes of those so-called early-state votes expected to winnow the GOPs 11-candidate field. After Trump and Cruz, Rubio is the only other GOP candidate with double-digit poll numbers. They are followed by retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former business executive Carly Fiorina and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Santorum and Huckabee, popular among social conservatives, won Iowa in 2012 and 2008, respectively. Though none of the candidates below Rubio is expected to make a strong Iowa finish, Kasich, Christie and even Bush could do well in New Hampshire and challenge the frontrunners -- as the GOP and Democratic races head across the south and into the late spring before this summers nominating conventions. Kasich was the only candidate in New Hampshire on Sunday, telling potential voters at an Elks Lodge in Salem that cutting regulations that kill small businesses would be a priority of his first 100 days, if elected president. Trump and Cruz each attended Sunday morning church services with family members. Trump attended services at the First Christian Orchard Campus, a nondenominational church in Council Bluffs. Cruz went to the Lutheran Church of Hope, outside Des Moines. The sermon called on politicians to treat their opponents with love, not attack ads. Trump has tapped into the angry electorate with plans to build a wall along the southern U.S. border to keep out drug dealers and others from Mexico. And in the wake of two recent terror attacks, he proposed keeping Muslim from entering the United States until the government improves its immigrant-screening process. Amid some public outcry, Trumps poll numbers increased by double digits after his called for the ban, in the aftermath of the San Bernardino, Calif., massacre in December. Since Cruz emerged in recent weeks as Trumps closest primary rival, Trump has called Cruz "a nasty guy" and a "liar," particularly about whether Trump essentially supports ObamaCare. The only other Democratic candidate is former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, who has single-digit poll numbers. The front-running Clinton, who has a superior fundraising and campaign apparatus, continues to hold a roughly 25-point national lead over Sanders. However, the former first lady has been stuck defending herself in a controversy about her use of a private server/email setup to conduct official business when secretary of state. On Friday, the State Department said it had identified 22 top secret emails that it would not release, as part of a court order to make public Clintons email correspondence. Its a continuation of a story thats been playing out for months, Clinton told ABC News. Clinton also said that none of the emails was marked classified at the time, and she again called for their released, in an apparent effort to help end the controversy. She also suggested that Republicans were "grabbing at straws" on the issue. I want to see them disclosed, she told ABC. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Leading Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz traded shots Sunday on the eve of the Iowa Caucus, hoping to persuade the remaining undecided voters in the first-in-the-nation voting. Both candidates hammered on familiar points, with Trump again questioning Cruzs citizenship and financial records. Cruz, meanwhile, asked whether Trump is indeed a conservative and suggested that his bluster covers his weakness on issues. Hes the height of chutzpah, Cruz told Fox News Sunday. Its astonishing. Hes not honest. The Texas senator trails the front-running Trump by 5 percentage points, 28-to-23, with the caucus on Monday, according to a Des Moines (Iowa) Register poll released Saturday. Nine percent of caucus-goers remain undecided or not committed to a candidate. And they are part of a larger group of 30 percent without a first choice or who could be persuaded to pick another candidate, according to the paper. With Cruz and Trump essentially battling for the social conservative vote to win Iowa, Cruz told Fox News that hes thrilled to be in second place, despite having led Trump in Iowa just a few weeks earlier. Trump told Fox News about the race: We had a great week and maybe even a great couple of weeks in Iowa. There's been some very special things happened over the last two weeks. However, both candidates, like essentially all of the Democrats and Republicans in the race, made clear that voter participation is now the deciding factor. Its all about turnout, Cruz said Sunday. Trump, a billionaire businessman and first-time candidate, jokingly told Iowans while on the campaign trail this weekend that they should cast a ballot Monday regardless of any unexpected personal crisis, even a spouse leaving. He also questioned again whether Cruz indeed didnt know he had a dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship, which Trump has repeatedly argued could, in part, disqualify Cruz from becoming president. He didn't even know he was a citizen of Canada until 15 months ago? Trump said. Give me a break. Trump also said he didnt like the Supreme Court decision that allows for same-sex marriage because such a decision should be made at a state level so he would strongly consider" appointing justices to overrule the high court decision. Police say a man accused of exchanging gunfire with police in a busy central Florida intersection has been arrested. Sanford Police spokeswoman Bianca Gillett says authorities were called Friday evening after a man was spotted walking down U.S. Highway 17-92 and pointing a gun at vehicles. Gillett says that when police spotted 27-year-old Roshad Smith, he began shooting at them and they returned fire. Gillett tells the Orlando Sentinel (http://bit.ly/1KhxdBo ) that a bystander was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. She says police are still investigating how the bystander was hurt. Police say Smith faces charges of attempted homicide, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and discharging a weapon in public. Jail records don't show whether he has an attorney. His first court appearance is scheduled for Sunday morning. ___ Information from: Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/ Two inmates arrested in San Francisco after breaking out of jail more than a week ago are back in custody in Southern California. Sheriff's officials said 20-year-old Jonathan Tieu and 37-year-old Hossein Nayeri were returned to Orange County early Sunday. The department posted video online of each man, wearing handcuffs and foot shackles, being escorted back into a lockup. The two were arrested Saturday after a civilian reported seeing a parked white van that looked like the one authorities said the fugitives had stolen. Authorities had been hunting for Tieu, Nayeri and a third inmate, 43-year-old Bac Duong, in Southern California since they pulled off a brazen jail escape on Jan. 22. Duong turned himself in on Friday. Meatime, the union representing Orange County deputies says it complained nearly a year ago about how inmate counts were conducted at Men's Central Jail, where three inmates masterminded a brazen escape this month. All three are back in custody. In a letter sent Friday to Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, the head of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs said union members told jail officials that department policy on inmate counts was not being followed. Union president Tom Dominguez wrote that his members received "push-back from jail management with the justification that 'This is the way we have always done it.'" Dominguez called for the dismissal of Capt. Chris Wilson, who runs the jail. Hutchens said in a statement Saturday that she wouldn't comment until an internal investigation is complete. Early on Jan. 22, the trio sawed through a metal grate covering a plumbing tunnel, then crawled through piping to reach the jail's roof. There, they pushed aside barbed wire and used a rope made of bedsheets to rappel four stories to the ground. Jailers did not realize the inmates were missing for 16 hours, an embarrassment for Hutchens that has prompted changes in jail operations, but no firings. The intensive search and investigation produced no tangible results for days and then, on Thursday, authorities arrested a woman who taught English at the jail. Nooshafarin Ravaghi, a 44-year-old children's book author, gave Nayeri a paper copy of a Google Earth map that showed an aerial view of the entire jail compound, sheriff's spokesman Lt. Jeff Hallock said. Activists are urging people who oppose a "militarized police presence" in Burns, Ore., to converge on the small high desert town near a wildlife refuge that has been occupied by an armed group for a month. The Pacific Patriots Network organized a rolling rally through the town Saturday night, and said it planned more demonstrations to protest the killing of one occupier last week, and the presence of numerous heavily armed law enforcement officers at the standoff. "Our goal is to show the country that this county does support what is going on," said B.J. Soper, a Burns resident and organizer of the rally that drew more than 100 people and dozens of U.S. and Confederate flag-covered vehicles. A lone woman showed up to oppose the rally. Jen Hoke of Burns carried a sign saying "Militia Go Home." ''These people are spreading a message of hate," Hoke said. Meanwhile, the four people occupying the wildlife refuge held their position Sunday. They have demanded that they be allowed to leave without being arrested. The jailed group's leader, Ammon Bundy, and 10 others who were arrested earlier in the week remained in custody. Through his lawyer, Bundy on Saturday again called on the remaining occupiers to leave. The FBI has said it's trying to resolve the situation peacefully. While the standoff that originated over federal land-use policies has led to filled-up hotels and restaurants as police, protesters and media have flocked to the area, locals say the conflict is upsetting and pitting neighbor against neighbor. Authorities say Bundy, the leader of the group that seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, and others used social media and other platforms to summon recruits to join their takeover. Court documents against the 11 occupiers under arrest show FBI agents have scrutinized social media postings, interviews and online talk shows that have been made during the standoff that began Jan. 2. Bundy and several other jailed leaders appeared Friday in federal court in Portland, where a judge denied their release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie Beckerman said Bundy, his brother Ryan Bundy and Ryan Payne pose a danger to the community, and she is concerned they would not follow orders to return to Oregon for criminal proceedings. The only woman arrested so far in the standoff, Shawna Cox, will be allowed to go home while her case makes its way through the court system. But Beckerman said that won't happen until after the armed occupation ends. Court documents detail some of the evidence against the occupiers. The charges against the defendants say the refuge's 16 employees have been prevented from reporting to work because of threats of violence. A criminal complaint filed earlier this week makes reference to an online video that showed Bundy saying the group planned to stay for several years. He called on people to "come out here and stand," adding: "We need you to bring your arms." Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, the group's spokesman, was killed Tuesday night in a confrontation with the FBI and Oregon State Police on a remote road. Bundy and four others were arrested during the encounter. People at the rolling rally held up pictures of Finicum on Saturday, and demanded justice. The FBI on Thursday released a video showing Finicum's death, to counter claims he did nothing to provoke his killing. In the aerial video, Finicum is pulled over in his truck but then takes off in the vehicle and plows into a snowbank because of a roadblock. He gets out and has his hands up at first, then appears to reach toward his jacket pocket at least twice. He is shot and falls to the snow. The FBI said a loaded handgun was found in the pocket. They served the United States on battlefields from Korea to Iraq, but now they live in the shadow of the nation they once served, deported to Mexico for offenses as minor as getting caught with marijuana. While many U.S. veterans find adjusting to civilian life difficult, writing a bad check, possessing marijuana or getting into a bar fight are enough to get some veterans banished from the nation they fought to protect. Thats because they were not citizens when they donned the uniform and took up arms for America. Any U.S. obligation to them ended when they got in trouble with the law. Some people get out of the military and go back to communities with good support systems and some dont, said Hector Barajas, 38, one of several veterans who lives in the Deported Veterans Support House, a modest building in the Otay Centenario neighborhood on the east side of Tijuana. Many of the men being deported served in Vietnam and didnt get the treatment that were supposed to get. Reminders of their service and evidence of their patriotism adorn the walls of the home known as The Bunker. Draped in flags, decorated with military memorabilia and photos, the 1,000-square-foot, three-room building is a step up from the cramped apartment Barajas used to share with fellow banished veterans. At any given time, there are half a dozen or more men living in the home, just 3 miles from the San Ysidro border crossing. I knew the risk and I know Im paying for it. I just hope I dont have to pay for it forever. Daniel Torres Although Barajas has become the patron saint of deported veterans, his journey to The Bunker is not unique. He moved to the U.S. as a 7-year-old, and became a legal resident through his parents. When he was old enough, he joined the U.S. Army, landing in the fabled 82nd Airborne Division where he served from 1995 to 2001. Not long after he was honorably discharged, Barajas was arrested after an incident in which a firearm was discharged from his vehicle. No one was hurt, but he pleaded guilty and did two years in prison. He was deported for the first time in 2004, and again in 2009. He left his wife and young daughter behind in California. In Mexico, Barajas battled drug addiction for years before getting himself clean in 2013. By then, he also had found an underground community of similarly situated veterans who had come back from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq only to be sent across the border. He opened his apartment to as many as he could, and nearly two years ago, Barajas and his band of brothers moved into their current digs. Structure, chores and self-reliance help the veterans tap the discipline they once knew in the military, and aid Barajas in keeping order. When one lodger moves on, another is always there to take his or her place. For Barajas, it is more than just a halfway house. From The Bunker and through the nonprofit deportedveteranssupporthouse.org, he tries to help U.S. vets who show up at his door or find themselves sent to as many as 22 different nations, including Bosnia, Ghana and Ecuador. Much of his time is taken up by long-distance counseling and political advocacy. We support deported veterans on their path to self-sufficiency by providing assistance in the realms of food, clothing, and shelter as they adjust to life in their new country of residence, reads the organizations mission statement. Ultimately, we hope to see an end to the need of our services as we advocate for political legislation which would prohibit the deportation of United States service personnel, both former and current. We advocate for veterans and their families. According to Barajas, the soldiers and sailors he helps face endless problems -- from the possible loss of native citizenship to the possibility of criminal charges awaiting them in their original country for their service in the war. No federal agency tracks the number of deported U.S. veterans, but some immigration advocates estimate there are hundreds, if not thousands. Barajas says he is aware of more than 300 spread throughout the world and typically sent home to their birth countries even though they often have no family or connections there. Most deported veterans were permanent residents, or green-card holders, at the time they enlisted, according to Department of Defense spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen. He said about 5,000 documented noncitizens sign up for the military every year. The military does not require citizenship, just status as a lawful permanent resident. The Pentagon estimates that up to 65,000 noncitizens are now serving in the U.S military. A prominent incentive for joining is that the resident will be fast-tracked to naturalized citizenship. But a brush with the law before the paperwork is complete means expulsion. In one particularly cruel irony, honorably discharged veterans like Barajas remain eligible for VA benefits and medical treatment for injuries suffered during their service. But most of these benefits lie in the U.S., beyond their reach. Im still entitled to a military funeral and the VA will pay for the marker, he said. I cant come back now, but I can be buried in Arlington. Only then will they give me an American flag and say, Thank you for your service. At the heart of the issue lies the question of whether non-citizen veterans earned special treatment on the battlefield. Former Marine Dominic Certo, author of Gold in the Coffins, and an adviser to the veterans advocacy organization Operation Homefront, believes they do. Anyone who has served our country and risked their lives or provided service for the citizens of this country as a veteran deserves amnesty -- especially when there are so many who have done nothing to earn citizenship or provide a military service to our country, Certo said. William Gheen, president of the Americans for Legal Immigration, disagrees. Americans want both legal and illegal immigrants that commit crimes to be deported in the interest of protecting American property, jobs, taxpayer resources and lives, said Gheen. Immigration laws should be enforced equally. Often, noncitizen veterans are deported without even getting to tell their side of the story, said Margaret Stock, an Alaska-based attorney, retired Army lieutenant colonel and West Point professor. Stock has taken on several veterans deportation cases, and says the situation has become significantly worse under the Obama administration. The administration is deporting as many criminal aliens as possible for the numbers, but it doesnt take into account military service, Stock said. Most people also dont understand how complicated immigration law really is and how easy it is to run afoul of these complex laws. Making matters worse, Stock said, is that defendants in deportation cases are not automatically given attorneys and often cant afford to hire their own, resulting in many being wrongfully deported. Any lawful permanent resident, veteran or not, can be deported upon conviction of a crime that falls under the extremely broad umbrella of a Crime Involving Moral Turpitude. This can be either a misdemeanor or felony, and typically includes anything from assault, fraud and perjury to robbery, theft and bribery. The rulings are often viewed by immigration lawyers as arbitrary and the immigration code now includes scores of petty offenses listed alongside the severe ones, all punishable by deportation. Still, the federal government is very deliberate in its review of cases involving veterans, insisted Gillian Christensen, spokeswoman for the U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Any action taken by ICE that may result in the removal of an alien with military service must be authorized by the senior leadership in a field office, following an evaluation by local counsel, she said. ICE specifically identifies service in the U.S. military as a positive factor that should be considered when deciding whether or not prosecutorial discretion should be exercised. The final order of removal is issued not by ICE, but a federal immigration judge. Tijuanas proximity to the U.S., together with the fact that many deported veterans were originally from Mexico, makes it an all-too-familiar landing spot. At shelters and barrios throughout the city, men of all ages who served in the U.S. military can be found. Andres de Leon, 72, crossed into the U.S. as a teenager, fought in Vietnam and was honorably discharged from the Army in 1969. Six years later, drugs and joblessness led to a brush with the law. He was deported in 1975, and has lived in Tijuana ever since. His dream of returning to the U.S. still burns. My friends are all dead now, he said from the kitchen of the Tijuana shelter that has affectionately been named Chow Hall." But I still want to go back. Other cases are more complex. Daniel Torres, 29, came to the U.S. illegally with his family as a child, but enlisted as a Marine in 2007 and was soon deployed to Iraq. Technically, he was not a lawful resident and should never have been accepted. I just didnt want to be another Mexican living in the United States, Torres said. I wanted to say I had contributed, that I had done something for the country. After Iraq, they needed volunteers for Afghanistan and I liked military life and was considering being a lifer, he added. But my legal status was always in the back of my mind. Torres lost his wallet during pre-deployment training. When he went to obtain a new one, his secret got out and he was dismissed with a general discharge largely on the strength of high recommendations from his superiors. Torres missed the military, and sought to join the French Foreign Legion. But injuries sustained in Iraq disqualified him and, unable to legally return to his family in the U.S., Torres drifted to Tijuana. He works as a paralegal during the day and goes to law school at night. It would be easy for me to play the victim, but I dont feel I should, he said. I knew the risk and I know Im paying for it. I just hope I dont have to pay for it forever. Daniel Bracklin was an impatient man who married an equally impatient bride, Anna Egan, in Ireland and on that same day boarded a ship to sail to America. The Bracklins landed at Eastport, Maine, and began farming near the village of Patten, located in Aroostook County, Maine. It was there that the couples first child, James, was born on April 28, 1839, and it is he who is the subject of this weeks column. It turned out that young James was a very impatient, and by the time he reached his 19th birthday in 1858, he left his home and headed directly, with no hesitation whatsoever, for Menomonie, where he immediately joined the work force of the growing the Knapp, Stout Company lumbering firm. Eight years later, and for some unknown reason, Bracklin left the Menomonie firm to work for a rival company, the Northwestern Lumber Company of Eau Claire. That venture ended in 1878 when Bracklin re-joined the Knapp, Stout Company. Making the most A brief biography of Bracklin, that appears in the states that about his logging business, it will be safe to say that no man has ever got out more [lumber] than he has. During the logging season, he has on the average 1,300 men employed under his supervision. He employs, in getting logs to the streams, 450 horses and 550 cattle. The output from the woods is 90,000,000 annually, and in all of his years in this business he has never been tied up on a drive. He is now [in 1891] now serving his second term as mayor of Rice Lake. On July 11, 1868, Bracklin married Julia M. Vance, daughter of one of Dunn Countys early pioneers after whom the village of Vanceburg was named. Julia Vance Bracklin died on July 4, 1886, leaving behind four sons: Guy, Roy, John, Andrew and a daughter, Julia. Six months later, on Jan. 1, 1887, James Bracklin married Miss Minnie Russell, a native of Canada, whose parents lived in Oak Grove Township in Barron County. One of the last lines in Bracklins biography states: Mr. Bracklin is not only popular with the men in his employ, but stands high in the hearts of his fellow townsmen. The Wounded Warrior Project, the charity for wounded veterans, has been placed on Charity Navigators watch list over accusations of using donor money toward excessive spending on conferences and parties instead of on recovery programs, according to CBS News. According to the charitys tax forms, obtained by CBS News, spending on conferences and meetings increased from $1.7 million in 2010, to $26 million in 2014, which is the same amount the group spends on combat stress recovery. Charity Navigator is a watchdog organization that evaluates charities in the U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Erick Millette, who returned from Iraq in 2006 with a bronze star and a purple heart, told CBS News he admired the charitys work and took a job with the group in 2014 but quit after two years. "Their mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors, but what the public doesn't see is how they spend their money," he told CBS News. Millette said he witnessed lavish spending on staff, with big catered parties. Two former of employees, who were so fearful of retaliation they asked that CBS News not show their faces on camera, said spending has skyrocketed since Steven Nardizzi took over as CEO in 2009, pointing to the 2014 annual meeting at a luxury resort in Colorado Springs. "He rappelled down the side of a building at one of the all hands events. He's come in on a Segway, he's come in on a horse, one employee told CBS News. About 500 staff members attended the four-day conference in Colorado, which CBS News reported cost about $3 million. "Going to a nice fancy restaurant is not team building. Staying at a lavish hotel at the beach here in Jacksonville, and requiring staff that lives in the area to stay at the hotel is not team building," he told CBS News. Marc Owens, a former director of the IRS tax exempt organizations, was asked to review the charitys tax documents by CBS News. He told CBS he couldnt tell the number of people that were assisted through the organization. Wounded Warriors Project has been questioned over how it spends more than $800 million it has raised over the last four years, but has strongly rejected the claims of the CBS report. The charitys CEO has yet to comment on the report. Click for more from CBS News. The Devil made them do it. Arizona lawmakers are scrambling to change the rules regarding prayer at council meetings in an effort to keep The Satanic Temple from delivering an invocation at a February session. According to ABC 15, the Phoenix City Council meeting planned for mid-February is expected to begin with a Satanist prayer. But lawmakers are planning to vote this week on a possible change to the rules, effectively making it impossible for Satanists to deliver the opening invocation. The new rules reportedly would only allow people invited by elected officials to deliver the prayers at the opening of meetings. The current rules allow for anyone who wants to deliver a prayer to simply make a request. The Satanist Temple made such a request in December and is expected to attend the Feb. 17 council meeting. We do not have any gods; we're not devil worshippers, Satanist Temple member Stu de Haan told ABC 15. We do not believe that Satan is an actual being, but that doesn't make it any less of a religion. The mission of the group, according to its website, is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense and justice, and be directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will. We werent comfortable lending either our reputations or the constituency that voted for us, we didnt want them to think that we were [allowing] a Satanic prayer at a City Council meeting, Councilman Jim Waring told ABC 15. The Satanic Temple said it is ready to file a lawsuit if its members liberties are trampled. Federal authorities say an Ohio seminary student has been arrested in California on suspicion of intending to travel to Mexico to have sex with a toddler or baby. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement that 23-year-old Joel Wright was taken into custody after getting off a plane in San Diego. Authorities say he had written emails to an undercover agent posing as a travel guide that he wanted to adopt or purchase a female child under age 3 in Tijuana, Mexico, for the purposes of having sex with her. He's scheduled to be arraigned Monday, and an after-hours call to determine whether he has an attorney wasn't immediately returned. Wright attends Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus. A school spokesman, the Rev. John Allen, tells the Columbus Dispatch they are "shocked and saddened" at the "reprehensible" allegations. Wright has been expelled. A just-retired Ohio police officer who sought to purchase his K-9 partner of four years from the city of Marietta received an unexpected reply: Youre barking up the wrong tree. I had the money for the dog and was ready to hand it to the chief of police, and the chief of police said he couldnt take it, Matthew Hickey told WCMH. At issue is a state code. Officers can purchase their K-9 partners for $1 when the dog retires. But, in this case, Hickey is retiring, not Ajax. That creates a sticky situation, because the code also says a cop who leaves the force while the animal assigned to the officer is still fit for duty forfeits the right to purchase the animal under this section. But there may be a way for Hickey and Ajax to stay together. The city is putting Ajax up for auction next week, and Hickey is raising funds on gofundme.com in an attempt to be the winning bidder. Marietta officials said only an active or retired officer or a trainer of K-9 cops can bid on Ajax, according to WCMH. There is a bond between us and its very special and I would hate to lose my buddy, Hickey told WTAP. Hickeys gofundme page has already far exceeded his $3,500 goal. In three days, hes gotten $62,645 in donations from more than 2,600 people. Hickey said any money left over after the auction will be donated to a K-9 charity that buys bulletproof vests for dogs. A second Virginia Tech student was arrested Sunday in connection with the death of a 13-year-old girl who disappeared last week. Police said Natalie Marie Keepers helped dispose of the girl's body, which was found by police Saturday in North Carolina. Virginia Tech confirmed she was a sophomore at the school. Keepers, 19, of Laurel, Maryland, was being held without bond at the Montgomery County jail in Maryland on one felony count of improper disposal of a body and one misdemeanor count of accessory after the fact in the commission of a felony. Her arrest came after police in Blacksburg, Virginia, charged Virginia Tech freshman David Eisenhauer, 18, with abducting and murdering Nicole Madison Lovell. She had been missing from her home for four days. Nicole's body was found in Surrey County, N.C., near the Virginia border, according to authorities. Eisenhauer, of Columbia, Maryland,was also being held without bond at the Montgomery jail. Cops initially charged him with playing a role in Nicole's disappearnce and then charged him with murder after the body was found, according to The Roanoke Times. Blacksburg police said that from the evidence collected so far investigators determined that Eisenhauer and Nicole were acquainted prior to her disappearance. Eisenhauer used this relationship to his advantage to abduct the 13-year-old and then kill her, police said in a statement. Updated Flyer.The Blacksburg Police Department is currently seeking information on a Missing/Endangered Child. Nicole... Posted by Blacksburg Police Department on Thursday, January 28, 2016 Police divers searched a pond Sunday on the schools campus in connection with the killing, the Times reoprted. They were expected to be there for several hours. After Eisenhauer's arrest, Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson said the investigation was far from over. The focus of the investigation is now to reconstruct a timeline leading up to (the teen's) tragic death, he said. This is the most devastating thing you can do to a family. Weve got some very wounded folks in our community. Officials said they received an outpouring of tips and support from communities in Maryland and Virginia which is how they made the arrest of Eisenhauer fairly quickly. The entire Virginia Tech community extends its support to (the girls) family and friends, the Virginia Tech Police Department said in a statement. The university is also reaching out to our campus community and the greater New River Valley community who may be affected by the events that have occurred over the past several days. Authorities from both Maryland and Virginia were involved in the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI. Nicole vanished from her home in Blacksburg on Jan. 27 between the hours of midnight Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday. The Times reported that the family found a dresser pushed against the girls bedroom door. Fred Hawks Jr., Nicoles uncle, told the paper the family believes she climbed out of a window to get out of the apartment complex where the family lived. Eisenhauer was studying engineering, according to Virginia Tech. He was a member of the schools cross country team, but wasnt listed on the website Saturday. Tracy Vosburgh, a Virginia Tech spokeswoman, said in a statement the school has the authority to place a student on immediate interim suspension. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from The Roanoke Times. The Chinese Foreign Ministry criticized the United States Saturday after an American warship sailed near a disputed island in the South China Sea, the Associated Press reported. The destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur elicited a stern response from China as it passed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island. China is one of three nations that claim the territory as their own. U.S. officials said the ship was exercising its freedom to navigate through international waters "This operation was about challenging excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States and others, not about territorial claims to land features," said Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. Davis said none of the three claimants to the island were notified before the US Navy warship transited the area as part of a "normal process" supported by international law. Davis refused to single out China specifically. Tension in the region has been building for months. Calling the maneuver an arbitrary entrance of Chinese waters, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said The Chinese side conducted surveillance and vocal warnings to the U.S. warship, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. China, Taiwan and Vietnam have claims in the Paracels, an island chain which includes Triton Island, and require prior notice from ships transiting in nearby waters. The claimants' attempts to restrict navigational rights by requiring prior notice are inconsistent with international law, Defense Department spokesman Mark Wright said. In October, another U.S. warship sailed in the disputed Spratly Islands near Subi Reef, where China has built an artificial island. U.S. officials said after that operation that such ship movements would be regular in the future. China says virtually the entire South China Sea and its islands, reefs and atolls are its sovereign territory, although five other regional governments have overlapping claims. The area has some of the world's busiest shipping lanes, and U.S. officials say ensuring freedom of navigation there is in U.S. national interests. Fox News Lucas Tomlinson and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a stern warning to Moscow on Saturday that it would be forced to endure the consequences if its jets continue to violate Turkish airspace, after Ankara reported a new border infringement incident by a Russian plane. Turkey said another Russian warplane violated its airspace on Friday despite several warnings to turn away. The incident comes two months after Turkey shot down a Russian jet for crossing over its territory. The past incident seriously strained the close ties between the two countries and damaged a strong economic alliance. We regard this infringement which came despite all our warnings in Russian and in English as an effort by Russia to escalate the crisis in the region," Erdogan told reporters before departing on a Latin American tour. "If Russia continues the violations of Turkey's sovereign rights, it will be forced to endure the consequences." Erdogan didnt specify what the consequences might be. Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, denied there was any violation of Turkish airspace and called the Turkish statements "unsubstantiated propaganda." "These irresponsible steps do not help the Russian Federation, NATO-Russia relations or regional and global peace," Erdogan said. "On the contrary they are detrimental." Turkey claims the Russian SU-34 crossed into Turkish airspace Friday. Turkeys Foreign Ministry said Ankara summoned the Russian ambassador to the ministry Friday evening to strongly protest the violation. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also called on Russia "to act responsibly and to fully respect NATO airspace" but also urged "calm and de-escalation" of tensions between Moscow and Ankara. "Russia must take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not happen again," he said in a statement. "NATO stands in solidarity with Turkey and supports the territorial integrity of our ally, Turkey." There was no immediate comment on the incident from Moscow. In November, Turkey shot down a Russian plane which violated its airspace near Syria, touching off a crisis between the two countries. It was the first time in more than half a century that a NATO nation had shot down a Russian plane. Turkey brought down the Russian Su-24 bomber near the border with Syria on Nov. 24, saying it violated its airspace for 17 seconds despite repeated warnings. Russia insists the plane never entered Turkish airspace. One pilot and a Russian marine of the rescue party were killed in the incident. The Russian military quickly sent missile systems to Syria and warned that it would fend off any threat to its aircraft. Moscow also punished Turkey by imposing an array of economic sanctions. On Saturday, Stoltenberg said NATO had agreed in December to increase the presence of AWACS early warning planes over Turkey to increase the country's air defenses. He said the decision was taken before Friday's incident. A separate incident involving a Russian SU-27 occurred Monday when it buzzed a U.S. Air Force spy plane over the Black Sea, a Defense Department official said. The Pentagon is investigating the incident which took place in international airspace, Lt. Col. Michelle L. Baldanza added. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Hours after an ISIS-claimed triple bombing killed at least 50 in Damascus, Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday addressed the ongoing Syrian conflict, speaking starkly about a humanitarian crisis in which starving villagers have been forced to eat grass and leaves, but also hopefully of creating a peaceful, pluralistic Syria. That optimistic note, however, was overshadowed by the deadly blasts in the Syrian capital, which Kerry mentioned near the end of his speech. Syria's state news agency SANA said the bombings went off in Sayyda Zeinab, a predominantly Shiite Muslim suburb of Damascus. The blasts went off about 600 yards from one of the holiest shrines for Shiite Muslims. SANA said the attackers detonated a car bomb at a bus stop and that two suicide bombers then set off more explosives as rescuers rushed to the area. State TV showed several burning cars and a scorched bus, as well as blown out windows, twisted metal and large holes in the facade of a nearby apartment building. The golden-domed Shiite shrine itself was not damaged. At least 50 people were killed, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said, with more than 100 wounded. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based opposition group that monitors the conflict, said at least 63 people were killed, including 25 pro-government Shiite fighters. It said the dead fighters included Syrians and foreigners. The suburb is one of the first areas where Lebanon's Hezbollah group sent fighters in 2012 to protect it from Sunni extremists who vowed to blow up the shrine. Hezbollah and Shiite groups from Iraq are known to have fighters in the area. An ISIS-affiliated website said the blasts were carried out by members of the extremist group, which controls large areas in both Syria and Iraq. As Damascus attempted to recover from the fresh carnage, groups from both sides of the Syrian conflict endeavored to push on after a rocky start to U.N.-hosted indirect peace talks in Geneva. The world needs to push in one direction: Stopping the oppression and suffering of the Syrian people and ending, not prolonging, this war, said Kerry, who spoke from Geneva. The talks got off to a rocky start Friday, with U.N. Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura meeting only with a Syrian government delegation. The main opposition group, the Saudi-backed Higher Negotiations Committee or HNC, boycotted the session, saying it won't take part until preliminary demands are met: the release of detainees, the end of the bombardment of civilians by Russian and Syrian forces, and the lifting of government blockades on rebel-held areas. On Sunday, de Mistura paid an informal visit to the HNC delegation, saying he is "optimistic and determined" about the talks. HNC spokesman Salem al-Mislet told The Associated Press that the violence against civilians must stop first, saying the U.N. Security Council should put "pressure on Russia to stop these crimes in Syria," he said. Moscow, which began its airstrikes in Syria in September, is a major Assad ally, along with Iran. But Bashar Ja'afari, the head of the Syrian delegation, criticized the opposition in remarks to reporters. "Those who speak about preconditions are coming to this meeting in order to derail it," he said. "With the opposition's delegation not showing up, it shows that they are not serious and irresponsible at a time when Syrians are being killed." Ja'afari added that the Damascus-area bombings "confirms what the Syrian government has stated before that there is a link between terrorism and the sponsors of terrorism from one side, and some political groups, who claim that they are against terrorism." Assad's government has long referred to all those fighting to overthrow him as terrorists, but has agreed to negotiations with some armed groups in the latest talks. On Saturday night, Syrian Information Minister Omar al-Zoubi told state TV the Assad government will "never accept" the inclusion in the peace talks of two militant groups it considers terrorists. Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam, two Islamic groups fighting to overthrow Assad, agreed to take part in the Geneva talks. The ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham is not part of the team sent to Geneva, but the delegation has named Army of Islam official Mohammed Alloush as its chief negotiator. Alloush told AP he is heading to Geneva for the talks. While virtually all parties agree that ISIS and the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front should be excluded from the talks, the two sides are divided over Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam. The mainstream opposition views both as fellow rebels, despite their ideological differences, while Syria's government and Russia view them as extremists. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Important Cookie Information We collect information from our users this is for administration and contact purposes in connection with contributions you may wish to make to the site or your use of certain site features such as newsletter subscriptions and property enquiries. As an obstetrician/gynecologist, I see couples who are having difficulty staying pregnant. It certainly is disappointing and saddening when they realize they have lost their baby. Women often want to know if having one miscarriage means theyll likely have another. I know they just want to put their minds at ease, but there is no way to say for sure. Most women who have a miscarriage go on to have healthy pregnancies. Still, women who have had a miscarriage could have other miscarriages. I recently had several patients who had suffered miscarriages with their first pregnancies that were able to conceive a couple of months later and then carry full-term pregnancies. When a miscarriage happens, it cannot be blamed upon anyone. Miscarriages are, unfortunately, a common event. Its estimated that 30 percent of pregnancies end in a miscarriage. The most commonly caused miscarriage is chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo, which means its neither mom nor dads fault. You will be able to tell youre going through a miscarriage if you start experiencing heavy vaginal bleeding accompanied by passage of fetal tissue. This looks similar to a white mass covered with blood. Its also common to feel severe cramping afterwards. Not every pain or bleeding during pregnancy is a miscarriage. Even heavy, prolonged bleeding can be associated with a normal outcome. However, if you experience these symptoms, its important to contact your medical provider. If bleeding becomes quite heavy and is soaking a pad per hour or you start feeling dizzy and lightheaded, you should go to the emergency room. While there is no way to ensure you will not have a miscarriage, you can reduce your chances of having one by having preconception and prenatal visits. Its possible to decrease the risk of a miscarriage through avoiding alcohol, drugs and tobacco while trying to get pregnant. Its also recommended to take prenatal vitamins, or at least folic acid, three months before conception. Most miscarriages happen during the first trimester of pregnancy. Miscarriages are difficult to go through, but its important to not give up. Many women who have miscarriages are able to have a baby in the future. After two consecutive clinical miscarriages, its recommended to have a medical evaluation. A miscarriage can be emotionally tough to deal with. If youre having a hard time coping, talk to your health care provider about finding a counselor who can assist you during this difficult time. An initiative to raise money through donating spare Basic Payments Scheme (BPS) entitlements has raised more than 20,000 for farming charities. A cheque for 20,405 raised by Entitlement Aid will be handed over to farming charities including the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, the Addington Fund and the Farming Community Network. The initiative was set up encourage donations of surplus small numbers of entitlements. These largely came from those with fewer than five entitlements and who faced losing these under the CAP reform, which brought in the BPS. See also: Farmers urged to act soon to donate spare BPS entitlements The donated entitlements were transferred from a donor to 2015 BPS claimants who paid the market value, with the proceeds going to charity. Professional fees for carrying out the transfers were donated by Central Association of Agricultural Valuers member firms who signed up to the scheme. The initiative was supported by a wide range of other farming organisations, including Farmers Weekly, members of the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants, the Tenant Farmers Association, the NFU and the CLA. Surveyor Kevin Bateman of Devon-based Bateman Hosegood provided much of the impetus for the scheme. He said that it had taken a long time and was quite stressful through June 2105 when BPS forms were also due in, but it had been worth it. Our biggest benefactor was the National Trust, who gave 50 entitlements, and the smallest was a lady who gave 0.11 entitlements, said Mr Bateman. Dairy farmers protested outside Arla's Ashby de la Zouch milk plant in Leicestershire in 2012. Tim Scrivener Dairy farmers have pledged to march on Downing Street amid growing concern over cuts in milk prices paid to producers. In an email to supporters, the Farmers For Action pressure group said it was preparing to march through through London within the next two months. It will probably take place the second or third week in March on a weekday, ending in Hyde Park, whereupon a letter will be delivered to prime minister David Cameron on behalf of the farming community. See also: Farm incomes show dramatic fall Farmers For Action said it needed at least 1,000 people to attend the march, saying it would not take place unless enough people pledged their support. We would urge all interested parties to pass the information around to relatives, friends, neighbours, ancillary businesses. Lets make this happen. The decision to protest comes as First Milk again dropped its A price to farmers. The farmer-owned co-operative announced it was dropping its February A milk prices for producers in the Midlands, east Wales and Scotland. Milk producers in the Midlands and east Wales balancing pools will see their milk price fall by 0.62p/litre, while those in Scotland will have their price reduce by 0.19p/litre. The A milk price for producers in all other milk fields will remain unchanged. Meanwhile, Dairy Crest is to slash its Davidstow milk price by 1.6p/litre from 1 March 2016, meaning its 400 Dairy Crest Direct suppliers will receive 22.72p/litre. Dairy Crest head of procurement Ruth Askew admitted it was disappointing news, but emphasised dairy markets were under extreme pressure and milk supply remained high. Concern has also been expressed at suggestions that Tesco is on the verge of inflicting further pain on the sector by changing how it sources liquid milk. Farmers fear the retailers latest tendering process will see 200m litres of business removed from Arla and a greater share given to Muller Wiseman. A Tesco spokeswoman confirmed the company had regular conversations with its processors and suppliers. But she added: This is speculation and we dont comment on speculation. NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison urged Tesco to set the record straight on its intentions, saying it was important that milk producers knew where they stood. He added: Rumour and speculation about changes to dairy contracts is unsettling and unhelpful. Both Arla and Muller have declined to comment. gamershell.com expired on 08/21/2022 and is pending renewal or deletion. Backorder Domain Elevator pickpockets : Attempted theft at Siegburg ICE train station Siegburg Three young women crowded in on a man at the ICE train station in Siegburg on Thursday afternoon. They attempted to steal his wallet. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken A 65-year-old man arrived on an ICE train into Siegburg station around 3:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon and was the victim of pickpockets. Because he had a few pieces of luggage to carry, he used the elevator to get up to the level of the taxi platform. Just before the elevator door shut, three young women climbed in. They immediately got close to him, making him feel uncomfortable. He then turned away from them. As he did so, one of the women dropped his wallet and it fell to the floor. It had been in his back pocket when they stole it. Yes Or Nah? Agriculture Is The Answer To Nigeria's Economic Troubles - Bishop Oyedepo nametalkam at 31-01-2016 07:55 AM (6 years ago) (m) The Chancellor, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Bishop David Oyedepo, has lamented the poor state of Nigerias economy. He tasked the Federal Government to explore the unlimited opportunities in agriculture to resolve the problem. Speaking at the sixth matriculation ceremony of Landmark University, Oyedepo said this became necessary because food insecurity is a major global concern as over one billion people are suffering from starvation and malnutrition. Regrettably, Nigeria has transitioned from being a self-sufficient food country to being a worrisome net importer of agricultural produce. According to the Governor, Central Bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele, Nigerias annual report bill has risen above N630B. The current Nigeria situation, following the crash in crude oil prices at the international market with its attendant depreciation of naira, has further validated our consistent commitment to driving agriculture as a panacea for economic downturn, Oyedepo, who was represented by the Vice Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Professor Kayode Ayo, said. In her speech, the Vice Chancellor of Landmark University, Professor Aize Obayan, tasked the 513 matriculating students to lay right now a solid foundation for academic excellence and good conduct which are essential ingredients of a quality campus life and glorious future. She further urged the students to, key into the agricultural revolution of the university bearing in mind that agriculture will remain a critical industry for sustainable development. Speaking at the sixth matriculation ceremony of Landmark University, Oyedepo said this became necessary because food insecurity is a major global concern as over one billion people are suffering from starvation and malnutrition.Regrettably, Nigeria has transitioned from being a self-sufficient food country to being a worrisome net importer of agricultural produce. According to the Governor, Central Bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele, Nigerias annual report bill has risen above N630B. The current Nigeria situation, following the crash in crude oil prices at the international market with its attendant depreciation of naira, has further validated our consistent commitment to driving agriculture as a panacea for economic downturn, Oyedepo, who was represented by the Vice Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Professor Kayode Ayo, said.In her speech, the Vice Chancellor of Landmark University, Professor Aize Obayan, tasked the 513 matriculating students to lay right now a solid foundation for academic excellence and good conduct which are essential ingredients of a quality campus life and glorious future.She further urged the students to, key into the agricultural revolution of the university bearing in mind that agriculture will remain a critical industry for sustainable development. Post Reply I specialize in investigative reportage across several subject matter and sectors but mainly focus on metro events and investigation. Do leave your thoughts and opinion on my reports to let me know what you think about them. Thank you Posted: at 31-01-2016 07:55 AM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero adeniyisau at 31-01-2016 08:15 AM (6 years ago) (m) Yes Posted: at 31-01-2016 08:15 AM (6 years ago) | Newbie Yes Reply DAMILARE100 at 31-01-2016 08:47 AM (6 years ago) (m) Very YES, also those three of those private jets of his should be sold and use for charity. Posted: at 31-01-2016 08:47 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Very YES, also those three of those private jets of his should be sold and use for charity. Reply angesco at 31-01-2016 09:02 AM (6 years ago) (f) No. Agriculture will not sustain Nigeria. Dependence on agriculture alone will draw us even more behind in the world. The world is moving on everyday - Nigeria is lagging behind! The problem really is that in any field Nigeria has the potential to succeed in, fraudsters and corruption steal our limelight and turn the nation into a laughing stock around the world. We are too eager to please foriegners to the detriment of developing our own homegrown talents. A rich Nigerian will want to buy Arsenal but no rich Englishman can even name a local Nigerian football team. Our wealth is ALL over the world but NONE banked in Nigeria! Posted: at 31-01-2016 09:02 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac No.Agriculture will not sustain Nigeria. Dependence on agriculture alone will draw us even more behind in the world. The world is moving on everyday - Nigeria is lagging behind! The problem really is that in any field Nigeria has the potential to succeed in, fraudsters and corruption steal our limelight and turn the nation into a laughing stock around the world. We are too eager to please foriegners to the detriment of developing our own homegrown talents. A rich Nigerian will want to buy Arsenal but no rich Englishman can even name a local Nigerian football team. Our wealth is ALL over the world but NONE banked in Nigeria! Reply emma4love3 at 31-01-2016 09:19 AM (6 years ago) (m) bf nko.....oil don go.... Posted: at 31-01-2016 09:19 AM (6 years ago) | Hero bf nko.....oil don go.... Reply Haso112 at 31-01-2016 09:23 AM (6 years ago) (m) Agriculture to support the revenues generated from OIL... I say a BIG YES to that...! Posted: at 31-01-2016 09:23 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Agriculture to support the revenues generated from OIL... I say a BIG YES to that...! Reply Ennyolalekan at 31-01-2016 09:28 AM (6 years ago) (m) how I wish Posted: at 31-01-2016 09:28 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac how I wish Reply Trueyarn at 31-01-2016 09:41 AM (6 years ago) (m) He has a vital point on this one,let the government embrace agriculture,our lands are fertile. Posted: at 31-01-2016 09:41 AM (6 years ago) | Hero He has a vital point on this one,let the government embrace agriculture,our lands are fertile. Reply kenosas at 31-01-2016 10:07 AM (6 years ago) (m) sometimes I do concur with what trumps said that Nigeria needs another century to recolonise before we will really know what is govt and how to govenance a nation, upon all the sources Nigerians have we are still wallowing in a serious economy breakdown, poverty is part of our life we even adhere to as normal life...well,they mention agriculture,yes it is one of the economy sustainability of a nation,but like a country Nigeria we have all its takes to live on without tearing,but because of our wicked mind what do be done will remain undone. Posted: at 31-01-2016 10:07 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac sometimes I do concur with what trumps said that Nigeria needs another century to recolonise before we will really know what is govt and how to govenance a nation, upon all the sources Nigerians have we are still wallowing in a serious economy breakdown, poverty is part of our life we even adhere to as normal life...well,they mention agriculture,yes it is one of the economy sustainability of a nation,but like a country Nigeria we have all its takes to live on without tearing,but because of our wicked mind what do be done will remain undone. Reply gogoman at 31-01-2016 11:04 AM (6 years ago) (m) ooh una just dey wake up abi!! make una keep dying on OIL na Posted: at 31-01-2016 11:04 AM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero ooh una just dey wake up abi!! make una keep dying on OIL na Reply princedafe at 31-01-2016 11:24 AM (6 years ago) (m) please TB Joshua said that last year. Another Senseless Posted: at 31-01-2016 11:24 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac please TB Joshua said that last year.Another Senseless Reply princedafe at 31-01-2016 11:25 AM (6 years ago) (m) please TB Joshua said that last year. Another Senseless Posted: at 31-01-2016 11:25 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac please TB Joshua said that last year.Another Senseless Reply okatee at 31-01-2016 03:33 PM (6 years ago) (m) IT WILL BE A GUD IDEA IF NAIJA GOVT WILL COMBINE OIL ND AGRICULTURE 2GEDA. 50-50. Posted: at 31-01-2016 03:33 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac IT WILL BE A GUD IDEA IF NAIJA GOVT WILL COMBINE OIL ND AGRICULTURE 2GEDA. 50-50. Reply nwaafoigbo at 31-01-2016 05:19 PM (6 years ago) (m) the end of de road for nigeria Posted: at 31-01-2016 05:19 PM (6 years ago) | Upcoming the end of de road for nigeria Reply nwaafoigbo at 31-01-2016 05:21 PM (6 years ago) (m) wellcome to biafra land.....de land of hope and wisdom.......god bless biafra Posted: at 31-01-2016 05:21 PM (6 years ago) | Upcoming wellcome to biafra land.....de land of hope and wisdom.......god bless biafra Reply osarobo62 at 31-01-2016 06:29 PM (6 years ago) (m) our leaders have known this since 1960, but incompetence and greed have blocked their visions Posted: at 31-01-2016 06:29 PM (6 years ago) | Hero our leaders have known this since 1960, but incompetence and greed have blocked their visions Reply willyking at 31-01-2016 07:27 PM (6 years ago) (m) Do we need some one to say this open truth to this new goverment, is just that they are dumb not to be talking about agriculture at this time Posted: at 31-01-2016 07:27 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Do we need some one to say this open truth to this new goverment, is just that they are dumb not to be talking about agriculture at this time Reply DAMILARE100 at 31-01-2016 08:27 PM (6 years ago) (m) Quote from: okata matthew on 31-01-2016 03:33 PM IT WILL BE A GUD IDEA IF NAIJA GOVT WILL COMBINE OIL ND AGRICULTURE 2GEDA. 50-50. ...oil will become useless in decade to come Posted: at 31-01-2016 08:27 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac ...oil will become useless in decade to come Reply zezprincess at 7-02-2016 05:42 PM (6 years ago) (f) Yes,Agriculture one of the way forward for a better nigeria. Posted: at 7-02-2016 05:42 PM (6 years ago) | Hero Yes,Agriculture one of the way forward for a better nigeria. Reply LeEco Le 1s vs Lenovo K4 Note: Which is the budget phone for you? News oi -GizBot Bureau LeEco launched the much-awaited Le 1s in India on January 20, along with its big and bold partner- Le Max. The Le 1s is the new entrant in the budget phone market, and is all set to compete with the other smartphones in the category like the Lenovo K4 Note. With breath-taking looks and design, the Le 1s has enough and more to make competitors sweat! Design and display The Le 1s sports a stunning all metal unibody which gives it a solid look and feel. Not just that, it also makes it look beautiful in the user's hands. Furthermore, the bezel less design display reduces the footprint of the phone, making it comfortable to hold. On the other hand, Lenovo offers a more streamlined approach in the K4 Note with a plastic back supported by metal accents around the corners. That aside, it is also a little thicker than the Le 1s. In terms of design and build quality, the LeEco Le 1s definitely has an edge over Lenovo's offering, all thanks to its all-metal body. Both smartphones come equipped with almost identical 5.5-inch 1080p IPS LCD displays. Performance The Le 1s is a budget powerhouse. Where the K4 Note is powered by an octa-core MediaTek MT6753 processor clocked at 1.3GHz, the LeEco Le 1s, however, goes one step ahead, incorporating a high-end octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 chipset clocked at 2.2GHz. Heavy gamers might tilt towards the Le 1s for smoother gaming experience. Both phones are crammed with 3GB of RAM offering a cushion for multitasking. Camera and storage The optics in both the smartphones are not only similar on paper, but in real life performance as well. Both feature 13MP cameras at the rear with phase deduction autofocus and LED flash. 5MP cameras adorn the fronts of both smartphones for selfies and video calling. The Le 1s camera locks focus in just 0.09 seconds, making it the best camera phone to click pictures. Additionally, the Le Superphones offer consumers great features to capture videos like the 'slo-mo' recording feature that allows users to shoot videos in slow motion, where every frame is well-defined, every moment means more. Users can film in 2x, 4x and HD videos with flash On the storage front, the K4 Note comes with 16GB of internal storage which can be expanded further up to 128GB with the help of a microSD card. While the Le 1s offers a better internal storage capacity of 32GB. Software, connectivity and additional features The LeEco Le 1s runs the company's EUI atop of Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with a promised upgrade to Marshmallow in the near future. The Android 6.0 update is due for the K4 Note as well, which currently runs Android 5.1 Lollipop with Lenovo's own Vibe UI on top. Both devices have a smooth and responsive interface, and as is customary for many Chinese companies, no app drawers in the default home launcher. However, the Le 1s also bets big on its content ecosystem by partnering with streaming services such as Eros Now and YuppTV to offer free subscription to its consumers. Both smartphones come with fingerprint scanners on the back, which is fast and quite accurate. However, the biometric module on the Le 1s also doubles up as a mirror. Also, you can store up to five fingerprints in the Le 1s, but the K4 Note only allows you to register up to two. The Le1s thus scores on this parameter as well, which is comparable to many flagship devices on offer. On the connectivity front, both phones feature 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11, mobile hotspot, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS. The Lenovo K4 Note also features NFC, unlike the Le 1s. Also worth noting is the fact that the K4 Note is a proper dual-SIM smartphone, with a dedicated microSD card slot, so you don't need to sacrifice dual-SIM functionality in case you need to add more storage, unlike hybrid dual-SIM phones. Pricing and availability The Lenovo K4 Note is priced at Rs. 11,999. The Le 1s, on the other hand, is priced more affordably at Rs. 10,999 and will be exclusively available at Flipkart via flash sales starting February 2nd at 12noon. Best Mobiles in India Is Facebook adding computer art to make your photos incredible? News oi -GizBot Bureau Social networking giant Facebook and its photo and video-sharing app Instagram are reportedly set to quietly make your photos incredible by adding computer art to them. According to The Verge, it has been discovered that for every photo you upload to Facebook or Instagram, the company quietly makes an html page that replicates that photo using ASCII or text characters that lets you blow up your images to massive scale. SEE ALSO: Here Is How Mobile Phones Made Mark Zuckerberg The Sixth-Richest Person On Earth Mathias Bynens, a web standards enthusiast from Belgium, noticed it and tweeted about it on Friday. "Take any Facebook/Instagram photo URL Append '.txt' ? ASCII art append '.html' ? colored ASCII art," he wrote in his tweet. If you add ".html" to the end of that URL of the photo, you will get the coloured ASCII version. Similarly, If you add ".txt" to the end of that URL, you will get a black-and-white version. SEE ALSO: This is Why You Should Not Sleep with a Cell Phone Under Your Pillow.. "We have reached out to the company for the reasoning behind this hidden-but-cool 'feature' - there is probably some boring backend explanation," the report noted. Source IANS 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 German Intelligence Services 'Recruit Asylum Seekers as Informants' Sputnik News 15:46 30.01.2016(updated 18:10 30.01.2016) German secret services have reportedly been trying to get intelligence information from asylum seekers for many years. Some refugees have received protected status in exchange for their cooperation, German magazine Spiegel Online wrote. Only in the period from 2000 to 2013, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution had contacts with about 850 asylum seekers in order to receive intelligence information from them, the magazine reported. The media source gained access to a response of the Federal Government to the request of the Left faction in the Parliament. According to the document, German intelligence services promised migrants a better life and offered them a protection status which they probably would not be able to obtain under normal conditions. Moreover, the BND promised potential informants an improvement of their legal situation in exchange for the required information. The practice has been considered controversial and raised a lot of criticism among the German opposition. 'This is not only morally unacceptable when intelligence services continue to put pressure on refugees,' Martina Renner, representative of the Left Party said. 'The veracity of the received information should also be questioned.' A BND department dealing with asylum seekers was closed in June 2014, but the intelligence services continue to receive information from migrant informants 'on a voluntary basis,' the magazine wrote. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US: 22 Clinton Emails Included 'Top Secret' Material by VOA News January 30, 2016 The U.S. State Department, for the first time, is saying that former secretary of State Hillary Clinton's unsecured home computer server contained 22 emails with top secret information and said those emails would not be released to the public. Spokesman John Kirby said Friday the material includes seven email chains covering 37 pages of messages. He said the emails would not be disclosed, even with blacked-out boxes, as the agency released more of the emails from Clinton's tenure as the country's top diplomat. Kirby said the documents were not marked classified at the time they were sent, but are being upgraded now at the request of U.S. intelligence officials. State Department officials are checking whether any of the material was actually classified at the time it passed through her server, but Clinton has repeatedly said she did not send or receive any such classified material. Iowa caucus The development came three days before Clinton, the leading contender for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, competes in the Iowa caucus. It is the first voting in the state-by-state nominating contests to pick Democratic and Republican candidates to square off in next November's national election to replace President Barack Obama when he leaves office in a year. Clinton has been the national front-runner for the Democratic nomination, but is locked in a tight contest in the rural state of Iowa against Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who calls himself an independent Democratic socialist. Sanders has dismissed the controversy over Clinton's emails, but Republican presidential candidates have regularly attacked Clinton's use of the unsecured email link for official business, with some contending she should be criminally charged for the possible security lapse. Other candidates' reactions One Republican presidential candidate, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, said at a debate Thursday that 'her first acts as president may very well be to pardon herself.' The leading Republican contender, billionaire real estate tycoon Donald Trump, tweeted, 'How can anyone with such bad judgment be our next president?' The Clinton campaign demanded Friday that the emails be released in full. A campaign statement said the development is an example of 'bureaucratic infighting' over the degree of classification that should be placed on the emails and 'over-classification run amok.' Private email account Clinton has been at the center of a controversy since it was discovered that she used her private email account for official business while serving as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, during Obama's first White House term. Clinton has asked the State Department to release her emails in order to defuse the controversy, but it is taking officials months to sort through all the material to determine whether there is classified information in them. State Department officials have said that using a private email account was not prohibited and that Clinton never shared classified information over the account. But critics say it may have been a way for her to hide her communications and that use of the unsecured server at her home outside New York City left it vulnerable to overseas hackers. Clinton initially said the private server was a matter of convenience, but later conceded it was a mistake. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Navy Awards Boeing $2.5 Billion Contract for 20 More P-8A Poseidon Aircraft Order expands Navy maritime surveillance fleet, includes four aircraft for Australia SEATTLE, January 29, 2016 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] will further equip the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) with maritime patrol capabilities, building 20 more P-8A Poseidon aircraft following a $2.5 billion U.S. Navy order announced yesterday. The contract, for Lot 7 of the total P-8A program of record, includes 16 aircraft for the U.S. Navy and the next four aircraft for the RAAF. The RAAF's initial four P-8A aircraft were included in the August 2015 Lot 6 contract award. "We continue to hear feedback from our Navy customer about the incredible capabilities of the P-8A," said James Dodd, Boeing vice president and program manager of P-8 Programs. "The deployed squadrons tell us it's exceeding expectations we're looking forward to providing even more capability to the fleet and to Australia." This latest award puts Boeing on contract to build 78 Poseidons for the Navy and eight for the Australian fleet, with 33 Poseidons delivered to the U.S. Navy to date. The Lot 7 aircraft will begin delivery in late 2017. Based on Boeing's Next-Generation 737-800 commercial airplane, the P-8A offers the worlds' most advanced anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The Navy has deployed four P-8A patrol squadrons since operations began in 2013. Australia's participation in the P-8A program began in 2009 when the government signed the first in a series of memorandums of understanding to work with the U.S. Navy on system design and development. The U.S. Navy and the RAAF also established a joint program office that operates at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The first Australian P-8A will be delivered to the RAAF in late 2016. A unit of The Boeing Company, Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Defense, Space & Security is a $31 billion business with 53,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense. ### Contacts: Nanette Feeney P-8 Programs Office: +1 253-657-5713 Mobile: +1 206-304-2002 Nanette.m.feeney@boeing.com LaToya Graddy U.S. Navy +1 (301) 757-8690 latoya.graddy@navy.mil NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military Strikes Target ISIL in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, January 30, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 16 strikes in Syria: -- Near Hasakah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five ISIL vehicles and an ISIL anti-air artillery piece. -- Near Hawl, three strikes destroyed five ISIL fighting positions, destroyed an ISIL tunnel system, and damaged a separate ISIL fighting position. -- Near Raqqah, two strikes struck an ISIL gas and oil separation plant and destroyed an ISIL front end loader, two ISIL excavators, an ISIL crane, an ISIL trenching machine, and an ISIL road grader. -- Near Ayn Isa, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units. -- Near Mar'a, five strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle. -- Near Washiyah, two strikes destroyed two ISIL excavators and damaged a separate ISIL excavator. Strikes in Iraq Attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 17 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government: -- Near Asad, one strike destroyed two ISIL bomb-making facilities. -- Near Baghdadi, one strike destroyed three ISIL rocket rails. -- Near Ar Rutbah, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit. -- Near Habbaniyah, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL staging area and an ISIL vehicle and suppressed an ISIL fighting position and denied ISIL access to terrain. -- Near Mosul, seven strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed 10 ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL heavy machine guns, and an ISIL weapons cache. -- Near Ramadi, one strike destroyed an ISIL command-and-control node and denied ISIL access to terrain. -- Near Sinjar, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL fighting position. -- Near Tal Afar, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle. Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is a strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct operations. Coalition nations conducting strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan no hindrance to navigation freedom in South China Sea: MOFA ROC Central News Agency 2016/01/30 22:26:28 Taipei, Jan. 30 (CNA) The Republic of China (Taiwan) has held Taiping Island, the largest island in the Spratly Islands, for more than 60 years and has never had a military conflict with another country in the South China Sea, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday. Taiwan has also never obstructed the freedom of other countries to navigate in the South China Sea's waters or to fly over the area in accordance with the international law, the ministry said. The ministry's remarks came after the USS Curtis Wilbur, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island Saturday afternoon Taiwan time. Triton Island is part of the Paracel Islands, an archipelago claimed by Taiwan, China and Vietnam. The operation challenged 'excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States and others,' a U.S. Defense Department spokesman said, according to CNN. It challenged policies by the claimants requiring 'prior permission or notification of transit within territorial seas' that restrict navigation rights about the land features they claim, the spokesman said. Taiwan's Foreign Ministry responded that the ROC abides by United Nations charters and the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea regarding solving disputes peacefully and regulations on navigation and flight rights. The ROC send a military vessel named 'Chungchien' () to Triton Island -- located at the southernmost end of the Paracels -- in 1946 and gave the island the ship's name, the ministry said. The island was later controlled by Vietnam and then taken over by China in 1974 after a conflict with Vietnam. The ministry has repeatedly asserted that from the perspectives of history, geography and international law, the Spratlys, Paracels and Pratas Islands and the Macclesfield Bank, as well as their surrounding waters, are an inherent part of ROC territory. As the ROC enjoys all rights to these island groups and their surrounding waters in accordance with international law, the ROC government does not recognize any claim to sovereignty over, or occupation of, these areas by other countries, irrespective of the reasons put forward or methods used for such claim or occupation. (By Tai Ya-chen and Lilian Wu) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US warned on Diaoyu Islands statement People's Daily Online (China Daily) 09:33, January 30, 2016 Beijing urges Washington to 'be cautious in words and actions in regard to the Diaoyu Islands issue', the Ministry of National Defense said on Friday, a stern warning over recent remarks by a top United States Navy official. Harry Harris, commander of the US Pacific Command, spoke about Chinese territory in the East China Sea on Wednesday at a Washington think tank event. Referring to the islands, Harris said: 'We will clearly defend them if they are attacked by China,' Japan's Kyodo News Agency reported. In a written reply to China Daily on Friday, the Chinese ministry said: 'China has taken notice of the relevant report,' adding that the Chinese military's determination to safeguard regional peace and stability is 'unswerving'. It is hoped the US side will 'take tangible efforts in safeguarding the peace and stability in the region as well as the big picture of China-US relations', the ministry said. Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, noted that US President Barack Obama promised over two years ago to honor US treaty obligations in defending the islands. Ruan called Harris' remarks aimed at encouraging Japan to be bold in its military actions there. 'As Washington attempts to make Tokyo part of its so-called patrols in the South China Sea, it has to make an additional offer, some more defense commitments, in exchange,' Ruan said. Harris is actually encouraging Japan's self-defense forces to play a bigger role and boost its equipment, Ruan added. Teng Jianqun, a senior expert on US studies at the CIIS, said Washington's outspoken remarks and its security commitments made to treaty allies in Asia 'often go further than its actions', leading to a drastic mismatch. Although it seems embarrassing to have such mismatches, it is unlikely Washington will break away from such a pattern, Teng said. In addition to his comments on the East China Sea, Harris also drew Beijing's criticism for his comments on the South China Sea situation when speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Wednesday. Harris said the US will continue to challenge China's position on the South China Sea. He also said his personal view is that 'those islands do not belong to China'. On Thursday night, Yang Yujun, the ministry's spokesman, said: 'Such remarks astonish me as they completely lack historical common sense.' Peace and stability in the South China Sea should be safeguarded by China and the ASEAN countries, and, 'We do not need countries outside the region finger-pointing on this issue, let alone making any ignorant remarks,' Yang said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China censures US for sending warship to South China Sea Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 9:13PM China has censured the United States for sending a warship very close to one of the country's artificial islands to the South China Sea. The USS Curtis Wilbur, a missile destroyer, passed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island, which is part of the Paracel Islands, on Friday, a move apparently designed to increase tensions with Beijing. US Navy Captain Jeff Davis said in a statement on Saturday the "operation was about challenging excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States and others, not about territorial claims to land features." In response, the Chinese Ministry of Defense issued a statement, saying the US action "severely violated the law." "It damaged the peaceful, safe and good order in relevant waters and is not beneficial to regional peace and stability," said Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun. America's latest action is not the first time in recent months the US military has flexed its muscles in the South China Sea. 'We will fly, sail and operate anywhere in the world that international law allows,' one US military official said in October, after the US Navy sent its USS Lassen, a guided-missile destroyer, within 12 nautical miles of Subi Reef in the Spratly Islands archipelago. 'US Freedom of Navigation operations are global in scope and executed against a wide range of excessive maritime claims, irrespective of the coastal state advancing the excessive claim,' the official added. Chinese officials described the Pentagon's move as "dangerous and provocative." "We would urge the US not to continue down the wrong path. But if the US side does continue, we will take all necessary measures according to the need," the Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman said. China has on different occasions asserted its sovereignty over the sea, with Chinese Vice Admiral Yuan Yubai, commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) North Sea Fleet, insisting back in September that the South China Sea belongs to China. However, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims over the South China Sea. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address More than 30 killed in Saudi air raids on Yemeni capital Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 6:16PM The latest airstrikes carried out by Saudi warplanes killed more than 30 people in the Yemeni capital of Sana'a, officials said on Saturday. According to the security and medical authorities, the air raids targeted a camp belonging to fighters from Houthi Ansarullah movement as well as factories producing food and plastic in northern and western parts of the city. Yemen has been under airstrikes by Saudi Arabia since late March last year. The Saudi military strikes were launched to supposedly undermine the Ansarullah movement and bring fugitive former Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power. Over 8,270 people, among them 2,236 children, have been killed and more than 16,000 others injured since March 2015. The strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the impoverished country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories. The airstrikes come as Yemen's al-Masirah TV said on its Twitter account on Saturday that more than two dozen mercenaries fighting for the Saudi regime were killed after the allied Yemeni forces launched an offensive on their positions in Jad'an region of the northern province of Ma'rib. The report did not elaborate on the nationality of those killed. Saudi Arabia and some Arab governments in the Persian Gulf region, which have been contributing to Riyadh's more than 300 days of airstrikes and ground operations against Yemen, have recruited troops from various nationalities for the war on Yemen. Previous reports had suggested that thousands of troops and security forces, from Latin American and Asian countries, have been fighting in Yemen. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 25 pro-Saudi mercenaries killed in Yemen's Ma'rib Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 4:14PM Fighters of Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement and military units have killed more than two dozen mercenaries fighting for Saudi Arabia in Yemen. Yemen's al-Masirah TV said on its twitter account on Saturday that at least 25 mercenaries were killed after the allied Yemeni forces launched an offensive on their positions in Jad'an region of the northern province of Ma'rib. The report did not elaborate on the nationality of those killed. Saudi Arabia and some Arab governments in the Persian Gulf region, which have been contributing to Riyadh's more than 300 days of airstrikes and ground operations against Yemen have recruited troops from various nationalities for the war on Yemen. Previous reports had suggested that thousands of troops and security forces, from Latin American and Asian countries, have been fighting in Yemen. Masirah said the mercenaries were killed while advancing along a road to the northern province of Jawf, adding that Saudi Arabian warplanes conducted more than 100 airstrikes in the area to facilitate the advance of the ground forces. The Houthis and allies also continued to carry out attacks against military positions south of Saudi Arabia, with reports saying that gatherings of Saudi soldiers were targeted east of the city of al-Rabuah in the province of Asir. There was no immediate claim by Yemenis of inflicting casualties on the Saudis during the operation. Attacks were also launched on Saudi positions in Jizan where a number of soldiers were reportedly killed in al-Qawiyah and al-Dokhan regions. The Yemeni forces also targeted Saudi bases in Alib and Haras al-Hodud regions in Najran Province, Masirah said. More than 8,300 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have been displaced since Riyadh launched its deadly campaign in late March 2015. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi mercenary commander killed in central Yemen Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 9:36AM Yemeni army soldiers, backed by fighters from allied Popular Committees, have thwarted an offensive by Saudi-backed militiamen on Yemen's central province of Ma'rib, killing and injuring several of the extremists, including a commander. A military source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said militiamen loyal to fugitive former Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi carried out an attack on the Jad'an district of the province, located 250 kilometers (150 miles) east of the capital, Sana'a, on Saturday, Yemen's official Saba Net news agency reported. Yemeni soldiers and allied forces, however, repelled the assault, leaving an unspecified number of the Saudi mercenaries dead or injured. The source said that a militia commander, identified as Ahmed al-Doudhi, sustained injuries during the heavy fighting and later died. Also on Friday, Yemeni army forces fired a barrage of rockets at a Saudi-run military camp in the al-Hayouq district of the southwestern province of Ta'izz, killing nine people and injuring five others. A Saudi corporal, identified as Tami bin Mohammed al-Qahtani, later succumbed to injuries sustained during the shelling. Separately, Saudi military jets carried out a number of aerial attacks against the Central Security Headquarters in downtown Sana'a, damaging several residential buildings nearby. There were no immediate reports of possible casualties. Yemen has been under military attacks by Saudi Arabia since late March last year. The Saudi military strikes were launched to supposedly undermine the Ansarullah movement and bring Hadi back to power. Over 8,270 people, among them 2,236 children, have been killed and 16,015 others injured since March 2015. The strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the impoverished country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian jet flies within 15 feet of US spy plane Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 2:35AM A Russian jet has flown by a US spy plane over the Black Sea in an "unsafe and unprofessional manner," coming within 15 feet (4.5 meters) from it, says the Pentagon. 'On January 25, 2016, a US RC-135U flying a routine route in international airspace over the Black Sea was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 in an unsafe and unprofessional manner,' said Pentagon spokeswoman Army Lieutenant Colonel Michelle L. Baldanza. Baldanza added that aircraft intercepts are routine events but "the Russian pilot acted in an unprofessional manner that put both the American flight crew and himself at risk.' One official said that the jet flew along the right side of the US plane, then veered off in a maneuver that had an adverse effect on the 'controllability of the US aircraft.' The official said the incident occurred more than 40 miles from the Russian coast. However, he could not confirm if the Russian aircraft was armed at the time of the encounter. Such close encounters over the Black Sea are not unprecedented as two similar incidents took place involving the same aircraft in 2014. In one case, a Russian Su-27 flew within 100 feet of the nose of the US Air Force RC-135U over the Sea of Okhotsk between Russia and Japan, a move described by a US official as 'one of the most dangerous close passes in decades.' During the encounter, the Russian jet 'showed its belly' to the American crew so they could see it was armed with missiles. Last year, on April 7, another Su-27 flew within 20 feet of an RC-135, this time over the Baltic Sea. In a few occasions, Russian jets have also warned US warships operating in the waters, forcing them to change course. The Pentagon says US military operations in the Black Sea are routine and in accordance with international law.' Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov has dismissed the claim, saying US military operations near Russian borders pose a danger to strategic stability in the area. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Warship Sails Near Disputed Island in S China Sea Escalating Tensions Sputnik News 14:11 30.01.2016 The USS Curtis Wilbur destroyer has sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island, an island claimed by China in the Parcel Islands chain in the South China Sea. According to an unnamed Pentagon official, a US Navy destroyer approached the island in an operation aimed at the protection of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, The Wall Street Journal reported. The "operation for the defense of freedom of navigation" is a series of maneuvers by the US Navy warships against 'excessive' maritime claims, according to Washington. The US Navy sent the Curtis Wilbur on patrol, without telling anyone about the beginning of the operation, the publication added. According to the official, the patrols lasted for about three hours; no Chinese Navy ships in the area were reported. In October 2015 the United States sent a destroyer to the South China Sea near the disputed Nansha Islands (Spratly), which China considers its own. China's Foreign Ministry protested to the United States, saying that these actions violated the sovereignty of China. The US said that it will continue to sail everywhere international law permits. Such a statement demonstrated that the US does not recognize China's sovereignty over the islands. Similarly, US Pacific Commander Harry Harris remarked that the United States will continue to challenge China's position in the South China Sea. He also said his personal view is that "those islands do not belong to China," according to media reports. Chinese defense ministry spokesperson said Thursday that China's sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters have an adequate historical and legal basis. "It is China's consistent position to resolve disputes with countries directly related through negotiations and consultations. Peace and stability in the South China Sea should be protected by China and ASEAN," the publication China Daily reported. "We do not need countries outside the region finger-pointing on this issue, let alone making any ignorant remarks," Yang Yujun, the ministry's spokesperson said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban Became Even Stronger Since US Invaded Afghanistan Sputnik News 11:53 30.01.2016(updated 15:32 30.01.2016) Washington's 14-year efforts to defeat the Taliban and bring peace and stability to the country are nearing failure, stoking growing concerns about US President Barack Obama's pledge to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, a report by a government watchdog revealed Friday. Taliban militants control more of Afghanistan than any time since the US invaded in 2001, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko reported to Congress. Overall, the government controls 71 percent of the territory as insurgent activity by the Taliban and other extremist groups is growing. 'The insurgency is spreading (Afghan security forces) thin, threatening rural districts in one area while carrying out ambitious attacks in more populated centers,' the report read. Despite the fact the US has spent over $113 billion in Afghan reconstructing the country's infrastructure, it is still in poor condition and is deteriorating. The report called the Afghan economy's medium-term outlook 'unfavorable' with a growth of around 1.9 percent in 2015. A 'mild' recovery in real GDP growth to 3.1 percent in 2016 and 3.9 percent in 2017 is only possible if the security environment is improved and reforms are implemented. 'Intractable insurgents, cutbacks in foreign military personnel, persistent emigration of people and capital, and a slowing global economy are shifting Afghanistan's economic prospects from troubling to bleak,' the report stated. Sopko added that the worsening security environment has foiled several reconstruction initiatives in Afghanistan. 'The lack of security has made it almost impossible for many US and even some Afghan officials to get out to manage and inspect US-funded reconstruction projects,' the report read. Sopko also examined spending in the country and his audits uncovered $17 billion in questionable costs, according to a report by the investigative group ProPublica. In December 2015, Sopko reported that much of the spending appropriated for the country was not used for defined purposes. For instance, he sent a letter to the Pentagon, demanding clarification on $150 million given to a small group to rebuild the infrastructure of Iraq and Afghanistan. The money was mostly spent on luxurious villas, dinners and security personnel. Sopko's latest assessment comes as the US is concluding that the worsening security situation in Afghanistan will require the Pentagon to keep combat troops there far longer than President Obama intended, according to NBC News. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Boeing Wins Contract to Start Planning for Air Force One Replacement Sputnik News 04:33 30.01.2016 Boeing has won an initial contract to start work on replacing the aircraft serving the US president. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Boeing has won an initial contract to start work on replacing Air Force One, the aircraft serving the US president, with a new aircraft based on its 747-800 design, the Department of Defense announced. 'The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, has been awarded a $25,776,011 contract for Presidential Aircraft Recapitalization Program Phase 1,' the announcement stated on Friday. 'The presidential aircraft is one of the most visible symbols of the United States of America at home and abroad,' Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James said according to an official Air Force News Service (AFNS) report. Work on the first phase of the program will be performed at Seattle, Washington and Everett, Washington, and is expected to be completed by April 21, 2017, the Defense Department said. 'We will ensure the next Air Force One meets the necessary capabilities while reflecting the office of the president of the United States of America consistent with the national public interest,' James added. The new Air Force One will have a planned 30-year life cycle, according to the Defense of Department. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Air Force Spending Over $271Mln to Expand Balad Base in Iraq Sputnik News 03:52 30.01.2016(updated 04:18 30.01.2016) The US Air Force has given Sallyport Global Holdings in Virginia a $271.8 million contract to run security and life support operations at Balad Air Base in Iraq. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US Air Force has given Sallyport Global Holdings in Virginia a $271.8 million contract to run security and life support operations at Balad Air Base in Iraq over the next year, the Department of Defense announced. 'Sallyport Global Holdings Inc., Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a $271,813,941 modification contract for base life support, base operations support, and security,' the announcement stated on Friday. Work is expected to be completed by January 31, 2017, according to the Defense Department. The Balad base was occupied by the US military during the 2003 Iraq war and was handed back to the Iraqi Air Force in December 2011. During the Iraq War, Balad was the second largest US base in Iraq and today the Iraqi Air Force operates its US-supplied F-16 Fighting Falcons combat aircraft there. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Welcome to "What Sister Never Knew and Father Never Told You." I have always had a passion for history, and Church History (or, as it is better termed "The History of the Church") and in this blog I hope to bring up interesting--and frequently deliberately overlooked--facets of the history of the Catholic Church. I will probably also dip into the history of other Christian Churches from time to time and even that of non-Christian religions, but I do hope to keep my focus on the History of the Catholic Church. I am particularly anxious to show that the Catholic faith--which while doctrine tells us "comes from the Apostles" (and presumably to them from Jesus) is in fact, like all historical institutions, an evolutionary phenomenon. There is a huge difference between Tradition and traditions,. What many "Traditionalists" are caught up with today is not Tradition at all but various minor customs of human origin and little or no theological significance. As a Catholic myself, I am anxious to separate the wheat of the Gospel from the chaff of religiosity. I am a life-long Catholic and a professional historian (M.A., Ph.D) who also has a Master's in Theology. My grade school (Sisters of Mercy), high-school (Society of Jesus), and undergrad university (Society of Jesus) education is all in official Catholic, Kennedy Directory listed, educational Institutions as is the Grad School where I earned my Theology Degree. My History Degrees, Master's and Doctorate, are from a private East Coast University (where Jews teach Christianity to atheists) that ranks in the top one-hundred American Colleges and Universities lists. I chose a secular campus for my history work precisely so that I could not be accused of having done an "in-house" educational program. As it worked out I had one Catholic professor for one course and that course was "The History of Islam." I currenlty teach on a graduate faculty and specialize in medieval spirituality (of which I am not only a professor but a practioner) and in History of the American Church. I have also been invited around the English Speaking World to give classes and workshops--England, Ireland, Australia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, India, and Texas (among other places). I have spoken at conferences in Rome, Sao Paulo, Nantes, Krakow and other non-Anglophone locations in Europe and the Americas. I have done lecture tours on a prominent cruise line commeting on European History and the various ports of call--a great job if you can get it. In other words, I am not an amateur at this. I am thoroughly committed to the program of the SecondVatican Council as it was promulgated in 1965 (as contrasted with how it has been reinterpreted, in some cases almost out of existence) by both self-appointed and divinely anointed authorities over the last thirty-some years. As I get older I realize that the Council is an opportunity for us Catholics to embrace the Gospel as the guiding light of our lives and is too great an opportunity to be bypassed by those who are anxious to see a revival of the juridicism, triumphalism, and clericalism decried by Bishop Emil de Smedt in the opening session of the Council. There are those "fleshpots of Egypt Catholics" who want to retreat to the slavery of pre-conciliar American Catholicism," but as for me, I still believe that John XXIII (and Pius XII before him and Paul VI after him) saw a promised land of a mature and evangelical Catholicism so needed in the 21st century and I for one embrace the future, not the past. By the way, historians are those who e mbrace the future and realized that the past is there to guide us toward it. Those who embrace the past and seek to restore it are antiquarians. Christians know that we stand facing the future for that is from where the Kingdom of God calls us. Those who prefer restoring the past have not yet heard that call. Or, as one spiritual director once told me: "If God had wanted you to live in the 13th century (or the 18th, or the first half of the twenti eth) he would have put you there. He put you in the present facing the future. Military Leak Reveals Sweden Readying for War With 'Qualified Opponent' Sputnik News 03:30 30.01.2016(updated 10:15 30.01.2016) Despite an official policy of neutrality, leaked documents show that Sweden may be preparing for war with Russia. In 2014, Swedish authorities were convinced that a Russian submarine was patrolling the waters around Gotland Island. The ensuing hysteria was based on grainy photographs, and the Swedish government finally admitted the panic had been for nothing. Stockholm's paranoia has, however, not diminished. According to an internal brochure circulated by Swedish Army chief Major General Anders Brannstrom, the military must be prepared for a 'qualified opponent.' 'The global situation we are experiencing and which is also made clear by the strategic decision leads to the conclusion that we could be at war within a few years,' the document reads. 'For us in the army we have to, with all force we can muster, implement the political decisions.' The brochure reiterates the military's need for the 'capability of armed battle against a qualified opponent.' There is little ambiguity about the identity of Sweden's 'opponent.' The Scandinavian country has been steadily downsizing its military since the end of the Cold War but, after the sighting of the phantom submarine, a $696 million increase in the defense budget was requested. Stockholm has also expressed a stronger interest in joining NATO, an organization that could be said to exist solely on its repeated and unfounded accusations of Russian 'aggression.' Earlier this month, Sweden signed a bilateral agreement with Denmark to increase military cooperation. 'With this new framework for expanded defense cooperation, the next step for the Swedish and Danish Armed Forces will be to examine conditions for concrete operational cooperation,' according to a statement from the Swedish Defense Ministry. This is in addition to an existing military cooperation agreement between Sweden and Finland. Brannstrom's boss, Supreme Commander Micael Byden, appears to disagree that Sweden faces a current military threat. Speaking at a conference earlier this month, Byden denied any threat. 'We should be aware that we are continuously being exposed to intelligence gathering and campaigns. We also know that areas in our region, the Baltic and increasingly the Arctic, constitute areas of friction between Russia and the West.' Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Beijing Protests US Sail-By in South China Sea by VOA News January 30, 2016 A U.S. Navy warship sailed through South China Sea waters claimed by China Saturday in a 'freedom of navigation' exercise, which China denounced as 'grave misconduct.' A spokesman at the Pentagon, Jeff Davis, said the passage by the guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur was intended to enforce the international right to sail through such crucial navigation lanes. The warship passed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island in the Paracel group, which is claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam as well as by China. In Beijing, a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman said the U.S. destroyed peace and stability in the South China Sea with its maritime exercise, the second by an American warship in the area since October. The spokesman, Yang Yujun, expressed China's 'resolute opposition' to the sail-by, and said Chinese armed forces will take 'all necessary measures against any act of provocation by the United States.' 'Freedom-of-navigation operation' Pentagon spokesman Davis said the U.S. destroyer was conducting a routine 'freedom-of-navigation operation in the South China Sea." The mission was intended 'to challenge attempts by the three claimants China, Taiwan and Vietnam to restrict navigation rights and freedoms," Davis said. No prior notice of the U.S. vessel's transit was given to China or any other regional authorities, 'which is consistent with our normal process and international law,' the Pentagon spokesman said. Three months ago, the Navy sent another guided-missile destroyer on a similar mission close to one of the artificial islands China has built on a partly submerged reef in the South China Sea. That exercise also was denounced by China. The U.S. Congress called for further freedom-of-navigation voyages after the October cruise. Earlier this month, Senator John McCain, chairman of the influential Senate Armed Services Committee, contended President Barack Obama had opposed further sail-bys in the South China Sea. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Army Provides No Cyber Unit Training to Foreign Partners - Cyber Command Sputnik News 02:00 30.01.2016(updated 02:26 30.01.2016) Head of Army Cyber Command Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon said that the US Army is not providing cyber unit training to America's international partners. WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein The US Army is not providing cyber unit training to America's international partners, head of Army Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon told Sputnik. "You have to have a top secret US clearance, so that makes it pretty restrictive on who can be in the current force for the Army," Cardon said on Friday. Asked directly if any international partners are being trained by US Army Cyber Command, Cardon answered, "No." Earlier this month, CYBERCOM Commander Adm. Mike Rogers outlined key priorities for 2016, including improving international partnerships. Rogers stated that CYBERCOM will be "increasingly" dealing with "key allies and friends around the world" to address challenges in the cyber domain. In 2016, US Army Cyber Command is expected to stand up 41 cyber units at initial operating capacity. At present, there are around 9,000 service members working in 133 cyber units across the Department of Defense. Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon added that the US Department of Defense will wait for its newly fielded cyber units to evolve before making request to increase the size of its cyber force. "As with all military capabilities, [the number of cyber units] will either expand or contract to fit the mission space that they are in I don't think the door is closed on what it will look like down the road at all," Cardon said on Friday. "It has been an evolutionary process," Cardon said of the four years since the Defense Department was first tasked with establishing Cybercommand units across the services. "We are learning a lot from the way we're using them now," Cardon added, noting regular changes in the training due to the rapid changes in the cyber domain. The Cybercommand is still working through major challenges in the cyber domain, including defining and meeting its own charter goal of defending the United States against a cyberattack of "significant consequence." In 2015, Cybercommand was given $546 million in funds, but will have to work with a nearly 7 percent cut in resources in 2016, when it is expected to fully field its 133 units. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S.Korea sees THAAD deployment as helpful to security People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 15:09, January 29, 2016 SEOUL, Jan. 29 -- South Korea's defense ministry said Friday that deploying a U.S. mobile missile defense system, dubbed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in the country, would be helpful to its security and defense. Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told a press briefing that he was aware of discussions being made in the U.S. government to deploy the THAAD to the U.S. forces stationed in South Korea. Kim said South Korea has never received any request from the United Statesfor the THAAD deployment, but he noted that the deployment of the missile defense system would be helpful to South Korea's security and defense. The spokesman added that the South Korean government will review all possible measures to defend the country against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear and missile threats. His comments came after Pyongyang claimed on Jan. 6 that it had tested its first hydrogen bomb. Seoul forecast a long-range ballistic missile launch by the DPRK at any time as a follow-up provocation to the nuclear test. The DPRK had test-fired long-range ballistic missiles months before or after its three previous atomic bomb tests. Two months before its third nuclear test in February 2013, the DPRK put a satellite into orbit with a three-stage Unha-3 rocket which Seoul and Washington saw a ballistic missile. Kim said the ministry is collecting and analyzing information on the THAAD to determine the military feasibility of the mobile missile defense system. The THAAD, developed by the U.S. defense company Lockheed Martin, is designed to shoot down missiles at an altitude of 40-150 km. South Korea is developing its own missile defense technology, called Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD), to intercept missiles at an altitude of less than 40 km. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S. Korea Eyes US Missile Defense System as North Continues Tests by Kim Hwan Yong January 29, 2016 To counter growing North Korean missile and nuclear threats, South Korea appears poised to consider importing a controversial U.S. missile defense system, according to officials in Seoul. After the latest nuclear test by Pyongyang, Seoul has been weighing military and diplomatic options to enhance deterrence against future provocations by the communist country. Seeking a defense capability without alienating neighboring countries has been a difficult part of the effort. Recently, considering whether to host an advanced U.S. anti-missile defense system called THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, has emerged as part of Seoul's dilemma. U.S. and South Korean military officials say South Korea should consider deploying the system, which is capable of tracking ballistic missiles up to 2,000 kilometers away, a range that would cover some parts of China. Beijing's objections Beijing opposes the move and voiced its objections in early 2015. "We had very candid and free discussions over the THAAD issue. It would be appreciated if Seoul takes account of China's concerns and worries," Liu Jianchao, assistant minister of China's Foreign Ministry, told reporters during a March visit to Seoul. Daniel Russel, an assistant U.S. secretary of state who was also traveling in Seoul at the time, fired back at Beijing, saying he found it "curious that a third country would presume to make strong representations about a security system that has not been put in place." Since then, Seoul has been walking a delicate line on the issue, keeping a noncommittal stance in an apparent attempt to quell the controversy. Pyongyang's nuclear test, however, might have tipped the balance. "Given that we are facing North Korean nuclear and missile threats, we will consider the deployment if it is warranted in the interest of national security," South Korean President Park Geun-hye said during a televised national address a week after the nuclear test. Shifting stance On Friday, South Korea's Defense Ministry appeared to advocate deploying such a system. Kim Min-seok, spokesman for the ministry, told reporters the deployment would be "helpful" for Seoul's security. Beijing tried to push back against Seoul's apparent shifting stance on the issue. "We believe that any country, when striving for its own security, should also consider other countries' security interests and regional peace and stability," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying. The U.S. State Department said Friday that Washington had not "formally consulted" with Seoul on THAAD deployment, and "no decisions have been made on a potential deployment of THAAD" in South Korea. Kim's comments came amid reports that North Korea might be preparing another long-range missile launch. Citing recent commercial satellite imagery, 38 North, a North Korea monitoring website run by Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, said Thursday that "a range of low-level activities" were seen at North Korea's rocket launch site in Dongchang-ri. The website said the activities might be part of "early stages of preparation for launching a space launch vehicle.' Earlier, Japan's Kyodo News Agency reported the launch could come in about a week, citing a government official. Possible missile launch Pyongyang last conducted a long-range missile launch in late 2012, when it successfully put into orbit an object that it said was a communications satellite, sparking concerns among U.S. military officials. "Our assessment is that they have the ability to put a nuclear weapon on a KN-08 and shoot it at the homeland," Admiral William Gortney, commander of the U.S. Northern Command, told reporters in April 2015, referring to North Korea's new road-mobile missile. U.S. officials say Pyongyang has not yet tested the missile. Moon Seung-mook, a retired general who led the South Korean delegation in inter-Korean military talks in 2004, told VOA on Friday that Pyongyang could launch an advanced missile with a range longer than that of the missile fired in 2012, saying it recently improved facilities at the launch site. Earlier this month, Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test, claiming it was a successful test of a hydrogen bomb. International sanctions ban Pyongyang from conducting nuclear tests or launching ballistic missiles. Baik Sungwon and Jee Abbey Lee contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Raytheon Wins $212.6Mln Patriot Missile Contracts for 12 Countries Sputnik News 04:18 30.01.2016(updated 04:44 30.01.2016) Raytheon has won engineering contracts worth $212.6 million on its Patriot anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile systems. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The Raytheon Company was awarded engineering contracts worth $212.6 million on its Patriot anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile systems deployed with the armed forces of 12 US allied nations, the Department of Defense announced. 'Raytheon IDS [Integrated Defense Systems], Andover, Massachusetts, was awarded a $212.687 million modification to foreign military sales contract for engineering services for calendar year 2016 for the Patriot program,' the announcement stated on Friday. The work will be performed at ten different facilities across the United States for Patriot systems operating with the armed forces of Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,, Qatar, Spain, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands, the announcement said. The upgrades will provide 360-degrees of protection, while retaining Patriot's mobility and reducing operation and maintenance cost by as much as 50 percent, Raytheon IDS announced in October 2015. More than 220 Patriot fire units fielded by the United States and the 12 other Patriot partner nations will be upgraded, the company noted. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Might Threaten Military Action if N. Korea Launches Missile Test Sputnik News 02:02 30.01.2016(updated 02:36 30.01.2016) President Barack Obama might feel pressure to go beyond intensifying sanctions and threaten military action against North Korea if Pyongyang conducts another missile test, US Defense Trade Advisory Group member Lawrence Ward told Sputnik. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Wednesday, Japanese media reported that satellite imagery indicated North Korea was preparing to test-launch a long-range missile. Earlier this month, Pyongyang tested a nuclear weapon, inciting outrage from the United States and new economic sanctions. 'In addition to additional sanctions, there may be pressure that the President threaten military response [against North Korea],' Ward said on Friday. Ward noted that the United States and international response will be swift in terms of tightening sanctions on North Korea. Such a test launch, he added, could force China to react against North Korea or risk damaging relations with the United States. On January 6, Pyongyang announced it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, a move which triggered condemnation from the United States that characterized it as a provocative move destabilizing the region. The Defense Trade Advisory Group, established by an act of the US Congress, is comprised of private sector experts appointed by the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs to advise the Department of State on international defense-related trade issues. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Indian Company Mulls Joint Construction of Warships With Russia, UK Sputnik News 17:46 29.01.2016 India's shipbuilding company Bharatu Shipyard, which has a license to build warships in India, has been discussing with Russian and British companies the joint construction of naval vessels, the Mumbai-based newspaper The Economic Times reported on Friday. 'Bharati Shipyard has a license to build warships in India. The company is now looking to monetize that and is in talks with a couple of players,' ET reported, citing a source with knowledge of the matter. According to the newspaper, taking part in the talks are a UK company and a firm affiliated with Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation. According to another source, cited by the newspaper, Bharati Defence & Infrastructure could set up a subsidiary to build the warships at two of the six shipbuilding yards owned by the company. The exact investment needed for the project and the likely share of partners are being negotiated as are the exact investment needed for the project and the likely share of partners. The foreign partner could take 49% of a joint venture. The Indian Navy is expected to spend around $18 billion on warships in the coming years, the newspaper added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran test-fires torpedoes, advanced missiles during massive naval drills Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 2:55PM Iranian Navy's submarines and destroyers have successfully test-fired different types of torpedoes and advanced missiles during massive drills aimed at displaying the country's might. The missiles and torpedoes were fired on Saturday on the fourth day of military maneuvers code-named Velayat 94, which are held across a large swath of territorial waters and high seas in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Indian Ocean. "Various types of Ghadir-class and Tareq-class submarines in the maneuver detected and tracked the [mock] enemy's mobile targets and destroyed them by firing advanced and overhauled torpedoes," a spokesman for Iran's Navy, Commodore Seyyed Mahmoud Mousavi, told reporters. He added that Iran's domestically-built Jamaran destroyer and other vessels also fired different torpedoes. The Army's naval forces fired surface-to-surface Nasr missiles which successfully hit targets, the commander said. Mousavi further added that Iran's AB212 helicopter, which is equipped with rocket-launcher and machine gun, managed to destroy targets. Iran's Navy started its four-day annual military exercises on Wednesday. On Friday, Iranian naval forces successfully test fired Nour (Light) surface-to-surface cruise missile which has a range of 150 kilometers. Nour cruise missile has an accurate impact precision, good velocity, high detection power and powerful warhead. It could be launched both from sea and surface. Iran says the drills are aimed at depicting the Islamic Republic's power in establishing security in the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC doubles missile activities despite US pressure: Commander Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 10:53AM A senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says Iran has stepped up boosting its missile capabilities since the US asked to curb them. 'We doubled our activities and the American demands from Iran had an opposite result,' Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh was quoted saying on the Basij Press website. "Today, the enemies are bringing up the issue of missile-related sanctions and expecting us to back down. But, the IRGC's reaction to this American demand will be aggressive," he said. Hajizadeh said the US has not dropped its hostile policies toward the Islamic Republic despite a nuclear deal which went into force earlier this month. "Has the enemy abandoned its intentions for hostile moves? Does the (Islamic) Revolution have no problem anymore? That's not the case. "Our enemies, especially America, are still saying, 'all options are on the table.' 'They are after certain goals in a number of fields, including the military and war, targeting the country's security, culture and economy because they have a problem with the essence of the establishment and their problem is not nuclear,' he said. The US adopted new sanctions against Iran over the country's missile program, a day after the nuclear agreement went into effect, prompting Iranian officials to denounce them as 'illegal.' Hajizadeh said, "The Leader (Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei) had said before that 'our problems with the Americans are not nuclear and that they will go after missile and other issues.' Today, we see his predictions were right.' The US has imposed a raft of sanctions on Iran under consecutive American administrations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in the absence of diplomatic relations. Hajizadeh said, "We have never trusted America and will never do so. Neither will we let a forging of relations with America." "As our late Imam (Khomeini) said the relationship between Iran and America is the relation between the lamb and the wolf. We will never allow such a connection." Officials say none of Iran's missiles has been designed to carry nuclear warheads, and thus their production and tests do not violate UN Resolution 2231 which bans development of such projectiles. Iran says its military might poses no threat to other countries and that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Navy confirms Iranian drone's flight over US carrier Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 7:27AM The United States has confirmed that an Iranian drone has 'directly' flown over a US aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, taking pictures of it. Commander Kevin Stephens, a spokesman for the US Navy's 5th fleet based in Bahrain, said on Friday that an unarmed Iranian drone flew near the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and "directly over" the USS Harry S. Truman on January 12. Stephens called the over-flight "abnormal and unprofessional." The commander said the US Navy dispatched a helicopter that determined the Iranian drone was 'unarmed' and "posed no danger to the ship" as there were no flight operations on the carrier. Stephens, however, said he could not say whether a video of the incident, released by the Iranian Navy, was authentic. Meanwhile, a midget Ghadir-class submarine belonging to Iran's Navy was also deployed close to the US aircraft carrier to gather intelligence and capture footage, Fars news agency reported. The submarine was able to take "clear" photographs of the aircraft carrier without catching the attention of the staff on board, the report said. Iran's Navy released the footage on the third day of its annual military drills, code-named Velayat 94, across a large swath of territorial waters and high seas in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Indian Ocean. On Wednesday, Stephens also confirmed reports that a US Navy warship had to leave an area used by Iran for the naval drills after receiving warnings from the Iranian forces. "Iran has announced closure areas for live-fire events associated with its exercise," he said. "This is a common practice for any navy conducting such training at sea." Stephens didn't say why the US warship was in the area if it had been declared closed to navigation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Proud Move': Iranian Navy Test-Fires New Nour Cruise Missiles Sputnik News 01:11 30.01.2016(updated 06:23 30.01.2016) The Iranian Navy has successfully test-fired a series of Nour surface-to-surface cruise missiles during military exercises off the Makran coast in southeastern Iran. After three days of military maneuvers known as Velayat 94, Iranian naval forces test fired the missiles on Friday. With a range of 93 miles, the Nour missiles proved to be both accurate and powerful. Commodore Seyyed Mahmoud Mousavi, a spokesman for the Iranian Navy, told reporters that 'the Navy's vessels simultaneously fired surface-to-surface Nour cruise missiles and destroyed pre-determined targets and successfully accomplished this mission.' Speaking to reporters, Iranian Navy chief, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, added that the "proud move" by the Iranian Navy 'strikes fear into the heart' of hostile enemies. The missiles can be fired from land, as well as from naval vessels. The four-day annual exercises began on Wednesday in the waters east of the Strait of Hormuz. 'The drills are aimed at showing to the people of the entire world the Islamic Republic of Iran's competence and authority in establishing security and defending the country's maritime borders across seas, especially in the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman, and northern Indian ocean,' Sayyari said. The drills, Tehran's largest naval exercise, faced a minor setback on Wednesday when Iran was forced to address the presence of a US warship approaching the operation zone. 'As we anticipated that the Americans may approach the drill zone to learn about our tactics, we warned them once by maritime patrol aircraft and again by the Alborz destroyer,' Sayyari said in an interview with Fars News Agency. The US vessel left the area, 'accordingly.' The Iranian Navy also conducted drills in the Sea of Oman last November. These exercises included the use of sophisticated submersibles, including the submarines Tareq and Ghadir. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq will cooperate with any production-cutting decisions: oil minister IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 30, IRNA -- Iraq's oil minister said on Saturday his country was ready to accept a decision by OPEC and non-OPEC members to cut crude production and was preparing to revive its national oil company, moves aimed at boosting profits amid dropping prices. Cash-trapped Venezuela has called for a meeting in February to discuss steps to prop up global oil prices, which have plunged to 12-year lows around $30 a barrel, Reuters reported. 'Iraq will agree and cooperate if producers really want to cooperate to cut,' Adel Abdul Mahdi told reporters in Baghdad. He said the ministry was also preparing a draft law to revive the National Oil Company, which was established in the 1960s but merged into the ministry in 1987. He said it would be 'vital for the development of the energy sector' to operate independently from the ministry. Legislation to reestablish the company has languished for years amid political turmoil and changes of government in the war-battered nation. Baghdad, which relies on oil exports for nearly all its revenues, is struggling to improve its finances as it wages a costly battle against Islamist insurgents in the north and west. Southern oil exports through Jan. 24 averaged 3.324 million barrels per day (bpd), with production at about 3.7 million bpd, according to Abdul Mahdi. Separately, the minister said a Chinese company and other foreign firms had signed a deal this week in Beijing to form a consortium to invest in building an oil pipeline connecting the southern city of Basra with Aqaba port at Jordan's Red Sea coast. Ministry spokesman Asim Jihad said the main firms were China Petroleum Pipeline (CPP) and private company Mass Global. 'The two companies will submit their investment offer to the oil ministry in March,' he told Reuters. The plan is to export one million barrels per day (bpd) of Iraqi crude to Jordan, 150,000 bpd of which will supply Jordan's Zarqa refinery. 8072**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan unveils its first stealth plane People's Daily Online (Mail Online) 14:43, January 29, 2016 Japan has unveiled its first homemade stealth plane. The experimental X-2 is expected to make its maiden test flight in February, and boasts radar-resistance features, including a canopy with special stealth-enhancing coating. Defense officials said the aircraft is designed to test the stealth technology that would possibly be combined with the next-generation fighter jet, replacing the fleet of F-2 fighters as early as 2028. It comes as Japan tries to catch up on the technology and enhance its reconnaissance and intelligence capabilities as China expands its own military presence in the region. It would become the fourth nation to test fly its own stealth jet, a move that could further antagonize neighboring Asian countries who have opposed Prime Minister Shinzo Abes bid to strengthen the role of its armed forces. Russia flew its first stealth fighter in 2010 and China followed a year later, though each country's programs have experienced delays and other setbacks. The U.S. has flown stealth aircraft since the 1980s. The red-and-white aircraft, with a 14-meter (45-foot) -long fuselage and 9-meter (30-foot) -long wingspan, sat inside a hanger at the Nagoya Airport in central Japan. Led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, the stealth plane comes with radar-resistance features, including a canopy with special stealth-enhancing coating, and mobility. The X-2previously known as ATD-X, for Advanced Technology Demonstrator Xwas manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. 'I cannot go into details, but we recognize it is technologically at a very high level,' said Takahiro Yoshida, an official in charge of the project at the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of the Defense Ministry. The 40 billion yen ($340 million) project began in 2009. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S. Korea Fails to Pass N. Korean Human Rights Bill by Brian Padden January 29, 2016 South Korean legislators failed to hold a vote this week on a proposed North Korean Human Rights Act, despite an agreement between the two major political parties to consider the measure. The legislation, first proposed in 2005, reportedly mandated that future humanitarian aid and cooperation projects be linked to human rights improvements in the North. But it remains a divisive issue in the South Korean parliament where opponents argue it would obstruct any possibility for improving inter-Korean relations. Divisive aspects of bill Earlier this week, it appeared a consensus had been reached when reports said the ruling Saenuri Party of President Park Geun-hye and the opposition Minjoo Party had reached a breakthrough deal to consider legislation intended to hold the Kim Jong Un government accountable for alleged widespread abuses. "One of the reasons the bill was not on the [legislative] agenda is that there is a gap in positions between the majority party and the opposition party on whether inter-Korean relations should be addressed in the bill or not," said activist Choi Yong-sang, with the Network for North Korean Human Rights. Another controversial aspect of the bill was that it would include financial support for organizations that actively work to undermine the Kim Jong Un government, including North Korean defector groups that regularly send anti-Kim propaganda leaflets across the border. "Everybody around the world has been getting tough on North Korea, and in South Korea there has been this political divide that prevents them from taking the sort of actions you would expect to have occurred a long time ago," said Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch's deputy director for Asia. In 2014, the U.N. General Assembly backed a resolution to refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, based on an extensive U.N. human rights report that documented ongoing and systematic atrocities including a network of political prisons, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence. Critics of the bill recognize the extreme severity of the atrocities committed by the highly restrictive, authoritarian North Korean government, but disagree that publicly confronting the leadership on this issue will force them to change. "It is impossible to improve the situation by the idea of calling Kim Jong Un to the ICC. It is necessary to approach North Korea with specific action plans such as proposing to demolish the criminal camps owned and operated by North Korea within five years, step by step," said political analyst Cheong Seong-chang with the Sejong Institute. Inter-Korean relations However, any prospects for improving inter-Korean relations have faded in the wake of North Korea's fourth nuclear test conducted on January 6. And there is increased public support in South Korea for harsh economic sanctions to further isolate and punish Pyongyang and heighten military readiness to respond to any provocations. "I think the people who have been arguing for engagement with North Korea have frankly very little to show either in terms of peace or in terms of improvement of human rights," said Robertson. Parliamentary procedures may have also played a part in undermining the legislative initiative. Even though the Saenuri Party holds 158 of the 300 seats in the Assembly, the speaker needs the support of 60 percent of lawmakers to bring a bill up for a vote. Also, analysts speculate that with elections pending in April, the opposition could be holding up the human rights bill and other measures supported by the Park government until it agrees to pass redistricting legislation. Youmi Kim in Seoul contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia to Deploy More Su-30 Interceptor Jets in Crimea Sputnik News 15:15 29.01.2016 A number of new planes will be added to the squadron of Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole interceptors deployed in Crimea, the Black Sea Fleet Commander, Admiral Alexander Vitko, said on Friday. Prior to Crimea's 2014 reunification with Russia the Ukrainian authorities opposed all attempts to upgrade the Russian Black Sea Fleet based on the peninsula. "The Su-30SM fighter jets are doing more than just adding luster to our military parades in Sevastopol, they are actively being used during exercises," Admiral Vitko told RIA Novosti news agency. He added that this year more planes would be added to the squadron of Su-30s currently deployed on the peninsula. Admiral Vitko said that in the past year the Fleet's pilots had flown hundreds of sorties clocking 5,000 hours in the air which he described as the best such performance in a decade. "Our pilots have flown over 200 antisubmarine missions, launched hundreds of unguided missiles and performed numerous bombing missions. Our helicopters have flown over a hundred sorties taking off from and landing on ships," he added. The Su-30SM is a multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions. The Su-30SM can conduct electronic counter-countermeasures and early warning tasks. The aircraft also acts as a command-and-control platform within a fleet of combat aircraft performing joint missions. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Invincible Shield: Russia Puts S-400 Systems on Combat Duty Near Moscow Sputnik News 12:47 29.01.2016(updated 12:48 29.01.2016) The Russian Armed Forces have put an air defense regiment, equipped with advanced S-400 Triumf air defense systems, on combat duty in the Moscow Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) 'Four air defense regiments are providing Moscow and the Central industrial district with air defense after a new system was deployed on combat duty in formation of the Aerospace Defence Forces,' the statement reads. According to the statement, at least one more regiment equipped with S-400 systems is expected to be deployed on combat duty in the Moscow Region before the end of the year. The S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name SA-21 Growler) is by far Russia's most advanced surface-to-air missile system. It has a range of 400 kilometers (248 miles) and is capable of tracking and destroying all existing aerial targets, including ballistic and cruise missiles. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Small but Dangerous: Russia's New Missile Corvette Packs Huge Punch Sputnik News 14:04 30.01.2016 Russia's all-new Buyan-M missile corvette may be small but the weapons it carries on board really boggle the mind, Zvezda TV channel wrote on its website Friday. One of the newest corvettes of the Russian Navy, the Buyan-M is a multi-purpose river-sea type corvette designed for anti-surface warfare. It has a displacement of 949 tons and maximum speed of 25 knots. It is armed with an eight-round launcher for high-precision Kalibr-NK or Onix cruise missiles capable of hitting floating targets up to 300 kilometers away and land targets up to 2,500 kilometers away. The Buyan-M, which is an upgraded version of the Project 21630 Buyan-class corvettes, also carries Igla 1M anti-aircraft missiles, a 100-mm main gun and two 30-mm air-defense guns and is equipped with electronic countermeasure equipment. It has a range of 1,500 miles and an endurance of 10 days. Most original in this modern ship is its architectural form, which was created in accordance with the requirements of low visibility. On October 7, 2015 four warships of the Russian Navy's Caspian Sea flotilla, three of them Buyan-M corvettes, fired 26 SS-N-30A land-attack cruise missiles at terrorist forces in western Syria, a thousand miles away. Ten Buyan-M class missile corvettes armed with Kalibr cruise missiles will join the Russian Navy by the end of 2019, Navy Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Viktor Bursuk said late last year. The Navy previously said that it planned to receive six such warships. 'By the end of 2019, the entire series of these ships will be built, which is about 10,' Bursuk said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia's Central Military District to Get Over 1,200 Pieces of Equipment Sputnik News 12:34 30.01.2016(updated 12:41 30.01.2016) Russia's Central Military District (MD) will receive more than 1,200 pieces of military and special equipment in 2016, Commander of the Central MD Col. Gen. Vladimir Zarudnitsky said Saturday. YEKATERINBURG (Sputnik) Zarudnitsky added that among the pieces of equipment expected to be delivered were Iskander-M tactical missile systems, Zoopark-1M and Aistenok mobile radar systems as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, such as Forpost, Eleron and Orlan. Russia is planning to modernize up to 70 percent of its military hardware by 2020. Total modernization program cost is estimated to reach about 20 trillion rubles (some $266 billion at the current exchange rates). 'More than 1,200 pieces of advanced and modernized pieces of hardware, military and special equipment will enter service with the district forces in 2016 in accordance with the state arms procurement program,' Zarudnitsky told reporters. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria opposition bloc threatens to leave talks in Geneva Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 11:46PM The Saudi-backed anti-Syrian government opposition group has threatened to withdraw from peace talks in Geneva, saying its delegation's presence will not be justified if the Syrian government persists in fighting the opposition. The High Negotiations Committee (HNC), a coalition of 17 Syrian opposition groups, made the comments late on Saturday, shortly after its delegation arrived in the Swiss city in a bid to assess whether to join the talks. "The delegation will inform (UN special envoy Staffan) de Mistura of its intentions to withdraw its negotiating team if the UN and world powers are unable to stop these violations," claimed HNC coordinator Riad Hijab. The HNC wants to discuss issues including lifting the siege on militant-held towns and putting a stop to Russian and Syrian government airstrikes, before engaging in the peace talks that started on Friday. On Friday, UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura met the Syrian government delegation, headed by the country's ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar al-Ja'afari and held preliminary talks. De Mistura had earlier said that the fresh round of talks would be -- as declared before -- in form of "proximity talks" with no direct meetings planned between the government and representatives of the opposition. Meanwhile, representative of the so-called HNC, Riyad Naasan Agha, claimed that the bloc wants to show the world its "seriousness in moving towards negotiations to find a political solution." This is while, Russia has already said that terrorist organizations like Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham should not take part in the talks. According to the UN, up to 4.5 million people live in hard-to-reach areas of Syria , scene of conflict fueled by foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists since March 2011. Over 260,000 people have reportedly lost their lives while millions of others have been forced out. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Takfiri groups fail to unite against Syria government : Report Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 11:24AM Major Takfiri groups fighting in Syria are fractured more than anytime as they are struggling to close ranks in the face of army advances on various fronts, a report says. Representatives of al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham, a Salafist movement with close ties to Turkey, met with fellow militant groups recently but failed to forge a united front, Reuters reported. According to the report, Abu Mohamad al-Golani, the head of al-Nusra Front, tried to convince other Takfiri groups to join forces with the al-Qaeda wing in Syria but the effort fell flat. The militant leader even said he would change his group's name if Ahrar al-Sham agreed to reunite with them, but stressed that he would not renounce ties with the al-Qaeda terror organization. The two extremist groups had briefly formed an alliance against the Syrian government along with a number of other militants last year, but they later split. During the tense atmosphere of the meeting, which was held around 10 days ago, Golani accused Ahrar of spearheading "the agenda of Ankara in order to be part of a future political deal to rule Syria," the report said. The leaders left without an agreement, with Nusra blaming Ahrar al-Sham for the failure. A few days later, members of the two groups clashed in the towns of Salqin and Harem in Idlib province, near the border with Turkey. Several militants were killed on both sides. Takfiri sources, including some from Ahrar al-Sham, say it is only a matter of time before another battle between the two erupts. 'They say the rift between them is getting deeper, although mediation continues,' Reuters said. 'The situation is charged, the failure of initiatives could cause an explosion,' said a Takfiri in Idlib who is close to the two groups. 'What happened just avoided all-out conflict, all-out battle. But it will be hard to tell what will happen in the future,' he added. The disarray among terrorist ranks is evident by their failure to send a representative to the ongoing peace talks in Geneva. In Syria, the official Tishrin newspaper said the no-show by the opposition in Geneva 'reflects the collective flight of terrorist groups backed by Saudi Arabia and Turkey from the political table, following their collapses on the battlefield.' 'In light of their losses, the opposition abroad, especially in Riyadh, has chosen to run away' as a face-saving measure, it said in an editorial. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the opposition was not attending the talks because Russia continued to bomb militant-held areas in Syria. 'The truth behind their decision not to join is unfortunately the fact that some promises were not fulfilled,' he said in Istanbul. 'Russia's constant bombing of the opposition regions is causing serious distress within the opposition. For them to attend (Geneva) without a ceasefire is ... a betrayal for those who are at the front,' he added. The foreign-backed conflict in Syria has killed more than 260,000 people and forced millions from their homes since its onset in 2011. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Daesh's 120 Days of Hell: Russia's Success on Syrian Battlefield and Beyond Sputnik News 17:59 30.01.2016(updated 18:35 30.01.2016) Four months and more than 6,000 sorties later, Russia's counterterrorism efforts are bearing fruit Daesh is retreating, while Damascus-led forces are on a roll. Moscow launched its much lauded aerial campaign on September 30 following a formal request from Damascus. Russian warplanes have been tasked with assisting the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in its fight against extremists groups, who are trying to overthrow Bashar al-Assad and establish an Islamic state in a once peaceful and prosperous land that was largely oblivious to sectarian violence. This mission has been accomplished. Four months and more than 6,000 sorties later, due to Russia's counterterrorism efforts, Daesh is losing fighters, weapons and territories, while the SAA is on a roll. Damascus-led forces are on the offensive on ten fronts out of 15, Chief of Russia's General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov said earlier this month. What could be even more important, SAA soldiers are now willing to fight and feel confident in their abilities. Russian warplanes carry out scores of sorties daily. For instance, in the 72 hours since January 22 Russian aircraft flew 169 missions hitting 484 militant infrastructure targets. In addition, the Russian Airspace Forces have carried out up to 100 massive airstrikes daily in support of the SAA offensive in the last ten days. It did not take long to see the results. This week, Damascus-led forces freed 28 localities in Latakia alone. The strategically important town of Rabia, the last militant stronghold in the province, was among those areas. In total, by January 15, militants were pushed out of as many as 217 localities. Russian military officials have repeatedly said that the information regarding militant targets is always checked and double-checked before pilots are sent on a mission. 'Our aviation does not even plan airstrikes if there is a possibility of civilian casualties,' Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov emphasized earlier this month. An analysis recently released by IHS Jane's has shown that Russia's military engagement has been instrumental in Damascus' achievements. The SAA managed to expand the territory under its control by 1.3 percent between September 29, 2015 and January 11, 2016. Prior to that Damascus was losing and its prospects looked bleak. Since then, 'momentum has shifted back in favor of government forces, which are stabilizing front lines in areas that are core to the government's survival, and making slow but steady progress,' the analysts noted. True, Daesh still has access to recruits, weapons and supplies, which are mostly smuggled through the porous border with Turkey (Ankara has yet to deliver on the promise to deal with the issue). But this is no longer a strategic advantage. After all, Russia has employed an impressive arsenal of cutting-edge weapons, including cruise missiles, state-of-the-art fighter jets and long-range bombers, in its limited, but extremely efficient campaign. Russia's achievements are not limited to victories on the battlefield. Moscow has made every effort to kick start the peace process in the war-torn country in line with UN Security Council resolution 2254, which paves the way for a lasting peace through multilateral and inclusive talks, a nation-wide ceasefire, as well as presidential and parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, the Russia military has launched a humanitarian operation to help civilians, who have been trapped in towns besieged by the extremists. According to Russian General Staff head Sergei Rudskoi, who made the announcement on January 15, the humanitarian aid would be largely distributed in the city of Deir Ez-Zor. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fierce Battle: Syrian Army Thwarts Daesh Assault on Deir ez-Zor Sputnik News 17:38 30.01.2016(updated 17:41 30.01.2016) Syrian government forces launched a decisive offensive in the city of Deir ez-Zor in the north-east of the country. The city has been blocked by Daesh but the army managed to destroy much of the equipment and manpower. "The ISIL launched a powerful assault on the government forces' defense lines near Haweija in Deir ez-Zor countryside, but the army soldier thwarted the terrorist group's attack, and forced them to retreat from the battlefield," the army said as quoted by Fars news agency. The Syrian Army identified and destroyed two explosive-laden vehicles of Daesh before the terrorist group could detonate them near the government forces' positions, which took the lives of several terrorists. According to a source, militants, most of whom were of foreign origin, suffered heavy losses and were forced to flee. It remains unclear in what direction the terrorists retreated, SANA news agency reported. Similarly, on Friday, the Syrian fighter jets hit Daesh positions and struck one of the group's main training camps. "The Syria warplanes bombed the ISIL strongholds in al-Badiyeh, al-Mayadin, al-Sobh and Abu Hammam in the Eastern territories of the province, which ended in the killing or wounding of many terrorists, destruction of over 10 vehicles and major damage on the militant group's training camp in the Eastern region," the source said. The Syrian army and popular forces have won back several strategic mountains in Latakia province in fierce battles fought against the militants in the past 24 hours, Iran's Fars news agency wrote on Friday. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Damascus Delegation Seeks Political Solution at Geneva Intra-Syrian Talks Sputnik News 10:30 30.01.2016 The delegation of official Damascus at the Geneva peace negotiations on the Syrian conflict, led by Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, aims at reaching political solution of the crisis in the country, local media reported Saturday. DAMASCUS (Sputnik) On Friday, the United Nations announced that highly-anticipated talks on Syrian reconciliation started in Geneva with a meeting between UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura and Jaafari. The sides met for talks that lasted 2.5 hours Jaafari said at the meeting with De Mistura that Damascus intends to find a political solution of the ongoing crisis through the dialogue, Syrian Dampress news website reported, citing sources familiar with the process of negotiations. The website reported that De Mistura said that the Syrian nation itself should lead the process of reconciliation. In December, 2015, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on settling the Syrian conflict, which reaffirmed the goals of the Vienna agreements to bring the entire spectrum of political groups in the crisis-torn country to the negotiating table and stated that the next round of the talks would take place in January, 2016. The negotiations started in Geneva despite the absence of some delegations from the Syrian opposition. However, De Mistura said Friday that he expected his talks with the delegation of the Syrian opposition to start as early as on January 31. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Wiped Out: Syrian Army Claws Back Strategic Heights in Latakia Sputnik News 09:38 30.01.2016(updated 09:43 30.01.2016) The Syrian army and popular forces have won back several strategic mountains in Latakia province in fierce battles fought against the militants in the past 24 hours, Iran's Fars news agency wrote on Friday. The Syrian Army took control of most of the Jabal Al-Turkmen mountainous region leaving hundreds of militants killed and wounded. The government forces inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists in other provinces too. Al-Qaeda's Nusra Front and the Free Syrian Army lost scores of their fighters during the fierce clashes in northern Latakia, retreating over a vast region to avoid more casualties, the agency reported. In Deir ez-Zor province the Army, backed by Russian and Syrian airstrikes, repelled a coordinated attack by militants and beat back similar attacks on a local university and hotel. Meanwhile, the central province of Hama was the scene of heavy clashes between the militants and the government forces on Thursday, leaving at least 11 terrorists dead and their headquarters and weapons destroyed. In the northern countryside of Hama, a field source said that the army units had destroyed the terrorists' positions in Morek and near al-Sayyad town. In the northwestern Aleppo province Syrian troops and popular defense forces managed to win back control over the town of Bluzah inflicting heavy losses on the terrorists and destroying a number of machinegun-trucks loaded with mortar shells. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian Opposition in Geneva for Peace Talks by VOA News January 30, 2016 Members of Syria's main opposition group arrived in Geneva Saturday, but it is not clear whether the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee will participate directly in U.N.-backed talks on a political settlement of the Syrian civil war. Despite the absence of the opposition delegation, U.N. officials opened the talks Friday in Geneva the first international effort for a peace settlement since earlier U.N. negotiations collapsed in 2014. Talks began with a meeting between the U.N. special envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, and a Syrian government delegation headed by the country's U.N. ambassador, Bashar Jaafari. De Mistura said afterwards he hopes to meet with opposition representatives on Sunday. 'I have good reasons to believe that they are actually considering this very seriously, and therefore to be in a position on, probably, Sunday, to actually start the discussion with them, in order to be able to proceed with the intra-Syrian talks,' de Mistura said. The HNC said earlier it would boycott the negotiations completely because Russia and the Syrian government have not halted airstrikes on civilian areas, or eased blockades that have stopped deliveries of humanitarian aid. On Friday, however, the opposition coalition said it had received unspecified 'assurances' that prompted the HNC's decision to send a delegation to Geneva after all. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement, 'The United States welcomes the important decision by the High Negotiations Committee of the Syrian opposition to attend negotiations.' Kurds leave Geneva Representatives of Syrian Kurds fighting against the Syrian government said they were not invited to join the Geneva meetings, and will not be part of the peace talks. Turkey opposed the Syrian Kurds' participation, contending they are linked to the Kurdish fighters who have fought with Turkey for 30 years over control of Kurdish-majority areas of southeastern Turkey. The civil war in Syria has dragged on for nearly five years, killed a quarter of a million people and displaced millions more. The conflict has also seen the birth of the Islamic State militant group and triggered a massive wave of refugees to western Europe. The battles in Syria have intensified since September when Russia began air strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad, countering the efforts of opposition groups supported by the United States, some members of the European Union, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The complicated backdrop makes the peace process especially difficult. Significant gains for Assad's forces With Russian support, Assad's forces have made significant gains. Analysts say the government has little incentive to negotiate with an opposition that is weak and fractured. Despite the opposition coalition's move toward joining the Geneva talks, analysts are pessimistic. Nadim Shehadi, of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston, sees little chance of success. "We are pressuring the opposition to prove that they are united, coherent, that they have a strong leadership and that they have a vision, and a policy and a certain consensus on what the future will be,' Shehadi said. 'And I don't think they do, I don't think they will in the near future, and I don't think they can." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ahrar Ash-Sham Not Participating in Syria Talks on Own Initiative Sputnik News 01:02 31.01.2016(updated 01:22 31.01.2016) Ahrar ash-Sham bowed out of peace talks with the Syrian government. GENEVA (Sputnik) Syrian opposition group Ahrar ash-Sham did not arrive in Geneva, the venue of intra-Syrian talks, as part of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) because it does not want to participate in the negotiating process, the delegation's spokesman Riyadh Agah said Saturday. 'No, their representative did not arrive with the delegation on their own initiative,' Agah said. Another opposition group, Jaysh al-Islam (Army of Islam) is represented at the talks by Mohammed Alloush, who is the HNC chief negotiator. But he has not arrived in Geneva yet and, as Agah said, the decision on the arrival is 'in his hands.' The HNC delegation landed in the Swiss city earlier in the day for UN-mediated peace talks with government representatives. The ultimate goal is to end an almost five-year-long war in Syria and launch a transition period that will end in elections. The Syrian talks began on Friday with a meeting between UN envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura and the delegation of the Syrian government. On Sunday, de Mistura is expected to meet with the Saudi-backed HNC delegation, headed by Assad Zaouri. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Beijing's policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged: Chinese official ROC Central News Agency 2016/01/30 21:32:27 Beijing, Jan. 30 (CNA) Beijing's basic policy toward Taiwan will remain unchanged despite political changes in Taiwan, a Chinese official said Saturday. 'No matter what changes occur in Taiwan's political scene, the mainland's basic policy line toward Taiwan will not change,' said Zhang Zhijun (), head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, while meeting with a group of Taiwanese businessmen with operations in China. Zhang said he hoped that in the new year, cross-Taiwan Strait relations will continue to move forward along the path of peaceful development based on the common political foundation of the '1992 consensus.' He said cross-strait ties have achieved fruitful results since 2008, a development which he said is beneficial to the well-being of people on both sides and should be valued. It was the first time Zhang has openly talked about cross-strait relations since the Jan. 16 elections in Taiwan, which saw Tsai Ing-wen () of the Democratic Progressive Party win the presidency. Tsai and her party have rejected the existence of the '1992 consensus,' which Taiwan's incumbent Kuomintang government interprets as the two sides agreeing that there is only 'one China,' with the two sides free to interpret what that means. The DPP's position has raised questions about the future of relations between Taiwan and China. (By Scarlett Chai and Y.F. Low) ENDITEM/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia denies Turkey airspace violation claims Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 8:43PM The Russian Defense Ministry has denied any manner of Turkish airspace violation by its jets. 'The statements of the Turkish side about the alleged fact of Russian Su-34 jet's violation of (its) airspace are pure propaganda,' said Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov on Saturday. He stressed that "There were no violations of Turkish airspace by aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic." The Turkish Defense Ministry had claimed that a Russian Su-34 bomber violated the country's air space on Friday, adding that the plane was warned by radar units. 'None of these radars are able to establish the type and affiliation of an aircraft whether it belongs to Russia or to the so-called US-led anti-ISIL [Daesh] coalition,' Konashenkov added. He also said claims that the Russia pilots had received warnings were fictional and made up by "ignorant propagandists who watched too many Hollywood action movies." The spokesman also said that neither Russian air defenses in Syria nor Syrian radar stations had registered any violations along the Syria-Turkey border. Following the claims, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Russia over "consequences" if airspace violations continue. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which includes Turkey, also called on Russia "fully respect" alliance airspace. The incident follows Turkey's downing of a Russian Su-24 fighter jet over Syria on November 25, 2015. Ankara claims the jet was over Turkish airspace, a claim which Moscow strongly denies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey summons Russian envoy over 'airspace violation' Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 5:21PM Turkey says it has summoned Russia's ambassador to Ankara in protest at alleged violation of Turkish airspace by Russian jets. "A Su-34 plane belonging to the Russian Federation air force violated Turkish airspace at 11:46 local time yesterday (Friday)" despite radar warnings, the Turkish Foreign Ministry claimed in a statement on Saturday. The statement added that following the incident Ankara summoned the Russian ambassador to "strongly protest and condemn" the violation. The ministry, however, did not specify where the incident took place. The ministry accused Russia of escalating tensions between the two countries, saying Moscow would be held responsible for any dire consequences. 'We stress once again that all the responsibility for any unwanted grave consequences as a result of any such irresponsible behavior will belong entirely to the Russian Federation," it said. Russia is yet to comment on Turkey's claim. Erdogan warns of "consequences" Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday warned Russia of "consequences" if it continues to violate Turkish airspace. "Russia will have to face consequences if it keeps on such violations against Turkey's sovereignty rights," Erdogan told reporters at an Istanbul airport before leaving for Latin America. "Such irresponsible steps do not benefit either the Russian Federation, or Russia-NATO relations, or regional and global peace," he added. Erdogan also called for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the incident. "I asked the deputy foreign minister to contact the Russian side, and inform that I want a personal conversation with President [Vladimir] Putin. Our ambassador informed that this information had been transmitted [to the Russian side], but so far we have not received any response," the Turkish president said. NATO urges Russia to 'fully respect' alliance airspace Also on Saturday, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), to which Turkey is a member, called on Moscow to "fully respect" alliance airspace. "I call on Russia to act responsibly and to fully respect NATO airspace. Russia must take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not happen again," the head of the military alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, said in a statement. Moscow and Ankara have been locked in a war of words since November 24, 2015 when Turkey downed the Russian Su-24 fighter jet over Syria, claiming that it had entered Turkish airspace, an accusation strongly rejected by Moscow. Of the two pilots aboard the warplane, one was rescued with the help of the Syrian army, but the other was wounded by militant fire while he was parachuting down and was killed on the ground. Following the incident, Russia imposed an array of economic sanctions on Turkey while suspending all military agreements with Ankara over the attack. Since the end of September last year, Russia has been carrying out airstrikes against militants in Syria, upon a request from the Damascus government. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey Says Russian Plane Violated Its Airspace January 30, 2016 by RFE/RL Turkey says a Russian plane has again violated Turkey's airspace, two months after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in a similar incident. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Russia on January 30 that it will 'be forced to endure the consequences' if it continues to violate Turkey's airspace. Russia, however, dismissed the claim as 'baseless propaganda.' Erdogan's comments came hours after Turkey's Foreign Ministry said the Russian SU-34 jet entered Turkey's airspace on January 29 despite warnings in both Russian and English. The ministry said in a statement that it has summoned the Russian ambassador to 'strongly protest and condemn' the violation. The ministry accused Russia of escalating tensions between the two countries. 'We are making a clear call to the Russian Federation not to violate Turkish airspace, which is also NATO airspace,' the statement said. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia 'to act responsibly and to fully respect NATO airspace.' Stoltenberg said in a statement on January 30 that 'Russia must take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not happen again.' The military alliance 'stands in solidarity' with its NATO member Turkey, he added. In Moscow, the Defense Ministry insisted that 'there has not been a single violation of Turkish airspace by Russian Air Force planes in Syria.' 'The Turkish declarations concerning the alleged violation of its airspace by a Russian Su-34 are baseless propaganda,' ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told Russian news agencies on January 30. Tensions have been high between Ankara and Moscow since Turkey's downing of the Russian Su-24 bomber near the border with Syria on November 24, saying it violated Turkish airspace for 17 seconds despite repeated warnings. Russia insists the plane never entered Turkish airspace. One pilot and a Russian marine of the rescue party were killed in the incident. Russia has since imposed economic sanctions on Turkey, hitting its tourism and exports. Last September Russia began airstrikes in Syria against forces fighting troops loyal to Syria's embattled President Bashar al-Assad. Turkey is a vocal critic of Assad. With reporting by AP, AFP, Reuters, and the BBC Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/turkey-warns-russia- airspace-violated/27520814.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey Summons Russian Ambassador Over Alleged Airspace Violation Sputnik News 19:14 30.01.2016(updated 20:56 30.01.2016) The Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Saturday it had summoned the Russian Ambassador to Turkey over an alleged Turkish airspace violation by a Russian jet. The Russian Embassy confirmed that the envoy had been summoned, however, did not disclose the reason for the meeting. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Russian Embassy in Ankara has confirmed that the ambassador had been summoned. 'We confirm that Ambassador Andrei Karlov had a meeting in the Turkish Foreign Ministry. We do not comment on the content of his talks with his colleagues from the Turkish Foreign Ministry,' the embassy's spokesperson, Igor Mityakov, told RIA Novosti. The alleged incident involving a Su-34 fighter bomber took place on Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement adding that the plane had been warned by Turkish air radar units. 'At the meeting we strongly protested and condemned this violation and reiterated, once again, aforementioned concerns as to the gravity of such violations,' the Turkish ministry said. 'We are making a clear call to the Russian Federation not to violate Turkish airspace, which is also NATO airspace,' the Turkish Foreign Ministry added. On November 24, a Turkish F-16 fighter shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board over Syria. Ankara claimed it had downed the Russian warplane as it had allegedly violated Turkish airspace. Both the Russian General Staff and the Syrian Air Defense Command have confirmed that the Russian jet never crossed into Turkish airspace. In response to Ankara's 'stab in the back,' as the incident has been described by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow imposed a number of economic measures on Turkey. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey Says Russian Jet Violated Airspace by Luis Ramirez January 30, 2016 Tensions rose Saturday between Turkey and Russia when Turkey and NATO said a Russian warplane had violated Turkish airspace. Russia dismissed the Turkish allegations as 'baseless propaganda.' Turkey's Foreign Ministry said a Russian Su-34 warplane entered Turkish airspace Friday at 11:45 a.m. (0945 UTC) despite what Turkish and NATO officials said were repeated warnings. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Russia it would endure 'consequences' if it continued such violations, and he called the Russian actions "irresponsible." He spoke to reporters at Istanbul's airport as he departed on a trip to Latin America. The Turkish government said it had summoned Russia's ambassador in Ankara to protest. In Moscow, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said there had "not been a single violation" of Turkish airspace by Russian air force planes. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called the Russian incursion into Turkish airspace "dangerous" behavior and reaffirmed the alliance's solidarity with Turkey, a NATO member. "I call on Russia to act responsibly and to fully respect NATO airspace. Russia must take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not happen again," Stoltenberg said in a statement Saturday. Tensions escalated between Russia and Turkey in November when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane that Turkey said had violated its airspace near its border with Syria. In that incident, Russia also denied its aircraft had entered Turkish airspace. Russia and Turkey are fundamentally at odds on the conflict in Syria, where both countries have ongoing military operations. Since September, Russian warplanes have been carrying out airstrikes on Syrian rebels in support of the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Turkey wants Assad to leave power. Since last year, Turkish warplanes have been striking Islamic State militants inside Syria. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Britain's New 1Bln Warships Breaking Down Because of Engine Troubles Sputnik News 04:05 31.01.2016(updated 04:06 31.01.2016) The Type 45 British destroyers deemed to be the best warships in the world are constantly facing operating failures and need modernization that will boost their enormous building cost. The six destroyers of the British Royal Navy costing over a billion pounds each keep breaking down, the BBC reported. The warships regularly face failures of the electrical systems caused by power-hungry generators, according to sources from the Royal Navy. Running all systems simultaneously can simply de-energize a vessel, leaving it with no power to operate and take part in a combat. The problem first arose when the engine of the warship Dauntless failed during exercises in 2014. The defense ministry then dubbed the issue a 'teething problem,' but now it has admitted it's an issue that could potentially lead to disastrous consequences for the crew while in battle. The military is now looking for a chance to 'upgrade the ships' diesel generators to add greater resilience to the power and the propulsion system,' according to the report. To solve the problem engineers stepped up with the idea of cutting large holes in the vessels to equip them with additional generators. To keep the country's maritime power, authorities in London aim to repair one unite at once leaving the rest in service. The work on the destroyers is projected to begin in 2019. Defense ministry officials haven't announced how much the repair will cost to the government. According to a Royal Navy officer, the price of such a refit could reach tens of millions pounds. The first Type 45 destroyer was handed down to the British fleet in 2009. Because of the need to fix the faults, construction costs have surged. So London was pushed to purchase only six vessels of the original dozen. BAE Systems which designed the destroyers claimed them to be the most powerful warships in the world. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 300 Military Vehicles 'Missing' From Ukrainian Army Warehouses Sputnik News 15:20 29.01.2016(updated 17:32 29.01.2016) While Kiev's allies keep sending military vehicles to the Ukrainian Army, things continue to get lost in Ukraine. According to Russia's OSCE envoy Alexander Lukashevich, 300 military vehicles have "vanished" from Ukrainian Army warehouses over the past two months. Between the period of November 29, 2015 and January 24, 2016, the Ukrainian Army lost 300 units of heavy military weaponry, including artillery rocket systems, Lukashevich said. The last time Kiev provided a list of its heavy military weaponry in army warehouses was on November 29, 2015, Lukashevich said. Since then a few hundred military vehicles have simply 'vanished' from warehouses. 'The number of 'missing' heavy military equipment from the warehouses of the Ukrainian Army increased [between December 25, 2015 and January 24, 2016 alone, the armed forces lost 180 units of military equipment]. In the updated list provided by Kiev on January 13, there are by 300 units of heavy military equipment less than they had said last time on November 29, 2015,' Russia's envoy said during an OSCE conference. The Ukrainian Army is known for its poor management and the lack of discipline. Equipment is missing, soldiers have deserted the armed forces and military vehicles have major manufacturing defects. For example, last summer the Ukrainian weekly Zerkalo Nedeli (ZN) reported that only one-third of armored vehicles the army received in 2014 and 2015 were in service due to extremely poor manufacturing. Meanwhile, in the spring of 2015, President Poroshenko said that nearly 30 percent of Ukrainian servicemen had deserted in 2014, abandoning their positions. The OSCE monitoring mission was deployed to eastern Ukraine to observe the implementation of peace agreements reached by the two sides in the Belarusian capital of Minsk with mediation by Russia, France and Germany first in September 2014 and then in February 2015. Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions have been targeted by Kiev's military operations since April 2014, after local residents refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government, which came to power as the result of a coup. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine's forces open fire on positions of pro-Russia fighters in Donetsk: Report Iran Press TV Sat Jan 30, 2016 5:3PM Ukraine's forces on Saturday opened fire on positions of pro-Russia fighters in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine, reports say. "The Ukrainian forces opened fire against the DPR militant positions near the airport at around 9 a.m. [local time]," the Donetsk News Agency quoted a DPR military source as saying. "During the shelling, the enemy was firing 82-millimeter mortars, grenades and small arms," the source said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential spokesman Andriy Lysenko said two Ukrainian military servicemen have been injured in the special operation zone in Donbas over the past 24 hours. "This [the injuries] happened because of the detonation of a tripwire mine near Zaitseve," Lysenko said. Kiev's military press center claimed in a separate message posted on its social media page that eastern Ukraine fighters had committed multiple violations of the terms of a shaky ceasefire between the two sides of the conflict. "Over the past 24 hours, they have opened fire 38 times against the Ukrainian Armed Forces' positions," the press center said on its Facebook page. The fragile truce, dubbed Minsk II, signed in the Belorussian capital city of Minsk on February 11-12, between Kiev and representatives of Donetsk and Lugansk, the two mainly Russian-speaking regions in eastern Ukraine, under the supervision of Russia, Germany and France, has been broken on an almost daily basis since it took effect. The truce calls for the withdrawal of heavy weapons from Ukraine's front lines and a ceasefire. The European Union has assigned the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to record the violations of the truce. Over 9,000 people have lost their lives in the conflict since Kiev launched military operations in the east in April 2014 to crush pro-Russia protests. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. Junior throwerbroke his own school record and climbed the national performance list in the shot put to headline a strong day of competition for the North Dakota State men's track & field team at Minnesota's Jack Johnson Classic on Saturday.Renner (Watertown, S.D.) added another six inches to his NDSU record in the shot put, throwing 61-03.00 (18.67m) for a runner-up finish in the meet. He currently ranks 13th in the NCAA in the event.Saturday was the second meet this season in which Renner extended the school record he carried over from the 2015 campaign. His mark of 60-08.75 (18.51m) at the Dakota Classic in December set the previous all-time best.Bison junioralso climbed the NDSU all-time best lists, moving up to fourth in school history in the shot put with a personal-best of 57-11.75 (17.67m) to place third in the meet behind Renner. Schwarzkopf also took fifth in the weight throw with a mark of 62-05.25 (19.03m).Seniorcontinued his outstanding season, setting another personal-best in the triple jump. He finished third in the meet with a jump of 48-11.75 (14.93m), moving him up to sixth in NDSU history in the event.NDSU'sandclosed the day with a win in the 4x400m relay, crossing the line in 3:17.80.Juniorwas the runner-up in the Jack Johnson Classic heptathlon with 4,710 points. Mjelstad posted the second-best pole vault mark of his career, clearing 16-04.00 (4.98m) to top the rest of the heptathlon field by a foot. Bison Sophomoretook third in the heptathlon with 4,697 points, and seniorwas fourth with 4,645.Unattached NDSU seniorcame within one-hundredth of a second of his career-best in the 60m hurdles, clocking 8.14 seconds in the finals for third place.ran 8.33 in the prelims and 8.37 in the finals for sixth place.NDSU seniorfinished fourth in the shot put with the second-best mark of his career, coming within four inches of his PR at 57-09.00 (17.60m). Berghuis also placed seventh in the weight throw.Sophomoreran 1:55.70 for fourth place in the 800m. Seniorposted the third-fastest 3,000m time of his career, finishing eighth in 8:37.78.won the early sections of the 400m dash in 50.24, andwon the early sections of the mile, running 4:20.40.took second in 4:21.80.The Bison will compete next at the Air Force Team Challenge in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Friday, Feb. 5. Oversupply created decline in industry in 2015 The oversupply of crude oil and natural gas dropped commodity prices in January to levels not seen in 15 years. As prices declined in Texas, so did the rig count, drilling permits, well completions and employment. And the pain is not over, according to Petroleum Economist Karr Ingham, who presented his summary of oil and gas activity in 2015 in Houston on Jan. 26. "Texas wells yielded an estimated 1.27 billion barrels of crude oil in 2015," Ingham said, "and that will be a record." As 2016 begins, Ingham sees a global market glutted with supply crude production at unexpectedly elevated levels, large volumes of crude in storage, and the imminent return of Iranian oil to the marketplace. "At this point," he said, "it seems quite safe to assume the Texas Petro Index will remain in decline for at least the first half of 2016 and perhaps most of the year." The first sign of recovery will be significant production decline in Texas and the U.S. "The pace of production decline in Texas and the U.S. should accelerate in 2016, and when that begins to occur, we should start watching for crude oil in storage in the U.S. to decline on a real and sustained basis, not just seasonally," Ingham said. The Texas Petro Index, which declined 38 percent in 2015, shows that virtually every economic indicator for the oil and gas industry in Texas in 2015 is down. The statewide working rig count averaged 430, 51.3 percent less than in 2014 when on-average 882 rigs were drilling. The Texas Railroad Commission issued 10,549 drilling permits, 59.1 percent fewer than in 2014, when 21,792 permits were granted. Producers recovered an estimated 1.267 billion barrels of crude oil, an 11.5-percent year-over-year increase and the eighth consecutive year in which statewide production increased. With crude oil wellhead prices declining 49.3 percent to average $45.35/bbl., the estimated value of Texas-produced crude oil declined 43.1 percent to about $57.5 billion. With natural gas prices declining 20.5 percent to average $3.45/Mcf, the estimated value of Texas-produced natural gas decreased 39.5 to an estimated $22.4 billion. About 263,105 Texans on average were employed in the oil and gas production, drilling and service sectors, about 60,000 (10.9 percent) fewer in 2014. The crisis has been building momentum for 18 months, and Ingham said there is little indication that demand will turn around soon. On the crude oil side, the economy of the U.S. and European countries has languished since the recession of 2008. Economic growth has slowed in China and India. Natural gas demand has increased recently with the arrival of in cold weather in the Midwest and Northeast. Alex Mills is president of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. SHARE Jessop was convicted Monday of performing a ceremony prohibited by law. By Matthew Waller ROBERT LEE ? The former bishop of a polygamy-sanctioning sect received the maximum sentence of 10 years and a $10,000 fine late Tuesday afternoon for conducting a marriage ceremony between a 12-year-old girl and the then-50-year-old sect leader, Warren Jeffs. Coke County jurors took just under an hour to deliberate on the sentence of Fredrick Merril Jessop, 75 and the former bishop of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, having found him guilty of the third-degree felony on Monday. "What do we do with a man who has put out in harm's way so many people, who worked as some twisted Pez dispenser popping off daughters for the prophet?" lead Prosecutor Angela Goodwin said in her closing arguments. The jury heard testimony and saw documents that alleged Jessop had 22 wives, married off 11 daughters and two granddaughters to Jeffs, a man now in prison for sexual assault, and participated in 16 underage marriages. Another witness in the punishment phase included Carolyn Jessop, testifying against her ex-husband. "I was his fourth wife," Carolyn Jessop said. She married Jessop when she was 18 years old and he was 50. Carolyn Jessop said the morning after their first night together, Jessop joked: "A dog is better than a new wife, because a dog is loyal." Fredrick Merril Jessop would discipline ? or "break," as Carolyn Jessop quoted him as saying ? his 11-month-old baby by spanking it until it cried and then hold its head face up under a flowing faucet. She left the sect in 2003 with her eight children, including one with severe mental and physical disabilities, because she was afraid her daughter would be forced into marriage because she was almost 14 years old. Jessop had told his fourth wife she was spiritually to blame for her son's disabilities, she said. She had $20 when she left and she didn't know anyone. She had to sue for child support payments in Texas, and she said she has gotten 11 months' worth of child support since she left in 2003, but she hasn't received payment since July. She said she would get by if Jessop went to prison and couldn't pay child support. Carolyn Jessop has written a best-selling book about leaving the FLDS. Under questioning by Jessop's San Angelo attorney, Rae Leifeste, Carolyn Jessop said her daughter returned to her father at age 18. The prosecution had the jury examine documents that said several of Jessop's marriages were to women who were married to Jeffs' father, Rulon Jeffs, before the latter's death. Several marriage ceremonies involving both Jeffs and Fredrick Merril Jessop occurred at times when Jeffs was a fugitive on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list, Texas Attorney General Sgt. Investigator Wes Hensley said. Jeffs is serving a prison sentence of life plus 20 years for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and the 12-year-old girl Fredrick Merril Jessop married to him. Leifeste argued that a 10-year sentence for Jessop would be like life in prison. Under questioning by Leifeste, Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran said he sent the Texas penal code but not the Texas family code to the FLDS Yearning for Zion Ranch. The documents came from a raid on the YFZ Ranch in Schleicher County, conducted after allegations of sexual abuse at the ranch. "No one out on the ranch knew in advance" about the change in law Sept. 1, 2005, that resulted in the charges against Fredrick Merril Jessop, Leifeste said in closing. Leifeste said ignorance of the law is no excuse, but it should be considered in punishment. The FLDS sanctions polygamy through "sealings." Appellate courts would be the place to decide whether marriage ceremony laws should apply to "sealings," Leifeste said. The jury saw the aftermath of one sealing in which then-50-year-old Warren Jeffs was seen kissing the 12-year-old girl in the case as he held her up in his arms. The marriage happened July 27, 2006, documents in the case state. Rebecca Musser, a former FLDS member who testified about authenticity of records, thanked Texas courts for the prosecutions. "It has been a long road," she said after the trial, as law enforcement personnel packed up trial materials in the background outside the Coke County Courthouse. Goodwin, who has been a part of other prosecutions that spawned from the YFZ Ranch raid, was lead prosecutor in the trial. It is the first FLDS trial stemming from the raid in which former Deputy Attorney General Eric Nichols was not the lead prosecutor. "We believe this to be a fair verdict and a just verdict," Goodwin said. The jury decided on Jessop's guilt after less than an hour and a half on Monday. Jessop's conviction of performing a ceremony prohibited by law is a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. A few FLDS members trailed behind law enforcement taking Jessop away from the courthouse in handcuffs. "It's a disappointing day that we had to come to the point where the government has come to fix a social crisis that should've been fixed from within," said Willie Jessop, a former FLDS spokesman who was at the trial. "We have a long way to go. This process has exposed leadership." SHARE A wildfire in northwest Callahan County burned hundreds of acres, destroyed numerous structures and forced the evacuation of Eula residents Saturday. As of 5:30 p.m., one person had been taken to the hospital because smoke inhalation, according to the Callahan County Sherriffs Office. Firefighters from departments in Baird, Cisco, Clyde, Cottonwood, Dyess Air Force Base, Eula, Hamby, Potosi and the Texas A&M Forest Service battled the blaze, which was reported to Callahan County Sheriffs officials at 11:05 a.m. Saturday and had burned 700 acres by 7:45 p.m. Officials reported that the probable cause of the fire was a spark from an electrical pole off County Road 224. The fire was primarily in an area northeast of CR 603 and north of CR 226. As of 1:45 p.m. officials were calling the fire contained, but less than two hours later, the fire fueled by warm temperatures and high winds was out of control again, and officials were calling for additional firefighting equipment. Sheila Menzies, of the Callahan County Sheriffs Office, said at 2:25 p.m. deputies were going door to door to ask Eula residents to evacuate. By 4 p.m., officials reported about 120 acres had been burned, numerous structures had been destroyed and the fire was only 10 percent contained. At 7:45 p.m., the fire was 25 percent contained, according to the Texas Forest Service. Earlier in the evening, around 6 p.m., the Red Cross opened locations at First Baptist Church in Clyde, and the Highway 36 Church of Christ. SHARE Ted Langmack, San Angelo Trash charges unfair Our fair city wants more money from us to pay for its faulty contract with Republic. Nay says I I give my full container each week and I'm being called a poor citizen by one of the people who concocted the faulty contract. The national average for recyclables collected is 32 percent and our mayor pipes up and says that we should be able to give 50 percent if we were like his wife? Well, sir, we are not like your wife and we do not work for Republic. They are paid to take our trash and we are not even being paid for it. Yes, we should be paid for our trash since they sell it at fair market rates that are published in articles one can find on the Web very easily. I don't care if the city made a faulty deal with the trash man it is up to city officials to make their "deal" and not to impose penalties to their loyal and captive customers. This trash man demands only a few types of recyclables and blames it on his lack of automated sorters (so he's using manual labor for this), but in another paragraph of the news story he does not want us to recycle grocery bags because they gum up his equipment? He also demands that we use precious water to rinse containers. That will never happen in this household. My grass and trees die each year because we have little water and Republic demands we use water to clean this trash? Never. So this is my demand to Mayor Dwain Morrison get this trash deal fixed without charging your citizens for not contributing enough. If he wants more recyclable money, then I will gladly give my glass containers, waxed cardboard, foil, light bulbs and other items that other cities recycle. The article published on this subject stinks just like my stinking weekly pickup containers. Who should be president? Who's your choice in the March 1 primaries? Tell us who you want to be the next president, and why. Responses will be published in the Viewpoints section. Please limit responses to 50 words. Please provide your name, address and daytime phone number. Addresses and phone numbers won't be published, but are required for verification. Send your responses to comments@gosanangelo.com, or mail them to Presidential Choices, P.O. Box 5111, San Angelo, Tx. 76902. Deadline is noon Feb. 8. Sometimes you have to do something silly to benefit something serious. The Boys and Girls Club of Greenwichs torch club is holding Dodge for a Cause, a dodgeball tournament benefiting K9s for Warriors at 11 a.m. April 2. Check-in starts at 10:15 a.m. Interested players must pay $30 before Feb. 26, the registration deadline, in cash or check to the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, 4 Horseneck Lane. The cost includes snacks and drinks. We thought people would be interested in playing a dodgeball tournament that could bring back childhood memories, and its obviously going to a good cause, said Camryn Ferrara, a Torch Club adviser and organizer of the event. The tourney will raise money for K9s for Warriors, a nonprofit that provides service dogs to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or having difficulty re-acclimating to civilian life. Torch Club is a program for fifth- through eighth-graders that focuses on character development and leadership skills. The students in the club will put on this event as part of the Boys and Girls Club of Americas new project, Protect Animals With Service, or PAWS. The goal of the project is for Boys and Girls Clubs across the nation to help animals in need by holding a one-day service event at some point this year. The students in the club picked out K9 for Warriors as their charity of choice and will be displaying their research about the service dogs on poster boards at the tournament. They want to help all those vets that served our country to protect us We gave them a couple options but they felt that this was right and wanted to do this, said Ferrara. The Torch Club has about 30 members. The kids move on to the Keystone Club once the become high school students. The event is for those 18 years and older. While all Greenwich residents are encouraged to participate, Ferrara the tourney is especially geared toward the police officers, fire fighters, club alumni and teachers in the community. I just want to see the smiles in my kids faces, knowing we achieved this goal and that its going to a good cause, said Ferrara. 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May 28 (6) May 14 - May 21 (13) May 7 - May 14 (5) Apr 30 - May 7 (6) Apr 23 - Apr 30 (7) Apr 16 - Apr 23 (5) Apr 9 - Apr 16 (8) Apr 2 - Apr 9 (5) Mar 26 - Apr 2 (8) Mar 19 - Mar 26 (12) Mar 12 - Mar 19 (10) Mar 5 - Mar 12 (15) Feb 26 - Mar 5 (7) Haiti - NOTICE : Calls for proposals for workshops, presentations and posters The 46th Congress of the Association of University Libraries, of Research and Institutional of the Caribbean (ACURIL) will be held in Haiti from 5-9 June, 2016 at the Karibe Hotel in Petion-ville. The team of the local organizing committee makes every effort to advance the preparations for this event where are expected nearly 200 professionals of libraries, archives and museums from different countries of the Caribbean. Elisabeth Pierre-Louis Augustin, Director of Programs at the Fondation Connaissance et Liberte (FOKAL) and president of the ACURIL (2015-2016) chose the theme of this 46th Congress "Leadership: a bridge between tradition and innovation in libraries, museums and archives of the Caribbean". This theme is accompanied by three sub-themes: 1) Lessons from the past: to recognize the leaders of the libraries of the Caribbean; 2) Develop leadership capacity; 3) Best practices in innovation in the Caribbean. The President cordially invites all interested people who wish to respond to calls for proposals for presentations, workshops and posters submission related to the various sub-themes to visit : www.acuril2016haiti.blogspot.com.co/p/appels.html for full details. Deadline February 29, 2016 Furthermore, the Local Organizing Committee innovated this year by allowing participants and sponsors to register directly online using the form available on the conference website in the "Conference Registration". Note that a promotional price is practiced for registrations made and validated before March 31, 2016. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Electoral Zapping... Sandra Honore denies that international attempts to influence... Sandra Honore the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General denies that the international community is trying to influence the electoral process in Haiti "I reject this notion that the international community is trying to influence the electoral process... These negotiations are taking place between various Haitian political actors. The United Nations is not participating in the negotiations. This reflects the UN Security Council's desire, as expressed in its declaration Friday, indicating that an agreement on a plan of action needed to be set and led by the Haitians. So it's a Haitian-Haitian process aimed at reach a consensual outcome that's acceptable for those most interested in what's best for the Haitian people." Evans Paul would refuse to retire ? The Senator of Northeast, Jean Baptiste Bien-Aime (ALTERNATIVE) indicated that only a unifying Prime Minister may act as interim head of state, but it would require Prime Minister Evans Paul withdraws. The Senator says that unfortunately the Prime Minister refuses to withdraw. Solution of the consortium of political parties The consortium of political parties called for the holding of the National Assembly in order to allow Parliament to play its part in resolving the political crisis. The group advocates the formation of a transitional government bringing together representatives of 10 geographical departments and the signing of a governability pact and the continuation of the electoral process. The MONOP for the transition The National Movement for the Organization of Country (MONOP), comprising members of the opposition, is in favor of a transitional government with a mandate of short duration (90-120 days maximum) that would be led by the oldest magistrate of the Court of Cassation. Call of the Episcopal Conference of Haiti The Episcopal Conference of Haiti calls on all parties to dialogue and to the spirit of compromise to find a solution before February 7, to avoid an institutional vacuum in the country ... HL/ HaitiLibre Published on 2016/01/30 Get some suggestions on where to eat, shop and stay, Korean Air implements a new law in the wake of the "Nut Rage" incident, the Eat Your Kimchi Crew says goodbye to Korea and heads to Japan, and hear from one travel agent why Europeans should consider Korea as their next holiday destination. Advertisement "Your Ultimate Guide to Seoul, South Korea: Where to Eat, Shop, and Stay" Trendland Magazine shares its favorite places to eat, shop and stay after spending a week in Korea's capital, Seoul. Delicious and decadent ice-creams, Buddhist temples, hotels, markets and more! You'll find some great suggestions here to help you plan your adventure. ...READ ON STYLE CASTER "South Korea Introduces New 'Nut Rage Law'" You may remember Korea's "Nut Rage" lady who caused a fuss during a flight last year, and now Korean Air has implemented strict punishments for anyone attempting to disturb the pilot: "Under the new law, anyone who disturbs the pilot during a flight could face up to five years in prison or a fine equivalent to $41,370 in U.S. dollars. There had been a similar law in place prior to the nut rage incident, but it did not carry the hefty fine only up to about $4,000 in penalties and it did not come with the threat of jail". Don't go nuts, in other words. ...READ ON TRAVEL PLUS "GOODBYE KOREA. HELLO JAPAN!" The Eat Your Kimchi crew have been blogging about Korea for years now, but now they're heading to Japan to open a new chapter. The blogging duo have done extremely well for themselves and have attracted thousands of followers looking to get an inside take on one of the most vibrant cultures in the world. "Can't wait to start a new live chat segment and start putting up new art and opening new surprises :) Thank you for being so patient with us and look forward to new and exciting videos very very soon!" ...WATCH/READ ON EAT YOUR KIMCHI "Sun, sights and stunning scenery - but will YOU swap your European holiday for South Korea" Are Europeans looking to trade their European holidays for some time in "The Land of the Morning Calm"? Charles J. Lidguard, writing for the Express, speaks to a Korean travel agent to take a closer look at what a trip to South Korea has to offer for Europeans looking to mix things up for their next holiday abroad. "Laura explained a first time traveller to Korea visitors should consider a classic tour of the country. This would involve taking in Seoul, Busan and Gyeongju - described as South Korea's golden triangle". ...READ ON EXPRESS By William Schwartz | Published on 2016/01/30 Jin-woo (played by Lee Joon-gi) is a high school student in Gwangju, circa 1980. Sin-ae (played by Lee Yo-won) is a local nurse who goes to his church. Min-woo (played by Kim Sang-kyung) is his older working brother. Heung-soo (played by Ahn Sung-ki) is her father, a former military officer. They all live fairly normal lives. But a meeting with history ruptures this destiny, as a military crackdown provokes a full-scale resistance movement lasting for a full week. Advertisement The larger first portion of "May 18" more closely resembles a romantic comedy than it does a historical epic, because the characters in "May 18" don't really belong in a historical epic and they know it. While the Gwangju Uprising started out as a (college) student demonstration, other portions of Gwangju society were forced to get involved because the police and later the military started cracking down on so-called revolutionaries indiscriminately. It's like the old song goes- I'd rather get beat up for something that I did than for something I didn't do. Courage is frequently romanticized in stories of this nature, but "May 18" gives the curious impression of making courage seem rather foolhardy. Heung-soo ends up becoming the de facto leader of the revolt, and tries as best as he can to urge caution even as the military keeps escalating the situation with little sense of restraint. Realistically it does't matter what the revolutionaries do after a certain point, because the South Korean dictatorship under Chun Doo-hwan had even less of a pretense for democratic expression than Park Chung-hee did. Still, Park Chung-hee, for all his faults, did inspire a decent amount of patriotism for South Korea, a country whose existence is in fact completely artificial. Even though I call the lead characters revolutionaries, in "May 18" they are constantly portrayed as patriotically waving the South Korean flag. The military drew first blood in Gwangju, a fact even conservatives acknowledge while some still insist the Gwangju Uprising was really a Communist incursion. Not that this is ever discussed in the movie itself. Until the crackdowns start and the situation starts getting violent, "May 18" and its characters have no particular political interests at all, such that controversial elements of the Gwangju Uprising are not well explored. Considering the greater historical context of "May 18" this may seem somewhat surprising. However, the simple fact that a mainstream movie exists at all which portrays the Gwangju Uprising in such a positive light is remarkable, and would have unthinkable back during the eighties. Beyond this context, though, there's not very much all that unique regarding "May 18", which in terms of storytelling mostly sticks to standard Korean film conventions of the time. The characters are sympathetic mostly for their everyman qualities. These are people who we want to see get a happy ending because they're kind, and deserve to be rewarded for that. The real world doesn't work like that, though, so instead we're forced into a finale where they're forced to either do morally right deed for the sake of their country, or crawl into a corner and pretend like the oppression never really happened. Just be glad you (probably) have never had to make a choice like that. Review by William Schwartz "May 18" is directed by Kim Ji-hoon and features Kim Sang-kyung, Ahn Sung-ki, Lee Yo-won, Lee Joon-gi, Park Chul-min and Park Won-sang. May 18 DVD Published on 2016/01/31 | Source /Newsis Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday urged the Korean government to remove a monument to women forced into sexual slavery by imperial Japan. Advertisement The bronze statue of a young woman, which was privately funded, stands in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul as a constant reminder of the atrocity. The LDP in a resolution described the statue "damaging to the peace and dignity" of the Japanese Embassy and urges the Japanese government to persuade Seoul to remove it, Japan's Jiji Press reported. It also urges the Japanese government to "closely negotiate" the conditions of a 1 billion yen "donation" it recently promised to cough up for the victims. The ruling party also wants Tokyo to press the Korean government to "rectify" views that differ from the current rightwing Japanese administration's version of events. Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Joon-hyuk here told reporters that Seoul will not respond to any resolution from any Japanese political party. Read this article in Korean Published on 2016/01/31 | Source The government is determined to attract more Chinese visitors by easing visa requirements. Advertisement The Justice Ministry said Wednesday it will lower the age requirement for multiple entry visas from the current 60 to 55. That would make another 80 million Chinese people are eligible for multiple entry. The ministry will also allow Chinese visitors to stay for up to 90 days at a time, up from the current 30 days. It is also introducing 10-year multiple visas for professionals such as lawyers and academics. Until now, Korea offered only five-year multiple visas to young people with Chinese or Southeast Asian passports who either attend or have graduated from universities here. Electronic visas will be available for all members of Chinese tour groups starting in March. So far, electronic visas were offered only to visitors from certain parts of China. In the second half of this year, the government will create a special visa for foreigners to come to Korea to attend K-pop-related events. Last year, 13.36 million foreigners visited Korea, down 6.3 percent compared to 2014. The decline was due to the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and a dismal 12 percent return-visit rate among Chinese tourists, most of whom seem disappointed by their first trip. Korean Movie | 2001 Comedy Directed by Park Cheol-kwan () Written by Park Gyoo-tae () 95min | Release date in South Korea: 2001/11/09 Also known as "Let's Play, Dharma" Synopsis After losing a bloody battle with a rival gang, Jae-gyu and his men become fugitives on the run and hide in a secluded mountain temple. They plan to lay low until their rival gang and the cops stop searching for them. At the temple, they find a group of disciplined monks who live a peaceful and orderly life. Jae-gyu and his gang see this as a great opportunity and ask the monks to let them stay. Refusing at first, later the monks permit them to stay, but only for one week. The week passes, but Jae-gyu and his men dont budge. So a new war between the gangsters and the monks begins. The rules are simple. If you win 3 games out of 5, the group who wins has the final say. From a 3,000-bow Buddhist ritual to a diving match and a game of Korean poker, its a gruesome war of wit and perseverance. Finally, Jae-gyus gang manages to win the long and difficult struggle. The temples Head Monk accepts them and allows them to stay longer. But the new rule is tough. If you want to stay, then you must obey the rule the rule of Buddha! Now the doctrine No work, no food is strictly applied to the gangsters, too International Film Festivals 2002 Moscow International Film Festival , National Hits 2002 Udine Far East Film Festival 2002 Seattle International Film Festival 2002 Black Nights Film Festival Source Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby. 15:19, 20 OCT 2022 ABINGDON, Va. Virginia Sen. Bill Carrico told a group at the first class on obtaining a Utah concealed carry gun permit that hes not convinced the attorney general will go along with Gov. Terry McAuliffes agreement to extend concealed carry reciprocity with 25 states including Tennessee until March 1. The governor has said that he is telling his chief law enforcement agency to reinstate reciprocity with 25 states, Carrico, R-Galax, said Saturday. But it wasnt the governors office that made the decision to nullify the agreements in the first place it was the attorney general. So we dont know what will happen on Monday. The attorney general could render an opinion that tells the governor that hes in conflict with current law. Ive asked many times if we have the commitment of the attorney general to uphold the governors decision or is he going to say on Feb. 1 that the governor is in clear conflict of current law? Ive yet to get an answer. I think that everyone who has registered for the Utah class should take it because we still have a ways to go before anything is signed into law. The Bristol Herald Courier attempted to talk to AG Mark Herrings office Friday, but questions were referred to the governors office. Herring, a Democrat, announced in December that beginning Feb. 1, the state would no longer recognize concealed carry permits of states whose standards arent as strict as Virginias. The decision immediately sparked opposition from many local residents as well as Republican lawmakers in Virginia and Tennessee. Many felt that it trampled on Second Amendment rights and others said it would hit Bristol hard since many residents, including those who conceal carry, travel back and forth between Tennessee and Virginia on a daily basis. On Friday, the governor, a Democrat, announced a deal with Republicans that would reverse that decision, if given approval in the General Assembly. In the meantime, he said the decision wont take effect until March 1. Republicans agreed to support taking guns away from anyone under a two-year protective order for domestic-violence offenses and have the Virginia State Police attend all gun shows to provide background checks for private sellers if they request the service. Carrico, one of the most outspoken critics of Herrings decision, arranged classes this weekend at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon for those worried that the states Virginia was ending the agreements with would do the same to Virginia. The Utah permit is recognized in more than 30 states. Carrico said Saturday he felt it was still important for those who enrolled in the Utah course to take it. He added that hes OK with the bipartisan deal, but he and other lawmakers have fashioned a bill that would require the attorney general to enter into reciprocity agreements with all 50 states a statement that drew applause and shouts of amen from those in the class. If the governor doesnt sign the bill within 60 days of it hitting his desk, Carrico said the General Assembly still has time to do something. The law hasnt been signed thats why we put a 60-day implementation clause in the bill that gives the attorney general 60 days to do what weve told him to do after the bill is signed. What that means is the law wont be in place until July 1 and if he [the governor] decides to not sign the bill well still have a big enough window of time to do something the session isnt over until March 12. We want the governor to keep his word to do what he has said he would do. But, if he doesnt we still have time to act. Those who attended the class said they were glad Carrico arranged it. I just want to make sure that when I travel out of Virginia I will be able to carry my gun concealed, Markus Buskill said. If other states decide that they arent going to recognize the Virginia permit I want to be legal. His wife, Amanda Buskill, echoed her husbands statement and both said that they feel Carrico is doing a good job. Hes representing the people of Virginia and making sure that we can bear arms, Markus Buskill said. I think a lot of us feel like we dont always get backing from our representatives and I am appreciative that he came and spoke to us today, Amanda Buskill added. Hes doing what weve asked him to do. Rebecca Hubbard drove from Glade Spring to take the class. I want to ensure that I can carry a gun anywhere I might go, she said. Ive carried for about five years and really like what the senator had to say today I like him a lot. I was very upset when I heard what the attorney general did I have friends who travel here from Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina that wouldve been affected and I hated to see that happen. Carrico said it was the people of Virginia who pushed the governor into action. Regardless of their politics, people stood up and told the attorney general that he was not going to trample on their Second Amendment rights, he said. Thats when the governor finally started to understand that no matter how many anti-gun lobbying groups were speaking to him, this issue is important to Virginia. The next issue Carrico said he wants to address is the executive order signed by the governor last fall that banned firearms from most state buildings. The senator said the order trumps state law, which would have allowed people with concealed carry permits to do so at places like the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. Instead, neither those attending nor the instructor could bring weapons in. Executive Order 50 makes people in violation of trespass laws if they carry a weapon here, a rest area, or a parking lot of VDOT or anything VDOT manages, he said. A member of the General Assembly is not afforded the protection the governor has we have the capital police on site but were not always on site we cant have a weapon on state properties. So Im trying to budget language to say that if the governor continues to deny the rights of the people to defend themselves on state properties then were not going to surround him with armed police officers. The statement also drew applause from those in the class. A last-minute political deal in Virginia has averted a serious headache for Bristolians who have concealed carry handgun permits. Same for Twin Cities law officers who wouldve had to sort the details amid the license reciprocity fight brewing between Virginia and Tennessee in particular, but also Virginias leadership and pro-gun lobbyists, and Democrats and Republicans. Announced Friday, the deal essentially dismisses the order issued by Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring to sever concealed carry reciprocity agreements with 25 other states, including Tennessee, effective Monday. But it also includes Republican lawmakers promises to adopt a system for voluntary background checks at gun shows and for keeping weapons out of the hands of anyone under a permanent protective order. It was about time. Virginia Republicans and Democrats, finally, did what they were hired to do. Rather than perpetuating rhetoric about gun rights and gun control, or threatening retaliatory actions that wouldve complicated the laws further, as Tennessee prepared do to, these leaders focused on the similarities the solvable. And within hours of its formal announcement, the pact between Virginias Democratic-led administration and Republican-majority statehouse was being called the Virginia Compromise. Accolades were delivered from both sides of the aisle. Criticism arrived, too, of course. No deal is perfect; thats why its a compromise. And besides, its not a complete deal yet; the proposals must make their way through the Virginia General Assembly before they become law. Still, the agreement represents give and take, and a determined, for once honest, effort to address a crucial public concern, one that is killing us in more ways than one. Gun violence is a problem in the United States. Banning all guns is not the solution. The hyperbole often delivered as debate has done little more than provide campaign fodder, while thousands continue to die each year. Change was necessary on this front, and logical. This deal, which includes three proposed bills that will be introduced to the Virginia General Assembly, makes sense. The first bill would provide for voluntary background checks at gun shows by requiring a Virginia State Police officer to be in attendance. The state police would be given authority to conduct background checks on behalf of private sellers. The second bill would prohibit anyone under a protective order from possessing a firearm; and require that person to sell or transfer their weapon(s) to someone else within 24 hours of receiving the order. The third would establish a process for granting reciprocity agreements with all states that have concealed carry permitting processes. This compromise does its job: It focuses on safety features that do not unnecessarily or globally infringe on the Second Amendment. It protects honest citizens rights, and should make the permit Virginians carry valid across the nation, as it should be. Government should interfere in citizens lives only when the freedoms of one life, liberty and happiness included breach the freedoms of another. Laws purpose is to defend and balance such breaches. As critics already are saying of the Virginia Compromise, this will not stop all gun violence, but it offers safety features that might stop some, while protecting the Second Amendment rights of citizens who act with accountability and responsibility. Virginia state lawmakers would do well to follow through on this compromise. Adopt all three pieces of legislation. Set an example on how a nation of individuals can peaceably and honorably provide safety and freedom for all. Dalit IAS officer Shashi Karnawat, who is under suspension in a graft case, on Sunday dropped her plan to end her life by taking jal samadhi (drowning) in river Narmada in Khandwa district. Speaking on behalf of Karnawat, another Dalit IAS officer Ramesh Thete said state finance minister Jayant Malaiya was in continuous touch with him after Karnawat sat on maun vrat (observe silence) from January 29 and had decided to take jal samadhi, pressing for her demand of reinstating her and higher wages during the suspension period. Notably, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet will for the first time meet in a boat in Narmada river at Khandwa on February 2. The state government has softened its stand on the two demands of Karnawat, one, on reinstating her, second, on offering her 75% of wages during the suspension instead of 50% which she is currently getting, Thete told PTI. She has decided not to go for jal samadhi as the government was positive in its response to her demands, Thete said. Time has come to reinstate Karnawat as the MP high court has admitted a petition challenging her conviction, he said. Karnawat, was sentenced to five years jail by Mandla district court in 2013 in a corruption case and is under suspension since then. The state government had recently given its nod to prosecute Thete in an alleged case of illegal disposal of land in Ujjain during his tenure as additional commissioner around two years back, lodged against him with the Lokayukta (state anti-corruption watchdog). Thete and Karnawat have opened a front against MP government for over a fortnight now alleging that it was prompt in taking action against Dalit officers while ignoring similar cases of misconduct involving officers from upper castes. Thete had also taken part in a dharna (sit-in) organised by Dalit Adivasi Forum (DAF) on January 11 here to protest against the alleged discrimination against Dalit and tribal bureaucrats. On the sideline of the DAF protest, Mohan Patil, a national office-bearer of Republican Party of India, had told reporters that complaints were pending against 18 upper caste IAS and IPS officers with MP Lokayukta but sanction to prosecute was given only against Thete. In the fourth book of the Harry Potter series, the existence of two more wizarding schools, other than Hogwarts, was revealed - Durmstrang and Beauxbatons - both of them evidently situated in Europe. Fueling the imagination of her legions of fans beyond Europe, author JK Rowling has now published the names of wizarding schools in Asia, Africa and both Americas on her website Pottermore. The website is a treasure trove of stories and unpublished information about the magical universe created by Rowling. The most recent revelation about other wizarding schools in no different as she delves into much detail about each of them - including where home-schooling is available and which subjects each school excels in. She even laments that some institutions are rarely registered with the appropriate ministry. Here are the schools Rowling has elaborated about on her website: Castelobruxo Castelobruxo is the Brazilian wizarding school hidden deep within the rainforest. Students there wear bright green robes and are particularly talented at herbology and magizoology. The school is protected by small and mischievous spirit beings known as Caiporo. Mahoutokoro Located in Japan on the topmost point of the volcanic island of Minami Iwo Jima, this palace is made of mutton-fat jade. Students are accepted at the age of 7, though at this time they are considered day students and are ferried between school and home on the backs of giant storm petrels. They board by 11, at which time they receive enchanted robes that grow as the students do and change color based on their learning progression. The school is also known for their Quidditch. Read: Fantastic Beasts trailer: Harry Potter prequel had us at Lumos Maxima Uagadou The largest wizarding school in the world is located in Africa at an unspecified location called Mountains of the Moon, the structure of which is described as being carved out of the side of a mountain and shrouded in mist. Students are adept at astronomy, alchemy, self-transfiguration. The students of this school dont need wands, they use hand gestures. In lieu of letters by owl, accepted students receive Dream Messengers in their sleep from the current headmaster/mistress. Ilvermorny A detailed account of this school isnt available at this time, but based on the map revealed on Pottermore its the American school of witchcraft and wizardry located on the East Coast. Rowling previously revealed that, though its not in New York, indigenous magic was important in the founding of the school. If I say which tribes, location is revealed. Some of whose alumni of this school will be characters in the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The author noted on Pottermore.com that as a general rule, magical schools tend to be situated in landlocked, mountainous areas (although there are notable exceptions, as will be seen), as such regions are difficult for Muggles to access, and easier to defend from Dark wizards. She added, The precise location of each of the following schools is a closely guarded secret. Read: Meet the new Harry Potter cast, black actor to play Hermione JK Rowling spills the (Bertie Botts) beans on Fantastic Beasts If you are an HDFC Bank account holder in need of a loan or a credit card, all you need to do is walk over to your nearest HDFC Bank ATM. Starting February 3, HDFC Bank, the countrys second-largest private lender, will extend small instant loans to its customers at ATMs, besides the regular cash withdrawal and balance inquiry options. It will be offered to existing HDFC Bank customers based on their transaction details, salary credits, balances, credit and or debit card repayments, Arvind Kapil, senior executive vice-president and business head, unsecured, home and mortgage loans, HDFC Bank, told HT. The loan amount is decided via advanced analytics for which the bank got approval from the Reserve Bank of India two months back, Kapil said. So, with a fair assessment of customer profile, it shows their eligibility and after authorising an e-agreement on the ATM screen itself, the loan gets credited directly to their account. It will be over in the time you take while using an ATM today, he added. The new feature was finalised after studying customers banking habits. About 42-45% customers transact outside banking hours. Hence, we want to help them bank when they are free, Kapil added. Private banks have, of late, slashed the time required to access loans from three days to within a minute. Under the second phase of the rollout, all HDFC Bank ATM users will be able to use Click to call to get a call from the bank within a minute. In addition, customers can get credit cards and top-ups on existing loans. Kapil expects this innovation to contribute close to 10-15% to the banks unsecured lending business by next year. HDFC Bank plans to aggressively grow this book, which includes personal loans, business banking, mortgages and credit cards. As on December 31, 2015, personal loans of the bank grew 30% to Rs 35,071 crore, accounting for 16% of the total retail book. About 6.72 million credit cards have been issued till October 2015. HDFC Bank has a customer base of 34 million and around 11,843 ATMs. It has a total of 4,281 branches as of December 31, 2015. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Even by the impunities granted to security forces in Indias criminal-justice system, the alleged gang rape of women in the embattled tribal land of Bastar by suraksha bal (security forces) to use the words in a police first-information report was particularly disturbing. A minor girl and a pregnant woman were among those raped during an anti-Maoist operation in five villages of Bijapur district between October 19 and 24, former colleague Chitrangada Choudhury wrote in this newspaper. Two men held my hands down on either side. Another man sat on my legs and raped me, the gang-raped minor told Choudhury. They said I was meant to be killed, but I was being spared. They said, the next time I would be dead. I became unconscious when it was happening. Yet, the alleged rapes largely ignored by the national media were not as much the issue as was a rare official acknowledgement of crime. When I heard the womens stories, I was completely shocked, Bijapurs collector, Yashwant Kumar, was quoted as saying. The police broke tradition by registering a rape case, although no investigator visited the crime scene. I would like to proven wrong, but I am sceptical about further action. As the new year rolled in, the Reserve Bank of Indias straight-shooting and erudite governor Raghuram Rajan in no way referring to the incident in Bastar provided some context to the Indian tendency to persecute and prosecute the poor. It has often been said that India is a weak State. Not only are we accused of not having the administrative capacity of ferreting out wrong doing, we do not punish the wrong-doer unless he is small and weak, Rajan said in an email to his staff. No one wants to go after the rich and well-connected wrong-doer, which means they get away with even more. What Rajan said holds good for almost every sphere of public life in India, a democracy notorious for protecting the strong and rich and going after the weak and poor. What happens in Bastar may not really affect or bother people like us (PLUs), but it should because this culture of impunity, as Rajan termed it, is holding India back from strong sustainable growth, which surely is emerging, aspiring Indias greatest desire. The proclivity of Indian officials to persecute those who can be persecuted is widespread, relentless and knee-jerk, a de facto reaction to power. Of course there are exceptions, but I would argue that, in general, Indians specifically, those in the bureaucracy hold other Indians back in world-leading, unique ways. Indeed, the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modis ambitious plans from a revolutionary crop-insurance policy for farmers to tax breaks and easy clearances to startups will depend on how this culture of impunity can be addressed. That will largely depend on local bureaucracies, not as much on the Centre, which will increasingly limit itself to ideas, policy, funding and inspiration. As Modi cuts corruption at the Centre I dont think there is any question that he has and gets his officials out of direct supervision, for instance, of health and education, these tasks will be taken over by the states. Its uncertain if states can cope. Harvard professor Lant Pritchett famously called India a flailing state. He likened the bureaucracy to a brain that works with limbs that refuse to obey: World-class institutions but abysmal delivery of services. TN Ninan, writer and editor, says with marked optimism, in my opinion that India works for the top 40% of its people, not for the bottom 60%. A recent example: The acquittal of actor Salman Khan, who allegedly ran over one person and injured four 13 years ago while under the influence. There was against Khan in the words of the judge a strong suspicion of guilt but not enough evidence. The US journal Foreign Policy ran a story with the headline: How to get away with manslaughter, Bollywood style. Khans case, the legal advocacy Daksh calculated, moved 11 times the speed of the average case in the Bombay high court. The impunity India offers the strong is at work, in situations more mundane and less urgent than gang rapes in Bastar and the death of pavement dwellers in Mumbai. Those so protected get true freedom from the law. Rajans observations referred in particular to the failure of banks to act against Indias biggest loan defaulters, whose doubtful or bad debts now top Rs 2.67 lakh crore. Despite defaults, many got new loans anyway. Those who are not influential must live with petty harassment and corruption. In Mumbai, homes and hotels are currently hounded by an excise department that forces on them multiple visits to get a permit that allows them to serve liquor at private parties (dont try serving that duty free scotch), provided they buy liquor from a list of unofficially approved local stores. Visits to homes and hotels ensure compliance. I have my own story to share. Last year, my chartered accountant said I would have to, for the first time, pay service tax, which meant I would need to register myself as an assessee and pay Rs 2,000 as a bribe. What for? I asked mystified. To be registered, he said. But wasnt it all online? It is, he said, but when the final email is ready, no one hits enter for free. Our regulations are not always very clear, our staff sometimes is neither well informed of our own regulations nor willing to help the customer, our responses are occasionally extraordinarily slow and bureaucratic, said Rajan. The important point: Discarding the protections to the rich and persecution of the weak do not mean being against business or wealth but acting against all violations and otherwise getting out of the way. As Modi asked at his start-up soiree: Please tell us what not to do. Sure, but who, exactly, will listen? Samar Halarnkar is editor, Indiaspend.org The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Extending support to striking MCD workers demanding dues, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday hoped that some solution will emerge after the high court hears the matter next week. I support demand of protesting MCD employees that they shud get their full salaries. I hope some solution will emerge after Tue HC hearing, Kejriwal, currently in Bangalore for naturopathy treatment, said on Twitter. The CM also lauded personnel from the states public works department (PWD) for working the whole night to clear garbage and urged AAP functionaries to help the department men. I am told PWD people and trucks worked whole nite to clean up garbage. I wud urge all AAP volunteers to help PWD, he said on the micro-blogging site, urging the PWD to keep it up. The Government had on Saturday deployed hundreds of PWD workers to lift garbage from across the city as nearly 60,000 civic sanitation workers continued their indefinite strike demanding payment of dues amid a blame game over the issue between AAP and BJP, which rules the three municipalities. The strike was launched by sanitation workers on January 27, demanding timely salaries and payment of arrears. The Delhi government will hold a meeting on Monday to discuss strategies to combat the Zika virus. The move comes a day after the Centre issued a travel advisory warning against the spread of the virus in India. The virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquitoes that are active during day and is known to cause a mild illness called Zika fever. The government, during its Monday meeting, is likely to map out the breeding grounds of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that also spreads dengue and chikunguniya. This map would be based on areas where the mosquitoes bred during the last dengue season when more than 15,000 people in Delhi contacted the vector-borne disease. After the meeting, the recommendations of the dengue task force will be implemented. The likelihood of people getting Zika is low at the moment. The mapping will also help us in controlling dengue and chikunguniya outbreaks, an official said. The government has plans to train doctors working in 33 government hospitals on ways to tackle Zika virus. We will get a better idea of the measures that will be put in place after the meeting on Monday, the official said. As of now, the government hospitals in Delhi have not been issued any advisory. On Friday, Union health minister JP Nadda had convened an emergency meeting with his team of medical experts from across the country to discuss the prevention of Zika virus in India. Top researchers from the Indian Council of Medical Research, including the director of Pune-based National Institute of Virology that is screening samples for Zika virus, were present at the meeting. The Zika virus was first detected in 1947, and for decades has caused mild infections. However, it has worried experts this time given its adverse effect on foetuses, causing congenital deformities like microcephaly a condition where babies are born with small heads causing development issues. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The large, colourful room is abuzz with the excited chitter-chatter of youngsters in their mid-twenties. A life-size portrait of Steve Wozniak, the unsung co-founder of Apple, is painted on one of the walls. Contemporary chic interiors and soft pendant lights adorn the place. These young men and women white chits with their names are pinned on their arms are exchanging pleasantries, business ideas and phone numbers. Many others are sitting alone, hunched over their laptops. These aspiring entrepreneurs are attending an open co-working event called Delhi Jelly at Coworkin, a co-working space in Lajpat Nagar that hosts a range of events for start-ups. They not just get a space to work here but also mentorship to bring their ideas to fruition, says Yatin Thakur, 28, the founder of Coworkin. In the past couple of years, a whole new kind of co-working spaces such as Coworkin, Investopad, Stirring Minds and 91 Springboard have come up in Delhi and NCR, giving a fillip to the start-up culture. They organise learning programmes, networking events, hackathons, pitching sessions, workshops, etc. Apart from providing regular services such as a desk to work, private lockers and cloud telephony, many of these co-working spaces such as Stirring Minds at Asaf Ali Road provide sleeping bunks, legal clinics and accounting consultancy. Then there are those that double up as incubation spaces and even make investments in start-ups. Delhi and NCR has over 40 co-working spaces and their membership fee ranges from `4,000 to `8,000 per month. Our co-working space has a diverse mix of entrepreneurs who contribute to each others knowledge and create a win-win opportunity for each other. Our pitching events have been attended by venture capital funds such as Sequoia and seed funds such as Unitus. Many young entrepreneurs have found funding for their start ups at these events, says Pranav Bhatia, founder, Stirring Minds. We are not just a collaborative co-working space but also an incubation space. Thakur, who set up one of the citys first co-working spaces, says that many start-ups such as Oyo rooms, Urban Clap and Qlicket have passed through his co-working spaces. Youngsters no longer like the idea of reporting to others, they want to be on their own. Instead of setting up their own offices, they prefer to work out of a space where they get mentorship and become part of the larger start-up community. These co-working spaces in Delhi and NCR also attract youngsters from smaller cities such as Jaipur, Dehradun and Lucknow, many of them from the service class. What brings them to co-working spaces is the belief that home is not where one should attempt to start a business. Take for example Anurag Murli, 25, a member of Stirring Minds, where he is preparing for the launch of Vigour Fitness with his college mate Divya Jain 23. His App, he says, is Indias first virtual solution for fitness and nutrition. One cannot create a company at home and I cannot afford an office right now. I needed an organised space where I can come every day, says Murli who quit his job with a multinational realty firm to launch his own company. Like Murli, there over a dozen youngsters at Stirring Minds, trying to realise their start-up dreams. The Stirring Minds brands itself as the boarding school for the stirred ones, where they are mentored and made ready for the market. Its yellow-white walls are adorned with framed motivational quotes and pictures of the likes of Lary Page, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Tony Hsieh. Bhatia says that about 50 start-ups including Prozo, Velfie and Karma Circle were born at Stirring Minds. In fact, some co-working spaces such as Investopad offer not just mentorship but also early-stage capital. But we do not allow everyone to become a member. First one has to make an online application, and a decision is taken based on the team, idea and whether it is the kind of start-up that we can invest in. We only work with technology-start-ups, says Rohan Malhotra, co-founder of Investopad. Right now about 45 start-ups are working out of Investopad in Delhi and Gurgaon where it has a whopping 33,000 sq ft co-working space. Malhotra says Investopad has already made investment in 9 start-ups since it was set up in 2014. Raghav Gupta, a member of Coworkin, who is about to launch Befinicky, a video content sharing platform, says co-working spaces allow one to focus on the essentials. You do not have to bother about electricity connection, furniture and water. Besides, working out of a co-working space gives you the option of easy launch and easy exit. Adds Devashish Dey, Guptas partner in the start-up: With so many overheads that setting up your own office entails, your start-up dream never becomes a reality Bhatia, who founded Stirring Minds in 2013, says that Delhis start-up scene has grown exponentially in the past two years. And the reason, he says, is that today Delhi offers better funding opportunities than Bangalore and the fact that it is a seat of government also helps. Founders of many big tech companies that have grown out of Delhis ecosystem have become big investors in start-ups, says Bhatia. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Delhis deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, on Sunday cleared garbage piled up by protesting civic workers in various parts of the national capital. Employees of three civic corporations of Delhi are on indefinite strike from January 27, demanding immediate payment of their salaries and pending wages. In some areas, sanitation workers have not only refused to clear garbage but have littered it on the streets. Delhi Govt has taken it upon itself to clean the streets of Delhi. Public service is foremost.#AAPCleansDelhi Aam Aadmi Party- AAP (@AamAadmiParty) January 31, 2016 While Sisodia cleaned up garbage in his assembly constituency Patparganj in east Delhi, tourism minister Kapil Mishra swept streets in the citys Karawal Nagar. Delhi assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel also led a team in Shahdara area to clear the garbage littered on the street. Delhis civic body was divided into three entities in May 2012, and all three are run by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). MCD strike enters day 5: Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra & AAP volunteers clean streets of Delhi pic.twitter.com/T2ffQDHSlc ANI (@ANI_news) January 31, 2016 The BJP has accused the AAP-controlled Delhi government of starving the civic corporations of funds, leading to the present crisis. The Delhi government denies the allegation. The Delhi government on Saturday formed a taskforce as part of special arrangements for removing garbage from across the national capital. The public works department of the city government has deployed 93 vehicles to clean garbage dumps. The Delhi government on Sunday ordered all the 3,500 schools in the city to submit a declaration of safety within a month, a day after a Class 1 student was found dead in a water tank on campus. A government task force would inspect schools to verify the claims and those found submitting wrong information on steps taken for students safety would face action, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said. We have asked principals of each school be it government, MCD (municipal corporation of Delhi) or private to carry out a prima facie inspection and give us a report that the school is safe, Sisodia, who is also the education minister, said. The minister had called an emergency meeting of the officials of the directorate of education as anger mounted over the shocking death of Divyansh Kakrora, a student of Ryan International School in south Delhis Vasant Kunj. Two hours after he went missing from the classroom, Divyanshs body was found floating in a water tank in a room below the amphitheatre. The six-year-old died from drowning, the post mortem report said. He was alive when he fell into the tank his lungs had water in them and was asphyxiated, sources said. The parents accused the school of neglect. The water storage room was not manned nor was it locked, an initial probe has revealed. The school failed to inform them about the students death and it was the hospital that alerted them, police have said. The school says it followed all the procedures and administered first-aid to the student before taking him to hospital. Divyanshs final rites were performed in his ancestral village in Rajasthans Dausa on Sunday. His was the second death in three days on a school campus. On January 27, a five-year-old student was found dead in an open septic tank of an MCD school in Kapashera in southwest Delhi. om all these schools is that there is something wrong. The death of an innocent six-year-old boy is a very serious matter, Sisodia said. The government and Delhi Police had on Saturday ordered separate probes into Divyanshs death. I will get all the 3,500 schools inspected in the next one month through SDMs (sub-divisional magistrates), fire department, PWD (public works department), DJB (Delhi Jal Board), the education department and MCD, Sisodia said. The Delhi Police have re-examined Congress MP Shashi Tharoors driver and domestic help who were with his wife Sunanda Pushkar hours before she was found dead in a five-star hotel in the city in 2014. Sources said the special investigation team launched another round of questioning in the case last week to try and file a charge sheet before Delhi Police chief BS Bassi retires in February-end. Bassi, sources said, wants the investigation to progress to the next level before he hands over charge to his successor. The SIT last Thursday questioned five people, including the familys driver Bajrangi, domestic help Narayan Singh and a chemist from the Lodhi Colony area near the hotel. The chemist was reportedly asked to give details of medicines he sold Pushkar days before her death. A three-member AIIMS autopsy panel had found anti-anxiety drug Alprazolam popularly known as Alprax in Pushkars body, a fact corroborated by the FBI, which analysed the viscera samples. The samples were sent to Washington after the Pune-based Central Forensic Science Laboratory ruled out the presence of Alphrax in Pushkars body. We have interrogated around five people who were known to the couple. Our senior officers will announce a development in the case soon, said a police officer, declining to name two other people questioned at the SITs Vasant Vihar office. During an earlier round of questioning, Bajrangi and Singh had told the police that the couple got into a heated argument on January 17, 2014, a day after Pushkars Twitter war with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar, whom she accused of having an affair with her husband. Singh had even claimed that Pushkar hit Tharoor during the fight. Pushkars body was found in the hotel room late that night. The Delhi Police last year registered a case of murder against unknown persons but investigations are yet to take a concrete shape. Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday the government would take strict action after the father of a six-year-old boy who was found dead in a water storage tank at a south Delhi school alleged he was told to keep quiet. I kept asking the school staff what happened to my son, how did he die, but no one answered The principal told me aap chup rahiye, isee mein aapka fayda hai, Ramhet Meena said. The Delhi Police and AAP government initiated separate investigations against Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj on Saturday. This is unacceptable... such an arrogant and insensitive behaviour can not be tolerated. Will take strong action. (sic), Sisodia tweeted over the allegations against the school. Police said Divyansh Kakroda, a student of Class 1, went missing from his classroom around noon, following which school authorities started searching for him. More than two hours later, his body was found floating in the 12-foot-deep water tank located in a room below the amphitheatre. The boy was rushed to the Indian Spinal Injury Centre where he was declared brought dead. 6-year old student dies in Ryan Int'l School in Delhi's Vasant Kunj area,cause of death unknown.SDM & police on spot pic.twitter.com/1QSdSzpi34 ANI (@ANI_news) January 30, 2016 A case of causing death due to negligence was registered at the Vasant Kunj (north) police station. Senior officers said the school failed to inform the police after finding the childs body and it was the hospital that alerted them. The child was brought dead to the emergency room in the afternoon. There were no external injuries and the cause of death was drowning, hospital authorities said. The school, however, said it followed proper procedure and gave the child necessary first-aid before taking him to the hospital. The child had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and ran out of the class. Once we came to know he was missing, we searched everywhere. In the end, we went to the rear of the school and found him inside the tank, said principal Sandhya Sabu. We will have to find out how he managed to enter the space. The room is generally closed and guarded, she said. The school was open on Saturday to compensate for the 15-day break declared during the odd-even trial run. The childs parents both lab technicians at the All India Institute of Medical Science said their son did not suffer from any deficiency. I think this is a conspiracy by the school staff-Father of student who died in Delhi's Ryan International School pic.twitter.com/6SSy17VneJ ANI (@ANI_news) January 30, 2016 Due to the schools negligence, my child is dead and now they are trying to divert attention and say he had some disorder, said Meena. The Delhi government ordered a magisterial probe into the incident following which district magistrate Sanjay Kumar visited the school. Ordered DM New Delhi to probe in Ryan child death case. To find facts, responsibility & ascertain exact role of school mgmt (Sic), Sisodia tweeted. This is unacceptable... such an arrogant and insensitive behaviour can not be tolerated. Will take strong action. https://t.co/bs9IzrqZbg Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) January 30, 2016 AAP MLA from Bijwasan, Devinder Sehrawat, wrote to Sisodia, calling for the cancellation of the schools licence and the sealing of its swimming pool, which he alleged, was illegally using the Delhi Jal Boards drinking water supply. Senior police officers said their investigation will focus on how the child managed to enter the room and why the tank was uncovered. The matter was brought to our notice around 2.40pm. The child was pronounced dead on admission at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. We have been told that the child went missing during the seventh period, said Prem Nath, deputy commissioner of police (south). The childs body was later sent to AIIMS for autopsy. If the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme was the UPAs flagship scheme, the Smart City project is certainly the NDAs dream project. Last week, the Centre announced the names of the first batch of 20 urban centres that have made the cut, out of the 100 earmarked for the ambitious project, which hopes to change the face of urban India. Of the 20 cities, nine are from the BJP-ruled states and four from the ones under the Congress. There are five cities from the poll-bound states Chennai, Coimbatore, Guwahati, Kochi and Ludhiana but interestingly, there is no city from the two significant ones: West Bengal and UP. A smart city denotes an urban area that has world-class and eco-friendly infrastructure, automated waste disposal, sustainable transport, affordable housing, and digitised public services. While it sounds futuristic and all Indian cities would want to have such fancy hardware upgrades, the success of the project and, more importantly, the longevity of the expensive future assets would be dependent on the investment made to improve the citys software the quality of governance and the human resource and funds earmarked to maintain the new infrastructure. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that Indias civic administrators and politicians have a tendency to pay very little attention to the maintenance of Indias expensive infrastructure projects and public utilities but are always overenthusiastic to start new ones. For example, Delhis circular railway. It is a transportation asset but extremely underutilised and badly maintained. Do we want this to happen to the new ones also? Unsurprisingly, the maintenance of quite a few of our public utilities has been given over to professional companies, mostly foreign, at very high costs, which are then either passed on to consumers or borne by cash-starved civic agencies. A report prepared by Nasscom and Accenture on the smart city project also mentions these challenges: While various issues such as power, water distribution, waste disposal, drainage, healthcare and education need to be worked upon extensively, governance will be the core of maintaining the existing infrastructure and development of new ones. Along with this, there has to be an alignment of political interests with the smart city goals for the success of this project. An example is the city that tops the list, Bhubaneswar. Much of what the city is today is the handiwork of an IAS officer. But then she ran afoul of a politician and was transferred; this kind of chop-and-change for short-term political gains could kill a project that has the potential of changing urban India. Often, the closure of a relationship helps people turn over a new leaf in life. This is turning out to be true for the newly-single Katrina Kaif, who recently broke up with actor Ranbir Kapoor. The actor who kept her fashion picks agonisingly predictable in the name of keeping it safe is now making uninhibited choices. Be it her fiery crimson hair, the knife-pleated colourful skirt or the magenta flower print gown she recently wore, she has undergone a style revamp. Her recent fashion picks are breezy, fun and light-hearted. Theres buzz that shell also be piercing her belly button. Now, thats a Katrina we hardly know! (PHOTO: AMLAN PALIWAL/IANS) Experts say it could be that Katrina is helping herself let go of the past. Reinventing ones style after a breakup is a coping mechanism that helps a person convert painful emotions into happy ones. People do things to feel good and save them from the feeling of loss and pain, says psychologist Pulkit Sharma. Read: Katrina reveals secrets behind her beauty (PHOTO: YOGEN SHAH) Also, at times one feels liberated after a relationship ends. This leads to people discovering a part of themselves, they didnt know existed. This natural healing mechanism helps them unravel their true personality, adds Sharma. Read: 31 lesser known facts about Katrina Style experts applaud Katrinas willingness to experiment. Her fashion choices are fun-filled and cheery. She seems to be in a happy, carefree state of mind, says designer Anupama Dayal. (PHOTO: YOGEN SHAH) Designer Rina Dhaka approves of Kats recent choices. We are sometimes so caught up in seeking approval from our partner that we suppress our inner self. Its great that Katrina is now making efforts to transform her looks. With a face and body like hers, a little effort can achieve great results. She was afraid of taking fashion risks, but seems like she has finally found the courage to fight her fears, says the designer. (PHOTO: YOGEN SHAH) Our attempts to reach Katrina for a comment did not meet with a response. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON When Neha and Santosh Singh were told that she was likely to deliver their baby around February 5, they had a thought why not time it to coincide with their wedding anniversary on January 27 instead? We hadnt thought of it earlier, says Santosh, 30. But when we were told the date, we thought Jan 27 would be a better day. Neha underwent a C-section, accordingly, on the date of their choice. Since it was a special day for her, she wanted her child to be born then, says Dr Anuradha Kapur, Nehas doctor and the head of obstetrics and gynaecology at south Delhis Max Hospital. She also had other complications, because of which we had to operate her. It worked out well for her. Neha Singh with her newborn baby, Saanvi at Max Hospital Saket, in New Delhi on Friday, January 29. (Photo by Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times) A request from the mother is now the fifth most common indication for Caesarean sections, after non-progressive labour, fetal distress, excessive bleeding and the baby having pooped inside, Dr Kapur adds. Read: Five deadliest infections for pregnant women At private hospitals across the country, natural childbirth is being passed over by couples like the Singhs, in favour of C-sections. National Family Health Survey data released last week indicated that private hospitals had almost twice as many C-section deliveries as public or government-run ones. According to the World Health Organisation, the rate of C-section deliveries should be not more than 15%. However, even globally, this percentage has gone up to as much as 40%, particularly in countries such as the US and UK. I would say 20% of the pregnant women want a particular delivery date and time, says Dr Kapur. Obstetricians add that the number of women wanting an elective Caesarean has seen a jump over the past two or three years. The main reason is that many only plan to have one child, and due to late marriages pregnancies are being meticulously planned, says Dr Kapur. Read: Health & fitness tips and more Opting for the knife Some women choose to have a C-section because of an extreme fear of labour pain; others do not want to opt for a vaginal route as they find it gross, says gynaecologist Dr Jeroo Bhada, associated with Mumbais Parsee General hospital. This is unfounded as there are several ways to ensure a pain-free normal delivery now. And of course there are mothers who see a natural delivery as risky and opt for the C-section as a safer bet, she adds. Doctors say they try and counsel couples, particularly the mothers, to go the natural way, underlining that a natural delivery is a healthier option for a fit mother and a fit baby. We also explain that the probability of delivering a second child normally drops by 50% if the first delivery is via C-section, shares Dr Bandana Sodhi, a senior ob-gyn consultant at New Delhis Moolchand Hospital. Some do see reason, adds Dr Kapoor, but many remain adamant. The flip side There are lifestyle factors at play too. Lack of activity, late conception, babies conceived through assisted reproductive techniques resulting in twins or triplets are also contributing to the rise in the rate of Caesarean sections in the urban population, doctors add. More affluent women are opting for the surgery because of late pregnancies and lifestyle conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure, says Dr Kiran Coelho of Lilavati hospital. In some cases, families feel that its best to minimise the risk involved. The Suranas, for instance, a restaurateur family from Mumbai, had waited six long years for a child. Sheetal even began considering IVF or in-vitro fertilisation, but a month before they were scheduled to begin the treatment, she conceived naturally. From then on, we didnt want to take any chances whatsoever, says the 29-year-old mother. When it came time for the delivery, last July, the couple opted for a C-section at a high-end private hospital, to put their minds at ease. During the crucial hours of childbirth, we didnt want to take any risks, Sheetal adds. What if my blood pressure shot up during labour, for instance? Another advantage of the C-section, Sheetal adds, was that the couple could time the birth. We were told that July 20, between 11am and noon, was an auspicious time for the baby to be born, so thats when I asked my gynaec to operate upon me, she says. In Sheetals case, her doctor adds, there was also the possibility of complications.Most expecting mothers in private hospitals are from the affluent classes and have healthier babies, often weighing above 5 lb, says gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Ranjana Dhanu of the Mumbai-based Hinduja Healthcare Hospital, Khar, who operated upon Sheetal. At the same time, squatting has become rare, particularly among this group of women, overall activity levels have fallen, and the women tend to be slight with narrow hips. Usually in such cases a C-section is suggested to minimise risks. Sheetals was a precious pregnancy. Also, her reports showed a floating head held high in the pelvis, rather than dipping into it. This could have potentially been dangerous for the baby. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more. In the first formal meeting after the death of former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will discuss the late leaders agenda of peace and development on Sunday. After nearly a month of uncertainty, all eyes are on the meeting of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti with party legislators, provincial presidents, district presidents and zonal presidents of Kashmir province at her Fairview residence. Speaking to Hindustan Times, party spokesman Nayeem Akhtar said the party has authorised Mehbooba Mufti to take a decision on government formation. She is yet to speak about government formation to party members, Akhtar said. He, however, refused to comment on whether government formation is likely to be discussed. We will discuss the agenda of peace and development set for the party by the late chief minister, he added. Read | J-K impasse: PDP toughens stand, wants concrete assurances from BJP After Sayeeds death on January 7, PDP hasnt elected a leader of the legislative assembly. Jammu and Kashmir is under governors rule after PDP delayed government formation following the chief ministers demise. Mehbooba is however tipped to become the first woman chief minister of the state in case the party decides to form the government. PDP, which has 28 members in the legislative assembly, is 16 short of the magic figure of 44 to form the government. BJP, however, seemed hopeful that Sundays meeting will be decisive. We hope something concrete comes out of Sundays meeting. PDP has to take a call, we are in no hurry, said Dr Nirmal Singh, former deputy chief minister and BJP state president. All I want to say is that the state is waiting for a democratically-elected government to take over, Singh added. PDP leadership is insisting on removal of AFSPA from Jammu and Srinagar, engagement of talks with separatists and handing over Centre-owned projects to the state. Read | How the BJP failed Mufti Sayeed and how it can reassure Mehbooba Read | Omars open letter to Mehbooba: Order fresh polls if you cant be CM SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON It was quite a catch for officials at the Chennai airport who seized milk cartons, coffee boxes, in-flight meals, juice packets, cashew nuts, whiskey bottles and much more from an Air India (AI) cabin crew member whom they had been patiently waiting for following a tip-off. Despite airlines new chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani warning of strict action against those caught pilfering, not much seems to have changed in the national carrier. On January 27, AIs vigilance officials had received a tip-off about a woman cabin crew member arriving from an international flight (AI 274) from Colombo. When the members baggage was screened, vigilance and customs officials could not believe what they saw. It appeared that she had brought with her anything and everything she could lay her hands on inside the plane, said a senior official. She has been taken off the roster and an inquiry has been ordered, said an AI spokesperson. An official said, She had operated the Chennai-Colombo-Delhi flight with a night halt at Delhi and did Delhi-Colombo-Chennai. She was caught after she landed in Chennai. Aviation expert Rajji Rai said, Anything on board is company property. Its high time Air India had a zero-tolerance policy on anybody caught stealing. The aviation ministry had informed Parliament of several cases a couple of years ago, which included a flight purser being caught by customs at the Delhi airport while trying to take out 372 mini liquor bottles from the aircraft and missing caviar tins costing Rs 20,200 from a special charter flight found in possession of catering officer among others. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A flash protest by the Kapu community in Andhra Pradesh for their inclusion in the backward classes list turned violent on Sunday with protesters setting a train on fire, damaging a railway station and two police stations and blocking rail and road traffic. The movement of trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and vehicular traffic on the Chennai-Kolkata national highway came to a halt as thousands of protestors squatted on the tracks and the road in east Godavari district in coastal Andhra. The trouble began at Tuni during a public meeting of the community when a Kapu leader announced that they would sit on railway tracks and roads till the state government issues an order including them in the list. The protesters soon fanned out and stopped the Ratnachal Express near Tuni. They damaged the engine and later set afire empty bogies as passengers escaped in panic. They also attacked the Tuni railway station and ransacked the office. Four railway employees were injured in the incident. Fifteen policemen, including two deputy superintendents of police, also sustained injuries. Two police stations and 25 vehicles were set afire. CM N Chandrababu Naidu called an emergency meeting of top officials in Vijayawada to review the situation. He directed the police to rush additional forces for protection of public property. Terming the incidents unfortunate, he said the violence appeared to be pre-planned. Naidu said the government was ready to issue an order to include Kapus in the Backward Classes list. Railway officials also held meetings with Kapu leaders, requesting them to end the protest on tracks as several trains had to be stopped. Late on Sunday evening, Kapu leader Padmanabham announced that they were withdrawing their agitation. He, however, said that if the government failed to respond to their demand by Monday evening, he will sit on an indefinite fast. After Padmanabhams announcement, protestors began vacating railway tracks and national highway at Tuni while authorities were making arrangements to resume rail and road traffic. Railways have cancelled 14 trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and partially cancelled or diverted several other trains. A 25-year-old Afghan national, who was caught by railway police for travelling without ticket three days ago, had worked with Afghanistan police, a senior police official said on Sunday. Identified as Najok Mir, son of Wali Mohammad, from Badakhshan Province in Afghanistan, was arrested on January 28 at Pathankot Cantt railway station. An Apple laptop, two mobile phones without sim cards, two pen drives, a dongle and two diaries were also recovered from his possession. During our investigation, he (Najok) has admitted that he had worked with Afghanistan police in 2012 for a brief period, Government Railway Police (GRP), DSP, Makhan Singh said on Sunday. Najok has also admitted to have come to India earlier twice. He came to India first in 2011. He was deported to his country for not having required documents. Again, he came to India in 2013, Singh said. Najok had come to India on a tourist visa in 2013 and stayed in a mosque in Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, acting as a deaf and dumb as he did not knew the local language. He then moved to Bangalore and then to Jammu and Kashmir, police said, adding that he had also stayed in Delhi where he worked as a labourer. Police, during questioning, also found that one of the two mobile phones was a stolen one. We have found that one mobile phone, which he was possessing, belonged to a Delhi-based woman. Her phone was stolen in Jammu, he said. The Cyber Crime cell of Punjab police is also examining the detail contained in the laptop and the two pen drives recovered from the Afghan national, he said. Najok was arrested by RPF for travelling without ticket and misbehaving with ticket checker after he got off a train coming from Jammu at Pathankot Cantt railway station. He was also not carrying visa and passport. Initially, the Afghan national had tried to mislead investigators by giving his name as Sarosh Qureshi, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir. Najok, who understands Hindi very well, was booked for staying in India without visa and passport, travelling without ticket and misbehaving with a government servant, police said. A local court has remanded him in police custody till February 4. BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya sparked a row on Sunday by casting doubts over the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, while he claimed the Hyderabad Central University student used to offer prayers for terrorist Yakub Memon and organised beef parties. His contentious remarks came a day after external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said Vemula, who authorities believe took his own life on January 17, was not a Dalit, adding to a swirling controversy over the issue that has triggered nationwide outrage. One who protested against the execution of terrorists, one who said he feels like sin whenever he sees saffron colour, one who publicly announced to organise a beef party, one who offered namaz for terrorists like Yakub Memon (who was executed last year for his role in the 1993 blasts in Mumbai) cannot be a weak youth, who would have committed suicide, Vijayvargiya told the media in Uttar Pradeshs Kanpur city. Vemula, 26, was found hanging a fortnight after he and four other researchers were expelled from the university hostel in connection with an alleged case of assault on an ABVP activist. Critics have alleged that the union HRD ministry pushed for the Dalit students to be punished by sending five reminders to the universitys vice-chancellor after labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya complained to Smriti Iranis department. Vijayvargiya also hailed the Centres move of appointing a retired high court judge to inquire into the death. The development came on a day the universitys acting vice chancellor said students who were protesting in the wake of the suicide had agreed to allow classes and administrative activities to resume normally from Monday. The students, however, said final decision would be taken at a meeting of the Joint Action Committee for Social Justice, which is heading the agitation. We had a meeting with student (JAC) representatives. They agreed to allow regular functioning from tomorrow. This is a conditional agreement, acting V-C M Periasamy told PTI. (With inputs from agencies) Delhi high court has asked the AAP government to inform it whether compensation paid to the wife of a youth mauled by a white tiger in 2014 inside Delhi zoo, can be enhanced. A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath posed the query to the Delhi government, after the advocate for the victims wife said only one lakh rupees was paid to her. The womans lawyer further contended that the family of a person who had allegedly hanged himself at Jantar Mantar during Aam Aadmi Party rally in April last year, had got a compensation of Rs 10 lakh. There are cases, where more than Rs 20 lakh has been paid..., the counsel also said. To this, the bench, which is hearing a plea filed by the youths wife seeking compensation of Rs 50 lakh, asked the counsel for Delhi government to take instructions and inform it before March 21. Earlier on December 18, 2014, Delhi Police had requested the court to dismiss the womans plea saying the probe in the matter was pending. The woman had claimed that the government was liable to pay compensation for their act of negligence, safety and security lapses which resulted in the tragic death of 22-year-old Maqsood who was mauled to death by the white tiger at National Zoological Park here on September 23, 2014. The petition also said the deceased was the only earning member in his family, which had his wife, who was then seven months pregnant, and his 43-year-old mother. Maqsoods father had deserted him and his family members 15 years ago. Online communication applications that claim to provide end-to-end encryption to those who love their privacy are emerging as favourite modes of contact in the jehadi world as well, counter-terror sources told HT. A group of 14 terror suspects busted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) more than 10 days back was found using a similar communication application Sure****(name withheld) that has emerged as a favourite among those who have been found linked with the Islamic State, say investigators. The group of IS-inspired suspects was brought together by Shafi Armar, an alleged Indian Mujahideen member who first shifted loyalty to al Qaeda in Afghanistan and then to the IS. Shafi is now in the IS-held area along the border of Iraq and Syria. Shafi first spotted the boys with radicalised leanings on social media platforms and brought them in touch with each other. He then asked them to use Sure****, which is used by IS-linked modules all over the world, said an investigator who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the probe. Investigators say Sure**** is an open source instant messaging application that focuses on privacy and security. It uses end-to-end chat encryption by default. Some members of the group, with prior knowledge of computer software and hardware, have done extensive research on safer online modes of communication. But even those members of group who have not studied much were, like Mohammad Nafees Khan who didnt go beyond primary school, found to be very proficient in using various mobile applications. Khan was tasked with organising meetings of like-minded boys spotted by Shafi or other IS recruiters, said the investigator. Khan was also allegedly tasked with procuring weapons for which he visited the bordering areas of West Bengal, said sources. The group named Junood Khilafa-e-Hind was allegedly headed by a Mumbai resident Muddabir Sheikh, the NIA has said. Another favourite application of the group was Tri***** (name withheld) that connects to multiple instant messaging services and allows users to create multiple connections to the same service. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The JD(U)s bid to stitch together for next years Uttar Pradesh polls a coalition of avowedly secular parties like the Grand Alliance that decimated a BJP-led combine in the 2015 Bihar election hit a roadblock on Sunday, with none of the major UP parties expressing interest to come aboard. Tempers flared and anxieties were apparent at a meeting organised by the Janata Dal (United) in Lucknow, as party leaders hit out at the states ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) and the principal opposition Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for failing to set aside difference to join an anti-BJP coalition for the UP polls. Like Bihar, the BJP had swept Uttar Pradesh on its way to a stunning victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the so-called secular parties have been trying to replicate their success from the neighbouring state by joining forces in UP. The leaders of non-BJP political parties lack commitment, patience and sacrifice that was displayed by Bihar leaders to check Narendra Modis victory chariot, JD(U)s national spokesperson KC Tyagi said. Buoyed by the Bihar win, the JD(U) launched its mission for a similar alliance in UP by announcing support to candidates of former union minister Ajit Singhs RLD for upcoming bypolls on three assembly seats. Grand Alliance partners Congress and RJD, however, have been silent on the issue. The Congress has, in fact, announced it will field candidates on all three seats. Congress leader Satyadeo Tripathi and RJDs state unit president Ashok Singh told HT the top leadership of their respective parties will take a final decision on the possibility of forming a Bihar-style umbrella alliance in UP. Efforts are being made to form a grand alliance with secular parties that are committed to social justice, said JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav. The Bihar election has shown the way that the BJP can be stopped and how. Talks are continuing with the leaders of national as well as regional parties to form alliances. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Even as most Tamil political parties take a leaf out of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumars book to press for a ban on liquor sale, protests have erupted in Gujarat Indias pioneering state in prohibition over its inability to enforce the dry law. In fact, the disenchantment has risen to such an extent that leaders of the politically significant Kshartiya and Thakor communities in the BJP bastion of north Gujarat have threatened to look for other electoral alternatives in the 2017 assembly polls unless the rampant sale of illegal liquor is stemmed. Make me chief minister for a single day and I will bring an end to this evil, thundered Alpesh Thakor, convener of the Kshatriya-Thakor Sena, at the rally. There have been many incidents of people turning vigilantes in order to enforce the rule. Recently, the heads of four men found drunk were tonsured by the public in Banaskantha district sending a clear message to the government that if it fails to enforce prohibition, the people will. Women of the Kutch region surrounded a police station on January 29, alleging apathy in implementing the law. A little away, in the Patan and Gandhinagar districts, local residents destroyed eight breweries. However, to understand the magnitude of liquor smuggling in Gujarat, one should visit neighbouring Madhya Pradeshs Jhabua and Alirajpur districts where smuggling of liquor to the dry state has developed into a small-scale industry. Called amrit in local parlance, the smuggling happens through narrow roads connecting villages on two sides of the border. Tribals armed with bows and arrows act as guides and protectors to escape police detection. Hundreds of tribals earn their livelihood by helping smuggle liquor to Gujarat, said a regional transport department official posted in the pre-dominantly tribal district of Jhabua. Most of the smuggling happens through small vehicles that can navigate untarred roads, where police presence is poor. The extent of the thriving smuggling network can be gauged from the fact that liquor shops in these poor tribal-dominated regions of Madhya Pradesh were auctioned for crores of rupees in 2014-15, bringing them on a par with outlets in posh urban areas. Local residents say permits that allow transportation of liquor to Daman and Diu through Gujarat also comes handy for bootleggers. During the 2014 national polls, the election commission seized liquor worth `20 crore in a three-month period. The Gujarat police on an average confiscates Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) worth `100 crore every year. State home department officials maintained that the bootlegging business may be worth `500 crore, and the law causes a revenue loss to the tune of `2,500 crore. As per the records of the ministry of home affairs, 117 deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor were recorded in the western state between 2012 and 2014. Bihar will follow in Gujarats footsteps from April 1, when country-made liquor will be banned across the state in the first phase. Chief minister Nitish Kumar had promised to enact a prohibition law before the last assembly elections, when a large number of women complained that their families were being ruined due to liquor addiction. The move helped him win around 80% of the seats where women voters outnumbered men, and now Kumar wants them to ensure that the ban is enforced in 8,444 panchayats. The new excise policy, which comes into effect from April 1, stipulates that while sale of country and spiced liquor would not be permitted, IMFL can be sold only at Bihar State Beverage Corporation counters in the district headquarters. However, it remains to be seen how the Nitish government goes about banning IMFL. The states excise revenue had jumped from `525 crore in 2007-08 to `2,765 crore in 2012-13 through Bihars 5,467 licensed liquor shops. Its a statistic that begs the question: Can Bihar afford to lose all this money? Meanwhile, the issue has turned into a veritable hot potato in poll-bound Tamil Nadu. Even as DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi vows to effect a liquor ban if voted in, the AIADMK which currently rules the state has asked why no such action was taken when the former was in power. In fact, it was Karunanidhi who had lifted prohibition in the state in 1974. The J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK has ruled out prohibition, stating that it would be unwise to introduce prohibition when it would cause an annual revenue loss of `25,000 crore and alcohol can be smuggled in from neighbouring states anyway. The debate will be settled by voters when the state goes to the polls this summer. However, there are a few lessons to be learnt from Gujarat which has been under prohibition since its formation in 1960. It is an open secret that the decades-old policy remains merely on paper. Haryana lifted the ban after two years of imposition in 1998, after realising that the rule had created a parallel network of liquor smugglers. Retired IPS officer Prakash Singh said prohibition usually leads to corruption because enforcing it in states with porous borders is a difficult proposition. There are better ways to check liquor addiction, he added. (With inputs from bureaus in Patna and New Delhi) A Pune-based businessman has challenged in the Supreme Court the constitutional validity of a recently passed law lowering from 18 to 16 years the age at which a person accused of a serious crime, such as rape or murder, can be tried as an adult. Parliament ratified last year the Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act, 2015, spurred into action by widespread outcry over the release of a minor convicted in the fatal gang rape of a young woman on a bus in the Capital in 2012. On January 4, President Pranab Mukherjee endorsed the law. The petition filed by entrepreneur and Congress supporter Tehseen Poonawalla calls the Act unreasonable and arbitrary while saying it violates the principle of right to equality laid down by the Constitution. Poonawallas plea says the law has become draconian and unconstitutional following the amendment, specifically challenging section 15 that says in case a juvenile is arrested for indulging in a heinous crime and is found to be above 16 years but below 18, then he or she could face trial similar to an adult offender. The release of the youngest convict in the Delhi gang-rape case had led to street protests in which the victims family participated, sparking debate over whether India was too soft on young offenders. Campaigners for the reduction in age argued that the maximum three-year sentence would be too lenient to fit the crimes in this case. However, child rights activists said changing this section of the law in response to a public outcry over a single case, would be a regressive step. According to Poonawalla, the Act does not provide care and protection to children, which should be the objective of any law dealing with delinquent juveniles. Instead, it deems the offenders as adults in cases where the alleged commission of crime by them is heinous in nature. Under the law, a juvenile justice board will conduct a preliminary inquiry to determine whether a young offender can be sent for rehabilitation or be tried as an adult. The plea also says the amendment goes against the letter and spirit of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and is against the protection accorded to child and adolescent criminals since the 1800s. The Act also allows any 16 to 18-year-old who commits a less serious offence to be tried as an adult, only if he or she is apprehended after the age of 21 years. After Parliament passed the legislation, women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi had said the Act aimed to strike a balance between the rights of a child and the need to deter heinous juvenile crimes, especially against women. A minority cell leader of BJP has been booked under the stringent National Security Act in view of his criminal record, days after he was charged with slaughtering a cow at his house in Dewas district, leading to his expulsion from the party. The National Security Act was slapped on Anwar Mev on January 28 in view of his past criminal record, Dewas district collector Ashutosh Awasthi said on Sunday evening. BJPs state unit spokesman Hitesh Bajpai confirmed the development, saying we have expelled Mev from the party. Mev, former vice president of the BJPs minority cell in Tonkkhurd Mandal in Dewas district, and nine others are facing a criminal case under the Madhya Pradesh Cow Slaughter Ban Act and the Indian Penal Code, according to Dewas additional superintendent of police Rajesh Raghuvanshi. Meanwhile, the Congress has accused BJP of dividing society on communal lines in the name of cow. According to reports, the BJP men, some of them Hindus, are involved in slaughter of cows. BJP is diving society in the name of cow. The export of beef has increased manifold under the NDA government, said Congress leader Bhupendra Gupta. When contacted, BJP leader Shailesh Kesarwani said, The (district) administration must have imposed NSA after seeing Anwars record. Cow slaughter wont be tolerated at all. Carcass of a cow was allegedly recovered from Mevs house in Maniyarpura locality in Tonkkhurd Nagar town on January 27, leading to protests by right-wing organisations. Mev was arrested and shifted to Ujjain Central Jail. Nine Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested while fishing off the Sri Lankan coast while in another incident 50 nets were damaged allegedly by the Lankan navy when local fishermen were fishing near Katchatheevu, a top fisheries department official said on Sunday. In the first incident, the fishermen from Kottaipattinam and Jegadapattinam in Pudukottai district were arrested while fishing near Iranatheevu island, a sensitive area where the LTTE had their camp earlier, around midnight last night, Pudukottai assistant director of fisheries Sekhar told PTI. The Lankan navy arrested the fishermen along with their two boats, he said. Rameswaram assistant director of fisheries Gopinath said 50 fishing nets of Rameswaram fishermen were damaged when their boats were attacked allegedly by Lankan naval personnel while fishing near Katchatheevu. Ontarios Premier Kathleen Wynne was on Sunday accorded a red carpet welcome at the Golden Temple in Amritsar but was not offered the traditional Siropa (robe of honour) by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee due to her views on same-sex marriages. Wynne paid obeisance at the shrine and also cooked food at the community kitchen. She was received by the senior staff members of Golden Temple, including special staff which usually receives the VVIPs during their visit to the holiest shrine of the sikhs. The Premier was presented a gold plated photo of Golden Temple along with a set of Sikh religious books by the Chief Secretary of SGPC, Harcharan Singh but was not offered the Siropa. The SGPC had on Saturday announced that it would not offer her the siropa. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said, The SGPCs decision was correct not to offer her Siropa. To pay obeisance in the Golden Temple is everyones right, but to give siropa to dignitaries, Sikh tenets need to be followed carefully. Former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti had issued an edict in 2005 against same-sex marriages. Same-sex marriages is a practice opposed by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. SGPCs senior Information officer Gurbachan Singh, who was accompanying Wynne during her visit in the shrine, said. The premier was also apprised about the Sikh history with regard to the Golden Temple. The Ontario premier took keen interest in Sikh history, he added. Later, she also visited the Langar (community kitchen) where she cooked food with rest of the devotees. In the visitors book, the premier wrote that it was a very humbling experience to have visited the sacred place. On a 10-day business trip to India, Wynne is making a strong pitch for Indian companies to invest in her province. A Pakistani court will finally hear from Wednesday a petition to prove the innocence of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in the murder case of a British police officer, nearly 85 years after his execution by the colonial government. Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice Ijazul Ahsan constituted a division bench headed by justice Khalid Mahmood Khan to hear the case from February 3. The petition was last heard by justice Shujaat Ali Khan in May 2013, when he referred the matter to the chief justice for the constitution of a larger bench. Advocate Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi, chairman of the Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation, had in November filed a plea in the LHC for early hearing of the matter. In the petition, Qureshi said Bhagat Singh was a freedom fighter and fought for independence of undivided India. The case was filed against Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru for allegedly killing British police officer John P Saunders. Singh was hanged by British rulers on March 23, 1931 at the age of 23, after being tried under charges for hatching a conspiracy against the colonial government. He said Singh was initially jailed for life but later awarded death sentence in another fabricated case. The petitioner further said Bhagat Singh is respected even today in the subcontinent not only by Sikhs but also Muslims as the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah twice paid tribute to him. It is a matter of national importance and should be fixed before a full bench, he said and pleaded the court to set aside the sentence of Singh by exercising principles of review and order the government to honour him with state award. In 2014, Lahore police provided the copy of the original FIR of the killing of Saunders in 1928 to the petitioner on the courts order. Singhs name was not mentioned in the First Information Report of the murder of Saunders for which he was handed down death sentence. Eighty three years after Singhs hanging, Lahore police searched through the record of the Anarkali police station on courts order and managed to find the FIR of the murder of Saunders. Written in Urdu, the FIR was registered with the Anarkali police station on December 17, 1928 at 4.30pm against two unknown gunmen. The case was registered under sections 302, 1201 and 109 of Indian Penal Code. Petitioner Qureshi said special judges of the tribunal handling Singhs case awarded death sentence to him without hearing the 450 witnesses in the case. Singhs lawyers were not given the opportunity of cross-questioning them, he said. I will establish Bhagat Singhs innocence in the Saunders case, Qureshi said. After the initial guarded approach, both the neighbours seem to have gone back to an old narrative where each finds the other wanting. India expects Pakistan to act against the handlers of Pathankot airbase attack in time so that the two foreign secretaries meet in Islamabad next month. For India, attack on the forward airbase at Pathankot by Pakistan-based militants could not have come at a worse time. It coincided with the efforts led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to get the talks process back on track. While the government has gone public with a posturing that progress on 26/11 Mumbai attack case is a test for Pakistans commitments on cracking down on anti-India terror groups, what would get the talks going will be some demonstrable action by Pakistan on Jaish-e-Mohammed, the militant group blamed for Pathankot attack. Though the posturing doesnt look unfamiliar to what the neighbours did after the Mumbai attack of 2008 that killed 166 people, sources said there have been concerted efforts to be wiser from the past experience. Unlike in the past, Pakistan soon enough accepted groups in its territory hatching the Pathankot attack, which India termed as right initial steps. But New Delhi finds them short of meeting the requirement for creating the right atmosphere for talks. However, the government has adopted a policy of not linking any specific action against LeT as a pre-condition for talks in public, sources said it has been conveyed to Pakistan that it expects the neighbour to act on the leads in a reasonable time frame. It is also necessary for the government ahead of the crucial budget session of parliament to fend off opposition attack. Foreign secretary S Jaishankar will accompany external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj for the joint commission meeting in Sri Lanka on February 5 and 6. The foreign secretaries are to meet in Islamabad to announce the timeline for their bilateral talks. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Close to a month after the Pathankot terror attack, Prime minister Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan will soon complete its investigation into the attack and make it public. The attack had a negative impact and disturbed the talks with India which were going in the right direction after the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, he said on Saturday. The investigation into the Pathankot incident is underway and we will make its findings public soon, he said while talking to reporters in Lahore. Whatever facts come out we will bring them forth before everyone, he said. Read | Pathankot terror attack slowed down India-Pak talks: Nawaz Sharif Sharif vowed that Pakistan would go to any length to uncover the alleged use of its soil in the January 2 attack on the air base in Pathankot by suspected JeM terrorists. It is our responsibility to uncover if our soil was used in the attack. We will do this and the ongoing investigations will soon be completed, he said. The terrorists were being defeated and in desperation, they were carrying out isolated acts to make their presence felt, he said, adding that the remaining ones will also be eliminated. Meanwhile, Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah said none of the suspects arrested in connection with the attack have been charged. The investigation team is probing the matter and its findings will be made public, Sanaullah told reporters. Responding to a question whether any link of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has been established with the attack, he said: The investigation team is also probing this. Sharif had formed a six-member committee headed by additional inspector general of Punjabs Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) to investigate the attack in which seven security personnel were killed. Read | No reason why India-Pak foreign secy talks shouldnt happen: Basit Read | Sharif vows action against militant groups operating in Pakistan Calling on the nation to embrace Mahatma Gandhis legacy, Khadi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday the fabric signified the culture of India and added that it was bound to produce employment in the nation. Khadi has the power to provide employment to crores of people. It has now become a symbol and a centre of interest of the nations youth, Modi said in his first Mann Ki Baat address in 2016. Sardar Patel said Indias independence is in Khadi, Indias civilisation represents Khadi, farmers welfare is in Khadi, he added. Lauding the people associated with Khadi, he said that the fabric was quickly gaining attention among the youth and was carving a niche for itself in the world of fashion. In his radio address, Modi also appealed to people to observe two minutes silence on January 30 each year to pay tributes to the martyrs of the nation. If the entire nation observes silence every January 30 at 11am, you can imagine the energy that a single moment will generate. It should be made a practice, Modi said. He added that the railways ministry, police, navy, Uttarakhand postal service and other government offices had taken up initiatives to promote Khadi. Due to the efforts of many government organisations in the field of Khadi, around 18 lakh people can be granted employment, the Prime Minister said. Modi also appreciated the efforts of Haryana and Gujarat towards empowerment of the girl child. On January 26, the government schools of Haryana and Gujarat undertook a special step by asking the educated girls to hoist the national flag. This step taken by them is a great example of Beti Bachao, Beti Badhao scheme. I want to express my greetings to Haryana, as there has been a rapid increase in birth rate of girl child in the state. The Prime Minister also appreciated the social transformation that is taking place in the country, saying there has been a huge increase in the number of births of the girl child. For the first time in 10 years, the sex ratio in Haryana has shown an upward trend, with the sex ratio at birth for December 2015 crossing the 900 mark with 905 girls per 1,000 boys. The Prime Ministers praise comes in the backdrop of Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar earlier crediting the success of the ambitious Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme to the state governments multi-pronged strategy. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has said that Rohith Vemula, who recently committed suicide in the University of Hyderabad, was not a Dalit. The facts have come out in the case and as per as my complete knowledge, that student (Rohith) was not a Dalit. By calling him a dalit student, this whole case has been raised a communal incident by some people, Swaraj was quoted by ANI as saying. The 26-year-old scholar committed suicide early last week, a fortnight after he and four other researchers were expelled from the university hostel in connection with an alleged case of assault. Terming the expulsion of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula from Hyderabad University hostel as a small incident, BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya said he doubts whether this alone led to suicide by the courageous youth. The suicide of Vemula is unfortunate. He was a courageous youth who had a zeal to swim against the tide. Though a probe is on in his death, I dont believe he committed suicide just because of a small incident of his expulsion from the hostel, the BJP general secretary said on Saturday. I dont think he took the extreme step because he was perturbed over his expulsion, he told reporters here. I think those people who are responsible for his suicide are the ones who are agitating to defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government. Once the probe is complete, these people would get exposed, Vijayvargiya maintained. Asked about Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi taking part in the agitation over Rohiths death, Vijayvargiya said, Politics should not be done on the issue. Our political rivals are unable to digest that under Modis leadership, the countrys stature is rising in the world and therefore they are indulging in such acts. Read| Rohith and Mahatma Gandhi are similar in their agony: Rahul The acting vice-chancellor of the University of Hyderabad said on Sunday an umbrella grouping of 14 students outfits protesting over the suicide of Dalit student Rohith Vemula had conditionally agreed to let the varsity function from Monday. I met with students, representatives and JAC (joint action committee) members; they have some demands that they will give me in writing... But the students have agreed for regular functioning of university from tomorrow (Monday), M Periasamy told ANI. This is a conditional agreement by the students on the ground that the university, HRD ministry and the government must take action against some people, he added. The JAC for social justice had earlier demanded an immediate resignation of previous interim vice-chancellor Vipin Srivastvata and the removal of P Appa Rao from the post of vice-chancellor, saying they were responsible for Vemulas suicide. The JAC, an umbrella grouping of 14 students groups, claimed that the faculty members and students responded to its appeal to boycott the classes and joined the protest. Tension prevailed at life sciences block on Friday when a group of students and some faculty members, who wanted classes to resume, had heated argument with JAC leaders. Donatha Prasanth, one of the four suspended Dalit students, appealed to students to show unity by joining the protest. Even as Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi joined the student protests over the Vemulas suicide, the ruling BJP and the main opposition party spent most of the weekend levelling allegations against each other. The BJP blew hot and cold on the issue on Saturday, alternating between accusing the Congress of playing politics over the death of a courageous student to questioning Vemulas very identity as a Dalit. The facts have come out in the case, and as per as my complete knowledge, that student (Rohith) was not a Dalit. By calling him a Dalit student, this whole case has been raised as a communal incident by some people, ANI quoted external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj as saying. Vemula, a PhD student with the University of Hyderabad, had committed suicide on January 17, 2016, after he and four others were suspended by institution authorities on charges of assaulting an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activist. The university had allegedly taken the action at the behest of Union ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya. The protesters are demanding that vice-chancellor Rao resign over the incident, and action be taken against everybody responsible for the incident. During his second visit to the campus on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi tweeted: I am here today at the request of Rohiths friends and family, to stand with them in their fight for justice A young life full of dreams and aspirations was cut short. Likening Vemula to the Father of the Nation, whose death anniversary fell on Saturday, he said: He (the Mahatma) lived like that and fought for that all his life. And he was eventually killed by the very forces that did not want him to speak aloud what the truth was. Its exactly the same thing that has been done to Rohith. The BJP rejected Gandhis allegations and asked him to stop playing politics on dead bodies. Gandhi shuns his own responsibilities and gatecrashes into others protests, party spokesperson Sambit Patra said, adding that the Congress vice-president was displaying a high degree of insensitivity. BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, on the other hand, blamed the student protesters for Vemulas suicide. Rohith Vemula was not that weak to commit suicide I think those people who are responsible for his suicide are the ones who are agitating to defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government (sic). Once the probe is complete, these people would get exposed, he said at a function in Indore. The party general secretary alleged it was highly unlikely that Vemula had committed suicide over something that he termed as a small incident. The suicide is unfortunate. He was a courageous youth who had the zeal to swim against the tide. Though a probe is on in his death, I dont believe he committed suicide just because of a small incident of his expulsion from the hostel, he said. Union minister for social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot promised to provide justice to Vemulas family, and insisted that Gandhi had visited Hyderabad to take advantage of a tragic situation. Before this suicide, there were eight to nine students who had committed suicide on the campus. We were in Opposition then, but we did not politicise the matter, Gehlot said. However, the Congress rallied behind its vice-president. Rahul Gandhi has always been the voice of the people, whether they are farmers, Dalits or safai karmacharis. He is the voice of the poor and the underprivileged in the country. He also joined the candlelight vigil at the University of Hyderabad last night (Friday), Congress leader Ajay Maken told reporters. Rejecting the BJPs allegations, he said: It is unfortunate that they condemned Rahul Gandhis participation in the candlelight march. Instead of probing the role of the vice chancellor and their own minister in the Dalit scholars death, they are blaming Rahul Gandhi for politicising the issue. It is very unfortunate. Even as Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi joined the student protests over the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, the ruling BJP and the main opposition party spent most of the weekend levelling allegations against each other. The BJP blew hot and cold on the issue on Saturday, alternating between accusing the Congress of playing politics over the death of a courageous student to questioning Vemulas very identity as a Dalit. The facts have come out in the case, and as per as my complete knowledge, that student (Rohith) was not a Dalit. By calling him a Dalit student, this whole case has been raised as a communal incident by some people, ANI quoted external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj as saying. Vemula, a PhD student with the University of Hyderabad, had committed suicide on January 17, 2016, after he and four others were suspended by institution authorities on charges of assaulting an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activist. The university had allegedly taken the action at the behest of Union ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi lights a candle at Rohith Vemulas memorial during a visit to the University of Hyderabad. (PTI) The protesters are demanding that vice-chancellor Appa Rao resign over the incident, and action be taken against everybody responsible for the incident. During his second visit to the campus on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi tweeted: I am here today at the request of Rohiths friends and family, to stand with them in their fight for justice A young life full of dreams and aspirations was cut short. Likening Vemula to the Father of the Nation, whose death anniversary fell on Saturday, he said: He (the Mahatma) lived like that and fought for that all his life. And he was eventually killed by the very forces that did not want him to speak aloud what the truth was. Its exactly the same thing that has been done to Rohith. Read| Rohith and Mahatma Gandhi are similar in their agony: Rahul The BJP rejected Gandhis allegations and asked him to stop playing politics on dead bodies. Gandhi shuns his own responsibilities and gatecrashes into others protests, party spokesperson Sambit Patra said, adding that the Congress vice-president was displaying a high degree of insensitivity. BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, on the other hand, blamed the student protesters for Vemulas suicide. Rohith Vemula was not that weak to commit suicide I think those people who are responsible for his suicide are the ones who are agitating to defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government (sic). Once the probe is complete, these people would get exposed, he said at a function in Indore. The party general secretary alleged it was highly unlikely that Vemula had committed suicide over something that he termed as a small incident. The suicide is unfortunate. He was a courageous youth who had the zeal to swim against the tide. Though a probe is on in his death, I dont believe he committed suicide just because of a small incident of his expulsion from the hostel, he said. Union minister for social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot promised to provide justice to Vemulas family, and insisted that Gandhi had visited Hyderabad to take advantage of a tragic situation. Before this suicide, there were eight to nine students who had committed suicide on the campus. We were in Opposition then, but we did not politicise the matter, Gehlot said. However, the Congress rallied behind its vice-president. Rahul Gandhi has always been the voice of the people, whether they are farmers, Dalits or safai karmacharis. He is the voice of the poor and the underprivileged in the country. He also joined the candlelight vigil at the University of Hyderabad last night (Friday), Congress leader Ajay Maken told reporters. Rejecting the BJPs allegations, he said: It is unfortunate that they condemned Rahul Gandhis participation in the candlelight march. Instead of probing the role of the vice chancellor and their own minister in the Dalit scholars death, they are blaming Rahul Gandhi for politicising the issue. It is very unfortunate. Read: Sushma says Rohith wasnt a Dalit; Vijayvargiya plays down expulsion Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday accused the Congress of tamasha politics over the suicide of research scholar Rohith Vemula, and asserted that the party never bothered to think about Dalits during its own rule. ...It is long misrule and divisive agenda of Congress party and also vote-bank agenda of Congress that has spoilt the social harmony and thats why incident like Hyderabad (Central) University has happened, Naidu said, addressing a public meeting in Hyderabad. Read: Rohith Vemula suicide: BJP, Congress clash over Rahuls Hyderabad visit Rohiths is not the first incident (suicide)...10 (such suicides) incidents have happened during Congress regime. Nobody had time. No Sonia, no Rahul and no Digvijaya Singh. Nobody came to Hyderabad Central University. Nobody consoled nor condoled. Suddenly now they are doing drama, the Union parliamentary affairs minister alleged. On Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi holding a fast on the university campus over the suicide by Dalit student Vemula on January 17, he said: When you were in power you never bothered to think about Dalits. A Dalit family committed suicide in Warangal (a district in Telangana). You never bothered to visit and condole and console. For more than 12 hours, Gandhi sat with students and the family members of Rohith Vemula who are on hunger strike, demanding justice. He also participated in a candlelight vigil after midnight and spent the night on the campus. He remained seated along with the students at the protest venue near Shopping Complex to mark the birth anniversary of Vemula, who committed suicide two weeks ago. In the same university, 10 children committed suicide but you never bothered to come to Hyderabad. There was no question of offering dharna because your own government was there (in power), the senior BJP leader said. You were silent then and violent now. This is all tamasha going on. Congress party is doing tamasha politics, Naidu alleged. Read: Rohith and Mahatma Gandhi are similar in their agony: Rahul Why didnt you remember then. Now you have lost power and now you are free and thats why you are doing dharna here (in HCU). Is this a joke? he asked. He also called for keeping educational institutions out of politics. Dont do cheap politics. Let us not do that...let us not do injustice to the children. Let university campus be kept out of politics. Focus should be on education on the campus and that is the change we are striving for. They are doing injustice to Rohiths soul by their acts, he said. Naidu stressed that there is need to take preventive, corrective and appropriate action to see to it that universities get rid of caste and communal politics and also of anti-social elements. That should be the duty of every political party. But doing cheap and caste politics...only Congress and its allies can do it, he claimed. Delayed water-sharing pact on Teesta and border killings are the key issues for Dhaka as foreign secretaries of India and Bangladesh meet here on February 1 to take stock of their bilateral ties. Bangladesh foreign secretary Shahidul Haque will arrive in India for a three-day visit on Sunday. He will call on external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and meet national security adviser Ajit Doval besides holding talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar. The meeting between the two officials will review the progress in the roadmap that the two sides agreed on during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Dhaka last year. Ahead of the meetings, Dhaka has been urging India to take immediate progress on the Teesta water issue as well as the shooting down of Bangladeshi nationals straying across the Indian border. Indian officials said the Teesta water pact can go ahead only with the consent of the West Bengal government. Though chief minister Mamata Banerjee had accompanied Prime Minister Modi to Dhaka, the state government has not given its consent for sealing the water sharing pact. The meeting also comes ahead of two Indian statesAssam and West Bengalthat border Bangladesh preparing to go for polls, which has an inevitable impact on various bilateral initiatives. Dhaka is also concerned about the border killings incidents being on the rise. Indian official figure says 21 persons in the category of cross-border criminals were killed by the BSF along the Bangladesh border. 16 out of 21 were allegedly cattle smugglers. But Bangladeshi official figures say more than 40 people lost their lives in Indian firing in 2015. The BJP government going strict on the cattle smuggling along the border has become an issue for Bangladesh both in terms of rising demand for legal trade and weaning away people from smuggling. Without supply from the Indian side, the beef price has shot up in Bangladesh. That in terms encourages smuggling of cattle, making it a dangerous game for all involved, said an official on conditions of anonymity. The two sides will also look into various ongoing projects in Bangladesh with Indian assistance. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Police arrested two people belonging to West Bengal from the Gurgaons Wazirabad area for allegedly ferrying 35 kg of cow meat on Sunday morning. Identified as Abdul Rehman and Mohidur Rehman both from West Bengal the two were apprehended by the police when they were found ferrying the meat in an autorickshaw near Wazirabad under Sushant Lok police station. The control room received information about the meat from Gau Raksha Dal. When we apprehended them we found them carrying the meat. Tests verified that it was cows meat, said Vikas Kaushik, station house office, Sushant Lok. Police said that an FIR has been registered against those arrested under sections 3 and 8 of the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015. Both have been arrested. Further action would be initiated soon, he added. Under the Act, cow slaughter, consumption, sale and storage of beef is prohibited in Haryana and a violation attracts rigorous imprisonment ranging from three years to 10 years and a fine between Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 1 lakh. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Though India and the US always hold a good summit, there are few fans of the Obama administration in New Delhi. Obamas desire to reduce US involvement in world affairs, in their view, is a key reason the Taliban are back in Afghanistan, the Islamic State is running rampant, and China is taking over the South China Sea. A US president who reverses this is what India is hoping to see next year. For South Block looking for a US president who would seek to restore some global balance, says Teresita Schaffer, ex-diplomat and author of the blog southasiahand.com, Hillary would be the best. She already cares about India. But Jeb Bush would be okay as well. Even among the other candidates, Rubio, Chris Christie or John Kasich, says Daniel Twining, analyst at the German Marshall Fund, are all internationalists who would be good friends of India. The average Indian, however, may be more interested in a US president who keeps the golden door open for immigrants, students and temporary hi-tech workers. They would also be reassured if the White House has a person who upholds traditional liberal democratic views on religious minorities and multiculturalism as a whole. The populists in both parties, whether Trump or Sanders, have been the most vocal against migrants. Trump has targeted Muslims and Mexicans, Sanders H-1B visa workers. But their rhetoric would worry migratory birds the most. India, however, gets only a passing mention by even the most extreme candidates. Ultimately, says Twining, the fact that India, unlike China, will not be an election issue should be reassuring to New Delhi. The third Indian constituency, if you want, are the Indian-Americans. They are broadly concerned with the direction of US society and economy as a whole, with some aspects of the Indo-US relationship thrown in. Says Sanjay Puri, head of the US-India Political Action Committee, Indian-Americans tend to be more Democrats than Republicans and it has not changed much this election cycle, especially with Clinton running as she has long-standing relationships with the Indian-American community. But, he notes, no candidate is allergic to Indians. Each candidate has a support base in the Indian-American community. The communitys political profile in US elections, however, has never been higher. It included one actual if doomed NRI candidate, Bobby Jindal. One more, Nikki Haley, who is being seen as a vice-presidential possible and another, Kamala Harris, likely to be the first Indian-origin senator. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhis act of joining fasting students on the University of Hyderabad campus on Saturday drew words laced with fire and brimstone from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which alleged that the Opposition was playing politics over Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemulas death. Is there any merit in the ruling dispensations criticism? On the face of it, probably yes. Gandhi visited the campus twice in a span of two weeks remarkable for a leader who is alleged to be episodic in his approach. Is it a desperate search on the part of the Congress for a Belchi moment? Thrown out of power in 1977, his grandmother Indira Gandhi had undertaken an elephant ride through slush with an umbrella over her head to reach Belchi village, about 90 km from Patna, which had witnessed the killing of nine Dalits. That was said to be the inflection point from where her political fortune took an upswing. Read more: Rohith Vemula suicide: Cong doing tamasha politics, says Naidu With his partys tally reduced to 45 in the Lok Sabha, the Congress vice-president means to tread a similar path by being seen with those aggrieved with the system be it students at the University of Hyderabad; protesters at FTII in Pune; the family members of a Dadri man who was lynched to death for alleged consumption of beef; or a Dalit family in Faridabad that lost two children in a fire allegedly set by members of the upper caste. The Congress probably has more reasons to join the students in Hyderabad. The 2009 Lok Sabha elections had yielded 33 of Andhra Pradeshs 42 seats to the Congress. However, after the bifurcation of the state a movement of which students were in the forefront the Congress tally dipped to two (nothing in Seemandhara and Rayalseema regions, and two in Telangana) in 2014. Besides, after being inducted as the Congress general secretary in 2007, Gandhi had made it his mission to bring students and the youth into the political mainstream and therefore cleanse the system. He failed in his endeavour then. Now that his party is not in power, he may hope to get a more responsive audience. As for the alleged politics over Vemulas suicide, the human resource development (HRD) ministry wouldnt be organising workshops for sensitising administrators at universities on issues concerning socially, educationally and economically disadvantaged students. The Smriti Irani-led ministrys move has, however, thrown up many other questions. Whats going to come next a workshop on students from northeastern states, another on Muslim students, probably a couple on tribals, and lets not forget LGBT students! Last Friday, the same politics also forced the University Grants Commission to write to the vice-chancellors of various universities impressing upon them the need for an equal opportunity cell. It has also brought the discrimination of students on caste and religious lines to the centrestage of public discourse an issue seemingly known to everybody but hardly discussed. The BJP, for its part, has been denying allegations that its ministers played any part in creating the circumstances leading to the suspension of Dalit students, and subsequently, Vemulas tragic decision. While Irani accused the Congress of making it a Dalit-versus-non-Dalit issue, reactions from the ruling party suggest otherwise. The HRD minister was the one who highlighted the fact that labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya whose letter terming the Ambedkar Students Association as anti-national allegedly led to the suspension of the students was a Yadav and the ABVP student who had been allegedly attacked by association members was an OBC. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Saturday that as per her complete knowledge, Vemula was not a Dalit. However, the ruling BJP needs to do better than that to counter the oppositions attempts to project it as anti-Dalit. Projected as primarily a Brahmin-Bania party, the BJP currently does not have a single Dalit in its team of central office-bearers. Given the selective amnesia of our political representatives, the moot point now is: how long will this debate over Vemulas suicide last? His death will, for sure, resonate in the next budget session of Parliament, which is likely to commence on February 23. It may also find resonance in the April-May assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. But after that, it is anybodys guess. Many parties, including the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Left, the Trinamool Congress and the Lok Janshakti Party, had sent delegations to the University of Hyderabad campus after Vemulas suicide hit the headlines. With the customary visits out of the way, most seem to have moved on to other things. The other day, LJP leader and NDA minister Ramvilas Paswan did a fine balancing act. Addressing a press conference at his residence, he refused to answer queries relating to Vemulas suicide stating that he was speaking in his capacity of a Union minister. He, however, announced that once the press conference was over, his son and MP Chirag Paswan would come forth to voice his partys views. Accordingly, an agitated Chirag showed up and demanded an independent inquiry into the Hyderabad incident. A proud father stood a few metres away, listening with just the hint of a smile on his lips. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Senior IPS officer Dattatray Padsalgikar took charge as commissioner of Mumbai Police on Sunday, replacing Ahmad Javed who was appointed as Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Speaking to reporters after taking charge, the 1982 batch IPS officer said, dealing with terrorism is a very important aspect and they would work along with the ATS to keep city safe. On the fight against Islamic State (IS), he said along with the police, families and professors have an important role to play. He further said the Mumbai Police would also focus on crimes against senior citizens, women and children. He also said police would be asked to curb organised, cyber and economic crime which affects the people. Our focus would be to keep Mumbai safe and all the good work of the past would be continued. Maximum work would be done for the good of the citizens, he said. Have taken charge as the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai. Wish to work with you, for you, to the best of my ability. CP Mumbai Police (@CPMumbaiPolice) January 31, 2016 Javed had replaced Rakesh Maria as the citys police commissioner in September last year in midst of the Sheena Bora murder probe. Javed, who retired on Sunday, was the DG (Homeguards) before taking up the post. Padsalgikar was on deputation to the central government in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for the past few years. He will retire in August 2018. Earlier in the day, Javed got an official send off from his fellow police officers at Naigaon Police parade ground in Central Mumbai. @MumbaiPolice @ajxtopcop @CPMumbaiPolice Adieu. We wish you all the very best in your next innings as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. CP Delhi (@CPDelhi) January 30, 2016 During his short speech, Javed thanked the state police force for supporting him and congratulated the thirteen President medals recipients from Mumbai Police. Javed said he is proud to take over his next assignment. (With inputs from PTI) When Khalid Ahmed Ali Nawazuddin alias Rizwan, believed to be the second-in-command of the India wing of the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS), was produced before an additional metropolitan magistrate court in Sewri on Saturday, little did the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) anticipate that his lawyer would contend that Khalid was a juvenile. The Maharashtra ATS, which had moved to further his custody, was shocked when Khalids lawyer Chirag Shah told the court he was just 16 years and 8 months old. Shah produced Khalids tenth-standard mark sheet, which stated he was born on May 12, 1999. Read more: ISIS targets Mumbai men from lower income groups Shah pleaded that the FIR against Khalid was registered on December 30, 2015, while the amendment to the Juvenile Justice Act was applicable only after January 15. Khalid, however, was arrested on January 22 from his house at Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh. The new amendment where those above 16 will be considered hardcore criminals will not apply for Khalid, said Shah. The public prosecutor sought time to reply to Shahs contention, after which election documents were produced by the investigating agency, which pointed out Khalid was registered as a voter in 2014 when he was 20 years old. The prosecutor said the attempt to claim Khalid was a juvenile is just to stall investigations. The investigating agency said Khalid was instrumental in safe houses and hide-outs used to train terrorists. Khalid had rented properties in both Mumbai and Goa using the money he got from hawala, claimed the Maharashtra ATS. Khalid had indoctrinated many people, claimed the Maharashtra ATS, who want his custody to get more information on his social networking accounts and who all he influenced. Khalids advocate said as both documents produced are government documents, they should be verified, and until then Khalid should be kept in a juvenile home. The court asked both Khalid and the Maharashtra ATS to provide further documents to verify each of their claims, and also sent the documents put on record to be verified. The court also sought the record from the UP SSC board and the election office in UP. The court ordered Khalid to be kept in a district protection centre of the Mumbai police in the mean time. The judge then directed Khalid to be kept in the remand home until the next hearing on February 9. As a modern society, we need to have a discussionwe need to create a free, open mind, says Resul Pookutty, sound maverick and Oscar winner, who has recently been nominated for two internationally acclaimed awards for his work. The irony? Both films that have earned him nominations at the American Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) Golden Reel Awards are banned in India. While Leslee Udwins Indias Daughter documents the 2012 Delhi gang rape case, Raj Amit Kumars Unfreedom deals with homosexuality and violence. Read: America has banned more films than India, says Resul Pookutty The Censor Board has misunderstood the film (Unfreedom). You dont have a highly educated intellegentia sitting on the board to realise this. Something like the promos of Kya Kool Hain Hum are beaming in living rooms, but its believed that our audience is not prepared to watch an essay on cinema thats not an intelligent position, Pookutty says. A still from Unfreedom. (Twitter) We have to keep an open mind towards artistic work. I dont want to use that word intolerance. But, as a society, we are increasingly becoming impatient. From being pulsating India we are turning into a community of impatient people. If we want to express anything and be accepted in a public forum today, we have to begin by saying: I love my country. That jingoism is something we should keep away from, he adds. Talking about the experience of designing sound for a documentary that deals with something as sensitive as the 2012 case, he explains: For me, she is not a symbol of sympathy. I wanted her to come out as a hero, to share her story and the resilience that she had. That was my whole approach towards the film. I strongly feel a film like that should be shown and needs to be discussed. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Whoever said Lalu Prasad wasnt interested in infrastructural development? Apparently, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo has now become so keen on ensuring seamless road connectivity that he wanted the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a bridge to be conducted for a second time on Sunday, just so his name figured on the list of eminent people gracing the occasion. It was only in August last year that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had laid the foundation stone for the proposed Bidupur-Kachchidargah six-lane bridge over the Ganga, located a few kilometers east of Patna. However, now that the event will be conducted again, the RJD leaders detractors allege that he is being treated as a super chief minister even though he holds no official position in the government. The RJD, which has 80 MLAs in the 178-member grand alliance legislature party, is the largest single component of the ruling alliances. Besides this, two of Prasads sons are ministers in the state government, and one is its deputy chief minister. The 10-kilometre-long bridge, to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 5,000 crore, is of particular interest to Prasad because it falls in Raghopur, the assembly constituency of deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav. However, the RJD chiefs political considerations with regard to the bridge construction failed to impress the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In what capacity does Lalus name figure in a government advertisement? asked BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. He has been convicted in a corruption case. Also, he is neither an MP nor an MLA. He does not even hold a constitutional post! Modi said that the government had violated state norms by not inviting the local MP Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan who represents the Hajipur constituency in the Lok Sabha. His allegation found resonance among government officials. The opposition also trained its guns on the government from a more official angle it accused chief minister Nitish Kumar of laying the foundation even though the tender for the project was not finalised. Kumar had laid the foundation stone last year, just five days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a whopping `1.25-lakh crore development package for the poll-bound state. Kumar tried to fool the people. The work should have started immediately after the foundation was laid, said Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi. However, Tejashwi Yadav also the states road construction minister defended Sundays function by saying that it was organised to mark the actual launch of work on the bridge. Now the tender has been decided, and the work will start very soon, he said. That, however, did not address the issue of finances. Modi wanted to know how the state government planned to raise Rs 2,000 crore, its share of the contribution to the `5,000-crore project. The state government has taken a loan of Rs 3,000 crore from the Asian Development Bank. The remaining amount of Rs 2,000 is to be contributed by the state. This is two-year-old estimate, and the cost is bound to escalate, said Modi. When the Centre is ready to construct the bridge, why is the state government taking the headache? he asked. Government officials admitted that mobilising funds for the bridge construction was going to be a major problem for the state. Already the state requires nearly Rs 4,000 crore per year of extra money to pay the teacher salaries announced before the elections, an official said on the condition of anonymity. The early 90s had witnessed a similar tug-of-war between Paswan and Prasad over the construction of the Digha-Sonepur rail-cum-road bridge. Though Paswan wanted it to pass through Hajipur, his constituency, Prasad prevailed upon then prime minister HD Deve Gowda on December 22, 1996, to have it benefit his Saran Lok Sabha seat. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In spite of directions from the Punjab and Haryana high court in April 2013 to come up with a mechanism to monitor the yearly fee hike by private schools, the UT education department has failed to act. The HC, three years ago, had directed Punjab, Haryana and UT to form separate panels to look into the matter on a petition from non-governmental organisation, Anti Corruption and Crime Investigation Cell, highlighting exorbitant and arbitrary fee hike by private schools. The UT had then formed a high-powered committee under the chairmanship of justice RS Mongia (retd) to submit a report. However, no report has been submitted so far and with the final round of admissions on, most private schools hike fee by 10-15% every year. UT education secretary Sarvjit Singh cited inability on the part of justice Mongia panel in submitting the report as the reason for not monitoring the fee hike. We have not received any report to date. Moreover, a mechanism needs to be put in place, since so many variables like building cost, teacher salaries, extra facilities are involved. Only the HC is the competent authority to form a law or mechanism and authorities are helpless, he added. Commenting on the delay in submission of the report, justice Mongia told HT: I was hospitalised for three months and couldnt work on the report. I have not recovered fully, but my other two partners in the panel have started working on the report. We should be able to present it in the coming month. The HC judgment nowhere stated that we had to submit it within a fixed time, he added, claiming that private schools needed to justify the reason behind fee hike. Sources in the UT administration said that in September last year, the adviser had assured all that he would come up with a solution, but to no avail. The challenge is to work out a balance between schools autonomy and interests of parents and students, said a parent. Another parent, Ritika Arora, said the education department should ensure transparency. About the committee * Justice RS Mongia (retd) as chairman, chartered accountant Vipul Kansal and former UT education department official Prithpal Kaur are its members * Was constituted in April 2013 and had taken financial records of about 70 private aided and unaided schools SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday described the absence of the Sikh regiment from the Republic Day parade as sad and regrettable. In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Badal pointed towards a widespread feeling of hurt and resentment caused by non-inclusion of the Sikh Regiment in the Republic Day parade where French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest. As a vibrant and fiercely patriotic minority community in the country, the Sikhs are always seen as the most powerful symbol of this multi-dimensional identity and secular character of the country, the letter goes on to add, adding that the Sikhs had a strong presence in the Armed forces and their patriotism was something that the entire country took pride in. The exclusion of the Sikh regiment from the parade would be regrettable at any time, but it was doubly so this year because of the presence of the French president as a special guest at the event. The Sikhs have been facing several practices in France that amount to the denial of freedom to observe fundamental religious practices to the community, including a ban on the wearing of turbans, he said. This would have been an appropriate occasion to demonstrate to the French dignitary the place of the Sikh community in Indias rich cultural identity and its contribution to the cause of freedom, he added. Like everyone who has ever had a girlfriend or boyfriend or something resembling that, I too have known heartbreak, up close and personal. But nothing really could have prepared some of us for what happened on the 28th day of January in the year 2016. It was the day they said Ludhiana was going to be a smart city, one of the 20 selected for the first round of a much-touted scheme of the Government of True Patriots. Nope, I do not grudge Ludhiana its perceived success. I was briefly crestfallen because Chandigarh was not on the list. Can you imagine? With its pretty lanes, mega roundabouts, legendary green cover, and all that jazz of modernity and stuff, Chandigarh should have made it. Why, then, did they not choose us? Is it because we are already smart? Or are we, as some like to put it, oversmart? Are we too laidback to be termed that? After all, Venkaiah Naidu and everybody below him cannot tire talking about how smart cities are about smart citizens and not mere funds and facilities. (I am not sure what Har Har Modi thinks about it in the latest since there is no election this month and he doesnt say much otherwise.) One reason why we may have not been selected was because we came across as desperate. Its a major put-off, you know. First, we started calling ourselves Smart Chandigarh before anyone even nodded. Then-as is the tradition with everything in India these days we made an app. Next, we touted anti-encroachment drives as a major part of a clean-up, even removing vendors who should have by now been given licences to operate under a law passed two years ago. The invisible people must be made completely invisible, you see. Online payment of power and water bills was started too-a good thing, but a classic case of peaking too early. There were several other such initiatives, including another round of announcements and claims about the metro rail system coming soon to Chandigarh. When nothing came of it and the horrible news landed, the well-meaning young officer designated as the head of the whole thing gave everyone some balm. He underlined how Chandigarh has been put on the fast track and would certainly be part of the next list. Work on all that defines smartness would continue unhindered. This did not stop the Congress from doing what it does best these days-providing comic relief. Its local leaders made fun of the ruling BJP over its failure by literally blowing whistles and cracking a trademark PJ with the words city and seeti (Hindi for whistle). But, in the noise of the wailing, everyone seems to have missed a rather obvious thing. The list of smart cities is not a list of smart cities. It is a list of cities that would be made smart. We do not need that. Ludhiana-all said and done about its rich history, about how much tax it generates, and all those fancy, imported cars that are dented at the bottom because of the beautiful roads of Progressive Punjab-is quite filthy and can really benefit from some help. Chandigarh does not have even one filthy locality. Sorry, what did you say? Where did you see filth? Well, if you are talking about Hallomajra, we are terribly sorry that you had to see that. Maybe the bamboo-straw wall that concealed it from the view of HH Modi and his newest hug-buddy, French President Francois Hollande, should be turned into a concrete wall, with Le Corbusier motifs painted over it. I am sure the administration is working on it. After all, sweeping the dust under the carpet is the smart thing to do. aarish.chhabra@hindustantimes.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After the Khalsa College Governing Council initiated a fresh move to establish Khalsa University, Punjab Congress president and Amritsar MP Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday questioned the logic behind the move which, he apprehended, would dilute and subvert the heritage status of Khalsa College. The MP said that at no cost would he allow the distinct identity and place the college held in Punjabs cultural history be diluted, usurped or subverted for the greed of a few controlling the college governing council. In a statement, Amarinder said he would stage a protest against the move in front of the college in case the governing council decided to go ahead with the decision. The former Punjab chief minister maintained that he was not opposed to anybody setting up a private university. But certainly not at the cost of our golden heritage of which Khalsa College is an important symbol, he warned, adding that those at the helm of the governing council must remember that it was not their private property but the public trust they were holding, for which a number of Punjabis, including his ancestors, had made immense contribution. Amarinder said he would see to it that the college, which officially enjoyed a heritage status, retained the distinction and did not fall prey to the greed of a few. I am concerned not only because I am the local MP but also because I am a Punjabi who holds his history and culture as sacrosanct. That is why I warn the governing council against the ill-intended move, he asserted. He questioned the logic behind setting up the university as Guru Nanak Dev University was doing a great job. He said if the councils intentions were really aimed at expanding the academic activities, it should think of setting up a university in southern Punjab. Varsity move ploy to usurp prime land, says Bir Devinder Chandigarh: Punjabs former deputy speaker Bir Devinder Singh on Saturday said the idea to establish Khalsa University, Amritsar, in the private sector manifests the blind lust of Satyajit Singh Majithia, a close relative of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, to usurp the prime land of Khalsa College, Amritsar. In a statement issued here, Bir Devinder said the move fell through in 2011 after it was thoroughly opposed by the stakeholders and the Sikh community. Im afraid it seems the mischievous motive of the RSS through their agents to destroy the exalted glory of the 124-yearold minority institute of the Sikh community, he said. The courses they propose to run at the university could well be designed within the curricula of the autonomous college. I am told the Khalsa College Charitable Society (KCCS) has spared Rs 7 crore to raise the requisite equipment and relevant infrastructure. It is a paltry amount to set up a university of great academic standards. Its nothing but a joke and a misconceived passion of a few individuals to obliterate the resources of the Sikh community for their narrow parochial gains, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Reacting to HTs report on the SGPC decision not to offer her the siropa for her stand on same-sex marriages, Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne told leading Canadian daily Toronto Star, It (the report) took me aback. But homophobia is not surprising. Weve just been through that in Ontario. We know that its there. The best antidote is to carry on, the premier said. I feel strongly about going to the Golden Temple because it is such an important place for the country, but its such an important place for people in Ontario, she said. Ive heard the stories so many times from Indo-Canadians and I want to honour that place, Wynne was quoted as saying. So I will go in any case. Whatever the capital-P, small-P politics around that, I know I will be welcomed. I have been welcomed since I got here. People have been gracious and very happy that were here. So I am focusing on why we came, she added. Wynne, along with her spouse Jane Rounthwaite, received a warm reception during the Ontario trade mission in Amritsar. Khap panchayats have decided to block all national and state highways in the state on February 15 to press for reservation to the Jat community under the Other Backward Classes category. As per sources, leaders of 90 khap panchayats have agreed to participate in the day-long agitation on February 15, which may be extended further. Jat-dominated Jind district is being seen as the centre of the agitation this time. Sources said Khap panchayat leaders have prepared a road map for the agitation under which 50 locations had been identified in the state where blockades would be laid from 7am. However, ambulances, milk vans and school buses would be given safe passage. Khap panchayat leaders would also appeal to shopkeepers across the state to close their businesses for the day in support of their agitation. Preparations are going on and representatives of different khap panchayats will monitor the agitation in their respective areas. At least 50 points have been identified to block the road traffic, said a senior Khap leader on the condition of anonymity. This time we are ready to take on the government; if required, we may extend the agitation further by blocking the rail traffic also, he added. When contacted, national president of Sarv Jat Khap Panchayat and president of Benain Khap Nafe Singh Nain said, Several khap leaders and Jat organisations are united to make agitation a success and this time, the government will have to accept our demand of reservation under the OBC category. About 90 khap panchayats have already extended their support and several Jat organisations will join us. We are ready for the agitation, he said. On harassment to the people due to the blockade, he said, The government is responsible for it. We do not want to trouble people, but the government has forced us to take this step. We have decided to participate in the agitation to press the government for our demand, said HP Singh Parihar, national president of Sanyukt Jat Aarkshan Sangharsh Samiti. However, several khap panchayats are yet to give their nod for participation in the agitation. Bhale Ram Narwal, national president of Narwal Khap, said, We have called a meeting on February 14 at Karnal to take a decision. To deal with the situation, sources in the police said the gover nment had sought a report on preparedness. Jind SP Abhishek Jorwal said the police were collecting information about the proposed agitation. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce (PSCC) on Saturday visited Amritsar to chalk out the blueprint of the proposed Kolkata-Amritsar industrial corridor. Interacting with the media, PSCC chairman Chandan Mitra said the mega project would not only boost the state economy, but also encourage Indias trade with other countries. He said with the motive of making its slogan Make in India feasible, the Union government was working on different economic corridors, including the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor, the Bengluru-Mumbai economic corridor, the Chennai-Bengluru industrial corridor, the Vishakhapatnam-Chennai industrial corridor and the Kolkata-Amritsar industrial corridor and the construction work of the first one had already started. The Delhi-Mumbai and the Kolkata-Amritsar corridor will meet at Dadri which will be beneficial for the development of north India. The Amritsar-Kolkata corridor will also pave the ways for export of goods that are manufactured in Punjab to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia and goods trains will move from Amritsar to Kolkata without any restrains, he said. He said the committee discussed various issues, including the land acquisition, power, water and legal aspects related to the proposed project with representatives of local industrial units and authorities concerned. He said they also had their suggestions. We have been suggested to extend the Delhi-Mumbai corridor project to Attari, so that bilateral trade with Pak can be encouraged, he said. Signalling that the Congress was averse to fielding more than one person from any family, including his own, Punjab party president Captain Amarinder Singh announced on Sunday here that none of its winners in the 2017 state elections would be appointed head of any board, corporation or trust if they came to power. These positions would be reserved for the party workers and leaders only, he made it clear in an interaction with farmers and the youth that former legislator Razia Sultana had organised. All prominent workers and leaders of the party will be accommodated suitably after the Congress formed the government. The MLAs will be entitled to becoming ministers and chief parliamentary secretaries only, he said. Replying to a question how he planned to tackle the drug problem within four weeks, the former chief minister said: I have said four weeks while taking oath on Gutka Sahib, but I will finish it much before, as I know who the kingpins and the masterminds are and how to deal with them and set them right. Targeting the Akali ministers, the state Congress president said once his party came to power, it would order an inquiry against current agriculture minister Tota Singh. He is the main culprit in the supply of spurious pesticides to farmers, which led to massive damage to the cotton crop and huge losses to the farmers. We wont let him get away with it, said Amarinder. He said the prospective Congress government would not only continue with free electricity to farmers but also provide the agricultural sector with additional stimulus for its revival. Reviving the agricultural economy of Punjab will lead to overall economic revival of the state, he argued. Replying to another question, he said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) posed no threat to the Congress. While the Akalis exit is a foregone conclusion, the AAP stands no chance on the ground. It does not have any experienced or competent leader who can inspire confidence in Punjabis. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is a proven big failure already, as he failed to resolve the basis issues of Delhi. Rues big miss of R-Day parade The absence of Sikh Regiment at this years Republic Day parade was a grave omission, Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh told the media before the interaction with farmers and the youth at Malerkotla. Particularly when President Francois Hollande of France, where the turban is banned at public places, was chief guest, there could not have been a better occasion to convey the importance of the turban to him, he said. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) honoured Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne at the Golden Temple on Sunday morning, but claimed not to have given her the ceremonial siropa (robe of honour). However, Wynnes office said in the evening that she was presented a siropa at the shrine, while releasing a photo to buttress its claim. SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar had said on Friday that the siropa would not be offered to Wynne a lesbian who has been in the crosshairs of Sikhs in the Canadian province over her pro-gay policies as such a move would be against Sikh ethics. However, he had hastened to add that everyone was welcome to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. The SGPC honoured Wynne behind closed doors, keeping the media out of bounds, even as Makkar was not present on the occasion. SGPC chief secretary Harcharan Singh later told the media that she was given books, a memento of the Golden Temple and other gifts, but not the siropa. If you consider these gifts as the siropa, then its up to you. She is a premier and it was our duty to welcome and honour her, he said. On being asked about Makkars decision not to honour Wynne with a siropa, the chief secretary said, All arrangements were made with his (Makkars) permission. It is learnt that the Punjab government had intervened to ensure that the Canadian dignitary did not face embarrassment. On the Akal Takhts tough stand against same-sex marriages -- a controversial issue championed by Wynne -- Harcharan Singh said, The Takhts directions are for our (Sikh) community, but she is a Christian, adding that the SGPC had taken up Canadian Sikhs issues with the premier, who had assured all help. He said the matter of helmets being made mandatory for Sikhs was also raised with Wynne. Meanwhile, evading the media ever since she landed in Amritsar, Wynne visited the Golden Temple in a traditional Punjabi suit and also performed sewa inside the community kitchen. She wrote on her Twitter handle, Pleased to have been honoured at the Golden Temple. She also posted a picture that showed her wearing a siropa. The SGPC, which is usually prompt in issuing pictures of ceremonies to honour dignitaries, did not release any photo in this case. Wynne is on a 10-day business trip to India. Read: Pro-gay Canadian leader runs into an ethical wall in Punjab Read: Homophobia not surprising, says Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Batting for business enterprises going global and affirming that her 10-day business trip to India was an ideal opportunity to share expertise in technology and education between Canada and India, Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne launched two Netbooks at the Amritsar manufacturing facility of DataWind, a company headquartered in Ontario, on Sunday. The product launch of DataWind is an example of the success an Ontario company can have when it goes global. This demonstrates that Ontario and other parts of the world are linked to each other, she said, adding that she had had a remarkable day in Amritsar. I got an opportunity to go to Golden Temple, she added. The president and chief executive officer of DataWind Suneet Singh Tuli said, I and my entire team at DataWind are humbled by the presence of the honourable premier of Ontario, Wynne, who has taken time out to visit our Amritsar facility. After banning the use of polythene and plastic bags in the city, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the UT administration to ban the use of non-woven bags. These are coloured bags that give the appearance of being made from cloth, but has polythene content. When mixed with colour, these bags become even more hazardous for environment. However, these bags are used in large numbers by shopkeepers, traders, manufacturers and suppliers across the city, especially after the polythene ban. The UT administration had banned the use of these bags in 2015, but the order had not been implemented. While hearing a case, RD Anand versus Chandigarh administration, the NGT had said on January 20, There will be complete prohibition on the use of plastic, manufacturing, storing, or any kind of plastic carry bags, including non-woven material of polypropylene and non-biodegradable plastic bags in Chandigarh. Following these orders by the Green Tribunal, Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) secretary Danish Ashraf has directed all SDMs and district food and supply officers to implement the directions issued. We have already sent samples of non-woven bags for testing to know its contents, Ashraf said. Environment department director, Santosh Kumar said, Coloured non-woven bags have been examined and it has been found that these bags are more harmful than polybags, as they cant be recycled. Coloured bags are even more harmful. He appealed to residents to use cloth, paper or jute bags and added that manufacturers and suppliers using bio-degradable carry bags will have to obtain a licence from the Central Pollution Control Board or any other government approved laboratory, the administration said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) on Sunday said the Khalsa University Amritsar (KUA) was being set up at a site away from the historical Khalsa Colleges heritage building, adding that the KCGC was committed to preserving the latters character. Council president Satyajit Singh Majithia, father of Punjab revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia, said the concerns of all, including political leaders, that the colleges heritage should be protected at all costs, were valid. The statement comes a day after state Congress president and Amritsar MP Capt Amarinder Singh questioned the logic behind the move to set up the university which, he apprehended, would dilute and subvert the heritage character of Khalsa College. The KCGC appealed to all political parties to unite in public interest and let the university be established as it was the need of the hour for quality education in the region. Satyajit added that Khalsa College was being run by an elected body of the council, a non-profit charitable society that owned the land. He said speculation that it was going into private hands was a figment of the imagination. As the same society that runs the college and other institutions will be running the university, the question does not arise that the land or any infrastructure of the university will go to any individual or particular family, he clarified. We need to generate employment through professional courses. Thus, university degrees are a must. If cities such as Delhi or Hyderabad can have 7-8 universities, why cant Amritsar have two? he asked. Meanwhile, KCGC honorary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina stated that as per the University Grants Commission (UGC), the country needed 1,500 universities by 2020 but it had just 777 today. In Punjab alone, eight private universities were established in the past five years, then why is the KCGC, which has the experience, financial back-up and fulfils all norms required for the university as per state government and UGC rules, being denied the opportunity to start an institution of higher learning, he asked. He said the KCGC had members from various political parties, including Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress, BJP and the Left, who never played petty politics when it came to affairs of Khalsa College institutions. Jharkhand stares at a possible blackout as employees of the states electricity agency have called an indefinite strike from February 24 demanding implementation of several measures previously agreed upon. The Jharkhand Rajya Bijili Kamgar Union (JRBKU), an organisation of power employees, sent a letter on Sunday to the management of Jharkhand Urja Vikash Nigam Limited (JUVNL), giving a three-week notice prior to the strike. A copy of the letter was marked to chief minister Raghubar Das and Union power minister Piyush Goyal. The unions state general secretary, Ramkrishna Singh, said the decision to go on strike was taken because two successive JUVNL chairman-cum-managing directors, SK Verma and incumbent SKG Rahate, have thrice betrayed agreements with workers. They had signed agreements thrice to promote fourth-grade graduate workers to third-grade posts as well as regularise all mandays (the term used for daily wage workers of JUVNL) and contractual computer operators. But the management has not initiated any step to fulfill a single point in the agreements, he alleged. Singh said the patience of more than 8,000 employees, including 3,000 contractual workers, was running out. The JUVNL employees had gone on strike in 2014 but withdrew after the high courts intervention. Singh said the then power minister Rajendra Prasad Singh had assured in January 2014 during a meeting to provide 200 unit free electricity to retired employees of the state-owned power company and pay arrears for overtime. But these were all thrust under the carpet. Rather, contractual workers who have been working for the past 15 years were being retrenched in the name of examination. The union appealed to the chief minister to intervene, saying an indefinite strike would paralyse the state completely. Praha isnt just a college students haven with its cheap Czech beer and robust night life but also a Harry Potter fans delight. The city will surprise you for its vivacity, sheer number of tourists even in the off-season, and its incandescent medieval alleys. So how do you make the most of Prague under a budget -- a not so inflated one? If Europe was all about walking, then Prague is where you epitomise the rule. In such a small city to cover, theres no need to purchase a day-long metro ticket (which can cost 110 CZK or just over 4 Euros) since most destinations are at a walk-able distance. You wont regret exercising a little when the smell of fresh sweet bread, intermingled with the aroma of coffee or chocolate hits your senses and more often than not, comes with a complementary stunning vista. A world heritage site, the Prague Castle is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest coherent castle complex, covering an area of 70,000 square metres. (Picture courtesy: Mad Art Photography) Opt for a hostel not too far from the hub of the city. A two-minute walk from the Old Town Square, the centrally located Prague TYN is a funky hostel with its interiors crafted keeping youngsters who make up most of its guests in mind. Relatively expensive, it may cost 15-40 Euros -- depending on the number of roommates -- to stay there during peak season but its accessibility will save you a lot of travel and time. While a lot of shops accept both currencies, its better to swap Euros for Czech Korunas (Conversation rates fluctuate around 30 CZK for one Euro) but find a local currency exchange to get better rates; avoid those at the railway station that usually charge high commission. The best-kept secret for exploring European cities, including Prague, is the new concept of Free tours. Dig around and ask the hostel staff for details and you might find yourself walking with a bunch of strangers as excited about the city as you. Tour guides are witty and can tell you a lot more about Prague than fancy travelogues. As customary appreciation, you can pay whatever amount you deem fit at the end of the tour. Prague is divided into Old Town and New Town, and boasts of 11 kinds of architecture -- ranging from gothic, neoclassical, Baroque, Romanesque and even traces of modern. Surprisingly, Prague has not been admired enough for its rich lineage of history, which includes a synagogue and even an eerie Jewish cemetery, where victims of the Holocaust were buried after Czech Republic seceded to Nazi Germany. Read | From Vienna to Rome: Heres how you backpack across Europe on a budget The capital is also the birthplace of literary god Franz Kafka, which is now called the Franz Kafka Cafe -- it might be tempting but give it a miss simply for its overpriced menu. Instead, visit the Kafka Museum and the bronze statue nestled between a church and the synagogue on the Dusni street, aptly depicting The Metamorphosis writers layered personality. A 15-minute walk from the Old Town Square and through Pragues lively cobblestone-laden streets is all it takes to stand where Kafka once stood, possibly churning out his creations at the time. Despite concealed masterpieces of Prague, it is the cliched spots that will steal your heart. Walk in the shadows of the iconic Charles Bridge, bristling with tourists; lean on its boundary wall lined up with towering statues, feel the wind on your face and enjoy the sound of Vltavas lapping waters, passing through the heart of this wondrous city. Cross Vltava and climb the stairs to enter Czech Republics symbolic Prague Castle. Shrouded in shades of pink and blue during sunset, the view from the castle makes a breathtaking sight to cherish for a lifetime, eclipsing into a night lit up with lively crowds and the hustle and bustle of its innumerable bars and restaurants. The castle or rather, a cluster of medieval structures, coupled with the Christmas market will be a joy to stroll in. Sip a warm, 25 CZK-cinnamon punch -- supposedly of Indian origin, although theres no proof -- or go for a sweeter apple cider during a winter evening to keep you company. The scene can be replicated at the Old Town Square, which also hosts live performances during the festive season. When its time to leave, Prague will be the city youd want to come back to, although the next stop may just be where you find yourself amid the chaos. Continue the series here: Backpacking in Italy? When in Rome, dont do as the Romans do Berlin, a beautiful mess: You would love to lose yourself here SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The US presidential race is not to the swift, it is to the eccentric. Potty-mouthed billionaire Donald Trump and Sixties socialist Bernie Sanders have emerged as strong contenders to be the worlds most powerful person. On Monday, the US presidential campaign will officially begin with the Iowa caucus. The Republican and Democratic parties will winnow their candidate list through July and the country will vote for a president four months later. Trump, who has railed against Mexicans, Muslims and women, has a double-digit lead in the Republican listings. Sanders is just a few points behind the once unassailable Hillary Clinton in Iowa and well ahead of her in New Hampshire, the second state-level Democratic contest. Stories last year that foresaw Clinton taking on Jeb Bush and spoke of two seasoned representatives from Americas main political dynasties are compost. The door to the Oval Office is wide open. Angry whites Why is Trump towering? Pollsters say he has combined two voter segments. One is a rightwing rabble that constitutes about a third of Republican support the partys less educated, less affluent supporters. This group blends with a larger Republican anger at its establishment: 60% of Republicans say they want a candidate with zero government experience. The other segment is a large chunk of white, working-class Democrats. The latter serve as his afterburner in the polls. Analysts noted that in the last two presidential elections, several million Democratic white workers had stayed at home. One view was they didnt want to vote for a black president. It was more than that. This group, sometimes dubbed the Jacksonian Democrats, had become alienated by a Democratic Party whose coalition was a combo of wealthy, cosmopolitan whites and non-white minorities. This group had become a floating vote, turned off equally by the ultraliberal Democratic elite and the corporate Republican establishment. They had backed the independent Ross Perot in the 1992 presidential race. Like many blue collar Americans their wallets had thinned over the past decade. Both Trump and Sanders appeal to disgruntled Americans who have seen their median incomes decline in real terms over their adult lives, who have seen rising inequality and slowing income mobility, says Bruce Stokes, director of the Pew Global Economic Attitudes surveys. The dirty word for this US election, say commentators, is establishment. Republicans have an additional grouse. Republican primary voters are angry about the fact that America no longer looks like the undisputed global number one and that President Obama does not seem to care, says analyst Daniel Twining of the German Marshall Fund. Unsurprisingly, Trumps hard-slanging of most things foreign, including Brussels, goes down well. Whats next Polls and primaries are notoriously disconnected from each other in US elections. However, Trumps lead in Iowa and New Hampshire is too large to evaporate. In turn, these victories would give him momentum to put up a good fight in the 30 or so state primaries of the next two months. Sanders is more likely to be a statistical casualty. Though expected to start well, the expectation is that he will fade as most of the next batch of primaries are in the American South where Clintons strong black American backing should prevail. Sanders, in any case, is overly dependent on youth support a demographic notorious for poor turnout. Two black swan events to watch for: Clinton indicted this spring for laxness over classified emails or media mogul Michael Bloomberg joining as an independent candidate. Even Trump is not a sure thing for the Republican ticket. One, in the next fortnight several Republican candidates will drop out. If their vote shares coalesce around a single candidate, Trump could be rumbled. Donald has weak support among registered Republicans, the most likely to cast primary ballots. Two, as the race becomes more policy and less play-acting, Trump may wilt. Pollster Nate Silver, the prophet of Obamas victories, has shown a correlation between Trumps numbers and his headline domination. At present, he receives more than twice the media coverage than all his other Republican rivals put together. Three, some argue the party leadership will manoeuvre Trump off the podium. The Republican establishment is finally rallying against Trump, says John Schlosser, senior advisor of the lobby firm Albright Stonebridge. I expect them to coalesce around a single figure probably Marco Rubio. The smart money is still on him. Yet there are signs the Republican brass are coming to terms with the idea of candidate Trump. The assumption is that his business instincts will prevail. Trump is the ultimate deal-maker and would be much more transactional than his bluster suggests, says Stoke. It helps that in Trump vs Clinton playoffs, the polls show them as neck-and-neck. World awaits One thing Trump and Sanders share is a general disinterest, if not dislike, for the world outside. Trumps foreign policy consists of brash one-liners: Mexicans are bad, Chinese worse and Muslims the worst. Brussels is a hellhole and climate change a hoax. On the other hand, he seems to like India and Vladimir Putin. That is almost a global charter compared to Sanders, who only wants the US to stay out of foreign wars. Sanders seems to have no grand strategic vision, no plan for dealing with Putin and Russia, or Pakistan, says Stokes. The two also break from their party mainstreams in being anti-trade. Sanders sees trade agreements as the devils handiwork. Trump wants a 45% tariff on Chinese imports. Our trade policy would become more protectionist and nationalist, says Twining. There is still a sense in Washington that Trump doesnt really believe what he says and merely plays to the gallery. He has surprised in other ways, refraining from joining other Republican candidates in saying he would rip up the US-Iran nuclear deal. What should reassure foreign capitals, however, is that neither Trump nor Sanders seem to have a foreign policy team. A new administration would have to fill thousands of empty positions. Trump, like Sanders, would have to rely on experts from the party foreign affairs establishment because he, like Sanders, has nowhere else to go, says Schlosser. The 45th presidential administration, in other words, will be familiar faces no matter what the only stranger may be the man at the top. An Indian-origin Fijian, who is Australias most senior recruiter for the Islamic State group in Syria, has been killed, local media said on Sunday. The report of Neil Prakashs death, a Melbourne-born radical, was posted on secure communications app Telegram, quoting an IS member. The IS claim Prakash, also known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, has been shahada the terror groups description when a fighter is killed. No details have yet emerged of how or where he reportedly died, Herald Sun reported. The terrorist, who allegedly had contact with some of those accused of plotting an Anzac Day terror attack in Victoria, fled to Syria in 2013, the report said. The government and police sources were on Sunday night unable to confirm Prakashs death, which would hurt the terror groups international recruitment efforts. The Islamic State has warned Britain of an attack more severe than the Paris assaults, saying the country will receive the lions share of the slaughter for its declaration of war against Muslims. The IS has issued the warning in the latest edition of its Arabic newspaper al-Naba (The News). According to The Sunday Times, the article eulogises Mohammed Emwazi, the British murderer dubbed Jihadi John who was killed by a US drone strike. It said his words will never die and that his message of slaughter did not end with the blood of the soldiers of the caliphate who sent it to France in their own special way. Britain will receive the lions share of the slaughter in response to its declaration of war against the Muslims, the group said in reference to last months UK Parliament vote on airstrikes against IS in Syria. An attack on Britain will be so severe, it claims, that it will turn childrens hair to white. The warning refers to a Quranic verse outlining the horrors of the Judgement Day. IS had released a video last week that featured nine of the Paris attackers, including ringleader Abdelhamid Abaaoud. By examining the montage frame by frame, The Sunday Times has identified a string of potential targets, including Buckingham Palace and the National Gallery in central London. A palace spokesperson said, We never comment on security matters. The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is visited by more than 6 million people a year. The fact that IS may have the gallery in its sights is reinforced by a new Europol report that says the terrorist group prefers soft targets with a potential to cause mass casualties. We routinely monitor and review our security procedures, the gallery said. Scotland Yard said, We want the public to be alert, not alarmed. The current threat level across the UK from international terrorism remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely. UK police and security and intelligence services are working tirelessly to confront this terrorist threat and keep the public safe, it said. Bombings claimed by the Islamic State (IS) killed more than 50 people and wounded dozens on Sunday near a Shia shrine outside the Syrian capital Damascus. The blasts, which came as the UNs Syria envoy struggled to convene fresh peace talks in Geneva, tore a massive crater in the road, overturning and mangling cars and a bus and shattering windows. Syrian state media said more than 50 people had been killed in three blasts near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine, with some 100 people wounded. Official news agency SANA said the first blast was caused by a car bomb that detonated at a bus station near the shrine. It said two suicide bombers then set off their explosive belts when people gathered at the scene. An AFP photographer said the explosions damaged the facade of a nearby building, scorching all of its six storeys. Sayyida Zeinab, south of Damascus, contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has continued to attract pilgrims from Syria and beyond, particularly Shiites from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, throughout the nearly five-year war. Sunni Muslim extremist groups such as IS consider Shias to be heretics and have frequently targeted them in attacks. In the aftermath of Sunday mornings attack, smoke rose from the twisted carcasses of more than a dozen cars and a bus, as ambulances ferried away the wounded and firefighters worked to put out blazes. In a statement circulated on social media, IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying two of its members had detonated suicide bombs. Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120, it said. The area around the shrine has been targeted in previous bomb attacks, including in February 2015 when two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint. UN envoy meets opposition Also that month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shia pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people, in an attack claimed by al Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The area around the shrine is heavily secured with regime checkpoints set up hundreds of metres (yards) away to prevent vehicles from getting close. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, members of Lebanons powerful Shia militant group Hezbollah are among those deployed at the checkpoints. Hezbollah is a staunch ally of Syrias President Bashar al-Assad and has dispatched fighters to bolster his troops against the uprising that began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. Early on, the group justified its intervention in Syria by citing the threat to Sayyida Zeinab. The Britain-based Observatory said 58 people were killed in Sundays blasts, among them 20 civilians, including children. It also said 25 non-Syrian Shia militants were among the dead, without specifying their nationalities. More than 260,000 people have been killed in Syrias conflict, which has also displaced upwards of half the countrys population internally and abroad. It has evolved into a complex, multi-front war involving rebels, jihadists, regime and allied forces, Kurds and air strikes by both government ally Russia and a US-led coalition battling against IS. In a new effort to find a political solution to the conflict, UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has invited regime and opposition delegations to Geneva for fresh talks. But while the opposition agreed to travel to Geneva after days of delays, it has so far refused to engage in indirect talks with the government. It is demanding that UN Security Council resolutions on ending sieges and protecting civilians be implemented first. On Sunday, De Mistura held informal talks with the main opposition delegation, saying afterwards that he remained optimistic and determined. The Damascus delegations chief negotiator, Syrias UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari, accused the opposition of being not serious about the talks. Who will Iowa choose this Monday? Donald Trump or Ted Cruz on the Republican side and Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders on the Democratic? Or, some one expected the least? Four years ago, Rick Santorum, a Republican running for the partys presidential nomination, left Iowa after finishing second, not bad for someone who had been polling poorly till recently. He had lost to Mitt Romney, the front-runner, by eight votes. Santorum tanked the next few primary races on the trot. But he was declared the winner over two weeks later. He had beaten Romney by 34 votes, in fact. How did that happen? It depends who you ask, said Simon Conway, host at WHO, an Iowa radio station considered extremely influential among conservatives Ronald Reagan worked there once. Some people will tell you it was deliberate because Rick Santorum was a conservative and Mitt Romney was very much the establishment, and the party was in the control of the establishment and they wanted the establishment guy to win. Then there are those who believe, Conway went on, it was simply a mistake and not deliberate, then it was a human error. Hopefully, it wont happen again, he added. Iowa caucuses on Monday, kicking off the 2016 presidential primaries for both Republicans and Democrats, and pundits and experts said the state has a tendency to not do the predictable. A little-known first-time senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, toppled Hillary, considered the inevitable Democratic candidate, in Iowa and went on to win the White House. Why is Iowa important? I strongly believe that President Obama would not be our President if it wasnt for the state of Iowa, said Conway. Iowa lets lesser known candidates with less money, he added, to be perfectly honest with you to get known and to get on the radar of other people. It was Iowa again that turned Jimmy Carter, a peanut farmer and a first-time obscure governor of Georgia, into a viable candidate, who went on to win the White House. Longtime Iowa political writer and commentator David Yepsen said Iowa caucuses serve two purposes. One, they can escalate a candidate from obscurity as they did in 1976 with Carter. Two, the caucuses winnow the field. If a candidate doesnt figure in the top three, donations tend to dry up and supporters switch to other more viable candidates. So youll hear the phrase that there are three tickets out in Iowa, Yepsen said. First, second and third. The rest get the message and fold up right away or soon. Dont trust the polls Romney was way ahead in polls in 2012, but he lost in Iowa, eventually, to Santorum, who was polling third at that stage, and was was in single-digits two weeks before. Its difficult enough for pollsters to poll general elections, said Yepsen. Its more difficult to poll primaries. Its even more difficult to poll caucuses. So you take these polls with a grain of salt. Conway just doesnt trust polls. Where are the landlines in the United States, the mainstay of polls? In all honesty, in the United States there arent that many landlines left and thats how they do the majority of the polling. How does it work? Only registered members can participate in these caucuses, in both parties. And they will meet at specified locations in each of Iowas 1,681 precincts (police station areas). Republicans vote on individual ballots, count them at the end and declare the winner. Democrats follow a more complex process. After the rules have been read, participants are asked to cluster in separate parts of the room depending on who they support. Undecided voters form their own group. To stay in the fray remain viable a group must have at least 15% of the total number in attendance. Member of groups found not viable get to realign with other groups in subsequent re-clustering. This process continues till all groups are viable. Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have agreed to partake in four more primary debates, one next week before the New Hampshire contest and three in the spring, BuzzFeed reported Saturday. Both campaigns said that the agreement is not finalized and that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has yet to officially sign off on the events. MSNBC and the New Hampshire Union Leader are set to host the first debate on Feb. 4 in New Hampshire in between Monday's Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 9. Clinton lags behind Sanders in New Hampshire polls and hopes that the debate will help her secure undecided voters, according to the Associated Press. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has indicated that he plans to participate as well. Clinton and Sanders' campaigns are still negotiating dates and locations for the other three debates, which are expected to take place in late March, April and May. Sanders and O'Malley have been calling for more debates for months, but Clinton remained relatively silent until recently, saying that it's up to the DNC. However, in recent days, the former secretary of state began urging the DNC to add an additional debate on Feb. 4. Sanders said that he would be willing to take part but only if Clinton agreed to three more debates in the spring. Clinton's campaign released a statement earlier on Saturday proposing that one should be held in Flint, Mich., to draw attention to the ongoing lead water contamination crisis, according to AP. "We should use the spotlight of the presidential campaign to keep the focus on Flint, and to lift up the historic underlying issues that Flint and too many other predominantly low-income communities of color across America are struggling with every day," Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said in a statement. Sanders' campaign manager Jeff Weaver said that Sanders will commit to the debate in Flint if Clinton also agrees to one in Brooklyn, N.Y., on April 14. Sanders was born in Brooklyn, and Clinton's campaign headquarters is also located there. "We agreed pending an agreement on three future debates in March, April and May," Bernie Sanders' campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, said in a statement, according to The Hill. "Unfortunately, the Clinton campaign has not accepted debates we proposed on March 3 in Michigan and April 14 in New York. They apparently agreed to May 24 in California. The Clinton campaign, after not accepting Michigan, now says they want it. We are pleased to do it on March 3 before the Michigan primary provided the Clinton campaign will agree to Brooklyn, New York, on April 14. Why won't they debate in Brooklyn? What's the matter with Brooklyn?" DNC-sanctioned debates are already scheduled to take place in Wisconsin on Feb. 11 and Florida on March 9. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. President Barack Obama has introduced the "Computer Science for All Initiative," wherein the administration will be allocating $4 billion worth of funds towards the improvement of the computer science curriculum of the schools in every state. "Our economy is rapidly shifting, and both educators and business leaders are increasingly recognizing that Computer Science is a 'new basic' skill necessary for economic opportunity and social mobility," wrote Megan Smith, U.S. Chief Technology Officer, according to the White House blog. Various grants will be given to states that can provide well-designed proposals on how they plan to improve the computer science education in their schools. The Department of Education will be responsible for reviewing the proposals and distributing the fund. Aside from the $4 billion, the administration is also reserving $100 million worth of funds that will be spent in training teachers, expanding access to high-quality instructional materials and building effective regional partnerships, according to Digital Trends. Before the initiative pushes forth, it has to be incorporated into Obama's 2017 budget, which will, in turn, need the approval of the Congress. However, tech companies like Google, Salesforce and Microsoft have already expressed support for the campaign and even different cities across the U.S., TechCrunch reported. Mark Zuckerberg also expressed his belief in the effort in a Facebook post, relaying the story of how he first started coding when he was only 10 years old. Obama even left a comment on the post to express his gratitude of Zuckerberg's recognition of the initiative. During his latest State of the Union address, the president emphasized on the improvement and importance of technical skills for the younger generations, and this initiative aims to do just that. It also targets to increase diversity in the tech field by providing all genders and ethnicity the chance to learn how to code and succeed. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Giuseppe Ferraro and Giuseppe Crea, two Mafia mobsters who were on the lam for more than a decade, have finally been arrested after their underground bunker was discovered near Maropati, in the southern state of Calabria, Italy. The two were found sleeping inside the bunker when it was raided by Italian police on Friday. Ferraro, 47, found guilty of murder and Mafia association, has been a fugitive since 1998, while Crea, 37, was convicted of Mafia associations and has been on the run since 2006, according to CNN. "Today is another great day for everyone and for the country because justice has won," Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said. Inside the mobsters' hideout were firearms - rifles, machine guns and pistols - neatly arranged on a wall. There were also cooking pots and food items like salads, tomatoes and ricotta. Despite being dug deep in the ground, the hideout also had access to electricity, powering a TV with a satellite dish, and including a computer, Fox News reported. Bushes hid the entrance to the bunker from the outside. "The operation concluded today bears witness to the extraordinary commitment of the state police in the fight against organized crime. Thanks are due to all the officers who, with a great sense of duty and spirit, work daily to uphold the law and decency," Police chief Alessandro Pansa said, according to NBC News. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Thirty-nine people, including five children, have died in the Aegean Sea after an overcrowded boat carrying Greece-bound migrants capsized near the western Turkish coast Saturday. The Turkish coast guards said that it had rescued 75 people from the sea. The capsized boat was carrying more than 100 refugees from Syria, Myanmar and Afghanistan to the Greek island of Lesbos from Turkey's western province of Canakkale, according to Anadolu. A suspected people smuggler was among the rescued. However, he denied any wrong doing. "I had six relatives and I don't even know whether they are dead or alive. I was also on that boat. I swear I didn't do anything. I came here to go Germany," he told Reuters. More than 45,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in Greece by sea since the start of 2016, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said this week, according to DW. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has criticized European leadership for its poor handling of the migrant crisis. "I feel shamed as a member of this European leadership, both for the inability of Europe in dealing with this human drama, and for the level of debate at a senior level, where one is passing the buck to the other. These are hypocritical, crocodile tears which are being shed for the dead children on the shores of the Aegean," Tsipras said in his parliamentary speech few months back, as HNGN previously reported. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Moscow of "consequences" after a Russian Su-34 fighter jet allegedly violated its airspace on Friday. "We regard this infringement which came despite all our warnings in Russian and in English as an effort by Russia to escalate the crisis in the region. If Russia continues the violations of Turkey's sovereign rights, it will be forced to endure the consequences," Erdogan said on Saturday, according to Todays Zaman. Erdogan's remarks came a day after Turkish foreign ministry summoned Moscow's envoy in Ankara over the Russian violation of country's airspace. "Turkish air elements warned the aircraft of Russian Federation several times on Friday in Russian and English. This violation is also a new and congrete indicator of Russian Federation's actions which aims accelerating problems despite open warnings by our country and by NATO," the ministry conveyed to Russian ambassador, Business Standard reported. Russia, on the other hand, dismissed the fresh airspace violation allegations, calling them completely baseless. "They have been no Turkish airspace violations by the aircraft of the Russia airborne tactical formation in the Syrian Arab Republic. The statements from the Turkish side concerning the alleged air incursion by a Russian Su-34 are proof-less propaganda," Russian defense ministry spokesman Major General Iror Konashenkov said in a statement, according to Russia Today. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan is being considered to play Sylvester Stallone's character in the Indian version of the "Rambo" trilogy. Filmmaker Siddharth Anand, who is planning to remake "Rambo" in Hindi, said that this is a perfect time to recreate the cult Hollywood franchise for Indian audiences, as Stallone has announced his retirement from the "Rambo" universe. "With Stallone announcing his retirement from the Rambo universe, this is the perfect time to reboot the franchise in India. It will be a trilogy. We had the official rights since two years," Anand told The Times of India. "We are taking the concept of Rambo ahead and recreating it for the Indian audience. We don't have a true blue action hero in India. We've grown up on Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger but today's generation has no one to look up to. The intention is to give them their own Rambo," the "Bang Bang" director added. Anand, however, has dismissed the reports that Roshan was finalized to play the leading role in the movie. "Hrithik is always on top of my mind but I haven't finalised anyone as yet. It can be a new actor as well," he said, according to Daily Bhaskar. Roshan, along with Katrina Kaif, played a leading role in Anand's 2014 superhit "Bang Bang," which was the Hindi remake of Tom Cruise-starrer "Knight And Day," according to Press Trust of India. Anand is also working on a sequel to the crime thriller. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. American Airlines broke some major records in 2015, closing the year with a $3.3 billion fourth quarter profit, according to USA Today. The year itself was a big one for the airline company, as every quarter showed significant profit. The company saw a profit of $7.6 billion in 2015, and its stocks were up to $11.07 per share. That's a huge leap from 2014, when the company only showed a profit of $2.9 billion. Its profits are not only record-breaking for the company itself, but for the airline industry as a whole. American Airlines 2015 profits were higher than any profits recorded by any carrier ever, The Seattle Times reported. And it doesn't plan on stopping any time soon, as the company expects to continue making record-breaking profits. This is due, in large part, to falling fuel prices that save American Airlines, and other airlines, a lot of money. There's fear on the horizon, however, as the Zika virus outbreak has governments urging pregnant woman not to travel to places like Latin America and the Caribbean, according to Bloomberg. American Airlines is making it clear, though, that they aren't going to let one bump in the road stop them from continuing their market domination. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The EU Criminal Intelligence Agency has reported that at least 10,000 refugee children have disappeared after arriving on European soil, The Guardian reported. These children were unaccompanied by any adults, and they seem to have vanished after registering with local authorities. Europol Chief of Staff Brian Donald gave a statement about these worrying disappearances. "It's not unreasonable to say that we're looking at 10,000-plus children. Not all of them will be criminally exploited; some might have been passed on to family members. We just don't know where they are, what they're doing or whom they are with," he said, according to RT. "An entire [criminal] infrastructure has developed over the past 18 months around exploiting the migrant flow. There are prisons in Germany and Hungary where the vast majority of people arrested and placed there are in relation to criminal activity surrounding the migrant crisis." Officials are urging people to keep an eye out for these migrant children, as they are the most vulnerable, especially with the rise in human trafficking that has followed the refugee crises. And while authorities have reported 10,000 missing children, its more likely that the number is much greater than that. "Whether they are registered or not, we're talking about 270,000 children. Not all of those are unaccompanied, but we also have evidence that a large proportion might be," Donald said. Italian officials said in May 2015 that nearly 5,000 children disappeared from asylum centers, BBC News reported. Sweden saw 1,000 refugees disappear in October. This is a growing problem, and the warning is aimed at helping these numbers drop, though it'll be a long and tough process for European officials. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump confirmed Sunday that he gave as much as $250,000 to the Clinton Foundation, explaining he had an "obligation" to do so. "I did give to the Clinton Foundation. What I didn't know is they'd be using it for private aircraft and things like that," Trump said on Fox News Sunday, according to Fox News. "The Clinton Foundation was helping with Haiti and with lots of other things, and I thought it was going to do some good work, so it didn't make any difference to me." The billionaire businessman said that it was also in his interests to work with politicians across the political spectrum. "Again, I was a businessman, and it was my obligation to get along with everybody, including the Clintons, including Democrats and liberals and Republicans and conservatives," he said, according to The Hill. "As a businessman, I had an obligation to do that." Trump's philantrhopic endeavors have received extra scrutiny this week, as the real estate mogul held a fundraising event to benefit veterans' causes instead of participating in Thursday night's Fox News debate. Trump said Thursday that he raised more than $6 million for veterans groups at the rally in Des Moines, Iowa. Trump's campaign said that he pulled in the majority of funds from big donors -- including a $1 million contribution of his own -- and another $500,000 via his website, according to CNN. However, not all veterans organizations were willing to accept Trump's funds. The prominent group, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said that it wants none of the Trump funds. "If offered, IAVA will decline donations from Trump's event," founder and CEO Paul Rieckhoff tweeted. "We need strong policies from candidates, not to be used for political stunts." @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The national broadcaster had issued a statement mourning the death of Terry Wogan, who began his broadcasting career with RTE in the early 1960s Noel Curran, Director General of RTE, this morning paid tribute to the broadcaster, Terry Wogan, who has passed away at the age of 77. "Terry Wogan," Noel Curran said, "was a consummate broadcaster and an ambassador for Irish talent in the UK particularly during some difficult times in Ireland's relationship with Britain. He is fondly remembered for his early years in RTE and still has many friends in the organisation. "I knew him from meeting him at Eurovision and I found his on-air humour and warmth was always there in person. He has made a unique contribution to broadcasting in the UK and to the stature of Irish broadcasters internationally. Our thoughts are with his family." While he was brought up as a Roman Catholic and educated by the Jesuits at Crescent College in Limerick and later at Belvedere College in Dublin, he was a self-declared atheist. Advertisement "There were hundreds of churches, all these missionaries breathing fire and brimstone, telling you how easy it was to sin, how you'd be in hell. We were brainwashed into believing," he said of his formative years in an interview in New Internationalist. But in his case it didn't last. Wogan came to the conclusion that there was or is no god. He confirmed to Gay Byrne on The Meaning of Life that he was an atheist, adding that he respected those "who have the gift of faith." He is survived by his wife Helen and their three children. Bio technology, renewable energy, gold, silver, social media and now... honey. It's been an epic journey for KALAHARI GREENTECH ( PINK:KHGT KHGT message board ) and the search for a lucrative business continues. But have they finally found the products that will turn them into a successful company? Well, KHGT are extremely happy with a letter of intent that they have signed. So happy, in fact, that they issued a press-release in which they explain what it's about - they will be acquiring a company called Honeymark International, a seller and importer of miraculously healthy honey produced in New Zealand. That said, back in December 2012, they were also quite excited about the acquisition of 15% of the assets and some licenses of a company called Puppy Power, Inc, owner of a social media website. A few months further back in time, and you will see that they had a subsidiary that was trading with gold and silver. Now though, everything suggests that both these ideas have been ditched in favor of the honey venture and a few promotional newsletters are on hand to keep the excitement alive. While KHGT have been struggling to find the business sector that they're looking for, the losses have been mounting and probably this is why it took them around four months to compile their annual report for the year that ended on September 30, 2012. The prolonged period, however, didn't help them find any confidence-inspiring figures. In fact, the financial statement looks rather horrible. Here's what we mean: current assets: $8,304 in cash current liabilities: $92 thousand revenues: $697 thousand net loss: $247 thousand accumulated deficit: over $6.3 million And while the report was published on January 22, it still talks about yet another business in which KHGT failed. That one involved a website, through which they conducted some sort of "unique" internet marketing. Needless to say, the website in question is not accessible at the moment. In addition to the rather outdated information relating to their operations, the report was also apparently compiled by the previous CEO of the company, Mr. Eric Maestre. While the change in the management team is not reflected anywhere in the official filings, according to the latest press-releases, the person now in charge of KHGT is called David Kugelman. We did a quick research on him and we found that he is the owner of Atlanta Capital Partners LLC, the firm that deals with KHGT's investment relations. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is also the publisher of a website called OTC Stock Review. We took a quick look through the website and we found that they regularly publish reports on penny stock companies in which they explain that the potential profit from them is huge. As you might have guessed, they don't do it for free and in their disclaimer they admit that they have received some tasty compensations for the coverage of companies like YaFarm Technologies, Inc. (PINK:YFRM), Crown Marketing (PINK:CWNM) and Truli media Group Inc (PINK:TRLI). OTC Stock Review's reports on these ventures were published while there was also newsletter promo campaigns running for them. We covered all of them and the charts on the right reveal the disastrous consequences of the pumps. And since we mentioned promotions, we can't ignore the fact that, according to our database, at least, this is the third pump for KHGT. The previous two took place in February 2011 and in December 2012. A quick look at KHGT's chart shows how horribly wrong it all ended for the people who trusted the emails and press-releases. That is why, while there might be a room for some profit, the risks are quite high and they should be carefully considered before making any quick decisions. Next week the U.S. House will take the historic action of attempting to override a Presidential Veto. In early January, for the first time since Obamacare was signed into law without a single Republican vote, Congress sent a bill repealing the Presidents namesake law to his desk. I voted in support of that repeal, a vote which would have dismantled Obamacare, fully defunded Planned Parenthood, and reduced the deficit by $516 billion. With that vote, the U.S. House and Senate stood with the American people and delivered Obamacare its biggest blow yet. The bipartisan repeal bill would have ended the catastrophic and costly individual and employer mandates, eliminated a host of associated taxes, and reduced the government intrusion between you and your doctor. Unfortunately, as soon as that bill hit President Obamas desk, he promptly vetoed it. Next week I will be supporting Congresss first veto override attempt of this President. Simply put, the American people deserve a patient-centered health care system which is free of government intrusion. I will vote to override the Presidents veto because repealing Obamacare is the right thing to do in order to restore the doctor-patient relationship and get our country on track to create a market based, competitive health care system thats actually affordable. Obamacare is a failure, even by the governments own standards. The Congressional Budget Office recently reported that by 2025 Obamacare will cost the economy an equivalent of 2 million full-time jobs. Consumers have been left with fewer choices and health care remains unaffordable. You elected me to put a major repeal of Obamacare on the presidents desk and to force him to answer the question, Whose best interest do you have at heart? When President Obama vetoed this bill he answered loud and clear, Ive chosen my own legacy and my own interests, over those of hardworking Americans. He cares more about protecting his signature namesake law, than improving the healthcare system in this country. Individuals should have the ability to choose their own doctor. They should be able to purchase affordable, high-quality health care insurance that offers the best healthcare safety net option for their family. Competition without government intrusion should help drive down prices and businesses should not be hampered by confusing and conflicting healthcare regulatory paperwork. Unfortunately, even bipartisan agreement in Congress isnt enough to get this President to accept changes to his namesake healthcare law. I know many will join me next week in attempting to override his veto and I can only hope its enough. When it comes to affordable and accessible healthcare, we all deserve better. Jason Smith represents Missouris 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Contact him at 573-335-0101 or visit https://jasonsmith.house.gov As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-01-31 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at CONTENTS [01] Greek islanders to be nominated for Nobel peace prize [02] Negotiations with institutions' representatives to start on Monday [03] Refugee issue dominates interministerial meeting [01] Greek islanders to be nominated for Nobel peace prize The deadline for the nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize will expire Sunday at midnight. Greek islanders who have been on the frontline of the refugee crisis are among those to be nominated for the Nobel Prize. A petition on the website in favour of the nomination has amassed more than 500,000 signatures. "We are asking the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to the residents and volunteers of the Aegean islands that have opened their arms to refugees and sent a message of humanity and solidarity that has touched the whole planet," the petition noted. The president of the Greek parliament Nikos Voutsis has expressed his support to the Greek islanders. "The citizens of the Aegean islands, and especially Lesvos, constitute an example for the European civilization," Voutsis underlined. Online voting is available at https://secure.avaaz.org/el/nobel_to_greek_islanders/?slideshow [02] Negotiations with institutions' representatives to start on Monday The negotiations with the representatives of the institutions within the framework of the first program review will start on Monday, at 17:00. The representatives will remain in Greece until the first phase of the negotiation is completed towards the end of the week. Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos will head the Greek team. [03] Refugee issue dominates interministerial meeting The refugee issue dominated an interministerial meeting chaired by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Saturday evening. The ministers participating in the meeting decided to speed up the construction of hotspots on Samos, Lesvos, Chios, Kos and Leros as well as the two relocation centres. Greece will have met its commitments by the next EU summit, according to the prime minister's press office which also stressed the importance of the EU and the European institutions to show the same responsibility. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article An Ontario court ruling being hailed as a victory for freedom of speech resulted in an organized attack on women speaking their minds, a feminist activist says. A judge found Gregory Alan Elliott not guilty of criminally harassing two Toronto women on Twitter on Jan. 22, in what was largely seen as a precedent-setting case. Advertisement Julie Lalonde, an Ottawa-based sexual-assault prevention educator, took to Twitter to express her support for the women. I sent out one tweet saying that regardless of how the court decided I believed the victims, and was instantly flooded with an incredible amount of trolling, said Lalonde, who was at the centre of the Royal Military College harassment scandal last year. Lalonde said she blocked more than 100 people in only 40 minutes, and called that a clear sign that Elliotts supporters are targeting certain women. It was clearly an organized attack against anyone who dared to say anything on Twitter, she said. "It was surreal I couldnt keep up with the traffic. Advertisement Activist and sexual assault prevention educator Julie Lalonde said an Ontario court's ruling in favour of Gregory Alan Elliocreated an 'organized attack' on women online. (Courtesy of Julie Lalonde) In a screenshot of an email sent to Lalonde that she provided to The Huffington Post Canada, one man said he's "pleased" she experienced domestic violence. "just [sic] like how you support domestic violence against men and believe domestic abuse against men should be legal, i [sic] feel the same about feminists :)" it read. Its not news that women often face misogynistic rhetoric online, not just on Twitter but on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This particular case brought Canadian feminists and their interactions with trolls on Twitter to the forefront since Elliott was arrested in 2012. Heather Reilly and Stephanie Guthrie, the two complainants, said that after blocking Elliott so he couldnt send them tweets, he followed them to hashtags like #TOpoli, where he knew theyd be active. Elliott posted tweets like Heathers ass keeps getting fatter with the Toronto politics tag so that shed see it anyways, the Toronto Star reported. The nasty online comments about Reillly and Guthrie didnt stop as the case dragged on. CANADALAND reported in July that they had a video featuring Guthrie, published on YouTube almost a year with no comments. But after reality star Joe Rogan tweeted about the case, the video was flooded with comments like This bitch needs to be tortured to death, and This whore needs to be cummed on and shammed [sic]. Advertisement Man Faces 6 Months in Jail For Disagreeing With Feminists on Twitter https://t.co/AxafQ8nEAK via @YouTube Joe Rogan (@joerogan) July 16, 2015 People who write comments like that now have a get out of jail free card, Lalonde said. That is terrifying. After the ruling, Elliotts lawyer said the decision should be reassuring to all social media users, and Elliott said his case was a victory for free speech. "Freedom of speech is about expressing your opinions, your emotions, and if it's taken out of context or misunderstood or misconstrued by others, you shouldn't have that forced upon you," he told reporters. with files from The Canadian Press Also on HuffPost 11 Places Online Harassment Begins See Gallery Young Jacob Tremblay can still remember his first Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, just like his peers. However, his honour came when he was "only nine years old and [he] was competing against Batman." These are the Vancouver native's own words, which he shared with the SAG Awards crowd on Saturday night while presenting the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries with his "Room" co-star Brie Larson. Advertisement Not to diminish Tremblay's joy of being in the same category as "The Big Short" star Christian Bale, Larson corrected his memory about his first SAG Awards experience and said, "that was this year, Jacob." "You're nominated right now." Though Tremblay did not win a trophy for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (that went to Idris Elba for "Beasts of No Nation"), Larson triumphed in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role race. The 26-year-old also gave him props during her acceptance speech. YES. So happy for team Brie! Congrats Anne! Congrats Brie! I can't believe I'm lucky enough to work with such incredible people! A photo posted by Becca Lyle (@beccalyle3) on Jan 30, 2016 at 6:58pm PST "To Jacob Tremblay, my inspiration," said Larson. "Everything that is this movie is because of you" "Room," which is nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture, is the story of how a mother and son adapt to their new reality after being held captive in a small shed for seven and five years respectively. The film, which is a Canadian-Irish co-production, is also up for 11 Canadian Screen Awards. Advertisement Despite the film's intense subject matter, Tremblay has become the breakout star of awards season with his refreshing candour and youthful energy. This just happened!!! I finally met #leonardodicaprio #sagawards A photo posted by Jacob Tremblay (@jacobtremblay) on Jan 30, 2016 at 6:20pm PST Tremblay had several celebrity encounters at the SAG Awards. He posed with Naomi Watts his co-star in the upcoming film "The Book of Henry" and made sure to snap a photo with fellow Canadian Rachel McAdams, whose film "Spotlight" took home the night's top prize for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Advertisement LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 30: (L-R) Actors Naomi Watts, Jacob Tremblay and Brie Larson pose during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Turner) Me and fellow Canadian #eh #sagawards #rachelmcadams A photo posted by Jacob Tremblay (@jacobtremblay) on Jan 30, 2016 at 8:48pm PST Tremblay later hit The Weinstein Company and Netflix bash after the ceremony, and appeared to hold no hard feelings against Elba. WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - JANUARY 30: (L-R) Actors Idris Elba and Jacob Tremblay attend the Weinstein Company & Netflix's 2016 SAG after party hosted by Absolut Elyx at Sunset Tower on January 30, 2016. (Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images for The Weinstein Company) Advertisement These photo opportunities will only continue, as Tremblay will have official presenter duties at the Oscars on Feb. 28. ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Robert Daly via Getty Images Man watching wall of surveillance screens It's been one year. Saturday marked exactly 365 days since the former Conservative government introduced Bill C-51, with its controversial spy powers that experts warn are shredding our basic constitutional rights. So, where do things stand now? After intense debate, C-51 was pushed through Parliament and is now law, but its many opponents are making progress. Advertisement Over the past few weeks, we have seen positive signs from the new federal government, as it has finally promised to meet calls for public consultation from Canadians, civil society and experts. Ralph Goodale, Canada's minister of public safety, has said that consultations will be extended to the Canadian public -- although when or what that will look like remains unclear. How robust will they be? Will repeal still be an option? Only time will tell. When the Liberals were first elected, civil society and experts -- including my organization, OpenMedia -- outlined three key priorities for addressing C-51. Consultation is one, but a genuine consultation must begin with an explanation of the government's own position, and after three months in office we're still not sure where the government stands. "C-51 is quite simply incompatible with our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Why do we have to spend the best part of yet another year subject to laws that even the Liberals think are problematic?" Alongside the proposal for public consultation, talk of new Parliamentary oversight mechanisms have dominated headlines in recent weeks, again responding to a glaring gap in C-51. The prime minister announced that Liberal MP David McGuinty will be leading the future Parliamentary oversight committee. Earlier this month, Minister Goodale traveled to the U.K. alongside McGuinty to learn more about British oversight models and mechanisms for Parliamentary review. These are some good signs. But there's one giant problem: while all of this is happening, C-51 is still law. And lack of spy agency oversight is just one of many worrying aspects of this legislation. When are we going to see comprehensive action to undo the broader damage to Canadians' rights? Goodale has said that reforms on C-51 won't likely be introduced until the fall at the earliest. Sadly, in the meantime, Canadians' rights are being violated everyday C-51 remains in place. Oversight can't retroactively undo the damage that current legislation is doing. Each day, we're being subjected to excess surveillance. Our data is being shared without any checks and balances in place. There is no recourse for innocent Canadians. C-51's overreaching powers are being normalized. Many of the effects of this legislation won't be felt for years to come -- but in the meantime, we go on with our lives. Canadians remain on no-fly lists. Our private data is being collected. Information is being shared and compiled between government agencies. Rights are being violated. And all of this is happening without the oversight to ensure it's being done legally, effectively and safely. Advertisement Canadians have made clear their desire to repeal this irresponsible legislation and start from scratch. Over 300,000 have called for full repeal at KillC51.ca, with many more taking part in protests across the country. It will take some time for public consultations, expert input, and analysis to determine the best policies and legislative solutions for Canada's security mechanisms. But we do know that right now, C-51 is quite simply incompatible with our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Why do we have to spend the best part of yet another year subject to laws that even the Liberals, the party ruling with an overwhelming majority, thinks are problematic? I'm growing impatient. And my trust that government spy agencies will not utilize their new powers while the consultations are taking place is low. Every indication suggests that they are desperate to collect as much information as possible about all Canadians, with complete disregard for their privacy and innocence: The RCMP continues to call for warrant-less access to our telecom subscriber information, despite strong warnings from the Privacy Commissioner of Canada that this would violate the privacy of innocent Canadians. The Vancouver Police Department, Ontario Provincial Police and RCMP all refuse to answer if they are using incredibly invasive Stingray surveillance technologies to trick cell phones into revealing sensitive private information. Privacy breaches of personal mental health records in B.C., and foreign governments hacking our government websites, only further demonstrate why C-51's information sharing between so many government departments makes our sensitive data even more vulnerable to increased violations. Police have been requesting massive amounts of our private cell phone data. Although these "tower dumps" have recently been declared a gross violation of privacy by an Ontario court, C-51 has empowered spy agencies like CSIS and CSE with all kinds of different tools to access more of our data, with less cause. What (or who) is going to stop them from using it? We cannot assume a default respect for Canadians' privacy, or that government agencies will work within a limited scope of the powers provided to them. I know that we need to get this right. But in 365 more days, will I be writing this same piece? It's time for the government to tell us how they will undo the damage caused by each day that C-51 remains on the books. It's time for action. Laura Tribe is Digital Rights Specialist for OpenMedia, a community-based organization that works to keep the Internet open, affordable, and surveillance-free. OpenMedia co-hosts the KillC51.ca petition that has attracted over 310,000 signatures. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: Denise Fox gets a shock in EastEnders next month, when Jordan Johnson - now played by Jovian Wade - arrives in the Square. MORE 'EASTENDERS': After weeks of attempting to hunt down her stepson, Denise is left feeling disheartened when it appears that he doesnt want to be contacted, so you can imagine her surprise when he suddenly turns up in Walford. Advertisement Yes, Jordan is yet another young character to be recast Denises search for Jordan came following her visit to serial killer Lucas, who shared his worries for his son, revealing that he thought Denise was the only one who could help him. Jordans return, along with Lucass, was announced in early January, when bosses confirmed that after six years away from Albert Square, the father and son would be back on the scene soon. Advertisement Kim doesn't seem too happy either... While bosses are keeping plot details under wraps, a n entry on the EastEnders website hints that things wont be easy for Denise, stating that Jordan is an angry and damaged young man who will turn Denise and her familys lives upside down. Denise can still see the good in her step-son but viewers will be left fearing that volatile Jordan takes very much after his father, it continues. Its a big year for EastEnders comebacks, and so far in 2016, fans have already been left speechless by Peggy Mitchells surprise return. Bosses have also confirmed that the Mitchell family reunion will (almost) be complete in the Spring, when Grant Mitchell is back on the scene. See Jordans return to EastEnders from Monday 8 February. 'EastEnders' Recasts See gallery Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell Yui Mok/PA Wire Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell today published his tax return online in the spirit of the New Politics and called on George Osborne to do the same. The Labour frontbencher posted on Twitter a screenshot of part of his tax return for the year 2014/2015, revealing he paid 14,253 on earnings of 61,575. Advertisement He claimed he was making his financial dealings public in the name of openness and transparency after the 130million settlement between Google and HMRC had created a lack of confidence in those politicians who manage our tax system. Earlier this week, a spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn confirmed the Labour leader was considering publishing his tax return a move which David Cameron vowed to echo. After the #googletax deal for openness and transparency I've published my tax return today. Now it's Osborne's turn pic.twitter.com/Zrkecsk2M7 John McDonnell MP (@johnmcdonnellMP) January 31, 2016 Writing in the Sunday Mirror this morning, Mr McDonnell said: The Chancellor, the politician with sole responsibility for setting taxation, should be open and transparent about their own income. Advertisement That is why in the spirit of the New Politics I have taken the decision to publish my personal tax returns. And I will do so every year while I seek to be and hopefully one day become Chancellor. I think it is only fair that politicians set a good example. Especially those charged with or those who aspire to oversee the nations finances. In 2012 then-Labour leader Ed Miliband called on David Cameron and Mr Osborne to reveal if they personally benefited from the governments cut to the top rate of income tax from 50p to 45p. Mr Cameron vowed to publish his tax return if the Leader of the Opposition did as well, but no progress was made. On Wednesday, a Downing Street spokesman confirmed the Prime Minister was still willing to make his tax return public if the Mr Corbyn followed suit. Advertisement MPs are required by law to complete a tax return, and today is the HMRC deadline for sending over completed paperwork. @owenjbennett@johnmcdonnellMP A self-assessment tax return is compulsory for all MPs Jonathan Reynolds MP (@jreynoldsMP) January 31, 2016 This blog contains articles and commentary on Climate Change / Global Warming. These changes will have an affect on the entire planet and all of us who reside therein. Life as we know it will change drastically. There is also the view that there is a high likelihood of climate change being a precursor of conflits triggered by resource shortges. More than 10,000 child refugees have disappeared since arriving in Europe, with many likely to have fallen into the hands of traffickers, the EU's criminal intelligence agency has said. Europol said that thousands of vulnerable young people had gone missing after registering with authorities. It is believed that 5,000 children had disappeared in Italy, while a further 1,000 were unaccounted for in Sweden. Advertisement More than 10,000 child refugees are believed to have gone missing since arriving in Europe Europol's chief of staff, Brian Donald, said that there now existed a sophisticated pan-European "criminal infrastructure" that was targeting refugees. "Its not unreasonable to say that were looking at 10,000-plus children. Not all of them will be criminally exploited; some might have been passed on to family members. "We just dont know where they are, what theyre doing or whom they are with," he told the Observer. The British government announced last week that it would work with the United Nations refugee agency - the UNHCR - to identify "exceptional cases" of unaccompanied children in war zones. Advertisement The move follows calls from charities led by Save the Children for Britain to admit at least 3,000 young people who have reached Europe, warning that many simply "disappear" once here and fall into the hands of people traffickers. Europol, which has a 900-strong force of intelligence analysts and police liaison officers, believes 27% of the million arrivals in Europe last year were minors. In October, officials in Trellebory, Sweden, said that about 1,000 refugee children who had arrived at the port town alone in the previous month had gone missing. Donald said that Europol had received evidence that some refugee children who had arrived alone had been sexually exploited. He said: "An entire [criminal] infrastructure has developed over the past 18 months around exploiting the migrant flow. There are prisons in Germany and Hungary where the vast majority of people arrested and placed there are in relation to criminal activity surrounding the migrant crisis." Advertisement He urged the public to remain vigilant and "alert" to the situation, saying that the children who had gone missing "would be hiding in plain sight". Also on the Huffington Post UK: Oxford university has defended its diversity record, pointing to poor schooling as being partly to blame for a lack of black students after David Cameron vowed new laws to "shame" the UK's top educational establishments into admitting more ethnic minorities. Oxford said it did "not see the need" for such legislation and insisted the effects of social inequality were "already pronounced before children begin formal schooling" and could not be addressed by higher education alone. "Any serious solution to the problem of unequal educational progression must take into account the unequal distribution of high attainment across schools, socio-economic groups, even geography," a spokesman said. Advertisement David Cameron "I don't care whether it's overt, unconscious or institutional we've got to stamp it out," he wrote in The Sunday Times, warning it would otherwise only "feed those who preach a message of grievance and victimhood". A spokesman for Oxford university said that 367 undergraduates from ethnic minority backgrounds were accepted in 2015, 15% more than in 2010 - 64 of those being black students, up from 39 five years ago, the Press Association reports. Advertisement "We are constantly working to update what information we provide and although we do not see the need for further legislation, we would welcome discussions on what more information we could publish," the spokesman said. Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group of elite universities, said universities invested a "huge amount of time, effort and resources" into broadening the student mix but needed more help from others. "There are still far too many children from disadvantaged backgrounds underachieving at school and receiving poor advice and guidance. "It will take time, commitment, and sustained action from a range of agencies to raise pupils' aspirations, increase attainment and improve the advice and guidance offered." Universities have been summoned to a meeting with Business Secretary Sajid Javid to discuss the plan to force them to publish detailed breakdowns of application success rates by race as well as course, gender and socio-economic background. Advertisement He said it was "striking" that the 2,500-strong 2014 intake at his own university - Oxford - included only 27 black students and suggested it was "not doing enough to attract talent from across our country". Labour MP David Lammy has also been recruited by Number 10 to carry out a major review into discrimination in the criminal justice system, including why black offenders are more likely to be jailed for the same offences as their white criminal counterpart. Lammy, a qualified barrister, has been tasked with finding solutions to what the PM called a "disgraceful" gulf in sentencing treatment. He is due to produce recommendations on how to tackle discrimination at all stages - from arrest, through courts and prisons to rehabilitation - by the spring of 2017. Cameron said the absence of any black generals, the fact that just 4% of FTSE 100 chief executives were from ethnic minorities and that young black men were more likely to be in prison than at a top university "should shame our country and jolt us to action". Advertisement Sir Anthony Seldon, University of Buckingham vice-chancellor, welcomed the push by Cameron, one of several prime ministers of whom the historian has written biographies. "It is deeply wrong that black and other ethnic minority students are so poorly represented in our universities, notably those like Oxford, which should be leading the way," he said. Official figures show 61% of black and ethnic minority offenders in England and Wales receive custodial sentences, compared with 56% of their white counterparts. They also make up a disproportionate amount of Crown Court defendants (24%). Lammy told the Murnaghan programme on Sky News that he had discussed the appointment with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who he said had "taken up these issues within the criminal justice system for many, many years". "There are occasions when the issue is beyond party politics. This is absolutely one of them," he said. Advertisement Tributes have poured in for Sir Terry Wogan, following the news of his death at the age of 77. The BBC confirmed his passing on Sunday (31 January), revealing that he had been battling cancer for a short time. Terry Wogan has died at the age of 77 Many of his BBC colleagues, celebrity friends and his army of fans have been expressing their shock and sadness following the news, with many taking to Twitter to pay tribute. Advertisement Chris Evans, who took over the Radio 2 breakfast show from Terry in 2009, led the tributes, writing: We are all so terribly sad upon hearing of the passing of Terry. I can't put into words how the whole Radio 2 family is feeling. Chris Evans (@achrisevans) January 31, 2016 Our most heartfelt thoughts go out to Helen, Mark, Alan, Katherine and Vanessa. To many of us Terry was Radio 2. We still can't believe it. Chris Evans (@achrisevans) January 31, 2016 Fellow Radio 2 DJ Graham Norton, who also succeeded Terry as the British voice of the Eurovision Song Contest, also shared a touching message: Advertisement He made it seem effortless and for a young boy in Ireland he made it seem possible. RIP Sir Terry Wogan. I'll raise a glass during song 9. graham norton (@grahnort) January 31, 2016 Jeremy Vine shared a lengthier post, writing: Truly one of the greatest we have ever seen. And treated his colleagues like friends Sir Terry Wogan dies at 77 https://t.co/ClP1IC2Fpc Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) January 31, 2016 Many other tributes poured in for Terry, including: No no no! In total shock. Goodbye my cheeky chum. Forever in our hearts. #RIPTerryWogan Gaby Roslin (@GabyRoslin) January 31, 2016 Devastated about Terry Wogan. Grew up listening to him & have been privileged to know & work with him. Warm, generous & supremely talented Clare Balding (@clarebalding) January 31, 2016 Advertisement The Don is gone - Will miss you so much head of The Murphia. Thanks for your blessing & your friendship. #SirTerrypic.twitter.com/Phc6GagGj8 Eamonn Holmes (@EamonnHolmes) January 31, 2016 Sir Terry. Just the most warm hearted, generous, funny, clever, life affirming man. Part of the foundations of @BBCRadio2 so very sad. Dermot O'Leary (@radioleary) January 31, 2016 Such a sad day today. The loss of such a legend...had the pleasure of being around such a warm welcoming person. Such a inspiration.. Rochelle Humes (@RochelleHumes) January 31, 2016 Listen to how Terry signed off his last Breakfast Show. His listeners were his friends and the bond was incredible. https://t.co/1tIg1pzXzv Greg James (@gregjames) January 31, 2016 I'm so sad about Sir Terry Wogan. A radio talent like no other. So warm but so so funny. The best. RIP Terry Scott Mills (@scott_mills) January 31, 2016 Advertisement Terribly sad new about Terry Wogan . My thoughts are with his family. X RIP Davina McCall (@ThisisDavina) January 31, 2016 He was THE BEST...A true gentleman and so very funny . Feel very sad . RIP Sir Terry x caroline flack (@carolineflack1) January 31, 2016 He was a huge influence, watching his chat show, his genius commentary of Eurovision, warm & genuine interest in people & music. RIP Tel edith bowman (@edibow) January 31, 2016 Prime Minister David Cameron also honoured Sir Terry on the social networking site: 1/2 My thoughts are with Terry Wogan's family. Britain has lost a huge talent - someone millions came to feel was their own special friend. David Cameron (@David_Cameron) January 31, 2016 2/2 I grew up listening to him on the radio and watching him on tv. His charm and wit always made me smile. David Cameron (@David_Cameron) January 31, 2016 Advertisement BBC Radio 2, where Terry had been a DJ on-and-off since 1972, also aired a special tribute show on Sunday morning, hosted by Mark Goodier. Sir Terry's family had confirmed news of his death in a short statement, which read: "Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but brave battle with cancer. "He passed away surrounded by his family. While we understand he will be missed by many, the family ask that their privacy is respected at this time." Back in November last year, Sir Terry pulled out of his long-time duty of presenting the BBC's Children in Need evening due to ill health. Terry Wogan's Life In Pictures See gallery Three men have been arrested after a British pilot was shot dead while on an anti-poaching mission in Tanzania. Englishman Roger Gower, 37, was helping wildlife authorities track the criminals when they fired on his aircraft on Friday. On Sunday, it was announced that three men had been arrested over the fatal shooting. Advertisement Roger Gower "The suspects are in the hands of police," Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Jumanne Maghembe told AFP. "They are cooperating, and soon more people making up the poaching gang will be netted and brought to justice." The minister pledged that any other suspects will be arrested in security operations after the attack in Maswa wildlife reserve, near Serengeti National Park. The poachers reportedly fired on the helicopter with an AK 47. A co-pilot survived with injuries, Tanzanian authorities said. Founder of the Friedkin Conservation Fund, Dan Friedkin, said the organisation was "profoundly saddened by the loss of our dear friend". Advertisement He said: "Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a co-ordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers. In the course of this action the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded. "We are committed to honouring Roger and his work. We are also committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack are found and brought to justice. We believe that Roger can best be honoured by redoubling our commitment to protect elephants and our priceless wildlife heritage. "This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzanias wildlife." R.I.P Roger you will be well remembered and missed my friend.Thank you for your professional piloting and efforts in helping to protect Tanzania's wildlife.-Andy Payne Posted by Friedkin Conservation Fund on Sunday, January 31, 2016 Britain's Foreign Office confirmed the death of a Briton in Tanzania and said it was "providing assistance to the family at this difficult time." Rangers discovered the carcasses of three elephants that were killed by the same group of poachers that fired on the helicopter, said Paschal Shelutete, spokesman for Tanzania's parks service. Advertisement Gower was a former accountant who qualified as a pilot in 2004 and moved to Africa around two years later, according to a profile with his former employer Tropic Air Kenya. It also says he helped the British Army on exercises in the country. We are shocked and immensely sad to hear the news that Roger Gower lost his life to a single gun shot wound fired by... Posted by Tropic Air Kenya on Saturday, January 30, 2016 Tanzania is a hotspot for elephant poachers. A report last year revealed that 60% of its elephant population had been lost in the previous five years. China is the world's largest market for illegal ivory, which has been thriving under the cover of legal ivory sales. Tanzania also last year charged a Chinese woman, Yang Feng Clan, 66, with smuggling 1.9 tons of ivory from the country between 2000 and 2014. Also on the Huffington Post UK: This cancer usually has no obvious symptoms in its early stages, making screening vital. Young women are usually invited to attend their first smear test between the ages of 24-25. It is the most common cancer in women under 35 years of age, and around 3,100 women are diagnosed with the disease in the UK every year. You may be concerned about your first screening and you might have a few questions that you are unsure about. I have answered some of the commonly asked questions around cervical cancer screening. Advertisement This will be my first smear test, what should I do to prepare? It is helpful to read about the test and perhaps bring a friend or relative with you. The information on Jo's Trust website is very helpful. Will anyone else be in the room apart from the Consultant? Yes. There is usually a nurse or health care assistant in the room as well. They are there both as a chaperone and to assist the person performing the smear test Will the test hurt? The test can sometimes be uncomfortable for a few minutes. Some women may have a sensitive cervix (neck of the womb), so may experience a period like pain, but this is uncommon. How long will it take? The consultation and examination will take around 20 minutes. The test itself takes three minutes or so. Advertisement What does a smear test look for? The 'smear' or more accurately 'cervical cytology' is a screening test looking for abnormal or premalignant cell changes of the cervix, which if detected can be monitored or treated in order to prevent cervical cancer. Why are women aged 25 advised to attend their first test? In England and Northern Ireland women are invited to attend their first smear test aged 24 and a half. The screen age was changed in 2003. There is a great deal of evidence that shows screening too early may cause more harm than good. In women under 25 years, 1 in 3 may have an abnormal screen test that would need further investigation and perhaps treatment. However given time, many of these changes may spontaneously resolve. Thus far there is no evidence that there have been any increase in deaths from cervical cancer in the 20-25 or 25-30 year age group. Therefore screening too early may lead to young women being over treated and increase their subsequent risk of preterm labour. The U.K. National screening committee has recently agreed that Scotland and Wales will change the age of a woman's first cervical screening to 25. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has stated "There is minimal benefit and substantial harm in screening below age 25. Organised programmes should not include women aged less than 25 years in their target populations." It is also important to be aware that the cytology (smear) test is for screening. It is not for investigating symptoms. Regardless of age, if you have symptoms of bleeding in between your periods or after sexual intercourse, you should make an appointment to see your doctor. Advertisement Can I have a smear test while pregnant? Yes, it is possible to have a smear test in pregnancy, however because we have effective screening programmes in the UK, it is rarely necessary. Another potential challenge is that the cytologist (the clinician who reads the smear) may find it more difficult to assess the cells of a smear taken from a pregnant woman. This is because of a range of normally occurring changes that occur in pregnancy. Thus the chances of the test being reported as inadequate are slightly raised. If a woman has not had a smear test in the previous three years, or never had a smear, it may be advisable to get one done. If abnormal cells are found, what does this mean and what are the next steps? About 10% of women who have a cervical screening test will receive an abnormal result. Sometimes it may be that there are insufficient cells in the sample - an inadequate result. In this case you may be called back for a repeat test in three months. If the same inadequate result occurs on three separate occasions it would be advisable to have a further screening test called a colposcopy. This involves a more detailed examination of the cervix. This investigation if the cytology result is reported as having dyskaryosis. This term refers to the abnormal cells and may be low grade dyskaryosis or high grade dyskaryosis. It is very rare that either of these results will have cancer, but it is important that the cervix is carefully examined and currently the only way is by colposcopy. What happens during a colposcopy? The cervix is visualised following the insertion of a speculum. This is exactly the same process as when having a smear performed. The difference is that a couple of solutions are put on the cervix in turn and it is inspected through a colposcope - a binocular instrument which provides both magnification and good light. Advertisement It may be necessary to take a very tiny sample of tissue (a punch biopsy) to send to the laboratory to compare with the smear and the colposcopy findings. If so a little local anaesthetic may be used. There is usually some very light bleeding afterwards which can continue for up to seven days. A few women experience period like pain afterwards for a short time. It is advisable to avoid sexual intercourse until the bleeding stops. In the last three years cervical screening has changed slightly. It has been known for some time that a group of viruses are integral in the development of cervical cancer. This group of viruses are called human papillomaviruses (HPV). HPV is common and will occur in 70-80% of the reproductive population at some point. Importantly in the vast majority of cases, the body's immune system will clear the viruses. This can take 12-18 months on average. About 10% of women are unable to clear the viruses. The reason is not as yet understood. People who are unable to clear the HPV are more likely to develop an abnormal screen test over time. When a cytology test is reported as a borderline abnormality or low grade dyskaryosis, the laboratory will automatically perform an HPV test on the sample. If there is no HPV present (HPV negative) then no further action is required. Some may advise a repeat test in a year, but within the screening programme it is safe to return to a normal recall. I've had depression on and off for 10 years and I've hidden it from just about everyone. This might come as a surprise to those I have hidden it from. I act up for laughs. I pull stupid faces. I sing in a theatrical broadway voice. I've got a good job, partner, family, flat. On the outside looking in, I'm thriving. And yet I've hidden my depression for as long as I can remember, carrying it around like a shameful secret that reveals a deformed, rotten part of my personality that I am not willing to accept. Before I carried it around, I outright refused to acknowledge it. I didn't have depression, there just wasn't enough natural light in my flat. I didn't have depression, I just didn't like my job. I didn't have depression, I was just lost after graduation. I was just stressed out by my dissertation, just missing home, just grieving, just lonely, just skint, just fat, just A-levels, friends, family, puberty. But now I've run out of excuses. Advertisement When I was 15 I booked myself an appointment at the doctors without telling my parents. I was worried because I couldn't stop crying. I was always tired. I'd isolated myself from my friends. I felt hopeless, like I was being swallowed up by a big black hole that I was never going to crawl out of. In the waiting room, I was asked to fill out a questionnaire. 'Have you found little pleasure or interest in doing things?' 'Have you found yourself feeling down, depressed or hopeless?' 'Have you thought that you'd be better off dead or hurting yourself in some way?' It went on like that for about 20 questions. I scored highly and by the time I sat opposite the doctor, I was inconsolable. I can't carry on like this, I said. I'm sick of pretending, I said. I don't know who I am any more, I said. She handed me a box of tissues with a well-worn roll of the wrist and waited for me to compose myself. "I know what you need," she replied after a time. "You need to play squash." And that was the beginning of my 10 year journey through the uncertain quagmires of mental health care. Advertisement If, perhaps, that doctor hadn't dismissed my condition as teenage angst, I might not be where I am today. If she hadn't made me feel silly and small and girlish for weeping into her Kleenex when all I needed was some good old fashioned exercise (never mind the fact that I was a track runner at the time), it might not have planted the seed in my head that grew into the ugly tree that still tells me that I'm not allowed to talk about these things. After that, it took me six years to seek treatment again and it would be another four until I saw a mental health specialist. Instead, I internalised it, hid from it and watched it grow into my biggest secret. I know now how much that inept entry into the mental health care system impacted my recovery. However, I've also come to realise how much my own prejudice has influenced this secrecy, and how my belief that depression is something to be ashamed of is contributing to the very stigma that stops people from seeking treatment in the first place. So the buck stops with me. If I want to normalise conversations about mental health, I have to start talking. And yet on the handful of occasions when I have been open about my condition, I've lived to regret it. Like when I got close to a guy at uni and told him I was unwell, only for him to call me a "pathetic mess." Or when I bought a book called How to Deal With Depression and had it delivered to work, only for a colleague to pick it up and drop it in the same breath, as if she'd discovered that I was reading Mein Kampf. Or when an employer described my symptoms as a "duvet day." Or that classic line delivered by a concerned relative who doesn't know how to process the information and somehow thinks that your depression is a reflection on how they've treated you, so they say "but... you don't have anything to be depressed about." The language that we choose to talk about this illness needs to change. If a friend tells you they've been diagnosed with diabetes, you don't respond by saying "I'm sorry to hear that you're unhappy." So why should depression be any different? I'm not unhappy, I'm sick. Depression is not a feeling, it's not a way of describing a shit day or a low mood, it's a serious mental illness and when people confuse it for a emotional response to a bad situation, it compounds the belief that I'm weak, a failure, unable to cope with the realities of human existence. And that gives me more impetus to pretend. Advertisement Sadly, the NHS doesn't make it easy either. I've been prescribed prozac, sertraline and citalopram by the bucket load and have been left to fend off panic attacks, crippling sexual dysfunction and something that I now know to be called depersonalisation disorder - without any forewarning of the risks. People talk about feeling fluffy and detached on antidepressants, but depersonalisation disorder is total detachment from your sense of self. You become a fly on the wall of your experiences, like watching scenes from a movie of your life rather than actively participating. It's scary and the flippancy with which the NHS prescribe antidepressants without equipping patients with coping mechanisms is astounding. For me, going to the GP is like standing in a never-ending queue on a giant conveyor belt as a white coat shoves a funnel down my throat, fills it up with pills and shouts "NEXT!" Don't misunderstand me. I cherish the NHS and know that it is the best thing about this country. But the reality is that mental health care is failing. New NHS figures show that the number of deaths annually among mental health patients in England has risen 21% over the last three years. Tellingly, the number of people in contact with mental health services has jumped by more than 40% over the past decade whilst the number of antidepressant prescriptions have surged by more than 100% in the same period. And this is not only affecting those with mental health issues. According to a recent Guardian investigation, there has been a 33% rise in criminal cases linked to mental health over three years, with UK police spending as much as 40% of their time dealing with incidents triggered by some kind of mental health issue. And all of this against a backdrop of severe cuts to social and healthcare services. This is typified by the fact it's taken me 10 years to get an appointment with a psychiatrist. To access CBT. To go beyond the GP's office. And I've lived in three different counties in that time so it's a failure of the system, not the surgery. Advertisement There are, however, those that are trying to improve things. Last year, Jeremy Corbyn appointed the first ever shadow minister for mental health to work directly on mental health issues and prioritise them in a Labour government. Then there's the recent #imnotashamed, #sicknotweak and #itaffectsme campaigns that encourage people to share their personal stories online and open up the conversation around mental health. And yet despite that invitation to share, I'm scared of publishing this. It fills me with dread. How can I post this on Facebook when it will lift the veil on the artificial lifestyle I've curated? I'm scared of the judgement and the awkward conversations in the kitchen at work tomorrow morning. I'm scared this article will appear when someone Google's my name. I'm scared this could affect my career. But I've been scared of things before and I'll be scared of things again. And it's high time I gave the real reason why I cancel plans. It's time I stopped using humour as a sticking plaster. It's time I addressed my own bias in order to address the wider stigma that has forced my illness into the shadows for so many years. It's time. So there, I have depression. Deal with it. Originally published on Medium. Also on HuffPost UK Daniel Munoz via Getty Images SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 24: Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten during a media conference at Tank Stream Labs on September 24, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. Bill Shorten outlining Labor's plan for a smarter, more prosperous Australia. (Photo by Daniel Munoz/Getty Images) Opposition leader Bill Shorten has called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to stand by his convictions on marriage equality and allow federal MPs a conscience vote on the issue in parliament. Speaking at the Midsumma festival in Melbourne, Shorten said if elected a Labor Government would allow MPs to vote with their conscience on same-sex marriage within 100 days of taking office. Advertisement He urged Turnbull to abandon plans for a national plebiscite expected to cost about $160 million. Bill Shorten at Pride March says what we want is old Malcolm Turnbull not new Malcolm Turnbull on marriage equality. pic.twitter.com/zNktEEA3Qi Josh Taylor (@joshgnosis) January 31, 2016 "Everyone knows that the people who want to delay marriage equality and support the plebiscite are the opponents of marriage equality," he told the event. "What we want on marriage equality is the old Malcolm Turnbull, not the new Malcolm Turnbull. What we want is Malcolm Turnbull the conviction politician." He called on the coalition to "get on with" legalising gay marriage. "We'll have true equality in this country and we'll save the taxpayers $160 million of taxpayer money," he said. Advertisement "Let's make marriage equality a reality now." The call from Shorten comes after ongoing debate about the merits of a national vote to decide the long-running issue. Labor backs a conscience vote in parliament but a number of conservative politicians like Cory Bernardi oppose reform and have even signalled that they might oppose legislative change irrespective of the outcome of a plebiscite. Abbott declares that a plebiscite on same-sex marriage is the best way to decide. #auspolhttps://t.co/k4abaY3DRIpic.twitter.com/HrECcoyN8u The Australian (@australian) January 29, 2016 Earlier this week, 11-year-old Isabella Mills -- who has two gay parents -- gained traction online when she told the Prime Minister that the same-sex marriage plebiscite was a waste of Australian taxpayers' time and money. Mills said she "was struggling to see the point" in the plebiscite, set to be held in 2017. "That 160 million dollars that you are willing to waste on a pointless plebiscite is totally unnecessary. I mean, the public has already expressed their views and made it quite clear that they want same-sex marriage for Australia," Mills said. Advertisement "I may not be the Prime Minister, but even I know that Australians could use that money elsewhere. The right kinds of food, how much to buy, plus all the other things (coolers!) you probably didn't think about. On Tuesday, February 2, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will hold a Public Hearing to unveil its proposal to hike Student T Pass fares from $26 to $32 per month. It's no secret that the T is suffering from significant financial and structural problems, including a $242 million budget deficit and aging trains that often fail to run in cold and snowy conditions. But many parents are already struggling to send their children to school, and finding the extra money for a fare hike seems like an unfair burden. "It's going to be painful," says concerned parent Ruthann Leverett who already pays $26 each month for a Student T Pass for her 7th grade son who makes three bus transfers to get from his home in Dorchester to Cathedral High School in the South End. "Many families are already living paycheck to paycheck." The fare hikes are particularly daunting for families with two or more children who in some cases pay over $50 a month to get their children to school. According to Kimberly Rice, Assistant Superintendent of Operations for the Boston Public Schools, students who are eligible for transportation per BPS policy receive either yellow bus transportation or a free T pass. Rice cites that BPS "tiers eligibility based on age/grade of the student so that elementary students receive transportation if they live outside of 1 mile, middle grades 1.5 miles, and high school students 2 miles." What this means is that high school students who live within 2 miles from their school who want to take the MBTA need to come up with the money to purchase their own Student T Pass. Advertisement Consider the implications. Students who live more than 2 miles away from school get a free 7-Day T Pass which allows them to get to and from school, work, and the hundreds of enriching opportunities that the City of Boston provides, while students who live closer to school have to pay for their monthly Student T Pass or pay regular fares on the T. It's an equity issue that has some low income parents choosing farther away schools so their child will have full access to free transportation to get around the city. The majority of Boston students riding the T are from low income families of color. Many advocates are questioning whether the fare hikes are even equitable. The MBTA did a 67-page Impact Analysis on proposed fare hikes in 2015 and concluded that a fare increase would not cause any "disparate impacts or disproportionate burdens." However, this analysis did not look at the correlation between transportation and education in Boston. Rising T fares are disproportionately hard on families living in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan--where there is a lack of quality schools, and hence many children travel to other neighborhoods to find higher performing schools. Rising fares will cost the cash-strapped Boston Public Schools an additional $1.4 million, which is ironic because last year BPS made the move to take all 7th and 8th graders off yellow school buses and put them on the MBTA to save money. Are these rising fares a backlash for having an additional 4,000+ teens and pre-teens on the T, or is it simply good economics where increasing demand and usage justifies driving up costs? Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson, Chairman of the Education Committee, plans to investigate. When families are faced with choosing quality schools in far away neighborhoods versus educating their children within walking distance closer to home, the issue of public transportation becomes an even greater issue of equity, access and opportunity for a quality education. Advertisement "Imagine a country of 125 million people, the eleventh most populous nation in the world. This is like no other country we know: its citizens are without employment or shelter and do not have the means to feed themselves or provide for their loved ones. This is the number of people in the world who need humanitarian assistance, mostly as a result of conflicts but also because of natural disasters. But we are falling short in providing the funds that are needed." This is the stark warning issued by the UN Secretary General's High Level Panel On Humanitarian Financing which launched its final report in Dubai a few weeks ago in the presence of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Titled "Too Important to Fail", the report explains that due to a number of factors - including changes to the nature and length of humanitarian crises - the world's humanitarian system is underfunded and unsustainable. This is underscored by the fact that even though the UN raised more for humanitarian assistance in 2014 than any previous year on record, it still recorded its biggest ever shortfall in humanitarian funding over the same period. Advertisement Now, I must admit that until recently I hadn't given this issue the thought it deserves. Like many in the private sector, I saw little connection between the humanitarian aid system and business, with the exception of corporate charitable donations. I'm not suggesting the business sector is dismissive of human suffering. Far from it. But when natural disasters or conflict occurs, we tend to look to this amorphous device called "the international community" to come to the rescue. I've come to learn that it isn't that simple. The truth is that communities in crisis lead to vulnerable societies. And vulnerable societies are prone to all kinds of social and economic degradation, including the rise of hopelessness, extremism and instability. Rarely do these problems stay contained. They spill out, and they metastasize, injecting their poison into the global system. In the Middle East and North Africa there are obvious examples of this deadly domino effect, many of which are unresolved to this day. This isn't of course just bad news for governments and societies. It is also bad news for businesses everywhere. The private sector simply isn't stepping up to confront this challenge. In 2014, only 4.8% of global humanitarian appeals were met by businesses. However before we judge ourselves too harshly, it is worth thinking about why that might be. Why is it that the private sector is not a more active participant in addressing the world's humanitarian needs? Digging into this issue uncovers a number of factors that keep getting in the way: First, there is the changing nature of humanitarian crises. Not long ago, the cost of responding to humanitarian crises was roughly split 50/50 between natural disasters and human conflict situations. Today, 80 per cent of humanitarian needs are caused by conflict, with most being recurrent or protracted crises lasting seven years or more. These are invariably complex political situations that businesses naturally tend to avoid. That explains why appeals for hurricanes and earthquakes can mobilise the business community in ways that the crisis in Syria has, to date, failed to do. There's no easy fix, but the issue could be partly alleviated through greater consultation between businesses and their own governments, for informed guidance on the best ways to contribute. Advertisement A second obstacle is the trust deficit that has emerged between key private sector and humanitarian stakeholders. This is partly due to businesses being made to feel only as important as their chequebooks, and is exacerbated by perceptions of waste and inefficiency in the international aid sector as a whole. The more we can rebuild that trust, the more collaboration will occur. In fact, one of the key recommendations of the High Level Panel is a "Grand Bargain" in which humanitarian organisations commit to more transparency, accountability and communication, and in-turn major donors provide more long-term funding without unnecessarily onerous restrictions or earmarking. Then there is the absence of a clear entry point. Even if businesses want to donate funds, or partner with humanitarian organisations, it is not always clear how to do so and with whom they should connect. The intense competition between aid agencies for limited resources exacerbates this problem. What's needed is a universal hub for businesses to plug into the humanitarian ecosystem and understand how they can best contribute, not just with their financial resources but also their products, services, networks and capacity to scale. The Connecting Business initiative launched by three UN agencies in January is an important step forward in this regard. Huge potential also exists for a dedicated initiative targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs make up more than 90 percent of companies and generate over 50% of total employment worldwide. They are often small and nimble, trusted by local communities, and are present in most humanitarian disaster zones. However, few formal mechanisms exist to coordinate their involvement in disaster prevention, preparedness and response operations. As a result, one of the largest and most widespread sources of private sector energy and goodwill is going untapped. This must change. Finally, we have to accept that the business case for private sector humanitarianism has rarely, if ever, been clearly articulated. Historically, donations have gone into the system, money has been spent, and for a lot of private donors the benefits have been unquantifiable. That's why we need to move our mindset from donating to people in need, to investing in the resilience of communities. And to do that, we need credible case studies to demonstrate the negative impact on businesses from instability and crisis versus the measurable benefits of resilience. In the new Sustainable Development Goals unveiled late last year, with our global economy approaching USD 80 trillion, the global community declared with great fanfare that it would "leave no one behind." Well as things stand today, we are failing to live up to that promise. Worse still, the ones we are leaving behind are some of the most vulnerable children, women, and men of all. With all of the resources and capabilities at its disposal, the private sector simply cannot sit on the sidelines while the world's humanitarian sector sinks. It is in our enlightened self-interest for business to start making a more meaningful and authentic contribution to the resilience of our most fragile communities. Advertisement By College Tourist Author: Molly Green, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Living with a host family will make your study abroad experience more well-rounded, enjoyable, and even life-changing-and you will forever have a home on the other side of the world. Many students are deterred from opting for a homestay when weighing their study abroad choices, simply because they don't want to live with strangers. However staying with a local family, living and breathing the culture and being a participant in your new country will make your experience so much more beneficial in all aspects of your trip. You will soon realize that these strangers are warm, welcoming, and caring people who want to help you have an incredible time abroad, share their culture with you, and create a well-rounded environment for you to dive into your experience. You can try to compare pros and cons, but you will find that the list of positive aspects of a homestay is far longer than you imagined-and here are just a few examples. Language Practice Learning a second language in the classroom is nothing compared to the immersion you will receive when living with a host family. You may have already mastered the grammar basics and some useful vocabulary in your language of choice, but did you learned the regional slang? Have you engaged in conversation over dinner about life, politics, and culture in your new country? Can you name all the different ways that a parent may call you son or daughter? Advertisement Language learning is done best when the ear is constantly being attuned to a new dialect, and the tongue is practicing new foreign words, rolling consonants, and elongating vowels. If your goal is to improve your skills, live your life in the language you are learning, and spend time with people who are native speakers. Lessons in Culture Becoming a part of a new family means adopting their customs, and it gives you the right to ask questions about why that culture behaves in a certain way and how traditions came to be. From throwing little siblings' birthday parties to dancing at cousins' weddings, and from trips to visit grandparents outside the city to attending religious services on holidays, you are in a position to view the everyday life of a culture not only from a front row seat but as a participant. You have the opportunity to dive deeply into the culture. Ask your host mother to teach you to make a traditional food or craft, and show her something from your country. You can make an effort not only to learn about culture, but to exchange it. Authentic (and free) Food There is nothing like home-cooked spaghetti sauce made by your Italian host mother in Florence, or a fresh-off-the-grill cut of beef tended to by your host father in Buenos Aires. Food is a lens into history and tradition, and it is one of the many aspects that make a place unique. Living with a host family gives you the opportunity to sample the most authentic versions of dishes you may have tried before -- but this recipe is one that's been handed down for generations. Advertisement Not only do you get to enjoy fresh homemade meals, but more often than not they are included in the fee of your program, cutting down on your everyday expenses, reducing your restaurant trips, and keeping you full and satisfied. Cost Effectiveness Especially for study programs in big cities, the choice to stay with a host family is usually the most economic one. Apartment options will be pricey and won't include meals, but in a homestay you will eat well, sleep soundly, and you might even get lucky with a family maid to clean your room and do your laundry -- or your wonderful host mother will be up to the task. Imagine the regret that apartment-living students will feel when they learn that your host family took you on a weekend excursion to show you more of the countryside! Host families do an incredible service: they reduce the financial stress of a study abroad trip and expose you to your new country, all while taking care of you and making sure that your stay in their home is a fantastic one. A Support System While study abroad can be the experience of a lifetime, there is no doubt that there is an element of loneliness that comes with it. You are on your own in a place completely foreign to you, and on top of dealing with culture shock you have to try to make friends with other people in your program. Some people may excel at this, but for others it is a daunting task and comfort can be found in the stability and safety of a homestay. Coming home to open arms and double-cheek-kisses from your Ecuadorian host mother is the ultimate relief after a day of language frustration, schoolwork overload, and homesickness. Your host family is also connected to your academic program, and they will be able to communicate with them if you are having problems in your new country, need to visit a doctor, or just generally need some extra help. They are there for you. Advertisement Photo Credit: Hannah Pursley That Motherly Push As if you aren't already completely out of your element, your host family may push you to examine the limits of your comfort zone and encourage you to get out of the house and experience your new country. If you spend too much time video chatting friends back home, your host mother will call you out on it and push you to make local friends. If you don't go out at night, she will tell you that you aren't having enough fun. She's not your typical mother -- she will encourage your independence and find joy in your new discoveries. Involve her in your life abroad. Help her cook, show her pictures from your weekend excursions, and introduce her to those new friends she told you to make. You just may find that staying with this foreign family was the best thing that ever happened to you. Always Have a Place to Return To At the end of your experience abroad the goodbyes will be hard, but they definitely don't have to be forever. Every student who stays with a host family makes the promise to return to the country and visit them one day -- be the exception who turns that into a reality. The judicial emergency crisis in our federal courts is too often an issue left out of major political conversation. This has also been true of the 2016 Iowa caucus season. Because of this, Why Courts Matter Iowa (a coalition of Iowa organizations dedicated to ending the judicial vacancy crisis and ensuring the federal judiciary reflects America's diverse population) has sent representatives to presidential campaign events throughout Iowa to ask candidates one question: "As President, what would you do to alleviate the federal judicial emergency crisis?" Our representatives gathered responses to this question from six of the candidates: Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Martin O'Malley, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump. Their answers varied widely, and complete responses to their questions may be found on coalition member One Iowa's website. Advertisement Some asserted that the judicial crisis is characterized by judges cynically misinterpreting the Constitution (Christie, Cruz, Rubio, Trump). "We have a lot of judges who think that their job is to sit there and decide what the right thing for the country is, and then figure out a way to manipulate the Constitution to justify their outcome," Rubio said. "That's not their job." Both Rubio and Trump went so far as to suggest that the already slow nominations process should halt completely until a new president takes office. Why Courts Matter Iowa disagrees with this course of action. The lack of judges in our federal courts is forcing Americans to wait weeks, months, and even years for their day in court. Justice delayed is justice denied, and exacerbating the problem by not filling vacancies is not a just action. Blocking judges that don't agree with a particular policy position illustrates the main reason the judicial emergency crisis has escalated: partisan division. Two candidates (Christie and O'Malley) pointed this out in their responses. Advertisement "We are facing a time of some pretty profound divisions in our country and in our politics," O'Malley said. "...There's a sinking sense out there that somehow our divisions have become greater than we are." Despite these political divisions, candidates in both parties asserted they would work to nominate judges in a timely fashion (Bush, Christie, Cruz, O'Malley). "Being an old federal prosecutor, I know. More judges are better," Christie said. "We've got to start moving those cases through." Tempers are flaring yet again on the Korean peninsula after two South Korean soldiers were seriously injured recently by land mines that North Korea recently planted in the demilitarized zone. In response to the provocation, South Korea will end a ten-year hiatus and resume blasting propaganda messages across the border via loudspeakers. The messages will criticize Kim Jong Un's ability to lead, and my hunch is that they won't go over well as Kim doesn't take kindly to people who question his authority. When it comes to Kim's leadership, there's a lot to criticize, but that also means there's a lot to learn. Advertisement Leadership lessons typically come from celebrated cultural icons, whether they work in business, politics, or the arts. But that doesn't mean that we can only learn from our heroes. In fact, we can learn just as much about leadership from those who've failed us. By looking carefully at some of the questionable qualities of the world's more suspect leaders, we can gain a deeper understanding of why certain things don't work, how our actions affect people, and how we can yield influence to inspire growth over destruction. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has plenty to teach us about leadership -- you just have to know where to look. Here are five important lessons from the Supreme Leader. Lesson #1: Don't annihilate your enemies Strong leaders don't fear dissent because they've done the hard work to inspire genuine loyalty. Weak leaders, on the other hand, see anything short of pandering as a threat, and they'll do whatever it takes to quash the threat. Advertisement After Kim's defense minister, 66-year-old Hyon Yong-Chol, nodded off during a meeting earlier this year, Kim had him executed with a ZPU-4 anti-aircraft gun -- a massive, four-barreled machine gun capable of firing 600 rounds per minute. Naturally, Kim had the execution conducted in front of hundreds of onlookers. In all, Kim is thought to have executed over 70 "dissenters" since coming to power. Like many errant leaders, Kim sees an excessive show of force as a sign of strength that will teach people a lesson. In reality, it shows weakness and fear. Sure, many who witness the act will toe the line, but only as long as they absolutely have to because they now know that their leader has poor character, no self-control, and an utter lack of self-confidence. Whenever a leader engages in verbal abuse, temper tantrums, and harsh punishments that don't fit the crime, people are quick to look for the door. Lesson #2: Your people are not your pleasure squad Great leaders believe that they are there to serve their people. A bad leader is one who has things the other way around. In April, Kim reactivated the pleasure squad that had last served during his father's reign. Women "recruited" for the squad are forced to live with Kim and submit to his every whim in exchange for $4,000 and home appliances. While we have laws in place to prevent such behavior in the workplace, it's demotivating and demoralizing any time you feel as though you're only being paid to be at a leader's service. Great leaders see their position as having additional responsibility to serve those who follow them, to motivate them, and to help them achieve more than they ever thought possible. Lesson #3: Don't fear those who might have something to teach you Great leaders realize that there is always more to learn; weak leaders try to nullify any evidence that somebody else might have more wisdom and experience than they do. Kim Jong Un falls into the latter category. One South Korean official said that he is trying to "erase all traces of his father's rule" and is "replacing top brass with officers who are loyal to him alone." Three men who were handpicked by his father to groom the young leader have either been demoted or disappeared entirely, as have three defense ministers and four chiefs of the army's general staff. Like weak leaders everywhere, Kim has a habit of pushing people out who might have something to teach him, a behavior which stifles good ideas and sends everyone who isn't trapped by a heavily armed border packing. Lesson #4: Don't alienate your allies Great leaders know that they are only as good as their allies. They cultivate these relationships as one of their most valuable business assets and consider them carefully when making important decisions. Although China has been one of North Korea's staunchest allies since the Korean War, Kim Jong Un's lack of consideration for its interests has been a major strain on their relationship throughout his rule. One of China's biggest aims is to maintain stability on the Korean peninsula. Kim's provocative solo maneuvers, including widely publicized missile tests, have irked the Chinese and threatened that stability. Leaders who go rogue and make major decisions without considering the input of their allies are tough to work for and even harder to trust and find themselves without any support when they need it most. Lesson #5: Know the difference between wielding power and having power Advertisement Great leaders never wield power for the sake of it. On August 15, North Korea will move its time zone back by 30 minutes. The reason? The time zone was initially set by Japan, so Kim Jong Un sees it as a sign of "Japanese imperialism." There's no practical reason to wind the clocks back. Kim Jong Un essentially wants to tell Japan, "You're not the boss of me." True leaders are confident enough in their authority that there's no need to prove it. If you have to prove that you're the boss by going around showing everyone how powerful you are, you've got a big problem. Bringing it all together Emotionally intelligent leaders find lessons everywhere they look as their journey continually moves them towards greater self- and social awareness. While our heroes have a lot to teach us, so do those who fail to earn our respect. There is a wondrous scene in Robert Bolt's play, A Man for All Seasons, when Thomas More is talking to his daughter as she tries to convince him to take the Oath of Supremacy to avoid execution by Henry VIII. He could simply take the oath, she suggests, without really believing in what he'd be saying, be released from the Tower, and return to his family. Sir Thomas, however, gently chides his daughter about why he cannot do this: that taking an oath is solemnly and publicly to call upon God to witness that what one is saying one truly believes in one's heart. Not believing it would be calling upon God to witness a lie, a most grievous wrong, a wrong he would not wish his daughter to think her father capable of. For in swearing an oath, he continues, one is proclaiming before God and the world that what one is saying is true, and that were he to lie, even though he'd be saving his life, he'd be losing his honor, his soul, and himself -- forever. Truly, a man for all seasons! *** Advertisement Likewise, in taking his oath of office, a state governor is also solemnly and publicly calling upon God to witness that what he is saying, he intends to perform. He is swearing, in essence, that he will do all in his power to preserve, protect, and defend all the institutions and responsibilities of state government, including those of public education -- "so help me God." And, likewise, if he were lying and had no intention of carrying out those duties, he would also be calling upon God to witness a lie, a most grievous wrong, have lost his honor, his integrity, his very essence -- forever. He would also be perjuring himself, and even, perhaps, be sentenced to prison. It is a fearful thing to swear such an oath and not intend to protect what one has sworn to protect, but even worse would it be to destroy it. By perjuring oneself, one would have revealed oneself before all the world to be morally unfit for such an office of high public trust. And, in a previous age, it was always thought dangerous to keep such a man in power, since in lying to God he would think nothing of lying to anyone, and there was no telling what such a man might do were he allowed to continue in power. *** Advertisement Since taking their oath, many governors have begun to close public schools. By violating their oath in so public a manner, they have shown that perjuring themselves means nothing to them, as does the fact that their first act in office was an act of perjury. The possibility that anyone will ever trust them again seems doubtful since everyone knows that a perjurer now resides in the governor's mansion. What happens to governors who perjure themselves naturally depends on the citizens of their states. Until then, the question is why these governors who swore to protect public schools chose not only not to protect them, but also to destroy them. I'd like to discuss two possibilities. First, let's suppose that before taking their oath, these governors were all true believers in public education, and that only afterwards did they undergo a soul-changing "Damascus experience," whereby they realized that the only way of saving these schools was by destroying them, as the saying went during the Vietnam era that "the only way of saving a town was destroying it." *** The mystery is how to explain that all of these governors reacted in the very same way. How did these true believers in public schools suddenly become their fiercest opponents, so fierce, in fact, that far from trying to improve these schools, they replaced them with charters? Advertisement What prompted these governors, now securely in power, to suddenly become so disenchanted with public schools that they're now closing them all over the country? How do they reconcile this with their oath, or do they simply refuse to face what they've done? How did these educational neophytes all suddenly "see the light" at the same time? How did they discover that public schools were so beyond the pale of redemption that they had to be closed? Was this mass conversion to charters pure coincidence or the brainchild of the charter school industry itself, whose vision of a better world convinced these governors to rid America of its public schools, as the words of their oath were still ringing in their ears? *** How did all of these governors become suddenly conversant with educational research which so overwhelmingly convinced them that public schools must be abolished? Did it cross their minds that this newfound "research" might be nothing but a tissue of false accusations concocted by the same charter industry to undermine America's trust in its public schools to make way for charters? Advertisement Or that this was nothing but a hostile and highly financed corporate takeover being sold as educational "reform"? Did these governors realize that no such "research" even existed? *** What prompted their decision, contrary to their oath, to close these public schools rather than work to improve them as is the normal way of addressing such problems? Was this option even considered, and, if so, why was it rejected in favor of charters, apart from their prospect of unlimited profits to potential investors? Since tens of billions of dollars could yearly be diverted to charters from closed and already weakened public schools, why didn't these governors avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest by submitting this "research" to independent experts for a second and third opinion as a check against bias? Why didn't they solicit the input of public-school officials for a more informed opinion before closing these schools? Or is this asking too much of human nature since money is always the most eloquent advocate when arguing a case? Did this "research" unearth any problems that were not related to decades of systemic underfunding of public schools, as opposed to the billions that would now be pouring into charter coffers to elated investors? *** Advertisement Why didn't these governors with their misgivings about public schools, which had served the nation well for over 150 years, bring their "research" to the public at once, lest it later be suggested that they simply colluded in inventing this claim? Or why didn't they call a national news conference to outline their findings and produce this "research" that would confirm their claim, research that, curiously, has never been provided? More curiously still, why didn't the press, in that once grand tradition of investigative journalism, seize upon this absence of evidence and expose these governors for what they were doing? If closing public schools was contingent on "evidence" which was never provided, then it was safe to assume that it never existed for, if it did, these governors would have produced it in support of their claim. Put briefly, there was never a basis for closing these schools! Surely, seasoned journalists must have realized what was actually happening, so why didn't they go public with it? And now you begin to understand what is going on in this country. *** Advertisement Or why didn't these governors hold exhaustive, wide-ranging, and televised hearings into these public-school "weaknesses," call witnesses, and solicit learned opinion on both sides of this question? Did they think that the public didn't have a stake in the success of its schools and wouldn't want to know what was wrong with them? Or did these governors fear a public outcry from public-school parents who might have disagreed with them, thereby depriving these governors of a pretext for closing these schools? Why didn't these governors want an open and honest public discussion about their claims, unless they feared they'd lose control of the narrative and be exposed as having no case? Is it any wonder, then, that they proceeded by stealth rather than dealing with public anger during these hearings? Does this explain their cloak-and-dagger secrecy, their keeping to the shadows, their failure to provide information except when schools closures had occurred? Advertisement Wasn't it easier to plunge these schools into chaos by simply closing them and replacing them with unregulated charters, without any proof of these charters' vaunted superiority, with their countless scandals of financial corruption that have since come to light? *** And what of the millions of public-school children whose education has been disrupted? Why are these governors still bleeding their schools white by drastic underfunding to cause these children to fail and their schools to close and re-open as charters? Why do the majority of these closings unfairly target Black and Hispanic children from poor neighborhoods in a new form of Jim Crow racism? And what of the millions of their outraged parents, whose lives, families, and neighborhood communities have been turned upside down by these governors beholden to a corporate agenda rather than the public schools they swore to protect? And what of those tens of thousands of teachers thrown out of work because of an unfounded claim that their schools were failing, a tactic that weakens public-school unions as part of these governors' corporate agenda? Advertisement *** Was closing these schools about anything but a contempt for democracy and the rights of citizens, who now realize what they have always suspected -- that there is something very rotten in this state of Denmark? Are these governors concerned about the open secret that their educational "reform" has been exposed as a hoax, devised by the charter school industry with the collusion of governors to weaken America's trust in its public schools? Are they concerned that the public now understands that closing public schools was merely the pretext for enriching charters by misappropriating billions to defraud children of a public-school education, which has never been about profit for investors, but only about children? Are they concerned that these unregulated charters are exempt from state regulations for keeping financial records, a golden inducement to widespread corruption? Why did these governors and their state legislatures sanction these sweetheart deals in the charters they grant these privatized schools as a quid pro quo for campaign contributions in this brave new world of educational "reform"? Advertisement Who will guard these guards themselves, who perjure themselves that they'll guard our democracy and its public schools, and then proceed to destroy them? Part II: Social Equality The United States of America freed the slaves with the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865. The Civil Rights act of 1965 desegregated the country. In 2008, the United States elected its first African American president. In 2008, the first woman ran for President of the United States. The same woman is the first First Lady to be elected into office. After years and years of struggle, the LGBTQ community was finally granted equal marriage rights, after the Supreme Court deemed state rulings against gay marriage unconstitutional and deemed the Defense of Marriage act unconstitutional. It is 2016, African Americans, women and the LGBTQ community are three of many groups who are still not equality treated to the quintessential white Protestant man. To many millennials, there is nothing that separates different groups of people but the social stigmas and stereotypes are the only items keeping those groups seemingly socially oppressed. State of the Economy As of right now, there is not an imminent economic depression. There have been times in a millennial's lifetime where the DOW finishes lower than the average, like at the beginning of Obama's presidency. While the price of a barrel of oil is not beneficial to the index, the rest of the global economy is suffering from Greece in economic ruin to China seeing downward sliding trends which is affecting the American economy, too. It is about finding a balance between the large amount if imports and exports, as well as not expanding the deficit much more, in order to safeguard the slippery slope which the United States economy could find itself on. Environment/Renewable Resources The price of a barrel of oil decreases everyday. The price of a barrel of oil decreased in value almost every single day in 2015. As a native Texan, it is hard to see the Houston economy find a place of depression, but there companies cutting jobs left and right. One of the hottest commodities in the United States market is struggling, so now it is time to find something to take its place in energy. While the Republicans want to continue with another pipeline through rural Iowa, the Democrats are looking to bolster the EPA and finding renewable resources to sustain this country. Whether oil is used less or not, another important goal is to remain ardent supporters of altering the negative affects of climate change. The Republican party wants to dissolve the EPA and does not find importance in saving the environment. It remains an important part of the Democratic platform at this time. Social Issues: Becoming a Less Judgmental Generation When did everyone become so sensitive? Truthfully, it could come from the millennial generation itself. It was not said any better than the dean from Oklahoma Wesleyan University who said 'this is not a daycare! It's a university!', after a student felt "victimized" after a homily during a church service. Dean Dr. Everett Piper sent a clear message that a university was not meant to be a daycare, but a place to challenge students. And if you aren't okay with that, well Piper said as a student, you aren't in the right place. Some students of Des Moines University were able to participate in a class to learn more of what will and could happen on caucus night, and for some of the participants, Monday night will be there first Iowan caucus night. DMU hosted a 'Caucus 101' event, to ensure students knew what to expect on Monday night. While those hosting the event thought there would be some participation, about 100 students showed up to learn how to become involved in their political community, and each of them was excited to see such a turnout. Three medical students from DMU and their president were eager to talk about their experiences, the importance of being educated and their political interests and possible candidate choices. Advertisement Reeya Patel, a second year medical student with a specialty in Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, said this is going to be her first caucus. While Patel grew up in the Quad Cities in Iowa, she said did not grow up around politics and was not interested in it until she began medical school. Patel said she joined Student Osteopathic Medical Association, which is a student-run political organization and that started her interest. "Each year we take students to Washington D.C. for 'DO Day On The Hill'*, that is kinda what sparked my interest. More than anything I am learning more as we go, it has been great," Patel said. "So this will be definitely be my first caucus, and I don't know where I am going after this so I may not even be in Iowa for residency, it's just up in the air where I get a job, so this definitely could be my one time to get my voice out there," Patel said. Advertisement Patel is a first time caucus-goer and Rob Heineman a 1st year medical student, is too. "I'm from Nebraska, so we get... all the TV (coverage) and such from Iowa but we can't do anything about it. It is pretty awesome to be apart of the process this time," Heineman said. For students who are not sure if they want to participate, Kyle Jaschen, 2nd year medical student in College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, said participating in an Iowa Caucus could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "You are living here right now, and for those who may go on to residency somewhere else, this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, is the way I look at it for some people. And living here, is such a unique opportunity, I feel like it is almost a responsibility, to go out there and cast your vote, no matter who it is for," Jaschen said. For Patel, she thinks there will be more than a 50 percent chance for students showing up on caucus night, too. "I hear a lot of my friends, who are especially from California, that they want to go because 'when will I ever be in Iowa for caucus ever again?' so I am hoping it is a good turnout," Patel said. Advertisement Jaschen said he hopes to see more than 50-50 too, and the second year medical students said he believes the 'Caucus 101' class could help make voters more comfortable. "It can be really intimidating if you don't know what you are walking into...I am hoping it made people more comfortable, and show up, 'I kinda know what is going on here, and I maybe I can do this," Jaschen said. * * * DMU President Angela Franklin said she was happy to support the students who were interested in putting together a class for the upcoming caucus. "One thing that we can say about our students is that, our students are very active...Which is part of who we are as an institution... I proudly sit on the sidelines and watch them do a lot of great things throughout the year. So them being involved in this sort of went hand and hand with them being very civic minded and active and wanting to be a part of and engaging the community. They represent us well," Franklin said. * * * While all three students are medical students, their political views are different. "We don't have a class on the business and politics of healthcare. So that is something that is foreign to a lot of students still, at this stage in our education," Jaschen said. Advertisement "It is a big factor for students when they are graduating and come out with nearly $250,000 in debt. That number just staggers me and so you're right, that's an issue when looking at a political candidate," Jaschen said. While Jaschen might not have been subject to the conflict between students loans and healthcare issues, as he is on a military scholarship and isn't subject to the healthcare system, Heineman said he sees healthcare from his point of view as a doctor and as a person. "However, I see kind of the long term thing of taking it a step back, and what would be the best for everybody, the entire population, everyone we have to take care of. A lot of times those are at odds because reform, in my opinion, is necessary," Heineman said. * * * To keep up with caucus coverage, follow us on Twitter with the hashtag, #oucovers16. To follow me on Twitter, @glorianoble_. * 'DO Day on the Hill': "DO Day on Capitol Hill will be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, in Washington, D.C. DO Day provides an exciting opportunity for DOs and osteopathic medical students to come to Washington, D.C. and use their time to educate members of Congress and their staff on who DOs are and why osteopathic medicine is so important," according to the American Osteopathic Association. Two days after interviewing for an accounting job at an adult video company, I walked down a long hallway lined with movie posters displaying voluptuous women enticing the viewer into the bedroom, beside the pool, and under the bleachers. All weekend I had been obsessing over this job. What would it be like working in the porn industry? Would I fit it? I was a child of the sixties and no stranger to "free-love" and an occasional menage-a-trois. But the only profits I gained from those experiences were some great memories. This was different. This was an establishment that sold sex. Filled with jitters and questions, I passed an office where several women sat in front of computers. I heard one of them mention something about a "quick dick" and another complain the inventory for Swedish Erotic 12 was out of balance. A glance at the pictures tacked above their desks, told me they were both moms with preschool age children, just like me. Advertisement The door opened briefly as I passed the editing room and loud "ooh's" and "aahs" and shrieks of pleasure escaped into the hallway. As the door closed a bald headed guy, eating lunch from a paper bag, gave me a friendly wave. In Human Resources, a box of sex toys sat on a shelf next to a photo of a boy in a cap and gown. Once in my office, I looked around. An ordinary desk. An ordinary chair. An ordinary phone. I didn't know what I was expecting, but certainly not what happened next. Behind my desk stood a very large file cabinet. I began searching through the files in order to get a feel for the job. Leaving it open, I pulled out the second drawer. I then turned around and wham! I found myself pinned between my desk and the cabinet, absolutely clueless to the cause of my demise. So, I did what any working girl would do and started screaming. And screaming. Could no one hear me over the pleasurable moans emitting from the editing room? Or had only a few seconds actually passed when the first co-worker appeared at my office door? Advertisement "Oh my god!" A female shouted. "Are you okay?" "What's going on?" the next person to arrive asked. "Voice over try outs," someone else said. Once the cabinet was pulled off my back, I started laughing. How could I not? Other than a minor backache, I was perfectly fine and how ditzy of me not to realize you cannot open the top drawers of a large piece of furniture and expect it to remain upright. After regaining my composure another co worker came barging into my office. "So, I hear you like it from behind." Once again, laughter erupted. In that moment I realized that, yes, sex was a serious business when it came to the debits and credits, but just like every other industry, there would be inside jokes. As I stared at the people who had come to my rescue, all my doubts and worries disappeared. I realized they were ordinary people. From the warehouse guy who shipped porn around the country, to the director who choreographed the climax scenes, to the administrative assistant who made sure there was always a pot of coffee in the kitchen, they were all just men and women trying to put food on the table, pay the rent, put their children through college. Once I regained my composure, I placed a photo of my daughter and husband on my desk. With my first paycheck, I decided to take my family out to dinner. And buy some of those intriguing rooster-headed condoms I saw during my tour of the warehouse. Advertisement This blog originally appeared In The Powder Room. Earlier on Huff/Post50: Xu Zhen, Eternity, 2013-4 Glass fiber-reinforced concrete, marble grains, sandstone grains, limestone grains, chalk, steel and mineral pigments 1522.5 (L) x 93 (D) x 460 (H) cm (pedestal included) Produced by MadeIn Company Shanghai-based artist Xu Zhen is interested in the theme of aesthetic collisions across time and culture. With the help of recent advances in the fabrication of sculptural forms, he has been realizing his ideas in monumental installations that quote and re-constitute ancient sculptures. For example, Xu Zhen's Eternity, which made its debut at Art Basel, 2014, consisted of fabricated replicas of the heroic classical statuary that once decorated the east pediment of the Parthenon. Several of these classical reproductions serve as bases for -- or more precisely, impale--inverted replicas of ancient Buddha statues. The detail and fidelity of these copies would have been nearly impossible to achieve: the labor and expense required would have been extraordinary. The entire field of sculpture--and its range of possibilities -- is undergoing an expansion and transformation. Digital technology, including 3-D scanning and CNC (computer numerical control) milling are facilitating and industrializing the creation of objects of extraordinary subtlety and complexity. "The use of 3-D modeling techniques changes the production time and the accuracy of the objects being produced," Xu Zhen explains, "but more importantly it also enables realizations of the imagination to a greater degree." Advertisement Mark Rossi, whose firm Handmade often works with sculptor Charles Ray, also has positive things to say about these developments: "3-D modeling enables the creation of objects (both virtual and subsequently physical) that cannot be created by other methods. It enables exploration and iteration more rapidly in some cases than model/pattern making can, and at potentially much lower cost. Also, shifts in scale can be accommodated immediately." Xu Zhen, a conceptualist who describes himself as both an artist and curator, has the production of his works overseen by the MadeIn Company, which he founded and owns. According to Alexia Deheane of MadeIn, the process of making the final forms for Eternity began with 3-D scanning: "First, we got permission to make scans of the original Parthenon sculptures. Their forms were initially scanned, worked on in 3-D software for more accurate detailing, and then printed in parts afterwards. Using the printed parts, we went back to traditional molding and casting, working with glass fiber reinforced concrete, sandstone, limestone, marble grains and mineral pigments. We worked with a team from Switzerland's Kunstgiesserei during the entire process." European Thousand-Hand Classical Sculpture (2014) Glass fiber reinforced concrete, marble grains, marble, metal 304 x 1470 x 473 cm (3 editions) Produced by MadeIn Company, Photo by Thomas Fuesser Advertisement Building on the success of Eternity, Xu Zhen assembled and re-configured the forms of 19 classical sculptures for European Thousand-Hand Classical Sculpture, which was presented in his solo show at the Long Museum -- a private museum founded by the collector/couple Liu Yiqian and Wang Wei -- in March of 2015. Based on eight months of research and modeled from photos taken by a team of photographers sent around the world, European Thousand-Hand Sculpture was produced with a combination of fabrication techniques and traditional sculptural processes. A complex multi-figured project, it would have taken an army of skilled stone-carvers decades to execute, but Xu Zhen's fabricators finished their work in about a year and a half. The reinforced concrete used in Xu Zhen's projects is only one many materials that is being utilized in conjunction with digitally based fabrication methods. Artificial stone composites, bound by cement or concrete, can be endowed with the appearance of natural stone through the addition of sand and crushed stone. Highly varied in terms of color, luster and weight artificial stone composites can be cast in a negative mold and then milled, chiseled, sanded and painted. Plaster, a familiar material often used in the 19th century for academic casts is also offering new possibilities. At Antiquity Stone in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, a dozen computer-operated stone cutting machines and two robots cut, mill and polish the works of owner/artist Jeff Koons, including his recent monumental plaster figure: Gazing Ball (Farnese Heracles). Katharina Fritsch, Figurengruppe, 2006-08 (fabricated 2010-11) Bronze, copper, and stainless steel, lacquered, dimensions variable photo 2011 by Mark Rifkin / twi-ny.com Sculptor Katharina Fritsch has something in common with Xu Zhen in that her fabricated works are often based on existing forms. Her digitally modeled Figurengruppe, which is based on cheap souvenir figurines often sold near European pilgrimage sites, was first made in painted polyester and then recast in 2010-11 in lacquered copper and bronze. A more recent Fritsch work, a blue rooster that appeared on a plinth in Trafalgar Square in 2013, began with a complex 3-D model that was used to develop a steel, wood, and eps foam "masterform" which was covered with 3-D printed parts. That form, in turn, was used as the basis of negative molds that produced the glass-fiber reinforced components of the final steel-supported sculpture. Advertisement Detail of Charles Ray, Boy With Frog (2009) Painted fiberglass, 96 1/16 x 29 1/2 x 41 5/16 inches Photo: Courtesy of Ben Davis Charles Ray's eight foot tall Boy With Frog, which has been produced in fiberglass and cast stainless steel versions, is based on photographs of a live model which were scanned and then used as the basis for a 3-D digital model. A modeling software equipped with a "haptic interface" that provides feedback via touch was used by Ray to refine the digital model, which then became the basis of scale models in urethane foam. For artists who want to use new technologies and methods to realize their work, there are some notable problems to be faced. Mark Rossi of Handmade cites "high entry costs in initiating projects, size constraints on machine working envelopes and difficulty in working to create usable files for machining." Rossi thinks of high tech fabrication as "a tool in the box" and notes that it has "inherent restraints." Nonetheless, it is clear that technology is forever changing the range of sculptures formal and expressive possibilities. Along with striking new possibilities, the rise of fabrication raises aesthetic questions. Among the questions raised is what digital modeling and production does to the "soul" of works of art but further distancing them from the physical touch of the sculptor and sense of "drawing" underlying the form. There is a tendency for forms based on 3-D models to look just a bit too perfect, like the imagery of a high-end digital animation. Some artists may want that effect, while others may find it cold. ISIS militant in Mosul In less than a year a new president will occupy the Oval Office. That president will inherit a far more dangerous, more chaotic world than the one that existed eight years ago. The new president will have to address a broad range of foreign policy matters demanding attention, but three broad issues in particular will determine the tenor, focus and likely success of American foreign policy in the years ahead. These three issues are: the broad band of instability that now stretches from the Gulf of Guinea across North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia all the way to the shadow of the Hindu Kush; Russia's ongoing attempts to reassert a large degree of political control over the "near abroad," the former states of the Soviet Union; and China's increasingly assertive posture in East Asia and in particular the South China Sea. Taken together, these three overriding issues will form the framework in which U.S. foreign policy will largely be formulated and implemented. Today there is a broad arc of instability stretching from West Africa to Central Asia. The region is literally coming apart at the seams as the post-World War I and post-World War II political boundaries are being dissolved. Iraq, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen and Mali have all joined the fraternity of failed states. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tunisia and Egypt are all fighting powerful insurgent movements that could well tip them into the chaos of civil war. Sub-Saharan Africa is becoming increasingly radicalized by the growth of jihadist insurgencies. In the meantime, Iran is continuing its attempts to destabilize its Sunni Arab neighbors. Advertisement The growing instability of the region has many sources: Shia-Sunni rivalries; the growth of jihadist movements in general and in particular the spread of transnational jihadist organizations throughout this zone; the reassertion of Persian imperialism and Tehran's self-proclaimed role as the defender of Shiite minorities around the world; the continuing residue of the Arab spring and the ongoing impact of social media in mobilizing civil unrest. We can now add an additional factor of instability: the precipitous decline in the price of petroleum. For decades the petro-monarchies of the Middle East have maintained a degree of internal stability by buying off domestic opponents with financial largess. In a world of $30 per barrel oil such financial indulgence will become increasingly difficult to finance. The financial reserves and sovereign funds that these countries have created will buy them a two to three, at most a five year, grace period. Once their reserve funds are significantly depleted, their financial position, and by extension their political stability, will grow ever more precarious. These forces of chaos all have different sources, but the willingness of such agents of instability to act opportunistically and to take advantages of existing turmoil means that these sources of unrest are increasingly cross-linked. One can deconstruct all of the different factors that are destabilizing the region, but the fact remains that all of these forces are feeding off one another. Each wave of instability ripples across the region further aggravating the other existing sources of chaos throughout the zone. What is clear from the experience of the last quarter century is that although military force has a role to play, armed intervention is not by itself a long-term solution. At best it can contain the impact of some of these destabilizing forces, but it cannot resolve their root causes. Moreover, regardless of our willingness to deploy military force, the situation in this arc of instability will get worse before it gets better. This situation will persist for the foreseeable future. We are facing conflicts that will be multi-generational in length and that will encompass a broad geography in scope. Advertisement We are deceiving ourselves if we believe that remotely controlled drone warfare, "smart bombs," and elite Special Forces alone are sufficient to stabilize the situation. The odds are that much broader military deployments will ultimately be needed; although the composition of such forces is still to be determined. Neither the United States nor its European allies have sufficient manning levels to support extended deployments -- not without forcing existing military personnel into a never-ending cycle of continuous tours of duty. The restoration of some form of mandatory military service, i.e. a draft, may be unavoidable. That will be a high unpopular decision that governments can be expected to defer as long as possible. The broad geographic scope of this arc of instability coupled with the ability of jihadist organizations to strike virtually anywhere in the world makes this conflict a global one. Regardless of whether we choose to call it a world war, it will certainly feel that way and it will demand the same level of sacrifice and commitment of prior world conflicts. Even then, there will not be any assurance of success. Russian Sukhoi Su-25 over Syria Russia on the other hand presents a different situation. Vladimir Putin's pugnaciousness notwithstanding, Russia is no longer a super power. With a GDP of just slightly over one trillion dollars it has an economy 1/15 that of the United States. In fact, its economy is now smaller than that of the state of Texas. Nonetheless, although Russia does not have the economic wherewithal to be a superpower, it has inherited the nuclear arsenal of a superpower and the military pretensions of its Soviet predecessor. Russia no longer has the ability to project military power on a sustained global basis. At current oil prices, and with the added weight of economic sanctions, Russia cannot afford even the downscaled military force posture that the Kremlin desires. Moreover, the Russian defense industry lacks the scale to remain financially viable unless it can continue to be a major arms exporter. This objective is becoming increasingly difficult in the face of the economic sanctions that were imposed on Russia following its seizure of the Crimea. These problems will become even more acute as Putin's proposed military buildup is inevitably scaled back in the wake of the Kremlin's budgetary shortfalls. A government heavily dependent on oil and gas exports, with an aging population and an economy that, outside of raw material extraction, is increasingly uncompetitive does not auger well for Russia or for its military ambitions. Russia is in long-term decline. World petroleum prices will affect the rate of that decline, but that outcome is unavoidable. In another generation or two it may well fall apart and join the list of other failed states. In the short term, however, we can expect Russia to be relentless in its attempts to exert more control over its periphery of former Soviet states. Advertisement Much as George Keenan advised in 1947, when he argued for a policy of containment to resist Soviet expansionism until its own internal contradictions would precipitate its collapse, so too today we need to contain Russia to ensure that it does not destabilize the former Soviet states and former dependencies along its periphery. While patience may ultimately triumph over Russian ambitions, it also comes with a danger. Declining powers can be prone to rash and dangerous actions. Knowing that your hand is getting weaker may spur reconciliation and accommodation or it can precipitate provocative military adventurism. Russia's ongoing policy towards Ukraine will be a good indication of whether the Kremlin will opt for accommodation or more confrontation. China poses an altogether different set of problems for U.S. foreign policy. China's military budget is approximately 200 billion dollars a year, about 35% of what the United States spends, and represents the second largest military expenditure in the world. In reality, the gap in military expenditures between the U.S. and China is actually a lot smaller. China's manpower costs are a lot lower than those of the United States. Moreover, much of the defense manufacturing sector is owned directly by the Chinese military or the Chinese government. On a purchasing power basis, Chinese military expenditures are probably about 50% to 60% of those of the United States. Additionally, most of China's expenditures are focused on its military posture in East Asia, while those of the United States are spread out all over the world. China's increasingly aggressive behavior in the South China Sea is galvanizing a realignment of international relations in the region, one that is seeing old antagonists like the U.S. and Vietnam, or the Philippines and Japan, put aside their historic differences. China's aggressiveness is also spurring an expansion of Japanese military forces and the adoption of a much broader role for these forces beyond the immediate territorial defense of Japan. It is also spurring an arms race in the region. East Asia is now as big a market for armaments as is the Middle East. Conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea There have been no shortage of pundits who have speculated on the likelihood of a Chinese-American military clash. This seems unlikely. China sees itself as a rising military power, one whose ability to project military force beyond its immediate security zone will steadily grow. On the other hand, Beijing sees the United States as a declining power, one whose ability to project sufficient power to counterbalance China in the region will steadily wane. Without a strong American role in East Asia, China's political, economic and military power will, as it has historically, tower above those of its neighbors. Advertisement The key to China's military power, however, is contingent on the continued growth of China's economy. Over the last 40 years China's ability to mobilize hundreds of millions of underemployed rural workers and employ them in the rapidly industrializing coastal cities has driven an unprecedented expansion of the Chinese economy. The benefits of that mobilization have largely run its course, however, and it is not clear that China has the wherewithal to continue to maintain this torrid pace of economic growth. Their economy is still burdened by a large inefficient state sector, poor capital allocation and rampant and systemic corruption. The much heralded, consumer spending driven second phase of Chinese economic growth has failed to materialize. China has increasingly resorted to competitive devaluations to try to kick start its weakening export industries. Capital flight has become a serious problem. Although China has more than three trillion dollars in foreign reserves, capital flight has already made a significant and noticeable dent in those reserves. Capital controls could stem the capital flight, but such controls are incompatible with Beijing's plans to internationalize the Yuan's role as an international medium of exchange and as a reserve currency. Accommodating rising powers like China, just like imperial Germany a century ago, always pose a challenge to the stability of the international system. China's vaunted patience in restoring its traditional hegemonic role in East Asia will grow thin if China's economic problems make such an outcome less likely. There is one more issue that will confront the next American president, and that is the disarray of Europe. Europe's grand experiment in peacefully building a new supranational state is faltering. A common currency has aggravated the differences between a prosperous industrialized north and a less developed south without offering a mechanism for long-term structural reform. Centrist parties continue to lose political ground to extremist parties on both the left and the right. The possibility of a British exit from the EU is not inconceivable. The usual solution of "more Europe," i.e. of expanding the EU's role, does not seem to be the answer, and in any case has waning support among the EU's member states. The chaos in North Africa and the Middle East is spilling into Europe further destabilizing the EU's political cohesion. Europe does not have a coherent strategy for dealing with the million plus refugees that arrived in 2015 much less the additional refugees that will attempt to enter in 2016. The lack of a Franco-German consensus on a way forward for Europe is also aggravating the EU's disarray. The U.S. needs Europe as a strong and cohesive partner. American foreign policy is more effective when it's paralleled by similar European policies and when they have been formulated as part of a broader Euro-American consensus. Unfortunately, there is little that the U.S. can do resolve Europe's current disarray. Advertisement The Lafayette Escadrille The Lafayette Escadrille, July 1917 In 1916, following the French model, the German High Command reorganized their air forces into specialist bomber and fighter squadrons. By the beginning of the following year, aided by the deployment of aircraft such as the Fokker D I, D II and D III and the Albatros D I, the Germans had once again achieved air superiority over the Western Front. In the meantime, although the United States was not yet in the war, many American volunteers were flying in Allied air squadrons. In March of that year, the French organized Squadron Number 123, called the Escadrille Americaine. The word Escadrille simply meant squadron. The Germans filed an official objection with the U.S. government over the name; claiming it suggested American support for the French war effort and was a violation of America's stated neutrality. In response to a request from Washington, in December the squadron was renamed the Lafayette Escadrille in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette--a hero of both the American and French revolutions. The squadron had been the idea of Dr. Edmund L. Gros, medical director of the American Field Service (AFS), and Norman Prince. The AFS, which today conducts intercultural exchange programs around the world for young people, began as a volunteer ambulance service during World War I staffed mostly by expatriate Americans living in France. Advertisement Prince and Price hoped that the exploits of an American air unit fighting on behalf of the Allies would spur public support of the Allied cause in the United States and lead to a formal entry of the U.S. into World War I. The Escadrille Americaine, escadrille N. 124, was authorized by the French Air Department on March 21, 1916. It was deployed on April 20 in Luxruil-les-Bains, a small town in Burgundy in eastern France. By May, the squadron had been trained to combat level and it was soon in action over Verdun. On May 18, 1916, while over the Verdun battlefield, Kiffin Rockwell recorded the squadron's first aerial kill. The squadron consisted of 28 American pilots, including Eugene Bullard, the first African-American fighter pilot. The escadrille's commander, Captain Georges Thenault, was French and so were the unit's mechanics, airplanes and ground support. There were an additional five French pilots that flew, at various times, with the squadron. Its members all wore French uniforms. The number of volunteer American pilots exceeded the capacity of the Lafayette Escadrille, so the French organized the Lafayette Flying Corp. In total, 265 Americans served in the Corp, including the members of the Lafayette Escadrille. There were a total of 209 American pilots that completed French flight training. Of these, 180 saw combat in the French Air Force. Whisky and Soda, the lion mascots of the Lafayette Escadrille The members of the squadron, with their mixture of gaudy uniforms and their lion cub mascots named Whiskey and Soda, caught the public's imagination. The pilots were able to live and play behind the squalor of the trenches. Their frequent trips to the hot spots of Paris were tempered by the knowledge that the average life expectancy of a World War I fighter pilot was just over three weeks. One pilot who beat the average before finally succumbing was Major Raoul Lufberry, an American citizen born in France. He was the Lafayette Escadrille's first and only ace and America's third highest scoring ace with 17 "kills." He served in both the French and U.S. air services. Lufberry was killed on May 19, 1918 when, during combat, he fell from his blazing Nieuport 28. Advertisement Following the entry of the United States into the war, the squadron was dispersed on February 8, 1918. The pilots were subsequently inducted into the U.S. Air Service. Most of the veteran pilots were assigned to training the newly arrived American airmen. Twelve of the pilots were inducted into the 103rd Aero Squadron. The name of the Lafayette Escadrille was subsequently changed to the Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc) Escadrille and continued its participation in the war. The Escadrille SPA-124, the Jeanne d'Arc Escadrille, is still an operating squadron of the modern French Air Force. The emergence of air power as a theater of conflict in World War I represented an unprecedented expansion of the battlefield into a third dimension. Not only was the conflict a world war that encompassed 90 percent of its inhabitants, but it was also a conflict that was fought out everywhere, on land and sea, beneath the waves and in the air. Air power represented the cutting edge of industrial and technological innovation in the early twentieth century, and evolved rapidly following the first successful air flight of the Wright brothers. On the other hand, however intriguing and fascinating, it is hard to see how air power in itself was that crucial a factor in shaping the outcome of the war. Unlike the submarine or the tank, both also important technological innovations that emerged from the war and whose impact on the outcome of the war is far more apparent, we cannot point to any battles whose outcome was shaped by the role of air power. Major Raoul Lufberry in his Nieuport 17 Those daring young men and their flying machines may have captured the public's imagination, and they may have been a useful tool for reconnaissance and the ground support of troops, but in the end their impact in shaping both the conduct and the outcome of the war was muted. Instead it would be fair to say that World War I was the crucible in which the weapon of air power was tested and refined. Many of the roles that would eventually be assumed by air power: air superiority, close ground support, strategic bombing and marine reconnaissance, first emerged during this war. So too did naval air power and the first aircraft carriers, and the role of air power in shaping war at sea. It would take another generation and another world war before the true power of this weapon would be unleashed and when it was, it would prove to be devastating. Advertisement Republican Presidential candidates (L-R) Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich arrive for the Republican Presidential debate sponsored by Fox News at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa on January 28, 2016. / AFP / AFP PHOTO / Jim WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) I thought that when I grew up I would vote Republican. I had an idea that when I got older, I would have "valuable stuff" to protect from taxation and I would support those people who would let me keep my valuable stuff. I became eligible to vote in the Reagan/Bush years and as my Democratic candidates were steadily defeated, I consoled myself with the thought that one day, I too would vote Republican, worry about my tax rate and yell things like, "Hey kids! Get off my lawn!" while I drank martinis and listened to Sinatra. Enter 2016. I am almost 50. I finally have some stuff to protect. I like Sinatra and a good martini. And I am much more interested in taxes than I used to be. To be 100 percent transparent, I actually believe that paying taxes is a small enough sacrifice in order to live in a country that is comfortable and healthy for every American. So even though I haven't shifted ideologically as much as I expected I would, this still should be my time to at least THINK about voting Republican. But the reality is that I don't think the Republican Party is committed to my taxes anymore, and worse, they don't seem to be committed to women in general. Advertisement There was an article in the Washington Post that suggested the Republican Party in the House and Senate has polarized more quickly and more decisively than the Democratic Party, contributing to a widening gap in the moderate center. Some people theorize that this hole is partly what has given Donald Trump a firm base. I wondered if this shift was driven by an "official" Republican Party platform change, or if it was more organic. So, I grabbed the Republican Platform Statement from 1984 and the Republican Platform Statement from 2012 and fed them each into their own, plain text Word documents to look at word usage as an indicator of a possible shift in focus. Shift in Talking about Taxes I started with the concept of "tax" to see if there was the same focus on taxation as I thought there used to be. Wasn't the Republican Party all about smaller Federal Government and less tax? I started by searching the string "tax" in both the 1984 and 2012 Republican Platform documents. I chose that word as it would pick up not only the word "tax," but also the words "taxation" and "taxes" and might deliver a true read of the concept. In 1984, the Republican Platform mentioned "tax" 130 times. In 2012, by contrast, "tax" was mentioned 97 times -- 25% less than it was in 1984. At this point, my husband, who is often a voice of reason, noted that there had been (*ahem*) a few changes in our country over the past 30 years and perhaps this wasn't the "apples to apples" comparison I was looking for. So, I made a martini and pulled up the 1984 and 2012 Democratic Platforms. My thought was that if the issue itself was no longer as much of a focus because of a changing environment in the U.S., perhaps the Democratic platforms would show a similar shift. Advertisement But there was no shift. The Democratic platform mentioned "tax" 62 times in 1984 and 82 times in 2012, an increase of 32%. It could be that the change in the number of mentions on taxes between the two Republican Platforms reflects an audience that is no longer interested in concrete discussions about math-based things and are instead more interested in volatile and emotionally-charged discussions about non-math-based things. This article from The Nation states that the Republican Party made a specific decision in 1968 to change their platform in order to attract the Southern White voters. But regardless of the reason, the rough numbers seem to indicate that the Republican Party has less of a focus on taxes today than they did 30 years ago and that while the Democrats still talk about tax less often than the Republicans, it appears they are picking up their mentions. Super bad news for me and my itemized deductions. Shift in Discussion of Women As frequently happens when researching stuff, something else jumped out at me in the Platform comparisons. There was a disturbing change on how the Republican Party approached women. I'm no fan of Ronald Reagan (I was one of the 12 people in 1984 who voted Mondale/Ferraro) but while I was actually reading the 1984 Republican Platform, I realized that, bless their hearts, they made a huge effort to draw in women and advocate for their advancement. Sure, there was a paragraph stating that the Republican Party opposed abortion, but there were also almost 1,400 words in the 1984 Republican Party Platform talking about mostly economic issues for women. This was, after all, the era of yuppie women in a short skirt and a long jacket. Advertisement Lately, I don't recall hearing a lot about what specifically the Republican Party wants to do in terms of women, so I decided to apply the same technique to the word "women" in the 1984 and 2012 Platform documents. I took out mentions of the phrases "men and women" and "women and men" to avoid counting mentions of our "men and women in the military" and the like. The upshot is that while Republicans might say that they are all about women, at least in 2012 women didn't get much press except in terms of eliminating abortion. In 1984, the Republican Party Platform mentioned "women" 40 times, but in 2012 they mentioned "women" only 7 times. Of those 7 times in 2012, 3 of them were in relation to the elimination of legal abortion. This represents an 83% decline in even throwing women a bone and mentioning a women's issue of any kind, even if it is a uterine-based issue. Compared to the roughly 1,400 words used in 1984 to talk about programs for women, in 2012, there were just 257 words devoted to women. Just over half of those words pertained to eliminating abortion and the remainder was mainly about women in the military. Again, the voice of reason in my head (which sounds a lot like my husband) urged that perhaps it was a universal change. There has definitely been progress made in women's roles between 1984 and 2012, and maybe it wasn't a Party-specific change. So I looked at the 1984 and 2012 Democratic Platforms to see if they also showed an overall decline in the use of the word "women". However, the Democratic Platforms showed a 5% increase in mentions of women -- 40 mentions in 1984 and 42 in 2012. In the interest of fairness, let's call it flat. Therefore, a decreasing focus on women's issues between 1984 and 2012 does not seem to be a universal trend. But perhaps the thing that bothered me the most was the overall tone of the content about women. You can't easily quantify it with graphs, but in 1984, the Republican Party spoke with strong words in regard to women. They said things like "We are creating an environment in which individual talents and creativity can be tapped to the fullest, while assuring that women have equal opportunity, security, and real choices for the promising future." Advertisement OK, that sounds like a lot of "blah, blah, blah" rhetoric. But I still prefer it to 2012, where the tone is much more about protection, not enablement. For example, in 2012 the Republican Party Platform states "... we affirm our moral obligation to assist, rather than penalize, women challenged by an unplanned pregnancy." Doesn't this sound like women need some help to meet their challenges because they can't figure it out alone? And doesn't it seem like women are expected to just go with whatever approach the Party decides to adopt? But thank goodness women will not be penalized for unplanned pregnancies, at least in 2012! Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Surface Tension, 1992, plasma or rear-projection screen, computerised surveillance system, custommade software. Courtesy the artist and Carroll/Fletcher, London. Photo: Maxime Dufour. Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. Electronic Superhighway 2016-1966: Digital Art in Historic Context In the September 2012 issue of Artforum, art critic Claire Bishop caused a stir in a piece called the "Digital Divide." In this article, which begins with the provocative statement, "Whatever happened to digital art?" Bishop claimed that "the appearance and content of contemporary art have been curiously unresponsive to the total upheaval in our labor and leisure inaugurated by the digital revolution." Whilst dismissing new media art as a specialized corner of the art world, altogether too "niche" to consider with regards to her argument, she lamented that the "mainstream art world" on the whole has seemed to willfully ignore the effects of the digital age. Oliver Laric, Versions (Missile Variations), 2010, airbrushed paint on aluminum composite board, in 10 parts. Private Collection, London. Courtesy the artist and Seventeen Gallery, London. Oliver Laric. Advertisement In the wake of exhibitions like the 2015 New Museum Triennial and the rise of the art world's Instagram obsession, it seems that the digital revolution and the drastic changes it has wrought in every aspect of how we live, work, and play have become more central to the art conversation now. Many of the new media artists that Bishop passed over in 2012 as belonging to an obscure niche could be considered mainstream in 2016. Art museums now sponsor festivals of Internet Cat Videos. Yet we are still clearly in the throes of grappling with the question of "what it means to think, see, and filter affect through the digital," while the digital landscape continues to shift and change quickly and often imperceptibly under our feet. We are caught in swell, with the horizon line lost in the distance. A period in time when it suddenly becomes nearly impossible to imagine what life was like before the internet. (What on earth did we do all day?) Katja Novitskova, Innate Disposition 2, 2012, digital print on aluminum, cutout display. Courtesy of the Artist and Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin. A new exhibition at Whitechapel Gallery in London, opening January 29, 2016, attempts to give some historical perspective to how computer and internet technologies have left their imprint on art making in the last 50 years. "Electronic Superhighway (2016-1966)," curated by Omar Kholeif with Seamus McCormack, is a major exhibition comprising over 100 artworks from artists like Hito Steyerl, Amalia Ulman, Cory Arcangel, Ryan Trecartin, Nam June Paik, and Stan VanDerBeek--a timely and welcome retrospective of art practices from post-internet to proto-internet. Advertisement Eduardo Kac, Tesao (Horny), 1985, Minitel Artwork. Courtesy the artist and England & Co. Gallery, London. Eduardo Kac. Significantly, the exhibition moves backwards in time, from 2016 to 1966. This orientation of the chronology is instructive in a number of ways. Firstly, because internet technologies are so pervasive in our daily lives, it can be difficult to distance one's perspective from them. By moving back in time, the exhibition eases us into the past, rather than launching us abruptly back into 1966 when computers took up whole rooms and were operated by punch cards and dials. Secondly, by experiencing the newer works first, their impressions are overlaid onto the earlier works, whose foundational qualities become more apparent, from early net art, to computer generated drawings, to performances synchronized to occur at a global scale. Amalia Ulman, Excellences & Perfections (Instagram Update, 18th June 2014), 2015, C-Type print dry mounted on aluminium, mounted on black edge frame. Courtesy the artist and Arcadia Missa, London Amalia Ulman. The exhibition begins with works of art made in the last decade or so (from 2000-2016), works that engage with the contemporary conditions enabled and engendered by the pervasive influence of the internet into our daily lives. Works like Oliver Laric's painting series Versions (Missile Variations) (2010) address the new ecology of images we inhabit, while Amalia Ulman's Instagram project Excellences & Perfections (2014-2015) examines how we construct our lives and relate to each other through social media. More sinister issues of the global network, from surveillance to commercialization, are explored through works from artists like Trevor Paglen to activist collectives like The Yes Men. Olia Lialina, My Boyfriend Came Back from the War, 1996, Net Art - screenshot. Courtesy the artist. Olia Lialina. Advertisement Stepping back to the age before the advent of the high resolution digital image, before the widespread adoption of social media, before Web 2.0 and the dot-com boom, the early days of the world wide web, in the 1990's, gave rise to early user-based net art, such as Olia Lialina's 1996 project My Boyfriend Came Back from the War. The new media art of this period centered on the development of individual web pages, many of which are now archived by the digital arts organization Rhizome. Net art, while graphically primitive, emphasized the built-in characteristics of the web browser and other developments in digital network technologies that were new at the time: hyperlinks and interactive features allowed narratives to unfold at the click of the mouse. Nam June Paik, Internet Dream, 1994, video sculpture. ZKM Collection. (2008) ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe. Photo: ONUK (Berhard Schmitt). Nam June Paik Estate. Prior to 1989, in the pre-internet days, artists were involved in myriad experiments in other emergent electronic technologies that anticipated the networked and globally connected world. As a good example, in Good Morning, Mr. Orwell (1984), artist Nam June Paik organized an ambitious live television program of performances by artists and pop musicians, from Laurie Anderson to the Thompson Twins, transmitted internationally via satellite and broadcast in the U.S., Germany, and South Korea. It was Paik, in fact, who coined the phrase "electronic superhighway," back in 1974, predicting the rise of global communications networks and the inter-connected world. Ulla Wiggen, Den roda Tv:n, 1967, acrylic on board. Collection Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Courtesy Moderna Museet, Stockholm/Asa Lunden. Ulla Wiggen. "Electronic Superhighway" concludes in 1966 with Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.), an organization that paired artists with engineers. E.A.T. debuted in 1966 with a series of performance art presentations involving new technologies such as closed-circuit television, fiber optics, and wireless transmitters. These performances took place over nine evenings at the 69th Regiment Armory in New York, with artists such as Oyvind Fahlstrom, John Cage, and Robert Rauschenberg. As an organization, E.A.T., presided over by engineer Billy Kluver, facilitated the innovations of many artists in collaboration with scientists and engineers, forming networks of professionals and bridging the gap between new technologies and new media. Advertisement Frieder Nake, Walk-Through-Raster Vancouver Version, 1972, screenprint on paper after computer generated drawing. Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Frieder Nake/ Victoria and Albert Museum, London. It is particularly fitting that the exhibition's closing note strikes a chord on the notion of collaboration and networks. So much of the art that has been produced under the influence of the internet is collaborative--involving the interaction of its digital audiences, for instance, or produced in collaboration with the technology, interface, or platform it is based on. Our networked world is primarily a collaborative one--we are working together, all the time, to create and recreate it. Lynn Hershman Leeson, Seduction of a Cyborg, 1994, DVD with sound, still image. ZKM Collection. (2015) ZKM Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe, Lynn Hershman Leeson. Perhaps the fact that so much of our lives take place within this networked, technologically based world makes us somewhat blind to its effects. But that's where the artists come in, to help us recognize that--even if we don't see the importance of their efforts right away. Writing about the first performances of E.A.T. in 1966, artist Robert Smithson pessimistically deemed it "The Funeral of Technology." Sometimes the critics miss the point, in the moment. Of course, art's true impact is always clearer in retrospect. --Natalie Hegert Pope Francis greets the crowd as he arrives for a meeting with religious for the conclusion of the Year of Consecrated Life at Paul VI audience hall on February 1, 2016 at the Vatican. Pope Francis's upcoming trip to Mexico is arguably the most important national tour of his dynamic papacy. Recalling his primary role as Evangelist-in-Chief, the Argentine cardinal became the first Latin American pope as part of an effort to reverse massive Catholic decline in the region, which has been going on for the past four decades. Despite the mass exodus of Catholics, mostly to Pentecostalism and the burgeoning ranks of the religious nones, Latin America is still home to 40% of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics. And the regional giants of Brazil and Mexico have the first and second largest Catholic populations in the world. Francis's trip to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day 2013 sought to energize the world's largest Catholic Church, which now claims only 61% of the Brazilian population. In Mexico Catholic decline hasn't been as sharp, with 81 percent still claiming Catholic identity. However, tougher religious competition, mainly from Pentecostals and the burgeoning cult of the skeleton saint Santa Muerte, has been of great concern to the Mexican Bishops' Conference since the mid-1980s. Advertisement Whether directly or indirectly, the major themes of the papal visit aim to reinvigorate the world's second largest Catholic Church and increase its social and political influence. In a country where some 100,000 have lost their lives in the decade-long drug war, narco-violence will figure as one of the salient themes during the week-long papal visit. Though he doesn't receive much media attention for it, the Argentine pontiff is a major anti-drug crusader who recently warned his native country to avoid "Mexicanization," or deepening narco production and influence. Two of the cities on his itinerary have been epicenters of the bloody battle for control over access to the U.S., the largest and most lucrative drug market on earth. In fact, the sole reason for his visit to my wife's hometown of Morelia is because it's the state capital of Michoacan where virulent narco-violence centered in the Tierra Caliente (Hot Lands) region has claimed thousands of lives and terrorized the population. More than a few parish priests in Tierra Caliente have put their lives on the line in their strong condemnations of cartel members and support for the paramilitary self-defense groups featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary, Cartel Land. If Morelia now has the first cardinal in its history, Alberto Suarez Inda, it's because the Pope of the Periphery promoted him from archbishop a year ago due in large measure to his frequent and vigorous denunciations of narco-violence perpetrated mostly by La Familia Michoacana and Knights Templar cartels. Condemnation of narco-violence and solidarity with its victims will also be a major theme in Juarez, the notorious border town that was known as Baghdad on the Border until recently. Drug violence combined with religious competition might result in a papal condemnation of Santa Muerte, the Mexican folk saint, who is viewed as the leading narco-saint, the poster girl of the culture of death, by not only the Church but also by mainstream media and the conservative National Action Party (PAN), founded in the 1930s by Catholics. Advertisement While narco-violence is a theme peculiar to Mexico and several other nations, the topic of migrants and refugees has been at the top of Francis's overall agenda, be it Syrian refugees in Europe or Latin American immigrants in the U.S. In the Mexican context migration includes two distinct groups, Mexicans who cross the dangerous border into the U.S. at places like Juarez and Central Americans fleeing nations with the world's highest murder rates, mainly El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, who enter Mexico through the southernmost state of Chiapas en route to the U.S. Many of us are familiar with horror stories associated with Mexican migrants who make perilous treks through the desert and are sometimes robbed, raped and left for dead by unscrupulous coyotes (human traffickers). For many Central American migrants, such as one of my wife's students from Honduras who saw her coyote murdered in Guatemala, the hardships increase exponentially with omnipresent threats of robbery and violence on their journeys through Central America and Mexico. More progressive sectors of the Church in Mexico have expressed solidarity with the Central American migrants through shelters and charity work. Pope Francis will undoubtedly call for more just and humane treatment of both Central Americans in Mexico and the U.S. and for Mexicans in the latter. In addition to his Christian convictions, the Evangelizer-in-Chief has a compelling reason to take special interest in a group that is key to the future of the U.S. Catholic Church, the world's fourth largest. The latest figures from Pew Research show an unprecedented decline of Church affiliation over the past decade, falling from 24% to 21% of the American population. If until the past decade the Catholic Church had avoided the precipitous decline of mainline Protestants, such as Presbyterians, Methodists and Episcopalians, it was because a steady inflow of Latin American immigrants, predominantly Mexican, compensated for the exodus of Euro-American parishioners from the pews. For a Church that is close to 40% Latino, the recent reversal of migration patterns in which more Mexicans have returned to Mexico than have come to the U.S. doesn't bode well for a Church that is suffering its first significant membership loss. One of the possible reasons for slower Catholic decline in Mexico is the paramount importance of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the premier advocation of Mary worldwide in terms of both territorial coverage and number of devotees. La Virgen Morena (brown skinned Virgin) isn't only Queen of Mexico but also Empress of the Americas, watching over Catholics from Canada to Argentina. And her supremacy transcends the realm of religion as she is the most prominent symbol of Mexicanness. A common refrain in Mexico is "Mexicans are 90% Catholic but 100% Guadalupan." From skateboards and tortillas to tattoos on inmates, the image of the mestiza Virgin is omnipresent in Mexico. Despite his penchant for the periphery, the Argentine pope, who is strongly Marian, will visit the national capital, Mexico City because that's where the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe is located. His visit there will be one of the defining moments of the trip and should boost his favorability rating a few points from its current 72%, five points below the wildly popular Pope John Paul II. Advertisement While all four places on the papal itinerary have their significance and strategic value, Chiapas stands out as the most crucial. The state of Chiapas as the poorest, most indigenous, least Catholic, most Protestant and the port of entry for Central American migrants encapsulates the papal agenda in Mexico. The one group of Mexicans that has most abandoned the Church are the country's indigenous peoples who constitute approximately 10 percent of the population. A major part of the rationale for the recent canonization of Saint Juan Diego, despite evidence that he never existed, was to have an indigenous saint that could aid in retaining membership among the Mayans, Nahuas, Purepechas and scores of other Native peoples. San Juan Diego hasn't become that popular of a saint and has failed to stanch the continuing conversion of indigenous Catholics to Pentecostalism. 23% of Chiapans are Protestant, predominantly Pentecostal, and 64% are Catholic. In many ways Chiapas's religious landscape resembles neighboring Guatemala's more than Mexico's. Unlike the Protestant competition, the Catholic Church has been slow to recruit and train indigenous priests who can minister to their flocks in their native languages. In an effort to reach out to the Mayan communities of Chiapas, Pope Francis will undoubtedly highlight the role of the great Dominican "Protector of the Indians," Bartolome de las Casas, for whom the historic Chiapan city San Cristobal de las Casas is partially named. Many Latin American Liberation Theologians point to de las Casas as the godfather of their primarily Catholic theology toward which Pope Francis has increasingly gravitated over the past three years. This controversial theology posits a preferential option for the poor and the building of God's kingdom here on earth in the form of more just and equitable societies. Led by the Liberationist bishop Samuel Ruiz, San Cristobal was at the center of Liberation Theology in Mexico during its heyday in the 1980s. Some of the Zapatista guerrillas who took up arms against the government in Chiapas in 1992 were influenced by Liberationist ideas. If the goal of the letter sent by the Syrian opposition Higher Negotiation Council (HNC) to the UN Secretary General and his special envoy 48 hours before the Geneva talks were set to convene on Friday was to specify demands and stances clearly, then that move would be prudent in the context of negotiation strategy and even art. But if Dr. Riyad Hijab is serious that the HNC has preconditions -- such as the full implementation of the Geneva Communique, resolution 2254, ending sieges, delivering aid, stopping attacks on civilians, and releasing detainees before holding talks -- then he would be absconding from the Geneva talks on behalf of the HNC or committing a tactical mistake in his negotiation strategy. Indeed, no matter how justified the demands of the opposition are, politically and militarily, it must not act without taking stock of the facts. We are not in 2012, when the Geneva communique was passed before being shelved at the Security Council by both the US and Russia. That communique called for the formation of a transitional governing body with full executive powers mutually agreed between regime and opposition representatives. In reality, however, the US, Russia, and the UN have for all intents and purposes replaced the communique with the Vienna process under different reference frames. Vienna is essentially a Russian-owned process concocted in parallel with the Russian military intervention in Syria's war. This has changed equations at multiple levels, with Russian air strikes going hand in hand with Russian diplomatic strikes. Advertisement We are in the era of US capitulation to the Islamic Republic of Iran and complacency towards its militias fighting alongside the Assad regime, all while the Obama administration claims it wants to see Assad step down. At this phase of the Syrian tragedy, what is needed is a logical and honest review of who made promises and reneged on them, who escalated then backtracked, and who remained persistent in their loyalty to Assad for strategic calculations and self-interest such as Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah -- and who splintered in the opposition and engaged in internal rivalries. We are in a place where we have to choose between further Russian strikes on Syrian rebels in support of Iranian-assisted regime gains on the ground; and heading to Geneva with a seasoned opposition delegation that can compel Russia and the regime in Damascus to implement ceasefire and that can impose itself in any political deal. Many will say this is a call for surrender as the UN backs away from the Geneva Communique in favor of a loose reference framework in the Vienna process. Loose because of the radical differences between the 20 powers involved in the process, including Saudi Arabia and Iran, particularly over the fate of Bashar al-Assad: will he remain in power to run in the elections after 18 months of the political process or will he step down under a Russian-US-Iranian agreement before? It might be said that it would be moral bankruptcy for the Syrian opposition to be placed before the choice of either surrendering to US- and UN-sanctioned Russian/Iranian demands, or being blamed for not only foiling the Vienna process, but also intensifying the Russian bombardment and the brutal barbaric campaign of the regime forces and allied militias. Advertisement The opposition might object against the fact that there is not even a hint of the Geneva Communique in the propositions and no declaration of its death upon the birth of the Vienna process. More importantly, the opposition might object against the US and international complacency towards war crimes and ethnic cleansing, demographic engineering plans being apparently part of the negotiations in the Vienna process. All this is true. But the question is, what should otherwise be done? If the Syrian opposition comes to believe that more compromises before one fait accompli after the other will squander all reasonable settlements without any return, then it is best to develop a strategy to set priorities and alternative plans in the event the players in Syria reject these priorities. This requires two things: A clarity of the positions of the multiple opposition forces and how much these can be brought together to agree on priorities and demands. And second, clarity in the political and military margin of support of the countries backing the opposition. To be sure, the ambiguity and ambivalence in this respect fuels polarization and meddling, which both harm the Syrian opposition and its reputation. The Syrian opposition might decide that the tragedy and humanitarian disaster in Syria force it to consider choices such as consenting to incomplete deals in the Vienna process and going to the Geneva talks, as the UN envoy de Mistura desires, to launch negotiations and reach a ceasefire during the talks. In other words, the Syrian opposition may decide that the best option is not to give Assad or Putin the gift of boycotting the talks and avoid being blamed for foiling the political transition in Syria, and the continuation of Russian-Syrian bombardment without agreeing to a ceasefire. If the Syrian opposition HNC decides to head to Geneva, the first thing it has to admit to itself is that this is not Geneva-3. It is Vienna I. Advertisement The Syrian opposition has the ability and the right to take any demand it deems reasonable to the talks, as long as it is realistic politically and represents a solid reference point. Most certainly, the Syrian opposition must adopt a conscious humanitarian strategy to ensure the appalling international neglect of Syrian lives does not continue. However, the first steps must focus on unification and skillful negotiation, then on clarity in the positions of allies instead of polarization and meddling, and third, on developing a clear vision and a realistic roadmap. Political realism requires understanding that the new decisive factor in Syria is the direct Russian role in the battles in support of the regime at any cost. Some believe Syria will be Russia's new Afghanistan and that its victories will soon evaporate. This is possible, but the reality on the ground does not indicate the armed opposition or ISIS could turn the tide in the US-sanctioned and Iranian-Russian supported war alongside the regime in Syria under the pretext of fighting terrorism. Political realism indicates that the US is pursuing a neutral policy in Syria during the presidential elections, and this too is a crucial decisive factor. What senior officials at the UN concerned with this issue are saying is that Staffan De Mistura and his team are wagering on Russia's need to withdraw from Syria before it becomes entangled in a quagmire. The international envoy and his team thus believe that the window is now open to Russian concessions in the framework of the Vienna process, and for creative discussions if the opposition delegation proves it is politically seasoned. Advertisement Positive change is possible on the ground in light of the talks and negotiations, otherwise the negative change would be the intensification of the bombing campaign because the Russian-led camp would be more free to do so if the political track in Geneva fails. The options available to the Syrian opposition are not easy, especially in light of its divisions and the false promises of some of its backers. No one is innocent of what has happened in Syria, in varying degrees of course, including the opposition itself. The situation in Syria is not one of victor versus defeated. No one is winning in Syria whether the regime, ISIS, Nusra Front, Russia, Iran or Iranian-backed militias. Certainly, nor is the Syrian opposition. It is naive to say that Assad's survival is a victory for having brought Russia and Iran on his side, with international consent at least for 18 months in accordance to the Vienna process timeframe. But there can be no victory for someone who turned his country into a magnet for terrorism and militias, and who has given an open invitation to foreign military intervention just to survive in power. With the Iowa caucuses around the corner, the election fever should ideally be catching up. Far from it. There is an apparent gloom looming large over the American electorate. The ebb and flow of political upheaval suggests the elections will be a mundane affair this time. This also makes it easier to examine the prevailing trends and make estimated guesses about the outcomes. There is no intricate guessing game involved either. Baby Boomers All the Way Barring Ted Cruz, all the leading contenders have whizzed past the official retirement age. There is an ageism-in-reverse at play with the outcomes heavily skewed in favor of the baby boomers. Donald Trump may clinch the Republican nomination eventually and Hillary is all set to get the Democratic ticket. Let's not get into the nitty-gritty of who deserves to be nominated and whether Bernie Sanders is a better Democratic nominee. Writing on the wall suggests these two candidates will battle it out for the White House. Michael Bloomberg might also enter the race as an independent if Sanders -- by some unlikely twist of fate -- gets the Democratic ticket. This will make it a race between three seniors. The New York Times has endorsed John Kasich for the Republican ticket, who is another baby boomer. Advertisement Domestic Focus The campaign is largely focused on domestic issues. This reflects the hands-off approach followed by the Obama administration as the world got engulfed in one crisis after another. There are no American boots on foreign grounds thus offering contenders greater flexibility in navigating foreign policy issues. Bernie Sanders has largely focused on the American economy and the struggling middle class. Trump is all about making America "great" again; and Hillary is calling for stricter gun control and abortion rights, among other things. Overlooking foreign issues is not a good thing though, given the omnipresent U.S. global footprint. Low Turnout The enthusiasm witnessed during the 2008 election did not fizzle out in the next presidential election. Up to 58.6 percent of voters expressed their opinion at the 2012 polls, down from 62.2 percent of the voting-eligible population that brought Barack Obama into power in 2008. The 2004 polls also drew significant voters, at 60.7 percent. Interestingly enough, the 2000 presidential elections had the lowest turnout in recent years, at 55.3 percent. Turnout in 2016 could emulate the patterns of 1988 elections, when Republicans carried the presidency for the third time in a row. Gloomy voter mode resulted in a turnout of 52.8 percent. Democrats will likely be in that position this year and the turnout could hover in the low 50s. This could be attributed to a lingering fatigue with the process and lack of promising alternatives. From the President to the 'First Gentleman' This one also seems highly plausible. Hillary Clinton's road to presidency has little bottlenecks. This is despite her many pitfalls and transparency issues. The dullest election campaign in recent years and no real challenger in sight makes it a cakewalk for Hillary. Bernie Sanders fumbles and stutters and has drawn the ire of the Democratic establishment for his unconventional views. In endorsing Hillary, the New York Times called into question the Sanders campaign, labeling him as inexperienced. With Sanders in hot waters and Trump as the most likely opponent, Hillary will probably breeze through the polls. And Bill Clinton will be the First Gentleman, of sorts. Advertisement One-term President? Whichever side one may take in the final Tudor family feud, for Donizetti, whose Maria Stuarda returned to the Met Opera stage Friday night, it was a slam-dunk for Mary, Queen of Scots, over Queen Elizabeth I, and with Sondra Radvanovsky delivering such an exquisitely bravura performance in the title role it is hard to disagree. Radvanovsky, who is singing all three lead roles in Donizetti's Tudor trilogy - she performed Anna Bolena in the Fall and will portray Elizabeth I in Roberto Devereux in the spring - this season at the Met, has assumed the mantle of our leading bel canto soprano, and her mastery of that demanding style is on display in Maria Stuarda. Apart from the rich, silvery tone of Radvanovsky's voice, her breath control is, in a word, breathtaking. and she can carry the most delicate pianissimo passages to the far corner of the Met house. Her phrasing and portamento evoke the full range of emotion, from joy to fear, from anger to remorse. Her opening aria "O nube" makes one's heart leap in delight, and her final act confessional "Quando di luce rosea" is heart-rending. Advertisement Mary's nemesis in this confrontation is Queen Elizabeth I, and the tension between the two is enhanced by a vocally excellent performance by the South African soprano Elza van den Heever, who also sang the role in the Met premiere of the opera in a production by Sir David McVicar on New Year's Eve 2012. If there was any doubt with whom Donizetti's sympathies lay, McVicar's direction makes it, and his own, clear. The one jarring edge to the production is the physical portrayal of Elizabeth as a crude bumpkin. Whether it is the director's choice or the soprano's, from her first entrance Elizabeth clomps about the stage like a country wench who just got off a horse, stiff-legged as a milkmaid who has risen from hours sitting on a stool. It is a distraction at best, and laughable in an opera that pits two queens dueling for the crown of England. Donizetti wrote the opera based on Friedrich Schiller's play Mary Stuart. If Schiller indulged in some theatrical license, Donizetti took it even further. A crucial scene, for example, in both play and opera - a meeting between the two women - never took place. In fact, they never met. But Donizetti added a love triangle in which Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, one of Elizabeth's favorites, has a secret passion for Mary, turning the political power struggle into a jealous vendetta. Mary's claim to the English throne was based on the fact that she, too, was a Tudor and had more right to the crown than Elizabeth, whose mother Anne Boleyn had been beheaded by King Henry VIII as an adulteress. Mary was, in fact, a distant cousin of Elizabeth's (Elizabeth's aunt had married Mary's grandfather). But Mary had been married three times, had sat briefly on the thrones of France and Scotland, but had to abdicate the latter and flee to England when husband No. 2 was murdered and husband No. 3 was the prime suspect. Advertisement But the real issue at the heart of the debate over the fate of Mary was religion. Mary had been brought up Catholic in France and remained devout, while Elizabeth was fiercely establishing the Protestant Church of England. Pope Gregory XIII had decreed that it would not be a sin to assassinate Queen Elizabeth and Mary was suspected of conspiring with closet Catholics in England to do just that. But Maria Stuarda is opera, not history, and its joys are in the lyrical beauty of its music, not the accuracy of its narrative. There are magnificent orchestral passages, from the galloping overture to the rousing finale, all wonderfully played by the Met Orchestra under Riccardo Frizza's astute baton. And the ensembles - duets, trios, choruses - are some of the most exciting in opera. That invented confrontation between Mary and Elizabeth, outside Mary's place of confinement (and ultimate beheading) at Fotheringhay Castle, quickly turns into a cat fight, with each woman spewing invective and insult. But it ends in a marvelous sextet and chorus, full of fury and passion. The Met revival has a strong supporting cast. The Spanish tenor Celso Albelo makes his Met debut as the Duke of Leicester. He has a strong, solid voice that carries through the house and can reach the upper register with ease, though he often seems more a diplomat than a lover. Voting is finally about to begin in the Republican and Democratic presidential primary contests. That's exciting. But it may not last. Are the races close to being over just before they've begun? If so, it's especially so for Donald Trump, who is taking advantage of unique quirks in the media culture to turn his reality TV persona and aggressive know-nothingism into a serious political head of steam. Every four years for the past few generations, Iowa and New Hampshire -- two wildly unrepresentative and rather quirky states -- have played the critical winnowing process in determining who really is a leading candidate for President of the United States. More recently, back in 2008, the Democrats led the Republicans into adding two other states much more racially diverse, Nevada and South Carolina, to what becomes the early tier of primary and caucus contests, now all in the month of February. Advertisement But Iowa and New Hampshire, still white as the cast on an Elizabethan stage, remain first and second, continuing to exercise their vastly disproportionate pull on candidate effort and media focus. If anything, their importance has increased. Iowa in particular, due to its first-in-the-nation status, is an essential gateway. In 1984, I was with Gary Hart when we climbed from fifth to second in four weeks, recasting the equation of the race so dramatically that Hart won New Hampshire eight days later. That set up wins in most of the subsequent states, a near miss on the Democratic presidential nomination itself, and strong frontrunner status for 1988, which was derailed only by a timely sex scandal spoon fed to the media just as hearings began on the Iran/Contra scandal. Current President Barack Obama had an even better result in Iowa in 2008, shading John Edwards for the win there and forcing front-running Hillary Clinton into third. Only an extraordinary performance by both Hillary and Bill Clinton staved off another defeat in New Hampshire that would likely have ended the race. Yet Obam's Iowa win proved determinative in the end, giving him the dramatic early boost in the nearly all-white state he needed as he won a long duel with Hillary for the presidential nomination. This year, Iowa looks just as determinative, perhaps even more so. On the Republican side, Donald Trump seems poised for the Iowa win after a fierce fight with ultra-right Texas Senator Ted Cruz. His gamble in skipping the last pre-Iowa debate -- staged on Fox News, which ironically created the party circumstances Trump is taking advantage of -- paid off, with rival Cruz bearing the brunt of on-air attacks. If Trump takes Iowa, he looks poised, as I've written before, to run the table of New Hampshire and beyond. He is ahead everywhere. Advertisement For the Democrats, Iowa may well also tell the tale. Hillary Clinton has a slender but real lead going into the final weekend over socialist Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. If she holds on to win, the Democratic presidential nomination is almost certainly hers, absent a disaster. (Many will they spin up the latest iteration of her e-mail controversy, in which some missives show up suddenly as "top secret," but they were classified after the the fact of their sending, and in any event post-9/11 Washington is awash in a sort of classification fetishism in which some flacks have higher-sounding top secret clearances than actual operatives back in the day.) Sanders would probably still take New Hampshire in convincing fashion, but Nevada and South Carolina should remain secure for Hillary. Sander's New Hampshire win can be at least partially explained away by the transplanted New Englander's relative home field advantage there. Sanders will still make a big showing even with an Iowa defeat. He's done much better than expected, even for those of us who felt last summer that socialism had already become an increasingly powerful theme. With technology increasingly defeating scarcity even as it makes more and more people "economically useless," the future choice is likely to become either more socialism or more feudalism. Today, with the ongoing hollowing of the US economy for most, even in time of relative recovery from the near depression conditions Obama inherited from the Bush/Cheney administration, one needn't be a studied Marxist to conclude, as Sanders argues, that the system is rigged when the gains go to the very rich and elections are marked by essentially unlimited big money spending. Hillary's latter-day invocation of FDR wasn't a bad idea, especially if she'd kept it up, but it still paled next to what Sanders is saying (and what Roosevelt himself would likely be saying now). Frankly, in trying to deal with the Sanders phenomenon, Hillary and company exhibited a faulty sense of how best to attack. For the longest time, once she realized she had a significant challenge, Hillary tried two things, neither of which were that effective. Advertisement First, she hit him on gun control. Which didn't work because his deviation from lib orthodoxy is rather slight (he got a D from the National Rifle Association) and the issue is far more powerful at Manhattan and Westside LA dinner parties than it is among many folks who have more pressing concerns. (Which I'm sure Bill Clinton gets, so I was surprised Hillary was doing it.) Then she tried to convince actual and potential Sanders voters that his economic ideas, including health care, are too idealistic. Which is another way of saying that they are wrong to think as they do, and Hillary knows best. Gosh, why wouldn't that work? Heh. That Sanders is obviously who the Republicans want to run against is not an argument that works well in the hothouse atmosphere of Iowa and New Hampshire. Better, of course, to scare off potential support by raising doubt about the authentic maverick's authenticity. Especially on war and peace, an area of longstanding deep concern among Iowa and New Hampshire Democrats. To point out, for example, that Sanders is not where admirers might suppose on the problematic long war and on troublesome military spending. For example, Sanders is a flat-out champion of the controversial F-35 fighter, the most expensive non-nuclear weapons system in history, plagued by big cost-overruns and sometimes embarrassing performance. Advertisement In other words, as in martial arts, the idea is to take your opponent's aggressive stance and supposed strength and make it a vulnerability. That's certainly the conceptual approach Hillary will have to take with Trump, if things play out as they are. While using his aggressive know-nothingism to make him radioactive for swing voters is necessary, it is not sufficient. She will have to unmask his supposed truth-teller stance as the latest con from an inveterately egomaniacal con man. But all that lies ahead in an ever more probable future scenario. Unfortunately, it seems we will have plenty of time to delve into the dangers of Trumpism as we have seen it so far and into the billionaire bully boy's undoubted coming move to morph into something seemingly beyond a simplistic tribune of anger. Mint via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - APRIL 17: (Editor's Note: This is an exclusive shoot of Mint) Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu during an exclusive interview, on April 17, 2015 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Pradeep Gaur/Mint via Getty Images) Indian railways minister Suresh Prabhus prompt action helped the parents of a 15-year-old girl locate their daughter from Jharkhand. The girl had allegedly run away with her classmate on Saturday. Her parents, in a desperate bid to track her and bring her home, tweeted to Prabhu to help them locate the children. "The girl's father from Jharkhand tweeted to railway minister Suresh Prabhu that the kids are on board the Geetanjali Express to Mumbai," a senior railway official told the Times of India. Advertisement The girls photograph, along with her phone number, the boys phone number and other details were shared in the tweet. The tweet also mentioned that the train was about to pass the Bhusawal station. The Ministry immediately alerted the Railway Protection force who started tracking the children based on the information the parents had provided. They finally located them at the Nashik station. CR's chief public relations officer Narendra Patil said, "Both kids are safe. They have been saved from falling in wrong hands." A tweet to @sureshpprabhu helped a father in distress and saved two innocent kids from falling in wrong hands pic.twitter.com/ZX5654ZAZz CPRO Central Railway (@Narendra_IRTS) January 30, 2016 The parents of both the children arrived in Mumbai to take them back. In a similar situation, a woman passenger travelling alone by train in Maharashtra in November last year tweeted to Prabhu asking for help against a male passenger who was harassing her. After speedy assistance was provided, she thanked him on twitter. Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: Dear Rajeev Ramachandran, Deeply grateful to you for writing to me about Rohit Vimula, whose death and lost promise I mourn. To read his suicide note and to learn the details of his predicament is to get a vivid inkling of the actual cost of bias to our civilization. If we could somehow quantify the totality of lost contributions and innovations as a result of prejudice, I believe we would find it staggering. You tell me, Rajeev: Is it possible that the attention paid to Rohits story will lessen its chronic repetition? I am trying to find something hopeful in an otherwise heartbreaking example of needless suffering and squandered potential. Truly, Ann In the last few years the Internet has borne witness to and facilitated a great deal of social and societal change. From Hilary Clinton's positive 2010 address; Remarks on Internet Freedom', to the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions that showcased the power of social media, the internet, its use and power, has been at the forefront of recent news. 1 However, equal to, if not overtaking the positive and enabling factors of the Internet in recent years are the many controversies surrounding it. While undoubtedly carrying the potential to do great good, the Internet has been plagued with numerous impediments, setbacks and controls that greatly damage its offered freedoms. ACTA, SOPA, PIPA, Tempora, Prism, DMCA and adult content opt in, are all examples of recent controversies surrounding freedom on the Internet. 2 What is particularly surprising is that all of these restrictions to freedom stem from the very states that laud Internet freedom so highly. The US and UK being so publicly supportive of Internet Freedom in rhetoric, yet so thoroughly undermining it in action represents a key impediment to global Internet Freedom. If the leading global states are unwilling to forward Internet Freedom in any more than word, how can others be expected to in deed? The current system of Internet governance in general presents a relatively hostile environment within which to foster Internet Freedom. The power of large corporations and companies is immense and the influence they have is equal to their power. Both of these factors further impede the proliferation of Internet Freedom in a way that is currently being decided in the courts of the United States. It is not the undemocratic states that appear to pose the largest threat to Internet Freedom, but the very states that should be protecting it. This piece will begin by presenting a distinction of the different aspects of Internet Freedom and a brief outline of its current global standing. It will then explain the damage caused by the disparity between freedom rhetoric and reality, after this it will move to explain the current systems of governance and the hostile environment this creates for global Internet freedom. Finally, this work will offer a small and by no means conclusive list of possibilities that would ease the transition to wider freedoms before drawing together the conclusions into a brief summary. Distinct Aspects Internet Freedom is an amalgam of two distinct aspects. The initial aspect is the actual physicality of connection; being able to access infrastructure such as computers, phone lines or mobile devices. With the rapid pace of technological advancement, the dropping costs linked to Moore's Law and programs like the Mark Zuckerberg fronted internet.org, access rates to infrastructure are increasing rapidly.3 There are numerous other programs that aim to reduce the digital divide and new Internet users are joining the web each day. Therefore, this piece will concentrate primarily on the second aspect of Internet Freedom; unfettered access to online content. Recently declared a human right under the 2012 United Nations Human Rights Council resolution The Promotion, Protection and Enjoyment of Human Rights on the Internet' (HRC 2012, Resolution A/HRC/20/L.13), online interactions are now afforded protection equal to offline, real world interaction.4 The HRC 2012 resolution links to The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19, specifically the protection of free speech as an attempt to further Internet Freedom through uncensored discourse and content regardless of frontiers.5 Although now considered a human right, the HRC 2012 resolution has appeared relatively impotent since its adoption and there are still extensive levels of censorship online. There are numerous reasons for online censorship but one of utmost pertinence is that it is almost impossible to form a global consensus on content and access that will attract global support. As with any contentious subject there will be differing norms and views. The Internet is no exception. Different States have different societal norms and these are reflected in Internet content and acceptable online subjects. Simply put, not everyone wants to have free and unfettered access to the Internet. The ideals of Internet Freedom are prevalent mainly in Western states. Many states view much Internet content as offensive and adversely influential, one just has to consider the Innocence of Muslims' riots of 2012.6 Of course in any state there will be a continuum between those that wish to access all material and make their own decisions and those that wish to be shielded from certain content. The logical outcome of this would be to make the Internet completely free and have consumers set their own individual parameters of censorship, however as shall be expounded, this is not a realistic proposition and generally leads to a level of censorship that will vary from region to region, state to state. Rhetoric Versus Action in Western States The United States, a country that prides itself in its history of liberty and freedom, certainly has a strong public rhetoric regarding Internet Freedom. Indeed, Hillary Clinton has presented several public speeches that provide a litany of the ways that the Internet can enhance a state's economy, religious freedom and democracy. However just months after her 2010 address, Remarks on Internet Freedom' it was discovered that the US had launched a concerted and highly advanced cyber attack against Iran.7 The hypocrisy of lauding the democratizing factors of a free Internet while simultaneously using it as an advanced attack mechanism was not a one off. In 2013 the Edward Snowden leaks highlighted the NSA PRISM program, a classified system forcing US ISPs and phone providers to supply a huge amount of metadata to US security agencies for analysis, and allowing the NSA direct access to company servers.8 Given Hillary Clinton's position as Secretary of State (who also serves on the National Security Council) at the time both events were underway it seems likely that Clinton was aware of the actions. This kind of hypocrisy is incredibly damaging to any of the legitimate claims or attempts at supporting Internet Freedom. Even more recently in October 2015, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) bill was passed.9 CISA allows technology companies to share information on cyber threats with US authorities and other companies in order to enhance group security, however the bill is vague enough to allow for large scale personal data sharing without a warrant.10 President Obama signed the bill into law, which was attached to the federal funding omnibus' bill, on the same day that the rest of America was preoccupied with the release of the newest Star Wars film. If leading states such as the US do not fully support Internet Freedom, or discuss it in an open and honest manner then there seems little hope for a global movement. Internet Freedom is a continuum line of liberty and security, the more freedom, generally the less security and vice versa. As has been briefly shown the Internet is a powerful tool indeed at a state level for surveillance and other means. One expects a degree of control and surveillance in nondemocratic states such as China and Cuba and these abuses of freedom are well documented.11 The propensity to abuse Internet freedoms by democratic states however provides a much bigger impediment to Internet Freedom as a whole. If the states that support Internet Freedom are not willing to adhere to their own rhetoric the hypocrisy is an instantaneous barrier to spreading the freedoms they claim to support through foreign policy. Presumably it will also raise questions as to why the US and UK would support Internet Freedom and its proliferation when they are perfecting means of using it as a surveillance tool. The Internet offers such attractive surveillance opportunities to security services that unfettered, unrestricted and anonymous Internet access does not seem a realistic global goal. Just like Western democratic states, states that are not governed by a system of democracy are acutely aware of the power that the Internet has to facilitate subversion of state control.12 The Arab spring uprising is a prime example of the dangers that the Internet can impose on a government. Between these two it seems unlikely that either type of state will gain dramatically from advancing Internet Freedom.13 Corporate Power The current system of laws and Internet governance that stems from the US monopoly on Internet control simply does not support widespread freedom promotion. The US government is particularly susceptible to large lobbying bodies and some of the largest of these bodies are the well-funded music and movie industry trade bodies. These bodies have the congressional influence and money to quickly move bills through congress that favour control over freedom. While the SOPA and PIPA bills were killed in house it was only through the opposition and awareness brought by some of the Internet giants such as Google, Twitter and Wikipedia.14 Large bodies have a great deal of influence in congress and therefore pose a real risk to Internet Freedom when that runs counter to their wishes. As has been shown they can be overruled by popular public opinion but only with the backing of equally large organisations. The CISA bill however, was not so easily curtailed. Even the HRC 2012 resolution, that protects human rights on the Internet, appears to offer little real protection. The Electronic Frontier Foundation keeps a track of US court cases stemming from online actions and interactions that threaten to set precedents for future online freedom of speech issues.15 Many of these court cases seem to have been offered little protection under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that was reaffirmed under HRC 2012. A recent case whereby an Estonian online news aggregator, Delfi, was held liable by the European Court of Human Rights for thirdparty posted comments, has the potential to set an incredibly damaging precedent. Even in the face of the HRC 2012 resolution, it was decided in the Strasbourg court that this particular human right is not applicable.16 The slow increase of intermediary liability and accountability may well represent the first steps of a slippery slope that will see ISPs become increasingly and eventually overly cautious in content moderation for reasons of liability protection.17 While clearly this is a hypothetical scenario, the beginnings of a slippery slope are becoming apparent. If Internet governance does indeed place further filtering and responsibilities on ISPs and other intermediaries, then Internet Freedom as a global prospect becomes severely impinged. In another recent and pivotal turn, the US court of appeals for the District of Columbia has made a ruling against net neutrality.18 Net neutrality is the equal and non-preferential treatment of all websites and services and is integral to the spread of global Internet Freedom through equal and unfettered access.19 The DoC court ruling while not final if upheld would enable ISPs to boost or curtail speeds to specific sites. It would also mean that ISPs could charge connection fees to popular sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter or bandwidth hungry sites such as Netflix or Hulu.20 Should this ruling be upheld it would become a major impediment to global Internet Freedom. With ISPs providing services based on a discriminatory and profit based model the potential for ISPs to block or throttle access to competitors' sites would be great. Clearly this limitation of content would run completely contrary to the basic tenets of Internet Freedom and as such represent the potential for a severe impediment to the spread of global Internet Freedom. Multi-Stakeholderism A Case of Too Many Cooks As previously mentioned, the current power of lobbying bodies and the move toward intermediary liability runs counter to the proliferation of Internet Freedom. It becomes increasingly apparent that the current multistakeholder system can only facilitate a restricted level of Internet. Multistakeholderism is such a complex method of governance that is does little to promote and facilitate the free potential of the Internet. This governance system is an incredible complex one that finely balances many different systems, governments, companies and states. However, this balance is potentially very precarious given that "different logics, languages and political cultures enter the scene, when different stakeholders share the same political arena".21 There are so many bodies involved in the multistakeholder approach, and as previously discussed, the different societal, political, economic and security views, culminate to create incredible difficulty for minor issues to be resolved let alone an issue such as global Internet Freedom. Potential Alternative Systems The Internet has become very adept at governing itself on a small scale. Many popular websites such as Reddit and Imgur run based on a user generated ranking system and simple algorithms.22 There is very little outside governance for these sites. Many other sites use similar systems to rank content. Wikipedia and other Wikis use a system of user generated content and collaboration.23 Likewise relevant to self-governance is the manner in which the Internet community has rallied around contentious freedom of speech subjects and house bills like SOPA and PIPA, or used social networking to bring around governmental change. In these scenarios large bodies of citizens can bring around revisions under the assistance, but not control, of larger organisations. It would appear that a similar, ground up rather than top down governance would facilitate global Internet Freedom far more effectively. Clearly this would require a complete change to the governance of the Internet, or deference to consumers by large companies. Neither of these systems seem particularly realistic options and as such perhaps do not represent satisfactory substitutes to the current system, however they are representative of the possibilities of an alternative. Clay Shirky offers a very cogent argument in a 2012 TED talk, whereby he postulates that open source programming could revolutionize the notion of government through widespread public collaboration.24 Perhaps a similar system could be applied to Internet Governance which would have the corollary of advancing a global form of Internet Freedom, if indeed that is what the collaborators chose to accept. The Internet is still a relatively young technology and has undergone numerous changes and revisions in governance, technological aspects, content and use to warrant optimism over positive changes however unlikely they seem. Conclusions As has been argued, the multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance does little to actively promote unfettered and free access to the Internet. The sheer number of interested regulatory parties and the divergence of views, laws, governments and norms do little to facilitate, and much to impede the global spread of Internet Freedom. The recent slew of highly contentious rulings and discoveries emanating from some of the biggest proponents of Internet Freedom is likewise exceptionally damaging to the promotion and furtherance of freedom as supposedly protected under HRC 2012. The sheer financial, and influential power held by some of the leviathan companies and parties currently involved in trying to bring around change in the governance and supply of the Internet shall prove to be a real issue of freedom in the coming months and years. While some of the recent initiatives such as SOPA and PIPA were quashed, it remains to be seen if the current onslaught on net neutrality will attract enough defensive support to reverse the rulings. If not this could pose to be a critical blow for Internet Freedom. This writing has merely touched the surface of the issues at hand. The implications of Internet Freedom and its assistance or impediment has a knock on effect for International Relations as a whole. The battles currently being fought in the US, the centre of Internet governance, will undoubtedly impact and set precedents around the rest of the world for Internet Freedom. This will open international discourses as the Internet is now an inescapable part of life that effects International commerce, discourse and relations and any US ruling will be carefully watched by the rest of the International Community. References Allagui, I & Kuebler, J. The Arab Spring and the Role of ICTs', International Journal of Communication, 5 (2011) pp. 1435-1442 Available at: http://www.arifyildirim.com/ilt508/ilhem.allagui.pdf Ball, J. Revealed: How US and UK spy Agencies Defeat Internet Privacy and Security', The Guardian (online) 6 September 2013 Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/05/nsa-gchqencryptioncodes-security Carr, M. Internet Freedom, Human Rights and Power', Australian Journal of International Affairs, 67:5 (2013) pp. 621-637 Ciarlo, M. 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Mastering the Internet: How GCHQ Set Out to Spy on the World Wide Web', The Guardian (online) 21 June 2013 Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jun/21/gchq-masteringtheinternet Padovani, C. WSIS and Multi-Stakeholderism', in The World Summit on the Information Society: Moving from the Past into the Future, edited by Kleinwachter, W & Stauffacher, D (New York, The United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force, 2005) Reynolds, M. CISA security bill passes Senate with privacy flaws unfixed', Wired (online) 27 October 2015-12-23 Available at: http://www.wired.com/2015/10/cisa-cybersecurityinformationsharing-act-passes-senate-vote-with-privacy-flaws/ Roberts, D. Appeals Court Rules Against FCC's Right to Protect Net Neutrality. The Guardian (online) 14 January 2014. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/14/netneutralityinternet-fcc-verizon-court Schellekens, M. Liability of Internet Intermediaries: A slippery Slope?', SCRIPTed, 8:2 (2011) pp. 154-174 Available at: http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/ahrc/script-ed/vol8-2/schellekens.asp Shirky, C. How the Internet Will (One Day) Transform Government', TED. (2012). Available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_the_internet_will_one_day_transform_government.html Stepanova, E. The Role of Information Communication Technologies in the "ArabSpring": Implications Beyond the Region'. PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo No. 159 (2011) pp. 1-6. Thielman, S. Senate passes controversial cybersecurity bill Cisa 74 to 21', The Guardian (online) 27 October 2015 Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/27/cisacybersecuritybill-senate-vote United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights Council. The promotion and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet'. 29th June 2012. Resolution A/HRC/20/L.13. Available at : http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/alldocs.aspx?doc_id=20280 Universal Declaration of Human rights. Available at: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ Viegas, B et al. Talk before you type: Coordination in Wikipedia', Proceedings of the 40th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (2007). Available at: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=4076527 Webber, M. PRISM What You Need to Know About the People Who Know Everything About You', Tech Help Made Easy (online) 5 July 2013 Available at: http://www.techhelpmadeeasy.com/what-is-prism/ Wikipedia, Wikipedia information entry, Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia Wilhelm, A. Interview with Imgur creator. The Alan Schaaf Interview What is Image Host Imgur, And How Didi it Get Started? (online) 10 February 2010. Available at: http://thenextweb.com/us/2010/02/10/alan-schaaf-interviewimagehost-imgur-started/#!sitd3 Endnotes Clinton, H. Remarks on Internet Freedom' Washington. 21 January 2010 Available at: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/01/21/internet_freedom Note: Stop Online Piracy Act (SOP) and; Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) were United States House and Senate Bills that would have forced Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to adhere to strict laws regarding copyrighted material and police content and Internet users. Both Bills died before they were enacted in the face of massive public opposition. Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is a similar proposal coving much of Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Although having many signatory states, ratification limits are yet to be reached meaning the agreement is not in force. Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) is part of US copyright law that was extended to cover Internet content that may violate existing laws. PRISM and TEMPORA are programs run by the US National Security Agency (NSA) and the UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). Both programs are similar and act as meta data mining programs of online and phone communications. Details of the secret programs were leaked as part of the Edward Snowdon leaks. Adult content opt in is an initiative by the UK government requiring consumers to opt in' to have the ability to access online pornography when they sign up with a new ISP. Blocking of online pornography is an attempt to stop minors accidentally accessing it. The opt in came in to effect in early 2014. internet.org is a foundation aimed at bringing cheap and simple Internet infrastructures to the world's poorest areas in order to make them part of the knowledge economy' and bring the advantages of the Internet to them. internet.org, Introductory Video. Available at http://www.internet.org; Intel cofounder Gordon Moore's simple law; "The number of transistors incorporated in a chip will double approximately every 24 months" has been linked to a decrease in cost as technology increases. Intel, Moore's Law explanation. Available at http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/history/museum-gordon-moore-law.html United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights Council. The promotion and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet'. 29 June 2012. Resolution A/HRC/20/L.13. Available at http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/alldocs.aspx?doc_id=20280 Universal Declaration of Human rights. Available at http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ Kirkpatrick, D. Anger Over a Film Fuels Anti-American Attacks in Libya and Egypt'. The New York Times (online) 11 September 2012. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/world/middleeast/anger-over-film-fuels-anti-american-attacks-inlibyaand-egypt.html?_r=0 See Stuxnet attack: Farwell, J.& Rohozinski, R. Stuxnet and the Future of Cyber War', Survival: Global Politics and Strategy, 53:1 (2011); Langner, R. Stuxnet: Dissecting a Cyber Warfare Weapon', Security and Privacy, IEEE, 9:3 (2011). Greenwald, G. & MacAskill, E. NSA Prism program taps in to user data of Apple, Google and others', The Guardian (online) 7 June 2013. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data Thielman, S. Senate passes controversial cybersecurity bill Cisa 74 to 21', The Guardian (online) 27 October 2015. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/27/cisa-cybersecurity-billsenatevote Reynolds, M. CISA security bill passes Senate with privacy flaws unfixed', Wired (online) 27 October 2015-12-23. Available at http://www.wired.com/2015/10/cisa-cybersecurity-informationsharingact-passes-senate-vote-with-privacy-flaws/ Freedom House reports on China and Cuba Freedom house, China Internet Freedom Report. (2013) Available at http://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2013/china#.UtbPvWRdVH0; Freedom House, Cuba Internet Freedom Report. (2013). Available at http://freedomhouse.org/report/freedomnet/2013/cuba#.UtbQA2RdVH0 Stepanova, E. The Role of Information Communication Technologies in the "Arab Spring": Implications Beyond the Region'. PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo No. 159 (2011) p. 2 Available at http://ponarseurasia.com/sites/default/files/policy-memos-pdf/pepm_159.pdf; Allagui, I & Kuebler, J. The Arab Spring and the Role of ICTs', International Journal of Communication, 5 (2011) p. 1436. Available at http://www.arifyildirim.com/ilt508/ilhem.allagui.pdf There are some proponents that propose the merits of advancing and projecting power through openness and reversing censorship, however the amount and scope of writing seems relatively narrow and does little to encompass the wider pictures and issues yet still raises and presents some cogent arguments. See: Carr, M. Internet Freedom, Human Rights and Power', Australian Journal of International Affairs, 67:5 (2013) Internet's dark day: Anti-piracy bills take a beating. The Seattle Times (online) 18 January 2012. Available at http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2017274222_sopa19.html Free speech information, Electronic Frontier Foundation. Available at https://www.eff.org/issues/free-speech Guillemin, G. Case Law, Strasbourg: Delfi AS v Estonia: Court Strikes Serious Blow to Free Speech Online. Inforrm Blog (online) 15 October 2013. Available at http://inforrm.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/case-law-strasbourg-delfi-as-v-estonia-court-strikes-seriousblowto-free-speech-online-gabrielle-guillemin Schellekens, M. Liability of Internet Intermediaries: A slippery Slope?', SCRIPTed, 8:2 (2011) p. 168. Available at http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/ahrc/script-ed/vol8-2/schellekens.asp Roberts, D. Appeals Court Rules Against FCC's Right to Protect Net Neutrality. The Guardian (online) 14 January 2014. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/14/netneutralityinternet-fcc-verizon-court; Fung, B. Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Net Neutrality Rules'. Washington Post (online) 14 January 2014. Available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/01/14/d-c-circuit-court-strikes-down-netneutralityrules/ Ciarlo, M. A Guide to the Open Internet. theopeninter.net. Available at http://www.theopeninter.net/ Roberts, D. Appeals Court Rules Against FCC Padovani, C. WSIS and Multi-Stakeholderism', in The World Summit on the Information Society: Moving from the Past into the Future, edited by Kleinwachter, W & Stauffacher, D (New York, The United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force, 2005) p. 147 Wilhelm, A. Interview with Imgur creator. The Alan Schaaf Interview What is Image Host Imgur, And How Didi it Get Started? (online) 10 February 2010. Available at http://thenextweb.com/us/2010/02/10/alan-schaaf-interview-image-host-imgurstarted/#!sitd3 Viegas, B et al. Talk before youType: Coordination in Wikipedia', Proceedings of the 40th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 2007. Available at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=4076527; Wikipedia information entry. Wikipedia. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia Shirky, C. How the Internet Will (One Day) Transform Government', TED September 2012. Available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_the_internet_will_one_day_transform_government.html Source: http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/1345/internet-freedom-rhetoric-versus-reality 'Need to Take Clearance From Govt': BCCI President on Whether India Will Travel to Pakistan For Asia Cup Celebrate the Year of Monkey with Huntkey and WIN! Huntkey, professional power supply manufacturer, is happy to celebrate the Year of Monkey with its fans and to show its gratitude. Huntkey is giving the opportunity to five of its fans to take home a brand new Huntkey power strip. Huntkey power supplies and power strips are made with the utmost care and precision and we want to personally sharing the benefits of Huntkey power strips to our long-time followers, as well as newcomers. How to Join To join, simply follow the steps* below: Like Huntkey Facebook Page Subscribe to Huntkey YouTube channel Watch the video: https://youtu.be/VZfV80VRoAk Comment on the post pinned at the top of Huntkeys Facebook page and tell us which product is suited for your region, and name a feature you like about it. Example: The SZN 507 is suitable for my family in Philippines and I like the Child Protection feature as its safe with children around. Huntkey will draw 5 winners to send the prizes. Winners will be announced on the 16th of February 2016. *Note: ALL STEPS ARE REQUIRED. Back to top Accidental Love is a wacky comedy with an underlying theme of health care, starring Jessica Biel, Jake Gyllenhall, James Marsden, Catherine Keener, Kirstie Alley, Tracy Morgan and Malinda Williams. Alice Eckle (Biel), a somewhat naive roller-skating waitress in a small Indiana town, is about to get engaged to her trooper boyfriend, Scott (Marsden). At the fancy Gondola restaurant when Alice has an engagement ring on her finger, a clumsy workman accidentally shoots her in the head with a nail from his nail gun. At the hospital, the doctors cannot operate to remove the nail because Alice does not have health insurance and the nail is not life threatening so its removal does not qualify as an emergency. If the nail shifts to a different position, however, it might influence Alices behavior in unpredictable ways such as increasing her sex drive or causing her to speak Portuguese. They hold a fundraiser to gather money for Alices operation but fail in raising the $100,000 necessary for surgery. Alice does however befriend two people with their own medical issues: Reverend Norm who suffers from priapism and Keyshawn who suffers from a rectal prolapse. Then Alices Aunt Rita proposes a solution to the problem. Rita is a vet and has operated on cows before. Confident in her surgical abilities, she tries operating on Alice but fails to remove the nail - causing Alice even more distress. Watching TV, Alice sees her congressman, Howard Birdwell, a charming but rather clueless fellow, visiting a bunch of kids and promising them colored glue. In congress Howard has vowed to help all the people, and might just be Alices last chance to get the nail out. And so it goes Alice and Birdwell fall in love as Trooper Scott shows up to rescue his beloved. Birdwell however escapes to a mans retreat to center himself. Though the congressman has seemingly double- crossed Alice a second time, he secretly attaches a small health care rider to a different bill thereby finally allowing her to resolve her medical issues. Then with everybody healthy, they all celebrate at Keyshawns wedding. Accidental Love opens February 3 in cinemas from CrystalSky Multimedia. Back to top Shashi Tharoor, Cat or Lettuce? UK PM Liz Truss's Resignation Has Twitter Looking for New Contender Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Divorced woman named Helen Graham moves into a dilapidated house called Wildfell in the beautiful yet unforgiving Yorkshire countryside, earning the attention of a local man called Gilbert Markham and arousing the suspicion and interest of the local gossips. If you think you know this story, think again. This is not The Tenant of Wildfell Hall but rather Sam Bakers brilliant and brutal take on Anne Brontes final novel. The Woman Who Ran is no simple remake of the 1848 classic, however. I wouldnt dare to do anything that presumptuous, says Baker. But I did want to explore the themes of Annes novel, which were hugely radical at the time, look at what is still relevant, what has changed for women . And, more importantly, what hasnt. Born in a small town in Hampshire, Sam Baker made a career at the forefront of magazine journalism, editing titles from Just Seventeen to Cosmopolitan and Red. Currently, shes CEO and editor-in-chief of The Pool, a digital platform that she co-founded last year with the BBC 6 Music broadcaster and former indie-popster Lauren Laverne. My agents keen that I dont bang on too much about The Pool, Baker says. He wants me to concentrate on the book. (And who are we to counter advice from the uber agent Jonny Geller?) But Baker admits that The Pool, and its growing reputation, take up most of her time, leaving only bits of weekends for writing fiction. Most of those youll find me in a cafe in Winchester with my husband [the novelist Jon Courtenay Grimwood] hunched over a laptop, she says ruefully. So, Bakers book As with Wildfell, The Woman Who Ran is indeed about a woman called Helen who takes up residence in Wildfell House on the edge of a small Yorkshire Dales village. This Helen might run for fun over the fells and hills that inspired the Brontes, but shes also running from something darker. Fractured memories give hints of a devastating fire in a Paris flat, a body in the choking smoke, and a woman doing her level best to become invisible. What follows is akin to a hike across Bronte country in threatening fog. We might think we know where were going, but the way ahead, and the path behind, are unclear. Surprises, wrong turns and detours loom in the mist. And always, just out of sight, theres someone watching . Brontes Helen Graham shocked Victorian society in her refusal to behave as it demanded women should. Indeed, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is considered one of the first feminist novels. Its my favourite Bronte novel, says Baker, and the best, in my opinion. It definitely doesnt get nearly as much credit as it should. When I first re-read it I was worried it might have dated too badly, but the themes remain incredibly radical. Anne wrote about a woman who left her violent husband, which women just didnt do then, and earned a living painting in oils. A medium usually reserved for men. If women painted, they were expected to use watercolours. In making my Helen Graham a photojournalist specialising in war zones I was trying to find the modern equivalent. I was, I freely admit, inspired by Marie Colvin, who died in Syria in 2012, whom I admired greatly. She was immensely brave. Bakers Helen has her own Gilbert Markham, an early retired newspaper man whose journalistic curiosity is piqued by Wildfells enigmatic new tenant. Gil really gets equal plot-time to Helen, and is the vehicle Baker uses to explore two of the themes running through The Woman Who Ran: the nature of gossip, and the way we put ourselves on display online, especially on social media. In Annes novel, says Baker, Helen leaves her husband to live in a dilapidated hall and, of course, the local gossip machine kicks in immediately. I wanted to explore how that would work in the 21st century. The answer is that the local gossips still gather at the corner shop, the village pub and the local cafe, but gossip feeds on (and feeds) social media and then there is the proliferation of information about ourselves we put there. A virtual world that Gil just old enough to have not whole-heartedly embraced social media discovers as he hunts for information about Helen. Baker says: I read an interview with the fashion designer Phoebe Philo who said, the chicest thing is when you dont exist on Google. God, I would love to be that person. And that fed into something Id been thinking. What if you had to vanish? What if you couldnt afford to be on Google? What if being digitally visible could get you killed? The 20 best audiobooks Show all 20 1 /20 The 20 best audiobooks The 20 best audiobooks 202193.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202195.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202198.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202207.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202200.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202202.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202194.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202201.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202196.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202203.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202208.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202209.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202205.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202192.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202197.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202199.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202191.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202190.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202204.bin The 20 best audiobooks 202206.bin The reasons for asking these questions are unfolded in The Woman Who Ran with almost unbearable tension, as Baker steadily unravels the plot. And that, really, points to the central theme of this novel, domestic violence. Just because a woman is strong, intelligent and capable even if she has risen to the top of a testosterone-fuelled profession evidence shows these often prove no defence against abuse. (The 2.4 women killed in the UK by their partners every week is testament to this.) Helens better than her partner in almost every way, Baker says. Shes more intelligent, more successful, and more competent. The point about Art is hes a mediocrity. A mediocre man who simply cant cope with Helens talent. So, he responds with jealousy; becoming controlling, coercive and ultimately violent . When I started out as a journalist it was still not possible in law for a man to rape his wife. "That wasnt so long ago. In the novel, I use an analogy that I stole from a column that Lauren Laverne did. She wrote that being in that sort of controlling relationship is like being in a box. You think that if you dont touch the sides nothing bad will happen. So, you try hard to make yourself smaller and smaller. You reduce yourself. But the box gets smaller around you. So, the person trapped inside tries to make herself smaller still. Baker pauses, and says: Look, I didnt set out to write an issue book. I set out to write a really great thriller using Anne Brontes best novel as its foundations. But if The Woman Who Ran opens up debate into violence against women, then thats fine by me. More than a century ago, the writer May Sinclair said of The Tennant of Wildfell Hall that Helen Grahams defiant slamming of her bedroom door in her husbands face reverberated throughout Victorian England. Sam Baker has written not only a chilling thriller but also a timely reminder that some less palatable Victorian social mores still have a home in our lives today, and that the slamming of doors in the face of convention to draw attention to domestic abuse is still justified and entirely necessary. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Harry Potter fans following the Pottermore Twitter feed have been treated to a host of new information about the wonderful world of wizardry, none quite so exciting as the latest revelations. Kicking off the Celebration of Harry Potter weekend, Luna Lovegood actress Evanna Lynch announced the names of four new schools of wizardry (not including Hogwarts), the Pottermore website updating accordingly with details - including locations - on each. Firstly, Mahoutokoro was announced; an ancient Japanese school with the smallest student body of the eleven great wizarding schools. Hold on a second: 11 wizarding schools! It looks like these four are just the tipping point, with a first six around the world to be revealed. The description of Mahoutokoro continues: While day students, wizarding children are flown back and forth to their homes every day on the backs of a flock of giant storm petrels. The ornate and exquisite palace of Mahoutokoro is made of mutton-fat jade, and stands on the topmost point of the uninhabited (or so Muggles think) Volcanic island of Minami Iwo Jima. Next up is Uagadou, based in central Africa; a school that has been there for over a thousand years: Although Africa has a number of smaller wizarding schools (for advice on locating these, see introductory paragraph), there is only one that has stood the test of time (at least a thousand years) and achieved an enviable international reputation: Uagadou. The largest of all wizarding schools, it welcomes students from all over the enormous continent. The only address ever given is 'Mountains of the Moon'; visitors speak of a stunning edifice carved out of the mountainside and shrouded in mist, so that it sometimes appears simply to float in mid-air. Much (some would say all) magic originated in Africa, and Uagadou graduates are especially well versed in Astronomy, Alchemy and Self-Transfiguration. Rowling continues to describe the Wand as a European invention, which the African wizards and witches have adapted to use, but most spells are cast just using their fingers. The Brazillain school Castleobruxo came next, a school hidden in old Amazonian ruins. The Brazilian school for magic, which takes students from all over South America, may be found hidden deep within the rainforest, it says on the Pottermore website. The fabulous castle appears to be a ruin to the few Muggle eyes that have ever fallen upon it (a trick shared by Hogwarts; opinion is divided on who got the idea from whom). Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Castelobruxo is an imposing square edifice of golden rock, often compared to a temple. Both building and grounds are protected by the Caipora, small and furry spirit-beings who are extraordinarily mischievous and tricky, and who emerge under cover of night to watch over the students and the creatures who live in the forest. Former Castelobruxo Headmistress Benedita Dourado was once heard to laugh heartily, on an exchange visit to Hogwarts, when Headmaster Armando Dippet complained of Peeves the poltergeist. Her offer to send him some Caipora for the Forbidden Forest to show you what trouble really is was not accepted. Last, but by no means least, comes Ilvermorny. Unfortunately, very very little is revealed about it except it is based in North America and many believe it will feature in the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. All that is written on the website is: As for Ilvermorny All of you eagle-eyed fans had an inkling that word was going to mean something special, and Pottermore will bring you more writing by J.K. Rowling on this magical school soon. Looks like well have to wait a little longer to find out exactly what Newt Scamander (played by Eddie Redmayne) is getting himself into. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Throughout his career, Terry Wogan provided wonderfully sarcastic commentary on Eurovision, hosting the show on radio and TV numerous times between 1971 and 2008. The contests representatives have now paid tribute to the late broadcaster who died from cancer at age 77. In one Tweet, the UK Eurovision account fittingly posted a picture of Wogan with the Union Jack flag, along with the caption Au Revoir Sir Terry Wogan 1938 - 2016. They also re-Tweeted Graham Nortons tribute to the late Radio 2 presenter, Norton having taken over from Wogan as the Britains Eurovision host. He said: He made it seem effortless and for a young boy in Ireland he made it seem possible. RIP Sir Terry Wogan. I'll raise a glass during song 9. The news of Wogans death was announced by Bob Shennan, the controller of Radio 2, who said: He passed away surrounded by his family. While we understand he will be missed by many, the family ask that their privacy is respected at this time. Throughout his life, Wogan not only hosted his Radio 2 shows, but also Eurovision and Children in Need. Read our full coverage here. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In case you missed it, the new season of The X Files has begun in the US, with Mulder and Scully together again to investigate the paranormal. If you would like to do a little detective work yourself, youre in luck, as the CIA has released ten previously classified documents which both attempt to prove and disprove that UFOs are real. The first five are for those of you like Mulder who would love to prove that Aliens really have visited our planet, while the other five are for sceptics like Scully who would like to debunk such rumours. Access the documents through the CIA website, here. All ten were once classified documents from the 50s, but were made declassified in 1978, along with thousands of others. The CIA also Tweeted out (yes, they have a Twitter account) their ten tips on how to tell if a flying saucer has been spotted. Meanwhile, for us Brits who would like to see the detective duo back in action, the new season of The X Files is back on 8 February on Channel 5. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Every year an estimated 300,000 seabirds including 100,000 of one of the worlds largest flying birds, the albatross are accidentally killed by the fishing industry. But a British company, set up by conservationists to find a way to reduce this annual slaughter, believes it has finally found a solution after seven years of work. Trials of the Hookpod, which will be reported in a scientific journal in the coming weeks, found that it was just as effective at catching fish as an ordinary hook, but almost guaranteed that no seabirds would be killed. Conservationists hailed the success of the trials as absolutely brilliant and a Brazilian fishing boat captain, who was involved in the trials, has already decided to continue using Hookpods voluntarily. The device works by encasing the hook in a plastic pod, which is opened by water pressure at a set depth, once it is safely out of reach of diving seabirds. The Hookpod is designed to be a single, cost-effective measure that fishermen would actively want to use Marine biologist Becky Ingham, the chief executive of Devon-based Hookpod Ltd, said: We are really incredibly confident that if people are using this correctly, they will never catch birds because it removes the hook from where the birds can get it. Its pretty much idiot-proof We think its the answer. Its an exciting time for us now. The pelagic long-line fishing fleet sets billions of hooks a year, targeting high-value species, particularly tuna. But in the process it is believed to account for about a third of all seabirds killed by the fishing industry known as bycatch. Unintended victims include petrels, shearwaters and albatrosses. The latter are extraordinary animals: they can live for more than 60 years, mate for life and have been known to fly around the world in just 46 days. The great albatrosses (Diomedea) have the largest wingspan of any living bird, reaching up to 3.5m (11ft 6in) across. However, they can take up to 10 years to reach breeding age and tend to produce just one egg every two years, so the loss of a mature adult is a significant blow to the population. Eight out of 22 albatross species, which are found in every ocean except the North Atlantic, are now endangered or critically endangered, and the rest are all showing signs of trouble. During trials off Brazil, South Africa and Australia, fishing lines were fitted with Hookpods and conventional hooks to enable the companys researchers to put their invention to the test. Ms Ingham said: Since we have done these trials, we have only had one bird ever caught on a Hookpod and the observer on the boat actually saw the pod fly open when it left the boat so it had not been deployed correctly. Pods deployed correctly have never caught a bird. While the Hookpods caught one bird, the ordinary hooks killed 25. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary The other key consideration was whether the Hookpods would actually catch fish. What weve found is theres no statistical significance in the difference between the two treatments in the catch, Ms Ingham said. Theres no difference in terms of the size of the fish or the numbers caught. The Hookpod includes a second innovation: an LED light to attract the fish, which avoids the need for single-use chemical glowsticks which are thrown into the water and are a source of marine pollution. Another smaller version without a light is also being developed. A number of different methods to avoid seabird bycatch have been used before, such as setting streamer lines above the surface and using weights to make the hooks sink quickly, but not all fisheries require these measures. The Hookpod is designed to be a single, cost-effective measure that fishermen would actively want to use. Celso Rocha de Oliveira, the Brazilian fishing boat captain, wrote about his experience using Hookpods: In my opinion, the Hookpod is a mitigation measure more efficient than bird-scaring lines, line weighting and night setting [fishing]. Its a pleasure to help to develop this technology, which in my point of view is the solution to preventing seabird bycatch in pelagic long-line fisheries. When told about the results of the trials, Dr Cleo Small, the head of BirdLife Internationals marine programme, said: Thats absolutely brilliant to hear. BirdLife was involved in setting up the project before it was turned into a private company, with crowdfunding and a significant investment from an individual whose main interest was saving the albatross. Dr Small said the albatross was a symbol of healthy oceans but also of how much damage we can do, sometimes unintentionally. She said Samuel Taylor Coleridges 1798 poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, in which the seamans killing of an albatross dooms him and his crewmates, could have been written as an allegory for our times. It certainly has become that and perhaps that is why there is this connection with the British public, Dr Small said. Its very powerful how the albatross have caught the imagination of people in the UK, even though they are so far away. Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyEats email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} This is bizarre!" No sooner has he dropped his line into the waters of the fjord than chef Ollie Dabbous has hooked a shining, thrashing fish and is reeling it aboard a small ferry boat 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. "I've never fished before in my life!" He's not the sole land-lubber aboard: among Dabbous' crewmates are not only hardy Norwegian seamen, but also some of Britain's finest chefs, led by Michel Roux Jr. Beneath snow-capped mountains and a pearlescent pink and grey sky, they are huddled against the chill to land one of the great delicacies of the northern waters of Europe. But let's not get ahead of ourselves We had arrived the day before in Tromso in Norway, Europe's northernmost city, to darkness, face-burning cold, and inches of thick snow cloaking everything in sight. "We haven't seen the sun for two months," says our host, Amund Brathen from the Norwegian Seafood Council, as we drive west towards the island of Sommaroy. "The children are making pictures of suns and sticking them up everywhere, and we're getting ready to celebrate. It comes back next week, so it's an exciting time for all of us right now." The return of the sun which at first will flash momentarily above the horizon, before getting a little higher each day is not the only cause of excitement. Most people come to this remote region to glimpse the Northern Lights, but we are here to fish for a delicacy that begins its fleeting season in the darkest days of the Norwegian winter. The wild skrei (which translates as "wanderer") is a migratory Atlantic cod that usually resides up in the nutrient-rich waters of the Barents Sea, off the northern coasts of Norway and Russia. Each year between January and April, the mature skrei travels thousands of miles back to its birthplace, the Lofoten Islands off the north coast of Norway, to spawn. Chefs hunt for Norway's most prized fish Show all 7 1 /7 Chefs hunt for Norway's most prized fish Chefs hunt for Norway's most prized fish Monica Galetti lands a 12kg fish Joe Woodhouse Chefs hunt for Norway's most prized fish Ollie Dabbous and Michel Roux Jr. spot some whales near the boat Joe Woodhouse Chefs hunt for Norway's most prized fish Roux and Simon Hulstone reel in a cod Joe Woodhouse Chefs hunt for Norway's most prized fish A local child shows Robin Gill how to cut out the tongue Joe Woodhouse Chefs hunt for Norway's most prized fish The group board a boat to sail to a skrei patch in the fjord of Malangen Joe Woodhouse Chefs hunt for Norway's most prized fish Skreimolje, a traditional dish made with the cods roe, fillet and liver Joe Woodhouse Chefs hunt for Norway's most prized fish Michel Roux Jr offers a toast Joe Woodhouse Prized for its firm flesh and lean white meat the result of swimming all that way it's adored by cooks. Ever more British chefs are using it, attracted by its versatility, seasonality and pristine condition something they can bank on thanks to the scrupulous way the Norwegians protect and quality-control it. "Skrei has been fished properly by the Norwegians for hundreds of years," explains Roux, one of the first chefs in London to put it on his menu, four years ago. "It has exceptional quality. It has a truer, cleaner flavour [than other cod] and the texture really is out of this world." "There's a lot more anticipation for skrei season in the UK these days," adds Simon Hulstone of The Elephant in Torquay, who has been using the fish for three years. "We all rave about game, but now we have a game fish as well. It's not expensive, either, when it's bang in season." During that season, hundreds of millions of the fish flood into Norwegian waters, but only 5 to 10 per cent of what is caught is allowed to be labelled with the feted "skrei" mark on its dorsal fin. To be graded as such, it must be in perfect condition, with not a mark on the skin, bled out at sea, rinsed with seawater slush to ensure the whitest flesh, and in a state of pre-rigor that guarantees absolute freshness, when chilled, for 12 days. The rest is sold as cod, fresh and dried. We reach the Arctic Hotel in Sommaroy and are met by a buffet of glistening seafood. The chefs will need their strength for tomorrow's fishing, and clamour around platters of langoustines, mounds of snow-crab salad, piles of meaty king-crab legs, followed by bowls of warming reindeer stew, then creamy cloudberry fool. Ollie Dabbous and Roux spot some whales near the boat (Joe Woodhouse) As we eat, I get a history lesson from cod specialist Brathen on just what the fish means to his country. "Norway has been built on cod and skrei," he says, referencing the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, the largest medieval building in Scandinavia, built using money raised from a skrei tax introduced by King Oystein I. "We've been catching and drying cod since Viking times, and exporting it since 875 AD. We didn't have much, but we could preserve this fish by drying it, thanks to the windy climate. It was a protein source the Vikings took with them to sea, and they exported it to England." While the fish is entrenched in Norway's heritage, it's also something the nation relies on for its economy (seafood being its second-biggest industry after oil) and cannot afford to lose. Overfishing in the 1980s led to a ban on cod fishing between 1989 and 1990, and Norway, which controls its own waters, refocused on sustainable fishing, maintaining a healthy balance of species through careful stock quotas. We see for ourselves quite how healthy these stocks are the next morning, as we board a small boat in the hazy blue darkness. We sail three nautical miles west to the fjord of Malangen, where we weigh anchor in a likely skrei patch. Minutes after Dabbous has landed his first ever catch, chef Monica Galetti reels in a whopping 12kg cod. "I'd like to cook it right here, just to rub it in," she laughs. "I've got it on the menu at the moment [at her pop-up, in London's Gherkin] with a miso glaze and pearl barley stew. It works very well in winter as it's so meaty." Roux and Simon Hulstone reel in a cod (Joe Woodhouse) "It has amazing flakes," adds Dabbous, who uses skrei at his eponymous restaurant in London's Fitzrovia, "and very good yield. Sometimes with a big fish like a halibut, it gets fatty and pappy, but skrei doesn't." Daniel Galmiche, who gets through 20 large fillets a week at The Vineyard in Berkshire, enthuses: "It's different to normal cod; the flesh is almost translucent and it's very tasty." We fish for four more hours, landing a mix of skrei, cod and coley. The fish come so thick and fast at one point that some mischievous chefs manage to hide one in my pocket as I struggle to unhook a biter. Thrillingly, we're passed by groups of feeding killer and humpback whales another happy sign of the thriving marine life. We moor in Kvaloya to tour a small cod-processing factory that has been run by the same family for four generations. Inside, we find local children keeping one of coastal Norway's oldest traditions alive. Wielding lethal-looking fish knives, they work their way through mounds of cod heads, removing the cheeks and tongues. One 13-year-old tells us he's been doing this since he was eight, and is proud to show us how dizzyingly fast he can remove the tongues, teaching one of the UK's most promising chefs Robin Gill, of London's The Dairy, The Manor and Paradise Garage how to impale the head on a spike at the precise angle needed to cut free the tongue in one heavy swipe. The children earn up to 1,600 Norwegian Krone (130) a day. A local child shows Robin Gill how to cut out the tongue (Joe Woodhouse) "It's brilliant to see how they use as much of the produce as possible and to see the children coming to earn money and gain confidence with the trade," says Galetti. "Everyone should be taking a leaf out of the Norwegians' book," agrees Gill. "It's got to be the best fishing industry in the world and the reason is that they take pride in it." Upstairs, we are treated to jugs of cloudy, unpasteurised beer from a nearby brewery, and cooked a traditional skrei lunch by local sisters Unni Lorentzen and Trobjorg Lindquist. They make us skreimolje, a time-honoured, protein-packed nose-to-tail dish using the roe, fillet and creamy liver of the cod, which nourished workers who'd row up from the south to make their living fishing the skrei season. Brathen has an audible lump in his throat as he explains the importance of this dish. "When the workers came up, they didn't find much food here. What could they eat? The easiest thing was what they'd fished themselves. They took a pot, cut out the roe and liver, and cooked it all up. This is several hundred years of eating tradition. They used the liver, as it is full of vitamin D, which we desperately need, as there's no sun. This fish gives us that: it's our sunshine." Skrei is available in the UK at the Whole Foods Market chain (wholefoodsmarket.com) Chef bait: Elusive quarry that those in the know travel the world for Gooseneck barnacles/percebes Gooseneck barnacles cling to craggy rocks in violent waters off the coasts of Spain and Portugal (Getty Images) Fishermen risk life and limb to collect these filter-feeding crustaceans, which cling to craggy rocks in violent waters off the coasts of Spain and Portugal. While much cheaper to buy in Lisbon, you can pay upwards of 100 a kilo in Galicia in Spain, which is said to have the world's plumpest, sweetest barnacles. Japanese Blowfish Japanese Blowfish contains toxic poisons that can prove fatal if it is not prepared correctly (AFP/Getty Images) There are many words in the Japanese language to describe the distinctive texture of this prized culinary delicacy. But the fish, called fugu locally, contains toxic poisons that can prove fatal if it is not prepared correctly. Indeed, only certified chefs who have been training for at least three years are allowed to prepare it. But would you risk it? Alba truffles Alba truffles fetch prices of 3,500 a kilo (AFP/Getty Images) Known as the diamonds of the culinary world, these pungent tubers come from the small market town of Alba in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. They fetch prices of 3,500 a kilo, and Jay Z once spent 15,000 on the things on a visit to the region. Much of their value can be attributed to the fact that they can't be cultivated: they grow near the roots of trees, and can be harvested only in October and November, sniffed out under the cover of darkness by specially trained dogs. Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyEats email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It was lauded as a drink of near indescribable genius. So impressed were critics by Suntorys Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 that last year it became the first spirit from Japan to win the coveted World Whisky of the Year award from The Whisky Bible. The guides author, Jim Murray, scored the drink at 97.5 out of 100. Its successor is arguably the most hotly anticipated alcoholic drink in recent memory. And this week British whisky connoisseurs will finally be able to get hold of a bottle as the first shipment leaves the Yamazaki distillery, Japans oldest, near Kyoto on 1 February. At 200 a bottle the new single malt is double the price of its predecessor. However, the price tag will deter few fans, given that the only 2013 bottle available online at the moment costs 3,000. Interest is at fever pitch, with a huge surge in popularity for Japanese whiskies in recent years following the Whisky Bible award. Murray said the prize boosted the fortunes of the entire Japanese category overnight. The mastermind behind the drink Suntorys chief blender Shinji Fukuyo embodies Japanese attention to detail. As well as travelling to Spain to choose which casks he will use, he also chooses the oak, oversees the process by which the inside of each barrel is charred to give a smoky, toasty flavour, sees them filled with sherry, and then travels to Spain again three years later to select which of the casks will be shipped to Japan to use for the maturation of his single malt.The 2013 whisky was aged for 12 years in casks previously used for Oloroso sherry. The new 2016 Yamazaki Sherry Cask has spent three years longer in oak and contains an extra hit of 25-year-old whisky. Fukuyo is clear that he did not blend the Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 for the novice, Suntory said. Rather, it was created for the Suntory Whisky Lover a lover of complex, refined and subtle tastes, the distillery added. The company has produced more bottles this time 5,000 compared to 2,600 in 2013. Around 1,500 will be sold in Japan, with 1,500 going to the US and the remaining 2,000 sold in 10 key cities across Europe, including London. This years version will sell at twice the price of a 2013 bottle British stockists include Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and some specialist websites. Demand remains so high that the Master of Malt website will sell the 2016 whisky on a lottery system. Wine critic Victoria Moore is one of the few to have already sampled the 2016 single malt. On the nose, the 2016 is less fruity than the 2013, which smells richly of caramel, vanilla, rum and raisins and also has a broad, fruity palate, she said. The 2016 is tighter and highly fragrant, with the generous warmth of the sherry influence spreading outwards from a tight core of cocoa nibs, cardamom, barks and spices, with just a tiny bite of iodine. There are still some raisin notes here, but its an altogether more savoury incarnation and very, very good indeed. Kat Jackson, 36, from London, said she will be rushing out to buy a bottle having enjoyed the 2013 version, which still emerges on special occasions. I came across Yamazaki though my work. It was the first whisky that I actually liked and became my gateway to whisky, she added. When the Sherry Cask came out my other half and I bought a bottle and loved it. Part of us wishes now that wed never opened it, given the price they go for, but well definitely be getting one of the 2016s to drink, and probably a couple of bottles to invest. Scotland has been forced to raise its game. Having dominated the field for so long, it lost out again in last years Whisky Bible awards, when Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye, from Canada, secured top spot. It was the second year running that no Scotch made it into Murrays Top 5. With Suntory producing what looks likely to be another blockbuster, whiskys spiritual home may have to wait a little longer to reclaim its crown. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} On 17 February 2012, Elise Schwarzs life changed for ever. It was a Friday evening in New York and the weather was mild. She was on her way home from work when she checked her phone and saw a text message from her childs nanny informing her that her five-and-a-half-month-old baby boy, Evan, wasnt breathing. What followed was two years of heartache, fear and frustration. Evan was diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome, a condition characterised by cranial injury and retinal haemorrhage, which is typically seen in babies who have been violently jolted or shaken. As a result, Evan suffered a massive brain bleed and a cardiac arrest. The evidence pointed to his nanny, Norma; but questions would also be asked of Elise, leaving her fighting for custody of her sick baby. That fateful night, Evan was taken to the intensive care unit at Columbia University Presbyterian Hospital in New York, where Elise was living, although she grew up in Scotland. He was kept for a month before being moved to Blythedale Childrens Hospital in New York State. Nine months later, he moved with Elise and a team of carers into a Manhattan apartment for two weeks, before making the journey back to Scotland, where he lived for eight months in the Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow (now called the Royal Hospital for Sick Children). Finally, Evan moved into his mothers childhood home, which is where he spent the last six months of his life. Evan Louis Schwarz died on 21 February 2014, aged two-and-a-half. Early on in Evans hospitalisation, a friend handed Elise a notepad and suggested she write it all down. Now, Elise has turned her diaries into a book that documents Evans journey. She says she found the process of writing therapeutic. It stopped me from just going over the edge, she says. Elise, 45, grew up and went to university in Glasgow. At the age of 24 she moved to the US, living in San Francisco for five years before moving to Washington DC to attend law school. After graduation, she passed the New York bar exam and moved to New York City, where she decided to set up her own law practice. She had long wrestled with her sexuality and came out as gay when she was 31. Not long after this, she decided she wanted to be a raise a child on her own and, after 16 months of fertility treatment, she became pregnant with Evan. Evan, who died aged two-and-a-half But after Evan became ill, Elise gave up her law practice in order to stay by his side full-time. Sometimes I miss it; I certainly dont mourn it, she says of her work. I loved the way it allowed my mind to work. But I just miss Evan. Elise describes Evan before his injuries as a very placid baby with the most beautiful broad grin. When she left him in Normas care at 8am on 17 February 2012, she says he wasnt crying, just smiling the sweetest smile. When she next saw him, Evan was comatose and he didnt open his eyes for another three months. When he did open them, Elise says they were lifeless, and it wasnt until Evan was 11 months into his hospitalisation that she began to sense he was no longer in a coma. He was also dependent on a ventilator and fed through a tube in his stomach until he died in 2014. His numbed face meant he couldnt smile. Elise learned to read his heart monitor an increased or decreased heart rate was often her only clue as to how her baby was feeling. He made slow progress, but Elise celebrated each accomplishment, however small, and encouraged others to do the same, although this didnt stop some doctors suggesting she withdraw care. I kept life as positive as I could for Evan, she says. But I always thought I was hanging on by the skin of my fingernails and I felt that way for a year or so just incredible fear, anxiety and terror. This would be torture enough for any parent, but Elise also had to deal with the fact that the Administration for Childrens Services in New York petitioned to have Evan removed from her care, despite neither the police nor the doctors involved considering her a suspect. For months, her son who was fighting for his life was in the custody of the state. This meant that had he been discharged from hospital, he would have had to go into foster care or to a long-term rehabilitation centre instead of home with his mother. Elise fought a lengthy and expensive battle to prove that she wasnt responsible for Evans injuries, but it wasnt until September 2012, eight months after Evan became ill, that the ACS finally withdrew the petition against her. She is no longer angry with the authorities. I never thought it was malicious; I thought it was incompetent, says Elise. Theres no point in feeling anger towards them. It wouldnt help me, and certainly there was never a stage at which it would have helped Evan. Remarkably, she doesnt even feel anger towards Norma, the nanny to whom she entrusted Evans care. Norma has never revealed exactly what happened on 17 February. When charges were eventually brought against her, she submitted to the courts jurisdiction, accepting a finding of child abuse. As a result, her name was added to the central registry as a child abuser and she was banned from working with children for 28 years. At the end of the book, Elise writes a letter to Norma that she doesnt send, but which she says helped her find a level of acceptance. In it, she says that if she had to choose between being in Normas position and being Evans mum, shed choose to be Evans mum every time. Ive felt a lot of forgiveness, even without really knowing what it was exactly that happened, she says now. The ACS made everyone focus on shaken baby syndrome. In fact, two doctors missed vital warnings. It could be that Norma didnt actually do anything, but if she did, it could be she did it in reaction to Evan not breathing completely wrong, but not malicious. Of course, this all depends on my believing Norma did not act maliciously, which is what I want to believe. So if I have the luxury of that being an option, then it wouldnt be kind of me not to feel sorry for her. Throughout the book, Elise comes across as a warrior mother, hell-bent on protecting her son. In conversation, however, shes calmer, more resolved. The hanging-on-by-the-skin-of-her-fingernails stress is over. She no longer lives in fear because, she says, the worst thing that could have happened did happen. Now, however, shes dealing with cataclysmic grief, which is a whole new ball game. Grief is a really isolating experience, she says. Even if two people are grieving for the same person. Fortunately, Elise has a rock-solid support network. Her siblings may be scattered across the globe (Cambridge, Madrid, San Francisco), but when Evan was ill, they all pulled together. Her brother arrived on a plane from San Francisco the morning after Evan was taken into hospital. Her sisters visited and prayed, and people took it in turns to sit with Evan in the hospital while Elise went to court or flew to Glasgow to visit her elderly mother. Elise has fond memories of Evans time in Yorkhill Hospital and then later at home with her mother. She says returning to Scotland made her feel safe. Sense Scotland, a charity for people of all ages with sensory impairments, provided much-needed respite for them both. TouchBase, the charitys special-sense facility, offered various art and music classes for Evan. They normalised things for us and they made things fun, says Elise. And the people just loved Evan. I felt wonderful being there and you could tell Evan was really happy. Although Elise has not written the book specifically to raise awareness of shaken baby syndrome, she would be pleased if that did happen. What she really wants, more than anything, is for people who read it to think of Evan as the epitome of happiness and joy. It hurts me that people will think of Evan only as something awful that happened, she says. I want people to remember Evan and to remember how fantastic he was. Ultimately, the book is a mothers tribute to her much-loved son. Elises relationship with her boy is front and centre of this story. Hes absolutely the best thing thats ever happened to me, she says. I certainly would rather be here, even though its without him, than have my old life if that meant never having him at all. I Believe in Evan by Elise Schwarz (John Blake, 7.99) is out now Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Heads of the new university technical colleges (UTCs) set up around the country have been barred from entering hundreds of secondary schools to tell pupils about the kind of education they can offer them. Former Education Secretary Lord (Kenneth) Baker told of one secondary school whose head said on being asked if the local UTC could visit over my dead body. Thirty-nine UTCs have been opened around the country, offering a range of vocational alternatives such as engineering, healthcare, construction and business management often leading to apprenticeships. They take in pupils from the age of 14 to 19 in an effort to provide the country with the skilled workforce it needs. However, because they recruit at 14, they need to go into state secondary schools to persuade teenagers of the value of a technical education. The majority of secondary schools have barred them, Lord Baker said. Heads [of UTCs] are being excluded from going into schools, he said. One said: Over my dead body will you come into my school. Some schools do allow us in but it is only a handful. Lord Bakers revelations follow The Independent on Sundays disclosure last week that Education Secretary Nicky Morgan is planning new legislation compelling schools to give just as much weight to telling pupils about apprenticeships as university courses. He is confident that the final legislation will give leaders of UTCs the right to enter their neighbouring schools. I think it is perverse [to deny entry] because it is denying the children a choice as to what they do, he said. It is a total hostility being shown by traditional education to something which is exciting and successful. We can give them the skills which are right for the workplace. Lord Baker, who is head of the Baker Dearing Trust and is the main motivator behind the UTC programme, said it was often the worst performing secondary schools that tried the hardest to keep the UTCs out. This, he added, was despite the fact that it was these schools pupils who were most likely to benefit from a high-class vocational education. Ms Morgan said the reluctance to push the idea of apprenticeships was down to an outdated snobbery towards technical education. But Lord Baker believes the schools are also anxious to hang on to their pupils because of the money they bring with them. He said that the situation among 16-year-olds was better, with more schools offering access at that age but not those with strong sixth forms, he said. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2022 The Massed Pipes and Drums parade during the Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2022 Number 12 Company Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks, central London, before commencing their first Guard Mount at Buckingham Palace PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2022 A salmon leaps up the weir at Hexham in Northumberland, despite the drought warnings and low water levels, the River Tyne is still flowing well allowing the salmon and sea trout to head up river to spawn. Every year tens of thousands of salmon make the once-in-a-lifetime journey along the Tyne to spawn, having been out a sea PA Most local authorities, he added, were reluctant to include UTCs in information about the opportunities open to parents and their children at secondary school level. In a handful of areas Bristol, Birmingham and Leeds in particular which had sent out letters telling parents about local UTCs, recruitment had soared to the extent that more UTCs were opening in those areas. A further 20 UTCs are in the pipeline. As an indication of the Governments support for the project, Chancellor George Osborne in his Comprehensive Spending Review before Christmas included new UTCs as well as free schools in his pledge that the Government would open 500 new schools by 2020. Figures show that out of 1,181 pupils who left UTCs at age 16 last summer, 99.5 per cent were either in education, training or employment. Of the 700 who left at age 18, 97.5 per cent were in education, training or employment a far higher percentage than those from the rest of the state sector. In addition, 42 per cent went on to university compared with 37 per cent for the rest of the age group and 24 per cent went into apprenticeships (compared with 8.5 per cent nationally). As a result of the ban on entering schools, UTCs have had to resort to holding meetings in village halls, taking out adverts in local newspapers and sending leaflets to parents in order to let them know of opportunities, Lord Baker said. Ms Morgan intends to have the legislation putting the promotion of apprenticeships on an equal footing with the promotion of university degrees ready by the end of the year. It is expected to be included in the Queens Speech. 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Eric Bowen is the reason that a reality television star and real estate tycoon may be on the cusp of a moment nothing less than remarkable. The 53-year-old plumber is angry, fed-up. He voted for Barack Obama eight years ago, but nothing has changed. Only a businessman can fix things. So too, is Mike Shamsie. In fact, the 58-year-old from across the river in Illinois would admit to being furious, up-to-here with the politicians who have done this to the country. Trish Duffy is not happy either. She is not entirely sure who she will vote for, but she has come to see the man who talks to this anger. Mr Trump received the backing of Jerry Falwell Jr (AP) More than seven months after he announced with trademark showmanship and self-assurance that he was running for the White House, Donald Trump has been carried to the Republicans pole position on a wave of and frustration and disgruntlement . On Saturday evening, a respected, final poll before Monday nights Iowa caucus - the first time people actually get to cast a vote in the 2016 presidential election - put the 69-year-old a full five points clear of his nearest Republican rival, Senator Ted Cruz. And even if he was not about to thank God for his strong showing, Mr Trump was happy to suggest he had been borne to this point by the support of evangelical Christians as he addressed supporters - and the simply curious - in the town of Davenport. Sitting on stage with Jerry Fawell Jr, the president of the Christian Liberty University and son of the late preacher and activist Jerry Falwell Sr, Mr Trump embraced the endorsement from a section of the electorate he has courted vigorously. Everything you need to know about the Iowa caucus Two weeks ago, Mr Trump took the pilgrimage made by all Republican candidates to the universitys Virginia campus, and addressed the students in an attempt to burnish his religious credentials. As it was, he rather fluffed his lines about the bibles Second Corinthians, leading some on the religious right to question how genuine Mr Trumps seemingly opportunistic embrace of God was. Yet it was sufficient to earn him the backing of Mr Falwell, something that rivals such as Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz surely coveted. On stage, Mr Trump thanked Mr Falwell and said he was certainly a man of faith. Maybe Im a little bit not as good as he is in that way. But Im good, he added. Eric Bowen was among many who turned out to see Mr Trump who voiced frustration (Andrew Buncombe) Earlier, he said that Mr Falwells comment that of all the Republican candidates he was the most like the late Mr Falwell Sr, who died in 2007, was the best endorsement for me. Mr Falwell, who stressed it was his own endorsement of Mr Trump rather than his colleges, added: I did so because the country is at that point. Yet if, the evangelicals have helped push Mr Trump to where he stands, both polls and numerous interviews with his supporters in Iowa would suggest that it is the frustrated voter that the billionaire has made his bedrock. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll suggested that 73 per cent of voters intending to cast their vote in Novembers presidential election, believe the US is heading in the wrong direction. Most strikingly, such disaffected people make up a majority of the support bases for both Mr Trump and Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders - who has pushed himself to within a couple of points away from Ms Clinton - with 87 per cent and 54 per cent respectively. Such individuals include people such as Jim Bodenpick, a 78-year-old who was being yelled at by his wife to hurry up and come inside the theatre on Saturday evening. He was concerned about the economy, about the government planning to declare martial law and take away all the guns. In all his many years, he said, he had never seen everything so upside down. It may be tempting, especially from afar, to mock or question such comments and to believe that salvation rests in the hands of a man previously best known around the world as the host of The Apprentice. But in a nation of growing inequality and crumbling infrastructure, of surging globalism and mounting uncertainty, the frustrations expressed are real. Democrat Bernie Sanders has also tapped into public frustration (AP) As the polls underscore, the same emotions and sense of dislocation are expressed by many those turning out in support of Mr Sanders, though his thoughts on the solutions to Americas challenges may be very different to Trump. (One young man, Marshall Lang, 28, who attended a Bernie Sanders rally in Davenport a night earlier, said if he was not backing the Vermont senator he would be voting for Mr Trump. Im a nationalist, he explained.) Mr Trump describes his entry to the political race as nothing less cinematic than a rescue story. He did not particularly want to run for the White House, he suggested to the crowd, but rather he and his wife were reluctantly acting out of a sense of duty and in response to the plight of the nation. He said that on that June 16 afternoon when he swept down the stairs at Trump Tower in New York to meet the media and announce his candidacy, it was like the Oscars. I took a deep breath. I said 'lets do this', Mr Trump claimed. What's happening to our country is so bad. And when asked about his solutions to the nations woes, such lack-of-doubt electrifies his answers. We will beat Isis very quickly, folks. President Trump would have secured the release of the prisoners held by Iran in 48 hours. Were going to bring back the jobs from the countries that have taken them. Were going to bring those jobs back. And so it went on: confronting Muslim extremists, forcing Apple to manufacture its products in the US, promoting gun ownership to prevent attacks such as the one in Paris that took 130 lives, handling immigration. You dont have a country without borders. The angry and the disgruntled and the frustrated people cheered and clapped and got to their feet and waved placards. Donald Trump, the man who may yet make the journey from reality television to the most powerful office in the world, smiled and waved and grinned. Youre good people. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Bill Gates has appeared on the BBCs Desert Island Discs, finally providing the answer to the question of what to give to the man who has everything. The Microsoft founder came in for some light-hearted criticism from listeners for music tastes which could at best be described as safe, but revealed that he had in fact been quite a disruptive teenager and that he and Paul Allen fixed school scheduling software so they got to sit with girls. Mr Gates was named once again as the wealthiest man in the world last week, with a personal fortune of $87.4 billion far outstripping that of the man who briefly overtook him last October, Amancio Ortega. Recommended Read more Bill Gates announced as richest man in the world once again And speaking to Kirsty Young in an interview broadcast on Sunday morning, the 60-year-old revealed the one item he would take out of all his worldly riches if he was to be stranded on a desert island. Asked for his luxury item, Mr Gates said: Well I suppose asking for an internet connection is probably outside the rules? Instead, he went for a whole bunch of DVDs of all the world's great lectures. Mr Gates first song choice was Under Pressure, a collaboration between Queen and David Bowie, who died on 10 January aged 69. Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says Show all 10 1 /10 Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says 425782.bin Alex Wong/Getty Images Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says 425781.bin Mario Tama/Getty Images Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says 459445.bin Reuters Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says 459455.bin Getty Images Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says 459461.bin Reuters Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says 147144.bin Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says 426864.bin AP Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says 422688.bin EPA Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says 448184.bin Reuters Bill Gates still richest American, Forbes says 459490.bin Getty Images He also chose Ed Sheerans Sing, which he put down to the fact that his kids who are 19, 16 and 13 refresh my musical taste. Other songs included One by U2, Blue Skies by Willie Nelson and My Shot from the musical Hamilton, which he said was about a young person saying, Hey Im going to take a risk, Im going to get out there and try and do something new and different. Speaking about his childhood, Mr Gates said: I was a bit disruptive. I started early on questioning were their rules logical and always to be followed, so there was kind of a bit of tension there as I was pushing back. On meeting Google co-founder Allen at school, he said: "Paul did the computer scheduling with me. Unfortunately for him he was two years ahead of me and he was off to college by then. So I was the one who benefited by being able to have the nice girls at least sit near me. "It wasn't that I could talk to them or anything - but they were there. I think I was particularly inept at talking to girls, or thinking, 'OK - do you ask them out, do you not?' When I went off to Harvard I was a little bit more sociable. But I was below average on talking to girls," he said. And he spoke about his frustrations running the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, which has so far spent 34 billion trying to combat diseases and development issues around the world. He said: When you see the cost of the diseases or even the malnutrition where the kids who survive don't grow up to achieve their full potential, it does bother you that there's not more generosity or there's not more creativity, that we are not drawing in the best scientists. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has staged a photo in which he poses as the drowned Syrian refugee toddler whose picture sparked an international outcry last year. The image emulates the photo of the lifeless three-year-old boy Aylan Kurdi, who was washed up on the shores of Turkey last September. The picture came to symbolise the tragic plight of the refugee crisis. Since then, European countries have increasingly turned their backs on those fleeing war-torn countries. Having already accepted more than a million migrants, Germany has announced plans to tighten its asylum rules. The Nordic countries have also markedly changed their stances with Finland and Sweden confirming they will start to deport thousands of people. Denmark has also been heavily criticised for passing a law that allows it to confiscate refugees' cash and valuables if necessary. In the attempt to raise awareness about the crisis, Ai set up the shoot with India Today. The political artist is on the Greek island of Lesbos working on an art project on the refugee crisis. Ai and his team actively helped in staging this photograph for us, explained Rohit Chawla, a photographer at India Today. Chawla added: I am sure it wasnt very comfortable to lie down on the pebbles like that. But the soft evening light fell on his face when he lay down. People news in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 People news in pictures People news in pictures 7 October 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in an ice hockey match between former NHL stars and officials at the Shayba Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Vladimir Putin spent his 63rd birthday on the ice, playing hockey with NHL stars against Russian officials and tycoons EPA People news in pictures 6 October 2015 German designer Karl Lagerfeld (R) and model Cara Delevingne (C) appear at the end of his Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection for fashion house Chanel at the Grand Palais which is transformed into a Chanel airport during the Fashion Week in Paris, France Reuters People news in pictures 5 October 2015 Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne addresses the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The Chancellor argued that reducing the payments to people in low paid jobs would give them economic security by reducing the Governments spending deficit Getty Images People news in pictures 4 October 2015 Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston takes a moment in the centre of the field with his daughter Frankie Thurston, holding dark-skinned doll, after winning the 2015 NRL Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The image quickly became the talking point of Australias National Rugby League Final and provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many praising Thurston for giving his child a toy that promotes inclusiveness and diversity Getty Images People news in pictures 3 October 2015 Pope Francis gives a thumbs-up as he greets people at the end of an audience to the participants of a meeting organized by the "Food Bank" at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican Getty Images People news in pictures 2 October 2015 Britain's Finance Minister George Osborne (L) throws an American football as he meets with former American football players Dan Marino (2nd R) and Curtis Martin (not pictured) at 11 Downing Street in London, ahead of the New York Jets playing against the Miami Dolphins at London's Wembley Stadium on 4 October Getty Images People news in pictures 1 October 2015 An honor guard opens the door as Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to attend a meeting with members of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia People news in pictures 30 September 2015 Former Mrs America Lisa Christie, who alleges misconduct by Bill Cosby, holds up photos of her younger self during a news conference at the law office of attorney Gloria Allred in Los Angeles People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Matt Damon has defended himself against claims that he instructed gay actors to remain in the closet. He had said I think youre a better actor the less people know about you and sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether youre straight or gay, people shouldnt know anything about your sexuality but an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show said, I was just trying to say actors are more effective when theyre a mystery. Right? Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Marion Cotillard has said that there is no place for feminism in Hollywood. Speaking to Porter magazine, she saidFilm-making is not about gender/ You cannot ask a president in a festival like Cannes to have, like, five movies directed by women and five by men. For me it doesnt create equality, it creates separation. I mean, I dont qualify myself as a feminist." Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Paul Walkers daughter, Meadow, is suing Porsche over her fathers death in a lawsuit that claims he was trapped in the burning car because of design flaws and the seat belt. The Fast and Furious star was killed when the Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in hit a pole in California in 2013. The driver, his friend Roger Rodas, also died when the vehicle burst into flames. AP People news in pictures 28 September 2015 Robert Mugabe waits to address the United Nations General Assembly. The leader of Zimbabwe reportedly exclaimed 'We are not gay!' as he criticised Western nation's "double standards and attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions and beliefs. In 2013 he described homosexuals as worse than pigs, goats and birds. Reuters People news in pictures 28 September 2015 South African comedian Trevor Noah hosts the first 'Daily Show' since taking over from Jon Stewart as host. Stewart had presented the US satirical news show since 1999 and was described by Noah during the show as a 'Political father' 2015 Getty Images People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Sir Elton John may have received a phone call from the real Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin's spokesman announced he had made contact weeks after the singer was duped by pranksters pretending to be the Russian President. Getty People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was mistakenly declared as the artist who produced the Mona Lisa by Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. It was in fact Leonardo da Vinci. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 A new biography claims Donald Trump expected to be dead by 40 and never marry. The Guardian says the a new book also claims that in 1980, Mr Trump manufactured a fake vice-president of his real estate conglomerate, whom he called John Baron. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 The Dalai Lama has said that Britain's policy towards China is just about 'Money, money, money.' And asked 'Where is morality?' People news in pictures 24 September 2015 Puff Daddy secured the number-one spot on the Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list, with the publication calculating he made an estimated $60million (39m) between June 2014 and June 2015. The image has been exhibited at the India Art Fair as part of an exhibition titled The Artists this weekend. Sandy Angus, the co-owner of India Art Fair, said: It is an iconic image because it is very political, human and involves an incredibly important artist like Ai Weiwei. The image is haunting and represents the whole immigration crisis and the hopelessness of the people who have tried to escape their pasts for a better future. Gayatri Jayaraman, the magazine senior editor who interviewed him, also spoke fondly of Weiwei. He is such a great artist, but to me he also appeared to be a Mahatma Gandhi-like figure. He is very warm and humble, but his very presence there in that situation as tired, cold, wet refugees arrived was colossal. And very political. The photo will be featured in the art activists interview with India Today next week. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron is reportedly considering sending his son to an 18,000-a-year private school - despite previously calling fees at such institutions crazy. The Prime Minister and his wife, Samantha, are said to be discussing whether to send their nine-year-old son, Elwen, to Colet Court Preparatory School - part of the exclusive St Pauls School in Barnes, south-west London. The Mail on Sunday reports the couple has not made a final decision about where to send their son and are considering both public and state options. In 2009, Mr Cameron said it would be crazy to send his children to fee-paying schools when there should be good state places available. He said: Id like my children to go to state school. Its crazy that we should have to pay lots of money for private schools. We all pay our taxes. You should have really good state schools available for all. It comes after they sent their daughter, Nancy, to the state-funded secondary school Grey Coat Hospital in Westminster in September last year - making Mr Cameron the first serving Conservative Prime Minister in history to send his child to a state run school. Dave Brown on David Cameron Show all 11 1 /11 Dave Brown on David Cameron Dave Brown on David Cameron 4 March 2016 Boris Johnson campaigns for Brexit Dave Brown on David Cameron 20 January 2016 Cameron's response to Tata Steel job cuts Dave Brown on David Cameron 5 January 2016 Cameron's reaction to Saudi Arabia executions Dave Brown on David Cameron 3 December 2015 Cameron called the opponents of military action in Syria "terrorist sympathisers" Dave Brown on David Cameron 2 December 2015 Cameron and the Syria bombing vote Dave Brown on David Cameron 19 November 2015 Cameron moves toward a second vote on bombing Syria Dave Brown on David Cameron 21 October 2015 Xi Jinping is lauded at a state banquet as British steelworkers lose their jobs, largely as a result of cheap Chinese steel imports Dave Brown on David Cameron 8 October 2015 Tory conference responds to Camerons keynote speech Dave Brown on David Cameron 6 October 2014 Clegg attempts to distance himself from Cameron Dave Brown on David Cameron 27 June 2014 Cameron and EU re-negotiation Dave Brown on David Cameron 1 December 2012 Cameron, Murdoch and the Leveson Report The Mail has speculated the reason for the couples decision regarding their sons future could be connected to Mr Camerons announcement that he plans to step down before the general election in 2020. Elwen would be due to go to the senior public school in September 2019 - meaning there will be less public scrutiny of his private life. Colet Court is seen as a feeder school for St Pauls - which was attended by the Chancellor George Osborne - which charged 22,500-a-year for day pupils and 34,000 for boarders. No 10 has not commented on the report, saying the education of Mr Cameron's children was a private matter. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ellen Page has said that being open about her sexuality is more important to her than her acting career. The Canadian star, who is best known for her roles in Juno, Inception and the X-Men series, told The Guardian: Being out within my life became far more important than being in any movie. But the 28-year-old actress also expressed fear that it could affect the acting roles she is offered in the future. Julianne Moore and Ellen Page Tackle Gay Rights in New Movie Id be lying if I said that wasnt something I feared, and thats the big reason so many people havent come out. Page kept her sexuality a secret for years before finally deciding to come out at a conference for counsellors of young LGBT people in Las Vegas in February 2014. The Oscar-nominated actress admitted shed lived something of a double life before coming out. I felt, lets just please be done with this chapter of discomfort and sadness and anxiety, and hurting my relationships, and all those things that come with it. In the end, feelings of doubt and guilt meant Page could no longer keep her sexuality private. Ellen Page in quotes Show all 6 1 /6 Ellen Page in quotes Ellen Page in quotes As a girl, you're supposed to love Sleeping Beauty. I mean, who wants to love Sleeping Beauty when you can be Aladdin? GETTY IMAGES Ellen Page in quotes I think a lot of the time in films, men get roles where they create their own destiny and women are just tools, supporters for that GETTY IMAGES Ellen Page in quotes I'm actually just playing honest, whole young women GETTY IMAGES Ellen Page in quotes I don't want to become unhealthily attached to what I do. I'm grateful for what I do, but I also want to be able to be OK when I'm not doing it GETTY IMAGES Ellen Page in quotes I don't want to become unhealthily attached to what I do. I'm grateful for what I do, but I also want to be able to be OK when I'm not doing it GETTY IMAGES Ellen Page in quotes When we're growing up there are all sorts of people telling us what to do when really what we need is space to work out who to be GETTY IMAGES I felt guilty for not being a visible person for the community, and for having the privilege that I had and not using it. I had got to the point where I was telling myself, you know, you should feel guilty about this. I was an active participant in an element of Hollywood that is gross. I would never judge somebody else for not coming out, but for me, personally, it did start to feel like a moral imperative. When Page came out two years ago, she explained that she was driven by a personal obligation and social responsibility to do so. In a candid speech which received two standing ovations she said: Im tired of hiding, Im tired of lying by omission. I suffered for years because I was afraid to be out. My spirit suffered, my mental health suffered and my relationships suffered. And Im standing here today with all of you on the other side of that pain. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has claimed that support from evangelical Christians - a group he has courted strongly - has pushed him into lead position on the eve of the Iowa caucuses. At a rally in the eastern city of Davenport, shortly after the publication of the final, and highly respected poll before Mondays vote gave him a five point lead, the tycoon claimed that the support of Christians had been crucial. Appearing on stage with Jerry Falwell Jr, the president of the Christian Liberty University, whose endorsement he has received, Mr Trump claimed the poll by the Des Moines Register and Bloomberg News which placed him five points clear of Ted Cruz, rested on a bedrock of Christian support. Mr Trump's efforts to portray himself as a figure of faith have been questioned by many conservatives (AP) I did pretty well in the Des Moines Register poll. It showed me ahead with evangelicals, said the billionaire. Earlier, he said that Mr Falwells comment that of all the Republican candidates he was the most like the late Jerry Falwell Sr, a preacher and activist who died in 2007, was the best endorsement for me. Mr Falwell, who stressed it was his own endorsement of Mr Trump rather than his colleges, added: I did so because the country is at that point. The crowd that filled up the Adler Theatre in Davenport were a mixed bunch. Some admitted they had come simply to see a celebrity. I plan to caucus for Ted Cruz. I think a lot of people have come to see the show, said Miguel Dominguez, one of the few Hispanics among the crowd. Mr Trump received the backing of Jerry Falwell Jr (AP) Some said that they were attracted by Mr Trump because he spoke his mind, and that people fed up with the state of the country found his outspokenness appealing. I dont know if I will vote for him. But he speaks to the same anger that Bernie Sanders does, said Trish Duffy. Some on the religious right have questioned how genuine Mr Trumps attempts to portray himself as a person of faith are. Yet an unscientific straw poll suggested there were few among the crowd who were there because of Mr Trumps religious standing, or lack of it. There were shouts of applause when he spoke of his desire to protect gun rights, to control immigration by building a wall along the border with Mexico and for his claim that he would bring jobs back to the US. But there were certainly a number of people who believed that Mr Trumps business credentials were what was currently needed by the next person to occupy the White House. Eric Bowen, 53, a plumber, said he had changed his registration from independent to Republican after seeing Mr Trump on television. Eight years ago he voted in the general election for Barack Obama but he had never before taken part in an Iowa caucus to choose a nominee. He said that on Monday night he would be taking part, enthused by Mr Trumps presence in the race. We need a businessman, he said. I think a businessman can get things done. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An IRA operative accused of committing sex crimes halted retribution against him by threatening to expose informants in the terror groups ranks, it is claimed. The man is alleged to have carried out serious assaults, including the rape of a 12-year-old boy, while he was staying at safe houses in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic during the 1990s. The terror group was notorious for its use of punishment squads to mete out rough justice in the form of beatings and killings of those within its own ranks judged to have broken its code of conduct. A former IRA member now claims that the alleged rapist was able to avoid any such action against him after he was made privy to the contents of documents stolen in a 2002 burglary on the headquarters of the then Royal Ulster Constabulary. The material contained the encrypted code names of dozens of claimed Special Branch or MI5 informants within the IRA. The papers were deciphered by an IRA team set up to identify the informants. The continuing significance of the stolen Castlereagh papers was underlined last week when a leak from the documents sparked allegations that the terrorist who planned the Shankill Road bombing in 1993 was an agent for the security forces. The Independent has been told that the alleged IRA rapist obtained the details of the Castlereagh documents from a family member with connections to the team of mole hunters brought in by the terror group to identify the informants listed by the RUC. When the families of the alleged rapists victims eventually came forward with complaints in the early 2000s, he was confronted by his IRA superiors. He then is said to have threatened to release the informants names unless an internal investigation against him and any reprisals were halted. After striking a deal with senior IRA figures, it is claimed the man was chaperoned by the terror group to ensure his information remained secret. A former IRA member, who knew the alleged rapist, said: The IRA was boxed in by this boy. They had to lose him, then deny all knowledge of him. They moved him all around Ireland and even paid to move him to England until it all died down. The Unionist MP Gregory Campbell told the House of Commons in 2013 that there had been up to 100 victims of sexual abuse and he was aware of claims that a 'fixed committee' had been set up within the republican movement to study those claims (Rex) With the peace process under way and faced with the unpalatable prospect of having to acknowledge the apparent extent of penetration of its ranks by the security forces, the IRA largely abandoned its policy of eliminating informants and gave those identified from the Castlereagh papers an amnesty to remain with their families in return for their silence. The claims threaten to revive a dark chapter in the republican movements recent history arising from the paramilitaries practice of moving operatives around safe houses. Victims have complained that some IRA members used the network as an opportunity to prey on their host families and that the terror group then covered up subsequent complaints. In 2013, the Unionist MP Gregory Campbell told the House of Commons that there had been up to 100 victims of sexual abuse and he was aware of claims that a fixed committee had been set up within the republican movement to study those claims. Sinn Fein and its leader Gerry Adams have strongly denied that the party ever concealed the identity of alleged abusers, insisting that all information passed to it has been submitted to the Garda Siochana in the Irish Republic or the Police Service of Northern Ireland for investigation. The Gardai acknowledged last year that it was investigating a list of the names of alleged abusers which was sent anonymously to Mr Adams and passed on by him. Last year a man in the Irish Republic came forward with claims that he had been raped at the age of 17 by a Belfast-based paramilitary given sanctuary by his family in the 1990s. Paudie McGahon, from County Louth, close to the Ulster border, told the BBC that after the attack his rapist had told him: Listen to me, if you ever open your mouth about this to anybody youll be found on the border roads. The father-of-three said that he eventually made his complaint known within republican circles in 2002. An IRA kangaroo court was held in his home and he was offered the option of having his alleged attacker shot or forced into exile in return for not approaching the authorities. A subsequent complaint from Mr McGahon about the alleged rape and claimed cover-up is now being investigated by the Irish police. Mr McGahon came forward following the case of Mairia Cahill, whose great-uncle Joe was one of the founders of the Provisional IRA. Ms Cahill, who is now a senator in the Irish parliament, publicly accused the organisation in 2014 of covering up her alleged rape by a senior IRA figure in Belfast when she was a teenager by organising another kangaroo court in which she was forced to confront her claimed attacker. The case was eventually investigated by police but a prosecution collapsed after Ms Cahill and two other complainants withdrew their evidence. A report by Keir Starmer, the former Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales, found last year that Ms Cahill and the two other alleged victims had been let down by more than a dozen failings in the handling of their cases and their withdrawal from the prosecutions had been almost inevitable. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} European officials have been urged by the British government to remove Bermuda a tax haven used by Google from an official blacklist, according to reports. The behind-the-scenes lobbying by UK Treasury ministers involved a memo circulated among Tory MEPs in Brussels describing the sanctions against tax havens as unhelpful, according to reports in the Observer. The blacklist, which was drawn up last year to protect member states revenues, includes 30 tax jurisdictions. The newspaper adds that Treasury ministers told the European commission they are strongly opposed to proposed sanctions against Bermuda where Google is poised to confirm on Monday that it has accumulated 30bn of profits from non US-sales. Companies are not liable to pay corporation tax on the British island territory. Last week a deal struck between UK tax authorities and the internet search giant amounted to 130m in back taxes, on the estimated 7.2bn that it has earned in profits over the last decade. The Chancellor has insisted that the settlement is a major success, despite considerable public outcry. Speaking to the Observer John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said: The mask has finally slipped. The Tories have been saying they want to clamp down on tax avoidance to the British people, but when they think our backs are turned they are telling their MEPs to oppose any measures to make it happen. The truth is they run a dont know, dont care approach to tax avoidance. The former Conservative Chancellor Lord Lawson has also been critical of the so-called sweetheart deal between Google and the Treasury. He told the Telegraph: "It is profoundly unsatisfactory that corporation tax has to be collected from large multinational corporations by a series of ad hoc compromise deals, as we have once again seen with the Google affair. "It is also grossly unfair on smaller businesses, who are unable to shift profits between tax jurisdictions and have to pay the full amount due under UK law." The controversial Google deal with HMRC could be investigated by the European Commission following complaints from the SNP and Labour. Google's vice president of communications and public affairs, Peter Barron, insisted the company paid UK corporation taxes at the standard rate of 20%. A Treasury spokesperson said to the newspaper: It is simply wrong to suggest the UK is anything other than at the international forefront of tackling aggressive tax planning, avoidance and evasion. The government has led the way in the G20 to strengthen international rules that counter aggressive tax planning by multinational companies, and supported global tax transparency through the automatic exchange of information, which will help HMRC to crack down on tax evasion. All of the UKs Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories are early adopters of this new global standard. This is all in addition to introducing the world-leading diverted profits tax which stops companies moving profits to tax havens. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Close to 800,000 people have been disenfranchised from the electoral system since Government changes to voter registration were introduced. There were 1.8 per cent fewer voters registered under the new individual electoral system in December than in 2014, under household registration, reported the Guardian. Students in university towns were found to be the highest at risk of being unable to vote. Canterbury has seen a 13 per cent fall, and both Cambridge and Dundee West have seen an 11 per cent fall. The statistics, collected by the Labour Party, come as the country prepares for local, assembly and mayoral elections. In addition, the National Voter Registration Drive begins on Monday. Labour are concerned that the missing voters are primarily their supporters. General election 2015: Polling day Show all 16 1 /16 General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 Nuns arrive to vote at a polling station at St John's Church in Paddington, London General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 A voter leaves the White Horse Inn in Priors Dean, also known as the 'Pub with no name', which is part of the East Hampshire constituency and acts as a local polling station on the day of the election General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 General view of inside the White Horse Inn in Priors Dean General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 People cast their votes as a man uses a punch bag in the East Hull Boxing Academy, which is being used as a polling station in Hull General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 Penny Higbee waits to greet voters at her home in Routh, East Yorkshire, which is being used as a rural polling station General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 Voters in Ironbridge, Shropshire, arrive to cast their vote at The Iron Bridge Tollhouse General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 A voter arrives at the North West Ambulance Service Station at Milton Green, Cheshire, which is being used as a polling station as Britain goes to the ballot box General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 A polling station has been installed in a launderette in Oxford General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 SNP candidate for the Gordon constituency and Former First Minister Alex Salmond with first time voter Nicki Falconer, and her family, (L-R) Mackenzie, Nicki, Skye, Alex Salmond and Keiran at their local polling station in the Gordon constituency in Ellon, Scotland General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron and wife Samantha after casting their votes at Spelsbury Memorial Hall, Witney General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and his wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez arrive at Hall Park Hill Community Centre to cast their votes, in Sheffield General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 Labour Party leader Ed Miliband and his wife Justine Thornton leave the polling station at Sutton Village Hall in Sutton after casting their votes in the 2015 general election in Doncaster General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 First Minister of Scotland and leader of the SNP Nicola Sturgeon, votes with her husband Peter Murrell in Glasgow, Scotland General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 Ukip leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote for the South Thanet constituency in Ramsgate General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood arrives at a polling station in Penygraig, Rhondda, Wales General election 2015: Polling day General election 2015 Green Party leader Natalie Bennett after casting her vote at Ossulston Tenants' Hall, London The shadow minister for electoral registration, Gloria de Piero, has urged the Government to make it easier for students to become eligible to vote. In a letter to written to John Penrose, a cabinet office minister, and published in the Guardian, she wrote: The transition to individual electoral registration (IER) has resulted in a significant fall in the number of people on the electoral register in areas with a university." "As you will know, IER prevents universities from block registering all their students in halls of residence, but measures should be taken to ensure that it is as easy as possible for individual students to register. Sheffield University has seen outstanding results by integrating voter registration into the enrolment process. This makes it easy for students to opt into being registered, and has resulted in 67 per cent of students at the university being on the register. I write to you today to call for official guidance to be issued to every vice-chancellor in the country about how they can adopt the Sheffield model in their universities for next years enrolment. Mr Penrose has expressed sympathy with Labour concerns over voter registration and said several initiatives inviting student registration are being trialled across the country. Mr Penrose said to MPs that to adopt the 'Sheffield model' would be "not quite that simple," the Guardian reports. The government insists that IER is a vital step to combating voter fraud. The Electoral Reform Society states on its website that it is in support of the move to IER, but that it "needs to be done in the right way." Until the changes, the UK was the last Western democracy to use household registration. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "Individual electoral registration is an essential measure to tackle electoral fraud. We have worked hard with local authorities for years now to clean up the register any entries removed will be people who have moved house, died or never existed because they were registered fraudulently. Students often move house every year and this can make it hard for councils to keep accurate registers. Thats why, with Governments help, councils are working with universities on ways of ensuring the highest possible level of student registration. We fully support the aims of the National Voter Registration Drive this week. Students, like everyone, can now apply to register online in just a few minutes and at any time, day or night." Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} On a mild afternoon in January, Osterley Park seems an unlikely venue for a headquarters of guerrilla warfare. Low, slow planes droop over the western outskirts of London towards Heathrow. Dog walkers take tea and scones in the stable block next to the National Trust-owned mansion: an odd but striking mishmash of Thomas Greshams brick Elizabethan towers and the gleaming neoclassical colonnade added by Robert Adam in the 1760s. Estate workers plod around the sodden park, doing winter chores. So far, so heritage. The most startling things on display at Osterley today are the daffodils, with their freakishly early blaze of gold. It takes a leap of imagination to see this tranquil stately home as a hub of insurrectionary violence, viewed by our own top brass as well as the suspicious Nazis as little more than a terrorist training camp. It was on these incongruous grounds that, in 1940, Basque anarchists, American rebels, Surrealist painters and British militants taught guerrilla tactics to thousands of zealous volunteers under the direction of Tom Wintringham. He was an ex-Communist agitator and commander of the British Battalion of the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War who had, in his twenties, done jail time for sedition after helping to plan the 1926 General Strike. His bunch of revolutionaries at the end of the Piccadilly line (in the War Offices aghast opinion) learnt how to wreck tanks, sabotage buildings and destroy planes, as well as build and use improvised grenades, mortar bombs and Molotov cocktails. Wintringham had set up this school of irregular combat because he yearned to convert a newly recruited organisation for home defence into a revolutionary anti-Fascist fighting force. The 9th Earl of Jersey, who owned the Osterley estate, made his property available. Within four months, in summer 1940, more than 5,000 eager would-be guerrillas had learnt the dark arts of asymmetrical violence against well-equipped regular units. At Osterley, Wintringham tried to kick-start a genuine Peoples Army. Yet we know the corps that he sought to transform through this vanguard camp as Dads Army. This week, the new feature film of Dads Army opens. A cast that includes Toby Jones, Bill Nighy, Michael Gambon and Catherine Zeta-Jones will reprise the roles created for David Croft and Jimmy Perrys much-loved television comedy, which originally ran for nine series between 1968 and 1977. After more than two post-war decades of near-oblivion, the Home Guard set up to protect Britain from the imminent threat of invasion embarked, in the late 1960s, on its mythological afterlife. That has lasted almost half a century. Oliver Parkers film will doubtless extend it for a few more years. Since almost as soon as the first episode aired, the search for the real Dads Army has partnered the sitcoms sanctification as an icon of popular culture. From the off, the show mingled history, memory and myth almost beyond all hope of disentanglement. When, in the early 2000s, the historians Penny Summerfield and Corinna Peniston-Bird were conducting interviews with former Home Guard volunteers, they found that remembered fact and televised fiction had long since blurred. Thanks to this cultural circuit, the veterans borrowed versions of the past that circulated in the public domain when making sense of their own experience. Dads Army had influenced the imaginative possibility of their own recall, and shaped their personal memories. Perry, though, has acknowledged that the squad of hapless bunglers he scripted deviated from his own experience within a unit that evolved into a very efficient guerrilla force. Most were not frail pensioners but chaps about your age, waiting to be called up. In the Watford Home Guard, one Major Strong, a seasoned guerrilla fighter who had soldiered in Spain, regaled Perry and his comrades with lectures on social justice. Which takes us back to Osterley Park, and the moment when a domestic defence corps looked less like a dodderers playground than the last, shocking word in ungentlemanly warfare. The cast of the new Dads Army film (PA Wire/Press Association Images/Anna Gowthorpe) The early days of the Home Guard witnessed a head-on collision between the Peoples Army and Dads Army. Even as late as the doomed Norwegian campaign of spring 1940, the prospect of an anti-invasion militia appeared fanciful. When one MP called for a force of guerrilla snipers, or francs-tireurs, the diarist-politician Harold Nicolson judged him a little bit off his head. Then came the rout of the British Expeditionary Force in France, followed by the desperate evacuation from Dunkirk. With France soon to fall, invasion now felt not just probable but imminent. The regular Army could draw on a mere 15 half-strength infantry divisions in the southern counties, and only 463 tanks. Dont panic? In private, many did. Unbidden, ad hoc bands of home defenders mustered around Britain. Deep in the shadows, Section D of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), under the elusive Major Lawrence Grand, began to expand its existing plans for a secret guerrilla force. When Admiral Hugh Sinclair, the pre-war head of the SIS, proposed the creation of undercover squads, Grand had asked him: Is anything banned? Nothing at all, came the reply. In public, home defence began as a much more sedate affair. On 14 May 1940, the day after the incoming Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, had told the Commons that he had nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat, the War Secretary, Anthony Eden, broadcast a call for recruits to join the new Local Defence Volunteers (LDV). Within 24 hours, a quarter of a million signed up; within six weeks, 1.5 million. Contrary to stereotype, many were battle-hardened veterans of 1914-18, the regular Army or other fields of war. George Orwell, like Wintringham a Republican fighter wounded in Spain, became a sergeant in St Johns Wood. World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks Show all 20 1 /20 World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365542.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365540.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365539.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365538.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365537.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365536.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365535.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365534.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365533.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365532.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365531.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365530.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365529.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365528.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365527.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365526.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365525.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365524.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365523.bin World War Two Photo Essay: The Final Weeks 365541.bin At its birth, the LDV which scoffers decided stood for Look, Duck and Vanish had no uniforms, few weapons and a confused mission. Military traditionalists wanted no more than a docile special constabulary. For radicals such as Wintringham, though, the volunteers deserved the training and equipment required to transform them into a fearsome anti-Nazi vanguard. German propagandists were in no doubt that the British government had licensed the formation of murder bands, who would merit drastic punishment. The tide of opinion soon turned in Wintringhams direction. In July, Churchill authorised an expensive change of name from the LDV to the tougher, more martial Home Guard. Through official armouries, private stores or shady bulk purchases from overseas, guns and ammunition came into the hands of the volunteers though at a glacial pace. In 1943, Noel Coward was still singing about Home Guard shortages: Could you please oblige us with a Bren gun?/ Or failing that, a hand grenade will do/ Weve got some ammunition, in a rather damp condition/ And Major Huss has an arquebus that was used at Waterloo Hugh Purcell, Wintringhams excellent biographer, argues that, with Bren guns or without, his subject inspired the formation of the Home Guard. As a champion of The Last English Revolutionary (the title of his book), Purcell may be suspected of cheerleading for his hero. But Malcolm Atkins eye-opening new investigation into plans for an underground British Resistance, Fighting Nazi Occupation, agrees. After Dunkirk, Wintringham had a huge influence, Atkin argues, by creating a popular mood that demanded a more aggressive role for the Home Guard, and its expansion into a peoples army. Tom Wintringham lectures on tank sabotage at Osterley Park in 1940 (Zoltan Glass/Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Via his school for armed resistance, Wintringham hoped to broaden the remit and sharpen the edge of the new corps. He had funds from Edward Hulton the proprietor of the magazine Picture Post and facilities from the Earl of Jersey. Meanwhile, his tracts on military democracy and backyard combat How to Reform the Army, and a Penguin Special entitled New Ways of War sold in excess of 100,000 copies. The latter book grew notorious as a do-it-yourself guide to killing people. At Osterley, Purcell reports, the atmosphere was deliberately democratic and informal. Household pots and pans supplied handy vessels for home-made explosives. Volunteers learnt to disable a tank or even shoot down a Stuka. The Surrealist artist Roland Penrose taught camouflage. In his column for the Daily Mirror, Wintringham spoke up for Britains civilian warriors: An Aroused People, an Angry People, an Armed People. For Picture Post, he invoked the socialist Poum militia in Spain (Orwells own corps) as a model for the Home Guard: Superficially alike in mixture of uniforms in shortage of weapons and ammunition, in hasty and incomplete organisation they seemed to me more fundamentally alike in their serious eagerness to learn, their resolve to meet and defeat all difficulties. As his message spread, Wintringhams insurrectionary antics at Osterley unnerved the officer class. To them, he embodied what Atkin calls the dangerous possibility of a descent into anarchy. For War Office sticklers, the Earl of Jerseys acres were playing host to a nest of Marxist hooligans. In fact, the Communist Party, which he joined in 1923, had expelled Wintringham in 1938. In Spain, he had met the American journalist Kitty Bowler, suspected by the hardliners of Trotskyist tendencies. He refused to leave his unreliable lover, so the Communist Party left him instead. During the war, he dubbed himself a revolutionary patriot, committed to a Popular Front of all progressive forces. In Spain, he wrote: Two bullets and typhoid gave me time to think. He returned from the Civil War believing in a more humane socialism, in a more radical democracy, and in a revolution of some sort as necessary to give the ordinary people the chance to beat Fascism. To Whitehall bureaucrats, that still made him a turbulent and untrustworthy lefty. Yet in the feverish mood of 1940, as JB Priestley hailed the organised militant citizen in one of his popular radio talks, they could hardly just shut him down. So, in classic British fashion, they co-opted him. By October 1940, the authorities had incorporated Osterley Park into a wider plan for a group of weapons-training centres. Wintringham was kept on but marginalised as a consultant. By May 1941, growing frustration led him to resign. Still, in Picture Post he went on giving home tips for irregular warfare, such as the priceless and, to the top brass, outrageous We make our own mortar for 38/6. The menace of invasion passed with aerial victory in the Battle of Britain and the endless delays to Hitlers Operation Sea Lion. Gradually, the Home Guard lost some of its makeshift, village-guerrilla spirit. Spit-and-polish returned. Drills and salutes of a kind to gladden the heart of Captain Mainwaring became de rigueur. Local units fell under the auspices of county regiments. As Juliet Gardiner puts it in her history of the home front, Wartime: It did rather look as if the Blimps were back in control. Progress, though, continued on another flank. At its inception, women were strictly excluded from the Home Guard despite a cry of What about Boudicca? in the Commons from the Labour MP Edith Summerskill. She later inspired a freelance network of Womens Home Defence units. In 1943, the Home Guard grudgingly admitted non-combatant female auxiliaries. Its commanders had tea-and-typing duties in mind. They imposed a blanket ban on ladies with guns. However, while researching their book, Contesting Home Defence, Penny Summerfield and Corinna Peniston-Bird tracked down many women who often thanks to sympathetic fathers, brothers and husbands had got hold of armaments and trained seriously with them. In spite of the ban, they found, Womens Home Defence members learnt to use both the regular and irregular weapons of the Home Guard. The Home Guard had to step back into line not simply because the higher ranks dreaded a bolshy rabble in every church hall. In the event of invasion, politicians and soldiers worried about the vulnerability of unorganised irregulars to savage reprisals. Those armbands and badges might offer some protection against torture and execution as in German eyes mere terrorists. After all, exactly that was happening to informal resisters across Nazi-occupied Europe. With Osterley legit, but defanged, Wintringham co-founded the left-wing Common Wealth Party. It was meant to act as an independent opposition while Labour dutifully served in the wartime coalition. The party flourished for a while, and in 1943 Wintringham almost pulled off a sensational by-election win in the Tory stronghold of North Midlothian. Common Wealth faded as the war ended, and Labour eclipsed it on the way to the landslide of 1945. Aged only 51, Wintringham died of a heart attack in 1949, but not before sketching a blueprint for an international brigade to defuse and resolve conflicts the germ of todays UN peacekeeping forces. Hugh Purcell calls him the only significant Marxist military expert of his time. That combination might alarm the generals now as much as then. Thanks to Purcell and other historians of the peoples war, Wintringham and his suburban insurgents have started to march out of obscurity. Still, the National Trust does not yet market their HQ as the place where our home-bred Che Guevara trained his compatriots in the armed struggle against Fascism. Guerrilla tactics remain somehow un-British: a view that obliterates the experience of thousands who refused to wait until the Brens arrived, and took the Piccadilly line to learn every trick of the street-fighters trade. In national myth, Dads Army has vanquished the Peoples Army. But at a time when Were all doomed felt like a plain statement of fact, the Osterley guerrillas fought back with every rusty rifle, milk-bottle Molotov and jam-pot bomb at their disposal. Dads Army is on general UK release from 5 February For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Holidaymakers have been left thousands of pounds out of pocket after an unprecedented technical glitch this month at online travel booking agent Expedia. Customers told The Independent on Sunday that banks had effectively frozen their accounts after Expedia took multiple payments for booking their holidays. When processing card payments, the site said it could not complete the booking and asked them to try again. Sean Ferguson tried to pay for his holiday several times last week when the server said it was busy, only to receive a call from his bank wanting to know why Expedia had pre-authorised 500 five times over. He culd not access his bank account and was told by Expedia that nothing could be done for 72 hours. Myles Eynon tried to book a trip to Marrakech and said multiple payments took longer than promised to be refunded. He said the delays in repayment had left people frustrated and without that money to book a holiday from somewhere else, in some extreme case without funds. Expedia took seven payments of 190.01 from Katey-Rose Gregory when she booked a trip to Budapest, leaving her hundreds of pounds overdrawn. There have been complications in getting her money returned, which included Expedia needing to fax her bank. She is unsatisfied with the offer of a 50 goodwill voucher. Daniel Hill tried to book a holiday but found three separate payments of 170 had been taken even though the holiday was supposed to cost 420. This left him without any money for the week. Many have complained on Expedias Facebook page, including Rachel Morgan who was frustrated after three payments totalling more than 1,000 were taken from her account. This message prompted customer services to call her, when she was told repayment could take between 72 hours and seven days. Harry Goldsmith found his bank card did not work the day after he had been told that two Expedia payments had been unsuccessful. He said: I was told [by the bank] that there was a pending transaction on my account from Expedia for 818, even though I have not purchased anything from them. This has left my bank account essentially frozen. A source close to Expedia said the problems were unprecedented for the company and that experts were working through every line of code on the site to identify and solve the problem. However, there have been similar, more isolated complaints made in the past few years. An Expedia spokeswoman said: We have a reputation of delivering a trusted service and are working hard to fix this issue as a priority. We understand that for certain customers, funds are being held even if the attempted transaction has been unsuccessful. We understand the stress this as caused and apologise. We have committed to work with their banks to make sure the funds are released as soon as possible and have offered gestures of goodwill. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Children from wealthy areas such as Oxford and Cambridge are less likely to do as well in exams than those from some of the most deprived parts of London. A new Social Mobility Index study by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission looked at all 324 local authorities across the country and compared the life chances of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The data showed children in London were pulling ahead in terms of education and getting a good job in later life. It identified the countrys social mobility coldspots with Northumberland, East Staffordshire and Middlesborough coming bottom of the table. Even in the supposedly wealthier areas such as Oxford and Wiltshire were only a few places higher on the list, which showed the worst performing 20 per cent of authorities in England. The report said this shows many of the richest places in England are doing worse for their disadvantaged children than places that are much poorer. The South-east had only a handful of local authorities which were considered in the top 10 per cent of social mobility hotspots - compared with 72 per cent of authorities in London. Coastal towns and cities also featured heavily on the coldspot list with Thanet in Kent - where Ukip leader Nigel Farage attempted to win a seat in the general election in May by appealing to the traditional working class vote - coming in the bottom half of the table. The study shows that although the north/south divide has been very well documented, there is also a divide between areas that are next to each other. The report puts this down to the lack of high paying jobs in some areas and poor transport links, which prevents people travelling to where there is more lucrative work. Poor transport also makes it less appealing for highly qualified educational professionals to work in local schools. Alan Milburn, chair of the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, said: "It uncovers a new geography of disadvantage in England which should alarm policy makers, educators and employers and really is a wake-up call for all those institutions to do far more so there's a level playing field of opportunity. "We are a long way from that today. there's a lottery in social mobility." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jeremy Hunt has been condemned by doctors for offering "ludicrous" and "potentially fatal advice" to parents who suspect their children of having a rash. The Health Secretary, who yesterday admitted that the NHS out-of-ours hotline needed more doctors and nurses to prevent another tragedy like the death of one-year-old William Mead, said that the public were confused about where they could get urgent medical help. However, he then suggested parents could look online to determine the severity of their childs rash, attracting considerable criticism from medical professionals. Mr Hunt said: We may well need more 111 doctors and nurses. But if youre worried about a rash your child has, an online alternative where you look at photographs and say 'my childs rash looks like this one' may be a quicker way of getting to the bottom of whether this is serious or not. The comments, which were published in the Daily Mail, have led to claims that Mr Hunt is encouraging parents to Google symptoms and putting lives at risk. Dr Hamed Khan, an emergency department doctor at St Georges hospital in London told The Independent the Health Secretarys comments could potentially put lives at risk. Dr Khan said: I see lots of children with rashes. I am worried that parents will take the Health Secretary's advice, and potentially miss very serious illnesses like meningitis which could have fatal consequences. The Health Secretary should publicly retract this statement, and accept that it was a grave error of judgement. Making this distinction requires clinical skill and focussed training of the highest level. Many A&E departments have a rule that some junior doctors cannot see and discharge patients from paediatric A&E without discussing it with a senior doctor. Considering this, it is ludicrous to think that a person without clinical training can use the internet to search through some pictures and do this. Dr Thom ONeill, a general paediatric doctor in a children's hospital, said that while appropriate use of emergency services is sensible, the encouragement of internet searches for potentially serious conditions is worrying to see coming from the secretary of state for health. Junior doctors message to Jeremy Hunt He added: "The effects of Mr Hunts advice to parents could well be fatal if they lead to delayed presentation of sick children whose parents have been falsely reassured by a Google search. "Every paediatrician I have spoken to has been shocked by Hunts latest advice. The NHS Act abrogated responsibility for the nations health from the Secretary of State. Doctors do have responsibility for health and will have to deal with the potentially disastrous effects of this advice. Other doctors publicly criticised Mr Hunt on Twitter, sharing images of rashes with the hashtag "rashdecision" and asking social media users whether they could spot the difference. The Department of Health declined to provide a comment on the issue. They did, however, stress that parents should access the appropriate services and shouldnt hesitate to contact a GP. Andrew Gwynne, Labours health spokesman, said: Parents need medical advice, not a search engine. Ministers need to take urgent action to address the problems facing NHS 111. Mr Hunt made the comments during a meeting with the family of William Mead the one-year-old who died in December 2014, after GPs, out of hours services and a 111 call handler failed to spot he had sepsis caused by an underlying chest infection and pneumonia. The health secretary publicly apologised to the family earlier this week on behalf of the government and the NHS. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government is under pressure to change the terms of a colonial-era tax deal with Malawi that campaigners argue exploits and slashes money for health care and education in the poorest country in the world. ActionAid will launch a campaign this week highlighting a treaty from 1955 that means British multinationals can easily move money out of Malawi without having to pay any tax. The UK is the third biggest international investor in Malawi, a country so poor that it has 300 doctors for 16 million people and the average annual income per head is $255 (235). Only Switzerland and South Africa invest more. The treaty has undergone only minimal revisions over the years and is so out-of-date that it does not cover the taxation of televisions and related goods. It was signed by the British Governor of Malawi on behalf of the governments of the now defunct states of Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. ActionAids campaign follows widespread condemnation of Googles decision to pay only about 3 per cent tax on its profit over the past 10 years in a settlement with the Treasury. Anders Dahlbeck, of ActionAid, said: The row over tax dodging by big companies like Google shows how strongly the British public feels that multinationals arent paying their fair share. Yet this is just part of a far larger global problem. Developing countries lose $200bn a year to corporate tax avoidance, with women and girls living in poverty paying the price as key public services like schools and hospitals are starved of funding. The UK government must put the fight against poverty at the heart of its tax policy by renegotiating its treaty with Malawi. Its time to ensure that UK companies pay their fair share in the worlds poorest country. Shadow cabinet members Lord Falconer and Seema Malhotra have put further pressure on George Osborne over the Google deal in a letter to the Chancellor today. They are demanding clarification on how Google ended up agreeing to pay only 130m of tax, so as to restore public confidence in how HMRC operates in cases such as this. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The SNP, Greens and Welsh nationalists have united to call for an electoral pact with Labour and the Liberal Democrats to agree sweeping changes to the voting system for Westminster elections. In a letter published in The Independent on Sunday, the leaders of the three left-of-centre parties call for an agreement on electoral reform to be included in each of their manifestos in 2020. Recommended Read more Everything you need to know about the case for electoral reform It comes after The IoS revealed last week that Jeremy Corbyn and the Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron had opened talks on electoral reform to agree changes before the general election as part of a wider progressive electoral alliance against the Conservatives. Mr Farrons aides are talking to a Labour MP a close ally of Mr Corbyn who is acting as a conduit between the two leaders. But a senior Liberal Democrat source said the SNP the third biggest party in Parliament with 54 MPs could also be involved in the talks. The source said if the negotiations are successful up to five left-of-centre parties could stand on an agreed platform of voting reform at the 2020 election giving them a mandate to scrap Westminsters first past the post system without a referendum if they can secure a majority in the Commons. In the letter, the SNP leader in Westminster Angus Robertson, Hywel Williams MP, the parliamentary leader of Plaid Cymru, and the Green MP Caroline Lucas welcome the talks between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. They write: By working together we believe its possible to transform British politics and that a fairer voting system will help deliver a fairer Britain. (Rex) (Getty) From top: the SNP leader in Westminster, Angus Robertson, the Green MP Caroline Lucas, and the leader of Plaid Cymru, Hywel Williams MP welcome the talks between Labour and the Liberal Democrats (Rex,Getty) Last years general election delivered an extremely unrepresentative House of Commons, with huge numbers of voters effectively not having a say. A third of people who voted backed neither Labour nor Conservative candidates, yet their votes translated into just 13 per cent of the MPs. The Conservatives achieved a Commons majority on the basis of just 37 per cent of the votes cast. This is plainly unjust and undemocratic. The three Westminster leaders claim that reforms introduced by the Government to change constituency boundaries and the process for registering to vote will make the situation even worse. They add: In this situation, it is vital for democrats to work together and make every persons vote count, despite our differences in many other areas of policy. We would like to see Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the parties we represent joining together at the next general election in a joint manifesto pledge to introduce proportional representation for the House of Commons. This would give every voter a say in future elections and provide a mandate for the early introduction of legislation. The three MPs pledge to work with other party leaders further about how this pledge can be achieved. The Liberal Democrats are understood to want a respected elder statesman in the Labour Party to take on a formal role as a go-between between the parties. The party is still scarred by the humiliating 2011 referendum on introducing the Alternative Vote system for elections to the Commons. The final result as a one-sided 68 per cent to 32 per cent victory for the no to AV campaign, ending any hopes of changing the voting system through a referendum. Mr Corbyn has admitted that he is open to an electoral pact with other parties to force through electoral reform. Asked if he would be willing to talk to the Liberal Democrats and other parties about agreeing changes to the voting system, the Labour leader said he could be. But pressed whether he was open to it, he replied: Obviously. Mr Corbyn said he was willing to consider a form of proportional representation as long as it maintained the link between an MP and their constituency. He added: If parties are getting less than 40 per cent of the vote, that seems to be the trend from the last four elections, we have to recognise that. However, Mr Corbyn will face a backlash from many of his own MPs to any proposal to work with the Lib Dems or change the voting system. Last month The IoS revealed how Mr Corbyn had opened the door to a controversial agreement not to contest the seat currently held by the Green Partys only MP, Caroline Lucas. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron is closing in on an emergency stopgap deal with Brussels that will enable him to claim a victory in his renegotiation and endorse a vote to remain in the European Union. The deal would allow the UK to stop paying in-work benefits to new European migrant workers for a one-off period of up to four years, beginning after the referendum. The Prime Minister is confident that the basis of an agreement can be struck with the European Council president, Donald Tusk ,during Downing Street talks late on 30 January, paving the way for a final deal at a summit of EU leaders next month followed by an in-out referendum on 23 June. Recommended Read more Embassies around EU enlist expatriate community to vote in referendum But Mr Cameron will insist that the EUs current proposal giving countries the power to apply for an emergency brake on migrant benefits when a welfare system is under strain needs to be significantly strengthened. The PM will call for the restriction to apply in the UK immediately after the referendum, restricting migrant workers access to tax credits and social housing. Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the European Commission, has proposed an initial two-year brake which could be renewed for another two years. No 10 is bullish about the potential of the proposal, claiming it could all but achieve the Prime Ministers manifesto commitment to remove in-work benefits from migrants for the first four years they are in the UK. The senior source said the emergency brake proposal basically delivers four years, but in a different way. David Cameron is expected to speak to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week (Reuters) Critics dismissed the proposal as embarrassing insisting it did not offer a lasting reform because it applied only in one-off emergencies. A senior government source, however, said the proposal would act as a bridge to a future deal restricting migrant flows. The source said the Prime Minister would inform Mr Tusk that the brake should only be a stopgap to a more permanent mechanism. It sets the scene for Mr Camerons successor at No 10 to revisit the renegotiation in 2020 when the eurozones leaders are expected to thrash out treaty changes to make the single currency work better. But No 10 insists that the Prime Minister will push for a durable solution and any agreement will need to be legally binding. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2022 The Massed Pipes and Drums parade during the Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2022 Number 12 Company Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks, central London, before commencing their first Guard Mount at Buckingham Palace PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2022 A salmon leaps up the weir at Hexham in Northumberland, despite the drought warnings and low water levels, the River Tyne is still flowing well allowing the salmon and sea trout to head up river to spawn. Every year tens of thousands of salmon make the once-in-a-lifetime journey along the Tyne to spawn, having been out a sea PA It is unclear how an emergency brake could be reapplied in future. But in the discussions with Mr Tusk on 31 January, the Prime Minister will demand an agreed trigger, which at a minimum would be applicable when migration levels hit the current rate of some 330,000 a year. Mr Cameron will also demand that the way the brake is activated will need to be streamlined, because under the current proposal any brake on benefits needs the unanimous agreement of all 27 EU leaders. A Polish pub in Crewe, which has one of Britains biggest Polish communities (Getty) In addition, he is expected to demand commitments to restrict backdoor routes to Britain which have allowed non-EU illegal migrants to stay in Britain. He will make clear that the EU must commit to new laws overturning European court judgments tackling other forms of free movement abuse. Mr Cameron believes government officials have taken the negotiations as far as they can and that the final deal will rest on face-to-face talks between political leaders. One senior EU source close to negotiations told The Independent on Sunday that Mr Cameron believed the deal is done and dusted bar the final details. Camerons mood in private is cheerful and optimistic. There is a lot of choreography still to be gone through, and there may well be some staged dramatics, but since no one in the EU wants the UK to leave, they want this out of the way. The leave campaign in the UK is hopelessly split while the stay in campaign looks pretty coherent its all coming together for him. Hes a salesman and he is pretty certain hes got a deal he can sell. What people forget is that only the institutions and national governments can go to court, so if the political will is there to do a deal, the courts effectively dont matter. A senior No 10 source admitted Mr Cameron was happy with the progress. He feels confident in himself, that is if he doesnt get what he wants, he will walk away, said the source. He is pretty relaxed. The source confirmed that a February deal would give Mr Cameron the option of calling a June referendum, but it was hard to see a summer vote if there was a delay in negotiations. European Council president Donald Tusk (EPA) A provisional proposal needs to be circulated among EU leaders before 4 February to stand any chance of a final agreement being reached before March.Mr Cameron is expected to speak to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week before joining her in Hamburg on 12 February. He will then travel to Brussels on 18 February for the two-day summit. A senior government source said the talks with Mr Tusk were crucial to unlocking a deal, but it required further EU concessions. The Prime Minister will tell Tusk that an emergency brake on in-work benefits would have to apply immediately if it is to form part of a deal on the UK renegotiation. What form an emergency brake takes is set to be the main issue at tonight's dinner in Downing Street after the EU institutions backed down last week and conceded that EU nationals should have to pay into the UK welfare system before receiving benefits. This has opened the way towards a solution, but the Prime Minister will make clear that a deal will only be possible if a brake would apply to current levels of EU migration to Britain, could be triggered immediately after the referendum, and would apply long enough to resolve the underlying problem. The Prime Minister will tell Tusk that the brake proposal sketched out so far does not go far enough and will need to be significantly strengthened. Matthew Elliott, the chief executive of the main out campaign Vote Leave, dismissed Mr Camerons diplomatic breakthrough. He said: The Governments demands are trivial. Even if Mr Cameron is successful, EU judges not British politicians would be in control of our borders. The Prime Minister aimed very low and appears to be missing spectacularly. The idea that the UK is going to be fobbed off with a stopgap is embarrassing. The British people want to take back control. The only way that will happen is if we Vote Leave. Peter Bone, who was campaigning for the leave campaign in Northamptonshire, said the proposed emergency brake was a fudge. Fellow Eurosceptic Tory MP John Baron added: Without the sovereignty to control our own borders, everything else is tinkering at the edges. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron has demanded that Britain be granted an immediate emergency brake on paying in-work benefits to new migrants for up to seven years as his price for doing a deal with other European leaders on his renegotiation demands. During talks in Downing Street on 31 January the Prime Minister told Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, that any proposals put forward would have to allow the UK to begin restricting benefits as soon as the referendum had passed. While Mr Cameron has not said explicitly how long such a brake would last, Downing Street sources said it would have to be for a meaningful length of time perhaps as long as seven years with re-assessments. Yet they insist it would still only be a stop-gap measure before more permanent restrictions could be put in place that would require treaty change. Mr Tusk is expected to issue a report on 1 February setting out the broad legal basis of the proposals. However any final deal will have to win the approval of all 27 member states at a European Council meeting later this month. Despite backing down on his original proposal of a four-year ban on paying migrant benefits, even Mr Camerons new emergency brake proposal is likely to meet resistance from Eastern European states whose citizens could be adversely affected by the change. By contrast it will certainly not be enough to convince domestic Eurosceptics that he was won a meaningful concession. On 31 January, Steve Baker, co-chairman of Conservatives for Britain, said the measure was not going to answer the concerns of the British people. This is looking like the synthetic row we always expected the Government to manufacture, he said. In addition to the emergency brake Mr Cameron is also looking for concessions to make it harder for other EU citizens to bring spouses into the UK from outside the union. If a British citizen wants to bring a partner into the UK they have to prove that they can speak English and be supported without state aid. However these rules do not apply to other European nationals. Before the meeting with Mr Tusk the Prime Minister met with George Osborne, Theresa May and Philip Hammond to discuss his negotiation stance. Ahead of the talks, Downing Street claimed: The Prime Minister intends to leave Mr Tusk in no doubt that he will not do a deal at any price, making clear he is not in a hurry and that its far more important to secure significant reforms, said a source. The former Tory cabinet minister David Mellor compared Mr Cameron to Neville Chamberlain. I feel like voting Out simply because I am not going to be conned by that man, borrowing Chamberlains overcoat, stumbling down the planes steps waving a piece of paper, claiming this is a triumph for Britain, he said. It has also been suggested that Tory Eurosceptic MPs could unite with Labour and the SNP to try to delay the referendum until the autumn so it does not clash with Scottish and local elections. Mr Cameron is keen to hold the vote before the summer when many expect the migration crisis to worsen. However the Welsh and Scottish governments are concerned that the referendum campaigns could overshadow elections to the Assembly and Parliament that are due to take place in May. Slow progress: The basis of a deal * Britain could be eligible for an emergency brake to stop paying in-work benefits to new refugee workers coming into the country for a specified (but not agreed) time. * Non-EU spouses married to people from other European countries would face the same hurdles being allowed to settle in Britain as non-EU spouses of British citizens. * Parliaments would be able to block new EU legislation if 60 per cent opposed it. * New protections for non-eurozone countries so that they would not be adversely affected by decisions made by countries in the zone. * Expansion of the single market to include free movement of services. This would benefit the UK, which has faced regulatory hurdles expanding into other European markets. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has published his tax return and challenged Chancellor George Osborne to do the same, amid the ongoing row over the recent Google tax deal. McDonnell's tax return, which shows his pay and tax last year was 61,575 and 14,253 respectively, was published in the Sunday Mirror. Writing for the paper, the shadow Chancellor said he published his tax return in the spirit of the New Politics, and added he intends to do the same every year he is in office. Recommended Read more Brussels to investigate whether Google tax deal broke EU rules The publication of the document comes at a time of controversy over the government deal that allowed Google to pay 130 million in back taxes dating back to 2005. Writing for the paper, McDonnell said this meant Google was paying an effective tax rate of around three per cent, when most small business in the UK have to pay 20 per cent. Following the announcement of the tax bill, Osborne said on Twitter that the deal was a victory, and said it was good to see Google paying more tax on past profits. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Show all 11 1 /11 The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He called Hezbollah and Hamas friends True. In a speech made to the Stop the War Coalition in 2009, Mr Corbyn called representatives from both groups friends after inviting them to Parliament. He later told Channel 4 he wanted both groups, who have factions designated as international terror organisations, to be part of the debate for the Middle East peace process. I use (the word friends) in a collective way, saying our friends are prepared to talk, he added. Does it mean I agree with Hamas and what it does? No. Does it mean I agree with Hezbollah and what they do? No. Reuters The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn thinks the death of Osama bin Laden was a tragedy Partly false. David Cameron used this as a line of attack at the Conservative Party conference but appears to have left out all context from Mr Corbyns original remarks. In an 2011 interview on Iranian television, the then-backbencher said the fact the al-Qaeda leader was not put on trial was the tragedy, continuing: The World Trade Center was a tragedy, the attack on Afghanistan was a tragedy, the war in Iraq was a tragedy. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He is haunted by the legacy of his evil great-great-grandfather False. A Daily Express expose revealed that the Labour leaders ancestor, James Sargent, was the despotic master of a Victorian workhouse. Addressing the report at the Labour conference, Mr Corbyn said he had never heard of him before, adding: I want to take this opportunity to apologise for not doing the decent thing and going back in time and having a chat with him about his appalling behaviour. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn raised a motion about pigeon bombs in Parliament This one is true. On 21 May 2004, Mr Corbyn raised an early day motion entitled pigeon bombs, proposing that the House register being appalled but barely surprised that MI5 reportedly proposed to load pigeons with explosives as a weapon. The motion continued: The House believes that humans represent the most obscene, perverted, cruel, uncivilised and lethal species ever to inhabit the planet and looks forward to the day when the inevitable asteroid slams into the earth and wipes them out thus giving nature the opportunity to start again. It was not carried. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He rides a Communist bicycle False. A report in The Times referred to Mr Corbyn, known for his cycling, riding a Chairman Mao-style bicycle earlier this year. Less thorough journalists might have referred to it as just a bicycle, but no, so we have to conclude that whenever we see somebody on a bicycle from now on, there goes another supporter of Chairman Mao, he later joked. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn 'Jeremy Corbyn will appoint a special minister for Jews' False so far. The Sun report in December was allegedly based on a rumour passed to the paper by a Daily Express columnist who has written pieces critical of the Labour leader in the past. The minister did not materialise in his shadow cabinet. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn wishes Britain would abolish its Army False. Another gem from The Sun took comments made at a Hiroshima remembrance parade in August 2012 where Mr Corbyn supported Costa Ricas move to abolish it armed forces. Wouldnt it be wonderful if every politician around the worldabolished the army and took pride in the fact that they dont have an army, he added. The caveat that every politician must take the step suggests Mr Corbyn does not support UK disarmament just yet. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn stole sandwiches meant for veterans False. The Guido Fawkes blog claimed that the Labour leader took sandwiches meant for veterans at at Battle of Britain memorial service in September but a photo later emerged showing him being handed one by Costa volunteers, who later confirmed they were given to all guests. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He missed the induction into the Queens privy council True. After much speculation about Mr Corbyns republican views and willingness to bow to the monarch, his office confirmed that he did not attend the official induction to the privy council because of a prior engagement, but did not rule out joining the body. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn refuses to sing the national anthem. Partly true. The Labour leader was filmed standing in silence as God Save the Queen was sung at a Battle of Britain remembrance service but will reportedly sing it in future. Mr Corbyn was elusive on the issue in an interview, saying he would show memorials respect in the proper way, but sources said he would sing the anthem at future occasions. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cheese True. The group lists its purpose as the following: To increase awareness of issues surrounding the dairy industry and focus on economic issues affecting the dairy industry and producers. In his article, McDonnell said the deal has created a lack of confidence in politics and the tax system, and claimed many taxpayers would feel angry while filling in their tax returns, which are due at midnight on 31 January. He also claimed that the deal had made Britain the laughing stock of Europe, referring to the fact that Google is set to pay far higher rates of tax in France and Italy. Urging Osborne to publish his own tax return, McDonnell said politicians should set a good example, and urged the Chancellor to be open and transparent about his income. Because of Google's complex tax arrangement, the 130 million bill has been accepted by HMRC as legal. However, the deal could still be quashed by Europe, after the EU's Competition Commissioner Margarethe Vestager said an investigation could be opened following complaints from the Scottish National Party (SNP). For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Six of Britain's 10 biggest multinationals, including Shell, British American Tobacco (BAT) and Lloyds Banking Group, paid no UK corporation tax in 2014, an investigation has claimed. The reports come after Chancellor George Osborne received a backlash over calling a "sweetheart deal" with tech giant Google, which was allowed to pay 130m for back taxes over the last decade, a "success". Lloyds, brewer SABMiller and drugs company AstraZeneca were also among the six multinationals not to have paid any coropration tax in 2014, reports the Sunday Times. The same year, the six British companies made a combined global profit of 30bn. British Petroleum (BP) and drugs company Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK) refused to reveal how much UK corporation tax they paid, but GSK declared it had paid some tax in 2014. There is no suggestion any of the companies have broken any laws. A BP spokesperson said the company does not expect to be paying corporation tax in the UK until there is a recovery in the oil price. Shell used a complex corporate structure, a company branch in Switzerland, with hardly any tax rates, and tax havens such as Bermuda to reduced its tax payments. In 2014, it paid no UK corporation tax but made a global profit of 19.87bn writes the Sunday paper. Shell is one of six British multinationals, which did not pay any corporation tax in the UK in 2014 (Getty) A company spokesman told the Sunday Times, Shell was transparent about how it pays its taxes and had made a loss in the UK in 2014. Shell is the only multinational in Britain's top 10 firms in the stock exchange to be based outside the UK, in the Netherlands. British American Tobacco (BAT), one of the world's five largest tobacco companies, said it didn't pay any corporation tax because it didn't make any profit on its UK activities. Terry Wogan - Career in Pictures Show all 5 1 /5 Terry Wogan - Career in Pictures Terry Wogan - Career in Pictures Terry Wogan began his career as a radio jockey in Ireland before moving to the UK to take over the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show in 1972 Getty Images Terry Wogan - Career in Pictures Terry Wogan pictured in 1970 with his wife Helen. They married in 1965 and remained together until his death Getty Images Terry Wogan - Career in Pictures The Irishman's dry humour became a staple of the UK's Eurovision coverage for near forty years Getty Images Terry Wogan - Career in Pictures Terry Wogan hosted the BBC's annual Children in Need every year from 1980 to 2015 PA Terry Wogan - Career in Pictures Terry Wogan pictured in 2005 receiving his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II Getty Images Vodafone, which uses the Luxembourg tax haven to manage its global spending and reduce its tax bills, confirmed it had paid no UK corporation tax in the financial year 2014-15 after its profits had been reduced because of interests payments on previous loans. Parmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which employs 6,700 people in the UK, told the Sunday Times it paid no corporation tax in th UK because in 2014 there had been no taxable profits. SABMiller gave a similar argument. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} At least 10,000 child refugees have gone missing since arriving in Europe. Around 5,000 have vanished in Italy alone, with a further 1,000 unaccounted for in Sweden, Europols chief of staff Brian Donald has said. It is feared many have become victims of exploitation by criminal organisations, particularly as gangs established in human trafficking are now known by Europol to be engaging refugees in sex work and slavery. Recommended Read more Accepting refugee children into the UK is a dangerous strategy An entire [criminal] infrastructure has developed over the past 18 months around exploiting the migrant flow, Mr Donald told the Observer. Ninety per cent of refugees have paid a criminal gang to reach Europe, making last year one of the most profitable to date for human traffickers, Europol recently told The Independent on Sunday. At least 340 children are known to have disappeared in the UK since registering as asylum seekers between January and September 2015, with double the number disappearing in 2015 than in 2014. Its not unreasonable to say that were looking at 10,000-plus children who are unaccounted for in Europe, said Mr Donald. Not all of them will be criminally exploited; some might have been passed on to family members. We just dont know where they are, what theyre doing or whom they are with. Europol estimates 270,000 child refugees arrived in Europe last year, more than a quarter of the 1.1 million refugees who arrived in total. According to Save the Children, 26,000 of these children were unaccompanied. The intelligence agency has evidence child refugees have been sexually exploited in Europe. These kids are in the community - if theyre being abused its in the community. Theyre not being spirited away and held in the middle of forests, though I suspect some might be. Theyre in the community theyre visible. As a population we need to be alert to this," Mr Donald said. The figures come as David Cameron refused calls to resettle 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees living unaccompanied in Europe. Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Show all 15 1 /15 Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Sean O'Grady Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Jamie Merrill Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Mollie Goodfellow and Marie Le Conte Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Naomi Westland Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign DJ Kooper Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Zuhura Plummer Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Christine Gingter Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Andy Kavanagh Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Martijn van Calcar Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Dan O Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Kerry F Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Eulette Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Sarah Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Barefoot Mower Twitter Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign Swim Deep Twitter The Home Office has confirmed it will bring more unaccompanied children to the UK from Syria and other conflict zones, but will not accept children who have already arrived in Europe. Doing so would encourage more children to make the difficult, potentially lethal, journey to Europe, Cameron told Sky News. Immigration minister James Brokenshire said the vast majority of refugees were better served staying in the region so they can be reunited with surviving family members. I invite all observant, inquisitive, positive people to post their views about the current state of affairs in the United States of America. This is a positive blog meant to enlighten the state of affairs in modern day America. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A British pilot who was working to combat elephant poaching in Tanzania has been shot dead. Roger Gower, 37, was flying his helicoper during an operation when poachers opened fire on his aircraft. It is believed that he was flying over an elephant's carcass when the shooting occurred. He was able to land in the the Maswa Game Reserve, near Serengeti National Park in the country's north. However, he died of his injuries before help arrived. Mr Gower, a former accountant, was working with the charity Friedkin Conservation Fund, which was carrying out the mission with the Tanzanian authorities. Charity Wildlife at Risk International paid tribute to the pilot, and commented in a Facebook post: "A huge manhunt is underway involving several organisations assisting authorities to track down this coldblooded murderer. For security reasons no further details are being released for now due to the ongoing investigation." Pratik Patel, a colleague of Mr Gower's told the BBC his main job was flying people between different camps, but he also supported ground staff on their anti poaching patrols. The downed helicopter Mr Gower was flying on an anti poaching mission (Pascal Shelutete/Facebook) Dan Friedkin, Chairman of the Friedkin Conservation Fund, wrote in a statement: "We are profoundly saddened by the loss of our dear friend. Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a coordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers. In the course of this action the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded. We are committed to honoring Roger and his work. We are also committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack are found and brought to justice. We believe that Roger can best be honored by redoubling our commitment to protect elephants and our priceless wildlife heritage. This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzanias wildlife." Tributes to Mr Gower have been paid on social media. Lazaro Nyalandu is a former Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism in Tanzania: Other wildlife lovers paid their respects: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have confirmed the death of a British national in Tanzania. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Five people have been arrested in Tanzania during the hunt for elephant poachers who shot and killed a British helicopter pilot tracking their movements from the air. Roger Gower, 37, was shot through the floor of his aircraft by a poacher with an AK-47, who broke cover as the pilot flew close to a dead elephant that had been slaughtered for its ivory. Conservationists said that extreme violence was a common feature of poachers who were often allied to terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab and Boko Haram, who used the funds from ivory sales to fund their operations. Mr Gower had been scrambled to support ground teams investigating gunshots in the Maswa Game Reserve, a hotspot of elephant poaching in a country where the animals are in steep decline. He had spotted three dead elephants and was circling after spotting a suspected cache of ivory when one of the poachers jumped out of the bush and fired on his helicopter, according to Pratik Patel, a colleague at the Friedkin Conservation Fund. A second man was able to land the helicopter, which was left badly damaged, but Mr Gower was dead before any help arrived. Pictures of the crash showed the badly damaged remains of the helicopter including a bullet hole in the pilots seat. The survivor was being treated for minor injuries and shock following the attack, according to the Tanzanian government. Mr Gower, a former accountant who qualified as a pilot in 2004, moved to Africa around two years later and worked with a helicopter safari company. He also helped the British Army on exercises in the country, according to his former employer. Government officials said that five people had been arrested during the hunt for the killer. They included the person who supplied the ammunition and a person who provided accommodation for the poachers in the reserve near Serengeti National Park in the countrys north, according to Mr Patel. He said that Mr Gower had been keen to make a difference in a country where the elephant population had dwindled from 110,000 in 2009 to a little over 43,000 in 2014. The wreckage of the helicopter, which bore a bullet hole in the pilots seat Roger was very, very active. He was very passionate about Africa. He loved Tanzania, said Mr Patel. He was very keen on making a difference and helping and combating the poaching crisis. Mr Patel compared poaching operations to blood diamonds the term coined for the mining and sale of diamonds in conflict zones that have funded wars and insurgencies in Africa and cited a number of insurgent groups involved in the ivory trade. Poachers have become very, very sophisticated, Mr Patel told Sky News. They raise money to buy ammunition and weapons for their cause. The Friedkin Conservation Fund was working with the Tanzanian government to respond to what was described as an explosion of an industrial scale in poaching in recent years, driven by demand from Asia and particularly Asia. Last October, Tanzania brought charges against a prominent Chinese businesswoman Yang Feng Glan, 66, dubbed the Ivory Queen, for running a network that smuggled out tusks from 350 elephants. We are committed to honouring Roger and his work, Dan Friedkin, the chairman of the fund, said in a statement. We are also committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack are found and brought to justice. We believe that Roger can best be honoured by redoubling our commitment to protect elephants and our priceless wildlife heritage. This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzanias wildlife. Ramo Makani, deputy tourism minister, told Reuters that five suspects had been arrested since Mr Gowers death and that the operation was continuing for other suspects. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} When the boy came into the room, his eyes brimmed with tears. The news he brought was devastating. They are talking about killing you, he told his older cousin. Using a phone smuggled into her room, Sahra (whose name has been changed here over concerns for her safety) sent a despairing plea for help to friends on the outside. Although she didnt know it then, her killing was thought to have been scheduled to take place after Friday prayers two days later, and time was running out. Sahra, a 22-year-old Somali woman, remembers swaying with shock as she received the news. I felt like I couldnt breathe. One day they were looking for a guy for me to marry, the next they were looking to take my life, she recalls. It was horrible. In the eyes of her extended family, Sahra had brought shame on them all. From her familys self-imposed exile in Uganda, she had long courted controversy as an outspoken advocate for womens rights. But her personal safety took a turn for the worse when she was outed as a lesbian, setting in motion events that caused her to move to Mogadishu in Somalia, leaving her open to the wrath of her relatives. Thousands of homosexual men and women in Somalia keep their sexual orientation a closely guarded secret in the knowledge that bringing it out into the open would attract potential retribution from al-Shabaab, the Islamist terror group, or armed gangs. At the age of 12, Sahra was already campaigning for Somali womens rights through poetry, attacking the practice of female genital mutilation. She quickly became a target, and one day was abducted close to her home and taken to a house where she was beaten. She still bears the scars. After her release, her parents whisked Sahra and her brother off to Kampala in Uganda, where they were to spend the next decade. She continued to campaign against taboo issues such as FGM through rap music. Her dream was to become a hip-hop artist. But everything changed late last year when an acquaintance publicly revealed that Sahra was gay. She started to receive threatening calls, but going to the police was difficult, as they are often openly hostile towards the LGBT community. In the wake of a draconian new anti-homosexuality law passed two years ago, many gay people fled to neighbouring Kenya for refuge after the act triggered a wave of house burnings and violence. That law was later annulled on a technicality. Others, like Sahra, tried not to draw attention to their sexual orientation. But as she returned home from college one day, she found her way home blocked by four men. I was attacked, she says. They beat me, and told me: This is not done here. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty In New York, Jason Jeremias, an activist and theatre producer who had struck up a friendship with Sahra during workshops in Uganda, learned of the attack, and started to look at ways of getting the rapper out of the East African country. Sahras mother, meanwhile, confronted her daughter. Mum asked me if I was a lesbian. I said, What makes you think I am one? she says from North America, where she now lives. My mum said: Prove me right or prove me wrong. You have to go to Somalia. As an activist, Sahra was only too aware of the attitudes towards homosexuality in Somalia, where many women moved behind the veil as the country became more religiously conservative in the 25 years since the overthrow of the military regime of Siad Barre. Homosexuality is officially punishable with a three-year prison sentence, but in areas where the government does not hold sway, the killing of the few people suspected of being gay is a probability, with victims sometimes stoned to death. Being gay in Somalia is just not acceptable, says Leyla Hussein, the London-based Somali founder of womens rights group Daughters of Eve. There are a lot of gay Somali women, but they will never come out. They dont even come out to their own families. Sahra was flown to Mogadishu, taken to her grandmothers house, and told that she would marry. Later, elders from Sahras ancestral village came to the house to discuss her fate. Sahra, confined upstairs, was unaware of the discussions, but a female family friend told Mr Jeremias that they had decided to kill Sahra. In her room, Sahra who had discovered her apparent fate from her young cousin was sunk in despair. The pressure was building up. I was really freaked out, and the thought of getting away didnt even occur to me, she says. She was told to prepare for a journey to her home village the following day after Friday prayers. She believed as did those on the outside that she was being taken to her death. Unknown to Sahra, her friends were finalising an escape plan, brought forward from Saturday to Friday. They got word to her, telling her to look for the family friend from her window while the men were at prayers. A car then took her to a rendezvous point with the people who cannot be named for security reasons who would eventually get her out of the country. She escaped probable death with only hours to spare. Since her escape, Sahra has yet to speak to her mother. I will not blame my mum, Sahra says. To her thinking, she was doing the best she could for me. Sahra is still trying to make sense of what happened to her, dazed by the fact that her life could alter so dramatically in a matter of weeks. My life was great in Uganda, she says. I had a lovely family. Never did it cross my mind that something like this could happen to me. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hillary Clinton is holding onto a slim lead over Bernie Sanders in Iowa as the nation prepares for Mondays caucuses, according to a highly respected poll. The poll also gave a clear lead to Republican Donald Trump. The poll by Bloomberg News and the Des Moines Register put Ms Clinton ahead of Mr Sanders by 45 per cent to 42 per cent. Former Maryland Governor Martin OMalley was on three per cent in the survey conducted January 26-29. Meanwhile, Saturday evenings poll found Mr Trump leading Senator Ted Cruz 28 per cent to 23 per cent among likely GOP caucus-goers. Hillary Clinton again faces an unexpectedly tough fight for the Democratic nomination (AP) The poll, conducted by veteran pollster J Ann Selzer, also found Senator Marco Rubio with 15 per cent and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 10 per cent The poll is considered by pundits to be one of the most accurate, based on its performance in recent years and the woman who runs the poll, Ms Selzer, has an impressive track record. Ms Selzer and her Des Moines-based firm, Selzer & Company, have polled for the Des Moines Register for decades and she was the only pollster to correctly predict the order of Democratic candidates in 2004. The Politico website said that her final poll before the 2008 caucuses accurately predicted that a surge of first-time caucus-goers would help push Barack Obama to victory. She also said former senator Rick Santorums surge in the waning days before the 2012 Republican caucuses when few others did. Just last year, she pointed to an Iowa Senate race that gave Republican Joni Ernst a seven point lead, contrary to other polls. Mr Ernst won by nine points. I think it has to do with being more of a traditionalist, science-based pollster, she told the news website, explaining her remarkable accuracy. And because it has worked for me, Ive not been tempted to go and try other methods. And because I have clients who are willing to pay the premium that it takes to do it this way, Ive not had to cut corners. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Bernie Sanders has boldly predicted that he is on the cusp of delivering one of the biggest political upsets in modern history by defeating Hillary Clinton, once the overwhelming favourite, in the Iowa caucuses on 1 February. But, with grim weather on the way, he conceded it will depend on his supporters actually showing up. It may be a cliff-hanger night for both parties. As the results flow in, America will have a first indication of whether all the forecasts of a radical up-ending of the political order by an angry electorate may really come to pass. For Republicans, the excitement will be about Donald Trump and his ability to seal the deal. Recommended Read more Clinton and Sanders battle it out as polls put race too close to call The weather forecast was also in play. The promise of rain and snow for most of the state this evening could deter some from attending their caucus meetings, a prospect that spells danger for both the insurgent candidates, Mr Sanders and Mr Trump, for whom very high turnouts are expected to be crucial. Ms Clinton goes into voting day with the thinnest of leads, according to the final, and most respected, poll released late on 30 January by Bloomberg and the Des Moines Register. She was at 45 per cent support vs 42 per cent for the senator from Vermont, within the margin of error. A loss to Mr Sanders, who is far ahead of her in New Hampshire which votes next, could seriously harm her. I think Ive been subjected ... to years of scrutiny and Im still standing, Ms Clinton, former Secretary of State and one-time US senator told ABC News. I feel vetted. I feel ready. I feel strong and I think Im the best person to be the nominee and to defeat whoever they nominate in November. Everything you need to know about the Iowa caucus The ground games of the campaigns on 1 February will be key. In spite of his advanced age at 74, Mr Sanders has drawn overwhelming support from younger Democrats but he needs them to vote. A Saturday night rally in Iowa City, home of the University of Iowa, with the popular band Vampire Weekend, drew 4,000 people. Pundits say young people come out for rallies, but you know what, theyre not going to come out to participate in the caucus, he told the crowd. It roared back. Yeah we are! People are really enthusiastic and if people come out to vote, I think youre going to look at one of the biggest political upsets in the modern history of our country, he told CNN. At one of his final rallies, in Dubuque, Mr Trump, who leads Senator Ted Cruz of Texas by 28 per cent to 23 per cent with Senator Marco Rubio showing third at 15 per cent, also referred to the turnout. Youre from Iowa, he bellowed. Are you afraid of snow? The dynamics of the Republican contest also appeared fluid. The same poll showed that in the event of a higher-than-expected turnout of evangelical and born-again Christians, Mr Trump and Mr Cruz would draw almost level at 26 per cent and 25 per cent. There were also signs that Mr Rubio was picking up support, however, which could syphon votes mostly from Mr Cruz. On ABC News, Mr Trump prudently attempted to lower expectations. I dont have to win Iowa, he suggested, pointing to the wide polling leads he has in the next states that will vote for a nominee. Yet, while the state offers only a minuscule fraction of the delegates who will eventually decide who the nominee will be, the outcome has a disproportionate impact on the perception of a candidates viability. Did Mr Trump always imagine winning here? The truth is, no, I didnt, he said. Im somebody that knows how to win. I close the deal. But I never thought Id have 24-point leads in different states. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Its meant to be all very neighbourly, Democrats and Republicans in communities all across Iowa getting together on a winter night to discuss who they think who would make a decent President, and then taking votes on it. But this is politics. So it is that Howard Marsh, 57, a retired schools administrator, knows where the Republicans will be meeting in his town, Eldorado in the recreation room of a nearby juvenile detention centre but doesnt know where the Democrats on his street will be meeting to caucus. Some place where the sun dont shine, he almost spits. Recommended Read more Anger and frustration push Donald Trump to top ahead of Iowa vote Clearly its a good thing Democrats and Republicans hold their caucuses separately. Iowans have a reputation for decency, but there are limits. And there is still scope for tempers to fray, even with that partisan segregation. Because before Iowans vote at these meetings, they also debate a bit. And argue. Which is why they can take up to two hours before the collating of results across the state can begin. Its all a little nerve-racking for Abbey Coster, 46, a mother of six children who works nights in a hotel 30 miles from her home in Ellsworth, population 500. For better or worse she has volunteered to act as precinct captain on behalf of Senator Ted Cruz of Texas at her Republican caucus, to be held in the community room at the same non-denominational church in town where she worships every Sunday. She has never done anything like this before. Each candidate chooses their own captain for all of the 1,600 precincts, who must make final pitches on their behalf. Ms Coster isnt sure how much time she will be given but assumes it wont be more than five minutes. I do tend to be a bit long-winded, she accepts. She thinks her main job will be to explain why Mr Cruzs opposition to an ethanol subsidy for corn growers wont hurt farmers in the area a tough sell. With at least some of her children in tow minors can watch but not vote she will also explain why Mr Cruz, who as a US Senator has been a thorn in the side of his own party, is the only one who will stick to his conservative word. Since he was elected he has done what he told voters he would do, exposing everyone else as hypocrites who go to Washington and bend and sway to the special interest. Republicans caucus rules are simple. Once Ms Coster and each of the plethora of other candidates precinct captains have said their piece, everyone present makes their choice, generally in a secret ballot. They write down their preference on a piece of paper and pop it into a box. Its all tallied, and everyone goes home. Everything you need to know about the Iowa caucus Democrats begin the same way, and have only three candidates to choose from: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin OMalley. But after the first speeches everyone of voting age is asked to divide into groups, one for each candidate. If one group has less than 15 per cent of all the people present a probable fate for many OMalley supporters today it will be declared invalid and a new round of cajoling begins. Those in the sinking-ship group must either persuade enough people to change their minds and support their candidate or abandon deck and stand with another group. Which is what all the others in the room will be urging them to do. Its modern democracy meets charades, meets Speakers Corner all inside an echoing school gym or, in a handful of remote communities, in somebodys front room or garage. With a bit of luck the results will gathered in by midnight, the results declared and the candidates and their accompanying circuses decamp almost immediately to New Hampshire for its more straightforward primary elections in eight days time. And leaving Iowa, at last, in peace. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} So important is faith to voters in Iowa, every Republican candidate makes mention of theirs at every campaign stop they make across the state. Even a certain twice-divorced, thrice-married business tycoon has been at it. Half of Iowan Republicans call themselves evangelical or born-again Christians. Democrats too have had to pay heed to those for whom God comes before president this year. So it was that Hillary Clinton found herself explaining how her version of worship has shaped her understanding of public service. It is not an area of her personal life she has often publicly shared. Recommended Read more Trump says support from evangelical Christians put him in lead The key, she said, was to see faith as something to foster empathy, not as a cudgel to condemn so quickly and judge so harshly. I am a person of faith. I am a Christian. I am Methodist, she said at a local school gymnasium in Knoxville, Iowa, recently. My study of the Bible and my many conversations with people of faith have led me to believe that the most important commandment is to love the Lord with all your might, and to love your neighbour as yourself. That is what I think we are commanded by Christ to do. Having been raised as a Jew in Brooklyn, the topic is trickier for Bernie Sanders. He too had rarely talked about faith until Iowa. His answer now is this: he believes in a God, but has drifted away from organised religion. I think everyone believes in God in their own ways, he recently told the Washington Post. To me, it means that all of us are connected, all of life is connected, and that we are all tied together. It was an answer that may satisfy his constituency of mostly young and progressive Democrat voters. But Republicans prefer their candidates to wear their devotion on their sleeves. Senator Ted Cruz, the son of a born-again preacher, often cites II Chronicles 7:14, urging his supporters to pray daily for their country. On 30 January it was his wife, Heidi, who said her husband was a servant of God. Christianity and the Bible are at the centre of our home, she said, to quiet murmurs of approval, and the belief that we are here just for a short time to serve. Mr Trump is battling Mr Cruz for the devotion of evangelicals. The big surprise may prove to be that they privately consider Mr Trump a phony, but do not care. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Maybe it's his mournful mien, but Ted Cruz looks whacked leaning against a pillar to the side of a kindergarten meal room in the small town of Hubbard, Iowa, smiling only on cue as his wife, Heidi, warms up the small crowd of mostly middle-aged voters sitting scrunched on kiddy-sized chairs. When the microphone is finally his, the Senator from Texas who is better placed than anyone possibly to interrupt the Donald Trump juggernaut and claim first place in the Iowa caucuses in Iowa when voters across the state will express their preferences for presidential candidates from both parties, first attempts a joke, but it seems tired too. Heidi is perfect but for one thing. Her eyesight is terrible, he offers. Making himself likeable is arguably the greatest challenge for Mr Cruz, 44, who, perhaps more than anyone in the field of 12 Republican runners, faces his Rubicon in this rural, Midwestern state. Squeeze past Trump and he will be able to claim as his the support of hard conservatives and evangelicals that he will need to gain momentum as the pace of the state-by-state nomination process accelerates. On the other hand, not winning here could prove devastating to the young senator, who, since being sent to the US Senate on a Tea Party ticket in 2012, has won a reputation as the scourge not just of Washington but also of the establishment wing of his party. Both yearn for him to stumble here. He wears their disdain with pride. That he has come as far as he has, overtaking Mr Trump is some polls in Iowa by a hair, its because he vows to take his fight to Washington to eviscerate the federal bureaucracy and block all and any efforts by his own partys leadership to acquiesce to anything resembling compromise. Donald Trump declined to take part in the most recent GOP debate (AP) When Ronald Reagan was elected to suceed former Democratic President, Jimmy Carter, he too was disdained by Washington, he assures the 100-odd supporters in the room, who alternately hold up signs declaring Vote for Cruz or Dont Believe the Liberal Media. If you see Washington embracing any candidate, run and hide, Mr Cruz declares. Summoning the energy his must-win situation requires, he offers a litany of actions he would take in his first days in office. It is a scorched-earth agenda, ranging from ending Obamacare, ripping up the Iran nuclear deal, undoing every unconstitutional and illegal executive action ever taken by President Obama and starting the process of abolishing the Internal Revenue Service and instituting a flat tax for all. Two hours later, before a capacity crowd in a nearby Ames hotel, a more caffeinated Cruz takes the stage after being introduced by Glenn Beck, one time ultra-conservative siren of Fox News. We will finally, finally, finally secure the borders, he vows to loud applause, tapping into the same anti-immigration vein that has fed the Trump phenomenon. And he has a new joke: he recently lamened to a Texas farmer he cant spray regulators with pesticide like locusts. The farmer said. You wanna bet? But there is no concealing the pressure he is under. He has suddenly been forced to switch resources to Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who has shown new strength in the last Iowa lap and has emerged as the best hope of party elders and mainstream donors for whom nuking Cruz and Trump is paramount. Republican presidential nominations Show all 9 1 /9 Republican presidential nominations Republican presidential nominations Jeb Bush Who he is: Brother of former President George W. Bush and son of former President George H. W. Bush, Mr Bush has formed a Political Action Committee and is exploring a presidential bid. He was the governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. The issues: Mr Bush has indicated that his campaign would focus on the economy, foreign policy and energy. He is also known as a proponent of education reform. Getty Republican presidential nominations Marco Rubio Who he is: Mr Rubio is a US senator from Florida who has served since 2011. He is an early favourite to receive heavy donations from ultra-rich donors the Koch brothers. The issues: Mr Rubio has said the biggest issue facing the US in the near future is foreign policy and dealing with threats from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. AP Republican presidential nominations Ben Carson Who he is: Dr Carson is a retired neurosurgeon, who became one of the most prominent physicians in the US. He has no political experience, but has formed a PAC to consider a run for president. The issues: A big proponent of smaller government, Dr Carson holds a tough stance on illegal immigration and is staunchly opposed to government involvement in health care. Getty Republican presidential nominations Ted Cruz Who he is: Mr Cruz has served as a US senator from Texas since 2013 and previously was the solicitor general of the state from 2003 to 2008. The issues: Mr Cruz is strongly against illegal immigration and figures to offer a presidential campaign heavy on foreign policy. He supports tough sanctions on both Russia and Iran. EPA/SHAWN THEW Republican presidential nominations Carly Fiorina Who she is: Ms Fiorina is the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and a former executive at AT&T. She also was a 2010 nominee from California for the US Senate. The issues: Ms Fiorina, should she run, will campaign as a pro-business candidate whose background as chief executive of a major company proves she can handle the US economy. Getty Images Republican presidential nominations Mike Huckabee Who he is: Mr Huckabee was the governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007 and ran for president in 2008. An ordained Baptist minister, he also hosted a talk show on Fox News until early this month. The issues: Mr Huckabee supports tax reform and often touts the FairTax, which would eliminate income and payroll taxes in favour of a uniform sales tax. getty images Republican presidential nominations Rand Paul Who he is: Mr Paul has served as a US senator from Kentucky since 2011. He is a libertarian and son of former US Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. The issues: Mr Paul supports balanced spending by the government, unlike some of his peers in the Republican Party who oppose most government spending. He has been called an isolationist by some political pundits. AP Republican presidential nominations Scott Walker - OUT Who he is: Mr Walker has served as the governor of Wisconsin since 2011 and has long been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate. Mr Walker this week launched a PAC to prepare for a presidential run. The issues: Mr Walker opposes compromise with Democrats on key issues and would encourage increasing the fight against Isis. AP Republican presidential nominations Rick Perry - OUT Who he is: Mr Paul has served as a US senator from Kentucky since 2011. He is a libertarian and son of former US Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. The issues: Mr Paul supports balanced spending by the government, unlike some of his peers in the Republican Party who oppose most government spending. He has been called an isolationist by some political pundits. Getty By most reckonings, it was Cruz who came out worst most damaged from the last debate on 28 January the one Mr Trump skipped - not least for whining to moderators about the unrelenting challenges to him. It was Rubio that the Des Moines Register, the biggest Iowa paper, recently endorsed. On 30 January, The New York Times threw its weight among Republicans behind John Kasich, the Governor of Ohio. Iowa offers a litmus test for the Cruz promise to rein in government. But it is one that carries huge risk. Unlike all his rivals, the senator is vowing to phase out a long-standing federal programme requiring the blending of ethanol in petrol in the United States. Ethanol is made from corn cobs. Corn cobs are the border-to-border carpeting of Iowa. Farmers love the programme that amounts to a giant subsidy. In a departure from political decorum, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, the longest serving governor in the history of the United States and a Republican, has flatly urged Iowans not to back the senator. He could be very damaging to the state, he told voters. It was a red rag to Cruz. And to his supporters. Everybody says they are a conservative when they are running but change when they get to Washington but Ted will do what he stands for, insisted Howard Marsh, 59, a retired schools administrator who came to the Hubbard meeting. He scorns those calling for the ethanol subsidy to stay, including Branstad. We all complain about Big Government and then line up at the trough. It will be a less mournful Cruz who salutes his supporters if he prevails here on Monday. But even then, history will hold a warning for him. The winners here in 2008 and 2012, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, never grasped the big prize. This year they are back at the very bottom of the pack. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Eric Bowen is the reason that a reality television star and property tycoon may be on the cusp of a moment nothing less than remarkable. The 53-year-old plumber is angry, fed up. He voted for Barack Obama eight years ago, but nothing has changed. Only a businessman can fix things, he says. Recommended Read more Anger and frustration push Donald Trump to top ahead of Iowa vote Just as dismayed is Mike Shamsie. In fact, the 58-year-old from across the river in Illinois would admit to being furious, to have had it up-to-here with the politicians who have done this to the country. Trish Duffy is not happy either. She is not entirely sure who she will vote for, but she has been drawn to see the man who talks to this anger. More than seven months after he announced, with characteristic showmanship and self-assurance that he was running for the White House, Donald Trump has been carried to the Republicans pole position on a wave of frustration and disgruntlement. But this evening is a crucial milestone in his hoped-for trajectory to the White House: the first time anyone will actually get to cast a vote for him in the 2016 presidential election. The final poll before tonights Iowa caucus, published late on 30 January, put the 69-year-old a full five points clear of his nearest Republican rival, Senator Ted Cruz, in the state. And even if he was not about to thank God for his strong showing, Mr Trump was happy to suggest he had been borne to this point by the support of evangelical Christians as he addressed supporters and the simply curious in the town of Davenport. Sitting on stage with Jerry Falwell Jr, the president of Liberty University and son of the late preacher and activist Jerry Falwell Sr, Mr Trump embraced the endorsement from a section of the electorate he has courted vigorously. Two weeks ago, Mr Trump took the pilgrimage made by all Republican candidates to the universitys Virginia campus, and addressed students in an attempt to burnish his religious credentials. As it was, he rather fluffed his lines, mis-speaking the name of one of the Bibles chapters, leading some on the religious right to question how genuine was his embrace of God. Yet it was sufficient to earn him the backing of Mr Falwell, something rivals such as Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz surely coveted. On stage, Mr Trump thanked Mr Falwell, who he said was certainly a man of faith. Maybe Im a little bit not as good as he is in that way. But Im good, he added. Earlier, he described Mr Falwells comment that of all the Republican candidates he was the most like the late Mr Falwell Sr, who died in 2007, as the best endorsement for me. Mr Falwell, who stressed he endorsed Mr Trump purely on his own behalf, not his colleges, added: I did so because the country is at that point. Yet if the evangelicals have helped push Mr Trump to where he stands, both polls and numerous interviews with his supporters in Iowa suggest that the billionaire has made the frustrated voter his bedrock. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll suggested that 73 per cent of voters intending to cast their vote in Novembers presidential election believe the US is heading in the wrong direction. Most strikingly, such disaffected people make up a majority of the supporters of both Mr Trump (87 per cent) and the Democratic contender Bernie Sanders (54 per cent), who has pushed himself to within a couple of points of Hillary Clinton. Such individuals include men such as Jim Bodenpick, a 78-year-old who was being yelled at by his wife to hurry into the theatre where Mr Trump was about to speak late on 30 January. Mr Bodenpick was concerned about the economy, and about what he said was a government planning to declare martial law and take away all the guns. In all his many years, he said, he had never seen everything so upside down. It may be tempting, especially from afar, to mock or question such comments and the belief that salvation rests in the hands of a man previously best known around the world as the host of The Apprentice. But in a nation of growing inequality and crumbling infrastructure, of surging globalism and mounting uncertainty, the frustrations expressed are real. As the polls underscore, the same emotions and sense of dislocation are expressed by many of those turning out in support of Mr Sanders, though his thoughts on the solutions to Americas challenges may be very different. (One man, Marshall Lang, 28, who attended a Sanders rally in Davenport the night before, said if he were not backing the Vermont senator he would be voting for Mr Trump. Im a nationalist, he explained.) Mr Trump describes his entry to the race as nothing less cinematic than a rescue story. He did not particularly want to run for the White House, he told the crowd, but rather he and his wife were reluctantly acting out of a sense of duty, and in response to the plight of the nation. He said the afternoon on 16 June when he swept down the stairs at Trump Tower in New York to meet the media and announce his candidacy was like the Oscars. I took a deep breath. I said lets do this, Mr Trump claimed. What is happening to our country is so bad. And when asked about his solutions to the nations woes, such lack of doubt electrifies his answers. We will beat Isis very quickly folks. President Trump would have secured the release of the prisoners held by Iran in 48 hours. Were going to bring the jobs from the countries that have taken them. Were going to bring these jobs back. And so it went on: confronting Muslim extremists, forcing Apple to manufacture its products in the US, promoting gun ownership to prevent attacks like that in Paris that took 130 lives, handling immigration better. You dont have a country without borders. The angry and disgruntled and frustrated people cheered and clapped, and got to their feet and waved placards. Donald Trump, the man who may yet make the journey from reality television to the most powerful office in the world, smiled and waved. Youre good people. On the evening of 1 February, he will find out whether they number as many as the polls say. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It is an event that has become all too familiar in the jade-mining community of Hpakant the collapse of a heap of slag that engulfed scavengers scrabbling for discarded fragments of the precious stone. At least six died in the latest tragedy affecting those involved in Burmas jade rush. Speaking after the collapse on 27 January, Dut La, deacon of the Hpakant Baptist Church, who took charge of the funerals, said: There are a dozen more possibly buried under the debris but its difficult to take the bodies out because its dangerous. Recommended Read more Dozens missing as fresh Burma landslide sweeps jade area Dangerous is an understatement. Last weeks disaster was the sixth in the man-made canyons around the boom town after a major landslide on 26 November swallowed more than 100 people. In the latest incident, local police reported that about 100 scavengers had installed themselves near a man-made hill 100ft high and 150ft wide and were foraging through it for pieces of jade when the hill collapsed. The funerals took place at the same time as the biggest shift in Burmas political status quo since the departure of the British in 1948 was under way in the capital, Naypyidaw. With songs, traditional dances, a banquet and a self-congratulatory speech by outgoing President Thein Sein, the curtain was brought down on the domination of governance by the military that stretches back to the coup detat of 1962. Tomorrow, when the new parliament takes over and sets about electing a new president, democrats will be in the driving seat. Aung San Suu Kyi is barred by the constitution from becoming president herself, but the person elected to that executive post by MPs is expected to be her proxy, and her National League for Democracy (NLD) will dominate the administration. In anticipation of a crackdown by the new government, Hpakants jade rush has seemingly turned into a frenzy. Days after the November disaster, Suu Kyi told Radio Free Asia: This sort of accident is common because there is no rule of law. It also reflects lack of due consideration for the safety of peoples lives and property. Party spokesman Nyan Win said: We will have to renew the existing regulations and, if necessary, will require the companies to have safe and adequate dump sites when they apply for licences. If existing regulations have this provision, we will have to enforce it. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Jade is one of Burmas most prized minerals, and the export trade, particularly to China, goes back centuries. Global Witness, a campaign organisation based in Britain, reported last year that the trade generated earnings of up to $31bn (22bn) in 2014, which would amount to about half of Burmas GDP. There are about 850 mining companies in Hpakant, and since November the big companies with giant trucks and excavators have been roaring through the barren canyons, ripping out the earth and dumping the waste in piles as never before, while hundreds of impoverished scavengers from all over the country claw through the slag heaps. Khin Maung Myint, the NLDs newly elected MP for Hpakant, told Myanmar Now, a local news website: [Mining] companies are getting worried that the new government may restrict the jade mining, so now they are operating round the clock. Anarchy on the ground has enabled the companies to maximise their profits, but has created the conditions for one disaster after another, the MP said. You have rules and regulations to follow when you apply for a jade licence, he said. You have to make sure that the work is carried out without causing much damage to the environment. But these rules are not enforced at all on the ground. The companies are dumping waste on the banks of the Uru River. Thats why the river is blocked during the rainy season, and this causes the flooding of riverside vegetable plantations of the local people. Now the companies are working around the clock, using heavy vehicles such as dump trucks, backhoes and excavators. They leave behind huge craters, which become lakes during the rainy season. These can be very dangerous because they tend to break open under the pressure of water and cause flash floods. What has scared the miners most is the threat that the trade could simply be terminated. Back in December, a former minister, Than Tun Aung, told parliament that in response to the disasters, the government would consider closing some mines. Action by the new government could be far more drastic than that. If we found that the industry should be shut down, said Khin Maung Mying, then we would have to shut it down. As we are selling jade like vegetables. We dont get a proper price for it. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Christian pastor who fought against Beijings drive to remove crosses from the outside of Chinas churches is being investigated on suspicion of embezzlement, officials have said. Authorities in Zhejiang say crosses are removed because they violate regulations against illegal structures. Rights groups say demolishing crosses restricts the religious freedom of Christians. Pastor Gu Yueses Chongyi Church, which has a congregation of 10,000, is the largest Protestant Church in the Chinese-speaking world. Mr Gu frequently met visiting foreigners and appeared at government-organised ceremonies, but had spoken out against the campaign to tear down crosses, according to some of his followers. We feel deeply shocked and filled with regret, the government-backed Hangzhou Christian Council said of the investigation, in a statement on its website. It gave no further details of the charges or evidence against the pastor, saying simply that it had been notified by a relevant department. Despite his views, Mr Gu was seen by some as a poster boy for the officially sanctioned Christian Church in China, which is distinct from independent, illegal underground churches. Zhejiang, on the countrys east coast, is known for its large Christian population. REUTERS For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Malaysias top prosecutor has said he will co-operate with Swiss authorities, whose investigation into an indebted Malaysian state investment fund indicated that 2.8bn may have been misappropriated from Malaysian state-owned companies. Switzerlands top prosecutor, attorney general Michael Lauber, sought Malaysias help after the investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) confirmed that some money was transferred into accounts in Switzerland. The accounts were held by various former Malaysian public officials and former and current public officials from the United Arab Emirates. The Swiss office said in a statement late on 29 January that it wanted help with its investigation into possible violations of Swiss laws related to bribery of foreign officials, misconduct in public office, money laundering and criminal mismanagement at the fund. Swiss prosecutors said four cases involving allegations of criminal misconduct from 2009 to 2013 have emerged so far involving several companies. 1MDB, whose advisory board is chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, has been investigated by Malaysian authorities following accusations of financial mismanagement and graft. Last week, Malaysias attorney general cleared Mr Najib himself of any criminal offences or corruption, declaring that 478m deposited into his personal bank account in early 2013, just before national elections, was a gift from Saudi Arabias royal family and that Mr Najib had returned 435m. The Malaysian anti-corruption commission subsequently said it would seek a review of that decision. My office intends to take all possible steps to follow up and collaborate with our Swiss counterparts, and we look forward to receiving the findings of their investigations and materials, Malaysias attorney general, Mohamed Apandi Ali, said in a statement on 30 January. He added that the materials held by Swiss authorities will be reviewed, along with Malaysias own investigation, to determine the right course of action. However, the statement from the Mr Apandi noted that the investigations into 1MDB were entirely separate from those into donations made to Mr Najib. Mr Najib has consistently denied any wrongdoing, saying the funds were a political donation and he did not take any money for personal gain. 1MDB also said in a statement that it was willing to co-operate in the Swiss investigation but that it hadnt been contacted. In its statement on 29 January, the Swiss attorney generals office said: The monies believed to have been misappropriated would have been earmarked for investment in economic and social development projects in Malaysia. Mr Najib has been resisting intense pressure to resign over the financial scandal and 1MDBs woes. The situation represents his biggest political crisis since he took power in 2009 the year he formed the 1MDB fund. 1MDB is 7.11bn in debt and has been selling assets to clear its debts. Tony Pua, a member of the Malaysian parliament with the opposition Democratic Action Party, called on the Malaysian attorney general to co-operate fully with foreign investigating agencies. Such co-operation will not only go a long way towards identifying the culprits but also removing the perception that the Malaysian attorney general was biased in favour of the Prime Minister, Mr Pua said. (AP; Reuters) For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} For 156 years Paris has resembled a snail. The citys 20 arrondissements, or districts, curl outwards from the centre like the spiral of a snails shell. Paris resembles the gastronomic gastropod in another way. The French capital can sometimes be rather slow to move forward. Given these facts, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has made what can be described as a courageous, and some might say shocking, proposal. She wants to smash the snail. In a proposal which will be put to the Paris city council later this month, the Socialist Mayor suggests that the four most central arrondissements of Paris should be abolished and replaced by a single sector. The first, second, third and fourth arrondissements would survive only as postcodes. Their four mini-mayors and four mini-town halls would be replaced by one mini-mayor in a single not-so-mini-town hall. There has been no change in the boundaries of the 20 Parisian arrondissements since 1860, Ms Hidalgo points out in an internal document leaked to Le Monde. Relatively few people just over 100,000 live in the four central arrondissements which occupy the area of the right bank of the original medieval city from Bastille to Concorde, plus the two islands in the Seine. Creating just one central arrondissement would save money, improve services and increase democratic representation, Ms Hidalgo suggests. The Paris arrondissements have limited autonomy but they do have their own administrative offices and elaborate, gilded town halls. Cue suspicion and outrage on the right. Jean-Francois Legaret, the centre-right mayor of the first arrondissement (including the Louvre, Notre Dame cathedral and Chatelet) accuses Ms Hidalgo of electoral subterfuge. Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Show all 6 1 /6 Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris The Five Hotel, Quartier Latin Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris The Loft Hostel, Belleville Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Hotel Arvor Saint-Georges, 9th Arrondissement Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Hotel Jeanne d'Arc, Marais Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Hotel Mayet, 6th Arrondissement Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris Affordable hotels and hostels in Paris The Generator Hostel, 10th Arrondissement What worries Parisians is cleanliness, safety, taxes, traffic and pollution, he said, Not one of them has ever said to me: We must urgently redraw the map of the arrondissements. Eric Aziere, head of the centrist UDI-MoDem group on the city council, said: Ms Hidalgo wants to create a giant boboland which would be a bastion for the left in the 2020 municipal elections. The second, third and fourth arrondissements (covering the Marais, Bourse and Sentier areas) are amongst the favoured habitats of bobos or bourgeois bohemians artistic and professional types who tend to vote for the left. The first arrondissement, dominated by large official buildings, including the Louvre and the main Paris town hall, has just 17,000 inhabitants out of two million in the city as a whole. The typical resident is a wealthy widow, who lives with a cat or a dog and votes for the right. The centre-right opposition believes that Ms Hidalgo wants to abolish the first arrondissement because it has become a bastion of resistance to the ruling left in the heart of the city. Nonsense, says Ms Hidalgos main assistant mayor, Bruno Julliard. The changes, planned for 2020, would make purely practical sense and would be politically neutral, he maintains. As part of her proposals for reforming Paris, Ms Hidalgo, 56, suggests that mayors of the 17 remaining arrondissements should be granted slightly increased powers. She also wants to abolish, or rationalise, the French capitals unique status as both a departement (county) and commune (town). This would give her, as its mayor, considerable new authority over policing and roads. Her critics suggest that she is positioning herself for a run at the French presidency. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A 13-year-old girl who said she was kidnapped and raped by a group of Middle Eastern refugees has admitted the story was made up, German police have said. The alleged incident involved a family of Russian immigrants living in Berlin, and it led to a further souring of diplomatic relations between Russia and Germany. But Berlin has since accused Moscow of exploiting the case for political propaganda, and German prosecutors said the girls story had not stood up to questioning. Named only as Lisa in German media reports, the girl was reported missing by her parents on 11 January. She reappeared more than a day later with bruising to her face, and told her parents she was abducted by a group of refugees. The incident was investigated by German police, who said mobile phone data did not support the girls account and that there was no evidence of her being the victim of a sexual crime. German media reports suggested she was going through unspecified school problems and had stayed at the home of a 19-year-old male friend. Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Show all 13 1 /13 Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Women protest against sexism outside Cologne Cathedral on 5 January after the assaults Oliver Berg/EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Women protest against sexism in Cologne following the rash of sex attacks on New Year's Eve Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police initially failed to mention the assaults in report the following morning EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police officers patrol in front of the main station of Cologne, Germany AP Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks German far-right supporters demonstrate at Cologne`s train station (Reuters) Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016. Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police used pepper spray to control supporters of Pegida, Hogesa (Hooligans against Salafists) and other right-wing populist groups as they protested against the New Year's Eve sex attacks on 9 January, 2016 in Cologne, Germany Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police use a water cannon during a protest march by supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016 Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police use pepper spray against supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida, in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016. Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Artist Mira Moire protests naked in Cologne against the mass sex attacks on New Year's Eve AP Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks A demonstrator holds a sign in German that reads 'No violence against women' during a demonstration in the wake of the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve, outside the cathedeal in Cologne, Germany, 09 January 2016. EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Counter demonstrators hold up a sign reading "Against sexism, against racism" as they protest against a demonstration of the islamophobic movement PEGIDA at the train station in Cologne, Germany, on January 9, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Demonstration by a womens group on Saturday (AP) AP But that had not been enough for Russian officials, who criticised the police handling of the case and accused Germany of sweeping problems under the rug. Speaking on Sunday, Germany officials went one step further. A spokesman for state prosecutor Martin Steltner reportedly said the girl immediately admitted that the story of the rape was not true when questioned by specialists. Lisas mother reportedly told Der Spiegel on Sunday that her daughter was receiving treatment for mental health problems and doing very badly. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Thousands of people took to the streets in the Paris rain to protest against government plans to renew the country's state of emergency. Nearly 20,000 people marched through the French capital on Saturday prompted by collectives of trade unions, charities and human rights actvities. Chanting "We will not give in" and "Stop the emergency state", they called for an end to the special measures implemented after the Paris attacks in November in which 130 people were killed by Isis terrorists. Local authorities reported 5,500 people joined the march. Across France, thousands of people demonstrated in more than 70 different organised protests. The proposals will give more power to the police and administrative authorities to conduct searches without warrants and house arrests. (PA) The current state of emergency was due to expire on February 26, but the French government's cabinet, which meets on Wednesday, is expected to propose the special measures are prolonged further - with no set end-date. This comes after a ruling from the French high court upheld the special measures because the danger "has not disappeared". France's justice minister, Christiane Taubira, which actively defended gay marriage laws in France, also resigned last week, over her opposition to President Francois Hollande's plans to revoke citizenship for dual national convicted of terrorism. Opponents to the plans argue the measure will feed racism and create a divide btween citizens, as many dual nationals are Muslims. Protesters also called on the government to put an end to "the repression and stigmatisation" of activitis, migrants, Muslims and people from underprivileged areas. Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Show all 6 1 /6 Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Police separate anti-fascists and right-wing protesters PA Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Right-wing protesters and anti-fascist demonstrators clash PA Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Anti-fascists break through police lines PA Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Far-right protesters march on the streets of Dover PA Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Diane Abbott MP speaks to anti-fascists in Dover PA Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Police hold back far-right demonstrators PA Since the start of the state of emergency last November, about 3,000 unwarranted searches were carried out and many targetted political activists and people suspected of being Islamist, reports the French newspaper Liberation. Noel Mamere, a member of the French National Assembly and former member of the Green Party, said the state of emergency lays the foundations for "a society under surveillance." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ukraine has drawn up plans for a potential military contribution to the fight against Isis in Syria in a move that could also pit its troops against Russian forces in the Middle East. An options paper drawn up by Ukraines defence ministry is to be discussed this week during a visit by US Defence Secretary Ash Carter, who has been touring the world gathering support for the war against the extremist jihadist group. According to those who have read it, the paper produced at the behest of President Petro Poroshenko highlights the possibility of Ukrainian forces coming up against Russian forces in Syria, and details potential contributions. A Ukrainian government source said: We have prepared a range of options for our support against Isis including in Syria, which could include troops. It could result in potential clashes with Russians. In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Show all 19 1 /19 In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrian boys cry following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov speaks to the media in Moscow, Russia. Konashenkov strongly warned the United States against striking Syrian government forces and issued a thinly-veiled threat to use Russian air defense assets to protect them AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrians wait to receive treatment at a hospital following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Alepp Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov speaks at a briefing in the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia. Antonov said the Russian air strikes in Syria have killed about 35,000 militants, including about 2,700 residents of Russia AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Jameel Mustafa Habboush, receives oxygen from civil defence volunteers, known as the white helmets, as they rescue him from under the rubble of a building following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civil defence members rest amidst rubble in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A girl carrying a baby inspects damage in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members look for survivors at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members carry an injured woman on a stretcher at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Volunteers from Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, help civilians after Russia carried out its first airstrikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria The aftermath of Russian airstrike in Talbiseh, Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Smoke billows from buildings in Talbiseh, in Homs province, western Syria, after airstrikes by Russian warplanes AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Air Forces carry out an air strike in the ISIS controlled Al-Raqqah Governorate. Russia's KAB-500s bombs completely destroy the Liwa al-Haqq command unit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia claimed it hit eight Isis targets, including a "terrorist HQ and co-ordination centre" that was completely destroyed In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A video grab taken from the footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an airstrike in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A release from the Russian defence ministry purportedly showing targets in Syria being hit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia launched air strikes in war-torn Syria, its first military engagement outside the former Soviet Union since the occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. Russian warplanes carried out strikes in three Syrian provinces along with regime aircraft as Putin seeks to steal US President Barack Obama's thunder by pushing a rival plan to defeat Isis militants in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria, a thousand kilometres away. The targets include ammunition factories, ammunition and fuel depots, command centres, and training camps A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis Ukraines battle-hardened armed forces would relish such an opportunity. Ukraine has four special-forces regiments and a further unit of its Defence Intelligence Department a total of 7,000 troops. It also has highly capable airborne troops, part of a mobilised army numbering 200,000, of which 40,000 are always on the countrys eastern front facing pro-Russian rebels. Syria: Russian air forces annihilate ISIS oil tankers in Aleppo province In terms of Russian language skills and combating Russian tactics, Ukrainians are world leaders. However, any troop deployment into Syria would be controversial in Kiev, and require a parliamentary vote, with some arguing that Ukraine needs to focus on the rebels who pose a continuing threat in its east, despite the current military deadlock. It might also prove controversial in Europe. A senior military source in Ukraines capital said: I would see a lot of hand wringing at Nato in Brussels. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} German border police should shoot at refugees entering the country illegally, the head of far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has said. Frauke Petrys remarks have been condemned by politicians and a police union chief, who said firing at refugees would be a suspension of the rule of law. Officers must "use firearms if necessary" to prevent illegal border crossings", Ms Petry told the regional newspaper Mannheimer Morgen in an interview. "Armed force is there as a last resort", said Ms Petry, according to a translation by Reuters. "No policeman wants to fire on a refugee and I don't want that either." But "police must stop refugees entering German soil", she said. She called for more checks at external EU borders, agreements with neighbouring Austria and "border security systems" to curb the influx of refugees. A recent poll showed 11 per cent support for AfD, which would make the eurosceptic, right-wing populist party the third strongest in the country. The comments have been strongly condemned by the head of the police union GdP. "No policeman would be ready to fire" at refugees, Joerg Radek said. "We have already seen that over the course of German history and we don't ever want to go down that road again." Mrs Petry's remarks were also described as "an unacceptable mobilisation of public opinion against refugees", by Social Democratic Party (SDP) chairman Thomas Oppermann. The last German politician who condoned the shooting of refugees was Erich Honecker, he said, referring to the Communist East German leader and mastermind of the Berlin Wall. Green party politician Konstantin von Notz said Petrys remarks were "irresponsible" and condoned "extreme right-wing terrorism", amid a spate of attacks on refugee centres in the country. PM on child refugees Ms Petry's comments come as Angela Merkel said that Syrian refugees would be expected to return home when the conflict in the region is over. "We need...to say to people that this is a temporary residential status and we expect that, once there is peace in Syria again, once IS has been defeated in Iraq, that you go back to your home country", Ms Merkel said at a Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party meeting. Ms Merkel has been under pressure to end her open-door refugee policy. More than 1.1 million refugees entered Germany in 2015. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The kerfuffle over the decision by Italian authorities to cover up statues of nude figures during the visit this week of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani isn't quite finished. The initial uproar was sparked after the Iranian president toured the Capitoline museum alongside Italian Premier Mateo Renzi. The institution houses some priceless objects of Roman antiquity including a number of classical marble specimens that the museum had concealed with plywood boxes and panels. The move was supposedly done so as not to offend the sensibilities of Rouhani, who, after all, is a former cleric and part of a theocratic regime in Tehran. Recommended Read more Italy covers up naked statues for visit of Iranian president This led to howls of denunciation, with onlookers appalled that Italy would shroud its own cultural patrimony for the benefit of a prudish Islamist. Iranian officials, including Rouhani, seemed bemused about it. And it was soon pointed out that Italy followed this practice for earlier visits from other Muslim dignitaries, including the crown prince of Abu Dhabi last October. This is a media issue and journalists want to write about this, Rouhani later told reporters in Paris. I have nothing specific to say about this, and I did not have talks about this with anyone. But I know this: The people of Italy are very hospitable and want their guests to enjoy themselves. Iran s Rouhani says not for police to enforce Islam But not all are done complaining. The head of the Syrian Catholic Church saw signs for concern in the decision. This is our culture. If you dont want to see it, close your eyes! Patriarch Youssef III Younan told reporters in Rome on Thursday. He was speaking during a talk in the Italian capital about the persecution experienced by Iraq and Syria's Christians, many of whom have been targeted by Salafist militant groups in recent years. This gives a lot of pain to us Christians who have remained, seeing our brothers, who are ready to forget everything for reasons of humanitarian interests, or opportunism, he said, implying that majority Catholic Italy should have taken a stronger stance during Rouhani's visit. The remarks are somewhat curious given the cleric's own political leanings. He has cautiously backed Syrian President (and staunch Iranian ally) Bashar al-Assad, whose nominally secular regime some argue is the last defense for the country's religious minorities. During the same visit, the patriarch argued that the havoc and instability unleashed by the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 was to blame for much of his constituency's present suffering. Iraqi Christian priests have made similar claims. Western media speak about the monstrosities of Assad, saying hes killed 100,000 Syrians, Younan said. But they dont speak about the 1 million people who died in Iraq as a result of the allied military intervention in 2003. Its all been forgotten. Copyright: Washington Post For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Tair Kaminer, 19, will get up on Monday morning, eat breakfast, get dressed and pack a bag. Her parents will drive her to a military base and say their goodbyes before she goes inside. She will be told to register as a conscript in the Israeli military. She will refuse. She expects be detained, found guilty of disobeying orders and jailed for up to 28 days. Tair knows what will happen because it the same as it was the last time, and for all conscientious objectors in Israel. Tair Kaminer, 19, is facing multiple prison sentences for refusing to carry out military conscription in Israel (Supplied) The teenager is the latest in a long line of young Israelis jailed for refusing to carry out the countrys compulsory military service. She knew imprisonment was inevitable the first time she refused and, having served that sentence, the cycle is now repeating itself. Recommended Read more Israeli teenager jailed for refusing to do military service Speaking to The Independent before returning to the base, Tair vowed to continue her objection in protest against the occupation of the Palestinian Territories and settlement construction. I'm not going to break, she said. I hope they understand that - I won't break. Other conscientious objectors have been jailed repeatedly for up to 10 times, reaching combined sentences of around 180 days. Tair is well-aware of the time she could spend in military prison. In a few months I believe they will release me but I don't know how long it will take, she said. I hope it won't be too long. Israeli soldiers from the Golani Brigade take part in a military training in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights near the border with Syria on July 17, 2013. (AFP/Getty Images) Tair is not the first person in her family to refuse but said she did not know what choice she would make until she spent a year volunterring in the town of Sderot, near the Gaza border, with the Israeli Scouts. I saw the effect of war on children and adults, she said, describing the trauma and injuries caused by rocket attacks from Gaza and the evolving generations of hate on both sides. Tair supports a two-state solution and said she hopes for peace and freedom for everyone in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, but believes current policies are not the way to ensure it. People are desperate, they don't beleive we have a chance of a peaceful solution so they just don't think about it, she explained. As long as we occupy the Palestinian Territories there is no hope - it's not a moral thing to do and it keeps us far away from peace. Whenever they start negotiations between Israel and Palestine there's a problem because we are a more powerful state...we control them. I think as long as the occupation keeps going, there will be no place to talk about peace. Conscientious objector Tair Kaminer does not want to "take part or contribute to hatred and fear" and prefers jail over... Posted by Jewish Voice for Peace on Thursday, 14 January 2016 Tair hopes that her conscientious objection will inspire other teenagers to think about their role in the army and possible alternatives. We want to trust (the armed forces), we want to think that everybody is doing the right thing and it's so hard to think that there are wrong things about your country's army, she added. I think if people did more work to understand what the army does, they wouldn't go. Tair believes the attention given to her case in Israel is already making potential conscripts consider their choice, with some already sending letters saying they may refuse. Among those inspired is Tanya Golan, another 19-year-old who has now announced her objection to discriminatory and oppressive policies. She and Tair were joined by almost 100 protesters as they made their way to announce their refusal together at a military induction base on Sunday. Instead of being immediately imprisoned, they were told to return to seperate points on separate days in what supporters believe could be a tactic to divert media attention. Tair was ordered to attend a centre in Tel-Hashomer on Monday, and Tanya summoned to Tveria on Tuesday. The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Show all 10 1 /10 The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Medics evacuate a wounded man from the scene of an attack in Jerusalem. A Palestinian rammed a vehicle into a bus stop then got out and started stabbing people before he was shot dead AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Israeli ZAKA emergency response members carry the body of an Israeli at the scene of a shooting attack in Jerusalem. A pair of Palestinian men boarded a bus in Jerusalem and began shooting and stabbing passengers, while another assailant rammed a car into a bus station before stabbing bystanders, in near-simultaneous attacks that escalated a month long wave of violence AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Getty Images The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians throw molotov cocktail during clashes with Israeli troops near Ramallah, West Bank. Recent days have seen a series of stabbing attacks in Israel and the West Bank that have wounded several Israelis AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Women cry during the funeral of Palestinian teenager Ahmad Sharaka, 13, who was shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes at a checkpoint near Ramallah, at the family house in the Palestinian West Bank refugee camp of Jalazoun, Ramallah AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A wounded Palestinian boy and his father hold hands at a hospital after their house was brought down by an Israeli air strike in Gaza Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians look on after a protester is shot by Israelis soldiers during clashes at the Howara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus EPA The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A lawyer wearing his official robes kicks a tear gas canister back toward Israeli soldiers during a demonstration by scores of Palestinian lawyers called for by the Palestinian Bar Association in solidarity with protesters at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, near Ramallah, West Bank AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Undercover Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian in Ramallah Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinian youth burn tyres during clashes with Israeli soldiers close to the Jewish settlement of Bet El, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, after Israel barred Palestinians from Jerusalem's Old City as tensions mounted following attacks that killed two Israelis and wounded a child Officers are then expected to jail them both for refusing orders. Tair described her first stint in prison as not so bad, saying her fellow inmates were all female conscripts and soldiers from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Although most of them do not share Tair's views, she said many held grievances towards the Israeli government and authorities who put them behind bars for breaking army regulations. Military service is compulsory for all Israeli citizens over the age of 18, with the exception of groups including Arab Israelis, Orthodox women and anyone unable to serve for medical reasons. Pacifists can also refuse to serve, according to an Israeli High Court of Justice ruling in 2002, but must prove that their stance against war and violence is unilateral and not related specifically to Israel and the Palestinian Territories. There have also been high-profile cases of soldiers and intelligence officers refusing to perform certain duties, such as operating in the West Bank, bombing civilian areas of Gaza and removing Israeli settlers from their homes. British MPs from Labour, the Conservatives and several other parties supported an early day motion subitted by Caroline Lucas on 19 January calling for legal exemptions for conscientious objectors and the immediate and unconditional release of Tair and other prisoners of conscience. Caroline Lucas raised Tair's case in the House of Commons (Getty) Protesters have held rallies supporting her outside prisons and military bases and she has been inundated with letters and emails of support from around the world, while human rights groups including Amnesty International have championed her case. But support for conscientious objectors is not widespread in Israel, where the recent wave of Palestinian attacks has strengthened public and political support for the armed forces. Some critics have even launched police complaints alleging that Tair is inciting others to dodge the draft - a criminal offence in Israel. Israelis on both sides have been vocal on social media, with some branding her a traitor, naive or stupid in a torrent of online abuse. "I try not to read that, she quipped. I think it's because we are educated so that there's no other choice and the army is only thing that keeps us safe. "It's like a holy thing for some people and when they hear criticism, they really freak out and go on the attack." But there is also strong support among anti-conscription activists, including a new group for political refusers called "Mesarvot". "I get a lot of letters and emails and people coming to the demonstrations," Tair said."It really helps because I remember that it's not just my struggle - it's bigger than that." Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, has condemned refusers in the past Her lawyer, Noa Levy, said the imprisoned objectors are only a small fraction of those opposing military service, who usually accept conscription but conspire to be discharged as soon as possible. "To get released from the army is not that hard - if someone wants to find a way to be excused, everybody knows how," she said. "So when somebody goes to a base and chooses to tell the truth - that they are against the situation - it's a big step." Ms Levy said Israel sees regular waves of conscientious objectors following military action in the Gaza Strip but that a new trend appears to be the imprisonment of young women, who were formerly spared jail in most cases and sent to conscience committee instead. "Reform is not on the table," she added, saying the public mood made political change impossible. "International pressure is very important to us because we want a change in policy and the way people discuss and understand what the army does - war crimes are committed every day, the settlements are getting bigger and 18-year-old kids are sent to guard them." Update: The IDF has responded to The Independent's request for a comment. A spokesperson said: Military service in the IDF is mandated by Israeli law, regardless of the political affiliation of an individual. The individual in question refused to be drafted and was therefore imprisoned. She was recently released; we cannot further elaborate on her current status. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Oxford has rejected plans drawn up by David Cameron to force top universities to disclose the proportion of ethnic minority applicants given places, saying it does not see the need for such legislation. The Prime Minister specifically mentioned the university in a call for widespread reforms, writing in the Sunday Times that black people were more likely to be in a prison cell than studying at a top university. Mr Cameron said it was striking that only 27 black students started at Oxford University in 2014, of an intake of more than 2,500 people. But the university defended its record, saying 367 undergraduates from ethnic minority backgrounds received places in 2015, up 15 per cent in five years. A spokesman for Oxford said the university welcomed discussions about the information it publishes, but rejected the need for a change to the rules. And he said the university was doing well against a challenging backdrop of changes to the educational landscape. The effects of social inequality are already pronounced before children begin formal schooling, and universities, schools and government must work together to address their root causes effectively, he said. The director general of the elite Russell Group of universities, Wendy Piatt, also defended the good progress member institutions have made and suggested poor teaching at school level was to blame. She said: There are still far too many children from disadvantaged backgrounds underachieving at school and receiving poor advice and guidance. It will take time, commitment, and sustained action from a range of agencies to raise pupils' aspirations, increase attainment and improve the advice and guidance offered. Sir Anthony Seldon, the vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham and one of Mr Camerons biographers, welcomed the Prime Ministers push. He said: It is deeply wrong that black and other ethnic minority students are so poorly represented in our universities, notably those like Oxford, which should be leading the way. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} London has become the second most visited city in the world, behind Hong Kong, according to a survey by Euromonitor, the research group. The figures are for international tourist arrivals, so this is not people changing planes. The numbers are for 2014 and in that year 17.4 million people came to London, compared with 27.8 million visitors to Hong Kong. But two-thirds of the Hong Kong total came from China, as overnight visitors from the mainland, thus counting as international. If you exclude those, London would be No 1. In third place was Singapore, with 17.1 million, followed by Bangkok (16.2 million), and Paris (15 million) though that Paris figure seems not to include the two million who go to Marne-la-Vallee, home of Disneyland Paris, so the Paris region is very much snapping at Londons heels. New York is the most visited city in North America, but is at No 8 overall with 12.2 million. The only city with more hotel beds than London, Las Vegas, comes in at 22, with 6.2 million visitors, but most are American. To those of us who live in London its ranking seems unsurprising. The place is full of visitors and for the most part they are very welcome, not just because they spend money but because they remind us that our home town is a place that people admire and want to see. They only have a week or two here; we have the benefits, and the grot, the whole time. But if you stand back, it is really rather remarkable, for there are several stories embedded here. One is that international travel is booming, with China the main driving force. This says something about the size and wealth of the Chinese economy, but also about the desires of its burgeoning middle class. Chinese people want to experience the world, in a way that, for example, the Japanese no longer seem to want to do. Surely, this is hugely positive. If people visit other cities, they have to be pretty insensitive not to generate some warmth towards them, or at least more understanding of their culture. People are not coming to London for sun, beach and booze. Another story in these figures is the dominance of London vis-a-vis the rest of the UK. No other British city made it to the worlds top 100. For all the efforts to try to rebalance the UK economy away from London and the Home Counties, there is this powerful gravitational pull towards the South-east. The only other city in these islands to qualify was Dublin, at No 49 with 3.6 million visitors, putting it ahead of Athens and San Francisco. There is a challenge here for Edinburgh, and perhaps Manchester, too. To pull in visitors you need a cultural experience and a sense of welcome, like Dublin. I suspect that successful rebalancing has to be bottom-up, rather than top-down. Put bluntly, a northern powerhouse cannot be created by politicians in Westminster. Lumiere London 2016 Show all 16 1 /16 Lumiere London 2016 Lumiere London 2016 'Les Luminelos' by Porte par le vent - Piccadilly Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Les Voyageurs (The Travellers)' by Cedric Le Borgne - St James's Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Plastic Islands' by Luzinterruptus - Trafalgar Square Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Les Luminelos' by Porte par le vent - Piccadilly Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Garden Of Light' by TILT - Leister Square Garden Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Elephantastic' by Top'la Design/Catherine Garret - Regent Street Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Les Voyageurs (The Travellers)' by Cedric Le Borgne - St James's Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Garden Of Light' by TILT - Leister Square Garden Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Les Voyageurs (The Travellers)' by Cedric Le Borgne - St James's Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Garden Of Light' by TILT - Leister Square Garden Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 '195 Piccadilly' by NOVAK - Piccadilly Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Dresses' by Tae Gon KIM - Carnaby Street Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Garden Of Light' by TILT - Leicester Square Garden Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 'Les Voyageurs (The Travellers)' by Cedric Le Borgne - St James's Square Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 '195 Piccadilly' by NOVAK - Piccadilly Alan Schaller/The Independent Lumiere London 2016 '1,8 London' by Janet Echelman/Studio Echelon - Oxford Circus Alan Schaller/The Independent A third story is the lure of a city. We live in a world of amazingly competent and very cheap electronic communications, yet we cluster together for work and play. The growth of London is a prime example of the apparent need for physical proximity. But the same phenomenon is evident everywhere: giant cities are springing up all over the world. Earlier this month, Londons population was estimated to have passed its previous peak of 8.6 million, reached in 1939, and it is forecast to pass 10 million by 2030. China, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, has 15 cities of more than 10 million. The challenge we face of fitting in another couple of million people in the coming decades looks a doddle alongside what China or Africa, or Latin America has to do. And that is the biggest message of this report: we need to cope with these huge pressures and make big cities better. People choose to travel to giant cities. They also choose to live in them. Many would say that they dont really have a choice; they live in cities because that is where the jobs are. But if that is so, we have to make it work for them. In any case, no one is obliged to take their holidays in London, or Hong Kong, or Paris. They could just opt to lie on a beach. So, the people who run cities need to meet this demand by investing, to make them safer, cleaner, more environmentally sustainable and, crucially, more affordable to live in. Run properly, giant cities are huge generators of wealth and will become even bigger. Final point: according to Euromonitor, by 2030 the worlds largest city in terms of its economy, New York, will have a bigger economy than Spain. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} 'The thing about Gary," Debbie earnestly proposes, "is that, deep down, he's actually a very caring person. I know there were those issues with Maxine, was her name? and then being let go by Legal & General can't have helped his self-esteem, but you've really brought him out of himself, Den, you really have, and getting him to commit like that, well, it's just fantastic, honestly it is." The other women seated around the table at the Faversham Costa, where so many male reputations have, over the years, been shot down, ruined or otherwise disposed of, nod their heads. Undoubtedly, Denise has done an excellent job with the once feckless and seriously overweight Gary, who only last week joined a gymnasium and put down a deposit on a two-bedroom terraced house, but it is nice to have these judgements conceptualised in a way that, mysteriously, only Debbie seems able to bring off. A plump-faced and somewhat shapeless girl in her mid-twenties, with a great deal of costume jewellery strewn around her person, Debbie is very interested in "relationships".Her favourite television programmes are of the kind in which sofa-bound celebrities discuss how they feel about each other, and she is a great one for books with titles such as Discovering Your Inner Self or Soulmates and How to Find Them. "Then I had Abby ring me up about her new partner, Justin," Debbie goes on. "And I had to say, 'Abs, he's a nice guy, he really is, but I've known him a long time you remember when he used to go out with Shelley-Anne and they ran that dry-cleaners? and I really wonder whether he's the one for you, seeing that he's never been able to manage his anger.'" The women Denise, Gaby and Jackie nod again. They know all about anger management, along with coming home late and the danger of joint bank accounts. "Of course," Debbie continues, "part of the problem is that Abby's never got over Rob." There are times, in the course of these fortnightly sit-downs, when Debbie will talk about her own gentleman friends Martin from Dixons and Gordon who wrought such havoc with her heart during a trip to Centre Parcs but curiously her own entanglements are of relatively short duration. In fact, there is a strong suspicion among the Costa cronies that she prefers talking about relationships to actually conducting them. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Id spent a perfect day far from the cares of the world. Two miles up in the Rocky Mountains, adrift from any form of modern communication, I was competing in quad-bike races on a frozen lake. The locals were friendly, and didnt appear to hold it against me when I took a surprise second place in the ultra-competitive final. Victorious, I drove back to my hotel above Colorado Springs, brandishing my trophy as proudly as any member of the Denver Broncos, who had, to the delight of all Colorado, just secured themselves a place in the Super Bowl that very same day. Then I got a wi-fi signal and things fell apart. There were several messages from home asking me to get in touch urgently. Something was wrong. Our beloved eldest dog, Huxley, one of the most special black Labradors to walk this earth, had been taken very ill and had died half an hour earlier. I was utterly devastated. Huxley had been part of our family since just after the birth of our first child. He was the reason that we never returned to London after moving to the Cotswolds for an experimental six months. Once Huxley arrived in our lives there was to be no return to the big city it just wasnt his scene. I did take him there once to our flat in All Saints Road in the heart of old Portobello. It didnt go well. It turned out that Huxley was freaked out by Rastafarians (which was odd as he was black himself) and would bark ferociously whenever he saw one. I would desperately try to apologise, but they all looked daggers at me as though Id somehow trained him to do this. So, we stayed in the country. Huxley was an independent soul a wanderer. In our last house he would clamber over a 7ft wall and roam the village for lost hours. One day I put a special camera on his collar that took a photo every minute. It was a valuable insight into his many interests chasing cats, rummaging through rubbish bins, taunting a tethered dog and multiple dips in the river Coln. Huxley was named after Aldous and was equally smart. He would have made a champion gun dog but he was destined for a life of leisure with us townies, and he did his best to adapt. Over the years, as we moved to our current farm and acquired more dogs, then cats, then (much to his disgust) a pig Huxley took on the role of elder statesman. He was a kind and benevolent ruler but would never hesitate to put a young pup (or pig) in his place. My wife and Huxley shared a particularly special bond, and I long ago gave up trying to compete for droit du seigneur status in the marital bed. Huxley had total VIP privileges and would sprawl himself out, leaving any human to try to eke out a convenient space to sleep in the remainder. I cannot believe I will never again rub those velvet ears, stare into those wise old eyes nor roam the sprawling hills above Cheltenham with the most loyal and loving of lifes companions. Farewell Huxley run free. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} What does it tell us about our attitudes to our old folk that we think their needs can be addressed in a 15-minute visit by a home carer? The elderly person too often must choose between being helped to get washed, get dressed, go to the toilet or have a hot meal prepared. Disclosures forced under the Freedom of Information Act have revealed that these whirlwind 15-minute visits are being authorised by three-quarters of the nations 152 local authorities. Two years ago, the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, pronounced that 15-minute care visits were completely unacceptable. Yet today their use by local councils is undiminished. A survey of more than a thousand care workers has found that 500,000 pensioners are receiving visits so brief that nursing staff do not even speak to them. And these are some of the most vulnerable members of our society, prey to isolation, loneliness and depression. More than half were stroke victims, 51 per cent had mental health issues and 42 per cent had Parkinsons disease. Strikingly the carers trade union, Unison, noted that many of those being cared for were veterans of the Second World War men and women often feted by the government for their wartime efforts but now condemned by those same politicians spending cuts to subsist in a home-care system that denies them dignity. One of the qualities of that generation was an understated stoicism which combined unflagging determination and ungrudging sacrifice with uncomplaining fortitude. Theirs was the era whose Keep Calm and Carry On morale-raising refrain has been reduced, in our era of post-modern parody, to a mere opportunity for marketing cheap commercial tat. The next cohort will be different. The baby boomers who became the Me Generation have a far stronger sense of entitlement. They are better educated and electorally savvy. They will not put up with the kind of treatment their parents have accepted with political docility. Yet they, too, will be subject to the same demographic reality and the same dominant philosophical worldview. Most industrialised countries are ageing. Fifty years ago, only 12 per cent of the British population was over the age of 65; within the next 15 years the proportion will rise to 18 per cent. Our society allocates resources on a predominantly utilitarian model. Politicians seek to provide the greatest good for the greatest number. In practice, that places a lower value on the life of the older person. Once we are too old to maintain economic productivity, societys default logic is that it is a waste of resources to spend too much on us. Older people are assumed to benefit less from aggressive medical treatments. Rationing becomes overtly ageist. Medical bureaucrats do cost-benefit analysis which they express in Qalys (Quality Adjusted Life Years), which disadvantage the elderly since, by definition, they have fewer years to live than a younger person. Older people are routinely excluded from clinical trials. And they often need complex treatment of several conditions at once which is less amenable to simple analysis by medical bureaucrats. The increasing strain on NHS resources Show all 4 1 /4 The increasing strain on NHS resources The increasing strain on NHS resources Breaking point: NHS strain The increasing strain on NHS resources Breaking point: NHS strain The increasing strain on NHS resources Breaking point: NHS strain The increasing strain on NHS resources Breaking point: NHS strain Much of this is based on bogus assumptions. It is dodgy economics. It is true that the NHS spends four times more on those over 65 than on people under that age. But older people should not be categorised as economically inactive; they are significant consumers of goods and services. Moreover, an ageing population with a smaller child population should expect savings in education to offset the increased spending on health and social services for the elderly. It is also dodgy ethics. The idea that older people have somehow had a fair innings when they near their life expectancy currently defined at around 80 years is, in effect, a form of passive euthanasia. The vulnerable should be protected from efficiency savings, not targeted by them. There are several grounds of ethical objection. One is justice. Older people have contributed to society throughout their lives and, under the fair innings argument, are to be deprived of assistance when they need it most. In the words of one pensioner objecting to a council that wanted to levy a 25.92 fee to come out to pick up old people who had had a fall: We have paid taxes all our lives for health services this was supposed to be our insurance, but now we are being asked to pay again. In the case of the war generation there is a greater social debt. But the greatest objection to this reductive view of the elderly is that it offers an impoverished view of what it is to be human. Properly understood that means respecting the dignity, independence, autonomy and choice that are essential to our well-being and our relationship to others and to society. Most of us understand that intuitively. Half a million pensioners may depend on local councils to pay for their home care but three times that number can rely on family and friends for support. We do not make them choose between washing, eating and conversation. Yet the signal that public policy sends out, on home care and health care alike, is that the elderly, with their degenerative diseases and impaired capacity, are a problem or a burden. Our systems of governance are institutionally ageist. No wonder studies show that a significant number of old people fear becoming a burden on their families and wider society. It is time we brought public policy into line with private intuitions. Paul Vallely is visiting professor in public ethics at the University of Chester Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} I was on BBC Question Time with the forthright Jess Phillips last week. Since then, the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley has become the most reviled woman in the Midlands and beyond. She is accused of betraying Brummies; on planet Twitter mad men rip and maul her. So what did Phillips say to provoke such ire? We were in Stamford, Lincolnshire a place, I thought, that would be ferociously anti-immigration. But, on the migrant crisis in Europe, the audience was largely sympathetic to the wretched men, women and children who take to the seas because they want to live, to get a better life. Then a young chap brought up the sexual assaults on women in Cologne by some asylum-seekers and asked if there was a danger that hideous, unreconstructed behaviours would be imported into Europe. Phillips accepted his concerns and then went on to remind him and the audience that British men also groped, fondled, baited and molested women in the streets of our cities, naming as an example Birminghams Broad Street. That led to the witch-hunt. She is absolutely right, of course. Some honest people in Birmingham have come out to confirm that the harassment of females is a massive problem, and that British men can be and are predatory and sexually incontinent. This row encapsulated both the new misogyny that is sweeping across Britain and a resurgent, 21st-century xenophobia. Prominent women in public spaces must, it seems, be punished. Freedom of expression is a restricted right, available only to powerful men. Phillips is not only a mouthy woman, but she daringly pointed out the hypocrisy and bigotry of some in our society for whom there is one rule for them the others and one for true Brits. Their kids can perish, their benefits be slashed, their human rights crushed, their stories disbelieved, all so that we can carry on living the good life. David Cameron, allegedly a caring Tory, shows no compassion or even basic concern for fleeing families on wrecked boats, calls them swarms and a bunch of migrants the last demeaning phrase repeated on Question Time by Patrick McLoughlin, the loyalist Tory Transport minister. They do not mention the wars they made or backed in Iraq or Libya which created the outflow of people, or mention the arms we sell to tyrants. Such small details are easily forgotten by these busy, busy men. On Saturday night in Stockholm, once a city of humanitarian and civil values, a gang of up to 100 men in black masks went marauding and beat up refugee children. Children. Did that create the shock and horror of the Cologne attacks? Did Cameron get up to condemn these violent fascists who betray European values? What would he have said if these had been Muslim extremists or angry asylum-seekers? This happened just days after Holocaust Memorial Day, about which our leader moralises a great deal. More seriously, the Government and its coterie are now also successfully pitting settled good immigrants and their families against troublesome Muslims and those who are trying to claim asylum. Yesterday, we were presented with yet another Cameron avatar: the adamant anti-racist who is determined to get men and women of colour into and up the ladders of state institutions, the private sector, the Establishment. Britain should be mortified, sayeth he, that a young black man is more likely to be in prison than studying at a top university. Recommended Read more Jeremy Corbyn has finally brought left wing ideas in from the cold Trevor Phillips is impressed by Camerons astonishing declaration. I am not, not at all. Maybe thats to be expected: Phillips is in with the powerful; he thinks Muslims are not like us and that asking them to integrate is disrespectful. I think that, thereby, he endorses cultural apartheid. He garlands the Prime Minister while I am revolted by insincere, scheming gesture politics. If Cameron continues to show callous indifference to and contempt for those seeking refuge, his avowed anti-racism is a sham and a displacement tactic. This is the biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War. Private individuals are stepping in where governments refuse to tread, while EU leaders are criminalising doctors, volunteers and food suppliers. Eric Kempson has lived on Lesbos for 16 years. After he saw a childs life jacket on a beach, he started a humanitarian initiative to help the thousands of refugees arriving on the 10km of beach in front of his home. He is sickened by official deterrence policies: They are following the logic of fascism by telling us to let people drown on our doorstep. And the way Greece is being victimised is disgusting. We are not going to stop helping. We will keep on going and we need the worlds help to do it. They will not stop us acting with humanity. In Calais, volunteers report cold and sick children, some needing to be resuscitated. In Italy, asylum-seeking children have gone missing and are thought to be with sex traffickers. Mothers are so terrified that they send their kids into the unknown. And our government takes in a derisory number of the most vulnerable, makes vague promises and robotically talks about funding refugee camps in Syria camps that cannot save people from daily bomb attacks. Faced with this epic tragedy, our leaders are dismal, divisive and callous. History will judge them harshly for failing to save lives, for othering, for demonising the displaced. You want to be anti-racist, Mr Cameron? Start with the boat people. Build some moral capital so that we can trust you and your commitment. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Has Benjamin Netanyahu gone bananas? I dont mean this as an aberration, like a politician who loses his marbles during a particular crisis. No, it was when I read the Israeli Prime Ministers response to Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, that I realised he just might be a bit insane. Ban referred to the profound sense of alienation and despair driving some Palestinians especially young people since an increase in attacks on Israelis began last October. What Ban was saying was the truth, that Palestinian frustration is growing under the weight of a half-century of occupation and the paralysis of the peace process. And he spoke of how oppressed peoples have demonstrated throughout the ages, it is human nature to react to occupation Now I grant that Ban, like most UN secretaries-general, has about as much political power in the world as the leadership of Fiji (and this is no disrespect to Fijians). But why on earth did the Prime Minister of Israel condemn Ban for encouraging terror? You might think he was talking about the old Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But no. Prime Minister Netanyahu ever more out of tune with the rest of the world, with the massive shift towards Iran by America, Europe and Russia had it in for the diminutive Ban. But then, of course, we have to remember that it was Netanyahu at the UN in New York who produced his ridiculous cartoon of a bomb with a large black fuse to show the world what would happen if sanctions were lifted on Tehran: we were all going to die. A number of Israeli writers thank heavens the indefatigable Uri Avnery was among them mocked this ludicrous performance. There was something cartoon-like about it all. It wasnt going to stop the Americans and the Russians and the EU, not least because if the Americans had maintained their sanctions, Europe would not have done so. But doesnt Netanyahu himself now realise how enraged Europeans have become at his governments treatment of the Palestinians? Did he not pay attention to the French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, last week when he said that France would face our responsibilities by recognising the Palestinian state if the peace process failed? I dont think there ever was much of a peace process (and certainly not when Tony Blair got his claws on it) because it was always going to be the occupied versus the occupiers, where everyone had to pretend that Palestinians and Israelis were on an equal level. Which was not and is not ever going to work. A few words of history here. Israel conquered the West Bank of the Jordan in 1967. It built colonies on the land, which the West calls Israeli settlements like the Western settlements in the American Wild West, which gave them an almost European flavour and then found itself condemned by Washington and its allies for illegally building homes for foreigners (Israelis) on other peoples property. This is exactly what the Israeli government did, and what many Israelis have debated since, because it made Israel the owner of property outside its own UN-recognised borders making Israel the only country still participating in a colonial war. Recommended Read more A warning for Turkey as Islamists turn on their old allies in Pakistan The Palestinians the rightful owners of the land under Ottoman (and British) rule have rightfully said that this is theft. It is. Lands owned by Palestinians have thus been taken by Israel for its own territory and its products vegetables, and so on, illegally sold as the products of Israel to the EU and when the EU has complained about this, it has iniquitously been called anti-Semitic. Thus are hatreds made. I suspect that it was Bans comment about the Jewish colonisation of Arab land that the Israeli Prime Minister didnt like. What he said was that continued settlement activities are an affront to the Palestinian people and to the international community, and I rather got his point. Because we know, just as Ban said, that people who are occupied do indeed resist occupation, which becomes a potent incubator of hate and extremism. Is that not how Iraqis reacted to us? And how Afghans react? And, indeed, how Palestinian Jews decided to act when theyd had enough of Britain in Palestine? But in Palestine now (alas, the inverted commas are ever more necessary these days), there are an unfree people. And we know what happens under occupation. The people either resist, however murderously, or they leave. Netanyahu would probably be happy if they left because then he could colonise their land at an ever faster pace. But what if they decided to make the trek to Europe from the West Bank? Weve already seen how Arabs and Muslims walked all the way to Austria and Germany. What if little boats set out from the midden of Gaza to join the armadas arriving off Greece or Italy? There are dangers out in the Middle East which Europeans should be more aware of. Do they, in fact, realise the truth but just dont want to say so? And, for that matter, doesnt the Israeli Prime Minister know the truth? Or has he gone bonkers? Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Everyone of a certain age has a Sir Terry Wogan anecdote. They may have different punchlines, but they share a common theme. None of them show him in a bad light. The difference between the Wogan you heard or watched and the private one; the person you met at a function, after the microphones or the cameras had been switched off, remained wafer thin (or rather canape-like... Wogan and his production team were fond of a well-stocked buffet). What you see was what you got. Listening to him in 1976, when he had already made the switch from Radio 1 to Radio 2 and was popping up on television hosting Come Dancing, I was fascinated by his Irish brogue and easy-going persona. A rookie broadcaster and budding music journalist in the pre-internet London of the mid-eighties, I knew a media master when I heard one. Over the years, Wogan broadcast from Nashville, Tennessee, from British Columbia and from an oil platform in the North Sea, and also made sorties across continental Europe, venturing into Russia as part of the BBCs coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest. He further bolstered the coffers of the BBCs Children In Need charity appeal with a series of rather risque CDs Radio 2 Janet & John Stories released to benefit the fund. Apart from the bons mots, the bonbons, the buffets and the bonhomie, the one thing I will remember most fondly about Sir Terry Wogan was his introduction to the pastoral compositions of Clifford T Ward, a sublime singer-songwriter I have come to consider as important as Kevin Ayers, Nick Drake or John Martyn. Whenever Wogan span Wards wistful Gaye, the breakfast cereals tasted sweeter, the British Isles made more sense. These are still Isles of Wogan Wonder. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The art of raising taxes, as we all know, is plucking the goose with the minimum amount of hissing. In recent years, the Chancellor has found that curtailing private pension tax relief for higher earners has been a way of raising revenues without too much of a feathery flap. George Osborne has raised around 5bn a year in revenues since 2010 by progressively squeezing down the annual tax-free pension contribution limit and the maximum tax-free lifetime pot. His predecessors at the Treasury raised money in similar sorts of ways. But now the goose is getting seriously squawky as the Chancellor reportedly considers an almighty pluck in next months Budget imposing a flat rate of pension contribution relief to replace the current system where, for example, 40 per cent taxpayers get 40 per cent relief on their contributions and 20 per cent taxpayers get 20 per cent. Some right-wing newspapers, encouraged by lobby groups for savers, are attacking the proposal in advance, howling bitterly over its unfairness. This particular coalition can normally be relied on to champion the wrong economic causes. But in this instance the lobby is right. Some who have pushed in the past for a flat rate of pension tax relief (including the previous Coalition pensions minister Steve Webb and also the present incumbent Ros Altmann) have done so on the grounds of fairness. They point to HM Revenue and Customs calculations showing that the cost of the relief is considerable currently around 34bn a year and that the bulk of it flows to high earners. And from this they draw the conclusion that restricting relief for high earners is a fair and simple way of raising more money from the rich. But this ignores the fact that relief on pension contributions is merely tax deferred not, as many seem to think, tax avoided for all time. Everyone pays income tax on any income they draw from their accumulated savings pot in retirement. So if someone on the 40 per cent rate gets 40 per cent relief on their monthly pension contributions, this isnt some sort of free gift from HMRC. When they draw down this money in retirement, they will pay tax on it. Confronted with this reality, some still object that many individuals paying the higher rate may only be basic-rate taxpayers by the time they come to retire. But the answer to that is: so what? The objective of the system is to tax incomes when people realise them. If peoples incomes fluctuate over their lifetime, their marginal tax rate should fluctuate too. And so should their rate of pension contribution relief. If they pay higher rates of tax at various stages in their life, it is surely fair that they also benefit from higher rates of tax relief on savings. None of this is to argue that those with high incomes and significant wealth should not pay more tax overall to finance the public services we all use. But the danger of pursuing this end through a flat-rate pension contribution allowance is that it is both unfair in principle on those with high incomes, for the reasons outlined, and also that it needlessly complicates the tax system. Some pension savers who make contributions out of taxed income get an HMRC rebate to their pension pots. But the contributions of many British workers are simply deducted from their gross monthly pay packet and paid into a workplace scheme before income tax is collected by their employer on the remaining balance an arrangement known as salary sacrifice. This removes the need to calculate the specific rate of relief allowance for each saver. If the Government were to impose a flat rate of relief, many employers would presumably have to deduct a new slice of tax from all of their higher-rate employees contributions and hand the money over to HMRC. That would be an odd move indeed for a Government that claims it wants to alleviate the burden of bureaucracy on business. Or ministers might instead choose to ban salary-sacrifice schemes, which would be disruptive for many companies. For those lucky people in final salary workplace pensions destined to enjoy a guaranteed retirement income as a fixed proportion of their final salary the technical complications arising from flat-rate relief would be even more horrible. Unless, of course, final salary schemes are simply exempted from these reforms which, again, would hardly be fair. Such pensions are already much more generous than most people can hope to receive. There is another danger. Fiddling with pension-saving incentives also risks changing the behaviour of high-income savers in unhelpful ways. If someone on a large salary finds putting money into their pension less financially attractive, they may well decide to plough their savings into the safe bet of residential property instead, pushing up house prices still further. Thats the last thing the country needs. As the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has pointed out, if ministers want to raise more money from the pensions of the well-off, they should be looking at two areas: first, at the national insurance exemption on employers contributions to a workers pension scheme; and second, at the fact that anyone can take a quarter of their entire pension pot entirely tax-free on reaching the age of 55. These allowances really do represent a free gift from the state. And because the rich will have bigger pots, they get a much bigger benefit. Those who want to tackle iniquity in the pensions system should be focusing their energies on this area. The IFS has said that imposing national insurance on pension income when it is paid out could raise substantial sums, with the wealthiest bearing the largest burden. And capping the permitted tax-free lump sum at 42,000 could bring in around 500m a year. But politicians are a cynical breed. They have most likely targeted pension contributions relief in recent years because relatively few grasp how the system actually works. The widespread belief that the current contribution relief rates are unfair is similar to the public misapprehension that corporation tax is a levied on revenues (rather than profits) or that companies capital investment allowances represent a form of public subsidy. Politicians should be busting these kind of myths. Instead, at least in the case of pensions contributions relief, they seem to want to exploit the confusion to raise cash. However, plucking the goose in this way inflicts damage on the efficiency of the tax system and with no enhancement to the social fairness that they profess to care about. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Like Maria Miller, who was interviewed in last weeks Independent on Sunday, I am shocked that arguments against giving equal rights to transgender people are coming from women purporting to be feminists. I am a feminist, too, and I can say what a politician cant: its time to accept that bitching about transgender rights is the act of a bigot. Trans rights are now where womens rights or gay rights were a generation ago, in terms of what people feel able to say and still feel self-righteous. So, we need to think ourselves back in time. If youre the kind of person who says Trans women are not real women, a generation ago that would have been you denying the womanhood of lesbians or women who dont have children. If you think that trans women should not be allowed into public toilets, you would have been that moron shouting, Backs to the wall, lads any time a gay man walked by. And if you insist trans women must use mens public toilets and changing rooms, then you have to accept that trans men (such as the bearded Minnesotan Michael Hughes, who shared pictures of himself in womens toilets using the hashtag #WeJustNeedTo Pee) have to use womens facilities. That means that people who look like blokes, and therefore blokes, can enter womens changing rooms. Does that make it less likely or more likely that rapists are going to be in womens spaces? Is this why people who hate trans women refuse to acknowledge the existence of trans men? Single-sex spaces also include prisons, where generation-ago-you would have been worried about the dangers the odd openly gay man would pose to all those poor straight guys. Arguing that trans women belong in mens prisons leads to cases such as those of Vicky Thompson, 21, who was found dead in a mens prison last year, and Ashley Diamond, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after she claims she was repeatedly sexually assaulted for three years in a mens prison in the United States. The above cases are real, whereas in the hypothetical case of a man who suddenly announces he is a transgender woman the minute he is convicted of rape, a judge should, of course, consider that when sentencing. At which point, the anti-trans lobby usually say, Ah, but how do they know theyre really female/male? Well, how do you know youre really the gender you are? Because of your genitals? I have had people try to tell me that, as a woman, I am essentially just a body part (or pair of body parts), but never until now has that person been a feminist! Ive also heard that trans women are not real women because theyve had different childhoods from us. Thats right, and the middle-class British feminists who often say that have had very different experiences from, say, a supermodel, a woman with disabilities, or a Somali girl who had her clitoris sliced off at the age of eight, but I dont hear anyone arguing that they are lesser kinds of women. And the idea that trans children are raised with male privilege? Are you kidding? Other opponents of equal rights for transgender people are busy searching out examples from chauvinist US media. Heres a bloke who dressed up as a woman to rape women. Yes: a man raped women; a trans woman didnt rape any women. When men dress up as taxi drivers, teachers, doctors, priests, friends or lovers to commit rape, do we curtail the rights of taxi drivers, doctors, lovers and priests? For every story like the one above, there is a ton of evidence that trans people are being attacked around the world in their thousands, some are even murdered. More than 600 hate crimes against transgender people were recorded by police in England and Wales in 2014-15, says the government Crime Survey. Up from 313 in 2011-12. The most ridiculous argument of all is that they have stolen our language and are forcing us to call ourselves cis women instead of just women. Seriously? Youve never had a conversation where its helpful to distinguish one category of person from another? Youd get this pissy with a black woman if she mentioned in a certain context that you are a white woman? Finally, Im entitled to my opinion. You can hold the opinion that all trans people are mauve for all I care, but if you support legislation to deny healthcare, legal support or other basic human rights to mauve people then we have a problem. Please, feminists, listen to yourselves then listen to Jeremy Clarkson and realise that you sound the same. Transphobia is not feminist; it is about as patriarchal as it comes. And if you really want to talk about mens violence against women, who do you think is beating up all those trans women other women? Meanwhile, while youre busy Googling for evidence that trans people are rapists in disguise, men are still raping women. And, by the way, you are a bigot. Equality means for everybody, not just for women exactly like you. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} They call it uisuki, and in Tokyos bars what they do to Scotlands national drink is, to the foreign eye, an abomination. The tipple of choice of the Japanese salaryman is mizuwari (literally cut with water) and consists of a finger or two of Suntory or Nikka whisky good, bad or indifferent, it hardly matters drowned in five times the quantity of ice and water, and accompanied by a saccharine smile. Yet, despite this cruel and unusual treatment, Japanese whisky has come of age. In fact, that is an understatement: the best Yamazaki single malt, from Suntory, the oldest Japanese whisky house, is now regarded as the best whisky in the world. The 2016 version will soon hit Harvey Nichols and other selected stores, priced at 200 for a 70-centilitre bottle. Highly fragrant, writes one expert who has sampled it, the sherry influence [it is aged in sherry casks] spreading outwards from a tight core of cocoa nibs, cardamom, barks and spices with just a tiny bite of iodine. If genius is indeed an infinite capacity for taking pains, the Japanese are in a class of their own. They identify the most brilliant products of other cultures, whether cars or motorcycles or beef or whisky, then reduce them to their component parts and processes and painstakingly make them anew with a degree of attention to every detail that is beyond the dreams of elsewhere. So the man behind Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask does not merely choose the barrels in which the whisky is aged, but the oak from which the barrels are made. When Japanese application produces results this fabulous, all one can do is raise a glass in admiration: Kampai! The Commercial Lease Register lacks crucial information and needs to be updated drastically for it to be relevant to the wider market, a top industry body has warned. The Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland said the lack of detail around the size of leases and other data points, as well as an inability to run broad searches, make it impossible to use the register in a coherent way. As it stands, tenants are required to fill in a "commercial lease return form" outlining details such as the address of the property, length of lease, rent and floor area that is being leased. However the form itself is seen as overly complex and a review of the database by the Sunday Independent found numerous returns that lacked detail critical to the terms of the lease. Unlike the residential property price register, only basic information can be searched for on the commercial database. If a user wants more detailed information, they must download a separate file for each property being researched. That means that, unlike its residential counterpart, the detailed results cannot be exported to a spreadsheet and managed in bulk. As a result, research on the commercial register takes much longer than should be required. Brian Meldon, who heads the commercial agency group at the SCSI, said the register "could be a goldmine but needs significant work to make it valuable". "There is some vital information in the Commercial Lease Register, but it is difficult to use, incomplete, and overly complex," he said. "The commercial lease return form is where the real information is but not every property would seem to have a return attached to it or filled in correctly. "The idea is good and in some cases, the information is good, but there needs to be more awareness amongst commercial occupiers of their obligation to file a return so as to improve the quality of the data available on the register which will ultimately benefit all stakeholders in the sector as the correct market information will be available," Mr Meldon added. The problems with the commercial lease register came as the the SCSI warned that businesses in Dublin are becoming increasingly unsatisfied with the state of commercial property in the capital. Barely a fifth of businesses surveyed said they were satisfied with the quality of premises available for them, while 55pc of respondents said they believed there was a shortage of suitable office space for their type of business if they were to leave their current premises. The SCSI said it was "concerned" at the survey results. With interest rates at an all-time low, investors everywhere are continuously looking for better opportunities which will earn them a decent return. Rental yields are strong in Ireland so it's not hard to see why investors are keen on property. This applies to all kinds of investors, including pension investors, who have the added investment incentive that any income or capital earned in the pension is free from income and capital gains tax (CGT). Many potential property investors have funds available either through their pension or through their company. There are three primary ways of doing this: The cash could be extracted from the company by a shareholder who then buys the property, it could be purchased by the company, or it could be purchased through a self-administered pension. The self-administered pension can be the most efficient route for an investment of this type. Extracting funds directly from the company would give rise to significant tax liabilities, and if the property is bought through a company, corporation tax will fall due on rent received. In addition, it could potentially give rise to corporation tax on chargeable gains if the property is sold. Moreover, when sales proceeds are extracted from the company then the investor may still be liable for income tax or CGT. Furthermore, purchasing an investment property through a company can adversely impact on the availability of CGT retirement reliefs and CAT business property reliefs. The concept of using pensions to invest in commercial property is growing in popularity - particularly following strong pension growth over the past five years. It is estimated that there are 7,000 to 8,000 Small Self-Administered Pension Arrangements (SSAPs) in existence and about half of these were established to allow the pension holder to invest in property. In response, Independent Trustee Company launched PensionProperty.ie to assist people in understanding the process of buying property through pensions, and believe that up to 1,000 new SSAP funds will be established in 2016 to facilitate property deals. The flexibility of a self-administered pension arrangement means that, provided pension rules are satisfied, the pension investor can choose the property they wish to purchase. Financial efficiency appears to be driving this trend - all income and gains within pension schemes remain exempt from income and capital gains tax. On retirement a quarter of the fund can be taken tax-free by the investor, with the first 200,000 tax free and the balance from 200,000 to 500,000 taxed at 20pc. The property can be transferred in specie to an Approved Retirement Fund (ARF) and continue to generate post-retirement income. Property purchases are typically facilitated through a unit trust structure and a specific sub-fund is established to hold each property. As a result, when borrowing to purchase a property, the other assets of the pension scheme are protected as the banks only recourse is to the assets of the sub-fund and not the pension itself. The Revenue Commissioners have introduced some criteria that specifically apply to property investment. One of the primary preclusions is that the vendor must be at arm's length from the scheme and the employer including its directors and associated companies. The pension scheme itself must have enough liquid investments to meet its liabilities. Barry Kennelly of pensionproperty.ie, a subsidiary of ITC, is a qualified solicitor and a registered Trust and Estate practitioner (TEP). The IBRC has begun an investigation to establish the extent to which clients of the former Anglo Irish Bank may have been overcharged on the repayment of their loans through the application of excessive interest, the Sunday Independent can reveal. The review which has been ordered by the bank's special liquidators Kieran Wallace and Eamonn Richardson comes on foot of a High Court judgement in October 2014 which found that a former Anglo client had been overcharged by an extra five days interest per annum. In the course of granting an application to the former Anglo Irish Bank for summary judgement against the Dublin-based developer John Morrissey for the recovery of a 31m loan, Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan found the bank had been charging Mr Morrissey interest based on 365 days in a year as opposed to the 360 day year contained in the terms of his loan document. The overcharging in Mr Morrissey's case began in 2002 and continued until 2014. IBRC's special liquidators wrote last week to clients of the former Anglo Irish Bank informing them that an issue "has arisen concerning the manner in which interest was calculated and applied to loan balances". In the letter, they said: "The bank is currently undertaking a review exercise to determine whether and to what extent this issue may affect borrowers' outstanding liabilities. As a result, the balance/interest amount in respect of your loan accounts may be subject to change in the future." A spokesman for the IBRC declined to comment on the matter when contacted by this newspaper. The IBRC previously refunded some 50m to customers for overcharging which occurred in the eight-year period leading up to 2004. In its initial estimate of the problem in 2010, the bank had expected to refund 100m. It became a family tradition. Country people, from every corner of the isle, came to get engaged at Dickson & Dickson jewellers on Dublin's O'Connell Street. Generations of daughters believed it was a "good luck omen" to purchase their ring at the same store where their parents had bought their ring before embarking on a long and happy marriage. But, after 45 years in business, the 'culchies' favourite jewellers is closing its doors. Ken Dickson, who founded the business in 1971, said shoppers from outside Dublin made up most of their clientele. "When we first opened, a lot of country people who worked in Dublin, came here to buy their jewellery," he said. "My mother was from Wicklow, my father from Mayo and my Bernadette was a nurse from the west working in Crumlin Hospital so a lot of nurses came here for their engagement rings," he said. "The country custom just mushroomed by word of mouth," he said. During the 1970s and 1980s, Mr Dickson, says charms and charm bracelets were top sellers for country girls. "It was all about marking milestones. It was a tradition in Ireland that when you reached 21 you got a key to the house, marking your responsibility," he said. "Our charms represented those traditions so the girls could get a key-shaped charm with a ruby or sapphire or emerald stone inside," he said. The business was so successful that Dickson & Dickson opened just one day a week. "It was a really exciting time, I was 27 and fearless, I knew where I was heading for and I knew what I wanted, business exploded," he said. Every Christmas, hundreds of shoppers queued on the six flights of stairs, up to the quaint little jewellery store. But the boom also brought drastic changes. Technology crushed the watch trade, online shopping arrived, and girls wanted to get hitched abroad. Bernadette Dickson said: "If you weren't going to New York to get engaged you weren't marrying anyone. That's the way the country had gone." Business really started to dip when the recession hit. "In 2008 someone suddenly turned off the tap. There was no business. People got afraid, and they still haven't got back to a normal spend," said Ken. However, the banks aren't forcing the iconic jewellers to close at the end of March. "My lease is up and I'm not renewing it. The downturn in our business has come about because it is difficult to connect with the third generation of offspring," he said. The business will live on through their website All Celtic Jewellery. "We're selling our physical stock at a discount of almost 67pc. We want the people who put bread on our table to have first choice. It's emotional and tears will be shed," said Ken. The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) last year unveiled plans for a scheme called the Platform Investment Fund (PIF), which would invest in loans generated by 'next generation platforms' (NGPs) like peer-to-peer lenders. A government-backed plan designed to boost non-bank lenders has hit a snag after negotiations with a company that was to manage the project broke down, the Sunday Independent can reveal The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) - managed by the NTMA - last year unveiled plans for a scheme called the Platform Investment Fund (PIF), which would invest in loans generated by "next generation platforms" (NGPs) like peer-to-peer lenders. Guernsey-based SME funder GLI Finance was to be appointed as the manager of the fund, but talks were unsuccessful, an industry source told this newspaper. GLI Finance, which is AIM-listed, declined to comment, citing selective disclosure rules. An ISIF spokesman said: "The Strategic Investment Fund's policy is that we do not comment on any transaction discussions that may or may not be in progress. Investments that are made by the Strategic Investment Fund are fully disclosed in our annual reports." ISIF had been hoping to scale the PIF up to as much as 200m, from an initial start of around 10m. "ISIF funding could be made available to such a fund on a commercial basis. Such a proposal would also benefit if a significant element of the overall funding was also provided from alternative private market sources. Where appropriate, the PIF may also obtain equity stakes in the businesses of the NGPs in order to increase the potential return from this initiative," an ISIF document relating to the PIF and seen by the Sunday Independent states. "It is anticipated that the PIF would first carry out due diligence on individual NGPs before agreeing to fund loans originated through those NGPs. If necessary, the PIF may require the NGPs to modify their processes should they not meet the requirements of the PIF." "The approach is similar to that taken by other institutional investors that now target investment in loans originated through such NGPs." The types of alternative providers seen as suitable for the scheme by ISIF include peer-to-peer lenders and invoice finance providers. "The potential for such emerging NGPs to be used as a new channel to facilitate the extension of credit to the SME sector in Ireland is recognised ... there are a number of such new providers currently operational in the Irish market and the NTMA is also aware of other such emerging NGPs who have expressed an interest in entering the Irish market," the ISIF document says. At the launch of the Social Innovation Fund Ireland were, from left, Deirdre Mortell, CEO of Social Innovation Fund Ireland; Dara Connolly, CEO of ReCreate; and Terence O Rourke, Chair of the Board of Social Innovation Fund Ireland A new State-backed, non-profit organisation is aiming to raise a fund of 10m over the next five years to invest in projects that benefit Irish society. The Social Innovation Fund Ireland was officially launched by Taoiseach Enda Kenny during the week. It aims to provide growth capital and support for "social innovations" to have a positive impact on critical social issues. It is relying on public donations to help build up its funding. The Government will match every euro donated. The organisation, which is billing itself as "Ireland's first 'non-profit accelerator", will award grants to companies or organisations which it believes can help make a positive social impact through its Animate Programme. A grant of up to 10,000 in cash will supplement the non-financial support on offer. The non-financial support includes services such as growth planning supports from a business consultant, and technical support. Social Innovation Fund Ireland chief executive Deirdre Mortell said the fund is aiming to raise 5m in funding over the next number of years, which will then be matched by the Government. "We want to build a fund of 10m over the next three to five years," she said. "However, we are a charity so it is donations that we are seeking and grants that we award." A group of former Tullow Oil directors is preparing a takeover bid for stricken Petroceltic's assets. T5 Oil & Gas, a vehicle set up by the Tullow veterans, has run the rule over Petroceltic's Egyptian production assets, according to multiple industry sources. It's understood that any bid by T5 would require a significant fundraising, with the purchase price for the Egyptian assets likely to run into tens of millions. Rising oil prices in the final hours of last week could throw a life line to Petroceltic, whose lenders agreed for a third time on Friday to allow the company breathing space to find finance or buyers for its assets. Lenders could pull the plug after Petroceltic, once a darling of the stock market, breached the terms of its loans in the final days of last year. T5's chairman is Pat Plunkett, who was chairman of Tullow from 2000 until 2011. Other former Tullow directors involved in setting the company up were Gerry Sheehan, who was a senior international exploration manager at Tullow, Matthew O'Donoghue, who was director of international operations, projects, contracts and procurement, and Andrew Windham, who was managing director of Tullow's Africa division from 2007 to 2012. T5's website says its strategy is "to develop a portfolio of conventional oil & gas resources which will create sustainable growth and value for the company." "The company's first asset is the Louga Block in Senegal. However, the company also intends to acquire highly prospective oil and gas assets in countries and regions where the management team have extensive experience and a strong network of contacts." The assets in question have been put up for sale by struggling Petroceltic, which in an explosive announcement two days before Christmas said it was willing to sell some or all of the business. Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Davy Corporate Finance were enlisted to review the options. In response to a query from the Sunday Independent, a T5 spokesman said: "as is standard practice, we never comment on any market rumours." "This email should not be read as either a confirmation or a denial," the spokesman added. Petroceltic's remaining Egyptian production assets include a "receivable" - money owed by the Egyptian national oil company - that stood at $31m at the end of last September. That receivable may or may not be included in a deal. In December, Petroceltic told the market that "negotiations in relation to a potential disposal of the Group's Egyptian production interests...are continuing". It said it had already agreed to sell interests in three exploration licences in that country to a joint venture partner. Petroceltic declined to comment on this story. Last week, Petroceltic's largest shareholder, Worldview Capital Management, said it was mulling an all-cash offer for the company. While every business industry has experienced change in recent years, much of it as a result of advances in technology, one in particular has been affected more than most - the taxi industry. It is not very long ago when most of us will remember that getting a taxi involved standing on the street corner, often in the rain, in the hope of hailing a passing cab. Today, however, with the emergence of names such as Hailo and Uber, we, as users, can now access a taxi from anywhere using an app on our mobile phones. Drivers who are registered show up on our app along with their registration number, driver's name and ID and the length of time it will take to arrive at our precise location. While revolutionary for users of taxis and for individual taxi owners, such advances in technology have forced traditional large taxi companies into a challenging position - how do they now compete? One Irish company which is helping them do just that is Dublin-based iCabbi. Set up in 2010, by founders Gavan Walsh, Niall O'Callaghan and Bob Nixon, the company already employs 47 staff and has an annual turnover of over 2.6m. Last week, I met up with iCabbi's CEO, Gavan, in the company's offices in Howth to find out what this innovative company is up to. "We specialise in developing fleet management and booking software primarily for the taxi and private hire industry," says Gavan. To explain where the company is positioned, he goes on to detail how there are basically two sides to the taxi industry. On one side, there are the likes of Hailo and Uber, who connect consumers directly with individual taxi drivers. On the other side are the traditional taxi companies whose office-based staff process most of their business over the phone and then dispatch these requests over a radio system to the drivers who work for them. It is in this traditional taxi company market that iCabbi now operates. "It was about 15 years ago when the taxi industry experienced its first real taste of technology with the introduction of new data display systems, which helped taxi firms automate certain elements of the process of booking and dispatching a taxi," explains Gavan. "However, the problem was that these systems were heavily dependent on expensive hardware that became obsolete almost as soon as it was installed. Today, however, our iCabbi system offers taxi firms access to the most advanced cloud-based dispatch system in the world and by using our SAAS (Software As A Service) model, companies no longer require expensive hardware or even software installations and can access everything they need via a simple browser. This really is the future," he says. iCabbi currently has around 70pc of the Irish market of taxi companies but the vast majority of its revenue, however, now comes from export sales, particularly from larger taxi firms in the UK and USA, where its typical customers are firms with between 200 and 2,000 taxis. As we stroll around the company's office, Gavan asks one of his team to call up on screen a display of its customers in one of the UK's largest cities - Leeds. Here, hundreds of red, green and yellow icons, each representing a taxi, can be seen making their way around the city, the different colours tracking who is free, occupied or en route to pick up customers - and all in real time. "Our customer base is growing rapidly at present," explains an upbeat Gavan. "Our international development team are in negotiations with several potential new customers across Europe as well as in Canada and Australia," he adds. Gavan Walsh is no stranger to the transport business, having started his career as a driving instructor in his family's business - The Irish School of Motoring. He is originally from Sutton, in Dublin, and his interest in business started much earlier, in his teens, when he got involved in entrepreneurial ventures that ranged from selling Christmas trees to running social events in nightclubs around the city. After school, he joined the family's business and over time became head of the company's technical development. It was in 2009, while on holidays in Portugal with his girlfriend, that he first came up with the idea for iCabbi. "This was before the days of Hailo," explains Gavan. "We left our hotel to go for a long walk but soon found ourselves lost in a remote area and unable to find our way back. It got me thinking that there had to be a way to use technology and your smart phone to identify where the nearest taxis were and to be able to book one of them directly without having to speak to anyone," he adds. Once home from holidays and still excited about the concept, he immediately began assembling a team that could turn the idea into a reality. Shortly afterwards, along with his co-founders, he set up iCabbi. Niall O'Callaghan, who comes from Howth, is a software development expert and the technical innovator behind iCabbi. After school, he studied engineering in Trinity College Dublin, but soon discovered he didn't enjoy it. Excited instead about computers and software, he bought a book on HTML and began to teach himself computer programming. Not long afterwards, he landed himself a job with one of the main banks and over the next five years progressed to become one of their most senior developers. The next period of his life was even more adventurous and saw him use his analytic and statistical skills to become a successful professional poker player before he was eventually drawn back to his love of software development. The company's third founder, Bob Nixon, brought a different skill set to the mix. With a degree in business and a post graduate diploma in corporate treasury, he had worked as business development director with the Georgina Campbell Guides business, winning numerous web technology awards for his work there. The company initially adopted a Hailo/Uber type model, whereby it focused on connecting customers directly with drivers but soon realised that the real gap in the market was not in the individual taxi driver market but in the traditional large taxi firm space. Such firms were seeing many of their drivers leaving to work on their own using the Hailo type apps instead of relying on their company's more traditional central dispatch systems. "That's when we decided to move from being a provider of Business to Consumer (B2C) software to become a Business to Business (B2B) solutions provider by developing a cloud-based system that would help these larger taxi firms hold onto their drivers and help them compete against these individual app products," explains Gavan. "However, convincing large taxi companies to switch to adapt new technology wasn't at all easy at first," Gavan adds. Around that time, though, a well-known and respected Dublin taxi firm, VIP Taxis, suffered a water leak into its server room, which resulted in the business having to close for over six hours with a resultant loss of revenues to the company and its drivers. Recognising the risks of over reliance on hardware systems, VIP became iCabbi's first large customer to adopt its new cloud system. Soon news travelled and business began to flood in. The new entrepreneurs were now on their way. In 2014, the firm entered the UK market, initially signing up Amber Cars in Leeds with over 900 taxis. Today, it supplies over half of all taxi companies in the UK who have over 500 taxis. It has over 22,000 taxis using its system every day between Ireland, the UK and the US, who between them take over one million bookings per week. Funding for the venture came initially from the founders themselves and their families and friends, while in 2012 they received further investment of 650,000 from a combination of Dublin BIC, Bloom Equity and Enterprise Ireland - which helped them break into the UK market. Today, while now profitable, the company is again on a further funding round, this time for 3m, which it will use to expand its presence in the US market. "We are also growing staff numbers," says Gavan. "Having built up a great team, whose creativity and drive have been instrumental in our success to date, we are now adding a further 20 jobs to be filled in 2016," he adds. Gavan and his colleagues hope to see iCabbi become firmly established in North America and Canada over the next 12 months and with several foreign-language versions in the pipeline, their growth story seems set to continue. In turnover terms, the company has definite plans to triple its revenues to almost 8m during the same period. What's Gavan's ultimate goal for iCabbi? I ask. "That's straightforward," he says. "To create a global dispatch solution that emulates the Salesforce model and to take the company successfully to an IPO," he adds confidently. For further information see www.icabbi.com Gavan's advice for other businesses 1 It's harder than you might think It is so much more difficult to start and grow a business than you might imagine. Having a good idea is important but even that is only a small part of getting the whole operation off the ground. Few entrepreneurs become millionaires overnight. You have to be prepared for a lot of hard work before you become successful. 2 You definitely need to be passionate Starting a new business consumes your life and the lives of those around you. To survive and to enjoy the process, you really have to love and have a real passion for what you are doing. Otherwise, you will never sustain the effort required to break through to success. Your passion will also be infectious and will help attract others who will share your vision. 3 You need good people and experienced mentors It is simply not possible to have all the skills you need to start and grow a business. You need to surround yourself with people who have. Experienced mentors who have already travelled this road can also really help speed up the journey by drawing on their experiences, which will also help militate against common costly mistakes. Speaking in Dublin this week, Uphold chief executive Anthony Watson, who is gay, said Irelands May 2015 vote in favour of marriage equality made the country more attractive for his company. Photo: Gerry Mooney A fast-growing US financial technology company wants to open an Irish office because of the country's 'yes' vote in the Marriage Equality Referendum. Speaking in Dublin this week, Uphold chief executive Anthony Watson, who is gay, said Ireland's May 2015 vote in favour of marriage equality made the country more attractive for his company. Uphold is deliberately looking to invest in Ireland as a result of the marriage equality referendum, he said. This is partly because it has made Ireland a more appealing place to work for technology professionals, he added. "Liberal markets attract the best talent," he said. Trinity College Dublin graduate Watson was formerly Nike's chief investment officer. His company Uphold, formerly Bitserve, provides foreign exchange services for free. It lets users upload cash from traditional bank accounts and credit cards across 33 countries, including Ireland, the US and China. Watson believes financial technology ('fintech') start-ups are having a deeply disruptive impact on the banking industry. Half of those working in traditional banking jobs could lose their jobs in as little as five years, he predicted, given the competition posed by new more agile companies who are finding cheaper ways to deliver services core to many retail banks like lending cash and transferring money abroad. But there is a silver lining; industry experts believe 5,000 jobs could be created in Ireland's burgeoning fintech sector, a figure that would represent a doubling of jobs in the industry. Former AIB chairman Dermot Gleeson said he was reassured that the financial regulator was relaxed about the bank breaching its limits on concentration of risk assets. Photo credit : Thomas Campean If you want to really understand what it was like inside one of the Irish banks during the boom and bust years, you could do a lot worse than peruse some of the documents published as appendices to the Banking Inquiry report. They really are a treasure trove. I am not sure they were worth the 6.5m cost of the inquiry, but you might as well read them, given that you have paid for access to them. Take AIB for example. It ended up costing the taxpayer around 20bn. Yet in March 2007, international consultants Oliver Wyman made a presentation to the AIB management conference called 'Poised on the Edge of Greatness'. I kid you not. It emphasised how AIB's performance at that time had been overshadowed by the likes of Anglo Irish Bank, which Wyman declared the best-performing bank in the world in 2006. The presentation urged AIB towards this greatness by saying its "current position can be improved through faster growth without sacrificing risk discipline" and said that good precedents existed for this. Under the heading of "targeted risk taking", it cited Anglo Irish Bank as a "once poor performing subscale bank lacking strategy" but one which had targeted the higher-risk commercial property and development market and had "caught the wave of Irish property boom combined with outstanding execution." When asked about this presentation at the banking inquiry's public sessions, former AIB chairman Dermot Gleeson dismissed it, saying "consultancy reports, as you know, are full of sentiments about the future being great." Other documents show just how pumped up these management conferences got, as executives repeatedly compared themselves to Anglo. This included bullet points such as "Double-digit growth is the benchmark" and "We must deliver on stretching budget targets to legitimise our business model." There has been an assumption in recent years that during the boom, somehow the banks failed to test their loan books for future shocks or somehow didn't bother assessing the risks. The documents show they did all of these things but just managed to come up with the wrong conclusions or failed to act. At times, those in charge of risk voiced how AIB, for example, needed to keep working on improving its own data about its loans and clients. After all, risk officers can only work with the information that is available. Not only were the board at AIB aware of its excessive exposure to property lending, they knew they were in breach of the financial regulator's limits on concentration of risk assets as far back as 2006 - but kept on going. Even worse, the regulator (IFSRA) was aware of it but didn't tell them to stop. One presentation to the AIB board in July 2006 by head of group credit review, Kevin Garvey, sums it up well. Garvey told the board the bank was in "breach of the limit contained in the Central Bank's Licensing and Supervision Requirements and Standards for Credit Institutions", which said a bank should not have risk assets of more than 200pc of its "own funds" concentrated in any one sector or economic activity subject to a common risk factor. The limit for any two sectors was 250pc. Garvey told the board that AIB's exposure to property, building and construction amounted to 260pc in July 2006. He added that it had been discussed with IFSRA, "who did not regard it as a significant issue." AIB even told IFSRA that the breach was likely to continue and it had not requested that AIB change any of its existing practices. Garvey suggested that other banks were also in breach. The board minutes go on to say that "while a breach of the standards might be fully understood at local regulatory level, it could potentially give rise to issues on foreign filings." This concern about US filings got the attention of the chairman Dermot Gleeson, as the board minutes say he directed Garvey to "investigate forthwith whether the breach had implications for the sign-off of the Form 20F or the like", which is the US SEC equivalent of an annual report. The minutes don't feature any questioning of the wisdom of such an exposure. The concentration on property lending got worse. By April 2007, it was 332pc of own funds, and by September 2008 (the month of the state guarantee) it was 390pc. When asked about it at the inquiry hearings, Dermot Gleeson said at first he asked "was this serious." He said he was reassured that it wasn't because IFSRA were relaxed about it. IFSRA was relaxed, he said, because it was a "crude" standard that "lumped a lot of non-homogenous properties togetheryou know 10 acres with no zoning outside a provincial town was treated the same as an office block in the centre of Warsaw or Dublin." Gleeson went on to tell the inquiry it wasn't a statutory instrument or a rule, "it was a guide for supervision of the banks." He went on to say, however, "that we would have been blessed if we had kept to it..." By October 8, 2008, just eight days after the state had guaranteed all of the bank's liabilities, the tone of the board meetings had changed dramatically. It was as if the non-executive directors had been spurred into greater action. Board minutes show that the non-executive directors had their own private meeting before bringing in the executives. Dermot Gleeson hit the executives with a list of six questions the non-execs wanted answered. First up, he wanted to know the value of loans on which interest was not being paid or not being paid in full. Finance director John O'Donnell told the board "information about interest roll-up was not available from the Bank's accounting system and that a manual exercise would be required to obtain that information." At this stage it was all too late. The die had been cast and AIB was already poised, not on the edge greatness, but of disaster. Plenty waiting to tap Noonan's 'rainy day fund' Listening to politicians ahead of the election, one might think the Irish economy is also poised on the edge of greatness. Slashing the USC, spending heavily on public services, capital projects and fixing the health system are all in the mix. Michael Noonan suggested during the week that the new government will have around 10bn of headroom or space with which to cut tax and increase spending. He is promising to set aside around a quarter of that (2.5bn) for a rainy day fund in case of a downturn. The Fiscal Advisory Council doesn't see the 10bn but thinks that after allowing for additional cost of public services due to population growth and other necessary spending, the headroom is about 3.2bn. The idea of a rainy day fund is good. The last one we had left around 20bn available to help with the crash. But the National Pension Reserve Fund wasn't meant to be a rainy day fund. It was a pension fund. It still has around 6bn currently being invested in Irish businesses, plus the stakes in the banks. Proceeds from bank share sales will probably go to pay off debt. But what about funding those pensions? The bill into the future could be around 120bn. Looks like we need a rainy day fund, a pension fund, and a whole lot of other funds. It will be a miracle of loaves and fishes proportions to extract that out of 3.2bn over five years. The chief investment officer at one of the world's biggest insurers was recently turned away by at least two banks when attempting to deposit $50m of client funds - even when he offered a negative interest rate - because of concerns over regulatory compliance. Banking regulation has gone too far, AIG's Douglas Dachille suggested, speaking at the European Financial Forum which took place in Dublin last Wednesday. In the wake of the global financial crisis, regulators in Europe and the US ordered banks to hold more capital to absorb potential losses. "All I wanted to do was put my money in a bank, and I could not do that" he said, referring to client funds he was seeking to invest. Dachille laid the blame at regulators' doors. "Are you trying to make the job of regulation safe, or the financial system safe?" he said, arguing that regulation is drying up liquidity in the financial system. Dachille compared the post-recession regulatory regimes that now govern the world's biggest banks to parents' attitudes towards teenage parties. "Are you going to let them have the party at your house and control the risk yourself, or are you going to forbid it with the result that they have the party somewhere else, out of your control?" To a round of applause from the audience, Dachille described a financial system in which entities are not permitted to fail - but one where no one can do business with the non-failing entity. Also speaking at the event, where financial institutions, policy makers, entrepreneurs and finance professionals debated the challenges facing the European and global financial services sector, was State Street's Susan Dargan. Dargan heads up the financial services company's 2,500-strong Irish operation. She questioned the cost of enhanced financial services regulation on end users. "What is the cost of regulation to the end investor? How much longer will they have to work in their lifetime?" Dargan said cost pressures were encouraging State Street to digitise more and more of its processes. "We now have no human touch on our evaluation system" she said. Morgan Stanley president Colm Kelleher also spoke at the event, giving an upbeat prognosis for the troubled Chinese economy. The global economy is not on the verge of a repeat of 2008, Irishman Kelleher maintained. The new year has seen a number of weak economic indicators from the world's second biggest economy, including data showing profits at Chinese industrial firms fell 4.7pc in December from year earlier, the seventh straight monthly decline. "China's like marmite, you either like it or you don't. We are of the view that China is just fine. 6.9pc growth is okay, we believe those numbers broadly," Kelleher said. The newly installed president of the US investment banking giant claimed markets were undergoing a correction and dismissed suggestions from the likes of George Soros that the world faced a repeat of 2008. Do we need the Grocery Regulations? Aren't these a way of mollycoddling suppliers at consumers' expense? The UK Groceries Code Adjudicator lambasted Tesco's treatment of its suppliers in a report published last week. The publication of the UK report seems to have finally bestirred Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, with his department stating that Mr Bruton will be signing the Irish Grocery Goods Regulations, which have lain unsigned for the past 11 months, some time next week. Christine Tacon, the UK Groceries Code Adjudicator, didn't pull her punches. In her report, she found that Tesco, the UK's largest grocery retailer, had breached the Groceries Code on numerous occasions. Among the breaches that came to light were: Delays in payments to suppliers, with some Tesco suppliers having to wait more than 24 months for their money Double-invoicing of suppliers for promotional spending by Tesco Unilateral deductions by Tesco from amounts owed to suppliers Demanding payments from suppliers when Tesco failed to meet its margin targets While the report didn't find any evidence that Tesco had sought payments from suppliers for more or better shelf space in its supermarkets, it did unearth practices which may have constituted an "indirect requirement" for suppliers to make such payments. But Ms Macon's report dealt with Tesco's activities in the UK. Surely nothing like that could happen in this country? Last week's report has its origins in Tesco's September 2014 announcement that it had over-stated its previous profits by 250m. According to Tesco, the overstatement was largely caused by it incorrectly booking 145m it had received from suppliers to pay for promotions and other services as profit. Then in April 2015, Tesco revealed that it had increased the profit adjustment by a further 63m. When questioned about the matter at the time, a Tesco spokesperson stated that: "The additional amount related to income in the Irish business". As a proportion of sales the profit adjustment caused by Tesco's treatment of payments from its suppliers was 0.33pc in the UK but 3.1pc in Ireland. This indicates that Tesco's, and the other supermarkets' treatment of their suppliers, is a much bigger problem in Ireland than it is in the UK. The relationship between the supermarkets and their suppliers is a profoundly unequal one. Tesco, the biggest retailer in Ireland and the UK has an annual turnover of 70bn (92bn). That is 11 times the combined sales of Ireland's two largest indigenous food companies, Kerry and Glanbia. Only the very biggest suppliers such as Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Coca-Cola, which own powerful, must-have brands such as Nescafe, Gillette, Hellman's or the eponymous soft drink can deal with the big multiples on anything like level terms. For most other suppliers, the only choice is usually one of either take it or leave it. Concerns about the possible abuse by the supermarkets of their dominant position led to the establishment of the Groceries Code in the UK and the appointment of Ms Macon as Code Adjudicator in 2013. As we now know, the problem is almost certainly even greater in this country; so why hasn't a similar watchdog been established in Ireland to monitor possible abuses? IBEC offshoot Food and Drink Industry Ireland, which represents supermarket suppliers, has long campaigned for the establishment of a body to monitor the Irish supermarkets' dealings with their suppliers. "Things that the UK Grocery Adjudicator found in her report are common practice here", says Food and Drink Industry Ireland director Paul Kelly. "We hear about them from large, small and medium companies". However, it is the smaller suppliers who are most vulnerable to supermarket pressure. "Smaller producers have less bargaining power," says Mr Kelly. Under pressure from suppliers, the farmer organisations and Food and Drink Industry Ireland and with the UK Grocery Code already up and running, Mr Bruton published draft Grocery Goods Regulations in December 2014. The draft Grocery Goods Regulations seek to impose certain minimum standards on the supermarkets in their dealings with their suppliers. The Grocery Goods Regulations (see illustration) stipulate that: the supermarkets must deal in good faith with their suppliers, contracts between supermarkets and suppliers must be in writing, records must be retained for inspection, as well as restricting supermarkets unilaterally changing the terms of their contracts with suppliers and payments by suppliers to supermarkets for promotions and favourable shelf space. The publication of the draft regulations followed the enactment of the 2014 Competition and Consumer Protection Act, which not only provided for the Grocery Goods Regulations but also imposed stiff penalties for breaches of the those regulations with fines of up 60,000 and 18 months in jail for a first offence and 100,000 and two years' imprisonment for subsequent offence. There was a two-month consultation period after the publication of the draft regulations. The consultation period expired on February 27, 2015 and since then, 11 months ago, absolutely nothing has happened. Now the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has told this newspaper that the regulations will be signed this week. But do we need the Grocery Regulations? Aren't these a way of mollycoddling suppliers at consumers' expense? Aren't the regulations a resurrection of the pre-2006 Groceries Order, which banned below-cost selling by supermarkets, in another guise? Won't the impact of the regulations be to push up the prices shoppers pay at the supermarket checkout? Not according to Mr Kelly. "The regulations deal with the commercial relationship between the retailer and supplier. They do not deal with price", says Mr Kelly. "This is very much about trading protection. We hear regularly about payments to suppliers running 100 days in excess of the agreed terms". Deviation by supermarkets from the agreed payment terms hits the supplier's cash flow, which imposes additional costs on the supplier, as they have to borrow from their bank to fund the extra working capital. This in turn pushes up costs that ultimately have to be borne by the consumer, says Mr Kelly. What is certainly true is that the retailing environment is now vastly different from what it was when the ban on below-cost selling was lifted a decade ago. German discounters Aldi and Lidl now have a combined market share of 16pc and the old weekly or fortnightly "big shop" has been largely been superseded by "little and often", with consumers popping into their local supermarket or discounter every few days. The discounters have also undermined the traditional loyalty of consumers to one or other of the traditional supermarkets with most shoppers now being far more promiscuous in their choice of outlet. Despite the dramatic effect they have had on the grocery market, most suppliers have a grudging respect for the discounters. While they drive a hard bargain with their suppliers they then stick to it. "Tough but fair", was how one supplier described its relationship with Aldi and Lidl. Those are not the words many suppliers would use to describe their relationship with some of the other supermarket groups. When one seeks to speak to many suppliers about their relationship with the supermarkets, even on a non-attributable basis, the response is often one of genuine fear. In many cases, the relationship between supermarket and supplier is deeply dysfunctional. Will the Grocery Regulations, even if accompanied by potentially severe penalties, change this situation? So what do the supermarkets think about the Grocery Goods Regulations? Unfortunately, they aren't saying. When contacted, both Tesco and Musgrave, which owns the SuperValu and Centra grocery franchises, declined to comment, preferring to wait until the final regulations are published this week. Only time will tell if the Grocery Regulations help to level the playing field between the supermarkets and their suppliers or turn out to be just another box-ticking exercise. Show must go on: Helen Mirren as Hedda Hopper and Bryan Cranston as talented scriptwriter, Dalton Trumbo, who paid for his political beliefs during the McCarthy witch-hunt. If anyone could have used a laptop, it was Dalton Trumbo. The great screenwriter worked in a time before computers or even Tipp-Ex, and created ragged palimpsests of tagged together notes and pages that looked like something out of a rubbish skip. But using these arcane methods, he created scripts for such memorable films as Spartacus, Roman Holiday and The Brave One. These last two screenplays won Academy Awards, but Trumbo never got to receive them, because by the early 1950s he had been placed on a Hollywood blacklist, and was forced to write under various assumed names. His astonishing life is recounted in a new film called Trumbo, which stars Bryan Cranston and opens next week. Despite a fine performance from Mr Cranston, it isn't especially good and has the look of a TV mini-series. But even with its shortcomings Trumbo still manages to entertain, primarily because it tells such an extraordinary story, and one that casts America in its worst possible light. Born in Colorado in 1905, James Dalton Trumbo's politics were moulded by his early experiences. When his father was sacked from a shoe store, he developed an abiding suspicion of all employers, and after his father's early death in 1926, Dalton took on a series of manual jobs to help support his mother and sisters. He spent nine years on the night shift at a California bakery, but all the time he was writing. Dalton Trumbo always planned to become a novelist, but like many a writer before and after him, initially found the going tough. In his 20s he pumped out over 80 short stories and six novels, all of which were rejected for publication. At one point he was even reduced to reviewing films - a shameful occupation - but things looked up in the early 1930s when his well-crafted articles and stories began appearing in Vanity Fair and The Saturday Evening Post. In 1934, Trumbo moved to Los Angeles to become the managing editor of The Hollywood Spectator: one of his stories got noticed at Warners, who hired him as a reader in their hectic B-movie department. Trumbo would always write and think quickly, and the trashy ingenuity required to make films on low budgets appealed to him. In 1937 he began writing scripts, and though one of his novels, Johnny Got His Gun, won a National Book Award in 1939, by that stage Trumbo had become one of the most sought after screenwriters in Hollywood. When Warners complained about him joining the Screen Writers Guild which was run at that time by a known communist playwright called John Howard Lawson, Trumbo quit and went to work for the opposition - first Columbia, later MGM and RKO. Soon he was earning $4,000 a week, a small fortune in those days, knocking out slick and witty screenplays for films like A Guy Named Joe, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo and the Ginger Rogers melodrama Kitty Foyle, which earned him an Oscar nomination. Though he would eventually join the Communist Party in 1943, and was always socialist-leaning in his politics, Trumbo would later be described as "a swimming pool communist". Dalton liked to live it large, and after marrying Cleo Fincher in 1938, the newly wealthy writer moved to a 320-acre ranch in Ventura County, built a lake and threw lavish parties for his Hollywood buddies. He ran a chauffeur-driven limousine, collected pre-Columbian art and liked to work in his bathtub, sipping Martinis and chain-smoking cigarettes. He was a character, a contradiction, who could be hugely generous with his time and ideas but turn on people suddenly and subject them to his cruel and cutting tongue. None of which were crimes of course, but Trumbo's robustly expressed political beliefs would come back to haunt him. In July of 1946, The Hollywood Reporter's publisher William R Wilkerson wrote an incendiary column in which he named Trumbo and a number of other high-profile Hollywood players as communist sympathisers. And when the House Un-American Activities Committee turned its attention to Hollywood in 1947, Wilkerson's work was seized on as a handy guide. In October of that year, the HUAC summoned Trumbo and nine other writers and directors to Washington to testify. Led by their chairman J Parnell Thomas, a New Jersey congressman who'd later be imprisoned for corruption, the committee insisted that the 'Hollywood Ten' give them names of fellow travellers within their industry. When they refused they were cited for contempt of Congress, and though Trumbo reacted with his usual withering wit, he was sent to prison for a year in 1950. Video of the Day Meanwhile, back in Hollywood, things were turning sour. A nasty nexus of right-wingers, opportunists and flag-waving ultra-nationalists began setting the agenda: stars like Ronald Reagan and Gary Cooper appeared as friendly witnesses before the HUAC, while columnist Hedda Hopper (played by Helen Mirren in the film), a capitalist running dog if ever there was one, made sure wavering sympathisers like Humphrey Bogart and Edward G Robinson behaved themselves. The communist witch-hunts would tear Hollywood apart through the 1950s. Big names like Orson Welles, Charles Chaplin and Paul Robeson fled to Europe, and only about 10pc of those indicted by the committee would ever manage to rebuild their movie careers. Unsurprisingly, the redoubtable Mr Trumbo was among them, but it wasn't easy, even for him. When he got out of prison he sold his ranch to pay his debts and moved to Mexico. There he began to write his way out of trouble, pumping out scripts at cut rates and high speed. His work rate during these difficult years was extraordinary, and became even more hectic when he returned to live anonymously in a modest Los Angeles suburb. He worked on a half a dozen scripts at a time, pumping out trashy sci-fi B-movies and classy A-list dramas, sold to producers and studios under various assumed names. But by the mid-1950s, the covert activities of Trumbo and other blacklisted writers were an open secret in Hollywood, and things got really complicated when one of Trumbo's screenplays, Roman Holiday, was nominated for an Oscar. It won, and the Oscar was given to one Ian McLellan Hunter, an English screenwriter who sometimes acted as Trumbo's front. It happened again in 1956 with The Brave One, and Trumbo, watching at home on TV, smiled wryly as the Oscar for Best Story was awarded to one Robert Rich, a pseudonym who didn't actually exist. By that time the power of the rapid anti-communist lobby was beginning to fade, and in 1957 the HUAC's brightest and most malevolent member, Senator Joseph McCarthy, died. But still the Hollywood blacklist persisted, and Trumbo's time in the wilderness only ended in 1960, when Kirk Douglas and the director Otto Preminger decided to defy the blacklist on his behalf. Trumbo's daughter Mitzi still remembers opening the family's front door to find Kirk Douglas standing there sheepishly, looking for their father. Douglas was producing the grandiose epic Spartacus, and already had Stanley Kubrick to deal with: he needed a sharp and faultless script, and knew Trumbo was his man. So did Mr Preminger, when he set out to turn Exodus, Leon Uris's long-winded account of the foundation of the state of Israel, into a Hollywood hit. Again, Mr Trumbo would do the business, and when both films were released in 1960, Preminger and Douglas separately defied their studios by giving Dalton the credit. His nightmare was finally over, but he would always remain aware of the lasting damage the blacklist had caused to friendships, families and glittering careers. The new movie sentimentalizes Trumbo somewhat, and knocks the edges off his story, though his daughter Mitzi recently praised the skill with which Bryan Cranston managed to capture her father's mannerisms. One detail, though, did grate a little. "There's a scene where he takes me and my sister for ice-cream," Mitzi told the Guardian recently. "I was laughing with her afterwards saying 'that would never have happened!' My father worked all the time, and if we had issues we went to our mum. But he was fiercely entertaining. We learned about language and politics and how to think from him. That was pretty great." Hollywood Blacklist The communist witch-hunt in Hollywood had its roots in the union agitation of the 1930s, and when the HUAC called the Hollywood Ten to testify, the battle lines were quickly drawn. While moguls like Howard Hughes would use the hysteria to fire troublemakers wholesale, future US President Ronald Reagan cemented his conservative credentials by acting as a kind of witch-finder general. Walt Disney was another rabid anti-communist, but a group led by Humphrey Bogart and John Huston briefly challenged the treatment of the Hollywood Ten before falling apart in disarray. When the witch-hunt reached its height in the early 1950s, things got really nasty. Actors like Lee J Cobb and Sterling Hayden would later bitterly regret having named names, and when director Elia Kazan received an honorary Oscar in 1999, many people refused to applaud him because he'd testified. There were so many victims of this shameful episode: actor Larry Parks was blackmailed into testifying, then blacklisted anyway. Zero Mostel spent 20 years in the wilderness after being put on the list, and other high profile victims included Arthur Miller, Leonard Bernstein, Dorothy Parker, Charlie Chaplin and Lucille Ball. File photo dated 19/07/1989 of Sir Terry Wogan (right) revealing his waxwork on his television show 'Wogan', as the veteran broadcaster has died aged 77 following a short illness Terry Wogan made being on television seem the best fun in the world. The Limerick broadcaster, who has passed away aged 77, was endlessly upbeat and jovial, with apparently limitless reserves of twinkle-eyed charm. He put others at ease because he always appeared so at ease with himself. Wogan was, at the peak of his fame in the 80s, the chat show host to rule them all. Celebrities invited to perch on his couch inevitably found him irresistible a garrulous schmoozer they couldn't help opening up to. In his later years, meanwhile, he slipped comfortably into the role of British broadcasting elder-statesman, revelling in his pipe and slippers image and fans who proudly described themselves as "Togs" "Terry's Older Geezers and Gals". Through it all, he gave the impression of being sagely in on the joke refusing to take himself too seriously and keeping his head even on those rare occasions when celebs wanted to smack him across it. Read More He struck the right balance of empathy and exasperation interviewing a four-sheets-to-the-wind George Best on Wogan in 1990 and remained similarly dignified during a testy tete-a-tete with David Bowie. "I nearly hit him," the presenter would recall. "For some reason best known to him he came on the show unwilling to talk.'' In Ireland our relationship with Wogan is by necessity complicated. He was arguably one of the earliest example of an Irish person achieving visible success abroad. True, Irish people had for centuries made something of themselves upon leaving the old country. But Wogan was beamed into our living rooms every evening. This struck us as doubly remarkable given that the Troubles were ongoing and the stereotyping of Irish people in the UK had, in certain circles, moved from condescending to downright nasty. Over time, it is true, his relationship with Ireland took on a schmaltzy hue. Returning here for the three-part 2011 documentary Terry Wogan's Ireland he was as misty-eyed as any Irish American and the series' head-patting tone rightly provoked much eye-rolling. There are Irish pubs all over the world, he gushed as tin whistles blared. But they arent Irish. Read More Irishness was, of course, key to his charm. He may have famously stated that he felt more at home amongst the "sophisticated" urbanites of Britain than with his more rough and ready compatriots in the auld sod. Nevertheless, it's clear that one of the qualities that endeared him to audiences in the UK was his dashing Celtic irreverence. Wogan spoke to the listeners and viewers as though they were good friends, with none of the starchiness often a feature of British broadcasting during the '70s and '80s. He was, in that sense, the classic Irishman done well. Wogan felt he had no choice but leave in order to make something of himself yet, once abroad, being Irish proved pivotal to his success. Video of the Day Senator David Norris appeared on the Ray D'Arcy Show on Saturday night and proved he's as interesting, witty and ebullient company as ever, despite a recent battle with liver cancer. Here are some of his best quotes from the interview: On his health in general: I feel great. I dont have quite as much vitality as I did but then Im nearly 72. Things get rusty and fall off and stop working and you gradually go down a bit and then eventually they say goodbye. Its all part of nature, nothing to be afraid of! On finding out he had liver cancer: I had a very aggressive form of liver cancer which I was delighted to discover from the doctors had nothing whatever to do wit drinking, because I thought it might have. On a joke he was told by a member of staff at the Mater hospital: One of the staff told me a joke. Would you like to hear it? I tried it out on the staff in Lenihans shop on Capel Street and they said, Well, Id keep it for the green room. Credited by Ray for having a big hand in pushing the marriage equality bill, he said: The people who really deserve credit for that are and Im not a supporter of the Labour Party, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, or Sinn Fein, but Eamon Gilmore put it on the agenda of this country. Without Eamon Gilmore it wouldnt have happened. And then there was Grainne Healy and Brian Sheehan of Marriage Equality they motivated people. He added: It was so moving. Were only about 10 per cent of the population so we were relying on the generosity and goodwill of all you so thank you to you and the wonderful people who came home not just from London but Canada, the United Stages and Australia. It was so moving. Ray played a clip of Senator Norris being interviewed for rte by Aine O'Connor ("She was lovely, she was Gabriel Byrne's girlfriend") 42 years ago. She asked him if homosexuals were sick: No, were neither sick, ill, pathological, neurotic of any of these emotive terms occasionally used by people not well informed on the subject to conceal their own prejudices and allege that we are ill. I dont feel ill, I hope I dont look it. Of course we are subject as ordinary, other people are to head colds, influenza, hangovers, this type of thing but in the basic sense we are not sick. Following the clip he added: The authorities insisted that I was sick, it was classified as an illness, so I applied for disability benefit but the buggers wouldnt give it to me. Asked who he would like to see as President he said "Olivia OLeary". When Ray pointed out she has never openly expressed an interest in running for President, Senator Norris replied: "Good! You dont want these people who are ambitious for themselves to have a big car and roll around the place having afternoon tea. You want someone whos really good. The BBC has announced that broadcasting legend Sir Terry Wogan has died at the age of 77, following a short illness. In a career spanning almost five decades, Wogan became a national treasure for his work on the Eurovision Song Contest, bringing millions of viewers to the BBC for his hilarious commentary and scathing put-downs. He stepped down as host in 2008, and was replaced by Graham Norton the next year, who continues to present the show to this day. While Norton has successfully replicated Wogan's sarcastic tone, Sir Terry is bound to remain the marker against which all other Eurovision hosts will be measured. Here's some of his best quotes from his 37 years of hosting. "Every year I expect it to be less foolish, and every year it is more so." On Eurovision, after Finnish metal band Lordi won the competition in 2006. "They will have to shoot me to stop it. I shall cling to the wreckage for as long as I can." On his hosting of Eurovision. Wogan eventually stepped down from the role after 35 years in 2008. "That's the whole point of it, of course, to sneer at the foreigners." On the true meaning of Eurovision in 1997. "Doctor Death and the Tooth Fairy." His nicknames for the hosts of the 2001 competition in Denmark, which prompted outrage among Danes. Video of the Day "Who knows what hellish future lies ahead? Actually I do, I've seen the rehearsals." His optimistic introduction to the 2007 contest in Finland. "You'd never make a living as a presenter in the UK with a name like Leppy Lampen. A comedian maybe, but not a presenter." On one of the Finnish presenters of the 2007 contest. "It's supposed to be bad. And the worse it is, the more fun it is." Speaking about the contest in 1997. "Every year I go to see it and every year I say: 'Isn't it terrible? It's worse than last year!'" His verdict on the contest, after his 25th year as the host. "Are you related to the Director General of Swedish television?" Speaking about the incompetent Swedish representative at 2008's contest in Serbia. "I don't make the mistake of thinking it's a major musical event. I love the Eurovision Song Contest and it will continue long after I'm gone. Just please don't ask me to take it seriously." His definitive verdict on the contest just before he stepped down in 2008. ( Independent News Service) In a touching tribute to veteran broadcaster Terry Wogan, Ryan Tubridy said Ireland has lost someone very important. The RTE star, who filled in for Mr Wogan on BBC radio on a number of occasions, described the 77-year-old as an intriguing and very kind man. Weve lost someone very important to this country today and I can only tell you what impact he had on me, Ryan told The Dave Fanning Show on 2FM this morning. It would be unfair to say I knew him but we became quite friendly over the last five years. I remember one time I was flying into London on a Sunday and listening to him as he was signing off his show saying he was going to meet me for lunch. We had the most memorable, intriguing, enjoyable fascinating lunch with this guy who I was pretty much in awe with, he added. He would have been incredibly important to me as a kid On a school trip once upon time, back in the 80s, we went to London and as part of it we went to a chat show and got to sit in the audience. It was The Wogan show and I still use on the Late Late a couple of things I learned that day. Ryan added that he had had a terrible feeling just before Christmas that the much loved presenter was ill. Continuing, he said that he had met many Irish people who were glad that Mr Wogan was on the airwaves in the UK during the Troubles. [Irish] People would come up to him and say thank god your voice is there representing us and not any other voice with the smell of sulphur on it. He was a very, very funny manHe could be very British, but distinctly Irish. Video of the Day He might have died Sir Terry Wogan but he was just saw himself as Terry from Limerick, Ryan told The Colette Fitzpatrick Show on Newstalk. STANDING TOGETHER: David Drumm and his wife Lorraine heading into court in the US. Photo: Chitose Suzuki David Drumm's lawyers have written to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), confirming that he will return home immediately to stand trial - if the State agrees not to oppose his application for bail while he awaits the court. The former Anglo chief executive has informed the DPP that he is prepared to adhere to a number of strict conditions governing his release in the period leading up to his trial. These include commitments to sign on at his local garda station twice a day and be electronically tagged, the Sunday Independent can reveal. The proposals are contained in a letter that was sent by Mr Drumm's solicitor Michael Staines to the DPP last Tuesday. Mr Staines, one of Ireland's leading criminal defence lawyers, said Mr Drumm was willing to come back to Dublin voluntarily and without delay in order to defend himself against the 33 charges arising from his time at the helm of Anglo Irish Bank. He is understood to have outlined a range of conditions that Mr Drumm is prepared to meet in the event that a judge here decides to grant his application for bail. A source with knowledge of the matter told the Sunday Independent that an offer had been made to lodge what they described as a "substantial" sum of money with the court. Along with this, two parties are understood to have offered to lodge the title deeds to their family homes, both of which are mortgage-free, to the court by way of security. The title deeds to a third house - the family home of a member of Mr Drumm's family - would also be given in the event of his being released on bail. While there is understood to be a mortgage on the third property, the source said there was "significant equity", which the courts would have by way of surety. Mr Drumm's lawyers are also understood to have informed the DPP that he is prepared to provide his address to the court and to sign on at his local garda station twice a day if necessary. The former CEO has volunteered to be electronically tagged, so that his movements and location can be monitored by the authorities 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A source stressed to the Sunday Independent that the matter of Mr Drumm being released on bail would be an issue for the courts to decide. "All David is looking for is a commitment from the DPP that they wouldn't raise an objection in the event that an Irish judge decided that he should be allowed out on bail for the period leading up to his trial. He is prepared to come back and face the charges that are being levelled against him," the source said. Since being arrested on foot of an extradition warrant on October 10 last, Mr Drumm has been detained in four separate correctional facilities in two US states. The movements between and within the Donald W Wyatt Detention Centre in Rhode Island and the Plymouth County Correctional Facility near Boston took place following reported threats to the banker's safety. Mr Drumm's US attorneys sought unsuccessfully on two occasions to secure his release on bail to allow him to prepare his defence against extradition and to support his family. The Health Service Executive blamed a breakdown in communications for wrongly insisting that it apologised to an intellectually disabled woman who was left in a foster home for 13 years despite warnings of alleged sexual abuse. In a detailed statement yesterday, the HSE said the apology was "lost in communication" to the staff who were intended to deliver it. The HSE said it decided last month to apologise to the woman, known as Grace, and to the other 46 people who had been placed in the foster home at the centre of allegations of abuse. It sent registered letters that included the apology to all former residents of the foster home on December 9, but decided that the apology to Grace should be undertaken in "person" the following day. "Unfortunately the desire to offer a formal HSE apology was lost in the communication to the staff who were to conduct the meeting." The HSE which was accused of "lying" and "misrepresentation" by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last week when the social worker for Grace and her birth mother contradicted the HSE's claims that Grace had received an apology. The debacle over the apology has placed further pressure on the HSE over its handling of the case of the fostered child. The HSE is due before an emergency meeting of the PAC on Tuesday. HSE managers are to meet Kathleen Lynch, the minister of state responsible for mental health tomorrow. The controversy centres on why the health authorities left the girl in a foster home for 13 years despite receiving two complaints of alleged abuse. The local health board decided to stop placing children with the foster family and in 1996 decided to remove the girl from the family's care but this decision was later "reversed". She remained there until 2009 when her case was highlighted by social workers. The controversy escalated last week when the HSE wrongly insisted to the PAC that it had apologised to Grace on December 10 in a face-to-face meeting. A social worker and whistleblower who attended the meeting with Grace wrote to the PAC to say no official apology was offered by the disability manager and principal social worker who attended the meeting. But they had expressed sympathy. Yesterday, the HSE said it had intended at the meet to update Grace and her mother on a report concerning her and to apologise on behalf of the HSE. "It now transpires that there was a misinterpretation of what was intended and what was actually delivered to Grace and her mother. Both staff members did offer personal comments of remorse." When a social worker for Grace said an apology was not made, the HSE "checked locally" before it confirmed to the PAC that an apology had been offered. "However, it now transpires that the staff members concerned were referring to their own personal comments of remorse and not to an 'official apology on behalf of the HSE'." The HSE apologised to the PAC and said it also apologised in person to Grace last week and is "acutely aware" of the failings in her care. Yesterday the Minister for Health said the case merited "full investigation". Leo Varadkar said two reports that cannot be published for legal reasons may contain answers. He said that a review commissioned by his Minister of State, Kathleen Lynch, "will establish which questions remain unanswered and how to best proceed." A Nama attempt to have a High Court Judge review and revise a judgment in which he called a Nama officials evidence 'misleading' has failed. Stock Picture A Nama attempt to have a High Court Judge review and revise a judgment in which he called a Nama official's evidence "misleading" has failed. In a judgment, Mr Justice Brian Cregan reiterated that description of the evidence of Nama official Peter Malbasha. Nama declined to comment. Counsel for Nama had argued that Judge Cregan's findings were based on "an erroneous understanding of the situation and that Mr Malbasha had suffered some 'reputational damage' as a result of these findings," Judge Cregan said. But the judge said that having examined the matter he still held the opinion that two paragraphs of a Malbasha affidavit - particularly in light of errors made by Nama in a petition to the court, as well as in an affidavit of Nama official Margaret Magee - "all combined to leave the court with a misleading impression of what had happened". "Whilst I accept that Mr Malbasha did not intend to mislead, nevertheless a misleading impression was given to the court by his affidavit evidence," Judge Cregan said. "In the circumstances I do not believe it is necessary or appropriate for me to review this part of the judgment as requested". The initial judgment related to a case involving Nama and the developer Garrett Kelleher. The parties had gone to court over a dispute involving Middlebrook Ltd -- a company connected to Kelleher. Nama had taken control of Middlebrook and appointed receivers over it, but Middlebrook was struck off the company register after it did not file accounts. The Nama-appointed receivers sought to have the company restored to the register but a dispute arose over who should pay the fees to have that done - Nama or Kelleher and the other company directors. Malbasha said Nama tried to appoint receivers to Middlebrook in March 2014, but could not do so as the company had been struck off. However, Judge Cregan found that the company was in receivership at the time of the strike-off. Paola Sahovic with the dog that attacked her Surgeons have managed to save the arm of a young woman who was savagely mauled by her own pet. Paola Sahovic (22) was rushed to Cork University Hospital last Monday after she was attacked by her Staffordshire-type breed in the backyard of her home in Mitchelstown in Cork. Arriving at the scene Gardai were forced to use their batons to repeatedly beat the animal into submission, such was the ferocity of the attack. It was feared the young woman from Croatia would lose a hand but speaking to the Irish Mirror, her brother Goran Sahovic said doctors had been able to save her arm. Doctors say there is work to be done on her left hand but it will not have to be amputated, he said. Its great news. She is upset about it all but we hope she makes a quick recovery. It is understood that Ms Sahovic and her boyfriend had only recent brought the dog to Ireland. The animal, which was four years old and a beloved family pet, had been in quarantine in Ireland until just under two weeks ago. Having been cleared of any disease issues, it was then reunited with its owners less than four days before its horrific attack on Ms Sahovic. Neighbours heard her screams for help and immediately alerted Gardai. Expand Close Paola Sahovic remains stable following the attack by her dog, left, but surgeons are struggling to save one of her arms. Photo: Provision / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Paola Sahovic remains stable following the attack by her dog, left, but surgeons are struggling to save one of her arms. Photo: Provision Several officers are believed to have been involved in attempts to subdue the dog. According to local reports, the animal was put down by a local vet days after the attack. Via the South China Morning Post: Zika virus found in Indonesia: Authorities stumble across positive case during tests for dengue fever. Excerpt: An Indonesian research institute said on Sunday it had found one positive Zika case on Sumatra island, adding that the virus has been circulating in the country for a while. Indonesias health ministry could not immediately comment on the report by the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology. The mosquito-borne virus has sparked widespread alarm in parts of the Americas. It is suspected of causing grave brain damage in newborns and has similar symptoms to dengue fever. The institute said a 27-year-old man living in Jambi province on Sumatra island who had never travelled overseas had been found to be infected. It said it stumbled on the case while studying a dengue outbreak in the province. Researchers set aside specimens which produced dengue symptoms such as rashes and fever but which tested negative for dengue, and researched them further. Out of the 103 [dengue-negative] specimens that we checked, we found one positive for Zika, the institutes deputy director, Herawati Sudoyo, said. Zika is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also spreads dengue fever and the chikungunya virus. It produces flu-like symptoms including a low-grade fever, headaches, joint pain and rashes. Sudoyo said the specimens were taken during a dengue outbreak in Jambi between December 2014 and April 2015. It was not known how and when the man, who never travelled overseas, contracted the virus. We concluded that the virus has been circulating in Indonesia for a while, Sudoyo said. National pride: Presentation is made in 1952 to the printers who set up the Proclamation in 1916. About 30x20 inches in size, and only 486 words in total (excluding the printed signatures), the 1916 Proclamation has been described as a "national poem", a document that has inspired, provoked, and encouraged over the past one hundred years. It is generally accepted that the Proclamation was drafted by Padraig Pearse, with some input by James Connolly and Thomas MacDonagh. A draft was circulated and approved on Monday, April 17, 1916, and the text was ratified at a meeting of the military council of the IRB on Easter Sunday, April 23. The printed document was based on an original manuscript which all the seven signatories signed, except for Eamonn Ceannt, who was occupied elsewhere (someone else signed his name with his permission). This manuscript was destroyed afterwards, probably by one of the printers - who claimed he chewed it into small pieces to avoid it falling into the hands of the British. The race was then on to print enough copies for distribution the next day. From the witness statements in the Bureau of Military History, we have a good idea of how the Proclamation was printed. A group worked throughout the evening of Easter Sunday on an old Wharfedale machine in the printing office in the basement at Liberty Hall, and only finished around 1am. One member of Cumann na mBan remembered the group singing 'A Soldier's Song' a few times over the night; an unofficial anthem that was growing in popularity. A lack of type meant that the Proclamation had to done in two shifts, with the first half of the document set and printed and then the type reset to allow them to print the second half on the same paper. A shortage of certain letters meant they had to make do with what they had. The letter 'f' was turned into an 'e' with the help of sealing wax, and it remains one of the best ways of telling if a Proclamation is an original or not. There are other examples of the frantic nature of the process: an inverted 'e' on the first line of the last paragraph, and some different fonts disturbing the unity of the presentation. At 9pm, James Connolly reviewed the first proofs of the document, and discovered at least one error -Ceannt's first-name was spelt incorrectly with only one 'n'. The errors were corrected, and the printing began, with 2,500 copies made and despatched in two separate packages for distribution. Charles Townshend has rightly described the production as "a minor epic of printing". The next day, the Proclamation was pasted on walls across the city, with a number put up in the GPO. Some of the copies that have survived have World War One recruiting posters underneath, showing the overlapping narratives that were coming to a head during Easter Week. Most were destroyed during the Rising, and only about 30 original copies are extant. In 1998, a copy sold at auction for 26,000 - 10 years later one sold for more than 10 times that amount. Its real value is its incredible legacy as Ireland's Declaration of Independence. When the actor Arthur Shields strode towards Dublin's Abbey Theatre on Easter Monday, 1916, it was with one intent - not to rehearse or act in a play, but to collect his rifle and take part in the greater drama that was about to shake the streets. Once armed, Shields went around the corner to Liberty Hall and joined with James Connolly's Irish Citizen Army before marching up to Sackville Street, where he was stationed in the Metropole Hotel (now Penneys). By April 28, he and the rest of the men there would have to abandon their positions and join the other rebels inside the GPO, which was already on fire. They didn't stay there very long. Shields and the remaining GPO garrison - Padraig Pearse included - retreated to Moore Street. There, they moved from house to house, knocking through walls between the houses' basements. Shields and six others would eventually find themselves hiding out at the back of Hanlon's fish shop (16 Moore Street). They were told they would be the first line when the planned breakout occurred. In the end, the breakout was abandoned and surrender was chosen, to avoid further bloodshed. Had that not been the case, the movie world might have been deprived of a very fine actor. After his capture, Shields, alongside Michael Collins, was sent to Frongoch prison camp in Wales. Both men would find themselves back in Dublin by the end of the year - Collins with a mission to destroy British rule and Shields with a mission to entertain and enthral on the Abbey stage. It is at this point that the story of Shields becomes even more interesting. Acting was clearly in his blood - his brother William was also an actor (he would change his name to Barry Fitzgerald and go on to have a stellar career in film, even winning an Oscar). Both men would journey to the States and appear in legendary director John Ford's film of The Plough and the Stars (Shields played Padraig Pearse), released in 1936. It would be the beginning of a long relationship with the movie director. Shields appeared in The Quiet Man alongside his brother and both Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne; She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (Wayne and O'Hara), and Long Voyage Home (Wayne again and Barry Fitzgerald). Shields had a priestly quality to him that was useful for his role in the clerical flick The Keys of the Kingdom, but he played many more roles. He died in California in 1970, aged 74. You might think that one burgeoning Hollywood actor taking part in the Rising would be enough, but there was another, on the British side. That old adage about every picture telling a story is a bit wide of the mark - some pictures can tell a whole lot more than one. Just take a look at this famous photograph from the Rising, taken on April 29, 1916, of Pearse surrendering to the commander of British Forces in Dublin, Major General William Lowe. There's Pearse in the cape. Beside him, but obscured from view, is Elizabeth O'Farrell, a nurse with Cumann na mBan. It was O'Farrell who would carry the subsequent surrender notes to the other rebel commandants around the city. In the original version of this image, all that could be seen of O'Farrell were her feet, visible beneath Pearse's cape. They looked incongruous or cropped out, so they were removed and poor Elizabeth lost her place in history - for a while. Her heroism was recently remembered by naming a bridge across the Liffey in her honour. But there is another intriguing point to the picture. A tall man on the left is General Lowe's aide-de-camp and son, Major John Lowe, a man who would have just as remarkable a life story as Shields after the Rising. Lowe had already seen service in Gallipoli and Egypt. He arrived in Ireland just a few days before the outbreak of the rebellion to take up his new appointment as aide-de-camp to his father, who set up his military headquarters in Dublin Castle. In his autobiography, Hollywood Hussar, Lowe Jr speaks in broad terms about the civilian deaths and the fighting in the capital, but saves the detail for a fascinating nugget about Pearse. Once the surrender had been accepted, Major Lowe brought Pearse, accompanied by a priest, by staff car to Kilmainham Gaol. He recalls the rebel poet giving his watch and ring to the priest to be forwarded to his family. Lowe showed some compassion by asking the driver to continue past the Gaol's gates so Pearse would have more time to pass on last messages. As a token of his gratitude, Pearse gave the Major his cap badge as a keepsake, but, according to Lowe, the badge was destroyed during the Blitz in 1940. The Major's military career didn't end in Dublin. Lowe later saw service at the Somme. After the war, he decided to remain in Germany to run a pickle factory, but soon turned to acting in movies. Naturally, his father, the General, was aghast, so the wayward son changed his name and became John Loder. Tall, good-looking and debonair, he managed to get a few small parts before setting his sights on Hollywood, where, in 1929, he appeared in Paramount's first talkie, The Doctor's Secret. He returned to England to do some more acting and, during WWII, went back to Hollywood as a supporting actor. For almost 50 years he would have roles in a plethora of films, including King Solomon's Mines. Loder clearly liked the ladies, and married five times - one of his spouses being the Hollywood screen goddess Hedy Lamarr. His final wife was an Argentinian heiress on whose ranch in California he lived until his death in 1988, aged 90. Shields and Loder may have taken opposite sides during the Rising, but they found a common refuge on the movie backlots of Hollywood. One suspects, though, that the greatest role of each of their lives was played on the streets of Dublin in 1916. Former Fianna Fail TD Andrews used phantom account to post abuse at party colleagues, writes Paul Williams A Sinn Fein election candidate used Twitter to describe Gerry Adams as being "tainted" by his terrorist past and having too much IRA baggage to lead a government. Former Fianna Fail TD Chris Andrews made the comments about his current party leader, Mr Adams on a phantom Twitter account which he primarily used to dispense anonymous abuse at his then party colleagues in Fianna Fail and Micheal Martin. In his tweets Andrews, who used the identity @brianformerff, referred to the number of people killed by "Sinn Fein Reps" over the years. He also scoffed at Adams' claims that he was never in the IRA and questioned his suitability for government in the Republic. Mr Andrews resigned from Fianna Fail in August 2012 after being unmasked as the mystery person behind the Twitter account in a sophisticated investigation carried out by the husband of one of his targets in the party. Between March and June of that year he posted over 300 tweets containing highly critical and abusive material about his party colleagues and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin. A year later he joined Sinn Fein and was elected as a member of Dublin City Council for the party in 2014. Believing that he was anonymous on the internet short message service, Andrews targeted abuse at his then Dublin South East constituency rival, Cllr Jim O'Callaghan - Miriam O'Callaghan's younger brother - who is standing as a candidate for Fianna Fail in next month's General Election. Sarah Ryan, the daughter of former Fianna Fail MEP Eoin Ryan, was also singled out for criticism. Andrews used the fake account to attack "dynasties" in Fianna Fail even though his family is steeped in the party's political DNA. His grandfather Todd Andrews helped found the party and served as a minister while his father Niall, uncle David and cousin, Barry also served as TDs and ministers. Chris Andrews served for one term as a FF deputy from 2007 until 2011 when he lost his seat. But his remarks about Sinn Fein and Mr Adams may cause him some difficulty with his new political family which has a low tolerance level when it comes to dissension of any kind. In two tweets posted in April 2012 he wrote: "@buzzoneill knows all about killing given the amount of people Sinn Fein Reps killed over the years. #jeanmcconville @ShamrockRovers" "Funny how @buzzoneill believes everything Mahon report says but doesnt believe that Gerry Adams was in the IRA! @ShamrockRovers" Another Twitter exchange with a Sinn Fein supporter read: "@RayWhelan1 what does @buzzoneill think of 'Sinn Fein MLA blots copybook with 16K ink habit' headline in Irish News @ShamrockRovers" "@RayWhelan1 Does twitter lord mayor @buzzoneill and @ShamrockRovers supporter support convicted gunman and SF Cllr Mick Nugent? outrage!!" "@RayWhelan1 Funny that Buzz was retweeting me yesterday now block me! He can give it out but cant take it !! @hypocritebuzz @ShamrockRovers" "@Gerlad007 Convicted SF gunman and Cllr might help out with twitter lord mayor buzz o neill" On May 21, 2012 he launched an attack on the suitability for government of either Adams or his then leader Micheal Martin in the following tweets: "Micheal Martin and Gerry Adams have both got the same problem. They are both tainted by their past!!!" "@suzybie SF in next Government would be as bad as FF being in next Gov." "@suzybie Gerry Adams and Micheal Martin have a lot in common. They both have baggage the public wont forget or forgive." In another post Andrews stressed the difference between the Old IRA and the Provos. "@Robert1803Emmet No maybe about it! Fuck the old IRA this is about today. Killing/terrorising innocent people is okay with you!!" In other tweets, including one addressed to his party's current deputy leader, Mary Lou McDonald, he lashed Sinn Fein/IRA's moral duplicity: "@Robert1803Emmet Jean Mc Conville? and workers in the way of their bank raids!" "@buzzoneill I agree with a lot of your views but given what SF has done to innocent people its a bit much listening to you pontificate" "@buzzoneill Was it not corrupt to bury mother of 10 Jean Mc Conville. Is that acceptable to you. Selective outrage i thinks!!" "@buzzoneill What about the ink cartridges! was that okay ? Hard to take SF being moralistic!! Its not their thing!" "@RayWhelan1 No crusade- hard to take @buzzoneill lecturing others on morals after party he supported terrorized community" "@Robert1803Emmet So what was SF Cllr going to do with his loaded gun when he was convicted in 2002 @RayWhelan1 @buzzoneill @ShamrockRovers" "@Robert1803Emmet So Ira never done bank robberies!! selective democrat" "@RayWhelan1 I dont remember @buzzoneill being outraged with low standards of SF cllr when convicted with having guns" "@RayWhelan1 is @buzzoneill still trying to make his SF gun men party comrades trendy and likeable!! @ShamrockRovers" "@Robert1803Emmet Ordinary working class people who have guns stuck in their face by your friends. they are the ones terrorised" When @brianformerff first joined Twitter he described himself as: "Former FF supporter who feels they haven't changed, looking for a new home and that's not easy!" But Fianna Fail was the main target for his vitriol: "@randomirishnews Labour have sold out and FF have proven to be incompetent." Another tweet read: "@lawlessj FF will never recover while current leadership is there. People like S Donnelly are future." Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin also came under further attack from @brianformerff: "@oliverpgolden Martin was mentioned in #mahon so how can he still claim that he should be leader." Another read: "FF should take Noel Whelan's advice and close up shop and get rid of hierarchy like willie O'Dea, martin, dorgan and start fresh." He was even scathing of his own family when attacking "FF families" for thinking they were "special". "@lawlessj FF families seem to think they are special. The Andrews Ryans Lenihans have a sense of entitlement @john_cant_type @Fagans3" "@cbolgerr The elctorate got rid of Lenihan and Andrews dynasty because they couldnt tie their shoe laces between them. Listen to electorate" "@Fagans3 The Andrews, Lenihans and Ryans thought they were royalty and electorate got rid of them because they want new blood @cbolgerr @Fagans3 but instead of listening to public the FF organization elect @SarahCatRyan. they just dont get the message from public @cbolgerr" Andrews was eventually unmasked after he attacked Dublin businesswoman Kathryn Byrne who was a member of the Fianna Fail national executive. The anonymous tweeter had questioned Ms Byrne's professional integrity and reputation prompting her tech-savvy husband, Eddy Carroll, to launch a sophisticated investigation to expose the source. He spent months painstakingly pursuing the malicious tweeter using video surveillance and counter espionage techniques which traced the culprit to an internet cafe in Rathmines, south Dublin. The cyber sleuth used a third party service called SnapBird.org which records every tweet posted indefinitely, even after they have been deleted. The sting operation also involved Mr Carroll setting up another Twitter account called @john_cant_type to interact with Mr Andrews's fake account. Mr Carroll compiled a forensic 35-page dossier containing over 340 tweets sent between March and June 2012, and pictures of Andrews in the process of posting the tweets in the internet cafe. The document was handed over to Fianna Fail which launched an investigation. Mr Andrews, who is contesting a seat in the Dublin Bay South constituency, resigned when he was informed of the inquiry -and before he could face internal sanctions, including being expelled from the party. When approached at the time by the Sunday Independent the Sinn Fein candidate, admitted that he was responsible for the Twitter account. "I take full responsibility for it. It was the wrong thing to do. I regret doing it. For someone who is generally outspoken and not afraid to speak out, I regret that I did not say things publicly six months ago," he told the Sunday Independent, which first revealed the existence of the extraordinary dossier. Taoiseach Enda Kenny is facing an extraordinary standoff with Environment Minister Alan Kelly over the General Election date, the Sunday Independent can reveal. Labour is this weekend putting sustained pressure on Mr Kenny to hold the election on Friday, February 26, to allow younger voters attending universities and colleges to travel home to vote. Expand Close Robbie Henshaw scores a try for Ireland against England. Photo: Sportsfile / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Robbie Henshaw scores a try for Ireland against England. Photo: Sportsfile But Fine Gael wants the election to take place a day before, on the Thursday, to allow party supporters to vote and then travel to a Six Nations rugby match that Saturday. The latest tensions between the Coalition parties come as Mr Kenny is expected to call the election this week. With as many as 13 Government ministers in danger of losing their seats, both Coalition parties are anxious to maximise their potential vote. Mr Kelly is one of those said to be at risk, as is the Labour leader Joan Burton and other Labour senior ministers, Jan O'Sullivan and Alex White, while Fine Gael minister Paschal Donohoe is also in danger of losing his seat. Expand Close Alan Kelly. Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Alan Kelly. Photo: Tom Burke Yesterday, Mr Kelly was privately telling colleagues he will only sign off on the election day "as long as it's on Friday the 26th". Separately, in an interview with the Sunday Independent this weekend, he boasts of his ambition and ruthlessness and states: "I am very direct. I am very decisive... and I am in a hurry all the time. I am very quick to make my views known." The unprecedented standoff between Mr Kelly and Mr Kenny will this weekend be seized on by the opposition parties as the latest example of Coalition 'instability'. Yesterday Fianna Fail's environment spokesman, Barry Cowen, said: "So much for stability. They can't even agree on this. What a joke they have become - squabbling with each other right down to the end." The Dail can only be dissolved by the President on the advice of the Taoiseach. A general election must be held within 30 days of the dissolution. The procedure is that the clerk of the Dail issues a writ to the returning officer in each constituency instructing him or her to hold an election. But responsibility for appointing the polling day actually falls to the minister for the environment. And speaking at the Labour Party conference in Mullingar yesterday, Mr Kelly insisted: "I believe that elections should always be on a Friday." He sought to play down the rift somewhat: "That will be decided by the Government in the coming days. Legally, I have to move the writ but I'm sure at Government level we'll agree a date." Pressed on whether he would make an issue of the election date if Fine Gael were to push for a Thursday vote, Mr Kelly replied: "After coming through what we've come through in the last five years I'm sure we'll agree on a date." However, Mr Kelly has broad support within Labour for his stance on the election date with some members insisting it would be a "scandal" if Mr Kenny did not hold the election at the weekend to allow more young people vote. The Tanaiste Joan Burton does not have any " huge desire" for either date but does favour a Friday vote, according to sources. In his interview with the Sunday Independent, Mr Kelly said of Ms Burton: "We are very different charactersJoan is more reflective." He also described himself as his own "boss". There is strong support for Mr Kelly's position on the election date within Labour. Yesterday Education Minister Jan O'Sullivan said: "The most important thing with an election is that it should be held at a time when people will actually come out and vote. It seems that Friday is the best day in terms of turnout. We tried Saturday for referenda and it wasn't all that successful in terms of numbers," she said. Former minister and influential Labour TD Willie Penrose said holding the election on a Thursday would "deprive" young people and workers from voting. "It would deprive people of their opportunity to exercise their franchise. I'd like to see the maximum number of people have that opportunity," he said, adding that it is "critical" young people can make it home to vote. In Fine Gael, Thursday is the preferred date among senior members close to the Taoiseach and those involved in election preparations. Among the concerns discussed by strategists is the Ireland Six Nations rugby match against England in Twickenham on Saturday, February 27. It is feared many of those travelling to the match are potential Fine Gael voters and will be more concerned with making flights or catching ferries than voting on the Friday before the high- profile rugby international. Mr Kenny's advisors believe the party will get a strong turnout of their core vote if they hold the election on Thursday and it will also reduce the impact of the Sinn Fein vote. The Labour Party will promise to give first-time buyers 6,000 towards mortgage deposits if re-elected to government, the Sunday Independent can reveal. The plight of young families seeking to buy their first homes is emerging as a key battleground as the general election campaign kicks into full-swing this week. After weeks of speculation over how first-time buyers would be wooed ahead of the election, parties are now scrambling to unveil policies aimed at easing the burden of the strict Central Bank mortgage rules for young homebuyers. Tanaiste Joan Burton is planning to unveil a 'save to buy scheme' for young home buyers struggling to save for deposits due to the Central Bank's strict mortgage rules. The new savings account, which will be set out in the party's election manifesto, will see the State pay first-time buyers a 1 cash top-up for every 4 saved. The State contribution will be capped at 1,200 yearly and people can enter the scheme for a maximum of five years. Under the scheme, first-time buyers saving for a 36,000 deposit for a 290,000 home will be able to avail of the full 6,000 from the State. Speaking at the Labour Party conference in Mullingar, Ms Burton said: "We'll establish a 'Save to Buy' scheme to give first-time buyers a helping hand. This will give them a cash top-up when saving the deposit for a home." The top-up will only be paid when contracts for the sale of a house have been signed by all parties involved in the transaction. The party estimates the saving scheme aimed at circumventing the rules will be taken up by an estimated 30,000 people and cost 180m. It will also propose establishing an affordable rental scheme aimed at people whose income is too high to qualify for social housing but too low to afford rising rent prices. "We recognise that the Central Bank guidelines are a welcome and important safeguard to prevent a reoccurrence of the catastrophic property bubble fuelled by Fianna Fail. However, the guidelines make it onerous for young families, in particular, seeking to buy a home," a senior Labour source said. The Central Bank rules insist that a first-time buyer saves 10pc of the deposit on a home costing up to 220,000 and 20pc on the balance. Labour will not urge the Central Bank to change its policy ahead of Governor Philip Lane's review of the strict mortgage rules due to be published in November. Ms Burton previously expressed support for linking ability to pay rent with the Central Bank rules. In her keynote address at her party conference, Ms Burton said Labour brought a "balance" to Government over the last five years that strengthened workers' rights in the "teeth of the worst recession we've known". She said the party also ensured nurses, teachers, gardai and other public servants were seen as a "vital asset to our society, not a drain on it". The Labour Party leader will be encouraged by the latest Red C, Sunday Business Post poll which shows a 1pc gain for Labour to 10pc. Fine Gael are down one to 29pc, Fianna Fail (-2) are at 17pc, Sinn Fein are at 19pc (no change) and Independents/Others are up 2pc to 25pc. The Tanaiste warned that the world economy remains in a "fragile state" and insisted stability is "vital". "The worst mistake we could make now is to squander our hard-earned progress by gambling on uncertainty. With the party who caused the crash and the party who would have made it worse," she said. She outlined a range of election policy commitments including raising the old age pension by 5 and introducing 2 per hour affordable childcare for working families. She said the party will work towards introducing free GP care for every citizen and will also "empower people with disabilities to live as full participants in society". Ms Burton said the public "endowment of the arts is returned many times over" and promised to double the funding for the Arts Council and Film Board over the next five years. In a speech earlier in the day, the Tanaiste accused Sinn Fein of being "more concerned about protecting their 'good republican' friends than actually building a good republic". Labour received a boost last night as the latest opinion poll was up one point to 10pc - its highest result in that survey since last September. BACK TO THE WALL: Joan Burton has a struggle on her hands to hold her seat in Dublin West. Photo: Steve Humphreys Nerves begin to fray as the realities of the election kick in and even the big guns are getting jittery, writes Shane Coleman. Holding ministerial office usually insulated senior politicians from the vagaries of the ballot box. There were exceptions of course - a cabinet minister here or there losing out, like Niamh Breathnach in 1997 or Mary O'Rourke five years later. The election of 1977 was seen as extraordinary when three ministers, Conor Cruise O'Brien, Paddy Cooney and Justin Keating lost their seats as part of the National Coalition's hammering. But that was before 2011, when ministers were toppled like skittles. Fifteen of them lost their seats, including five from the cabinet. It might even have been more had some high-profile figures not opted to retire ahead of the election. The circumstances were exceptional, but suddenly being a minister didn't make election day quite so secure. The casualty rate, come the end of February, won't match 2011 levels. But as many as 13 (unlucky for some) figures from the current government are in danger of joining the 'select' club of ministers who have been rejected by the electorate. The 'at risk' list includes five from the Cabinet. Labour Party leader Joan Burton is in danger of following the fate of another Tanaiste, Mary Coughlan, by losing out. She is in a battle for the final two seats, along with Fianna Fail's Jack Chambers and Ruth Coppinger of AAA-PBP in Dublin West. It is too close to call for Burton. Education Minister Jan O'Sullivan's chances in Limerick look even more remote. Sinn Fein's Maurice Quinlivan seems poised to take a seat here and, with Michael Noonan and Willie O'Dea safe, it is between her and FG's Kieran O'Donnell for the final seat. The odds favour O'Donnell. Communications Minister Alex White is also likely to be locked in a battle with Fine Gael for the final slot in three-seat Dublin Rathdown. Shane Ross is a shoe-in and Alan Shatter should be okay, leaving White in a fight with Josepha Madigan. Given that Madigan may be fishing from the same pool as Ross and Shatter for votes, White may just hang on. But it is tight. The same holds for the ever-controversial Environment Minister Alan Kelly, who is under serious pressure in the new Tipperary constituency. Kelly has never lost an election and is a formidable local operator. He's far from safe, but might just make it. The only Fine Gael cabinet minister looking vulnerable is Paschal Donohoe. A rising star in the party, Donohoe is tipped as a successor to Michael Noonan as Finance Minister. But he has lost a big chunk of his vote, with Dublin Central being reduced to a three-seater and Glasnevin, moving into Dublin North-West. The party is hopeful he'll be okay - and he probably will be - but Donohoe won't be relaxing until elected. Of the junior ministers, Kathleen Lynch in Cork North Central and Ann Phelan in Carlow-Kilkenny look in dire trouble, from which it's hard to see them escaping. The odds are also against Aodhan O Riordain in arguably the most competitive constituency in the country, Dublin Bay North, while Sean Sherlock looks a 50-50 shot in Cork East. Ged Nash in Louth is also in a dog fight. He is cautiously tipped to come through, but it won't be a shock if he doesn't. It would be a shock for many if any of Fine Gael's trio Joe McHugh (Donegal), Dara Murphy (Cork North Central) and Paudie Coffey (Waterford) fall, but none of the three is safe. There'll only be one FG seat in Donegal and if Paddy Harte, recently added to the ticket, takes off, McHugh will be under pressure. Some internal polls show Dara Murphy struggling a little, while Fianna Fail has high hopes that Mary Butler can edge out her neighbour Coffey in Waterford. Shane Coleman presents the Sunday Show on Newstalk.com at 10am. Ballot papers: For the first time in a General Election, social media will influence how votes are cast. This is likely to be the first General Election where social media plays a major role. Teams of eager young digital natives will be in place in party headquarters and around the country to promote politicians, particularly on Facebook. It will be the first campaign where some of the more tech-friendly politicians will begin to regard the Facebook post as being just as important as the traditional poster. At the last General Election, the parties were interested in social media but tended to be much more focused on Twitter; strategists have since realised that getting the message out on Facebook is more crucial. The importance of the medium was underlined during the same-sex marriage referendum, when Yes Equality concentrated heavily on the social network. During the last week of the referendum campaign, Facebook posts from Yes Equality were reaching an audience of millions. Craig Dwyer, who was head of social media for Yes Equality, says: "It is worth remembering that there are more people on Facebook - 2.5 million - than voted in the last general election." Many of these online citizens belong to the generation that is less likely to vote in elections, but the referendum campaign showed how social media can mobilise them. Ciamh McCrory, digital media strategist with Insight Consultants, says: "Social media had a major influence in the referendum in driving a younger audience to the polling booths. The parties will try to repeat that in the election, and that could be the key to success." Party officials will also have learned from the British General Election campaign, where David Cameron's successful Conservative Party spent 10 times more than Labour on promoted posts on Facebook. Paul Moran of ad placement company Mediaworks says: "Social media will be huge in this campaign, but a lot of politicians are still struggling to get their heads around it." Ciaran Cannon, Fine Gael TD for Galway East, is concentrating heavily on Facebook this time out, and will spend money on promoted posts. He says he can reach up 7,000 people in his constituency with a promoted post costing just 10. This means these voters get a message from him when they open up Facebook. "I reckon that only about 5pc of my constituents are on Twitter, but the vast majority, particularly those aged 25-55, are on Facebook." Norma Moriarty, Fianna Fail candidate in Kerry, says: "Facebook is a good way of building up your profile, when you are competing with well-known candidates. It is a useful way of keeping in touch with voters in a large constituency, where it can be very hard to get to everyone." Dr Jane Suiter of the School of Communications at Dublin City University tracks the use of social media in political campaigns. She likens the use of Twitter to the air war, as it helps to shape national debate, while the use of Facebook is like the social media ground war. "Facebook is the way to get through to the average person and their family, and some younger candidates use it well. You have to have an image or video with your message. "You can also target different groups. If you want to send promoted posts to women in their thirties in Longford you can do that." That is the great advantage of the Facebook post, according to Ciamh McCrory. "You can target people in the 18 to 25 age group with a certain message. You can send a similar message to people over 50, but it will be phrased a bit differently." Dr Suiter says the social network was used effectively during the Meath East by-election in 2013 by Fine Gael's Helen McEntee. "It worked well for her because it came naturally to her," says the DCU lecturer. Jane Suiter says a telling tweet can still have a profound impact in politics. After Brian Cowen's infamous interview on Morning Ireland in 2010, when he sounded under the weather, then opposition TD, Simon Coveney of Fine Gael, tweeted: "God, what an uninspiring interview by Taoiseach this morning. He sounded halfway between drunk and hungover" Sinn Fein has a strong presence on social media through its legion of keyboard warriors, known by their detractors as "shinnerbots". Any criticisms of the party are likely to be met with swift rebuttals. Ciamh McCrory says Sinn Fein is the party on Twitter with the most followers - 40,000 - while Gerry Adams has the biggest following of any leader with 98,000. The party also has the biggest Facebook following with 77,000 likes. Party spokesman Shaun Tracey says: "As social media grows so does our emphasis on it. Facebook and Twitter are our main social media platforms but we have also recently set up an Instagram account and Gerry Adams is using Periscope on a regular basis now as well." Gerry Adams no doubt inspires mixed feelings with his homespun tweets about rubber ducks, and getting into the leaba, which have recently turned into a book. A typical recent example: "In bed. Nothing on but my onesey, 2 blankets, 1 duvet, bed socks & my favourite quilt. Cosy. Xoxozzzzzzz." His musings about domestic life may be seen as cringeworthy by many, but perhaps he has used the medium shrewdly to take the rough edges off his image. Craig Dwyer, the Yes Equality social media manager who now works for Newstalk, says online campaigning has become a lot more sophisticated in recent years. "At this election, you are seeing a lot of candidates using techniques that we saw in the referendum and telling personal stories. I have seen candidates producing video content profiling people or businesses in their constituency. "Politicians can still use traditional media to sell their policies, but use social media to sell their personalities." Brian Hayes, Fine Gael's director of elections, says: "This is going to be a social media election and we are investing heavily in it. "However, I still think old-fashioned legwork and getting out and meeting constituents will still play a crucial role." Hayes believes that in order for online campaigns to work, they have to be creative and sometimes humorous. So, don't be surprised if we see cheeky ads showing a tiny Micheal Martin sitting in the top pocket of Gerry Adams. How to avoid political gaffes on social media 1. DON'T MIX UP TWEETS WITH TEXT MESSAGES Expand Close Sean Kenny / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sean Kenny Social media users don't expect TDs to be as profound as Abraham Lincoln, but they don't expect shopping requests either. Labour's Sean Kenny once caused bewilderment when he tweeted: "Eoin, did you u collect the eggs?" 2. KEEP IT PERSONAL, BUT NOT TOO PERSONAL Expand Close Anthony Weiner / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Anthony Weiner Politicians have to strike a balance between giving their posts on Facebook and Twitter a personal touch, and not being too forthright. Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner committed the ultimate social media sin when he sent intimate pictures to a 21-year-old woman in Seattle on Twitter. 3. DON'T JUST FOLLOW ANYONE Don't just follow or make friends with anyone on social media. There were red faces at the top of the Israeli government some time ago when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was following @PersianHotBook, described as the "library for hot sex books in the Persian language". His spokesman explained that Mr Netanyahu didn't post tweets himself and this was due to a 'malfunction'. 4. DON'T MAKE FUN OF THE VOTERS Expand Close Ed Miliband / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ed Miliband After days on the hustings, it may be tempting to ridicule those pesky people who cast their ballots. In Britain, Labour's then leader Ed Miliband sacked a Labour front-bencher Emily Thornberry. She appeared to mock a family's terraced home draped in England flags when she posted a picture of it. 5. BE CAREFUL OF JOKES Expand Close Aodhan O Riordan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Aodhan O Riordan Jokes don't always work if you're a politician, and messages to individuals can be read by everyone. In 2013, Labour TD Aodhan O Riordain, one of the more interesting political tweeters, sent a message to a follower with the hashtag of Prime Time #rtept: "@colmtobin We're having a referendum on the O'Neill-Keane marriage in 2015... I'm pretty sure that's what I heard today... #rtept" He was mortified when it was actually read on Prime Time. 6. DON'T BE JUST PLAIN DAFT Make sure your messages on social media make sense, unlike the utterance from Fidelma Healy Eames before the Same-Sex Marriage referendum. "Happy Mothers' day all! Hope we can continue to celebrate it after #SSM passed. In some US states Mothers & Father's Day banned #pcgonemad." TANAISTE Joan Burton has hinted that the General Election will be called on Tuesday. When asked about the election date, the Labour Party leader said she meets Taoiseach Enda Kenny on a Tuesday morning in an indication that she expects him to dissolve the Dail later that day. The Taoiseach and I meet early on a Tuesday morning, privately, in my offices. And all I can say is I anticipate it will be very soon, Ms Burton told broadcaster Aine Lawlor on RTEs The Week in Politics. However, Fine Gael sources have today stressed that Mr Kenny may wait until later in the week to dissolve the Dail, possibly on Wednesday. The election is expected to be held either on Thursday, February 25 or Friday, February 26. It emerged this week that a raft of Labour Ministers have put pressure on Mr Kenny to opt for the Friday so as to ensure students can vote. But Fine Gael sources say up to 10,000 party supporters intend to travel to London that weekend for Irelands Six Nations clash with England at Twickenham. The same sources say holding the election on the Friday could impact on fans travel plans. Meanwhile, Ms Burton categorically ruled out the prospect of being involved in a coalition with Independent TD Michael Lowry. She said there is no way Labour will work with the controversial Tipperary deputy. Ms Burton also defended her decision to sack a number of her predecessors from Cabinet. It was suggested to Ms Burton that there remains disquiet within the party over her decision to demote Pat Rabbitte and Eamon Gilmore at the last Cabinet reshuffle. Former Education Minister Ruairi Quinn stepped down amid suggestions too that he was facing the axe. Ms Burton said she wanted to pave the way for a younger generation of politicians. I wanted to provide as I said at the time, room for the class of 2011, she said. Ms Burton citied Aodhan O Riordain, Ged Nash and Alan Kelly as vibrant members of the party who were promoted. Found a news story to share? Email a news item by clicking on the button below. Please give URL to original article (where available). Do not attach Word documents. Keep each separate news item to a separate email. Thank you! The doctor who mistook an X-ray of an ankle for an elbow left the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise with a negative reference highlighting concerns about his abilities but his subsequent employers never saw it. Dr Omar Hassan (30) received the reference from a hospital consultant when he left the Midlands Regional, having been suspended from clinical practice. The Sudanese doctor went on to work at public hospitals in Mayo and in Galway, where colleagues became so concerned about his performance that he was suspended and later reported to the Medical Council. However, the Sunday Independent has learned that Dr Hassan left the Portlaoise hospital with a negative reference that it is understood was not shown to his employers at Mayo General Hospital or Galway University Hospital apparently on the strength of two positive references from doctors in his native Sudan. Dr Hassan was found guilty last week of 28 counts of poor professional performance and professional misconduct after moving freely from one hospital to the next. The Medical Council hearing heard a catalogue of examples of Dr Hassan's alleged poor performance. His colleagues at Galway University Hospital were so concerned about Dr Hassan's ability that they checked the medical registrar to see whether he was actually registered. One patient told how she became upset when Dr Hassan repeatedly tried to insert a needle into her arm but was not able to find a vein, even after she became distressed and asked him to stop. The case has raised concerns over how doctors are checked as they move from hospital to hospital. One of the key issues to emerge from it is whether and to what extent Dr Hassan's medical references were checked. Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has requested a review of recruitment and checking procedures. The Irish Independent reported that even after he was placed on administrative leave by Galway University Hospital, Dr Hassan went on to secure work through a locum agency and was even offered a full-time post at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan in early 2015. The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group and the Saolta group, which covers Galway and Mayo, said Dr Omar Hassan was recruited through standard HSE procedures. The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group said Dr Hassan was interviewed for the post of surgical senior house officer on July 4, 2012. He had positive references from two consultant surgeons in Sudan. He began work as a junior hospital doctor on July 17, 2012, but within a week was taken off night call because of concerns noted by staff. "Following further supervision and training he was subsequently suspended from any clinical work in the autumn of the same year," it said. It confirmed that one consultant from the hospital supplied a reference "reflecting the performance of Dr Hassan during his period at MRHP". Dr Omar Hassan Khalafalla Mohamed was registered with the Medical Council in July 2012. He is from Sudan and graduated from the University of Khartoum in 2008. Dr Hassan went on Liveline after the Medical Council verdict to defend himself, claiming he had not harmed patients. He said his father was a surgeon in Sudan and had worked in Jervis St Hospital in the 1970s. "I have been treated unfairly and very badly with unfair allegations," he said. The Medical Council has yet to decide on sanctions against Dr Hassan. SURVEY: Robert Watt says next government will have to increase civil servants pay. Photo: Steve Humphreys The next government will have to increase public sector pay or risk losing highly-skilled workers to the private sector, one of the country's most senior civil servants has warned. Department of Public Expenditure and Reform secretary general Robert Watt said talented civil servants are being lured into the private sector by better pay and conditions as the economy improves. Mr Watt's warnings harks back to the Celtic Tigers years when civil service pay soared under a Fianna Fail led governments due to fears of a brain drain in the public sector. He said the civil service is still able to attract people of "high quality and very high calibre" but said as the labour market continues to improve it will become more difficult to retain staff. "We have a lot of talented, very skilled people here and they can find opportunities outside the public service and we are starting to see some movement," Mr Watt said. "The staff turnover has increased and some people are moving out. It depends on the area. Certain skills are in very high demand - legal, accountancy, economics, statisticians, data analysts. We are seeing the Labour market is having an impact on us and that is going to be a challenge in terms of pay expectations and how we structure our pay into the future," he added. Mr Watt was speaking following the launch of the first-ever survey of civil servant attitudes. The survey found more than two-thirds of civil servant believe colleagues who under-perform are not "effectively addressed" by senior management. Another third believe senior managers are not held accountable for not achieving results and two-in-five said departments do not measure job performance to ensure staff are achieving results. However, four-in-five civil servants are confident in their ability and skill to carry out their jobs, and 70pc of workers have a "sense of energy, connection and fulfilment" from their work. But just one-in-five believes their work is valued by the public, and a mere 15pc believe the public respects and appreciates their work. Mr Watt said the results showed serious challenges for the civil services which need to be addressed by the next government. "Some of the answers are very positive (and) others are more uncomfortable for us and that's just the way things are so we have to respond to it," Mr Watt said. "We know we have to do much better to generate a performance culture," he added. The survey also found almost half of workers do not believe their department has a "clear and fair" promotions process, while 52pc said they do not think they have opportunities for promotion. More than half believe they are not adequately paid for their role and 55pc believe even if they do perform well, they will not be promoted. Some 68pc of civil servants do not agree that performance is effectively addressed in their Departments. Mr Watt said the decentralisation of the civil service is still causing major problems for civil servants. He said the relocating of Dublin-based departments and State agencies to other areas of the country means there are fewer opportunities for civil servants who work in rural locations to earn promotions. "The original decentralisation programme was a mistake, but it's very hard to back the train into the station because people have moved, set down roots with offices, people have family commitments and it's very hard to recentralise," Mr Watt said. My mother's handyman recently asked me if I'd had any kids yet... and he wasn't taking no for an answer. "You really should," he said with about as much tact as the hammer he was using to pound a nail into a wall. "You really, really should," he continued, "kids are the reason for everything." He soon went back to measuring the cornices while I calculated the life expectancy of my eggs. It's hard not to in these situations. Childless women sometimes take offence when people make presumptions of this manner. I didn't. He's a devoted family man who brings his boys around with him in the van during their school holidays. His children changed his life and he wants everyone else to experience what he did. Also, he looks like a bear. It's hard to get angry with men who look like bears. A few months later he was back in the house, but this time his query was rather more urgent. "Have you... er... had any kids yet?" he asked, trying his best to feign casualness. On this occasion I reminded him that I was single and, no, I hadn't had sex since the last time we spoke. Again, I didn't take offence... even if I became ever so slightly paranoid. I should have mentioned that this handyman has a superhuman sense of smell. Really. I kid you not. Could he smell waning fertility like one of those sniffer dogs that detect disease? Is this why he told me that I "had better get a move on"? What does he know that I don't know... ? My transition from footloose and fancy-free 20-something to biological-clockwatcher happened in about six hours. It feels like only yesterday that aunts and friends' mothers were telling me to "play the field". Now the advice is more along the lines of "freeze your eggs". It's as though I've been rehearsing for a play only to be told that the opening night has been brought forward by two months. And the show must go on! The media warnings urging women not to put their careers ahead of motherhood don't help matters. Ostensibly these reports are aimed at all women of a certain age. Actually, they are for a very niche market: women who are in loving, financially secure relationships with men/women who want children as much as they do. If you meet all these milestones, well then you've won the Lottery trifecta. Unfortunately life isn't always that neat. You can be with the wrong person at the right time and the right person at the wrong time. Likewise, babies come when they're not expected just as they don't come when they are expected. If medical chiefs strongly believe in this message, then they ought to be delivering it in universities. They seem to forget that motherhood generally starts with finding a partner. The rest happens in baby steps. Still, I can't help but notice that plenty of women got the message by virtue of their proximity. I always marvel at groups of female friends that marry and give birth to their first children within months of one another. It's as though their ovaries are synchronised by a collective consciousness and their biological clocks come complete with an inbuilt alarm siren. I didn't hear the alarm - I must have slept through it. My theory is that you either subscribe to the belief that fertility is finite or the belief that youth is finite. Rightly or wrongly, I chose the latter. Life expectancy in Ireland has increased by 15 years since 1990, and many of us chose to consolidate our 20s and early 30s into a chapter called Freedom. Evolution should really hurry on and give women a proportionate amount of biological leeway. Yet even if it did, can we engineer the process? We can prioritise finding a partner, yes, but a life partner who wants to have a child as much as you do? It feels like chasing a tricast in the 12:18 at Monmore. The vast majority of women don't consciously choose career over motherhood. Have you ever tried to finish a report in the first flushes of love? All bets are off! The truth is that work can become a distraction when you can't find the right partner or when you're with the wrong partner. It's only later on that it becomes a barrier. More to the point, some women (myself included) can't even conceive the idea of having children until we're in love. Love is the evolutionary device that motivates us to procreate and the magic dust that makes night feeds and school fees seem like a wonderful idea. It's a delicate process, and it happens so incrementally that it seems like folly to think that you can hurry it along or give it a helping hand. Yes, you can scope out function rooms and nightclubs like a CIA agent protecting the president from assassination. However, you can also follow your passions and trust that what's meant to be is meant to be. I know which one I'm choosing. My Week: Conor McGregor* Monday: I wake up. Although, of course, I have not actually been asleep. No, no, my friend. Not in the way that other, mere mortal people sleep. Instead I have trained myself to metaphysicise; I have transmorgorified, I have metamorphisitised, I have fundamentally reimagined a way of resting my body, so that I am consciously wrestling with the inner movements of my muscles, even as my body believes it is sleeping. And while I do dat, my amigo, I am also full of the most beautiful feelings and emotions. My woman, my girl, the future first Lady of Ireland and myself, did go and promenade the town last night, with a pint of Guinness and my very good friend and training partner, Artem "The Russian Hammer" Lobov. Premium Colm O'Rourke Opinion Predictable Mayo need to get radical or become redundant The big tent has been taken down and the circus has moved on. There is little even in the way of comment about the league now. It was neatly packaged away during the week. Probably by Monday in most of the counties who played last weekend, even if some counties like Louth and Roscommon were entitled to a bit more in the way of celebration. Cavan would have expected to get out of the fourth division and as for Kerry, well it is still only the league. Premium Dan O'Brien Opinion While we catastrophise about Covid, we ignore risk of running out of cash We Irish view the world in an increasingly strange and unhealthy way. We catastrophise about Covid in a way other European countries do not. We focus on how bad the effects of the virus could get, on how many more restrictions might be imposed by Government and how helpless we are in the face of the virus. Premium New hospital for a tenner may come at too high a price The Taoiseach is under a lot of pressure the kind of pressure that leads to costly mistakes. It perhaps explains why he has been saying things that are not quite true. Micheal Martin is in a tight political corner. From all sides hes being told he has to get the contract signed for the new National Maternity Hospital. Premium Mary Kenny Opinion A male contraceptive jab is on the way, but will it truly equalise reproductive control? It looks as though a male contraceptive vaccine will be available within the next year, according to Dr Amanda Wilson at De Montfort University in Leicester. The jab is called Risug, and it could obviate the demand for vasectomies which is falling anyway. The vaccine, which has completed its final trials, would be reversible, so it is not as radical as vasectomy. Pat Rabbitte's week (as imagined by Eilis O'Hanlon) SUNDAY Off to Newstalk to review the papers for The Sunday Show. I'm here so often these days that George Hook asks if I have my own office. "Yes," I say. "Yours." He guffaws loudly before stopping suddenly and asking if I'm joking. I must get him on my new radio show when ahem, I mean if... it starts. I'll have my people call his people. Isn't that what you tend to do when you're an in-demand media personality? On air, I'm asked about Enda Kenny's dull speech to the Fine Gael ard fheis. "I did find it hard not to nod off all right," I quip. I'm good at quipping. If quips were euros, I'd be a millionaire. Though, of course, I soon might be once all these pensions kick in. If I'd been half as good at being a minister as I am at talking, I'd be revered as one of the great statesmen of our time rather than Irish politics' answer to Les Dawson. All the same, I've held some of the highest offices in the land, from junior minister to president. Of the Galway Students' Union, but it still counts. I'm on top form all morning. I lambaste Fianna Fail. I lambaste the loony left. I then complete the set by having a fight with a Shinner. I do love attacking subversives for their crazy ideas about running the country, despite the fact I used to have many of the same ideas myself once. MONDAY I begin the day with a boiled egg and some soldiers. Isn't that what you tend to do during breakfast? It's now been almost 24 hours since I was last on radio or TV, but I have learned how to control the withdrawal symptoms. You just arrange to get back on air as quickly as possible before they forget you. Thankfully, TV3 calls to ask if I'll appear on Tonight with Vincent Browne later in the week to reflect on my 27 years as a TD. "Try stopping me," I reply. TUESDAY I start working on my farewell speech to the Dail. I would have liked to end my career in Cabinet, but Joan put paid to that by replacing me as minister for communications with Alex White. I tried protesting at the time. "Sure, isn't that what you tend to do during reshuffles?" she replied. I only hope voters in Dublin West give her what she deserves. By which I mean another Dail term. I am nothing if not loyal. WEDNESDAY Got the speech finished at last. I'd have been quicker but I had to spend a few hours in front of the mirror practising my "disappointed you asked me that question, Vincent" face for tomorrow. THURSDAY My final speech to the Dail. "What are you up to today?" I ask Joe Higgins when I bump into him in the canteen. "Making my final speech to the Dail," he declares. I swear someone did this just to ruin my big day. Finally get my chance to rise and address the house on the Banking Inquiry, so naturally I begin by having a fatuous pop at Stephen Donnelly. Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. I advise the next government to take legal action against the European Central Bank for twice threatening Ireland to stop us imposing a haircut on senior bondholders, following in the long line of politicians who urge their successors to be more radical than they ever dared to be themselves. I couldn't even stand up to RTE when they made a hames of that presidential debate with Sean Gallagher. I say the government of which I was a proud part was committed to burden sharing that would have saved the Irish Exchequer nearly 15bn. I do not point out that we didn't actually do it, because that would have been too hard. But then isn't that what you tend to do during farewell speeches to the Dail? My words are greeted warmly. I take it as a sign of the respect in which I am held by my fellow parliamentarians, though it could just be that they're relieved to see the back of me, haranguing them every time they try to speak. I conclude by urging another referendum to allow the Dail to hold full inquiries, like the one I oversaw in 2011. Now I'm no longer around to annoy voters with my aggressive sense of entitlement, it might even get passed. I head to TV3, only to find that, not only is Vincent not there tonight, but I also have to share the next hour with some Fianna Failer too young to know how important I am. I call him a "boy" to remind viewers of my legendary wit. He says not to patronise him, but why should he be treated differently to the rest of Ireland? That's FF for you. FRIDAY On Morning Ireland, I criticise certain voters for "generally being a pain in the ass". This is the sort of thing you can say when you don't have to ask for their support at the ballot box any more. I then make the mistake of checking Twitter to see what's being said about me, and am reminded of that time I rightly tried to pass a bill putting manners on the great unwashed on social media. I console myself with the thought that, unlike them, I have a blue tick. I'm not sure exactly what that means but Barack Obama has one too so I must be hugely influential. Someone of a more self-critical bent might wonder if they themselves had helped provoke the rampant hostility in which politicians are now held, but I'd rather just feel sorry for myself. I resolve to make a start on my autobiography. I think I'll call it The Man With A Quip On His Shoulder. * As imagined by Eilis O'Hanlon The deadline for CAO applications is tomorrow at 5.15pm. I have no doubt that record numbers will apply and that next autumn the universities, institutes of technology and other colleges will be bulging at the seams with eager young students. Unfortunately, one in six of them won't make it into second year. That's some 7,000 young people, the equivalent size of many small towns in Ireland. Dropping out of college is not a peculiarly Irish phenomenon as no country has 100pc college retention rates. However, our figures are a cause for concern. There is an economic cost, about 65m per year, but the real cost is to the students themselves in terms of disappointment and missed opportunities. Our drop-out rates raise a host of questions which sprang to mind when I attended the launch of the Government's new National Skills Strategy on Wednesday. BFEI's students do well in terms of satisfying jobs and careers but sadly too few parents, and therefore their children, ever consider further education colleges except as a temporary fail-safe option if the CAO application does not work. Too many see a hierarchy with the universities on top and further education, including apprenticeships, at the bottom. I see it differently, as a continuum of opportunities for young people to realise their ambitions and develop their talents. Parents in other north European countries see it this way too. Germany is the obvious example and there are many leaders of business and industry who came to the top by starting their careers as craft apprentices. The new skills strategy seeks, in part, to address this unhealthy imbalance by signalling a rapid expansion in high-quality apprenticeship and traineeships: an ambitious target of 50,000 has been set. At the same time, post-Leaving Certificate courses, which have developed organically in an unco-ordinated manner in the past few decades, are being reformed and restructured. As the report says: "It is now timely for the State and employers to promote the essential skills attained from Further Education and Training (FET) as a route to skilled employment and not just as a stepping stone to higher education." This is all to the good and I welcome what is planned. Hopefully it will go some way towards addressing our obsession with higher education as the only or the most desirable way to acquire qualifications. It's an obsession mirrored by the media's very significant attention to college entry and Leaving Certificate results; the extent of the coverage is unparalleled anywhere in the EU and throughout most OECD countries. The media is clearly meeting a demand from parents but will we ever see league tables of entry to further education colleges or apprenticeships? Inadequate funding for guidance counselling in our schools means alternative options are not considered. But the blindness is also driven in part by employers who, according to research quoted in the skills report, have limited awareness of their own skills needs and of the opportunities offered by FET. Too often, they simply look for an honours degree from new employees when some other qualification would be more suitable. The obsession is further entrenched by the current funding model of higher education, which encourages some institutions to try to grab a bigger slice of the limited funding pie. Universities are enrolling more students, even those with very low points who simply cannot make the grade, as the recent drop-out figures show. What is happening is that the university sector is getting bigger and pulling students from the institutes of technology, which in turn are pulling students away from the FET sector. To compound the situation, the number of ordinary degree/higher certificate courses (levels 7/6) which the economy needs is shrinking and students are under pressure to sign up for the ever-growing number of level 8 honours degree courses on offer. This is not healthy for the system as a whole, nor is it good for the students. A new funding model for higher education is promised but will the Expert Group drawing up the report also consider the effects of any proposed reforms on this drive by some higher education institutions for increased honours degree student intake, regardless of suitability or need? Yes, it is true that the economy will need more graduates with high-level qualifications for the new job opportunities in the future. But, as the EU agency CEDEFOP reminded us in its latest forecast, Ireland will also have significant numbers of job opportunities requiring medium-level qualifications. The vision outlined in the skills strategy is for an Ireland where the talent of our people thrives through the quality and relevance of our education and training base, which is responsive to the changing and diverse needs of our people, society and the economy. That education and training base includes apprenticeships, traineeships, and further education, as well as universities, institutes of technology and other colleges. It's time to bring our higher education system back into balance. Patrick Prendergast is the provost of Trinity College Dublin and an engineer. Model mum Georgia Penna has said she will not share photos of her husband or baby twin boys on social media. Georgia (31) welcomed her babies in December, six months after she married husband Joe Penna in an intimate ceremony in Portofino, Italy. Although she has 372,000 followers on Instagram and 1.2 million on Facebook, she will not share images from her private life. "I share a very small percentage of my life," she told the Sunday Independent Life magazine. "I look at my Instagram as a fashion and fun account. None of my personal life is up there. My husband, our beautiful babies, our wedding, our general family life, I keep private and always have. "It's the most special and important thing to me, so I don't want to plaster it all over the Internet." However, her husband Joe does feature occasionally although he is very private and does not have an Instagram account of his own. She reveals that she has encountered negativity on social media, although her interactions are usually positive. "To be honest, most people that follow me are so lovely, and it's mostly girls. You'll always get one or two nasty comments. Just stupid stuff. "I'll usually just ignore them, but sometimes I'll have to reply to them. The ones that annoy me the most are "eat something" and "too skinny" and any nasty comments about my friends and family but most of the time people are really nice." Video of the Day Georgia currently divides her time between London, Marbella, Gibraltar and Dublin and has taken a backseat with her modelling career in recent months. Sir Terry Wogan celebrating being given the Freedom of the City of London The Duke of Edinburgh appearing with Sir Terry Wogan on the Wogan chatshow Sir Terry Wogan with a life-size cake replica made to mark the 30th anniversary of his presenting BBC Children in Need, as the veteran broadcaster has died aged 77 following a short illness Sir Terry Wogan with Pudsey the bear during a Children in Need photo call Sir Terry Wogan has been hailed as a "national treasure" after his death from cancer aged 77. The veteran broadcaster, known for his velvety voice on radio and television, was one of the UK and Ireland's best known stars. A statement said Limerick-born Sir Terry died surrounded by his family after "a short but brave battle with cancer". Leading figures in showbusiness and politics paid tribute to the much-loved star, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying he was "someone millions came to feel was their own special friend". Sir Terry was last on air on BBC Radio 2 just under three months ago, on Sunday November 8, and days later was forced to pull out of presenting Children In Need at the last minute due to health issues. A family statement issued by the BBC said: "Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but brave battle with cancer. He passed away surrounded by his family. While we understand he will be missed by many, the family ask that their privacy is respected at this time." Sir Terry, whose career spanned more than four decades, was known for his work on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, Children In Need, and the Eurovision Song Contest. BBC director general Tony Hall described Sir Terry as a "national treasure", adding: " Today we've lost a wonderful friend. He was a lovely, lovely man and our thoughts are with his wife and family. "For 50 years Sir Terry graced our screens and airwaves. His warmth, wit and geniality meant that for millions he was a part of the family." He added: "For decades he's been such a huge part of the BBC on television and radio and leaves so many wonderful memories." Video of the Day Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "My thoughts are with Terry Wogan's family. Britain has lost a huge talent - someone millions came to feel was their own special friend. "I grew up listening to him on the radio and watching him on TV. His charm and wit always made me smile." President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, praised his "distinguished contribution" to TV and radio, adding: " His rise to the top of radio listenership in the United Kingdom was a great tribute to his breadth of knowledge and in particular his unique, very personal sense of humour." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he will be "missed by millions", while First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon said he was a "broadcasting institution". Paying tribute to his friend, BBC broadcaster Jeremy Vine quoted a conversation between Sir Terry and the Queen, during which she asked him how long he had worked at the BBC. Sir Terry replied: "Your Majesty, I've never worked here." Broadcaster Tony Blackburn thanked Sir Terry for "being a friend", p resenter Dermot O'Leary described him as "just the most warm-hearted, generous, funny, clever, life-affirming man", and Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans added: "We are all so terribly sad upon hearing of the passing of Terry. I can't put into words how the whole Radio 2 family is feeling." Speaking outside BBC Broadcasting House, Radio 2 DJ Simon Mayo told the Press Association: "I think people are shocked and stunned because of the fact that he was a radio genius. The staple of all great radio is the friend behind the microphone and he was the ultimate friend behind the microphone." Despite Sir Terry's experience and great reputation Mayo, who first met him covering the 1992 Olympics, said he was the opposite of intimidating. He said: "He was warm, funny, welcoming, generous. You would think 'oh my goodness, it's Sir Terry' and then as soon as you met him he'd offer you a biscuit and some cold curry that had been brought in the night before. I've worked with intimidating broadcasters and Terry wasn't that." Piers Morgan hailed Sir Terry as "one of the greatest broadcasters who ever lived", and f ellow Irishman Graham Norton said: "He made it seem effortless and for a young boy in Ireland he made it seem possible." Pop star Sir Elton John posted a picture on Instagram of he and Sir Terry together from several decades ago, writing: "Such a special and funny man. A brilliant broadcaster and presenter. He came to our civil partnership celebration and was a loyal supporter. Love to his family. E xxxx." Sir Terry lived for more than 40 years with his wife, Lady Helen, in the Buckinghamshire village of Taplow, where he was the patron of the Thames Valley Adventure Playground in Taplow, a centre for disabled children and adults, and once commentated on a celebrity cricket match for charity. Nigel Smales, author of a history of the village, Taplow Moments - for which Sir Terry wrote the foreword - said: "This was a sanctuary to him and Helen in that he was a big, famous person but he came here to be private, and everybody respected that. "While he had some very good friends and some slightly less well-known people like me, he was always very friendly, very convivial, always willing to talk and in fact just what you'd expect to see on television. "He never flaunted his fame, he was just a really nice person, and we're all very sad to hear of his passing." Among the floral tributes laid outside his home was one from Mark Jones, a neighbour and owner of the Wall Of Sounds record label. He said: "He was just one of those legends of television and radio that you grew up with. "He has always had that spirit of friendship." Of all the groups that comprise Iowa's electorate, young female Democrats should be natural supporters of Hillary Clinton. But when Iowa becomes the first US state to choose a Democratic nominee tomorrow, the polls suggest that most young women will back Bernie Sanders, the 74-year-old socialist. One national survey suggests that Mr Sanders enjoys a 19-point lead over Mrs Clinton among women aged 18 to 34. In Iowa, his favourability rating with women is 81pc, well ahead of Clinton's 69pc. Overall, the rival campaigns are almost neck and neck in state-wide polls, but the Sanders campaign believes these young female voters in Iowa could be crucial. "I do think it will be a factor - we've seen it at our rallies," said Tad Devine, Mr Sanders's senior campaign adviser. "I'm surprised by the level of support from young women. Bernie has spoken in front of a total of 60,000 people at rallies in Iowa now and a lot of them have been young women. "They're a large percentage of the people we've identified as supporters and we've seen that across the country, too. "Young people, male and female, look at politics and often feel it's phoney. "With Bernie, there's authenticity. They're really interested in his messages, like affordable college education and healthcare." The first question posed to Hillary Clinton at a town hall meeting in Iowa last week was from a first-time caucus goer called Taylor Gipple. "It feels like there are a lot of young people like myself who are very passionate supporters of Bernie Sanders," he said. "And I just don't see the same enthusiasm from younger people for you. In fact, I've heard from quite a few people my age that they think you're dishonest, but I'd like to hear from you on why you feel the enthusiasm isn't there." Clinton's response blended stern resolve with a touch of slightly theatrical camp. "Look, I've been around a long time," she told him. "They throw all this stuff at me and I'm still standing. But if you're new to politics, if it's the first time you really paid attention, you go, 'Oh my gosh, look at all of this'. And you have to say to yourself, 'Why are they throwing all of that'? "Well, I'll tell you why. Because I've been on the frontlines of change and progress since I was your age." Clinton is a more fluent orator than Sanders, her chief opponent, and has a far less abrasive style. But while Sanders unfurls a vision, on a huge canvas in broad strokes, of the kind of society he would like to see - free healthcare, no state tuition, $15 minimum wage - Clinton paints by numbers. Better rates of interest for student loans; an infrastructure bank; building on Obamacare. All of it possible; none of it exciting. "When Democrats are in power, the economy improves," she says, citing her husband's tenure. "We lifted people out of poverty," and "we created jobs". Not for the first time, Clinton finds herself in an existential battle with a rank outsider - Sanders cast in the role of Barack Obama - which threatens to derail her anticipated processional journey to the White House. Her experience and ever-presence on the public stage seem to be equal parts hindrance and help. At Drake's Diner in the Iowa state capital Des Moines, Lauren Shun, the 25-year-old manager, said many female customers were supporting Mr Sanders. "Young women just like him, I can't really explain why," she said. "He's personable and he's forward-thinking on social issues. I know super-feminists who are going to go vote for him." The diner has been frequented by various presidential candidates and their supporters, and its customers are among the most engaged and best-informed voters. Miss Shun said: "People are really fired up. But the biggest fights are on the Democrat side, over Bernie and Hillary, and people are really torn. "It's another Obama situation, where people were jazzed about Hillary becoming the first woman president, then someone else came along that they liked better." In 2008, Mr Obama defeated Mrs Clinton in Iowa, partly because of his lead among women. After this setback, she called the election of a female president the "highest and hardest glass ceiling". At a rally in the town of Newton, her lack of appeal to young women was clear. "Most of our friends are Bernie supporters," said student Emma Zimmerman, 20. "They don't trust Hillary." Regardless of gender, the Iowa polls suggest that more than four-fifths of all 18-34-year-olds back Sanders. The disparity between his advanced age and the youthfulness of many of his supporters was on display as he addressed teenagers at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines. He looked a little uncomfortable as a 17-year-old girl asked for his views on sex education. Mrs Clinton still leads by around 18 points in national polls, but if Mr Sanders can win Iowa, her advantage could diminish. His key challenge will be ensuring that first-time voters actually go to the polls, which is why he has recruited 100 paid staff and 15,000 volunteers. "Barack Obama did that in 2008 and it's going to be easier for us than it was for him," Mr Devine said. "I can't tell you with complete confidence that we'll win, but I think we can win." Telegraph Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] The rebel leader is confident his fighters will lay down their arms The head of Colombia's largest rebel group has told a major magazine that he believes that 99% of all guerrillas in his group will abandon their arms once a peace accord is signed with the government. The head of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia known as Timochenko spoke with the Semana magazine for an interview published in Sunday's edition. He rarely gives interviews to the press. Timochenko's statement is in response to warnings by some political experts in the country that hundreds of the 7,000 guerrillas who belong to the group known as the Farc may have become so dependent on the cultivation of coca for their income that they will not want to give up it or their weapons. What would you do if you had always been told your mother had died when you were a baby but you had never believed it? Would you pursue the truth, knowing it could turn out to be more painful than the lies? For Phyllis Whitsell, the answer was never in doubt. She had dreamed of meeting her mother ever since she was a little girl. So when the opportunity came - 20 years later - to find her, nothing was going to stand in her way. Even if it meant not telling her mother who she was. "I had always been told my parents were married and that my father had died first and my mother six months later," says Phyllis (59). "But it just never rang true." Phyllis was four when she was adopted from Father Hudson's Homes, a Catholic orphanage in Coventry run by an order of fierce nuns - and taken to live with a family in Coleshill, near Birmingham, who told her they wanted "a sister for their daughter". As a child she prayed that wherever her birth mother was, a guardian angel was watching over her. "I sensed she was alive and that things weren't well with her," she says. "No mother would give up their child for adoption unless there were problems." But it wasn't until she was 25 and working as a district nurse in Birmingham that Phyllis made contact with a social worker who helped her track down the details of her adoption. And so began a remarkable journey that would eventually lead her to her mother's doorstep, and which she chronicles in a forthcoming book. The first step was to revisit her old orphanage. There, she met a woman who had been there when she was first brought in as a baby and who was still working there. It was she who told her her mother's name: Bridget Mary Larkin. She had been, said the woman, a desperately troubled character and an alcoholic. After suffering terribly at the hands of her brother at home in Co Tipperary, Ireland, she had moved to Coventry and gone on to have five children by five different men, none of whom had remained in her care. Phyllis, the second child, was born in 1956 and spent the first eight months of her life being left on her own to cry herself red in the face while Bridget was in the pub. "She realised she couldn't keep me safe," says Phyllis. "So she wanted to give me to people who could look after me." With the help of a probation officer, Phyllis tracked her mother down. Bridget had been in constant trouble with the police over the years for being a disruptive drunk and getting into fights, and the probation officer warned Phyllis that though her mother was alive, she was in a bad way. She was living in Birmingham's red-light district and was known in the area as "mad old Tipperary Mary", often seen drunk and in a terrible state. "I finally had the address but I put off going to see her for another year. I was pregnant with my first child and was worried it would affect my pregnancy," said Phyllis. It was in 1981 when, cradling her son, Stuart, in her arms for the first time that Phyllis felt an overwhelming urge to go and see her mother. "It was that feeling of immediate love after all the pain, and the idea that this little person was depending on me. I just thought for anyone to go through that and then to have to give [the child] away seemed so desperate. I started thinking, 'I care for all these people in my job every day; why couldn't I care for my mum, too?' Knowing how ill she was, I was starting to worry our time might run out." So, eight weeks after giving birth, Phyllis set out to see her mother. Dressed in her nurse's uniform, and with Stuart in the back of the car and her husband, Stephen, beside her, she drove across Birmingham. Standing outside the dilapidated house, Phyllis had to steel herself to knock on the door. She had decided she would not tell her mother who she was. "I knew she could cause major problems if it all went wrong, and I was determined she would not wreck my life or my baby's," she says. "I just wanted to be near her. I stepped into the house and looked up into the dark. And there she was, sitting on a step at the top of the stairs. She looked exhausted. She was in a terrible state." Phyllis didn't treat Bridget for anything on that first visit, she just sat with her and listened to her rambling. Within minutes, her mother got on to the subject of little Phyllis, "the lovely baby she had had to give away". "She mentioned by name the orphanage where she had left me," says Phyllis. "She knew my birthday. But she didn't know I was sitting in front of her. I stayed for about half an hour, and promised to come back. As I was going out the door, she took a piece of my hair and moved it out of my eyes - just as a mum would do. It was all I could do not to throw my arms round her and say, 'I'm here! It's Phyllis!' But I couldn't do it." Phyllis kept her resolve and never told her mother who she was. Instead, she quietly added Bridget to her rounds and nursed her for nine years, through her slow decline from dementia until her death. Bridget's funeral was attended by just five mourners. "Afterwards we walked past mum's old local," says Phyllis, now a mother of three. "My daughter, Hannah, said, 'Come on, mum, let's go in and have a drink for her'. So we had half a lager each for Tipperary Mary. "I was the lucky one because I got to know her in the end. It was quite a privilege." 'Finding Tipperary Mary' by Phyllis Whitsell is published by Trinity Mirror Media Telegraph Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] HORRIFYING SCENES: Turkish police officers put the body of a child into a body bag on a beach in Canakkales Bademli district after at least 39 migrants drowned when their boat, below, capsized in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Photos: Getty Images Corpses could be seen strewn along a Turkish beach yesterday after a boat overloaded with migrants collided with rocks, drowning at least 39 people. The accident occurred only a few hundred yards from the shore and claimed the lives of five children. A boy was photographed lying dead on a stony beach. Orange life jackets and the tattered luggage and possessions of those on board lay nearby. Some 75 survivors were rescued from a total of about 114 passengers crammed on to a vessel just 56ft in length. The boat was heading for the Greek island of Lesbos, only five miles away, and the disaster seems to have taken place at the very beginning of the journey. Spring and summer are traditionally when migrants strive to cross the Mediterranean, but recently fugitives have not waited for better weather and boats have set off from Turkey throughout the winter. Including yesterday's tragedy, at least 250 people are known to have drowned between Turkey and Greece so far in January, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The total for the whole of last year on the same routes was 805. If the death rate remains at this level, the number killed during all of 2015 will be exceeded by mid-April. The stricken vessel made its way from the Turkish resort of Ayvacik. Saim Eskioglu, the local deputy governor, told Turkish CNN that the boat "hit rocks soon after it left the coast". He added that more corpses were probably still inside the wreck. Most of those on board were thought to be Syrians. Others are understood to be from Afghanistan and Burma. The Turkish coastguard sent three rescue boats supported by a helicopter and a team of divers to the scene. A Turk was arrested on suspicion of being the people smuggler who organised the attempted crossing. Survivors were taken to a local hospital for treatment for various conditions, including hypothermia. Such incidents have become almost daily occurrences in the waters between Turkey and the Greek islands. Another 26 were killed a day later in a shipwreck off the island of Samos after 65 passengers were crammed on board a vessel designed to carry a maximum of 30. All were Kurds from northern Iraq, where terrorists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have overrun a large area of traditionally Kurdish territory. The IOM said that "despite winter weather" and "strong winds", more than 52,000 migrants and refugees had arrived in the Greek islands since the beginning of January. In previous years, the number of new arrivals has fallen sharply during the winter months. But the story in 2016 has, so far, been very different. The number of people making the crossing in the teeth of winter is roughly equal to those who came during the summer. Last July - when the sea was calm and conditions most favourable - about 55,000 people completed the journey from Turkey to Greece. So far in January, about 2,000 arrivals have been recorded in the Greek islands every day - roughly equal to the total number who came during the entire month of January in 2014. An IOM survey has found that 90pc of the migrants and refugees arriving in Greece are from Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan. About 2.5 million Syrian refugees have arrived in Turkey. The country has agreed to take a series of steps to reduce the "push factors" that might impel people to embark on the dangerous journey to Europe, including the offer of work permits for any refugees who have been registered for at least six months. So far, however, there is little sign of these measures reducing the outward flow of migrants. Telegraph Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Jack Letts, in a picture thought to have been taken near the Taqba Dam in Syria, and his parents John Letts and Sally Lane (inset) A former Oxford schoolboy has denied reports he has joined Isis, but labelled David Cameron "an evil creature"and described the US-led bombing of Syria as a diseased plot designed to kill off all Muslims "one by one". In his first interview since reports accused him of becoming the first white British man to travel to Syria and join the jihadist group, Jack Letts insists he has travelled to the so-called Islamic State to spread the word of Allah and help "take down" the government of Bashar al-Assad. Expand Close A picture posted by Jack Letts after leaving his Oxford home / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A picture posted by Jack Letts after leaving his Oxford home "I can speak Arabic and English," he said. "Thats like my only skill. Ive spent efforts to take down the Syrian government." In the interview, conducted over messaging app Telegram, Mr Letts, who has been widely dubbed "Jihadi Jack", confirms he is still in Syria and admits he will probably be put in prison if he tries to return to the UK. Expand Close Mr Letts had been the 'class clown' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Letts had been the 'class clown' He also calls on British people to convert to Islam and says David Cameron is "f not actually mentally ill [then] an evil creature". "If Britain stopped bombing Muslims in Syria, the Muslims in Syria would stop attacking them... is that hard to understand?" he says. Expand Close Jack Letts' parents John and Sally Lane / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jack Letts' parents John and Sally Lane The 20-year-old says Isis has been subjected to a "media frenzy", insisting militants are not committing atrocities in Syria as bad as the US-led coalition, which has been bombing positions in the country for the past 18 months. "The US-led coalition is a plan concocted in the diseased hearts and minds of some of Allah's enemies," he says. "A plot with the intention of collecting sincere Muslims who believe in taking action for their religion in one place and then killing them off one by one. "Despite the media frenzy surrounding them, Ive never seen Isis kill Muslim kids. I have, however, seen the coalition do so." On Sunday, Mr Letts was named as having joined the jihadist group. The reports were accompanied by a picture of him seemingly giving the one-fingered salute many associate with Isis. Mr Letts, who attended Cherwell School in Oxford, converted to Islam as a teenager and left his home more than a year ago. He was accused of admitting to his parents that he was with the group in September 2014. He subsequently posted private messages to hisFacebook account in which he accused the press of telling lies about him because of his Islamic faith. His Facebook account appears to have since been suspended. His parents, John and Sally Letts, an organic farmer and former books editor respectively, have described him as "kind, funny and gentle", and said they feel "betrayed" by the media coverage of their son. There is no way of corroborating the accuracy of Mr Letts claims. In order to confirm his identity, Mr Letts was asked to provide a sound recording of his voice, which was then verified with two unrelated people who know him. They both said it was Mr Letts' voice. While there is no indication Jack Letts was speaking while under duress during the interview, it has not been possible to verify for certain that his answers were given with no immediate influence from other parties. Mr Letts' parents have not responded to a request for comment. A full transcript of the interview is provided below. What made you leave the UK? What was the deciding factor? To come to Syria. To leave dar al kufr [the land of disbelievers]. Why are you out in Syria? To spread the religion of Allah and to help Muslims. I can speak Arabic and English. Thats like my only skill. Ive spent efforts to take down the Syrian government. Thats all I want to say There have been reports in the UK that you've joined Isis, what do you make of that? Ive made a clear response to this already. If youre gonna ask me questions, Im not going to repeat something Ive already addressed, InshaAllah. Have you joined Isis? Im not Isis, but I believe in the Sharia. I believe we should follow Islam how the first Muslims did. I also think that whatever I say, the media will probably freestyle with it and make up more nicknames for me as a result of the void they have in their lives. What do you think about Isis? Can you give us an insight into what's going on Syria with Isis? They've recently released a video saying they'll attack the UK - what are your thoughts on that? Im doing my own thing. I dont focus that much on what Isis does. Also this may sound strange but this is genuinely the first time someones told me they threatened to attack the UK, which is probably a bit embarrassing, seeing as Im in Syria and youd expect Id hear these things. If Britain stopped bombing Muslims in Syria the Muslims in Syria would stop attacking them. Is that hard to understand? What do you think of the treatment of Muslims in Syria? The Muslims in Syria are burned alive, raped, abused, imprisoned and much more. I also think that some of Muslims I met here are living like walking mountains. Full of honour. Who do you think is responsible? I think a number of different people/nations are responsible. Bashaar and his buddies, Russia and their buddies etc. The media. Do you think you'll ever come back to Britain? Also - do you have a message to people in Britain? They wont let me come back without putting me in prison probably. I would like to make it clear that David Cameron, if not actually mentally ill, is an evil creature who failed to understand his own existence correctly. With this foundation as his character, he ended up chatting rubbish and lying his way into power before taking out what, I expect, is built-up stress from being bullied for his forehead at school, on the rest of the world with the weapons his buddy America gave him. My message for them is to embrace Islam. To think, well, did this universe come from nothing or did it create itself? To not be confused by the media or the fact that the Koran is in Arabic etc. Islam is the same religion of all the prophets and Allah decided to send the final prophet in Makkah. Leave your worship of money, celebrities, and other filth and direct all worship to the one who truly deserves it. I hope like this you will realise why people sacrifice all they have for the religion of Mohamed (Peace be upon him). Learn the declaration of faith, understand it, say it sincerely and then act by it. Thats how you will succeed. Can I ask if you agree with what Isis is doing? And if you have plans to join Isis? What are the aspects you agree with and disagree with? I believe in ruling by the Sharia. Can I ask you your thoughts towards the US-led coalition? And towards Isis? I believe the US-led coalition is a plan concocted in the diseased hearts and minds of some of Allah's enemies. A plot with the intention of collecting sincere Muslims who believe in taking action for their religion in one place and then killing them off one by one. Its fuelled by their hatred for the truth and their sickening world view that even non-Muslims hate them for. Of course, I differ with any one of my Muslim brothers who makes a mistake with regards to his mistake, and they remain my brother as long as they dont commit disbelief. Regardless of who they are. But I believe the US and her bedfellows use things like Isis to alienate their enemies and dehumanise the brothers and sisters they present to their dead-hearted pilots as target practice, which, I suppose, leads us back to their hatred of Islam and the Muslims. Ive seen Muslims burned alive as a result of what the US calls 'hellfire missiles'. Ive seen the little girls that lived around the corner from me at my old house hide from American jets and plugging their ears from the sound. Isis has huge mistakes, I dont deny that, but the coalition has far worse mistakes. As a separate point, despite the media frenzy surrounding them, Ive never seen Isis kill Muslim kids. I have, however, seen the coalition do so. Photos by Ken Ruinard/Independent Mail Family and friends leave the funeral of longtime educator Margaret Mack at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Anderson. By Kirk Brown of the Independent Mail Hundreds attend funeral of longtime educator Margaret Mack Poetry and inspiring stories highlighted Saturday's funeral of longtime educator Margaret Mack. Mack was the first black teacher at two schools in the 1960s, including T.L. Hanna High School in Anderson, where she spent the bulk of her 43-year career as an English teacher. She died Monday at age 78. Friar Aubrey McNeil told more than 200 people at Saint Joseph Catholic Church that Mack was a "simple woman from South Carolina" who "changed the face of the world." He also said she would have encouraged those at the funeral that "you can do the same thing." "She believed that every youth had great potential and we should all care for their potential and see that it be developed," he said. "She has touched so many people with this type of philosophy." Former T.L. Hanna Principal Sheila Hilton recounted two stories about Mack, including one that she said Mack wanted mentioned at her funeral. The story involved Mack's insistence that her 11th-grade English students meet the deadline on their research papers. According to Hilton, Mack told the students, "If you pass away, you have your funeral procession stop by T.L. Hanna High School and drop that research paper off." A group of students decided to pull a prank on Mack based on that admonition, Hilton said. They had funeral home workers carry a casket with a student inside gripping a research paper into one of her classes. "She quietly went over, took that research paper out that student's hand and continued to teach her class," Hilton said. Hilton also recalled the day when award-winning actress Alfre Woodard called Mack while she was preparing for a role in "Radio," a movie based on the life of Anderson resident Robert "Radio" Kennedy. Hilton said Mack sternly told the actress that she could not speak to her until after she finished teaching a class. Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts said many people have told him about the difference that Mack made in their lives. "She was a heck of a woman," Roberts said. Mary West, who was a classmate of Mack's at Westside High School, recalled working with her on a book chronicling the history of black schools in Anderson a task that took eight years to complete. "She was so proud of that book," she said. After retiring as a teacher, Mack served for nine years on the Anderson School District 5 board of trustees. Board Chairman Rick Bradshaw praised Mack for her career as an educator. "She taught so much more than English," said Bradshaw, adding that Mack "was so many things to so many people." Mack's brother, South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services Director Jerry Adger, said he never would have completed his college degree and gone on to graduate school without her encouragement. "It was her calling to educate," he said. Mack's daughter, Candice Mack Harding, and grandson, Jonathan Russell Harding, ended the service by reading a poem that Mack wrote. One of the verses from the poem read: "If you want to remember me, remember I like to teach. It is my cherished legacy for each student I try to reach." After the funeral, Mack was buried at New Silver Brook Cemetery in Anderson. Follow Kirk Brown on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM SHARE By Vince Jackson Pickens County Council seeks legal counsel in coal ash controversy PICKENS COUNTY The Pickens County Council has retained the services of an environmental lawyer in the ongoing controversy involving the possible dumping of coal ash in the Liberty area. Spartanburg attorney Gary W. Poliakoff has been retained by the county to look at the legality of dumping tons of coal ash in the landfill each year, according to county officials. Poliakoff was unavailable for comment, but his website indicates he works in the area of contamination and toxic exposure litigation. In 2007 the Liberty area landfill was approved by the county as a construction debris facility. When the property was originally purchased by landfill operator MRR Pickens, LLC is unclear. Recently, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control granted permission to MRR to install a synthetic landfill liner suitable for retaining coal ash. MRR could not be reached for comment to verify if the liner is now in place. A DHEC spokesperson said the liner was approved because MRR has met all requirements to allow for the upgrade. Councilman Trey Whitehurst said MRR may have misrepresented its intensions when it got a permit from DHEC for a landfill liner. News reports have indicated that the Pickens County Council knew about the approval of the liner and coal ash being considered for the landfill. "The council was never consulted about coal ash or the liner," Whitehurst said. Anyone who says the council was aware of the situation is not telling the truth, he said. In January 2015 MRR consulted with the county about continuing development of its private landfill site, which was delayed because of weak economic conditions. At that time the subject of the disposal of hazardous materials was addressed and all parties agreed hazardous materials would not be allowed in the landfill, according to county records. Recently, MRR asked for permission to widen an access road leading to the property. "When MRR asked for the road widening the county realized something else was going on," Whitehurst said. As a result of the dispute the county is working with legal counsel and is considering taking legal action against DHEC as well, according to Whitehurst. Whitehurst said the landfill is located near a wetlands. According to industry experts, leaching of toxic materials into the water supply is a concern with coal ash disposal methods. Other members of the Pickens County Council could not be reached for comment. The Pickens County Council will meet in executive session regarding the lawsuit Monday at its regularly scheduled council meeting. I was recently asked why it appears to be so difficult for Indiana lawmakers to pass a bill that protects the LGBT community from discrimination and at the same time, religious freedom. My half joking response to that person was that they were expecting the same body that cant figure out Sunday alcohol sales to thread the needle of non-discrimination vs. religious freedom, good luck with that one. All kidding aside, while a lot of people say the civil rights issue should not be that complicated, unfortunately it is and it has nothing to do with religious freedom. First of all, for a number of lawmakers, particularly those in rural areas, the LGBT rights issue is not a big deal. I know it sounds harsh, but its true. Ive been speaking to a number of State Representatives and Senators from small towns and rural communities. When they have their town hall meetings, the tops issues are roads, jobs and schools. They might be lucky to get one question about the LGBT issue. So we shouldnt be shocked that they dont get worked up over something that their constituents dont. Of course there is the irony that nearly 80% of the job creation in Indiana takes place in communities that protect LGBT rights, but thats another column for another time. Second theres the politics of a tough vote. This one isnt as much complicated as it is a fact of life. Lets face it, a lot of politicians arent necessarily profiles in courage and they wont take a tough vote unless someone drags them kicking and screaming to it. Theres also the fact that we are about to enter primary season. And either the lawmaker doesnt want to get a primary challenger or to have the issue used against them by one of their primary opponents as they either run for re-election or seek a higher office. Third, theres what I call the American Beauty factor. Look up the film and pay close attention to the reason why Kevin Spaceys character is killed. But if you dont have time, let me spell this part out for you, some folks just dont like the LGBT community. Either its just a straight up dislike, borderline hatred or they have their own unresolved issues. And this subject makes their lives more difficult because it either goes against their own personal prejudices or its just another thing that would have to make them come to terms with who they really are and for that crowd denial is a lot more than a river that runs through Cairo. So when you throw in the above mentioned reasons, on top of the religious freedom and conscious arguments, its a lot of easier to grasp why the LGBT equality rights issue is swimming upstream at the Indiana General Assembly. Personally, I support full protection for the LGBT community. I think it can be done while respecting religious rights. But then again, Im smarter and more enlightened that most people. I also understand politics and with all these moving parts, unfortunately, the longer this goes on, the more I dont think it will pass at the state level. Id go have a drink to lament this fact, but Im writing this on Sunday and its illegal for the grocery store to sell me a bottle of alcohol. Jan 30: The recent news in the media about France cancelling the Lunch to be hosted by President Francois Hollande for the visiting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the 3-nation tour of Europe this week, is old wine in the new bottle since the decision to call off was announced and reported last November, this situation being in sharp contrast to a similar visit by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last April when wine was served with dinner for the teetotaler and his team whereas a similar Banquet in India would not see any alcohol served The diplomatic lunch with Francois Hollande was reportedly dropped as the French refused to bow to demands for halal meat to be served and without any wine. A Report by Independent on November 11, 2015 had said, Ahead of Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis landmark European trip kicking off this weekend, French officials reportedly nixed plans for a formal meal in Paris with President Francois Hollande following a dispute over the menu. The Iranians, according to Frances RTL Radio, insisted on a wine-free meal with halal meat a request based on Islamic codes that amounted to culinary sacrilege in France, a nation that puts the secular ideals of the Republic above all else. The proposed lunch was planned in an upmarket Paris restaurant for the Iranian President for whom this is a historic trip-a first for an Iranian leader in the past seventeen years. An alternative invitation with a presumably wine -free breakfast was rejected by the offended Iranians because they felt it would appear too cheap. France cherishes its gastronomy and is not willing to give any cultural concessions citing republican traditions, according to Independent. Earlier, during his visit to Italy before France, wine was not served at the official dinner held in Mr Rouhanis honour in Rome. This is reportedly a standard Italian diplomatic gesture for visiting Muslim dignitaries. It is any ones guess whether this gesture helped Italy sign business deals worth around 16 billion. The incident also highlights the diplomatic tolerance and flexibility of India. When Prime Minister Modi visited France on a similar tour in April last year, 3 top quality French wines were served from Champagne, Burgundy and Bordeaux at the State Banquet- Champagne Drappier La Grande Sendree 2005, Joseph Drouhin Clos des Mouches Premier Cru 2009 and Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1999. The Indian Constitution discourages the use of alcohol and therefore, no wine or other alcohol is served at Indian State Banquets. Indian dignitaries are known to raise the toast with a glass of water only. (Indian Wine Academy and delWine strongly support and advocate serving Indian wines at the State Banquets in India and Indian embassies overseas which is now being done gradually). However, our government did not raise a fuss about the different French culture and tradition. This could have played a small role in the French President agreeing to visit India as a Chief Guest at the Annual Republic Day Parade celebrating 67 years of India becoming a Republic, on Tuesday January 26. Ironically, Iran (Persia) is known as one of the oldest wine producing nations in the world and Shiraz grape popularized by France might have originated in the Iranian city of Shiraz which was known to have been popular also with Mughal emperors who ruled India before the British. Although, according to historical notes, wine was imported from Iran, and later the grape was even grown in India for the British wine drinkers in collaboration with Iranian businessmen, the Islamic Revolution banned the use of alcohol in 1979. Recently it announced a proposal that will aim to ban even the mention of the word Wine in all the new books. For details, please visit Wine may be soon extinct in Iran click for earlier Articles Wine may be soon extinct in Iran Blog: GIFT for Indian Wines at State Banquets Subhash Arora It is for the first time that the endangered snow leopards have been caught on camera in the north eastern state of Sikkim. There is evidence of these animals inhabiting in the high altitudes of North Sikkim, which includes parts of the Khangchendzonga National Park. Previously, there have been estimates based on information from Dokpas, the states yak herders. But, this isnt coming from them. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India has released a report confirming the presence of the big cat in the same region. Under their project Conservation and Adaptation in Asias High Mountains', WWF has set camera traps. This initiative aims at gathering information on the status of snow leopards, their wild prey base, and the threats that the snow leopards face in Sikkim. It is expected to be completed by 2017. WWF-India WWF-India has been working in Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim to understand the snow leopards status in India. According to their report, Information on the distribution of this elusive cat is scanty its current range is poorly mapped mainly due to the high and inhospitable terrain. The snow leopards in Sikkim are contiguous with its populations in Nepal, making it one of the key habitats for ensuring the animals long term survival in the Eastern Himalayas. The big cat has been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Additionally, WWF-India is working with local communities and the Indian Armed Forces to raise awareness on the fragile ecology of the Himalayas and involve them in wildlife monitoring programmes. WWf-India This isnt the first time the camera traps have captured unique species. Previously, other wildlife like the rare pallas cat, blue sheep and the Tibetan argali have also been spotted by the same camera traps. bollywoodlife It's been close to two months since Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone starrer Bajirao Mastani hit screens. One of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's most ambitious projects, the film faced a lot of difficulties and criticism for distorting historical facts. And for the very same reason, the film and its makers often ran into some legal trouble or the other at the time of its release. But looks like the troubled times are still not over for the film as Madhya Pradesh High Court has recently issued legal notice to SLB, Ranveer, Deepika, and even to broadcasting ministry and the censor board. This has happened because the script was apparently not shown to the decedents of the royal family. Tamkeen Ali Bahadur, a descendant of Bajirao Mastani has moved the Jabalpur bench of the court claiming that this movie has done an irreparable loss to his family's social image by showing distorted facts. He said the censor board was asked either to show them the complete movie or to share a copy of the movie's script before its release, but to no avail. All those who have been issued the notice have been asked by the Jabalpur bench to submit an explanation within four weeks. Tamkeen Ali is a decedent of Shamsher Ali, son of Mastani, who became the Nawab of Banda. Well, let's just hope the ongoing controversies finally end for the movie. A new Chinese military outfit is pushing to enhance its cyber security, online espionage capabilities and prepare itself for cyber warfare if need be, said, Chinese military observers and analysts. "It's going to make them far more effective," said John Costello, a Washington-based analyst who focuses on China's cyber capabilities. Senior officials from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and other analysts have started giving out details of the country's new Strategic Support Force or SSF. SSF was officially announced at the end of last year as China began work in completely overhauling the armed forces. "It will most likely increase the sophistication of cyber intrusions and cyber-reconnaissance over the long term. It will make them a lot more formidable to sustain cyber operations in a contested environment." SSF will also be assisting civilian government departments with lessons on cyber defence. telegraph.co.uk Rear Admiral Yin Zhuo, director of the PLA Navy's Expert Consultation Committee, while speaking to the official People's Daily online said, "(China is) facing many hackers on the Internet engaging in illegal activities against our country, for example online attacks against important government facilities, military facilities, and important civilian facilities. So it's imperative that we're equipped with defensive strength accordingly." Admiral Zhou who's known to be an expert on communications technology in the military also added that the force would focus on global positioning operations and space assets. China's expanding cyber security power is a cause of worry for its relationship with the United States, who have accused China of sponsoring hackers to steal data from its companies time and again. However, Beijing has been denying these allegations, saying that China itself has been a victim of such attacks. picdn.net United States' Pentagon sees cyber espionage as a top security concern. Back in 2014, a US indictment accused five Chinese military officers of hacking into American nuclear, metal and solar companies and stealing trade secrets. China obviously denied any such charges and called them "made up." Song Zhongping, a respected Beijing-based military expert, said the SSF was more than a support force, and should be considered as a military branch. He mentioned that the force is made up of three parts, including one with "hacker troops" for cyber-attacks and defence, as well as space and electronic warfare. The electronic warfare unit would work on interference with the enemy radar and communications while the space force will focus on all types of reconnaissance and satellite navigation said Song. The new force could also incorporate civilian technology including cloud computing, artificial intelligence and nanotechnology, state media reported this month. A Kolkata court has sentenced three convicts to death and three others to life imprisonment for the gang-rape and murder of a 20-year-old girl in West Bengal's Kamduni. Indian Express Saiful Ali, Ansar Ali and Amin Ali were awarded death penalty after they were found guilty under sections 302 (murder), 376A (rape), 376D (gangrape), 120B (criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) under the IPC. Emanul Islam, Bhola Naskar and Aminur Islam have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Two accused were let off due to lack of evidence, while one of the accused died during the trial. The incident happened on June 7, 2013, when the victim, a college student, was abducted by the convicts on her way back home in Kamduni village on the outskirts of Kolkata. She was raped and killed by a gang of nine men. Her mutilated body was found a day later. Despite thousands of people hitting the streets demanding justice for the victim's family and the manner in which the probe was carried, the government came under fire for mocking the activists. PTI Chief minister Mamata Banerjee who visited the victim's family 10 days after the incident had claimed that the protesters were Maoists. At 28, she has created an underwater drone that can map ocean floors and explore the deep sea, where even GPS doesn't work. Kolkata girl Sampriti Bhattacharya's invention the Hydroswarm has been patented and is quite a rage with the defence sector and oil giants. What's more, Forbes has featured her among the top 30 most powerful young change agents of the world. Sampriti, who left the city about seven years back for her masters, is now a PhD scholar at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Hydroswarm was created as part of her research thesis. "Underwater navigation has been a reality for many years but for advanced searches you need maps that are as refined as, say, the Google map. This is where my drone comes in. It can map the ocean, sitting on its bed, and you can zero in on the minutest objects, living or non-living. Aerial drones are cool! But would you want to see an underwater drone @tcdisrupt? I made one @chr1sa @helengreiner pic.twitter.com/j8Gmt1TMGe Hydroswarm (@hydroswarm) September 21, 2015 You can even map underwater pollution with the help of this drone You can even map underwater pollution with the help of this drone," said Sampriti, who was in Kolkata for a short while and returned to the US on Thursday. A South Point alumnus, she studied engineering at St Thomas College and did her masters in aerospace engineering at Ohio State University before switching to robotics at MIT. She told the Times of India that she always wanted to create an underwater robot because there was not easy way to study the ocean floor. The only option was the very expensive remotely operated underwater vehicles generally used to track warships. The Supreme Court will hold an unprecedented, open-court reconsideration of a controversial ruling by it that upheld the validity of a Victorian-era law that makes homosexuality illegal. The case will be heard by a bench led by Chief Justice of India TS Thakur starting February 2. The earlier judgement by Justices GS Singhvi and SJ Mukhopadhyaya had raised hackles of the LGBT community and civil liberties activists wikimedia A review petition had also been dismissed, prompting NGO Naz Foundation, which works among the community, to file a curative petition. This is the last legal option for any litigant in the country's top court. Any such petition has to be vetted by leading senior advocates of the top court and is examined threadbare by a bench comprising four other top judges of the court. Attempts by activists to have a law passed in Parliament to undo the ruling didn't succeed. The Delhi High Court had raised hopes among activists when it had read down Section 377, IPC, to exclude adult consensual sex from its ambit. It restricted this to being used to deal with child sexual abuse and other sexual offences of a more violent nature. However, the top court set aside the high court judgement and said that it cannot change the law to keep pace with the times. Instead, the top court lobbed the issue back into the parliamentary domain and asked activists praying for a change in law to approach lawmakers. Activists are citing changes in laws all over the world to recognize the rights of the LGBT community. They also say that ancient India didn't frown upon homosexuality. The Naz Foundation case will be argued by senior advocate Anand Grover. Rescuers on Friday pulled out four miners who had spent 36 days trapped underground in a collapsed mine in China, state media reported. AP The miners had been stuck in a gypsum mine in Shandong province since December 25, when the mine caved in trapping 29 people alive. While fifteen people have been rescued so far, one has been confirmed dead, and 13 others still remain unaccounted for. Five days later, Chinese authorities had launched a search mission for the missing miners. They had inserted an infra-red camera inside the mine as a physical search operation is still impossible inside. After the four of them were spotted by the camera, some 200 metres below ground, rescue workers dug a tunnel through which food and water were supplied to those trapped inside. AP Xinhua AP China News On Friday they were pulled up one by one, using specially designed man-sized capsules. This is the moment the first of 4 miners was successfully rescued after 36 days from a collapsed Chinese mine. pic.twitter.com/n65wEybXLS CCTV America (@CCTV_America) January 29, 2016 Even though they were immediately rushed to a hospital, their condition is still unknown. There is no information of the 13 people still missing. Two days after the collapse of the mine, its owner Ma Congbo drowned himself by jumping into a mine. Four government officials have been fired in connection with the incident. China has a long history of mine accidents, where safety precautions are often overlooked. In 2014 alone 931 people were killed in mine accidents in China. Since joining Google (which has won more than 100 awards for its employment practices since 2006), senior vice president of people operations Laszlo Bock has seen the company grow from 6,000 to nearly 60,000 employees. Reuters According to his book Work Rules!, he developed management strategies that have made Google one of the most desirable places to work for top tech talent. So, here are some things that you may not have heard about working at the search giant. Google has a hiring committee According to Bock, most people are biased and a decision can be made during the first 10 seconds of an interview. After making a snap judgement a person can assume he has insight on the interviewee qualities. Then the manager will actually spend the rest of the interview looking for data to confirm the hypothesis he created. AP For this reason, Google has a hiring committee the sole job of which is to maintain quality. Its decision cant be questioned by the management or the team. Brain teasers arent as useful as you think Although Google built a reputation on asking brain teaser questions forcing candidates to think outside the box, they do not predict how well an employee will do. Everyone likes to ask case questions and brain-teasers. It turns out our data shows that there is no correlation between your ability to do that (answers brain-teasers questions) and performance. AP Instead, better questions for Google are structured interview questions that "are not rocket science." To screen for problem-solving. A better question is Give me an example of a hard problem you solved so the interviewer can then make his or her opinion from specific examples. Managers dont have all the power We tend to forget what life was when we were an employee, according to Bock: Weve all been managed and what we want is just to get our work done. Somebody says take that hill, we will figure out how to do it, we just want to get it done. AP In his opinion managers, get involved with all kinds of tasks they shouldnt because they have to believe they hired the best people for the job in the first place. Focus on small things Employees learn best when they focus on little things which then becomes part of something bigger. According to Bock employees learn best with two things: Immediate repetition of one particular skill as well as immediate feedback and course direction. AP Instead of doing big management courses and initiatives figure out what you want people to practice on, and practice that discreet skill. Bock said. Pay isnt fair at Google Bock has previously stated that there have been times at Google when one employee received a stock award of around $10,000 and another employee in the same role received a stock award of $1 million. For him talent doesnt follow a normal distribution, so neither should salaries. AP Ordinary pay systems are based on a misguided notion of fairness, and so have a relatively small difference between the highest- and lowest-paid employees. Never do counter offers People come and go all the time but the very best will never take the call from the recruiter according to Bock. Making counter offers incentivizes the wrong employees. AP At Google the most talented employees will also have a well-designed compensation package to retain the most qualified. China has built a potent military machine over the past 30 years but is struggling to develop advanced engines that would allow its warplanes to match Western fighters in combat, foreign and Chinese industry sources said. indiandefencereview The country's engine technology lags behind that of United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney, General Electric and Rolls-Royce, said Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. China's defence ministry, in a brief statement to Reuters, said there was a "definite gap" between Chinese military technology and some developed countries, adding Beijing would continue to strengthen its armed forces. No western engines Western restrictions on arms exports to China prohibit the sale of Western engines for military use, forcing China to rely on homegrown designs or engines Russia has agreed to sell. "Chinese engine-makers face a multitude of problems," said Michael Raska, assistant professor in the military transformations programme at Singapore's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies. PopSci Among the issues, China's J-20 and J-31 stealth fighters cannot super-cruise, or fly at supersonic speeds like their closest rivals, Lockheed Martin's F-22 and F-35 stealth planes, without using after-burners, said two industry sources who follow Beijing's military programmes closely. After-burners remove a warplane's stealthiness, a capability that allows them to escape radar detection. Even the warplane engine, that experts consider to be China's best, has reliability issues, said the sources, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. A Chinese military expert, who has knowledge of the government's defence policy but who declined to be identified, said Chinese fighter jets could not perform as well as American warplanes because of inferior engine technology. That puts China at a disadvantage should its warplanes be pitted against US jet fighters or those from security ally Japan in Asia's disputed waters, the industry sources and security experts said. South China Sea Conflict Chinese warplanes are likely to come into increasing contact with US fighters over the South China Sea in the years ahead after Beijing conducted its first test flights this month to one of three island runways it is building in the contested Spratly archipelago, security experts said. In any conflict, China would likely rely on sheer numbers of fighters as well as a growing arsenal of sophisticated missiles that can be launched from warships or land, they added. To be sure, China has made warplane engine development a priority in recent years, sources said. CNBC The Shanghai-based Galleon group, which provides consulting services to the aerospace industry, estimates Beijing will spend $300 billion over the next 20 years on civil and military aircraft engine programmes. Some sources said China had hired several foreign engineers and former air force personnel to work on engine development, although this could not independently be confirmed. The Chinese Defence Ministry declined to comment. "In 20 to 30 years time, given the amount of work they have done and the effort they are putting into it, they should have a viable military engine," said Greg Waldron, Asia Managing Editor at Flightglobal, an industry publication. Not breaking free from Russia China first manufactured warplanes under licence from Russia in the 1950s. Its indigenous fighter jet programme kicked into full swing in the 1980s. The country's best warplane engine is the WS-10A Taihang, made by Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute, a subsidiary of China's biggest state-owned aerospace and defence company, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the sources said. Defence Blog In development since the late 1980s, Chinese state media reports say more than 250 have been fitted to some fourth-generation J-10s and J-11s. But the engines don't produce enough thrust, or power, and need frequent repairs, added the sources. "They are trying to improve the Taihang, but reliability is a major problem," said one source. AVIC did not respond to a request for comment while Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute could not be reached for comment. In October, state media said three engine makers owned by AVIC would merge into one firm. CloudFront/ Representational Image China will do more to integrate other engine-making firms in the coming years, said a Chinese source in the country's aerospace industry. This would help coordination across civilian and military engine research and development and production, said the source. To cover gaps for now, China has fitted Russian engines on many of its warplanes. In November, China held talks with Russian state-owned aircraft engine manufacturer United Engine Corp on the possible joint development and production of military engines at the same time it signed a deal to buy 24 Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, one of Moscow's most advanced warplanes. Follow us on actors lose dignity by dancing at weddings sunny deol tells aap ki adalat New Delhi: Bollywood actor Sunny Deol has expressed strong disapproval over film actors dancing at weddings. "You lose dignity when you dance at others' weddings. Though it has now become a fashion, but I believe that one loses self-respect. We are actors, not people doing 'tamasha'." "An actor is known for acting, and not for doing all these things. If invited, you go to a wedding, wish the couple, but not beyond that", said Deol, while replying to questions from Rajat Sharma in the show Aap Ki Adalat, to be telecast on India TV tonight. On his famous spat with co-actor Shahrukh Khan in the film 'Darr', Sunny Deol narrated how out of anger, the pockets of his jeans burst at the seams after he had put both his fists inside. "I was doing the role of a Naval Marine Commando. There was the scene where Shahrukh is attacking me with a knife. I objected saying how could a commando, who is always trained to deal with such attacks, be attacked with a knife, particularly when he is looking at the attacker." "I had an argument over this with the director (Yash Chopra), he was a veteran, I respect him a lot. In sheer anger, I had put both my clenched fists inside the pockets of my jeans, and the pockets burst. I was not speaking at all, but I myself could not understand what was happening to me. Some people on the sets fled on seeing my anger." Asked by Rajat Sharma whether his tiff with Shahrukh Khan still continues, Sunny Deol replied: "It's not that I stopped speaking to him. But I do cut off on my own. Normally I hardly attend parties and events. We are colleagues, but we do not have much interaction." On being portrayed as an angry action hero in most of his films, Sunny Deol agreed that he had acquired this image over the years. "Definitely, the characters that I have often portrayed relate to one who is angry for his family, for his girlfriend, for his friend, for his brother". On his anti-Pakistan roles in the films Border and Gadar, Sunny Deol said, "The film Border was based on a true event during the war, but people then start to personalize. In none of my films, I ever made any remarks against Pakistan per se. I meet many Pakistanis at airports and abroad, they love me. Only a handful of people create misconceptions." Asked by Rajat Sharma whether his father veteran actor Dharmendra didn't get due recognition from Bollywood film industry, Sunny Deol replied: "What can the film industry give to a great actor like him? We are actors. We get our due from the people. No other actor can buy his way into the hearts of people, the respect that my Papa commanded. The wealth that he acquired in the hearts of people is greater than all the awards. Anyway, I do not go to award functions at all." On his latest film 'Ghayal once Again" releasing February 5, Deol said, this film was originally planned as a sequel to the blockbuster Ghayal nearly 26 years ago. Asked about the delay, Sunny Deol said, "first Raj Kumar Santoshi brought a producer, who left. Then I myself became the writer and director. This sequel is the results of the toil I undertook for last two years. I know, society has changed a lot in the last 26 years, but I hope, any mother, or brother or child can relate to the characters on seeing this sequel Sunny Deol in Aap Ki Adalat will be telecast tonight at 10 pm on India TV. The repeat telecasts will take place on Sunday Jan 31 at 10 am and 10 pm. Latest Bollywood News Follow us on ace hair stylist sapna bhavnani calls katrina kaif racist openly New Delhi: Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif is grabbing a lot of attention these days. While earlier it was because of her break-up with Ranbir Kapoor, now the actress is making to the headlines because of her forthcoming movie Fitoor'. Helmed by Abhishek Kapoor, Fitoor' also stars Aditya Roy Kapur and Tabu and is an adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations'. Everything about the movie is catching eye-balls, be it the sizzling chemistry between Katrina and Aditya, Tabu's royal look, the songs or the locations. But what's creating the recent buzz is Katrina's red hair in the movie which is taking the tinselvile by a storm. If the gossip mills are to be believed, the producers of Fitoor' has shell out a whopping amount of Rs 55 lakhs to get that look for Katrina Kaif. According to the media reports, the team was not getting the desired colour tone for Katrina's hair, so they decided to bring in a hair colour expert to work on her hair. In fact, Katrina even had to fly to London every month to get the colour correction done as well. While the buzz is hard to digest, hair-stylist Sapna Bhavnani is completely shocked with the news. Sapna took to social networking site Facebook to express her shock and anger and ended up lashing out at Katrina and the Fitoor' team as she called them racist'. She wrote, The white people left but we are still smitten by them. Any Indian stylist could've done this job (maybe even better or suggested her not to do it cuz it doesn't suit her) but that's not the point,The point is which Producer would've paid an Indian Stylist 55 lakh to do the job?? Lol, I don't think I even need to answer that. I love our Indian Hair Industry and salute every stylist working their ass off and want them to know we are worth more! This racism is evident in every field be it modelling, cinematography, directing, hair/makeup, wardrobe, etc Etc ... This has to change. First, a woman, then an Indian.. Two whammies against equal pay is just ridiculous. #katrinaKaif. Now that was quite a hard dig over the Fitoor' team. On the other hand, Katrina was recently reported stating that it was director Abhishek who insisted she get her hair coloured red as it is the hue of chinar leaves, an important imagery in the film. Abhishek was excited about the hair colour. He was insistent. It is also similar to the colour of the chinar leaves. Red is also the colour of passion and love, Katrina said. We wonder how Katrina or the Fitoor' team will react to Sapna Bhavnani's comment. Latest Bollywood News Follow us on quota stir turns violent kapu s in andhra torch train police stations Visakhapatnam: Violent protests erupted in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district on Sunday as thousands of protestors from Kapu community seeking quota benefits under Backward Class (BC) category went on a rampage, setting ablaze at least six compartments of Ratnachal Express, two police stations and blocked highways and railway lines. At least 15 policemen were also reportedly injured in the incident. The protestors also set afire a police station in Tuni, a town in East Godavari district, about 100 km from Visakhapatnam. All trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and the vehicular traffic on Chennai-Kolkata national highway came to a halt as thousands of protestors squatted on the tracks and the highway. Meanwhile, Kapu leader M. Padmanabham on Sunday night announced that he was withdrawing the protest. The mobs went on a rampage in the town -- about 100 km from Visakhapatnam -- in East Godavari district and sat on rail tracks and the national highway, bringing to a halt the movement of trains and vehicles between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. The protesters set afire rural and urban police stations and 25 vehicles. Fifteen police personnel, including two officers, and four railway employees were injured in the attacks by protesters. All trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and vehicular traffic on the Chennai-Kolkata national highway came to a halt as thousands of protesters squatted on the tracks and the highway. Padmanabham on Sunday night announced that he was withdrawing the protest, but gave an ultimatum to the state government to issue orders by Monday evening to include Kapus in the list of backward classes. He threatened to launch a 'fast-unto-death'. The violence broke out around 3 p.m. during a massive public meeting organised by the Kapu State Committee at Tuni. Kapu leaders declared that they will not leave the rail tracks and highways till the government issues an order to meet their demand. Soon the protesters marched towards the tracks and stopped the Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada Ratnachal Express near Tuni railway station. They attacked the engine and set afire bogies after ordering passengers to get down. A railway official said no one was injured in the incident but the passengers including women and children ran in panic. The protesters later attacked the Tuni railway station and ransacked the furniture. Four railway employees were injured. Railways cancelled 14 trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and partially cancelled several others. Many trains were also diverted. With the situation going out of control, additional forces were rushed to the region. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu termed the violence "pre-planned". He said the government was committed to include Kapus in the backward classes list but the orders can be issued after a detailed study. Naidu said some political parties were instigating people for their narrow interests. He appealed to people to maintain peace. Trouble began soon after Padmanabham announced at the public meeting that they will not tolerate any further delay. "We will not move from highways and tracks till the government issues an order," he said amid loud cheers from tens of thousands who had gathered from different parts of the state. The Kapu leaders were angry with the ruling TDP for not implementing its poll promise to include Kapus in the backward classes list. Latest India News Follow us on after mumbai kerala to launch g taxi for transgenders Thiruvananthapuram: Transgenders, who are striving hard to find a place in mainstream society, will soon turn entrepreneurs in Kerala with the launch of a taxi service which will be owned and operated by them. The initiative will see members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community driving radio cabs as a source of livelihood. The launch comes close on the heels of a similar initiative in Mumbai with the name Wings Rainbow', India's first LGBT radio cab service. After unveiling the first Transgender Policy in the country with an aim to end societal stigma towards the Transgender (TG) community, the state government is now getting ready to launch 'Gender Taxi', owned and operated by transgenders. The objective of 'G-Taxi' programme is to provide a better means for livelihood for the minority group and to ensure them non-discriminatory treatment in society. The state-run Gender Park, under the Department of Social Justice, has drawn up a programme to roll out G-Taxi on the model of its successful all-women cab network She-Taxi. If She-Taxi has targetted mainly women commuters, 'G-Taxi' is envisaged as an 'equality taxi', in which all travellers, irrespective of their gender, can avail service. If everything goes as planned, the first fleet of G-Taxi cabs will be rolled out in the state this March. State Minister for Social Justice M K Muneer said the G-Taxi is part of the government's first step towards the practical implementation of the TG Policy, unveiled here last November. "We have unveiled the transgender policy with an aim to improve the life and living conditions of TG community. The G-Taxi is the first major step as part of the implementation of the TG Policy," Muneer told PTI. Gender Park CEO Dr P T M Sunish said the project is expected to promote entrepreneurship among TGs and provide them a better means for livelihood. "We are hopeful that the project will help them fetch not only a better income but also a good opportunity to mingle with the mainstream society. People who avail the service of G-taxi can interact with them which will help change their mindset towards TGs," Sunish told PTI. Sunish said a number of transgenders, on the sidelines of the recent International Gender Conference held here last year, had requested the minister to launch an entrepreneurial programme for them on the model of She-Taxi. They had also requested to entrust it with the Gender Park as it has successfully implemented the She-Taxi network, envisaged for the empowerment of women. Like the She-Taxi, G-Taxi cabs will also have advanced security features, including GPS. This model has aready been implemented in Mumbai. With the name Wings Rainbow',it become India's first and only LGBT radio cab service to start in Mumbai. The initiative has been flagged off by the Wings Travels and Humsafar Trust and is expected to start functioning from 2017. Latest India News Follow us on daily wager finds rs 1 cr in bank a/c which he never knew exist LUDHIANA: It came as a complete shock for a daily-wage earner from Ferozepur in Punjab when he was asked to pay Rs 40 lakh as income tax for having 1 crore in an account in his name that never existed in his knowledge. According to Times of India, the tax, he was told, had been computed on the Rs 1 crore he had deposited in his bank account. It was a fair point, but for the fact that the labourer in question didn't have a bank account, and had never had one either. He told tax officials in Ludhiana that neither the money nor the account was his. The case has again brought to the fore the growing trend of alleged misuse of accounts wherein identity and residential papers of unwitting commoners have been used to open shadow bank accounts, allegedly to launder money. In another case, the photograph of a housewife from Amritsar was used to open an account and deposit Rs 50 lakh.The scamsters had even provided fake address proof and a copy of the woman's PAN card. The wife of a gym owner, neither she nor her husband had any idea where the money came from. One of the cases cam from Khanna, where a small businessman contacted his bank when a sum of Rs 1.82 crore was credited to him from another account in the same bank. Bank officials on this claimed it was a mistake, but instead of returning the money to the original account,it was deposited in two other accounts. The businessman normally conducts transactions of a couple of lakhs every month. As part of the consequent probe, IT officials are investigating the nexus between hawala operators, tax evaders and bank officials. They have even forwarded their complaints against bank officers to Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and sought action under tough laws for combating terror financing and money-laundering. The bank officials under scrutiny not only flouted 'Know Your Client' norms but also failed to submit suspicious transaction reports to RBI. It has been discovered by a team of IT officials led by principal director, investigation,Parneet Sachdev and joint director Rohit Mehra that the fake accounts are being used by local businessmen to evade taxes. The I-T department's three-month investigation has led to the discovery of five such cases. These investigations havedetected suspicious entries of close toRs 7 crore from various banks. Latest India News We run various sites in defense of human rights and need support to pay for more powerful servers. Thank you. Follow us on twitter superhero how rail min helped locating a 15 year old girl New Delhi: After a series of incidents where passengers were rescued by simply tweeting their grievances to the ministry of railways, a man from Jharkhand tweeted to railway minister Suresh Prabhu asking for help to locate his 15-year-old daughter from Jharkhand who had allegedly run away with her classmate on Saturday. The parents of the girl were very tensed and wanted to bring her back home safely , they asked Prabhu to help them in locating the children. "The girl's father from Jharkhand tweeted to railway minister Suresh Prabhu that the kids are on board the Geetanjali Express to Mumbai," a senior railway official told the newspaper. The girl's photograph, along with her phone number, the boy's phone number and other details were shared in the tweet. The tweet also mentioned that the train was about to pass the Bhusawal station. After this the Ministry immediately alerted the Railway Protection force that started tracking the children based on the information the parents had provided. And finally they were able to locate children at the Nashik station. CR's chief public relations officer Narendra Patil said, "Both kids are safe. They have been saved from falling in wrong hands." The parents of both the children arrived in Mumbai to take them back and thanked the ministry for the great help. There have been many similar situations in past where our railway minister turned out to be super hero. In one of the incidents, a woman passenger travelling alone in Maharashtra in November last year was immediately attended to by authorities after she sought help through a tweet directed to the Twitter handle of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. She was asking for help against a male passenger who was harassing her. After speedy assistance was provided, she thanked him on twitter. Latest India News Follow us on computer science should be taught as basic skill in us barack obama WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama today emphasised on the need for teaching computer science as a basic skill to all children in the US and asked Congress to provide funding to help students especially girls and minorities prepare for jobs in a changing economy. "In the new economy, computer science isn't an optional skill. It's a basic skill, right along with the three R's," Obama said in his weekly address to the nation in which he discussed his plan to give all students across the the country the chance to learn computer science in school. The three R's refers to the foundations of a basic skills-oriented education programme within schools: reading, writing and arithmetic. Obama said that only about one-quarter of K-12 schools offer computer science instruction even as most parents want their children to develop analytical and coding skills. "Nine out of ten parents want it taught at their children's schools. Yet right now, only about a quarter of our K through 12 schools offer computer science. Twenty-two states don't even allow it to count toward a diploma," he said. Noting that the American economy is rapidly shifting, and that educators and business leaders are increasingly recognising that computer science is a 'new basic' skill necessary for economic opportunity, Obama in his address talked about his Computer Science for all students. According to a White House fact sheet, access to computer science education is limited and wide disparities exist even for those who do have access to these courses. For example, in the fewer than 15 per cent of all high schools that offered any advanced placement CS courses in 2015, only 22 per cent of those who took the exam were girls, and only 13 per cent were African-American or Latino students. The White House said, providing access to computer science is a critical step for ensuring that US nation remains competitive in the global economy and strengthens its cyber security. Last year, there were over 600,000 tech jobs open across the United States, and by 2018, 51 per cent of all STEM jobs (those requiring a science, technology, engineering, or math-related degree) are projected to be in CS-related fields. The Federal government alone needs an additional 10,000 IT and cybersecurity professionals, and the private sector needs many more. The CS is not only important for the tech sector, but also for a growing number of industries, including transportation, healthcare, education, and financial services, that are using software to transform their products and services. In fact, more than two-thirds of all tech jobs are outside the tech sector, it said. Latest World News Follow us on isis publicly beheads its 20 fighters for absconding report Cairo: Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), sending out a chilling warning to its members against desertion, has reportedly beheaded over 20 of its fighters in full public view for trying to flee a war zone in Iraq's Mosul City. According to reports, a group of ISIS militants were caught while trying to escape the battlefront in Mosul city of Nineveh province and were publicly executed. The dissidents were arrested at a checkpoint in the vicinity of Mosul on Friday evening. After being identified as fighters who have left their positions at the fighting front in western Mosul, they were transferred to the Sharia Court for prosecution, a local source cited an ISIS official as saying. Subsequent to a brief interrogation, the Sharia Court decided to behead the dissidents on charges of treason, the source was quoted as saying. Observers said the beheadings were made in a bid to terrorise ISIS members who may leave their posts in the war-torn region. The jihadis were beheaded in central Mosul in front of hundreds of people, mostly ISIS members and commanders, the report said. Witnessing the brutal punishment has caused a state of panic among the members of the group, the source said. ISIS considers jihadis who leave their posts without permission as traitors and enemies of its so-called Caliphate. This is not the first time that ISIS has executed its own militants on charges of treason. Earlier, it was reported this month that ISIS militants who lost a key town to Iraqi forces were burned alive in full public view by their own men after they fled to the group's stronghold of Mosul. Several Mosul residents claimed that when the black clad jihadists made it to Mosul, over 400 km north of Ramadi city retaken by Iraqi forces, they were set on fire in the town's main square. They were reportedly made to stand in a circle and set on fire. In December, the extremist group had beheaded ten militant fighters convicted of high treason for evacuating their post at the battlefront without the group's permission. In November, ISIS executed 73 militant fighters for escaping battles with the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Shingal (Sinjar) district in northern Iraq, the report said. ARA News is an independent press agency reporting on local developments across Rojava, Kurdistan Region, Syria, Iraq and Turkey. (With PTI inputs) Latest World News Follow us on 15 injured in clash in northwest delhi NEW DELHI: At least 15 people were injured in a clash which broke out between two communities in northwest Delhi's Sangam Park area this evening. By midnight, several police teams were deployed in the area and a case of rioting was registered, said a senior police official. The violence erupted after a youth was thrashed by some locals when he was caught allegedly trying to forcefully enter the residence of a family belonging to the another community, said an official. People from the youth's community soon gathered at the spot and were confronted by a group representing the other community, the official said. The injured have been hospitalised and police are questioning locals, trying to ascertain the identity of those involved im the violence, the official. Earlier in the day, two youths were shot at by unidentified persons near the same locality where violence erupted later in the evening, police said. Follow us on bangladesh minister seeks stronger bilateral ties with india KOLKATA: Bangladesh Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan today sought stronger bilateral relation with India to protect his nation from any "external aggression". "Pakistan is again hatching conspiracy against us. We need support from India as it did during the Liberation War in 1971 to save our small nation," Khan said at the centenary celebrations of Bharat Sevashram Sangha here. "We need more stronger bilateral relations with India to save Bangladesh from any external aggression,"he said. "We returned all Prisoners of War (POWs) in the 1971 war to Pakistan on condition that they will sentence them appropriately, but the Pakistani government have released all of them. Now they are hatching a conspiracy against us. We need support from India," Khan said. Lauding India for its contribution in Bangladesh's Liberation War and thanking the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Khan stressed for an everlasting friendship with India to ensure security of Bangladesh. Follow us on bihar cm nitish kumar attacks centre for ignoring bihar in smart city list Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today hit out at the Centre for not selecting any city from Bihar in the the list of 20 smart cities and said the BJP-led Union government has no consideration to maintain regional balance. The Centre had sought proposal from the state for smart city, which was provided to them as per the requirement specified, but still no city of Bihar finds place in the list announced for converting them into smart city, Kumar said. "There is no rule or law before them...Something other is going in the country these days," he said. "There is no 'maryada' (decency), 'niyam' (rules), neither they have any consideration to maintain regional balance," Kumar, who is senior leader of JD(U) said. "This is example of 'andher nagri' (misrule)," the Bihar CM said. In reply to a question over the BJP mocking him for foundation-laying of six-lane bridge over Ganga tomorrow, Kumar clarified that it is an inauguration for starting the work and not a foundation laying ceremony which had already been done before poll. Work would start on the bridge project intended to lower load over Gandhi Setu on Ganga at present after making arrangements for funding and other aspects. Kumar said, "When they were with me, they used to insist that their name should be there on the foundation stone even in the condition of failing to turn up for the programme." "Ramvilas Paswan had got foundation laying of the rail-cum road brige from Digha to Sonepur by the then Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda without arranging fund for it. When I was Railway minister, I got the work started on the said project by the then PM A B Vajpayee after allocation of fund for it," he said. Follow us on budget session likely from feb 23 New Delhi: The Budget session of Parliament is likely to begin on February 23 as the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh meets here on February 4 to finalise the broad schedule. The main focus of the session will be the transaction of the General and Railway budgets but the government is also keen to get passed a number of key reforms measures including the contentious GST and Real Estate Bills. Sources said that the session is likely to begin on February 23. Usually, the budget session begins in the third week of February and concludes early May. There is a recess in between when the budgetary demands for grants are discussed in the committees. The General Budget is expected to be presented in the Lok Sabha on Feb 29, the last day of February, as is the practice traditionally. Meanwhile the process for the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, where the tenure of the Assemblies is set to end in May-June, will begin in the midst of the session and that could raise questions about the number of sittings. A curtailment may be necessary to accommodate campaign by leaders during the elections. Against the backdrop of near washout of the previous sessions, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today expressed the hope that Congress will "see reason" and help in passage of GST legislation, which is stuck in the Rajya Sabha during the coming session. "It (GST) is the important reform of UPA. If I had to credit the authorship of it, I have to give credit to them. Now, If the author turns against his own script, what do I make... I have reached out (and) I have spoken to them. I have explained to them and I hope they will see reason... (and) see the rationale behind passing GST," he said speaking at a public function here. Follow us on j k stand off mehbooba to meet senior partymen today may take a call on govt formation Jammu: Amid growing confusion over fate of PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti will hold a meeting with senior PDP functionaries, on Sunday to take a final call on government formation in the state. Following the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) had said it will review the implementation of its Agenda of Alliance -- entered with the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir -- during the term of the coalition government headed by the PDP founder before making a decision on fresh government formation. Talks with separatists, Centre's non-interference in state affairs, retrieval of public land under Army's occupation and return of some NHPC-run power projects to the state government are among the main points of PDP's new Agenda of Alliance, party sources were quoted as saying to The Tribune. Mehbooba will agree to renew the coalition only if she gets "concrete assurances" from BJP and it is highly unlikely that she will agree to head the same ruling coalition if BJP does not walk the extra mile, Times of India also quoted its sources as saying. According to The Hindustan Times report, Mufti will discuss her father's agenda of peace and development today. We will discuss the agenda of peace and development set for the party by the late chief minister, party spokesman Nayeem Akhtar said while adding that the party has authorised Mufti to decide on government. However, BJP leader Nirmal Singh, the Agenda of Alliance' was non-negotiable and would remain as it was set up by the coalition partners at the time of stitching the alliance last year. After Sayeed's death, PDP hasn't elected a leader of the legislative assembly. Jammu and Kashmir is under governor's rule after PDP delayed government formation following the chief minister's demise. The stand-off can mean continuation of the governor's rule even as mid-term polls look an option. Follow us on rahul gandhi using students as political tool bjp New Delhi: Accusing Rahul Gandhi of using students as a "political tool", BJP today said he was shedding "crocodile tears" over a Dalit scholar's suicide and mocked his day-long fast, saying he was used to gatecrashing into protests of others and shunning his own responsibilities. Several union ministers and BJP leaders lashed out at the Congress vice president over his protests at the Hyedrabad Central University for "doing politics" over the death and wondered why he offered no condolences when nine Dalit students of the institute ended their lives during the UPA rule. Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said Rahul never bothered to visit the campus or offer condolences when nine students committed suicide and asked opposition parties to wait for the report of the judicial commission probe ordered by the Centre. "Congress is shedding crocodile tears simply to gain political mileage. Congress and communist parties are trying to make this a political issue and making a beeline to the university, forgetting that 9 such incidents happened during the UPA rule. This is part of their anti-Modi campaign across the country," he told reporters. Another Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said Gandhi was trying to make the Hyderabad varsity a den of political activity. "The government has set up a judicial commission and peace has come to the Hyderabad campus. At such a time, Rahul Gandhi is doing politics there. While seeking to side with students, he should not make the university a den of political activity. "He should not do any agitation and should think about the future of students there, that is my appeal to him," he said. Rural Development Minister Birender Singh took a potshot at Congress, saying the party reduced from 206 MPs to 44 MPs was "politicising every issue" and there was nothing new in it. BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said the Congress' protests reflected the opposition party's "frustration" as its leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul besides most Congress chief ministers were facing corruption charges. "At a place where students go to study, Rahul Gandhi is trying to vitiate its atmosphere. It shows how much frustrated Congress is that it is doing politics over a student's death. Such a divisive politics is poisonous and BJP condemns it," he said. At a press conference, party spokesperson Sambit Patra said Rahul's fast was a classic case of trying to score "political brownie points over a tragedy". "Rahul Gandhi's characteristic way of functioning was to shun responsibility and gatecrash into others' protests... The way he has shown insensitivity is the reason why I say he and responsibility cannot travel together," he told the media. Accusing the Congress leader of being "selective", he said Rahul had chosen not to speak about the Malda violence and the Warangal Congress leader accused of killing his daughter-in-law. Here is the Video: Follow us on rohith vemula was not a dalit says sushma swaraj New Delhi: Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday said that the scholar Rohith Vemula, who has committed suicide at Hyderabad Central University, was not a member of the dalit community. "The facts have come out in the case and as per as my complete knowledge, that student (Rohith) was not a dalit. By calling him a dalit student, this whole case has been raised as a communal incident by some people," Sushma Swaraj was quoted as saying by ANI. Terming the expulsion of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula from Hyderabad University hostel as a small incident, BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya said he doubts whether this alone led to suicide by the courageous youth. The suicide of Vemula is unfortunate. He was a courageous youth who had a zeal to swim against the tide. Though a probe is on in his death, I don't believe he committed suicide just because of a small incident of his expulsion from the hostel, the BJP general secretary said on Saturday. I don't think he took the extreme step because he was perturbed over his expulsion, he told reporters here. Rohith, a PhD student at the university, committed suicide by hanging himself in his room. Rohith and five other students were suspended by the university in August 2015 in connection with an alleged attack on an ABVP leader. The HCU has already revoked suspension of the four students, following uproar over Vemula`s suicide. The protest over the suicide of a Dalit research scholar in University of Hyderabad intensified with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi again joining the agitators at the campus and observing a day-long fast on Saturday, even as the BJP targeted him for "playing politics over dead bodies". A blog talking about Cuban cigars, culture & lifestyle including food, restaurants, entertainment, apartment or room rentals, Cuban art & music, travel, history and anything & Everything Cuba. Filtered, paste and thickened tailings is developing into a mature technology with wide application in mine tailings management. Several large tonnage operations are being developed based on paste and filtered tailings systems. The successful implementation of filtered, paste and thickened tailings technology is dependent on a sound understanding of slurry colloidal behavior, thickening and thickener operation, filtration, rheology, pump and pipeline transport systems, conveyor transport and disposal methodologies. This four day course, hosted by Paterson & Cooke is presented in conjunction with Prof. Andy Fourie of the University of Western Australia, provides delegates with a thorough background to the field so that they are better equipped to successfully implement filtered, paste and thickened tailings systems. The course will be held from April 26 to 29, 2016 on the campus of the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. For more information contact Robert Cooke at Robert.Cooke@PatersonCooke.com. The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) said it would start free installation of prepaid meters pilot scheme in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in February. Executive Director of the companys Regulatory and Stakeholders Relations, Mr Abimbola Odubiyi, said this on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. According to him, AEDC installed 5,000 free prepaid meters to customers in Minna, Niger State and would in February 2016, commence another installation of 1,250 free prepaid meters to customers in the FCT. Odubiyi said the meters would be used as a test-case so as to ascertain the efficiency of the projects. He explained that the new energy tariff that would come into effect on Feb.1 would last for 10 years, noting that during the years, it was expected that energy tariffs must come down and the sector stabilized. The Chancellor, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Bishop David Oyedepo, has lamented the poor state of Nigerias economy. He tasked the Federal Government to explore the unlimited opportunities in agriculture to resolve the problem. Speaking at the sixth matriculation ceremony of Landmark University, Oyedepo said this became necessary because food insecurity is a major global concern as over one billion people are suffering from starvation and malnutrition. Regrettably, Nigeria has transitioned from being a self-sufficient food country to being a worrisome net importer of agricultural produce. According to the Governor, Central Bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele, Nigerias annual report bill has risen above N630B. The current Nigeria situation, following the crash in crude oil prices at the international market with its attendant depreciation of naira, has further validated our consistent commitment to driving agriculture as a panacea for economic downturn, Oyedepo, who was represented by the Vice Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Professor Kayode Ayo, said. In her speech, the Vice Chancellor of Landmark University, Professor Aize Obayan, tasked the 513 matriculating students to lay right now a solid foundation for academic excellence and good conduct which are essential ingredients of a quality campus life and glorious future. She further urged the students to, key into the agricultural revolution of the university bearing in mind that agriculture will remain a critical industry for sustainable development. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has stepped up surveillance to locate the abducted Chibok girls and other captives held by the Boko Haram terrorists in Sambisa forest. Deputy Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole in charge of Air Component, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao, made this known when he briefed newsmen in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Saturday. Amao said that NAF had also destroyed the terrorists leadership hideouts; logistics support bases and infrastructure in its numerous air strikes. In continuation of the counter-terrorism operations under Operation Lafiya Dole, the air component has intensified air strikes against the Boko Haram terrorists. The air effort was focused on further degrading the terrorists operational capability as well as command and control structure, restricting their freedom of movement and destroying their logistics support base, he said. He said that the Air Force had successfully carried out 286 operational sorties against the terrorists targets between Dec. 25, 2015 and now. The air operation also intensified surveillance towards locating the abducted Chibok Girls and other citizens that may have been abducted by the terrorists group. The missions conducted led to the destruction of newly discovered terrorists hideouts, enclaves, logistics support bases and infrastructure, especially as they flee Sambisa to nearby locations due to aerial bombardments, he said. Amao said that the air efforts had further degraded the terrorists and denied them the opportunity to regroup as the case was in the past. Notable among the missions during the period was an air strike on Dec. 25, where some Boko Haram leaders and junior commanders who had gathered for a meeting in Sambisa forest were neutralised by a precision strike. Post-strike assessment indicated that over 15 terrorists were killed, he said. He said that NAF also conducted several interdiction missions against terrorists targets on part of Sambisa forest on different occasion. The most significant strike was conducted on Jan. 17, after an intelligence report on the location of a high value terrorists leader taking refuge at a location south of Arra in Sambisa forest. Consequently air strikes were conducted to neutralise the target, he said. (NAN) Dakuku Peterside, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers, has promised to lead the partys campaign for the re-run legislative elections in the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission said it had tentatively fixed February 6 for the elections. Elections will be held in the three Senatorial Districts, 11 House of Representatives Seats and 22 of the 32 state assembly seats. Peterside disclosed this at a stakeholders meeting of the party in Port Harcourt on Saturday. I will be in every local government and villages to campaign for our candidates. I want to assure you that we shall not lose one seat. All you need to do as stakeholders and supporters is to do your part. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promised to provide a level playing ground for all parties, he said. Mr. Peterside said the APC would prove to the world that it was the popular party that the people want in the state. He urged leaders and members of the APC to put behind the loss of the governorship case at the Supreme Court and work for the partys victory. Magnus Abe, the APC candidate for Rivers South-East Senatorial District, said the Supreme Court took its decision on the law and as democrats and Nigerians, the party was bound by it. Mr. Abe said the court was the apex court in the land and members of APC were bound to accept its decision as democrats and progressives that believe in the rule of law. If we will not submit to the jurisdiction of the courts, we will not have filed the case. We give God glory and we accept the judgment of the court. The Supreme Court decided the case on the law, it was a legal decision, it is not necessarily the decision of Rivers people but we are bound by that decision, Mr. Abe said. The former lawmaker thanked God that same judicial process had given Rivers people the opportunity to make their own decision. The decision of the people will not be based on the law, it will be based on the prime principle of democracy which is a decision of the majority. The case in the Supreme Court between PDP and APC was decided on the law but the case in the polling units will be decided by Rivers people, he said. Mr. Abe commended Mr. Peterside for fighting a good fight for the party and the people of the state. I thank you for the statement that you released on behalf of us. It was wise, principled, democratic, fair and right, Mr. Abe added. Davies Ikanya, the state Chairman of APC, urged the people that defected to the party not to worry because they took the right decision. The decision to join APC is a right decision as it was not based on any court ruling. It is based on your conviction that APC is where to be for Rivers people. I congratulate you all for joining the party to fight a good course and I know that more people will join us to fight and liberate the state, Mr. Ikanya said. Mr. Ikanya said the APC would continue to mobilise more people to join it to win all the legislative seats in the rerun elections. He said the party was peace loving and very much interested in the development of the state. The state APC women leader, Caroline Nagbo, assured all the candidates that the women would not disappoint them as they would mobilise and vote for APC. Ms. Nagbo urged the women to remain steadfast and focused. (NAN) Burundi said it has the backing of other nations in refusing to accept an African Union (AU) peacekeeping force as leaders from across the continent met ahead of an unprecedented vote on the potential deployment of 5,000 troops to the crisis-hit country. Talks at the AU Peace and Security Council in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, attended by presidents and foreign ministers as well as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, stretched late into Friday night in a bid to narrow positions before the opening of a summit on Saturday. AU Peace and Security Council chief Smail Chergui said the stakes are indeed high, but Burundi remained defiant in its opposition to a mission it describes as an invasion force. Burundis President Pierre Nkurunziza is not attending the talks, but foreign minister Alain Aime Nyamitwe insisted he had the support of other nations in opposing such a deployment. When asked whether he had the backing, Nyamitwe replied with an emphatic: Yes, very strong, you will see, according to a report by the AFP news agency. Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi, reporting from Addis Ababa, said that many people there believed that African leaders will be reluctant to endorse such a move because Burundi is a sovereign country. It has an elected president, it has an elected government even if that election is contested so what perhaps might happen is that these leaders might push more aggressively for political dialogue, a political solution to move the country forward. Aljazeera. A professor of Economics, Olu Ajakaiye, who is the past President, Nigerian Economic Society and the Chairman, African Centre for Shared Development Capacity Building, has explained the implication of the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that Bureau de Change (BDC) operators must get forex from autonomous markets. According to him, the average Nigerian whom the government claimed to be protecting by this decision will be the ones to suffer. CBN is trying to conserve forex, in order to boost production. The thinking is that when you conserve forex and make it available for domestic production, it will help government to create jobs. But, we must not forget that the BDC have a role to play in making forex of small amounts available to producers for urgent need, Prof. Ajakaiye said in an interview. For example, if a manufacturer is on the production process and a machine breaks down, he can quickly get forex of small amount from BDC to repair the machine without waiting to carry out all the processes of getting forex from the official window. Therefore, if the official window cant meet such emergency need and BDC is completely removed, the flexibility for small amount will be a challenge. The argument now is that BDC operators have moved away from that primary role of providing small amount of forex to producers into other areas not acceptable to the apex bank. For example, BDC getting forex from the official window market and selling to people who do not use it for the intended purpose of enhancing production. Now, what the CBN can do is to make arrangement for manufacturers who need small amount urgently to access it without waiting for the processes of getting forex from official window. The apex bank must provide a window for such emergency need of producers. If CBN cannot provide a window for emergency need and manufacturers are compelled to patronise BDC operators who will now source forex from autonomous market, it means exchange rate for manufacturing may be higher than what they obtain from official window. So, manufacturers will use that forex from BDC to set their own prices from the higher rate, instead of setting prices on the lower rate of forex from official window, Ajakaiye said. The woman who gave me a substance told me that it was a charm meant to endear my husband to me. I never knew that what she gave me was acid. All I was trying to do was to keep my husbands love so that he would not think of leaving me, because I know that my marriage with any other man would not endure because of my barrenness. These were that words of Remi Agunbiade (38), a resident of Ita Barika, Foko area of Ibadan, Oyo State, after she was arrested by the policemen from Iyaganku Division over an alleged attempt to kill her husband, one Olawale Shola, by pouring acid on him on January 27, 2016. The incident occurred less than 24 hours after a similar happening at Oje area of Ibadan where a man allegedly poured a bottle of acid on the mother of his two kids for reasons best known to him. But the difference is that while the Oje suspect ran away after committing the act, the Foko victim, Shola prevented his assailant from escaping as he ran after her and held her until neighbours came to assist him in preventing the lady from running away. Crime Reports learnt that the Foko incident happened at about 9a.m while Shola was lying down in a room he stayed with his partner, Remi. In an interview with Remi after her arrest, the lady, who also got some of the acid on her skin, claimed ignorance of the substance she poured on her partner, saying that she thought it was a love charm. According to her, I met Shola in 2003 and we have been together since then. He was the one who forced me to abort for him twice, and since then, I have not been able to get pregnant again. Then, he had a wife with two kids. When I had my first pregnancy, he said that his wife was also pregnant with their third child, asking me to abort mine, which I did. He used to schedule his stay between the two of us. We used to quarrel often and this got me worried because I knew that if he left me, I would not be able to have another steady relationship since no man would be willing to live with a barren woman. I met a lady called Iya Azeez at a provision stall at Agbeni market, Ibadan. During our discussion, I intimated her of my challenges and said that I didnt want to leave my husband. She replied that I would have to resolve the issue through self-help. I asked for assistance to stop further quarrels between me and my husband and she said she would help me get water that had been prayed into from an Alfa, stating that all I would need to do is to sprinkle it on my husband, after which he would love me without holding anything back. She gave me a bottle containing the liquid substance on Tuesday, January 26. On Wednesday morning, my partner, Shola, was lying down when I took the bottle and poured the content on his head. He cried in agony from sleep and I also shouted and ran out. But he followed me and caught up with me beside the house next to ours. He asked people to help him hold me so that I would not run away. By then, a huge crowd had gathered and it was then they started saying that it was acid that I poured him. Some of the liquid got rubbed on my body when he held me, giving me some burns. The suspect claimed that she did not know the residence of the friend who gave her the purported bottle of liquid, saying that she only met the lady about two months ago. She confirmed that she quarrelled with her husband concerning accommodation, since she already told him that she was tired of living with him in a room she rented herself. I decided to pack everything out of the room to another place, leaving it bare. His friends intervened and he came to sleep in the room with me on Tuesday. My action was because I didnt want to have another husband. She also disclosed that her husband started dating another lady in her neighbourhood about three years ago, and that the lady used to scorn her childlessness. Remi added that her husband rented a room for the lady. Crime Reports was also at the Burns Unit of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan where the victim was on admission. He narrated his experience thus: Remi and I have been together for over 11 years. My relationship with her caused a friction between her and my first wife who has four children for me. I used to defend Remi anytime she had a quarrel with my first wife, especially because she had yet to have a child. At a time, I abandoned my first wife to be with Remi when the first wife cursed Remi and said she would never have any child till she would quit relationship with me. Also about three years ago, I started dating a lady. This caused Remi to be threatening her. She even went as far as quarrelling with the lady. Last year, I discovered that my first wife was already dating another man because of the neglect she suffered from me. As a result, I called Remi in October 2015 and told her that I would have to share days of the week between her and my first wife. Initially, she was angry at my suggestion but later said I should start in January 2016. I went to my first wife twice in January and by the I returned to Remis place, she had changed the lock and had packed all her belongings and mine. She also collected my phone from me under the pretext that she wanted to use it. After my friends intervention, she returned on Monday, January 25. But I went to sleep in the third ladys house. On Tuesday, I went to Remis place and stayed there with her in the bare room. On Wednesday, I was lying down, waiting for a friend. Suddenly, I felt a warm liquid on me. As I opened my eyes, I saw as she was about to run out and I went after her. I raised the alarm and people came. I told them that she had already threatened that she would do an unforgettable thing to me. That was how I was rushed to the hospital. Shola admitted asking Remi to have an abortion in the past, but said it was only once. The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the story, said that the suspect was still undergoing investigation, adding that she would be arraigned to court at the conclusion of investigation. Ajisebutu warned members of the public against adopting acid as a weapon of revenge, saying that the act was criminal. Speaking on Shola and the second patient, Abimbola, the Public Relations Officer of the UCH, Mr Deji Bobade assured that they would get the best of treatments. According to Bobade, it is good that they have passed the critical stage. We hope that in a matter of days or weeks, depending on how fast the healing process is. they should be discharged home. Source:TribuneOnline Head, Cassava Weed Management Project, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Dr Alfred Dixon, has called on Nigeria to focus more on high quality cassava flour production. According to Dixon, whos spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Ibadan, cassava flour can generate enough income for Nigeria, especially as the prices of crude oil continue to fall in the international market. This is the right time for Nigeria to diversify its economy to agriculture, Dixon said. Cassava is one of the crops that should be considered because Nigeria is a global leader in its production; the country needs to increase its production. He also advised the Federal Government to concentrate on starch production because of its added value and its high demand for both native and modified starch in Nigeria. However, Dixon said for the country to improve cassava flour export, it should work on the value chain. To work along the value chain from production to market, one has to consider productivity and adding values. To add value to a product that is desired in the market, one has to be competitive and being competitive means that one has to lower the cost of production. Lowering the production cost will ensure that the product sells at a price where one can take care of the production cost and also have good profit, Dixon said. A former Political Adviser to erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, who last Wednesday declared himself national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has threatened contempt charges against the Adamawa State PDP Working Committee, SWC, National Working Committee, NWC, and the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party. Mr. Gulak was reacting to the decision of the Adamawa State chapter of the party to nominate Ambassador Wilberforce Juta as a replacement for the erstwhile national chairman of the party, Adamu Muazu. Juta, a former governor of the defunct Gongola State and one of the founding fathers of the PDP is set to be presented by the Adamawa SWC to the NEC for ratification as national chairman of the party. The former presidential aide on Saturday warned that any decision taken by the SWC outside him would be null and void and of no effect whatsoever except if he was accepted in line with a court judgment. Justice Hussein Buba of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on December 15, 2015 had while delivering judgment in a case filed by Gulak, ordered the PDP acting national chairman, Uche Secondus to vacate his office within 14 for any other person from the Northeast geo-political zone. Mr. Gulak, just like Ambassador Juta, hails from Adamawa in the Northeast. At a media briefing yesterday in Abuja, spokesperson of the Ahmed Gulak faction of the party, Bernard Mikko rejected the nomination of Ambassador Juta by the Adamawa State chapter of the party. He further warned the leadership of the party in the North-east against the adoption of Ambassador Juta. Mikko claimed that the zone had since lost the mandate to produce a replacement for Secondus having failed to act within the 14 days window provided by the judgment of Justice Buba asking Secondus to vacate the office. Mikko said: The party was given 14 days to bring another person and it failed to do that. So, the window to do that has elapsed. Anything they do now will be challenged. Why did they have to wait for Gulak to activate the process? This is where they are at fault. Why did the governors of Taraba and Gombe not call a meeting of the North-east and nominate a candidate? They had seven months after the resignation of Ahmed Adamu Muazu to do this but they refused. The North-east shouldnt think the entire party will be subjected to their whims and caprices. Gulak further warned the party national working committee and governors against the national caucus and National Executive Committee meetings scheduled for this week, saying any meeting held without him presiding wont be acceptable and will have no effect in law. We shall initiate contempt charges against them. We had notified INEC of the judgment of Justice Buba. Mikko, however, dismissed the allegations that they were being used by the governing All Progressives Congress to cause division within the main opposition party. All we are trying to do is to bring sanity to the PDP, majority of the party stakeholders dont want them in office again, he said. Since February last year, a host of strangers have been showing up uninvited at Christina Lee and Michael Sabas suburban Atlanta home, for the weirdest reason theyre all looking for their lost phones! Much to the young couples surprise, smartphone tracking apps all over the city have been directing phone owners to their house. It all started when an angry family came knocking at their door last February, demanding that Lee and Saba return their stolen phone. The bewildered couple had no idea what they were talking about. Then same thing happened two months later, this time with a group of friends looking for a lost phone. Soon the problem got worse, with four such visitors showing up within the span of a month. People would call on them morning, noon, and night, all with the same, bizarre question where the heck is my phone? Of course, Lee and Saba had no clue about the missing phones some Android, some iPhones with a variety of carriers. They even developed a standard response: Im sorry you came all this way. This happens a lot. The plot thickened last June, when pings from a missing teenage girls phone led the police to their home. The police treated Lee and Saba as suspects and made them sit outside for an hour while they considered issuing a warrant to search the house. According to Saba, when he asked if he could go inside to use the bathroom, a policeman said: Your house is a crime scene and you two are persons of interest. Needless to say, the couple are now worried sick that all these events might be part of a larger conspiracy, or lead to disastrous consequences. My biggest fear is that someone dangerous or violent is going to visit our house because of this, Saba said, speaking to Fusion Magazine. If or when that happens, I doubt our polite explanations are gonna go very far. It really drives home how unsafe and fallible some of this technological evidence is. OCentral. The pilot of a single-engine plane safely landed in a field behind a western New York home after the engine iced-up. Jeremiah Coholan and his passenger, Richard Medeiros, took off from New Bedford, Massachusetts, on Thursday. They were approaching the Rochester area around 1:45 p.m. when the engine of their Cessna began seizing up as ice clogged the carburetor. Coholan says he looked for a place to land and found the small, snow-covered field behind a home in the Wayne County village of Macedon, 10 miles east of Rochester. The plane landed safely. The two men werent injured. State police say Federal Aviation Administration representatives went to the scene to inspect the plane. Associated Press. The relative peace in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital was on Saturday night shattered as Boko Haram insurgents launched a massive attack on the town. It was learnt that the attack started at about 7.13pm when the terrorists attempted to invade the state capital through Wanori village. Eyewitnesses say gunshots rented the air as the Boko Haram Terrorists advanced to Dalori, opposite the University of Maiduguri, setting homes ablaze. On witness, who resides near the university, said following the sound of heavy gunfire, people around the area fled to other relatively safe locations in the town. Another resident of Maiduguri, Tijjani Ali, told PREMIUM TIMES that The whole village has been set on fire. He, however, lamented that soldiers manning the south-eastern gate of Maiduguri along Bama road, were preventing fleeing residents from entering the city. The spokesman of the Operation Lafiya Zama Dole, the military task force charged with combating insurgency in the North-east, Colonel Mustapha Anka, confirmed the attack but declined details on casualty likely to have been incurred in the attack. He simply said the military was on top of the situation. A local vigilante official, Gava Abbas, said, It isnt a good day for us today; the whole town is burnt down and many are feared killed, but my colleague who is also trapped outside Maiduguri said he cant give details immediately. It was learnt that the decision of the soldiers to prevent the fleeing residents of Wanori village from gaining entrance to Maiduguri might not be unconnected to fears that Boko Haram might be using the attack as a cover to sneak in suicide bombers. This fear cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand as Boko Haram have of recent used attacks on the outskirts of Maiduguri city to create some sort of cover for suicide bombers to sneak into the state capital to attack populated residential areas. The Senator representing Anambra-South Senatorial District, Andy Uba, has urged the people of Anambra State to disregard insinuations that he has been sacked from the Senate by the Supreme Court. Uba, who was reacting to media reports that the verdict of the Supreme Court last Friday removed him, his Anambra-South and Anambra-North counterparts, as well as other state and National Assembly legislators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, said he was not a party to the suit, just as his name or his seat was not mentioned at any stage of the suit, which commenced in 2014 at the Federal High Court. According to him, the issue in contention, in the case decided by the Supreme Court, was on the chairmanship of the Anambra State chapter of the PDP and the constitution of its State Executive Committee. Senator Uba noted that the wrong and false interpretation being given to the verdict of the apex court was a calculated mischief planned by certain politicians in Anambra State who are simply interested in confusing issues. They are just raising a false alarm. National Assembly election matters do not get to the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeal is the terminal point. Also, there are no pre-election issues concerning my candidacy. Those who think they can get through the back door what our party members and the electorate did not give them are the ones giving this wrong interpretation to the verdicts delivered today. I have directed my lawyers to engage the Supreme Court so as to clear this mischievous information being peddled by some politicians, a statement from his office in Abuja said on Saturday. Rights groups have criticised the Swedish governments plans to expel up to 80,000 asylum seekers whose applications are expected to be rejected, a move viewed as the latest in a string of similar measures. Speaking to the local Dagens Industry newspaper on Thursday, Swedish Interior Minister Anders Ygeman said that between 60,000 and 80,000 people will be deported. An estimated 45 percent of Swedens more than 160,000 asylum applicants in 2015 are projected to be denied. Ygeman said the deportations would be carried out over a span of several years, while the European Union Commission announced its support for Swedens announcement. Alia al-Ghussain, a senior researcher and advocate at the Malmo-based Centre for Refugee Solidarity, said the number is quite shocking because they have not processed all of the applications and cannot be sure they will deport that many people. Among other countries, many of the asylum seekers expected to be rejected are from Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and Palestinian refugees from across the map of the Middle East, al-Ghussain told Al Jazeera. The governments categorisations of what areas are safe and which arent in many of these countries is not representative of reality at all. Syrias main opposition bloc said it was travelling to Geneva on Saturday to assess the intentions of the government in implementing humanitarian measures that could allow it to join political negotiations. A 17-strong team was expected to arrive in Switzerland late on Saturday, delegates told Al Jazeera. On Friday, HNC member Farah Atassi said the delegation was coming not to negotiate with the government yet, but to talk to UN officials after receiving reassurances from the organisation. Atassi spoke at a Geneva hotel not far from the UN offices where UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura and Syrias UN ambassador Bashar Jaafari were meeting. HNC spokesman Monzer Makhous said that the opposition had not changed a previous position that it would not travel to Switzerland if specific conditions for talking politics were not met. Yes, we will go to Geneva to be present but we will not attend the talks at all unless the regime fulfils our humanitarian demands, which specify stoppage to bombings and starvation of civilians in besieged areas as a condition, Makhous said. Today we received guarantees that these issues will be addressed in addition to political transition of power. We will not accept anything else unless we see these demands met on the ground. Mistura said he believed he would be able to meet the HNC on Sunday. The talks are the first since two rounds of negotiations collapsed in 2014. Syrias conflict has killed more than 250,000 people, displaced millions and sent hundreds of thousands fleeing as refugees to Europe. At least 33 refugees, including at least five children, have died after their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to a Greek island, according to Turkish media. The refugees had set off from the district of Ayvacik in Canakkale province in an apparent bid to reach the Greek island of Lesbos. State-run Anadolu Agency said that 75 refugees were saved and hospitalised by the Turkish coastguard on Saturday morning. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has recorded the deaths of at least 244 refugees and migrants who tried to reach Europe this month via the Mediterranean Sea. The data is almost 200 percent higher than the 82 people who died last January, and overwhelmingly more than the 12 people who died in January 2014. About 850,000 migrants and refugees crossed into Greece last year, paying smuggling gangs to ferry them over from Turkey in often frail boats. In a deal struck at the end of November, Turkey promised to help stem the flow of refugees to Europe in return for cash, visas and renewed talks on joining the EU. Turkey is host to 2.2 million Syrians and has spent around $8.5bn on feeding and housing them since the start of the civil war nearly five years ago. Aljazeera. Though a million dollar wound gave his time in Vietnam an early end, Capt. Ronald Hoover stands as one of the most accomplished Marines to have been involved in the war. Hoover, 79, of Carlisle, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1954. He said his decision to enlist was inspired by several of his friends who had enlisted before him. I had some friends from high school that went in (to the Marines) during the Korean time, Hoover said. They came back and we were talking, and I said that the Marines was the place I wanted to go. I thought the Marine Corps was the best outfit. I made a lot of good friends there and decided I would stay and make 20 years out of it. During his career, Hoover served two tours at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina as a drill instructor and he also served on the Inspector Instructor staff of the 78th Rifle Company in Williamsport. He achieved the title of Master of Fitness, which had only been accomplished by 22 Marines ever at the time of his retirement. Hoover served in two tours during Vietnam. His first tour was spent with Alpha Company, Third Reconnaissance Battalion from 1966 to 1967. One of the big problems we had was when we would get in a situation out there, we would sometimes run up against 30 to 40 guys and we would need some kind of support, Hoover said. We were responsible for each other and (for) making sure that all the people we had were coming home safe and sound; that was the primary thing in my mind. After coming back to the United States for three months, Hoover returned to Vietnam for a second tour from 1968 to 1969 this time as Company Commander of India Company, Third Battalion, 26th Marines. The situation I was in as a commander was similar to that movie We Were Soldiers, Hoover said. We walked into three machine guns one night and we lost 157 marines in about two hours. We stayed there the whole night and we actually had hand-to-hand combat for about two hours. My company sergeant, from PA, got the medal of honor posthumously. It was during this tour that Hoover suffered injuries significant enough to end his involvement in the war. A mortar round came in and blew me away and left me off the ground, Hoover said. I had wounds in my back, arms and legs. I got my million dollar wound, as they say; I did not go back into (Vietnam) again. Hoover spent nine months at a hospital in Guam before he was finally transported back to the United States. I stayed (in Guam) for nine months and got put back together, Hoover said. From there, I went to Okinawa and got back on my feet and came home. Hoover was awarded the Silver Star just one of a list of accumulated personal awards that includes a Bronze Star with combat valor, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat valor, a Purple Heart, a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, a Vietnam Service Medal, a Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Star and a Vietnam Campaign Ribbon. After officially retiring from the Marine Corps in 1974, Hoover remained involved with public service as a law enforcement official. I was a people person, Hoover said, so I ended up going into law enforcement. Hoover served as a deputy sheriff for 10 years with the Reno Nevada Sheriffs Department and served another 12 years with the California Department of Corrections before retiring again in 1994. Hoover currently resides in Carlisle. Im 79 years old and there is not too much I can do, Hoover said. Im kind of slowed down a bit, but I do what I can. Hoover said that Vietnam, as a whole, should stand as a lesson to modern America. The government needs to adhere to the lessons we learned in Vietnam, Hoover said. We won the battles over there, but we did not win the wars. A woman promoting a fur fashion shop in Moscow was shot dead by a resident of the same block who was irate about her constant loudspeaker announcements. Anna Nosova, 25, was gunned down from a third floor window by nuclear engineer Sergei Galakhov, 58, as she tried to lure customers into her store near Lyublino metro station. Her killing stunned her co-workers and people on the crowded pavement. She was carried into the fur store but an ambulance crew which rushed to the scene pronounced her dead. Employed to promote the shop, her loudspeaker advertising messages had annoyed some residents, according to the residents of the same block, but Galakhov admitted he took the law into his own hands. He did not issue any warning before shooting the single woman from a window in his flat. Keen sportsman Galakhov confessed to gunning her down with an unspecified weapon after being detained by police on suspicion of murder. The gun used to shoot Ms Nosova was found by police, it was later reported. Married Galakhov told police he had been drunk after he was fired from his job the previous day. In an online profile, Galakhov described himself as fair, just, able to listen to people, admit mistakes and be responsible for them. A graduate of Bauman University one of the most prestigious in Moscow he is a keen skier, mountain biker, ice swimmer and boxer. He had a license for the gun, according to police. Neighbours said they had only good recollections about the man who now faces up to 15 years in jail if convicted. UK Daily Mail. HES A Sydney-based businessman whose job requires him to partake in once-in-a lifetime adventure experiences again and again and again!Paul Chivers is the director of risk facilitator, a global risk consulting firm, and the cofounder and chief risk adviser for The Risk Institute, a risk management and safety education provider.A highly qualified risk practitioner, Chivers was recently lecturing on risk management in Malaysia and Hong Kong, and in mid-November appeared at the Risk Management Institution of Australasias national conference in Adelaide as a keynote speaker.But its his role working on one of the worlds biggest and most successful reality television franchises thats provided him with the opportunity to have a host of truly unique adventures. For the past 12 years, Chivers has worked on The Amazing Race.First broadcast on American TV in 2001, The Amazing Race gives teams of two the chance to race around the world over 28 days, with the first team to cross the finish line taking home a considerable cash prize (up to US$1m). Along the way, each team is required to complete a series of challenges that may be mentally or physically taxing (or both). The original US version of the series is now broadcast across the world, and 12 other versions have since been created for specific regional markets, including an Australian version that began in 2011.I get to travel the world and experience adventures, which are sometimes world firsts, Chivers tells Insurance Business. In Singapore, weve done quite a few world-first challenges. At the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, we did a traverse which was the worlds highest traverse of that kind We did a challenge off the Singapore Flyer [a giant Ferris wheel], where contestants had to hop outside a capsule and then walk across, as it moved, to another capsule.I always test the challenges myself. No one gets to do it unless I do it. And then I love saying I was the first one to do that in the world!Chivers opportunity to become involved with The Amazing Race came about after the shows host, New Zealander Phil Keoghan, visited Australia. He had a show called Adventure Crazy, and he came to Australia and wanted to do some abseiling in the Blue Mountains.Our adventure company at the time took him out there.He had such a good time and said, If I come back, Ill definitely use you guys again. He came back, and he was working on this show called The Amazing Race.Chivers commenced working on the program from the fourth US series, which was made in 2003. The first challenges on the show that Chivers was involved in took place in Queensland. These included a face-first rappel off a 17-storey building in Brisbane, while another task involved team members using feeding sticks to feed fish to 15-foot crocodiles. read more > 1 2 3 The insurance industry has been invited to share a host of resources made available by community education program Know Risk in a bid to help tackle underinsurance.Know Risk, designed and run by the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance ( ANZIIF ) have provided written and video content across a range of personal and business lines which can now be embedded and shared through websites and social media.The move is designed to help raise awareness and understanding across the community and Prue Willsford , Know Risk spokesperson and CEO of ANZIIF, said that a combined effort could help communities now and in the future.As an industry, our reason for being is to support clients and customers to manage risk, and part of this is ensuring that they have access to relevant and practical information on insurance and risk management, Willsford said.To this end, Know Risk is reaching out to businesses across the industry to encourage them to use everything that Know Risk has to offer articles, videos, checklists, phone apps and social media.Through a combined effort we are aiming to help communities to take control of the risks in their lives and to improve their resilience through knowledge.Know Risk offer an iPhone and Android app which allows customers to store and keep records of their insurance policies and property alongside a weekly updated website with a host of checklists, videos and articles aimed at increasing understanding.To find out more about Know Risk, click here Current CEO is stepping away to pursue a new role Non ce soltanto lopposizione al governo Renzi nel bagaglio di chi sostiene il no al prossimo referendum costituzionale del 4 dicembre. Ci sono anche motivazioni ben piu profonde e ragionate. Se ne e discusso oggi presso il Church Village Hotel (ex Domus Pacis) durante il convegno promosso dal Comitato del Family Day e dal Movimento Cristiano Lavoratori (MCL) che hanno illustrato le ragioni della loro contrarieta alla riforma. Centinaia i partecipanti giunti da tutta Italia alla manifestazione che ha visto i leader dei due grandi movimenti del laicato cattolico fermi nellesprimere un no ragionato per fermare lattacco ai principi della sussidiarieta e della rappresentanza democratica. Una presenza variegata ma unita dallopposizione a una riforma confusa e contraddittoria. Mettiamoci insieme: ci saranno sicuramente delle visioni diversificate ma lobiettivo comune e quello di salvaguardare la famiglia e fermare ogni deriva che sa, anche solo lontanamente, di imposizione autoritaria e centralista ha detto Massimo Gandolfini, leader del Family Day, spiegando che la disintermediazione tanto propugnata da Renzi e messa nero su bianco nella riforma costituzionale mette in un angolo la famiglia e le rappresentanze delle categorie dei lavoratori; una deriva che annulla i corpi intermedi e allontana la partecipazione del popolo alle decisioni che lo riguardano. Sulla stessa linea il presidente del Mcl, Carlo Costalli: Vogliamo essere inclusivi al massimo e aperti a quelle forze che hanno a cuore le garanzie costituzionali della sussidiarieta e dellintegrita della persona. In questi mesi ha aggiunto abbiamo assistito ad una pervicace propaganda che ha voluto far passare quanti si oppongono a questa riforma (non ad ogni riforma: ma a questa!) come conservatori, nemici dello sviluppo del Paese. Ed e ben strano che questa accusa venga rivolta a chi, come noi, lo sviluppo dellItalia lo edifica ogni giorno: facendo famiglia e vivendo con consapevolezza la frontiera del lavoro. In nome del decisionismo e della semplificazione della politica, e la sintesi delle posizioni del Family Day e del Mcl, si vuole costruire una vera dittatura della maggioranza che sara implementata grazie ad una legge elettorale iniqua, come lItalicum. As Limericks Muslim population continues to rise, a Bangladeshi man has opened what he claims is the first Islamic clothing store in the country on Henry Street. Foysal Khan, a research assistant in the areas of physics and energy in the University of Limerick, opened the store, Al Hayaa, meaning modesty, to cater for the growing Muslim population in the mid-west. It is estimated that there are now more than 2,000 Muslims living in Limerick, among some 49,000 nationally, with four mosques locally. In Dublin you have some stores with food and clothing for Muslim people, but not entirely for Muslims. At the moment we have no competition, but we want to offer quality clothes at a reasonable and generous price, Khan said. Khan, who moved to Limerick eight years ago to begin his studies, said he has largely found Limerick to be warm, welcoming and friendly. However, he said he has been called a terrorist on the streets of the city, particularly coinciding with the terrorist attacks in Paris last November and January. He said he would love to see more interactions between the different communities to end misconceptions surrounding Islam. Khans wife manages the shop while he works in the university, or while he answers the call to prayer five times a day at the nearby mosque in Henry Street. She has her own room in the shop to pray, while it is predominantly men who attend the mosque. Mrs. Khan said they were inspired to establish the business as they couldnt find a good selection of clothes suitable for them in Ireland. I would have to call my mother in Pakistan to send me clothes, or find something online, but they are more expensive, she explained. We have a lot of Irish people coming in here now. They are curious, and have admired our pashminas walking past. The response has been very good and we are very happy with it. We miss our families, but we have our community here, she said. H/T: Limerick Leader. New York City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer spoke for many of his colleagues at a council hearing on the Central Park horse carriage industry on Friday when he said members of Mayor Bill de Blasios administration had done a piss poor job of explaining why the industry needs to be slashed and the horses stabled in Central Park at public expense. I am deeply disappointed with the administrations presentation, said Van Bramer at a packed Friday morning hearing on City Council Bill 573-A, which seeks to reduce the number of licensed horses from 180 to 110 by the end of this year, with all horses and carriages confined to Central Park by June 1. The city is proposing to build a new stable by 2018 which would accommodate only 75 horses. The chief administration spokesperson for the plan, director of operations Mindy Tarlow, was unable to give concrete answers to many of the questions that council members asked about job losses in the industry, the cost of the new stable or compensation plans for displaced workers, which the Teamsters union estimates will be up to 50. I am more angry than ever, said Queens Democrat Van Bramer, who was previously undecided on the issue of whether to ban the horses and carriages from Central Park altogether, a signature plan of de Blasios until he abandoned it earlier this year due to lack of City Council support. It is wrong to ask members to take a vote like thiswith so many unanswered questions. "What is the urgency here today?" Councilman Barry Grodenchik asked. "You're asking us to partially dismantle an industry that predates the Civil War." Also testifying on Friday was Demos Demopoulos from the Teamsters union representing the industry. Demopoulos said that while the drivers had agreed in principle to relocate inside Central Park, negotiations were ongoing with the administration to minimize job losses. Our preference, of course, would have been to be left alone, said industry spokesperson and carriage driver Stephen Malone, who also spoke about his immigrant father from Co. Louth who drove a carriage when he came to New York. But if the industry must change, better that the ban is off the table and the legislation being considered today preserves this industry long into the future. Conor McHugh, a driver from Co. Leitrim, testified that the drivers have done nothing wrong. Our horses are in good hands and in good shape. He also testified about the economic impact the City Council bill in its present form would have. McHugh is a co-owner of the Clinton Park Stables on West 52nd Street. The idea that my stable will be reduced by 39 horses in a building thats mortgaged just like any other building in this city, and that I somehow am going to be able to keep that stable open for an indefinite period of time while we wait for the Central Park stables to open is just ludicrous, he said. Advocates for the pedicab industry also provided testimony about how the business would be decimated because of the proposed ban on pedicabs in Central Park below 85th Street, which would become the exclusive domain of the horse and carriages. A final vote on the bill has yet to be scheduled. An editorial in the New York Times has criticized the Catholic Churchs control of 97 percent of Irelands state-financed primary schools and the still-legal practice of placing non-believers at the bottom of admissions waiting lists. With schools allowed to give preference to Catholics, other families are forced to have their children baptized in the church, linger on school waiting lists or search for scarce alternatives. Only 74 of the nations 3,200 primary schools are run by Educate Together, the main multidenominational alternative, whose Dublin schools are swamped with four applications for every available space, says the editorial. Politicians and rights groups are calling for a change to a law that allows the religious schools to reject nonbelievers if it is essential to maintain the ethos of the school. A campaign to end the religious discrimination is gaining momentum ahead of the upcoming general elections. The public is fast realizing this is an intolerable situation in a country with an increasing immigrant population of non-Catholics and a rising generation of younger nonpracticing Catholics. A poll last month measured almost 85 percent public approval for changing the law so it no longer tolerates religious bias against schoolchildren. The New York Times continues: There is a citizens petition to repeal the law and a legal challenge is planned by Education Equality, an advocacy group. The bias clause has been challenged by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has taken a position against it, too. Church officials are at odds, with some urging a slow evolution toward a more open-door policy in the schools. Clearly the current policy is at odds with a modern Ireland. The most encouraging force in the debate is the Irish publics realization that their nation can no longer afford shameful religious bias to remain in the law. Mark your calendars - these dates are rooted in Celtic tradition. There are eight special sacred days, holidays, and festivals in Ireland that date back to the old Celtic world. Christianity adopted many of their feast days to match the old Celtic traditions - learn about them below: St Brigid's Day - Imbolc The year's first sacred holiday, the feast day of Saint Brigid, is celebrated on February 1, marking the beginning of Spring. The Bogha Bride or Brigid's Day Cross is the symbol of the day. Traditionally, reeds or straw are collected from the fields and crafted into a cross. St. Brigid is Irelands first native saint, the most celebrated Irish female saint, and was the Abbess of one of the first convents in Ireland. St. Patrick's Day - Spring Equinox Around the globe, Irish people and those of Irish descent celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 17, which is one of Ireland's biggest holidays. The special holiday is devoted to the patron saint of Ireland. The religious day is marked by a special mass for the feast and traditionally everyone wears green. This is considered the middle of the Spring season and is also referred to as the Spring Equinox. May Day - Bealtaine May Day, the 1st of May, is a Holy Day in Ireland that marks the start of the summer season. Centuries ago, bonfires were lit to welcome the arrival of summer. In Ireland, depending on what day the holiday falls on, the feast is marked by a public holiday. In towns around the country, May Day fairs are held where farmers and traders all gather in towns to sell their wares. Read more Ancient Celtic festival of Bealtaine begins May 1 Midsummer - Summer solstice The summer solstice is marked in parts of Ireland by bonfires on the side of the road. It is usually celebrated on June 23, the longest day of the year. In rural Ireland communities gather and for their local bonfire and celebrate the longest day of the year with song and dance. Read more How to celebrate the Summer Solstice the Irish way Lughnasa In ancient times this sacred day marked the beginning of harvest on August 1. It honored the Celtic God of Lugh. In Gaelic folklore, it was the time for hand-fastings or trial marriages that would last a year and a day, which could then be renewed. Many celebrate the holiday today with reunions, bonfires, and dancing. Autumnal/Fall Equinox Similar to the St. Patrick's Day festival, the Autumn/Fall Equinox celebrates when night and day are of equal duration and usually falls in the middle of Fall, around September 21. The symbol of the sacred day is the cornucopia as all the harvest is collected and the stocks for winter is hoped to be plentiful. Read more Welcoming the autumnal equinox at one of Irelands most magical ancient sites Samhain This day falls between two days: Oiche Shamhna (October 31) and La na Marbh (November 1st). Oiche Shamhna is Halloween and La na Marbh is the Day of the Dead, or All Souls Day when those who have passed away are remembered. It marks the beginning of the darker half of the year as the winter approaches. Read more Halloween in Ireland and its origins in the Celtic festival Samhain Winter Solstice The winter solstice celebrates the shortest day of the year and, depending on the calendar, occurs between December 21-23. Annually, hundreds of people gather in Newgrange, Co. Meath, Ireland to watch the sunrise magically illuminate the ancient burial site. * Originally published in 2013. IrishCentral History Love Irish history? Share your favorite stories with other history buffs in the IrishCentral History Facebook group. At least 45 people have died in a suicide bomb attack in the Syrian capital Damascus. The blast comes as the country's main opposition group meets with Staffan de Mistura - the UN's peace envoy in Geneva. The Syrian Government has coming under increasing pressure to allow food into besieged towns. US Secretary of State John Kerry has joined calls today for President Basar al Assad to allow aid into areas in which people are starving to death. Judge Leo Malone refused to grant bail to the accused man, Olumatemilorun Jimoh, and acceded to an application by the defence solicitor John Hussey to have the accused psychiatrically assessed while in prison. The 21-year-old defendant smiled to himself from time to time during his unsuccessful application for bail. Detective Garda Aidan Forrest said the accused said he could stay with his father in Glanmire, Co Cork, but gardai checked with the family and were told the defendant is not welcome at that address. The case arose out of an incident on Blarney Street, Cork, where a 25-year-old Croatian man was left in a critical condition with head injuries. Mr Jimoh is accused of assault causing serious harm to Denis Mandic at 334, Blarney St, on Thursday. He is also accused of having a 21.5cm bolting pin to cause injury to another person, Sindile Alex Iroaku. At Cork District Court yesterday, Det Garda Forrest outlined the allegations. It is alleged that he struck Denis Mandic with an eight-and-a-half-inch iron bar on the right side head in an unprovoked assault and then went out on to Blarney St with the aforementioned iron bar where he was seen by gardai. Gardai saw him carrying this same bar and acting in an aggressive manner. It is my belief that if given bail he would commit further serious offences and would interfere with state witnesses. The detective said the accused had no ties to the jurisdiction and gardai believed he would abscond if given bail. Referring to the accused by the name TJ, his solicitor asked him how long he had been in Ireland. The accused replied almost nine years. The accused said he could live in Glanmire or at 334, Blarney St, if granted bail. Mr Hussey asked the accused: If there is a further hearing of this court will you turn up? The defendant replied, I dont think I will. He later said: If called to show up, yes. He was remanded in custody to appear at Cork District Court on Tuesday. Burma Karen Mark 67th Resistance Day in Eastern Burma Hundreds of ethnic Karen gathered at the Karen National Liberation Armys Brigade 7 headquarters in Hpa-an District Sunday to mark the 67th Resistance Day. HPA-AN DISTRICT, Karen State Hundreds of ethnic Karen including members of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) gathered at the armed groups Brigade 7 headquarters in Hpa-an District on Sunday to mark the 67th anniversary of Karen Resistance Day. In the early morning, KNLA soldiers raised the Karen national flag and paid their respects to fallen leaders and soldiers who sacrificed their lives during a civil war that broke out in 1949, one year after Burma gained independence. Karen troops also led military parades during the ceremony, celebrated annually on Jan. 31, which marks the founding of the KNLA, the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU). The day is celebrated by the KNLA and its supporters throughout the territory it controls in Karen State, eastern Burma. Karen civilians, young and old and with many in traditional attire, also attended Sundays event alongside representatives of the KNU and community based organizations. Traditional Karen dances, including the Done dance, and other performances were held. Founded in 1949, the KNLA has seven brigades and controls between 5,000 to 7,000 soldiers. The armed group signed a bilateral ceasefire with the quasi-civilian government of President Thein Sein in 2012, despite disagreements within the organizations leadership. In October last year, the KNU was one of eight armed groups that signed the so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement. Naresh Bedi awarded V Shantaram Life Time Acheivement Award at MIFF Published: January 30, 2016 Veteran wildlife filmmaker Naresh Bedi has been conferred with the V Shantaram Life Time Acheivement Award at 14th edition of 2016 Mumbai International Festival (MIFF), Mumbai. He was honoured for his outstanding contribution to wildlife filmmaking and is credited with filming several rare wildlife moments. Bedis film Cherub of the Mist based on the life of two red pandas was the opening film of this edition of MIFF. About Naresh Bedi Naresh Bedi is eldest of the Bedi Brothers who are counted amongst the foremost wildlife documentary makers. He is a graduate of the Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. He has made numerous environmental films which have been shown on Discovery Channel, National Geographic BBC and so on. He has authored around 74 books on the subject of wildlife photography. Awards and Honours: He is the first Asian to receive a Wildscreen Panda Award and the first Indian to receive a nomination for the British Academy Film Awards. He is the first Asian to receive a Wildscreen Panda Award and the first Indian to receive a nomination for the British Academy Film Awards. Government of India has awarded him with Padma Shri, fourth highest civilian award of India in 2015. About V Shantaram Life Time Acheivement Award The Lifetime Achievement Award has been instituted in memory of legendary film maker V Shantaram, who had headed the Films Division in the past. The award carries a trophy, shawl and a cash prize of 5 lakh rupees. MIFF: It is a biennial event (film festival) organized by the Films Division of the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and supported by the Government of Maharashtra. Topics: Awards Current Affairs 2016 Enterrainment Environment Persons in News Wildlife Latest E-Books Sunday, January 31st, 2016 (7:14 am) - Score 1,704 A large build of new homes on the outskirts of Buckingham (England) is still struggling to be recognised as needing faster broadband via the state aid fuelled Connected Counties project, which is because the local authority and BT were unable to identify its existence.. even though its kind of hard to miss. A few years ago the southern edge of Buckingham town was still little more than lush green fields (pictured), flanked by an industrial estate. But drive through the same area today and you cant help but notice a sprawling development of new build homes, shops and many other facilities. In fact youd have to be pretty blind to miss it as many of the homes have been built. The Lace Hill development, which was once batter known as Windsor Park before a dispute over its name got in the way, is expected to become home to 800+ new properties by completion in 2016 (expected to represent around 12% of Buckinghams population). A consortium of firms, including big names like Bovis and Barratt, are involved in its construction. The development first came to our attention in May 2014, after residents complained that their brand new properties had not been connected to even a basic broadband and phone service (here). After many months the issue was finally resolved, but it left locals with a weak ADSL2+ connection where speeds tended to vary from 5Mbps to 12Mbps (e.g. Cabinet 25 / Postcode: MK18 7RG). Unfortunately all of this happened far too late for the area to be included as part of the Phase 1 Connected Counties (CC) contract, which is working to ensure that 90% of premises in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire can access faster fibre broadband (FTTC/P) connectivity by March 2016. The local authority also initially reasoned that BT could cover it as part of their commercial deployment, although the telecoms giant appeared unwilling. But residents of Lace Hill remained hopeful that a second Connected Counties contract with BT, which was signed in May 2015 (here), might finally include their seemingly neglected development. So you can imagine their surprise at being told in September 2015 by CC that the postcode data for the development was not available at the time of our Open Market Review. The review has been carried out during H2 2014, which is after many homes had already been built and occupied. The postcode data for Lace Hill should have been supplied by BT (Openreach) for the OMR which, as per our May 2014 article, clearly did know about the development. Never the less one local campaigner was rather oddly told by Openreach in July 2015 that, we are not aware of the extent and size of the development on Lace Hill. Matthew King, Resident of Lace Hill, told ISPreview.co.uk: We have been trying to engage with BT, Connected Counties and the house builders on the continued lack of workable broadband now since 2013 on the development. BT have indicated that the site is not commercially viable (despite their being around 800 properties), Connected Counties who have funding to fill this type of gap are suggesting that it should be commercially viable for BT, which would be a barrier to their funding, that is if we actually appeared on their records which we apparently dont. We have requested Connected Counties to include us in their data as it clearly falls within the scope of their Open Market Review that completed in late 2014, but they are unwilling or unable to do so and have yet to explain why. BDUK who oversee the funding have yet to respond to us on the questions of correcting the clearly incorrect data and on their obligation for the best return on investment for public funds that this clearly represents. And all parties are giving a variety of different, contradictory, reasons as to how this issue has happened. We find it appalling is that no-one is willing, 3 years on, to give us any firm commitment on when this might be resolved. We are now having to resort at looking at the possibility of funding this as a community to enable residents children to carry out school work (some families have to take children to the library to do online school work), work from home and run businesses. Given the cost per property that BT have indicated (around 62.50 per household) it begs the question of why, given the huge boost to the Counties coverage statistics, no-one is jumping to cover this. It also begs the wider question as to how appropriately the Government funding is being spent and how accurate their statistics actually are. The issue is at least recognised by the Connected Counties project, although there are no solid plans to resolve it using state aid.. yet. A Connected Counties Spokesperson told ISPreview.co.uk: This situation is one we are well aware of. Given the time that has passed since the initial project scoping and procurement, there is inevitably a number of new housing developments that did not appear in the original dataset. This situation is replicated across the country, and locally we continue to work with partners to resolve this and other issues on new builds. We understand the government is in discussion with the EU on securing a new state aid notification for broadband. We will then look at how new postcodes and areas not included in the coverage data can be included. This will need to be done via an open market review after the government secures state aid notification. Naturally, we are keen to work with telecom suppliers to resolve such issues by extending their commercial plans and will look at state funding and other procurement solutions where necessary to facilitate increased coverage of superfast connectivity across Buckinghamshire. The above statement on state aid notification is a reference to the Governments on-going efforts to secure public funding for future Broadband Delivery UK projects (here and here), such as via a possible third extension contract to the CC scheme. But sadly this has been have been stalled since the original umbrella agreement with the EU expired at the end of June 2015. In fairness there is a long standing problem with the delay between a new home being constructed/occupied and then later often quite a few months later being recognised in various regional databases, which is likely to be something that many new home owners have experienced (i.e. getting organisations to recognise a new postcode that isnt in their database). Equally it would be wrong to place all of the blame for this at BTOpenreach or the councils feet because its the property developer(s) who hold the most responsibility for ensuring that their new homes are able to gain the best possible connectivity. Likewise homes buyers could have checked first, although property developers cant always be relied upon to give the correct information. An Openreach Spokesperson told ISPreview.co.uk: We understand the frustration of local residents at Lace Hill and continue to talk to developers about the options for providing superfast broadband to their homes. The development was built after Openreachs commercial programme in Buckingham completed and was not factored into our original plans as the developer had not made us aware of these new homes. When surveys were carried out for the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) programme, the post-code did not exist and the development was not included in intervention plans. We recognised these issues in 2013 and provided a gap-funded proposal to the developer for the 250 homes on the site but it was not taken up at the time. Since then hundreds more homes have been built and provided with copper lines. Were currently working with the developer to try and find a solution to bring fibre broadband to around 750 premises in Lace Hill. Its crucial to point out that Lace Hill is by no means the only development to fall into such a trap and many new builds, especially those of scale that occur in more rural areas, are becoming a victim of the same administrative oversight. Others would simply call it negligence. In the meantime its been suggested that one alternative path might involve a developer partnership to co-fund the build of a new fibre broadband cabinet with Openreach. The last quote on this was done two years ago for a privately funded cabinet with David Wilson (developers), which came out at 12,000 and was rejected (reasons unknown). However todays build is now significantly larger and a new quote is already being prepared that would require at least two DSLAMs, but theres currently no certainty that the developers will accept it. In other words, the wait continues. One bit of good news is that the Government has started to push local authority planning departments to ensure that they do not approve future applications unless a developer has included provision for superfast broadband (here), although such plans are often approved years ahead of development and so it may take some time for this to have any real impact. Meanwhile a forthcoming EU requirement means that, from 2017 onwards, all new builds will need to be high-speed broadband ready, although once again this will only impact future and not current development projects. But at least in the future we should see fewer situations like the one at Lace Hill. UPDATE 13th November 2017 Local resident Matthew King has been back in contact to say that the FTTC cabinets funded by the developers consortium and Openreach (BT) have finally gone live some 18 month later. Apparently current estimates for the whole site are that this should offer at least 40Mbps+ download, with many closer to 60Mbps+. Around 100 households are believed to have already ordered or be about to order the service (initial uptake). As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Close - : , ; September 2022 Watch here: https://youtu.be/uVtHxJGHtJo When: October 7th, 2022 Description: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected countries and people in very different ways, making the SDGs principle to Leave No One Behind particularly relevant as decision makers at all levels consider recovery plans to build back better from the lingering pandemic. Reaching zero-dose children is a key step [] Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Last week was a hard one for Winston-Salem State University. A lockdown Monday night after a report of a man with a gun at the Reaves Student Center had some students, quite understandably, on edge. It was a chilling flashback to the Nov. 1 incident when a fine student from Charlotte was fatally shot on campus. Rodale Monroe, a WSSU junior from Fayetteville, told the Journals John Hinton that he heard police sirens on campus Monday night from his dorm room. I got on Twitter, and I was in a panic, Monroe said. Im from the country. When they say, gun, I run. I cant blame him. The sad truth is that such incidents and ones much worse are occurring almost weekly on campuses and other spots across gun-glutted America. There are the shootings at schools to which we entrust our children and there is the toll of daily gun deaths and maimings in neighborhoods fanning out from our campuses, neighborhoods that have never felt the security our campuses do. The good news is that WSSU staff and students responded well to their latest threat. And the school has a solid leader in Chancellor Elwood Robinson. Wednesday, he took to WSSUs Facebook site to reassure students: The individual did not point the weapon at anyone nor make a direct threat with the weapon, and no shots were fired; however, it was seen by several people who notified police. The individual fled the building with two other people. While we have not confirmed the individuals identity, it is thought he is not a student at Winston-Salem State University. Our highest priority is the safety and security of the campus community. While there was no threat made with the weapon, we locked down at 9:47 p.m. so we could thoroughly canvas the campus and conduct welfare checks in each of our residence halls. We understand that lockdowns can be disconcerting or frightening to those who are on campus. We appreciate the patience and cooperation of our students, and hope you understand that lockdowns are an important tool for keeping you safe. As you may know, earlier this month we unveiled a new mobile application called LiveSafe that allows members of the campus community to communicate quickly, conveniently, and anonymously with campus police. As responsible citizens, we all have a responsibility to do our part to ensure the safety of our community. I invite and encourage you to accept that responsibility and report any matters that may cause harm to yourself or to others. During the incident on Monday night, many of you used the app to share information about the incident with campus police. Tips like these play a big role in helping police keep the campus safe and we appreciate your efforts It was part of a continuing effort on the part of Reaves and his leadership team to confront the issue of security on campus. Robinson and his team realize all too well that this effort is sorely needed. In November, 19-year-old Anthony White Jr., a WSSU student from Charlotte, was gunned down in a parking lot near two dormitories, shattering the schools happy homecoming. He was studying information technology. Hed been a talented football player in high school, but chose not to play sports in college so he could focus on his education. As we said in an editorial after his death, God only knows what he might have accomplished. Another student was injured in the incident. A former WSSU student, 21-year-old Jarrett Jerome Moore, is in the local jail, facing charges of first-degree murder and discharging a weapon on school property. Mondays incident occurred after the basketball game against Fayetteville State University on campus. The grounds were locked down for more than three hours while campus and city police searched for the man with the gun. Through texts and emails, school officials let students know what was happening, telling them to go to secure spots until the lockdown was lifted. That happened just after 1 a.m. Tuesday, when the suspect apparently left the area, the Journal reported. Students, though unbowed by the incident, are raising some good ideas about increasing campus security, some of which I trust WSSU leaders will act on, if they havent already. Several years ago, the school responded well in ramping up security after problems with crime. Im sure it will do the same now. And it would be a fine thing if the school led in a city-wide dialogue on gun violence and how to combat it. Whatever happens, the Winston-Salem community will be behind the school, just as it was after the November shooting, just as its always been behind the school. A few gunmen of the night will never kill this schools light. The school cant escape gun violence. No place in our land can. But WSSU never gives up in giving every challenge its all. Johnson Controls Inc. will merge with Tyco International to form an Ireland-based company selling Tyco's security and safety systems alongside Johnson Controls' building systems and heating and cooling equipment. Credit: Mike De Sisti By of the Johnson Controls Inc. was as patriotic as they come back in 2008, when the U.S. auto industry was teetering on bankruptcy and the Glendale-based maker of car parts knew it desperately needed help from U.S. taxpayers. The company's president at the time, Keith Wandell, didn't hesitate to ask Congress to support the massive government bailout that ultimately rescued two major U.S. automakers, along with uncounted businesses that provide parts and services to them. "It saved a whole lot of suppliers that would have gone out of business," said Steve Roell, then Johnson Controls' chief executive. And the auto bailout wasn't the only government handout to benefit Johnson Controls in the past decade. In 2010, for example, it received $299 million from the Energy Department to ramp up production of hybrid batteries. The state of Michigan awarded it millions of dollars for the same project. Yet few seem to see any reciprocal loyalty to the U.S. in the company's latest move: a multibillion-dollar merger with Tyco International that will transfer Johnson Controls' corporate headquarters to Ireland saving it an estimated $150 million on U.S. taxes, an action known as a tax inversion. With presidential campaigns at full throttle, both sides of the ideological divide were quick to criticize the situation. Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders called it a "disaster" for companies taking corporate welfare to head overseas. Hillary Clinton, his primary opponent, said the inversion "should be called a PER-version" and slammed the company for being "willing to walk away ...instead of doing what they should to support our country." Republican elected officials and conservatives said it was another sign that an overhaul of the U.S. corporate tax code is overdue. "The failure to modernize the federal tax code has pushed American businesses to move overseas," wrote Brett Healy of the free-market Wisconsin-based think tank MacIver Institute. "Our politicians have failed us, not Johnson Controls." Social responsibility Corporations need to think about more than their shareholders, because they also have a social responsibility, said Sarah Peck, finance professor at Marquette University, adding: "$150 million a year could go a long way to providing (government) services to the public." "In the short term they're doing a great job by their shareholders," she said, noting the attention generated by the latest financial offshoring could prompt the federal inversion rules to be changed. "Politically, people are not very happy with the tax inversion will that loophole be closed?" While Johnson Controls for now remains a major supplier of auto parts such as car seats and batteries, it also is a leader in the building-controls business providing energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment and control systems for commercial buildings and skyscrapers, for instance. It is in the process of a major transition that will spin off its car parts business, while its building controls operation will merge with Tyco, which supplies buildings with fire suppression and security systems. Under the deal, Johnson Controls would become a subsidiary of Tyco, which would then change its name to Johnson Controls plc. The spun-off auto parts company will be called Adient, and it will likely call Ireland home, too, although Johnson Controls spokesman Glen Ponczak said that's still to be determined. Merger documents filed this past week show Adient will be spun off by the Irish parent company after the Johnson Controls-Tyco deal is done. Observers note that Tyco has spun off five or six companies in the recent past and all are domiciled in Ireland. Good for Milwaukee Company officials have taken pains to say the deal is good for Milwaukee, because despite the official move to Ireland, both the new Johnson Controls and Adient actually will be run from Milwaukee. In moving its corporate headquarters, Johnson Controls is doing what plenty of other companies have done. Household names like Apple and Facebook have been criticized for shifting some of their tax burdens to Ireland. Other examples abound. Eaton Corp., which bought Milwaukee-based Cutler Hammer in the 1970s, shifted its corporate headquarters to Ireland in 2012 after it bought Cooper Industries. Why base in Ireland rather than Cleveland, which had been Eaton's home before? Because the difference in tax rates is so dramatic and because of the way the U.S. tax code treats multinational companies, an Eaton executive told CFO Magazine in 2013. "The U.S. tax code, which is a global system, really penalizes companies for taking cash back into the United States," said Richard Fearon, chief financial officer of Eaton, at the time. "That probably isn't the most sensible system, because it causes companies to be reluctant to bring cash back. And of course cash is used for investment, for returning money to shareholders, things that are positive for the United States. Ireland is much more pragmatic, and the tax rate is quite low." For its part, Tyco hasn't been incorporated in the U.S. for decades. The company shifted from the U.S. to Bermuda in the late 1990s. After its CEO was imprisoned for defrauding the company of $100 million, the conglomerate later moved its incorporation to Switzerland in 2008 before shifting it to Ireland in 2014. Each time, the company said the move was in the best interest of shareholders. Ireland has a tax rate of 12.5%, whereas the United States has a tax rate of 35%. Johnson Controls paid $600 million in taxes in its last fiscal year and reported a tax rate of 19% the result of a variety of global tax maneuvers. Tyco's rate was 12.1%, the company said Friday. The big driver for large multinational companies to relocate to an international address is that so much of their revenue comes from abroad, said John Samuels of the International Tax Policy Forum. In 1982, multinationals earned less 23% of their income outside the U.S., but that jumped to 54% by 2012. "Today, with most of their income and almost all of their growth outside the United States, U.S. companies have a lot more to gain by relocating their headquarters to a foreign country with a more hospitable tax regime," said Samuels. "And conversely they have a lot more to lose by remaining in the United States and having their growing global income swept into the worldwide U.S. tax net and taxed at a 35% rate." But the shift overseas is affecting the U.S. Treasury. Economics professor Kimberly Clausing of Reed College in Oregon estimated in a recent study that as of 2012, corporations had shifted as much as $111 billion overseas through inversions and other tax-saving strategies. Richard Painter, formerly the chief ethics lawyer for the White House during the administration of President George W. Bush, said one potential downside to the merger and move is that litigation involving the new company will be dealt with by courts in Ireland just as companies that incorporate in Delaware because of its business-friendly policies often have court cases heard there. "That means the rights of the shareholder will be determined under Irish law rather than Delaware or Wisconsin law," said Painter. "Issues regarding takeovers, shareholder rights or conflicts involving the CEO ... All of that will be determined by the law the Irish judges apply to a situation that is about as Irish as the song 'God Save the Queen.'" Expanded opportunities Moving to take the focus off the migration to Ireland, Johnson Controls and Tyco crafted messages for investors and the public last week that the deal was more about combining two companies and expanded sales opportunity in the years ahead. Customers of tomorrow will operate in "smart buildings" that house a variety of systems that can talk to one another thanks to industry trends including Big Data and the Internet of Things, said George Oliver, Tyco's CEO, during a conference call Friday. Johnson Controls was taking pains to reassure customers that it's a good U.S. corporate citizen and that its merger would be good for the country and Wisconsin. In a memo of talking points for employees to share with customers, the company noted that like Johnson Controls, Tyco is a major U.S. government contractor. "Tyco has a successful and robust government business today, and we will continue as a combined company being a committed business partner to the U.S. government," the company said. But at the same time, the company said it sees benefits to being "domiciled" in Ireland. Most of its sales come from outside the United States, and most of its employees are outside the country, too. "Keeping the Irish domicile retains maximum flexibility for our balance sheet and ability to invest in growth opportunities everywhere around the world, including in the United States," the memo says. The combined business, with $32 billion in global sales, would initially be run by Johnson Controls' Chairman and CEO Alex Molinaroli. He would retain those roles for 18 months, then become executive chairman for another year before leaving the company. Succeeding him will be George Oliver, current chairman of Tyco. The company calls the merger a "win" for Milwaukee. It's also a win for Molinaroli, who owns nearly $28 million in stock and will see $60 million in stock and options vest in the coming years. Details of his full golden parachute will be released later, but a revised employment arrangement negotiated in connection with the merger will pay him a retention bonus and stock valued at $20 million. Johnson Controls "is clearly doing a good job in maximizing the returns to the shareholder," Peck said, providing the savings it delivers don't "get diverted to products that don't make money or excess compensation to the CEO or other executives." Guy Boulton of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report. Patton Oswalt performs at the Riverside Theater Saturday. Credit: Melissa Miller/Pabst Theater Group SHARE By of the On Friday, comedian Patton Oswalt jokingly tweeted that he wasn't prepared for his show at the Riverside Theater Saturday night. It turns out, he may not have actually been joking. And actually, that was just fine. Not once but three times Saturday Oswalt chatted up folks in the Riverside's front row (at least during the hour I was there; print deadlines prevented a review of the entire show). In doing so, Oswalt proved, through quick wit and an absurdist, unexpected take on everyday observations, he could make anything funny. There was a guy Oswalt talked to who moved to Milwaukee from Brooklyn in 1956 to get into the window industry. Oswalt humorously likened his life story to an Arthur Miller play, joking that Melissa Etheridge's "Come To My Window" would be the theme song for the biopic. Oswalt also chatted up the head of security for Bayshore Town Center, who ultimately refused to play along and answer Oswalt's questions. So Oswalt smartly riffed on the tension, saying he would return to his hotel room and there would be a severed head of a churro waiting in his bed. And then there was the guy working in food development who was currently crafting an extra cheesy version of a mac and cheese product. Oswalt asked him if there was a controversial version of mac and cheese he wish he could develop, to which the man suggested a not-so-cheesy version. This inspired a hilarious uproar, but Oswalt defended the mac and cheese dreamer, saying he was just ahead of his time, and likening him to, of all people, GG Allin, the late extremist punk rocker known for self-mutilation at his shows. And for one hysterical minute, Oswalt did a perfect impression of the droning, mumbled phone calls from the Netflix smash series "Making a Murderer," about the Steven Avery case in Manitowoc County checking first to make sure there weren't any Averys in the audience. Yes, Oswalt also came somewhat prepared. He offered a little education with a funny bit about how female editors actually turned films like "Lawrence of Arabia" into classics. But he also offered unabashedly dumb, fun humor, making fun of himself for remembering a 40-year-old radio jingle while forgetting how to perform CPR on a child, and detailing the time a stomach flu kicked in during the middle of a disastrous Virginia gig. So while Saturday's casual, low-key show wasn't Oswalt's finest hour, safe to say, it definitely wasn't his worst. THE TAKEAWAYS Oswalt's show Saturday, his first in Milwaukee in nearly five years, was for the Jewish Community Center's fifth annual Laugh It Up Milwaukee fundraiser, which this year benefitted the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Center and Special Olympics Wisconsin. In years' past Laugh It Up has featured the likes of Martin Short, Seth Meyers and Howie Mandel, but the crowd for Saturday's show was the largest to date. Sample Improvised Joke: (in response to people booing when an audience member said he was from Chicago) "Milwaukee booing Chicago, its like the North Pole booing the South Pole, they're both frozen wastelands." Sample Prepared Joke: (Oswalt mocking clueless customers at the DMV) "When you said 'Bring a check for $33,' did you mean, 'Bring a check for $33?'" Doing Nothing class at Lawrence University garners national attention The Doing Nothing course meets for one hour every week and is taught by a new professor each week. Students are graded either pass or fail and can't have their phones during the class. Editor's note - This is part one of a two-part story. Part two will appear online and in Tuesday's print edition. A local womans battle with addiction, loss and recovery has led her on a new path to help children who are in the foster system, much like she was as a kid. Project Backpack was something that Park Hills resident Amanda Barton-McCarver decided to do because of her own experiences and because of the distance between her and her own children. A lot of kids get taken away from their homes for one reason or another. Or their moms just drop them off. McCarver said she doesnt understand why moms do what her mom did to her. It's a terrible feeling. She set out to do something for kids like she was at one time. I started asking around about what programs there are for kids and a lot of people didn't know, said McCarver. The current lady at DFS remembers me from when I was little and she remembers them taking me from my mom or my mom bringing me in. They told me about the backpack program and that the foster care program recently lost the grant that supported the program. Missouri Childrens Division representatives told McCarver the things they needed and items that make up a care package. She said that the children who come through the system are taken from their parents for many different reasons, whether its because of an unsuitable home or there are drugs involved. Its protocol that they take the child and nothing else. Children don't get to pack a bag, they don't get to bring their favorite stuffed bear, they don't get to bring any of that because their personal belongings are considered contaminated. I started getting backpacks. The first ones we did I purchased from the drug store, said McCarver. My girls and I put them together and took them up to the childrens division. Thats when I typed up a flyer and started putting them out for other people to see them. McCarver believes this is a great project for recovering addicts like her because they get to do something so simple. Recovering addicts may not have a lot of money, but they can buy a toothbrush and toothpaste or shampoo. They can give it to me, I can put it in the backpack and they are doing something that means something to them, said Barton. It's a little bitty thing that they could do for someone even if its tiny because they may not have a lot of money. Dawn Phillips, a Missouri Childrens Division employee, said McCarver has given them a lot of donations so far. I think she is in the (St. Francois County Drug Court program) and she has her drug court group that has kind of taken on this project and are trying to give back, said Phillips. She has donated quite a bit of stuff to us and is very active with the program. She has been making people knowledgeable about the program and has spoken with the circuit clerks office and other businesses about helping the cause. She just told me the other day that she got some donations from quite a few places. Phillips said the backpack program is such an awesome idea. They provide backpacks for each foster child who comes into care. It will always contain at least one outfit, school supplies if they are school aged, and a toy. Its something that they can have immediately that will be theirs and its something that they can keep, said Phillips. Our foster parent support group had lost some of their funds this last year and so we have reached out to the community asking for assistance with this. Amanda is one of them that kind of picked up on us reaching out trying to get the community involved. Phillips said that ever since then McCarver has been involved and has devoted her days to get people to help donate to the backpack program. She feels McCarver's history has helped drive that and Phillips appreciates it. Whenever she came in, its funny because she looks like her mother, she was like 'I guess you probably remember me,' said Phillips. I told her she does look like her mom and one of the other supervisors that works here remembers her as well. I think just having a history with us and knowing what herself, as a child, growing up in the foster care system, she knows how she can give back and help. I think that is her drive and its been really good for us because she has gotten that word out there. Phillips sad that one week last month McCarver brought in four or five boxes of diapers, some baby clothes, wipes, blankets and backpacks. We always benefit, especially from the baby stuff, the diapers and wipes and pajamas, for sure. It just seems that when we take a kid into care they come with nothing, said Phillips. They need at least one outfit for the foster family to be able to put them in until we can get them some other clothing and stuff. Unfortunately we are constantly in need of such things. Phillips said if anybody from the community would want to know about the backpack program or why they have that program, they can always call the office to get information. Foster parents are probably our best word of mouth when it comes to these types of things, said Phillips. If anyone is interested in being a foster parent to the children we are providing the backpacks for, they can always call our office. While McCarvers children have not been in foster care, Phillips believes that the kids specifically are proud of the backpacks they stuffed themselves and brought in. As far as the backpack program that we have had in the past, Master Foster Parent Millie Smith is the president of that group, said Phillips. She heads up the foster parent support group, who initially started all the backpack programs. I just think that anybody who knows the foster care system understands what these children need and what its like. I think that (McCarver) giving back in this manner is probably a healing process for her, as well as her trying to help kids that are coming into the system now. Growing up in Foster Care McCarver said that through her childhood she lived through many traumatic events of abuse, including sexual, physical and emotional abuse. She said she dealt with a lot of things and when she was a kid she thought she didnt need any help. I would tell myself, I got this or I'm Ok, I'll be all right.' I didn't want to talk about my problems, I just suppressed them, said McCarver. I didn't want to burden anyone with the things that were going on inside me. As an adult that turned into a substance abuse problem and it turned into self-medicating. I think if I would have gotten some counseling as a child, there's a pretty good chance that I would have gone on a different path. McCarver said she had real a problem with authority at one point in her life. Growing up she felt so unprotected when she went through foster care and they took her from her mom. My mom would also just drop us off there and say 'here take them because I can't deal with it,' said McCarver. It was not like most parents who want their kids back when they are taken. She tried to put me up for adoption when I was 9 years old. Then maybe a year later she actually wanted us back. She would change her mind and come get us. It was a mental illness that made her do what she did, it wasn't a drug or alcohol problem. McCarver said she was being pulled from one place to another so many times that she developed the ability to adapt to situations. She added that she could adapt well with people and that people taught her to be the person she is today. I paid attention since I was little, said McCarver. I paid attention to this person's parents, a foster family, to teachers or one of my friends at school families. I paid attention to the things that made me feel warm inside and made me feel good and I would fixate on those things. I would think I want to be like that this person: they are very loving and that is the kind of person I want to be. Calvin Mattheis Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn speaks during a press conference to announce the launch of the COPS collaborative. Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn has said it's impossible to ignore the correlation between rising homicides and the proliferation of firearms. "When you dramatically ease the availability of firearms and maintain weak criminal penalties, you of course facilitate the use of deadly violence among those committed to a criminal lifestyle and innocent victims affected by the crossfire," Flynn said. He was not alone in his assertion. Other chiefs raised the same concern during a meeting last summer in Washington, D.C., about rising gun violence. About 40% of departments surveyed reported more shootings involving multiple firearms and officers finding more shell casings at the scenes. In Milwaukee, homicides jumped 69% from 2014 to 2015. By comparison, nonfatal shootings saw only a 9% increase, according to preliminary information from the city's Homicide Review Commission. "Are we seeing more multiple-wound homicide victims?" said Mallory O'Brien, an epidemiologist who leads the commission. "More single wounds to the head or chest? Are more of the victims dying in the field, not even getting medical services?" Those are questions the commission expects to answer in its 2015 annual report, which will be released this year. Mayor Tom Barrett and Flynn say they will continue calling for tougher penalties when people are caught carrying guns in violation of the law. The two counted a victory late last year when Gov. Scott Walker signed a law boosting minimum prison time for felons possessing guns. Flynn and Barrett have continued to single out Wisconsin's concealed carry law as a possible factor in rising violence. Felons cannot get a permit and are prohibited from carrying guns, but people with misdemeanor convictions can get one, unless the crimes involved domestic violence. In addition, carrying a gun without a permit is a misdemeanor no matter how many times someone does it. How many homicides and shootings involved a permit-holder? Milwaukee police say it's impossible to know from their records because Wisconsin's concealed carry law prohibits law enforcement agencies from sorting their records by whether anyone involved had a permit. Of the gun homicides the department had cleared at the end of 2015, 64% of the suspects or an accomplice possessed a gun illegally meaning the person was a felon, under the age of 18 or an adult who previously was found delinquent of a felony offense in juvenile court. "It's a little bit of a red herring to concentrate on the felon part because there are so many career misdemeanants," Flynn said. Nik Clark, president of gun rights advocacy group Wisconsin Carry Inc., has said the problem seems to lie with the criminal justice system offering plea bargains that drop offenses from felonies to misdemeanors rather than the concealed-carry law. To which Flynn responds: "An overwhelmed court system has to do what it has to do." Clark has characterized Flynn's remarks as a distraction from the question of "why are so many dangerous criminals put back on the streets of Milwaukee weekly by the criminal justice system." Milwaukee Police Association president Michael Crivello has pointed to the department's policy limiting pursuits as a factor, saying "the safest place for a criminal to keep guns and drugs are in a vehicle." Share your thoughts To comment on this story, email a letter to jsedit@jrn.com . Letters will be considered for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinels opinion page. Letters generally are 200 words or less. "It has become common knowledge of criminals that the police will generally not chase," he said. "Therefore they flee without concern." The policy does allow for officers to chase if an occupant has committed a violent crime or is a threat to the safety of others. Flynn dismissed the idea of the policy playing a role, noting the city saw high levels of homicide even when there was very permissive pursuit policy. twitter.com/aluthern aluthern@journalsentinel.com A year ago, Tamika Holmes was settling into her new home in Phoenix when she got the call that too many Milwaukee mothers receive. Her 20-year-old daughter, Jahara Kennedy, was dead. Kennedy was celebrating her sister's birthday at the Days Inn on N. 6th. St. in Milwaukee when four men tried to rob them. Kennedy barricaded herself behind a closed door. One of the men shot through the door, and a bullet hit Kennedy in the head. Holmes was devastated by her daughter's death. "I just could not believe this was happening," she said. Afterward, Holmes, who moved to Phoenix for a new job, tried to persuade her son, 19-year-old Rahkei Washington, to join her there. He told her he couldn't leave the city where his sister was buried. A few years earlier, Washington had gotten into trouble with the law and spent time at Lincoln Hills School for Boys. But since then he had graduated from high school, taken the SAT and applied to college. Just five months after her daughter was killed, Holmes got another call, this one about her son. He was found shot to death inside a car near N. 62nd St. and W. Villard Ave. The day of his funeral, Holmes' phone rang again. It was a college in Texas checking to make sure Washington had received his acceptance letter. Holmes' children were two of the 145 homicide victims in Milwaukee last year. It was the highest number of homicides since 1993, when 160 people were killed in the city. The spike was a nearly 69% increase from 2014 a year-to-year increase higher than the headline-grabbing changes reported in Baltimore, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. The yearly change in Milwaukee is so stark, in part, because the city recorded one of its lowest homicide totals in a generation in 2014: 86 victims. The 2015 total, following federal guidelines for recording homicides, does not include six other fatal shootings that authorities ruled were self-defense, nor does it include the death of one man who suffered heart failure after a robbery. The question plaguing Milwaukee and other cities with rising homicide totals is the same: Why? "That is the million dollar question," said Mallory O'Brien, an epidemiologist who leads the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission, which analyzes homicides and nonfatal shootings in the city looking for causes and possible solutions. Several trends have remained constant: Some families have multiple victims, some people could be a perpetrator one day and a victim the next, most of the victims are African-American men and most victims die from gunfire. Some of the killings on average 1 in 3 go unsolved. Preliminary numbers show a quarter of homicides in Milwaukee last year stemmed from arguments and fights. A lesser share were the result of domestic violence, drug activity and robbery. Authorities are not sure what led to nearly one-third of the killings. No one has pinpointed a single reason for the increase. Ask anyone in Milwaukee and they'll have a different answer: Deep systemic problems of poverty, unemployment, segregation and education. Easy access to firearms. Lack of personal responsibility and the breakdown of the family. An ineffective criminal justice system. Lax sentencing. A pursuit policy critics say too often limits police chases. Too much policing. Not enough policing. Nationally, some commentators and politicians have theorized the so-called "Ferguson effect" is behind the homicide spike in some cities. The theory is this: After high-profile police shootings like that of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer in Ferguson, Mo., prompted a national dialogue on police uses of force and race, officers felt hamstrung, worried each encounter could become the next viral video to prompt protests and intense media attention. Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn suggested officers didn't back down, but there was a perception they did and that perception fueled more reckless behavior on the streets people interfering with arrests, for example. "The difference they've seen post-Ferguson disturbances is an emboldening of the same group of people that already are shooting each other," he said, citing anecdotal information from Milwaukee officers. Flynn freely acknowledges this is just a theory and more data is needed. He has called for rigorous study into what happened in Milwaukee and cities with similar demographics that saw similar spikes in homicides in 2015. Milwaukee already has an apparatus for studying every homicide and nonfatal shooting: the city's Homicide Review Commission. The commission gathers data from police, prosecutors, probation officers, corrections officials, federal agencies, child welfare, court systems, community nonprofits and others. During monthly reviews with those agencies and other partners, the commission seeks to identify trends and find ways to prevent more deadly violence. Not even the commission has definitive answers yet for what caused last year's spike, but officials expect to have more insight in the annual report for 2015. Researchers continued to collect and verify more data in the new year and the review for December homicides occurred last week. "The numbers are just that numbers and we really need to get behind the numbers and get to the stories," O'Brien said. Homicide Tracker The Journal Sentinel is tracking homicides in Milwaukee to memorialize the victims and better understand deadly violence in the city. The tracker is updated as regularly as possible. Milwaukee homicide locations: Search all 2015 UCR reported homicide locations: Gun-related homicides in cities like Milwaukee often appear random, at first. Take the case of Lennair Davis. Her family described the 56-year-old woman as a sweet grandmother who took care of her family every way she could. Police believe her son was the target of the shooting, but she was hit instead. It began, authorities say, two years ago when her son, Howard Davis, was shot by Raymond Harris Jr. The next year, Harris was shot dead. Davis and another man were charged in the homicide. Davis was on trial when his mother was fatally shot. His mother climbed in a van the morning of Feb. 27 to accompany him to court when another car pulled up. Someone inside that vehicle opened fire and sped away. Davis' sister, Callie Jones, who also was in the van the day of the shooting, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel she is certain the bullet was meant for Davis. Davis was convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison in Harris' death. No one has been arrested in the death of his mother. Three months after Lennair's death, Jones' cousin, Pedrell Davis, was fatally stabbed in a domestic violence incident. "It's been an overwhelming year," Jones said in December. "I can't wait for it to be over." Victims in more than 80% of last year's homicides died by gunfire. Those shootings, while tragic, are often not random, according to sociologist Andrew Papachristos. Papachristos argues outbreaks of gun violence spread like a blood-borne pathogen such as HIV/AIDS. It's not just about risky behavior, it's about the relationship between individuals who are engaging in that behavior, he said. In a study of one high-crime Chicago neighborhood, Papachristos and other researchers found that more than 40% of all gun homicides occurred within a network of 3,100 people, about 4% of the community's population. Simply being among the 4% increased a person's odds of being killed by a gun by 900%. When it comes to gun homicide, Papachristos says, seemingly innocent victims end up in the "wrong place at the wrong time" by indirect exposure, such as getting a ride from a friend's cousin or by going to the party of a friend of a friend's. In the short term, analyzing those social networks could help identify people who are in harm's way and help others try to reach them before a shooting. Flynn has said the Police Department's crime analysts are capable of doing that work and have done so before, calculating risk factors including whether a person has been arrested, has been shot, shot someone else or witnessed a shooting. "It's a little depressing how predictable it is," Flynn said. "The challenge is, who are the right messengers to pierce that environment of acceptable violence?" Papachristos, who has taken part in violence-reduction efforts in Chicago, says police probably shouldn't take on that role. Rather, he said, it could be people who work with youth, such as teachers, nurses and social workers. "My dream is having sort of public injury prevention or monitoring," he said. "A shooting happened in this part of the network, let's go see how people are." "You experience trauma, your family does, your friends do and simply providing services to those people could help diminish the effects of a shooting, on top of what police might do to stop retaliation." Papachristos cautioned short-term tactics must be balanced with long-term solutions for the "big things" underlying gun violence. "We know that the big things like poverty and education and unemployment actually set the stage and are really responsible for the way the networks look the way they do, and how people get in that network in the first place," he said. In 2002, Laron Ball was fatally shot by a detective in a Milwaukee courtroom after being found guilty of felony murder, stealing a deputy's gun and firing it while trying to escape. Thirteen years later, his brother, Latrail Ball, was shot and killed, but in very different circumstances. Latrail Ball Latrail Ball, 26, was killed in a drive-by shooting on Feb. 8, 2015. Earlier this month, a jury convicted Christopher Ross, 26, who police say was a member of the Wild 100s gang, in the younger Ball's slaying. From court documents, it appears Ball may not have been the intended target. Ross had gotten into a dispute with another man at a bar. After he left, the man's truck got stuck in the snow. Ball stopped to help the man, whom he knew. Ross drove up a short time later and opened fire, according to a criminal complaint. Police recovered the murder weapon when a police informant bought it on the street. Ten years before Latrail Ball was murdered, he and another brother were arrested in the brutal mob beating of a 50-year-old man. Latrail, 17 at the time, was convicted of battery and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Assistant District Attorney Grant Huebner was involved in the prosecution of Latrail Ball for the 2005 beating. A decade later, Huebner prosecuted his killer. Terrance Anderson (left) and Desha Robertson. Before Terrance Anderson was fatally shot during a dispute at his brother's bar, he worked on a Gulf of Mexico oil rig and would ask friends back in Milwaukee, "How many people you know take a helicopter to work?" Anderson was a cook on the rigs for months at a time, but didn't get sent back out after his last home leave in late 2014 because his blood pressure was too high, his brother Durrell Anderson said. So Terrance, 38, returned to Milwaukee and was helping out at Durrell's bar, New Entertainers Lounge. Durrell, 54, said his brother was shot while trying to keep order. Four men were walking out near bar time, Durrell said, and they seemed to be pressuring a woman to come with them. Terrance went over to ask the men to move on. As they neared the door, one fired a shot into the ceiling, then blindly pointed back inside and fired again, hitting Terrance twice. It was all caught on video. Next, the shooter killed another patron, Desha Robertson, in the entryway to the bar. Pierre Cardell Brown, 29, pleaded guilty to the killings and will be sentenced next month. He has prior convictions for robbery and delivery of cocaine. A year before the bar shooting, Brown was charged with shooting at people in a car in what police think was an ongoing feud. In that exchange of gunfire, Brown was wounded four times. Charges against him ultimately were dismissed after witnesses could not be located to be served subpoenas. None of them appeared for the trial. Terrance's brother, Durrell, said he doesn't know what to make of people who resort to gun violence. "This is a like a plague," he said. "They're like suicide bombers without any religion." The aftermath of Ferguson could have added fuel to a sense of "legal cynicism" already present in many communities, according to Thomas Abt, former New York deputy secretary for public safety and a senior research fellow with Harvard Kennedy School of Government. If people view the criminal justice system as illegitimate or unable to help them, it can lead to more violence, Abt wrote in a recent opinion piece for The Marshall Project, a criminal justice website. Experts also have suggested legal cynicism can be exasperated when killings go unsolved the status of nearly one in three homicides nationwide. The national average homicide clearance rate was 64% in 2014, the most recent year available. A case is considered cleared when an arrest is made or when a suspect has been identified without the possibility of arrest. The suspect, for example, may have died. Milwaukee's clearance rate was just over 60% in 2015, putting it slightly above the 56% average for similar-sized cities. Clearance rates in Milwaukee have fluctuated in the past decade, reaching a high of 93% in 2008, but in the early 2000s were routinely 70% or higher. Under FBI guidelines, clearance rates include all homicide arrests in a given year, regardless of when the crime occurred. Flynn has cited lack of cooperation from witnesses, intimidation of witnesses who do cooperate, high standards for prosecution and an overwhelming workload as factors in the 2015 rate. Regardless, detectives work relentlessly to try to bring justice to families, he said. He said he couldn't vouch for how clearances were calculated before he was chief. The Milwaukee Police Association, which represents the department's rank-and-file, has long criticized Flynn's leadership. Union president Michael Crivello says the chief's reorganization of the department deserves much of the blame for higher levels of violence and lower clearance rates. "(An) abandonment of the fundamentals of policing have caused the out-of-control spiral of criminal behavior," Crivello said. When no one's held accountable for a homicide, the victim's family and friends suffer, said Tory Lowe, a Milwaukee activist and Common Council candidate. "When it goes unsolved, that anger sits right there in the community and causes a form of hopelessness," he said. How we reported this story The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sought information about each homicide last year to better understand the spike in deadly violence in the city and to memorialize the victims. Journal Sentinel reporters reached out to victims families to request photos of loved ones. Reporters also searched public images available on community Facebook pages and public online fundraising pages. In some cases, if a relative could not be reached, the Journal Sentinel sought photos from court files and arrest records. Reporters used information from victims relatives and friends, law enforcement, the medical examiners office, the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission and court records in this article. The 2015 homicide total of 145 victims follows federal guidelines for totaling homicides. It does not include six other fatal shootings that authorities ruled were self-defense, nor does it include the death of one man who suffered heart failure after a robbery. Those seven other victims, however, are included in the Journal Sentinels online homicide database. Anyone with information about these homicides cases can call Milwaukee police at (414) 935-7360. Callers can remain anonymous. Share your thoughts To comment on this story, email a letter to jsedit@jrn.com . Letters will be considered for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinels opinion page. Letters generally are 200 words or less. Milwaukee police are still searching for the person who shot and killed Jeremy J. Hollins last May. The shooting left his brother, Bryan, reflecting not only on his brother's life, but on the wider question of community. Last winter, Jeremy and Bryan were driving when they spotted a middle school-aged boy standing at a freezing cold bus stop. "My brother had on a peacoat, and the kid had on a thin windbreaker," Bryan recalled. "Jeremy gave him his jacket. We rolled off, and that little boy was looking at him like, 'What just happened?' He was startled, but we could tell it was a blessing." Although Jeremy, 28, had spent time in prison for armed robbery, there were other sides to him that not many people knew about, his brother said. The two brothers had many conversations about Greek mythology, history and larger-than-life political figures, such as Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. The death of his brother, who was fatally shot after taking a phone call and stepping outside a house, has caused Bryan, 26, to contemplate a move out West, away from his close-knit family and the city where he grew up. "I just feel it's a broken system here, but then again it starts with us," he said. "I'm disappointed with my community, with my culture as well. If we're not holding hands together, why are we staying? I'm just fed up. I'm angry." "This community needs to see the greater good in people." Advertisement Whenever Lowe, an activist, posts a photo of a homicide victim online, he uses the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. "People think Black Lives Matters is just about injustice," said Lowe, who also has led protests against police misconduct. "Black Lives Matters is about homicide and violence. It's not one-sided." Lowe helped nearly 80 families of homicide victims last year, organizing vigils and guiding efforts to raise money for funerals and reward funds. Nothing will change, he says, until there are permanent job opportunities and an effective educational system in Milwaukee. Two separate studies last year found unemployment among African-Americans in Wisconsin was the highest in the country and Wisconsin's gap in graduation rates between black and white students was the largest in the country. "These are contributing factors to violence they're huge," Lowe said. "I can march all day, but if we don't provide the certain elements to the equation, it will get worse." The damage caused by homicides is long-lasting and ripples outward. The economic effects spread to the public in the form of police, court, incarceration and medical costs. Families of both suspects and perpetrators are permanently altered. Many relatives and friends of homicide victims told the Journal Sentinel last year that they felt forgotten. There may have been an initial burst of interest and support, but it quickly faded. Everyone else returned to their daily lives; they couldn't. Mark Hoffman Tamika Holmes wears a bracelet (left) in memory of her daughter, Jahara S. Kennedy Tamika. Holmes shares a hug with daughter, Maelizah, 16, at her home in Phoenix, Ariz. Holmes two older children, Jahara S. Kennedy, 20, and Rahkei Washington, 19, were shot and killed in Milwaukee in separate, unrelated homicides in 2015. Holmes, whose two children were killed last year, felt alone. She wasn't prepared to pay the funeral costs of one child, let alone two. She wasn't prepared to make multiple trips from Phoenix to Milwaukee as four men charged in her daughter's death made their way through the court system. She wasn't prepared for her daughters to lose their brother, the only constant male figure in their life. "When I lost my kids, nobody reached out to me at all," she said. "And I struggled so hard, so hard." Gina Barton, John Diedrich and Bruce Vielmetti of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report. twitter.com/aluthern aluthern@journalsentinel.com SHARE By of the While much of the nation is steadily boosting state funding for higher education, several recent reports suggest the opposite is true in Wisconsin, though the governor's office argues that's not the full story. Nationally, state support for higher education went up an average 4.1% for this fiscal year, according to the Grapevine report released last week. Wisconsin was among nine states that cut funding between fiscal 2015 and 2016 of the 48 states with finalized budgets. No other states with Big 10 schools and finalized budgets made cuts, though Illinois and Pennsylvania have not yet passed their budgets, and higher education funding is a pressure point in a budget standoff in Illinois. Among the 48 states with approved budgets, Wisconsin ranked No. 2 for highest percentage cut (8.1%) behind Arizona (14%). It was the third consecutive year that state funding for higher education on average increased across the country as the economy recovers. In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker and Republican lawmakers cut $250 million in funding to the University of Wisconsin System spread across this fiscal year and next. Numerous factors go into higher education budgets that reports like Grapevine don't take into consideration, and state aid is only one of them, said Laurel Patrick, the governor's spokeswoman. Democrats argue that state funding for education at the UW System and Wisconsin Technical College System combined has fallen $1 billion behind since 2010-'11. That's if you consider 2010-'11 the base year, then compare each subsequent year's funding to that base and add up the differences through 2016-'17. The caveats are removing from the equation state revenue for fixed debt service on UW System building projects, plus the additional $406 million the state gave tech colleges in fiscal 2015 as a substitute for local property tax support. The funding comparison over the past six years comes from a memo earlier this month from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau requested by Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, a Democrat. Barca used the funding comparison to point a finger at Walker, a Republican elected in 2010. The memo looks at only one side of the equation, Walker's spokeswoman said. "When you are looking at UW funding for example, you need to take into account all fund sources," she said. UW System's overall budget has risen from $5.6 billion in 2010-'11 to $6.2 billion in 2015-'16, "even considering state aid constraints," Patrick said. "It went up again even after the most recent UW System state aid reduction by $100 million. The technical college system's total budget is higher than it has ever been, she said. UW System officials point out that much of its funding is restricted for specific uses, and cannot be used to support instruction. Patrick said UW System and the tech colleges, like K-12 schools and state and local governments, also saved money through Act 10 reforms, which all but eliminated collective bargaining for most public employees and required all public employees to pay more for health insurance, plus contribute to their pension funds. "Taken all together, the pension and health savings to higher education have more than made up for any state aid reductions," Patrick said. Former Gov. Jim Doyle cut $250 million from the UW System in the 2003-'05 state budget, Patrick added. "Instead of providing any tools or flexibilities, (that) budget allowed the UW System to raise tuition by up to $150 million," she said. College became affordable for students on UW System campuses when Walker and Republican lawmakers pushed for a four-year tuition freeze starting in 2013-'14, Patrick argued. Another report last fall put Wisconsin's state support for higher education in 2014 ($1.34 billion) at about the same level as in 1984 ($1.35 billion) 30 years ago when adjusted to 2014 dollars. But in 2014, roughly the same amount of money supported 28,994 more students, according to the report from State Higher Education Executive Officers. The Grapevine report is conducted annually by the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University and the State Higher Education Executive Officers association. I take inspiration from a handful of Milwaukee aldermen. Getting inspiration from aldermen may be rare. But I'm still hung up on the idea that we all need to search for ways to change the gridlock around educating Milwaukee's children. And maybe I got a glimpse of that months ago in City Hall. I went to a meeting of the Common Council committee with oversight of some charter schools. I was there for a different matter, but listened to a discussion about a particular school. King's Academy on the northwest side had been struggling and student results were not good. Should the school be allowed to renew its charter or should aldermen pull the plug on its funding? What was the school going to do to improve outcomes if it continued? The discussion was serious and non-ideological. It focused on a wonderful question: What is best for the children in the school? I'll get to what resulted shortly, but my point is that I asked myself then and now what would happen if we had such a constructive conversation about each and every school in the city before a group that could hold the school's feet to the fire and constructively motivate improvement? "A national disgrace" that's the phrase Arne Duncan, who recently stepped down as U.S. secretary of education, used last week to describe both a fresh set of low test scores in Milwaukee and Milwaukee's failure as a whole to rise to the need for better answers. (By the way, for those who used my column last week as a reason to bash Milwaukee Public Schools, let me make clear that Duncan was talking about the whole Milwaukee scene. That includes MPS. But it also includes private schools in the publicly funded voucher program. Their scores for last year aren't even available publicly, but I know of no reason to think that, overall, they are significantly better than those of MPS. They haven't been in any recent year.) So, what to do? I can't see any of the three streams of schools in Milwaukee going away. Foes of each sector may continue to call for that. It's not going to happen. Milwaukee Public Schools, with more than half of the kids in the city, is here to stay. The voucher schools, with almost a quarter of the city's students, are here to stay. Charter schools, not religious and not staffed by MPS employees, have about 15% of the total enrollment and are here to stay. I am also skeptical that the new "opportunity schools" program under County Executive Chris Abele is going to change the status quo. So what if a body was created to go around or above the existing bodies? A new form of governance that focused only on quality? Michael R. Ford is an assistant professor of public administration at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a veteran of school battles in Milwaukee. He previously worked for School Choice Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Public Research Institute, both conservative and pro-voucher groups. But he is not an ideologue, and he sees the current realities. In a blog item last week, he wrote: "Every week there seems to be a new a commentary demanding bold solutions to Milwaukee's education crisis. Bold like vouchers? Charter schools? Public school choice? Race-based busing? An opportunity school district? A focus on neighborhood schools? Teach for America? Decentralization? Recentralization? More involvement from the business community? Small schools? Shall I go on? "Milwaukee has done bold. Bold feels good. It attracts headlines, it attracts good people accustomed to solving tough problems. It is even energizing. But Milwaukee's experience demonstrates how energy fades, and how bold new solutions often yield minimal long-term academic gains." Unified governing body The idea he floated: "What I am suggesting is a unified governing body that serves a legitimizing function for all publicly funded Milwaukee schools." He suggested an 11-member board, with representatives from each of the three sectors and several members elected by the community. It would have the power to determine if a school merited public money. Sounds crazy. Sounds undoable. Sounds like it would get bogged down in petty and selfish politics. Yes, but what if it were a way to rise to the challenge of assuring that each school is doing its best for students? This would require big changes in state law and in people's thinking. It probably would require a serious amount of fresh public spending because some of the things kids need are not cheap. I think of Auer Avenue School. It's an MPS school on the north side with very high levels of poverty and need among its students and with chronically low scores. Last year, 4% were rated proficient or better in reading. Zero were proficient or better in math. Last spring, the notion arose that Auer would be a target for a state takeover. Teachers union members and allies demonstrated against that, forming a human chain around the school. What if some empowered group had a serious and consequential discussion about what would positively improve the education of Auer Avenue kids? Could it yield surprising and good results? I'd love to find out. I would be concerned if it yielded an outcome like what happened with King's Academy. Faced with hard questions and given the interest of the school's leaders in returning it to being a religious school it announced it was going back to the voucher program. Perfectly legal. But also a way to continue to get public money while avoiding hard questions from independent outsiders. I know how unlikely this is to happen in the real worlds of Milwaukee and Wisconsin. But when you're faced with the sad realities of life and education for thousands and thousands of Milwaukee children, sometimes you have to dream that the least we could assure kids is a high quality experience in school. Alan J. Borsuk is senior fellow in law and public policy at Marquette University Law School. He can be reached at alan.borsuk@marquette.edu. Milwaukee mayoral candidates (clockwise from top left) Ald. Bob Donovan, Mayor Tom Barrett, James Methu and Ald. Joe Davis. Credit: Journal Sentinel files SHARE By of the Public safety. Jobs. Education. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and the three candidates challenging him this spring agree that those are the key issues facing the city. But the third-term mayor and his opponents two veteran aldermen and a political newcomer have dramatically different assessments of Barrett's record and the direction he has taken the city. "He failed in all three categories," Ald. Joe Davis said. James Methu, who's never held public office, said, "We need accountability in all three areas." And Ald. Bob Donovan, who has long been one of Barrett's most vocal critics, said that until "we are able to get a better sense of safety," it will be difficult to improve in economic development and other areas. "I would say the main thing is we need to create a sense of urgency," Donovan said. "Urgency to deal with these key issues." Barrett said he is "very optimistic" about the future of the city, and is seeking a fourth term to continue the momentum he's built especially when it comes to using the burst of development downtown to fuel growth in neighborhoods around the city. "My priorities have been, and will continue to be, getting up every day and doing everything I can on the fronts of job creation creating more family-supporting jobs and making this a safe city in every single neighborhood," Barrett said. "We've had some successes, and we've had some challenges in both areas. In education, I remain very, very involved and will be even more involved." With the Feb. 16 primary quickly approaching, Barrett's challengers are starting to offer some specifics about what they would do differently if they were to unseat the mayor. The top two finishers will advance to the April 5 general election. Donovan, 59, said that if elected he would revamp the Milwaukee Police Department's vice squad, hire more officers, boost the number of beat cops and look at overhauling the city's current chase policy. A policy change nearly six years ago requires officers to have probable cause that someone in a car is committing a violent felony or is an immediate threat to the safety of others before pursuing them. Donovan has been endorsed by the Milwaukee Police Association. He was first elected to the Common Council in 2000, and in an unusual move, is also simultaneously running for re-election to his seat representing Milwaukee's south side. Methu, who grew up on the city's north side, said he would work to improve the city's track record when it comes to encouraging contracts for minority-owned businesses, institute quarterly town hall meetings in neighborhoods around Milwaukee, review the chase policy and use the renaissance in downtown development to encourage economic development throughout the city. "The Barrett regime has done a great job building downtown momentum," Methu said. "But we need to bring it to the neighborhoods." Methu, 30, has never held public office. He has a background in financial planning and wrote a children's book, "The Adventures of Super Timmy!: Internal Compass." Davis, 54, has called for an overhaul in the criminal justice system, citing "the mass incarceration of African-American males," and also said he feels Barrett's efforts have been too focused on downtown development. "Kids are growing up in disadvantaged homes," Davis said. "This is a longtime systemic problem." Davis said over the weekend his caravan would travel through the city of Milwaukee, offering solutions to voters. "I'm going to offer some solutions on how to right the ship, because currently the ship is in uncharted waters and the waters are very turbulent," he said. Davis, who has been endorsed by the Milwaukee Professional Firefighters union, was first elected during a special election in April 2003 after previously serving on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. Barrett heads into his re-election fight with more than $800,000 in his campaign war chest, a figure that dwarfs the money raised by his challengers. Donovan, who announced in July 2014 that he would challenge Barrett this year, ended last year with about $27,000 cash on hand. And Davis had just under $25,000 cash on hand at the end of last year. Methu trailed the others, with his finance report showing he raised about $6,000 but spent the same amount. Barrett, 62, acknowledged concerns about the city's spike in homicides last year, and a recent spate of car thefts, carjackings and fatal crashes involving stolen cars. He expressed confidence in the police force, and said he and other city officials were working with prosecutors and others to keep repeat offenders off the streets. But he also touted programs and projects that his administration has been involved in, including boosting summer school programs, making progress in recovering from Milwaukee's foreclosure crisis, lowering teen pregnancy rates and investing in development projects like Century City. He has more than a dozen endorsements from various organizations, including the Milwaukee labor council, Planned Parenthood and Fair Wisconsin. "I'm very optimistic on the future of this city," Barrett said. "I'm betting on the future of this city." WHEN IS IT? Feb. 16: Primary election. April 5: General election featuring the top two finishers from the primary. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee helps educate thousands of students and plays a vital role in the community otherwise, argues UWM Chancellor Mark Mone. Credit: Mike De Sisti SHARE By The Milwaukee area drives much of Wisconsin's economic engine. Yet it sits on a precipice of change. While there is a promising surge in downtown and suburban investment and growth in several sectors, many citizens experience inequities in educational achievement, employment and income levels. A strong economy requires contributions from a public research university. Current and future educational and economic investments will determine whether the metropolitan area will transform itself, with tremendous implications for all Wisconsinites. We will either embrace the path of innovation and renewal to prosperity, as taken by cities such as Minneapolis, Denver and Pittsburgh, or we risk continued decline as observed in Detroit and St. Louis. Vibrant regions and states require at least two essential ingredients: a well-educated workforce and a strong culture of entrepreneurship. They first need a talent pipeline to fill the employment needs of growing industries. Area employers are concerned about employee shortages, a trend experts predict will continue. Only 28% of Wisconsin residents have higher education degrees, compared with the national average of 30% (or 34% in neighboring Minnesota). Projections suggest that we need to double our percentage by 2023 to meet future employer needs. Our region requires knowledge workers for nationally and globally competitive firms think G.E. Healthcare, Rockwell Automation, Fiserv, Johnson Controls, Aurora Healthcare, Northwestern Mutual, Harley-Davidson and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Second, economically strong regions and states require entrepreneurship and innovation to launch new businesses. University research breeds innovation from scientific discoveries, creates economic growth through increased research and investments and spawns entrepreneurial ventures. Unfortunately, the Kaufmann Foundation finds the rate of start-ups here to be alarmingly low with Milwaukee ranking 39th out of 40 metro areas and Wisconsin 50th out of 50 states. Considering that Google, Microsoft, Dell and Apple were launched in research university-dense regions, and that GE announced last week it is moving its headquarters to research university-intensive Boston, investment in our only public metro university, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, must be increased, not cut. Through grit and determination, and despite dwindling state resources, UWM is a nationally and internationally prominent access and research institution that, in collaboration with community partners, anchors the workforce and economic health of Wisconsin. We offer the greatest possible educational opportunities and support to all students, not just those with resources. Our 27,000 students are largely drawn from Wisconsin and over two-thirds of our 165,000 alumni remain here to live and work. With our 4,000 faculty and staff, UWM is essential and uniquely positioned to improve our state. One powerful example is nursing, a field facing a rapidly aging workforce and critical talent shortage. UWM's College of Nursing, ranked by U.S. News & World Report at the 92nd percentile of all U.S. nursing schools with graduate programs, produces more nurses than any other program in Wisconsin, with most remaining here. This college has developed an international reputation for excellence and innovation: teaching nurse educators, collaborating with partners to develop innovative health practices and products, training community paramedics, conducting NIH-sponsored research to improve health and providing global health consultation. With a growing state mandate to improve health outcomes, reduce costs and maintain an adequate health care workforce, investment in professional nursing education is essential to protect and bolster the health of Wisconsin. Investment in UWM has produced great benefits, demonstrating that more investment, not less, is the way to go. Due to the dedicated faculty, staff, students and supporters, UWM is an internationally prominent research institution with impact. If there is an important problem to be solved, UWM is working on it, as shown by these examples: Reducing water pollution, improving water quality for Wisconsin fish, creating water policy and facilitating water-based start-up companies. Developing new drugs/treatment for alcoholism, asthma, cancer, dementia and heart and kidney disease, addressing infant mortality and creating new diagnostic tools to detect prostate cancer. Working to detect low-frequency gravitational waves through a $14.5 million National Science Foundation grant. Growing entrepreneurial skills, output and start-ups in our new Lubar Center for Entrepreneurship. Preserving local history and simultaneously teaching students to think critically and communicate effectively through the creation of the "Encyclopedia of Milwaukee." Significantly improving the persistence and graduation rate of K-12 and higher education students through commitments with Milwaukee Public Schools and Milwaukee Area Technical College a partnership we call M3, reflecting the exponential power of our three institutions collaborating for greater student success. UWM has undertaken all of these efforts while managing severe budgetary challenges caused by declining operating investments by the state and an unprecedented four-year tuition freeze. As a result, UWM's cash reserves, necessary emergency funds to address sudden and unpredictable loss of resources, are now being exhausted at a precipitous rate. Despite numerous efficiency initiatives, UWM expects to deplete cash reserves within two years and to likely begin cutting into areas vital to our research and access mission. Budget reductions already have impacted our course offerings, ability to retain and attract talented faculty and staff, capacity to provide competitive stipends for our graduate students and, most important, our ability to continue to strengthen the region and state. We encourage Wisconsinites to support UWM's goal of increased state investment. Additional base funding will allow us to continue our research and access mission, support needed expansion in nursing, entrepreneurship, urban education and other areas, and uphold bold initiatives. An example is to grow our role as a convener of meaningful dialogue to address social issues affecting metro areas. UWM is committed to specific goals, including improvements in graduation and retention rates (particularly in underrepresented populations); maintenance and growth in research funding; increased degrees in science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and health; and progress on key economic development indicators. Central to a UWM education is a well-rounded base of critical thinking skills, foundational humanities and social science perspectives, and an understanding of global issues. And, make no mistake, today's top talent not only demands educational access and economic opportunity, but a dynamic cultural life with thriving arts and humanities communities. As the state's only metro public research university, UWM is uniquely poised to help the region and state prosper. We provide extensive research activities and educational offerings, serve a diverse cross-section of students, and are committed to Wisconsin. The stronger and more vigorous the city and region, the stronger and more vigorous is the state. This triadic relationship between UWM, Milwaukee and the state means that it is imperative for UWM to operate at an even higher level this is the most strategic investment that the state and UW System can make in terms of return on investment for Wisconsin students, families and taxpayers. Mark Mone is the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump poses with a ring given to him by a group of veterans during a campaign event on the campus of Drake University on Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa. Credit: Associated Press By If you ask Donald Trump fans what they like about him, there's an excellent chance they'll say, "Because he's not politically correct." But this is only true if you misunderstand the meaning of political correctness, as Trump himself apparently does. Popularized in the '90s to mean overcorrection in language and policies to avoid offending any group of people, it has been redefined by Trump to mean saying whatever slips from gray matter to tongue without the inhibitory processing that civilization demands. We could fill volumes and many have with ridiculous examples of political correctness, especially on college campuses where students are often coddled rather than taught. Oft-cited as a legitimate example is exclusion of literary works because of language or imagery that might result in some sensitive soul needing hugs and hankies. Or, if you're a college student, safe haven in a "safe zone." Intellectual rigor, this is not. This is true political correctness, silly and damaging to both sanity and educational integrity. Ovations to those who confront it. But insult, an artless form perfected by Trump, isn't politically incorrect. It is rude. Name-calling isn't clever; it is childish and lazy. Yet Trump has managed to convince his legions that making vile comments about someone is a revolutionary act, a badge of honor and a long-overdue tipping of society's scales back toward reason and truth. Sometimes he's right, but so is the proverbial stopped watch. More often he's wrong. You could say, for example, that we need to secure our borders because, though most immigrants are good people in search of a better life, others are criminals or criminally minded. This is both true and lacking in drama. Instead, Trump recognizing the anger in others that he either feels or feigns took the low road and said people entering our country illegally are rapists and murderers, adding perfunctorily, "and some, I assume, are good people." This isn't politically incorrect; it's simply incorrect. It is also intentionally hyperbolic in the service of a campaign to incite and engage rage the brimstone of a demagogue seeking to liberate populist anger to fuel his own lust for power. This approach is plainly more rewarding for a certain kind of person. Trump's inflammatory language goes straight to the gut (Jeb Bush owns the heart) of resentment that so many feel and that for too long has been neglected or dismissed by Washington. But it is wrong because, obviously, one is to infer from Trump's remarks that animus toward Mexicans and other Latinos is justified for reasons that are largely untrue. Trump reserves special venom for women, examples of which are too numerous to list. Most familiar is his recent assault on Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly. Trump made good on his threat to ditch last Thursday's debate if Kelly, whom he charged with treating him unfairly in an earlier debate, were a moderator. She was; he bailed. With his usual gentlemanly flair, Trump referred to Kelly as a "bimbo." No, wait, he didn't say that. He said he would not call her a bimbo but only "because that would not be politically correct." Wrong again, Donnie. Let's parse this, shall we? Would it be politically incorrect to call a top-ranked female anchor (with a law degree) currently on the cover of Vanity Fair a bimbo? Or would it be rude, ludicrous, wrong and pathetic? Nothing about this is hard. Ironically, the "unfairness" that got Trump so bunched up was Kelly's apt question about whether, given his many derogatory remarks about women, he has the temperament to be president. It would appear that Kelly's aim was true and Trump responded in consistent form. Among other boy-bathroom remarks, he implied that she might have been on her period. Charming. Further, it would seem, Kelly rather precisely made her case. As this sordid world turns, Trump once again succeeded in liberating the dirty little ids of his Twitter feed's tiniest minds. Armed with their biggest, manliest tweets, Trumpulists wasted no time hammering Kelly with a urinal wall's worth of female-specific, often-sexual insults. A Vocativ analysis of a day's tweets included the following word counts: "bitch" (423), "bimbo" (404), "blonde" (128), "cheap" (66) and others too crude for print. These wits probably thought they were being politically incorrect by saying exactly what was on their wee minds, but they merely revealed their, shall we say, limitations. Most women know what's up when men behave this way toward a woman: Not with a 10-foot pole, honey. And that goes for the Donnie boy, too. Kathleen Parker is a columnist for The Washington Post. Email kathleenparker@washpost.com Twitter: @KathleenParker Stephen Hargarten, a nationally renowned expert on gun violence, is grappling with new approaches to stopping mass shootings in the wake of a deadly summer and fall in America. Credit: Mike De Sisti SHARE By Every year, hundreds of thousands of men, women and children are killed and injured from the kinetic energy of bullets. The bullets come in various sizes with varying characteristics, some .22 caliber, 9mm, simple lead or hollow pointed. The scope and nature of global gun violence varies across continents and countries, states and communities. The global cost of gun violence is in the tens of billions of dollars. It is imperative and timely that we frame gun violence as a local and global biosocial disease. The agent of this disease is the kinetic energy of the projectile: the bullet. The energy is released when the gun powder burns generating gases propelling the bullet out of the casing, through the barrel of the handgun and long gun and on toward the intended target. The science of ballistics helps us to understand the energy release and how it results in the injury of the victim. Using the disease model for gun violence helps us understand its pathophysiology, outcomes and epidemiology. We have used this model for infectious diseases for decades, beginning in the 1880s. We study the biologic agent, the environment and the at-risk hosts so that we can prevent harm from viruses and bacteria. We used this approach for understanding tuberculosis and cholera (beginning in the 1880s) and more recently for HIV. Now, it's being applied to the Zika virus. What's notable about the sterile injury that results from a bullet traveling at about 1,000 feet per second is that it is essentially the same pathophysiology all over the world from Milwaukee to Madrid to Moscow to Manilla. The kinetic energy of the bullet shreds and tears tissue, resulting in bleeding, edema and fractures. In more severe instances, organs are damaged or severed leading to failure, disability and death. However, the social components of this disease differ markedly across nations and cities, with significant policy, program and cultural variability that affect the behaviors of high-risk individuals and groups, the distribution and availability of the vector that carries the agent of the disease (handguns and long guns), and the environmental conditions that adversely affects these high-risk groups. By all measures, gun violence is a significant global biosocial disease. It is the social component, the social determinants of this disease that differ markedly from continent to continent, country to country, city to city. By improving our understanding of these differences, we can learn from other countries and cities about the best and latest environmental and behavioral approaches to reduce this burden. By framing gun violence as a biosocial disease, we can organize our research to advance our scientific understanding so that evidence-based programs and policies can be developed, implemented and evaluated. By examining gun violence as a biosocial disease, we study all components of it: the high-risk populations, the agent and vector, and the high-risk environments. We constructively advance science and our understanding to improve prevention, acute care and rehabilitation strategies just like we do for other diseases. This approach provides medical, health care providers and public health leaders, along with law enforcement, social and mental health professionals with an ability to compare and contrast differing rates of gun violence deaths with differing host and environmental social determinants. Biosocial disease burdens such as HIV/AIDS were initially politically vexing, mired in debates about the morality of the victims. Now we have a significant research portfolio for this biosocial disease worldwide, and we are achieving successes. We need a similar approach for gun violence. If we do that, Milwaukee and the world will be safer. Stephen Hargarten is professor and chair of Emergency Medicine and associate dean for Global Health at the Medical College of Wisconsin. FIRESIDE FORUM Topic: Inequality and Freedom from Violence With Stephen Hargarten, Medical College of Wisconsin. Respondent: Pardeep Kaleka, educator and former Milwaukee police Officer Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday, UWM Student Union, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Fireside Lounge. Free. Sponsored by the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee Institute of World Affairs and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. More information:www.iwa.uwm.edu Two days to go before the Iowa presidential caucus, a statewide poll Saturday showed Donald Trump continuing to lead the Republican field and Hillary Clinton leading Democrats. Credit: Getty Images By of the Ames, Iowa With two days to go before the Iowa presidential caucus, a statewide poll Saturday showed businessman Donald Trump continuing to lead the Republican field, with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas 5 points behind him. On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was ahead of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, 45% to 42%. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley trailed with 3%. The Iowa Poll, conducted for the Des Moines Register and Bloomberg Politics, provided the freshest look at the state of the race before Iowans kick off the nation's nominating process with Monday's caucus. Trump for months has dominated the polls nationally and in Iowa. Cruz made significant gains in late 2015, but has lost some of his support in recent weeks. In Saturday's poll, Trump had 28% and Cruz had 23%. They were followed by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, 15%; retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, 10%; U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, 5%; and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 3%. Five other candidates had 2% each. The poll of likely caucus goers was conducted Tuesday to Friday and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Speaking hours before the poll results were released in a jam-packed hotel ballroom here, Cruz pitched himself as someone who has consistently stood for conservative principles. He joked that he had been told he couldn't win because elites in Washington, D.C., despise him. "I kind of thought that was the whole point of the campaign," he told the crowd. Hundreds lined up to attend the Cruz event, waiting by tables filled with campaign shirts, pocket copies of the U.S. Constitution and a Cruz coloring and activity book for children. Underscoring the backing he's one from prominent conservatives, Cruz was introduced Saturday by radio host Glenn Beck, U.S. Rep. Steve King of Iowa and Bob Vander Plaats, the chief executive officer of Iowa's influential Family Leader. At an event a few miles away on the Iowa State University campus, Rubio told reporters before the poll was released he felt good about how he was faring and considered himself a strong general election candidate. "I know that if I'm the nominee, I'm going to win," he said. Rubio is taking the unusual step of running a 30-minute ad this weekend on Iowa television stations showing him at town hall meetings he has held around the state. Four months after his withdrawal, its more apparent than ever how Gov. Scott Walkers struggles epitomize the defining features of a renegade Republican cycle. Credit: Amber Arnold By of the Marshalltown, Iowa Long after Scott Walker pulled the plug on his presidential bid, you can still find some Iowa Republicans who are sorry to see him gone. "I love Scott Walker, I do. I think a lot of him," said Hank Miller, a farmer who plans to vote in this state's GOP caucuses Monday. "He just didn't get that oomph." This was the state that was supposed to catapult the Wisconsin governor toward the 2016 Republican nomination. Walker led the Iowa polls for almost half a year. That's longer than any Republican since: retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, or businessman Donald Trump, who leads in a Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll released Saturday with 28%, ahead of Cruz (23%), Marco Rubio (15%) and Carson (10%). But it is Walker's stunning collapse last summer not his early rise that speaks so loudly today about the nature of the 2016 campaign. Four months after his withdrawal, it's more apparent than ever how Walker's struggles epitomize the defining features of a renegade Republican cycle, from the failures of the party's vaunted governors to the weakness of the GOP establishment to the ardor and anger of the grass roots to the brutal winnowing power of debates. Liz Mair, a GOP consultant who briefly worked for Walker's campaign, said his abbreviated presidential quest in some ways "was the canary in the coal mine," showing that the normal political rules had been upended this time. And foremost among those developments is the inability of a raft of experienced politicians to cope with the candidacy of a celebrity non-politician in Trump, so vividly demonstrated when Trump abandoned the Des Moines debate stage on Thursday and held his own competing event across town. "The things that come to mind with Scott Walker are two things," said Iowa conservative activist Bob Vander Plaats, a Cruz supporter. "One is Trump got into the race and he sucked the air out of Scott Walker, and two, his consultants convinced him they were the front-runner and they were going to overbuild his campaign." While campaign missteps damaged Walker, Trump was the key external factor that drove him from the race. "In any other year, Walker would have been an outsider, because everybody would have had some governmental experience. (But) this year he wasn't, especially compared to a Trump or Cruz," says political scientist Ken Goldstein of the University of San Francisco. Walker's Trump problem turned out to be almost every Republican's Trump problem. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Cruz, Carson and others have all labored in Trump's shadow or felt his sting. "Trump so dominates everything. He affected everything we believed to be true" about the 2016 race, said one Walker backer who asked that his name not be used for this story. "We thought people were looking for outsiders, so that's good for governors but no, senators are (now) the strongest candidates next to Trump." In the Iowa GOP poll released Saturday, there are no governors in contention. Walker, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry all dropped out last year. Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey is at 3%, and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee and Bush are all at 2%. Walker's fall highlights their struggles this cycle, including the inability of governors to claim the "outsider" mantle and in some cases poorer communication and debate skills than those of the leading senators in the race, Cruz and Rubio. Walker may still be the leading example of the power of debates in this contest; his underwhelming performance on stage fueled the decline in the polls and fundraising troubles that forced the governor to withdraw in September. Walker's failed Iowa strategy his plan to organize early and campaign heavily here is one more reason to question the value these days of traditional early-state campaigning. Walker campaigned tirelessly in Iowa more than anywhere but was outlasted by many rivals who had far lighter schedules or ramped up later. If Trump beats Cruz in Iowa Monday, it will mark the triumph of a media-fueled candidate who campaigned lightly and even skipped the home-state debate over one who followed the traditional Iowa formula of retail politics and organization. Finally, Walker's demise illustrates a problem that has stymied several Republicans in this race: carving out a niche in a massive field that covers the GOP ideological spectrum. Walker was caught between appealing to the militant right and the establishment center. He might have been a candidate the party's establishment could coalesce around, but the failure of any contestant to consolidate the support of party insiders has been one more defining feature of the GOP contest so far. In the end, Walker's collapse helped to create political space in Iowa that was filled by Carson, then Trump, Cruz and perhaps Rubio. "It reshuffled the deck" for a lot of activists, Cruz state director Bryan English said of Walker's withdrawal. "I think that's part of where you still see some of the undecideds, because they bought in (to Walker) so early and felt like everything evaporated in front of them." It wasn't too difficult to find former Walker supporters at rallies last week for Cruz, Rubio and Trump. They included some Iowans who wish Walker had stayed in the race. "I just like everything he stood for. He was new. He was fresh. He was young. He was direct. He didn't pull any punches," said Paula Maxheim of Des Moines. "I was really hurt when he dropped out." And they included some Iowans whose early enthusiasm for Walker faded before he dropped out. "Everybody I know just loved Scott Walker," said Bob Messer of Urbandale, drawn in after the Iowa speech a year ago that fueled Walker's fast start. "But then after that (speech), that was kind of the end of it. The others got better and he didn't." SHARE U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble. By of the U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) announced late Saturday he will not seek re-election. The former roofing contractor from Neenah issued a statement saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. Ribble, 59, has made news lately for his sharp criticism of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Ribble said Trump behaves like a "sixth-grader" and appeals to "the worst parts of who we are as people." In a statement, Ribble said he promised he would limit his service to four terms, or eight years, in office. Elected in 2010, he said he will not seek another term later this year. "My reasons are fairly simple and straightforward. I feel very fortunate to have a strong marriage, grown children and three wonderful grandchildren. I want to dedicate more time to them," the statement said. "Additionally, I've always said elected office shouldn't be a career. I come from the private sector and am anxious to return to it and to a more private life. "During my time representing Wisconsin's Eighth District in Congress, I have been deeply impressed by the thousands of hardworking, civic-minded people that I have met. It is truly a remarkable community, and one that it has been a privilege to represent. I will leave the House of Representatives confident that the voters of northeast Wisconsin will choose an excellent new voice in Congress for 2017 and beyond." Michael Belleau, 72, was convicted more than 20 years before Wisconsin passed a 2006 law requiring that child sex offenders discharged from civil commitment under the states Chapter 980 remain under 24-hour electronic monitoring forever, and pay for it. Credit: Wisconsin Department of Corrections SHARE By of the Making a Wisconsin sex offender wear a GPS anklet for life, when he was convicted before that was the law, does not violate the constitutional prohibition against retroactive punishment, a federal appeals court has ruled. A three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday reversed a Green Bay federal judge who found the lifetime tracking improper for 72-year-old Michael Belleau. The case had been argued before the court earlier this month. In 2012, two years after Department of Corrections officials affixed an ankle bracelet on him after his discharge from civil commitment, Belleau sued, claiming the practice amounted to an ex post facto law, banned by the Constitution, as well as unreasonable search and seizure without a warrant. In September, Chief U.S. District Judge William Griesbach agreed, saying Belleau had served his sentences and couldn't be punished further just because the state now thinks the original sentence was too lenient. "Nor may the state force Belleau to wear a GPS tracking device around his ankle so that it can record his movement minute-by-minute for the rest of his life because it believes he might commit another crime in the future," Griesbach wrote. "The state's authority over the individual is not unlimited." But Judge Richard Posner agreed with the state's position that the GPS monitoring is merely regulatory, not punitive, and doesn't limit where Belleau can go, like someone on probation. Posner also agreed that it's not an illegal retroactive law because the monitoring was triggered by Belleau's discharge from civil commitment in 2010, after the GPS law took effect in 2006, not his earlier criminal convictions. "So if civil commitment is not punishment, as the Supreme Court has ruled, then a fortiori neither is having to wear an anklet monitor." Belleau was convicted in 1992 for repeatedly molesting a boy starting in 1987, when the victim was 8. While on probation for that offense, he was convicted of assaulting a 9-year-old girl in 1988 and sentenced in 1994 to 10 years in prison, then paroled in 2000. The parole was revoked in 2001 after Belleau had contact with two young girls and admitted he would likely have molested them if he'd had an opportunity. He was returned to prison. Posner put extra emphasis on the fact that despite his advanced age, Belleau remains a diagnosed pedophile. "And even if not physically capable of the common forms of male sexual activity, older men can still molest and grope young children," Posner wrote. He said child sex crimes remain vastly under reported and that the risk Belleau presents far outweighs what Posner called only the "incremental" impact of the GPS anklet on Belleau's privacy, noting that his photo and address remain on Wisconsin's sex offender registry website. A study of similar GPS monitoring of parolees in California found that they were half as likely as traditional parolees to be arrested for or convicted of a new sex offense, according to the opinion. Posner compared the GPS bracelet to a speed limit for drivers. "It is a punishment trigger if the police catch you violating the speed limit, but police are not required to obtain a warrant before stopping a speeding car. "The anklet monitor law is the same: it tells the plaintiff if you commit another sex offense, you'll be caught and punished, because we know exactly where you are at every minute of every day." Under Wisconsin law, some sex offenders can ask to be released from GPS monitoring after 20 years. But offenders who are civilly committed after their prison terms, usually pedophiles, and then discharged after treatment, are subject to lifetime monitoring. SHARE By of the An 80-year-old woman from the town of Brooklyn died in a two-vehicle head-on crash in Dane County Saturday, according to the sheriff's office. The crash occurred on county Highway MM, north of county Highway A in the town of Oregon. A Wisconsin State Patrol investigation indicates a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by a man, 72, also from Brooklyn, crossed the centerline and hit a 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis, driven by the 80-year-old victim. The woman was taken by helicopter to the University of Wisconsin Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Caravan driver, along with his two passengers two women, 72 and 49 were hospitalized for serious, but injuries that were not life-threatening. Alcohol does not appear to be a contributing factor, according to a news release. This crash remains under investigation. Names are being withheld pending notification of family. Reddit Email 0 Shares By Nadia Prupis, staff writer | ( Commondreams.org) | Despite international laws prohibiting the use of starvation against civilians, forces on all sides preventing aid from reaching blockaded towns in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq As crises in the Middle East escalate, food has become a weapon of war. A new Associated Press analysis published Friday looks at the way food supply and access is controlled by all sides in conflict and the devastating impact this tactic has on civilian populations struggling to survive behind blockades in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. The AP reports: The biggest humanitarian catastrophe by far is Syria, where a ruinous five-year civil war has killed a quarter of a million people and displaced half the population. All sides in the conflict have used punishing blockades to force submission and surrender from the other side a tactic that has proved effective particularly for government forces seeking to pacify opposition-held areas around the capital Damascus. Earlier this month, United Nations (UN) aid groups visited several besieged Syrian towns on a humanitarian mission. That included Madaya, a town northeast of Damascus with a population of 40,000, where recently released images of the starving populaceparticularly the malnourished childrengained international attention. After returning from that trip, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the use of food as a weapon in conflict constitutes a war crime. U.N. teams have witnessed scenes that haunt the soul, Ban said. The elderly and children, men and women, who were little more than skin and bones: gaunt, severely malnourished, so weak they could barely walk, and utterly desperate for the slightest morsel. While sieges are considered by the military to be a viable tactic to prevent further unrest in conflict zones, the forces carrying out the blockades are expected to operate under international humanitarian law. The AP continues: The United Nations estimates more than 400,000 people are besieged in 15 communities across Syria, roughly half of them in areas controlled by the Islamic State group. In 2014, the U.N. was able to deliver food to about five percent of people in besieged areas, while today estimates show the organization is reaching less than one percent. In 2015, the World Food Program [WFP] was forced to reduce the size of the food rations it provides to families inside Syria by up to 25 percent because of a funding shortfall. The agency says it has to raise $25 million every week to meet the basic food needs of people affected by the Syrian conflict. In Yemen, some 14.4 million civiliansmore than half the populationare food insecure, a jump of 12 percent in eight months, according to the UNs Food and Agriculture Organization. An additional 7.8 million face life-threatening rates of acute malnutrition. Access to water and fuel also remain scarce in the country, according to the WFP. And a new report by UN experts, published earlier this week, found that Yemenis are being subjected to tactics that constitute the prohibited use of starvation as a method of warfare. WFP executive director Ertharin Cousin on Wednesday told the UN security council that the organizations work in Syria was being disrupted because the UN was falling short of its own resolutions not to impede or hinder humanitarian assistance efforts. To prevent people from imminent starvation, we need the support and action of every Council Member and every Member State, Cousin said. Preventing mass starvation requires more than a four-town agreement. Preventing a humanitarian crisis as well as a food security and nutrition crisis requires a cessation of attacks on civilian infrastructure. It requires freedom of movement for all civilians and the immediate lifting of all sieges by all parties, Cousin continued. This is the only way to end hunger and to treat malnutrition. James Sadri, director of the Syria Campaign, a peace advocacy group, told the media outlet Syria Deeply earlier this month that the UN was failing Syrians in a dramatic way. People are now talking about Madaya, but there are 1 million people currently living under siege, where starvation is being used as a weapon of war, Sadri said. Via Commondreams.org This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License Related video added by Juan Cole: AFP: Humanitarian chief: Remove Berlin Wall blocking Syria aid Reddit Email 0 Shares TeleSur | The neo Nazi Swedish Resistance Movement claims it was behind a wave of violence in Stockholm targeting homeless refugee children. Swedish police have made at least four arrests after a mob stormed the countrys capital Stockholm in a spree of anti-refugee violence. As many as 100 masked people marched through the city handing out fliers threatening to target North African street children and give them the punishment they deserve, according to local tabloid Aftonbladet. The fascist group Swedish Resistance Movement has claimed responsibility for the demonstration. According to RT, the group has issued a statement claiming it cleaned up criminal immigrants from North Africa in central Stockholm. The mob has been accused of attacking anyone on the street that didnt appear white. According to The Local, witnesses said at least three people were assaulted by the mob. They came from Drottninggatan (Stockholms main shopping street) and walked down toward the square and began to turn on immigrants, the publication quoted one witness as stating. Police have confirmed the mob was believed to have gathered with the purpose of attacking refugee children, according to The Guardian. The violence came a day after Swedens interior ministry announced plans to deport tens of thousands of migrants and refugees. The Swedish government has vowed to crack down on refugees, after receiving around 163,000 asylum applications in 2015. Most refugees heading for Europe are fleeing violence in countries including Libya, Syria and Iraq. While far right groups have claimed the refugee intake threatens local culture, newly released European Union documents suggest the bloc has barely resettled 0.17 percent of what refugees member states agreed to take in in 2015. This means more than 98 percent of the refugees included in the EUs plan remain in Greece and Italy, the points of arrival for most people fleeing violence, war and poverty in various Middle Eastern and African nations. Via - Related video added by Juan Cole: The Telegraph: Swedish far-Right mob attacks migrants Reddit Email 0 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | Russia rejected as propaganda on Saturday renewed Turkish charges that its fighter jets had crossed Turkish territory. NATO asked Moscow to respect its joint airspace. A promontory of Turkish territory sticks down into northern Latakia, and it would be very difficult to conduct the sort of bombing raids in which Russia is engaged without occasionally crossing it. In any case, likely the complaint from Turkey is actually about something else. Ankara must be upset that its proxies in Latakia Province have been destroyed or disrupted. This week the Syrian Arab Army of the regime, with the help of intensive Russian bombing, took all the Turkmen strongholds in northern Latakia Province, including the holdout city, Rabia. Based on a 1935 French map of Syrian Ethnic groups [no longer entirely accurate] As a result, some 600 Turkmen are said to have crossed the border from Syria into Turkey. Turkmen speak a language similar to that spoken in Turkey itself to the north, and immigrated into Syria from Central Asia in the medieval period. The Turkmen in northern Latakia Province had been evenly divided between those who acquiesced in regime rule and those who had joined the revolution. Some of the latter had been tactically allied with Salafi Jihadi (radical vigilante) groups such as Ahrar al-Sham or Freemen of Syria and the Nusra Front (the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria). The Freemen of Syria is widely thought to receive support from Turkey, as are the Turkmen fighters. These groups have been subjected to intense and indiscriminate Russian bombardment, allowing Syrian troops to regain this territory. Some of those fleeing fear reprisals from the bloodthirsty al-Assad regime. In essence, Russia had defeated a prime strategy of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, involving the taking of northern Syria by fundamentalist militias and ultimately the fall to them of the key port of Latakia, at which point the regime would have been finished. Ankara is frustrated, and the only purchase it has on Russian intervention is the complaint of airspace violations, given the dicey legal status of Turkish intervention in Syria and the unsavory alliances Turkish-backed groups have sometimes made. Related video added by Juan Cole: CCTV: NATO closely monitoring the Turkey-Russia airspace violation tensions Reddit Email 0 Shares The Tree | Zika is a disease of poverty, similar to other neglected tropical diseases such as chikungunya and dengue. The burden falls disproportionately upon poor populations living near open water sources which attract mosquitoes, and who do not have the resources to protect themselves individually though bite prevention methods. LSE Fellow in Global Health Politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Dr Clare Wenham As the world continues to reel from extreme weather events, and waking up to the dangerous realities of climate change, the terrifying underbelly of global warming is currently being highlighted by an outbreak of the Zika virus in South America. Discovered 70 years ago, Zika is spread predominantly by Aedes mosquitoes which thrive in hot, humid climates and also transmit dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. The tropical disease is present throughout the Americas, but as the world warms and the areas in which the mosquito thrives expand, so too do the areas at risk. Zika causes mild flu-like symptoms, but in pregnant women it is suspected to cause microcephaly a foetal abnormality that limits brain development in the womb. With 4,000 cases reported in Brazil last year alone pregnant women are being warned against going to this years Olympic games in Rio, while in Colombia, Jamaica, El Salvador and Venezuela authorities are urging women to avoid getting pregnant. Commentators are calling for a targeted international response to the outbreak, to protect the lives of those on the frontlines of the crisis, which like with all climate impacts is hitting the poorest and more vulnerable hardest. As the Zika crisis shows, tackling climate change is a matter of public health. Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns increase heat-related illnesses, reduce crop yields and disrupt access to clean water all with huge implications for health. A warmer climate will also help the spread of infectious diseases as it allows mosquito populations to grow where they didnt exist before, as well as increasing diseases that are transmitted by contaminated water and food. Climate impacts know no national borders. The worlds most vulnerable are on the frontlines of climate change, and 720 million more are expected to be pushed into poverty because of its impacts. But just as climate-induced extremes such as floods, tornadoes and heat waves are leaving no continent untouched, global warming is enabling tropical diseases to spread far beyond the areas they were once confined hastened further by international travel. This global challenge needs a global solution. Limiting global warming means benefits for climate, health and economy. With 2015 confirmed the hottest year ever recorded, its only through urgent emissions reductions meaning fossil fuels are left in the ground that communities will be protected from the ravages of climate change. By rapidly implementing the Paris Agreement and moving to a 100 per cent renewable future, governments will not only protect health and inhibit the spread of diseases, but will bring huge benefits for citizens and economies. Via The Tree - Related video added by Juan Cole: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Beyond the Data Update Climate Change and Health From Science to Practice One of my earliest childhood memories is of a visit to Niagara Falls when I was four years old. Everyone donned waterproof ponchos before we walked through the tunnels to view the falls from behind the water. This memory, oddly, is so much stronger than the fragments of looking down on the falls from the viewpoints, though there are snatches of that too. There are certainly other waterfalls around the world that are impressive. I remember a later childhood visit to Iguaza Falls in South America (forever associated in my mind with nearby Itaipu Dam, which had our childish minds giggling at the idea of eating a poo). A decade later, Pete and I clambered up Jamaicas Dunns River Falls on our honeymoon and more recently we made our way to many beautiful examples around Iceland. But few are as iconic as Niagara Falls, which has been attracting travellers and tourists for centuries; tourism becoming the areas main industry by the 1750s. The Falls (of which there are three) sit about halfway along the Niagara River, a short waterway of just 36 miles which connects Lake Erie in the South to Lake Ontario in the North. The falls straddle the border between Canada and the United States and tourists visit from both sides, though Id say the views are most spectacular from the Canadian side. The largest Niagara Fall is Horsehoe Falls, American Falls is next and Bridal Veil Falls is the smallest. The falls were formed at the end of the last ice age, when glaciers melted and waters from the newly formed lakes carved a way through the landscape, as they flowed North Eastwards to the Atlantic Ocean. The best known attraction must surely be taking a boat ride into the heart of the gorge to view the falls up close. From the American side, tours are run by Maid of the Mist, on boats of the same name. The original Maid of the Mist, launched in 1846, was actually a steamer designed for a passenger service between New York and present-day Toronto, with stops in Niagara on route. However, the ferry business was no longer profitable once the first Niagara Falls bridge was built, and the boat quickly became a tourist attraction instead. Tours from the Canadian side are operated by Niagara Cruises on its Hornblower boats. Ponchos are definitely advisable for the 20 minute trip which first swings by American Falls before taking passengers right into the plumes of spray that reach skywards from the Horseshoe Falls. If you dont mind getting wet, head for the upper decks and stake out a spot by the handrail. The view is equally impressive from the lower decks, but also (a little) dryer! To me, this is the quintessential Niagara Falls experience; not to be missed! Current ticket price is CAN$19.95 per adult. Heres a short video clip, starting at American Falls before panning around to Horsehoe Falls. Another wonderful way to see the falls is by helicopter; soaring above the falls for a birds eye view was one of the highlights of my trip. Niagara Helicopters Classic Tour lasts 12 minutes, though that includes boarding time, so your time over the falls is a little less. The pilot makes sure to do a few figure eights to ensure that all passengers have a good view from different angles. The views are wonderful! Current price is CAN$140 per adult. View my short video clip of our helicopter journey over the falls here. If the weather isnt great, theres still plenty to do in Niagara Falls on a rainy day, including riding the Whirpool Jet Boat, enjoying a meal in the Skylon Tower, taking a stroll along the White Water Walk, and more. For more of Canadas natural beauty, you may enjoy visiting Banff, a great year round destination. Kavey Eats visited Ontario as a guest of Destinations Canada. A big thanks to Niagara Cruises and Niagara Helicopters for making our day at the Falls so special. 144 Shares Share A guest column by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, exclusive to KevinMD.com. Fire Prevention Week. National Volunteer Week. Save Your Vision Week. The list goes on! These observances or awareness weeks aim to advocate important messages both locally and nationally to the media and public. You may wonder about the effectiveness of an overload of awareness weeks, but if the reasons behind the rally are clear and well-organized, a day, week or month-long observance can serve a distinct purpose and result in tangible benefits; this is especially true for health care. Physicians play a critical role in advocating for their specialty and ensuring that patients continue to receive the highest-quality, safest care. Taking action during your specialtys awareness week allows you to champion your specialty and help the public become more aware of the important role you play in your patients health and lives. As physicians, we understand first-hand the amount of education and training involved within our various specialties. However, our patients and policymakers may not be aware of the educational disparities between health care providers. That is why its important for you to engage and connect with lobbyists, policymakers, colleagues and patient advocates during your specialtys awareness week. For example, when going into surgery, many patients assume the physician anesthesiologist is just the person who brings them to a state of unconsciousness prior to having their procedure or surgery. They often dont realize the comprehensive medical care the physician anesthesiologist and anesthesia care team provide in managing their care before, during and after surgery. Many policymakers are also unaware of the importance of maintaining a patient-centered, physician-led, team-based approach to health care. As advocates for our own specialties, the responsibility lies with us to inform them of our vital role in our patients care. One way to take action during your specialtys awareness week is to share your story. Talk about the steps you take, every day, to make a difference in the lives of your patients. Shoot a video and post it to YouTube or offer interviews to the media. For example, listen to the story of David Krhovsky, MD, who diagnosed serious internal bleeding in his patient after surgery. Im sure many of you have an account from your daily routines about a critical moment when the medical care you provided was vital and made the difference between life and death. Another way to raise awareness about the critical issues that impact your specialty is to engage in social media. Developing a hashtag for your awareness week allows stakeholders to easily follow the actions of their colleagues, and anyone interested in the topic can search through social media posts for quick updates. You can also lead your social media connections to your website for further information on pertinent issues to increase visibility and the online presence of your specialty. Awareness weeks are also the perfect time to highlight important patient safety initiatives within your field. You can focus on innovations that have improved your specialty as a whole or emphasize specific improvements in medicine, patient safety or technology. There are countless other ways to engage during these observances. You can take action politically, by scheduling meetings with legislators to advocate for your patients and showcase your expertise to policymakers. Get creative and develop ways to involve the media and share your critical stories and messages through print and broadcast interviews and letters-to-the-editor. There are many reasons why the health care community should rally and take action during awareness weeks. Remember, the most important aspect of a themed week is getting the word out. So I will be sounding off January 31 to February 6 and advocating for my specialty by increasing awareness during Physician Anesthesiologists Week. What will you do and how will you put your ideas into action when its your specialtys awareness week? Kenneth Elmassian is an anesthesiologist. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 279 Shares Share Requesting a second opinion can be a touchy subject for a patient. Id like to think that when I was in practice, I was never offended when a patients family requested a second opinion, but that probably doesnt universally reflect my response in every circumstance. But I am confident in saying that as often as not, I would be the one suggesting that we get another pair of eyes to look at the problem. As physicians, second opinions often help us learn from each other and expand our knowledge of new treatment options. And second opinions can help patients make better informed decisions about the care they receive. A 2013 Harris Interactive poll found that only 19 percent of those surveyed said they sought a second opinion for a medical condition. That actually sounds about right to me overall, but it would seem low if one focuses on serious and complex conditions. In most settings, I think that it would be unusual for physicians not to encourage patients with serious or life-threatening conditions to get another opinion from an expert. So why doesnt this happen? It is likely due to a number of reasons. From the patients perspective, there can be fear of offending the treating physician, blind acceptance of the initial diagnosis or treatment plan, feeling that a second opinion will delay treatment, or a lack of available alternatives in the local community. The first few concerns can be addressed through education and open discussion, but is there something we can do about geographical limitations? Technology has expanded the reach of our networks and access to resources, enabling physicians to connect with colleagues nationwide and around the world, and now, so too can patients. As medicine continues to evolve, so does access to second opinions. Emerging partnerships between health systems, ranging from community hospitals to major academic research centers, enable patients in even the most remote areas to get second opinions from specialists around the country. Leading health systems like the Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center and others make top doctors available to patients nationwide. Insurers and employers also see the benefit of providing coverage for remote chart based or online second opinion services to patients. The result can be not only improved patient outcomes but frequently, reduced costs. Providing the right care is not only the best thing to do to assure the most successful medical outcome, it is cost effective as well. For the patient unable to travel or with limited access to local experts, remote consultations that take advantage of video chat and electronic image sharing can make all the difference in the care one receives. FaceTime and Skype are not just for talking to the grandchildren any more! And in most cases, patients dont have to leave their community to take advantage of these expert opinions. Many specialists in academic medical centers have become accustomed to collaborating across great distances, effectively co-managing patients with their local physicians and bringing the resources of the university center to the patient, wherever they live. Second opinions are not always different than the first, or better, and sometimes the right facility for that patient is the one in their backyard. But by using evolving technology to access a second opinion not otherwise available, patients can feel more confident and in control of their decisions, which can have a big impact on outcomes. And because were no longer limited to the local area or required to travel to meet with far away specialists, patients can obtain trusted second opinions quickly and efficiently, helping them feel more secure in their care and helping us ensure they get the best treatment when they need it. Second opinions are a valuable tool to ensure patients are engaged in their health care. By helping patients understand and utilize all available options to get a second opinion, whether from near or far, we can help them make the best decisions for their health. Abbie Leibowitz is co-president and chief medical officer, Health Advocate. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Barbara McMichael SHARE Prophets and Moguls, Rangers and Rogues, Bison and Bears Heather Hansen Mountaineers Books 352 pp. $24.95 You've probably heard that 2016 is the centennial of the National Park Service, and there are festivities planned from Denali to the Everglades, Acadia to Zion. To mark the occasion, Seattle's Mountaineers Books has published "Prophets and Moguls, Rangers and Rogues, Bison and Bears." As the rather unwieldy title suggests, this is a wide-ranging history of the NPS. It was compiled by Colorado journalist Heather Hansen after she logged some 20,000 miles to visit 150 national park units for on-site research what a great gig! Hansen begins with the years that led up to the idea of setting aside land for parks. A remarkable piece of legislation, signed by President Lincoln in the midst of the Civil War, pledged Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove as lands that would be conserved "for public use, resort, and recreation inalienable for all time." There was no park system as of yet these federal lands were put under the jurisdiction of California to be preserved as parkland. By 1872, Ulysses S. Grant had gone from being commanding general of the Union Army to Commander in Chief of the (re-) United States, and he signed the bill that established the first national park anywhere Yellowstone. In the 1880s, with increasing population of the West, a new movement arose to protect prehistoric dwellings in the desert Southwest. That led to the Antiquities Act of 1906 another step toward land conservation on a national scale. Additional national parks and national monuments were developed through these years, but it wasn't until 1916 that a National Park Service was created and all of the parks that previously had been established were placed under its management. Hansen discusses the tensions between conservation, science and public recreation, and spotlights the interesting personalities who were behind the various factions. She reveals the ways in which politics and economics have buffeted the National Park Service through the years. During World War II, there were calls to extract resources from national parks in support of the war effort. An editorial in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer called for giving up some of the old growth timber in Olympic National Park "Nothing is too sacred to do its share." That didn't happen, but in less drastic ways, the Northwest's national parks did contribute Kalaloch Lodge served as an outpost for the Coast Guard, and Mt. Rainier was the base camp for an Army mountain infantry battalion. Hansen explores how the National Park Service has evolved to share not just the natural wonders of our country, but also our tumultuous national story there are national park units that tell the stories of the battle at Little Big Horn, the Underground Railroad, the World War II Japanese internment camps, and so on. This book is an excellent effort in so many ways, but I'll end with one lament it should have been sized larger. The small print makes for uncomfortable reading, and the marvelous photographs and maps deserve to be displayed in a less cramped format. The Bookmonger is Barbara Lloyd McMichael, who writes on books, authors and publishers of the Northwest. She can be reached at bkmonger@nwlink.com. SHARE By Ed Friedrich of the Kitsap Sun BREMERTON The Navy, in a quick policy reversal, said Saturday it will no longer accept Washington driver's licenses as identification to enter its bases, beginning Monday. The change was known to be coming. Washington driver's licenses, and those from Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri and New Mexico, don't comply with Homeland Security's REAL ID Act in meeting minimum security standards to access federal facilities. Washington's enhanced driver's licenses, which cost an extra $18 and allow holders back into the U.S. from Canada without a passport, are acceptable. Navy Region Northwest spokeswoman Sheila Murray said eight days earlier that local bases would continue to accept Washington driver's licenses because they hadn't received guidance not to. Asked Saturday about the abrupt change, she could only say, "We are complying with current guidance." Most people who enter Navy gates won't be affected. They have military identification. Enforcing the REAL ID Act will affect visitors and guests coming on base for events such as a change of command or vessel homecoming. Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 to keep fake IDs out of the hands of terrorists. It requires states to incorporate anti-counterfeit technology in their driver's licenses, verify applicants' identities and conduct background checks for employees involved in issuing the documents. Washington licenses and those from about half the other states don't comply with the law, but all but Washington and four other states received extensions because they're working toward compliance. Military installations could have begun rejecting licenses from those states on Jan. 10, but the Navy held off until now. Washington can't comply. In 2007, the Legislature passed a bill stating it wouldn't adhere to the REAL ID Act, which it considers an unfunded mandate, unless the federal government paid for it. Another law says the feds have to provide assurances if they want to have access to Washington citizens' private information. Far more residents will be affected trying to use a Washington license to board a commercial flight. Homeland Security recently gave states until Jan. 22, 2018 to comply with that deadline. The stern wheeler Bailey Gatzert steams away from Bremerton around 1921. The Gatzert, Built in 1890 was a pioneer of Puget Sounds Mosquito Fleet. By the time this photo was taken,, she had been converted into one of the first car ferries. The elevator at the bow allowed an automobile to be driven from a dock to a platform on the boat, then lowered to the car deck. To see more photos from the Kitsap County Historical Society Museum archives, visit www.facebook.com/kitsaphistory, Twitter @KitsapMuseum, or stop by the museum at 280 Fourth St. in Bremerton. Call 360-479-6226 for information. SHARE In 1941 (75 years ago) A plan that would introduce a standardized bus system into Bremerton and possibly involve the exclusion of present city bus operators is being studied by the Bremerton planning commission, the News-Searchlight learned from an authoritative source today. The proposal was made by the Manning Transportation Co. of Oakland, which is now operating bus systems in eight other Pacific Coast cities. Manning officials, who originally placed the proposal before the city commissioners and then referred it to the planning commission, promise modern equipment, uniformed operators and regular schedules. The Coast Guard cutter Nehama, which took part in rescuing the Army transport Kvichak off the coast of British Columbia on Jan. 31, arrived at the Navy Yard this morning to receive minor repairs. The transport, Alaska-bound, ran aground off Sisters' Rock and an SOS brought aid to the scene. First to arrive was the gunboat Charleston of the Alaska sector followed closely by the Coast Guard craft. The cutter was on its way from Ketchikan to Seattle and was joined by two tugs from Prince Rupert. The passengers on the transport were taken off and sent to Prince Rupert. In 1966 (50 years ago) Chances of getting a cross-Sound bridge built on the interstate system are "not very great in the immediate future," state Rep. C.W. "Red" Beck said today. Beck returned over the weekend after two weeks in Washington, D.C., where he attended the annual meeting of the Highway Research Board and looked into construction of a bridge with federal assistance. Interstate projects are built with about 90 percent federal funds. "They actually don't know in the Bureau of Public Roads whether there is any mileage available," Beck said, "and they are conducting a survey this year to see exactly what's left." The original allocation of 41,000 miles among the 50 states (this state got 725 miles) is to be completed by 1972. "There may be a chance for us after 1972, depending on what they do with the next allocation," Beck said. "But right now everybody in the country is trying to get every road they can get on the interstate." TACOMA How much poison is poison? Defense attorney Frank August Peters wanted to know as he continued the cross-examination today of state witness Dr. Charles Petty in the trial of Dr. Robert E. Boehme in Pierce County Superior Court. Dr. Petty, a pathologist from Maryland, said a substance is poison if the quantity "is sufficient to cause toxic symptoms." He added this is difficult to say because "even common table salt can be poisonous." Dr. Boehme's wife, Mary, who Boehme is accused of attempting to kill, testified she took a 100 mg tablets of Sparine to calm her nerves the day before Boehme was accused of trying to kill her. In 1991 (25 years ago) The city of Bremerton has 15 job openings with "the possibility of six more looming" and is swamped with applicants. But the office that screens the applicants doesn't have enough staff to process the applications, the city civil service officer told the Bremerton City Council on Wednesday night. Several council members said they will oppose increasing staff in the personnel office unless Mayor Louis Mentor can show how the city can pay for it without increasing spending. David Bown said his office only considers the first 50 applicants for the position and usually gets those within two or three hours after posting a notice of a job opening. "If we left the job opening for two weeks, we would get as many as 400 applicants," Brown said. "And there is an incredible amount of communication between this office and each applicant." In 2006 (10 years ago) "What was started in the "Year of the Tiger" has come full circle for Bill and Randi Evans in the "Year of the Dog." The Bainbridge couple, who moved to the island in 1997, noticed soon after they arrived there were many local families with ties to China some familial, some business and some just interested travelers to the world's most populous country. "We realized there were a lot of people here just like us," Randi Evans said. Randi was born in Shanghai and raised in Taiwan and Bill Evans had conducted business in China. What better way to commemorate the commonality than by having annual celebrations at private homes, they thought, and no Chinese celebration is as large as the annual Chinese New Year Jubilee. In 1998, the "Year of the Tiger," the Evanses gathered with 14 families that made up the old China Hands Club on July 4 at Eagledale Park. It's grown into a festival that draws more than 3,000 people to Winslow. SHARE Columnist George Will Woodrow Wilson, who enjoyed moralizing about the mundane, called paying taxes a "glorious privilege." In 1865, when there was a Civil War income tax, one taxpayer shared this sensibility, sort of. Mark Twain said that his tax bill of $36.82 (including a $3.12 fine for filing late) made him feel "important" because the government was paying attention to him. Today, Rep. Kevin Brady wants to change the way government pays attention to taxpayers. Congress is like a Calder mobile: Something jiggled here causes things to wiggle over there. When conservatives toppled Speaker John Boehner, they inadvertently propelled Brady into the House's most important chairmanship, that of the Ways and Means Committee. Because revenue bills must originate in the House, Brady now wields Congress' most important gavel, all because the committee's previous chairman, Paul Ryan, now sits in Boehner's chair. If there is going to be growth-igniting tax reform and if there isn't, American politics will sink deeper into distributional strife Brady will begin it. Fortunately, the Houston congressman is focused on this simple arithmetic: Three percent growth is not 1 percent better than 2 percent growth, it is 50 percent better. If the Obama-era's average annual growth of 2.2 percent becomes the "new normal," over the next 50 years real GDP will grow from today's $16.3 trillion to $48.3 trillion. If, however, growth averages 3.2 percent, real GDP in 2065 will be $78.6 trillion. At 2.2 percent growth, the cumulative lost wealth would be $521 trillion. Brady, however, would like to start with the approximately $2 trillion that U.S. corporations have parked overseas. Having already paid taxes on it where it was earned, the corporations sensibly resist having it taxed again by America's corporate tax, the highest in the industrial world. "[The $2 trillion] won't just naturally fly back to us," Brady says. Measures should be taken to make it rational for corporations to bring money home. And to make it rational for corporations like Pfizer, which recently moved its headquarters to Ireland for tax purposes, to remain here. In the last 30 years, Brady says, more and more taxes have been paid by fewer and fewer people. And fewer and fewer businesses have been organized as corporations: Three quarters of job-creating entities are not paying corporate taxes. "You can't," Brady says, "ask people to make big changes, leapfrogging our global competitors, just to get to average." But making big changes "is why we all came to Congress." And the benefit that comes from something unfortunate the fact that there are so few (perhaps fewer than 40) competitive House seats is that members can take risks. Presidential engagement is necessary for tax reform, and Brady says that will require a new president who understands that "just a little respect goes a long way up here [on Capitol Hill]." All Republican presidential candidates have tax reform proposals, but only one candidate proposes increasing the cost of government for every American. Here, at last, Donald Trump actually resembles a Republican. Unfortunately, it is a Republican from 125 years ago, when the party stood for big government serving crony capitalism with high tariffs. As Steven R. Weisman demonstrates in his splendid history of American taxation, "The Great Tax Wars," the GOP's tariffs were indirect, hidden sales taxes that crimped consumption by Americans with small incomes. In 1913, the first year of Wilson's presidency and the year the 16th Amendment and the income tax arrived, the glorious privilege of paying taxes was enjoyed primarily through tariffs: They provided nearly half of federal revenues, with most of the rest coming from tobacco and liquor taxes, which also were hardest on persons of modest means. Trump, who works himself into a lather because Nabisco is making some Oreo cookies outside the country, is obsessed with America's trade with China. "We're going to get Apple to start building their damn computers and things in this country," says he, aiming to raise the price Americans pay for Apple products that today are assembled in China, which, according to trade attorney Scott Lincicome, makes about $6 by assembling an iPhone from parts (many of which China has imported). Trump favors a 45 percent tariff to protect customers of Walmart and similar retailers from the onslaught of inexpensive Chinese apparel, appliances and food. He can explain the glorious privilege of paying taxes-as-tariffs when he makes his next visit to a Walmart, perhaps the one in Secaucus, New Jersey, just seven miles from his Fifth Avenue penthouse. George Will's email address is georgewill@washpost.com. SHARE Not a day passes that I don't get a call from the media asking me to compare Bernie Sanders' and Hillary Clinton's tax plans, or bank plans, or health care plans. I don't mind. I've been teaching public policy for much of the last 35 years. I'm a policy wonk. But detailed policy proposals are as relevant to the election of 2016 as is that gaseous planet beyond Pluto. They don't have a chance of making it, as things are now. The other day, Bill Clinton attacked Sanders' proposal for a single-payer health care plan as unfeasible and a "recipe for gridlock." Yet these days, nothing of any significance is feasible, and every bold idea is a recipe for gridlock. This election is about changing the parameters of what's feasible and ending the chokehold of big money on our political system. I've known Hillary Clinton since she was 19 years old and have nothing but respect for her. In my view, she's the most qualified candidate for president of the political system we now have. But Bernie Sanders is the most qualified candidate to create the political system we should have, because he's leading a political movement for change. The upcoming election isn't about detailed policy proposals. It's about power whether those who have it will keep it, or whether average Americans will get some as well. A study published in the fall of 2014 by Princeton professor Martin Gilens and Northwestern professor Benjamin Page reveals the scale of the challenge. Gilens and Page analyzed 1,799 policy issues in detail, determining the relative influence on them of economic elites, business groups, mass-based interest groups and average citizens. Their conclusion: "The preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically nonsignificant impact upon public policy." Instead, lawmakers respond to the moneyed interests those with the most lobbying prowess and deepest pockets to bankroll campaigns. It's sobering that Gilens and Page's data come from the period 1981 to 2002, before the Supreme Court opened the floodgates to big money in its Citizens United v. FEC and McCutcheon v. FEC decisions. Their study also predated the advent of super PACs and "dark money," and even the Wall Street bailout. If average Americans had a "near-zero" impact on public policy then, their impact is now zero. Which explains a paradox I found a few months ago when I was on a book tour in the nation's heartland: I kept bumping into people who told me they were trying to make up their minds in the upcoming election between Sanders and Donald Trump. At first I was dumbfounded. The two are at opposite ends of the political divide. But as I talked with these people, I kept hearing the same refrains. They wanted to end "crony capitalism." They detested "corporate welfare," such as the Wall Street bailout. They wanted to prevent the big banks from extorting us ever again. Close tax loopholes for hedge-fund partners. Stop the drug companies and health insurers from ripping off American consumers. End trade treaties that sell out American workers. Get big money out of politics. Somewhere in all this, I came to see the volcanic core of what's fueling this election. If you're one of the tens of millions of Americans who are working harder than ever but getting nowhere, and who understand that the political-economic system is rigged against you and works in favor of the rich and powerful, what are you going to do? Either you're going to be attracted to an authoritarian strongman who promises to make America great again by keeping out people different from you and creating "great" jobs in America, who sounds like he won't let anything or anybody stand in his way, and who's so rich he can't be bought off. Or you'll go for a political activist who tells it like it is, who has lived by his convictions for 50 years, who won't take a dime of money from big corporations or Wall Street or the very rich, and who is leading a grass-roots "political revolution" to regain control over our democracy and economy. In other words, either a dictator who promises to give power back to the people, or a movement leader who asks us to join together to bring power back to the people. You don't care about the details of proposed policies and programs. You just want a system that works for you. Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich is Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies. The Herald reports: New Zealand exporters say they are concerned that a political consensus on trade has been lost after the Labour Party came out against the Trans-Pacific Partnership. ExportNZ executive director Catherine Beard said in the past exporters had been able to rely on the support of both main political parties on trade. This has helped our exporters succeed in new markets and earn valuable revenue for New Zealand, she said. Exporters are now feeling some dismay at the thought that our future trade prospects could be limited by political disagreement. Ms Beard said it was difficult to understand why Labour supported the China free trade agreement but not the TPP, when they are similar in all major respects. She described Labours position on the TPP as a step backwards for the countrys export competitiveness. Labours announcement of three years free tertiary education is a remarkable lunge to the left. Theyve adopted what was a fringe Alliance Party policy. Its what you get from a party whose leader, finance spokesperson and education spokesperson are all former student presidents. Theyre spent so many years chanting free education on protest marches, theyre never outgrown it. This is a very very bad policy. Not a moderately bad policy, but a really really bad policy. This is for numerous reasons. Cost Labour say once fully implemented it will cost $1.2 billion a year. It will in fact cost far more than this. Labour never ever properly take into account growth in demand if you make something free. If you make houses free, everyone will buy a house. Make alcohol free almost everyone will buy alcohol. Make tertiary education free, and of course you will get a huge explosion in people enrolling. They may not complete a course, but they will enrol. Quality Labours policy will be great for tertiary providers. All they have to do is get you to sign a piece of paper and the Government will give them $15,000 or so. Even under the current funding system weve seen a reasonable number of rorts where providers hire people to go around hamburger bars and sign people up for a low quality (but zero fee) course, so they get the funding for it. Providers respond to incentives. They will spend a huge amount of money on signing people up, and people will sign up with little regard for quality or usefulness as they are not paying anything themselves. When someone offers you something for free you care far less about the quality than if you have to partially pay for it yourself. Helps the most wealthy People who get a degree will on average over their life-time earn at least $500,000 more income. This policy will see people who dont go to university paying higher taxes to fund those who do go to university. Truck drivers will pay more in tax so that lawyers get $15,000 free money from the Government. It is not unreasonable that in exchange for extra income of $500,000+, students contribute towards the cost of tertiary courses they undertake. Not targeted If there is an issue with wanting more people to do tertiary student, who are put off by having to get a loan, then you could target assistance based on income. This doesnt. This is just a huge bribe. Opportunity Cost Almost every study in education shows that the most critical period is early childhood. If you went to 100 experts in education and said we have $1.5 billion a year to spend where should we spend it to make the most difference to educational outcomes, no one would say spend it all on tertiary let alone on a policy that will lower quality of education, not improve it. So in summary it will: Cost massively more than $1.2 billion a year Incentivise lower quality courses Help the most wealthy Is not targeted to those most needing assistance Has a huge opportunity cost Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr reflections, updates and homilies from Deacon Mike Talbot inspired by the following words from my ordination: Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach... 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. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. SHARE Notes on Tennessee government action impacting business: Unemployment insurance premiums will decline in April, thanks to a growing balance in the state's benefits trust fund that was running in the red six years ago. Announcement of the anticipated reduction in unemployment insurance premiums was part of a glowing report on the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development from Commissioner Burns Phillips to the Senate Commerce Committee. He declared the department has gone through an "amazing transformation" from when it was "completely dysfunctional." In 2013, the state comptroller issued a critical audit that found at least $73 million in overpayments of unemployment benefits, some to dead individuals and long delays occurred in getting checks to deserving beneficiaries. Then-Commissioner Karla Davis and two top staff members resigned before the audit was made public. Gov. Bill Haslam named Phillips her replacement and he drafted a "corrective action plan" that, according to testimony by Phillips and Linda Davis, head of the unemployment benefits division, has worked well. The unemployment compensation program is mandated by federal law. Employers pay premiums into a trust fund that pays benefits to workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. In 2010, Tennessee's fund had to borrow $22 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to cover benefit payments. Premiums increased with employers required to pay under a formula that varies widely from business to business on the first $9,000 of wages paid to each employee. In prior years, the premium was based on the first $7,000. Subsequently, the state repaid the loan and began building up the balance. As of Dec. 31, 2015, the fund had reached $909 million, Davis told legislators. Under federal law, a balance of $900 million triggers a reduction in the wage base from $9,000 to $8,000. Thus, when employers get their bills for first quarter 2016 in April, they will pay premiums on $1,000 less per employee. When the trust fund balance reaches $1 billion, the wage base drops to $7,000. Davis expressed hope that could happen in the not-to-distant future. The department launched in July 2012 a Legislature-approved program that allows it to intercept federal income tax refunds from people who have been overpaid in benefits. Davis said $36 million has been collected through this "relatively easy way." The program is soon to be expanded to business owners who are delinquent in paying their premiums. The department has centralized efforts to collect money and almost doubled the amount recovered to about $1 million per month. The officials also praised the department's program to block fraudulent claims from being filed in the first place. An applicant must answer questions based on an Internet data search about his or her history. An example, Davis said, is a question about the type of car a person owned 15 years ago, the answer to which is available in motor vehicle records. Those who cannot answer three such questions correctly are blocked from filing until they meet with an agent to prove their identity. Davis said 79 percent of applicants pass the test while 21 percent fail. Of those who fail, about half stop seeking benefits an indication they have attempted fraud. Assuming that's the case for all abandoned efforts to claim benefits, she said the state may have avoided as much as $23 million worth of fraudulent claims in a month based on all applicants getting the maximum amount of benefits, $275 per week for 26 weeks. Actually, the average benefits check is about $225 per week. The number of people drawing benefits at any given time varies, of course, but Davis said it appears to be "leveling off" at about 22,000 in recent months. The average time for processing a claim has dropped from 15 days to 1.5 hours, Davis said. n A bill pushed by the state Department of Economic and Community Development as part of the Haslam administration's legislative package this year will create new tax credits for so-called "angel investors." ECD Commissioner Randy Boyd sees HB1536 as a step toward encouraging private investors to put money into small companies a contrast to the TNInvestco program, launched in 2009. That program involved the state allocating $200 million dollars in tax credits to selected venture capital funds, which sold the credits to insurance companies to raise capital. The bill would allow investors a credit of up to 33 percent on their Hall income tax for investing in certain companies younger than five years old and with less than $3 million in annual revenue. The Hall income tax applies to investment income received by individuals. As drafted, the bill would cap total tax credits awarded at $3 million per year in 2017 and increase the cap to $5 million in 2019. For the individual investor, the maximum credit would be $50,000 per year. Boyd says 26 states have similar programs, including six of Tennessee's eight neighboring states. The idea, he said, is to make Tennessee an "investor friendly" state and not reliant on state funds. n At Boyd's urging, the department's Nashville office space is being reduced and overhauled to create what he calls "an atmosphere of collaboration, equality and transparency." The commissioner himself will have the same size desk as co-workers, all of whom will be located on an open floor. Previously the department spanned two floors and half of a third. The move is similar to what Boyd instituted as founder and CEO of Radio Systems Corp., the Knoxville-based pet products company. Though the $493,000 price for making the transition has raised some eyebrows, Boyd said the new format will use 58 percent less space and pay for itself in savings within 14 months. But that's secondary to the creation of a "high energy culture" for employees, he said. SHARE Frieson to speak at UT Trailblazer series A University of Tennessee alumnus and a retired faculty leader are headlining the African American Trailblazer Series on campus. Don Frieson, executive vice president of operations for Sam's Club and a UT alumnus, will speak Wednesday. The university's Frieson Black Cultural Center is named in honor of Frieson and his twin, Ron Frieson. Historian Cynthia Fleming will speak March 3. She was one of the first two black female faculty members in the UT College of Arts and Sciences and retired in 2014. Both speeches begin at 5:15 p.m. in the College of Communication and Information's Scripps Lab. The series is dedicated to honoring accomplishments of blacks affiliated with UT who are leaders in their disciplines or fields. Rickey Hall, vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, will emcee the event. Fall 2015 dean's list available online The fall 2015 dean's list for the University of Tennessee is available online and searchable by last name, city, Tennessee county and state. Undergraduates on the list must earn a term grade-point average of 3.8 to 4.0 for summa cum laude, 3. 65 to 3.79 for magna cum laude or 3.5 to 3.64 for cum laude. Students must also be full-time, completing at least 12 credit hours in the fall semester. See the list at: www.utk.edu/deanslist. Sicking named to media position Jennifer Sicking is the new assistant director of media relations for the University of Tennessee system. She will provide media relations support for the system administration departments, serve as lead writer and communications contact for the Office of Research and as a writer and editing associate for Tennessee Alumnus, the systemwide alumni magazine Sicking comes to UT from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. SHARE ** FILE ** Tennessee state Rep. Ronnie Davis (wearing red tie) sits back in his chair as fellow Rep. Zane Whitson, R-Unicoi, front, rests for a moment during a long session of the House, May 29, 2002, in Nashville, Tenn. Davis was arrested Friday,Aug 30, 2002, on federal conspiracy charges in an alleged scheme to get diplomatic passports for people who did not qualify for them. Davis was later released after posting $25,000 bond. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) Rep. Rob Briley, D-Nashville, was charged with driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident after two separate incidents Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007 FILE - This Jan. 8, 2009 file photo shows Sen. Paul Stanley, R-Memphis, during a meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Nashville, Tenn. Stanley on Wednesday resigned as chairman of the powerful Senate Commerce Committee following revelations that he was the target of an alleged extortion plot that threatened to reveal an affair with his legislative intern. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) Leigh Wilburn (TENNESSEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY) Related Coverage Humphrey: Accusations of misconduct are nothing new By Tom Humphrey of the Knoxville News Sentinel NASHVILLE Male legislators' indiscretions, proven or otherwise, with women have often been a hot conversational topic at the Tennessee General Assembly over the years, occasionally leading to resignations, but not until last week has the talk ever included the proposed expulsion of a member. House Speaker Beth Harwell and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey each declared last week they believe the activities of state Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, warrant his removal from the House District 65 seat to which he was re-elected over a Democratic opponent by 12,089 votes to 4,386 votes in November 2014. Exactly what the 32-year-old married lawmaker's activities involved has been the subject of far more rumor than fact-finding so far, although state Attorney General Herbert Slatery at Harwell's request has launched a probe into determining the "facts and circumstances" of those activities. Durham's reported indiscretions include sending text messages to at least three women who considered them inappropriate, as reported last Sunday by the Tennessean, which agreed to keep the women anonymous. Some of Durham's Republican colleagues say they have also been told by women, also requesting anonymity, of doings by Durham that amounted to sexual harassment. Ramsey repeated to reporters publicly last week another rumor that has been making the rounds in the Legislative Plaza: That Durham had an affair with another legislator who has since resigned. Although he did not use her name, the comment was an apparent reference to former state Rep. Leigh Wilburn, R-Somerville, who resigned her seat effective Dec. 31. In a letter to Harwell, Wilburn said she left due to "unforeseen circumstances" involving family and business. Wilburn has declined comment. Durham issued a statement denying any "physical relationship" with a resigned legislator. He has also generally denied any wrongdoing and said he cannot recall sending the questionable text messages. Another legislator says Durham has indicated the memory lapse could be related to prescription medicine he was taking. The contentions concerning sexual harassment come on top of reports that Durham was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for prescription fraud, although a grand jury declined to indict him on the charges. He also got media attention for writing a letter to a judge on his House stationery urging leniency in the sentencing of a convicted child molester. Expulsion of Durham would require setting up a special House investigative committee, presumably using information collected by the attorney general's office, and recommending ouster to the full House. A two-thirds majority vote of Durham's fellow representatives would then be necessary to remove him from office. The calls for expulsion proceedings from Harwell and Ramsey are widely perceived as having the real objective of prodding Durham into a resignation. That would not be unprecedented. An expulsion proceeding under such circumstances would. Durham has declared there is "absolutely no way" he will resign his seat. He has taken a two-week leave of absence from legislative duties, approved by Harwell, to seek unspecified "treatment." Expulsion of a legislator from office is a rarity in Tennessee history. Resignation of members under public pressure has occurred more frequently. And rumors of inappropriate sexual behavior have been almost commonplace although perhaps less so in recent years, based on interviews with several veterans of the legislative halls. The last legislator to be officially voted out of office by colleagues was Rep. Robert Fisher, R-Elizabethton, expelled in 1980 after refusing to resign following his conviction on bribery charges, according to Eddie Weeks, legislative librarian. Before that, the last case of expulsion dates back to an extraordinary session a year after the Civil War ended, when six lawmakers were ousted. "They refused to attend the 1866 extraordinary session, called to ratify the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution," Weeks wrote in an email. "The speaker of the House was also removed from his position and replaced by the speaker pro tem; the speaker refused to sign the resolution, as he did not believe a quorum was present. The speaker pro tem would sign that resolution and the expulsion resolution." In 1983, then-Rep. Emmitt Ford, D-Memphis, resigned after expulsion proceedings had begun, but before they were completed. Ford had been convicted of insurance fraud. Also in 1983, then-Sen. Ed Gillock, D-Memphis, resigned his seat amid talk of expulsion proceedings, although none had been launched. He had been convicted of bribery charges. None of the previous expulsion efforts involved sexual misconduct. One fairly recent resignation did. In 2009, then-Sen. Paul Stanley, R-Germantown, had an affair with a legislative intern. The matter became public after the young woman's boyfriend tried to extort a $10,000 payment from Stanley, who was married, threatening to reveal the relationship. Instead of paying, Stanley reported the effort to the TBI leading to criminal prosecution of the boyfriend and ultimately a conviction. Stanley resigned his seat prodded to do so by Ramsey, according to some who see the Durham situation as an echo of the Stanley situation. Some other past episodes involving sex and married male legislators: In 2007, then-Rep. Rob Briley, D-Nashville, was arrested on a DUI charge. A video made by arresting officers of his bizarre behavior at the time including a request that the officers kill him got widespread media attention. In the course of the ensuing investigation, it was reported that Briley's first call after the episode was to a woman lobbyist with whom he had a relationship. Briley subsequently resigned his chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee and did not seek re-election. Then-House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh defended Briley from what he called "lowlife" calls from Republicans for Briley's resignation, saying Briley had admitted suffering from alcoholism and was seeking appropriate treatment. In 2002, then-Rep. Ronnie Davis, R-Newport, was indicted on charges that included illegally obtaining prescription drugs for his female co-defendant, Diane Burton, in a case that otherwise involved a convoluted scheme to illegally obtain diplomatic passports for two Texas men. The indictment labeled Burton as Davis' "personal companion," making public their extramarital relationship. Davis ran for re-election and was defeated by a Democrat in his predominantly Republican district. Subsequently, he pleaded guilty and served a prison term. In 1996, then-Rep. Joe Bell, D-Lebanon, solicited sex with a legislative staffer in blatant terms. The young woman, who had apparently had prior overtures from Bell, carried a tape recorder to a meeting with Bell, then turned over the resulting recording to other legislative staff. Naifeh promptly ousted Bell from his leadership position as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. Bell, now dead, did not seek re-election to his House seat but won election to local office in Wilson County. There has been public reporting on other lawmakers' relationships with women they dealt with at the Legislative Plaza. Naifeh married Betty Anderson, a lobbyist, although they subsequently divorced. Former Rep. Gary Odom, D-Nashville, married a woman he met when she was a legislative intern. Other rumors have been far more widespread over the years. One spinoff of the Durham situation is Harwell's establishment of a panel to study and recommend changes in the Legislature's sexual harassment policy. Another is that the House speaker declared interns will no longer be allowed to give their cellphone numbers to legislators a move that Democrats declared "silly" in a press conference last week. Involvement of interns in the Durham situation has not otherwise been made public so far, although it has come up on the rumor circuit. As far as the sexual harassment study, Harwell wrote in an email: "I have asked several key people from the community to serve on an independent committee to review the current sexual harassment policy, which is 19 years old. They are experts on the subject matter, and I feel that independent voices not legislators are needed, and I look forward to their work. I also encourage any personnel with suggestions for improvement to give the committee their recommendations." The revision in 1997 came just after the Bell episode, which got a lot of attention at the time. The woman involved in that case officially remained anonymous, although in the legislative gossip circuit she was widely known the situation being similar to Ramsey's suggesting that Durham had an affair with an ex-legislator without giving a name . The woman who recorded Bell's unsolicited advances left her job, reportedly with a settlement check although such settlements are officially treated as confidential. More from Tom Humphrey at "Humphrey on the Hill:" UT Diversity Matters students march across campus to the fifth floor of Andy Holt Tower where Chancellor Jimmy Cheeks office is located Friday. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL) SHARE By MJ Slaby of the Knoxville News Sentinel A group of University of Tennessee students will spend Monday in Nashville for meetings with state lawmakers on tuition and the continuing controversy over campus diversity programs. The Government Affairs Committee of the UT Student Government Association goes to Nashville every year on the day of the governor's State of the State address to discuss "any and all legislation" that affects UT, said Duncan Bryant, a junior and co-director of the committee. This year will be an especially interesting year for the meetings, Bryant said. He said the students plan to focus discussions on funding for UT's Office of Diversity and Inclusion, as well as a bill to freeze tuition. Bryant said the committee wants to show lawmakers what will be affected on campus if diversity funding is cut and remind lawmakers that students are constituents who have personal stories to share. In the fall semester, lawmakers criticized the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for online posts about gender-neutral pronouns and inclusive holiday parties. The controversies led to calls for UT administrators to step down and ultimately to bills filed in the Legislature to defund the office. On campus, students and faculty have expressed support for UT diversity efforts and asked for improvements. Several groups have formed the UT Diversity Matters coalition. Members of student government and of the diversity coalition said they want to see more students interact with lawmakers as the legislative session continues. On Monday, roughly 20 students are making the trip to Nashville for a day full of meetings, with the first set for 9 a.m. and the last set for 4 p.m., Bryant said, noting the group is a mix of student government committee members and executives as well as graduate students. In preparation, he said the committee met with various campus groups, including students at the UT Pride Center and members of UT Diversity Matters. The conversations were for committee members to learn from other students so the committee can present a unified front to lawmakers, Bryant said. The message was, "You're doing this, and we're helping anyway we can," he said. UT senior Elizabeth Stanfield, a member of UT Diversity Matters, said the coalition is pushing for its members to go to Nashville as well so they can share their stories personally and not just through the student government committee. Fellow coalition member Kristen Godfrey, a graduate student, said the coalition and the student government committee are in the beginning steps of working together. Bryant said he hopes the coalition and others can go back to Nashville for committee hearings and to share their testimonies. "I think lawmakers don't hear enough student perspective," Bryant said. Militant Video via the Associated Press This undated image taken from video posted online by the communications arm of the Islamic State and circulated Jan. 3 purported to show members of the group shooting five men they accuse of spying for Britain in Syria. The video could not be independently verified, but the footage bears the markings of the Islamic States media wing. SHARE FILE - In this file photo released on May 14, 2015, by a militant website, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, a member of the Islamic State group's vice police known as "Hisba" reads a verdict handed down by an Islamic court in Raqqa, Syria, sentencing many they accused of adultery to lashing. A Hisba member "must be gentle and pleasant toward those he orders or reprimands, says an IS document obtained by the AP. Yet, escaped Syrians who spoke to the Associated Press all complained of the cruelty of the Hisba. (Militant website via AP, File) The events in Paris and San Bernardino, California, were outrageous. There is no way to predict when or where the next atrocity will occur. My first reaction to these events was that we should bomb the Islamic State into oblivion, cut off their money supply and destroy their leadership. I sounded like some of our Republican presidential candidates who serve up promises of instant gratification to a frustrated electorate. I, too, want swift justice. The extreme acts of violence committed by the Islamic State, such as beheadings, intentionally and rightfully provoke our most visceral instincts. I believe we should be doing all of the above. Yet, I know the evil we face is multifaceted and will require long-term, broad-spectrum approaches to extinguish. We have already seen how knee-jerk reactions can backfire. Although the world is a better place without Saddam Hussein, dismantling the infrastructure and government of Iraq and then carrying out a poorly conceived post-invasion plan supplied the Islamic State with young Iraqi soldiers seeking leadership, according to Richard Clarke, our nation's counterterrorism expert under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. I am a Muslim immigrant from Iran who came to Fresno, California, in 1978. I became a U.S. citizen in 1992 by choice. This is my home and my country. I see myself as an American who, like many, adopted the religion of his parents. I don't see my religion as defining the person I am, but rather, as my spiritual guidance system and connection to God. There is much confusion about Islam. My goal is to help my fellow Americans distinguish between Islam and the Islamic State's misguided creed. I would also like to suggest ways to defeat terrorism and forge stability in the Middle East. The Islamic State is rooted in Wahhabism The apocalyptic belief system of the Islamic State is directly linked with Wahhabism, a cult that has hijacked Islam. Islamic scholars worldwide agree that the Islamic State has nothing to do with Islam, and refute the religious arguments used to justify its ghastly actions. The vast majority of terrorists in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America subscribe to the ideologies of Wahhabism funded and most active in Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the United States. Founded in the 18th century in Arabia by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, Wahhabism spreads hatred of western values and modernization, and calls for the purging of Jews, Christians and non-Wahhabi Muslims. Just as we would never link the Ku Klux Klan with Christianity, Wahhabism is not Islam. In fact, I am considered an infidel by Wahhabis. As one of the three Abrahamic traditions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam), Islam proclaims the value of all human lives. Murder is not supported by Islam. On the contrary, any murder is seen as equivalent to killing the whole of humanity. Islam is a religion that not only stands on the concept of peace and justice, but also on the idea that every Muslim ought to live in a state of balance. While we mistakenly declare war on Islam, Muslim refugees and mosques, and alienate Muslims in the United States, Wahhabism is expanding. The world must unite to fight the Islamic State Genuine solutions will be challenging, costly and will require long-term resolve. There are no shortcuts to lasting change in the Middle East. It cannot be accomplished single-handedly by any nation. Multifaceted, geo-global partnerships are critical for striking at the heart of the Islamic State and stabilizing the region. A coalition of nations, including the European Union, allies in the Middle East, Iran and Russia, must pressure the Saudi government to stop funding Wahhabi schools and mosques in the U.S. and across the world. A strong coalition could collaborate to remove the leadership of the Islamic State, cutting off its petroleum-based money supply and putting boots on the ground to develop a safe zone in Syria. The negotiated removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while leaving the government infrastructure in place, is key. Iraq and Syria must be rebuilt, as Germany and Japan were rebuilt after World War II. Without major boundary revisions that recognize and restore the Middle East's organic frontiers, peace will never be seen there. With the participation of local Arab tribal and ethnic leaders, the boundaries of Iraq and Syria can be redrawn to recognize and restore the cultural and religious boundaries that have been in place for centuries. In this process, a new country of Kurdistan, which is our biggest ally in the war against the Islamic State, can emerge. With our help, economic opportunities will be created for young Arabs to reduce the widespread poverty in the region. Equally essential will be to provide a framework for public education and good governance, neutral of American and Israeli agendas. These objectives, although challenging, are critical. The contemporary Middle East is exploding. The Islamic State preys on the impoverished and disenfranchised, much as gangs do in the U.S. Although the Islamic State does not follow Islam, the group pulls exponentially on young Muslims who have lost faith and hope for the future. For those who have only experienced chaos, violence and civil war, the Islamic State's offers of power, inclusion, sex, value and salvation are intoxicating. It is human nature to turn to religion, even a false religion, when faced with constant pain and suffering. Muslims in the U.S. are deeply horrified over the atrocities committed by the Islamic State. And yet, I can vouch that many Muslims feel a sense of alienation just watching the presidential debates. Do we really want to treat our Muslim neighbors differently because of their religion? In truth, our Muslim neighbors are our greatest allies against the Islamic State in the United States. And collaboration with local Muslim communities is one of the most powerful solutions for safety at home. Muslims comprise 1 percent of the U.S. population and represent 10 percent of America's physicians. As a group that has successfully assimilated and integrated with U.S. culture, Muslims are in the most potent position to recognize early signs of radicalization among members of the faith and notify law enforcement. Members of the Muslim community have more frequent contact with such individuals, and within a context most Americans do not yet understand. In fact, up to 42 percent of foiled jihadist plots in the U.S. were reported to law enforcement by Muslims, according to Mohamed Magid, president of the Islamic Society of North America and a Virginia-based imam who has advised the Obama administration on radicalization. Law enforcement must work with Muslims In the same manner that the FBI befriended the Italian-American community in the early 20th century to track down the Mafia, law enforcement should work closely with members of the Muslim community to identify those showing signs of radicalization. As well, the Muslim community has a strong obligation to identify and report signs of radicalization wherever it exists, whether within local mosques or when demonstrated by individuals. Additionally, Muslim scholars must put aside denominational differences and clearly articulate for Muslim youths the basic tenets of Islam, including a strong proclamation of what is not Islam. An American's hope America is the greatest nation on Earth because of our opportunities and freedoms to express ourselves openly and practice the religion we choose. There are no limits to our imagination in this country. When our reactions are misguided, based solely on fear and anger, we jeopardize the very freedoms we love. Worse, we become like those committing the atrocities. I became a proud U.S. citizen because of America's values, the opportunities it provides for all of its citizens, and for its respect for human dignity. We cannot allow terrorists to reshape the values we hold most dear. These times test our political and moral character. Will we betray the heartfelt ideals our nation was built upon? I believe that we will reject demagoguery and fear-mongering. I remain hopeful our strong values and courage to insist on "justice for all" will prevail. Last Monday, the Harris County, Texas, District Attorney General reported that charges brought against Planned Parenthood for selling baby body parts were false based on the facts in the case. Thus Texas became the 12th state to exonerate Planned Parenthood of such ideological charges. Instead, a Harris County grand jury issued indictments against David Daleiden, head of the Center for Medical Progress, and another employee of the center. Those indictments charge Daleiden and his co-conspirator, Sandra Merritt, with fraud by tampering with a government record and presenting fake driver licenses with the intent to harm or defraud Planned Parenthood. Also, the grand jury found that Daleiden violated the law by offering to purchase human tissue. In addition to the 12 states that have exonerated Planned Parenthood of these spurious charges, eight other states have refused to even investigate such claims. All have found no wrongdoing. The average person in a country where politicians righteously claim fidelity to the Constitution might be led to conclude that these ideological attacks on a woman's right to choose would end. Not so. Look at U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida. Upon hearing the news from Texas, the "Remarkable Rubio" blasted the Texas grand jury as an example of America going in the wrong direction. How is that? When Harris County Attorney General Devon Anderson, a conservative Republican, was asked by Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to conduct an investigation into claims that Planned Parenthood harvested and was selling baby body parts for profit, she promised that she would go where the facts and the law led her. And that is exactly what she has done. While the "Remarkable Rubio" may claim the exoneration of Planned Parenthood by an independent Texas grand jury indicates that America is on the wrong path, just the opposite is true. How can following the law and the facts place America on the wrong path? Anderson chose to follow the facts and the law rather than the reactionary right-wing demagoguery spouted by all the GOP presidential candidates this year. Planned Parenthood is probably the most hated organization in this country. Why is that? Largely because of right-wing disinformation. These propaganda assaults have resulted not only in the unfair demonization of the organization, but also in deeply-held suspicions of the services offered and performed at its facilities. Claiming to be a "warrior for babies," a man last November murdered three people, including a police officer, outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs. He had watched videos purporting to show a fetus being aborted, its body parts being harvested. Videos like these have been widely debunked across the country. Tragically, the three who died in Colorado Springs have not been the only people killed in this war. In our country, 2.7 million people visit a Planned Parenthood health center annually. They go for cancer screenings, birth control services and sexually transmitted disease tests. During their lifetimes, 20 percent of American women visit a Planned Parenthood facility, with abortions making up only 3 percent of the services rendered. Seventy-eight percent of Planned Parenthood's clients are low-income, with a third being black or Latino. Clearly, people feel very passionately about Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose. I remember a time when abortions were not legal. There was a girl a couple of years ahead of me in high school who was smart, attractive and popular. She became pregnant. Her options were limited. She chose to have an abortion in an ill-equipped back room of a person who lacked proper skills. She died. Despite our chilling past on the issue of abortion, there are still many so-called religious leaders and politicians who want to dismantle Roe v. Wade based on false propaganda. These people are determined to lead a march back into that past. It is strange to me that men are the key drivers of the anti-choice movement none of whom has ever had an abortion because none of them can get pregnant.

Tom Humphrey, retired News Sentinel Nashville bureau chief. (Paul Efird/News Sentinel)

In some respects, the ongoing legislative discourse over the doings of state Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, can be seen as an example of truth in the old adage about the more things change, the more they stay the same. But there are some curious and novel aspects to the Durham dither that stand in contrast to past uproars over legislators engaged in activities that involved inappropriate sexual behavior. Maybe that has something to do with the current political environment in Legislatorland. Three past cases offer some comparison and contrast: In 2009, state Sen. Paul Stanley, a bright, up-and-coming Republican lawmaker from Germantown, had an affair with a 22-year-old intern that came to light when the young woman's boyfriend tried to extort a $10,000 payment from Stanley in exchange for his silence. Stanley instead reported the demand to the TBI and the whole affair became public. He was urged to resign his seat and did so. Interns have never been mentioned publicly in connection with Durham, though, well, let's just say they have made their way into the wild rumor circuit of Legislatorland. And, strangely, as part of her response to the Durham situation, House Speaker Beth Harwell declared that interns would not be allowed to attend legislative receptions or provide their cellphone numbers to legislators. Huh? As Democrats said in a news conference last week, that seems silly. For one thing, legislative policy at least since Stanley's time already prohibits interns from attending receptions, where alcohol is often served and some interns are younger than 21. And phone numbers? Shouldn't a legislator be able to call an intern to ask if he or she could come in a bit early since someone else has called in sick? And what do interns have to do with the Durham thing, except on the utterly unreliable rumor circuit? Also in 2007, then-Rep. Kent Williams, R-Elizabethton, was publicly accused of sexual harassment of a fellow legislator, Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mount Juliet, by suggesting he would give a weeks pay to see her without clothing. Ultimately, nothing came of the complaint in a memo initially made public by then-House Minority Leader Jason Mumpower. The memo said Williams in a subsequent encounter sneaked up behind Lynn, embraced her, then whispered in her ear, Have a nice weekend. Williams said he has never harassed anyone, leading to a follow-up complaint by then Rep. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, (now a senator) to the House Ethics Committee the last time anyone filed a complaint, it seems. That was dismissed and Williams went on to become House speaker for two years, defeating Mumpower in the 2009 election for speaker with united support of all Democrats in the House. In 2002, Rep. Ronnie Davis, R-Newport, was charged in a bizarre scheme to help a couple of Texas men get diplomatic passports. His co-defendant was a woman other than his wife who worked at the Legislature. Davis was also charged with helping her illegally obtain drugs. He ran for re-election while under indictment and lost to a Democrat in the decidedly Republican district, later pleading guilty to some of the charges and serving his time in a federal prison. There was no effort to expel Davis from his legislative seat. There is a developing effort, endorsed by Harwell and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, to expel Durham. Durham has not been charged with any crime, though a grand jury did hear, and reject, a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation attempt to prosecute him for prescription drug fraud. In 1996, state Rep. Joe Bell, D-Lebanon, solicited sex from a legislative staffer. She was wise enough to carry a tape recorder with her when invited to lunch with the legislator (apparently based on past experience) and provided the resulting recording to then-House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh and others, who kept her identity confidential. Bell's accuser, however, was widely known on the rumor circuit. Naifeh booted Bell from his leadership position as House Agriculture Committee chairman, but there was no effort to expel him. Bell, now deceased, did not seek re-election. As an outwardly affable fellow with good political people skills, he subsequently won election to a local office in his native Wilson County, even though he also faced negative publicity over a DUI arrest. Ergo, we have the same old situation of legislators accused of sexual misconduct. But in the Durham case, there are scant specifics in the public arena. Thanks to investigative reporting by The Tennessean, we know that at least three women say they got inappropriate text messages from Durham. And Ramsey has reported the rumor of a Durham affair with another legislator. Durham, officially on a leave of absence, has blamed the "liberal media" and establishment Republicans working with Democrats because he sponsored a "stop Obamacare" bill, a notion embraced in today's political environment by some on the right-wing talk show circuit. A quote from one of Harwell's news releases: "If the rumors I continue to hear regarding Rep. Durham are true, Rep. Durham needs to focus on his family and receiving the help he needs." Having heard some of those rumors, she's right. More from Tom Humphrey at "Humphrey on the Hill:" SHARE Fewer students at Tennessee community colleges and universities are taking remedial courses, but the number arriving on campuses unprepared for the rigors of college work remains unacceptably high. A report issued last week by the Tennessee Comptroller's Office shows the ongoing need for improving academic performance in K-12 districts statewide and the opportunity for new approaches to meet the needs of students once they begin their post-secondary educations. These efforts are vital to the success of Gov. Bill Haslam's Drive to 55 campaign, which aims to equip 55 percent of Tennesseans with a college degree or certificate by 2025. In 2014, according to the report issued by the Comptroller's Offices of Research and Accountability, three out of four community college freshman, nearly half the freshmen at Board of Regents universities and 28 percent of University of Tennessee system freshmen were not prepared for a post-secondary education. Not all students deemed unprepared qualify for remedial classes. At community colleges in 2014, 68 percent of freshmen were assigned to remedial classes, down from 77 percent in 2011. State universities do not offer remedial classes, though supplemental support is available in college-level classes for those who need it. To continue the positive trend, state officials must maintain high academic standards in K-12 education. The state's English and math standards, adopted in 2010, should result in gradual improvement in college readiness as successive classes graduate. The Seamless Alignment and Integrated Learning Support program, SAILS, helps high-school seniors catch up before they graduate. The SAILS program in math has been implemented statewide, while the English component is still a pilot program. The TN Achieves Summer Bridge Program prepares students for college. According to the report, of the 554 participants in the Summer Bridge Program, 157 tested out of some remediation and 123 tested well enough to skip remediation in college altogether. Tennessee students have made dramatic improvement in results from the National Assessment of Education Progress, which tests fourth- and eighth-grade students in reading and math. Among the nation's bottom 10 states in 2011 in all categories, Tennessee fourth-graders now rank 25th in math and 36th in reading, while the state's eighth-graders come in at 37th in math and 30th in reading. ACT scores essentially have remained flat over the past five years but could rise as the students who fueled the increase in NAEP scores begin taking the college readiness test. Once enrolled in college, students who need remediation are benefitting from new programs aimed at improving the odds they will advance toward graduation. The state's community colleges have instituted a promising program that has boosted the proportion of students who successfully complete college-level courses in math and English. Instead of completing non-credit remedial classes in English or math before moving on to college-level courses for credit, students do both at the same time. At Pellissippi State Community College, one of the pilot institutions, the proportion of unprepared students who successfully completed college-level classes rose from 20 percent in English to about 59 percent. The increase in math 45 percent to 59 percent was impressive if not as dramatic. All 13 community colleges adopted the program in the fall. While too few Tennessee high school graduates are prepared for college, innovative programs and old-fashioned hard work can close the gap. Improvements can occur only with sufficient resources, high academic standards, dedicated educators, demanding parents and inspired students. If Tennessee can produce that mix, the state will produce a stronger workforce for businesses and offer its students more fulfilling lives. SHARE The writer of the letter "Interpretations prevent solidarity" argues that to see human solidarity in the world we should abandon "cherry-picked" passages from the Bible and the Quran. He prefers passages that focus on love, generosity, compassion, unity and peace over passages that deal with "public prayer, same-sex marriage, racism, women's rights, etc." By "cherry-picked" passages he clearly means passages with which he does not agree. For example, what is it about the anti-abortion view of the New Testament that is unloving or uncompassionate, and who gets to decide? As for human solidarity, most of the world and virtually all of human history opposed same-sex marriage until our Supreme Court, apparently applying the writer's espoused critical thinking, rendered its decision, resulting in discord, not solidarity. I cannot speak for the Quran, but rightly understood, the Bible does not create truth. It reveals what is already true, growing out of the character of God and the nature of man. Some kooks will misinterpret and misapply the Bible, but eliminating its inconvenient parts from the marketplace of ideas will not improve the nut-to-normal ratio. Another weakness in his argument is the assumption that without the ancient texts we would have solidarity in the world. What makes him think we will turn to critical thinking and common sense as the ways to deal with the issues of the day? In practice, the way atheist leaders have sought solidarity has been to eliminate the enemy. Stalin, Pol Pot, Kim Il Sung, Ho Chi Min, Lenin and Hitler were atheist leaders who sought solidarity. Controversial atheist philosopher Richard Rorty proposes a world without religion, he says, but in a few years no one will read Rorty's books or even know his name. On the other hand, Jesus lives. Richard Beam, Knoxville SHARE Ina Hughs encourages Christians to love all Muslims and have tea with them while other Muslims in various countries of the world blow up and chop off the heads of our Christian brothers. She mentions that Christians in the past have committed despicable acts such as in Nazi Germany during World War II and the Ku Klux Klan in our country. She is right, of course; Christians have committed many sins such as these in the past. But she will have to admit there is one unmistakable difference. Jesus never instructed his followers to go out and murder and dismember those who disagree with him and his followers, but Muhammad most definitely did. Jesus did instruct his followers to love everyone, including enemies. The Quran, written by Muhammad, contains at least 109 verses that call Muslims to war with non-believers for the sake of Islamic rule. Some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels (non-believers of Islam) wherever they may be hiding. I believe, as Hughs does, that most Muslims living in this country are peace loving with good jobs and are good citizens of this country. Most of them do not take these very radical verses of the Quran literally, but a small percentage do. For that reason, I believe that our country should be very smart when allowing Muslim immigrants to come in from Syria and adjacent countries. These immigrants should be vetted very carefully before allowing them passage into this country. Glenn Norris, Powell McKinsey advises President to encourage business leaders to develop service businesses By Kim Jae-kyoung Richard Dobbs McKinsey Global Institute director SINGAPORE President Park Geun-hye should encourage business leaders to develop more services oriented business models to transform Korea into a more competitive economy, according to a global consultant recently. "Park should sit down and ask business leaders about how they can build services and improve profitability," Richard Dobbs, director of McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), said in an interview in Singapore. MGI is the business and economics research arm of global consulting firm McKinsey & Company. He said Park should push them into going beyond a traditional mindset and adapting to new changes, such as disruptive technologies and urbanization in China and India. "She could challenge them a bit more by sitting together and asking them to tell how they can grow services, how they are operating as a market leader, not attacker, and what they are doing to grow profitability, not just sales," he added. He said that Korean firms should take the initiative and push services as aggressively as they did manufacturing in the past. "It's about industry leadership and change. This is what multiple players can do. In the end, business leaders, government, and Korean people should make a big push," he added. His advice is based on the belief that Korea is lacking a sense of urgency in coping with new threats, such as rise of Chinese firms and technology disruptions. He said that Korea is being trapped in the "boiling frog syndrome," calling for the country to speed up its structural reform. Back in 2013, he described Korea as "a frog in a pot of slowly boiling water." "I think stresses are not getting much worse but a frog is still sitting there and hasn't jumped. You have to be careful because Chinese firms' threats are increasing," he said. "Eventually, the water temperature will carry on going up over time. So Korea needs to work on figuring out how to leap," he added. Dobbs, who spent six years in McKinsey's Seoul office from 2007 to 2013, said that in order to "help the frog jump," there are three key issues Korean companies must resolve immediately low profitability, manufacturing-oriented model and follower's mindset. According to the consultant, the first thing Korean firms should do is to shift their focus to profitability from growth. Korean firms' average return on investment capital hovers around 5 percent, around a third of their North American peers' average of 15 percent. Korea urged to jump on driverless car' wave By Kim Jae-kyoung This is the first of a five-part series to examine major forces or developments that will reshape our world over the coming decades. The Korea Times will look into five key areas the global economy, banking, information technology, automobiles, and energy in cooperation with global consulting firm McKinsey & Company. ED SINGAPORE Japanese electronics giant Sony, which used to reign supreme in the global technology industry, has lost its crown over the past years and is now trying to catch up with market leaders, such as Apple and Samsung Electronics. There can be many reasons why Sony is struggling but the key culprit might be that it fixated on hardware breakthroughs and failed to adapt to technology disruptions, such as the smartphone wave. The case of Sony well epitomizes the nature of the current technology market. If you miss a market wave and fail to reset your business, you won't be able to stay on top. In other words, if you try to stick to current strengths, they can turn into your key weakness. In this regard, Samsung should feel a sense of urgency and take a lesson from Sony's debacle. Samsung currently focuses on hardware advances by redoubling its smartphone push, paying little attention to the innovative disruption underway. To avoid following in the footsteps of Sony, the Korean electronics giant needs to become more agile and externally focused to reset its strategy, keeping a close watch on what its rivals are doing now. Richard Dobbs, director of McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), said that Korean firms seem to fall behind in innovation drive at speed, noting that no Korean player, for example, can be seen in the global wave toward a "driverless car." "Why is Korea not doing a really big play on driverless cars? Think about players in that market. You have Apple, Google, Ford, Telsa," he said in a recent interview. "This is a big disruption. Why aren't Korean firms going after big disruptions the same way they did in TVs and smartphones. Now is the time to change the mindset," he added. Disruptive technologies The abovementioned technology disruption is only one of the four powerful global forces that will break all the trends in the coming decades, according to the MGI. The others are the urbanization of emerging economies, aging populations and greater global connections. "From the printing press to the steam engine and the Internet, technology has always been a powerful force for change, disrupting the way we do things and creating new economic value," it said in a paper, "No Ordinary Disruption: the Global Four Forces Breaking All the Trends." "The difference today is the sheer ubiquity of technology in our lives, the pace of new innovation, and the scale of adoption." MGI, the business and economics research arm of McKinsey, pointed out that digitization and big data are fuelling new business models, from e-commerce platforms like Alibaba to car-hailing apps like Uber. Technology is expected to bring a sea change in the labor market with supply chains and assembly lines automated and e-commerce replacing traditional stores. By 2030, some 6 to 8 percent of the total non-farm labor force in ASEAN alone or 12 million to 17 million workers could be displaced by technology, according to the institute. "Governments will have to ensure that they have access to support and retraining. Education systems will need to emphasize the skills required in a more digital economy, focusing broadly on digital literacy and English proficiency while also cultivating enough deep analytical talent," it said. Urbanization in China, India Another significant development will be urbanization of small cities in China, India and other emerging economies. According to MGI, in 2025, as many as 2.5 billion people more than half of the world's urban population could live in Asia's burgeoning cities. By 2030, these cities are likely to attract more than an additional 555 million people and bring the urban share to roughly 44 percent of the population and over 85 percent of GDP. "Asia's growth has historically been dominated by megacities with populations of 10 million or more. But small and medium-sized cities with populations ranging from 150,000 to 10 million will be the region's future engines of growth," it said. "Urbanization will drive a huge expansion in the region's consuming class, which is expected to increase from 552 million households today to 1.2 billion households by 2030." Much of this growth will occur in China, India and Indonesia. In order to capitalize on opportunities generated by rising consuming class, companies must develop a strategy tailored to each city. "New players will need to manage distributors effectively and take a city-level, rather than a national view of markets. It will be critical to gather intelligence on smaller cities that many Western multinationals are likely to overlook," the institute said. Connected but aging world The acceleration of technology developments together with the rise of emerging economies is expected to deepen and broaden the cross-border flows of goods, services, and finance. McKinsey forecast that these flows, which totaled $26 trillion, or 36 percent of global GDP, in 2012, will nearly triple by 2025. It pointed out that a number of major trade deals and economic agreements including the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have the potential to create deeper links between countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world. The world is also facing a gradual decline in its workforce, with population aging across the globe. According to the global consulting firm, there are three countries in which one fifth of the population has passed the age of 65 Germany, Italy, and Japan and thirteen countries will fit this profile by 2020, and 34 by 2030. A mixture of the aging workforce and falling birthrates are weighing heavily on many Asian countries. The consultancy said that the only realistic option to address this issue is boosting productivity. "Many Asian countries, including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia, will need to more than double their historical pace of productivity gains to sustain growth," it said. Huge opportunity for Korea "I think the consequence of it (ongoing change), first of all, there is a huge opportunity for Korean companies. With the rise of middle class in Asia, Korea is going to see four billion consuming class people largely on its door steps," Dobbs said. "But I think Korean companies are going to face the threat of the rise of their competitors as well. Korean companies should be ready for that," he added. He emphasized that since technology continues to disrupt at a greater speed, Korean firms should focus on figuring out how they can benefit from that. "Korean firms have done really well when televisions went from plasma to LCD and when phones went from feature phones to smartphones," he said. "The car industry is going through a major disruption with self-driving cars and battery-powered cars. Why is Korea not saying that it is an opportunity to rise to number one like it did with televisions," he added. One more thing Korean firms should do is to recognize the importance of new platforms and come up with a strategy to compete. "Alibaba is a good example. It has a platform that allows small enterprises to sell around the world. Why aren't Korean companies really present on Alibaba and Amazon?" he said, adding that having Korean firms play in that platform arena is important. By Choi Kyong-ae Korea's sovereign debt is expected to reach 650 trillion won ($540 billion) by December because of increased government spending to stimulate the economy, government figures showed Sunday. This is a sharp jump from an estimated 595 trillion won in sovereign debt for the whole of 2015, according to the National Assembly Budget Office (NABO). Given the pace of growth, the national debt is widely expected to hit 700 trillion won by the end of 2017. The government has continued to inject money to jump-start nearly moribund consumer sentiment in recent years. But its stimulus packages have not worked as well as expected. Increased welfare spending for elderly retired people amid an aging population is emerging as a major burden to the government's budget, economists said. The ratio of sovereign debt to gross domestic product (GDP) is likely to top 40 percent for the first time this year. If the government fails to control its budget plans effectively in the long term, the national debt ratio to GDP may soar to 62 percent in 2060, according to the government's long-term fiscal outlook released late last year. The ministry acknowledged the national debt in Asia's fourth-biggest economy was rising, but said it could be controlled in a safe and stable manner compared to major advanced economies. In the nine years through 2015, the average debt to GDP ratio of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries jumped to 115 percent from 74 percent. But Korea's debt to GDP rose a mere 9.8 percent during the same period, the ministry said. The government also said Korea's successful management of national debt was behind Moody's Investor Service's upgrading the country's sovereign rating to a record high of Aa2 from Aa3 last December. But a NABO official warned, "Rapid aging could further push up the country's spending on welfare and medical programs for senior citizens although the current ratio of national debt to GDP is relatively lower than advanced countries." In 2010, 7 percent of Korea's 51 million population was aged over 65. By 2017, this will have soared to 14 percent. By 2026, 20 percent of the population will be aged over 65, according to government data. Under the government's 2015 to 19 fiscal forecast, national debt is expected to reach 693 trillion won in 2017, 732 trillion won in 2018 and 761 trillion won in 2019. By Choi Kyong-ae The Financial Services Commission (FSC) said Sunday it will introduce an omnibus account system for foreign investors from next year in a move to get the Korean stock market included in the MSCI's developed market index. The government has been striving to have the Korea Exchange classified on the MSCI's World Index as a developed market after the country was excluded from the index review list in 2014 due to the lack of "any significant improvements in key areas negatively affecting accessibility." Morgan Stanley Capital International has pointed out two major obstacles against Korea's stock market being placed onto the advanced market index. It asked Korea to ease regulations involving foreign investment in stocks and to improve the Korean won's convertibility. One of them is about to be lifted, with the government stepping up efforts to enhance the local currency's convertibility. If Korea is included on the MSCI Advanced Market Index, the government expects it will help the domestic stock market move in a less volatile manner during emerging markets-related turmoil. The MSCI has not added any emerging-market exchange to its developed-market index since 2010. Through an omnibus account set up by global asset management companies or securities companies, foreign investors are allowed to sell their Korean stocks or make settlements for the sale. Global asset managers or brokerages such as Goldman Sachs and Merill Lynch have to seek an approval from Korean regulators to handle business here, the FSC said in a statement. "Foreigners, individuals or funds, who received a foreign investment registration certificate from the Financial Supervisory Service, are qualified to make investments in Korean stocks," an FSC official said Sunday. In the past, foreign investors had to open an account not only in Korean banks but also in Korean securities companies to make an investment in Korean stocks and they had to handle all financial transactions themselves, he explained. The government plans to test the omnibus account system from May this year to find out if there are things to be improved further to be implemented in January 2017, the FSC said. For Seoul to be part of the Advanced Market Index, the MSCI has said Seoul must establish an offshore market where foreign investors are able to trade the won around the clock. But 24-hour trading of the won offshore could carry increased risks of volatility, market experts warned. By Choi Sung-jin Large Korean construction companies' new orders abroad plunged last year, hit by low oil prices and the consequent drop in orders from the Middle East, for building offshore plants, industry sources said Saturday. Their domestic orders, however, surged sharply thanks to the housing boom, pushing the total amount of orders they received last year up slightly higher than their order receipts in 2014, the sources said. The combined overseas orders of the five large construction companies Hyundai, Daewoo, Samsung, GS and Daelim who announced their 2015 performances as of Thursday stood at 25.17 trillion won ($20.94 billion) last year, down 64.1 percent from 2014. Their orders at home, on the other hand, surged 61.6 percent to 48.59 trillion won. Total orders edged up 3.33 percent to 73.76 trillion won, according to the industry sources. All of the five large general contractors in Korea recorded declines of their overseas orders. Showing the worst drop was GS E&C, which saw its orders from abroad plummet 56.6 percent, from 6.90 trillion won to 2.99 trillion won, over the cited perio. Hyundai E&C recorded a 50.4-percent decline in overseas orders from 19.97 trillion won to 9.90 trillion won, and those of Daelim Industrial, Daewoo E&C and Samsung C&T also fell to 1.74 trillion won, 3.57 trillion won and 7.44 trillion won, respectively. By contrast, the five contractors' domestic orders increased, from 39 percent to 140 percent. Showing the steepest increase in domestic orders was also GS E&C, with 140.8-percent growth to 10.39 trillion won, followed by Daelim, up 75.8 percent to 11.19 trillion won, Daewoo (up 41.2 percent to 10.16 trillion won), Samsung (up 39 percent to 7.8 trillion won), and Hyundai (up 37.7 percent to 9.9 trillion won), the sources reported. The shares of overseas orders out of the total dipped below 50 percent by all of the five companies. Daelim had the smallest percent of overseas orders with 13.6 percent, GS not much better with 22.3 percent, and 23.4 percent for Daewoo. Samsung and Hyundai showed balanced portions between domestic and overseas orders with comparable figures of 51.2 percent and 49.9 percent, respectively. "Middle East countries sharply reduced their orders because of low oil prices, and the Korean builders were not as aggressive this past year in seeking new orders abroad," said Kim Hyun-ah, a researcher at Construction Economic Research Institute of Korea. "As low oil prices will likely continue for the time being, the construction companies should try to find business elsewhere." By Choi Sung-jin Corporate Korea's business confidence fell to the lowest level in seven years, reflecting the difficulties the majority of domestic companies are enduring, the central bank reported. According to the business survey index conducted in January and announced by the Bank of Korea Friday, the manufacturing industry's BSI stood at 65, down 2 points from December and the lowest level since the comparable index hit 56 in March 2009. Their outlook for February remained at 66, also the lowest since it hit 59 in April 2009. BSI measures the sentiments felt by business leaders about the economy. If the index goes below 100, it means the number of business leaders who feel the economy is in bad shape outnumber those that see it favorably. The central bank said widespread concerns about China's economic slowdown and the volatility of the financial markets have dampened the sentiments of domestic companies, including carmakers and shipbuilders. The continuous fall of international oil prices also affected their confidence adversely, the BOK report showed. Asked to cite their most nagging business difficulties, manufacturing companies pointed to the slump in domestic demand most (25.2 percent), followed by economic uncertainty (22 percent), and unstable foreign exchange rates (7.8 percent). Non-manufacturing companies also cited sluggish demand at home (23.4 percent) and uncertain economic conditions (16.4 percent). /Screen capture from Twitter How childbirth affects a father's well-being is not widely known, though many researchers have emphasized the danger of post-natal depression for mothers. But men commonly suffer weight gain, fatigue and mental problems after becoming first-time dads. Researchers at Northwestern University in the U.S. have tracked the weight of more than 10,000 men for up to 20 years. They found many gained weight after their first child. Those who did not live with the child also gained an average of 1.5 kilograms after becoming a first-time father. Increased weight leads to a higher risk of severe illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Men are also at a higher prostate cancer risk after becoming a first-time father, according to a 2008 study published in the journal Cancer. Researcher Carrie Wendel-Hummell, from the University of Kansas, advises men to take special care of their mental health because becoming a father changes one's life drastically. Health and Welfare Minister Chung Chin-youb says Korea and the United States are strengthening partnership in the healthcare sector. / Courtesy of Ministry of Health and Welfare By Chung Chin-youb During the state visit of President Park Geun-hye to the United States, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) hosted a signing ceremony for a letter of intent (LOI) on collaborative research in precision medicine and MERS-CoV between the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Korea National Institute of Health (KNIH) on Oct. 16 at the Stone House in the U.S. NIH, Bethesda, Md. The LOI was a follow-up measure of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the MOHW amended and extended on June 22, to which "precision medicine" and the "Global Health Security Agenda" were added as new areas of bilateral collaboration. In the LOI, both countries agreed to enhance cooperation by exploring funding mechanisms for research activities in the areas of precision medicine, developing vaccines and treatments against emerging infectious diseases including MERS-CoV, promoting personnel exchange and holding a regular joint symposium between the U.S. NIH and three major Korean health R&D institutions comprising the KNIH, Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) and National Cancer Center (NCC). The importance of this LOI lies on the fact that it gave both nations an opportunity to reaffirm their shared interest on future public health threats and make commitments to put in concerted efforts to tackle them through collaboration in the future-oriented research areas. Precision medicine is a new concept of healthcare and medical intervention, which was introduced in the State of the Union Address by U.S. President Barack Obama this year, which aims to enhance people's health and establish a sustainable medical system simultaneously. Lee Joo-shil, left, the director-general of the Korea National Institute of Health, and her U.S. counterpart Francis S. Collins sign a letter of intent on collaborative research in precision medicine and MERS-CoV between the two countries on Oct. 16 at Bethesda, Md. / Courtesy of Ministry of Health and Welfare As proposed by the U.S. NIH, a leading institution of U.S. Precision Medicine Initiative, smart healthcare, big data and genomics are merged together in precision medicine to provide customized medical services to patients. This innovative approach is expected to cut medical costs and create new job opportunities. Korea possesses well-established infrastructure for research in precision medicine as can be seen from the example of its resources such as a cohort study on 250,000 people, genomic information of 100,000 Koreans scheduled for completion in 2018 as well as highest level of medical technology and IT infrastructure. Through the LOI, Korea will cooperate closely with the U.S. by utilizing its infrastructure for precision medicine abovementioned and merging them with cutting-edge medical technology of the U.S. In addition, the research collaboration on precision medicine between Korea and the U.S. holds a great significance. It will not only give a chance for Korea to take the lead in Asia's precision medicine industry but also reinforce Korea's partnership with the U.S. as frontrunners of global precision medicine research. Health security is another important field of bilateral cooperation between the U.S. and Korea. At a time when there is increasing awareness among the public for emerging infectious diseases as serious health threats that require global action, the LOI with U.S. NIH will guide Korea toward closer cooperation with the U.S. on the development of treatments and vaccines for MERS-CoV. In order to accelerate collaborative research activities as agreed on the LOI by both sides, the ministry will set up a task force consisting of experts from academia, industry and institutions including the KNIH, KHIDI and NCC to create a follow-up plan for effective research collaboration. Together with the governmental effort, strong support and participation from the public will be needed for the LOI to have a lasting impact. On the other hand, the ministry held a meeting on Oct. 15 with representatives of Korean-American professionals and institutions in health and medical industries currently at the forefront of the efforts to expand the presence of the Korean medical industry in the U.S. which comprises approximately 18,000 Korean-American doctors, 35 hospitals and clinics, and 120 pharmaceutical companies. In this meeting, the ministry introduced its multilateral efforts such as financing and information provision, and public relations to promote the advancement of Korea's health and medical industries in the global market. Representatives of Korean-American medical professionals and institutions asked the Korean government to show unwavering interest and support so that the Korean health and medical industries continue to rapidly expand their global presence by taking advantage of their networks. Participants also requested an immediate enactment of an applicable law to ensure a stable expansion of health and medical business inside and outside Korea. The law regarding the Support of Medical Business Expansion in the Global Market, which is now pending in the National Assembly, would provide governmental support of financing and information to medical institutions preparing to enter overseas markets commensurate with the benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises. The law would also reinforce governmental support for training medical experts. Also, a variety of support projects will be implemented by specialized support organizations, thus enabling systematic support which meets the demand of the private sector. The ministry is fully committed to endeavor that Korea will stand out on the globe for attraction of cross-border patients and expansion of health and medical markets. To this end, the ministry will continue to work to make necessary laws as early as possible. Chung Chin-youb is the minister of health and welfare. A weeping woman shows a picture of her late son at a press conference in front of the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan, Seoul, Aug. 6. She and other bereaved families called on the ministry to help restore the honor of soldiers who died from hazing while serving their mandatory military service. / Yonhap Activists urge military to uphold human rights By Park Ji-won, Chung Hyun-chae, Nam Hyun-woo Koreans are outraged over the death of an Army private first class, surnamed Yoon, who suffered brutal abuse and violence at the hands of his superiors. Yoon, who belonged to the Army's 28th Division, was brutally beaten by five senior soldiers, then put on an IV drip to recover only to be beaten again and endure more torture before his death in April. Ranking military officials and politicians have vowed to uphold soldiers' rights and prevent future tragedies by establishing a human rights council within the armed forces. For some men who have already completed their mandatory military service, however, Yoon's story came as no surprise. They have experienced, witnessed, or at least heard of similar cases. An office worker in Seoul, surnamed Lee, 32, finished his military service in 2007. His superiors subjected him to abuse too, he recalls. "I still don't understand why I was beaten," he said. Lee, then a private, was responsible for managing an ammunition depot. He worked with a sergeant, who was younger than him and constantly picked fights to remind Lee of his inferior rank. "I'm younger than you," the sergeant repeatedly pointed out to Lee. "Is that a problem for you?" The sergeant often kicked Lee in the stomach and punched him in the neck when they were alone in the depot. "I never said anything about his age, but he picked fights with me and repeatedly attacked me," Lee said. Lee required medical treatment for his injuries, but the sergeant bullied him into remaining silent about how he got his bruises and why he was bleeding. The assaults continued until the sergeant was discharged. "If I ever met him again, I would definitely have him killed," Lee said. A soldier holds a rifle while attending a special lecture on human rights at an Army camp in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, Aug. 8. All soldiers are required to attend such lectures amid mounting criticism over hazing in the barracks following the death of an army private first class, surnamed Yoon, who suffered from brutal abuse from his colleagues. / Yonhap "I still suffer trauma, but there is no one I can complain to about this and get redress," he added. "The government should also come up with measures to help victims like me." Kim, 28, who was discharged from the Army two years ago, said he had witnessed hazing. "Many say there is no violence in the military anymore, but I don't believe that," Kim said. "Some people are slow to understand or do something. And one of my colleagues was like that. Superiors always used foul language when talking to him, and often they even cursed his parents and attacked him." The victim was bullied for absurd reasons, Kim recalls. "Verbal abuse and assaults happened because the victim did not follow stupid customs, which obviously had nothing to do with improving combat readiness," he said. For example, Kim said his colleague was forced to lick shoe polish because his boots were not shiny enough. Another colleague reported the violence to a ranking officer, and the victim was transferred to another barracks. The attackers were sent to the guardhouse. "It was a rare case, given that other units' officers tend to cover things up to evade close investigation, because officers don't want a mess," he said. "I heard from one of my friends that his colleague committed suicide because of hazing, but the death was recorded as an accident." Kim declined to elaborate. An office worker, surnamed Gil, 28, said one of his colleagues served time in the guardhouse for beating an underling. "While on night duty, he ordered a private first class not to move off a small tile on the floor. A single move outside of the tile's borders would be followed by assaults," Gil recalled. Noh, 24, a college senior who completed his service last year, witnessed sexual violence. The victim was a private first class and the perpetrator was a corporal. "The private first class reported the corporal's deed to the authorities, and the offender was given a military prison term and transferred to a different unit," he said. These stories are a source of anxiety for young men who still face conscription, and for their parents. College student Oh, 21, finished his four weeks of basic military training on Aug. 1. Now he works at a food company as part of an alternative civilian service program. Though he braved the training without any problem, his parents were not as brave. "Even though the training lasted only a month, I couldn't help worrying about my son," said his mother, surnamed Yoo. "Who knows if something bad will happen within that short time? "In the photo my son sent, some of his colleagues had tattoos on their arms. After I saw that, I started to worry. What if they bully my son?" she said. "Other parents [whose sons don't qualify for alternative programs] must have bigger worries, but I also worry about my son's safety." According to data from the Ministry of National Defense, between 2003 and last year, 874 servicemen died either as a result of suicide or accidents. An average of 80 men died every year. Human rights activists have long urged the government to take action on violence and bullying in the military. But the response remains tepid, consisting only of vague orders. In 2012, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) suggested guidelines to safeguard servicemen's human rights. Those were the strongest measures the agency believed it was capable of taking, but apparently they were insufficient. The NHRC's role is limited it can only make suggestions, not binding regulations. However, critics say the watchdog should have been more active in carrying out its duties at the very least, it could have disclosed problems to the public. It was the Center for Military Human Rights that revealed the details of Yoon's case to the media. "We have repeatedly urged the military to open itself to the public, allowing civilian human rights experts to visit the barracks and meet with soldiers," said Lim Tae-hoon, a representative of the center. "However, the military kept saying no to civilian experts that it would handle intra-military matters by itself." A woman pushes a stroller away from a cafe after being asked to leave. More restaurants and cafes are refusing patrons with children for etiquette and safety reasons. / Korea Times file Restaurants' ban on children stirs pro-and-con debate By Baek Byung-yeul, Kwon Ji-youn A local court recently ruled that two restaurants should pay 10 million won and 47 million won to two children, respectively, who were scalded while dining. One child ran into a restaurant employee carrying hot water and another was burned by charcoal fire. Once the verdict was announced, some restaurant owners started to refuse customers with children as they didn't want to be held responsible for any accidents their child could cause. This issue has emerged as a hotbed for online debate ever since. Korea isn't the first to join the movement. In two U.S. states, Texas and Pennsylvania, restaurants have banned kids, while cafes in Berlin have created child-free zones for their patrons. Some have even barred strollers, which are considered safety hazards in densely populated areas such as malls or restaurants. Even some airlines are following suit. Malaysia Air banned children under two from flying first class, while AsiaAir created a "quiet zone" for fliers above the age of 12. Restaurant owners blame children for reckless behaviors in a potentially dangerous environment involving fire and other cooking equipment, as well as disturbing other patrons' dining experience. The question is this: Do parents have the right to bring their children to cafes and restaurants, where they are at risk of getting burned, where they may be bothersome to fellow patrons? Or do restaurants have the right to refuse patrons with children for safety and etiquette reasons? Many parents with children protested, saying that this is a violation of equal rights. Choi Jung-soon, who raised two children, aged six and eight, said this is a clear example of an equal rights violation. "My kids have the right to enter any cafe or restaurant," the 33-year-old Seoulite said. A sign posted on the door of a restaurant located in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province, bars children who are elementary-school age or younger. / Korea Times "People who say parents bringing their toddlers to restaurants do not discipline children inside and let their kids run loose, but this is completely wrong. "I definitely do try to pay attention to my kids, making sure they don't go on a rampage inside a restaurant, but they should understand that kids aren't able to completely control themselves," she said. Heo Eun-mi, a 32-year-old mom, hadn't heard about the movement to ban kids until recently. "When I heard that a group of restaurants were banning kids, I thought to myself, no way,' because my kid loves to eat out" she said. "Before such a policy takes effect across the city, restaurants should designate child-friendly zones, where families with children can dine free from the glares of childless patrons and the narrow confines of a restaurant." She stressed that this should be the first step restaurant owners take before implementing a no kids' policy. "Then, at least they've made an effort to satisfy all customers. We're customers, too," she said. "If that still didn't work, then sure, ban kids. Also, where else will kids learn proper restaurant etiquette?" She emphasized that with a little caution, restaurant owners and parents will definitely be able to find a way to coexist. "I think the responsibility falls with both parties. Parents should be a little more attentive, and restaurant employees should be a little more careful," she said. "That's as simple as it gets." Another mother, with a seven-year-old daughter, said she had to order take-out at a coffee shop because her daughter wasn't allowed in, but she didn't mind. "When I saw the news, the first thought that came to my mind was, aren't the parents responsible for the safety of their children?'" she said on condition of anonymity. "How are restaurant owners supposed to control children while working?" Jeong Soon-ok, a college student, does admit that her experience at a restaurant in Sinsa-dong, southern Seoul, wasn't all that enjoyable because of a child who walked from table to table stealing peoples' salt and pepper shakers. "At first it was cute, but when the meals were served, we needed the salt shaker. So we took it from him and he just fell on his bottom and started screaming," she said. "The mother then came and started telling us off for forcibly taking the child's toy' away. I didn't know what to say in response." Jeong recalled another incident in where a child slipped while running in a dining room. "I remember the mother started yelling at the employees for wiping the floor down with a wet mop," she said. "I thought to myself, should they have used a dry mop?'" Ryu Seung-min, who runs a Korean-style barbeque restaurant in Seoul, agrees with ban, adding that "parents sometimes just cannot control their children." "I don't implement that kind of policy in my restaurant as my customers are mostly office workers, but I definitely agree with the food establishments that do ban kids," said the restaurant owner. "I think parents who bring their children to restaurants and don't pay attention to them seem to not understand how dangerous this place actually is. They should know that we are dealing with hot food that could burn someone if dropped. "In addition, parents who don't even try to control their careless kids are unaware they are disturbing those around them. They may have gotten used to their loud kids but this doesn't apply to the customers around them," he said. Ryu also pointed out the necessity of campaigns urging parents to better observe public etiquette while in restaurants. "I guess we need to find common ground between owners and parents. I think educating parents the virtue of paying more attention to their kids while dining is a good, first step," he said. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRC) states that it is illegal for a business to ban children from entering restaurants, adding that it is against the rights of equality. However, this presents a catch-22. If restaurants ban children, then these establishments are breaking the existing laws. But if a restaurant has put forth clear grounds as to why it restricts access to kids, then there is no way to impose sanctions on the offending restaurant. To illustrate this point, NHRC dismissed a case in 2010 filed by an anonymous informant that a restaurant implements a "no kids" policy in their judgment that the restaurant had clear reason to do so. "As long as we, restaurant owners, are responsible for any accidents involving children, it is crystal-clear that more and more restaurants and cafes will adopt the no kids' policy," Ryu added. By Park Ji-won and Chung Hyun-chae Housekeeper Lee Won-hee, 57, reminisced that when she was in her 20s she spent little money on her dates. "During my time, teahouses, movie theaters and parks were pretty much the only places we could go for dates," she said. "Needing a lot of money for dating wasn't as much of an issue back then as it is now. "It was natural among young people to have no money, hang out at a park with a lunch box, and eventually get married down the road. Women had fewer roles in society a few decades ago. In my time, a woman's duty was doing house chores and rearing the children, while a man's obligation is earning money and providing food and housing. Life was a lot more simple back then." It was OK for young couples to spend time without much money a few decades ago. These days, people in their 20s and 30s in Korea feel this is some kind of myth. But why is this so hard to believe? Today's generation think they need a certain amount of money or a decent job to even go on a date. Of course, money is necessary for survival. But why is today's youth so obsessed about having money just to go on a simple date? Some people say today's young people are the generation with three no's _ no dating, no marriage and no job. This is a sad portrayal of Korea today where many believe that love, let alone going on a date, is not possible without money. Some statistics supports the three no's phenomenon. According to a Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) report released on July 27, people in romantic relationships have distinct features _ they are aged 25-29, they have graduated from college, and they earn 25 million to 35 million won a year. The institute surveyed about 1,500 single men and women aged 18-49, last November and December The results show that people are considered to be in a relationship when society believes they are "stable" _ having a good job with money _ and their parents are proudly willing to introduce their son or daughter to others. About 45.5 percent of men and 43.1 percent of women in their 20s, and 38.7 percent of men and 38 percent of women in their 30s and who are dating, feel their partner is marriage material. The problem is that their income is likely to be the most important factor in even accepting a first date. As long as they earn money, they are more likely to be in a relationship. About 43.2 percent of men and 52.8 percent of women whose annual salary ranges from 25 million won to 35 million had romantic relationships. But only 27.3 percent of men and 28.1 percent of women who earn less than 15 million won per year had a past relationship. Nearly 70 percent of single men who have a regular income said they wanted a girlfriend. Meanwhile, about half of the men without an income said they are unwilling to have a romantic relationship. A male college student surnamed Kim, 24, intentionally had not had a girlfriend during the past year. "I promised myself to improve and not date until I get a job even if I like someone," Kim said. "At some point, I would regret investing in a girl who I don't truly love. Now I feel that loving someone is some sort of investment or the accumulation of mileage points in a supermarket so that it could be exchanged as cash at a future date," Kim explained. He added that he felt sad that he thought it was necessary to avoid dating until earning money. This way of thinking is not so different for women. A college student surnamed Gu, 24, who lived in Seoul while at school, failed to get into one of the nation's big conglomerates last year. Depressed, she decided to return to her hometown, Busan, to concentrate fully on her studies in the hope of landing a job. To do this, she disconnected with all her friends in Seoul. She also broke up with her boyfriend. "I have little time to enjoy dating before getting a career," Gu said. For her, love is not as important as starting a career and earning money. Other women agree with Gu. "When I wanted to be alone with my boyfriend, I had to pay to find a private place," said Park Ji-min, 25, a job seeker. "Because I was on a tight budget and was unemployed, I often became nervous whenever I had to spend money. "Soon I became exhausted as I always worried about money and calculated the exact amount I spent rather than feeling happy when I saw my boyfriend. "Because lack of money was stressing me out on each date, I finally told him I wanted to break up." Experts point out that worrying about not having enough money and choosing to be single is probably contributing to the nation's falling birthrate. "Given that romantic relationships depend on one's income and position today, it is crucial to create an environment where young people can eventually land a career and plan for the future," said KIHASA researcher Cho Sung-ho. "Adopting this attitude of getting a job first will also contribute to increasing the birthrate, which is one of the world's lowest." Korean Education Minister Lee Joon-sik, center, watches as his Japanese counterpart Hase Hiroshi, left, shake hands with Chinese Education Minister Yuan Guiren at the first trilateral education ministers' meeting at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill in eastern Seoul, Saturday. / Yonhap By Chung Hyun-chae Some 1,000 primary and secondary schools in Korea, Japan and China will set up sisterhood relations, according to education ministers of the three nations, Saturday. The ministers had a trilateral meeting in Seoul to lay the groundwork for educational cooperation and expand exchanges. This was the first time for the three countries to have ministerial talks in the education field. They agreed to hold the meeting annually. "In Korea, we often say, well begun is half done. As this meeting is the first of its kind in which the three ministers reaffirmed the important role of education, I hope it will plant the seeds of peace in East Asia, and of education development in the three countries," said Lee Joon-sik, Korea's education minister, who served as chairman of the meeting. "The three countries, facing common opportunities and challenges, can develop educational cooperation by having this kind of meeting," China's Education Minister Yuan Guiren said. Hase Hiroshi, Japanese minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology, also said, "Education is important in enhancing mutual understanding and development." The ministers announced the Seoul Declaration, according to which they will expand the CAMPUS Asia Program, a pilot program launched in 2011 to allow university students to study in each other's countries while receiving credits or joint degrees. Under the joint program, more college students and professors will be exchanged and the universities will expand dual degree programs and joint courses from September. In addition, the ministers agreed to launch the Trilateral Rectors' Forum, with Korea hosting the first forum this year. "Recognizing the essential role of the trilateral education cooperation in advancing the regional and global education, we affirmed our commitment to strengthening multilateral partnership, especially through ASEAN+3, EAS and ASEM," the declaration read. "We will closely cooperate for the success of the ASEM Education Ministers' Meeting in 2017, which will be held in Korea." The second trilateral meeting will be held in Japan next year. By Kim Se-jeong About a week after coming under criticism for slack security, Incheon International Airport has again come under fire after another transit passenger entered the country illegally and suspected explosives were found. The government said Sunday it will conduct an extensive inspection on automatic immigration checkpoints and add alarm systems to them, as one was misused for the latest illegal entry. "We'll seek strengthened measures for immigration and security at the airport so such a security gap will not recur," Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said during an emergency meeting with 13 ministers at the government complex in Seoul. "Guarding the airport, which is the gateway to the country, is like guarding the country. We'll take strong measures against acts that threaten security." He said the suspected explosives showed Korea was no longer safe from terrorism. Hwang also visited the airport the previous day to check the security system. On Friday, a Vietnamese transfer passenger, 25, who arrived from Vietnam and was supposed to catch a flight to Tokyo, disappeared. Authorities found that he forcibly opened the door at the automatic immigration checkpoint at 7:20 a.m. Police said they found in his luggage a list of Koreans who are brokers suspected of helping him. Police are searching for the man. On the same day, an airport security team was told that a box containing what appeared to be explosive devices was in a men's bathroom on the arrival floor. The box was taped to two butane canisters and a bottle of water. Inside of the box were broccoli, cabbage, banana peel, three guitar strings, four electricity wires, four batteries, a sound-tuning device and a piece of paper. On the paper, a phrase in Arabic read: "This is the last warning for you. God will punish." Police said the text had grammatical errors, an indication the suspect may not be a native Arabic speaker. Only eight days before the two incidents, a Chinese couple illegally entered the country through an unattended immigration checkpoint at the airport. Last week, police found the couple in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. These incidents were a blow to airport management, which had been boasting about its efficiency and security. The incidents revealed another side to the story _ that the world's top airport is actually understaffed and lacks adequate training for security personnel. While the airport has more than 1,000 people for security, 45 percent of them have worked there for less than two years, and the turnover rate is 20 percent, according to the Incheon International Airport Corp. Security operations are outsourced to subcontractors whose priority is to cut costs. The security issue is likely to give support to the passage of an anti-terrorism bill. The bill, designed to give the National Intelligence Service exceptional power to collect information, is opposed by liberal party members who argue that the law would repress individual freedom and privacy. "We need bipartisan support for the anti-terrorism bill," Hwang said. Seoul urges Tokyo to honor Dec. 28 deal By Kim Hyo-jin The government has warned Japan not to try to scuttle the "comfort women" deal, criticizing Tokyo for its recent denial regarding the coercion of Korean women into sexual slavery before and during World War II. The warning came Sunday after Tokyo formally denied the coercion of the wartime sex slaves in its most recent report to a United Nations committee, right after Japan signed the deal with Korea on Dec. 28. The denial is a the violation of the agreement to solve the longtime issue between the two countries. Civic activists and scholars also hit out at the Japanese government for its renewed denial, urging Korea to take strong action against the move, which is apparently aimed at watering down Tokyo's wartime crimes against humanity on the international stage. "The coercion in mobilizing women as sex slaves by the Japanese military is an undeniable historical fact," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, referring to a 1996 report on wartime "comfort women" by a U.N. special rapporteur that stated the forced nature. In the recent deal, Tokyo acknowledged its military involvement, provided an apology and pledged to offer 1 billion yen ($8.29 million) in reparations for the surviving victims. Japan said that the deal resolved the dispute in a "final and irreversible" manner. "Irreversible applies to both sides and means that Japan also should not make comments that reverse the accord," the statement said. "We'd like to point out that the Japanese government should implement the accord in an unwavering manner and that is the basic spirit of our deal." The ministry said it is now seeking countermeasures. The denial prompted speculation that Tokyo is renewing its attempt to deny the forceful nature of the wartime sexual slavery despite the deal that "settled" the dispute over the issue. "Seoul should officially rebuke this argument and discuss the issue from square one as Japan has broken the deal," said Yoon Mi-hyang, head of the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, a nongovernmental organization for the victims. Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University, said Japan's move can be seen as a breach of the deal. "Military involvement includes the act of coercion. Denying the forced nature naturally breaches the accord," he said. "The Korean government should respond to the undermining of the agreement sternly," Kim Yeol-su, an international politics professor at Sungshin Women's University. "It reflects that Japan did not engage in the deal sincerely in the first place." Tokyo again claimed that there is no evidence to prove the victims were coerced into sexual servitude for soldiers in a report delivered to the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in late December, according to the Website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. It came as a response to the committee's request for Japan to present the background of its recent comments that denied the forcible mobilization of sexual slavery victims. "The government of Japan has conducted a full-scale fact-finding study on the comfort women issue since the early 1990s when the issue started to be taken up as a political issue between Japan and the Republic of Korea," the report said. "Forceful taking away of comfort women by the military and government authorities could not be confirmed in any of the documents." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivered the same view on Jan. 18, drawing criticism from the Korean government and activists supporting the surviving victims. Abe said in a parliamentary committee meeting that there was no evidence to prove women were forcibly mobilized as sex slaves by Japan's military during the war, adding the stance has not been changed since it was adopted by a Cabinet meeting in 2007. The Korean government denounced Abe for his remarks, saying that he should not undermine the implementation of the agreement. Lee Myeon-woo, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, said Japan will continue to go abrogate the accord with Korea on the international stage. "Although it refrained from such a position while it tried to strike a deal with Korea, it will renew its efforts to appeal its position in the international community whenever it has to protect its national image," he said. Bang Dong-sik /Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk By Jung Min-ho, Kim Eil-chul Living with any illness can be a challenge, but even more so for patients with Behcet's disease, who face some uniquely difficult problems. Even getting an accurate diagnosis is already hard because there is no single test that can identify the disease. Besides, symptoms could vary among patients and no single medication or treatment works for every case. "Behcet's disease is something of a medical mystery," Bang Dong-sik, a dermatologist at Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital, said in an interview. "But I have found some better ways to diagnose and manage the disease." Behcet's disease, first defined as a specific disease in 1937 by Turkish dermatologist Hulusi Behcet, is characterized by a triple-symptom complex of recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers and uveitis. The rare autoimmune disorder could attack the blood vessels anywhere in the body, causing ulcers and lesions in organs. "Having Behcet's disease means you have to fight inflammation every day for the rest of your life," Bang, 66, said. "Just imagine you have several mouth ulcers that never go away. You have to cope with constant pain from the moment you wake up. It is very difficult, not only physically but also psychologically." The disease affects each patient differently. Some show just mild symptoms such as canker sores or a few mouth ulcers, but others could get meningitis, an acute inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, or lose their sight permanently. "Patients may not notice the disease for months or years until serious signs start to appear," Bang said. "Symptoms may or may not last for a long time, but if they disappear, they come back, often with other symptoms. That is the typical pattern." Bang is one of the world's biggest Behcet's disease experts. Over the past 30 years, the scholar has published more than 250 articles on the subject, helping to set up clinical guidelines for the disease. "Since there is no one way to identify the disease, physicians make a diagnosis based on their clinical experience. But the problem is that few of them are familiar with the disease," he said. Accurate diagnosis is difficult because the symptoms do not usually appear all at once and there are other illnesses that have similar symptoms such as systemic lupus, Crohn's disease and other forms of systemic vasculitis, he noted. Moreover, the causes of the disease are unknown. Some scientists speculate that patients may have inherited an immune system that is more vulnerable to the disease. Others believe the environment plays a role because the non-communicable disease affects mainly certain parts of the world (the Middle East and the Far East regions). Questions remain on the role of age as well. Although the disease can appear at any age, it mostly occurs in people in their 20s and 30s. Because the causes are unclear, no cure has been developed for the disease yet. The current treatment focuses on reducing inflammation, easing pain and controlling the immune system. Bang said the treatment differs depending on the severity and the location of the disease's manifestations in each patient. "While some patients do not need any medication at all, others with serious symptoms have to take strong drugs like immunosuppressant and thalidomide, which could cause a teratogenicity or peripheral neuropathy as a side effect," he said. "More than 40 types of drugs can be used for the disease's management." To share his treatment know-how with doctors in other parts of the world, Bang developed animal models of Behcet's disease, which were published in 1998 on the European Journal of Dermatology. The models have been updated since. Thanks to his efforts, the rate of "the complete type" of Behcet's disease, in which all the four main symptoms of oral ulcers, genital ulcers, skin lesions and ocular involvement appear, among patients in Korea have declined from 34.5 percent to 15 percent over the past 30 years. "The combination of earlier diagnosis, better oral hygiene and more informed doctors has probably affected the rate of the disease as well," he said. One of his career goals is to find the causes and markers of Behcet's disease. For years, Bang has been trying to prove that the alpha-enolase, a key glycolytic enzyme expressed in most tissues, is one of its markers. "However, our research has not made much progress yet," he said. "It is expected to take a couple of more years to finish." In cooperation with stem cell researchers, Bang is also trying to develop a cure for the disease. Bang Dong-sik is one of the world's most renowned Behcet's disease experts. Over the past 30 years, the scholar has published more than 250 articles on the subject, helping to set up clinical guidelines for the disease. /Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk Exploring the disease of less than 50 people When Bang and his professor Lee Sung-nack established Korea's first clinic dedicated only to Behcet's disease at Yonsei University College of Medicine in 1983, there were fewer than 50 patients in the country. Today 15,000 patients with the disease are being treated, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "This might mean that for a long time, many people suffered from the disease without knowing what they had," Bang said. Believing that the real number of cases was much higher, Lee looked for a student who was interested in exploring the unknown area. "He offered me to study the field. I never knew this would be the beginning of my 40-year journey," Bang said. "His offer really motivated me, and I thought it was an important job that someone must do." While many of his medical school friends flew to the United States in the 1980s to study their fields, Bang went to Japan, where research about Behcet's disease was more advanced. "The disease was the No. 1 cause of blindness among young Japanese during the 1970s, so the country's ministry of health started to help researchers look into the disease," he said. "I was fortunate to work with them there." With 13 other doctors, Bang and Lee set up the Korean Society for Bechet's Disease in 1999 and convinced the nation's ministry of health to fund their research. While strengthening the doctors' and patients' networks for the disease, Bang and Lee also actively cooperated with other experts in other countries. Bang's efforts have been recognized by researchers worldwide, and he has won several awards for his contribution to Behcet's disease research. "Lee has greatly helped me get to where I am today," Bang said. "I was fortunate to have an excellent teacher who showed me the way." Unlike most other Bechet's disease researchers who studied autoimmune rheumatic diseases, Bang is one of the very few dermatologists who chose to specialize in the field. He believes more dermatologists should join the global effort to conquer the disease. "Dermatologists could play a major role in discovering appropriate diagnosis methods because the disease usually starts with skin or mucosa problems," Bang said. "As my research demonstrates, an early diagnosis is critical to ease the symptoms before they become very serious. Dermatologists are in the best position to do the job." China urged South Korea Friday to rethink the sensitive issue of bringing in an advanced U.S. missile defense system. "The Chinese government hopes the related nation (South Korea) will handle the matter prudently," Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry, told Yonhap News Agency. She stressed that Beijing's position is firm that all countries should consider the national interests of other nations in taking their own security into account. China's message came in response to reports that South Korea is moving to allow American forces to deploy the THAAD system on the peninsula in order to strengthen the shield against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. South Korea's Defense Ministry said the THAAD will help boost the country's national security but it has yet to start formal talks with the Pentagon on the issue. (Yonhap) Beijing cautions against Seoul's move By Yi Whan-woo The government said Friday that the terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) system will help boost Korea's national security and defense if it is deployed here by the United States. Seoul and Washington are likely to start negotiations soon over whether to deploy the advanced missile defense system to better counter North Korea's threats. "We're reviewing the technical elements of THAAD, including its tactical efficiency, on a working-level," defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told reporters. "We've been considering all possible means to defend the country against Pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats." China expressed concerns about Korea's move. "We hope that a related nation (South Korea) will deal with the case prudently," the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. "A nation should take security of other countries into account when considering its own security." Kim's comment came after President Park Geun-hye and Defense Minister Han Min-koo cited the need for THAAD deployment in the wake of the Kim Jong-un regime's latest nuclear test, Jan. 6. In a New Year's press conference, Jan. 13, Park said the government will consider THAAD deployment for both security and the national interest. During a media interview, Monday, Han underscored the need for THAAD, saying Seoul has "limited capabilities." The government move toward allowing the U.S. military to set up THAAD batteries follows China's reluctance to press North Korea for carrying out its fourth nuclear test since 2006. Officials said the country still maintains the so-called "3-Nos" stance concerning THAAD, underscoring that there have been no consultations between Seoul and Washington, no request made by the U.S. to open dialogue, and no decision made. The "3-Nos" stance was interpreted as a move to placate Beijing, which opposes THAAD claiming that its long-range radar could be used to monitor Chinese military activities. China has hinted that it will retaliate with economic measures if THAAD is deployed on South Korean soil. However, South Korea's stance is apparently changing, an analyst said. "It's just a matter of time for South Korea to allow the U.S. military to bring in THAAD," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University. "The thing was, Korea needed a clear reason to justify its need for THAAD while not provoking regional powers. "With North Korea continuing its military aggression and China falling short to demand the punishment of Pyongyang, it is possible that our government judged that now is the right time to discuss THAAD-related issues." Han pointed out there has been growing signs that indicate North Korea may launch a long-range rocket soon. Meanwhile, the defense ministry denied a Wall Street Journal report that South Korean and U.S. authorities have been negotiating over deployment of THAAD and will make a related announcement next week. "It should be noted that the 3-Nos still remain effective," spokesman Kim said. THAAD is designed to shoot down short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles at a higher altitude in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill method by detecting the enemies' missiles with land-based radar that has a maximum range of about 1,800 kilometers. North Korea should expect to see the world not only issue strong condemnations, but also take action to punish the regime if it conducts a long-range rocket launch, a senior U.S. nonproliferation official said. Concerns have grown that the North could carry out a long-range rocket launch in coming weeks, with satellite imagery of the country's rocket site showing what were believed to be preparation activities. A rocket launch would represent a serious act of defiance just a few weeks after a nuclear test. "Such activities are clearly forbidden by the United Nations Security Council, and you should expect the rest of the world, including the United States and including China, not just to strongly condemn such a test but also to take appropriate action," Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Tom Countryman told reporters during a briefing Thursday. Countryman hosted a conference on Wednesday of countries committed to the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) campaign aimed at stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery means and related materials. Representatives from 70 of the 105 PSI-endorsing countries attended the meeting. In light of the North's Jan. 6 nuclear test, they reaffirmed the importance of using the PSI and all other cooperative means to prevent the transfer of WMD technology to the North. "Without question, the efforts made by the United States and our partners have slowed down both the nuclear and the ballistic missile program in North Korea but obviously have not brought it to a complete halt," Countryman said during the briefing. "We do need to work harder on preventing such exports. We also need to recognize that a change in North Korea's policy requires the world to do more than simply work harder against technology shipments. There needs to be a price that the North Korean regime pays in order for there to be a change in policy in North Korea." He also said that the North's byeongjin policy of simultaneous pursuit of economic and nuclear development is a "mistaken belief." "This is not possible. They will not have a normal political or economic relationship with the rest of the world as long as they possess nuclear weapons," the official said. "And it will require a unified voice from the world sending that message to change that policy." (Yonhap) Lately, it seems that more and more, the necessary changes and advancements in Korea seem to be put off until the next President takes office in February 2018. Economic, social, justice and diplomatic policies need attention and upgrades. The independence and professionalism of the National Assembly, justice system, Supreme Court and intelligence agency urgently need strengthening. As Prof. Lee Dong-geol of Dongguk University business school recently put it, "I would be worried about having to endure two more years of this, if the implosion of the political opposition didn't make me concerned that we might have to endure seven more years." He makes a good point. Yet, Korea's political and democratic problems are also part of a larger movement. Some have argued that, in the second decade of the new century, it has become harder to be a leader. Instant, multi-platform news and higher expectations that are more urgent also contribute, they say. In his book "The End of Power," Moises Naim argues that power isn't what it used to be. "Those in power today are more constrained in what they can do with it and more at risk of losing it than ever before." Others document a broad trend toward autocratic, anti-democratic rule across wide parts of the globe. This trend is clear in the promotion of laws and regulations against civil and human rights and against democratic freedoms. At the Newseum in Washington, a large, wall-sized map tracks press freedom around the world according to the watchdog Freedom House. South Korea stands out in yellow, along with India and Mongolia, as "partly free." Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Papua New Guinea are green and "free." China, Russia and North Korea, well, you know what red means here. The Freedom House report on Freedom in the World in 2015 was subtitled "Discarding Democracy/Return to the Iron Fist." But we should exercise some skepticism about Korea's direction. Each democracy has its own reasons for stalled progress and retreating democratic structures. Income inequality has sharply increased and power elites have bent systems further to support rapacious unfairness. Perceptions of risk and reward have changed among the haves and have-nots. The U.S. struggles with these trends just as many others do. The responsibilities and requirements expected from leaders in the "middle powers" of Japan, South Korea and Australia have increased as their capabilities have grown and the big powers have stalled. It may be that the qualities required for leadership are much the same as they have always been, but systems are making it harder for truly prepared candidates to be elected. And it may also be that the kind of leaders who prepare themselves for power by doing things, planning, traveling, studying and listening, have always been few and far between. In this context, the exit of Moon Jae-in from the major opposition party in South Korea may be a good thing. In a broad sense, the opposition forces have spent far too much time dealing with personalities and empty symbolism, and too little time on remembering and refining their policy identity. And that should be the central objective, the opposition's policy identity. "Values" are nice, but are too easily manipulated, as we have seen in the past few years. The opposition should also give itself a break. It has suffered repeated body-blows since its heyday in the late 1990s. At that time, Korea's example of relatively non-violent change from authoritarianism to democracy was a great source of pride. Its recovery from the 1997 financial crisis led to Chinese asking for financial advice. Its president began dealing with North Korea and won the Nobel Peace Prize. But in 2003 incoming President Roh Moo-hyun decided to burnish his image as "clean" by attacking the president and party that had just supported him for election. Aside from its unfairness and probable illegality, this did several things. It took the spotlight, and the heat, away from the still-powerful forces of authoritarianism and anti-communist conservatism, at a time when they were tipping precariously between the dustbin of history and a comeback to respectability. Splitting the party also broke much of the institutional continuity and trust between pre-2003 and post-2003 progressives, and at a critical time. It crippled the only forces that could have managed Korea's political and policy abandonment by its U.S. ally, rendering them almost powerless in the face of President Bush's Korea policy reversal, already into its third year. Most devastatingly, it substituted personality and grievance as the basis of political power for the carefully constructed policy platform and pan-ideological alliances of the Kim Dae-jung, Kim Jong-pil, Park Tae-joon alliance. Kim Dae-jung was a big personality, but he always grounded his power in broad, consistent policy terms. Then, in the sixth year of the progressive civil war and three months apart, the two top generals Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Dae-jung died, leaving their forces leaderless and exhausted. Their troops have fought on relentlessly, some better than others, but the war has yet to end. So there are reasons for progressives, all across society, to be tired, angry and divided. In modern Korea there are certainly figures who are ready to lead a revitalized democratic party. We could name several. Ahn Cheol-soo and Ban Ki-moon may not be among them. The need to protect democracy and grow Korea's economic and diplomatic power is a major challenge for the next Korean president, but they can be met. And although personality is important, policy intelligence and intellectual self-confidence will more likely determine who can win elections for the Assembly this year and for the Blue House next year. The turn away from a careful, modern and inclusive policy vision broke the opposition 13 years ago. Now, that vision has to be updated and restored in order to define the broad progressive movement and offer a winning political deal to the voters. Stephen Costello is a producer of AsiaEast, a Web and broadcast-based policy roundtable focused on security, development and politics in Northeast Asia. He writes from Washington, D.C. He can be reached at scost55@gmail.com. By Tong Kim Three weeks have elapsed since North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6, and the U.N. Security Council has yet to agree on a new resolution for another set of sanctions against Pyongyang. This delay is largely due to differences in interest and policy between the two most powerful, veto-wielding permanent members of the Council China and the United States. They quickly denounced Pyongyang's nuclear test that was conducted in flagrant violation of the UN resolution. However, after five hours of discussion between their foreign ministers John Kerry and Wang Yi last week, they simply agreed to adopt another sanction resolution, but without specifying measures to be included in it. Kerry said "an accelerated effort" would be exerted to produce a new U.N. resolution. The next resolution will have to be stronger than one in 2013 resolution that stated it would "take significant action" in the event of a further nuclear test. All sanctions have so far failed to prevent the impoverished North from advancing its nuclear and missile programs. Wang Yi made it clear, "Sanctions are not an end in themselves." China will not support any sanctions that may "provoke new tension" and destabilize the Korean Peninsula. During a joint press conference with Wang, Kerry made reference to a wide spectrum of sanction areas in which China has options to punish the DPRK, including trade and services, movements of ships, aviation, banking, and exchange of resources such as crude oil and coal. Kerry noted China's connections with the North as a means to helping resolve the North Korean issue. China is not ready to bear economic and political costs by cutting off trade with North Korea. Nevertheless, China is likely to agree to a watered down version of a new sanction resolution that justifies Beijing's position of peace and dialogue in support of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. They will make sure that Pyongyang pays a price, not high enough to prompt a regime collapse. Apparently reminded of Chinese perspectives, Kerry said, "We don't want to raise military tensions we are not seeking additional measures." However, "additional measures," he mentioned does not include pursuing "what is necessary" to protect the United States and its friends and allies from a "declared" North Korean nuclear threat. President Park's suggestion to replace the six-party talks with a five-party format was effectively shot down by China and Russia on its announcement even before it ever reached the other members through diplomatic channels. The goal of the suggested five party talks was readily identifiable to unite the five to punish the North. Kerry argued that the purpose of sanctions, that should be non-punitive to the ordinary citizens of North Korea, is to bring the regime there back to the table to negotiate an end to the nuclear issue, in resonance with Beijing's emphasis on dialogue and consultation. Washington is not walking away from its commitment to economic and political assistance if Pyongyang chooses a different path. However, this rhetoric sounds like a broken record. Washington's conditional offer of dialogue was on the table for the past seven years and it did not get anywhere near a process of denuclearization. This is not taken seriously, especially by Pyongyang, which is determined to perfect its nuclear and missile technology. Understandably, the current mood is to make the North pay a high price for its latest provocation. If the next batch of sanctions also fails, what can be done about any further provocation whether it may be a more advanced missile test or a real, full-fledged hydrogen bomb? Sanctions were effective for bringing the Iranian government to negotiations. But North Korea is no Iran. It has little incentives from the lifting of current and future sanctions, short of a total cut off in trade with China or a total naval blockade that was never seen during peacetime. Washington used to say whenever the North embarked on provocative behavior that it would only deepen North Korea's isolation, which this column previously argued only helps domestic politics in the North and is therefore welcomed by the elite in Pyongyang. Interestingly enough, the Obama administration removed the term isolation when denouncing the DPRK's latest nuclear test. Now, we must think hard about whether it is still possible to deal with the North Koreans in a rational way in order to deescalate tension, secure the safety of nuclear stockpiles in North Korea, prevent proliferation of nuclear materials and technology from North Korea, and find a long-term multi-phased approach to the eventual goal of denuclearization. To look for any positive side to North Korea's nuclear program, one should note that no nuclear accident has occurred during the development and tests of nuclear devices. Pyongyang officially maintains against international concerns that it will not proliferate nuclear materials to another state or any non-state actor. It makes bluffs about the potential use of nuclear weapons against the U.S. It says that its nuclear weapons are a deterrent and that it would use such weapons only if it is attacked. There is no authentic North Korean nuclear doctrine. However, the North Korean leadership understands it would be finished upon first use of nuclear weapons. Although, Pyongyang said it would not attend any talks aiming at its denuclearization, there is a ray of hope that North Korea may give up its nuclear weapons once it is convinced its conditions are met no U.S. hostile policy, a peace mechanism, diplomatic normalization, and economic cooperation. No sanctions, but an offer of unconditional talks, are likely to bring back the North Koreans to the table. After the recent nuclear test, Pyongyang renewed the validity of its offer of talks on halting nuclear tests in exchange for a suspension of joint U.S.-ROK military drills and its offer of negotiations for a peace agreement. Washington in cooperation with other relevant countries concerned with the nuclear issue can counter this offer by seeking to discuss all issues including denuclearization. What's your take? Tong Kim is a Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Korean-American Studies. He can be contacted at tong.kim8@yahoo.com. By Oh Young-jin What frustrates South Koreans most is the ongoing standoff triggered by North Korea's nuclear test conducted on Jan. 6, as it is further confirmation that they cannot choose their own fate. They feel ignored by their estranged and impoverished brothers in the north, who insist on talking with the United States, arguing that their nuclear deterrence is aimed at protecting themselves from Americans. Adding insult to injury is the fact that Pyongyang is pressing the U.S. to discuss the possibility of peace talks with it, while excluding the South. This North Korean peace gesture is a thinly veiled attempt to get the American military to leave the South in hope of isolating the South and unifying it by force, according to their old doctrine. The United States is not helping to boost the South's confidence. It has indeed come to its aid after the North's latest challenge by sending a B-52 bomber as a show of force. But this was too little, too late. For the four past four years, the U.S. has employed a policy of "strategic patience," which, in hindsight, is an excuse for doing nothing. Instead, Washington has focused on Iran to reach a nuclear deal, reaffirming that the Korean Peninsula is a low-priority issue. Washington is now back playing the blame game with China over a failure to keep the North's nuclear program at bay. Unfortunately, as things are progressing, the United Nations is not likely to reach a consensus to strongly discipline the North in the middle of a tug of war between the two superpowers. But the U.S. can see one benefit bringing the South back into the fold and strengthening the South-Japan-U.S, axis. The U.S. is seeing the revival of a foe-friend dichotomy of the cold-war era, marshalling the South and Japan against China in what is becoming an inevitable hegemonic confrontation. The South feels spited because China has favored the North. Seoul has made a great deal of investment in fostering better ties with Beijing, President Park Geun-hye going out on a limb to become the head of the only U.S.-allied nations to attend its celebrations of the end of World War II. Chinese President Xi Jin-ping did not even bother to return a phone call from Park, although the two had numerous summits. Beijing also immediately poured cold water on Park's proposal for a five-party dialogue to the exclusion of the North. Diplomacy reset The current diplomatic cliff facing South Korea after the Jan. 6 North Korea's nuclear blast should be a starting point for resetting its diplomacy. Such efforts should stem from why it is frustrated by a cold shoulder it received from China, a snub from North Korea and lackluster support from the United States. First, the South is too naive about international politics, a game played strictly for the sake of the national interest of the countries involved. For China, it is the necessity for the North to be a buffer against what it sees as a U.S. threat poised in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is worth remembering that the U.S. and China fought a bitter war while helping their protege during the 1950-53 Korean War. The way China is acting now is that it wants a good relationship with Seoul but other interests take precedence over this. Let's look at things from Beijing's viewpoint and it would be plain to understand that the North is one of many competing issues. So it's a gross misjudgment on the part of Seoul that Beijing would have chosen it over the North and come onboard in an effort to severely punish the rogue state for its dangerous nuclear development, just because of their close business ties. Besides, in economic terms, China could manage to live with the South but the South could not without its economy suffering serious damage. For the U.S., it's time for Seoul to remind itself that Washington is a close ally but that it also acts in the best of its interest. Obviously because the U.S. has for long time acted as its protector, the South tends to sometimes romanticize their bilateral relationship, regarding it as a white knight who never fails to come to its rescue, when it is in danger. This sense of security has helped Korea pursue rapid economic development but on the flip side, its dependence on the U.S. has deprived it of a chance to take greater responsibility for its own defense, for instance. The reality is that to a lesser degree than China, the U.S. moves according to its own interests. For the North, its latest provocation has proved, above all, that it has no intention of giving up its nuclear program. If the rest of the world believes that it could drop its nuclear arsenal in return for security guarantees and economic support, it is mistaken. The plight of people is at the bottom of the young dictator Kim Jong-un's priority list and would not amount to anything to force him to make a trade for his weapons of mass destruction. Kim's strategy will remain that of his father and grandfather; communize the South and threaten its neighbors with its nuclear weapons. Therefore, this is one less reason for the South to feel charitable about the North. In contrast, it should speak to it in the only language it understands that of superior might. To boost its position, the South should forsake any illusion that it can upset the current equilibrium that is the result of a tight balance of power among China and Pyongyang on one side and the U.S., Japan and Seoul on the other. After all, the ongoing power struggle is nothing new nor is the heartburn we are having because of what little say we have in our future. What we need is recognition that we are a middle power or, more bluntly, "prawns caught in a war between whales." This shouldn't mean that we resign ourselves to a given fate. Rather we should realistically determine what we can and can't do and press ahead with this. That will require a strategic mind from leaders, patience and a sense of shared destiny from the people. Hopefully, the current challenge is part of that process. Oh Young-jin is The Korea Times' chief editorial writer and can be contacted at foolsdie5@ktimes.com. The shorter version can be found as main editorial in the Monday edition of the paper. The government and the ruling party agreed Friday to increase the state housing support for newly married couples as part of efforts to tackle the nation's chronic low birthrate, a lawmaker said. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will build a total of 10 apartment units across the country exclusively for newlyweds, Rep. Lee Joo-young of the ruling Saenuri Party told reporters following a meeting with government officials. South Korea has one of the lowest birth rates among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development members, stoking concern that it could cripple the country's growth potential and possibly result in more welfare expenses. "Ten apartment units exclusively for newly married couples will be developed, an increase from the initial five, to meet the high demand," Land Minister Kang Ho-in said. According to data by Statistics Korea, some 435,400 babies were born last year, down around 1,000, or 0.2 percent, from a year earlier. It marked the second straight year of on-year decline and was the lowest since 2005, when around 435,000 babies were born. The government will also push forward with a plan to provide incentives to couples who give birth to more than three children, Lee said. Asia's fourth-largest economy, the population of which is expected to peak in 2030, has been trying to push up its birthrate to prevent a decline in the national workforce. (Yonhap) Ahn Myoung-ock, left, head of the National Medical Center, poses with Ma Young-sam, Korea's ambassador to Denmark, at the Korean Embassy in Denmark. Behind them is seen Jutlandia Hall within the embassy which commemorates the service of a Danish medical ship during the Korean War. / Courtesy of National Medical Center By Yoon Ja-young Ahn Myoung-ock, chief of the National Medical Center, paid a special trip to Denmark to meet veterans of the MS Jutlandia, a Danish medical ship which was deployed to save lives during the Korean War (1950-53). After the outbreak of war, the Danish government decided to help by deploying a medical ship to support Korea its only contribution, but one that made a huge difference. It borrowed a private ship and outfitted it into a medical ship with four operating rooms and 365 beds. Jutlandia left for Busan from Copenhagen in January 1951, with a crew of 187 as well as 91 doctors and nurses. It treated around 5,000 soldiers and more than 6,000 civilians including war orphans during its three-year tour of duty around Korea. Ahn was invited to the 65th anniversary commemorating the deployment of the ship. She also met with the veterans of the Jutlandia to hear their stories and thank them. "It was an opportunity to show our gratitude for Denmark's dedication during the Korean War," Ahn said. She also pointed to the special tie the National Medical Center has with Denmark. The center was established in 1958 following an agreement between the Korean government and three Scandinavian countries Denmark, Norway and Sweden. They promised to set up a medical center to help the war-torn country treat patients as well as nurture and train doctors and nurses. Ahn, who was inaugurated as the chief of the National Medical Center in December 2014, has been actively promoting its historical background. Such effort led the hospital to open its Scandinavia Memorial Hall within the hospital last April. Ahn majored in obstetrics and gynecology at Yonsei University and studied public health at UCLA. She said that one of her core values is contribution to the public. "Both my parents were doctors, but my father was more proud of being a government worker than a doctor. I also had a passion to play a role for the public good. That's why I started studying public health," she said. She served as a lawmaker between 2004 and 2008. "The National Medical Center started its history thanks to the three Scandinavian countries back in 1958," she said. "Now, it is time for us to expand the values of universal fraternity and the love for mankind. The efforts will go on both domestically and overseas." Lee Jun-seok By Kang Seung-woo Lee Jun-seok, a 30-year-old political rookie of the ruling Saenuri Party, will face off with political bigwig Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo in his Seoul district during the April 13 general election. The Harvard graduate launched his bid to participate in the ruling Saenuri Party's internal race to become its candidate for the Nowon C district in Seoul, where he will vie with Rep. Ahn, a presidential hopeful, should he survive the primary election. Lee burst onto the political scene in late 2011 after Park, then a presidential candidate, scouted him as the head of her subcommittee for online communications. At that time, Lee was running an Internet-based education firm. Lee was known to have initially turned down the offer to join the council of the Grand National Party, the predecessor of the Saenuri Party, but accepted after Park called him in person. After the general and presidential elections in 2012, Lee mostly stayed away from politics, aside from TV appearances as a political commentator, but speculation was rife that he would run in this year's election. The Seoul native is regarded as a progressive member of the conservative governing faction, often criticizing the government and even the President. In addition, his youth plays an important role in boosting the image of the ruling party among those in their 20s and 30s, a group where the ruling party has struggled to win support, according to political analysts. In addition, his public reputation built by his TV appearance, is another strong point. Amid a ceaseless political standoff and public distrust, Lee said when he announced his candidacy that he hopes the election "will clear the ground for the generational shift" to regain public confidence. He also said that age does not matter in politics, citing former President Kim Young-sam, who became the youngest lawmaker in Korea at 26. However, some politicians are casting a critical eye on him. "For the past four years, what did Lee do to qualify for the public office other than appearing on TV programs?" said an official of the ruling party. "There are politicians who have focused on their election districts during the same period. It is not an ideal way for a political rookie to prepare to run for the general election." In addition, he has fallen behind his potential rival Ahn in approval. According to a public poll by the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, Lee was trailing Ahn by 15.8 percent in a two-way race as of Jan. 4, but the gap was reduced to 7.7 percent in a three-way race that included Roh Hoe-chan of the minor opposition Justice Party, a former lawmaker in the district. Rep. Chun Soon-ok of the Minjoo Party of Korea, right, examines shoes in a shoemaker's shop in eastern Seoul last month. The seamstress-turned-politician assists craftsmen in marketing and sales by establishing special centers focusing on their activities. / Courtesy of Rep. Chun Soon-ok By Kim Jae-won Minjoo Party of Korea Rep. Chun Soon-ok used to work as a seamstress. She worked at a small clothing factory in Dongdaemun, eastern Seoul, from the age of 16, before moving to the U.K. to study labor sociology in 1989. After coming back to Korea in 2001, she established a social enterprise helping women who worked as seamstresses to develop their skills and protect their rights. She became a lawmaker in 2012 so she could support them more effectively. The one-term lawmaker of the opposition party expanded her aid to shoemakers, tailors, bag makers and jewelers, calling them "small craftsmen" because they have practiced their skills for decades and have risen to the level of craftsmen. Last year, she wrote a book "Small Craftsmen" after interviewing nine craftsmen. "The government has never reached out its arms to small craftsmen, though they are the backbone of the grassroots economy," said Chun at a dinner meeting with The Korea Times earlier this month. "By supporting them so they can keep doing their work, we can strengthen our economy from the bottom up." Chun said more than 600,000 workers are making a wide variety of products at 300,000 small factories and shops throughout the country, but the numbers are dwindling as old craftsmen die off but young workers are not interested in taking up their work. She said it is important to allow small craftsmen to be proud of their work because they have long been neglected by society. Many of them are reluctant to say what they do because people look down on their jobs. Chun told the story of encouraging seamstresses and tailors to host a fashion show in which they showed the clothes which they made. They objected to the idea, worrying that people will find out what they do, but later accepted it by listening to Chun who told them that she appreciated their work. "It was a success," she said. "They were happy that their families and friends were proud of their work," Chun wrote in her book. Reflecting on her four years in the National Assembly, she said it was interesting to meet many people and to listen to their encouraging words about her work as a lawmaker. "I enjoyed it a lot. I realized that a legislator can help people and this is thrilling." Chun said that she will seek a second term in parliament and is considering running for a seat in the Jung-gu district in Seoul where she worked as a seamstress. The general election is scheduled for April 13, and it remains to be seen how her dreams will unfold. By Kim Se-jeong Shin Ji-yea Shin Ji-yea, 27, is a resident of Mapo in Seoul, and owns a company called Today Maker. Her company is an unusual one. She spearheaded a renovation project of an apartment building that is almost 40 years old in the neighborhood of Mangwon-dong and rented the flats at low rates to young entrepreneurs. The company has so far renovated four flats and rented them to a bookstore owner and an independent artist, who pay 100,000 won monthly rent with a 3 million won deposit. "I have seen many young people with great business ideas discouraged because they couldn't afford rent for their work spaces. I wanted to help them solve that problem," Shin said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. The apartment with 104 flats was built in 1971. Old and small, the owners moved out and never came back. Only 30 flats are currently occupied, and most residents are old. In Seoul, buildings don't usually stay up for 40 years. They're destroyed and rebuilt after 20 or 30 years. The apartment building also faced the threat of demolition, but the attempts failed because it was difficult to find the owners of each flat and construction companies did not see that demolition was economically viable. Her company makes no money at the moment. So far, she receives subsidies from the city government or companies. "This is a little bit of headache, but I am sure something will work out." To solve this financial problem, she is thinking of expanding the renovation project. Shin said the apartment residents welcomed her project. "Old residents say they are happy to see young tenants moving in to such an old place. We hang out together. They bring us food sometimes to share. It has become a sense of community." Shin is a member of the Green Party Korea and is the party's candidate to be a proportional representative. The Green Party has no seat in the parliament now, but hopes to get one proportional seat in the upcoming general election. "I think it's time for politics to change. To better help young entrepreneurs, we need to change the system, which we can do only through politics." Visitors to the global 3D design and engineering fair SOLIDWORKS World 2015 look around exhibitions at the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona. / Courtesy of Dassault Systemes Korea By Yoon Sung-won Dassault Systemes, the world's top three-dimensional (3D) design software provider, will hold the global 3D design and engineering conference SOLIDWORKS World 2016 in Dallas, Texas, this week. "SOLIDWORKS World 2016 will inspire clients to continue their innovation through great designs at the industry's only event where all related communities gather, new inspirations and innovations will start," the France-based company said in a statement. The company has invited those who work in the 3D design and engineering industries and encouraged them to share their ideas on innovations based on the more effective design technologies. The annual conference is in its 18th consecutive year. Last year's SOLIDWORKS World, in Phoenix, Arizona, drew more than 5,000 participants from around the globe to discuss new technological trends in product design, simulation, technical communication and data management. "At the very heart of SOLIDWORKS are the concepts of collaboration and innovation, which are driven by our creative and passionate user community," said Dassault Systemes Chief Executive Officer Gian Paolo Bassi. "SOLIDWORKS World offers the opportunity to build relationships and access tools that help nurture imaginative ideas and develop them into tangible realities." This year's event will also feature keynote presentations by experts in scientific, design and engineering. Yves Behar, CEO and founder of U.S. industrial design and branding company Fuseproject, will be among the speakers. Behar, who also is chief creative officer of U.S. wearable device maker Jawbone, has focused on boosting the value of industrial products through better design. He has collaborated with companies in diverse industrial sectors from General Electric, Puma, PayPal, SodaStream, Samsung, Issey Miyake to Prada. Peter Diamandis, chairman and founder of X Prize Foundation, will also speak. Aiming at encouraging innovative drives in industries, he has introduced concepts such as incentive competition and commercial space. He has led the foundation in competitive initiatives that have offered prizes for private space travel and eco-friendly cars. Established in 1981, Dassault Systemes has provided 3D design, digital mock-up and product lifecycle management solutions in more than 140 countries worldwide. Working in 12 industrial sectors ranging from aerospace, defense, construction, engineering, consumer goods, energy, finance, IT, bio, shipbuilding to automobile, it posted 2.3 billion euros in sales in 2014. SolidWorks is one of the company's most popular 3D design software services. The company said this software had provided engineers and designers with a cost-efficient tool to render their idea into 3D images. The company opened a Seoul subsidiary in 1997 and has cooperated with more than 11,000 Korean companies such as Samsung Electronics, POSCO, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor, SK hynix and Hyundai Heavy Industries. In particular, it has invested 67 billion won in establishing a research and development center for marine shipbuilding industry in Daegu since 2010. Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) engineers test a seven-ton liquid engine at the Naro Space Center on Oenarodo Island in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. / Courtesy of KARI By Yoon Sung-won GOHEUNG, South Jeolla Province Korean scientists and engineers on this southwestern island are accelerating independent research on and development of space rockets. On Thursday, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) revealed the progress of the second Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV-II) at the Naro Space Center on Oenarodo Island. The KARI said it has successfully established test facilities for a rocket engine. It hopes to build space rockets and launch one by 2020. "Building the engine test facilities means a lot to us," said Ko Jeong-hwan, executive director for the KSLV-II project at KARI. "Previously, we had cost and schedule problems in testing the engines overseas. Now that we have built the facilities, we can independently test the engines." The Korean government has pushed for the KSLV-II project since March 2010. This aims to develop three-stage rockets that can take a 1.5-ton satellite into a low-Earth orbit. The budget for the project, which is scheduled to end in March 2021, has been set at 1.96 trillion won ($1.62 billion). The rocket is designed to have three projectiles including the first with four 75-ton liquid engines, the second with one 75-ton engine and the third with a single seven-ton engine. Compared to the KSLV-I, or NARO, which was built to reach an altitude of 300-kilometers, the KSLV-II will be able to go up to 800 kilometers, the KARI said. The KARI test-operated the seven-ton liquid engine for 100 seconds late last year. Engineers plan to improve the engine to be able to run about 500 seconds. Ko said developing and testing the 75-ton engine would be an even greater task. "We have not tested the 75-ton engine as a whole yet," he said. "Currently we are separately testing a combustor, a gas generator and a turbo pump." Once the 75-ton engine is completed, the institute plans to test-launch a rocket with only the second- and third-stage projectiles by December next year. "We are developing technologies and still have many technological obstacles," Ko said. "Our researchers are working to overcome them within the given time." In particular, building the first-stage projectile with four 75-ton engines is unprecedented globally. "Compared with automobiles and planes, space rockets are far more dangerous and have a much less success rate," said KARI President Cho Gwang-rae. Cho named combustion instability as the biggest problem. According to the KARI, combustion instability occurs because of extremely high pressure. "Combustion instability has troubled us the most so far in developing the 75-ton engine," he said. "But we are continuing to improve it." The KARI is also expanding launch pad infrastructure. It plans to remodel the pad, which was used to launch the KSLV-I, to fit the new rocket. In addition, the KARI will build a new launch pad for the three-stage rocket projectiles. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, third from left, shakes hands with CITIC Group Corporation President Chang Zhenming, second from left, after Samsung agreed with the Chinese financial group to expand their mutual partnership focusing on financial businesses, last year. At Lee's right is Samsung Securities CEO Yoon Yong-am, while CITIC Securities President Cheng Boming is seen on the left. / Courtesy of Samsung Corporate Strategy Office Conglomerate to reduce cross-holding systems By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung is accelerating corporate restructuring efforts as the country's most-powerful conglomerate prepares a radical change, putting company vice chairman Lee Jae-yong onto center stage. After Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee was hospitalized in 2014 due to heart problems, Lee, who is the chairman's only son, has been the group's de facto leader. Samsung has been unexpectedly busy with corporate changes such as decisions to sell non-core units and to integrate affiliates for productivity. Now, Vice Chairman Lee is preparing to pay inheritance tax to tighten his control of Samsung affiliates. Late Thursday, the Samsung Corporate Strategy Office said the vice chairman had sold 2.05 percent of his direct holdings in Samsung SDS. Samsung officially said the vice chairman will use the proceeds to buy shares in Samsung Engineering's rights issue, if the shares are not fully subscribed. "The sale of the Samsung SDS stake was intended to pay inheritance tax, which is known to be about 5 trillion won in total," a Samsung executive said. Given Samsung SDS's minority role in the ownership structure of the conglomerate, the latest decision by the junior Lee to will not make a noticeable difference, according to the executive. Lee is the biggest shareholder of Samsung SDS, owning 11.25 percent. "It seems evident that moves for a power shift are speeding up," another Samsung official said. "Samsung is urged to complete a smoother power succession as quickly as possible." By selling the holdings, Lee will have some 380 billion won in cash, based on a closing share price of 261,000 won, Jan. 28, with between a 4 and 7 percent discount. With taxes, the vice chairman will have 300 billion won. Reducing cross-holding systems On the corporate structure front, Samsung is trying to reduce its cross-holdings after rulings by the country's antitrust regulators. Korea bans the creation of circular shareholdings through which big conglomerates' founding families keep control over key affiliates with minor stakes. Firms are given a six-month "grace period" to deal with any issues arising from mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Samsung said it was well aware of increasing pressure from investors to simplify the complex ownership structure and to "do something more" to boost corporate governance, because these were considered factors constraining the valuations of Samsung affiliates. Samsung Life Insurance (Samsung Life) decided to buy Samsung Electronics' entire holdings of Samsung Card, making it the biggest shareholder. "Since 2013, Samsung Group has been keen to separate the group's electronics units and finance units by reducing the number of cross-holdings," the official said. The cross-holding system calls for company "A" to control company "B", while "B" controls company "C" and "C" controls company "D." "The cross-holding system was effective in providing more influence to group owners with small-stake holdings," the official said. "But this system has a weakness because if one affiliate gets into trouble, then other affiliates will be severely affected." Analysts say chances are high that Samsung will soon adopt a holding-company system, but the key issue is that the process costs a lot. "If Samsung lets Samsung C&T transform into a holding firm, then a new finance holding company will be needed to control the group's entire finance affiliates," said Ahn Sang-hee, head of the corporate governance team at Daishin Economic Research Institute. "But it will cost a lot." Oh Jin-won, an analyst at Hana Financial, said: "I believe Samsung C&T, a de facto holding company, will be controlled by Samsung Electronics and Samsung Life, eventually. It's no surprise to see that the group will adopt a holding company system on finance and electronics." By Ronald D. White The gig: Tony Antoci, 40, is president and chief executive of Erewhon, the Southern California natural foods grocery mini-chain that traces its roots to a tiny Boston market founded in 1967. A Los Angeles branch opened in 1968. Erewhon was a pioneer in the natural foods business that eventually foundered amid internal strife, over-ambitious expansion and bankruptcy. Antoci and his wife, Josephine, bought the Beverly Boulevard market in 2011. Useful experience: Antoci was president and chief executive of food distributor Superior Anhausner Foods, which was sold in 2009. A health food grocer is a completely different business, Antoci said, but its easier. You dont have a lot of people owing you money. After the sale, Antoci earned a real estate license and began to acquire property. Smarter growth: Now, in a highly competitive region that includes well established brands like Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, Gelsons and Trader Joes, Antoci is on a growth path. But he doesnt intend to make the same mistakes as his predecessors at Erewhon. We opened our Calabasas store in 2014 and it was profitable in six months, Antoci said. If its not making money its not fun. He plans to have a total of 10 markets. Advertisement Millennial path: The location of the third store was carefully selected. The 10,000-square-foot space is due to open in March on Venice Boulevard near trendy Abbott Kinney Boulevard. Abbott Kinney, with its fashionable clothing stores, popular restaurants and coffeehouses is very popular with the millennial generation. They are definitely our target audience, Antoci said. Youthful struggles: My father died when I was 15, at age 43, said Antoci, who dropped out of high school after 10th grade. His mother died when he was 20. It was tough, being 20, with both parents already gone. It was a quick awakening into adulthood. Paternal drive: Antoci grew up in Los Angeles, watching his father rescue one business after another. The first was a liquor store, Antoci said, then he was importing live Maine lobsters. Then he was a distributor of German auto parts. He died when he was in the potato processing business. The son soon learned he had a similar enthusiasm for success. If you have a sense of responsibility and you are determined, you can do anything, Antoci said. Numbers guy: Antocis mother, realizing that the second of her three sons might not go far with his education, taught Antoci at age 13 how to write checks, pay bills and handle the financial details of running the familys household. It was great training for me, he said, noting that schools seldom teach such fundamentals at an early age. I was never a scholar. I just felt like working was where I needed to be. The partner: Antoci had no heroes or mentors to speak of, but at 17 he met the most important person in his life: his business partner and future wife, Josephine. She is in charge of procurement for Erewhon. I dont know how to work without her being involved, he said. First business: I started a company in 1992 with one of my brothers when I was 21, selling private label mineral water to restaurants, Antoci said. From there the business grew into providing bar and nightclub supplies. Josephine brought in a large order for food items, which the company didnt stock at the time. Antoci recalled. At first, it was, How are we going to do this? It was pretty darn scary, but we got it and delivered it. The same restaurant called the next day with another large order, Antoci said, and we figured out that the food distribution business was pretty cool. Leadership style: When he wanted to buy Erewhon, Antoci had trouble getting a call back from the stores previous owner. Undeterred, he showed up and persuaded the owner to sell. Im very hands on, Antoci said, which means learning every job in the business. I never wanted an employee looking at me thinking, He doesnt know what hes talking about. Advice: You have to be willing to do whatever it takes. This was very hard work, Antoci said. Team builder: You have to surround yourself with good people, Antoci said, then treat them well enough that they want to stay. If it aint broke: Erewhons motto is If its here, its good for you. Erewhon isnt just a market; it includes a cafe and a tonic and juice bar. Antoci said he knew it would be important to stay true to the business core beliefs. What we do is sell healthy organic foods to many Southern California communities, and that remains our goal, Antoci said. Personal: Antoci lives in Southern California with his wife of 23 years, Josephine. They have three children. In the little free time he has, Antoci likes to spend it with his family. And hes not keen on his children following his educational example. They are all going to college, he says. ronald.white@latimes.com Twitter: @RonWLATimes Since 2006, when the Securities and Exchange Commission began requiring companies to disclose more detail about executive compensation, perks for top managers have been under attack. Under pressure from investors and the fear of embarrassing optics for companies, many have quietly vanished. Country club memberships have all but gone the way of the three-martini lunch. Allowances for company cars? So very 2005. But one perk with staying power, executive compensation consultants say, is the executive physical. The often deluxe checkup allows busy top managers to see a variety of doctors and get a battery of tests performed at one time, whether in top-notch medical centers such as the Mayo Clinic or luxurious digs such as Canyon Ranch. In 2008, roughly 22% of companies in the Fortune 500 said they paid for the perk, consulting firm Willis Towers Watson reported. By 2013, 32% of companies offered it. Advertisement When you look at executive perquisites, companies really pared back, said Rob Mustich, a managing director at Willis Towers Watson. But the executive physical is one perk that remains common. Why has this perk held strong? After all, with median pay for chief executives reaching $13.6 million in 2015, according to some estimates, $5,000 for a VIP medical visit is pocket change for many top executives. And its not as though boards are getting an inside look at the CEOs health in return. The board or the company would have no right to the employees protected health information under HIPAA and other privacy rules, said Robin Schachter, a partner in the executive compensation group of Akin Gump. The most obvious reason they remain is that a CEOs health is a risk factor. Consider what happened when, just one month after taking the top job at United Continental Holdings Inc., Oscar Munoz suffered a heart attack. It came in the wake of a corruption probe at the airline that caused his predecessor to resign, and the stock fell 3% before recovering. An interim leader was installed, and then in January the company announced Munoz had heart transplant surgery, and the stock slipped again. He is expected to return to the job early in the second quarter, the company has said. An efficient, comprehensive, A-to-Z checkup could mean its less likely something will be missed. Its the difference between a pop quiz and a take-home exam, said David Wise, U.S. market leader for the human resources consulting firm Hay Group. They pick up things you wouldnt always expect. (Uniteds 2015 proxy, released before Munoz became CEO, shows the company paid for executive physicals; a spokesperson would not disclose whether Munoz had one.) Disclosing the cost of the physical in company proxies telegraphs to investors that the CEOs health is a priority. What theyre really buying is shareholder confidence, Wise said. Anadarko Petroleum Corp. chief R.A. Walker was reimbursed $15,868 for his executive physical in 2014, the companys proxy states. A spokesperson said the physical was intended to be thorough, relatively low-cost and preventive actions to help ensure early detection and protect the interests of our shareholders. CEOs health is material, Charles Elson of the University of Delaware said. And in the grand scheme of executive compensation, its just not very much money. More important, its totally relevant. Providers of executive physicals report mixed results on their business. Canyon Ranch global sales director Molly Anderson said that inquiries from corporations are up. But theyve also seen a shift in their business, with more interest in a shorter, two-night program (price: $4,355 plus the cost of accommodations). James Tuck, manager of the Scripps Executive Health program in San Diego, said his unit has seen more reluctance and caution from potential customers. Companies are watching how they spend their benefits dollars, Tuck said. The standard program at Scripps involves a daylong visit that includes visits with an internal medicine doctor, a skin cancer screening with a dermatologist and a range of heart tests, as well as counseling for nutrition, stress and exercise. It runs $3,070 for men and $3,700 for women. What information do boards get about CEOs health? Incoming executives may be asked about it. Employment agreements often refer to the appointed CEO acknowledging a clean health history. One certainty: The globetrotting nature of any high-level managers job, the 24/7 hours and the intensity of the work are bound to tax a person. As former IBM Corp. chief Sam Palmisano said last year, his doctor saw real improvements in his health after he left the top ranks. You dont realize it at the time because you just do it, he said. You grind away. Everyone wants the organization to be successful, so you work hard. But you forget how much of that you internalize and how much stress it puts into you, and the effects it has on your health over time. McGregor writes a daily column analyzing leadership in the news for the Washington Posts On Leadership section. Question: Owners at our homeowner association are frustrated. For three years, weve been trying to recall our five-director board, fire the management company and obtain a forensic audit. The boards attorney and management either ignore our petitions or invalidate them. Directors laugh, You wrote the petition wrong or We werent served. Please explain how to do this properly to withstand invalidation. Answer: A petition should be viewed as a contract between the signatories and the association. Before embarking on this endeavor, make certain you comply with applicable laws and that association governing documents do not conflict with statutory requirements. Unless your governing documents indicate otherwise, a petition to remove your present board is a removal not a recall, according to Civil Code sections 5100 to 5145. A petition to remove the board of directors should be crafted with some modicum of particularity so as to withstand the type of scrutiny you describe. Advertisement Unfortunately, some attorneys feel its their job to help a current board stay in power and ignore or invalidate petitions without explanation. It is for that reason many petitioners take extreme precautions, such as notarizing signatures to minimize invalidation. Some associations believe that maintaining files containing titleholder signatures creates liability by owners claiming their stored signatures were used to steal their identities. If that happens, the association will not be able to verify petition signatures and may try to invalidate them. Other associations decide willy-nilly whether petition signatures comport with past signatures. Having a notary confirm each signature avoids confusion or argument regarding authenticity. A petition can be invalidated for many reasons. A seemingly minor defect, such as an incorrect heading (recall instead of removal) or a failure to include a demand for the current board to call a special meeting for election, can be fatal. A proper petition heading correctly identifies by name each director petitioners seek to remove and demands a new election be scheduled to elect new directors. The petition needs to state that a special meeting is demanded for the purpose of holding an election. For each signatory, the removal petitions body should have separate lines for each of the following: The property titleholders name. The property address, city, state and ZIP Code. The property titleholders signature. Date signed. All information must be clear and legible. The petition may have many pages because of all the information necessary for each titleholder. Therefore, at the bottom of each petition page indicate Page x of xx. Always make copies of the original petition before serving it on the board. The proper way to serve the petition on the association may be found in association governing documents. Service is usually accomplished by attending a duly noticed board meeting. Wait until the meeting is called to order and convenes. Any time during that meeting or during the required open forum portion when owners may speak, simply place it on the table where directors are seated or hand it to them. Because that act of service occurs during a duly convened meeting it must be documented in the board minutes. It also tends to eliminate petition invalidation by improper service. Even though Corporations Code section 7510(e) indicates 5% of owners must petition to call a special meeting (10% for stock cooperatives), it is wise to have a much larger percentage of owners sign in the event of signature invalidation or disqualification. Once served, the board must cause notice to be given to all titleholders that a meeting will be held at a time fixed by the board not less than 35 days nor more than 90 days after it receives the petition request. If the board fails to call a special meeting within 20 days after it receives the petition, the petitioners are entitled to call the meeting, under Corporations Code section 7511. After a new board is elected, it can move to conduct a forensic audit and terminate the management company. Zachary Levine, a partner at Wolk & Levine, a business and intellectual property law firm, co-wrote this column. Vanitzian is an arbitrator and mediator. Send questions to Donie Vanitzian, JD, P.O. Box 10490, Marina del Rey, CA 90295 or noexit@mindspring.com. Tony Abatemarcos Forever House, now in its world premiere at the Skylight Theatre in L.A., offers plenty of charm, vividly comic characters and gut-busting one-liners. That said, a few of the plot lines dont quite pay off, and the play culminates in diatribe that feels heartfelt but seems more like a hastily contrived exit device than an organic resolution. If the play is a bit of a fixer, its blemishes are mostly cosmetic -- nothing that couldnt be addressed in a lightly spackled rewrite. Abatemarco, a theater veteran whose credits include acting, directing and writing, finds the humor -- and the pain -- in a young couples messy, sometimes surreal, struggle to commit for the long-term. Advertisement The young couple happens to be gay: Technology executive Jack (Michael Rubenstone) and dedicated teacher Ben (James Liebman) have just purchased a craftsman -- Bens childhood home -- just outside Los Angeles. The men intend to raise a family in their forever house, but Ben is having a hard time adjusting to suburbia, while perkily homophobic neighbor Gloria (Elyse Mirto) is having trouble adjusting to him. Worse, spooky manifestations in the basement make Ben want to run for the Hollywood hills. The plays parade of characters include the guys drunken real estate agent, Bill (Joel Swetow); Bens bombastic mother, Evelyn (hilarious Dale Raoul); and a surprisingly tolerant evangelical couple who lives nearby (Swetow and Mirto, who showcase the full range of their considerable abilities in dual roles). Rubenstone makes the most of his neurotically scattershot character, but Liebman seems initially strained, perhaps because hes the sole straight man among these larger-than-life eccentrics. In a dynamically paced staging, director Elizabeth Swain keeps the broad comedy firmly grounded in reality. The spectacularly well-realized design elements -- John Iacovellis sets, Jeff McLaughlins lighting, Peter Baynes sound, Terri A. Lewis costumes and Nicholas Santiagos video design -- all contribute to the ideal milieu for this almost move-in ready House. Forever House, Skylight Theatre Complex, 1816 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles. 8:30 p.m. Fridays, 8 p.m. Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays. Ends Feb. 28. $30-$34. (213) 761-7061. skylighttix.com. Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes. Once again, it looks to be a three-way race for the best picture Oscar. Spotlight won the Screen Actors Guild Awards film ensemble honor Saturday night. A week earlier, The Big Short took the Producers Guilds best picture prize. Six days from now, when the Directors Guild of America hands out its awards, Alejandro G. Inarritu is one of the favorites to win for his work on The Revenant. Advertisement The last time three movies divided and conquered the guilds along these lines? Just two years ago when 12 Years a Slave, Gravity and American Hustle jostled in a wide-open best picture race that came down to the wire before 12 Years ultimately prevailed when the final envelope was opened. Oscars 2016: Full Coverage | Complete list | Snubs, surprises and reactions | Top nominee photos | Oscars are so white, again Issues of racial diversity have dominated the headlines since the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences failed to nominate any people of color for its 20 acting nominations for a second consecutive year. The controversy has partially obscured a tight contest for the academys top prize, a race that the studio backers of three movies The Revenant, The Big Short and Spotlight genuinely believe they will win. The Spotlight team found new potency Saturday with its SAG Awards cast honor, even though the movie winning that award has gone on to take the best picture Oscar just 10 of 20 times over the years. Thats a coin flip. But its better than nothing. And if The Big Short had parlayed its PGA win with a SAG trophy, right now wed be writing an obituary for Tom McCarthys sturdy journalism drama. As it stands, were looking at any number of possible outcomes. Heres one: Mad Max also a best picture nominee will likely win the most Oscars makeup and hair, production design, sound editing, sound mixing and visual effects and, possibly, one for its director, George Miller (lets see how the DGA sorts things Saturday) with Spotlight and The Big Short coming away with only screenplay awards. And The Revenant, Inarritus brutal, beautiful frontier western takes best picture, nets cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki an unprecedented third straight Oscar and finally puts Leonardo DiCaprio in the winners circle for his turn as the movies long-suffering, bear-battling trapper. The only problem: The academy has never given back-to-back best picture Oscars to movies from the same director, and Inarritus Birdman won last year. And The Revenant didnt earn a screenplay nomination, meaning that itd be only the second movie in the last half century to win best picture without recognition for its writing. So ... maybe we should wait for the DGA before any further shuffling of the best picture puzzle pieces. (The other contenders are The Martian, Brooklyn, Room and Bridge of Spies.) Besides, Saturdays SAG Awards did offer some useful intel for the four individual acting Oscar races. Lead actor: Before The Revenant even began screening in late November, the drumbeat to crown DiCaprio king of the world was insistent. The academy did have to go through and, you know, formally fill out the field with four other nominees, but no member of that quartet of challengers Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon, Michael Fassbender, Eddie Redmayne has emerged as much of a threat. And each time DiCaprio has won an award this year the Golden Globe, the SAG statue his peers have risen from their seats and cheered. Everyone feels good about this Oscar even the other nominees. It looks, like, oh my God, the torture that all the people involved in that film went through, Cranston told me earlier this month. But as Inarritu said, Pain is temporary. But film is forever. And theres truth to that. Lead actress: Unlike DiCaprio, Brie Larson isnt due. This is her first Oscar nomination. Shes 26. But she had a firm grip on the lead actress Oscar from the moment that Room premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in early September and audiences witnessed her intense turn as the movies protective mother. When Room secured Oscar nominations for picture and director Lenny Abrahamson, it became clear the movie had more than enough support to secure Larson this Oscar. Supporting actor: For the last three years, all four SAG Awards acting honorees have gone on to win Oscars. That wont be the case this year as the academy did not nominate SAGs supporting actor victor, Beasts of No Nation standout Idris Elba. Elbas win rated as probably the best case scenario for Sylvester Stallone, the Oscar nominee many pundits see winning this Oscar. If Christian Bale (The Big Short) or Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) had taken the SAG Awards trophy, they would have enjoyed validation, a moment in the spotlight and a chance to build momentum for their Oscar chances. As it stands, Stallones compelling comeback story for Creed (yo, 39 years between Oscar nominations) remains the categorys dominant narrative. Supporting actress: Alicia Vikanders SAG Awards victory for her turn as artist Gerda Wegener in The Danish Girl probably settles the debate as to which lead actress (Vikander or Carols Rooney Mara) will prevail in supporting. Once shes holding the Oscar, no one will remember the category. Final voting for the Oscars begins Feb. 12, closing on Feb. 23. The Oscars will be held Feb. 28. glenn.whipp@latimes.com MORE: Oscar Watch: Tracking the ups and downs of the awards season Hello! Im Mark Olsen, and welcome to your weekly field guide to a world of Only Good Movies. This week sees another new episode of the television program hosted by my colleague Rebecca Keegan and me on Ovation TV. This time we welcome actors Samuel L. Jackson, Bryan Cranston, Steve Carrell and Michael Caine to talk about recent roles, the evolution of their acting styles and more. From left are Steve Carell, Michael Caine, Bryan Cranston and Samuel L. Jackson. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) And well have some new screening events to announce soon. Check back at events.latimes.com to keep up on everything thats happening. Nonstop movies. Movies nonstop. Sundance wrap-up The Sundance Film Festival itself is wrapping up but thats far from the last well hear of some of the films that just premiered there. The two films that stood head and shoulders above the rest as far getting people talking and creating that ineffable feeling of festival buzz were Nate Parkers The Birth of a Nation and Kenneth Lonergans Manchester by the Sea. The Birth of a Nation is the story of Nat Turners 1831 slave rebellion in Virginia. Parker put his acting career on hold and took many years to write, direct and star in the film. When everybody is telling you something can't be done, that's when you know you're on the right track," Parker said after the films rapturously received world premiere. Armie Hammer, left, and Nate Parker in "Birth of a Nation." (Sundance Film Festival) "Manchester by the Sea" is a story of loss and resilience with a haunting, haunted performance by Casey Affleck. Kenneth Turan wrote, Powerful, emotional filmmaking that leaves a scar, Kenneth Lonergans Manchester by the Sea is the kind of experience people trek to Sundance for, and the film was received like a conquering hero. Both films were picked up in splashy sales and well be hearing about them all year long. Also premiering at the festival were films such as Author: The JT Leroy Story, Certain Women, The Free World, Christine and Suited. You can follow all our Sundance coverage at latimes.com/sundance. 'The Finest Hours' Anyone who cant wait to see Afflecks performance in Manchester by the Sea can see him now in the rescue adventure drama The Finest Hours. I admit this was not a film I was initially interested in, until I started reading about it and seeing the positive reviews. Now Im intrigued. Chris Pine stars in The Finest Hours. (Disney Enterprises Inc) Chris Pine stars in "The Finest Hours." (Disney) At the Verge, Tasha Robinson wrote, The Finest Hours is a Walt Disney production, and in its unhurried pacing, wholesome relationships, sentimental journey, and message of uplift, it feels like an old-school throwback to a much earlier age of Disney filmmaking. Addressing those who might be put off by the movies earnestness, The Times' Turan wrote, But before scoffers scoff, realize that this tale of nautical derring-do has several things going for it to counteract the inherent obviousness of the material. These include a director who knows his way around this kind of material, special effects work that makes the peril fearfully alive, and a pip of a true story of what is considered as daring a rescue mission as the U.S. Coast Guard ever attempted. Vilmos Zsigmond remembered Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, a hugely influential figure regarding the visual style of 1970s American cinema, died on Jan. 1 at age 85. The American Cinematheque has pulled together a pretty fantastic tribute under the title "Vilmos Zsigmond Remembered," featuring a number of his best known, most beautiful films. The series runs from Friday, Feb. 5 to Sunday, Feb. 21. The series will include Robert Altmans McCabe & Mrs. Miller and The Long Goodbye, Michael Ciminos The Deer Hunter and Heavens Gate, Steven Spielbergs Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The Sugarland Express and Brian De Palmas Blow Out and Obsession. Thats quite a resume. Many of these film will be screened in 35-millimeter prints and the chance to soak in Zsigmonds imagery on the big screen at the Egyptian Theatre is something to mark your calendars for. A weekend with Lawrence Schiller Lawrence Schiller may not be a household name, but that makes the fact that he is getting a tribute from the Cinefamily all the more exciting. The highlight of the series will be a double feature that pairs Schillers documentary The American Dreamer, a look at Dennis Hopper, alongside Hoppers masterful mess The Last Movie. Also screening will be the Academy Award-winning 1975 documentary The Man Who Skied Down Everest and The Executioners Song, the adaptation of Norman Mailers book starring Tommy Lee Jones and Rosanna Arquette. Schiller is scheduled to be in attendance all weekend. Email me if you have questions, comments or suggestions, and follow me on Twitter @IndieFocus. And it was bound to happen sooner or later. A correction: For the record Last weeks newsletter said that early short films screening during a tribute to Penelope Spheeris at UCLA were restored by the university in partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. UCLA was not involved in the academy's restoration of the films. Idris Elba won two Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday evening for outstanding male actor in a supporting role in a feature film for Beasts of No Nation and for lead male actor in a miniseries or TV movie for Luther. But hes not the only performer to take two individual SAG Awards in one night. At the 2007 ceremony, British actress Helen Mirren won two honors. Ironically, they were both for playing British monarch. She won lead female actor in a motion picture as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen and as lead female actor in a miniseries or TV movie for the miniseries Elizabeth I. Screen Actors Guild Awards: Live coverage | Best and worst dressed | Complete list | Full coverage | Red carpet Advertisement Mirren was nominated Saturday evening for female actor in a supporting role in a motion picture as Hedda Hopper in Trumbo and is part of the cast for that film, which is up for the outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture. ALSO: SAG Awards 2016: Take that Oscars -- diversitys the big winner tonight SAG Awards 2016: Queen of Comedy Carol Burnett receives the Life Achievement Award SAG Award winner Jeffrey Tambor reaches out to people who are not Maura Pfefferman When it seemed her time was near, Hyun Choi summoned her six children to Southern California four of them from South Korea. Her last wish, Choi told them as they sat in her Fullerton home, was that she wanted to donate her body to science. Her children were appalled. Her decision struck them as flying in the face of Korean customs. They wanted to be able to visit her at the burial plot they had set aside in Korea, next to where their father lay. Advertisement But Choi was adamant. Shed heard on the radio that body donations were far lower among Asians than other races, and believed that she and other Korean Americans should do their part to further medical research. One by one her children relented. When Choi died in 2008, at 84, her body went to the University of California, Irvine. An official told her daughter Amy Kim that Choi was one of few Asians to make such a gift in the previous seven years, just four Asians had donated to UCIs willed body program. Since then, in part because of Chois decision, a movement has begun among Korean immigrants in Los Angeles to change their communitys perspective on death. Im so thankful in hindsight, Kim said. It was like she was the giving tree. Spurred partly by Chois story, a Cerritos-based group called Somang Society began urging Korean seniors to donate their bodies to medical research. Since 2009, 32 have donated through the campaign, and nearly 900 more have pledged to do so. The campaign has been a game changer in attitudes about scientific donation among Korean Americans, Tom Vasich, a spokesman for UCI, wrote in an email. Heading the campaign is 80-year-old Boon-ja Lee, who started the organization to encourage Korean Americans to talk about the culturally taboo subject of death and dying. Like other Asians, many Koreans avoid the number 4, which is read the same way as the Chinese character for death. We just dont like the thought of death, Lee said. Many of her contemporaries old-timers, as the first wave of immigrants to settle in Koreatown are known would shush her when she brought up the topic, saying it was inauspicious because speaking of it would make it reality. Her husband of five decades was reluctant to discuss dying to his final days, and her adult son still cringes and objects when she brings it up, she said. But after she retired in 2006, and facing her own mortality, Lee began thinking differently about various aspects of death and dying. After she heard Chois story, she pledged to donate her own body and began urging others to do the same. She also found herself thinking back to something shed seen often in her career as a registered nurse: brain-dead seniors kept alive on machines for years. Wanting no part of that, Lee wrote out an advance health care directive for herself, asking not to be resuscitated or kept alive with tubes. Then she started holding seminars and lectures urging other Korean American seniors to do the same. She has now spoken at about 150 seminars at churches and community centers, at which more than 10,000 have written out healthcare directives, she said. I tell them we should face death rather than let it happen to us, she said. A lot of us prepare more for trips than we do for death. One pastor was resistant to her entreaties, Lee said. Then one day, out of the blue, he called Somang Societys offices saying he wanted a health care directive. He and his wife signed one on a Thursday; that Saturday morning he had a heart attack and ended up brain-dead, Lee said. Attitudes are also changing about body donations, says Chang Sok So, a physician and unpaid consultant for UCIs willed body program, who for 18 years taught anatomy courses to practitioners of Eastern medicine in Orange County. Statistics on the racial breakdown of whole-body donations are not readily available, in part because donations are anonymous. But So says his students used about 40 bodies annually, and for years he never saw an Asian cadaver. By the time he retired late last year, Asian American bodies were becoming more available. As for Chois six children, four have signed up to donate their bodies to science, Amy Kim said. Kim, 60, said she thought her mothers wishes ultimately came full circle. Not long after Chois death, two of her grandchildren entered medical school. They may have the previously unlikely opportunity to learn about preserving life by studying the bodies of Korean Americans. victoria.kim@latimes.com ALSO The story of a wife who lured an O.C. fugitive out of Iran With no Trump onstage, GOP hopefuls make sounds Californians seem to like SAG Awards 2016: Take that, Oscars -- diversitys the big winner tonight Jail escape: An article in the Jan. 30 Section A about Nooshafarin Ravaghi, the teacher who is suspected of aiding three inmates escape from an Orange County jail, included an extraneous reference to one of the inmates, Hossein Nayeri. Nayeris name was inadvertently inserted into a sentence quoting Bruce Stout, identifying Stout as a professor at the Hossein Nayeri College of New Jersey. Stout is a professor at the College of New Jersey. Music man: In the Jan. 31 Arts & Books section, an article about record collector and producer Chris King referred to the Roland 303 as a drum machine. It is actually the model number of a rudimentary bass synthesizer and sequencer. Locol restaurant: In the Jan. 24 Section A, an article about the new restaurant Locol in Watts said its coffee comes from the roasters at Blue Bottle. The coffee comes from a collaboration between Locol and Tony Konecny. Two of the three inmates who escaped from an Orange County jail were booked early Sunday morning into the Santa Ana detention facility from which they had fled. Video released by the Orange County Sheriffs Department shows deputies escorting Jonathan Tieu and Hossein Nayeri into the Central Mens Jail about 1 a.m. Nayeri, 37, and Tieu, 20, were arrested Saturday in San Francisco after a man near a Whole Foods Market there spotted the white GMC Savana that the suspects stole in South Los Angeles, police said. Advertisement As officers approached, police said, Nayeri started running and was caught after a brief chase. Tieu was found hiding inside the van. Their accomplice in the jailhouse escape, Bac Duong, 43, had turned himself in to authorities on Friday. The arrests follow an eight-day manhunt that began after the three broke out of the jail, where they were being held in a fourth-floor dormitory with more than 60 other inmates. They cut through at least four layers of steel and rebar and slink through unsecured plumbing tunnels to reach the jails roof, authorities said. With a makeshift rope of knotted bedsheets and cloth, they then rappelled to the ground and escaped, officials said. They were first reported missing on Jan. 22 after officials performing an 8 p.m. head count noticed their absence. It was the first escape in three decades at the detention center, which was built in 1968. Its unclear how the inmates got the tools officials suspect they used to break out of the jail. Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens on Saturday said that officials had not determined whether others aided in the escape plan. She has scheduled a news conference on Monday to discuss the ongoing investigation. Authorities say an English-language instructor at the jail, Nooshafarin Ravaghi, 44, provided Nayeri access to Google Maps, which gave him an aerial view of the jails roof. The three obtained the white van on the day after the escape. Duong responded to a Craigslist ad for the 2008 vehicle in South Los Angeles, took the vehicle on a test drive and never returned it, said Sheriffs Capt. Jeff Hallock. During their time on the run, they headed north to San Jose, where they checked into a motel and paid cash for a two-night stay. Meanwhile, law enforcement in Orange County carried out more than 60 search and arrest warrants, taking as many as 10 people into custody during sweeps in Little Saigon. Duong turned himself in on Friday, showing up at a friends auto body shop in Santa Ana, where he told the owner and his wife to call police. NEWSLETTER: Get essential California headlines delivered daily >> San Francisco authorities said the unidentified man alerted police about the van that Orange County Sheriffs Department officials had described to the public as the possible getaway vehicle. Officers began scouting the area at Haight and Stanyan streets and spotted Nayeri, who ran off after seeing the officers, police said. He was later arrested. Tieu was found hiding inside the vehicle, and he and Nayeri were arrested and booked into jail without incident, said San Francisco police Officer Grace Gatpandan. Staff writers Richard Winton, Taylor Goldenstein, Matt Stevens and Anh Do contributed to this report. MORE ON THE O.C. JAILBREAK Her pink Taser, poisoned hamburger patties and an iPhone: the story of a wife who lured an Orange County fugitive out of Iran O.C. jail escapees: San Jose motel manager describes their stay Orange County jail escapee fled the law before, fleeing to Iran For months, many Republicans in California have held their heads in their hands, watching the presidential contest unfold in a way injurious to their uphill struggle to rebuild the state party. On Thursday night at the seventh GOP presidential debate, there were glimmers of what might have been, before Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and the vilifying of immigrants took over the presidential campaign. There were candidates Jeb Bush and John Kasich particularly who spoke of embracing disparate groups, of their support for immigrants and the misbegotten. For a while, it was almost as if they wanted to talk to the majority of Republicans in the nations biggest state. Advertisement Well, lets not get too upbeat. The debates tone was decidedly different from past ones because the man who has commanded the race, Trump, had abandoned the stage in a snit with Fox News, the debate sponsor. His departure opened more space for candidates like Kasich and Bush who have shrunk in his shadow in the six previous gatherings. And, to be sure, there were statements reminiscent of Trump or at least reminders of how far he and the conservative national base have pulled the candidates in the past year. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio bickered at length over immigration, both distancing themselves from past support for either legal status or a path to citizenship for the 11 million people in the country without proper documents. The other candidates were happy to point out that this made the duo look hypocritical to both sides of the immigration debate, which this year has included proposals to limit legal immigration as well. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, asked what one part of government he would eradicate, cited the funding of Planned Parenthood, a move that would take contraceptives away from many women who cannot otherwise afford them. Cruz was soon back to declare the presidents healthcare plan a disaster and pledge to repeal every word of Obamacare when he took office. Only then, he said, would he moved toward a replacement plan, leaving unspoken what would happen to the millions in California alone who had lost insurance. And Rubio was back, too, declaring his irrefutable opposition to cap-and-trade programs meant to lessen the use of greenhouse gases and appreciation for the governing force of his faith. So yes, there was some bad news in there for California Republicans. It does little for their partys image here to have national candidates opposing a path to citizenship and limiting legal entrance objecting to any government money going to contraception through an organization highly popular among women, vowing to eradicate the healthcare program popular in California and making the kind of public embrace of religion that has alienated prime voter groups here. Still, there was at least some talk that California Republicans have warmed to in recent years as theyve seen the states demographics moving away from them. The state party itself last year softened its official stance on immigration and embraced a gay group, but the image boost that might have garnered pales in comparison to the recasting that can be done by a successful presidential campaign. The ones talking Thursday arent successful yet, though politicians are nothing if not wildly optimistic in the face of stark realities. Bush slapped around Rubio for backing away from Rubios own immigration plan, which called for a path to citizenship. (Yes, Bush ignored the fact that he, too, has moved around, from approval of citizenship to approval of legal status, a lesser gain for the immigrant.) We should be a welcoming nation, Bush said. Our identity is not based on race or ethnicity, its based on a set of shared values.... We should celebrate it as conservatives. Thats what we believe in. Bush derided Trumps proposal to ban all Muslims from traveling to the United States. Well, that creates an environment thats toxic in our own country, he said, praising the young Muslim woman who, on a debate video. had asked what the candidates would do to lessen the culture of hatred aimed at Muslims. She should not feel uncomfortable about her citizenship. Shes not the threat. The threat is Islamic terrorism. The political danger of more restrictive views was evident in a poll released last week by the Public Policy Institute of California. Overall, 68% of Californians said immigrants were a benefit to California, 22 points higher than when the question was asked in 1998. And 27% of Californians said immigrants were a burden, down 15 points from 1998. Asked if those in the country illegally should be allowed to stay if certain requirements were met, 82% of Californians said they should be able to stay, as opposed to 17% who said they should be deported. Among Republicans, 60% said those immigrants should stay here, while 39% said they should leave. The effect of immigration views on the candidates was pronounced. Among those who felt immigrants here illegally should be allowed to stay, only 17% had a favorable view of Trump; 79% had a negative view. Among those favoring deportation, 46% had a positive view of Trump and 51% unfavorable. The poll asked for views of four Republicans Trump, Cruz, Rubio and neurosurgeon Ben Carson and among those open to allowing the immigrants to remain here, no candidate received more than a 30% positive rating. The survey did not ask about Kasich or Bush since neither met a threshold of 10% support in national surveys. Imagine, however, what might happen under two longshot conditions: a California primary that is actually contested, and featuring candidates like them with the money to compete. Its an even longer shot to suggest that a Republican candidate of any stripe could win the states presidential contest in November. The Democratic nominee will have a huge advantage born of the political dominance of women, minorities and younger voters loyal to the party. But competition has to start somewhere, and until it does, California will be presumed blue on election nights out into the distant future. cathleen.decker@latimes.com Twitter: @cathleendeckerhttps://twitter.com/cathleendecker. For more on politics, go to www.latimes.com/decker and www.latimes.com/politics. ALSO Even in boycott, Trump succeeds in winning debate Sanders tries to be the next Barack Obama in Iowa, not the next Howard Dean How Martin OMalley could decide who wins the Democratic caucuses in Iowa Republican rivals take advantage of Trumps absence in Iowa presidential debate The Energy Department has completed an exhaustive technical review of the plant designed to treat waste from the former Hanford nuclear weapons site and ordered the manager of the project to fix more than 500 problems that could compromise its future operation. The government also told San Francisco-based Bechtel to comply with 10 major recommendations from the study, including some that would require design changes to the partially built plant in central Washington. William Hamel, the federal project director overseeing the construction of the $12.2-billion cleanup facility, said the Energy Department is trying to identify any potential defects as early as possible and get them addressed before they cause further schedule delays or later problems. Advertisement The government is building a small industrial city on a plateau above the Columbia River to transform 56 million gallons of radioactive sludge into solid glass, which theoretically can be stored safely for thousands of years. The process involves a melter, which exposes the waste to extremely high temperatures. The 586-square-mile Hanford site is generally considered the most contaminated place in the country. The sludge, a byproduct of the chemical process used to isolate plutonium, is stored in 177 underground tanks, a third of which have leaked. But the complex job has been encountering problems for years, most recently when the Energy Department said it would delay full operation of the facility for another 17 years -- until 2039. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> A draft of the review last summer identified more than 300 significant design vulnerabilities. The final review cites 519 vulnerabilities, some major but some minor. The order to Bechtel on Friday involved a melter designed to handle lower-level radioactive materials, which would be solidified and buried at Hanford. Hamel said the low-activity melter is a safe and well-designed facility, despite the seemingly large number of problems that the technical teams identified. He said that 95% of the vulnerabilities have already been recognized and that many of them are already being addressed. The review team, which included experts from the Energy Department, Bechtel and outside organizations, found some systemic problems, asserting that they observed recurring fundamental programmatic design process deficiencies. Left unresolved, the team warned, the problems could affect how the entire facility operates. Construction of the melter is 78% complete, so the fixes are coming somewhat late in the project. A leaked draft version of the report, which the Los Angeles Times reported on last August, found that the plant had 362 significant design vulnerabilities. The larger number in the final report includes a broader range of vulnerabilities, Hamel said. Is there anything new that caused me grief? No, Hamel said. Among the 10 recommendations was a call for Bechtel to examine the plants ventilation system, which could allow contaminated air to leak into areas that are supposed to be isolated from radioactivity. The matter is one that could result in design changes. Another key recommendation requires Bechtel to evaluate whether there could be overheating in the area where molten glass is poured into canisters. The report also identified an O-ring on a tank, designed to withstand 1,250-degree gases, but which could fail at 250 degrees. Hamel said that the engineering teams are already evaluating the temperatures and that the fix would be relatively easy. Hamel said that the fixes and implementation of recommendations would not affect the cost of the project and that Bechtel would handle them within the scope of its contract. The action plan was mutually agreed upon, said Bechtel spokeswoman Staci West. These corrective actions become part of the final set of steps we will take to begin safely treating Hanfords tank waste. The Energy Department has been hoping to get the low-level melter operating as soon as possible, following even deeper technical problems at other parts of the waste treatment plant. In 2013, then-Energy Secretary Steven Chu stopped most construction on the project when a research chief at the facility found it had flaws that could cause an explosion at a melter for high-level radioactive waste. The construction remains largely suspended, pending a major technical review of that part of the operation. In an effort to get the cleanup moving again, Chus successor, Ernest J. Moniz, ordered that some of the lower-level waste be solidified without any pretreatment and on a faster schedule at the low-level melter. The Energy Department has been missing a series of legal deadlines that were part of an agreement with Washington state officials. Twitter: @RVartabedian ALSO We are not leaving: The final days of an Oregon occupier Justified shooting? Residents near Oregon occupation site debate FBI video 1 dead and several injured in stabbing and shooting attack at Denver motorcycle expo On Monday, at 7 p.m. local time, Iowa voters will begin the process of picking the countrys next president at a series of nearly 1,700 gatherings in meeting halls, high school gymnasiums and community centers between the Missouri and the Mississippi rivers. The Iowa caucuses will go a long way toward shaping the presidential race, even though the results have little bearing on the delegates that Iowa will send to the national nominating conventions. If it sounds arcane and confusing, thats because it is. Were here to help. What is a caucus? A caucus is a precinct-level meeting of politically like-minded individuals. Participation is open to anyone over age 18, or who will be old enough to vote in the Nov. 8 presidential election. There is no cost to attend and an individual can show up Monday night and register with the party of his or her choosing. However, participants must be there at the designated timeunlike, say, a primary where polling places are open from morning to nightand wait for the chance to vote for their presidential favorite. That puts a premium on committed supporters willing to turn out on a chilly evening and stick around. How does it work? Republicans and Democrats caucus differently. After some organizational business and speeches, Republicans write down their pick for president and turn in their secret ballot. Democrats break into groups according to their preference, plain for all to see. If a candidate fails to achieve the viability threshold of at least 15%, he or she is eliminated and supporters fall in behind another Democratic candidate. Or they can go home, though that is considered bad caucus form. Why do the parties do things differently? Because they can. Caucuses are party meetings, independent of any government or election agency. So the parties set their own rules. Democrats were deeply divided over the Vietnam War, so they fashioned the viability rule as a way of forging consensus and avoiding a split of the party into multiple small factions. SIGN UP for our free Essential Politics newsletter >> Why does Iowa go first? Because for a long time, nobody much cared. The caucuses have been taking place, in some form, since the early 1800s. The presidential preference vote was an add-on, a bit of fun for insiders who were gathered to attend to party business. In 1972, the national media picked up the results of the informal balloting and that helped George S. McGovern, a surprising favorite, push past better-known rivals to win the partys nomination. Four years later, underdog Jimmy Carter used a strong Iowa showing to win the White House, and Iowa has occupied a prime spot on the political calendar ever since. Has anyone challenged Iowas primacy? Politicos in other states constantly gripe about Iowas outsized role, but the national parties set rules that keep it first, and no presidential candidate hoping to win the state ever wants to be seen as anything less than whole-hog for Iowa. So while there is perennial talk of Iowa losing its first-in-the-nation caucus slot, nothing has ever come of it. Under the national rules, New Hampshire holds the first presidential primary eight days later. Winning the nomination is all about winning national convention delegates. So how do the caucuses affect that process? They dont, really. The caucuses elect delegates to county conventions, the first step in a long, complicated process that eventually yields Iowas delegates to the national convention many months from now. But by then no one is paying attention outside Iowa. So why is the whole political world obsessed with the results in Iowa on Monday night? Because after months of polls, debates, rumors, speculation and other chattering, Iowa will provide the first test of actual voter sentiment. Also, it takes a lot of work to ensure supporters show up and caucus. So the popularity contest is seen as a test of both a candidates appeal as well as his or her ability to build a campaign that has the organizational mettle to win the nomination. So whoever gets the most votes wins? Not necessarily. Expectations play an enormous role in judging the caucuses. A candidate seen as performing better than expected can be judged a winner, while a candidate who performs worse than anticipated may be deemed a loser. Perhaps the best example came in 1984, when former Vice President Walter F. Mondale won nearly half the vote, but the winner was Colorado Sen. Gary Hart, who got an unexpected 16.5% support. That launched him into a months-long struggle with Mondale for the nomination, who ultimately prevailed. But Harts performance turned him into the Democrats 1988 national front-runner until his candidacy flamed out in scandal. What are the expectations this time? On the Republican side, if anyone other than Donald Trump or Ted Cruz finishes in first or second place, it will be a shocker. Among Democrats, the race is so close that a first-place finish by either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders would not be a big surprise. If Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, an asterisk in polls, somehow slipped into one of the top-two slots, that would also be a stunner. Beyond that, if any candidate on either side blows out the rest of the field, that would constitute a major surprise and a huge victory. A Des Moines Register/Bloomberg poll released Saturday night showed Donald Trump up slightly over Ted Cruz and Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders effectively tied. Those results went a long way toward setting expectations, and any significant deviation could determine whether a candidate is deemed a winner or loser. mark.barabak@latimes.com Twitter: @markzbarabak For more, go to latimes.com/politics. ALSO: How Martin O'Malley could decide who wins the Democratic caucuses in Iowa Republican rivals take advantage of Trump's absence in Iowa presidential debate Trump makes a big show of skipping GOP debate and staging benefit for veterans It is by now a truism that Donald Trump poses a knotty conundrum for his competitors in the Republican Party, who can attack him and his retrograde sentiments only at the cost of alienating Trumps supporters, whose votes they need to win. Less obvious, or at least less discussed, is the parallel conundrum Trump poses for self-styled progressives. How far can they go in decrying Trumps support among white blue-collar workers without seeming to write off what was once regarded as a core progressive constituency? It could be argued that the writing-off has already occurred. There has long been a shift in left-liberal politics away from any broad identification with the workers narrowly conceived as white, male and straight in favor of specific social and environmental issues that pose no threat to existing economic structures. In that regard, Trumps blue-collar support might be viewed as a vindication: Workers of the world, take a hike. We never liked you much anyway. Advertisement Still, there remains the vexing question of how a billionaire demagogue can win the loyalty of the very people whose class interests he opposes. What possible sense can we make of blue-collar workers of any age, gender or race supporting a man whose very existence rests on their exploitation and, increasingly, on their obsolescence? It boggles the mind, or so we like to pretend. The usual answers fear of terrorism, resentment of immigrants, disgust with the Washington establishment are sound enough, but they dont go very deep. Its as if the impossibility of depth were a given. Imperialists and vivisectionists used to argue whether their victims had souls. The argument of the 2016 presidential campaign seems to be whether white blue-collar workers do. **** I talked to a friend not long ago who cited Trumps supporters as a reason for rejecting left-wing politics. These people dont want a classless society, he said. They want to belong to the upper class. They want to be Donald Trump. There is undoubtedly some truth to that. How could it be otherwise, given that such aspirations are fostered by virtually every institution in our society having a name. We literally go to school to acquire them. Never mind the minions of Wall Street; when writers like me discuss a new book, is our primary focus on its literary merits or the size of the authors advance? But that recognition takes us only so far. How many of those who attend Trump rallies actually believe they are going to get rich? Trump and his class have made sure the dream of getting solvent or staying employed is wild enough for any imagination. Something else is at work here, something to which the typical progressive pays too little regard, perhaps because its too alien to his own mindset. Im referring to the refusal to be envious, which I would argue is a longstanding act of moral resistance on the part of working- and lower-middle class people. What seems on the surface like the numbest failure to reckon with the dynamics of winner-take-all capitalism is at bottom a principled, if ultimately ineffectual, act of defiance. One may lack the wherewithal to bring the aristocrats to the guillotine, but at the least one will not pay them the homage of envy. What possible sense can we make of blue-collar workers of any age, gender or race supporting a man whose very existence rests on their exploitation? A man like Trump is savvy enough to turn that refusal to his advantage. The refusal to hold his wealth against him can be manipulated into a willingness to hear him out. Its hardly the same thing as winning the blue-collar vote, but its a significant first step. **** Linked to the basic question of Why Trump? and far larger in scope is the question of why so many Americans continue to view government, as opposed to corporations, as their enemy. Or to put it another way, how could a small business owner ever view a corporate pasha like Trump as her friend? Here too the answer has more to do with soul than logic. It has to do with which political positions allow you to retain your sense of self and which threaten to shake your self-image to its very foundations. To declare that government is your nemesis is to declare yourself a victim of oppression not the most heroic identity, granted, but still in keeping with the Minuteman mystique of a ragtag militia outgunned but unbowed by regiments of bureaucratic Red Coats. On the other hand, to declare that Trump and his ilk are your nemesis is to declare yourself a failed competitor in the sacred contest of the Almighty Market. In the first mythology, you figure as Prometheus; in the second, as Willy Loman. In the first you get to have muscles and keep all your hair. Given the choice between victim and loser, the citizen steeped in the competitive values of the marketplace will always prefer the former. Trump is a winner, for sure, but he has not won out against me; he has merely prevailed more often than I have against a regulatory government that tries to keep both of us down. Essentially, were on the same side. This bogus solidarity comes with tempting psychic consolations. It also comes with implicit corroborating testimony from those on the left too timid to identify the evils of the present plutocracy and the radical steps needed to destroy it. If progressives continue to insist that a bit of legislative tweaking is all thats required to cure the body politic, are people unjustified in blaming government when they find themselves choking to death? The very terms of our questions betray the inadequacy of our answers. Instead of asking how come a billionaire like Trump can be running successfully for the highest office in the land, why arent progressives asking how come there is such a thing as a billionaire? Calling Trump a Neanderthal is how cowards avoid asking why his species is not extinct. **** Which brings us to the last if not the most interesting reason for Trumps support among blue-collar workers, a reason that might be more apparent if more progressives had done a lick of blue-collar work. Working with matter as opposed to manipulating information requires one to acknowledge certain material facts. Water runs downhill. Electricity always takes the shortest path home. Money talks. A good mechanic doesnt write code to repair your car. He tears down your engine and takes hold of the filthy thing thats making all the noise. If billionaires are calling the shots from behind the scenes of our political process, it makes a kind of gut-level practical sense to have one out in front where he can wield his influence with all the ruthlessness required by a ruthless world. Why elect a puppet to run the show when you can have the puppeteer? The working-class voters who support Trump are not so much ignoring the class differences between themselves and their candidate as acknowledging those differences with perverse candor. Class differences exist everywhere and all the time. They determine our lives, our liberties, and our pursuit of happiness. Its polite not to say so, of course just as its polite not to mention the Clinton administrations support of welfare reform and NAFTA. Part of Trumps appeal is that he is not polite. His remarks about Mexicans, women and Muslims are nothing less than outrageous. That some blue-collar workers allow such remarks to pass and even applaud them is disgraceful. We can only shake our heads in righteous indignation at the gross insensitivity of people whose livelihoods have been shipped overseas year after year, with nary a peep of objection from the rest of us, cheering Trumps call to do the same thing to their neighbors. Then again, maybe they think the deportees are lucky to be going where the jobs are. People who support Trump, however unrealistic and unsavory his pronouncements, are making a blunt assertion of whats real. Many of them will say that the reality theyre asserting is Islamic State terrorists or hordes of undocumented workers, but at bottom, the reality is none other than Trump himself, the capital that trumps everything. **** It should come as no surprise that I will cast my vote in the primary for Bernie Sanders. I believe he would make a good president, certainly the best president of anyone currently in the field. My hope is that some of those who now support Trump will come to see their real interests with Sanders, and Sanders real allegiance to them. Minus the bigotry and fear, he is in many obvious ways one of them. You can take the boy out of working-class Brooklyn, but you cant take . . . etc. If I have any tactical worry about the Sanders campaign, it is that his relentless and admittedly overdue focus on the depredations of the billionaire class will resound in working-class ears as an enticement to envy. This will not do. Whats needed now is not so much a denunciation as an evocation, a vision of a more egalitarian society in which people have a better chance of becoming their best selves. Peter Maurin, who together with Dorothy Day founded the Catholic Worker Movement in the 1930s, spoke of the need to create a society in which it is easier for men to be good. At bottom that is what most men and women want, including some of those whose hate-twisted faces appear screaming at Trump rallies. They want to be good. Liberals and progressives would want the same thing except that as they will be the first to tell you they already are. Garret Keizer is the author of Getting Schooled: The Reeducation of an American Teacher. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook In a state where direct democracy is considered a birthright, activists have often bypassed legislators and asked voters to write laws at the ballot box. But one year after the enactment of what was hailed as a major electoral reform to encourage compromise between the two lawmaking processes, theres still skepticism of working inside the world of Sacramento politics. Even from some politicians who work there. We dont have the time, in Californias future, to water down critical legislation, said Assemblyman Roger Hernandez (D-West Covina) as he joined organized labor groups last week in submitting voter signatures for a November ballot initiative to raise the states minimum wage. Advertisement The wage measure, plus a handful of others likely to secure a spot on what may be a blockbuster statewide ballot this fall, covers a topic on which there are now negotiations at the state Capitol for the Legislature to act on its own. And the overhaul of the states initiative law, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2014, is designed to give backers of would-be ballot measures a prominent role in those negotiations. Most notably, it allows legislative hearings on an initiative any time its backers gather at least 25% of the voter signatures needed to qualify for the ballot. Backers of the minimum wage initiative crossed that threshold last September. But no hearings have been held. In fact, documents provided by the secretary of states office show that the Legislature has now been notified that there are six initiatives aimed at the November 2016 ballot that have gathered enough signatures for formal hearings, with some having been eligible for almost a year. That kind of delay wasnt what some advocates of the initiative reform law were expecting. I think we would all like to see those hearings take place sooner, said Trudy Schafer, senior program director for the League of Women Voters of California. The concept of compromise to stave off ballot fights was part of the original initiative process created in 1911. But the mechanism was never used, and was eliminated in 1966. The 2014 law is, in some ways, a return to the old system but with new flexibility. Not only can initiatives now be amended after a period of public comment, but they can be withdrawn if proponents hammer out a compromise with lawmakers a window for deal-making that stays open even after many initiatives have qualified for the ballot. Those modifications notwithstanding, skepticism remains. In most cases, theres not a whole lot of room for negotiation, said Jerry Meral, an environmental advocate and former state official who is the proponent of a $6-billion water bond he hopes to place on the fall ballot. Meral said he wrote his initiative and started collecting signatures after watching how hard it was to reach political consensus over the last legislative water bond, Proposition 1 in 2014. We felt the prospects of a new legislative bond, signed by the governor, were very dim, he said. The idea of more political compromise has long had appeal with voters. In a 2013 statewide poll by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, almost eight in 10 voters who were surveyed endorsed the idea of more time for initiative backers and lawmakers to work together in search of common ground. But that presumes theres actually a willingness by the Legislature and powerful interest groups to work together. In many cases, theres not a deal to be had, said Dustin Corcoran, chief executive of the California Medical Assn. The doctors group is backing a pending initiative to extend a temporary income tax on the states highest earners, an effort that would have met certain defeat had it been proposed in the Capitol. Gathering signatures for an initiative is also costly in some cases, as much as $3 million to qualify for the ballot with paid signature gatherers and wealthy interest groups may be unlikely to back down once that kind of money is spent. Did supporters of the 2014 law promise too much change? Only history can judge whether it was oversold, said Rob Lapsley, a former top state elections official and now president of the California Business Roundtable. A supporter of the new law, Lapsley nonetheless admits that it will at best only defuse some initiative battles. Its better to have the opportunity than not, he said. Legislators are making plans to look at the pending initiatives, but some of the mandated public hearings may not happen until spring. Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), who chairs one of the committees that will review tax initiatives, argues that early discussions arent the key to avoiding expensive ballot measure campaigns. If youre actually going to come up with a compromise, these things always happen at the last minute, he said. Hertzberg said the new law is designed to better harmonize the relationship between those elected to write laws and the system that allows voters to do so on their own. Still, though, he admits theres no way to avoid many of the nastiest and most expensive ballot fights through which California voters are often dragged. It doesnt guarantee a change, said Hertzberg of the new process. But it does guarantee a discussion. john.myers@latimes.com Follow @johnmyers on Twitter and sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter ALSO: Fall ballot could be blockbuster Follow the action in Sacramento on our Essential Politics news feed An Army sergeant from Glendale serving in Iraq was killed last week in a rollover accident, Army and Department of Defense officials said. Sgt. Joseph F. Stifter, 30, suffered fatal injuries when his armored vehicle rolled over at Al Asad Airbase in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, the Department of Defense confirmed Friday. NEWSLETTER: Get the latest 818 headlines straight to your inbox >> A spokeswoman with the 1st Infantry Division said other people were injured in the crash, and the incident is under investigation. Stifter was a field artillery cannon crew member with the 1st Infantry Division deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, officials said in a statement from the Armys 1st Infantry Division. Sgt. Stifter was an exceptional soldier and leader in our battalion, said Col. Miles Brown, commander of the 2nd ABCT, in the statement. We are deeply saddened by the loss of a member of the Dagger family. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Dagger brigade go to his family and friends during this difficult time. His memory will forever remain with those who served with him. Stifter joined the Army in May 2011 and moved to Fort Riley, Kan., in January 2012. He was deployed to Iraq with his unit in October, according to Army officials. Stifter received three Army Commendation medals, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Combat Action Badge. He is survived by his wife, daughter, mother and father, according to the Army statement. Late last year, Rebekah saw herself in a way no one had ever portrayed her before. Homeless since September for the second time in her life, along with her husband and their two dogs, the woman said she felt like she was often looked down on and ignored by her local community in Santa Ana. But artist Brian Peterson changed that perception with a simple question: May I paint your portrait? Advertisement And with that colorful painting, showing Rebekahs smiling face, Peterson not only gained her trust but also made her feel appreciated for the first time in months. People like him help us feel like were not in the dirt all the time, said Rebekah, through tears. She said she did not want to disclose her last name for privacy and safety reasons. The painting of Rebekah is one of about a dozen that Peterson has created since starting the Faces of Santa Ana project, which focuses on the citys homeless, last spring. Peterson said he was inspired to launch the project after reading a book about sacrificial love and showing love to your neighbor. Halfway through the book, I told my wife, Vanessa, that I had to go downstairs to talk to that guy that we always see, said the 29-year-old Santa Ana resident who works full-time as a car designer for Kia Motors in Irvine. He was always screaming on the corner. We just always knew him as the screaming homeless guy, but I wanted to know his name. I didnt know I would paint a portrait of him ever, but one day after work, I found him and sat next to him. In the midst of talking to him, I asked if I could paint his portrait. His story was all over his face. Peterson, who studied art and design at the Cleveland Institute of Art, begins the Faces of Santa Ana process by befriending his subject and then taking a picture of him or her with his phone. From black-and-white prints, he paints colored versions on canvas. I try to be as vibrant as I can with them because the people obviously have lost a lot of the color in their lives, he said. He sells the portraits for $1,500, and with each sale, Peterson deposits $1,000 of the profits into bank accounts, which he calls love accounts, for his subjects. When they need something, he can access the accounts to cover the cost. Through his efforts and some extra fundraising, he was able to purchase a van for Rebekah, her husband and their two dogs to sleep in at night. He has also purchased wheelchairs, train tickets and Army cots and covered the cost of motel rooms for other homeless people he has met. I know it sounds cliche, but I feel like Ive found my calling, and that is using the talents that Ive been given to help people, Peterson said. Ive realized that and learned that arts can help someone, both with financial reasons and also emotional ways. The art changes them from the inside. When they see their portraits, they realize someone cares about them. James Lee Lorail McDonald III, 33, has been living on the streets of Santa Ana for about two years. He said he thinks of Peterson as his go-to guy. Every time I go through something, Brian is there for me, said McDonald, who had his photo taken by Peterson at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center. Im not talking just financially. Im talking emotionally and mentally. I trust him and I know he cares immensely for me. McDonald, who is also an artist, drew the background of his portrait to express himself. He said he was proud of his first professional collaboration. When I get a place of my own, Im going to get a copy of my own portrait so I can study it, he said. Theres so much in it that I dont even understand, but it came through. I was dumbfounded when I met Brian .... Ive had people do some sketches of me, but Ive never had anyone immortalize me in that way on canvas before Brian. Petersons work is the subject of a 13-minute documentary, also called Faces of Santa Ana, that will be premiering at the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana at 2 p.m. Feb. 6. His paintings will be on display the same evening at 5 p.m. at 211 Gallery in Santa Ana. Documentary producer Wendy Campbell, who works at Eye Skate Media in Los Angeles, said she discovered Petersons work through Facebook and felt compelled to help his cause. Speaking from myself, I see homeless people every day and I just kind of ignore them as if they dont exist, she said. I told Brian that what hes doing is letting us, the people that are ignoring these human beings, see them through his eyes. Hes opening our eyes in that process. From my perspective, I just think that one of the things that Brian always says is he humanizes them. Hes made me more aware of everyone that I see and has made them human for me. I say hello to them now and dont ignore them anymore. If Brian can do that for 100 people or 1,000 people or 10,000 people, how amazing is just that step alone? Still, Peterson maintains that he isnt trying to end homelessness. This project isnt trying to solve homelessness as an issue, he said. Its just trying to connect people with people. Its a person-to-person connection. Its an incredible thing. Through Petersons paintings and the documentary, Rebekah and her husband have begun receiving financial help from an admirer of the artists work. Rebekah likens Peterson to Jesus Christ. Brian brought us from hopeless to hopeful, she said. Because of his help were on our way to not being homeless anymore, and we can get the healthcare we need. Faces of Santa Ana changed my life. It changed me husbands life. It changed our dogs lives. Its a real display of Gods love. Starting Monday, dozens of ashtrays atop trash cans will be moved out and signs along the lines of Thank you for not smoking will be moved in as Chapman University becomes the latest of Orange Countys smoke-free campuses. At Chapman, smoking had already been banned in all campus buildings, in quad and courtyard areas and within 20 feet of building entrances. The new policy means the entirety of the grounds will be off limits to smokers, who would have to venture to the Orange city sidewalks that encircle the campus to light up. Since 2007, the more than half a dozen university and college campuses in the county from Fullerton College to Saddleback in Mission Viejo have enacted bans on the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, water pipes, pipes, hookahs and other tobacco products. Advertisement These movements to ban the clouds of smoke on local campuses have been driven, for the most part, by students. The impetus for the movement is clear, said Harold Hewitt Jr., Chapmans executive vice president and chief operating officer, in a news release. Colleges and universities are making this commitment in order to promote good health, including protecting non-smokers from secondhand smoke. Hewitt congratulated the Chapman University Student Government Assn.'s Sen. Henry Callander and President Josh Nudelman on their efforts to make the campus in Orange a smoke-free one. This was for the rights of the nonsmokers because individual smoking on campus affects everybody, said Nudelman in an interview. Were not telling people they have to stop smoking. They just cant smoke on campus where other people are choosing not to smoke. Among their first steps, he and Callander released a survey in September asking if students were in favor of a tobacco- and smoke-free campus. Around 650 students, or about 10% of Chapmans student population, responded. Just over 78% expressed support for the smoke-free route, 16% were opposed and almost 6% indicated they were impartial or other. With the apparent support of students the smoking issue didnt get any traction last year when a member of the student government brought it up the two had the impetus to keep on going. Nudelman and Callander reviewed the no-smoking policies of other campuses and also sought advice from a vice chancellors office and other school officials. From there, they wrote up a policy and sent it to the faculty senates executive board the governing body of Chapmans faculty for fine-tuning and then to Chapmans 27-member student government, its faculty senate and finally senior staff for approval. While the policy was being reviewed in late November, Callander submitted a letter to the faculty senate detailing his motivation. He shared a story of Jill Costello, his teammate on their high schools rowing team. Costello was recruited to UC Berkeley and began her first year at the university in 2009. In 2010, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and died the same year. Although there is not sufficient enough information to prove that the incident was related to secondhand smoke, it is known that Jill never smoked in her life, Callander wrote in his letter. And professionals speculate that exposure to smoke on Berkeleys campus had a large part of her death. Since 1964, around 2.5 million nonsmokers have died from health problems that arose from exposure to secondhand smoke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also reported that cigarette smoking causes over 480,000 deaths each year in the United States, including 90% of lung cancer deaths, and that more women die from lung cancer each year than from breast cancer. As the Chapman no-smoking policy moved through the hierarchy, numerous adjustments were made. Issues that needed to be addressed were how to handle smoking in a university-sponsored theater production or film class, whether to prohibit the sale of tobacco products on campus and how to address infractions or unresolved problems related to the policy. It was during a meeting with Jerry Price, Chapman dean of students, on Jan. 12 that Nudelman was informed that senior staff had signed off on the new policy, making Chapman a smoke-free campus as of Feb. 1, the first day of Chapmans spring semester. I was stunned, Nudelman said. I thought it would take longer. * Other school efforts Irvine Valley College became a smoke-free campus as of May 26. That effort, by students, staff and faculty, was jump-started after an afternoon spent cleaning up cigarette butts on campus. We had a collective cigarette butt day that involved representatives from all over our student clubs, grounds people, faculty and administration, said Glenn Roquemore, Irvine Valley College president. The 20-member team picked the cigarette remains and put them in a 5-gallon jar. In just one hour, they had collected 6,997 cigarette butts. I dont believe we covered the entire campus either, Roquemore said. The jar was placed in the foyer of the schools student services building. Simultaneously, a group of students, faculty and staff at Saddleback Valley College was also discussing turning the Mission Viejo campus into a smoke-free zone, according to Irvine Valley spokeswoman Diane Oaks. The South Orange County Community College Districts director of public affairs, Tere Fluegeman, said the move for both schools, which are both part of the district, was mainly student- and faculty-driven. At UC Irvine, the Student Task Force Advocating Reducing Tobacco had completed a proposal to ban campus smoking in 2007. It wasnt until a smoking ban was issued for all 10 UC campuses that Irvines became smoke-free. That was in 2014. According to Marc Gomez, co-chairman of the Smoke-Free Policy Task Force, a staff and faculty group at UCI, the smoke-free initiative came from the office of the university systems president. At Orange Coast College, students in the Extended Opportunity Program and Services (EOPS) honors club started a smoke-free petition in fall 2013, according to media reports. In one month, they garnered around 1,000 signatures. The Costa Mesa schools student senate had several discussions in previous years about being a smoke-free campus, according to district spokeswoman Letitia Clark. Polls were conducted to gauge student support, but the results were so down the middle that a formal policy was never enacted, she said. Separately, Clark said, drafts of a districtwide policy are continuing to be discussed. However, Golden West College in Huntington Beach, which is part of the Coast Community College District with Orange Coast, became smoke-free in May 2007. Two years later, Santiago Canyon and Santa Ana Colleges in the Rancho Santiago Community College District followed suit. According to Americans for Nonsmokers Rights, a national lobbying organization, as of Jan. 1, at least 1,475 college and university campuses in the United States are 100% smoke-free. * Enforcement, resources and challenges After the ban at Fullerton College in 2007 eradicated all campus ashtrays, flames would occasionally appear in trash cans, perhaps because careless smokers were still lighting up, according to media reports. Fullerton is the first two-year college in Orange County to ban smoking. When Cal State Fullerton became smoke-free Aug. 1, 2013, the school began offering training for students to become Fresh Air Advocates, who would politely ask smokers to put out their cigarettes. Irvine Valley will issue warnings and citations to students, faculty or staff for smoking on the grounds, and the schools Health and Wellness Center offers a smoking-cessation program to help those looking to cut back and even quit the habit. Similarly, some UCI offices make free Nicorette gum and patches available, according to Joe Rizkallah, the assistant director of environmental health and safety for the university. Rizkallah and other university and college campus officials said one challenge in enforcing a no-smoking policy is communicating to international students about the shift in the culture. We advise the students as theyre applying here to note that UCI is a smoke-free campus, Rizkallah said. Its a cultural evolution, but we have a high compliance here. Its not perfect, but it is going really well. Back at Chapman, Nudelman said he heard from some international students who told him smoking in movie theaters and restaurants is not prohibited in their home cities. Kimaya Singh, an international student at Chapman, grew up in Muscat, Oman, a city just outside of Dubai. During her time in Muscat and her travels to Europe, she found that smoking is not so taboo in those places. In Muscat, youll see it as you walk through parks or the beach, Singh said. Some of my friends who are students in Europe will have a cigarette once a week or every couple of days. Its not so much an addiction, but a social activity. * The future At Chapman, under the new no-smoking policy, the act of smoking in scenes in university drama and film class productions must be approved by the dean of that respective department. If its a key part of the show, we wouldnt want to take away from the artistic aspect of it, Nudelman said. Student government is currently discussing how members of the Chapman community can report people seen smoking on campus. This project is a very important one for our campus, as its one of the first times that our Student Government has affected a huge amount of change with a high amount of publicity, Callander said. Regarding the new signage, Nudelman said it was important to design something that would positively enforce the policy, such as a Thank you for not smoking line. While the schools transition to being smoke-free environment is underway, other campus campaigns may be just around the corner. According to Nudelman, Chapmans student government is currently exploring what can be done to get automated external defibrillators on campus and as well as security cameras in parking structures to improve safety. Thirty years ago, Allan McDonald faced one of the toughest decisions of his life. As an engineer in charge of building rocket boosters for NASA, McDonald knew that the plan to launch the Challenger space shuttle on Jan. 28, 1986, was flawed because one of the pieces wouldnt hold up in the cold temperatures predicted for that day. McDonald and other scientists explained this to NASA the night before launch, but their objections were disregarded. He then refused to sign off on the required launch recommendation report, even knowing that his career could be on the line. Advertisement But the launch went ahead as planned, and the Challenger lasted only 73 seconds before breaking apart midair, killing all seven on board, including Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire who had been touted as the first American civilian to go to space. My heart about sank because I realized this failure really did precipitate from the exact problem we had discussed the night before, said McDonald in a recent interview. It was a horrible disaster that should have been avoided. This file photo, taken on Jan. 28, 1986, shows a solid fuel rocket booster as it disappears behind the contrail of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger over Kennedy Space Center as debris from the orbiter begins to fall to earth. The U.S. space shuttle exploded seconds after lift-off, killing its crew of seven. (Bob Pearson / Getty Images) To help the public better understand what went wrong with the Challenger, McDonald announced last week, with the 30th anniversary of the disaster only a couple of days away, that he would be donating his papers and other artifacts to Chapman University in Orange. These materials will join those of Roger Boisjoly, one of McDonalds colleagues who also opposed the Challenger launch. These primary source documents allow students to delve in and see exactly the decision making process that was going on at the time, said Rand Boyd, coordinator of special collections and archives at Chapman. Its easy for us to oversimplify it and say they should have done this, but it was an amazingly complex decision, and you can see that by looking at the paperwork. McDonald agreed. Im hopeful that some of the material will be accessed by future generations and may prevent them from making the same mistakes, he said during a visit to the college. At the time of the Challenger explosion, McDonald was director of the space shuttle solid-motor project at Morton Thiokol, a NASA contractor that built rocket boosters. When he heard that a cold front was coming in on the scheduled launch day, McDonald alerted some of the other engineers to look into how the low temperatures would affect the O-rings, the circular pieces of rubber that span 12 feet in diameter. The O-rings seal the metal cylinders of the rocket booster together so that no gases can escape. But in cold temperatures, the rubber hardens and loses its seal. McDonald had seen this happen in a rocket booster the year before. So McDonald called on the engineers to look into the data, while he arranged for a teleconference with NASA to alert officials there to the problem. The team at Thiokol recommended delaying the space shuttle launch until the weather warmed up. I was really taken aback by NASAs comments and resistance to accepting the recommendation, McDonald said. A program manager for NASA said, My God, Thiokol, when do you want me to launch, next April? We cant be making new launch criteria the day before launch. McDonald then refused to sign off on the launch recommendation report, calling it the smartest decision I ever made in my life. McDonalds boss signed off on the report instead, and NASA went ahead with its plans. NASA finally said, Al, well pass this on in an advisory capacity, McDonald recalled. And I said, Let me tell you something. I sure hope nothing happens tomorrow, but if it does, I am not going to be the person to stand in front of a board of inquiry and explain why I gave you permission to fly my rocket boosters in an environment I knew they would never qualify to fly in. As McDonald predicted, the cold temperatures made the O-rings ineffective, causing a gas leak hotter than a blow torch that pierced the fuel tank, causing the explosion. McDonald was later called to testify before the presidential commission investigating the disaster, and he lost his position with Thiokol. (He was demoted to manage scheduling for the company.) But eventually McDonald was reinstated by a U.S. House joint resolution and tapped to head the redesign of the rocket boosters to fix the problem. In 2012 he authored the book Truth, Lies, and O-Rings: Inside the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster. The decision to make Chapman the home of the archives came as a result of McDonald and Boisjolys decades-long relationship with Mark Maier, director and founding chair of the leadership studies program at Chapman. A few years after the disaster, Maier reached out to both men, seeking collaboration on a training program that would use the Challenger as a case study on leadership. They agreed, and eventually McDonald started speaking at Maiers leadership development programs across the country. For Maier, the lessons of the Challenger 30 years later are clear: Not only must individuals speak the truth no matter the consequences, but bosses must also encourage employees to do so. As a manager, are you creating a climate where people are so scared of speaking the truth that theyll tell you what you want to hear and not what you need to know? he said, noting that the same leadership failures that doomed the Challenger can be seen in the 2010 BP oil spill, the 2014 General Motors ignition switch scandal and todays problems with the water supply in Flint, Mich. If you dont change the managerial script, the storys going to keep ending the same way. Maier hopes that the Challenger Disaster Archive at Chapman, which is open to the public and will eventually all be available online, will continue to tell McDonald and Boisjolys story. Boisjoly died in 2012. This is a way for Roger, and now Al, to make sure that the lessons from this tragedy arent forgotten, he said. Its a way of creating legacy. In recent years, Anthony Johnson has terrorized the UFC light heavyweight division with his incredible knockout power. Saturday night on Fox, he was matched with fellow top contender Ryan Bader in what was thought to be a solid test moving toward another title shot. It proved to be not much of a test at all. Bader appeared mentally defeated from the moment the fight started and Johnson was declared the winner just a minute and 26 seconds in via knockout. Before Johnson even had the chance to start throwing on the feet, Bader dove in low with a desperation takedown attempt. Unable to gain top position, he settled for a kimura attempt from the bottom. When Johnson successfully worked his way out and was in mount position, Bader simply covered up. Johnson threw down a few punches and the fight was stopped with Bader turtled up. Johnson has won five of his last six in the UFC, including four by TKO/KO. He will almost certainly fight the winner of the upcoming Daniel Cormier-Jon Jones light heavyweight title fight. The Cormier fight would be a rematch from last year. Johnson hurt Cormier early but Cormier survived and scored a submission win. Jones hasnt fought Johnson and it is the most intriguing fresh matchup out there for Jones. Advertisement In the co-feature, Ben Rothwell picked up a remarkable submission victory via guillotine choke over Josh Barnett to establish himself as one of the top heavyweight contenders. Rothwell winning wasnt a shock, but for him to win via submission was completely unexpected. Barnett is one of the best grapplers in MMA and had never been tapped out with a submission hold in his entire illustrious MMA career. Rothwell has won four fights in a row, including over top contenders Barnett and Alistair Overeem. He could find himself competing with Stipe Miocic next for the opportunity to fight the winner of a Fabricio Werdum-Cain Velasquez title fight. It has been an impressive surge for Rothwell, who was once considered a midlevel heavyweight but who has worked his way up the ranks in impressive fashion. For Barnett, its a disappointing setback. At 38 years old and having fought for a decade and a half, Barnett is toward the end of his career. He can still compete at a high level but it will be difficult for him to string together the wins needed to get a title shot. This event was also supposed to serve as the highest profile showcase yet for Sage Northcutt, the 19-year-old prospect hyped up tremendously by the UFC in significant part because of his looks and physique. Three fights into his UFC career, Northcutt was featured on Fox against Bryan Barberena, a relatively unknown fighter taking the bout on short notice. Northcutt was the significant favorite, expected to score a big win on a major stage. Unfortunately for Northcutt, things did not go as planned. In the second round, Northcutt went for a spinning kick and ended up on the ground. Barberena controlled him there with strikes and Northcutt tapped quickly when Barberena began to apply an arm triangle choke from half guard position. Thats not normally a position from which the hold is finished. It was in stark contrast to fellow heavily marketed youngster Paige VanZant, who lost last month but showed tremendous mettle in fighting nearly five rounds through a terrible beating in the process. Northcutt is still very young and may be able to recover to do big things in the sport. However, the nature of the loss, the opponent, and the pre-fight hype are likely to make it hard on Northcutt in the near future. Northcutt will have to prove hes worthy of the sort of attention and promotional push he has received so early in his career. In other action: - Jimmie Rivera was extremely popular in his native New Jersey and the crowd reacted enthusiastically to his exciting unanimous decision win (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) over Iuri Alcantara. Riveras pressure was the difference in the fight as he made it hard for Alcantara to get off. - Former Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine returned to action after over a years hiatus and won a unanimous decision over Jake Ellenberger. The crowd did not appreciate the bout, booing the lack of excitement throughout. - Carlos Diego Ferreira defeated Olivier Aubin-Mercier via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27). The fight was mostly a striking battle in the first and second rounds while Ferreira dominated on the ground in the third. Its another quality win for Ferreira, who has impressed in the UFC against a high level of opposition. - Rafael Natal won his fourth straight UFC fight, stopping a seemingly disinterested Kevin Casey in the third round via TKO. Natal got mount and threw punches until the referee called the contest off. - Wilson Reis picked up a critical win, upsetting Dustin Ortiz via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Reis wants to establish himself as a contender in the flyweight division and Ortiz is one of his biggest wins to date. Reis control of the ground game was the difference in the fight. - Alexander Yakovlev was impressive in victory, becoming the first man to knock out George Sullivan in MMA competition. Yakovlev dropped Sullivan with a hard right hand in the first round and finished the bout with additional strikes on the ground. - The colorful and energetic Alex Caceres was victorious over Masio Fullen after three full rounds (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), breaking a three-fight losing streak inside the Octagon. The fight was more competitive than the scores might suggest. - Randy Brown picked up a hard fought unanimous decision win (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) over a game Matt Dwyer in his UFC debut. Brown was hand selected to compete in the UFC by UFC president Dana White and was a local crowd favorite. - Levan Makashvili and Damon Jackson fought to a lackluster majority draw (27-29, 28-28, 28-28) thanks to a questionable point deduction on Makashvili for a knee to a grounded opponent and accidental eye poke. - In the opener, Tony Martin made Felipe Olivieris UFC debut a rough one, submitting the Brazilian in the third round with a rear naked choke. Olivieri had success with leg kicks early, but Martin took over late. Follow Todd Martin on Twitter @ToddMartinMMA European leaders faced with overwhelming numbers of migrants are tightening their border controls and toughening their rhetoric in an effort to manage the crush of people. In Sweden, Interior Minister Anders Ygeman said last week that up 80,000 migrants who applied for asylum in Sweden last year after fleeing poverty or their war-torn homelands in the Middle East or North Africa could face deportation. In Denmark, legislators passed a bill designed to discourage people from seeking asylum. It included a controversial measure allowing authorities to seize valuables worth more than $1,450 if authorities felt the items could help contribute to the cost of their reception. Sentimental items such as wedding rings are exempt. Advertisement The move in Denmark was vehemently criticized by human rights groups and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Many people likened the measure to the confiscation of possessions from Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust. The Danish bill also increased the amount of time before refugees could apply for family reunification from one to three years. The practice allows for a family member who has successfully migrated or been granted asylum to request that the remainder of the family join him or her. Observers said harder-line stances from European Union countries, some of whom were previously openly welcoming of refugees, had in many cases been born out of necessity. Some EU member states are really struggling to find accommodation for the new arrivals, said Elizabeth Collett, director of the Migration Policy Institute Europe. Its a system under pressure. In Sweden, approximately 163,000 migrants applied for asylum in 2015, more relative to its population size of 9.8 million than any other European country. It has put excessive strain on services, and the interior minister admitted his country had a big challenge ahead. We will need to use more resources for this and we must have better cooperation between authorities, he said in an interview Wednesday with Stockholms daily newspaper Dagens Industri. European nations also have a political incentive for introducing bold and seemingly anti-migrant measures: namely, to get other EU countries to share the burden and deter other people contemplating the journey. They are trying to send a tougher message internationally to all potential arrivals that its not going to be as easy as you think it is, Collett said. In some countries theres [also] a lot of rhetoric like this to demonstrate to the public they have got a handle on things. European leaders have been at loggerheads for months over how to deal with the seemingly never-ending flow of migrants, and there appears to be little sign of breakthrough. Greece was criticized by the European Commission last week for having seriously neglected its obligation to control the external border of Europes so-called Schengen zone the passport-free area. The Greek government hit back at what it called the EUs blame games and criticized the lack of a coherent response. Overall, more than 1 million refugees and migrants are believed to have traveled into Europe last year. Cold temperatures and perilous winter weather have made the crossing even more dangerous but do not appear to have dramatically reduced the number of people from attempting the crossing. Since the start of the year, an estimated 46,000 migrants fleeing poverty have arrived in Europe, according to the United Nations. In the absence of any cohesive strategy, many European countries feel they have no option other than to introduce their own rules to control the flow of people. Sweden recently introduced identity checks for travelers coming from Denmark and also made it harder for businesses to hire immigrants who lack official documentation. There have also been calls for greater security checks as well as an investigation into overcrowding at holding facilities after a 22-year-old employee at an asylum center near Gothenburg was stabbed to death. A 15-year-old who was staying at the center for 14- to 17-year-old unaccompanied youths was arrested. Madelaine Seidlitz, senior legal advisor on refugees, migrants and international law at Amnesty International, warned that such piecemeal measures can have dangerous consequences. Join the conversation on Facebook >> We do agree with the Swedish government on the need for all EU countries to act according to mutual obligations, but we see that these kinds of statements and policies contribute to the domino effect that we see all over Europe. Germany has toughened its asylum rules to stem the flow of migrants through its borders, but also to get those more resistant countries to do their part. Chancellor Angela Merkel had previously been one of the European leaders most vocally welcoming to refugees and said there would be no limit on the numbers taken in. Seidlitz said the situation regarding policy toward asylum seekers and refugees in Europe had never been so dark. And none of these measures appears to have yet achieved the most critical aim: preventing the loss of life. On Saturday, at least 37 people drowned when their boat struck rocks and capsized off Turkey, officials said. Among them were several babies and young children. Leaders dont want to go through another year of high levels [of migration] when they dont know if security can handle it, [or if] their infrastructure can handle it, Collett said. Boyle is a special correspondent. ALSO The story of a wife who lured an O.C. fugitive out of Iran More Korean seniors are stepping up to donate their bodies to science With no Trump onstage, GOP hopefuls make sounds Californians seem to like Rival delegations in the Syrian peace talks were scheduled to meet Monday with the chief United Nations mediator, but the threat of an opposition walkout still hung over the fragile process -- the most concerted diplomatic effort to date aimed at ending the almost five-year Syrian conflict. Even as U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry taped a video appeal urging both sides to make the most of this moment, a series of suicide bombings outside Damascus on Sunday again dramatized the punishing wave of destruction and carnage that has overtaken Syria. Islamic State, the militant faction that emerged from the chaos of the Syrian conflict, took responsibility for Sundays attacks, which killed at least 50 and injured more than 100, Syrian state media reported. Advertisement Islamic State and the Al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front have been excluded from the Syrian peace talks here as terrorist organizations. But Sundays sectarian-fueled attacks near a Shiite Muslim shrine outside Damascus underscored the myriad obstacles to bringing peace to Syria. Syrian government and opposition contingents were slated to hold their first working sessions Monday with Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. mediator, officials said, following several informal and preparatory meetings. Many viewed the development as a sign of hope that the tenuous process would move forward. But the opposition negotiating team warned that its members were prepared to leave if Damascus does not grant several concessions upfront, including releasing prisoners and ending bombardment and sieges of rebel-held zones. The opposition group called its demands non-negotiable. If the [Syrian] regime insists on committing crimes, then there will be no justification for the delegation to remain in Geneva, Riad Hijab, coordinator of the opposition High Negotiations Committee, warned in a Twitter message. The presence of the delegation in Geneva is tied to the improvement of the humanitarian situation, and not in the framework of the negotiation process. The committee, an umbrella organization of Syrian armed groups and political dissidents formed last month in Saudi Arabia, is the main opposition group present in Geneva. Syria and its close ally, Russia, have complained that the committee includes representatives of several Islamist extremist factions. The Syrian government said it was willing to discuss any issue raised by the U.N., but rejected pre-conditions being imposed before discussions have even begun. Those who talk about pre-conditions are amateurs in politics and it means that they are coming to the Geneva meetings to undermine [them], the governments chief representative, Bashar Jaafari, said at a news conference here, as each side aimed verbal salvos at the other. Jaafari, Damascus ambassador to the United Nations, cited the oppositions demands and its tardy arrival in Geneva as proof of lack of seriousness and responsibility. Most of the opposition delegation did not arrive in Geneva from Saudi Arabia until Saturday, a day after the talks formally began. They came after frequent threats to boycott the talks, threats that still hang over the proceedings. The opposition committee is backed by Saudi Arabia, which has funneled arms and other aid to groups fighting to topple the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The official Syrian media derisively referred to the rival coalition here as the Riyadh opposition, a reference to its patronage by the oil-rich kingdom. In his videotaped message, Kerry called the talks a pivotal phase in a coordinated international effort aimed at reaching a cease-fire in Syria, ensuring humanitarian access to needy and blockaded zones, and creating a political transition and U.N.-backed elections within 18 months. We call upon the parties in Geneva to take the first urgent steps and not to miss the chance this moment presents, Kerry said. Kerry pointedly blamed Assads government for much of Syrias humanitarian tragedy, charging that Damascus had approved only 13 of 113 requests from the United Nations to deliver humanitarian aid since the beginning of 2015. Syrian officials routinely blame terrorists for regularly disrupting and hijacking humanitarian convoys and hoarding aid in rebel-held zones, while using civilians as human shields to protect against government bombardment. The United States has been allied with Saudi Arabia in efforts to oust the Assad government in Damascus. But the Obama administration has backed off from earlier demands that Assad leave office at the start of a transition process. Two years ago, Syrian peace talks in Switzerland collapsed amid deep disagreements about Assads fate and the governments insistence that fighting terrorism should be the priority. The emergence of Islamic State, along with a refugee crisis that has sparked an outcry in Europe, has added urgency to resolving the Syrian crisis. Still, it remained unclear late Sunday if negotiations between the government and opposition activists would even take place. On Sunday, De Mistura, the chief U.N. mediator, and his deputy made courtesy visits to government and opposition contingents at their respective hotels here, the U.N. said. We are here to ensure that Syria is free of dictatorship and free of terrorism, Salim Muslet, an opposition committee spokesman, said Sunday in a statement. We are here to make this a success no matter how long it takes. Jaafari, the government representative, also said that Damascus was committed to the process. As a government delegation, we have no preconditions to propose to anyone, and we dont have taboos, Jaafari said, according to the official Syrian media. We are here to hold dialogue over any issue raised via De Mistura. The expected negotiations, if they begin, will not be face-to-face sessions but rather proximity talks, in which the two sides remain in separate rooms while U.N. officials shuttle between the various delegations. Syrias war, Kerry warned, could easily engulf the region if left to spiral completely out of control. Already, the conflict has killed more than 200,000 people, left much of the country in ruins, spawned a new global generation of radicalized Muslim militants and created a refugee crisis that has reverberated in the region and in Europe. To date, there is no agreement on any kind of a cease-fire or let-up in hostilities across Syria. Bulos is a special correspondent. Twitter: @mcdneville Obesity, Diabetes Among Pregnant Women Could Lead to Higher Risk of Autism in Children media@latinoshealth.com By Christon Jervil Jan 31, 2016 05:13 AM EST The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about one in 68, or around 1.5 percent, of the children in the United States have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). According to a new study, the risk of babies born with autism increases when the mother suffers from diabetes and/or obesity. The study, published in the Pediatrics journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), is the first to look into the independent and combined effects of maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and maternal diabetes on the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in parallel with other developmental disorders (DDs). "The finding is not a total surprise," said study author Dr. Xiaobin Wang, director of the Center on Early Life Origins of Disease at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. "Many studies have shown that maternal obesity and diabetes have an adverse impact on developing fetuses and their long-term metabolic health." "Now we have further evidence that maternal obesity and diabetes also impact the long-term neural development of their children," she added. For the study, the researchers studied the link between autism and maternal health among 2,734 mother-child pairs from the Boston Medical Center and were followed during the study period between 1998 and 2014, Reuters reported. Wang and his team found that the risk of autism among babies born to women who are either obese or diabetic increases to about 3 percent. The number rises even more to about 5 to 6 percent when the mothers suffer from both obesity and diabetes. Although the absolute risk of the rate of ASD among people in the United States is lower compared to other common pediatric diseases like obesity and asthma, the impact of ASD on the lives of both the patient and the families involved is huge, according to Dr. Wang. Today, almost one for every three women in their childbearing age are obese, while about one in 10 have diabetes. During pregnancy, around 2 percent to 10 percent of mothers develop diabetes. "It is really good advice for women to achieve a healthy weight and get diabetes under control before becoming pregnant for many reasons not related to autism," Renee Gardner, a public health researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Solna, Sweden, told Reuters in an email. Gardner, who was not part of the research, added that those pregnant women who are either obese or suffering from uncontrolled diabetes have a higher risk on both their health and the children's including risk of serious pregnancy complications, C-section delivery and miscarriage. Subscribe to the latinos health newsletter! This week in social media, Facebook took on Periscope by opening up live streaming on iPhone to everyone, while Twitter had one of its worst weeks ever. Meanwhile, Snapchat made it easier to add friends in an update to its app. It's time for another round of Social Media Sunday! Facebook Opening Livestreaming to Everyone This week, Facebook officially opened the livestreaming feature it had reserved for public figures and celebrities to everyone. Well, anyone in the U.S. with an iPhone, for now. The move, as Wired noted, is squarely aimed at (seemingly the only strength of) Twitter, and its live video streaming app Periscope. Those with Facebook on their iPhones will notice a new icon under the status update section, showing an upper body with a double halo over its head, which is the new live video button. Facebook said the feature would be rolled out to its Android app in the near future. Taking on Uber? While Facebook seems to be doing a great job of trouncing its chief rival, Twitter, there are signs it might try to take on Uber at its own game. As Quartz reported, a patent application has surfaced online that shows a design for ride sharing through the Facebook platform, similar in setup to Facebook's event screen. The application details that users could select what type of transportation they plan on taking to get to a future event, and Facebook would match them to other attendees that plan on getting there the same way -- complete with a mapping system for drivers picking up other Facebookers. The company didn't comment on the application, and it certainly could be one of the myriad technology patents that hint at a tantalizing product that never materializes. At least for now, you can always call an Uber through Facebook Messenger. More Than Like Coming "Pretty Soon" The much-anticipated expansion of Facebook's iconic "Like" looks to be on its way to a timeline near you, "pretty soon," according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The new reactions have been extensively tested outside the U.S. in the past few months, after Facebook decided to create new ways to react to friends' posts. While Facebook denied the possibility of including a "Dislike" the expansion beyond "Like" is motivated by the fact that liking some posts on Facebook is an awkward way to show support, for example, in the event someone posts bad news. There will be six new reactions coming to Facebook, including "angry," "sad," "wow," "haha," "yay," and "love." Twitter Top Twitter Execs Jump Ship Twitter got off to a terrible start this week, as the company's CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted late Sunday that four of Twitter's top executives were leaving the company. Katie Jacobs Stanton, head of media, Kevin Weil, head of product, engineering chief Alex Roetter, and HR executive Brian Schipper had all decided to leave the company, according to Reuters. In the announcement, Dorsey made a point to say they had "chosen to leave," while praising the departing executives and saying that they would be missed. General manager of Vine Jason Toff later announced his departure for a job at Google. Jack Dorsey Rallies the Troops With so much churn at the top of Twitter, along with its continuing terrible performance with Wall Street investors, CEO Jack Dorsey hosted an all-hands meeting for Twitter employees on Thursday. The "epic pep rally" as Re/Code called it, featured Dorsey in motivational speaker mode, while employees were encouraged to tweet about why they love Twitter. Boosting morale was obviously a big necessity at Twitter this week. But as The New Yorker showed in a long report on the company's many deep problems, "The End of Twitter," Dorsey and his troops have a lot of work to do (and fast) if Twitter is to survive, much less recoup its losses over the last year or so. Snapchat Adding Friends Just Got Easier Snapchat is great if you already have an extensive list of friends that are using the service, but adding new friends was always an incredibly overwrought process. As Gizmodo noted, to add a friend, you'd have to open the app and get your personalized Snapcode from the menu bar, have your friend open their Snapchat app, engage the app's camera feature, point it towards and focus it on your smartphone's screen, and take a picture. Now you can just send a link with a unique ULR or you "Share Username" generated by the add friends menu. And you can send it using any messaging service or via text message, thanks to a quiet update Snapchat recently pushed to its app. Terror Groups Eyeing Israel's Destruction from inside NGOs Two stalwarts go sleuthing: "The research suggests that antisemitism is the fuel that primes the PSC engine" 'For as long as these antisemites wrap themselves up in the Palestinian flag, too many people are willing to turn a blind eye. Only against Jews is this type of racism openly tolerated. It is flourishing in schools, colleges, universities, unions and in city councils. In fact, so rampant is the disease now, in some settings you can be ostracised if you do not partake in the frenzy yourself. Bashing Jews has becomes a trendy position for the ignorant social justice warrior. "Palestinianism" is a viral "ponzi scheme" and as it spreads, it carries antisemitism in the undergrowth.' David Collier (2017) 'This new rise in antisemitism, which I had thought long dead, was not shaven-headed white imbeciles from the far right. It was Muslims, a large chunk of it.... Suddenly I grasped that the British far left didnt want people to know about antisemitism because it pointed the finger at people they really, really liked. From that moment on, it all fell into place.... Time and again the same tropes emerged, the same sort of stuff that Streicher and Goebbels would have commended and uttered.... And from that a whole bunch of other stuff emerged: the old blood libel business (a favourite of the repulsive Jenny Tonge).... Nice, avuncular, Jeremy Corbyn, with his peace badges, happily laying a wreath at the graveside of Palestinian terrorists who murdered innocent Jewish athletes, oh, and much much more.... It is the same antisemitism, exactly the same: the obsession with Israel to the exclusion of everything else, the conspiracy theory paranoias, the derangement.... Heres the test if you cannot see the flagrant racism in the BDS movement, and if you are obsessed with the perfidy of the Middle Easts only democracy to the exclusion of all else, you are an antisemite. That means a good proportion of the Labour Party, including the leader, and almost all of Momentum: no brown shirts, no marching bands, but the same old filth, dressed in the clothes of a polytechnic geography lecturer.' Rod Liddle (2018) Pro-Israel Down Under Shalom and Welcome to my blog! I'm the little Aussie blogger who took the screenshot and broke the story of Stephen Sizer's notorious 9/11 post, and I've since broken two other stories that subsequently went viral, one Australia-wide and one, thanks to the sterling work of two other bloggers, worldwide. I remain very surprised and very honoured to have been co-winner, Best Pro-Israel Blog, Hasby Awards, 2013 Please "Like" me on Facebook; my Facebook page is here 'In a region where women are stoned, gays are hanged, Christians are persecuted, Israel ... is different.... Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, only Israel's Arab citizens enjoy real democratic rights.... Israel is not what is wrong about the Middle East. Israel is what is right about the Middle East.' Bibi Netanyahu (20 Iyar 5771; 24 May 2011) Scroll to end for more quotations Tired of anti-Balfour agitprop? Balfour and Beyond Try this for Sizer 'Before the June 1967 Six Day War, there were no such things as "settlements". Palestinians were trying to destroy and displace Israel anyhow. The core problem is not, and never was, "settlements," but the right of Israel (or any non-Muslim nation) to exist inside any borders in that part of the world. If you take a stand that is based on a lie, then that stand cannot succeed. If you try to oppose antisemitism but pretend it is the same thing as "Islamophobia," then the structure on which you have made your stand will totter and all your aspirations will fail. If you try to make a stand based on the idea that settlement construction rather than the intransigence of the Palestinians to the existence of a Jewish state is what is holding up a peace deal, then facts will keep on intruding.' Douglas Murray (31 December 2016) https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9685/britain-little-lies BDS is Antisemitic The Bigotry & Immorality of BDS 'Islamophobia does NOT come from the same wellspring of hatred as antisemitism. Antisemitism is a true prejudice because the hatred and demonisation it promotes derive entirely from lies and a repudiation of rationality itself. Islamophobia is a false allegation of prejudice which is deployed to silence rational criticism based on actual facts about attitudes and practices within the Islamic world. [L]ethally compromised even-handedness is to misunderstand, and thus minimise, antisemitic attitudes and behaviour while shutting down legitimate and necessary discussion of the threat from the Islamic world even to demonise as Islamophobic anyone who draws attention to the extent and consequences of Muslim antisemitism.' Melanie Phillips (14 December 2016) "Selling a house to a Jew is a betrayal of Allah" Maps of Mendacity & Mischief These misleading maps were deliberately prepared to date from 1946 intentionally papering over the momentous events that had occurred between 1917 and 1945. Attempts to unravel binding precepts of international law established between 1917 and 1945 and failing to insist on their being upheld and enforced has a lot to do with the sorry situation the world finds itself in today. David Singer (2016) How They Twist the Truth! Jews have re-assumed the role of the canary in the mine and are the first to be targeted, but the world would face the same threat if Jews did not exist. Israel has been at the front lines confronting Islamic extremism but has received scant support... For Jews, the writing has been on the wall for a long time. The virulence of the antisemitic hatred closing in on Jews in Europe (and elsewhere) is horrifying... Europe is today facing a crisis as serious as the confrontation with Nazism. If Western leaders continue behaving like Chamberlain and fail to stand up to this global threat, it could usher in a new Dark Age in which the Judeo-Christian culture is subsumed by primitive barbarism. The writing is on the wall Isi Leibler (12 January 2015) Expose The Lies! There is a war of lies and deceit on the internet generating unbelievable hate by denigrating and delegitimising the legal rights conferred on the Jewish people by the League of Nations in 1922 and the United Nations in 1945. The idea that there are two narratives on the Arab-Jewish conflict is rubbish. There is only one the factual truth that details the return of the Jewish people to reconstitute the Jewish National Home in its ancient biblical, ancestral and historic homeland after 3500 years of dispersion with the unanimous endorsement of the nation states then comprising the League of Nations.... Generals cant fight a war without soldiers. Jews around the world need to join the fight or vacate the internet to the Jew-haters and their lies that repeated often enough eventually become accepted as truth. David Singer (2016) Exposing Lies The "Apartheid" Slur The division of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) into three separate areas A, B and C was agreed on by Israel and the PLO pursuant to the Oslo Accords. 95% of the West Bank Arabs live in Areas A and B and their daily lives are under the total administration and control of the PLO since the Palestinian Authority was disbanded by Abbas in January 2013. The PLO has total security control in A and shares security control in B with Israel. Israel has total administrative and security control in C. Israel is entitled to and will continue to take responsibility for the security of Jews living in the West Bank. Jews were given the legal right to settle in the West Bank under article 6 of the Mandate for Palestine and article 80 of the UN Charter. They did so for decades until they were driven out in 1947 and not able to return there until 1967. There are Arab roads only in the West Bank that Jews are not allowed to use. Jews are also forbidden from entering Area A. Selling land to Jews is forbidden by the PLO under pain of death. The PLO runs the daily lives of 95% of the West Bank Arabs and Hamas runs the daily lives of 100% of the Gazan Arabs. They have been under occupation and subjugation by these two evil groups for the last ten years and given no say in their future or any opportunity to elect others to lead them following the disastrous political decisions of their leaders over the past ten years. Hamas and the PLO do not accept the continued existence of a Jewish State and call for its disappearance. The narratives did not begin in 1948 they began in about 1917. How do you make peace with an enemy that has been obsessed with not recognising any Jewish national rights in former Palestine for the last 100 years? David Singer (2016) Telling the Truth The Jews of the Holy Land ... are surrounded by hostile states 650 times their territory and sixty times their population. Yet their last, best hope of ending two millennia of international persecution - the State of Israel - has somehow survived. When, during the Second World War, the island of Malta came through three terrible years of bombardment and destruction, it was rightly awarded the George Cross for bravery. Today, Israel should be awarded a similar decoration for defending democracy, tolerance and Western values against a murderous onslaught that has lasted twenty times as long. Andrew Roberts (historian) A voice of courage & reason He knows, y'know An Aussie demo against BDS On the left, black people are usually allowed to define whats racism; women can define sexism; Muslims are trusted to define Islamophobia. But when Jews call out something as antisemitic, leftist non-Jews feel curiously entitled to tell Jews theyre wrong, that they are exaggerating or lying or using it as a decoy tactic and to then treat them to a long lecture on what anti-Jewish racism really is. Jonathan Freedland (The Guardian, 29 April 2016) An awkward fact for some! Socialist thought was tainted from its very origins with the heavy baggage of anti-Jewish stereotypes. Robert Wistrich, From Ambivalence to Betrayal:The Left, the Jews, and Israel (2012) BDS hypocrisy! Want more? Israel is understandably obsessed with security, but its greatest security lies ultimately not in the Israeli Defence Forces, but in political warfare.... Most of the world is not deeply interested in what happens in Israel, and probably does not want to be deluged with legalistic defences of particular actions. What it wants is a clear, calm, repeated case. It is a case aimed more at public opinion than at foreign ministries about freedom, democracy, a Western way of life and the need for the whole of the free world to fight terrorism. Sometimes you hear Israelis say: It doesnt matter what we say. The whole world is against us. You can see why they say it, for they are indeed unfairly treated. But when they say it, they are uttering a self-fulfilling prophecy. If they wont say what needs saying, no one else will say it for them. Charles Moore (2010) #Je suis ISRAEL Aujourdhui, lantisemitisme est masque par lantisionisme. Il faut dire les choses comme elles sont! ["Today, antisemitism wears the mask of anti-Zionism. We must tell things as they are!"] Nicolas Sarkozy (27 May 2015) Once again the armies of the Arab nations are coordinating their military efforts to destroy Israel - whatever they say about wishing merely to regain the lost territories.... [I]f the present Arab offensive had been launched at the pre-1967 frontiers, then the Israelis would indeed have been fighting to avoid annihilation. It seems now that the Israelis were right to maintain the ceasefire lines gained in 1967, and that to do so is the only guarantee of their continued safety. Alan Sillitoe (The Times, 11 October 1973) A nuclear Iran threatens our existence Iran and ISIS are competing for the crown of militant Islam... In this deadly game of thrones, theres no place for America or for Israel, no place for Christians, Jews or Muslims who dont share the Islamist medieval creed, no rights for women, no freedom for anyone... [T]he greatest danger facing our world is the marriage of militant Islam with nuclear weapons. To defeat ISIS and let Iran get nuclear weapons would be to win the battle, but lose the war. We cant let that happen...[T]he days when the Jewish people remained passive in the face of genocidal enemies, those days are over. We are no longer scattered among the nations, powerless to defend ourselves. We restored our sovereignty in our ancient home. And the soldiers who defend our home have boundless courage. For the first time in 100 generations, we, the Jewish people, can defend ourselves....Even if Israel has to stand alone, Israel will stand. But ... I know that America stands with Israel... You stand with Israel, because you know that the story of Israel is not only the story of the Jewish people but of the human spirit that refuses again and again to succumb to historys horrors. Bibi Netanyahu (12 Adar 5775; 3 March 2015) The Jews are a peculiar people: things permitted to other nations are forbidden to the Jews. Other nations drive out thousands, even millions, of people, and there is no refugee problem.... [N]o one says a word about refugees. But in the case of Israel displaced Arabs have become eternal refugees.... Other nations - when they are defeated - survive and recover, but should Israel be defeated it would be destroyed.... [A]s it goes with Israel, so it will go with all of us. Should Israel perish the holocaust will be upon us. Eric Hoffer (1968) My archived Tuesday blogs at Elder of Ziyon , Most of the present Arab countries were given their freedom after the 1914-18 War, or after the 1939-45 War.... Yet to listen to Arab spokesmen one might think that they had been cheated ... because they have not also got Israel. Israel is only .2 per cent of the land where Arab States have been established. Surely no fair-minded man can begrudge the Jews their own promised land when it is remembered that for every 2 acres that went to make up Israel, 1,000 acres became Arab.... Why is there an Arab refugee problem? The oil-rich countries have the money. There is no shortage of land, and the Israelis have the technical knowledge to show how it could be developed and made fertile. Bring those things together and the problem could be solved. 3rd Earl of Balfour (1968) Blog Archive January 7, 2015 has already its place in the history of infamy, but also will be the date when the defenders of freedom and democracy will rise and pay tribute to those who died for their freedom and ours. Therefore, we must not forget on which side we are and who are our allies in the defense of the West and its values. Whether we admit it or not, the West is at war with an enemy who will not stop to destroy us... The State of Israel boasts a commandment that, in one of the darkest hours in the fight for liberty Winston Churchill taught: "Never give up". Israel has proven to be a key ally in the fight against Islamism and also an example of how a liberal democracy can resist the jihadist stake and thrive as a Western nation ... Not only France but also all the West should look to Israel to defeat Islamism... friendsofisraelinitiative.org [I]ts impossible to believe that an active antisemite wouldnt if only opportunistically seek out somewhere to nestle in the manifold pleats of Israel-bashing, whether in generally diffuse anti-Zionism, or in more specific Boycott and Divestment Campaigns, Israeli Apartheid Weeks, End the Occupation movements and the like....[T]ell me that not a single Jew-hater finds the activity congenial, that criticising Israel can never be an expression of Jew-hating, not even when it takes the form of accusing Israeli soldiers of harvesting organs... Howard Jacobson (The Independent, 27 May 2013) What has happened to the 800,000 Jews who lived for over 2000 years in the Arab lands ...? Where are they in Arab society today? You dare talk of racism when I can point with pride ... to the fact that it is as natural for an Arab to serve in public office in Israel as it is incongruous to think of a Jew serving in any public office in an Arab country, indeed being admitted to many of them. Chaim Herzog (6 Kislev 5736; 10 November 1975) I stand with Israel, I stand with the Jews.... I defend their right to exist, to defend themselves, to not let themselves be exterminated a second time. And, disgusted by the antisemitism of many Europeans ... I am shamed by this shame that dishonours my country and Europe. Oriana Fallaci For Western countries to side with those who question Israel's legitimacy, for them to play games in international bodies with Israel's vital security issues, for them to appease those who oppose Western values, rather than robustly to stand up in defence of those values, is not only a grave moral mistake, but a strategic error of the first magnitude. Israel is a fundamental part of the West. The West is what it is thanks to its Judeo-Christian roots. If the Jewish element of those roots is lost and Israel is lost, then we are lost too. Jose Maria Aznar Israel is, for us, a normal and a special country. A normal country, because it is just like any other democracy. A special country, because the Jewish culture, which eventually became the Judeo-Christian culture of the dignity of man, is the conceptual foundation of liberalism and democracy. This is why attacking Israel is tantamount to attacking Europe and the West. This is also why disputing Israel's legitimacy and its right to existence means questioning democracy. And this is why we are Friends of Israel. By defending Israel, we are defending ourselves. Marcello Pera Israel ... is beset today by a unique combination of threats. It must defend its people from attack while defending its very right to exist. No other nation in the world faces this dual challenge. To deny Israel's right to confront some of the world's most vicious terrorist groups in order to ensure the safety of its citizens is to corrode international norms from within ... The assault on Israel is one part of a more general assault on the West, on democracy, and on the moral and cultural heritage that grew from the fruitful interaction of Jerusalem, Athens, and Rome ... Should these efforts succeed, similar efforts will certainly be turned against other western democracies. George Weigel Apart from America itself, Israel still stands as the world's brightest model of national self-liberation based on ideals of individual responsibility and human freedom. Israel's ability to withstand Arab attempts to destroy it in one of the longest and most lop-sided wars ever fought serves as an indelible testimony to the strength of democratic culture.... We know from the past that the West paid dearly for ignoring Hitler's war against the Jews. One can only hope it will not pay as dearly for having ignored or underestimated for so long the Arab war against Israel and the Jews. Ruth Wisse The choice before us is not between victory and defeat, but between victory and annihilation. We therefore have not the slightest intention of allowing the re-creation of the conditions of vulnerability in which we found ourselves, abandoned and alone, in the summer of 1967. Diplomat Michael Comay (1970) I am duty-bound to defend freedom, culture, peaceful coexistence, the civic education of children, and all the principles that the Tablets of the Law have rendered universal. Principles which Islamic fundamentalism systematically destroys. This means that, since I am a Gentile, a journalist and a leftist, I have a triple moral commitment to Israel. Because, if Israel were to be vanquished, modernity, culture and freedom would also be crushed. Even though the world has failed to wake up to this fact, Israel's struggle is the world's struggle. Pilar Rahola About Me Daphne Anson I'm a writer/researcher, with many academic books and articles under my own name. Daphne Anson is my blogging alias. Combining the names of two ships, it's a moniker of special significance to me - I'm a naval history buff. I use an alias owing to a perceived need to keep my blogging and professional identities separate. An Aussie, I've long been interested in politics and foreign affairs, having studied International Relations in the USA and Britain for my first degree, and I also hold a doctorate. I began blogging in response to the exponential rise in antisemitism and hostility to Israel in the wake of the Mavi Marmara affair. Another reason I use an alias: http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2015/08/alias-two-ships-daphne-anson.html View my complete profile Followers A lawyer representing convicted killer Steven Avery said advances in forensic testing could help exonerate her client, who is serving life in prison for the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. The 53-year-old murderer gained national attention following the release of the popular Netflix documentary series "Making a Murderer," which explores his case from his perspective, in late 2015. During an interview with NBC's Dateline, Avery's attorney, Kathleen Zellner, said new data collected and tested through advanced technology proves Avery is innocent. "Generally, since 2007, there have been significant advances in forensic testing ... the clearest way to do this is with scientific testing," said Zellner in her first TV interview since taking the case, reports NBC News. "There was a lot of evidence that wasn't tested." Zellner, who specializes in wrongful convictions cases, also argues that there may be other suspects in the case. Meanwhile, Halbach claims that he was framed by local law enforcement officials in Halbach's klling. Before the Halbach's murder, Avery served 18 years in prison for raping a jogger in Manitowoc County. He was then exonerated by DNA evidence and released in 2003. After his release, he filed a $36 million federal lawsuit against Manitowoc County and its former sheriff and district attorney over their handling of his wrongful conviction. However, while the civil suit was underway, Halbach was raped, murdered and mutilated in Oct. 2005, reports The Wisconsin Journal. Evidence suggested that Avery was the culprit in the 25-year-old freelance photographer's slaying, and he was subsequently arrested and convicted. His 16-year-old nephew Brendan Dassey also received a life sentence after giving a four-hour long confession about how he took part in the rape. Nevertheless, Avery has maintained his innocence, arguing that he was framed by the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department. According to Avery's former attorneys, physical evidence implicating him in the crime could have been planted by the sheriff's department in retaliation for the multi-million dollar lawsuit he filed against them. His lawyer also said Dassey, who has a low IQ, was coaxed by police into giving a false confession, which doesn't even match evidence in the murder. "From the evidence I've looked at I think he is innocent," said Jerry Buting, a lawyer for Avery in the Halbach case, to Dateline. "I think he certainly was not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt under the evidence that was presented." However, Ken Kratz, the former district attorney in Calumet County, Wisconsin who prosecuted Avery and Dassey, said "Steven Avery's guilty and deserves to be right where he is." Kratz added, "With any one of these facts, you can come up with a 'what-if' scenario. But at some point this conspiracy theory collapses under its own weight." A judge ruled Friday that Ethan Couch -- the infamous "affluenza" Texas teenager who killed four people during a drunk driving accident -- will remain in juvenile detention as he awaits a hearing to determine whether his case will be transferred to adult court. The 18-year-old returned to the U.S. on Thursday after he and his mother were arrested in Mexico following an extensive manhunt. The two had fled to Mexico in December after a video posted on social media appeared to show the teen engaging in a drinking game. His lawyers say he fled in fear the video would prove he violated the 10-year probation sentence he received at the age of 16 in wake of his fatal car accident in 2013. During the trial, Couch's attorney's successfully kept him out of prison by arguing that he suffered from a condition called "affluenza," which prohibited the rich, spoiled teen from knowing the difference from right and wrong. After being transported out of Mexico last week, Couch was booked into a juvenile detention center in Fort Worth, Texas, reports The Associated Press. Prosecutors and the local sheriff had argued that Couch should be kept in an adult jail until his next hearing on Feb. 19. However, Judge Timothy Menikos sided with Couch's attorneys and said the teen would stay at the juvenile center until the hearing. Meanwhile, relatives of those killed and injured told reporters that Couch is still the same spoiled, rich kid who literally got away with murder. "Over and over and over again his decisions make it clear that nothing has changed," said Tim McLaughlin, whose teenage son was injured in the crash, at the detention hearing, reports CBS DFW. According to him, Couch should be sent to jail for violating his probation because he needs "a wake-up call." "I think going away and doing some time would be a reality check for him," he added. "When you flee the country and you go to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and you're living a life like you're a celebrity, you go to clubs and are spending thousands of dollars. That doesn't scream remorse," said McLaughlin. On the other hand, Couch's defense attorney Scott Brown argued that the teen has changed and is "remorseful" over the fatal crash. "From day one, we have viewed this as a tragedy," says Brown. "The families that lost their family members: that's a loss that none of us can imagine. And nothing that happens in this courthouse or with any judge, or anything with Ethan is ever going to make them whole again." Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran, which are the five Caspian littoral states, have convened in Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan from January 27-29 to talk about the legal status of the sea. The Caspian Sea has been a cause of dispute for these states for over 20 years, and the latest meeting of deputy foreign ministers are still far from solutions. According to the AzerNews, the Ashkhabad meeting aimed to discuss issues regarding the conservation and protection of the biological life of the sea, which is the major concern of the littoral state. The challenges concerning the ecological situation of the aquatic biological life of the Caspian sea is the most important reason to expedite the solutions. During the drafting of the convention on the legal status of the sea in September 2014, significant progress was achieved providing legal guidelines for the comprehensive measures. However, there is still more room for questions to bring further advancements to the sea's legal status. Trend News Agency wrote that the comprehensive measures drafted in 2014 includes protection, primarily sturgeon, agreement on cooperation in preventing and liquidating emergency situations, and the Agreement on Cooperation in hydrometeorology of the sea. While Turkmenistan and Iran are still negotiating their share, Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan have reached an agreement. "We are in favor of the Caspian as a sea of peace and good neighborliness, we seek military building transparency here within the reasonable sufficiency limits. So that the Caspian states could solve all the issues related to the use of this water body," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a report by Vestnik Kavkaza. One of the major reasons for the difficulty of determining the legal status of the sea is due to the identification whether it is a lake or a sea. This could have an impact in provisions fo international law and navigation. Azerbaijan supports the sovereign rights of the states as basis of the legal status of the Caspian Sea.Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan are still unresolved on their negotiations with the offshore oilfields, while Iran is not satisfied with its 12-mile coastline. All these factors hinder the littoral states to reach a single opinion and agree on it. Saudi Arabian family conglomerate Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi and Brothers (AHAB), which owes $6 billion in debt after the 2009 crisis, presented on Thursday details on how to repay its creditors and resolve one of Middle East's longest-running financial disputes. ABC News reported that AHAB CEO Simon Charlton said that as Saudi Arabia is bringing change to its opaque bankruptcy laws and as the kingdom is aggressive in boosting investor confidence, leading to a possible public offering for its state-owned oil company, it would be best to grab the opportunity to settle its debts. Charlton said, "It's untried, untested new territory and new ground, but we're hopeful we'll be able to achieve a successful settlement that will be equal and fair to all claimants." According to The Wall Street Journal, AHAB faced a scandal when it was accused of fraud during the 2009 financial crisis. It loaned billions of dollars from various banks, including international firms like Standard Chartered and BNP Paribas. Ahab's presentation is a step closer to resolving the problem that international firms face when investing in the Middle East, especially with its almost nonexistent insolvency laws. Reuters reported that AHAB asked all its creditors to sign the final terms of the payment restructuring. With 50 percent agreeing, the proposal will become binding. The firm expects this to begin by May. Bank ABC, BNP Paribas, Emirates NBD, Fortress Investment Group and Standard Chartered are the five firms that will negotiate in behalf of the claimants of AHAB's $6 billion debt. AHAB also requested its creditors to provide formal claims by the end of March to determine what claims each firm has on the hospitality, food and real estate group. By agreeing to these claims, AHAB and the claimants can go to the court in Khobar, where the firm's family originated. Bringing the creditors together will make these international creditors in a level with Saudi banks. The European Commission proposed a set of new rules to curb tax avoidance by large companies. This follows Google's 130m "sweetheart" tax deal with UK's HM Revenue and Customs to allegedly avoid paying its fair share of corporate tax that spreads across ten years. Euronews reported that one of the measures would allow EU countries to tax firms even if they have transferred their money to another location to avoid tax payments. This aims to discourage multinational firms from shifting their income from their main companies to their subsidiaries in countries where there are less tax payment requirements. "Every year we lose between 50 and 70 billion euros through tax avoidance. This is unacceptable and we are acting to tackle it. These measures will impose on multinational corporations the same tax rate and the same rules as for other businesses operating within the EU," said EU tax commissioner Pierre Moscovici. According to Reuters, the European Commission also wants to strengthen its guidelines in tax data disclosure. European Parliament studies show that giant corporations can avoid taxes of up to 70 billion euros, or $76.10 billion annually in Europe. These schemes can bring global losses somwere from $100 billion up to $240 billion. This can easily be done legally by reporting the profits made in high-tax countries in other countries with lower tax bands. The European Commission's official website posted the Anti Tax Avoidance Package. Its key features includes new proposals such as legally-binding measures to stop the common schemes used by firms to avoid paying tax; recommendation to Memeber States on how to stop tax treaty abuse; suggestions for Member States to share tax-related data on corporation with businesses in the EU; actions to enhance tax good governance internationally; and a new EU process for recording third countries that does not agree to play fair. These new measures don't come out without opposition. Businesses and banks warned that these new rules may have a negative effect on competitiveness, discourage investments, and raise administrative costs. Jan 30, 2016, 5:01pm ET Toyota production affected by steel shortage An explosion at one of its suppliers\' factories has affected production. Toyota may soon be forced to significantly slow the company's vehicle production in Japan, a result of an explosion at one of its steel suppliers' factories. The explosion took place at an Aichi Steel plant in central Japan January 8. Since then, steel supplying Toyota's Japanese factories has been slowly dwindling. Currently, there is only enough to keep the lines running until February 6, a spokesman told Automotive News. Beyond that, decisions to run the plants will occur on a "day to day basis." Toyota currently produces 14,000 cars a day in Japan, about 40 percent of its global output. It had been on track to build 10.2 million cars and trucks this year, a bump of 50,000 from 2015's tally of 10.15 million. The setback could put a significant dent in these numbers, which gave Toyota the title of world's largest automaker last year (surpassing VW in the wake of its diesel engine cheating scandal). The Aichi Steel plant is scheduled to resume normal operations sometime in March. Toyota declined to say which models would be affected by the shortage. Two teenagers were shot and critically wounded Saturday night in Bethlehem's South Side, according to police. The boys, ages 14 and 16, were being treated for wounds to their bodies -- and one with a wound to the head -- at St. Luke's Hospital in Fountain Hill, city police Chief Mark DiLuzio said about an hour after the 6:30 p.m. shooting in the 1500 block of East 6th Street. Officers found them on the ground, police said. One is in critical condition, while the other is in serious condition. Police had the area around the intersection with Lynn Avenue blocked off as the investigation got underway. Some curious residents briefly wandered near the police tape marking the edge of the scene, though none said they had heard any commotion. Police did not have any suspects or potential motives for the shooting in the investigation's early stage. "It's just too early to tell at this point," DiLuzio said. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Bethlehem 911 center at 610-865-7187. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Residents along East Sixth Street in South Side Bethlehem were still reeling Sunday from a shooting that left two teenage boys hospitalized with serious injuries. Bethlehem Police Chief Mark DiLuzio said the investigation is ongoing into what led to the shooting of the boys, ages 14 and 16, who were gunned down while walking in the 1500 block of East Sixth Street. Shots were reported to have been fired around 6:30 p.m. Saturday. DiLuzio said one teen was shot in the head, as well as his body, and the other in the torso. Both were taken to St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill, the chief said. One teen Sunday morning was listed in critical condition and the other was in serious condition, DiLuzio said. No suspects have been identified and a possible motive remains unclear, DiLuzio said. "We're not sure," he said. "Everything is still being investigated." Neighbors returned home Saturday night to flares and yellow police tape marking off the East Sixth Street intersection with Lynn Avenue. Evidence markers were placed at the intersection by 10 p.m. and officers were searching other areas with flashlights, said a resident in the 1500 block who declined to give her name. "It's scary," she said. "It's normally pretty quiet here. These teens were so young." She said the neighborhood often rallies together when someone is in need and looks out for one another. "It hits close to home," she said. Another man said he got home late Saturday and learned of the commotion Sunday morning. "It depends; it varies," he said about violence in the neighborhood. "When I heard about it, I thought, 'This has to be serious.' Usually when the weather (warms up), everyone is out here." Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Pennsylvania Budget The Pennsylvania House of Representatives would go from 203 members to 153 members under a bill approved by both houses. (The Associated Press) Pennsylvanians know when they've been thrown a crumb. They received a mealy one from the loaf of legislative "reform" last week. By 43-6 vote, the state Senate approved a bill that would -- pending approval again by lawmakers in the next session and then voter approval by referendum -- shrink the size of Pennsylvania's second-largest-in-the-nation legislature. Well, check that. The Senate voted to reduce the size of the House of Representatives, from 203 to 153, but to keep the upper chamber intact at 50. That's the price to get the Senate to go along with any consolidation, having thwarted previous attempts to cut the membership of both houses. The House approved this deal back in May. As reforms go, this one is token and useless -- unless, of course, you buy the Senate's argument that reducing its numbers would shortchange the essential bicameral make-up of representation. Senators complained that larger senate districts would dilute the people's voice in Harrisburg. Some Democrats say any shrinkage would merely strengthen the partisan manipulation of power, socking people into even more gerrymandered districts (benefiting majority Republicans) and allowing special interests to funnel more campaign money to fewer officials. Geez. How do the 48 states with smaller legislatures than Pennsylvania and New Hampshire manage to survive, much less do business? Or pass a budget? There's a temptation here to throw in the towel, to concede this is the best deal Pennsylvania can muster in time for the 2020 census, when the realignment of a smaller House would coincide with the once-a-decade redrawing of legislative districts. Yet it isn't reform. For starters, there's no guarantee the cost to run the Legislature would go down, even with a one-fourth of the House membership gone. (Larger districts would require more support staff. Nudge, wink.) Second, a gerrymander is a gerrymander is a gerrymander. Without action to clean up Pennsylvania's majority-directed redistricting -- without a more independent process in place -- the state could end up with even more distorted, distended districts designed to keep one party in power and incumbents untouchable. Last week two state senators -- Democrats Lisa Boscola of Bethlehem and Anthony Williams of Philadelphia -- offered amendments to create an 11-member impartial commission to handle redistricting, and to make the Legislature a part-time, rather than full-time, body. Both ideas were defeated. A real reform bill would have cut both houses -- say, a 40/120 split -- with a switch to part-time jobs and commensurate reductions in support staff and office costs. Right now the budgets to run the House and Senate are $164 million and $42 million, respectively, although those sums were cut by Gov. Tom Wolf in a line-item veto as part of the ongoing budget standoff. Assuming the Legislature approves an identical bill in the next session -- and voters give their consent in a referendum in 2018 or 2019 -- fewer House members will report for work in 2022. It won't make an iota of difference. Other than House districts swelling from 62,500 constituents to about 83,000, little will change -- except for the few dozen officer-holders who are squeezed out. Rather than play a shell game with House seats, legislators should concentrate on defanging the redistricting process. Hand it over to an independent-minded, citizen-directed panel. How many people should serve on such a board? Would that we were having that argument. Phillipsburg police are fielding requests to help those displaced by a Friday night fire, including one young boy who reportedly aided an elderly neighbor to safety. The home at 74 Bullman St. sustained extensive damage in the blaze reported about 5:30 p.m., which also damaged the buildings on either side. A 9-year-old boy who lived on the first floor alerted a 95-year-old woman living on the second floor to the danger, town fire Chief Richard Hay said Saturday. The first floor family is being sheltered by the Red Cross while the woman is staying with her relatives, Hay said. A post on the police department's Facebook page said clothing donations for three children will be accepted at headquarters, 675 Corliss Ave. Police say they need: For a 12-year-old girl -- pants size 14-16, shirts size women's medium or child's extra large, shoes size 8 1/2. For an 11-year-old boy -- pants size 14, shirts size men's medium/large, shoes size 9 1/2. For a 9-year-old boy -- pants size 12, shirt size kid's large, shoes size 6 1/2 to 7. The police post says additional needs will be publicized as they are learned. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Hay said. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. In spite of the dark suits and solemn hymns at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, there was a celebratory tone to the funeral for Carmen Ruggiero. Ruggiero was born in tiny Roseto on Jan. 21, 1912, the year the Titanic sank and the year in which leaders incorporated the predominantly Italian-American borough near the tip of the Lehigh Valley. The man nicknamed "Armie" died Dec. 20, a month shy of his 104th birthday. At the time, he was believed to be the oldest living Rosetan and one of the last alive to have participated in a landmark 1950s study that tied good health and long life to the close-knit Italian family structure defined by the town. Carmen "Armie" Ruggiero at his 100th birthday party in January 2012 at Stroudsmoor Country Inn in Monroe County. (Courtesy photo) "Everybody firmly believed he had a long, good life and he went the way he wanted to go," said his nephew Sam Nittle, of Wind Gap. "He lived life to the fullest and had no regrets about anything. He was the patriarch of the family." Ruggiero was one of 11 children and never married or had kids of his own. He worked at clubs and taverns, tending bar at popular watering holes like the Buckhorn and Luigi's Ranch-O outside Belvidere and running the bar service at Florida hotspots such as the Boca Raton Resort and Hollywood Beach Hotel. His life and outlook came under special interest by Dr. Mahesh Krishnamurthy, an Easton Hospital specialist in internal medicine. The doctor's fascination with the so-called "Roseto Effect" blossomed after first treating Ruggiero about two years ago. Ruggiero, he said, was a special patient. "He was happy with very little," said Krishnamurthy, program director of the internal medicine residency program at Easton. "I believe that's key. When you feel contented with what you have as opposed to always reaching for the sky and keeping up with your neighbor, it was a lesson learned. "To me his story was told in four words: happy with very little." The Roseto Effect Movies have been made and books written about the secrets of longevity. In 1964, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association hit upon an astonishing find in the hilly town in Northampton County. A University of Oklahoma physician, Dr. Stewart Wolf, studied the effect of social structure on health from 1955 to 1961. He concluded that Roseto's low rate of heart attacks and mortality compared to the rest of the region and the nation was attributable to the close-knit community and generations under one roof typical of Roseto at the time. Roseto produced such results despite health risk factors that were all around: jugs of homemade red wine, foods cooked in lard, the smoking of cigars. Fifty-five years later, Krishnamurthy encountered living proof that there must be something to the hypothesis and believes it might be applied to centenarians in general. Dr. Mahesh Krishnamurthy (Courtesy photo) An article he wrote with a colleague, Dr. Raafia Memon, after spending time with Ruggiero notes that nearly 20 percent of the 55,000 100-year-olds in the U.S. in 2014 lived below the poverty line. "These people have very little income but they have an attitude to life that is phenomenal," Krishnamurthy said. "Mr. Ruggiero told me that's how you live a happy life and a long life. "The moment you start stressing about things, he said, is when the problems come. He believed that being happy with very little was the secret to longevity. "Once people are older, they are very contented people," Krishnamurthy said. "I can't prove it based on the life story of one person, but I have seen it in people like him who don't have a gloomy attitude and aren't ticked off about small things. I do believe that there is something to it." Proud of his independence Most of Ruggiero's siblings lived into their 80s and 90s. He moved to Florida in the late 1960s then came back in the 1990s to help tend to two of his sisters, said niece Kathie Marinucci, of Roseto. He maintained a fierce independence and lived the past few years at the Walden III assisted-living facility in Wind Gap. Ruggiero drove until he was 100, could recall stories from his childhood in vivid detail and passed along traditions to his many nieces and nephews that they say would be lost forever were it not for his insistence. With decades in the service industry, for example, he prided himself on his Caesar salad. "It had to have the 13 ingredients," said Marinucci, who lives in the house where she grew up. "You had to use the wooden bowl, which you never washed, and you had to smash the anchovies." Marinucci and Nittle are brother and sister whose late mother, Rose Nittle, was the youngest of Ruggiero's family. While they looked after their uncle Armie, he lived essentially on his own up until the end. One day last month, he called Nittle at home and summoned him to Walden III. "I need you to come and see me," he said. Nittle said Ruggiero was uncharacteristically serious and business-minded that day. He pointed a crooked finger at his nephew and shook it at him. "He said 'This is my home now,'" a surprised Nittle recalled. "He said 'I had a home in Florida and don't have it anymore. I had a home in Roseto and don't have that anymore. This is my home. I go and come as I please. "'Don't you ever put me in a home and don't you ever let people see me if I can't take care of myself.'" Ruggiero also related something that Nittle says he can't explain today. The family traditionally gathers at Nittle's home on Christmas Eve and the nephew makes Manhattans. "He said, 'I don't want you to feel bad about this, but I'm not coming over this year for Christmas,'" Nittle said. A few hours after leaving, NIttle got a call from his sister. Ruggiero had taken a fall in the dining area and was going to Lehigh Valley Hospital. Doctors said he had fractured his neck in the spill. Ruggiero died of bronchial pneumonia about 10 days later, his family said. "The day this all happened, which was the beginning of the end, is the day he called me and told me all this," Nittle said. A different time Roseto is different today than the town that gained recognition for its endurance. About 1,500 people live there, but the concentration of Italian-Americans has been diluted. In 1989, Dr. Wolf restudied the Roseto Effect and found the mortality rates were in line with other communities such as Bangor and Nazareth. The difference was gone. "The Rosetan values of cohesive family structure started fading away in the late 1960s," Dr. Krishnamurthy said. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Roseto has been the place of worship for generations of the borough's Italian-Americans. (Jim Deegan | For lehighvalleylive.com) Even today, the mayor and most of borough council have last names, like the streets, that end in vowels. But it's not the place it was, according to longtime residents. "Back then everybody knew everyone else," said Michael Romano, 62, the borough council president. "If you walked down the street and you were doing something wrong, the parents didn't have a problem disciplining someone else's child. It's not that way today." You can still get tomato pie and cannoli at Roseto Bakery, formerly LeDonne's, and there's Italian fare and espresso machines for sale at Ruggiero's Market on Dante Street. But the days when Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church was packed and Catholic schools were open have faded like the Roseto Effect. Romano said the Italian-American culture that emphasized education and college served to diminish the effect. "There's still a core of Italians with the church and the fire company, but the composition of Roseto has changed," he said. While the Roseto Effect may be long gone, its documentation remains useful, according to Easton Hospital's Krishnamurthy. He feels grateful to have been able to capture a fleeting phenomenon in Carmen Ruggiero and his stories of Roseto. "All of my patients are equal because I care for their medical conditions," he said, "but sometimes there are cases that speak to you much more. "He had a profound effect on me," he said of Ruggiero. "There was a different connection. He would make you so comfortable and you could talk to him for hours and not even realize it." With further study involving other centenarians, Krishnamurthy hopes to one day publish a medical paper that ties attitude and longevity together. It's something he says is worthy of emphasis. "We're going through tough times all across the world," he said. "I see a lot of discontentment in the youth of today and I don't know how to change that." An old man from Roseto who didn't drive anymore still may have held the keys. "There's something about the centenarians who find joy in small things," the doctor said. "They find a purpose in life. We need to find some level of happiness and contentment with what we are and who we are. "For me, it is going to be a lifelong quest." Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook. TWENTY-four year old Robert Corbet who is charged with the murder of four months pregnant Laois au pair Aoife Phelan appeared before a special sitting of Portlaoise District Court this morning. TWENTY-four year old Robert Corbet who is charged with the murder of four months pregnant Laois au pair Aoife Phelan appeared before a special sitting of Portlaoise District Court this morning. Corbet, with an address at Sheffield Cross, Timahoe Road, Portlaoise, was charged with murdering Aoife on Thursday, October 25 at Capoley, Portlaoise. In evidence, Detective Sergeant John Healy said that in reply to being charged at 11.27pm in Portlaoise Garda Station last night, the defendant shook his head and said no. Dressed in a suit and striped shirt, Mr Corbet, who possesses long corkscrew curled hair and a beard, kept his head bowed and didnt speak during the brief court hearing. Det Sgt Healy applied for the defendant to be remanded in custody to Clover Hill prison until Thursday, November 15. Solicitor Declan Breen asked Judge Catherine Staines to ensure Mr Corbet received pyschiatric attention and he also requested for legal aid to be applied. In regard to legal aid, Superintendent Yvonne Lundon pointed out to Judge Staines that the defendant operated his own haulage business. Judge Staines remanded Corbet in custody to Clover Hill prison and recommended that he receive psychiatric treatment. With regard to Solr Breens application for legal aid, Judge Staines said she would have to receive a statement of means before finalising her decision. There was a significant Garda presence around the Court building. And when Corbet emerged from a rear exit and was escorted hurriedly on his journey to prison, angry members of the public gathered on the street outside roared scum bag and murderer at the patrol car as it travelled away from the courthouse down Main Street. Corbett was initially arrested by Gardai on Monday, November 5 in connection with the disappearance of four months pregnant Ballyroan au pair Aoife Phelan. Garda conducted intensive searches for Aoife at the sealed-off Timahoe Road property and at the River Barrow near Monasterevin throughout Tuesday before the searches were wound down that evening. Corbett was released without charge shortly before midnight on Tuesday. However, after the discovery of Aoifes body following a planned dig at Timahoe Road on Wednesday, November 7, he was re-arrested by investigating Gardai and subsequently charged. Aoife will be laid to rest tomorrow (Saturday, November 10) following 2pm requiem mass in St Patricks Church, Ballyroan. An effort to abolish Delaware's death penalty failed in the state House on Thursday, but proponents of the measure say they will continue fighting until capital punishment is outlawed. The legislation, which would not apply to inmates currently on death row, received 16 votes, short of the 21 needed for passage. Twenty-three lawmakers voted against the bill, which Democratic Gov. Jack Markell has said he would sign. "I had hoped that after giving the arguments careful consideration, the House would realize, as I did, that the death penalty is an instrument of imperfect justice," Markell said in a prepared statement. "I understand that it is an incredibly difficult issue, and I respect all viewpoints. While this was not the time to repeal the death penalty, I believe that time will come." Supporters of the bill, which cleared the Senate last year by a single vote, said they would try to resurrect the measure after a five-week break for budget committee meetings. Under House rules, a bill that has been defeated can be recalled for another vote within three legislative days upon the request of a member on the prevailing side. Rep. Kim Williams, a Newport Democrat who supports abolishing the death penalty, deliberately voted against the bill so she could have it brought back up in March. Meanwhile, Delaware's Supreme Court agreed to accept and answer questions submitted by a Superior Court judge on the constitutionality of Delaware's death penalty statute in light of two U.S. Supreme Court rulings earlier this month. Delaware has 13 inmates on death row but does not have the necessary chemicals to carry out an execution if one were ordered. Delaware is one of 31 states with the death penalty. Nineteen states, along with the District of Columbia, have abolished capital punishment. Supporters of the repeal bill, including many clerics, argue that the death penalty is morally wrong, racially discriminatory, ineffective as a deterrent to violent crime and far more costly than sentencing killers to life in prison without parole. "The death penalty is disproportionately applied to already marginalized populations," said chief House sponsor Rep. Sean Lynn, D-Dover, adding that the roots of capital punishment in Delaware are "forever mired in our history, our past, of slavery and segregation." Several other Democratic lawmakers also spoke in favor of the bill during an emotional, hourlong debate. The only person to speak against the bill was Mary Cairns, invited by House Minority Leader Danny Short, R-Seaford, to speak on behalf of the parents of Lindsey Bonistall. Bonistall, a 20-year-old University of Delaware student from White Plains, New York, was raped and murdered in 2005 by a man now on death row. "By a show of hands, how many of you sitting here today have had their daughter beaten, raped, choked to death and set on fire in a random act of violence?" Cairns asked as lawmakers sat in silence. "Anybody?" Opponents of the bill, including many in the law enforcement community, have argued that it is a necessary and just punishment for those who commit heinous murders. Among lawmakers voting against the bill were House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth, and Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. John Mitchell, D-Elsmere, both retired police officers. Judiciary Committee members voted 6-5 last May not to send the bill to the full House after it passed the Senate. The bill languished in the committee until last week, when Mitchell agreed to send it to the full House. "I remain hopeful," Lynn said after Thursday's vote. "This is going to happen.... It's going to happen, either by the courts or by the legislature." Delaware's death penalty has had a tortuous history over the past 50 years. In 1958, Gov. J. Caleb Boggs signed a bill abolishing the death penalty, making Delaware only the second state in the nation, after Missouri, to abolish capital punishment. Three years later, lawmakers passed a bill reinstating the death penalty after the killings of an elderly Sussex County farm couple. Gov. Elbert Carvel vetoed the measure, but Senate and House lawmakers overrode him. In 1991, lawmakers held a special session to change Delaware's death penalty law, giving judges the final say on whether to impose the death penalty after considering a jury's recommendation. The move came amid public outrage after four men convicted of robbing and murdering two armored car guards all received life sentences after jurors could not unanimously agree on the death penalty. Source: AP, January 28, 2016 A judge has warned two young bucks that they came within an ace of being sent to jail for an unprovoked and vicious attack on a man in Co. Kildare three years ago. A judge has warned two young bucks that they came within an ace of being sent to jail for an unprovoked and vicious attack on a man in Co. Kildare three years ago. Judge Patrick McCartan at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today imposed an 18 month suspended sentence on Robert Rice (20) and Ciaran Ahern (21) and told them they had been reckless in the extreme in contesting the case despite evidence of Karl OGradys facial injuries. The judge said he couldnt see how the jury could have reached another decision in convicting the two men of assault causing harm after a retrial last month. Rice, a Mercury Engineering apprentice of Riverforest Estate, Leixlip and Ahern, an SMT Fund Services employee of Rye River Mall, Dun Carraig also in Leixlip, were convicted by majority verdict after a five day retrial in January. They had both pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Mr OGrady at Riverforest Estate in the early hours of December 11, 2010. Counsel for both men told the judge their clients had accepted the jurys decision. Neither man has any previous convictions. Garda David Carey told Cormac Quinn BL, prosecuting, that Mr OGrady and a Chinese friend had been walking in the River Forest area when they encountered Rice, Ahern and two other youths. A fight broke out when someone passed the comment swamp rat and Mr OGrady was punched, kicked and stamped on the head. Gda Carey said the victim received about ten volley style kicks to the head while he was being attacked on the ground and suffered a broken jaw and broken teeth. Rice and Ahern turned up voluntarily at Leixlip Garda Station to admit involvement in the attack after Mr OGradys father had gone on the Joe Duffy show to talk about the victims injuries. Gda Carey revealed that the then teenagers admitted they had caused the injuries but that they had acted in self defence of themselves and each other. He agreed with Eoin Lawlor BL, defending Ahern, that his client had named two others involved, which assisted gardai since they hadnt found anyone fitting the youths descriptions in the area after the incident. Mr OGrady read out his Victim Impact Statement in court and in it described how the medical report of his injuries had omitted detailing the pain and stress he endured for months. He outlined how he was unable to eat solid food while his jaw was being rewired and that he was only paid for two weeks out of the seven he missed at work. Mr OGrady revealed that he still experiences sporadic pain spasms and will have numbness in the area for the rest of his life. He said the attack not only affected him, but also his family. I hope my assailants realise that the consequences could have been more serious for me, for them and their families, he said. He told Judge McCartan he would accept the 10,000 Rice and Ahern each had in compensation, but stated that the case had always been about justice. The judge described the compensation offer as a significant gesture that put some meaning into the mens remorse. John Berry BL, defending Rice, submitted that his client is a hardworking man who had taken out a credit union loan from personal savings to raise compensation for the victim. Counsel said his client would be paying back the loan through the modest earnings from his apprenticeship. Mr Lawlor submitted to Judge McCartan that his client, who has an international investments and capital marketing diploma from Dublin Business School, had lost his reputation as an upstanding member of society. Both counsel asked the judge to take into account their clients young age at the time and their lack of convictions before or since the attack. Judge McCartan referred to Rice and Aherns tissue of lies in the witness box during trial and Mr OGrady being called a liar by two young bucks. He said the men had shown some degree of maturity by accepting responsibility, but added that whats terribly upsetting is that they didnt have the capacity to do that three years ago. The judge told them had they come to court empty handed and rejected the jurys conviction, he would have sent them to prison. He acknowledged that they were hardworking young men who would have little or no prospects if jailed. Judge McCartan imposed an 18 months sentence suspended for two years. He told the men to learn from their mistake and wished them good luck. Mary Reynolds from Ballinamore is pictured with 2FMs Louise McSharry at the Irish Cancer Societys Daffodil Day launch 2016. The Irish Cancer Society, with lead partner Dell, call for more support than ever for Daffodil Day as demand for support and services increases with a growth in cancer incidence. Daffodil Day will take place all over the country on Friday, March 11, 2016. To show your support for this charity: Visit www.cancer.ie/daffodilday or CallSave 1850 60 60 60 to register to volunteer on Daffodil Day or to organise a Daffodil Day event in your community or workplace. Alternatively you can show your support by purchasing a daffodil on March 11. At the January Manorhamilton Municipal District meeting, Cllr Sean McDermott highlighted ongoing safety concerns about the bridge on the Barr Road in Glenaniff. He told the meeting that the bridge had been recently damaged. The edge of the road has collapsed in this area and is very dangerous, he explained. The Senior Engineer for , Roads in North Leitrim acknowledged that the bridge on the L21062 at Glenaniff was damaged as a result of a fire appliance trying to gain access along this road on December 30. He said that advance warning signs and cones are currently in place to warn road users at this location. The parapet wall will be rebuilt when labour resources allow. Repairs to road edges/margins that have collapsed along the road network in this area are currently underway." Sinn Fein councillor, Padraig Fallon asked if there is any way to secure specific funding for works on bridges in the county. He was told that the current allocation for works on local roads in the Manorhamilton Municipal District was only 156,000 and this is probably not sufficient to deal with any issues, noted the Senior Engineer. Cllr Mary Bohan observed that councillors had sought separate allocations for bridge work previously but had never gotten it. I don't hold out much hope, she said. Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 448th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (24-30 January, 2016), together with a hand-picked quintet, you might otherwise have missed. Dont forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox just click here ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging. As ever, lets start with the most popular post, and work our way down: 1. Lib Dems to leave Great George Street by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England. Plans approved to turn the offices into flats. 2. Of course Ed Miliband was the main reason Labour didnt win the election by Nick Tyrone on NickTyrone.com. Miliband was weak and weird and has led to the march of the Corbynistas. 3. Electoral Commission asks Tories to explain 14000 Ramsgate hotel bills by Mark Pack on Mark Pack. Staff costs dont count, but is that fair? 4. Rochdale Liberal Democrats question Simon Danczuks expenses by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England. Do the Rochdale MPs claims for his dependents actually stack up? 5. Are the EU Leave campaigns in real trouble? by Nick Tyrone on NickTyorne.com. No room for complacency, but theres a mess on the Leave side, says Nick. 6. Why I am against All Women Shortlists (again): A brief post tossed off in my lunch break by Jennie Rigg on Ginuary. Jennie isnt happy with the proposals to Conference. 7. How should Liverpools elected politicians fund their election campaigns? by Richard Kemp on But what does Richard Kemp think? Richard sets out his principles and calls into question his opponents, the incumbent Liverpool Mayor. And now to the five blog-posts that come highly recommended, regardless of the number of Aggregator click-throughs they attracted. To nominate a Lib Dem blog article published in the past seven days your own, or someone elses, all you have to do is drop a line to [email protected] You can also contact us via Twitter, where were @libdemvoice 8. The five political sins of Middle England by David Boyle on The Real Blog. And why it matters. 9. Why Northern Irelands position on abortion is incompatible with human rights by Stephen Glenn on Stephens Liberal Journal. Stephen wants to see the 1967 Act implemented in Northern Ireland. 10. Lib Dems launch campaign to reverse universal credit cuts by Jenni Hollis on Jenni Hollis. But would Labour step up? 11. The Journey a poem #HoloaustMemorialDay by Cen Phillips on Liberal Thoughts. A poem. 12. When is a bonus not a bonus? by Graeme Cowie on Predictable Paradox. A detailed analysis of the financial challenges Scotland would face if independent our economy would have to how faster than India or China just to stand still. And thats it for another week. Happy blogging n reading n nominating. Featured? Add this to your blog post! Featured on Liberal Democrat Voice * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings AS the wedding fair season gets into full swing we headed off to the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point, County Clare. Spanish Point epitomises what the Wild Atlantic Way is all about. The hotel is in a stunning location with breathtaking views overlooking a beautiful white sandy beach. Actress and TV personality Aoibhin Garrihy was on hand to greet all the bridal guests before hosting the wedding fair. Aoibhin got engaged last year to proprietor of the Armada Hotel, John Burke, and they themselves will be getting married later this year in the hotel. Aoibhin has become one of Irelands top fashionistas appearing on top glossy magazines and broadsheets for her unique personal style. Aoibhin was voted Best Newcomer at the recent VIP Style Awards. EACH year the Holman Lee Agency introduces new models and I am never disappointed with the wonderful young girls who apply to this agency. We are thrilled to see the success of local models who have made a breakthrough nationally such as Laura OShea, Ciara Buckley and Shauna Lindsay who are all part of the HL agency This industry is very fulfilling but also very competitive and it takes a lot of hard work and a lot of experience to get to the top and stay there. I personally think that TV programmes such as Britains Next Top Model or The Face hosted by Naomi Campbell really give potential models a sharp insight into this industry. Like any other career, you have to put the time in to get the results! A YOUNG man has admitted cashing dozens of cheques which he stole from an elderly woman. When arraigned at Limerick Circuit Court on Tuesday, Thomas Fitzgerald, aged 25, of Ballinvullin, Newcastle West pleaded guilty to 12 sample charges contrary the provisions of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act. The handyman was previously indicted on 48 charges relating to offences which happened at two locations in Newcastle West on dates between November 28, 2013 and May 2, 2014. Fitzgerald has admitted stealing two cheque books one issued by Bank of Ireland and one issued by Allied Irish Bank - from the pensioner on November 27, 2013. Over the following five months, he cashed 46 of the cheques at either Gortboy or Garvey's Supervalu, Market Yard, Newcastle West. According to court documents, the value of the individual cheques ranged from 400 to 950 with the total value amounting to 26,480. During Tuesdays brief court sitting, Fitzgerald also pleaded guilty to writing a cheque on May 16, 2014 knowing there were insufficient funds to meet it. After his client was formally arraigned and entered guilty pleas to the 12 sample charges, Emmett O'Brien BL, defending, suggested it was appropriate that a psychological or psychiatric report be prepared in the case. After being informed the defendant was previously granted legal aid, Judge Tom ODonnell extended the legal aid certificate to facilitate the preparation of such a report. The case was adjourned to May 4 for sentence. Google said researchers from all over the world participated in its security rewards programme. New York: Search engine giant Google has paid Sanmay Ved, the man who owned Google.com for a minute, USD 6,006.13 (about Rs 4.07 lakh) and later doubled the amount when he donated his reward to charity. In September last year, the ex-Googler, while searching Google Domains, found that Google.com (domain name) was available for purchase. He bought the domain for USD 12 and gained access to its webmaster tools before Google cancelled the sale. However, the Mandvi resident (in country's Kutch region) had said it was never about money and wanted the amount to be donated to the Art of Living India Foundation. "You may have read about Sanmay Ved, a researcher who was able to buy Google.com for one minute on Google Domains. Our initial financial reward to Sanmay - USD 6,006.13 - spelled-out Google, numerically (squint a little and you'll see it!). We then doubled this amount when Sanmay donated his reward to charity," Google said in a blog post. Ved, in a post on LinkedIn, had said he chose his award to be donated to the Art of Living's education programme which runs 404 free schools across 18 states in India, providing free education to more than 39,200 children living in slums,tribal and rural belts where child labour and poverty are widespread. Google said researchers from all over the world, coming from countries like Great Britain, Poland, Germany, Romania, Israel, Brazil, the US, China, Russia and India, participated in its security rewards programme. "Tomasz Bojarski found 70 bugs on Google in 2015, and was our most prolific researcher of the year. He found a bug in our vulnerability submission form," the blog posted by Eduardo Vela Nava from Google Security team, said. In 2015, the company gave USD 2 million in rewards to over 300 people. The programme which was started in 2010 has seen Google giving out over USD 6 million in rewards so far. It said it has paid more than USD 200,000 to researchers for their work under Google's Android (mobile operating system) VRP programme launched in June This includes the largest single payment of USD 37,500 made to an Android security researcher. "We also injected some new energy into these existing research programs and grants. In December, we announced that we'd be dedicating one million dollars specifically for security research related to Google Drive," the blog said. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. As it happened, no one of the gentlemanly persuasion was able to attend our recent discussion so Aubrie and I talked on our own about shelter dogs being ki... 1 day ago India and Switzerland have been working closely on mutual administrative assistance on tax matters. (Representational Image) New Delhi: As the fight against black money continues, Switzerland has said cooperation with India on tax matters has made significant progress with regular contacts between officials from the two sides. India and Switzerland have been working closely on mutual administrative assistance on tax matters and both sides have expressed their willingness to step up the cooperation. Swiss government has said there has been a regular dialogue at various levels since 2014.These dialogues have contributed to better understanding and significant progress in cooperation on tax matters, the European nation said in the latest report on 'international financial and tax matters'. When it comes to cooperation on tax matters, India is one of the four important partners for Switzerland. Other countries are the US, France and Italy. Prepared by the Swiss Federal Department of Finance, the report provides information on activities in the areas of financial market regulation, engagement in international financial bodies and international tax policy in 2015. It also gives an outlook on upcoming challenges. The Swiss Federal Council approved the report on January 27. Earlier this month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his Swiss counterpart Ueli Maurer had met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting at Davos. Separately, Jaitley and Maurer had told PTI that both the countries are willing to step up their cooperation on tax matters. Jaitley had said that Switzerland is "extremely keen" on greater cooperation in India's fight against suspected black money stashed in Swiss banks. Maurer had said the country's cooperation on tax matters with India in terms of sharing information on suspected black money cases would continue at "a good level". On whether there could be a greater cooperation on information exchange in tax matters, Maurer had said: "We have already agreed on more cooperation and this is working well and should continue." "We will continue the cooperation at a good level". In recent months, Switzerland has disclosed names of over a dozen Indians about whom information has been sought by the Indian government amid suspicion that their Swiss bank accounts were being used for stashing illicit funds. Meanwhile, FDF has said the report shows Switzerland still has to overcome numerous challenges regarding international financial and tax matters. Switzerland should continue to have the best framework for a secure and competitive financial centre, which should contribute significantly to the country's prosperity in the future too, FDF noted. New Delhi: After a fall in commodity prices, Indian companies are scouting for cheap oil and gas and mining assets in Canada, according to Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC) vice chairman Kam Rathee. C-IBC and Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) are going to sign an MoU on Monday for joint co-operation in the mining sector. Canada has mining assets in Northern Ontario and British Columbia, while Alberta is the mecca of oil and gas in Canada, Mr Rathee told this newspaper. Mr Rathee is a part of 100-member business delegation which is accompanying Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne who is on a visit to India. Eyeing huge business and marketing opportunities in India, C-IBC has decided to open an office in India too. The giant Canada is waking up for India, said Mr Rathee. He gave some of this credit to recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada. He said that Canada also looking to encourage more Indian students to come there for education. Education cost in Canada is less than in Australia and the UK. The number of students visiting Canada has increased from 12,000 to 26,000, he said. Alfredo G. Freddy Pellegrin, Jr., M.D. passed away on Jan. 27, 2016 after a lengthy illness. Born on March 22, 1932, Dr. Pellegrin was raised in Laredo by his parents, Alfredo Garcia Pellegrin and Helen Kahn. Dr. Pellegrin married Blanca Alicia Casso on Nov. 10, 1956, and they raised three children, Alfredo III, Enrique, and Blanca. After college, medical school, and residency training, Dr. Pellegrin returned to his hometown to serve the children of Laredo as a pediatrician for more than 30 years. Next to his family, he was most proud of the work he did caring for Laredos children. Dr. Pellegrin was a loving and compassionate husband, father and friend who also enjoyed life to the fullest. Outside of his medical practice, he kept busy with his many hobbies such as model plane building, gun collecting, welding, reading history and doting on his pets. In his youth, Dr. Pellegrin worked in the familys produce business on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, where Dr. Pellegrins father had befriended many interesting (and some infamous) characters of the day. Dr. Pellegrin enjoyed recounting the story of the time that he and his father met Leon Trotsky, who was exiled in Mexico City. Likewise, one of Dr. Pellegrins most cherished possessions was a tattered black and white photo of Pancho Villas soldiers camped in the elder Pellegrins backyard on Vidaurri street. As a young man, Dr. Pellegrin was mentored by his favorite uncle, Dr. Adolph Kahn, a local veterinarian who cared for the circus animals coming through Laredo on their way to performances in Mexico. From his uncle, Dr. Pellegrin developed a special love for all animals. Indeed, it was this same uncle who loaned Dr. Pellegrin one of his most unusual pets, a diaper-wearing monkey named Panchita. Over the ensuing years, Dr. Pellegrin adopted many pets, including numerous dogs and cats, a bear cub that became Dr. Pellegrins roommate during medical school, a raccoon, a skunk and Tono, the parrot that became a legend in the Pellegrin household. Dr. Pellegrin had taught Tono to drink rompope and sing a medley of popular Mexican ballads. Dr. Pellegrin had many friends from all walks of life. He is survived by Blanca, his wife of 59 years; his sons, Freddy III and Enrique (Marissa); his daughter, Blanca (Michael) Galo; and four grandchildren, Alicia, Enrique, Jr., Michael and Tyler. The family is grateful to the care given by Dr. Milton Haber and the wonderful staff at Doctors Hospital. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to Sacred Heart Childrens Home or the Laredo Animal Protective Society, 3310 S. Zapata Hwy. The family will receive condolences on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Joe Jackson North Funeral Chapels, 1410 Jacaman Rd., with a Memorial Service at 6 p.m. You may express your condolences and sign the guestbook online at: www.joejacksonfuneralchapels.com Arrangements are under the care and direction of the funeral service professionals at Joe Jackson North Funeral Chapels, 1410 Jacaman Rd., Laredo, Texas 78041; 956-722-8850. In his unpublished autobiography, Catarino Erasmo Garza articulated his attitude on the qualities of masculine honor in Mexican male culture in every aspect of life beyond social communication and relationships with women. Garza referenced the views of a distinguished anthropologist, Ana Alonso, who believed that to possess masculine honor on the South Texas border with Mexico, a man had to recognize social obligations and encompass numerous qualities of self to include honesty, generosity, ability to reciprocate, capacity to recognize and respect others rights, the dedication to work and the fulfillment of responsibilities to ones family and community. Garza wrote that he believed a man who respects others, but lacks the ability to exercise force would be considered a timido (timid) and therefore not honorable. The author Elliott Young (Catarino Garzas Revolutions on the Texas-Mexico Border, 2004) pictured Garza adhering to a view that a man who is only a macho (tough man) and exercises force but does not respect others would also not have honor and would be considered a sinverguenza (a person without shame). Young observed that Catarino Garzas description of his use of force and violence, his duty to community and his paternal behavior toward women, all served to demonstrate his masculine honor. The author, nevertheless, concluded that Catarinos decision to to gloss over his divorce from his first wife, Caroline OConnor, and completely omit mentioning his first two children, suggested that Garza probably edited his life story to conform to the northern Mexican expectations of proper male behavior. (Catarino Garzas wife was an Irish Mexican American named Caroline OConner. She was a niece of a leading Brownsville political leader in a Valley Democratic organization and Garzas courting of the young woman facilitated his mixing with the English-speaking shakers and movers, helping Garza to overcome some personal and business ventures. The authors research pointed out that inter-ethnic marriages were common on the border, usually when the couple shared the Catholic faith. They married June 19, 1880, and moved across to settle in Matamoros where Catarino, with the financial support of his father, started a dry goods store he named El Tranchete. Caroline was the daughter of an Irish American father and a Mexican American mother. The OConner-Garza marriage, nevertheless, ended in divorce years later. Garza would describe the divorce the result of an error of his youth.) Garzas La Logica de los Hechos (Logic of Events) was the foundation of his unpublished autobiography. Readers interpreted the Logica as Garzas memoirs of the dozen years he spent roaming the South Texas border from downriver Baghdad at the mouth of the Rio Grande and upriver to Eagle Pass and Del Rio. His autobiography, while underscoring the strengths of his masculinity, also marked his lacking business management skills. His Tranchete store in Matamoros folded because he was too generous in extending credit to too many customers who never paid their bills. The password was manana de pago (Ill pay you tomorrow). The business collapsed into bankruptcy and forced Garza to return to Brownsville. Before he returned to the U.S. side, he duked out a Mexico army officer for insulting him. Garza explained that he felt insulted when the Mexican officer referred to him as a Texan. Catarino returned to Brownsville in August 1881 and headed upriver to settle in Laredo where the alcalde, Porfirio Benavides, was anticipating an economic boom that started with the arrival of the railroad. He felt Laredo was the ideal border location to pursue the fight against the Porfirio Diaz government. (Odie Arambula is at oarambula@stx.rr.com) To the editor: With Latino youth now comprising the majority school-age population in many Texas urban school districts (for example: 62 percent in Houston, 70 percent in Dallas and approximately 80 percent in San Antonio), Latino parents should consider whether their schools promise to develop the fullest academic, social, and cognitive potential of all students is even a remotely achievable goal. In particular, they should be aware of an incontrovertible truth regarding their childrens education: Latino youth experience greater academic success in schools that promote English-Spanish bi-literacy when compared to schools that do not. For at risk Latino youth, including English language learners, apathy and misbehavior are often symptoms of low engagement in school. Reliable data, spanning more than three decades, demonstrates the effectiveness of dual language environments in improving student engagement. Increased cognitive development in these learning models has been linked to higher achievement and graduation rates, along with employment and post-secondary opportunities. I strongly recommend that parents select schools that have already made the research based leap of faith in developing the fullest potential of their children and in bi-literacy, these two are interdependent concepts in achieving the highest global standard of excellence. For Latino parents, the decision to enroll their children in a dual language school may be the single most important decision they will ever make. Sincerely, Alfredo Diaz, Ed. D. Houston area educator/author Fresh off the success of Angry Indian Goddesses and still basking in the glory of the critically acclaimed Masaan, Sarah Jane Dias and Vicky Kaushal are riding the wave of success. And if the initial buzz is anything to go by, the soon-to-be-released film, Zubaan is set to be a hit with fans too. Directed by debutant, Mozez Singh, the two play the lead roles in the coming of age musical drama, which is scheduled to hit theatres on March 4. In the city to promote the film, we caught up with the two actors to find out more. My character in the film is a Delhi-based girl who is a musician. Since Im a musician in real life, it was very easy to relate to it. Of course, she has been through grave emotional turmoil which was slightly more challenging to portray as Ive never really had such horrible problems in real life. But thats what acting is all about, begins Dias, who looked immaculate in a deep red tunic paired with black leggings and matching boots. Ive been on a lot of movie sets but this was the first time I worked with a director who never lost his cool through it all, adds the self confessed foodie, who loves her appam, stew and Hatti Kaapi. Kaushal, who sported a more casual look with a striped t-shirt, jacket and khakhis, adds that he is a foodie too. Im actually a hardcore Punjabi but I just love South Indian food. I can eat it all day, every day. Today I actually sampled some kheema dosas for the first time. And Im in love with them. I cant believe Ive never tried it before. But quickly moving on to more serious matters, he contrasts his experience working on Masaan and Zubaan. With Masaan, when filming started, everything was ready and we just had to deliver our lines. But with Zubaan, we were encouraged to improvise on the spot and explore our creative side, says Kaushal, who is still new to the world of Bollywood, in comparison to his co-star. Elaborating on the kind of roles he wants to do, the dashing young man confesses that hes a bit of a greedy actor. I want to hit all genres and work with all kinds of directors. I dont care if people call me greedy, but I think this is the best way to be a good actor, he says. Talking about her thoughts on Bengaluru, Dias shares that she loves the Bengalureans vibe. Its so laidback and relaxed. The people here are fun and not in your face, which is why I keep returning to the city, she signs off, before heading off to IIM-B to judge a fashion show, along with her co-star. If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. Local News, Press Releases, Seasonal & Current Events By Long Island News & PR Published: January 31 2016 Port Washington resident Leo S. Ullman will appear at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street on Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 4 p.m. to share stories of how he and his family ... Port Washington, NY - January 21, 2016 - Port Washington resident Leo S. Ullman will appear at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street on Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 4 p.m. to share stories of how he and his family survived unimaginably harsh conditions while living in the Netherlands under German occupation. Ullman will give firsthand accounts of his time living in secrecy, and reflect on how his childhood in Nazi-occupied Holland shaped his life. The event will be a joint presentation of Landmark on Main Street, the Friends of the Port Washington Public Library and the Port Washington Public Library, as part of the Conversations from Main Street series. Conversations from Main Street is underwritten by a grant from the Angela & Scott Jaggar Foundation. Mr. Ullman has arranged for members of the family who hid and saved him to travel from the Netherlands especially for this occasion. They will join him onstage to discuss their experiences. After the presentation, a reception will be held at the Port Washington Public Library to provide attendees with an intimate setting to speak with Mr. Ullman and his war family. Mr. Ullmans new book, 796 Days: Hiding as a Child in Occupied Amsterdam During WWII and Then Coming to America (ComteQ Publishing, 2015), is a mesmerizing first-person story of a young Jewish boy hidden by complete strangers for over two years, while his parents hid in an attic elsewhere, not knowing where their son was or if he was alive. The book chronicles Leo Ullmans life as a hidden child, as well as the stories of other family members and their miraculous survival. It contains unique photos, documents and correspondence, as well as historical context. 796 Days will be available for purchase and signing, with all proceeds benefitting Landmark on Main Street and the Friends of the Library. Leo S. Ullman was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in July, 1939. After surviving WWII, he came to the U.S. with his family to start a new life. They settled in Port Washington, NY, where he still resides. He graduated from Harvard College and Columbia Universitys Graduate Schools of Law and Business. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserves. He practiced law for over 30 years, and has formed successful real estate ownership and management companies. Mr. Ullman served as a Director of the Anne Frank Center USA for two decades and as its Chairman for seven years. He has also served as the Chairman of the Foundation for the Jewish Historical Museum of Amsterdam. He and his wife Kay co-sponsored the exhibit State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda at the U.S. National Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, where he also served as a member of the Development Committee. Landmark on Main Street is a not-for-profit community center and theater that enhances the spirit and enriches the communities of Port Washington and surrounding regions. Now in its 20th year, it is a unique confluence of local history, culture, recreation, arts and community services. The Jeanne Rimsky Theater is vibrant with concerts, lectures, shows, comedy, and performances. Find Landmark on the web at www.landmarkonmainstreet.org The Friends of the Port Washington Public Library (FOL) has been dedicated for fifty years to strengthening the ties between our library and community, and to advancing the librarys mission as a center for life-long learning, information and culture. The Friends supports the library through volunteerism, fundraising, programming, outreach and advocacy. The FOL is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. On the web at www.pwpl.org/fol The Port Washington Public Library is a center for community engagement, knowledge, and personal enrichment. It is a nationally-recognized, award-winning institution that has served Port Washington and its environs since 1892. Find the PWPL on the web at www.pwpl.org Landmark on Main Street is located at 232 Main Street; the Port Washington Public Library is across the street at One Library Drive. Local News, National & World News, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: January 31 2016 U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, member of the Judiciary Committee, announced the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, (JASTA) today passed out of the Senate Judiciary committee. Past court decisions have hindered terrorism-related claims from victims of attacks like 9/11; Americans injured in terrorist attacks on American soil have limited recourse against foreign states and groups that funded the terror that took their loved ones away. Washington, DC - January 28, 2016 - U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, member of the Judiciary Committee, announced the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, (JASTA) today passed out of the Senate Judiciary committee. Schumers legislation works to deter international terrorism and provide access to financial justice for those who have suffered at terrorists hands. This legislation is long-sought after by families of 9/11 in order to bring a small amount of justice for the loss of their loved ones, by allowing them to sue foreign states and financial partners of terrorism. Now that the bill has passed out of committee, it heads to the Senate floor. Schumer today pledged to continue pushing this legislation until it passed by the Senate and signed by the President. Since the 9/11 attacks, some court decisions have improperly blocked terrorism-related claims that Congress intended to permit. Because of these rulings, without this legislation, Americans may have no recourse against the foreign states and groups that sponsor terrorist attacks. Schumer said that, if passed into law, JASTA will finally help the victims of 9/11 achieve justice by allowing them to sue countriesthat fund terrorist groups, like Al Qaeda. JASTA would also allow a family member to sue those that fund ISIS, Hamas and other groups, should they kill an American in an act of terrorism on American soil. Without passage of JASTA, victims of 9/11 and their families are being denied the ability to hold accountable foreign sponsors of terrorism because of a major loophole in our legal system. Now that this bill has passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I am urging my colleagues in the Senate to pass it on the floor so that all victims of terror on American soil have the ability to hold accountable the foreign powers and entities that fund the hate-filled organizations that inflict injury and death on our fellow citizens. Unfortunately, no amount of compensation will ever repair the broken hearts of a family that lost a loved one to mindless hate, however, passage of this bill will bring a small measure of justice to our victims of terror, said Schumer. Several court decisions since September 11th have improperly blocked terrorism-related claims that Congress intended to permit. For example, the second Circuit In re Terrorist Attacks of September 11th, 2001, has held that sovereign immunity protected Saudi government charities from 9/11 victims claims regarding support for those attacks and that aiding and abetting theories are unavailable under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1991 (ATA). That court further ruled that terror victims pursing ATA claims must satisfy a strict proximate causation test. As current law stands, the families of Americans who were injured or killed in terrorist attacks, like those who were tragically struck on September 11th, 2001, may have no recourse against the foreign states and groups that sponsor such attacks. JASTA allows terrorism victims, like victims of the September 11th attacks, the right to pursue foreign states and sponsors of terrorism in federal court. The bill allows Americans to direct financial damage claims against those who funded the attacks. The legislation would also afford this right to families of other American victims of terrorism, that have occurred since September 11, 2001. Schumers legislation previously passed the Senate unanimously, but the House of Representatives failed to take it up. The following is a summary of the bill: Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases Mumbai: Ever since the trailer of 'Fitoor was out, one thing that caught everyone's eyes was the luscious red mane that Katrina Kaif sported in the film. According to reports, the producers had to shell out a whopping sum of Rs 55 lakh to get the desired hair colour. As the team was not getting the desired colour tone for Katrina's hair, they decided to bring in a hair colour expert to work on her hair. And for the same, Katrina had to fly to London every month to get the colour correction done. This news came as a shock to celebrity hair stylist Sapna Bhavnani, who lashed out at the 'Fitoor' team on Facebook. Here's what her post read- "the white people left but we are still smitten by them. Any Indian stylist could've done this job (maybe even better or suggested her not to do it cuz it doesn't suit her) but that's not the point,The point is which Producer would've paid an Indian Stylist 55 lakh to do the job?? Lol, I don't think I even need to answer that. I love our Indian Hair Industry and salute every stylist working their ass off and want them to know we are worth more! This racism is evident in every field be it modelling, cinematography, directing, hair/makeup, wardrobe, etc Etc ... This has to change. First, a woman, then an Indian.. Two whammies against equal pay is just ridiculous. #katrinaKaif" Meanwhile, Katrina at an event said that it is a slightly sensationalized piece of news that got highlighted and it is completely baseless. She also said that it was director Abhishek who insisted she get her hair coloured red as it is the hue of chinar leaves, an important imagery in the film. "Abhishek was excited about the hair colour. He was insistent. It is also similar to the colour of the chinar leaves. Red is also the colour of passion and love," she said. Whenever looking for some peaceful time alone, away from the loud and fast urban life, Saif and Kareena often take off to their Palace. Mumbai: Bollywoods one of the most loved couples, Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan flew to Punjab yesterday to enjoy a quiet weekend at their Pataudi Palace in Haryana. The alluring Palace, which is now partially transformed into a resort, belongs to the Khan family. Whenever looking for some peaceful time alone, away from the loud and fast urban life, Saif and Kareena often take off to Haryana and stay at their Palace. Also read: Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan head out for a weekend getaway This time around as well, the couple was spotted at their palace, dressed in their casual attire, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the serene view. Kareena and Saif enjoy a peaceful weekend at Pataudi Palace. The 27-year-old was allowed to go home later and was quick to share her triumphant departure with fans. (Photo: AP) Los Angeles: Model Blac Chyna has been released from jail after being arrested for public intoxication and possession of a controlled substance after boarding a flight to London from Austin in US. The 27-year-old was allowed to go home later and was quick to share her triumphant departure with fans, reported Hollywood Life. In a video shared on mobile app Snapchat, Blac is seen sipping from a Coke bottle, as a line of shamrocks run across the bottom of the footage. She asks her fans in the clip: Did you guys miss me? Her boyfriend Rob Kardashian also shared a snap of Blac after her release. In a screenshot of a FaceTime conversation the couple had, Blac can be seen apparently under the covers while she chats to Rob. The relationship between Blac and Rob has caused much controversy among his family as Blac has a son with Tyga, who is now dating Robs half-sister Kylie Jenner. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > What makes the ISIS more dangerous than Al-Qaeda? In his final State of the Union address, Barak Obama mentioned that the ISIS does not pose a threat to the US. This comes at a time when we have witnessed two back-to-back attacks, one in Istanbul and another one in Jakarta. Over the past six months we have seen a string of ISIS-led attacks in Paris and Beirutall proving the serious threat the group poses. Looking at what has transpired over the last six months, Obamas statement cannot be farther from the truth. A closer study of the ISIS capabilities will prove that it is a much bigger threat than the Al-Qaeda. What enhances the ISIS global outreach is the vast number of foreign fighters joining them. A UN report, tabled on March 2015, stated that there were up to 22,000 foreign troops, from around 100 nationalities fighting for the ISIS. Though the Al-Qaeda had its share of international fighters, the ISIS strong propa-ganda programme and superior capabilities means that these radicalised foreign fighters can pose a much bigger threat. The danger increases many folds when these fighters return to their home country. Their radicalisation and training mean that they are a significant security threat. Already countries across the European Union, India, the US and Australia are coming up with strategies to detain returning fighters. The ISIS rapid rise has meant that several regional terror groups have sworn allegiance. A group like the Boko Haram was initially a regional terror group, whose impact was limited to Nigeria. However, by owning allegiance to the the ISIS, its drawn into the much wider network that the ISIS possesses. As a result a group that was initially a very local threat becomes a more international concern. The Boko Haram is not an isolated case of a regional terror group pledging allegiance to the ISIS. Several groups like Khalifa Islamiyah Mindanio, Abu Sayyaf, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Ansar al-Sharia, all of which are regional terror networks, have pledged allegiance to the ISIS. This extends its reach right from the Philippines to Libya and beyond. Though the Al-Qaeda in its time had networks across the world, the support the ISIS is receiving from various regional terror groups can make their global reach more dangerous. What sets the ISIS apart from the Al-Qaeda is its control over territory. The Al-Qaeda was operating from the territory controlled by the Taliban. The ISIS, on the other hand, is in direct control over land in Syria and Iraq. The control over land has given it access to material and economic resources that the Al-Qaeda did not have access to. The Al-Qaeda got a lot of financial resources from the illegal opium trade, the ISIS today is in control of a much more lucrative commodity: oil. By controlling oil-rich regions in Iraq and Syria, the oil trade gives the ISIS access to significant financial resources. Therefore measures like freezing donors bank accounts, a method commonly used to deal with the Al-Qaedas income cannot be effective in the ISIS case. The vast economic resources means that the ISIS can get access to superior military technology which makes them far more dangerous than the Al-Qaeda. Unlike the Al-Qaeda, the ISIS is also a part of the much larger regional power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Being a Sunni organisation, the ISIS is viewed by many regional Sunni powers as an effective check against rising Iranian influence (especially in Iraq and Syria). Regional powers like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey have been accused of funding or helping the ISIS in some way or the other. Therefore, defeating the ISIS will also mean taking on the much larger regional tussle between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Considering how crucial an ally Saudi Arabia is for the US, this is not going to be an easy task. Looking back at what has transpired over the last few weeks, it is important for us to recognise that the ISIS is a much larger threat than the Al-Qaeda. With the presence of foreign fighters in the ISIS and several regional outfits pledging allegiance to it, the ISIS global outreach is far more dangerous. The fact that it directly controls oil-rich territory in Iraq and Syria means that it has access to financial resources that are far greater than what the Al-Qaeda has. Finally, fighting the ISIS will mean getting involved in the regional power-game between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The recent escalation in tensions makes this job more complex. The battle against the ISIS is by all means going to be a long-term battle. Unlike fighting the Al-Qaeda, this battle is going to be far more complex and will involve taking some tough decisions regarding regional alliances. The author holds an M.Sc degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics. He can be contacted on sshastri93@gmail.com For seven long years actor Karan Mehra has tirelessly essayed the character of Naitik Singhania in Ye Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. So the news of him suddenly quitting the show has come as a rude shock, not just to the audiences, but to the producer of the show Rajan Shahi as well. The show is gearing up for a high point and the actors will be flying off to Hong Kong in February to shoot an important sequence. Apparently, the story line is set to take another big leap, which required leading man Karan to age further on the screen. Rumour has it that the idea of playing a 50-year-old post-leap has upset the actor and that is how the news of him quitting surfaced. Reacting to the news, a distressed Rajan Shahi says, Its all rubbish. I am stunned how people dont even bother to verify facts and speculate blindly. Every year I hear rumours about the show going off air or the leading actors quitting. If something like this ever happens, trust me I will be the first person to announce it. He continues, Ye Rishta is a special show for all of us. Heena, Karan and the entire unit of the show are making sincere efforts to take the story to new heights. Such talks are malicious. Karan is very much part of the show and hes not going anywhere. When asked whether Karan has a problem ageing on the screen, Shahi clarifies, Neither Karan nor Hina Khan questioned me even once when I told them they would be playing parents to a 21-year-old son. Why will he now have a problem ageing on screen? Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > CPM Plenum Initially the CPM Plenum in Kolkata had raised some expectations and a section of the media had even described it as the one which would provide the much needed guidance to the Left politics of the country. In the end, however, the Plenum turned out to be a damp squib and an exercise in nothingness. Instead of providing the beacon-light, the Plenum has shown all the potentialities of pulling the Left to a muddy swirl. But this was expected as the Indian Left is yet to get over its decades-long immaturity and shortsightedness. In a word, the Plenum was an exercise in futility. There were several sidelights but the two principal postulates revolved around the question of tying up the partys knots with other secular democratic forces of the country which in effect means an alliance with the Congress and bringing younger elements to the forefront of the partys leadership. About the latter objective, the less said the better. Till at least the mid-1970s, the leadership of both the Communist Partiesthe CPI and CPI-Mcarried the legacy of the freedom struggle. The first generational change in the leadership structure of the CPI-M in West Bengal took place in the first half of the 1980s when under direct supervision of the late Pramod Dasgupta younger leaders like Biman Bose, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Anil Biswas and Subhas Chakraborty were given more responsibilities. Whether the result has been beneficial for the party is open to question. It will not be an overstatement to say that the Plenum was in fact an example in self-deception as the party shied away from serious socio-economic issues and concentrated only on shallow electoral considerations on the pretext of countering the misrule of the Trinamul Congress. There was no attempt to self-introspect or evaluate the quality of leadership that the party was burdened with at the national as well as State levels. The last parliamentary election has proved beyond doubt that not only the CPM but the Left bloc as a whole stands totally alienated from the common people. There was virtually no attempt to get at the root of the decay. How would the CPM leaders explain their sudden love for the Congress while their 21st Party Congress held at Vishakhapatnam in April last had decided to maintain equidistance from the Congress and BJP? From April to December it is only a span of nine months. How did the CPMs long-standing estimate about the Congress as a major component of the national bourgeoisie take such a sudden turn that an electoral understanding with it becomes no more unthinkable? Most of all, the CPM now needs to explain its decades-long vituperative attacks on the CPI for the latters estimate of the Congress as an important ally in fighting the communal forces. There is, however, substance in the CPMs call for removal of the Trinamul Congress-led government in West Bengal as the TMC has given a very bad account of itself in almost every area of administration save agriculture and rural development. However, any alliance with the Congress will be an act of opportunism and the party will find it difficult to explain it to the common people. This was perhaps the result of the internal bickering that had taken place in the last party Congress of the CPM. Although Prakash Karat has finally given his nod to securing alliance with secular democratic forces (read the Congress), yet his heart is known to be resting in a different place. The Kerala lobby was opposed to the election of Sitaram Yechury as the party General Secretary and had in fact pitched for S. Ramachandran Pillai who was, till a certain point of time, widely floated as the inevitable choice because there was no other candidate. In the Congress Sitaram had submitted a different set of programmes and policies and this had earned him wide support in the Central Committee where a large number of delegates from West Bengal had spoken in his favour. The Kerala lobby had no way out and Yechurys election became a smooth affair. Instead of providing a guidance to the party which is now in deep crisis, the CPI-M Plenum has in fact resulted in enhanced confusion among the party rank-and-file. For example, it has left no answer to the confusion which the Kerala unit is bound to face in the event of an alliance with the Congress as the CPM-led LDF now stands a good chance of wresting power in Thiruvananthapuram from the Congress-led UDF. Or consider the embarrassment of the party leadership when questions are raised about the pathetic plight of the CPM in other States of the country barring Kerala,West Bengal and Tripura. Then why is the CPM leadership so mad about West Bengal? The answer is simple although Left leaders might have chosen to look the other way. It is because not only the CPM but the Left as a whole has completely lost connections with the common people and has developed a taste for power politics. There cannot be any other explanation for the CPMs sudden love for the Congress. But if Left leaders do some self-introspection then they will find that the picture is horrible for them. In the 2014 parliamentary poll the Left as a whole won 12 Lok Sabha seats but secured only 4.8 per cent of the countrys vote. In 1989 this figure was 10.6 per cent. Since 2004, when the Left had won 62 Lok Sabha seats, its share of votes has come down by more than half in 2014. Most of all there is no more any sign of Left influence in States like Bihar, Maharashtra, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh where the Left used to have a good support-base previously. As the second biggest Communist Party in the world after the Communist Party of China in terms of number of members, the CPM must be held principally responsible for this sorry state of affairs. Before the Plenum some front-ranking CPM leaders like P. Karunakaran, the partys leader in the Lok Sabha, exhibited childish ignorance about the political situation by wondering why his party is unable to fill up the space being created by continuous weakening of the Congress or why the BJP at the Centre and the regional parties at the States are pushing the CPM towards irrelevance. Obviously Karunakaran had not done his homework. At the all-India level, other than the three States of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura, the Left is constantly on the retreat. From 13 Lok Sabha seats and 3.6 per cent votes in 1989 it slumped to 9 seats and 2.6 per cent votes in 1996, 7 seats and 1.5 per cent votes in 2004 and no seat with 0.6 per cent votes in 2014. So the Left has all along enjoyed a space in national politics which it does not deserve. It is not known whether the CPM Plenum deliberated upon these uncomfortable aspects. Perhaps it did not. Otherwise the points would have been touched upon in official and unofficial briefings. But the future may be bleak for the CPM. The Left vote-share outside West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura was less than one per cent in 2014 when less than five per cent of skilled and service workers voted for the Left bloc. Less than three per cent of agricultural labourers supported the Left in the 2014 parliamentary poll and the Trinamul Congress enjoyed a 10 per cent lead over the Left among skilled and semi-skilled urban workers and agricultural labourers, a grave news for the CPM. According to a reliable survey before the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, there was no Left leader among the 10 most preferred choices for the post of the Prime Minister. So far the Left enjoyed 7 to 10 per cent of total national level votes as its traditional vote-base. But in 2014 it came down to 4.8 per cent. According to another study, it was even lessaround three per cent. Did the CPM Plenum dissect all these dangerous portents? However, the slide was inevitable. Its beginning was made in the theoretically disastrous Salkia Plenum of 1979 which opened the floodgate of entry of riff-raff elements into the CPM. On several occasions the CPM leaders talked of purges but nothing worthwhile came out of it. On the contrary the CPM-led administration in West Bengal was once described by Benoy Chowdhury, a doyen of the communist movement in India and one of the most respectable Left politicians, as a government of contractors. All these questions will come to the fore the moment the CPM-Congress alliance takes shape. Interestingly the CPI has already apprised the CPM about its reservation in regard to the Congress-Left bloc alliance and the Forward Bloc has also expressed itself in the same vein. The author is a senior journalist and commentator based in West Bangal. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Nothing but a State-Sponsored Murder by Binoy Viswam Rohith Vemulas dream was to become a writer. A writer of science, like Carl Sagan! But the oppressive social realities around him did not allow that talented young research scholar of the Hyderabad Central University to realise his fond ambition. He was forced to end his life with a heart-touching parting note in one of his friends room in the new research scholars hostel. Following intervention from higher-ups in the government he and four other fellow students were denied entry into that hostel since December 16. In a letter, dated December 18, Rohith had asked the university authorities to offer euthanasia for him and other expelled researchers. This is the shocking plight of a brilliant student hailing from a very poor social background. It happened in a prestigious centre of higher education and research controlled and administered by none other than the Government of India. In his note of farewell Rohith wrote: I am writing this kind of a letter for the first time. My first time of a final letter. Forgive me if I fail to make sense. In that disturbing first-time-written final letter he mentioned that he has to get seven months fellowship dues from the authorities. He sought the help from those who read the letter to see that his family is paid the dues. From that amount he instructed to pay back Rs 40 thousand to Ramji, (perhapes a friend) who never asked for it. Such a tragic incident should naturally draw the attention of the whole nation. Campuses all over the country rose into action demanding that the culprits behind this killing be punished. The public came to understand that the main culprits are big people who are at the helm of the affairs in the government and the varsity. Their names and the degree of their involvement in the matter emphasise the brutal nature of Rohiths suicide. Even though it was termed as a suicide, only technically it could be construed as such. If one looks deep into the course of events, it could be concluded that Rohiths was an institutional, rather state-sponsored, murder! By whatever way the Sangh Parivar would like to view it, his death was caused by the unimaginable degree of agony that the poor researcher was undergoing. The circumstances leading to it were ignited by a letter from Bandaru Dattatreya, the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, to Smriti Irani, the Union Minister for Human Resources Development. Bandaru Dattatreya was acting as per the advice of the ABVP leadership in the Hyderabad Central University. The involvement of the Minister, who is also the MP from Secunderabad, is undeniable. That is why the police have registered a case against Dattatreya, Vice-Chancellor P. Appa Rao and two ABVP activists. The charges are obviousabetment to suicide, violation of the SC and SC (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. This incident reveals the naked reality that exists today in the Indian Universities, under the Modi rule, with its brand equity of achhedin! The Sangh Parivar elements are in control of affairs in the field of education as it happens elsewhere. The ABVP cadre, trained in the Hindutva school of highhandedness, are determined to impose their diktats on everything. Their elders in the Parivar, including the Ministers, do play their role in literally conquering the young minds as part of their ideological offensive in the name of cultural nationalism. This is a well-designed game-plan which covers the educational institutions all over the country. The happening in Hyderabad University was not an exception. On August 3 in the HCU, the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) took the initiative for screening the documentary, Muzaffar Nagar Baqi Hai, in the campus. The ABVP, true to its ideology of intolerance, unleashed an attack on the ASA cadres both physically and through the social media. This led to a scuffle between the student groups and on August 31 the authorities penalised five students, including Rohith Vemula. The Sangh Parivar outfits were not ready to be satisfied with this. Their intention was to teach a lesson to the ASA students, who raised the voice of dissent in the campus. All the forces of the Parivar were mobilised for this end. In fact the Minister, Bandaru Dattatreya, entered the scene on August 17 itself at the instance of the ABVP. On that day he wrote to the Ministry of Human Resources Development seeking intervention against the anti-national activities in Hyderabad University. And Minister Smriti Iranis office is on record of communicating with the Vice-Chancellors office five times since then. On September 3 it was an e-mail, followed by letters on September 24, October 6, October 20, and November 19. It is the same Minister who sat like a statue over the 90-days Occupy UGC movement jointly organised by various student oganisations including the AISF. That movement was for the continuation and expansion of the non-NET fellowship for the research students. But when the ABVP insisted for something based on narrow partisan interest, her office was keen to instantly pressurise the university authorities, who finally expelled the five students on December 16. This is the true face of university autonomy under Smriti Irani and Narendra Modi. And the nation may take note that it is the same Narendra Modi who off and on talks about Ambedkar and Dalit empowerment. The people would like to know whether this is the chemistry of the so-called social engineering launched by Modi alongwith Amit Shah! The suicide of Rohit Vemula is not an isolated one. It points to the alarming situation through which the Dalit and other downtrodden sections of the society are passing even after 68 years of independence. In the last four years 18 Dalit students chose to end their lives, rather than continue to battle on in these dens of caste-prejudice and social exclusion. It is a continuing story. Several years back a committee headed by former UGC Chairman Sukhdeo Thorat was appointed by the GoI to look into the condition of SC/ST students in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) following the suicide of a Dalit student. It threw light on the conditions of SC/ST students and how they walk through an environment that is virulently hostile to them. The situation has worsened with the Sangh Parivar coming to power with its ideological moorings for chathurvarnya-based Hindu Rashtra. The time has come for the progressive forces to unite and fight against the casteist onslaught that the rich and socially powerful are unleashing against the Dalits and the downtrodden. The struggle for social justice needs to be strengthened with more socio-political clarity and broader participation of the oppressed. The author, a former Minister of Forests and Housing in the erstwhile LDF Government in Kerala, is a member of the National Executive of the CPI. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Rohith Vemula: From Shadows to the Stars by Ramaiah Bheenaveni By committing suicide at the Hyderabad Central University, Rohith Vemula, a research scholar, has shocked the entire country and set up a political stir. An ideological person like Rohith had the potentiality to debate and confront many people, Moreover, his case, pending before the High Court, was scheduled for hearing within two days before his tragic death. What drove him to such depression is a million dollar question. Secondly, his suicide note reveals his personality. He was a positively-minded and properly-oriented intellectual. He could not get out of the dilemma enforced by so-called university administration. However, this is where we have to look into the deeper causes of his suicide from historic, socio-psychological and philosophical points of view. In fact, when fear within a self spurs utmost courage of the personality, suicide is inevitable. This is accepted by psychologists. Emile Durkheim has given sociological interpretation of suicide, namely, egoistic, altruistic and anomic. If a person is alienated from the social process, egoism reaches its highest level and leads to self-killing. This takes place mostly among individualistic persons. The third, when unusual situations arise, individuals face confusion and enigma. That also causes suicide. In Rohiths case, he was not isolated and had a good number of friends. His suicide note is philosophical and intellectual. Therefore, we can say that Rohith was wedded to ideology.. He appears somewhat like a soldier but he was also a fighter for a cause. He assumed himself as a soldier like Yakub Memon. He was full of confusion, worry and enigma a state to which he was driven by the university administration. The Vice-Chancellor and the committee appointed to look into the issue took a thoughtless decision to rusticate him. This was completely irrational and inhuman as it is totally illogical and is the part of the process of saffronisation in academia. This trend is now prevailing across the universities of India. This was foreseen by Rohith which is clear from Rohiths letter to the Vice-Chancellor, Give us poison or long ropes to hang ourselves, wrote Rohith. He was also worried that the institutions of higher education in India did not allow the weaker sections of the society to study and live with dignity. Further, the letter of Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya was also trying to demonise the Ambedkar Student Association (ASA) as anti-national, casteist and extremist. In fact, expressing views against capital punishment is a sin and crime. Moreover, one can speak on verdicts given by the Supreme Court within the purview of the Indian Constitution. Not only Rohith, but many organisations have protested against capital punishment across the world. If it is anti-national and anti-Hindutva, why did students in the UoH commit suicide earlier? The logic is that Yakub Memon was anti-national and therefore, the punishment given by the Apex Court was justified. The BJP and RSS projected him both as anti-national as well as anti-Hindutva. This is the conspiracy about which Rohits perception differs from that of the general public. The fact is that Rohit never objected to life imprisonment. The justifiability of capital punishment instead of life imprisonment was what Rohith called into question. He felt capital punishment only panders to hatred and intolerance of the advocates of Hindutva. He also believed that capital punishment never brings a positive psychological change in the convicted criminals, nor in the society. Rohit now seems to prove the theory of Thomas Hobbs, the father of psychoanalysis, who held that humans are brutish, nasty and savage. Rohith was against it. This shows his maturity and understanding of the value of human life. However, understanding Rohith and his self-killing requires a philosophical insight and this is something that the champions of Hindutva will never understand.. It is too much to expect justice from the BJP Government. On other hand, the Right-wing demand for an in-depth study of what is happening in the name of Dalit politics, particularly in universities, shows that a vicious racial hate theory is being propagated in the university campuses in the name of Dalit liberation and abetted by forces inimical to national unity. The demoralising ideas and thoughts have been opposed by Kancha Ilaiah whose contribution is immense and indigestible to the Hinduvta forces. Moreover, they are somewhat comfortable with Ambedkar as he did not accept the fact of Aryan invasion of India. Making the buffalo as the national animal, and promoting meat and beef-eating, promotion of English medium education find wide acceptance in all the universities, particularly among Dalits and Backward Class students. Kancha Ilaiahs famous slogan Read, Write and Fight attracts and demystifies the students who hail from rural areas. However, Dalit students of this generation have imbibed afresh the spirit of the age and feel that Brahmincal entities are parasitical. They have enslaved the masses by imposing spiritual fascism. As a result, self, identify and culture have become the centrality of understanding, analysis and interpretation of discursive discourses. Exactly this has taken place in the case of the Central University, ABVP forces tried to retain their losing pride with support of the University administration wherein no scope of academic and intellectual pursuit or argumentation but only conspiracy theories and lobbying, etc. are encouraged. Rohith blamed no one but himself for having been born in such a society. It was the RSS religious dogma and the BJPs political intervention that collectively forced Rohith to commit suicide. As many have pointed out, Rohiths self-sacrifice has not just reinvi-gorated the Dalit-Bahujan struggles throughout the country but has also forced the countrys intellectual elite to confront the elephant in the room: Caste. Certainly, everyone must strive for the annihilation of casteism by combining Marxism, subalternism and feminism. It is only then that persons like Rohith would be raised to the level of stars. Dr Ramaiah Bheenaveni is an Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Osmania University, Hyderabad. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Gandhi for Today January 30 this year marks the sixtyeighth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhis martrydom. On this occasion we remember him by reproducing some of his writings and utterances in the last phase of his life that remain highly relevant today. Gandhi for Today Shaheed Saheb Suhrawardy and I are living together in a Muslim manzil in Beliaghata where the Muslims have been reported to be sufferers. We occupied the house on Wednesday, the 13th instant, and on the 14th it seemed as if there never had been bad blood between the Hindus and the Muslims. In their thousands, they began to embrace one another and they began to pass freely through places which were considered to be points of danger by one party or the other. Indeed, the Hindus were taken to masjids by their Muslim brethren and the Muslims were taken by their Hindu brethren to mandirs. And both with one voice shouted Jai Hind and Hindu-Muslims! Be One. As I have said above, we are living in a Muslims house and the Muslim volunteers are attending to our comforts with the greatest attention. The Muslim volunteers do the cooking. Many were eager to come from the Khadi Pratisthan for attendance, but I prevented them. I was determined that we should be fully satisfied with whatever the Muslim brothers and sisters were able to give for our creature comforts and I must say that the determination has resulted in unmixed good. Here in the compound, numberless Hindus and Muslims continue to stream in shouting favourtie slogans. One might almost say that the joy of fraternisation is leaping up from hour to hour. Is this to be called a miracle or an accident. By whatever name it may be described, it is quite clear that all the credit that is given to me from all sides is quite undeserved; nor can it be said to be deserved by Shaheed Saheb. This sudden upheaval is not the work of one or two men. We are toys in the hands of God. He makes us dance to His tune. The utmost, therefore, that a man can do is to refrain from interfering with the dance and that he should tender full obedience to his Makers will. Thus considered, it can be said that, in this miracle, He has used us two as His instruments and as for myself I only ask whether the dream of my youth is to be realised in the evening of my life. For those who have full faith in God, this is neither a miracle nor an accident. A chain of events can be clearly seen to show that the two were being prepared, unconsciously to them-selves, for fraternisation. In this process, our advent on the scene enabled the onlooker to give us credit for the consummation of the happy event. Be that as it may, the delirious happenings remind me of the early days of the Khilafat movement. The fraternisation then burst on the public as a new experience. Moreover, we had then Khilafat and swaraj as our twin goals. Today, we have nothing of the kind. We have drunk the poison of mutual hatred and so this nectar of fraternisation tastes all the sweeter, and the sweetness should never wear out. In the present exuberance one hears also the cry of Long Live Hindustan and Pakistan from the joint throats of the Hindus and the Muslims. I think, it is quite proper. Whatever was the cause for the agreement, the three parties accepted Pakistan. If then the two are not enemies, one of the other, and here evidently they are not, surely there is nothing wrong in the above cry. Indeed, if the two have become friends, not to wish long life to both the states would probably be an act of disloyalty. [Text of an editorial Miracle or Accident written in Calcutta on August 16, 1947] I am sorry that today being my silence day, I cannot speak to you. I have, therefore, to write out what I wish to say to you. I have been speaking every day about the vital duty of the Hindus in West Bengal, who are the majority community, towards their Muslim brethren. This duty they will perform truly, if the Hindus are able to forget the past. We know how all over the world, the enemies have become fast friends. The example of the Britons and the Boers who fought one another strenuously, becoming friends, we all know. There is much greater reason, why the Hindus and the Muslims should become friends. We cannot do that, if we are not great enough to shed all malice. This evening I wish to devote to Sylhet. I have received frantic telegrams from Sylhet about the serious riots that have broken out there. The cause of the riots is not known. I am indeed sorry that I am unable to go just now to Sylhet, nor am I vain enough to think that my presence there would immediately abate the mob fury. I know, too, that one should not without peremptory cause abandon his present duty, however humble it may be, in favour of one which may appear to be higher. To adopt the Salvation Army language, we are all soldiers of God to fight the battle of right against wrong, by means which are strictly non-violent and truthful. As His soldiers, ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do and die. Though, therefore, I am unable to respond to the urgent call of the sufferers of Sylhet, I can appeal, not in vain, to the authorities in East Bengal in general and Sylhet in particular, to put forth their best effort on behalf of the sufferers and deal sternly with the recalcitrants. Now that there is peace between the Hindus and the Musalmans, I am sure, the authorities do not relish these ugly outbreaks. It would be wrong and misleading to underestimate the trouble by calling it the work of the goondas. The minorities must be made to realise that they are as much valued citizens of the state they live in, as the majority. Let the Chief Minister of the two divisions of Bengal meet often enough and jointly devise means to preserve peace in the two states and to find enough healthy food and clothing for the inhabitants and enough work for the masses in East Bengal and in West Bengal. When the masses, Hindu and Muslim, see their chiefs acting together and working together honestly, courageously and without intermission, the masses living in the two states will take the cue from the leaders and act accordingly. To the sufferers, I would advise bravely to face the future and never to give way to panic. Such disturbances do happen in the lifetime of a people. Manliness demands that there should be no weakness shown in facing them. Weakness aggravates the mischief, courage abates it. [Message written in English to be read out at a prayer meeting in Calcutta on August 25, 1947] Today, Bawa Bachittar Singh Saheb came to me in the morning and insisted that I should attend the Guru Nanaks birthday celebration. He told me that probably over a lakh of men and women had assembled there, and that most of them would be sufferers from Western Pakistan. I hesitated because I felt that many Sikhs had been displeased with me. Bawa Bachittar Singh Saheb nevertheless insisted and said that I would say my say before the meeting. I yielded and felt that even as a mother often gives bitter pills to her children, I would take the liberty of saying things which might appear to be bitter. In reality and in effect, they are meant for your good. My mother often used to administer bitter drugs, but I could not feel elsewhere the comfort that her lap provided for me. Whatever I have said to you up to now, I do not regret. I have said those things as your sincere friend and servant. I have with me Sardar Datar Singhs daughter. You perhaps know him. He has lost his all in the West Punjab. He was the owner of large tracts of land and of several hundred fine cattle. He has lost many relatives and dear friends in Montgomery, but indeed I am glad to be able to tell you that he has not shed a single tear over the misfortune, nor has he felt any bitterness towards the Muslims. I would like you all to follow his example. The Sikh friends have told me that one Sikh is considered equal to 1,25,000 men. Where is that bravery today? Have things come to such a pass that a minority of Muslims cannot live in your midst with perfect safety? I am free to admit that the mischief commenced in Pakistan, but the Hindus and the Muslims of East Punjab and the neighbouring districts have not been behindhand in copying the mischief. The difference is that the Hindus have not the courage of the Sikhs, who know how to use the sword. You see Sheikh Abdullah Saheb with me. I was disinclined to bring him with me, for I know that there is a great gulf between the Hindus and the Sikhs on the one side, and the Muslims on the other. But the Sheikh Saheb, known as the Lion of Kashmir, although a pucca Muslim, has won the hearts of both, by making them forget that there is any difference between the three. He had not been embittered. Even though in Jammu, recently, the Muslims were killed by the Hindus and the Sikhs, he went to Jammu and invited the evil-doers to forget the past and repent over the evil they had done. The Hindus and the Sikhs of Jammu listened to him. Now the Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs of Kashmir and Jammu are fighting together to defend the beautiful valley of Kashmir. I am glad, therefore, that you are receiving the two of us with cordiality. Let this auspicious day mark the beginning of a new chapter in your life. Let the disgrace of driving out the Muslims from Delhi cease from today. I found to my shame that, as our motor-car was passing through the Chandni Chowk, which used to be filled with the Hindus, the Sikhs and the Muslims, I did not notice a single Muslim passer-by. Surely, we have not come to such a pass as to be afraid of the minority of the Muslims, scattered throughout the Union. If there are any traitors in their midst, our Government is strong enough to deal with them. We must be ashamed of hurting children, women or old men. Every man must be considered innocent before he is found guilty by a properly constituted court of law. I fervently hope that such misdeeds will become now a thing of the past. The kirpan is a symbol of sanctity to be exhibited and to be used in defence of the helpless and the innocent. The tenth and the last guru of the Sikhs, undoubtedly, wielded the sword, but never, so far as I know, at the expense of the weak. He had imposed many restraints upon himself. He had many reputed Muslim disciples. So had the other gurus, beginning with Nanak Saheb. Your bravery will be testified, when all those who belong to different faiths, including Muslims, become your sincere friends. Intoxicating drinks and drugs, dancing, debauchery and the vices to which many of us become addicted, are not for the followers of the gurus and the Granth Saheb. With the Granth Saheb as my witness, I ask you to make the resolution that you will keep your hearts clean and you will find that all other communities will follow you. [Excerpts from a speech before a gathering of Sikhs in Delhi on Guru Nanaks birthday on November 28, 1947] I have been lately taken to task for daring to say what I have stated about Kashmir and the maharaja. Those who have done so have evidently failed to read my statement carefully. I have simply tendered advice which, I suppose, the lowliest can do. And to do so, sometimes, becomes a duty, as was the case with me. What was it for? It was, if accepted, designed to raise the maharaja in his own and the worlds esteem. His and his states is a most unenviable position today. He is a Hindu prince, having under his sway a very large majority of Muslims. The invaders have called their invasion a holy war for the defence of the Muslims reported to be ground down under Hindu misrule! Sheikh Abdullah Saheb was called by the ruler to his task at a most critical period. He is new to the task and deserves every encouragement, if he is considered fit by His Highness the Maharaja. It must be evident to the outsider, as it is to me, that Kashmir must be lost to the invaders, otherwise called the raiders, if the Sheikh Abdullah Sahebs effort to hold together the Muslims and the minority fails. And it would be a mistake to think that the Union army could do it. The army was sent in answer to the combined importunity of the Maharaja Saheb and the Sheikh Saheb, in order to help ward off the attack. Is it any wonder that I have advised the ruling authority to rise to the occasion and to become like the King of England and, therefore, use his rule and his Dogra army in strict accord with the advice of Sheikh Abdullah Saheb and his emergency Cabinet? The instrument of accession stands, as it is. It confers or reserves certain rights on or for the ruler. I, as a private individual, have ventured to advise that the ruler should waive or diminish the rights and perform the duty, pertaining to the office, of a Hindu prince. If I am wrong as to my facts, I should be corrected. If I err in my conception of Hinduism and of the duty of a Hindu prince, I am out of court. If Sheikh Abdullah Saheb is erring in the discharge of his duty as the chief of the Cabinet or as a devout Musalman, he should certainly step aside and give place to a better man. It is on the Kashmir soil, that Islam and Hinduism are being weighed now. If both pull their weight correctly and in the same direction, the chief actors will cover themselves with glory and nothing can move them from their joint credit. My sole hope and prayer is that Kashmir should become a beacon light to this benighted subcontinent. So much for the Maharaja Saheb and the Sheikh Saheb. Will not the Government of Pakistan and the Government of the Indian Union close ranks and come to an amicable settlement with the assistance of impartial Indians? Or, has impartiality fled from India? I am sure, it has not. [Text of a prayer speech read out in Delhi on December 29, 1947] Before I ever knew anything about politics in my early youth, I dreamt the dream of communal unity of the heart. I shall jump in the evening of my life like a child, to feel that the dream has been realised in this life. The wish for living the full span of life portrayed by the seers of old and which the seers permit us to set down at 125 years, will then revive. Who would not risk sacrificing his life for the realisation of such a dream? Then we shall have real swaraj. Then, though legally and geographically we may still be two states, in daily life no one will think that we were two separate states. The vista before me seems to me to be, as it must be to you, too glorious to be true. And yet like a child in a famous picture, drawn by a famous painter, I shall not be happy, till I have got it. I live and I want to live for no lesser goal. Let the seekers from Pakistan help me to come as near the goal as it is humanly possible... I remember to have read, I forget now whether in the Delhi Fort or in the Agra Fort, when I visited them in 1896, a verse on one of the gates, which when translated reads thus: If there is paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.... I should love to see that verse with justice inscribed on the gates of Pakistan at all the entrances. In such paradise, whether it is in the Indian Union or in Pakistan, there will be neither paupers, nor beggars, nor high, nor low, neither the millionaire employers, nor the half-starved employees, nor intoxicating drinks or drugs. There will be the same respect for women as vouchsafed to men, and the chastity and the purity of men and women will be jealously guarded. Where every woman, except ones wife, will be treated by men of all religions, as mother, or sister, or daughter, according to her age. Where there will be no untouchability, and where there will be equal respect for all faiths. They will be all proudly, joyously and voluntarily bread labourers. I hope that everyone who listens to me or who reads these lines, will forgive me, if stretched on my bed and basking in the sun, inhaling the life-giving sunshine, I allow myself to indulge in this ecstasy.... [Excerpts from a prayer speech at Delhi on January 14, 1948 while on his last fast] A Bangladeshi father dubbed "Tree Man" for massive bark-like warts on his hands and feet will finally have surgery to remove the growths that first began appearing 10 years ago, a hospital said Sunday. Abul Bajandar, 25, from Khulna, has been suffering from a disease known as Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis - a rare and inherited skin disorder - for the past seven years, as reported by DailyMail. He was undergoing preparations for the surgery to cut out the growths weighing at least five kilogrammes (11 pounds) that have smothered his hands and feet. (Photo: Screen grab) "Initially, I thought that they're harmless. But slowly I lost all my ability to work. There are now dozens of two to three inch roots in both my hands. And there are some small ones in my legs," said the 26-year-old Bajandar at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) who was forced to quit working as a bicycle puller. The doctors of the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital have formed a medical board of experts and will now decide about the treatment required for Bajandar. Tests are underway to ensure Bajandar's root-like warts can be removed surgically without damaging major nerves or causing any other health problems. The massive warts, which first started appearing when he was a teenager but began spreading rapidly four years ago (Photo: Screen grab) Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (also called Lewandowsky-Lutz dysplasia), colloquially known as tree man illness is an extremely rare autosomal recessive genetic hereditary skin disorder associated with a high risk of carcinoma of the skin. It is characterized by abnormal susceptibility to human papillomaviruses (HPVs) of the skin. The resulting uncontrolled HPV infections result in the growth of scaly macules and papules, particularly on the hands and feet. "Popularly it is known as tree-man disease," said DMCH director Samanta Lal Sen. "As far as we know there are three such cases in the world including Abul Bajandar. It is the first time we have found such a rare case in Bangladesh," he said. (Photo: Screen grab) In order to inherit the disease two abnormal EV genes, one from each parent, must be present. No treatment has been found yet, though many treatments are suggested. (Photo: Screen grab) Some known cases of Epidermodysplasia verruciformis are, a Romanian man who was diagnosed with this same condition in 2007 and an Indonesian villager with massive warts all over his body underwent a string of operations in 2008 to remove them. Bajandar's elder sister, Adhuri Bibi, said hundreds of people have visited their home in Khulna over the years to see the "Tree Man". "Even here at the hospital, hundreds have already gathered," she said. Bajandar, a father of one, said he tried cutting the warts when they first appeared, but it was extremely painful. "After that I went to a village homeopath and herbal specialist. But those medicines only worsened my condition." He also consulted doctors in neighbouring India, but he and his family could not afford the cost of the operation there. Click here to watch the video: Mexican construction company ICA said on Friday it was seeking to resolve a conflict over a canceled port terminal contract with APM Terminals, part of Denmark's A.P. Moller-Maersk. The contract covered the first phase of construction at a container terminal at the Pacific coast post of Lazaro Cardenas, and ICA said in a statement it was seeking damages over what it describes as the unilateral cancellation of the contract by APM Terminals. The Mexican firm did not provide further details on how it aims to resolve the contractual conflict. (Reporting by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) Gold And Silver Current Prices Do Not Matter Truth be known, short of an uprising or revolution by the masses, which is highly unlikely, the elites have won over the masses, hands down, and the end game is in the final and irreversible stages. Time and again, we have reiterated the elites formulaic strategy of Problem, Reaction, Solution. The most current is the outrageous Mid East refugee situation where European countries are being forced to accept hundreds of thousands of displaced refugees from the war-torn Middle East. It is no secret that the US has been covertly responsible for much of the destruction and strife in that area. Where not covertly involved, the US has provided arms and logistics to Saudi Arabia as the Saudis are destroying helpless Yemenis in the proxy war against Iran. None of the bought-and-paid-for Western press is questioning how and why, all of a sudden, Middle Eastern refugees have the money and means to escape to various parts of Greece and Europe, en masse. How is it that black Africans were never able to be in a position to migrate from far worse war atrocities? Unseen forces are behind this. Problem, refugees, Reaction, growing antagonism of Europeans justifiably against the rabble rousing, sexual assaulting of women, robbing trucks on highways, etc, etc, etc, creating instability in an already weakened EU. The Solution is yet to come, but you know it will entail further weakening of individual freedom and eroding of the ability of individual countries to protect against this politically motivated destabilization of Europe where the elites will strengthen their stranglehold over Europeans via the artificially created European Union. Banks, and now select individual countries, are increasing the call for getting rid of cash altogether, ostensibly to fight terrorists who use cash, the prevention money laundering, and a few other nefarious reasons. The terrorists also use cell phones, but there are no plans to ban cell phones, and perhaps the biggest money launderers, by far, are large banks dealing with drug money to keep their banks afloat. However will the CIA launder all of its drug money from Afghanistan being funneled to support groups like al Qaeda and ISIS? Guess what happens when cash disappears and all so-called "money" becomes digital? The elite's bankers now keep track of every single transaction you make, where and how you spend your digital "currency." Banks will have a ledger for everyone on which all inflows and outflows of funds are tracked. "Now that we track and control your money, it would be better if we just deduct all taxes directly from your account," say the bankers. "Is there some reason why you are spending your money on gold and silver? Did you not know these are transactions not favorably looked upon?" Control. It is all about control. Get rid of cash. Get rid of all means of hiding anything from the Orwellian elite governments. Should your spending activities raise questions, or if you hold any kind of dissenting political views, you may find there was an inexplicable computer glitch, and your account has been frozen, or simply disappeared. Try feeding and providing for your family under those conditions. If you do not have, and literally hold gold and silver, or you are waiting for the "right" or a "better" price, how relevant is your reasoning "stacked" up against the increasing odds of what is yet to come? Privacy? You will have none. Right now, governments cannot track whatever gold/silver people hold, and that is unacceptable and it will change. If anyone thinks China and the BRICS nations are going to be a counter move to the Western globalists, think twice. China will become to the elite's East to what the US has been to the elite's West. Now that the elite's controlling bankers have sucked the wealth out of the US and Europe, China becomes their agenda for the next 100 years, or more. Rinse and repeat. China has had a relationship with the Rockefellers for decades. Many Fortune 500 companies have been doing business with China since the late 1980s, early 1990s, and to date. China has been vying to become a member of the IMF for over a decade. What more elite-driven a financial tool is there than the IMF, controlled by the Bank for International Settlements [BIS, the central bank for all Western central banks]? China has developed a social behavior card for each and every Chinese citizen to monitor their citizen's behavior, much like a report card. Citizens will be graded and/or held accountable for the contents of their behavior code, ensuring each good little citizen is conforming to the Chinese model of what constitutes acceptable behavior and attitudes. China and the BRICS will not be a part of the solution. They will become a greater part of the problem. Anyone who thinks China's massive purchases of thousands upon thousands of tons of gold is for an eventual gold-backed Yuan is not keeping in touch with reality. China does subscribe to the tenet of the Golden Rule, in that he who has the gold, rules. China wants to rule, not be the world's policeman against the globalists. In addition to a social behavior card, China is also developing its own digital currency. From the People's Bank Of China: The People's Bank attaches great importance from 2014 to set up a special research team, and in early 2015 to further enrich the power of digital distribution and business operations monetary framework, the key technology of digital currency, digital currency issued and outstanding environment, digital currency legal issues facing the impact of digital currency on economic and financial system, the relationship between money and the private digital distribution of digital currency, digital currency issuance of international experience conducted in-depth research, has achieved initial results. [Our emphasis] This effort is being conducted in concert with the international agencies, foreign financial institutions, and traditional credit card entities. Christine LaGarde, head of the globalist's IMF, has embraced this means of virtual currencies. Welcome to our world, China. Rule or be ruled. That choice was made long ago. What possible relevance can there be to the current artificially suppressed price for gold and silver, in light of all that is going on around the world in full view, with no attempts to hide either motive or intent? If you do not have, or are planning to purchase gold and/or silver, price is not the issue. It is personal and financial survival at risk, and the globalists take no prisoners. Under this scenario, it is better to be a year, even two too early, than a day too late. We are just scratching the surface for reasons why world enslavement may not be far-fetched, or even far off. The US military might and Federal Reserve continue to keep the fiat FRN propped up. The developing activity, seen in the weekly TR, could be setting the stage for a final gasp to the upside, or the globalists are losing control sooner than expected, and we are seeing a distribution phase. In artificial markets, it is unreasonable to be reasonable in reading a chart with a greater degree of reliability. The sharp decline, week of 30 Nov '15 noted on the chart, shows greater EDM [Ease of Downward Movement], particularly compared to the labored rally over the next eight weeks. In a strong up trend, ease of movement should be up, and reactions down more labored, so while nearing recent highs, the market is not internally strong. If a new high is to be had, it could be short-lived, but this is not an interpretation for picking a top, just seeking context in this fiat. Beyond gold and silver, the next keen interest, maybe even greater than gold and silver, is oil. The highest monthly volume occurred at an area of support. More than once, we say that increased volume comes about from what we call smart money, controlling market interests. Smart money buys low and sell high, trite but accurate. There is a growing likelihood that this could be the start of a base or rapid turnaround rally in oil. If a base, a nominal lower low is possible, but price may find more support at current levels. Viewing these PM charts in a vacuum, ignoring many of the existing factors evolving around the world, a few of which we covered above, absent a surprise sustained rally, gold is not indicating a turn around in its current down trend. It is at an area where some basing can be expected, but there is not sufficient positive activity to say it is happening. As with the analysis of the fiat FRN, there was a shape EDM at the end of October going into November, and the ensuing rally off the November low has been labored with bars overlapping, indicative of a lack of buyer control. The last volume can be troublesome. For all of that buying effort, the range of last week's bar was small. The reason for that is sellers were meeting the effort of buyers and prevented the range from extending higher. The daily activity supports what the weekly chart shows in potential weakness. For the paper market, it is too risky to pay up and buy into a rally, at this early stage. We need to see more evidence that buyers are gaining control. Sellers have ceased making any meaningful gains lower in silver, not surprising given the ultra bullish fundamentals, and that may be the reason. However, we read charts without consideration to underlying fundamentals. The premise is all considerations have already been taken into account, is a known factor, and has been priced in. For as little downward direction sellers are making, buyers are totally unable to take advantage and push price higher. Until you see such change where rally bars have a wider range and strong closes on strong volume, silver remains stuck at these levels. We look for synergy between the various time frames, and the weekly supports what the monthly chart conveys. There has been no meaningful rally over the past three months, and price remains well under a 50% retracement, a general guide to lack of market strength. All three time frames tell the same "story" of weakness, an inability to rally above TR resistance. Trading ranges are hard to analyze, so we leave this one alone, other than to reiterate is stems from weakness and shows no internal strength. There are no reasons to buy paper gold or silver. The reasons for buying and holding physical gold and silver are more compelling than ever, and we expect those reasons to become even more compelling. Price is irrelevant and way, way undervalued. By Michael Noonan http://edgetraderplus.com Michael Noonan, mn@edgetraderplus.com, is a Chicago-based trader with over 30 years in the business. His sole approach to analysis is derived from developing market pattern behavior, found in the form of Price, Volume, and Time, and it is generated from the best source possible, the market itself. 2016 Copyright Michael Noonan - 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. Michael Noonan Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Last year, on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, he had announced that he would jump into the Yamuna River to protest against liquor sale but his move was foiled by the cops. (Representational image) Lucknow: A 97-year-old activist and freedom fighter was detained by the police in Agra when he tried to torch a liquor shop on Saturday. The veteran activist Chimman Lal Jain was detained in his own house. Mr Jain has been seeking a ban on liquor and announced that he would set liquor shops on fire on the death anniversary of Mahatama Gandhi. As soon as he started marching towards a liquor shop with his supporters, he was detained by the cops. Last year, on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, he had announced that he would jump into the Yamuna River to protest against liquor sale but his move was foiled by the cops. Mr Jain told media on Sunday that he would continue his campaign and also ensure that the matter is raised in the UP Assembly. Mr Jain and his supporters visit houses of Dalits every day to convince them to stop liquor consumption by explaining its side-effects. Stocks Bear Market Rally Underway Another volatile week! The week started off at SPX 1907, traded down to 1876 on Monday, then rallied to 1917 on Wednesday before the FOMC statement. After the statement was released the market traded down to SPX 1873, retested that low on Thursday, then rocketed higher on Friday to end the week at SPX 1940. For the week the SPX/DOW gained 2.05%, the NDX/NAZ gained 0.50%, and the DJ World index gained 2.10%. Economic reports for the week were positive. On the uptick: Case-Shiller, the FHFA, consumer confidence, new/pending home sales, the Chicago PMI, plus weekly jobless claims improved. On the downtick: durable goods, Q4 GDP, consumer sentiment and the WLEI. Next week we get reports on the PCE, the ISMs and monthly Payrolls. LONG TERM: bear market After an unorthodox ending to a six year bull market, a bear market began in December 2015. Thus far it appears the market has completed its first wave down, Major wave a, of the bear market when it declined from the uptrend high at SPX 2116 to SPX 1812 in January. Since that low the market rallied to SPX 1909, struggled to make much progress for several days, and then rallied to SPX 1940 on Friday. This choppy nearly 130 point rally appears to be Major wave b, or the first uptrend of the bear market. Typically uptrends during bear markets retrace anywhere from 38.2% to 61.8% of the previous, or larger, decline. The three retracement levels, as noted last week, suggested the following potential uptrend highs: 1928 (38.2%), 1964 (50.0%) and 2000 (61.8%). Anything more than that would be quite unusual. We had noted, also last week, that the first two levels were near the OEW 1929 and 1956 pivots. On Friday the lower level was easily exceeded, so the next likely upside target is the 1956 pivot range. After this uptrend concludes, which may be soon, we expect the next downtrend, Major wave c, to start off in a choppy pattern and then to make new lows in March. When this begins we can then start to make some downside projections for its low. Bear markets are usually quite volatile in both directions. Uptrends are often good times to unload selective stocks, and/or hedge existing positions. Downtrends are often quite breathtaking. Since this is the first uptrend of the bear market it is probably the last opportunity to take advantage of higher prices. MEDIUM TERM: potential uptrend underway After the unorthodox bull market high at SPX 2104 we labeled the Major wave a downtrend to SPX 1812 as a complex zigzag: Int. a SPX 1993, Int. b SPX 2082, and Int. c SPX 1812. At the low the daily MACD was quite oversold, and the RSI set up a positive divergence. This is usually a sign that a downtrend may be ending in favor of a counter-trend uptrend. The market then rallied nearly 100 points in two days, kicking off the uptrend. And on Friday added to those gains. While the downtrend took about 1.5 months to unfold, which is about normal these days. Uptrends during bear markets are usually quite a bit shorter. This potential uptrend has rallied nearly 140 points in just 8 days and is already nearing its upside retracement targets. Three of the five uptrends during the last bear market only lasted 2 4 weeks. And, the two that lasted longer were either retracing a larger pattern or a very steep decline. Neither of which has occurred yet in this bear market. One last note. Typically during bear market uptrends they only manage to get slightly RSI overbought on the daily chart. The RSI is currently quickly approaching that level. Medium term support is at the 1929 and 1901 pivots, with resistance at the 1956 and 1973 pivots. SHORT TERM After the Major wave A low we started labeling the Major B uptrend with three Intermediate waves: a-b-c. Intermediate wave a was a bit choppy, unfolded in an a-b-c, (1890-1860-1909), and topped at SPX 1909. Then we had a quite tricky Intermediate wave b, thanks to the reaction after the FOMC, that took the form of an irregular a-b-c pattern: 1876-1917-1873. Intermediate wave c kicked in off that low and has already unfolded in three waves: 1899-1886-1940. Although the last wave may not yet be complete. When we compare Intermediate waves C and A during this uptrend, the mostly likely Fibonacci target is SPX 1971. This is where Int. C = Int. A. The other Fibonacci relationships have already been exceeded. Overall we are now looking at three possible levels to end this uptrend: OEW 1956 and 1973 pivots, and SPX 2000. Short term support is at the 1929 and 1901 pivots, with resistance at the 1956 and 1973 pivots. Short term momentum ended the week extremely overbought. A short term negative divergence, and a medium term overbought condition could fit quite well for an uptrend high. Best to your trading! FOREIGN MARKETS Asian markets were nearly all higher on the week for a net gain of 1.3%. Europe markets were also almost all higher for a gain of 1.2%. The Commodity equity group were all higher and gained 5.5%. The DJ World index appears to be uptrending and gained 2.1%. COMMODITIES Bonds continue to uptrend and gained 1.0% on the week. Crude is trying to uptrend and gained 4.3% on the week. Gold continues to uptrend and gained 1.7% on the week. The USD confirmed its uptrend but only gained 0.1% on the week. NEXT WEEK Monday: the PCE and Personal income/spending at 8:30, Construction spending and ISM manufacturing at 10am, then a Monetary policy discussion at the CFR with FED vice chair Fischer at 1pm. Tuesday: Auto sales. Wednesday: the ADP, and ISM services. Thursday: weekly Jobless claims and Factory orders. Friday: monthly Payrolls, the Trade deficit and Consumer credit. CHARTS: http://stockcharts.com/public/1269446/tenpp https://caldaro.wordpress.com After about 40 years of investing in the markets one learns that the markets are constantly changing, not only in price, but in what drives the markets. In the 1960s, the Nifty Fifty were the leaders of the stock market. In the 1970s, stock selection using Technical Analysis was important, as the market stayed with a trading range for the entire decade. In the 1980s, the market finally broke out of it doldrums, as the DOW broke through 1100 in 1982, and launched the greatest bull market on record. Sharing is an important aspect of a life. Over 100 people have joined our group, from all walks of life, covering twenty three countries across the globe. It's been the most fun I have ever had in the market. Sharing uncommon knowledge, with investors. In hope of aiding them in finding their financial independence. Copyright 2016 Tony Caldaro - 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. Tony Caldaro Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. The section of Virginia Avenue near the Dutch Inn in Collinsville appears to be an unsafe stretch of road for pedestrians and bicyclists, especially considering two recent accidents. The most recent accident on Virginia Avenue occurred on Jan. 12 when a bicyclist was struck head-on by a vehicle. The Jan. 12 accident was preceded by a Dec. 17 2015 accident near the Dutch Inn, when a Honda Accord struck two pedestrians, resulting in the death of one and injury of another. It was noted that neither pedestrian was crossing at a crosswalk or wearing reflective clothing at the time of the accident. Despite a variety of efforts that have been made over the years to address the safety concerns of the area, wreckage has continued to pile up. Were certainly aware of the concerns of pedestrians in that area, especially at nighttime, Jason Bond, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) spokesman, said when asked about Virginia Avenue. Bond said that at the moment VDOT is looking into short term options to reduce safety concerns for the stretch of road, in addition to funding options, although no official plans or timeline have been established. The short term solutions that Bond listed include: addition of sidewalks to areas that dont currently have them, cross walks, refugee islands and street lighting. A refugee island is generally a section of sidewalk that sits in the middle of a road that serves as a middle or resting point for pedestrians between opposite sides of a road. VDOT conducted a three-year crash analysis, July 1 2012 to June 30 2015, of 86 crashes for the 1.07 mile stretch of road between 5th Avenue and Route 609. Of the 86 crashes, two fatalities occurred, neither of which pedestrians were involved. The results were as follows: 42 rear-end crashes 30 angle crashes 10 fixed object-off road crashes 2 pedestrian crashes 1 sideswipe 1 sideswipe opposite direction crash The crashes can be attributed to the large number of commercial entrances being so close together with few or no combined access points. Roads with this type of traffic pattern tend to have similar numbers of crashes, Bond said. Bond said that immediately following each fatality accident that has occurred on Virginia Avenue, investigations and reviews have been conducted to determine whether or not the physical road played a contributing factor in the accidents. Of the Dec. 17 accident, Bond says that findings of reports indicate that there is nothing that can be done immediately to prevent further accidents. According to county officials the countys hands are tied at the moment. The county has made an inquiry to the Virginia Department of Transportation to find out if a safety analysis has been, or could be, done in that area and what improvements could be made to make it safer, Dale Wagoner, deputy county administrator for Henry County, said. Joe Bryant, Henry County supervisor, who represents the district in which Virginia Avenue is located, Collinsville District, explained that he is a persistent advocate of improving the safety of pedestrians and motorists in the area. One of the problems were hitting is the lack of lighting, Bryant said. Ive been talking to VDOT to see what we can do to get more lighting in the area. Bryant said that he will know more about possible remedies to safety concerns following a planning session that is scheduled for February. I dont think putting any sort of crosswalks in the area would help, but caution lights leading up to the section of road before the Dutch Inn could help people be more aware of the increase in pedestrians who are crossing in that area, Bryant says. The stretch of road directly in front of Los Nortenos, located at 2280 Virginia Avenue, has been the sight of a number of accidents that have occurred on Virginia Avenue. Leon Ruiz, owner of Los Nortenos, said that in the five years that he has owned the business he has seen more accidents than he cares to remember. Its very dangerous, Ruiz said. If we dont do something, theres going to be a lot more accidents. Ruiz warned that the stretch of road is especially dangerous in the summertime, noting that children from area neighborhoods often cross the street to pick up food. In addition to children, Ruiz said that hes always very concerned when races take place at the Martinsville Speedway. He explains that a lot of people from out of town come to businesses along Virginia Avenue and arent aware of the increased dangers. Ruiz said that ideally more street lights would be installed, in addition to cross walks. Another possible solution Ruiz offered was lowering the current 35 miles per hour speed limit down to 25 and even the placement of speed bumps. Ruiz said that he takes his patrons lives very serious, even going as far as to volunteer to drive customers, who have walked to his restaurant from either Comfort Inn or Hampton Inn, back to their hotels. Bill Douvier, manager of the Dutch Inn, weighed in on the discussion with his concerns over guest and employee safety. Douvier noted that the bicyclist that was injured in the Jan. 12 accident was actually one of his employees, a cook who was on his way home following his shift. Douvier went on to explain that his large office window overlooks the section of Virginia Avenue in which a majority of the accidents occur, explaining that he has a firsthand view of what he believes to be a contributing factor to some of the accidents, excessive speed. Ive caught myself going down the hill too quickly, its easy to do and speed limit enforcement would remind people to be more cautious because its a busy place, Douvier says. Douvier says that hes especially concerned for guests when theyre trying to cross the road from the Dutch Inn to get something to eat at Elizabeths Pizza, comparing crossing the road to a game of Frogger. There are very few breaks in traffic and crossing can be tough, Douvier says, noting that he always drives across the road instead of attempting to dodge traffic. I think that once people come through that straight away they get focused on the traffic light ahead and forget to keep an eye out for pedestrians who are crossing the road, Lane Penn, Henry County sheriff, said. TODAYS WORD is obstreperous (ub-STREP-uh-rus). Examples: (1.) After two months at sea with dwindling food supplies and declining confidence in the captain, the ships crew became obstreperous and began to plot a mutiny; (2.) It is Rob she calls for when crankily refusing to go to bed, and when Alan attempts to calm her she grows only more obstreperous. Charles Isherwood, The New York Times, 9 Nov. 2015 FRIDAYS WORD was jeremiad (jair-uh-MYE-ud). Definition: A prolonged lamentation or complaint; also, a cautionary or angry harangue. Examples: (1.) Mrs. Whinge waggled a finger at us and launched into a doleful jeremiad about how we would come to no good end; (2.) [Pope Franciss] now-famous jeremiads as pope against todays culture of excessive consumption and environmental degradation are rooted in a thrift ethic that he acquired early in life and never abandoned. David Blankenhorn, The Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), 11 Dec. 2015 The weather has been so deceiving that the birds apparently dont know where to go. Robins are out in force in the (Martinsville/Henry County)area. On Thursday and Friday mornings, the Stroller observed robins that had returned to the backyard and many went to the bird feeder. Unfortunately the feeders had been empty for weeks. By the time you read this there will be food for the birds and we urge you to do your part by putting out seeds, suet, etc. The red robin is a portent of spring, Jim Cheney writes. Robins are supposedly one of our first visual signs from the animal kingdom that the return of warmth is on its way after a long winter haul. Today (Sunday) is supposed to be in the 50s. In past years, the temperature got mild enough to cause buds on trees such as apple and peaches, then came a hard freeze/frost and ruined the apple and peach crops. We welcome springwhen spring weather gets here to stay. On Tuesday, Feb. 2, the eyes of the world turn to the small Jefferson County borough of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for one of the most absurd (and most fun) events in the United States: Groundhog Day. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will persist for six more weeks. Jim Cheney is the writer behind UncoveringPA, Pennsylvanias most read travel blog. He writes that While far from the only weather-predicting groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, the 130-year tradition, the annual presence of the Weather Channel, and a little help from the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray, makes this the official Groundhog Day celebration. While Groundhog Day has been held in Punxsutawney since 1886, its roots go back centuries. The tradition revolves around the holiday of Candlemas that was held February 2. This day, 40 days after Christmas, was historically the day that Jesus was presented to the temple in Jerusalem. This marked the end of the Christmas season and was celebrated with a feast and parade. Bright, sunny Candlemas days indicated six more weeks of winter, whereas a cloudy wet Candlemas indicated an early spring. This tradition came to be associated with the emergence of hibernating animals. In France, it was the marmot; in England, the hedgehog; and in Eastern Europe, the bear. However, in Germany, it was the badger. When the Pennsylvania Dutch immigrated to America, they brought the tradition with them. Because there were no badgers in the New World, they chose the next best thing: the groundhog. While the tradition is celebrated in other communities around North America (including several in Pennsylvania), Cheney says everyone knows that the real weather prognosticating rodent resides in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The US Army Corps of Engineers at Philpott Lake wants to remind everyone just because it is cold does not mean that there is nothing to do at Philpott Lake. The awe-inspiring beauty doesnt endit simply changes into a spellbound cool and frosty delight. Philpott Park, Goose Point Park, Ryans Branch Park, Twin Ridge Park and the Tail Race Park are all open to visitor use throughout the winter. Dry camping is available on a limited first-come-first-served basis on nine sites at Goose Point Park. Overnight camping is $20 for electric only (water available at community spigot). Twenty-one primitive campsites (boat access only) are available on Deer Island for $10 a night. Portable toilets are available in both campgrounds. Philpott Park and the Visitor Center at 1058 Philpott Dam Road west of Bassett will be open on a daily basis. It is suggested that you Gather up your friends and family and get outside for weekends of fun at Philpott Lake. For more information call: 276-629-2703 HOLYOKE Community Resources for People with Autism held its 7th annual Stepping Out for Autism fundraising gala on Saturday at the Log Cabin banquet and Meeting House. More than 250 guests enjoyed a gourmet buffet dinner and dancing to the music of Union Jack British Invasion Band. A silent auction and live auction were among the evening's activities. Dave Madsen, news anchor for Western Mass News, television partner to The Republican and MassLive.com, was the evening's host. The event benefited Community Resources for People with Autism's activities and support of individuals with autism and more than 2,000 families in Western Massachusetts. If Ashton Grillo was tired of pouring or smiling on Sunday, it did not show. A promoter for F& F Distributors of New London, Grillo was touting Redd's Apple Ale at the 13th annual Mohegan Sun WinesFest this weekend. The festival drew an estimated 10,000 people to the Uncasville, Conn., casino. Grillo, who has worked the WineFest for the past three years, said there is a definite uptick in business following the two-day event. Across the room, brand ambassador Ellen Nixon was introducing festival goers to Henry's Hard Soda, which arrived in stores on Jan. 20. "Everyone loves it, especially the orange soda," Nixon said. "You can mix it with vanilla vodka and make a Creamsicle." The Bay State's Boston Beer Co. was well represented with Samuel Adams beers and Angry Orchard hard ciders. "People are psyched to see the different flavors," representative Michael Rice said as he poured a glass of Crisp Apple, one of the more popular ciders that Boston beer Co. offers. While the WIneFest featured some of the biggest names in the business, it also included many fledgling operations. Bronya Shillo, founder of Fisher's Island Lemonade, began serving her creation several years ago at her family's bar, The Pequot Inn, on Fishers Island, New York. In May 2014, she went big producing the vodka, whiskey, natural lemon and honey sweetened drink for distribution in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Long Island. "The Mohegan Sun is our biggest local event of the year," she said. Mohegan Sun WineFest featured more than 40 wineries and 30 breweries exhibiting, hundreds of brands of wines and beers. The centerpiece of the gathering remains the five-hour grand tastings, which included cooking demonstrations by several celebrity chefs, including Rocco DiSpirito, Todd English and Sara Moulton. The Alchemystics will headline the Ziontific Winter Warmer concert at the Stafford Palace Theater on Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. The band will join forces with Rhythmic Circus, Kroma Kode, along with DJ Nen and Honeycomb. The Alchemystics blend reggae, politically infused hip-hop, gritty soul, and hard-driving rock with Jamaican, Cuban and Trinidadian rhythms to create modern-day roots music. Tickets for the show are $15 and available through the venue website. The Stafford Palace Theater is at 75 Main Street in Stafford Springs, CT. New Delhi: Underlining the significance of the recently-announced Crop Insurance Scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday on his monthly radio show Mann Ki Baat that awareness about it should be spread nationwide so that at least 50 per cent of farmers join it within two years. He also pitched for continued efforts to popularise khadi and awareness to save the girl child and also referred to the recently launched Start-Up India programme. Mr Modi said he needs maximum help from people to spread awareness on the Pradhan Mantri Crop Insurance Scheme that was launched earlier this month. In our country, a lot is said in the name of farmers. I dont want to get involved in that debate. But farmers face a major crisis. In natural calamities, their entire effort goes waste. BOSTON - A Boston Police detective who tipped off members of a violent gang that they were under investigation was sentenced to serve a year of probation in U.S. District Court Friday. Brian Smigielski, 43, of Norton was also fined $5,000 in U.S. District Court. The former investigator pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government during the course of a federal investigation. While working as an officer for Boston Police, Smigielski was assigned as the lead detective as authorities investigated the Academy Homes Street Gang beginning in 2009. The gang, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts, is a violent narcotics trafficking gang that operated out of the Academy Homes housing project in Roxbury. Brian Smigielski, Boston police detective (via BPDnews.com) ((BPDNews.com)) Authorities said Smigielski became upset in late 2009 after the case was turned over to the FBI and other units within Boston Police. Records show Smigielski was ordered to stay away from one of the targets of the investigation, a gang member named Owens Brown. In January 2010, Smigielski and Officer Mel Steele met Brown and Lamar Axell, another reported gang member, at the bar Daisy Buchanan's in downtown Boston, according to federal court records. Smigielski warned Brown that the authorities were watching him. Steele, according to records, told Axell that federal investigators were watching Brown. Steele, at Axell's request, ran a license plate in September 2010. The plate came back to an unmarked police cruiser being used to conduct surveillance on Brown. "Officer Steele admitted to running the license plate at Axell's direction," records said. Steele, who is no longer a Boston Police officer, was sentenced to a year of probation and fined $2,000 last year for lying to federal investigators. Federal records show Brown called Smigielski's cell phone and the two talked in late 2010. Boston officers working the investigation pulled over Brown during a traffic stop in April 2011. "During the stop, Brown asked the BPD officers whether they knew 'Steele' or 'Smiddy'," records said. "Within days after the car stop, Brown met with Smigielski to inquire about the car stop. During this meeting in Eggleston Square, Smigielski informed Brown that based upon his experience; it was likely that Brown was being physically identified by law enforcement in preparation for Brown's imminent arrest." Brown was arrested a month later. A court filing by Smigielski's attorney said the officer lost his job and pension. The officer had been injured three times while on the job during his career and received awards while serving the department, the filing states. 012116-court-reporter-sara-adams.JPG 01.21.2016 | SPRINGFIELD -- Court Reporter Sara Adams, right, is seen in Hampden Superior Court during the trail of Vito Resto. On the bench is Judge Richard Carey and at left is clerk William T. Walsh Jr. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN) SPRINGFIELD When a criminal trial is about to kick off in Western Massachusetts, the action doesn't start until the court reporter takes her seat below the judge's bench. That's because she (36 of the 40 court reporters employed by the Massachusetts Trial Court statewide are women) is responsible for making an accurate record of the trial. That record is crucial because it will be used in appeals of murders and other serious cases as well as for other purposes by lawyers and judges. The long history of having human court reporters may be ending soon, replaced by technology. The move has proponents confident, but opponents are very wary of the change and rue the expected loss of court reporters in the courtroom. The Trial Court is in the process of implementing a new digital recording system, For the Record (FTR), in 455 courtrooms across the state first slated for the Superior Court and other courtrooms in buildings that house a Superior Court, according to a Trial Court spokeswoman. The contract is $5 million for equipment and installation in the 455 courtrooms. The 40 court reporters employed by the state Trial Court haven't been told their fate by the Trial Court. They have been told indirectly from the Trial Court via their union their jobs are not guaranteed after June, the end of the state fiscal year. It's a nervous time for court reporters, many of whom have done their job for decades. In addition to the demographic regarding gender, all but three of the 40 court reporters statewide who make $82,000 per year are over 40 years old. A Trial Court spokeswoman provided the following statement: "FTR is now operational in Plymouth and has been installed in Salem, and installation is under way in Worcester. All work is being done on weekends, so as not to disrupt court business. "The Trial Court Human Resources Department has been working with the union that represents Court Reporters regarding the impact of the new digital system on Court Reporters. No final decision about employment status has been made." The spokeswoman said the transition to digital recording represents a significant change for the Trial Court and will also allow for court transcripts to be produced more quickly. Court reporter Alicia Cayode Kyles in Hampden Superior Court. In an email to "Colleagues in the Superior Court" last month, state Trial Court Administrator Harry Spence wrote, "Discussions by judges or other court officials with individual Court Reporters on their employment status are to be avoided, as those discussions may constitute direct dealing, which is not permitted by the collective bargaining law. Court reporters who have such questions should be directed to contact Local 6." The move from people to technology has many worried, although Tony Douglass, the head of FTR, said there is nothing to worry about whatever the concern, they have it covered. There is another level of concern too, and that is personal. Many court reporters, including the five women who work as court reporters primarily in Hampden Superior Court, are considered valued members of the court system. A judge at trial can ask the court reporter to read back the last question or answer when he or she is ruling on an objection. The court reporter is the one who gets the correct spellings of names and locations for the record. The court reporter is the one who alerts the judge when a witness is talking too quietly to be heard by her. A court reporter is the one who prepares the clean and official written transcript to be used for future proceedings in a case. The FTR website describes the company as follows: "FTR solutions are used the world over, across 27,000 installations in 65 countries and 50 US States. To support our global customer base takes a truly global operation. Our development operation, FTR Labs, is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, with an additional development office in Perth. In the Americas, our sales and support team is based in Denver, Colorado, while we also have a presence throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa." Christie Aarons, one of the court reporters who works in local Superior Courts, said the court reporters just want to be treated fairly. "As citizens we are concerned that the importance of an accurate record is getting lost in a rush to digitize the Trial Court," she said. "The record of the proceedings protects every person who walks through these courtroom doors, both victims and accused. "The record is the transparency that the Trial Court must have to effectively administer justice. If the record is of poor quality or nonexistent, then cases have to be retried and hearings have to be done over, and that costs the taxpayers money, it costs the court and the parties time, and most importantly it adversely affects both victims and the accused," Aarons said. She said a wise plan would be to use digital technology in conjunction with the court reporters, use court reporters in serious felony cases, and leave it at the judges' discretion to decide which is appropriate in each case. Aarons said court reporters spend $10,000 out of their own pockets, including: steno machine, $4,000 to $5,000; transcript software, $4,000; and money for laptops, printers and office supplies such as toner, discs and paper. "Our job doesn't end at the end of the court day. We type transcripts at home on nights and weekends," she said. Laura Gentile, Hampden Superior Court clerk, said she has great concerns the FTR recording system is being implemented too quickly. She said Plymouth County, where it is being used, is not comparable to Hampden County or other large counties. She said assistant clerks who sit in trials are keepers of the record, not makers of the record like court reporters. The clerks have their own jobs to do in the courtroom and should not be expected to constantly monitor an audio recording system, she said. Clerks tag and keep exhibits organized and ready. They fill out paperwork for jurors. They also need to leave the courtroom at times for other duties, she said. Court reporters have been creating the trial record throughout history because it works, she said. "In my opinion that's why they can't be replaced, because nothing can replace them," Gentile said. Nikolas Andreopoulos, a private practice lawyer representing many defendants in serious criminal cases including murder, said if court reporters are let go by the Trial Court, it will be a loss for the court system. "You can't really trust technology over seasoned court reporters," he said. Andrew Klyman, head of the Committee for Public Counsel Superior Court office in Springfield, said he thinks it's overall a bad idea to function without court reporters in the courtroom. He said an audio recording system will lack the human element. A machine may not be able to pick up everything happening in a courtroom, Klyman, who represents some murder defendants, said. Linda Thompson, a private lawyer who has long represented murder defendants as well as people accused of other serious offenses, said, "I like people rather than machines." She said she likes the ability to talk to court reporters directly to order transcripts or parts of transcripts. "I think it will make it more complicated in court," Thompson said. "Frequently gaps have to be filled in the record." A trial is a fluid thing with issues arising throughout, she said. "I don't think you can manage it by machines," she said. "There are literally times when a court reporter will look at judge and say, 'I cant take that down, too many people are talking.'" She said there are times she wants to get a piece of transcript for the next day to use in closing argument and she can't imagine how an audio recording system will handle that. Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni had no comment on the installation of FTR or the possible loss of the court reporters, according to his spokesman, James Leydon. Douglass, FTR president, said he has of late been based in Williamsburg, Virginia. There is a Boston project office as well as space being used in several courthouses, he said. FTR, he said, will make an excellent quality recording in the courtroom. The recording will be kept in a central data base. FTR does not produce a written transcript. "You still require a court reporter to produce a transcript," Douglass said. Although Douglass said a court reporter is still needed to produce a written transcript, transcripts can be produced by people who are not Trial Court-employed court reporters. Audio recording of civil trials is already used, with a system called JAVS (Jefferson Audio Visual Systems.) The state Trial Court website has a "trial court approved transcriber list" from which anyone wanting a transcript of the civil proceeding can contract for one. The transcribers, who often work for private companies, are not court employees. Douglass said the company is putting in very high quality recording systems. There will be a detailed assessment of every courtroom with "targeted amplification and reinforcement," Douglass said. Multiple microphones will be placed where needed, he said. As for playing back a previous question or answer, Douglass said the recording can be played back to any point. Whoever is monitoring the recording system in a courtroom is the one who would find the section a judge wants played back. As to who in the courtroom will be constantly monitoring the system to see it is working, Douglass said it would be up to the specific court. It could be the assistant clerk, it could be a courtroom monitor, it could be a court reporter, it could be a probation officer, he said. In Hampden Superior Court, a monitor is used in courtroom one, the courtroom that handles arraignments, pre-trial conferences, scheduling and other matters. That courtroom does not handle trials. The courtroom monitor is a person who continuously ensures that the audio system being used there (not FTR) is picking up everything and tells people when they need to step closer to the microphone or speak up. The pay for current courtroom monitors is significantly less than for court reporters. There is an expectation that the Trial Court may hire some additional courtroom monitors, but certainly nowhere near the 40 court reporters who may lose their jobs. The Trial Court spokeswoman said it is working with FTR to see what the needs will be. But monitors are not paid to produce written transcripts, their role is to make sure the audio system is picking up everything in the courtroom. Whoever is monitoring the system would need to alert the judge if a witness or anyone else for that matter is not speaking loud enough or answering with a nod of their head instead of verbally, Douglass said. Update: Police respond to allegations of physical, emotional abuse at Eagleton School. GREAT BARRINGTON About 50 law enforcement investigators flooded the Great Barrington campus of the private Eagleton School Saturday to search for evidence of physical and emotional abuse of students by staff members. The Berkshire Eagle reported that the search comes after more than a month of investigation by local and State Police into allegations of abuse of the special needs male students, including autism, Asperger Syndrome and other cognitive, behavioral and developmental disabilities. The investigation was started by the Great Barrington police earlier this month, and included State Police investigators.However Saturday's search included representatives from the FBI, the Massachusetts State Police, The state department of Early Education and Care, the Berkshire County Sheriff's Department, and local police from Great Barrington, Williamstown and Dalton as members of the Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force. The newspaper reported that Great Barrington Police Chief William Walsh said in a statement that police will remain on the campus for the for some time continuing to secure evidence. Walsh pointed out that, "there is no public safety danger to the community." On a frigid, windswept afternoon earlier this month, Stephanie Pete pored over a circular in the Amherst Big Y supermarket, elbows braced on the handlebars of a shopping cart. She was looking for the good deals, she said; the better to stretch the $511 in monthly SNAP benefits she uses to feed herself and her two young daughters. Minutes later, Pete swiped her EBT card throughout a checkout scanner as the contents of the cart - strawberries, clementines, mixed greens, pasta, canned sweet peas - moved down the lane's conveyor belt. She has been on food benefits since August and described them as a lifeline for her family. "It's made it so I'm a lot less stressed, and I don't have to worry necessarily about how my kids are going to eat," Pete said. "Before, no kidding, it was a struggle as to how to get by with food. I would have nothing in the refrigerator at times." Pete, 28, is one of the more than 750,000 Massachusetts residents who receive benefits the federally-funded SNAP program - formerly known as food stamps. In Massachusetts, the program made headlines for the wrong reasons last year, from technical snafus that denied recipients their benefits to high-profile cases of fraud. But for Pete and her children - Jemma, 6, and Remmy, 17 months - the assistance is essential. Personal and financial circumstances have left Pete without the money necessary to keep food on the table, and SNAP fills that need, she said. Pete may not fit your stereotypical view of a food stamp recipient. Pete moved from her native Arizona to Western Massachusetts, following her then-husband east as he pursued a doctorate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The experience was difficult socially, she said; she knew almost no one, and felt profoundly isolated as she raised Jemma, then a toddler, and had her second daughter in 2014. She and her husband are no longer together. Pete had worked at UMass Amherst's dining services, but Remmy's birth made full-time work impractical; putting Remmy in daycare would have cost at least $130 per week, a significant fraction of the wages Pete would be earning. And her ex-husband's National Science Foundation-funded fellowship at the University of Massachusetts Amherst prohibited him from seeking outside work while in the program, limiting his ability to lend financial help. Pete moved into a sublet in Amherst in February of 2014, and for several months received WIC benefits to help raise her newborn daughter. But the lease expired in July, and she moved into the Hadley home of a friend she had met working part-time at a dentist's office - with two mouths to feed and little income to speak of. "It was really hard with having the girls," Pete said. "Between daycare and not having childcare and stuff, I can't have a full time job." Pete would go to the Amherst Survival Center and return with milk and vegetables, but she said it soon became clear she needed a steadier source of food. "I knew I had to do it. There was no way I could feed the kids," she said. ""What initially happened was I could not afford even groceries." In June she had filled out an application for SNAP benefits, and two months later she found herself in the Holyoke office of the state Department of Transitional Assistance. The building was packed, she said, with about 100 people waiting as workers processed stacks of paperwork. She was accepted into the program, and trips to the grocery store became opportunities rather than sources of stress. She said she knew other SNAP recipients who fed their children on processed and unhealthy foods, and was determined not to make the same choices. Her kids are not picky, even her youngest - "Pretty much anything you put on her high chair, she'll eat," Pete said. On a recent trip to Big Y, Pete filled her cart with vegetables, fruit and pasta. Being on the receiving end of food benefits can carry a stigma. When MassLive was seeking sources for this story, social service agencies contacted for potential interviews said it was a tough sell, with SNAP recipients they worked with unwilling to have their name publicly linked to being on benefits. One man shared his story by email but was unwilling to be identified, saying he feared both retaliation from the Department of Transitional Assistance and vitriol from readers and commenters. Pete said she has not experienced much of that, aside from rudeness by some DTA employees. At the grocery store, however, she does swipe her card quickly; at a glance it looks like a license or credit card. "Sometimes I feel like people will look at me," Pete said. "I sometimes wish it was a little more inconspicuous." But above all, she said, she's grateful to put food on the table, as her youngest grows up and her oldest works her way through kindergarten. "It's definitely been a huge help," she said. eagleton school The Eagleton School on Monterey Road in Great Barrington, Mass., seen in a Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 photo, was searched on Saturday by some 50 local, state and federal law enforcement officers. The school is facing allegations of physical and emotional abuse on students by staff at the school. (Gillian Jones/The Berkshire Eagle via AP) GREAT BARRINGTON The Great Barrington Police Department working with the Massachusetts State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office are looking into allegations of physical and emotional abuse at a private school for boys. Police said the operation was conducted Saturday evening at Eagleton School, a private facility for boys ages 9-22 with cognitive, behavioral, and developmental disabilities. "Today's events are part of an investigation into allegations of physical and emotional abuse on students by staff at the school that was begun by the Great Barrington Police Department earlier this month and has involved multiple agencies," police officials posted on the Great Barrington Police Department Facebook page. Police said detectives went to the school Saturday night to gather evidence related to the investigation. Police will remain at the school for the immediate future to ensure that the collection of evidence related to the investigation proceeds in a thorough, coordinated, and orderly manner. Police Chief William Walsh Jr. said there is absolutely no public safety danger to the community. "Great Barrington is home to a number of public and private schools that serve a diverse population of students across a broad spectrum, and we want the community -- and the parents at home -- to be aware of a police investigation that is ongoing. However, there is no danger and no threats have been made to the safety of anyone," Chief Walsh said. "More information will be released as soon as it is available." Police were accompanied to the school by officials from the state Department of Early Education and Care to work with school staff to minimize disruption to students, ensure their safety and well-being, and communicate with parents, police said. Chief Walsh recognized Great Barrington Police Officer Jonathan Finnerty for his work as the department's lead investigator on the case. The Berkshire County Sheriff's Office, as well as members of the Dalton and Williamstown Police Departments also assisted at the scene. -6af010614d882633.jpg Bathania Fish and Meat Market at 2595 Main St. in the North End of Springfield. (Republican file photo) SPRINGFIELD -- The need for federal food assistance in Massachusetts has decreased in recent years, state officials say. About one in five Americans -- 65 million people -- qualify for SNAP benefits. Of that figure, an estimated 47 million across the country apply for and receive a total of $1.25 billion in nutrition assistance. The demand for the federal food stamp program in Massachusetts has seen increases and dips in the past decade. Just over half a million Massachusetts families received federal benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in September 2013, an all-time high for the state. The number of households receiving SNAP benefits dropped to 470,248 the following September. Currently 452,108 households -- one in nine Massachusetts residents --receive SNAP benefits, according to figures the state Department of Transitional Assistance released this month. Enrollment rates have doubled in the past decade, with enrollment in the low 200,000s before the recent recession. The average amount a Massachusetts family receives is $222.34 per month, meaning $7.29 per day for food purchases. Three of every four households earn less than the federal poverty level, meaning $24,250 for a family of four. Over a third of Massachusetts residents receiving SNAP benefits have at least one child and one in five are senior citizens. SNAP benefits can be used to purchase food from more than 5,000 stores across the state. A request by MassLive.com with the United Stated Department of Agriculture for data on how much in SNAP benefits were spent in each store for the past several years was denied. Information on individual SNAP benefit recipients was not requested, only information on how much federal money was spent within individual Massachusetts stores each year. A USDA spokesman responded to the request, "FNS is prohibited by law from releasing any data on the amount of SNAP benefits spent at individual stores per the Food and Nutrition Act, 7 U.S.C. 2018(9) (c) and Title 7, Part 278 of the Federal regulations at 7 CFR 278.1 (q)." A Freedom of Information Act requesting such data for fiscal 2006 through 2009 filed by Michael Morisy, founder of the website MuckRock, was accepted. After publishing how much money in food stamps individual Massachusetts stores received, Massachusetts officials said the information was erroneously released in violation of federal law. A letter sent to Morisy by the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance threatened that "failure to remove this information may result in fines or imprisonment" of up to one year or $1,000 dollars. State officials later lifted this threat. Five years later, the data is still the most up-to-date information on SNAP spending in Massachusetts available to the public. View a visualization of stores that accept SNAP benefits and how much they received between fiscal years 2006 and 2009 below. From fiscal years 2006 to 2009, the amount of SNAP spending more than doubled in Massachusetts, from close to $240 million to over $558 million. Stores in every Massachusetts community, from Amherst to Worcester made the list, though spending in each varied. Both before and during the recession, Springfield was the top community for SNAP spending across the state. From 2006 to 2009, Chicopee jumped from fifth to the second highest location for spending SNAP benefits. West Springfield stores, which had the sixth highest reimbursement rate combined in 2006, were no longer on the top 10 list by 2009. Price Rite locations in Western and Central Massachusetts were among the top shopped at stores in 2009. The location on Union Street in West Springfield received $11,442,971.80 in EBT purchases, five million more than in FY 2006. A Price Rite on Boston Road in Springfield received $8,778,164.80, double the SNAP purchases three years earlier. The franchise in Chicopee took in just over eight million and a Price Rite on Gold Star Boulevard in Worcester earned $7,697,249.11 in one year. SNAP spending increased for almost every store to accept federal benefits, regardless of the community it operated within. The Big Y location at 689 Main St. in East Longmeadow accepted $1.28 million in SNAP benefits in 2009, more than double the $629,063 received in 2006. The supermarket chain's Longmeadow location also saw drastic increases, relatively, from receiving just over $28,000 in 2006 to $97,499 during the recession in 2009. Big Y shoppers spent $32.75 million in SNAP benefits at the supermarket's 28 Massachusetts locations in 2009. The same year, Stop & Shop's 71 Massachusetts locations accepted just over $71 million for EBT purchases. Local stores also saw drastic increases in the number of purchases made year over year. Just under two million was spent with SNAP benefits at 90 Meat Outlet in 2006, a meat shop in Springfield's North End. SNAP spending nearly doubled at the store in two years, and more than tripled by 2009, with the store receiving $6,083,259.27. "We're in a unique type of industry, practically recession-proof," 90 Meat Outlet owner Jim Vallides said. "Everyone has to eat." While the economy hasn't entirely bounced back, families are able to purchase more expensive goods now than at the height of the recession. Fewer customers use EBT cards now for purchases at the North End meat store compared to 2009, Vallides said, and business is up overall. chase.jpg The driver of the Ford Mustang seen here lead police on a multi-town chase Sunday. (Greenfield Police Department photo) MONTAGUE - Police arrested a 20-year-old man after he failed to stop for Massachusetts State Troopers twice and then led officers from multiple departments on a chase through a variety of towns including Holyoke, Greenfield, Deerfield and Whately. Anthony Fortunato, 20, of Erving, was eventually stopped at a roadblock and arrested by Massachusetts State Police. He was charged with a variety of offenses including two counts of failure to stop for police, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, unsafe lane changes, marked lane violations, breakdown lane violations and failure to signal, State Trooper Paul Sullivan said. The chase began in Springfield at about 10:55 a.m., Sunday, when a State Trooper attempted to pull over Fortunato's yellow Ford Mustang on Cleveland Street, which runs between Armory and Liberty streets. Because of the location, the trooper decided it was unsafe to pursue him and instead alerted other officers to watch for the car, Sullivan said. At about 11:02 a.m., a second trooper spotted the car on Interstate 91 just north of Exit 14 in Holyoke and attempted to stop the driver, Sullivan said. The chase then headed north up Interstate 91, Sullivan said. When the chase reached Deerfield, Police officer Adam Sokoloski set up Stop Sticks near the Whatley town line to try and puncture the vehicle's tires, but the operator was able to avoid them. Then Deerfield Officer Robert Warger set up more sticks north at the 36.4 mile marker, Deerfield police officials said. The suspect again managed to avoid the sticks, but the driver of a Chevrolet Blazer nicked a tire on them, police said. The pursuit continued north and the suspect drove into Greenfield. There police officials were able to successfully set up Stop Sticks on Interstate 91, Sullivan said. The driver hit them and punctured both right side tires. He then exited the Interstate at Exit 26 in Greenfield and headed up Deerfield Street, he said. Montague Police set up a roadblock on the General Pierce Bridge and were able to stop the car. State Police then arrested the driver, Sullivan said. Deerfield Police officials said the driver of the Chevrolet Blazer, whose tire was flattened by the Stop Stick, was understanding. "We have made arrangements to fix his tire," police said. WORCESTER - An Auburn nurse was sentenced to serve three years of probation in federal court Friday after she previously pleaded guilty to stealing oxycodone pills from patients at a Worcester nursing care facility. Joanna Dacri, 34, of Auburn, will serve six months of her probation in home detention, according to federal records. Dacri pleaded guilty to one count of acquiring and obtaining oxycodone by deception last year in U.S. District Court. Records show Dacri was stealing oxycodone pills from three patients at the Worcester facility over a five-month period in 2014. She took the oxycodone pills and replaced them with antihistamine and antidepressant tablets instead. "During that period, she stole numerous oxycodone tablets prescribed to three patients, and surreptitiously substituted other, similar-looking tablets, specifically Loratadine (antihistamine) tablets and Mirtazapine (antidepressant) tablets, in place of the oxycodone tablets," according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports that the theft occurred in the Christopher House in Worcester. The facility declined to comment to the newspaper. Dacri told a federal judge she was in the state's Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program, the newspaper reported. The program allows nurses to keep their license while undergoing treatment. Google Fiber is sending out invitations to an experimental telephone service for some of its high-speed Internet subscribers, according to two people who have received the invitation. By Brian Fung Full Story: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/01/29/google-fiber-wants-to-bundle-in-phone-service/ New Delhi: Delhi Ministers and AAP lawmakers on Sunday launched a cleanliness drive in their respective constituencies and said they will not let the people live amid garbage heaps in the national capital as the strike by civic sanitation workers entered its fifth day. The sanitation workers for their part maintained they would continue with their protest until their "just" demands were met. They warned that the situation in the national capital may "deteriorate" after the government engaged PWD teams in the cleanliness drive. Accusing AAP and BJP of "fooling" the people, Congress workers took to the streets in 14 of its organisational districts in Delhi and asked the AAP government to show a "large heart" by releasing funds which would facilitate the resolution of the crisis. "We have already paid them (corporations) funds for clearing salaries. We cannot let people live amid garbage. Hence, we have undertaken the cleanliness drive," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said. Taking part in the drive in his Patparganj Assembly constituency, Sisodia said the PWD is working "round-the-clock" in each city ward to ensure cleanliness. Also, more than 2,000 Delhi Jal Board workers teamed up with PWD workers for the cleanliness drive. The deputy chief minister attacked the BJP-led civic bodies as he referred to allegations of "salary scam" in the corporations. He said the government is looking for a "permanent solution" to the problem. Besides Sisodia, Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra, PWD Minister Satyendra Jain and Assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel participated joined in the cleanliness drive in their respective constituencies. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lauded PWD men for working "whole night" to remove garbage. He also asked AAP functionaries to join the department staffers in lifting the filth. The PWD men had swung into action after the state government formed a task force for each district Saturday. Meanwhile, Rajendra Mewati, general secretary of the United Front of MCD Employees, warned that the situation may "deteriorate" if the government continues to engage PWD workers. "The situation may deteriorate if the government continues to engage PWD workers in cleaning the city when sanitation workers are on an indefinite strike," he said. Levolution des strategies et de la dynamique de transformation numerique a travers lArabie Saoudite incite les entreprises a innover et a explorer de nouvelles technologies et de nouveaux modeles de livraison, creant un ecosysteme complexe marque par de nouveaux defis en termes de cybersecurite. En consequence, la cybersecurite ne se limite plus aux mecanismes de protection des actifs technologiques, mais doit egalement assurer la resilience des entreprises. Dautant que la cybersecurite gagne une importance strategique dans les agendas au niveau executif, de nouveaux defis et opportunites se presentent. En reponse a cette situation, lIDC, (International Data Corporation), le premier groupe mondial de conseil et detudes sur les marches des technologies de linformation, a publie une analyse approfondie du paysage de la cybersecurite en Arabie Saoudite, soulignant les elements suivants : Les differents defis confrontes par lecosysteme de la cybersecurite et la facon dont le marche evolue et repond a ces complexites Le role des acteurs des secteurs public et prive au long de la chaine de valeur de cybersecurite Les dernieres tendances en matiere de cybersecurite et les meilleures pratiques mondiales eprouvees Le dernier leadership eclaire et recherche de lIDC concernant le paysage de cybersecurite en Arabie Saoudite. Il est necessaire de mettre laccent sur lhabilitation numerique par lutilisation de technologies numeriques sophistiquees pour faire progresser lactivite industrielle, attirer des investissements et diversifier leconomie grace au developpement des secteurs publiques tels que la sante, leducation, linfrastructure, les loisirs et le tourisme. Au milieu du programme de transformation numerique accelere de lArabie saoudite, la necessite de garantir des cybers actifs essentiels a gagne une importance strategique pour les differents secteurs dactivite et industries, surtout que linfrastructure nationale critique du Royaume a ete menacee plusieurs fois recemment. LIDC est tout a fait consciente des menaces et des defis en termes de cybersecurite auxquels lArabie Saoudite sera confrontee pour accelerer ses ambitions numeriques, a declare Hamza Naqshbandi, Directeur Regional de lIDC pour lArabie Saoudite et le Bahrein. Le Royaume a largement investi pour renforcer sa position en matiere de cybersecurite en mettant en uvre une legislation nationale sur la cybercriminalite, des strategies nationales de cybersecurite robustes, des equipes proactives dintervention en cas durgence informatique et des campagnes de sensibilisation et de renforcement des capacites, qui ont toutes ete completees par des competences locales dans le domaine de la cybersecurite. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Four railway officials have been injured in the protests and some trains have been delayed following the commotion.(Photo: Twitter) Hyderabad: Members of the Kapu community seeking reservation intensified their stir on Sunday, and set a local police station in Tuni, in Godavari district of AP, on fire. They torched 8 police vehicles causing large scale damage to public property. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has called for an emergency meet to discuss the issue. The protestors claimed that the Chief Minister failed to keep his promise to Kapu community to include them in the Backward Classes List, and only formed a commission to look into the demands of the community. The protestors defended their action claiming that they retaliated after the police provoked them by resorting to lathi charge. WATCH: Two coaches of Ratnachal express set on fire by protestors from Kapu community in Tuni city (AP)https://t.co/pyAxJpnSjs ANI (@ANI_news) January 31, 2016 The agitating members had also set fire the Ratnachal Express on fire. They resorted to stone pelting, injuring four railway officials. Some trains have been delayed following the commotion. The train was stopped at 15:20 hrs between Tuni and Hamsavaram railway stations by Kapunadu Garjana agitators who sat on the tracks, climbed on the train and damaged hose pipe and glasses of the coach. After the passengers in the coaches detrained, 4 coaches caught fire. The passengers are reported safe. Chaos prevailed at the railway station in Tuni as the protests turned violent and the activists beat up police personnel. Several of the protesters were detained. #SpotVisuals Protesters from Kapu community,demanding BC status,burn 2 coaches of Ratnachal express in Tuni city(AP) pic.twitter.com/EHuefrRGDz ANI (@ANI_news) January 31, 2016 Over 2 lakh protestors blocked the Chennai- Kolkata national highway affecting vehicular movement. The protests have spread to Vijayawada and blockades were also reported in Krishnalanka. Additional police forces have been sent from Vizag, Rajahamundry to Tuni, to bring the situation under control. Earlier, members of Kapu community took to the streets and blocked railway lines and highways in Andhra Pradesh seeking inclusion in Backward Class. The Kapu Aaikya Garjana meet (Unity meet) saw members of the Kapu community assembling on large scale led by their leader Mudragada Padmanabham. Several leaders of the community Botsa Satyanarayan of YSR Congress, Pallam Raju former union minister, Vatti Vasantha Kumar, congress leader, and former minister extended support to the Kapu movement. The community has been demanding inclusion of their caste into the Backward Class list. Lakhs of members from the community gathered at the venue in Tuni of Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. TDP leaders boycotted the meet. Addressing the meeting, Mudragada said that AP CM had earlier filed petition in the court against reservations to Kapus when the then Kotla Vijay Bhaskar Reddy government granted reservations. Chennai: A 14-year-old class 10 girl student survived a suicide bid after she threw herself from Kathipara flyover from a height of 30 ft on Saturday evening. The student of an aided school left home at Alandur around 5.45 pm informing her parents that she was visiting her friends. She walked along Kathipara flyover in the arm leading towards Guindy from Ekkatuthangal and jumped from there. She fell on the park development area. "Had she fallen on the service road, she would have been run over by vehicles", a policeman said. She has been hospitalised for multiple fractures. She told police she was scolded by parents for frequent outings to her friends' homes and for her poor show in maths revision examination. Researchers at the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) carried out mouse studies to examine the effects of e-liquids from seven different manufacturers. In using the device, smokers are risking their airways and immune systems. They are also enhancing the conditions for colonizing bacteria, including some deadly strains. While teens smoke them because they are trendy, older smokers are turning to them in an attempt to give up smoking. Interestingly, many teens who smoke e-cigarettes then move on to conventional cigarettes just 1 year later, as reported recently by Medical News Today. In the US, the use of e-cigarettes tripled from 4.5% in 2013 to 13.4% in 2014 among high school students, and from 1.1% in 2013 to 3.9% in 2014 among middle school students, surpassing rates of youth cigarette smoking. In the 25-44-year age group, 20% of Americans smoke e-cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes expose the lungs to toxicity, reduce the effectiveness of the immune system and encourage bacterial activity, potentially making superbugs more deadly, according to research published in the Journal of Molecular Medicine. The scientists exposed mice to e-cigarette vapors for 1 hour a day, 5 days a week over 4 weeks. Results showed that inflammatory markers in the airways and blood of mice after inhaling e-vapors were 10% higher than those in unexposed mice. Bacteria that had been exposed to e-cigarette vapor were more virulent in mice infected with pneumonia. When mice were infected with normal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an antibiotic-resistant superbug, they survived; but 25% of mice that were infected with MRSA after being exposed to e-cigarette vapor died. In other words, S. aureus becomes more virulent when exposed to e-cigarette vapor. The researchers observed that exposing bacterial pathogens to e-cigarette vapor caused them to thrive. The vapor helped S. aureus bacteria to form biofilms, to adhere to and invade airway cells and to resist the defenses of the human immune system. Some of the changes observed in mice are common to those seen in the airways and blood of conventional cigarette smokers. Others are characteristic of human cancers or inflammatory lung disease. The results were the same regardless of the brand of vapor used. Dr. Laura E. Crotty Alexander, of the UCSD School of Medicine, says: This study shows that e-cigarette vapor is not benign; at high doses, it can directly kill lung cells, which is frightening. We already knew that inhaling heated chemicals, including the e-liquid ingredients nicotine and propylene glycol, couldnt possibly be good for you. This work confirms that inhalation of e-cigarette vapor daily leads to changes in the inflammatory milieu inside the airways. Dr. Crotty Alexander says it is not yet clear which lung and systemic diseases will be caused by inhaling e-cigarette vapor, but data suggest that acute toxicities will result from the inflammatory changes involved. The team recently reported that MRSA bacteria exposed to conventional cigarette smoke are less likely to be killed by the immune system than unexposed bacteria. Meanwhile, a news outlet recently revealed that a 20-year-old German mans teeth were blown out when an e-cigarette that he was trying in a store exploded in his mouth. He suffered severe facial injuries. Findings reported in MNT also associate e-cigarettes with the development of cancer cells. Chennai: The opinion polls which put DMK ahead of AIADMK as the most likely victors in the 2016 state Assembly polls are fraudulent and orchestrated by M.K. Stalins son-in-law, Sabareesan, according to Mayor Saidai S. Duraisamy. At the Greater Chennai corporation council meet held on Saturday, the Mayors comments drew flak from the Opposition DMK councillors, who staged a walkout. Why are you talking about elections? Are you campaigning for your party inside the council hall? asked a visibly irritated DMK ward 92 councillor K. Neelakantan. The lone Congress councillor, P.V. Tamilselvan (ward 91), was evicted from the floor in the melee. Duraisamy proceeded to frame charges on Sabareesan and Co. for trying to create a false image for the DMK. This is where Karunanidhis master plan is at work. Because no other party is willing to have an alliance with the DMK, this is a ploy by Sabareesan to trick others by projecting their party as having acceptance among public. They (DMK) are spending crores of rupees for this, he said. Otherwise, there is no logical explanation as to how a party which had less than 20 per cent vote share in the 2014 general elections, now has a two per cent lead over the party which had 44.3 per cent (in 2014), he added. Referring to the DMK as a family party which prefers family rule, Duraisamy said that party president Karunanidhi would go to great lengths to ensure that their alliance parties do not benefit. In 1996, the late G.K. Moopanaar immensely helped DMK to gain power. But the whole nation knows that when the opportunity for Moopanaar to become Prime Minister arose, Karunanidhi and [Murasoli] Maran destroyed it, he said. Duraisamy then read out opinion polls from 2011 and 2014 to emphasise his belief that these generated false information. But the people of Tamil Nadu do not accept any fake stories other than their own personal view. We saw the results of it in 2011 and 2014, he said. In 1972, the AIADMK was formed when the DMKs accounts were questioned. In 2016, the AIADMK will close the accounts of DMK once and for all, he added. Ladies and Gentlemen, On 27 January 1945, the gates of Auschwitz closed forever. For those who, beyond hope, survived, this was the end of a march of death through the most painful pages of European history. For humanity it was the realization of the end of an era in which time stopped before the horrors of mankind. Before the Second World War, over 79,000 Jews lived in Greece. After the war and the Holocaust, almost 90% of the Greek Jews had been exterminated. The highest price was paid by the community of Thessaloniki, the countrys largest Jewish community, the onetime Jerusalem of the Balkans, from which I hail, and whose death toll remains an eternal cresset marking the suffering of the Greek Jews in the Third Reichs concentration camps. The term Holocaust denotes the genocide of six million European Jews by the Nazis. The premeditated effort to eradicate a people, under the gaze of compliant observers and the tangible proof of the heroic Greeks, Righteous Among the Nations, who, in self-sacrifice, fought to save their fellow citizens. More than 70 years after the first deportations of Greek Jews to the death camps of the Third Reich, one phrase remains strong: May humanity Never Again experience such atrocities. It is still up to us to meditate on the conditions that create tragedies. The evils that arise without warning, poisoning societies until the universal human values of life, liberty and dignity find no shelter in human souls. As Greeks, we shoulder the weight of the principles and values that were first articulated here in this country and are now being reaffirmed on the shores of the Greek islands, where, with respect and dignity, supplicant refugees are welcomed, reminding us of the moral weight of events and their consequences. The Greek Jews are an intrinsic part of the Greece that fought for Europe, a land of peace and prosperity where human life is the highest value. Memories are indelible, but they can be distorted. It is thus our duty not only to sustain memory, to prevent similar suffering, but also to defend the truth and rights of the people who define this memory. Especially those for whom the epitaph commands: Illustrious men have the whole earth for their tomb. Thank you. Ansari will deliver an address at the University of Brunei Darussalam and address the Indian community at a reception. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Vice President Hamid Ansari will leave on a five-day tour of Brunei and Thailand beginning tomorrow to carry forward India's bilateral engagements with the two South East Asian countries as part of its Act East policy. He will go to Brunei first, at the invitation of crown prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah. This will be the first high-level visit from India since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Brunei in May, 1984. Brunei was on the itinerary of Ansari's two-nation trip in November, but he had to return home from Indonesia, which was hit by a volcano. He will be accompanied by Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary, four MPs and senior officials. Ansari will hold talks with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Billah on issues of bilateral and multilateral significance, including civil aviation, space, trade and investment, hydrocarbons, information and communication. Cooperation in ASEAN and East Asia Summit and other multilateral fora will also be on the agenda and a couple of MoUs on health and defence cooperation will be signed. Ansari will deliver an address at the University of Brunei Darussalam and address the Indian community at a reception. Brunei is an important partner for India in ASEAN and besides contributing to energy security, hosts a 10,000-strong Indian community. From Brunei, Ansari will go to Thailand on February 3 at the invitation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, making it the first visit by an Indian Vice President after a gap of 50 years. In Thailand, he will hold talks with Chan-o-cha and have an audience with Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. He will also deliver a speech at the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok on 'From Look East to Act East: India's Partnership with Thailand and ASEAN' and address the Indian community at a reception to be hosted by the Indian Ambassador to Thailand. India's relations with Thailand are an important and integral component of its strategic partnership with ASEAN. India's 'Act East' policy is complemented by Thailand's 'Look West' policy in bringing the two countries closer. India and Brunei are linked by history, culture and traditions spanning a millennium. Exchange of regular visits have added to the momentum of the relations. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited Brunei in 2013 to participate in the 11th ASEAN India Summit and East Asia Summit. The Sultan of Brunei paid a State visit to India in September 1992 and the Indian resident diplomatic mission was opened in Brunei in 1993. India is the third largest destination for Brunei's exports and the trade volume between the two countries is around USD one billion. Sustained high-level bilateral exchanges and regular meetings of bilateral institutional mechanisms have provided a major fillip to India-Thailand relations and achieved progress in key areas of cooperation such as security, defence, commerce, science and technology and education. In the past two decades, with regular political exchanges, growing trade and investment, India's ties with Thailand have evolved into a comprehensive partnership. The India-ASEAN Agreement on Trade in Goods was implemented in January 2010 and the India-ASEAN FTA in Services and Investments was signed in September 2014 and came into force in July 2015. The committee demanded the employment of Rohith's family member, adding that Rohith's pending scholarship amount must be disbursed immediately and handed over to his family (Photo: PTI) Hyderabad: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) at the University of Hyderabad on Sunday wrote to acting Vice-Chancellor M. Perisamy and put forward its demands. The committee has demanded sacking of Appa Rao Podile from the post of the Vice-Chancellor and also demanded that interim Vice-Chancellor Vipin Srivastava should not come back from "leave" as the Vice-Chancellor and he must not be present in the Executive Council while their demands are being looked into. Read: Congress doing tamasha politics over Rohiths suicide, says BJP It also demanded the employment of Rohith's family member, adding that Rohith's pending scholarship amount must be disbursed immediately and handed over to his family. The committee also asked the acting Vice-Chancellor to institute Rohith Memorial Lecture in the university, adding that the university must give a public apology to the five Dalit research scholars for the blatant casteist discrimination, humiliation and agony inflicted on them that eventually led to the death of Rohith. Read: HCU suicide: Rahul equates Mahatma Gandhi and Rohith Vemula It further asked M. Perisamy to implement Thorat Committee recommendations to make higher education campus discrimination free and socially inclusive, adding that the Executive Council must appeal to the Government of India to introduce and implement Rohith Act that provides legislative protection to the students from marginalised communities in higher education. The Joint Action Committee demanded to reformulate the composition of Proctorial Board by removing Alok Pandey and including representatives from students and SC/ST faculty members. Its demand also include that the Executive Council must not accept the resignation letters submitted by SC/ST faculty members and officers and should appeal to them to take up their earlier responsibilities. Earlier today, Periasamy said the students who are agitating in the wake of suicide by Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula had agreed to allow the classes and administrative activities to resume normally from Monday. The students have been agitating after Rohith, a PhD student at the university, committed suicide by hanging himself on January 17. Rohith and five other students were suspended by the university in connection with an alleged attack on an ABVP leader. Arthur Rathburn and wife Elizabeth Rathburn of Grosse Pointe Park operated International Biological Inc., which rented out body parts for medical or dental training. They're charged in a 13-count indictment that alleges fraud and false statements. "This alleged scheme to distribute diseased body parts not only defrauded customers from the monetary value of their contracts, but also exposed them and others to infection," U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said in a statement. "The alleged conduct risked the health of medical students, dental students and baggage handlers," she said. It's not clear whether anyone's health was affected. An email seeking additional comment from McQuade was not returned. The Rathburns are accused of fraud for failing to inform medical groups on at least three occasions in 2011 and 2012 about diseased body parts, including hepatitis B and HIV. Elsewhere in the indictment, Arthur Rathburn is accused of making false statements and transporting hazardous materials. The indictment said he falsely claimed eight human heads shipped in 2012 had been embalmed, yet human blood was found in the coolers. Rathburn was ordered to jail until another hearing Monday. An email seeking comment from his lawyer wasn't immediately returned. His wife was released on bond. "Mrs. Rathburn is maintaining her innocence and will continue to do so," attorney Jeremy Henner said. DECKERVILLE The Sanilac County Sheriffs Office announced the 2013 Harbor Drug 2 Pharmacy breaking and entering has been solved with the assistance of the City of Gladwin Police Department. About two years after the crime that involved the theft of over $3,000 worth of prescription drugs, three suspects were arrested following a series of similar break-ins throughout the state. A 39-year-old Fenton man, 29-year-old Fenton woman and a 31-year-old from Rose Township were eventually arrested by Gladwin police after a B&E to a pharmacy in the city. The City of Gladwin requested information from other agencies that have experienced similar incidents, and they were forwarded a copy of the Harbor Drug 2 Pharmacy reports by the Detective Bureau. On Jan. 7, Deckerville police were contacted by Gladwin City Police Chief Duane Bean reporting they had suspects in custody and a confession by individuals involved regarding the Deckerville complaint. Investigators were able to determine through interviews that suspects have been involved in over 20 separate pharmacy break-ins throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The case has been forwarded to the Attorney Generals Office for review and determination on whether or not they will take the lead on charges for all of the cases throughout the state. Agencies involved in the investigation included: The Sanilac County Sheriffs Office and Deckerville Police. Air Force Gets Its Own Combat Dive Badge After Using the Navy's for Years Air Force officials said there is a notable distinction between Navy divers and their divers, which was a key reason for... The Screen Actors Guild Awards air tonight on TNT and TBS at 8/7c PM. Saturday Night Live Announces February Lineup Larry David will make his Saturday Night Live hosting debut on the Feb. 6 telecast of NBCs iconic late-night franchise. David, the co-creator of the series Seinfeld and creator/star of Curb Your Enthusiasm, was a SNL writer during the shows 10th season. Critically acclaimed group The 1975 will make their SNL musical debut on the Feb. 6 show. Returning for her fourth time as host on Feb. 13, Melissa McCarthy will star in the upcoming films The Boss in April and Ghostbusters this summer. Kanye West will make his seventh appearance as musical guest. Read more at NBCumv Jordan Smith named Grand Marshal of 2016 Pegasus Parade LOUISVILLE (NEWS RELEASE) Kentuckys own Jordan Smith, winner of season 9 of The Voice and Republic Records recording artist, will serve as Grand Marshal of the 2016 Republic Bank Pegasus Parade. The 61st annual parade is themed Fun for the Arts, and is set to march down Broadway on Thursday, May 5. WHAS11 Tori Kelly, Jessie J & More to Perform on ABCs DISNEYLAND 60 2-Hour Special Singing stars Tori Kelly, Jessie J and Kelsea Ballerini lend their voices to some of the most popular and beloved melodies in the Disney songbook when the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration is showcased on THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY: DISNEYLAND 60, with Master of Ceremonies Derek Hough, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EST), on the ABC Television Network. Read more at Broadway World.com Ypsi_boutique.jpg A new high end clothing and tattoo boutique is planned for a vacant storefront in downtown Ypsilanti. (Tom Perkins | For The Ann Arbor News) (Editor's note: The name of the shop is Vivid Inks, not Authentic Art, as previously reported. The name of co-owner Eric Downs has also been added to the story.) A new tattoo and clothing boutique is planned for downtown Ypsilanti, but its co-owner, Cory Torrans, says to expect something different than what one might find in a standard tattoo parlor. He and partner Eric Downs' vision for Vivid Inks is a "higher end" boutique with a more refined and modern aesthetic than the "stereotypical gothic style." Renovations are underway, and last week a crew finished installing a new floor in the 1,300-square-foot storefront that used to house the Ypsilanti Courier. "It will be a little more visually pleasing and appeal to a bigger audience than the typical tattoo shop," Torrans says. "We'll also be selling high-end clothes and jewelry, and just trying to appeal to a little bit different of an audience." Prior to the new endeavor, Torrans ran Authentic Art in Ann Arbor for eight years and has tattooed clients all over Michigan and Indiana, so he says he already has a customer base that will follow him to Ypsilanti. He adds that he's one of few artists in Michigan who will take on challenging, complex designs. "I do a lot of intricate, precision work. Geometric stuff that you can't really find people to do in Michigan. It's a lot of complex designs and work that, a lot of the time, other people will say can't be done," he says. A grand opening is planned for sometime in March. "Ypsilanti is an up and coming area that has some beautiful locations downtown, and we really wanted to open up and show a different tattoo shop than normal here," he says. City officials wren't sure when a business last operated in the location, but it has been at least two years. They noted downtown Ypsilanti's main street has fewer vacancies than it has any time in recent memory. Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Hyderabad: The Hyderabad HC has asked the AP and TS governments to study the possibilities of providing a unique code to all girl children to monitor them. A division bench comprising acting CJ Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.B. Bhatt, while dealing with a taken up case pertaining to Pratyusha, 19, who was a victim of parental torture, pointed out that a large number of girls are facing problems and it is time for the government to protect them. The bench felt that if a unique code was provided to all girl children at birth it will enable the government to keep a watch on her and check whether welfare schemes launched for girls by governments are reaching them or not. The bench suggested that authorities should prepare an electronic code which can track the girl till the age of 15 or 16. The bench said that if this system is implemented from the village level it will have a good impact on the lives of girls. Asking the Malkajgiri tahasildar to ensure the safety of Pratyusha the bench asked the counsels of both the states whether the governments have prepared any schemes to ensure the safety of girls like Pratyusha. When AP advocate general P. Venugopal said that there are many schemes for the welfare of girls the bench said they are not being implemented in rural areas. The court also asked the AGs of both the states to study the Centres Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao scheme and appraise the court about it. From Tina Fey and Amy Poehler taking the starch out of Leonardo DiCaprio to E! ambushing Bryan Cranston with 'Baywatch' footage, these are the moments made the evening at the 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards: 1. In paying tribute to Carol Burnett, who won the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, Fey and Poehler also paid tribute to comedy itself: "Comedy is much harder than drama. Comedic actors have to do everything dramatic actors do too, but faster, and often with a chimp. Mr. Michael Keaton knows what I'm talking about. ... And while we're at it, let's all calm down about Leonardo DiCaprio and how hard it was to shoot 'The Revenant.' So you slept in a horse and ate bison liver. Carol would have slept in that horse, worn it, done a song and a dance and made a much funnier face after eating something that disgusting." 2. "Ladies and gentleman, welcome to diverse TV," said Idris Elba as he presented his own "Beasts of No Nation" for best dramatic ensemble. The film was shut out of the Oscars, part of a growing outrage about the lack of diversity at the Academy Awards. (Elba won two SAG Awards Saturday, for best supporting actor in a film for "Beasts of No Nation" and best actor in a TV movie or miniseries for "Luther.") 3. The cri de coeur of the evening (after diversity) was the Flint, Mich., water crisis, earning impassioned shout-outs from "Orange is the New Black" star Laverne Cox on the red carpet and "Spotlight" winner Michael Keaton at the podium: "This is really for the disenfranchised everywhere," he told the crowd after the film about the pedophile priest cover-up in Boston won for best dramatic ensemble. "This is for every Flint, Mich., in the world. This is for the powerless. This is for the powerful who take advantage of the powerless, and you can hang me for that, I don't really care." 4. And then there was "Trumbo" star Bryan Cranston on the red carpet, pretending to cry when being confronted with an ancient clip of him appearing on "Baywatch." (Sadly, not in a Speedo.) When asked if he thought he'd be an Oscar nominee when shooting that scene, Cranston responded, "No. I believe my secret for that character is he had diarrhea." 5. And in a "Stars: They're Just Like Us!" moment, "Steve Jobs" nominee Kate Winslet is agape at 69-year-old Susan Sarandon's cleavage -- Sarandon wore a black bra beneath a white suit, sans shirt -- while Michael Shannon looks on. Check out our best dressed and worst dressed of the evening, the best bling, and the complete winners list at the 2016 SAG Awards. From SAG Awards to Sundance, diversity makes a comeback Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Mary Barra, Mark Reuss Mark Reuss, General Motors Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, left, listens to Chairman and CEO Mary Barra introduce the Chevrolet Bolt EV at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Monday, Jan. 11, 2016. (AP/Paul Sancya) This is my last column for MLive.com and its eight Michigan newspapers. I promise. My goodbye column was all set when my daughter reminded me I'd already produced one for Dec. 1, 2009. The column I had just written, offering thanks to my parents, editors, coworkers and readers for their support on my journalistic journey, was remarkably similar to the first farewell a little more than six years ago. So, in the interest of not plagiarizing myself, I did a rewrite. My first last column came about because I had taken an early retirement buyout after 24 years with Booth Newspapers, now the MLive Media Group. But after a several-month hiatus, I was asked to continue the weekly column on a freelance basis. I've been in the news business for 40 years and have been writing this column for 26 of them, the last six as a freelancer. As much as I have enjoyed covering Michigan business and state economic issues, it's time to move on. A lot has changed since I started covering business for Booth, first as a business writer at the Ann Arbor News and then as Booth's first Detroit-based business writer, covering the auto industry, as well as other business and economic stories. Universities and the economy When I worked in Ann Arbor, one of the big issues was the perceived lack of interest by the University of Michigan in helping boost the area economy. Back then, universities didn't see economic development as one of their main missions. That's all changed. Today, U-M and the state's other 14 public universities are creating marketable products from their research and working closely with communities and businesses to advance the state's economy. But few industries in Michigan have undergone more wrenching change than the auto industry, which has powered the state's economy for a century. It was a complex, fascinating business to cover. But it wasn't always fun. The big stories out of the auto industry in the past 30 years often were about plant closings and job losses that devastated families and communities. Many thought eventually the Big Three automakers in the U.S. would be Toyota, Nissan and Honda, not General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. It took a federally financed bankruptcy reorganization to save GM and Chrysler. But today, Michigan's automakers are healthier than they've been in decades. Their future is not assured, though. Today's threat to the auto industry comes from Silicon Valley companies that want to dominate the technology used in producing cars that will communicate with each other and drive themselves. Mary Barra, GM's chief executive, recently said she expects more change in the auto industry over the next five years than occurred in the past 50. I'm glad I got to write about some of that change. And I thank you for reading. FLINT, MI -- One north side Chicago suburb has announced their city is providing $5,000 towards the United Way of Genesee County to aid water relief efforts in Flint. City officials in Evanston, Ill. announced Jan. 28 the donation to the United Way's Flint Water Fund that is providing for the purchase of bottled water, filters and offering aid to emergency support services and prevention efforts. "There is nothing more important than access to safe, clean drinking water," said Tisdahl, in a statement on the City of Evanston website. "I am proud to lend the City of Evanston's support to this effort, and I thank each and every individual and organization that makes a contribution." A tweet from the United Way of Genesee County on the City of Evanston's Twitter page expressed the nonprofit organization's thanks for the pledge to help Flint. @CityofEvanston @EvanstonMayor We can't thank you enough for supporting #flint residents! United Way of Genesee County (@UWGeneseeCo) January 28, 2016 Evanston residents have been told they may contribute online at cityofevanston.org/flint or in person at the City Collector's Office, located on the first floor of the Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave., in Evanston, on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Wednesday, February 3. For more information, residents have been asked to call or text 847-448-4311, while Evanston residents may dial 3-1-1. The donation is not the first by a Chicago suburb meant to help Flint residents. Buffalo Grove police officers dropped off a donation of more than 1,000 cases of bottled water on Jan. 30 to their counterparts in Flint. FLINT, MI -- Members of Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) hit the streets Saturday 300 strong to install donated faucets and other plumbing in homes of residents affected by Flint's water crisis. PMI members gathered at 7 a.m. at the UA Local 370 Union Hall, located at 5500 West Pierson Road in Flushing, on Saturday, Jan. 30. The members took the donated faucets and supplies, as well as Brita water filters provided by the state before beginning work in houses and apartment buildings throughout Flint. "PMI is proud to join with its members and the UA to put our vision of safe, responsible plumbing into action," said Barbara C. Higgens, PMI CEO and executive director in a statement. "We appreciate the generosity of our members, the UA plumbers, IAPMO and everyone else that is helping to assure safe drinking water for the residents of the Flint area." The 300 plumbers are from local unions from across the country. Plumbers Kevin Kinasz, of Bridgeport, and Rob Johnson of Swartz Creek assisted a number of Flint residents with donated faucet installation, including Lawanda Asa. Asa, 70, said she is grateful to have so much help, not only from the plumbers, but the country on the full for the city she calls home. "People from all over the country, Canada, Cher, tons of organizations are sending trucks loads of waters and filters to us. I've even lost count on how many people are sending us water," she said. "It just goes to show how giving American people are. People that don't even know us, have never heard of flint before are at our side. We're so very blessed that the American people have such big hearts." The humanitarian effort was coordinated by PMI and the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA). The hundreds of faucets and other plumbing supplies to be installed in Flint homes were donated by PMI. The types of faucets donated by PMI members include American Standard Inc., Delta Faucet Co., Kohler Co., Moen Inc., and Speakman Co. FLINT, MI -- An Illinois police department made a special delivery Saturday to benefit residents during Flint's water crisis. Chief Tolbert helps to unload cases of water delivered today by Buffalo Grove Police Department. Add fork lift operator to Chief Tolbert's long list of skills. Posted by City of Flint Police Department on Saturday, January 30, 2016 The Buffalo Grove Police Department, which is located north of Chicago, delivered more than 1,000 cases of water in three semi trucks Saturday, Jan. 30 for the Flint Police Department and fire departments, according to a post on the Flint Police Department's Facebook page. Buffalo Grove police officers have been collecting donated cases of water from their community. Members of their department volunteered their time to deliver the cases of water, according to the post. Use of the semi trucks and drivers were made possible by Graebel Van Lines of Buffalo Grove, Hillside Towning of Arlington Heights, and A Express Towing of Palentine, all from Illinois. Amanda Emery is a police reporter for MLive-Flint Journal. Contact her at aemery@mlive.com or 810-285-0792. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook. dog stranded2.jpg U.S. Coast Guard members rescued a dog Saturday, Jan. 30 after it became stranded on ice along the Paw Paw river (Courtesy: U.S. Coast Guard) BERRIEN COUNTY, MI -- U.S. Coast Guard rescuers from the St. Joseph station helped rescue a dog stranded on ice along the Paw Paw river. Members of the Coast Guard ice rescue team already were out training on Saturday, Jan. 30 when they learned that Berrien County sheriff's deputies were responding to a dog in distress. When rescuers arrived, the dog was not far out from shore -- only about eight feet. Using food from an animal control officer, they were able to put a leash on the German Shepherd and safely escort it off the ice around 11 a.m. Authorities say they not yet found the animal's owner. E-mail John Tunison: jtunison@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/johntunison GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The demand for people with a high level of brewing knowledge has increased with the explosion of the craft beer industry, prompting Grand Rapids Community College to offer a new certificate program beginning this summer. Students will complete the Craft Brewing, Packaging, and Service Operations Certificate over two semesters. The program is housed within GRCC's Secchia Institute for Culinary Education. "This certificate program is very much industry informed and is a result of our partners saying what they need," aid Bill Pink, vice president and dean of workforce development. "It is about industry and making sure people are trained properly to get jobs that are relevant to West Michigan." Last February, officials announced it was working with regional brewers, such as Founders and Perrin, to design the program. The total cost of the brew initiative was $900,000. A $150,000 of a $2.9 million state grant for workforce development programs and equipment went toward the project. Related: Craft beer program, virtual welding machines: How GRCC will spend $2.9 million state grant "The craft beer industry is booming and the certificate makes logical sense," said Bert Bleke, chair of the GRCC Board of Trustees, about the launch of the program discussed at this week's board meeting. "If the community college is really going to serve our community, it has to be truly flexible regarding the things the community needs. Associate degrees, certificates and apprenticeships are all ways to help young people try to segue into the job market." Craft beer has been all the rage in Michigan and across the country. Industry leaders say competition has been fierce among venues and those seeking to work in the industry and colleges and universities locally and nationally have responded. Last year, Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College, began offering degrees in sustainable brewing that allows students to earn an associate degree at KVCC, then move on to a Bachelor of Science degree that combines industry art and science with WMU. "We will be the first one in the country to have a brew pub," said Pink, about a student operated brewing company and tap room created next to the Heritage Restaurant in the Applied Technology Center. "Students will receive extensive hands-on laboratory and operational experiences." The new GRCC program is described as being built to meet industry demand. The web posting points out that Grand Rapids is now known as Beer City USA and has seen a growth in the industry at rates exceeding 50 percent a year. Certificate holders are told they can expect to earn an average of $17.14 per hour. Pink said they not only looked at what jobs were in demand but provided a good salary. "This program prepares students to understand the business and service essential to be successful in the craft brewing industry. The art, science and technology of brewed beverages is the primary focus, including topics such as brewing microbiology, biochemistry, sensory analysis, nutrition, and other fermentation principles,'' according to GRCC. Other topics to be covered include packaging, labeling, merchandising, marketing, and operations management, including laws and tax regulations that govern the brewing industry. For my detailed information about courses and enrollment requirements, visit the website. The tuition was said to similar to other culinary arts programs. Pink said this spring the college will offer some noncredit weekend and/or day-long courses such as an introductory to craft brews for the public. He said the details will be announced at a later date. The college did announce the discontinuation of some programs at the Jan. 25 Board of Trustees meeting including: The Quality Science Certificate Program. Patti Trepkowski, GRCC associate provost and dean of instructional support and interdisciplinary studies, said they still have associate degree program but the certificate was determined not to be needed. Associates in Music Merchandising. The program was not seen as a good fit and had low enrollment. Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences and a certificate in Computer Application Technology were both eliminated in response to program updates. Monica Scott is the Grand Rapids K-12 education writer. Email her at mscott2@mlive.com and follow her on Twitter @MScottGR or Facebook Dave Wasinger/Lansing State Journal via AP Don't Edit How many remain and what's the city doing about it? Grand Rapids has an esimated water 17,000 lead service lines, out of 80,000 total water lines, and most of these are near the older, central part of the city. The water is pumped from Lake Michigan. Grand Rapids stopped using lead water lines around 1930, said Joellen Thompson, the city's water system manager. (cover slide photo by Dave Wasinger/Lansing State Journal via AP) Don't Edit Replacement of lead water lines Two decades ago, the city estimated there were 26,000 lead service lines, but as roads have gotten torn up - for the federally-mandated combined-sewer separation project, for example - the city has replaced its portion of several thousands lead lines. "Grand Rapids replaces its portion of lead service lines whenever they leak, break or are exposed by construction projects or if requested by a property owner who is also replacing their portion of the service line," said Joellen Thompson, manager of the city's water system. Don't Edit Beyond the curb stop There likely are more than 17,000 lead lines serving Grand Rapids homes and businesses, because property owners don't always replace their end of the line when the city replaces its end. The city owns the piece in the street. The homeowner is responsible for the portion in their yard," said Joellen Thompson, manager of the city's water system. "We will replace the piece in the street and help them by financing their portion. Don't Edit Financing available Grand Rapids will finance the replacement of a property owner's lead service line by paying the bill upfront and adding the cost to the utility bill over 10 years, at 7-percent interest. The cost is often $1,000 to $3,000 per line, depending on the distance from the curb to the home. The Healthy Homes Coaltion of West Michigan has encouraged residents to replace lead lines, but "public interest is extremely low," Executive Director Paul Haan said. The public was generally uninterested, said Haan, pictured on the left with City Manager Greg Sundstrom. (They would say) You want me to spend $1,000 for a pipe buried under (my property)? We might get a different response today, though. Don't Edit Don't Edit How to tell if your water line is lead Lead was discontinued as a water line material in Grand Rapids around 1930, said Joellen Thompson, the city's water system manager. The location of lead service lines are on paper records in envelopes. Call 3-1-1 in the city to ask whether the line into your house is lead. Don't Edit City water used to have high lead levels In the early 1990s, Grand Rapids water had lead levels higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 15-parts-per-billion "action level." The city started putting corrosion-control phosphates into the water, and that reduced lead levels to 4 ppb by 1997. Grand Rapids continues to add phosphates to the water. "Our corrosion control treatment does reduce corrosion and provides a protective barrier all the way through the municipal water system that extends into service lines and interior plumbing, basically anywhere our water goes," said Joellen Thompson, the city's water service manager. Don't Edit Lead levels now are in compliance Grand Rapids has not found a lead water reading above 15 ppb since 2007, when the highest reading was 17 ppb. In 2004, one home tested at 58 ppb. Federal standards require the 90th percentile measurement to be below 15 ppb. That means 90 percent of the homes tested must be below the federal action level, and only 10 percent can be above the level, in order for the city to be in compliance. The city's latest water quality report, based on lead testing in 2013, found a high reading of 12 ppb and a 90th-percentile level of 2.2 ppb. Don't Edit How the city tests for lead Grand Rapids tests 50 homes every three years, providing training for a water customer to collect a sample using a certified bottle. The testing protocol requires that the sample be taken from the tap after at least six hours of stagnation, usually first thing in the morning or after coming home from work. The city picks up the sample from the customers home, and gives the customer a credit on the next water bill. Don't Edit How you can get your water tested for lead Kent County next month will start testing water samples for lead, as well as copper and arsenic. Tests will cost $18 per metal. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality also has a laboratory that tests drinking water. To ask questions before paying for a test, you can call the Kent County Health Department. The city also recommends checking with the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan. Don't Edit KALAMAZOO, MI - Tears, smiles and warm memories were plentiful as Stockbridge Avenue United Methodist Church held its final service on Sunday in Kalamazoo. "Instead of just coming to church, it was coming to see family," Marriann Strauss said, describing her experience there to other members of the congregation. The church officially closed its doors on Sunday after nearly 108 years in the community. Strauss was among those who shared fond memories of the church with an atypically large audience of people. With more than 100 people at the 1009 E. Stockbridge Ave. church, the house of worship had a greater attendance for its final service than it has had in at least a decade, one member said. Dwindling membership and the growing cost of keeping the church going without the financial support provided by more members, resulted in a decision by its leadership group last December to close the church, said longtime member David Hayes. The church has perhaps 63 current members, said Hayes, who is a member of the administrative group. Established on June 17, 1908, the congregation had its peak in the mid-1930s with 650-700 members, he estimated. That had dropped to about 200 members by the mid-1980s, he said. "It slowly dwindled over the years as the neighborhood changed, the kids grew up and moved away, and as mom and dad died," Hayes said. Hayes said he has been a church member since he was about age 1. Attending regularly with his mother, he said church members watched him grow up. He watched others grow older, he said, and he watched many come and go. He said Sunday had been an emotional day and about two hours after the final service ended, he was reluctant to restate what the church has meant to him. Longtime church member Arlen Miller said, "It's fantastic to see the spirit people have here, and how they always continue to endure." He and his wife Ellie Miller have been members of the church since 1963 and were involved in various ministries over the years. He said they will truly miss the congregation at Stockbridge Avenue. There is no plan for where church members will find themselves next Sunday or afterward, Hayes said. He said he expects some members will find a place at the First United Methodist Church in downtown Kalamazoo. Others are likely to split their worship time between there and other United Methodist Churches throughout the district. "Some members are going to other churches, such as Schoolcraft United Methodist," he said. He said he may become a member of Milwood United Methodist Church. The Stockbridge Avenue United Methodist Church building itself is to be turned over to an organization within the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church that will renovate it and work to relaunch it in the fall as a new church, more modern and more focused on the people in the surrounding Edison Neighborhood, Hayes said. "They are hoping to get more people from the Edison neighborhood to come to church here," he said. They will do such things as change the order of worship services and allow time to create separation between the church with its current congregation and the church that will be developed as it moves forward. "It's like life. People are born and they die," Hayes said. "It's the same way with churches." At the end of the final service, Pastor Sara Carlson told the congregation, "We've recalled memories and just made new ones. We are forward bound. The Stockbridge Avenue United Methodist Church ends, but it's not over, really. There are always newer skies where God grows stars." BC Citgo gas station robberty.JPG Battle Creek police are investigating the armed robbery on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, of the Citgo gasoline station in the 2400 block of West Michigan Avenue (M-89) north and west of Battle Creek. (Courtesy of Google Inc.) BATTLE CREEK, MI -- Police are looking for a gun-wielding man who robbed a gasoline station Sunday morning on M-89, north and west of Battle Creek, near Springfield. "The Battle Creek Police Department is investigating an armed robbery at the Citgo gas station in the 2400 block of West Michigan," officers reported in a press release. The said, "A male suspect, armed with a handgun, entered the gas station and demanded money." A police dispatcher said the incident occurred at just after 9 a.m. Sunday on M-89, which is West Michigan Avenue near Hussey Avenue in Bedford Township. No injuries were reported. The station, located near the Kalamazoo County line, appears to be the same station at which a 27-year-old store clerk was stabbed and killed during a robbery on July 23 of 2014. A woman who answered the phone at the station Sunday afternoon said she could not make any comments about the robbery. Police officers provided a very limited description of the suspect in Sunday's robbery but said he appeared to be 30 to 40 years of age. He fled the station and was northbound, riding in a brown Chevy Silverado pickup truck. Officers ask anyone with information about the incident to contact them directly or via the Silent Observer at 269-964-3888. Hyderabad: The heart of a brain dead 24-year-old man in Hyderabad was flown to Chennai to give a fresh lease of life to a recipient there. Kaavuri Veera Brahman, Tata Group employee in Hyderabad, met with an accident and received serious head injuries. He was later declared brain dead. The parents agreed to donate his organs under the Jeevandan scheme of the government. Accordingly, his heart, two kidneys and two corneas were harvested. His father, Mr Kaavuri Rajender said, We want the recipients to benefit from his organs. He could not be saved, three other lives are saved. Veera Brahmans heart was sent to Chennai on Saturday as there was no recipient with a matching blood group in Telangana. A green corridor was made at 6.10 am from Apollo Hospitals to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport to facilitate the quick movement of the heart to Chennai. The kidneys and corneas were transplanted into recipients in the city. The organs of another brain dead donor were used in the city. P. Venkat Reddy, 46, who was working with the endowment department in Nalgonda district, met with an accident on January 27. He was rushed to Yashoda Hospital but was declared brain dead on January 28. His wife P. Laxmi, son Chandra Kumar Reddy and daughter Madhavi agreed to donate his two kidneys, the liver and the eyes to the Jeevandan scheme of the government. All the organs were used for recipients in the city. The following people were sentenced Jan. 15-22, 2016, in circuit court. 14th CIRCUIT COURT MUSKEGON COUNTY Judge Timothy G. Hicks Herbert Arnold, 48, of Muskegon Heights, nine months Muskegon County Jail, 15 months probation for controlled substance possession 25-50 grams, habitual offender fourth, $648 fees/costs, 80 hours community service. Jason Christopher Booher, 46, of Evart, 90 days jail, 16 months probation for third-offense driving while intoxicated, $1,658 fines/fees/costs, 60 days community service. Donald Gerald Carpenter, 54, of Muskegon, 11 months jail, 2 1/2 years probation for two cases of methamphetamine possession, $708 fees/costs in each case. Shaundra Angel-Latrice Clay, 26, of Muskegon Heights, one year jail, two years probation for escape from a felony jail sentence, $1,158 fees/costs, consecutive sentence, transfer to Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program. Kerri Sue Crawford, 28, of Muskegon, 10 months jail, four years probation for lying to a peace officer in a violent-crime investigation and accessory after the fact to a felony, $1,226 fees/costs. In a separate case, three months jail for larceny in a building, $1,398 restitution/fees/costs. Roderick Charles Dallas, 17, of Cincinnati, Ohio, eight months jail, 20 months probation for carrying concealed weapon, $1,158 fees/costs. Bobby Lee Edwards, 27, of Twin Lake, 60 days jail, one year probation for assault with a dangerous weapon, $708 fees/costs, jail time suspended until released from hospital. Albert Norrese-James Elder, 50, of Grand Rapids, 10 months jail for controlled substance possession less than 25 grams and marijuana possession, habitual offender third, $248 fees/costs, concurrent with present prison sentence. Andrew Ryan Jibson, 36, of Muskegon, 15 months to 15 years Michigan Department of Corrections for three counts resisting/obstructing police, habitual offender fourth, consecutive to parole, concurrent to each other, $334 fees/costs. Jerry Laquan Neal, 33, of Muskegon, nine months jail for second-offense controlled substance possession less than 25 grams-double penalty and second-offense non-narcotic controlled substance possession-double penalty, three days jail (time served) for second-offense marijuana possession-double penalty, $784 fees/costs, must complete the Exit program. Christopher Dennis Ridge, 46, of Lansing, 60 days jail, 15 months probation for driving while intoxicated causing incapacitating injury, $1,315.75 restitution/fees/costs, judge approves jail time in Ingham County with work release if that doesn't cost Muskegon County money or violate Ingham County policies. Jonathan Rivera, 34, of Muskegon, 30 days jail, one year probation for second-offense marijuana possession, $1,158 fees/costs. Tracy Devon Saucier, 22, of Muskegon Heights, 13 months to 10 years MDOC for third-degree fleeing police officer, 85 days jail (time served) for controlled substance possession less than 25 grams, habitual offender third, $326 fees/costs. Chad Michael-James Stogsdill, 29, of Norton Shores, two to 15 years MDOC for probation violation on 2015 conviction of retaining financial transaction device without consent, habitual offender fourth, $410.60 restitution/fees/costs. Nicholette Angela Sumlin, 32, of Muskegon, four months jail, 18 months probation for larceny in a building, habitual offender second, $1,158 fees/costs, 40 hours community service. JLM Big Johns Pizza 003 In this 2006 file photo, Big John's Pizza is shown at 104 N. Thompson St. (JENICA MILLER) WHITEHALL, MI - The Neal and Amy Martell family hope to purchase the Whitehall's standby pizza place, Big John's Pizza, after receiving an $85,000 loan from the government. The independent restaurant has operated in the city for 45 years, and currently offers sandwiches, subs, seafood, and chicken besides, of course, pizza. "Obviously, it's a staple of the community," Amy Martell said during a meeting of the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, Jan. 26. "We have all our kids working there." Current owner Shannon Waruszewski said in a phone interview that a closing date has yet to be set. Muskegon County Commissioners unanimously approved an $85,000 loan of state money, from the Community Development Block Grant, a regional revolving loan fund. The county's economic development coordinator, Jonathan Wilson, said the loan money would be used to improve the building and create jobs. Wilson added that the Michigan Economic Development Corporation had recently asked that the funds be used, or they would be taken back. The MEDC later granted an extension for the funds to be used, Wilson said. A plan to sell Big John's, and relocate it to a different site, failed in 2006. It sits at 104 N. Thompson in Whitehall near the waterfront. "It's a good thing for my community, and the county," said Muskegon County Commissioner Ken Mahoney, who represents the area on the Board of Commissioners. Stephen Kloosterman is a reporter for MLive. Email him at sklooste@mlive.com or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ . Dr. Sangeeta Sinha JACKSON, MI - Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women, but experts' opinions differ about guidelines to screen for the disease. Patients can be understandably confused by confusing advice. For several years, American Cancer Society guidelines recommended that women should have annual mammograms beginning at age 40. Women were also urged to look for cancer themselves with regular breast self-examination. Those recommendations changed last fall, when the Cancer Society endorsed a less-aggressive screening strategy in its first update to the guidelines since 2003. For women at average risk of cancer, the new guidelines say mammograms should start at age 45 instead of 40. Beginning at 55, mammograms are recommended every two years instead of once a year. Breast self-examination, as well as breast examination by doctors, is no longer recommended. Not all authorities have adopted these recommendations yet. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continues to recommend yearly mammograms starting at 40, and it still recommends self breast exams. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has a third opinion, recommending mammograms every two years, starting at age 50. At the Center for Family Health in Jackson, we endorse the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines. But, ultimately, it is a decision that informed patients should make with their doctors. Before addressing points of difference, it must be stressed that these guidelines apply only to women at average risk of breast cancer. All medical experts agree that patients with a family history of cancer or other high-risk factors need to be screened more often. For women not at high risk, recommendations come down to finding a balance between known risks and proven benefits of breast-cancer screening. Mammograms have the benefit of potentially saving lives by detecting cancer in early stages. But there are risks, too. Mammograms expose women to radiation, and they can produce false positives that create unnecessary anxiety and follow-up tests. Breast self-examination can also create anxiety, and some experts believe benefits are too small to justify that risk. Women and even doctors are very unlikely to find early-stage cancer with a breast exam. By the time it's big enough to feel, it may be too late. As long as experts differ in their opinions, finding the right balance depends on how comfortable the patient is with risks associated with screening. Eventually, I think some consensus and understanding on the guidelines will emerge. Until then, my advice to women is to learn the risks and talk with your doctor about what's right for you. -- Dr. Sangeeta Sinha is a board certified obstetrician/gynecologist and chief medical officer at the Center for Family Health, 505 N. Jackson St., Jackson. Dr. Sinha also chairs the ob/gyn department at Allegiance Health. Retired judge of Allahabad High Court Justice Sanjay Mishra was sworn in as the new Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) Lucknow: Retired judge of Allahabad High Court Justice Sanjay Mishra was on Saturday sworn in as the new Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh bringing to an end a bitter year-long feud between Raj Bhawan and the state government on the appointment of the anti-graft ombudsman. The new Lokayukta was administered oath by Governor Ram Naik at a brief function at Raj Bhawan. He would replace justice (retd) N K Mehrotra, who was appointed Lokayukta on March 16, 2006 and had a nearly ten-year tenure. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was present at the swearing-in ceremony along with his senior cabinet ministers. Besides the chief minister, two other members of the selection panel -- Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court D Y Chandrachud and Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Swami Prasad Maurya -- were present. Expelled SP leader Amar Singh was also present. The appointment of Lokayukta had snowballed into a major controversy last year with the Governor refusing to accept the name of Justice (retd) Raveendra Singh and asking the chief minister to follow proper procedure for selecting the ombudsman. 31.01.2016 LISTEN UK based Nigerian artiste Moelogo has lauded Ghanaian duo Reggie and Bollie for their X-factor performance. Moelogo, who was speaking to YFMs Kwame Scientific says he found the two amazing and explains that their participation in the X-factor show is indicative of their humility. Moelogo, who sang a bit of Reggie and Bollies You may kiss your bride said he has been a keen follower of the two young men and explains that they went so far because they didnt try to copy others but remained true to themselves. Moelogo who says he started his music at 16 says he considers Ghana his second home and would be thrilled to do shows in the West African country. His first hit song, Pangolo was released in 2013 and the songs video had over 120,000 views on youtube in its first week. He says he is proud of his MOBO award nomination and thanks everyone who supported him. The Baddest, Te Ota E Mole, My Sweetie and Do You Love Me are some other well performing songs from the youngster. Addis Ababa (AFP) - African leaders failed on Sunday to authorise a proposed peacekeeping force to stem violence in Burundi in the face of vehement opposition from the government in Bujumbura. Instead, the African Union is to send envoys for more talks, although previous negotiations have done nothing to end months of conflict. The United Nations has warned that Burundi risks a repeat of the 1993-2006 civil war, with hundreds of people killed since April 2015, when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would stand for a controversial third term. At least 230,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries. Burundi has consistently opposed the idea of the AU's planned 5,000-strong peacekeeping mission, saying the deployment of troops without its express permission would be tantamount to an "invasion force". The AU charter's Article 4(h) gives the pan-African bloc the right to intervene in a fellow nation state "in respect of grave circumstances, namely: war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity". But top AU diplomat Ibrahima Fall said Sunday that sending troops without Burundi's approval was "unimaginable," with the bloc deciding to send envoys to hold talks with the government. "There is no will neither to occupy nor to attack," AU Peace and Security Council chief Smail Chergui added, saying that troops could be sent in the future "if Burundi accepts it". Clashes between government loyalists and the opposition have become increasingly violent. "We want dialogue with the government, and the summit decided to dispatch a high level delegation," Chergui told reporters, without giving more details. Burundian Foreign Minster Alain Aime Nyamitwe told reporters he was "satisfied" at the decision and said Bujumbura was "open to cooperating with the international community, particularly the African Union." But he also questioned why AU envoys would want to take the time to travel to Bujumbura "since "everyone is aware of the position of Burundi" already. - 'We talk too much' - Chad's President Idriss Deby, speaking after he took over the post of African Union chairman on Saturday, warned colleagues against inaction. "Our organisation acts as it has for the past 20 or 30 years: we meet often, we talk too much, we always write a lot, but we don't do enough, and sometimes nothing all," Deby said. Analysts say other African nations are wary of setting a precedent of deploying troops against the government's wishes. AU leaders spent two days debating the crisis in Burundi -- as well as conflict in South Sudan and Libya -- at the 54-member bloc's summit in Ethiopia. "It was never the intention of the African Union to deploy a mission to Burundi without the consent of Burundian authorities," Ibrahima Fall, AU Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, told French radio RFI. "This is unimaginable," the Senegalese diplomat added. - Leaders 'must be held responsible' - Nkurunziza's quest to remain in power sparked weeks of street protests that were brutally suppressed, and a failed coup. The political rhetoric has also become more ethnically-charged, sparking fears the ruling party may be trying to drive a wedge between majority Hutus and minority Tutsis. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, speaking on Saturday as the summit opened, made clear that troops were needed to stem the violence. "Leaders who stand by while civilians are slaughtered in their name must be held responsible," Ban said, insisting that the Burundi crisis required the "most serious and urgent commitment". He said the UN backed the AU's proposal "to deploy human rights observers and to establish a prevention and protection mission". Rwanda hosts the next AU summit, slated for July. Relations between Rwanda and neighbouring Burundi are tense, with Bujumbura accusing Kigali of backing opponents of Nkurunziza, claims Rwanda denies. Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. 25.01.2016 LISTEN Nana Akufo-Addo greeting Oheneba Owusu Afriyie IV NANA ADDO Dankwa Akufo-Addo, presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Saturday led a powerful delegation of the party to mourn with ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor and the entire Apagya family of Kumasi over the demise of three prominent members of the family. They are Prof. Emeritus Francis Addo Kufuor, a senior brother of the former president; the late Apagyahene, Oheneba Kwame Kyeretwie, father of Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh aka Napo, Manhyia South MP and Mrs. Josephine Kankam, mother of the present Apagyahene, Oheneba Owusu Afriyie IV. The Apagya family, which has been dealt a heavy blow following the demise of these three eminent personalities, combined the three funerals into one mega event on Saturday, attracting a huge number of mourners from all corners of the country. Prominent Asante chiefs, who were dressed in a variety of nicely made funeral clothes, including the sitting Apagyahene, Nana Owusu Afriyie IV, were seen seated at the funeral ground as people from all walks of life consoled them over the huge loss. Former President Kufuor; Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor, former Defence Minister during the NPP administration; Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh and other members of the Apagya family, were also clad in mourning cloth as their friends and loved ones mourned with them. Kufuor Mourns3 Ex-President Kufuor and Dr. Addo Kufuor Nana Akufo-Addo's entourage included his wife Rebecca; his running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; acting NPP National Chairman, Freddie Blay and his wife, Gina Blay; Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Wontumi and national and regional executives of the party. There were wild shouts all over the Heroes Park, venue of the funeral, when Nana Akufo-Addo and his team arrived at the place. The NPP members took more than one hour before they could finish exchanging pleasantries with members of the bereaved family and other prominent people present. . Kufuor Mourns1 Sammy Awuku, NPP Youth Organiser, consoling Napo President Mahama also sent a powerful delegation of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) made up of Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah; Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the party as well as ex-Ashanti Regional Ministers, Samuel Sarpong and Peter Anarfi Mensah. Interestingly, the presence of Asiedu Nketia, popularly called General Mosquito, at the funeral grounds, attracted wild shouts with scores of mourners, especially those who had not seen him before, trying to catch a glimpse of him. Suspended NPP National Chairman, Paul Afoko, who was accompanied by some of his supporters as well as representatives from the other smaller political parties in the country, was also there to mourn with the bereaved family. Kufuor Mourns2 The government delegation at the funeral ground Traditional leaders in and outside Asanteman, DCOP Kofi Boakye, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, other politicians, prominent businessmen, the clergy and people from all walks of life, were also present at the funeral grounds. The mournful ceremony was characterized by the singing of dirges and firing of musketry. FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi 31.01.2016 LISTEN Starting from the capital (Accra) in 2007, the springboard program has spread to many other Ghanaian cities in their bid to promo excellence and enlighten the youths on the various investment opportunities available. The theme for this year's program on UDS-wa campus was "dare to dream". The event took place yesterday (30th January) and started at 12pm. The program recorded close to 1200 participants from all institutions in the upper west region of Ghana, with about 80% of them been UDS students. Mrs. Comfort Ocran "mother of many", and the responsible brain behind the program, speaking at the program made a presentation on how to dream and how best to realise those dreams. After her presentation, a team from jobberman Ghana, led by their PRO came to enlighten students on the various job opportunities available, and the "do's and dont's" in writing a CV. He latter challenged students to reason outside the box, and to feel courageous to enter into new job specializations, as such opportunities come. Mr Jeremiah Boabeng, a renowned motivational speaker and one of Ghana's most influential youths also re-echoed the fact that, everything is possible, no matter ones circumstances, location or conditions. The "key note" address was delivered by Mrs Carol Annan, Managing Director of new times cooperation. Her presentation was based on the topic "Realising your dreams". Singling out Opra Winfery as her role model, she challenged students to rise from their shells and make a great impact in the world. He stated clearly that, failure is inevitable, however, determined people should always have the edge to refine themselves and attain something great. At the later part of the program, awards were given to some institutions within the Wa municipality for their continuous support for the Springboard foundation. These included, Radio progress, Radio Upper west, Somangni FM, Blue hill, Mummies Kitchen and Mr Ibrahim Sadique, the life patron of springboard club, Wa. The "Wow" moment was won by Baba Abdul ( Bsc Planning level 400), who took home a brand new lenovo laptop and some healthy life drinks. Speaking to Mr Kampi Larry Robert ( President of Ghana association of student planners - GASP UDS, and an SRC president aspirant 2016/2017 academic year) after the program commended the success of the program. "In all, i think the program was successful and is a step in the right direction, my message to all students is that, until they realise their full potentials, they should dare to dream". He thereby called on all students to stay focused and determined as we seek to make a better world for ourselves. Bioh Daniel UDS 0240124031 [email protected] Until you realise your full potentials, DARE TO DREAM. Introduction The course ENTREPRENOMICS is designed with the purpose to sharpen individuals human resource capacity on Entrepreneurship and economic skills in a contemporary business management market of Africa. This programe is held as a course in a faculty of Applied Management of Pinnacle College at New Achimota, Greater Accra, Ghana in West Africa. Second campus is set at Bolgatanga- Upper East Region at the ICT-Centre behind the High Court. ADMISSION CRITERIAL Applicant should have an existing and actively operating venture which will later be subjected to assessment and evaluation by an expert before admission will be granted Student will then be requested to buy a form at a cost of Ghc.100, fill and submit to the college front desk including one page letter indicating your major intentions of applying for such a course The total fee requested to complete such a course is Ghc.1,300 for 8 weekends studies with 35credit hours as the course weight. The fees to be paid include Study materials and cost of assessment test. FINAL PHASE Graduates go through an Interview session to be orally assessed how technically their venture could be managed for high project viability for investment return. Graduates sit in a round table with the Credit Manager of the Financial Agency in partnership and the Legal Team to establish a memorandum of understanding towards the pay back of investment in an agreed time frame. The College Form is to be bought at the Front Desk of the College campus in Ghana or contact Mr. Yoda (0266019194) at Burkina Faso Chamber of Commerce- Ghana Office, Or Contact Bastiat Ghana, and Head office on (0543105144) to be connected to it regional coordinators Deadline for the submission of filled forms; 11th March, 2016 Admission is In Progress and Lectures start from 26th March, 2016. NB: Lectures will be carried out by renowned Professor specialized in Entreprenomics research and innovative practice Sponsorship Partner: Bastiat Ghana TUA.University-California Pinnacle College Bastiat Ghana Nsawam (E/R), Jan. 30, GNA - Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri has pledged to provide water tanks to three clinics and a motorbike to the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipal Health Service Department. The water tanks would be distributed to Kofisah, Adoagyiri and Djankrom clinics in the Eastern Region. Mr Annoh-Dompreh made the promise in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipal Health Service held a programme at Nsawam to review its 2015 performance. He said the items would be his personal support to the health department's educational programmes to sensitise the people in the area on the pneumococcal meningitis outbreak, which had already taken some persons lives in some regions. Mrs Esther Duah Oyinka, Municipal Director of Health Service, called on the health personnel to vigorously carry the proper hand washing with soap programme to the inhabitants. She advised the citizenry to report health cases early at nearby clinics for prompt attention before the situation gets worse. Mrs Oyinka saidvery soon the health department would start its sensitisation on the meningitis in churches and schools and called on assembly members and chiefs to support the programme in their communities. GNA Sekondi, Jan. 31, GNA - A bushy area at the Western Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Sekondi that harbours reptiles and rodents was on Sunday cleared by the Sekondi West District of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church. Some snakes and rats were killed in the process of cleaning the area that houses institutions such Ghana Immigration Service, Information Services Department and Health Services Department. All branch Churches of the SDA in Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis spent four hours to undertake the clean-up exercises concurrently in various parts of the metropolis as part of their civic contributions towards keeping the environment clean. The men weeded the bushy surroundings and desilted gutters while the ladies swept the streets. Pastor Jehoshaphat Yaw Oduro, of the Sekondi West District under the South-West Ghana Conference of SDA told the Ghana News Agency that the Church nationwide has set aside the last Sunday of every month to carry out cleaning exercises. He said on consultation, authorities of the RCC requested them to clean the site. Other places cleaned were Paa Grant Round About, Effia and Kwesimitsim. Asked if members of the Church would stay away if the presidential and parliamentary election falls on a Saturday, Pastor Oduro said 'in that instance we would appeal to the government to change the date but if that fails 'we would exercise our franchise after sunset or from 6pm.' GNA Wa, Jan. 31, GNA - Uncorrected refractive errors are the leading cause of visual impairment globally, says Dr Oscar Debrah, Head of Eye Care - Ghana. He said even though they are conditions that in the main could be treated or managed by spectacles, it still remains a major challenge globally. Dr Debrah who said this during the inauguration of Bliss Eye Care facility in Wa said the condition affects both children and adults. He explained that the education of children with refractive errors could be seriously effected while in adults especially those who are more than 40 years, driving and reading become a real challenge for them. He said in Ghana refractive error services are mostly delivered in the urban areas, especially Accra and Kumasi, since the major service providers are in the private sector. 'This leaves a major gap in the delivery of these services in many communities especially the rural areas,' he pointed out. He therefore welcomed the inauguration of Bliss Eye Care to provide refractive error services in the Upper West Region in particular and the entire northern sector. Dr Debrah congratulated Dr Zakarea Al-hasan Balure for his foresight in establishing the facility to provide refractive eye care services. Dr Winfred Ofosu, the Acting Regional Director of Health Services stated that prevention of avoidable visual impairment is a topmost agenda as far as eye care is concerned in the region. He noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) Prevention of Blindness Programme estimated in 2010 that globally 285 million people were visually impaired. According to the data, 80 per cent (228 million people) of visual impairment including blindness are avoidable. Again, the date stated that 90 per cent of the world's visually impaired people live in developing countries such as Ghana. Dr Ofosu noted that the two main causes of visual impairment are uncorrected refractive errors, 42 per cent and cataract, 33 per cent. He said cost-effective interventions to reduce the burden of both conditions exist in all countries, revealing that the Region has onchocerciasis and trachoma, which causes blindness but are preventable. He said noted that this year, there would be intensified efforts in eye care through community and school screening to detect and treat people with visual problems. Dr Balure said he shares the pain of clients when they receive poor services from an optometrist and promised to avail himself to give optometry in the region and the country at large a new image. 'I am determined to fight for utmost attention paid to pediatric optometry in Ghana; a guarantee to relevant and resultant acceptance of professional optometry in Ghana in the future.' Dr Balure said the doors of Bliss Eye Care are opened to all. He acknowledged the immense support of Swiss Red Cross through Ghana Red Cross Society, Vision 2020 Switzerland and Peter and Hazel Roost of Roost Optic - Switzerland to the realization of the Bliss Eye Care concept. Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Regional Minister commended Dr Balure for his foresight and urged young people to emulate his example by venturing into self-employable ventures and not over rely on non-existent jobs in the public sector. He advised that as the clinic becomes well-grounded, it should begin to undertake outreach services in order to provide services to persons in the rural areas. GNA Bhopal: Dalit IAS officer Shashi Karnawat, who is under suspension in a graft case, on Sunday dropped her plan to end her life by taking 'jal samadhi' (drowning) in river Narmada in Khandwa district on February 2. Speaking on behalf of Karnawat, another Dalit IAS officer Ramesh Thete said state Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya was in continuous touch with him after Karnawat sat on 'maun vrat' (observe silence) from January 29 and had decided to take 'jal samadhi', pressing for her demand of reinstating her and higher wages during the suspension period. Notably, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet will for the first time meet in a boat in Narmada river at Khandwa on February 2. The state government has softened its stand on the two demands of Karnawat, one, on reinstating her, second, on offering her 75 per cent of wages during the suspension instead of 50 per cent which she is currently getting, Thete said. She has decided not to go for 'jal samadhi' as the government was positive in its response to her demands, Thete said. Time has come to reinstate Karnawat as the MP High Court has admitted a petition challenging her conviction, he said. Karnawat, was sentenced to five years jail by Mandla district court in 2013 in a corruption case and is under suspension since then. The state government had recently given its nod to prosecute Thete in an alleged case of illegal disposal of land in Ujjain during his tenure as additional commissioner around two years back, lodged against him with the Lokayukta (state anti-corruption watchdog). Thete and Karnawat have opened a front against MP government for over a fortnight now alleging that it was prompt in taking action against Dalit officers while ignoring similar cases of misconduct involving officers from upper castes. Thete had also taken part in a dharna (sit-in) organised by Dalit Adivasi Forum (DAF) on January 11 here to protest against the alleged discrimination against Dalit and tribal bureaucrats. On the sideline of the DAF protest, Mohan Patil, a national office-bearer of Republican Party of India, had told reporters that complaints were pending against 18 upper caste IAS and IPS officers with MP Lokayukta but sanction to prosecute was given only against Thete. 31.01.2016 LISTEN Tarkwa (W/R) Jan. 31, GNA - A 25 year-old farmer who siphoned 48 gallons of diesel belonging to Aboso Goldfields Limited, Damang mine, has been fined GH 720.00 by a Tarkwa Circuit court. In default, the convict, Kwabena Danquah, would serve 28 days imprisonment in hard labour. He pleaded guilty to the offence. Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah, told the court that the complainant, John Enimil, is a security officer at the mining firm and reside in the same vicinity with the convict at Huni/Valley. He said on January 12, at about 2200 hours, the convict and his friend, Kwaku Bokor, who is at large, conspired and went to the company's site at Rex Green compound and siphoned the diesel from the mining firm's vehicle. Inspector Amponsah said when Danquah was conveying the diesel in a container, the security personnel of the company saw him and was arrested, but Bokor managed to escape. The prosecutor said the stolen items were later retrieved from the bush. GNA Suhum (E/R), Jan. 31, GNA - Suhum Municipal Assembly has confirmed the President's nominee Ms Margaret Ansei, as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), with 38 votes out of the 40 votes, representing 98 per cent. Ms Ansei, the first woman to be nominated to that position, is also the National Democratic Congress parliamentary candidate for the Suhum. She holds a Master's degree in International Trade, from the Anhalt University in Germany. She was nominated by the President, to fill the vacancy after the former MCE, Mr Samuel Kwabi, resigned last December. Mr Antwi-Boasiako Sekyere, the outgoing Eastern Regional Minister, thanked the Assembly members for approving the choice of the President and urge them to support the MCE in the development agenda for the people's benefit. He said politics is all about development and therefore irrespective of one's political affiliation, assembly members must work diligently and honestly according to the rules governing their positions to improve the wellbeing of the people they represent. Ms Ansei, in her acceptance speech thanked the assembly members for the confidence reposed in her and pledged to work in unity with stakeholders of the assembly including the traditional rulers and the civil society organisation. She called on the assembly members to build consensus and always use bipartisan approach in building and developing the municipality. GNA Koforidua, Jan. 31, GNA - The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), has donated GH10,000.00 to the Koforidua Regional Hospital to support the celebration its 90th anniversary. Presenting the cheque at the launching of the anniversary and the formal opening of the 2015 Annual Performance Review Meeting of the Hospital at Koforidua, the Area Manager of SSNIT, Mr Robert Owusu Sekyere said it is the wish of SSNIT that most Ghanaians are strong and working so that many of them could become contributors to the trust. He said SSNIT is therefore a stakeholder in the promotion of health delivery, hence the decision of Management, to support the celebration of the anniversary of the hospital. Launching the anniversary, Dr Kwame Anim Boamah, the Medical Director of the hospital said, the health authorities decided to use the anniversary to rehabilitate all the wards. He therefore appealed to corporate organisations and individuals to support to give the facility a facelift. Dr Boamah said, the hospital has achieved a lot and was adjudged the best regional hospital in the country in 2013 by the Ministry of Health. He said, despite the achievements of the hospital, there is more room for improvement and it is the desire of the management of the hospital to develop it into the leading medical centre of excellence in Ghana and West Africa. Dr Boamah said the current 340 bed capacity referral hospital started as a small clinic at where currently the Koforidua Mangoase District Magistrict Court is located in 1926 and moved to Koforidua Polyclinic before its current site after independence. He said the hospital had seen a lot of structural changes and the supply of medical equipment. He expressed appreciation to government for the retooling project, which enabled the hospital to acquire much modern equipment. Dr Boamah appealed for support for equipment to enable the hospital to provide services in laparoscopy, endoscopy, dialysis for renal failure and MRI, imaging services to help reduce the challenges faced by the patients of the hospital when they go to Accra or Kumasi to receive such services. He said the year- long celebration would be crowned with dinner dance and awards night in December and a thanksgiving service. The Medical Director expressed appreciation to Joy Industries, Zoomlion Limited, Jead Foundation, Interpharma Limited, Mr Kwesi Adu-Boahene and Dr Richard Akromah for rehabilitating various parts of the wards of the hospital. GNA Accra, Jan. 3 Roads Minister renovates school block Tamale, Jan 31, GNA - Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, Minister of Roads and Highways, has renovated a three-unit classroom block of the Tamale Presbyterian Junior High School (Kulikuli School) at the cost of GH10,000.00. The school is located at the Tamale Central Constituency where Alhaji Fuseini serves as a Member of Parliament. Alhaji Fuseini, who handed over the facility to school authorities in Tamale, said the renovation of the classroom block formed part of his efforts to invest in the future of children in the constituency. He also presented learning materials to the school to enhance teaching and learning. The Minister, six months ago, also presented 200 metal dual desks to the same school as part of efforts to ensure that pupils have furniture to sit on during classes. He assured of doing his best to improve education in the constituency. Mr Zakaria Amadu, Headmaster of the school expressed gratitude to the Minister for renovating the facility and appealed to him to help to set up a computer laboratory for the school. Meanwhile, the Parent Teacher Association of the school had presented a citation to the Minister commending him for his immense contribution to education and youth development in the constituency. GNA 1, GNA - The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), has a held a day's training programme for 40 farmers in organic farming. Participants include GAEC Farmers Association, mango and pineapple growers from the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions. It was organised by BNARI in collaboration with GAEC Technology Transfer and Marketing Centre to educate the farmers on the use of organic fertilizer or compost in organic farming. The workshop was on the theme: 'Nutrient recovery from solid waste management for agriculture soil amendment.' Professor Kenneth Ellis Danso, Director of BNARI, commended the nation's farmers for the good work they have being doing. He explained that the workshop was to equip the farmers do their work well; so as to continue producing healthy food for the nation. He said BNARI has being using waste products to manufacture organic fertilizers; which has many benefits. The Director noted that inorganic fertilizers pollutes the water bodies, when rain washes them into water bodies. He said there had been complains about the quality of vegetables being exported from Ghana to the European Union market; which is of a major concern to stakeholders. He explained that the workshop would enable participants gain knowledge on safe measures to be practiced to enhance their farming business to generate more income. Prof Danso cautioned farmers against the misuse of weedicides and pesticides, which release chemicals into the food chain; eventually affecting the health of consumers. BNARI was established to be Ghana's leading public institution that provides solutions to challenges in agriculture, health and industry through exploration and exploitation of scientific knowledge in biotechnology and nuclear science. Mr Alfred Ampomah, a participant and a pineapple farmer from the Eastern Region in an interview with the Ghana News Agency appealed to government to subsidise fertilizers; so that the average farmer can afford. GNA Geneva (AFP) - Switzerland is struggling to resolve the case of a Swiss woman kidnapped for a second time by jihadists in Mali, Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter said in an interview published Sunday. "We are facing a case that is very delicate and very difficult to resolve," Burkhalter told Le Matin Dimanche. Beatrice Stockly, who was previously abducted by Islamists from Timbuktu in 2012, was taken for the second time on January 7 by armed men who stormed her home in the country's fabled city. The kidnapping was claimed by Al-Qaeda's north Africa affiliate (AQIM) who issued an eight-minute video in which it denounced Stockly as "a Swiss nun who declared war against Islam". The footage was replete with montages of jihadists brandishing weapons and the masked speaker spoke with a British accent. Stockly, who is in her 40s, has lived in Timbuktu for years and has previously been identified as a missionary and social worker. The last time she was snatched in April 2012, she was described as the last Westerner living in the legendary desert city who had refused to leave despite it being captured by Islamist Ansar Dine rebels on April 1. Two weeks later, special forces from Burkina Faso swept into rebel-held northern Mali aboard a helicopter and whisked her to safety in a pre-arranged handover by Islamist rebels. - Battling for her life - In Sunday's interview, Burkhalter said that the fact that Stockly's kidnapping was her second considerably complicated efforts to free her. He pointed out that the last time she was kidnapped, her abductors had demanded that she leave and never return to Mali. "That's where the difficulty lies," he said. "We are in a battle to try to keep her alive. "Unfortunately, that is not going to be easy." Stockly's decision to remain in Mali has been harshly criticised, with some politicians calling for her to be handed for her rescue -- if she makes it out. Burkhalter acknowledged Swiss authorities had warned Stockly a number of times about the dangers of remaining in Mali, but said he would not judge her for ignoring the warnings. "She is a missionary who felt her life and her role was over there," he said. Switzerland has a clear policy against paying ransoms, he said, stressing it would only lay "the groundwork for future kidnappings... It would be a vicious circle." Stockly's capture is believed to be the first in northern Mali since the kidnap and murder of two French radio journalists in November 2013. The two were snatched from the northeastern town of Kidal and their bodies found several hours later. Earlier this month, an elderly Australian doctor and his wife were seized by jihadists in a remote town in neighbouring Burkina Faso on the night of January 15-16. 31.01.2016 LISTEN More than 10,000 migrant children may have disappeared after arriving in Europe over the past two years, the EUs police intelligence unit says. Europol said thousands of vulnerable minors had vanished after registering with state authorities. It warned of children and young people being forced into sexual exploitation and slavery by criminal gangs. Save the Children says some 26,000 child migrants arrived in Europe last year without any family. It is the first time Europol has given a Europe-wide estimate of how many might be missing. Targeting refugees Its not unreasonable to say that were looking at 10,000-plus children, Europols chief of staff told the Observer newspaper. Not all of them will be criminally exploited; some might have been passed on to family members. We just dont know where they are, what theyre doing or whom they are with. Officials in Italy warned in May 2015 that almost 5,000 children had disappeared from asylum reception centres since the previous summer. In October, the authorities in Trelleborg in southern Sweden said about 1,000 unaccompanied refugee children and young adults who arrived in the town in the previous month had since gone missing. Confirming the overall estimate of missing minors, a Europol spokesman said a large proportion may have also disappeared after landing in Greece. The country is the first entry point for most of the 1 million migrants who arrived in Europe by boat in 2015, and authorities have been criticised for failing to register and check the arrivals. . Criminal gangs known to be involved in human trafficking in Europe are now targeting refugees, Europol said. There are fears unaccompanied children and young people may be dragged into sex work, slavery and other illegal activity. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) spokesman Leonard Doyle told the BBC the figure of 10,000 missing children was shocking but not surprising. He said it was to be expected that many of these would be caught up in exploitation. Lets hope now the EU puts the resources into finding these children, helping them and reuniting these children with their families. The warning from Europol comes days after the UK government said it would accept more unaccompanied child refugees from Syria and other conflict zones, without giving numbers. However, it said it would not be taking in vulnerable children who had already made it into Europe. On Saturday, at least 39 migrants, including several children, drowned trying to cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece. The IOM said on Friday that 244 migrants had drowned in the Mediterranean so far this year, out of 55,568 arrivals. bbc The Flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, has charged his party supporters to work hard to unseat incumbent President John Mahama, whom he described as 'Ogu Adwuma', to wit loosely: 'destroyer of businesses' He was speaking in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, where a conference was organised by the party with a view to mobilising support from the Zongo communities in Kumasi ahead of the election in November. Nana Addo said Ghanaians were looking up to the NPP to win the 2016 elections decisively and govern this country with honesty and competence so that prosperity could be generated for the people. 'I am counting on each and every one of you gathered here, our Nasara coordinators, to work hard and help take the NPP message to every member of the Zongo communities and mobilise support for our party in these communities,' he said. Nana Addo said: 'We know that, despite their abject failure, the Mahama administration is counting on the unrestrained abuse of incumbency and the shameless exploitation of ethnicity, negative propaganda, blatant lies and outright fabrications to help them retain power; the power they clearly do not deserve, but need in order to continue with the policy of 'create, loot and share'. 'It is our duty in the NPP to work tirelessly this year to lay bare the facts of widespread corruption, manifest incompetence and increased poverty before the Ghanaian people. They must have no doubt about the compelling necessity of saying goodbye to 'Ogu Adwuma' John Mahama and his government, no matter the juicy inducements that are going to be offered to them by unscrupulous and corrupt politicians.' 'Let us win the 2016 election and bring hope back to our nation. Go out there, spread the word, win hearts and minds for the NPP. Go and get the change that Ghana deserves,' he added. President John Dramani Mahama 31.01.2016 LISTEN Make no mistake. I take the brutal assassinations of Messrs. Adams Mahama and Abubakar Saddiq very seriously, even as those of you who have been reading my columns for a considerable while can readily attest. What I detest most, however, is this self-righteous posture assumed by President John Mahama and his associates and minions of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as if to imply that the countrys main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) was the most violent major political organization. Even as I write, the brutal murderer or murderers of former Nkwanta-South District Chief Executive Peter Kojo Kenyenso have yet to be arraigned before a legitimately constituted court of the land. There are claims of the police having arrested at least some 8 criminal suspects alleged to have had a hand in the slaying of Mr. Kenyenso, who was gunned down at point-blank range from behind at his private residence on Nov. 3, 2014. What is ironic to observe is that the slain Mr. Kenyenso was also a member of the Volta Regional Security Council. That the security apparatus erected around the late Nkwanta-South District Chief Executive (DCE), assuming that there really existed any such arrangement at all, was porous enough to allow the man to be so easily liquidated is one that ought to preoccupy the President, because it was Mr. Mahama who directly appointed Mr. Kenyenso to the job during whose performance the Nkwanta-South DCE was brutally gunned down. Maybe the fact that the National Democratic Congress and its political and ideological antecedent, the so-called Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), has a long track-record of violence is what appears to have made it quite acceptable for the Mahama posse to have become so flagrantly lax in its purported search for the killers of Mr. Kenyenso. It is also significant to observe that the family members and relatives of the slain DCE have virulently accused Mr. Mahama of having snubbed them by his conspicuous failure to attend the funeral and burial services for Mr. Kenyenso. And so it can only came as very hypocritical for the President to be pretending as if he really cared about the acid-dousing assassination of Mr. Adams Mahama, the former Upper-East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and the equally savage stabbing death of Mr. Abubakar Saddiq, a staunch Akufo-Addo partisan from the Kumasi-Asewase Constituency of the New Patriotic Party. Really, I hate to say this, but the infamous Shit-Bomber couldnt care any more about Messrs. Mahama and Saddiq than he cared about 45-year-old Mr. George Boateng, going into his unopposed primary reelection bid as the 2016 Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress. Well, President Mahama has been quoted to be saying that No amount of political power is worth the drop of blood of any single Ghanaian. Now, that is laudable talk, except that talk is too cheap to make a whit of a difference, particularly when such talk is coming from the lips of the man who has been shamelessly supporting the unholy cause of Mr. Paul Afoko, the indefinitely suspended NPP National Chairman, whose younger brother, Mr. Gregory Afoko, is currently standing trial as prime suspect in the brutal acid-dousing assassination of Mr. Adams Mahama, who was also widely known to have been an inveterate internal political opponent of the suspended NPP National Chairman. We must also quickly add, for the avoidance of all doubts that the elder Mr. Afoko had abortively attempted to cop an alibi for his brother Gregory in the wake of the latters alleged brutal slaying of Mr. Mahama. As of this writing, a little over a month after the fact, some of the people allegedly involved in the slaying of Mr. Abubakar Saddiq, including Mr. Isaac Brenya, the NPP Constituency Chairman of Kumasi-Asewase, were reported to have been arrested and charged with the stabbing death of Mr. Saddiq. The real killer or the man who actually stabbed Mr. Abubakar Saddiq to death, a Mr. Duna, alias Mahamudu, was, however, reported to be still at large. A warrant had, however, been issued for the prompt arrest of Mr. Duna and the latters arraignment before a legitimately constituted court of criminal adjudication. We shall be studiously following events and commenting on the same, as deemed warranted, for the benefit of our readers. *Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs The party member and nine others are facing a criminal case under the Madhya Pradesh Cow Slaughter Ban Act (Photo: PTI) Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh BJP has expelled Anwar Mev, former vice president of its minority cell in Tonkkhurd Mandal in Dewas district, days after he was charged with slaughtering a cow at his house and arrested. "We have expelled Mev from the party," state BJP spokesman Dr Hitesh Bajpai said. Mev and nine others are facing a criminal case under the Madhya Pradesh Cow Slaughter Ban Act and the IPC, according to Dewas additional superintendent of police Rajesh Raghuvanshi. Tension had prevailed in Tonkkhurd Nagar town after carcass of a cow was recovered from Mev's house in Maniyarpura locality on November 27, leading to protests by right-wing organisations. The district administration has also invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against Mev and shifted him to Ujjain central jail. January 31, 2016 Open Thread 2016-06 News & views ... Posted by b on January 31, 2016 at 18:42 UTC | Permalink Comments next page The matters that require the approval of the state government goes to the state-level high-powered steering committee for Smart Cities. KOCHI: The euphoria over Kochi in the 20 cities selected by the Ministry of Urban Development for the Smart City project may turn out to be a short-lived affair if the fineprint connected with the functioning of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to be formed for implementing the project is any indication. A document issued by the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) on the formation of the SPV, its financials and functioning make it clear that the elected Kochi Corporation will not have much role other than raising its share of capital for the project. The 43-page document comprising guidelines for the project makes it clear that the SPV, to be formed under the Companies Act 2013, will be the decisive authority of the project. The Chief Executive Officer, to be appointed with prior approval of the MoUD, will control day-to-day functioning that included, formulation of projects, awarding contracts, HR policy and appointment and removal of senior management of the company. The CEO will be appointed for a fixed term of three years and will be removed only with the prior approval of MoUD, the document stated. The section dealing with the delegation of powers to the SPV makes it clear that the power of the municipal council should be delegated to the SPV besides transferring the decision making power of the corporation to the CEO of the SPV. It has described primary reason for the creation of an SPV is to ensure operational independence and autonomy in decision making and implementation. To achieve the same it has asked the state government and the corporation to transfer the regulatory authority vested with them to the SPV. Delegating the rights and obligations of the municipal council with respect to the Smart City project to SPV and delegating the decision making powers available to the ULB (Urban Local Body) under the municipal act and government rules to the CEO of the SPV are the two crucial requirements under the project. The SPV will be having a board comprising representatives of union government, state government, corporation and independent directors. Houston Chronicle Royal Dutch Shell is switching its trucking fleet to more liquefied natural gas-fueled vehicles in Houston and Louisiana as more companies increasingly move away from dirtier diesel fuel. The use of LNG and compressed natural gas another new CNG fueling station opened Thursday in Houston in commercial vehicles has rapidly expanded because of the nations cheap and bountiful supply of natural gas. Shell said Thursday it partnered with Miami-based Ryder transportation company for 15 new, heavy-duty LNG trucks to support its oil and gas logistics operations in Houston and Lafayette, Louisiana. The 15 new trucks will replace diesel-fueled Shell vehicles. Shell will provide the LNG fuel. LNG can be a good choice for truck owners and more are making the switch to LNG, said Dan Flynn, Shell vice president for logistics, in a prepared statement, adding that Shells LNG is a cleaner fuel that meets emissions regulations without the need for treatment systems used in diesel engines. As an alternative to LNG vehicles, the 15th CNG fueling station in Houston opened Thursday. The new filling station at Pinto Business Park on Fallbrook Drive just west of Interstate 45 in North Houston is the third station in Houston opened by Freedom CNG. The new CNG station will fuel the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris Countys new fleet of 50 CNG-fueled, public transportation buses. When it comes to encouraging the adoption of compressed natural gas for local fleet vehicles, weve barely scratched the surface, said Bill Winters, the managing member of Freedom CNG, in the announcement. Theres a strong argument to be made for compressed natural gas both from an environmental and economic point of view. Texas ranks third in the nation with 79 public compressed natural gas fueling stations, trailing only California and Oklahoma, according to Freedom CNG, citing U.S. Department of Energy data. BG Group investors approve Shell deal Houston Chronicle HOUSTON British gas producer BG Group investors approved Royal Dutch Shells takeover bid on Thursday, the latest step in clearing the way for the $54 billion merger to close in mid-February. The transaction, expected to close Feb. 15, is still subject to approval by the United Kingdoms High Court of Justice and other customary conditions. Closing the deal will mean 2,800 more employees and direct contractors will be cut from Shell and BG Group, an effort to reduce overlapping costs. Shell cut 7,500 jobs last year. BG adds attractive deep water and integrated gas positions and will act as a catalyst for accelerating the re-shaping of our business, Shell CEO Ben van Beurden said in a written statement. We now look forward delivering the benefits of the combination as quickly as possible following completion. Ninety-nine percent of BG Groups shareholders approved the deal. Absorbing the British firms pre-salt oil production facilities offshore Brazil will make Shell the international leader in deep-water oil fields, giving it a peak 500,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day, according to energy research firm Wood Mackenzie. After the deal closes, Shell will rival Exxon Mobil Corp., Wood Mackenzie said, with both projected to pump about 4.3 million barrels a day in 2020, though Shell will have an edge in liquefied natural gas and deep-water exploration while Exxon Mobil will focus on unconventional drilling. Shell investors OK acquisition of BG Group Houston Chronicle HOUSTON Royal Dutch Shell shareholders on Wednesday authorized the $50 billion acquisition of British gas producer BG Group, after promises by executives to cut more overlapping costs amid falling oil prices. The value of the cash-and-stock deal has fallen from more than $70 billion last April, when oil prices hovered near $60 a barrel and Shell and BG Group shares traded higher. At a gathering in the Hague, 83 percent of Shells investors voted in favor of the deal, and 17 percent voted against it. Shell CEO Ben van Beurden said he was pleased by the confidence that shareholders have shown in the strategic logic of the combination of Shell and BG. Shell will get access to BG Groups large gas production and deep-water drilling businesses, which will expand Shells gas reserves by a quarter. But oil prices have fallen sharply since the merger was proposed. In response to critics of the deal, Shell executives have said in recent months they would shake loose an extra $1 billion in savings from the BG Group takeover and the two firms would cut an additional 2,800 employees and direct contractors once the transaction closed. Thats on top of 7,500 job cuts Shell announced last year. More than 94.2 million people in the United States have neither worked nor looked for a job in the past year. Thats not including anyone under the age of 16. While I dont think this is the doomsday crisis some pundits seem to fear it is, I do believe its a problem which we need to address to improve prosperity for individuals, families, and society as a whole. As noted in a prior column, the labor force participation rate (simply the proportion of the civilian labor force either employed or unemployed, but looking) has been falling for years. Currently, the percentage stands at 62.6 percent, according to December 2015 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). With a large and growing percentage of the population not working, there is more pressure on those who do have jobs to generate output, income, and tax receipts. Over time, the situation could become untenable, and our standard of living could be affected. The crucial question is why fewer Americans are working. Slow hiring during the recession and ongoing scarcity of good jobs in many fields and geographic areas is part of the explanation, but only part. In fact, the participation rate continued to drop even after the recession ended. Another component of the answer is that our population is aging, with the large baby boom generation moving into age brackets where work is typically less common and ultimately reaching retirement age (at a pace of about 10,000 per day). The BLS has analyzed the reasons people are not working, comparing reasons given in response to a survey in 2004 to responses in 2014. As of 2014, the total non-working population (age 16 and older) in the United States stood at 87.4 million, which was 35 percent of the total population (16 or older). Of that 35 percent, the most common reason given for being out of the labor force was retirement (15.4 percent), followed by being ill or disabled (6.5 percent), going to school (6.4 percent), home responsibilities (5.4 percent), and other reasons (the remaining 1.2 percent). The tiny other reasons category includes those who responded that they could not find work. The 2014 results were compared to 2004, when a significantly lower 31.3 percent of the population was not in the labor force. The percentages not in the labor force due to retirement had the largest gain over the period, which fits with the aging of the baby boom generation. The second-largest gain was in the percentage who said they werent working because they were going to school, which was particularly common in the 16-19 and 20-24 year age ranges (although data on enrollment doesnt exactly support the validity of this answer). The proportion who indicated they were not working due to illness or disability increased (from 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent). The percentage citing home responsibilities as the reason for not working was the only category that decreased. In addition to variation by age, the results differed significantly with education level. In the prime working age group (25 to 54), those with less education were less likely to be part of the labor force. In 2014, the BLS found that 21.2 percent of men with less than a high school diploma did not participate in the labor force, compared with 14.9 percent of high school graduates, 10.7 percent for those with some college or an associates degree, and 5.6 percent of college graduates. For women, the pattern was similar, with 49.6 percent of those with less than a high school diploma not in the labor force, compared with 15.4 percent of college-educated women. The correlation between education and unemployment is well documented, with additional education linked to lower unemployment rates (as well as more income). The incentives to stay in the labor force are generally superior with higher levels of education: better salary and benefits and often more rewarding jobs. Over time, falling labor force participation rates could erode standards of living. In addition to incentives for work and other actions to better prepare workers for jobs, there is room for improvement in the structure of social services programs. While safety nets are clearly necessary and serve an essential and valuable purpose, at times they can become more of a trap for recipients than a temporary source of relief. When there is a financial disincentive to work because of the potential for lost benefits, there will be some who choose to stay out of the labor force for longer periods of time. The fact that disability and illness are more common reasons given for not working could point to issues in the way these programs are structured. The bottom line is that the longer an individual goes without working, the greater the likelihood of opting out of the workforce entirely. The edging down of the labor force participation rate is not unduly alarming in and of itself. With productivity gains, we can now produce more with fewer workers, and its not all bad that people can retire earlier or not work in order to obtain more education. However, if people retire early because they give up on finding a decent job, thats a problem. Similarly, while young people are increasingly responding to surveys that they are not working in order to go to school, the data indicates that only some of them are actually enrolled. All in all, there is reason to believe that the trend we are observing is driven, at least in part, by underlying issues with the incentive structure of the current job market. This pattern is worthy of consideration to see what could be tweaked to encourage more people into the workforce, thus increasing economic potential and providing more flexibility to deal with emerging demographics. Dr. M. Ray Perryman is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Perryman Group (www.perrymangroup.com). He also serves as Institute Distinguished Professor of Economic Theory and Method at the International Institute for Advanced Studies. In some smaller cities across the country, there might be limited options on sites such as apartmentfinder, apartmentguide and apartments.com. But for people seeking to rent in Midland, available units range from $650 to well above $1,400. The recent oil boom led to a huge increase in rental prices. The downturn hasnt seemed to affect rentals, according to Realtor Victoria Printz. Her firm had about 75 rentals on the market in January and more than 100 a couple of months previously, she said. Prices are down a little bit, but the average sale is the same, said Printz, a 20-year veteran in realty. Printz said the reasons people rent vary, including beign uncertain about how long one will be in Midland and wanting more time before purchasing a home. And for the most part, younger people are the ones who rent, she said. Usually, it is people between the age of 20 and 40 who rent, Printz said. Some millennials, or adults between ages of 18 and 34, shared their stories of Midlands rental market during the last two years. On the move Wisconsin native Alex Norris, 25, a musician, teacher and adjunct professor, has moved three times since signing his first lease when he arrived in Midland in August 2014. I do a lot of stuff based on trying to think financially, Norris said. I took an offer from Texas Tech to be a TA and not have to do the whole tuition thing, and I just dont think musicians should shell out 100 grand a year to go to (another school). It was kind of always get on my feet, pay off a couple of loans from my undergrad, and thats what I did. Norris originally lived with two of his colleagues as a short-term solution because of a difficult renters market. He used Craigslist to find his first apartment, which was in a sketchy neighborhood. He had a six-month lease and a very nice guy as a neighbor. It was kind of a little dungeon, Norris said. The windows were boarded up, there was no light. It was stuffy, and I think my neighbor across the hall was a drug dealer because these guys with bloodshot eyes would knock on my door and ask, Hey ... is (another tenant) there? A week after Norris moved, he spotted several police cars parked outside of his former complex. For his next residence, he sublet from a friend of a friend. His quarters didnt have a kitchen, and he eventually had his fill of "living off a microwave and a toaster. Then, other circumstances caused Norris to move about two months ago. Because Norris had only about a week to find a place, he rented a larger apartment for about $200 over his intended rental window. I was scrambling, but I did it, Norris said. Now, my apartment is a little bigger than what I want, but its just nice to have my own place. I can teach at home, and its easier to do without roommates. To adjust for the higher rent, Norris cut out social activity. It helps that, unlike several peers who are treading water, he paid off his undergraduate loans and obtained a masters degree tuition-free. I was really aggressive with paying off my loans, but it kind of came back to bite me when I needed to pay off some car loans, so I was almost too aggressive, Norris said. A loan from his parents and selling an old violin helped to offset the new debt. Although he is not sure how long he will be in the Midland area, he chalks up his experiences in Midland as worthwhile. I dont have anything against where I am right now, Norris said. I do want to move to a larger, little-more-happening city, and I know the struggle will be to find work. But thats why I moved here. Ive been able to put stuff on my resume. In and out of the buyers market Brett Socha, 29, and his wife had more than just a new frontier to adapt to when they moved to Midland from Birmingham, Alabama, in June 2014. They went from paying about a $700 monthly mortgage payment for an about 3,000-square-foot home to paying $2,000 a month in rent for 1,000 square feet of space. That was an adjustment, Socha said. The only housing there really was instead of building a house at a high price was to rent and go into an apartment. It wasnt fun. Because they arrived during the boom, housing demand drove them to an apartment in Odessa that, while new, was one-third the size of their Birmingham home and about $300 a month more than their previous mortgage payment. The Sochas ruled out moving to an older complex because for $200 or $300 more, you could live in a brand-new apartment, according to Socha, but the new complex had downsides that came from high demand. The apartment complex didnt care about the actual residents because ... people were a dime a dozen, Socha said. You could move out, and people would be in it the next day. It was OK; it was just a lot different. It was the best they could find after months of searching for a complex that had an available unit built within the last few years. We were actually looking to buy (after a while) ... but the oil and gas industry kind of went south, and that caused us to hold back a little bit, Socha said. The taxes were outrageous for housing, too. That was another reason to continue our rent. After moving to Colorado in December after receiving a promotion, Socha said they did not regret the decision. They now own a house larger than their Birmingham residence for a much lower monthly mortgage. We looked there to see our apartment that we were renting because it was available online now, and we were seeing theyre going for $1,100, which I still think is way too much, Socha said. The steady investor Ryan Dixon, 28, who moved to Midland last year, faced a similar situation of wanting a newer apartment since it would mean only a few hundred dollars difference. He visited about 10 complexes between May and the end of June. By the time of his move-in date, the rent of the apartment Dixon chose decreased $300. Its so amazing, the supply-and-demand difference, even back then, Dixon said. He had picked the complex because of amenities, price, location and floor plan were the best of the 10, so the price drop came as a plus, he said. Dixon signed a one-year lease but anticipates he could negotiate for lower rent. His reasoning is the decline in the oil and gas industry but also from a less-than-scientific measurement: available parking spots. Just based on observational occupancy rates, it appears to be close to 50 to 60 percent occupancy now. Just based on how many parking spots are full every night and all that jazz, Dixon said. Its nowhere near as full as when I first moved in. Like other Midlanders, Dixon rented because of an uncertain future. He transplanted from Houston for a new job as an investor for an oil and gas company and, while working full-time, he is working toward a master's degree at Texas Tech University. As a younger person, theres social challenges, but, in the long-term perspective, I think its good for your career, Dixon said. I obviously cant speak for everybody, but I certainly know a whole host of people who are here early in their careers for a brief period of time. You go where the money is. Dixon is currently debt-free and intends to purchase a house one day but likely not in Midland. He would like to move back to the Houston area. In the meantime, he intends to fully commit to retiring comfortably as compounding interest is one (heck) of a powerful force. Like Norris, he considered a move to Midland a boon to his professional life. If the company sent you here, where its not Austin, Texas, that has happening spots for a 20-something on weekends, they appreciate what youre willing to do and that youre willing to work and what youre willing to sacrifice to get the job done, Dixon said. I wouldnt discourage anybody from moving to Midland, especially as younger people know how often career changes occur compared to our older generations. Youre never stuck. You come here to do your time a little bit, and if you want to move down the road, theres always opportunities to do so. Follow Cassie on Twitter at @Cassie_Burton51 T B T #FREEGUWOP A photo posted by Mike Will (@mikewillmadeit) on Oct 2, 2015 at 4:45am PDT Earlier this week, Mike WiLL Made-It revealed the release date for his forthcoming Ransom 2 mixtape and while fans have been anticipating its release, theyll have to hold out just a little while longer to hear the project in its entirety. The Atlanta-based producer shared that Ransom 2 had been delayed for a special contribution from Gucci Mane, who will now host the tape. Mike WiLL gave the last minute update on Friday (Jan. 29), the projects original release date. Although some fans were understandably disappointed that the tape didnt drop when expected, Mike WiLLs reasoning was commendable and proves that the setback maybe well worth the wait. In a series of tweets, Mike WiLL wrote that he is sticking to the basics and highlighted the fact that Gucci did the intro on his first mixtape, Est. in 1989, which he released back in 2011. The self-proclaimed Trap God appeared on a track called "Stop-Start" with Chief Keef and Peewee Longway from the first installment of Ransom. No word on when to expect Ransom 2. Mike WiLL only noted that the incarcerated rapper needed "a couple days to say his piece." Can't drop a Trap tape w/o the Trap God... #RANSOM2 now being hosted by Gucci Mane from the Feds..... pic.twitter.com/FnnHejfnjA Willy B (@MikeWiLLMadeIt) January 29, 2016 He (Gucci Mane) said give him a couple days to say his piece... To talk to the streets... Thanks for your patience pic.twitter.com/763C7PodjA Willy B (@MikeWiLLMadeIt) January 29, 2016 Haven't dropped a tape w/o Gucci, he did the intro to my 1st tape... Stuck to the basics#RANSOM2HostedByGucciMane pic.twitter.com/r4Mrl0KO50 Willy B (@MikeWiLLMadeIt) January 29, 2016 Prior to revealing the original release date, Mike WiLL shared a collaboration with Future named after civil rights activist Al Sharpton as well as a new track by Rae Sremmurd, titled "By Chance." Both tracks are expected to be featured on Ransom 2. Ransom, which dropped in December 2014, featured a slew of guest spots from artists like Juicy J, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, Chief Keef, 2 Chainz, DeJ Loaf, Young Thug and Migos. The tape also included contributions from up-and-coming artists like Key!, Yung Joey, Eearz and Bankroll Fresh. From the sound of it, Ransom 2 will be full of surprises. Check back with us for more updates. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Vampire Weekend joined presidential candidate Bernie Sanders last night in Iowa, ahead of Tuesday's Iowa caucus, to perform a few songs to support the Vermont Democrat's campaign. The rally was held at the University of Iowa Field House, where Vampire Weekend and Foster the People performed before Sanders delivered a speech to supporters. Run The Jewels' Killer Mike was scheduled to attend, but according to Consequence of Sound, but canceled due to a death in the family. Rapper Killer Mike has been an avid supporter of Sanders since the launch of his campaign, making public appearances with the senator and even taking him for soul food in Atlanta -- photos from the meal became a viral sensation. Vampire Weekend hit the stage for the first time in almost two years, alongside Dirty Projectors' Dave Longstreth. The university's a capella group Hawkapellas were also on stage to assist with vocals. The supergroup of sorts performed acoustic versions of "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" and "Unbelievers" (at the 46:15 mark), before a moving version of "This Land is Your Land" (1:24 mark), which the audience joined in following Sanders' speech. Vampire Weekend aren't the only musicians vocal about their support of Sanders -- alt-rock icons Red Hot Chili Peppers recently scheduled an appearance at a Bernie Sanders Benefit Concert on Feb. 5 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Hyderabad: The ruling partys civic election meeting addressed by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at Parade Grounds here threw the traffic out of gear on Saturday. Commuters spent more than an hour to travel a short distance from Begumpet flyover to Hari Hara Kala Bhavan junction. Traffic diversions only added to the problems. The narrow roads failed to cope with the heavy flow of vehicles at evening peak hour, while TRS activists marched to the Parade Grounds in a steady stream, and vehicles that brought them near the venue were parked at Clock Tower. This, despite the Hyderabad traffic police alerting the public about alternative routes which largely went unheeded. The traffic was uncontrollable in the areas nearby, as the Parade Grounds itself resembled a mela in progress. Traffic jams started from 6pm and continued beyond 9.30pm by when the parked vehicles moved out. The jam extended till Banjara Hills, while all the DCMs and other vehicles were seen parked on the main road along the Clock Tower. The Chief Minister reached Parade Grounds around 7.45 pm, and after his speech ended, it was a hard struggle for the people to get out of the grounds and head for their homes. Large numbers of women were also present. Motorists were in deep trouble as vehicles would not move amid the traffic jams. The meeting should have been held during the afternoon or on Sunday morning, when the rush of office people would not have been there on the streets. I spent over one hour crossing Begumpet, airport and Paradise bridge, said a harried Madhusudan Chary. All the alternative routes via Paradise, Sindhi Colony and Minister Road were choked. After the meeting, the route from Secunderabad towards Panjagutta was jammed. There were much noise, slogan-shouting and air pollution. A few people were seen standing outside the Parade Grounds and on the flyovers, causing major inconvenience to commuters. The speeches of TRS leaders could be heard till Banjara Hills as loudspeakers were installed all the way from Secunderabad to the Hills. Traffic on the ever crowded Begumpet stretch moved at a snail's pace as thousands of party workers, vehicles and the public in and around the Parade Grounds area brought vehicular traffic to a standstill. We have independently selected these offers and products because we love them and we think you might like them at these prices. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may earn a commission if you buy something through our links. Items are My Frugal Miser is about sharing strategies for cutting out wastefulness. I focus on living without financial stress, spending on experiences rather than things, and leaving the corporate rat race for good. Sarkodie should have been bigger than ... GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. Almost 50 cars were left with shattered windows after thieves hit up an Orlando hotel parking lot near Universal Studios overnight. Country Inn & Suites was the latest in a series of break-ins in recent weeks across Central Florida. Investigators haven't said whether the string of similar crimes are connected. But each time, the target has been a tourist hotel. On Sunday morning, hotel guests woke up to glass, paperwork and personal belongings on the ground. Its just an inconvenience, James Wallace said. A spokesperson with the Orlando Police Department said burglars smashed the windows on dozens of cars overnight. They ransacked the vehicle. They kind of snapped the latch on the armrest inside and just shattered the back glass, Wallace said. Just two weeks ago, dozens of cars were broken into at three other hotels off Interstate 95 in Viera. It's unclear whether these crimes are connected. Orlando Police are taking to social media to warn people to never leave valuables in plain sight, even if your car is locked. And best-case scenario: We werent harmed. Its just a vehicle. Its just a car, said another hotel guest, Marla Grefrath. Some hotel guests, such as Jayce Miller, think management at this hotel should be held responsible. It looks like the hotel is going to try and sweep this under the rug," Miller said. "It looks like they're just going to try to... Theyre taking reports to make it look good, and then theyre just going to ignore everybody probably. Hotel management said they had no comment at the moment. If you have any information about what happened, please contact CrimeLine at 1-800-423-TIPS. The objective of 'G-Taxi' programme is to provide a better means for livelihood for the minority community. (Photo: Video grab) Thiruvananthapuram: In a first, transgenders in Kerala will soon turn entrepreneurs with the launch of a taxi service which will be owned and operated by them. After unveiling the first Transgender Policy in the country with an aim to end societal stigma towards the Transgender (TG) community, the state government is now getting ready to launch 'Gender Taxi', owned and operated by transgenders. The objective of 'G-Taxi' programme is to provide a better means for livelihood for the minority group and to ensure them non-discriminatory treatment in society. The state-run Gender Park, under the Department of Social Justice, has drawn up a programme to roll out G-Taxi on the model of its successful all-women cab network She-Taxi. If She-Taxi has targetted mainly women commuters, 'G-Taxi' is envisaged as an 'equality taxi', in which all travellers, irrespective of their gender, can avail service. If everything goes as planned, the first fleet of G-Taxi cabs will be rolled out in the state this March. State Minister for Social Justice M K Muneer said the G-Taxi is part of the government's first step towards the practical implementation of the TG Policy, unveiled here last November. "We have unveiled the transgender policy with an aim to improve the life and living conditions of TG community. The G-Taxi is the first major step as part of the implementation of the TG Policy," said Muneer. Gender Park CEO Dr P T M Sunish said the project is expected to promote entrepreneurship among TGs and provide them a better means for livelihood. "We are hopeful that the project will help them fetch not only a better income but also a good opportunity to mingle with the mainstream society. People who avail the service of G-taxi can interact with them which will help change their mindset towards TGs," said Sunish. Sunish said a number of transgenders, on the sidelines of the recent International Gender Conference held here last year, had requested the minister to launch an entrepreneurial programme for them on the model of She-Taxi. They had also requested to entrust it with the Gender Park as it has successfully implemented the She-Taxi network, envisaged for the empowerment of women. Like the She-Taxi, G-Taxi cabs will also have advanced security features, including GPS. Source: United Parcel Service. United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) is one of the biggest players in an industry that's expanding at record paces. So what could possibly go wrong? Turns out, a lot. Let's dig deep to see whether 2016 will be United Parcel Service's worst year yet. Volatile Variables In 2013, United Parcel Service hired 40,000 seasonal workers to deal with growing holiday delivery demands. In 2014, that number jumped to 50,000. This past year, UPS expanded its ranks, once again, adding a whopping 55,000 workers to its normal force. That's massive growth, and is just one of the many signals that the logistics-delivery business is booming. But booming business isn't always good. United Parcel Service has to deal with countless variables that are more erratic than ever before. On the personnel side, expanding its work force by more than 20% for a few crazy weeks is incredibly tasking. If it hires too few folks, Santa Claus misses his delivery date. If UPS hires too many workers, its margins take a huge hit during its most-important earnings season. Energy expenses also introduce unwanted volatility. UPS counteracts price swings by hedging bets and tacking on indexed fuel surcharges, but more expensive oil and gas can affect demand. Even if customers don't stop shipping items, they may choose cheaper low-margin ground-delivery services instead of higher-margin air-shipment offerings. A Fatter FedEx Corporation Source: FedEx Corporation. United Parcel Service is used to being the biggest delivery business around, but FedEx Corporation is trying to change that. Last year, FedEx Corporation announced plans to acquire Netherlands-based TNT Express for $4.9 billion in a bid to expand into Europe, and scale up to United Parcel Service's level. The deal is currently set to go through in mid-2016. If it does, FedEx will officially enjoy more European sales than United Parcel Service, and the two companies' overall sales will essentially be equivalent. The deal isn't cheap for FedEx, and United Parcel Service will -- for 2016, at least -- remain a superior stock in terms of solid margins and bigger dividend distributions. But investors will now think twice before pinning FedEx as a growth stock and UPS as a steady income investment, and that could affect where each stock heads in the year to come. Emerging Competitors FedEx Corporation isn't the only competition in town. Amazon.com , the largest e-commerce company in America, is sick and tired of dealing with FedEx Corporation, United Parcel Service, and USPS to deliver its products to its customers. Amazon.com is making both strategic and innovative moves to internalizing logistics and cutting costs. On the pragmatic front, the company has set up sorting centers all across America, and purchased thousands of trucks to move its items between centers and warehouses. This past week, Amazon.com CFO Brian Olsavsky told analysts that these initiatives are meant to complement the work of logistics companies like United Parcel Service: What we found in order to properly serve our customers at peak, we've needed to add more of our own logistics to supplement our existing partners. That's not meant to replace them...those carriers are just no longer able to handle all of our capacity that we need at peak. They've been and continue to be great partners, and we look forward to working with them in the future. It's just we've had to add some resources on our own. But Mr. Olsavsky might not be telling the whole story. Many of the more-innovative pilot projects Amazon.com has explored hint at aspirations of an industry takeover. From drone deliveries to an app-based platform that allows normal drivers to deliver Prime Now packages -- think Uber for postal services -- Amazon.com is exploring all angles of the delivery business. Neither of these ideas are ready for a prime-time rollout, but they should serve as warning signs that the logistics industry may be ripe for disruption. If these pilots or others gain traction in 2016, investors could start to question whether United Parcel Service stock still deserves its stalwart status. Sell United Parcel Service in 2016? I own shares of United Parcel Service, and I won't be selling my shares this year. There are plenty of competitive complements between FedEx Corporation's expansion and Amazon.com's exploration, and no one is expecting United Parcel Service to reverse its excellent fundamental track record any time soon. But 2016 marks the beginning of many new considerations for this logistics business, and I'll be keeping a close eye on this stock in the year to come. The next billion-dollar iSecret The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something at its recent event, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here. The article Will 2016 Be United Parcel Service's Worst Year Yet? originally appeared on Fool.com. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti along with party senior Vice-President and Member of Parliament, Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister, Haseeb Drabu (R) and other senior leader during a crucial party meeting at Mufti residence in Srinagar on Sunday. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, on Sunday said that it would form the new government in Jammu and Kashmir with its alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) only if and when the BJP was convincing that her father and former Chief Minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeeds, vision would be fulfilled. Mufti who was presiding over a meeting of party workers said that she was not disinclined to form the government but would not do it unless she receives these assurances from the alliance partner. This corroborates an earlier report published in Deccan Chronicle in its January 26 issue that the PDP president is waiting for certain clear-cut assurances from the BJP leadership and the government at the highest level on the future relationship between the two sides and also on the Centre-State dealings, mainly on economic front, before moving forward on the issue of government formation. The PDP wants liberal funding from the Centre to ensure revolutionary development of Jammu and Kashmir and as first step towards this direction, an inclusive package for the rehabilitation of the sufferers of the September 2014 floods. It has also asked for return of power projects presently under National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC). It is quite unhappy over Centres unilaterally trimming from Prime Ministers development package the equity assured to the state for buying back two power projects from the NHPC that had received clearance from PMO. It has also said that the lakhs of acres of land under illegal occupation of Army and other security forces would be taken back or would be asked to pay compensation for it as per the market rate. On political front, it wants an assurance from the BJP that the Sangh Parivar will no more use proxies to fiddle with the States special status, guaranteed under Article 370 of the Constitution, nor will be the contentious issue like State Flag raised by it as such pastime only causes embarrassment to the PDP in its bastion-Kashmir Valley. Kashmir watchers say that Mr. Sayeed agreed to cobble up an alliance with the ideologically-divergent BJP to form a government with a view to replicate the success story of the States Prime Minister Ghulam Muhammad Bakshi. But poor funding from the Centre shattered his development dream for the State. These watchers do not expect any dramatic reversal of fortune for his daughter who also understands that the PDPs joining hands with the BJP has only cost it politically dear. There is a strong line of thinking in the PDP rank and file that its alliance with the BJP has only proved detrimental to its (PDPs) interests and halted its growth, particularly in Kashmir Valley. Several party men who spoke at Sundays meeting voiced this concern. Though the meeting was called necessarily to discuss party affairs, several speakers including former ministers and lawmakers talked on the corollary of PDPs tie up with the BJP and sought Ms. Muftis view on future relationship with the saffron party and on government formation. As reported before Ms. Mufti has been authorised by the party to take the final call on the crucial question of continuing with its alliance with the BJP or call it off. Jammu and Kashmir was brought under Governors rule as the alliance partners PDP and BJP failed to form the new government following the demise of Chief Minister Mr. Sayeed in a Delhi hospital on January 7. The PDP has been maintaining that Agenda of Alliance, the common-minimum programme reached between the two sides for government formation is a sacred document and wants its implementation on ground in letter and spirit to ensure the States inclusive development. SAN DIEGO (AP) Federal authorities say an Ohio seminary student has been arrested in California on suspicion of intending to travel to Mexico to have sex with a toddler or baby. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement that 23-year-old Joel Wright was taken into custody after getting off a plane in San Diego. Re: Logical beginning for commuter rail? Editorial, Tuesday: While I support the idea of a commuter rail for San Antonio, County Judge Nelson Wolffs concept of a starting point is as misguided as the streetcar was. The logical starting point would be from South San Antonio to the downtown area, which would provide a, hopefully, reasonably priced option for blue collar workers to get to their jobs. These individuals would be the mainstay of such a project, as well as those who would benefit the most from it. As mentioned in the editorial, it would be critical to create access to areas such as the airport, UTSA and the Medical Center. Such a project is doomed unless the first leg is in an area most likely to attract the greatest number of riders. With proper planning and location, I believe that a light rail could be a tremendous benefit to those who could use it the most, and reduce traffic in and around our city. William Barone Alternatives, please Re: Life is sacred, Your Turn, Tuesday: This anti-abortion letter is an example of willful blindness grounded by the fog of spurious religious credence. Abortions performed yearly in the United States number in the many thousands. Whether you are appalled by the quantity or not, it reflects high exigency for the procedure. Termination of pregnancies has existed since time immemorial, and you cannot pray or wish it away. Notwithstanding the writers moral resentment about abortions legality (which it is), and knowing full well women will continue to seek abortion by the thousands, where will they go for the procedure if it is outlawed? Please answer with sincere reality, not wishful thinking. Carlos Valle Jr., Laredo Loving teens Sometimes, I despair at the condition of the world that we are leaving our grandchildren, though lately I rejoice at a light I see at the end of the tunnel. I live in an assisted living community, as many people my age do. We have a group of students from Reagan High School who are members of the National Honor Society. They volunteer here, and they are such a great group of young people who get to know us and care for us. They play games with us, and brighten our lives with their youth and grace. In return, I hope we can convey to them how to grow old gracefully and stay productive. They are polite and respectful, and they bring us hope for tomorrows world. Thank you for the loving care you show us. Our best wishes to you as you fulfill your dreams. God bless you and America. Marlene Thiede WWJD? Re: Christian Chamber disinvites Nirenberg, Brian Chasnoff, Jan. 21: Surely if the Christian Chamber of Commerce had taken a moment to ask What would Jesus do? they would not have disinvited Ron Nirenberg to speak to their staunch Christian members. Ruth Stewart Why Castro? Would someone please enlighten me? What qualifies Julian Castro to be on the vice presidential ticket? We do understand that the vice president is a heartbeat away from leading the most powerful nation in the world? Heaven help us. Michael Pullin Political forecast The bookies and tea party darling Sarah Palin are saying it with a tone of revulsion, and I am saying it as well: Donald Trump will win the Republican nomination. Hillary Clinton has her work cut out for her. A few days ago, the locksmith working on our front door suddenly announced, Im voting for Trump. The country is in the worst mess it has ever been in (he has evidently forgotten the eight catastrophic years of the Bush/Cheney administration and had not heard Barack Obamas final State of the Union address), and Trump is the only one of the bunch who knows what to do about it. There you have it through the keyhole! Jack Wernette, Castroville Intimidation factor I used to believe the Oscars were a great indicator of an outstanding performance by an actor or director. Apparently now I will have to consider if they earned the Oscar by a threat. I am sure whoever is upset with this years crop will understand the big asterisk associated with their Oscar appeasement in the future. Philip McKeon Beer for ice cream I would like to thank Fort Worth oilman Sid Richardson Bass for helping to get Blue Bell Ice Cream up and running and back into stores. If you are ever in San Antonio, I would like to buy you a cold Lone Star beer! Danna Kalisky Wrong strategy Re: Irans side of sea meeting differs, Nation & World, Jan. 11: Regarding the capture of the naval warship by Iranian forces, one wonders how it might have ended for the American sailors if the female member of their contingent had said: I will not place that scarf on my head; rather I will maintain my naval dress. I think she did the correct thing, but sending female service members into environments where they will be degraded, if captured, is poor military strategy. David L. Hall The race card When people disagree or have a negative opinion of Trump, Hillary, Cruz, Sanders, Carson, Bush, Rubio or any politician beside Obama, their supporters accept it as a difference of opinion or political view. But when someone disagrees with Obama, his supporters immediately have to make it about race and claim it is only because he is African-American. The Obama supporters need to get over claiming people only disagree with Obama because he identifies as African-American. It is his policies and actions that some people have a problem with. Carthel Williams I am pleased to be back in Parliament this week. Although the 42nd Parliament began in December, we only sat in Parliament for a brief week and a half, before the Christmas break. As of January 25th, it will be our first full session since the fall election. It is a great honour to continue to serve the people of Provencher in our nations capital. This new Parliament offers us an opportunity to work with the government while keeping them accountable. There are a number of issues that are facing our country today and I will continue to work hard to make sure that the government of Canada focuses on the issues that matter. Some of these issues include the weakening Canadian economy and the Liberal Governments reaction to doctor assisted suicide. As of recent, the Canadian economy began to rapidly deteriorate. There is no way of knowing how bad the situation will get, however I believe that the government of Canada must be ready to deal with whatever comes our way. I urge the Liberal government to make sound financial decisions. They made many election promises this past fall, however, in light of new economic realities; I recommend that the government take this into account. What started out as a promise to run small deficits could turn into the government running larger than expected short falls. As a father and a grandfather, I want to be able to leave our country in good financial shape for the next generation. I do not want our grandchildren inheriting a debt that we could have otherwise avoided. I know that governments cannot control the economy, but they can influence the economy by how they react and stimulate the various sectors. This is not the time to increase taxes! In addition to the economy, I also urge the Liberal Government to take seriously the issue of doctor assisted suicide. I have been clear that I oppose assisted suicide, not only is it a slippery slope, I also believe that its wrong. The Liberal Government has been given a four month extension to make a decision on which direction they will go and I urge them to do the right thing. Rest assured that as your Member of Parliament, I will work tirelessly to defend the value of life. Im late to correct a Big Lie from the last Democratic debate, in which Hillary astonishingly said went to Wall Street to tell banks to cut our foreclosures in 2007. I knew this was untrue the minute I heard it because no one in Congress told banks to cut out foreclosures even when the crisis got much worse, and least of all, a Blue Dog Democrat who represents Wall Street and became Senator here as opposed to the more logical Illinois with the intent of currying favor with them. Concerned Congressmen were pleading with regulators and making legislative proposals, like for a new Home Owners Loan Corporation, modeled on a successful Depression model. After Obama made it clear he was all in with supporting the banks as of March 2009, there was not much ground for making a case to the banks directly. But Clinton didnt simply pretend to do something she didnt. She abjectly falsified her history. In the debate, she said she went to Wall Street in December 2007. That much she did do. But rather that get tough with financial firms as she claimed, she went with the everyones to blame line, which of course means no one is to blame.except for those greedy borrowers: And yes, this speech was made in December 2007, at the NASD. She starts by praising Wall Street and saying how important it is that Wall Street remain cutting edge, indeed the global capital of finance. But she then suggest that theres a wee problem, in that not everyone is sharing in the prosperity it creates. This is as strong as she gets in criticizing financiers: But finally, responsibility also belongs to Wall Street, which not only enabled but often encouraged reckless mortgage lending..Wall Street may not have created the foreclosure crisis, but Wall Street certainly had a hand in making it worse. And in the very next line, she started walking it back: We also must recognize, though, that good things have happened in the housing market. Home ownership is at the heart of the American Dream, and ownership rates rose to a record 69 percent in 2006. And then she gave bromides about how this was all complicated, and that Big Finance needed to go along voluntarily with some proposals of herswhich had she bothered to investigate how securitizations worked, she would known some could not have been implemented. Theres nothing remotely critical of the financial services in this speech. All she does is brandish a wet noodle: if all the germane parties dont go along, shell consider legislation. As US Uncut pointed out, Hillary did make some speeches that were more borrower-friendly, such as one in upstate New York in March 2007 to a rural audience at an event organized by a rural development organization. In other words, Hillary was playing to her audience. Thats not a sin per se, but we can see which audiences really mattered to her. US Uncut reminds us: As the Daily Beast pointed out, Clintons tough talk doesnt jibe with her Senate record. When a sweeping housing reform passed the Senate in 2008, it did so without Clintons leadership. Senator Clinton didnt even vote in favor of a bipartisan bill that would have repealed the carried-interest tax loophole often exploited by hedge fund managers and Wall Street executives, something shes campaigned on as recently as last year. Throughout the course of her political career, JP Morgan contributed nearly $700,000 to her campaign war chest, making them her 4th-largest all-time donor. After Clinton left the State Department, she was paid $225,000 by Bank of America for just one speech. Bear Stearns contributed approximately $50,000 to Clintons campaign between 1999 and 2004. Merrill Lynch gave over $33,000 in that same time cycle. Its not surprising that Hillary hasnt been willing to take on Big Finance. What is surprising is that she has the arrogance to think that voters will believe otherwise. California Coyotes on Drugs? Alternet Retreating Clinton Campaign Torches Iowa Town To Slow Advance Of Sanders Volunteers Onion (David L) Dazed Marco Rubio Wakes Up In Koch Compound To Find Cold Metal Device Installed Behind Ear Onion (David L) The End of Twitter New Yorker. Twitter appears to remain the preferred venue for journalists. How one Macalester student helped his dad fight PTSD-fueled night terrors MinnPost (Chuck L) Why is Cornell University hosting a GMO propaganda campaign? Ecologist. Better yet, funded by the Gates Foundation. Vaccines, drugs, and Zipf distributions VoxEU. Confirms the instinct that drug companies make more from treating HIV than they would from devising a vaccine. Goldman Sachs executive takes personal leave amid Malaysian fund corruption probes RT Japan Goes Negative In shocking move, Japan adopts negative interest rate as deflation fight falters Japan Times Bank of England promises to up our game to avoid civil war Telegraph Brazils Olympic Costs Up Another $100 Million on Electric Bills Bloomberg (resilc) Refugee Crisis Syraqistan Big Brother is Watching You Watch Anaheim police have secretly been using cell phone surveillance devices KPCC. And the ACLU is suing them. 2016 The Framers Demagogues Are Our Charismatic Party Leaders. What to Do? Washington Monthly Flint CalPERS is underfunded and unrealistic. Can it save itself? Los Angeles Times (resilc). As weve pointed out, this is the elephant in the room that retiring CEO Anne Stausboll refused to address. Its being dumped on her successor. US consumer is the last defense against strong dollar drag on the economy Sober Look Oil price crash: Saudis told to embrace austerity as debt defaults loom Telegraph The Big-Oil Bailouts Begin Wolf Street Class Warfare Antidote du jour. Propertius: Minnie the Wonder Dog, channeling her inner Dire Wolf: See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. SHARE REIS to meet The Real Estate Investment Society (REIS) will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at the Pelican Preserve Clubhouse on Treeline Avenue at Colonial Boulevard, one mile east of Interstate 75, Exit 136. Challenges and Opportunities for Lee County in 2016 will be presented by Frank Mann, chairman, Lee County Board of County Commissioners. Cost: $30 members; $40 nonmembers; $20 college students. Registration and payment due by Feb. 3 at www.reis-swfl.org. Decluttering seminar Shirlene Elkins, sales associate with Premier Sotheby's International Realty hosts a monthly homeowner seminar series "Ready to BuyReady to Sell" focused on how to get your home sold quickly and for the right price. The next seminar will be held Monday, Feb. 8. Guest speaker Jane Samargedlis, owner of Designed 2 Organize, will explain what qualifies as clutter and why decluttering your home is the one of the most important things to do to accelerate the sale of your home. Seminars are complimentary, open to the public and are held from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Wells Fargo Building, 5801 Pelican Bay Blvd., Suite 402, Naples. To register, contact Elkins by Feb. 5 at 239-348-5279 or email: shirlene.elkins@sothebysrealty.com. Agents featured on HGTV's Island Life John R. Wood agents Stacy Witthoff and Scott Needles will be featured in episodes of HGTV's Island Life, a weekly reality show that features "tropical dreamers" who are shown various island properties and followed throughout the process as they search for their piece of paradise. Witthoff and Needles, based in the firm's Marco Island office, were nominated by clients to be on the show, and underwent an application process and a series of interviews before being selected from hundreds of other Marco Island agents. In August, HGTV arrived on Marco Island to film two episodes. Witthoff was featured in the Jan. 24 episode. Needles will be featured on the episode airing today at 10:30 p.m. McQuaid a featured panelist Tiffany McQuaid, owner/broker of McQuaid & Co., was a featured panelist at the Inman Connect Conference in New York City on Jan. 28. The annual event is open to real estate brokers and agents. McQuaid participated in a Broker Track panel on and discussed Teaming with Startups: What to look for and who to watch, sharing with the audience ideas about how her real estate brokerage has implemented innovative ideas. She also spoke on Jan. 30 on Branding Your Brokerage and will share experiences learned since opening her firm over two years ago and the extensive marketing services developed for her seller clients. Inman Connect is the premier real estate technology event the real estate industry. Other speakers included Gino Blefari, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Mauricio Umansky, CEO of The Agency, and Dottie Herman, President and CEO of Douglas Elliman Real Estate. Real estate show Jim York, a local Realtor, hosts a real estate update show each week on current issues or trends. Join York every Thursday afternoon from 1:30 to 3 p.m. through the end of the year. There will be a different guest who specializes in a currently relevant topic each week. Any questions about upcoming topics or to be an audience guest, contact U.S.A. Marketing LLC by email: usamrktggroup@cs.com. All shows can also been seen at NaplesYorkRealEstate.com or their Real Estate News Blog: YorkRealEstateGroupSWFL.com. Transactions Investment Properties Corp. (IPC) brokered the following transactions: ANK Crafts LLC purchased a 6,000-square-foot warehouse/office building at 3555 Bayshore Drive, Naples, from MCIK Investment LLC for $860,000. Craig D. Timmins, CCIM of IPC negotiated this transaction for the buyer. Mike Concilla of Equity Inc. negotiated this transaction for the seller. Pure Design of Naples Inc. leased 1,800 square feet from Crayton Cove LLC at 758 12th Ave. S. Tara Stokes of IPC and Vic Cuccia of Florida Home Realty negotiated this transaction. Premier Commercial Inc. closed on the following transactions: Maples Enterprises of Florida LLC sold a 7,013-square-foot industrial building and 2.84 acres at 5590-5610 Division Drive, Fort Myers, to Division 5610 LLC for $915,000. Andrew DeSalvo and Matt Stepan of Premier Commercial Inc. represented the seller. Derek Bornhorst of Lee & Associates represented the buyer. Fort Myers MM LLC leased an automotive facility for a Mitsubishi dealership at 3388 Fowler St., Fort Myers from M.W.C. Florida LLC. Andrew DeSalvo and Matt Stepan of Premier Commercial Inc., represented the tenant. Lisa Sands of VIP Commercial Realty represented the landlord. Hyderabad: Panchayat raj and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao, spearheading the GHMC poll campaign, will soon get an additional portfolio that of municipal administration. Chief Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who holds the portfolio, made the announcement at a mammoth public meeting in connection with the GHMC polls at the Parade Grounds here on Saturday. K.T. Rama Rao, my son, has been leading the the TRS campaign in the GHMC polls and has gone round every galli of Hyderabad. The municipal administration portfolio is presently with me. I will give it to him, he announced. Mr Rao launched a scathing attack on Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu for poking his nose in the affairs of Telangana state. Read: Telangana CM KCR: Undoing Naidus wrongs Appealing to voters not to get carried away by tall claims of the TD-BJP combine and the Congress and ensure a big win for the TRS in the GHMC polls to make Hyderabad a truly global city, he said voting for Mr Naidu would be a sheer waste since he is the CM of another state. Mr Rao also accused Union labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya of making a false claim that the TRS two-bed room scheme was a Central project and also asked CPI leader K. Narayana not to stay in Hyderabad on April 5 since he may have to cut his ears as challenged if the TRS wins. Read: Traffic turns chaotic amid TRS city rally He said he has no objection if Mr Naidu wants to stay put in Hyderabad and opens another 15 to 20 Heritage stores. Tim Cotterill, known as "The Frogman," celebrates his 25th year of creating limited-edition bronze sculptures, largely of frogs, this year. Submitted photo SHARE "Willie Jump," by Tim Cotterill "Hug," by Tim Cotterill By Harriet Howard Heithaus of the Naples Daily News While most of us complain about frogs in our throat, Tim Cotterill got one stuck in his heart. He's glad he did. Cotterill has admired amphibians since childhood, and as an artist has been creating patina-coated bronze croakers for 25 years. He'll spend part of that anniversary at Gallery One in Naples on Wednesday. There's even an anniversary edition of one of his frog lines, and each gallery gets an exclusive choice of blended colors on the creatures. That's not new for Cotterill, who has offered color exclusivity to his galleries, an increasing number spanning North American, his native England and China. (Gallery One's is a fuchsia-to-heliotrope patina, with a romantic tinge for Valentine's Day.) Mary Lou Chronister, one of the gallery's owners, concedes it wasn't her stroke of genius to add the Cotterill line. The artist was already a top seller when her family bought the business. "I think his work is so popular because it makes people happy," said Chronister. "He's been in our top 10 selling artists every years. I think it's because his pieces make people smile. "And when you meet him, he personifies that happiness in life. He will sign pieces at the galleries, and that night he always etches 'Enjoy!' on each piece." California-based Cotterill, who seems to have emerged from an oversize-teddy-bear mold, even wears suits in shades of his wildly colorful frogs to his gallery meet-and-greets. It's part of the artist's persona: "You can't just come to a showing in tacky jeans." His frogs, many with clever names like Willie Jump, are not to be confused with the glass variety populating the shelves of tourist gift shops. These are bronze, with a coating that in all respects is an auto body finish, fired onto the surface. "People are surprised when they pick them up," said Chronister. "Our biggest one weighs 65 pounds." Cotterill's long-legged, bug-eyed, slender creatures come in all sizes, from mere inches to 2 feet, and in prices that escalate inversely to the number created. The colors are similarly diverse, in tones any frog would envy. Cotterill stumbled on that when trying to offer an alternative to his bronze and green verdigris pieces. "I thought I'd try something different with a few orange frogs, a nice acid orange tone. Well, they just went through the roof. And the floodgates were opened." Cotterill doesn't look for a naturalistic frog; his lost-wax cast pieces are meant to be evocative. "Nature makes the most beautiful animals. I like to think it's my job to bring them more personality and character." That's apparent in pieces like "Hug," which shows a barely-past-tadpole frog with its little four-digit hands outstretched. A one-time bird sculptor back in his native England, Cotterill has begun working with owls as well. One of the latest is named Shakespeare a nod, serendipitous, he admits to the playwright's 400th anniversary. Cotterill loves owls, too: "They have forward-looking faces, like human beings, and personalities. " There's a surprising other side to the artist. Cotterill also creates extreme driving machines such as the Rocket II, a 16-foot long, 1000 horsepower, supercharged Hemi V-8 engine trike that has joined the high-octane arsenal in comedian Jay Leno's garage. A challenge to control and steer, it isn't for Sunday drivers. It isn't even for Cotterill now, he concedes. "When I was young I could ride these things all day. I can only go out about two hours now."

Christopher M. Serna, 152 Cypress Way E., #4, North Naples, faces a charge of second-degree murder in the killing of 45-year-old Suzanne Marie Bishop on July 26, 2011.

SHARE By Jacob Carpenter of the Naples Daily News The suspect in one of Collier Countys most gruesome killings the 2011 decapitation and mutilation of 34-year-old Suzanne Bishop plans to use an insanity defense at trial, according to newly filed court documents. The assistant public defender for Christopher Serna, 37, filed notice that she plans to employ the defense at Sernas second-degree murder trial, tentatively scheduled for February. To prove Serna was legally insane at the time of the killing, his lawyer, Shannon Brown, must show Serna had a mental infirmity, disease or defect and did not know what he was doing or its consequences as a result. If found not guilty by reason of insanity, Serna could be indefinitely committed to a state mental hospital, with his release subject to periodic review. A call to Brown wasnt immediately returned Monday. An insanity defense is rarely used and even more rarely accepted. But few local cases in recent history seem as ripe for the defense as Sernas. Investigators said Serna brutally killed Bishop, an ex-girlfriend, at his North Naples condominium in July 2011. Upon entering the residence, deputies found the Naples Keep condominium covered in blood, with Bishops head impaled on a metal rod, her torso mutilated in another room. Deputies also noticed a memorandum on a counter with an unknown message written in blood, as well as a copy of the 1963 horror film Blood Feast in a DVD player, according to Sheriffs Office reports. At the scene, Serna appeared out of it, and every so often would twitch as if his entire body was having a spasm, sheriffs deputy Charles Raban wrote in a report. At one point, he stared into my eyes as if he was looking through me and appeared to be moving his mouth, as if he was carrying on a conversation with someone that wasnt there, Raban wrote. At the hospital, Serna became unstable while a nurse took his blood. Yet later, when talking with a doctor, Raban wrote Serna continued his odd behavior, but answer(ed) most of the doctors questions without any problems. Notably, the killing came a few weeks after Sernas co-worker and ex-flame, Christine Moretz, was shot and killed by her husband in a North Naples hospital. Under Florida law, legal insanity differs from competency, which deals with a defendants ability to understand legal proceedings and consult with a lawyer. Insanity also goes beyond a mental illness diagnosis, requiring a defense lawyer to show the defendant didnt understand the consequences of his or her actions. Local lawyer Landon Miller utilized the insanity defense in 2010, when he represented then-29-year-old Halden Lee Casey on an attempted first-degree murder charge. Casey suffered from bipolar disorder and went off his medication before brutally beating his then-girlfriend. In that case, which resulted in a conviction, Casey couldnt remember anything about the assault, Miller said. Youre not going to have insanity without a mental illness, Miller said. Its when the mental illness disintegrates into an episodic event. It only has to be for a minute or two. Sernas next court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 22. He faces life in prison if convicted. Related links: ? Judge, prosecutors frustrated by 'snail's pace' of Christopher Serna murder trial ? Jeffrey Moretz murder trial begins unraveling web of violence ? Victim of North Naples homicide remembered as caring mother, best friend' ? Bloody details revealed in killing of 45-year-old mother ? 45-year-old woman found dead at North Naples apartment complex Corkscrew Middle Principal Dennis Snider answers questions from a group of parents at an information session about the Cambridge Secondary program debuting at Collier County public middle schools this fall. (Melhor Leonor/Staff) SHARE By Melhor Leonor of the Naples Daily News Linda Cabral says her granddaughter, Susan Cline, is academically gifted and astoundingly bright. At school, Cabral hopes her daughter will be challenged to guarantee she has the best shot possible at getting into a top college, and eventually, at having a successful career. "She is incredibly smart and I don't want her to be bored at school," Cabral said. "She should have every opportunity to succeed." Public middle schools in Collier County already offer advanced classes to their brightest students, but starting this fall, the district plans to launch a new academic program that will bring an extra layer of rigor for students craving a tougher academic challenge. The Cambridge Secondary program will serve as a middle school version of the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education program already offered by district high schools. The curriculum was sponsored by Cambridge University in England and has propagated throughout Florida schools over the past five years. Collier County school officials plan to fuse elements of the Cambridge curriculum with the existing curriculum of advanced middle school courses. "It's a different way of processing and moves at a slightly more rigorous pace," said Beth Coryell, director of secondary programs for Collier public schools. "They'll be moving through the advanced coursework faster." Last week, the school district sent out 2,200 letters to students predetermined to qualify for the program. Among incoming sixth-graders, these are students who are either in the gifted program, or score a four or five on the Florida Standards Assessment for both reading and math. Students in the sixth or seventh grade must score a four or five on the Florida Standards Assessment for both reading and math, and must hold a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. Students who meet the requirements will not be placed in the program automatically; parents must fill out an application for their child to be considered. Eligible students can pick up an application at their middle school. The deadline to submit applications is Feb. 29. Leslie Ricciardelli, the district's executive director of secondary programs, said that with the Cambridge Secondary program, the district is responding to demands from students and parents. "Parents are requesting and kids are seeking more advanced courses at an earlier age than in years past," Ricciardelli said. Students who take part in the Cambridge Secondary program will take separate advanced courses infused with the Cambridge curriculum meaning they will study alongside peers on the same track. Students who opt to participate will take Cambridge level courses for all core subjects. Students cannot choose which classes they will take at the Cambridge level, but rather, must dive in fully. Once in high school, students can enroll in advanced classes based on their preference. Ricciardelli, a former high school principal, said that the goals of the Cambridge Secondary program are twofold: To encourage more students to opt for advanced coursework in high school, and to welcome students who are better prepared into these same courses. She said that in the eighth grade, students will take a Global Studies course that will walk them through the research process and hone their writing skills. "Kids at the middle school level aren't typically challenged in that level of research. Though they have the capacity of learning those concepts, they don't always have the skills to express their thoughts," she said. "[Cambridge Secondary students] will be much farther ahead than past students who have gone into those high school advanced courses." The district already has begun to train more than 100 middle school teachers and support staff on the Cambridge Secondary model ahead of the August roll out. At a school board workshop meeting Jan. 19, some board members and parents questioned whether the district was doing enough to cater to its brightest students, or putting the bulk of its resources into helping low-performing students. Peggy Aune, the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said that the Cambridge Secondary program is a significant step toward the former. "When we looked at our advanced studies classes and our high achieving students, we said, 'What can we do better at the middle school level to enter them into those high school advanced classes?'" Aune said. "As a district, we want to have a whole continuum of advanced coursework for our students. This is a natural progression and an important next step." For more information about the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) program, click here. Rendering of proposed condominium, office and hotel project up to 18 stories just east of Naples SHARE Workforce housing For the past year, Collier County commissioners have led the way in raising awareness about what we consider the most pressing local concern today. That top issue is making sure the area's professionals, first responders, front-line workers and seniors have an affordable place to live a home, condominium or apartment without having to commute long distances to the coast. Nearly a year ago, they received data showing about 30 percent of a family's income should be spent for housing, including either rent or mortgage and taxes, plus utilities. Yet for many Collier families, those costs exceed 50 percent of income. Data show housing prices are rising while wages are largely stagnant for the past decade. In June, as part of a multifaceted approach to address escalating housing costs, commissioners vowed to take a hard line with property owners who haven't met their affordable housing obligations. Staff estimates the number at 3,000 units. No more granting waivers on affordable housing, even if property values dictate otherwise or neighborhood objections arise, the theory went. In December, commissioners received a report from an affordable housing committee with a menu of ways to tackle the issue. One suggestion is to use public property. That report was set for discussion at a meeting Tuesday, but was rescheduled to March 1. Last week, with the tables turned, commissioners didn't live up to the spirit of their commitment. They bypassed housing, including affordable units, for a glitzier offer. Two choices Commissioners wear second hats as the board over the Community Redevelopment Agency, which oversees an area east of Naples. That includes a publicly owned 5.27-acre triangular tract between U.S. 41 East and Davis Boulevard, where those roads intersect. Commissioners want to sell the land, last appraised at $5.3 million, for redevelopment. Faced with two top choices, commissioners unanimously decided last week to try to negotiate a deal with local developers offering $6.4 million for the land to build an 18-story, 131-unit condominium; 11-story office tower; 10-story hotel; restaurant, and cinema. Developers say it will be a $250 million project creating several hundred jobs. Second place went to a Tampa developer who specializes in apartments, offering $5 million for the land to build a commercial and housing complex with 250 units, no more than six stories. The company specifically committed that at least 10 percent of the units would be offered at that 30 percent of median income threshold. During Tuesday's board meeting, commissioners focused on turning this site into a potential tourism destination and feared it might be so attractive the city of Naples will want to annex it. Toward the end of the discussion, after the decision became clear, Commissioner Georgia Hiller suggested to a representative of the Tampa housing firm that Collier County needs the type of project the company advocates please just find somewhere else in Collier to do it. How, now, will commissioners who own that public property expect another landowner faced with the same type of decision to do anything other than what they did? Fit Neighborhood fit was mentioned Tuesday regarding this property. "Fit" also came into play along that stretch of U.S. 41 East last year when acrimony surrounded a proposed RaceTrac service station. Neighbors objected that RaceTrac's proposal for a 24-pump station didn't blend with the adjacent, long-established residential community. That site at Palm Street is across U.S. 41 from this publicly owned site that would be turned into an 18-story condo, 11-story office building and 10-story hotel project. While RaceTrac withdrew its proposal for a mega-station, the project is by no means dead. In November, RaceTrac resubmitted a proposal to county staff, showing an eight-pump station design and market. In December, county staff responded to developers with a list of recommended changes, records show. The face of that area is about to change. It's time again for the community to speak up about what it wants, and where it wants its workforce to live. SHARE Michael Zubrow, Naples Deeper hole Here's how President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry negotiate: Iran: "We want all our money back." U.S.: "Do you want a check or cash?" Iran: "24 days notice before inspection of our nuclear facilities." U.S.: "We wanted anywhere, any time, but we trust you." The U.S. gives up everything, Iran gives up nothing. This is how Obama handles negotiations of such importance. Obama wants to be loved, not respected. Kerry just wants to be Kerry. The hole we are in just keeps getting deeper and deeper. SHARE Bruce Sammut, Naples Leading us? Gary Lefebvre's recent letter summarized how poorly and cowardly the Obama administration has led us. Our commander in chief sets a poor example in leadership. At one time, our Navy followed the principle of "Don't give up the ship." That once proud statement protected us in many battles over hundreds of years. "If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist." That has now been subjugated to "stand down." It happened at Benghazi and is how we are led. Thank you to Gary Lefebvre for articulating this important issue. SHARE Gray Poehler, Naples President, Naples/Fort Myers Chapter Barbershop Harmony Society Singing Valentine Once again, quartets from the Paradise Coastmen Barbershop Chorus will visit homes and offices to deliver "Singing Valentines" Feb. 12, 13 and 14. This represents the 12th year the chorus has undertaken the project that raises funds to support the Barbershop Harmony Society Youth in Harmony outreach. The Naples/Fort Myers chapter is celebrating its 41st year and is one of the longest, continuous, all-male singing groups in Southwest Florida. Monies raised will underwrite the tuition expenses of several college quartets to attend the Harmony Explosion camp this summer in Jacksonville, Florida. In lieu of flowers or dinner at an expensive restaurant, why not send a tuxedo-ed quartet to sing two love songs to your sweetheart, mother, or to show appreciation to your office staff this year. To order call 239-352-6366. Southwest Florida residents still have time before the peak of hurricane season to store their medical records in an electronic format and end their worries that their records could get destroyed or lost in a storm. Personal health records in an electronic format can be portable and safe from prying eyes. Ideally, personal health records are a consolidated record of the individuals medical history and personal information. Having your record is important because patients visit many medical centers and doctors. Patients automatically assume each hospital or medical center has safely stored their records, but the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 in New Orleans told a different story. About 1 million people lost their medical records because of Katrinas damage, according to federal officials. In 2009, the government began a push for hospitals and doctors to adopt electronic medical records and offered incentive funding for the switch. Southwest Florida hospitals have switched to electronic records. The change proved invaluable to hospitals after Hurricane Sandy and enabled New York City hospitals to function, according to an analysis by Bloomberg Government. For individual patients, having ones own medical records in an electronic format can prove helpful. These can include everything from immunizations to allergies, and from recent surgeries to family histories. Some patients might still prefer to keep paper records. In that case, they are advised to keep copies in safe storage places and a copy with them. The Florida Department of Health in Collier County encourages people to have a list of their medications and dosage in their wallet or purse. When a storm is coming, they should keep medical records and any related records in a hurricane survival kit. Thats a recommendation for all people in a storms path, not just those individuals who head to shelters. Another tip is to have at least a two-week supply of medications. Patients can work with their physicians to obtain that. Here are some companies and websites that have information on how to make the transition from paper records to electronic: -- What is a Personal Health Record? www.myphr.com -- Personal Health Records, A Tool for Managing Your Health, www.mayoclinic.com -- MedeFile International, www.medefile.com -- Records For Living Inc., www.recordsforliving.com -- Health-Minder, www.healthminder.com -- myMediConnect, www.passportmd.com -- Personal Medical Records on a Portable Medical Alert Key, www.myliferecord.com -- Electronic Medical Records, www.medicalrecords.com -- Patient Ally, www.patientally.com Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday hit out at opposition BJP as he sought to defend his government's decision to invite RJD chief Lalu Prasad for an official function. "They (BJP) are raising questions over Prasad's presence at the programme. Why should he (RJD chief) not come? He is a former chief minister and a leader of the ruling coalition," Kumar said after the programme. The chief minister said he was following the "gatbandhan dharma in letter and spirit" and his dispensation consults partners RJD and Congress on every decision. Invitation was extended to BJP and NDA leaders for the programme but they did not turn up, Kumar further said as he slammed BJP for "doing politics even in the work of development". "Some people have the habit of only speaking and not doing any work. The only work they do is to give statements in newspapers," he said in an apparent jibe at senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. Responding to the BJP's criticism of the event today that the foundation stone for the bridge across the Ganga was being laid for a second time, Kumar clarified that today's programme was for starting work. Prasad attended the function at Raghopur, his bastion, along with his minister sons Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap. Sushil Modi, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, had yesterday raised questions on the invitation to Lalu Prasad for the function. "What is the rationale behind inviting in an official programme a person who is neither a minister nor an MP or MLA and is out on bail in a fodder scam case?" BJP had said in a statement. Prasad, too, had hit out at BJP on this issue and said there was perfect understanding between himself and Kumar. "If Nitish Kumar wishes, then this government will run not only for the next five years but for 20 years. Like I got the railways to shine during my tenure as its minister, Kumar is making Bihar shine through his good works," Prasad said in his address. Hitting out at BJP, Prasad said "they will not leave (their) old habits". The 9.76-km bridge over the Ganga, when completed, will connect Kachchi Dargah in Patna to Bidupur in Raghopur, the constituency of Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav. The project would take some load off Gandhi Setu, which is considered to be the lifeline between Patna and north Bihar, officials said. Union Agriculture Minister and senior BJP leader Radha Mohan Singh, too, took a swipe at the ruling alliance over Prasad's presence at official functions. "There are three CMs in Bihar. One is 'super CM' (Lalu), another a CM (Kumar) and third is 'Deputy CM' (Tejaswi)," Singh told reporters as he pointed to the RJD chief's presence at the government event today and at a function of homoeopathy doctors on Saturday in place of his son Tej Pratap Yadav, the state health minister. Tejaswi Yadav, in his address at today's event, took potshots at BJP, saying, "They (BJP) have been raising controversy over this programme for the past 3-4 days. The bridge over Ganga is being built purely by the state government and if they (BJP) are getting a pain in their stomach, I can do nothing about that." Masses in St Marys Church in Cahir take place at 10am from Monday to Saturday. The Saturday Vigil Mass will be at 7.30pm and Masses on Sunday will be celebrated at 8am, 10am and 11.30am. Masses in St Marys Church in Cahir take place at 10am from Monday to Saturday. The Saturday Vigil Mass will be at 7.30pm and Masses on Sunday will be celebrated at 8am, 10am and 11.30am. Priority will be given at the Saturday 7.30pm ceremony and Sunday ceremonies at 10am and 11.30am to Funeral Masses, Months Mind and First Anniversary Masses. Mass on Thursday, November 1, the Feast of All Saints will be celebrated at 7.30pm. There wont be a Mass at 11.30am that day. This coming Friday, November 2, is the first Friday of the month. Holy Communion will be brought to the sick and housebound of the parish. The parish relies on the public to inform of who is sick or housebound. The Padre Pio Prayer Group will have a prayer meeting in St Marys Church at 6.30pm this Friday, November 2. There will be a first class relic available at the meeting. Confessions will take place at the church on Saturday after 10 am Mass. Rosary will be recited before 10am Mass. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will take place on Monday after 10am Mass until 7pm; after 10am on Friday and at 3pm that day there will be Devotion of the Divine Mercy. The 10am Mass on Friday will be for the Holy Souls. Eucharistic Adoration takes place on Monday and Friday of each week. Those intending to get married must give a minimum of three months notice to the Parish Priest and Civic Registrar. This applies to parishioners getting married in this parish or another parish. A pre-marriage course run by ACCORD is recommended. An Intercession for Priests prayer meeting takes place each Tuesday at 7.30pm at 4 Nash Place, Cahir. Contact Mary Hennessy for information. Baptism dates are Sunday, November 4 and 18; Saturday, November 10 and 24, Sunday, December 2 and 16, Saturday, December 8 and 22. Polska Msza: Czwarta niedziela kazdego miesiaca o godzinie 13.30 Readers for Mass on November 3 and 4 will be: Deirdre Buckley at 7.30pm Mass On Saturday, Frances Coffey at 10am Mass on Sunday and Brendan Looby at 11.30am Mass on Saturdya. The folk choir has resumed practice on Wednesdays at 8 pm. New members are most welcome. Go, a strategy board game most popular in places like China, South Korea and Japan, is vastly more complicated than chess. You can chalk it up as another victory for the machines. In what they called a milestone achievement for artificial intelligence, scientists said on Wednesday they have created a computer program that beat a professional human player at the complex board game called Go, which originated in ancient China. The feat recalled IBM supercomputer Deep Blue's 1997 match victory over chess world champion Garry Kasparov. But Go, a strategy board game most popular in places like China, South Korea and Japan, is vastly more complicated than chess. "Go is considered to be the pinnacle of game AI research," said artificial intelligence researcher Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind, the British company that developed the AlphaGo program. "It's been the grand challenge, or holy grail if you like, of AI since Deep Blue beat Kasparov at chess." DeepMind was acquired in 2014 by Google. AlphaGo swept a five-game match against three-time European Go champion and Chinese professional Fan Hui. Until now, the best computer Go programs had played only at the level of human amateurs. In Go, also called Igo, Weiqi and Baduk, two players place black and white pieces on a square grid, aiming to take more territory than their adversary. "It's a very beautiful game with extremely simple rules that lead to profound complexity. In fact, Go is probably the most complex game ever devised by humans," said Hassabis, a former child chess prodigy. Scientists have made artificial intelligence strides in recent years, making computers think and learn more like people do. Hassabis acknowledged some people might worry about the increasing capabilities of artificial intelligence after the Go accomplishment, but added, "We're still talking about a game here." While AlphaGo learns in a more human-like way, it still needs many more games of practice, millions rather than thousands, than a human expert needs to get good at Go, Hassabis said. The scientists foresee future applications for such AI programs including: improving smart phone assistants (Apple's Siri is an example); medical diagnostics; and eventually collaborating with human scientists in research. Hassabis said South Korea's Lee Sedol, the world's top Go player, has agreed to play AlphaGo in a five-game match in Seoul in March. Lee said in a statement, "I heard Google DeepMind's AI is surprisingly strong and getting stronger, but I am confident that I can win, at least this time." The findings were published in the journal Nature. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. In a milestone for artificial intelligence, a computer has beaten a human champion at a strategy game that requires intuition rather than brute processing power to prevail, its makers said Wednesday. Dubbed AlphaGo, the system honed its own skills through a process of trial and error, playing millions of games against itself until it was battle-ready and surprised even its creators with its prowess. AlphaGo won five-nil and it was stronger than perhaps we were expecting, said Demis Hassabis, the chief executive of Google DeepMind, a British artificial intelligence (AI) company. A computer defeating a professional human player at the 3,000-year-old Chinese board game known as Go, was thought to be about a decade off. The cleansweep over three-time European Go champion Fan Hui signifies a major step forward in one of the great challenges in the development of artificial intelligence that of game-playing, the British Go Association said in a statement. The two-player game is described as perhaps the most complex ever designed with more configurations possible than there are atoms in the universe, Hassabis says. Players take turns placing stones on a board, trying to surround and capture the opponents stones, with the aim of controlling more than 50 per cent of the board. There are hundreds of places where a player can place the first stone, black or white, with hundreds of ways in which the opponent can respond to each of these moves and hundreds of possible responses to each of those in turn. But as simple as the rules are, Go is a game of profound complexity. There are 1,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000, 000,000,000 possible positions, Hassabis explained in a blog. Such a search base is too enormous and too vast for brute force approaches to have any chance, added his colleague David Silver, who co-authored the paper in the science journal Nature. So the team sought to create an AI system with a more human-like approach to a game Hassabis said is played primarily through intuition and feel. Source: www.phys.org Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Mobile phone production in the country has increased by 95 per cent in the ongoing financial year. New Delhi: Mobile phone production in India has reached 100 million with leading companies setting up their manufacturing base in the country, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said yesterday. "Today, I am happy to announce that in December, Rs 1.14 lakh crore investment has come in electronic manufacturing in India. We have attracted around 15 new mobile plants. "Earlier in 2014, 68 million (mobile phones) were being manufactured and now 100 million are being manufactured, "Prasad said at Global Business Summit here. Smartphone sales in India also reached 100 million by the end of December 2015, he added. "All the major companies in the world namely Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Nidec, Samsung, Bosch, Jabil, Flextronics, Continental are in India besides all the top Indian companies who are already here," Prasad said. Indian Cellular Association founder and President Pankaj Mohindroo said that in terms of value, mobile phone production in the country has increased by 95 per cent in the ongoing financial year as compared to the previous fiscal. "Government has made sincere efforts to boost mobile phone production in the country. The new investment has created 30,000 new jobs in the country and state governments have shown keen interest in attracting these investments, "Mohindroo said.Prasad said penetration of Internet is rising rapidly and increased by 100 million in a year to 400 million, including through mobile phones. "With God's blessing, I am confident that at this growth rate we will cross 500 million," he added. The minister reiterated his support for experimentation of new technologies in the country, including that of Project Loon by Google and White space spectrum use for broadband by Microsoft. "Once the pilot becomes successful, then depending on security concerns, final call will be taken," Prasad said. He added that India is growing at a phenomenal pace and the government is looking to expand reach of technology through broadband network being laid out in rural India. "We have scaled up optical fibre laying work by 500 times (compared to work done under previous government)," Prasad said. The minister lauded the efforts of operators who have built huge telecom networks in the country but asked them to use it optimally for providing good service quality as well. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. (NaturalNews) It seems that Big Brother never tires of finding new methods for keeping an eye on us.The latest revelation involves a scheme that has been in progress for the last seven years, in which small aircraft are being used to collect information from cellphones by mimicking communication towers.Earlier this month,reported on the activities of a US Marshal Service program which regularly sends Cessna airplanes on flights from five unnamed major airports carrying equipment which mines information from cellphones by tricking them into sending unique registration details.The program was ostensibly created to monitor and track criminals, but it collects the same type of information from ordinary innocent American citizens as well.The planes are equipped with high-tech devices known as "dirtboxes," which are capable of gathering information from thousands of phones in a single flight -- the information reveals details regarding location and identity of the phones' users.The dirtbox device works by falsely identifying itself as the strongest nearby cell tower, which causes all the phones in the vicinity to automatically connect to it, thereby sending the unique location and registration data from each phone -- whether it's one owned by a criminal or not.And the scale of the program is potentially enormous. By using five major airports to deploy these flights, virtually the entire population of the United States is able to be monitored by the program The Justice Department refused to confirm or deny the existence of the program, saying that revealing details of surveillance programs could give foreign criminals too much information regarding our capabilities.A Justice Department official also said that their agencies comply with federal laws regarding surveillance, including obtaining court approval for such activities.Christopher Soghoian of the American Civil Liberties Union would beg to differ. Soghoian, the ACLU's chief technologist, calls it a "dragnet surveillance program," saying: "It's inexcusable and it's likely -- to the extent judges are authorizing it -- they have no idea of the scale of it."This technology allows law enforcement authorities to sidestep the process of going through the phone companies to access information . With the dirtboxes, they can collect information directly, which is precisely what makes this kind of surveillance technique so dangerous -- and, in the opinion of many observers, so illegal.The Fourth Amendment clearly states:Presumably, that covers cellphones as well. In the name of national security and law enforcement, our sovereign rights regarding freedom and privacy are being systematically eroded.And often, except for the actions of whistleblowers, we are not even aware of the existence of the surveillance methods and programs which are being used against us on a daily widespread basis.It seems that our current government only pays lip service to the fundamental principles that our nation was founded upon, while doing everything within its power to monitor and control the formerly free citizens of what was once a great place in which to live. City officials mocked residents' water concerns, emails show State dismisses the Flint water crisis Michigan governor tries to save face (NaturalNews) Day after day, month after month, the people of Flint, Michigan, were poisoned by increasing amounts of lead and other toxins coming from the city's water supply . The poisoning began in April 2014, when the source of the city's drinking water was switched from Detroit to the Flint River. The switch was to be a temporary one, as the city prepared to get its water from Lake Huron. During the switch, Flint city officials cut corners and knowingly allowed corrosive water to leach lead from the inside of water pipes for thousands of households across the city.A memo sent out to Governor Rick Snyder in February 2015, proves that Flint city and the state of Michigan knew about the water crisis but did nothing about it, sometimes mocking the severity of the problem. The memo made it "clear that folks in Flint are concerned about other aspects of their water taste, smell and color being among the top complaints." In fact, the memo discussed the water quality problems in detail, bringing attention to a contaminant called total trihalomethanes, which can lead to liver and kidney problems.The memo, included among 274 pages of emails detailing the water crisis, clearly showed that the government did not care that people were being poisoned. The city's then chief of staff, Dennis Muchmore, condescendingly wrote in an email to the governor on September 26, that the "anti everything group" believed that people were being poisoned by lead . Chief of staff Muchmore pointed his finger at the people of Flint, mocking, "of course, some of the Flint people respond by looking for someone to blame."In one email, then mayor Dayne Walling called out for state assistance, but was written off because the state believe he had "seized on public panic ... to ask the state for loan forgiveness and more money for infrastructure improvement." The Rick Snyder administration dismissed the problems continuously, believing that they would eventually "fade in the rearview.""Another key thing to remember is that once the city connects to the new [water] system in 2016, this issue will fade in the rearview" said Flint city officials in a February 1st memo to Governor Snyder. Governor Snyder's administration continued to downplay the water crisis, and remarked that the Safe Drinking Water Act "does not regulate aesthetic values of water," and that exposure to contaminates such as trihalomethanes are not a "top health concern."The cocky responses from the state dismissed "the brown water that angry residents were holding up in jugs for media cameras last week," and said that "discoloration is not an indicator of water quality or water safety, but we recognize that nobody likes it."And, in an email to an EPA official , the state said that "[Flint] city has bigger issues on their agenda right now."As the crisis was swept under the rug, thousands of children were being poisoned their brains damaged by corrosive lead and other organ damaging toxins After nearly two years of arrogantly dismissing the water crisis and putting thousands of families' health at risk, Governor Snyder took full responsibility in January in his state of the state speech. The city will spend $12 million switching its water source from Flint back to Detroit, and an additional $28 million will be used to expedite the recovery efforts in Flint. The state will also get assistance from the National Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.The real question is, "Will anyone be held accountable for the crisis that poisoned an entire city?"On a grander scale, "Will we as a people begin to take the poisons in the water supply more seriously?"The Flint, Michigan, water crisis is the first of many revelations, as people throughout the US and the rest of the world learn that their water is tainted, poisoned by pharmaceutical runoff, herbicides, pesticides, plastic chemicals, arsenic, fluoride byproducts, aluminum and other heavy metals that damage the body.Visit WaterFilterLabs.com to find a suitable home water purifier that can remove toxins like lead, to protect your brain and other organs. There's no reason to trust the authorities to keep the water clean. After beating cancer, man now devoted to cannabis programs to help others Stories of others who have turned to cannabis oil to eradicate their cancer (NaturalNews) On Darren Miller's 50th birthday, he received the devastating news of a lung and pericardial heart sac cancer diagnosis in which he was given about one year to live and that was chemotherapy . However, the Illinois resident was having nothing to do with death sentences. Instead, he and his wife moved to California where he was able to use cannabis oil. While there, he even learn how to make it himself.The results just seven months later?He's now cancer-free, and the chemo-related blisters on his hands and feet are a thing of the past. Miller even has the medical records to support this clean bill of health."Today... they tell me I am completely cancer-free not remission. I've cured my cancer," he said. "Now, am I giving credit to the cannabis oil? Absolutely. Am I giving credit to chemo? I would have to say yes, too. I did both."Like many others before him, Miller, who now lives back in Illinois, advocates turning to cannabis oil to help heal certain health conditions. Some people shun chemo altogether, while others as he did opt to use it in conjunction with chemo as a complementary treatment. And as you might imagine, good health is restored when cannabis oil enters the picture; it's role in vastly improving health can't be denied.Miller's such a believer in cannabis oil's ability to turn bad health diagnoses into positive ones that he's developed a "compassionate cannabis" program where he assists others who end up in a similar health situation. He can't say enough about cannabis oil's healing power, and as such, wants to not only make others aware of it but help them access it. You can learn more about Miller by visiting his Facebook page "What we're doing is we're just making small amounts to keep it around and educating others on how to do this," Miller explains. "Because if you have access to any kind of cannabis, I can give you links on my site to show you how to do this in your own kitchen and save your life."As previously mentioned, stories like his are becoming increasingly popular. People know that chemotherapy isn't the only answer (or an answer at all), and that natural methods that are void of Big Pharma's questionable ways are working.They worked for three-year-old Landon Riddle, a Utah boy diagnosed with leukemia. When chemo made him vomit dozens of times daily and left him without an appetite, his family decided to turn to cannabis oil treatment . Riddle's family headed to Colorado where the treatment is legal and the rest, as they say, is history.He went from having several tumors in his chest to improving in a matter of days and is said to have rebounded. While Riddle still received chemotherapy treatments, they were considerably less frequent, with just one treatment per month. It was the significant lessening of chemo and the use of cannabis oil that worked together to heal the young boy from his terminal state.The stories continue.David Hibbitt, a 33-year-old U.K. resident, was given less than two years to live after a bowel cancer diagnosis. Tired of the fact that chemo, surgery and radiation weren't making a dent in improving his health, he read up on cannabis oil and began using a high-grade, therapeutic one named "Phoenix Tears." He's now cancer-free."I felt like chemo was killing me and I had nothing to lose," Hibbitt says. "I couldn't accept I was going to die."While such stories as well as published studies recognized by the federal government demonstrate that treatments such as cannabis oil are life-saving and can cure cancer, the sad reality is that they're often viewed as an unproven and even dangerous method. Therefore, people continue to receive chemotherapy, which weakens and destroys the body , instead of a treatment that strengthens the body and destroys cancer naturally.(1) StLouis.CBSLocal.com (2) NaturalNews.com (3) NaturalNews.com A single male in a chameleon species known as Calumma vatosoa from Northeast Madagascar is a bachelor no more. German researchers have described the first females of this rather elusive species in a new study. The male Calumma vatosoa was originally found in 2001, but the identity of females of this species has been unclear until now. Ph.D. student David Proetzel of the herpetology section of the Zoologische Staatssammlung Munchen (ZSM), Germany, analyzed specimens of female chameleons in the collection of the Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, that resembled Calumma vatosoa. Since a DNA extraction analysis was not an option, researchers confirmed the museum specimens belonged to Calumma vatosoa using X-ray micro-computed tomography scans to study and compare the internal morphology of organisms in a non-invasive way, according to a news release. "With the help of Micro-CT you can investigate even the skeleton of very valuable samples like holotypes without destroying them," Proetzel explained in the release. "In chameleons the morphology of the skeleton, especially the skull, contains important characteristics that distinguish different species." Chameleons are among some of the most popular animals in Madagascar and have been quite intensively studied in the past. While many new species are still being discovered, several are only known by a single or few specimens, researchers say. "Here, the comparison of the skulls of the male and the female showed that they belong to the same chameleon species. With the help of modern technology we could describe females of Calumma vatosoafor the first time, and add another distribution locality of this species," Proetzel added. However, many chameleon species suffer from deforestation in Madagascar. Researchers hope their findings, recently published in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution, will increase awareness and protection of the country's rich biodiversity. Related Articles New Chameleon With Blue Spots Found In Tanzania's Mountains For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN). -Follow Samantha on Twitter @Sam_Ashley13 The pilot of a British Airways flight from London to Chicago is being lauded as a hero after safely making an emergency landing at Heathrow Airport on Saturday. British Airways Flight 295 left at its scheduled departure time of 12:15 p.m. and flew for over two hours across the Atlantic Ocean toward Chicago when the pilot returned to Heathrow Airport in London after the landing gear malfunctioned, the Daily Mail reported. A Youtube video captued by "Mraviationguy" showing the landing in its entirety can be seen below: "As a precaution, one of our flights returned to Heathrow due to a technical issue," the airline said in a statement. "After a short delay, while our engineers finished their checks, we moved the aircraft from the runway and will begin transfering customers to a replacement aircraft." After the flight, several people took to social media to thank the pilot, lauding him as a hero. Once passengers had arrived at O'Hare, they were pleased to be finished with the ordeal, and feeling thankful for the pilot's quick thinking. "The airline crew was awesome," said Paul Baker. "t was clear there was a problem when they decided to take us back to the airport." Baker added that the pilot gave "minimal information to keep us calm, but to hear we landed on three wheels out of five was interesting to say the least." "Everyone was calm about it; the captain was calm. He did not go into a lot of detail understandably, until the plane landed when he described exactly what had happened," said Tom Gawlik. "Having no knowledge is probably a good thing," he continued, as people were "anxious to get home." Heathrow Airport tweeted that as of 1:30 p.m. Saturday, all operations were running normally. Zika: Down winding paths through dense jungles, Gerald Mukisa kicks up the dry leaves noisily with his feet to provide warning sounds, noting that the late afternoon heat is "snake time". The forest is calm. Only the sound of insects, birdsong and the rustle of monkeys in the jungle canopy above disturb the air. It was here in the thick woodland of Zika forest, some 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Uganda's capital Kampala, that the mosquito-borne Zika virus was first discovered in 1947. The virus, linked to a surge in birth defects, is "spreading explosively", World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan said this week. An emergency meeting on the outbreak is due on February 1. Mukisa, who has worked to guard the forest for the past seven years, only found out about the virus that takes its name two weeks ago. "A few people who live nearby the forest and have heard about it are getting worried," he said. "Many others don't know about it." Days ago, the tropical Zika forest was a little-known reserve visited only by bird watchers and scientists. "Students come every week, coming from all over the world," said Mukisa, 50, proudly showing off a guest book with signatures and comments from the US, Canada, France and Germany, among other countries. "There are so many types of trees, and all sorts of birds." Jimmy Carter Came To Birdwatch Most local cases of the virus were mild, resulting in rash, fever, and red eyes in a small fraction of cases. Global health authorities barely took notice until an outbreak on the Micronesian island of Yap in 2007. An outbreak that began last year in Brazil has been blamed for a surge in birth defects with thousands of babies born with small heads, an incurable and sometimes fatal condition known as microcephaly. Uganda's health ministry is keen to point out it has no known cases of the virus, and that the current Americas' outbreak did not originate in East Africa. "We have not recorded a case in Uganda in several years and we don't have such an outbreak," the ministry said in a statement. Zika Forest, Uganda (Photo: AFP) "As a country, our disease and epidemic response systems are strong as evidenced in the way we have handled past viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks." Uganda has suffered outbreaks of Ebola in the past, as well as a mysterious illness known as "nodding disease". Today the forest, close to the main highway from Uganda's international airport at Entebbe to the nearby capital Kampala, remains a research site for the Uganda Virus Research Institue (UVRI), an environmental health and protection agency founded in 1936, which is headquarted some 15 kilometres (nine miles) away. "Warning! Uganda Virus Research Institute Land. Don't Trespass", reads one metal sign amid the thick vegetation, the red paint peeling in the sun. Ruth Mirembe, 24, who lives beside the forest, learnt about the virus on Facebook. "I'm not worried," she said. Virus Changes Over Time Also spelt Ziika, the 12 hectare (30 acre) site with over 60 different types of mosquito, means "overgrown" in the local language, Luganda. UVRI notes proudly the "most prominent visitor" to Zika was the former US President Jimmy Carter "who came on a bird watching tour". The details of the virus' discovery, written up in a 1952 paper by Britain's Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, described the "forested area called Zika", where scientists were researching yellow fever among small rhesus macaque monkeys. "This area of forest consists of a narrow, dense belt of high but broken canopy growth with clumps of large trees," the 1952 paper read. Entrance to Zika forest, Uganda (Photo: AFP) "It lies along the edge of a long arm of Lake Victoria from which it is separated by a papyrus swamp." Top UVRI scientist Julius Lutwama, 56, described how caged monkeys had been placed at different heights, with a 36 metre (120 foot) steel tower allowing researchers to carry out studies in the canopy of the thick trees. "Blood samples would be taken from these monkeys to try to diagnose yellow fever, but actually that is how this disease was found," he said. There is no vaccine against Zika, which top US health authorities described on Thursday as a "brand new" virus that has expanded swiftly in recent years and been linked to brain damage in babies. "What has happened in South America is that it has changed a little bit... and through these changes it has become more aggressive towards humans," Lutwama said. "This small change has resulted in it posing deep problems in the human population." But Lutwama, like Uganda's health ministry, say he is not concerned and it poses little threat to Uganda, where people have always lived with it. "Zika virus has always been a mild infection. Out of say five or 10 people who are infected, only one or two may actually show some fever that is noticeable," Lutwama added. "Probably the other thing for us is that we have so many other viruses in the same group, so they confer some kind of immunity towards each other." For the second time in five months, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signaled his distaste for broadening the state's new medical marijuana program, declining to add chronic pain and seven other health conditions to the list of diseases that can be treated with the drug. The Department of Public Health announced the decision Friday, spurning recommendations of an expert advisory board largely appointed by the governor's predecessor, Democrat Pat Quinn. The expert panel reviewed medical evidence and listened to patient testimony before recommending the eight conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, which affects many military veterans. Other conditions recommended but rejected Friday were autism, irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis and four pain syndromes. New conditions would have meant adding more customers to a faltering industry: Regulated medical marijuana sales began Nov. 9 in Illinois, but just 4,000 patients have state approval to buy the drug at licensed dispensaries. Supporters hoped that after nearly three months of regulated sales, Rauner would have looked more kindly at the program. Industry groups and patient advocates had used a social media campaign to urge people to telephone the governor's office in support of the eight conditions, and some delivered thousands of signatures to Springfield this week and held a rally. In September, the governor vetoed legislation that would have added PTSD and his administration rejected 11 medical conditions recommended by the panel. At the time, he said in a veto message that it would be "premature to expand the pilot program before any patient has been served and before we have had the chance to evaluate it." Department of Public Health spokeswoman Melaney Arnold echoed that Friday in an email, saying the program was still in an early stage: "At this time, it is premature to expand the pilot program before there is the ability to evaluate it under the current statutory requirements." Dr. Nirav Shah, the state's public health chief and a Rauner appointee, thanked the medical cannabis advisory board for its work. "Twice in a row, this is getting to be insulting, especially for our patients who are suffering," said board chair Dr. Leslie Mendoza Temple, who said she would meet with Shah next week to get his feedback. "The expertise of the board, the patient testimonies and evidence presented, as well as other states' precedents, made our recommendations reasonable." Gold-standard research on medical marijuana's efficacy has been blocked by federal barriers, though evidence that the drug is effective for chronic pain is fairly strong. Rauner's stance is being challenged in court. Five Illinois residents filed lawsuits seeking to expand the program to cover health conditions rejected in September. Lisa Arquilla's lawsuit seeks to add polycystic kidney disease. Three others filed lawsuits as anonymous "John Does," looking to use marijuana for chronic post-operative pain, irritable bowel syndrome and migraines. Military veteran Daniel Paul Jabbs, 34, has PTSD following service in Iraq. His lawsuit seeks to get his condition added to the list. "I'm flabbergasted," Jabbs said Friday. "I think (Rauner) is intentionally stalling the program. ... He's putting politics before people." The Illinois medical marijuana law, enacted before Rauner's election, authorizes a four-year pilot program that expires at the end of 2017. The law lists 39 conditions and diseases that can qualify a patient to use medical marijuana with a doctor's signature, including cancer, glaucoma, HIV, hepatitis C and multiple sclerosis. Prosecutors alleged that a shooting inside the lobby of a four-star hotel near McCormick Place was sparked by an argument over a woman. Courtney Taylor, 25, was shot and killed Jan. 23 inside the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, located at 2233 S. King Drive. Taylor and his friends had begun to leave a birthday party at the hotel when another man that Taylor did not know approached the group, according to the Chicago Tribune. The man accused Taylor of making a pass at his girlfriend. Prosecutors claim that the man, identified as 23-year-old Armonte Hooper, and his friends began to fight with Taylor and his group of friends, according to the report. Hooper later pulled out a gun and pointed it at one of Taylors friends. Taylor's friend ran and another person hit him with a glass table top. As Taylor ran to the aid of his friend, prosecutors allege that Hooper shot Taylor and continued to fire, shooting him five times, according to the report. Witnesses were able to identify Hooper using surveillance video. A judge Saturday ordered Hooper, who is charged with murder, held with no bail, according to the Tribune. Thousands of people marched in the Paris rain on Saturday to denounce plans to renew France's state of emergency and revoke the French citizenship of dual nationals convicted of terrorism. Human rights groups, politicians and unions joined the march in the French capital, and in other demonstrations around France. The protests came just days before the Cabinet plans to review a measure on Wednesday to prolong the state of emergency, first imposed after the Nov. 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people. The state of emergency gives more power to police and administrative authorities, allowing for searches without warrants, house arrests and other measures. "My France of liberties, where are you?" read one banner. The parliament is expected to approve the prolongation of the exceptional measures in voting later this month. The current state of emergency expires Feb. 26. Jean-Baptiste Eyrault, of the Right to Housing movement, said: "Democracy is moving backwards ... at the expense of judges and the rule of law, freedom to demonstrate and (freedom) of expression." Last week, a French high court upheld the measure, saying the danger "has not disappeared." Opponents of another plan to revoke citizenship for dual nationals convicted of terrorism claim the move would feed racism, creating a two-tier system of citizens. Many dual nationals are Muslims, and some feel they are blamed for attacks by Islamist extremists. Green party lawmaker Noel Mamere, taking part in the march, said the state of emergency lays the foundations for "a society under surveillance." Christiane Taubira resigned suddenly last week as France's justice minister over her opposition to the plan, and as it became evident her views were on a collision course with those of President Francois Hollande. Hartford police have arrested two people accused of leaving a 2-year-old girl alone in deplorable conditions at a Hartford apartment. Police say they found the child covered in feces in an Ashford Street apartment Friday, after a neighbor called 911. The child was not injured, but she was transported to Connecticut Childrens Medical Center per protocol, according to police. The girls mother Hendyliz Marrero, 23, and stepfather Ignacio Castro, 27, were arrested following the incident. Both are charged with risk of injury to a minor and held on $100,000 bond. Police say both have been cooperative with the investigation. The child was placed in the home of another family member while the Department of Children and Families investigates. Suffield police are warning residents to be on alert for possible scams after a man showed up at the doorstep of a Mapleton Avenue resident. Police say on Friday a resident reported to them that a heavy set male knocked on her front door around 6:30 p.m. stating he had a delivery. The resident told the man she had not ordered anything and asked the man to leave it on the porch. At that point, the man said he could not leave the package because it was a cash on delivery order and he required payment for it. The resident refused to answer the door and the man left the area in a dark colored car. Suffield police searched the area for the vehicle but the suspect was not found. Suffield police remind residents to be vigilant and if anything appears suspicious, call police at (860) 668-3870. Authorities say a 22-month-old boy is dead after being shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting in Jacksonville. Chief Tom Hackney of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says Aiden Michael McLendon was sitting in a vehicle when he was shot in the shoulder and abdomen Friday evening. Hackney tells The Florida Times-Union that the car and a nearby house were sprayed with bullets in the shooting. Hackney says the intended target was inside the house. Aiden was sitting in the car with his mother and grandmother. The boy died at a hospital. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the sheriff's office or Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS. Dallas police arrested two men who they say made an underage girl perform sex acts on six men every day for weeks. Officers arrested 19-year-old Mike Osorio and 19-year-old Rafael Rodas. Investigators believe they met the 15-year-old girl on social media. "The victim and a witness were contacted by suspects Osorio and Rodas on Facebook, lured to a meeting location and eventually forced into an act of prostitution," said Dallas police Deputy Chief Rob Sherwin. Police said the victim was brought to a home in the 400 block of North Patton Avenue in Oak Cliff. They believe Osorio and Rodas kept the girl at the location from December 5 to December 19, 2015 before she was able to escape and contact police. Both men are in the Lew Sterrett Jail charged with child sex trafficking. Police are searching for more victims. If you have information, you're encouraged to contact Detective De La Paz at 214.671.4205. A cold winter storm was moving through Southern California, unleashing moderate to heavy rain, strong winds and isolated thunderstorms on Sunday. Forecasters warned the storm could bring flooding and mud flows in recent burn areas, dangerous driving conditions in the mountains, and powerful winds that could potentially down trees and power lines, according to the National Weather Service. Southern California Edison reported at 10:45 p.m. that more than 49,000 customers across SoCal were affected by weather-related outages. Los Angeles and Ventura Counties were the hardest hit. As many as 25,065 customers in LA were affected, and 12,234 in Ventura early in the day. More than 6,000 were affected in San Bernardino, about 5,600 in Orange County, and nearly 4,000 in Riverside County. Crews were working to resolve the problems. A series of protective road closures were in effect over the weekend on mountain roads that are typically susceptible to rock slides, including the Angeles Forest Highway-Big Tujunga Canyon route between Palmdale and the La Crescenta area. Highway 2 remained closed due to winter storm damage between Islip Saddle -- above Mount Wilson -- and the Big Pines area near Mountain High Ski Area. Flash flood warnings had been issued for burns areas in LA and Ventura counties until Sunday afternoon. Part of Ventura County and northeastern Los Angeles County was also under a thunderstorm warning through about 1:30 p.m., the National Weather Service said. In Ventura County, lanes on Highway 101 and Pacific Coast Highway near the Solimar burn area were temporarily blocked at State Beaches due to flooding. The Emma Wood Campground was also evacuated. Northbound lanes of Pacific Coast Highway near the Emma Stone State Beach off-ramp remained closed as of 11:45 a.m. In Ojai, strong winds knocked down a tree into a home in the 300 block of N. Charrizo Street just before noon. The Ventura County Fire Department said three adults and three dogs were displaced as the home was heavily damaged. Downed trees were also reported in Gardena, Studio City and Burbank, where several lanes of the 134 Freeway near Pass Avenue were blocked. One woman in San Diego was killed when a giant tree fell on four cars. The Los Angeles County Fire Department took precautionary measures ahead of the incoming weather, offering sand bags to residents living near areas prone to debris flow and mudslides. Meanwhile, the LA County Public Health Department issued a rain advisory for all Los Angeles County beaches, warning residents of bacteria, debris and trash that could pose a public health hazard for swimmers and surfers. The advisory was in effect until Tuesday night, officials said. The piers at Redondo, Manhattan, and Hermosa Beaches were shut down due to high wind advisories, the Manhattan Beach Lifeguard Station confirmed. Up to two inches of rain was expected in the flatlands and valleys of Los Angeles County and as many as three inches possible for southwest-facing foothills and mountains, according to Wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour were forecast for mountain areas and up to 50 mph for coastal and valley regions, raising the fear of downed trees, dropped power lines and power outages. Most of the rain should exit the region by this evening or early Monday with rain and snow showers lingering in some mountain areas, forecasters said. Snow levels will be at around the 7,000 feet level, dropping to as low as 5,500 feet by late today, according to the National Weather Service. As cold air moves into the region tonight, snow levels could drop as low as 2,500 on some mountain slopes. That could lead to ice and snow on Interstate 5, which crests over the Grapevine , according to the NWS. A high surf advisory was in effect for the period covering 10 p.m. today to 3 a.m. Tuesday. Gale force winds could generate breakers on top of the 10-foot swells, leading to occasional 15 foot waves on wets facing beaches, according to the NWS. Drier conditions and warmer temperatures are expected next week. On the bright side, about 400 million gallons of stormwater were captured during the storm, which would be enough to serve 4,000 people for one year, according to LA County Public Works. To request sandbags, visit lacity.org or locate your nearest fire station to obtain sandbags here. City News Services contributed to this report. An Ohio student studying to be a priest traveled to San Diego Friday seeking sex with infants, officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed. Joel A. Wright, 23, was taken into federal custody by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) outside of baggage claim at the San Diego International Airport. Investigators allege Wright had flown into San Diego with plans to travel to Mexico to have sex with at least three babies. Wright is charged with two felony counts: traveling with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor and attempting to engage in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign country within the southern district of California. His arrest follows a months-long undercover child sexual exploitation investigation conducted by HSI special agents in San Diego. Wright originally posted a Craigslist ad in Tijuana seeking to adopt an infant, a federal complaint details. An unidentified man saw Wright's ad and told Wright he could bring a child to him at a Tijuana hotel. The man then contacted HSI special agents with details about his communications with Wright. The informant said Wright paid him an adoption fee upfront and waited at a hotel in Tijuana. However, the informant told investigators he never went to the hotel with a child or otherwise. Records show Wright entered Mexico in July 2014, which is consistent with the informant's story. The man said he communicated with Wright again in July 2015 after Wright posted a Craigslist ad for a Tijuana guide, according to the complaint. By this time the informant was using a different email. Although he initially stated he wanted to adopt a child, Wright eventually said he wanted to have sex with female babies, federal officials say. When asked via email if he had sexual experience with infants, the complaint states Wright wrote, "I have not gone all the way before but I have made it very close in the past so I do have experience." In January Wright wrote again, allegedly adding, "virgin babies are the best," according to the complaint. In another correspondence Wright wrote, "Yes, I like church - it makes me feel good." Documents state Wright also planned on giving the one to three-year-old kids Tylenol and candy "to relax them." With the informant's consent, HSI special agents took over the email account in December and began corresponding with Wright themselves. Wright did not know he was going back and forth with law enforcement and thought he was still speaking with a Mexico-based tour guide. The complaint says after describing in graphic detail what he might do to a baby sexually, Wright wrote, "It is so much more fun when it's a bit of a struggle." An undercover HSI agent continued to communicate with Wright via email. Wright allegedly told the undercover agent via email that he wanted to travel to Tijuana and either own or adopt a child under three and have sex with the child. Wright then booked his flight to San Diego, where he planned to meet the tour guide. Their plans were then to travel to a Tijuana hotel where he would be brought female infants, according to HSI agents. This investigation opens a window into a secret world where sexual predators prey on young children around the globe, said Dave Shaw, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego, in a statement. Pedophiles who mistakenly believe they can escape justice by committing child sex crimes outside the U.S. should be on notice that HSI will seek to vindicate the rights of those victims regardless where they live. Fortunately, in this instance, our perseverance and diligence prevented the sexual exploitation of yet another innocent victim. Wright was a first year pre-theology student at the Pontifical College Josephinum, Columbus, Ohio according to the Catholic Diocese of Steubenville. He was immediately suspended from his studies after his arrest in accordance with the diocesan child protection degree. Wright is expected to be arraigned on Monday. It's unclear if he has obtained an attorney. Melbourne: An Indian-origin Fijian who is Australia's most wanted Islamic State terror recruiter has reportedly been killed in Syria, according to media reports on Sunday. The report of Neil Prakash's death, a Melbourne-born radical, was posted on secure communications app Telegram, quoting an IS member. The IS claim Prakash, also known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, has been "shahada" the terror group's description when a fighter is killed. No details have yet emerged of how or where he reportedly died, Herald Sun reported. The terrorist, who allegedly had contact with some of those accused of plotting an Anzac Day terror attack in Victoria, flew to Syria in 2013, the report said. Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that commemorates those who served and died in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. Until recently Prakash had used social media to groom potential terror recruits, but was forced to change his communication methods because of concerns he would be tracked by countries fighting IS. Federal Government and police sources were last night unable to confirm Prakash's death, which would hurt the terror group's international ?recruitment efforts, the report said. However, one Government source has admitted that Prakash had "gone quiet" recently on his usual communication platforms. Reports of Prakash's death have been communicated within IS groups. If Prakash's death is eventually confirmed by anti-terror agencies, it would be likely to lead to an increase in security measures, with the Australian believed to have local supporters and sympathisers, the report said. Australian police last year issued a warrant for his arrest. A medication that can prevent drug overdose deaths will be available without a prescription at Duane Reade and Walgreens pharmacies in New York beginning Monday. Mayor de Blasio pushed for the change as part of an effort to combat painkiller overdose deaths. It and other measures were unveiled in December as part of the city's ThriveNYC mental health initiative. At the time, the mayor said that city pharmacies would make the drug available. Walgreen Co. confirmed Sunday that it would be instituting the policy the following day. The city has also announced it's authorizing 1,000 new providers to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication that stops opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms. City health officials said in December that overdose deaths from painkillers and heroin and have increased by 56 percent since 2010. Opioid addiction, often associated with the nation's suburbs and rural areas, has become a scourge on Staten Island, the most suburban-like area in New York City. The two remaining inmates who escaped from an Orange County jail last week were taken into custody in San Francisco Saturday morning, officials said. Jonathan Tieu, 20, of Fountain Valley, and Hossein Nayeri, 37, of Newport Beach were taken into custody by the San Francisco Police Department around 8:50 a.m. after a receiving a tip from an observant witness, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said at a news conference Saturday. "The entire state can breathe a sigh of relief because we have the other two dangerous individuals back in custody," Hutchens said. Nayeri and Tieu were expected to be transported back to Orange County Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Hutchens initially said a woman alerted police after seeing a white GMC van next to a Whole Foods parking lot near Golden Gate Park that looked similar to the one authorities reported the fugitives had stolen. A San Francisco police officer later said it was a man who alerted police of a suspicious person and vehicle. According to Hutchens, as officers approached the van, Nayeri started to run. He was caught after a short chase at Waller and Stanyan streets. Tieu was found hiding in the van parked at Haight and Stanyan streets. Several rounds of ammunition were also found in the van, however no weapons were recovered, Hutchens said. "This is an excellent example of how citizens can help the San Francisco Police Department keep the city safe," said SFPD Officer Grace Gatpandan. Tieu and Nayeri remained at a San Francisco police station and were expected to be moved to the San Francisco County Jail, Hutchens said. Sheriff's said they were coordinating with San Francisco authorities to transfer the inmates back into Orange County custody. Authorities were still investigating how the inmates obtained their escape tools and said no disciplinary action had been taken in the wake of the escape. "If anybody else aided and abetted (the inmates), they're going to be prosecuted," Hutchens said. "We do not want another escape from an Orange County jail." Officials said Friday, they were concentrating their efforts in the San Jose area Saturday where it was believed the inmates were hiding and were possibly en route to Fresno. A major break in the weeklong manhunt came Friday, when Bac Duong, 43, who escaped from the Central Men's Jail early Jan. 22 along with Tieu and Nayeri, surrendered to authorities. According to Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, Duong walked up to a civilian in Santa Ana and said he wanted to turn himself in around 11:30 a.m. Sheriff's officials said all three escapees were spotted Thursday in San Jose, but Duong somehow made his way back to Santa Ana to surrender. A manager at the Alameda Motel in San Jose on Friday said he believed all three inmates stayed at his motel on Tuesday and Wednesday, before leaving Thursday morning. Investigators said they believed the three escapees were living out of the van, which has paper license plates from Felix Chevrolet, with plate number 8U66466, although the plates may have been replaced and the windows were likely tinted. The van was listed for sale on Craiglist and Duong stole it when he took the vehicle for a test drive in South Los Angeles. It's not clear how Duong got back to Southern California from San Jose, but early Friday Duong contacted a woman he knew at the auto electric repair shop just a few miles away from the jail, authorities and witnesses said. Le Tran told NBC4 News that he saw Duong smoking a cigarette as he waited for authorities to arrest him at the Tran family's Auto Electric Rebuilders shop located at 1421 N. Harbor Boulevard. He said he does not know how Duong got to the shop, but that his sister knew Duong and might have visited him while he was in jail. Shortly after the late-morning arrest, a team of well-armed officers in protective vests swarmed the business. Meanwhile, more than 10 people have been arrested since the escape. Among them is a teacher who had a "significant role" in the planning of the jailbreak. The 44-year-old Lake Forest woman was arrested Thursday on suspicion of accessory to a felony in helping the inmates escape from lockup in downtown Santa Ana. She allegedly provided the men with Google Earth maps of the jail complex, according to investigators. One of the escaped inmates, Nayeri, took her class at the Central Men's Jail and developed a relationship with her, said Orange County Sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock. Nayeri had been in custody since September 2014, Tieu since October 2013 and Duong since December. Duong allegedly shot a man Nov. 18, 2015 after an argument on the patio of a Santa Ana home. He was charged with one felony count of attempted murder, one felony count of assault with a firearm, one felony count of first-degree residential burglary, one felony count of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or house, one felony count of assault with a firearm with sentencing enhancements for the personal use of a firearm, personal discharge of a firearm and great bodily injury. He was being held without bail on an immigration hold pending a possible federal deportation hearing. Duong also faces sentencing enhancements for a prior strike conviction for first-degree burglary in 1995 in San Diego County, prior prison convictions for second-degree burglary in 2007, reckless evading of a peace officer in 2008 and possession for sale of a controlled substance in 2011. Nayeri is accused of participating in an attack, including torture, against a Newport Beach resident who ran a licensed marijuana dispensary in Santa Ana. Tieu faces murder and attempted murder charges in connection with a gang hit. Duong faces an attempted murder charge and was being held without bail on an immigration hold pending a possible federal deportation hearing. President Bashar Assad's government will "never accept" the removal of two militant groups from a list of terrorist organizations barred from peace talks, a Syrian official said, while an opposition figure called on the international community on Sunday to stop Russia's "crimes in Syria." Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam, two Islamic groups fighting to overthrow Assad, agreed to take part in U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Geneva. The ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham is not part of the team sent to Geneva, but the delegation has named Army of Islam official Mohammed Alloush as its chief negotiator. A U.N. Security Council resolution adopted last month tasked Jordan with compiling an agreed list of terrorist organizations that would be excluded from the talks. Work on the list is still underway. Assad's government has long referred to all those fighting to overthrow him as terrorists, but has agreed to negotiations with some armed groups in the latest talks. Virtually all parties agree that the Islamic State group and the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front be excluded. The two sides are divided over Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam, which the Syrian government and its close ally Russia view as extremists. The mainstream opposition views both groups as fellow rebels, despite their ideological differences. Syrian Information Minister Omar al-Zoubi said on state TV late Saturday that the government would "never accept" the two groups being removed from the list. "We will neither sit down directly with terrorists, nor have dialogue with them," he said. The meetings in Geneva, billed as multiparty talks, are part of a process outlined in last month's U.N. resolution that envisions an 18-month timetable for a political transition in Syria, including the drafting of a new constitution and elections. In Geneva, a delegation of the main opposition group was scheduled to meet with U.N. Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura, who began the peace talks on Friday with a meeting with the Syrian government's delegation, opposition spokesman Salem al-Mislet told The Associated Press on Sunday. The opposition's delegation says it will not take part in the indirect talks until its demands are met, including lifting the siege imposed on rebel-held areas and an end to Russian and Syrian bombardment of regions controlled by opposition fighters. "It's the duty of the responsibility of members of the Security Council to put the pressure on Russia to stop these crimes in Syria," al-Mislet said in English. "It's enough killing our children, killing civilians. They pretend to fight terrorism. In fact they don't fight terrorism because they bring terrorism there and ISIS is spreading in many areas in Syria more than before because of these Russian strikes," al-Mislet said, using a term to refer to the Islamic State group. Russia began its air campaign Sept. 30, saying its strikes are meant to weaken IS and other "terrorists" in Syria, but Western officials and Syrian rebels say most of the strikes have focused on central and northern Syria, where IS does not have a strong presence. Russia has been one of the strongest supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad since the start of the uprising in 2011. Also Sunday, two explosions went off in the predominantly Shiite Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least 10 people, state TV said. The report said one blast was triggered by a car bomb and the second by a suicide bomber. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition group that monitors both sides of the conflict through a network of activists inside Syria, said the blast killed 12 people and wounded about two dozen. A Philadelphia woman who is dealing with a tremendous loss gained a new companion: the dog who tried to protect her brother during a deadly home invasion. Nakia Pyatt, 41, was shot and killed by armed robbers during a home invasion Jan. 16 in the Frankford section of the city. Pyatts dog, Rhino, a 7-month-old Boxer-pit bull mix, tried to defend his owner and was shot in the leg. Rhino was taken to the Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center (VSEC) in Philadelphia, where staffers found a bullet in a hind leg and another object, either a bullet or fragment, lodged nearby. Dr. Ron Ben-Amotz of VSEC said the bullet was embedded in soft tissue in Rhinos leg. "Hes putting weight on it and getting around well. Hes wagging his tail and looking pretty happy," Ben-Amotz said. Pyatts sister, Ivory Poinsett, a mother of three, said her brother had previously suggested she take Rhino to protect her family. At the time, Poinsett declined. She changed her mind after her brothers death. "We know how much my brother loved his dog," Poinsett said. "Everywhere my brother went, the dog went. He would have wanted me to have the dog." Poinsett created a GoFundMe page to help pay for Rhinos medical care and ultimately reached her goal of $2,800. Rhino is expected to make a full recovery, but further checkups will determine whether he'll need surgery. The pup was still healthy enough however to leave VSEC and go home with Poinsett and her family. It was a much-needed happy moment for a woman who continues to deal with her brothers unsolved killing. "Its been a horrible month," Poinsett said. "But Rhinos been giving us all peace so Im kind of happy that the doctors are clearing him and hes normal again. I mean, he still has the bullets embedded in him, but hes still a happy, big boy." For Poinsett, Rhino is more than a dog. He's a way to keep her brothers legacy alive. "My brother always said he would be there for us," Poinsett said. "So when Rhino survived, I felt that he had left him behind to watch over us and give us peace." No arrests have been made in Pyatts death. Police continue to investigate. Virginia police have made a second arrest in the alleged abduction and killing of a 13-year-old girl from Blacksburg, Virginia. Blacksburg police said Natalie Keepers, 19, a Virginia Tech student from Laurel, Maryland, was arrested Sunday and charged with one felony count of improper disposal of a dead body and one misdemeanor count of accessory after the fact. Nicole Lovell, 13, went missing from her Blacksburg home on Wednesday, Jan. 27, after her family said she pushed a dresser in front of her bedroom door and climbed out a window. Her body was found Saturday afternoon in North Carolina, near the border with Virginia. [[367145421, C]] David Eisenhauer, 18, a Virginia Tech student from Columbia, Maryland, was arrested Saturday and charged with first-degree murder and abduction. Investigators said Eisenhauer and Lovell knew each other before the girls disappearance, and that he used the relationship to abduct and kill Lovell. Police said Keepers helped Eisenhauer dispose of Lovells body near Route 89, in Surry County, North Carolina. Both Eisenhauer and Keepers are being held without bond at the Montgomery County Jail, in Christiansburg, Virginia. A state police spokeswoman said officials are searching a pond on the Virginia Tech campus in connection with the death. Spokeswoman Corinne Geller said Sunday that a search and recovery team is combing a pond on the Blacksburg campus. She would not say what they are trying to find. Investigators said the case is still active, and they have received about 300 leads during the course of the five day investigation. They are still urging anyone who may have information about any of the people involved to come forward. The Roanoke Times newspaper quoted Wilson as saying that Eisenhauer has not confessed to involvement in Lovell's death and did not give police information that led to the discovery of her body. No information was given on how Lovell and Eisenhauer had initially made contact with each other. The newspaper cited an online biography of Eisenhauer that described him as a standout track and field athlete in high school. He was a three-time state champion in track and also competed in cross country, finishing second in the state both his junior and senior years. He was a first-team, all-state choice in cross country and a second-team All-Southeast Region selection, the biography stated. Virginia Tech said on its website that Eisenhauer was a freshman engineering major at the school and that hundreds of students and researchers had assisted in the search for Lovell. [[238427591, C]] Virginia Tech president Tim Sands said the case left the school community "in a state of shock and sadness." "Speaking on behalf of our community, let me say that our hearts go out to Nicole's family and friends," he said in a statement posted to the school's website. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park announced this week that six southern white rhinos at its rescue facility now officially have names thanks to input and votes from visitors. In November 2015, the group of female southern white rhinos all between four and seven years old arrived at the Safari Parks Rhino Rescue Center, unnamed. They were relocated to the park from private reserves in South Africa as part of conservation efforts to save all critically endangered rhino species from extinction. For the past month, Safari Park has been on a quest to name the rhinos. Visitors have been casting their votes for possible names on the Safari Park website, choosing options from a list compiled by keepers at the Rhino Rescue Center. With more than 2,000 votes, visitors were able to name one of the rhinos, choosing Amani as the winning moniker. The harmonious name is Swahili for peace. Safari Park officials say the other five rhinos Nikita, Livia, Wallis, Victoria and Helene were named in honor of San Diego Zoo Global rhino rescue program supporters Nikita Kahn, Livia Stone, Wallis Annenberg, Victoria Seaver Dean and Dr. Helene Hoffman. Safari Park officials say the Rhino Rescue Center was built to house these six rhinos at a crucial time when, on average, three rhinos are killed by poachers each day in the wild. At the current rate of poaching, rhinos could become extinct in 15 years. Today, the northern white rhino is the most critically endangered rhino species, with only three remaining in the world. Researchers at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research are currently collaborating with other animal experts to develop reproductive techniques to develop northern white rhino embryos from cells stored in the institutes Frozen Zoo facility. Researchers plan to implant those embryos in the newly-named southern white rhinos at Safari Park, who will serve as surrogate mothers. There are many challenges ahead, but researchers are optimistic that a northern white rhino calf could be born from these processes within 10 to 15 years. These technologies may also be applied to other rhino species, including the critically endangered Sumatran and Javan rhinos, the Safari Park said in a press release. An armed robbery suspect and a registered sex offender is in custody thanks to a group of good Samaritans who subdued him until police arrived, according to investigators. The ordeal began Saturday at the Queen Anne Plaza Shopping Center on S. Oxford Valley Road in Fairless Hills, a suburb about 16 miles northeast of Philadelphia. A 53-year-old woman was outside the Credit Union at the shopping center and grabbed her purse from her car. Suddenly a man armed with a box cutter, later identified as 60-year-old George Blackwell, approached her and tried to steal her purse and wallet, police said. After Blackwell grabbed her wallet, the woman screamed and fought him off, according to investigators. Police said he then fled on foot and ran across the plaza, throwing the wallet away, but was chased down by three bystanders who witnessed the attack. The bystanders then knocked Blackwell into a pile of snow. "These guys were big," said Ron Roberts, who recorded the incident with his cellphone as the men held Blackwell down until police arrived. "They threw him over the snow and they had his head in the snow. They weren't letting him get up. They made sure he was going to jail today. Blackwell, of Falls Township, was arrested and charged with robbery. He is currently being held in the Bucks County Prison on $100,000 bail. Police also confirmed Blackwell is a registered sex offender. Police say the woman suffered a minor cut to her lip during the incident but was not seriously hurt. D.C. Police are seeking the public's help in locating a missing 11-year-old girl last seen in the 1500 block of Alabama Avenue in southeast D.C. Destiny Amari Haney is described as a black female, 53 tall, 130 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a two-tone dark blue and light blue jacket, an orange shirt, and camouflage pants. She was last seen Thursday at 9:30 p.m. Anyone with information about her whereabouts should call D.C. Police at (202) 727-9099, the Youth and Family Services Division at 202-576-6768 or 911. Police arrested two teenagers accused of shooting a 19-year-old man and leaving him to die in Everett earlier this month. Jose Vasquez Ardon, 17, and Cristian Nunez-Flores, 17, both of Everett, were arrested by officers assigned to the Middlesex District Attorneys office Saturday. Each faces a single charge of murder and are scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 1. Todays arrest is a testament to the dedication of the investigators assigned to this case, District Attorney Marian Ryan said. As a result, these defendants have been apprehended and charged in connection with the murder of [Omar Wilfredo] Reyes." Reyes was found shot in the head just after midnight on Jan. 3, under a bridge on a popular bike and pedestrian walkway in the city. He was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he died the following afternoon. Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Sunday for a more "sober" approach towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in dismissing a French peace initiative as only encouraging Palestinians to shun compromise. The proposal on Friday by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius for an international peace conference was the latest sign of Western frustration over the absence of movement toward a two-state solution since the collapse of US-brokered negotiations in 2014. Fabius said that if the French plan did not break the deadlock, Paris would recognise a Palestinian state. Such a step would raise concern in Israel that other European countries, also long opposed to its settlement-building in occupied territory, would follow suit. In public remarks to his cabinet, Netanyahu did not explicitly reject the notion of an international conference - an aide said Israel would examine such a request once it was received - but he made clear that reported details of the plan made it a non-starter. Netanyahu said a "threat" to recognise a Palestinian state if France's peace efforts did not succeed constituted "an incentive to the Palestinians to come along and not compromise". "I assess that there will be a sobering up regarding this matter," Netanyahu added. "In any event, we will make effort so that there is a sobering up here, and our position is very clear: We are prepared to enter direct negotiation without preconditions and without dictated terms." On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the French proposal, telling an African summit in Ethiopia that "the status quo cannot continue". But Washington responded with caution to the French move, saying it continued to prefer that Israel and the Palestinians reach an agreement on final-status issues through direct talks. While aware the initiative may struggle to get off the ground, French officials said Paris had a responsibility to act now in the face of ongoing Israeli settlement activity and the prospect of continued diplomatic inaction as the United States focuses on a presidential election in November. And, the officials said, Netanyahu had gone a step too far in accusing UN Secretary of State Ban Ki-moon of giving a "tailwind to terrorism" by laying some of the blame for four months of stabbings and car rammings by Palestinians at Israel's door. Ban angered Israel by saying last week that it is "human nature to react to occupation". The United States, European Union - Israel's closest allies - have also issued unusually stern criticism of Israel in recent weeks, reflecting their own frustration with the policies of Netanyahu's right-wing government. The criticism, particularly about the settlements, where some 550,000 Jews live in around 250 communities scattered across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, has raised Palestinian hopes that world powers might finally be minded to support a UN resolution condemning Israel's policy outright. West Bank Attack Since October, Palestinian attacks, partly fuelled by tensions over the freeze in peace talks, have killed 26 Israelis and a US citizen. In the latest incident, on Sunday, a Palestinian gunman wounded three Israelis near the West Bank settlement of Beit El and was then shot dead by soldiers, the Israeli army said. Palestinian officials said he worked as a bodyguard for a Palestinian prosecutor in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Over the past four months, Israeli forces have killed at least 152 Palestinians, 98 of them assailants according to authorities. Most the others have died in violent protests. "I don't see anything that warrants living as long as the occupation smothers us and kills our brothers and sisters ... You were first and I am following you," the Beit El assailant, Amjad Abu Omar, wrote on Facebook. Palestinians seek a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, parts of which have been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war. Palestine has non-member observer status at the United Nations and its flag flies with those of member states at UN headquarters in New York. Sweden became the first EU member nation to recognise the Palestinian state in 2014. A total of 136 UN-member countries, mostly in Africa, Latin America and Asia, now do so. Police in New Hampshire are say an inmate who went missing from his transitional housing unit in Manchester Saturday afternoon turned himself in that evening. Authorities said Khyree Rasheed Thompson, 25, of Boston, signed out of the halfway house to go to work at 6:40 a.m. and was scheduled to return at 1 p.m. When he did not return, he was later placed on escape status shortly before 3 p.m. Thompson returned to the Calumet Transitional Housing unit at 6:30 p.m. and was later transported to New Hampshire State Prison in Concord. He was sentenced to Hillsborough County Superior Court North for two concurrent 3-to-6 year prison sentences for the sale and manufacture of cocaine, and received 113 days of time served credited to his sentence. Thompson was admitted to a state prison on July 3, 2013 and was eligible for parole on March 10, 2016. A walk away from a community corrections transitional housing facility can result in an escape charge, carrying a possible three-and-a-half to seven years in prison. A Jaffrey, New Hampshire man is under arrest after police said he drove drunk and crashed into two cars, severely injuring other passengers. The collision occurred around 7:18 p.m. in Peterborough. Police said Leonard Gonthier, 54, was driving a 2001 GMC Jimmy eastbound on Route 202 when he suddenly swerved into the westbound lane, side-swiping a 2003 Ford Explorer. The Explorer rolled over and came to a rest in the middle of the highway. The Jimmy continued in the westbound lane until it struck a 2012 Subaru Impreza head on. The two passengers in the Explorer -- Cameron Vetter, 19 and Karlee Daub, 18, both of Rindge, New Hampshire -- suffered minor injuries and were released from the hospital. The driver of the Impreza, Reed J. Leger, of Merrimack, New Hampshire, suffered serious injuries but was also later released from the hospital. After he was pulled from the vehicle, Gonthier was air-lifted to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center-Worcester for what were described as possibly life-threatening injuries. While he was arrested on a charge of aggravated DWI, Gonthier could not be fully booked due to the extent of his injuries. The Democratic National Committee, under pressure from voters and candidates to add more debates to the primary schedule, has sanctioned Thursday's New Hampshire debate hosted by MSNBC and the Union Leader newspaper, the network announced Sunday. Our Democratic candidates have agreed in principle to having the DNC sanction and manage additional debates in our primary schedule, inclusive of New Hampshire this week, DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. The debate will be held at the University of New Hampshire in Durham on Feb 4., just days before the first primary in the nation, and be moderated by Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow. All three Democratic presidential candidates, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley are expected to attend. [[316127531, C]] New Hampshire was originally given only one DNC-sanctioned debate, which was held Dec. 19 in Manchester. On Tuesday, DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz issued a statement refusing to sanction the New Hampshire debate, but said after the First in the Nation caucuses and primary, it would reconsider. Wasserman Schultz said the DNC will "reconvene negotiations and finalize the schedule" Tuesday morning, in order to "give our campaigns the space to focus on the important work of engaging caucus goers in Iowa." The DNC scheduled six debates this election cycle, with just four taking place before the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries three of of which took place on weekends. The most recent debate was held Jan. 17, with another not slated until after New Hampshire voters go to the polls on Feb. 9. No one was more surprised by the DNC's decision than MSNBC's own Rachel Maddow, who tweeted shortly after the announcement "AH HA! Put it in ink!" [[367146191, C]] London: 20-year-old British schoolboy dubbed "Jihadi Jack" has labelled Prime Minister David Cameron an "evil creature", while warning that UK will be targeted by the militants as long as it keeps bombing Muslims in Syria. In his first interview with The Independent newspaper since being accused of becoming the first white British man to travel to Syria and join the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS), Jack Letts said David Cameron "if not actually mentally ill... is [then] an evil creature". "If Britain stopped bombing Muslims in Syria, the Muslims in Syria would stop attacking them... is that hard to understand," he said. Letts insisted he has not joined ISIS and he has travelled to the region to spread the word of Allah and help "take down" the government of Bashar al-Assad." "I can speak Arabic and English. That's like my only skill. I've spent efforts to take down the Syrian government," he told the newspaper. In the interview, conducted over messaging app Telegram, Letts confirmed he is still in Syria. He said: "The US-led coalition is a plan concocted in the diseased hearts and minds of some of Allah's enemies. A plot with the intention of collecting sincere Muslims who believe in taking action for their religion in one place and then killing them off one by one. "Despite the media frenzy surrounding them, I've never seen ISIS kill Muslim kids. I have, however, seen the coalition do so." Letts, who attended Cherwell School in Oxford, converted to Islam as a teenager and left his home more than a year ago. He was accused of admitting to his parents that he was with ISIS in September 2014. His parents, John and Sally Letts, said they feel "betrayed" by the media coverage of their son. Brussels: NATO head Jens Stoltenberg on Saturday warned Russia it must "fully respect" alliance airspace as key member Turkey blasted Moscow for "irresponsible behaviour" over a new violation. "I call on Russia to act responsibly and to fully respect NATO airspace. Russia must take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not happen again," Stoltenberg said in a statement. "Previous incidents have shown how dangerous such behaviour is," he said. In November, Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet on the Syrian border, sparking a war of words with Russia which insisted its plane had not violated Turkish airspace. Russia launched a massive air campaign in September against rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-time Moscow ally who Turkey bitterly opposes. As in the November crisis, Stoltenberg called for "calm and de-escalation," welcoming contacts between Ankara and Moscow. At the same time, he made absolutely clear that NATO would stand by Turkey, the second largest military power in the alliance after the United States. "NATO stands in solidarity with Turkey and supports the territorial integrity of our ally, Turkey." He recalled that the 28-nation alliance had agreed in December to help bolster Turkey's defences with the deployment of AWACS early warning and surveillance aircraft but added the caveat that this decision predated the latest incident. Ankara called in the Russian ambassador yesterday "to strongly protest and condemn" the latest alleged violation of its airspace. "We stress once again that all the responsibility for any unwanted grave consequences as a result of any such irresponsible behaviour will belong entirely to the Russian Federation," the Turkish foreign ministry said. London: A UK website set up to catalogue the last days of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on Sunday claimed that his gold-plated tooth is likely to be found in his last remains held at Renkoji Temple in Tokyo. Bose's trusted aide de camp Colonel Habibur Rehman, who was involved in the same air crash that is believed to have killed Bose in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, had told his son he had dropped the tooth in the urn containing Netaji's ashes when he went to collect the remains after the cremation. It had apparently been extracted before the body entered the furnace and given to him by one of the officials associated with the last rites, www.bosefiles.info claimed on Sunday. The Netaji Papers declassified by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 23 confirm that the creator of the website, Ashis Ray, brought the matter to the attention of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, leader of the opposition Atal Bihari Vajpayee and West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu, among other Indian political leaders in 1995. Colonel Rehman passed away in 1978, leaving the information, among other details, with son Naeemur. Rehman junior shared what his father had told him with Ray when the latter met him in Islamabad in the 1990s in course of his investigation of the tragedy. In turn, Ray brought the disclosure to the notice of Rao, Vajpayee, Jyoti Basu, President of Janata Dal S R Bommai and general secretary of the Forward Bloc Chitta Basu. File G-16(3)/95-NGO in the Netaji Papers, released by the Indian government, reveal Ray wrote to all five on 11 August 1995. In it he said Colonel Rehman had "put a gold-plated tooth belonging to Netaji (Subhas Bose) given to him by Japanese officials after the cremation in the urn containing the 'ashes'". In the same letter, Ray informed the leaders that in course of his probe, he had visited "the son of Colonel Habibur Rahman". "The veracity of Naeemur Rehman's claim can easily be determined by a scan of the urn. The existence of an un-cremated tooth will virtually guarantee success of a DNA test," he said. Another telling piece of information provided by Rehman junior to Ray was that his father was devastated by people in India disbelieving his story about Bose perishing in the tragedy and the remains at Renkoji Temple being his - which Colonel Rehman had carried from Taipei to Tokyo. Naeemur further disclosed to Ray that his father, because of the suspicion with which his testimony to the Shah Nawaz Khan Netaji Inquiry Committee in 1956 was received by Bose's followers and relatives, refused to come to Delhi from Islamabad to appear before the Justice G D Khosla Commission in the early 1970s. "Why would I lie?" Colonel Rehman is said to have told his son. A bombed bus outside a Shiite holy shrine in the Sayyida Zeinab suburb of Damascus, after a suicide car bomb exploded there early on June 14, 2012 (Photo: AFP) Amman: At least 45 people were killed and 110 wounded on Sunday by a car bomb and two suicide bombers in the Sayeda Zeinab district of Damascus, where Syria's holiest Shi'ite shrine is located, the interior ministry said. The Islamic State group on Sunday claimed responsibility for bombings, in a statement circulated on social media, the jihadist group said two of its members had detonated suicide bombs near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine. "Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120," the group said. State television showed footage of burning buildings and wrecked cars in the neighbourhood. Syrian state news agency SANA, quoting an interior ministry source, said a group of militants had detonated a car bomb near a public transport garage in the neighborhood's Koua Sudan area. Two suicide bombers then blew themselves up nearby as people were being rescued. "Bodies were still being pulled from the wreckage," a witness told state news channel Ikhbariyah. The heavily populated area in the south of the city is a site of pilgrimage for Shi'ites from Iran, Lebanon and other parts of the Muslim world. The explosions occurred as representatives of Syria's government and its divided opposition began convening in Geneva for the first UN-mediated peace talks in two years. Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halaki was quoted as saying the attacks were prompted by "terror groups" who sought to "raise their morale after a string of defeats" by the army. The United Nations has said it is aiming for six months of talks, first seeking a ceasefire and later working toward a political settlement for Syria. The nearly five-year conflict has killed more than 250,000 people, driven more than 10 million from their homes and drawn in global powers. The Sayeda Zeinab shrine area witnessed heavy clashes in the first few years of the war but has since been secured by the Syrian army and Shi'ite militias led by Hezbollah, which has set up protective roadblocks around it. The shrine houses the grave of the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Taleb, the cousin of Prophet Mohammed, whom Shi'ites consider the rightful successor to the prophet. The dispute over the succession led to the major Sunni-Shi'ite schism in Islam. Iraqi and Iranian Shi'ite militia groups that have volunteered to fight Sunni Islamist radicals in Syria in a conflict that has heavy sectarian overtones often say they are coming to Syria to defend the shrine. Many have their headquarters in the area near the shrine, according to local residents. Reporter/Columnist Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth). The Islamic State group overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, and Iraqi forces are battling to push the jihadists back.(Photo: AFP) Baghdad: The United Nations launched an appeal on Sunday for $861 million in international humanitarian assistance to help millions of people in Iraq who are suffering from war and displacement. Violence including the devastating war with the Islamic State jihadist group has displaced 3.3 million Iraqis in the past two years, while some 250,000 Syrians have fled to Iraq to escape the war in their country. "We want to use this money to reach 7.3 million people. These are the most vulnerable people in Iraq," UN humanitarian coordinator for Iraq Lise Grande told a Baghdad news conference. "Our top priority is to get to the people who are in the most trouble and to give them what they need in order to survive -- food, cash, shelter, water," Grande said. Plunging oil prices have drastically reduced oil revenue which Iraq relies on for the vast majority of its funds, meaning that Baghdad cannot afford to cover the cost of addressing the humanitarian crisis. "The government has its back against the wall because the price of oil is so low, and that's why we're asking the international community to be generous," said Grande. The Islamic State group overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, and Iraqi forces are battling to push the jihadists back. The already huge number of displaced Iraqis is expected to increase further in 2016 as Iraqi forces fight to retake areas in Anbar and Nineveh provinces. "Depending on the intensity of fighting and the scale of violence in the months ahead, 11 million Iraqis, perhaps even 12 to 13 million, may need some form of humanitarian assistance by the end of 2016," the UN says. "More than 500,000 people are expected to flee their homes during the year, the majority from towns and districts along the Mosul and Anbar corridors," it says in a humanitarian response plan for the year. "Perhaps an additional 1 million will be impacted by the battle for Mosul," the plan says, referring to Iraq's second city that is the jihadists' main hub in the country. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 The Children's Oncology Group (COG) has taken steps to help pediatric oncologists across the United States plan for the next shortage of life-saving chemotherapy drugs used for children with cancer. The COG is the world's largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research and is supported in part by the St. Baldrick's Foundation, the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants. In a paper [that will be] published today by JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, members of the COG presented their plan, members of the COG presented their plan, a framework to effectively and ethically handle the inevitable next drug shortage that will place children with cancer at risk. "Our intention with this project was to try to help the childhood cancer community manage the crisis that will occur when, not if, the next drug shortage happens," said COG Chairman Dr. Peter Adamson. "This is a problem almost exclusively impacting children in the United States and not other developed countries. The problem should be preventable, but will require the government to take additional steps to address the fundamental causes of these shortages. Until further action is taken, we are doing everything in our power to help prepare for the next shortage when pediatric oncologists may be forced into rationing a life-saving medication for children with cancer." The COG and St. Baldrick's hope that the announcement of this framework will also serve as a call for policy makers to address this situation for children with cancer. Although initial steps toward a solution have been made, a more comprehensive approach that addresses the underlying challenges and provides for a reliable safety net when shortages occur is needed. "This framework is a critical step in addressing a larger problem that continues to affect children with cancer," said St. Baldrick's CEO Kathleen Ruddy. "No physician should have to face the indignity of having to tell a parent they cannot get access to a drug because of a shortage. And it is completely unacceptable for a family to be told their child cannot get a drug that may mean the difference between life and death." Cohen Veterans Bioscience today announced two new collaborative partnership efforts that will provide critical research tools for understanding the underlying neurobiology and genetics of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) with the goal of accelerating the development of first generation diagnostics and treatments. For the partnership with the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cohen Veterans Bioscience will contribute funding to support both genotyping of DNA samples to expand knowledge about the genetic influences associated with PTSD and access to extensive genetics expertise available at the Broad Institute. The initiative will include the creation of a PTSD genetics database devoted exclusively to the analysis of tens of thousands of DNA samples collected from more than 30 global research centers. The collaborations share a goal of discovering the first genome wide association for PTSD within a year. "We look forward to working in partnership with Cohen Veterans Bioscience, leveraging our technologies and the insights of our genomics experts to advance understanding of PTSD, and our ability to diagnose and ultimately treat this debilitating disorder," said Steven Hyman, Director of the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Disease Research at the Broad Institute. Post-traumatic stress is the most commonly occurring and seriously impairing disorder that occurs after exposure to traumatic events, such as combat, sexual assault, and natural disaster. Among the military, nearly 20 percent of enlisted soldiers -- approximately 300,000 -- who returned from Iraq and Afghanistan have reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress or major depression, according to the RAND Corporation. "Genetic factors are critical in influencing who develops PTSD," says Magali Haas, MD, PhD, CEO & President of Cohen Veterans Bioscience. "Unlike some other neuro-psychiatric diseases, we do not yet know how genetic variants affect a person's risk for developing PTSD. These data can provide a mechanism to more reliably predict the risk of PTSD in different populations and afford an opportunity for preventive interventions. We are proud to partner with a world-leading genetics research institution like the Broad Institute's Stanley Center to advance the science of PTSD." Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today In another joint venture, Cohen Veterans Bioscience will partner with McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, to establish the Cohen Veterans Bioscience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury Brain & Tissue Collection. The first brain and tissue bank to focus on both PTSD and TBI, this special collection will be maintained at McLean's Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center, a national resource for the acquisition, processing, storage, and distribution of postmortem brain tissue to the scientific community, for the purpose of conducting research on the brain. "This collection is an extraordinary exciting development that will help fill a critical need for the research community worldwide," explains Kerry J. Ressler, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer for McLean Hospital and one of the country's leading researchers on trauma. "Thanks to this new resource, we will be able to study the brains of a diverse population--both military and civilians -- who have experienced PTSD and/or TBI in their lifetime with the ultimate goal of identifying better, more effective methods of treating each of these disorders." According to Ressler, he and his collaborators have a goal of collecting at least 100 brains from affected individuals and will coordinate closely with the recently launched Leahy-Friedman National PTSD Brain Bank to maximize use of these limited resources. Traumatic brain injuries have become the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with approximately 20 percent of veterans having reported experiencing a TBI. It is also quite prevalent in the civilian population. Each year at least 2.2 million people suffer from a traumatic brain injury in the United States. Of those, 50,000 die and 280,000 require hospital admission, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The Cohen Bioscience Special Collection will be available to qualified industry and academic center researchers to conduct independent PTSD and TBI research. People hospitalized due to an encounter with a law enforcement officer are more likely to have a mental illness, have longer hospitalizations, more injuries to the back and spine, and greater need for extended care than those hospitalized due to altercations with other civilians. The findings, based on 10 years of Illinois hospitalization data, are published in the journal Injury Epidemiology. Lee Friedman, associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health and senior author on the paper, and his colleagues wanted to find out how many and what kinds of encounters with police led to hospital admissions for civilians in Illinois. They identified 836 people injured by contact with law enforcement officers after reviewing the medical records of all patients admitted to Illinois hospitals or treated in emergency rooms between 2000 and 2009. They compared those patients to 836 civilians of the same age and sex who were were treated in hospitals over the same period for injuries due to physical altercations with other civilians. Civilians injured by law enforcement had 27 percent longer hospital stays (4.7 vs. 3.7 days) and twice as many back and spine injuries (7.4 percent of those injured by cops vs. 3.3 percent of those injured by civilians). They were nearly 2.5 times more likely to need extended care following discharge from the hospital (20 percent vs. 8 percent). Although the injury severity (a numerical score of multiple factors) of those injured by police did not differ from the comparison group, the number of spine and back injuries is disturbing, Friedman said, because such injuries "indicate that the person was already on the ground face-down or turned away from the officer when they occurred." Equally troubling, the researchers also found that only 10 percent of the people injured by law enforcement were sent to jail after being discharged from a hospital. "While we didn't have information on any associated excessive-use-of-force claims by patients, the fact that these people weren't arrested or taken into custody after being discharged -- in combination with the severity of the clinical features -- indicates that many of the patient injuries resulted from excessive force," Friedman said. "But it is important to distinguish between excessive force and unjustified force, since excessive force can be mitigated by providing law enforcement personnel with the tools and training that minimize both lethality and severity of injury," he added. The researchers found that of those injured by encounters with law enforcement, nearly 40 percent had psychiatric conditions that can impair judgment, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance abuse or major depressive disorder. These mental disorders were 2.3 times more prevalent among people injured by a law enforcement officer than among those injured by a general assault. The researchers also noted that a disproportionate number of persons with pre-existing paralytic disorders were among those injured during contact with law enforcement. "These are people who would be unable to physically comply with police officer commands to lay on the ground or put their hands up or defend themselves when force is used," Friedman said. About 3.5 percent of injuries caused by encounters with cops involved people with paralytic injuries compared to 1.3 percent in the comparison group. "The issue of excessive use of force by police officers is difficult to research, because there are no policy directives that require publicly accessible repositories for such information, such as those that mandate reporting of child or elder abuse," Friedman said. "This kind of data should be compiled, analyzed and publicly distributed on an annual basis in an effort to identify ways to reduce injuries -- as is done in Australia." Schizophrenia is a mysterious and devastating disorder that afflicts one percent of the adult population worldwide. Its symptoms hallucinations, emotional withdrawal, and cognitive impairment are chronic and typically emerge just as individuals are entering adulthood. Today's medications treat just one of these symptoms (psychosis); treatments for the underlying disease and its many other symptoms have been hard to develop, because no one really understands what causes the disorder. During the past decade, scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and elsewhere conducted large-scale genome-wide association studies uncovering more than 100 regions of the genome in which genetic variation associates with risk of schizophrenia. One of these regions emerged as containing the strongest genetic influence on the disorder; it was particularly intriguing because it contained hundreds of genes with roles in the immune system. But it was unknown which gene or genes, and therefore which biological processes, gave rise to the genetic signal. "The mystery has been, what aspect of human biology generates this strong genetic effect?" said Steven McCarroll, director of genetics for the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at Broad Institute and an associate professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School who studies how genome variation shapes human biology. "These have been challenging problems to solve because they require new combinations of genetics, biology, and math." Reporting in Nature, McCarroll and his collaborators describe a solution to this mystery. The result of scientific creativity, close collaborations, and transformative funding at the Stanley Center, the bold effort revealed that the signal results from a previously unsuspected gene for an immune protein that has another job in the brain: mediating a critical process by which connections between neurons are eliminated in the developing brain. The finding offers novel insights that may reignite schizophrenia research by implicating specific molecules and cellular events in this disorder for the first time. Solving a genetic mystery with a new analytical playbook McCarroll and members of his lab several years ago set out to unravel what had seemed to be an intractable problem. The perplexing genetic signal lay in a region of the genome known as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) locus, which is densely packed with hundreds of highly variable genes, many of which have immune functions. Researchers had previously suspected that the responsible genes were likely in the category of "HLA" genes, which help the immune system identify invading viruses and bacteria. McCarroll's group, however, noticed clues that pointed to the genes for a different set of immune factors known as complement components a collection of molecules long known to mark pathogens for destruction by immune cells, and more recently found to similarly mark synapses, the connections between cells in the brain, for elimination. Scientists had previously observed reduced numbers of synapses in brain tissue from deceased patients with schizophrenia, and patients often exhibit thinning of the outer layer of the brain (cortex) due to loss of synapses. The genetic signal harbored unusually complicated mathematical patterns of association to disease risk, so traditional means of uncovering causal genes were not working. "That's why we started to think about unconventional kinds of genetic variation," said McCarroll. Instead of an HLA gene within the MHC region, the group zeroed in on the complement component 4 (C4) genes, which appeared to show a dizzyingly complex form of variation that had been studied, but not yet been well characterized as they related to surrounding genetic variation in the context of large sample sizes, making them a rare blank spot on increasingly complete maps of the human genome. Different people's genomes appeared to have widely different numbers of copies of these genes, and to have different forms (C4A and C4B). The challenge was that no methods existed to measure this type of variation. So Aswin Sekar, an M.D./Ph.D. student in McCarroll's lab, began designing molecular experiments to do so. Sekar, who was at the time just 24 years old and beginning graduate school, took on a big challenge a problem that had daunted human geneticists for years. "Back in 2011, I remember thinking that this was a pretty risky project," said Sekar. His advisor McCarroll reassured him that even if C4 didn't influence schizophrenia, the new research tools would be hugely valuable for other scientists, providing ways to analyze hundreds of other genes in the genome that harbor similarly complex kinds of variation. Sekar began by decoding what C4 "structures" combinations of C4A and C4B genes people have. He found more than a dozen different forms of this part of the genome. Some common forms, for example, have many C4A genes; others have only C4B genes; others have both. The genes were so variable that any two individuals were unlikely to have the same form. Sekar and his colleagues in McCarroll's lab showed that this variation profoundly affected how much C4A and C4B protein is produced in different individuals' brains. The key question was whether such variation shaped risk for schizophrenia. Scientists had recently pooled genetic data from nearly 37,000 schizophrenia patients and 113,000 controls from 20 countries (PGC, 2014). These data tracked only simpler forms of genetic variation single-letter DNA changes known as SNPs and not the more complex structural variants Sekar was finding at C4. But Sekar noticed that humans who shared a C4 structure tended also to share the SNPs around that structure a relationship that reflects having inherited the whole segment from the same shared ancestor. He built a map of these relationships, defining "molecular barcodes" from the SNP patterns with which he could infer C4 structural forms. The map allowed the team to take advantage of SNP data in giant datasets from research around the world. "That turned a molecular biology problem into a big-data problem," said McCarroll. The pattern they observed was striking: the more any C4 variant promoted higher expression (activity) of C4A in brain tissues, the more common it appeared to be among schizophrenia patients. Further, the structural form of C4, rather than the pattern of SNPs surrounding it (there are many "barcodes" for each form of C4), determined its level of risk, offering strong evidence that structural variation in the C4 gene is in fact what gives rise to disease risk. In an additional test, they confirmed that the C4 gene was indeed more active in brain tissue from people with schizophrenia than in brain tissue from unaffected controls. The data indicate that C4 underlies the complex signal at the MHC locus, an achievement made possible by the intrepid efforts of Sekar. "He was a really brave graduate student who thought differently about data that everyone in the field had been looking at for a long time," said McCarroll. "He didn't care that there wasn't a playbook for doing this. He said, 'Let's write one,' and that allowed him to solve the problem." Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today With new clues about C4, the researchers were eager to explore the role of this immune molecule in the brain. Luckily, they found help in their own neighborhood. An immune molecule's new role in the brain In a Boston Children's Hospital lab around the corner from McCarroll's lab, neuroscientist Beth Stevens studies the role of immune molecules in the developing brain and in disease. Although she didn't study C4, Stevens had found that other complement factors mediate synaptic pruning in the mouse visual system during development, in a role similar to, but distinct from, the one they play in the immune system. Outside the central nervous system, these molecules help contain infection by tagging bacteria for removal by "phagocytic" cells cells that are good at swallowing other cells and debris. In the brain, complement proteins tag synapses for removal by microglial cells, helping to shape neuronal circuits in the developing brain. After discussing the preliminary C4 findings over coffee, McCarroll and Stevens began a close collaboration that continues today. "There had been a long-standing hunch that pruning was involved in schizophrenia, but it could never be formally tested until we had the genetic data on C4," said Stevens, also an institute member of the Broad and assistant professor of neurology at Children's. The researchers first found that the C4 protein is present in human neurons and that it localizes to synapses, putting it in the right place to mediate pruning. But it was still unknown if C4 determined how many synapses are pruned. The group again found expertise and collaboration in their own neighborhood. Mike Carroll, a professor at Harvard Medical School and researcher at Children's, had made many earlier discoveries about roles of C4 in the immune system and had developed mice that lacked the C4 gene. Researchers from the three labs worked closely together to study these mice, finding that mice lacking the C4 gene undergo reduced levels of synaptic pruning. The results provide direct evidence that C4 plays a key role in this process in the developing brain. The C4 findings reinforce the growing understanding that elements of the immune system are not necessarily in the brain because of injury or infection, but as part of normal developmental processes. "The same proteins are doing one thing in the periphery for immunity, and another thing in the brain," said McCarroll. "It's a clever way nature reuses the same molecules for different jobs." The findings suggest that excessive complement activity and very likely, excessive or prolonged synaptic pruning is a key event in the development of schizophrenia, which could explain the loss of synapses observed in the brains of patients. The findings may also address another longstanding mystery about schizophrenia, its tendency to appear in late adolescence and early adulthood. Because cortical regions of the brain normally undergo intense synapse elimination at this age, this mechanism may also explain why symptoms seem to appear then. Testing those hypotheses will keep McCarroll, Stevens, and Carroll busy for years to come. The scientists aim to develop mouse models based on the human C4 variants, to explore the role of C4 in pruning in the human brain, and to test whether pruning plays a role in other neurological disorders. A risky scientific bet pays off In addition to offering unprecedented insight into the causes of schizophrenia, the results offer exciting therapeutic possibilities. C4 or another molecule involved in synaptic pruning could one day be a therapeutic target or used diagnostically as a biomarker for schizophrenia; in principle, such approaches might address a root cause of schizophrenia rather than a single symptom, as today's drugs do. Moreover, researchers will not need to start from scratch: because of the complement pathway's well-known role in the immune system, they can build on years of earlier work. "This study is exciting because it's opened up new avenues of research for our labs and others," said Stevens, who credits much of the effort's success to collaborative opportunities within the Stanley Center. "The teamwork has been really fun. That's what science should be like. That's why we do what we do." Stanley Center Director Steven Hyman explained that catalytic and generous funding from the late Ted and Vada Stanley in support of psychiatric research has enabled the scientists to embark on this bold effort without waiting for funding from traditional sources. "Through philanthropy, we are able to take bets on risky science with potentially transformative results," Hyman said. The effort's success illustrates the power of genomic analysis to reveal biological insight, McCarroll explained. "Our hope has always been that through genetics, we'd find true drivers of schizophrenia, and not just of one symptom," he said. "It's exciting to think about the possibility that we might one day address therapies to this pathway, because that would be a truly novel way to treat or prevent the illness." DNA damage can lead to gene inactivation or deregulation and cause various diseases such as cancer; however, many DNA repair mechanisms allow cells to survive against such damage. A study lead by Antoine Simoneau of the laboratory of Dr. Hugo Wurtele, a researcher in immunology-oncology at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (CIUSS de l'Est-de-l'Ile-de-Montreal) and professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, and recently published in the prestigious journal Nucleic Acids Research, provides valuable information about certain mechanisms governing DNA repair. The study is a collaboration between several institutions and opens the way to better understand the mechanisms of action of drugs that prevent cancer cell growth. The study To adapt to the small size of cell nuclei, DNA wraps around proteins called histones to form chromatin. Cells can chemically modify histones so as to change chromatin structure and thereby control the various functions of DNA. Recent research has shown that new drugs that inhibit histone deacetylases (HDACs), which affect chromatin, are promising for cancer treatment. The study by Dr. Wurtele's research team and collaborators used yeast as a model system to understand, at a molecular level, the mechanisms that influence cell growth in the presence of a particular class of HDACs. The experiments demonstrate that Class III HDACs, which influence various cellular processes involved in carcinogenesis and response to chemotherapy agents, strongly block cell proliferation by preventing the normal functioning of various factors involved in the response to DNA damage spontaneously generated by cellular metabolism. "This basic research allows for a better understanding of the overall effects of HDAC inhibitors on cells and can eventually lead to an optimization of their clinical use," said Dr. Wurtele. These findings will guide future research at Dr. Wurtele's laboratory to determine how this new class of drugs inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Paris Hilton Looks Like a Diwali Pataka As She Decks Up In Bright Red Jumpsuit In Mumbai; See Pics Lahore police provided copy of original FIR of the killing of Saunders in 1928 to the petitioner on the court's order. (Photo: PTI) Lahore: A Pakistani court will finally hear from Wednesday a petition to prove the innocence of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in the murder case of a British police officer, nearly 85 years after his execution by the colonial government. Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice Ijazul Ahsan constituted a division bench headed by justice Khalid Mahmood Khan to hear the case from February 3. The petition was last heard by justice Shujaat Ali Khan in May 2013, when he referred the matter to the chief justice for the constitution of a larger bench. Advocate Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi, chairman of the Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation, had in November filed a plea in the LHC for early hearing of the matter. In the petition, Qureshi said Bhagat Singh was a freedom fighter and fought for independence of undivided India. The case was filed against Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru for allegedly killing British police officer John P Saunders. Singh was hanged by British rulers on March 23, 1931 at the age of 23, after being tried under charges for hatching a conspiracy against the colonial government. He said Singh was initially jailed for life but later awarded death sentence in another "fabricated case". The petitioner further said Bhagat Singh is respected even today in the subcontinent not only by Sikhs but also Muslims as the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah twice paid tribute to him. "It is a matter of national importance and should be fixed before a full bench," he said and pleaded the court to set aside the sentence of Singh by exercising principles of review and order the government to honour him with state award. In 2014, Lahore police provided the copy of the original FIR of the killing of Saunders in 1928 to the petitioner on the court's order. Singh's name was not mentioned in the First Information Report of the murder of Saunders for which he was handed down death sentence. Eighty three years after Singh's hanging, Lahore police searched through the record of the Anarkali police station on court's order and managed to find the FIR of the murder of Saunders. Written in Urdu, the FIR was registered with the Anarkali police station on December 17, 1928 at 4.30pm against two 'unknown gunmen'. The case was registered under sections 302, 1201 and 109 of Indian Penal Code. Petitioner Qureshi said special judges of the tribunal handling Singh's case awarded death sentence to him without hearing the 450 witnesses in the case. Singh's lawyers were not given the opportunity of cross-questioning them, he said. "I will establish Bhagat Singh's innocence in the Saunders case," Qureshi said. erman goalkeeper Jens Lehmann looks after the ball as Italy's Fabio Grosso, not seen, scores the first goal in the extra time. (Photo: AP) Moruga man killed in crash According to police reports at about 5 am, Dover was driving a grey Nissan Primera along the Moruga Main Road in the vicinity of Cachipe Village, when a white Nissan Tiida attempted to overtake. Reports are Dover lost control of his vehicle which crashed into a lightpole. The impact caused the vehicle to spin several times before overturning. James, a back seat passenger, was killed instantly. An unconscious Dover was rushed to the Princes Town Health Facility and later transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital. The two other passengers were treated for minor injuries. When Sunday Newsday visited the family home in La Lune Village, Moruga relatives wept as they consoled each other. James grandmother Jestina James, 65, said news of her grandsons death had devastated the family. I was at home when I got the phone call my grandson was in an accident. I held my head and screamed. I could not believe it...I still cannot believe it, she said. James said she was aware her grandson went out Friday night to watch stick fighting. I was expecting to see him today (Saturday), but this is the news I got. It is really hard for us. Nearly nine years ago, she said, Veston lost his father Trevor James in a freak accident. His father was electrocuted while working in Port-of- Spain and this was hard on everyone, now Veston is gone, oh gosh I cant believe it, the elderly woman cried. My grandson had no chance of survival from what I heard. His body was almost cut in half in the wreck. He was brought out almost in pieces, the emotional woman said. James earned a living as a fisherman. He was hardworking and when his father died, he worked to provide for his siblings. Now things are going to get harder, she said. At the nearby village in Marac Village, close friends of Dover said that they were praying for her full recovery. An autopsy on James body is expected to be performed tomorrow at the Forensic Science Centre. Investigations are continuing. Drone no-fly zones in effect The Ministry also said the shining of laser lights during aircraft landing or taking off is strictly prohibited by law and, persons caught so doing will be arrested and may be prosecuted in the courts. In a statement, the Ministry said it has been made aware that drones, are being used in a manner that can cause danger to persons and property and may invade the privacy of persons. In advising call members of the public, including all visitors, to exercise caution and avoid operating such devices over public buildings and spaces, the Ministry indicated that certain areas in the country are designated as no fly zones in keeping with the TT Civil Aviation Act. The public is strongly encouraged to avoid operating drones in those areas as they may cause harm and injury to authorised users within the zones. These No Fly Zones will be published in the media for the information of the public, the ministry said. Calling on all persons owning or operating drones to have them registered, the Ministry said, drones should not be operated in any open air function or mass public gathering; should not be flown at a height greater than 121 metres or 400 feet above the ground; should not be operated in a manner that may endanger persons or property and should not be operated within five kilometres from any manned aircraft operations including the boundary of the Piarco International and ANR Robinson International Airports. Laventilles good REASON Called Project REASON, an acronym for Resolve Enmity Articulate Solutions Organised Neighbourhoods, Greaves said the programme, which came on stream six months ago, has already yielded significant results. It has been extremely successful, he told Sunday Newsday. Greaves claimed that persons affiliated to Project REASON were able to prevent the deaths of three taxi drivers in Laventille, days after the shooting death of teenagers Mark Richards and De-Neilson Smith. One of the gangs in the community took three taxi drivers to execute them and we were able to stop that, he said, lamenting that such positive developments rarely made the news. Greaves, a consultant with Project REASON and the Police Service, described as nonsense, last weeks killing of the two Success Laventille Secondary schoolboys. They were just the victims of young men with guns looking for targets, he said. There was no motive. They died because of where they lived and were targets of opportunity. They were not involved in any gangs and that is the tragedy of the war. Greaves, who has worked extensively with young, African males in Laventille and its environs, over the years, said Smith and Richards had perhaps inherited the war from generations before. The war is being driven by blood, hate and vengeance and they are targeting innocent people. That causes more pain, he said. Greaves claimed that several of the gang leaders in Laventille have condemned the killing. Even the gangs have told me that the persons who killed the two boys had gone too far, he said. Greaves said several civic-minded bodies, such as the Rose Foundation and the Hearts and Minds initiative, have pledged their support for Project REASON. Many idle and delinquent youths, he said, also have indicated an interest in learning a trade and becoming employable. Greaves said the organisation offers classes in literacy, life skills, civics, religious instruction, sustainable development among other areas. Patterned after an anti-crime model which has been implemented successfully in Chicago, United States and other countries, Greaves said Project REASON employed a public health approach to addressing violence. The methodology has been used in societies where they do not get the desired effects from normal methods in criminal justice, he said. However, Greaves said Project REASON has been tweaked specifically to address the crime problem in Laventille and surrounding areas Saeed made an appearance on a talk show on Channel 24 on January 27 (Photo: AFP) Lahore: Notwithstanding Pakistan government's ban on the media coverage of militant groups like the JuD and LeT, Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has appeared on a private Pakistani channel's talk show. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on November 2 had restrained all Pakistani television channels from "all kinds of coverage" of the JuD, its front Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF)and about 60 other proscribed organisations and their leaders. Saeed made an appearance on a talk show on Channel 24 on January 27. He glorified his organisation's "public welfare" works and talked about how India and the US were "pressuring" the Pakistani government to take action against organisations like the JuD and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Saeed, in reference to the Pathankot terror attack, dismissed the suggestion that the government was "patronising" some "non-state actors and banned organisations". A PEMRA official said that a notice to the channel would be issued for the violation of the directive. "We had warned the electronic media that in case of non-compliance (to the directive), we will take legal action -- imposition of fine or suspension or cancellation of licence," the PEMRA official said. The PEMRA notification banned all TV channels and FM radio from coverage of banned groups including LeT, JuD and FIF under UN restriction. The UN declared JuD a terror organisation and also individually designated Saeed as a terrorist in December 2008. The US has already put USD 10 million bounty on his head. Saeed, who orchestrated the November, 2008, Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed, roams around freely in Pakistan despite being a designated terrorist and has made many anti-India remarks and speeches. Believe It or Not, Some World Leaders Lasted Just Minutes Don't you think it is a bit risky to assume what someone thinks and why? You better stick with your own thoughts instead of guessing about mine. I really don't care that much about the founding fathers, because they were only humans just like us and they did not know everything. However, they are the product of the Enlightenment, which occurred because of discovering ancient Greek and Roman documents and a total fascination with Egypt and lost knowledge. That is what we have to turn to understand democracy, not just a US document written by a handful of humans. They made some serious errors as humans do. Tocqueville spoke of some of them in 1830 like the military and government being too close. More important to understanding the moment is knowledge of the Prussians and Germans, and understanding that Bush's and Hitler's New World Order and Eisenhower's Military Industrial Complex are the same thing. This is best when it goes with knowledge of mineral resources and the most likely destiny of nations based on the nation's mineral resources. I wouldn't be here if I didn't enjoy arguments that motivate me to get more information and improve my own agruments, but please, use your thoughts and don't attempt to guess what mine is. Explain The global presence of multinational industries like Monsanto and Halliburton do not equal the industrial base upon which millions of families need to depend. These multinational companies depend on the military force that is the burden of common folks who pay taxes, and the value of the dollar that our consumer populations supports as we go deeper in debt. These multinational companies that depend on us, are the 1% that now owns not only most of our national wealth but increasingly the wealth of the world, and bring upon us things like the attack on the Military Industrial Complex we know as the World Trade Organization and Pentagon and their tie with our government. Greenspan and indeed most economist support and economic growth that is hurting not only US citizens but farmers and communities around the world, and all those places where mining and oil operations are exploiting resources while leaving the people with a destroyed environment, pollution that is a serious health problem and poverty. What we did to the Appalachia's we are doing around the world and this is not good for the average citizen any where, and we are paying through the nose in debt and taxes for their benefit, while they laugh at our naivety. "Oh Bermie, really cares about us". I want to throw up! Yes, I am sure Bernie really cares about us, and so does Obama. Three whoopies. Unless we realize what has happened and where the power has been put, and figure out a way to unite and come to some basic agreements, it doesn't matter how much a president likes us. One more thing, Roosevelt strongly was in favor of the average person and meant well when he worked with Hoover to give our government new powers. At the time, some warned giving government these new powers was a dangerous thing. They pointed out in the hands of Roosevelt great things could be done for the average citizen, but in the hands of future presidents, we could regret our government having these new powers. Their warning has proven serious problem for us. Fascism began in Italy as an economic system to benefit workers. It now sooner was in place when industry took the seats of power and these new government powers proved to be a nightmare for the worker. Hum, they didn't have the Prussians expertise in organization. But now we have it all. (Newser) During some three decades with Justice Department, Eli Rosenbaum has earned a well-deserved reputation as a Nazi hunter. He has worked on 137 cases involving suspected Nazis, and in all but 30 of them, the accused lost citizenship or was deported. Now, CNN reports, just a single active case remains. But when it comes to Jakiw Palij, who lives in Queens, NY, deportation isnt likely. In fact, a federal judge ordered the 92-year-old deported in 2004, but the European countries he could be sent to won't take him. Palij, CNN notes, will likely die here. "What Mr. Palij did prevented other people from reaching old age," says Rosenbaum, who now also oversees more recent war-related crimes as the DOJ's director of Human Rights Enforcement Strategy and Policy. Palij is accused of being a guard at the Trawniki death camp in German-occupied Poland"in the end," Rosenbaum says, "everyone who was held there was massacred." Palij, who, per the New York Times, came to the US in 1949 as a refugee using falsified immigration papers, has denied any wrongdoing. In 2003, he told the Times that the Nazis coerced him into service patrolling bridges and roads at night. "We knew they would kill me and my family if I refused," he says. "I did it to save their lives, and I never even wore a Nazi uniform." The founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center downplayed that line of argument: "To work at those camps, you had to be eager to be there. They only took people they knew were loyal and brutal and not sympathetic to pleas of the inmates." In a 2013 interview with NPR, Rosenbaum described questioning the suspects about their alleged Nazi pasts as "surreal ... these people look close to harmless." (Joseph Goebbels' "love nest" is proving to be a tough sell for Berlin.) (Newser) A triple bombing claimed by ISIS killed at least 45 people near the Syrian capital of Damascus on Sunday, overshadowing an already shaky start to what are meant to be indirect Syria peace talks. Syria's state news agency SANA said that the blasts went off in Sayyda Zeinab, a predominantly Shiite Muslim suburb of the Syrian capital. SANA said attackers detonated a car bomb at a bus stop and that two suicide bombers set off more explosives as rescuers rushed to the area. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition group that monitors both sides of the conflict, said at least 47 people were killed in the explosions, and that the death toll was expected to rise because a number of people were seriously wounded. The Geneva talks are part of a process outlined in last month's UN resolution that envisions an 18-month timetable for a political transition in Syria, including a new constitution and elections. The talks got off to a rocky start Friday, with UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura meeting only with a Syrian government delegation. The main opposition group said it will not take part until its demands are met, including lifting the siege imposed on rebel-held areas and an end to Russian and Syrian airstrikes. "It's the duty of the Security Council to put the pressure on Russia to stop these crimes in Syria," opposition spokesman Salem al-Mislet told the AP on Sunday. The opposition delegation is to meet with de Mistura later Sunday, al-Mislet said. Meanwhile, a Syrian official said President Bashar al-Assad's government will "never accept" the inclusion in the peace talks of two militant groups it considers terrorists. (Read more Syria stories.) (Newser) A romance that enchanted Russia may be over: As the AP reports, Timur the goat and Amur the tiger have had a fight and aren't together anymore. In November, the goat was placed in the tiger's compound in a wildlife park near Vladivostok with the expectation that the big cat would eventually kill and eat him. But the two not only tolerated each other, they appeared to become friends. The odd couple became a popular topic on social media, and T-shirts celebrating them went on sale. But Timur started pushing it, constantly annoying and butting the tiger. "Finally, the tiger couldn't hold back, grabbed the goat by the withers and tossed him," park director Dmitry Mezentsev told state news agency Tass on Friday. "We decided to put them in different enclosures for a while," he said. But the split certainly isn't without its humor: "Timur is currently in good health, he says hi and promises to be less cocky from now on and advises other goats to keep it smart," Mezentsev says, per RT, which has video and a still-by-still breakdown of the goat getting the tiger's, er, goat. (Read more strange stuff stories.) (Newser) Doris Payne exudes an effortless elegance, her white hair neatly smoothed back and gold hoops dangling from her ears. She speaks calmly and deliberately, inspiring the kind of trust that would ease any jewelry store employee eager to make a high-dollar sale. And that's exactly how cops say the 85-year-old has managed to walk off with pricey jewels in countless thefts around the world over six decades. Asked about her exploits, she speaks in broad terms laced with insinuation, refusing to give specifics of how she selects a target or what she says. "I don't dictate what happens when I walk in the store. The people in charge dictate what happens with me when I walk in the store," Payne recently told the AP. "I don't tell a person in the store I want to see something that costs $10,000. They make those decisions based on how I present myself and how I look." Asked about jewelry she's said to have stolen, Payne interrupts the question. "I've never, ever walked out of a jewelry store with a piece of stolen merchandise in my purse, in my pocket," she said. "Never. I've never, ever concealed." Police would dispute her claim. She was arrested in October and accused of pocketing a $690 pair of earrings from a Christian Dior boutique in a Saks Fifth Avenue department store in Atlanta. Payne was raised in West Virginia and moved with her family to Ohio when she was a teenager. After high school, she worked in a nursing home on and off for about four years. That's the only "real job" she ever had. "I could have been more than what I was," she said. "I'm aware of that." Asked to describe what she's been in her life, she's quick to answer: "I was a thief. You know that," she said with a chuckle. The legend of Payne's thefts have long fascinated the public and media. And while she said she doesn't have an ego, she wouldn't mind seeing a movie made about her life. Her pick to star: Kerry Washington from Scandal. "If it should happen, I hope I'm around long enough to make sure it happens right," she said. "I know what I've done. I'm not too ashamed of it." (Read more jewelry theft stories.) (Newser) Indonesian authorities arrested a woman Saturday for allegedly lacing her friend's coffee with a lethal does of cyanide, Australia's News Network reports. Investigators say Jessica Kumala, 27, arrived early at a cafe in central Jakarta and ordered an iced coffee for friend Wayan Mirna Salihin, 27who soon showed up to join Kumala and a friend. Mirna apparently took a sip, complained it tasted bad, fell over convulsing, and later died at a hospital. "Jessicas statement is highly inconsistent with the facts we have gathered," says chief detective Krishna Murti. He added that police have assembled 20 witness statements and re-enacted the crime. "We can ignore the suspect's testimony in this case according to the Criminal Code," he tells the Jakarta Post. But Kumala reiterated her innocence this week after being grilled by police for the fifth time, the Jakarta Globe reports. "I do not know where the cyanide came from," she says. "I just want to help police and Mirna's family reveal who was behind all of this." Her uncle and lawyer, Yudi Wibowo, says his niece is innocent and doubts Mirna died from cyanide poisoning. He adds that Mirna tasted the coffee herself, something Kumala denies: "I suffer from a stomach disorder and the coffee is too strong, thus I did not taste it," she says. Wibowo also denied rumors that his niece was having an affair with Mirna's new husband. Mirna and Kumala had studied together in Australia, apparently at a college of design in Sydney. (Read more murder stories.) Following the Middle East crisis which resulted in the massive influx of refugees into the shores of Europe, a number of European nations have already taken drastic steps to stem an unprecedented flooding of asylum seekers and migrants. Millions of desperate people mostly from war-torn countries in the Middle East has created a socio-political nightmare for European policymakers. Despite the impending dangers, migrants appear undeterred as they swarm the borders of Europe. Because of the crisis, Merkel-led Germany mulled on changing its refugee policy by toughening rules on asylum application as Finland and Sweden move to expel tens of thousands of refugees. The refugee open-arms policy of various European countries are currently being re-examined in the light of growing migrant crisis which took Europe in extreme surprise. Sweden announced mass deportations in the coming years. According to BBC, Sweden posted the highest per capita number of asylum seekers with 163, 000 migrants hoping to have their application granted. But the government insisted that they could not accept beyond their limited resources. "We are talking about 60,000 people but the number could climb to 80,000." said Swedish Interior Minister Anders Ygeman on the estimated number of expulsions his country is planning to do as quoted by The Guardian. Sharing a similar sentiment with Sweden, Finland, another Nordic country, is bent on deporting 20, 000 migrants back to their homeland. "In principle we speak of about two thirds, meaning approximately 65 per cent of the 32,000 [that arrived in 2015] will get a negative decision [on their asylum applications]," remarked Paivi Nerg, the administrative director of the Finnish Interior Ministry as mentioned in a report by ABC. New Delhi : In a tragic incident at Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj, a 6-year-old boy was found dead in a water reservoir of the school on Saturday afternoon. According to initial investigation, the boy went missing from the class after 6th period and his body was later found floating in the tank under the ampitheatre by a school electrician. A case has been registered against unknown persons under IPC section 304A for causing death by negligence. Police has also not ruled out the possibility of murder and have ordered a magisterial probe in the incident. The teachers informed that the boy, Devansh, disappeared all of a sudden around 11.30am but was soon found playing near the class but again went missing around 12.20pm. This alerted the teachers who went searching for the missing child. Then one of the school's electricians noticed the door of the underground room open and found the body of the child floating in it. He was immediately rushed to the nearby Indian Spinal Injuries Centre where he was declared dead by the doctors. Police was called in at the spot. Devanshs parents work as paramedic staff at AIIMS and live in south Delhi's Sultanpur locality, near Mehrauli. His father, Ramhet Meena, who works in the radiology department of AIIMS, alleged a conspiracy, claiming that someone from the school was behind the incident. The incident happened just three days after another Class I student, a four-year-old boy, died after falling in a septic tank in his school run by the corporation in southwest Delhi's Kapashera area. Two deaths in a week have raised emergencies regarding security of children in Delhi schools. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: As the nation mourned Bapus 30th death annivesary, there was an outfit known as 'Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha' which 'celebrated' the day. The organisation, which is a radical right wing organisation, danced on Bollywood songs and distributed sweets outside its office in UPs Meerut. As per a report published in national English daily, the top officials of the organisation said that the day is like a festival for them. The outfit also hailed Nathuram Godse at Mahatmas death anniversary. We celebrate the fact that this countrys hero Nathuram Godse eliminated Gandhi on this very day in 1948. Every year we distribute sweets, hire professional bands and invite people to dance to express our happiness at Gandhis killing, The Hindu quoted a senior official as saying. We do not believe in the idea of a secular Constitution. When India officially declares itself a Hindu Rashtra, Godse will be declared its hero and Mahatma Gandhis assassination would be declared a national festival, Sharma further added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Sabcat said: if all time is valued equally by the state the productive members of society will soon learn that the fruits of their labor favor the less productive more than it does them. this will lead to black market trade and sloth. Click to expand... RNG said: That there was a revolution is true. That it created some utopia that you envision is not. Click to expand... imaginethat said: "The model" included millions of deaths. "The model" was barbaric in its "efficiency." Click to expand... imaginethat said: How many times must I say exactly the same thing before it registers with you? I'm not saying until you agree with me, just, to have it register. Communism does not accommodate the inherent weaknesses, some call them "sins," that apparently are a product of the human genome. Of course, if one allows oneself the luxury of killing or imprisoning "defective people" who won't get with the efficiency program, well, that does open some possibilities most human being consider ... barbaric..... Click to expand... Well, for starters there wouldn't be a state in fully developed communism. But the point is that in it's upper phase there won't be any of these problems you speak of. This is because work time will be minimal, when people enjoy their labour more there won't be so many slackers. That is of course possible because of the abundance of goods available, which also allows each to receive according to their needs. Obviously this sounds like a hopeless fantasy to you. But keep in mind no Marxist ever claimed such an economy can be achieved on day one after the revolution, it's supposed to be something that just develops naturally in a system that is capable of meeting society's needs more accurately than capitalism. To debunk my claim on the nature of it's fully developed form you would have to start by convincing me that lower-phase communism is economically less efficient than capitalism, but obviously that's not something that can easily be done. I've been trying to avoid in-depth arguments ITT because I find them exhausting, but I'd be up for it if you have any good points to make.It created a better system, which is what I was trying to prove. And now that brings us right back to what I said on post #158.Yep. That's what I said.You've made it very clear several times that you believe communism contradicts human nature, I've just been trying to get you to back up this argument. I tried to wring an answer out of RNG while you were gone but eventually I realized I wasn't going to get one. To you guys communism is, in theory, better than capitalism and therefore it's impossible because people have flaws, no further explanation needed. With this in mind how exactly do you explain the dominance of democracy in our modern world? Your barebones non-argument against communism could apply to any system that isn't autocratic. New Delhi : The Modi governments vision of creating 100 smart cities will require an investment of over USD 150 billion over the next few years with private sector being a significant contributor, says a report. According to Deloitte, nearly USD 120 billion will come from the private sector. The government has already initiated two programmes with an initial outlay of USD 7.513 billion for Smart Cities Mission and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation of Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for the upgradation of 500 existing cities. Even as funding for these smart cities is an area of concern, the major challenges remain with respect to the development of smart cities project management, government decision making and policy and regulatory framework, Deloitte India Senior Director PN Sudarshan said. The government recently announced the list of first 20 cities to be developed as smart cities with Bhubaneswar topping the list followed by Pune, Jaipur, Surat, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Jabalpur, Vishakapatnam, Sholapur, Davangere, Indore, New Delhi, Coimbatore, Kakinada, Belagavi, Udaipur, Guwahati, Chennai, Ludhiana and Bhopal. While several cities have made incremental investments in smart solutions, the challenge will be to replicate these on a larger scale, he said. According to the study, in 2016, service providers and over-the-top content providers will invest heavily in city-wide Wi-Fi networks which will be the back-bone for smart city services. As smart solutions are heavily dependent on ICT, service providers will play a significant role in smart cities. In 2016, service providers will participate in (and lead in many cases) consortiums for responding to RFPs for smart/digital solutions for various city and state governments, Sudarshan said. Reliance Jio is likely to roll out Wi-Fi services across over 50 cities in 2016. Similarly, Bharti and Vodafone are deploying Wi-Fi through a joint venture company, Firefly. Facebook is working with BSNL to deploy Wi-Fi in 100 areas in rural India, while Google has announced a partnership with the railways to provide hotspots in 400 railway stations by 2016. Over the next 10-15 years, these cities will emerge as key technology, economic, and social hubs for the country. We believe that service providers that expect to be serious players in smart cities will take a center-forward position in leading consortiums in the development of smart cities, he added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: After 4G technology, its time for 5G. A new report from 'The Guardian' reveals that Google is testing out millimetre wave technology for high-speed Internet access. Google's plan appears much different, however. First off, it's conducting its tests in secretunder the alleged codename of "SkyBender". The main difficulty in launching 5G transmissions have a working range that's much, much less than today's 4G transmissions. Yesterday a report emerged that Apple is also trying to work on virtual reality. The report says that there is a team which is constituted by highly intellect techies, is working for the project. Berne/New Delhi: As the fight against black money continues, Switzerland has said cooperation with India on tax matters has made significant progress with regular contacts between officials from the two sides. India and Switzerland have been working closely on mutual administrative assistance on tax matters and both sides have expressed their willingness to step up the cooperation. Swiss government has said there has been a regular dialogue at various levels since 2014. These dialogues have contributed to better understanding and significant progress in cooperation on tax matters, the European nation said in the latest report on international financial and tax matters. When it comes to cooperation on tax matters, India is one of the four important partners for Switzerland. Other countries are the US, France and Italy. Prepared by the Swiss Federal Department of Finance, the report provides information on activities in the areas of financial market regulation, engagement in international financial bodies and international tax policy in 2015. It also gives an outlook on upcoming challenges. The report was approved by the Swiss Federal Council on January 27. Earlier this month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his Swiss counterpart Ueli Maurer had met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting at Davos. Separately, Jaitley and Maurer had told PTI that both the countries are willing to step up their cooperation on tax matters. Jaitley had said that Switzerland is extremely keen on greater cooperation in Indias fight against suspected black money stashed in Swiss banks. Maurer had said the countrys cooperation on tax matters with India in terms of sharing information on suspected black money cases would continue at a good level. On whether there could be a greater cooperation on information exchange in tax matters, Maurer had said: We have already agreed on more cooperation and this is working well and should continue. We will continue the cooperation at a good level. In recent months, Switzerland has disclosed names of over a dozen Indians about whom information has been sought by the Indian government amid suspicion that their Swiss bank accounts were being used for stashing illicit funds. Meanwhile, FDF has said the report shows Switzerland still has to overcome numerous challenges regarding international financial and tax matters. Switzerland should continue to have the best framework for a secure and competitive financial centre which should contribute significantly to the countrys prosperity in the future too, FDF noted. For all the Latest Business News, International News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba today took charge as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command (WNC) from Vice Admiral S P S Cheema at a ceremonial parade held here. Officers of the WNC accorded Vice Admiral Cheema a warm send-off with the traditional Pulling Out ceremony. Cheema retired after completing nearly four decades of service in the Navy. Calling the personnel who participated in the parade as his ship mates, Vice Admiral Cheema expressed his gratitude to all personnel of the command for their support and their dedicated efforts in the functioning of the command. Recounting his service, he said he has seen many changes in the Indian Navy in terms of technology, quality of manpower and resources. The spirit of enthusiasm, ability to face all odds and above all, a deep sense of patriotism has not changed among the men in uniform, he said. Vice Admiral Lanba, a specialist in Navigation and Direction and an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, has rich operational and staff experience of a career spanning more than three decades. He has served as Navigating Officer of INS Sindhudurg (Corvette) and INS Dunagiri (Frigate). During his illustrious service, he commanded four frontline warships, namely INS Kakinada (Minesweeper), INS Himgiri (Frigate), INS Ranvijay and INS Mumbai (Destroyers). He is an alumnus of the College of Defence Management, Secunderabad, where he also served as faculty. He has also held important staff assignments such as Fleet Operations Officer of Western Fleet and Chief of Staff of Southern Naval Command and Eastern Naval Command. He has also been the Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST), Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area, Commandant of National Defence College and Vice Chief of Naval Staff. He was Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command at Kochi, prior to being appointed to head the premier operational Command of the Indian Navy. Vice Admiral Lanba is a recipient of the Param Vishist Seva Medal and the Athi Vishist Seva Medal for distinguished service of an exceptionally high order. His wife Reena Lanba, who is a teacher, will now preside over the Navy Wives Welfare Association (Western Region). For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Serious security lapses were responsible for the deadly Taliban attack on the Bacha Khan University, a probe panel has found, recommending the removal of the Pakistani varsitys vice-chancellor and security chief. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwas provincial government had set up a three-member committee to probe the January 20 assault on the university - named after the iconic Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan - in Charsadda that killed 21 people, including 19 students. The committee held the universitys vice chancellor Fazal-ur-Rahim Marwat and security in-charge Ashfaq Ahmed responsible for serious lapses in the security management and recommended their removal. They were also held responsible by the committee for their failure to take any security aspect into consideration. The university leadership failed its students and employees at all levels, the committee said in its report. According to the report, though preventative security measures including observation posts were in place and CCTV cameras installed but there was no central control room for monitoring the cameras. The committee found that the cameras installed at the point from where the terrorists scaled the campus wall were facing the wrong direction. It said the security staff at the university were not trained and most of them were employed on daily wages. The committee filed its report based on oral and written statements of the staff, and also reviewed the available data and evidence. The attack revived memories of the horrific December, 2014 Taliban strike on an army-run school in the nearby city of Peshawar that killed 150 people, 144 of them children. Taliban militants have often threatened to target Pakistans educational institutions. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: President Barack Obama plans to visit a mosque near Baltimore on Wednesday to make a plea for tolerance and religious freedom, the White House said today. It will be Obamas first visit as president to an American mosquethough he visited a Jakarta mosque during a 2010 visitand comes at a time when American Muslims have reported a surge of anti-Muslim sentiment, linked partly to comments from Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. The president will travel to Maryland to visit the Islamic Society of Baltimore mosque to celebrate the contributions Muslim Americans make to our nation and reaffirm the importance of religious freedom, a White House official said. The mosque is in the city of Catonsville, just west of Baltimore. The official said Obama would meet with community members and then deliver remarks emphasising the importance of staying true to our core valueswelcoming our fellow Americans, speaking out against bigotry, rejecting indifference and protecting our nations tradition of religious freedom. Following the deadly attacks late last year in Paris and in San Bernardino, California, both linked to radical Muslims, Trump called for a temporary ban on all Muslims entering the country until we can figure out whats going on. He has also insisted that he saw television images of Muslims celebrating in New Jersey after the World Trade Center attacks in 2001 -- something no independent news source has been able to confirm. Amid anecdotal reports of increased attacks on Muslims and mosques, US faith leaders called for Obama to visit a mosque and make a high-profile appeal for tolerance, much as President George W Bush did when he visited the Islamic Cultural Center of Washington just days after the 2001 attacks and said, Islam is peace. The Islamic Society of Baltimore was established by a handful of families in 1969, according to its website. It has grown to include a school, a nursery and a health clinic. The website says the centre aspires to be the anchor of a growing Muslim community with diverse backgrounds, democratically governed, relating to one another with inclusiveness and tolerance. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Bum, a kitten from California looks worried all the time, blame it to her eyes, which indeed look beautiful. The kitten is actually super silly and happy creature according to Morman, his owner. He just has perpetually crossed eyes. Morman made the Instagram account worried_cat_aka_bum for her funny-faced cat, Bum. Since then his crazy worried eyes have been flying over the Internet. Bum and his four siblings came into Mormans place of work, the San Diego Humane Societys Kitten Nursery, the only program that provides 24-hour care underage kittens -- when he was 5 months old. According to his human, Bum is shy to new people but once he is open he is a love bug. Though his name is Bum, this little dude loves other cats, especially kittens. Morman also describes Bum as a goofy guy who likes to play with boxes and sleep on her face. But she is quick to admit thats hes also incredibly smart. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Members of the Kapu community seeking reservation are protesting against the government from some time. All of a sudden, the protest turned violent when they set the Ratnachal Express on fire, at Tuni railway station in Andhra Pradesh. Eight bogies of the Ratnachal Express were set on fire seeking inclusion in the Backward Class list. When Railway officials tried to stop protestors, they resorted to stone pelting, injuring few of them. Many trains have been delayed due to the fire. Even, two trains include Visakhapatnam-Kakinada passenger (train number 57256) and Visakhapatnam-Rajahmundry MEMU passenger (train number 67296) were cancelled. Last year, the Andhra Pradesh government announced to include Kapu community under Backward Classes category and set up of a panel to study the proportion of reservation. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Riyadh: Saudi authorities have arrested nine American citizens among 33 terror suspects rounded up over the past days, media reported today. Four Americans were arrested on Monday and five others over the past four days, the Saudi Gazette newspaper reported citing an unidentified source. The arrests also included 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, an Emirati, a Kazakhstan national and a Palestinian, the paper said. It did not say if any of the terror suspects was linked to the Islamic State group, which has claimed several deadly attacks against security forces and Shiites in the kingdom in recent months. On Friday, a suicide bomber attacked a Shiite mosque in Eastern Province killing four people before worshippers disarmed and tied up his accomplice who had fired on them. IS, a radical Sunni group that considers Shiites heretics, did not claim that attack. The Saudi Gazette said some 532 IS suspects accused of plotting attacks in the kingdom are being questioned ahead of their trial at the criminal court in Riyadh. They are members of six cells arrested in pre-emptive raids across the kingdom and include a Saudi woman and a Filipina, the paper said. Also today, the Saudi interior ministry said they were searching for nine suspects allegedly involved in an August suicide bombing that targeted a mosque inside a police headquarters, killing 15 people. IS had claimed the attack in the southern city of Abha. The ministry said in a statement that three other suspects, including a member of the kingdoms special forces, had been arrested in connection with the Abha mosque bombing. The oil-rich kingdom offered rewards between one million riyals (USD 276,000) and seven million riyals ($1.87 million) for anyone who helps in the arrest of a suspect or thwarts an attack. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Lahore: Notwithstanding Pakistan governments ban on the media coverage of militant groups like the JuD and LeT, Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has appeared on a private Pakistani channels talk show. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on November 2 had restrained all Pakistani television channels from all kinds of coverage of the JuD, its front Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF)and about 60 other proscribed organisations and their leaders. Saeed made an appearance on a talk show on Channel 24 on January 27. He glorified his organisations public welfare works and talked about how India and the US werepressuring the Pakistani government to take action against organisations like the JuD and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Saeed, in reference to the Pathankot terror attack, dismissed the suggestion that the government was patronising some non-state actors and banned organisations. A PEMRA official told PTI that a notice to the channel would be issued for the violation of the directive. We had warned the electronic media that in case of non-compliance (to the directive), we will take legal action -- imposition of fine or suspension or cancellation of licence, the PEMRA official said. The PEMRA notification banned all TV channels and FM radio from coverage of banned groups including LeT, JuD and FIF under UN restriction. The UN declared JuD a terror organisation and also individually designated Saeed as a terrorist in December 2008. The US has already put USD 10 million bounty on his head. Saeed, who orchestrated the November, 2008, Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed, roams around freely in Pakistan despite being a designated terrorist and has made many anti-India remarks and speeches. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Clara007 said: While I agree that the Muslim faith is certainly 'different', I simply can't abide generalizations. The minute I see a phrase that lumps millions of people into ONE category I step back and everyone else should also. There are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. They are not ALL murderers, suicide bombers, rapists or conquerors. I know several Muslims--taught Muslim children--worked with Muslim families/parents--one of my dear friends (WHO is a Christian) is married to a Muslim. They are beautiful people, hard working, intelligent, kind and loving. They have assimilated. They love this country. Your view is certainly currently pervasive but it is NOT fact. Click to expand... The belief that Muslims can integrate or that they want the same things that others want is fanaticism because it is not so. I quoted the article, but I see a problem with this:It should read: The belief thatMuslims can integrate or that they want the same things that others want is fanaticism because it is not so.The subject of Muslims and Islam, like practically every other subject today, has become politicized.The right thinks the left is horribly naive and ready to open the gates to anyone, and in doing so let terrorists into our country, a possibly fatal mistake.The left thinks the right is xenophobic, truly anti-American in their attitude towards immigration, believes that all Muslims are terrorists and that immigration should be shut down completely.Both sides have more than a grain of truth. However, as usual, the truth is a casualty, and wise action is arrested.A subset, who knows how large it is, of Muslims are devoted to jihad as commanded by Mohammed and the Quran. No amount of wishing or shaming will make this unfortunate fact disappear.I'm open to listen to what you consider the best way to handle this critical situation. Muslims consider the love for death as the proof of faith. The Quran says: then seek for death, if you are sincere.(Q.2:94) In another place Muhammad challenged the Jews to desire death in order to prove that they are truthful. Say: O ye that stand on Judaism! If ye think that ye are friends to Allah, to the exclusion of (other) men, then express your desire for Death, if ye are truthful. (Q.62:6) It is a mistake to project our own values on others. Muslims are very different people. They come from a parallel universe where nothing is what it is because everything is what it is not. They will never integrate, will never assimilate and as soon as they become strong they will subdue their hosts and kill them and rape their women as they did in Medina and virtually everywhere else they conquered, either through invasion or through immigration. The belief that Muslims can integrate or that they want the same things that others want is fanaticism because it is not so. It is prejudice because it is based on ignorance. And attacking those who know better is bigotry. This belief is a lie and is deadly. Bigotry. FAIRFIELD On any day, thousands of Connecticut children need to be given medication while in child care centers, but many providers dont know how to properly administer the medications, studies show. To change that equation, the Yale School of Nursing developed a curriculum and has trained 75 nurse consultants to teach child-care providers how to correctly give medication to children in their daily care. More than 200 providers have been trained statewide. We have made some steady progress on this, said Angela Crowley, a leader in crafting the curriculum and a professor and coordinator in the pediatric nurse practitioner specialty at Yale School of Nursing. It is really exciting because we did something really innovative. When MacKenzie Wilson and her husband, Ryan Sult, who live in Fairfield, chose a pre-school for their son with Type I Diabetes, the staff was willing to be trained about Type 1 Diabetes. Dylan, 2, has been on an insulin pump since last January and this past fall began attending Small to Tall Scholars preschool in Fairfield two days a week for three hours each day. They had no had experience with Type I Diabetes, Wilson said, but staff worked with a nurse consultant to learn how to check his blood sugar, be mindful of what he eats and act in case of an emergency. They worked out a schedule where the child care staff does not administer insulin to Dylan, though they now know how to if they must. The nurse consultant visits the center and meets with Dylan weekly, Wilson said. Theyve been really responsive; theyve been great to work with, she said. It makes me feel a lot better. Good start State law requires providers who need to administer medication be trained in how to do so, but there is no uniform training method used by all providers, Crowley said. The Yale curriculum was spurred in large part by a 2009 study by the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut (CHDI) that found one out of five child care centers in Connecticut lacked a provider trained in administering medications, and 40 percent of centers administered medications without a written order from a prescriber. Of the more than 110,000 children enrolled in licensed care centers, Head Start, and home-based child care programs statewide, 10 percent have diabetes, asthma, epilepsy or other health issues, according to CHDI. Of those, 85 percent need to receive medication while in a providers care. Some parents told focus groups leaders their children were not accepted into child care programs because they required medication, even though thats a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Crowley said. This is a huge concern, she said, adding providers need the tools to make informed decisions. When providers are given all the support they need, they really are very comfortable. They have a lot on their plate, caring for children, and they need support. Crowley said that having 75 nurse consultants trained in the curriculum is a good start, but more needs to be done to ensure all providers are educated. Yale School of Nursing is spearheading the ongoing effort to increase awareness and use of the curriculum, with funding from CHDI and the state departments of Education and Social Services. More children would benefit if the curriculum were wider spread, Crowley said, but additional funding is needed to expand training. To that end, CHDI and Yale are pushing for more state funding and urging the states Office of Early Childhood (OEC) to make the curriculum the departments preferred way all providers are trained, said CHDI President and CEO Judith Meyers. The curriculum is now optional. At this point, OEC is not taking that step, said department spokeswoman Diana Lejardi. The health and safety of children are bolstered by having their teachers and caregivers know how to properly administer medication, she said. While OEC is not currently considering requiring a specific training, we are looking closely at how to increase the availability of high-quality training, such as the one developed by Yale, to more nurse consultants across the state. Those who use a consultant can benefit greatly from the experience, said Patty OHanlon, director at Westville Community Nursery School in New Haven. Training hubs Last year, the center enrolled its first child with diabetes, she said. We were all really nervous about it because none of us really knew about diabetes and how life-threatening it can be, she said. The consultants training was extremely helpful and made the teachers feel a little more at ease, OHanlon said. Before the consultant was hired, the childs mother visited the school to explain to staff how medication should be administered. But that responsibility should not fall on parents, OHanlon said. In addition to endorsing the curriculum, CHDI recommends that state officials: Require at least one certified medication administration trainer be present in every state-licensed child care program during operating hours, as is required in some other states. Provide professional development scholarships to assist child care providers in getting trained. Provide state funding to support training hubs where staff with appropriate training can respond to questions from providers, coordinate training and keep the curriculum up to date. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (www.c-hit.org). Even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, your still going to defend a woman (politician) who's only regard was her misplaced self importance? Up to, and including putting this country at peril? No one can walk through that much BS and not be stained. The only question is, why hasn't she been indicted? Are there too many people involved? Would to many careers be destroyed? This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate RIDGEFIELD A record number of guests mingled Sunday throughout the Lounsbury House, where every room was full of tables ladened with samples of delicacies from local eateries during the annual Taste of Ridgefield the Rotary Clubs biggest fundraiser. About 700 people the most since the Rotary Club began the event 17 years ago were expected for the lunch and dinner sessions. There were also 34 local businesses that participated compared to the usual average of about 20, according to Bill Wyman, chairman of the Taste of Ridgefield. This is spectacular, Wyman said, surveying the lunch crowd. If things go according to plan and nothing goes wrong, this will be the best day weve ever had. Taste of Ridgefield started as a way to raise money for the Rotary Club, as well as support the local restaurants. For a flat fee, guests sample food and drinks from the stations set up around the home. The more successful this is, the more were able to give away, Wyman said. The money raised will help fund a $12,000 scholarship and grants for dozens of local organizations. The Rotary Club also holds other fundraisers, including a barbecue in May. It truly is a win-win-win, and for 17 years, people keep coming out, Wyman said. Sundays event was also the kickoff for the clubs 75th year. Its unbelievable, said Marshall Odeen, co-owner of Odeens BBQ, a catering company based at the Elks Home in Danbury. It was overwhelming when the doors opened and the crowds came in. This was Odeens BBQs first year at the event, although its helped out at other Rotary events since the business started about two years ago. Odeen said its important to help local charities. Its a great feeling to live in Ridgefield and see the community come together like this, he said. The event also increases the communitys awareness about what nearby restaurants have to offer. Anne and Bob Schmiedel, of Ridgefield, knew they would visit the Southwest Cafe as soon as they tried the tacos. This has really made us decide to go out to another four or five restaurants, Anne Schmiedel said. She said people often go into autopilot and select familiar places, but this event helps broaden awarenes to other local options. Barbara Nevins, owner of Southwest Cafe, which has been in Ridgefield for nearly three decades, has participated since the inaugural Taste of Ridgefield. She said its a great way for her business to connect with the community and to help the Rotary. Its a great event and we look forward to doing it again she said. Not only does it give Nevins a chance to try other restaurants cuisine, but it allows her to test new menu items. This years sampling was a barbecue brisket, with Ozxaca cheese and a spicy slaw a new addition to her Taco Tuesdays offerings. Ridgefield resident Marie Adams said she plans to add several of the restaurants to her eating-out rotation. She said she loved everything about the event, including the food, catching up with other Ridgefield residents and helping the Rotary Club. I think its a great agency to back, Adams said. They do a lot of work in this town. Adams said she plans to come again next year and encourages others to as well. If you havent come, you ought to, she said. kkoerting@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345; @kkoerting The All Progressive Congress on Sunday condemned the transfer of the founder of the Adoration Ministries, Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, to... The All Progressive Congress on Sunday condemned the transfer of the founder of the Adoration Ministries, Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, to a new parish by the Enugu Catholic Diocese.Mbaka was moved from the Christ the King Parish, G.R.A, in Enugu metropolis, which he presided over as parish priest for over 20 years, to Our Lady Parish, in Emene, a suburb of the Coal City.It was gathered that Mbaka, who was the parish priest-in-charge at the CKC Parish, G.R.A, will serve as an assistant parish priest in the new parish.In a statement made available to journalists in Enugu, the APC South-East Caucus spokesman, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said it was wrong to punish the fearless priest for his prophecies which has proved to be from God.Okechukwu alleged that the transfer was influenced by outside forces.The South-East APC spokesman expressed concerns over Mbakas safety, adding that his followers may find it difficult to get to Emene for programmes of the Adoration Ministry.He said, Whereas we accept that the transfer of priests is a routine exercise of the great Catholic Church, however we do not wholly accept a situation where the church allows external forces to influence transfer as the Mbakas case suggests.Otherwise, future liberation clergy who speak truth to power will be hamstrung to the detriment of the society.Our major concern is the security implications and the fate of his flocks who are mostly the downtrodden who may find it difficult to go to Emene for salvation and healing.We frown at anything which will put Fr. Mbaka in harms way or deny his flocks healing.The APC condemns all attacks on Mbaka, Okuchukwu said, noting that the party was in solidarity with the fiery priest.Okechukwu further noted that Mbaka had been under stringent attack from Buharis opponents since he prophesied that Buhari would win the presidential election.He accused the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo of playing a role in Mbakas travails.As a party we have watched with concern and trepidation the criticism, the attack, assault and unpleasant comments hurled against Fr. Mbaka since he providentially prophesied that President Buhari would win the 2015 elections.Even the Church did not spare him he was called unprintable names, yet his prophecy came true.We are happy that Fr. Mbaka was vindicated.It must be pointed out that accusing fingers were pointed at the direction of some anti-Buhari elements like Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a group that didnt want to hear the name of Buhari even though Ohanaeze denied the allegation, doubts still persists.For we are still at a loss why a senior priest will be degraded to an assistant parish priest.We repeat that we are in solidarity with Fr. Mbaka and our major concern is the security of Fr. Mbaka and the suffering of his flocks mostly the poor who need his healing powers.We had thought that His Lordship Bishop Calistus Onaga could have retained him at the Adoration Ground, as the Bishop Emeritus Gbuji did because of security of his life and easy access by his flocks, the APC chieftain added.It was learnt that thousands of Mbakas followers wept uncontrollably as they escorted him and about 30 lorry-loads of his belongings to the new parish. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will this week interrogate at least 16 military officers as part of its investigations into... The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will this week interrogate at least 16 military officers as part of its investigations into $2.1bn arms scandal.It was learnt on Saturday that among those to be quizzed were the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.) and a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal MD Umar (retd.).It was also gathered that a former Director of Production and the Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal O. T. Oguntoyinbo would be quizzed too.Another source said that invitations would be sent to those concerned early in the week and they would be required to appear before the commission on or before Friday.Findings showed that the officers were in the second batch of military officers that would be interrogated by the anti-graft agency.It was gathered that the EFCC would investigate more military personnel recommended for probe by a presidential panel on arms probe.A source in the EFCC, revealed that The commission will begin the second batch of interrogation of military officers this week. A former Chief of Defence staff, Badeh, and an-ex Chief of Air Staff, Umar, will appear before the commission this week.The source, who did not give the names of the other officers, said the former Chief of Defence Staff and Umar were in the second batch.He said the commission commenced the first round of the probe with the questioning of the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.), and another Air Commodore whose house was seized recently by the anti-graft agency in Kaduna last week.It was gathered that more high profile interrogations would take place in the coming week, even though the source did not give the details of those scheduled to report to the commission on Monday.Our correspondent could not get the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, as calls to his mobile telephone line could not connect.President Muhammadu Buhari, on January 15, had ordered the EFCC to investigate 18 serving and retired military officers, including Amosu, Badeh and Umar.The EFCC is also investigating 11 serving officers, including Air Marshal A.M. Mamu (Chief of Administration, Nigeria Air Force); AVM Oguntoyinbo (former Director of Production, Defence Headquarters); AVM T. Omenyi (Managing Director, NAF Holdings); and AVM J.B. Adigun (former Chief of Accounts and Budget).Others are AVM R. A. Ojuawo (Air Force Tactical Air Command, Markudi); AVM J.A. Kayode-Beckley (Director, Armament Research in Air Force Research and Development Centre); Air Cdre. A.O. Ogunjobi; Air Cdre G.M.D. Gwani; Air Cdre A.Y. Lassa; Col. N. Ashinze (Special Assistant to the former NSA, Dasuki;) and Air Cdr. S.O.Makinde.Also ordered to be probed are 21 firms and their directors, including Messrs Societe D Equipments Internationaux; Himma Aboubakar; Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services Limited; Messrs Syrius Technologies; Dr Theresa A. Ittu; Sky Experts Nig Ltd; Omenyi Ifeanyi Tony; Huzee Nig Ltd; GAT Techno Dynamics Ltd; and Gbujie Peter Obie.Other firms and individuals are Onuri Samuel Ugochukw; Spacewebs Interservices Ltd; Oguntoyinbo Tayo; Oguntoyinbo Funmi; Delfina Oil Geonel Intergrated Services Ltd, Sachi Felicia; Mudaki Polycarp and Wolfgang Reinl.Meanwhile there are indications the EFCC may, this week, invite two sons of a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, for interrogation in connection with the ongoing probe into the $2.1bn arms fund adiversion.It was gathered on Saturday that the commission would send invitation to Gbolahan and Babajide Obanikoro and that they would be required to appear before the EFCC before the end of the week.The commission has traced N4.75bn from the Central Bank of Nigeria Imprest Account of the National Security Adviser to Silva Mcnamara, a company linked to the Obanikoros, between June 6, 2014 and December, 12, 2015.The two sons of the former minister are said to be on the board of the company, while the third person, Mr. Ogunseye, was said to be sole signatory to the companys account with Diamond Bank.EFCC sources said the commission is probing Macnamara because there was no evidence of contract award for the release of the money to the companys account.The N4.75bn was transferred in several tranches from the CBN to the companys account between June 6, 2014 and December, 12, 2015.The source said, The investigation into the N4.75bn is ongoing. It is only logical that these guys are questioned because of their involvement in the issue.They will be invited to appear before the commission to shed light on the company earned the money without contract award. Barring last minute changes, they may be summoned this week.Obanikoros media aide, Mr. Jonathan Eze, had on Friday denied allegations that the former minister was involved in any fraud.According to him, the allegations are mere speculations and urged members of the public to treat them as such.He said, As far as Senator Obanikoro is concerned, these are mere allegations that have not been proven and can never be proved. The former minister insists that his children were never directors at the company and were never signatories.These allegations are the handiwork of Sahara Reporters and I have taken them to court. Very soon, the truth will be made known but I urge members of the public not to believe these allegations. Senator Obanikoros children are victims of cheap politics but the truth will be revealed.Obanikoro is currently resident in the United States where he has registered as a student of History at Oglethorpe University in Georgia, USA. One of the two sons is said to be resident in Suwanee, Gwinnett County, in the State of Georgia, US. President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday raised the alarm that having lost the war to the nations armed forces, insurgents are desperately s... Buhari therefore called on all Nigerians, especially those that are resident in areas previously ravaged by terrorists, to be more vigilant and ready to work with security operatives in ending the war against insurgency.According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President made the submission while reacting to the spate of suicide bombings in Chibok market, Dolari Internally Displaced Persons camp in Borno State and the Gombi market in Adamawa State.He said the insurgents gradual return was meant to embarrass his government and that was why they chose isolated communities and markets as their targets.He said the insurgents had suffered immensely from the sustained bombardments of their camps and hide outs by the Nigerian military and had resorted to using desperate measures to gain cheap media attention.The President added that the terrorists had been rendered weak, confused and homeless after repeated bombings and ravaging of their camps and hide outs by the military, forcing them to find their way back into the society to wreak havoc, like the case of the Dolari IDP camp.He said, I urge all citizens wherever they live to own the war against terror and to be part of the fight because it is the only way we can finish the remaining work that needs to be done to make our country safe again.Having lost the war, they (the insurgents) are seeking ways and means to gradually find their way back into society.They are not returning to contribute but to cause more havoc. They are so desperate to embarrass the government and the people that they have no qualms attacking isolated communities and markets.Buhari noted that the materials for the Improvised Explosive Devices were locally sourced by the insurgents.He therefore urged Nigerians to be more circumspect and report suspicious purchases and movements of unusual components in any part of the country, especially the North East.The President extended his condolences to all the people of Chibok, Gombi and Dolari who lost loved ones in the recent attacks and prayed that the Almighty God will comfort them and grant the injured persons quick recovery. President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, forwarded to the senate, two new bills meant to effectively tackle the menace of money laun... President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, forwarded to the senate, two new bills meant to effectively tackle the menace of money laundering in the country.The first bill is titled, Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Bill 2016 while the second one is Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill 2016.The presidents request was contained in the letter he addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and read during plenary.Buhari said that the proposed bill provides for the repeal of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, as amended in 2012.He added that the proposed money laundering bill also seeks to provide adequate penalty for money laundering activities as well as increasing the scope of anti-money laundering agencies.The letter read, This (Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition) Bill seeks to make comprehensive provisions to prohibit the laundering of the criminal activities, expand the scope of money laundering offences.It seeks to provide protection for employees of various institutions, bodies and professions who may discover money laundering, enhance customer due diligence.It provides appropriate penalties and expand the scope of supervisory bodies. It also recognizes the role of certain self-regulatory organisations to address the challenges faced in implementation of comprehensive anti-money regime.He also said that, the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill 2016 seeks to get relevant international assistance in cases of money laundering.According to Buhari, the Bill is expected to provide framework for other countries to assist in provision and obtaining of evidence, making of arrangements for persons to give evidence.The bill, he added, also seeks to get international assistance in criminal investigations, recovery, forfeiture or confiscation of property in respect of offences.He said the proposed law also sought assistance in the restraining of dealings in property or the freezing of assets that may be recovered, forfeited or confiscated in respect of offencesOther issues that the proposed law will address according to Buhari are, the execution of request for search and seizure, the location and identification of witnesses and suspects, the service of documents and other matters connected herewith.Buhari recently visited the United Arab Emirate, where he signed an agreement with the government of the Emirate on repatriation of the nations stolen funds.The agreement, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters, is expected to also allow the UAE government return monies hidden or invested in banks and real estates in the country to Nigeria. Embattled Secretary of the Ekiti state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party Dr. Temitope Aluko, has alleged that former President Good... Aluko said the money was effectively used to defeat the then Governor of the State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress.He spoke with reporters in Abuja on Sunday.Aluko, who said he was part of the team that prosecuted the election and also added that he was the chairman of the Intelligence, security committee for the campaign.Beside, he said he handled the waiver Fayose got from the PDP at the national level to enable him qualify to take part in the governorship primary.To further buttress important roles he played in the emergence of Fayose, Aluko also said he delivered the congresses that produced Fayose and was also the governors principal witness at the Election Petition Tribunal.He said Jonathan initially gave Fayose $2m in March 2014 for the primary election and that this money was collected at the NNPC Towers, Abuja.Aluko said, It was about $35m dollars which is about N4.7bn he gave us for the real election and for the primaries, he released 2 million dollars to Fayose.I have details for all I am saying and I was present when they brought the money and it was Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro that brought the money, the 35 million dollars which he delivered to Fayose at Spotless Hotel.I can name eight people that were there. We were all there because he said he will want us to take delivery so that there will be transparency and accountability. He inherited millions of dollars - lost it all - and has declared bankruptcy three times. Yet, the public declares him a financial wizard. He has been a notorious womanizer - his latest wife has posed nude in magazines. Yet women find him appealing - including evangelicals (imagine if any other candidate had a spouse who was a nudie model?!) He is vulgar, common, crude - and one of our most important allies as has actually had debates in their parliament about banning him from their country for what they consider his 'hate speech.' Yet people who support him describe him as 'strong' and 'telling it like it is.' In speeches he has already alienated almost every minority in the world - Latinos, Muslims, blacks. Yet, people think he will unify the country! He has a sophomoric attitude and petty grudge-holding temperament that could be considered very dangerous in a nation's leader. Yet, his followers consider him a 'straight shooter' - and he attracts almost all demographics except the frat boys he seems to want to emulate. He has never held any public office. NONE. He has never done any civic activity or charity work beyond writing 'show off' checks upon occasion. What is it about this man that makes serious voters want to see him as the leader of our nation? I'm not talking about the walking brain dead who are Sarah Palin fans. But, there are surely some serious, intelligent people who are supporting him. And I really, truly, genuinely just do not understand it. And my misunderstanding does not come from a difference in ideology - besides being mean-spirited and hateful, I haven't heard that he really HAS any ideology. ? In this interview with Punch Newspaper , Prophet Kayode Abiara, the General-Evangelist of the Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide talks ... In this interview with Punch Newspaper, Prophet Kayode Abiara, the General-Evangelist of the Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide talks about the $2.1bn arms deal among other sundry issues. I read about it in the newspapers and I still insist that those who made the allegation must mention the names of the pastors involved. If the former Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), gave money to pastors, let him name those he gave money to. I remember when former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, alleged that some pastors collected N6bn to support President Goodluck Jonathans re-election and to discredit the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), I took a stand and insisted that he must mention names. He is an intelligent man and knows what to do on such issues. We have not heard anyone mentioning any pastors name.We thank God for this new government because President Muhammadu Buhari is trying to right the wrongs of many decades. I know that the President wants to recover a lot of stolen funds stashed in any part of the world and I applaud him for that.I dont see anything wrong in telling looters to refund all the money they stole. But I believe the recent trial of some suspects should be hastened up and they should be permitted to refund the money. Buhari should pardon them if they return the money and then, lets move the country forward. There is a lot of work to be done in the country, especially on our dwindling economy. We should not waste time on the arms probe and the prosecution of suspects. We need to move on. I pray that all the recovered money will be judiciously used.Yes, they should be pardoned as long as they refund all the stolen funds to governments coffers. Even Jesus Christ said if anyone confesses his sins, he should be pardoned.If the Federal Government pardons the looters, those who want to steal would still steal. If they are not pardoned, it does not stop people from stealing. I am not against bringing thieves to book and I believe prosecuting them will serve as a deterrent to others. Even God say, thou shall not steal. But the Holy Books also talked about pardoning sinners. Remember that Jesus Christ prayed for a thief while he was on the cross. What I am advocating is for the government to recover the stolen money, utilise the money, stabilise the economy and move the country forward.Economic downturn is not manifesting in Nigeria onlyother countries in the world are experiencing same. God is the answer and the Bible enjoins us to turn to Him when we are troubled, to pray and He promises to heal our land. The church of God in Nigeria has been organising prayer retreats and lifting the country to God in prayers.The Christ Apostolic Church worldwide prays for Nigeria every last three days of the month. Currently, we are holding another programme in Odo-Owa, Kwara State, where we will also pray for Nigeria. I know very soon, Nigerians will smile again. Also, I believe government should indentify loopholes in the system and block leakages.Now, the trend is the $2.1bn arms scandal and the trial of suspects involved in the diversion of the fund. But what about other areas where monies have been stolen? I know they have started work on recovering Abacha loot, but I believe they can still do more and not dwell on just one.Then, let the National Assembly promulgate laws that will deal with corruption and how looters should be treated. Its not for me to decide.There is nothing strange in crisis rocking any organisation. It is the handiwork of Satan because he does not want a united church. That is the reason he goes about creating chaos among brethrens, ministers of God and everywhere in the kingdom of God. But God has conquered him and the victory belongs to the church. We thank God because peace will reign and the crisis will come to an end. The church of God is matching on and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.Thank God Nigeria did not embrace it and our legislative arm has condemned it. God, in His word, described homosexuality as an abomination. He also condemned lesbianism. These are signs of the end-time and no right-thinking Christian should embrace homosexuality. Those involved in this despicable act are inviting the wrath of God upon them.First, lets turn to God and seek His face. Then, let our youths embrace the spirit of entrepreneurship. They should harness their potential and that is what President Muhammadu Buhari has been preaching to them. Also, we should not forget to go back to the farm. We once lived on cocoa, groundnuts and other crops that were viable exports. What happened to them? Over-dependence on oil is the reason we are where we are today. Where are the cocoa farms? Where are the groundnut pyramids in the North? Even coals in Enugu State have been abandoned. Everyone is asking for a share of oil derivatives when we can go back to the farm and revive the cash crops. When we do all these, we will not experience any hard time as predicated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.God said unless Boko Haram have power more than Him, thats when they would prevail, but if He is the all-powerful, Boko Haram would be crushed. The year 2016 is a year God will root out the menace of the wicked. Kidnappers and thieves will meet their waterloo this year. What God demands from Nigerians is to come closer to Him and pray more. From leadership, He demands unitythere must be no fractions. The government of President Muhammadu Buhari will succeed in the next four years if he remains united with those he is working with.They should sheathe their swords and allow peace reign. I am sure those who are old and who witnessed the civil war will never call for Biafra again. It is an experience we pray would never happen again. The bloodletting of 1966 was too much. May peace reign in Nigeria. Gunmen on Sunday kidnapped an aide to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Captain Henry Ungbuku (rtd). Ungbuku, who is the Spec... Gunmen on Sunday kidnapped an aide to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Captain Henry Ungbuku (rtd).Ungbuku, who is the Special Adviser on Aviation to the Bayelsa State Governor, was abducted as he was about leaving the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Light House Parish, after service.It was gathered that his abductors had laid siege to the church located in Iwofe, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State as early as 8.50am, waiting for their victim to come out at the end of the service before pouncing on him.An eyewitness revealed that an unsuspecting Ungbuku, who came out of the church some minutes after 10am, was stopped by the hoodlums as he drove out of the premises of the church.Ungbukus abductors were said to have asked him to open the door of his vehicle while one of them pointed a gun at him.The gunmen, according to the source, drove their victim away to an unknown destination after forcing him into a waiting vehicle.They were about four, but we did not know whether there are others hanging around the premises of the church. They forced him out of the car at gun point and took him away.There was confusion around the premises of the church when the incident happened. The kidnappers were all armed and many people who saw the scene were all scared, the eyewitness said.When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, confirmed the kidnap of Dicksons aide in the state and added that efforts were in top gear to effect his rescue and apprehend those behind the dastardly act. ChadS President Idriss Deby yesterday took over the post of African Union chairman, replacing Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. I a... ChadS President Idriss Deby yesterday took over the post of African Union chairman, replacing Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.I accept this task with pleasure but with a little agony as the responsibility you entrust in me is heavy and fraught with challenges, Deby said, in a speech at AU headquarters in Ethiopia.He told fellow presidents that conflicts across the continent had to end.Everything that we are doing now will be in vain and without purpose if we allow Africa to go through these perpetual crises: South Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Burundi, the Sahel, the Lake Chad basin, Deby said.Through diplomacy or by force we must put an end to these tragedies of our time. We cannot make progress and talk of development if part of our body is sick.We should be the main actors in the search for solution to Africas crises.Deby, 63, one of Africas longest ruling presidents, emerged as the leader of his north-central African state in December 1990, after the war which ousted the regime of Hissene Habre.Mugabe, Africas oldest president aged 91, who has held the ceremonial role for the past year, welcomed his brother Deby to the post.Whatever support you want from me, I will still be there until God says come, then Ill go and join the others, Mugabe said.But as long as I am still alive, I will still have the punch.The one-year presidency rotates between different regions of the continent. The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, United Kingdom branch has faulted the reasons given by Hon. Justice John Tsoho of the Abuja Federa... The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, United Kingdom branch has faulted the reasons given by Hon. Justice John Tsoho of the Abuja Federal High Court Abuja for not granting the bail application of leader of IPOB and Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.In a statement signed by the spokespersons for IPOB in United Kingdom Mr. Emma Nmezu, a lawyer, and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya IPOB said the Honourable Justice Tsoho premised his judgment for not granting bail to Mr. Kanu on three reasons.The reasons according to him are, that Mazi Kanu was a threat to national security, secondly, that if released might commit the same offence again and thirdly, that there was a probability that Nnamdi Kanu might jump bail because he possessed dual citizenship.While the first and the third reasons are very clear, but unsustainable statements, we are at loss with the second reason and do not know exactly what the Hon. Justice meant by might commit the same offense againTo the best of our knowledge, Mazi Kanu has not even been tried in the court not to talk of being convicted, therefore, we do not understand the offence he was found guilty of committing and for which he will likely commit again if released, according to Hon. Justice Tsoho.Is it a possibility that the Hon. Justice Tsoho misspoke or that he never actually uttered this travesty of a statement. On the first reason adduced, we are yet to get detailed information on what the Judge meant by threat to National Security because we know that Mazi Kanu is not associated with Boko Haram or any terrorist organization. Again we are pushed to believe that Hon. Justice Tsoho misspoke, said IPOB.We are however shocked on the third reason, to hear that a denial of bail will be based on the accused persons dual citizenship, even though the Honourable Judge did not mention the other country to which Nnamdi Kanu is a citizen, we know he was referring to Britain.But we also know that there is extradition agreement between Nigeria and Britain and extraditing Mazi Kanu to Nigeria, should he flee to Britain will not be a problem for the Nigerian government,therefore, we conclude that the judgment of Hon. Justice Tsoho is inappropriate, biased, wrong, and must be overturned by an Appeal Court Judge.Similarly, the IPOB Media and Publicity Officer Mr. Emma Powerful has faulted the denial of bail to Mr. Kanu, describing it as a systematic denial of the entire South Eastern Nigeria of their right.He said that every day the present administration of All Progressives Congress, APC, and their leader President Muhammadu Buhari keeps exposing itself to the world that it has no respect for the rule of law and orders of competent court of law.He wondered why in a country like Nigeria, people will not be allowed to engage in peaceful demonstrations and protests, wondering whether it will be better for them to engage in violent demonstrations and protests and carrying guns and throwing bombs like the Boko Haram insurgents.We are being pushed to the walls, our members who were engaged in peaceful protest in Aba, Abia state and Port Harcourt Rivers State were shot by the Army and taken to Militaryn barracks in Afikpo Ebonyi state and Bori camp in rivers State with bullet wounds.The victims are undergoing torture and other inhuman treatments, as they bring them out every morning, torture and engage them in all manners of hard labours and ask them about their missing guns as if IPOB members carry guns.We do not carry guns and do not intent to carry in the nearest future, we are therefore calling on Amnesty International, all human rights organizations and the international community to prevail on the Nigerian government respect the rule of law and the orders of the courts, as at the last count our members arrested in Aba are 25 while those in Port Harcourt are 18 in number, totaling 43 people detained in the two Army barracks in Ebonyi and rivers States respectively he said. Students from primary to tertiary institutions will henceforth learn French language compulsorily, the federal government said at the we... It said it will embark on intensive training of more French teachers in its bid to make it the nations second official language.The Minister of State for Education, Prof Anthony Anwukah, stated these in Abuja yesterday when the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gaver, paid him a courtesy call.Anwukah said: French language is a matter of necessity. We have to because we have Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Benin Republic, Togo Guinea, and Ivory Coast surrounding us and so there is need for us to get more Nigerians to become proficient in French language.This is good for the continent; it is good for us as a nation. It is good for our brothers at the borders because it will enable us to communicate with them effectively.Speaking to the envoy on the need to have more French teachers, the minister said: We plead that you consider it a lot more expedient in helping us train our teachers in French both for the primary school level, secondary level and tertiary level.So far, we have demonstrated the enthusiasm to foster the teaching and learning of French in Nigerian schools which are the tertiary, basic and secondary levels and our main concern now is the training of sufficient number of French teachers within our school system.The minister also flagged off the French Clinic Project in Federal Government Boys College Apo, Abuja.Speaking on the project, Anwukah said: The ministry is geared towards establishing French clinics in 104 government colleges, unity schools.We are keen and motivated by the need to actualise our dream of making French language our second language of business in Nigeria.The clinic is expected to improve the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills of students.It is expected that with these skills, our students will fare better in their examinations and in the world of worth.Gaver said in the absence of sufficient French teachers, the internet can be employed as a tool for training teachers. The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission not to recognise A... The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission not to recognise Ahmed Gulak as the national chairman of the party.National Legal Adviser of the party, Mr. Victor Kwon, made the appeal in his letter to the commission.Kwon was replying to an earlier letter sent to the electoral body by Gulak, in which he informed the commission about the court judgement that sacked the Acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus.Gulak also informed the commission that since the party refused to abide by the judgement which ordered the party to pick someone from the North-East within 14 days after the judgement to which he said the party was unable to abide by, he had assumed office as the substantive chairman of the party.The judgment, which ordered Secondus to revert to his position as the deputy national chairman was given by a Federal High Court on the 16th day of December, 2015.Deputy Director of the commission in charge of publicity, Mr. Nick Dazang, told,our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, that the commission has received letters from both Gulak and Kwon. KEYNOTE SPEECH AT THE NIGERIAN PENSION INDUSTRY STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP RETREAT ON JANUARY 21-23, 2016 We are gathered at a historic time to discuss an important matter.Some may see a Pension Conference, but I see more.I see a future for Africa, led by Nigeria, using the resources of the people to build a future that includes the people.It is not a vision or an idea. It has gone beyond that. It is a journey, one that started a while ago when the Pension Reform Act was signed into Law.That journey started with the coming together of some Nigerian minds. Minds like that of President Olusegun Obasanjo and Mr Fola Adeola. It has been nurtured by the dedicated hands of men and women who have served in the pension commission who are represented by the current Director- General Mrs Chinelo Amazu- Anohu. It has reached a major milestone from where it must reinvigorate itself .The tools for that reinvigoration have been provided by our legislators in the Amendment they passed into in 2014. The success of this phase of the journey now rests with you and I. And this is why we gather.In the letter of the Pension Commission inviting me to be a Keynote Speaker at this event, no topic was assigned.However, some paragraphs of the letter which I have excerpted provide some directions as to the thinking of the organizers and I will share them with you:(a)Two of the most strategic themes, positive that returns (on investment) and visible (measurable) impact on the economy(b)creating solutions to the binding constraints that Nigeria faces in developing bankable projects in infrastructure and real estate that pension funds can invest in(c)While the pool of Pension Funds are a veritable source of capital, lack of suitable investable vehicles with low risk profiles and sufficient comfort continues to hamper the drive to make visible economic impactIt seems to me that the key words such as positive real returns, visible impact on the economy, bankable productsthat pension funds can invest in, low risk profile and sufficient comfort makes it easy to create my own topic Overcoming the Challenges and Managing the Risks and Constraints that Inhibit the Investment of Private Capital and Funds in Nigerias Infrastructure Landscape in Order to Make a Visible Economic Impact.In seeking to address this topic, which I hope accords with the objective of the organizers, I will attempt to be empirical by a case study discussion where I will review some of the public infrastructure that have been funded by private capital, and I will do some comparisons of what the Pension Funds are achieving in other economies.In this way, I hope to highlight the differences between us and those economies, and in that way, make my recommendations about what we should be doing.The History of Pension Funds in NigeriaIt is impossible in this kind of forum to exhaustively deal with the issue of Pension Funds and its management in the Nigerian public service.What is appropriate is to highlight the largely unsuccessful initiatives that have been characterized by such brand names as the National Provident Fund (NPF) and the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).Those brands represent the era when pension was only the responsibility of the employer,What simply happened was that from a failure of governance, coupled with lack of funds as a result of planning deficiency, and sometimes incompetence, pensioners faced a life of uncertainty after a lifetime of service and at a time when they had become frail, unable to work or earn income and often then left disappointed by a system that had taken all they had to give.It is sad a story that is written on so many faces characterized by many living and dead people whose lives tell the story of anguish.It is a chapter of Nigerias story that is perhaps best forgotten, but regrettably they cannot yet be consigned to history because there are still debts to be paid, there are still beneficiaries who are owed, there are still Nigerians, who gave a lot, almost everything under a defined benefit scheme that is yet to give them benefit.The current pension regime, whose managers are the organizers of this event happily have a better story to tell. It is a story of mutual contribution, where the employee and the employer share the responsibility of planning for the tomorrow.It is a story different from the past, where the funds are safe and have exceeded N5 Trillion.It is a story of better management.It is the starting point for this discussion because there is a hard lesson here.If people put their money into what they believe in, it is likely to serve them better.The old scheme where there was no contribution by the employee perhaps reduced their role as stakeholders but does not justify the mismanagement.But the real story is about contribution, paying your share; and it takes me to the next point which is diversification and the relevance of diversification to our subject.DiversificationFor over 3 (Three) decades we have mouthed the need to diversify our economy in order to open up more sectors for productive activities, income, economic growth and jobs.But we failed to follow through because of oil resources. It was quick and bountiful income even though there were boom and burst cycles.Every time the cycle burst, we scampered, and promised to diversify, we take tentative steps, we feel pain. We do not endure, and it is easy to escape because not too far on the horizon is a boom in oil prices and we go back to an old life.Remember 1970s up to 1976; remember the early 1980s and the burst. Remember the late eighties and Gulf War boom, remember the 1990s and the drop, remember the period of 2009-2014 when oil sold for over $100 per barrel for almost 5 years.What did we do? We went on a spending spree. Politicians promised everything free.Everyone got a wage increase, sometimes up to 80% (minimum wage from N7,500 N10,000 raised to N18,000.00). Did our income as a Nation increased by 80%?As we sought after free health, free education, free fuel, free housing and free everything, we refused to confront the reality that life is not free.It was difficult to get private capital into critical sectors of our economy like infrastructure. Private capital and fund managers were not going to invest funds entrusted to them in infrastructure if we wanted to use them for free.As a people, we were willing to pay for these services outside our country but demanded that they be provided for free in our country.The new pension fund has shown what can happen if people resolve to contribute and pay their way.Health insurance is another area that can open up access to top class health service for even the poor , if people are ready to contribute and save for their well being.Insurance will give them a choice and access to the best medical service when they need it.It will give them a second highway away from public health service, which even with its best intentions cannot provide every service free (examples).But todays reality is that we are in another cycle of burst. Oil prices have crashed from over $100 per barrel and is now hovering around $30 per barrel and there is a real chance that it will fall lower.Put very simply, our main source of revenue has taken a big blow. This household has lost its bread winner.However, it is not without options. It has assets, it can raise money, it has savings such as the private money belonging to pensioners, but it cannot be used like oil money.Whatever is used must return.This calls for a new attitude. There is no free money.Ladies and gentlemen, I have news for you.After 3 (three) decades of prevaricating about diversification, diversification has walked into the front door of the Nigerian household.We must either embrace it, with a new attitude, or idle in agony and anguish until when hopefully the price of oil will rise again, as it will surely do.The pension funds, which are under the management of pension funds administrators will not go into roads, rail, housing, hospitals or universities unless we change our attitude.Attitude ChangeAs I said earlier, I intend to be empirical. So instead of prescribing what to do, I will simply share the experiences we are all familiar with and leave us with the options first to make rational choices, and also to be agents for change in the areas where we can influence others.In the course of my public service, I have been privileged to be involved in getting private capital to operate in areas that were once the sole preserve of government and I will share the experiences and the results.(a)Lekki-Epe ExpresswayThis is a 60km road in the eastern axis of Lagos State that was built in the 1970s and has scarcely seen any maintenance.Potholes had taken over its surface, the population it was serving was growing daily and neither Lagos State Government had the funds to rebuild it and the Federal Government at the time was not interested even though oil income was increasing.Accidents were claiming lives regularly and nothing seemed to offer a solution until the Lagos State Government in 2005 signed a concession with a private group of financiers.They were very skeptical of many things not the least our political environment and behaviour.We had previously nationalized assets of investors in the oil and gas sector and other sectors before.Investors dont like that and they dont forget.But their sense of entrepreneurship if nothing else, keeps them from staying away. In spite of risks they sometimes come back when they think the waters have calmed.But they do so with conditions, which they hoped will mitigate risks, especially political risks.They are used to and trained to deal with business risks, but often unprepared to deal with, and frequently unable to deal with politically induced risks.In the Lekki-Expressway, after doing their traffic studies, satisfying themselves that the business was bankable (which is what the organizers of this event are looking for) they asked the Lagos State Government to pass a law; in effect to tie the hands of the next government that the concession will not be cancelled.In other economies, a contract, which Lagos State Government gave them, would have been enough; however, as I said, investors never forget, so they asked for a law, which the State House of Assembly passed.But when we thought that will suffice, they then asked for a Federal Support Agreement, which was akin to a sovereign guarantee.Of course Lagos and the Federal Government at the time had different political colours and a Federal Support Agreement was delayed by politics for 3 years.During that time, prices changed, exchange rates changed, many economic indices changed leading to cost impact, but eventually one was signed, during the tenure of President YarAdua.This meant that with the Federal Support Agreement, Nigerias Sovereign credit rating had entered the equation.Regrettably, when the road was finally built, and tolls were to be charged to repay the financiers, all sorts of informed and misinformed players took centre stage.There was no resistance during the painful period of construction when children had to wake up at 4a.m to get to school at 8a.m. But as soon as the road was motorable and ready for use and Tolling , some sympathizers of the Federal Government of the day, on a political front mobilized resistance to the payment of tolls.They promised that if they were elected, they will cancel the toll.That is not good news to investors.I got all sort of letters from around the world. Investors sent representatives from around the world to meet with us, asking what was happening.All lies were told against our officials after the road was built.But we were undeterred. We bore the lies. We managed the orchestrated protests. Some artisteswere mobilized to pour red paint on their faces and posted these on the social media as evidence to incense people falsely that we had used violence to stop their protests.One newspaper falsely and recklessly carried a headline that our government had killed a person protesting illegal tolls.That was the first and only time I used the coercive power of the State.We deployed Policemen to the toll plazas. They were instructed to allow protests which was legitimate, but they must also protect those who were not interested in protesting and wanted to pay tolls, because those who were opposed to paying had no right to obstruct those who wanted to pay.We begged, pleaded and held meetings for understanding.We explained that those of us who enunciated the policy were going to be affected by it as well. I drove through the toll and paid, to show this.In all of this, my biggest concern was not the road , it was Nigerias credit rating and the need to ensure that the project did not fail.What was at risk was now bigger than the road and the Lagos State Government. It was a national reputation in the international business climate.I am happy to say that we preserved our countrys business integrity against all odds and I will do it again.For me, the lesson of this story is that we must not play politics with our economic survival. Investors want continuity of policies, even if Government changes.Our politics must therefore mature to the level where we must refrain from campaigns that threaten to cancel contracts. We will be poorer for it.Even when we perceive that the government of the day has poorly negotiated a contract, threats of cancellation do not help.What we may at the worst seek to do is to re-negotiate after elections are over where it is possible to do so.If we compare the quality of service on the Lekki-Epe Expressway where toll is paid to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where toll has been removed, the choice is ours to make.Is it cheaper to drive on a road free of toll, and spend 5 hours for a 1 (one) hour journey? If you calculate the fuel burnt in 5 hours of standstill traffic and the stress, you will see that the toll free is not free.The Security Trust FundAnother example of private capital in a public area reserved for government was in the area of security.This is the primary responsibility of Government and it is not an area of return in CASH for private business. But still there were returns and I will demonstrate it.Before we set up the Trust Fund in Lagos, there was a State Police Command of about 103 (One Hundred and Three) Divisions that were poorly resourced. No cars, no fuel, no uniforms etc.Banks were robbed at least 3 (three) times a week without capacity for response either by the Command or by the Rapid Response Squad, which was the special unit set up to respond to violent crimes.They often get to crime scenes after the crime had been completed and the criminals had left.I found out that this was deliberate partly and unavoidable partly.It was deliberate to the extent that in a 2,000 strong squad to protect 18 million people at the time, they had only 37 rifles.It was unavoidable partly because they barely had a dozen vehicles in poor condition and there was no clear and predictable strategy to get fuel.Businesses closed at 7p.m and there was barely a night economy. So people worked only during the day, if they could avoid getting robbed.The injection of private capital to support the larger portion of funding provided by Government, the constitution of the Board of Trustees, dominated by the representatives of the donors, with a minority by Government, led to the procurement of 10 Armored Personnel Carriers, 5 pairs of uniforms for over 2,000 officers, bullet proof vests, 2,000 rifles, 2 million rounds of ammunitions, 200 patrol vehicles at start, a regime of 25 litres of fuel per day.The results were astonishing. Crime reduced by over 80%, no bank robbery for 2 years, no successful bank robbery until 2015 (7 years after).A bustling night economy of 24 hours petrol stations, drug stores, night clubs , hotels, supermarkets, shopping malls and hospitality facilities unfolded and provided jobs for thousands.This was the real return for the business community.It might interest you to learn that private capital has found a safe haven in the American prison service and in some states the prison service is the 5th largest employer of labour topping malls and supermarkets which come 7th in a survey of 20 highest employers. So if private capital is looking for where to put money apart from roads, hospitals and bridges in Nigeria, the prison system that is overcrowded, badly managed, and not reformative is one area I will recommend. Clothing, feeding, drugs, and pharmaceuticals are some of the spin-offs.EducationOur Adopt a School Initiative where we opened a structured platform for private individuals,and corporations to enter into schools, which were hitherto the investment preserve of Government and religious missions (Christians and Muslims) is another area of our successful use of private capital coupled with government funding like the World Bank supported Eko Project.The Adopt a School Initiative was so flexible that it allowed individuals and corporations to intervene according to their resources in a classroom or an entire school.Nothing was too small. You could give cash or material or you could rebuild, refurbish or donate a school facility by yourself, once we reached an agreement with you.Again the results were spectacular. From a result based performance where only 7% of students who sat for placement examination to universities and other tertiary institutions secured credits in 5 (five) subjects, numbers rose to 11%, 18%, 39%, 42% and 47% between 2009-2013.The Lagos-Ibadan ExpresswayThe Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is a story of what investors dont like.The FGN granted a concession to a private company (Company A) and later withdrew and cancelled it.The FGN then entered into a construction and financing agreement with another company (Company B).Company A went to court and got an order to cancel the financing agreement made with Company B.As things stand, work has been stopped on the construction of the road.The construction companies cannot get financing because of the court order, so they have laid off about 2,000 Workers, in an economy that has so much to do and needs to create work.These 2 (two) companies are Nigerian companies investing in Nigeria, which is a positive sign because the local investors are the most important to any economy.Regrettably, while not going into the merits and demerits of the FGNs cancellation of Company As concession, it sends a not welcoming message to foreign investors if the decision was without basis or influenced by politics, which I cannot comment upon.If that was the case, as a foreign investor I will be asking myself the kind of treatment that awaits me as a foreigner if the Government does that to a citizen.But that is only one half of the story.The other half is judicial intervention in commercial cases.Investors know that there will be disputes. They are used to it and that is why they insert Arbitration Clauses because they do not want disputes to drag too long in courts.As far as the practice of law goes, my advise will be for judges called upon to decide commercial disputes to:a.Act in a commercial and expeditious manner;b.Refrain from granting injunctive orders that will stop the business. A worrisome number of power projects are caught up in protracted court cases while the nation waits for electricity to drive the economy;c.Focus on resolving the dispute without detriment to the business, and award damages instead to the injured party;d.Decline jurisdiction whenever there is an arbitration clause and refuse the invitation which is frequently made, to set aside arbitral awards unless there is a PATENT case for doing so;e.Nigerian judges must be encouraged to attend annual conferences of the International Bar Association whenever possible, because they offer very rich sessions in PPPs.f.We create a lot of arbitration businesses and opportunities, but we do not take the benefit of it because we have developed anti-business reputation for not respecting arbitral decisions;g.Nigerian universities, the Nigerian Law School and the National Judicial Institute must compulsorily teach the law and practice of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) which is an emerging global area of practice.Having completed my empirical effort at what has worked and what has not worked, I will review what some pension funds are delivering across the world.Pension Funds in AfricaPerhaps the appropriate starting point will be to acknowledge that Pension Reforms are just beginning to gain foothold across most of Africa in jurisdictions like Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, Kenya and Uganda to mention a few.But perhaps the biggest and most advanced of the Pension Funds, especially in sub-saharan Africa is the South African Pension Fund.But while the sizes of these funds are happily growing, and the number of contributors is increasing, the impact in the quality of life on the continent is not yet anywhere near minimum globally acceptable standards.The reason is not farfetched once we take a look at where the funds are being invested.The funds are largely invested in equities and bonds, and in the case of Nigeria, so much of it is held in Government bonds.It is tempting therefore to argue that although the pension funds contain contributions of the working class they do not as yet penetrate enough into giving value to the lives of the contributors.Across all of Africa, there is a visible infrastructure deficit. No country to country rail service across most parts, the highways that connect most of the countries such as in the ECOWAS region are in very poor shape and these are roads that can easily be built, and tolled to earn income to secure the return of pension funds invested in building them.Air travel is no better. Airports are not of the quality of design and construction or efficiency that are obvious in Europe.These are places where pension funds can be impactful.An online publication of Institutional Investors estimated that Sub-Saharan Africas ten largest pension fund markets had approximately $310 billion in assets recently.But while these funds are not serving the REAL SECTOR of roads, bridges, hospitals, rails, airports, fee paying universities, there is a palpably visible poverty in most of these countries, some of who gathered to seek funding support in South Africa recently at the instance of the Chinese Government who offered funding support (loans) of $60 billion for all of Africa, when 10 (ten) pension funds had $310 Billion to invest.Many of these countries are scurrying after multilateral agencies looking either for aid or loans, while sitting literally on a pot of money.If Africa is poor today it is not because of a lack of resources; rather it is likely a poverty of ideas or the abundance of risk elevating attitudes, some of which I have alluded to, such as judicial and political, and these must change, as I will contend in my conclusions.It must be mentioned of course that the attitudes that once mired pension funds management in scandals and lack of transparency, had led to very stringent legislative interventions that limited the scope of activities that pension funds could participate in.For example, until recently, the Nigerian Pension Fund Law limited the contributor from using part of his pension to secure a mortgage.How, one may ask is a person supposed to finance or part finance ownership of a home if he cannot use his own savings.Happily the Amendment Act of 2014, has rectified this by the provision of Section 89 (2) of the Act which provision provides that:Notwithstanding the provision of sub-section (1) (c) of this section, a Pension Fund Administrator may, subject to guidelines issued by theCommission, apply a percentage of the pension assets in the retirement savings account towards payment of equity contribution for payment of residential mortgage by a holder of Retirement Savings Account.In contrast to the mismanagement that used to be the story of our own pension funds, the most prolific of the pension funds in Africa, which is the South African Public Investment Corporation (PIC) has over $150 Billion assets under management.In Nigeria alone, they have $289 million in Dangote Cement , $98million approved but yet to be drawn for Notore Fertilizer, $230million in MTN Nigeria, $270million in Erin Energy (formerly CAMAC) and $150million in Mainstream Energy Solutions (in the power sector of Nigeria).By contrast, the question to ask is what is the home based pension fund doing? If as I have shown, the visiting pension fund from South Africa has a total of $897million in our economy.The answer is obvious, that is why we are here, that is why my host in their invitation spoke ofsuitable investible vehicles with low risk profiles and sufficient comfort as the reason thatcontinues to hamper the drive to make visible economic impact in the letter to me.Ladies and gentlemen, I have news for you. Those investible vehicles exist.They are in roads that can be tolled, like housing, the 4th Mainland Bridge, the Coastal Roadlinking several coastal states from Lagos to Bayelsa ; the new seaport in Lekki and Badagry, the refinery by Dangote, Ajaokuta Steel, a petrochemical plant in the Niger Delta; the broken textile mills in the North and South of Nigeria that require new equipments and disciplined fiscal, technical and organizational management; prison in each of the 6 (six) geopolitical zones of Nigeria that can help strengthen our justice system and decongest the colonial prisons we have kept as relics of our own sense of justice; they are in hostels for students in Nigerian universities, embedded power plants in the universities, most of which have teaching hospitals and provide an opportunity to power education and healthcare and the list is endless.It is as long as we can imagine. The time for it is now. This is the biggest opportunity to act towards diversification rather than sloganize about it.This is the time to show that our Nation and our National economy is bigger than the challenges posed by the dwindling oil prices. This is the time to diversify and change the face of our economy once and for all.But the risks that stand in the way are caused by us and they must be changed by us.As I have pointed out, the list of assets to invest in is almost limitless.Let me share with you some of the preliminary data coming out of the preparatory work we have commissioned on Housing Economies and impact.One block of 12 (Twelve) flats will require about 93 workers multiplied by 40 Blocks amounting to 3,720.Each block will require an estimated number of the following materials:225 mm block 13,395150 mm block 17, 430100 mm block 450Binding Wire 33 RollsNails 50 BagsThis does not include Roof timbers, sharp sand, cement, granite, paint, windows, Tiles, and other finishes.This is where the real economic impact that local Pension Funds seek lies.This is where they must go in funding housing construction to address supply.We are working not only on the design of the Housing, but also on standards of doors , windows and other fittings to unify sizes and provide incentive for mass production.We are also working on the quantities of materials so that all producers, suppliers, financiers will know to put their money.All of these will be completed before the end of Quarter One 2016 and make public.Our ministry is determined to use our mandate to diversify the Nigerian economy and create opportunities for inclusion for those who want to work.The economic impact that the organizers of this event seek to achieve with pension funds will be phenomenal not only in growth per GDP,but in inclusion by jobs for construction and maintenance.Foreign pension funds have taken the leap of faith with mouth watering rewards, in spite of our attitudes. They have taken the risks and earned the rewards. It seems to me that if we wait for rewards to be assured without confronting the risks which we ourselves create it puts us in a position that I can only describe this way: should we sell Nigeria or own Nigeria?In the few instances where we have embraced the risk, we have not only managed them, we have returned with rewards.Imagine if we did not allow private capital into the newspaper business by licensing private newspapers, banks, telcos, radio and TV stations?Imagine life without Vanguard, ThisDay, The Nation, Champion, and others and the people they now employ. Where are the once state owned newspapers today?Imagine the competition and choice that banks like GT, Access, Skye, Zenith and others brought to the industry; and the people they employ along with technology they have embraced such as ATMS and others. Would we still be queuing with tally numbers?Imagine the breathtaking work that brands like Intercellular, Multi-Links, Glo, Econet, MTN brought to our communications? Would we still be waiting for NITEL to provide ring or dial tone, or be carrying files with hundreds of pages of telephone bills to reconcile payments?Imagine life without radio stations like Cool FM, Silverbird, TVC, Wazobia and several dozens across the Nation, the people they employ and the choice of information that they give? Compared to only NTA that used to close at midnight.It was private capital, and competition that forced these changes and created expanded opportunities for jobs.Ladies and gentlemen, my comparisons are done.It now remains only for me to conclude by making recommendations which I concede may not be exhaustive, but which I believe will begin our journey of change that will reduce the risk and increase the appetite of our local pension fund administrators to get their feet wet and test the waters in the place we call home.I have identified 5 (five) areas about which I will make recommendations namely: (1) politics, (2) Governmental action, (3) socio-cultural, (4) Legal, and (5) judicial.While each of these areas is itself capable of being the subject of a keynote speech, I will attempt to be brief and succinct in making only highlights of the topical issues.1.?PoliticsVery often, concessions, PPPs and private ownership of public assets are complex, sometimes misunderstood transactions that some people view with suspicion.Some of the perceptions that influence these complexities, misunderstanding and suspicion arise from the fact that people sometimes begin to question why they should begin to pay for services that government used to provide for free or at a subsidy.For example, today, the cost of self generation of power by residents, using their own generators, buying diesel or petrol, and sometimes adding inverters to augment, is estimated between N48 toN70 Kw/h.There are already at least 7 (seven) cases in different Federal High Courts in Nigeria. 3 (three) are in Lagos, 1 (one) is in Abuja, 1 in (Umuahia) , 1 (one) in Owerri and 1 (one) in Awka.The curious thing is that even manufacturers have taken up some of these cases as plaintiffs, as if they themselves have maintained the same price of their finished products.The truth is that Tariff is about price and if the raw materials like Gas, power plants , spare parts, Labour etc have gone up the price of the finished product cannot be the same.If the price of the product is not right there is no incentive to produce more of it.This can only result in scarcity and high prices . It is simple economics.Without the right tariff there will be no power because it is now in the control of entrepreneurs.It is left to us to make the rational choice of paying the right tariff which is cheaper than generating ourselves at between N48 Kw/h to N70 Kw/h.In similar vein,people pay averagely N7,000.00 (Seven Thousand Naira) per tanker of 11,000 litre of water, approximating to N0.63K per litre of water, which is not treated, but they will question a decision to produce water at a commercial rate of about N0.35K per litre of water and insist that it must not sell for more than N0.15K per litre, in spite of the fact that the water is at least treated with chlorine which sells at N600.00 (Six Hundred Naira) per kg .This state of affairs has been the fertile theatre of deception for some unprepared and fly by-night politicians who mount the soap box and threaten to cancel existing concessions once voted into power.What they do not understand is that they are sending out messages that no investor wants to hear.They are raising risk to private capital on a political front which investors seldom understand. They understand financial and return on investment risk but are seldom equipped to deal with political risk.Even outside the political class, those who ought to know display shocking ignorance.In response to the recommendation to raise tariffs to competitive market rates, the Punch Newspaper in its editorial of December 22, 2015 Edition said:Fasholashould not hesitate to explore the option of revoking existing contracts to pave the way for foreign companies with the relevant expertise and financial capacity to deliver the good.The question I ask is this, if we needlessly cancel concessions granted to our own people, what incentive and assurance do we give to outsiders to invest if the investment of our own people is not secure in their land?If you consistently horsewhip your own children in your home, why should I let my own children visit your home?2.?Governmental ActionClosely related to political risk, but slightly different from it is Governmental action.Whereas the former occurs during the campaigns and the quest for political power, the latter is often the follow up to the acquisition of political power.Newly formed governments begin a review of all contracts signed by their predecessors, cancel or frustrate them even when they are performing.They do so under one guise or the other. The previous government has done something wrong, they did not adequately protect the interest of the people and so on.What they do inadvertently, is to create a climate that diminishes the sanctity of contracts, negatively affecting the ease of doing business.It is a practice that is particularly prevalent on the African continent and I argue that in some part contributes to our continental deficiency of infrastructure.I am not saying that government must not terminate non-performing contracts. Indeed these are rights that are standardly provided in all well drawn contracts.What I am saying is that contracts cannot be terminated or frustrated on trumped up reasons simply because a new government does not like the affiliation of the holder of the contract.It weakens the economy, it frustrates enterprise and leads to poverty and unemployment through job losses, loans taken from banks are endangered and the knock on effect is more than we often can see on the horizon, because the bad word spreads around the global investment community very quickly like wildfire.Yes it may be the case sometimes, that the past government did not act in good faith, or even compromised or was even negligent. The answer is not cancellation, if the contract is performing. The answer is renegotiation.You can invite the holder of the contract, confront him with evidence of compromise, bad faith or recklessness, and this is easy to get if there is diligence, and you propose new terms.This I think will enhance the reputation of the state or country or continent for honouring contracts and it is music to the ears of investors. Even then , I say, it must be sparingly resorted to, once the contract has been signed and is performing.This is the business friendly route. It is one thing to mouth slogans of being business ready and business friendly. It is quite another thing to practice it.3.?Socio-CulturalThere are many variants and manifestations of this but I will cite only one example which is our cultural outlook to land, especially land owing families and government.Unlike the first world, we still cling to bare land and ownership for itself, without understanding that it is no more than a factor of production and capital formation.All communities that have clung to ownership of land for no reason other than the fact that they do not want to lose it, have invariably been characterized by poverty.First they do not welcome visitors to their land, including surveyors. Without surveys, title to land cannot be created.Land that is not titled and measured, cannot be valued and is therefore not useful for investment.Without investment, there is no development, no jobs, no prosperity.I will cite only one example to make my point.Most of what is Victoria Island today, and the entire Oniru Estate, belongs to the Oniru Chieftaincy Family. They are a forward looking land owning family who have welcomed visitors, allowed surveys and titled their land.It is no wonder that some of Nigerias prime real estate, banks, hotels, toll road, offices and multi-billion dollars land assets are located there.The examples of the other attitude are replete and living evidence of how we have perpetrated old cultural beliefs to our own detriment and prosperity.Those who are ready to sell their land to investors, and guaranty safety of title, or use their land to buy equity into businesses will attract more investment and prosperity.4.?LegalAs it stands today, it seems to me that the legal regime for regulation of privatization of public assets can do with some reform.On a general note, let me use the opportunity to call for the re-invigoration of the National Law Reform Commission with the mandate to focus vigorously on the reform of our body of laws.As things stand, many new laws have been passed since the return of civil rule in 1999 and they need to be harmonized for ease of access to update the last reform carried out around 1990 when the Laws of the Federation 1990 was presented.If an example is required, Lagos State Government revised its laws in 2003 and recentlypresented an updated version by its Law Reform Commission in 2015.Specifically as far as privatization and concession of public assets is concerned, it will require the immense skills of very experienced legal practitioners to carefully navigate through the provision of at least 5 (five) general laws in order to be able to give sound advice to any investor who seeksadvice.These laws are (1) Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission Act; (2) Public Enterprise (Privatization and Commercialization) Act; (3) Pubic Procurement Act; (4) Debt Management (Establishment) Act; and (5) Utilities Charges Commission Act.If the concession is in respect of a road for example, one will then have to look at a 6th (sixth) law, the Federal Highways Act.I should not be mistaken for suggesting that it is impossible to have a successful privatization, as we have seen with telecoms and lately power, but it seems very clear that things can be a lot better by law reform and harmonization, and the challenges that road concessions have been beset with cannot be divorced from the complexities of the legal regime.Indeed, we probably will not be having this kind of discussion if the Pension Reform Act had not been recently amended. So it is amendments that open up the space for expanded business enterprise and ease business efficiency that I have in mind.It might delight investors to hear that our Ministry has commenced an internal review of these laws and the Federal Highways Act, with a view to making recommendations to the Ministry of Justice to consider and effect some changes.For example, our current review shows that:a.?The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission Act (ICRC) does not contain a saving provision with regard to other existing legislation. This means that the law is subject to other legislations that relate to concessions.b.?The law makes no clear provision for the commission with regard to the approval process for PPP projects and the authority to grant a concession. This is obvious from the provisions of section 20 (a) (d) of the Act which seems to vest the Commission with monitoring and advisory responsibilities rather than regulatory.c.?The Act also does not make provision for alternative dispute resolution, which is a more efficient platform for resolving commercial disputes in contra-distinction from regular courts.This takes me to the final point of my 5 (five) recommendations and this is the judicial action.5.?Judicial ActionIt may seem that the absence of compulsory provisions for arbitration, leaves parties to make the choice whether to include them in their agreements.Sadly with and without arbitration clauses, the resort to the law courts, where disputes are long and tedious, has not helped our economic investment and development cause as a Nation.Even where arbitration clauses exist and are resorted to and an Arbitral Award is given, we have demonstrated an unhealthy respect for, and compliance with such awards and have often proceeded to courts to seek to set aside such awards.This is a behavior we must rethink and refrain from. Our businessmen must refrain from being sore losers. The challenge to an arbitral award must be the exception rather than the rule (AES Power case).It is development that suffers and the economy that loses when commercial disputes are tied up in long litigation.For example, I have inherited a contract for the supply of 3 million meters awarded in 2003 which has been caught in Arbitration, and the Federal High Court, and all this goes on while the whole country is waiting for meters to ensure that consumers of electricity pay for only what they consume.Our team is currently seeking to negotiate a compromise so that the meters can be supplied.The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been caught up in 2 (two) court cases in which an order has been made cancelling a financing agreement to fund contractors.The effect is that contractors are not paid, work has stopped, almost 2,000 workers (bread winners of their families) have been laid off and we dont have a completed road, especially such a critical economic highway that is the evacuation and supply artery for our ports and oil tank farms for goods and petroleum products from the South to the other parts of Nigeria.As if this was not bad enough, we have dozens of cases in court impeding the progress of transmission line construction work across the country.The result is that increased supply of power from the generation companies to the distribution companies is fraught with avoidable challenges.My recommendation is that judges, lawyers and law students, in the universities and the Nigerian Law School will do well to acquaint themselves with how PPPs work, and practitioners must seek to keep projects and enterprise going, while sorting our disputes.Particularly in the universities and the Nigerian Law School, I recommend the introduction of courses in PPPs and Privatization into their Contract and Commercial Law curriculum if they do not already exist.For lawyers and judges, I urge a full consciousness of their role as social and economic agents because their actions and inactions impact the lives of people such as workers who they may never meet.Ladies and gentleman, this is not the end of the discussion, but I argue that it must be the beginning of definitive and audacious actions to change some of the things I have highlighted and those that I have not, but which you are aware of.I am done. I thank you for listeningBabatunde Raji Fashola, SANHonourable Minister of Power, Works & Housing Senators Andy Uba and Stella Oduah as well as seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives members from Anambra State ha... Senators Andy Uba and Stella Oduah as well as seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives members from Anambra State have written a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), dismissing reports that they were sacked by the Supreme Court on Friday.Mr. Arthur Obi Okafor (SAN), counsel to Uba (Anambra South); Oduah (Anambra North) and Reps Lynda Ikpeazu, Anayo Nnebe, Tony Nwoye, Chris Azubogu, Chukwuka Onyema, Obinna Chidoka and Eucharia Azodo, in the letter, asked the Commission not to be misled by reports to withdraw their Certificates of Return.They said nowhere in its ruling did the apex court sack them and that the thrust of the verdict was that the national leadership, not the state executive of the PDP had authority over the submission of candidates names for National Assembly elections.Many news outlets had interpreted the Supreme Courts recognition of the Ejike Oguebego-led executive council of the party in the state as the authentic one.The primaries it conducted produced candidates other than those now representing the state in the National Assembly.The other faction, led by Augustine Akobundo and backed by the national leadership of the PDP, submitted its own list containing the names of the nine lawmakers and Uche Ekwunife to INEC.Ekwunife had earlier been sacked and has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).Okafor, in the January 29, 2015 letter to INEC and entitled The status of PDP Senators and Members of House of Representatives, said: In two remarkable pronouncements, the Supreme Court of Nigeria eloquently held that no list other than that forwarded by the National Executive of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shall be countenanced by the Commission.In EMEKA v. OKADIGBO (2012) 18 NWLR (Part 1331) 55 at 87 Paras H-C the Court held thus:-A diligent reading of the above reveals that it is the National Executive Committee of the PDP that is responsible for the conduct of the partys National Assembly primaries.The Court of Appeal was correct. There can only be one valid primary and that is the primaries conducted by the National Executive Committee. A primary conducted by the State Chapter of the PDP is not a primary.It is an illegal contraption that carries with it no rights. It is a complete nullity. The primaries conducted on the 8th of January, 2011 were conducted by the National Executive Committee of the PDP and it was the only authentic primaries conducted by the PDP to choose its candidate for the Anambra North Senatorial Seat.On the other hand, the purported primaries conducted on the 10th or 12th of January, 2011 were conducted by the State Chapter of the PDP.It is null and void for the purpose of choosing the PDPs candidate for the Senatorial elections. It is clear that at no time were two parallel primaries conducted. In EMENIKE v. PDP (2012) 12 NWLR (Part 1315) 556 at 594 Para H, the Supreme Court in interpreting a similar provision was emphatic that the PDP primaries conducted by the Abia State Executive Committee of PDP was illegal as it was not empowered to conduct primary election and that being the case, the Respondent who emerged from the said primary was not properly elected. Further at page 602 para H, the Supreme Court settled the position thus:-It must be elementary now, that the only valid primary is the one conducted by the National Executive Committee of the PDP. The primary which the Appellant participated in was illegal, it having been conducted by the State Executive of the PDP.Also the Apex Court in SC.4/2014, SC.7/2014 and SC.752/2013: YARADUA & ORS v. YANDOMA & ORS delivered on 19th December, 2014 per Mary UkaegoPeter-Odili JSC at page 34 held thus:At the root of these decisions cited above is the fact that must be ingrained well in mind of the court and litigants that who becomes the candidate of a political party is an issue to be solely determined by that political party and well in its domestic realm and not for the interference of any agency or the court.In that wise, since all the political parties are National, it is its National Executive Committee or delegates there from who can validly conduct a primary election or conduct a process through which the particular political party is to bring forth its candidate and no other arm of that party including a state organ of that party.That was the gravamen of the case GARBA YAKUBU LADO & ORS. V. CPC & ORS (2012) All FWLR (Part 607) 623 and which the Supreme Court declined jurisdiction and also decided that neither the Court of Appeal nor the trial High Court had jurisdiction.It was therefore odd for the Legal Department of the Commission to have ill advised the Commission to purport to accept the list forwarded by a self-styled State Executive while disregarding the list already domiciled with the Commission and forwarded by the National Executive of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).By so doing, the Commission purported to have acted pursuant to what was said to be an Order of Court made by the Federal High Court Abuja Division in FHC/ABJ/CS/854/2014.Your Honour, a perusal of the Order made in the said proceedings will not disclose any place where the Federal High Court Ordered the Commission to accept a list of Candidates forwarded by a State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).That would have been a total impertinence if not rascality as every High Court is duty bound to obey the established principles of law as laid down by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.Thus, with or without an Order of Court, on no account would the legal department or any other authority advise the Commission to accept a list forwarded by a self-styled State Executive.It is also on record that our Client appealed the decision of the Federal High Court to the Court of Appeal which set aside the decision. Upon an appeal to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court on 29th January, 2016 allowed the appeal.This appeal has now excited some attention and has been subjected to blatant and crude misinterpretations which have necessitated this correspondence.This correspondence is aimed at setting the record straight so that your good self will not again be misled by your legal department into unjustifiably occasioning an unnecessary confusion in the process. -- A former special police officer for Buena Borough was sentenced to five years in state prison Friday for sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl. Sean R. Griffith, 24, of Landisville, must also register as a sex offender, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain said in a statement. In November, Griffith pleaded guilty in Atlantic County Superior Court to official misconduct and sexual contact charges. A judge ordered to Griffith give up his law enforcement job and be forever barred from holding any public position. The prosecutor's office said Griffith committed his crimes while "holding a position of authority and disciplinary power over a 17-year-old female victim." An investigation by the county prosecutor's Special Victims Unit led to the arrest in June 2014, the statement said. Special police officers are part-time law enforcement officers who have limited police powers in the state. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Clinton Place Double Homicide 1.30.16 Authorities are investigating after a man and woman were shot to death at a Clinton Place residence Saturday night. NEWARK -- Authorities identified the man and woman killed in shooting at a Clinton Place home as Newark residents Ashley Jones and Jarrell Marshall. Jones, 23, and Marshall, 28, were pronounced dead at 9:49 p.m. Saturday, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement. Three children, ages, 1, 3 and 4 were in the apartment, authorities said. They were initially taken to University Hospital. Family members and the New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency have since taken possession of the children, authorities said. Jones and Marshall appear to have been killed by multiple gunshot wounds, but autopsies are still incomplete, officials said. No arrests have been made. The two killings bring the number of homicides in Newark in 2016 to 10. Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. True Journalism in the main stream media is non-existent period. Lying, mind control, and opinion making is what they do. It's a hidden agenda to every story they report. Objectivity is something our state media is incapable of ever attaining.The most dangerous part is that most American believe we have a free press, and this is very far from true. At least the communist countries know their media is run by the state. Our media attempts to pass itself off as something other than the state media, and spends many millions of dollar trying to convince people that the media is something that's it's not. It's all lies! All the claims these news networks make concerning themselves all lies!Any of the make believe journalist who do not go along with the hidden agenda of the news networks are finished. They all know that they cannot tell the truth, for their career will be over, and no in the entire country will ever them hiring again. This is common knowledge.Trump is a breath of fresh air. He's one who knows that he does not have to jump though all the hidden agenda hoops. Our state media attempts to make or break candidates based on their approve just like any state media. Trump was not going for it. In Iowa he showed everyone that we don't need the state media. It's nothing but a multi billion dollar propaganda machine it's not about journalism.The establishment don't want Mr. Trump in office because they don't know how he will respond to the classified information a president is privy to. For one who builds beautiful skyscrapers he may not be too happy about knowing first hand, that it was not so-called Al Qaeda that wired the twin towers and WTC building 7 with explosives and thermite.The establishment don't want Mr. Trump in office because they don't know how he will respond to finding out first hand who the terrorist really are! Sure they dread being fired, but they dread justice even more. Someone upholding the Constitution may not ignore those involved in treason. They destroy our troops and put them at great risk while hiding behind their political party labels. They even want to use our troops against the American people! They love playing all aspects of our society against each other.The over-up squad (known as the media) are always confirming the fact that it's really the state media, create fictional realities, and the last thing they would do is tell the truth. We don't need them, for all they do is "lie" for those involved in treason.Donald Trump is the only real candidate, and has the potential of greatly surpassing Reagan's leadership. It's rare that someone seeking the highest office of this country could "with our help" attain the greatness of someone like president Lincoln. This is a very serious election and America's final chance to retain our true identity and take back our sovereignty.LINK: The jewish media monopoly wants a Communist world order JERSEY CITY -- A 4-year-old boy who fell out of a fifth-story window at a six-story building at 700 Newark Ave. in Jersey City earlier today has died, according to the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. Shortly after 2:30 p.m. today, Jersey City police were dispatched to the scene on the report of a child who fell out of a window, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said in a statement. According to a preliminary investigation, the four-year-old fell out of a fifth-story window and was found in the parking lot, Suarez said. Suarez said the boy was transported to Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 3 p.m. She said the Homicide Unit of the prosecutor's office is investigating the death, which at this point appears to be accidental. Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. steve fulop Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop says a few words at a community policing forum organized by the New Jersey Institute of Social Justice at New Jersey City University in Jersey City on Jan. 30, 2016. Jonathan Lin | The Jersey Journal (Jonathan Lin | The Jersey Journal) JERSEY CITY -- At a community policing forum today, Mayor Steve Fulop said Jersey City's efforts to recruit young African-Americans into its police force are probably the most aggressive of any city in the country. Despite those efforts, Fulop reiterated what he's said before: that many recruits bail on the police academy on "day one" when they're faced with drill sergeants who order them around. Jersey City Public Safety Director Jim Shea "and myself actually counsel those men and women and say 'Look you're over the hardest obstacle, you're in. You have a career of 20, 25 years ahead of you. You have a potential to make six figures. Don't make a foolish mistake.' And yet at the same time, many of these people drop out," Fulop said. Fulop added that when a recruit gives up his or her spot, the city can't fill it with another officer. Jersey City does not have its own police academy, and the city receives a "finite number of spots" at academies around the state, he said. The mayor's comments -- part of an eight-minute speech in front of roughly 85 people at a forum organized by the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice at New Jersey City University -- came after a talk he gave earlier this month about the city's efforts to fight crime in the face of an uptick in gun violence at the end of 2015. Fulop began his remarks today by recalling the day city resident Lawrence Campbell shot and killed city police officer Melvin Santiago a year and a half ago, and how some residents put up a memorial afterward for Campbell, who himself was killed by police after he shot Santiago. Fulop had ordered that the memorial be taken down. "I thought of that for the better part of a year: Who in their right mind would memorialize a person who assassinated a police officer?" he said. "And you know, this is before Ferguson and before Staten Island and before a lot of the things that you've read about." The mayor said he came to the conclusion that the memorial "really wasn't about Lawrence Campbell ultimately" but was rather about distrust between city residents and police. Fulop cited a figure he's said before: that when he took office in 2013, there was only one African-American person in the city's police department above the lowest rank of "Officer," despite the city being "arguably the most diverse city in the entire country." The mayor also stressed two other points he's made before: that witnesses of crimes need to come forward to help police, and that increasing walking posts in neighborhoods might help but that it could potentially come at the cost of slowing police response times. "So there is a trade-off in everything that we do, and I hope that people recognize that. And ultimately, we need your help to solve some of these problems," Fulop said. Other speakers at the event included Regional Disaster Manager of the American Red Cross of New Jersey Paul Gass; New Jersey City University President Sue Henderson; Jersey City Public Safety Director Jim Shea; Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez; State Sen. Sandra Cunningham; Director of New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Elie Honig; NJ Attorney General John Hoffman and U.S. Attorney for District of NJ Paul Fishman. Several Jersey City council members also attended the event, which featured a breakout session where the attendees divided up into groups to discuss topics like "Training for law enforcement personnel," "Building Trust Between the Police and the Community" and the "Role of Schools and Education," among others. Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Jersey City police car A 23-year-old man is in critical condition after being stabbed early this morning while trying to stop a man from breaking into a woman's car, according to a police report. (Journal File Photo) JERSEY CITY -- A 23-year-old man is in critical condition after being stabbed early this morning while trying to stop another man from breaking into a woman's car, according to a police report. Just before 5 a.m., police responded to Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health to meet with friends who brought the victim to the hospital, the report states. One of the men told police he was with the victim and two women on Martin Luther King Drive near Wilkinson Avenue, trying to help one of them with her car, police said. Another man pulled up to the car the group was working on, said he was a mechanic, and offered assistance, the report states. One of the men already working on car the told the suspect that they did not need his help because the man doing work on the vehicle was a mechanic himself, police said. The suspect then tried to break open the women's window and enter the car, police said. One of the men in the group swung at the suspect with a closed fist but missed. The suspect grabbed a sharp tool and stabbed the victim in the stomach area, the report states. The women grabbed a bat from the trunk of the car and swung it at the suspect's car as he drove off, breaking the side mirror, police said. The victim was driven to the hospital by his friends, the report states. As of this afternoon, the victim remained in critical condition at JCMC, Jersey City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said. Our House Inc., a nonprofit organization founded in 1980, provides residential, recreational, employment and innovative day services, including Hope Autism Solutions, to more than 250 adults with developmental and other disabilities. The agency offers opportunities for rewarding careers for those with a passion to help others. A private 501(c)3 organization, Our House opened its first home in 1980 in Summit. The steady growth that followed has led to a total of 36 Our House residences throughout Union, Essex, Somerset and Morris counties. Our House's goal is to promote a high quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities. Services are designed to be flexible, in order to meet each individual's needs. Emphasis is placed on enhancing community involvement and participation, as well as helping individuals develop meaningful connections to community life. Individuals are encouraged to make independent choices about their lives, with support from trained and caring staff. The organization is supported by Our House Foundation, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to providing funding for programs and services for New Jersey residents with developmental and other disabilities. Our House Inc. also offers the chance to make a difference in someone's life and get paid for it. The social service agency is seeking compassionate individuals to assist and train residents in independent living skills. Employee Benefits Our House offers competitive salaries to employees, as well as a benefits package that includes medical, prescription, dental and life insurance. Full-time employees receive generous vacation, personal and sick paid time off and a matching 401(k) plan. Candidates must have: A valid driver's license. A good driving record. Own transportation. A minimum of a high school diploma or GED equivalent. For more information or to apply, email recruiter@ourhousenj.org. Wine Tasting Fundraiser March 11 For a fun-filled way to support Our House, plan on attending The Grape Debate on March 11 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Basking Ridge Country Club, presented by Our House Foundation. For the fifth consecutive year, the event will include five wine vendors from Gary's Wine and Marketplace, who have graciously provided a large selection of wines for all to sample. Also available will be spirits and craft beer tastings and culinary stations. Support for The Grape Debate will mean additional community housing and jobs for individuals with disabilities, who only need a chance to prove themselves. For more information on the fun-filled event, visit ourhousenj.org/thegrapedebate; call (908) 464-8008, ext 141; or contact bkelly@ourhousenj.org. To learn more about Our House and the programs provided, visit ourhousenj.org. For more advice on the job market, click here. WASHINGTON (AP) The House Jan. 6 committee plans to unveil "surprising" details at its next public hearing about the 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol. The session Thursday afternoon is likely to be the last public hearing before midterm elections next month. The panel is expected to include new evidence from the U.S. Secret Service about its actions with Donald Trump that day. Ahead of a report later this year, the panel is summing up its findings. The committee says Trump, after he lost the 2020 presidential election, launched an unprecedented attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory. They say the result was the deadly mob siege of the Capitol. End the war on drugs. Reduce government spending across the board, including on the military. Reduce the prison population. Get the government out of your life. Thats the message Rand Paul brought to the Mid-America Center Saturday morning and Council Bluffs, as the Kentucky Senator made one of his final pitches to the people Iowa on the eve of Mondays caucuses. Paul spoke for about 30 minutes, hitting on all the main points hes espoused throughout the campaign. Paul criticized other Republican candidates for not being conservative enough. Whose fault is it that we have a $20 trillion government? Both parties, Paul said. Youre getting it from both sides. The Republicans have the largest voices for more spending. None of the republicans are very conservative. All are calling for increased military spending. Paul said he believes in a strong national defense, but noted military spending can often times be wasteful. The biggest threat to our country is our debt, he told a crowd of about 125 people. Paul said, I want a government so small you can barely see it. A government that leaves you alone. Energy plan? Food plan? Let the consumer decide, Paul said. Were the freest, richest country in the world. The risk is that government is growing so large. About the military, Paul said candidates cannot be conservative if theyre liberal about military spending. Paul called the debate about the 2003 invasion of Iraq one that still is relevant, as the same debate rages about military action in Syria and against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The senator pointed to Libya, where the U.S. assisted in the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi, only to have ISIS fill the void. He noted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a terrible person, but wondered what would happen to Christians in the country if Assad was removed from power. If we topple Assad, I think (Christians are) massacred by ISIS, ISIS becomes stronger, Paul said. Paul called for criminal justice reform, noting mass incarceration in the country has gone too far, often to the detriment of minorities. A solution to the problem? End the war on drugs, he said. We should expunge records for non-violent crimes and end solitary confinement for juveniles. On Monday, President Barack Obama announced a ban on solitary confinement for juveniles in the federal prison system. Paul said he agreed with a ban, but said he wouldve prefer the measure come through legislation. After his speech, Paul said its illogical that some states have more lenient parole eligibility stipulations for convicted murderers than federal sentencing guidelines allow for non-violent drug offenders. He pointed to the case of Katrina Smith and Minnie Thomas, mother and grandmother of Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. Smith was sentenced to 20 years in prison on drug charges in 1999, while Thomas, received a life sentence, with possibility of parole after 40 years, because she had two previous drug convictions. Weve gone entirely too far in the war on drugs, he said, saying their sentences were too long. We need to find a way to rehabilitate people and get them back into society. Paul is currently at 3 percent in Iowa, good for sixth-place in the Republican field, according to the realclearpolitics.com polling average. Business magnate Donald Trump is at 31.4 percent, followed by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at 24.8. U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced Paul at the event and encouraged people to ignore the polls. Dont let the pollsters pick for you, he said. Get out and vote. Steve Sanderson of Omaha and Greg Votava of Lincoln came to the MAC to hear Paul, and both said they liked what they heard. His take on a smaller government and the ridiculous debt speaks to me. The war on drugs has done nothing but backfire on us, Votava said. His foreign policy makes sense, its wise. Hes not a hawk that wants to sell the sand glow. The last line refers to Cruzs comment that he wants to bomb ISIS so much, that, I dont know if sand can glow in the dark, but were going to find out. Sanderson said he spent 12 years in the military and four in defense contracting in Curacao and has seen the war on drugs up close. Ive seen the waste hands on, weve failed, he said. There are more drugs, higher-quality drugs for a lower price today. Votava said he feels Paul is willing to speak the truth. The government just needs to get out of our lives, he said. Tales of moving from British Columbia, Canada, to Costa Rica, with husband and cat in tow. And after more than ten years have never looked back! Community Its now easier than ever to connect and chat with others in your local area. You can connect with your community by asking general questions, give area updates and recommendations and even let your community know about local events that are taking place. This blog belongs to a woman with lots to say on everything under the sun. The Chief of Police for the North Platte Police Department in 1916 was Chief Hank L. Baker. On Nov. 1, 1916, Chief Baker received a telegram from authorities in Sterling, Colorado, to be on the lookout for a prisoner who had broken out of jail. Chief Baker went to the railroad yards here to search eastbound trains for the wanted man. Chief Baker stepped from the path of an approaching locomotive directly into the path of a second engine. The locomotive knocked him to the ground and the wheels passed over his left leg. He was rushed to the hospital in North Platte, but died six hours later. He was 54 years old and left behind his wife and two children. In 2009, the Nebraska Law Enforcement Memorial was dedicated on the grounds at Fonner Park in Grand Island with 137 names of fallen officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice to honor them. In May of this year, Chief Bakers name will be included on the wall. There is very little information on Chief Bakers family, and the North Platte Police Department is asking for the publics help in locating someone related to Chief Baker in order to let them know about the ceremony in Grand Island. NPPD knows he was born in 1862, and had two children, a son, Willis Baker, and a daughter, Eva Baker. They lived in North Platte for many years. Chief Baker was also very involved with the Odd Fellows in North Platte. If anyone has any information that might help locate any of Chief Bakers relation, please contact Chief Mike Swain at 535-8413. One of the more noteworthy new cars making the rounds at auto shows this year, at least as far as auto enthusiasts are concerned, is a brand new version of Fiats iconic 124 Spider convertible, last seen on U.S. shores in the 1970s. Todays low-slung Spider shares its underpinnings with the just-redesigned Mazda MX-5 Miata, but comes wrapped in broad-shouldered exterior styling that recalls the original incarnation. The racy ragtop packs a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine that generates a lively 160-horsepower with a launch-happy 184 pound-feet of torque, with a choice of a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. It rides on a double-wishbone suspension up front and a multi-link array at the rear for quick and nimble handling. Whats more, Fiat is making an Italian-English dictionary required reading for 124 Spider shoppers, offering it in Classica and Lusso trim levels, in exterior color treatments that include Rosso Passione, Bianco Gelato, Nero Cinema, Grigio Argento, Grigio Moda and our favorite Bronzo Magnetico. The Northwest Indiana Forum held its annual meeting at Horseshoe Casino on Thursday, recapping many of the organization's achievements and electing new officers. Forum CEO Heather Ennis reported that in 2015 the Forum participated with other organizations in projects helping to attract more than 980 jobs to Northwest Indiana. It responded to and developed 52 leads for attracting businesses, retaining businesses or expanding businesses. In addition, it spearheaded plans to get more industrial space constructed in Northwest Indiana, hosting more than 100 site-selector, broker and developer meetings. This year, the Forum has hosted members of the Indiana General Assembly and Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann at its annual legislative session in Indianapolis. And it brought 40 real estate brokers and developers together with Indiana Secretary of Commerce Victor Smith at a real estate forum in Chicago. "We look forward to developing and nurturing our relationships to ensure that Northwest Indiana will be the region selected for new or expanding businesses," Ennis said. Newly elected to the Forum board of directors at the annual meeting were Kelly Credit, of Porter Health Care System; Gus Olympidis, of Family Express; and Rex Richards, of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce. Eight members were re-elected to three year terms on the board. Those were Don Babcock, of NIPSCO; Speros Batistatos, of the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority; Brian Boilek, of First Midwest Bank; John Diederich, of Peoples Bank; Larry Fabina, of ArcelorMittal; Tom Keilman, of BP Americas; Dewey Pearman, of the Construction Advancement Foundation; and Mark Tade, of U.S. Steel. Developers of Northwest Indiana's hottest shopping destinations still hunt for open land, roads with traffic and people with money to spend. In recent years, they have zeroed in on 109th Avenue in Crown Point, U.S. 41 South on Main Street in Schererville, and an area east of U.S. 49 in Valparaiso. And there are plenty of other areas ripe for development, with a few coming into view more recently. Those include land Boyer Properties wants to develop off U.S. 41 in St. John. Crown Point With 450,000 square feet of shopping space planned in Crown Point, the Galleria lifestyle center is the biggest development being planned for Lake and Porter counties in the next few years. Galleria is a project of a subsidiary of Hawk Development in Crown Point. It is proposed for a total of 60 acres on both sides of 109th Avenue between Interstate 65 and Broadway. The lifestyle center has long been labeled as the "first phase" of the project on about 40 acres on the north side of 109th, but it will now be the second area developed. That's because 109th has become a traffic nightmare during peak hours since the I-65 interchange opened. Traffic is lined up almost all the way from Broadway to Randolph Street in Winfield during rush hours. Adding a 40-acre shopping center on the north side will create the mother of all gridlocks on the two-lane road. And that doesn't take into account phase two on the south side of 109th, which actually will be built first, starting as soon as the weather allows this spring. The 20-acre development will have eight lots on the south side with restaurants, at least one hotel and a gas station among the expected businesses. A study is underway to come up with solutions to the traffic problems already existing and expected after the development comes. For now the road improvements are slated for 2018, and are expected to include additional lanes, turning lanes and traffic signals. One signal is planned at Delaware Parkway on the west border of the Galleria to help control traffic to the phase two portion, possibly this year. Schererville; Valparaiso In Schererville, plans for the second and final phase of the Shops on Main at Main Street and U.S. 41 are nearing completion that will add 70,000 square feet of commercial space for a total of 230,000, according to town Manager Bob Volkman. On Thursday, some of that second-phase space was taken by Nordstrom Rack, which announced it plans to open a 25,000-square-foot store there in spring 2017. And in Valparaiso, Porter's Vale has space to develop about 250,000 square feet in addition to the 500,000 square feet already under roof, according to developer Lauth Property Group. Next up there will be a McAlisters Deli, a popular deli from the Indianapolis area that would be Porter's Vale first eatery. And years of planning for a Meijer may finally bear fruit, according to Valparaiso officials. Todd Kleven, vice president of Hawk Development, said the real estate market took a major turn as a result of the Great Recession. Financing changed and Kleven said there was a learning curve for how to develop land successfully. "You don't see developers building 200 lots now," he said. "They do it in smaller chunks because of the financing. You do have to have a balance to make sure developments can make a profit. Without land development, communities will fail because of the need for new tax dollars. New development helps support improvements to the older parts of a town." St. John St. John is dealing with a slightly different traffic problem with the proposed Boyer Properties project south of Joliet Street east of U.S. 41. The intersection of Joliet and 41 is one of the most dangerous in the town because of traffic making left turns. The town proposed correcting that by putting a roundabout at the entrance to the shopping complex and redirecting traffic past the Boyer Properties development to a signalized intersection at 76th Avenue. Residents on Joliet objected to the roundabout because it required demolishing a home. They also felt it was too close to a railroad crossing to the east. That project is being redesigned without the roundabout. Development on the south and west portions of St. John has been hampered by a lack of sewer capacity, and the town is expanding a lift station on U.S. 41 this year to take care of that. The town also has talked about the possible need for an additional well to the south to take care of more development, most of which is proposed as residential. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Eagle-eyed viewers of "Grease: Live" might see some familiar faces during the broadcast two stars of the 1978 film have cameos. In a nice tip of the hat to the past, Fox asked Didi Conn, who played Frenchy in the John Travolta-led movie, and Barry Pearl, who was Doody onscreen, will appear in small roles tonight (Fox, 6 p.m. EST and tape-delayed for Pacific time). "The fact that the two us should be chosen to be part of this as an homage an overall collective homage to the piece is just delicious," said Pearl. "That has been the 'Grease' experience all the way along. It's been one magical moment after the next." In this new rock 'n' roll paean to puberty set in the 1950s, Conn, 64, will play a waitress at the Frosty Palace malt shop, while Pearl, 65, plays a TV producer, a role written for him. The pair will join stars Julianne Hough as Sandy, Aaron Tveit as Danny Zuko, Vanessa Hudgens as Rizzo, Carly Rae Jepsen as Frenchy, KeKe Palmer as Marty and Mario Lopez as Vince Fontaine. The show is being filmed on two massive Warner Bros. soundstages in Burbank, California. Conn said her first meeting with Jepsen in her old role was emotional. "I started to cry. I think partly it was 'That could be my daughter that I never had,'" said the actress. "She is absolutely yummy-adorable." Other cameos will be done by "Saturday Night Live" alum Ana Gasteyer, "Brady Bunch" star Eve Plumb, "The Fresh Beat Band" star Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer and "The Wire" star Wendell Pierce. A live audience will add a dash of theater, which won't rattle Pearl or Conn, who are both stage veterans. Over the years, Pearl and Conn have become the keepers of the "Grease" flame, organizing reunions and protecting the actors' copyright. "He's the troop leader of the T-Birds and I'm the den mother," said Conn. This time, they added their deep knowledge of all things "Grease." During rehearsals, Conn noticed the boys in leather jackets weren't being nearly amorous enough around the girls, while Pearl pointed out that the script called for the guys to high-five but no one did that during the Eisenhower administration. Pearl, whose link to "Grease" started when he joined the first national tour in 1973, said natural changes have crept in over the years. For instance, on Sunday there will be no f-bombs or cigarette smoking, and the lyrics for "Greased Lightnin' have been sanitized. But the broadcast will have a lot of Broadway DNA. It's being directed by Thomas Kail ("Hamilton"), with music supervision by Tom Kitt ("Next to Normal"), production design by David Korins ("Hamilton") and costume design by William Ivey Long ("Cabaret"). Conn, who after starring with Travolta in "Grease" went on to play "Lost in Yonkers" on Broadway and voiced the animated film "Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure," said there's a reason "Grease" never dies. "'Grease' is about firsts first love, first car, first heartbreak. For Frenchie, first career disappointment," she said. "It's a story of excitement and newness and energy." For Pearl, who made his Broadway debut in "Bye Bye Birdie" and also was in "Oliver!" it's all about finding a surrogate family of friends: "At the core of it is a group of kids that just love each other." http://donpolson.blogspot.com/ Bringing you the very best information, analysis and opinion from around the web. NOTE: For videos that don't start--go to article link to view. Extending an olive branch to Democrats amid Illinois seven-month budget impasse, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner used last weeks State of the State address to affirm his support for a pension overhaul proposed by Democratic Senate President John Cullerton. Lawmakers for years have been grappling with ways to deal with the states rising pension costs expected to hit $7.6 billion this year and unfunded liabilities in statewide retirement systems that have grown to more than $100 billion. A state law passed in 2013 would have raised the retirement age and reduced cost-of-living increases for retirees, among other changes. But the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that it violated the pension protection clause of the state constitution, which says pension benefits for current and retired workers shall not be diminished or impaired. Rauner had previously proposed a pension plan that his administration said would save $2 billion a year, but critics contend that it would fail to clear the same constitutional hurdle. As a first step toward bipartisan compromise, President Cullerton and I have agreed to support his pension proposal that will save $1 billion a year from four of the state pension plans, Rauner said in his speech. I have instructed administration attorneys to work with the Senate presidents staff to finalize language as soon as possible. When they do, I urge both chambers to pass it without delay. The details are still being worked out, but Cullertons plan would give each worker a choice: either have future raises count toward your pension or receive yearly compounding cost-of-living raises in retirement. A previous Cullerton plan, which the Senate approved but the House never voted on, would have given the choice between state health benefits or cost-of-living increases in retirement. The plan was abandoned after the Supreme Court ruled in a separate case that the Illinois Constitution also protects state retiree health benefits. The big question is whether this new plan will ultimately be found constitutional. We arent certain its constitutional, Cullerton told reporters last week after a speech at the City Club of Chicago, but we have the benefit of the Supreme Court decision, which weve read, and this is consistent with that. However, Chris Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, said the previous Supreme Court rulings have set a high bar. If both of the choices cut benefits, thats not a true choice that would likely be approved by the court, he said. Before it gets that far, though, the proposal must pass both houses of the General Assembly. Republican Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, who voted against the previous Cullerton plan, said this is one he can get behind. The difference is the courts ruled that what we did before was unconstitutional, Brady said. I think this has a better chance of being constitutional. Democratic Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill said he backed Cullertons previous plan because it was negotiated with a coalition of unions called We Are One Illinois. Anything short of a negotiated framework with state employees and the representation of those state employees through their unions, its going to be very difficult to gain my support, Manar said. Those unions have made it clear that they dont back this plan. The governor described a plan that would force teachers, first responders and other public employees to choose between two losing options that each diminish retirement security, We Are One Illinois said in an emailed statement. Such a plan is both unfair to working people and clearly unconstitutional. The unions contend that the current problem is the result of a long history of state leaders underfunding pensions to pay for other expenses. Republican Sen. Dave Luechtefeld has other concerns with Cullertons idea. With its estimated $1 billion in annual savings, it wouldnt do enough to address the problem, he said. If you pass something like that, I think there would be a general feeling, Well, weve taken care of that, Luechtefeld said. And obviously that doesnt take care of it. Thats just a small part of the problem. Another big question is whether the plan would win the support of Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan. Following the State of the State address, Madigan said he was very anxious to see the governors language. INDIANAPOLIS | Less than two years ago, Indiana lawmakers nearly asked Hoosier voters to ratify an amendment adding the state's ban on gay marriage to its Constitution. In a remarkable about-face, a Republican-controlled Senate committee last week not only acknowledged gay marriage is in Indiana to stay, but also noted the state must ensure Hoosiers not face discrimination in housing, employment or access to public accommodations due to his or her sexual orientation. "Senate Bill 344 is a major step forward," said Senate President David Long, R-Fort Wayne. "It provides strong religious freedom protections, it does propose to provide civil rights protections for the LGB (lesbian, gay, bisexual) community and considering where we were a couple years ago, that's a big step for Indiana." Half the 50-member Senate, including Long, have witnessed and participated in the turnabout on gay rights during the span of a single four-year term. Long said he's not sure Senate Republicans necessarily have "evolved" on the issue, but "obviously they're hearing from their constituents, and that's important." "I think everyone is more aware of the whole discussion on civil rights and religious freedom," Long said. "Whether or not they've changed their position, I think they are more educated on it." Recent public opinion polls have found more than 6 in 10 Hoosiers strongly or somewhat strongly support making it illegal to discriminate against LGBT citizens. In addition, 54 percent believe it is more important to prevent LGBT discrimination than to accommodate business owners claiming a religious objection to serving them. The legislation set to be debated this week by the Senate does not entirely match Hoosier preferences. Missing the T It excludes civil rights protections for transgender individuals and exempts from the anti-discrimination provisions nearly any organization with a connection to religion, including most wedding-service providers. Long said he is not insensitive to transgender Hoosiers and noted the proposal requires a legislative study committee review over the summer questions relating to gender identity discrimination in Indiana. "When you provide a protected class status it brings a lot of issues with it and changes, and what we're seeing right now nationally with bathroom issues ... it changes the discussion a little bit," Long said. "We need more time to figure that out." Freedom Indiana, Indiana Competes and other business and community groups pushing for full LGBT protections say omitting the "T" is unacceptable. "Senate Bill 344 is still woefully inadequate, because it leaves out the transgender community and provides numerous allowances for additional discrimination. That is not the answer," said Peter Hanscom, Indiana Competes director. Religious organizations feeling slighted At the same time, many religious and family organizations disapprove of the measure because it guarantees civil rights protections based on sexual orientation and does not go far enough to protect the sincerely held religious beliefs of business owners. "If the government can punish a Christian business owner who believes marriage is only to be between one man and one woman, then the next step would be to attack and punish a pastor and a church," said Eric Miller, founder of Advance America. Long believes lawmakers have struck the right balance between civil rights and religious freedom, regardless of what advocacy groups at the extreme sides of the issue say. "That is not how this process works. So in between, is a solution somewhere; we're trying to find that place," Long said. "We're breaking new ground in Indiana with this proposal." State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, is among those who support full civil rights protections for LGBT Hoosiers. She plans to work during the six weeks remaining in the legislative session to make that a reality. She also acknowledges GOP lawmakers have come a long way in a short time on gay rights issues and that is something to celebrate. "Even if this bill passes the way it is, which we don't like, we got rid of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and we got 80 percent of what we want," Tallian said. "It's not where we want to be, but it's a huge victory." The Senate is expected to vote Tuesday or Wednesday on whether to advance Senate Bill 344 to the Republican-controlled House. INDIANAPOLIS Hoosier lawmakers have only until Wednesday to win either House or Senate approval for their proposals, or the legislation effectively is dead for the year. Next week, House-approved measures will go to the Senate, and Senate-endorsed plans to the House, to determine what ultimately will advance to Gov. Mike Pence for his signature or veto. Here's a look at some of the proposals, many sponsored by Northwest Indiana lawmakers, that passed the House or Senate last week: Teacher scholarship House Bill 1002, sponsored by House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, and state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, creates the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship. Up to 200 students annually could receive $7,500 for their college educations if they agree to teach in Indiana schools for five years after earning their degrees. "In today's economy, we realize our top-performing students have many college and career options," Bosma said. "This proposal is part of an overall effort this session to encourage our best and brightest to consider teaching in Indiana classrooms as a lifelong career." Corrections House Bill 1102, sponsored by state Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, improves access to community corrections programs and provides for mental health treatment at county jails. "This is an opportunity to lower the rate of criminal activity in Indiana while providing individuals with the care they need to improve their mental health and prepare themselves for re-entry into society," Lawson said. Sex crimes House Bill 1199, sponsored by Lawson and state Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point, requires a person convicted of promoting child prostitution to register as a sex offender. Traffic accidents House Bill 1048, sponsored by state Reps. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, and Charlie Brown, D-Gary, obligates motorists involved in a minor crash to move their vehicles out of traffic if it can be done safely. Veterans Senate Bill 233, sponsored by state Sen. Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte, provides Hoosiers an option on their income tax form to donate their tax refund, or any amount, to Indiana's Military Family Relief Fund. Plastic bags House Bill 1053 pre-empts local governments from enacting a ban or tax on use of plastic shopping bags or foam containers by retailers or food service companies. Israel House Bill 1378 mandates the Indiana Public Retirement System divest from businesses that participate in boycotts or sanctions aimed at harming the economy of Israel. ST. JOHN The Lake Central School Corp. can expect relatively consistent enrollment figures over the next 10 years. School Board members recently heard the particulars of a population forecast study that projects the district could have 400 fewer students by 2026. Many more salient data points comprised the findings of professional demographer, Jerome McKibben of Rock Hill, South Carolina, who the board hired to study long-term student population trends since it was last undertaken a decade ago. While fewer students means less per pupil state funding, Superintendent Larry Veracco is not alarmed. He explained that a 400-student drop in enrollment, to around 9,000, spread out over six elementary schools and a big new high school, is manageable. However, school officials are keeping an eye on figures indicating the district is reaching capacity at Kolling Elementary, particularly in third and fourth grade, although the second grade class is smaller. Veracco said one way to deal with potential overcrowding is to shift some programs to another school. He believes there is no new data showing cause to either consolidate or expand school buildings over the next 10 years. We have a lot of room at the high school, he said. Weve got room at the other schools too. Wed love to have more kids. Lake Central feeder community St. John has been one of the fastest growing municipalities in the state. However, that growth is projected to level off, with the exception of new, upscale housing in the $400,000 range, according to Veracco. Traditionally, these homes have older children or none at all versus more traditional single-family homes and mixed use residential areas that on average have more school-aged occupants. LOWELL The Town Council has made the first move toward providing a tax break for Aunt Millie's Bakeries, which has purchased the former Ashland Industries property at the town's west end. The council on Monday approved a statement of benefits and a resolution, the opening steps toward tax abatement for the Fort Wayne-based company. Jay Miller, Aunt Millie's chief financial officer, told the council crews are already doing cleanup in the facility at 790 W. Commercial Ave. A distribution center and branch depot will open there around May 1. The company expects to make a $25 million total investment in new equipment and building improvements. Miller said Aunt Millie's expects to be fully operational in April of next year. At that time, he said, it is expected there will be 117 new jobs, all of which will receive full benefits. A total payroll of $5 million is planned. Accompanied by Vice President of Finance Judy Bobilya-Feher, Miller thanked Lowell Clerk/Treasurer Judy Walters and town attorney David Westland for "helping us through the application process." Renovations to the facility will begin as soon as all government approvals are received. Construction of the bakery section of the building will begin after the branch depot opens. In a news release, President John F. Popp said, "We are pleased to be making this investment in Indiana, our home state. We have experienced a great deal of westward expansion, and this new bakery will allow us to better serve our Illinois and Wisconsin customers." Begun in 1901, Aunt Millie's Bakeries now operates six bakeries in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. The Lowell facility will be the seventh. The company has more than 50 branch depots and 35 outlet stores in its bakery states as well as in Kentucky, Wisconsin and Illinois. SCHERERVILLE | Schererville Firefighters Local 4279 is encouraging residents to be safe while cooking on Thanksgiving. Many home cooking fires are caused by unattended equipment, abandoned material, a heat source left too close to flammable materials, product misuse and cooking equipment that is not properly turned off. A lot of those fires can be easily avoided by staying alert and in the kitchen while cooking, said Eric Newell, of Local 4279. Turkey fryers can be dangerous if they arent used properly. Local 4279 recommends seeking preparation advice from grocery stores, specialty food retailers and restaurants or use an oil-less fryer that cooks with infrared heat. If residents experience a cooking fire, they should go outside and call 911. Residents shouldnt attempt to fight a fire themselves. To prevent cooking-related burns, residents are encouraged to cook on back burners and turn pot handles inward so children dont contact them. There should be a kid-free zone of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drinks are prepared or carried. SCHERERVILLE A police officer saved a 61-year-old man's life as his house burned nearby in the Pine Island subdivision. Police arrived at the scene of a house fire at around 10:30 a.m. Saturday at 5103 W. 89th Place in Schererville. Schererville Police Department Officer Brian Daniels, the first to arrive, ran to the front door to see if anyone was inside, but there was so much smoke he couldn't get into the house. Neighbors standing on the street told him everyone was in the backyard. He rushed around the house and found a man with second- and third-degree burns to his legs collapsed in the doorway. He had made it about halfway out when he fell but his legs were still in the burning house as flames raged inside. Daniels grabbed the man, who had suffered full cardiac arrest, and dragged him back about 10 feet into the backyard. He didn't have a heart beat. He wasn't breathing. His face was purple. Daniels started CPR, and within a minute flames and smoke started shooting out the back door. The windows started to explode, showering glass around. But Daniels feared a larger explosion. He had seen six small portable oxygen tanks and a larger oxygen tank inside the house, and the flames were getting closer to engulfing them, which could have triggered a large blast. "My main concern was the oxygen tanks," he said. "It would have been like bombs going off." With the help of neighbors, Daniels dragged the man back to a safer location about 30 feet away as smoke and flames shot out the door. He started doing chest compressions and rescue breaths again, and eventually the man's heartbeat and breathing resumed. "I was just doing my job," Daniels said. "Any officer in the department or anywhere in the country would have done the same thing." Schererville Police Department Detective Cmdr. Michael Vode helped paramedics put an air tube in the man, who was on oxygen and suffered numerous health problems. The man, whose identity was not immediately available, was rushed by ambulance to Franciscan St. Anthony Health Crown Point hospital, and he was soon flown by helicopter to the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago. He was listed in stable condition Saturday night, Daniels said. No one else was injured in the blaze. The man lives in the house with his sister, but she was able to escape through the front door without suffering any injuries. She told Daniels she believed the fire started in his chair, after he fell asleep while smoking a cigarette. When firefighters arrived, a bedroom was ablaze, and flames were blowing out of the window, Schererville Assistant Fire Chief David Meyer said. The fire burned through about half of the house, which also sustained extensive heat and smoke damage. Firefighters battled the blaze for about 30 to 45 minutes before extinguishing it, Meyer said. The fire wasn't at risk of spreading to neighboring homes and a dollar estimate of the damage was not immediately available. "I'm sad the family lost the house, but I'm glad he's doing OK," Daniels said. Multiple fire departments helped put out the large fire, including Schererville, Lake Hills, Munster, Merrillville, Crown Point and St. John. SCHERERVILLE | The 2,848 calls for service that the Schererville Fire Department received in 2012 were the most in the department's history, Fire Chief Joseph Kruzan said. Nearly 80 percent of the calls were for emergency medical services. About 15 years ago, the Fire Department received less than 1,000 calls for service, he said. The rise in call volume isn't a concern for Kruzan. "It's just a trend," he said. Increased calls are expected as the town grows and its population gets older, Kruzan said. Town Council President Rob Guetzloff and Councilman Jerry Tippy said they weren't surprised by the total calls in 2012. "We anticipated the increased demand a few years ago when we changed the department to a full-time department," Tippy said in an email. During the transition, several Schererville firefighters attended paramedic school, he said. Most of the town's firefighters are now paramedics, too. "This change was important because the majority of our calls are for ambulance," Tippy said. Guetzloff said calls to the Fire Department could continue to rise because of new developments in the town, such as the Residences at Deer Creek senior citizen living community. The town will examine all of its fire stations to determine if improvements are needed because of the growth in Schererville, he said. Although calls have increased, the Fire Department continues to provide excellent service, Guetzloff said. "I can't say enough good things" about Kruzan and the town's other firefighters, he said. The Purdue University North Central Construction Club hosted its second annual networking luncheon. During it, general contractors, engineers, architects and builders in Northwest Indiana and the Chicago area were introduced to Purdue North Central and Calumet students majoring in construction engineering, management technology, civil engineering and other areas of engineering and technology. The event included a career fair with several companies actively recruiting interns and employees. Students had the opportunity to present their resumes, speak to company representatives, ask questions and gather information. This is a great way for students to get together with potential employers in a more casual atmosphere than a traditional job interview, said Construction Club President Robert Kennedy, a construction engineering and management technology major. Participating companies included Berglund Construction Inc., Burling Builders Inc., Career Center at PNC, Construction Advancement Foundation, D.A Dodd Inc., Haas & Associates, Larson-Danielson Construction Company Inc., NIES Engineering Inc., Old Veteran Construction Inc., Powers and Sons Construction, Tonn and Blank Construction and Ziolkowski Construction Inc. Students sat with the professionals during lunch, presenting an opportunity to get to know one another. Conversations did not necessarily center on academics or work. The professionals shared their insights into what employers look for when hiring. This is a nice opportunity for us to meet prospective employees, said Amanda Roe, of Burling Builders. Many of our employees are Purdue alumni. We know that Purdue graduates are smart, talented individuals. Tony Oss, a Larson-Danielson project development manager, is a Purdue graduate. The company owners are Purdue alumni, as are many of its employees. I am here to support the program and to find new employees, he said. This is a great event. PNC student Justin Rhinefield, a construction engineering and management technology major, attended the event to network, hoping to get some leads on a job. Its much easier to connect with someone with a face-to-face conversation, rather than sending in a resume, he said. Jeremy Smith, also a construction engineering and management technology major, will graduate in May. Im ready to get started with my career, he said. I made a few connections. This was really helpful. The Construction Club has a relationship with the LaPorte County Habitat for Humanity. The luncheon raised more than $3,500 that will help fund the cost of the next Habitat for Humanity home in LaPorte County. CHESTERTON | Enjoy a music field evening under the stars at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Chesterton Amphitheater in the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve. Northwest Indianas premier wind ensemble, Windiana, is performing at Concert at the Creek. Conductor Jeff Doebler raises the baton for an evening featuring music from the Disney film "Frozen," "Happy" by Pharrell Williams and an array of John Philip Sousa American classics. "The Chesterton Amphitheater is the perfect venue for an evening of entertaining music for the whole family. Windiana provides a diverse and up-tempo variety of music that everyone in the family will love, said Coffee Creek Watershed Conservancy executive director, Katie Rizer. There is no charge for this concert and guests are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic baskets. Local vendor, What's Up, Dog! will be selling hotdogs, chips and beverages during the concert. The Chesterton Amphitheater is located at 2401 Village Point. Conducted by Jeffrey Doebler, director of music education and bands at Valparaiso University, Windiana is a professional-level concert band, based in northwest Indiana. Windiana's mission is to perform concert band literature at the highest level and to provide a concert band opportunity for professional-level musicians. Members of Windiana have studied with some of the most notable musicians in America, and are highly recognized for their performing and teaching. With concerts designed for audience enjoyment, Windiana performs a wide variety of music. Call (219) 9261842. PORTAGE | Rittenhouse sweeps every category at the 2014 Taste of Care. Chef Jo Quade from Valparaiso won first place in the appetizer category, Chef Leland Anderson, of Michigan City, won first place in the entree category and Chef Justin Frederick, of Portage, won first place in the dessert category. Frederick was the only chef to walk away with two awards at this years Taste of Care competition. He won first place in the desert category with his Tiramisu desert and second place for presentation. My desire for cooking and an overwhelming desire to serve the seniors in our community is what inspired my take on a well- loved and time honored dessert like Tiramisu," he said. This was the fourth year for the event which is sponsored by Prompt Ambulance Service. This year all proceeds from the event were donated to Porter County Triad and Honor Flight Chicago. The event allows chefs from various Senior Living Communities to showcase a featured item while local celebrity judges vote for Top Chef. VALPARAISO | Valparaiso University will host the 2014 Jazz Fest from April 7 to 12, offering a line-up of local, regional, and international jazz artists capped with a thrilling performance by the Grammy Award-winning vocal group New York Voices. In addition to guest performances, the Universitys faculty and student ensembles, as well as high school jazz ensembles, will participate in the festivities. Performances by local high school bands will kick off the week April 7 and 8. Each performance will be held at 6 p.m. in the Harre Union Ballrooms. Our commitment to presenting the highest quality professional musicians in concert as well as extraordinary performance and clinical opportunities for students of all ages continues with the 29th anniversary of the festival, said Jeff Brown, jazz studies coordinator at Valparaiso University. This year we present more than 300 high school students from surrounding counties; new music commissioned especially for both Windiana and the Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble; a tribute to jazz pianist/composer and native of Gary, Ind., Billy Foster; the trombone/composer/arranger artistry of John Fedchock; and finally the Grammy Award-winning New York Voices, Brown said. Featured Jazz Fest performances include: Special Double Billing: Windiana Concert Band, featuring select repertoire as well as a special premiere of a commissioned composition; followed by An Evening with Billy Foster, A Musical Retrospective 7 p.m April 9 at Harre Union Ballroom Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble featuring guest trombonist John Fedchock. An evening of Fedchocks arrangements and compositions as well as a special premiere commissioned performance, 7:30 p.m. April 10 at Harre Union Ballroom Valparaiso University Faculty Jazz Trio with guest John Fedchock 7:30 p.m. April 11 at Harre Union Ballroom The New York Voices 8 p.m. April 12 at Harre Union Ballroom The excellent tradition of the Jazz Fest continues as we arrive on the cusp of our 30th anniversary, Brown said. Enjoy! Tickets are available at the Harre Union Welcome Desk, call (219) 464-5414. For more information, visit valpo.edu/union. VALPARAISO | The recent annexation of the property for the expansion of Pratt Industries and the expected annexation of the business park portion of the Lakes of Valparaiso development will be added to the city's tax increment financing districts. The move was approved Wednesday by the city's Redevelopment Commission despite concerns from East Porter County School Board Members Bob Martin and Karen Higbie. Both parcels are in Washington Township, which is in the EPCS district, and the pair are concerned about the continuing loss of revenue to their schools from the city's TIFs. The TIF allows the city to capture any increases in property taxes from nonresidential development with the money to be used for infrastructure and other improvements needed to support the development within the TIF. Higbie said the expansion was the seventh since 2004 and will be in effect for 25 years. "Washington Township has seen its tax base grow, but we haven't been able to benefit because the money goes to the redevelopment commission for its project," Higbie said. "The money should be used for job creation and not to do things that couldn't fit in the city's budget." Martin said the first TIF in 1995 was to raise $9.8 million for a specific list of projects that would help create 985 jobs. He said most of those projects still haven't been done. but the commission continues to tie up the assessed value that was to be released to the district. The commission did agree in the past to share a portion of the revenue from the Porter's Vale Shopping Center, but Martin said the district still does not have a representative on the commission. Jim Jorgensen, a Valparaiso School Board member, was appointed to represent both districts. Referring to the difference between Valparaiso's appointed board as opposed to the elected board in East Porter County Schools, Martin said, "Put somebody on who's objective about the cost to the schools of the redevelopment commission decisions. You need to think about the impacts and about the percent of revenue you let flow through so it will be fair." Martin said he also thinks the commission should go back to the "pay as you go" strategy of paying for projects instead of borrowing money as is now done for some. The addition of the Lakes of Valparaiso business park annexation to the TIF doesn't take effect until the annexation is final. It could be approved by the council in February. The TIF expansions will fund road construction, utility extensions and other improvements for the two developments. VALPARAISO A recent domestic violence-related murder in Lake County was especially devastating for Geneva Brown. Brown is a law professor and director of the Domestic Violence Clinic at the Valparaiso University School of Law. Although Brown was unconnected to the case of Alessandra De Moraes-Emiliano, it was a sobering event for her and her law students. De Moraes-Emiliano, 37, was shot to death by her ex-husband inside an Edible Arrangements gift shop in Schererville in January. Its a nightmare situation for anyone who works in this field, said Brown, who oversees third-year law students on cases of domestic violence. The Domestic Violence Clinic is a licensed law firm that enables students to gain experience while providing free or low-cost legal services to clients. Students assist victims of domestic violence who are seeking temporary or permanent restraining orders. They help clients fill out paperwork, represent them in court, and provide legal assistance to residents of domestic violence shelters. Were there from the very beginning, Brown said. Clients who have suffered physical abuse may obtain restraining orders, but these arent infallible, she said. Theyre not like magic shields. The idea is you have some recourse if someone violates an order, but in the end nothing is perfect, Brown said. The clinic sees about 12 clients each month. While most are women, there have been some men, she said. Clients are often stay-at-home moms who are financially and emotionally dependent on their husband or partner, and with that comes a lot of control issues, Brown said. Many victims are reluctant to seek help because of shame, or because of cultural backgrounds or family pressures. Those who do come forward need help understanding the legal process and building trust. While VU law students seek to build trust by developing a rapport with clients, they must refrain from becoming emotionally involved in a case. No one straps on a cape and tries to save people," Brown said. "We are there to assist legally and to counsel clients through a very traumatic experience. Were not there to meet emotional needs. Success is achieved when clients are no longer in a violent relationship, or when counseling enables families to reunite. Brown is hoping to expand the work her students do with domestic violence and is pursuing a $500,000 federal grant for collateral issues such as divorce, housing and employment. She ultimately would like to partner with domestic violence shelters and law enforcement, and create a regional resource center. Domestic violence is a very private matter that has huge public consequences," Brown said. "When clients do make that decision to end a relationship, we want to be there." For more information about the Valparaiso University School of Laws Domestic Violence Clinic, call (219) 465-7903. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. More than 1 million low-income residents in 21 states could soon lose their government food stamps if they fail to meet work requirements that began kicking in this month. The rule change in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was triggered by the improving economy specifically, falling unemployment. But it is raising concerns among the poor, social service providers and food pantry workers, who fear an influx of hungry people. Recent experience in other states indicates that most of those affected will probably not meet the work requirements and will be cut off from food stamps. For many people, "it means less food, less adequate nutrition. And over the span of time, that can certainly have an impact on health and the health care system," said Dave Krepcho, president and chief executive of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Advocates say some adults trying to find work face a host of obstacles, including criminal records, disabilities or lack of a driver's license. The work-for-food requirements were first enacted under the 1996 welfare reform law signed by President Bill Clinton and sponsored by then-Rep. John Kasich, who is now Ohio's governor and a Republican candidate for president. The provision applies to able-bodied adults ages 18 through 49 who have no children or other dependents in their home. It requires them to work, volunteer or attend education or job-training courses at least 80 hours a month to receive food aid. If they don't, their benefits are cut off after three months. The U.S. Department of Agriculture can waive those work rules, either for entire states or certain counties and communities, when unemployment is high and jobs are scarce. Nearly every state was granted a waiver during the recession that began in 2008. But statewide waivers ended this month in at least 21 states, the largest group since the recession. An Associated Press analysis of food aid figures shows that nearly 1.1 million adults stand to lose their benefits in those 21 states if they do not get a job or an exemption. That includes about 300,000 in Florida, 150,000 in Tennessee and 110,000 in North Carolina. The three states account for such a big share because they did not seek any further waivers for local communities. In Tennessee, Terry Work said her 27-year-old deaf son recently was denied disability payments, meaning he is considered able-bodied. And that means he stands to lose his food stamps, even though she said her son has trouble keeping a job because of his deafness. "I know there's going to be a lot of people in the county hurt by this," said Work, founder of Helping Hands of Hickman County, a social service agency in a community about an hour west of Nashville. Nationwide, some 4.7 million food stamp recipients are deemed able-bodied adults without dependents, according to USDA. Only 1 in 4 has any income from a job. They receive an average of $164 a month from the program. In states that already have implemented the work requirements, many recipients have ended up losing their benefits. Wisconsin began phasing in work requirements last spring. Of the 22,500 able-bodied adults who became subject to the change between April and June, two-thirds were dropped from the rolls three months later for failing to meet the requirements. Some states could have applied for partial waivers but chose not to do so. North Carolina's Republican-led government enacted a law last fall accelerating implementation of the work requirements and barring the state from seeking waivers unless there is a natural disaster. State Sen. Ralph Hise said the state was doing a disservice to the unemployed by providing them long-term food aid. "People are developing gaps on their resumes, and it's actually making it harder for individuals to ultimately find employment," said Hise, a Republican who represents a rural part of western North Carolina. In Missouri, the GOP-led Legislature overrode a veto by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon to enact a law barring the state from waiving work requirements until at least 2019. The three-month clock started ticking Jan. 1 for 60,000 people in Missouri, where unemployment is down to just 4.4 percent. "We were seeing a lot of people who were receiving food stamps who weren't even trying to get a job," said the law's sponsor, Sen. David Sater, a Republican whose Missouri district includes the tourist destination of Branson. "I know in my area you can find a temporary job for 20 hours (a week) fairly easily. It just didn't seem right to me to have somebody doing nothing and receiving food stamps." Others say it's not that simple to find work, even with an improving economy. Joe Heflin, 33, of Jefferson City, said he has been receiving food stamps for more than five years, since an injury ended his steady job as an iron worker and led to mental illness during his recovery. He said he gets nearly $200 a month in food stamps and has no other income. Heflin was recently notified that his food stamps could end if he doesn't get a job or a disability exemption. "I think it's a crummy deal," Heflin said while waiting in line at a food pantry. "I think they ought to look into individuals more, or at least hear them out. ... I depend on it, you know, to eat." Policymakers often "don't realize a lot of the struggles those individuals are dealing with," said Mariana Chilton, director of the Center for Hunger-Free Communities at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Years ago, my friend taught kindergarten at a small school in West Virginia. The children who attended lived with their families in four-room homes along Campbells Creek or tucked into the mountain side. The families were struggling financially, which meant the children were struggling, too. My friend would share concerns about her students. On the first day of school, many of them had never held scissors, knew the alphabet or their numbers. We can only imagine the outcomes for many of these children. Now 40-plus years later and in Lake County, we still have children arriving for their first day of kindergarten with limited preparation to learn. Today, it is even more imperative that all children, particularly those living in poverty, have high-quality early education experiences for their future success. That is why Legacy Foundation, Lake Countys community foundation, has joined with other funding partners to raise funds to support the On My Way Pre-K pilot program for Lake Countys children. Indianas On My Way Pre-K provides low-income 4-year-olds with access to free, high-quality pre-kindergarten in the year before they start kindergarten in five pilot counties: Allen, Jackson, Lake, Marion and Vanderburgh. These counties were selected based on numerous demographic factors, including the number of young children living in poverty and the countys readiness to implement the program. The program is administered by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning. Pre-K Pilot requires a cash match. The campaign to raise those dollars for 2015 was led by One Region. Legacy Foundation and many other nonprofits provided support and funding for last years program, which reached more than 215 children. Pre-K Pilot will continue for at least two more years, and One Region is once again leading the fundraising effort with help from Legacy Foundation, Purdue University Calumet, Lake Area United Way and NIPSCO. Our plan is to raise the funds for the two-year extension and to increase the number of children served. Several organizations already have committed their financial resources, and grant applications are being submitted to regional foundations. Why is this so important? According to FSSA: 90 percent of a childs brain development occurs before the age of 5. Children in poverty face academic and social opportunity gaps, including a lack of early exposure to language, reading and math. Children from low-income families typically start school up to a year and a half behind their peers. The average fourth-grader growing up in poverty already is three grade levels behind, and only half will graduate from high school. This achievement gap negatively impacts the local workforce and economic development. Numerous research studies demonstrate that this gap is lessened by providing high-quality, early learning environments for children who live in disadvantaged environments. There are opportunities for you to help our children succeed academically. For information contact Carolyn Saxton at Legacy Foundation, (219) 736-1880 or csaxton@legacyfdn.org. When the history of this years presidential campaign is written, one of its more remarkable features will be that candidates of both parties feel it necessary to talk about income inequality. Surely that makes this a watershed moment. The issue is hardly new. As historian and writer Jill Lepore pointed out last year, income inequality in the United States has been rising since the late 1960s. As she put it, The evidence that income inequality in the United States has been growing for decades and is greater than in any other developed democracy is not much disputed. More notable is that it has become a defining issue of our day, with Republican candidates seizing on it just as avidly as Democrats though with different views of its causes and solutions. Some reformist Republicans have argued for some time now for the right mix of public policies to give poor and middle-income Americans more opportunity without shifting power to the federal government. On the Democratic side, as expected, both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton press for a firmer public stance to redress the problem. No one suggests there are easy solutions. To be sure, there are politicians, especially on the right, who believe theres not much room for public action. Market forces will sort it all out, they argue. In this telling, inequality has come about because of globalization and technological changes that are unstoppable and that on the whole have raised living standards. Eventually, they believe, the gap between the highest earners and the rest of us will diminish. Instead of fighting inequality, we should be protecting and expanding the rewards for skill, leadership and entrepreneurship. This argument assumes the very wealthy wont act to tilt the field even more in their favor. Yet as the New York Times noted last month, they are doing just that. With inequality at its highest levels in nearly a century, the newspaper wrote, the very richest Americans have financed a sophisticated and astonishingly effective apparatus for shielding their fortunes. ... Operating largely out of public view ... the wealthy have used their influence to steadily whittle away at the governments ability to tax them. Yet some reform-minded conservatives agree with Democrats on at least one point, which is that government needs to act to achieve greater fairness and opportunity in the economy. The stresses we see in our political system today free-floating public anger and distrust of government and large institutions stem at least in part from the widespread perception that economic insecurity has become entrenched in our system and theres very little ordinary people can do about it. If inequality continues to grow, the stress on the system will ratchet ever tighter. No one is arguing for a straight-ahead equalization of economic resources, which would not just require extreme restrictions on personal freedom, but would also almost certainly hamstring economic growth. Nor, however, should government make the problem worse which is what some politicians call for further tax reductions on the richest would do. There are some broad directions we should be moving to ensure a degree of fairness. Current trends are not inevitable if citizens are determined to reduce the influence and power of money on the system. We need to shift resources to education and workforce training, though that will take time to produce change. Encouraging technological change that boosts unskilled employment rather than stripping it away will matter. So will protecting the progressivity of the income tax, encouraging the well-to-do to follow the excellent examples of their peers who are sharing their wealth, focusing on trade deals that favor workers and not just the business community, and providing incentives for people of ordinary means to save and invest. We need to promote policies that help all children advance, and discourage efforts to further concentrate wealth. These are incremental changes requiring limited government action. When William Patterson joined the Lake County Sheriff's Department 19 years ago, he was issued a handgun, handcuffs and a baton. There were more frequent physical interactions with suspects, then, said Patterson, now the commander of the department's uniformed division. "That put both the officer and the suspect in greater risk of injury," said Patterson, adding all patrol officers on his department now have Tasers along with a combination mace/pepper spray. Today, throughout the Region, the law enforcement officer's tool belt has grown. Many don't carry batons anymore. They've been replaced with other less-than-lethal or intermediate weapons such as mace or pepper spray, Tasers and rubber or beanbag rounds. Recent reports of officer-involved shootings involving the Chicago Police Department have revealed only 20 percent of those officers are equipped with Tasers. Officials there have called for police to be better equipped to handle situations without having to use firearms. In Northwest Indiana, many police departments already equip officers with a full array of less-than-lethal weapons or are in the process of purchasing such equipment. While the addition of Tasers gives officers other options, what police use to de-escalate a situation still depends on training, instinct and the situation itself, local law enforcement officials said. East Chicago Police Chief Mark Becker said the department recently spent more than $100,000 to arm every officer, including detectives, with Tasers. "We don't want our officers getting hurt in a street fight. They have to have a logical step between hitting someone with a baton and pulling out a weapon and using lethal force," Becker said. "The Taser gives us an option. There is a powerful presence in that little red laser dot." Porter County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Jeff Biggs said all officers there are equipped with Tasers as well as batons and mace. "Intermediate weapons are designed to control active aggression," Biggs said. "They are tools that allow us not to use deadly force. Less-than-lethal tools help the suspects, the citizens and officers." Portage Police Chief Troy Williams said all of his patrol officers are equipped with Tasers along with other intermediate weapons. They're a valuable tool, he said, but he's concerned the public sees them as infallible. "It is a fallacy that Tasers are going to solve all shooting situations. The public needs to be educated on the efficiency of less-than-lethal weapons," Williams said. Williams said Tasers can be ineffective, especially when used against an offender under the influence of potent, illegal drugs. Also, Tasers aren't effective if someone is wearing an excessive amount of clothing, especially in the winter, Region police officials said. Being equipped with the tools is one thing, they said. Being trained to use such devices is another. And the training goes beyond how to draw and shoot a Taser or other less-than-lethal weapons. Patrick Murray, executive director of the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Hobart, said the training for officers has to start with a knowledge of the law. "The application of the use of force is the $64,000 question," Murray said. When and how much force can be used in any given situation can also change, officials said. The one-time standard use of force continuum which allowed officers to take one more step than the suspect is being replaced by the concept of reasonable force, Murray said. "In any given situation, the officer has three decisions to make to use no force, to use some force or to use deadly force," he said. "There is a range of decision making to do, in seconds. The general public has no conceivable idea of what an officer goes through. Until you live it, until you respond to it, you can't understand." New and continuing officers also go through scenario-based training. The training runs officers through various possible scenes to see how they will react and what they will do. "They have to ask themselves, 'Which weapon do I use, or should I even use a weapon,'" Murray explained about the training. The decision, said the officials, must come within a split second. Doctors and other medical professionals from hospitals around the Region are excited about several advancements in heart procedures, technologies and treatment options that have happened within the last year, and are looking forward to new advancements on the horizon in 2016. Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator At Methodist Hospitals, Dr. Sorin Lazar, a doctor on staff who specializes in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and cardiac electrophysiology, was among the first doctors in the Region to begin using an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The device is unique because it allows patients with the ICD to still get an MRI scan. Previously, whenever there was a patient who needed an MRI who had a (traditional) defibrillator, we couldnt do it because the MRI could potentially change the device or heat it up while it was inside the patient, Dr. Lazar said. But with this new ICD, we can give patients an MRI if they need one. So far, Dr. Lazar said he has implanted about a dozen of the devices, and hopes it will become the standard of care for patients with whom the device is compatible. Patients who needed MRIs and couldnt get one before were frustrated, and it was frustrating for us because we couldnt offer them, he said. This should be the standard of care because it doesnt limit those options down the line. 3-D Transesophageal Echocardiography At Ingalls Memorial Hospital, doctors have access to new, sophisticated three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) technology that helps visualize the heart better than before, allowing for more accurate assessment of certain heart conditions, including valve disorders. TEE is a test that produces pictures of the heart structures to assess how well they are working, said Dr. Abed Dehnee, interventional cardiologist and medical director of echocardiography. The technology uses high-frequency sound waves, or ultrasound, to make detailed pictures of the heart. But unlike a standard echocardiogram, the transducer is attached to a thin tube that passes through the mouth, down the throat and into the esophagus. Mitral valve disorders, blood clots or masses inside the heart, a tear of the lining of the aorta and artificial heart valves can be seen better with TEE, and the real-time capabilities allow for a more accurate assessment of heart function by using measurements taken while the heart is beating. TEE is also valuable for diagnosing stroke, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, and infections of the heart. The 3D probe allows for the images to be reconstructed in a way that allows the structures to be viewed from multiple perspectives, giving the cardiologist an almost identical view of the actual structure itself, Dr. Dehnee said. Drug-Eluting Balloons Kevin Roesch, a registered nurse and administrative director of CV Services for Franciscan Alliance Healthcare Systems, is excited about the promise drug-eluting balloons have shown as a treatment option for vascular disease. The balloon is primarily used to treat peripheral vascular disease, and the procedure is similar to that of the drug-coated stents that are used in arteries. However, instead of the stent, a balloon is inflated against the arteries of the legs. The balloon opens the artery of the leg and the medication, paclitaxel, helps inhibit the growth of new plaque cells. We found that putting stents in these arteries had a high degree of reoccurrence of problems. With balloons, the recurrence rates are less, he said. They have performed remarkably well, especially because (traditional) stents dont hold up well in arteries that bend and move a lot. The balloons have been a good product and decrease the amount of problems, and its remarkable. The balloon should help with healing, prevent amputations and help ulcers on legs and feet. Were looking to use the procedure on the lower leg as well as above the knee in the future, he said. CardioMEMS HF System St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart are among the first hospitals in Northwest Indiana to provide patients with the CardioMEMS HF system, which is a new wireless monitoring sensor that manages heart failure and significantly reduces hospital admissions. Before MEMS, doctors had to rely on patients to report their symptoms of heart failure as they worsened. This system allows physicians to be more proactive because it includes an implantable pulmonary artery sensor, a delivery system and a patient electronics system. A sensor is implanted in the pulmonary artery during a non-surgical procedure to directly measure inside pressure, which is important because increased pulmonary artery pressures appear before weight and blood pressure changes. Patients use the patient electronic system to take daily readings and send the information to the doctor. The doctor can then potentially change a patients medication to reduce the likelihood of hospitalization. With this new technology, our medical staff can catch and address issues earlier, and help patients avoid hospitalization, said Janice Ryba, CEO of St. Mary Medical Center. The result will be more positive outcomes and a better quality of life for our heart failure patients. Coordinated, Comprehensive Care When it comes to cardiac care, Porter Regional Hospital offers comprehensive care and doesnt focus on any one diagnostic or therapeutic option, said Dr. Jay D. Shah, attending physician in cardiology and medical director for the Heart Valve Center and Cardiac Rehabilitation for the Porter Health System. Cardiac care is carried out at the Center for Cardiovascular Medicine. At Porter, our cardiovascular care is coordinated between preventative cardiology, diagnostic imaging, peripheral vascular disease program, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, a Heart Valve Center and cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, he said. Cardiac care can be complicated, and the key for any patient is access to cutting edge, evidence based therapies that are not piecemeal, but coordinated to treat the patient as a whole. At Porter, you get both. The hospital recently began using strain imaging for some echocardiograms, which take an ultrasound of the heart. This imaging allows cardiologists to assess cardiac function in a more complete manner, helping certain patients achieve a more accurate diagnosis early and aid in prognosis after heart attacks and cardiac surgery, Dr. Shah said. Cardiology is an exciting field right now, he said. There are new innovations, both therapeutic and diagnostic, coming out on a regular basis. Chuck Schumer's corrupt candidate for the open Florida Senate seat, Patrick Murphy-- recently voted the most ineffective Member of Congress-- and the House's most effective progressive, Alan Grayson both announced very telling endorsements yesterday. Grayson was endorsed by Jane Kleeb, the grassroots organizer who helped kill the Keystone XL Pipeline. "I worked for years to stop Keystone XL, and there's only one candidate in Florida's Senate race who can say the same thing. Only one, and that is Alan Grayson," said Jane Kleeb, Bold Nebraska Director. "He stood strong when other Republicans, and Democrats, buckled to corporate pressure and pushed President Obama to approve this potential environmental disaster through our Heartlands water supplies and farms. Alan Grayson never wavered, and he never quit fighting to stop the export pipeline. No other candidate in this race will protect our environment and fight for clean energy jobs with the same guts as Alan Grayson. He stands up to corporate bullies and we stand with him." Schumer's corrupt right-wing candidate, Murphy, who "left" the Republican Party fairly recently-- but still votes for much of their agenda-- dutifully voted in favor of the Keystone XL Pipeline every time the GOP brought it up. In fact he was one of only 19 bribe-taking conservaDems who joined the GOP in voting to remove President Obama from the Keystone Pipeline decision-making process, a mind-blowing vote for a Democrat-- even a fake Democrat like Murphy-- to take. But all those votes for Keystone XL was the basis of his big endorsement announcement yesterday. America's most right-wing and most corrupt union -- LIUNA-- pushed very strongly for Keystone XL. It was no surprise to anyone that they embraced Murphy. LIUNA, which disaffiliated from the AFL-CIO in 2006 and, earlier, was prosecuted by the Department of Labor for racketeering, corruption and ties to organized crime, is perfectly matched with Murphy. At the height of the battle over the Keystone XL Pipeline LIUNA threatened progressives in Congress that they would help Koch-backed Republicans beat them in November. (They had already started funneling cash into primaries on behalf of right-wing Democrats like Colleen Hanabusa against progressives.) Terry O'Sullivan, the conservative union boss, decided threatening House incumbents was the best tactic for his members and he singled out several top targets-- all 100% union backers: Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Carol Shea Porter (D-NH), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Mike Honda (D-CA) and Judy Chu (D-CA). Here's part of a letter O'Sullivan sent to members in Jan Schakowsky's Illinois district, where she was facing a crackpot Republican who wanted to abolish unions altogether As we head into the 2014 election season, I want to bring your attention to an issue of critical importance to our Union; your member of Congress is trying to destroy job opportunities for our LIUNA brothers and sisters. Representative Jan Schakowsky recently signed a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urging him to reject the Keystone XL Pipeline, a vital infrastructure project that would create millions of hours of work for LIUNA members, increase U.S. energy independence, and safely transport a resource that will be developed with or without the pipeline. To all proud, strong and united LIUNA brothers and sisters, I say, enough is enough! Our members and their families are angry, disappointed and disillusioned with out-of-touch, job-killing politicians who choose to side with environmental extremists over work for our members. There so-called "friends" of ours are destroying good-paying work opportunities with family-supporting benefits, at a time when LIUNA members are trying to put food on their tables, keep roofs over their heads, and maintain middle-class lifestyles. For every action, there is a reaction, and our reaction to this frontal assault on our way of life needs to be loud and clear. If you do not stand with us, we sure as hell will not stand with you. [Your] member of Congress has chosen to side with hard-core anti-Keystone organizations rather than with hard working LIUNA members and their families. Please keep that in mind when Congresswoman Schakowsky seeks your vote this fall, and be sure to let her know how angry and disappointed you are that she is trying to keep your brothers and sisters from working. If Congresswoman Schakowsky and other politicians continue to stand in the way of jobs for Laborers, let's make sure they "feel the power" and fury of LIUNA this November. Schakowsky was reelected with nearly 66% of the vote and LIUNA bosses proved themselves impotent as their own members helped re-elect all the Democrats on their enemies list. Grayson was another one they targeted and Kleeb, who is originally from Florida and is credited as one of the most influential opponents of the toxic pipeline , hailed Grayson for his diligent and unwavering opposition despite the threats from O'Sullivan. In acknowledging her endorsement yesterday, Grayson said, "It was organizing heroes like Jane Kleeb who convinced President Obama that rejecting the Keystone XL Pipeline would put the wellbeing of our environment ahead of oil company profits. Few people dared to stand up and point out the pipeline would not offer a long-term benefit to our economy, and was merely a gift to foreign oil companies at the expense of our environment. Im grateful she stood up to take on that fight, and Im honored that shes standing with me now." So who do you stand with on this? President Obama, Alan Grayson, progressives and Jane Kleeb or with the GOP, Patrick Murphy and a corrupt union boss who recently fumed that "President Obama today demonstrated that he cares more about kowtowing to green-collar elitists than he does about creating desperately needed, family-supporting, blue-collar jobs. After a seven-year circus of cowardly delay, the Presidents decision to kill the Keystone XL Pipeline is just one more indication of an utter disdain and disregard for salt-of-the-earth, middle-class working Americans... Barack Obamas disdain for working people is evident. The President may be celebrated by environmental extremists, but with this act, President Obama has also solidified a legacy as a pompous, pandering job killer." Please consider the choice that Florida voters will be making between Grayson and Murphy and keep in mind that Schumer has made sure Murphy's would be swimming in Wall Street cash. The banksters have given him $787,750 so far this cycle, more than any other non-incumbent running for the Senate from either party-- and more than they've given many Senate incumbents as well as powerful GOP allies like Speaker Paul Ryan ($589,288) and House Financial Services Committee chair Jeb Hensarling ($592,465). Grayson really needs some financial assistance from grassroots Democrats who don't want to see Schumer end his career. Please consider contributing here Mayor Bill de Blasio is doubling down on homeless shelter reforms days after one of its residents was killed by another as NY1's Na'eem Douglas reports. Some in the homeless community arent so confident Mayor de Blasio's new directive to step up service and safety at the citys 27 mental health shelters actually will. "It remains to be seen," said one shelter resident. "There should be, things done. But, are they gonna be done proper or is it going to be just a formality?" On Saturday the mayor announced the changes would include 24/7 peace officers at all mental health shelters, additional funding to bolster mental health services at all Department of Homeless Services and contracted mental health shelters and a new 24/7 protocol for discharged clients to talk about status and treatment needs. "We wanted to address the overall situation and the tragedy that recently occurred," said Steven Banks, Commissioner of the New York City Human Resources Administration. That tragedy being the brutal killing of Deven Black. The 62-year-old was stabbed to death at Boulevard Homeless Shelter in East Harlem on Wednesday, police say by another man staying at the shelter. Commissioner Banks is in charge of an the citys review of homeless services that started earlier this month. He says some changes were already being implemented even before this week's incident. "In the shelter where this tragedy occurred there was already a metal detector there were already security services on site, and there were also other services being provided, but we want to make sure every stone is unturned and were going even further and providing even more peace officers," Banks said. The victim's son is hopeful the initiatives will have a meaningful impact on the citys homeless, saying on Facebook: "This is what we hoped for," he said. "We have to power to enact real, meaningful change." This stabbing isnt the first incident here at the shelter. Just three years ago another man was stabbed and killed here as well. Yvonne Chouteau, a former principal dancer of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo who emerged as one of a celebrated group of dancers known as the American Indian ballerinas of Oklahoma, died on Sunday at her home in Oklahoma City. She was 86. The cause was congestive heart failure, said Mary Margaret Holt, director of the School of Dance and dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Oklahoma. Ms. Chouteau was a founder of the dance school, one of the leading institutions of its kind in the Southwest. A dancer of great radiance and lyricism, Ms. Chouteau was one of five prominent Native American dancers who were raised in Oklahoma. The others were Rosella Hightower, Moscelyne Larkin, Maria Tallchief and her sister Marjorie Tallchief, now the last survivor. The women were sometimes called the states Five Moons, which became the title of a set of bronze sculptures by Monte England and Gary Henson that were installed on the lawn of the Tulsa Historical Society. They are also depicted in a mural by Mike Larsen that hangs in the rotunda of the Oklahoma State Capitol. Dionne Warwick, Esperanza Spalding and Danny Glover will be among the performers on hand Monday night at a gala concert honoring the restoration of the bell at the First Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Va., founded in 1776 by slaves and one of the oldest black churches in America. The bell, which became inoperable sometime around the 1950s, has been repaired by conservators from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. It will be rung for the first time since the days of segregation at a pre-gala ceremony on Monday that will include the Rev. Jesse Jackson; direct descendants of Thomas Jefferson with both his wife, Martha, and Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman at Monticello; and the family of Dontre Hamilton, a young African-American man who was fatally shot by the police in Milwaukee in 2014. Later, the general public will also have a chance to add to the clangor. Throughout February, visitors to the church are encouraged to help ring the bell daily in honor of Back History Month. Reservations and more information are at LetFreedomRingChallenge.org. The bells restoration not only demonstrates our recognition of the past, Mitchell B. Reiss, the president and chief executive of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, said in a statement. It also symbolizes our determination to continue the march toward justice and the more perfect union envisioned by the founding fathers on these very streets. Shia LaBeouf showed all of his movies at the Angelika Film Center in Manhattan in November. You can stream one of them. Elsewhere, Vice reports on the battle against the Islamic State, and 60 Minutes investigates the increasing popularity of the United States as a place for corrupt officials and foreigners to stash money. And the search for Bigfoot trudges onward. Whats Streaming DISTURBIA (2007) on iTunes. In this Rear Window reboot, directed by D. J. Caruso, a high school student, Kale (Shia LaBeouf), becomes moody and agitated after his father dies in a car crash. After punching a teacher, Kale is sentenced to house arrest and spends his time watching television and playing video games until his mother (Carrie-Anne Moss) pulls the plug on his electronics. He then begins to spy on his neighbors with a video camera and becomes suspicious of the guy living next door. Disturbia will never be accused of undue originality, but its adherence to genre conventions works in its favor, A. O. Scott wrote in The Times. Instead of manufacturing elaborate, ridiculous plot twists or imposing overwrought psychological melodrama on a basically absurd premise, Mr. Caruso and the screenwriters, Christopher Landon and Carl Ellsworth, opt for efficient, clever B-movie execution. There are no big surprises, but the jumps and jolts are well timed. Setting up an expected 2017 Oscar run, The Birth of a Nation, a searing slave-revolt drama, swept the top prizes at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday night in Park City, Utah. The Birth of a Nation, directed and written by Nate Parker, who also plays the films leading role, won the grand jury prize for a narrative film and was voted the best movie by audiences at the festival, which concludes its 11-day run on Sunday. An issue film succeeds when it touches people, Mr. Parker said on stage. Ive seen that people are open to change. On Tuesday, Fox Searchlight paid $17.5 million a Sundance record for the distribution rights to Mr. Parkers film, which was independently financed for about $10 million. Annette Graumann and Chase Bassett Welles were married Jan. 30 at Grace Church in New York. The Rev. Stephen C. Holton, an Episcopal priest, performed the ceremony. Mrs. Welles, 39, is a staff lawyer in the capital markets and securities group at the New York law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. She graduated from Tulane and received a degree from Brooklyn Law School. She is a daughter of Margit Graumann of New York and Peter Graumann of Budapest. The brides father, who is retired, was an administration manager in Budapest for the DHL Express division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post DHL, providing international express mail services. Mr. Welles, 54, works in New York as an executive vice president and a commercial real estate broker for SCG Retail, a division of the Shopping Center Group, which is headquartered in Atlanta and provides real estate advisory services to landlords, developers and others. He graduated from Columbia. Dear Diary: As I plop down into my seat on the No. 3 train, headed deep into Brooklyn, my eyes dart to an orange handbag around the arm of a young fellow. Wait, is that a Kozmo.com delivery bag? Youve got to be a special kind of New Yorker to remember Kozmo.com. Such a fleeting moment in the citys recent history. The zenith of the dot-com boom. And right before the trauma and angst of Sept. 11 and the recession. You could get anything by ordering online, so how about a movie and an ice cream? Lets Kozmo it, people would say. As my train speeds underneath a very hipster and gentrified Brooklyn, Im taken back to my 13-year-old self, in the fall of 2000. Game 1 of the Yankees-Mets Subway Series. A Kozmo delivery guy arrives with snacks and inquires about the score. Kozmo and UrbanFetch may have receded into the darkness, only to be replaced by the likes of Netflix and Fresh Direct. But for just a moment, this millennial New Yorker was taken back in time. And then, as quickly as Kozmo disappeared from the scene, the man with the bag vanished into the night. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said on Saturday that April 19 had been set as the date for a special election to fill four vacancies in the State Legislature, including seats left empty when Sheldon Silver, the former Assembly speaker, and Dean G. Skelos, the former Senate majority leader, were convicted on federal corruption charges last year. In addition to Mr. Silvers former district in Lower Manhattan and the Long Island district that Mr. Skelos represented, Assembly districts on the southern end of Staten Island and in southeast Brooklyn will be on the ballot in the special election, which Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, announced in a proclamation. Mr. Skelos, a Republican, was forced to give up his seat representing the Ninth District, in Nassau County, after he was convicted in December, along with his son, Adam B. Skelos, on charges of bribery, extortion and conspiracy. Assemblyman Todd Kaminksy, a Democrat and former federal prosecutor, and Christopher McGrath, a Republican lawyer and political newcomer, have been chosen by their parties to compete to represent the moderate, suburban district. Mr. Silver, who spent more than two decades as speaker, was convicted in November on charges of honest services fraud, extortion and money laundering, forcing him to forfeit the Assembly seat he had held for nearly 40 years. Mr. Silver, a Democrat, represented the 65th Assembly District. 3. Take your own measure of the candidates. Our latest campaign coverage is here. And our new virtual reality project ushers you into the crowds for events with Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Cruz and Mr. Trump. (If you dont have the free NYT VR app, go here for Android and here for iPhone.) _____ Image Credit... Multnomah County Sheriff 4. Hundreds of miles west, four remaining antigovernment protesters occupying a wildlife refuge in Oregon demanded pardons for themselves and 11 associates in custody. A 12th was shot dead after a police chase. Their leader, Ammon Bundy, in the booking photo above, told a Portland court that he respected the judiciarys role in resolving disputes. He urged the holdouts to give up. I must insist that everyone go home, he said. The process is working. _____ SALT LAKE CITY Proposed state legislation that would require Utah judges to favor heterosexual couples over same-sex couples in adoptions and foster care placements is blatantly unconstitutional and will not hold up in court, gay rights advocates argue. State Representative Kraig Powell, a Republican and the sponsor of the legislation, said on Friday that last years Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage would not stop Utah from keeping a preference in state law that a child have a married mother and father. Mr. Powell said his bill would not apply to private adoptions and would only involve children in state custody. In those cases, he said, a judge would follow whats been traditional and proven in society, that theres a father and a mother and that gender diversity will be a broadening experience for the child. By Joseph Akwiri MOMBASA (Reuters) - At least three men were killed in a village in Kenya's coastal Lamu county in the early hours of Sunday during a raid by al Shabaab Islamist militants, police and the group said. Gunmen speaking Somali came to Pandanguo village searching for men, a survivor said. They interrogated those they found and killed some, he said from a local hospital. The village sits about 40 km (25 miles) inland from the Indian Ocean town of Lamu, which is popular with Western tourists, and is 100 km from the border with Somalia. "They asked me questions in the Somali language. When I struggled to respond, they shot me but hit my hand," said the victim, who asked not to be named. Al Shabaab's military operation spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab said in a statement the group was behind the Lamu attack. Al Shaabab has said in the past its frequent attacks in Kenya are punishment for Kenya sending its troops into Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping force. In 2014, at least 60 people were killed in the area in a spate of attacks that targeted non-Muslim men. Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for those attacks. Like the attack on Sunday, those attacks took place inland from the coast. (Additional reporting by Feisal Omar; Editing by Edith Honan and Raissa Kasolowsky) DES MOINES Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont ruminated on the final two questions asked of him about the Iowa caucuses as he rose from a table packed with reporters here on Thursday morning. Do I need to win? he said. Is second place good enough? Rather than dwell on the contest at hand, he looked forward to the ones to come. If we lose here in Iowa and I think if the turnout is high we will win were going to go on to New Hampshire, Mr. Sanders said. I think weve got a good chance to win in New Hampshire. I think you will be surprised at how well were going to do in Nevada and South Carolina. Then he talked about his strength in Massachusetts and Minnesota, which he visited earlier last week. The voice is familiar, identifiable within the first few syllables. But the woman on screen, sporting a bright pink blazer and 1979-era Coke-bottle glasses, is not, at least at first. One of the areas that Ive been particularly interested in is the area of children, she says. By the fourth clip, though, there is no mistaking her: This is Hillary Clinton, as first lady, giving a speech about the importance of children and families. Message Previous Clinton advertisements relied on a male narrator to tell Mrs. Clintons story. Now she does so herself. Through 11 video clips in 60 seconds, we watch Mrs. Clinton age, her hairstyles evolve, and her diction take on and then lose an Arkansas twang. But despite the passage of 37 years, she seems to be delivering the exact same speech on a single topic: children and families. It is powerful proof of an extensive record. Moreover, it is a sharp rebuke to those who marvel at how Senator Bernie Sanders has been saying the same thing throughout his career or suggest that Mrs. Clinton is more prone to adjusting her politics to fit the moment. Response Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders have been trading attack ads over the past week. Mr. Sanders released one insinuating that Mrs. Clinton was beholden to Wall Street because of her acceptance of millions in campaign contributions and speaking fees. She countered with an ad criticizing ideas that sound good on paper but will never make it in the real world. This commercial, Children, interrupted the slew of contrast ads with a positive message that stood in contrast with anything else on the air. Add Mayor Sandy McGrath to the list of surprised officials. She cited places perfect for candidate rallies a high school auditorium and a memorial hall as well as a bigger event space that the town is working on building to entice such high-profile visitors. She worries that, in a live-stream culture where her constituents are getting only a glimpse of candidates through flashing screens or newspapers, they are missing their chance to size up the contenders one to one, the way other Iowans can. Part of voting for someone, in my opinion, is how candidates can present themselves off the cuff, Ms. McGrath said. Whether they truly know it or not or whether they are giving me an answer as to what I want to hear. Politics can be tricky in Eagle Grove; everyone knows one another, in a place where a construction worker at a downtown bar describes a work site by the name of the owners house and three others at the table nod in acknowledgment. In a town whose economy is powered by small businesses that have been in families for generations, taking any kind of public political stance could alienate some of the finite number of customers who trickle in every day to grab a slice of pizza or get some help with taxes. WASHINGTON Liz Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, has filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for Wyomings only House seat, a return to politics after her short-lived but much discussed bid for the Senate two years ago. Ms. Cheney first ran for public office in 2013 in an ambitious campaign plagued by problems. That decision to run against Senator Michael B. Enzi a well-liked Republican incumbent with no apparent vulnerabilities prompted some consternation from the start. Ms. Cheney, a lawyer and political commentator, had not lived in Wyoming for decades. Her troubles only mounted when a feud over same-sex marriage with her sister, Mary, who is a lesbian, spilled into the public eye and made her the target of attack ads. Ms. Cheney eventually withdrew her candidacy, citing serious health issues in her family. Ms. Cheney now plans to run to replace Representative Cynthia M. Lummis, a four-term Republican who was a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Ms. Lummis will retire at the end of the year. Ms. Cheneys filing on Friday with the Federal Election Commission was first reported by The Associated Press. URBANDALE, Iowa Senator Ted Cruzs leading Iowa supporters say his get-out-the-vote operation is the best they have seen for a presidential campaign here. He had better hope they are right. With his monthlong lead in the polls erased, Mr. Cruzs hopes for pulling out a much-needed victory over Donald J. Trump in the Iowa caucuses on Monday now rest in the hands of thousands of campaign workers and supporters who are spending this weekend telephoning, emailing and knocking on the doors of likely caucusgoers. Mr. Cruzs campaign boasts a chairman or chairwoman for each of Iowas 99 counties, captains in 1,537 of the states 1,681 precincts, and 10,000 people from this state and beyond who have volunteered to help in the final push. But it is precisely whom all those Cruz backers are striving to reach, and reach again, that illustrates the differing approaches and expectations of the Cruz and Trump campaigns. WASHINGTON The Internal Revenue Service is warning consumers about tax scams involving the Affordable Care Act and penalties imposed under the law on people who go without health insurance. In some cases, the agency said, unscrupulous tax preparers tell clients to pay the penalties directly to them, and they keep the money. Most people do not owe the payment at all because they have health coverage, such as Medicaid or employer-sponsored insurance, or qualify for one of many available exemptions. However, the I.R.S. said, if you owe a payment, remember that it should be made only with your tax return or in response to a letter from the I.R.S. The payment should never be made directly to an individual or return preparer. BEIJING When President Xi Jinping of China traveled to the Middle East this month he dropped in on two regional rivals, Saudi Arabia and Iran, a feat few global leaders could pull off. The Saudis had just executed a Shiite cleric, and angry Iranians had stormed the Saudi Embassy in Tehran in response, a tinderbox moment that Mr. Xi ignored by sticking to his mission, which was all about building business, and staying above the fray. The timing of Mr. Xis tour, his first visit to the region after three years of assiduous travel to almost every other corner of the world, proved to be serendipitous. He canceled a trip last year because of the war between Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels in Yemen, and his new date coincided with the lifting of international sanctions against Iran. The risk of arriving in the middle of a huge dispute between the Saudis and Iranians paid off, delivering what Mr. Xi no doubt considered an important prize as he tries to extend Chinas prestige abroad. The rest from places like Iran, Morocco, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia and Congo are supposed to be sent to camps in Athens, where they can be deported or apply for asylum in Greece, whose economic troubles would make it an unattractive new home to most migrants even if they were accepted. But other European nations say Greece is not doing enough to enforce the border, and with the number of refugees expected to surge again as the weather improves, the pressure for a new approach is escalating rapidly. Exasperated with what they claim is a Greek policy of waving people through to the rest of Europe, officials in the European Union are talking about temporarily expelling Greece from the blocs passport-free travel zone, known as the Schengen area. The European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, endorsed a separate idea to send the police from member states to Macedonia, which is not part of the European Union, to buffer its side of the border with Greece. One Belgian minister even called for refugee camps to hold 300,000 to be built in Greece. Greek officials have reacted angrily to the proposals. They say the plans would not deter migrants from heading to Europe in the first place and would stigmatize Greece already under heavy European Union oversight as it relies on international bailout funds for a crisis created elsewhere in Europe. Turkey on Friday accused Russia of violating its airspace for the second time in recent months, injecting fresh rancor into a relationship that has been badly strained since Turkish fighters shot down a Russian plane that entered the country from Syria in November. Turkeys Foreign Ministry said in a statement that a SU-34 Russian fighter jet entered the countrys airspace at 11:46 a.m. on Friday after radar units warned it to turn back in English and Russian. It called the jets foray over Turkish territory another concrete example of Russian escalatory behavior and said the Russian ambassador had been summoned to the ministry in Ankara, where Turkish officials strongly protested the infringement. We once again explicitly call on Russia to act responsibly and not to violate Turkish Airspace, which is NATO airspace, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. We underline that such actions could lead to serious consequences, the responsibility of which will totally rest with the Russian Federation. American and European officials failed on Sunday to reach an agreement over how digital data including financial information and social media posts could be transferred between the two regions. Despite last-minute talks, the two sides remained far apart on specific details required to approve a comprehensive deal. Without an agreement, companies that regularly move data, including tech giants like Google and nontech companies like General Electric, could find themselves in murky legal waters. European and American officials had until Sunday evening to meet a deadline set by Europes national privacy agencies, some of which have promised aggressive legal action if the current negotiations founder. Those agencies will publish their own judgment on how data can be moved safely between the two regions on Wednesday. With time ticking down, the two sides are now hoping to agree to a broad deal before European national regulators act on Wednesday, according to several officials with direct knowledge of the talks, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Taburia leaving the ministry last week "AP" Ahmed El-Zend : 10,000 MB member killed for one police or army martyr Minister Ahmed El-Zend of justice : . . . . Mohamed ElBaradei (@ElBaradei) January 28, 2016 ElBaradei "Constants : Freedom and human dignity are the basis for any society. Knowledge and values are the core for any future. Social Consuses is a necessity to build any nation. Justice is not revenge. : Mohamed ElBaradei (@ElBaradei) January 28, 2016 According to the ICC treaty : Any vast or systematical repression against any group of the civilians based on religion or politics , it is a crime against humanity. This is Christiane Taubira Christiane Taubira was the minister of Justice in France from May 2012 to January 2016.Christiane Taburia resigned on 26 January to object the French President's draft law to strip French nationality from dual-citizens who are convicted of terrorism.Christiane Taburia believes that it is unjust to do that and does not care for the wave of nationalism in France after a deadly terrorist attack in November Christiane Taburia is fair and good.Be like Christane Taburia.This is Ahmed El-Zend Ahmed El-Zend has been the minister of Justice in Egypt since May 2015 Ahmed El-Zend said during a TV interview on 27 January 2016 that he believed that for every fallen "martyr' from the Egyptian police and Egyptian armed forces, 10,000 Muslim Brotherhood members and their supporters should be killed "so the fire burning in his heart would die".Ahmed El-Zend also added all the death sentences issued against the MB members above them ousted President Mohamed Morsi would be carried out after all appeals are exhausted.Ahmed El-Zend supports revenge over the state of law.Ahmed El-Zend sues 6 journalists because they dared and accused him of financial corruption when he was heading the judges clubs with documents and evidence based upon Egypt's top auditing authority "Central Auditing Organization"'s Reports.Ahmed El-Zend reported Egypt's top auditor Hisham Genenia to the prosecutor general on Saturday accusing him of insulting him and spreading false news about him.Ahmed El-Zend has reported TV host Youssef El-Hossainy to the prosecutor general office on Saturday for insulting him and spreading false news about him.Ahmed El-Zend proves from time to time that the Egyptian judiciary is not independent and politicized with his highly politicalized statements.Ahmed El-Zend is slammed by former vice president and Nobel Peace prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei indirectly because of his statements.Do not be like Ahmed El-Zend. DES MOINES They have munched on pork chops in the heat of summer and hunted game in the dead of winter. Spouses and children have been dispatched as surrogates across the plains. But with the caucuses on Monday hours away, the presidential candidates are leaving nothing to chance, furiously crisscrossing Iowa and making direct appeals to voters to stand for them in the elections first nominating contest. The campaigns are activating the final stage of their ground games, which they have spent months, in some cases years, building in the hope that a victory or a strong showing will give them momentum for the next round of contests. With a winter storm expected to bring snow to the state late Monday, operatives will be monitoring the forecast out of fear that bad weather could reduce turnout. On Sunday, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas implored his supporters to caucus as he closed out his Iowa campaign with events in Iowa City, Davenport and Des Moines. He was accompanied for part of the day by the talk show host Glenn Beck and Phil Robertson of the television series Duck Dynasty. After a service at a nondenominational church in Council Bluffs, Donald J. Trump continued his courtship of evangelical Christian voters, urging them to have faith in his candidacy during two rallies with Jerry Falwell Jr., the president of Liberty University, who has endorsed him. The biggest stories of this young political year are the surprising surges of the outsider presidential candidates Donald J. Trump and Bernie Sanders, the Democratic senator from Vermont. Close behind is the possible collapse of the once-formidable front-runner, Jeb Bush. Only a year ago, the Washington cognoscenti, the less politically sophisticated big donors and the London oddsmakers all figured that the son and brother of presidents was a solid favorite to clinch the Republican nomination. Six months ago, Mr. Bush, a former governor of Florida, thought that he had a real shot at winning Iowa, the first nominating contest. But as the states voters prepare to gather for the traditional caucuses on Monday night, he barely registers in the polls. There is already a debate in Republican circles over what went wrong: Was he just a bad candidate? Was he ill served by the chief strategist of the richly funded Bush super PAC? Or was this just a bad year for any establishment figure? In the first half of 2015, when Mr. Bush could have dominated the agenda, his campaign essentially had one message: financial shock and awe, with more money than anyone ever. Little effort went into defining the candidate, or reminding voters that Mr. Bush, who had been out of office for almost a decade, was a conservative reform governor. Policy expertise, including that from influential social right leaders, was brushed aside. SHOTLSIT DALORI, NIGERIA. 31 JANUARY 2016 SOURCE: AFPTV - VAR aftermath of Boko Haram attack /// AFP TEXT STORY: 50 feared killed in Boko Haram attack in Nigeria / Maiduguri (Nigeria) - 31 January 2016 15:58 - AFP Around 50 people were feared killed when Boko Haram fighters armed with guns and explosives attacked a village in northeastern Nigeria, the army and local residents said Sunday. Suicide bombers also carried out deadly attacks on Sunday in the Lake Chad region, an area frequently targeted by Boko Haram, a local security official said. Nigerias army said Boko Haram fighters struck Dalori, some 12 kilometres (seven miles) from the northern city of Maiduguri late Saturday, burning down the village and sending residents fleeing into the bush. Dalori is located near camps set up for people displaced by the seven-year Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast of Africas most populous country. During the incident lives were lost while some people sustained injuries, army spokesman Colonel Mustapha Anka said in a statement. Residents and an aid worker said at least 50 people were killed in the assault which took place after evening prayers in the mostly Muslim region. Anka said the assailants also tried to penetrate the Dalori camp, but they were repelled by the troops. Boko Haram has kept up a wave of attacks despite President Muhammadu Buhari declaring late last year that Nigeria had technically won the war against the group. In the Lake Chad region, which borders Nigeria as well as Chad, Cameroon and Niger, suicide bombers struck two Chadian villages killing three people, a local security official said. In the first attack in Guie, a bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up, killing one person and injuring 32, while the second attack in the village of Miterine left two dead and 24 wounded, the official said. Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon have formed a coalition along with Benin to fight Boko Haram and have marshalled a force of 8,700 soldiers, police and civilians. In retaliation, Boko Haram has launched cross-border attacks from northern Nigeria on the neighbouring countries. - Entire village razed - In Nigeria, local residents told AFP they fled into the bush when the Boko Haram fighters descended on Dalori. We were seated outside our home shortly after the Isha prayer when we heard gunshots and within a few minutes the invaders had arrived, Malam Masa Dalori, a community leader, told AFP. They came in Golf saloon cars and began to shoot sporadically. Many people ran to the bush including myself, he said. When we came back in the morning the entire community has been razed. At least 50 people were also killed, many others injured, he said. Mallam Hassan, another villager, gave a similar account. I lost an uncle in the attack. But I thank God I escaped with my children, he said. An aid worker who did not want to be named, said the bodies of the victims had been evacuated to the hospital. I think they should be more that 50, while several others were injured, he said. Boko Haram fighters have made several attempts to retake Maiduguri the birthplace of the jihadist movement since they were pushed out three years ago. The group which seeks a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria has killed some 17,000 people and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since 2009. str-joa/yas/boc/txw CAIRO A popular Egyptian cartoonist was arrested Sunday on charges of running a website without a license, the Interior Ministry said, in the latest escalation of a campaign to silence the governments online critics. The cartoonist, Islam Gawish, 26, who has 1.6 million Facebook followers, was arrested during a police raid on the offices of a news website based in Cairo. Although his satirical cartoons have been published online, Mr. Gawish was not seen as an especially vehement critic of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. It was the most prominent arrest since the Jan. 25 anniversary of the 2011 uprising that ultimately toppled President Hosni Mubarak, which had been preceded by a wave of arrests and closures that focused on democracy activists and well-known cultural spaces in downtown Cairo. Although Mr. Sisis government has silenced many critical voices in Egypts major news media, either by arresting journalists or forcing them into exile, it has struggled to contain free speech on the Internet, which is one of the few forums for open dissent at a time when public protest has been all but outlawed. TEHRAN A political battle is taking shape in Iran over any new foreign role in developing the countrys enormous oil wealth, only a few weeks after the Iranian nuclear deal with foreign powers relaxed tough economic sanctions. The battle pits hard-liners, including some who opposed the nuclear deal, against moderates aligned with President Hassan Rouhani, who has touted that deal as denoting a new economic era for Iran. Already the battle is threatening to complicate efforts to bring in much-needed foreign investment for Irans outdated oil industry, which remains a critical source of revenue for the country. On Saturday, hard-line students gathered in front of the Oil Ministry in Tehran to protest the terms of a proposed contract that would permit foreign oil companies to help revitalize outdated wells and infrastructure. The proposal amounted to the plundering of national wealth, the students shouted. Dozens of protesters were arrested by riot police officers who severely beat up female students, the semiofficial Fars news agency reported. JERUSALEM After years of rancor over rituals at the Western Wall, one of the holiest sites in Judaism, the Israeli government on Sunday approved the creation of an upgraded egalitarian prayer space there for non-Orthodox Jews. The cabinet decision was hailed as historic by American Jewish leaders who had long chafed at the strictly Orthodox control of the site. It was also viewed as a victory for Women of the Wall, a group of Israeli and diaspora Jews that has championed the struggle against the male-dominated establishment for 27 years in a battle largely fought with prayer shawls and Torah scrolls. For centuries, the massive, beige stones of the iconic wall in Jerusalems Old City have been a symbol of Jewish unity, a place of reflection and prayer. That harmony has been marred by disputes over practices and customs between the Orthodox authorities who control most religious life in Israel and the more diverse communities here and abroad. The overwhelming majority of affiliated Jews in North America belong to the non-Orthodox Reform and Conservative streams, and their leaders said they had felt increasingly alienated from Israel. JERUSALEM A Palestinian policeman shot three Israeli soldiers, seriously wounding two, at a West Bank checkpoint on Sunday before being killed by soldiers, the Israeli military said. The Palestinian, Amjad Sukari, also known as Amjad Abu Amar, 34, had worked as a bodyguard and driver for the Palestinian attorney general. Just hours before the attack, at a checkpoint near the Jewish settlement of Beit El, he posted on Facebook that there is nothing worth living for on this earth as long as the occupation oppresses our souls and kills our brothers and sisters. He added: Everyday someone dies, I may be the next. He drove up to the checkpoint and emerged firing a weapon, the military said. The attack was unusual because it involved a Palestinian official and a firearm, reported to be a handgun. Most of the attacks on Israelis and Israeli soldiers in the last four months have been with knives, and many have been carried out by young people under 25 years of age. Ynet, a leading Israeli news site, reported that a friend of Mr. Sukari said that he had been anxious about his debts. The Palestinian Authority and Fatah, the party led by President Mahmoud Abbas, have not endorsed this wave of attacks except to honor the dead as martyrs to the cause of Palestine. Hamas, the movement that controls Gaza, praised Sundays attack. GENEVA As a suicide attack killed more than 40 people near a revered shrine in Syria on Sunday and government forces pummeled a besieged town, peace talks inched forward in Geneva, where a reluctant opposition delegation met for the first time with a United Nations mediator. With that step, opposition delegates signaled new, if tenuous, hope that the Geneva talks could bring a modicum of progress on their immediate demands: an end to starvation sieges and indiscriminate bombings, and the release of prisoners. There were signs that the Syrian government and opposition were exploring avenues for progress on those issues, even as the violence around the Syrian capital, Damascus, served as a reminder of the powerful forces opposing any compromise. The extremist Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, south of Damascus near the Sayeda Zeinab shrine, a beloved place of worship, a haven for displaced Syrians and a crucial symbol that leaders have used to motivate pro-government Shiite militias. The government also signaled a hard line with a heavy barrage of barrel bombs on the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Moadhamiyeh, already troubled by a rising number of malnutrition cases. This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 18 years and 38,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going. Days before the start of the 2016 Alabama Legislative Session, local legislators are focused on enhancing industry and public education, in addition to overcoming what crippled last years session: the states General Fund deficit. State representatives and senators will return Tuesday to Goat Hill, and local legislators from both parties say balancing the General Fund budget, including figuring out funding for programs such as Medicare, is a primary focus going into this years session. We always have trouble with the General Fund budget, said Rep. George Bandy, D-Opelika, who first took office in 1994. Also once again, legislators are tasked with finding a way to finance Alabamas growing prison population. Alabama Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, said legislators are looking into a bold undertaking to alleviate the states prison woes. Our No. 1 focus is going to be budget-based, Hubbard said, adding it is highly unlikely for us to be able to raise any revenue for the budget. Figuring out Medicaid Medicaid costs are growing exponentially, and legislators on both sides of the aisle are looking for ways to close the healthcare gap. Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, said Alabama missed out on billions of federal dollars by not accepting fully-funded Medicaid expansion and opting instead to work with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services to implement regional care organizations. Were still doing the same thing, she said. We have opted to get smaller federal dollars, and were still in the same bind. The General Fund budget, thats just the big umbrella there. When you look at that big umbrella, youre looking at Medicaid, which many of my constituents depend on. As a rural county representative, Warren also is concerned about the Legislatures trend of slashing services to cut costs instead of generating revenue to balance the budget. She said Macon and other small counties rely heavily on state troopers, and after last years cuts to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys budget, citizens found themselves waiting hours for a trooper to arrive after an accident or driving to another county for a license. The biggest problem is going to be trying to generate revenue. Weve cut, cut, cut so much, Warren said. Until youve gotten to the point where weve cut all our services, people arent going to wake up. When the people realize no revenue, no services. Were going to have to change the mindset of the legislators. Money is the biggest issue. My main plea is that the constituents will really open their minds to the reality and see what they want their state to be. Legislators will also be tasked with finding money to improve the state's roads and bridges. Sen. Gerald Dial, R-Lineville, said he's looking to find a way to finance Alabama infrastructure without burdening citizens with a hefty fuel tax. But with environmentally-friendly cars growing in popularity, fewer gas tax dollars are being funneled into the General Fund budget. "We'll have half as much money to work on roads and bridges if we do nothing," Dial said."The option to do nothing is not on the table for me." Is a lottery the answer? Despite national hype sparked by recent Powerball fever, Republicans and Democrats agree a lottery is not an easy fix for the state budget. Legislators may propose a lottery bill, Bandy said, but it likely will stipulate revenue be funneled to the General Fund instead of going toward educational scholarships like in Georgia and Florida. Im sure that it would bring some funds into the state, and thats what we need, he said. We know that there is money that could be made. But theres so much competition. Every state around us has a lottery or casino. Even if legislation passes that would allow citizens to vote in favor or against a lottery, Hubbard, who maintains a no vote on the issue but said he would not personally kill it, said the funding isnt guaranteed. Its not money that you can bank on year after year, he said. It fluctuates. Instead, legislators are focused on expanding the states economy by incentivizing small businesses. Last years session proved successful in passing legislation to attract big industry to the state, although Hubbard said the gains were overshadowed by the budget crisis. House Republicans have proposed a small-business job creation tax credit, which includes a $1,500 income tax credit to businesses with 75 employees or fewer for every qualified, new full-time employee hired. Creating local jobs On the local level, Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, is sponsoring two bills that he hopes will drive industry to and create jobs in Auburn and Opelika. An Internet availability bill would allow municipalities that offer their own high-speed gigabyte Internet service, such as the city of Opelika, to expand and offer it in other areas, such as in Auburn and Russell or Tallapoosa counties, which are not eligible for gigabyte service through private Internet companies. The gigabyte service is something that businesses look for, Whatley said, adding industries look at gigabyte Internet the way they do school systems and water and sewer before moving their business into a city. Its an economic development tool. Another of Whatleys proposed economic development bills targets insurance coverage for children on the autism spectrum. Alabama is one of seven states in the country that doesnt offer applied behavioral analysis coverage, Whatley said, even though Auburn University boasts an ABA graduate program. Were spending tax dollars training people in a career field that were not supporting through insurance coverage, Whatley said. Well be treating Alabama families and providing jobs to Alabama-educated people. Money in the classroom Legislators also are looking to improve the states public K-12 education. During the 2015 session, the Education Trust Fund budget passed unanimously in both the House and Senate. Bandy hopes the fund will be stable this year, as well. Hopefully well be able to provide the same services, especially in Lee County, Bandy said, adding he would like to see legislation passed that would funnel more money into the Lee County Schools. Our little discretionary fund has dwindled down so small that we cant do as much for schools as we could five or six years ago. House Republicans have proposed a pay raise for K-12 and post-secondary education personnel. And while leaders have not identified a price tag for the raise, Hubbard said each percent increase costs about $40 million in the Education Trust Fund. The raise could be tied to ending teacher tenure. The House GOP Caucus also will propose a bill that will establish infrastructure for wireless broadband in all Alabama public schools. Hubbard called the Wireless Infrastructure Renovation for Education Act a bold program that will benefit every public school in the state. We believe that we are going to be the first in the country to implement this technology, he said. This time, I think you will continue to see us down the road putting money into the classroom. I think were all pretty much on the same page with where were going, the speaker continued. I do expect it is going to be a productive session. For her part, Warren said being a legislator now is nothing like it was when she stepped into the State House in 2005. You do the best you can, she said. But until you can get the majority to see why youre there, it gets a little discouraging. Is California the most conservative state? Now that I have your attention, just how would California qualify as a beacon of conservatism? It depends how you define the term. Since the rise of Ronald Reagan, most conservatives have defined themselves by pledging loyalty to market capitalism, supporting national defense and defending sometimes vague traditional social values. Yet in the Middle Ages, and throughout much of Europe, conservatism meant something very different: a focus primarily on maintaining comfortable places for the gentry, built around a strong commitment to hierarchy, authority and a singular moral order. Until recently, modern California has not embraced this static form of conservatism. The biggest difference between a Pat Brown or a Reagan was not their goals greater upward mobility and technical progress but how they might be best advanced, whether through the state, the private sector or something in-between. Under both leaders, California evolved into a remarkable geography of opportunity. In contrast, Californias new conservatism, often misleadingly called progressivism, seeks to prevent change by discouraging everything from the construction of new job-generating infrastructure to virtually any kind of family-friendly housing. The resulting ill-effects on the states enormous population of poor and near-poor roughly-one third of households have been profound, although widely celebrated by the states gentry class. Demographics of a new feudalism One factor that made California such a disruptive economic, cultural and political force was its large percentage of people hailing from elsewhere. Yet as Californias basic costs, notably for housing, have risen to well above the national average, even adjusted for incomes, the state has become ever more dependent on those born here and far less on obstreperous outsiders. In the 1930s, barely a third of Californians were born in the state, and the share remained less than half unti about 2000. Today more than 55 percent of state residents are natives. This trend will become more pronounced in the next generation, as more than 70 percent of teens and young adults in California were born instate, up from barely half in 1990. At the same time, more domestic inward migration has dropped; since 2000 the state has lost a net 1.7 million domestic migrants. Even immigration, long a major source of new energy for the state, has been trending down. The foreign-born population is no longer growing rapidly and, as a recent USC report suggests, the next generation will be largely homegrown: over 90 percent of children in California are homegrown. The USC researchers label this shift the homegrown revolution. On the positive side, they argue, this shift to the native population could provide greater stability in a state that has generally lacked that characteristic. But societies dominated by the native-born think of the Deep South traditionally, the Midwest or much of Europe outside the large cities also tend to be conservative in their nature, often more interested in preservation of status quo whatever that might be than shaking things up. some of greatest inequality At a time when twentysomething billionaires are being minted, largely in the Bay Area, Californias middle class is being hammered. The state now ranks third from the bottom, ahead of only New York and the District of Columbia, for the lowest homeownership rate, some 54 percent, a number that since 2009 has declined 5 percent more than the national average. The peasants, it appears, are expected to remain landless much longer, or be forced to leave the state. Rather than a land of opportunity, our new California increasingly resembles a class-bound medieval society. The proportion of aggregate income taken by the top 1 percent is greatest in a couple of Californian metros, San Francisco and San Jose, as well as New York. California is the most unequal state when it comes to well-being, according to the report by Measure of America, which is a project of the Social Science Research Council. These inequities clearly arent changing the states policy direction. Gov. Jerry Brown explains the states leading poverty rate as simply a reflection of how grand things are and Californias natural attractiveness. Poverty, he says, is really the flip side of Californias incredible attractiveness and prosperity. Its a view not far from the old excuse espoused by British tories, that the poor will always be with us. This inequality is being justified and made worse by attempts to turn California into a mecca for the most extreme measures to reduce greenhouse gases. Like a good medievalist, Brown blames this one phenomenon for virtually everything, from wildfires to the drought and mass migrations. Like a medieval cleric railing against sin, Brown seems somewhat unconcerned that his beloved coercive power of the state is also largely responsible for Californias high electricity prices, regulation-driven spikes in home values and the highest oil prices in the continental United States. Once the beacon of opportunity, California is becoming a graveyard for middle-class aspiration, particularly among the young. In a recent survey of states where the middle class is dying, based on earning trajectories for middle-income cohorts, Business Insider ranked California first, with shrinking middle-class earnings and the third-highest proportion of wealth concentrated in the top 20 percent of residents. New theology emerges How can this approach be sold to the masses? The climate religion is key, since it implies that peoples suffering is endured for a greater cause. And, in classic medieval fashion, those who disagree can expect to be silenced and even subjected to criminal penalties. God, Gov. Brown recently suggested, is not mocked. The new religion had better be strong, given what it will ask of the masses. Increasingly, the honest green answer as opposed to the green jobs chimera sold by well-financed environmental publicists is to move our society away from the competitive, capitalistic system which, for all its flaws, has created unprecedented global wealth. One popular idea, particularly in Europe, is to embrace the idea of degrowth, which even calls for removing such measures as GDP from consideration. This approach has been bolstered by the entry into the fray of Browns former colleagues in the Roman Catholic Church, under Pope Francis. Brown, meanwhile, increasingly speaks of climate change in theological terms. Although its hardly the stuff of political campaigns, Brown embraces Francis opposition to increased creature comforts like air conditioning as part of a general move toward achieving the desired level of enlightenment. Medievalism: A New Model? For the past 170 years, California has stood at the apogee of rapid change, often using engineering most notably with water and electricity to build its economic power. Yet, just as the citizens of the declining Roman Empire began to lose faith in its systems, our leadership, both public and private, seems to have decided that most growth, except that what raises asset prices, is bad because of its inevitable effects on climate change. This belief makes a certain amount of sense, particularly for those, notably public-sector workers, tech millionaires and affluent retired homeowners, who actually may benefit from stagnation. Widespread, broad-based growth and change is not necessary if your key goal is to pick up a comfy pension, or use regulations to up the value of your old single-family house. In contrast, the losers in this arrangement are the ascendant working class, young families and other newcomers. For many who, in other times, might have come to California, coming here now, as Dartmouth College economist William Fischel has shown, means trying to enter exclusionary regions. Due to their often unattainable costs, the states most desirable urban centers San Francisco, Silicon Valley, West Los Angeles, coastal Orange County and San Diego seem destined to become enclaves primarily for the old, who bought homes during less-expensive times, the children of the rich, a transient young population and of course lots of low-paid service workers. Meanwhile, the fastest growth in the ranks of college-educated millennials in recent years has been in such lower-cost regions as the four large Texas cities (Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin), Nashville, Tenn., and Orlando, as well as such rust belt cities as Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Families also are settling in small, relatively inexpensive metropolitan areas, such as Fayetteville in Arkansas and Missouri; Cape Coral and Melbourne in Florida; Columbia, S.C.; Colorado Springs and Boise, Idaho. With Californias economy now largely tied to abstract reasoning and serving those with accumulated wealth, there may be little chance here for advancement by those whose talents lay with their hands or by grass-roots entrepreneurial guile. Once the land of opportunity, the Golden State, indeed, is devolving into something very fundamentally conservative: class-bound, dominated by natives and lacking in opportunities for all but a few. Our state leaders are building a future that boosts their senses of self-worth, while consigning much of our population to permanent status as serfs or struggling commoners. Staff opinion columnist Joel Kotkin is R.C. Hobbs Presidential Fellow in Urban Studies at Chapman University. He is executive editor of www.newgeography.com and executive director of the Center for Opportunity Urbanism. Re: Constitution on Obamas side with gun orders [Opinion, Jan. 28]: Dean Chemerinsky is undoubtedly correct when he opines that President Obamas recent gun control actions are constitutional. But these mild proclamations are for the most part already established law. The real story here is in the incremental nature of the ultimate goal of the real agenda that is confiscation or the changing of the Bill of Rights. Criminals and crazies for the most part dont acquire their weapons through legal channels. The instruments used in the Sandy Hook massacre were stolen from the murderers mother, who bought them legally. Why would these perpetrators go through legal channels knowing that their records would automatically deny them a legal purchase? Again, the real purpose of the presidents recent executive orders are to continue the gradual public pressure toward the real goal. Dean Chemerinsky is acting as a knowing functionary toward this end. Howard Roberts Laguna Beach Once again, as liberals do, Erwin Chemerinsky shows his blind support for the cause and not the facts. Especially as a law professor, which after a series of his columns really makes one wonder, Chemerinsky should know that the president is the executive branch. The executive branch has the responsibility to enforce the laws. Chemerinskys loyalty to left-wing extremism and Obama has blinded him for the last seven years. It was Obamas attorney general, Eric Holder, who facilitated the illegal sales of high-powered assault rifles to the Mexican drug cartels and caused the deaths of Americans, Mexicans and at least one federal officer. It has been Obama who for seven years has not enforced the myriad of gun laws and allowed Chicago to be a killing field for young black Americans. It has been Obama and the left, including Chemerinsky, promoting decriminalization despite knowing that those in prison often have a history of crime and anti-social behavior. I read daily in the Register about violent criminals who were on probation or parole and continued their violence. Chemerinsky and Obama continue their extremist posturing, resulting in insufficient jail space for those in our society that just dont get it. They want to make those of us that work hard for our families, do the right thing and give back to our communities seem as if we are somehow guilty of creating the criminals in this give-away society. John Jenal San Clemente The first line of Dean Chemerinskys column is laughable. Did Chemerinsky even read the order or the associated web pages trying to explain what changed? The net effect is to make it easier for prosecutors to pick and choose their targets. All this does is make people in the U.S. less free from malicious prosecutors. It is precisely this discretion that allows unequal treatment under the law. It is sad that the dean of a law school would advocate for the unequal application of law. Christopher Ganiere Costa Mesa Sometimes it appears that the view from the lofty pinnacles of the ivory tower is somewhat obscured by their distance from the real world. I am referring to the dean of the UCI school of law, Erwin Chemerinsky, and his column concerning Obama and the need to enforce and increase gun legislation. According to law enforcement agencies and common sense, criminals get their firearms by stealing them, or by other illegal means. Only the good guys who want to defend their property and loved ones follow the laws in order to obtain their guns. Labeling defenders of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as far right extremists is less than honest and surely not in the search for truth and justice. Nor does it meet academic standards proclaimed by the University of California, Irvine. Bill King Huntington Beach After Katie Gurzi woke in the middle of the night with excruciating chest pains, paramedics rushed her to the hospital. That part went smoothly: Gurzi, 85, was pleased with the care she received. And doctors determined she wasnt having a heart attack, just a spasm in her esophagus. But then, in January 2015, the city of La Habra sent her a $260 bill for paramedic response after her insurers already had been billed for the November ambulance ride. That made Gurzi mad. It wasnt just that she believed the city was trying to reach into her purse for money it couldnt get from health insurers. It was that she was rebuffed nearly every step of the way, as she contacted more than a dozen people from city bill collectors to her congressman. Some didnt return her calls. Others refused to help. A few were just plain rude. One city employee threatened to send her to collections, warning she wouldnt ever be able to get a loan. I told her, Honey, Im 84. Do what you need to do. You can blacklist me all you want. Ill be dead, Gurzi said. When she finally reached the La Habra mayor, Jim Gomez, he was nice enough but told her he didnt have the authority to dismiss the fee. I thought, Youre kind of a toothless mayor, she said. Cases like Gurzis may become commonplace as more cities adopt 911 response fees, said Aileen Harper, executive director of Center for Health Care Rights, a government-funded nonprofit that helps Medicare beneficiaries. Harpers organization is helping Gurzi and three others fight similar bills but she believes many more people have simply paid up or havent come forward. The city of La Habra says the $260 fees are to help recoup expenses that arent sufficiently covered by insurers. It is a fee that the city has in order to offset some of the costs associated with emergency transports, said Cindy Knapp, bureau manager for the citys police department. It is to offset the costs generally, not for a specific transport. Knapp said the money goes into the general fund, but she couldnt answer exactly how it is spent. Harper said the cities shouldnt be billing people like Katie Gurzi because they already are being paid by Medicare or other insurers. It seems to me their underlying rationale is that they dont seem to be getting paid enough, she said. If that is the case, they need to take that up with Medicare and not move those costs to the beneficiaries. As in several cities around California, La Habra residents can avoid the fee by subscribing to a voluntary paramedic program, which charges an annual fee to cover emergency response. In La Habra, the fee for its FireMed program, as it is known, is $48, up from $36 in 2009. If they subscribe, Knapp said, they are protected from any out-of-pocket expenses related to the 911 transportation. The city bills the insurance company but accepts whatever is paid without charging the consumer for any unpaid balance, she said. If they dont subscribe, or they arent La Habra residents, Knapp said they have to pay $260 each time they are transported by an ambulance, in addition to what insurers cover. Although she was taken to a hospital near La Habra, where she had been visiting her brother, Gurzi lives in Long Beach. Her low-income studio apartment is decorated with wooden animal sculptures and beaded artwork from many years spent as a missionary in Africa, where she comforted dying AIDS patients. Among the books on her shelves are a Zulu dictionary and a book of Psalms. Now retired, Gurzi has had two hip replacements, a mastectomy and a hernia surgery. Even so she looks younger than her age and she volunteers regularly at a womens jail and a local hospital. She lives primarily on Social Security and a small pension from a former job as a coordinator for emergency room physicians. When she first received the bill from La Habra, she didnt understand it. At the bottom was a one-line explanation: Response to 911 Emergency call. This bill is a fee for a paramedic response at the scene. She assumed it was in error because her insurers had covered the service. Then she received another bill several months later. She called the city, explaining it already had been reimbursed for the ambulance ride by her insurers. Thats when the city employee threatened to send her to collections. Before long, she got a notice from a collection agency. She called the agency immediately and explained that she was fighting the bill. Gurzi said she lives by some simple rules. Be honest. Treat people with respect. And when something isnt right, speak up. True to her principles, she started a yearlong campaign against the fee, keeping track of every conversation with a handwritten cursive note. She became so frustrated at one point that she accused the citys billing department of senior harassment. When she contacted her congressman, Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, he responded that the matter was out of his jurisdiction but that he would forward the material to the city manager. She also reached out to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees Medicare, and the Council on Aging in Orange County before she achieved some success with the Center for Health Care Rights. The center soon had three other cases. Two were from the city of Montebello, including one involving a 72-year-old woman with mental health issues who was billed $357. Even though the center filed a cease-and-desist order, the city still sent the woman to collections, according to the center. A 72-year-old man in Anaheim who had a stroke was billed $350 by the city for the 911 response, even though Medicare covered the ambulance ride, according to the center. In response to an email from the health care rights center, Medicare officials wrote back late last year saying the issue was forwarded to program integrity investigators. Before Christmas, Gurzi got some good news. La Habra officials told her that based on her low income, she could apply for a hardship exemption to get the fee waived. But that, Gurzi said, wouldnt be honest. After all, she has enough money to pay the bill. This isnt a hardship, she said. Its inappropriate billing. So Gurzi is continuing to fight her bill, which the collections agency told her is now $271.47. She remains miffed that the city lacked both grace and compassion. I think seniors deserve a little better, she said. Kaiser Health News is a national health policy news service that is part of the nonpartisan Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Contact the writer: agorman@kff.org WASHINGTON News that Hillary Clintons home email server contained top-secret messages brings renewed attention to the security of her mail system and to the laws and regulations that control classified information. The new disclosure, and the question of whether it exposes her to more serious legal problems, was certain to escalate political heat on the Democratic presidential candidate ahead of Mondays Iowa caucuses, the first contest on the 2016 nominating calendar. FBI Director James Comey, whose agency is looking into the setup of the server, has said only that the investigation is being conducted without regard for politics. Officials have given no public hint as to when or how the probe will be finished. Stephen Vladeck, an American University law professor and national security law expert, said it would be a stretch, based on whats now known, to think Clinton could be charged under existing statutes for her behavior. The few relevant laws on the books almost certainly werent written with this situation in mind. This is an area where the government tends not to test the margins too often, Vladeck said. Its not uncommon for workers with access to classified material to mishandle it, and by far the bulk of those cases dont attract the attention of federal prosecutors. But when the Justice Department does pursue a case, it often relies on a statute that bars the unlawful removal and retention of classified documents. That low-level charge, meant for cases in which defendants improperly hold onto information that they know to be classified, carries a fine and maximum yearlong prison sentence and is reserved for people who have really, really screwed up, Vladeck said. Other, more serious laws make it a crime to knowingly disclose classified information to someone not authorized to receive it, and threaten punishment for anyone who through gross negligence allows national defense information to be removed from its proper place of custody. Each case thats resulted in prosecution has unique facts, making comparisons difficult, but investigators invariably take into account questions of knowledge, potential damage to national security, who sent, received or stored the information, and whether the material was classified at the time of transmission. Some examples of past cases concerning classified information: DAVID PETRAEUS The best-known recent prosecution involves the former CIA director who pleaded guilty last year to a misdemeanor count of unlawful removal and retention of classified materials. He was spared prison as part of his plea and was given two years probation by a judge who faulted him for a serious lapse in judgment. The retired four-star Army general admitted that he loaned his biographer, Paula Broadwell, with whom he was having an affair, eight binders containing highly classified information regarding war strategy, intelligence capabilities and identities of covert officers. FBI agents seized the binders from an unlocked desk drawer at his home, instead of a secure facility thats required for handling classified material. One critical distinction is that while Clinton has repeatedly said she didnt send or receive anything that was classified at the time something the State Department now says its investigating the Petraeus plea deal makes clear that he knew the information he provided was classified. He told Broadwell in a recording revealed by prosecutors that the binders had code-word stuff in there. When questioned by the FBI, he denied having given Broadwell classified information, though he avoided being charged with making a false statement. The outcome drew accusations of a double standard for senior brass from defense lawyers who asserted that their less-influential clients wouldnt have been treated with such leniency. JOHN DEUTCH Deutch was CIA director from May 1995 until December 1996. He came under Justice Department investigation after his resignation when classified material was found on his home computer in Maryland. An internal CIA investigation found that he stored and processed hundreds of files of highly classified material on unprotected home computers that he and family members also used to connect to the Internet, making the information potentially vulnerable to hackers. A report by the Defense Department inspector general found that Deutch had failed to follow the most basic security precautions and faulted him for rejecting Pentagon requests that security systems be installed on his home computers. Deutch apologized for his actions and was pardoned by President Bill Clinton before the Justice Department could file a misdemeanor plea deal for mishandling government secrets. SANDY BERGER Berger was the national security adviser during Bill Clintons second term. After leaving office, he found himself in trouble for destroying classified documents. Berger, who died in December at age 70, pleaded guilty in 2005 to illegally sneaking classified documents from the National Archives by stuffing papers in his suit. He later destroyed some of them in his office and lied about it. The materials related to terror threats in the United States during the 2000 millennium celebration. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material, and though he avoided prison time, he lost access to classified material for three years. A judge fined him $50,000, higher than the amount recommended by prosecutors. Berger called his actions a lapse in judgment that came as he was preparing to testify before the Sept. 11 commission that examined the events leading up to the 2001 attacks. I let considerations of personal convenience override clear rules of handling classified materials, he said at the time. BRYAN NISHIMURA Nishimura, a former Naval reservist in Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008 and a regional engineer for the U.S. military, was investigated for downloading and storing classified information on his personal electronic devices. Prosecutors say he carried the materials with him off-base in Afghanistan and took classified Army records to his home in Folsom, California, after his deployment ended. His lawyer, William Portanova, said Nishimura never intended to break the law but was a pack rat who thought nothing of warehousing Army records at home alongside personal belongings. FBI agents who searched his home found classified military records, both in hard copy and digital form. Nishimura also admitted to investigators that he had destroyed some of the information. Nishimura pleaded guilty in July to unauthorized removal and retention of classified materials. A judge fined him $7,500, and he was ordered to surrender his security clearance. The violation was a technical and unintentional one, Portanova said, but one that the Justice Department nonetheless thought it needed to punish to make its point. IRVINE Meadow Park Elementary kindergartener Matthew Aubol, 5, doesnt know if he likes surfing, but he does like playing Wii. Matthew, one of 450 students from Irvine and Tustin school districts who competed in the Astounding Inventions contest Saturday at Irvine Valley College, came up with the idea of a surfboard controller for the video game platform and showed off his prototype a body board on springs for a judge. His brother Christopher, who is in third grade, was a few tables away describing his invention for a perfect pushup for a judge. I really like video games, Matthew said. He said people will like the surf board controller because it wiggles. The colleges invention competition, now in its 29th year, chose competitors from a group of about 4,000 students from 40 schools in the two districts in kindergarten to eighth grade. One student from each school district will be chosen to get free legal help toward patenting their invention. Inventions ranged from a doggy umbrella to a light-up remote-controlled skateboard. Arya Wategaonkar, a fourth-grader from Northwood Elementary in Irvine, came up with the idea of a machine iHair that will style your hair and give you a head massage in the morning. For the project, students wrote on presentation boards about a problem they were trying to solve with their invention and what kind of research they had done to make sure they werent copying an existing invention. I saw a head massager online, but this is a two-in-one, Arya said. Youre busy in the morning and you just want to get it over with. Lydia Weiss, a fourth-grader from Arroyo Elementary in Tustin, thought up a solar-powered cell phone charger that can be used on a saddle. Lydia, who said shes been horseback riding since she was 4, said she thought her invention was a good thing to have if something happened on the trails. I think its mostly for emergencies, like if theres a mountain lion or theres just something weird going on, Weiss said. She said just being at the competition was making her have other ideas for inventions. Irvine Valley College president Glenn Roquemore said the schools competition aimed to foster STEM learning, and both districts use the competition as part of their science curriculum. While the competition never has a theme, a lot of the inventions reflect what a student see in the wider world around them, he said. I noticed this year theres a lot of app development, and a lot of inventions for the drought, Roquemore said. Its interesting to see what they pick up on. Competition judge Lance Smemoe, a partner with intellectual property firm Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear, said his firm will pick one student from each district to offer assistance in starting the patent process pro bono. He said he and a colleague will look not only for a creative idea, but a project where a student logged a lot of hours creating the prototype and working on their pitch. He said he was a judge for the first time last year and was thrilled with the experience. Last year, the firm helped one student who came up with a mechanical car bike rack, and another that had an idea for a device that evenly distributes butter in popcorn. Its a blast, Smemoe said. The kids are so excited. The creativity is just amazing. Contact the writer: 714-796-7990 or mnicolai@ocregister.com JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Islamic militant group Hamas that rules Gaza on Sunday that his country will retaliate with greater force than deployed in the 2014 Gaza war if cross-border tunnels are used to attack Israel. Hamas has built a sophisticated network of tunnels to infiltrate Israel in order to carry out attacks. Israelis living near Gaza have reported hearing tunneling sounds under their homes recently. We are operating systematically and calmly against all threats, including those from Hamas, both with defensive and offensive means, and of course in the event we are attacked by tunnels in Gaza we will operate with great force against Hamas, with much greater force than what we used in Operation Protective Edge, Netanyahu said in a speech to diplomats Sunday night, referring to the 50-day war with Gaza gunmen in 2014 by its military name. I think that is understood in the region, its understood in the world. I hope we wont need to do it but our abilities both defensive and offensive are developing rapidly, and I wouldnt recommend anyone to try us, he said. A senior Hamas leader boasted on Friday that Gaza militants dig tunnels and test rockets to attack Israel every day. Ismail Haniyeh spoke at the funeral of seven militants who died this week when a tunnel from Gaza to Israel collapsed while they were repairing it. He said the tunnels are a preparation for war with Israel and boasted Hamas has has built tunnels two times more than Vietnam tunnels. The 2014 Gaza war was sparked by a chain of events stemming from the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank by Hamas gunmen and the kidnapping of a Palestinian teenager who was killed by Israeli extremists in a revenge attack. Israel arrested hundreds of Hamas members in raids in the West Bank, prompting militant groups in Gaza to escalate rocket attacks on Israeli cities. More than 2,200 Palestinians, including 1,462 civilians, were killed during the fighting. In Israel, 66 soldiers and seven civilians were killed. Parts of Gaza were devastated in the fighting. The war also exposed Israeli communities near Gaza to a new threat: underground Hamas attack tunnels that surfaced close to their homes. Earlier Sunday, a Palestinian opened fire at a West Bank checkpoint and wounded three soldiers before he was shot and killed by troops, the military said. Palestinians identified the gunman as Amjad Sukkari, a 34-year-old policeman who worked as a bodyguard for the Palestinian attorney general. Posts on his Facebook page from just hours before the attacks read your mourning will be victorious, there is nothing worth living for on this earth as long as the occupation strangles our breaths and everyday someone dies, I may be the next. Gazas Islamic militant Hamas rulers praised the shooting attack, the latest in four months of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and soldiers. Also Sunday, the military said a Palestinian attempted to ram his vehicle into soldiers north of Jerusalem. It said troops opened fire wounding the man who was taken to the hospital for treatment. Palestinians have killed 26 people on the Israeli side and wounded dozens more since mid-September, mostly in stabbings, shootings and vehicular assaults. Israeli fire has killed 150 Palestinians during that time, with 105 identified by Israel as attackers. The rest died in clashes. Israel says the bloodshed is fueled by a Palestinian campaign of incitement. Palestinians say it stems from despair over nearly 50 years of occupation. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius last week said his country will recognize a Palestinian state if its efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at an international conference fail. At his weekly Cabinet meeting Sunday, Netanyahu said such a move by the French will be an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise. The substance of negotiations is compromise and the French initiative, as it has been reported, in effect gives the Palestinians in advance reasons not to do so, he said. We are prepared to enter into direct negotiations without preconditions and without dictated conditions. Every weekday at 7 a.m., a van drives slowly through the southeastern Brazilian city of Piracicaba carrying a precious cargo mosquitoes. More than 100,000 of them are dumped from plastic containers out the vans window, and they fly off to find mates. But these are not ordinary mosquitoes. They have been genetically engineered to pass a lethal gene to their offspring, which die before they can reach adulthood. In small tests, this approach has lowered mosquito populations by 80 percent or more. The biotech bugs could become one of the newest weapons in the perennial battle between humans and mosquitoes, which kill hundreds of thousands of people a year by transmitting malaria, dengue fever and other devastating diseases and have been called the deadliest animal in the world. When it comes to killing humans, no other animal even comes close, Bill Gates, whose foundation fights disease globally, has written. The battle has abruptly become more pressing by what the World Health Organization has called the explosive spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus through Brazil and other parts of Latin America. Experts say that new methods are needed because the standard practices using insecticides and removing the standing water where mosquitoes breed have not proved sufficient. After 30 years of this kind of fight, we had more than two million cases of dengue last year in Brazil, said Dr. Artur Timerman, an infectious disease expert in Sao Paulo. New approaches are critically necessary. But the new efforts have yet to be proved, and it would take some years to scale them up to a meaningful level. An alternative to mosquito control, a vaccine against Zika, is not expected to be available soon. So for now, experts say, the best modes of prevention are to intensify use of the older methods of mosquito control and to lower the risk of being bitten using repellents and by wearing long sleeves. Women are being advised to not get pregnant and to avoid infested areas if pregnant, since the virus is strongly suspected of causing babies to be born with abnormally small heads and damaged brains. One old method that is not getting serious attention would be to use DDT, a powerful pesticide that is banned in many countries because of the ecological damage documented in the 1962 book Silent Spring. Still, it is being mentioned a bit, and some experts defend its use for disease control. That concern about DDT has to be reconsidered in the public health context, said Dr. Lyle R. Petersen, director of the division of vector-borne diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He said the damage to fish and wildlife stemmed from widespread outdoor use of DDT in agriculture, not the use of small amounts on walls inside homes to kill mosquitoes. Other experts say the old methods can work if applied diligently. Weve had great success using old methods for the last 50, 60 years, said Dr. Peter J. Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. We just need to be very aggressive and exercise political will. A determined U.S. doctor named Fred L. Soper eradicated a malaria-carrying mosquito in Brazil in the 1930s, even before the widespread use of DDT. And dengue-carrying mosquitoes were eradicated in 18 Latin American countries from 1947 to 1962, Hotez said. But Soper was a fanatic, making sure every house was thoroughly inspected and all standing water removed. In Brazil, he was backed by the government, which made it a crime to deny entry to an inspector. According to a profile of him in The New Yorker, Soper used to say that mosquito eradication was impossible in a democracy. Such an autocratic approach might not be feasible in todays societies. Moreover, Latin American cities have grown tremendously since then, said Carlos Brisola Marcondes, a medical entomologist at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil. The situation is much worse than it was in the past, he said. The main mosquito that transmits Zika virus and also dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever is Aedes aegypti, a particularly wily foe. It prefers urban areas and bites mainly people, making it very efficient at spreading disease. It bites in the day, so bed nets, a common way to protect people against the night-biting malaria mosquitoes, have little effect. It breeds in small containers of water, such as flower pots, cans and tires that collect rainwater. Ive seen Aedes aegypti merrily breeding in discarded soda caps, said Joseph M. Conlon, technical adviser to the American Mosquito Control Association. Aedes aegypti is found in the southern part of the United States, so public health authorities say there will be some local transmission of Zika in this country, though it will be far less serious than in Latin America. Petersen of the CDC said he envisioned almost a SWAT team approach in which resources would be rapidly deployed to areas of local transmission to control mosquitoes using conventional methods. The genetically engineered Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were developed by Oxitec, a British company, to fight dengue, but would also work to curtail the spread of Zika. Since last April, the mosquitoes have been released in one neighborhood of Piracicaba populated by about 5,000 people. By the end of 2015, there was a reduction in wild mosquito larvae as opposed to larvae inheriting the lethal gene of 82 percent, the company said. Oxitec and the city said this month that they would extend the project for another year and expand it to cover an area of up to 60,000 people. Oxitec is building a new factory to rear enough mosquitoes to cover an area with 300,000 people. The company, which was acquired last year by the U.S. biotechnology firm Intrexon, calls its creation the friendly Aedes aegypti and notes that it releases only male mosquitoes, which do not bite. It says its solution is ecologically friendly because only the one species is targeted, whereas chemical spraying can affect many types of organisms. But critics worry about the long-term effects of releasing genetically modified organisms. Oxitec has run into public opposition to a proposed test in the Florida Keys. A Brazilian commission that oversees genetically engineered organisms declared the Oxitec mosquitoes safe to release into the environment in 2014. But Oxitec still does not have a license from Brazils health regulators that would allow it to actively market its approach to Brazilian cities. Still, said Hadyn Parry, the companys chief executive, with the outbreak of Zika, Weve had a huge amount more interest from different municipalities. Another approach, being tested in one Rio de Janeiro neighborhood, is to infect the mosquitoes with Wolbachia, a bacterium that does not infect them naturally. Once infected, the mosquitoes do not pick up and transmit viruses as easily. The bacteria can be passed to the next generation through eggs, so they spread through the mosquito population. The beauty of it is it is a sustainable method once you put it out it sustains itself in the environment and gives ongoing protection, said Scott ONeill, dean of science at Monash University in Australia. He is the leader of Eliminate Dengue, a Wolbachia project supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others. Tests are now underway in Indonesia and Vietnam to see if the technique can reduce the number of people getting dengue fever. Paulo Gadelha, president of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, a scientific institute under the Brazilian Ministry of Health, said initial results in his country were good and there were plans to try it on a larger scale, in Niteroi, a municipality across Guanabara Bay from Rio. We are planning to scale this up, he said. The mayor has already agreed. A new and even more powerful tool may be gene drives, which are genetic mechanisms that rapidly propagate a trait through a wild population. Just in the past few months, scientists have made gene drives that work in mosquitoes in the laboratory. Anthony A. James, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, said it would be straightforward to use a gene drive to spread something like a sterility trait through the Aedes aegypti population to kill them off. We have all the blueprints and have demonstrated proofs of principle, he said. Its just public will to do this. The public might not be ready to deploy gene drives outside the laboratory because once a new trait is let loose to spread through the population, it would be difficult to reverse it if something went wrong. Petersen of the CDC said of all the new approaches, We dont know about the efficacy of any of them on a wide enough scale. He added, For now, weve got to deal with what we have. Thirty-one women detained at the Santa Ana City Jail under the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have filed a complaint over traumatizing and degrading strip searches at the jail. The complaint, filed by Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement, a national organization that monitors detention facilities, received organizational support from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and the LGBT Center Orange County. Strip searches at the Santa Ana City Jail amount to state-sanctioned sexual assaults on women, said Christina Fialho, an Orange County-based attorney and the co-executive director of CIVIC. Santa Ana City Jail has been operating outside the limits of the Constitution and state law, while flagrantly violating federal standards for strip searches. While strip searches are routine practice in jails and prisons, the practice varies widely and at the Santa Ana City Jail appears to have been used arbitrarily. The complaint presents the harrowing accounts of dozens of women, detained for civil, not criminal, violations, who were subjected to the searches upon arrival, after in-person visits with their attorneys and after returning from immigration court. ICEs Performance-Based National Detention Standards require that strip searches only occur in the event that there is reasonable suspicion that contraband may be concealed on the person, or when an officer has reasonable suspicion that a good opportunity for concealment has occurred. According to the complaint, the jails strip-search policy is too broad in defining reasonable suspicion and the jail overly utilizes the practice. Nicole Albrecht, a German asylum-seeker, told me she was never subjected to strip searches at the James A. Musick Facility near Irvine, nor for most of her roughly year-long detainment at the Santa Ana City Jail. In that time, she made multiple trips to and from immigration court, and was only ever given pat downs. But in December 2015, after being transported alone to and from court, she was told she was being given a strip search. When she refused, citing the lack of reasonable suspicion, she claims she was taken to an empty cell and told she was going to be transferred to another facility because she wasnt complying. She relented and subjected to what she felt was humiliating emotionally and mentally torture. Had I known I never would have gone to court. Women are afraid to go to court because of this, she said. They are fighting for their release, and [the guards] are taking advantage. According to the complaint, Gloria Hernandez, a Honduran sexual assault survivor, has been subjected to as many as eight strip searches, which have re-traumatized her and resulted in suicide attempts. Jail administrator Christina Holland told me the jails strip-search policies have already been vetted by ICE and are in compliance with the law. When I asked Holland whether detainees are informed of the possibility of being strip searched after visits with their attorneys or going to court, she later emailed me that, after talking to staff, informing the detainees does not appear to be consistent. She has since directed classification staff to include such information in detainees classification interviews upon their arrival. While this is a positive development, much remains to be concerned about. Groups like the Transgender Law Center, National Immigrant Justice Center and the ACLU have variously reported on abusive strip searches of women, including transgender women, by men. CIVIC is asking for an investigation by the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security and another look at the strip search policy. In the interest of individual liberty and basic decency, this is the least that should happen. Members of the public have an opportunity to voice their concerns on Tuesday, Feb. 2, at the Santa Ana City Council meeting. The council is considering a proposal to increase the maximum number of detainees held at the jail from 200 to 300. Sal Rodriguez may be reached at salrodriguez@pressenterprise.com With the first real votes being cast in the presidential race Monday, this is an opportune moment to do some last-minute comparison shopping on the candidates tax reform plans. On this issue theres a lot to cheer about. All the Republican candidates have crafted plans that would slash tax rates for everyone and most would vastly simplify the thousands of pages of IRS tax code. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul have endorsed flat-tax plans that, for full disclosure, were designed by Arthur Laffer and myself. These plans have drawn some criticism from the Right of late, though these attacks are mostly baseless. Ben Carson wants a low-rate flat tax, too, and he would heroically eliminate all special interest deductions and carve-outs. Mike Huckabee is pushing a national sales tax to entirely replace the income tax. Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich and Donald Trump want to cut personal income tax rates 20 percent to 25 percent while eliminating indefensible loopholes. One common goal of nearly all these plans is to turbocharge growth by dramatically lowering the business tax rate (now the highest in the world) and reducing the punitive double taxation of investment income. Most GOP plans would cut the corporate/business tax to 15 percent to 25 percent. All of this contrasts sharply with the two Democratic candidate plans. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders seem to be in a weekly bidding war to see who can raise tax rates the most. Hillary favors hiking maximum capital gains and personal income tax rates to the mid 40s or higher. Bernie Sanders said last week that he wouldnt go to a 90 percent tax rate, but anything below that seems to be fine by him. The Tax Foundation has recently ripped both these plans, finding that they would lower business investment and cut middle-income pay by about 10 percent over a decade. Somehow, making the middle class poorer is supposed to strike a blow for equality. Since most of the rich who would be plucked are business owners and investors, wage and salary workers will suffer the collateral damage from the class warfare potshots. In short, wealth redistribution is not an economic growth or jobs program. The sparks are flying on the Republican side over which tax plan works best for American workers. Marco Rubio is running attack ads slamming Cruzs flat tax as something Ronald Reagan would have opposed. He says that the Cruz plan is a European-style value added tax. This is a bit of a scurrilous jab because almost all flat-tax plans have this type of business net income tax dating back to the Steve Forbes plan 20 years ago. But it is hard to see why conservatives wouldnt be excited about what Cruz and Paul have put forward. Its what tax filers have been waiting decades for: First, the Cruz/Paul plans would give America the lowest tax rates since the income tax was devised 100 years ago. For this reason, these plans are estimated by the Tax Foundation to grow the economy by a gigantic $2 trillion extra GDP per year after 10 years. Thats exactly the opposite effect of the Hillary and Bernie plans. Second, both the Cruz and Paul plans eliminate almost all deductions and credits which is how they get the rate so low. The IRS could be dramatically shrunk in size. Dont forget, when there are fewer deductions, there are fewer ways to cheat on your taxes. The lower the tax rate, the less incentive to cheat, which means greater voluntary compliance. Third, because the Cruz and Paul plans are border adjustable: Imports are taxed at the flat rate when they are brought into the U.S., but American products sold abroad are not taxed at all. This would level the global playing field for American manufacturers, tech firms and drug companies and bring these jobs scampering back home. Trumps tariff ideas could be put back on the shelf, and those who want fair trade should celebrate. Rubio and his allies are charging that the flat tax that imposes a low tax rate on the broadest possible business tax base, which includes wages and salaries and benefits, will quickly rise from the teens to the twenties or even 30 percent. What is ironic about these attacks is that those rates that Rubio imagines would still be lower than his own plans income tax rate of 35 percent. Its hard to imagine that the two most relentless anti-big-government crusaders in Congress, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz, have a secret tax plan to supersize the government. Finally, here is why this is not a VAT, tax as Europe has. In Europe, the VAT has been an add-on tax to existing income and payroll taxes. The flat tax is a replacement for the corporate and payroll taxes. Some conservatives complain that the tax is too efficient and will raise too much money. Liberals will try to raise the tax rates to finance even more spending. But no matter what the tax system, liberals always want to raise tax rates. Any new pro-growth tax system is subject to the same criticism. In other words, this is the argument to do nothing with our tax system and retain the mess of a tax code we have right now. Rubio is right to advise that, with any flat-tax, Republicans should press for a supermajority-vote requirement in the House and Senate to raise the rate. Id take any of the GOP plans over the current tax laws. But its hard to see how cutting individual tax rates from 40 percent and business taxes from 35 percent down to 17 percent or less isnt a big winner for the economy. The flat tax wont make America look like Europe, it will make America race past Europe and the rest of our competitors. Thats conservative and pro-growth and fair. Stephen Moore is a Fox News contributor and an economics consultant with Freedom Works. A new law guaranteeing equal pay for equal work and Californias minimum wage bump to $10 an hour are two big changes Orange County workers will see on the job this year but theyre not the only ones. A younger workforce, expanded employee benefits and a morphing relationship between employers and workers are a few developments promising to make 2016 a year of continued upheaval for job holders and job hunters. Here are some top workplace trends to watch: Equal pay for equal work The state Fair Pay law that took effect Jan. 1 is intended to close Californias gap in wages between women and men, which in Orange County varies substantially depending on where you live and work. At the low end, women in Anaheim, Buena Park and other cities in the countys 42nd Congressional District earn just 71.4 percent of what men from the same area make, ($42,087 vs. $58,918), according to the American Association of University Women. Women in Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley and other cities in the countys 46th District earn 97.2 cents for every $1 earned by men from the same area, ($31,228 vs. $32,138), according to the group. The fair pay law covers all of a companys branches or locations, not just the same establishment, as specified in an earlier law. It also stops companies from retaliating against employees for talking about their salaries with coworkers. In advance of the new law, Gap Inc. hired an outside consulting firm to audit its wage practices, a move that ultimately confirmed that among its 129,992 employees, no significant wage differences existed between men and women in the same jobs. The San Francisco-based retailer, which has more than 34 locations in Orange County, has a workforce thats close to three-quarters women. Higher wages Californias minimum wage rose to $10 from $9 an hour on Jan. 1, equaling Massachusetts as the state with the highest minimum wage in the country. The higher minimum means employees also must earn more, $3,466 a month, before their employer can exempt them from overtime pay. Aside from a higher minimum wage, early forecasts showed U.S. workers would gain a salary increase of about 3 percent this year. In December, business consultant Korn Ferry Hay Group forecast a 2.7 percent wage increase for U.S. workers in 2016. Earlier in 2015, human resources consultant WorldatWork forecast an average base salary increase of 3.1 percent this year across most job categories. However, slowing economies in places like China, weak retail and manufacturing sectors, a volatile stock market and other indicators could change companies confidence in business this year, which could affect salaries and hiring. Millennials take over at work As more boomers retire, workers ages 18 to 35 have become the largest demographic in the office, some 53.5 million strong. Contrary to popular belief, millennials are no more interested in work thats interesting or creative than Gen Xers or baby boomers, according to Jean Twenge, author of Generation Me and a San Diego State University psychology professor. Younger workers would stay put in a job as long as older workers if they were happy, Twenge said. They job hop more often because theyre not being paid, promoted or trained as much as they want. Where they differ from older workers is in the higher value they place on flexible schedules that dont take away from the rest of their lives, she said. Thats the biggest generational change, the desire for work-life balance. Whats more, they want bosses to tell them not just what to do but why theyre doing it. They want to have a personal impact, not just be a cog in a wheel, Twenge said. Expanded parental leave catches on The tech industry is leading the charge of companies offering new moms and dads more paid time off as a way to compete for workers. Even Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in late November he would take two months off after his daughter was born. The phenomenon isnt limited to Silicon Valley. In Orange County, Zillow increased its parental leave benefit as of Jan. 1. Before, the Seattle-based online real estate company offered 12 weeks of partially paid leave to new moms only. Now, both new moms and dads can take up to 16 weeks of fully paid leave. Zillow, which has 220 employees in its 3-year-old Irvine office, also gives new parents a $1,000 Amazon gift card for baby supplies, and new adoptive parents receive $5,000 toward related expenses. Zillow forecasts that companywide, upwards of 75 employees will use the parental leave benefit this year, compared to 55 who took it in 2015, according to Camille Salama, a company spokesperson. Expanded parental leave is one of several benefits Zillow ushered in with the New Year, along with unlimited vacation time and pet insurance. The gig economy grows, for better or worse While companies like Zillow are expanding employee benefits to stay competitive, the Ubers, Lyfts and Instacarts of the world have built their businesses and pre-IPO valuations on the backs of contingent or contract workers who dont enjoy the same advantages as being an employee. The phenomenal growth of these companies and the legion of people working for them led one University of California Berkeley linguist to choose gig as the defining word of 2015. As more companies adopt this non-traditional relationship with workers, its raising questions about whether gig workers truly are independent. In October, four Irvine-based drivers for Amazons newly launched Prime Now delivery service sued the online giant for allegedly misclassifying them as independent contractors instead of employees. Last summer, the state Labor Commission weighed in with a resounding no by ruling a former Uber driver was an employee and should be reimbursed for gas and other expenses. Around the same time, the U.S. Labor Department issued guidelines spelling out standards companies should use to determine who is or isnt an employee. Stay tuned for more activity on this, legal and otherwise. looking past degrees to hire people with in-demand skills College is still the best path to financial security, but its not the only way. As competition for tech workers intensifies, companies are hiring graduates of coding school programs that teach basic web developer and programming skills to students of various backgrounds and education levels. Orange County coding academies such as LearningFuze and Orange County Coding School are placing graduates of their 12-week training sessions with local companies such as Kelley Blue Book, Super Toy Box, Brandastic and BigRentz.com. Coding school isnt the only option for getting a job without a degree. Apprenticeships are on the rise too, backed by federal grants and nonprofits such as Tradeswomen Inc. that place workers into entry-level positions with construction trades and other technical jobs. The backlash against open offices gains steam While some companies continue to tear down office walls to create open-plan spaces with shared work areas, others are bowing to pressure to bring back barriers or offer options. Offices with lots of communal gathering spaces were supposed to make it easier for coworkers to collaborate and ideas to crosspollinate. They also save money by squeezing in more employees per square foot. However, a byproduct of all that togetherness is lack of visual privacy and noise that hurts productivity, making noise cancellation headphones and in-office phone booths the new must-have office accessories. Ive been on work calls with people talking from the office copy room so they wouldnt interrupt coworkers. One alternative: working remotely. In California, 5.2 percent of people work from home all the time compared with a U.S. average of 4.7 percent, according to FlexJobs, a specialty job board. Big data guides hiring and other people practices Human resources managers were late to using big data as the basis for making important business decisions. Theyre slowly discovering that by analyzing operational statistics and using whats referred to as predictive analytics rather than gut instincts they can improve hiring, maximize employees performances and, more accurately, forecast their future workforce needs. According to a 2015 workplace technology survey from consulting firm Sierra-Cedar, U.S. companies investment in HR analytics doubled in 2015 and will continue to increase. Today, even some of the most inexpensive workforce management software can produce sophisticated, numbers-based reports. The software compiles personnel data in a single, searchable database. Company owners and HR managers use the software to look at whether referrals, job boards or other hiring channels bring in the most productive employees or to find the ideal number of workers per shift to maximize sales without adding unnecessary overhead. For workers, big data means a better likelihood that bosses will base everything from job-related tasks to performance reviews on objective facts and figures rather than subjective feelings. Michelle V. Rafter specializes in covering jobs and employment issues. Send your questions about job hunting, careers or workplace issues to her at michellerafter@comcast.net or find her on Twitter @MichelleRafter. On Wednesday, September 26, Mrs Helen Bracken, Chairperson of Durrow High Cross Committee, will give a talk to Tullamore Business & Professional Womens Association (BPW) on the history of Durrow High Cross & Durrow Abbey monastic site and the involvement of the local community with that famous place. The event will take place at 8pm in The Bridge House, Tullamore. On Wednesday, September 26, Mrs Helen Bracken, Chairperson of Durrow High Cross Committee, will give a talk to Tullamore Business & Professional Womens Association (BPW) on the history of Durrow High Cross & Durrow Abbey monastic site and the involvement of the local community with that famous place. The event will take place at 8pm in The Bridge House, Tullamore. This is an opportunity for women to come along to this informative event and network informally with new and established members of a very active club in the region. BPW locally, nationally and internationally develops the professional, leadership and business potential of women on all levels through networking, advocacy, mentoring, skills building and sharing of information and knowledge. Now more than ever it is important to be part of a growing and effective organisation and the benefits of becoming a member of BPW include meeting and networking with other women with a variety of backgrounds and experiences, forge new friendships, an opportunity to share your experiences with others and make a difference to other women and receive support from women who have been there. Here in Ireland there are a number of vibrant BPW clubs dotted around the country including Tullamore, Howth, Galway and Sligo and the clubs hold various events during the year including business, health and information talks, social outings and general meetings encouraging established and new members to become involved in this organisation. Its members around the country include professional & career women, business owners, entrepreneurs, business owners and executives. This talk on the history of the High Cross and Durrow Abbey will be informative in nature - Minister Brian Hayes officially opened St Columbas Church & High Cross at Durrow Abbey to the public on Monday 30th April this year and there has been a steady stream of visitors to the site since then. The church is open 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm. St Colmcille (Columba) founded a monastery at Durrow in the 6th century and the foundation became one of the most important in the group of Columban foundations which include Derry, Kells, Sword , Iona. The High Cross attracts visitors from all over the world. In 2003 the Office of Public Works purchased approximately 70 acres of land enclosing Durrow Abbey House, St Columbas Church & graveyard and St. Colmcilles Well. Conservation works have taken place on the Church and the High Cross has been taken into the church. Further work is scheduled to take place soon on the Gate Lodge and around St. Colmcilles Well. BPW Tullamore would like to welcome both members and non-members to this event and anyone interested in joining the club can talk to Marie Neville and other club members on that evening. Small cover charge (e10) for non-members - BPW Tullamore look forward to meeting you there. Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... WASHINGTON (AP) Few neighborhoods can match the perks of Adams Morgan in Washington, D.C. a reality that reflects a broader problem for the U.S. housing market. Residents of Adams Morgan enjoy a profusion of bars, restaurants, exercise studios and shopping, just steps from their row houses and condo buildings. Home values are reasonable, relative to neighborhood incomes. And in general, the area schools rate as better than average nationally. Across the country, just 14 percent of neighborhoods manage to be at once affordably priced, walkable and near decent schools. And many of those neighborhoods exist in only two cities: Washington and Seattle, according to a new analysis released last week by the real estate brokerage Redfin. The findings suggest a substantial mismatch between the neighborhoods where people say they want to live and the homes actually available to them. Cities have not kept up with consumer tastes, said Nela Richardson, Redfins chief economist. The analysis examined 170 neighborhoods in 20 cities, comparing home sales and income data with rankings from the organizations Walk Score and GreatSchools. Some cities, such as Baltimore, Boston and Philadelphia, contained balanced neighborhoods where people of different income classes could afford to live but their schools performed poorly. Others, such as Phoenix, San Antonio and Columbus, Ohio, enjoy above-average neighborhood schools, but their communities pretty much require cars for doing basic errands. Homebuyers have long sought high-quality schools. But a rising emphasis on walkability reflects a generational shift. Compared with older generations, millennials, ages 18 to 34, disproportionately prefer walking, according to a survey released in July by the National Association of Realtors and the Transportation Research and Education Center at Portland State University. Nearly a third of millennials commute to work or school by foot, compared with 13 percent for the post-World War II baby boom generation. The popularity of walkable neighborhoods has led to higher prices for certain residential and commercial real estate. A 2012 report by researchers at the Brookings Institution found higher retail sales and home values per square foot in the most walkable neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. In the Redfin report, only 24 neighborhoods in eight cities met all three criteria of walkability, affordability and schools. Seven of the neighborhoods were in Seattle. Its University District neighborhood site of the University of Washingtons campus ranked as the highest. Though housing in the University District is expensive the median home value is near $620,000, roughly triple the national level high area incomes tend to make it relatively affordable. More than 57 percent of families earned more than $100,000 in 2014, according to the Census Bureau. Three of the top neighborhoods were in Washington, D.C. Adams Morgan ranked third by Redfin is packed with bars along its 18th Street corridor. Yet its residents are also relatively well-paid, with 61 percent of families making at least $100,000. Among the new condo buildings is Ontario 17, which has sold more than 70 percent of its units since its pre-construction sales began a year ago. Its ground floor features a Pilates-style studio. A lot of the homeowners who did purchase already lived in Adams Morgan, said Brenda Moreno, the broker managing condo sales for the building. People want to be very close to work. But the increased popularity of walkable neighborhoods could mean that many will eventually lose their affordability. The Redfin analysis shows that few walkable communities also have access to better-than-average public and charter schools meaning that their home values might rise and cause affordability to drop. A separate measure by the real estate data company Zillow shows that prices in Seattles University District have shot up nearly 17 percent in the past 12 months, a sign that walkable neighborhoods may soon price out their least-prosperous residents. These balanced neighborhoods are an endangered species right now, said Richardson, Redfins chief economist. NORFOLK, Neb. - Sarah Hess found an unexpected opportunity to share her faith and serve others when she made a missions trip to northern Africa last summer. Hess made the trip with Front Line Missions out of Greenville, South Carolina. She visited Ethiopia for two weeks as well as another country that is more restrictive toward practicing Christianity. I felt, in the last several years, that God would have me be somewhere overseas, especially either in a monitored country, which is what Ethiopia would be categorized as, or a restricted-access country, which means you cant really share your faith freely you have to be discreet about it and things like that, said Hess, who is a music teacher for the Battle Creek Public Schools. While she was in Africa, Hess worked with Allan Sherer, the Horn of Africa director for Front Line Missions. She later reconnected with Sherer in South Carolina and learned about the Ethiopia Library Project. When she got back to Nebraska, she shared information about the library project with members of Community Bible Church in Norfolk, where her father, the Rev. Arin Hess, is the pastor. I just think that its probably one of the best causes that Ive ever gotten behind, Hess said. I look forward to seeing how God provides all of this and eventually getting back there and seeing the completed project. The Ethiopia Library Projects goal is to collect 50,000 books to stock a library that is under construction in Asella, Ethiopia, a city of 110,000 people that does not have a library. Hess said the stateside focus is collecting books and raising the $10,000 necessary to cover the shipping costs for them. The project hopes to ship the donated books in April. They will be taken first to South Carolina before being shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to Ethiopia. Were excited about what Gods going to do, but (we are) also (excited) to get good educational literature and good fiction into the hands of the children of Ethiopia, Hess said. If they have a mom and a dad, most of these kids parents are making less than $2 a day. Its a lot different than America. One positive for Hess and the Ethiopia Library Project is that the Ethiopians are strong supporters of English literacy in their country. Thats not their first language, but they start learning English in school about third grade, Hess said. The more they have access to English literature, the better theyre going to be at that. Another person involved with the Ethiopia Library Project is Michael Alemu, an Asella native who founded Christian Horizons Global in Ethiopia. Michaels desire is to get a state-of-the-art library, Hess said. Everything he does, its all about excellence. He wants this to be something that is not only going to help the children get a good education, but also will draw people into learn themselves the adults, the businessmen and that kind of thing. Were not just looking for books for children its also for adults. Unlike the United States, Ethiopia has relatively few libraries, which adds an extra sense of urgency to the Ethiopia Library Project. While the United States has more than 120,000 libraries and a population of 320 million, Ethiopia has just 260 libraries amongst a population of 94 million people. When youre a follower of Christ, you want to do what he would do, which is help the poor and help the needy, Hess said. It changes you. The Gospel changes a person first, but then that person can go and change society because of that. Thats Michaels goal, and its the goal of so many people who are working through this, to bring people in and to show them love, because most of them dont get to experience that outside of it. Sure, 50 years of growth is good. But what about the next 50 years? Last May, shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. celebrated Warren Buffetts golden anniversary at the helm of the Omaha investment company. The decorations for the meeting at the CenturyLink Center were golden, the cover of the annual report was golden, and if the souvenirs werent really gold, at least some of them were shiny. But in the world of investments, the yardstick is what you plan to do in the future, and theres a well-worn adage: Past performance is not a predictor of the future. With Berkshire, you could add, as much as you might hope it is. From 1965 to 2015, Berkshires returns averaged 21.6 percent a year, twice the rate of the overall stock market. Theres no telling what the average will be going forward, although Buffett says he expects to do moderately better, over the long haul, than the stock market as a whole. Meanwhile, the idea is to take care of business as it turns up. The top item on Berkshires agenda this year: acquiring Precision Castparts Inc., the Oregon-based manufacturer of landing gear and other heavy-duty equipment for airliners and spacecraft. The price is $32 billion in cash, plus assuming $5 billion in debt. The sale, which is on track, would boost Berkshires industrial manufacturing sector in a long-term growth business that is difficult for competitors to duplicate. If theres a challenge for Buffett and Berkshire in 2016, its a familiar one: Investing cash into businesses that have rosy long-term futures and are big enough to make a difference in Berkshires bottom line. The company accumulates about $1.5 billion a month that Buffett wants to put to work to make more money for the companys 1 million-plus shareholders. Chance are, that will happen in four basic ways: Bolt-on acquisitions. Existing Berkshire businesses 10 of them big enough to be members of the Fortune 500 by themselves acquire related businesses and combine them into their operations. For example, Berkshire Energy acquired NV Energy, a leading Nevada power company, in 2013. Chance are there are more businesses in the energy industry that will come under Berkshires spotlight, and other Berkshire businesses are scouting for bolt-ons, too. Stock purchases. Buffett and his investment lieutenants, Todd Combs and Ted Weschler, continue to build their stock holdings by buying more of the same or buying significant blocks of shares in new companies they believe will gain long-term value. One way the value of the stock holdings grows: Companies buy up more of their own stock, which gives Berkshire-owned stock a bigger ownership share. Acquiring big businesses. The challenge for Buffett is to find companies big enough that their sales and profits are of a size that matters. Few private businesses are big enough, but Buffett has said he would look at smaller businesses in Europe to boost his entry into that market in hopes of later mega-purchases. In Buffetts acquisition-metaphor, big companies are elephants, and he is loaded with cash more than $30 billion after the Precision Castparts purchase for the hunt. Supplying cash for an acquisition partner. In recent years Buffett has joined with 3G Capital, a Brazilian investment fund, to acquire and merge Kraft Foods and H.J. Heinz Co., leaving management of such businesses to 3Gs cost-cutting operators. Buffett has said he would like to do more such deals and is open to helping other buy-out firms by supplying Berkshire cash. Some of those acquisitions might become full parts of Berkshires herd of elephants, too, if the prices and circumstances are right in the future. No doubt a combination of these options will take place in 2016, although how many and how often is uncertain. One that is already on the agenda for 2016: Berkshires shareholders will meet at the CenturyLink Center on April 30 to hear from Buffett and Berkshire Vice Chairman Charlie Munger. That one, you can count on. The Omaha World-Herald is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Trying to land a job or promotion? Looking for a new career, a better income or a way to broaden, enhance or update your skills and bring more to your current job? Then a graduate degree might be right for you. But anyone considering graduate school should first carefully weigh the benefits and options, officials at Creighton University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha said. A graduate degree generally translates into a higher income, but it might not be a good economic investment in some lower-paying fields. Employers can make the degree more attractive by offering help with tuition and other costs, or a college can help find scholarships, loans or other financial aid or woo students with fellowship offers or research opportunities. Some people know the general field they want to study, but not the particular degree or certification they want. Many seek advanced degrees in a different field from what they earned their bachelors degree in, sometimes to switch careers but often as a way to build higher-level or creative thinking or to learn ways to mine information, said Deborah Smith-Howell, UNO dean of graduate studies and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. Another consideration is whether to move on to graduate school right after college graduation or gain some job experience first. At UNO, most graduate students have worked first, Smith-Howell said. They may have realized they want a more focused approach or skill set at work and went back to school to obtain it, she said. The same is true at Creighton, where about two-thirds of graduates are part-time students, said Gail Jensen, Creighton dean of graduate school and College of Professional Studies and vice provost of learning and assessment. Deciding on a school can be tough. Smith-Howell recommends beginning with a broad search of schools and whittling down the list. UNO graduate students typically learned about their school through word of mouth, particularly from employers or trade associations, she said. Many schools also hold open houses or graduate fairs. Potential graduate students could look at college websites, or stop by a schools admissions office or visit with professors and students in a chosen field, Jensen said. Earning a degree is more than accumulating credit hours, Smith-Howell said. She urged getting recommendations on courses and learning about the types of experiences a graduate student would have. Potential students also should think about whether they could persist through the demands of a graduate program and look at how graduates of that program have fared in the work world, said Mary Chase, Creighton vice provost for enrollment management. Ask yourself, she said, would your studies force you to think in diverse ways, and does the school and its professors have the values you share? The school has to be a good fit for the student, the administrators stressed. Sometimes the right college might be where a person earned an undergraduate degree, Chase said, but not always. Sometimes its time to fly the nest, but there are many Creighton students who would go to no other place because of their experience as an undergrad. Colleges offer flexibility for people busy with work or families, including online classes. A Creighton doctorate in education program has students in 38 states and extends well beyond Omaha, Jensen said. The working, experienced students bring valuable knowledge to the classroom, Chase said, and can apply what they are learning to their work and talk to their professors about that experience. More people are obtaining graduate degrees, and the degrees are becoming increasingly valuable, Jensen said. In the United States and elsewhere, credentials are important, she said. Sometimes a graduate degree is necessary just to get an interview, she said. Graduate degrees do more than increase employability and opportunities for career advancement. They offer intangible benefits, too, including learning about oneself and the world, becoming more fulfilled and challenged, Smith-Howell said. Chase suggests looking at graduate school as a way to invest in oneself, to learn how to think critically and creatively, but most importantly, to be formed as a person. I became a better parent because of my degrees, she said, a better person. Smith-Howell said the cost of tuition is comparable to the price of a new car. And while a new car might last 10 years or so, the benefits of an education last forever. Steps for applying to graduate programs The application process for graduate school should begin months before the term starts. The first step is to fill out an application and complete any requirements, which might include providing references or a writing sample, interviewing with school officials or taking a graduate school admissions test. Even within the same university, graduate programs vary on what they require of applicants. Some programs dont require any admissions tests, while others might weigh test scores as just one factor among many. On-the-job experience might weigh heavily in some programs. Next, a college collects applicants credentials, including school transcripts, before the entire application goes to an admissions committee. If selected, a student would meet with a faculty member to decide on courses, goals and ways to enhance the experience of being a student. WASHINGTON Your high school senior is basking in the glow of college acceptance letters. Three or four schools want her to join their class of 2019, and nothing can bring her down, except for the cost. Unless youre one of those lucky families whose kid receives a full ride, chances are the scholarships and grants schools offer will fall short of what your child actually needs. And that means you might want to start negotiating. Many families dont realize it, but there is often wiggle room in financial aid awards. FAFSA, the form the government and colleges use to determine need- and some merit-based aid, doesnt capture all circumstances that might affect a familys ability to pay for school. For instance, theres no line to include the cost of caring for an elderly parent or special-needs child, the kind of expenses that could warrant more aid, said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Edvisors.com, a college-planning website. So if you werent able to share that kind of information with the school, now is the time to bring it up to see if that shakes free some more assistance. Whats more, your family finances may have changed since you filled out the FAFSA. A job loss or any sort of salary reduction is also the kind of special circumstance that could lead a school to increase a childs scholarship or grant funding. If you do decide to negotiate, you can appeal to the schools financial aid administrator for whats known as a professional judgment review. Gather up every piece of documentation of any changes to your family finances or special circumstances that could impact your ability to pay for school. If the financial impact is significant enough, the school may adjust your childs award. Keep in mind that families can appeal for more financial aid throughout college, not just for freshman year. Even if your financial circumstances change in the middle of the semester, there is still a chance that the school could reassess your need. Some schools also are willing to adjust their award to match a better offer from another college. The schools would have to be at least equally ranked and your kid would have to be a pretty good student, said Susan Hanflik, an educational consultant. Students can say Hey, this school has offered me this, but Id really like to come to you. Is there any more money? she said. Sometimes there will be and sometimes there wont, but it is worth asking. Every school wants really good students, and they are going to give merit aid to make that happen. But dont head into the financial aid office looking to haggle over pricing, Kantrowitz said. Colleges are not car dealerships, where bluff and bluster can get you a better deal. Very few colleges will make a revised financial aid offer when a student gets a more generous financial aid offer from a competitor, he said. He added that even when a college will review the financial aid offer from another college, they never get into bidding wars for students. Theyre mainly looking for information that they may have overlooked. Major life changes moving, vehicle purchases, starting a family require plenty of thought. Insurance coverage should be part of the process, agents say. Its not only having the car insurance, the renters insurance or the homeowners insurance, said Erica Wilkinson, a State Farm Insurance agent in Omaha. But the big concern is making sure that someone has the right limits. A lot of people think you just buy insurance, and its all the same, but its not. Although all states require vehicle owners to carry liability insurance, the amount of insurance varies among states. Nebraska requires vehicle owners to have at least 25/50/25, which means $25,000 per person injured if the policy owner causes an accident, $50,000 total bodily injury in one accident and $25,000 property damage. Iowa requires vehicle owners to have at least 20/40/15 vehicle liability insurance. Wilkinson suggested purchasing higher amounts than what states require. She noted that even a simple medical procedure can easily rack up thousands of dollars or the cost of another persons vehicle can easily exceed $25,000. As an example, she said a new Chevy Suburban can cost $70,000. That $25,000 wouldnt even touch that, said Wilkinson, who encouraged people to buy 100/300/100 coverage. Wilkinson advised those not covered by an employers disability insurance to purchase a plan that equates to around 60 percent of their salary. The policy provides money to live on in case a person cannot work because of sickness or injury. Wilkinson said discounts are available for those who buy multiple policies such as homeowners, vehicle, life, property and perhaps business policies. Roxy Pettit, first vice president of the Harry A. Koch Company, an independent insurance agency in Omaha, said its possible to bundle policies that are not all with the same company. Pettit said an independent agency can offer homeowner and vehicle policies from one company and life insurance from another and still provide a discount. Pettit, who has been in the insurance industry for more than 35 years, said she works with others in the industry to find the best package of policies for the customer. Among her suggestions: Consider an umbrella policy to provide extra liability for situations that might go beyond the coverage of homeowner and vehicle policies. An umbrella policy is to protect your assets, she said. The smallest amount of coverage she offers under an umbrella policy is $1 million. Purchase term life insurance while young. Though premiums go up with increasing age, term insurance is an affordable way to obtain substantial coverage at relatively low cost. Renters insurance can cover personal property and provide liability coverage for guests injuries. Our minimum is $20,000, said Pettit, who advised getting coverage for replacement costs of items rather than actual costs. Renters insurance also can pay for added living costs if an apartment must be vacated while damage is being repaired. Wilkinson suggested that homeowners and renters document their property with photos or video and store the images in a safe place. While comprehensive insurance may not seem worthwhile for an older vehicle, Pettit said, it might be required if the owner still has a loan with a financial institution. Loretta Worters, vice president of communications at the Insurance Information Institute in New York, advised considering all options to get the best insurance coverage. Each company offers different things, Worters said. You might get a better rate with one over the other. Thats why we always encourage people to shop around. Delhi air quality projected to cross 301 by Sat; GRAP stage II comes into effect ahead of Diwali 15 injured as two communities clash in Delhi; heavy police force deployed India oi-PTI New Delhi, Jan 31: At least 15 people were injured in a clash which broke out between two communities in northwest Delhi's Sangam Park area on Saturday , Jan 30. By midnight, several police teams were deployed in the area and a case of rioting was registered, said a senior police official. The violence erupted after a youth was thrashed by some locals when he was caught allegedly trying to forcefully enter the residence of a family belonging to the another community, said an official. People from the youth's community soon gathered at the spot and were confronted by a group representing the other community, the official said. The injured have been hospitalised and police are questioning locals, trying to ascertain the identity of those involved in the violence, the official. Earlier in the day, two youths were shot at by unidentified persons near the same locality where violence erupted later in the evening, police said. PTI Delhi becoming capital of crime, need to maintain public order: Dy CM Sisodia to LG News Flash: Bombs kill 45, wound 110 near Syria shrine India oi-Oneindia Staff By Oneindia Staff Writer Bengaluru, Jan 31: Khadi can provide employment to crores of people in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday in his first "Mann Ki Baat" address of 2016. Get all the latest national and international news updates of Sunday, Jan 31 here: 5.55 pm: They snatched his life. Now they want to steal his identity. Rohith and his struggle live on in our hearts-Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. 5.45 pm: Congratulations to the team, it will motivate the team for the forthcoming T20 World cup- Rajeev Shukla,IPL Chairman. 5.30 pm: Bombs kill 45, wound 110 near Syria shrine, says state media. 4.45 pm: It is an unfortunate incident but some parties are trying to politicise the issue, says Venkaiah Naidu on Rohith Vemula suicide case. 4.30 pm: Former judge of the Allahabad HC Justice (retired) Sanjay Mishra takes oath as new Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh. 4.20 pm: India whitewashes Australia at Sydney, win third T20 by 7 wickets. 4.10 pm: Live ammunition found in a canal in Pathanko. 4:00 pm: I feel very honoured and privileged- Sania Mirza on being accorded Padma Bhushan. 3:45 pm: India lose first wicket, Shikhar Dhawan out for 26, India are 46-1 in 3.3 overs on Ind vs Aus Third T20 Match. 3:30 pm: LGBT march at Jantar Mantar (Delhi) as the case of Section 377 reopens in SC this Tuesday. 3:15 pm: North MCD asks workers to call off their strike in Delhi. 3:00 pm: Mehbooba Mufti will take a call on the basis of the agenda of the alliance, says Naeem Akhtar, PDP after party meeting. 2:45 pm: Congress protest in Kanpur (UP) over city not being included in the first list of '20 smart cities'. 2:30 pm: Amritsar: SGPC Chief Secy Harcharan Singh & Kathleen Wynne(Premier of Ontario) visit Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib). 2:10 pm: We discussed on how to take forward Mufti Sahab's agenda for peace and development, says Naeem Akhtar, PDP. 2:00 pm: Delhi Minister Imran Hussain and AAP volunteers clean streets in Delhi's Ballimaran area over MCD strike. 1:15 pm: Meeting between the students, SC/ST teachers' forum of University of Hyderabad & new interim VC M Periasamy ends. Guest teachers' protest outside Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's residence in Delhi demanding permanent jobs. pic.twitter.com/OH6RzVZEWK ANI (@ANI_news) January 31, 2016 1:00 pm: Guest teachers' protest outside Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's residence in Delhi demanding permanent jobs. 12:50 pm: 29 live cartridges recovered from near Sunder Chak village (Pathankot, Punjab). Police investigation underway. 12:40 pm: Datta Padsalgikar takes charge as the Mumbai Police Commissioner. Delhi: Army Chief Dalbir Singh pays tribute to Former Army Chief General KV Krishna Rao pic.twitter.com/2zd2TSvaMU ANI (@ANI_news) January 31, 2016 12:30 pm: Explosives weighing 1000 kgs, 132 detonators & other material seized by police in MP's Sagar district. 12:20 pm: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti's meeting with senior party leaders to discuss government formation in J&K underway. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti's meeting with senior party leaders to discuss government formation in J&K underway pic.twitter.com/9DALjo883W ANI (@ANI_news) January 31, 2016 12:10 pm: Indian women cricket team lost third T20 to Australia by 15 runs, win the series 2-1. 11:44 am: Delhi Police questioned close aides of Shashi Tharoor including his domestic helpers on January 29. 11:35 am: India has had a golden maritime history. We are divided by land boundaries, but sea unites us, said Modi. 11:33 am: At the eastern end of India, in Guwahati, there will be SAARC sports event, said Modi. 11:25 am: 'Swachhata' is now linked with 'Saundraya' (beauty).This ws neither Railways initiative nor mine.This is an initiative taken by citizens, said Modi during Mann Ki Baat programme. 11:22 am: Now give missed call to 8190881908 and listen to Mann Ki Baat on mobile phone. The programme will be available in different regional languages, said Modi. 11:20 am: Let us integrate as many farmers as possible with the crop insurance scheme, said Modi during Mann Ki Baat. 11:19 am: I want to express my greetings to Haryana, as there has been a rapid increase in birth rate of girl child in the state, said Modi. 11:12 am: The experiment of associating spinning wheel with solar energy has been a success, said Modi during Mann Ki Baat. 11:05 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his 16th edition of Mann Ki Baat programme. 10:30 am: I sincerely hope that TRAI report & Modi government will adhere to this bounden need espoused by millions of Indian, says Rahul Gandhi. 10:00 am: I take this opportunity to tell PM,'Digital India' can't become a euphemism for an Internet controlled by large remote corporations, says Rahul Gandhi. 9:56 am: Delhi PWD Minister Satyendra Jain meets North and East MCD Commissioners at his residence. 9:36 am: Mufti formed Government with BJP.They had an agenda,to take it ahead it's important that Government is formed, says Farooq Abdullah. 9:35 am: Krishna who lost his mother when he was in his teens, started interacting with Deb on Facebook 4 years ago. 9:15 am: Gorakhpur (UP) youth finds a mother figure in US citizen through social networking site,latter flies down from America to attend his wedding 9:00 am: Everyone entitled to their opinion,but this smells of some kind of dissatisfaction continued says Shaina NC,BJP on Yashwant Sinha's remark on BJP Govt. 8:57 am: 9 Indian fishermen and 2 boats apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy near Palk Strait. 8:56 am: Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra and AAP volunteers clean streets of Delhi on MCD strike enters day 5. 8:25 am: Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba takes charge as Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command in Mumbai. 8:23 am: Justice (retd) Sanjay Mishra to take oath as UP Lokayukta in Lucknow on Sunday,Jan 31. 8:20 am: Delhi Minister Satyendra Jain also calls emergency meeting at his residence at 9:30 am on Sunday, Jan 31 in view of MCD doctors also joining MCD Strike. 8:10 am: Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) workers' strike enters day 5 (Visuals from Delhi's Khajoori area). 8:00 am: Heavy snowfall disrupts normal life in Rajouri (J&K). OneIndia News Child bride fights back to school to finish dream India oi-PTI Kolkata, Jan 31: An early marriage at a tender age of 14 had forced Santana Murmu out of school when she was in class VIII. A mother of two daughters now, the poor tribal girl from West Bengal has fought back her way to school after four years to finish her studies. Not only that, she is actively working for stopping child marriages and was even invited to the UN General Assembly last year to share her stories. Leaving her children with her in-laws and husband, she walks three km every morning from Kushmandi village in South Dinajpur district to attend Manikore High School. Her first class resumed last week after a gap of four years. "I am very excited. I am the senior-most in the class now and they look up to me with lot of respect. All I want is to be a teacher and fulfill my dream," Murmu, whose elder daughter Vasundhara is three-years-old and attends the Anganwadi playschool, said. Throughout her journey, her labourer-husband Gobind Hemram has been a constant support besides members of the child rights NGO Child In Need Institute (CINI). "I am proud of her and have realised that life would have been better for her had we not married early. Education and health is very important and so I am supporting her," said Hemram, a class V dropout himself. Before becoming a child bride, Murmu always dreamt of being a teacher one day in life. Her father funded education of her brother till the master's level but when it came to the daughter's future he unfortunately had a different yardstick. "Suddenly one day I was told that I am getting married to someone. That time I could do nothing to stop my marriage or continue my studies. But now I have convinced my husband," Murmu said. PTI Kharge vs Tharoor: Counting of votes today; Cong to get first non-Gandhi president in 24 years Congress creating hurdles in country's development: Venkaiah Naidu India oi-PTI Hyderabad, Jan 31: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday, Jan 31 alleged that by not allowing Parliament to function, Congress was not stopping the Narendra Modi government but "creating hurdles" in the country's development. "You (Congress) are reduced to 40 seats in the Lok Sabha. You don't know what to do and don't allow Parliament to function. You are not allowing the GST and real estate bill to pass and even stall efforts to reform the labour laws," he said, addressing a public meeting ahead of civic polls here. "You are not stopping Modi, but creating hurdles in the development of this country. You are causing loss to the poor people. Congress should know this and I am hopeful that the party will realise it shortly," the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister said. "NDA government is doing good work. The country is progressing. Market is also picking up and there will be more measures for welfare of the poor," Venkaiah said. "Good days ('achche din') have come and better days are ahead. Congress asked where are the good days. I said there are no good days for you, but bad days," he said, adding, people gave Congress the mandate to sit in the opposition, "but you are not ready". Over Congress' attacks on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Venkaiah said, RSS means "Ready for Selfless Service". "RSS is the most upright and patriotic organisation in the country. We are all proud (of it). Yes, we were all brought up by RSS and that is why we got this character, calibre, conduct, discipline, dynamism and devotion," the senior BJP leader said. He also said Congress, which had followed "divisive and vote-bank agenda" and encouraged parties such as MIM and Muslim League, has no "moral right" to criticise RSS. PTI SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Authorities say a man has died after setting himself on fire outside a Salt Lake City gas station. KSL-TV reports that police and firefighters were called to Flying J shortly before 4 p.m. Saturday about a person on fire inside a vehicle. Salt Lake City firefighters were able to put the fire out. Police say it appears the unidentified man deliberately set fire to himself to take his own life. Police spokesman Michael Hatch says no one else was injured nor did the area have to be evacuated. The incident remains under investigation. ___ Delhi air quality projected to cross 301 by Sat; GRAP stage II comes into effect ahead of Diwali Delhi Shocker: Mysterious Death! 6-year-old student found dead inside school India oi-Nairita New Delhi, Jan 31: A 6-year-old boy has been found dead in a mysterious manner inside his school premises. The incident took place in Delhi on Saturday, Jan 30. Parents of the child suspected that something might have happened in the school, however, school principal overruled such speculations. Delhi Police have started investigating the case. The deceased was a student of class I at Ryan International School in Delhi's Vasant Kunj. Father of the boy was quoted as saying, "I suspect the school...When I asked the principal what happened, she shouted at me and asked me to keep quiet." However, the Principal rejected such allegations against the school authorities and said, "We really are saddened. It is a freak accident. He was a special child. We understand parents going through this moment of loss. But allegations are wrong." Meanwhile, Delhi government asked the area's district magistrate to probe the death. Delhi Police stated that school authorities indeed did not inform the police. Hospital officials informed the cops about the mysterious death of the child. When the child was taken to a nearby hospital, he was declared brought dead. The body has been sent for postmortem. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 31, 2016, 9:56 [IST] Govt eases norms for bureaucrats going abroad for training India oi-PTI New Delhi, Jan 31: Officers up to joint secretary level going abroad for training will not need approval of the Screening Committee of Secretaries (SCoS), finance ministry has said. The expenditure department in the ministry has issued an office memorandum saying "approval of SCoS is not required in case of foreign visits of up to Joint Secretary level officers as part of foreign training component, mid-career training programme or any other training, irrespective of number of members and days". The memorandum was issued to clarify certain aspects of a circular issued by the ministry earlier this month regarding foreign visits by bureaucrats. The circular issued on January 5 had said that foreign visits of a bureaucrat should not exceed five working days. It also restricted the number of overseas visits by a bureaucrat to four in a calendar year. It said Secretaries should undertake foreign travels only when no one else can be deputed. The circular had also said that foreign travels of bureaucrats will be authorised by SCoS. PTI Delhi air quality projected to cross 301 by Sat; GRAP stage II comes into effect ahead of Diwali IRCTC update: 140 trains cancelled on October 20; here is the complete list Partial solar eclipse on Diwali: Can you perform Lakshmi Puja on Oct 25? Govt sets Feb 15 deadline to put stuck road projects on track India oi-PTI New Delhi, Jan 31: The government has set a deadline of February 15 to resolve the issues stalling highway projects worth Rs 30,000 crore, including fund crunch, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said. The remark assumes significance as 14 projects worth Rs 30,000 crore are still stuck despite a marathon meeting of bankers and developers last week to arrive at a solution and with some of these facing termination. "We have set a deadline of 15 days to solve all issues of stuck 14 highway projects worth about Rs 30,000 crore," Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari told PTI. The projects are stuck due to various issues such as land acquisition, forest and environment clearances, railway over-bridge problems, utility shifting, litigations, delayed decisions and financial problems. When the Narendra Modi government took reins of the government, there were as many as 384 stuck highway projects on account of issues like land acquisition, delay in forest and environment clearances, litigations, equity crunch etc. "Our efforts led to rolling out of majority of the 384 projects while we had to terminate 41 schemes. Of the remaining 21 languishing projects, issues have been solved for seven while we are confident to resolve issues with remaining 14 within a fortnight," Gadkari said. Meanwhile, the government is actively considering to terminate seven to eight of the remaining projects, an official said. This include Panvel-Indapur stretch in Maharashtra, financed by State Bank of India where the developer "does not have equity of Rs 40 crore to access Rs 157 crore of lending", the official said, adding that they suspect fund diversion. Another project facing termination threat pertains to Rohtak-Jind section in Haryana where "fund diversion" is suspected, the official said. Yet another project facing termination threat is Rimoli-Roxy-Rajamunda stretch in Odisha where developer "wants cost escalation and extension," he said. The government is also suspecting "fund diversion" in Walajapet-Poonamalee in Tamil Nadu where arrears of additional concession fee/premium accumulated to Rs 289 crore, he added. A top official last month had said that banks were "happily over-financing highway projects" and virtually "killed" them and "if developers and bankers fail to mend their ways and initiate correctives to roll out projects, the government will start terminating these. The projects relate to key national highways in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. The stuck projects belong to players like Larsen & Toubro, HCC, Gammon, Madhucon, Soma and Essel Ifra, among others, while the list of lenders includes top names like SBI, Punjab National Bank and Bank of India. PTI Kejriwal connects to B'luru auto drivers, demands Modi govt to withdraw Rule 8 of CMV Act India oi-Shreyas Bengaluru, Jan 31: Under treatment Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took time off to roll out an old strategy of connecting with Auto Rikshaw drivers on Sunday here in the city at St Josephs Indian High School Grounds. Kejriwal addressing the public meeting convened by state unit of AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) took sharp jibe at Modi government for amending Central Motor Vehicle Act 2007 that lays down a norm of completing at least 8th standard for the auto drivers to get license and badge to ply. He quipped that the governments has to apply mind while framing the rule but Modi government sadly has not applied mind. The rule make many loose their employment, Kejriwal observed. The Delhi CM is in the city from a few days. He is taking treatment for diabetes at Jindal Naturecure Institute. The program was organised to mark protest against Rule 8 of CMV Act 2007 and was attended by many auto drivers from across the city, besides Tumkur and Chikkaballapur. The Delhi CM was quick to recall his relationship with Auto drivers, in his address saying "we have old relationship with the drivers." Kejriwal said the Delhi police earlier harassing the drivers in the national capital for the petty mistakes drivers commit. But now the AAP government has put an end to police raj clearing the ordeal of drivers. "The Delhi police were seizing the Rikshwas for petty reasons causing trouble but after we came to power we resolved the issue ending police Raj in Delhi," Kejriwal informed. He divulged that recently he received a message from a auto Rikshaw driver, who informed about middlemen lobby, while issuing 10,000 permits to autos. Kejriwal said, he immediately swung into action by suspending three RTO officers and also canceling some permits. He questioned the audience, how many drivers has the number of Karnataka CM? In Delhi a driver can directly contact the chief minister and such is the system in Delhi, he stressed. "Every month I hold meeting with drivers. I sit with them and listen to them to understand the problems. I make full effort to resolve all the problems," CM pointed. Kejriwal took swipe at Modi government for making passing of 8th standard to procure license and badge for the drivers, saying the union government does not bother about plight of drivers. Auto drivers are one the key transportation modes and it is preferable mode for lower middle class and middle class people. Kejriwal said he would write a letter to the government to withdraw the rule 8 which otherwise make many loose their jobs. He also told the crowd that he would meet union surface transport minister Nitin Gadkari to forward the demands of drivers. The program was also attended by leaders of many auto unions and AAP state office bearers. However, Kejriwal arrived 1 hour 30 minutes late to the venue which apparently made many wait for long time in scorching heat. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 31, 2016, 21:45 [IST] Who in India can see partial solar eclipse 2022 on Oct 25 Delhi air quality projected to cross 301 by Sat; GRAP stage II comes into effect ahead of Diwali New HD cameras to monitor Delhi traffic soon India oi-PTI New Delhi, Jan 31: 'High Definition Cameras through Radio Link' will soon be installed across the national capital to enable Delhi Police to assess traffic volume real time and capture images of even small objects causing obstructions on arterial roads, taking traffic monitoring in the city to a new level. "Delhi Police will soon have high definition CCTV cameras installed at 50 important locations connected to the traffic headquarters through direct radio link with the help of directional transmitters or receivers," a senior police official said. The quality of video streaming achieved with the help of High Definition Cameras through Radio Link technology is far superior in comparison to other technologies and will greatly aid the traffic police in monitoring live traffic situation across the city, said the official. "The high quality video will also help in detecting traffic violations at the chosen locations, thus promoting traffic discipline. The direct radio link (wireless) technology is cost-effective too and requires no recurring expenditure," the official said. Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander said the project has already been started on a pilot basis at five important locations which includes Dhaula Kuan, ITO junction and AIIMS, and the feeds received so far from four of the five chosen places have helped in traffic monitoring and regulation. "One particular camera is facing some technical issues and once it is fixed we shall plan further expansion of the project," he said, adding traffic in several developed cities, including New York, is regulated through a similar system. "The system involves high-definition cameras, which can capture not only registration numbers but also images of small objects obstructing traffic in close proximity. The system is specialised in traffic monitoring," Chander added. Earlier this month, Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi had said choppers will be used for round-the-year aerial surveillance in the national capital, mostly to monitor and regulate traffic during peak hours, by next year. PTI A great tragedy say activists after 200 bodies are recovered from roof of Pakistan hospital International news brief: Confident of Pak's commitment, ability to secure its nuclear assets, says US & more From 'dangerous' to 'secure and confident': US makes a u-turn after Biden's comment on Pak The persecution of Hindus in Pakistan continues with a Hindu girl forcibly converted and married 'India won't listen to anyone': Anurag Thakur gives strong reply to PCB Pakistan army murders Baloch political activist leader Dr Manan International oi-Reetu New Delhi, Jan 31: Baloch struggle against Pakistan started just after forced occupation by Pakistan army in 1948. The struggle is continued with on and offs, ups and downs. The current phase started in 2000 is the most effective and hence led to most brutal crackdown by Pakistan army. More than 20 thousand Baloch have been abducted and disappeared & more 5 thousand were killed and dumped by Pakistan army. BNM is the first and largest nationalist and freedom seeking party in Balochistan, formed in 1987 as Balochistan National Youth Movement (BNYM). Later youth was removed for a broad spectrum to allow all ages of people to be its member. In 1988 some of its leaders decided to accept and join Pakistani parliamentary politics, so it damaged the cause and diverted its slogan. In early days of 2000, Baloch freedom struggle again regained an start, so Ghulam Mohammad started preaching to be the part of freedom struggle as political wing in Balochistan. He succeeded to make it 2003 and BNM again became on the path to independence. Baloch separatist leader Dr Manan Baloch was murdered in a military operation by Pakistan army early morning on the Saturday of 30st January, 2016. His 4 other companions were also killed when military attacked their hideout in Balochistan's Mastung area. Dr Manan was the Secretary General of the Baloch National Movement, a political group seeking independence from Pakistan. Although the BNM claims its struggle is peaceful, the Pakistan military has killed dozens of its leaders and activists, including its founding president Ghulam Mohammed Baloch, due to their separatist demand. All BNM leaders now live in hiding due to the military's ruthless crackdown on the party. Dr Manan was secretly staying at the house of two brothers - Ashraf and Haneef, who were also BNM members - in Mastung's Kili Dattu village. Two other party members Sajid and Babu Noroz, who were also staying there, were killed in the military raid. Young Sajid was a close relative to Dr Manan. Dr Manan was born in 1968 in Mashkay and graduated from Bolan Medical College, Quetta, in 1999. He served as a medical officer in several areas, including Jahoo, Awaran, Greshag and Mashkay. In 2011, he resigned as a medical officer, refusing to be a Pakistan government employee. He was elected as the BNM's Secretary General - the second highest rank in the party after the Chairman - in 2010. In 2014's council session, he was re-elected on the same position. A soft-spoken man, he limped on one leg due to a road accident. The BNM has announced a protest call against the killing of its leader. Its international spokesman Hammal Haider Baloch said the party has decided to announce three-day strike in Balochistan and 40-day mourning period. He said Dr Manan has been instrumental in organizing the party and furthering its cause. While condemning the the killings, he said the struggle for a separate Baloch homeland will continue despite all odds. Dr Manan and Sajid will be buried later today with Sangat Sana, another Baloch separatist leader killed by the military in 2012 in Mastung's Kadh Koocha area. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 31, 2016, 11:40 [IST] For the dark rule in Afghanistan, blame is on the US Refugees must return home once conflicts over: Angela Merkel International oi-IANS By Ians English Berlin, Jan 31: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said war refugees from Syria and Iraq usually only enjoy temporary protection in Germany and most of them must go home once the conflicts there come to an end. Merkel made the remarks on Saturday during a regional meeting of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU). She said it was important to stress that most of the refugees who arrived in Germany in 2015 only received a temporary protection status. The chancellor has come under fire for her welcoming policy toward refugees. Support for her conservative bloc has slipped as concerns mount about how Germany will integrate the 1.1 million asylum seekers who came to the country last year. "We expect, once there is peace in Syria again, once the IS has been defeated in Iraq, that you go back to your home country with the knowledge that you have gained," Merkel said. She added that 70 percent of the refugees who fled to Germany from former Yugoslavia in the 1990s had returned to their homeland later. Speaking of the EU's response to the refugee issue, Merkel admitted that she was disappointed with the current cooperation within the bloc, and urged other European countries to offer more help "because the numbers need to be reduced even further and must not start to rise again, especially in spring". All EU states, she added, would suffer if the internal passport-free Schengen zone collapsed and national borders were closed. IANS 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. MY NEW LETTER: "10 Things They Won't Tell You About the Flint Water Tragedy. But I Will." -- Here's a link to the letter on my site: http://michaelmoore.com/10FactsOnFlint/ -- Read, Sign Our Petition, & Share this! News of the poisoned water crisis in Flint has reached a wide audience around the world. The basics are now known: the Republican governor, Rick Snyder, nullified the free elections in Flint, deposed the mayor and city council, then appointed his own man to run the city. To save money, they decided to unhook the people of Flint from their fresh water drinking source, Lake Huron, and instead, make the public drink from the toxic Flint River. When the governor's office discovered just how toxic the water was, they decided to keep quiet about it and covered up the extent of the damage being done to Flint's residents, most notably the lead affecting the children, causing irreversible and permanent brain damage. Citizen activists uncovered these actions, and the governor now faces growing cries to resign or be arrested. Here are 10 things that you probably don't know about this crisis because the media, having come to the story so late, can only process so much. But if you live in Flint or the State of Michigan as I do, you know all too well that what the greater public has been told only scratches the surface. While the Children in Flint Were Given Poisoned Water to Drink, General Motors Was Given a Special Hookup to the Clean Water. A few months after Governor Snyder removed Flint from the clean fresh water we had been drinking for decades, the brass from General Motors went to him and complained that the Flint River water was causing their car parts to corrode when being washed on the assembly line. The Governor was appalled to hear that GM property was being damaged, so he jumped through a number of hoops and quietly spent $440,000 to hook GM back up to the Lake Huron water, while keeping the rest of Flint on the Flint River water. Which means that while the children in Flint were drinking lead-filled water, there was one -- and only one -- address in Flint that got clean water: the GM factory. For Just $100 a Day, This Crisis Could've Been Prevented. Federal law requires that water systems which are sent through lead pipes must contain an additive that seals the lead into the pipe and prevents it from leaching into the water. Someone at the beginning suggested to the Governor that they add this anti-corrosive element to the water coming out of the Flint River. "How much would that cost?" came the question. "$100 a day for three months," was the answer. I guess that was too much, so, in order to save $9,000, the state government said f*** it -- and as a result the State may now end up having to pay upwards of $1.5 billion to fix the mess. There's More Than the Lead in Flint's Water. In addition to exposing every child in the city of Flint to lead poisoning on a daily basis, there appears to be a number of other diseases we may be hearing about in the months ahead. The number of cases in Flint of Legionnaires Disease has increased tenfold since the switch to the river water. Eighty-seven people have come down with it, and at least 10 have died. In the five years before the river water, not a single person in Flint had died of Legionnaires Disease. Doctors are now discovering that another half-dozen toxins are being found in the blood of Flint's citizens, causing concern that there are other health catastrophes which may soon come to light. People's Homes in Flint Are Now Worth Nothing Because They Can't Be Sold. While They Were Being Poisoned, They Were Also Being Bombed. Here's a story which has received little or no coverage outside of Flint. During these two years of water contamination, residents in Flint have had to contend with a decision made by the Pentagon to use Flint for target practice. Literally. Actual unannounced military exercises -- complete with live ammo and explosives -- were conducted last year inside the city of Flint. The army decided to practice urban warfare on Flint, making use of the thousands of abandoned homes which they could drop bombs on. Streets with dilapidated homes had rocket-propelled grenades fired upon them. For weeks, an undisclosed number of army troops pretended Flint was Baghdad or Damascus and basically had at it. It sounded as if the city was under attack from an invading army or from terrorists. People were shocked this could be going on in their neighborhoods. Wait -- did I say "people?" I meant, Flint people. As with the Governor, it was OK to abuse a community that held no political power or money to fight back. BOOM! The Wife of the Governor's Chief of Staff Is a Spokeswoman for Nestle, Michigan's Largest Owner of Private Water Reserves. As Deep Throat told Woodward and Bernstein: "Follow the money." Snyder's chief of staff throughout the two years of Flint's poisoning, Dennis Muchmore, was intimately involved in all the decisions regarding Flint. His wife is Deb Muchmore, who just happens to be the spokesperson in Michigan for the Nestle Company -- the largest owner of private water sources in the State of Michigan. Nestle has been repeatedly sued in northern Michigan for the 200 gallons of fresh water per minute it sucks from out of the ground and bottles for sale as their Ice Mountain brand of bottled spring water. The Muchmores have a personal interest in seeing to it that Nestles grabs as much of Michigan's clean water was possible -- especially when cities like Flint in the future are going to need that Ice Mountain. In Michigan, from Flint water, to Crime and Murder, to GM Ignition Switches, It's a Culture of Death. It's not just the water that was recklessly used to put people's lives in jeopardy. There are many things that happen in Flint that would give one the impression that there is a low value placed on human life. Flint has one of the worst murder and crime rates in the country. Just for context, if New York City had the same murder rate as Flint, Michigan, the number of people murdered last year in New York would have been almost 4,000 people -- instead of the actual 340 who were killed in NYC in 2015. But it's not just street crime that makes one wonder about what is going on in Michigan. Last year, it was revealed that, once again, one of Detroit's automakers had put profit ahead of people's lives. General Motors learned that it had installed faulty ignition switches in many of its cars. Instead of simply fixing the problem, mid-management staff covered it up from the public. The auto industry has a history of weighing the costs of whether it's cheaper to spend the money to fix the defect in millions of cars or to simply pay off a bunch of lawsuits filed by the victims surviving family members. Does a cynical, arrogant culture like this make it easy for a former corporate CEO, now Governor, to turn a blind eye to the lead that is discovered in a municipality's drinking water? Don't Call It "Detroit Water" -- It's the Largest Source of Fresh Drinking Water in the World. The media keeps saying Flint was using "Detroit's water." It is only filtered and treated at the Detroit Water Plant. The water itself comes from Lake Huron, the third largest body of fresh water in the world. It is a glacial lake formed over 10,000 years ago during the last Ice Age and it is still fed by pure underground springs. Flint is geographically the last place on Earth where one should be drinking poisoned water. ALL the Children Have Been Exposed, As Have All the Adults, Including Me. That's just a fact. If you have been in Flint anytime from April 2014 to today, and you've drank the water, eaten food cooked with it, washed your clothes in it, taken a shower, brushed your teeth or eaten vegetables from someone's garden, you've been exposed to and ingested its toxins. When the media says "9,000 children under six have been exposed," that means ALL the children have been exposed because the total number of people under the age of six in Flint is" 9,000! The media should just say, "all." When they say "47 children have tested positive," that's just those who've drank the water in the last week or so. Lead enters the body and does its damage to the brain immediately. It doesn't stay in the blood stream for longer than a few days and you can't detect it after a month. So when you hear "47 children," that's just those with an exposure in the last 48 hours. It's really everyone. This Was Done, Like So Many Things These Days, So the Rich Could Get a Big Tax Break. When Governor Snyder took office in 2011, one of the first things he did was to get a multi-billion dollar tax break passed by the Republican legislature for the wealthy and for corporations. But with less tax revenues, that meant he had to start cutting costs. So, many things -- schools, pensions, welfare, safe drinking water -- were slashed. Then he invoked an executive privilege to take over cities (all of them majority black) by firing the mayors and city councils whom the local people had elected, and installing his cronies to act as "dictators" over these cities. Their mission? Cut services to save money so he could give the rich even more breaks. That's where the idea of switching Flint to river water came from. To save $15 million! It was easy. Suspend democracy. Cut taxes for the rich. Make the poor drink toxic river water. And everybody's happy. Except those who were poisoned in the process. All 102,000 of them. In the richest country in the world. Copyrighted Image? DMCA ".... there is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham...." Black Beauty, Chapter 13, last paragraph. Today I wrote a little letter to the New York Times editors re their defense of continuing the horse drawn carriage trade in New York City. Here is my very simple and succinct letter: To the Editors of the New York Times: I have only one question for those editors who see nothing wrong with continuing the horse drawn carriage trade in New York City. Would it be all right if you were one of the long suffering horses who have to pull carriages on the much trafficked New York City streets in all kinds of weather? Of course, New York can have harsh winter snowy days and brutally hot summer ones. If your answer is yes, then you may well have a legitimate crusade. If your answer is no, then obviously your editorial in defense of these horse drawn carriages is ill-conceived and has no merit. I and others care about suffering horses, and we believe the horses suffer and are treated inhumane in this archaic tradition. It should be discontinued on the grounds of it being animal cruelty. Sometimes people are criticized for being too sentimental and commiserating with how animals are treated, but why should those of us who care about animals and object to their being treated cruelly be excluded because of our compassion? God made all of us, including animals, birds, fish and every living thing. He created the Earth and all of its creatures and He pronounced that they were good. Humans should show concern, compassion and love for all of His creations. There are many acts of cruelty towards animals that people defend because of "traditional values". Bull fighting comes to mind which is defended in countries such as Spain and Mexico as part of their tradition. I also put greyhound racing in the U.S., horse fighting in the Philippines and co*k fighting are considered sports. In China, South Korea and Thailand dogs suffer in horrible torture before they are consumed as food. Animals suffer tremendously in rodeos while pretend "cowboys" cheer but do not see the suffering that goes on out of sight. All of these barbaric "traditions" should be stopped because of the immense and unnecessary animal cruelty. I receive daily news and emails about animal cruelty that takes place all over the world. I first became concerned about animal cruelty in 1975 after experiencing the love and affection from my first puppy named Peaches. Peaches taught me that all animals have emotions and feel pain as well as love. Peaches was the inspiration of my concern for animal suffering. For those of us who care about animals, we try to do what we can to alleviate their suffering, and make others aware and care about animal wellbeing. Too many people think that animal suffering is unimportance. It especially saddens me when people who say they believe in God and the story of His Creation when they have little regard for animals. But thank God there are many people who do care and there are organizations which do all they can to help stop animal cruelty wherever and whenever it is found. There are people who will criticize me and others who have this compassionate apostolate. Some tell us that we should be more concerned about human suffering. I truly believe that one cannot care about human suffering without caring about animal suffering too. God bless Mayor Bill de Blasio who is trying to stop the suffering of horses in New York City. There is nothing romantic or traditional about allowing horse drawn carriages to continue when it cause so much pain and suffering to the horses. Naturally, they mayor is having a lot of opposition from those that profit from the suffering of horses, and those that think it is a legitimate part of New York City history. Yes, buggy rides have been romantically portrayed, and even glorified by Hollywood. And yes, perhaps at one time it was even a necessary means of transportation, but today we can bring relief to these poor horses if we have but the will and the heart to do so. Sincerely, Suzana Megles Reprinted from The Guardian Oil field in Lybia on fire (Image by Twitter User Mohamedkamel99) Details DMCA You wouldn't know it from the presidential campaign, but the US is preparing to start military action in Libya ... again. And given that Hillary Clinton was the leading proponent inside the Obama administration for bombing Libya and regime change the first time around, this should have a direct bearing on the presidential debate. Should, but hasn't. Libya has devolved into chaos since the US decided to launch airstrikes and overthrow dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and has increasingly become a base for Isis operations in recent months thanks to infighting among the new government and its inability to control its own territory -- a result that the advocates of the first Libyan intervention who hailed the move four years ago are conspicuously silent on now. And instead of discussing the havoc military campaigns can wreak and the blowback they often engender, Republicans and Hillary Clinton have all been arguing about who is going to increase military action in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere. Candidates have been acting like the major failures the last 14 years of war has wrought on our country and the region are virtually non-existent. Clinton made this statement about Isis at the CNN Democratic Forum earlier this week: "Every situation is different. So I want to make sure I stay as close as possible to the non-intervention. That's why I say no American ground troops in Syria or Iraq. Special Forces, trainers, yes. Planes to bomb, yes. No ground forces." That is a curious concept of "non-intervention" -- as long as the entire US battalions aren't sweeping across the country, you're "not intervening." Special forces fighting on the ground, bombs being dropped from the sky and weapons pouring into the region are fine though. And as the New York Times reported earlier this week, the US and allies are preparing for possible airstrikes and special forces raids in Libya. More "non-intervention" is on the way! Instead of discussing expanding the still-undeclared Isis war to a third country in Congress, where the debate belongs, it's being leaked to newspapers by anonymous officials and treated as an inevitability. And no one is giving second thought to the fact that constitutional scholars across the political spectrum consider such a move illegal. It continues to be amazing that this legal aspect receives almost zero attention: the US government apparently thinks it can expand the Isis war to a third country without the congressional authorization required by the constitution (they didn't get congressional authorization for the first Libya war either -- they actually went ahead with their bombing campaign after the House explicitly rejected the idea). "The president has made clear that we have the authority to use military force," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the other day, pretending it's a cut-and-dried issue. Click Here to Read Whole Article This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source. Arrest, jail, charges with 11 other witnesses against drone killings enabled by Air Force video-game warriors of the NY State National Guard based at Hancock base, NY, was an uplifting action for many of us last Thursday. Silence, inaction on this critical issue amounts to complicity. Watch the two-minute video of the protest, below... On January 28, 2016, 30 life-size cutouts of the late Syracuse peacemaker Jerry Berrigan -- brother of Dan and Phil Berrigan -- blockaded the main entrance of Hancock Air National Guard Base outside Syracuse, NY. The cutouts of Jerry Berrigan were backed up by 12 live nonviolent drone resisters, who were arrested after blockading for an hour and a half. A press release of the protest (slightly edited) follows: Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "The book is very well written...very important in this individualized capitalistic illusory world that enslaves us all within its tentacles and forces us to believe that we are atomized and disconnected beings. Indigenous Lakota people end prayers with "Mitakuye Oyasin...all my relations..." An ancient African proverb states, "A person is a person only because of and with others..." This instructive text is very useful for us living in what we are always told is the modern world, because it reconnects us all and reminds us that ultimately, the endless circle of the Universe binds and connects us all and the Earth is Mother to us with no hierarchy...the ones at the bottom matter the most...like the ants who build mounds and hills, all working in unison and harmony...the book teaches that we were created for community and our destiny is organic community...anything else is doomed..." Julian Kunnie, Professor of Religious Studies/Classics at the University of Arizona and author of The Cost of Globalization: Dangers to the Earth and Its People Reprinted from Smirking Chimp Virtually the entire Washington and Wall Street establishments are now in a state of panic about the possibility of a Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) victory in the Iowa Democratic caucus next Monday. The Sanders revolution of young people, which includes a growing number of young women, independent workers in some labor unions that refuse to go along with the establishment, and liberal populists and idealists of all varieties, is now within striking distance of stunning the political world with upset victories in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary. In response, the virtual bedlam that has been behind the scenes in the Washington establishment in recent weeks is now coming into the open. It is a sight to behold! In the last 24 hours, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has been seen on television criticizing the Sanders proposal for Medicare for all, which has huge support throughout the Democratic Party and, arguably, majority support throughout the nation. Privately, I protested what she said; here my protest becomes public. In a private memo, I wrote that if she wants to endorse Hillary Clinton she should, and state why she believes Clinton would be a great president, a proposition that can be fairly argued, but an argument that has never made effectively made by Clinton herself. In the last 24 hours, the editorial board of The Washington Post launched a major broadside against Sanders. The Post is a paper owned by a billionaire and, in the early 2000s (under different ownership), its editorial page ardently supported the Iraq War that Sanders (and I) opposed. While the Post's columnists include a heavy dose of neoconservatives alongside some traditional moderate liberals, the Post recently let go Harold Myerson, its one authentically liberal populist columnist who had the spirit of Occupy Wall Street and the Sanders campaign. As the Iowa caucus comes close, there is panic in the air of the establishment and that includes the Washington Democratic establishment, the Wall Street financial establishment and the corporate media establishment, which today is only concerned about the Donald Trump reality show and the GOP debate. Meanwhile in Iowa, Sanders roused Democrats with a moving television ad, one of the best in decades, based on the theme of the Simon and Garfunkel song "America." While Sanders supporters are taking their case to social media, to campus meetings, to labor union halls, to farmers and workers in Iowa, and to homes through large-scale door-to-door campaigning. What the insider Washington Democratic establishment fails to understand is that the issues Sanders raises have great appeal to the broad nation: a free public college education paid for through a Wall Street transaction tax; an increase in Social Security payments (now frozen at least year's rate for the new year); breaking up big banks and re-instituting reforms initiated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt; dramatic reforms of the criminal justice system. These are very popular ideas that are opposed by armies of lobbyists but supported by huge numbers of Democrats and large numbers of independents. Clinton offers great possibilities of becoming a great president if she is nominated, and her campaign should be singing her praises and not letting her advocates attack long-held policies, visions and dreams of the Democratic base that in many ways embody the core of the Democratic vision for America. Sanders has earned a great chance of winning the Iowa caucus and Washington establishment Democrats should consider why Sanders runs so far ahead of Trump in so many match-up polls, and why Sanders runs stronger than Clinton in these match-up polls against Trump. Make no mistake, the Washington establishment is now in full panic as the Iowa caucus approaches. While it is not a pretty sight to see, Democrats should be thanking Bernie Sanders for inspiring so many people to become active in the Democratic Party, bringing the change to our democratic process that the party, and our country, certainly needs. Stumping for Bernie Sanders - Draft material for stump speeches. This is not an article. It is a draft of items that could be used for stump speeches. So you will not find any reference notes. These are some ideas I have come up with. Each issue could be dealt with in separate speeches. Your own comments might also be helpful to strengthen my ideas for stump speeches and would be appreciated. Together we might get something that can go viral. Anyone stumping for Bernie is welcome to use the contents of this draft to correct, embellish or whatever seems appropriate to the occasion. Here goes . Copyrighted Image? DMCA It is in our own best interests to vote for Bernie Sanders. Here are 10 reasons why: 1.) Critics contend a Democratic Socialist is a threat to our political system and private initiative. In truth, no political system in the world has five stars, but our unbridled capitalism has no stars at all. Bernie's Democratic Socialism, an alternative to unbridled capitalism, does not thwart private initiative, or impose tyrannical government upon us, as critics would have us believe. Even if a President wanted to do away with private initiative, he could not. In spite of the need for reforms, we do have a Congress after all. However, the goal of Bernie's Democratic Socialism is to effectively obstruct the tyranny of ALEC Plutocrats writing legislation that would cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education, nutrition and virtually every program that benefits working families, as well as relief of bankruptcy. We will not be frightened by the word "Socialist" as is defined by those who would have us vote against our own best interests. 2.) Critics constantly point out the deficiencies of single payer health care, (socialism), in other countries.. But we know those countries would never trade their more democratically socialist system for ours, no matter their deficiencies. And most of us would not trade in our democratically socialist Medicare and Social Security either. The fact is that no health care system in any major country has five stars. Until we achieved the Affordable Care Act, United States didn't even have one star! Our health care system is like a festering sore, a gangrene, dominated by the greed-driven insurance and pharmaceutical industries. Hillary would apply a bandaid on Obama Care. Bernie would go the distance with urgent major surgery. He advocates a single payer care provided by our premiums in the form of health insurance taxes. This would save us from outrageous private insurance premiums that now dominate household budgets, and keep many of us with no care at all. It is not in our best interests to vote for Hillary and Republicans who get campaign funds from the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, and who even threaten to privatize our Social Security and Medicare benefits! 3.) Most economists and monetary experts have long been advocating the break up of big banks, but our duopoly has ignored them. Instead, the Clintons helped strip us of the little protection we had with Glass Stegal. Even today, Hillary has no workable plan to deal with monetary corruption, thinking to put some bandaides on Dodd-Frank instead. Not good enough, according to Bernie. And he has the support of most economists for his own plan. 4.) The most outlandish claim I have heard is that Hillary is better qualified on foreign policy than Bernie. Yet Bernie had it right in voting against the major blunder of going into Iraq, which Hillary supported. Bernie also has it right in advocating the philosophy of Jordan's King Abdullah II who contends that the major fight against ISIS is an Islamic war, a third world war that Arab and Muslim leaders around the world should take the lead in carrying out. Bernie does not believe the U.S. should make pre-emptive strikes on other countries. And in spite of Vermont's dependency on the weapons industry, Bernie calls for curbing "wasteful, inefficient, and often fraudulent" Department of Defense spending ... and ...'tens of billions of dollars sucked yearly into US intelligence agencies' black budget." He even called for imposing a war tax so that we can devote more funds for our own domestic needs, creating more jobs and repairing our crumbling infrastructure. On the contrary, Hillary Clinton and her neocon friends have insisted the U.S. take huge, burdensome role in these wars, and seemly all at the expense of the middle class. In my view, Bernie has more wisdom about foreign policy than does Hillary Clinton and Republican neocons. 5.) We who support Bernie are considering only the integrity of the person, not such superficial factors as the color of his skin or his sexual orientation. It is the obvious motivation of the candidate that is of greatest concern, his caring for all the citizens of the United States. Hillary Clinton calls on women for support. Many of these women see their major national priority as breaking the glass ceiling to the White House. This is not the proper motivation for supporting a candidate. Maybe the future holds a place for that role with a woman who really cares more about this country, Elizabeth Warren. 6.) Many minorities think Hillary has their back, but we Bernie supporters vehemently disagree. Bernie has a long history as a strong defender of voting and civil rights legislation, which shows his concern that minorities can participate in our electoral system. Bernie is also a shining example of his disinterest in accepting campaign funds from those who oppress white and minority middle and low income citizens. Hillary does not. Our political revolution is not a race war. It is a class war. Minorities need to join us, UNITE! Hillary is directly tied to a class of citizens who oppress all of us! It is a class that runs our Justice System, writes our laws, imposes its will on the Congress of the U. S. with strong lobbies. These are the problems anathema to the interests of minorities. Thousands of white voters have supported the candidacy of black candidates throughout the country, proving that being white does not mean you are the automatic enemy of the black community. Until we level the economic playing field for all citizens, we will never, ever have racial justice. We will never, ever have any kind of justice at all! 7.) Now Hillary insists she is the heroine who will give us gun control, but she knows better than that. She will never do anything toward achieving a potent form of gun control because she needs the vote of members of the National Rifle Association. Without electoral reform, Congress won't help us either. But Bernie, she says, offers even fewer promises on gun control. In my mind this only shows that Bernie is certainly no enemy of constitutional freedoms, even if he does have a D- with the NRA. Meanwhile, if anything happened to Bernie as did to John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Paul Wellstone and many other progressive politicians, well........we certainly hope we won't have to arm ourselves and muster the courage for a violent political revolution, instead of the peaceful one Bernie calls for. 8.) Aside from the fact that the Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders is no enemy of freedom, he is obviously a compassionate friend of our citizens as evidenced by advocating for mental health care for drug addicts and others in society who could be harmful to themselves and others. He knows freedom has its costs. We who love freedom should be willing to take responsibility for it. . The well being of our country certainly should be measured in terms of the level of happiness of its citizens. Mentally disturbed people arise from the unhappiness of our citizens, lack of jobs, no hope for the future, hunger, despair. Highest priority for our taxes should be in support of the happiness of our citizens, and those taxes should be imposed mainly on those who have raised their fortunes by economic oppression! 9.) Except for the few wealthy Americans who have benefited from our politico/economic problems, Americans of all stripes are tired of the duopoly government of the U.S. This is why we find "outsiders" from both parties doing so well in the campaigns. Without any doubt in my mind, if this race comes down to Hillary against any Republican, we will see a Republican in the White House following Obama. Only Bernie Sanders has a chance to give the Democrats another President. 10.) As JFK once admonished, we should be asking what we can do for our country, rather than what our country can do for us. What we can do now is rally for Bernie Sanders! And we should also suggest to Evangelicals that if their Jesus were alive today, he would also advocate for Bernie, the only HONEST and REASONABLE candidate running for the Presidency in 2016. Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website Myself, Michael Hudson, John Perkins, and a few others have reported the multi-pronged looting of peoples by Western economic institutions, principally the big New York Banks with the aid of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Third World countries were and are looted by being inticed into development plans for electrification or some such purpose. The gullible and trusting governments are told that they can make their countries rich by taking out foreign loans to implement a Western-presented development plan, with the result being sufficient tax revenues from economic development to service the foreign loan. Seldom, if ever, does this happen. What happens is that the plan results in the country becoming indebted to the limit and beyond of its foreign currency earnings. When the country is unable to service the development loan, the creditors send the IMF to tell the indebted government that the IMF will protect the government's credit rating by lending it the money to pay its bank creditors. However, the conditions are that the government take necessary austerity measures so that the government can repay the IMF. These measures are to curtail public services and the government sector, reduce public pensions, and sell national resources to foreigners. The money saved by reduced social benefits and raised by selling off the country's assets to foreigners serves to repay the IMF. This is the way the West has historically looted Third World countries. If a country's president is reluctant to enter into such a deal, he is simply paid bribes, as the Greek governments were, to go along with the looting of the country the president pretends to represent. When this method of looting became exhausted, the West bought up agricultural lands and pushed a policy on Third World countries of abandoning food self-sufficiency and producing one or two crops for export earnings. This policy makes Third World populations dependent on food imports from the West. Typically the export earnings are drained off by corrupt governments or by foreign purchasers who pay little while the foreigners selling food charge much. Thus, self-sufficiency is transformed into indebtedness. With the entire Third World now exploited to the limits possible, the West has turned to looting its own. Ireland has been looted, and the looting of Greece and Portugal is so severe that it has forced large numbers of young women into prostitution. But this doesn't bother the Western conscience. Previously, when a sovereign country found itself with more debt than could be serviced, creditors had to write down the debt to an amount that the country could service. In the 21st century, as I relate in my book, The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism, this traditional rule was abandoned. The new rule is that the people of a country, even a country whose top offiials accepted bribes in order to indebt the country to foreigners, must have their pensions, employment, and social services slashed and valuable national resources such as municipal water systems, ports, the national lottery, and protected national lands, such as the protected Greek islands, sold to foreigners, who have the freedom to raise water prices, deny the Greek government the revenues from the national lottery, and sell the protected national heritage of Greece to real estate developers. What has happened to Greece and Portugal is underway in Spain and Italy. The peoples are powerless because their governments do not represent them. Not only are their governments receiving bribes, the members of the governments are brainwashed that their countries must be in the European Union. Otherwise, they are bypassed by history. The oppressed and suffering peoples themselves are brainwashed in the same way. For example, in Greece the government elected to prevent the looting of Greece was powerless, because the Greek people are brainwashed that no matter the cost to them, they must be in the EU. The combination of propaganda, financial power, stupidity and bribes means that there is no hope for European peoples. The same is true in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK. In the US tens of millions of US citizens have quietly accepted the absence of any interest income on their savings for seven years. Instead of raising questions and protesting, Americans have accepted without thought the propaganda that their existence depends upon the success of a handful of artificially created mega-banks that are "too big to fail." Millions of Americans are convinced that it is better for them to draw down their savings than for a corrupt bank to fail. To keep Western peoples confused about the real threat that they face, the people are told that there are terrorists behind every tree, every passport, under every bed, and that all will be killed unless the government's overarching power is unquestioned. So far this has worked perfectly, with one false flag after another reinforcing the faked terror attacks that serve to prevent any awareness that this a hoax for accumulating all income and wealth in a few hands. Not content with their supremacy over "democratic peoples," the One Percent has come forward with the Trans-Atlanta and Trans-Pacific partnerships. Allegedly these are "free trade deals" that will benefit everyone. In truth, these are carefully hidden, secret, deals that give private businesses control over the laws of sovereign governments. For example, it has come to light that under the Trans-Atlantic partnership the National Health Service in the UK could be ruled in the private tribunals set up under the partnership as an impediment to private medical insurance and sued for damages by private firms and even forced into abolishment. The corrupt UK government under Washington's vassal David Cameron has blocked access to legal documents that show the impact of the Trans-Atlantic partnership on Britain's National Health Service. Reprinted from Counterpunch The UN-sponsored Syrian peace talks, which began on Friday in Geneva, will be boycotted by the main Syrian opposition group which has insisted that Russia stop bombing its positions while negotiations are conducted. To appreciate how ridiculous these demands are, one would have to imagine a similar scenario taking place in the United States. Let's say, for example, that Ammon Bundy, the crackpot leader of the armed militia that seized the federal wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon, demanded that the FBI and all other federal agents vamoose while the UN convened negotiations between his representatives and the Obama administration for the establishment of a transitional government that would remove Obama from power after 18 months while rewriting the constitution so it better reflected the far-right political and religious convictions of Bundy and his gaggle of ne'er-do-well followers. Does that seem like a reasonable proposition to you? This is the context in which the current "talks" are being held. Is it any wonder why Moscow doesn't take this charade seriously? It's a joke. In what other country are armed militias allowed to occupy cities, kill civilians, destroy critical infrastructure, create total mayhem and threaten to overthrow the elected government? None. And yet, the Obama team thinks this is a perfectly acceptable way for citizens and even non citizens (most of the "rebels" are foreign nationals or jihadis) to act, provided their political objectives coincide with those of Washington. Which they do. From the very beginning, Washington's sole aim has been to topple Syrian President Bashar al Assad so the oil fields and pipeline corridors could be secured by the western oil giants and protected by new US military bases sprinkled across the country. This has been the basic game plan since Day 1, and this is why Obama and Co are so eager to slow the Russian-led offensive by any means possible even if it means engaging in meaningless negotiations that have no other purpose than to implement a ceasefire so these same US-backed terrorists can regroup and fight at some future date when they are better prepared. Russian President Vladimir Putin sees through this ruse but -- all the same -- he's dispatched diplomats to Geneva to play along and go-through-the-motions. But will he cave in and agree to a ceasefire so Obama's "rebels" can live to fight another day? Don't bet on it. What Americans are not reading in the western media is that, after months of slow but steady progress, the Russian-led coalition (Syrian Arab Army, Iranian Quds Forces, and Hezbollah) has broken through the sluice gate and is advancing on all fronts while enemy positions are crumbling. Key cities and towns in Latakia province along the Turkish border that used to be jihadi strongholds have buckled under Russia's relentless bombing raids and been liberated by the Syrian Army. Aleppo, Syria's biggest city to the north, has been surrounded by loyalist forces that have cut off supply lines to Turkey leaving fighters from Salafi groups like Ahrar al Sham, Jabhat al Nusra, Jaish al Islam, ISIS and the other al Qaida-linked groups to either surrender or hunker down while they await the final desperate confrontation. The momentum has shifted in favor of Assad's forces which now clearly have the upper hand. What the western media characterizes as a "quagmire" has all the makings of a stunning victory for the Russian-led coalition that is gradually reestablishing security across Syria while sending the invaders running for cover. This is from Reuters: Reprinted from RT The alleged Syrian peace process now enters its Geneva charade stage. This could last months; get ready for lavish doses of posturing and bluster capable of stunning even Donald Trump. The notion that Geneva may be able to impersonate Damascus in a suit-and-tie pantomime is ludicrous to begin with. Even the UN envoy, the sartorially superb Staffan de Mistura, admits the Sisyphean task ahead -- even if all relevant players were at the table. Then we have Syrian "opposition figure" George Sabra announcing that no delegation from the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee will be at the table in Geneva. As if Syrians needed an "opposition" instrumentalized by Saudi Arabia. So in the interest of providing context, here's an extremely concise recap of recent, crucial facts on the Syrian ground which the "new capital" Geneva may ignore at its own peril. Let's start with last summer, when Iranian Quds Force superstar commander Qasem Soleimani laid down the law, in person, in Moscow, establishing without a doubt the grim situation across the Syrian theater of war. Essentially Soleimani told the Kremlin and Russian intelligence that Aleppo might be about to fall; that Jabhat al-Nusra was at the doors of southern Damascus; that Idlib had fallen; and Latakia -- home to Russia's naval base at Tartus -- would be next. One can imagine the effect of this jolt of realpolitik on President Putin's mind. That clinched his resolution to stop the fall of Syria, and prevent it from becoming a Libyan remix. The Russian Air Force campaign turned out to be the ultimate game-changer. It is in the process of securing the Damascus-Homs-Latakia-Hama-Aleppo network -- the urban, developed Western Syria that holds 70 percent of the country's population. ISIS/ISIL/Daesh and/or Jabhat al-Nusra, a.k.a. al-Qaeda in Syria, have zero chances of taking over this territory. The rest is mostly desert. Jaysh al-Islam -- a motley crew weaponized by Saudi Arabia -- still holds a few positions north of Damascus. That's containable. The country bumpkins in Daraa province, south of Damascus, could only make a push towards the capital in an impossible 1991 Desert Storm context. "Moderate rebels" -- that Beltway concoction -- did try to hold Homs and Al-Qusayr, cutting off the resupply of Damascus. They were repelled. As for the gaggle of "moderate rebels" who took all of Idlib province, they are being pounded mercilessly for four months now by the Russian Air Force. Aleppo's southern front is also being secured. It's easy to pinpoint who's livid with all the Russian action: Saudi Arabia, Turkey and -- last but not least -- the "Empire of Chaos," all at the table in Geneva. Jabhat al-Nusra -- remote-controlled by Ayman al-Zawahiri --is intimately linked to a gaggle of Salafi-jihadists in the Saudi-sponsored Army of Conquest, as well as tactically allied with myriad outfits nominally grouped in the nearly extinct Free Syrian Army (FSA). The CIA, using the Saudis for plausible deniability, fully weaponized "vetted" FSA outfits, which received, among other things, TOW anti-tank missiles. Guess who "intercepted" virtually all the weapons: Jabhat al-Nusra. The follow-up was nothing short of hilarious: Washington, Ankara and Riyadh furiously denouncing Moscow for bombing their "moderate rebels" and not ISIS/ISIL/Daesh. Slowly but surely, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), parallel to the Russian offensive, retook the initiative. The "4+1" -- Russia, Syria, Iran (Special Forces, many of them from Afghanistan), Iraq, plus Hezbollah -- started coordinating their efforts. Latakia Province -- which hosts not only Tartus but the Khmeimim Russian airbase -- is now under total control by Damascus. Dave Ward.JPG Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward, appearing before reporters on Wednesday. (Beth Nakamura/Staff) It turns out there's been a true patriot in Harney County all along. His name is Dave Ward. When the armed militants arrived and occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, they called themselves patriots and twisted a reading of the U.S. Constitution to suit their purposes. Among other things, they argued public lands never really belonged to all Americans and that the federal government had no legal standing to manage them. But they should have had that conversation more fully with Ward, better known in Burns and around the county as Sheriff Dave, because it's likely Ward could have set them straight -- even though he's no constitutional scholar and had, in a meeting before the occupation, told the self-proclaimed patriots their demands were entirely outside the law. Ward revealed himself in 2014 in his application for the sheriff's job. In it, he wrote: "I've spent many years of my life serving our country, stateside and abroad, to protect the Constitution and believe it is the sheriff's responsibility to protect each person's rights under the Constitution of the United States," Les Zaitz of The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. It's the "each person's rights" part that stands out. The rights of law-abiding citizens in Harney County and beyond were abridged through the month of January as the occupiers pled their hollow, dangerous case. Schools and roads were briefly closed. The peace was disturbed for weeks. And taxpayers are still paying hefty sums to law enforcement, working 24/7 under a difficult mandate in the face of armed occupiers: no bloodshed. Few would be unmoved, then, when Ward appeared before reporters on Wednesday following the arrest of several ringleaders and the shooting death of one. The special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation spoke. So did the U.S. Attorney. Their messages were measured, brief, purposeful. Ward, a solidly built fellow whose ruddy complexion seems wrought by high desert winds, fought back tears. He was the man who, against the feds' advice, had taken a face-to-face meeting with ringleader Ammon Bundy to offer a peaceful exit from the compound. He was the man who not once issued a threat against the occupiers and had calmly told Zaitz: "We have to rely on what's in the hearts of others." But the apprehension of occupiers on Tuesday -- a strategic victory that broke the occupation -- had "ended badly," Ward said, because rancher Robert "LaVoy" Finicum was shot dead. Oregonian editorials reflect the collective opinion of The Oregonian editorial board, which operates independently of the newsroom. are Helen Jung, Erik Lukens, Steve Moss and Len Reed. To respond to this editorial: Post your comment below, submit a , or write a . If you have questions about the opinion section, contact Erik Lukens, editorial and commentary editor, at or 503-221-8142. Haltingly, Ward amplified his message and ended it ruefully: "This has been tearing our community apart. It's time for everyone in this illegal occupation to move on. It doesn't have to be bloodshed in our community. If we have issues with the way things are going in our government, we have a responsibility as citizens to act on them in an appropriate manner. We don't arm up and rebel. ... This can't happen anymore. This can't happen in America. And it can't happen in Harney County." The room broke out in applause as Ward walked off. Ward grew up in Drain, a tiny timber town near the Umpqua River, and as a boy would ride a horse into the woods and camp and fish. Following high school graduation, he joined the U.S. Army, trained as a combat medic and shipped out to Somalia. He did a tour in Afghanistan. All told, he performed a 21-year run of service comprising active duty, the Oregon Army National Guard and the Army Reserves. In-between, he took a job in a mill in Drain but, boxed in by it, took a job as a ranch hand in Lake County, where years later he'd become a corrections deputy. Always he carried with him his churchgoing ways and other values of his upbringing, including respect for the foundations of government, among them the U.S. Constitution. The refuge occupation will likely be remembered as a brief Sagebrush Rebellion reprise, replete with central casting cowboys who spoke in we'll-die-if-we-must heroics. It should instead be remembered for its true patriot, the man who exuded calm and courage as he fought effectively for citizen rights made plain by the Constitution: Dave Ward. 'Self-proclaimed socialist': Regarding "Hundreds turn out for Bernie Sanders rally," (Jan. 24): I was wondering why The Oregonian is still following the prime directive of identifying Sen. Bernie Sanders as a "self-proclaimed socialist" in almost every story about him. Reporter Andrew Theen's article about the rally (in the print version of The Oregonian) included one sentence about policy but also included the socialist line -- like a mandatory pejorative. Sen. Sanders rarely uses labels, but likes to distinguish himself as a Democratic Socialist. If this is good journalism, I expect to see the following in every article about presidential campaigns: Hillary Clinton, "who was a Young Republican." Donald Trump, "a major contributor to the campaigns of Democrats." Ted Cruz, "who was born in Canada." Marco Rubio, "an absentee senator." In every story. Every time. Like journalists do with Sanders. My idea of journalism is to report what happened and to leave the qualifiers for the opinion pages. Next week, The Oregonian can identify Sanders as "the leading Democratic presidential nominee," based on committed delegates after the New Hampshire primary. David Rodeman Milwaukie As we enter Day 30 of the standoff at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, here are the latest developments: * Six miles beyond an FBI roadblock, the four remaining holdouts at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge huddled around a small fire Saturday and waited for divine intervention. That's what Sean Anderson told his hometown sheriff, who called from Idaho County, Idaho, to ask if he could help. Anderson, 47, and his wife, Sandy, 48, remain encamped at the Oregon wildlife refuge with Jeff Banta, 46, of Elko, Nevada, and David Fry, 27, of Blanchester, Ohio. "I'm hoping for a miracle," Anderson told Sheriff Doug Giddings, who has been Idaho County's top law enforcement officer for eight years. "I believe God put us here." * The family of Robert "LaVoy Finicum" said the occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon was nearing a peaceful end when he was shot and killed by police, and they disputed the official account of the confrontation. In their first public statement since the FBI released video showing Finicum's death as police tried to arrest the occupation leaders, his family said they saw his actions in the video as "animated" but not threatening. * Ammon Bundy's attorneys announced Saturday that "there's nothing further that can be done" on their end to bring closure to a 29-day occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. * As Ammon Bundy was driven out of Harney County Tuesday night in handcuffs, he left behind wounds that won't easily heal. His group damaged the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, taken over Jan. 2. The headquarters compound will be a crime scene for a week or more once all the protesters are gone. Then, displaced federal workers will return, going building by building, room by room, to assess the damage. The most profound wreckage, however, is among the 7,000 people of Harney County. * As night faded into the 29th day of armed standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, the remaining four holdouts discussed their exit strategy and talked chow in live videos posted to YouTube. Four voices are head in the video, which appears to have been filmed in the dark of night. Follow The Oregonian/OregonLive team from the scene today on Twitter: Les Zaitz @LesZaitz Molly Young @mollykyoung Hashtag: #OregonStandoff BURNS -- The four remaining occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge doubled down on their pledge to stay put until they've been assured no one leaves in handcuffs. The holdouts repeated their demands for pardons in several videos posted online on Saturday, the 29th day the federal building has been occupied. One clip responded to calls from Ammon Bundy, who lead the occupation until he was arrested on Tuesday, to be vacate the refuge. Instead, one holdout declared on the video that their fight is "a fight that is going to keep going." "When are Americans going to learn to take a stand and then fight the system that is corrupt, instead of throwing yourselves into that mess and trying to put your fate into what you are fighting against?" asks the video's narrator, who appears to be David Fry, 27, of Blanchester, Ohio. The others encamped are Sean Anderson, 47, and his wife, Sandy Anderson, 48, of Idaho, and Jeff Banta, 46, of Elko, Nevada. Authorities have blocked public access to the refuge Wednesday. On Saturday afternoon, at least three convoys of SUVs emerged from behind one set of road blocks, signaling the heavy law enforcement presence on the site. The occupiers appeared to spend the afternoon gathered at a makeshift camp site around a fire. The Andersons wore camouflage, Banta sipped a Coors Light and Fry captured the scene on video. In one video, Sean Anderson compared their occupation to the Boston Tea Party and said he and others are standing up for the Constitution. The group has called for others to travel to the area to support them, but thus far it appears their invitations have gone unheeded. Meanwhile in Burns, 30 miles from the refuge, protestors held a rally Saturday night in memory of LaVoy Finicum, a standoff spokesman who was shot and killed during a confrontation with police on Tuesday. Supporters drove through the town, many with American flags waving from the bed of their pickup trucks. -- Molly Young myoung@oregonian.com 503-412-7056 @mollykyoung BURNS -- Six miles beyond an FBI roadblock, the four remaining holdouts at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge huddled around a small fire Saturday and waited for divine intervention. That's what Sean Anderson told his hometown sheriff, who called from Idaho County, Idaho, to ask if he could help. Anderson, 47, and his wife, Sandy, 48, remain encamped at the Oregon wildlife refuge with Jeff Banta, 46, of Elko, Nevada, and David Fry, 27, of Blanchester, Ohio. "I'm hoping for a miracle," Anderson told Sheriff Doug Giddings, who has been Idaho County's top law enforcement officer for eight years. "I believe God put us here." Their Saturday afternoon conversation was broadcast live on the Internet -- one of their only connections to the outside world. The video showed the four occupiers gathered beneath plastic tarps, sitting in lawn chairs next to a white truck. "If we don't stand up 'til the end on this, then why did we come here in the first place?" asked Sean Anderson, who had recently moved with his wife to Riggins, a community of 400 people in Idaho County. Giddings told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Saturday that he reached out to the Andersons to let them know their options. "I'm not speaking to him on behalf of anybody but me," he said, rebutting Sean Anderson's assertion that the sheriff was acting as an intermediary to the FBI. "They pretty much are limited by the FBI to one decision, and that's to come out," Giddings said. The four reiterated their key demand: assurances they won't face charges. Until then, Banta said, "nothing's going to happen because we're just camping out." The audio feed crackled as he squeezed a can of Coors Light in his hand. He started another sentence that Sandy Anderson finished. "We're armed but -- " "We're always armed," the only woman at the refuge said. Ammon Bundy, the Arizona businessman who lead the occupation until his arrest earlier this week, has repeatedly urged the remaining protesters to leave. "The whole reason we came over here is to peacefully protest the infractions of the Constitution," said Sean Anderson, who faces an outstanding bench warrant in an unrelated case. "And now I'm looking at going to prison for exercising my rights." Giddings said he does not know the Andersons well but believes they are frightened and unwilling to act because they don't trust federal officials. "I'm just trying to hopefully make it come out agreeable," he said, before acknowledging that would be difficult for both sides. "What's going to happen next, only God knows." -- Molly Young myoung@oregonian.com 503-412-7056 @mollykyoung ST. GEORGE, Utah -- The family of Robert "LaVoy" Finicum said the occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon was nearing a peaceful end when he was shot and killed by police, and they disputed the official account of the confrontation. In their first public statement since the FBI released video showing Finicum's death as police tried to arrest the occupation leaders, his family said they saw his actions in the video as "animated" but not threatening. "We know that there are always at least two sides to every story," the family wrote, adding, "Like almost everyone else, we were not there, so we don't know exactly what happened." The statement was sent to some media outlets Friday and obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive on Saturday. Todd MacFarlane, a Utah attorney representing the family, confirmed the statement was authentic. The FBI released a 26-minute video leading to the arrest of five people and the death of Finicum, one of the spokesmen for the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. This video breaks down the key moments. Finicum was shot by Oregon State Police officers during an attempt to stop and arrest the leaders of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation, then in its 25th day. Aerial surveillance video released Thursday showed Finicum stopping his white truck when police vehicles appeared with lights on, then waiting several minutes before driving off at high speeds. Pursued by police, he tried to drive around a roadblock further down the road before crashing into a snowbank, narrowly missing a police officer. He exited the truck alone into the snow. Police said he moved his hand several times toward a pocket that contained a loaded handgun before he was shot. Finicum's family said he appeared to be gesturing or trying to keep his balance in deep snow. They further said they "are not accepting at face value" the FBI's claim that Finicum was armed, but that even if he was, he wasn't a threat because he hadn't retrieved the weapon. "At this point we will await the outcome of any investigation, but based on the information currently available to us, we do not believe that LaVoy's shooting death was justified," the statement said. "We likewise can't see any justification for the force and risk of serious injury or death that was exerted against the others in the truck, who posed no threat." Oregon FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Bretzing said police used "flash-bang" grenades and projectiles containing pepper spray to disorient the other occupants of the vehicle. Ryan Bundy, brother of occupation leader Ammon Bundy, was also in the vehicle and was injured in the confrontation. The family went on to describe Finicum as a "hero" and a "martyr" who died for a cause he believed in. The family said his funeral will be held Friday in Kanab, Utah. -- Elliot Njus enjus@oregonian.com 503-294-5034 @enjus BURNS -- As the anti-government standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge entered its 30th day, the remaining occupiers claimed many of their phone lines no longer worked. The four holdouts awoke to discover that many lost phone and Internet service overnight, according to Greg Whalen, a Nevada supporter who said he had been in contact with the armed protesters. They have refused to leave the refuge until they are guaranteed they won't be arrested. The occupiers have produced several online videos detailing their stance, but their account has been quiet since Saturday evening. At the time, they vowed their fight would continue. Whalen said one of the protestors, Sean Anderson, was able to make a call this morning using a cell phone without Internet to say his other phone, with Internet access, was no longer working. Calls by The Oregonian/OregonLive to Anderson ended with an automated message saying the user was not available. Anderson, 47, is encamped at the refuge with his wife, Sandy Anderson, 48, of Riggins, Idaho, and two other men: David Fry, 27, of Blanchester, Ohio and Jeff Banta, 46, of Elko, Nevada. Fry relayed a similar account of the morning's events to OPB. However, a spokeswoman for area law enforcement agencies wouldn't confirm whether authorities have cut off communication channels. Meanwhile, the scene remained relatively calm Sunday morning at the FBI roadblock six miles away from the refuge. At one point, an armored truck drove past the barrier, flanked by two SUVs. Two trucks waving American flags arrived a half-hour later and parked outside the checkpoint. -- Molly Young myoung@oregonian.com 503-412-7056 @mollykyoung Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, spokesman for the occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, was yelling "just shoot me" before he was shot and killed by police in a traffic stop, according to a woman at the scene. Shawna Cox, who was arrested with four other occupiers on Tuesday, revealed new details about what happened at the roadblock on Tuesday. in a phone interview with Rick Koerber, who posted to the Periscope online video service. In a telephone interview Sunday, Koerber said he runs a web-based talk show out of Northwest Utah. He said he had driven to Oregon in an attempt to interview Bundy. "He wasn't there, but I got to know Shawna," he said. "I was not planning on an interview with her." He later interviewed Shawna, and she asked it be released. Koerber said the periscope link may expire in the next day, and suggested those who want to listen to the interview visit his site: www.freecapitalist.com Cox described how Ryan Payne and Ryan Bundy were shot, what happened before Finicum was killed and how those arrested were transported to Portland. On Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie Beckerman ordered the release of Cox and another defendant in the case. Beckerman denied the release of five men accused of being key players in the takeover. The Multnomah County Jail's website shows that Cox was released Friday. Koerber, who runs a Facebook page entitled "Free Capitalist," says on the video that he visited the refuge a day before the shooting. The recording was posted Saturday. Cox, 59, of Kanab, Utah, was arrested Tuesday with Ryan Bundy and Ryan Payne, who were in the vehicle with her and Finicum. Ammon Bundy and Brian Cavalier, who were in another car, were also arrested at the scene. The group had left the wildlife refuge and were headed north to the Grant Day community of John Day for a meeting with residents. Cox said Finicum was driving. She was in the back seat 18-year-old Victoria Sharp, who has not been charged. Bundy was in front. Payne was also in the vehicle. She said they hit a roadblock on Highway 395. "We noticed the vehicles," Cox said, referring to Oregon State Police and FBI cars. "They flipped their lights on." Payne told Finicum to slow down, Cox said. Police vehicles pulled up behind them and Payne put his hands out the window, Cox said. She said he was shot in the wrist. "They shot at him," Cox said. "He said they mean business." Payne got out and he was taken into custody. Cox, Sharp and Bundy stayed inside. Finicum said they could get out but the doors were locked, Cox said, and she wanted to stay with Sharp, who was petrified, she said. "We slid down to the floor," Cox said. She said Finicum was yelling, "We're going to see the sheriff, we're going to see the sheriff." Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer was at the meeting in John Day, waiting for the occupiers. The video shows that Finicum was stopped when Payne got out but then took off, speeding through a series of curves before arriving at a second police roadblock. Cox said Finicum, 54, charged towards the roadblock and hit the brakes. "We kind of slid through the snow," she said. "Then bullets started flying." Finicum jumped out but Cox didn't see what happened because she was on the floor. She said she thought he was wearing a bulletproof vest. "He was yelling, 'Just shoot me, just shoot me, just shoot me,' That's all he said. And then they did." They were put in a van with the others and sat for hours. Later, each was put in a separate vehicle. They sped to Portland, she said, traveling 80 miles an hour in a convoy. Police later arrested Joseph O'Shaughnessy and Peter Santilli. Jon Ritzheimer surrendered to police in Arizona. They've all been charged with conspiracy to interfere with a federal official, a felony. Cox said she intends to keep fighting. "We can't let this die," she said. "We still have to stand on the Constitution." -- Lynne Terry Wayfinder Beer Wayfinder Beer is a new brewery and restaurant project from Charlie Devereux (Double Mountain), Rodney Muirhead (Podnah's Pit) and Matt Jacobson (Sizzle Pie). (Courtesy of Wayfinder Beer) There's curious news out of Eugene this weekend: A truck driver convicted of driving under the influence claims his body brewed the alcohol that made him crash, The Register Guard reports. As odd as that sounds, it's not unheard of. In 2013, doctors studied a Texan man whose blood alcohol level rose after eating carbohydrate-rich meals. NPR reports doctors identified the culprit as an overabundance of brewer's yeast in the man's gut, though scientists disagree about whether such an infection could cause noticeable increases in blood alcohol. A New York woman was recently diagnosed with the condition, called "auto-brewery syndrome," after she was charged for driving with a blood alcohol level four times the legal limit, CNN reports. According to CNN, the syndrome was first studied in the 1930s and 1940s as a contributor to irritable bowel syndrome and vitamin deficiencies. A sufferer explained the condition to Vice this way: "I was experiencing severe alcoholic hangovers that would usually be at their worst the morning after eating a high carbohydrate meal. I'd get pounding headaches, severe nausea, occasional vomiting, dehydration, dry mouth, cold sweats, and shaky hands. It was as if I'd been out the previous night and drunk the bar dry, but I hadn't consumed any alcohol." -- Melissa Binder mbinder@oregonian.com 503-294-7656 @binderpdx By Bryan Denson The Oregonian/OregonLive Detective Dave Steele was the brunt of a running joke inside his Oregon State Police squad room. He dropped into the office so rarely that his colleagues scrawled "Dave sightings" on a white board and added hash marks to note his appearances. Steele was supposed to be leading the most expansive multiple-murder investigation in his department's history. But instead he was burning through leave time, tending to personal problems and leaving work to subordinates. When Steele did pop into the office, it was often on the way out to handle other crimes instead of focusing on the biggest case of his career against killers David "Joey" Pedersen and Holly Ann Grigsby. The duo had left four people dead in the bloodiest wave of neo-Nazi violence ever seen on the West Coast. When he did focus on the murder spree, he bungled it. Steele got caught forging evidence and became the public face of foulups in the Pedersen-Grigsby case. The bad detective work ultimately drew three separate investigations of Steele and a protest from defense lawyers. It also put prosecutors in the crosshairs of a federal judge. But records obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive show that Steele's immediate bosses knew from the start that they had assigned the case to a disorganized detective who had never headed a capital murder investigation. Steele's supervisors all played roles in giving him a small staff, assigning him dozens of new criminal cases and then - after learning how badly he had mismanaged the Pedersen-Grigsby investigation - keeping him at the helm until federal authorities swept into a state police office to seize computers and other evidence. Records show that at least four of Steele's superiors - Capt. Eric Altman, Lt. Steve Duvall and Sgts. Ken Terry and Steve Payne - knew of the detective's personal or professional troubles but failed to take action as he floundered. One of them, Duvall, even considered removing Steele from the case several months before federal prosecutors reassigned the investigation to the FBI. Duvall also took steps to put Steele under a personnel investigation but kept him on as the lead detective anyway. State police now admit that blame for the fiasco goes all the way up from the lower rungs of the department's Criminal Investigation Division to the top of the 1,300-employee organization. Failure by Steele's superiors to intervene sooner and to recognize that he had cut corners to the point where he began to lie about his work represented a serious failure of accountability, said Deputy Superintendent Patrick Ashmore, the agency's second-in-command. They compounded their errors by not telling the top brass, he said. "We should have known," Ashmore said. "If we started hearing some of these (problems earlier), red flags would have flown." Ashmore and other state police leaders have instituted training and record-keeping reforms, and they have shaken up the Criminal Investigation Division staff that handled the bulk of the Pedersen-Grigsby case. "There is no one in that chain of command," he said, other than the sergeant who supervised Steele in the final months, "that is in that chain of command any longer." Ashmore spoke to The Oregonian/OregonLive on behalf of Steele's supervisors still with state police. Steele, through his lawyer Michael Staropoli, declined requests to be interviewed for this story. *** In 2011, a decade into Steele's tenure as a state cop, a job performance review awarded him high marks for tackling a slew of medium-profile crimes, but noted that he struggled to keep up with a state database of case reports. Instead of making sure he mastered his management of more routine cases, state police came up with a different solution for Steele. They wanted him to take on a major multi-jurisdiction case. That may have been a fine idea if Steele had been mentored and closely monitored. But neither happened, records and interviews show. How we reported the story To report this story, The Oregonian/OregonLive relied primarily on documents obtained under state open records law. Reporter Bryan Denson reviewed hundreds of pages of reports chronicling the mistakes of former Oregon State Police detective Dave Steele. They included a Salem Police Department criminal investigation; an Oregon State Police internal review; Steele's personnel files (including employee evaluations and a log of the criminal cases he investigated); an Oregon Department of Justice review; letters between now-retired Senior U.S. District Judge Ancer L. Haggerty and then-U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall; a work log kept by state police Lt. Steve Duvall, who supervised Steele; and federal court records and hearing transcripts. Steele, through his attorney, declined to be interviewed for this story. Amanda Marshall, who resigned from the U.S. Attorney's Office last April, offered her insights about the way federal prosecutors managed the case. Oregon State Police Deputy Superintendent Patrick Ashmore answered questions on behalf of his agency. In early October 2011, Steele was assigned to investigate the disappearance of a 19-year-old Lafayette man, Cody Myers. But police soon learned that Myers was the third of Pedersen and Grigsby's four victims in a three-state rampage that began on Sept. 26 with the killing of Pedersen's father and stepmother in upstate Washington. The killers headed to Oregon, where they killed Myers and stole his car. They were arrested in Northern California after murdering an African American man. Steele had landed his career case. His superiors kept him on the job as U.S. prosecutors in Portland consolidated the four murders into one federal case. The government charged Pedersen and Grigsby as a two-person criminal organization that carjacked, kidnapped and killed during a campaign to purify and preserve the white race. The potential punishment: lethal injection. Sgt. Terry, Steele's immediate supervisor in the Salem Major Crimes Section (part of the Criminal Investigation Division), had never taken the lead in a death penalty case and neither had Steele. But their boss, Lt. Duvall, approved the decision to make Steele the go-to guy, records show. Investigation of the murder spree was scarcely a whodunit. Pedersen and Grigsby, who had bragged about their crimes, were awaiting trial behind bars. Steele's job was to organize a mountain of evidence - roughly 60,000 pages worth, including thousands of photos and videos - as they poured in from two-dozen police and corrections agencies up and down the West Coast. Prosecutors planned to use those files to mount a rare federal death-penalty case. *** Steele moved his small team - a full-time crime analyst, a prison gang expert, a clerical worker and a few detectives rotating in and out of the investigation - into a private room at the state police fleet maintenance building on the north end of Salem, a workspace they dubbed "The Cave." This was a skeleton crew compared to previous state police investigations of multiple murders. In the 2008 Woodburn bank bombing, for instance, six detectives and three analysts delved into the carnage that left two people dead, including a state bomb technician. Steele, the only full-time detective assigned to the Pedersen-Grigsby case, had gotten assistance from a handful of fellow detectives in the early days of the investigation. But after federal prosecutors took on the case and his colleagues moved on to solve other crimes, Steele began to feel so overworked he often found himself telling supervisors, "I'm doing the best I can." Steele's supervisors had picked him for the case because he was believed to be the most tenured of the dozen detectives in his investigative section. But they also liked Steele, who had shown a zeal for rushing out in the middle of the night to investigate crimes. In November 2012, one of Steele's family members attempted suicide, according to a work log kept by Duvall and a report filed by Salem police as detectives conducted a criminal investigation of his misconduct. Altman, a regional captain who oversaw Steele's division, permitted the detective, who was a divorced single dad, to work a flexible schedule so he could vary his hours and work at home if necessary. That left one of his immediate supervisors, Payne, to ignore his absences entirely, figuring that Steele had been given a "golden ticket" to do as he pleased, records show. Case timeline September-October 2011: Neo-Nazis David "Joey" Pedersen and Holly Grigsby kill four people: Pedersen's father and stepmother in Washington, Cody Myers in Oregon and Reginald Alan Clark in California. Oct. 4, 2011: Detective Dave Steele is assigned as lead detective in the Oregon State Police investigation of the slaying of 19-year-old Cody Myers. Aug. 16, 2012: Pedersen and Grigsby are indicted for their roles in the three-state murder spree. Late 2012: Steele gets permission to work a flexible schedule to help deal with family issues. Meanwhile, he continues to work dozens of other criminal cases and falls far behind in filing evidence that pours into his office from about 25 other police and corrections agencies. Early 2013: Several of Steele's fellow detectives and other colleagues complain to his supervisors that he's rarely in the office and needs to be replaced on the case. But those supervisors dismiss the complaints and keep Steele at the helm of the Pedersen-Grigsby case. March 3, 2013: The government turns over 13 volumes of evidence to defense lawyers as part of the normal handover of what is known as discovery. April 2013: Defense lawyers for the accused killers notify federal prosecutors that they haven't received crime scene photos from the killing of Cody Myers. This leads prosecutors to push for production of all the files from Steele and his team. September 2013: The U.S. Attorney's Office in Portland determines that it must conduct an audit of the murder case files kept by Steele and his team in Salem. Oct. 5, 2013: Steele signs a court declaration that he didn't obtain photos from Pedersen's sister, Holly Perez. Investigators later learn that isn't true. Dec. 3, 2013: Susan Cooke, who prepares evidence for trial as an employee of the U.S. Attorney's Office, goes to Steele's office in Salem and finds a trove of evidence that was never turned over to the prosecution team. Within 10 days, she hauls out dozens of boxes of materials. The FBI takes over the case. Dec. 16, 2013: Steele is placed on administrative leave. Feb. 7, 2014: Federal prosecutors file notice that they will not seek the death penalty against Pedersen or Grigsby. March 3, 2014: The Marion County District Attorney declines to prosecute Steele, saying that authorities don't have evidence to prove that Steele criminally lied in his declaration to the court. March 6, 2014: State police Capt. Jeff Hershman is assigned to conduct an internal investigation of Steele. His investigation later finds evidence that Steele forged evidence. March 11, 2014: Grigsby pleads guilty for her role in the murders, accepting a life term without possibility of parole. April 7-10, 2014: Senior U.S. District Judge Ancer Haggerty hears arguments in which defense lawyers argue that the government had acted in bad faith as they produced discovery. April 23, 2014: Pedersen pleads guilty for his role in the murders, accepting a life term without the possibility of parole. The plea agreements signed by Pedersen and Grigsby withdrew their requests for a finding of bad faith by the government. Aug. 4, 2014: Haggerty issues a 63-page supervisory opinion that lays out the missteps and misconduct that he said jeopardized the government's case against Pedersen and Grigsby. The judge criticizes state police and prosecutors, saying the government didn't grasp how it mishandled its responsibilities to hand over discovery and respect the accused's constitutional rights to counsel. Dec. 5, 2014: Steele pleads guilty to a felony charge of forgery and a misdemeanor count of official misconduct. A Marion County judge sentences him to 18 months of probation. Steele agrees to give up his state license as a peace officer and resign from the Oregon State Police. June 5, 2015: An Oregon Department of Justice review finds that state police lack experience, money and constitutional know-how to properly manage complex criminal investigations, but finds no systemic problem with OSP's case management or evidence handling. December 2015: State police Deputy Superintendent Patrick Ashmore, speaking for the department, acknowledges in interviews with The Oregonian/OregonLive that several of Steele's supervisors knew of his deep personal and professional problems but failed to share their concerns with prosecutors or to departmental brass. As Steele worked outside the office and used up leave time, he took the unusual step of delegating chores in the Pedersen-Grigsby case to his chief analyst, Kim Dempsey, and the prison gang expert. Neither carried a badge. Dempsey complained to superiors, including Duvall and Terry, that midway through the murder investigation - in roughly late 2012 - Steele seemed to grow uninterested in the case and left her to manage the files. In the meantime, Steele kept volunteering to investigate other crimes. Duvall told the analyst that their division was so understaffed he had no choice but to assign Steele to other cases. Steele was Duvall's only certified child sex-abuse investigator and also was responsible for investigating crimes at Oregon State Hospital. This meant that he had to conduct interviews, write reports, meet with prosecutors and spend time testifying at trials completely unrelated to the Pedersen-Grigsby case. Ashmore would later tell The Oregonian/OregonLive that he disagreed with Duvall's assessment, noting that the Criminal Investigation Division wasn't severely understaffed and was adept at moving detectives around when needed to handle major investigations. He also said he didn't believe Steele was ever given so much work that he should have felt overwhelmed, although Steele had told an internal police investigator that the workload had, at a point, driven him to tears. One of the handful of detectives who rotated onto Steele's investigation team for a time later told that same investigator it was "insane" to leave an analyst with no detective experience in charge of a multistate murder case. It was, he said, "a circus." *** Complaints against Steele grew in early 2013 as he and his colleagues sent all manner of evidence to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Portland. Prosecutors there faced a deadline to disclose evidence to the defense, a handover known as discovery. Two assistant U.S. attorneys on the case were busily preparing to fly to Washington to find out whether the attorney general's office would allow them to pursue the death penalty against Pedersen or Grigsby. Rather than pore through the glut of evidence stacking up in their office in Portland, they sent copies of the case files to the defense teams without reviewing all the documents, said Amanda Marshall, Oregon's U.S. attorney at the time. Defense lawyers complained to prosecutors that they hadn't received crime scene photos from the murder of Cody Myers. So a staffer in the prosecutors' office phoned The Cave to find out where they were. She was astonished to hear Steele and Dempsey tell her that they didn't think they had to send the photos because they were willing to make them available for inspection by the defense teams. Prosecutors, bewildered by this response, reminded Steele that they wanted every bit of the evidence he had collected. For many months, several of Steele's fellow detectives, including some who helped on the Pedersen-Grigsby case, had griped to Duvall and Terry that Steele seemed to be missing in action. He wasn't supporting the staff or producing results. Dempsey, the analyst, told supervisors that Steele disappeared for hours at a time, casually mentioning later that he'd had lunch with his new girlfriend or stopped by to see her. There came a time when he simply didn't show up in The Cave at all, Dempsey told an investigator. Dempsey also said that she had viewed one of his timecards and was surprised to note he had put in for overtime. On at least two occasions, detectives pulled Terry aside and urged him to remove Steele as head of the murder case and let someone else take the reins. Terry knew files were piling up in The Cave and that another detective had taken charge of digital evidence in the case. But instead of recommending to Duvall that Steele be yanked from the case, he gave the detective a deadline to get the files in order. One detective recalled Duvall defending Steele to those who complained about his failures, records show. He remembered that in one meeting, Duvall let detectives know that the Pedersen-Grigsby case was Steele's to run. Records show that Duvall met dozens of times with Steele during the course of the murder investigation, often for updates on the case. But as time went on, the lieutenant spoke to the detective a few times to make sure he was up to seeing the case through. Duvall would later tell an investigator that Steele assured him on multiple occasions in the latter half of 2013 that he was dedicated to the investigation. Duvall said he was comfortable with the detective's answers. Yet records also show that Duvall had grown increasingly concerned with Steele's personal problems and absenteeism and had considered taking him off the case. He went so far as to ask a subordinate to reach out to the Office of Professional Standards. But as concerned as Duvall grew, Steele hadn't raised so many "red flags" that he felt compelled to replace him, records show. Late in July 2013, Duvall asked two of the prosecutors in the case to join him at a Starbucks in Keizer, where he asked if Steele was meeting their needs. Prosecutors knew Steele was flaky, piling work on Dempsey and sometimes unavailable because he was working on other criminal cases. But they also knew Steele had an excellent command of the case. Records show that they told Duvall they were happy to keep Steele as their lead detective, but needed some assurances he would be fully available as they headed toward trial. Duvall told them that Steele had some personal problems, but left it at that, Ashmore said. He didn't share with prosecutors the nature of Steele's troubles at home or the serious problems he was having in organizing the case files. *** When Sgt. Gregg Withers took over as Steele's supervisor that August, he questioned the detective about the time he was taking away from the office. Steele told Withers and at least one other supervisor that even when he was at the doctor's office, he used the time to write emails and work on the case. Steele told them that with the exception of one arrest report, he was caught up on his case files. Later that summer, prosecutors confronted a new problem: They had not received interviews that Steele conducted with family members of the accused killers. Steele's team rushed five of the so-called "death penalty interviews" overnight to Portland. Prosecutors were shocked to see that Steele had written the reports nearly two years earlier and hadn't forwarded them. The papers contained important information about Pedersen and Grigsby that might help their lawyers argue they shouldn't be put to death. For example, Pedersen's sister had turned over photos that showed her brother posing with African-American children or Latino friends, evidence he might not be such a virulent racist. Pedersen's defense lawyers were floored to receive 11 hours of taped interviews conducted nearly two years earlier. They wanted to know why the materials were withheld and filed court papers asking the judge to force prosecutors, once and for all, to disclose all the files required under the law. Prosecutors who hide or fail to turn over discovery can be sanctioned, even disbarred, for what is known as bad faith. Key members of the prosecution team placed a conference call to The Cave to learn what was going on. They reached analyst Kim Dempsey, who offered a vague reply about how she and Steele were very different in terms of their organizational styles. "It was obviously a sort of hint to them that something was going on," according to the state police internal report. "They got off the phone and were dumbfounded." Prosecutors decided they could no longer trust Steele or state police. *** It's not entirely clear why it took so long for a representative of the U.S. Attorney's Office to drive down to Salem to find out why Steele was having so much trouble turning over files. But on Dec. 3, 2013, a few months after problems with discovery came to light, Susan Cooke did just that. Cooke, who prepares trial exhibits for the prosecutor's office, sat down with an impatient Steele, who said he had to leave to investigate a homicide from the night before. But he stuck around to answer questions: Where were his handwritten notes? Where were the photos from Pedersen's family? Steele said he never kept notes and didn't have any such photos. Three hours passed before Cooke began to walk Steele through the allegations lodged by defense lawyers that police were withholding evidence. Steele grew testy. "He told her that they were all on the same team and should not be wasting time on this sort of internal stuff," according to the state police report. Then, before Cooke could finish asking her questions, Steele walked out on her. She took a look around The Cave. What she found made her jaw drop. Piles of documents and CDs - investigative reports, polygraph exam information, jail correspondence, phone calls - lay here and there topped with sticky notes from Dempsey to Steele. One note read, "Shouldn't this be in discovery(?)" Cooke also found a cache of Steele's handwritten notes and later turned up a letter to Steele from Pedersen's sister that indicated Steele had received photos that might have helped his lawyers - proof to Cooke that Steele had lied to her. On Friday the 13th of December, Cooke returned to The Cave to collect additional files. Duvall later stopped in to ask why she was packing up Oregon State Police investigative materials, and she told him that prosecutors ordered her to. When he phoned prosecutor Hannah Horsley, she explained that under federal procedures, the materials had to be sequestered because they contained privileged communication between the defendants and their attorneys. The state police report later recalled Duvall's concerns: "(He) stated that Hannah Horsley's comment was something to the effect that this was very serious, and the steps they were taking at this point were to save the case or prevent somebody from going to jail." Duvall helped pack up boxes and called Lt. Mark Cotter, head of the Salem Major Crimes Section. He reached Cotter a little after 5 p.m. in his car, saying Cooke had discovered serious issues in The Cave and had been directed by her superiors in Portland to essentially take everything. "There were things such as jail calls in The Cave that shouldn't have been there," according to the state police report. Duvall said he had sealed both doors to The Cave with evidence tape. "Lt. Duvall told him that he anticipated a personnel investigation on Detective Steele and possibly himself" and that "he was kicking himself for not keeping a closer eye" on Steele's investigation. Cotter briefed his boss on the conversation. *** By the end of December 2013, state police had put new locks on The Cave, the FBI had taken over the case and Steele was on paid administrative leave pending a criminal investigation. Salem police detectives served a search warrant on The Cave in early 2014, finding evidence to suggest that Steele had lied to Susan Cooke about not accepting photos from Pedersen's sister. But the Marion County District Attorney's Office declined to prosecute Steele because they couldn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed a crime. State police Capt. Jeff Hershman, who headed the internal investigation of the Steele mess, later turned up evidence that the detective - in his haste to produce records for prosecutors - had post-dated a report and photocopied a supervisor's signature from another document. On Feb. 7, 2014, U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. notified the U.S. District Court in Portland that he would not seek the death penalty against Pedersen or Grigsby. U.S. Attorney Marshall wouldn't comment on the reasons for Holder's decision, saying that capital deliberations are confidential under federal administrative rules. But Steele's foulups clearly would have hurt the government's chances of winning what should have been a slam-dunk death penalty verdict and automatic appeal. Senior U.S. District Judge Ancer L. Haggerty issued a stinging rebuke that August of Oregon State Police, and particularly Steele, concluding in a 63-page supervisory opinion that the detective failed to log evidence, backdated reports, recorded and listened to confidential jail calls between Pedersen and his defense team and lied to prosecutors and the court about what he did. Haggerty also lashed out at prosecutors: "It appears that because there was overwhelming evidence of guilt in this case, the government took a laissez faire approach to its obligations to provide discovery." Steele pleaded guilty in December 2014 to a felony charge of forgery and a misdemeanor count of official misconduct. A Marion County judge sentenced him to 18 months of probation and Steele, under the terms of a plea agreement, turned in his badge. The Oregon Department of Justice, urged by the judge to review state police missteps in the Pedersen-Grigsby case, conducted its own investigation. The department issued a report last June that determined state police lacked experience, money and constitutional knowhow to properly manage complex criminal investigations. While the report found no systemwide problem inside state police, Ashmore concedes that the Salem section of the Criminal Investigation Division, which handles the agency's most serious crimes, had serious problems in the way criminal investigators were trained and supervised. To correct those issues, along with flagging morale in the wake of the Steele mess, state police have put all of the more than 100 employees in its Criminal Investigation Division through mandatory training on production of evidence and other issues identified by the federal judge. The agency updated its case management system, which keeps supervisors abreast of detectives' progress and lets them know when they fall behind on tasks. The Criminal Investigation Division also instituted new procedures that retain officers' handwritten file notes. State Police also are now working to create new policies on issues of attorney-client privilege, the handling of electronic evidence and training for all supervisors in federal investigations and prosecutions. They also are considering a mentoring program for new supervisors in the Criminal Investigation Division; too often they were being hurled into leadership positions with no formal training. The agency's brass also moved new managers into top positions in the division and added three new full-time detectives to prevent another "major malfunction" that could hurt the morale of state police employees across the state. The head of the division, Capt. Cal Curths, retired and was replaced with Hershman, who authored the internal report on the Steele troubles. Capt. Terri Davie now heads the division. Sgt. Terry became a patrol sergeant in Roseburg. Dempsey, the analyst, went to work for another police agency. And Lt. Duvall was reassigned to a less prestigious job in the patrol division, where he remains "devastated" by mistakes in the Steele matter, according to Ashmore. State police, meanwhile, are working to put the embarrassing mess behind them and Ashmore is convinced that the agency eventually will take on other complex criminal cases. "We'll get through this," he said, "and we'll be better for it." -- Bryan Denson OK, that's one order of cannabis. Would you like fries with that? Oregon's adventure into the world of legal retail marijuana is apparently about to get a quintessentially American convenience - a pot store with a drive-thru. The Curry Coastal Pilot reported Saturday that Green Life Oregon in the coastal town of Gold Beach will soon open a dispensary with a drive-up window across the street from the hospital. Cannabis, rather than Arby's, would pass hands at a marijuana drive-thru planned for Gold Beach. (The Oregonian) "I've seen the business plan, I've met the investors, and I believe this venture is going to be quite an asset to the area," Curry County Economic Development Director Julie Schmelzer told the newspaper. "Their plans for expansion and other amenities can help Gold Beach and the southwestern coast become a destination for those interested in the new green tourism we are fortunate to be a part of." The depressed former timber boomtown could certainly use the cash expected to be generated by new dispensaries opening in the county. The owners of Green Life Oregon told the newspaper they intentionally located the new store near the hospital. "We want to make sure people have the opportunity for natural alternatives to pain medicine, as well as offer a product the voters of Oregon support," manager Jeremy Paulson said. The drive-thru is set to open on ... wait for it, April 20. The Curry Coastal Pilot reported the drive-thru will be the first of its kind in the nation. In reality, it won't even be the first in the Northwest. In 2012, Sonshine Organics in Olympia started allowing medical-marijuana customers to pull up in their cars and order from a menu. Meanwhile, as the Willamette Week notes, drive-thrus have been sprouting up like crazy at dispensaries along 8 Mile in Detroit. But it's probably safe to say Green Life Oregon will have the state's first weed drive-thru. No word on whether they'll be offering a pot Happy Meal. Actually, what is the reefer equivalent of French fries? -- Joseph Rose 503-221-8029 jrose@oregonian.com @josephjrose Warm Springs car wreck.jpg This is what's left of the Ford F-250 involved in an accident Friday night on Highway 26 near Warm Springs. A Vancouver man was killed and four others were injured Friday evening after a two-car collision on U.S. Highway 26 near Warm Springs. Matthew Hiller, 42, was pronounced dead at the scene after the crash, which took place around 9 p.m. in heavy snow near milepost 93. Oregon State Police reported that a westbound Ford truck driven by Juan Guerrero Gomez, 42, from Gresham, crossed the center line and hit the SUV driven by Hiller. Gomez was transported to Madras Hospital with minor injuries. Three passengers in Hiller's SUV were also injured. Wendy Hiller, 44, and a one-year-old baby were transported to Madras Hospital with minor injuries. A 12-year-old passenger was taken to St. Charles Hospital in Bend with serious injuries. -- Jeff Manning Coos Bay Harbor Emergency personnel gather along the Oregon coast as the U.S. Coast Guard searches for two missing fishermen Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2106, off of Coos Bay. The Coast Guard has warned boaters that debris from the capsized fishing boat, the Sara Jo, might be in the waters. (Lou Sennick/The World via AP) (The Associated Press) WARRENTON -- The Coast Guard captain in charge of ports in Oregon and southern Washington has set limits on deep-draft vessels near Coos Bay Harbor. Capt. Dan Travers issued the order late Friday over concerns that debris from a capsized vessel may be in the waters. The commercial fishing vessel Sara Jo went down near the north jetty earlier this week. Travers says the continued flow of commerce is a priority, but his biggest concern is ensuring the safety of all crews and vessels that move in and out of Oregon and Washington waters. The Sara Jo was destroyed when it became disabled and capsized in Coos Bay, leaving two fishermen injured and one dead. The Coast Guard plans to conduct a sonar survey in the channel to determine if the entrance is safe. Travers urges all mariners to watch for debris. -- The Associated Press Oregon regulators granted Intel an air quality permit for its Washington County manufacturing operations last week, a permit sidetracked in the fall of 2013 over revelations the chipmaker had been emitting fluoride for 25 years without disclosing it. No evidence emerged that the fluoride emissions posed a health risk, but Intel's failure to disclose the fluoride emissions worried neighbors and outraged environmentalists. Intel apologized for the problem and spent months negotiating with regulators and neighbors to win a new permit. The company ultimately paid a $143,000 fine and reached a settlement with environmental groups that had threatened to sue. Though Intel's headquarters are in Santa Clara, California, the company's manufacturing group is based in Hillsboro and the company crafts each new generation of microprocessors at its Ronler Acres campus south of Hillsboro Stadium. The company is wrapping up construction on a pair of massive new research factories, collectively known as D1X. Under terms of the settlement, Intel conducted an "air quality risk assessment" that inventories all pollutants from its factories. That assessment, completed in November, is now available online. Intel also agreed to third-party monitoring of air quality near its factories, last month, reached a "Good Neighbor Agreement" with nearby residents that outlines terms of future emissions monitoring, emissions levels and dispute resolution. With those steps complete, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued a permit to Intel on January 22. The company declined comment but Mary Peveto, founder of Neighbors for Clean Air, called the result a major win for neighbors. Intel emissions may not be harmless, Peveto said, but they will be limited and cataloged so people know what they're breathing. "The risks that Intel poses will be below a threshold we all agreed to," she said, "which is much more stringent than our state or federal government requires." -- Mike Rogoway mrogoway@oregonian.com 503-294-7699 @rogoway SUNDAY "Grease: Live": The TV trend for live musical productions continues with this new version of the Rydell High saga, starring - as usual - actors who haven't been in high school for quite a while. The cast includes Julianne Hough, Aaron Tveit, Vanessa Hudgens, Carly Rae Jepsen, Keke Palmer, and Carlos PenaVega. Thomas Kail (who staged the Broadway phenom, "Hamilton") directs. (7 p.m. Fox/12) MONDAY "The X-Files": Of the three episodes made available for preview, tonight's "Mulder & Scully Meet the Were-monster" is far and away the best, and not just because it returns our favorite agents to the Oregon forest. It's also written and directed by Darin Morgan, who gave us such "X-Files" classics as "Humbug" and "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose." Guest stars include Rhys Darby ("Flight of the Conchords") and Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley"), an X-Phile who hosts the podcast, "The X-Files Files." (8 p.m. Fox/12) "War and Peace": In Part 3 of the miniseries, the French are making their way toward Russia. Uh, oh. (9 p.m. A&E, Lifetime) TUESDAY "Outsiders": The new drama -- about an Appalachian family determined to fight off interlopers from their land -- continues. (6 p.m. WGN America) "Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials 2016": The 50 best commercials from past Super Bowls are counted down, plus there's an early look at San Francisco getting ready to host this year's Super Bowl. (8 p.m. CBS/6) "Murder of a President": A new "American Experience" documentary about the 1881 shooting of President James A. Garfield. (9 p.m. PBS/10) "The People v. O.J. Simpson": This new miniseries tells the stranger-than-fiction story of the mid-'90s murder trial of O.J. Simpson, who was accused of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ronald Goldman. You may think you've heard enough about what was then called "the trial of the century," but with sharp writing and incisive performances, this is the most compulsively watchable drama in ages. As the shrewd defense lawyer Johnnie Cochran, Courtney B. Vance is just terrific, and Sarah Paulson makes the overmatched prosecutor Marcia Clark so empathetic we root for her even as we see the prosecution team make one misstep after another. The outstanding cast also includes Cuba Gooding, Jr., as Simpson; John Travolta as Robert Shapiro; and David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian. Here's my review. (10 p.m. FX) WEDNESDAY Richard Dreyfuss and Blythe Danner star in a two-night miniseries about Bernard Madoff, the financier who made millions until he was caught running a fraudulent Ponzi scheme. (8 p.m. ABC/2) THURSDAY : The special, "Discovering Valhalla: Oregon's Hidden Gorge," looks at a unique Oregon location. (8:30 p.m. OPB/10) Nina Dobrev and Tim Tebow compete to see who has mad lip sync skills. (10 p.m. Spike) The gripping miniseries continues, with Danny (Ben Whishaw) being accused of killing Alex. (10 p.m. BBC America) FRIDAY : It's not a sign of confidence that Fox has moved the show to Friday night, so if you like it, better watch while you can. (8 p.m. Fox/12) It's a mini-"Community" reunion, as Joel McHale and Danny Pudi guest-star on Ken Jeong's show. (8:30 p.m. ABC/2) Could a lake monster be lurking in the vicinity of Portland? Nick and Hank are on the case. (9 p.m. NBC/8) Mark and Jay Duplass are executive producers of this new animated series about the creatures of New York. As the timeslot indicates, this isn't for the kiddies. (11:30 p.m. HBO) SATURDAY "Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials All-Star Countdown": So you know that special earlier this week about Super Bowl commercials? Here's yet another one, which reminds us of what the Top 10 commercials on that one were. And we get an early look at this year's commercials. (8 p.m. CBS/6) "Manson's Lost Girls": TV-movie about the deluded young women who followed Charles Manson - all the way to murder. (8 p.m. Lifetime) "Saturday Night Live": Larry David guest hosts, which means we'll undoubtedly see more of his spot-on Bernie Sanders impression. (11:29 p.m. NBC/8) -- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist In light of whats happened recently to the rights and education of current and future voters in both the governors office and GOP-controlled state Legislature, should disenfranchised constituents in Michigan be 1) simply resigned or 2) extremely resentful at being further insulted by Republican lawmakers in the nations Capitol? On Sunday, Jan. 17, the Midland Daily News published a Listening editorial written by Republican U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar. http://goo.gl/q6rWdS The Midland resident and former state Senator now represents Michigans Fourth Congressional District in Washington, D.C. His well-gerrymandered Republican area of responsibility currently consists of Clare, Clinton, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Osceola, Roscommon, Shiawassee, Wexford counties, as well as parts of Montcalm and Saginaw counties. Moolenaar moved into the national spotlight immediately after another of Midlands favorite sons, Dave Camp, retired from the House of Representatives after serving 12 terms. Camp, also a conservative career politician, has now become an even more effective public servant as a K Street lobbyist for PricewaterhouseCoopers, the largest professional service network in the world. During a conversation last summer, a member of Mr. Moolenaars staff in Midland stated that her boss represents the interests of just over 253,000 constitutes in all 15 Michigan counties. Yet in order to speak to their current Republican Congressional representative in person, residents of Midland County either have to be a dues-paying member of the Midland Area Chamber Commerce (or other well-connected conservative political organizations), or be affiliated with a local, regional or national special interest group with deep pockets. If not, Midlanders likely had to travel to Mount Pleasant, Roscommon, Gladwin or Clare to discuss their concerns personally with Rep. Moolenaar at one of the listening sessions which he (or, more likely, his staff) held during his first year in office. In his recent editorial, Congressman Moolenaar claimed he and his staff in Midland and D.C. sent 880,000 emails and relied on his social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to communicate with his constituents. How many legislative updates or emails, Facebook likes or targeted tweets did you personally receive from your elected U.S. House representative in the last 12 months? In his Sunday editorial, Michigans Republican 4th Congressional District representative boasted that over 5,800 of your friends and neighbors have liked his Facebook page. Currently @RepMoolenaar also has 1,483 very loyal Twitter followers. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint, the very active and involved Congressman for Michigans ethnically diverse (and recently poisoned) 5th District currently has 23,762 involved Facebook fans and 16,700 Twitter followers. Whats interesting is that the populations in the two central Michigan Congressional districts are essentially the same. To add insult to injury, the links to the Facebook page and Twitter feed embedded in his Looking Back and Ahead note which my congressman thoughtfully sent me on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015 at 12:29 p.m. were to the social media accounts for the re-election of John Boozman, a Republican Senator from Rogers, Arkansas. Once again it appears What weve got here (in Michigan) is failure to communicate! Eric Anders is a resident of Midland. $4,000 raised for local rail trail To the editor: Many thanks to all who sponsored and/or rode in the 2015 Howards Friend Bike Ride. The bike ride raised $4,000 for the benefit of the Friends of the Pere Marquette Rail Trail. Funds were used this year to help purchase a new infrared machine which is used for crack repair on the trail. Additional funds were used to help pay for seal coating on the trail and help with the building of Averill Shelter. This years ride will be on Saturday, April 30, and will still only be $20 and include a shirt, continental breakfast, lunch and lots of fun! Come join us for a great event and help sponsor the Pere Marquette Rail Trail. To register or be a sponsor check out the website at www.HowardsFriendBikeRide.com or www.peremarquetterailtrail.org. Thank you. SHELLEY SCHOENHERR Partnering support To the editor: The Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network (EFPN) had a Mobile Food Pantry (MFP) at the Midland Civic Arena located on Fast Ice Drive on Wednesday, Jan. 20. This give-away of 19,190 pounds of food was funded by the Lions Club of Midland. Seventy-one volunteers served 314 families (934 individuals) with food purchased from the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan. The Network also is very grateful to the many donors of food, money and time throughout the year to the Networks mission of always food in every home. Midland County residents in (financial) need of food and personal care items during the year may call the Network number of (989) 486-9393 and press one to leave their name and phone number. The second MFP in 2016 is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 27, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located on the corner of West Sugnet and Eastman roads in Midland. Thanks again to the members of the Lions Club and to the staff of the Civic Arena for their partnering support! SALLY ANN SUTTON Midland County EFPN Thanks to Santa House and Northern Star volunteers To the editor: December is a magical month in Midland and adults and children alike enjoy the special gems found in downtown Midland. Last month, nearly 30,000 visitors enjoyed Midlands Santa House, while over 8,000 people rode the Northern Star trackless train. These treasured community projects are not possible without the help of numerous volunteers. The Midland Area Community Foundation wishes to express its sincere appreciation to the friends and neighbors who donated their time and effort at the Santa House and Northern Star this holiday season. Thanks to your efforts, visitors from all over the region were able to enjoy a free visit with Santa and delight in a train ride through downtown Midland. The Santa House has been a project of the Midland Area Community Foundation since 1981, while the Northern Star train was purchased in 2014 thanks to the support of The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation, the Charles J. Strosacker Foundation and the E.G.L. Currie Foundation. Two endowment funds held at the community foundation support the Santa House project: The Gilbert & Eleanor Currie Christmas Lighting/Santa House Fund and the Thomas F. and Holly A. Valent Santa House Fund. The Northern Star is owned and operated by Education and Training Connection of Midland. Those interested in volunteering in 2016 can contact MACF at (989) 839-9661 or info@midlandfoundation.org. Again, thank you to our volunteers who helped make the holiday season special for our community. SHARON MORTENSEN MACF President and CEO Huge difference To the editor: Another holiday season has come and gone. Many traditions were shared, new memories were made. I have the honor of working with a group of amazing students. Our holiday season was filled with creating memories of our own. We planned, we budgeted, we bought and we fed a room filled with family and friends. We prepared a wonderful holiday dinner and Santa came and provided my students with much needed items. None of this would have been possible without the generosity of the community in which we live. We were very lucky to be given generous donations from organizations within the Midland community. I would sincerely like to thank the Kiwanis Foundation and the Midland Noon Exchange Club for their charitable donations to my students and their families. Your dedication to this community is highly commendable and greatly appreciated. Your contributions to my students made a huge difference in their lives this holiday season, helping create new memories for them, and for that I sincerely thank you. WENDY THOMAS Midland Christian pastors thanked To the editor: To Christian pastors: May God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord give you grace, mercy and peace. We the believers thank Christ Jesus our Lord for you as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ. Now may he bless you with his strength to do the work of the ministry, for we believe that he considers you trustworthy and has appointed you to serve him with faith and love that comes from Christ Jesus. All honor and glory to God forever and ever for he is our eternal king, the one who never dies. Thank you for giving your life preaching that there is one God and one mediator, the God man Christ Jesus, who gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone who believes, and also teaching faith in truth, that Christ was revealed in human form, vindicated by the Holy Spirit, seen by angels, announced to the nations and believed throughout the world. Again, thanks that all believers would say unto you pastors, Run from evil things, pursue righteousness with an example of a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, gentleness, fighting the good fight of true faith, holding tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you. We have been taught that at just the right time, Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords who can never die, and lives forever more. Amen. So teach, preach, admonish and lead however the Lord instructs you, for all believers desire to hear the complete Word of God to be saved along with their families, friends and others. To God is the glory! Psalm 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delights in his own way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord holds him with his hand. May God the Father through Christ Jesus, his only begotten son, bless you and keep you in the faith and in the ministry that he has called you, for from the Word of God we know that Jesus Christ the Lord is coming soon! WALTER ARNOLD Midland EDITORS NOTE OWI means operating while intoxicated. DWLS means driving while license suspended. (MC) is for Judge Michael D. Carpenter. (L) is for Magistrate Gerald Ladwig. Sentences may vary based on previous offenses committed by the defendant. Some sentencings include other fees imposed by the state. Coleman Michael Lynn Long, 32, domestic violence on Sept. 20, 93 days in jail with three weekends suspended and credit two days, $775 fines and costs, one year probation, attend substance abuse program and mental health counseling, to be monitored by an alcohol tether for 60 days, not to be involved in any assaultive, threatening, intimidating, aggressive, disorderly or abusive behavior toward any person, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Hemlock Justin Jules Urbain, 32, second-offense impaired driving and attempted possession of drug analogues on May 30, one year in jail with all but 30 days suspended and credit for one day, $1,950 fines and costs, 18 months probation, vehicle immobilized for one year, attend substance abuse program, to be monitored by an alcohol tether for 90 days, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol or be in the company of anyone who does, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Midland Robert Dean Autry, 53, Eastlawn Drive, second-offense domestic violence on July 19, 180 days in jail held in abeyance with credit for nine days, $1,475 fines and costs, 18 months probation, to be monitored by an alcohol tether for 90 days, not to be involved in any assaultive, threatening, intimidating, aggressive, disorderly or abusive behavior toward any person, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Brent Richard Barrett, 27, East Isabella Road, assault and battery on Aug. 11, 93 days in jail with all but one weekend suspended and credit for two days, $700 fines and costs, one year probation, to be monitored by an alcohol tether for 90 days, not to be involved in any assaultive, threatening, intimidating, aggressive, disorderly or abusive behavior toward any person, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Jordan Christopher Brown, 20, Delft Drive, MIP on Nov. 6, $100 fine (MC). Jonathon Benjamin Griffith, 21, Gerald Court, use of nonnarcotic on Sept. 25, one year in jail held in abeyance with credit for 26 days, $775 fines and costs, one year probation, driver license suspended for one year, attend substance abuse program, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Eric William Nelson, 47, West Sugnet Road, impaired driving on Sept. 13, 93 days in jail held in abeyance with credit for one day, $775 fines and costs, six months probation, attend substance abuse program, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Michell Rae Reed, 48, East Patrick Road, no proof of insurance on Dec. 3, $210 fines and costs (L). Keith James Ridenour, 29, Hemlock Street, no proof of insurance on Dec. 7, $210 fines and costs (L). Corey Andrew Rosteutcher, 27, St. Andrews Road, contributing to the delinquency of a minor on July 11, 65 days in jail with credit for time served (MC). Stephen Ray Stone, 47, East Bombay Road, assault and battery on Aug. 5, 30 days in jail with credit for four days, $500 fines and costs (MC). Marti Rae Sullivan, 38, Cobb Street, second-offense malicious destruction of a building and breaking and entering on Aug. 18, 30 days in jail with credit for one day to be served on house arrest with a tether, $1,100 fines and costs, $20 restitution (MC). Baird Jeremy Swigert, 30, Rodd Street, no proof of insurance on Dec. 9, $210 fines and costs (L). Mount Pleasant Jessica Melanie Rogers, 36, DWLS on Oct. 31, $250 fines and costs (MC). Saginaw Jay Thomas Malicoat, 26, DWLS and OWI on Sept. 26, 93 days in jail with all but one weekend suspended and credit for one day, $1,475 fines and costs, nine months probation, attend substance abuse program, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Sanford Tina Marie Vanhoose, 36, use of drug analogues on July 18, one year in jail held in abeyance with credit for one day, one year probation, driver license suspended for six months, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Shawnna Arvilla Wheeler, 23, allowing DWLS on Dec. 17, $300 fines and costs (L). Shepherd Justin David Skym, 39, impaired driving on Sept. 19, 93 days in jail with all but one weekend suspended and credit for one day, $775 fines and costs, one year probation, attend substance abuse program, to be monitored by an alcohol tether for 90 days, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Kevin Lee Snyder, 47, DWLS on Aug. 29, two weekends in jail, $600 fines and costs (MC). Elsewhere John Heppler Gast, 23, Royal Oak, allowing DWLS on Nov. 2, $250 fines and costs (MC). Nicholas Sam Moceri, 24, Macomb, impaired driving on Oct. 3, 93 days in jail held in abeyance with credit for one day, $600 fines and costs, six months probation, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Kevin Deshawn Yancey Jr., 25, Redford, OWI on Sept. 4, 93 days in jail held in abeyance with credit for one day, $975 fines and costs, six months probation, attend substance abuse program and Impact Weekend, may not use or possess drugs or alcohol, subject to random drug and alcohol screening, may not enter bars, attend counseling as directed (MC). Answer: In 1982, after a column in the Pantagraph (only the second one I'd written for this newspaper) extolled the belief of a Bloomington minister (the Rev. Wesley Ates of the First Pentecostal Church) that the devil spoke backwards on Beatles records, the story made the San Francisco Chronicle (then owner of the Pantagraph). Kantner saw it, was bemused, responded and, in time, challenged Ates to a debate on the issue. Staged at ISU's Bone Student Center, it was broadcast live on WJBC (and hosted by Steve Vogel, today a Saturday columnist in this paper). Consensus was, Kantner easily won the debate. FDespite claims to the opposite, the increasing chances of Donald Youre fired! Trump changing to I, Donald do solemnly swear Trump is not a sign of the coming apocalypse. Granted, the end could be closer than we think when any billionaire steps off his Boeing 757 airliner and declares, I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldnt lose voters. Its more likely, however, that the apocalypse will arrive in something far less breathtaking than a 757 and far more mundane like, say, a land grant university extension bulletin. For example, heres a Jan. 19 bulletin from Kansas State University that explains (I think) one of the many local options to 2016 federal farm program benefits this way: ARC pays the difference between the (5-year Olympic average MYA Price (OAP) X 5-year Olympic average county yield (OACY) X 86%) - MYA price X actual county yield. For example, $6.70 wheat OAP X 35 bu. OACY X 86% = $201.67) - $5.00 MYA price X 38 bu. actual county yield = $190 =$11.67 per payment ac. X 100 base ac. X 85% = $991.95. And, as Im sure you noted while reading the explanation, this analysis is not complete because, of course, all is Subject to: Stop loss equal to 10% of gross guarantee or 10% X ($6.70 OAP X 35 bu. OACY) =$23.45 X 100 base ac. X 85% = $1,993. In this example, the payment is less than the maximum payment of $1,993, so FSA would pay $991.95 to the farmer. No, Im not making this up. Congress, however, did. Yes, its crazy and, yes, few on Capitol Hill or any hill between there and your farm know what this pretzel bending really means. On second thought, this probably is more a sign of the times than a sign of the end of times. One sign that the apocalypse is near is the near-perfect dissidence on what the non-profit Center for Food Integrity (CFI) says consumers want in food labeling and what farm groups say consumers will get in food labeling. Its simple: noted the very first sentence of a 2015 CFI report that compiled three years of detailed consumer research, if you increase transparency, you will increase trust. The two groups most responsible for that transparency are food manufacturers and (f)armers, explained Charlie Arnot, CFIs chief executive officer, to members of the American Farm Bureau Federation at their mid-January convention in mid-January. But while consumers trust farmers, Arnot told the AFBF crowd, theyre not sure they trust farming. Thats not clever double-talk; its an insightful explanation to the ever growing disconnect between farming America and consuming America. In short, eaters like farmers but, increasingly, they dislike how they farm. That gap grew when farm and commodity groups successfully lobbied Congress last December to repeal Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for imported meat and poultry. No COOL means less transparency and, in turn, less trust of farmers by consumers. Its exactly what CFIs Arnot told Farm Bureau conventioneers not to do. Now, just weeks later, a new U.S Department of Agricultures Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook forecasts that U.S. consumers will see more imported, unlabeled pork in American stores because COOL Repeal Likely Means a Slow Increase of Live Swine Imports. Interestingly, 'slow' to USDA means that Imports of Canadian live swine in 2016 are expected to increase about 9 percent, from 5.6 million head in 2015 to 6.2 million head this year. A 9 percent, 600,000-head increase in Canadian hog imports may not be apocalyptic to USDA, but the decrease it brings to domestic hog prices will trim U.S. farm profits while it pads global meatpacker profits. African-American physician Eugene G. Covington came to Bloomington about 1900 to open a medical practice. This being thirty-five years after the end of the Civil War, one would think things were getting better for African Americans, at least in the North. Unfortunately that was not the case in Bloomington-Normal where black residents faced increased segregation and discrimination. By the 1890s, to cite several representative examples, African Americans could not stay at Bloomington hotels, and if they wanted to attend a local theater they had to sit in the back rows. And in 1908, Bloomington park commissioners decided to establish segregated beaches and changing rooms at Miller Park. The Springfield Race Riot of 1908 and a far bloodier race war in Chicago during the summer of 1919 cast a further pallor over any attempts to halt deteriorating race relations in Bloomington-Normal. In the early 1920s a resurgent Ku Klux Klan and its call for pure Americanism and white supremacy enjoyed wide support in McLean County. There were Klan parades in downtown Bloomington and rallies along Jersey Avenue. And by the 1920s downtown Bloomington restaurants began refusing service to African Americans. In addition to these humiliating and petty (and decidedly un-American!) discrimination and segregation practices, African Americans were barred from most professional employment opportunities. For example, black students could attend Illinois State Normal University and earn teaching degrees and certificates, but local public schools declined to hire them. Given this pervasive environment of fear and hate (how else should one describe it?), its not surprising that Covington was the only African-American doctor to work in McLean County until the 1930s. Born on Aug. 1, 1872, in Rappahannock County, Va., to former slave parents, Covington exhibited a sharp intellect from an early age. He eventually graduated from Howard University, a historically black school in the nations capital. In 1902, two years after Covington arrived in Bloomington, he married Alice Alena Lewis from the upstate New York community of Oswego. They eventually settled into a cozy residence at 410 E. Market St. and raised a family, with three boys surviving into adulthood. Covington expressed his frustration with the increasingly ugly racial climate in Bloomington-Normal with a lengthy guest column in the March 7, 1903, Pantagraph. In this essay, titled The Race Question, he took the opportunity to criticize a local member of the board of education for demanding that African Americans do something to warrant and inspire respect. Covington found such complaints disingenuous, given the pervasive discrimination faced by blacks. We are told not to apply for positions as teachers, he said by way of example. And yet the gentleman says we must do something to merit respect. In fact, Covington was acutely aware of the issue of respect, or rather the lack thereof. Both Eugene and Alice refused to attend the theater in Bloomington-Normal due to the humiliation of segregated seating arrangements. Although he earned a reputation for his civil rights advocacy, Covington was first and foremost a respected physician and surgeon. In addition to his family practice he was a member of the St. Josephs Hospital staff and had full privileges at Mennonite Hospital. St. Josephs admission records show that Covington treated mostly black patients for everything from nervous prostration to influenza. As a rule, a white physician had to be in attendance when Covington performed surgeries. Yet on occasion it appears as if Covington was the only physician in the operating room, as was the case in late February 1913 when he performed a successful appendectomy on a 23-year-old African-American. In February 1908, Covington complained to the McLean County Medical Society that some white doctors were undercharging African-American patients who could afford to pay the full standard rate of $2 for house calls. Covington said such undercutting put an undue burden on his practice, since the majority of his patients were black. The society agreed with Covington, calling undercharging an infraction of professional honor. During Covingtons lifetime African Americans were closely aligned with the Republican Party, given a legacy that included Abraham Lincoln, emancipation and the defense (at least until 1877) of political and civil rights for freed people in the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era. For most African Americans the switch to the Democratic Party came during the Great Depression and Franklin Roosevelts presidency. Back in the summer of 1908, Covington played a leading role organizing a parade and rally for Republican Richard Yates, Jr. and his bid for the partys gubernatorial nomination. A good-sized audience was present to hear the colored speakers, reported The Pantagraph, and not a few of the white voters of the city were in attendance. Although the local Republican Party welcomed African-American support at the ballot box, by the early 20th century there was little interest in political and civil rights. Not only was the Party of Lincoln increasingly disinterested in racial equality, but loyal black Republicans faced discrimination within the party itself. Covington, for instance, was on the local Republican Party central committee in 1909, though he and two other African Americans were not allowed to sit on a regular ward committee but were relegated to an at-large (and all-black) committee. In early 1915, Covington was one of nearly 50 candidates who ran for four open city commissioner seats. His campaign slogan, With malice towards none, goodwill to all, was a nod to Lincolns second inaugural address. Covington was not one of the top four vote getters, but he did finish with a respectable middle-of-the-pack showing. Alice Covington passed away in 1925, and three years later Eugene married Amanda Thomas, a widow and longtime friend of the family. The marriage wasnt a long one because Eugene died on February 3, 1929, after a short illness. He was only 56 years old and still practicing medicine. Eight years earlier, in May 1921, Covington participated in one of the periodic debates held by a group of local African-American pastors. The topic, Resolved that the Negro should stay in the South for better advantages, featured Covington arguing in the negative. For African Americans in the early 20th century, Central Illinois certainly offered brighter opportunities socially, politically and economically than the Deep South. That said, segregation of downtown Bloomington hotels, restaurants and theaters, as well as Miller Park beaches, continued into the 1960s. And major Twin City employers didnt begin to hire black professionals until the late 1960s. NORMAL It all started with a textbook costing $300 to $400 and a neighbor asking a Heartland Community College trustee why a textbook could cost almost more than the class itself. That triggered discussion about textbook affordability, creation of a Textbook Task Team and several initiatives at Heartland, including: A largely student-run textbook swap program. Changes in the campus bookstore contract, including a reduced mark-up and a price-match guarantee. Eliminating the college's commission on books sold at the campus bookstore. Greater attention to alternative information sources, especially what are called open educational resources. Heartland isn't the only place where textbook costs are getting attention. Illinois State University's Academic Senate has created a textbook committee at the urging of the Student Government Association. The committee, which begins work this semester, includes faculty, students and administrators. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has introduced legislation that would provide grants to expand the use of open textbooks. The Affordable College Textbook Act is co-sponsored by Sens. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Angus King, I-Maine. We talk about college costs and we often overlook textbook costs, which can be substantial, said Durbin. According to the Government Accountability Office, new textbooks prices jumped 82 percent between 2002 and 2012. The College Board reports the average student at a four-year public institution spent $1,225 for books and supplies in the 2014-2015 academic year. Durbin, who has been involved in the issue for the past decade, said, I was stunned by how many faculty members had no knowledge of nor did they care how much books costs. That's inexcusable. Heartland's first student government association book swap took place in spring 2014. A hundred textbooks were distributed, saving students $10,000 compared to what they would have spent purchasing new books, said student trustee Chad Rosenbaum. In this semester's swap, 208 books were distributed at a savings of $19,233, he said. It was the anatomy/physiology book that started the whole conversation about textbook costs, said Marvin Rasch, director of student engagement. The book was used for both semesters of a two-semester course, so it didn't really cost more than the course itself. Nevertheless, it was a huge hit to student finances. That's changed. Instead of that expensive anatomy/physiology textbook, the two-semester course uses an open educational resources book that is free as a digital version, or can be printed at a much lower cost than the previous book, explained Rachelle Stivers, Heartland's library director and head of its Textbook Steering Committee. Every institution is concerned about textbook costs, noted Rasch. Our institution was committed to, 'What are we going to do to fix it?' He said the college has a great partnership among the faculty, administration, students and bookstore. It takes the cooperation of all four groups to address this issue, he said. Illinois State ISU is hoping a similar partnership can lower textbook costs for its students. When Ryan Powers, an ISU finance and accounting major, ran for student body president last spring, one of his platforms was working to lower textbook costs. It's not a quick fix, Powers said. You have to look at sustainable solutions. So he gained approval from the Academic Senate to create a textbook committee that will continue working long after Powers, a senior from Mundelein, has left campus. The nine-member committee has three students, three faculty members and three administrators. Dane Ward, dean of Milner Library, is one of the administrators. We can tackle some low-hanging fruit create a simple web page that provides faculty and students with their options, Ward said. Among the options are open educational resources. Helping faculty find good open access textbooks is one of the things the committee expects to do, said Ward, emphasizing the group will not direct faculty decisions on which textbook to use. Stivers also is developing a resource list of open educational resources and said the college offers workshops to faculty on how to use them. Open educational resources include not only textbooks, but also quizzes, PowerPoints and other material, she explained. Under a creative commons license, she said, they can be modified to include examples and other material relevant to specific areas. The bill sponsored by Durbin would provide grants on a competitive basis to higher education institutions to expand the use of open textbooks, including creating open educational resources, especially textbooks. Durbin is convinced open textbooks will catch on eventually, but things are changing slowly and he would like to see a bigger push. He commended Heartland for its efforts particularly giving up its book commission saying, Heartland got it. Stivers said, That's one reason I like working at Heartland. People really think about the students. It's not hollow words. ISU is hoping for similar results. I hope the committee is just the start of something to get the conversation going, said Powers, citing the common goal to reduce the cost of education. Ward said, The bottom line: It is the right thing to do at ISU. We're a student-centered institution. LINCOLN Uncertainty over when or if eligible college students will receive grants through the state's Monetary Award Program is having a financial impact on many of those students, but it does not appear to affecting enrollment. Schools in the area both public and private credited the accounts of eligible students for fall semester, expecting a resolution of the budget impasse. That hasn't happened yet. A bill that would fully fund MAP was approved by the General Assembly last week, but Gov. Bruce Rauner has indicated he will veto it. Public universities continued to credit eligible students' accounts for spring semester as did Eureka College. However, Heartland Community College and Illinois Wesleyan University did not extend the credit for spring semester. Lincoln College informed students last week that it will only cover 60 percent of their anticipated MAP grant. The college used a line-of-credit borrowing arrangement to cover the fall semester costs, but said in a news release it could not afford to cover the full cost of MAP grants for spring semester. About two-thirds of Lincoln College students receive MAP grants. The budget stalemate is impacting students all over the state and ultimately it's affecting students' success, said Lincoln College President David Gerlach. The number one reason students are not successful is because of financial issues and they should not have to bear this financial burden on their own. Greg Eimer, the college's vice president for finance and administration, said the uncertainty doesn't appear to have had an impact on enrollment, with fall to spring enrollment numbers being somewhat typical. Bob Murray, IWU's dean of enrollment management, said he was not aware of any particular students dropping out because of the MAP grant situation. About 20 percent of IWU students receive MAP grants. We are on target with our spring enrollment, Murray said. Part of that is there's still some hope and optimism that the legislature and the governor will come up with some solution on MAP. When that solution is reached, students accounts will be credited, said Murray and his counterparts at other schools. At Eureka College, where about 42 percent of students receive MAP grants, there has been no impact on enrollment because the school is continuing to credit students' accounts, according to a spokeswoman. The story is the same at ISU, where nearly 20 percent of students receive MAP grants. Less than 7 percent of Heartland students receive MAP grants each year and it has not seen any impact on its enrollment as a result of the grant situation, officials have said. Although a solution hasn't been reached, Murray said, I'm pleased that a conversation about that is at the forefront, but we are going to be cautious until we see what actually comes out. Schools that credited students accounts for one or both semesters while waiting for the budget to be worked out are on the hook for millions of dollars if no money is appropriated for MAP grants. PEORIA The final plan to overhaul treatment for more than 11,000 mentally ill inmates in Illinois prisons has been filed in federal court, but most of the needed money remains out of reach. The plan to resolve the lawsuit, filed in 2007, addresses longstanding deficiencies in mental health treatment, including a lack of facilities for seriously mentally ill inmates who need hospital-level care. Fifty inmates all of them held in solitary confinement are waiting for such care, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections. In the settlement, filed Jan. 21 in U.S. District Court in Peoria, IDOC agreed to find at least 22 beds for female offenders and 22 beds for male offenders in existing state mental health facilities. The beds would be available within three months of the settlement's final approval, set for a May 13 review by U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm. Within 30 months of final approval, an inpatient facility with about 60 additional inpatient beds would be developed, according to the settlement. But time elements assigned to each of the provisions recognize the ongoing lack of a state budget. State Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, said he is unaware of any discussions among lawmakers on where the money will come from. "Any decision of the court that requires us to pay money is going to be a burden," said Barickman, whose district includes the Pontiac Correctional Center. Providing mental health treatment to prison inmates and linking low-level offenders to community-based services in lieu of prison makes good fiscal sense, added Barickman. The massive project calls for $40 million in construction for residential treatment units at Pontiac, Logan and Dixon prisons and the former Illinois Youth Center in Joliet, and $40 million for additional staff. Previously, IDOC said $18 million was allocated in the FY 2016 budget for increased operational and staffing costs. The process of filling positions is well under way, according to IDOC reports filed with the court. Key among plan components is the requirement that inmates be screened for mental health issues and receive treatment soon after they arrive in prison. The use of solitary confinement as a place to hold seriously mentally ill inmates gradually would be curtailed under the protocol. Punishment for inmates who harm themselves, or destroy state property during such behavior, would be banned, unless an inmate creates a weapon during the incident. The policy that keeps mentally ill inmates in their cells 23 hours a day would be expanded to allow eight hours a week outside their cells during the first year of the agreement. That would expand to 20 hours over the next four years. Under the terms of the agreement, the state would admit no liability for lack of care. Mihm will determine the legal fees to be paid to lawyers from four Chicago law firms who worked on behalf of the inmates. Those fees would not exceed $6 million, according to the settlement. It's hard to believe that the United States, having resisted the siren song of socialism during its entire 20th-century heyday, should suddenly succumb to its charms a generation after its intellectual demise. Indeed, the prospect of socialist Bernie Sanders, whatever his current momentum, winning the Democratic nomination remains far-fetched. The Dems would be risking a November electoral disaster of historic dimensions. Yet there is no denying how far Sanders has pulled his party to the left and how hard the establishment candidate, Hillary Clinton, has been racing to catch up. The Republicans, on the other hand, are dealing with a full-scale riot. The temptation they face is trading in a century of conservatism for Trumpism. The 2016 presidential race has turned into an epic contest between the ethno-nationalist populism of Donald Trump and traditional conservatism, though in two varieties: the scorched-earth fundamentalist version of Ted Cruz, and a reformist version represented by Marco Rubio and articulated most fully by non-candidate Paul Ryan and a cluster of highly productive thinkers and policy wonks dubbed "reformicons." Trump insists that he's a conservative, but in his pronouncements and policies, conservatism seems more of a rental, than an ideological, home. Trump protests that Ronald Reagan, too, migrated from left to right. True, but Reagan's transformation occurred in his 40s not, as with Trump, in his 60s. In radically different ways, Trump and Sanders are addressing the deep anxiety stemming from the secular stagnation in wages and living standards that has squeezed the middle and working classes for a generation. Sanders locates the villainy in a billionaire class that has rigged both the economic and political system. Trump blames foreigners. Hence Trump's most famous policy recommendations: anti-immigrant, including the forced deportation of 11 million people; anti-trade, with a 45 percent tariff on Chinese goods and a 35 percent tariff on U.S. manufacturing moved to Mexico; and anti-Muslim, most notoriously a complete ban on entry into the U.S. Temporarily only, we are assured, except that the ban applies "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on" a standard so indeterminate as to be meaningless. Trump has limited concern for the central tenet of American conservatism limited government. The most telling example is his wholehearted support for "eminent domain," i.e. the forcible appropriation by government of private property. Trump has not yet called Vladimir Putin wonderful but he has taken a shine to the swaggering mini-czar who seems to run his trains on time. When informed that Putin kills opponents and journalists, Trump's initial reaction was, "Well, I think that our country does plenty of killing, also," the kind of moronic what-about-the-Crusades moral equivalence that conservatives have railed against for decades. After some prompting, Trump did come out against the killing of journalists. Cruz is often lumped with Trump in the "anti-establishment" camp. That suited Cruz tactically for a while, but it's fairly meaningless, given that "establishment" can mean anything these days. Cruz is a genuine conservative austere, indeed radical, so much so that he considers mainstream congressional conservatives apostates. And finds Trump not conservative at all, as he is now furiously, belatedly insisting. My personal preference is for the third ideological alternative, the reform conservatism that locates the source of our problems not in heartless billionaires or crafty foreigners, but in our superannuated, increasingly sclerotic 20th-century welfare-state structures. Their desperate need for reform has been overshadowed by the new populism, but Speaker Ryan is determined to introduce a serious reform agenda boring stuff like welfare reform, health care reform, tax reform and institutional congressional reforms such as the return to "regular order." Paired with a President like Rubio (or Chris Christie or Carly Fiorina, to go long-shot), such an agenda would give conservatism its best opportunity since Reagan to become the country's governing philosophy. Unless the GOP takes the populist leap. In which case, a conservative restoration will be a long time coming. Free speech and academic freedom are strong here at Illinois State University. I have never felt pressure to even self-censor remarks or not deal with ideas because they were unpopular or offensive to some. Demands for increased sensitivity for the feelings of minorities and what are termed marginalized groups at the University of Missouri, Yale and on our own quad are challenging traditions of free speech and vigorous debate. My daughter and colleague Katrin Varner, now tenured associate professor in the Department of Finance, Insurance and Law, and I gave a paper at the Association for Business Communication International Convention in Seattle entitled Colliding Galaxies on Campus: Free Speech v. Equal Opportunity. How could we have known Missouri would explode a few days later over just these issues. So what are the issues, since we hope all colleges have strong commitments to both. A local business case involves the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Civil rights first refers to terms of employment. That is the basic contract, including pay, hours and responsibilities. The next is conditions. Thus, if an employee is subject to negative remarks about race, sex or religion, it is seen as a hostile condition and a violation of law. If the employee at Marriott can show a pattern of hostile remarks, and that Marriott knew and did little or nothing, the business could be held liable. On campus, the same principle applies under Title IX, which promises equal educational opportunity. If students are subject to racial slurs, derogatory remarks about their sex, race or religion, there is a hostile condition and violation of the title. Doe v. University of Michigan deals with the schools attempt on this issue. Michigans speech code read, Any behavior, verbal or physical, that stigmatizes or victimizes an individual on the basis of It goes on with a long list of categories, starting with race and ending with Vietnam-era veterans. A graduate student doing research on behavioral differences between men and women based on genetic differences sued, fearing his research might offend and thus stigmatize women. The university didnt get to first base and the speech code was ruled unconstitutional on numerous grounds, including the First Amendment, which reads, Congress shall make no Lawabridging the freedom of speech. The court wondered if universities wanted to get into the business of censorship and ruled that violent discussion is preferable than if the terrors of the law are brought to bear to prevent the discussion. Free speech wins hands down at Michigan, ISU and Oklahoma. You may recall an incident where a student was taped singing a very racist song on a fraternity bus. Authorities were outraged but, on reflection, the student was within his rights. American free speech is for good guys and bad guys alike. If a student feels offense is intolerable, he can work to amend the Constitution or go down Franklin Avenue to Illinois Wesleyan or back East to Yale. Free speech protection only applies to state action. It is Congress that shall make no law. This is expanded to all state action under Amendment XIV but does not apply to private action. Private schools can put whatever they want in their student handbooks, so be careful because a slip of the lip could sink your ship. While still a minority, there is a growing feeling that our 1789-drafted First Amendment is out of date and we need a more European approach to free speech, which means less of it. The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen gets around to speech in item 11 and the European Declaration of 1950 in paragraph nine. It has four lines on free speech and 12 lines of exceptions. "Je suis Charlie" is a rallying cry of our day but that tasteless magazine has been in court and facing possible jail for insulting one group after another. They are off the hook because their parody is an exception and allowed. A German church put out a sign which, in English, would be Jesus is the only salvation for you. Another religious group found that offensive and the sign had to be removed. Peter and Paul might find the going rough in todays sensitive Europe. The rally on our quad, reported on the front page of this paper, quoted a student who would graduate next month and said he never felt he was a Redbird. Another student victim of a racial slur complained of the skin color of the counselor assigned to give her comfort. Wasnt it supposed to be content of character? I really felt hurt by these remarks and the general tone that ISU failed in sensitivity to the needs of minorities. We have a dedicated faculty and staff working their hearts out to do their best for every ISU student. Still, I teach about cultural differences in international business and have felt over many years the cultural bridge from France, Germany, India or East Asia is shorter than the one from Chicago. My daughter has told me that those of you from the 1960s thought all we had to do is sit in a circle, hold hands and sing Kumbaya. We have dug the hole over centuries and it will take a long time to get out. Finally, at Illinois State, I believe our commitment to equal opportunity is strong but free speech even insulting and offensive speech in rigorous debate is a higher value. We are not going to try to improve on our founders' First Amendment. We ended our paper with a plea. We are a legalistic culture and that is how my daughter and I look at things, but a lot of other cultures in the world place a high value on civility, etiquette and manners. We can really learn from others and that might be the best closing thought. The Syrian conflict continues to take its toll. A migrant boat trying to flee from the Syrian civil war and reach European shores capsized, killing 37 people including 10 children. The New York Times reported that photos of the accident's aftermath show bodies of little children washed ashore. The 56-foot long boat was said to have come from a Turkish resort town called Ayvacik, and that it was carrying Syrian refugees as well as people from Afghanistan and Myanmar. As of the present, there are still no information on who exactly the victims were and what caused the boat to capsize. According to the report, crossing the sea during the winter season is more dangerous, with more than 200 people already drowning in the Aegean Sea for the first month of 2016. "Deaths on this route are increasing at an alarming rate," the International Organization for Migration spokesman Joel Millman said during a news briefing. The United Nations reports that the Syrian civil war has already taken the lives of over 250,000 people, as of today. The UN has also invited representatives from both the Syrian government and the rebel groups to meet at Geneva to settle their differences. News.com.au says that the Syrian conflict is a civil war between the Syrian government and the FSA or the Free Syrian Army - rebel camps that want to replace the current government. "Local areas formed their own militias with the aim of toppling the government without any co-ordination or centralised command or control," former peacekeeper in Syria Dr Rodger Shanahan told News.com.au. The Free Syrian Army's reason for fighting is due to their perceived failure of the current government to give its people the promise of new and better economic and political reforms, as well as their violations of human rights. However, the FSA has also allowed other people with their own Islamic agendas to join their camps in order to gain more strength against the government in this ongoing Syrian conflict. A British mother named Tareena Shakil, 26, fled to Syria with her toddler and posted photos of him with a weapon encouraging terrorism on social media. She was later found guilty of becoming a part of the terrorist group ISIS at the Birmingham Crown Court, Jan. 29. She said that ending up in the Islamic state was all accidental, but police refuse to believe her. Shakil, being a health worker in the UK and based on her social media, said that she only has the desire to live under sharia law, also known as the Islamic law, reported by The Guardian.The British healthcare worker denied being a part of ISIS but detectives have enough evidence to prove that she is a member and was even about to become a jihadi bride. The 26-year-old mother is known by her friends to be a fun, loving and caring mom to her child while her family said they didn't see her as someone religious to the point that she would be involved in this kind of trouble with the law. For them, she was just this sweet young woman who is into watching reality shows and someone who loves listening to Spice Girls. Shakil went to Turkey back in October 2014 for a holiday, Toronto Sun reported. She went there with her son who was only one-year-old at that time and they crossed the border going to Syria where they stayed for three months. Cops in West Midlands shared this police report for public knowledge. She then decided to return to the U.K. on Feb. 18, 2015, and that is where she was arrested on charges that involve encouraging terrorism. Her son was taken from her, but he is in good hands. She, later on, said that she was in Syria for two months in a mansion with different women from all over the world and they were all in a queue to marry a man who is an ISIS member. Shakil is due for her sentence on Feb 1. A patent troll by the name of Meraloc LLC has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple regarding the iPod's flash drive. Considering that this patent troll has only been in business for a little over a month, it was quite humorous to read Meraloc state that they've been damaged and continue to be damaged due to Apple's infringement of a patent that they've just acquired for the purposes of this suit. According to the Meraloc's complaint before the court, Apple's "products, such as the 'iPod Touch' (the "Accused Product"), includes a flash drive that can be removably connected to a computing device for storing files transferred from the computing device. For example, the Accused Product includes flash memory and can be removably connected to a computing device for storing files, such as photos or music, transferred from the computer using the iOS sync feature. The Accused Product includes at least one flash memory chip operable to store files transmitted from the computing device. For example, the Accused Product includes a data storage device of up to 128GB of storage capacity. The Accused Product includes a display operable to display information related to files stored on the at least one flash memory chip. For example, the Accused Product displays the names of music files stored on the device. The Accused Product includes an input device, such as a touch screen display, operable for providing input for managing files stored on the flash drive. For example, a user can use touch inputs on the Accused Product's screen to delete music files or add them to specific playlists." Meraloc alleges that Apple "has directly infringed and continues to directly infringe at least claims 1 and 5 of the 7,451,262 patent by making, using, importing, offering for sale, and/or selling the Accused Product through its website without authority in the United States, and will continue to do so unless enjoined by this Court." The patent infringement case presented in today's report was filed in the Texas Eastern District Court. At present, no Judge has been assigned to the case. last July we reported that Apple remained the number one target of patent trolls in 2015. Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of certain legal cases/ lawsuits which are part of the public record for journalistic news purposes. Readers are cautioned that Patently Apple does not offer a legal opinion on the merit of the case. A lawyer should be consulted for any further details or analysis. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments. See our Legal Archives for other patent infringement cases. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. Iran Embarks on European Mission to Attract New Business 01/30/16 By Mil Arcega, VOA Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and French President Francois Hollande at a press confrence in Palace in Paris, Jan. 28, 2016. (photo by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and French President Francois Hollande at a press confrence in Palace in Paris, Jan. 28, 2016.(photo by Islamic Republic News Agency Iran is open for business. Thats the message from President Hassan Rouhani during his milestone visit to Europe. With most sanctions lifted as a result of its agreement to dismantle its nuclear program, Iran has embarked on a charm offensive to extol the economic opportunities on its territory and to free itself from years of international isolation. But some Middle East experts dont expect American companies to jump in too soon. Arriving in France this week, President Rouhani said his visit aims to strengthen Iran's ties with the European Union and enhance international relations. He wasted no time, buying more than 100 Airbus passenger planes worth $27 billion and signing additional multi-billion dollar deals with France and Italy. Its a charm offensive aimed at softening the Wests hardline image of Iran, says market economist Peter Cardillo. I think what were going to see here is a rush of companies trying to get their share of the market in Iran," he said. Despite the opportunities, American companies may want to proceed with caution. Speaking with VOAs Persian Service, Middle East expert Ken Weinstein, at the Hudson Institute, says some U.S. sanctions remain to prevent future nuclear violations by Iran. [US companies'] general counsels have to be concerned, because some of these sanctions could have potential impact on their operations in Iran and elsewhere," he said. U.S. rhetoric in an election year could also add to the uncertainty in US-Iran relations. Weinstein says much will depend on how Irans government proceeds. If the Iranian regime moves away from the ballistic missile program, if it moves away from aggressive actions in neighboring countries, if it begins to respect human rights - rights of women, rights of minorities - the issue of sanctions becomes much less of a problem," he said. Analysts say Iran may be adding to the uncertainty by engaging with European companies, perhaps to drive a wedge between the U.S. and Europe. But with the price of oil, its major source of revenue, likely to remain low, economist Cardillo says Iran will do whats best for Iran. Its probably going to take time for them to really get production up to the point where theyre going to have major revenues coming in as far as the oil side is concerned, so theyre out there trying to make deals," he said. After years of isolation, Iran is eager to sell its attributes. With a market of 80 million people and an annual output of $400 billion, Iran is the biggest economy to rejoin the global trading system since the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991. Khomeini's Grandson Vows To Challenge Decision to Bar Him From Election 01/30/16 By Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE/RL A grandson of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the cleric who led Iran's 1979 revolution and founded the Islamic republic, says he will challenge a decision to bar him from running in the February election for the Assembly of Experts even though it could be fruitless. Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (photo by Khodabakhsh Malmir, Arman daily) Hassan Khomeini, 43, was quoted on January 29 as saying that he will appeal "at the request of the public and some senior religious and political figures," while adding that the move was unlikely to "open a new path." Khomeini, a mid-ranking moderate cleric with ties to the reformist faction of the Iranian establishment, made the comments a few days after his son confirmed on Instagram an earlier media report that the Guardians Council had not approved him to run in the February 26 vote. The powerful hard-line conservative body is in charge of vetting all election candidates in Iran, which Khomeini's grandfather ruled over as supreme leader from the revolution that ended the secular Pahlavi monarchy until his death in 1989. The Guardians Council has reportedly approved only 166 out of some 800 candidates hoping to run for the Assembly of Experts, including Iranian President Hassan Rohani and former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The Assembly, which is in theory in charge of overseeing the work of Iran's supreme leader, could determine the successor to current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is 76. "It's a surprise to me and to many others that some of the respectable gentlemen jurists in the Guardians Council couldn't establish I am qualified," Khomeini said in comments published by Iranian news sites. He added that he was barred from running despite the fact that his application included the testimony of senior clerics and others to his religious qualifications and "hours of tapes of his lectures" and "several books" he has authored. "If the gentlemen couldn't establish I am qualified through the testimonies of grand ayatollahs, and my lectures and writings, then it's unlikely they will do so in the future," Khomeini said. He said he had decided to run "as a duty and concern over the future of the revolution and the Islamic establishment." Khomeini also said that despite "rumors," he had not been invited to take a qualifying test or be interviewed by the Guardians Council. Hard-line conservatives have in past years made attempts at tarnishing Khomeini, who is said to be close to former President Mohammad Khatami. A reformist, Khatami has fallen out of favor of the Iranian establishment over his support for the Green opposition movement and its leaders, who are under house arrest. Khomeini has also been attacked over his ties with former President Rafsanjani. Khomeini's disqualification could be part of attempts by Iranian hard-line conservatives to tighten their grip on domestic politics following a July deal with global powers that placed restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The deal has created hope among the hard-liners' opponents that their power and authority could be diminished in the long run. Copyright (c) 2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org Iran to resume carpet export to US 01/31/16 Source: Mehr News Agency, Tehran Head of the Iranian National Carpet Center has announced the resumption of Iran's hand-woven carpet export to the US in the current year. Hamid Kargar has deemed 2016 as the year for resumption of Iranian carpet exports to the US expressing hope that the currently low exports rate will be compensated for in the coming months: "The high interest of American businessmen to buy Iran's hand-woven carpets indicates that the exports to America will start again soon." 3rd biggest Persian carpet (file photo by Yunes Khani) "Positive signals in this regard were received from the DOMOTEX exhibition, recently held in Germany's Hannover, where American traders discussed, ordered and bought Iranian hand-woven products," noted the official adding "the exposition coincided with the implementation of JCPOA leading to great enthusiasm." "Sanction relief is new hope for Iranian carpet activists to revive lost markets, although optimism should be avoided, and we should act based on prepared plan. With absence of Iranian carpet, the other competitors such as India, Pakistan are replaced and gained good share of market," he said. "Statistics show that India has proved the most successful in American market in last 5 years and now it is the first carpet exporter to the US; Moreover the consumers' taste has naturally changed over the past years." He underlined "it is therefore necessary to monitor young generations' taste and competitors' activities and to advertise wisely to have a long term market." A carpet weaver in Tabriz, Iran (file photo by Farshid Tighehsaz) "National Carpet Center of Iran has conducted several talks with Persian Carpet activists in the US market with various options one the table including the visit of American traders to Iran as well as deploying Iranian businessmen to the US to attend exhibitions," stressed the official. He further emphasized that before the imposition of international sanctions against Iranian carpets in 2010, the US remained as the top importer of Persian Carpet with a share of more than 16.5 per cent worth 82 million dollars. Related Articles: Iran: Basij youth arrested for protesting foreign oil deals 01/31/16 Source: Radio Zamaneh Security forces in Tehran broke up demonstrations by a group of Basij youth against Iran's recent oil agreements. The protests had been planned for Friday in front of the Ministry of Oil offices. INSA reports that the special riot police were deployed in front of the building to stop illegal demonstrations. Read coverage by reformist daily Ghanoon The police had warned that any protests without the appropriate permits would be stopped. The Tehran governor's office had also announced that the demonstrations did not have the necessary legal permits. Basij-linked websites and social media report that the police have arrested a number of the Basij students. Read coverage by hardline daily Vatan Emrooz The Fars News Agency, which is linked to the Revolutionary Guards, reports that after the male students were arrested, the women continued to protest and chant slogans against the oil agreements. IRNA reports that there were about 40 to 50 protesters in front of the oil ministry. After the clearing of international sanctions against Iran, foreign investors are interested in entering oil deals with Iran; however, a number of groups such as the IRGC are critical of these deals and claim they are counter to long-term national interests. Related Story: Iran's New Oil Deals Stir Backlash as London Summit Is Canceled - Bloomberg Activists appeal to UN leader in case of missing Iranian student 01/31/16 Source: Radio Zamaneh A group of activists has written an open letter to the UN Secretary General urging him to follow up on the fate of Saeed Zinali, an Iranian student missing since the incidents at Tehran University dorms in 1999. Saeed Zinali's parents with a photo of him Saeed Zinali, a student in the computer engineering program, was arrested on July 14 at his home following the student protests of 1999. His parents and sister witnessed the arrest by three plainclothes officers and a "simple questioning". Akram Neghabi, Zinali's mother, has been going to judicial, military and security offices with a photo of her son to enquire about him, and the last response to her enquiries came in an implicit statement from judiciary spokesman Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejei, who said he might be missing. Mohseni Ejei said that there has been some effort to find evidence of Zinali's alleged arrest ,but they have been able to find no direct concrete documents. He said: "There is no evidence establishing this arrest." Even though Saeed Zinali was arrested in the security-laden atmosphere of the attacks on the Tehran University dorm in 1999, the Zinali family has no documented proof of his arrest by the security forces, and so far their claims have been completely denied by the authorities. After his arrest, only once did Saeed Zinali reportedly contact his home by phone and ask his family to follow up on his arrest. This was the family's last contact with him, and 17 years later his fate remains unknown. Six months after the arrest, an individual identifying himself as a prison official contacted the family and informed them that Saeed was fine. However, after that they received no more information. The recent letter to Ban Ki-moon provides this information and states that the family's efforts to find their son have made no headway through Iranian judicial channels; therefore, they are trying to now pursue international channels. They write that according to the Zinali family, a number of officials have told them verbally that Saeed ZInali was arrested by the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) intelligence forces but they were not prepared to sign an affidavit confirming their statements. During those 17 years, the Zinali family has reportedly been threatened, interrogated and detained on several occasions to stop them from pursuing the matter. The letter also refers to another detained student, Fareshteh Alizadeh, who was arrested 17 years ago and has gone missing since them. Her mother spent years going between security and judiciary offices and finally passed away. The letter maintains that "those kidnapped and gone missing without a trace by security forces of the Islamic Republic are not limited to Saeed Zinali and Fereshteh Alizadeh. But today the mother of Saeed Zinali and we who have risen to her support urge you not remain silent toward this injustice." The signatories have also forwarded the letter to Ahmad Shaheed, the UN special rapporteur on human rights, and the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. If you follow Google relatively closely, you probably know about Project Loon, an effort to provide Internet access to those in rural areas or affected by natural disasters using LTE-equipped balloons. According to a new report from The Guardian, Project Loon has some company. As part of another project, called Project Skybender, Google is experimenting with a fleet of solar-powered drones equipped with a new, super-high-speed wireless broadband technology thats up to 40 times faster than LTE. Project Skybender has been shrouded in secrecy until now, with tests being conducted high above the New Mexico desert. As part of the tests, Google is using an experimental new technology known as millimeter-wave radio, which, according to The Guardian, could underpin next generation 5G wireless internet access. The story behind the story: Although Project Skybender is new to us, Googles interest in millimeter-wave radio technology is not. In 2014, the company filed paperwork with the FCC in which Google laid out plans to test the up-and-coming wireless technology in San Mateo, California. Google had apparently been looking into millimeter-wave radio tech for at least two years prior to that, our Mark Hachman reported at the time. Millimeter-wave technology has a long way to go until its ready for prime time, thoughits range is limited compared to LTE, as The Guardian notes in its report. Fruit of the (Project) Loon? The Guardian notes that Project Loon and Project Skybender both fall under the purview of Google Access, the same group responsible for Google Fiber, which ReCode profiled back in November. Beyond that, the relationship between the two projects is unclear: Is Skybender the eventual successor to Project Loon? Will the two projects eventually become one? For most of us, the answer to those questions dont really matter. Googles work toward expanding broadbands reach does matter, however, and itll be interesting to see how it develops from here. If you are a OneDrive user and want to keep your 15GB of free storage, you have only a few hours left to ensure your OneDrive space doesnt disappear on you. In November, Microsoft announced that it was reducing its free OneDrive plan from 15GB of storage to 5GB. A sizable backlash ensued, and Microsoft offered 15GB of free storage plus 15GB of Camera Roll storage to existing OneDrive users. The catch? You need to claim your free 15GB, and todayJanuary 31stis your last day to grab your extra free storage. Youll see this screen once you secure your free 15GB os storage. To make sure you dont lose your 15GB, youll need to head over to a special page on Microsofts OneDrive site. Click Keep your free storage, sign in with your Microsoft account, and follow the onscreen instructions. Once youre done, youll get a screen confirming that youll keep your 15GB of storage plus 15GB of Camera Roll space. The story behind the story: The change in free OneDrive plans was part of a larger rejiggering of Microsofts cloud storage plans. Along with reduced free storage, Microsoft also discontinued unlimited storage for Office 365 home subscribers (replacing it with 1TB), discontinued the paid 100GB and 200GB OneDrive plans, and introduced a new $1.99-per-month 50GB OneDrive plan. When it announced the changes, Microsoft cited some users who backed up massive amounts of data to OneDrive as justification for cutting storage plans, saying that it want[ed] to remain focused on delivering high-value productivity and collaboration experiences that benefit the majority of OneDrive users. Although the company cut free users a break, Microsoft did not offer a similar keep your space offer to paid OneDrive users. Journalist James Fallows spent more than two years traveling the country with his reporter wife learning about the different ways cities resolve their problems and foster renewal, lessons that he thinks the federal government could apply. That assignment took him to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the shores of Lake Superior and the fertile fields of Californias Central Valley, among other places. On Saturday, Jan. 30, Fallows and his wife, Deborah, visited the Inland region for the American Futures conference at the University of Redlands, along with the mayors of some of those cities they chronicled. The timing was no accident. Fallows cover story detailing his findings appears in the February edition of The Atlantic due to hit newstands soon. And the Inland Empire merited more than a casual mention. Of note, is that Fallows, 66, grew up in Redlands. The genesis of the project, Fallows explained, was work that he and his wife did in China, where they would hop on a bus or train to the hinterlands of the worlds most populous nation to report on how locally held views jibed with those of the countrys urban centers, Shanghai and Beijing. When we came back we thought it was worth trying to have a similar perspective in the U.S., said Fallows. How does the D.C. narrative, the New York narrative, match the way people are dealing with problems in Duluth, or in Greenville, or in Sioux Falls, or in Fresno or in San Bernardino. Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey spoke as part of Saturdays program and participated in panel discussions with a handful of other mayors of cities that Fallows visited: Don Ness of Duluth, Minn.; Ashley Swearengin of Fresno; Nan Whaley of Dayton, Ohio; and Knox White of Greenville, S.C. I believe everything rises and falls on leadership, and mayors are the leaders of their cities, said Bailey. Theyre the point people. So its a great experience to be able to learn from other mayors. Each mayor was also allotted some time to talk about their city. A common thread running through those stories was the efforts made to revitalize their individual downtown areas. The article includes a sidebar titled Eleven Signs a City Will Succeed. No. 5 is: They have a downtown. Bailey said when he met with Fallows they ate and then he showed him Riverside. I took him on the mayors walking tour of downtown: the top of city hall, Mission Inn, convention center, Main Street, the justice center, said Bailey. Fallows and his wife made extended visits, which he described as usually at least two weeks, to two dozen cities and shorter trips to another two dozen cities, according to the article. In all, they covered 54,000 miles in their single-engine airplane piloted by Fallows. Fallows shared some observations on the repective paths taken by the Inland Empires largest cities, Riverside and San Bernardino. They are cities Fallows has known since his youth. They are superficially similar but theyve always been different, said Fallows. San Bernardino was a railroad town, and all that. Riverside was first a citrus town and then a university town. Riversides success, said Fallows, can be traced to the fact it is considered a nice place to live without relying on urban sprawl to create desirable neighborhoods, its work in revitalizing a declining downtown, and its leveraging of the university and local medical technology sector to spur economic growth. Its on a path that others have used or are working on, said Fallows. Contact the writer: 951-368-9682 or tsheridan@pressenterprise.com BRUSSELS (AP) In the last quarter century, at least 2,297 journalists and media staff have been killed for doing nothing more than trying to inform the world on war, revolution, crime and corruption. And killers continue to act with impunity, the International Federation of Journalists announced in a new report. The annual total stood at 40 in the federations first year of counting, 1990, but has not dipped under the 100-mark since 2010. The last ten years were the most dangerous, said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger in an interview, with 2006 the worst year of all with 155 killed. And despite vows of protection from as high as the United Nations, the IFJ said it produced the report 25 years of contribution towards safer journalism to underscore a worsening climate of impunity which has helped killers get away with murder and turn journalists into soft targets. The IFJ estimates that only one of ten killings is investigated, the report said, with actual convictions lower still. That is the diplomatic issue. Lets stop the impunity that protects the killers, Bellanger said. The 79-page report will be made public next week, but The Associated Press obtained a copy ahead of a debate Monday at the British Parliament on deaths of professional and citizen journalists in conflict zones. The IFJ will also take the report to a major UNESCO meeting in Paris next Thursday devoted to the same issue. We bring this report to show to all that it really is time to do something about it, said Bellanger. Last year stood out for the attacks on the Paris office of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, where two Islamic extremists killed 12 people at the satirical newspapers office. The IFJs total tally of the year stood at 112. The IFJ says it bases its information on a variety of sources, including national affiliates in about 140 nations, police sources and political reports. It has published annual reports since 1990, focusing on the killings of journalists and media staff in work-related incidents. The totals center on deaths of media professionals in targeted assassinations, cross fire incidents and bomb attacks. Beyond the sustained high totals, Bellanger said that there is also a disturbing trend in which kidnappers who seize journalists kill them, all too often without even seeking ransom. The targeting of journalists has continued unabated this year too. Earlier this month, a suicide car bomb attack in the Afghan capital, Kabul, targeted a bus owned by Afghanistans biggest media organization, Moby Group and a Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility saying Mobys Tolo TV was the target. Seven media workers were killed. Over the past 25 years, Iraq has topped the list of most dangerous countries, the scene of 309 killings, the overwhelming majority of them since the 2003 U.S. led invasion and war. In second place is the Philippines, with 146 killings, while Mexico and its drugs-related violence is third with 120. Those two nations also underscore the IFJs recurring finding of our reports that there are many more killed in peacetime situations than in war-stricken countries. Follow Raf Casert on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/rcasert Missing Blacksburg Teen Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Mary Pettitt, left, and Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson listen to questions during a news conference Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016, in Blacksburg Va. Blacksburg Police have arrested and charged a Virginia Tech Student with felony abduction in relation to the disappearance of 13-year-old Nicole Madison Lovell. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP) Nicole Madison Lovell BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- A Virginia Tech student has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 13-year-old girl whose remains were found in North Carolina. Police in Blacksburg, Virginia said late Saturday that Nicole Madison Lovell's body was found in Surry County, North Carolina. David Eisenhauer, an 18-year-old Virginia Tech student from Columbia, Maryland, has been charged with murder in the death. Police are working with the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, the FBI office in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office to gather more information, according to Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson. He said Lovell's body was to be taken to the medical examiner's office in Roanoke. "This has been an extremely fast-paced investigation in just the past 12 hours," Wilson said at a news conference late Saturday. The Roanoke Times newspaper quoted Wilson as saying that Eisenhauer has not confessed to involvement in Lovell's death and did not give police information that led to the discovery of her body. No information was given on how Lovell and Eisenhauer had initially made contact with each other. Police initially charged Eisenhauer with abduction. He was charged with murder once the girl's remains were found. David Eisenhauer The girl had been missing since last week. Her family says she pushed a dresser in front of her bedroom door and climbed out a window Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. The newspaper cited an online biography of Eisenhauer that described him as a standout track and field athlete in high school. He was a three-time state champion in track and also competed in cross country, finishing second in the state both his junior and senior years. He was a first-team, all-state choice in cross country and a second-team All-Southeast Region selection, the biography stated. Virginia Tech said on its website that Eisenhauer was a freshman engineering major at the school and that hundreds of students and researchers had assisted in the search for Lovell. Virginia Tech president Tim Sands said the case left the school community "in a state of shock and sadness." "Speaking on behalf of our community, let me say that our hearts go out to Nicole's family and friends," he said in a statement posted to the school's website. Penn Mile Stakes at Penn National Race Course The Penn Mile Stakes, held at Penn National Race Course on May 30, 2015. James Robinson, PennLive.com (James Robinson) The lawyer for a former Penn National Race Course official who is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to charges in a race-rigging scheme is urging a federal judge not to send his client to prison. Prison would ruin Craig Lytel's already precarious health, attorney Frank Sluzis contends, and incarceration isn't necessary because the Hershey man regrets his wrongdoing and will be banned from horse racing for life. Sluzis made those arguments in a memorandum filed recently to U.S. Middle District Chief Judge Christopher C. Conner, who is scheduled to sentence Lytel in February. The 61-year-old Lytel was charged in September and pleaded guilty to wire fraud for accepting money and other gifts in exchange for providing inside information to horse trainers so they could enter their steeds in races they were likely to win. The accusations against Lytel stemmed from an ongoing probe by the FBI and the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission into corruption at the Dauphin County track. Several arrests of trainers, a timer and veterinarians have resulted from that investigation. http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/09/penn_national_race_course_offi.html Lytel, a 30-year veteran of the horse racing industry, worked for Penn National from May 2011 to last September, when he was fired following his arrest. In his plea for leniency, Sluzis notes that a federal probation report recommends a prison term of 4 to 10 months in Lytel's case, based partly on a claim by the U.S. Attorney's Office that the fraud involved a loss of $6,500 to $15,000. Lytel contends the loss was actually less than $2,000, which would put him in probation range, according to Sluzis . He claims Lytel, who now works as a personal fitness trainer, has numerous ailments that would be exacerbated if he is jailed. Since pleading guilty, Lytel has been "nothing short of a law-abiding person," his attorney contends. "Mr. Lytel has accepted full responsibility for his actions and is remorseful," Sluzis claims. A 22-year-old Lebanon man was charged on Sunday after police say he shot his girlfriend in the arm, the treatment of which ended up requiring an amputation. But according to the Lebanon City Police Department, the couple at first told police that two men had broken into their home and fired at them. Eric Joppy is facing charges of aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, false reports and tampering with evidence. According to police, the incident occurred like this: Lebanon police were dispatched to the 300 block of North 12th Street around 7:14 p.m. Saturday after receiving a report of shots fired. Police found a 26-year-old Lebanon woman with a gunshot wound to her right forearm. She lives at the home with Joppy, and both told police two men broke into their apartment from the attic. One of the men had a shotgun and fired at them, hitting the woman in the arm, they told police, adding the intruders then fled the home - one through the attic and the other through the balcony door. The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment, resulting in the amputation of her right hand and part of her right arm. But the investigation revealed it was actually Joppy who shot the victim and hid the shotgun before police arrived. Police obtained a warrant for Joppy, who turned himself in on Sunday. He was arraigned and placed in Lebanon County Prison on $500,000 bail. Police did not identify the victim. Senate candidates Left to right: Democrats John Fetterman, Katie McGinty and Joe Sestak; Incumbent Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. (File photos) By Tony May U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, the scrappy conservative turned centrist, may well have the weight of the national Republican Party resting on his shoulders as he enters his first bid for re-election this year. Tony May With a 54-44-2 advantage over the Democrats in the Senate, the GOP will have to mess up royally to lose control of the "upper chamber" this year. The absolute turmoil in the GOP race for the White House, though, suggests that the top of the ticket may not only lack coattails; it may lack a coat. Toomey won in 2010 over former Congressman Joe Sestak by only two percentage points. But there was no top of the ticket effect to muddy the waters. For most of last year, Toomey was looking good with the prospect of another matchup with the retired admiral from Delaware County. Katie McGinty, then chief of staff to Gov. Tom Wolf, resigned to enter the Democratic race - followed not too much later by iconoclastic Braddock, Pa. Mayor John Fetterman. A survey released last week by Harper Polling shows that Sestak - at 33 percent to McGinty at 28 percent and Fetterman at 11 - is no sure thing to win the right to oppose Toomey (something that Toomey was really counting on). The national picture is equally muddled. Will Donald Trump prevail in his takeover of the GOP? And will he be running against Hillary Clinton in the fall or Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist from Ben and Jerry-land? And will it matter who the GOP presidential nominee is since Pennsylvanians love to vote blue in presidential years? What's also unclear is how much the winds of change represented by the Trump-Sanders phenomenon will be manifested in voter behavior in Senate races Right now, there are questions about the electability of Republicans in seven states - Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Democrats may not be easy victors in California, Maryland and Nevada. Five or six Democratic victories could give the Senate back to the donkeys. It's not a slam dunk by any means, but the electoral road runs through Pennsylvania and Toomey will likely be carrying his own water without much if any help from the top of the ticket. The tight margin in this first poll of 2016 from Harper says volumes about the volatility of the Democratic primary. Before Fetterman entered the race ( in September 2015), Sestak led McGinty, 40-30. With 28 percent undecided in January and a polling margin of error of plus or minus 3.81 percent, the race is theoretically winnable by any of the three. Sestak's lead is more skewed by geography with most of his advantage rolling up in his home territory of Southeast Pennsylvania and a slight advantage in the Northern Tier. McGinty, who was an environmental advisor to Bill Clinton when he was President, has the advantage of being the only woman in the race. Money --- and the ability to raise it - will end up being a key factor in the Democratic primary since McGinty will have to overcome Sestak's lead in the Southeast and Fetterman's relative strength in the Southwest. All of this suggests that Toomey will need to find some coattails. Tom Corbett won the governor's race in 2010 with 54.5 percent of the vote over Dan Onorato while Toomey squeezed out a 51-49 advantage over Sestak. Could Toomey get that much help from Trump? Or Cruz? Or Rubio? It will be a long and costly 10 months. PAT TOOMEY ART.jpeg U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. (PennLive file) ((PennLive file)) By Charlie Gerow The race for the White House, which finally gets to the voters this week, has attracted the vast majority of attention thus far. Republican strategist Charlie Gerow (PennLive file) Quietly lurking not far below the surface is the vital race for control of the United Sates Senate. Republicans currently control the upper chamber by a 54-46 margin (two "independents" caucus with the Democrats). Several of those Republicans were elected in 2010, the famed "sea-change" election when Republicans ran up huge margins largely in reaction to the first two years of the Obama administration. They also hailed from states that Obama had carried two years earlier and that have a history of voting Democratic in presidential election years. One of the prime examples of that group is our U.S. Senator, Pat Toomey. In 2010, Toomey won election by two points over former Congressman Joe Sestak who's again running for the post. The "metrics" of the race may not look real good for Toomey. Democrats begin statewide races with a million vote registration lead in The Keystone State. Furthermore, Pennsylvania has historically voted Democrat in presidential elections (Republicans haven't won here over a quarter of a century.) If "coattails" still exist, Toomey could be in trouble--at least on paper. That's why we have elections. Voters make their decisions based on the records of the candidates and the connection they see them having to their needs, concerns and values. That's where pat Toomey gains his advantage. Pat Toomey served the Lehigh Valley in Congress for six years, leaving the House of Representatives because of a term limit pledge he made when he first ran. Just as when he served in the House, Toomey in the Senate has been a notable champion for policies of economic growth and a thriving economy. He was able to do things that few freshman have accomplished. He often worked across the aisle to get things done. Toomey was a key architect of the JOBS Act, that is helping small businesses, the creator of most jobs, expand and flourish. Toomey has led the way in promoting national security and winning the fight against terrorism. Recently he's been in the vanguard to maintain sanctions on Iran. For several years Toomey led the fight against "passing the trash"--the horrific practice of schools helping child molesters find jobs elsewhere--and he won. Toomey also developed a good working relationship with the state's Democratic Senator, Bob Casey. Although they don't agree on many issues, their ability to work together for the best interests of Pennsylvania is a huge boost to the commonwealth. Control of the U.S. Senate is at stake. Pivotal races where Republicans hold seats in sates that traditionally vote Democratic in presidential years will be expensive and at the center of media attention. Pennsylvania is a must win state for Democrats if they are to recapture control of the Senate. It's going to be a pitched battle. One giant piece of the equation is which Democrat will make it through a contentious primary to face Toomey in the fall. Former Congressman Joe Sestak never stopped running after Toomey beat him six years ago. He's somehow managed to alienate a lot of Democrats along the way. He's so objectionable to many Democratic leaders that they cast a wide net to come up with an alternative candidate to Sestak. They finally caught Katie McGinty, who quite as Tom Wolf's chief of staff to get into the race. McGinty is affable, but to the left side of the electorate and saddled with the unpopular budget failures of the Wolf administration. Shorty after McGinty got into the race she was joined by Braddock mayor John Fetterman. Fetterman is the wild card in the Democratic primary. A giant of a man, he looks like the doorman at a biker bar but is a Harvard grad with great personal story. He'll get a ton of "earned media" and could be the sleeper in the primary. But his support of socialist Bernie Sanders wouldn't play well in a general election despite his charming personality. A recent Harper Poll still has Sestak leading the race with 33 percent compared to McGinty's 28 percent and Fetterman's 11 percent. Look for those numbers to change a lot before the April primary. Based on the numbers, it's still an uphill fight for Toomey. But "metrics" don't decide elections. Records do. Toomey deserves re-election. He's likely to get it. Former New York City Mayor David Dinkins speaks during a funeral service for Abe Vigoda in New York, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. The actor who played Phil Fish on the 1970s TV series "Barney Miller" and Sal Tessio in the classic movie "The Godfather" was mourned at a funeral Sunday in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Nate Parker, the star, director and producer of "The Birth of a Nation," holds aloft the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award for the film during the 2016 Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016, in Park City, Utah. The film also won the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic award. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Its been a huge night for Idris Elba! The actor took home the 2016 Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or miniseries for his role in Luther on Saturday night. The award was presented by Brie Larson and Elbas 9-year-old fellow nominee Jacob Tremblay, who adorably remembered his first nomination for this years Room. Two wins in one night, thats incredible said Elba, 43, in his acceptance speech, referencing his earlier win for best actor in Beasts of No Nation. I want to shout out my beautiful children. When dad goes away, I think about you so much. Elba also thanked the shows writer, Neil Cross, commenting on his ability to write such a dark show from a room in New Zealand. Check out PEOPLEs full 2016 SAG Awards coverage and complete winners list! Elba who was honored by both the film and TV branches of the Screen Actors Guild in the midst of the #OscarSoWhite controversy surrounding the Academy for the lack of diversity among this years acting nominees was nominated alongside Tut star Ben Kingsley, Texas Risings Ray Liotta, Bill Murray for A Very Murray Christmas and Wolf Halls Mark Rylance. Last year, Mark Ruffalo won the category for his performance in The Normal Heart, Ryan Murphys TV adaptation of Larry Kramers 1985 play about the beginning of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York. The 22nd annual SAG Awards were presented live Saturday from Los Angeles on TNT and TBS. Queen Latifah won the Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or miniseries Saturday night. Oh my God, Im in shock right now, thank you so much, she said in her acceptance speech. I am in shock right now, I shouldnt be, but I am. Thank you mom and dad for believing in me and telling me I could achieve anything if I just believed in myself. She continued, And I hope that anyone out there who does not come in the package that people say you should, keep fighting for it, flip those rocks over, keep pushing, keep turning, you can do it. You build your own boxes. Check out PEOPLEs full 2016 SAG Awards coverage and complete winners list! The triple threat also told reporters in the press room: Im just shocked and happy. Im stunned, very happy and blessed. The Bessie star, 45, beat out Nicole Kidman (Grace of Monaco), Christina Ricci (The Lizzie Borden Chronicles), Susan Sarandon (The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe) and Kristen Wiig (The Spoils Before Dying) for the honor. Last year, Frances McDormand won the category for her titular role in Olive Kitteridge. With reporting by PATRICK GOMEZ The 22nd annual SAG Awards were presented live from Los Angeles on TNT and TBS. The hottest couple alive made their marriage award-show official. Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello took to the red carpet for the first time as a married couple at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday night. The Modern Family star, who shared a nomination with her castmates for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series, chose a custom Vera Wang Collection gown for the special night. The fuchsia strapless dress featured corset details and a side slit. Vergara, 43, wore her luscious locks down and accessorized with a matching pink Jimmy Choo clutch and David Webb jewels. The sweet couple who were among the last to arrive tied the knot at The Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Florida, in November. Check out PEOPLEs complete 2016 SAG Awards coverage and find out what time the SAG Awards will air, including the red carpet pre-show! The pair first got together in July 2014, shortly after Manganiello, 39, raved about the actress in an interview with PEOPLE for the Hottest Bachelors issue. The 22nd annual SAG Awards are being presented live and airing on both TNT and TBS. Six medicines have taken a giant leap closer to European approval after being endorsed by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use. First up, Bristol-Myers Squibbs immunotherapy Empliciti (elotuzumab) has been recommended after an accelerated review as a treatment for the generally incurable blood cancer multiple myeloma. The drug should be used in combination with lenalidomide (Celgenes Revlimid) and the anti-inflammatory medicine dexamethasone for the treatment of patients who have received at least one prior therapy. The CHMPs recommendation is based on Phase III data showing that in patients taking Empliciti as well as lenalidomide/dexamethasone the disease progressed more slowly (difference in medians of 4.2 months) than in those taking the latter regimen alone. In addition, 78.5% of patients taking Empliciti with lenalidomide/dexamethasone saw a complete or partial shrinkage of their tumours compared to 65.5% of those in the lenalidomide/dexamethasone arm. The most common side effects of the drug were found to be infusion-related reactions, diarrhoea, cough, herpes zoster, nasopharyngitis, pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infection, lymphopenia and weight loss. A marketing authorisation was also recommended for Bio Products Coagadex (human coagulation factor X), potentially the first specific replacement therapy to treat the rare and inherited bleeding disorder factor X deficiency. Coagadex is indicated for the treatment and preventive management of bleeding episodes and the control of bleeding during surgical procedures in patients with hereditary factor X deficiency. A Phase III study evaluated the treatment of a total of 207 spontaneous bleeds in 16 patients with moderate or severe factor X deficiency and demonstrated an effective response (excellent or good in 98.8% of the bleeds treated). Elsewhere, Actelions orphan drug Uptravi (selexipag) was put forward for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH is a progressive disease caused by the narrowing or tightening of the pulmonary arteries around the heart, causing symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, weakness and angina. While options are available to address these symptoms there is currently no treatment that slows progression or cures the disease, and fewer than 40% of patients live beyond five years of diagnosis. According to the Phase III GRIPHON study, Uptravi decreased the risk of a morbidity/mortality event versus placebo by 40% with efficacy consistent across different subgroups (gender, age, etc). Three generic medicines by Mylan also received CHMP backing: Amlodipine-Valsartan Mylan (amlodipine/valsartan) for the treatment of essential hypertension; Rasagiline Mylan (rasagiline) for the treatment of idiopathic Parkinsons disease; and Zonisamide Mylan (zonisamide) for the treatment of partial seizures, with or without secondary generalisation. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Paul Krugman has entered the healthcare reform fray on behalf of Hillary Clinton, a fact which will no doubt disappoint many progressives. In a op-ed titled Health Reform Realities, Krugman argues that though Obamacare is a kludge: a somewhat awkward, clumsy device with lots of moving parts, it works: Health reform is the signature achievement of the Obama presidency. It was the biggest expansion of the social safety net since Medicare was established in the 1960s. It more or less achieves a goal access to health insurance for all Americans that progressives have been trying to reach for three generations. And it is already producing dramatic results, with the percentage of uninsured Americans falling to record lows. In other words, the Affordable Care Act was a big win for us against Republicans, who fought any reform at all. Most will remember the failed Bill Clinton attempt to get healthcare reform done during his administration. As Krugman puts it, The question for progressives a question that is now central to the Democratic primary is whether these failings mean that they should re-litigate their own biggest political success in almost half a century, and try for something better. Most Democrats probably agree that single payer is better than what we have. It is what most of us wanted to begin with, after all. But how practical is it as a goal? Krugman reminds us that we barely got Obamacare even with a Democratic controlled Senate. If single payer had been a possibility, we would already have it. But we dont. This is a big bone of contention now between Sanders and Clinton. Jason Easley wrote here regarding the Democratic debate: Former Sec. of State Clintons argument is that the country should not tear up with Affordable Care Act and start over again with a new debate would set the country back. Bernie Sanders argued that his Medicare for all plan would cover the 29 million people who still dont have healthcare. Sanders said what this debate is really about is whether we have the guts to stand up to the health insurance industry and the pharmaceutical companies. Clinton pointed out that during the ACA debate Democrats could not get support for the public option. Clinton clearly has been shaped by her experience in the 1990s of trying to pass healthcare reform. The debate within the Democratic Party comes down to whether Democrats should stay on ACA path or take a shot at Medicare for all. In Krugmans opinion, the candidates should focus their main efforts on other issues. You know, those we havent already won, even if the victory was not all we had hoped for. Krugman lists the many problems with pushing for single payer, including the massive influence of the insurance companies, the necessity of raising taxes to pay for it not only the rich but the middle class and the disruption to people who already have insurance they are satisfied with. Krugman makes a powerful argument when he says progressives must set some priorities, and calls Sanders goal of single payer a quixotic attempt at a do-over, not of a political failure, but of health reform their biggest victory in many years. Any president only has so much political capital. There are battles we havent fought and won to any degree whatsoever that it might make more reasonable objectives for an incoming president. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump is doing his best to kiss up to the Ted Cruz religious fanatic crowd, those who see America as a theocracy. Trump is a rock star among white supremacists but he wants to appeal not only to people who hate people on account of their skin color but who hate people on account of their religion, or their lifestyle. So where better to go than Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, founded by the Moral Majoritys Jerry Falwell and home to 14,000 souls ready for harvesting. After all, the students are required to attend. No liberty there. So he had a crowd of 10,000 on hand (which he duly bragged about) when he said, Christianity, its under siege. If you have the stomach for it, here is the entire convocation courtesy of Right Side Broadcasting: The only problem is Trumps religious awkwardness, his familiarity with little crackers and little wine and waving around a Bible hes never cracked open to read. The results were predictable: he flubbed his appeal to scripture. Two Corinthians, 3:17, thats the whole ballgame, he said, messing up the verse. Its supposed to be referred to as Second Corinthians. You know, by people who actually read their Bibles. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (NRSV). Now you know what happens when Obama appeals to the Bible. Republicans go nuts. Like a week ago, when Rep. Dave Brat (R-VA) went on Sandy Rios show to complain about Obama using the Bible to criticize Republicans for opposing the resettlement of Syrian refugees by appealing to Jesus instructions to care for widows and orphans: Apparently they are scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America, said Obama. According to Brat, Obama is using the Christian tradition and trying to bring about compassion by bonking Republicans over the head with the Bible. Brat claims Obama is quoting Jesus: Well, people in the tradition know what that word means, right. Thats one of Jesus, he commands take care of those in prisons, the widows, the orphans. The problem is, that passage does not exist. There is plenty in the Bible about widows and orphans and Jesus even mentions prison in another passage (Matthew 25:35-40), but Brat invented that passage. Jesus never uttered those words. Yet for the overly sensitive Brat, who might want to peruse his own Bible, Its almost a comedy routine on what compassion and love is. Hes mocking his enemies in order to compel a larger federal state using the tradition of love. Ohwe didnt realize only the Religious Right can beat people about the head and shoulders with the Bible, or use it to mock their enemies. And its true. Brat actually told Rios that the conservative side needs to reeducate its people that we own the entire tradition of Christian love. Thats right. Unless you are a conservative side, you have no right to quote Jesus. Now to be fair, The Hill cites the entire incident without once referencing Jesus or the Bible. This is just Obama mocking Republicans for being literally afraid of widows and orphans. But thats now how the Religious Right saw it. And they think Obama had no right to go there. You know: facts. In December 2014 when Obama went to bat for immigrants, arguing they are actually saving Social Security, he said The good book says dont throw stones at glass houses, or make sure were looking at the log in our eye before we are pointing out the mote in other folks eyes. Immediately, cries went up that there is no such verse. Not once does Jesus mention glass houses they said. Funny, Jesus also doesnt mention gay people or abortion or contraception, or, for that matter, the Bible. (No one had penned a word of the New Testament yet, and it would take another four hundred years for the Christian canon to be settled and the Jewish canon was also being developed at this time and traditionally not closed until 70-90 CE, and possibly as late as the second century, many decades after Jesus death). As it happens, though Jesus didnt mention glass houses (a silly concept for the first century C.E.), Obama got the sense of it right. Obama understood the spirit of Jesus words. Something the Religious Right more often gets wrong than right. Trump, on the other hand, does not need to even know how to reference passages in the Bible, let alone be expected to use them correctly. This is the headline that greeted us at The Blaze Sunday: Two Corinthians: Trump Stumbles Over Bible Reference, But Still Wins Over Evangelical Crowd at Liberty University. Yes. Thats right. Trump got a standing ovation for flubbing his attempt to cite a passage from the Bible. For Obama getting Jesus right we see things like Obama quotes nonexistent Bible verse in immigration speech. Obama is never going to win with these people. They attack him for not getting biblical passages right while inventing their own, and praise Trump for having the barest passing familiarity with the Bible at all. Ive pointed here to the Religious Rights moral relativism before, and this is just further evidence of it. The sad truth is the Bible and Jesus words can be twisted to mean anything Republicans want them to mean. A group that makes a living cherry-picking verses and inventing others has no right to criticize somebody who, if they dont get the words exactly right, at least understands what was meant. President Barack Obama, at least, has good intentions. He gets Jesus. Republicans, on the other hand, just want to use Jesus to do evil and to excuse their appalling words and deeds. Who better to rally around then but the men who embody appalling, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz? Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Sarah Palin has laid the blame for her sons violent behavior getting drunk, beating up his girlfriend, and threatening to shoot himself on President Obama. Trump now says he agrees. He told CNN host Don Lemon on Wednesday: There was tremendous press and I think its something thats very important to discuss not even for her son, but for so many other sons and daughters that are coming back from the Middle East where they have, you know, traumatic problems, they have tremendous problems and I told her. I actually suggested. I think I said I think it would be a great forum. And I know, she started the dialogue. I think its a very important dialogue. Because she told me that theyre coming back, so many are coming back and they are, you know, theyre under tremendous pressure and tremendous strain. Theres no question about it. Watch courtesy of CNN (Track Palin comes up at the 19:30 mark): Then Lemon obligingly gave Trump the opening he was looking for: Do you think its fair to link the president with her sons issues? Oh, I think so. Look, you know, everything starts at the top and hes the president. And I think you can certainly do that. From what I understand, they just and all you have to do is look at the Veterans Administration, look at the bad, the horrible care our vets get. Of course, Trump says he will fix all this maybe between one of his divorces/remarriages and/or bankruptcies: One of the many things Im going to do is Im going to straighten that mess out. You take a look at the Phoenix Veterans Administration in Phoenix, Arizona. Its a disgrace. Its a cesspool. Its dishonest. Its corrupt in every way, its incompetent. But more I think frankly, I think its more dishonest than incompetent. But you look at this is true all over the country. And I think its a good thing and you have to say ultimately, its the presidents charge, its the presidents responsibility. He has to make sure that Veterans Administration works, but it doesnt. Our vets are being treated horribly. However, as CNNs Donna Brazile has observed, it is Republicans in the House of Representatives who have cut more than $1.4 billion in funding Obama had wanted for veterans services. Leave it to Trump to support stupid with more stupid. If he is not the most ill-informed man in America, it is only because he is standing with Sarah Palin. Trump is the ultimate opportunist, adapting to the long-standing Republican position of attacking Obama for everything and blaming Obama for everything while thanking him for nothing. To suggest that the president is to blame for Palins sons poor behavior and apparently appallingly defective upbringing, that he is to blame while Palin is not, defies all logic. Whatever happened to the Republican focus on personal responsibility? Is Track Palin in no way responsible for his own actions? Its not like the kid was an angel before he joined the army, any more than Palin herself has ever been the biblical Esther. Sarah Palin opened her mouth and stupid came out. Trump, apparently, felt obliged to keep up with the Palins, and thats a losing proposition every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Ted Cruzs Christian dominionist father, Rafael Cruz, said in an interview on Breitbart News Daily Thursday that public education is a communist plot. And not only that, but he falsely claimed the public school system was created by a member of the American Communist Party, John Dewey who happens to have been a staunch anti-communist. Take a listen courtesy of Right Wing Watch: Dewey was so anti-communist in fact that he not only founded the Committee for Cultural Freedom an anti-communist organization but said known Communists should not be permitted to teach children. It seems Rafael Cruz is as ignorant of American history as any Barton-era Republican, where willful ignorance is the norm. His ignorance is even further pronounced by repeating the false claim that common core is the federal government imposing its will on the states. According to the elder Cruz, Common Core is about redefining education, redefining history and attempting to brainwash kids with a secularist view of history which denies the fundamental principles that have made America great. On a broader scale, his claims become even more interesting when you consider the fact that a public education was the idea of the Founding Fathers, not Karl Marx. The Founding Fathers believed in education. Gordon S. Wood writes in The Idea of America (2011): Unlike in England where conservative aristocrats opposed educating the masses for fear of breeding dissatisfied employees and social instability, American elites wholeheartedly endorsed education for ordinary people. American leaders issues a torrent of speeches and writings on the importance of popular education that has rarely been matched in American history or in the history of any other country.[1] Speaking on the House floor in 1792, James Madison said the education of children, establishing in like manner schools throughout the Union were provisions for the general welfare. Not, it might be noted, a communist plot. Adams wrote that, The whole people must take upon themselves the education of the whole people and be willing to bear the expenses of it. There should not be a district of one mile square, without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the public expense of the people themselves. In his Thoughts on Government (1776), Adams argued that no expense should be spared: Laws for the liberal education of youth, especially of the lower class of people, are so extremely wise and useful, that, to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant. Remember how Rafael Cruz attacked secular education? None other than Jefferson wanted to sever the links between church and school and put education in the hands of political authorities, and he wanted a secular, liberal arts education to replace theology.[2] Jefferson argued for public education in his Notes on the State of Virginia (1782): The ultimate result of the whole scheme of education would be the teaching all the children of the state reading, writing, and common arithmeticInstead therefore of putting the Bible and Testament into the hands of the children, at an age when their judgments are not sufficiently matured for religious enquiries, their memories may here be stored with the most useful facts from Grecian, Roman, European and American history Jefferson wrote to Uriah Forrest in 1787, Educate and inform the whole mass of the people They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty. And it was not the Church, he said, that should be responsible for this education. A year earlier he had written to Wythe Paris: Preach, my dear Sir, a crusade against ignorance; establish & improve the law for educating the common people. Let our countrymen know that the people alone can protect us against these evils, and that the tax which will be paid for this purpose is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests & nobles who will rise up among us if we leave the people in ignorance. George Washington also understood the value of public education, and argued for it in a letter to George Chapman in 1784: Of the importance of education our Assemblies, happily, seem fully impressed; they establishing new, and giving further endowments to the old Seminaries of learning, and I persuade myself will leave nothing unessayed to cultivate literature and useful knowledge, for the purpose of qualifying the rising generation for patrons of good government, virtue and happiness. Assemblies in the new nation were giving endowments public money for public education. Where o where did this money come from? Thats right. Taxes. In other words, the government. Which is not synonymous with communism. It is pretty clear that Rafael should stick to religion. He clearly did not bother to learn any American history when he arrived here, or if he did, has chosen to blatantly ignore it. The Founding Fathers the guys who gave us this country were very clear on the need for publicly funded schools to education our children, without which we would not remain free. Rafael Cruz told Breitbarts Stephen K. Bannon that It was the church that elected Ronald Reagan in 1980, and we can do it again, not only comparing his son to Ronald Reagan but also falsely claiming a victory for the Religious Right that was not in fact their victory. Still, given what you see here, its a rather frightening image, and it is Rafaels goal: to put his religious-extremist son and not some other religious extremist in the White House. Never mind that even Reagan would blanch at some of the things coming out of Teds mouth. The very fact that freedom-hating Republican demagogues now want to deprive us of publicly funded schools, to take money away from the colleges the Founding Fathers lavished their attention upon, and upon which they expressed their hopes for Americas future, only goes to show how wise and prescient they were. Notes: [1] Gordon S. Wood. The Idea of America: Reflections on the Birth of the United States (The Penguin Press, 2011), p. 281. [2] Darren Staloff, The politics of pedagogy: Thomas Jefferson and the education of a democratic citizenry, in The Cambridge Companion to Thomas Jefferson, ed. Frank Shuffleton (Cambridge University Press, 2009), 134. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print It is human nature to be disappointed when an opponent in any endeavor garners support, or an endorsement, that one thinks they deserve. It is petty, though, when that disappointment translates into what plainly appears as sour grapes and worse when it leads to obvious misstatements to devalue the support your opponent received. That seems to be precisely the case after the Human Rights Campaign endorsed Hillary Clinton instead of Bernie Sanders. It is interesting that presidential candidate Bernie Sanders appears to be as aggrieved that the countrys largest LGBT rights group endorsed his opponent as his passionate supporters. Of course Senator Sanders is not accusing the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) of being paid by the Clinton campaign, being shills for Wall Street or Goldman Sachs in particular, or just generally hating Bernie Sanders. The Sanders campaign claim that they do not need HRCs support because he has a strong record on gay rights; something the HRC readily acknowledges as a fact. What cannot be acknowledged as completely truthful is a statement by Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs who was a little more than irritated that HRC did not endorse his boss. He claimed that Senator Sanders has been way ahead of everyone in America in being a staunch advocate for same-sex marriage. As proof, Briggs cited the senators support for civil unions in Vermont in 2000. Except that civil unions are not the same as marriage equality any more than a hammer is the same as a gun; but that does not seem to matter in this political climate. Briggs said that Sanders was a pioneer on this early version of gay marriage and has by far the most exemplary record on gay rights of any candidate ever in American history. That statement lacks veracity on a few points according to American history. The real pioneer for marriage equality was not Senator Sanders or Hillary Clinton; no matter what the Sanders campaign or his passionate supporters claim. That admirable distinction goes to Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) who dependably introduced a bill to repeal the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) in every session of Congress since 2009; an act that enraged right-wing religious groups at every turn and failed to garner much support even in the then-Democratically-controlled House or Senate. While it is true that Bernie Sanders says he is proud to be from Vermont that was the first state to allow civil unions in 2000, that occurred while he was a member of the U.S. Congress; he had no hand, pioneering or otherwise, in crafting or passing the states legislation. However, there is no doubt whatsoever that Senator Sanders did indeed support civil unions, but only for Vermont citizens. What is surprising, really, is that Sanders supported Vermonts civil unions for precisely the same reason he opposed DOMA in 1996; his staunch belief that equality or the lack thereof was the purview of each individual state, not the federal government. In 2006 Senator Sanders reiterated his support for civil unions, but not same-sex marriage and once again demurred to the Tenther position deferring to each state the purview to either allow, or deny, LGBT equality under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution; the same position held by several former Confederate states today. No-one in their right mind would claim Senator Sanders is not an ardent champion of equal and civil rights; he certainly is and his record cannot be argued. However, he was not a pioneer for marriage-equality. In fact, in 2000 a Vermont opinion columnist wrote that not only was the Vermont Independent not an advocate for marriage equality, he shunned talking about the issue like plague by avoiding the subject altogether. As the columnist put it in 2000, getting a straight answer from Sanders on gay marriage was like pulling teeth from a rhinoceros. Here is what Bernie supporters and likely some Sanders campaign people completely miss about the Human Rights Campaign; believe it or not, it is about so much more than just advocating for marriage equality. It is likely why the LGBT rights organization endorsed Hilary Clinton; even though she, like most Democrats including neophyte Sanders, went through an oft-cited evolution on the matter of same-sex marriage. Clinton has been a fierce advocate for LGBT (human) rights at home and worldwide as Secretary of State and it is likely, above all, the reason the Human Rights Campaign endorsed her; it is not like the HRC were unaware that the majority of the American people have evolved on the issue of marriage equality even while being strong advocates for LGBT rights. What the HRC likely took into account in endorsing Clinton was that within a couple of months as being confirmed as Secretary of State in 2009, she made huge strides in unilaterally changing the way the giant federal agency treated its employees. Her first move was to announce that gay diplomats would begin receiving the same benefits as their heterosexual counterparts; benefits that were previously denied because they were gay. Over the next few years as head of the State Department, Clinton was unrelenting in pushing for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality both at the State Department and around the world. In fact, apparently her emails released by the State Department show that she and her top advisers were exploring every way possible to move forward on the issue. No doubt the HRC was aware of Clintons work on LGBT rights at home and internationally when they made their endorsement decision. Remember, the marriage equality issue is settled and yet the HRC is still fighting for LGBT rights at home and abroad. In what was regarded as an historic speech in 2011 in Switzerland, Clinton declared that, Like being a woman, like being a racial, religious, tribal, or ethnic minority, being LGBT does not make you less human. And that is why gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights. Now this may seem like a declaration of the obvious in some parts of America in 2015, but on the world stage in 2011 it was huge to bring attention to the barbaric treatment of gays around the world the religious right support and want to impose on Americas LGBT community. It is disappointing that over a political endorsement a candidates campaign has to make absurd statements that are just too easy to refute. That Senator Sanders is an ardent champion of equal and civil rights for all Americans cannot possibly be disputed by anyone. But that he was the greatest pioneer for marriage equality or gay rights in American history is as easily debunked by his own record as it would have been if Hillary Clintons campaign had said it. For a campaign to make such a statement because a human rights organization endorsed your opponent is unbecoming of a human rights champion. It also gives the impression that the campaign knows very little about the Human Rights Campaign that has and continues working tirelessly for more than marriage equality they fought courageously to be enacted nationwide and not, as Senator Sanders said for years, should be left up to the states. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump announced Saturday from Sioux City, Iowa, that even shooting somebody would not cost him votes. Granted, Iowa always brings out the worst in Republican candidates, but seriously? Who says that? Trump does. Speaking of how loyal his supporters are, he proclaimed, I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldnt lose voters, OK? To laughter, he added, Its like its incredible. Watch courtesy of CNN: According to Trump, all his opponents are soft and apparently, too soft to just start shooting down people on the street. It hardly surprises anyone at this point if Trump is right, that his supporters are deranged enough to vote for him even if he starts gunning down innocent bystanders on the street. Or that they think the idea is funny, and not appalling. After the rally, CNN tried to get Trump to clarify his statement though it is difficult to imagine such a blunt statement requires any clarification but so far Trump has not responded. Maybe he thinks its a stupid question as well. Ted Cruz, Trumps now arch-rival, one of those people Trump said is soft, could only shake his head in response when told. I will let Donald speak for himself, Cruz responded. I can say I have no intention of shooting anybody in this campaign. Well, thats a relief. There is something to be said for men who are too soft to shoot down innocent people on the street. Very little to be said for those who will. Yet rather than denounce Trump, Cruz jokes about it. And according to Glen Beck, Cruz is the next George Washington. Cruzs response proves he is not. Of course, of Beck himself Trump says, Glenn Beck-every time I see him, hes crying. Hes a whack job, Trump said. What a mess. Is this guy OK? Maybe so. But Beck is not the one joking about gunning down innocent people in the street. When did it start to be whack job to cry publicly, but not whack job to joke about shooting people? And what has the GOP come to when it is its front runner who is talking about shooting random people on the street as a show of his vote-worthiness? True, a month ago he mused about killing journalists like his hero Vladimir Putin, whose veterans he is so concerned about, because American cant be great again without healthy Russian veterans. At the time, he made a big show of seeming to consider the proposition. Speaking to his fanboys and fangirls in Grand Rapids, Michigan (stupid Republican comments are not limited to Iowa), he said of jouranlists, I would never kill them. I would never do thatUh, lets see, uh? No, I would never do that. Set aside for the moment the Republican response Trumps response if Barack Obama suddenly announced he could shoot somebody and not lose votes. What is in any way appealing about a man who wants to be president talking in such an irresponsible manner? Once again, Donald Trump has exposed his complete unsuitability for the office of President of the United States. I would say that the Republican Party can and must do better, but it cannot and will not. This is what they wanted, this is what they created. This built this. And they did it alone. We can stand by in horrified silence as Republicans abandon every norm of human decency, or we can speak out. And we can vote. And hope you dont run into Donald Trump on your way. You never know. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Hillary Clinton is calling on the Democratic Party to bring additional attention to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan by holding a presidential debate in the city. Clinton campaign chair John Podesta called for a debate in Flint: The water crisis in Flint is unconscionable. Its been going on for years, as the people of Flint repeatedly asked for help and were ignored by state government. As Hillary has said, this would not have happened in a wealthy community. It was only when the crisis was finally brought to national attention that real steps were taken to begin to address the immediate issues like access to clean water and health monitoring, and longer term health and infrastructure challenges. Weve agreed to an additional debate in NH and are currently in discussions to agree to additional debates we think one of them should be in Flint. We should use the spotlight of the presidential campaign to keep the focus on Flint, and to lift up the historic underlying issues that Flint and too many other predominantly low-income communities of color across America are struggling with every day. Just as we have engaged in a national conversation about criminal justice reform, we should also discuss the legacy of systemic racial inequalities and underinvestment that contributes to so many of the challenges communities throughout our country are facing. From our schools, courts, prisons, to employment, housing, transit, and yes, even the air we breathe and the water we drink. We want their voices to be heard in this campaign, and holding a debate in Flint would go a long way toward achieving that goal. These are issues that should be at the top of the agenda of our next president and must therefore be front and center in our debate. The debate in Flint is a great idea. At a time when the Republican response to the crisis in Flint has been a more polished version of sh*t happens, nothing would help the city shine a spotlight on the ongoing crisis more than a Democratic debate. A debate would draw the national media into the city and put additional attention on how a Republican governors policies and decisions poisoned an American city. Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver responded that they want a debate in Brooklyn, After refusing for months to participate in more debates, Secretary Clinton requested that the Democratic National Committee rules be changed and that a new debate take place in New Hampshire next week. We agreed pending an agreement on three future debates in March, April and May. Unfortunately, the Clinton campaign has not accepted debates we proposed on March 3 in Michigan and April 14 in New York. They apparently agreed to May 24 in California. The Clinton campaign, after not accepting Michigan, now says they want it. We are pleased to do it on March 3 before the Michigan primary provided the Clinton campaign will agree to Brooklyn, New York, on April 14. Why wont they debate in Brooklyn? Whats the matter with Brooklyn? None of the Democratic campaigns have scheduled any events for around the time that the New Hampshire debate is supposed to take place on February 4. The campaigns are doing a bit of public haggling over the debate schedule, but the odds are that Clinton will get the debate in Flint, and Sanders will get to debate in his hometown and Clintons campaign HQ of Brooklyn. A debate in Flint is quite simply a genius idea that must happen. It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the In an interesting New York Post column, Paul Sperry quotes former State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard (2005-2008) on the course of proceedings. Krongard adds this dose of reality to the discussion of the legal jeopardy facing Clinton and her senior aides in the ongoing email investigation: It will never get to an indictment, Krongard said. For one, he says, any criminal referral to the Justice Department from the FBI will have to go through four loyal Democrat women Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell, who heads the departments criminal division; Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates; Attorney General Loretta Lynch; and top White House adviser Valerie Jarrett. Even if they accept the referral, he says, the case quickly and quietly will be plea-bargained down to misdemeanors punishable by fines in a deal similar to the one Clintons lawyer, David Kendall, secured for Gen. David Petraeus. In other words, a big slap on the wrist. He knows the drill, Krongard said of Kendall. We may as well add to the mix this BITE DU JOUR from Mike Allens Politico Playbook newsletter. Allen features this quote from New York Times White House (soon to be Jerusalem) correspondent Peter Baker to John King on CNNs Inside Politics regarding the Clinton email scandal (video below): Her problem at this point is NOT the Republicans. Her problem is the FBI and the Obama Justice Department. And what Democrats are quietly, absolutely petrified about is that come summer, you find an indictment of people around her, of her, or a request for a special prosecutor SOMETHING that just basically turns this into a complete DISASTER for the Democrats in which its too late to change horses. Or as Bob Dylan put it once upon a time, the wheels still in spin/And theres no tellin who that its namin. Here is the video. In Gaza, Hamas members were repairing a tunnel into Israel a few days ago when it collapsed and killed seven of them. These are the cross-border tunnels that Hamas terrorists use to enter Israel to commit murder or, better yet, try to kidnap Israeli soldiers. Thirty or more of these tunnels were destroyed by Israeli forces in the most recent conflict, and Hamas is now rebuilding them so they can renew their attacks on Israel. Informed of the death of one of the terrorists, his cousin said he was happy and proud and welcomed the news of his death because he was martyred defending Islam and Palestine. I am glad he is dead, too, but for different reasons. Terrorists are immensely popular in Palestine, and tens of thousands reportedly turned out to mourn the seven who died in the tunnel. At the terrorists joint funeral, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamass deputy chief, said: There are heroes east of Gaza City, digging the rocks and building tunnels. And west of Gaza, heroes are testing rockets every morning and every day and it is all preparations. Under the ground and above the ground, in tunnels and above the ground and into the sky, with rockets and in the sea and everywhere, it is the permanent preparation for the sake of Jerusalem and Palestine, and for the sake of the intifada of Jerusalem and the sake of our people. So many thousands of Gazans congregated to celebrate the terrorists that they were climbing on rooftops as the funeral procession went by. Then, in a karmic parallel to the tunnel collapse that killed the terrorists, a roof collapsed onto the crowd below. This video is less than a minute long, but it tells you a lot about the culture in question: I havent seen reports of any fatalities in the roof collapse. Nebraska attorney David Begley continues to file his reports on the appearances of the presidential candidates in Iowa as tomorrow nights caucuses approach. Yesterday he caught up with Marco Rubio in Council Bluffs. This is Daves report: Marco Rubio appears to be gaining in Iowa right now. I saw it in the standing room only audience in Council Bluffs: lots of wild applause, a few laughs, and a big crowd that wanted to shake his hand after he spoke. And this isnt just me saying so. After the event I spoke with Iowa state Senator Tom Shipley. Shipley formerly backed Scott Walker and now supports Rubio. He has been traveling with the Rubio campaign and he agreed that the crowds have grown big and enthusiastic for Marco down the stretch. I saw Rubio before and reported on it here. My judgment is that two-thirds of his stump speech is new. More importantly, the Senator delivered it with much energy and in a more emphatic manner. He sounded the same in this past Thursdays nights debate event and, in my view, the content of his speech was improved over the first time I saw him. He started out by stating that this election is a referendum on what kind of country we want to be. Do we want to be an exceptional nation with our rights derived from our Creator? America is exceptional because of free enterprise and individual liberty. Obama, on the other hand, seeks to continue his transformation of the United States. I heard murmurs of approval from the crowd. Obama assaults and violates our constitution. He also wants to cut America down to size. Result? Americans are angry. We dont want fundamental change. The audience applauded vigorously when Rubio stated that if he is the nominee, he will win. This goes right to the question of electability, a significant concern of many Iowa voters including the undecided voter who sat next to me. His principal concern was that a Democrat not win in November. Rubio considers himself the person to amplify the conservative movement. The Republican Party is its vehicle. We dont need two Democratic parties, he said. He identified himself with average voters by stating that he grew up paycheck-to-paycheck. As a parent, he is concerned about how they jam popular values down the throats of our children. But anger alone is not a plan. I thought it was a good line and a tactful acknowledgement of Trumps appeal. The Senator then adopted the format that Ted Cruz and Carly Fiorina use by stating what he will do his first day in office: Repeal Obamas executive orders, stop Common Core, and cancel the Iran deal. Wild applause. In answer to the criticism of Chris Christie (left unnamed) that Senators just talk, Marco pointed out how he stopped the bailout fund for insurance companies in the Obamacare bill. It shows how the GOP isnt always the stupid party. Like all the other GOP candidates, promised that he would repeal Obamacare and replace it with free market solutions with respect to which he he went into some detail. On immigration he repeated what he said in the debate: enforce the border, hire 2,000 more border agents, build a 700 mile wall/fence, use E-verify and stop visa overstays. Sanctuary cities are to lose all federal funding. Given his sponsorship of the Gang of Eight immigration bill, Rubio has a credibility problem on this issue. I am persuaded that Rubio has conservative views on immigration, but I am also convinced he needs to make a dramatic showing of his repentance. Rubio noted that the next Commander-in-Chief will face many dangerous enemies: North Korea, Russia, Iran and ISIS, but military spending has been cut. He rattled off the numbers and they are frightening. He asserted that some members of the armed forces are spending their own money on equipment because money is so tight. He vowed to fix that problem and noted that one opponent (Cruz, also unnamed) has supported cuts in military spending. In response to a question I asked, Rubio criticized Saudi Arabia for not taking any refugees from Syria, not having any ground troops fighting ISIS (could that be true?), for human rights violations, and for and exporting terrorism through support of Wahhabism. He concluded that Obama has turned our ally into a near enemy by cutting a deal with Iran, their mortal enemy. Our friends dont trust us. More applause. After the event I shook hands with the Senator and identified my association with Power Line. Marco recalled his Power Line interview in Minnesota and said that John Hinderaker was a good guy. Other than this single lapse in judgment, Senator Rubio is well qualified to be President. There is no perfect candidate! Lets take one last look back at the controversy surrounding the Fox News debate, and consider the lefts reaction to it. The reaction can best be described as gleeful. The Washington Posts Erik Wemple relished the spectacle, celebrating it with over-the-top imagry: The right-wing penchant for nonstop media criticism is swerving across the median, zigzagging around the road, about to wrap itself around that oak tree around the curve. Like other planks of the conservative canon e.g., foreign-policy hawkishness it has been invoked and ultimately abused by Trump. Such that it can no longer stand on its own. A few days earlier, leftist media critic Jay Rosen of NYU had tweeted, in response to National Review being barred by the RNC from co-hosting a February debate: Right wing critique of media bias starts to consume itself. Hilariously: The RNC has lost its mind on GOP debates. I cant deny that theres some irony associated with Fox News, the conservative response to media pro-left bias, and National Review being attacked for bias by the GOP frontrunner. But the irony isnt profound. In the case of Fox, Donald Trumps accusations of bias were directed at just one Fox journalist, Megyn Kelly. At the height of the dispute, Trump appeared with Bill OReilly. In the case of National Review, the anti-Trump bias is undeniable. What really stands out for me is the medias lack of standing with huge segments of the U.S. electorate. Most Republicans dont trust the mainstream media because they consider it partial to Democrats and liberals. The Trumpists, a faction that cuts across ideological and party lines, trust neither the mainstream media nor, arguably, Fox News. The right wing critique of media bias isnt consuming itself; nor is it unable to stand on its own. Rather, it is helping to fuel two distinct, albeit overlapping, movements that taken together probably encompass a majority of the electorate. We already knew how widespread acceptance of the media bias critique is. In September, Gallup reported that Americans trust in media remains at historical low. It based this conclusion on a poll in which only four in 10 of those surveyed said they have a great deal or a fair amount of trust and confidence in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately and fairly. If Fox News has been consumed, or even adversely impacted, by Trumps media bias critique, theres a good chance that trust in the media is even lower than 40 percent today. As it should be. As regular readers know, I retired from the practice of law at the end of 2015 and, on January 1, 2016, became President of the Center of the American Experiment, a Minnesota-based think tank. Both Scott and I have long been associated with the Center. We wrote some of our early papers for the Center and its founder and long-time President, Mitch Pearlstein. Both of us have served on the Centers board of directors. So the transition was a natural one. As President of American Experiment, my objective is ambitious: I want to transform Minnesotas political culture. Most people think of Minnesota as a deep blue state, and its political traditions are mostly liberal. But Minnesotans arent wild-eyed radicals; Barack Obamas approval rating in Minnesota, last time I saw the numbers, was 35%, well below his national average. And the states that surround Minnesota range from purple to deep red. Part of the problem is that many Minnesotans overestimate how well the state is doing economically. This causes them to be indifferent to, or skeptical of, calls for reform in Minnesotas public policies. It isnt just Minnesotans, either: the idea that Minnesota proves blue states can still work has become a common theme on the left. In particular, President Obama and others have compared Minnesotas economy favorably with Wisconsins as a way of discrediting Governor Scott Walker. Here in Minnesota, we hear a great deal of happy talk about our economy in the states media. The most recent example was a Gallup poll that was trumpeted in a press release by the Governors office and led to this headline in the Minneapolis Star Tribune: Gallup names Minnesota tops in job creation. Needless to say, the Gallup Poll doesnt measure job gains and losses. The poll in question was, to put it generously, silly, as Peter Nelson, Vice President and Senior Policy Fellow at the Center, explained on the Centers web site. In fact, as Peter pointed out, Minnesotas job growth in 2015 (1.5%) was well below the national average (1.9%). This is a trend: Minnesotas job growth has been below average in each of the last four years. Peter and I worked with Madison McQueen to create this 30-second video, which gives an entertaining and much more accurate picture of Minnesotas economic performance over the last decade: If you have friends or relatives in Minnesota, feel free to email the video to them. We want as many people as possible to see it. Toward that end, we are placing it as a Google Ad on desktops across Minnesota. It is also playing as a pre-roll (i.e., commercial) before YouTube videos, again only in Minnesota. As a pre-roll, it is achieving an extraordinary 19% view ratethat is, 19% of those who are trying to watch another video dont click off Paul Bunyan when they have the opportunity. Instead, they watch it to the end. We have more videos of this sort in the works, as we raise money to fund them. Starting next week, we will also be placing radio ads that talk about Minnesotas economy, like this one, which mirrors the data in the video: Our hope is that as Minnesotans gain a more realistic understanding of how our economy has performed under the current liberal regime, they will be more open to lower-tax, less-regulation, smaller-government reforms. Of course, Minnesotas economy is only one of the Centers areas of interest. This year we are sponsoring four quarterly lunch forums on the theme of how liberal policies hurt the middle class, low wage earners and minorities. Our first forum will be on February 18 and will feature the Wall Street Journals Jason Riley, author of Please Stop Helping Us: How Liberals Make It Harder For Blacks to Succeed. The event will be at noon, at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. It is selling out rapidly; if you live within driving distance and would like to reserve a ticket for what should be a great event, the easiest way is to call Samantha Peterson at 612-584-4559, or email her at [email protected] The Center is working on a number of other issues as well: Mitch Pearlstein continues his nationally known work on education, marriage and the family. We are mounting an extensive employee freedom campaign to free Minnesotans who are not, in fact, public employees from the grip of public employee unions. We are producing an academic paper to be followed up with a publicity campaign to spotlight short-sighted environmental regulations that retard growth and destroy jobs. We are working in the legislature to cut back on the power of the Metropolitan Council, an unelected bureaucracy with a liberal agenda. We are the principal conservative voice in Minnesota on health care. As of February 1, we will employ the two top investigative journalists in Minnesota. The list goes on. Among its many other projects, American Experiment produces a quarterly magazine called Thinking Minnesota. It contains articles by Center scholars and others, and is a great way to keep up on what we are doing as well as get the best in conservative commentary. This is the cover of the current issue, due back from the printer next week: We are sending the electronic version of the magazine free of charge to all Power Line VIP members. I have no doubt that with sufficient financial support, we will achieve our goal of transforming the State of Minnesota. If you want to help, please go to our web site and donate what you can. $20 is plenty; if you are moved to give more, great. American Experiment is a grass roots organization that historically has been funded almost entirely by local donors. I am trying to broaden our donor base in a variety of ways, but be assured that no contribution is too small. Anything you can do is greatly appreciated. Also, please like us on Facebookanother good way to keep up with what we are doingand follow us on Twitter, @MNThinkTank. African leaders at the AU heads of state and government summit in Addis Ababa have decided to send a delegation of presidents to meet Burundian President, Pierre Nkurunziza, to try persuade him to accept an AU peacekeeping force in his country. So far Mr. Nkurunziza has flatly rejected what he called an invasion force and it seemed that his opposition had killed the idea which was mooted by ambassadors in the AU Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) in December to deploy a 5000-strong peacekeeping force called Maprobu. On Friday, the AU PSC met at heads of state level and could not agree on whether or not to send in the force. On Saturday they passed the decision up to the full summit. Several officials said they believed the heads would reject the force because of Burundis objection and because the situation on the ground in Burundi was not dire enough to warrant such an intervention. They suggested that, at most, the existing contingent of about 30 AU human rights and military observers on the ground could be beefed up to a few hundred. But on Sunday AU peace and security commissioner, Smail Chergui, said the heads of state had decided to send a delegation of presidents to discuss the force with Nkurunziza and also to speed up the political dialogue between the government and the opposition which has stalled. Mr. Chergui noted that Burundi had so far been hostile to the force. However, if the delegation of presidents yet to be decided on persuade him to accept the force its mandate would be to help Burundi security forces collect weapons and disarm militias and protect civilians in conjunction with local police. It would also facilitate the work of the human rights observers already on the ground. He pointedly observed that the Burundi government had previously asked the AU to help it collect weapons and disarm militias. He also noted that Burundi itself had complained that the government of a neighbouring country was training refugees from Burundi to return to destabilise Burundi. The implication of this remark was that the AU peacekeeping force would also try to stem this cross-border incursion something which the Burundi government had said it would want. Mr. Chergui stressed that the AU had reassured Burundi that it had no intention to occupy Burundi or to be aggressive. The force would be just a measure that should allay the fears of everyone. He said the countries of the East African Standby Force (ESF) had informed the AU that they had instructed their forces to be ready to deploy. The ESF comprises the countries of the East African Community (EAC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in the Horn of Africa. Chergui said it was necessary to bring stability, peace, and security to Burundi to stimulate development. It was not immediately clear whether the decision by the AU leaders to send a delegation to Nkurunziza to try to persuade him to accept the AU force was just a face-saving measure by the AU to cover a retreat, or whether the summit had made a firm decision to back the AU PSCs December decision to deploy such a force and was now determined to persuade Nkurunziza to accept it. Also, the UN has said it will support all possible options to help stabilise Burundi, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Sunday. The UN scribe was apparently retreating from his previous strong backing for AU peacekeeping troops to be deployed in that country. He told journalists on the sidelines of the AU heads of state and government summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that the AU Peace and Security Councils (AU PSC) proposal in December to send in 5000 peacekeeping troops to quell political violence in the country was just one of the options. He said he had backed this proposal to the UN Security Council. (ANA/NAN) Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, called on Sunday for a more sober approach toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He spoke while dismissing a French proposal for an international peace conference for a solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The proposal on Friday by French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, for an international peace conference was the latest sign of Western frustration over the absence of movement toward a two-state solution since the collapse of U.S.-brokered negotiations in 2014. Mr. Fabius said that if the French plan did not break the deadlock, Paris would recognise a Palestinian state. Such a step would raise concern in Israel that other European countries, also long opposed to its settlement-building in occupied territory, would follow suit. In public remarks to his cabinet, Mr. Netanyahu did not explicitly reject the notion of an international conference an aide said Israel would examine such a request once it was received but he made clear that reported details of the plan made it a non-starter. Mr. Netanyahu said a threat to recognise a Palestinian state if Frances peace efforts did not succeed constituted an incentive to the Palestinians to come along and not compromise. I assess that there will be a sobering up regarding this matter. In any event, we will make effort so that there is a sobering up here, and our position is very clear: We are prepared to enter direct negotiation without preconditions and without dictated terms. On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the French proposal, telling an African summit in Ethiopia that the status quo cannot continue. But Washington responded with caution to the French move, saying it continued to prefer that Israel and the Palestinians reach an agreement on final-status issues through direct talks. While aware the initiative may struggle to get off the ground, French officials said Paris had a responsibility to act now in the face of ongoing Israeli settlement activity and the prospect of continued diplomatic inaction as the U.S. focuses on a presidential election in November. And, the officials said, Netanyahu had gone a step too far in accusing UN Secretary of State Ban Ki-moon of giving a tailwind to terrorism by laying some of the blame for four months of stabbings and car rammings by Palestinians at Israels door. Ban angered Israel by saying last week that it is human nature to react to occupation. The U.S., European Union Israels closest allies have also issued unusually stern criticism of Israel in recent weeks, reflecting their own frustration with the policies of Netanyahus right-wing government. The criticism, particularly about the settlements, where some 550,000 Jews live in around 250 communities scattered across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, has raised Palestinian hopes that world powers might finally be minded to support UN resolution condemning Israels policy outright. Since October, Palestinian attacks, partly fuelled by tensions over the freeze in peace talks, have killed 26 Israelis and a U.S. citizen. In an incident on Sunday, a Palestinian gunman wounded three Israelis near the West Bank settlement of Beit El and was then shot dead by soldiers, the Israeli army said. Palestinian officials said he worked as a bodyguard for a Palestinian prosecutor in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Shortly after that attack, a Palestinian motorist was shot and wounded when he tried to run down soldiers at a military checkpoint in the West Bank, the army said. Over the past four months, Israeli forces have killed at least 152 Palestinians, 98 of them assailants according to authorities while most the others have died in violent protests. I dont see anything that warrants living as long as the occupation smothers us and kills our brothers and sisters You were first and I am following you, the Beit El assailant, Amjad Abu Omar, wrote on Facebook. Palestinians seek a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, parts of which have been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war. Palestine has non-member observer status at the United Nations and its flag flies with those of member states at UN headquarters in New York. Sweden became the first EU member nation to recognise the Palestinian state in 2014. A total of 136 U.N.-member countries, mostly in Africa, Latin America and Asia, now do so. (Reuters/NAN) Seven months after taking over government, the Muhammadu Buhari administration has succeeded in achieving only one out of the 222 campaign promises made to Nigerians, according to a report by Buharimetre, a civil society monitoring report tracking the implementation of the presidents campaign promises. The report, which covers the activities of the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government from May 29 to December 31, 2015, observed in its assessment that the achievement was in the area of the fight against corruption, even though a lot was still left undone in that regard. PMB has only achieved 1 out of the 222 tracked promises, which constitutes 0.5 percent of the promises, Buharimetre reported. More so, it reveals that while the government is taking action to achieving only 27 (12.2 percent approximately) of the tracked promises thus ongoing, 194 electoral promises are still Not Rated. The latter constitutes 87.3 percent of the tracked promises. The electoral promises not rated, it says, is because there is no tangible related activities being implemented. The 2015 report is the fourth on the series of report on the assessment of the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari and the governing party, the APC, on the delivery of its 222 electoral promises. The report examined and focused on issues around insecurity, the economy, oil and gas, corruption, agriculture and social sectors, with emphasis on the environment. It also provided useful insights into the current state of key sectors as a way of establishing the basis of measuring outcomes. Assessing the fight against corruption, the report noted that there had been visible efforts to combat corruption since the inauguration of the present administration, naming the arrest and prosecution of some notable persons and the efforts to recover looted funds. PMB anti-corruption efforts have been commended as a step in the right direction, the report noted. Positive opinions in this regard are due to the possible positive impact of the efforts on development and democracy in the country. However, the government has been accused of politics of selection in the fight against corruption. A delay in the prosecution of the accused people has been a major criticism of the government. Moreover, while the government has shown unmatched commitment to curbing corruption, such effort should be institutionalised. The report observed that one of the promises of the current administration was to strengthen the capacity of anti-graft agencies, particularly EFCC and ICPC, by guaranteeing their prosecutorial and financial independence as well as security of tenure. Despite the fact that the anti-grant agencies have shown renewed efforts in the fight against corrupt practices, there has been no effort by the government to amend relevant laws to guarantee their independence in these areas, states the report. Moreover, nothing has been done to enact the Whistle Blower Act, as promised by the administration. We believe that through these interventions, the performance of anti-graft agencies would not rely on the personality and political will of President Buhari, but rather the campaign against corruption would be institutionalised and thereby would extend beyond the current administration. While stating that it was aware of governments commitment to fighting corruption and blocking leakages in both the civil service and the oil and gas sector; and exhibiting a strong political will to fight corruption irrespective of who is involved, Buharimetre observed that the fight against corruption must not be devoid of strict adherence to the rule of law. In the last few months, several of the people accused of corruption have been detained against the law, which stipulates that all accused must be brought before the court 48 hours after arrest, it stated. Some people granted bail have since been re-arrested and detained. The fight against corruption must be pursued in line with due process and never in abuse of the law. It is also imperative for the government to acknowledge that the fight against corruption should not be confused as sufficient to address all governance challenges in the country. Essentially, fighting corruption is and should remain one of the policy priorities of government but not the only overarching intervention necessary to strengthen governance, especially in a country like Nigeria where democracy is still transitioning. The campaign against corrupt practices should simultaneously exist with interventions such as social provisions that could discourage people from engaging in corrupt practices, and to a large extent, galvanize support for the campaign. This may also help institutionalise the anti-corruption process in the country. Allegations of perceived bias continue to be made against the PMB administration in several parts of the country. For instance, the South Eastern part of the country continues to claim marginalization on the part of the government. Boko Haram Although, Buharimetre noted the efforts of the Nigerian military in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the north east of Nigeria and to ensure security in the entire country, it said the rising wave of violent crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, militancy in the Nigeria Delta and the activities of Biafra separatists groups were posing even greater danger to the security of life in the country. The report acknowledged the achievements in decimating the capabilities of Boko Haram insurgents in the North East and the reorganization of the entire structure in the anti-terrorism project, but noted that the sect continues to display strong resilience and shocking adaptability. Members of the group, who formerly travelled in armoured personnel carriers (APCs), now ride horses, motor bikes and bicycles to carry out their nefarious activities, said the report. These range from poisoning water when fleeing villages and adopting soft target attacks using suicide bombing, executed mostly by young girls. The insurgents have also carried out attacks in Nyanya and Kuje, on the outskirts of the capital city, Abuja. It faulted the governments responses to the increasing number of internally displaced persons whose living conditions had become life threatening. The report also underscored governments failure to officially unveil its accountability plans for resolving the Boko Haram insurgency. This may be partly because the problem is not Boko Haram alone. Amnesty International recently issued a report titled Stars on Their Shoulders, Blood on Their Hands indicting the Nigerian military for its wanton killings in the war against the insurgency, it said. The ICC-OTP has also established eight possible cases of crimes against humanity in relation to the North East of Nigeria. This includes six possible cases against Boko Haram and two possible cases against the Nigerian security forces. The report also drew attention to the fact that the remote and immediate causes of violent extremism are still very much alive in the polity. There are smaller, less popular Islamic radical groups present in several parts of Northern Nigeria, says the report. For instance, Yanlabaiku in Kebbi state is preaching against Western education and Westernisation, and Niger state is pervaded by different radical Islamist groups. Most of these groups live in seclusion, preaching and practicing radical Islam. It also cited armed banditry which had continue to terrorise rural communities, rustling cattle, raping and abducting women and girls, killing people and committing highway robbery and thus increasing tension in Northern Nigeria. Also citing the Biafra struggle, the report noted that the state approach, and particularly the security sector approach in handling the conflicts remained a cause for concern across the country. There are fears that if the IPOB is not properly managed, it may degenerate into a low level insurgency, further compounding current security challenges, it said. Soon after the security agents clampdown on the Biafra separatist movement, there were reports that the Nigerian Army, in preventing an alleged attempted assassination on the Chief of Army staff, General Buratai, killed twenty Shia members in Zaria. The Shia are said to have put up barricades and blocked the road to be used by General Buratai. The Army went to the sects enclave Husainiyyah, the residence of sect leader Ibrahim Zakzaky in Gyallesu, and the DarurRahma mosque, where many unarmed people were killed. Human Rights Watch (HRW), has alleged that no fewer than 300 members of the Shia sect were killed and secretly buried by members of the Nigerian army, the report stated. At least 35 people were killed when gunmen believed to be members of the Boko Haram attacked Dalori Village, hospital sources have told PREMIUM TIMES. Officials at the Maiduguri Specialists Hospital, who did not want their names published as they are not authorised to speak to the media, said about 35 corpses were deposited at the morgue between yesterday night and this morning after the attack. Over 100 injured persons were also admitted at the hospital for various injuries. Some other corpses were reportedly taken to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Witnesses of the attack on Dalori, 5km from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, said corpses of burnt children and aged persons as well as those killed from gunshots still littered the village after a four hours attack by the gunmen. PREMIUM TIMES reported the attack which started at about 7 p.m. local time on Saturday. The gunmen, according to survivors, invaded the village using dozens of motorbikes, a truck and light armoured tank (called Igwa in local parlance). They also set the whole village of about 1000 houses ablaze during the attack. Bakura Alamin, a survivor who spoke formally to journalists, said the Boko Haram gunmen disguised as soldiers. When we were fleeing they (uniformed Boko Haram) called on us to advance towards their side, Mr. Alamin said. Many of us thought they were soldiers, but they ended up opening fire on us. Many people died but few of us were lucky to escape some with bullet wounds, said Mr. Alamin who spoke in Kanuri. No single building is left untouched here in Dalori, an operative of Civilian-JTF, who declined to be named in this report, said in a telephone interview. We have been warned by security officials not to hastily give details of attacks to the press, but I can tell you that the casualty figure which I have seen so far is nearly 100. Yet many corpses are still being pulled out of burnt homes; and many are still being found in the bushes. It was the worst of its kind since after that of April 2013 that happened in Baga, said the source. The spokesperson of the Operation Lafiya Dole Theatre Command, Colonel Mustapha Anka, informed journalists that the Theatre Commander had visited the attacked village to assess the situation. He said the Command would issue a statement later after all the information are compiled. Dalori is a few kilometres from one of the major IDP camps along the Maiduguri-Bama road and a stone throw from the University of Maiduguri. The attack comes despite the statements by the military and the federal government that the insurgents had largely been defeated. The Boko Haram insurgency in Northern Nigeria has led to the death of over 20,000 people since it began in 2009. President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said ongoing fight against corruption in Nigeria could be effectively tackled with the strong support of the judiciary. A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Presidents Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said Mr. Buhari stated this while speaking at a town hall meeting with Nigerians living in Ethiopia. The president said that far-reaching reforms of the judiciary remained a key priority for his administration. On the fight against corruption vis-a-vis the judiciary, Nigerians will be right to say that is my main headache for now. If you reflect on what I went through for twelve years when I wanted to be the president, I attempted three times. At the fourth attempt, through God and the use of technology, it was possible for Nigerians to elect an APC candidate as president. In my first attempt in 2003, I ended up at the Supreme Court and for 13 months I was in court. The second attempt in 2007, I was in court close to 20 months, and in 2011, my third attempt, I was also in court for nine months. All these cases went up to the Supreme Court until the fourth time in 2015, when God agreed that I will be President of Nigeria, he said. Buhari assured members of the Nigerian community in Ethiopia that with the support of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, he would continue to do his best to improve the nations judicial administration system. On urban development and infrastructure, he announced that the Federal Government had ordered a review of several railway transport projects signed by the previous administration with the Chinese government. The Chinese government was very generous to Nigeria on the projects signed with the previous government because they agreed to pay 85 per cent of the project. But, the Nigerian government was unable to meet up with its counterpart funding of 15 per cent, so the Chinese government was unable to make any impact on the project, he said. The president said he had directed the Ministers of Transportation, Finance, and Power, Works and Housing, to revisit the agreements and explore ways of re-approaching the Chinese government for assistance. He added that the Chinese government had indicated interest to assist Nigeria on project financing through its Export-Import Bank. On the proposed N6.07 trillion 2016 budget before the National Assembly, the president said that for the first time in Nigeria, the budget would be largely financed from non-oil revenue. He identified the collapse of the international oil market and oil theft in the Niger Delta as main reasons for projecting more revenues to fund the budget from the non-oil sector. He said that theft of oil by some Nigerians who felt that the oil belonged to them was irritating to those of us who participated in the civil war for 30 months in which at least two million Nigerians were killed. Buhari explained that the proposed budget would focus on increasing efficiency and transparency in government operations and the blocking of leakages from revenue generating agencies. He added that the recovered asset of the country would also be used to reduce the budget deficit. (NAN) Worried by developmental challenges facing Northern Nigeria, some northern governors will on Sunday begin a three-day meeting with top executives of the Islamic Development Bank in Jedda, Saudi Arabia. The meeting will take place at the Banks headquarters. Sunday is a working day in the Islamic country with Fridays and Saturdays being work free days. The Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, who is also the Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF, is leading the delegation. The delegation also includes Governors Tanko Almakura of Nassarawa, Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna and Mohammed Abubakar of Jigawa. Some top officials of the New Nigerian Development Company owned by the 19 northern states are also part of the delegation. The delegation, which also includes a former Chief economic Adviser to late President Umaru YarAdua, Tanimu Kurfi, was received by the IDB on Saturday in Jedda. The spokesperson of Governor Shettima, Isa Gusau, who is part of the delegation, said in a statement on Saturday that the decision to seek development partnership with the IDB was part of resolutions reached by the 19 governors, at one of their meetings held in September in Kaduna. The meeting, which was chaired by Mr. Shettima, deliberated on ways of tackling challenges of agriculture, poverty, education, maternal mortality and other problems most prevalent in the northern part of Nigeria. At the discussions on Sunday, the governors are expected to meet with the President of IDB. Ahmad Ali, and Vice President, Operations of the IDB Group. They are also scheduled to meet on Nigeria-IDB Cooperation with a wide range of possible areas of collaboration to be discussed. In subsequent days, the Governors are expected to hold different meetings with the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment & Export Credit, Islamic Research and Training Institute, and Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development ; all of which are bodies under the IDB, with a view to reaching a developmental partnership on different sectors in northern Nigeria. Established about 41 years ago, the Islamic Development Bank is an international financial institution involved in equity capital, financing productive projects for the economic and social development of 56 countries who are members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. It supports Muslim communities including those in none-member countries, through special intervention funds set aside by the bank for international cooperation. The Bank also promotes foreign trade in capital goods; provides technical assistance to member countries; and extends training facilities for personnel engaged in development activities in Muslim populated communities around the world. President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his administration will continue to guarantee the economic rights of women in the country. He made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina. Mr. Adesina said Mr. Buhari made the remark at the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on Saturday night in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He added that the President had assured increased budgetary allocation to projects specifically targeted at improving the lives of women. According to him, the Federal Government under his watch has demonstrated its commitment to the rights of women by appointing women of proven integrity to key positions within the cabinet. We have increased the budgetary allocation of ministries that have direct bearing on the lives of women, particularly health and education, with greater emphasis on girl-child education. As you all know, the terrible activities of the Boko Haram sect led to destruction of thousands of lives and property in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, displacing millions from their respective homes, most of who are women and children and are now at various IDP camps across the country. In order to fully restore and protect their rights, government is in the process of massive rehabilitation, reconstruction and resettlement of the affected victims in the North Eastern part of the country with the ultimate goal of restoring normalcy in full to that region, as well as improving the wellbeing of the affected persons. President Buhari welcomed the AU decision to declare the year 2016 as The Year of Human Rights in Africa with Special focus on the Rights of Women. He said Nigeria had amply demonstrated its commitment to issues relating to rights of women by upholding several human rights treaties and conventions specifically targeted at women. In guaranteeing the economic rights of women, the Federal Government of Nigeria is embarking on massive employment programmes that will promote Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), in order to provide succour to our teeming women and youth populations, he said. The President also used the occasion of his address to the AU summit to congratulate President Idris Deby of Chad on his election and assumption of office as Chairperson of the Union for 2016. According to President Buhari, Mr. Debys appointment is a clear attestation of the confidence reposed in him to steer the ship of the continental organisation. (NAN) A coalition, Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CSNAC, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate a Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, soft loan of $7 billion granted to a consortium of bankers in 2006. In a petition sent to the anti-graft agency and signed by the coalitions chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, CSNAC stated that nine years after the disbursement of the soft loans to the banks, no public report or account has been rendered by CBN on the $500 million given to each of the banks. The petition read: On October 4th 2006, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), through its Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Festus Odoko had disclosed that the CBN had apportioned $7billion out of the nations external reserves, which stood at $38.07 billion, as at the end of July, 2006, to 14 global asset managers and their 14 Nigerian banks local partners, to manage. The amount reportedly bequeathed to the asset managers represented 18.39 per cent of the total external reserves and was hitherto kept with foreign banks. The 14 global asset managers and their local counterparts were Black Rock and Union Bank of Nigeria Plc; J.P. Morgan Chase and Zenith Bank Plc; H.S.B.C and; First Bank of Nigeria Plc; BNP Paribas and Intercontinental Bank Plc; UBS and United Bank for Africa Plc; Credit Suisse and IBTC Chartered Bank Plc; Morgan Stanley and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc; Fortis and Bank PHB Plc; Investec and Fidelity Bank Plc; ABN Amro and Access Bank Plc; Cominvest and Oceanic Bank Plc; ING and Ecobank Plc; Bank of New York and Stanbic Bank Plc and; Crown Agents and Diamond Bank Plc. CSNAC noted further that, According to the reports, CBN gave each asset manager, $500m of the external reserves to manage. Almost nine years after this pronouncement, no public report or account has been rendered by CBN on these the $500 million given to each of the banks. Also realizing that 3 of the banks (Intercontinental Bank, Bank PHB and Oceanic) were bought over by other banks and or liquidated between 2006 and now. While recounting that on June 17, 2015, it sent a letter to the CBN Governor under the Freedom of Information Act, to request for information on the $7billion soft loan granted to the aforementioned 14 consortium of bankers, the coalition said six months after the receipt of the request by the CBN governor, our network has received neither acknowledgment nor response to our request from the bank. Under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011, such information should be received by the applicant within 7 days of the receipt of such request. The Banks failure to respond reeks of unwholesome practices and economic sabotage. Perhaps, it is the assumption of officers behind the Programme that the investment there would be no account to be rendered to Nigerians on days as this. CSNAC is hereby requesting that the Presidency probes this matter and inform Nigerians exactly what is going on or has gone wrong with the $7 billion soft loan, the petition said. The Islamic Development Bank, IDB, will work with Nigerian officials to develop a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of Northern Nigeria, the Banks President, Ahmad Ali, has said. Mr. Ali stated this in Jeddah, the headquarters of IDB, on Sunday, when he received a high level delegation of 5 governors from the Northern Nigerian States Governors Forum, NSGF. The delegation, led by the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, included Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Umar Al-Makura of Nassarawa State and Muhammad Abubakar of Jigawa State. We will work together to come up with a comprehensive and constructive plan to support northern Nigeria, Mr. Ali said. We will start with education, particularly bilingual education, and other areas such as job creation. before you leave Jeddah, I would like to have a list of your priority areas, from education, power to agriculture and so on. In his remarks, the leader of the delegation, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno, stated that in Nigeria, poverty wears a northern face, therefore the purpose of their visit to IDB is to explore credible avenues to enhance developmental activities. Mr. Shettima told the president of IDB that the region is suffering from joblessness, low access to education and healthcare facilities, despite the abundant resources in the region. It is a giant with a feet of clay he added. The Governor of Kaduna State, Mr. El-Rufai told the IDB president that the Northeastern region requires urgent intervention in education, electricity supply and poverty reduction, as according to him, a major cause for the insurgency is poverty. IDBs Vice President (operations), Mansur Muhtar, told the delegation that IDB will do its best to look into various areas of intervention, particularly in the development of infrastructure which is a key priority in the banks 10 year development strategy. He then thanked the delegation for visiting IDB, and said he hopes that the visit will help in forging a stronger partnership that will help in mobilizing resources for the development of the region. Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has rejected a resolution of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum which asked Uche Secondus to step aside for the PDP National Secretary, Adewale Oladipo, to take over as acting national chairman of the party. Mr. Dickson has instead thrown his weight behind Mr. Secondus. The Bayelsa governor said Mr. Secondus should be allowed to stay on as acting national chairman pending the election of a substantive chairman. Mr. Dicksons position, which is contained in a press statement on Saturday, signaled a split among the PDP governors on the choice of who presides over the affairs of the party as its acting national chairman. For the latest crisis affecting the party at the national level, the PDP Governors Forum in their first public statement on Wednesday was united against attempt by a former presidential aide, Ahmed Gulak, to forcefully assumed office as acting national chairman of the party. The governors described Mr. Gulaks attempt to seize power as regrettable and condemnable. The forum in another public statement the next day, Thursday, reportedly asked Mr. Secondus to step aside for the PDP National Secretary, Mr. Oladipo, to take over as acting chair of the troubled opposition party. The Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state, had said on behalf of his colleagues, We take cognisance of the judgment by the court in Abuja, which ordered the acting chairman to vacate office for any other person from the Northeast. Our partys constitution has enough provisions for that and the necessary process has been put in motion. But Governor Dickson of Bayelsa said in the press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, that the forum did not at any time nominate someone to take over from Mr. Secondus as acting national chairman. Mr. Dickson, who has just been re-elected for a second term on the platform of the PDP said going by the partys constitution, Mr. Secondus, being the deputy national chairman of the PDP, remains the acting chairman of the party. The governor said, There cant be a vacuum and as servants of the law, we must be seen at all times to be people who are duty bound to uphold the law and to do the right things at all times in the eyes of the law. Mr. Dicksons Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, later told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview that the governor was present at the PDP Governors Forums meeting where a decision was taken to condemn Mr. Gulaks action, but that he (Dickson) didnt attend another of the forums meeting where a decision may have been taken on Mr. Secondus. In the first meeting he (Dickson) attended there was no such decision among the governors that Mr. Secondus should resign, Mr. Iworiso-Markson said. The chief press secretary said there has been a tradition within the PDP for the deputy national chairman of the party to become acting chairman whenever a substantive chairman resigned or was removed. He said Governor Dickson has the right to express his opinion among his colleagues. President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Nigerians, particularly those in the North-East states, to be more vigilant and ready to work with security operatives in ending the war against insurgency. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu. The statement said President Buhari was reacting to the spate of suicide bombings in Chibok market, Dolari Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Borno, and the Gombi market in Adamawa. The President noted that the materials for the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were locally sourced by the insurgents, and urged Nigerians to be more circumspect and report suspicious purchases and movements of unusual components across the country. He noted that the insurgents had suffered immensely from the sustained bombardments of their camps and hideouts by the Nigerian military and had resorted to using desperate measures to gain cheap media attention. I urge all citizens, wherever they live, to own the war against terror and to be part of the fight, because it is the only way we can finish the remaining work that needs to be done to make our country safe again, he said. Mr. Buhari said that the terrorists had been rendered weak, confused and homeless after repeated bombings and ravaging of their camps and hideouts by the military. He further noted that the terrorists had been forced to find their way back into the society to wreak havoc, like the case of the Dolari IDP camp. Having lost the war, they are seeking ways and means to gradually find their way back into society. They are not returning to contribute, but to cause more havoc. They are so desperate to embarrass the government and the people that they have no qualms attacking isolated communities and markets, he added. Mr. Buhari extended his condolences to all the people of Chibok, Gombi and Dolari who lost loved ones in the recent bomb attacks. He prayed that the Almighty God would comfort them and grant the injured persons quick recovery. (NAN) The Minister in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammad Bello, on Saturday opened part of Goodluck Jonathan Expressway in the Central Business District of the capital to ease traffic. Before now, the Goodluck Jonathan expressway was known as Inner Southern Expressway (ISEX). Mr. Bello urged the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to consider the full expansion of the Abuja-Keffi Road to 10 lanes to reduce traffic bottlenecks on that axis. He said the expansion of road to 10 lanes with interchange bridges at critical junctions would guarantee traffic flow in and out of Abuja city from the North-East axis of the country. Mr. Bello recalled that the FCT administration had already expanded the Kubwa and Airport roads to serve those entering into the FCT from the northern and southern parts of the country, respectively. The minister reiterated that the FCT administration decided to open part of the road to reduce the gridlocks around the city centre, particularly at peak periods. Represented by Babatope Ajakaiye, FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Bello said the road was 90 per cent completed. He emphasised that the FCT administration would fund ongoing projects that impact positively on the lives of residents. The policy is to continue with all ongoing projects that will impact positively on the lives of Abuja residents and Nigerians at large, he said. Earlier, the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, Adamu Ismaila, said the road traverses the city from phases I to phase IV. Represented by Umar Gambo, Director of Mass Housing, Mr. Ismaila said the road connect the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) within the precincts of Kuje township. He said the ISEX started where the Abuja-Keffi Road terminated at Mogadishu Barracks in Asokoro District. The road is designed as a 22-lane service carriageways and 23-lane main carriageways making a total of 10 lanes with four interchanges and four box culverts at various locations, Ismaila said. He said that the scope of the project included underground and surface storm water drainage, power supply, a pedestrian bridge, street lighting and telecommunication ducts, among others. (NAN) The Zamfara Textile industry on Sunday urged the Federal Government to ban import of foreign fabrics to revive the nations ailing textile mills. Sani Muhammad, the Administrative Secretary of the mill, made the call while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria in Gusau. He said the importation of textile materials led to the collapse of the nations textile sector. Mr. Muhammad lamented that Zamfara Textile Industry, established in 1965, had laid off over 2, 500 workers in 2004. It is unfortunate that the industry is not able to come back fully, the manager said. He described the plan by the government to improve power supply as a `welcome development, adding that if the importation of textile goods were not stopped, surviving local mills would be operating at a loss. He said cotton farmers, who produced raw materials for the mills had moved to other crops with the collapse of the sector. He, therefore, urged the government to provide improved cotton seeds and modern textile machines for Nigerian fabrics to favourably compete with foreign ones. The Chairman, Ginners Association of Nigeria in the state, Sani Dahiru, blamed poor cotton production on the neglect of the agricultural sector and collapse of the textile industries. He said of the 15 ginneries operating in the state, only two offered skeletal services. Mr. Dahiru urged the government to provide trained agricultural extension workers to assist cotton famers meet the needs of the surviving mills. When contacted, the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the state, Musa Raji, said despite governments efforts to encourage cotton farmers, there was no much progress. He said that the ministry, which has supplied improved seeds and fertilizer to the farmers, was always ready to offer professional advice to them. Similarly, the state Commissioner for Information, Umar Jibo, said the state government would provide ready markets to the cotton farmers and other stakeholders. (NAN) The Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has promised to foot any foreign medical bill of a three-year-old boy whose two eyes were gouged by yet to be identified persons in Zaria. Mr. Sani stated this during his visit to the boy at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, on Sunday. While sympathizing with the boy and his family, Mr. Sani said: I will foot the innocent boys medical bill in any country recommended by the hospital. The governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, had also given the boys parents some money and promised that the boys education up to the university will be taken care of by the Kaduna State Government. There had been rumours about the amount given by the governor. But the boys father clarified how much he got. What Bashir Ibrahim Dabo, Special Assistant to Governor El-Rufai, who came on behalf of the governor to the hospital gave me in addition to the N150,000 cash, was $100 cash, which I changed to N29,500. So I am surprised to hear that we received $30,000; which is not true. My son has been operated upon, even though he has lost his vision completely, many sympathizers still troop in to offer help for treatment anywhere in the world which is very good and encouraging. My family and I are most grateful to government and everybody who supported us in the trying time and we are still soliciting for Gods miracle to restore my sons vision and to expose the perpetrators, the father said. Mr. Dabo also confirmed the amount in a text message sent to PREMIUM TIMES. An official at the hospital confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that Sadiq underwent two surgeries on his eyes but may not regain his vision. The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Imo chapter, has criticized the state governments plan to concession some of its institutions, expressing fears that the policy would expose the people to serious danger. The Chairman of NLC in the state, Austin Chilakpu, expressed the workers fears in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Owerri on Sunday. Governor Rochas Okorocha on January 17 announced the sack of more than 5, 000 workers in 19 parastatal organizations, agencies and departments in the state, in line with the policy. But Mr. Chilakpu said, concessioning the primary health sector and the Imo State Agricultural Development Agency (ADP) for instance, is one big mistake that will expose the entire Imo people to danger. A lot of international donor agencies funding healthcare and food security programmes in the state would withdraw their support immediately these government outfits get into private hands. If Imo state goes ahead with the so-called concession policy, it means that the state would be cut off from assessing funds from IFAD, for instance. This international donor funds agriculture and polio eradication programmes in the country. I foresee a situation where cases of wild polio infection will re-surface in the state. The matter is made worse when the health workers are sacked and Lassa fever and bird flu are lurking around; the people will be endangered in the event of any outbreak. The chairman said the leadership of NLC was not opposed to reduction in the number of workforce of the state government, considering its dwindling resources. What NLC is kicking against is the faulty process because these workers are employed under the civil and public service rules. The statute book engaging them spelt out the ways and manners they shall be hired or fired, he added. Mr. Chilakpu said that already, the NLC had given seven days ultimatum to the state government to reverse the decision. The NLC added that if the government failed to do that, labour would take the next step considered necessary. He advised the affected workers to continue to report for duty despite the reported molestation by some groups who claimed to have been authorized by government to take over the affected establishments. (NAN) Revenues from cocoa and other prominent farm produce in which Osun has comparative advantage have great capacities to turn around the economy and fortunes of the state if pursued with renewed vigour. The Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, who stated this assured that his administration will leave no stone unturned to make the state great again, hence the recent investment and research into cocoa production and the focus on other areas of agriculture. The governor stated that for the state to start on a good footing at producing Cocoa Omoluabi, the state has enumerated and identified 60 million active cocoa trees in the state. Mr. Aregbesola, while meeting with cocoa produce merchants in the state at the Government House Banquet Hall in Osogbo, stated that with new cocoa development initiatives in the state, there will be a new cash inflow making the economy of the state prosperous. He stated that the state has also gone further in her bid to boost cocoa production and agriculture with the signing of Memorandum of Understanding with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, on the development of agriculture and production of massive food production as alternative to reliance on oil. The agreement according to Mr. Aregbesola involved releasing of 204.39 hectares of land in Ago Owu Farm Settlement to IITA for the purpose of conducting research and setting up demonstration farms for best farming practices. IITA will also carry out cassava, plantain and other crops multiplication including cocoa as well as train the youth in the state in modern, commercial and profitable farming. Mr. Aregbesola emphasised that in her bid to increase Internally Generated Revenue in Osun, government will establish commodity board that will be supervised directly by the office of the governor to ensure that Osun ranks among the best cocoa producers in Nigeria within the next two years. He told the produce merchants that the economic situation of the state has been badly affected with the pillaging of the national treasury by the previous administration. Mr. Aregbesola added that the situation with the drop in oil prices and the sharp reduction in the Federation Accounts from N1.2 trillion in 2012 to N369 billion in November allocations shared in December 2015 has reduced the running of government to little or nothing hence the need to look inward in increasing IGR. The governor noted that the state will soon bounce back with the identification of sixty million cocoa trees presently in the state, adding that government henceforth will criminalise any action of farmers and merchants that runs foul of government laws on cocoa. He pointed out that government will soon be registering all farmers in the state for easy implementation of government policies on agriculture thus giving adequate room for monitoring and giving the necessary support for farmers. According to him, to show the people of the state that we are ready to face agriculture squarely in Osun, I am establishing a commodity board that will be supervised directly from the office of the governor. Our bags of cocoa in Osun will be branded with this; government will be able to ensure that the quality of cocoa coming out of the state meets international quality. When there was free money coming from oil, no government was looking at what cocoa could bring to the economy; we are back to the days where cocoa will be the main stay of our economy in Osun, the governor emphasised. Mr. Aregbesola hinted that produce tribunals will be set up across the state and that special colour will be given to vehicles that will be transporting cocoa within the state. The governor added that the State Executive Council meetings will be held in rural areas where cocoa farming is thriving in the state for about six months to one year after the formation of his cabinet. Earlier, the Chairman of All farmers Association of Osun, Raheem Adeniji, stated that the association is ready to partner and cooperate with government in her bid to revamp the cocoa farming in the state. He lamented the poor economic state the country has found it with the neglect of cocoa which he said was the back bone of the economy in the 60s, identifying the cancellation of cocoa and marketing board by the then military government as a setback for the industry in Nigeria. Mr. Adeniji commended government for introducing E-payment, adding that government should ensure and maintain that Osun cocoa should not go out of the state. In a flurry of wins at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Sundance Film Festival, diversity made a comeback. Over just a few hours Saturday night, the SAG Awards and Sundance showered their honors on a parade of performers and films that presented a stark contrast to the crisis that has plagued the Oscars. Shortly after the screen actors handed out awards to Queen Latifah, Uzo Aduba, Viola Davis and Idris Elba (twice), Nate Parkers Sundance sensation The Birth of a Nation, a drama about Nat Turners slave rebellion, swept the festivals awards. The two ceremonies, in Los Angeles and Park City, Utah, offered a night of reprieve from weeks of rancor over systemic inequality in the movie business and a second straight year of all-white Academy Award acting nominees. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV, said Elba in his third trip on stage as a presenter at the SAG Awards. His first two were to accept awards for his supporting performance in the Netflix child soldier drama Beasts of No Nation and for his lead performance in the BBC miniseries Luther. Soon thereafter, at Sundance, Parker took the festivals grand jury prize and its audience award. Thank you, Sundance, for creating a platform for us to grow, in spite of what the rest of Hollywood is doing, said Parker, whose directorial debut sold for a record sum to Fox Searchlight Pictures. The SAG Awards top honor, best ensemble in a film, went to the newspaper drama Spotlight, which came into Saturday badly in need of some momentum. The ensemble award had seemingly come down to Spotlight or Adam McKays high finance tale The Big Short, which last week took the Producers Guilds top award. The win assures a competitive and unpredictable Oscars finale, with The Martian, ''The Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road also in the mix. No way, said Mark Ruffalo, one of the stars of Spotlight. He praised the writer-director Tom McCarthy and co-writer Josh Singer for their purposeful accuracy in penning the journalistic procedural about the Boston Globes reporting on sexual abuse by Catholic priests. The two, he said, took every single opportunity to tell the truth. They didnt take any cheap way. It was always the truth. Elba made no direct reference to the uproar that has swept through Hollywood in the last two weeks, which might have been less severe had he been nominated by the Academy Awards, as many expected. But it was on the minds and tongues of seemingly everyone in Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. Accepting the most outstanding ensemble award in a comedy series for Netflixs Orange Is the New Black, co-star Laura Prepon gestured to the cast of the prison comedy standing behind her. Look at this stage, said Prepon. This is what we talk about when we talk about diversity. SAG winners for individual performances the last three years have corresponded with eventual Academy Award winners. Thus Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant"), Brie Larson (Room") and Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl") all cemented their status as Oscar favorites. Each won, as expected. But supporting actor will differ this year. The categorys perceived favorite is Sylvester Stallone for the Rocky sequel Creed. Stallone, though, wasnt nominated by the screen actors. Actors make up the largest branch of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which is why the SAG Awards are a closely watched harbinger of the Oscars. But the Screen Actors Guild is massive by comparison: some 160,000 members to the academys 6,000-plus. Voting for the SAG Awards, which concluded Friday, also overlapped with the widespread debate over the industrys inclusiveness that followed Academy Awards nominations. Latifah gave one of the evenings most stirring speeches while accepting the award for most outstanding female performance in a TV movie or miniseries for HBOs Bessie Smith tale Bessie. I hope that anyone out there who does not come in the package that people say you should, keep fighting for it, said Latifah. Backstage, Latifah added: Hopefully our business will continue to supply the demand that people are asking for. The people want it. Give it to the people. Aduba, accepting her second straight SAG Award for best actress in a comedy in Orange Is the New Black, praised creator Jenji Kohan for making a show that reflects and represents so many people. For the third time, Downton Abbey won best ensemble in a drama series. Best actor in a TV comedy went to Jeffery Tambor for the acclaimed Amazon series Transparent. Kevin Spacey won his second SAG Award for House of Cards. The great comedian Carol Burnett accepted the SAG lifetime achievement award from presenters Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Recalling the uphill battle she faced, Burnett remembered being warned that comedy variety is a mans game. She then dramatically shook her head and mouthed: No. Davis, who in September became the first African American to win best actress at the Emmys, won again for her performance in How to Get Away With Murder. She reminded that diversity is not a trending topic. All of the actors of color I know dont place any limitations on themsel 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. New Delhi, Jan 25 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday only the financial details need to be worked out in finalising the much-awaited purchase of Rafale fighter aircraft from France, adding that it would be concluded soon. Modi had, during his visit to Paris last year, announced India's intention to purchase 36 Rafale medium multi-role combat aircraft built by the French aerospace major Dassault. The deal is valued at around Rs.60,000 crore (almost $9 billion). "Only financial aspects of the Rafale deal is left. The inter-governmental agreement has been finalised. It will be done soon," the prime minister told reporters after delegation-level talks with French President Francois Hollande here. On his part, Hollande said: "We signed an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) on Rafale deal. It is a decisive step for India to purchase the fighter jets and also for France to make them available to a great country like India." Referring to the financial aspects of the deal, Hollande said: "That will be sorted out soon." "Dassault Aviation is very pleased with this progress, and is actively supporting French authorities in their efforts to finalize a complete agreement within the next four weeks," the company said in a statement from Saint Cloud in France. The Indian Air Force (IAF) had shortlisted Rafale for induction into its frontline combat fleet, replacing the ageing Soviet-era MiG-21 squadron but the deal did not materialise for long. The original deal, at an estimated cost of $20 billion, was for delivery of 126 fighters, including 18 off-the-shelf by Dassault, and 108 to be manufactured in India under licensed production by the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) over time, with 50 percent offset obligations to benefit the domestic aerospace industry. The IAF opted for the twin-engined Rafale in January 2012 over Eurofighter Typhoon of the European consortium EADS Cassidian after outsmarting F-16 of American Lockheed Martin, F/A-18 of Boeing, MiG-35 of Russian United Aircraft Corp and Swedish SAAB's Gripen in a global competitive bid floated in August 2007. New Delhi : What is more important when we assess and evaluate a hero - brute strength or supple intelligence and craft? Looking at one hero's cultural presence and influence across centuries, from Homer to Shakespeare, from Dante to James Joyce, and on characters like Batman and Annabeth Chase (of the Percy Jackson series), it seems the latter. Among Western culture's enduring characters, Greek hero Odysseus (Ulysses to Romans) is renowned for his cunning, intelligence and enterprise which enabled him to achieve more - and live longer - than his aggressive but impulsive contemporaries like Achilles, Hector and Ajax. He stars in one of the most-known epics, describing his long, eventful wanderings - its name has itself become a word for such a journey. The king of island kingdom of Ithaca, Odysseus reluctantly joined the Trojan war but once in, was the Greeks' most cunning general as well as one of their best warriors, as per Homer's "Iliad". He finally enables them to win the 10-year-long, so far inconclusive, war through the the expedient of the Trojan Horse (described fleetingly in Homer's "Odyssey" but more detailed in Virgil's "Aeneid"). But even after the war's end, Odysseus has no chance to return home peacefully, condemned to wander 10 years, most of them as the sole survivor out of all his men, due to his followers' foolishness and for angering sea god Poseidon. But at the end of the "Odyssey", he proves he's not been enfeebled, pulling off some impressive archery feats, and then making short work of a number of young suitors who have been long courting his wife and abusing his hospitality. He appears in several works by famed Greek playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides based on specific episodes from Homer's epics, as well as a Plato dialogue of a debate on whom Homer intended to favour - him or Achilles. Several works describe his future but are lost and we only know of several tantalising outcomes through references in other works. Though the Romans, who prized bravery, honour, and commitment over cunning, never liked him very much, he, apart from "The Aeneid", features in works of poet Ovid, who however, in retelling parts of his journeys, focused on his romantic involvements with Circe and Calypso. Thus Ulysses, as per literary critic Harold Bloom, became "one of the great wandering womanizers". In "The Divine Comedy", Dante encounters Odysseus in Inferno (Hell), near its very bottom, in the eighth ring (Counsellors of Fraud) of the Eighth Circle (Sins of Malice), where he is being punished for his schemes and conspiracies. He is still wise, telling the poet that men aren't made to live like brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge. Also making a key appearance in William Shakespeare's most ambiguously themed "Troilus and Cressida", he was two centuries hence used by Alfred, Lord Tennyson to depict the restless nature of an adventurous spirit, and the ceaseless quest for new experiences. "..I am a part of all that I have met;/Yet all experience is an arch wherethro'/Gleams that untravell'd world, whose margin fades/For ever and for ever when I move/How dull it is to pause, to make an end,/To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!...." he says in "Ulysses". Taking him further was Greek poet Nikos Kazantzakis' in "The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel" (1938, translated 1958). The 33,333 line epic sees Odysseus soon leaving home again in search of new adventures, which include abducting Helen, inciting revolutions, meeting incarnations of Gautama the Buddha, Jesus Christ, Don Quixote and Lenin and declaiming: "I've fought with men and gods, I've weighed them well and found/the sea more firm than earth, the air more firm than sea,/and man's impalpable soul still yet more firm than air!" Joyce's "Ulysses" (1922) purportedly narrates a single day in Dublin businessman Leopold Bloom's life, but one with several elaborate parallels to Odysseus' wanderings. Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway" (1925) is a female version, as is Margaret Atwood's "Penelopiad" (2006). "Return to Ithaca" (1946) by Swedish novelist Eyvind Johnson retells the events, but as a metaphor for dealing with World War II's aftermath, while Italian historian and author Valerio Massimo Manfredi, who in "The Oracle" (1990) has him playing a role in a set of events beginning in the November 1973 student uprising in Athens against the military junta, its repression, and the consequences, has followed it up with a trilogy on his life. And yes, how Batman? Because like the caped crusader, who has no super powers, Odysseus flourished despite without any supernatural strength like Heracles, invincibility like Achilles, or magic items like Perseus, or being directly related to any of the Greek gods. Likewise Annabeth, save the last. But his abiding lesson, as author Scott Huler says in his travelogue "No Man's Lands: One Man's Odyssey Through The Odyssey" (2010) is appreciating "what Homer has been saying all along: the greatest adventures of all are the ones that bring us home to those we love". Till this sentiment persists, Odysseus will remain immortal! (29.01.2016 - Vikas Datta is an Associate Editor at IANS. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in ) New Delhi, Jan 29 : An Indian terror module pledging allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) is a reorganised group of the virtually defunct Indian Mujaheedin and SIMI elements, recruiting new members to carry out a string of terror strikes across the country, highly placed intelligence sources said. This fact came out during the questioning of 14 suspected Islamic State (IS) sympathisers who were arrested last week from 12 places in six cities in a synchronised raid conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the sources added. Those inspired by the IS ideology were hooked by Yusuf-al-Hind who, the Indian security agencies believe, is former Indian Mujaheedin (IM) member Shafi Armar, a resident of Bhatkal in Karnataka. Armar, now believed to be in the Islamic State-held area along the border of Iraq and Syria, formed 'Janood-ul-Khalifa-e-Hind' and recruited Mumbai-based 33-year-old Mudabbir Mushtaq Shaikh as 'Amir' (chief) of the group. Official sources privy to the investigation told IANS that Armar also recruited his brother Sultan and others who had worked for Indian Mujahideen and the now-banned Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). "Apart from former IM and SIMI members, Armar chose those who are basically inspired by the IS ideology. He first recruited his close aides and then inspired them to recruit more supporters," an official, on condition of anonymity, told IANS. "They used social networking sites and made calls through the internet (using VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol) to activate the sleeper cells of IM and SIMI," the official said. Another intelligence source declining to be identified said that the outfit members were directed to carry out strikes across multiple cities, including Hyderabad in Telangana, Bengaluru, Manglore and Tumkur in Karnataka, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, and Aurangabad and Mumbai in Maharashtra. "They were asked to organise training camps -- like how to use fire arms -- before the attack. They were also trying to establish channels for procuring explosives and weapons," the official source told IANS. The leadership of Janood-ul-Khalifa-e-Hind, active since April 2015, was following the IM and SIMI set-ups by choosing their organised central, state and city level core groups, the official said. The 14 men, allegedly influenced by IS and arrested by the NIA, are also said to have revealed that the 20-year-old Uttar Pradesh-based Mohammed Aleem was chosen as Naib Amir, the second-in-command of the group after Mudabbir. The sources said Karnataka resident Najmul Huda was the military commander and 24-year-old Hyderabadi Mohammed Nafees Khan was the finance chief of the outfit. All these major group leaders were arrested along with their aides Mohammed Shareef Moinuddin Khan, Mohammed Afzal, Syed Mujahid, Mohammed Obedullah Khan, Abu Anas, Asif Ali, Suhail Ahmed, Muhammad Abdul Ahad, Mohammad Hussain Khan, and Imran Khan. (Rajnish Singh can be contacted at rajnish.s@ians.in) New Delhi/Bengaluru, Jan 29 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday said that it has solved the December 28, 2014, Bengaluru Church Street blast case with the arrest of a 30-year-old prime accused. Alam Jeb Afridi alias Javed Rafeeq, who was a member of banned Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) outfit, has reportedly confessed to his involvement in the Church Street blast that took place outside Coconut Grove Bar and Restaurant around 2.30 p.m., killing one person and injuring others. The NIA official said that Rafeeq wanted to plant the bomb inside the restaurant but was deterred by the presence of staff and therefore he planted it outside. Rafeeq was also on the run in another case of organising a terrorist camp for the outfit at Waghamon in Kerala and was declared an absconder with a Rs.3 lakh bounty on his head for at least five years now. He was close to several top SIMI leaders. Rafeeq, a resident of Ahmedabad, has been sent to 10 days' custody by the NIA Special Court. Srinagar, Jan 31 : Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said on Sunday that she needs effective, time-bound assurances on implementation of the agenda of alliance from the central government to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir. Noting the Narendra Modi government will have to reach out to the state's people with decisive political and economic confidence-building measures (CBMs), she said her father, late chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, "took a courageous, although unpopular, decision of aligning with BJP", hoping its government will take decisive measures to address the "core political and economic issues" concerning the state and its people. "Unfortunately, instead of partnering with and implementing Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's vision of bringing peace, stability and prosperity to Jammu and Kashmir, certain quarters, both within J&K and in New Delhi, started overtly and covertly triggering frequent controversies over avoidable contentious issues resulting in wastage of the state government's energies in firefighting and propitiation," she said in a statement after her party's core group meeting here. "In such violative circumstances around, we will have to reassess whether we can absorb the shocks which Mufti Sahab had to do so frequently in his effort to forge reconciliation between the regions and the people of the state," she said. "PDP can't form a government just for the sake of power but, if it does, it will be, as envisioned by Mufti Sahab, with the objective of addressing the core political and economic issues confronting J&K as was done by the PDP-led government between 2002 and 2005," she asserted. She said the Modi government will have to take substantive measures towards implementation of the PDP-BJP Agenda of Alliance and her PDP "needs a set timeframe to be worked out". "The PDP will have to reassess whether the central government is ready to trust the people of Jammu and Kashmir and carry out implementation of 'Agenda of Alliance' with sincerity of purpose," she said, noting it makes clear that the present position will be maintained on all the constitutional provisions pertaining to the state including on special status. She said the agenda made it clear that the coalition government will seek to support and strengthen the approach and initiatives taken "to create a reconciliatory environment and build stakes for all in the peace and development within the sub-continent including normalisation of relations with Pakistan". Mehbooba Mufti noted though real progress was made during the past 10 months towards the implementation of good governance practices listed in the agenda of alliance, there was little movement forward on implementation of political and economic initiatives. "Instead there were some recurrent unsettling developments which led to lack of congenial atmosphere and had a negative impact even on the good work done on the governance front," she said, adding the Sayeed government's "some pioneering developmental and welfare initiatives could not make a mark among the people because of some unsettling issues being raised by certain quarters repeatedly". "Amid recurring contestations and controversies, Mufti Sahab worked tirelessly and tried his best to carry everybody along and bring some relief to the people on the governance front and unfortunately, this taxing overdoing ultimately took a heavy toll on his health. "Jammu and Kashmir today needs the political will and statesmanship to pull the state out of the morass, which no government in the state could do amid recurrent rumblings over the issues that have already been settled in the constitution," she said. Los Angeles, Feb 1 : Hollywood star Russell Crowe warned actor Douglas Booth that working with him would be the most "interesting" thing he ever did. The 23-year-old actor ran into trouble with his "Noah" co-star because he spent a lot of time on the set of the blockbuster texting his then-girlfriend, but following the telling off, he now leaves his phone in his trailer, reports femalefirst.co.uk. "I was on set in New York and always on my phone texting and I remember Russell coming up to me and saying, 'You're never going to be doing anything more interesting than working with me and (director) Darren Aronofsky. What are you doing on your phone?'" Booth said. "And he was completely right. Now my phone doesn't come on to set so I stay present in every moment," Booth told Britain's Marie Claire magazine. Booth has just finished filming "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" with actors Lily James, Matt Smith, Suki Waterhouse and Sam Riley and found working on the comedy a "pleasure". "Some movies are a slog to get through. Sometimes you think, 'Why are we all here?' Slogging these long hours, going through hell, but you do it because you're making something wonderful and you're immensely proud at the end," he added. "We all hung out and had a wonderful time. It was a pleasure to go to work every day." Pond Lehocky is pleased to welcome Ms. Casey Schweppenheiser to the firm as its newest workers compensation associate. Her blue collar roots and personal experience with workers compensation at an early age drive her passion to defend injured workers. Caseys first experience with an attorney set the course for her future. When I was 14, my dad was burned by acid on the job after 23 years as a steelworker, she said. That was my first time dealing with a lawyer, and it was very eye-opening. Someones job was to protect peoples rights. Ive always wanted to help people so studying law was a natural fit. In law school, Caseys excellent academic performance earned her a place among the highest achievers in workers compensation studies. She also sharpened her courtroom skills by litigating an average of 25 hearings a day while working for the Chester County District Attorneys Office. After three Pond Lehocky attorneys Partner Jerry Lehocky, Partner Dave Stern and Associate Ruxandra Osgood spoke to her class at Villanova University School of Law, Casey knew she wanted to pursue workers compensation. Everything just clicked for me when I heard them speak, she said. I could feel their passion; it was so genuine. I knew I wanted to be a part of a firm that cares so deeply about its clients right. Casey wants clients to know that she understands how difficult their situation is and that each client will receive the personalized attention they deserve. Im a hometown girl, she said. I grew up in Nicholson, PA and come from a working class family. Ive experienced the stress and worry that happens when a family member is injured at work so I understand what theyre going through. Casey can be reached at cschweppenheiser(at)pondlehocky.com. Disability Justice welcomes Ms. Nathalie B. Martelly as an associate Social Security attorney in its New York City office. Nathalie has dedicated her career to representing Social Security disability clients because of her passion for helping those in difficult situations. She has successfully secured disability benefits for hundreds of Americans, while working at national Social Security disability group Binder & Binder. Nathalie knows the importance of being a clients voice in the courtroom, and sees to it that the law is used to change peoples lives for the better. Ive seen the tough situations people who are applying for Social Security disability are in, and I am driven to battle for their rights to collect these benefits, she said. The whole process takes a long time because of government wait times and backlogs so it can be very frustrating for clients, but I want them to know that Im advocating for them all the way. Nathalie wants each client to have a personalized experience and strives to ensure that the judges deciding their cases understand her clients struggles with disabilities. I tell all my clients before their hearing, Its time to tell your story, she said. Youre more than a nine-digit Social Security number. You have a story and a right to these benefits. Youre more than just a list of medical conditions on paper. Nathalie knew Disability Justices client-focus and culture of diligence and compassion would be a perfect fit for her personality. When I first met Partner Tom Giordano, I could feel his passion for representing disabled Americans, and I knew I wanted to work for a place that is so dedicated to improving its clients lives, she said. Nathalie can be reached at nmartelly(at)disabilityjustice(dot)com. Be Brave Foundation is launching a Super Bowl Fundraising campaign in hopes of supporting children and families battling pediatric cancer in Charlotte & Denver. The campaign pits the fan bases of the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers against one another for an amazing cause. The idea is simple, fun, and donors have a chance to win a Super Bowl prize pack. All while helping financially support families currently battling pediatric cancer. The idea is simple. Each fan base seeks to raise more money than the other. The fan base that raises the most money by the end of the Super Bowl on February 7th will win. Fifty percent of all funds raised will go to the pediatric oncology department, for financial aid, at the nearest children's hospital to the winning fan base. If Denver fans raise more, the funds will go to a hospital in the Denver area. If Carolina fans raise more, it will go to a hospital near Charlotte. It doesn't end there. The other 50% will go to help children and families in Central Florida, where Be Brave Foundation is based, and where they primarily operate. But wait, there's more. Three lucky donors will be chosen at random for Super Bowl Prize Packs which will include Super Bowl 50 souvenirs including t-shirts, hats, and more! The campaign starts on January 29th and will run through the end of the Super Bowl on February 7th. Brahman cattle for sale We invite all potential customers to the Denim & Diamonds sales event on March 03, 2016, which has become a 'must attend' event for those in Texas who love the Brahman cattle breed. Moreno Ranches, a top producer of Brahman cattle at http://www.morenoranches.com/, is pleased to announce their 2nd annual Denim and Diamonds sales event, to be held on March 3rd 2016 in Houston, Texas. Interested parties should request a catalog beforehand at the ranch website or by calling 877-482-2382, in order to have time to review the sale offerings. We invite all potential customers to the Denim & Diamonds sales event on March 03, 2016, which has become a 'must attend' event for those in Texas who love the Brahman cattle breed, explained Kelvin Moreno, head of Moreno Ranches. We are honored and very excited to showcase the Moreno genetics in conjunction with the activities of the ABBA International Show and Sale in Houston, TX. Moreno Ranches is glad to invite all Brahman Breeders potential customers to assist and learn more about the Denim and Diamonds sale, please visit http://www.morenoranches.com/ and click on the red link at the top of the page. Interested parties can learn about Brahman cattle available for the show that will be sold at the Houston, Texas, event, as well as cattle, semen and embryo opportunities available via Moreno Ranches in the Brahman cattle industry. A Denim and Diamond Theme: Explanation The Denim and Diamonds theme is of course not original to this important Brahman cattle event, but was a success when tried out last year by Moreno Ranches. It is, a little bit country, and a little bit sparkly, so to speak. The 'denim' of course is for the men, and (rather more expensive) diamonds for the women. Unfortunately, Moreno Ranches does remind potential buyers that the Ranch cannot accept payment on Brahman cattle for sale in the form of diamonds, so buyers are reminded to please bring the more traditional payment methods along in case of a purchase at the auction. Preparations for the Brahman Cattle Sale Moreno Ranches has spared no time, travel and resources in assembling, what the company feels, is a strong foundation of females that make up the Moreno Ranches program. Interested parties should request a catalog beforehand. As they view the sale offering, they will find only the finest genetics ever created to represent the M check brand. Moreno Ranches looks forward to interested parties reviewing several of these genetic packages at the ABBA International Show. As always the team at Moreno Ranches takes great pride in the development and marketing of the American Brahman cattle. All are welcome to the sale. Denim and Diamonds sale event has historically attracted many of the most influential people in the Brahman cattle industry. This fact indicates that the ranch is doing things not just right, but awesome in terms of producing top-rated Brahman genetics, and cattle with the highest quality in both types (grey and red) all across the country and in fact via export to the entire world. About Moreno Ranches Moreno Ranches is a top producer of Brahman cattle for sale. Customers come to the company for genetically superior Brahman bulls for sale and Brahman semen (seed stock) and as well as Brahman embryos of the highest quality. The company produces both Brahman heifers and calves for sale, including for use as show cattle or to produce Brahman F1 hybrids. Visit the company's website to browse stock. The company is a trusted source of Brahman cattle whether a buyer is in Florida, Texas, or Louisiana - Latin America, or anywhere in the world. Web. http://www.morenoranches.com/ Tel. 863-444-8745 Mark's excellence as a speaker on guardianship and other legal topics is well known across the great state of Texas. Burdette & Rice is proud to announce that Mark Caldwell, a Texas Board Certified Estate and Probate Attorney and one of the firms Dallas, Texas, probate and estate dispute attorneys, has been invited to speak on March 22, 2016, to Texas licensed attorneys on the topic of "Trends in Litigating and Administering Guardianships" under the auspices of the Dallas Bar Association. The talk will also touch on procedural and evidentiary matters, as well as skills and strategy involved in successfully representing clients in disputed guardianship matters. Caldwell is a recognized expert on guardianship under Texas law, and is a frequent speaker at events in Dallas and across Texas on the topic. Mark's excellence as a speaker on guardianship and other legal topics is well known across the great state of Texas, said Elliott Burdette, Managing Director of Probate Litigation at Burdette and Rice. Mark has a unique ability to speak to both professional audiences as well as the lay public on the intricacies of guardianship administration as well as guardianship disputes under Texas law. We are very excited that he has been selected to speak at this historic Dallas venue. For more information on Mr. Caldwell, please visit http://www.dallasprobateattorneys.com/mark-r-caldwell/. The date of the upcoming speech is March 22, 2016, and is being organized under the auspices of the Dallas Bar Association. Interested parties are urged to contact Mark through the firm's website for complete details on the speaking engagement. The event will be held at the Belo Mansion, 2101 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75201. Information on Guardianship, Guardianship Disputes, and Guardianship Litigation Under Texas Law Burdette & Rice is recognized as a leading law firm in Dallas on all issues concerning guardianship. The firm utilizes its innovative website to convey basic information on the topic. For example, it has a page on guardianship disputes under Texas law at http://www.dallasprobateattorneys.com/guardianship-disputes-new/. In addition, it has a page on routine guardianship administration at http://www.dallasprobateattorneys.com/routine-guardianship-administration/. Those in the legal profession are urged to attend Mark's forthcoming presentation; lay people who may be facing issues concerning guardianship in the Dallas / Fort Worth area are encouraged to reach out for a consultation, as no two situations are alike. More on Mark R. Caldwell, Texas Estate and Probate Attorney Mark Caldwell is a recognized lawyer throughout Texas in areas of trust, probate, and estate litigation, having earned his law degree from the New England School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts, in 2005, before returning to Dallas, Texas, to practice law. Among Marks public speaking and publications are the following: He co-authored Properly Performing Annual Accounts in Guardianships and Management Trusts Where One or Both Spouses are Incompetent, Real Estate, Probate, & Trust Law Reporter, Volume 52, No. 4 (2014), and wrote Winning the Battle and the War; A Remedies-Centered Approach to Litigation Involving Durable Powers of Attorneys, 64 Bay. L. Rev. 435 (Spring 2012). Interested parties are referred to the website to read a full list of Marks publications and speaking experience. Beyond his technical knowledge, Mark enjoys the investigatory aspects of estate and trust litigation, including reviewing and analyzing medical, financial, and suspicious property records and transactions. Mark is committed to developing and maintaining strong, personal relationships with his clients throughout Texas. He endeavors to offer smart, pragmatic and cost-effective legal advice. Mark believes that the strongest winning position is one that is simple, direct, and understandable and he realizes that estate and guardianship litigation often involves substantial damage to family relationships. While he strives to advocate strong, aggressive positions for clients, Mark also strives to resolve disputes in an ethical and reasonable manner that, if desired, do not preclude the opportunity for reconciliation. About Burdette & Rice, PLLC Burdette & Rice, PLLC is a top Dallas probate law firm, with lawyers dedicated to listening to their clients, being fully present to them, and advocating their clients positions in the simplest and most persuasive way possible. The law firm employs some of the top probate and estate lawyers in Dallas, Texas. Clients come to Burdette & Rice to contest a will in Texas, work on complex inheritance litigation and disputes, and to litigate disputes over powers of attorney, guardianship and trustee issues all based on Texas law. Burdette & Rice, PLLC Media Relations http://www.dallasprobateattorneys.com/ 972-991-7700 Property disputes between formerly married couples over community property under Texas law can be quite contentious. Burdette & Rice is proud to announce an innovative paper on community property under Texas law by J. Ellen Bennett, one of the firm's attorneys. The paper places particular emphasis on community property issues that comprise a significant percent of the estate. "Property disputes between formerly married couples over community property under Texas law can be quite contentious, said Elliott Burdette, Managing Director of Probate Litigation at Burdette and Rice. When a death occurs, the legal situation can become even more complicated, even up to the point of litigation over a trust or estate with respect to community property in Texas. Ellen's forthcoming paper is expected to be well received by the Dallas legal community as a contribution to our understanding of these important legal issues. Persons interested in discussing the paper in advance of publication are encouraged to reach out to Bennett via the firm's website; those who would like a copy after publication are also urged to contact the firm. It is expected that the paper will be presented to either a Continuing Legal Education program sponsored by the State Bar of Texas or to a Bar Association in North Texas. In either case, interested parties are encouraged to reach out directly to Bennett for details. She can be reached at http://www.dallasprobateattorneys.com/j-ellen-bennett/ or by calling 972-991-7700. More on Ellen Bennett Recently designated a 2016 Super Lawyer in Texas, Ellen works out the firm's Dallas office, fighting for her clients rights in cases involving including will contests, trust contests, breaches of fiduciary duties and other lawsuits necessary to protect inheritance rights and guardianships. Additionally, as a Trust and Estate Litigator, Ellen can handle cases involving breach of fiduciary duty, such as trustee or executor misconduct, guardianship disputes or power of attorney disputes. Burdette & Rice is proud that the strong trust and estate litigation skills Ellen has developed are being put to good use in representing our clients in Probate, Trust, Estate and Guardianship matters. Her forthcoming paper on community property disputes under Texas law is, accordingly, anticipated to be well received. About Burdette & Rice, PLLC Burdette & Rice, PLLC is a top Dallas probate law firm (http://www.dallasprobateattorneys.com/), with lawyers dedicated to listening to their clients, being fully present to them, and advocating their clients positions in the simplest and most persuasive way possible. The law firm employs some of the top probate and estate lawyers in Dallas, Texas. Clients come to Burdette & Rice to contest a will in Texas, work on complex inheritance litigation and disputes, and to litigate disputes over powers of attorney, guardianship and trustee issues all based on Texas law. Burdette & Rice, PLLC Media Relations http://www.dallasprobateattorneys.com/ 972-991-7700 Sucker Rod Invention Saves Money and Time "The oil industry is in complete chaos. In life, timing is everything. What better time to introduce a cost savings to the energy business?"says Scott Cooper, CEO and Creative Director of World Patent Marketing Past News Releases RSS World Patent Marketing Invention... World Patent Marketing Success Team... World Patent Marketing Invention... World Patent Marketing, a vertically integrated manufacturer and engineer of patented products, announced a licensing agreement with Texas inventors to patent and manufacture a revolutionary new sucker rod. The new sucker rod is to be made of a material combination that is stronger, lighter, and less expensive to use than the current products on the market. It is abrasion, rust and corrosion resistant. "The slide of more than 25 percent in oil prices so far this year has piled more pain on oil drillers and producing nations alike, yet they continue to pump more oil into an oversupplied market," said Scott J. Cooper, CEO and Creative Director of World Patent Marketing. "The oil industry is in complete chaos. In life, timing is everything. What better time to introduce a cost savings to the energy business?" The new rods are stronger than steel and incorporate an all new coupling system. The new coupling system is both stronger, and quicker to connect. The new sucker rods are sure to reduce costs, as well as drilling time. World Patent Marketings new sucker rods are the most significant breakthrough in sucker pump drilling since the technique was first introduced in 1925. The innovative improvements reduce wear and tear due to abrasion and can significantly reduce the possibility of untimely breakage. "I love this deal," said Jerry Shapiro, Director of Manufacturing at World Patent Marketing. "You expect this type of breakthrough to come from some mega-lab at Exxon or BP, a place filled with a bunch of high-priced PhDs. But, at World Patent Marketing, I have learned from my own experience that the best ideas often come from regular guys working in the field, solving everyday problems that they encounter. That is exactly we have here and that is why World Patent Marketing is putting its money behind it." "I am more than thankful for all the great help from World Patent Marketing its CEO, Scott Cooper," said the inventor. "We are more than excited to begin the manufacturing process and get our sucker rods in the hands of oil operators all over the world. We are paving the way for more cost efficient and profitable production domestically and internationally. I feel Mr. Cooper and his team have placed us in the perfect position to capitalize in this billion dollar industry. Thank you again Mr. Cooper and WPM for all of the professional help and guidance." ABOUT WORLD PATENT MARKETING World Patent Marketing is an innovation incubator and manufacturer of patented products for inventors and entrepreneurs. The company is broken into eight operating divisions: Research, Patents, Prototyping, Manufacturing, Retail, Web & Apps, Social Media and Capital Ventures. As a leader in patent invention services, World Patent Marketing is by your side every step of the way, utilizing our capital and experience to protect, prepare, and manufacture your new product idea and get it out to the market. Get a patent with World Patent Marketing and the company will send representatives to trade shows every month in order to further advocate for its clients. It is just part of the world patent marketing cost of doing business. World Patent Marketing Success Stories are made possible because of its A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and its five star ratings from consumer review sites including: Consumer Affairs, Google, Trustpilot, Customer Lobby, Reseller Ratings, Yelp and My3Cents. World Patent Marketing is also a proud member of the National Association of Manufacturers, Duns and Bradstreet, the US Chamber of Commerce, the South Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Association for Manufacturing Excellence, and the New York Inventor Exchange. Visit the worldpatentmarketing.com website and find out how to patent an invention. Contact us at (888) 926-8174. For 44 years, our friends in Iowa have engaged in one of the most unique presidential selection processes in the world. While most of our readers can only watch from across the river, once again on Monday, Iowa Quad-Citians will take part in the quadrennial presidential caucuses. In many ways, Illinois Q-C residents do win even though they cant vote; we would never get such access to presidential hopefuls without Iowas caucuses. Its relatively simple, for example, to hop across the river today to hear candidates make last-minute appeals in our community. (Though the river apparently is a lot more difficult to ford for the candidates, who mostly ignore voters they literally can see just on the other side of it. After all, balloting in Illinois is more than a month away.) Unfortunately, Illinois Quad-Citians also get some of the disadvantages, starting with the endless stream of political ads muddying up local airwaves. If those ads were your sole source of information, you might be forgiven for getting started on that backyard bomb shelter to protect against the impending enemy attack. It will be nice to get a reprieve, however short-lived it may be. As for Iowans, with great responsibility comes great power and there are plenty of folks in other places who covet it. Indeed, once again experts are lamenting Iowas first-in-the-nation position and the clout voters carry in an admittedly predominately white, largely rural state that doesnt reflect most of the country. Besides, they charge, in the last four decades, only three GOP candidates and only five Democrats who won the Iowa caucuses became their partys nominees. If they rarely pick the winner, what makes Iowa so important? For starters, caucus-goers are winnowing a crowded and overwhelming field. Its a process that began before Mondays big event, as disorganized campaigns which failed to resonate with voters have begun to drop in Iowa and nationwide polling. Thats because Iowas concentrated campaigns give the rest of the country a close, personal look at candidates far less likely to emerge if the first primaries were stretched across the country, or concentrated in far more heavily populated states, for example, New York. Thats among the many reasons weve joined other advocates in defending Iowas No. 1 position, and New Hampshires runnerup status. One of the best defenses weve seen came from the late political reporter and columnist David Broder, who called electors in those states some of the nicest, most hospitable people in the world. Why? They endure endless questioning by reporters and pollsters without complaint, he wrote. They ply you with food and drink. And most important, they take their responsibilities as the nations screeners of White House talent very seriously, so they listen closely to the candidates and subject them to rigorous scrutiny. And its not as though participating is as simple as stopping at your polling place, and marking a secret ballot. The caucuses are a challenge, Mr. Broder said. To participate, voters must leave their homes after supper, go out in the cold, find the meeting place and prepare to stand up in public and be counted for their candidates. Some people consider this fun. Thank goodness they do. Were certain the caucus-goers we know will take their duty seriously Monday when they join others gathering in all 99 Iowa counties. While there, Mr. Broder wrote, they will perform their national service of cutting the field down to manageable size -- whether the New York Times approves or not. So, when you call your Iowa friends to urge them to vote for your favorite candidate Monday because you cant, take a moment to thank them for their service. The Davenport Police Department is investigating two incidents that took place shortly after midnight, early Sunday. The first, at about 12:34 a.m., officers responded to Tuxedos, 5200 Grand Ave., regarding a disturbance. A fight occurred in the parking lot, resulting in three adult males being stabbed, police said in a Sunday release. All three were transported to Genesis Medical Center, East Campus, for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, the release said, noting no arrests have been made. At approximately 12:46 a.m., officers responded to 1300 W. 13th St., in response to a home invasion where shots were fired. The residence was struck and officers recovered casings at the scene, police said. No injuries were reported and no arrests have been made. Detectives are following up on both investigations. Police did not provide additional information on Sunday. Anyone with information regarding these incidents is encouraged to call the Davenport Police Department at 563-326-6125 or submit an anonymous tip via the mobile app CityConnect Davenport, IA. A program about Alzheimer's disease will be presented by Jerry Schroeder, a senior program specialist with the Alzheimers Association. His presentation will address the warning signs of Alzheimer's and related diseases, how these illnesses are diagnosed and treated, and what to do if you are in a relationship with a person who is diagnosed. He will answer audience questions. A Davenport man on parole, who later wrote to a Scott County District Judge saying the thought of prison is terrifying and that he wanted to become someone beneficial to this world, was arrested Thursday by Davenport Police for allegedly possessing a firearm and selling ecstasy and marijuana. After having been pummeled by more than a years worth of campaign propaganda, citizens finally begin to make choices in the 2016 presidential election.Mondays Iowa caucuses kick off a nominating process that will slowly work its way through to the increasingly pro forma national party conventions. The focus is on the top office, but there are thousands of other political offices to fill. While the presidency counts for a lot, it is those other offices which will shape your life for the next few years. Youd better pay attention. It is the publics single concentration on the Big Race which has enabled a handful of billionaires to slowly and quietly get a chokehold on local, state, and national legislative bodies. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Koch Brothers, Charles and David, steering a network funded with the help of some 300 allies, now also control Congress and the Supreme Court. Four years ago, they were certain that they had locked up the presidency, but the voters betrayed them, reelecting President Obama. This time, they are doubling down, leaving nothing to chance. Except for one detail: which of the exotic range of candidates in the Republican Party is going to win? Trump remains a wild card, but the others will come to heel. While a bit more nervous this time around, the network is leaving nothing to chance. A lot of money also has been diverted to influence the Democratic race. Theyd like another McGovern candidate, but that is a very long shot. Still, whats campaign money for, if not to burn? The manner in which the Koch brothers -- principally Charles --- set out to reshape government to their own essentially anarchist ideal marks the most revolutionary change in politics since the New Deal. Having been born in the year the Great Depression began, I have been an appalled witness to this remarkable social shift in American history. Slightly over a century ago, the United States was essentially under the control of the so-called robber barons who treated the country as their personal fiefdom. The reaction against them began with the Progressive Era of Teddy Roosevelt. His anti-trust legislation, with bipartisan support, placed a light rein on the power of the ultra-rich; but it was his fifth cousin, Franklin, who used the economic disaster of the Great Depression to give control to citizens through radical New Deal legislation. That progressive agenda was expanded by -- of all people -- Richard M. Nixon and Lyndon Johnson. Even while digging us deeper into the Vietnam morass, Johnson used his domestic Great Society agenda to correct social wrongs and enrich public life. Despite his paranoia-induced political crimes, Nixon continued the progressive trend, creating the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. At this stage, wealth was unevenly, but fairly, distributed. But for men like Charles Koch, Richard Mellon Scaife, John M. Olin, and their friends, the idea of having to put public health and safety ahead of profits was anathema. And thus began a surreptitious campaign to sell Americans on the idea that government, their only defense against the predations of the powerful, was somehow the enemy. In their view, the sole function of government is to protect private property and the individual. Putting limits on any means to a profit was a crime. And so, quietly, anonymously, they loosed a flood of money -- much of it tax-exempt -- to put ultra-right ideologues in control of state legislatures and governorships, Congress, and the Supreme Court. To seal the deal, they used lavish grants to install far-right professors and programs in our most prestigious universities; established numerous propaganda mills disguised as think tanks; underwrote multiple anti-government books, and influenced, or bought outright, media outlets to shape public opinion. It was a brilliant plan, meticulously executed, which I have watched with grudging admiration and growing alarm. They have proved that, with steely determination, stealth, and masses of money, it is possible to convince citizens to trade their democracy for a new oligarchy of the super-wealthy. In short, distracted by manufactured fear and anger, to vote against their own best interests. The whole story, while largely suppressed, has been told in bits and pieces in recent years, but you had to dig to find it. Now its all in one overwhelming book, Dark Money by Jane Mayer. You cannot vote without reading this. Thirteen years ago, I started a sales career for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, peddling samples out of my bag near lush Newport and Laguna beaches in California. I threw ornate dinners for psychiatrists to boost the sales of Effexor XR for depression and anxiety, even though it was clear that the physicians I sold to -- the pain docs -- prescribed Effexor off-label for pain. Almost a decade later, I parked my sporty Infiniti company car in Beverly Hills and traded my $200,000-plus salary, which I was receiving from a boutique firm called Medicis, for a used epidemiology textbook at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, where I started a master of public health program in 2011. What I did not realize was that my own actions in closing a drug sale, without any bioethical considerations of what I was doing, helped contribute to the over prescription of powerful psychotropic drugs much like that of OxyContin, a powerful pain killer. While the pharmaceutical industry is looked to as the life raft when health epidemics arise, it is one of the major culprits of the addiction epidemic. Prescription-drug-induced mortalities have surpassed car crash fatalities for the first time, as primary care physicians overprescribe opiates and patients abuse them. I was made aware of this almost two years ago when I attended a town hall at my alma mater on prescription drug abuse. It was hosted by former President Bill Clinton, who told a story of two young men who died as a result of painkillers. Its not just prescription drugs that are the problems, though. Opiates are the gateway for street heroin; in fact, three quarters of heroin addicts started with pain pills. According to NPR, between 2007 and 2013, there has been a 150 percent increase in U.S. heroin use. At the town hall, former congressman Patrick Kennedy fiercely tried to explain the plight of the stigmatized and institutionalized addicts, thrown into a revolving door of antiquated rehabs and relapse, and urged attendees to heed a call by the FDA to treat addiction as a chronic disease much like type II diabetes, not an acute flare-up to be addressed in 30-day rehab. I left the pharmaceutical rep business to search for meaningful ways to ameliorate the nations health. I now understand that science can change cultural perceptions of illness in line with some of French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Pontys writings on the phenomenology of perception. That is, pharmaceutical innovation, medical breakthroughs and publicity change our perception of stigmatized patients: Highly active antiretroviral therapy changed the life span and view of HIV patients in the 1990s (as did celebrity infection admissions -- think Magic Johnson), Prozac changed the perennial stigma of depressed and anxious patients with new hope in the 1980s, and even Viagra somewhat removed a stigma of growing older in society with diminishing sexual desires. Many if not most of us know someone struggling from addiction, wrapped up in the criminal justice system, kicked out of school and stigmatized from our communities -- from Donald Trumps older brother, to homeless veterans who struggle with substance abuse in our city streets, to the Lumbee Native American tribe of North Carolina, to the lower-income African-Americans who relapse in between prisons and unemployment, and finally to the vanishing population of the white male middle-class. But it doesnt have to be that way. The time has come for a new approach, a new modality and a new cultural acceptance so that addicts can reintegrate into our society as one of us, not one of them. The Eucharist is supposed to create a new culture, one that is welcoming and only sees the flaws and failures of others as a reminder of one's own need for God's mercy, said Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.The Eucharist is the Lord's meal and "when the Lord hosts the meal, be prepared to be with surprising 'others,'" Tagle told participants at the 51st International Eucharistic Congress Jan. 24-31."In the meal hosted by the Lord, persons recognize a close neighbor, a fellow sinner, a sister, a brother with a place at the table," he said. "In each one, I see myself ... sinful but loved, undeserving but invited, shamed but embraced, lost but trusted."Looking at culture in concrete, simple terms -- such as seating arrangements or how parish property is organized -- should help people make "individual and corporate examinations of consciences," he said.The Manila cardinal pointed to the eucharistic congress itself as an example. In a mock haughty tone, the prelate pointed at the front rows of the pavilion, then to the faithful far in the back.If a parish has a huge parking lot and no classroom space, that says something about its culture, the cardinal said, as does the distance from the first pew to the altar in the church."I see many of my brother priests here. Look at your room. Does it reflect a celibate culture? The way you arrange your beds and your things. You are celibate. Your bed should be single, not double," he exclaimed to wide applause.He had opened his presentation on "the Eucharist and the dialogue with cultures" by greeting the packed pavilion with "good morning" in multiple languages, including the Cebuano dialect, Italian, Mandarin and sign language.For Frankie Berry of Deaf Village Ireland in Dublin, the greeting meant a lot."Straight away, I warmed to him. His use of everyday words helped," she told Catholic New Service through hastily written notes.Tagle referred to the atmosphere of "eucharistic fervor" in the room of more than 12,000 delegates from 71 countries, calling it "climate change at its best.""The climate of unity of peoples of different nations, tongues, cultures becoming one body in Jesus Christ: what warmth, what joy, what love," he said.The same culture of unity should be found in every parish, he said, insisting that Jesus created a new culture by breaking from cultural norms. He "offered a new way of living, thinking and acting" and used space in a way that let children come close, allowed a woman known to have sinned to anoint him, touched a leper. While he "ate a lot," Jesus was always sharing those meals with people who would never be invited to dine at anyone's table, said Tagle."Do the wounded, lost, shamed, humiliated and despised find a family in our community?" he asked.John Glenn Avila, a seminarian "on regency," a period for discerning further whether the priesthood truly is for him, noted the cardinal's reference to "the culture of isolation," which Jesus broke through by welcoming the unwanted. Avila said one of the most memorable highlights of the cardinal's talk was how the culture of isolation could be broken, starting with the family."Restore the family meals," Tagle emphasized. "The basic unit of the family meal is the common table. Nowadays the basic unit of the meal is 'my plate. And if I have my plate with food on it, I can go anywhere and eat it by myself.' But that is not a meal. That is just eating."The cardinal hit on the pope's warnings about the "throwaway culture," one in which people buy things for the sake of buying them and then simply discard them."In the Eucharist, we propose the culture of gift," he said.He pointed out that the Bible is filled with "people who are thrown away," including David under threat of being discarded by King Solomon, Joseph and Mary "thrown away to the manger," and Jesus thrown away by jealous leaders and finally tossed aside by friends who denied him. But God took all of them "in his gentle hands" and gave them as gifts to the faithful."Gifts that are given are not to be thrown away," Tagle said. "This culture of communion and gift-sharing will make a eucharistic community, a real, a credible presence of Christ in the cultures of the world and provide the world a reason to hope." Property details: Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE "Invest in Land, they are not making it any more!" --Mark TwainIt is widely believed that the most valuable investment on Earth is Earth. For your consideration, here we offer this huge 77+/- acre parcel of land in Grand Isle Maine, which is a cozy little town bordering Canada across from the mighty Saint John River. This beautiful and serene area is replete with wild life, including: Moose, black bear, deer, and a variety of birds. So if you are into o... Price: $ 9,800 Seller State of Residence: California Property Address: Gendreau Rd. State/Province: Maine City: Grand Isle Type: Recreational, Acreage Zoning: Mixed Zip/Postal Code: 04746 Location: 935**, Lancaster, California You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 04746 Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate , We're sorry, this article is not currently available The year 2015 could be the lucky charm for the Chinese, especially after it was proclaimed as the "year of the Chinese investors" as per reports in The Real Deal. But, looks like their lucky potion has already expired as many developers think 2016 might not favor them. Despite succeeding in their commercial real estate investment in New York the past two years, Chinese investors' recent real estate deal with NY seems to be on the rocks. During the 2016 real estate outlook conference on Jan. 20, CEO of the Related Companies, Jeff Blau said that they should be looking for other sources of capital over the next few years. He highlighted at the conference the recent anxiety of the NY's real estate industry at the start of this year. He also brought up Chinese investors' absence during last week's bidding to recapitalize the first Hudson Yards tower. The Real Deal reports say that Blau's firm was able to raise a huge amount of money from Chinese investors. However, there were only 10 bids for the said tower from all over the world in the bidding last week and there was no Chinese, according to Blau. It was also noticed that there was a little less Chinese activities at the last quarter of 2015 than during the first quarter of the year, as per assessment of the head of the U.S. real estate investments for Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Tom Arnold. China has been experiencing stock market turmoil, volatility in their exchange rate, and a bad economic data over the past months. A report from the Economist even dubbed their plight as "China's market mess." The recent economy status of China could have raised questions about the real economic health of the country, making the NY real estate industry fear that there will be fewer Chinese investors lining up to invest in the city. Despite the possible backing off of the Chinese real estate investments for the NY property market, CBRE broker Darcy Stacom was still among the optimists who would like to address the current issue. "I think we have plenty of people who can fill that void. I don't really worry about it," Stacom said and added that he is still hopeful on the interest-generating pension fund of Canada and Middle East in the NY market. Meanwhile, Chinese institutional investors are also optimistic on China's economy. Besides, Chinese investment abroad could also hit, Blau bullishly added. SHARE By Joe Szydlowski of the Redding Record Searchlight Shasta County and the cities of Shasta Lake and Redding are eyeing anti-honey-oil-lab regulations patterned after those passed last year by the Anderson City Council. Those two cities' councils and the county Board of Supervisors will mull passing those regulations at their meetings Tuesday, according to the agenda documents. "I'm extremely excited about that happening," said Baron Browning, the Anderson City Council member who spearheaded efforts to establish rules to fight honey-oil labs. That process uses refined butane to extract the active ingredient in marijuana into a much more potent form called honey oil or hash oil. But the process is also a volatile one the butane pools in a room and needs only a spark to explode. As of December 2015, the labs have caused $1.3 million in property damage, burned 15 people and killed one in the city of Redding. Though Anderson had not had a lab explode yet, Browning pushed to craft regulations, which Anderson passed late last year and all other local governments in Shasta County are considering. The rules essentially ban possession of more than a handful of canisters of five-times or more refined butane oil makers prefer the more refined product because it's more pure and leave less of a smell on the oil. The rules also ban businesses from selling more than a few cans to individuals within a month stores also must keep a ledger of all transactions. All the proposed regulations, like Anderson's rules, make any violation a public nuisance. Anderson did that because it offers the city a variety of options to remedy the situation. Redding's and Shasta County's proposed regulations also make a violation a misdemeanor, according to the ordinances' text. If passed, the new rules would take effect within 30 days. The Redding and Shasta Lake city council meetings begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The Shasta County Board of Supervisors' meeting begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday. SHARE By Jenny Espino of the Redding Record Searchlight The head of Shasta Community Health Center will ask the Redding City Council to hold off on approving an ordinance change that would require its mobile medical service for the homeless to obtain permission before parking in a commercial area. Dean Germano said the city did not contact him nor his organization about the proposed zoning change, which he said specifically targets the HOPE (Health Outreach for People Everywhere) van and feeds into beliefs that if the service goes away, the homeless problem, too, will go away. "This is premature and unnecessary in the context of all the good work that is happening," he said, also adding that he is not unsympathetic to the concerns of homeowners and businesses wherever the van parks. The council approved a first reading of the ordinance change last month and is expected to vote on the second reading Tuesday. Approval means the new rules take effect 30 days later. Ahead of the meeting, council members Gary Cadd and Kristen Schreder said they now support tabling the item and cited the lack of notification to the service providers who would be affected. Other known operators that would fall under the proposed rules are BloodSource in Redding and pop-up tents of cell phone providers. Vice Mayor Brent Weaver stood his ground in support of the ordinance cleanup and said it provides a balance between the conflicting and valid needs to serve the homeless and offer a good customer service experience. You can be smart about where you offer services, while being sensitive to business, he said. "I've heard some of the strongest critics trying to frame this discussion as, either you are for homeless service or anti-homeless. I really don't subscribe to either of those comments," he said. "You can be for the homeless and law enforcement." Cadd acknowledged there are problems that need to be addressed. "But you need to have the folks in the downtown and HOPE van have their chance for a constructive conversation," he said. Though Schreder has been working closely with Germano as part of her homeless project, she said the two never talked about the rule change. "We are proposing to have a process that creates more opportunity. We should have more opportunity for input," Schreder said. The proposed rule change is one of several cleanups that staff is recommending. Some of those changes would open industrial parks to new kinds of developments, such as museums and microbreweries. Another one offers more protection to old buildings before demolition permits are granted. The HOPE van would be required to obtain a temporary use permit and have time limits to operate in a location. The development services director upon receiving an application would notify surrounding property owners and receive comments before determining to approve or deny, according to rules. Or the director may refer the application to the Board of Administrative Review for action. The cleanups were discussed in Planning Commission meetings last fall. The council passed the first reading on a 5-0 vote. City Manager Kurt Starman, during a live chat on Redding.com on Friday, said planning staff consider what is working well and what isn't. The criticism was that there was no way for the public to comment on services like the HOPE van and the pop-up tents that were selling phones. Germano said whether the community realizes it, the van is playing a major role in connecting with the chronically homeless those with mental illnesses to get them off the street. "It's a long-term effort. Housing First continues to be the biggest barrier," he said. Starman said he understood Germano's concerns and said the health center provides good service to the community. Mayor Missy McArthur said she is on the fence on the issue and said she wants to hear from the public before she makes her decision. "I'm not letting any council member of person politic me on this," she said of the feedback she is getting from people on all sides of the issue. "I have a heart for medical issues because I was a physician assistant for 25 years but I am sympathetic to business." Business owners last year during a walk through the downtown approached council members with their concerns about attracting customers with the HOPE van operating nearby, she said. "I think the Americana Lodge is more of the problem," she said of the troubled motel. "There are fair arguments on both sides. But you need for businesses to be successful to have income. You cannot have one without the other." In other business: The council will consider approving two tentative agreements reached between the city and two bargaining units represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245. The three-year contracts for 65 full-time workers with the electric department and 145 workers with the maintenance employees' unit provide wages increases this year and next. Employees, meanwhile, would be required to contribute to their pensions. The terms of the agreement span from September 2014 to September 2017. According to a staff report, the maintenance group would see raises of 4 percent effective Sunday and 3.5 percent on Jan. 1, 2017. The electric group would see their pay increase by 5 percent effective Sunday and 4.5 percent by July 3. There would be a third pay raise of 4.5 percent effective Jan. 1, 2017. Certain supervisors would see an additional 1 percent increase. The wage increases combined are estimated at $2.3 million, while the savings for less-generous benefits are estimated to range between $396,500 and $750,000. If you go What: Redding City Council meeting When: 6 p.m. Tuesday Where: Redding City Hall, 777 Cypress Ave. About the meeting: The council, in its consent calendar, will act on an invitation from the Shasta County Board of Supervisors to restart tax-sharing talks. The council also will consider appropriating just under $440,000 to create a path for people on bike or foot in south Redding along Highway 273 and to fund a study for a trail from the downtown to Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The council will hold a public hearing to consider new regulations for short-term vacation rentals. It will receive a presentation on the California Public Employees Retirement Systems projected rates. Council members will vote on the first reading of an ordinance regulating butane and tentative agreements with two labor groups represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245. SHARE Frans Albert Nelson Date of birth: Oct. 20, 1987 Vitals: 6 feet 2 inches; 210 pounds; blond hair, blue eyes Charge: Driving under the influence Ashley Ann Noble Date of birth: Jan. 28, 1988 Vitals: 5 feet 8 inches; 150 pounds; blond hair, blue eyes Charge: Receiving known stolen property Melissa Ann Odom Date of birth: Oct. 3, 1987 Vitals: 5 feet 4 inches; 230 pounds; blond hair, blue eyes Charge: Revocation of probation Gregory David Raibley Date of birth: Dec. 30, 1987 Vitals: 5 feet 10 inches; 150 pounds; black hair, brown eyes Charge: Revocation of probation By Staff Reports Shasta's Most Wanted, featured in the Record Searchlight in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies, targets people who have failed to show up in court for sentencing after being convicted of crimes. A milestone was reached in December, when the 500th arrest was made since the program was begun in September 2013. As of Friday a total of 540 arrests have been made through the Most Wanted program. Authorities say they have seen an increase in criminals failing to appear in court since the onset of Assembly Bill 109. Also known as prison realignment, the state program shifted certain state prison inmates to county supervision. Redding Police Chief Robert Paoletti said court appearances have been going up since the rollout of the program. Five new people are added each week. Those caught will be held until at least their next court appearances. Shasta County Secret Witness is offering a reward of up to $250 for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call 245-6540 or 243-2319. The feature appears Sundays in the Record Searchlight's Northern California section and on Redding.com. Dr. Philip A. Mackowiak, a doctor and epidemiologist, poses for a photo at the University of Maryland on Dec. 17, 2015 in Maryland. He launched the medical school's annual Historical Clinicopathological Conference, which has examined the deaths of Herod the Great, Pericles and Akhenaten. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun/TNS) SHARE Dr. Philip A. Mackowiak, a doctor and epidemiologist, poses for a photo at the University of Maryland on Dec. 17, 2015 in Maryland. He launched the medical school's annual Historical Clinicopathological Conference, which has examined the deaths of Herod the Great, Pericles and Akhenaten. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun/TNS) By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times BALTIMORE The patient was dead, but the cause remained a mystery. And if theres anything doctors hate more than their inability to forestall death, its their inability to explain it. And so, 357 years after Oliver Cromwell died at age 58, several dozen physicians convened here under the austere arches of Westminster Church this fall to ponder the patients medical history, assess his symptoms in his final days, and settle upon a cause of the English statesmans death. There would be no physical examination of the man who, in the 17th century, dethroned an English king, brutally suppressed Catholic uprisings in Ireland and united an empire riven by dissension. A diagnosis would have to proceed without the niceties of modern medicine as well: no blood tests, no X-rays or CT scans, not even a proper autopsy (though Cromwells embalmer observed that his brains blood vessels seemed to be overcharged and that his spleen, though sound to the Eye, had a build-up of oily sludge that doctors today associate with sepsis). Most of the time, the unfortunates discussed in such clinicopathological conferences died just weeks or months earlier. A staple of medical education, these exercises help doctors and medical students hone their skills and learn from what went wrong (or right) in a patients care. But for a growing subculture of physicians across the country, piecing together a historical figures cause of death is a puzzle that combines their diagnostic skill and medical intuition with biographical research, archival excavation, epidemiological sleuthing and a dash of guesswork. It is the ultimate whodunit, said Dr. Sanjay Saint, who, after weeks of research and deliberation, concluded that Cromwell had died of malaria which was endemic to the British Isles at the time combined with a salmonella infection that gave him typhoid fever. The reason we go into medicine is to help patients, said Saint, the associate chief of medicine at the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Ann Arbor, Mich. But thats not all. Theres also that part of playing detective, of being curious about a mystery and wanting to figure it out. Dr. Jan Hirschmann, a staff physician at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, caught the medical detective bug nearly 20 years ago, and has been at it off and on ever since. On a lark in the late 1990s, a musician and medical colleague of Hirschmanns invited him to lecture on the untimely death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1791, just shy of his 36th birthday. Hirschmann, an infectious disease expert and insatiable reader with a penchant for problem-solving, knew next to nothing about Mozarts life or the circumstances of his demise. But the challenge sounded like fun, and he soon dove into every biography he could find. Mozart had suffered from a fever with joint pain as a child, which some doctors have interpreted as acute rheumatic fever. Because this can lead to chronic heart complications, many assumed the Austrian composer died of heart failure. One music historian suggested Mozart had been poisoned by his archrival, Italian composer Antonio Salieri. Other candidates for cause of death included kidney failure and infective endocarditis. None of those diagnoses added up, Hirschmann thought. Mozarts family letters said he was in perfect health before he was suddenly overtaken by fever and a skin rash. These symptoms along with physicians notes and diary entries from the time pointed to some sort of outbreak. The only one that matched Mozarts symptoms was trichinosis, a parasitic disease caused by eating undercooked meat, usually pork. But Hirschmann had one big problem: He didnt know what Mozart ate. As he sat in the hospital library waiting to give his lecture, he leafed through a book one last time. Thats when he came across a letter that stopped him cold. Mozart was writing to his wife, Constanze, when he was interrupted by a servant bringing dinner. He wrote: And what do I smell? Pork cutlets! Che gusto. I eat to your health. The letter was dated Oct. 7, 1791. Mozart fell sick 44 days later the time it typically takes for trichinosis symptoms to appear after infection. Triumphant, Hirschmann presented his findings to a fascinated audience. He published them in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2001. I call it the smoking or not-so-smoking pork chop, he said. The diagnosis produced what Hirschmann laughingly calls the two acmes of his career: a spot in the grocery store tabloid the Star and a mention in Jay Lenos Tonight Show monologue. That got me my 15 minutes of fame, he said. It also got him noticed by Dr. Philip A. Mackowiak, the University of Maryland physician and epidemiologist who launched the medical schools annual Historical Clinicopathological Conference back in 1995. Mackowiak asked Hirschmann to investigate the death of Herod the Great in 4 B.C., when the Judean ruler was 69. (Hirschmanns diagnosis: kidney disease, complicated by Fourniers gangrene.) Over the last 20 years, Mackowiaks medical sleuthing has reached as far back in history as ancient Greece (the statesman Pericles probably succumbed to typhus fever in what was called the plague of Athens) and as close to home as Baltimore (the writer Edgar Allan Poe most likely died of rabies). Physicians are hungry for liberal arts outlets, said Mackowiak, who has published two books on historical medical mysteries. At the same time, students of the liberal arts crave a way into an arcane field like medicine. Conducting postmortems on historical figures seemed like the perfect opportunity to enrich the lives of both communities, he said. In 2007, for instance, physicians, historians and mystery enthusiasts considered how Abraham Lincolns gunshot wound to the head might have been treated in a modern neurosurgical unit, and whether the 16th president would have lived. Their conclusion: Though Lincoln certainly would have been disabled, survival would be a very reasonable expectation. Conference attendees have also learned that after death, the blood vessels in Vladimir Lenins brain were so calcified they sounded like stone when tapped with tweezers, that the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten probably inherited a hormone disorder that made him look like a woman, and that syphilis passed down from his father was likely the cause of Beethovens deafness. To solve the riddle of Cromwells death, Mackowiak this year invited a new kind of sleuth to weigh in. While Saint hit his books, computer specialists from the U.S. Department of Energys Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee fed details of Cromwells medical history into a network of supercomputers. A software program designed by Oak Ridge engineers churned through 27 million medical articles and texts, analyzing 70 million data associations relevant to Cromwells case. In 4.5 seconds, ORIGAMI short for Oak Ridge Graph Analytics for Medical Innovation converged on virtually the same conclusion drawn after weeks of research and deliberation by Saint: Cromwell was done in by malaria. For Saint, the unexpected competition was a humbling reminder of his limitations. But for Dr. Eliot Siegel, a University of Maryland radiologist and nuclear medicine specialist who worked on the ORIGAMI project, the exercise underscored the astonishingly efficient brainpower physicians bring to the task of diagnosis. Years of education and practice have endowed physicians such as Saint with a trove of medical data and an arsenal of cognitive shortcuts. Who would I rather have making a diagnosis? It would be hands-down Dr. Saint, Siegel said. On the other hand, if you told me there was a mystery disease and no one had any ideas about it and we needed some new insight I like the computer. Oak Ridge engineers are preparing to reopen several of the cases pondered by Mackowiak and his colleagues through the years. The results may upend some of the conclusions so painstakingly drawn and deepen the medical mysteries thought to be solved. (Los Angeles Times staff writer Maria L. La Ganga in Seattle and special correspondent Melissa Pandika in Los Angeles contributed to this report.) 2016 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. SHARE "Hello?" "Yes, is Mr. Northern Spotted Owl in?" "Speaking." "Mr. Owl, this is Mr. Winter Run Salmon. Sorry to bother you, but we think you have some experience that could help us. Basically we are dying off. You seem have the same problem." "Well, Mr. Salmon, here's my opinion on what's happening. Population-wise we are on a slide. Lots of activity around here, but it just doesn't make sense. Logging has been shut down, but our Canadian cousins on the flyway say more of their trees are being cut and the lumber shipped down here. Regarding loggers, there was a tradeoff. While they did take some of our good nesting sites, they reduced the fuel by keeping the brush down, cleaning up the dead falls and getting on the fires quicker. And we have survived for a couple hundred years coexisting with them. Now our forests are in such bad shape we are dying from record size fires and terrible erosion. But the logging and fire don't begin to compare with our biggest problem the immigration of the barred owls into our area in the last 20 years. They are decimating us by taking over most of our nesting sites, massacring our young and wiping out our food supply. So now there is a government plan to shoot some of them. Doubt that will work. Maybe all they have done is wreck the economy of Northern California." "Mr. Owl we're sorry to hear about this. We do have some similarities. We lost some good home area when they built the Shasta Dam. To be healthy, our babies need clean gravel beds and cold water. The government has some success working on this. But our big problem is exactly like yours. We are being wiped out by striped bass. And nobody is working on this, in fact they won't even admit it. In 1879 an idiot named Livingston Stone brought 132 striped bass from the East Coast into the Sacramento River at the suggestion of Mr. Throckmorton of the California State Board of Fish Commissioners. In 1879, just 20 years later, the commercial striper catch in this system amounted to well over a million pounds. A MILLION POUNDS! And then, get this, in 1935 the same government agency banned taking stripers commercially. There must be a gazillion pounds of them by now and they have invaded up to Chico. Now see, our young all have to go away to school in the ocean. By river that's over 300 miles and they are the striper's favorite food. It breaks my heart. It's an absolute slaughter and we are disappearing. Don't know how much it would help, but bringing back commercial striper takes and an open season would be steps in the right direction." "Mr. Salmon, it appears they keep redefining our problems to fit their latest 'solution.' If they intend to let us disappear, they could save a lot of money by just admitting it." "Well thanks, Mr. Owl. We wish you the best and hope for the same for our young. If we can hang on long enough we can include Mrs. Deer and Mrs. Cow to see how the government program bringing back the wolves is working out for them." References https://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Resources/Striped_Bass/History.asp There were originally no striped bass in California. They were introduced from the East Coast, where they are found from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Alabama. The initial introduction took place in 1879, when 132 small bass were brought successfully to California by rail from the Navesink River in New Jersey and released near Martinez. Fish from this lot were caught within a year near Sausalito, Alameda and Monterey, and others were caught occasionally at scattered places for several years afterward. There was much concern by the Fish and Game Commission that such a small number of bass might fail to establish the species, so a second introduction of about 300 stripers was made in lower Suisun Bay in 1882. In a few years, striped bass were being caught in California in large numbers. By 1889, a decade after the first lot of eastern fish had been released, bass were being sold in San Francisco markets. In another 10 years, the commercial net catch alone was averaging well over a million pounds a year. In 1935, however, all commercial fishing for striped bass was stopped in the belief that this would enhance the sport fishery. John C. Dunlap lives in Redding. 'If all goes well, Modi will visit the Maldives later this year. But two Indian concerns remain unaddressed: President Yameen's intentions about Mohammad Nasheed and China,' says Rajeev Sharma. IMAGE: Deposed Maldivian president Mohammad Nasheed at Heathrow airport in London, January 21, 2016, with his lawyer Amal Clooney. Nasheed was granted medical leave from his 13-year jail sentence to have spinal surgery. Photograph: Peter Nicholls/Reuters After two back-to-back chief guests from the world's most powerful Western P-5 democracies on India's Republic Day -- presidents of the United States and France respectively -- it is time for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do some thinking about the near-abroad. A humble near-abroad destination that has still remained untouched by Modi's foreign visits is the Maldives. It is a SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) country. It is in India's immediate neighbourhood. It is an Indian Ocean archipelago. All three factors are of enormous strategic importance for India. Modi has been known for his out-of-the-box moves as far as foreign policy is concerned. He has demonstrated it in ample measure. However, one country in the immediate neighbourhood that has stayed away from Modi's personal radar screen thus far is the Maldives. He was scheduled to visit the Maldives almost an year ago, but had to cancel his visit because of former Maldivian president Mohammed Nasheed's arrest, his conviction in an alleged sedition case and his imprisonment for 13 years. Though Modi cancelled his Maldives visit he went ahead with his visit to three other Indian Ocean island States -- the Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka in March 2015. His primary reason for not visiting the Maldives -- the incarceration of India's friend Nasheed -- still continues to remain in place even now. But some minor, though important, changes have taken place in the interregnum which may propel India to engage with the Maldives more pro-actively. First and foremost, Nasheed is no longer in his home country, but is in the United Kingdom on a sort of parole for spinal surgery. This Is an important concession handed out to Nasheed by the Yameen Abdulla Gayoom government at the behest of New Delhi's constant pressure. It is an important change in the political situation in the Maldives that India cannot ignore. Moreover, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Secretary Dr S Jaishankar have visited the Maldives lately and many ministerial-level visits from the Maldives to India, including one from Maldivian Foreign Minister Dhunya Maumoon, have taken place in this period. All these to-and-fro visits indicate that India-Maldives ties are on the mend. Against this backdrop, it is only in the fitness of things that Modi embarks on his much-awaited visit to the Maldives. He may well have been planning such a visit, but Dhunya Maumoon landed in Pakistan for a two-day official visit on January 27. Dhunya's Pakistan visit has raised red herrings in India particularly because the main objective of her visit is to urge Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to visit the Maldives at an early date. Sharif was scheduled to visit Maldives in July 2015, but had to cancel it at the eleventh hour because of severe floods in Pakistan. There are chances that Nawaz Sharif may visit the Maldives in the next few weeks. Against this backdrop it will be difficult for Modi to announce his dates for a visit to the Maldives. Obviously he will have to wait to gauge the full import of Dhunya's Pakistan visit. This development would inevitably put the Modi government on a wait-and-watch mode. The government will have to weigh its pros and cons carefully before the prime minister undertakes a visit to the Maldives. After all, India's biggest strategic concern is the lengthening Chinese shadows in the Maldives and if Pakistan too were to up its ante in this country then Modi will have to hold his horses. If all goes well and as per New Delhi's plans, Modi will visit the Maldives later this year. But two Indian concerns remain unaddressed: President Yameen's intentions about Nasheed and China. Now if Pakistan too were to roil the Maldivian waters, it would definitely complicate issues. It is time for India to apply a soothing balm on frayed India-Maldives ties. This can be done best if Modi undertakes a visit to the Maldives. The situation is in a flux. Perhaps it will be better to have President Yameen in India first. It is eminently do-able. Rajeev Sharma is an independent journalist and strategic analyst who tweets @Kishkindha At least 45 people were killed and 110 wounded on Sunday in three bomb blasts near the revered Shiite shrine Sayyida Zeinab south of the Syrian capital Damascus, state media reported. Over a 100 people were wounded in the blasts, one of which was caused by a car bomb, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The monitor had initially reported eight deaths in the blasts. It said the cause of the second blast was not immediately clear. Syrian state media also reported the explosions. State television carried a breaking news alert reporting "two terrorist blasts, one of them a car bomb, followed by a suicide bomber... in the area of Sayyida Zeinab." It said there was "information about deaths and injuries," but gave no further details. The Sayyida Zeinab mosque contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has been targeted before, including in February 2015, when two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint near the shrine. Also that month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people, in an attack claimed by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. Image for representation only. Mehbooba Mufti, who is seen as the successor to her late father as the chief minister, held a meeting with party leaders on the issue of govt formation. Mukhtar Ahmad/ Rediff.com reports from Srinagar. Toughening its stand on the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday said the party will take a call on government formation in Jammu and Kashmir as and when it is confident that the vision and mission of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be carried forward and implemented in letter and spirit. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took a courageous, although unpopular, decision of aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party with the hope that the Central government headed by Narendra Modi will take decisive measures to address the core political and economic issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir and its people, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said while addressing a meeting of the party leaders, legislators and office-bearers convened in Srinagar on Sunday. Mehbooba said unfortunately, instead of partnering with and implementing Mufti Mohammad Sayeeds vision of bringing peace, stability and prosperity to Jammu and Kashmir, certain quarters, both within Jammu and Kashmir and in New Delhi, started overtly and covertly triggering frequent controversies over avoidable contentious issues resulting in wastage of the State governments energies in fire fighting and propitiation, a party statement said this evening. In such violative circumstances around, we will have to reassess whether we can absorb the shocks which Mufti Sahab had to do so frequently in his effort to forge reconciliation between the regions and the people of the State, she said according to the statement. PDP cant form a government just for the sake of power but, if it does, it will be, as envisioned by Mufti Sahab, with the objective of addressing the core political and economic issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir as was done by the PDP-led government between 2002 and 2005. Mehbooba said the government of India shall have to take substantive measures towards implementation of the PDP-BJP 'Agenda of Alliance' in the interest of peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir and for this PDP needs a set time frame to be worked out. The PDP will have to reassess whether the Central Government is ready to trust the people of Jammu and Kashmir and carry out implementation of Agenda of Alliance with sincerity of purpose, she said. It has been made clear in the very preamble of the Agenda of Alliance that the document is an effort to seek national reconciliation on Jammu and Kashmir and facilitate formation of a coalition government in the State that will be empowered to catalyse reconciliation and confidence building process and create conditions to facilitate resolution of all issues of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba according to the statement said. Mehbooba said as has been made clear in the Agenda of Alliance, it is aimed at sequencing the political process and the economic development and striking the right balance between the two to create a virtuous cycle of peace and prosperity that will accord normal life to the coming generations, especially those regions who have lived in perpetual strife and conflict. It has been further made clear in the Agenda of Alliance that the present position will be maintained on all the constitutional provisions pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir including the special status in the Constitution of India, she said and added that it has been further made clear that the coalition government in the State will seek to support and strengthen the approach and initiatives taken by the government to create a reconciliatory environment and build stakes for all in the peace and development within the sub-continent including normalization of relations with Pakistan. Mehbooba said while real progress was made during the past 10 months towards the implementation of good-governance practices listed in the Agenda of Alliance, there was little movement forward on implementation of political and economic initiatives. Image: Mehbooba pictured at the meeting of the PDP leadership in Srinagar. Photograph: Umar Ganie Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday the salaries of Municipal Corporation of Delhi workers, who are on an indefinite strike demanding payment of their dues, should be released immediately. The salaries of municipal corporation employees should be given immediately. They have worked and are demanding their right...they are not begging, Kejriwal said in a series of tweets. There is a hearing (in this regard) in court on Tuesday and a decision will be taken there. Its a matter of two days only. There should no problem to the people of Delhi, he said. Delhi government on Saturday deployed hundreds of Public Works Department workers to lift garbage from across the city as nearly 60,000 sanitation workers of municipal corporations continued their strike. Kejriwal, who is in Bengaluru for naturopathy treatment for 10 days, said he has issued directions to deploy as many trucks as needed to clear the city of garbage and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of playing politics on the issue. I have directed government to deploy as many trucks as are needed to lift garbage. Public should not be inconvenienced (sic), he tweeted. The BJP is spreading garbage across the city. The Aam Aadmi Party government is clearing them. Own politics. I appeal to people to help us clear the garbage (sic), he further said. He also made an appeal to the BJP and the Congress supporters of to help the government remove garbage. Delhi government has been maintaining that it has provided adequate funds of over Rs 2,187 crore under non-planned head to the three municipal corporations in the current fiscal, alleging that a salary scam has led to the crisis. Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia wondered why the MCDs were not seeking Rs 1,600 crore owed to them by Delhi Development Authority. I want to challenge the MCD to make their all expenditures public so that people will get to know what they have done with funds collected from different sources, he said while addressing a press conference A blame game over the issue between the AAP and the BJP, which rules the three civic bodies continued. In more bad news, over 7,000 doctors and 10,000 nurses of hospitals run by the municipal corporations also went on indefinite strike demanding salary and arrears. Around 12,000 engineering staff of the civic bodies also joined the stir. On the fourth day of the strike by the sanitation workers, hundreds of the BJP workers joined the agitators extending the partys solidarity with them. Delhi government is responsible for the crisis. It has not allocated adequate funds to the three municipal corporations. They are not bothered about the problem being faced by the people, Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said. Slamming the municipal corporations, Sisodia asked where the money released by the Delhi government has gone and alleged a salary scam in the BJP-ruled civic bodies. There is a salary scam and that is why they are not being able to pay the dues, he said. He said people are suffering due to the strike by sanitation workers and alleged that the BJP was doing politics over the issue. The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs will meet on February 4 to decide the Budget session schedule. Venkaiah Naidu says the government is willing to advance the session if the Opposition agrees. Archis Mohan reports. IMAGE: Rahul Gandhi lights a candle near a memorial for Rohith Vemula at the Hyderabad Central University on Friday, January 30, night. Photograph: PTI Photo When Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his respects to Mahatma Gandhi on his 68th martyrdom day at Rajghat around 9.30 on Saturday morning, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi was sitting with the students agitating over Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula's death at the Hyderabad Central University. Rahul reached the protest site a little after midnight and sat with the students for two hours. He rejoined them in the morning and sat on a fast nearly the entire day. It was the Congress vice-president's second visit -- the first was on January 19 -- to the university campus to express solidarity with the protesting students. According to sources, his closest advisers had gone an extra mile to ensure that few in the Congress knew about the Rahul's plan till the last moment. With his second visit, the Congress VP conveyed to the world that he is no longer 'episodic' in his political engagements but planned to persist with causes -- whether it was the cause of Dalits, minorities, farmers or, in the days to come, entry of women at religious places. The visit coincided not just with the Mahatma's martyrdom day. Saturday would have also been the 27th birthday of Vemula. The research scholar, who left behind a moving suicide note, was found hanging in the varsity's hostel room on January 17. That Rahul plans to keep the issue alive portends poorly for a smooth Budget session of Parliament scheduled to begin on or after February 22. The Congress vice-president's Hyderabad visit spurred as many as half a dozen senior ministers of the Narendra Modi government to criticise him for 'playing politics over dead bodies.' While Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said Rahul was indulging in cheap politics over a sensitive issue, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the government was willing to discuss all issues in the forthcoming Budget session. The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs will meet on February 4 to decide the Budget session schedule. Naidu said the government was willing to advance the session if the Opposition were to agree. The government claims to be keen to get the Goods and Services Tax Constitution amendment and Real Estate bills passed in the session. The winter session was largely disrupted because of Opposition protests. On the other hand, in a tweet from Hyderabad Rahul said: 'I am here today at the request of Rohith's friends and family, to stand with them in their fight for justice.' 'A young life full of dreams and aspirations was cut short. We owe it to him, to the memory of Gandhiji and to every single Indian student who dreams of an India free from prejudice and injustice,' he said in another tweet. Sources in the Congress said Rahul was clear that the party should reclaim its lost political ground by reaching out to Dalits and farmers, communities that were once its support base. They said Rahul had been successful in exposing the 'suit-boot sarkar' on issues like the land bill. A source said Rahul also understands that the prosperous middle class and the expatriate community were unlikely to support the Congress in the near future. A senior BJP leader said a particular social order has persisted for thousands of years and such incidents have taken place in the past too. "But they are getting highlighted just because the BJP-led government is in power," he said. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh backed students union, has called for a bandh of colleges in Telangana to protest against the 'politics over dead bodies' when a peaceful atmosphere was returning in the university. In Hyderabad, when students raised slogans against Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattaretreya, Rahul intervened and said: 'Let us not say 'murdabad' to somebody. That will not do justice... I want to respectfully tell Modiji that when you call a young boy anti-national it is a disservice to the people.' In a shocking incident, a six- year-old student of a prominent private school in South Delhi was found dead in a water tank under the school's amphitheatre on Saturday, triggering demands for cancellation of its licence even as Delhi government ordered a magisterial probe into the case. The boy, identified as Divyansh Kakrora, was a class I student at Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj, police said, adding he was last seen before the seventh period, which was around 12.20 pm. The authorities then started looking for him and after sometime he was found floating inside the pit which is used as a water storage tank. It is under the ampitheatre in the school's playground. The school authorities then took him to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. It was around 2.40 pm that the hospital authorities informed the police about the matter, police said. An FIR has been registered at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station under Section 304 (A) of IPC against unknown persons for causing death due to negligence. "Investigation of the matter is underway and whatever legal action needs to be taken, will be taken," DCP (South) Prem Nath said. Delhi Government has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident. "We have ordered District Magistrate of New Delhi to probe the case. I need a report to take action. The probe will find facts and fix responsibility for the child's death," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who holds the education portfolio, said. Divyansh was also to participate in a poetry competition organised at the school on Saturday. His parents are both paramedic staff at AIIMS, police said, adding the family lives in Sultanpur locality in south Delhi's Mehrauli area. The boy's father termed it a conspiracy and alleged that someone from the school authority was behind the incident. Several police teams were rushed to the spot after the incident came to light. The school authorities were questioned and a case of negligence is likely to be registered in connection with the incident, a senior official said adding how he fell into the pit is still to be ascertained. The boy's body was later sent for postmortem examination at AIIMS, police added. On Wednesday, a five-year-old boy died after he fell into a septic tank of a municipal corporation-run school in south west Delhi's Kapashera area, following which a case of negligence was registered. In a letter to Sisodia, Vijwasan MLA Devinder Sehrawat said, "The parents of the students of the locality are very concerned after such an incident. I request the Delhi government to take strong action against the delinquency of the school authority. The licence of Ryan International should be cancelled. "The swimming pool in the school that is being illegally run using DJB water should be immediately sealed. The officials, which may include personnel from DJB, should be strictly acted against." A number of parents of children studying in the school came out openly demanding action against the school. "The school authority must be punished," said an angry parent. Refuting allegations against the school, Principal of Ryan International school Sandhya Sabu said the boy was a "hyperactive" child who had "tendency" of running away from the classroom. "This child was a special child, who was hyperactive. He had the tendency of running away from the classroom. We understand what the parents are going through at this moment of loss. The allegations (on school) are absolutely wrong," she said. Amid growing outrage over the death of a six year old boy at a private school, the Delhi government on Sunday ordered all schools to file "safety report" within a month, saying arrogant and insensitive behaviour will not be tolerated. Divyansh Kakrora, a student of class 1, was found dead in a water reservoir of Ryan international school in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area on Saturday. Police probing the case on Sunday continued to question the school authorities, including the principal Sandhya Sabu. An FIR was registered on Saturday at Vasant Kunj North Police Station under Section 304 (A) of IPC against unknown persons for causing death due to negligence. As the school authorities came under severe criticism from several quarters, the Delhi government held a meeting on Sunday where issues related to safety aspects in schools were deliberated upon in detail. In the meeting, presided over by deputy CM Manish Sisodia, it was decided to order all schools to file a report to the government within one month about safety aspects at their premises. The government also decided to form a task force to verify the arrangements in the schools, officials said. The Delhi government had on Saturday ordered a magisterial inquiry into Divyansh's death. Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, said arrogant and insensitive behaviour of the schools on matters relating to safety of the children will not be tolerated at all. "We have asked principals of each school, be it government, MCD or private, to carry out a prima facie inspection and give us a report. As soon as we get the report, we will carry out an inspection based on their report. "I will get all 3,500 schools inspected in next one month through SDMs, fire department, PWD, DJB, education department and MCD," Sisodia said. He said that safety and security of children is a serious matter and he himself will carry out random inspection of the schools. The deputy CM also said the boy's death had "shattered" everyone and that a team of government personnel will carry out inspection for an hour in each of the school buildings to ensure there is no repeat of the incident. Police said they are looking into all angles and have not ruled out foul play at this point. The investigators said that they have questioned school principal Sabu and some other staff. Ramhit Meena, the distraught father of Divyansh, blamed the school authorities for the child's death. "It is conspiracy by the school authorities and someone in the staff must be involved in the incident. I received a call from the school and I rushed to emergency ward at the hospital, where I found the principal at the entrance. "I kept asking everyone about what had happened but nobody responded. Then the principal took me to the doctor, who informed me that my son was brought dead at the hospital," he said. Meena, who is a paramedic at AIIMS, further said, "When I sought answers from the principal, she asked me to stay put, claiming that it is for our own good. When I insisted, I was yelled at." However, the pricipal of the school refuted the allegation and claimed that Divyansh was a special child, who was "hyperactive" and had a tendency of running away from classroom. She, however, could not explain how the child fell into the water tank beneath the ampitheatre of the school. Divyansh was last seen before the seventh period, which was around 12.20 pm. The authorities then started looking for him and after sometime he was found floating inside the pit which is used as a water storage tank. It is under the ampitheatre in the school's playground. He was then rushed to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead. "He was a special child, who was hyperactive and had tendency of running away from classroom. The moment the child did not report to the teacher, she informed the coordinator. "The entire school is geared up towards taking care of such children... And there were 20-odd minutes where the doctors even tried to reviving him and, meanwhile the coordinator called up the parents, which is the normal practice. "The police is now investigating the case... I can absolutely understand what the parents must be going through this moment. But the allegations (against the school) are wrong," she said. In a letter to Sisodia, Vijwasan MLA Devinder Sehrawat said, "The parents of the students of the locality are very concerned after such an incident. I request the Delhi government to take strong action against the delinquency of the school authority. The licence of Ryan International should be cancelled. "The swimming pool in the school that is being illegally run using DJB water should be immediately sealed. The officials, which may include personnel from DJB, should be strictly acted against." A number of parents of children studying in the school came out openly demanding action against the school. "The school authority must be punished," said an angry parent. Punjab's voters are dissatisfied with the Akali Dal-BJP ruling combine. The Congress does not have a strong agenda on which to fight the assembly polls -- fertile ground for the AAP to step in, reports Komal Amit Gera. IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addresses a rally in Muktsar, Punjab, January 14, 2016. Photograph: @AamAadmiParty/Twitter With battle lines drawn for the 2017 assembly elections in Punjab, the emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party on the state's political landscape is giving jitters to both the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance and its traditional rival, the Congress. A political storm is building up. Farmers' protests, road and railway blockades and no-entry boards for all political parties at the entry points of villages are testimony to the dissatisfaction of the electorate. A journey through rural and urban Punjab tells a story of declining incomes and growing indebtedness. Agriculture and industry, both are victims. Rural pockets of Punjab, the major vote banks of the ruling SAD, are clear about not voting the Badal family back to power. In the past nine years, despite increase in yield, the average income of farmers has dwindled. They kept investing in mechanisation of agriculture -- buying tractors, paddy harvesters, seeders and deepening tubewell bores without a matching increment in income. The outcome is huge indebtedness. A recent study conducted by the Indian Council of Social Science Research corroborates the extent of agricultural indebtedness in Punjab: Up to Rs 69,355 crore (Rs 693.55 billion). The debt per household for a marginal farmer having a landholding of 2.5 acres or less is about Rs 2.57 lakh (Rs 257,000), says the study. A large number of landless farmers are in the grip of private moneylenders. Jagtar Singh Brar, a farmer in Mehma Sarja village of Bathinda district, does not want his 22-year-old son to take up his profession because it has become a loss-making proposition. But there is little for his son to do: There has been no job creation in Punjab. Jobless youth are another cause of worry for traditional political parties. "Punjab farmers know how to grow more but never learnt how to market what they grew," Brar says. "They got entrenched in wheat-paddy cultivation to fill the government's grain stores, which stopped paying dividends gradually. The risk-taking Punjab grower kept working to increase yields and this boomeranged on him. He is unable to cut expenses. And as incomes plunge, suicide is the answer." The rural voter, he says, is looking for a new political outfit that can provide a corruption-free and farmer-friendly government. A senior farmers' leader from Amritsar, Ratan Singh Randhawa, says that resentment among farmers is at its height. The Congress has been unable to highlight the growth of narcotic traders in Punjab. Strong anti-incumbency may put the ruling alliance on a weak footing, but the Congress, too, has not played a constructive role as an Opposition in the last nine years. The Congress leader, Captain Amarinder Singh, commands respect among voters, but does not have a strong agenda to lead the race. The Congress, according to psephologists, may emerge as a formidable contender in the final course of events if it is able to touch the right chord with the voters. The AAP, too, does not have a strong agenda. Arvind Kejriwal launched the party's election campaign at the Muktsar Maghi Mela this month. But he did not touch upon the issues at the heart of Punjab's economic and social discontentment. The organisational structure of the AAP is firming up. Although it is not as strong as the ruling or the Opposition parties in Punjab, it is taking advantage of the chinks in the armour of traditional players. It is learnt that in Mehma Sarkari village in Bathinda district, 800 voters out of a total of 1,200 on the electoral rolls, voluntarily registered with the AAP recently. While the young voters said they would vote for the AAP, the older ones conceded it was a party worth giving a chance to. The Bathinda belt has been the bastion of the Badal family and all of them -- Parkash Badal, chief minister of Punjab; Sukhbir Singh Badal, deputy chief minister; and Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the Union food processing minister, represent this region. Incidents of religious sacrilege also alienated the dedicated Panthic vote bank of the SAD. The Badal family, say voters, rules as despots. "We cannot access any of the elected representatives, and cannot meet government officials directly. We have to address our complaints to the halka (clusters of villages)," says a farmer from Bathinda. Investments in infrastructure (road and power) over the past 10 years seem to hold no meaning for voters. "This is the way they (the ruling party) earned its commissions and obliged corporate houses," said a farmer, who did not want to be named. While rural and urban voters agree that the AAP has not been able to achieve anything significant from its stint in Delhi, they also concur that while Kejriwal might be inexperienced, he is not corrupt. They want a change of guard and want the AAP to sharpen its focus. Urban voters say industry is in a shambles; the question is how it can be revived. But time is running out for the AAP: The party does not yet have a face to project as its chief ministerial candidate in Punjab. Voters in rural Punjab say the AAP is not the panacea for the complex social and developmental problems faced by the state. At the same time, they believe nothing could be worse than the current crisis in the state and feel the AAP can be tried out as a remedy to address the disease in Punjab's social and economic fabric. MONDAY Dance SWEETWATER A dance featuring Jamie Tollison will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Nolan County Coliseum Annex. Admission is $6. Other ... Overeaters Anonymous, noon, Hinds Square Building, 100 Chestnut St., Room 112. Schizophrenia Support Group, 1-2 p.m., Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300. Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 5:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St. Anorexics Bulimics Anonymous, 6 p.m., Shades of Hope, 402A Mulberry St., Buffalo Gap. 800-588-4673. Jones County 4-H, 6 p.m., Lawrence Hall Activity Center, 801 23rd St., Anson. Central Texas Gem & Mineral Society of Abilene, 7 p.m., 7607 Highway 277 South. 325-692-0063. Abilene Toastmaster's Club 1071, 7 p.m., Conference Center, Texas State Technical College, 650 E. Highway 80. 325-692-7325 or abilene.toastmastersclubs.org. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1501 N. Broadway, Ballinger. 817-689-2810 or 325-977-1007. Mid-City Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First Christian Church. 325-670-4304. Memory Men (4-part a cappella singing), 7 p.m., Calvary Baptist Church, 1165 Minter Lane. Park on east side, enter through kitchen. 325-676-SING. Taylor County Libertarian Party, 7 p.m., Winery at Willow Creek, 4353 S. Treadaway Blvd. 325-675-0266. Abilene Community Band rehearsal, 7:30 p.m., Bynum Band Hall, McMurry University. 325-232-7383. South Pioneer Al-Anon Group, 8 p.m., 3157 Russell Ave. Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Avoca United Methodist Church. 325-773-2611. Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Group. 325-676-1400. TUESDAY Business workshop The Texas Tech Small Business Development Center will present "Starting a Business Workshop" from 6-8 p.m. at the Texas Tech Training Center, 749 Gateway St., Suite 301. For reservations, call 325-670-0300. Square dance lessons TYE The Wagon Wheel Square Dance Club will start a weekly beginning square dance class at 7 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel. The first two lessons will be free, with later lessons costing $4. For information, call 325-668-2808. Other ... Veterans benefit meeting, 10 a.m. to noon, Disabled American Veterans, 2555 Grape St. 325-793-9699 or 325-480-6175. Mission on the Move Soup Kitchen, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Southwest Drive Community United Methodist Church, 3025 Southwest Dr. Abilene Southwest Rotary Club, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. High Noon Al-Anon, noon, Southern Hills Church of Christ, 3666 Buffalo Gap Road (south end; follow the yellow signs). Blood drive, 1-6 p.m., Brookshires, Eastland. Stroke/Aphasia Recovery Program support group, 1:30-2:30 p.m. West Texas Rehabilitation Center boardroom, 4601 Hartford St. 325-793-3535. Dystonia Support Group, 5:15-6:15 p.m., Not Without Us, 3301 N. First St. Suite 117. Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), 5:30 p.m., Brook Hollow Christian Church, 2310 S. Willis St. 325-232-7444. Legacies Al-Anon Family Group, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Open Door Building, 3157 Russell Ave. 325-280-7584. Dining For Women Abilene Chapter, 6 p.m., First Christian Church, 1420 N. Third St. Overeaters Anonymous, 6-7 p.m., Highland Church of Christ, 425 Highland Ave., Room 111. Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous, 6-7 p.m., Highland Church of Christ, 425 Highland Ave., Room 108. Family (of Mental Health Consumers) Support Group, 6-7 p.m., Mental Health Association in Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300. MHAA Bipolar/Depression Peer Support Group, 6-8 p.m., Ministry of Counseling & Enrichment, 1502 N. First St. 325-673-2300. Free certified nurturing parent class (pregnancy to toddler), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398. Abilene Star Chorus, 6:15 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1333 N. Third St. 325-829-1470. Al-Anon Parents Group, 7 p.m., Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. Use Church Street entrance. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., Doug Meinzer Activity Center, Knox City. 940-658-3926. Abilene Society of Model Railroaders, 7-8:30 p.m., 2043 N. Second St. Parents, Family, Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) of the Big Country, 7-9 p.m., Unity Church, 2842 Barrow St. 325-232-4726, www.pflagbc.weebly.com. Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St. WEDNESDAY Free tax assistance The AARP will offer free assistance in preparing income tax forms for low- and middle-income taxpayers from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St. No appointment is necessary. Other ... Overeaters Anonymous, 8 a.m., Hinds Square Building, Room 112, 100 Chestnut St. Blood drive, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Blue Cross Blue Shield, 4002 Loop 322. Abilene Cactus Lions Club, 11:45 a.m., Cotton Patch Cafe, 3302 S. Clack St. Abilene A&M Club, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Joe Allen's Bar-B-Que, 325-672-6082. Abilene Wednesday Rotary Club, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway. $12 for lunch. Jo Ann Wilson, 325-677-6815. Kiwanis Club of Abilene, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd. Clearly Speaking Toastmaster Club, noon, Westgate Church of Christ, 402 S. Pioneer Drive. 325-795-5570. Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 5:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St. Veterans Peer Support Group, 6 p.m., 765 Orange St. 325-670-4818. Mid-week Al-Anon Family Group, 6-7 p.m., Open Door Building, 3157 Russell Ave. 325-698-4995. Advanced Square Dancing, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Wagon Wheel. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1501 N. Broadway, Ballinger. 817-689-2810 or 325-977-1007. DivorceCare support group, 7 p.m., Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. 325-691-4200. THURSDAY Free tax assistance The AARP will offer free assistance in preparing income tax forms for low- and middle-income taxpayers from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St. No appointment is necessary. Candidate forum The Hispanic Leadership Council will present a candidate forum for state representative District 71 from 6-8 p.m. at the Abilene Public Library Mockingbird Branch, 1214 N. Mockingbird Lane. Dance class TYE An eight-week social ballroom dancing class will begin at 7 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel. Admission is $5. For more information, call 325-829-1517. Other ... Veterans Association Club, 10 a.m., Rose Park Senior Citizens Center (in Rose Park, South Seventh and Barrow streets). Chronic Pain and Depression Group, 11 a.m. to noon, Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St., 325-673-2300. Abilene Founder Lions Club, 11:30 a.m., Al's Mesquite Grill, 4801 Buffalo Gap Road. Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. 325-695-0092. Blood drive, noon to 5 p.m., Austin Elementary School. Retired Military Wives Club business meeting, 1 p.m., Rose Park Senior Activity Center, 2625 South Seventh St. 325-677-9656 or 325-793-1490. Mental Illness Open Support Group, 1-2 p.m., Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300. Abilene 42 Club, 6 p.m., Rose Park Senior Center. Teen Recovery Group, 6-7 p.m., Mission Abilene, 3001 N. Third St. Free certified nurturing parent class (all ages), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398. Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 6:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St. Gambler's Anonymous, 6:30 p.m., Unity Spiritual Living Center, 2842 Barrow St. 325-338-2575. Round Dancing, 7 p.m., Wagon Wheel. 325-829-1517. Old Town Abilene Neighborhood Association, 7 p.m., Shining Star Baptist Church, 302 Palm St. 325-676-4068. Big Country Audubon Society, 7 p.m., Rose Park Senior Citizens Center. Key City Coin Club, 7 p.m., Rose Park Senior Citizens Center, Room B. 325-675-0266. American Legion Post and Auxiliary 661 meeting, 7 p.m., Lueders Legion Hall, Highway 6, Lueders. South Pioneer Al-Anon Group, 8 p.m., 3157 Russell Ave. Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St. Fighting flu starts with a shot, and it's time for Texans to get one The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone six months and older get vaccinated, ideally, by the end of October. Gary Young checked his cellphone and saw that the humidity reading was 23 percent. A few hours later, it was under 18 percent. That's why a fire danger warning had been issued Saturday. Despite some anxious talk about the potential for a wildfire-filled spring, folks remarked about what a fine, blue-sky day it was for the 15th Texas Wild Bunch Bonanza, held on Young's property just south and a little east of Coronado's Camp. The annual event is a fundraiser for the Elm Creek Citizens Association Volunteer Fire Department. There is no way rural areas of Texas survive without their volunteer departments, and the VFDs don't survive without folks' generosity. This department is closing in on raising enough money combined with grants to build a new fire station. The current one is not large enough to house today's trucks, which they also need. The facility has to come first, and there's about $185,000 in the bank. If Saturday's event could bring in $35,000, Young said they'd be at the point of nailing down grants for pay for a structure with an expected cost of between $250,000 and $300,000. Three years ago, the event netted about $54,000. But low oil prices lowered expectations this time. The ECCA VFD covers 84 square miles, from Buffalo Gap to the east, 10 miles south and eight miles north of Coronado's Camp on U.S. Highway 277, and about six miles west on FM 89. "Rugged terrain," Young said. Yes, the flatness of Abilene proper gives way to hills and cedar and rocky soil to the south. It takes the right equipment and know-how to fight fires in this area where more homes are springing up. County Judge Downing Bolls recently referred to these outlying homes as "tax base" that must be protected. This shindig was coming off pretty darn perfectly. The temperature was in the 70s with little wind in this canyon-like setting. There was water in Little Elm Creek, a few musical survivors of the late Lane Frizzell's band were playing "King of the Road" and other favorites, silent and live auctions were planned and, as you might expect less than three weeks from the start of early voting for the March primary, a few candidates were shaking hands and making sure barbecue sauce didn't stain their shirts or food wasn't caught in their teeth when they smiled. The star attraction, though, was the food. What started humbly has grown to be a free-for-all of Texas-style cookin'. Where do you start when there's catfish, chili, brisket, poppers (and more poppers), chicken, pork, ribs, creamy corn and taters. And rolls, and tea and water over yonder. Answer: the shortest line. Young was told to announce there was plenty of desserts. District Judge Lee Hamilton's plate was full as he headed to his seat. He was looking forward to tasting what's called a "bullet," a piece of elk meat with onions and jalapeno wrapped in bacon. The elk keeps the event on the wild side (everyone's getting a bit older), the jalapeno officially makes it Texas and the bacon ... well, pod'nah, what's not good with bacon? "You can't miss with bacon," said Andy Leija, a welder by trade, who was of the bullet brigade. His outfit, called Smokin' Bones, was planning to pop out about 1,200. This is how Andy, an Abilene High grad, and his buddies enjoy their time off. "When they're raising money," he said, "we're there for the cause." Nearby, was Ray Damme. He's partly to blame for all this fun. It's his old cooking gang, the Wild Bunch, for which the fundraising event is named. They were going to do a similar event in 2002 but when he found out that there would be no record-keeping for the money raised, the Bunch declined to participate. Enter the need to raise money for the VFD, and within six weeks, this event was cooked up. The weather has been mostly agreeable. One year, some sleet that hurried it along. Another year, it was awful on Friday but clear, windless and about 45 degrees that Saturday. Nothing some heaters couldn't take care of. "But we've been blessed," Damme said. Damme, another welder by trade who had made his share of cookers, this year concocted "cowboy cheese potatoes," which is french fries souped up with butter, salt and pepper. After initial cooking, a pound and half of cheese is added to the tray and it's cooked again. The result probably isn't marked "heart healthy" on any menu but it's a mighty fine side dish. They made four 10-pound trays. "Hey Ray!" someone shouted. Ray waved, then spied someone else he knows. "Hey girl!" he shouts her direction. There was a public shoutout to Johnny and Correne for providing much of the meat for cooks. Johnny's a self-described "avid" hunter and had a freezer full of meat to donate after hearing only one deer had been offered. Down the hill from where they were eating were Shirley Noe and her daughter Marie, a longtime Abilene librarian, who were selling Marie's knitted caps, little animals and such all money going to the VFD. They live in the area and have supported the fund-raiser in this way for years. "It keeps her fingers busy," Shirley said of Marie's handiwork. She's already started on next year's items. Young noted these fundraising feeds have paid for four combo trucks, a communications system and extraction equipment. With luck, construction of the fire station could begin this year. It will get used. Early in the afternoon, not many miles to the east, there were reports of a grassfire was blazing in the Eula area. Twitter: @GregJaklewicz Economic principles do not apply to American citizens. We are the 'most powerful nation on Earth.' We can do any economic thing with no consequences, according to the president's recent State of the Union address. We are only $20 trillion in debt. Why worry? The state of the union is powerful. The unemployment rate is a low 5.7 percent. Practically anyone can find a job right, but the workforce participation rate has dropped to an estimated 50 million unemployed. Figure that! New giveaway programs continually are proposed to sway the people into believing there is no limit to the generosity of a bankrupt nation. Open our gates to million of displaced refugees worldwide who want to take advantage of our generosity. We can absorb thousands, but take care of the whole world? Who needs walls to limit the flood of immigrants? Everyone deserves a good education. Obama proposes a free college education for all. Treat everyone equally. It is your right. You deserve it. No need to earn and save to pay for the cost. We are a generous people. Everybody should have a new car, preferably a Caddy. Don't worry about a loan. Eventually, the government will forgive the loan. We are the most powerful nation on Earth. Should you owe the IRS back taxes, forget it. Just negotiate a reduced settlement or maybe a cancellation of the obligation. Need some extra cash? No interest. No closing cost. Uncle Sam will provide and the loan will be guaranteed by the full faith of the U.S. government. Why work hard to improve your status in life. Face it. There is great income disparity in the workforce. You would be a fool to work hard when some workers get numerous compensatory time off, sick-outs, afternoon physical workout breaks. Even 35-hour work weeks. The government gives a grant just for the asking, so why work at all. Don't worry about the nation declining into bankruptcy. Over three years there was no existing budget. Now, the latest budget incorporates the wish list of both parties, which is exceedingly high and unbalanced. Forget about a balanced budget. Who follows the budget anyway? If exceeded, Obama will always make a speech and presto, there is an executive order to 'adjust' our budget. Grants, with no need to pay back, support our endless welfare programs. Now the government is pushing for a Medicaid expansion, as well as a guaranteed annual income for all families. Don't worry about where the money is coming from to fund these ventures. Economic principles do not apply to us. Do you question the affordability of this largesse? Just listen to the administration. I've got your back and besides I have a legacy to build. And always remember, 'We are the most powerful nation on earth.' Dave Canon lives in Abilene. SHARE January ends today, marking the end to National Mentoring Month, though not the need to be a mentor. This month marked its 15th year as a large-scale public awareness campaign. The campaign provides Big Brothers Big Sisters a wonderful opportunity, as the largest mentoring organization in the country, to attract attention to the value of mentoring, recruit mentors and generate contributions. The overarching theme for National Mentoring Month 2016 has been Mentor In Real Life: In real life, who do you turn to? Nine million kids in America are growing up without an answer to this question. They make everyday choices that lead up to life's big decisions without enough guidance and support the kind most of us count on. Every kid should have someone to turn to. Join the movement, Mentor in Real Life. "There is a powerful mentoring effect demonstrated by research and the experiences of young people who are connected to a mentor in real life," says Tim Yandell, BBBS West Central Texas president. "Mentoring is linked to improved academic, social and economic prospects for young people, which ultimately strengthens our community. Simply put, mentoring lets a young person know they matter." The Abilene agency hopes that current and potential mentors will be encouraged as they are reminded of the power of mentoring January also marked the 38th anniversary of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Abilene. The first match was made in 1979 when members of the Abilene Mental Health Association board saw that many children in our area were in need of a mentor. A recent Harris Interactive survey of adults who participated in the BBBS program as children found that: 90 percent agreed their Big made them feel better about themselves. 81 percent said their Big caused them to change what they thought was possible in life. 77 percent set higher goals than they would have on their own. 42 percent earned a degree from a four-year college compared to just 22 percent of their fathers and 25 percent of their mothers. As a highlight of National Mentoring Month 2016, Thank Your Mentor Day was be celebrated. On that day, many Americans reached out to thank or honor those individuals who encouraged and guided them, and had a lasting, positive impact on their lives. Thank Your Mentor Day promoted "Three Ways to Honor Your Mentor": Contact your mentor directly to express your appreciation. Pass on what you received by becoming a mentor to a young person in your community. Make a financial contribution to a local mentoring program. Those means of appreciation and support do not end with the first month of the year. For information about Big Brothers Big Sisters, please contact the Abilene agency at 325-674-3113 or email jbearden@bbbstx.org. Jamie Bearden is public relations director of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Abilene. Steve Blackman said he owed his life to the black lab that lay quietly at his feet Saturday afternoon at Frontier Texas. Blackman, a retired sergeant in the U.S. Army who now lives in Dallas, spoke at a by-invitation-only event for Canine Companions for Independence, a non-profit organization that provides service dogs at no cost. According to the CCI website, the organization has just under 2,000 dogs in service now and graduated 311 last year. The dogs will stay with the same person throughout their service, which can last as long as 12 years depending on the health of the dog, said Mikell Bollinger, regional director for CCI in Irving. Gottlieb, Blackman's dog, can do a lot of things for his owner, who suffered a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder seven years ago in a training accident in California while he was preparing for his second deployment to Iraq. Gottlieb can open doors, pick up a laundry basket and pick up things Blackman drops that he's unable to pick up for himself. Gottlieb's biggest service, however, comes on Blackman's darkest days when he admits, "I might become a statistic. There have been countless occasions when he's saved my life. He makes that (endangering himself) not happen." Gottlieb, a sturdy 6-year-old with just a touch of gray in his muzzle, is one of about 20 percent of the dogs in the CCI program, established in 1975 in Santa Rosa, California, to make it all the way to graduation. Husband and wife volunteers Jerry Campbell and Donna McGeehee of Abilene have raised eight dogs since joining the organization in 2002. One of their dogs has made it all the way through the program, which takes about two years from the dog's birth to complete. "It's the most difficult job you'll ever love," Campbell told the audience. There are six regional sites for CCI, including one in Irving, but all of the dogs come from within 90 miles of Santa Rosa in California. Campbell said the dogs are labs, golden retrievers or a mix. The dogs are raised by volunteers for about the first year and a half and then are sent to one of the regional centers for intensive training. They're raised to be skilled companions (necessitating a guardian to handle the dog), service dogs (like Gottlieb) who perform daily tasks, facility dogs and hearing dogs. Service dogs are trained to perform tasks such as turning lights on and off and retrieving. Bollinger said dogs aren't trained specifically for victims of PTSD, but they can learn to perform jobs such as checking a room or creating a buffer between the owner and a person behind him. Blackman said Gottlieb forces him to interact with people, something he wouldn't do on his own, and that speaking in front of a group as he did on Saturday was something he never would have done before receiving Gottlieb. "There's no way I could have done this," he said. Blackman said the people who receive the dogs don't pick them out, adding that Gottlieb wasn't the dog he would have chosen for himself. "I had another one picked out," he said. "That dog would have driven me crazy. The trainers knew what I needed." Blackman said on the first night he had Gottlieb, he was experiencing an anxiety attack. Gottlieb instinctively climbed on the bed and placed his front paws and head on Blackman's chest to comfort him. "He hadn't been trained to do that for me," he said. "We had just met that day. That's how amazing he is." Blackman said he considers it his mission to put more veterans and others who need service dogs in touch with the organization. He said he never turns down an opportunity to speak, even if the advance warning is less than an hour. A wildfire in northwest Callahan County burned hundreds of acres, destroyed numerous structures and forced the evacuation of residents from Eula on Saturday. As of 5:30 p.m., one person had been transported to the hospital due to smoke inhalation, according to the Callahan County Sherriffs Department. Firefighters from departments in Baird, Cisco, Clyde, Cottonwood, Dyess AFB, Eula, Hamby, Potosi and the Texas A&M Forest Service battled the blaze, which was first reported to Callahan County Sheriff officials at 11:05 a.m. Saturday and had burned 700 acres by 7:45 p.m. Officials reported that the probable cause of the fire was a spark from an electrical pole off County Road 224. The fire area was primarily in an area northeast of CR 603 and north of CR 226. As of 1:45 p.m. officials were calling the fire contained, but less than two hours later, the fire fueled by warm temperatures and high winds was out of control again, and officials were calling for additional firefighting equipment. Sheila Menzies, of the Callahan County Sheriffs office said at 2:25 p.m., deputies were going door to door to ask Eula residents to evacuate. By 4 p.m., officials reported approximately 120 acres had been burned, numerous structures had been destroyed and the fire was only 10 percent contained. At 7:45 p.m., the fire was 25 percent contained, according to the Texas Forest Service. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This just in... Russian President Vladimir Putin has introduced martial law in four of Ukraine's regions, parts of which are under the control of Russian troops, as Ukrainian forces continue liberating occupied territories in the country's east despite another barrage of air attacks across the country. Putin said at an online session of the Security Council on October 19 that he signed a decree declaring martial law in Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya -- all of which Russia illegally annexed last month. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. He didnt immediately describe the steps that would be taken under martial law but said his order was effective starting at midnight on October 20. His decree gives law enforcement agencies three days to submit specific proposals. The package of moves, which come nearly eight months into the war launched by the Kremlin in late February, marked the latest escalation by Putin to counter a series of defeats to Ukrainian forces since the start of September. By extending the decree to regions beyond Ukraine, the move ensures that more Russians, already angered by a military mobilization announced last month, will more deeply feel the consequences of the war in their own lives. Mykhaylo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office's head, called Putin's move "a pseudo-legalization of looting of Ukrainians' property." "This does not change anything for Ukraine: We continue the liberation and deoccupation of our territories," Podolyak tweeted shortly after Putin announced martial law in the four Ukrainian regions. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking at the White House, said Putin is trying to get Ukraine to give up. "I think that Vladimir Putin finds himself in an incredible difficult position and what it reflects to me is it seems his only tool available to him is to brutalize the individual citizens in Ukraineto try to intimidate them into capitulating. They are not going to do that," Biden said. U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said earlier the declaration of martial law was a desperate tactic and any claim by Russia over the regions was "illegitimate." Putin's move came as the Russia-installed leader of Ukraine's southern Kherson region said the evacuation has started of tens of thousands of civilians and Moscow-appointed officials in the face of a Ukrainian military advance. Vladimir Saldo said 50,000-60,000 civilians would leave four towns on the west bank of the Dnieper River in an "organized, gradual displacement" over the next five or six days. All of the Moscow-installed administration in the city of Kherson would evacuate, too, Saldo said. Russian television showed footage of a number of people queuing for boats on the Dnieper River bank although it was not immediately clear how many were leaving. The forced transfer or deportation of the civilian population by an occupying power from the territory under its control is considered a war crime. Saldo's statements came after General Sergei Surovikin, the new commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, said the situation in the southern city of Kherson is "difficult" and residents facing Ukrainian bombardment are to be evacuated. WATCH: Ukrainian forces first got their hands on FH70 155-millimeter howitzers courtesy of Italy in May and received training in Estonia. RFE/RL journalists met with a frontline FH70 crew and watched them in action against Russian forces. "The Russian Army will above all ensure the safe evacuation of the population" of Kherson, Surovikin said. But Kyiv on October 19 accused Russia of staging a propaganda show in an attempt to "scare" the Kherson residents. "Russians are trying to scare the people of Kherson with fake messages about the shelling of the city by our army and are also staging a propaganda show with evacuation," the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, wrote on Telegram. Kherson was the first big city to fall to the Russian forces in February after the start of Moscow's unprovoked invasion, but Ukrainian forces have been steadily retaking nearby territory in recent weeks. They have pushed as far as 30 kilometers south along the Dnieper River, threatening to trap Russian troops. Meanwhile, fresh explosions were heard in Kyiv and other areas on October 19, with a missile strike hitting a major thermal power station in the city of Burshtyn in western Ukraine. The coal-fired Burshtyn plant in the region of Ivano-Frankivsk, which supplies electricity to three western regions and to five million consumers, was hit and on fire, according to Svytlana Onysshchuk, the regional governor. There were no casualties in the strike at the plant, which was hit by four missiles nine days earlier as well. Serhiy Borzov, governor of the Vinnytsya region in western Ukraine, said Russia had also carried out attacks on energy facilities in his region. Russian bombardment also cut power and water in some parts of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhya region on October 19, said Dmytro Orlov, the mayor of the southern city located near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant that's been a flashpoint of the nearly eight-month conflict. A power plant in Kryviy Rih, a city in south-central Ukraine, was also seriously damaged by Russian shelling, leaving villages, towns, and a city district without electricity, the regional governor reported. Russian forces also targeted Ukraine's southern Mykolayiv region again with kamikaze drones early on October 19. The Ukrainian military's southern command said in a statement on October 19 that its forces shot down 12 drones overnight. More than a week of air attacks has destroyed almost one-third of Ukraine's power stations and cut electricity in more than 1,000 settlements. With Ukraine gaining momentum in the war that is now nearly eight months old, European lawmakers on October 19 recognized the country's "brave" citizens by awarding them the 2022 Sakharov Prize. "This award is for those Ukrainians fighting on the ground. For those who have been forced to flee. For those who have lost relatives and friends. For all those who stand up and fight for what they believe in. I know that the brave people of Ukraine will not give up and neither will we," European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in the statement. The annual prize is named after the Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov and was established in 1988 by the European parliament to honor individuals and organizations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP An Iranian official says the country has canceled a London conference where it was set to promote new contracts for global oil companies. The British Embassy in Tehran could not issue visas for representatives of Iranian companies as its visa section has yet to become active," Irans weekly magazine Seda quoted Ali Kardor, deputy head of the National Iranian Oil Company, as saying on January 30. The British government did not comment. Kardor said foreign companies will now be invited in May to bid for the new Iran Petroleum Contracts (IPCs). The London event had been set for February 22-24. More than 100 firms, including Britain's BP, France's Total, and Italy's Eni, attended a Tehran conference in November to hear about the IPCs. Tehran is sweetening the terms of its oil-development contracts to attract again international companies as sanctions over Iran's nuclear program were lifted earlier this month. Based on reporting by Reuters and Bloomberg.com Maybe they should have seen it coming. Lawmakers in Tajikistan are set to debate measures to add teeth to an existing ban on fortune-telling, with penalties for offenders increased from simple fines to up to seven years in jail. There's no date set for the parliamentary debate, but the amendments to criminal law were submitted by the office of the country's powerful president, Emomali Rahmon. Under current legislation, offenders face maximum fines of about $500, a hefty sum in Central Asia's most-impoverished country, where the average salary is around $110 a month. In High Demand Despite the 2007 ban, however, fortune-telling is still a popular and lucrative business across Tajikistan. Queues outside the doors of fortune-tellers -- who offer services from helping to find stolen jewelry to making husbands change their minds about getting second wives -- hint at continuing demand for the mystical meetings. The state committee for religious affairs says it has recently registered 179 fortune-tellers in the northern Sughd Province alone. The list has been handed over to police for investigation, according to Suhrob Rustamov, who heads the religious committee's Sughd office. The fortune-tellers face fines and have been ordered to stop their "illegal" practice, he adds. Mullahs and prominent religious figures frequently call on people in the predominantly Muslim country not to waste money on fortune-tellers, saying Islam bans such activities. Hoji Hussain Musozoda, the head of Sughd's Council of Islamic Ulema, has described fortune-telling as an "untaxed business sector" in Tajikistan. It lures people who "lack religious knowledge," he told local media. Customers say fortune-tellers' fees usually range between $2 and $10. But as with many black-market items, prices vary wildly and can reach hundreds of dollars. Marital Magic? Tajik fortune-tellers purport to offer anything from "predicting" the future to helping find a suitable spouse or making businesses flourish. Mavzuna, a housewife from the northern city of Khujand who only offered her first name, says she paid $30 to get help finding appropriate husbands for her three daughters -- aged 24-30. The fortune-teller conducted separate sessions with the women to "trigger their luck," Mavzuna says, using a local euphemism for making someone desirable for marrying. "Then she gave me an egg to throw into the river," Mavzuna says, adding that she now expects eligible men to turn up asking for her daughters' hands in marriage. Giving customers small talismans -- mostly metal locks -- to throw into a river is a widespread practice among Tajik fortune-tellers. In July, authorities expressed concern about a "bucketful of metal locks" lying on riverbottoms that could "split the heads" of unsuspecting swimmers. Authorities recovered "half a cart of locks from the bed of the Dushanbe River," says Khairiddin Abdurahimov, the head of the state committee for emergency situations. He says the locks were discovered "accidentally" by police investigators looking for missing weapons in a murder case. One way authorities have sought to discourage fortune-telling is to punish its practitioners under separate laws, but that is largely dependent on proving they committed other crimes, for instance fraud. A court in Sughd handed down a suspended eight-year prison sentence against Shahnoza Yunusova, a 26-year-old fortune-teller from the town of Konibodom. The court heard that the victim -- a local man -- was planning to pay a bribe of nearly $6,000 to an official to secure his son's early release from jail, but Yunusova allegedly convinced him to leave the cash at her home overnight so she could "make the bribe work and bring results." Yunusova reportedly failed to return the money, claiming she lost it. In 2013, customs police said they seized six books on "black magic and fortune-telling" from an Afghan crossing the border. Some fortune-tellers have rebranded themselves as faith healers practicing nontraditional medicine, with the right to operate with a license. But that avenue is about to close, too, as health authorities are tightening eligibility requirements. According to the Sughd provincial health department, only applicants with expertise in herbal medicine and medical massage can get licenses after passing the appropriate tests. As the tea leaves hint increasingly at a crackdown, some fortune-tellers are getting out of the business. Nazira, once a popular fortune-teller with a regular income and customers arriving from all over her home province of Khujand, says she is now too afraid to continue the "occupation" that she began nearly two decades ago. Nazira says her customer base is now limited to family and friends. A second Virginia Tech student has been arrested in the death of Blacksburg teen Nicole Madison Lovell, police said Sunday. Natalie Marie Keepers, 19, of Laurel, Md., is charged with felony improper disposal of a body and misdemeanor accessory after the fact in a commission of a felony, Blacksburg police Lt. Mike Albert said Sunday. On Saturday, police charged Virginia Tech student David Edmond Eisenhauer, 18, with murder after Lovell's body was found in Surry County, N.C., Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson said in an earlier news conference. Eisenhauer and Keepers are both being held without bond at the Montgomery County jail. Lovell had been missing since Wednesday. Wilson said Saturday her body was found near North Carolina Highway 89, just inside that state's border. Lovell went missing from her home in the Lantern Ridge apartment complex in Blacksburg on Jan. 27. The family found a dresser pushed up against the girls bedroom door. Her uncle, Fred Hawks Jr., has said the family believes she climbed out a window. After she went missing, Lovells family expressed concern that a liver condition requiring daily medication could affect her welfare. Sunday, Albert said Eisenhauer and Lovell knew each other before her disappearance. He did not elaborate on the extent of the relationship, or how they met. "Eisenhauer used this relationship to his advantage, to abduct and then kill her," Albert said. Blacksburg police still are pursuing evidence, and residents can expect a heightened police presence around town Sunday, Albert said. Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said a search and recovery team is currently searching a pond on the schools campus in connection with Lovells death. The pond is located by the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and baseball field near the intersection of Southgate Drive and Duck Pond Drive. Geller said divers will likely be at the pond for several hours. (This has been a breaking news update. An earlier version of the story is below.) An 18-year-old Virginia Tech student has been charged with murder after the remains of a 13-year-old Blacksburg girl missing since Wednesday were found in Surry County, N.C., Blacksburg police announced late Saturday. Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson said Nicole Madison Lovell's remains were found near U.S. 89, just inside the North Carolina border, about 4 p.m. Saturday. Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Mary Pettitt declined to say what condition the remains were found in or whether there was an apparent cause of death. "I don't want to comment specifically on what evidence there may be," Pettitt said. "We're gathering a lot of it and the medical examiner's report will be a very important part of that." Lovell's body will be taken to the medical examiner's office in Roanoke. Police are working with the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, the FBI office in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office to gather more information, Wilson said. "This has been an extremely fast-paced investigation in just the past 12 hours," Wilson said. Saturday morning, Blacksburg police arrested Virginia Tech student David Edmond Eisenhauer in connection with Lovell's disappearance. Eisenhauer, of Columbia, Md., initially faced one felony count of abduction and was taken to the Montgomery County jail. Since the discovery of Lovell's body, Eisenhauer has been charged with first-degree murder, Wilson said. Wilson did not directly answer whether Eisenhauer is the only known suspect in the investigation. He said Eisenhauer has not confessed involvement in Lovell's death and that he did not give police information that led to the discovery of her body. Instead, law enforcement found her remains through a series of tips, some of which came from law enforcement agencies and social media. Officials declined to give any information on how and when Lovell and Eisenhauer initially came in contact with each other. "This was a huge investigation that involved, unfortunately, taking apart the life of a 13-year-old and figuring out where she was and who she had come in contact with," Wilson said. "I'm not going to go into all the specific pieces of it, but when the pieces did come together, Mr. Eisenhauer was identified." Wilson asked that anyone with information about the case contact the Blacksburg Police Department at (540) 961-1150. "This investigation is far from over. The focus of the investigation is now to reconstruct a timeline leading up to Nicole's tragic death," Wilson said. "This is the most devastating thing you can do to a family. We've got some very wounded folks in our community." Lovell went missing from her home in the Lantern Ridge apartment complex on Jan. 27. Tammy Weeks, Lovells mother, declined to comment on Eisenhauer's arrest Saturday afternoon. Its just not a good time right now, she said. A woman who answered the phone at the Eisenhauer residence in Maryland hung up before answering questions. Eisenhauer is a Virginia Tech freshman majoring in engineering, according to the university. He has been listed as a member of Techs cross country team, but his name did not appear Saturday on the teams online roster. In the case of a felony arrest, the university has the authority to place a student on immediate interim suspension, Tech spokeswoman Tracy Vosburgh wrote in a statement. The entire Virginia Tech community extends its support to Nicoles family and friends. Lovell is thought to have gone missing between midnight and 7 a.m. Wednesday. The family found a dresser pushed up against the girls bedroom door. Her uncle, Fred Hawks Jr., has said the family believes she climbed out a window. After she went missing, Lovell's family expressed concern that a liver condition requiring daily medication could impact her welfare. Eisenhauer was a standout track-and-field athlete in high school, according to an online biography. He was a three-time state champion in track and also competed in cross country, finishing second in the state both his junior and senior years. He was a first-team, all-state choice in cross country and a second-team All-Southeast Region selection, the biography stated. Lovell was active on social media, participating in several teen dating Facebook groups. Her last post was Tuesday morning. Hawks has said it appears his nieces phone has been turned off ever since she went missing. Law enforcement agencies set out Saturday morning as part of an intensified search for a woman who was abducted from her Amelia County home where her husband was found slain. More than 30 personnel from the Virginia State Police and the Amelia Sheriffs Office, plus up to 15 canine team volunteers working with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, are aiding the search for Olene Brooks, who police said was taken from her home Jan. 21 by Dana L. William, 43, after William shot and killed Brooks husband, Woodell. William, who lived in Chesterfield County, shot himself at an apartment in Fitchburg, Mass., as police closed in on him Wednesday. He died Thursday. The search crews, which started about 9 a.m. and planned to work until nightfall, were focusing on clearing about 600 acres of woods within a 1-mile radius of the Brooks home in the 17000 block of Poor House Road, said Mark Eggeman, Department of Emergency Management search and rescue coordinator. Eggeman, who also coordinated the search for University of Virginia student Hannah Graham, said they are using the Brooks residence as a starting point but arent certain Olene Brooks is in the immediate area. We dont really know that for sure, but we need to search it to make sure shes not. The search area, obviously, will expand, and we have a lot of other areas we could potentially look at, he said outside the Amelia Volunteer Fire Department. A helicopter searched a larger area along U.S. 360 and west of Amelia, he said, while six volunteer canine teams helped cover the ground. Amelia Sheriff Ricky Walker, who knew Woodell Brooks and saw the couple two or three weeks ago at church, said the crime has upended the close-knit community. Its the type of place, Walker said, where people stop to help others shovel out from the snow without expecting anything in return. This is like taking a family member, he said. Everybodys kind of close out here, and thats just the way Amelia is. He said Woodell Brooks volunteered for the Amelia emergency squad years ago. He loved to help the community, Walker said. He was just an all-around good guy. William, who was convicted in 2013 of rape, was once married to the Brooks daughter, Sherri. Police believe he targeted the couple. The Virginia Attorney Generals Office had sought for more than a year to civilly commit William as a violent sexual predator. The state said William sexually assaulted three women between 2007 and 2012, and a clinical psychologist who evaluated him said he was at moderate to high risk of reoffending. U.S. marshals and Massachusetts state police converged on William inside the apartment on Wednesday where he was staying with a female associate, according to authorities. He shot himself as they tried to enter. Police found Brooks van the night before, about a half-mile away. Virginia State Police Sgt. Stephan Vick said the search, which involves authorities from across the state, expanded this weekend and will continue as long as needed. Itll carry on until we find her, he said. HELMICK, Eugene "Larry," went to be with Jesus on January 28, 2016. He was 58 years young. He is survived by the love of his life, his bride of 37 years, Kelly A. Helmick; as well as his only child and cherished daughter, Kristie Helmick Proctor, husband, Aaron and adoring granddaughter, Savannah Grace. Larry is also survived by his mother, Marie Helmick; sister, Diane Rice (Chris); brother, Michael Helmick (Diana); numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Eugene "Bud" Helmick. Larry was the consummate family man and was grateful that his wife, daughter and son-in-law were his caretakers as he battled cancer. He started life modestly and built several successful small businesses with his family. Larry enjoyed rabbit hunting with his daughter and cherished the dogs that assisted with this hobby. Larry was a devoted Christian and taught many how to live life. His family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, February 1, 2016, at Monaghan Funeral Home, 7300 Creighton Pkwy., Mechanicsville, Va. 23111. His funeral will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, February 2, 2016, at Pole Green Church of Christ, 8319 Lee-Davis Rd., Mechanicsville, Va. 23111, with interment to follow in Hanover Memorial Park. Virginia could be vulnerable to increased federal scrutiny of its mental health system unless the state begins to consolidate public hospital care, especially for elderly people with mental illness, the states top behavioral health official has warned state legislators. Dr. Jack Barber, interim commissioner of behavioral health and developmental services, said lawmakers need to decide whether to pay the high cost of renovating a pair of aging geriatric hospitals in Nottoway and Roanoke counties, or invest in community services that would allow people with serious mental illness to leave state hospitals when they are clinically able, as federal civil rights protections require. Youre always better off if you address things before the feds do, Barber told the House Appropriations Committee on Jan. 18. His presentation underscored the concern by including the escalating costs to the state of complying with a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice for moving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities out of state training centers and into communities that are developing services to care for them almost $103 million in the biennium. Barber is a psychiatrist and the longtime director of Western State Hospital, which underwent a federal civil rights investigation almost 20 years ago that resulted in creation of a state fund to help pay for community services that would allow people to leave state mental hospitals when theyre ready. But 17 years later, an average of more than 200 people with mental illness languish in costly state hospitals most of them on a waiting list for more than 30 days after being clinically cleared to leave. The reason, Barber said, is that Virginia continues to spend far more of its resources on institutional care and far less on community services than the national average. Almost one-third of those patients who are ready for discharge are housed in the states three geriatric facilities Piedmont Geriatric Hospital in Nottoway; Catawba Hospital in Roanoke; and Hancock Geriatric Treatment Center, a nursing care unit at Eastern State Hospital in James City County near Williamsburg. The state already is paying the full cost to operate Hancock, because the federal government withdrew Medicaid certification last year almost $30 million in the biennium. It also faces potential capital costs of more than $94 million at Piedmont and Catawba, two of the oldest hospitals in the state system, as well as looming federal penalties of more than $54 million for improper billing of Medicaid and Medicare for patient care at the facilities. *** Gov. Terry McAuliffes proposed two-year budget includes $1 million to begin planning the closure of Catawba, a former tuberculosis sanitarium founded more than a century ago and part of the state mental health network since 1972. Currently, it has 50 beds for adult psychiatric care and 60 for geriatric patients. The plan hinges on a proposed $22.3 million plan to build a 56-unit addition at Western State in Staunton, about 90 miles north of Catawba, for adult and geriatric patients. The proposed Catawba closure was part of an option recommended in a state report in November to close the Roanoke County hospital in this two-year state budget cycle and shutter Piedmont in the next biennium. But the plan faces many of the same concerns that prevented then-Gov. Jim Gilmore from closing Piedmont in the late 1990s. The biggest is the lack of options to care for people in their own communities. The community services needed to accomplish a closure dont exist, Barber told the House committee. Senate Finance Co-Chairman Emmett W. Hanger Jr., R-Augusta, who asked for the study last year, agreed that the state isnt ready to move quickly on closing state beds. It cant be done on that fast a timeline, Hanger said last week. Still, McAuliffes proposal to begin planning the closure of Catawba alarms mental health advocates, who fear the state is moving too fast to close hospital beds before community services are ready to serve the people in them. It presupposes that the community capacity is pre-established its just not, said Mira Signer, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Virginia. Del. Joseph R. Yost, R-Giles, has led the community effort to prevent the state from closing Catawba, which he said is one of the largest employers in the rural area. He also worries about the potential effect on law enforcement in having to transport mentally ill patients north to Staunton or south to a state hospital in Marion. Its something that were really concerned about around here, Yost said. The biggest concern is where to send people for mental health treatment, especially for those older than 65. Yost said nursing homes and other providers can be reluctant, because this can be such a difficult population to work with. *** The pressure on geriatric and other state hospitals has increased since the passage of legislation in 2014 to ensure that people who pose a threat to themselves or others are not released without care. The legislation was adopted in response to the family tragedy of state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, whose 24-year-old son, Gus, attacked him and then killed himself on Nov. 19, 2013, 13 hours after being released from emergency custody even though he had been found a threat to himself or others. The state increased the duration of emergency custody orders from a maximum of six to eight hours and required state hospitals to accept anyone who meets the criteria for temporary detention but cannot be placed in a private psychiatric bed. As a result, admissions to state hospitals increased by 20 percent in the first year, Barber said. At Eastern State, admissions increased by more than 100 percent, and temporary detention orders have soared by 400 percent. But, Barber told the appropriations committee, its not so much a problem with more people coming in; its a problem if they stay there. G. Douglas Bevelacqua, former state inspector general for behavioral health and developmental services, said the Deeds case was the tragic outcome of a series of state decisions that began with the downsizing of Eastern State Hospital in 2010. As a result, he said the Hampton Roads region became the epicenter of streeting, in which people who met the criteria for temporary detention were released without the appropriate treatment. Bevelacqua said the loss of 80 beds at Eastern State was not offset by increased mental health services in communities because of deep budget cuts during the recession that wiped out investments made after the mass shooting of 32 students and faculty at Virginia Tech in 2007 by a mentally ill student who then killed himself. He said state law requires an extensive public planning process before state hospitals can be closed or restructured, including the suspension of the plan if the state subsequently cuts funding for hospital and community services by more than 10 percent. If the citizens of Virginia permit Catawba and Piedmont hospitals to be closed without genuine community consensus that identifies needed community services and the actual creation of the replacement community-based programs, including dependable future funding, shame on us because we have been fooled before, Bevelacqua said in a letter to the Richmond Times-Dispatch last week. But Barber said the governors budget proposal would provide the money to conduct the community planning process required by law, not the closure schedule suggested in the report on the geriatric hospitals last fall. This is quite a measured way to go about it, he said. Barber said the proposal requires the state to develop plans and cost estimates for closing Catawba and establishing services in the community to care for the hospitals current and prospective patients, with a report to the General Assembly due on Nov. 1 for potential action in the 2017 legislative session. The governors proposal recognizes that the necessary community services are not there now, Barber said, but he also cautioned that Virginia ultimately must shift resources from institutional to community care. Its going to take a lot more money to build and maintain two systems, he said. Near the corner of a dingy, crowded committee room, House Deputy Majority Leader Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, was quietly chatting this past Wednesday with lobbyists for the National Rifle Association and another gun-rights group, the Virginia Citizens Defense League. They were working out details of an evolving, then-secret deal between Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the Republican leadership to fully restore concealed-handgun privileges for Virginians in return for ways to strip dangerous stalkers of their firearms and to take a baby step toward closing the gun-show loophole. Unfolding in plain view, the largely unknown negotiation led to a rare bipartisan agreement leaked Thursday and officially announced Friday on one of the more contentious issues separating the governor and General Assembly. Another, roiling since August, was about to be thrashed out anew in the same room in the General Assembly Building where Gilbert and the lobbyists were conferring. This time, it was a shootout over judicial patronage and whether a prized seat on the Virginia Supreme Court should be dispensed by McAuliffe or the legislatures Republican majority. Possession may be nine-tenths of the law, but that doesnt mean Jane Marum Roush gets to keep the seat on the high court to which McAuliffe appointed her last summer. Republicans are determined to fire her, though, to their surprise, they are being thwarted by one of their own: Glen Sturtevant a freshman senator from Richmond. Republicans huff and puff that Roushs selection, because of a parliamentary quirk, was unconstitutional, a notion roundly rejected by many in the legal community and depicted in the press for what it really is: a thinly disguised effort to further trivialize McAuliffe by denying him an infrequent legacy-building opportunity for a governor making an appointment to Virginias court of last resort. At a meeting of the House courts committee, of which Gilbert is a senior member, Republicans took another step toward teeing up Roush for removal. Roush, a former circuit court judge from Fairfax County, was interviewed along with their preference for the court, Judge Rossie Alston of the Virginia Court of Appeals. It was a fascinating contrast: A poised Roush recalling the breadth and details of her work, including an annexation case in Big Stone Gap, in remote Southwest Virginia, far from the teeming Washington suburbs. She said she had no doubt her appointment by McAuliffe comported with the constitution. Alston, an African-American, quietly depicted himself as a collegial, veteran jurist who would model himself on a longtime chief justice, the late Harry Carrico. Early in his 42 years on the court, Carrico wrote the 1966 majority opinion upholding Virginias since-junked ban on interracial marriage. The courts committee, whose deliberations were monitored from a front-row seat by Senate Republican Majority Leader Tommy Norment, R-James City, declared both qualified, leaving the selection of a justice to the full House of Delegates read: the 66 Republicans in the 100-member chamber. The sprawling GOP juggernaut guarantees Alston the majority vote in the House required by the Virginia constitution. But judges must also receive a majority vote in the Virginia Senate. It remains out of reach because Sturtevant picking up where his predecessor, fellow Republican John Watkins of Powhatan, left off says he will not consent to booting Roush from the court. Denying a respected jurist one backed by professional groups and lawyers in both parties a full, 12-year term because Republicans can, Sturtevant suggests, wrongly politicizes the Supreme Court and signals to Virginians that their judiciary is anything but independent. He is vowing to vote with Democrats, denying Republicans the 21st vote necessary to install Alston. If Sturtevant holds and the legislature adjourns without deciding the Supreme Court seat, McAuliffe can again select Roush as an interim justice. That could keep her on the court until 2017, giving her more time to become part of its fabric, making her removal more disruptive to its work and further magnifying the partisan spitefulness thats driving Republican efforts to give her the hook. The optics of this for Republicans have never been good. Theyre worse in 2017, a gubernatorial and House election year. Republicans have enough difficulty with women and Northern Virginia to have to explain to both, in the heat of a campaign, why they ganged up on a highly qualified female professional from Fairfax County, the states biggest vote trove. Swapping Roush shed be the first sitting justice ejected in 116 years for an African-American may further feed voter cynicism. But Norment and his increasingly conservative caucus, some of whose younger members are deeply suspicious of him, arent giving up. Theyve tried to persuade a Democrat, Sen. Kenny Alexander of Norfolk, to vote for Alston. Alexander, running for mayor of his hometown, has a record for straying from the Democratic fold. Hed prefer to think of it as independence. Alexanders perceived willingness to do deals with the Republican majority produces dividends, some of which are unusual for a junior senator. That includes a seat on the budget-writing Senate Finance Committee. Alexander was seen as wavering, but eventually affirmed his support for Roush. That followed an effort by Alston, himself, to win over a very specific group of Democrats: African-Americans, Alexander, among them. Alston met privately Thursday with the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. The session was described as polite but frank, with Alston pressed to explain his pre-judicial career as a lawyer for the National Right-to-Work Legal Defense Foundation. Since the late 1940s, Virginia has been a right-to-work state, banning union membership as a condition for employment. The law weakens labor unions, many of which are clustered in heavily black urban areas, count minorities among their most avid members and actively support African-American elective officials. Republicans this year are trying to fold the right-to-work law into the state constitution. The effort has been on hold in the Senate because not all Republicans are sold on the idea. But the delay on the final floor vote came at the same time Alston and his allies were targeting black lawmakers. Theres a lot of smoke and mirrors to the politics of judicial selection, because it is a jealously guarded, largely legislative prerogative. In the struggle over the Supreme Court seat, there have even been whispers of the involvement of a particularly skilled tactician: Doug Wilder, the former Virginia governor and ex-Richmond mayor. Part of it is rooted in Wilders claim last summer that McAuliffe had offended blacks by not selecting Alston for the Supreme Court, two of whose current seven members are African-American. Part of it is rooted in Alexanders private meeting with Wilder at Wilders office at Virginia Commonwealth University about two weeks ago to discuss a completely different campaign: Alexanders mayoral bid. Through a spokeswoman, Wilder said he hasnt lobbied any lawmakers for or against any judges. Sometimes, in Virginia politics, theres less than meets the eye. In November of this year, with the mayoral election, Richmonders will hire a new leader for our city. Between now and then, we will hear several names of potential candidates; and eventually two possibly three, even four will mount credible campaigns and one person will receive the voters approval. In some ways, the election of a mayor is akin to a search for new, executive leadership of an organization. And all smart organizations, before they initiate a search, undergo an intentional period of discernment. Simply put, they envision their desired future and that vision helps identify the characteristics, talents, and experiences needed in the next leader. A collective conversation about our future that informs the mayoral election is what I hope the residents of our region, especially the citizens of the city, will engage in over the next several months. While Richmond is just one jurisdiction within central Virginia, the next mayor can, will, and should have an impact regionally. To a significant extent, as goes the city, so goes our region. The Times-Dispatch will help begin that conversation this Wednesday (Feb. 3) from noon to 1:30 p.m. at its downtown office at 300 East Franklin St. (See the ad on page E4 for details.) *** As a citizen of the region, I am thrilled with Richmonds progress, excited about its potential, and deeply concerned about challenges that have plagued us for generations. The next mayor has an opportunity not only to build on our progress but also and far more importantly to realize our potential. But that will happen only if he or she can work with others to usher in transformative change. The greatest challenge confronting the next mayor is precisely the same responsibility that we all share: to create a community of opportunity for all residents. A community of opportunity is one that boasts affordable, attractive housing (rental and owner-occupied) that lines safe streets. The children in these homes can attend high-performing public schools; the adults can secure jobs that pay wages that enable them to meet their and their families needs. The housing and jobs are connected by an efficient, reliable, multi-modal public transportation system. And woven throughout all of this is a rich tapestry of cultural amenities. Now, not every person will take advantage of these opportunities; but that fact will never absolve us of the obligation to work toward such a community. Put another way, the circumstances of ones birth should not set the trajectory of ones life. But in a city and region in which we live in economically and often racially segregated neighborhoods that foster disparities in educational outcomes which, in turn, limit employment opportunities (already hampered by needlessly narrow public transportation options), where one lives makes all the difference in the world. Gilpin Court and Westover Hills are only 5.5 miles apart; but the difference in the life expectancy of their residents is 20 years. Thats just one example of the unacceptable inequities that are our reality. But our present need not be our future. We can chart a new course. *** The mayor alone cannot close the opportunity gap. But if he or she is a person of integrity and a skilled communicator fluent in the language of leadership, the new mayor can set a vision and inspire thousands of citizens to work toward its realization. I want our next mayor to be not only indignant about our status quo, but impatient with it. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., our next mayor must understand the fierce urgency of now. Now is the time to work collaboratively with the school superintendent, the School Board, and the City Council to transform our public schools. While we can argue about whether the schools capital needs total $600 million, $400 million or something south of that, we cannot debate that even when the superintendent and a majority of the School Board finish closing schools and redrawing attendance zones, millions of dollars in capital needs will still exist. Many of the citys schools are old. Theres no crime in that. But there is nothing benign about neglect; and years of deferred maintenance have caught up with us. The next mayor has to chart a fair, responsible, sustainable strategy to fund the capital needs of city schools not for the next couple of years, but for the next 50. Identifying a viable source of funding is at the heart of another critical challenge for Richmond community revitalization generally and, specifically, the re-imagining and redeveloping of public housing. The redevelopment of the old Armstrong high school site into a mixed-income community that includes public housing units is already underway. But when I ask folks how we are going to finance the redevelopment of the entirety of Whitcomb and Creighton not to mention Gilpin and the other public housing communities people look at me as if I have four heads. We must be creative enough to identify funding streams to pay for these needs, and then have sufficient guts to implement those funding mechanisms. *** This is incredibly hard, complicated work. To accomplish it, we need a mayor who can retain talent, attract additional talent, demand not simple competency but excellence, and who will hold people accountable. The next mayor need not look far to see the benefits of consistency in professional staff who have the experience and expertise to ensure government operates effectively, efficiently, and in a timely manner. Look at the tenures of Rhu Harris, Jay Stegmaier, and John Vithoulkas (the chief staff executives of Hanover, Chesterfield, and Henrico, respectively); and look at how well Goochland has prospered under the guiding hand of County Administrator Becky Dixon. Today, many talented people work in City Hall; they want to do good work and they want the city to succeed. The next mayor needs to identify who these dedicated public servants are and foster a work environment in which they can flourish. Our next mayor has an opportunity to create a strong team within City Hall as well as in the broader community. Every day, thousands of Richmonders work to enhance the lives of their neighbors. The alignment of the public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors around shared priorities is, in many ways, stronger than ever before. But this collaboration can and should be even deeper, richer, more strategic. A servant leader who has enough humility and thus self-awareness to know that he or she cannot go it alone will seek to leverage the power of this alignment. Transformative change is what it will take for all Richmonders to have an opportunity to share in the progress of our wonderful city. So Richmond deserves a leader who has not only a vision of inclusion and equality, but also a focused plan to accomplish it. Lets initiate the job search process with a community conversation about the character traits and competencies we want to see in our next mayor. That can be begin Wednesday at the RTDs 62nd Public Square. It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try a search? Search for: Search A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. An 18-year-old Virginia Tech student has been charged with murder after the remains of a 13-year-old Blacksburg girl missing since Wednesday were found in Surry County, North Carolina, Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson announced at a news conference Saturday night . Wilson said Nicole Madison Lovells remains were found near Highway 89, just inside the North Carolina border, about 4 p.m. Montgomery County Commonwealths Attorney Mary Pettitt declined to say what condition the remains were found in or whether there was an apparent cause of death. I dont want to comment specifically on what evidence there may be, Pettitt said. Were gathering a lot of it and the medical examiners report will be a very important part of that. Saturday morning, Blacksburg police arrested Virginia Tech student David Edmond Eisenhauer in connection with Lovells disappearance. Eisenhauer, of Columbia, Maryland, initially faced one felony count of abduction and was taken to the Montgomery County jail. Since the discovery of Lovells body, Eisenhauer has been charged with first-degree murder, Wilson said. Lovells body will be taken to the medical examiners office in Roanoke. Police are working with the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, the FBI office in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the North Carolina Medical Examiners Office to gather more information, Wilson said. This has been an extremely fast-paced investigation in just the past 12 hours, Wilson said. Wilson did not directly answer whether Eisenhauer is the only known suspect in the investigation. He said Eisenhauer has not confessed involvement in Lovells death and that he did not give police information that led to the discovery of her body. Instead, law enforcement found her remains through a series of tips, some of which came from law enforcement agencies and social media. Officials declined to give any information on how and when Lovell and Eisenhauer initially came in contact with each other. This was a huge investigation that involved, unfortunately, taking apart the life of a 13-year-old and figuring out where she was and who she had come in contact with, Wilson said. Im not going to go into all the specific pieces of it, but when the pieces did come together, Mr. Eisenhauer was identified. Wilson asked that anyone with information about the case contact the Blacksburg Police Department at 961-1150. He promised transparency from law enforcement as the investigation continues. This investigation is far from over. The focus of the investigation is now to reconstruct a timeline leading up to Nicoles tragic death, Wilson said. This is the most devastating thing you can do to a family. Weve got some very wounded folks in our community. Lovell went missing from her home in the Lantern Ridge apartment complex on Jan. 27. Tammy Weeks, Lovells mother, declined to comment on Eisenhauers arrest Saturday afternoon. Its just not a good time right now, she said. A woman who answered the phone at the Eisenhauer residence in Maryland hung up before answering questions. Eisenhauer is a Virginia Tech freshman majoring in engineering, according to the university. He has been listed as a member of Techs cross country team, but his name did not appear Saturday on the teams online roster. In the case of a felony arrest, the university has the authority to place a student on immediate interim suspension, Tech spokeswoman Tracy Vosburgh wrote in a statement. The entire Virginia Tech community extends its support to Nicoles family and friends. Lovell is thought to have gone missing between midnight Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday. The family found a dresser pushed up against the girls bedroom door. Her uncle, Fred Hawks Jr., has said the family believes she climbed out a window. After she went missing, Lovells family expressed concern that a liver condition requiring daily medication could impact her welfare. Eisenhauer was a standout track and field athlete in high school, according to an online biography. He was a three-time state champion in track and also competed in cross country, finishing second in the state both his junior and senior years. He was a first-team, all-state choice in cross country and a second-team All-Southeast Region selection, the biography stated. Lovell was active on social media, participating in several teen dating Facebook groups. Her last post was Tuesday morning. Hawks has said it appears his nieces phone has been turned off ever since she went missing. The U.S. Supreme Court has set arguments for March 21 in Virginias congressional redistricting case. The high court is taking up an appeal by Republicans in Virginias congressional delegation. They are challenging rulings by a three-judge panel that in 2012 state legislators unconstitutionally packed too many additional African-Americans into the majority-minority 3rd District, represented by Rep. Robert Bobby Scott, thereby diluting their influence in adjacent districts. On Jan. 7, the three-judge panel imposed a new Virginia congressional map that centers Scotts district in Hampton Roads. The new map adds Richmond and Petersburg to the 4th District, represented by Republican Randy Forbes, improving Democrats chances of winning the district in November. The new map makes lesser changes to the districts of three other Republicans, Reps. Dave Brat, R-7th, Robert Wittman, R-1st and Scott Rigell, R-2nd. Republicans in Virginias congressional delegation have applied to Chief Justice John Roberts , urging him to stay implementation of the new map pending the outcome of the appeal. A threshold issue for the Supreme Court is whether Republicans in Virginias congressional delegation have the standing to challenge the ruling by the three-judge panel, because none of them live in the 3rd District. GOP lawyers argue that Forbes has a particularly strong argument because the new map transforms his district. Forbes is considering his political options while awaiting the Supreme Courts ruling. Rigell, who is not seeking re-election, says he would back Forbes if he chose to run in the 2nd District, rather than the 4th. Supporters react during a a ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) campaign rally in Rangoon, Burma on October 10, 2015. 2015 Reuters By Human Rights Watch January 27, 2016 Ending Discrimination, Abusive Laws Should Top New Government Priorities New York Burma s peaceful elections were the high point of a year that saw the overall human rights situation in the country stagnate, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2016 . The opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) under Aung San Suu Kyi won an overwhelming victory in structurally flawed but procedurally free nationwide elections. However, the number of political prisoners rose, repressive laws were used to suppress peaceful dissent, and discrimination against ethnic Rohingya Muslims expanded. World Report 2016, its 26th edition, Human Rights Watch reviews human rights practices in more than 90 countries. In his introductory essay, Executive Director In the 659-page, its 26th edition, Human Rights Watch reviews human rights practices in more than 90 countries. In his introductory essay, Executive Director Kenneth Roth writes that the spread of terrorist attacks beyond the Middle East and the huge flows of refugees spawned by repression and conflict led many governments to curtail rights in misguided efforts to protect their security. At the same time, authoritarian governments throughout the world, fearful of peaceful dissent that is often magnified by social media, embarked on the most intense crackdown on independent groups in recent times. The Burmese people and the world have high expectations that the incoming government can address the unresolved rights abuses and unjust laws that have built up under the previous government and decades of military rule, said Phil Robertson , deputy Asia director. The new government should urgently release political prisoners, revoke abusive laws, and end discrimination against Muslims and other minorities, or it will soon be facing crises of its own making. Burmas November 8, 2015 elections resulted in few reports of intimidation, violence, or irregularities. Party rallies were conducted peacefully throughout the country, and there were no significant curbs on freedom of expression or the media. Election observers found polling and vote counting was conducted in a transparent manner. However, the governments failure to amend the undemocratic 2008 constitution meant that the military still appointed one-quarter of parliamentary seats, and a number of senior ministerial positions were reserved for serving military officers. Left out of the election were more than 800,000 disenfranchised Rohingya and other minority voters. Changes in political party laws and enforcement of the discriminatory 1982 Citizenship Law meant that at least 50 Muslim candidates were rejected during candidate eligibility screening. The two largest parties, the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the NLD, did not field a Muslim candidate anywhere in Burma, and no Muslim candidate was voted into parliament nationwide. The governments 2015 passage of the discriminatory, rights-abusing race and religion laws (the Population Control Law, the Buddhist Womens Special Marriage Law, the Religious Conversion Law, and the Monogamy Law) deepened the marginalization of Burmese Muslims and energized Buddhist ultra-nationalists led by monks in the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion (Ma Ba Tha) movement. The maritime flight of Rohingya dramatically increased in 2015, with families departing from Burma on smuggling vessels, at times joined by large numbers of Bangladeshi Rohingya and migrant workers. The United Nations estimates that 94,000 people made the journey between January 2014 and May 2015. In May, some 5,000 to 7,000 people on boats were abandoned by smugglers and denied entry to Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, with at least 70 dying during the ordeal. President Thein Sein is likely to be remembered for his persecution of the Rohingya Muslims and his governments pandering to extremist Buddhist monks, Robertson said. The new government will face the challenge of overturning the discriminatory laws and practices that threaten the rights of religious minorities and women. The number of political prisoners increased in 2015. At years end, an estimated 112 people were incarcerated in violation of their rights to peaceful assembly and other fundamental freedoms. At least 486 more were facing trial mostly related to land rights protests . A violent police crackdown on student protesters in March resulted in the arrest and ongoing trial of more than 50 student activists. The 2015 elections made space for new hopes as well as new demands for meaningful change in the lives of ordinary Burmese people, Robertson said. Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD should use their victory as a jumping-off point to reverse past human rights abuses and begin a program for durable, long-term reform. Officials in northeast China are planning a resident resettlement and afforestation project to double the size of a key migration corridor for wild Siberian tigers and Amur leopards that has become overpopulated with the endangered cats. Chinese and Russian conservationists estimate their protection has taken the number of tigers and leopards in Hunchun of Jilin Province and a nature park over the border in Russia to 35 and 70. The stretch of land used by the animals to move between the zones is currently 4,000 square km, and they are in close proximity to Chinese residents and their cattle. More than 8,000 households will be resettled over the next five years in and near Hunchun to make way for the afforestation, said Lan Hongliang, head of the Jilin forestry department, at a seminar at Beijing Normal University (BNU) on Wednesday. The government has earmarked 4 billion yuan (608 million yuan) to offer farmers subsidized housing in urban areas and help them find new jobs, according to Fang Yan, a rural economy official with the National Development and Reform Commission, China's planning body. Ge Jianping, BNU vice president and an academic who has studied wild Siberian tigers and Amur leopards for decades, said at the seminar that their numbers around Hunchun have reached three times what the area can support. He said the overcrowding could cause a population crash because of pressure on resources, undoing conservationists' good work thus far. "If we fail to provide enough space for their habitat expansion, China will miss the perfect chance for the two species' rehabilitation," Ge said. The problem of big cats brushing up against dwellings is broader than the obvious threat to their human inhabitants, most of whom are herders. Their cattle threaten ungulate wild animals as they consume the same grass, and the decline of ungulates, as prey for carnivores, in turn threatens the survival of tigers and leopards. "The relocation is aimed at reducing the human impact on the corridor for the tigers and leopards, especially from poaching and grazing, which are the biggest threats for both the endangered species and ungulate animals," said Lan. He also called on the government to encourage development of green industries such as bee keeping and eco-tourism, to balance environmental and economical concerns. "The relocated farmers must have jobs after they move to the city," Lan said. Siberian tigers mainly live in east Russia, northeast China and northern parts of the Korean Peninsula. About 500 are believed to survive in the wild. Amur leopards are classified as as critically endangered. In 2007, the International Union for Conservation of Nature concluded that Amur leopards were extinct in China and only 19 to 26 survived in Russia. Rotary Club of Rushen & Western Mann donates laptop computer to Southern Branch of Manx Citizen's Advice Bureau. To help the Southern Branch of Manx Citizen's Advice Bureau continue its vital work, the Rotary Club of Rushen & Western Mann with support from Geoff McCann at local firm Typhoon House, have donated a laptop computer. Pictured are David Hoskinson from the Southern Branch of Manx Citizen's Advice Bureau and Terry Clare, President of the Rotary Club of Rushen & Western Mann By Albert Robinson A month or so after stepping down from the presidency of the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) for the second time making a total of eight years at the helm of one of the world's biggest bourses Shmuel Schnitzer is able to provide valuable insights both into one of the most difficult periods to have affected the Israeli and global industry, and as to what future years may bring. Schnitzer was elected President of the Israel Diamond Exchange in 1998 and served three straight terms before leaving in 2004. He was elected for a fourth term in October 2013. In addition, he was President of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses from 2002 to 2006. Shmuel has long been a well-known figure on the stage of the international diamond trade, following on from his father, the almost legendary Moshe Schnitzer who served as IDE President for 26 consecutive years as well as four terms as World Federation of Diamond Bourses President. Despite stepping down from the leadership of the IDE, there will still be a Schnitzer presence on the IDE's Board of Directors, however, as Shmuel's son Shai was elected to the board in the elections held in December. Shmuel, what are your feelings now more than a month after leaving the presidency and what were the main issues in general? I believe I have contributed to the development of the Israel Diamond Exchange, both during this term and previously when I was president. The past two years have been far from easy as everyone involved in the diamond industry knows. We are still dealing with the effects of the financial crisis and of the recession of 7-8 years ago. The Chinese market has declined and there is an ongoing liquidity crisis in the midstream. We have had to cope with extremely high prices of rough diamonds charged by mining firms. And on the other side, we saw that polished prices declined. As a result, it was barely profitable for many of diamantaires to manufacture goods. What is the situation in the Israeli diamond sector and what were the main challenges that you had to deal with? It was not an easy period for the worldwide diamond industry as well as for the Israeli sector. However, in my opinion, we find ourselves in an improved situation from the one in which we found ourselves two years ago. At that time, in late 2013, the sector was quite torn apart. There were groups and bodies within the bourse fighting for different aims. My aim was to build a sense of a common purpose where we could combine forces to fight more effectively and to be more united. Then there was the challenge of reaching an agreement with the Israel Tax Authority, especially after the raids by police and tax officers on our exchange which received a great deal of media coverage. Taxation in the diamond industry is extremely complex, and it is not easy to win the trust of the government and the tax authorities. But we succeeded in persuading them that we wanted to reach a fair arrangement. I had hoped to have the agreement signed before leaving office but there was a delay due to some legal issues that needed to be resolved. However, I am sure it will be signed soon. On the issue of the police raid on the so-called underground bank, I led a policy of zero tolerance for illicit activities and full support for the importance of a high level of industry ethics. There were a number of bankruptcies and some millions of dollars in debts and this affected many firms. It was vital that we showed that the IDE is working transparently and with great business morality. The IDE will be holding the winter edition of the International Diamond Week from February 14 to 18, how has this event developed over the past two years? The role of diamond exchanges has changed in recent years. They are no longer just buildings providing a place for business for their members. They now play a proactive marketing role, searching for foreign buyers to visit the facility and do business with members. The Diamond Week was initially an idea the IDE developed with the Diamond Dealers Club of New York (DDC). At a later stage, we involved the Antwerp Diamond Bourse (Beurs voor Diamanthandel), and the Bharat Diamond Bourse of Mumbai. Its importance has grown and is now a regular part of the industry calendar with confirmed buyers encouraged to attend by being offered complimentary hotel accommodation. The most recent Diamond Week, held at the end of August and start of September, attracted around 400 foreign buyers. The fact that 170 of them were visiting Israel for the first time shows the strength and attraction of the show. We work closely with Israel Diamond Institute to market this event for the benefit of the whole Israeli diamond sector. IDE members who take part do not have any costs to pay. In addition, there is an annual Israel Diamond Week in New York, and there is a member-only polished diamond fair on the IDEs rough trading hall. The aim was to strengthen the local community, attracting traders from their offices to connect with dealers on the trading floor since the bourse is so large that people working in the same building often do not know one another well. During your term in office, a diamond manufacturing center was established near the diamond exchange complex, and plans laid for another polishing center for larger stones. What was the thinking behind this? We saw a huge downsizing of the Israeli manufacturing capacity. There are just a few hundred workers today compared to 10,000 workers several decades ago. I believe that the Israeli diamond sector has to have an industrial base. Israeli firms manufacture around the world from Russia to India and China to Armenia to Vietnam while running everything from their offices at the IDE. Nonetheless, I believe we must have a manufacturing base and that's why we set one up near the bourse, especially for small and medium size companies. It's a 400-square-meter facility that allows a subsidized work environment for up to 100 polishers, and with access to advanced technological systems, including the Sarine Galaxy machine, laser-cutting and automatic round-polishing systems. We saw the success of the project and started planning a second factory inside the bourse complex which will specialize in the cutting and polishing of diamonds of 10 carats and larger. A total of 70 work positions will be offered, and it has already been oversubscribed almost three times over. With larger and more expensive goods, the labor element is not significant. The location of the new factory will also be vital because it will allow firms to closely monitor the cutting of expensive goods. The diamonds will be within the secure perimeters of the bourse complex. What is your view of the future development of the diamond industry? I am optimistic about prospects, both globally and in Israel. There have been changes in doing business without a doubt. This could mean further reductions in the number of workers involved in the sector but it does not follow that turnover will decline. Technology means we may need fewer people, but sales could well rise. Last year was a very challenging one for the diamond industry everywhere. Was it also a pivotal one? There is no doubt last year was tough. But I believe the industry took on board some lessons. One of those was that it found that it was, in fact, possible to leave rough diamonds on the table where it was clearly not possible to manufacture them profitably. This is a big change in the industry's approach. We have changed, and the producers are understanding that. Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, President of CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, will open the Mediterranean Gemmological and Jewellery (MGJ) Conference, scheduled to take place on May 7 to 9, 2016, at the Hotel Tryp Valencia Oceanic, in Valencia, Spain. This is the second MGJ conference, which is held annually, each time in a different exotic location. The conference is organised by CGL-GRS lab (Canada) and IGL lab (Greece), in cooperation with MLLOPIS lab (Spain) and NAJA (USA). Every year the conference has a central theme, which this year will be diamond treatments. The mission of the conference is to educate and to help people understand the properties of diamonds, gems and jewelelry, providing members of the industry with networking opportunities and information that is essential in the creation of a sustainable business. This year the format has been fine-tuned to optimise direct interaction between guest speakers and participants. In his opening address, Dr. Cavalieri will also focus on the central theme. Entitled "CIBJO Blue Books on treated and synthetic diamonds, delivering sustainable and responsible jewellery industry, he will address the efforts of the World Jewellery Confederation to develop means for accurate disclosure, and so protect consumer confidence. Four international experts will also present papers related to diamond treatments: - Dr. David Fisher (De Beers Technologies): Progress in the detection of diamond treatments - Dusan Simic (Analytical Gemmology & Jewellery): HPHT post treatments of colourless diamonds - Sonny Pope (Suncrest Diamonds): HPHT Processing-improving colour and value of diamonds - Mikko Astrom (MAGI): Practical applications of FTIR in a gemmological laboratory Other speakers will cover topics related to historic coloured gemstones and jewellery, pricing of rough and phenomenal gems. They include: - Dr. Alan Hart (British Museum): The British Museum Natural History gem collection; - Lisa Elser (Customgems): Roughing it - dos and don'ts of buying rough gemstones overseas; - Jeffery Bergman (Primagem): Phenomenal prices - market value of phenomenal gems; - Rui Galopim de Carvalho (Independent Consultant): Portuguese royal jewellery. A round table discussion, moderated by John Chapman (Gemetrix), on Diamond Treatments in 21st Century will be held with leading experts in the production and identification of treated diamonds. They will answer questions from the floor. Two workshops will be offered, with gemmologists, appraisers and dealers receiving hands-on experience with 50 diamond samples: - One-day Diamond Workshop on Grading and Screening of Natural and Synthetic Diamonds. Instructors: Manuel Llopis Lopez (MLLOPIS), George Spyromilios (IGL) and Branko Deljanin (CGL-GRS); - One-day Advanced Diamond Workshop on Using Standard and Advanced Instruments to Detect Natural, Synthetic and Treated Diamonds. Instructors: Branko Deljanin (CGL-GRS) and George Spyromilios (IGL). The MJG conference website is located at www.gemconference.com. It provides additional information about the speakers and their presentations, the venue, and a possible day tour of Valencia. It also enables online registration. Theodor Lisovoy, Rough&Polished, Moscow 1444. . Beijing retained its crown as China's biggest shopping city in 2015, as online shopping fever continued to buoy retail sales and drove more old brands to open online stores. According to a report by Beijing Statistics Bureau, retail sales of consumer goods in the Chinese capital surpassed 1 trillion yuan (152 billion U.S. dollars) in 2015, up 7.3 percent year on year. It is the eighth straight year that the metropolis has led Chinese cities in terms of consumer spending. Online sales contributed 82.6 percent of sales. Online sales have prompted traditional stores, including 13 of Beijing's 77 "time-honored brands" from snack stores to shoes sellers, to move their goods online. The city of 21 million people recorded 1.86 trillion yuan in total consumption in 2015, marking a yearly rise of 8.7 percent. Consumption contributed over 70 percent to the city's GDP growth. Retail sales of consumer goods, a key indicator of consumption, rose 10.7 percent year on year in China last year, contributing 66.4 percent to the country's GDP, the Ministry of Commerce said earlier this month. The ministry expects consumption to remain a strong force driving economic growth this year as the effects of supply-side reform start to pay off. A young woman named Zhang Yan was receiving treatment in Huimin Hospital in Changde city, Hunan province at 9 p.m. on Jan. 27, 2016. The hours later, she would walk the aisle with her beloved man, Li Jun. The two fell in love with each other at first sight at the wedding of Li Jun's cousin in 2007. However, Zhang Yan was diagnosed with uremia a year later when she and Li Jun went to work in Guangzhou together. Due to the development of her sickness, Zhang Yan went back to her hometown in the company of Li Jun. Every day, Zhang had to receive dialysis in a hospital over 40 kilometers away from her home in Changde city. To pick up Zhang, Li Jun bought a second-hand van with 10,000 yuan he borrowed. The medical expenses brought two families into poverty. A wedding ceremony suddenly became out of reach of the couple. By chance, Zhang Yan learned about the crowd funding platform on the Internet. She wrote down their love stories, hoping to hold a simple wedding with the help of the platform on Dec. 25, 2015. Their touching love story won support of 600 people and 16,000 yuan was raised online. At last, their wedding was held in a church in Changde on Thursday morning. Their parents, patient friends of Zhang Yan as well as warm-hearted people from all walks of life attended their wedding. By SA Commercial Prop News Estienne de Klerk, the Immediate Past President of the South African Property Owners Association, right, hands over the reins to new President, Amelia Beattie, during the SAPOA Convention in Cape Town last week. Image gallery The South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) has demolished industry stereotypes and appointed its third female President, Amelia Beattie, to lead the commercial property representative body. Amelia Beattie becomes the third female to lead SAPOA since its establishment in 1966. While there might not be a single woman heading a listed property company in South African Real Estate industry, the past decade has seen some progress and growth in terms of womens representation at the top table of decision-making. Last year SA Commercial Prop News reported on progress made by Women in Real Estate Investment in SA. And research into female representation revealed that Dr Anna Mokgokong of Robosis Property Fund and Sharon Wapnick of Premium Properties and Octodec Investments are the only two women chairing listed property companies on the JSE. Beattie feels the role of women in the property industry remains an issue that needs focus, not only by SAPOA, but by all members of the industry. However, she points out that women have made big strides in the industry over the last 15 years and this proud progress should be celebrated. According to Grant Thorntons International Business Report on Women representation, it says just more than one quarter of top decision-making roles in South African businesses was filled by women. In that vein, recently an initiative to speed up transformation in the real estate agency sector was launched by South Africa's Human Settlements Minister Connie September in Johannesburg. Minister September said only about 10% of the 40 000 estate agents currently registered are black. The One Learner One Estate Agency programme, which will be administered by the Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB), aims to change the landscape of the industry. Although there has been transformation across a number of industries in terms of female employment and empowerment, South Africa's property and construction industry is still largely male-dominated. Neil Gopal, SAPOA CEO, says: The appointment of Beattie as President of SAPOA is positive for SAPOA. She is respected for her professional knowledge, highly motivated approach and has a passion for the commercial property sector. She has shown her deep commitment as a past national and regional councillor of SAPOA, as well as serving the sector in various other roles. Beattie is Chief Investment Officer- Direct Property Investments at Stanlib and is tasked with maintaining arguably Libertys proudest tradition, the Liberty Property Portfolio. This portfolio is managed within Stanlibs Direct Property Investments Franchise which is now valued at R30 billion. Shes been active in the commercial property sector for over 15 years and holds a BCom in Financial Accounting and Transport economics, as well as a Certificate in Shopping Centre Management. Beattie also serves on the board of Cullinan (Pty) Ltd limited on behalf of Liberty Group Limited. She is a past National Chair of the Womens Property Network, where she was also an executive member for 10 years and remains a Trustee of Womens Property Network Education Trust. Beattie won the WPN Nedbank 5-star Woman award in 2008, which recognises an exceptional woman in the property industry. Speaking at the 46th Annual SAPOA International Property Convention and Exhibition in Cape Town yesterday (June 12), Beattie urged delegates to remember to keep the real in real estate. Property is tangible, you can touch and feel it. We need to make sure our goals can make a real difference to the people in the industry, said Beattie. She has set out to keep SAPOAs goals real under her stewardship, and centred them on relationships, education, advocacy and leadership (REAL). SAPOA will introduce relationship round-tables to cover engagements with the different member sectors, including youth and women. Its education initiative will launch a big research agenda into a skills analysis. Its advocacy will extend SAPOAs existing Meet the Mayor initiative to South Africas provincial premiers, continuing the associations proactive engagement of government on all three tiers. SAPOA will also establish and lead an Africa committee that comprises of various industry bodies to provide leadership on issues on the continent. Beatties passion for people and property will find a valuable outlet at SAPOA. She places high priority on educating and growing as many people as possible during her term as SAPOA President. Well find ways to better understand where the gaps are that we need to close and ensure people understand our education opportunities. She adds: The commercial property sector is able to change the lives of so many people through bricks and mortar. Property is an amazing industry, not only for investors, but we create jobs, trading environments and impact lives. I hope we can create an environment where property is a career of choice for school leavers by fostering a greater awareness of the awesome opportunities this industry offers. Beattie is cognisant of the myriad of challenges the property sector faces every day -- legislative, regulatory and otherwise. SAPOA is in an excellent position to spearhead solutions. We also provide thought leadership on these issues to policymakers long before these matters start impacting the industry and the economy. SAPOAs mandate includes representing the interests of the property industry, attracting skills and knowledge to the property industry as well as creating and developing skills and knowledge through education and professional development. With Beattie as president, SAPOAs board for the 2014-2016 period includes: * Neil Gopal, CEO * Estienne de Klerk, Immediate Past President * Mike Deighton, President Elect * Dr Sedise Moseneke * Nomzamo Radebe * James Aling * David Green * Izak Petersen * Peter Levett * Ipeleng Mkhari, and * Marius Muller By SA Commercial Prop News On 11 April, the Tribunal unconditionally approved a merger involving Transnet's acquisition of certain immovable property on which the former Durban International Airport was located. Prior to approval, the property was owned by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA). ACSA's rationale for the transaction was that the airport on the property had been closed and replaced by King Shaka International Airport, which opened in May 2010, 35km north of Durban. According to Transnet, the transaction is of strategic importance to both Transnet and the South African Government, given a planned phased development of a dug-out port on the property. The port will provide the required capacity to meet the expectant demand created by the Gauteng-Durban corridor. The Tribunal noted that while the proposed transaction results in an overlap in the market for rentable industrial property within the Durban node, the post-merger market share of Transnet in this market will be less than 10%. In addition, Transnet's plan to use the property for a planned dig out diminishes any horizontal concerns. The Tribunal therefore found that the proposed transaction was unlikely to result in a substantial prevention or lessening of competition in any relevant market. A first-of-its-kind journey along India and Pakistan border What binds the two most talked about nations - India and Pakistan together? What makes the A professor in Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences is joining the growing debate over the fate of the world's largest ice sheet, whose sudden melting is sending shockwaves throughout the geophysics community. Robert Moucha, assistant professor of Earth sciences, is the co-author of a recent paper in Geology (Geological Society of America, 2015), examining the impact of the deep Earth on ice-sheet stability. Particular emphasis is on the retreat, or melting, of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, one of two massive ice sheets in the South Pole and the largest in the world. Moucha and his colleagues contend that by studying other periods of global warming--namely, the Mid-Pliocene Warm Period (MPWP), which occurred approximately 3 million years ago, scientists can better understand the potential impact of today's warming trendings. "While data analysis and ice-sheet modeling indicate that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet melted during the MPWP, concern over the much larger East Antarctic Ice Sheet continues," Moucha says. "The stability of a grounded, marine-based ice sheet depends on the elevation of the bedrock on which it rests." Moucha and Harvard Ph.D. candidate Jacquelyn Austermann simulated the 3-million year evolution of convective mantle flow (a process by which the solid Earth cools, causing movement and deformation of its surface), to reconstruct Antarctic bedrock elevation during the mid-Pliocene. The real test, Moucha recalls, was linking their results with mid-Pliocene climate conditions and ice-sheet modeling done by co-authors David Pollard and Robert DeConto at Penn State and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, respectively. "We found that regions with sub-glacial topography, such as the Wilkes Basin in East Antarctica, were at a lower elevation during the mid-Pliocene," Moucha says. "This had a profound effect on the retreat of the modeled ice-sheet grounding line [the point at which glaciers begin to float, instead of resting on bedrock], raising the global sea-level by a few more meters than would happen in a scenario involving present-day bedrock elevation." These findings agree with geochemical analyses of offshore sediment cores, suggesting a more retreated ice sheet in the Wilkes Basin, but, until now, they have been difficult to show in ice-sheet simulations. "This implies that the ice sheet in the Wilkes Basin may be more stable today than during the MPWP because it rests on more bedrock," Moucha says. Given the urgency of this kind of work, he anticipates more interdisciplinary collaborations between tectonicists and climatologists: "It's the tip of the proverbial iceberg, and exemplifies how different disciplines in Earth sciences can come together to unravel the geological record, while providing a glimpse into the future." FLORENCE, S.C. As South Carolina lawmakers explore options to remedy the states notoriously shoddy K-12 education system, a solution suggested by some local lawmakers is a consolidation of school districts within Florence County. Florence School District Four the Timmonsville public school system -- has a history of well-below-average test scores, and state Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman recently gave the district a warning that it could be stripped of its ability to give high school diplomas. Some lawmakers propose that Florence School District One consolidate with Florence School District Four, as a means to bring the failing districts standards into compliance with the working districts standards. For that to happen, the governing boards of both school districts would need to come to an agreement to consolidate their districts. That decision would be taken to the state legislative delegation and go through the House and Senate in the form of a bill. If the school boards cant come to a decision to consolidate, state legislation can override the disagreement and mandate the consolidation through a new law. Heres what some local state representative think about consolidation of Florence 1 and Florence 4: Rep. Phillip Lowe, a Florence Republican who represents portions of rural Timmonsville: There are great things that can come out of consolidation, and I think the best example is a type of merger of corporations. They look for efficiencies, for cost savings and they restructure In this case a consolidation would be to rescue a failing district. Theyve had serious financial troubles over the years, and from the testing its obvious they are in the lower couple districts in the state. Something has got to give. The people there deserve a better education. You look at a similar sized district like Johnsonville who has a similar Title I situation but theyre doing much better in their test scores. So it could be issues with leadership, with governance and weve got to get to the bottom of it. Would I be willing to consolidate? Of course I hope the state department determines the children are not meeting minimal standards and that Florence School District One will work with the Timmonsville school board to work out a consolidation so we dont have go in and force one on them through the legislature. Rep. Robert Williams, a Darlington Democrat who also represents portions of Timmonsville: The kids are the number one priority here, and certainly consolidation is one option that we may have here in Timmonsville. Another option is for the superintendent to take over the school, and that would mean the state would set up shop, basically do all the administration and take on a leadership role for the schools. A lot of people view consolidation as a negative thing but its not (what) it appears to be. Sometimes people have a lot of feelings involved in the game, rather than what is best for the children in the community. Consolidation is definitely an option that could work for Timmonsville. Wed love to hear from the school districts and from the local folk on what they think is best. I d prefer they make a decision themselves, rather than the state make it for them. Rep. Terry Alexander, Florence Democrat: I pushed for consolidation 10 years ago before I left [Florence] county council, particularly in the Timmonsville area. Even now, its something that I strongly encourage but its seems like District One has an issue with that. If were really concerned with well-being of our kids then we should rally and do whats best for those kids. Marion County has consolidated in the past 10 years and I was hoping we could start the process in Florence. They started with the administrations, then procurement and gradually moved it along into a single district. With that you have a nice birds-eye view of the schools and how they are being managed We may not be able to have just one school district but Im still not convinced that we need five. The kids in Timmonsville are suffering because we cant do whats best for them. Rep. Jay Jordan, Florence Republican: Superintendent Spearmans office has been over in Timmonsville consistently and is making an effort to help School District Four improve to a point where they have a chance to keep going, but thats a difficult battle. We certainly want them to have the best education possible and we want to do it as efficiently as possible. Everything, every option, has to be considered and consolidation will be a part of that discussion Its tough because you have a district with a long history and keeping control within that community is a big deal. On the other hand you cant ignore that theyve fallen behind. and there has to be a path by which they can quickly demonstrate improvements. Weve got to be very deliberate and careful when it comes to consolidation because Florence School District 1 has their own cart to pull, so to speak. We dont want to put too much burden on them so it damages their ability to complete their mission of educating children in that district. Rep. Roger Kirby, Florence/Marion Democrat: The key is going to be whether consolidation proves to be the most economic option, and how to maintain the autonomy of and local flavor of each district. The districts are, by definition, are reflections of the local people and I think that will on of the primary arguments that needs to be addressed for that to move forward. The one benefit of the local district is they typically reflect the need of the local population. Having local jurisdiction, they should be more apt to understand what the local needs are more effectively Consolidation seems to have worked in Marion County and I havent any complaints about it. But that district, as well as a lot of other rural districts, are in desperate need of additional funding for capital projects in particular. There are a lot of needs that we are going to have to address. The competition focuses on the developing world and last year $10,000 in prizes were awarded including $5,000 to prize. The criteria for this years competition is: For 2014 the specifications of the competition are for a ferry that can carry up to 200 passengers as well as freight (carried in light trucks) on an open water route for the Pacific Island nation of Papua New Guinea. The route goes between Lae and Kavieng via Kimbe and Rabaul. Ideally the design would have applicability to other Pacific Island nations such as Kiribati, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands. Students interested in competing should notify the executive director of the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association by email at [email protected] between 1 January 1 April 2014 with their names, academic institution and contact information as well as name and contact information of faculty advisor. Student teams will then receive a registration number and the terms of reference for the competition. SSY USA and Lalemont USA will merge their offices in New York from 1 January 2014 as they believe their combined strength will allow them to offer a broader range of services. The merged company will trade under the name SSY USA and will have a combined strength of 15 brokers. "We are very pleased to reach agreement with Lalemant which is a very exciting next step for our company, said John Welham, SSY senior partner. This acquisition continues the substantial growth that SSY has made in its core businesses of dry bulk and tanker chartering and its more recent diversified growth in the chemical, gas and offshore markets." Capitol is linked to Singapore's ASL Marine through the latter's association with Indonesian parent Cipta Nusantara Abadi and is a sign of yet more Singapore companies with OSV expertise entering the Indonesian cabotage market through joint ventures. Capitol commissioner Yanuar Wijaya was quoted in local media as saying its decision to sell some 25% of its enlarged capital or 208.36m shares to the public was based more on its desire to become a publicly listed company than to raise funds. Even without the IPO funds, we will still purchase new vessels. We have entered several tender processes. If we manage to secure 80% of them, we will purchase around 10 more AHTS vessels, he said. The book building period will run until 27 December and the shares are slated to be listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange on 14 January 2014. The IPO price has been set between IDR190 to IDR230 per share, with the issue being managed by OCBC Securities. The company will use proceeds from the IPO for the purchase of an anchor handling tug supply vessel (AHTS), which would cost between IDR40bn to IDR50bn and will turn its focus more towards the OSV sector from its current business model where over 90% of income is from tug and barge charters for the coal and sand trade, Wijaya said. Capitol is negotiating the purchase with various parties, including its affiliate ASL Shipyard Indonesia, for a 5,000-6,000 bhp vessel, he added. Other options such as using internal funds and bank loans would also be considered if employment could be secured for them. Pacifica has two container ships with a total capacity of 807 teu and runs scheduled services linking New Zealands ports, and the agreement is provisional. Brodie Stevens, country manager at China Navigation New Zealand commented, We are optimistic that the purchase will be completed in the coming weeks. We will be increasing our investment in New Zealands shipping and logistics industry. We look forward to expanding and improving the valuable domestic transport solutions which Pacifica currently provides and we are confident that the operational and environmental benefits of coastal shipping will continue to play a significant role in the sustainability of New Zealands transport infrastructure. If the sale goes ahead, China Navigation will leave Pacifica as an independent operation with headquarters in Auckland, business as usual for Pacifica and the existing management team according to Pacifica ceo Steve Chapman. We have found a traditional shipowner and operator who respects the history and recognise the significant contribution which Pacifica has made to the New Zealand transport industry. We are confident of China Navigation's commitment to the sale process and the fact that they are willing to invest in the next stage of Pacificas growth, said David Skeggs, managing director of the Skeggs Group. China Navigation, Swires deep sea shipping arm, has signed an agreement to acquire New Zealand-based Pacifica from the Skeggs Group. ClassNK announced that the agreement will allow the classification society to perform surveys for Solas, Marpol, Load Line and other international conventions, as well as perform audits and issue certificates on behalf of the Finnish government. With the opening of our newest office in Helsinki on 1 December 2013 and the signing of this new authorisation agreement, ClassNK is now able to provide a full classification service to all owners operating vessels in Finland, including those with domestically flagged vessels, said Noboru Ueda, chairman and president of ClassNK. Ueda added that ClassNK has been committed to improving its operations in Northern Europe and the Baltic region over the past several years. In addition to new and expanded offices in St. Petersburg, Klaipeda, Hamburg and now Helsinki, our ability to work on behalf of an expanded range of regional governments mean that we can provide an even better service to our clients throughout the region, he said. With the authorisation from Finland, ClassNK is now authorised to perform surveys and audits on behalf of 16 Flag Administrations in the EU, and a total of 110 Flag Administrations around the world. The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said lift raft was spotted southwest of Horsburgh Lighthouse at 0800 hrs on Thursday and a Police Coast Guard vessel went to the aid of the life raft rescuing six crew members. The six rescued seafarers said they were from the barge Heng Hong 168 which had capsized 3nm west of the lighthouse, and that there were five more crew who were missing. MPA said it was conducting a search and rescue operation (SAR) involving both air and sea. MPA has issued navigational broadcasts to vessels in the vicinity to keep clear of the SAR area and to report any sightings of the missing persons, the authority said. The Peoples Court of Hanoi sentenced Duong Chi Dung, the former chairman of Vinalines and Mai Van Phuc, its former general director, to death for embezzlement, according to a verdict read at the court today. The two former executives were convicted of embezzling VND10bn ($474,000) each. Dung and Phuc have 14 days to appeal the verdict. It was not immediately clear if they would appeal. Capital punishment in Vietnam is by lethal injection. Last month, a former banker at a state-owned bank and his business associate were sentenced to death for embezzlement. In 2012 Pham Thanh Binh, former chairman of Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin) was jailed for 20 years misappropriated funds and causing the collapse of the group. Dung had been the architect of the port master plan which pushed international terminal operators to invest in the development of five international terminals in Cai Mep However, many of them have had to suspend operation due to the lack of cargo and services calling the port complex and because of lack of infrastructure to move exports and imports to the Ho Chi Minh City area. The new entity, named Hyundai E&T, is due to be launched in January 2014, according to HHI. Increasing demands for more sophisticated ships such as drillships and offshore plants have prompted HHI to set up the new company, the shipbuilder said. Hyundai E&T will handle ship and offshore plant designs for HHI, Hyundai Mipo and Hyundai Samho. It will also enlarge its business portfolio into electrical and electronics sectors and construction equipment of HHI's non-shipbuilding sector, local media Yonhap reported. Mipo Engineering will be incorporated into Hyundai E&T, which will be financed by HHI, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co and Hyundai Samho. HHI plans to increase the number of ship designers to 1,600 by 2018 from the current 350, and the number of employees in the ship inspection sector to about 400, the news report said. The Bolivia-flagged barge Heng Hong 168 capsized on 19 December in Singapore waters about three nautical miles west of Horsburgh Lighthouse. Of the 11 crew members reported to be on board Heng Hong 168 when MPA was notified of the incident on 19 December 2013, six crew members were rescued on 19 December 2013 and one crew member was rescued on 22 December 2013 in the course of the search and rescue operations, MPA said in a statement last Friday. The identity of the body recovered on 24 December 2013 is being verified by the Indonesian authorities and it is still not clear whether this is one of the missing crew members from Heng Hong 168, MPA said. The port authority added that it will continue to inform vessels passing through the vicinity of the incident site to keep a lookout for the four persons that remain unaccounted for. The Sri Lankan government will be banning the charging of THCs from January a move which has already been welcomed by Asian shippers. The levying of THC and other surcharges by box lines have long been seen as a way of artificially increasing freight rates and not related to the real cost of services the charges are designed to cover. The proposed Sri Lanka reforms are likely to be a catalyst for wider demands, especially in the developing world, for greater regulatory oversight of liner shipping and shipping charging practices where anti-trust exemptions remain in place, said Chris Welsh, secretary-general of the GSF. In the absence of effective competition in many regions of the world, there is a growing belief that tougher controls on liner shipping are needed to regulate carrier practices relating to freight tariffs to provide much needed transparency into shipping charges and surcharges While Europe has banned liner conferences and the US has strict regulation through the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, this is not the case in much of Asia, Latin America and Africa. A rift in Pelindo IIs management apparently started after a remark by human resources and general affairs director Cipto Pramono while sharing a stage with leaders of a workers union during the companys anniversary celebrations on Dec 6, after which chief executive Richard Lino subsequently asked him to resign and this has led to the resignation of dozens of top executives, the reports said. Such news is indeed quite disturbing. I am calling on them to immediately settle their internal conflict. Its not our problem, but we will suffer when things go wrong at the port, Sofjan Wanandi, the chairman of the Indonesia Employers Association (Apindo), was quoted as saying. Lino has had trouble with the union, since accusations arose that he has not been transparent in his plan for the firms expansion in Tanjung Priok. Wire reports said that more than a hundred workers at Tanjung Priok had embarked on a strike on Monday, demanding his resignation. Pelindo II corporate secretary Rima Novianti, said the strike and internal conflict have not disrupted loading or unloading operations at the port. It is unknown if the labour troubles will escalate. There are strikes but it is limited to a small number of personnel, said Rima, who is also an executive of the Indonesian Logistics and Forwarders Association (ILFA). Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. OAO Novatek said the Yamal LNG Project would have three liquefaction trains with an annual output capacity of 16.5m tons. The commercial launch of the first train is planned for 2017. The EPC tender for the project has been awarded to Technip and JGC and overall capital expenditure is estimated at $26.9bn. The Yamal LNG project is a transformative project for Novatek and a key element in the overall strategy to develop the natural gas resources on the Yamal Peninsula and increase the output of LNG from Russia, said Leonid Mikhelson, chairman of the management board of Novatek. Located in Sabetta in the Northeast of the Yamal Peninsula the project will call for the construction of a seaport and an international airport. Transportation will be provided by up 16 Arc-7 class LNG carriers. Slots for the LNG carrier newbuildings were booked at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in August this year. The vessels will be designed to operate in ambient temperatures of up to minus 50C and independent navigation in ice more than 2.1 m thick. Shipping routes will be both east and westbound, with the Northern Sea Route planned to be used in the summer months. According to Total, a 20% stakeholder in Yamal LNG, an LNG cargo will be loaded every 38 hours all year round once the facility is in full operation. A fleet six icebreakers will be mobilised to keep the port channel ice free. By the year 2020, we intend to have 35 terminals worldwide in our portfolio and to be handling 18 million containers per year. This is not a dream, said Peter Richards, Gulftainers ceo, said at a press conference to unveil its new vision in Sharjah this week. It is a mission that we will accomplish. The company expects 2013 container throughput to increase 75% to 7m teu with the addition to its portfolio this year of new terminals in Saudi Arabia at Jeddah and Jubail, through the acquisition of 51% of Gulf Stevedoring Contracting Company. "The acquisition makes Gulftainer the largest port operator in the Middle East by number of terminals operated in the region," Gulftainer's new website said after a brand relaunch. Gulftainer also operates terminals at Umm Qasr, Iraq and Recife, Brazil, and announced a terminal operation at Ust-Luga, 110 km west of St. Petersburg, in 2011. A year later it was awarded a concession to manage and operate the port in Tripoli Libya. In 2008, it launched Momentum Logistics, a third-party logistics company. Sharjah is the birthplace of containerisation in the Middle East, said Richards, a reference to the establishment in 1976 of Gulftainer through Port Khalid, Sharjah, now a facility of 500,000 teu. Its terminals have seen average growth of 12% in the past five years, he said. With a capacity of 3m teu, Khorfakkan is its largest facility. We were the fastest growing transhipment hub in the world in 2012, Richards said. Company officials hinted that the companys future expansion would not necessarily involve competing for assets against the Big Four global terminal operators, PSA International, Hutchison Port Holdings, APM Terminals and DP World, and that the acquisition of terminal assets well under 1m teu by capacity would be on the companys radar in coming years, in regions as diverse as Africa, India, the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, South America, the Caribbean and North America. Gulftainer Throughput 1999-2013 Year Throughput % Change 1999 1,079,168 - 2000 1,116,140 3.4% 2001 1,200,176 7.5% 2002 1,391,646 16.0% 2003 1,601,087 15.0% 2004 2,003,620 25.1% 2005 2,157,899 7.7% 2006 2,012,840 -6.7% 2007 2,173,867 8.0% 2008 2,501,829 15.1% 2009 2,750,285 9.9% 2010 3,022,524 9.9% 2011 3,229,929 6.9% 2012 3,996,248 23.7% 2013e 7,000,000 75.2% Source: Gulftainer Company Press Release January 30, 2016 New OWWA Act to bring better services, fair policies for OFWs - Drilon Senate President Franklin M. Drilon said that the passage of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Act will boost the government's capability to respond to the needs of millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and make more equitable the agency's collection policy for its land-based and sea-based members. Drilon said there is an unequal treatment of OFWs with regard to the payment of OWWA dues because, under the current OWWA policy, sea-based workers such as seafarers pay higher contribution to the OWWA than land-based workers. He said that the land-based workers would only pay $25 for a two-year contract, while the seafarers would pay $25 every six months or a total of $100 for two years. He said the new measure, which is now in the bicameral conference committee, should ensure that equal treatment will be afforded to both the land-based workers and the seafarers. "There must be an equal treatment for the land-based workers and the seafarers in terms of the required membership pay to the OWWA every time they leave the country," Drilon said. Drilon also said that the new OWWA Act, which introduces structural reforms to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, will help the agency better fulfill its mandate and respond to the needs of OFWs and their families everywhere. The Senate chief, also a former labor secretary, explained that the measure redefines the functions of the OWWA as a national agency so it would get funding for its operational expenses, such as employee salaries, from the national government instead of from the contribution of Filipino workers abroad. "With this law, the OFW contributions will now be spent exclusively for programs and activities that directly aid our modern-day heroes," Drilon added Drilon said that expanding the OWWA's ability to help OFWs is a timely move given the pressing need to extend assistance to Filipinos in dire conditions in other countries, like those facing death penalties or wrongly imprisoned. "This way, we can secure more funds which will be used to for OWWA's programs for Filipinos abroad, especially critical services like the repatriation assistance and reintegration programs, psycho-social counseling, scholarships and others," Drilon said. Meanwhile, Drilon said that the OFWs will also greatly benefit from the passage of the proposed Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA). Drilon said that the new measure will, among others, improve the Custom's procedures in handling goods and packages coming in and out of the country, such as the balikbayan boxes that OFWs send to their loved ones. Drilon also noted that the CTMA includes a section introduced by Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto which will raise the tax-exempt value of "pasalubong" cargo brought in or sent by overseas Filipino workers. In the Senate-approved version, it will be raised up to P150,000 from P10,000. The measure is now with the bicam. Drilon is confident that the two measures will be signed into law before the 16th Congress comes to a close in July of this year. Press Release January 30, 2016 CHIZ: NBI MODERNIZATION SHOULD HELP SOLVE EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS, MEDIA SLAYS Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero expressed hope that the bill seeking to modernize the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will be enacted into a law in order to strengthen government efforts in stopping deadly attacks on media practitioners and activists in the country. Escudero issued the statement after the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) released recently its World Report 2016, which included killings of activists and media workers in the Philippines. As the author of Senate Bill No. 2950--or An Act Modernizing the National Bureau of Investigation, Providing Funds Therefor, And For Other Purposes--Escudero said he is optimistic that the new mandate of the NBI will help the agency solve extra-judicial killings faster. "I am of the belief that the best deterrent to crime is still the speedy resolution of cases. With a modernized NBI, I am confident that we will be better equipped in fighting and solving crimes," said the leading vice-presidential candidate. Approved on third and final reading by the Senate on Jan. 25, SBN 2950 defines and categorizes the priority cases that should principally be referred to the NBI, which include extra-judicial/extra-legal killings committed by the state's security forces against media practitioners and activists in the country. Also among the priority cases under the measure are human trafficking cases in airports; killings of justices and judges; violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act; cases referred by the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council; violation of the Anti-Dummy Law; and violation of commercial, economic, and financial or white-collar crimes. Escudero, former chair of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, noted how the country has been severely criticized even in the international community because of numerous unsolved cases of violence against journalists, activists and judges in the country. "We should not tolerate this culture of impunity in our country because it does not only concern the violation of human rights but it also hurts the country's image among potential investors abroad," he said. In its 659-page report, the Human Rights Watch said there were at least 13 tribal leaders and tribal community members allegedly killed by assailants often linked to the military or paramilitary groups in the first eight months of 2015. The international human rights watchdog also labeled 2015 as "another deadly year for Filipino journalists," with eight media practitioners killed in the first 10 months of last year. The group also noted in its report the lack of resolution to media killings in the country. "Task Force Usig, a unit created by the Philippine National Police in 2007 to investigate these murders, has not been able to fully investigate most of these killings, mainly due to the lack of witnesses willing to publicly identify themselves and share information with police," Human Rights Watch's said. "Although the task force has secured the conviction of suspects in eight of the 51 cases it has documented since 2001--a conservative figure since Usig does not classify videographers and producers as 'journalists'--no one responsible for planning and executing such attacks has been arrested or convicted," it added. Escudero said his bill aims to strengthen the NBI as an institution to make it more responsive to the demands of the times. "With modern equipment, skilled agents and defined responsibilities, I am confident that the NBI will be in a better position to help our security forces in combating crimes and resolving incidents of extrajudicial killings in the country," Escudero said. In 2013, the Philippines was named as the third most dangerous country in the world for journalists by the London-based International News Safety Institute just behind the strife-torn Syria and Iraq. As of June 2014, a total of 145 media workers in the country have been killed in the line of duty since 1986, including at least 33 in the Ampatuan massacre of November 2009, according to the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. Press Release January 31, 2016 CHIZ URGES PNOY TO APPONT IP RIGHTS CHAMPIONS AS NEXT NCIP EXECS Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero urged President Aquino to appoint officials of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) who will genuinely defend and fight for the rights of the indigenous peoples (IPs) in the country. Escudero made the call as the three-year term of the current batch of NCIP commissioners are set to expire on Feb. 20. "The NCIP officials should be at the forefront of the fight for the rights of our indigenous peoples but I have yet to hear their indignation over the crimes being done against the lumads in Mindanao," said Escudero, the frontrunner in the vice-presidential race. "Nakakalungkot na wala man lang tayong makitang papel na ginampanan ang NCIP pagdating sa problema mg mga lumad. Mabuti pa ang DepEd (Department of Education) atDSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), sila ay tumulong at nanghimasok sa isyu samantalang wala man lang tayong narinig sa NCIP laban sa pagyurak sa karapatan ng mga lumad sa iba't ibang parte ngMindanao," the independent candidate added. Created under Republic Act 8371 or The Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997, the NCIP, which is an agency under the Office of the President (OP), is mandated "to protect and promote the interest and well-being of indigenous peoples with due regard to their beliefs, customs, traditions and institutions." The veteran lawmaker said the next crop of officials of the primary government agency responsible for the formulation and implementation of pertinent and appropriate policies and programs set forth in the new law, should see to it that the R.A. 8371 is implemented in letter and spirit. "We have a good law concerning the rights of our IPs. We just have to ensure the strict enforcement of Republic Act 8371," he said. There have been 68 IPs killed under the Aquino administration, 53 of them were lumads in Caraga region. Members of the 36th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and a paramilitary group have been accused of masterminding the harassment, killings and forced evacuation of the said IP group in Mindanao. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Escudero said he is also looking into the alleged involvement of some mining companies in the killings by hiring soldiers or paramilitary forces to drive the IPs away from their ancestral lands. The NCIP is currently headed by chairperson Leonor T. Oralde-Quintayo (Commissioner for Southern and Eastern Mindanao); Zenaida Brigida H. Pawid (Region I and the Cordilleras); Percy A. Brawner (Region II); Bayani Sumaoang (Region III and the rest of Luzon); Dionesia O. Banua (Island Groups including Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Panay and the rest of the Visayas); Datu Cosme M. Lambayon (Northern and Western Mindanao); and Era Colmo Espana (Central Mindanao). They are all serving a three-year term which ends on Feb. 20. According to the law, the commissioners shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines from a list of recommendees submitted by authentic ICCs/IPs. It's something drivers see often, police in squad cars tearing down the highway with no siren on, just the badge to give the right of way on any road. Well, one Miami driver had had enough. A woman identified as Claudia Castillo, a South Florida driver, recently recorded her very own traffic stop, according to the Miami Herald and video of the offending Miami-Dade police officer. In the three-part video, Castillo navigates traffic at high rates of speed to keep up with the officer. She narrates that she's even had to "push the limit and everything" just to get his attention and flag him down. The officer did finally pull over and approach the woman's vehicle, where she began chastising him about his speed. (Story continues below) Related gallery: Weird crimes in Florida "I pushed 80 [mph] to try and catch up with you and I was still eating your dust ... and I just wanna know what's the emergency," Castillo asked. Surprisingly, the officer was quite respectful and never once laughed in her face or threatened her with a citation. In fact, he was apologetic. "I don't know how fast I was going ... but I can tell you I'm on my way to work right now ... I thought you had some kind of emergency. Everything fine? Just me speeding? OK. Well, I apologize and I'll be sure to slow down," the unnamed officer said. The woman continues to try to make a point about setting an example for the community, and he keeps a fairly pleasant , yet slightly aggravated, air about him before telling her to be safe and heading back to his patrol car. According to the Miami Herald, police director Juan Perez said the department will investigate the incident. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Guilderland Rumors Salon and Spa in Latham is gathering donations for one of its employees who they say helped to get other residents out of an apartment fire early Sunday morning. The fire displaced 13 residents and damaged six apartments, according to news reports. The salon said in a press release Sunday afternoon that employee Venessa Cunsolo, who lives at Regency Park Apartments off Western Avenue, was woken up by her 14-year-old daughter who smelled smoke. The salon says the two went to other apartments to make sure everyone escaped. A GoFundMe campaign by a friend of one of survivors gathered $1875 in the by Sunday night. The fire started around 4:24 a.m. in building one at Regency Park, a campus of apartment buildings that is next door to Hamilton Square shopping plaza. Westmere Fire Department Chief Henry Smith said he could already see the flames from Western Avenue as he approached the scene. Most residents were out of the building by the time firefighters arrived, and it's believed the building had smoke detectors, Smith said. Six people are being treated for smoke inhalation. It's unknown what caused the blaze, but it appears it started in the rear of the building, the chief said. New York state fire investigators were on scene Sunday morning examining the charred remains. Smith said the building will not be knocked down until the investigation is complete. Building two, which shares a wall with building one, was saved because the complex was built with concrete fire walls that separate each six-unit structure, Smith said. Water service was turned off to buildings two and three Sunday morning. Four of the residents were transported to Albany Medical Center Hospital and two others were sent to St. Peter's Hospital. Smith said all the injuries were non-life threatening. Guilderland, McKownville and Fort Hunter fire departments assisted at the scene. Rumors Salon has a collection box at its location at 626 New Loudon Road where staff is taking clothing donations for Cunsolo and her two children. Her 7-year-old was at her father's house at the time of the fire. Juniors sizes 3 and 0 in clothes are needed, as well as women's shoe size 6; there were no children's sizes provided for shoes. lstanforth@timesunion.com 518-454-5697 BURNS, Ore. Activists are urging people who oppose a militarized police presence in Burns to converge on the small high desert town near a wildlife refuge that has been occupied by an armed group for a month. The Pacific Patriots Network organized a rolling rally through town Saturday night and said it planned more demonstrations to protest the killing of one occupier last week, and the presence of numerous heavily armed law enforcement officers at the standoff. Our goal is to show the country that this county does support what is going on, said B.J. Soper, a Burns resident and organizer of the rally that drew more than 100 people and dozens of U.S. and Confederate flag-covered vehicles. A lone woman showed up to oppose the rally. Jen Hoke of Burns carried a sign saying Militia Go Home. These people are spreading a message of hate, Hoke said. Meanwhile, the four people occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge held their position Sunday. They have demanded that they be allowed to leave without being arrested. The groups leader, Ammon Bundy, and 10 others who were arrested last week remained in custody. Through his lawyer, Bundy again called on the remaining occupiers Saturday to leave. The FBI has said it is trying to resolve the situation peacefully. Bundy and several other jailed leaders appeared Friday in federal court in Portland, where a judge denied their release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie Beckerman said Bundy, his brother Ryan Bundy and Ryan Payne pose a danger to the community, and she is concerned they would not follow orders to return to Oregon for criminal proceedings. Court documents detail some of the evidence against the occupiers. The charges against the defendants say the refuges 16 employees have been prevented from reporting to work because of threats of violence. A criminal complaint filed last week makes reference to an online video that showed Bundy saying the group planned to stay for several years. He called on people to come out here and stand, adding: We need you to bring your arms. Robert LaVoy Finicum, the groups spokesman, was killed Tuesday night in a confrontation with the FBI and Oregon State Police on a remote road. Bundy and four others were arrested during the encounter. People at the rolling rally held up pictures of Finicum and demanded justice. The FBI released a video Thursday showing Finicums death to counter claims he did nothing to provoke his killing. In the aerial video, Finicum is pulled over in his truck but then takes off and plows into a snowbank. He gets out and has his hands up at first, then appears to reach toward his jacket pocket at least twice. He is shot and falls to the snow. The FBI said a loaded handgun was found in the pocket. 1 Computer education: President Obama said Saturday he will ask Congress for $4 billion to help students learn computer science skills and prepare for jobs in a changing economy. In the new economy, computer science isnt an optional skill. Its a basic skill, right along with the three Rs, Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address. The federal budget proposal for 2017 that Obama plans to send Congress on Feb. 9 will seek $4 billion for grants to states and $100 million for competitive grants for school districts over the next three years to teach computer science in elementary, middle and high schools, administration officials said. 2 Biker clash: One person was fatally shot and seven others were injured Saturday in a shooting and stabbing at a motorcycle expo in Denver. Police Chief Robert White said it is unclear what prompted the incident at the National Western Complex, and police did not know if the clash was gang related. Three of the injured were in critical condition. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31 By Samir Ali - Trend: The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen's recent statement on Nagorno-Karabakh once again showed that the co-chairmen support only the aggressor and occupation, Bakhtiyar Aliyev, the Azerbaijani MP, told Trend Jan. 30. Aliyev made this statement in connection with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's criticism over the Minsk Group. President Aliyev stressed at a meeting with a group of Azerbaijani young people that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen aspire to freeze the conflict, rather than resolve it. The president said that they do not even put pressure on Armenia, moreover, they protect it from possible problems. The MP said that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen's recent statement on Nagorno-Karabakh shows that they will never seek for the just and peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "One can say that they deny the fact of occupation of Azerbaijani territories," the MP said. "Therefore, Azerbaijani citizens express distrust to the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen." 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 two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media With heroin and opioid deaths skyrocketing, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) will convene youth in recovery, educators and experts to discuss measures to combat the crisis at 11:15 a.m. on Monday at Community Mental Health Affiliates in New Britain. Heroin and opiate abuse has skyrocketed in Connecticut and nationwide in recent years. While the epidemic has impacted all demographic groups, 18 to 25 year olds are most at risk. In the past decade, heroin use among young adults has more than doubled. In 2012, there were 195 fatal heroin, morphine or codeine overdoses in Connecticut. By 2013, that number had jumped to 284. In 2014, it skyrocketed to 347. By 2015, 415 overdose deaths were reported. This rise in deaths and the increasing addiction rates for heroin are inextricably connected with the availability of illegal drugs, the lack of adequate resources to address addiction and the over-prescription of pain killers. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Jan. 31 By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend: The Turkmen-Turkish business forum and Turkish export exhibition are planned to be held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan February 9-11, the government said Jan. 30. The representatives of over 100 Turkish companies specializing in mechanical engineering, chemical industry, trade, education, construction and other fields, will arrive to participate in the annual exposition in Ashgabat. Turkish businessmen are expected to demonstrate the production potential, the latest technologies of their companies and discuss concrete proposals to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation with Turkmen partners - representatives of various ministries and departments, as well as members of the Turkmen Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stressed the importance of holding such exhibitions and business meetings on a regular basis to further expand bilateral trade and economic relations and increase the trade turnover volumes between the two countries. Some 600 Turkish companies work in Turkmenistan. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkey will get three billion euros by late February, Volkan Bozkr, the Turkish minister for EU affairs, said, Anadolu agency reported Jan. 30. Bozkr said that the funds were allocated by the EU for Syrian refugees in Turkey. "The funds will be fully spent for Syrian refugees," he said. Currently, Turkey is hosting more than two million Syrian refugees on its territory. The Syrian refugee camps in the country accommodate about 300,000 people. The rest of them are spread across the provinces and cities of Turkey. In Istanbul alone, there are currently 40,000 refugees from Syria. Ankara has so far spent $8 billion to upkeep the Syrian refugees. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31 Trend: Turkish Airlines and Boeing Corporation signed a long-term agreement, Anadolu agency reported Jan. 31. The agreement was signed by Turkish Airlines chairman of board Ilker Ayci and Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Raymond Conner. "The signing of today's agreement with the leading brand in the aviation industry and one of our main partners will further enhance the existing relations," Ayci said. He said that Turkish Airlines continues developing innovative methods. Conner also said that he is proud of the development of relations with Turkish Airlines. Des Moines The presidential race hurtled over the weekend toward a watershed moment: voting that will start to reveal the true depth of Americans' desire to cast aside traditional politicians and Washington-style compromise and embrace disruptive outsiders appealing to their passions. After a year of countless and often conflicting polls, more than 250,000 Iowans are expected to attend caucuses on a relatively mild Monday night and render judgment on insurgent candidates who would bar Muslims from the country (Donald Trump), oppose concessions to Democrats (Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas) and pursue a high-tax, big-government agenda (Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont). Voters are poised to bring order to the race, or reorder politics, as in no other recent election. Money, experience and endorsements advantages that usually turn candidates like Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, into inevitable nominees will be tested against the potent messages of rivals promising upheaval. The importance of aggressive fundraising and campaign commercials, which have cost a combined total of more than $100 million so far, will become suspect if the social-media-driven organizing by grass-roots groups helps yield upset victories for candidates like Sanders. And the national mood about entrenched power Wall Street, political dynasties and Washington will almost certainly be reflected in the outcomes of the nominating contests this winter. On the Republican side, Trump, who spent Saturday barnstorming across eastern Iowa, projected the supreme confidence that has defined his campaign, even as he faced attacks from two rivals, Cruz and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Trump barely dwelled on them, saying in an interview that he was already looking ahead to the prospect of a general election matchup against Clinton, a former secretary of state and U.S. senator. "Our popularity is strong enough to put states in play in November that Republicans don't usually win anymore: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, Ohio," Trump said. "I'm a little surprised that I've done this well, to tell you the truth. But my message is something that people want to hear, more than just going along with the usual politicians." On Friday, he joined other Republicans in pouncing on the news that Clinton's private computer server had handled messages later deemed "top secret," saying in a Trumpian post on Twitter: "The new email release is a disaster for Hillary Clinton." Cruz is trumpeting an anti-establishment message like Trump's, but the caucuses will show if a sitting senator can run against the system more successfully than a celebrity businessman who has never held elective office. Rubio, a career politician who is running as a next-generation leader, is hoping that Iowa will prove what his supporters have long said: He is the most attractive Republican to both political insiders and outsiders. While he is running third in most polls, a strong showing particularly a second-place finish could finally show the extent of his appeal, veteran Republicans said. "The Iowa caucuses are all about beating expectations," said Gov. Terry E. Branstad of Iowa, a Republican who has not endorsed a candidate but has spoken against Cruz. Among the Democrats, Clinton and Sanders appeared to be locked in a close race in Iowa, according to public polls and the campaigns' own surveys. Each side deployed hundreds of volunteers on Saturday to call voters, knock on doors and test their get-out-the-vote operations for Monday night. The Clinton campaign has a larger field operation that has been trained more thoroughly than the Sanders team, the campaigns agree. Clinton aides also spent Saturday delivering pep talks to some of their caucus precinct captains and key workers in Iowa's 99 counties, confident that Democrats would be drawn to Clinton's plans to build on President Barack Obama's agenda and to look for ways to forge consensus with Republicans in Washington. "Some people want the country to change dramatically, but a lot of other people want someone who understands the country, understands the competing interests, and will find the elusive third way like Hillary will," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a former Iowa governor and a key Clinton supporter here. Sanders is counting on the fervor of his supporters to topple Clinton in Iowa, which, his advisers believe, would lead to an explosion in fundraising to help them blanket primary states with commercials. But Sanders' reputation as an anti-politician has been bruised recently, with reports of campaign fliers in Iowa including logos from groups that had not authorized their use; one of those groups was the League of Conservation Voters, whose political arm has endorsed Clinton. But as Sanders campaigned Friday in Washington, Iowa, he stuck firmly to his outsider message. "I like this Washington more than the other than the other Washington," he said. "More friendly people." For political leaders and strategists in both parties, the start of voting holds unusual fascination this winter because several political patterns and customs are on the line. Some Democrats say the 2016 campaign could mark the "death of inevitability" if Clinton loses the first two nominating contests, in Iowa and New Hampshire, despite beginning the race with a deep bench of donors, high approval ratings among Democrats and establishment support. She is still ahead in national polls. But Sanders is seen as empowering regular voters against the will of party apparatchiks. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: Banking ties between Tehran and Ankara have been normalized, Ali Reza Bikdeli, Iran's Ambassador to Turkey wrote on his Facebook page. According to Bikdeli, the normalization of banking ties between Iran and Turkey was announced at a meeting with Erdem Basc, governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) on Jan. 30. The ambassador added that the three branches of Iran's Bank Mellat in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara cities have resumed their activity. Earlier on Jan. 26 Bank Melli Iran also announced that its subsidiary in London been authorized to resume activity following the removal of international sanctions against Iran. Since March 2012, as part of measures taken in a bid to intensify the sanctions on Tehran due to its nuclear program, several restrictions have been imposed against Iran's banking system, which had a catastrophic impact on Iran's economy. In a joint statement on Jan. 16, the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced the implementation of the JCPOA, aka nuclear deal, and the removal of economic sanctions on Iran. According to the statement, EU confirmed that legal framework, providing for lifting of its nuclear-related economic and financial sanctions, is effective. Following the implementation statement, SWIFT announced that those banks that are de-listed by the Implementing Regulation will now automatically be able to reconnect to SWIFT. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31 By Umid Niayesh - Trend: Iran will resume exporting the handmade carpets to the US this year, head of the country's National Carpet Center Hamid Kargar said. He expressed hope that the current stagnation regarding the handmade carpet export will be over in the coming months, Iran's Mehr news agency reported Jan. 30. The official further said that the US businessmen have expressed interest to resume import of handmade carpet from Iran, following the removal of international sanctions as the nuclear deal came into force Jan. 16. In past years Iran's rivals such as Pakistan and India replaced the Islamic Republic in the US market, he said. Handicrafts and handmade carpet shared 0.7 percent of Iran's total non-oil exports in the first eight months of current fiscal year (March 21- Nov. 21, 2015). Iran exported $193 million worth of handicrafts and carpet in the period, 19 percent less year on year. Kargar earlier said that Iran has exported 2,620 tons of handmade carpets valued at $166 million to 80 countries in the first seven months of 2015. The East Asian countries are the main buyers of Iranian carpets, he said, adding Iran's handmade carpets are exported to Lebanon, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, China, Japan, France, Sweden, Italy and Germany. The National Carpet Center of Iran also said that the country has exported handmade carpets for a total of $330 million in 2014. An Iranian oil official said on Saturday that the country has started talks with international contractors from Asia and Europe over the development of phase two of its South Azadegan oil field and that among the companies Iran is negotiating over the projects is France's Total, Press TV reported. Mahmoud Mar'ashi, the project manager of South Azadegan at Iran's Petroleum Engineering and Development Company (PEDEC), has been quoted by the media as saying that the production target for the second phase of the project will be at least 210,000 barrels per day (bpd). Mar'ashi added that the project is currently producing about 110,000 bpd which is expected to increase to 320,000 bpd once fully developed. He further added that the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has conducted talks with the French energy company Total over the same project. Two other French companies - Vinci and Entrepose - are also engaged in talks with the NIOC over South Azadegan, added the official. The Asian players with which the NIOC has conducted talks over South Azadegan are Japan's Marubeni as well as South Korea's Hyundai. There have also been some limited talks with Japan's Inpex, Mar'ashi emphasized. The official further said that the total investments required for South Azadegan will be below $5 billion, stressing that the exact amount of the required capital remains to be determined. Iran discovered Azadegan oil field in 1999 in what was the country's biggest oil find in decades. The country accordingly teamed up with Inpex to push the project toward development. However, the Japanese company quit the project in what appeared to be a result of US sanctions against Iran. The NIOC later divided the project into South Azadegan and North Azadegan and both were awarded to China's CNPC when Iran's former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-2013) was in office. The media reported in 2014 that Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh had sidelined CNPC from South Azadegan due to its protracted delays in developing the field. South Azadegan is believed to hold an in-place oil reserve of about 33.2 billion barrels and its recoverable resources estimated at about 5.2 billion barrels. A man was arrested more than eight months after a shooting in April 2015 that left one man dead at a West Side home. Christian Lee Medina, 21, faces a murder charge in the death of Joshua Garza, 31, who was fatally shot in the back of his house at North Navidad and Delgado streets, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. On April 9, after Garza was found dead, Medina told police he could not explain how the victim was shot and that he would come back at a later time to give a statement. Instead, police arrested him on an unrelated warrant. A witness who was cleaning the home that day said an hour before Garza was killed there was another incident in which it sounded as though someone was shooting at the house. Police were called in at that time. The witness noted that during the shooting, Garza was standing inside firing his gun toward the outside. Police who responded to the first call only found a set of spent bullet casings outside and no witnesses. During a later interview, Medina eventually told police that he was firing his gun alongside Garza when they were both shooting outside. It was after the last officer responding to the scene left that Garza told him it was time to leave, the affidavit states. As a woman related to the two approached the home in her vehicle, both Garza and Medina walked to the back of the house, Medina told police. When Garza stepped out, Medina said Garza was shot and Medina jumped back into the house. Medina said he reached into a backpack, grabbing a gun and firing a shot as well. Medina then ran inside saying to call 911 because Garza had been shot, according to the warrant. A witness said that there was only one shot in the second shooting, but noted Medina had indeed taken a gun out of the backpack and fired one shot. A 9 mm casing was discovered at the scene, which matched unspent ammunition discovered in the bedrooms of the residence. Medina admitted to firing a 9 mm weapon, investigators said. As of Saturday night, he was still in jail. Jbeltran@express-news.net Twitter: @JBfromSA Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi says the Islamic Republic is set to begin the construction of two more nuclear power plants in the southern city of Bushehr soon, Press TV reports. "In the construction of nuclear power plants, as I have already stated, we hopefully, within the next few months, will be witnessing the launching of new reactors. Activities are going on and they are expanding even in some areas," Salehi said in an exclusive interview with Press TV on Saturday. He added that Iran and Russia have signed agreements for the construction of "two big reactors in Bushehr." In November 2014, Tehran and Moscow struck a deal to build eight more nuclear power plants in Iran. Russia has already built a power plant in Bushehr. The agreement for Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant was finalized in 1995, but the project was delayed several times due to a number of technical and financial issues. The 1,000-megawatt plant, which is operating under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reached its maximum power generation capacity in August 2012. In September 2013, Iran officially took over from Russia the first unit of its first 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant for two years. Salehi said the recognition of Iran's enrichment activities by the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, was "one very good achievement" within a nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "We are one among the very few or probably the very exceptional countries that its enrichment activity has been recognized by an international body such as the UN Security Council," the AEOI head said, adding, "One of the achievements within this framework is the fact that we were able to sell or we got this opportunity to sell our enriched uranium and get in return natural uranium or the yellowcake." He described JCPOA as a "good deal" that allows Iran to enter the club of countries that can enrich uranium and sell it at global market. Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia - plus Germany started to implement JCPOA on January 16. After JCPOA went into effect, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the Security Council and the US were lifted. Iran in return has put some limitations on its nuclear activities. The nuclear agreement was signed on July 14, 2015 following two and a half years of intensive talks. Salehi also said Iran and the IAEA have entered into a new phase in cooperation and urged the body to remain impartial. "The IAEA, being the sole verifying body, needs to keep its integrity and impartiality. Otherwise, its credibility will be questioned," the Iranian official stated. Planned Parenthood foes will undoubtedly proclaim David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt martyrs. But their indictment by a Harris County grand jury and a finding that clears Planned Parenthood from any wrongdoing should prompt Texas to discontinue its investigation of the organization. Moreover, the state should cease trying to boot the organization from Medicaid funding. The video that the now-indicted pair produced purporting to show Planned Parenthood trying to illegally sell body parts has been shown to be misleading and fraudulent on many fronts now. A Houston clinic was featured in part of the video. The indictments are just the latest chapter involving the highly edited video that created a wave of efforts nationally to defund Planned Parenthood, including in Texas. Against reason, both Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton say the investigation of Planned Parenthood will continue, as will the effort to deny Medicaid funding to the group. And this defunding also goes against reason. Medicaid money cannot be used for abortions. Planned Parenthood and other organizations, however, do use this money to take care of basic health needs for low-income women, care that includes family planning to prevent the unwanted pregnancies that lead to abortions. Planned Parenthood has sued Texas to halt the defunding. And it has also sued the Center for Medical Progress, accusing the group Daleiden directs and Merritt works for of a three-year criminal enterprise to target the organization. The Harris County grand jury indicted Daleiden and Merritt on charges of record tampering, a charge involving their alleged creation and use of fake California drivers licenses with an intent to defraud. And Daleiden also faces a charge that he tried to purchase human organs. This is apparently connected with his offer to buy in order to provoke Planned Parenthood into selling. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick requested this investigation by the Harris County district attorney. But now that it is complete and the organization exonerated while the videographers indicted Patrick is undeterred. This and the refusal of Abbott and Paxton to relent reveals their true motivation an end-run around the constitutional protections for abortion. The grand jury indictments and a finding of no wrongdoing by Planned Parenthood should compel Texas to stop targeting the group. Golden Gate Bridge: The worlds eyes will turn to San Francisco and the Bay Area this week. Even though the Super Bowl will be 45 miles south of San Francisco, its the Golden Gate Bridge, for people around the world, that provides the landmark imprint of the region. What youll see: The short walk along the bays waterfront to Fort Point and the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the best easy walks in North America. After you park, its a half-mile walk on a raised landing along the bay. Below you to the right, the water often slaps lightly at the rocks, and during low tides, the light scent of algae is in the air. The views are world-class. You can scan across San Francisco Bay to Fort Baker, Raccoon Strait and Angel Island. Passing ships are in the channel, and when conditions are right, daredevil windsurfers often careen nearby across the surface. The Golden Gate Bridge towers above. The foghorn often blares and echoes under the bridge. Fort Point: As you walk out, youll see a brick building near the southern foot of the Golden Gate. Thats Fort Point. Its location is a historic strategic site for military operations. At peak operation, it had 126 cannons and 600 soldiers. Fort Point Pier: The Fort Point Pier, also known as Torpedo Wharf, is a fishing pier where herring, jacksmelt and perch can be caught in winter, and, at times in summer, halibut and striped bass. Fitness: Fort Point is the western terminus for the Golden Gate Promenade, which can make for a 3-mile round trip to Marina Green. The route passes beachfront, Muni Pier, Crissy Field and can be extended to Aquatic Park. Cost: Parking, access free. Map/brochure: Available at visitor center; PDF at website. Open/closed: Fort Point is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays through Sundays; closed Mondays through Thursdays. On-the-spot note: Candlelight tours are filled. Facilities: Restroom at parking; Visitor Center at Presidio nearby. How to get there From S.F. and the Peninsula: Take Highway 101 north through San Francisco to Golden Gate Bridge toll plaza (get in right lane) to the exit on right near Vista Point. Take that exit and drive a short distance to Lincoln Boulevard. Turn left on Lincoln and go 0.2 of a mile to Long Avenue. Turn sharp left on Long Avenue and drive 0.3 of a mile to Marine Drive. Merge with Marine and continue 0.3 of a mile to the end of the road, parking and trailhead. From Marin: Take Highway 101 south across Golden Gate Bridge and get in right lane. Stay far right, and immediately after toll booths, turn right at end of exit ramp and loop under toll plaza a short distance to end of road at Lincoln Boulevard (at stop sign). Turn left on Lincoln Boulevard and drive 0.4 of a mile to Long Avenue. Turn sharp left on Long, go 0.3 of a mile to merge with Marine Drive and continue 0.3 of a mile to end of road, parking and trailhead. From East Bay: From Bay Bridge, continue west on I nterstate 80 for 6 miles to the exit for U.S. 101 North/Golden Gate Bridge. Take that exit and merge on U.S. 101N/Mission Street and go 0.4 of a mile to Van Ness Avenue. Turn left on Van Ness and drive 2 miles to Lombard Street. Turn left on Lombard and go 1.1 miles, and then continue ahead on Richardson as it feeds into Doyle Drive/U.S. 101. Continue on 101 for 1.7 miles to the exit for Lincoln Boulevard. Take that exit to Lincoln, turn left and go 0.2 of a mile to Long Avenue. Turn sharp left on Long Avenue and drive 0.3 of a mile to Marine Drive. Merge with Marin e and continue 0.3 of a mile to end of road, parking and trailhead. Distances: 6 miles from Sausalito, 15 miles from San Rafael, 15 miles from Pacifica, 20 miles from Berkeley, 25 miles from San Mateo, 31 miles from Walnut Creek, 48 miles from Levis Stadium. Contacts: Fort Point National Historic Site, (415) 556-1693, www.nps.gov/fopo; Golden Gate National Recreation Area, (415) 561-4700, www.nps.gov/goga. Tom Stienstra GENEVA Rival delegations in the Syrian peace talks agreed to meet Monday with the chief United Nations mediator, but the threat of an opposition walkout still hung over the fragile process the most concerted diplomatic effort to date aimed at ending the almost five-year Syrian conflict. Even as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry taped a video appeal urging both sides to make the most of this moment, a series of suicide bombings outside Damascus on Sunday again dramatized the punishing wave of destruction and carnage that has overtaken Syria. The Islamic State group, the militant faction that emerged from the chaos of the Syrian conflict, took responsibility for the attacks, which killed at least 50 people and injured more than 100, Syrian state media reported. Islamic State and the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front have been excluded from the Syrian peace talks as terrorist organizations. But Sundays sectarian-fueled attacks near a Shiite Muslim shrine outside Damascus underscored the myriad obstacles to bringing peace to Syria. Syrian government and opposition contingents were slated to hold their first working sessions Monday with Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. mediator, officials said, after several informal and preparatory meetings. Many viewed the development as a sign of hope that the tenuous process would move forward. But the opposition negotiating team warned that its members were prepared to leave if Damascus does not immediately grant several concessions, including releasing prisoners and ending bombardment and sieges of rebel-held zones. The opposition group called its demands nonnegotiable. If the (Syrian) regime insists on committing crimes, then there will be no justification for the delegation to remain in Geneva, Riad Hijab, coordinator of the opposition High Negotiations Committee, warned in a Twitter message. The presence of the delegation in Geneva is tied to the improvement of the humanitarian situation, and not in the framework of the negotiation process. The committee, an umbrella organization of Syrian armed groups and political dissidents formed in December in Saudi Arabia, is the main opposition group present in Geneva. Syria and its close ally, Russia, have complained that the committee includes representatives of several Islamist extremist factions. The Syrian government said it is willing to discuss any issue raised by the U.N., but rejected preconditions being imposed before discussions have even begun. Those who talk about preconditions are amateurs in politics and it means that they are coming to the Geneva meetings to undermine (them), the governments chief representative, Bashar Jaafari, said at a news conference. Most of the opposition delegation did not arrive in Geneva from Saudi Arabia until Saturday, a day after the talks formally began. They came after frequent threats to boycott the negotiations, threats that still hang over the proceedings. The opposition committee is backed by Saudi Arabia, which has funneled arms and other aid to groups fighting to topple the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The United States has been allied with Saudi Arabia in efforts to oust the Assad government in Damascus. But the Obama administration has backed off from earlier demands that Assad leave office at the start of a transition process. Two years ago, Syrian peace talks in Switzerland collapsed amid deep disagreements about Assads fate. The emergence of Islamic State, along with a refugee crisis that has sparked an outcry in Europe, has added urgency to resolving the Syrian crisis. Still, it remained unclear late Sunday if negotiations between the government and opposition activists would even take place. President Hassan Rouhani underlined here Sunday that Iran wants improvement of ties with the world based on its independent foreign policy, IRNA reported. President Rouhani made the remarks after attending the Mausoleum of the late Imam Khomeini downtown Tehran to renew allegiance with the Father of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran's success in nuclear talks with P5+1 and removal of sanctions was the result of people's vote in 2013 presidential elections, he added. Rouhani congratulated coincidence of victory of Islamic Revolution annual ceremonies with the country's success in nuclear talks. Elsewhere in his remarks, the President advised the Guardian Council to prepare the ground for large turnout of people in the upcoming February legislative and Assembly of Experts elections. Nothing should be able to dash 'our hope,' saying people's presence in the elections is instrumental, he added. 'We should not abandon the ballot boxes under any conditions,' stressed the President. Parliamentary elections will be held in Iran on 26 February 2016 to elect both the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts. It will be the first time, the members of two bodies are elected simultaneously. Leader's support of the government in nuclear talks as well as his stress on respecting people's vote as a divine duty was important to improvement of the country's situation, President Rouhani said. He added that independence of Iran's foreign policy does not mean that it wants to be isolated from the rest of the world. Freedom of speech has been recognized by the Islamic Republic and people are free to elect and decide about their destiny, the President said. Rouhani referred to the late Imam remarks and said both democracy and theocracy are inseparable parts of the Islamic Republic identity. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31 By Fatih Karimov- Trend: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei awarded medals to IRGC naval commanders, following the recent arrest of US marines who trespassed into Iran's territorial waters. Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, the commander of the IRGC Navy, as well as four other IRGC navy commanders received Medals of "Fath" (Conquer) from Khamenei on Jan. 31, the leader's official website reported. Khamenei further agreed on rank promotion of the IRGC staff, involved in the operation over the request of the Armed Forces General Command Headquarters. On January 13, the IRGC announced that ten US Marines, who had drifted into the country's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf and had been taken into Iranian custody, had been released after Americans apologized for the incident. On Jan. 24 Khamenei received the IRGC naval forces who arrested 10 US sailors. He commended as timely and praiseworthy the "brave" move by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) forces in arresting the sailors. The leader stated that the praiseworthy measure by the IRGC forces stemmed from their faith and courage and was taken in the right time. Tehran, Iran, Jan. 31 By Mehdi Sepahvand -- Trend: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is going to visit Austria and Belgium in coming weeks following official invitations from these two countries, Iran's Presidential Office Director Mohammad Nahavandian said. "We are going to have foreign officials visiting Iran and vice versa," he said in reference to Iran's post-JCPOA agenda, adding, "in coming weeks the president of Switzerland (President of the Swiss Confederation Johann Schneider-Ammann) will visit Iran," IRIB TV reported January 30. Commenting on Rouhani's recent trips to Italy and France, he said the trips showed that foreign companies are very willing to work with Iran. Rouhani wrapped up his four-day visit to Italy and France by leaving Paris for Tehran on January 27. During his visit to Italy, he started a serious start-up in the two countries' relations in political, economic, cultural, tourism, scientific and technological fields. Iran and Italy signed a total of 14 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and the two countries agreed on a cooperation roadmap for joint cooperation. President Rouhani was accompanied by a group of activists of Iran's private sector during his visit to Rome. During his visit to France, the Iranian president met with his French counterpart Francois Hollande. Iran and France signed 20 cooperation pacts while the two countries' private sectors signed over 10 cooperation pacts. Nahavandian explained that during Rouhani's European tour, one of the main kinds of the document signed between Iran on one side and Italy and French on one on separate occasions was roadmaps about economic relations. He said rather than short-term, limited agreements, the roadmaps lay out Iran's economic relations with partners over long periods, aimed at ensuring sustainable development and immunity from sanctions. Iran was freed from years-long sanctions after the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran's nuclear deal with six world powers) came into force on January 16. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: A group of Iranian lawmakers have probed into the model of oil and gas contracts known as the Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC), an Iranian MP said. Gholamali Jafarzadeh, an Iranian lawmaker, citing Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that a parliamentary committee for legal issues has carried out investigation into the IPC, Mehr news agency reported. So far, the committee has not obtained any evidences confirming the government has breached the constitution regarding the IPC, the MP added. A group of Iranian students affiliated with paramilitary Basij organization gathered outside Oil Ministry building in Tehran to protest against the IPC suggesting the new model of the oil contract is against the Iranian constitution. Earlier in November, Tehran hosted 137 companies from 45 countries for a two-day conference, during which legal generalities of the IPC were introduced and it was announced that more details about the contracts would be unveiled during a conference likely to be held in London in February 2016. However, on Jan. 30 Iran announced that the country has decided to cancel the London conference due to "problems for issuing UK visa". The IPC is a framework that lays out the basic structure -- and some details -- regarding all future petroleum contracts in Iran. As a Cabinet Resolution (which has similar status to a by-law) passed under the Petroleum Act (and a similar status to a by-law), it is by nature more open to legal and political challenge. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: The Iranian deputy foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has called on the UN's mediator in the Syrian conflict, Staffan de Mistura to remain vigilant against terrorists during the Syrian peace talks in Geneva. Amir-Abdollahian told de Mistura on phone on Jan. 31 that the terrorists with new faces should not be allowed in the talks, IRNA news agency reported. Iranian deputy minister expressing his country's support for the peace talks added that only Syrian people must decide about the fate of their country. A UN Security Council resolution on December 18 approved a draft resolution on peace process in Syria. According to the resolution, Syrian government and opposition groups should attend peace talks to find a solution for putting an end to the crisis. The UN especial envoy will oversee the Syrian government and the main opposition bloc, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), discussing the country's fate, while Syrian Kurdish group the PYD, the Islamic State terrorist group (IS) as well as al-Nusra Front were not invited to the talks. The HNC has urged the government to release civilians from jails, stop air strikes and allow the humanitarian aid to be delivered into besieged towns. Over the past five years more than 250,000 people have died and at least 11 million have been displaced in Syria since the crisis broke out in 2011. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree U.S. officials are particularly worried by the growing territorial claims from China, which has launched an aggressive campaign to claim and build up islands in the South China Sea and is also scrambling to augment its military power at sea. A recent study warned the South China Sea could become "virtually a Chinese lake" by 2030 if China continues its rush to acquire new naval assets. The man known as Szeles once served as a Cub Scouts pack leader in Bonita but was removed from the position several years ago for failing to comply with the organization's "youth protection policies and procedures," the Boy Scouts of America said in a statement. The statement says a parent had made an unspecified complaint that didn't relate to scouting. An official with the Iranian Red Crescent Society said the IRCS has sent tons of humanitarian aid to Kyrgyzstan after a large quake in the Central Asian country last November, Irna reported. A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Osh province of Kyrgyzstan on November 17, 2015. It reportedly damaged at least 4,000 houses and over 100 other buildings including community centers and health clinics. Deputy Head of IRCS for International Affairs and Human Rights Mohammad Shahabuddin Mommadi Araqi said on Saturday that 9 tons of aid were dispatched to the crisis-hit people in Kyrgyzstan on Friday. The cargo, which included 100 tents and 2000 blankets, was delivered to the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan (RCSK) with the cooperation of the Iranian embassy in Bishkek, he noted. The RCSK Chief also appreciated the aid dispatched by Iran, and called for expansion of cooperation and contact with the IRCS. Jan McKergow and her husband narrowly avoided serious injury when large bricks began falling on to their bed after a tornado-like storm ripped through their Forbes Creek home on Saturday night. A supercell storm gave Canberra its highest daily rainfall of the month with 28 millimetres falling overnight, but the capital was spared the brunt of the damage. Falling bricks narrowly missed Jan McKergow and her husband in their bedroom on Saturday night when a storm ripped through their Forbes Creek home. Credit:Jeffrey Chan The small community of Forbes Creek, about 46 kilometres from Canberra near Bungendore, wasn't so lucky, with up to seven homes seriously damaged and some all but destroyed when a second supercell storm hit shortly before midnight. "We were in bed and I could feel rain coming in through the window and I got up to close it ... still half asleep, and I said 'It's very wet' and my husband looked up and said 'There's no roof'," Mrs McKergow said. Nicole was "extremely intoxicated" when she left a party in Kings Cross in the early hours one Sunday. Her friends put her into a taxi bound for Darlinghurst, but the short trip would take almost two hours. Sydney taxi driver Yi Jin "Peter" Chen has been stripped of his licence after a tribunal found he took the woman to the seclusion of McMahons Point and took selfies of them in the cab before taking her home. A Sydney taxi driver has had his licence cancelled for taking a drunk passenger on a two-hour trip. Credit:Ryan Osland "Hey sassy, come ana get a ride with me anyiime [sic]," Mr Chen texted her the following day, along with a series of close-up photographs and one of her trying to get into her home. NSW Roads and Maritime Services conducted an investigation and cancelled Mr Chen's taxi driver's authority in February last year, on the grounds he was not a "fit and proper" person. Essendon, not St Kilda, are likely to have to pay former Don Jake Carlisle's contract at the Saints this year as he serves his year-long drug ban as one of the Essendon 34. The Saints do not believe they have to pay Carlisle during his ban and that non-payment forms part of a compensation claim against the Bombers by Carlisle and by all players banned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport for Essendon's role in the drug case. One-year ban: St Kilda recruit Jake Carlisle. Credit:Pat Scala Port Adelaide with Paddy Ryder and Angus Monfries and the Western Bulldogs with Stewart Crameri will be in the same position as the Saints regarding non-payment to the players for this year while they banned. The AFL is negotiating with the banned players, Essendon and the other three clubs over paying the players, as they seek to negotiate a settlement with the players for actions they may take against the club, and potentially the AFL, without going to court. It is every airline's worst nightmare: an undetected crack developing on an aircraft that leads to an extreme event in flight, such as the explosive decompression of Aloha Airlines flight 243 that swept a flight attendant outside the Boeing 737 to her death in 1988. US carrier Delta Air Lines, which has an average fleet age of 17 years more than double that of Qantas has become the first airline to use technology developed by Australian-listed Structural Monitoring Systems (SMS) in Perth to monitor aircraft structural fatigue with an array of sensors. Delta Air Lines is using Structural Monitoring Systems' sensors to detect fatigue on some of its aircraft. SMS shares have risen 40 per cent to $1.47 since it received approval in late December from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing for its technology after a test program with some of Delta's 737s. Overall, SMS shares have risen 287 per cent over the past 12 months, compared with a 10.1 per cent fall in the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index over the same period. Want a buy a cheap dump truck or digger? Well, there's probably never been a better time, with a new EY report showing the value of a typical fleet of mining equipment has fallen 64 per cent in just two years. As significant fall in commodity prices has resulted in minimal demand for and substantial over-supply of "yellow goods", or heavy equipment in the Australian mining industry. Mining equipment is being parked up due to minimal demand and significant over-supply. Credit:Philip Gostelow The value of what EY regards as a typical fleet 20 haul trucks, 3 excavators, 2 wheel loaders, and 3 dozers dropped 46 per cent in the 12 months to 30 September 2015 alone, and a total 64 per cent since the end of September 2013. EY Oceania mining and metals transactions leader Paul Murphy said mine closures and cost reduction measures implemented across the industry during 2015 meant more equipment was simply being parked up and not used. Amal Clooney is a moral mercenary. She's a lawyer. As the fiancee and then wife of George Clooney, she was thrust into a global spotlight, where she has been cast as a moral paragon, a human rights crusader for the downtrodden. Clooney is also Amal Alamuddin, Oxford-educated, fee-charging lawyer who works both sides of the human rights contest. Acting for the defence of her latest client, Clooney has engaged in some questionable advocacy. It is one thing to proclaim your client's innocence, it is quite another to misrepresent the facts. In an opinion piece published in The Guardian on April 30 last year, Clooney wrote that one of her clients, a former president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, had been removed from power by an armed coup: "His presidency was cut short in February 2012 when he was forced to resign at gunpoint." I am not quite sure why there is all this concern about students gaining entry to university courses when they haven't scored the minimum advertised Australian Tertiary Admission Rank. The ATAR is not a good measure of whether a student is capable or motivated to complete a university degree. Universities are aware of this and good on them for being much more "elastic" with their entry policies. Donna Anderson Narooma The current debate about universities admitting students who do not meet minimum academic standards appears to miss the most important point being that in order to prop up their own positions, university administrators, professors, and associate professors we do not appear to have any journeymen lecturers any more are complicit in contributing to long-term disillusionment and unemployment of young people. These administrators and professors are well aware that the learning ability of those who fail to satisfy minimum university entry standards will of necessity drop out by the end of year one, at which time they may have missed opportunities that suit their long-term employment capabilities. These negative consequences are being ignored because of self-interest, but in doing so, are trashing a tradition of creating highly trained university professionals to support our ongoing needs. Whether it be in the workplace or our educational institutions the greatest disservice you can do to an individual is to lead them on in the belief they have a defined future when they do not, because you personally are responsible for them losing the time, which could have been better spent pursuing a more achievable and satisfying future. Open entry to university may be a good vote catcher for government but it does nothing for the overall future of our society. Darcy Hardy North Turramurra Clarify how we nominate honours recipients Since Australia Day 2015 was controversial, as in the "captain's pick" of a knighthood for Prince Philip, we expected something less distracting in 2016. This was not the case. So it was against what occurred that your editorial "Sober reflections on Australia Day 2016" (January 30 -31) is both timely and important in helping us avoid repeats of Australia Day's past. The editorial correctly observes: "It is the nominations process and public standing of national awards that requires examination." It is important that we recognise there are two competing processes around recognition of members of the community. The Australian Honours system, the Order of Australia, owes its existence to Gough Whitlam's desire to replace the British imperial honours system with an Australian system. Despite some "captain's picks" and the inevitable criticism of bias, the system seems to have served us well. Conversely, the Australian of the Year began in 1960, well before the Order of Australia. It provides for not only the current four categories of Australian of the Year but also the respective states and territories winners who then make up the finalists for the national award. I was on the NSW selection panel some years ago. The process is robust with a wide and diverse membership that ensures healthy discussion to arrive at a final shortlist to be considered by the state council. If both the Australian honours and the Australian of the Year are to co-exist, perhaps it is time for the respective administration bodies to restate the ideals and objectives of each. Your editorial concludes, "The Herald knows the selection board will look closely at the 2016 process and work to improve public confidence in the awards (Australian of the Year) in time for a better Australia Day in 2017", but there can be no guarantee that future recipients may, through their well-intended desire to make a difference, end up creating unintended circumstances that detract from both their receipt and the awards themselves. Allan Gibson Cherrybrook Online help meaningless to homeless It was nice of Malcolm Turnbull and his wife, Lucy, to visit a shelter for the homeless and trumpet a new website designed to provide a list of services available for those seeking shelter ("Help for the homeless a click away", January 30-31). However, if he genuinely wants to help the tens of thousands of homeless he needs to offer some funds so more refuges can be built. It is obvious to anyone who walks down any street in the Sydney CBD or through its parks that there has been a dramatic increase of people, including children, sleeping rough along footpaths during the past few years. Besides, many homeless people don't have easy and immediate access to the net, so a website would be meaningless to them. Con Vaitsas Ashbury Your report stated that "Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy visited a homeless shelter" to advise residents of a new website, Ask Izzy, which would direct users to about 350,000 services available to the homeless. I wonder how many of the homeless have access to the internet. Tony Moo North Sydney Housing policy flawed Three questions about the Baird government's social-housing revolution ("Baird's power play", January 30-31). How many existing public-housing units will disappear? How many new ones will replace them? And what will happen when developers become free after 10 years to sell the affordable housing units they build without any requirement that they continue to be rented to less-wealthy tenants? Norm Neill Darlinghurst Abbott has missed bus So Tony Abbott wants to work to "ensure that the Warringah Peninsula gets better transport" ("Marriage, monarchy and the Manly bus", January 30-31). What has Abbott been doing for the past 22 years? He was elected as member for Warringah in 1994 and public transport on the peninsula has not significantly improved in that time. Bill Tango Manly Compassion lacking Michael Gordon's report leads me to make some possibly naive suggestions ("Asylum-seeker problem needs regional solution", January 30-31). The bipartisan "stop the boats" policy, although ostensibly inspired by the wish to prevent refugees drowning as the victims of unscrupulous people smugglers, is in fact a result of racial prejudice from our still predominantly white Judeo-Christian population. Why couldn't we, through our overseas embassies, determine the status of asylum seekers either in their country of origin or in the country where they fall victim to people smugglers, usually Indonesia? Those who qualify as genuine refugees could then be flown to Australia, in RAAF transport planes or chartered commercial airliners. We could then close the detention centres on Nauru and Manus Island. This would cost money but would go a long way towards restoring Australia's reputation as a compassionate country. Ian Edwards Glebe Praying for the truth Kevin Andrews requested absence from Parliament to attend a "prayer meeting" in the US and post hoc took the opportunity while overseas to address the Heritage Foundation on security issues ("Andrews angers party whip with prayer breakfast line", January 30-31). Did Andrews travel at taxpayers' expense? A prayer meeting is hardly parliamentary business or is this just another example of the arrogance of conservative Liberal politicians rorting MPs' travel entitlements. Carolyn Pettigrew Turramurra Give MPs expiry dates Peter Munro raises a good point on pollies past their use-by dates, not least because new ideas often come from new blood with real world experience ("The best and worst of Australia Day", January 30-31). I believe one pillar of Malcolm Turnbull's popularity is that he has had a life and career in business and not in the world of the career politician. It would be wrong (and illegal) to discriminate based on age. However, we should consider putting a limit on the length of time an MP can spend in Federal Parliament my sense is 15-18 years would be a good timeframe. Ironically the current bunch of "unrepresentative swill" of both houses are too interested in their self-preservation to consider it. John Maley Greenwich End banks' super grab Sally Loane's loquacious letter (January 30-31) conveniently overlooks facts. Her members, mostly the big banks, consistently perform poorly, 5.2 per cent returns for 2015 compared with industry funds' 6.7 per cent returns. Also, members of her lobby group, Financial Services Council, charge two to three times the fees offered by industry funds. It is high time for a ban on bank-owned super funds providing default super to an employer if the bank is the provider of other banking services to the employer. Banks will never stop trying to grab funds for super and often give false or misleading advice, as we know from the recent disgraceful sagas of banks. Lindsay Somerville Lindfield Prisoners need rehab The overcrowding in NSW prisons and the likelihood of inmates reoffending is cause for great concern ("Jail overcrowding reaches record high", January 30-31). It would seem that the resources for rehabilitation are grossly inadequate. Surely teaching living skills, counselling and job training are much more important than the punitive aspect of incarceration. I suggest it is impossible for these goals to be achieved with such overcrowding. It is to be hoped that the role of prisons in rehabilitation is given greater emphasis and immediate changes made. I suspect a cost analysis would show that money spent would actually reduce the burden on taxpayers in the long term. The benefits to society would be immeasurable. Graham Lum North Rocks Adut's story an inspiration for everyone Mark Dapin, the piece you wrote about Deng Thiak Adut was inspiring ("True grit", January 30-31). As for the rest of us, we don't really know we're alive, do we? Maybe Adut's story should be a mandatory preamble to every Australia Day celebration. In a rather accurate big-picture way, it could help remind us of our true sense of time and place, and who and what we really all are. Peter Bower Naremburn Throwaway condition Sorry if I disillusion you, Judith Bond (Letters, January 30-31), but I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of "lifelong" marriages of people I know. Traditional marriage these days seems to be a throwaway condition. Andrew Hornery summed it up nicely in his article "Visions of love for Packer and pop princess" (January 30-31). Chris Tiley Nana Glen Collective cringe It comes from within, Glen Coulton (Letters, January 30-31). If you think respect comes from what others think of us you've got it wrong and demonstrate our collective cringe. At least 45 people were killed and 110 injured by three blasts that hit the Damascus suburb, according to Syrian state media, Sputnik reported. The attacks took place in the Sayyidah Zaynab suburb town near Damascus, a local police source said Sunday. A large Shiite shrine is located in the district. After a car bomb went off, people gathered to help the wounded, and then two terrorists detonated their explosive belts, Iranian SANA reported. The Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Al-Jazeera. Kathryn Selby's friends have been many and renowned over a decade of touring but she mostly credits her audience for the longevity of her Selby & Friends chamber recitals. "They've learned to trust me," the Sydney pianist says as the series enters its 10th anniversary year. "I'm not big on grants or corporate sponsorship so it's been all about people buying tickets." Selby & Friends: Andrew Haveron, Timo-Veikko Valve and Kathryn Selby. The essential intimacy of the chamber music experience, "where I can see every face in the audience," is key to the bond forged in recent years at Deakin Edge in Federation Square. Andrew Haveron (violin) and Timo-Veikko Valve (cello) join her for a bit of Beethoven, Busoni, Schubert and Arensky on February 22. A novel art installation of floating latex balloons, live wall painting at the NSW Art Gallery and a pop up tattoo parlour are among the drawcards of The Sydney Morning Herald Spectrum Now Festival, presented by ANZ. A balloon chain will be floated above The Domain, the hub of the annual festival and its line-up of free public entertainment, which also includes burlesque dancers, fire breathers and feathered showgirls. Artist and Spectrum Now creative ambassador Del Kathryn Barton with her artwork, Cosmic Crime. Credit:Daniel Boud Artist Robert Bose, who has created balloon chains for actress Anne Hathaway's wedding and the Burning Man Festival, will tether balloons on high-strength line to create an eye-catching skyline display before the chain morphs into a rainbow celebration on March 5 for Mardi Gras. Australia's national greenhouse gas emissions are set to keep rising well beyond 2020 on current trends, with the projected growth rate one of the worst in the developed world, a new analysis has found. An assessment of recent government emissions data, carried out by the carbon consultancy firm RepuTex, says that in the 2014-15 financial year Australia's carbon pollution rose for the first time in almost a decade when compared to the previous year. Australia will likely meet its decade-end target even as national emissions rise and may continue to do so for years. Credit:Glen McCurtayne From there they say separate government forecasts, also released late last year, show Australia's emissions are on track for a further 6 per cent increase to 2020. There will be no choice but to accept permanent changes to Victoria's beloved bushland as climate change worsens, some of the state's leading environmental scientists say. Accepting those changes could force a rethink of how some areas are protected and restored in order to give Victoria's threatened wildlife species the best chances of survival in warmer conditions. More frequent fires and warmer conditions in places like the Alpine National Park as a result of climate change could force a rethink of how nature is protected in Victoria. Credit:Justin McManus The need to accept change is one of the main findings of a landmark symposium that drew together research on the pressures global warming is placing on Victoria's unique plants and animals, and what might be done to protect them. The results of the symposium, held last year, have been turned into a series of 10 measures that scientists say should be taken to lessen the climate blow on nature, which will be released online on Monday under the title VicNature 2050. Ancient alpine ecosystems unique to Tasmania's remote world heritage wilderness, including trees that lived for more than a millennium, have been killed by fires that scientists say are linked to climate change. The first images of the damage on the state's central plateau, obtained by Fairfax Media, have triggered calls for governments to do more to protect internationally recognised landscapes as part of their fire response. Destroyed pencil pine on Tasmania's central plateau. Credit:Rob Blakers Taken on Saturday near Lake Mackenzie at an altitude of about 1200 metres, the photographs show pencil and king billy pines and cushion plants scorched after lightning strikes on January 13. Some are estimated to be 1500 years old. Unlike eucalypt forests, these plants are destroyed by fire and will not regenerate. Historically, they have not burned naturally. Labor leader Bill Shorten has unveiled a suite of new policy measures designed to protect Australian workers from being ripped off by dodgy bosses. In a pitch to voters that will sharpen the contrast between Labor and the Coalition over workplace laws, and which comes as the government prepares to try once more to pass laws to re-instate the Building and Construction Commission on Tuesday, Mr Shorten plans four key measures to protect workers' rights. Labor leader Bill Shorten has unveiled new policy measures designed to protect workers' rights. Credit:Michelle Smith Those measures are strong penalties for employers who underpay workers; stronger legal protections for workers entitlements and increased penalties for sham contracting; greater powers for the Fair Work Ombudsman to pursue companies that go into liquidation and do not pay out entitlements and; greater protections for overseas workers to stop them being underpaid. The plan comes after a landmark investigation by Fairfax Media last year revealed workers at 7-Eleven stores were being massively underpaid and that payrolls were being doctored; separately, Fairfax also revealed that Pizza Hut was using sham contracting to pay drivers as little as $12 an hour, without superannuation. A business lobbyist and advocate for cutting penalty rates has been appointed Australia's first small business and family enterprise ombudsman. Small Business Minister Kelly O'Dwyer has chosen Kate Carnell, who until recently led the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry [ACCI] and who is also a former ACT chief minister, to fill the newly created position for a five year period. Small Business minister Kelly O'Dwyer with Kate Carnell, the new Small Business ombudsman. Credit:Andrew Meares Ms Carnell will lead a small team and the independent office has been allocated a budget of about $6 million to offer a range of services to small and medium sized enterprises with employees of less than 100 people. Ms Carnell told Fairfax Media that, in her view, the new Ombudsman's position had two key roles. The Turnbull government wants its building industry watchdog approved by the Senate by early March and is considering attaching a sunset clause to the legislation to win over wavering crossbenchers. The government will reintroduce a bill aimed at resurrecting the Australian Building and Construction Commission into Parliament's lower house on Tuesday as its first order of business in the election-year Parliament. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash is in negotiations with crossbenchers over the building industry watchdog. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Employment Minister Michaelia Cash is in intensive negotiations with Senate crossbenchers in a bid to get the bill through the upper house, which rejected the government's plan six months ago. If the Senate rejects the bill again, it will give the Coalition another double-dissolution election trigger. When Gail O'Brien needs to think, she walks through the quiet greenery of Kellys Bush Reserve in Hunters Hill. The waterfront parkland became a site of transgression in the 1970s when local women and workers struggled for its exclusion from housing development, the first Green Ban in Sydney. Today the reserve is a fitting place for the wife of former head and neck surgeon Chris O'Brien, AO, to wander. Gail and Juliette O'Brien photographed at the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse. Credit:James Brickwood Her daughter, journalist Juliette O'Brien's biography This is Gail, released by Harper Collins, reveals the personal development of the soul mate to one of Australia's most respected surgeons. From the rise of Chris O'Brien to legendary status, to his founding role at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital's integrated cancer "Lifehouse" and his eventual death from a malignant brain tumour in 2009, Gail O'Brien saw it all. Mike Baird has rebooted his pitch for an increase in the GST with a "consensus" plan that aims to plug billions of dollars in immediate health and education funding gaps for the states and satisfy Commonwealth calls for tax cuts to fuel economic growth. As the states and the Commonwealth continue to debate tax reform before a meeting in March, the NSW Premier is proposing the GST be lifted from 10 to 15 per cent from July next year before reassessment in 2020 of how the extra revenue is used. Mr Baird says an estimated $32.5 billion a year extra raised over the current forward estimates period could deliver the states $7 billion to cover the fiscal gap, including the unfunded two years of Gonski education reforms from 2018. It could also compensate low income families (at an estimated annual cost of $8 billion) and allow the federal government to reduce the income tax pool by about 7 per cent ($8 billion) and company tax from 30 to 25 per cent ($16 billion). Saudi Arabia's authorities have detained a total of 33 terror suspects over the last four days, including United States and Kazakhstan citizens, local media said Sunday. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) arrested once again Mohammed Abu Tir, an Islamic organization Hamas member of the Palestinian parliament, on Thursday, the organization's spokesman confirmed. Of those arrested, nine were from the United States, three from Yemen, two from Syria, as well as an Indonesian, a Filipino, an Emirati, a Kazakhstan nationals, a Palestinian and 14 Saudis, the Saudi Gazette reported. The arrests have not been confirmed to be linked to Friday's attack on the Al Ridha Mosque in Al Ahsa. On January 29, a suicide bomb attack on a Shia mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia claimed the lives of at least four people while injuring dozens more. No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack, while local media reported on Sunday that Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister identified 22-year-old Saudi national Abdul Rahman Tuwaijri as the perpetrator. Friday's attack was branded by Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Asheikh as a criminal plot aimed at spreading sedition and terror, according to the report. The students then head to school for more discussion-based, university-style lessons. Kimberley Santos, 15, uses online technology at home to help with her studies. Credit:Kate Geraghty In a "flipped" class structure, students complete the traditional aspects of schoolwork at home through online technologies such as videos, podcasts and interactive forums. As school kicks off for another year, an increasing number of teachers are ditching traditional teaching models for "flipped" classroom programs, which rely on engagement with online learning content at home. Rachel Lilley, director of teaching and innovation at Regents Park Christian School, frequently uses the flipped learning method for various subjects, including maths, science, history and music. Her students are often asked to watch YouTube videos or Mrs Lilley's own video tutorials, and complete exercises on free education site Khan Academy at home to understand core concepts before class. "[The flipped method] is more beneficial for the student and the teacher, because the teacher can spend class time in the application of information so it becomes knowledge rather than just giving content," Mrs Lilley said. "It means the homework is more targeted, more specific and it's more enjoyable for students. It allows students to go at their own pace, repeat, stop and start," Mrs Lilley said. "Then they have a resource that they can go back to for study. So if the next week they don't understand a concept, they can go re-watch the video." A severe thunderstorm warning issued for much of Queensland's central and south east parts has been cancelled. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a general warning that thunderstorms are still possible in the wider south-east region of the state over the next few hours. Storm clouds roll across Rosewood, west of Ipswich. Credit:Carissa Lewis / Higgins Storm Chasing Earlier: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for much of Queensland's central and south-east parts, with forecasts of strong winds. The warning area spans from Emerald, in the state's centre, down to the New South Wales border, encompassing Dalby, Toowoomba, Ipswich and other parts of the Darling Downs and Granite Belt. Bannister says Frankie's readership spread through word of mouth and she believes Lunch Lady is gaining the same traction. Lunch Lady's first edition was published last year. "Frankie's success grew from giving an audience what they didn't know they wanted," she says. "It's very similar with what I am seeing in the early stages of Lunch Lady, people love it and they really love it. There is a real benefit to niche because the niche you create is really valuable". Bannister says Lunch Lady has a "small turnover" allowing Bannister and Burke to pay themselves and Berry a wage. Paper Sea Quarterly is run by a team of three, Tom Batrouney, Andrew Summons and Andrew Diprose. "Other people I'm sure would die at our production costs," she says. "You need over $100,000 for your first run [of a magazine] and you need a solid plan for two years and a back-up plan if your cash flow runs out. If you run out of money you can't fund the next print run." She believes independents can survive where established publishers fail if they target the right niche. Hello May provides an alternative to mainstream bridal magazines. These independently owned and published magazines, run on the smell of an oily rag out of spare bedrooms and small studios are holding their own, if not leading the way in their respective categories against glossy established titles. Sophie Lord "The big players have bigger budgets they need to reach and bigger expectations," she says. "My wage might not be high at this stage but there is a lot of value that comes with flexibility. Putting out quality products is something I have always been passionate about and if you're passionate about something it doesn't feel like work." Paper Sea Quarterly "It's a surf publication but it extends beyond that," Andrew Summons, co-founder and editor of Paper Sea Quarterly, says. Co-founder of Paper Sea Quarterly, Andrew Summons, says independent magazines have to be beautiful to attract readers. "We saw there was a gap in the market for a surf publication that presented honest stories and beautiful pictures about the surf lifestyle, acknowledging that modern surfers have passions beyond surfing," he says. "We saw a need for something that was different." Summons and his two partners had no experience in the industry before launching and says the experience was "a crash course in publishing". They secured a distributor first and then secured a printer, firstly in Melbourne and now in Singapore, which Summons says is "more viable". Paper Sea Quarterly prints 5000 copies a quarter of which about 60 per cent are sold at a cover price of $17.95, giving the business a turnover of more than $200,000. "The main challenge is the financial side of things," Summons says. "The content is the fun part and the easy part. Getting advertising partners is really challenging as big retail publishers have a lot more clout behind them. We are lucky because our sales are so good. That has helped us stay afloat." Paper Sea Quarterly has benefited from diversifying its revenue streams to include subscriptions, sales and advertising. Summons says the way readers consume print media has changed a lot and independent publishers have responded to that change. "In the past when you have monthly or even weekly publications going out that's how people got their news but the internet came along and hijacked that. Publications doing well have a more niche focus. They are looking a lot closer and more in-depth unlike broader publications." Summons also says the physical object independent publishers are selling has to be "beautiful". "Now [magazines] are consumed as a luxury product," he says. "You have to make sure the paper stock, the cover and the content is blowing people away." Hello May Sophie Lord launched Hello May in October 2012 after a decade working in magazines for EMAP, Bauer, Pacific Publications and Fairfax. She says Hello May fills the gap for a wedding magazine "with a bit of heart and substance". The magazine is published quarterly and distributed by Gordon and Gotch with a distribution of 15,000 magazines a quarter and a readership of about 45,000. With a sale price of $14.95 Hello May turned over about $500,000 last financial year and is on track to turn over $750,000 this year. Lord says most of the money made is reinvested back into the business with Hello May run out the spare bedroom of her house until last year. She has now bought a warehouse in an industrial estate and expanded the magazine into the United States, Britain and Asia. Lord says she has harnessed digital media to support Hello May's print platforms. "Hello May's Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts were launched six months before the magazine so we could spend some time building a community and awareness of our brand," she says. "The website was rolled out three months later, so when the first issue hit the newsstands, we already had this community of brides-to-be." Hello May accepts advertising by invitation only and turns down most offers. Lord says running an ethical business and supporting the Australian economy is high on her list of priorities. "Sure we could print in Hong Kong to save ourselves $20,000 and use the cheapest glossiest paper stock we can find but we don't," she says. "These independently owned and published magazines, run on the smell of an oily rag out of spare bedrooms and small studios are holding their own, if not leading the way in their respective categories against glossy established titles." Young adults who get through the four-year probationary period of their driver's licence with an unblemished record will be given their full three-year licence for free. The $76 saving is a carrot that the Andrews government has offered to young drivers in a bid to promote safer driving and tackle the persistent over-representation of young adults in road death figures. Minister for Road Safety Luke Donnellan says it is hoped that the scheme to reward responsible young drivers will encourage safe driving. Credit:Craig Sillitoe The saving is being offered only to drivers who get their P-plates before the age of 21. From Monday, young drivers who complete both their red and green probationary periods with no traffic offences or demerit points will receive a free three-year licence. Australia was warned in advance of the United States' challenge to Beijing with the calculated sailing of a guided-missile destroyer close to a South China Sea island claimed as territory by China. After the US navy warship the Curtis Wilbur sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island part of the Paracel Island chain on Saturday Defence Minister Marise Payne stated Australia's support for the American manoeuvre, which sparked an angry response from Beijing. The deliberate sailing so close to the disputed island territory the second time the US has done this in recent months is meant to head off any attempt by Beijing to curb freedom of navigation and overflight through the strategic waters. Berlin: Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer has defended his planned visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow after warnings it could undermine German Chancellor Angela Merkel's refugee policy. Mr Seehofer, a Merkel ally who has sharply criticised her for letting in so many migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere, said the trip starting on Thursday had been agreed with the Chancellor and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer is an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but has strongly criticised her decision to welcome so many migrants. Credit:AP German-Russian relations are tense amid concern Moscow is trying to stoke popular discontent in Germany over claims by a 13-year-old German-Russian girl of having been kidnapped and raped by migrants in Berlin. Prosecutors said on Friday they had proof the claim was false. The Ukraine crisis and Syria's civil war have also soured bilateral ties, and German media have accused Moscow of secretly co-operating with far-right anti-immigrant parties that have been gaining support in Germany and other European countries. Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Sunday for a more "sober" approach towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in dismissing a French peace initiative as only encouraging Palestinians to shun compromise. The proposal on Friday by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius for an international peace conference was the latest sign of Western frustration over the absence of movement toward a two-state solution since the collapse of US-brokered negotiations in 2014. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Credit:Amir Cohen Mr Fabius said that if the French plan did not break the deadlock, Paris would recognise a Palestinian state. Such a step would raise concern in Israel that other European countries, also long opposed to its settlement-building in occupied territory, would follow suit. Turkey said on Saturday a Russian Su-34 jet had violated its airspace despite warnings, once more stoking tensions between two countries involved in Syria's war, but Russia denied there had been an incursion. Ankara: Both Turkish and NATO radars detected a Russian jet violating Turkish airspace, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sunday, refuting Russian claims the violation allegation was "pure propaganda". "Russia cannot cover up its violation of our airspace. It's not possible to hide such an incident if it did happen, or to make up a violation if it didn't happen," Mr Davutoglu said at a press conference in Riyadh. A Russian Su-24 takes off in Syria in October. Turkey said at the weekend a Russian warplane, a Su-34, had again violated its airspace. Credit:AP Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov denied a Russian plane had entered Turkish airspace, and called the Turkish allegation "pure propaganda". In November, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane flying a sortie over Syria, saying it had violated Turkish airspace. That triggered a diplomatic rupture in which Russia imposed economic sanctions. "Turkey has absolutely no intention of escalating tension with Russia, but we remain sensitive about protecting our airspace," Mr Davutoglu said. PHILIPSBURG:---Management, staff and students of the Foundation Catholic Education St. Maarten attended various Masses this past weekend dressed in their school uniforms. This was to highlight the start of Catholic Schools Week which begins on Monday February 1st, 2016 and ends on Friday February 5th, 2016. The week will end with a grand parade throughout Philipsburg on Friday from 10am to 11:30am. The parade will start and end at the Festival Village. Grand Case:--- Amuseum Naturalis will be highlighting wetland-related exhibits and films for World Wetlands Day on Tuesday, February 2, from 6-10pm. The museum is located at 96 Boulevard de Grand Case and admission is free. In the main exhibition hall, visitors can immerse themselves in St. Martins fascinating freshwater ecosystems at the Gut Life exhibit. Live freshwater crittersfrom snails and insects to fish and crayfishare on display. A companion film, also titled Gut Life, will be showing in the free Amuseum Naturalis theater in English and French. The photo essay Shadow of a Drought, featured in the museums special exhibit space, showcases the impact of drought on St. Martins wetlands. The exhibit has been extended for a week in honor of World Wetlands Day. Wetlands are critical to the well-being of both humans and a huge variety of native plants and animals and we are excited to participate in a worldwide celebration of wetlands, commented Les Fruits de Mer co-founder Mark Yokoyama. Hosting an event at Amuseum Naturalis during the Mardis de Grand Case street fair is the perfect opportunity to share St. Martins important wetland environments with both tourists and locals. The Commander is ready, added Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes, referring to the freshwater crayfish residing in the Gut Life exhibit. As the top predator in both his aquarium and in local freshwater habitats, he is prepared to be an excellent ambassador for the wetlands at this special event. February 2nd of each year is World Wetlands Day. This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Amuseum Naturalis is a free pop-up natural history museum created by the Les Fruits de Mer association for high season 2016, and sponsored by Delta Petroleum. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the organizational issues of the intra-Syrian Talks in Geneva in a phone talk on Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, Sputnik reported. On Friday, the highly-anticipated talks on Syrian reconciliation mediated by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura began in the Swiss city. "[The ministers] focused on the organization of negotiations in Geneva between representatives of the Syrian government and its opponents aimed at resolving the conflict in this country," the statement reads. The two ministers stressed the necessity to discuss counter-terrorism efforts, humanitarian issues, political reforms during the talks. Lavrov and Kerry agreed to assess the Geneva talks progress during the next meeting of Syria Support Group in Munich on February 11. In December, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on settling the Syrian conflict, which reaffirmed the goals of the Vienna agreements to bring the entire spectrum of political groups in the crisis-torn country to the negotiating table. GREAT BAY(DCOMM:---- The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has developed a game app called Zap-a-quito...put a torpedo on the mosquito. It is designed to help educate persons, particularly children, on the breeding sites of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads dengue, chikungunya and zika. The Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, has added this mobile game to its Facebook Page where persons can download the app game. CPS encourages parents and individuals to utilize the social media app to further educate and spread the word about eliminating mosquito breeding sites throughout the country. Due to recent rain events, CPS is appealing to the community to step up measures to eliminate mosquito breeding sites in and around their homes and businesses. Members of the community as well as visitors are advised to wear light colored clothing at dusk; long sleeve shirts and pants; and use mosquito repellent to prevent being bitten by a mosquito that could possibly be carrying dengue, zika or chikungunya. Dengue fever, zika and chikungunya are transmitted by the female vector Aedes Aegypti mosquito. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is distinguished by its markings. The body of the mosquito has alternate black and white horizontal stripes. The Aedes Aegypti mosquito lays her eggs in clear (clean) stagnant water. Within eight days the mosquito can complete its life cycle from egg, to larvae to pupae and to adult mosquito. Persons are also requested to keep their homes, yards, neighborhoods and work environment free from potential mosquito breeding sites. Actively destroy or dispose of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water. Do not allow water to accumulate in the saucers of flowerpots, cemetery urns/vase or in pet dishes for more than two days. Throw out the water and turn them over every time it collects water. Check around construction sites or do-it-yourself improvements to ensure that proper backfilling and grading is realized to prevent drainage problems which can be a source for standing water. Empty all construction containers such as blue tanks, buckets, paint cans etc. Mosquitoes can be kept out of the home by keeping windows, doors and porches tightly screened (16-18 mesh). Those insects that do get into structures can be eliminated with a fly swatter or an aerosol space spray containing synergized pyrethrum. Screen off cistern outlets, cover and screen septic tanks properly. The aforementioned measures should also be taken in and around the workplace, social gatherings and living quarters to eliminate mosquito breeding sources. An increase in the mosquito population puts residents and visitors at risk. For information about dengue fever, zika and chikungunya prevention measures, you can call CPS 542-2078 or 542-3003. PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister, William Marlin met with Drs. Marc Arnold, Department Head of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK) and Ms. Olivia Lake, MSc., Policy Advisor Donor Coordination and EU Relations (BAK) and a team of International consultant experts in various fields, to further discussions on the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Caribbean Regional Program. The EDF is the EU's main instrument for providing development aid to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and to the grouping of countries that still retain ties with the EU known as the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), of which St. Maarten is one. The financial aid, provided by the EDF, funds cooperation activities in the fields of economic development, social and human development as well as regional cooperation and integration. The 11th EDF has allocated 100 million to the OCTs for regional cooperation and integration, for the period of 2014 to 2020. This allocation been subdivided for regional programs, 40 million allocated to the Caribbean region and 42 million allocated to the Pacific region, and the remaining 18 million has been allocated through the Thematic program for all global OCTs. In February 2014, in BVI, the Caribbean OCTs unanimously selected St. Maarten as the Regional Authorizing Officer for the 11th EDF Regional Program. The topics selected during the Caribbean Regional Conference in BVI, February 2014, for the 11th EDF Caribbean OCT Regional Program are Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity. The regional program will mobilize the grant envelope of 40 million over the coming six years. The programming is set to be completed within a year and will be submitted to the European Commission for approval. Upon approval, actual implementation will begin in 2017, throughout 2021. The European Commission contracted a team of experts to assist the St. Maarten delegation in preparing the programming document for the projects in the fields of marine biodiversity and sustainable energy, on a regional level. What may be considered a priority for one country, may not be considered a priority on a regional level. Therefore it is a must that all 12 countries, within our region, agree on the projects and proposed strategies, Arnold explained. These projects are not be confused with the 11th EDF Territorial Program, which involves the upgrading project of the sanitary sewer in Cole Bay and is being programmed parallel to this program, Lake added. The main objective of the program is to prepare all OCTs, within the region, for global and climate change. In recent decades, OCTs governments have become increasingly aware of the enormous economic, environmental, and social costs associated with continuing their dependence on fossil fuels (over 95% of the commercial energy needs of the OCTs are met by fossil fuels). Small islands are most vulnerable to oil price fluctuations since their oil imports represent a significant share of the GDP, and these concerns have helped spur a broad national and regional dialogue focused on improving energy security and independence, fostering sustainable economic growth, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the development of indigenous and renewable energy resources. The region is rich in its renewable and alternative energy resources (wind, solar, wave, geothermal etc.) and when these options are strategically introduced as assets to the energy sector, could significantly reduce the strain on the regional economies. The introduction of sustainable energy solutions to the Caribbean OCTs also presents an opportunity for economic diversification and strengthening and could also lead to a positive expansion of possibilities for small and medium enterprises. Additionally, the Caribbeans rich marine biodiversity (MBD) not only enhances the ecological value of the region but it also contributes to the economic development of the territories and the well-being of its inhabitants. As such, MBD can be considered as another pillar of the regional economy on the one hand, and on the other, a social-cultural safety net for permanent island community residents, by providing them with the necessary resilience for confronting the increasing impacts associated with climate change and food insecurity. However, mounting pressure on MBD over the past three decades has led to the region being classified as one of the most threatened marine ecosystems on the planet. If the prices of the oil go sky-high, the answer for survival lies in the ocean. If we do not control the volume of fish depleted, the islands will suffer immensely Joe Ryan, Marine Biodiversity Expert explained. Ryan also explained the threats of coral depletion. Killing the coral surrounding the reefs disrupt the ability for the islands to bounce back from storms. The coral buffers the storm waves and protect the beach lines, Ryan stated. The depletion of coral also has an impact on our tourism sector, Ryan explained. Results of a recent survey indicated that a large segment of tourists are most likely not to return to the islands if the corals continue breaking and washing up on the beaches. We need to be pro-active in protecting the coral, as 500 year coral is being damaged daily and just a touch of damage to coral could take over 25 years to grow back, he added. Lake explained that protecting our oceans allow a possible means for economic diversity. Fisheries and farming can stimulate economic growth in our region, she added. The program when completed, must address these issues and provide viable recommendations for the Caribbean OCTs. The Prime Minister and the St. Maarten delegation will attend the 11th EDF Caribbean Regional Workshop and Steering Committee Meetings, Trilateral Meetings with the Netherlands and the European Commission, the OCTA Ministerial Conference and OCT EU Forum in Brussels from February 22nd - February 26th, 2016. Quote: zoso77 Originally Posted by OK. He comes back. You're elated. What happens next? In all probability, the following. He starts becoming distant. You wonder what's going on. He says nothing. Then he starts not calling. Or he doesn't come home. You get worried and scared and call him out. You ask if he's using again. He denies it. But his eyeballs are pinned. Or maybe he's been drinking. And before you know it, you're right back to where you were. Qualitatively speaking, most opiate addicts don't achieve recovery. You'll find enough anecdotal evidence here that supports that statement. So this raises some uncomfortable questions. Like what's worse: saying goodbye once and for all, or getting back together with him and going through the same ordeal again. It is never easy to say goodbye to someone we love, Linzey It f*cking sucks, to tell you the truth. But sometimes in order for us to be well and steady, we don't have a choice. By seeking us out and posting, you were likely in a place where you were neither well nor steady. But you want to be, which is why you're soliciting feedback on how to get there. Sometimes to get to a place where we need to be, we have to make some difficult choices, ones we don't want to make. Keep that in mind going forward. Toronto 12 January 2016. A new generation of Palestinians is marching on the footsteps of previous generations, rising up against Israels brutal, decades-old system of occupation, settler colonialism and Watch video Toronto 12 January 2016. A new generation of Palestinians is marching on the footsteps of previous generations, rising up against Israels brutal, decades-old system of occupation, settler colonialism and apartheid. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have joined demonstrations taking place in dozens of cities across historic Palestine and in refugee camps in neighbouring Arab countries. Palestinians continue to struggle for their fundamental rights of freedom, self-determination, equality, and a right to return. As the resistance on the ground intensifies, university campuses remain central to building on the Palestinian solidarity movement. The call for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) has recently made tremendous gains, in particular on university campuses and academic institutions. Both the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and the National Womens Studies Association (NWSA) recently passed BDS resolutions, with an overwhelming majority. Presentations by: Noura Erakat is a human rights attorney and activist. As of Fall 2014, she is an Assistant Professor at George Mason University. She has taught international human rights law in the Middle East at Georgetown University since Spring 2009. Noura is a Co-Editor of Jadaliyya . Most recently she served as Legal Counsel for the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee in the House of Representatives. Prior to her time on Capitol Hill, Noura received a New Voices Fellowship to work as the national grassroots organizer and legal advocate at the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation where she helped seed BDS campaigns nationally as well as support the cases brought against two former Israeli officials in U.S. federal courts for alleged war crimes. is a human rights attorney and activist. As of Fall 2014, she is an Assistant Professor at George Mason University. She has taught international human rights law in the Middle East at Georgetown University since Spring 2009. Noura is a Co-Editor of . Most recently she served as Legal Counsel for the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee in the House of Representatives. Prior to her time on Capitol Hill, Noura received a New Voices Fellowship to work as the national grassroots organizer and legal advocate at the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation where she helped seed BDS campaigns nationally as well as support the cases brought against two former Israeli officials in U.S. federal courts for alleged war crimes. Nada Elia is a diaspora Palestinian, born in Baghdad, Iraq, and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. Nada currently teaches Global and Gender Studies at Antioch University-Seattle, where she coordinates the Global Studies area of concentration. Nada is a member of the Organizing Committee of the U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, and has spoken around the country about academic boycott as a means to achieve the currently non-existent academic freedom in the U.S., Israel, and Palestine. Organized by the University of Toronto, GSU BDS Committee, in partnership with Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) UofT. For more information on the UofT Divestment campaign, and to sign the petition, please visit: www.uoftdivest.com. Dia de los Muertos in South Bend: Here's how you can celebrate Unlike the city's Day of the Dead events in the past, this one has broader community involvement. Issues of trade-and-economic cooperation between Russia and Belarus and joint efforts to get over crisis in the economy were in the focus of talks Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev had with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Russia's Black Sea resort city of Sochi, the press service of the Russian government said on Sunday, TASS reported. "In an informal atmosphere, the president and the prime minister discussed issues of bilateral trade-and-economic partnership. Medvedev informed Lukashenko about his talks with Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov that had been been held in St. Petersburg on Friday," the press service said. The Russian prime minister and the Belarusian president also exchanged view on joint efforts to get over negative impacts of the crisis on the economies of the two countries. Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city. Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Some 192 people were detained on suspicion of various crimes as a result of the special operation conducted by the Turkish police in Istanbul, Anadolu agency reported Jan. 31. Some 5,000 policemen were involved in the special operation. It was also reported that the Turkish police will carry out operations in other major cities of the country. More than 700 people were detained in Istanbul as a result of the special operation conducted by the Turkish police against the organizers of illegal gambling January 9. The Pentagon can confirm that a Russian warplane operating in Syria violated the Turkish airspace on Friday, Department of Defense spokesman Mark Wright said Saturday, Sputnik reported. "We are aware of reports and can confirm that yesterday another Russian combat aircraft violated Turkish - and NATO - airspace," Wright told RIA Novosti in a written statement. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Saturday it had summoned the Russian ambassador over an alleged trespass involving a Su-34 frontline bomber that happened the day before. The Russian Defense Ministry denied this or any previous violations. He said it was important that Russia and Turkey "talk to each other and take measures to prevent escalation." The Pentagon official voiced support for Ankara, saying the United States and NATO stand in solidarity with Turkey. "We call on Russia to respect Turkish airspace and cease activities that risk further heightening instability in the region," the statement continued. Relations between Russia and Turkey have been strained since a Turkish fighter shot down a Russian Su-24 on November 24. Ankara and Washington claimed the Russian warplane was in the Turkish airspace for a matter of seconds. Moscow said the Russian plane never crossed into Turkish territory. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31 Trend: The leader of the Turkish opposition Republican People's Party Kemal Kilicdaroglu urged the government to do everything possible to prevent the violation of the country's airspace, the Turkish Milliyet newspaper wrote. Kilicdaroglu also said that his party will fully support all actions of the government to prevent the violation of Turkish airspace. Earlier, the Turkish foreign ministry accused Russia of violating the country's airspace by Russia's Su-34 fighter-bomber. "Russia's Su-34 violated Turkish airspace again at 11:46 (UTC/GMT +4 hours) Jan. 29," the ministry said. "The fighter was warned in the Russian and English languages before the invasion. Despite the warnings of Turkey and NATO, this is a concrete invasion and new evidence of Russia's actions aimed at the aggravation of the situation." Relations between Russia and Turkey deteriorated after Turkish F-16 shot down Russian SU-24 bomber Nov.24. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on taking special economic measures against Turkey. Crowds gather to watch a starcraft match during gamestart 2015 Singapore-based game developer Daylight Studios announces partnership with Japanese mobile marketing leader Adways About Daylight Studios Pte. Ltd. About Adways Inc Following the success of its first two instalments, GameStart Asia will be returning for its third edition from 7 to 9 October 2016 at Suntec City Convention Centre Hall 405 and 406.Over 17,000 visitors from Singapore and the region attended the event in 2015, and thisyear will see the return of favourites as well as new and exciting content for gamers of alltastes, including showcases and previews, eSports, indie games, retro gaming, cosplayRegular updates will be available at www.gamestart.asia/gamestart-2016 and www.facebook.com/gamestart.asia and more announcements will be made in the comingAdways Inc (Head Office: Shinjuku-Tokyo, CEO: Haruhisa Okamura) is pleased toannounce it has invested in Singapore based game developer, Daylight Studios, Pte. Ltd. (HeadOffice: Singapore, CEO: Don Sim) as well as partnering with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Quest DropPte. Ltd. (Head Office: Singapore, CEO: Don Sim), a mobile games publisher, operator, and service provider in Southeast Asia. This partnership is aimed at enhanced support of Southeast Asianexpansion for mobile game developers and publishers.Southeast Asia is gearing up to be a key battleground for mobile games. According to Newzoo,mobile game revenue in the region has already reached US$673M in 2015 and will approachUS$1.3B by 2017. (Source: Newzoo)Besides being a Southeast Asian mobile game publisher, Quest Drop has established aninfrastructure that provides a complete suite of services to support game publishing into SoutheastAsia, ranging from device and user testing, game localization, live operations, customer support,community management, and local marketing. Quest Drops strategy in Southeast Asia is to acquirekey partners throughout the region into its infrastructure to provide the best support for its clientsand partners. Quest Drop has established its first branch office in Bangkok, Thailand, and aims to setup two further branch offices in Indonesia and Vietnam.Through its partnership with Quest Drop, Adways is able to enhance their support of SoutheastAsian expansion for mobile game developers and publishers, combining Quest Dropsmarket-leading game operations with Adways best mobile marketing services. Furthermore,Adways and Quest Drop will work together to develop new advertising products and services.This partnership between Adways and Quest Drop marks the beginning of a stronger and morerobust offering of publishing support for all publishers in the SEA region.By combining our online marketing services and Quest Drop's end to end publishing services, webelieve we can strongly support more mobile game developers to enter SEA markets.Adways will continue to contribute an expansion of the market by supporting the business of appdevelopers by developing and providing innovative marketing services to the world.About Quest Drop Pte. Ltd. http://questdrop.com/Established in 2014. Quest Drop is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daylight Studios Pte. Ltd., with theaim of being the bridge that brings the highest quality games from outside of Southeast Asia intothe Southeast Asian market, Quest Drop provides top-quality live operations, localization, payment,and marketing services for mobile games throughout the region. Within its first year, Quest Drophas established key partnerships, such as Codapay, Unipin and many others.Daylight Studios is a Singapore-based game developer established in 2011, which has developed anumber of titles, including Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?!, which successfully launched globally in 2015 for PC/Mac/Linux. Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?! players have uploaded over 600 videos on YouTube, amounting to more than 4.3M views, resulting in a global top 5 sellers rank on Steam (Windows) and top 3 sellers rank (Mac).Adways is a leading mobile marketing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Adways provides top-class,in-house ad tech, ranging from Asias largest ad network, AppDriver, to tracking analytics, PartyTrack and serves as preferred agency of top-class advertising partners. Now, with over 1,000 multinational employees in 12 countries and regions, Adways is supporting the business of app developers. That puts Merkel in the uncomfortable position of being dependent on a man who is not only leading a brutal war against the Kurds, but who is also systematically eroding press freedoms. During talks a week ago Friday, Merkel requested that Turkey finally fulfill its part of the agreement regarding the reduction of refugee numbers. Time is of the essence, Merkel said, with an eye to the growing resistance to her policies. It sounded almost imploring. Davutoglu responded pleasantly that he reads the German papers every day and is aware of the domestic political situation in Germany. But he made no concessions. Ankara, in fact, has discovered the migrant issue as a lever in dealings with Merkel and the EU. In addition to financial assistance, Erdogan would like to force the Europeans into concessions when it comes to his country's EU accession negotiations. 'We Shouldn't Expect Any Miracles' Yet even if such concessions were made, it doesn't change the fact that Turkey has little interest in having the refugees remain in their country in the long term. "We shouldn't expect any miracles from Ankara," says one German diplomat. At the same time, it's also not as if Turkey has done nothing. Since the beginning of the year, Syrian refugees have had the right to work legally in the country. Plus, Ankara introduced a requirement on Jan. 8 that Syrians coming from third states such as Jordan or Lebanon must have a visa to enter Turkey. From one day to the next, the German Embassy in Beirut cabled to Berlin, the number of flights from Beirut to Istanbul plunged from 25 to fewer than 10. Whereas 41,000 Syrians traveled to Turkey in the first week after the introduction of the visa requirement, in the second week, the number had fallen to 1,000. Indeed, there have been positive steps, says EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn, who was just recently in Turkey. "But we have made extremely clear that the EU expects very rapid and very involved actions by Turkey when it comes to the reduction of the refugee numbers: better controls on entry and exit, further steps on the visa front and last but not least, fighting the smugglers." But the visa requirement has negative consequences as well. Because only very few Syrians receive a visa, the majority of refugees are now forced to enter Turkey by land. That, though, is becoming increasingly difficult. Turkey is extending its border wall with Syria by the day. Ankara has said that the border will remain open to Syrian refugees, but the official border crossings have been de facto closed. Refugees instead use alternative routes through the forests. Nadim Shami says his wife has been stopped twice by Turkish soldiers during attempts to cross the border and sent back into Syria. Many refugees that SPIEGEL has spoken with report similar experiences: They claim to have been taken into custody by Turkish security forces and deported to Syria. Some say they suffered abuse. Trying Again the Next Day An engineering student from Deir-al-Zor in eastern Syria says he was locked up for two days in a military barracks near the Turkish border city of Reyhanli and claims he was given nothing to eat or drink during the ordeal. Instead, Turkish soldiers beat him, robbed him and finally put him on a bus with other refugees back across the border to Syria, he reports. International law forbids the deportation of people into countries suffering from civil war if their lives may be at risk. In December, Amnesty International documented 130 cases of illegal deportations of refugees from Turkey to Syria and Iraq. The victims, according to Amnesty, were held in Turkish prisons for several weeks until they agreed to leave the country. Turkey has denied the accusations. In the Antakya teahouse, Nadim Shamit buries his face in his hands. He hasn't slept for days and is consumed by self-doubt. Why did he leave for Turkey? Why did he leave his family behind? Late that night, he gets a call from his wife Maryam. She and the kids had to turn back at the Turkish border because of a storm. They plan to try again the next day. * Names have been changed. Xeroxs decision to jettison its unit that manages transactional paperwork and related services for large organizations brings CEO Ursula Burns to a similar crossroads she faced coming out of the recession when she was relatively new to her job, and throws into question her future with the storied printing giant. Xerox, which on Friday said it will spin off its business process outsourcing (BPO) services and undertake a massive restructuring, came at the behest of Carl Icahn, who recently disclosed an 8 percent stake in the company. The plan to split Xerox, after last year selling its smaller information technology contract operations to Atos of France, moves Xerox closer to roots of high-tech innovations it can develop or acquire. Its a profile that brings with it the rewards of breakthroughs like the Xerox copiers of yesteryear and its Palo Alto Research Center, the California lab formed in 1970 that developed key technologies that underpinned the personal computer revolution of the 1980s. But the company was later heavily criticized for not recognizing the seismic shift in information technology they would would trigger and properly commercializing their inventions. In her 2009 case for acquiring Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), which gave Xerox a major platform to take on transactional business processes at health insurers and government agencies, Burns predicted that coupling the companys high-tech prowess with ACS expertise automating back-office work processes amounted to a a game changer for Xerox. More than six years later, Xerox is calling it quits on that game plan, refocusing on its legacy high-tech business that has been in decline despite Xeroxs continued leadership in printing technology. With Xerox shares trading at about $7.70 in September 2009 when the ACS acquisition was announced, shares closed Friday at $9.75, up 5 percent in the wake of the divestment announcement, but remain well off their post-recession peak above $14 a share. Xerox did not immediately make Burns or another Xerox executive in Norwalk available for an interview with Hearst. In a Friday conference call with investors, Burns said she had allowed the board of directors to take the lead in a strategic review of Xeroxs businesses an unusual admission given her dual role as chairwoman and long history with the company, according to David Holt, an equity analyst with S&P Capital IQ in Denver. When you look at Carl Icahn stepping in the way he did, shes the one that stepped back and said, Hey, I want you to make the decision that is the best one for the company, Holt said. Looking forward, (Icahn) does have a history of spinning off businesses (and) it helps to put a sharper focus on management whoever that may be going forward. Burns fielded questions on the Friday conference call on that front, as well as the reasons for the about face on BPO services, from analysts including Keith Bachman, an with New York City-based BMO Capital Markets. I agree with the characterization that the services business or the BPO parts of the service business is probably not congruent or leveraging the core printer business, said Bachman. With that said, I am not sure anything has really changed. I am curious what you really learned? In other words, why would you buy [the stock]? Seven years in business is like seven years in dog years, Burns responded. A lot has changed in seven years. The health-care market has changed, not only in how health care is provisioned and paid for, which has had a big impact on us, but in the provider area how much consolidation there has been literally the buying and selling of very large companies that are our customers. Mum on jobs Burns added Xerox has struggled to piggyback growth of ACS international business onto its global technology sales channels. Even as Xerox spins off its BPO operations in response, Burns gave notice of what will be a $2.4 billion restructuring plan across all of Xerox, providing no immediate specifics on jobs. Through years of contractions, Xerox has reported keeping its headcount steady in Norwalk around 300 people. Its too soon to outline if there will even be any impact on Norwalk headquarters, said Carl Langsenkamp, a Xerox spokesman in Rochester, N.Y., in an email response to a Hearst query on the Xerox split. As the management team looks at the separation of the businesses we will communicate information as it becomes available. Burns gave no initial indication on the eventual corporate home for the new BPO company, with ACS having long had its roots in Dallas but Xeroxs services business having been run since 2014 by Westport resident and IBM veteran Bob Zapfel. Burns said that Xerox will launch a search for an external candidate to run the BPO business, and said her own role as CEO is subject to board review, while expressing confidence in her vision for Xerox today. The key question is what tomorrow will bring for Burns, whose trek up the ladder at Xerox has won her wide admiration over the years. Succeeding Anne Mulcahy as CEO in 2009, she engineered a transformational acquisition, but its unclear what she has to show for it now. We didnt spend a lot of time in our analysis looking back to what we did seven years ago, Burns said on the call. We spent all of our time looking forward and we are very confident in our decision on a go-forward basis. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-964-2236; www.twitter.com/casoulman This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Johnny Manziel was possibly involved in a disturbance with his now ex-girlfriend early Saturday, according to a news release and multiple media reports. CBS News reporter Omar Villafranca tweeted that Fort Worth police had confirmed some details about the altercation between Manziel and his girlfriend. The tweet stated that Manziel was not arrested and an investigation into the altercation is ongoing, as a full report has not yet been completed. A news release issued by the Fort Worth Police Department regarding the incident stated that the alleged victim, listed as a 23-year-old female, was involved in a disturbance with her ex-boyfriend, listed as a 23-year-old male. RELATED: Johnny Manziel's ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley The alleged victim was uncooperative with police investigators, who are still determining if a criminal offense occurred. The alleged victim told police she was concerned for the well-being of her ex-boyfriend, according to the news release. It was later determined that her ex-boyfriend was safe and in no danger, according to the news release. Police investigators ultimately used a helicopter during their search for Manziel, according to the release. In October, Manziel and his girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, were pulled over by Ohio police after police believed a domestic argument had gotten out of hand on Interstate 90, according to a previous report. A witness had told police that she saw the couple arguing as they passed her on the shoulder at a high rate of speed, with Crowley attempting to exit the vehicle while it was still moving, according to a previous report. RELATED: Released Johnny Manziel dash cam footage features shaken, upset girlfriend Colleen Crowley Crowley had told police that Manziel had pushed her head into a window. Police noticed an abrasion on Crowleys arm, which was determined to have come from an attempt by Manziel to keep her from leaving the vehicle. She did not want to press charges. [h/t DeadSpin] twhite@mysa.com Twitter: @tylerlwhite STAMFORD A millionaire businessman lost a pitched legal battle to have his hit-man-for-hire conviction overturned and a new trial convened, clearing the way for a February sentencing that could put him away for up to 40 years. Miguel Juarez, 54, was convicted in April of trying to hire someone to kill a man he believed was having an affair with his wife. For almost an hour in a fourth-floor courtroom at the Stamford courthouse Thursday, Hartford attorney Paul Spinella eloquently rallied to the defense of his client by attacking the credibility of states star witness in the case, German Zecena. If you tried to find a less credible witness than Mr. Zecena, Spinella told Judge Richard Comerford at the hearing Thursday morning. I dont think it could be done. Zecena, 50, a former employee of Juarez, was arrested after he was heard looking for a hit-man-for-hire on the street in June 2010 and steered to an undercover Greenwich police officer. Zecena offered the officer $6,000 to kill a Greenwich man and gave him an $80 down payment and a dagger to do the job. The meeting was recorded by Stamford police. During the trial his attorney, David Marantz, said that Zecena took responsibility for his actions and chose to cooperate with the police in order to avoid a lengthy prison sentence. In return for his testimony, Zecena was released after spending nearly five years in jail and returned to his native Guatemala. Juarez is the owner of the owner of MJM Stamford Landscaping, MJM Stamford Hardware and MJM Stone Supply of Stamford, and has been freed after posting $500,000 in court appearance bonds. His attorney said that entirety of the states attempted murder case against Juarez solely relied on the gossamer threads of Zecenas false statements. Spinella recounted some of Zecenas falsehoods, which were taken up at trial in front of the jury that convicted him and told Comerford that his credibility had been compromised in every conceivable way. Spinella argued that based on Zecenas credibility problems, no reasonable jury could have found Juarez guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But Comerford was not buying the argument. The jury was given clear instructions carefully scrutinize some or all of a witnesss testimony, he said. Spinella said that in cases like these, witnesses make egregious mistakes and it is within a judges power to correct such mistakes. Comerford said time and time again in his 21 years on the bench, he has seen juries do their job and keep the justice system working. I didnt see in this case that it didnt work, he said of the Juarez trial. Spinella further argued that Juarez had not been proven to have taken a substantial step in the murder for hire plot that landed him an attempted murder conviction. Solicitation is not an attempt of murder, he said. Talking to someone about doing something is merely words in the air. But is it really a substantial step, he asked. The facts have to be rooted in the real world We just cant find someone guilty of talking, he said. Senior Assistant States Attorney James Bernardi told Comerford that there could be no doubt that Juarez did exactly what a jury convicted him of doing. He said the jury was right to credit the truthful testimony of Zecena. Getting someone to hire an assassin, bring him to the would be victims home and instruct him on how to kill the man, promise him money and even give a down payment and a dagger, would certainly constitute in every sense the legal definition of substantial step, Bernardi said. Comerford said there was no error by the jury of Constitutional magnitude and denied the motions for acquittal and a new trial. Juarez, who was supposed to be sentenced after his trial at the end of June, is currently scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 10. jnickerson@scni.com; Keelin Daly / ST STAMFORD - Though tenants had to wait outside for a bit as firefighters did their work, nobody was hurt and nobody displaced after a dryer caught fire in a 12-story high rise on Strawberry Hill Avenue late Friday night. The fire department got the call for a fire at the Carlton Plaza apartment building, situated roughly between the Stamford Police Department headquarters and Stamford High School as the crow flies, shortly before 10:30 p.m. China's spying concerns eased with the news of Intel teaming up with Montage Technology Global Holdings Ltd and Tsinghua University on starting a joint venture for manufacturing a special chip in China. (Photo : Reuters) China's spying concerns eased with the news of Intel teaming up with Montage Technology Global Holdings Ltd and Tsinghua University for starting a joint venture on manufacturing a special chip in China. It is reported that this move will eliminate the worries of China on security risks for imported technologies. The Chinese government has been reported to call for the reduction of dependability on semiconductor products that are foreign-made, prior to this joint venture. Advertisement China has previously expressed concern on importing semiconductor products for use in systems that could be the targets for spying from aboard. According to media sources, Intel has revealed that a programmable chip will be developed by Tsinghua University that can be placed in a plastic module, along with an Intel Xeon microprocessor. It is also reported that Montage is going to commercialize the modules containing the chips starting 2017. Although ownership split was not disclosed, Intel confirmed funding the joint venture project with USD100 million for research work. Previously, in 2014, Intel is said to have announced its plans to invest USD1.5 billion for acquiring 20 percent stake in a holding company owned by two Chinese designers of microprocessors. It was reported that the holding company was under the Tsinghua Unigroup. The news is that, for the last 30 years, Intel has been developing their products in the Chinese market, owning one company engaged in manufacturing chip. Intel said in October 2015 that it has plans for restructuring this semiconductor manufacturing unit to produce storage chips. Intel also told that the project would cost about USD5.5 billion. According to market reports, the most widely used calculating engine in data centers of the government and other enterprises is the Xeon microprocessors. Tsinghua University plans to add capabilities with the related software that will be designed to address local demands. A second man has been charged with the murder of a young man who was stabbed to death in a park in south London. David Darko was fatally wounded in South Norwood Recreational Ground on Saturday, January 23. Mr Darko had celebrated his 21st birthday just two weeks before he was stabbed to death. Detectives investigating Mr Darkos death today charged Darnell Martin, 19, with murder. He will appear at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court on Monday. Martin is the second person to be charged in connection with Mr Darkos death. Joshua Asante, 19, was charged with murder on Thursday and was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on February 1. Two other men both 22 years old were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. They were both bailed to return to a south London police station in March pending further enquiries. Anyone with information should call the incident room on 020 8721 4054 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. A man who attempted to smuggle more than 3million worth of cocaine into Heathrow Airport has been jailed. Border Force officers stopped 44-year-old Danovan Silveria Bull in Terminal 5 as he arrived on a domestic flight from Aberdeen on December 19 last year, after a detector dog drew attention to his baggage. His bags were searched and a number of cling-film wrapped packages were found, which tested positive to a cocaine field test. Further examination confirmed that the packages contained approximately 21kg of cocaine, with a street value of around 3.3 million. Bull, a Jamaican national, who lived in Hickmore Walk, Clapham, was arrested for being in possession of a Class A drug. The case was referred to the National Crime Agency, and he was later charged with possession with intent to supply drugs. Bull pleaded guilty to the charge at Isleworth Crown Court, and was given a prison sentence of six years. Phil Douglas, Border Force Heathrow Director, said: Border Force officers are the front line in the fight against smuggling and play a crucial role in protecting the UK from illegal drugs and other contraband. I hope the substantial prison sentence handed to Bull serves as a deterrent to others who would consider trafficking or trading in cocaine. Working with our colleagues in the NCA we are determined to do all we can to prevent drugs reaching UK streets and ensure those responsible are put behind bars. A man has died after allegedly shooting himself while being confronted by police in south London. Police were called to Melbourne Road, Wallington, at 8pm on Saturday after reports a man was armed with a firearm. A Metropolitan Police Service spokesman said the man, who is believed to be in his 50s, was threatening to harm himself and others. Officers found the man in Bridge Road and he reportedly fired a gun and injured himself. A Met spokesman confirmed baton rounds and a taser were discharged by officers attempting to prevent the man from harming himself or others. The man was given first aid by police before paramedics from London Ambulance Service arrived. He was taken to hospital in a critical condition but died at 6.10am on Sunday. A post-mortem examination and formal identification will take place in due course. A Met spokesman added: The Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been informed and will carry out an independent investigation. Cordons remain in place in Melbourne Road and some local roads have been closed. Enquiries are ongoing. A man suspected of carrying out a murder in Belgium has been arrested in Battersea. Ukrainian national Marian Shkirko, 33, who is also suspected of playing a leading role in a people smuggling network, has been arrested as part of a joint operation between the UKs Organised Immigration Crime Taskforce and the Belgian Federal Police. He was arrested by National Crime Agency officers who executed two European Arrest Warrants at an address in Battersea. Belgian authorities want to speak to Shkirko in relation to the murder of a Lithuanian lorry driver, whose body was found in Waasmunster, Belgium, in May 2015. He is also suspected of having a leading role in the smuggling of people for money into the UK, via Belgium, using complicit drivers and false documentation. Shkirko appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday, when extradition proceedings got underway. He was remanded in custody until February 5. The joint operation also led to the arrest of a number of individuals in Belgium. P olice have slammed the actions of "idiots" who shone lasers at aircraft flying over Heathrow Airport. Officers are investigating four incidents where a laser was shone in the direction of a number of flights near the airport on Saturday evening. The first incident happened just after 7.50pm, when a light was beamed at an aeroplane land at the airport from Dubai. The second incident happened just after 8pm, when an inbound flight from Geneva was targeted. A laser was also shone at a third plane, flying into the airport from Amsterdam, just after 8.20pm. The alarm was raised a fourth time just before 9pm, by pilots on board a flight that was departing from Heathrow to Geneva. Officers from Heathrow Airport's dedicated police team took to Twitter to attack the "idiots" behind the incidents. They wrote: "More laser strikes on incoming flights tonight. This is extremely dangerous and puts peoples lives at risk. Think about your actions! "Endangering an aircraft in flight is a very serious offence. Maximum senence is LIFE imprisonment. #think" The Twitter account also shared a picture of how a laser beam appears inside a cockpit, writing "this is what happens when you point these stupid laser pens at an aircraft", and telling the culprits to "get another hobby." This is what happens when you piont these stupid laser pens at an aircraft cockpit! Get another hobby! #idiots CAD1 pic.twitter.com/c0ajtsRfSC Aviation Policing (@MPSHeathrow) January 30, 2016 A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "At no point were any of the aircraft in danger. "Police at Heathrow investigate. There has been no arrests." T hree people have reportedly been arrested in Tanzania over the shooting of a British helicopter pilot by elephant poachers. The men were reportedly held by police in the East African country on Sunday over the murder of Roger Gower. The pilot died a hero managing to land the plane successfully despite being shot out of the sky, saving the life of his colleague. Mr Gower, 37, was a former accountant who qualified as a pilot in 2004 and moved to Africa around two years later. He was helping authorities in Tanzania track the criminals when they fired on his aircraft on Friday, the Friedkin Conservation Fund (FCF) said. He managed to bring the helicopter down in the Maswa Game Reserve, near Serengeti National Park in the country's north, but died from his wounds before he could be rescued. Pictures posted online show the badly damaged remains of the helicopter, including a bloodied bullet hole in the pilot's seat of the aircraft, which lay on its side in the savannah grass. Mr Gower's brother Max said he was proud of him and how he had managed to land the helicopter and allow his passenger, a friend and colleague, to get out. He said that his sibling did not want to sit behind a desk and quit as an accountant the day he qualified so he could go and work with the two things he enjoyed the most, flying and animals. Max Gower told Sky News: "I'm proud of what he did. I'm proud he got his passenger down safely. I'm proud he got himself out of the helicopter and I'm proud that even after he was shot he was still laughing." Max Gower has set up a Just Giving page with the aim of raising 50,000 in his brother's memory, writing: "I am proud to have known him and to be able to say he was my brother. "Those who knew him will remember his idiosyncrasies but also his principles, his morality and his infectious love of having fun." Wreckage: Mr Gower's aircraft was fired on as he tracked elephant poachers in Tanzania / Wildlife At Risk Mr Gower's South African colleague, Nick Bester. who also worked at the Friedkin Conservation Fund, was injured in the crash but survived. According to a profile with his former employer Tropic Air Kenya Mr Gower he helped the British Army on exercises in the country. In a Facebook post Tropic Air Kenya said it was "shocked and immensely sad" at the news that he had been killed "in the long and ongoing battle against elephant poaching". It said: "Roger, only 37 years old, was a fantastic heli pilot in every way, and flew for Tropic Air for four years, leaving last August to pursue new flying ambitions #Tanzania,. Bye Bye Rog .. you will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family." We are shocked and immensely sad to hear the news that Roger Gower lost his life to a single gun shot wound fired by... Posted by Tropic Air Kenya on Saturday, January 30, 2016 In a message posted on its website, FCF founder Dan Friedkin said the organisation was "profoundly saddened by the loss of our dear friend". He said: "Roger was killed while piloting a helicopter during a co-ordinated effort with the Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down and arrest active elephant poachers. In the course of this action the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded. "We are committed to honouring Roger and his work. We are also committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack are found and brought to justice. We believe that Roger can best be honoured by redoubling our commitment to protect elephants and our priceless wildlife heritage. "This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzania1s wildlife." Tanzania is fighting a bitter struggle to stop ivory poachers, a report last year saying 60 per cent of its elephant population had been lost in the previous five years. Additional reporting by agencies. A Persian cat underwent a huge transformation after being found wandering the streets of south London with a completely matted coat. Long-haired Chinchilla Persian Penelope was found underweight and dirty in Wandsworth and was taken to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home by a member of the public. The rare breed is known for its striking looks and thick white fur, but vets were horrified to find the cats hair so matted and were left with no choice but to shave off the clumps and knots. Lindsey Quinlan, Batterseas head of cattery, said: Penelope was in a really grubby state when she arrived at Battersea, who knows how long shes been on the streets by herself. Shes still quite young and rather small so its lucky she was found and rescued by someone before she ended up in an even worse state. Matted: Penelope's fur was full of clumps and knots when she arrived at Battersea / Battersea Dogs and Cats Home Penelope, who is the first Persian cat to be taken in to Battersea this year, did not have a microchip so staff at the charity were unable to trace where she has come from. Ms Quinlan added: Penelope is now out of our clinic and recovering from her special haircut, waiting to find a new home to be pampered in. Shes a really friendly cat who enjoys a fuss and being around people. Shes a long haired Persian, so will need an owner wholl be willing to keep her coat in good condition, with regular grooming to avoid her becoming a matted moggie again. D avid Cameron is reportedly considering sending his son to a 18,000-a-year all-boys school in south-west London. The Prime Minister and his wife Samantha have discussed registering nine-year-old Elwen at Colet Court Preparatory School in Barnes, according to the Mail on Sunday. The independent school is a feeder to St Pauls School, which was once attended by Chancellor George Osborne. The school describes itself as offering an outstanding, all-round education for gift boys aged seven to 18 years old. The preparatory school charges fees of 6,000 per term along with additional costs for registration and entrance exams. Mr Cameron previously said in 2009, while he was opposition leader, that he would like my children to go through the state sector. He also said it was crazy to pay high fees for private schools. A Downing Street spokesman declined to comment on the Mail on Sunday report. Last year, the Prime Ministers 12-year-old daughter Nancy secured a place at Grey Coat Hospital School near Downing Street. The top state school, which is now a Church of England academy, was founded in 1698 and Mr Cameron said his daughter being accepted was a weight off everybodys mind. T his incredible image shows the bright lights of London as seen from the International Space Station (ISS). British astronaut Tim Peake, who is currently living and working onboard the ISS for six months, posted the stunning photograph on his Twitter page on Sunday. With the River Thames clearly visible, clusters of white lights can be seen in the centre of the capital as well as in the city. Londons Royal Parks, including Hyde Park, Richmond Park and Bushy Park, can all be seen in the unique image. Writing alongside the picture, Peake said: #London midnight Saturday Id rather be up herebut only just!! #toughcall The astronaut, who took up his post on the space station on December 15, posted a second image on his Flikr page which focuses on the River Thames. Peake has recently posted a series of pictures from the ISS, including a nigh time picture of the UK with the caption: I recognise that place! Taiwan-based solar wafer makers Sino-America Silicon Products Inc. (SAS) quoted that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Huawei Technologies Co. (Photo : Reuters) Taiwan-based solar wafer makers Sino-America Silicon Products Inc. (SAS) quoted that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Huawei Technologies Co. The MoU was signed by SAS inorder to acquire rights to pay money for solar inverters made by the leading Chinese firm Huawei for its solar power plants, and for using at its own projects and distributions. Advertisement Under the stipulations of this newly signed MoU, the inverters, manufactured by Huawei Technologies, will be purchased by SAS and employ in their own solar powered projects. The Taiwanese sector SAS is now focusing on apprising a number of deals with potential partners for developing a photovoltaic plant. As per the statement on SAS website, this PV plant will be build both at Taiwan and some foreign nations. The deal is actually a part of Huawei Technologies' efforts to mark a good position within the supply chain. The SAS will help in distributing the solar inverters of Huawei, outfitted with smart solar grid software. This software is designed to allow the solar power plant operators to work on increasing the efficiency of the plant. Also, a remote monitoring through smartphones is also incorporated in it. SAS is expecting the company's first solar power plant to begin its commercial operation by the end of this year. This plant is located in the Philippines, and is expected to have an installed capacity of 50 megawatts. SAS is also planning to spend more than $88 million, entirely on manufacturing equipment and as investments for solar power plants this year. At the start of this year, SAS chairman Lu Ming-Kuang also told the investors that the global solar installation market will focus on expanding to produce 65 gigawatts this year. This move by SAS will help in improving Huawei's production as well. A pet rabbit who flew onto the roof of a house has been renamed Gertrude after the storm that blew her away. Firefighters rescued the bunny, formerly known as Bumper, after she was unexpectedly deposited on top of the house where she lives in Omagh, Northern Ireland. A gale force gust swept the animal's wooden home into the air on Friday morning and sent it crashing toward the building. District Commander of Omagh Fire Station David Doherty said the rabbit, whose hutch has not been properly fastened down, had a lucky escape. Gertrude: the rabbit has been re-named after the storm that blew her away / @NIFRSWest "The wind caught the hutch and sent it flying into the air and it has catapulted the rabbit out of the hutch and onto the roof," he said. "Now the hutch has come down and smashed, so it was probably lucky for the rabbit that it did come out." Mr Doherty explained why firefighters chose to respond to the unusual request for help. "It's not the sort of thing we would usually go to, but because of the conditions, it was so windy, we were scared if we didn't go out and deal with this, a member of the public would try to go up and end up getting injured or worse," he said. Heroes: the rabbit was rescued by firefighters / @NIFRSWest "The guys went up on the ladders and used a really long reach pole we use for rescuing casualties out of water and we used that to basically coax it down off the roof. It came to the top of the ladder and the guys were able to carry it down." He said the residents of the home were going to re-name their pet. #RabbitRescueBravo Watch Omagh came to the rescue of Bumper the Rabbit this morning, after #StormGertrude blew over his... Posted by NIFRS West on Friday, January 29, 2016 "They are going to re-name it Gertrude now after the storm, because of the adventure it's had," he said. Mr Doherty said the rabbit's "hare-rasing" escapade had caused a storm of public interest since he posted it on Twitter on Friday morning. He added that he hoped to the bunny's adventure would serve to highlight the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service's adverse weather safety messages. "We want to get the message out to tell people to be safe in power cuts, to make sure their smoke alarms are working, be safe using candles and be careful on the roads," he said. "We'd much rather be getting a good news story rescuing a rabbit off a roof than having to go out to rescue someone from their home or their car or worse." R ates of breastfeeding in the UK are the lowest in the world, an international study has shown. The data, published in medical journal the Lancet, revealed that only one in 200 women - or 0.5 per cent - is still breastfeeding after a year. The rate fell far below that in Germany, where 23 per cent of mothers are still breastfeeding after a year, and was dwarfed by 56 per cent of mothers breastfeeding in Brazil and 99 per cent in Senegal. The researchers said it was a "widespread misconception" that breastfeeding was beneficial only in poor countries. Although breastfeeding is far more common in developing countries, the UK figures lag behind even similar countries in Europe. In the UK, 81 per cent of mothers had tried breastfeeding at some point, but only 34 per cent were breastfeeding at six months which fell to 0.5 per cent by 12 months. The report's authors said breastfeeding could save more than 800,000 children's lives a year. The practice also lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in mothers. Lead researcher Professor Cesar Victora, from the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil, said: "Breastfeeding is one of the few positive health behaviours that is more common in poor than richer countries, and within poor countries is more frequent among poor mothers." He added: "There is a widespread misconception that breast milk can be replaced with artificial products without detrimental consequences. "The evidence .. contributed by some of the leading experts in the field, leaves no doubt that the decision not to breastfeed has major long-term negative effects on the health, nutrition and development of children and on women's health." Professor Russell Viner, from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: "The benefits of breastfeeding have been widely publicised yet .. it's clear that efforts are still falling far too short and the grave reality is that this is costing children's lives. "Britain has one of the lowest levels of breastfeeding compared to other rich countries - we worry that things will get much worse with the Government's proposed budget cuts." Janet Fyle, from the Royal College of Midwives, added: "This report underpins and reinforces why breastfeeding is the most appropriate method of providing nutrition for a baby. It also highlights the pressing need to promote and increase the uptake of breastfeeding in the UK and globally." T anzanian authorities have launched a manhunt after a British helicopter pilot was shot down by elephant poachers. Roger Gower, 37, was tracking poachers in the Maswa Game Reserve on Friday when his helicopter was reportedly hit by an AK-47 rifle which was fired from the ground. Jumanne Maghembe, Tanzanias tourism and natural resources minister, said on Sunday the government had launched a manhunt to find those responsible for Mr Gowers death. The tracking operation the pilot was involved in was a collaboration between the Friedkin Conservation Fund and the Tanzanian government, which has struggled to respond to what conservation groups say has been an explosion of "industrial-scale" poaching in recent years. Dan Friedkin, chairman of the Friedkin Conservation Fund, said Mr Gower had been engaged in a coordinated effort with Tanzanian wildlife authorities to track down elephant poachers when his helicopter was shot down. Wreckage: Mr Gower's aircraft was fired on as he tracked elephant poachers in Tanzania / Wildlife At Risk Mr Friedkin said in a statement: In the course of this action the poachers fired upon the helicopter and Roger was fatally wounded. "We are committed to honouring Roger and his work. We are also committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack are found and brought to justice. We believe that Roger can best be honoured by redoubling our commitment to protect elephants and our priceless wildlife heritage. This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzanias wildlife." The pilot previously worked for Tropic Air Kenya for four years before leaving in August 2015 to pursue new flying ambitions in Tanzania. In a statement, Tropic Air said: We are shocked and immensely sad to hear the news that Roger Gower lost his life to a single gunshot wound fired by ivory poachers on Friday, in southern Serengeti while providing air support in the long and ongoing battle against elephant poaching. Roger, only 37 years old, was a fantastic heli pilot in every way, and flew for Tropic Air for 4 years, leaving last August to pursue new flying ambitions Tanzania. Bye Bye Rog .. you will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family. Ramo Makani, deputy at the tourism and natural resources ministry, said five people had been arrested since Mr Gowers death and an operation was underway to make further arrests. A second person who was also travelling in the helicopter alongside Mr Gower survived the incident, Mr Makani said, and is being treated for minor injuries and shock. Additional reporting by agencies. I dris Elba was the big winner of the night at this years Screen Actors Guild Awards. The British star won two acting trophies during Saturday nights ceremony in LA, while Leonardo DiCaprio and Brie Larson also picked up top prizes. Elba looked over the moon as his name was called twice in quick succession, winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in Beasts of No Nation and Best Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries for Luther. Taking to the stage, he said: I remember getting my SAG card from Law & Order 20 odd years ago. Top prize: Leonardo DiCaprio wins the Best Actor award / Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images We made a film about real people and real lives, you know, and to be rewarded for it is very special. Thank you for giving this film some light, respect, love. Later on, Elba made a reference to the current diversity row surrounding awards season after it was revealed that only white actors had been nominated at this years Oscars. Diversity dominates 2016 SAG Awards amid Oscars race row controversy After taking to the stage present an award, he told the crowd: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV! Winner: Brie Larson wins Best Actress for Room / Frazer Harrison/Getty Images There were no surprises in the leading acting categories as DiCaprio picked up the prize for his role in The Revenant, while Brie Larson won for Room, fresh off the back of their Golden Globes win. Picking up his trophy, DiCaprio told the crowd: For any young actors out there, I encourage you to watch the history of cinema. As the history of cinema unfolds, you realise that we all stand on the shoulders of giants. Alicia Vikander was awarded Best Supporting actress for her role in The Danish Girl while the cast of Spotlight won Best Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Beasts Of No Nation - Trailer Full list of winners: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Beasts of No Nation The Big Short Spotlight - WINNER Straight Outta Compton Trumbo Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Theatrical Motion Picture Bryan Cranston, Trumbo Johnny Depp, Black Mass Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant - WINNER Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Theatrical Motion Picture Cate Blanchett, Carol Brie Larson, Room - WINNER Helen Mirren, Woman in Gold Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn Sarah Silverman, I Smile Back Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Christian Bale, The Big Short Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation - WINNER Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies Michael Shannon, 99 Homes Jacob Tremblay, Room Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Rooney Mara, Carol Rachel McAdams, Spotlight Hellen Mirren, Trumbo Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl - WINNER Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs The Revenant Exclusive UK Premiere Report Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Downton Abbey - WINNER Game of Thrones Homeland House of Cards Mad Men Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series The Big Bang Theory Key & Peele Modern Family Orange Is the New Black- WINNER Transparent Veep Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones Jon Hamm, Mad Men Rami Malek, Mr. Robot Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul Kevin Spacey, House of Cards - WINNER Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Claire Danes, Homeland Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder - WINNER Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey Robin Wright, House of Cards Big win: Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams collect the award for Spotlight / Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series Ty Burrell, Modern Family Louis C.K., Louie William H. Macy, Shameless Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent - WINNER Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black - WINNER Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Idris Elba, Luther - WINNER Ben Kingsley, Tut Ray Liotta, Texas Rising Bill Murray, A Very Murray Christmas Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Nicole Kidman, Grace of Monaco Queen Latifah, Bessie - WINNER Christina Ricci, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles Susan Sarandon, The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe Kristen Wiig, The Spoils Before Dying Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture Everest Furious 7 Jurassic World Mad Max: Fury Road - WINNER Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series The Blacklist Game of Thrones - WINNER Homeland Marvels Daredevil The Walking Dead 52nd Annual SAG Life Achievement Award Carol Burnett To share with friends and brethren The Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Everlasting Gospel), and to prepare a people to stand when He returns to redeem His remnant. Also, to share relevant information of current events, and to show how they relate to prophecy; By means of articles, editorials, opinions, scripture readings, and poetry. Disclaimer Endrtimes does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article/video posted on this site. The information provided here is done so for personal edification; It's up to the reader to separate truth from error, and to examine everything (like the Bereans) from a Biblical perspective. Let the Holy Scriptures be you guide! - - - FAIR USE NOTICE: These pages/videos may contain copyrighted () material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ecological, POLITICAL, HUMAN RIGHTS, economic, DEMOCRACY, scientific, MORAL, ETHICAL, and SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. Sudan is keen to not cause harm to Egypt's interests regarding the controversial Renaissance Dam, Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir told Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Ethiopia's Addis Ababa on Saturday. Al-Bashir added that Sudan stands by Egypt, noting the pioneering role that Egypt has played throughout history in defending the capabilities of Arab nations. In statements by Egyptian presidency spokesman Alaa Youssef, El-Sisi affirmed during the meeting Egypt's appreciation of the close historic relationship with Sudan, asserting the importance of developing different fields of cooperation that would benefit people of both countries. The meeting between the two presidents comes following media reports that El-Sisi is expected to hold talks with his counterparts from Sudan and Ethiopia over Addis Ababa's controversial Renaissance Dam plans during the summit. Although Egypt has repeatedly expressed concern over the dam's possible effect on the country, Ethiopia insists it will not negatively affect Egypt's share of Nile water. Sudan has continuously said that it was not playing the role of mediator between Egypt and Ethiopia as the "dam is not located in Sudan." In December 2015, Al-Bashir said in a TV interview that the Ethiopian Renaissance dam has become a reality and that it requires the cooperation of all parties to "ensure its success." In the same month, El-Sisi addressed the public saying that there is no reason to worry about the dam and that the matter would be resolved. However, El-Sisi added that, "I totally understand the concern of Egyptians as water is a matter of life or death." Search Keywords: Short link: The Riverside Discovery Center will be making a presentation. The council will consider a letter of intent from Nebraska Public Power District for a solar project. The council will also consider approval of grant matching funds for the Western Nebraska Economic Development regional housing study. The council will continue discussing funding sources for a Community Redevelopment Authority and the proposed LB 357, additional sales tax resolution. An ordinance regulating motorized skateboards, hoverboards and motorized scooters will be considered. 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To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL. Thank you for visiting state.gov. Deputies' Chamber Speaker Valeriu Zgonea wrote some letters asking judicial committee chairman Bogdan Ciuca and the leaders of the parliamentary groups to take steps for the resumption with celerity, after the beginning of the new parliamentary session, of the debates on the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code amendments, following the critics brought by the European Commission to Romania in the latest Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) report. Zgonea brings to mind that, at present, with the judicial committee there are registered a series of drafts on amending the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, but also many resolutions of the Constitutional Court waiting to be transposed in the legislation in the area."Some of these legislative initiatives were characterized in the latest report of the European Commission on the progress Romania registered within the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism as being 'original,' raising controversies in the society and concerns about the limitation of the judicial authorities' capacity of continuing the fight against corruption. Moreover, many of these drafts have already received a negative opinion from the Superior Council of Magistrates. In the same package, however, there are also initiatives drawn up by Romania's Government, through the Justice Ministry, aimed at harmonising the two Codes in full agreement with the requirements and needs of the judicial system. In this respect, for the clarification of these matters, I propose the resumption with celerity - once the new parliamentary session begins, of the debates on these major interest topics, with the participation of all institutions with duties in the area - the Justice Ministry, the Superior Council of Magistrates, the High Court of Cassation and Justice, and the Prosecutor's Office near the High Court of Cassation and Justice," Valeriu Zgonea shows in an open letter addressed to judicial committee chairman Bogdan Ciuca, three days before the beginning of the first parliamentary session this year. AGERPRES Egypt's doctors syndicate has decided to forcefully shut down Al-Matariya Teaching Hospital until a group of policemen who are accused of assaulting doctors at the hospital are held accountable, among other demands. The syndicate's secretary Ehab El-Taher told Ahram Online on Sunday that the hospital will be closed, including for emergency cases, and the cases will be transferred to nearby hospitals like Zeitoun Specialized Hospital. The hospital will remain closed until the policemen are arrested and referred to trial, said El-Taher. El-Taher added that the interior ministry should act by taking legal action against the policemen and refer them to trial. In an official statement following an emergency meeting on Saturday, the syndicate said that a delegation that includes the head of the syndicate Hussein Khairy, the head of the Cairo doctors syndicate, and Al-Matariya Hospital physicians will meet the general prosecutor on Sunday and file an official complaint against the policemen. The syndicate added that they will call for a committee to perform a medical examination on the policemen, after the latter filed complaints that they were assaulted by Al-Matariya Hospital's two doctors. El-Taher condemned the policemens use of medical reports on motorcycle accident injuries to claim that the doctors assaulted them. El-Taher called it fraud and confirmed that the syndicate will file an appeal on those medical reports. On Friday, El-Taher told Ahram Online that the two doctors, Ahmed Mahmoud and Moemen Abdel Azeem, were pressured to withdraw their complaints after they discovered that the policemen filed complaints against the doctors. The syndicate called on Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar to suspend the lower-ranking policemen, and take disciplinary measures against them. The syndicate demanded that complaints of assaults filed [in the future] were to be filed in the name of the hospital where the assault took place, as it is considered an assault on a public institution and on a public servant performing his duties. A low-ranking policeman wearing civilian clothes went to the hospital on Thursday morning with a wound on his face, and asked the doctor examining him in the ER to include fake injuries in the medical report, which he refused, sources in the hospital said. In retaliation, the policeman called a group of colleagues to the hospital who assaulted the doctor and some of his colleagues before taking them to the police station, where they were later released. The syndicate said that it would call for an emergency general assembly on Friday 12 February, giving officials a deadline to respond to the demands. "All escalatory steps are available [at the general assembly], leading to a partial strike to protect the dignity of all doctors," the syndicate's statement read. Search Keywords: Short link: Medtronic is buying Covidien because it likes the companys pacemakers, to be sure, but it also likes the address on Covidiens corporate documents. Covidien is managed from Massachusetts but legally domiciled in Ireland, a fact that may allow Minneapolis-based Medtronic to move its own legal headquarters overseas. Such a move, called a corporate inversion, could cut Medtronics tax bill. Medtronic isnt saying how much of its $43 billion purchase price represents the fundamental value of Covidiens medical-device portfolio and how much represents the benefits of the tax dodge, but it isnt alone in seeking a foreign address. Chiquita Brands is buying Irish food company Fyffes for the same tax advantage, and taxes were a big reason why Pfizer pursued Britains AstraZeneca this spring. The deals are causing outrage in Washington, where the corporate income tax has fallen to 10 percent of federal revenue last year from 17 percent in 1970. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., has introduced what he calls the Stop Corporate Inversions Act, which would treat companies as domestic if they have 25 percent of their employees or assets in the U.S. Levins bill also would ban inversions unless the foreign companys shareholders own at least 50 percent of the combined company, up from 20 percent under current law. None of the current crop of tax-motivated deals would meet that hurdle. Changing the rules on inversions wont, however, bring much revenue into the Treasury. It will simply force companies to continue keeping much of their cash abroad. Medtronic, for instance, has $14 billion parked overseas. Its been borrowing to fund dividends and stock buybacks rather than bringing the cash home and paying taxes on it. The inversion wont free up cash immediately but will give the company flexibility in how it allocates future profits. Even if Congress were to outlaw inversions, companies have plenty of other tax-avoidance strategies available. One can write rules that will stop the current wave of inversions, but theres nothing the U.S. can do to keep new companies from being based overseas, says Eric Toder, co-director of the Tax Policy Center in Washington. If you put your finger in the dike, it stops the flow for a while, then it moves somewhere else. Levins bill might even encourage companies to move jobs overseas. If you have to move a certain amount of your companys substance overseas to qualify (for an inversion), that would have a negative effect on the U.S. economy, says Xiumin Martin, associate professor of accounting at Washington Universitys Olin School of Business. Meanwhile, she says, companies can easily pursue other tax strategies. She says that even when one U.S. company buys another U.S. company, it often uses a foreign subsidiary to do so. That puts some part of the acquired firms future profits out of the Internal Revenue Services reach. We find that firms engage in these transactions when their repatriation tax (on cash held abroad) would be high, Martin said. Thats a pretty clear indication that these companies have a clear tax purpose in doing this. The tax-motivated dealmaking is driven by a couple of facts about U.S. law: Our statutory corporate rate of 35 percent is one of the highest in the world, and were the only major nation that tries to tax a firms entire worldwide income, not just what it earns in this country. Unless Congress is willing to make a fundamental change, either narrowing the corporate taxs reach or lowering its rate, its strategies for ending tax-dodging are probably doomed to fail. Tyco International isnt quite the mother of all corporate inversions, but it is the mother of a lot of them. The industrial company merged with security firm ADT in 1997, moving its headquarters offshore in the process. It has since hopscotched from Bermuda to Switzerland to Ireland, and through a series of acquisitions and spinoffs it bestowed foreign tax status on drugmaker Mallinckrodt, medical device maker Covidien, technology firm TE Connectivity and manufacturer Pentair. Covidien passed on the favor to device maker Medtronic in an inversion deal last year, and now mama Tyco is doing the same for Johnson Controls. The Milwaukee-based maker of building controls said last week that buying Tyco, and moving its legal headquarters to Cork, would cut its tax bill by $150 million a year. Given Tycos history, its not surprising that the deal is attracting criticism. Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both blasted it, with Sanders calling it a disaster for American taxpayers. Both Democrats have pledged to crack down on corporate inversions, which are mergers in which a U.S. company moves its legal incorporation offshore. Clintons plan would forbid an inversion unless the foreign companys shareholders own at least half of the new company, and even then she would impose an exit tax. Unless Democrats regain control of Congress, however, such proposals are going nowhere. Republicans argue, with some justification, that inversions are a symptom of a U.S. tax code thats uncompetitive. Their solution is to cut tax rates and perhaps end the practice of taxing companies worldwide income. While the two sides talk past each other, the dealmaking continues. Kim Clausing, a professor of economics at Reed College in Portland, Ore., estimates that inversions and other profit-shifting tactics cut U.S. tax revenue by between $77 billion and $111 billion in 2012. If shes right, international maneuvers shaved off between a quarter and a third of corporate tax revenue. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 5 percent more will erode by 2026. Demonizing inverted companies wont stop that erosion. Whats needed is a grand bargain that meets both the Democrats goal of preserving revenue and the Republicans goal of making the tax code more competitive. Clausing suggests eliminating the exemption for profits that are kept abroad. By broadening the tax base in this way, she says, the 35 percent tax rate could be cut substantially and companies would have no incentive to shift income to foreign subsidiaries. Adam Rosenzweig, a law professor at Washington University, favors a different kind of reform. Instead of basing a companys tax treatment on where its incorporated, he would look at where it earns most of its income. If a majority of its profits are in the U.S., it would be taxed on its worldwide income. If more than half of its income comes from abroad, it would be treated as a foreign company and taxed only on its U.S. operations. No amount of legal maneuvering could change the calculation. Neither change would be simple. Clausings proposal would increase the incentive to invert, so it would have to be accompanied by an exit tax or other punitive measures. Rosenzweigs plan would need transition rules for when foreign profits grow past the 50 percent mark. Still, Johnson Controls and Pfizer and Burger King are telling us that the current tax system is badly broken. We need fresh thinking on how to remake the corporate income tax, and we arent getting it from either side of the aisle. Last week, spurred by a readers question, we checked the history of three ferry roads Lemay, Tesson and Dougherty. This week, sparked by readers responses, we look at two other streets whose names are connected to river crossings: One of the older ferries still memorialized in a St. Louis street name is Halls Ferry, which got its name from an operation on the Missouri River between St. Louis and St. Charles counties. The first record of a ferry operating in that area comes from 1805, said Peggy Kruse, who is writing a book on the history of Old Jamestown. That ferry was run by Sarah James, whose family is remembered in the areas name, Kruse said. In 1813, Phinehas James bought the land from his mother and then leased the ferry operation to Edward Hall. In 1816, James sold the land to Rufus Easton, a well-known lawyer, politician and the founder of Alton. Several years after that, with Hall still operating the ferry, the road was surveyed and became known as Halls Ferry Road, or Road No. 1, Kruse said. In 1848, the ferry and the surrounding land were sold to Reuben and Lydia Musick. The ferry, but not the road, then became known as Musicks Ferry, Kruse said. There still is a Music Ferry Road in St. Charles County, just across the Missouri River from New Halls Ferry Road, Kruse said. Musicks Ferry was a booming business when the Musicks ran it. In addition to the ferry operation, there was often a store, a tavern, a grist mill, a quarry and a saw mill, she said. Most impressive was Musicks Inn, a 19-room stone building that provided accommodations to ferry customers. Construction started in 1850, and the inn did a brisk business even into the 1910s. County records show it was demolished in the late 1930s. Presently, Halls Ferry Road runs from near Shackelford Road in Old Jamestown to the Baden area of St. Louis. Further south is Morgan Ford Road, which got its name from the man who ran the shallow crossing of River des Peres, although research by the St. Louis Public Library does not provide Morgans first name. The road runs from Arsenal Street at Tower Grove Park, crosses River des Peres, and then becomes Union Road shortly after entering south St. Louis County. According to the History of St. Louis Neighborhoods by Norbury L. Wagman, William Russell bought a parcel of land bounded by Arsenal Street, Gustine Avenue, Chippewa Street and Kingshighway and called it Oak Hill. Eventually, William Russell sold the land to his brother, James Russell. The northern portion of Morgan Ford Road, from Arsenal to near Chippewa, once was known as Russell Lane. One of James Russells grandsons was Charles Marion Russell, the noted cowboy artist who was born in Oak Hill in 1864 and moved to Montana in the 1880s, Wagman said. Spotlight subjects often are prompted by readers suggestions. If you know of an interesting person, place or thing you would like to know more about, please let us know: Send ideas to jholleman@post-dispatch.com; or mail to Joe Holleman, 900 North Tucker Boulevard, St. Louis, Mo., 63101. Nasheli Juliana Designer Nasheli Juliana Ortiz Gonzalez Age 33 Family Husband, Emilio, married 9 years; children Diego, 10; Sebastian, 8; Ysabela, 5; pets Camilla (dog) and Frida (cat) Home Shrewsbury What she makes Minimalist, structured and conceptual clothing sold online and through custom orders. Tops start around $75 and her most avant-garde dresses can cost as much as $3,000 at nashelijuliana.com Diamond inspiration My inspiration for fall is diamonds because I like the look of its architecture. I also miss my friends from Puerto Rico, New York, Italy, Dominican Republic and Savannah where I finished my masters degree, she said. And her friends are like diamonds. They are invaluable, and they are strong. All the process of the diamonds from charcoal to this beautiful stone that remind us that always something good (can come) from the ugliest places, the same backwards. She said her friends are always there even in the darkness points and her friends bring light. As a Buddhist, she says, light is very important. Power jackets I love a lot of jackets, which is funny because Im from Puerto Rico and we dont need a lot of jackets in Puerto Rico. But Ive always loved jackets for women because I think its a power statement, you know. Conflicting colors I design with a lot of grays, whites and black because I think its a psychological thing. A rebellion. Because in Puerto Rico, its all very colorful, so its counterculture, but Im very conscious of design and I dont want the color to distract from the design. Yet, Ortiz, who was wearing red polka dot eye wear at the time, admits, Im always dressed really colorfully, so its even the opposite of me, my clothes. I dont design clothes for me. No detail unfinished You can wear my clothes inside out, I finish details. Its very important for me, because Im a professor and I cant say something (to students that) I dont do. Ive been teaching for almost 10 years, said Ortiz who earned a bachelors degree and started teaching design in Gurabo, Puerto Rico, and then left to earn a masters in fashion design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Shes also worked as a designer and production assistant in the Dominican Republic, Italy and New York. She worked with many menswear designers including Emilio Zegna, which led to her love of fine tailoring. Loved it but left One of my reasons for leaving Puerto Rico was because my style was not well comprehended there. She said that designers who created pageant-style dresses with glitter and ruffles did very well, but she couldnt to it. Theres a lot of corsets and very good tailoring and construction, but the design is lacking a little on the subtlety. I wanted to do something more innovative and with a silhouette that was not just a mermaid (style). Midwest advantage She said that she misses New York, but shes found something invaluable here in St. Louis time to think. She is an assistant professor with Lindenwood Universitys fashion design program, but previously lived in New York with seemingly more opportunities to grow and produce her line. But St. Louis gave me the opportunity of do what I loved and to stop and think about it and develop my conceptual side and make intelligent fashion. St. Louis is very human, and its vulnerable, and that is a gift that New York loses in the fast-paced, strong forward (constantly moving) lifestyle. Slow start I had meningitis as a kid, and I was in a coma for a month. After that I stopped talking and walking. She was 2 years old. By the time she was 4 years old, mom put me in music, opera, ballet and painting, to help my motor skills. I had only one eye working, so my mom decide to cover my good eye to force the bad one, to improve. It worked! But, in the process I was always falling and hitting everything. She said it was a long process of healing and she used orthopedic shoes until she was 13 years old. Talking was a long process ... I remember going to therapy until I was 12. Mom made me do it My mom got me to go into fashion design. She forced me to do it, Ortiz explains. I wanted to study architecture. But Ortiz said that her mother knew that she was artistic and imaginative because of the Barbie clothes she started making at the age of 8. And apparently mom really preferred having a fashion designer in the family. Im glad she forced me into it but theres a reason my designs are so architectural and structured. Careful what you wish for Mom loves her artistry, but Ortiz jokes that she doesnt get my designs. The designs are about minimalism and she respects it, but Puerto Rico fashion designers are not about minimal anything. So have you made anything for your mom? Umm ... no, not yet. Shes always asking. Oh no, I guess I should, right. A fishing boat carrying 14 Egyptian fishermen capsized in Sudanese territorial waters Saturday, the Egyptian foreign ministry has said. Sudanese authorities were able to rescue two of the 14 fishermen, but 12 are still missing, according to a statement on the foreign ministrys official Facebook page. The rescued fishermen are currently being hospitalized in Sudan. Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, who is in Addis Ababa for the African Union Summit, ordered a rescue boat from the Egyptian Navy Forces to move to Port Sudan to help search for the missing fishermen, MENA reported. The president is following the incident and ordered that all necessary measures be taken to rescue the fishermen. Egypts Consulate General in Port Sudan does not rule out that some of the missing fishermen drifted to Eritrean shores as the incident occurred close to the Sudanese-Eritrean borders, the statement said. The foreign ministry is in contact with the Egyptian embassy in Asmara in Eritrea for updates on the missing Egyptians. Scores of Egyptians have been detained, and later released, in Libya, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere in the region for illegally crossing into their territorial waters to fish. Egypt's foreign ministry has repeatedly issued warnings to fishermen against illegally entering neigbouring countries' waters. Search Keywords: Short link: Perhaps the difference between campaigning and governing is never starker than in the months after a presidents inauguration. Candidates spend many months touting what they would do if they won the White House, but not nearly enough time figuring out how to actually do it. Being too presumptuous is not a good political look. Being well-prepared is. To help with that, the Partnership for Public Service launched the Center for Presidential Transition this month, one year to the day before the next president takes the oath of office. There is an expectation that the nations newly elected president will hit the ground running, but the transition of power and knowledge from one president to another has traditionally been rushed and chaotic, resulting in delays in filling key jobs, policy blunders and management missteps, said Max Stier, the partnerships president and chief executive. A lack of thorough preparation could put the nation in jeopardy and seriously impede the progress of a new administration. The center seeks to be the repository for presidential transition information. There is no single location for that now, leaving a gap in the body of knowledge about a critical governmental operation. The center will hold documents from previous transitions, offer guidance to candidates, and work with outgoing and incoming officials to facilitate the transfer of power. For them, planning early is vital. The 77 days between the election and the inauguration are not enough time for an incoming administration to identify and vet their top management team or get up to speed on the complex policy and management issues theyll face, Stier said. The result has been that every administration has started slowly and behind, negatively impacting policymaking and diminishing the capabilities of our government. Slowly, as in, incoming administrations on average have just 30 percent of their Senate-confirmed slots filled in the first 200 days, and there are 50 days between the nomination of a department secretary and the next agency appointee, according to transition center data. Congress has provided help. In 2009, it cut the number of Senate-confirmed positions and provided office space and equipment for presidential and vice presidential candidates before the general election. Last year, the Senate approved the Presidential Transitions Improvements Act, sponsored by Sens. Thomas Carper, D-Del., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis. It would require the establishment of a White House interagency transition council six months before an election. Legislative actions can reduce some of the reluctance that candidates feel over appearing presumptuous about planning to govern before getting elected, Thomas Mack McLarty, chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, said at a forum to mark the launch. But another panel member, Josh Bolten, chief of staff to President George Bush, wasnt so sure. Ignorance of the traditional levers of government, and contempt for those with experience using them, seem to be an advantage in the Republican primary these days, Bolten said. So I am concerned that at least in my own party that measuring the drapes will still be a political liability. He hopes the partnerships transition project will help detoxify that risk. The partnership isnt the only one in the early-transition game. In addition to preparations by federal agencies, the National Academy of Public Administration launched in May its Presidential Transition 2016 initiative, which focuses on government management. Stier noted that Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican candidate, called his transition effort the readiness project, which conveys a politically acceptable message. Despite any political risk that candidates feel, getting ready to govern early is essential. They cannot succeed as presidents if they get elected, Stier said, if they havent done this early planning. David Eagles, the center director, offered recommendations for a smooth transition. Among them, candidates should announce a transition chairman by the first week of April; a campaigns transition office should be established by May; the White House staff and the top 100 agency officials should be in place immediately after Inauguration Day; and 300 additional political appointees should be in office by the following August. A cooperative Congress is critical on the political-appointee point. Bolten recalled the close working relationship between the outgoing Bush team and President Barack Obamas, a glaring contrast to the anti-anything-Obama politicization that the GOP followed on Capitol Hill. Bush set the tone when he told Bolten that the transition should be the best in history, Bolten recalled, adding that the Obama transition team was exceptionally good. Bush officials wanted to prepare the incoming team for an attack on the homeland, not just in year one, in hour one. The good relationship between the teams was demonstrated when intelligence detected a credible threat on festivities the night before the inauguration. We had already made arrangements for the outgoing homeland security people to sit in the command center with the incoming homeland security people the days of and before the inauguration, Bolten said, because under our Constitution the outgoing folks were going to be disempowered at exactly noon on Jan. 20, and somebody else was going to have to make the calls. Claustrophobia aside, who wouldnt be a bit anxious standing in a cave at the bottom of an active volcano? I looked warily at a device that was tracking carbon dioxide levels, set to alert us if they became dangerously high (and quietly hoped Id get an excuse to scurry up the 183 spiral stairs to fresh air). Nearby, a mud fumarole bubbled and boiled at nearly 180 degrees, filling the air with a pungent sulfurous odor. Yet, incongruously, this potentially lethal landscape shared space with an immense lake full of crystal-clear, and refreshingly cold, drinkable water. (In fact, before the stone stairwell tower was built, in the early 20th century, the locals would use ropes to lower themselves down to access this water for their cattle.) More than 160 feet overhead, two openings in the vaulted ceiling allowed light to pour into the basaltic lava cave. I was standing in Europes largest volcanic dome, referred to as the Sulfur Cave, or Furna do Enxofre one of many reminders that Graciosa, like the other eight islands that compose the Azores archipelago, had a turbulent birth. Set in the middle of the Atlantic, almost 1,000 miles from any shore, these nine islands that are an autonomous region of Portugal retain a lost-in-time quality. The archipelago is an unspoiled Eden of black-sand beaches, gushing waterfalls, hydrangea-rimmed roads, aquamarine lakes and Old World hamlets. Craters, geysers and thermal waters are just some of the many features that remind visitors of this archipelagos dramatic volcanic origins. Yet, for the most part, despite direct four-hour flights from Boston and new EasyJet and Ryanair routes from Lisbon and London, respectively, the word hasnt gotten out about how accessible this exotic paradise is. Ive been traveling to the Azores for years, returning time and again, scoping out each islands distinct character. On grand Sao Miguel, I dug into a hearty stew that was cooked underground in the volcanic heat saturating the lakefront ground in Furnas. Picos signature sight is a perpetually snow-covered and climbable mountain peak, but I chose instead to prowl its vineyards, which grow in a stark landscape of lava-stone corrals that protect the grapes from salt and wind. Cheesemaking is renowned on Sao Jorge, where I meandered down lush trails that plunge into secluded, fertile seaside plains backed by soaring cliffs. Deeply rooted in a seafaring tradition, Faial is home to a buried town, where I saw roofs peek out above their ash-and-lava encasement, frozen in time thanks to a year-long underwater volcanic eruption in the 1950s. And on Terceira, I sunbathed in the town of Biscoitos, whose seaside resembles a moonscape with great expanse of natural pools carved out of black lava stone. Most recently, I explored the two least visited islands, Graciosa and Santa Maria, both of which epitomize the quintessential Azorean features: fantastic volcanic geology and untamed natural beauty. Flying into Graciosa, I gazed out of the window to spy Pico Mountain rising above the swirling clouds like the cherry atop an ice cream sundae. When Graciosa appeared on the horizon, it was a dark, rocky coast jutting out into the rough seas with a black-and-white-banded lighthouse, Farol da Ponte da Barca, standing sentinel on a clifftop. Once on the ground, I relaxed easily into the pastoral setting, spying on a small flock of goats that wandered onto my hotels property to chomp on the landscaped foliage. This tranquility, however, belies the islands turbulent past. Nearly everywhere on Graciosa, there are abundant reminders that the island emerged from the Earths fiery core. One day, my guide, Lizete, and I spotted three fishermen standing on the shore of Porto Afonso, throwing their lines into the tumbling surf, hoping to snag kingfish, abrotea (hake), black veja (parrotfish), chicharro (horse mackerel) or sargo (porkfish). But I was more interested in the stunningly beautiful cliffs that rose behind them, curiously striped with many-hued bands. Seeing my fascination, Lizete explained, The variety of colors yellow, red and black each represent different sorts of volcanic eruptions over the centuries: basalt, red and black scorias, ashes and volcanic sands. The islands most iconic feature, the Caldeira da Graciosa, resulted from the collapse of a volcanic cone 12,000 years ago. Before embarking on a one-hour walk around this vast summit depression, Lizete and I stopped along the crater rim at a cave that is said to resemble the shape of an oven, hence the name Furna (oven) da Maria Encantada. The way one version of the story goes, Maria, a married woman who lived here, regularly baked bread, handing it out to the underprivileged. One day, her elderly husband urged her to flee the area with him because hed dreamt of an imminent volcanic eruption. But Maria opted to stay behind to meet her young paramour and the volcano erupted, killing them both. After contemplating this melancholy story, we walked up a steep path through a landscape lush with bay leaf, heather and other foliage to prowl through a lava tube a cylindrical tunnel created when flowing lava cooled on the outside, and the molten lava within drained out. After exiting the tube, our view opened up to the base of the caldera, some 900 feet below us. It was completely unlike anything I had expected from a volcanic crater. This once-arid expanse is now coated with such bright-green verdancy that it reminded me of Ireland. Rising up on all sides, steep slopes burgeoned with Japanese cedar, acacia and wild pine. (Even more incongruous was our later stop: the Sulfur Cave, with its steamy fumaroles.) The Caldeira walk attracts botanical and ornithological enthusiasts, like myself. Above Graciosa and the ocean, this walk has a stillness and beauty, a sense of relaxation just interrupted by the songs of the birds, Lizete gushed. The air was alive with the twittering and chirping of starlings, quail, sparrows and other species. And, because it was summer, the route was adorned with clusters of blue and pink hydrangea blossoms, as well as fragrant white ginger and the purple blooms of African lilies. From this height, the islands quaint beauty came into panoramic relief, from the village of St. Matthew with its pearly white chapel, Our Lady of Health, perched on a lone hill to Carapacho, a town of whitewashed buildings roofed with terra-cotta tiles thats famous for its thermal pools. A short flight brought me to the sleepy isle of Santa Maria, the warmest of the Azorean islands, nicknamed the Sunny Island. Its blessed with golden, sandy beaches formed by the erosion of sedimentary rock, unlike the black seaside expanses found on the other eight islands. Approaching by air, you see topography that appears almost schizophrenic. While the east is blanketed with a dense tangle of vegetation and ridged with rolling hills and foliage-covered peaks, the west is flat and arid. I landed after dark in the capital of Vila do Porto, a 15th-century hilltop village and the oldest in the Azores, and met Laurinda, my friend who owns the Casa do Norte, a charming rural accommodation on the east end of the island. With just enough time to grab dinner in town at Garrouchada before the kitchen closed, she suggested I order telha de marisco, a dish in which clams, mussels and shrimp are grilled on and served atop a terra-cotta tile. We found ourselves sitting at a table adjacent to the mayor, who was dining with a dozen colleagues and friends. This intimate island is the epitome of six degrees of separation, and after Laurinda greeted him, he generously offered some of his grilled cherne (Atlantic wreckfish) to tide us over until our meal arrived. Over the next few days, we drove the narrow, winding and foliage-canopied roads, past cows grazing on terraced slopes of green and tiny ribbons of tumbling water. As we passed through the islands five towns, Laurinda told me that, traditionally, each town has a predominant color painted around its doors and windows. For example, in Sao Pedro, a once wealthy district, the color is yellow, representing gold; Almagreira has windows of red trim to signify the fertility of the land; and cobalt blue was chosen for Santa Barbaras windows because it was an inexpensive color for such a poor, rural parish. Because Santa Maria is noted for its biodiversity, one morning we visited the Environmental Center in Vila do Porto to see the private collection of Dalberto Pombo, a self-educated local who pioneered the study of the islands geology, ecology, marine biology and entomology. He discovered dozens of new insect species, five with the scientific name pomboi in his honor, Laurinda said. Once covered by the sea, Santa Maria is the only Azorean island with fossils, and many are displayed here, including sea urchins, sea snails and tiny crustaceans. Though many travelers skip visiting Santa Maria, I had to agree with Laurinda, who compared it to a box full of wonderful surprises. Thats something that can also be said about Graciosa or, for that matter, any one of the other Azorean islands. IF YOU GO Where to stay Graciosa Hotel, Porto da Barra, Santa Cruz da Graciosa, Graciosa; facebook.com/Graciosa-Hotel-193740817333598/timeline/: A minimalist pastiche of glass and steel with close views of the sea. Rooms from $90. Casas Acorianas: casasacorianas.com: A rural tourism website listing rental accommodations throughout the Azores in a wide range of prices and styles, including Casa do Norte on Santa Maria. What to do Sulfur Cave (Furna do Enxofre), Centro de Visitantes da Furna do Enxofre, Caldeira da Graciosa, 9880-205 Santa Cruz da Graciosa; 011-351-295-714-009. Winter hours: Tuesday-Saturday 2 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Summer hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Adult admission: $4. Termas do Carapacho (thermal spa), Rua Dr. Manuel de Menezes, Carapacho, Graciosa; 011-351-295-714-212; facebook.com/Termas-do-Carapacho-168144069892224/timeline/: Open Tuesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: $1. South Korea revealed that since the 2010 North Korean attacks (that sank a warship and caused some casualties and property damage on a South Korean island off the west coast) North Korea has been using a lot more deception in its electronic communications. A major reason for this is that North Korea cannot afford to keep its communications gear up-to-date. While South Korea has been able to afford modern tactical (short range) radios for their troops North Korea has not. The big difference here is that the modern radios use encryption while the older equipment does not. Thus a lot of North Korean communications along the DMZ (the border zone) are unencrypted. North Korea found that South Korea was spending a lot more time and effort to eavesdrop on these communications and use advanced analysis techniques to get a better idea of what was going on in the North Korean military. To counter this North Korea began a lot more false and deliberately misleading messages to make the South Korean eavesdropping less useful. North Korea deception efforts even extended to deceiving efforts to use traffic analysis (monitoring patterns of use and tracking the locations of users). All these North Korean efforts are very manpower intensive, but lacking much fuel, spare parts or ammo for field training someone decided that the troop, especially those in communications and intelligence could be kept busy, and gain some useful experience, by carrying out a lot more of these old-school deception efforts. North Korea has also been using more high-tech deception, often involving photoshopped (digitally altered) digital pictures and videos. This despite the fact that South Korea has plenty of experts and locally made software that can quickly identify even the most painstaking use of photoshop edits. Nevertheless these fakes fool at lot of people in the mass media and the fake photo gets more attention than the correction that comes later. In 2015 over 99 percent of suicide attacks were committed by Moslems, most of them Sunni Moslems influenced by a form of Islam (Wahhabism) heavily promoted by Saudi Arabia for decades. While there were fewer suicide attacks in 2015 than in 2014 the number of people killed (about 4,400) was about the same as 2014. Suicidal attacks (usually with explosives) have become very popular with Moslem religious fanatics because doing it requires lots of enthusiasm and very little skill. Suicide attacks are nothing new and have been used for thousands of years. But heavy of use of this tactic comes and goes like any other trend. The current revival began in the 1980s, largely in Lebanon and Sri Lanka. Between then and 2001 there were nearly 400 suicide attacks in 14 countries. Seventeen organizations planned and carried out these attacks. Seven of these organizations were destroyed or stopped using suicide attacks by 2001. The first attacks were made in 1983 in Lebanon, organized by the Iran sponsored Hezbollah (a Shia Islamic terror group). In Sri Lanka, the Tamil Tigers (or LTTE) carried out their first suicide attack in 1987. By the time the Lebanese civil war ended in 1990 at least 50 suicide attacks were made there. Through the 1990s, the Tamil Tigers were the most frequent user of suicide attacks. Attacks also began to show up in Central America, Africa and the Balkans, all committed by Iranian backed Shia terrorist groups. In 2000, Palestinian organizations (influenced by the success of Hezbollah) began to use suicide attacks more frequently, staging at least 21 attacks through the end of 2001. Early in 2002 the number of Palestinian suicide attacks increased until Israel developed new counter-terror tactics and went after Islamic terror leaders, specialists (bomb builders) and terrorist bases in the West Bank. After that the number of suicide attacks declined and by 2005 Israel has virtually eliminated Palestinian terror attacks inside Israel. In both Lebanon and to a lesser extent in Sri Lanka, the terrorist organizations took advantage of religious beliefs that honored extreme sacrifice. Added to this was exploitation of economic and political grievances, thus making the suicide attackers into heroic characters. In addition, families of the suicide volunteers received generous (by local standards) economic rewards. Until in 2003 families of Palestinian suicide bombers receive up to $33,000 (from various sources, mainly Iraq and Saudi Arabia). Financial incentives like this have become common and the Palestinian government now pays them out of foreign aid cash. Willingness to make a Faustian bargain is an ancient human trait and the terror organizations exploit it to recruit their bombers. Even without recruitment, it is not uncommon for young men to commit horrible crimes, "to become famous." What began as a Shia influenced tactic, suicide attacks have been adopted by Sunni (mainstream) Islamic groups and now Sunnis carry out over 80 percent of the attacks. Even after September 11, 2001 most senior Sunni clerics have gone along with this, although there was growing resistance to the religious acceptability of suicide attacks by Islamic scholars. By 2015 many, if not a majority, of senior Islamic scholars opposed (to one degree or another) the use of suicide attacks. Historically, such destructive terror tactics last about a generation, then fall out of favor. This process is speeded up by the fact that most governments condemn the practice. Distaste for suicide attacks will grow, in the current situation, as more teenagers are recruited for the duty. The younger kids are, as with most trends, eager to outdo their elders. But suicide attacks are a tactic of despair, the last grasp tactic of a spent force facing inevitable defeat. When the September 11, 2001 attacks occurred there were at least a dozen terrorist groups using suicide attacks (some more than others); the Islam Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad of the Israeli occupied territories; Hezbollah of Lebanon; the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ) and Gamaya Islamiya of Egypt; the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) of Algeria; Barbar Khalsa International (BKI) of India; several Kashmiri separatist groups in Pakistan and India, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of Sri Lanka; the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) of Turkey; and Al Qaeda (which carried out the September 11, 2001 attacks). Now there are many more Islamic terror groups using suicide attacks, in large part because it is a lot easier now, because of the Internet, to publicize and glorify the suicide bombers and reach like-minded men (and a few women) to try it, if only once. Dirty Little Secrets DLS for 2001 | DLS for 2002 | DLS for 2003 DLS for 2004 | DLS for 2005 | DLS for 2006 DLS for 2007 | DLS for 2008 How Russia Put The XX To The U.S. by James Dunnigan January 30, 2016 The CIA recently admitted that it had been on the receiving end of an espionage XX (double cross) campaign during the Cold War. This term first became known to the public in the early 1970s when Britain revealed how they had successfully "turned" every intelligence agent that the Germans had managed to infiltrate into Great Britain, so that for virtually the entire war they were able to feed misleading information to the enemy. Britain called this the XX (double cross) System and it was accomplished with superior operatives and techniques. The Cold War XX occurred mainly in Europe where the Russians set up efficient intelligence organizations in all the East European nations they took over (as satellite nations) after World War II. These mini-KGBs (the ruthless and efficient Soviet secret police) were there mainly to keep the local population under control. That meant it was a very hostile environment for foreign spies. The U.S. paid lip service to these formidable KGB capabilities if only because those who formed the CIA after World War II knew of the British XX System. But over the decades CIA leadership came to believe they were somehow immune to being victims of a Russian XX play. This got worse after the Cold War ended when the extent of how the CIA got played by Russian XX efforts in East Europe slowly emerged. The Russians, like the British after World War II, kept a lot of their XX successes secret for as long as they could. When the XX debacle became common knowledge in the government CIA leaders shrugged it off. But not everyone in the CIA agreed that the XX disaster could just be ignored. A lot of people who worked for the CIA (Americans and foreigners) died because of the XX defeat. The false information the Russians passed on hurt the United States and that mattered. The poor condition of American espionage capabilities mattered. Ignoring the threat in the future increased the risks of getting bit by a XX play again. The revival of the Cold War with Russia in 2014 (as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine and American allies in East Europe) has had some interesting side effects. One is a growing rebellion within the CIA against the Cold War mentality that continues to tolerate superior Russian ability to plant and operate spies within the United States while frequently succeeding in turning (into double agents) spies the United States believes it has operating inside Russia. Many CIA officials believe the U.S. is already falling victim to another XX campaign. This problem rarely gets much mention in the media. There are a few exceptions. In 2013 a CIA agent was expelled from Russia after getting caught while trying to carry out an embarrassingly amateur operation. The man (operating as a junior State Department employee at the U.S. embassy) had been arrested earlier while trying to recruit a senior Russian security official. That effort backfired and the CIA man did not detect a trap. Russia later revealed that this also happened a few months earlier but was kept quiet so as to maintain good relations with the U.S. But after the second incident the Russians saw an opportunity to use these sloppy CIA operations for domestic propaganda, to remind Russians that in one area at least they are better than the Americans. To add insult to injury, the Russians also showed their displeasure by revealing the name of the senior CIA official (the resident in spy-speak) in Russia. This fellow was forced to leave, which is what the Russians apparently wanted. They hold the CIA resident responsible for this sloppy and embarrassing use of spy craft. By mutual consent, Russia and the U.S. usually keep the names of their own and the other nations residents secret. That rule is only breached when you want to send an important message to the other side. Not mentioned was the fact that this sort of sloppiness is usually indicative that XX is in play. Some say that 2013 incident triggered the increased pressure by active and retired CIA field operatives (the people who recruit and run spies in foreign countries) on CIA leadership, and key members of Congress (the ones who have oversight on intel operations) to put an end to the policy of tolerating this poor performance. The field agents point out that when operating against Islamic terrorist groups the old lackadaisical Cold War attitudes (because no one, at least few Americans, got killed) is no longer justifiable. It turns out that this policy of sloppy spying and ignoring the effects is alive and well in the CIA and the U.S. government. The real embarrassment is that, since the 1970s, U.S. spies have become rare and competent ones even more scarce. Normally this does not bother the CIA or the U.S. government which got used to a situation many in the intel profession are coming to regret more and more. But it is a problem when there is an emergency. So, since September 11, 2001, the U.S. has been forced to rely more on contractors, but even skilled freelancers are reluctant to take on the Russians, who have dominated the traditional spy business for most of the last century. If nothing else this new injection of talent, and temporary Russian weakness after the KGB was dismantled after the Soviet Union dissolved, revealed how vulnerable the U.S. really was during the Cold War. The decline of American espionage competence is an aftereffect of the Church Committee. This was an investigative operation sponsored by Congress in the late 1970s that sought to reform and punish the CIA. The reforms were mainly about eliminating CIA spying inside the United States, or doing stuff for the president that Congress did not approve of. There was also a desire to avoid any CIA connection with foreign unpleasantness (like using unsavory people as spies or informants, paying foreign politicians for information, or using contractors to run informant networks). This led to a growing list of restrictions on what the CIA could do overseas and at home. Congress was out to make sure no future president (the CIA works for the president) could use the CIA, as had been done during the Vietnam War and before. The CIA interpreted all this as "no more James Bond stuff." After the 1970s, the CIA relied more on spy satellites and other electronic monitoring for their reports on what was going on in the world. But defecting Russians and those from other communist nations were welcome and, all too often, believed when they should not have been. The Church Committee insured that the CIA became a much less interesting place to work for practitioners of traditional (on the ground, up close and personal) espionage. A lot of the most capable people got out over the next two decades. Recruiting became difficult. But after September 11, 2001, the CIA was tossed a huge pile of money and told to staff up and get going and save us all from the Islamic terrorists. The Church Committee restrictions were largely, if not completely, ignored. But long lists of things-you-couldn't-do were still on the books. After a decade of doing whatever it took, the rules are being enforced again. But now the CIA is back to where it was in 2001, scrambling to rebuild a Cold War era force of spies who knew how to operate in Russia. That capability was not damaged by the Church Committee as much as espionage in other parts of the world (especially Latin America, Africa and Asia) was. Unlike 2001, where experienced agents who had worked in Pakistan during the 1980s (to support operations against Russia in Afghanistan) could be recalled from retirement, most of the Russia veterans are largely too old to bring back. This means the CIA will have to rely on an expedient used after 2001 and that was the use of contractors to run Pakistan intel operations. Things were not done by the book, but results were demanded, especially efforts to find Osama bin Laden. Everyone looked the other way while the deed was done. By 2011 it was official policy to consider Iraq operations over and Afghanistan winding down. At that point Congress was again calling for investigations and rogue operators to punish. This sort of thing makes it very difficult to recruit and keep competent spies, even as contractors. It will not be easy to put together a useful espionage operation to deal with Russia. But it's not just paper bullets intelligence operatives have to worry about these days. The post-9/11 world dramatically altered the way that national intelligence services do business. For one, the craft of espionage and military intelligence has become inherently more dangerous for case officers and agents in an age of terrorism and insurgency than it was during the Cold War. This is a complete turnaround from the way business was done during the Cold War in the '60s, '70s, and '80s. Many case officers on all sides, whether CIA, Mi6, or KGB, served out their entire 20 or 30 year careers as professional spies without ever having touched a firearm after their initial tradecraft courses. After all, getting into gun battles was not their job. Collecting information was. Furthermore, the case officers themselves, often operating under official diplomatic cover, didn't really have anything to fear if they were caught or their covers blown, except a ruined career and expulsion from whatever country they operated in. The ones in real danger were always the informants, or "assets", that the case officers recruited, who were liable to face execution if they were found out. Simply put, spying really wasn't that dangerous for the case officers. After the War on Terrorism began, the Cold War rules began to rapidly disappear. For one thing, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq, along with most places that CIA officers operate today, are actual war zones with nothing "cold" about them. During traditional peacetime case officers don't really have to worry about their own safety, just that of their informants. Once you get involved with terrorists or an actual shooting war starts, all of that changes, and intelligence officers (whether CIA or Army Intelligence) become major high-value targets for terrorist and insurgents. Since 2001, over a dozen (the exact number is classified) CIA officers have been killed in the line of duty. In short, the espionage business has gotten far more dangerous in a very short period of time. This has necessitated a number of dramatic changes in the way the Americans, British, and other professional intelligence services do business where they are needed most (in war zones). For one, the spooks are getting strapped. Case officers working in places like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and even Egypt routinely carry handguns everywhere they go to defend themselves should the need arise. During the Cold War this was unnecessary and generally considered a stupid liability since being caught with a weapon would probably get you booted out of the country you operated in. Not anymore. Besides carrying guns, agencies and case officers are paying extra attention to things like counter-surveillance, disguises, and evasive driving. Carrying a sidearm is necessary for a case officer working in a city like Karachi or Kabul, the truth remains that getting into a gunfight is still the last resort and should be avoided at all costs. Case officers know that the most effective way to avoided being a terrorist target is to avoid following the same routines every day, varying routes to and from work/meetings, never sleeping in the same safe house for too long, and generally making one's life as varied and unpredictable as possible. Experienced spies know that if you can't be found, you can't be a target. The best game plan is to be as invisible as possible. Using contractors to run your informant networks is the best cover of all, unless Congress is looking for someone to prosecute. Russia is different, as the Russians always had the best spies (because of superior recruiting, training, and management). A lot of those spies were cut loose after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, and some of them offered to talk (if the price was right). What these guys revealed was chilling for Western intel agencies, a decades long tale of successful old-school espionage operations. The KGB was so good that most of these ops were not even suspected, especially the XX ones. But the new information enabled the U.S. to roll up a number of well-placed Russian agents and moles and provide evidence supporting calls for a return to traditional espionage. Congress was still hostile to that and the September 11, 2001 attacks were one result. The current comedy of errors in Russia is another. There will be more. The most formidable foe Indian commandos face are Indian politicians. Since 2013 Indian special operations forces and the various branches of the military have sought to form a united Special Forces Command based on the success of the American SOCOM (Special Operations Command). Created in the 1980s SOCOM went on to be the model for similar organizations in many other nations. One of the most recent was Israel in 2007. That is important because Israel has become a major defense supplier and military ally of India since the 1990s and the two countries exchange a lot military-related information and experiences. Indian officers and special operations troops are quite familiar with the success of the Israeli SOCOM. But by late 2015 these Indian efforts were blocked by a lack of government willingness to back the proposal and the fact that half the Indian armed forces (and nearly as many of the special operations troops) are not in the military but an equally large collection of paramilitary forces controlled by other bureaucracies. This was done on purpose in the late 1940s to prevent the possibility that the military would become powerful enough to take over the government. That has worked. Neighboring Pakistan went in another direction, building a relatively more powerful military and has suffered periodic military takeovers. But India has several other cultural differences from Pakistan that have helped prevent coups. Meanwhile many non-defense branches of the Indian government have grown fond of having their own armed forces and mainly because of that have been unwilling to give up or share control of their special operations forces. In reaction to that the military has been reluctant to provide assistance to these paramilitary forces, even when there was a strong case for it (as in efforts to deal with Islamic terrorism, leftist rebels and armed separatist groups). The Indian Army has had one special operations crisis after another since 2001. For example, in 2010 when the Para-Commando force sought to add an eighth battalion there were complaints that the troops involved are not getting adequate training or equipment. This was an increasingly common issue for all the special operations troops. India has several different special operations organizations and each of them have a specific mission and all too often serious problems with the government procurement bureaucracy. Para Commandos form the parachute infantry of the Army but have been given additional training and equipment to enable them to carry out commando type operations. A lot of the special equipment never seems to arrive, nor does all the additional money for training. The Special Protection Group personnel are assigned the task of protection for India's Prime Minister and VIPs from terrorist attacks. For some reason these troops always seem to get what they need. This leads many Indians (military and civilian) to see the special operations procurement problems as the fault of self-serving politicians. The elite MARCOS unit acts as India's Navy SEAL teams and performs special ops on the high seas. Again, there are constant shortages of equipment and training opportunities. Moreover MARCOS often does not cooperate with army special operations forces and actually duplicates some of the army special operations capabilities. The primary counter-terror unit in the country is the 15,000 man National Security Guards and the ones who have borne most of the responsibility for tackling India's persistent insurgent problems over the last couple of decades. These fellows are constantly called on to deal with emergencies equipped only with promises of new gear and weapons. Since 2003 the army has formed a force of over 7,200 commandos so that each of the 359 infantry battalions in the army could have a twenty man Ghatak (commando) platoon. While this gave each battalion some shock troops, it also increased discontent among the rest of the troops, who now see modern equipment up close and wonder why they don't have it (like most of their Western counterparts do). In many cases some Ghatak platoons didn't have it either, while others did. This uneven distribution of modern gear caused morale problems among the Ghatak troops. Another cause of discontent was the knowledge, often via the Internet, that commandos from other nations often had better, or much better, equipment and weapons than the Ghatak units. The last decade has seen accelerating development of new commando equipment, but Indian commandos feel like they're the last to get the new stuff, if at all. Thus Indian special operations officers believe an Indian SOCOM would give the special operations forces more political clout within the government to get what they need before an emergency arises and the politicians start blaming each other, and the military, for not having the necessary weapons and equipment. At least seven people were killed and three others severely injured Sunday when a train coming from Upper Egypt ran over a car that was crossing the railway in Giza's Al-Ayyat during foggy weather, Ahram Arabic news website reported. The injured are in critical condition and have been transferred to the hospital. Al-Ayyat witnessed two train crashes in 2009 that killed at least 50 people. On 20 February 2002, a train caught fire in Al-Ayyat, killing at least 380 people, the worst railway disaster in Egypt's history. Egypt's railway system is operated manually, with employees responsible for managing the opening of the crossings by communicating with the drivers--a practice that is considered unsafe and unreliable. Search Keywords: Short link: For most of 2015 the biggest threat from China was economic. The Chinese economy was behaving unpredictably and that was a concern for most of the world because China now has the second largest economy on the planet. But because of mismanagement and corruption the Chinese economy was slowing down. That was obvious because China has become one of the largest customers for raw materials, manufactured goods and much else. Those orders were shrinking and many of the foreign suppliers were in trouble. Naturally people (inside and outside China) wanted to know what was going on and, not for the first time, it was noticed that the official economic statistics did not add up. In part this was because the government was still using a lot of communist era economic measuring techniques invented in the Soviet Union. The Soviets measured the economy mainly by counting production (of manufactured goods, raw materials, food) and not much else. This method gave a very inaccurate view of economic performance and was one reason why the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. China never completely got rid of all these flawed .communist era methods. They got away with this because since the 1980s their communist command economy has replaced with a free market model and the resulting growth has been spectacular. But now the bad economic data matters. Western economists have long been aware of this problem but have been unable to convince their governments that pressuring the Chinese to use modern measuring methods was important. For example in 2014 the Chinese government predicted 7.5 percent GDP growth in 2015 but actual growth (using accurate measurement) was closer to four percent. In 2014 many investors, Chinese and foreign, feared GDP growth might fall to five percent in 2015 but the Chinese government insisted it would be seven percent or more. Since 2010 more Chinese officials have acknowledged there is a measurement problem but found senior leadership unwilling to do something as dramatic as revising years of inaccurate official data. The senior leaders preferred to try and ignore the real numbers. That has become much more difficult because there is openly available (to foreigners and Chinese) economic data that is accurate and can be combined to produce more accurate measurements of things like GDP and productivity. To do this economists and business analysts use things like electricity production, railroad traffic and similar data that cannot be manipulated by local officials to make their city or province look more successful. Using this approach it was discovered that Chinese GDP has not been growing steadily at near ten percent a year for decades. Chinese officials do eventually (months or years later) get more accurate data and while Chinese GDP has actually been steadily growing over the last three decades the annual growth has actually varied from 5-11 percent. Chinese official policy was to keep everyone calm by issuing less variable annual growth rates. In short, the official numbers were doctored in addition to using inadequate Soviet era tools. Many financial exerts inside and outside China fear that all this official manipulation of economic data (an ancient practice in China) is masking some serious economic problems that could go sideways at any time and cause a banking crises that would paralyze the economy for a while and cause political chaos inside China and beyond. Its very much a crouching tiger and hidden dragon. This is an ancient phrase warning that behind seeming success and talent lurks the possibility of imminent disaster. Chinese are ever mindful of this sort of thing. The realistic Chinese economy measurements indicate continuing declining productivity and GDP growth. Worst case is that in a year or so GDP growth halts or even goes negative by one or two percent a year. This means more unemployment and less income per person in China. While Chinese leaders prefer to talk about external threats (like the United States or neighboring countries fighting back as China claims their territory) the biggest threats to China have, over thousands of years, usually been internal. Chinese leaders fear this the most because historically the most common cause of Chinese leaders losing their jobs (and usually their heads) was rebellion or civil war. In the 1970s the new (post hard core communist) leadership decided they could buy their way out of trouble and since the 1980s that has worked. But now the Big Bribe (of the entire Chinese population) is in trouble and it is uncertain how the crises will be resolved (explosively or quietly). When the golden chains no longer restrain the Chinese population, what will happen? The Chinese stock market crash, which got more media attention than the bad economic data problem, is still underway. Average stock values are back to where they were in late 2014. The official government assessment is that the stock market collapse has nothing to do with the economy. There is some truth to that but to the large number (over 100 million) of Chinese who have suffered from the sharp fall in stock prices, all the bad economic news seems to mush together with whatever is wrong with the stock market. Then there is the devaluation of the yuan (the Chinese currency) impacts all Chinese because that means it takes more yuan to buy a dollar, the main currency for international trade. That means it costs Chinese more (over ten percent more so far) to pay for imports. The Chinese government does not have enough cash to strop this devaluation, despite all the government pronouncements that everything is fine. The economic problems, especially unemployment and bad treatment of many workers and led to more public demonstrations calling for labor unions and other reforms. For the government the scariest unrest is the labor strike, which is illegal in China. Yet in there were over 2,700 of them in 2015, which was nearly twice as many as in 2014. Workers want more money, safety and job security. Independent (of government control) labor unions are illegal in China and workers have been creative in finding ways around that restriction to organize opposition. The government admits that there are over two million official labor disputes a year and that is increasing as well. China does have labor unions but these are government controlled and meant to keep workers in line and prevent strikes (unless the government wants them). None of the angry workers wants to risk jail by openly participating in what the government could call illegal union activities. So there have been more and more spontaneous and leaderless work stoppages and walkouts. In some cases workers will threaten management, without using a representative or workers committee to deliver the threat. All this is of great concern to the government. After all, China is still, in theory and practice, a communist police state. So it is embarrassing and scary when all that power proves incapable to keeping workers in line, quiet and on the job. The workers use cell phones and the Internet in creative ways, getting around government electronic surveillance. This provides workers with a safe way to communicate, maintain morale, and organize more labor actions. There are often repercussions anyway. Strike leaders will be sought more aggressively and punished. Efforts to block use of cell phones and the internet to support such forbidden activities (strikes) will accelerate. But despite all this additional effort the state security agencies still tend to come up empty. The workers are winning and becoming bolder. The government started the year by reminding everyone that the anti-corruption campaign would not only continue but intensify. In the past only lower ranking party members were prosecuted but by 2015 it became clear that if the corrupt senior party members were not shut down the widespread corruption would survive. So prosecutors are told no one was immune and throughout 2015 some of the most senior government and Chinese Communist Party officials were being prosecuted. This is unprecedented and if the investigators are allowed to prosecute all they find to be dirty there will be a lot of new faces in the partly leadership by the end of 2016. Apparently senior officials were also quietly told that if they resigned, admitted their transgressions and made restitution they would be left alone. The biggest impact of the anti-corruption effort is in the state controlled enterprises. These account for over 20 percent of GDP and even more jobs. These operations make far less profit than privately owned firms and are seen as a form of make-work to keep unemployment down. Worse, these inefficient firms are often run by very corrupt and inept officials and not allowed to go bankrupt. The reforms are supposed to make the state owned firms more competitive as well as becoming subject to bankruptcy. With a looming labor shortage the government feels it can survive a lot of these state owned firms going bankrupt and disappearing. There are some other problems as well. The state owned firms have a disproportionate number of corrupt managers and so many are being prosecuted that some of these firms complain about a crises in management. Thats because state-owned firms did not attract the best managers in the first place and with all the corruption-related arrests it is difficult for many firms to find competent replacements. In addition a management job in a state owned firm, especially at a senior level, does not enhance the reputation of a manager seeking the greater opportunities in the more dynamic and profitable independent (of state control) firms. Given the current situation it is also seen as dangerous to take a job in an organization that had been run by corrupt managers, because many more corrupt managers may still be there and that could lead to replacement executives being entangled in further investigations and get prosecuted as well. While all these corruption prosecutions seem to be directed at people who are guilty the government releases few details of exactly what they did wrong. Some of the transgressions are known because the officials are living in mansions or country estates that they could never afford on their state salary. The government does not censor much of the reporting on this, which are often accompanied by real estate experts providing the market value of these properties. Then there are the expensive cars, jewelry and other visible valuables that there is a known market value for. Apparently the government does not want Chinese to know how extensive the stealing has been in precise terms. It is apparently a very large chunk of the GDP. Meanwhile China continues to insist that it owns the South China Sea despite what anyone else in the neighborhood believes or international treaties say. The neighbors (especially Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines) continue to protest and build up their much smaller air and naval forces. Many Filipinos doubt that the United States would stand fast if China pushed hard. There are no signs that China is going to back down when it comes to its many territorial claims on neighbors. On January 6th North Korea conducted a successful test of what they claimed was a fusion (H-Bomb) nuclear weapon. This was condemned by the United States, Russia, China, South Korea and just about everyone else. China and Russia both agree that North Korea having nukes is a bad thing but China is more concerned about this than Russia or anyone else. While China refused to impose the strict sanctions on North Korea that the United States was calling for, the Chinese have been increasing forceful in their criticism of North Korea. For example trade with North Korea declined 15 percent in 2015 and China is openly (in the state controlled media) telling North Korea that continued work on its nuclear and ballistic weapons program means North Korea can no longer depend on support from China if North Korea gets involved in a war. China could cut off all trade, which would cause a major economic crisis in North Korea. While that trade only amounts to about five billion dollars a year, it is over 70 percent of North Korean foreign trade. There has also been a reduction in trade between China and South Korea. But that trade is more than a hundred times larger than the North Korea-China trade and the drop is all economic (the stalled Chinese economy). This is much less of a problem in the south than in the north where the reduction in Chinese trade is a matter of life or death for many. An even bigger problem is that China has not shipped any petroleum products to North Korea for two years. There has been some smuggling, but China has been the major source of oil for North Korea since the 1990s this cutoff has been a big problem. Officially the North Koreans have not backed off because of these Chinese moves. Unofficially there have been a lot of secret negotiations going on between North Korea and China. Meanwhile American military commanders in the Pacific have gone on record that the United States considers North Korea, not China, the biggest military threat in the region. January 30, 2016: A U.S. Navy destroyer moved close (less than 22 kilometers) to one of the Paracel Islands (Triton) in the South China Sea. According to China this is illegal because China has claimed (and occasionally occupied) the island since 1974 when it used force to drive off South Vietnamese forces seeking to take possession. China considers Triton Island part of China and that all waters within 22 kilometers of this Chinese territory are Chinese as well and unauthorized visits by foreigners are forbidden. The problem is that international law does not recognize this Chinese claims and the Chinese make it clear they do not care what the rest of the world thinks. Triton Island is still claimed by Vietnam as well as Taiwan. January 29, 2016: Japanese media reported that the Japanese military had been ordered to destroy any North Korean ballistic missile that entered Japanese air space. In the past North Korea has fired long range ballistic missiles through Japanese air space in part because such a long-range missile test can hardly avoid violating some neighbors air space but also because North Korea believed that sort of thing would intimidate ancient enemy Japan. North Korea insists it is only putting satellites into orbit. January 28, 2016: Japan displayed, for the first time, its X-2 experimental stealth fighter. This aircraft is to make its first flight within a month so there was no point in trying to keep it hidden from public view anymore. Japan admits that it will take about a decade to get the X-2 into service, assuming all the technical and fiscal obstacles can be overcome. January 27, 2016: Task Force (TF) 152 of the Chinese Navy reached Indonesia and will spend five days there showing off the destroyer, frigate and replenishment ship that comprise task force. The sailors and 64 commandos assigned to the task force will also get some shore leave. TF 152 has been on a world tour for nearly a year. First it spent four months with the international anti-piracy patrol off Somalia then proceeded around the world making stops in Africa, the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and the Americas (including the United States). Meanwhile, for the first time ever Chinese warships visited Bangladesh. Task Force (TF) 21 will spend five days there showing off the destroyer, frigate and replenishment ship that comprise TF 21. January 26, 2016: Japan announced that it is reinforcing its islands closest to China. This means another 20 F-15s will be based on Okinawa, one of the many islands that China has claims on. January 24, 2016: In Laos a roadside bomb killed two Chinese and wounded another. The Laotian government blamed the attack on criminals but anti-communist rebels have been operating in Laos since the communists took control in late 1975. Many Laotians held China responsible for this and have been resisting any way they can ever since. Meanwhile China has been investing in Laos and this also upsets some of the locals who lose their land or are otherwise harmed by this Chinese invasion. Many parts of tiny (population 6.5 million) Laos have long been lawless and that has led to all manner of misbehavior. In 2011 China sent 300 police to work with their counterparts from Laos, Burma and Thailand to operate joint patrols on the Mekong River (which flows through all four countries). This followed an increase in attacks on Mekong river shipping, sometimes involving corrupt soldiers or police. So the security personnel from all four countries kept an eye on each other. For a long time there has been a major problem with drug smuggling out of Burma. The drugs are valuable, illegal and very portable. China has had problems with drug smuggling out of this area since the 18th century. Moreover, most of the cargo ships that play the Mekong are Chinese. Laotians do not like being policed by outsiders, especially Chinese. January 21, 2016: : China has, as expected, denounced the Filipino announcement of a new air traffic control facility on Pagasa Island in the South China Sea. The million dollar space satellite based system would cover a hole in the Filipino air traffic control network and handle the 200 or more flights a day that normally pass through. Pagasa is the second-largest (37.2 hectares/93 acres) of the Spratly Islands and is inhabited by 200 Filipinos civilians and a few military personnel. China has been increasingly belligerent in its claims to Pagasa and threatens to take it back by force. China reacted to the flight control facility by issuing an official protest and repeating its threats. Chinese military and civilian ships are showing up near Pagasa with increasing frequency and sometimes the Chinese vessels try (by getting in the way) to prevent non-Chinese vessels from getting too close to the island. The Philippines often has a coast guard patrol boat off the island (which is 480 kilometers from the nearest Filipino territory China does not claim) and that provides the possibility of a violent military encounter. January 20, 2016: In Algeria a Chinese firm signed a contract to build a new $3.3 billion port facility 60 kilometers west of the capital Algiers. China is paying for this with Chinese builders handling the construction on an effort which will take about seven years. The 23 docks in the new port will be able to handle 26 million tons of cargo a year, most of it in containers. China and the Algerian government will operate the port, which will be one of the largest in North Africa. China is becoming a major presence in Algeria. By 2013 Chinese firms had invested $1.5 billion in Algeria and there were some 30,000 Chinese working in Algeria for fifty Chinese companies. Since 2013 Chinese investment has grown enormously and by the end of the decade will amount to more than $1o billion in just twenty years. Most of the Chinese are working on transportation (roads, ports and railroad) projects. Although Algeria has lots of unemployment, there are few people with the necessary skills for many of these projects, so China brings in skilled workers from China. Some of those Chinese will settle down in Algeria, but not as many as in non-Arab Africa. The Arabs are not as accepting of foreigners as many other cultures are. While many oil-rich Arab states import foreigners for most of the civilian jobs, these workers are not encouraged to stay and there are strict laws governing the presence of the foreign workers. Algeria sees the Chinese investments, especially in infrastructure, as a way to get the local economy growing and thus provide jobs for the many young Algerians who are increasingly angry about being unemployed. The Chinese workers are very efficient and tend to get their projects done on time and on budget. This makes the Chinese popular with the government which, mainly because of corruption, is notoriously inefficient, especially when it comes to building things for the public. January 10, 2016: At the end of 2015 China announced that it had changed its laws to allow Chinese military and police commandos to operate overseas. This came as a surprise to some foreign naval intelligence agencies because it was known that for several years special operations teams had been seen on Chinese warships operating off the Somali coast as part of the international anti-piracy patrol. But as far anyone knows these commandos never saw any combat although they were observed training a lot. China is expected to use this new authority to offer commandos for sensitive peacekeeping emergencies. Wellesbourne Airfield Businesses on Bridge Street, Stratford, lost trade on the busiest day of the week when power was lost or severely limited to 13 properties on Saturday. Shops affected were on the left-hand side of the street if approaching from Clopton Bridge. According to a manager at WH Smith the power cut first struck at 3.30am on Saturday, returned briefly at midday and was lost for the rest of the day. Most of WH Smiths remained closed to the public, although they were selling newspapers and magazines from the Bridge Street entrance. Their cash tills were not operational and lights in the shop were dimmed. They took cash and the smiling staff seemed to be carrying on in a spirit of the Blitz manner. When the Herald visited the area in the afternoon, it appeared as if Jigsaw, Clinton Cards and Thorntons had not opened at all. Boots appeared to be operating as normal, although lighting was dim in the shop. Workmen were working on underground cables on the junction of Chapel Street and Bridge Street outside Crabtree & Evelyn. They told the Herald that they had isolated the problem, but were still working on fixing it. Update: According to the Western Power website on Sunday morning, the problem has now been fixed. Please email news@stratford-herald.com if you have more information. DUBAI, UAE, January 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Company launches second phase of ' Apna Sapna ' Promotes personal savings among workers and their families The Western Union Company has successfully concluded the first phase of 'Apna Sapna', a financial literacy programme for migrant workers, with 18,500 participants attending free training sessions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The vast majority of participants say the programme has helped them understand and plan their finances better, to achieve long-terms goals. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130515/613588 ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160131/327707 ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160131/327708 ) Western Union has also announced the launch of a second module of Apna Sapna that focuses on personal savings, with new training sessions held in workers' accommodations in Dubai. Launched in November 2014, Western Union's Apna Sapna ('Our Dreams' in Hindi and Urdu) is designed specifically to help migrant workers develop the skills to manage their money and plan their future. The sessions are conducted in multiple languages - primarily for unskilled workers in the corporate and retail sectors - and are typically held at labour camps and workers' accommodations on Fridays, or after work hours on weekdays. According to Hatem Sleiman, Western Union's Regional Vice President - Middle East, "The Apna Sapna programme builds upon Western Union's long history of commitment and engagement with migrant workers, and echoes the UAE government's directions to focus on their welfare and help them safeguard their future through effective financial literacy." It is the impact and importance of the programme that has led to its resounding success," he says. "When we launched Apna Sapna, we were hesitant to restrict ourselves with any target numbers, but the results have exceeded everything we expected. Apna Sapna has not only proven very popular - in the number of participants and venues - but it has made a substantial impact in the lives of so many people." Sleiman also explained the new modules of the programme: "The most important factor that has emerged out of the training sessions conducted to date is the need for personal savings. Thereby, the next phase of Apna Sapna highlights this particular aspect of financial literacy." Based on interactive feedback, the new sessions instruct participants how and where to save their money, promotes smart money management among their family members, and imparts special training on saving towards setting up a small business. Participants also receive a free booklet that lists a variety of recognised and legitimate savings schemes in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan at this stage of the programme - with more countries to follow in 2016. The goal of this phase is to ensure that several thousand workers can upgrade their status from 'survival' to 'stability', Sleiman added. Sessions of the modules that focus on personal savings were launched in Dubai, and will be rolled out across the rest of the UAE, and KSA in due course. Notes to editor The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of September 30, 2015, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of over 500,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 100,000 ATMs and kiosks. In 2014, The Western Union Company completed 255 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $85 billion of principal between consumers, and 484 million business payments. For more information, visit http://www.westernunion.com. Background Note Western Union's Apna Sapna Financial literacy programme - UAE and KSA Western Union's Apna Sapna is a free financial literacy programme for migrant workers. Translated as 'Our Dreams' in Hindi and Urdu, Apna Sapna is part of Western Union's community outreach and corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, and draws from their corporate signature: Moving Money for Better Conducted in 8 languages, the grassroots training programme aims to drive financial awareness, education and adoption where it is most needed. It is versatile enough for every participant to be able to track their expenses and set targets for savings - irrespective of age, ethnicity, employment, or earnings. The aim Apna Sapna is designed to address the many challenges of migrant workers who are unsure how to achieve their goals, and yet, wish to build secure futures for themselves and their families. By providing them with financial training and tools, participants are enabled to make proactive and timely decisions with a view to improving their lives. In particular, the programme is designed to help empower women and foster their financial independence in the future. According to a white paper released in the UAE[1], migrant women are more reliable than men at remitting funds to their home countries, they contribute more to building human capital and living expenses, and they are also more likely to be a 'safety net' during financial emergencies. When women provide financial support to others, it is often at the cost of personal sacrifices and compromises. Apna Sapna gives these women the tools and training to make smart financial decisions - as a means for them and their families to experience a better quality of life in the future. The delivery Conceptualised and customised by local financial experts, the training model integrates basics of financial planning and tracking, expense management, and prudent spending and saving. In summation, participants are taught how to manage their money better, in order to save some of it. Training is typically delivered through face-to-face immersive sessions with small groups, and hosted at labour camps or workers' accommodations. Each session is facilitated by two trained independent volunteers, in addition to Western Union staff who assist when needed. At the end of every session, participants are provided with a free annual budget tracker, in a choice of 8 languages. In the savings module, participants are provided with a booklet on savings schemes in their home countries. The scope The financial literacy programme was launched in November 2014, with the intention of training migrant workers residing in the UAE and KSA. A total of 18,500 men and women workers in the UAE and KSA have attended Apna Sapna training sessions A new phase of the programme is ongoing and focuses on personal savings [1].Women Migrants, Remittances and Their Impact in the GCC Region: Towards a More Supportive Social and Policy Environment, by Dr. Ismail Hakki Genc - Professor of Economics and Dr. George Naufal - Assistant Professor of Economics, American University in Sharjah. SOURCE Western Union Police were called to an incident in South Auckland early Monday morning after a drunk driver crashed into a traffic island. One man is spending his morning sobering up at the police station after crashing into a traffic island in South Auckland. Police Northern Communications shift commander Inspector Peter Raynes said ambulance were called to the crash on Ti Rakau Rd in Botany about 5am on Monday. Police staff were then called to assist after the driver of the car that crashed into the island became aggressive towards ambulance staff, Raynes said. The man was not hurt but was unconscious when emergency services arrived on the scene "because of how drunk he was". The man was taken to Counties Manukau Police Station. No was else was involved in the incident. Doug Blakie sits by his daughters grave Lisa Blackie who was murdered 16 years ago. Two former police officers who worked on the Lisa Blakie murder case have backed claims that the investigation was not handled properly, her father says. But police say they are confident the right man is behind bars. Tuesday marks the 16th year since Lisa went missing while hitchhiking to the West Coast in 2000. Her body was found on February 6 under a boulder near Arthur's Pass. JOHN BISSET/FAIRFAXNZ The memorial to murdered Timaru woman Lisa Blakie. The memorial is near the site where her body was found in the Porters River 10 years ago. Darfield man Timothy Taylor was convicted of Lisa's murder in 2002, but former police officer Bridget McMenamin has always maintained that Taylor was jailed for a crime he did not commit. Those claims have been backed up by two other officers who also worked the case, Lisa's father, Doug Blakie says. READ MORE: * Doug Blakie's fight for the truth * Man agrees to give DNA sample * New Blakie evidence revealed * New information casts doubt over murder Blakie said the officers had "raised doubts" about the initial investigation into the murder. He did not want to identify the former officers, as they were "not prepared to put pen to paper". "They were very much off the record," he said. "But I appreciate their comments." Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Murton said he was not aware of any officers, apart from McMenamin, who were critical of the investigation. Murton worked on the case and gave evidence at Taylor's trial. He was "completely confident" that Taylor killed Lisa, and all the evidence pointed to him acting alone, Murton said. Blakie, like McMenamin, has always believed that other people were involved in his daughter's death. He has spent 16 years trying to prove that theory. A breakthrough came late last year when a man living in Australia who was linked to the murder agreed to provide police with a DNA sample. Blakie said an application had been made to have another man, believed to be living in Ireland, tested as well. Murton said he had asked for the reasoning behind that request. "We're not going to test every name that Bridget McMenamin comes up with, that may have been living in Timaru or had some link to Lisa Blakie, however tenuous. "There has to be a reason." Police would follow up leads if there was justification to do so, he said. The mystery man living in Australia was identified by Taylor as one of three occupants of a white Bedford van that was seen being driven around the area at the time Lisa was killed. Murton said the man had sought legal advice, but was still happy to provide police with a sample. An officer spoke to the man last week, and they were "working out the logistics" of attaining the sample, he said. The DNA would then be sent to an American lab to be tested. "It's going to be a long process. It's not something that's going to be done within a couple of weeks." Laonie Gilchrist, 67, has type two diabetes. She has just started the 10-week Jumpstart Programme, designed for those with or at risk of diabetes. A programme designed to educate patients about diabetes has been so successful there are plans to extend it nationally. Jumpstart is a ten week programme that covers exercise, nutrition and lifestyle and operates at the YMCA gym in Hamilton and gyms across Auckland. For those who are pre-diabetic it can help delay or even prevent the onset of type two diabetes. Hamilton participant Laonie Gilchrist already has it. She said her fitness levels have increased since joining the programme. "The help that I've had has been amazing. I can read labels properly and now I know how to identify exactly what's in the food I'm eating and certain foods to stay away from," she said. "It's really educated me about food and nutrition." Jumpstart founders Peter Fergusson and Chandra Selvadurai started the programme to limit the effects of diabetes. Fergusson is the chief executive of YMCA Auckland and said the idea was a no-brainer for him. "We've heard a lot recently about the horrifying statistics for diabetes in New Zealand," he said. "With 250,000 people diagnosed, around 40 new cases every day and potentially another 1.1 million people pre-diabetic, whichever way you look at it the country is facing a massive problem." Co-founder Selvadurai, who is also the chief executive of Pharmaco, said Jumpstart helps by giving people practical ways to manage their health. "Anyone with a diabetes diagnosis can become dispirited and disheartened. Jumpstart, feel good and be in a community of peers and friends with the same goals," he said. Diabetes NZ Waikato president Murray Dear said self-management is key. "We have seen the evidence already with people benefiting," he said. "People who go through the 10-week programme feel better. Those people who are testing their glucose blood levels feel as if they've got better control, a better understanding of what foods to eat. It's working." Jumpstart coordinator Emily Morris said she has had more than a dozen participants since the programme started in Hamilton. "It's good to see people grow in confidence and to be able to eliminate some misconceptions about diabetes," she said. "There's a lot I hear, like you can't eat peanut butter or you can't have any sugar at all. "This is about getting bits of information over a longer period of time, where the patients are able to process it all." The programme costs $80 per person and is taught by the YMCA's fitness staff. Common results from Jumpstart include weight loss and improvements to BMI, lower blood glucose levels, better flexibility and core strength, and improved general fitness. The programme also includes education about supermarket shopping and buying the right food, the psychology of changing habits and lifestyle, and motivation and goal setting to achieve better health. People wanting to join Jumpstart can enroll at www.ymcaauckland.org.nz, YMCA Hamilton City Leisure Centre - 07 838 2529, or at any YMCA in Auckland. Sheryl Smith, of Wainuiomata, suffered burns to her neck and torso after using a Clairol Nice 'n Easy hair dye product. Multiple Hutt Valley residents are blaming an at-home hair dye for nasty skin reactions in the wake of a fellow resident revealing her horrific burns after using the product. Sheryl Smith, of Wainuiomata, is still suffering from her reaction to black Clairol Nice 'n Easy hair-dye, bought on special from her local Countdown supermarket on January 15. Her doctor diagnosed chemical burns to her head, neck and the backs of her ears, which were sizzled and "dripping yellow". She has suffered itchiness that makes her want to "rip herself to pieces". SUPPLIED Chrystal May's face became so swollen that she could barely see out of one eye after what she believed was a severe reaction to black Clairol Nice 'n Easy hair-dye. Since Smith's story was published on Friday, two more women have spoken about dreadful reactions to the same product, and say they know of other sufferers. READ MORE: Hair dye burns Wainuiomata woman 'like someone's poured acid all over my head' On Sunday, Wainuiomata woman Chrystal May said she was hospitalised after a nasty reaction from colouring her hair in September 2013 with the same black dye. She, like Smith, had dyed her hair many times before with that same product. As a result, both had been confident they had no need to do patch tests before using the dye. Three weeks later, May suffered a severe skin reaction, developing painful, weeping blisters on her neck. "The itching was incredible, you just wanted to get under your skin. "Then it spread to my ears, my ears were dripping with yellow, just like Sheryl, so I went to my doctor and he suggested an allergic reaction to the hair dye." Like Smith, May was prescribed a "whole pharmacy" of steroids, painkillers and antihistamines, but the itching and the blistering continued. A week later, she was admitted to hospital for three days. Her doctors told her the only explanation was a reaction to her hair dye. A month later, she was readmitted to hospital with a badly swollen face, barely able to see out of one eye. That time, her doctors said she had cellulitis, an infection in her skin. It took seven months for the itchy, flakey skin to resolve. After reading Smith's case, and hearing of three others, May planned to complain to health authorities on Monday. "I'd really like for the Ministry of Health to investigate the ingredients list and see if there is something in that particular dye that could cause that many reactions." Another Wainuiomata woman, Andrea Janes, bought black Clairol Nice 'n Easy hair dye from the Wainuiomata Countdown last November, to do a friend's hair. Unlike the others, she did a patch test on the back of his neck, but he had no reaction. However, the next day, he complained of his scalp feeling dry and itchy. Three weeks later, his entire head had broken out in blisters. "He had lumps, almost like parts of his veins had swelled up under his skin, on his forehead and neck." The skin behind his ears went dry then began oozing pus. "He said his head was pulsating, he had headaches and pains behind his eyes," Janes said. His doctor told him it was an allergic reaction. New Zealand's distributor of the product, Procter & Gamble, was contacted for comment about the latest cases. On Friday, the company said it had contacted Smith since her story was published to offer assistance and support. "Allergic reactions are very rare and hair colourants are extensively researched to ensure they are fit for human use when used as directed," it said. "Generally, hair colouring products present no health risk for the consumer when used as directed on the product label." It said the dye's instructions advised doing an allergy alert test at least 48 hours before each time it was used. Poisons Information Centre medical toxicologist Michael Beasley said a reaction could be caused by irritants in the dye or by an individual's allergy to it. Two ingredients in the hair dye were known irritants hydrogen peroxide and P-phenylenediamine but were usually present only in small quantities. The fact that people used the dye previously with no adverse reaction "didn't necessarily mean anything", Beasley said. "Sometimes with allergies you can be taking something for weeks, months or years and you may not get an allergy until a long time after you use it." At least sixteen people were killed in a road crash on a highway south of Cairo Sunday, Egypt's health ministry has said. Twenty one others were injured in the accident which occurred on a road near the governorate of Beni Suef, about 100 km south of Cairo, health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed told Ahram Online. The spokesman said those wounded have been sent to local hospitals in Beni Suef. Initial reports suggest the crash was a result of dense fog. Photos shared online of the accident show a large number of mangled vehicles, including trucks and trailer trucks. Separately on Sunday, two people were killed in an accident involving a tuk-tuk (an auto rickshaw) and a truck in the Nile Delta governorate of Beheira, Ahram Arabic news website reported. Sunday's accidents are the latest in thousands of deadly road crashes that take place on a near daily basis in Egypt, which is notorious for poor road safety, badly maintained infrastructure, and loosely enforced traffic regulations. The country's official statistics agency said in December that over 2800 people were killed in road and train crashes in Egypt in the first half of 2015. Search Keywords: Short link: The biggest crash occurred near the governorate of Beni Suef, killing 16 and injuring 21 others Over two dozen were killed and tens wounded in separate road accidents in Egypt Sunday, the country's health ministry and Al-Ahram Arabic said. At least 16 people were killed and 21 wounded in a massive multi-vehicle crash on a highway near the governorate of Beni Suef, about 120 kilometres south of Cairo, Khaled Megahed, Egypt's health ministry spokesman, told Ahram Online. Photos shared online of the accident showed a large number of mangled vehicles, including trucks and trailer trucks. Initial reports suggest the crash was caused by dense fog. Another accident occurred when a train travelling from Upper Egypt ran over a vehicle while crossing the railtrack in Giza's Al-Ayyat district, some 70 kilometres south of Cairo, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported. Medics say five others injured in the crash are in critical condition. Egypt's railway system is operated manually, with watchmen responsible for the opening and closure of crossings an unsafe and error prone practice that has caused dozens of deadly accidents over the years. In a third incident, two people, aged 22 and 25, were killed in an accident involving a tuk-tuk (an auto rickshaw) and a truck in the Nile Delta governorate of Beheira, Al-Ahram reported. Sunday's accidents are the latest in thousands of deadly road crashes that take place yearly in Egypt, notorious for poor road safety, badly maintained infrastructure, and loosely enforced traffic regulations. The country's official statistics agency said in December that over 2,800 people were killed in road and train crashes in Egypt in the first half of 2015. Search Keywords: Short link: Recycled food for Sirisena and world leaders at UNs gala dinner View(s): When the United Naitons hosted a high-level lunch for visiting world leaders, including Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, during the General Assembly sessions last September, they were in for an unexpected surprise, according to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Speaking at an event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Ban said the lunch consisted largely of recycled food salvaged from the kitchen before it was dumped into garbage bins. In short, it was junk food metaphorically speaking. Every dish was made from scraps that would normally be wasted, said Ban who is a strong advocate of Zero Hunger. One of the appetisers was called landfill salad, he said, singling it out as a small example of sustainable solution to eliminating world hunger. The secretary-general said more than a third of the worlds food goes to waste. And eliminating wasted food in homes and in fields is a key element in achieving Zero Hunger. The menu displayed at the lunch where President Sirisena occupied the main table along with US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin apparently described the recycled dishes on the invitation left on the table for each guest. We wonder how many heads of state, including President Sirisena, read the menu before digging into their lunch. As Ban would say, it was all for a good cause in a world where more than 795 million people suffer from extreme hunger. Perhaps during his next visit to the UN, the President may opt to take his food taster with him, or probably his own buth packet. Sirisena icing on Rajapaksa cake Unity has become the main focus for MPs in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). Not surprisingly, when President Maithripala Sirisena is carrying on a yearlong campaign to get fuller control of the party while his predecessor is backing moves for a new political party and an opposition alliance thereafter. For both sides, the local council elections, set for July, will become a test of strength. Little wonder, most SLFP ministers are continuing to exhort the need for unity. In that pursuit, Minister Dilan Perera drew an analogy. He said that Mahinda Rajapaksa was the cake. The icing was President Maithripala Sirisena. He said without the icing people would not buy the cake. A rejoinder came from former Minister Basil Rajapaksa. He remarked at a meeting that even if some people bought the cake with the icing on it, they threw the icing away before enjoying the cake. Major omission for freedom day For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, even the national day ceremonies conducted by Sri Lanka diplomatic missions cannot be organised properly. The Ministry has sent out the usual circular on how to observe the countrys National Day. However, one major omission is the two minutes silence observed to remember war heroes a practice that has been observed in the past years. In view of the current debate locally on the role of the Armed Forces in defeating the LTTE, this omission, however, has some significance. Captain, whats this Johnny doing at the port? A southern port has become the envy of shippers as trade from there, particularly trans-shipment of cars, is on the increase. They say that a johnnie-come-lately, one who fled to a far corner of the world in the past years, has won the hearts and minds of those who matter. So much so, the man, they say has been offered the monopoly of handling cars. If shippers presently charged only a single US dollar for inspection, our Johnny, they say wants to raise it to US$ 12. That is to ensure there is a cool dividend among those who are helping him with great authorities. It is not clear whether the Captain, as they call their big boss, is aware or has given his blessings for the newcomer. President to sign climate deal in New York President Maithripala Sirisena is among world leaders invited to a signing ceremony on April 22 for the climate agreement that was reached in Paris in December last year. He took part in this conference and delivered an address on that occasion. A United Nations media statement from New York said, the signing event will take place at the UN headquarters on the first day the agreement will be open for signature, which coincides with the observance of International Mother Earth Day. Tight security for President in Berlin President Maithripala Sirisena is due to visit Berlin and Vienna on a tour that will begin on February 23. An advance security team of seven members, including Protocol Chief Rizvi Hassen, is in Berlin. They have become guests at the residence of Sri Lanka Ambassador Karunatilleke Amunugama. Probably they want to save the Sri Lankan tax payers money, or the hotel allowances they are paid. Insiders say the larger security presence is unprecedented. Even during the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, only a small security contingent went as advance party to ensure arrangements are in place. In Vienna, there is another story. The newly appointed Ambassador Priyani Wijesekera is going on approved leave from February 4 and will return just the day before President Sirisenas arrival. Norway hater in Oslo flop Once a vociferous critic of Norway, many Sri Lankans are unaware that National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa visited Norway from December 22 to 26 last year. He had been invited by two well-known hardliners, Ajith Pitigala and Renuka Wijesekera, both long-time residents in Norway. In the only hastily arranged public meeting by the two organisers, the discussion in a school hall had started after an almost two-hour delay due to the late arrival of Mr. Weerawansa from Germany. Only about 20 persons attended. As usual, Mr. Weerawansa launched a tirade against President Sirisena. He faulted him for appointing his brother as Chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom. He sought support for a new force. At the end of the near-90-minute event, the two organisers had called on the gathering to contribute generously for the arrangements made to get the NFF leader to Norway. Little was forthcoming. The two organisers had also invited the participants to have a private meeting with the comrade to discuss specific issues and/or more contributions to a noble cause to save the motherland and also to make use of the opportunity to extend private invitations to visit their homes as the comrade is staying for a while in Oslo. A few had gone into a separate meeting room for the tete-a-tete. In dependence of our Independence View(s): Sri Lanka celebrates her 68th anniversary of Independence next Thursday and it seems someone has a twisted sense of humour or timing to have the UN Human Rights chief arrive the next day to discuss purported war crimes of the same Armed Forces that displayed their hardware with a spit and polish drill display along Colombos Galle Face promenade just the day before. The visiting chief, a pro-West Jordanian Prince, will be here to discuss the UNHRC resolution to investigate the conduct of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and the then political leadership during the final stages of the three decade-long armed insurgency, the aim of which was the dismemberment of this nation-state. One might as well have invited the Prince as the chief guest on February 4 to complete the irony. China is about to have its first transplant of a human head sometime soon. In the case of the over-ambitious Prince, he should at least turn his regal head around to see what is happening on his very doorstep with the influx of refugees in Jordan from the war next door in Syria unleashed by terrorists, the West, and now Russia, triggering also, a massive exodus of refugees to Europe, not seen since World War II seventy years ago. This, in turn, has seen European nations, once the pioneers of international covenants on human rights passing flagrantly anti-human rights laws which include the wicked confiscation of personal valuables of the hapless refugees fleeing the war zones in West Asia. It seems the Prince can paraphrase and say like Speaker Lenthal did hundreds of years ago when Cromwell came with his army to arrest some MPs in the British Parliament: I have neither eyes to see, nor ears to hear; nor mouth to speak other than what the UNHRC commands me to do. And so, he who pays the piper calls the tune, and the UNHRC and its chief must abide by the dictates of the United States that spearheaded a resolution against Sri Lanka in Geneva to spite the former anti-West regime in Colombo but now finds itself in the uncomfortable position of having the same resolution against a pro-West government. The Prince may be coming with a brief; to work out, who knows, an exit route for Sri Lanka and the US, both now co-sponsors of the anti-Sri Lanka resolution. The President has put an advance spoke in the Princes visit by announcing that there will be no foreign judges in the Sri Lanka judcial mechanism that will form a war crimes tribunal, for all intents and purposes. That there is a division within the Government on this issue cannot be ruled out. After the President said what he said, the Prime Minister is on record saying that the Government will stick to what was agreed in Geneva i.e. the participation of foreign technical advisers, prosecutors and judges, in what will go into a painstaking exercise in punishing persons who purportedly committed violations of International Humanitarian Law in the early part of 2009 up untill May that year when the dreaded LTTE was eventually vanquished on the battlefield. The President is only too aware of the political consequences in questioning the heroic role of the Armed Forces which defeated a terrorist organisation that was no second in brutality and bloodletting to the octopus-like IS (Islamic State) organisation that is creating mayhem around the world. He may have got carried away initially and said those who committed war crimes in Sri Lanka need to be punished, but he now (probably) sees the inherent political danger in allowing foreign judges to adjudicate and mete out the punishment to the local Ranaviru (war heroes). With his political opponents waiting to pounce on what will certainly be a nationalistic cause celebre the question of this countrys sovereignty, integrity and independence and disgruntled soldiery (who feel their comrades have been sacrificed at the altar of neo-colonialism), is a matter on which the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces must think twice. The PM argues that his Government, by agreeing to a domestic mechanism with a foreign input saved the country from a greater ignominy in the form of an International War Crimes Tribunal. He says that in 2002 when the Rome Statute was introduced to establish the International Criminal Court (ICC), his government then did not make Sri Lanka a party to it, and that this saved Sri Lankan leaders from being hauled up before it. That is not necessarily so as the UN Security Council can refer countries to the ICC as it has done in the case of Sudan and Libya, both non-States Parties to the Rome Statute. And yet, having foreign judges will not be a popular decision even if, and theres some truth to it, that the judicial process in Sri Lanka lacks credibility. It is in this context that one needs to see last weeks demonstration outside the Homagama court by a group of monks that raises suspicion that a hidden foreign hand could be at work to discredit the legal process in this country at this very time. The Indian External Affairs Minister arrives hot on the heels of the UNHRC chief. The Indian VIP comes though as a neighbour, albeit one who has had hot and cold ties with Sri Lanka in recent years. It was India that nursed the separatist insurgency, but having lost an ex-Prime Minister at the hands of a terrorist organisation his mother fostered and her Armed Forces suffered a bloodied nose when they came ostensibly as a peace-keeping force, bilateral relations are today on a separate frequency. In a message on Indias 68th Republic Day last week, Indias envoy in Colombo referred to his countrys neighbourhood first policy where Sri Lanka will have a first claim on India, whatever that may mean. Indias growth, he said, is linked to the prosperity of its neighbourhood, but that rings hollow when India looks the other way as its fishing armadas enter Lankan waters thrice a week, every week, to rape its marine resources and inflict a kidney punch on Lankan fishermen and our economy. This is an ongoing irritant and Indias incessant pressure for Sri Lanka to succumb to that pressure has forced Colombo to adopt a meek catch and release policy; where the SL Navy catches the poachers and the government releases them in comical regularity. So, when Sri Lanka wants to forge an agreement with India, any agreement, there is natural suspicion that the Government in Colombo will capitulate on tricky issues. The existing FTA (Free Trade Agreement) is already experiencing such problems that there is no level playing field. Last week, a former Sri Lanka ambassador outlined the pitfalls . On February 4, 1948, freedom was obtained after an Independence Movement waged alone, but in the shadow of the struggle in India and the aftermath of World War II. In 1972, the remaining ties with Britain were severed as we became a Republic but the seeds of separatism, however, were germinating and a full blown civil war ensued. The Armed Forces were called in to end that brutish insurgency. That horrific period is behind us. Reconciliation is the need of the hour. Hate speech must end both in the south and the north. Opening old wounds will not help. We ended 400 years of foreign colonial rule in 1948, not to invite them back in a new avatar. We now have no one to blame for our follies but ourselves. We are now, the masters of our own destiny. MadFan t-shirts bringing illustration and designs to comic and cartoon fans By Adilah Ismail View(s): View(s): At Sri Lankas first ComicCon held in November last year, MadFan Clothing had completely sold out and were wiped clean in three hours.They had stocked up for the event with a modest 150 t-shirts and the response they had received was overwhelming. We didnt even get a chance to set up the table, laughs Nimesh Niyomal, one of the designers at MadFan Clothing. MadFan Clothing is a creative offshoot of We Are Designers, a Design Studio based in Colombo. While We Are Designers engage in all things digital and design from websites, games, apps and logos the company also encourages creative projects on the side. In March 2014 We Are Designers debuted a graphic novel The Grey Walker and MadFan Clothing is the companys latest creative project to share their creative efforts locally. MadFan clothing currently sells t-shirts which tap into their teams passions and love for design and illustration. Plans are on the cards to branch out into other merchandise. The three-man design team at MadFan Clothing each bring years of experience and their own flavour into the design blend. A designer with nine years of experience, Nimesh Niyomal, is a self-avowed Batman addict and a comic book and movie lover. Nimeshs designs are influenced by his interests and his designs usually contain super hero figures. Tinged with a darker colour palette, Nimeshs t-shirt designs are a visual treat to any comic book fan keen to (literally) wear their fandom on their sleeve. Meanwhile, Dilhan Dissanayake is fascinated by typography and shapes and his t-shirt designs are all explorations with this fascination. Dilhan plays around with typefaces, fonts, symbols and imagery, intuitively arranging and rearranging type to create interesting designs with cheerful colours. Udara Chinthaka, whose work has been featured in international magazines and local media, rounds up the creative trio, bringing in 15 years of design experience to the helm. A man of few words, Udara let his illustrations do the talking, showing the Mirror Magazine a few of his upcoming designs for MadFans t-shirts. Theres a remixing of the old and new, which make his illustrations interesting. Udaras brand of illustration is packed with layers and dense with detail and is a nod to traditional Sri Lankan art, bringing old imagery into a new, contemporary light. What makes MadFan unique is the fact that it goes beyond clothing and is a sartorial celebration of home grown talent. Each t-shirt is a fresh design by the young designers, often customized to an event at a certain point in time. Joe Lenora, Managing Director of We are Designers, explains that this was a project the design team was passionate about and that they try and put a new collection every month. Each t-shirt runs through a limited amount of prints and is carefully designed after weeks of deliberation and being vetted by the team. T-shirts are also designed in accordance to special events, the latest trends and movie releases a minion themed t-shirt was designed a few months ago while the Star Wars t-shirts are doing the rounds lately. In a t-shirt design which celebrates Sri Lanka, MadFan eschews the tired image of the elephant which often dominate Sri Lanka related t-shirt images, opting for imagery such as islands, king coconuts and whales. For now, MadFan usually opts for pop-up stalls at events and also sell their t-shirts online. Theyre toying with a tentative idea for a physical store which could combine multiple design elements and will be releasing more designs soon. You can take a look at some of MadFans designs at http://madfanclothing.com/ or follow their Facebook page for updates on new t-shirts facebook.com/MadFanclothing BIA targets Singapore-bound passengers to deter human smuggling By Chris Kamalendran View(s): View(s): Sri Lanka is to step up screening procedures of foreigners and locals travelling to Singapore via Bandaranaike International Airport, following revelations that Colombo was being used as a hub for smuggling human cargo. The issue was a subject discussed by the Defence Ministry, Immigration officials, Airport Aviation Authority and SriLankan Airlines officials on Friday. The move came as a report submitted at the discussion showed that at least six persons who enter Singapore via Colombo were being deported. Defence Secretary Karunsena Hettiaarachchi told the Sunday Times that measures were discussed as detections of smuggled persons were creating a bad image of the country, as well as incurring losses for the national airline, as they were compelled fly the deportees back, when Singaporean authorities refused to issue them with on-arrival visas. Mr. Hettiarachchi said that, among the foreign nationals detected and deported were Bangladeshis, Indians and Pakistanis. He said, on a directive from President Maithripala Sirisena, steps have been taken with the help of the Immigration Dept and the Airport and Aviation Authority officials to step up the screening process and administration. Immigration Controller M.N. Ranasinghe said they will be upgrading their database to deter persons from using Colombo for human smuggling. SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ajith Dias also submitted an audit report on the impact on the airline due to the racket. New body under PM to oversee Foreign Ministry By Our Diplomatic Editor Global Affairs Commiitee headed by Charitha Ratwatte to guide diplomatic and economic work on PMs order View(s): View(s): A Global Affairs Committee under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will oversee the working of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), giving directions on foreign policy and all related matters. It is headed by Charitha Ratwatte, a former Treasury Secretary and currently a senior Advisor to the Prime Minister. This is one of a number of measures Premier Wickremesinghe has taken in a bid to revive the Foreign Ministry which was found to be floundering. He met relevant ministers and senior officials of the Ministry at his office in the parliament complex this month and was bitterly critical. He said in the past one year the Foreign Ministry had done little or nothing. Those present at the meeting included Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Deputy Minister Harsha de Silva, Ministers Malik Samarawickrema, Sagala Ratnayake, Lalith Ekanayake, the Prime Ministers Secretary Saman Ekanayake, Foreign Secretary Chitranganee Wagiswara and senior officials in the ministry. Premier Wickremesinghe told the Sunday Times most diplomatic missions overseas were ineffective in many ways and did not report adequately on different aspects. This included the economy and foreign employment. He said the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies would be elevated to a degree awarding institution under a programme now being formulated. However, he declined to give details of the meeting he had with the Foreign Ministry. Another source present at the meeting said the Economic Affairs Division that came under the MFA would be brought directly under Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrema. It has been observed that this division was obsolete in the MFA since there was no contribution towards the countrys development efforts. Deputy Minister Harsha de Silva, the source said, was advised to keep in touch with Minister Samarawickrema and not duplicate the work done by his Ministry. It was observed that different ministries were not being serviced by Sri Lanka missions overseas through the MFA. These included the Ministries of Finance, Tourism and Foreign Employment. The Global Affairs Committee, the source added, would play a pivotal role in the working of the ministry. It would not only be guiding the ministry on bilateral issues but also on multilateral issues and other matters that are of interest to Sri Lanka. The Egyptian ministry of health says that it is following the international spread of Zika virus The Zika virus has not yet reached Egypt despite it's spread in other countries, the Egyptian ministry of health announced on Sunday in an official statement. The ministry also added that it is following the international spread of Zika virus closely to take precautions to prevent its spread in Egypt. The health ministry explained that the Zika virus is spreading via a variety of mosquito called "Aedes aegypti," commonly known as the Yellow Fever Mosquito, whose origins lie in Africa. Currently the virus is spreading through 21 countries and territories in the Americas since May 2015, according to the WHO. Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 among monkeys before it was transferred to humans in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania. Search Keywords: Short link: Are some New Zealanders making drastic personal sacrifices just to pay their power bills? A nationwide survey suggests 45 per cent of those surveyed are skimping on essentials, such as visits to the dentist or the doctor because of the increasing cost of electricity and gas. A Papamoa woman has been airlifted to Rotorua Hospital after falling while walking near Whakamaru yesterday. The 45-year injured her leg while on the walk about 51km southwest of Rotorua about 6pm yesterday. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Drug dealers have been sneaking bags of a lethal prescription painkiller into the mix of heroin they sell to addicts in Central New York, according to police and medical professionals. Last year, fentanyl and heroin were involved in the overdose deaths of 11 people in Onondaga County, according to the county health department. In each case, an autopsy found both drugs in the body. One third of all heroin overdose deaths involved fentanyl last year. In 2014, three people in Onondaga County died of overdoses after using both fentanyl and heroin, county health officials said. The lethal combination might be a sadistic marketing tactic. It's the work of street dealers who create a potent product that quickly becomes the talk of the streets by taking an occasional life, medical and police professionals say. Investigators with the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office have discovered the prescription painkiller fentanyl when they tested bags of what appeared to be heroin, Detective Jon Seeber said. "A lot of it has been seen, quite a bit in the western part of the state, in the Rochester area," Seeber said. "And it's started to creep its way here." For dealers, fentanyl is thousands of dollars cheaper to buy than heroin, he said. He said heroin costs $8 to $10 a bag on the street. Fentanyl is also 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. About a dozen people a week are treated at Upstate University Hospital's emergency room for heroin overdoses, said Dr. Ross Sullivan, an ER physician there. Over the past year, about half every week appear to have taken fentanyl, he said. The DEA issued a nationwide alert last year about fentanyl-laced heroin. It reported that the number of fentanyl cases submitted to state and local labs went from 942 in 2013 to 3,344 in 2014. The Drug Enforcement Administration seized these bricks of fentanyl in Buffalo last year, totaling 36 pounds of the drug. The amount of fentanyl the DEA seized in New York state jumped 1,000 percent from 2014 to last year -- going from 2.1 kilograms to 21.5 kilograms, said James Hunt, special agent in charge of the DEA office that covers New York state. In the Chicago area, 82 people overdosed and seven died after using heroin contaminated with fentanyl, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported. It's likely a result of competition among dealers, experts say. "You have individual dealers who are trying to make their product stronger," Hunt said. "They'll mix some fentanyl with the heroin to give it more of a punch. The problem is they're not real chemists, and a little bit too much can kill you." Fentanyl has the same kind of effect on users as heroin, and the two drugs have the same beige color and appearance, police and addiction experts said. Addicts often have no idea they're injecting or snorting the more powerful drug. The dealers slip two or three bags of fentanyl into a batch of what the user thinks is 10 bags of heroin. But the dealers know full well that the addict might overdose or die, said Dr. Bill Hines, medical director of the Syracuse Community Health Center. When addicts hear that someone has overdosed and even died on heroin, they want to buy from that person's dealer, Hines said. They want the best and fastest high they can get. "The dealers know people will be saying, 'I want that drug that killed him,'" Hines said. "'He couldn't handle it, but I can.'" He called the practice premeditated murder. "It's a well-known fact that hot shots, as we call them, are often times intentionally mixed in because the person who's addicted to heroin is trying to get the most potent heroin they can possible find," said Hines, who treats 100 addicts. "So if I want to bring the business to myself, every once in a while I would want to have one of those killer packages in there because it's just going to direct the clients to my shop," he said. Dr. Bill Hines speaks at the Camillus Community Forum on Substance Abuse at West Genesee High School. People who use fentanyl can lose consciousness, breathe more slowly or die within minutes. "When they push that plunger into their arms, most of them will never, ever get it out before they pass out and die," Hines said. And most won't have had known that it was fentanyl, not heroin, they'd injected, he said. Fentanyl takes more doses of the antidote Narcan than heroin does to revive someone from an overdose, said Sullivan, of University Hospital. The fentanyl users, many of whom thought they were only taking heroin, have prolonged symptoms of not breathing, he said. A closeup of heroin that was seized by the DEA. "If they get the Narcan in time, they actually relapse into not breathing and may need several more doses" of the antidote, Sullivan said. It appears Mexican and Colombian drug cartels are making the heroin and fentanyl separately, shipping it to the U.S., and dealers here are mixing them together, Hunt said. By tracking the communications of the person who overdosed, including text messages, the DEA can trace overdose deaths back to the dealer, Hunt said. "Their bags are branded," he said. "They want the addicts to know: 'Buy this brand and come back for it.' " Related: Onondaga County Health Department sets up a web site to address the growing heroin epidemic. Contact John O'Brien anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-2187 2015-03-18-mjg-CityView1.JPG If Syracuse and Onondaga County try to merge governments, they will be headed into an uncharted area of New York state law. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Will Syracuse and Onondaga County revolutionize how local government works in New York state? The group calling itself Consensus hopes so. That high-powered volunteer commission recommends a merger of city and county governments, which it said could strengthen the delivery of services while cutting costs. It's not clear yet whether the public will rally around the idea. This is clear: Merging city and county government is an expedition into uncharted territory. It has never been done in Upstate New York. Consolidation is always a tough sell, because nobody likes to give up turf. But merging a city and county poses extra challenges, because the state laws that established cities and counties do not provide a clear path to combine them. "It's poorly known territory,'' said Donald Boyd, director of fiscal studies at the Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany. After 18 months of research, Consensus has presented several dozen ideas for consolidating city and county services, all of which fit with its overall vision of merging the two governments. But Consensus has provided no description of what a merged government would look like, nor any recipe for how to create it. Maybe Syracuse and Onondaga County will merge and become a model of consolidation, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he hopes. Or maybe the dream of a "regional city'' will languish here and die, as it did in Buffalo a decade ago. Here are some of the factors that will have to be considered: Who would get a merger started? Legal experts say the most likely first step would be for the Onondaga County Legislature to pass a "home rule" message to the state Legislature. That message presumably would ask for special legislation approving the creation of a new city-county government and to authorize a public referendum on a new county charter. Why a home rule message? The state creates cities and counties, and it has the ultimate authority over them. But the state constitution gives local municipalities a say over their own "property, affairs or government.'' Would Syracuse get a say? If the merger plan included dissolving the city, the state Legislature would certainly require a home rule message from the Syracuse Common Council before voting to terminate the city's charter. But dissolution of the city seems unlikely, for reasons discussed below. A more likely possibility is that the city survives as a legal entity, but is run by the county. That's a formula that was contemplated in 2005 for the proposed merger of Buffalo and Erie County. (See the draft legislation.)The Buffalo merger proposal was later abandoned without a vote. Would the state require a home rule message from the city council before it reduced Syracuse to a mere "shell'' of a city? That's hard to predict, said lawyer Amy Lavine, who researched municipal consolidation in 2007 while she was a staff attorney at the Government Law Center of Albany Law School. "It is unclear whether a de facto city-county consolidation, which would leave the city intact as a mere shell, would be considered to be the equivalent of dissolving the city itself,'' Lavine wrote. Can the mayor say no? A home rule message from the Common Council is a resolution, not an ordinance. It does not require the mayor's approval, city officials said. It's conceivable that the council could ask state legislators to dissolve the city without the mayor's assent. As a practical matter, that seems unlikely. Typically, the Common Council passes home rule messages at the mayor's request. And state legislators prefer to see broad support before they pass special legislation based on home rule messages, Lavine said in a recent interview. City voters might vote against a merger in a public referendum if it were pushed through without the support of the mayor or other Syracuse elected leaders. "I don't think that would be a good idea,'' Lavine said. What would the merged entity be, a city or a county? Most likely, a merger would create a new, more powerful county. A 1938 amendment to the state constitution prohibits the creation of new types of local government, so the surviving entity would have to be either a city or a county. The constitution also allows counties to take on the functions of cities, towns or villages within their borders, if the state Legislature approves. Counties were created by the state to administer certain state-mandated functions, so every square inch of New York is part of a county. For this reason, the five boroughs of New York City are also counties. A merged Syracuse-Onondaga County could be established as a city, but it would have to stretch to include the 19 towns that are currently outside of Syracuse. The residents of each town would have to vote to approve that. Instead, Consensus has indicated that the towns should be allowed to opt in to the merged government over time. Would the current city of Syracuse be dissolved in a merger? Probably not. Without the existence of the city of Syracuse, at least on paper, the city's authority to raise taxes and borrow money would disappear. Likewise, state and federal aid the city depends on could be lost. That would leave Onondaga County to fund the services of both governments with just its own resources. A county's authority to tax and borrow is limited by the state constitution, according to attorneys Daniel Spitzer and Jeffrey Swiatek, who studied the legal obstacles to merging Buffalo and Erie County. (Read their report.) When Buffalo and Erie County contemplated a merger in 2005, the plan was to preserve the city of Buffalo as a "municipal services district'' within the county. Had that merger gone forward, the new district would have continued to tax property owners as the city had and to receive special services, such as augmented police patrols. If Syracuse were not a city, it would have to be a town. There are no unincorporated lands in New York that are not one or the other. Can the state block a merger? Yes. Without a special law passed by the state Legislature and signed by the governor, the county could not take over all the functions performed by the city, legal experts say. Can the city and county do a partial merger without state approval? Yes. Many individual city functions could be taken over by the county through mutual agreement, without the need for a full merger. Onondaga County could take over management of the city parks, for example, through an inter-municipal agreement that only requires approval from the city and county legislatures. Similar agreements in the past with Syracuse and the towns have established county control over libraries, the zoo, the former MacArthur stadium, the 911 system and other services. If the state OKs a merger, what happens next? The state's enabling legislation would likely describe the general outlines of how the city-county government would operate and would call for a public referendum on the merger during the next general election. Prior to the referendum, the county Legislature presumably would vote to approve the details of a new county charter to reflect the county's authority over city affairs. Who gets the final say? The last step in approving a city-county merger would be the public referendum, which would involve a split vote. To pass, the ballot measure would require approval from a majority of voters who reside in the city, and from a majority of Onondaga County voters who reside outside the city. Could this all change? Yes. Some of the legal obstacles to a city-county merger are known, but there might be new ways to get around them. As the community reacts to the idea of a potential merger between Syracuse and Onondaga County, the lawyers will be working, too. We can expect to learn a lot more about New York law and political strategy in the months ahead. Contact Tim Knauss anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-3023 The Doctors union insists 'no one is above the law' after policemen allegedly assault physicians Egypts interior ministry said it has suspended a group of policemen who allegedly assaulted two physicians at Al-Matariya Teaching Hospital. In a phone interview with privately owned AlAssema Channel on Sunday, Abu-Bakr Abdel-Karim, deputy minister for public relations and media said that Cairos Security Chief decided to suspend the lower-ranking policemen on Thursday, when the incident first took place. Abdel-Karim added that the policemen were referred to investigation. We are always keen to support our relationship with the people through changing the mindset of citizens regarding policemen, Abdel-Karim. He added that the police are committed to mutual respect with citizens and doctors, whom he described as our brothers and children. The doctor's syndicates secretary general Ehab El-Taher told Ahram Online on Sunday that even after the suspension of the policemen, the Al-Matariya Teaching Hospital will remain closed. On Saturday, Egypts Doctors Syndicate decided to forcefully shut down Al-Matariya Teaching Hospital, closing the hospital for emergency cases as well, which will be transferred to nearby hospitals like Zeitoun Specialized Hospital. We will suspend the decision to close down the hospital as soon as the policemen are referred to trial, El-Taher said. The head of the syndicate Hussein Khairy, the head of the Cairo doctors syndicate, and Al-Matariya Hospital physicians will meet the general prosecutor on Sunday and file an official complaint against the policemen. No one is above the law, a cover-up of crimes and mistakes increases the gap between citizens and the interior ministry, El-Taher added. According to sources in the hospital, a low-ranking policeman wearing civilian clothes went to the hospital on Thursday morning with a wound on his face, and asked the doctor examining him in the ER to include fake injuries in the medical report, which he refused. In retaliation, the policeman called a group of fellow police officers to the hospital who assaulted the doctor and some of his colleagues before taking them to the police station, where they were later released. The police have said that the man was injured by a drug dealer, adding that when the physician was late or was not convinced that a surgery should be performed, an argument broke out that lead to a fight. According to the syndicate, the two doctors, Ahmed Mahmoud and Moemen Abdel Azeem, were pressured to withdraw their complaints of assault after they discovered that the policemen filed complaints against the doctors. El-Taher condemned the policemens use of medical reports on motorcycle accident injuries to claim that the doctors assaulted them. El-Taher called it fraud and confirmed that the syndicate will file an appeal on those medical reports. An emergency general assembly has been called for by the Doctors Syndicate on Friday 12 February, giving officials a deadline to respond to the demands. "All escalatory steps are available [at the general assembly], leading to a partial strike to protect the dignity of all doctors," the syndicate's statement read. Search Keywords: Short link: Onondaga Abbey crop.jpg The ebb and flow of relationships among the Marchioness of Syracuse, the Duke of Albany and the Countess of Onondaga drive the plot in a fictional place called Onondaga Abbey. (Photo illustration by Tom Schmitt) Stephen Kimatian is a former Republican candidate for Syracuse mayor and a regular columnist for The Post-Standard. Editor's note: Any allusions to real persons is purely intentional in this homage to the PBS series "Downton Abbey." ONONDAGA ABBEY: Posted from London Jan. 31, 1920 While the snow outside is blowing as thick as porridge, I thought to write you of the goings on across the Atlantic, at Onondaga Abbey. It's been a bit of a challenge understanding the people of this township, as they are a confusing lot. There are a might number of spats going on amongst the Lords and Ladyships, so much so you wouldn't believe these shenanigans would be carried on by decent gentle folk. It all started when the Marchioness of Syracuse was granted a piece of the King's land called the Inner Harbor. She and her predecessors had been wanting that property for several generations. It's a plum location with open lands and a place to moor all kinds of pleasure vessels. The Marchioness was happy as a lark to get this property and promptly contracted it out for development to a company having friends in higher offices in the Kingdom and who, in fact, employ some of her Ladyship's relatives. But apparently, there was a falling out in the terms of understanding and the company felt they couldn't deal with her Ladyship and so petitioned a competitive benefactor for support. In doing so they approached the Countess of Onondaga who has considerable authority over lands right next to and including that of the Marchioness. What is perplexing is that the two Ladyships had developed a rather strong friendship, as least as far as the public could see. They even shared some of their lands to grow new properties and mutually build their empires. However, it seems the Duke of Albany had some part in their separation. You should know the Duke has a close relationship with the Countess, but not so much with the Marchioness. It harkens back, most say, to a claim of unkind words uttered by the Marchioness about the Duke's management of his estate. There seems to be some belief in a medieval tenet that if you cross someone you are never forgiven, even of the same household. This dissonance was further magnified by the Marchioness's claim that she was sequestered from participation in the planning for a great sporting field to be used for the hosting of magnificent tournaments, even though those fields were acreage in her domain. The Countess adamantly denies such doing, but the Marchioness was miffed to the extent of unrelenting reconciliation. Matters have not gotten any better. Getting back to the current spat, the company initially favored by the Marchioness alternatively sought to secure financing from the Countess on better terms. In fact, the Countess allowed for putting off many of the fealties and taxes normally associated with such encumbrances. Years of tithes from the fields and grains were forgiven in exchange for the enhancement of the properties. Whereupon the Marchioness was so incensed by such concessions that she directed her Solicitor to bring a case before the Bar. The initial testimonies before the Court have not been favorable to the Marchioness and yet it would be a far better resolution for the Countess to offer an olive branch of settlement. Another issue has recently emerged as a result of the Duke's beneficence in granting a significant amount of the Kingdom treasury to benefit Onondaga Abbey. How it will be spent is of great consternation to many in the realm. The Viscount of CenterState is charged with the proper allocation of monies. How this is going to be done has not yet been made public. No doubt there are some in the Assemblies of elected officials who congregate once a session each year who will seek benefit for their favorites. What is unfortunate is that many subjects of Onondaga Abbey are in the serious predicament of having little or nothing to put on the table today or tomorrow. If only the time and energy spent on these nonsensical spats were put into figuring ways of helping these folk, a lot more would be accomplished. While Onondaga Abbey has majestic fields splendidly situated for country living as well as sporting and hunting, the inhabitants of the surrounding manors keep to their own. There are many of the landed gentry in the surrounding countryside with residences sitting on spacious estates. But, quite frankly, it seems not many are concerned about the goings on at the Abbey and would prefer to not be entangled. Which brings me to a denouement of sorts. There is a desire of the Duke to bring the parties together and create a stronger union among the people of Onondaga. There is money to be gotten if they can make it happen, but at first take the Earls of Clay, DeWitt and many of the Onondaga barons and baronesses will need positive proof that uniting with the Abbey is good thing. With all the nonsensical backbiting and chomping, I daresay it is a tough sell if her Ladyships can't get their dance steps in unison. SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Can you blame editorial cartoonists for featuring Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. This week Trump had had it with Megyn Kelly, host of the "Kelly File" on Fox. If she was to be a moderator for a debate among GOP contenders, he wanted no part of her or the debate. Lisa Benson, of the Washington Post Writers Group, portrayed Trump as squealing at the thought of a moderator. Mike Lester, of the Washington Post Writers Group, shows Kelly ready at the guillotine for Trump to change his mind. Mike Ramirez, of the Creators Syndicate, shows Trump talking tough about the issues but runs from the panel at the thought of Kelly. Lots of mileage for both Trump and Kelly this week. On the Democratic side, Mike Ramirez, of Creators Syndicate, takes the arrows of Hillary Clinton's campaign logo, and repositions one downward. Nick Anderson and Lisa Benson, of the Washington Post Writers Group, are fed up. Anderson displays the buildup of bile while Benson depicts a "Divided State of America." Mike Lester, of the Washington Post Writers Group, has some fun with the announcement of the new Barbie. A board room sees the curvier Barbie, but it's a case of mistaken identity. Tom Toles, of the Washington Post, and Clay Bennett, of the Washington Post Writers Group, weighed in on the investigation into the Planned Parenthood in Houston, Texas. Bennett compares it to the witch hunts of Salem, Mass. The mosquito-borne Zika virus has stirred fears and comparisons. Chan Lowe, of Tribune Content Agency Washington Post Writers Group , pits the ISIS terror against Zika. Mike Ramirez, of Creators Syndicate, describes Zika as the "latest illegal immigrant." buspromo.jpg Officials in Albany are investigating after three black female college students say a group of white men and women harassed them aboard a city bus. (Capital District Transportation Authority) ALBANY, N.Y. -- Three black female college students say they were physically assaulted Saturday by a group of white men and women during a racially motivated attack aboard a city bus in Albany. The Albany Police Department said it was looking into the incident as a possible hate crime. There were no immediate arrests. The women, all students at the SUNY University of Albany, described how 10 to 12 white men and women used racial slurs during the attack on the Capital District Transportation Authority bus, University President Robert Jones said. The women said they were sitting at the back of the bus when they got into an argument with several white passengers, according to the Albany Times Union. The women said racial slurs were hurled at them before a fight broke out. One woman said several men kicked her after she fell to the floor, the newspaper reported. The CDTA bus involved had a video camera aboard, and the agency is working to provide that footage to police, WRGB-TV reported. "I am deeply concerned, saddened and angry about this incident. There is no place in the UAlbany community for violence, no place for racial intolerance and no place for gender violence," Jones said in a letter to the university community. INDIAN RIVER COUNTY A man is charged with aggravated battery and attempted second-degree murder in the severe beating of his grandparents at their home early Sunday, according to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office. A week ago Scott Horn, 36, moved into his grandparents home, in a manufactured home park on State Road 60, after complaining to them about his being homeless, officials said. Now he is being held in the Indian River County Jail without bail. Deputies took Horn into custody about 8 a.m. Sunday when they spotted the 180-pound man walking in Vero Beach. He was picked up about five hours after the Sheriff's Office answered a 2:45 a.m. call about a disturbance in a home in the Village Green manufactured home park in the 7000 block of State Road 60. At the home, they found the elderly couple "had been violently attacked by their grandson, Scott Horn," according to a news release. "Horn attempted to strangle both and beat them with his fists." His grandmother, 76, had six broken ribs and a broken sternum. Also hospitalized at the Indian River Medical Center is his 77-year-old grandfather. The extent of his injuries weren't immediately available. Their home is in the back of the large subdivision, a 55-plus community with well-kept homes. Resident Ray Coultas lives seven houses from where the two were beaten. He woke to see patrol cars, ambulances and deputies going through his backyard. "We're astounded" by the incident, Coultas said of the reaction of residents of the subdivision of 650 homes, largely occupied by retirees. "It is very quiet and neighborly," although he said the hospitalized couple remained to themselves and didn't socialize. Village Green retiree Jerry Canada has lived there 12 years and, "We enjoy it." Normally, he said, the only complaints are about lot rents. At the annual meeting of the homeowners association Sunday, some people passed around copies of a TCPalm article about the crime and talked about how shocked they were by it. Horn previously lived in Pinellas County, where he had an arrest record, said sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Eric Flowers. In February 2014, Horn was convicted of grand theft in Clearwater and sentenced to six months in jail. In November 2014, when he was listed as a transient, he was convicted of having an open container of alcohol. Before 2014, his court record includes aggravated battery, drug possession, sleeping in a park and traffic infractions. (l-r) Jupiter's hometown radio station, WJTW 100.3 FM, provided lots of air time support for Quantum House and the Jersey Mike's Day of Giving to benefit Quantum House. WJTW Station Manager, Kathy Greene, stopped by to purchase subs at the Chasewood Plaza location and received help from Quantum House volunteers Kay Heisler of Jupiter, Jersey Mike's owner/operator Lance Liptak and Jan Utterback of Palm Beach Gardens. SHARE By Jan Davisson Throughout Palm Beach County March 27 was designated as Jersey Mike's Day of giving back. This marks the 3rd Annual March "Month of Giving" fundraising campaign for Jersey Mike restaurants known for the fresh produce used in subs and sandwiches. During the month of March, customers can make a donation to many local not for profit organizations at any area Jersey Mike's restaurant. Then on March 27, customers were invited to come in to a local Jersey Mike's restaurant and enjoy a delicious sub meal for a special nationwide celebration, Day of Giving. All area Jersey Mike locations donated 100 percent of the sales to Quantum House. Talk about a win-win situation; a chance to have one of their mouthwatering subs while doing something good for a local organization that does good all year long for guests with a child receiving treatment at St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach. Quantum House is a caring and supportive home with ten bedrooms and private baths. The families receive lodging for up to four family members in one guest suite with a private bath. The residence also has laundry facilities, a business center with internet access, a children's playroom and back yard plus a huge family style kitchen where several meals are provided each week by volunteers. Local Jupiter Jersey Mike owner, Lance Liptak, who opened his Jersey Mike's Sub in Jupiter eleven years ago, recently took a tour of Quantum House. His reaction was, "It's great." What they do for those families is fantastic. Liptak grew up in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, two blocks away from the original Jersey Mike's. According Liptak, 'he loved those subs so much, he decided to open up his own Jersey Mike's. He has certainly put Jersey Mike's on the Jupiter map. It's located in the Chasewood Plaza, 6390 West Indiantown Rd., Jupiter. You can order on line by going to Jersey Mike's and plugging in the Jupiter zip code or you can call 747-7272. The first Jersey Mike's started back in 1956, and was originally called Mike's Subs. Mike opened the small shop in the sea-side town of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Back in 1956, there were very few franchise restaurants or hamburger chains. No chain pizza, chicken or taco restaurants, either. In 1956, proprietors or mom-and-pop businesses would open their stores in basic storefront locations. To thrive, they had to offer exceptional quality products, coupled with unparalleled service Peter Cancro, Jersey Mike's founder and CEO, bought his first unit at age 17. The company began franchising in 1987 and now includes about 560 units in 31 states. Jersey Mike was unique in that the product being offered was a relatively new item in American society ? the submarine sandwich. It also benefited from the geographic location of his store. Point Pleasant, New Jersey. It is centrally located in the state on the legendary Jersey Shore. Mike's Subs aficionados throughout the country made a substantial difference in children's lives last March during the popular sub chain's second annual "Month of Giving" by helping to raise nearly $858,000 for 74 different charities nationwide. The recipients ranged from children's hospital foundations to youth and family services organizations. This is only one of the national events supported by the Jersey Mike's sub chain throughout the year. "I'm proud to be part of this great organizations," said Liptak. "Giving back to the community is a great way to show the community how much we appreciate their continued support. To Kathy Greene I'd like to say thanks for your support during our Month of Giving and our Day of Giving for Quantum House. WJTW was mentioned by many customers who came to support our effort. This allowed us, in just my store, to raise over $3200 for Quantum House." That's a big thank you. This story is contributed by a member of the community and is neither endorsed nor affiliated with TCPalm. Google tells federal regulators that its Project Loon does not pose any risk to the environment or humans. Project Loon is a research and development project, which is being developed by Google X. The project is aimed at providing Internet access to remote and rural areas. Project Loon uses high-altitude balloons, which are placed in the stratosphere for creating an aerial wireless network with speeds as fast as 4G LTE. However, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) received informal objections about Project Loon. Some objections are related to harmful effects of the project on humans and the environment. Some companies have also objected that Project Loon may interfere with their wireless operations. Google sent a letter to the FCC assuring that Project Loon does not pose any risk to humans or environment. Google says that some parties worry that radio frequency (RF) from Project Loon testing will harm plants, animals and humans, who are in the vicinity where the test is conducted. "The proposed experimental operations in fact present vastly less risk from RF exposure than other transmissions the Commission routinely authorizes. Thus, although we respect that the commenters' concerns are genuinely held, there is no factual basis for them," says Google. The balloons are designed to float at a height of about 60,000 feet over areas, which has limited or no Internet Service Providers (ISP). The balloons will be receiving and sending signals from antennas that will be ground-based. The filing to FCC also suggests that antennas will be pointing to the sky and not towards the ground for receiving and sending signals. Moreover, signals sent from balloons located at a distance of 60,000 feet will hardly be of any risk to humans. "Even if an airborne transmitter were aimed precisely at a person on the ground directly below it, the signal strength received on the ground would be millions of times weaker than FCC limits," says Google. While Google has been working on Project Loon since 2013, the company has not confirmed any plans of deploying it anywhere in the world. Google's Project Loon started as a pilot experiment in June 2013 and the company launched 30 balloons in New Zealand in coordination with local authorities. The project is ongoing and Google is planning to send hundreds of more balloons in the stratosphere in an attempt to test Internet connectivity in remote areas of Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Chile. Project Loon's success may see thousands of balloons flying in the stratosphere in the near term. Check out a short video on Project Loon. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple enhances its Apple Maps search results in order to fix the flaw that was discovered on its system a couple of years ago. The issue was particularly a concern among those who used Siri and its voice recognition service in searching for "abortions." In the beginning, users who were searching for "abortions" gained little or no information from the service. Months later, the issue seemed to had become worse when Siri and Apple Maps, which then started to recognize the word "abortion," showed results that are instead geared towards "adoption." "If Siri is silent on abortion, women will often look for information elsewhere," said Kim Custer, VP of Planned Parenthood. "But suggesting an adoption clinic might add to the existing stigma about abortions." Back in 2011 when the issue on the system had been noticed, Apple explained that the omission of terms such as "abortion clinics" and "birth control" in the results is due to a glitch. While the company's attention had been called for and a glitch was acknowledged as the culprit, the move to resolve the issue seemed to be rather slow. Four years later, Fast Company rekindled the issue by testing both Siri and Apple Maps using various locations across San Francisco. After entering the search term "abortion" in Maps and asking the question "Where can I find an abortion provider" to Siri, the company was directed to a domestic and international adoption agency known as Heartsent Adoptions which is located almost 48 kilometers (almost 30 miles) outside of the city. A couple of days ago, the publication company had once again performed similar searches and had now been able to receive a more comprehensive list of facilities that the search labeled as "Planned Parenthood" as well as to other providers of abortion. While adoption clinics continue to appear in the search, they are at least being relegated to the bottom of the list. Planned Parenthood doesn't wholly label itself as an abortion clinic since abortions only make up 3 percent of its services. While Apple has yet to comment on the sudden change, the publication attributed the new location-based Apple Nearby feature of iOS 9 Maps as part of the improvement. It also added that Apple must have been consistent in enhancing its Maps product by building stronger collaborations with new data providers and working on several ways to provide better search algorithms. Sean Gourley, a data scientist based in Silicon Valley who is also an expert in learning algorithms, had analyzed the issue and tried to explain why Planned Parenthood was only categorized in the search as a possible abortion provider. "Apple is not a search company, unlike Google, and its knowledge base is very different," said Gourley. He added that Apple, instead of pulling data from its own databases, would usually gather them from third-party resources such as Foursquare and Yelp. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google has released a new version of its Chrome browser for iOS, which brings faster browsing speed and less crashes. However, Chrome for iOS now does not offer the 'Do Not Track' feature. The Do Not Track setting allows security-conscious users opt out of online tracking. Currently, Safari is the only Web browser for iDevices that offers the feature. "Some of your Chrome features and settings will not be available at this time because of iOS constraints," says Google. Google explains that Chrome for iOS now uses Apple's new Web rendering engine called WKWebView, which does not support the Do Not Track setting. It is interesting to note that Safari also uses WKWebView, and the rendering engine allows Safari to turn on Do Not Track but limits the same functionality on other browsers. Arvind Narayanan, an assistant professor of computer science at Princeton, has worked on developing the Do Not Track feature. He says that Apple is to be blamed for the absence of the feature on other browsers apart from Safari. "If the API in question doesn't expose that functionality, there's nothing Google or Mozilla can do about it," says Narayanan. Browsers add a Do Not Track request in the header field, which demands websites not to track the users. However, it is worth noting that while some websites honor the user's request, others do not. Third-party browsers do not have the facility to add or alter HTTP headers on Apple's WKWebKit, which is the reason why companies such as Google and Mozilla do not offer Do Not Track for its app on iOS. However, unlike Firefox and Chrome, Apple allows iOS to alter the header request sent to websites by the browser. The absence of the Do Not Track on Chrome for iOS will make privacy-conscious users deploy Safari or the incognito window in Chrome. Along with the Do Not Track setting, other Chrome features such as Cookie settings, Data Saver, Auto-Detect Encoding and Enterprise support and multi-profiles will also not be available on Chrome for iOS. These features may come back only if Apple modifies its API. "If Apple makes changes to WKWebView to allow these features, we will add them back in," says Google. While some features have been omitted from Chrome for iOS, users may find enhanced browsing speed with the updated version of the app. "This version uses WKWebView, the latest rendering engine from Apple, which should be faster and more stable. The crash rate was reduced by 70 percent and JavaScript execution is now dramatically faster!" says the Apple Store. Chrome for iOS weighs 69.5 MB and is available as a free download from the App Store. The app is compatible with devices running on iOS 9 or later. Photo: Karlis Dambrans | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Several Egyptian NGOs and human rights organisations are calling for the immediate release of Mokhtar, a well known Doctor's Syndicate activist, and his housemates Related Egyptian Doctors Syndicate activist Taher Mokhtar arrested A Cairo court ordered the 15-day renewed detention, pending investigation, of doctors syndicate freedom committee member Taher Mokhtar and two other defendants arrested with him. Mokhtar, a long-time revolutionary socialist activist, was arrested along with his roommates, students Hossam El-Din Hamed and Ahmed Hassan on 14 January from his apartment in downtown Cairo. Mokhtar and his roommates are accused of inciting protests for the fifth anniversary of the 25 January revolution, an accusation that the doctor and roommates emphatically deny. Several non-Islamist activists from various political movements and groups in Egypt were arrested earlier this month on charges of inciting protests on the fifth anniversary of the 25 January revolution. Several Egyptian NGOs and human rights organisations as well as a group of prominent public figures have called for the immediate release of Mokhtar and his housemates in a campaign highlighting Dr. Taher Mokhtar's long activism in Egypts medical sector. Dr. Mokhtars arrest came amid an extensive campaign of raids by Egyptian security forces on apartments and cafes in downtown Cairo and Giza prior to the five-year anniversary of the 25 January revolution that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak. Search Keywords: Short link: A number of Google's high-speed Internet subscribers received invitations to an experimental telephone service, hinting that Google Fiber tests the waters of telephonic services. Dubbed Google Fiber Phone, the service might remind observant users of another famous Google product, the Google Voice. Voice connects multiple telephones of a user (be it mobile or landline) into one unique phone number. According to reports, Fiber Phone packs certain features from Google Voice, such as auto call screening and voicemail transcriptions. The call screening takes into account the time of day to function properly. Participants in the Google Fiber Trusted Tester program received the invite during the past month. The Trusted Tester program is made out of Fiber subscribers who ticked yes next to the "try new and potential changes to the service." In theory, Google Fiber does not feature a standard phone service. However, should the Fiber Phone extend enough throughout the country, Google has a chance to become a huge triple-play provider. This means that the company will give its users access to television, broadband Internet and telephony. Rivals in the cable industry already offer at least two out of the three options, and Google seems to have taken notes from them. If you are curious, you may check out a copy of the invitation being sent out to Google's customers. Based on the invitation, the service permits you to get a new number or to use an existing number, be it landline or mobile. Then, Google simply installs a small device in the homes of all selected subscribers, who will be asked to give generous and frequent feed-back to the company. "[...] A Fiber team member will come to your home to install a piece of equipment. If you're selected for this Trusted Tester group, we'll be actively seeking your feedback - both good and bad - so that we can improve Fiber Phone once we launch it," Google says in the invitation. The company goes on to add that the Trusted Tester is an early access program, and therefore it should remain confidential. Google recently unveiled Project Fi, a cellular program that hops between T-Mobile, Sprint and Wi-Fi. This reinforces the idea that Google wants a piece of the wireless market pie, and took action to get it. There is a change that, with the future expansion of Fiber Phone, Google will start to offer its broadband subscribers bundled access to Project Fi, as well. The company did not make any official statement regarding the possible program. A report from Oct. last year points out that Google makes small steps towards covering the United States with its high-speed fiber optic gigabit Internet network. At the time, three cities had Fiber connection: Austin in Texas, Provo in Utah and Kansas City in Missouri. San Jose in California should be the fourth location where Google Fiber will root itself. The company set itself to bring 1,340 miles of fiber optic cables underground, next to an extra 960 above ground. We will keep an eye on the development of Google's infrastructure and keep you posted. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Because of a camera flash, a mother in Arizona found that her baby boy has a rare type of eye cancer, prompting her to seek medical help and save her son's life. Andrea Temarantz, the 36-year-old mother of 4-month-old Ryder, said she started to notice that camera flashes produced a "white glow" on her son's left eye. Temarantz said she first dismissed the glow as the result of her camera phone having poor quality, but even after she used a new Nikon D3300 DSLR that her cousin gave her for Christmas, she said the white glow was still there. "So I took Ryder to his doctor," said Temarantz. On Jan. 5, baby Ryder had his checkup. Twenty-four hours later, he was diagnosed with retinoblastoma in his left eye. Temarantz said the white glow seen in pictures was a result of a mass of tumor in the back of her son's eye reflecting light from the flash of the camera. When Ryder was born, he was diagnosed with Down syndrome. Temarantz's sister, Jane Dufoe, said the news was scary for everyone in their family, but she said Ryder's parents educated themselves about the disorder. Ever since Ryder came into their lives, Dufoe said not one health issue connected to Down syndrome had materialized. The discovery of the little boy's rare cancer left them all in shock, she said. Diagnosed With Rare Eye Cancer Their doctor in Arizona gave them two options: remove Ryder's left eye or get a port inserted into the baby boy and start chemotherapy. However, the family did not want the second option for Ryder, especially because the baby boy had Down syndrome, which could increase his risks of developing leukemia. According to Dufoe, six rounds of chemo would sharply increase Ryder's chances of developing secondary cancer. At that point, removing the left eye seemed the best way to go. The family then talked to the oncologist, who said retinoblastoma could still attack the other eye. This was a game-changer for Ryder's parents. A doctor from the Phoenix Children's Hospital recommended a hospital in New York that does unique chemotherapy for the kind of tumor that Ryder has. Both parents took Ryder to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, which contains the largest team of doctors whose sole focus is to treat patients with retinoblastoma. Dr. David H. Abramson, Ophthalmic Oncology Service chief at the hospital, said the tumor in the baby boy's left eye has not spread to other critical organs of his body, including his brain. Abramson said 50 percent of children with retinoblastoma had died last year. "It's one of those cancers that can be fatal if not detected early, so it's great that his mom noticed it early and got it checked out," he said. A 99 Percent Chance Of Recovery Abramson said the 4-month-old Ryder will be undergoing three to six rounds of a ophthalmic artery chemosurgery. The process includes a 6-foot-long catheter as thin as angel hair pasta that is threaded into the blood vessel of the groin. It passes through the belly, chest and neck, and then placed through the one, tiny blood vessel of the eye to deliver high-dosage and high-concentration of chemotherapy directly to the tumor. This procedure is preferred for young patients over regular chemotherapy, because of the latter's severe side effects, Abramson said. Through ophthalmic artery chemosurgery, Ryder has a 99 percent chance of recovering from retinoblastoma, and his left eye will still have some vision, Abramson said. Temarantz said that despite everything, her son is still alert and active like nothing is happening to him. She said she's deeply grateful for Abramson and his team for the miracle they have given Ryder. Meanwhile, Dufoe had set up a website where Ryder's journey to recovery will be recorded. Visit the website to follow along the baby boy's life and contribute to his treatment. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Googles solar-powered 5G drone crashes while testing Even as we reported that Google is testing out solar-powered drones to bring 5G internet which is 40 times faster than the current 4G technology, one of the drones has crashed during the test flight. Titan Solara 50, one of Googles 5G drones had crashed during a test flight in New Mexico in May 2015 last year. The drone was solar powered and didnt last long in the air after it encountered an updraft and one of its wings failed before crashing in the companys Albuquerque test field. This drone was part of Googles larger effort to deliver Internet from the stratosphere. It has been more than half a year since the May 2015 incident, and U.S. accident investigators have concluded the cause of the crash: a wing failure. According to a report by the National Transportation Safety Board, on May 1, 2015, the Solara 50 had just lifted off from a remote, desert landing strip in New Mexico when it started experiencing control problems. While the remote operator attempted to stabilize the plane, a thermal updraft sent it upward at a faster speed, according to the NTSB. The wind ended up pushing the drone at a speed it wasnt designed for, and the left wing experienced a failure as a result. The aircraft began an uncontrollable and erratic flight path roughly straight ahead in a rapid descent, the NTSB wrote in a brief summary posted on its website. The left outboard wing section separated from the aircraft during the first portion of the descent and the right outboard wing section separated later in the descent. After about four minutes of flight, the aircraft struck the ground and was destroyed at 11:07 a.m. local time. Luckily, the test flight crashed in an unpopulated desert area and no one was injured. Google didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. The drone was built by Titan Aerospace, a company headed by former Microsoft Corp. executive Vern Raburn that Google bought last year. According to company promotional material, it has a wingspan of 164 feet (50 meters) and is expected to fly above the weather for long stretches, where it can then beam Internet signals to earth as if it was a satellite. The drone crash was a setback for Google and everyone involved with the project, one of several (including an effort from Facebook) aiming to use solar-powered planes to provide Internet to distant areas. The search giant is in a race with Facebook Inc., which also attempted to buy Titan, to build new Internet services around the world. Instead, Facebook purchased U.K.-based Ascenta, which is developing its own high-altitude drones, for $20 million. The first Eurovision Song Contest since Terry Wogan's death airs tonight on BBC One at 8pm. The renowned Eurovision commentator stepped down in 2008, and the annual extravaganza has been narrated by Graham Norton ever since. Norton explained again this morning that he will be paying tribute to Wogan in a time honored way and letting audiences know when he's doing it, too: Carnage on such a cinematic scale is rare in TV drama and director Tom Harper and his committed cast deserve every congratulation not only for making it so convincing but also wringing a primeval beauty from all this horror. With one episode still to go, War & Peace is already the years most ravishingly ambitious drama. The story so far: Episode 1 review Episode 2 review Episode 3 review Episode 4 review Authorities say Gawish ran an unauthorised site; lawyer charges his client's satire does not sit well with the government Egyptian cartoonist Islam Gawish was arrested Sunday afternoon for operating a website without permission, authorities said. However, his official Facebook page and lawyer claim he was arrested for an anti-regime cartoon. In a short statement, the Facebook page of Gawish Al-Warqa (The Paper), which posts his cartoons, said that he was arrested from his office at the Egypt News Network (ENN). The Facebook page, which has drawn more than 1.6 million likes, also announced that it suspended its activities because of his arrest. Islam Gawish was arrested Sunday afternoon along with an accountant working for the website. The accountant was released, but Gawish remains in custody. An interior ministry statement said ENN publishes news without permission. The statement added that the popular social media cartoonist was arrested for running "his own website" without the authorisation of the Ministry of Telecommunications. It is not clear whether the site the ministry of interior claims Gawish is illegaly administering belongs to ENN or a different entity. Gawish was also arrested for possession of pirated copies of software, the interior ministry added. Gawish's lawyer, Mahmoud Othman, told Ahram Online his client was detained at Nasr City 1st precinct police station, adding that officers declined to provide him with a copy of the arrest warrant for Islam Gawish or divulge the reason for his arrest. "Unofficially and verbally, I was told that Islam Gawish was accused of using [means of communication] to spread anti-regime cartoons," Othman told Ahram Online. "The arrest of Islam is illegal and unconstitutional as the 2014 Constitution's Article 67 clearly stipulates that the state has to protect artists and intellectuals," Othman said. He added "There is an ongoing crackdown against cultural centres and artists like Gawish." In early January, three independent cultural venues were stormed and closed down by local municipality officials as well as the censorship and tax authorities, for alleged illegal licensing issues. Othman added that his client will appear before the prosecution Sunday evening in Nasr City. Gawish gained fame on social media after starting a satirical doodle cartoon on his Facebook page The Paper dealing with social issues in Egypt. His second comic book, Al-Waraqa Part Two, was released recently. There are no legal restrictions in Egypt on launching and moderating a Facebook page. Despite this, a significant number of moderators have been arrested in recent months on charges of attempting to instigate protests and violence. Search Keywords: Short link: "The opposite is true, because it will affect landlords who have big mortgages. Very wealthy landlords who don't have to borrow won't be touched. "The Government has also omitted to say is that it will move thousands of landlords from lower rate to higher rate, and some into additional rate." The latter anomaly arises, Mr Cooper explains, because mortgage interest, required to be paid by landlords to their bank, will effectively be viewed by HMRC as income - on which tax is then due. Thus some landlords will be taxed where they make losses. In its letter to HMRC, Omnia states that "the measure will result in some landlords being liable to tax on an economic loss due to a theoretical, if not actual, increase in income". Mr Cooper believes mortgaged landlords will be forced to increase rents to cover the higher tax, or evict tenants in order to sell. The Government has 14 days in which to respond, after which the matter moves to a judicial review - the formal process in which a court rules on whether or not legislation is valid. Cherie Blair and her property fortune While commentators have quickly siezed on the irony of a former Labour leader's wife taking a Conservative government to task over its attempts to increase property tax, they have also highlighted out Mrs Blair's personal interests in the issue. Such events are caused when fragments of dust often far older than Earth crash into our atmosphere at tens of thousands of miles per hour, each causing a mini-explosion. This one came from somewhere in the direction of the constellation of Gemini the Twins. Hence the name. Some people cannot see meteorites. The trick is that it takes a few minutes for the eyes to get used to the darkness. So take a warm coat and a hot drink. An improvised explosive device exploded on the side of the road near the security personnel's vehicle Two Egyptian security personnel were killed on Sunday when an improvised explosive device exploded on the side of the road near their vehicle north of El-Sheikh Zuweid in the troubled North Sinai, a security source told Ahram Arabic news website. The source added that the device exploded in Karm El-Kawades area, and the bodies of the deceased were transported to Al-Arish Hospital. Egypt has been long working to quell an Islamist insurgency. The militancy, based in parts of North Sinai, has killed hundreds of security forces in recent years. Authorities have also reported that hundreds of militants have been killed in army campaigns in the governorate. Search Keywords: Short link: Italy has urged Egypt to track down an Italian student who "mysteriously disappeared" in Cairo this month, the foreign ministry said Sunday in a statement. The ministry is "following with the utmost attention and concern the affair of Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old Italian student who mysteriously disappeared on the evening of January 25 in the centre of the capital," it said. Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Sunday called his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry to "determinedly ask the greatest commitment to tracing the compatriot and providing every possibly information about his circumstance". The ministry said it was in direct contact with both the Egyptian authorities and Regeni's family, but did not provide any further details about what it believed may have happened to the young man. Search Keywords: Short link: Latin American economies are being emptied. Latin America is being looted. All our currencies are falling, he pointed out. | Read More Human Rights Watch has accused Iraqi Shia militias of carrying out revenge attacks against Sunnis after a double suicide bombing by the Islamic State group at a cafe frequented by militiamen. In a report issued Sunday, the New York-based group accuses two prominent Iran-backed Shia militias, the Badr Brigades and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, of carrying out the Jan. 11 retaliation attacks in the town of Muqdadiyah, northeast of Baghdad in the mixed Diyala province. Citing unnamed residents, HRW says the militiamen killed at least a dozen people and demolished Sunni mosques, homes and shops. It describes the attacks as "heinous" and calls for the prosecution of those responsible. Spokesmen for the militias, who have denied previous accusations of wrongdoing, could not immediately be reached for comment. Search Keywords: Short link: KCR's "Dallas Dreams" are childish: Shabbir Ali Hyderabad, Jan 31 (INN): Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir has ridiculed Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's claim of developing Hyderabad on the lines of Dallas in US. Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan here on Sunday, Shabbir Ali said KCR tried to mislead the people of Hyderabad by making vague promises in view of GHMC elections. Referring to KCR's speech at Parade Grounds, he said KCR must clarify why he wants to emulate Dallas. He said Hyderabad is better placed that Dallas in terms of an international airport, Outer Ring Ring Road, IT sector and many other areas. "Earlier, KCR wanted to follow Singapore model. Then he turned towards Istanbul and now he is speaking about Dallas. This talk is nothing but childish," he said. Shabbir Ali accused KCR of enacting the drama of 'rivalry' with his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu. "Both are sending greetings and gifts to each other on all occasions. They have been maintaining close friendly relationship off camera. But just in view of elections, KCR and Naidu are attacking each other. They are enacting a fake fight which a couple enacts just to shoo away un-wanted guests in the house," he alleged and asked as to why KCR is not taking action against Naidu in 'Cash for Vote' case. "KCR phrase, 'What business Naidu has in Hyderabad and he should go to Amravati' is an indirect threat to people hailing from Seemandhra region. Tomorrow, KCR might say the same thing to people of other regions," he said. The Congress leader also slammed KCR for announcing that he would allot Municipal Administration & Urban Development portfolio to his son K. Tarakarama Rao. "KCR wants to confine the power and important portfolios to his family. If he wants to promote KTR for being young, then he should directly make him the Chief Minister. People are watching and they will give a fitting reply to such tactics," he said. Shabbir Ali strongly criticised MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi for making personal remarks against him using offensive language. "I welcome Akbaruddin Owaisi's demand for a CBI probe against me. But by stating so authoritatively that he would initiate CBI probe, he has proved our allegations right that MIM leaders are close to BJP Government. He said only Prime Minister Narender Modi can order CBI enquiry and since Owaisi brothers are now BJP allies, he would abide by their demand," he said. Further, he said Akbaruddin Owaisi should also seek CBI probe into the irregularities into admissions into Deccan Medical College. The MIM should publish the list of poor candidates who were given free admission in 60% of 150 medical seats. "Financial irregularities in Darulsalaam Bank, including benami accounts, should also be probed and several complaints are pending against the bank with Reserve Bank of India. Akbaruddin Owaisi should also explain how his assets increased from Rs. 3-4 crore in 2009 to Rs. 17 crore in 2014. He should disclose his sources of income. People of Old City have remained poor, but the MIM leaders have turned rich by exploiting them," he said. "As the then minister in Congress Government, I constituted country's first Minorities Welfare Department in 1993. In the same year, Akbaruddin Owaisi was busy fighting with his father and brother over the incident of his elopement with a girl. A person who did not respected his own father and brother, have no right to comment on me. I'm a true Muslim and my religion Islam does not permit me to use abusive language against anyone. I can't stoop down to the level of Akbaruddin Owaisi just for political gains," he said adding that MIM leaders were under the grip of fear of losing elections. News Posted: 31 January, 2016 Kavitha appeals voters to reject opposition parties Hyderabad, Jan 31 (INN): TRS MP K. Kavitha has claimed that the development of Hyderabad could not be achieved by voting in favour of opposition parties. Addressing a meeting at Adikmet on the last day of campaign on Sunday, Kavitha said that the city could be developed if people vote in favour of ruling TRS. She also claimed that the TRS would win maximum number of seats in GHMC elections. She said that the TRS Government has eradicated the practice of power cuts from the city and it would resolve all other problems being faced by the people. She appealed to the people not to get misled by the opposition propaganda. News Posted: 31 January, 2016 KCR's wife is confused on TRS stand: Lokesh Hyderabad, Jan 31 (INN): TDP leader Nara Lokesh denied Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's claim that his mother Bhuvaneshwari has promised to vote in favour TRS. Speaking to media persons here on Sunday, Lokesh said it was highly condemnable that KCR has lied despite being a Chief Minister. He said his mother has announced that she would vote only for TDP and never made any promise to TRS. Instead, he claimed that KCR's wife Shoba is confused on TRS party's stand on major issues. "While KCR is describing MIM as TRS ally, Kavitha and KTR are calling it as communal and rival. The Chief Minister has also made contradictory statements on different issues," he said. Lokesh said KCR did not participate in the election campaign for the reason that almost everything in the city was constructed during the TDP regime. He would have felt shy by addressing meetings near flyovers or roads constructed during TDP regime. Earlier, Lokesh flagged off bike rally of TDP workers from Gachibowli to NTR Ghat. News Posted: 31 January, 2016 SCR holds emergency meeting on Tuni situation Hyderabad, Jan 31 (INN): South Central Railway (SCR) General Manager Ravindra Gupta took stock of the situation arising out of the disturbance to train movements on Vijayawada - Rajahmundry ' Visakhapatnam Section of Vijayawada Division due to Train No. 12717 Visakhapatnam ' Vijayawada Ratnachal Express being set on fire by Agitators near Tuni station, at a emergent disaster control meeting held with higher officials at Rail Nilayam in Secunderabad on Sunday. Ravindra Gupta personally spoke to the Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh and Additional Director General / Law & Order, Government of Andhra Pradesh to discuss on the Security situation, keeping in view the priority towards Passengers Safety. The Railway Officials of Vijayawada Division too are in continuous touch with the Andhra Pradesh State Government Officials to review the ground level situation, so as to plan for resumption of normal train services in the Vijayawada ' Visakhapatnam section at the earliest. With several trains being regulated at various stations on the Vijayawada ' Rajahmundry ' Visakhapatnam section, the General Manager issued instructions to ensure that the needs of the Passengers travelling by the trains are taken care of, to ensure that they are not put to inconvenience. Accordingly, SCR Officials have made arrangements wherever trains have been regulated to provide food, water and medical needs including the requirements of children and senior citizens. Additional number of Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel has been deployed to provide Security to rail passengers. Help lines have been set up at Vijayawada, Rajahmundry and Tuni stations to provide information to the passengers. Information on regulation / cancellation of train services is being disseminated continuously through print, electronic and social media (Twitter/Face book) etc., so as to keep rail users informed. News Posted: 31 January, 2016 KTR promises to resolve civic problems in Hyderabad Hyderabad, Jan 31 (INN): Panchayat Raj Minister K. Tarakarama Rao said he was surprise when his father and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao made the announcement of giving Municipal Administration & Urban Development portfolio to him. Speaking to media persons at Telangana Bhavan here on Sunday, KTR said he was expressed happy over the announcement and he would strive hard to resolve all the civic problems being faced by the people of Hyderabad. He expressed confidence of TRS winning GHMC elections. He said that the TDP was rejected by the people of Hyderabad in 2009 GHMC elections. He said instead of concentrating on Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was seeking votes in Hyderabad. He said he had no business to get involved in city politics. Further, he challenged Nara Lokesh to get elected from Telangana to substantiate his claim of being a Hyderabadi as he was born in Hyderabad. KTR said that the TDP would be wiped out from Telangana in a similar way as RJD was finished after formation of Jharkhand. He said voting for TDP-BJP combine would be like wasting the vote. He said development of Hyderabad was possible only by TRS Government. News Posted: 31 January, 2016 The United Nations launched an appeal on Sunday for $861 million in international humanitarian assistance to help millions of people in Iraq who are suffering from war and displacement. Violence including the devastating war with the ISIS group militant group has displaced 3.3 million Iraqis in the past two years, while some 250,000 Syrians have fled to Iraq to escape the war in their country. "We want to use this money to reach 7.3 million people. These are the most vulnerable people in Iraq," UN humanitarian coordinator for Iraq Lise Grande told a Baghdad news conference. "Our top priority is to get to the people who are in the most trouble and to give them what they need in order to survive -- food, cash, shelter, water," Grande said. Plunging oil prices have drastically reduced oil revenue which Iraq relies on for the vast majority of its funds, meaning that Baghdad cannot afford to cover the cost of addressing the humanitarian crisis. "The needs of the displaced families are greater than our capacity, and therefore we need support from donor countries," Jassem Mohammed al-Jaff, the minister of migration and displacement, said at the news conference. Iraq plans to spend more than $1.5 billion on humanitarian assistance in 2016, but faces a shortfall of some $891 million that the funding appeal will help to address, according to the UN. "The government has its back against the wall because the price of oil is so low, and that's why we're asking the international community to be generous," said Grande. ISIS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, and Iraqi forces are battling to push the militants back. The already huge number of displaced Iraqis is expected to increase further in 2016 as Iraqi forces fight to retake areas in Anbar and Nineveh provinces. "Depending on the intensity of fighting and the scale of violence in the months ahead, 11 million Iraqis, perhaps even 12 to 13 million, may need some form of humanitarian assistance by the end of 2016," the UN said. "More than 500,000 people are expected to flee their homes during the year, the majority from towns and districts along the Mosul and Anbar corridors," it said in its humanitarian response plan for the year. "Perhaps an additional 1 million will be impacted by the battle for Mosul," the plan says, referring to Iraq's second city that is the militants' main hub in the country. Search Keywords: Short link: After missing its planned 2015 start-up, Chevron Corp said it expects to commence first production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the giant Gorgon project off Western Australia, in the next few weeks, with the initial export shipments to commence by the end of the March quarter. Additionally, first shipments from the Wheatstone project, which is also off western Australia, are expected by mid-2017. Chevron is ramping up gas exports from Western Australia. Initial shipments from the $US54 billion ($76 billion) Gorgon project had been expected by the end of 2015, although a series of delays had pushed that back into the new year. Addressing analysts at the end of last week with the release of the groups last quarter results, Chevron said commissioning of the first train is underway, with the completion to result in a fall in capital spending as it continues to cut costs amid the slump in the crude oil price. Dr Karen Jones is a moral philosopher with the University of Melbourne. Her interest lies in the philosophy of emotions and rationality. She points to an emerging field called Ignorance studies, which was described in a New York Times article as part "exploring the psychology of ambiguity" and "the strategic manufacturing of uncertainty". Dr Jones notes that people tend to think of ignorance "as a passive thing, a mere lack or gap in knowledge and something which excuses us. Yet some forms of ignorance are active, purposive, and not excusing. This is the ignorance that comes from ignoring. Australia has practised just this kind of ignoring since the colonial lie of terra nullius." Purposive ignorance, says Jones is self-reinforcing. "We don't feel we have to listen to the very people who might be able to correct it for us, because what have we to learn from them, anyway?" Hence, it is common to dismiss people who challenge ignorance as being overly sensitive: "Why are you still talking about this?" "It's ancient history!" "It's only one of the possible meanings of Australia Day and it doesn't mean that to Australians, now." Angry responses to past discrimination are dismissed as a "culture of complaint" or "playing the victim" as if that discrimination does not continue up until now. Says Jones: "Stan Grant's [speech] is sure to have got negative comment because if you really took it seriously you would be forced to feel very very uncomfortable about your position as a non-Indigenous Australian, which sets up self-defence mechanisms because of the need to feel that we are all of us basically good and decent human beings. "In these ways, we collectively regulate what it is legitimate to feel ... dismissing certain forms of anger, evading shame, and validating certain forms of comfit even if they must be predicated on forgetting." Dr Dan Woodman is a sociologist in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne. He notes that a "bit of strategic ignorance is essential for getting on with life, and probably with each other, but this active ignoring is not neutral ... It is linked to power, inequality and race." Professor Michael Smithson is a researcher at the Australian National University's Research School of Psychology, whose interests include ignorance and uncertainty, fuzzy logic and social dilemmas. He wrote the summing up chapter for the seminal Routledge International Handbook of Ignorance Studies and has conducted an online course on ignorance for the general public. "There are things we're motivated not to know," writes Professor Smithson, in an email. "These motives may be based on emotional responses ... where admitting something as fact entails emotionally unacceptable implications about oneself." Few of us want to see ourselves as racist or sexist, and so most of us are motivated to tune out or discredit any message that would pin those labels on us. "I suspect that for many of us this response isn't always voluntary, or even accessible to conscious inspection. I therefore suspect that quite a few of us are in denial about racism in Australia, in addition to those of us who are wilfully ignorant about it." Jones, Woodman and Smithson all point to cognitive studies that support this idea. If this is true that racism is working unconsciously in many Australians how do you bring it into the light? Karen Jones advises that people learn about the workings of implicit bias, "which provides a theory for how basically good people can nonetheless contribute and through no ill will or overtly racist or sexist beliefs to the reproduction of racism and sexism." At this moment, you might be righteously declaring: no way! If that's the case, after reading this article, test yourself at Harvard University's Project Implicit. There you'll find your implicit attitudes to dark skin, Asian faces, old people, fat people, people with disabilities. "Implicit attitudes," says the website, "are positive and negative evaluations that occur outside of our conscious awareness and control." Apparently, the results of taking an Implicit Attitude Test are consistently challenging, so much so that the site asks participants to digitally sign a disclaimer: "I am aware of the possibility of encountering interpretations of my IAT test performance with which I may not agree. Knowing this, I wish to proceed." Jones believes that by confronting our own implicit bias, we reduce "the cognitive dissonance required to really listen to what Indigenous people are saying by helping undercut mechanisms of self-defense." Smithson suggests it would pay for ordinary Australians to learn about confirmation bias, the well-documented tendency to pay more attention and give greater weight to information that confirms what we already believe. Why might learning about these things help? "First, it puts all of us in the same basket. Everyone has implicit bias and confirmation bias. No one is immune to them. Second, it reduces the moral charge against us regarding our ignorance, because these are not wilful, explicit biases they're unintended and tacit. Third, it puts us on our guard against being meta-ignorant denying our own part in reproducing racism and sexism, however implicit and unintended that may be." Is the Australian landscape male or female in our films? The question keeps you awake at night too? I'd hate to think it was only me. Very few national cinemas are as defined by landscape as ours, but very few countries are as afraid of it as we are. After all, if you drive a vehicle into the centre without enough petrol and water, you will die. If you abandon your car after it breaks down out there, you will die. If you pull over in the night because someone flashes their headlights, you will not just die, but die in agony at the hands of some homicidal (but cheerful) maniac like the one John Jarratt plays in Wolf Creek. Very little that's good happens out there in our movies. Richard Roxburgh, Radha Mitchell and Odessa Young in Looking for Grace, in which frantic parents set off to find their runaway daughter. I take this to be a masculine response to the landscape, borne out of migrant anxieties that go back to the beginning of white settlement. We brought these fears with us on the boats; what we saw when we got here made them worse. It was as if God had made the place to scare us: black swans, hot Christmases, fires and snakes and spiders and blackfellas with spears. Conquest, in the way that the Americans think of their west, wasn't so straightforward a concept here, which may explain why we've never really developed our own genre of westerns. In America, European settlers wanted to find pasture and green farmland they could steal from the Indians. Australia didn't have the water, so the land theft became a poisoned chalice. Our mythology became partly about mining and digging, not just farming, following the gold rush. First there was a whisper, and then it grew to a roar: 20th Century Fox confirmed it would dust off its much-prized franchise for a six-episode limited series. There is even talk that the studio wants more, although neither Duchovny's nor Anderson's schedules he is starring in the crime drama Aquarius, she in British thriller series The Fall would likely permit it. In a post-Snowden, post-Wikileaks world, a redux of The X-Files almost seems mandatory, although, perhaps to the disappointment of fans who seek a glimmer of the character in the man, Duchovny is a sceptic. Bleak House helped Gillian Anderson shift her acting focus away from genre. "My own personal view on conspiracies is people can't keep secrets," he says. "I've never known anybody, one person to keep a secret. That was my problem with John F. Kennedy. There was no way. If there was a conspiracy ... somebody talks. Somebody along the way opens their mouth. There are too many people. There are too many secrets. It's not human nature." Does the government keep secrets? A conspiracy involving aliens was among the many activities Mulder and Scully investigated. "Yeah, sure." Are some of them worse than others? "Sure, yeah. I think that's where I find the reality of it. Why would they be hiding this, if we believe that they could be hiding the state of alien technology that they're hoarding in order to use against us. That's good storytelling." The rebirth of The X-Files is also proof, perhaps, that there are some characters in an actor's life who demand their own encore. "If you're lucky, people want to continue to see characters that you've done ... I find it a compliment that people want me to do something again, something that I've already done," he says. Of all the roles he has played, Mulder holds a particular affection for the 55-year-old actor. "It was the beginning of everything for me, and I feel the show is so special that in some ways it never ... it doesn't leave me in some way. It kind of didn't leave the culture in some way. I don't know why, it just seemed that people would always talk about The X-Files forever. I don't know why." Returning to the set the limited series was filmed in Vancouver, where the show's first five seasons were filmed the cast recaptured their rhythm almost immediately. "At this point, it's kind of cellular is the word you used it's a good way to put it. We did so much work in the past. We did nine years of preparation. "I think just showing up on set, and being with Chris, and sitting down across from Gillian for a scene, a lot of it started to come back there. There's a certain way that we act on the show." At times, he caught old episodes of the series. Those glimpses evoked a mixture of feelings. "I see a lot of kind of growth that needs to happen, but I see a certain kind of eagerness that is also winning, that is impossible to fake," he says. "It's a strange and wonderful process to go through as I get to play it, as I get to continue to play it." Among the original series' most notable hallmarks was its genre-lurching style. Its various writers, who included Howard Gordon (Homeland) and Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad), wrote with very different tonalities. "We had many genres within the show horror, thriller, mythology," Duchovny says. "There's the romantic element that creeps in every now and then, and there's the comedic X-Files. Each one of those has a slightly different type of performance in it." So, now that he has put it on the table, let's talk about the romantic element that is, the unresolved sexual tension that simmered between Mulder and Scully for much of the original series. Viewers of the original series and its two spin-off movies will know it's a matter of historical record that the unresolved sexual tension was, ahem, resolved, but the new series does to some extent try to reset the parameters of the romance between Mulder and Scully. "You've got to start somewhere to get somewhere, right?" he says. "It seems important to certain fans that Mulder and Scully be together romantically ... Stasis is not exciting dramatically, happiness is not exciting, dramatically. Good relationships are not exciting, dramatically, or comedically, or in any way really except in real life." So what do you do? "You want your show to move. You want to go from A to B. So I would think the fans would be more pleased knowing that if you start broken up, you're probably trending towards getting back together, rather than the other way around. Whatever is together is going to break, and whatever is broken is going to get mended. That's the nature of television or drama. "We start broken, so you make the call ..." Yet, after a moment of reflection, he hints that the limited series may not offer resolution on all its fronts. "Chris would never conceive of any instalment as the end," he says. "I think he always wants to leave it open-ended, so even if we had gone into this going, `This is the end of it,' I don't know ... "It's kind of a show that doesn't have a natural ending, because the nature of the show is to deal with possibility." London: Disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris has reportedly told friends and family he plans to release a comeback album called Justice For All featuring songs he's penned in England's Stafford Prison. The British newspaper The Sun has reported that one of the tracks on the proposed album is called Can't Keep That Dingo Down, believed to be a defiant message railing against his victims and accusers. Reports suggest Rolf Harris is set to release an album penned in his London cell. Credit:PA The 85-year-old was sentenced in July 2014 to five years and nine months jail for indecent assaults on four girls, one as young as seven, between 1968 and 1986. Under Britain's parole laws he could be released from jail in May next year. The US government cannot confirm any American citizens were among 33 suspects detained on terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia this past week, two US officials told Reuters on Sunday. The English-language daily Saudi Gazette had reported earlier that four Americans were detained on Monday and another five in the following days, along with 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, a United Arab Emirates citizen, a Palestinian and a citizen of Kazakhstan. The officials said initial checks did not show that Americans were among those detained. However, one of the officials said US authorities were still checking names against databases. Neither official was authorized to speak publicly. Search Keywords: Short link: Suspected foreign fighters who have returned from battlegrounds in Syria and Iraq are being forcefully interviewed in an effort to identify terrorist recruiters and financiers as well as potential jihadis. The Australian Crime Commission, which has unprecedented powers to compel people to talk, conducted 18 coercive interviews over 24 sittings in the last financial year to investigate the threat posed by foreign fighters. Its chief executive, Chris Dawson, told Fairfax Media the links between organised crime and terrorism were increasingly emerging in Australia, including known crime figures funding terrorist activities. In a new development, he said the ACC was looking at crime gangs possibly recruiting returned fighters to take advantage of the skills they have acquired overseas. Private school teachers are being stalked to their homes during the weekend and harassed via email and SMS by helicopter parents anxious about their children's homework. A Queensland University of Technology study of nearly 900 parents whose children attend an independent or Catholic school found those who tended to overparent had greater expectations that teachers would be responsible for their child completing homework. These expectations of teachers rose as the child moved through school. School's out, but some parents still expect teachers to be on duty when there's homework to be done. Credit:Leah Anne Thompson "Teachers were seen as falling short in their actual responsibility in the higher grades," researcher Judith Locke said. Ms Locke said overly involved parents could be too invested in their child's academic achievements, "which may result in excessive emotional reactions if the academic expectations are not fulfilled", and a tendency to blame the school for their child's failings. Thomas Demos, 48, from Drummoyne in Sydney's inner west, was among many attendees demanding a refund on Sunday. A photo of a plate containing an abundance of salad and small piece of meat was posted to the Sydney Barbecue Festival Facebook page. Credit:Zac Nicholson/Facebook Mr Demos told the Herald he and two friends paid $30 each for tickets, and arrived at the festival about 1pm, by which time crowds had already swelled to about 2000. "We wanted to get something to eat but the queues were enormous. Everyone around us was complaining. "There was very little shading or seating. There was very little else to do." Mr Demos said they planned to spend the whole afternoon at the festival, sampling the barbecue delights on offer from vendors including Bovine and Swine Barbecue, Porteno and Surly's. [It was] basically $138 for a small lunch, a couple of drinks and bad sunburn. Adam Leung They left hungry and empty-handed after an hour-and-a-half, and were forced to suffer the ignominy of eating salad wraps at a nearby cafe. "The whole point was to go there and have a good feed and have a few beers. We were happy to spend some money on food but we couldn't. "We queued up in four separate queues, and we were told we would be waiting for 45 minutes at the very least. "It's fairly obvious there was a lack of planning." When a thunderstorm struck Sydney later in the afternoon, patrons had to leave the event to seek shelter. Overnight, a "Sydney BBQ Festival Hate Page" gathered hundreds of likes as attendees accused organisers of deleting complaints from the festival's official Facebook page. In a post late on Saturday evening, organisers apologised for the chaos but said "all elements of the event were delivered as advertised" and there were "no grounds for a refund". Organiser Matt Vitale told the Herald a lot of organisation had gone into the event and it was "always disappointing to get negative feedback". He said the stormy weather in the days before the event "played havoc" with 13 food traders, with rain affecting the wood-fired smoking equipment, causing one vendor to pull out at the last minute. "I think we've delivered a good event under difficult circumstances and it's unfortunate there's some bad feedback," Mr Vitale said. He said vendors and organisers were fully aware of expected crowd numbers but were swamped about lunchtime as crowds arrived early to beat the afternoon thunderstorms. "Early in the morning, [the demand] hit the guys at once. There were a range of things working against us and we were playing catch-up. "We actually had fewer people come than we briefed our traders on." Mr Vitale said food stalls that sold out were restocked later in the day. Adam Leung, who endured the long wait for food, described the festival as "the worst value for money from any event I've been to". "My wife got very badly sunburned waiting at a table in the sun for me while I waited two hours for food. She didn't want to leave the table to give it up (we had no idea how long we'd be waiting for food)," he wrote on the event's Facebook page on Sunday morning. "[In] summary between two of us it was $70 for entry, $10 parking, $18 for drinks from the bar, $40 for 2 serves of wings and 2 soft drinks .. basically $138 for a small lunch, a couple of drinks and bad sunburn. One year on from the Newman Government's shock election loss and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk took a moment to 'thank' Queenslanders for "putting their trust in Labor". The actual anniversary of the Palaszczuk minority government won't come until Valentine's Day, a year after when Ms Palaszczuk, support in hand from independent MP Peter Wellington, was able to show Governor Paul de Jersey she had the numbers to govern the state. "We have been working extremely hard and I just want to thank all of the Queensland families out there that have put their trust in my government," she said. "We value that trust and we work hard each and every day to maintain that trust." A policewoman has been assaulted and struck on the head with a bottle as officers tried to break up an out-of-control party on the Gold Coast. Police responded to a noise complaint at Labrador on Saturday night to be confronted with around 100 teenagers consuming alcohol and acting rowdily. A policewoman was hit over the head with a bottle at an out-of-control party on the Gold Coast. Credit:Tom Threadingham Police say an acting sergeant was assaulted by a boy and as she attempted to arrest him, other youths threw bottles at her, one of them hitting her on the back of the head. She was assessed by paramedics at the scene but did not require further treatment. A female police officer has been hospitalised with suspected concussion after authorities were called to break up a wild brawl between an estimated 20 people in South Bank on Saturday night. Attending police were forced to call for back-up after they went to break up the melee near the Wheel of Brisbane, in the inner city cultural precinct, and the group turned on them. The South Bank brawl broke out near the Wheel of Brisbane at South Bank. Credit:John Nolan/Facebook Seven people have been charged over the fight. A Queensland Police Service spokesman said police were called after a brawl erupted between two groups about 10.15pm. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack? Who is Michael McCormack and what about Barnaby Joyce as the replacement for Warren Truss? Last week saw a puff piece in the national press presenting the credentials of Michael McCormack, the Nationals member for Riverina, an area best known to the rest of Australia for the misdeeds of the local Calabrian community. Barnaby Joyce, Deputy Prime Minister? There are apparently many who wake in fright at the prospect. Credit:Stefan Postles "While not as boisterous as Barnaby Joyce ... he's anything but beige. One Liberal minister describes McCormack as more 'reliable' than Joyce," the article effused. Not so much Barnaby Lite, as Barnaby Smooth. Whisky rather than beer. McCormack, a former editor of the Wagga daily before entering politics, went public himself several days later saying wait and see until Truss, who has been almost Delphic in his silence about his intentions, made an announcement. The state government could consider supporting a move to change the name of the state's Boundary Streets, but only after extensive consultation with indigenous groups, councils and local communities. The issue has flared up in Brisbane at various times, with the latest push coming after advocates for the change altered West End's Boundary Street sign to read 'Boundless' Street, with an online petition following on its heels. Local Murri elder Sam Watson, who is against changing the name of Boundary Street. Credit:Michelle Smith Historically, the streets served as boundaries that separated European settlers from indigenous people. Curfews were enacted as part of the racist policy, which saw indigenous people's forced back behind the boundaries at certain times under the threat of incarceration and violence. Jason Tuazon-McCheyne still remembers the first time he kissed Adrian, his husband of 18 years. "Friday we met for the first time, saw each other again on the Sunday," Mr Tuazon-McCheyne said. Jason Tuazon-McCheyne with son Ruben and husband Adrian Tuazon-Mc Cheyne. Credit:Meredith O'Shea "Remember having our first kiss at the very end, short kiss. There were fireworks. "I was 28 years old and I didn't think it was possible, I couldn't drive home properly." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Sunday for a more "sober" approach towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in dismissing a French peace initiative as only encouraging Palestinians to shun compromise. The proposal on Friday by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius for an international peace conference was the latest sign of Western frustration over the absence of movement toward a two-state solution since the collapse of US-brokered negotiations in 2014. Fabius said that if the French plan did not break the deadlock, Paris would recognise a Palestinian state. Such a step would raise concern in Israel that other European countries, also long opposed to its settlement-building in occupied territory, would follow suit. In public remarks to his cabinet, Netanyahu did not explicitly reject the notion of an international conference - an aide said Israel would examine such a request once it was received - but he made clear that reported details of the plan made it a non-starter. Netanyahu said a "threat" to recognise a Palestinian state if France's peace efforts did not succeed, constituted "an incentive to the Palestinians to come along and not compromise". "I assess that there will be a sobering up regarding this matter," Netanyahu added. "In any event, we will make effort so that there is a sobering up here, and our position is very clear: We are prepared to enter direct negotiation without preconditions and without dictated terms." On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the French proposal, telling an African summit in Ethiopia that "the status quo cannot continue". But Washington responded with caution to the French move, saying it continued to prefer that Israel and the Palestinians reach an agreement on final-status issues through direct talks. US Secretary of State John Kerry called Abbas and the two discussed the French initiative and "the tense political situation in the region," WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency reported on Sunday. While aware the initiative may struggle to get off the ground, French officials said Paris had a responsibility to act now in the face of Israeli illegal settlement activity and the prospect of continued diplomatic inaction as the United States focuses on a presidential election in November. And, the officials said, Netanyahu had gone a step too far in accusing UN Secretary of State Ban Ki-moon of giving a "tailwind to terrorism" by laying some of the blame for four months of unrest at Israel's door. Ban angered Israel by saying last week that it is "human nature to react to occupation". The United States, European Union - Israel's closest allies - have also issued unusually stern criticism of Israel in recent weeks, reflecting their own frustration with the policies of Netanyahu's right-wing government. The criticism, particularly about the settlements, where some 550,000 Jews live in around 250 communities scattered across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, has raised Palestinian hopes that world powers might finally be minded to support a UN resolution condemning Israel's policy outright. Israel's use of force against Palestinian protests since October 1 has killed 159 Palestinians,. On the Israeli side, 25 Israelis were killed, in addition to an American and an Eritrean. Palestinians seek a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, parts of which have been occupied by Israel since 1967. Palestine has non-member observer status at the United Nations and its flag flies with those of member states at UN headquarters in New York. Sweden became the first EU member nation to recognise the Palestinian state in 2014. A total of 136 UN-member countries, mostly in Africa, Latin America and Asia, now do so. *The story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: Police claim to have busted a Melbourne drug syndicate in dramatic raids overnight, arresting the alleged kingpin before taking down his underlings. As Melbourne's attention was turned to the Australian Open men's final, police moved on the drug syndicate, storming properties in Carlton, Tullamarine, Balwyn North and St Kilda. More than 150 police were reportedly involved, with 15 search warrants executed. A 51-year-old Tullamarine man, allegedly the syndicate's kingpin, was arrested shortly before 7.30pm. With the boss safely in custody, police then reportedly moved in to arrest his underlings. Another 10 people were arrested. Similar sites have sprung up all around Australia. Racing and Gaming Minister Colin Holt says the Perth Beer Economy Facebook is illegal. In August, WAtoday revealed there was a Facebook page called the Perth Beer Economy which involved the bartering of goods and services for hooch. The group has now more than 56,000 members. Perth's burgeoning online beer economy could be on the verge of running dry after the Barnett government ruled the liquid market was illegal. But Racing and Gaming Minister Colin Holt has poured cold water on the beer economy, saying it was "illegal". "People who choose to participate in online 'beer economy' transactions need to be aware that this activity is illegal in Western Australia and I would encourage them to be mindful of this," he said. According to the Liquor ACT of 1998, the selling of goods and services was unlawful, because people are "selling" alcohol without a license. Under the act, the definition of "sell" says, "in circumstances in which the supplier derives, or would be likely to derive, a direct or indirect pecuniary benefit." Last week, a beer economy Facebook page in Central Queensland was shut down by the Palaszczuk government because it was illegal. New Delhi: In the male leprosy ward at Shahdara Hospital in east Delhi, no one is aware that World Leprosy Day is on January 31. The ward wears the same bleak look as on any other day. The patients are quiet as the nurses bustle around men with no legs or no arms or no nose, or a combination of these disfigurements. Every day of the week leprosy patients struggle to get by without limbs and without arousing fear and loathing in healthy people. A group of leprosy patients out for lunch and some fun in Delhi to mark World Leprosy Day on January 31. Outside the ward, Vivek Yadav and his father Atul, who is in a wheelchair because his legs were amputated years ago, are waiting for a technician to adjust the wheelchair. "My father got it very early. For as long as I can remember, he had no legs. He was always on the ground, using his arms to move his torso. We could never take him out. It was when we came here that we got a wheelchair for him," said Vivek. Auckland: Three young men have been shot in a park in south Auckland, New Zealand by an unknown person who opened fire on a large group of people. The person fired three times at the gathering of about 40 people early on Sunday morning before running off. Police have cordoned of a part of Yates Road in Mangere after shooting incident in the early hours of Sunday morning. Credit:Stuff A 22-year-old man was taken to hospital in a serious but not life-threatening condition with gunshot wounds to his abdomen and leg while two others, aged 16 and 24, suffered leg wounds. Auckland Police were disappointed by a lack of co-operation from people who witnessed the shooting. Des Moines, Iowa: A day before the first votes in the United States' long election season are cast in the Iowa caucuses, both major parties are facing knife-edge competitions, driven by powerful insurgent campaigns. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton is just three percentage points ahead of Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist senator from Vermont who has captured the imagination of younger voters, according to the final poll by the Des Moines Register, considered the gold standard in this state. The Republican race is thoroughly dominated by insurgents against the party's establishment, with the populist Donald Trump five percentage points ahead of the hard-right junior senator from Texas, Ted Cruz. In Strangemen & Co.'s The Woodsman, now playing its first open run at New World Stages, audiences are treated to a completely original glimpse at L. Frank Baum's beloved Land of Oz. The dialogue-free production uses puppets, movement, and music (played throughout on a single violin) to tell the backstory of Oz's iconic Tin Man a logger forced by an evil witch to cut off his own body parts with his ax rather than marry his sweetheart. "It's an American fairy tale," writer, codirector, puppet creator, and lead actor James Ortiz told TheaterMania when we spoke about the show's engagement at 59E59 Theaters last year. "It's the only folk tale America has." Oz's unique position within Americana is, in part, is what inspired Ortiz to bring on professional violinist Edward W. Hardy to compose and perform The Woodsman's folk-music score. But even after Hardy joined the Strangemen team, Ortiz continued to struggle with how to best tell the Tin Man's story. As it became increasingly clear that the tale would be best served by movement and sound, Hardy, Ortiz, and the rest of the team were compelled to develop a language of sensory collaboration and eventually, put storytelling front and center. James Ortiz's The Woodsman puppet; James Ortiz and Eliza Simpson in a scene from The Woodsman. ( Emma Mead/Hunter Canning) How did The Woodsman come to be? James Ortiz: The idea was, wouldn't it be interesting if we could do the Tin Man's story of man goes to machine and actually use puppetry to do that? We were just like, "How do we tell this?" We wrote some scenes and actually there was dialogue in it and it just wasn't working...And then Eddie came around and it became a thing where we would just sit in a room and I don't know a thing about music so I would be like, I think the feelings areand the colors are Edward W. Hardy: So whenever he would say something like, "This scene is kind of terrifying," I would bring in a few themes that are kind of varieties of terrifying very much or less much. James: I remember the first day he was like, "You know I can't make this sound like an orchestra, right?" Edward: My biggest fear, because it was just me, was how do I fill up the silence? James: In very early rehearsals we had more scenes and more other things and he kept being like, "So am I going to play the whole show?" And it kind of turned into that. Everything else wasn't working. Why do you think that was the case with this show? James: With my type of puppetry, when the puppets themselves speak, you kind of kill the magic of the puppet a little bit. I think the thing that's extraordinary about puppetry is that it's participatory with the audience in the sense that my puppets don't really have moving features and it's the audience that perceives the expression changing. So we just pared it all back. What if it was more of a silent movie? And then we were trying to justify the choices, like, "Why is it silent? Can we make our villain more of a threat by making the world silent for a reason?" I'm really proud of the economy of the show. I feel like there isn't a wasted thing, like we've just got a tight little storytelling ball at this point. What was the collaboration process like from the musical perspective? Edward: It felt sort of like a relationship because after they'd solidify something, I would take it and work on it a lot and be like ,"OK! I have it!" and then come back in James: and we'd have changed the scene. Edward: It was fine. That's what happens. My teachers told me you're supposed to write more than they need just in case...so I'm glad. What have you learned from this project? Edward: I've played violin for sixteen years now and I always wanted my music to have a story. That's why this was so attractive to me. That's the one thing I've applied to all my other performances. I had this performance at a music festival where I played some Vivaldi, and all I kept picturing was the witch. James: The way of working and the language that we found about how to communicate with each otherIt just was one of the more creatively fulfilling experiences I've had. Subaru Celebrates Record Year with Second Consecutive Sales-Matching Meal Donation to Feeding America Donations Will Support Feeding Hungry Nationwide CHERRY HILL, NJ -- January 29, 2016: To commemorate Subarus seventh record-breaking sales year, the company will donate a meal for every vehicle sold in 2015 -- 582,675* -- to help the Feeding America nationwide network of 200 food banks. This is the second year Subaru has matched its year-end sales figure to meal donations. MORE INFO Subaru Research and Buyer's Guide Guide Cherry Hill, NJ Columbia, MD Lithia Springs, GA Orlando, FL Itasca, IL Frisco, TX Bloomington, MN Dublin, OH Aurora, CO Portland, OR Pleasanton, CA Costa Mesa, CA The Food Bank of South Jersey, which serves the community around the Subaru corporate headquarters, will receive the monetary equivalent of 110,000 meals. Subaru will also donate the monetary equivalent of 27,500 meals to food banks serving areas where Subaru of America has regional offices:Feeding America, the nations largest domestic hunger-relief organization, will be the recipient of Subarus donation balance for its national feeding programs.We are thankful to Subaru for its generous support and commitment to helping individuals in need, said Nancy Curby, vice president of corporate partnerships for Feeding America. Feeding America is committed to fighting hunger in communities nationwide and this donation will help our network better serve children and families who struggle with hunger.Working with such a worthy organization like Feeding America is at the core of our companys, our consumers and our retailers values, said Thomas J. Doll, president and chief operating officer, Subaru of America, Inc. We aim to build lasting relationships and we are proud to be able to celebrate another banner year with another impactful donation to Feeding America.Subaru of America has set a new all-time sales record in 2015, marking the seventh consecutive year of sales records and eighth consecutive year of sales increases, with each of the companys vehicles contributing to the success as nearly each carline achieved new annual sales records.*$1 helps provide 11 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks. Subaru provided $55,000 to Feeding America and member food banks.Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. For additional information, visit Feeding America WICHITA, Kan., Jan. 29, 2016 -- Spirit AeroSystems Inc. [NYSE: SPR] and Boeing celebrated the first flight of the 737 MAX 8 the first member of Boeing's efficient 737 MAX family today when it took to the skies from Renton Field near Boeing's 737 Final Assembly plant in Renton, Washington. Spirit AeroSystems produces the 737 MAX fuselage, pylon, thrust reverser and engine nacelle at its Wichita, Kansas, facility and the wing leading edges at its Tulsa, Oklahoma, facility. "We're proud to celebrate this first flight milestone with Boeing," said Spirit President and CEO Larry Lawson. "Spirit has delivered over 8,000 737s since they entered service and we look forward to continuing the 737 legacy through this newest variant 737 MAX." The 737 MAX, powered by CFM International's LEAP-1B engines, will deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market with 20 percent lower fuel use than the first Next-Generation 737s and 8 percent per seat lower operating costs than its nearest competitor. Spirit is responsible for delivering about 70 percent of the 737 structure to Boeing. The 737 MAX 8 is the first member in Boeing's new family of single-aisle airplanes the 737 MAX 7, MAX 8, MAX 200 and MAX 9 to begin flight testing. The 737 MAX will extend the Next-Generation 737 range advantage with the capability to fly more than 3,500 nautical miles (6,510 kilometers), an increase of 340 to 570 nautical miles (629 to 1,055 kilometers). The 737 MAX family has 3,072 orders from 62 customers worldwide. Delivery of the first 737 MAX is scheduled for the third quarter of 2017. On the web: www.spiritaero.com On Twitter: @SpiritAero About Spirit AeroSystems Inc. Spirit AeroSystems is one of the world's largest independent producers of large aerostructures. Its core products include fuselages, pylons, nacelles and wing components. Spirit has long-term agreements in place with its largest customers, Boeing and Airbus. Other customers include Bombardier, Rolls Royce, Mitsubishi, Sikorsky and Bell Helicopter. Based in Wichita, Kansas, Spirit operates facilities in the U.S., U.K., France and Malaysia. Spirit also provides aftermarket customer support, including MRO, spare parts, and engineering services in North America, Europe and Asia. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Jan. 30, 2016 $1.2 million Rick Hendrick North Carolina Georgia Zac Brown -- At the auctioneer's final call, the next-generation 2017 Acura NSX supercar tonight smashed the record for a vehicle auction at Barrett-Jackson for the highest-selling designated vehicle identification number (VIN) 001 with the final hammer price set at. Winning bidder, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and founder of Hendrick Automotive Group, has earned the right to custom order the first production model of Acura's highly anticipated NSX, which comes to market this spring. All proceeds of the auction will go to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, based in, and Camp Southern Ground in, the passion project of GrammyAward-winning music artist "It was amazing to witness such generosity of spirit and passion for the new NSX," said Jon Ikeda, vice president and general manager of Acura. "Mr. Hendrick will have the great satisfaction of owning and driving the very first next-generation NSX, and making a difference in the lives of thousands of children." Customer ordering for the 2017 NSX will begin on Feb. 25 at authorized NSX retailers, in concert with the launch of the Acura NSX on-line vehicle configurator on Acura.com. About the Acura NSX Created to bring a new experience to the supercar segment, the next-generation Acura NSX challenges conventional beliefs about supercars, with cutting-edge and world-first technologies. Much as the first generation NSX did a quarter century ago, the 2017 NSX breaks the mold through a first-of-its-kind Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive power unit, a multi-material body structure, advanced aerodynamics and a cockpit that supports performance driving on every level without sacrificing comfort. The 2017 Acura NSX is the only supercar designed, developed and manufactured in the U.S. with production exclusively at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio with domestic and globally sourced parts. About Acura Acura is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance through advanced product design and innovative technologies like Acura Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) and Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS). On March 27, 2016, Acura will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its launch as the first luxury nameplate from a Japanese automaker. The Acura lineup features five distinctive models the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America's all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV. This spring, Acura will launch its next-generation, electrified NSX supercar as a new and pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance. About Barrett-Jackson Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Barrett-Jackson, The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions, is the leader in collector car auctions and automotive lifestyle events. The company produces auctions in Scottsdale, Arizona; Palm Beach, Florida; at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, and Las Vegas, Nevada. With broadcast partners, Velocity and Discovery Channel, Barrett-Jackson will feature live television coverage in 2016, including broadcasts in over 100 countries internationally. Barrett-Jackson also endorses a one-of-a-kind collector car insurance for collector vehicles and other valued belongings. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit http://www.barrett-jackson.com, or call 480-421-6694. About Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation is the leading nonprofit funder of research into one of the deadliest forms of childhood cancer. Our programs also include free educational resources, college scholarships for brain tumor survivors, emergency financial aid and mission-focused events such as Ride for Kids and the Starry Night 8.5K. Brain tumors are the leading cause of solid tumor cancer death in children between the ages of 0-19. More than 28,000 young people in the United States are living with the diagnosis of a brain tumor, and nearly 13 new cases are identified each day. To help us cure the kids, call 800-253-6530 or go to www.curethekids.org. About Camp Southern Ground Nestled on over 400 acres in the farmlands of Georgia, Camp Southern Ground is the passion project of GRAMMY-Award winning artist Zac Brown. Inspired by Brown's personal experience as a camp counselor, this state-of-the-art facility will serve children, ages 7-17, from all backgrounds, races and religions. There will be a special focus on young people with neurobehavioral challenges, at risk populations and children from military families. For more information, please visit http://www.campsouthernground.org/. For More Information Consumer information is available at http://www.acura.com. To join the Acura community on Facebook, visit http://www.facebook.com/acura. Additional media information including pricing, features and high-resolution photography is available at acuranews.com/channels/acura-automobiles. 2016 Volkswagen Passat, It's The Same, But Everything Has Changed Review By Thom Cannell 2016 Volkswagen Passat Review By Thom Cannell Senior Editor Michigan Bureau The Auto Channel Midst the recent unfavorable publicity, Volkswagen launched its newest made-in-America Passat in snowy Stowe, Vermont. Essentially similar in form to its predecessor, it features the kinds of changes that will surely appeal to sedan buyersfamilies and those considering frugality and durability a virtue. Safety and fuel economy are improved, and Passats suite of electronics has hit two major milestones, a backup camera thats snap-your-fingers quick to display and a voice activated navigation system that works. The system is called the MIB II Infotainment system. With MIB II most models hook up to your smart phone whether Apple, Android, or MirrorLink through VWs Car-Net App Connect technology. Arriving in Stowe, surely the display center for the metal roof industry, our greeting was the LED headlamps of the 2016 Passat. A glance showed major exterior improvements. According to designer Eugen Enns, the front design still emphasizes width, but now has more vertical teeth to enliven the front view; it is less austere. The hood is an ode to America, a power dome that uses lengthy windscreen-to-nose creases to create the lift rather than the typical squared bubble. Its both bold and subtle, if that makes sense. Youll notice it, maybe wondering what makes it different. Youll also note the precisely sculpted LED headlamps, or halogens in some cars. Passats headlamps are slimmer, regardless what makes the light. Another sweet touch, all cars have alloy wheels. From the A-pillar back, the doors and roof, theres no change, yet the rear deck and tail lamps are revised. Were fans of the new tail lampswhen theyre illuminated. Off, well theyre too much like the old to generate that good old NEW feeling. In other words, still handsome, with some gray at the temples. Lastly, powertrains are carryover, a 1.8-liter direct injected turbo engine and the husky VR6 V-6. A revised and approved diesel? Not for now, maybe by summer. Major changes continue inside where you spend your time. The interior was renewed from the windscreen down using bright materials that either are aluminum or incredible faux to create a two-tone color scheme. More on that later. Passats instrument panel, which was plenty good, takes cues from GTI to deliver a more sporty look with big tach and speedometer. Major changes surround the center stack, regardless if equipped with a top-of-line Fender Audio system. All models use touch screens that vary between 5 to 6.3 and most support capacitive touch, like your smart phone. Volkswagens MIB II system links to Apple Car Play, Android Auto, or MirrorLink through a USB connection housed in what we used to call an ash tray. That makes hooking up the cable a bit inaccessible. In addition, VWs Car-Net App-Connect is its suite of telematics features like: find my car, schedule service, boundary and speed limits for your teens, and it delivers easy-to-use navigation. We tried the voice activated navigation (usually a total disappointment), and with simple natural language route us to 4000 Mountain Road in Stow (Vermont) were swiftly delivered a route. There are other ways to enter your destination like typing it in, but the voice command is so good why would you? We are impressed, its honestly as competent as your smart phones maps. Some of the items that are options, or incorporated in model upgrades include the kick it trunk opener, keyless entry, rain sensing wipers, Vienna leather seating surfaces, and cornering lights. Whats interesting is that Volkswagens automatic post-collision braking system is standard. This applies the brakes after a collision so you dont roll on forward, potentially striking another car, tree, or going across the median where you might cause even more carnage. Now lets talk about the safety systems you might want, or need. Adaptive cruise control is available to keep you from tailgating, Forward Collision Warning includes Autonomous Emergency Braking to do its best to keep you from rear ending another car. These are the new must haves for personal and family safety. Theres blind spot monitoring, Active Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert with braking, which we dearly appreciate every time we go to the supermarket or mall. Lane Departure warning can, in some models, add its active steering assist to push you back into line unless a direction change blinker is on (we didnt get to try thatyet). Models can park for you, or deliver front and rear distances to help you avoid parallel parking and garage blunders. Thats a heap of useful safety for any family and the most significant changes for the new 2016 Passat. So much for the lecture. The reality of driving a car, living with its idiosyncrasies make ownership a pleasure, or as short at the lease will allow. Interior hits and misses include a center stack thats as well thought out as any weve seen and with wood thats as nice a simulation as weve seen. The new interior is more sweeping, more dynamic and very open. It does have one two many trim pieces on the doors, at least to our taste, with the top shoulder followed by aluminum trim, false wood, then the polymer panel itself. We should say the grain matching and changes create a vibrant texture. With emphasis firmly on safety, we were again impressed by how quickly the backup camera displayed what was behind us. We also liked the touch screen interface, it was as natural as your smart phone. Driving dynamics have always been a VW hallmark. Passats ride is firm without any harshness and steering is very directional, though lacking in road surface feedback (something few will ever notice or care about). Most impressive during our rural driving was the navigation system, even far from cell service. We were very impressed by its one shot voice entry for destinations. As we traveled throughout Vermont it worked impeccably and instantly zoomed in to intersections to show us the turn, echoed on the Driver Information display between tach and speedometer. Our test engine was the familiar 1.8-liter TSI, now in its third generation, which is direct injected and turbocharged. That little power pack makes 170 horsepower and 184 ft.-lb. of torque while delivering 25 City and 38 Highway mpg through its 6-speed automatic. Its calibration was precise and if shifted manually, very eager to please. A more powerful 3.6-liter VR6 direct injected engine with 280 horsepower and 250 foot-pounds of torque is available, mated to VWs Direct Sequential Gearbox and it still delivers 20 MPG city and 28 freeway. Overall we are impressed by the 2016 Passat for its refinement of what was, and is, a very good mid-sized car. Pricing starts at $22,440 including a host of features, enough that youd be very happy to drive away without an upgrade. That said, $23,975 gets you the more stylish R-Line, to which wed add the comfort package and LED lights for $1,780. SE models add more glitter and comfort and safety features, its Technology package puts all the tech into your hands at $28,410. If you want the VR6 engine, and you well might, the SEL has even more features and is competitive at $30,495 plus another $1,095 for those wonderful LED headlamps, tail lamps, and DRL. The 2016 Passat is a car that will look fresh and contemporary years from now when you pass it down to your teens. Just be sure to engage the speed and location controls before passing the keys; you remember how it was. The Most In-Depth Volkswagen Shopper's Research - Anywhere! "The Birth of a Nation," a drama about a 19th century slave revolt in Virginia, swept top prizes at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday. The movie, acquired earlier this week by Fox Searchlight for a record-shattering $17.5 million, won the grand jury prize and the audience award at the prestigious festival held in Park City, Utah. The dual awards mark a major victory for filmmaker Nate Parker, who wrote and directed the movie about Nat Turner, who led a slave rebellion in 1831. It also comes at a time when Hollywood is under fire for its lack of diversity in the list of actors and filmmakers nominated for Oscars this year. "Thank you, Sundance, for creating a platform for us to grow, in spite of what the rest of Hollywood is doing," Parker, who is black, said as he accepted the grand jury prize for his film already being touted for a 2017 Oscar. The US documentary grand jury prize was awarded to "Weiner," a behind-the-scenes portrait of disgraced US politician Anthony Weiner as he attempts a comeback by running for mayor of New York. The audience award in that category went to "Jim: The James Foley Story," a documentary about the US journalist slain by the Islamic State group in 2014. In the world cinema category, the grand jury prize for a drama went to "Sand Storm," an Israeli film that follows the struggle of women in a Bedouin village, while the audience award went to "Between Sea and Land," a Colombian movie about a man afflicted with an illness that confines him to his bed, and his mother who cares for him. Both the audience and grand jury prizes for foreign documentary went to "Sonita," about an 18-year-old Afghan refugee illegally living in Tehran and who dreams of becoming the next Rihanna. The Sundance Film Festival founded by actor Robert Redford is considered a showcase for independent and documentary films and festival winners often go on to receive critical acclaim and Hollywood awards season glory. Last year, the crop of movies shown at the festival yielded "Brooklyn," which is up for three Oscars next month, including best picture and best actress for its Irish star Saoirse Ronan. Here is a full list of prize winners from Saturday's awards: Grand Jury Prize: "The Birth of a Nation" Directing: Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan for "Swiss Army Man" Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: Chad Hartigan for "Morris from America" Special Jury Award: "As You Are" Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance: Joe Seo for "Spa Night" Special Jury Award for Individual Performance: Melanie Lynskey in "The Intervention" and Graig Robinson in "Morris in America" Audience Award: "The Birth of a Nation" Grand Jury Prize: "Weiner" Directing: Roger Ross Williams for "Life, Animated" Special Jury Award for Editing: Penny Lane and Thom Stylinski for "Nuts!" Special Jury Award for Social Impact Filmmaking: "Trapped" Special Jury Award for Writing: "Kate Plays Christine" Special Jury Award for Verite Filmmaking: "The Bad Kids" Audience Award: "Jim: The James Foley Story" Grand Jury Prize: "Sand Storm" Directing: "Belgica" Special Jury Award for Acting: Vicky Hernandez and Manolo Cruz for "Between Sea and Land" Award for Screenwriting: Ana Katz and Ines Bortagaray for "Mi Amiga del Parque" Unique Vision and Design: Agnieszka Smoczynska for "The Lure" Audience Award: "Between Sea and Land" Grand Jury Prize: "Sonita" Directing: Michal Marczak for "All These Sleepless Nights" Special Jury Award for Debut Feature: Heidi Brandenburg and Mathew Orzel for "When Two Worlds Collide" Special Jury Award for Cinematography: Pieter-Jan De Pue for "The Land of the Enlightened" Special Jury Award for Editing: Mako Kamitsuna and John Maringouin for "We Are X" Audience Award: "Sonita" 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: Hands-On Winner Announced! Hands Over Keys to His Mother!! Washington Auto Show January 31, 2016; The only thing more stunning than the moment that William Holmes picked the lucky key that switched on the ignition of his brand new Hyundai Tucson was what happened moments later. After six days and five nights of nearly continuous contact with the prize vehicle in The Washington Auto Shows Hyundai Hands-On Contest, Holmes of Mitchellville, Md. held the key to the brand-new Hyundai Tucson high above his head and handed it over to his mother, Margaret Holmes. I couldnt think of a greater gift to give my personal hero than a stylish new means of transportation to aid her in assisting others within her community, Holmes wrote in his contest application essay, distinguishing him as one of nine finalists from more than 500 applicants to the beloved annual contest. One of five finalists to last until the contest ended at noon on Sunday, Holmes was the third contestant to select a key that would unlock his dream for his mother. And when it did, the crowd, which included about a dozen of Holmes relatives, went wild, the shock of jubilation leaving several witnesses in tears. You just won a brand new Hyundai! announced Kevin Reilly, president of Alexandria Hyundai and past show chairman on behalf of the Washington Area Hyundai Dealers, which sponsored the contest. Holmes noted in his application that his mother had purchased a used 15-passenger bus to help in her community outreach, which has included a host of activities and fund-raising activities for children and her church members such as fishing trips, sporting events and ladies tea parties. The Hands-On Contest always delivers heartfelt stories, and this one was an especially touching example of the love of family and community, said John ODonnell, president of the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association, which produces The Washington Auto Show. #FOTO:306864139:200# Jon Fernie, Lincoln Indicators BUY RECOMMENDATIONS Henderson Group PLC (HGG) #FOTO:306864142:300# Chart: Share price over the year A global investment manager. The company manages more than 80 billion across equities, fixed income and alternative assets. The group targets net inflows of between 6 per cent and 8 per cent of assets under management each year and has a good investment track record. Recent weakness in markets has impacted the share price, although we continue to view the outlook as positive. Given the offshore earnings profile, investors will also benefit from any depreciation in the Australian dollar. Cover-More Group (CVO) #FOTO:306864143:600# Chart: Share price over the year A travel insurance and medical assistance business with operations in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Asia. The group has a strong position domestically with an estimated 40 per cent of market and distribution agreements with leading travel agents, such as Flight Centre and Helloworld. Despite soft market conditions, management indicated at the groups annual general meeting that travel insurance sales were tracking well. We expect the group to deliver robust earnings growth in fiscal year 2016 driven by product launches, more domestic contract wins and expansion overseas through partnerships. HOLD RECOMMENDATIONS Ramsay Health Care (RHC) #FOTO:306864144:600# Chart: Share price over the year A global private hospital operator with facilities in Australia, the UK, France and Malaysia. The recent share price dip appears to be a response to potential regulatory risks and pressure from private health insurance firms. Overall, we believe these risks are outweighed by strong brownfield expansion and acquisition opportunities across all regions. RHC also retained guidance at its annual general meeting for underlying earnings growth of between 12 per cent and 14 per cent in fiscal year 2016. JB Hi-Fi (JBH) #FOTO:306864145:600# Chart: Share price over the year The company reported a solid first quarter trading update with sales up almost 4 per cent on a comparable basis. Management reiterated guidance for total sales of $3.85 billion in fiscal year 2016 driven by organic growth and further store rollouts. While providing an attractive combination of growth and income, the stock currently trades at a premium to our valuation. SELL RECOMMENDATIONS Aurizon Holdings (AZJ) #FOTO:306864146:600# Chart: Share price over the year A rail freight company with operations across Australia. The group hauls coal, iron ore and other mineral, agricultural and industrial products. Aurizon downgraded earnings guidance in December and revealed impairments would be reported in the first half. The group continues to implement a cost reduction program. Given ongoing pressure on iron ore prices and weaker coal volumes, we view the outlook as clouded moving forward. Orica (ORI) #FOTO:306864147:600# Chart: Share price over the year Makes chemicals and commercial explosives and supplies more than 100 countries. The group reported a weaker fiscal year 2015 result after substantial impairments. In our view, Orica faces challenging conditions in the mining sector and an over supplied ammonium nitrate market. We expect further pressure on earnings in the year ahead. While management is taking steps to restructure the business and reduce costs, we see better alternatives in other sectors. #FOTO:306864140:200# Jonathon Howe, Red Leaf Securities BUY RECOMMENDATIONS OneVue Holdings (OVH) #FOTO:306864148:600# Chart: Share price over the year The superannuation services provider has performed well in the past four months. OVH is growing its custodial business, and its competitor Link Administration Holdings (LNK) was recently at an all-time high. We are bullish about the sector and the outlook for OVH. The shares were trading at 78 cents on January 27. I own OVH shares. Transaction Solutions International (TSN) #FOTO:306864149:600# Chart: Share price over the year Provides banking and financial services in India. TSN is one of the few ASX listed stocks providing access to the Indian macro theme. We would expect the share price to respond positively to any contract win involving automatic teller machines or mobile kiosks. On January 27, we also note that investment company Copulos Group owns a 6.47 per cent stake in TSN. I also own TSN shares. A speculative buy. HOLD RECOMMENDATIONS Medibank Private (MPL) #FOTO:306864150:600# Chart: Share price over the year The company has performed well since its IPO in late 2014. The sector is conservative and marginally grows each year. Its a solid defensive stock and therefore makes a good addition to a portfolio. Crown Resorts (CWN) #FOTO:306864151:600# Chart: Share price over the year Speculation exists that James Packer may privatise the business. Speculation is one thing, doing it is another. The stock is trading well below its 2014 highs. The stock will re-rate significantly to the upside if privatisation was to become a reality. But you cant rely on speculation. SELL RECOMMENDATIONS Wesfarmers (WES) #FOTO:306864152:600# Chart: Share price over the year The company recently announced that its taking the Bunnings hardware brand to the UK via its $705 million acquisition of home improvement chain Homebase. Australian companies have a poor track record of expanding into foreign markets. Investors should consider reducing their exposure to this industrial conglomerate. Yowie Group (YOW) Chart: Share price over the year The chocolate maker has successfully broken into the US market via an arrangement with Walmart. However, in order to meet the strong demand for chocolate, my view is YOW may need to raise more capital. Investors may want to consider taking some money off the table at these levels and wait for a possible re-entry on a potential capital raising. However, my view is purely speculative. I have no financial interest in YOW. #FOTO:306864141:200# Gavin Wendt, MineLife BUY RECOMMENDATIONS Sheffield Resources (SFX) SFX is one of our most highly regarded bulk commodity exposures. Its world class Thunderbird mineral sands project in Western Australia hosts a large, high grade zircon rich resource, where Sheffield is targeting first mineral sands production during 2017. Sheffield has advised of a maiden ore reserve for Thunderbird, which importantly supports a 40-year mine life as outlined in the pre-feasibility study late last year. Talisman Mining (TLM) The company has performed strongly in the past six months as the market digests the commercial significance of the massive sulphide hits being generated by its ongoing Monty drilling campaign the first significant, high grade, massive sulphide, copper and gold discovery outside of Sandfire Resources DeGrussa copper deposit. It recently discovered bornite mineralisation has the potential to enhance overall project economics. HOLD RECOMMENDATIONS Transerv Energy (TSV) Drilling of two appraisal wells on its undeveloped Warro gasfield within the Perth Basin continues to generate strong interest. The company has a heavy hitting joint venture and off take partner in Alcoa, which is earning a 65 per cent stake through the expenditure of $100 million. Transerv has just announced a more than doubling of its Warro Contingent gas resource. Metalicity (MCT) Finalised the acquisition of the Admiral Bay project, one of the worlds biggest undeveloped zinc projects. Theres significant scope for a resource upgrade and expansion given mineralisation has been intersected along an 18 kilometre strike length. SELL RECOMMENDATIONS Newcrest Mining (NCM) The gold stock has recovered in recent months, but this represents an opportunity to take profits. I believe it continues to be negatively impacted by underperforming operations, such as Lihir Island and other short duration assets. Newcrest is likely to fast track operations, such as the Wafi-Golpu project in Papua New Guinea, or sift out acquisitions in order to maintain its production profile. BHP Billiton (BHP) The fall from grace is shown by a share price trading at $15.08 on January 28. Investors reacted to failed corporate deals encompassing Pilbara iron ore, Rio Tinto and Potash Corp of Canada. Add to the mix excessive and ill-timed spending on iron ore expansions at a time of falling Chinese demand. Also, include the environmental catastrophe in the form of the Samarco disaster in Brazil. In my view, the company has a poor decision making record. >> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletter Please note that TheBull.com.au simply publishes broker recommendations on this page. The publication of these recommendations does not in any way constitute a recommendation on the part of TheBull.com.au. You should seek professional advice before making any investment decisions. As of 29 January the ASX website shows 20 floats slated for 2016 with five having proposed listing dates in place. Four of the five operate in business sectors that could benefit from long term trends emerging market demand for quality dairy products; demand for better internet security; renewable energy for residential use; and the demand for natural and organic products. Given the wild volatility and the massive stampede for the exits in global share markets, why would any sane investor consider taking a chance on an IPO? Accounting firm HLB Mann Judd recently published its annual study of IPO performance, showing that overall, 2015 IPOs on the ASX gained 10% while the ASX was down for the year by 1%. The study reported that 62% of the 2015 class finished the year above their float price. Even in the best of times climbing aboard an IPO is not for the casual investor. By casual investor we mean one without the time, temperament, or talent to tackle the difficult task of due diligence. What comprises due diligence? The strict definition of due diligence as a comprehensive appraisal of a business undertaken by a prospective buyer, especially to establish its assets and liabilities and evaluate its commercial potential, seems to be beyond the capabilities of most retail investors. However, the simpler definition of due diligence as research and analysis of a company or organization done in preparation for a business transaction represents a realistic endeavor. In the case of IPO offerings this means reading the IPO Prospectus issued by the listing company. Considering the size of some of these documents it is reasonable for retail investors to follow some guidelines for evaluating an offering without having to pore over each and every word in the document. Here are a few: How does the company generate revenue? What is the market potential for the companys products or services? How will the company use the money generate from the IPO? How will the company grow in the future? Why is the company going public? Who owns the company and what is their stake in the companys future? The failure of the Myers IPO and the recent collapse of Dick Smith suggest the most important considerations for evaluating an IPO are the last two. Both these companies were owned by Private Equity firms who took them public to make a profit, not from the future of the company, but from selling out at a price above the issue price. In short, if the present owners of a company have little or no financial interest in the medium to long term future of the company, the other considerations may prove irrelevant. With that in mind, lets look at the five upcoming offerings. Cybercrime is expanding at an alarming rate, even as the Internet usage grows exponentially. Tesserent Limited has a proprietary Managed Security Software Providers (MSSP) platform it sells in 11 countries around the world with 190 customers large and small. The company has been in business for ten years and according to the Prospectus it has grown revenue in each of the last three years and has reported a profit in each of the last three years as well. The offering closed oversubscribed, indicating positive market sentiment. Of the $7 million raised, $3.3 million will go towards expansion and research and development, with $1.5 million going towards working capital; $1.3 million to reduce debt; and $800k to cover the costs of the offering. The majority owners are Australia-based Investment firms who will maintain majority status following the IPO. Their shares will be locked in escrow for 24 months before they can be sold. That sounds generous compared to the Myers and Dick Smith offerings, but some experts feel investors here will be looking for escrow periods to be raised to three to five years. However, the oversubscription seems to indicate investors are comfortable with the escrow period. Skin Elements Limited is currently a niche player, preparing to offer organic sunscreen products through the award winning Soleo brand as well as through the Elizabeth Jane Natural Cosmetics (EJNC) line. The Soleo products are in the final stage of market testing with the proceeds of the IPO to be used for a market launch as well as the continued development of the EJNC cosmetics line. Consumers are increasingly looking for organic and natural products of all sorts to replace chemically compounded offerings. The companys business model calls for wholesaling what it makes, an online presence, and social media marketing. The offering includes a Public offering as well as an offer to existing company shareholders. Current ownership is unclear at best, with no information about the five listed private firms readily available. However, the developer of the technology used to create the Soleo line is a member of the current management team and will remain following the offering. With the exception of $520,000 to go towards the cost of the offer, all the expected funds to be raised will go towards sales and marketing, production, research and development, and working capital. Funding growth is a solid reason for going public but this companys murky ownership structure and the fact holding shares in escrow is to be voluntary makes an already speculative investment look even more questionable. However, another recent ASX IPO stands as potential evidence of the lure of better skincare products. BWX Limited (BWX) makes skin care, hair, and body products with five brands in the market. In the body products line the ingredients used in formulation include things like coffee and sea kelp. The skin care and hair products also feature natural and organic oils and herbs. BWX debuted on the ASX in November of 2015 with an opening day closing price of $2.26. Here is how the stock has performed since. Trac Group Holdings designs, manufactures, and distributes innovative roofing solutions. The companies interlocking roofing tiles can add solar mounted roofing panels designed to integrate with the tiles and generate electricity for both heating and hot water. The companys Tractile Roofing System is patented and awaiting the IPO funds to launch the system first in Australia and then internationally. Development expenses have left the company with losses in excess of $3 million as of June 2015. Trac Group claims to have a total of three patents filed or granted in multiple countries. In the past year the company has begun sales and installation of roofing systems on a limited basis. Trac Group expects a maximum subscription of $6.5 million, with all but $755k to pay for the offer going towards launch activities. In addition, the company states future profits will be invested in growing the business. The Tractile System gives the company significant competitive advantages, including resistance to weather damage, ease of installation, integration with solar energy, and the companys multiple technology awards. N1 Holdings started as a traditional mortgage broker and expanded to include car and commercial loans and personal insurance and investment with online comparisons as well as offline locations. Some experts predict a rough year for the property market but N1 Holdings has something else going for it that makes it an IPO to consider. The company has specialized in working with immigrants and foreign investors. On 15 March 2015 the company launched the first mortgage comparison website in Mandarin. The site is meant for Chinese investors living in Australia and offers comparison of mortgage products from more than 30 lenders, including the Big Four Banks. The Prospectus notes that although the company has seen continued revenue growth since FY 2011 N1 Holdings posted a loss of $37k in FY 2015. Funds from the offer will go towards growth initiatives, including potential acquisitions. The final offering is China-based China Dairy Company, seeking to raise the highest amount of any IPO in the table $20 million. Despite the growing demand for milk in China, investors have as yet to flock to the offer, causing the company to extend the closing date since the minimum capital raise requirements for ASX listing had not been met. China Dairy is one of the largest operators in China. According to the companys CEO China Dairy is one of the fastest growing dairy operations and reportedly enjoys favored status with the countrys Ministry of Agriculture, making it one of the best. What may be troubling investors is the 2008 milk and infant formula scandal in China. It seems some milk producers were watering down the milk and then adding melamine, a chemical used in the production of plastic, to boost the measured protein content. Powdered milk products from this spiked milk found their way into infant formula, leading to the deaths of at least six children. Chinese consumers lost confidence in their own providers and those who could afford it switched en masse to Australian and New Zealand imports. China Dairy hopes to partner with or acquire an Australian dairy processing operation for technical assistance as well as to add dairy products like cheese and yogurt produced in Australia to its product line. Although Aussie investors appear skeptical regarding the claim China Dairy was not tainted by the 2008 scandal, the company has seen both revenue and profit increase in each of the last three years. The final issue that may be souring the appetite for this companys offering is the wildly convoluted ownership path. The China Dairy Prospectus states that China Modern Agricultural Information Inc. (CMCI), listed in the US on the OTC, is the majority shareholder through that companys subsidiary, Hope Diary Holdings Ltd. with a 60% interest. On 13 October CMCI filed its annual financial report, listing the history of who acquired who back to 2005. The players include a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands called Value Holdings, Jiasheng Consulting in China, Zhongxian Information (the company that morphed into China Dairy), and finally, Hope Diary Holdings. In order to enable the China Diary ASX listing, CMCI was restructured, resulting in a $50 million dollar transaction loss reported on 23 November, which sent the share price spiraling downward. It is unclear what is left of CMCI but Aussie investors researching China Dairy surely looked at the price action of the once upon a time parent company. Complex ownership structures are not unique to China Dairy, but in the absence of clarity it can appear that the drop in the CMCI share price is a reflection of operations of China Dairy. However, considering the size of the Chinese market, China Dairy bears watching, with an acquisition or partnership arrangement with an Australian dairy processor a likely positive catalyst. >> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletter When I came to the United States from Turkey as an international student 13 years ago, it was because there were limited educational and professional opportunities for women at home. Though I had two degrees, there was no appropriate Ph.D. program for me in Turkey. I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship that covered my tuition in a Ph.D. program and a small teaching assistant salary in the U.S., and I was eager to join my many friends who were studying abroad, and to grow from the diversity and different cultures in the states. I cannot compare my status then with that of todays Syrian refugees, but even under my different circumstances, the transition from one culture to another was hard and I didnt always feel welcome. Not speaking English fluently and not understanding American culture were the greatest early challenges I faced, with outcomes occasionally funny but often disheartening and cruel. To earn my scholarship, I was ironically assigned to teach public speaking while I was barely able to craft a sentence in English. I was beyond embarrassed to be in front of the students. When I first arrived in the United States, I was very lonely and found it difficult to make connections. Once in a thrift store, while talking in Turkish with a friend we were scolded and told You are in the U.S., so speak English. I often wanted to participate in the conversations around me. I would have a great story to tell, one that could make people laugh, but I didnt have the fluency or vocabulary to tell it. I kept a lot in my heart. I cannot even imagine the challenges of being a Syrian refugee without the resources I had, trying to adapt to living in a foreign land. One big challenge these refugees face is the current political landscape in which American politicians are using a fear-based rhetoric that suggests Muslim refugees will become terrorists or criminals or dependents of the state. Not only will they face similar difficulties to mine as they assimilate culturally, but will be faced with an irrational fear and preconceived notion upon arrival. While it is possible in theory, from my experience it is highly unlikely that a terrorist disguised as a Syrian refugee would be legally admitted to the United States given the comprehensive nature of the current immigration process. In order to be admitted to the United States, I submitted a huge folder including bank accounts, real estate and car ownership, tax returns, health insurance documentation, pay stubs, employment letters, pay slips, admission letters from the university where I was to work, an I-20 document that is sent by the U.S. government, airfare tickets, visa application forms, visa application fee, etc. There was a long wait for the background search and all applicants were interviewed by an embassy officer who compared data collected to interview answers. The existing admission processes is so thorough that a Syrian with a criminal or suspicious background would have a very difficult time being granted admission. Due to the involvement of the United States in wars in the Middle East, there is a lot of hatred against the country. (A quick Google search uncovers countless articles about hatred against the United States, including 9 Countries That Hate America Most, and eight of these nine countries are in the Middle East). Even in Turkey, which has not been in active combat with the United States, the revulsion towards the nation is obvious in Istanbul, and the U.S. consulate there is rightly fearful of terrorist attacks. After the 2003 Istanbul Bombings, the embassy moved from a central location in the city to a surreal giant castle on top of a hill away from the city center. Its foreign policy does not make the United States a hero in the Middle East. But by admitting more Syrian refugees and offering more aid to them, the United States can begin to change its role and reputation not only in the eyes of the Middle East but in the eyes of the entire world. Two hundred and twenty thousand people have died in the Syrian war and millions more have fled the country as refugees. Yet, despite U.S. involvement in the war, it has admitted only 1,854 Syrian refugees since 2012. For Syrians, finding a safe place to live is a matter of living or dying. The United States could admit more refugees and welcome them in ways that enable them to create roots here. Of course, not all Americans are turning a blind eye to the Syrian refugee crisis. Some choose to convey the stories of Syrian refugees in creative ways, such as Brandon Stanton with his photo website Humans of New York, in order to create awareness. Some choose to donate money. Some communities choose to invite and host more refugees. But we need more Americans to turn away from their electronic gadgets and entertainment distractions and stop blocking out the tragedy. They may think, If we dont hear it, maybe it does not exist. But it does. We need to help, and when they arrive, we need to welcome them with kindness and compassion. Ozge Samanci is an artist and an assistant professor at Northwestern University. Her debut graphic novel, Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey, has just been published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Around The Daily Beast office, Im known for my spot-on Bernie Sanders impersonation. To my colleagues, it seems studied, but to me, its just familiar. Ive known Bernies all my life. The same is true for Bernies atheism. A recent profile in the The Washington Post, headlined Why Bernie Sanders doesnt participate in organized religion, depicted the senator as possessing a quixotic blend of cultural Judaism, kinda-sorta belief in God, and political idealism. To many Jews, however, this mix is hardly unusual. Its familiar as chicken soup and matzo: the basically secular, basically atheist Jewish Democratic Socialist, part of the erstwhile 20th-century American Jewish Left populated by the likes of Irving Howe, Woody Guthrie (not Jewish, but married Jewish, raised kids Jewish, sang Jewish songs), Irving Howe, Alfred Kazin, Hannah Arendt, and, later, Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, and Yippies like Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman. The Jewish Left included Socialists, Communists, labor unionists, Zionists, and even future neo-conservatives Saul Bellow, Sidney Hook, Norman Podhoretz and Irving Kristol, who began their biological and political lives in the same social milieu as Bernie Sanders before they turned to the right in the 1960s-70s. (Their story has been told many times, most recently in Daniel Oppenheimers new book Exit Right). Although culturally Jewish, religiously-nonbelieving Socialism may seem like a quirky blend today, its part of Jewish history, complete with red-diaper babies, Socialist Jewish summer camps, and bitter persecution during the McCarthy era before reemerging in the New Left of the 1960s. Even the Forward, the Jewish newspaper where I also write a column, began its life as a Yiddish Socialist daily, Forverts, edited by Abraham Cahan. (Like everyone on the Left, it was attacked by redder Socialists for being not Left enough.) For many recent Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, progressive politics was the new religion, and the only real question was which sectliberalism, socialism, communismone liked best. As the Yiddish joke goes, these Jews knew three worlds: the alte velt, the Old World of Europe; the neue velt, the New World; and Roosevelt. What kind of Judaism is this? Certainly, as the Post said of Sanders, it is a cultural affiliation. Its not a coincidence that Larry David does an even better Sanders impression than I do; theyre culturally the same person. In an earlier decade, I suspect Sid Caesar, Mel Brooks, George Burns (a distant cousin of mine!), and even Henny Youngman might have acquitted themselves equally well. But secular, progressive Judaism is, itself, a kind of religion. While dispensing with the God of the alte veltif the Enlightenment didnt kill him, the Holocaust certainly didleftist Jews of the 20th century maintained a prophetic, religious zeal for justice. Some of this came from within the Jewish tradition, both as a matter of Biblical injunction (Do not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger as you were slaves in Egypt, a commandment todays Jewish Trump-supporters might ponder) and of national character. European Jews were oppressed for thousands of years: burned, exiled, forbidden from owning property, banned by polite society. And even when, in the 18th and 19th centuries, civilized Jews from France and Germany were granted the benefits of citizenship, the backward Jews from Eastern Europe were still subjected to pogroms. When the descendants of these Jews came to the United States, the intellectuals among them brought their history of marginalization and their firm belief that progressive changewhether revolutionary or gradualwas absolutely necessary as a matter of simple morality. America was the goldene medina, the Golden Country, where finally everyone could be equal, regardless of birth or race. Yet there was obviously a gap between that ideal and reality, and into that breach rushed a generation of Jewish progressives. Some championed the New Deal, others joined the New Left, some were hunted down as communists and provocateurs. But all participated in a Jewish version of civil religion: a basically secular moral order that agitated for progressive social change. Sanderss political idealism is obviously cut from this cloth. Part of his appeal to progressives is that he calls Wall Street immoral and wrong, countering the religious rhetoric of conservatives not with namby-pamby liberalism but with a moral, prophetic call, however unrealistic it may be. I think it is important that a sense of morality be part of our politics, Sanders told the Post. And one gets the sense that he believes it. Now, is this really religion? It depends what you mean. By Christian standards, not quite. Sanders did his best when asked, point-blank, if he believes in God. I think everyone believes in God in their own ways, he said. To me, it means that all of us are connected, all of life is connected, and that we are all tied together. Well, thats great, but in that case, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris believe in God. If this is theism, then what is atheism? No, Bernie was being political. He knows that atheists are widely despised in Americaits one of the few permissible prejudicesand that many of them are arrogant, obnoxious jerks. He also knows that his own quasi-atheism is yet another reason he is unelectable in a country that still identifies as over 80% religious. (Still another reason may be the kibbutz at which he volunteered, but now refuses to nameperhaps it was more Communist than Socialist.) So hes couched his secularism in a religious-seeming garb. Generously, we could call this skillful communication. But its not religion as that term is usually understood in Christian contexts. On the other hand, Judaism has long had a different understanding. The old saw that Judaism is a religion of deed, not creed is, of course, a simplification. But its more true than false. To be a good Jew, in Orthodox religious terms, is to obey the ritual and ethical commandments. A handful of those require belief, but the vast majority do not. In college, I remember a teacher of mine, an Orthodox rabbi, telling me that To be a good Jew, you need to believe in one God, or fewer. Likewise among non-Orthodox religious Jews, for whom religion is more about practice than faith, more about action than intention. Even if belief retains some role, it often sits on the epistemological back burner. Its there, but its not a big deal. Norespecially for Reform Jews but certainly for secular onesis the Bible and its legal norms. Secular Jewish morality, and most of Reform Jewish morality, is based on conscience, reason, compassion, and reflection, not Scripture. The Bible may be edifying, but ethical reasoning is primary. To repeat, this is not true of everyone. Some Hasidic Jews are almost evangelical in their emphasis on personal relationships to God. Many Renewal and Reconstructionist Jews have non-traditional theologiesa bit like Sanderssbut still emphasize the importance of spiritual experience, ecstasy, or contemplation. But if we are asking whether Sanders is religious in Jewish terms, the reply must be that he is. The question isnt whether he went to a Passover Seder or stood outside the doors on Rosh Hashanah, and it certainly isnt whether he believes in a creator deity. Sanders is secular, he is atheist or close to it, and he defines morality in ethical, not ritual or traditional or authority-based, terms. But if Sanders wants to call that religious, hes got a long progressive-Jewish lineage to back him up. When he says he believes in God in [his] own ways, hes not speaking as a quirky, uncombed Socialist from Vermont. However unelectable it may make him, hes speaking as part of a century-plus tradition of progressive secular Jews who changed the face of America. A toxic and inflammatory political atmosphere. An assassination. A rumored conspiracy and cover-up. The 1995 murder of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by a right-wing fanatic bears more than a passing resemblance to JFK in Dallas, except for thisRabins murder had more far-reaching consequences, and its effects can still be seen on Israeli and Middle Eastern politics. That, at least, is one of the takeaways from Rabin, The Last Day, director Amos Gitais film about the Prime Ministers assassination, the events surrounding it, and the commission set up to find out what happened, and why. The picture, which opens this weekend in New York, followed by a national rollout, features a combination of archival footage and recreations that help illuminate not only what occurred on November 4, 1995, but how those events gave a push to the reactionary settler movement. It also explains the rise of current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rabin was killed by the Israel extreme right, who wanted to destabilize his government, says Gitai, who spoke to The Daily Beast during a New York publicity tour. He was the victim of a crazy coalitionyou had hallucinating rabbis, who came up with ancient curses, the strong lobby of the settlers, and the parliamentary right. We cannot say they all wanted to kill him, but they did want to weaken him. Rabins crime, in the eyes of these groups, was his 1993 signing of the Oslo Accords, a series of agreements with Yasir Arafats Palestine Liberation Organization. These agreements, for which Rabin, Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize, provided for an interim Palestinian government that would administer areas under its control, and called for the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Force from parts of Gaza and the West Bank. The PLO also recognized the State of Israel, and Israel recognized the PLO as representatives of the Palestinian people. Rabin had already frozen settlement construction which, according to the film, had grown from 31 settlements and 4,400 settlers in 1977 to 120 settlements and 100,000 settlers in 1992. This growth had occurred even though the settlements were considered illegal under international law, a violation of the Geneva Convention concerning civilian rights. Not that this mattered to the extreme right in Israel, who saw their countrys victory in the 1967 warafter which Israel annexed Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights and the West Bankas an opportunity to realize their dream of a Greater Israel. So the Accords were viewed as a traitorous enterprise, with reactionary rabbis claiming they violated the Torah by putting Jewish lives at risk. This mindset led at least one rabbi to compare the Rabin government to the Nazis, and some rabbis placed a Pulsa DiNura, an ancient curse, on Rabin, followed up by a din rodef, an ancient Jewish law which allowed for extrajudicial killings. Influenced by all this, and a legal system which refused to bring charges against the seditious statements coming from the right wing, a 25-year old law student named Yigal Amir shot and killed Rabin following a massive Tel Aviv rally held to enlist support for the Accords. Much of Rabin, the Last Day details the ensuing investigation by the Shamgar Commission, which was set up to investigate the assassination. Using the commissions official transcripts, Gitais film features recreations of interviews with Rabins driver, and various security personnel. The picture that emerges is of a security force that was utterly incompetent, or seriously compromised. The area where the actual shooting occurred was lightly patrolled, allowing Amir to go unnoticed for nearly 40 minutes. After the shooting, it took the car carrying Rabins still breathing body eight minutes to drive the 500 yards to the nearest hospital, since no one had schooled the driver on an escape route, and no one called the hospital to inform it of the emergency, which meant no medical personnel were waiting when the vehicle finally arrived. Gitai says he is not sure there was any conspiracy, that its just the Israeli chaos, a mixture of voluntary things and just negligence. Its a sequence of problematic signals. At least politically, they saw all the signs [that something like this could happen]. But I chose to give all the ingredients and let everybody make their own interpretation. Amir, who is considered a hero by the radical right, was sentenced to life in prison. The real beneficiary of the assassination turned out to be Netanyahu, who was the leader of the right-wing Likud party at the time of the shooting, and was elected Prime Minister in 1996. He is shown in archival footage giving impassioned, ultra-nationalistic speeches and, in one chilling shot, smirking in a corner while reactionary Israeli politicians keep interrupting a speech Rabin is trying to give before the countrys parliament. Netanyahu is a cynical guy, says Gitai, so you have a confrontation between someone who wants to reconcile Israel with the region, and someone who wants to get power back to the right wing. Its a general strategy up until today. Although the film raises the question of whether or not Rabin was naive about the strength of the forces arrayed against him, Gitai says of the former leader that you have to be determined, not naive, but also understand that peace is about a dialogue. So when you make peace it cannot be unilateral; the other should exist. And this is the big difference between what is happening now, the others dont exist; its them [Israelis and Palestinians] and their culture. With grassroots Palestinian violence against Israelis on the rise, and settler vs. Palestinian violence becoming an increasing problem, Gitai is not overly optimistic about the future. If it will continue this way, it will be self-destruction, he says. Netanyahu is talented but cynical, and he is using hatred between sub-groupsJews vs. Arabs, religious vs. non-religiousto get elected. This is extremely dangerous in a country that is so fragile. Ultimately, Gitai feels his film shows that Rabins assassination was a historical tragedy not only because it set back the Middle East peace process, but because in the intervening years, no Israeli politician has come along to replace him. Every year, more than 100,000 people go to Rabin Square [site of the killing] to mark the day of his assassination, he says. I think the only political figure alarming to Netanyahu is this dead man. I dont think there are any living ones. The Bryan-College Station Regional Association of Realtors has chosen Marilyn Moore as 2015 Realtor of the Year, and Teresa Clark as 2015 Affiliate of the Year. Moore was selected from 800 real estate agents, nominated by her peers and affiliates. She has served as owner of About Town Realty, and has over 12 years of experience. The award she received reflects commitment to her industry, and an above-average performance in the field, said Virginia Kettler of Sherlock Realtors in a press release to the public. Clark, nominated by affiliate peers and by Realtors, is the marketing coordinator for 1st Alliance Mortgage. She has over 18 years of experience in the banking and mortgage industry, and was presented with her award to indicate that she, too, performed her job with excellence and dedication, Kettler noted in the release. Love old or unusual movies but never know when they're on? Here are several I recommend: Calamity Jane. January blahs got you down? I've got just the thing. This rousing 1953 Doris Day musical could put a smile on anyone's face. The material might not be quite as great as Annie Get Your Gun, but since Betty Hutton got to star in that picture, we can enjoy Doris yukking it up and belting out Sammy Fain's superb songs in this enjoyable Western spoof. Joining her in the fun is Howard Keel as Wild Bill Hickok, Allyn Ann McLerie and Philip Carey (Asa Buchanan on One Life to Live). Always an underrated actress, Day really makes us believe in the outrageous, leather-clad, ultimate tomboy, Calamity Jane. Curl up with Doris and Howard, and I promise that January headache will be gone in no time. Turner Classic Movies, Monday, 11 a.m. The Sundowners. I really like this epic about a sheep drover (Robert Mitchum) and his wife (Deborah Kerr) eking out a living in Australia's Outback in the 1920s. It doesn't get much better than Mitchum and Kerr, and while the pace is a bit, well, stately, it doesn't matter. There's all that gorgeous scenery, great use of music, and the great Fred Zinneman's insightful and detailed direction. It's particularly of interest since the role is such a departure for Mitchum. If you've never seen this one, you should check it out. Turner Classic Movies, Tuesday, 6 a.m. An Unfinished Life. Lasse Hallstrom directed this lovely generational drama about love, loss and forgiveness. Jennifer Lopez stars as a young widow who, with her daughter, arrives unannounced at the home of her former father-in-law (Robert Redford). There's a bit of bad blood there, as Redford blames Lopez for the auto accident that claimed the life of his son. He is stunned to learn he's a grandfather. Morgan Freeman co-stars as Redford's old friend who's recuperating from, of all things, a bear attack. If this all sounds corny and predictable, be assured: It is. But Redford is a master, and it's fun to watch him do the Crotchety Old Man Who Just May End Up Having a Heart of Gold thing. The movie contains one of my all-time favorite Redford lines: "Are you confused about how to treat people in my house?" Now available on Amazon Prime. Pride and Prejudice. I know, I know, everyone loves the 1995 miniseries with Colin Firth. Fine. Well, I love this version, with Keira Knightley, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone, Carey Mulligan and Talulah Riley as the Bennet sisters. Matthew Mcfadyen is tremendously effective as Mr. Darcy, while Donald Sutherland and Brenda Blethyn offer strong support as the girls' parents. There's a reason this book keeps being remade: The story is irresistible. Deborah Moggach's screenplay (with reported uncredited help from Emma Thompson) is tart and smart, and Knightley delivers it with great heart, intelligence and clarity. This movie actually turned me around on Keira Knightley and made me a fan. Trivia Question #618: Which of this week's directors has a long creative relationship with ABBA? Answer to Trivia Question #616: Emma Thompson won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for her work on Sense and Sensibility. Bryan native Ray Ivey is a writer and movie fan in Hollywood, Calif. He would love to hear from you at rayivey@ca.rr.com. You can also visit his blog at www.starkravingray.com. In it's 4th edition, the Luxor Egyptian and European Film Festival will screen 50 films from 30 countries in the official competition and the festival's different sections The 4th edition of Luxor Egyptian and European Film Festival opened yesterday in the presence of Minister of Culture Helmy El-Namnam, Luxor Governor Mohamed Badr, festival president Magda Moris and the jury president, cinematographer Ramsis Marzouq. This year 50 films from 30 countries are participating in the official competition as well as the festivals various sub-sections. Badr said at the opening that, Luxor is honoured to host such an international festival in Egypts capital of ancient monuments. Tourism is only complete with the presence of culture and cinema. We aspire to reach a cultural peak ... and we are currently planning to set up a cinema complex, and also a media production city [in Luxor], reported Mohamed Youssef Sherif from Al-Ahram Arabic. In his statement, El-Namnam shed light on the city of Thebes, saying Weve been speaking about freedom and social equality and its about time we also realise cultural equality too. The Arab League chose Luxor as this years capital of Arab culture, and we are currently preparing to set up an opera house in Luxor As for movie theatres, we are currently planning to establish the first cinema complex in Luxor, reported Sherif. An array of filmmakers and artists are honoured at this years edition, including Lobna Abdel Aziz, who was chosen to be the honourary president of the festival, Poussy, who will be honoured for her lifetime achievements, and Mahmoud Hemida, Dalia Elbehiry, Salwa Khattab, Naglaa Badr, and Nada Basiouny, all honoured for their work. In her statement, Egyptian actress Lobna Abdel Aziz said that it is a great honour to be chosen by the festival to be an honorary guest. Im especially happy because Luxor is the mother of Egypt, and I consider it to be my home, country and land, reported Iman El-Hawari from Al-Ahram Arabic. At the opening ceremony, the cinemas of Kuwait and Italy were celebrated. Kuwaiti director Amer Al-Zuhair was honoured for his film career, which comprises an array of important documentary films, and TV drama series. This years edition will also commemorate Helmy Halim and Elias Moadab, two Egyptian filmmakers who belong to the golden age of Egyptian cinema. Halim (1916-1971) was a film director, screenwriter and film producer who worked with many stars, including Omar Sharif, Ahmed Ramzy, Faten Hamama and Abdel Halim Hafez. Moadab (1916-1952) was an actor who took part in many of Egypts comedy movies of the 1940s and 1950s. The ceremony was followed by the screening of Palestinian film 3000 Nights by director Mai Masri. The film centres on a young newly-wed Palestinian school teacher who is jailed in a high-security Israeli prison where she eventually gives birth. 3000 Nights premiered in September 2015 at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The 4th edition of Luxor Egyptian and European Film Festival runs until 5 February. The festival is supported by the ministries of culture and tourism, the European Union, the Arab Maritime Academy, and the Film Mehan Syndicate, under the supervision of the Noon Foundation for Culture and Arts (NOONCA) whose board of trustees includes the foundation's president, Mohamed Kamal El-Qaliouby, famed Egyptian director Daoud Abd El Sayed, film critic Youssef Sherif Rizkallah, critics Magda Wassef and Magda Moris, journalist Gamal Zayda (who is also the foundation's secretary general) and cinematographer Wadid Shoukry. An annual event since its first edition in 2012, the festival started with the intention of promoting Egyptian and European cultural cooperation, in addition to reaching out to and including remote areas of Egypt in the cultural sphere mostly dominated by Cairo and Alexandria. 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: With the exception of the football and basketball teams, most of what makes A&M so special takes place out of the limelight. Unless you are on campus every day, it is easy to overlook the advances being made in agriculture, medicine, engineering and so many other areas We know that Texas A&M is making the world better for all of us, but we just don't know the specifics of how that is happening. Part of that is because the ideas being discussed, the research being conducted is far beyond our capability to understand fully. Some of it is because the Aggie scientists are too busy to toot their own horn. But some of that is changing this weekend as teams of more than 1,000 students from more than 100 universities and three high schools gathered at A&M to discuss their ideas for implementing Hyperloop, an exciting concept for moving people from point A to point B rapidly and safely. Hyperloop first was touted in 2013 by Elon Musk -- founder of Tesla and SpaceX. The broad concept is moving 20-30 passengers at a time in pods that race through a 12-foot diameter tube at speeds up to 700 mph. Imagine zipping from Dallas to Houston in less than 300 minutes. While the concept is exciting, how to make it a reality is yet to be determined. That's where the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition Design Weekend at A&M comes into play. One hundred twenty-four teams from 26 states and 20 foreign countries will be showing off their best ideas how to make Hyperloop a reality. Some of those ideas might seem pretty far out to many of us, but who knows how they will morph into a final product. If people reject all ideas that are different or unusual, we would still be riding horses to work and reading by candle light. Imagination is a marvelous thing and should be nurtured and encouraged. That this weekend's events were held at A&M speaks well for the university and its Dwight Look College of Engineering. Simply put, A&M was invited to host this weekend because of the reputation the college has in the engineering community. Already, a number of Aggies are working for SpaceX, helping design the future of space travel. The competition speaks to the importance of A&M's efforts to increase the size of its engineering school. AS the world becomes more technologically complicated, we need people who can work within those existing technologies but also have the vision and expertise to create new ones that benefit all of us. This has been an incredible weekend for Texas A&M and we hope many ideas presented will help bring the Hyperloop dream to fruition. Who knows? Maybe some day heere we'll be saying, "Remember, Hyperloop leads both ways." Some of you will be aware that part of the thesis of my book The Prostitute State is that there are four pillars supporting the corruption of British democracy. One of those pillars is the thieving tax havens, almost 50% of which are under some form of British jurisdiction e.g. Bermuda, Cayman and Channel islands. There is an article in yesterday's Guardian that states Tory MEPs were instructed by David Gauke MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, to vote against a whole range of EU measures to crack down on endemic corporate tax theft. But what the article fails to convey is that Gauke worked in corporate financial services as a solicitor in the financial services group Macfarlanes, a corporate law firm, prior to being an MP and more importantly his wife Rachel Gauke is a professional support lawyer specialising in corporate tax at legal research provider LexisNexis. Where 'mainstream' political party funding comes from Do not forget also that over 50% of Tory funding comes from financial services almost all of whom are linked to global tax havens. New Labour and Lib Dem party major funding donors likewise nearly all came from tax haven sources during their years in power. It is a key element of another pillar of The Prostitute State i.e. the corruption of our political system. This is how the rich 0.1% protect their tax haven status, by which they cream off the UK's wealth offshore and leave us with massive Treasury deficits which have then to be paid for with massive austerity cuts to the poor. Last July Google owners Larry Page and Sergey Brin were each worth about $32 billion dollars - a sum that has since risen to $37-38 billion. It is truly disgusting that our own UK government has been so corrupted by tax haven lobbyists that it seeks to stop the European Union from cracking down on British Bermuda where Google has stashed its ill-gotten tax-thieving pile of $30 billion in cash. In 2014 the Sunday Mirror reported on the scale of tax dodging by the six of the world's biggest companies: "Six of the world's biggest companies paid just 0.3 per cent of their UK earnings in corporation tax last year, a Sunday Mirror probe has found. We have examined the UK accounts of Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Google, Ebay and Starbucks and found the six firms have reported a total of 2.6billion of revenue in the last year. SHARE By Erin Schmitt of The Gleaner There's a crowded field of candidates in the Henderson City Commission race. A dozen people are vying for just four seats on the commission. The field will be cut to eight following the May 17th primary. In order of how the names will appear on the primary ballot, the candidates are: Austin P. Vowels, Robert N. Pruitt, Thomas E. "Tom" Davis, Jesse Johnston IV, Preston W. Herndon, X.R. Royster III, Nathan "Nate" Butler, Kenny Perkins, Donald "Don" Bridges, Bradley S. Staton, Patti Bugg and Brad Woosley. The Gleaner requested that all of the candidates fill out biographical information sheets. An article about five of the candidates Bridges, Bugg, Royster, Staton and Vowels was published Jan. 19. Here is a look at the seven candidates who have filed since Jan. 19: Nate Butler Nate Butler, 55, is a newcomer to the Henderson City Commission race, but has held elected office. Butler, who is the lead pastor at Water's Edge Church, was elected to the Geary County School Board in Junction City, Kansas, in 2003. He served for four years. He served 20 years on active duty in the Army and two years in the Army Reserve while attending Reserve Officer Training. "I am firmly committed to the idea that as a Christian, I should be willing to not only lead within the church, but also in the community," he said. "One of the visions of Water's Edge Church, where I pastor, is to develop a culture of leadership development. Serving in my community allows me to lead by example. When I am elected I will serve my community faithfully and diligently." He has a bachelor of business administration in finance from Wichita State University. He also received a master of arts in theological studies from Midwestern Theological Seminary and a master of science in administration from Central Michigan University. He and his wife, Terry, live in the 2500 block of Fryer Drive. They have two adult sons and an adult daughter. Tom Davis Tom Davis, 64, 600 block of Cherry Street, is no stranger to city government. Davis first sought elected office by running for county magistrate in 2002. He lost by three votes. He successfully ran for mayor of the city of Henderson in 2006. He lost the seat in the 2010 election. Davis won a city commission seat in 2012, but was not successful in the 2014 election. Davis said he's running again at the urging of citizens. "My years of experience I have serving as mayor and commissioner will let me hit the ground running in knowing the operations, budgeting and personnel involved in Henderson's city government," Davis said. "I look forward to serving the citizens of Henderson again if elected." Davis is self-employed and has two adult sons. He holds a bachelor's degree from Western Kentucky University. Preston herndon Preston Herndon, 44, is seeking political office for the first time. He does have experience working for the city. Herndon is a detective with the Henderson Police Department. "As a law enforcement officer, I have spent the last 20 years serving the citizens of Henderson," he said, adding that, as he embarks on new opportunities, he would love to continue to serve. "My career experiences have provided unique opportunities to gain insight into the concerns of Henderson residents from all segments of our community. I feel that these experiences qualify me to address our citizens' concerns from across our community." Herndon is married to Tiffany Herndon and has two sons. The Herndons reside in the 800 block of Comanche Drive. He has a bachelor of arts in criminal justice from Kentucky Wesleyan College. Jesse L. Johnston IV Jesse Johnston, 35, 100 block of South Adams, is still serving his first term as a city commissioner. He won election in 2014 after two unsuccessful campaigns in 2010 and 2012. "When I first ran for office I campaigned on working to make Henderson a better place to live and I feel we have started the process and will continue to move in that direction throughout 2016," Johnston said. "With the elections looming ahead, I ask for your support and vote to continue this progress for the 2017-18 term. The city is my life as it is to many of you, and I will do what it takes to continue the goal of having a responsible government and a city that can be matched by no other in the great state of Kentucky." Johnston is a 1998 graduate of Henderson County High School and a 2003 graduate of Murray State University, where he earned a degree in economics. He is employed as operations manager of J&B Mechanical. He is married to Raysha Johnston and has two children. Kenny Perkins Kenny Perkins' reason for seeking the commission seat is to the point. He said he's lived in Henderson all his life and wants to keep the city moving forward. To that end, he's seeking elected office for the first time. Perkins has completed a two-year college degree. He works as a production assistant for WFIE and as an EMT at Methodist Hospital. He lives in the 1900 block of Barret Circle. Robert N. Pruitt Robert Pruitt, 56, is a familiar face to Henderson city government. Pruitt won three consecutive terms as city commissioner, starting in 2008. He lost his bid to be re-elected for a fourth term in 2014. "I have devoted my life to making Henderson the best place in the United States to live," he said. "I have been involved in making Henderson a place where our kids can come back home when they graduate and be able to find a good job though the Hoge Farm industrial site." Pruitt lives in the 500 block of Fagan Street with his wife, Lillie. They have an adult son and daughter. He is a graduate from Henderson County High School in 1977 and has obtained electrical and carpentry certificates. Pruitt worked for Gamco Products for 31 years, owned Mr. P's Pizza in the 1990s and has been a real estate investor for more than 25 years. Brad Woosley Brad Woosley, 46, is challenging for a political office for the first time. "My role as city commissioner would be to vote in the best interest of our citizens of all things brought to our board and to ensure tax money is spent for the good of our community by using local contractors and local vendors," said Woosley. He is a Henderson County High School graduate and holds an associate degree from Phoenix Technical School. He works as a maintenance tech at Alcoa Local 104. Woosley is married to Priscilla Woosley and has an adult daughter. Woosley and his wife reside in the 1600 block of Bruce Street. Filmmaker Jacques Rivette, one of the leading lights of French New Wave film movement of the 1960s who revelled in cinematic improvisation, died on 29 January aged 87. Among the best known of his languid, intellectual movies is fantasy drama "Celine and Julie Go Boating" (1974), which lasts more than three hours and is replete with literary and film allusions. Rivette, whose 28 films also included 1991 hit "La Belle Noiseuse" (The Beautiful Troublemaker) and "Paris Nous Appartient" (Paris Belongs to Us), was born in Rouen, northern France, on March 1, 1928, the son of a pharmacist. He started out as a film critic, like other future French New Wave pillars Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard and Eric Rohmer, writing for the "Cahiers du Cinema" magazine, becoming its editor-in-chief from 1963-65. French President Francois Hollande's office hailed Rivette as "one of the greatest filmmakers, (who) marked several generations". He said Rivette was a "woman's director... offering major roles to actresses who made cinema history" such as Anna Karina, star of "The Nun", a 1966 film that was initially banned because of its cynical view of the Roman Catholic Church. Karina, a muse of Godard and his wife from 1961-65, was herself considered a pioneer of French New Wave. Now 75, Karina said Friday: "French cinema has lost one of its freest and most inventive directors." The term "new wave" was first coined in 1957 in the nation's press as a general reference to the new post-war generation. But it quickly came to refer to the upcoming auteur filmmakers and critics known as the "Cahiers du Cinema" group. It was also in the mid-1950s that Truffaut attacked the great French filmmakers of the time -- Claude Autant-Lara and Marc Allegret -- as a bunch of "bourgeois people making bourgeois films for the bourgeoisie". Thanks to technical advances in the late 1950s -- lighter cameras and increasingly light-sensitive film -- the New Wave directors brought a fresh breath to movies, shooting outside in natural settings with trimmed-down budgets and crews, and no stars. Godard said of Rivette that "it was as though he had a privileged access to cinematographic truth." 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: SHARE MIKE LAWRENCE / THE GLEANER Sen. Dorsey Ridley speaking at Monday's Audubon Wetlands announcement, December 7, 2015. By Sen Dorsey Ridley Governor's financial plan flawed, and is only the start of process On Tuesday, Gov. Matt Bevin proposed his 24-month spending strategy. On the surface, his budget looks reasonable and responsible. However, once we started digging deeper, we found cuts to education, human services and other programs Kentuckians depend upon to have long-lasting ripple effects in our communities. We agree that making the two pension systems solvent is a priority, but we also recognize that we cannot cut our way to prosperity. However, the governor's promise of funding the ARC PLUS is somewhat misleading because the proposed funding is dependent upon litigation and judgments in favor of the commonwealth to fund the PLUS. Another point not covered in the governor's remarks is the proposal in his budget to sweep $500 million from the Kentucky State Employees Health Care Trust Fund to put into a "permanent" fund. Of course, the employee health care trust fund is money appropriated in the budget and premiums secured from the employees on their insurance coverage. The governor's proposal contains a lot of smoke and mirrors, but does not solve our problem and is not without consequences. We cannot make investments in education, economic development, workforce development and other areas if we follow the model the governor has laid out. The governor's proposal is only the beginning of the process. We are optimistic, the Legislature will take this plan and improve on it with a budget that we all feel is a step forward for Kentucky. Along with digesting the governor's budget plan, we have been working on legislation that is making its way through the process. Some bills that passed out of the Senate this week include: Senate Joint Resolution 36 urging Virginia to restore a so-called reciprocal agreement that allowed Kentucky concealed carry permit holders to legally carry a concealed firearm in Virginia. Kentucky's concealed carry law has been a model since its inception. Senate Bill 16 known as the "Look Before You Lock Bill," would protect rescuers from being sued for any property damage caused in pursuit of saving a life from a locked vehicle. A report from kidsincars.org found 723 child vehicle heat stroke deaths from 1991 to 2014, an average of 37 per year. Eighty-seven percent of those children were under the age of 3. Senate Bill 33 would require CPR training of public schoolchildren in grades nine through 12. Each year nearly 424,000 people will have sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital and only 10 percent of those victims will survive. When a CPR trained bystander is nearby, these victims' survival rates double to triple. Senate Bill 22 would make the accreditation association for ambulatory health care recognized in Kentucky statutes. The bill is a "technical fix" to a statute involving a nonprofit that already accredits over 70 health care organizations in the state. Senate Concurrent Resolution 9 would recognize the importance of removing barriers to breast-feeding in Kentucky. While the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Academy of Breast-feeding Medicine, and the World Health Organization all recommend that babies be exclusively breast-fed for the first six months of an infant's life, only 31 percent of Kentucky infants are still breast-feeding at 6 months of age, giving Kentucky the ranking 42 out of 50 for breast-feeding rates among all states. Since we are just a little more than a quarter through the session, an increasingly greater amount of our time will be spent on budgetary issues. You can stay up-to-date on the budget negotiations, and other legislative actions, throughout the session by logging onto the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) website at www.lrc.ky.gov or by calling the LRC toll-free bill status line at 866-840-2835. For committee meeting schedules, please call the LRC toll-free meeting information line at 800-633-9650. To comment on a bill, please call the toll-free legislative message line at 800-372-7181. State Sen. Dorsey Ridley represents the 4th District (Caldwell, Crittenden, Henderson, Livingston, Union and Webster counties) in the Kentucky Senate. His email address is dorsey.ridley@lrc.ky.gov. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) -- Democrats would hold a presidential debate next week in New Hampshire before the state's first-in-the-nation primary and three more in the spring under a tentative deal reached Saturday between the Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders campaigns. Both camps said the agreement was not final and that Democratic National Committee had yet to sign off. The DNC did not immediately comment on the development, first reported by BuzzFeed. The Thursday debate would fit in between Monday's Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 9. In recent days, Clinton has urged the party to add the televised forums, and Sanders has been willing to appear at the proposed debate next week in exchange for three more in the spring. Clinton's campaign requested that one of the additional debates be held in Flint, Michigan, which has been dealing with a crisis involving lead contamination in the city's water supply. "We should use the spotlight of the presidential campaign to keep the focus on Flint, and to lift up the historic underlying issues that Flint and too many other predominantly low-income communities of color across America are struggling with every day," Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said in a statement. Already scheduled are debates in Wisconsin on Feb. 11 and Florida on March 9. Campaign officials said the three spring debates would come in late March, April and May. Clinton and Sanders are in a tight race before the caucuses, and Clinton trails the Vermont senator in New Hampshire. That raises the possibility that the Democratic front-runner could lose the first two contests. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, the third candidate, has trailed them by wide margins. At a stop Saturday in Des Moines, Clinton thanked supporters for agreeing to caucus for her and said she hoped "to persuade some more of you because we've got to keep the progress going. We've got to support what President Obama has accomplished for our country." Sanders told supporters in Manchester that the election was likely a "toss-up" and would hinge on whether he could turn out working-class and young voters. "We will win the caucus on Monday night if there is a large voter turnout. We will lose the caucus on Monday night if there is a low voter turnout," Sanders said. ___ Follow Ken Thomas on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/kthomasDC This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON -- Fifteen years into the war that few Americans talk about any more, conditions in Afghanistan are getting worse, preventing the clean ending that President Barack Obama hoped to impose before leaving office. Violence is on the rise, the Taliban are staging new offensives, the Islamic State group is angling for a foothold and peace prospects are dim. Afghanistan remains a danger zone. It's hobbled by a weak economy that's sapping public confidence in the new government. Afghan police and soldiers are struggling to hold together the country 13 months after the U.S.-led military coalition culled its numbers by 90 percent. The bottom line: For a second time, Obama is rethinking his plan to drop U.S. troop levels from 9,800 to 5,500 before he leaves office in January 2017. "I don't see any drawdowns" in the near future, said James Dobbins, Obama's former special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He predicted that Obama would leave the decision to the next president. "They are just hoping that things hold together and they won't have to face a decision on whether to actually implement the force reduction they're talking about until late summer, early fall, by which time the administration will be on its last legs," Dobbins said. Top military officials, as well as Republicans and Democrats in Congress, think that trimming the force any more during Obama's presidency is a bad idea. Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Thursday that Afghanistan was in a "crisis situation." "As the security situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate, it makes no strategic or military sense to continue the withdrawal of American forces," said McCain, who frequently criticizes Obama's national security policy. It's been a tough year on the Afghan battlefield. Afghan soldiers and policemen -- bankrolled by $4.1 billion in U.S. taxpayer money -- fought virtually on their own last year for the first time since the U.S. invasion in 2001. NATO officials have told The Associated Press that Afghan troops are displaying prowess, but suffering sustained heavy casualties -- 28 percent higher in 2015 than before the international combat mission ended in December 2014. Lt. Gen. John "Mick" Nicholson, Obama's pick to be the next top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said at his Senate confirmation hearing Thursday that the Afghan security forces have "more than held their own against the insurgency," but are not yet "self-sustainable." Asked whether the U.S. effort in 2015 had resulted in gains or losses, Nicholson replied: "The Taliban came at the Afghan security forces more intensely than perhaps we anticipated. Because of that, we did not make the advances we ... thought we would make." When U.S. and other foreign troops left on an announced schedule, the Taliban pounced. Last fall, the militants briefly seized Kunduz, a city of 300,000 in northern Afghanistan. It marked the Taliban's first capture of a major city since before the U.S.-led invasion and was marred by the mistaken U.S. strike on a charity hospital run by Doctors Without Borders, killing 42 people. Hamdullah Mohib, Afghanistan's ambassador to the United States, acknowledged that Kunduz was a setback. But he said it also reminded Afghans what life was like under the Taliban. "They don't want to return to that," he said. In the south, Afghan army units have been engaged in fierce fights with the Taliban for months in Helmand province, where militants sow more than $3 billion a year in opium revenue. The Afghan army in Helmand has been plagued by incompetence and ineffectiveness, partly due to corruption among top officers who are suspected of siphoning off money from salaries, food, fuel and equipment. In recent weeks, the Afghan military has fired and replaced top Afghan army leaders there. Also in the south, U.S. and Afghan forces last year killed 150 to 200 al-Qaida members in a large training camp, complete with tunnels, that was discovered in neighboring Kandahar province, another militant stronghold. Seth Jones, a RAND Corp. analyst who served as an adviser to the U.S. military in Afghanistan, noted that at the beginning of the Obama administration, the U.S. talked of there being fewer than 100 members of al-Qaida in Afghanistan. "Now we're talking about 200 in Kandahar province alone?" The Defense Department told Congress in a report last month that violence is rising in much of the country and the Taliban can be expected to build momentum. It also portrayed the Afghan forces as favoring a defensive crouch that limits their ability to go after the Taliban in some areas. In a different report to Congress this week, the U.S. government's Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction said the Taliban now control more territory than at any time since 2001. A current Afghan official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, acknowledged the army's many setbacks this year, but said the Taliban had sought to achieve major victories after the U.S.-led coalition announced it would end its combat mission on Dec. 31, 2015. Instead, they failed to retake huge swaths of land, he said. He also noted that Afghan plans to shift its military from a conventional force to one that's more mobile and nimble to respond to the guerrilla-type warfare conducted by the Taliban. He said 2016 "is going to see some changes." Obama already backtracked once on drawing down the American force. Initially, he had announced plans to reduce the force to 5,500 troops by the end of last year, and to 1,000 by the end of 2016. Last fall, Obama changed his mind, saying the situation remained too fragile for the American military to leave. He announced plans to keep the current force of about 9,800 in place through most of 2016 to perform not in an offensive combat role but to continue counterterrorism missions and advise Afghans battling a resurgent Taliban. While the Taliban is fighting turf battles against IS in some places, the Afghan and U.S. forces worry that the brutal militant network -- estimated at 1,000 to 3,000 strong in Afghanistan -- could gain a foothold, cause further instability and use Afghanistan as a new base from which to plan attacks on the West. The Obama administration recently expanded the U.S. military's authority to offensively target IS militants in Afghanistan in addition to al-Qaida. If security is weak, the economy might be worse. Mohammad Qayoumi, an Afghan native who left his job as president of San Jose University in California to advise President Ashraf Ghani, said that when the bulk of the foreign forces left the country, 500,000 Afghan jobs were lost. But he said the Afghan government has many economic development projects in the works to help wean the nation off international assistance. Qayoumi, who briefed reporters recently in Washington, rattled off a list of infrastructure and construction projects planned. "No country has gone from poverty to prosperity through grants and aid," he said. WILTON High school students from Wilton, Westport and Weston met together Saturday to discuss stress management, mental health and leadership at the Youth Leadership Conference. The conference featured interactive presentations and guest speakers that dealt with these issues with a substance-free attitude. "The main themes are 'Does stress equal success?'and how to be a leader," said Rachel Sandler, Community Outreach Dedication Education Success (CODES) advisor. "The conference discussions have been centered around mental illness and strategies on how to cope with them." The guest speakers were Riley Blumenfield, a senior at Fairfield Ludlow High School, and Michael Scanlon, the Youth Advocacy Outreach Coordinatior for the Now is The Time Healthy Transitions Initiative, CT STRONG. Both speakers shared their stories of resilience in the face of mental health challenges and how they were able to overcome them with strategies and coping methods. "We base each years theme off what's relevant to the students at the time," said Sandler. The conference is a joint effort by the Westport Teen Awareness Group (TAG), Weston Alcohol and Drugs Awareness Program (ADAP) and the Wilton Youth Services. 34 teens from these towns met at Trackside Teen Center, located at 15 Station Rd., Wilton, to participate in events used to explore creative outlets to be a leader and cope with stress from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is the Youth Conference's fourth year meeting, with past themes dealing with suicide prevention, substance abuse and mental health. "The conference is comprised of students from each of these clubs, but it is also open to any student interested in being a part of it," said Margaret Creeth, Wilton Youth Services Program Manager. "The adult leaders of each of these groups reached out to each other and said 'Hey, why don't we all do something together?' The kids like meeting other kids from other towns." The morning events were comprised of guest speakers who spoke on strategies to deal with mental health issues, while the afternoon was full of interactive activities. "One of our challenges is based off the Odyssey of the Mind program where groups create structures or items from random materials that represent two qualities of a leader," said Michelle Albright, Director of Weston Youth Services. "And we've never had such thoughtful responses and complimentary ideas represented from this activity before." "I came here to learn new ways to handle stressors and prepare myself for next year when I go to college," said Victoria Baggio, co-President of CODES at Wilton High School and a fourth year attendee. "My group made a plate that was symbolic of how leaders are balanced. To represent dessert, we made a campfire to symbolize how leaders use unity to bring people from different groups together." Many of the activites were used to positively influence the teens and allow them to work together to overcome different challenges. "I think the most important thing about this activity is that you spend about half the time on creating the thing and the other half just talking to each other -- creating bonds with people you may not have know beforehand," said Gracyn Levenson, co-President of TAG, a fourth year attendee. Therapy dog Nellie, from the Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue, made her way around the group to help the teens deal with stress. The participants were also given gift bags filled with stress relieving items like Koosh balls. "We really got to know people from the other groups and what we did today just felt really comfortable and open", said Emily Eldh, co-President of TAG whose attended her second conference. "We were all unified from everything that we were doing." For information about handling stress and mental health, visit. www.turningpointct.org. When a Walnut Middle School staff member spotted a box that looked suspicious in the band room, school officials made a quick decision to mobilize. Acting in the interest of protecting students and school staff from harm, the 900 occupants of the school were quickly and efficiently evacuated following a carefully thought out plan. The students and staff walked the short distance to Grand Island Senior High to a predetermined staging area and parents were notified that their children would be picked up there. The unusual looking box turned out to contain an accordion, an instrument not commonly used in the band program. Under the circumstances the right call was made. Though it is human nature for some to use humor as a way to deal with stressful situations, the incident was no laughing matter for the people whose job it is to keep children safe. For school officials, the Grand Island Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol and many of the parents and students the focus was on the very real and present danger that is part of the world in which we live. The reality is that all public institutions and many private businesses must have emergency plans in place to effectively react to threats that could arise at any moment and come in many different forms. The all too frequent tragedies that play out in schools and workplaces require alertness and preparedness. The most poignant, harrowing and anguishing incidences involve threats to the safety of children. We can be thankful that the incident Wednesday afternoon turned out to be nothing more than a false alarm. It is an enormous responsibility to judge whether or not to take action when confronted with a potential threat, no matter how overt it might be. Its always better to err on the side of caution. School officials and emergency responders are to be commended for the swift and well managed response that followed when the call went out. "Who are the Others? Who are We? What is the difference between Them and Us?" Rano Turaeva ponders this question early in the first chapter of Migration and Identity in Central Asia: The Uzbek Experience, a book concerned with the social construction and maintenance of collective difference. Turaeva considers these questions with reference to the specific circumstances of the Khorezmi, an Uzbekistani ethnic sub-group hailing from the country's northwest Khorezm Region, and their experiences as internal migrants moving to the capital city of Tashkent. The Khorezmi share a common ethnicity with those whose families have resided in Tashkent for generations, with differences between the two groups boiling down to differences in dialect and some cultural practices. Despite this, government restrictions on internal migration to Tashkent have contributed to the construction of new social divisions within the country and exacerbated the splintering of Uzbek ethnic identity. Policies first introduced during the Soviet period to control the movement of populations within the country now serve to enforce a system which privileges the urbanized Tashkentis over rural populations such as the Khorezmi. The national capital's superior opportunities for education, employment and housing are effectively out of reach for all of those without legal registration in the city. Over time, the formal administrative divisions between Tashkentis and those from outside the capital have translated into social divisions, manifest in a sense of "us" and "them," which the author argues, both sides now actively cultivate. The author, herself a Khorezmian Uzbek, details the complex series of interwoven networks that support the new Khorezmi arrivals, from the securing of local accommodation and employment to the brokering of marriage to suitable fellow Khorezmi. It is through these networks, and their associated cultural practices and rituals, that Khorezmi identity is maintained, even for those seeking a long-term future in Tashkent. The book is first and foremost an academic text, based upon the author's anthropology dissertation. As such, many of the book's details will be of interest only to those with a specific focus in Central Asia, internal migration and/or the formation of identities. The book nevertheless has much to recommend it to the more casual reader, due in no small part to the research approach taken by the author. Turaeva applies the academic technique known as "thick description" to her subject matter, whereby the reader is provided with not only the facts but also commentary, interpretation and the author's own reflections. This approach helps provide much-needed context to the book's descriptions of otherwise complex and unfamiliar Uzbek bureaucratic processes and Khorezmi cultural mores. The author also liberally peppers the book with juicy vignettes of the life of the Khorezmi, and these provide a comfortable entry point for those without a background in Central Asia. For example, this evocative description of the arduous bus journey involved for those travelling from Khorezmi to Tashkent: "Men usually have spirits with their meals. This is usually vodka, which can be detected from the lingering smell of vodka in the salon of the bus after 'dinner'. After a long period of enduring heavy cigarette smoke, the smell of vodka is added and becomes unbearable, especially when the tired feet of heavy men are freed from the sometimes incorrectly sized or uncomfortable shoes. There are still 13-14 hours left to reach Tashkentif the bus does not break down on the way." Such descriptions make for a more accessible book than most converted from academic theses, although it can sometimes be unclear how each story or example directly relates to the author's central argument. The book is most engaging in its unpicking of the nature of social prejudice and boundary-setting in Uzbekistan. The author's interviews with her Khorezmi and Tashkenti contacts reveal long-standing stereotypes magnified by the greater cross-cultural interactions in Tashkent. Khorezmi see the Tashkenti as arrogant and corrupted by their entitled, modern lifestyle; while they in turn see the Khorezmi as naive, uncultured country folk. Each group also maintains its own self-narrative, about what it means to be "Khorezmi" or "Tashkenti", with a complexoften contradictoryset of qualities and characteristics that mark one as "authentic". Both sides actively apply these ideas of "us" and "them" to reassert their own collective identity within their own community and in their representation to those external to the community. The author effectively expounds this assertion, drawing from both academic theory and her own case studies. Perhaps the lone weakness of the book is the absence of international comparison. Although the author cites a few examples from Africa and China, this could have been explored further. China in particular, with its hukou system of residency registration, has been the subject of substantial academic study and could have provided an interesting comparison case. In China too, official divisions between local, urban residents and unregistered "migrant workers" have led to, or at least exacerbated, the sense of social difference within China's population. Such cases have important implications for policy makers and social scientists beyond Asia. With Migration and Identity in Central Asia: The Uzbek Experience, Turaeva has produced a comprehensive account of the Khorezmi experience of internal migration. Her deep understanding of the local context, and unique access to Tashkent's Khorezmi and Uzbek communities, have allowed her to produce a book which makes an important contribution to the study of the interplay between identity formation and internal migration. Joshua Bird is a Researcher and PhD Candidate at the China Studies Centre at University of Sydney Reprinted with permission from The Asian Review of Books Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta Sun, January 31, 2016 State-owned lender Bank Mandiri has channeled Rp 1 trillion (US$73.09 million) worth of working loans to state pharmaceutical company Kalbe Farma. The credit is aimed at helping to fulfil the company's cash flow needs in providing medicines for the country. Bank Mandiri is also providing a treasury line facility worth $8 million that Kalbe Farma can use to meet its foreign exchange needs in the procurement of raw materials for drug manufacturing. Bank Mandiri corporate secretary Rohan Hafas said the channeling of the credit facility was part of the company's commitment to supporting the government in developing the health sector, especially through financing schemes for companies in the health and pharmaceutical industries. 'We hope that this partnership can give as much benefit as possible to both parties and be a contribution to support national economic growth,' Rohan said as quoted by kompas.com in Jakarta on Sunday. He added that the credit provided for Kalbe Farma was short-term financing and would take effect for one year. The treasury line facility, which Kalbe Farma could use for hedging needs, would also take effect for one year, he said. 'Indonesia's pharmaceutical sector needs to be continuously supported due to a high demand for medicines in the country, along with the growing population,' said Rohan. In 2015, Bank Mandiri channeled Rp 2.45 trillion worth of financing to the pharmaceutical sector, up by 40.80 percent from Rp 1.74 trillion in the previous year. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Sun, January 31, 2016 'Do not try to change even a single dot. My prime minister's office has prudently and repeatedly prepared and checked the statement,' the Jakarta-based diplomat angrily responded when I called him, saying that I had no choice but to change a word in the prime minister's statement to avoid embarrassment for the diplomat. His embassy wanted to publish a one-page country profile in this newspaper a few years ago. 'Publish it as it is or I will cancel its publication,' the diplomat warned when I insisted that it would disastrous for him if I did not change the word. Of course it would be dangerous for me too, if payment for the piece was cancelled only because I stubbornly insisted on replacing just one word. This was about revenue for the company. 'Just read it one more time, Your Excellency, very, very carefully. If you stand firm in your decision, I will follow your instructions. And there will be no regrets,' I said, and he quickly cut off our conversation. Five minutes later he called me at the office. 'Oh my dear brother, thank you very, very much. You have saved my life.' He realized his fatal mistake. It was just one word! The female PM's message started with the word MASSAGE from the Prime Minister instead of MESSAGE. It was written in bold. I don't think the prime minister intended to massage the whole population of her country. It is unlikely she would have the stamina to do so. For me, diplomats are amazing people. They are aware that they represent their nation abroad and are the spokespersons and defenders of their nation and government. Sometimes they have to defend something 'ridiculous'. They are often in difficult positions. Former foreign minister Hassan Wirajuda once said that a diplomat has an obligation to tell the truth, although sometimes 'not the whole truth'. In a conversation with me in Sydney a few years ago, he recalled a funny experience during a debate in Geneva about East Timor (now called Timor Leste), which had been a province of Indonesia for more than two decades until winning its independence in a referendum in 1999. Hassan fiercely denied the Portuguese delegation's allegation that Indonesian soldiers had tortured East Timorese youths. One of the victims was present at the UN session. Seeking to strengthen his argument, Hassan whispered to an Indonesian Army officer, a member of his delegation who had worked for years in the territory. 'The allegations are baseless, right?' Hassan asked him. 'No, Pak. They are right. It was me who tortured the youth,' the officer responded in an innocent tone. Hassan asked him to leave the room. The late Ali Alatas was one of Indonesia's most respected foreign ministers. But sometimes he also had to defend something that he personally disagreed with. When a senior Indonesian official was forced to shorten his visit abroad after a hotel staff member reported the official to police for sexual misconduct, Alatas told journalists that 'the allegations were totally baseless'. However when I personally asked him to be honest, Alatas broadly smiled and said, 'You know the truth.' I recently met with a senior diplomat at a reception. When I introduced myself to him, he assured me that I was one of his 'most favorite' journalists with my in-depth analysis of foreign policy affairs. 'I never miss your insightful columns,' he said as he firmly shook my hand. Who would not feel flattered by such praise? But few seconds later he deflated my pride. 'You are from Pos..... right?' he said, confusing this newspaper with one that focuses on criminal stories. I think he should be a faithful reader of the newspaper's daily column on sex scandals of blue-collar people. It appears on its front page. I came from the Batak ethnic group. We prefer to be frank and straightforward. But sometimes I try to act 'Javanese' and 'diplomatic'. The results have sometimes been disastrous. Let me share with you my experience with a senior Indonesian politician. 'Just order your lunch Kornelius. They've got sushi, sashimi or have a look at the menu first. You must be very hungry,' my host made the offer when we met at a five-star hotel in Central Jakarta some years ago. It was Ramadhan at that time. 'No Pak, thank you. I always fast during Ramadhan although I am a Catholic. I enjoy the fasting month,' I lied, because I wanted to demonstrate my tolerance and my respect of Islamic religious obligations. To be honest I was very hungry at that time. I was very proud when he described me (wrongly) as a model for religious tolerance. However, I was shocked when he called the waitress and ordered food for himself. 'I have to abide by my doctor's instructions,' said the man who has long experience as a Cabinet minister. He repeatedly apologized for having lunch in front of a 'fasting' Catholic. Conclusion from the missed lunch tragedy? It was the result of failed diplomacy. ' Kornelius Purba Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Beijing Sun, January 31, 2016 Chinese are packing train and bus stations as the peak travel season kicks into high gear this weekend with hundreds of millions of people going home for Spring Festival celebrations ' or head for vacation destinations. Chinese travelers are expected to make 2.9 billion trips during the 40-day period between Jan. 21 and March 3, with the majority of those trips falling in the weeks around the Feb. 8 Lunar New Year, the Ministry of Transport said. "I have my parents back in my hometown and I must go back and have the family reunion," said Ma Xijie, a migrant worker from Sichuan province who was travelling back home by train with his son and wife. "It's great to have the whole family sit down and enjoy a family dinner together. I have been working far from home with my kid for a whole year," he said. At the Beijing railway station, student Ren Chongyuan from Shandong province said it was a bit easier to buy tickets this year, but he still had to book two months in advance. This year's travel crush ' considered the largest annual human migration ' may be relatively less severe due to a lackluster economy. In coastal Zhejiang province near Shanghai, officials expect a 4.4 percent drop in passenger traffic as jobs dry up and migrant laborers pack up early to head to their family homes in China's hinterlands well before the New Year. By comparison, Chinese made 3.6 billion trips during the same holiday period in 2014. (**) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Sun, January 31, 2016 We have a unexpected pairing of travel stories from Kenya and France for our Wanderlust pages (p10-12). Both broach the question of origins, albeit from different angles. In the first piece, a Straits Times contributor takes us to a remote part of Kenya for a (surprisingly luxurious) vacation at the archeological site near Lake Turkana, where paleontologists have been unearthing the fossilized remains of human ancestors for generations. Similarly, the second article is set in Lascaux, where the finishing touches are being applied to a simulacra of the famed 18,000-or-so-year-old Lascaux cave paintings. Access to the original cave is restricted, hence the copy. I remember how underwhelmed I was as a boy when looking at grainy black-and-white pictures of Lascaux in an encyclopedia. Then I saw Werner Herzog's 2010 documentary titled Cave of Forgotten Dreams, about similar paintings in nearby Chauvet. In the film, shot in 3D, the camera moves over the cave's walls. Shadows and figures undulate. Lions, bison and bears appear to move. Herzog calls it the birth of cinema. It inspires me to make it to South Sulawesi to see the Maros-Pangkep caves, about an hour outside Makassar, where paintings even older than those in France'40,000 years old!'are said to exist. Closer to home, temporally and geographically, please take a look at staff writer Sebastian Partogi's article about one mixologist's guide to Jakarta (At Your Leisure, p9), as well as contributor Kevindra Seomanttri's look at Tugu Kunstkring Paleis, one of the city's iconic restaurants (p8). Meanwhile, we're still giving away free one-night stays at the EDEN Hotel Kuta Bali, managed by Tauzia. Follow our Twitter at @SundayJPlus and send us a Tweet telling us where you'd like to eat on your Bali vacation. Make sure you use the tag #JPlusGiveaway. We'll announce the winner next week. Chris Razukas jplus@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam Sun, January 31, 2016 The Golkar Party's central executive board (DPP) has invited the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to control an upcoming meeting of the party that is set to be held before this year's Idul Fitri celebration, a party senior member said on Saturday. The chairman of Golkar's law and human rights division, as chosen at the Riau Munas in 2009, Muladi, said the presence of the KPK to supervise the meeting was aimed at preventing vote buying, which often marred the elections of the party's chairmen. Muladi added that to organize the upcoming Munas, the Golkar DPP had established steering and organizing committees whose personnel were from among the party's previous leaders who were chosen for five years at the Riau Munas in 2009 and who had recently had their terms extended by the government. 'The Munas will be supervised by national leaders and the KPK. The meeting costs may be not too high, but the amount of the bribe money circulating in the meeting may be huge. That's why we have intentionally invited the KPK to control the Munas,' Muladi told thejakartapost.com. The senior politician said that the presence of the antigraft body hopefully could prevent the vote-buying that had often tainted the chairmanship elections. 'You can imagine, if 500 people attend the meeting and each of them is given Rp 1 billion (US$73,000), it means there will be Rp 500 billion being prepared for the vote buying. Such practices must be eliminated. There should be no more vote buying. That's why we have asked the KPK to lend a hand to control the meeting,' said Muladi, who is also the party's internal tribunal head. Muladi said he was optimistic that the Golkar Party would be able to completely resolve its leadership dispute before this year's Idul Fitri celebration. 'The two bickering factions in the party have made peace. There have been no more problems. We're certain that before Idul Fitri, all will have been completely resolved,' he said, referring to an agreement reached during the party's national leadership meeting (Rapimnas), held in Jakarta from Jan. 23 to Jan. 25 by the Golkar leadership faction that was formed in the Bali Munas in November 2014 and led by Aburizal Bakrie. In the Rapimnas, Aburizal conveyed a pledge of allegiance to the government to three ministers who were in attendance, namely Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut D. Panjaitan, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo and Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly . Vice President Jusuf Kalla witnessed the hand-over of the declaration signed by Aburizal and party secretary-general Idrus Marham. Following the declaration, Kalla confirmed that the government would issue an approval letter for the Aburizal camp to hold an extraordinary national meeting. Any decision resulting from the meeting will have to be accepted by all parties, including the splinter group led by Agung Laksono. Muladi denied a rumor that said that the creation of a new party called the Indonesia Golkar Party would be declared in a near future. 'This [rumor] was created only by political adventurers who have nothing. The party's internal tribunal has since the very beginning rejected the idea to establish a new party. Before Idul Fitri, it will all be settled down. The steering and organizing committees comprising the party leaders selected at the Riau Munas are currently working together to achieve that,' said Muladi. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Sun, January 31, 2016 THE WORLD'S BEST RESTAURANTS HAVE GIVEN UP THE FIGHT AGAINST PHONES WORDS Richard Vines, Bloomberg If you'd like to see mobile phones disappear from restaurants, prepare to be disappointed. Like rock 'n' roll, they are here to stay. This is bad news for me: I hate phones in restaurants. The worst thing about the modern mobile era is the absence of a cord with which to strangle their inconsiderate users. I once inquired into buying a jamming device because I was tired of listening to the inconsequential conversations of people I don't know and don't want to know. It turns out they are illegal (phone jammers, that is, not inconsequential conversations.) Anyway, while my views are hardly unique, they do seem to put me on the wrong side of a trend. As mobile phones spread throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s it became ever more common to find diners interrupting their meals to make or receive calls. Today, with fewer of us using our phones to talk and a sharp increase in photo and social media usage, attitudes among restaurateurs are changing with the times. A Bloomberg survey of 20 of the world's leading chefs and restaurateurs 'from New York to Sydney, London to Lima'shows that many now welcome the use of the cameras to show off dishes on social media. Others fret that phones get more attention than food. But the majority seem to echo the view of Gaston Acurio, chef-patron of Astrid & Gaston in Lima, Peru: We don't like much the idea of everybody using their phones in the restaurant, either for talking or photos, but we like the idea of telling customers what to do even less. Here's the view from some of the world's finest restaurants, whose owners hold about 50 Michelin stars between them: 'Cuisine is a feast for the eyes, and I understand that our guests wish to share these instants of emotion through social media - Instagram for instance. ' Alain Ducasse, chef Gramercy Tavern, New York 'Anytime one guest's phone invades the space of of another guest it's too much. But when guests use their phones for discreet texting or emailing, or better still, as a camera to photograph something they loved and promote our restaurant via social media, who are we to complain?' ' Danny Meyer, owner Fat Duck, Bray, UK 'I'd say 80 percent or more of guests take pictures of the food. If it makes people happy, why not?' ' Jonny Lake, head chef Jean-Georges, New York 'The whole world is guilty of using phones but smart people know how to handle it: You barely notice when they photograph the food. But if guests want a picture with the chef, we take them into the kitchen.' ' Daniel Boulud, chef-patron Le Gavroche, London 'Phones are part of going to a restaurant today: Most people are texting or taking photos, which doesn't bother anyone. Look at all the food pictures on Instagram. I do the same thing myself.' ' Jean-Georges Vongerichten, chef-patron The Ivy, London 'We used to say on the menu no mobile phones or cameras, but things have changed: We have ended up being more tolerant. I even see very famous people taking selfies with their guests. But if anyone starts a conversation on their mobile phone, we give them a little card asking them to move to the lobby.' ' Fernando Peire, restaurant director Nobu, New York and London 'We're fine with phones. No rules, no worries.' ' Drew Nieporent, co-owner Daniel, New York 'It's written on the menu that we ask guests not to use mobile phones. And if somebody's phone goes off, we look at them as if to say: 'Switch that off or it goes in the ice bucket.' Most people look embarrassed, which is natural. It is called manners. I don't mind people taking pictures. I've been known to do it myself.' ' Michel Roux Jr., chef-patron Chiltern Firehouse, London 'In general, if someone's on the phone more than five minutes, we kindly ask them to continue the call outside.' ' Keith McNally, owner Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxford, UK 'Telephone conversations put you in a business environment and stress other guests. But we are fine when people take pictures.' ' Raymond Blanc, chef-patron Eleven Madison Park, New York 'We have a couple of places in the restaurant where we encourage people to take calls if need be, but it almost never happens.' ' Will Guidara, co-owner Sushi Samba, New York, London 'It's sad that so many people are on their phones messaging and hardly talking to each other, but it's not my business. We just want people to be happy.' ' Shimon Bokovza, owner Fera, London 'Social media changed everything. It's acceptable now to pull out your phone and start taking pictures. Ten years ago that just wasn't OK.' ' Simon Rogan, chef-patron Marque, Sydney 'We don't have any rules but I am finding it increasingly intrusive. Couples are dining without engaging with each other, let alone the restaurant.' ' Mark Best, chef & owner FAviken, JArpen, Sweden 'Sometimes, I remind people to actually have their experience of eating their food if they spend too much time photographing it.' ' Magnus Nilsson, chef-patron Lyle's, London 'Most people nowadays understand basic phone etiquette. We rarely have an issue.' ' Claude Bosi, chef-patron Kitty Fisher's, London ________________________________ " Mobile phones are such a huge part of life. It would be silly to start imposing restrictions.' ' Nuno Mendes, executive chef Nuno Mendes. " It's weird when people sit looking at their phones during meals. But we've benefited from pictures on Instagram and Twitter, so I am biting the hand that feeds me if I criticize mobile phones.' ' Oliver Milburn, co-owner Oliver Milburn, right. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam Sun, January 31, 2016 Former president BJ Habibie, via his firm Pollux Habibie International, is set to construct Meisterstadt, a superblock worth a total of US$1 billion, on a nine-hectare plot of land in Batam. The construction of the apartment project, which will comprise 11 residential towers and is to be equipped with a hospital, will start in the middle of this year, targeting residents of Indonesia's neighboring countries, particularly Singapore. Pollux Habibie International commissioner Ilham Akbar Habibie told thejakartapost.com in Batam on Saturday that the Meisterstadt superblock would be built in four stages. 'Initially, the plan to construct a hospital in the superblock was in the last will and testament of my mom [the late Ainun Habibie] and it will be implemented in the third stage of this superblock's construction,' said Ilham at the project's launch on Saturday. Pollux Properties Indonesia president commissioner Muladi, who was known as Habibie's right-hand man during the latter's presidential term, Batam Free Trade Zone Authority (BPK FTZ) head Mustofa Widjaja, Batam maypr Ahmad Dahlan and Meisterstadt Batam operational general manager Yosef Eduardus attended the ceremony. Ilham said the property business in Batam was promising because the area was quite close to Singapore. The developer hoped Singaporeans would be the main buyers of the apartments. 'Singapore now has 5 million residents and it has continued to grow. We hope that we can benefit the country's population, particularly in the property sector,' said Ilham. He further explained: 'It happened in Hong Kong in the 1950s, during which the region's population had flown to several provinces of the Chinese mainland near Hong Kong. We've now seen a similar situation in Guangdong, in which industries and businesses from Hong Kong have flown to the city. Such an effect will happen between Singapore and Batam.' Ilham said the company hoped that a third of the apartments in the superblock complex would be bought by foreigners while the remainder would be marketed to local buyers. As many as 1,575 apartments in two of the towers, which will be built in the first stage of the construction project, have been booked by potential buyers with VVIP pass cards who attended the launch. In total, 1,874 VVIP pass cards were issued in the event. Three sizes of apartments, namely 24.82 square meters, 42.51 m2 and 51.59 m2, will be built in the first stage of the construction project, which will take place from 2016 to 2019. They will be offered at various prices, starting at Rp 400 million (US$29,238.72) per unit. Adopting the vertical integrated city concept, the Meisterstadt superblock will have 11 towers, comprising eight apartment towers, one office tower, one hotel tower and one hospital tower. 'We hope there will be a more attractive government regulations on property ownership for foreigners who want to buy not only landed houses but also apartments,' said Ilham. Ilham's father, BJ Habibie, is a figure quite involved in the history of Batam. He initiated the development of Batam and from 1978 to 1998 he led the Batam Industrial Development Authority (BIDA), which is known as the BPK FTZ Batam. In 1998, he was replaced by his son, Fanny Habibie, but only for four months. Meanwhile, Ahmad said it was time for Batam to change its residential concept to the vertical building concept from the landed house concept, because of its limited land. 'The land in Batam is very limited. For our urban planning, we have recommended residences with the tower or vertical building concept. From the business aspect, it is very prospective because many noted developers have built their projects here. It means they see a huge market potential here,' said the Batam mayor. Mustofa said the need for premium residential compounds in Batam must be accommodated. 'The growth of the number of Batam residents is the fastest in the world because of migration. To anticipate such a rapid growth, the Batam administration will also complement this city with toll roads and overpasses, which have been included in the national strategic project,' he said. 'The toll roads and overpasses are aimed at anticipating traffic congestion in the next 10 years.' (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sammi Taylor (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, January 31, 2016 For many youths in Jakarta, the two options for after-school and weekend activities are study or sport. But a small community of young creatives is encouraging the city's youth to explore the performing arts amid the growing popularity of music, dance and drama. As Broadway and West-End inspired musicals increase in popularity in Indonesia, more young people in the capital are eager for a chance to participate. One organization helping them do just that is The Jakarta Movement of Inspiration, a creative arts movement established by young performer and producer Nurul 'Nuya' Susantono in 2013. 'My concern was that there were not many platforms for young people with creative ideas or an interest in performing arts to actually pursue a career in that field in Indonesia,' Nuya explains. 'We thought, well, why not create a movement that encourages that spirit, to sort of bring the Indonesian creative scene somewhere better.' The Jakarta Movement of Inspiration (JKTMOVEIN) inspires young people to explore the performing arts through an annual original musical production. In 2014, the original musical Gemuruh (Thunderous) was performed before an audience of thousands, while the 2015 Musikal Sekolahan (School Musical) was similarly successful. But the most interesting numbers pertain not to the visitors, but the participants ' proving that there is a huge amount of interest in the performing arts across Indonesia. JKTMOVEIN so far received 2,279 applications from 15-23-years-olds eager to participate in their musicals. More than 200 young people are involved in the production every year as performers, writers, musicians, stagehands and everything in between. It forms a strong community, where young people are encouraged to be themselves, celebrate their diversity and explore their passions. 'The sense of community is really strong, especially during rehearsals, when you sing and dance together most days of the week. It's a really cool experience,' Nuya says. 'It sort of encourages the youth to be pioneers ['] spreading courage out there to follow your passion.' While the community is thriving, it is still small, and Nuya says a few barriers need to be knocked down before modern performing arts are widely accepted in Indonesia. 'Access to information about performing arts isn't really here, because there is no formal institution teaching it. There are no performing arts courses in Indonesia right now. Some people don't actually know what performing arts refers to, they just think it is singing and dancing, not what we're doing with musical theater. There's just not much information about it, because it didn't originate in Asia.' 'And I guess there is that Asian stereotype of parents wanting their children to become doctors and engineers. That certainly still exists, but it's getting better and better, especially for my generation. Parents are starting to open up to new opportunities and understanding that it's beneficial for their children [to be involved in performing arts].' JKTMOVEIN is already working towards eliminating other barriers and stereotypes, primarily that musical theater and modern performing arts distract from preserving traditional Indonesian art forms. 'I know that a lot of seniors would encourage us to preserve our own performing arts, and [not focus on] western influences, like Broadway and West-End. I mean we have our own heritage that we don't want to see disappear either,' Nuya says. 'In Gemuruh, we mixed the musical theater format with a very tribal but very Indonesian-influenced theme. There were a lot of moves that we took from traditional Indonesian dances. We did use a lot of traditional patterns for our costumes as well. We incorporated some Indonesian heritage, but we did something new with it. And that is sort of us saying that we're not just adopting western culture as it is, we're turning it into our own thing.' This year, JKTMOVEIN is helping others develop their own creative needs and talent and hoping to branch out into other art forms, with film and social media campaigns on the cards. But promoting the benefits of performing arts and self-expression through art remains the most important thing to Nuya and the team at JKTMOVEIN. '[Art] is one of the most effective teachers and educational tools. The arts, performing arts and creativity can enhance and compliment education,' Nuya says. 'I would say that storytelling in general, whatever the art form, helps you understand yourself and society as well. For me, it is not just physical ' it's spiritual as well, and it increases emotional intelligence. What I'd like to pass on to my actors and talents is that they should be conscious of the growth of their emotional intelligence as they pursue their arts.' ______________________________ More information on The Jakarta Movement of Inspiration at www.jktmovein.com. The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post ' Photos courtesy of the Jakarta Movement of Inspiration Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, January 31, 2016 Jessica Kumala Wongso, who is suspected of murdering her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin at a central Jakarta cafA, was arrested by the police early Saturday. One of her lawyers immediately responded to the arrest by saying they would file a pretrial motion. 'Filing a pretrial motion is something we are considering at the moment,' one of Jessica's legal team members Andi Joesoef told The Jakarta Post on Saturday. The Jakarta Police arrested Jessica, 27, at a hotel in Mangga Dua, West Jakarta, at 7:45 a.m. after naming her a suspect late on Friday. Andi said that Jessica's legal team would have to meet with police investigators to understand their basis for naming their client a suspect, adding that afterward they would hold an internal meeting to decide whether they would go ahead with filing the pretrial motion. 'Investigators should have at least two pieces of evidence before naming a person a suspect. We hope the police work professionally, think objectively and act fairly. To act professionally means having enough evidence [to name someone a suspect]. To think objectively means taking into account the testimonies of all witnesses. To act fairly means publicly announcing that a person is a suspect,' he explained. Jakarta Police general crimes chief Sr. Comr. Krishna Murti said officers had tried to arrest Jessica on Friday night but she was not at home. 'Based on our investigation, we found her at the hotel' Krishna told reporters at the Jakarta Police headquarters on Saturday. He said the arrest, which involved two police women, had not been met with any resistance from the suspect, and she was brought to the Jakarta Police headquarters accompanied by her parents. Andi said that Jessica was staying at the hotel because she felt depressed with all the circulating rumors about her. However, Krishna remained tight-lipped when asked about the possible motive of the homicide. Krishna said Jessica would be charged under article 340 of the Criminal Code on premeditated murder. The police suspect her of murdering Mirna, 27, who died after drinking cyanide-laced coffee at Olivier restaurant in the Grand Indonesia shopping mall on Jan. 6. The article carries the possibility of the death penalty, lifetime imprisonment or a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars. Before naming Jessica a suspect, the police had already heard testimonies from 20 witnesses and corroborated some documents and leads that corresponded with one another, he said. According to Krishna, Jessica was still inconsistent in her statements and they contradicted the facts that the police had gathered. 'Now that she is a suspect, we will ask her again [and see] whether she will say the same things she said when she was a witness or whether she will say different things,' he said. Meanwhile, Edi Hasibuan, commissioner at the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) paid a visit to the Jakarta Police headquarters, to make sure Jessica was being treated well. 'I want to make sure that she is not being denied her rights as a suspect. I talked to her to make sure she was questioned under the proper procedures,' he said. Jessica has been at the center of public attention ever since the poisoning incident occurred. Mirna visited the cafA with Jessica and another friend Hani. According to the police, Jessica, who reportedly arrived around 40 minutes ahead of Mirna and Hani, ordered and paid for the coffee that Mirna drank. Mirna reportedly went into convulsions and was foaming at the mouth after taking only several sips of the coffee. She was rushed to a clinic inside the mall and then to Abdi Waluyo Hospital where she passed away shortly after her arrival. Mirna's autopsy results and tests on coffee residue from the glass she drank from confirmed that the coffee contained a high-level of cyanide. Jessica has maintained her innocence so far. ___________________________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta Sun, January 31, 2016 The Jakarta Police have defended a decision not to give Jessica Kumala Wongso, 27, who is accused of committing premeditated murder, a copy of her investigation report. Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Muhammad Iqbal said the police were not violating the law by not giving the report to Jessica, who was named a suspect on Friday in the investigation into the death of her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin, 27. 'If her legal team wishes to file a complaint they are most welcome to. There is no requirement for the police to give a copy of an investigation report to a suspect. Moreover, he [Jessica's lawyer Yudi Wibowo Sukinto] accompanied her during her questioning. Before signing the report, we read it out again,' said Iqbal as quoted by kompas.com in Jakarta on Sunday. He was speaking in response to Yudi's complaint that the police had breached regulations by not giving a copy of the investigation report to his client after she was interrogated on Saturday. Iqbal said the investigation report was a private police document and therefore their decision a copy it to the suspect should not be called into question. Instead, he suggested that Jessica's legal team focus on preparing their defense, especially if that defense could strengthen her claim that she did not kill Mirna, if they believed that their client was not guilty. Jessica has repeatedly denied any involvement in the death of her Mirna, who died after drinking cyanide-laced coffee at a Jakarta restaurant earlier this month. On Saturday morning Jessica was arrested and taken to the Jakarta Police headquarters to be interrogated. At 10:30 p.m. on Saturday the police decided to detain her. She will remain in police custody for the next 20 days. If there was still any unfinished business after that time, the police have said they would request a detention extension permit with the prosecutor's office. In a press conference on Saturday, the Jakarta Police's general crimes chief Sr. Comr. Krishna Murti said information provided by Jessica during her interrogation process contradicted evidence obtained by the police. 'When she was interrogated as a witness in the case, Miss Jessica gave information that was very inconsistent and not in line with the facts we have obtained,' said Krishna as quoted by kompas.com. Therefore, he added, the police would ask Jessica again about statements she had made after her status was upgraded from a witness to a suspect. Jessica is being charged under Article 340 of the Criminal Code on premeditated murder. The article carries the possibility of the death penalty, lifetime imprisonment or a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Sun, January 31, 2016 Republican and Democratic presidential hopefuls crisscrossed the Midwestern state of Iowa on Saturday in a frenzied weekend prelude to the first presidential contest of the 2016 race which has taken an unexpected turn with the emergence of outsider candidates who have challenged the establishment in both parties. Iowa offers only a small contingent of the delegates who will determine the nominees at each party's national convention in July. But Monday's caucuses will provide a test of whether the large enthusiastic crowds turning out at rallies for real estate mogul Donald Trump in the Republican race and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on the Democratic side will turn into actual votes. The caucuses should also help winnow out the crowded Republican field and provide momentum heading into the Feb. 9 New Hampshire primary. On the Republican side, polls showed Trump leading, with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz relying on a strong get-out-the-vote operation among the key bloc of evangelical voters to pull out a victory. But Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was closing strongly and nipping at the heels of Cruz, a fellow first-term senator and Cuban-American. Trump, the showman of the Republican race, made a dramatic entrance to a Dubuque rally as his jet flew low over a hangar half-filled by the waiting crowd and music played from the movie "Air Force One." There was more drama inside, as a small group of protesters interrupted him and Trump joined the crowd in chanting "USA" to drown out the discord. He asked security to "get them out" but "don't hurt them." Cruz directed much of his last-gasp advertising against Rubio, as he chugged across the state on a mission to visit all 99 counties before Monday's caucuses. Cruz's ads sharply challenged Rubio's conservative credentials. One ad said darkly of Rubio: "Tax hikes. Amnesty. The Republican Obama." "A deceitful campaign," Rubio said in response to Cruz. "Kitchen sink attacks," he said. "That's what they throw at you." Asked whether Rubio could win or come second, his senior strategist Todd Harris laughingly responded with an obscenity and said the goal in Iowa is third. "There's no question we are feeling some wind at our back," Harris told The Associated Press. But, he added, "It's very hard to compete with the greatest show on earth and the greatest ground game in Iowa history. So we feel very confident that what we need to do here is finish a strong third. I don't care what any of the polls say, Ted Cruz is going to win this caucus." Rubio is hoping to emerge as the favorite within the establishment wing of the party heading into New Hampshire, where he is trying to fend off challenges from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. In the Democratic race, Sanders spoke for many when at a Manchester rally he called the Democratic contest against Hillary Clinton a likely tossup, to be won and lost according to how many Iowans invest the time and energy to make it to caucus sites at schools, churches and even private homes. "It's virtually tied," Sanders said, a reasonable summation of polls. "We will win the caucus on Monday night if there is a large voter turnout. We will lose the caucus on Monday night if there is a low voter turnout." The Vermont senator and self-described democratic socialist said "the eyes of America, in fact much of the world" would be on Iowa, and the state could be a model for the future of American democracy. "When ordinary people, working people, middle class people, seniors, young people become involved in the political process, we can transform this country and we can win here in Iowa," Sanders said. Clinton has worked assiduously to avoid a repeat of 2008, when then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama scored a surprise win in Iowa. She finished third in the caucuses and her days as the prohibitive favorite for the nomination faded. She faced the prospect of escalating political heat from revelations Friday that the private email server she used when she was Obama's first secretary of state contained top-secret messages that should have remained within proper, secured channels. That heat was coming from Republicans; Sanders earlier declared the email flap a nonissue in his mind. However, Sanders has raised the issue of the large speaking fees and campaign donations that Clinton has received from leading financial firms and other corporations. At Sanders' Manchester rally, Ruth Lewin, a retired grocery store clerk and child care provider, said the latest news about Clinton's emails reinforced why she will be caucusing for Sanders on Monday. "It's a matter of honesty, integrity along with other issues I have about her," Lewin said. "When you get $600,000 for a speaking engagement, I mean that's more than I've made in my entire lifetime." Clinton emphasized the issue of gun regulations at a rally at Iowa State University in Ames, where she was joined by former Rep, Gabby Giffords, who was severely wounded in a mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona, and her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly. The former secretary of state drew an implicit contrast between her push for stricter laws with Sanders' mixed record on gun control measures. "How can we continue to ignore the toll that this is taking on our children and our country?" Clinton asked. "When you go to caucus Monday night please think of this." The Clinton and Sanders campaigns reached agreement to hold a debate in New Hampshire this coming week and three more in the spring, supplementing a light debate schedule that has favored weekend slots when fewer people watch TV. ___ Associated Press writers Ken Thomas, Scott Bauer, Steve Peoples, Lisa Lerer and Tom Beaumont in Iowa and Julie Bykowicz in Washington contributed to this report. (**) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Sun, January 31, 2016 PERFECT FOR WOMEN WHO LIKE TO LISTEN TO MUSIC WHILE WORKING OUT WORDS Omar Amir, Straits Times (ANN) Most Muslim women wearing hijabs have a problem using earphones as they do not want to expose their ears. They will have to pull back part of their hijab to put on earphones, before covering their ears again with the hijab. Or, they may even slide the earphone wires underneath the scarf, which is uncomfortable and troublesome. A new earphone-friendly Ninja Echo hijab, designed by Singapore hijab brand Adlina Anis, resolves the dilemma. The Ninja Echo hijab features special flaps on the side of the hijab that allows the wearer to conveniently plug in her earphones without compromising on style, comfort or accidental exposure of her ears. Made of a breathable jersey and rayon material, the hijab is also perfect for women who like to listen to music while working out. Anis, 32, a former fashion stylist and founder of the self-named e-commerce store that stocks a wide collection of hijabs, was inspired by female Muslim doctors who wore hijabs and found it difficult to use stethoscopes. Sensing a bigger opportunity, Anis, a graduate of Temasek Polytechnic's School of Design, decided to cater to the needs of Muslim women who wish to lead an active lifestyle while wearing a hijab. Says Anis: 'I exercise three times a week and understand the struggle and hassle that comes with trying to plug in to music while working out. 'Though it was inspired by my doctor friends, it did resolve a personal need that many other Muslim women face as well.' She often runs at a park near her home and does CrossFit strength and conditioning exercises at a gym. The Ninja Echo hijab is available at adlinaanis.com and retails at S$35.90. For now, it comes only in black and in two sizes, normal and small. Apart from the Ninja Echo hijab, Anis, who is married with no children, stocks 15 styles that she conceptualized and designed herself. Her designs include one-way maxi snoods (tubular scarves) that provide more chest coverage. There are also I.C.E (In Case Of Emergencies) Onesies'shawls that can be slipped on easily with minimal adjustments, for times when the wearer has to rush out on a quick errand. Anis founded Adlina Anis after seven years as a fashion stylist. She has styled for the Singapore version of Italian magazine Amica and worked as a fashion assistant at August Man and Prestige magazines. When she took on more freelance jobs as a fashion stylist, she started to help sell hijabs for her husband's aunt, who would import them from Indonesia. The success of this small online business prompted her to start her own brand and the Adlina Anis label was born in 2012. While her main customers are Singaporeans and Malaysians, her hijabs have reached different corners of the world. Customers include those from the UK, US, France and Uzbekistan. Elly Sabrina, 45, a family physician, says she had difficulty using a stethoscope when she began wearing the hijab three years ago. She says: 'The Ninja Echo is very useful and intuitive for my line of work as it eliminates the hassle of having to tuck in any loose wires.' Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Novia D. Rulistia (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, January 31, 2016 Pevita Cleo Eileen Pearce is a popular actress but not many people are aware that her creativity has led her to explore different facets of the creative industry. The 23-year-old actress, who has starred in nine films, is also a designer and a poet. She owns an accessory brand, is the brains behind a clothing line and has released a poetry book. 'There is something about the creative industry that attracts me so much. When I'm doing something creative, I find great pleasure in it,' Pevita says. Pevita recently finished her latest film, Aach...Aku Jatuh Cinta (Aach... I'm in Love), directed by renowned director Garin Nugroho. 'Working with Garin is very interesting; he's very knowledgeable and I've learned a lot from him,' she said. 'He's like a teacher to me who always encourages me to develop my creative side, such as by asking me to keep writing poems.' The film, slated to hit theaters on Feb. 4, tells a love story between Yulia (Pevita) and Rumi (Chicco Jerikho) with the background of the social and political situation in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The retro setting did not give her any trouble at all in playing Yulia, as she had enough preparation for the role. 'I have totally grasped the foundation of the character that I'm playing, so even though I wasn't born yet at that time and I haven't gone through the stuff that Yulia has, it's not a big problem for me to play her,' Pevita said. Playing alongside the Citra Award winner Chicco is another exciting experience for her, including when she shares intimate scenes with him. 'Intimacy is not always defined by physical interaction, but also by the dialogue and emotion. The chemistry between Chicco and I is very well built as my imagination perfectly matches his,' she said. 'And Chicco is a very great actor; he can easily adapt to his character and is very professional. It's hard not to fall in love with his acting.' The Jakarta-born Pevita first fell in love with acting when she was in elementary school where she took part in many stage plays. She later made her debut in a soap opera and managed to secure a part in the 2006 film Denias, Senandung di Atas Awan (Denias, a Hum Above the Clouds). Once she jumped into acting, she wanted to do it seriously, so she flew to Australia to study acting at the New York Film Academy for four months. Her film projects include Lost in Love (2008), which earned her a nomination as Best Leading Actress at the Indonesian Film Festival in 2008, Rasa (2009), Dilema (2012), Sanubari Jakarta (Heartbeat of Jakarta, 2012), 5cm (2012) and Tenggelamnya Kapal Van der Wijck (The Sinking of Van der Wijck, 2013). Her roles in films also inspire her to write poetry. 'I once wrote a poem based on Hayati and Zainuddin (the characters in Van der Wijck). The words of Buya Hamka (the author of the Van der Wijck novel from which the movie is adapted) are very poetic, making me feel melancholic,' she said after reading a short poem to The Jakarta Post. She started writing poems when she was a teenager, compiling them into a book that was released in 2014, entitled Our Notebook: Peace in Mind, War at Heart. Pevita also finds great interest in fashion. After taking an internship at a clothing company when in high school, she found the fashion business exciting, prompting her to study it at LaSalle College in Jakarta. In 2009, she set up her own accessory brand, Hippearce, before joining the Tre tropical clothing line where she is not only a shareholder but also in charge of determining the concept of the clothes for every season and of making marketing strategy. Her 13 years of journey through the creative industry has definitely shaped her into a better person, she said. 'Every project has its own challenge and I always try to be better in every project that I do. After 13 years, I feel like I've become a better individual who can adapt well in many different circumstances.' Nevertheless, Pevita is still craving for more adventure. She looks forward to playing in non-dramatic movies and being involved in stage plays. 'Mas Garin and I have been talking about a theater project that is also related with poetry. Let's just wait and see.' Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Suzan Fraser (The Jakarta Post) Ankara, Turkey Sun, January 31, 2016 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Moscow on Saturday that it would be forced to "endure the consequences" if its jets continue to violate Turkish airspace, after Ankara reported a new border infringement incident by a Russian plane. NATO-member Turkey said another Russian warplane violated its airspace on Friday despite several warnings ' two months after Turkey's military shot down a Russian jet for crossing over its territory. The past incident seriously strained the previously close ties between the two countries, damaging a strong economic partnership. "We regard this infringement which came despite all our warnings in Russian and in English as an effort by Russia to escalate the crisis in the region," Erdogan told reporters before departing on a Latin American tour. "If Russia continues the violations of Turkey's sovereign rights, it will be forced to endure the consequences." He did not specify what those consequences might be. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, denied that there was any violation of Turkey's airspace and called the Turkish statements "unsubstantiated propaganda." His statement was carried by state news agencies Tass and RIA Novosti. Erdogan said he attempted to reach Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the issue but that the Russian leader did not respond. "These irresponsible steps do not help the Russian Federation, NATO-Russia relations or regional and global peace," Erdogan said. "On the contrary they are detrimental." Turkey's Foreign Ministry said the Russian SU-34 crossed into Turkish airspace on Friday, ignoring several warnings in Russian and in English by Turkish radar units. It said Ankara summoned the Russian ambassador to the ministry Friday evening to "strongly protest" the violation. It was not clear where exactly the new infringement had occurred. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also called on Russia "to act responsibly and to fully respect NATO airspace" but also urged "calm and de-escalation" of tensions between Moscow and Ankara. "Russia must take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not happen again," he said in a statement. "NATO stands in solidarity with Turkey and supports the territorial integrity of our ally, Turkey." There was no immediate comment on the incident from Moscow. In November Turkey shot down a Russian plane which violated its airspace near Syria, touching off a crisis between the two countries. It was the first time in more than half a century that a NATO nation had shot down a Russian plane. Turkey brought down the Russian Su-24 bomber near the border with Syria on Nov. 24, saying it violated its airspace for 17 seconds despite repeated warnings. Russia insists the plane never entered Turkish airspace. One pilot and a Russian marine of the rescue party were killed in the incident. The Russian military quickly sent missile systems to Syria and warned that it would fend off any threat to its aircraft. Moscow also punished Turkey by imposing an array of economic sanctions. On Saturday, Stoltenberg said NATO had agreed in December to increase the presence of AWACS early warning planes over Turkey to increase the country's air defenses. He said the decision was taken before Friday's incident. (**) Phuket Opinion: Fighting for a birthright PHUKET: The return to headlines this week of a private company claiming ownership of land within the Rawai sea gypsy community beggars belief in a legal-justice system whose lack of transparency has allowed the dispute to escalate to scuffles and a police and military presence to prevent further violence. By The Phuket News Sunday 31 January 2016, 08:27AM Rawai sea gypsies are fighting for a home to call their own. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The claims to plots within the indigenous community date back years, say third-hand reports, but nowhere near as far back as the at-least-century-old claim by the sea gypsies, which the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) itself confirmed two years ago through DNA testing of a sea gypsy skeleton literally buried in the land being claimed, at that time, by another party. Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos reported that the claimant, Baron World Trade Co, had legitimate titles to the land, while he called for a peaceful resolution to the dispute. However, that does not discount exactly why the claim has resurfaced. If the claimant has won an appeal in court, then why not just present the court order in the first place? It would also serve the claimant well to step up and explain exactly how ownership of the land was acquired, especially on an island that has an international reputation for illegitimate land titles up for grabs wherever one would like at the right price. Also, if such investors believe that a private claim to private land is private business, they are sorely mistaken. This particular claim involves the forced relocation of people indigenous to Phuket, and forced relocation of indigenous people is a catchphrase that recalls some of the darkest chapters in mankinds history. The fact the sea gypsies do not have documents issued to prove the heritage to the land they live on is nothing more the bureaucratic twaddle. How could they? Short memories and poorly educated stiffs in uniforms are unlikely to remember that Phukets sea gypsies barely 15 years ago were issued ID cards by the Royal Thai Government specifically stating that they were not Thai citizens. To be fair, the sea gypsy community has grown over the century-plus years since recognised settlement but The Phuket News has yet to learn of a single bona fide land title issued for Rawai 100 years ago. Transparency is key in resolving this dispute, and without irrefutable claim to the land disputed, the doubt must be given to those rare few in Phuket with a birthright to the land they live on. Woman who won lottery during divorce can keep it all, rules Dutch court NETHERLANDS: A woman who won a 2.1 million euro (B81.85 million) lottery prize during a divorce has no obligation to share it with her ex-husband, according to a Dutch court decision earlier this month. By Reuters Sunday 31 January 2016, 11:00AM Going Dutch now means keeping it all during a divorce. Photo: Reuters The Amsterdam District Court ruling said the couple had listed the shared assets they wished to divide at the time they filed for divorce on October 20, 2014, though the divorce was not formally granted until June 2015. The woman won the Post Code Lottery on New Years Day 2015. The man had argued that he and his estranged wife always played the lottery using shared household funds during their 30-year marriage, and it should be included in their divorce settlement. But the judge noted they had separated their finances at least four years earlier when he went to live with his new girlfriend. The woman paid for the winning ticket from her own bank account. The above means that the prize won did not belong to their joint assets and that the court will hold the prize apart in its division of goods, the written decision said. The judge divided up the couples other assets, which amounted to less than 10,000 euros (B389,821) in value. Watertown to host state Cheer & Dance: Here's what you need to know sports Eva Lilienfeld, News Editor lilienfe17@grinnell.edu Presidential candidate Gov. Martin OMalley spoke to the Grinnell community about the environment, the economy and executive experience at the Harris Center on Jan. 27. Concerned about meeting the 15 percent minimum to be counted in the Iowa caucus, OMalley called upon Iowans to vote for the underdog candidate as they did for Obama in 2008. With many policies consistent with those of Sen. Bernie Sanders, OMalley differentiated himself by discussing his views on climate change. I am the first candidate in this race to put forward a plan to move us to a 100 percent clean electric grid by 2050 and create 5 million jobs along the way, OMalley said. Frequently praised for his sense of humor and congeniality as a public speaker, OMalley stood on a chair during his speech. He insisted this boosts attendance at his events because, everyone wants to see the presidential candidate fall on his face. Today 30 to 35 percent of your electric energy now comes from clean Iowa wind, OMalley said. Its employing 5,000 people here in your own state. And the great thing about those big component parts you sometimes see rumbling down I-80 is theyre too big for it to make any sense to import them from somewhere else, for the most part. Many Grinnell students back OMalley because of his dedication to the environment, particularly since Obama named climate change as the greatest threat to future generations in his 2015 State of the Union Address and, more recently, over 150 countries around the world signed the Paris Agreement, which addresses the need to stop using fossil fuels by 2050. Number one for me is renewable energy by 2050, said OMalley supporter Alex Mitchell 17. While all Democratic candidates support an increased minimum wage, OMalley also differentiates himself from national front-runner Hillary Clinton by calling for an increase to $15 rather than her proposed $12. We have to restore common sense wage and labor policies that actually grow our middle class, OMalley said. Some of these guys have it backwards, a large middle class is the cause of economic growth not a consequence of it, and thats why for forty years we always kept the minimum wage above the poverty line for a family of two. I say we should raise the minimum wage, raise it to $15 an hour however we can and wherever we can. As Governor of Maryland, OMalley signed legislation that would raise the minimum wage state-wide in Maryland to $10.10 per hour in 2017. He has shown the experience to do it in the past, Mitchell said in reference to OMalleys increasing the minimum wage as the Governor of Maryland. OMalley also spoke of his executive experience to the Grinnell community. When the question and answer session that followed his speech raised concerns about OMalleys lack of foreign affairs experience, he described his experience as a leader in Home Security and Preparedness in the national governor and mayor associations. Governors led us to victory in two world wars, OMalley said. I believe a part of that is that one of the things you learn as a governor is that every day there are threats that are changing and evolving and you have to surround yourself with a very strong cabinet so that you are always on the inside of the turning radius of those threats and not on the outside. The Other Me Saskia Sarginson Flatiron Books, 304 pages, $29.99 Author Saskia Sarginsons The Other Me uses one of my favourite plot devices by moving back and forth in time between past and present. Here, she takes us from Germany in the 1930s, just as Nazism is taking hold, to England in the 1990s where we meet characters who are linked to Germanys fascist past. The story introduces us to two German brothers, one who dedicated himself to the Fuhrer and the other who refused. Years later in separate cities in England, two young girls struggle with their guilt and shame over what their fathers may have done during the Holocaust. Sarginson lives in England, where her first two novels, The Twins and Without You, received critical acclaim. She gives her readers the opportunity to test the accuracy of long-held versions of history and the extent to which misconceptions about the past have the potential to ruin lives. Salt to the Sea Ruta Sepetys Philomel Books, 400 pages, $24.99 Salt to the Sea is described by its publisher as Between Shades of Gray meets Titanic a reference to author Ruta Sepetys own bestselling book and the film epic, and intriguing enough to draw me in. Its the end of the Second World War, and, in East Prussia, German troops are retreating from the Russians and thousands of refugees are fleeing for their lives. Among them are three souls, Joana, Emilia and Florian, desperate to reach the former cruise ship, Wilhelm Gustloff, now in the Baltic Sea. They make it. But the war-ravaged tragedy of their lives continues when the Russians torpedo the massive ship and tens of thousands of people fight to survive. The story, based on the true-life sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, is told through alternating voices, each unfolding story requiring its own box of Kleenex. Sepetys is the award-winning author of Out of the Easy, as well as Between Shades of Gray. Pillars of Light Jane Johnson Doubleday Canada, 496 pages, $24.95 Jane Johnson has given her readers another swashbuckling adventure saga of West meets East in Pillars of Light. This time, its with a story that knits stories of young lovers from the Syrian city of Akka (the Arabic name for Acre) with Englishmen who join Richard the Lionhearts army and ride to free the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem from Saladin and his infidels. It is an epic tale of romance between a Jewish doctor and a Muslim woman in Akka, amidst the fear that grips the city when Lionhearts army sets up the longest and cruelest siege of its time. British novelist Johnson is prolific, with previous works including The Sultans Wife as well as The Salt Road. She has worked on film sets and her own life story resembles a movie script. In 2005, she was in Morocco researching the story of a distant relative believed to have been abducted by Barbary pirates in 1625 when she met and married a man she describes as my own Berber pirate. She now divides her time between England and Morocco. River of Ink Paul M.M. Cooper Bloomsbury, 400 pages, $24.99 River of Ink, set in Sri Lanka in 1215, is the perfect winter book for readers who wish to lose themselves in warm breezes and perfumed gardens. London-born writer Paul M.M. Cooper has crafted a delicious tale of love and palace intrigue that centres on court poet Asanka, who learns that the power of his pen is truly stronger than the sword. Cooper, who grew up in Wales, was an English teacher in Sri Lanka where he explored ruins and absorbed the culture so deeply it enriches his fiction. In his novel, a benevolent king dies and Asanka, friend to the dead ruler, is left writing poetry for a new and vicious monarch, Kalinga Magha. Fearful for his life and that of his love, a beautiful servant girl, he agrees to translate an ancient Sanskrit text for the tyrant Magha. This is pure fantasy, a book to read on a Sunday afternoon with incense burning and snow falling. Cooper is a find, more so because he cites Sri Lankan-born (and Canadian-claimed) Michael Ondaatje as his biggest literary influence meaning he already has a special place in Canadian hearts. SHARE: From Zimbabwes Petina Gappah her stories won the 2009 Guardian First Book Award comes The Book of Memory, a shattering debut novel narrated by a death-row inmate called Memory. Born with albinism, Memorys search through her past unravels numerous strange worlds that keep us glued to every page. The narrative takes shape in the form of journals, a project undertaken at the urging of the lawyer planning her appeal. Floating between present and past like memory itself Memory writes about life in Chikurubi Maximum Prison: its sadistic guards and larger-than-life inmates, interspersing the present with scenes from her dirt-poor township childhood. Despite being taunted by the other children for her ghastly whiteness, Memory loves her sisters Joy and Mohbi, gets excellent grades, adores her annual Christmas dress. Her mother scares her, her father doesnt. And then, catastrophe. Her parents sell her, aged 9, to Lloyd Hendricks, the man she has been convicted of killing. One day he appeared, the next she was driven away in his car. Ever since she witnessed her mother tucking the white mans money into her bra, a demon she calls the the Chimera has haunted her dreams, speaking in her mothers voice. We dont sell children in this country, the police bluntly inform her, while ridiculing her description of finding Lloyds body. Yet she saw what she saw. Her mother, subject to headaches and anger, had long sought cures for her pale daughters curse, dragging her to a variety of diviners and healers. At the Great-Ancestors house, a little boy shares ripe mangoes with her, whereas a Pentecostal baptism terrifies and nearly drowns her. Where does Memory belong? A loaded question. Adjusting to life in Lloyds Harare home, she attends good schools, sees good doctors, takes riding lessons and enjoys his eccentric circle of friends. Ever the outsider, shed still prefer to be invisible, an impossible goal, whether she travels to England or returns to Africa with her Cambridge degree. When at last Memory speaks, she reveals a complex society bursting with secrets, corruption, humour and, yes, love. This unusual, enchanting book almost demands to be read more than once. Nancy Wigston is freelance writer in Toronto SHARE: The Great Lakes are natures highway. They link Canadian and American Midwest farms to central and eastern cities and through them to the world. Canadian shipping companies exploited post-Second World War prosperity and the sale of surplus navy and merchant marine vessels at garage sale prices to grow in size and wealth. The biggest and most influential became Canada Steamship Lines. By the late 1940s, the companies grew rich while sailors and dockworkers grew angry. Ships often resembled floating sweatshops and the docks were jungles. Unions fought the companies to improve pay and work conditions. They also fought each other for fee-paying members and their turf wars were intensified by Communist infiltration that ignored the border and often members best interests. Strikes, intimidation, beatings and gangsterism often resulted in ships stranded in ports and unable to be loaded or unloaded or suddenly without crews. In an attempt to wrest order from the growing chaos, while fighting domestic communists, the government of Louis St-Laurent condoned the Americanization of Canadian maritime unions. It supported the pressure that the American Federation of LaborCongress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) exerted on its Canadian counterpart, the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada, to merge the Canadian Seamans Union with the American-based Seafarers International Union (SIU). In 1949, the SIU appointed Hal Banks to preside over its Canadian branch. Hal Banks was a thug. He was born in Iowa and grew up in California. He had been arrested for passing bad cheques and came to know the cold, grey walls of San Quentin prison. He was later accused of murder, kidnapping and numerous rapes before becoming a sailor then union enforcer. He was deemed the perfect man to build the SIU in Canada. From his opulent office in Montreal, Banks became a tyrant. He bribed, bought or had beaten up all those who opposed him or the SIU. He established Do Not Ship lists that banned certain workers, ships and companies. The shipping companies and the Canadian and American governments were happy that a semblance of order had been established, the ships were moving and the Communists were gone or hiding, and so turned blind eyes when Banks and his gangsters broke laws and bones. The violence and growing influence of American maritime unions in Canada finally became too much to ignore. In 1962, Tory prime minister John Diefenbaker created a commission of inquiry led by the hot-tempered but determined British Columbia Court of Appeal justice Thomas G. Norris. Beginning in July, the Norris inquiry laid bare the stench of what was being perpetrated in the name of profit, politics and power. The inquiry was completing its work when Lester Pearson became prime minister in April the following year. He was dragged into the morass of violently competing interests when the Canadian Great Lakes freighter James Norris steamed into the Chicago harbour and a labour spat led to a gun battle. A union standoff stranded the ship. Pearson promised the House of Commons that he would do something about the Norris incident and the larger crisis that was terrorizing workers and hurting business. At their meeting in Hyannis Port, Mass., in May 1963, Pearson and U.S. President John F. Kennedy left their advisers to enjoy a short stroll. With the ocean pounding the shore, Pearson broached the violence on the lakes. He explained that the problem was being blamed on the actions of American unions in Canada. He wondered what could be done. Kennedy shook his head and, using language that Banks and his men would have appreciated, said, I dont know what I can do about those f---ers! They agreed that the solution, like the problem, needed to ignore the border. A committee was struck, comprising two Canadians, Labour Congress president Claude Jodoin and minister of labour Allan MacEachen, and two Americans, AFL-CIO president George Meany and labour secretary Willard Wirtz. Dubbed the Committee of Four, they met in Washington a week later but quickly fell apart. Meany and Jodoin screamed accusations at each other about SIU activities in Canada, which union was legitimate and whose men were scabs. Meany was not about to surrender a scintilla of AFL-CIO or SIU power regardless of what the Canadians wanted. Perhaps U.S. undersecretary of state George Ball was right when he confided in a telephone conversation with national security adviser McGeorge Bundy: I must say if the prime minister thinks he can control our angry labour unions, he is not as smart as I think he is. Thomas Norris finally released his report in July 1963. It placed a preponderance of blame for the Great Lakes mess on Banks and the SIU. Its most important recommendations were that Banks be deported and government-appointed trustees be empowered to merge the maritime unions to better serve workers, shipping companies and Canada. Following a series of lively debates in the House of Commons, Allan MacEachen announced that the government would create a trusteeship council after the upcoming parliamentary recess. Angry SIU workers who were loyal to their leader and wanted no part of government telling them how to run their union reacted by planting a bomb on a Canadian ship that new labour strife had stranded in Chicago. The bombing led Pearson to call Kennedy. The president was in a tough spot. He had spoken at the AFL-CIO convention the year before and wandered off his prepared text to praise organized labours contributions to the countrys well-being and progress. To great applause, George Meany responded, We are delighted that we have a chief executive in the White House who understands the ideals and the aspirations of our people and merely say to you, dont worry about us. We will co-operate 1,000 per cent. Meany mattered. If the crisis on the lakes was to be solved, Kennedy needed his help. Meany was Americas most powerful advocate for organized labour. To many Americans, his opinions reflected those of working people in general. Further, the AFL-CIO was a major contributor to Kennedy and his Democratic party. It was hard to tell which president needed the other more. It was perhaps with this quandary in mind that at Hyannis Port, Kennedy had told Pearson, Meany will do a lot of things I ask him to do, but after a long pause added, and Ill do a lot he asks me to do. Now, on the phone with Pearson, Kennedy again promised to do what he could with Meany. After hanging up he grumbled to an aide that it would be a shame if this union trouble jeopardized all the hard work he had done at Hyannis Port to rebuild trust with Canada. Although Meany did not attend, the Committee of Four met several more times over the next number of weeks but accomplished nothing. Jodoin wanted to co-operate with the AFL-CIO in the hope that it would help reduce the harassment of Canadian ships and workers in American ports. He made an appointment to see Meany and flew to his office in Washington. He spent two infuriating hours reading old magazines in Meanys waiting room. He finally left in disgust. MacEachen was good to his word and with Parliaments resumption he ignored the Committee of Four impasse and introduced legislation to create an all-Canadian trusteeship council to oversee Canadian maritime unions and Canadian subsidiaries of American maritime unions. Meany erupted. He told a hastily called press conference, I am just as much opposed to government-controlled unions in Canada as I am to government-controlled unions in Honduras, or Peru or any other place on the face of the earth. I am absolutely opposed to it. American labour secretary Wirtz rushed to the White House. He believed that the trouble with the Canadian unions was a Canadian matter that Pearson was trying to get his department, the president or Meany to solve. He blamed what he characterized as Diefenbakers anti-American questions in the House and the anti-American views of many Canadian newspapers for forcing Pearson to be harder on the issue than he really wanted to be. He told Kennedy that only Meany was acting in good faith. Wirtz left the Oval Office and called a press conference. He proclaimed his support for Meany and said the Canadians were wrong in wanting government-appointed trustees to reorganize and oversee maritime unions. The Canadian government should not, he insisted, be allowed to exert such influence over American business, ports or organized labour. Pearson again called Kennedy. While not mentioning his meeting with Wirtz, the president apologized for any embarrassment caused by the Wirtz press conference. He characterized the unreserved praise for the AFL-CIO as unfortunate. They read statements to each other that they would make and agreed that Canadian ambassador Charles Ritchie would co-ordinate their timing. MacEachens Trustee Act became law on Oct. 18. It afforded government-appointed Canadian trustees the power to oversee and influence union property, finances, management and rules. In a section quickly dubbed the Hal Banks provision, it allowed trustees to suspend or fire a union employee. Banks responded by having SIU members in Canadian and American ports drop their tools. On Oct. 21, 2,000 SIU members shouted slogans on Parliament Hill and then cheered when Banks pulled up in his brand new, gleaming white Cadillac. Someone yelled, Youre a goddam crook! Banks shouted back, I agree. Pearson again called Kennedy. With the raucous protest roaring outside his office windows, he told the president of the havoc in Ottawa and the ships stuck in ports. In Montreals harbour alone, for instance, armed union men had trapped 28 vessels. Pearson warned that he would quickly establish the trusteeship council to quell the violence, end the illegal strikes and restore calm, all by taking control of the Canadian branch of the SIU. Kennedy would not agree to call Meany but did pledge to remain silent about Pearsons proposed plan. Diefenbaker, now Opposition leader, made no such promise. Later that afternoon, with protesters bluing the air outside, he filled the Commons with accusations of his own. He cried that there was too much American power in all Canadian unions, and especially the maritime unions. He slammed the governments handling of the whole affair, saying Pearson was causing chaos approaching anarchy. He then moved a motion of non-confidence. Pearson jumped to his feet. He slammed Diefenbaker and took shots at Meany and Banks. He praised Kennedy for working in good faith to help resolve the dispute. As expected, Diefenbakers motion failed. The next day, however, a number of Canadian newspapers echoed Diefenbakers point. The Globe and Mail was particularly harsh on Wirtz and Kennedy for backing the American union that, its editorial claimed, was primarily responsible for current problems. Entitled Diplomacy by bully, it hinted that Kennedy could quickly solve the whole mess but was choosing not to. It noted a number of examples of Americans using the press to push Canada around. Among them was the State Departments January press release besmirching Diefenbaker and the more recent Wirtz press conference. The column ended with a line that could have been ripped from one of Diefenbakers campaign speeches: Frankness between friends is a virtue. But the kind of frankness in which U.S. leaders have lately been indulging is that of neighbourhood bully You do it my way or else! The trustees were appointed on Oct. 23. Among their first acts was to summon Hal Banks to Ottawa. He was told to end the SIU strike action or face prosecution. He caved. Three days later the men returned to work and the ships resumed their journeys. The truce was only temporary. At the AFL-CIO convention held just a few weeks later in New York, Banks delivered a blistering address in which he promised to fight the Canadian government and increase his unions power by having only SIU members on every ship on the Great Lakes. SIU strikes and threats of violence soon had every ship moving at a glacial pace or stopped completely. Pearson called Kennedy. The president agreed to have Wirtz investigate the latest flare-up. He again promised to do what he could to influence Meany and American SIU president Paul Hall. Wirtz told Kennedy that Meany and Hall would do nothing unless he personally asked them to do so. Issuing such a request would certainly help Canada but would leave Kennedy in the unattractive position of being even more beholden to the unions and their leaders than he was already. Further, Kennedy knew that he would soon be asking for maritime union support for a plan he had yet to announce, whereby American wheat would be shipped to the Soviet Union in Soviet as well as American ships. Once again, Kennedys admiration for Pearson and their personal friendship did not matter. He would do what was best for America. He did nothing. With the shipping season almost over, Kennedy and Wirtz agreed to allow the troubles to play themselves out over the winter and then contemplate action in the spring. Pearson was left to carry on with Canadian trade stopped up, American unions still dominating Canadian unions and hurting shipping companies, and without Kennedys help to do anything substantive about it. Just as it appeared that things could not get worse for Pearson, he sat for a TV interview with Pierre Berton. He was asked about a Toronto Star story claiming that in the recent election, Hal Banks and his union had made substantial contributions to the Liberal party. Pearson admitted the story to be true. The revelation could have sparked a scandal but it was ignored. The interview aired on the morning of Nov. 22. Before anyone had time to react to it, gunshots shattered a beautiful afternoon in Dallas. Excerpted from Cold Fire: Kennedys Northern Front by John Boyko. Copyright 2016 John Boyko. Published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Ltd. Reproduced by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved. SHARE: Log In Receive full access to our market insights, commentary, newsletters, breaking news alerts, and more. Log In Kindergarten and first-grade Girl Scouts from Rehoboth troops 494 and 628, above, joined other Southeastern New England Daisy Girl Scouts at a "My Dolly and Me Tea Party" at Camp Hoffman in West Kingston, R.I. The Scouts made tiaras for themselves and their dolls, sang songs, decorated place mats, ate cucumber sandwiches, drank tea, and learned about being friendly and helpful. FILE - In this June 4, 2010, file photo, the USS Curtis Wilbur arrives at a naval base in Busan, South Korea, for South Korea-U.S. joint drills. China strongly condemned the United States after the missile destroyer deliberately sailed near one of the Beijing-controlled islands in the hotly contested South China Sea to exercise freedom of navigation and challenge China's vast territorial claims. (Jo Jong-ho/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT The Prime minister has recently announced that 4 Dutch jets stationed in Jordan will begin bombing extremists in Syria. A squadron of 4 Dutch jets is already carrying out bombing mission in Iraq. It will broaden its role within the American led coalition. The government declared that Netherlands will widen its role within the international coalition to include targets pertaining to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Dutch jets will start bombing these targets shortly. A squadron of 4 Dutch jets F-16 fighters is currently stationed in Jordan, however, its mandate only included ISIL targets in Iraq. These Dutch jets will now take part in the bombing campaigns over Syria until the 1st of July. The mandate of the Dutch jets includes ISIL positions including the groups training camps and operations centers. The prime minster of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte revealed this decision by the government on Friday in The Hague France and Britain have already stepped up their bombing campaigns in both Syria and Iraq after the deadly attacks in Paris in November last year. These attacks allegedly carried out by ISIL extremists, claimed more than 130 lives in separate but simultaneous attacks at various location within the French capital. We have decided to heed the call of our allies for expansion of the operational area of our F-16s to the east of Syria to further weaken ISISs supply lines and ability to advance. Only by taking away ISISs safe havens in Iraq and Syria can we prevent more attacks. Rutte confirmed using another name for the extremist group. Besides the inclusion of Dutch jets within the international coalition to bomb targets in Syria, the government of Netherlands is also contemplating providing military hardware and equipment to Iraq. It is also planning to train Iraqi soldiers who are currently battling the terrorist group in Iraq. It is also revealed that moderate Syrian opposition groups will also be provided with funds for construction and maintenance of schools and hospitals. The extension in the scope of the Dutch jets was made possible when the Labour party, currently partners within the governing coalition, stated that they will welcome such an idea. This created a parliamentary majority in favor of the widening of Dutch Jets scope in the Middle East. In the Netherlands, foreign military interventions are considered a very sensitive issue. Dutch forces had led a UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia in the 1990s. During this disastrous operation, around 8,000 Muslims were massacred by the Serbs. In 2010, the government of the Netherlands collapsed owing to a controversy regarding military participation in Afghanistan where thousands of Dutch troops were actively participating with the ISAF. British PM talks with European leaders to push for EU reform 2016-01-30 16:12 LONDON - British Prime Minister David Cameron made phone calls with various European leaders in the last two days, and held further meetings with some of them to discuss EU reform, Downing Street announced Friday. Cameron spent the day focused on the EU renegotiation with "many constructive phone calls and meetings", according to Downing Street. On Thursday night and Friday morning, Cameron called the Prime Ministers of Denmark and Sweden respectively, before meeting with the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels for a working lunch. "They discussed the state of play in the negotiations and the Prime Minister underlined that while there had been progress, there was still a lot more work to do. They spent some time on the trickiest issue of welfare," a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement. They also discussed the further progress that is still required in areas of sovereignty, economic governance and competitiveness. On Friday, Cameron also met with the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, who, according to Downing Street, "expressed his commitment to finding solutions in all four areas that would address the concerns of the British people, including action in the area of welfare." The British prime minister also called French President Francois Hollande Friday to discuss where the negotiations have got to. "The Prime Minister said discussions that a deal in February remained possible if significant progress can be made in the coming days," the Downing Street spokesperson noted. "The Prime Minister said that if the deal on the table for February wasn't right, he wouldn't take it - there is no hurry and it is more important to fundamentally reform the UK's relationship with the EU," the spokesperson added. Cameron and Hollande also touched on a number of other issues, including the ongoing cooperation on counter-terrorism, Syria and the humanitarian crisis and Iran. Cameron has pledged to hold an "in or out" referendum on whether Britain should withdraw from the EU by 2017. He pledged to campaign for his country to remain in the bloc if the EU agrees to reform as Britain has requested. Money may be growing tight for four Republican presidential hopefuls clustered under Donald Trump and Ted Cruz just when theyre about to need it the most. Financial reports coming out Sunday will show who began the year with enough cash to put their long-range campaign plans into motion. For Chris Christie, Jeb Bush and John Kasich, the aim is a strong showing in New Hampshire on Feb. 9 that power-boosts them deep into primary season. Marco Rubios imperative is to do well enough in the first four states to vote that he can make a sustained climb in the weeks that follow. That sort of long slog would be costly because it involves travel around the two dozen states that hold contests on or before March 15. And some of those states, including Virginia, Florida and Ohio, have expensive advertising markets. If youre going to proceed after New Hampshire, youre absolutely going to need considerable funds, said Fred Malek, who has helped four decades of Republican presidential candidates raise money. The pace of the primaries builds up rapidly. Its far better to already have the cash on hand rather than have to ramp up. The financial health of the campaigns of Christie, Kasich, Bush and Rubio is critically important because theyre competing not only with each other, but with Trump, a billionaire who has vowed to spend whatever it takes to win, and Cruz, who began the year with $19 million in the bank an amount that probably exceeds most of his rivals. The foursome is considered to be competing for mainstream Republicans in a campaign that has seen Trump and Cruz most effectively tap populist anger and disdain for the establishment. In addition to the candidates, the outside political groups known as super PACs helping them must turn in progress reports on their fundraising and spending Sunday. Stanley Hubbard, a billionaire Minnesota broadcast executive, said hes poised to write a large check to a super PAC backing any one of his preferred candidates, Rubio, Christie and Bush, among others. If we get someone who really has a chance of doing something, Im ready, he said. Someone just needs to rise to the top. Asked if he is confident anyone will have enough money to compete with Trump or Cruz, he said: No, I do not feel confident. But Im hopeful. There are signs that Rubio, a Florida senator, could be facing a cash crisis. After his campaign began leasing corporate jets and hiring dozens of additional employees at the end of the year, it recently downsized its advertising plans in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, according to advertising tracker Kantar Medias CMAG. His campaign said it would air a 30-minute Rubio town hall over the weekend on several Iowa TV stations. Federal broadcast filings show that sets him back at least $12,000. On Friday, Rubio acknowledged the obvious, telling reporters hes not going to be the candidate with the most campaign cash. He also said he believes his campaign has spent money wisely, building up staffing slowly and trimming the ad buy to save money. For Bush, the budget crunch arrived in October, when a fundraising shortfall combined with the realization that the primary could last well into 2016 prompted him to narrow what had been a large national campaign to focus squarely on New Hampshire. Its super hard to raise money, said Anthony Scaramucci, a New York-based top fundraiser for Bush. Weve knuckled down to the new reality. But he said the Bush finance team is working furiously and generating cash every day for the campaign. Judging by their ad buys, Christie and Kasich havent been reaping much contributor cash, either. Even as they barnstorm New Hampshire, theyve each spent only about $500,000 on commercials there, CMAG shows. Thats less than retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who has paid little mind to New Hampshire. Christie campaign strategist Mike DuHaime said he expects a new influx of cash if Christie performs well in New Hampshire and at least some of his competitors drop out. But under several scenarios, all four candidates could think theyve done well enough to continue on. Come Sunday, fundraising reports answer the question which of the four is best financially prepared to do so. As of Sept. 30, the last time the campaigns had to report, Christie had collected $4.2 million for the year, Kasich $4.4 million, Rubio $15.5 million and Bush $24.8 million. Previous filings also hinted at a fundraising challenge facing them: Theyre struggling to connect with low-dollar donors who can give again and again, replenishing campaign treasuries if the candidates survive deep into the primaries. For Christie, Bush and Kasich, people giving $200 or less were barely a blip in their fundraising totals. About 20 percent of Rubios operation is supported that way, compared with 42 percent of Cruzs. That could be why all four lean heavily on super PACs to communicate with voters through paid media. While campaigns can raise no more than $2,700 from each donor for the primaries, super PACs can and do take million-dollar checks. These outside groups have accounted for almost 90 percent of the $129 million in radio and television ads aired by the four establishment Republicans, according to CMAG. But super PACs can only do so much, as Scott Walker and Rick Perry can attest. Both had well-funded outside efforts in their corner, but folded up their presidential bids when their campaigns couldnt raise enough money to keep going. (AP) First there was the promise of political change in Barack Obamas historic 2008 election. Then the pledge to upend Washingtons ways after the 2010 tea party wave. But for some Americans, the change and disruption have come too slowly, or failed altogether. On the eve of the first contest on the 2016 presidential election calendar, these voters are pushing for bolder, more uncompromising action, with an intensity that has shaken both the Republican and Democratic establishments. Candidates named Bush and Clinton members of Americas elite political families and others with deep ties to party leadership have been unexpectedly challenged by a billionaire businessman-turned-reality television star, a young senator loathed by GOP leaders and an unabashed democratic socialist. A lot of people feel like the status quo is a machine thats grinding them down, said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. They are gravitating toward candidates that are disruptive and promising massive change. Indeed, the campaigns of Republicans Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, as well as Democrat Bernie Sanders, have been fueled for months by anger, frustration and anxiety over an economic and national security landscape that is undeniably in flux and a political system some voters believe is unwilling or incapable of meeting new challenges. Wages have barely budged and the costs for housing, education and health care are soaring. The country is more racially and ethnically diverse than at any point in its history, with census data projecting white Americans will make up less than half the population by mid-century. New terrorist threats emanating from the Middle East feel both confusing and very close to home. Mondays Iowa caucuses will offer the first hard evidence of whether the outsider candidates can turn the energy around their campaigns into votes. On the Republican side, Trump and Cruz have been battling for supremacy in Iowa. Sanders has been cutting into Democratic front-runner Hillary Clintons lead. Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats on Capitol Hill, has spent years railing against the influence of wealthy and corporate interests on American politics. Yet even he says hes surprised by whats happening. My gut told me that this message would resonate with the American people, but to be honest with you it has resonated stronger and faster than I thought it would, Sanders told The Associated Press. Americans worries about the countrys trajectory are not new. For years, surveys have shown a large majority of Americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction. But that sentiment now appears to be disproportionately driven by frustration with politics and the political system, especially among Republicans. A recent Associated Press-GfK poll showed that among the 74 percent of Americans with a negative view of the countrys direction, 51 percent of Republicans and 38 percent of Democrats listed at least one political reason for their negative outlook far more than listed an economic or foreign policy-related reason. No candidate has tapped into the publics disillusionment with politics better than Trump. The real estate moguls comments about Mexicans, Muslims and women are seen by his supporters as a welcome change from most candidates careful political correctness. Hes also eschewed most of the trappings of modern presidential campaigns, including super political action committees and other high-dollar fundraising, which has only strengthened his appeal with voters who distrust career politicians. Its harder and harder to believe in an establishment guy whos so polished, said Wayne Magoon, a 72-year-old from Exeter, New Hampshire, who described himself as a lifelong Republican. I dont vote for establishment guys who are too glossy. Cruz has tapped into a similar anti-establishment sentiment. Despite being in the Senate, Cruz is loathed by most GOP leaders and has aligned himself with Republicans who believe party elites made lofty promises to win the House in 2010 and the Senate in 2014, then ignored the will of the voters who drove those victories. Republicans get to Washington and become part of Washington, said Brendan OBrien, 51, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Theres still uncertainty in some Republican circles about whether Trump can turn his legion of fans into voters, or whether Cruz can overcome a wall of opposition from party leaders eager to block his path to the nomination. Yet theres just as much uncertainty about what it will take to top them. After all, a combined $129 million in television and radio advertising by the campaigns and outside groups backing more mainstream candidates Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie hasnt put any of them in position to win Iowa or New Hampshire. The majority of the money about $112 million has come from super PACs, like the Bush-aligned Right to Rise USA, and dark money groups, like the Rubio-supporting Conservative Solutions Project, according to data from the Campaign Media Analysis Group of Kantar Media. Its not just Republicans grappling with a disillusioned electorate. Clinton entered the Democratic race with all of the institutional advantages: broad support within her partys leadership, a robust donor network and a sophisticated campaign operation. Most Democrats who were seen as potentially tough challengers decided against a run, including Vice President Joe Biden. But Clinton allies say the front-runner was caught off guard by Sanders appeal in the early voting states, where hes drawing large crowds with his calls for economic equality. He reminds me of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, said Mike Ray, 67, of Clinton, Iowa. Hes for the people, not for the corporations. Even among the Democratic leaders who are backing Clinton, theres admiration for Sanders ability to compete with the former secretary of state. I would not have predicted that he got as far, said Tom Harkin, the longtime Iowa senator who retired last year. Hes done remarkable. Wow. At the heart of the fight between Clinton and Sanders is how much the government should do to ease economic burdens for the middle class. With U.S. workers hampered by $1.3 trillion in student debt, Sanders wants to make tuition at public colleges and universities free. Clinton wants to lessen the burden of the student loan repayment system and create incentives for institutions to lower costs. With prescription drug costs soaring 11.4 percent in 2014 more than five times faster than growth in average hourly wages Clinton wants to cap out-of-pocket drug costs at $250 a month. Sanders wants to change to a single-payer health care system that he says would lower overall health care costs, even including the tax hike to help pay for the program. McCaskill, the Missouri senator, says Sanders is running on promises that in his gut hes got to know cant be kept. The Republican establishment makes the same argument about Trumps proposals to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border or block all Muslims from entering the U.S. as a way to combat terrorism. But all that matters is whether voters believe the candidates plans can fly or whether that factors into their vote at all. Soon, theyll have their say. (AP) The cabinet on Sunday, 21 Shevat, gave its approval for the draft plan to allocate an area for non-religious prayer near the Kosel, a site that will permit the Women of the Wall (WoW) to daven with tallis and tefilin as well as mixed prayer including men and women without a mechitzah. The cabinet did not conduct a formal vote. The approval is hailed by the WoW organization, which has been waging its battle for decades, as well as by the Reform and Conservative Movements. The location is south of the Kosel Plaza near Robinsons Arch and it will be open and accessible around the clock. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called the plan a creative solution to the problem. Representatives of WoW, Reform and Conservative Movements will be on the council that will govern the operation of the new prayer area. The council will include six public representatives who will be appointed by PM Netanyahu. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel and Rav of the Kosel & Holy Sites Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz will not have jurisdiction over the site. What was not approved is the request from WoW to have a Reform Movement rabbi supervise the locale. Ministers Aryeh Deri and David Azoulai of Shas, Yaakov Litzman of Yahadut Hatorah, Zeev Elkin of Likud and Uri Ariel of Bayit Yehudi were against the plan. Bayit Yehudi was split, as party leader Naftali Bennett supports the new initiative while Ariel, from the Ichud Leumi faction of the party opposes it, stating it violates decades of a religious status quo as well as being contradictory to a Torah way of life. Elkin, who is responsible for Jerusalem Affairs, also opposed the plan but the objections were symbolic as clearly the cabinet was going to give its stamp of approval, which the Reform and Conservative Movements feel is de-facto recognition after decades of being ignored by state agencies. Some chareidi lawmakers told the press they regard the new reality as the least of the possible evils available to them. Commenting on the cabinet approval, Jerusalem Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar Shlita called on the frum community to unite against the new initiative. Rabbi Rabinowitz has also spoken out against the new area. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) The terrorist who perpetrated the shooting attack near Beit El on Sunday morning 21 Shevat was shot and killed. The photo shows the handing of his body to the Red Crescent following the attack. As was reported earlier, Amjad Abu Sakri, 34, was identified as a member of the PA (Palestinian Authority) Police, assigned to the detail protecting senior PA officials in Ramallah. He was married and the father of four. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photo: Nachman Rabibo via Media Resource Group) France over the weekend called on Israel to recognize a Palestinian state if ongoing peace-making efforts orchestrated by Paris end in failure. France announced on erev Shabbos 19 Shevat it will be hosting an international peace conference to be attended by the United States, European Union and Arab nations. While Israel is willing to consider attending such a conference, the ultimatum officials are quoted announcing is another story, a fundamentally incorrect approach, explaining that it sends a message to PA (Palestinian Authority) negotiators to reject any deal and wait for a collapse of the talks and then they would declare a state that Israel would be compelled to recognize. Ynet reports that persons close to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu feel France coordinated this initiative with opposition leader MK Yitzchak Herzog who visited with French President Francois Hollande last month along with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. Herzog denies any such dealings. US officials are also questioning the wisdom of the French proposal, with a senior State Department official quoted saying Americas official and clear stance is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be resolved through direct negotiations between them, and not by unilateral steps. At the start of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, 21 Shevat, during his comments in the presence of the media, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed a number of issues including the French initiative. He stated, At the same time, you certainly heard of the proposal being raised in certain quarters in France, to convene an international conference with the threat at the end that if it is unsuccessful, then France will to a large degree adopt the Palestinian position. This will be an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise. The substance of negotiations is compromise and the French initiative, as it has been reported, in effect gives the Palestinians in advance reasons not to do so. I believe that we will see a sobering up on this issue. In any case, we will work to bring this about and our position is very clear: We are prepared to enter into direct negotiations without preconditions and without dictated conditions. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Countless lives were saved during Operation Protective Edge, the IDF counter-terrorism offensive in Gaza due to the new Windbreaker active defense system installed on the militarys Merkava IV tanks. Defense Ministry officials are now reporting the militarys new Namer armored personnel carriers (APC) are equipped with an appropriate version of the Windbreaker system and in the future, all APCs will have the system on board. The Windbreaker system can detect an incoming rocket and respond in the required time to neutralize the threat. In the case of the tanks, the system also directs the tanks barrel towards the point from which the rocket was fired. According to the recent media release, the Windbreaker system will be installed on all new Namer APCs as field testing on that vehicle continues. The deployment of the Windbreaker system is essential for APCs in the next deployment in Gaza for in the past, the older APCs that do not have the advanced active protection system on board were susceptible to incoming rockets and the price paid in the number of dead and wounded was quite high. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Chassidim of Rabbi Eliezer Berland, who is hiding from Israeli authorities in South Africa, have made a death threat against S. Africa Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein in Rabbi Berlands name, the Johannesburg Sunday Times reports. It is alleged that Rabbi Warren has led police to Rabbi Berlands hiding place resulting in the threat against his life. Ten days ago, South African Police Service officers raided a hotel in Samrand in northern Johannesburg were the rabbi has been for the past five months. The police were acting on an Interpol warrant. The report adds that about 40 families have followed Rav Berland to S. Africa. Once again the rabbi managed to evade authorities and arrest. Chief Rabbi Goldstein has not commented on the matter but the South African Jewish community issued an official statement representing the full spectrum of South African Jewry. The South African Jewish community calls on Rabbi Eliezer Berland to return to Israel immediately to face the serious criminal charges laid against him and for which there is an international warrant of arrest against him. We further condemn the baseless malicious lies and incitement to violence aimed at our Chief Rabbi, including the libelous accusation that the Chief Rabbi was responsible for the police raid on Berlands compound. Chassidim of Rav Berland have announced that Rabbi Goldstein has now fallen in the category of a rodef and may therefore be killed. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Staff at Tesco will be told next week that pay rates for working Sundays and Bank Holidays, late nights and overtime hours are set to be slashed as the supermarket giant seeks to cut costs, This is Money has learned from a source. It is believed employees at the retailer used to receiving double time for Sundays and Bank Holidays will be told on Tuesday that they will get just time and a half from July - a pay cut of 25 per cent. Higher pay rates for overtime will also be revoked, with extra hours paid at the standard rate, according a whistleblower who wishes to remain anonymous. And a premium for working the hours 10pm-midnight will be scrapped as part of the pay review. This is Money understands it was a deal agreed behind closed doors with the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers. Pushing for less: Tesco staff will see pay rates for certain anti-social hours fall from July. A Tesco spokesperson said in response to the claims, 'We have reached a positive agreement on a two-year pay and benefits package for store colleagues, which is one of the most competitive packages in the supermarket industry and is good news for the large majority of colleagues. 'We will announce details of the deal once we have spoken to colleagues about the changes. Any colleagues out of pocket from the premium changes will be given advance notice and earnings will be protected for up to two years.' On an online forum, 'Very Little Helps' one user said: 'Loyalty and commitment means nothing to Tesco any more, we are all just a number sold down the river.' The grim news for employees comes after Tesco announced this week that it would cease 24-hour trading at 76 of the 400 stores nationwide that currently open all hours. That in itself will limit earning opportunities for staff used to having the option of working a certain number of hours. According to Tesco the reduction in opening hours would free up staff to replenish more products on the shelves overnight, resulting in more item availability and stores looking better. It added there will be a 'minimal' impact on jobs as a result of its decision. The moves are the latest planks in chief executive Dave Lewis's drive to cut costs at the retail behemoth and turn around stagnant sales. Tesco has been under severe pressure over the last few years, suffering unexpected financial reversals, while having accounting irregularities exposed that have led to litigation in the US. Now UK investors are set to launch a huge damages claim, saying they lost tens of millions because of the accounting scandal at the supermarket. Struggle to sell: Tesco's share price has suffered more than that of rival retailers over the last few years - but it has had more on its plate than just harsher competition. Group litigation fund Bentham Europe has gathered institutional investors who believe they lost out when the retailer admitted overstating its profits by 250m. Shares in the company plunged by more than a fifth in September 2014 when Tesco issued its third profit warning in weeks, saying it had uncovered a 'serious issue' within its accounts. The retailer has also been hit by shifts in shopping habits and the loss of customers to discounters Aldi and Lidl. However, the supermarket recently reported that Christmas sales rose 1.3 per cent, well ahead of what industry experts had been predicting. A testing week for the supermarket giant also saw an investigation into Tesco's treatment of suppliers report its findings. 'Extensive evidence' revealed the group 'intentionally delayed' payments to suppliers in order to make its own financial position look better than it was, Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon's inquiry revealed. Tesco escaped a financial penalty because this power was only given to the Adjudicator after she launched her investigation. In the 84-page report, Ms Tacon said: 'The length of delays, their widespread nature and the range of Tesco's unreasonable practices and behaviours towards suppliers concerned me. 'I was also troubled to see Tesco at times prioritising its own finances over treating suppliers fairly.' Xi bids New Year's greetings to non-communist parties, personages 2016-01-30 23:20 BEIJING - General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged non-communist parties to make greater contribution to the accomplishment of ambitious development goals in the new year. Xi made the remarks at a gathering Friday in Beijing, extending Lunar New Year's greetings to all people from non-communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and those without party affiliations, an official statement said Saturday. Xi said under the leadership of the CPC, Chinese people have overcome major risks and challenges, and made great achievements in all aspects in the past year. He said he appreciated the work and efforts of the non-communist parties and personages in providing valued suggestions and ideas in 2015, and he expected even greater contributions from them in the new year. Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli attended the event to mark the Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb 8 this year. The Pensions Regulator has asked the Government to tighten the rules on setting up a pension provider amid fears of a wave of opportunist operators joining the market. The move comes as 500,000 companies are required to sign up with a provider this year under new legislation forcing all employees to be enrolled into a pension. Charles Counsell, executive director for automatic enrolment at The Pensions Regulator, said he had opened talks with the Department for Work and Pensions. He said: I think we would welcome it if it was more difficult to set up as a provider and we are looking at ways that we might be able to work with the Government to do that. Employees' pensions: 500,000 companies are required to sign up with a provider this year under new rules Industry insiders are warning that auto-enrolment pension providers are too easy to set up, with about 100 companies now offering to run employee pension schemes. Nick Keppel-Palmer of Husky Finance, a comparison website for pensions, said: The basic issue is that the barrier to entry is so low that anyone can do it. And so they have. There are loads and loads of people that have set these up. Its really difficult to shut them down because the regulator doesnt have the power. The legislation isnt there to control it yet. I think it will come, but its not there now. Theres lots of unscrupulous charging. Some employees are essentially bearing the cost of something that an employer has to do. Last summer HMRC ordered about 40 firms which had used a provider called Source Pensions for automatically enrolling their employees to stop payments and move to other providers as individuals had been found to be saving into unapproved schemes. Millions of workers will be given the chance to join a pension this year under auto-enrolment. The system, which requires companies to provide a pension for staff, has been rolling out since 2012 but this year a huge wave of small and medium-sized firms will have to comply. The concerns centre on master trust schemes, in which a provider manages a centralised fund for employees at several companies. The main alternatives are contract schemes, in which a provider takes over the full responsibility for a company and no trust is needed. Counsell said: There is a difference between the ease of setting up as a trust-based scheme compared with what you have to do in a contract-based scheme, and some of the rigours associated with a contract-based scheme are beneficial. Weve set up the master trust assurance framework with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. We would encourage people to go to schemes that have got that assurance because they are independently audited. Preparation for upcoming Chinese Spring Festival From:Xinhua | 2016-01-31 09:12 A railway stewardess pastes window decoration on a train from Qingdao of East China's Shandong province to Beijing, capital of China,on Jan 30, 2016, to greet the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival.[Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on Jan 29, 2016 shows people walking under lanterns during a lantern fair in Zhenjiang city, East China's Jiangsu province. The lantern fair, which displays more than 200 sets of lanterns from Jiangsu and Southeast China's Taiwan, opened on Friday and will last 28 days. [Photo/Xinhua] Villagers make jujube cakes at a hostels for the elderly in Fulaishan Town of Rizhao, East China's Shandong province, on Jan 30, 2016, to greet the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival. [Photo/Xinhua] A child plays amid red lanterns in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province,on Jan 30, 2016, to greet the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival.[Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on Jan 29, 2016 shows a giant lantern in the shape of a monkey during a lantern fair in Zhenjiang city, East China's Jiangsu province. The lantern fair, which displays more than 200 sets of lanterns from Jiangsu and Southeast China's Taiwan, opened on Friday and will last 28 days.[Photo/Xinhua] Various red lanterns are hung up in Ditan Park in Beijing, capital of China, Jan 30, 2016. Preparations for the Ditan Park temple fair are underway with various red lanterns hung up to greet the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year which will fall on Feb 8 this year. [Photo/Xinhua] Tourists walk under newly-installed decorations at the Ditan Park in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan 30, 2016, to greet the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival. [Photo/Xinhua] Photo taken on Jan 29, 2016 shows lanterns on a lantern fair in Zhenjiang city, East China's Jiangsu province. The lantern fair, which displays more than 200 sets of lanterns from Jiangsu and Southeast China's Taiwan, opened on Friday and will last 28 days. [Photo/Xinhua] A worker walks on a street to hang red lanterns in Liaocheng, East China's Shandong province,on Jan 30, 2016, to greet the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival. [Photo/Xinhua] Staff members make preparations for a temple fair in Ditan Park in Beijing, capital of China, Jan 30, 2016. Preparations for the Ditan Park temple fair are underway with various red lanterns hung up to greet the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year which will fall on February 8 this year. [Photo/Xinhua] Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Madina Toure Queens College will be housing a solar storage system as part of a new three-year collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute and the New York Power Authority. Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy announced support for the collaboration, which includes creating a solar photovoltaics system at the college under the SunShot Initiatives Sustainable and Holistic Integration of Energy Storage and Solar PV program designed to increase solar-generated electricity through integrated photovoltaic and energy storage solutions. Felix Matos Rodriguez, the colleges president, said the school prides itself on being a community leader in sustainability initiatives. We strive for what will benefit the campus and our borough, and simultaneously provide our students with an opportunity to learn best practices as part of their QC education, Rodriguez said. Learning to contribute to a more sustainable society is in keeping with our mission to learn so that we may serve. The 50- to 60-kilowatt PV system would be built near the FitzGerald Gymnasium, which serves as a coastal storm shelter for the community. The Sustainable CUNY program, which has led federal, state and city efforts since 2005 to reduce the soft costs of installing solar, is leading the CUNY team as part of the CUNY Smart Distributed Generation (DG) Hub, a three-year initiative that will develop a strategic pathway to a more resilient distributed energy system. The Smart DG Hub won support from the Department of Energy SunShot Initiative in 2014. Tria Case, CUNYs sustainability director, said Sustainable CUNYs work over the last decade to reduce solar market barriers has made it easier for New Yorkers to go solar. Through the Smart DG Hub and this project, CUNY will now help demonstrate new technology that can protect citizens during energy emergencies as well as to support the Department of Energy goal to integrate resilient solar into our utility grid, Case said. CUNY serves as one of New York Citys main partners in its coastal storm shelter operations and accommodated more than 2,700 evacuees during Hurricane Sandy. The college provided more than 450 men, women and children with shelter and supplies, many of whom were from the hard-hit Rockaways area, including those with special needs. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Michael S Efforts to protect Howard Beach from environmental degradation in future hurricanes has taken another step forward. State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) announced Tuesday a six-week-long initiative to collect soil samples from Spring Creek South, a wetland area in the northern Jamaica Bay in Howard Beach. The sampling is part of the multifaceted project to protect Howard Beach residents and their property from future storm damage. Beginning Monday, the state Department of Environmental Conservation will have crews at the intersection of 165th Avenue and 87th Street and at 164th Avenue and 83rd Street to collect samples of soil that will be tested for potential contamination. The project, funded by FEMA, will give key insight into the development of an elevated berm, set to begin in 2017, to help protect against flooding and other storm issues. Any project aimed at storm recovery and resiliency is always welcomed in my district, said Addabbo. In 2012, when Sandy devastated communities in southern Queens, we saw first-hand the need for more protection from possible flooding and other damage from a major coastal storm. Projects such as this one work toward accomplishing that goal of making Queens better prepared for a natural weather phenomenon than ever before. I thank the state DEC for their commitment to this cause and for working with elected officials and constituents to ensure this project runs smoothly. The senator also reiterated his intention to keep a close watch on this project and to inform his constituency of any possible, temporary inconveniences the project may have on local streets. The initiative is part of the larger $50 million Spring Creek Hazard Mitigation project. According to DEC, the Spring Creek South Storm Protection and Ecosystem Restoration project aims to reduce the risk of storm damage and flooding in Howard Beach through the construction of the protective berm. Airport development adding to economy, jobs in the region Pittsburgh may always be known as the Steel City, but a wave of new industries are popping up near its airport to redefine business in the region. TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS A close-up of the GramPro 80 which can automatically stain 80 microscope slides per hour for hematology labs. The device is a product of GG&B Company which was recently purchased by California-based Hardy Diagnostics. GG&B holds three patents on the hardware, software and process of the machine. SHARE TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Jeff Gibbs, left, and Daniel Crawford inspect a quality control slide from the GramPro 80, an automated microscope slide staining device manufactured by GG&B Company in Wichita Falls. Gibbs is director of manufacturing and a co-inventor of the technology, Crawford is general manager of the company. Hardy Diagnostics, a California-based medical device company, recently purchased GG&B and will continue production of devices for hematology labs under the name QuickSlide. photos by TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS ABOVE: Jeff Gibbs, of GG&B Company, operates the QuickSlide GramPro 80, a medical device for automatically staining microscope slides. RIGHT: Gibbs and Daniel Crawford inspect a quality control slide from the GramPro 80. photos by. torin Halsey/ times record news TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Daniel Crawford, general manager of QuickSlide, examines a stained slide under a microscope at GG&B Company which was recently purchased by Hardy Diagnostics. By Glen Frank GG&B Company, the Wichita Falls-based manufacturer of automated microscope slide stainers, has been purchased by Hardy Diagnostics, a California company that also has products used in laboratories. The local company will operate as a division of Hardy Diagnostics called QuickSlide. Jeff Gibbs, the co-inventor of the QuickSlide technology and director of manufacturing at the Wichita Falls location, said more than 700 of their hematology products are being used in labs, was well as a couple hundred single-slide grain stainers. Twenty of the company's newest product, the QuickSlide GramPro 80, are also being used. The GramPro 80 can stain 80 slides an hour. GG&B Company, at 3411 McNiel Ave, Ste. 302, was established in 1974. Daniel Crawford, general manager of QuickSlide, said the plan all along has been to keep the company in Wichita Falls after the purchase. "I mean, there (are) five employees here that all have lives," he said. "The company's not just assets and accounting papers; it's the people. You can't just relocate five people and continue business as usual." QuickSlide machines are an important part of testing samples and making diagnoses, Crawford said. The stain differentiates bacteria on a cell wall. Once the stain is applied, a purple or pinkish tinge will appear, indicating whether the stain is Gram-positive or Gram-negative. Gibbs further explained. "The long and short of it is, the stain allows the microbiologist to determine if there is a bacterial infection present," he said, "and it allows the doctor to treat the patient depending on the outcome of the gram stain." If the stain isn't provided correctly, it could be the difference in a doctor choosing the correct medication for treatment. Gibbs said the possibility of an error in application of a stain was higher when the samples were stained by hand. The QuickSlide machines are designed to do more slides more accurately than any one person could do. He said the technology and innovations are one reason Hardy Diagnostics came calling. Talks began in November, and the deal was finalized Jan. 15. Hardy Diagnostics is a 100-percent Employee Stock Ownership Program company. There are about 10,000 ESOPs in the United States, Crawford said, and only about a quarter of those are 100-percent employee-owned. The philosophy of employee ownership is something that both Gibbs and Crawford agreed have made GG&B what it is today. "For this company to do well, there's got to be some personal ownership that Jeff and the other employees have," Crawford said. "If something's going to happen, it's going to happen through us." As for the future, Quickslide hopes to combine GG&B's innovative devices with Hardy Diagnostics' sales force to bring in more business. DISNEY | TNS Casey Affleck and Josh Stewart await rescue in The Finest Hours. SHARE CLAIRE FOLGER, DISNEY | ASSOCIATED PRESS Bernie (Chris Pine) and Miriam (Holliday Grainger) supply one of the less-entertaining plot threads in The Finest Hours. By Cary Darling "The Finest Hours," based on the true story of the valiant 1952 Coast Guard rescue of a sinking oil tanker off the coast of Massachusetts, splits in two much like the wounded vessel at its heart. There's the film that's set on the sea and much of that is pretty terrific, even if it brings to mind "A Perfect Storm." And then there's film set on land, and that one runs aground. Chris Pine is Bernie Webber, a young Coast Guardsman whose daily routine is upended when he's tasked with heading up a team to save the 30-plus crew from the Pendleton, a wreck drifting in storm-tossed waters during a vicious winter nor'easter. Webber and his equally young cohorts Richard (Ben Foster), Andy (Kyle Gallner, "American Sniper") and Ervin (John Magaro, "The Big Short") are the JV squad as the more seasoned sailors have already left to help another ship in distress. But their commanding officer (Eric Bana, whose Southern accent is nearly as much of a disaster as the Pendleton) has no choice but to send them out. Meanwhile, aboard the Pendleton, the captain and much of the crew have been killed and now it's up to reclusive but knowledgeable chief engineer Ray Sybert (a good Casey Affleck) to take command of what's left and try to keep everyone alive until help arrives. These scenes provide the film with its most suspenseful and rewarding moments and seem to be the ones where director Craig Gillespie ("Million Dollar Arm," "Lars and the Real Girl") shows the most inspiration. There's one sequence where orders are being quickly relayed from one crew member to another through the bowels of the ship that is a symphony of movement and tension. The actual rescue is satisfying as the twin stories of the rescuers and the rescued make for thrilling mirrors of each other. Yet those stories are interrupted to go back to town where Webber's headstrong fiancee Miriam (Holliday Grainger, "The Borgias") waits anxiously for him to return. This is where "The Finest Hours" bogs down, as the romantic element is the film's weakest. The one upside here is Rachel Brosnahan (from the "Manhattan" TV series) as a woman whose sailor husband died in a similar storm years prior. Back at sea, Foster one of the best actors around today is totally underutilized and doesn't have much to do. The focus remains on Pine, who comes across as rather stiff, especially in his scenes with Grainger before he heads out on the mission. While there might be similarities in these segments to the 1950s charm of "Brooklyn," there is little of the romantic electricity. Ultimately, "The Finest Hours" doesn't sink to the bottom of the ocean. But it can't avoid its own choppy cinematic waters, either. Contributed photo Girl Scout cookie favorites old and new are hitting the streets for the 2016 cookie sale, which runs through Feb. 28. SHARE By Sarah Johnson The cookies are here! Through Feb. 28, you can get your hands on a box of Lemonades, Thanks-A-Lot, Shortbread, Cranberry Citrus Crisps, Caramel deLites, Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwich or gluten-free Trios. "The Girl Scout Cookie Program is about more than just cookies," Becky Burton, CEO of Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains, said. "The program teaches girls business skills and instills a lifelong sense of civic responsibility that creates leaders." Girls decide how to spend their troop cookie month and reinvest it back into their communities through service projects and learning experiences such as field trips and travel opportunities. "With our cookie funds this year, my troop is planning on creating bags of hope for teenage girls to benefit the local Children's Aid Society," Harper Wood, a member of Troop 8570, said. Girl Scouts are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Lemonade cookie, which features a savory slice of shortbread topped with a tangy lemon flavored icing. By eliminating the carton on the Lemonade cookies, more than 300 tons of paperboard were removed from the waste stream annually. Digital cookies are making a return this year. In addition to booths, door-to-door sales and order-taking, Girl Scouts can place cookie orders on their phones and have the order shipped directly to the customer. Cookie customers will have to know a Girl Scout to order their cookies digitally, however. For more information about the Girl Scout Cookie Program or how to volunteer or donate, call 800-582-7272 or visit gs-top.org. The wait is over Remember when you were a kid and the excitement and anticipation you felt of having to wait an entire year for Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and your birthday? Well, now that you're grown up, those feelings have shifted to events like the annual German Sausage Meal. Waiting all year for this all-you-can-eat feast can still bring back all that excitement and anticipation. The good news is that it's almost here. The Scotland, Texas, Knights of Columbus Council 1715 is offering its German Sausage Meal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Scotland, located 19 miles south of Wichita Falls on U.S. Highway 281. The meal is the Knights' main fundraiser of the year and the profits are used to support activities for the church and community throughout the year. Guests will enjoy the following menu: German sausage, made with a secret blend of seasonings, sauerkraut with sparerib meat cooked in, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, vegetables, bread, drink and a homemade dessert. The local dairy deliverers are providing cheese to go along with the meal. The cost is $12 for adults and $5 for kids under 12. For those who cannot stay to satisfy their yearlong anticipation for the meal, takeout plates are available as well as that famous sausage ready to cook or ready to eat. The St. Boniface Catholic Church Altar Society and Christian Mothers organizations will hold bake sales, with homemade bread, pies, cakes, cinnamon rolls and more. This year the Knights are again making over 3,200 pounds of their special sausage. That comes to over 1 and a half tons of sausage. Last year more than 1,750 people a record crowd from as far as Dallas and Fort Worth came to enjoy the meal and bake sale. That is about four times the population of the town of Scotland. Politics, please With a presidential election coming in November, agreement between Democrats and Republicans on any issue is scarce. But Democratic strategist Bob Beckel and conservative Republican columnist Cal Thomas have found agreement on matters that lawmakers could not. Beckel and Thomas will bring their "Common Ground" approach to Midwestern State University at 7 p.m. on Tuesday as part of MSU's Artist-Lecture Series. The two longtime friends wrote a twice-weekly forum page called "Common Ground" for USA Today in a point-counterpoint style for more than 10 years. Their last column appeared Dec. 20. Admission is $20 for the public, $18 for senior citizens, active duty military and MSU alumni, and free to MSU students with an ID. For tickets or more information, call 397-7500. Heart of Gainesville Visit historic Gainesville with a day trip hosted by the Wichita County Heritage Society. A bus leaves the Kell House bound for Gainesville at 8 a.m. Feb. 11 and returns at 5:15 p.m. See the Cook County courthouse, built in 1910, the Butterfield Stage Playhouse, which was the old Carnegie Library, the Santa Fe Depot, built in 1902, and the Morton Museum, which was built in 1884 as the city Hall Fire Station and jail. Deadline for reservations is Friday. For more information, call 723-0623. Water restrictions likely by Nov. 7 The magic date for water use restrictions in Wichita Falls will be Nov. 7. File- Anti-government protesters jump over the fence during a rally at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, Dec. 23, 2013. About 5,000 protesters took part in the rally and later stormed in to the DSI office building when the DSI has charged the protest leaders on illegal demonstrations and frozen their bank accounts last week. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) SHARE By Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Good U.S. relations with Thailand have been important for many years, but they now face two significant challenges. The first is an impending difficult succession in the country's monarchy. The second is a hurdle for President Barack Obama reconciling the federal law that requires a cutoff of U.S. military aid to governments installed by coups d'etat with retaining the close relations that have existed with Thailand. So far, the Obama administration has chosen to disregard Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act in regard to Thailand, just as it has with the Egyptian government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the former field marshal who was installed through a military coup. Thailand's coup occurred in 2014, when the military responded to a murky electoral situation and the inability of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, now 88, to resolve such matters due to ill health. The coup's leader, Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, became prime minister. The U.S. military is scheduled to co-host with Thailand 11 days of joint exercises called Cobra Gold beginning Feb. 9. Although five other countries will participate and 21 will send observers, Thai forces will be the largest group. The United States will provide 3,288 troops, including air, ground and sea forces. This 35th version of Cobra Gold is expected to be the largest military drill held in Asia in 2016. The Obama administration sees Cobra Gold as a demonstration of U.S. military power and allies in the region dominated by China. It accompanies a summit of leaders in the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations that Obama will host in Sunnylands, Calif., Feb. 15-16. The importance of good U.S. relations with Asian nations is certainly understandable. What is not justified is the Obama administration's violation of law, which Cobra Gold appears to constitute. Speaking to the media, Truss accepted that she could not deliver the promises she made when she was running for Conservative leader, having lost the faith of her party. SHARE TORIN HALSEY/TIMES RECORD NEWS Jennie Lilley, pharmaceutical rep and 20 Under 40 winner. By John Ingle of the Times Record News Jennie Lilley Age: 35 Business: Takeda Pharmaceuticals Title: Pharmaceutical sales representative To say Jennie Lilley likes to get involved undersells this Times Record News 20 Under 40 Class of 2015 member's passion for making a difference in the lives of others. Name a nonprofit, and she has probably been part of it in some capacity when State Farm Insurance brought her to Wichita Falls in 2008. The Waco native said it has always been part of who she is. "It makes where we live a better place," the 35-year-old said. "That's a very vague statement when I say that, but being involved in different organizations you get to help different groups of people, and helping different groups of people ultimately makes our community a better place." The results aren't always immediate, Lilley said, so the fruits of the labor put in might not be seen for some time. For example, Fashion Night Out is an event that raises money for programs at Faith Refuge that improves the lives of women and children there, but there's a process participants go through that takes time. As a member of the Junior League of Wichita Falls' Issue Based Community Impact group, she said the organization teaches at-risk, low-income girls basic things such as how to dress and how to get a job that should be learned at home, but aren't. Those results, too, aren't immediate. Lilley said the Nonprofit Center of Wichita Falls is an organization that helps other nonprofits reach their potential and serve their communities better. But it takes time. She said she is drawn to community-focused organizations because that's where she can have the biggest effect in the lives of others. Volunteering and community activities aren't the only areas where Lilley said she wants to make a difference. She said she can have a positive impact on the lives of others in her professional career, too. After graduating from the University of Texas in 2002, Lilley went into the mortgage lending business in Dallas, and later joined State Farm with the goal of becoming an agent, which she achieved when she temporarily left Wichita Falls in 2010 to open her own agency in Abilene. She moved back to Wichita Falls in 2011 to marry Dave Lilley, a member of the inaugural 20 Under 40 class in 2010. She continued in the insurance industry until September when she became a pharmaceutical sales representative for Takeda. In each profession, she said she had the opportunity to help and educate people, whether it was regarding a mortgage, insurance coverage or medication. She said it starts with a simple conversation not to sell the product, rather it's to find out what the person needs. It's about educating them to make the best decision possible with all of the information available. "They're just not numbers to me," Lilley said. "They're people. That's important to me." Regardless the hat she wears professional or personal Lilley said she wants to make Wichita Falls a better place to live. She said she has no plans of letting up just yet. The deadliest cities in the world almost entirely reside in Latin America. All but four of the top 50 are in the Western Hemisphere, according to a new report by the Mexico Citizens Council for Public Safety. Caracas, the capital of tumultuous Venezuela, topped the rankings that looked at crime data from 2015. The Venezuelan capital has a staggering homicide rate of 119.87 murders per 100,000 people. For reference, the United States has a homicide rate of 4.5 per 100,000. Clarification: The head chef of Wellington's changed after Susie Davidson Powell dined there and wrote her review. According to management of The Renaissance Albany hotel, the opening chef, Stefan Sabo, resigned to be closer to family in New Jersey. The kitchen is now under the supervision of David Gibson, the executive sous chef, who is expected to be named executive chef, management said. Gibson previously was executive chef of Creo restaurant in Guilderland. A few years back, Sam Sifton, then The New York Times' chief dining critic, threw shade at a Manhattan hotel restaurant for having "all the charm of a lobby bar in Albany." In 2011, that seemed about right. But the capital city's game recently has changed. Slide through the foyer doors of The Renaissance Albany, a boutique Marriott imprint, to soak up the extraordinary $52 million restoration of the Art Deco DeWitt Clinton Hotel. Given its last run as dilapidated subsidized housing, this is culture shock. Little in downtown Albany gives more insight into the city's glamorous glory days or lends more credence to the tale that John F. Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor were guests overnight. It's in the original 1927 terrazzo floors and the muraled ceiling depicting New York history overhead. It's in a restored interior that grafts contemporary opulence onto historic bones: A lobby invitingly softened with cushioned lounge seating, vintage board games and the cocooned privacy of domed club chairs. An ornamental table display of blackened wood pops with pale green succulents. And from the State Street entrance, the wood-paneled corridor hides four doors to uniquely decorated bathrooms (each worth a peek) and a motion-sensitive, frosted glass wall that, like the neon-lit reception desk, is straight out of "Star Trek." It all smacks joyously of rebirth, a phoenix rising from the ashes. More Information Wellington's at The Renaissance Albany 144 State St., Albany Phone: 992-2500 Web: www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/albbr-renaissance-albany-hotel/ Menu: www.opentable.com/wellingtons-at-the-renaissance-hotel-albany Reservations: Accepted. Credit cards: All major. Hours: Breakfast: 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday to Saturday, 7 to 11 a.m. Sunday. Lunch: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday. Brunch: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Dinner: 5 to 10 p.m. daily. Parking: Street parking or validated valet parking available for $7. Disabled access: Yes. Disabled accessible from the Eagle Street entrance. Attire: Casual. Prices: Snacks, shareables, 99 cents to $14; salads, $9 to $12; entrees $17 to $39; desserts, $6 to $7. Food: (***) Executive Chef Stefan Sabo is turning out simple new American cuisine from burgers and lobster mac-n-cheese to New York steak strip and Weizenbeer scallops, with strong focus on shareable plates, attention to heirloom, sustainable ingredients and flavor pairings. Beverage: (***) A full bar mixes up the short list of pre-Prohibition cocktails ($12), though mixed drinks, with strictly measured pours, are quite shy of strong. Selection of four draft and 20 bottled beer, though - surprisingly, given the market - not many local brews. Around 65 wines by the bottle, $32 to $120 (most in the $30 to $50 range); dessert wine, $30 to $35; wines by the glass, $7 to $10. Service: (***) Hotel staff is flawless in hospitality. Some restaurant staff are a little wobbly on trainee feet, but more seasoned colleagues easily remedy service missteps. Ambiance: (***) The ambiance varies widely, depending whether you sit closer to the crowded Wellington's Lounge area, the open-plan middle ground of the dining room, tables for two lining the windows or the more private, partitioned booths. For cocktails, the library and lobby offer secluded nooks, as do high-top tables in the wood-paneled corridor outside the bar. Personality: (**1/2) Retro-modern hotel restaurant and bar. Professionals throng to the bar after work on weeknights. A decent crowd for live music on Friday nights. Overall Rating: *** See More Collapse As the hotel restaurant, Wellington's has the ungodly task of providing all-day dining while retaining a spark of this carefully crafted identity. There's a clear Monday-to-Friday corporate and lobbyist base, and the bar is inky with suits bleeding into the dining room in chattering numbers. I don't blame them. Bartenders busily mix up the half dozen featured pre-Prohibition cocktails ($12). Perhaps none compare to the whimsical creations of The Speakeasy down the block, but a classic frothy pink Clover Club, correctly served in a coupe, and a bourbon-based Scofflaw had just the right tempo. Before we could order food, my bulky coat was whisked away by our waiter and a coat check ticket returned with our cocktails. Wellington's menu, in soft leather and brass grommets, is a friendly mix of charcuterie and cheese platters, shareables, proteins and mac-n-cheese, safely designed for assorted appetites and mass appeal. But an order of charred Brussels sprouts ($8), a simple dish, sends a message from the kitchen. The sprouts are crunchy and soft and sweet and savory. Flavors pop. Grain mustard and honey liquefies from the heat, warms flecks of chili and softens nutty diced Pecorino Romano. Believe me, Brussels are everywhere right now, just not like this. Out came the deconstructed Scotch egg ($8), a terrific appetizer not so much deconstructed as simply missing the sausage layer. It's beautifully soft-boiled, breaded and fried to an absolute winner, spilling gold over frisee already gilded with salty bacon Hollandaise. Bacon again shows up confited in a bowl of velvety corn chowder ($7) rich with brown butter and sage. Even a little gem lettuce salad ($10) has a new take on the beet-and-feta standard with a slick of German dill vinaigrette. These are bright partnerships that just work. The Weizenbeer mussels ($14), scrawny little fellas, I could skip. By now you should be desperate to know who's in charge. It's German-born, European-trained Executive Chef Stefan Sabo, veteran of numerous large-scale international hotels think Hilton and Intercontinental and it's clear his kitchen is capable of executing this casual, new American cuisine without breaking a sweat. Given the cold, let's go straight for the beef. The 48-hour-braised short rib ($32) is an exercise in bovine patience, collagen fibers unraveled and dissolved until the hunk is utterly helpless under fork, fraying over the puce cabbage and onion rings sticking in fond-rich Oktoberfest jus. And those potato gnocchi! Unlike chewy pellets elsewhere, these are light and pillowy, soft enough to mush on the palate. It's food for log fires and whole bottles of red wine. Some entrees are crossovers on the lunch and dinner menus: The Capitol burger ($14) can be bedazzled with pork belly, fried egg, seared mushrooms or Hudson Valley foie gras. (This could replace liver and onions at Jack's Oyster House as the new Albany "go to.") Grilled Faroe salmon, the ethically fished variety from the Faroe Islands, graces this Albany menu. It's a happy thought, even before savoring the corn-sweetened heirloom grits dotted with ruddy chorizo slivers and jalapeno gastrique and into which frisee is tucked like a sea-themed diorama. From our high-back tufted window seats, immense panes capture a wide-angle view of Eagle and State streets and the imposing Capitol building illuminated at night. We're equally on display to those outside, but our perch allows us to gaze back through the dining room. Under bright lights, I realize the retro-modern furniture in open ground resembles a museum cafe. Only three partitioned booths flanked by riveted metal aviator chairs afford privacy for the snuggling occupants and suggest campaigns of a more personal nature. Service still trembles with newness. Slightly nervous staff ask slightly awkward questions; one returns a dropped napkin as though we might bite. Not our confident waiter, whose seasoned skills included the courage to confess the kitchen was firing up replacements after he accidentally disposed of our unfinished mains. (I'm still talking about this consummate professionalism!) He also managed to meld three liquors into one volume of alcohol for a not-too-boozy coffee and urged us not to leave without the Campfire, a Mason jar "s'mores" pot de creme ($7) with smoke trapped under the lid. Marshmallow fluff isn't for me and the 3:1 ratio makes it hard to get at the salty graham crackers and chocolate beneath, but releasing the genie is striking and aromatic. Some will surely swoon. Wellington's is still a hotel restaurant. The crowd of suits and a dining room where early-risers will take their morning coffee and eggs won't let you forget. But good, largely unfussy food is a many-splendored thing. It has you covered for lunch, happy hour or an expense-account date in an upscale scene, with prices to match. Don't order tipsy some top-shelf drinks have a price that'll sting. Add all the toppings to your $14 burger and it will cost you $35. It's the upper end of pricing for Albany, comparable to Angelo's 677 Prime or Black & Blue Steak and Crab, since a quality chef and sustainable ingredients don't come cheap. And the service the kind that comes from deep-pocketed hospitality training means you can just drop in. They're not likely to be too full to find you a seat. Dinner for two including three appetizers, two entrees, one dessert and three drinks came to $198.16, with tax and tip. Susie Davidson Powell is a freelancer writer from East Greenbush. Follow her on Twitter, @SusieDP. To comment on this review, visit the Table Hopping blog, blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping. ALBANY City police are investigating an overnight shooting. Around 2:20 a.m. Saturday, officers responded to Dana and New Scotland avenues for a report of shots fired, police said. Police found a man, 23, who had been shot in the leg. The man told officers that while walking down the street, an unknown male suspect armed with a handgun approached him and demanded his property, police said. The victim said the suspect then shot him in the leg and fled without taking anything. The victim was treated at the scene by medical personnel and taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Police continue to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 462-8039. Staff report BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) This college town is stunned after two Virginia Tech students have been arrested and charged in the death of a 13-year-old Virginia girl whose remains were found in North Carolina. Police in Blacksburg, Virginia said late Saturday that Nicole Madison Lovell's body was found in Surrey County, North Carolina. David Eisenhauer, an 18-year-old Virginia Tech student from Columbia, Maryland, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death. On Sunday, police announced the arrest of a second student, Natalie Marie Keepers, a Virginia Tech sophomore. Keepers, 19, of Laurel, Maryland is being held without bond at the Montgomery County Jail on charges of improper disposal of a body and accessory after the fact in the commission of a felony. Both Eisenhauer and Keepers are engineering students. Police are working with the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, the FBI office in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office to gather more information, according to Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson. He said Lovell's body was to be taken to the medical examiner's office in Roanoke. "This has been an extremely fast-paced investigation in just the past 12 hours," Wilson said at a news conference late Saturday. Blacksburg police said in a statement: "Based on the evidence collected to date, investigators have determined that Eisenhauer and Nicole were acquainted prior to her disappearance. Eisenhauer used this relationship to his advantage to abduct the 13-year-old and then kill her. Keepers helped Eisenhauer dispose of Nicole's body." The Roanoke Times newspaper quoted Wilson as saying that Eisenhauer has not confessed to involvement in Lovell's death and did not give police information that led to the discovery of her body. No information was given on how Lovell and Eisenhauer had initially made contact with each other. Police initially charged Eisenhauer with abduction. He was charged with murder once the girl's remains were found. The girl had been missing since last week. Her family says she pushed a dresser in front of her bedroom door and climbed out a window Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. The newspaper cited an online biography of Eisenhauer that described him as a standout track and field athlete in high school. He was a three-time state champion in track and also competed in cross country, finishing second in the state both his junior and senior years. He was a first-team, all-state choice in cross country and a second-team All-Southeast Region selection, the biography stated. Virginia Tech said on its website that Eisenhauer was a freshman engineering major at the school and that hundreds of students and researchers had assisted in the search for Lovell. Virginia Tech president Tim Sands said the case left the school community "in a state of shock and sadness." "Speaking on behalf of our community, let me say that our hearts go out to Nicole's family and friends," he said in a statement posted to the school's website. Transfinder is about prosperity in China Doing business in China isn't easy. Just ask Antonio Civitella. Civitella, CEO of the Schenectady transportation software firm Transfinder, opened a new office in Shanghai last year for software development, the company's first outside of the United States. Civitella had to essentially create a new company in China, and while it may be known as Transfinder Shanghai Software here in the states, the real name in China is somewhat different. That's because in China, government officials were interested in what the name meant and conveyed to society, Civitella said. In the U.S., regulators don't usually look into the meaning of names as much as they make sure they doesn't violate existing trademarks. Getting a name in China for Transfinder took Civitella 10 months. But the result was worth it, Civitella said. The name is Chuan Ding, which means to convey prosperity. Power swing Newspapers have long been considered an important tool for citizens to keep government honest, especially secretive agencies like the CIA and the NSA. But there has been a swing in recent years as high-tech companies have accumulated massive amounts of wealth and control over data and information. The transformation has shifted the balance of power from the public sector to the private sector in some ways, according to reporting by Conor Dougherty. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. If you don't know who he is, Dougherty is a New York Times reporter whose job is to cover Google and its holding company, Alphabet. As data security, online privacy and the ability of companies like Google and Apple to fund massive secret scientific research projects that the government used to undertake in the past, reporters like Dougherty will become the Woodwards and Bernsteins of the future. One vote, one dollar Speaking of the influence of giant corporate interests on U.S. policy, why not tie political campaign financing to the ability to vote? With worries over super PACs and LLCs funding campaigns, why not limit campaign financing to individuals? If you have a vote, you can donate to a candidate. Corporations and limited liability companies cannot vote, so those entities would be barred from donating. They already hold enormous sway over the political system through lobbying efforts anyway. This might generate some additional business for the U.S. Supreme Court. THE ISSUE: The Albany City School District finds itself without a permanent superintendent. THE STAKES: A raft of challenges demands clear, stable leadership. More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse The employment ad for the next Albany schools superintendent might read, "Wanted: Energetic, experienced, pragmatic idealist who enjoys extreme multitasking." This is not a job for the faint of heart. This is a district in dire need of a capable leader. The challenge falls, too, on the school board, which must move quickly yet deliberatively to replace Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard. There is simply too much on the district's plate to have an acting leader without a clear mandate to lead. Consider just this short list: There's evidence of discrimination in the district, as shown by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's findings that black and disabled students are suspended far more frequently than those who are white. The district has agreed to overhaul its disciplinary policy. There's the still unfulfilled Albany Promise, an ongoing "cradle to career" effort among the district, the State University of New York, and other regional partners to improve education outcomes. There's the opportunity offered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's push to invest more in community schools that bring more programs and services into schools in high-needs districts, to better serve students and keep them on track. There's the designation of Hackett Middle School as "persistently struggling," which gives the district one year to turn it around or face having an outside receiver step in. Two other "struggling" schools Philip J. Schuyler Achievement Academy and Albany High School have two years. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. There's a low albeit improving graduation rate of 59 percent, still well below the statewide average of more than 78 percent. There's the question of what to do with an aging Albany High School, the focus of a $179.9 million referendum on Feb. 9, after an earlier vote narrowly failed. Either that project gets approved and will need the oversight of a new superintendent, or it will fail and the district will need the help of a new superintendent in figuring out what to do next. And there's the challenge many districts could face with a state tax cap that would effectively restrict it from increasing its budget at all without the support of a supermajority of residents. The board's task must begin with an honest if uncomfortable assessment of why Ms. Vanden Wyngaard could not gain enough board support to get her contract renewed. That in itself is complicated: As is typical in such high-level less-than-amicable departures, her resignation included an agreement that neither side discuss it. So the public is left with only vague allusions to an impasse, and a lack of unity and trust. That's unfortunate, because without knowing what the problem was with either the previous superintendent or her relationship with the board, it's hard to know what needs to happen differently. Yet somehow, that discussion has to happen, and the board must move forward with clarity and unity. The more than 9,000 youngsters in the district deserve and the magnitude of the challenges demand strong, able leadership, and stability. I was (slightly) confused, before I went to Conventa in Ljubljana for the first time last week. You probably think I am an ignorant, which is kind of right when it comes to South East Europe and my detailed geographic understanding of this part of our world. Of course I know about Slovenia, because the CVB is our client, we have been there several times and we are writing and curating content for the destination. But many hosted buyers visitors at Conventa were secretly letting me know that they find it hard to know the differences between the three, to remember the names of places and to get some orientation for the area this is why came to join Conventa as a hosted buyer! My visit to Conventa sure was an eye-opener and I grasped the concept. All interesting places in South East Europe which are relevant for the MICE business are assembled at the show including places more north-east (Austria, Czech Republic and previously mentioned Slovakia). And of course, coming to Conventa in Slovenia in walking distance from hotels in Ljubljana is a perfect entry into a better understanding of the region. If you havent had the chance to organize events in Slovenia or any of the neighboring regions before, you should definitely open your radar to this! Why should you bother? Because this is a collection of fascinating new old places and great meeting destinations! Lots of funds have been invested into infrastructure in the different countries and many cities are beautifully restored. Distances in general are rather compact I continued to Opatija in Croatia after the Conventa show it is just 90 km away and you are at a very special meeting resort at the Riviera Opatija. The food and wines in Slovenia and Croatia are superb (others I havent tried yet. will keep you informed about my progress in this matter ), economic partnerships with West European countries (like in Slovakia) are intensive and open up new relationships and opportunities. Coming back to the confusion, that might occur I will at least point out the difference of the mentioned three places for you with relevance to the meeting industry! The red dots on the map above show you the location as a first orientation! Slovenia located south of Austria is a mini continent in itself with short distances and a huge variety of combinations for events and congresses. The coast with Portoroz and Piran, the capital Ljubljana and many different natural wonders in a compact destination. If you want to know all about it, just visit the tmf mice newsroom where we have published a lot of good ideas for events and stories about the destination! Slovakia half of former Czechoslovakia now split in Czech Republic and Slovakia. In Slovakia there are 2 cities of major importance for intl. meetings and congresses: Bratislava in the very west, just 1 hour drive from Vienna and Kosice in the east, a city with a particularly strong economic relationship with Germany. Here is the link to the website of Slovak Convention Bureau. Slavonia north-eastern part of Croatia I am not sure if there is anything of relevance to the meeting industry right now in Slavonia, if there is, I apologize once more for my unawareness! Please find some basic information about Slavonia here. In Croatia I know of at least 3 destinations which are very relevant to the meeting business, which is Opatija (at the Opatija Riviera coast), Zagreb (the capital) and Dubrovnik (at the coast in the south, the old city is a UNESCO world heritage). Hope this can help a bit to clear the confusion! Will be happy to keep you updated as we continue to explore all kinds of new meeting destinations for you! Johanna Fischer Managing Director tmf dialogue marketing Melbourne/ New York based talent Cobi Marsh is today unleashing her brand new single For Your Love an exciting taste of what to expect from her forthcoming EP titled Legit. Its a fellow up to Marshs mixtape Call Me Claudette which was released back in 2012. Call Me Claudette saw the talented producer pay homage to old-school hip hop beats while infusing them with her own flavours of soul, hip hop and reggae. Since then however Marsh has been travelling back and forth from New York and Melbourne working with an array of writers and producers to create her upcoming debut EP. Co-written with Ryan Ritchie and Kavyen Temperly Legit is Cobis exploration into the trap and pop realms and her new single For Your Love is a great example of that. Check out the track below and if you like what youre hearing pop by Cobi Marshs Facebook page for more info. "Her story is made all the more tragic when a few years later Daisy, having moved to escape death threats hurled at her and her family, is revealed to be a shell of her former bubbly self: fixated on her own mortality, she spends her spare time drawing morbid imagery and working as a tattoo artist." Here's the first review of an important documentary following a Missouri sex assault showdown which tore apart a community and resonated among Kansas City politicos as well. Here's one of the most interesting lines for the review:Remember that a few lesser members of Anonymous wanted debate with TKC untiland the public along with so many Kansas City politicos simply forgot about the story. Here at TKC, we believe the story remains important and worth a look for those with the attention span to enjoy what seems like an impressive movie:Read more: Audrie & Daisy review: Teenage rape documentary is essential viewing - Word is team Sly offered Calvin a HUGE MONEY DEAL to jump ship but that offer was rejected. This wasn't a friendly gesture and started things off on the wrong foot. - JaxCo Exec Frank White now enjoys a more favorable public opinion rating than Mayor Sly . . . It's rare that even this town's top politico is forced to admit his second fiddle status. - Again, this was an effort to ease tensions given the e-tax push that has every politico in KCMO just a bit more nervous than usual. KANSAS CITY INSIDERS EXPECT THAT THE ONGOING FRACTIOUS JAXCO/CITY HALL RELATIONSHIP WILL CONTINUE!!! Recently, Kansas City's top two politicos took a moment to meet with one another and engage in what might have been an attempt at fence mending betwixt factions at the County & City Hall which have previously been at odds.Here's why this is an important meeting . . .Here's what we know . . .The meeting was cordial but not friendly . . . And while there were no fireworks . . .One of the many things we can gather from this is that Mayor Sly is still not comfortable with sharing the spotlight or dealing with anybody when he's not the boss.Politics is nothing but a game of egos and tonight we celebrate the local political shuffle. . .As always, thanks for reading this week and have a safe and fun Saturday night . . . 1. Iowa Is The Last Stand For Ted Cruz 2. The Trump joke was fun and now it's time to get serious 3. Rubio is mainstream faux Latino pop whilst everybody else is stuck in their own niche 4. Rubio is the only leader with foreign policy experience to challenge Hillary 5. A global vision for the GOP is the only thing that will come close to uniting the party We notice that a great many of our pundit pals are indulging in national politics where they really don't have much say.Sadly, since most of them seem to get their orders from national party reps OR their so whacked out on cable TV news that they can't see straight . . . They're missing the big picture.Right now . . .Here we go . . .Ted Cruz already doomed his chances on the East Coast where his religious rhetoric will fall on deaf ears. If he doesn't win Iowa (and he won't) he's finished. Then the only guy to really earn a bump from his campaign was Jeff Roe.Sarah Palin was the punch line, the debate skip was where he jumped the shark. The calculated trick to attract more attention to the GOP and the process overall worked like a charm on the easily manipulated American public and the media in need of rantings.He's kinda like that horriblethey play in waiting rooms nowadays. It was okay the 1st time you heard it in 1999 and now it's just kinda lame and safe but not really that offensive . . . This is the winning tone for all politicos.Sorry, Hillary has a lot of experience as SecState despite her Benghazi disaster.Any match up will have meet her on this playing field, jokey Trump and preacher-man Cruz just don't add up.Again, Rubio's global vision for the GOP comes into play and powers him ahead of his other GOP small minded thinkers. Over the years Democrats and Republicans have both waged an ongoing deadly battle against brown people in foreign lands.Admittedly, all of this is over our pay grade but we remind readers that Kansas City dead tree media pundits don't know much about this stuff either . . . Check our math on this as the election contest continues and you'll see thatis probably the closest to correct.Developing . . . 39th & Troost Vigil Thanks to our blog community we wanted to feature another important a couple of important reactions to one of more than a dozen murders this month.Accordingly . . .Here's another perspective about the crime from a Kansas City resident also keeping track of a 5-year-high murder trend to start the year . . .When violence erupts we often hear "that's not Kansas City that's Ferguson, Baltimore, Minneapolis or somewhere. But the symptoms are the same everywhere violence erupts. A vicious police killing erupts a restless population. In 1968 we seen over a half dozen young black men killed in Kansas City during the Martin Luther King Riots. And now we find outEvents that occur in other parts of the country or the world have a tendency to effect us here in Kansas City.We feel the death of all these children in the area is more than random gunfire. Always poor parenting is to blame or rap music and drugs. When it's black on black crime we raise our hands and say "it's a hopeless situation, there's nothing we can do?"State violence is greatly appreciated and often applauded. We have drone strike operations an hour from Kansas City and nation wide police killings are at 500 deaths so far this year. But it's "ok" because these are deemed necessary killings? Several million deaths since the Iraq War started and nearlyA Native American Activist recently told us "East of Troost is very much like an Indian Reservation. In this economy it's an economic cookhouse."Walter Lee Gregory's life was wasted last week on in broad daylight at 39th and Troost. We may never find his killer but it's time for all communities in Kansas City to take interest in Walter's life and understand why innocent people are falling victim to violence and it's time to have a serious debate about violence in our community and find out what we can do to help stop this epidemic.################# Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis had contacted GoetzPartners so as the company to provide Greece its expertise for the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) Greek government had hired German consultants last year in order to help them with the privatizations, as Greek newspaper TA NEA reports. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis had contacted GoetzPartners so as the company to provide Greece its expertise for the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF). Proto Thema newspaper wrote in May 29, 2015 about the cooperation between SYRIZA government and GoetzPartners, as well as the Renaissance project. The Germans had even made a proposal to use the HRADF as a mean to attract investments. Their proposal was accepted in principle by the Finance Minister, but, it was not submitted to the governments cabinet, either because Mr. Tsipras feared the reaction of the left-wing of SYRIZA party, or because he did not want people say that he accepted a suggestion proposed by Germans. Instead Alexis Tsipras chose to hold a referendum. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Tourexpi, turizm haberleri, Reiseburos, tourism news, noticias de turismo, Tourismus Nachrichten, , travel tourism news, international tourism news, Urlaub, urlaub in der turkei, , holidays in Turkey, , global tourism news, dunya turizm, dunya turizm haberleri, Seyahat Acentas, This site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0+, at a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768. The stability of the French hotel sector performance needs to be put into perspective with the results of other European markets for the year 2015, Indeed, France is recording an evolution of 0.1% of its RevPAR whereas the continent is experiencing a global increase of 4.7%. For the first time in several years,It decreased by 3.4 points in one year. Furthermore, despite an increase of 0.4% of the median price in the capital, theThe decrease is less drastic if we take into account all of Ile-de-France: -2.6%.Contrarily, in the province,It is driven up by the 0.7 point progression of the occupation rate and 2.3% rise of the median price.Some regions have particularly benefited by taking advantage of large events. This is the case with Bretagne with la Maree du Siecle (+5.1% of RevPAR in 2015), of Bordeaux with Vinexpo (+4.9% in Aquitaine) or the French Riviera with the visit of the Saudi King during the summer (+6.8 % RevPAR in 2015).specifies Georges Panayotis, President of MKG Group. Saudi Arabia's Jabal Omar Development Company is in talks with creditors after failing to make the first repayment, worth SR650 million ($173.29 million), on a SR3 billion state loan on January 1, the property firm said on Sunday. In a bourse filing, the company said its sustainability depended on finding funds to repay short-term debts. The company has long-term debt of more than SR8 billion. The developer, whose projects are mainly located in Makkah's Jabal Omar district near the Holy Mosque, said it plans to use a SR900 million credit facility from a local bank to cover the repayment. The facility has SR751 million remaining. It said the terms of the government loan allow land put up by Jabal Omar as collateral to be sold by the lender. Jabal Omar's shares, which slumped to a 21-month low in mid-January, were up 0.2 percent as of 0916 GMT, underperforming Saudi Arabia's main stock index, which rose 3.5 percent. - Reuters Bahrain's Al Baraka Islamic Bank plans to open a sharia-compliant bank in France next year as the lender seeks to expand into Europe, its chief executive Adnan Ahmed Yousif said on Sunday. France has one of the largest Muslim populations in Europe but cultural and legal obstacles have impeded the development of its Islamic finance industry. "We were in the midst of launching an Islamic bank in France, but with the global financial crisis the project was halted, so we are now looking to revive the project again," he said on the sidelines of a banking conference in Egypt's Sharm Al Sheikh. Some Gulf-based Islamic banks that have expanded in Europe have gone elsewhere. Qatar's Masraf Al Rayan owns Al Rayan Bank in the United Kingdom, while Kuwait Finance House's Turkish arm opened its first branch in Germany last year. Al Baraka, which has operations across the Middle East, Asia and Africa including Pakistan, Jordan and South Africa, also plans to acquire a bank in Indonesia either this year or in 2017 and was in talks with the Indonesian central bank governor, Yousif said. Indonesia has been seeking to boost its Islamic banking sector, which is small despite being the world's largest Muslim nation, by adjusting rules including loosening foreign ownership limits on local banks. "We have a representative office in Indonesia, and now is the right time to buy a bank there," Yousif said. Al Baraka also wants to launch banking operations in China this year and is awaiting a decision in March from Morocco's central bank about its plans to enter the market there, he said.-Reuters Vinci Airports, a major player in the aviation sector which manages the development and operations of 25 airports worldwide, has signed a memorandum of understanding for the expansion of two airports in Iran. The airport in Mashhad, which recorded 8.2 million passengers in 2014, is located in the northeast of the country and serves the countrys second largest city, a holy city that attracts more than 20 million pilgrims every year. The Isfahan airport, with 2.6 million passengers in 2014, serves Irans third largest city, the capital of the Persian empire in the 16th and 17th centuries, renowned for its rich cultural and historic heritage. The Iranian Ministry of Roads and Urban Development and the Iran Airports Company signed the agreement with Vinci during the state visit of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to France, said a statement from Vinci. The agreement for Mashhad and Isfahan airports is the first step in a process that should result in the establishment of concessions that will renovate, extend and operate each of the two airports in 2016, it stated. With tourism increasing more than 35 per cent in 2014 and the recent effective lifting of international sanctions, airport activity holds out major economic potential in Iran. With its large population and territory, Iran lends itself to air transport, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Alstom, a leader in power generation and rail infrastructure, has signed a MoU with the Iranian government for the development of mainline and urban transport in the country. The agreement with Iran's Industrial Development & Renovation Organization (Idro) is in line with applicable laws and regulations, in the field of mainline and urban transport, said a statement from the French company. The pact is aimed at initiating discussions for an industrial co-operation as well as train production and maintenance in Iran to better address the countrys needs for mainline and urban transportation, it stated. Alstom is pleased to renew its collaboration with the Islamic Republic of Iran, which will benefit the countrys economy, modernise its industry and enhance the mobility of its residents," stated its chairman and chief executive Henri Poupart-Lafarge after signing the deal with Dr S Reza Norouzzadeh, the Iranian Deputy Minister of Commerce, Mines and Trade and chairman of Idro in the presence of Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, Iranian Minister of Industry. This MoU reflects the strong desire of the Iranian authorities to develop the countrys railway sector and Alstom is looking forward to accompanying Iran in its transformation, he noted. Poupart-Lafarge pointed out that Alstom was also looking at setting up a joint-venture to execute these projects in Iran. "This partnership would participate in the development of the countrys infrastructure and urban and national public transportation, and contribute to the redynamisation of the local economy," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Microsoft Jordan has officially announced the arrival of Windows 10 in the Kingdom at an event hosted at Four Seasons Hotel Amman. Available through free download and installed on new devices, Windows 10 presents a number of original features, beginning with Windows Hello, which allows users to log in securely using fingerprint or facial recognition and to be greeted with a smile, a statement said. Microsoft Edge, Windows new browser, allows people to quickly browse, read, mark up and share the Web, while Cortana, the personal digital assistant, makes it easy to quickly find the right information at the right time. While exploring innovative new ground, Windows 10 also manages to remain familiar. With the return and enhancement of the Start menu, users can quickly reach their most frequently used apps, PC settings and customized Live Tiles. Windows 10 also comes with a number of exceptional built-in apps, including Photos; Maps; Microsofts new music app, Groove; and Movies & TV. In addition, the New Windows Store provides for a more streamlined download process, allowing users to find and install the apps they need with efficiency. The most secure version of Windows ever built, always-enabled updates and enhanced security features help to keep users protected against viruses, malware, and phishing attacks. Running in 192 countries and on almost 200 million devices worldwide, Windows 10 has gained an incredible amount of momentum across the globe. This event provided us in Jordan with an excellent opportunity to ride this wave, spreading knowledge on what sets Windows 10 apart and encouraging its adoption locally, said Microsoft Jordan country manager Hussein Malhas. Windows 10 provides the perfect companion for the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, which were designed specifically to offer maximum mobility, productivity and flexibility. When combined with the groundbreaking Continuum, we have created a system that seamlessly allows our users to achieve more, improving and simplifying their lives by providing them with the customizable tools they need to thrive, he added. TradeArabia News Service Emirati nationals thronged the polling stations across Sharjah with their family and friends to cast their ballot at the first-ever Sharjah Consultative Council (SCC) elections. The first-ever polls to the 42-member Sharjah advisory body opened on Thursday (January 28) amid much fanfare will close tomorrow (January 31) after four days of voting. The elections to the highest advisory and decision-making body in the emirate are being seen as groundbreaking milestone for Sharjah and the UAE. The decision to hold the elections came after His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah announced that the SCC would have half of its 42 members directly elected for the upcoming term. A total of 195 candidates, including 43 women, are in fray for seats spread across the emirate in Kalba, Khorfakkan, Dhaid, Dibba Al Hisn, Bataeh, Maliha, Hamriya, and Madam. Up to 24,952 people above the age of 21, including 13,794 men and 11,158 women, from across the emirate have registered as voters and are casting their ballots. The popular response to Sharjahs nascent political and democratic experiment has been overwhelming with the UAE nationals turning up in large numbers at the polling booths for the last two days. Many of the nationals, who are casting their ballot for the first time, were euphoric about the whole experience of voting and electing their representatives, said a top election official. Even the Friday sermon in mosques across Sharjah was dedicated to the importance of shoura or the concept of consultation in Islam, he added. Expressing his satisfaction over the successful and smooth polling so far, Mansour Mohammad Nassar, the chairman of the Supreme Committee for SCC Elections, said that no effort is being spared to ensure the transparency and fairness of the polls. A special control room has been set up at the Sharjah Consultative Council to monitor the electoral process across the Emirate and quickly respond in case there is a technical glitch or disruption, he stated. According to him, all arrangements are in place for the counting of votes that commences soon after the polling ends tomorrow evening. Nassar said under the supervision of the Supreme Election Committee, three polling committees comprising seven members have been constituted to oversee the counting of votes. A number of dignitaries visited the main polling centre at Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club on Friday to either cast their vote or observe the polling. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Public Works was one of the early voters on Friday. The counting process will be telecast live on various television channels and media outlets of Sharjah Media Corporation. The live transmission will continue throughout the night until the end of the counting and declaration of results, according to the Election Committee.-TradeArabia News Service Coca-Cola has bought a 40 per cent stake in Nigerian juice and snack producer Chi Ltd, it said on Saturday, as it continues to expand in Africa to tap a young and fast-growing population. The US drinks giant bought the stake from unlisted TGI Group, the two companies said in a joint statement, but did not disclose the value of the sale. Coca-Cola "intends to increase ownership within three years, subject to regulatory approvals while working on other long-term commercial structures", the statement said. It already has a significant presence in Nigeria selling its fizzy drinks. One industry source said Coca-Cola was paying a "triple-digit-million-dollar" amount for the stake. Sources told Reuters last year Chi was valued at as much as $1 billion. Lagos-based Chi Ltd, whose owners had been considering a sale for some time, produces mostly fruit drinks, iced teas, snacks and dairy products. TGI is owned by a European family, according to industry sources. "The parties have agreed to jointly discuss and explore other opportunities in the region to further develop this relationship," the statement said, without elaborating. The investment comes as Nigeria faces one of its worst economic crises for decades as a slump in oil prices has eroded public finances, hammered its currency and hit consumer sentiment. In August 2014, Coca-Cola said it would invest $5 billion with African bottling partners in new manufacturing lines and equipment, as well as safe water access programs, over six years. Reuters Omans Ministry of Tourism recently hosted The Stars of Oman training programme participants from France, giving them an opportunity to experience the Omani hospitality and get acquainted with the local culture. Les Etoiles dOman (The Stars of Oman) is an e-learning training tool for travel agents and tour operators internationally, piloted in partnership with Oman Air. The programme aims to equip travel agents with knowledge about tourism in Oman and develop their skills such that they can better sell the destination. The program was launched in France at the occasion of IFTM Top Resa Travel & Trade Exhibition in 2014. Thirteen travel agents, who have completed the theory part of the module, were selected from different regions of France to discover the natural and cultural heritage of Oman on a six-night trip. The trip covered all the must visit places in Oman, including a trip to the beautiful village of Birkat Al Mawz, followed by a journey up the curvaceous road to reach Al Jabal Al Akhdar. The visitors spent time in the villages of Saiq, Wadi Bani Habib (the village of the old houses) and Al Ayn that dot the landscape to get a spectacular view of the dramatic peaks, gorges and wadis. Some of the other to-do things on the itinerary included, a visit to Nizwa to see the famous Round Tower Fort and the souq; dune driving at Al Sharqiya sands; exploring Sur and its various mesmerising beaches and wadis and gaining insights into the Omani history while in Salalah. The travellers also got to enjoy an opera performance Lucia Di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti at the Opera House, visit the exquisite Grand Mosque and discover what goes into the making of traditional frankincense. Speaking about the initiative, Asma Al Hajry, deputy director general international Tourism Promotions, said: Seeing is believing and we wanted our travel agents internationally to explore Oman and experience the hospitality of our warm people. We are sure our visitors are going back with tonnes of memories, something they would love to share with their friends and clients. Such initiatives serve as a catalyst in bringing more tourists into the country. Partners of the Stars of Oman programme included Oman Air, Zahara tours, Grand Hyatt, Alila Jabal Ahkdar, Rotana Salalah, Shangri La, Al Bustan, Sahab Hotel, Sur Plaza and Crowne Plaza Salalah. TradeArabia News Service Renee from Toronto wrote... For some of us, there comes a time when we prefer peace and quiet to hustle and bustle. For a few regrettable years, I got off buses and lined up with the rest of the schmucks to check in for the all inclusive 'experience'. I set the alarm daily to head down with everyone else to make dinner reservations for the pleasure of eating soggy Sushi served by brusque Bahamians. I wore the wristband of shame, identifying me as an easy mark on any excursion. I tipped and cajoled the bartender for extra shots of rum. I listened to the drunken monologues of people who get to cut loose just once a year. With the all inclusive experience, your fate is not entirely your own... And then I tried something else, the self catering experience - more a case of here's your key, here's your apartment, have fun! Settle in, stock your fridge, stock your bar and you're off to the races. Happy hour is whenever you choose. No lining up at a buffet. Snorkel on your own time. Open a bottle of wine and cook a leisurely dinner - no one's rushing you out for the next seating. Sleep in and eat breakfast when you want, don't worry about the dining room being closed. That's the experience I prefer these days. And Mara Villa doesn't disappoint. You get exactly what you pay for: a clean and comfortable room with everything you need. The experience is great for people who like to 'do their own thing.' In essence, staying at Mara Villa is like having your own private beachfront villa. Amenities include good wifi, towels, sheets, dishes, pots and pans, a fridge and freezer, drinking water, hammock hooks, and a clothesline. Bonuses include a patio with tables and chairs, a charcoal BBQ, a beach for watching the sun rise over the water, and a rooftop for watching the sun set over Cancun (also good for star gazing and extreme suntanning). The local bus passes by the front door and costs 4 pesos to head downtown. A taxi is about $2 into town. Chedraui, the big grocery store, is less than 10 minutes away by foot. Grab a cheap cab home if you've really stocked up. Ronda is a great host - a storehouse of island information about where to eat and what to do. Bruce, her husband, is an avid snorkeler and can point you in the best direction off their private beach for underwater wildlife. I was lucky enough to see dolphins swimming offshore one day. Close to shore I also saw a barracuda, a sting ray and a pair of graceful Caribbean squid. The usual tropical fish abound as well. It's worth noting that Mara Villa is located on the east side of the island, windward. The shore is more dramatic and rocky, but there are very few, if any, mosquitos. The west side of the island is calmer and more traditionally 'beachy', but mosquitoes abound at dawn and dusk. With the rocky shore, you need water shoes for entering the water and swimming, but you have the beach all to yourself at Mara Villa. Head to the sublimely Caribbean style North Beach if you miss the crowds. I spent almost a month at Mara Villa and it was the calm, casual and relaxing experience I craved. I will be back to Mara Villa, but I won't ever go back to an all inclusive. Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 30 One more death due to swine flu has taken the death toll to 10. A 58-year-old woman admitted to the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital belonging to Ferozepur succumbed to the flu today. District epidemiologist Dr Ramesh said the patient was admitted to DMCH on January 19 and breathed her last today. Dr Ramesh advocated people to adopt hygienic habits to keep swine flu at bay. He said those suffering from flu-like conditions should avoid going to crowded places. With 10 swine flu deaths at city hospitals, people are either postponing their visit to the hospitals or are avoiding it. Anita Mehra, a resident of Aggar Nagar whose distant relative is admitted to the DMCH, said she has decided not to visit her relative at the hospital but instead when the patient returns home. Swine flu patients are coming up every day and keeping this in my mind, I decided not to visit them at the hospital. It is risky to go to the hospital as one can easily catch infection from there, she said. Another patient, Manjeet Kaur, who was to go to her doctor at a local hospital for regular check-up, said she preferred visiting her doctor at his private clinic as the number of patients coming there was less. Tejinder Singh, whose father is admitted to the emergency ward of a prominent hospital of the city, said he was taking every precautionary measure from wearing a mask to using hand sanitiser frequently. Prevention is better than cure and I am adopting every preventive measure against swine flu. I am also thinking of getting myself vaccinated as my father will be staying in the emergency for a week or so, he said. Faizan Mustafa BR AMBEDKARS 125th birth anniversary is being celebrated with too much pomp. November 26, 1949, the day the Constitution was adopted and which is celebrated as Law Day, was declared as Constitution Day in November 2015. Eloquent speeches were made, reiterating the governments commitment to the Constitution and constitutionalism. In 66 years of our republic, the BJP has been critical of successive Congress governments for their onslaught on federalism, particularly through the imposition of Presidents rule. Invocation of Article 356 in Arunachal Pradesh has exposed the hypocrisy of the BJP. Since the apex court was already seized with the matter, this has become the first case of its kind where precipitative action has been taken in spite of oral assurance of Harish Salve, the Governors counsel. This is an effort to interfere with the judicial process. Similarly, the Governors decision to prepone the Assembly session without consultation with the Nabam Tuki government, with the instruction to first take up the resolution of the Speakers removal, smacks of political mala fides. The court in VB Chodhary decision of 1979 held that so long an elected government is in office, the Governor has to act on its advice. After the imposition of Presidents rule, the court will have limited powers of judicial review, ie except in cases of mala fide exercise of power. One wants to salute the Bench headed by Justice JS Khehar for asking the government to produce within 15 minutes the Governors report. The learned judges are aware that even serious incidents of public disorder may not be sufficient to conclude that there is breakdown of constitutional machinery. The BJPs criticism of Congress governments as to the gross misuse of Article 356 is justified. But is it not emulating the Congress? Have earlier opposition and BJP governments been any different from Congress on Presidents rule? Article 356 empowers the President to dismiss a democratically elected state government. It is an extreme and unusual power. No liberal democratic constitution of the world, except Pakistan, has such a provision. Both India and Pakistan adopted this provision from the infamous Government of India Act, 1935. Our freedom fighters protested and so the British did not implement it. Even the Constituent Assembly witnessed a heated debate on the discretion being given to the President in dismissing a state government as presidential satisfaction, as to the breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state, can be based either on the report of the Governor or otherwise. The term otherwise may include anything and is against the ideals of constitutionalism. Moreover, if any advice is given by the Centre to the state and it does not pay heed, it shall be deemed under Article 365 that there is breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state and the government of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution. HV Kamath argued that let us wind up the Constituent Assembly and go home. This is not the place for us: let us go to the market-place and let us go into streets. Shibban Lal Sakena said: We are reducing the autonomy of the states to a farce. These articles will reduce the state government to great subservience of the central government. He said since the Government of India Act had omitted the identical provision, it was far more progressive than the proposed constitution. Naziruddin Ahmad also took it as a serious encroachment of provincial autonomy when he said: I think we are drifting, perhaps, unconsciously, towards a dictatorship. Democracy will flourish only in a democratic atmosphere and under democratic condition. Pointing out serious procedural flaws in the adoption of major amendments in the original clause, he said the Constitution Drafting Committee may now more aptly be called Drifting Committee. Ambedkar got Article 356 approved with the assurance that the article shall remain a dead letter. He was proved wrong as this provision has been used/abused about 150 times. In Arunachal, the Congress is making much hue and cry. There is some merit in its argument as the Congress, with 31 legislators, enjoys majority and defection was possibly engineered by the BJP. But in dismissing the Communist government in Kerala, the Congress Governor in his report had the audacity to say that while the securing of a majority of seats in the legislature, however meagre, is a very relevant factor at the time of forming a government, it cannot be pleaded as conferring a continuing right to claim the confidence of the majority. Indira Gandhi made extensive use of Article 356 on political considerations. She did not hesitate in using it even against the Congress governments. But the first large-scale misuse of Article 356 was made by the Janta government, of which the BJP was a constituent and its stalwarts like Advani were ministers in it. Home Minister Charan Singh wrote a letter to nine Congress chief ministers advising them to seek fresh mandate as people in the 1977 Lok Sabha polls had voted against the Congress in these states. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court approved this logic, ie Presidents rule can be imposed not only in situations of political instability or loss of majority, but also if the ruling party in the state gets defeated in parliamentary elections. In 1980, when Indira returned to power, she replied in the same currency with nine similar dissolutions in one go as this time people had voted for the Congress. The dismissal of three BJP governments after the demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992 for supporting karsevaks was another instance of the misuse of powers by the Congress. This too was also upheld by the court in the famous SR Bommai case on the ground that these governments were a threat to secularism. If the court was convinced about the BJPs lack of faith in constitutional ideals, it should have considered the cancellation of BJPs registration as a political party rather than upholding the dismissal of BJP governments. The Vajpayee governments recommendation for Presidents rule in 1988 in Bihar was another instance of the misuse of powers under Article 356. Sunder Singh Bhandari, as Governor, sent a report that there was a breakdown of the constitutional machinery due to the deterioration of law and order. He also quoted CAG report and talked of financial anarchy. Strangely, he also noted that 1,200 contempt of court cases were pending in the Patna High Court. The charge of constitutional vandalism was not substantiated. In fact, law and order had improved according to Crime in India report of the Union Home Ministry. President KR Narayanan asked for the reconsideration of the recommendation and the presidential minute rebutted all charges. He also referred to the Sarkaria Commission to conclude that the Rabri government enjoyed majority. Similarly, Governor JP Rajkhowas report has cited absurd reasons like I was abused, there was no semblance of a state government. These are general and subjective statements. President Pranab Mukherjee should have also returned the recommendation and reminded the government that due to lack of majority in the Rajya Sabha, getting parliamentary approval would be difficult. In Bommai case, the court held that powers under Article 356 must be used sparingly. Let the Modi government rise above petty politics by revoking Presidents rule in Arunachal, as the apex court is likely to quash the presidential proclamation and order a floor test. The writer is the Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad Tribune News Service Dharamsala, January 31 Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today launched the Rs 310 crore Himachal Pradesh Forest Ecosystem Climate Proofing project at Satobari. The project aims at minimising and mitigating the effects of climate change. It will also enhance the adaptive capacity of local communities. It is being launched with German collaboration and funding by KfW bank. To be implemented for six years in eight forest divisions of Chamba and Kangra districts through local registered societies, the project will provide direct and indirect employment to 1.5 lakh people of 600 cluster villages. The societies making efforts to make the project a success will be honoured. A sum of Rs 3.33 lakh will be deposited in the bank account of each registered society, the CM said. Virbhadra said the project would help enhance fodder production of forests by rehabilitation of areas infested with lantana in almost 15,000 hectares in both the districts. He said efforts would be to plant more broad-leaved trees catering to the fuel and fodder demands of rural population. The CM said under the project, bamboo forests would be improved in 1,000 hectares, besides reviving the traditional water springs and other natural water resources in the catchment areas of around 150 natural rivulets. He said there were authentic indications that climate change was going to accelerate the degradation of forests, increasing the vulnerability of forest eco-system and rural population unless adaptive measures were taken. The government had banned the felling of trees before 1982. There was a time when 95,000 trees were felled annually for making apple cartons. The government made it mandatory to use corrugated boxes. He said initially he faced opposition, but with the passage of time, the people started using the boxes. He said the government had set up carton factory to prepare apple boxes in Gumma, Shimla, but the BJP government sold the factory at a cheaper price. The CM also announced expansion of the forest rest house in Satobari and beautification of Dal Lake. Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri said the project would regenerate the forest areas besides providing employment to the rural populace. Vice-Chairman, State Forest Corporation, Kewal Singh Pathania, thanked the Chief Minister for opening the SDM office at Shahpur. Urban Development Minister, Sudhir Sharma, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Neeraj Bharti, MLA Sanjay Rattan, chairman, HP State Education Board, Balbir Tegta were also present. New Delhi, January 31 Vice-President Hamid Ansari will leave on a five-day tour of Brunei and Thailand beginning tomorrow to carry forward Indias bilateral engagements with the two South East Asian countries as part of its Act East policy. He will go to Brunei first at the invitation of crown prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah. This will be the first high-level visit from India since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Brunei in May 1984. Brunei was on the itinerary of Ansaris two-nation trip in November, but he had to return home from Indonesia, which was hit by a volcano. The Vice-President will be accompanied by Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary, four MPs and senior officials. Ansari will hold talks with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Billah on issues of bilateral and multilateral significance, including civil aviation, space, trade and investment, hydrocarbons, information and communication. Cooperation in ASEAN and East Asia Summit will also be on the agenda and MoUs on health and defence cooperation will be signed. From Brunei, Ansari will go to Thailand on February 3 at the invitation of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, making it the first visit by an Indian Vice-President after a gap of 50 years. In Thailand, he will hold talks with Chan-o-cha and have an audience with Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. PTI Visakhapatnam, January 31 Violence broke out in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district on Sunday as thousands of protesters from Kapu caste set afire a train and blocked rail and road traffic, police said. The protesters also set afire a police station in Tuni, a town in East Godavari district, about 100 km from Visakhapatnam. All trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and the vehicular traffic on Chennai-Kolkata national highway came to a halt as thousands of protesters squatted on the tracks and the highway. The violence broke out around 3 pm during a massive public meeting organised by Kapu State Committee at Tuni to demand the government to include Kapus in the backward classes list and provide them reservation. Kapu leaders declared that they will not leave tracks and highways till the government issues an order to meet their demand. Soon the protesters marched towards the track and stopped Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada Ratnachal Express near Tuni railway station. They attacked the engine and set afire eight bogies after ordering passengers to get down. A railway official said no one was injured in the incident but the passengers, including women and children ran in panic. The protesters later attacked Tuni railway station and ransacked the furniture. Four railway employees were injured. The agitators also set afire Tuni rural police station. Five policemen were injured in the stone pelting. Dozens of trains were stopped at various stations in coastal Andhra due to the violence and the presence of protestors on the track. With situation going out of control, additional forces were rushed to the region. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu called an emergency meeting of his cabinet colleagues and top officials in Vijayawada. Trouble began soon after M Padmanabham, a senior leader Kapu leader, announced at the public meeting that they will not tolerate any further delay. "We will not move from highways and tracks till the government issues an order," he said amid loud cheers from tens of thousands who had gathered from different parts of the state. The Kapu leaders were angry with the ruling TDP for not implementing its poll promise to include Kapus in BC list. IANS Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 31 Kathleen Wynne, the premier of Canadas Ontario province known for her support for gay rights, today paid obeisance at the Golden Temple. The SGPC, which had announced not to present a siropa to her, preferred to avoid any further controversy by recognising her visit. SGPC officials accompanied her to the information office at the shrine where she was reportedly honoured. When she came out of the information office, she was not sporting a siropa. However, a press release by the Canadian High Commission showed her sporting a siropa inside the information office. She was also seen holding a gold-plated framed picture of the shrine. SGPC chief secretary Harcharan Singh said Wynne was presented with a gold-plated picture of the Golden Temple and a set of Sikh religious books, but not a siropa. Kathleens visit was preceded by a controversy over the SGPC taking a stand not to honour her with a siropa due to her views on same-sex marriages, support for gay rights and being a lesbian herself. SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar earlier said the Canadian leader was welcome to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, but the SGPC would not honour her with a siropa as the Sikh religion did not legitimise same-sex marriages. Another issue that strained her relations with the Sikh community in Ontario was that she had refused to provide an exemption on the helmet law for turbaned Sikhs. Her visit to the Golden Temple was being looked upon as an attempt to be accepted by the Sikh community in Canada. Harcharan Singh raised the issue of exempting Sikh men from wearing helmets while riding a two-wheeler in Ontario. She assured him to review her earlier decision. The Ontario premier was dressed in a firozi blue (turquoise) Punjabi suit with her head covered with a dupatta. SGPC officials, meanwhile, apprised the premier of the Sikh history and shown the sites where the Indian Army stationed tanks and heavy artillery during the Operation Bluestar in 1984. She also visited the langar hall (community kitchen) and briefly helped in cooking food. Kathleen, in her note in the visitors book, said she was humbled to visit the beautiful sacred place. The Ontario premier arrived here yesterday evening amid tight security arrangements. She is on a 10-day trip to the country. She also met leading businessmen and industrialists here. Wynne gifts netbooks to kids GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 31 It was a special day for some city schoolchildren, for they had the privilege of being gifted new netbooks by Ontarios premier Kathleen Wynne during her visit to the manufacturing unit of DataWind Innovations here today. She launched two low-cost 10 by 7 inches DoidSurfer Netbooks with free internet browsing for a year. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, and listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, DataWind set up its unit in Amritsar in 2015. Its focus is to bridge the digital divide through patented technologies developed in Canada. The netbooks designed are affordable and have a high-quality educational content. Talking to the media on the occasion, she said that her mission in India was an ideal opportunity to share knowledge and expertise in key areas, including technology and education. She said she was glad to launch the DataWind company netbooks that cost less than 100 dollars in Canada. It is a leap by the company to offer identical low-cost netbooks here, thereby bridging the gap between Ontario and Amritsar with the common cause of helping the underprivileged children from rural areas who seldom have the opportunities to access the internet due to the affordability factor, she said. Suneet Singh Tuli, president and CEO of DataWind Inc, said they had gifted notebooks to 40 students of Fateh Academy and Akal Purakh Ki Fauj School. Nonika Singh And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue; They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space. Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth. Khalil Gibran The recently released Akshay Kumar-starrer Airlift brought to life few such good men who made the evacuation of 1,70,000 Indians trapped in Kuwait, during the Gulf War, possible. Unfurl the pages of history, and Iraqs invasion into Kuwait in 1990 is perhaps replete with many untold stories, or at least few, that lie forgotten down the corridors of time. One such story is that of Rajinder Singh Ahluwalia, founder of Mukat Group of Companies and Mukat Educational Trust. A tireless crusader, his exemplary seva bhaav begins exactly where the film ends. Indeed, thousands of Indians landed on the Indian soil safe, but also penniless. Rajinders wife Sandeep Kaur Ahluwalia remembers the chain of events vividly. The newspapers were full of reports of the plight of Indians. Rajinder, a man with a big heart and generous soul, decided to go to the airport to gauge first-hand how the Indians landing in their motherland were faring. Soon, he was back with kettles of tea and biscuits which finished faster than he could imagine. Mere serving tea, he realised, wont do and set about the task of giving food. Again, no mean task. Besides the expenditure involved, was the question of the wherewithal. Sandeep recalls putting her foot down. Besides money, she says, he was parting with time too and neglecting his work. But Rajinder was like a man possessed. Neither his wife nor the authorities who initially refused to give him permission to set up langar near the airport could prevail over him. Where there is a will, even God makes way. Langar began in all earnestness. But what was a one-man mission, soon transformed into a movement. Mein akela hi chala tha janib manzil magar log saath aate gaye aur karvan banta gaya. The first to join in his endeavour were the Sikh taxi drivers at the airport whose wives would make chapatis at home and they would ferry them to the airport. As the word about the humanitarian deed spread, more industrialists and well-meaning men joined in. Sandeep recalls how miraculously sackful of potatoes, tins of oil, flour, vegetables, loaves of bread would appear from nowhere. Who would bring them often one didnt even know, but thanks to the zeal and spirit of humanity, the langar continued uninterrupted for days. Of course, feeding men and women bereft of home and shelter was only one half of the problem. There were several other issues like who would fill their forms, as many arriving from the war-ravaged foreign soil had no valid documents, and many were not lettered. Also, there were only a handful of immigration officials. The task was assigned to Rajinders family his wife and three daughters. One of daddys girls, Simrita Kaur Ahluwalia, all of eight at that time, was offering biscuits to distraught Indians, a majority of whom were from Kerala. So fascinated was Manpreet Kaur Ahluwalia by her fathers exemplary work that she decided to join the airlines, and today is a senior commander with an airways. Mandeep Ahluwalia Pahwa, the eldest daughter, like others, learnt lifes vital lesson on nishkama karma. Overwhelmed, Sandeep cant comprehend how on this mortal earth walked such a man who had imbibed the art of giving in his very being. It was not just this incident that brought out the best in him. During the 1984 riots, he and his mother Gurdev Kaur went out of the way to help victims, and later during the communal riots in Mumbai, Rajinder ensured the protection of his Muslim neighbours. Dr Jagjit Singh, former principal of Khalsa College Bombay, who has devoted a chapter in his book Rishteyian Di Satrangi Peeng (and also written a small book) to Rajinder, talks fondly about the man whom he dubs superman. There are men of words, he says, and there are men of action. Rajinder clearly was one who not only acted, but also impelled others to act. Does his act, as those of others, in the hour of crisis call for a sequel to Airlift? Sandeep is pragmatic enough to understand that a film needs masala, a dash of sensationalism and oodles of drama to work. And here is a story sans any untoward moments. This was a peaceful event where only humanity shone like a beacon, she says. Good news may not make headlines, but good deeds Akshay Kumar has proved can make for celluloid magic. But a film or no film, those who work magic in peoples lives live forever in the hearts of those whom they serve selflessly. Good men need no films. Films, however, could do with retelling their stories. At least, once in a while. New Delhi, January 30 The restoration work in Kedarnath and other pilgrimage places in Uttarakhand, which were hit by massive flash floods in June 2013, is in the advanced stage and the state government is expecting a record number of tourists this year. Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma today said the Centre was committed to developing religious tourism in Uttarakhand, particularly at Kedarnath, as soon as the state government completes the restoration work at the historical place. Sharma released a magazine, Hill Mail, and a documentary film on the restoration of Kedarnath and said, We are working together with the Uttarakhand government to bring back the glory of the historical temple. Uttarakhand is in the advanced stage of completing the restoration work in the areas devastated by the 2013 natural disaster. Chief Minister Harish Rawat said the state was expecting a record number of tourists this year. Six helipads were being constructed between Sonprayag and Kedarnath to ensure smooth rescue operations in case of a disaster in future. A parking facility for tourists that could accommodate 300 cars was also being built at Sonprayag. Rawat said the state was bound by so many restrictions since the disaster took place that these were hindering generation of income and rehabilitation of victims. We are facing so many restrictions. Everyone is advising us dont do this, dont do that... But no one is telling us what needs to be done, the Chief Minister said. From the conferences of the Prime Minister to every small office, bottled water is used. But there is a ban on its use in Haridwar. How does bottled water become dangerous in hills and safe in plains, he said. Rawat added the state government was focusing on employment generation and made it the core concern of policymaking to deal with the post-devastation challenges in the Kedarnath shrine area. We have prepared a comprehensive plan and need everyones cooperation in its implementation. We are focusing on employment creation as a major source of development in the mountains, he said. The Chief Minister called for integrated solutions to problems of the state and said, People will have to consider our point of views. We are struggling for a thing as small as cooking gas. The Uttarakhand government has drafted a master plan for the planned development of Kedarpuri, the area comprising the temple and its surroundings, to ensure that natural calamities do not affect the pilgrimage site in the future. PTI Beirut/Amman, January 31 At least 60 people were killed, including 25 Shi'ite fighters, and dozens wounded on Sunday by a car bomb and two suicide bombers in a district of Damascus where Syria's holiest Shi'ite shrine is located, a monitor said. Sunni fundamentalist Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, according to Amaq, a news agency that supports the group. It said two operations "hit the most important stronghold of Shi'ite militias in Damascus". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the casualties were expected to rise from the suicide attacks in Sayeda Zeinaba, a district of southern Damascus where the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and other Iraqi and Iranian militias have a strong presence. Rami Abdulrahman, head of the British-based Observatory, said the suicide bombers had targeted a military bus carrying Shi'ite militias who were changing guard there. The explosions occurred as representatives of Syria's government and its divided opposition began convening in Geneva for the first UN-mediated peace talks in two years. Syrian Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, head of the government delegation at Geneva, said the blasts in Damascus just confirmed the link between what the government says are a Saudi-led and funded Islamist "opposition" and terrorism. State television showed footage of burning buildings and wrecked cars in the neighbourhood. Syrian state news agency SANA, quoting an interior ministry source, said a group of militants had detonated a car bomb near a public transport garage in the neighborhood's Koua Sudan area. Two suicide bombers then blew themselves up nearby as people were being rescued. The authorities put the dead at 45 people. "Bodies were still being pulled from the wreckage," a witness told state news channel Ikhbariyah. The heavily-populated area in the south of the city is a site of pilgrimage for Shi'ites from Iran, Lebanon and other parts of the Muslim world. Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halaki was quoted as saying the attacks were prompted by "terror groups" who sought to "raise their morale after a string of defeats" by the army. The United Nations has said it is aiming for six months of talks, first seeking a ceasefire and later working toward a political settlement for Syria. The nearly five-year conflict has killed more than 250,000 people, driven more than 10 million from their homes and drawn in global powers. The Sayeda Zeinab shrine area witnessed heavy clashes in the first few years of the war but has since been secured by the Syrian army and Shi'ite militias led by Hezbollah, which has set up protective roadblocks around it. The shrine houses the grave of the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Taleb, the cousin of Prophet Mohammed, whom Shiites consider the rightful successor to the prophet. The dispute over the succession led to the major Sunni-Shi'ite schism in Islam. Iraqi and Iranian Shi'ite militia groups that have volunteered to fight Sunni Islamist radicals in Syria in a conflict that has heavy sectarian overtones often say they are coming to Syria to defend the shrine. Rebels says the area is the first destination of thousands of Shi'ite militias drawn from Iran to Afghanistan alongside neighbouring Iraq where they are based before heading to fight in battlefields across the country. Shi'ite militias from the region led by Hezbollah have played a crucial role in covering the shortfall in manpower faced by Syrian President Assad's overstretched army during nearly five years of conflict. Reuters Beijing, January 31 China strongly condemned the United States after its warship deliberately sailed near one of the Beijing-controlled islands in the hotly contested South China Sea to exercise freedom of navigation and challenge Chinas vast territorial claims. The missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur sailed within 12 nautical miles (22 km) of the Triton Island in the Paracel chain to challenge excessive maritime claims of parties that claim the Paracel Islands, without notifying the three claimants beforehand, Defence Department spokesman Mark Wright said in Washington. China, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping claims in the Paracels and require prior notice from ships transiting what they consider their territorial waters. The latest operation was particularly aimed at China, which has increased tensions with the US and its Southeast Asian neighbours by embarking on massive construction of man-made islands and airstrips in contested areas. In October, another US warship sailed in the nearby Spratly Islands near Subi Reef, where China has built one of seven artificial islands. Wright said the attempts to restrict navigational rights by requiring prior notice are inconsistent with international law. US officials said that such ship movements would be regular in the future. China responded swiftly. Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun issued a statement, saying the US action severely violated Chinese law, sabotaged the peace, security and good order of the waters, and undermined the region s peace and stability, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. According to Yang, Chinese troops on the island and Navy vessels and warplanes took actions immediately, identified the US warship and warned and expelled it swiftly. He said the US operation was very unprofessional and irresponsible for the safety of the troops of both sides, and may cause extremely dangerous consequences. Chinese armed forces will take whatever measures necessary to safeguard Chinas sovereignty and security, no matter what provocations the US side may take, Yang said. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said separately that the Chinese side conducted surveillance and vocal warnings to the US warship. China claims almost the entire South China Sea and its islands, reefs and atolls on historic grounds. The area has some of the worlds busiest shipping lanes, and US officials say ensuring freedom of navigation is in US national interests, while not taking sides in the territorial disputes. China seized the unpopulated Triton Island, an area of 1.2 square kilometers (0.46 sq miles), from former South Vietnam in 1974. In May 2014, China parked a huge oil drilling platform off the Vietnamese coast in the area, prompting Vietnam to sent fishing boats and coast guard vessels to harass the rig and nearby Chinese vessels. Skirmishes led to collisions and the capsizing of at least one Vietnamese boat. AP London: The Islamic State terror group has warned Britain of an attack more severe than the Paris assaults, saying the country will receive the "lion's share" of the slaughter for its "declaration of war against Muslims". In the latest edition of its Arabic newspaper 'al-Naba', IS warns that the UK should be prepared for an attack more severe than in Paris last November. According to 'The Sunday Times', the article eulogises Mohammed Emwazi, the British murderer dubbed Jihadi John who was killed by a US drone strike. PTI IS beheads its fighters publicly for desertion: Report Cairo: Islamic State has reportedly beheaded over 20 of its fighters in full public view for trying to flee a war zone in Iraq's Mosul city, sending out a chilling warning to others in the terror group against desertion. Observers said the beheadings were made in a bid to terrorise ISIS members who may leave their posts in the war-torn region. The jihadis were beheaded in central Mosul in front of hundreds of people, mostly IS members and commanders, the report said. PTI Veteran BBC presenter Wogan succumbs to cancer London: BBC presenter Terry Wogan, host of Britain's flagship television chatshow in the 1980s and of Eurovision over three decades, died of cancer today aged 77, his family announced. "Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but brave battle with cancer. He passed away surrounded by his family," said a family statement. Irish-born Wogan had a successful television career and hosted a hugely popular radio show for 27 years, retiring in 2009. AFP Zika virus infects 2,100 pregnant women in Colombia Bogota: The Colombian national health institute has revealed that more than 2,100 pregnant women in the country have been infected with the mosquito borne Zika virus, as the disease continues to spread across America. The national health institute confirmed 20,297 cases of the disease in Colombia that includes 2,116 pregnant women. There are so far no reported cases of microcephaly or deaths from the virus in Colombia. ANI OKLAHOMA CITY Gov. Mary Fallin on Monday will propose additional dollars for the financially troubled Oklahoma Department of Corrections. The agency is housing a rising number offenders and has problems retaining correctional officers and staffing prisons. Fallin spoke Thursday to reporters in advance of her State of the State address to a joint session Monday assembled in the House chamber. Her comments are expected to focus on education, incarceration and health. I will be offering very specific proposals in these three different areas, she said. Fallin said she will support efforts to get low-level, nonviolent offenders into treatment instead of sending them to prison. Fallin will ask lawmakers for another bond issue to finish repairs to the crumbling state Capitol, which is plagued by electrical, plumbing and structural problems. In 2014, lawmakers approved a $120 million bond issue to start the job. Fallin said she didnt have a specific amount for the next bond issue proposal, but it would be about the same size. She will propose an initiative to address the use of tobacco, the No. 1 killer of Oklahoma residents, Fallin said. Fallin will unveil details of her proposal to increase teacher pay at a time when the states budget is in crisis. I said this last year that I wanted to give teachers a pay raise, and I am still very dedicated to that, Fallin said. We have worked very, very hard since session let out last year to find different revenue streams and to prioritize our spending in state government so we can give our teachers a pay raise. The funding plan will not be based on raising the states sales tax, as some education supporters have proposed, Fallin said. Online shopping has reduced revenue from sales taxes, she said. The state declared a revenue failure for the current fiscal year necessitating 3 percent cuts from general revenue to state agencies. Lawmakers fear a second revenue failure may be possible. Meanwhile, the Legislature expects to have at last $900.8 million less to spend in crafting the next budget. The budget problems are the result of a significant drop in energy prices, tax cuts and other factors. I really think we must use the budget shortfall as an opportunity to fix things that we talk about but we dont address, Fallin said. Fallin said that on Monday she will propose a series of structural changes to bring more certainty to the state budgeting process. Fallin and lawmakers have cited concerns with money that is taken off of the top before it goes into the states General Revenue Fund account. As a result, it goes to a specific purpose but isnt appropriated by lawmakers. Those funds pay for education and roads, among other items. Prior legislatures earmarked those dollars for certain purposes. As a result, the state Legislature and Fallin can only appropriate 45 cents of every dollar, Fallin said. State policy leaders have repeatedly cited the need to reign in tax credits and exemptions that are not producing economic activity, but have failed in prior years to make substantial advancements in reducing those items. Also under the spotlight are $8 billion in sales-tax exemptions, Fallin said. Basically, I think we have a 1950s budgeting system that is comparable to having a VHS (video home system) movie when today you use Netflix, Fallin said. It is time for change. Things have changed. Fallin called for bold, meaningful action in reforming the states budgeting process. When writing bills for consideration during the legislative session, state lawmakers occasionally produce measures that might make some people scratch their heads. Here are some from the upcoming session. House Bill 2389: Rep. Ben Sherrer, D-Chouteau, would require those of voting age to purchase a newspaper subscription and entitle those who cant afford it to a free one. Senate Bill 950: Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, would create a task force to study potential electrical grid and electromagnetic pulse attacks on the electrical grid. HB 3021: Rep. Kevin Calvey, R-Oklahoma City, would name the rosette nebula, a star formation region, as the state astronomical object. HB 2272: Rep. Mike Brown, D-Tahlequah, would bar the broadcast advertising of vapor products. SB1296: Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, would create the Oklahoma Bullion Depository in the state treasurers office for the deposit of gold and silver. SB1457: Sen. Ralph Shortey, R-Oklahoma City, would define the term motorcycle profiling to mean the discriminatory use of the fact that a person rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle-related paraphernalia as a factor in deciding to stop and question, take enforcement action, arrest or search a person or vehicle with or without a legal basis under the U.S. Constitution or Oklahoma Constitution. SB 275: Sen. Anastasia Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, would bar employers from asking about an applicants criminal background until after the person has been determined to be qualified for the job and notified of selection for an interview or been given a conditional employment offer. The measure has some exceptions. HB 2730: Rep. James Lockhart, D-Heavener, would prohibit an employer from firing or discriminating against an employee who displays an American flag on his or her person or work station, provided it does not interfere with the employees job. House Joint Resolution 1063: Rep. Randy Grau, R-Edmond, would let the state vote on requiring the Oklahoma Supreme Court to be unanimous or cast not more than one dissenting vote when determining that a law passed by the Legislature is unconstitutional. A few laws authored by Grau have been declared unconstitutional. Two candidates are running for Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education District 5 seat, the only contested board race in the county for the Feb. 9 election. Cindy Decker, 44, is currently on the TPS board, after being appointed in May to serve the remainder of TCC President Leigh Goodsons term. She is running for her first full term on the board. Stan Minor, 56, has been involved with the district through serving on the Nathan Hale Alumni Association for many years. This is his first run for the school board. The Tulsa World spoke recently to both candidates about their motivations for running and what they think they can accomplish on the board if elected. Cindy Decker Decker is a Tulsa native and TPS graduate. She currently has a seventh-grade daughter at Edison and a fifth-grade son attending a private school. Decker, who has a doctorate in economics, is an education researcher. My whole career since 2002 has been focused on improving education, she said. Decker said serving on the TPS board is another way for her to do that. She said her data and research skills, as well as communication skills, will help her serve well on the board. I ask for a lot of data on the board, Decker said. I am also good at interpreting the data they already provide me in a new way. She said she also knows how to seek out best practices the school district can emulate. Decker said the few months shes already spent on the board have taught her additional leadership skills, as well as the importance of reaching out to parents and showing them you want to improve their experiences. And Im learning the importance of inspiring others to care, she said. Decker said she believes the states financial crisis is the biggest challenge currently facing the district. The high teacher turnover is also a challenge, she said. We cant get the outcome up if were always struggling to maintain a workforce, Decker said. Among the things she hopes to accomplish if elected to the board is improving the use of parent and teacher feedback, and making sure the districts central office listens and uses the feedback to improve, she said. I think that Im a great listener and that I will happily bring those ideas and thoughts to the board table, she said. Decker said she also wants to push for and support innovative thinking in the district. Its not that we just need small improvements; we need a tremendous jump in our outcomes, she said. Small, incremental changes wont get us there. We need to be bold and try very new approaches. Stan Minor Minor is also a Tulsa native and TPS graduate. His two adult children, both of whom completed college, attended private school. Minor has a degree in journalism, and has practiced petroleum land management for 33 years. Minor said hes been involved with the Nathan Hale Alumni Foundation for about eight years. He said he realized his work helping students at that school could also help other public schools. I recognize, being a businessman, that the future of Tulsa is the children and the education that they get, he said about his reason for running. I feel that part of my responsibility is to help the kids. Minor said that he would bring a new perspective to the board, if elected. Among his priorities would be finding a way to stop the drain of students leaving TPS for private schools or suburban districts. He said he thinks that at TPS, part of the problem is the enrollment process. He says hed like to see a process that is more transparent and equal for everybody, like a lottery system. He said having schools that have a selective enrollment process, other that use a lottery, and others that get the leftover students is not a fair system. He wants to level the enrollment field so everyone has a fair shot. Minor said parents of students that dont get into Booker T. Washington or Edison high schools sometimes choose private or suburban schools for their children. He says by improving all schools and implementing a lottery system for all, he thinks TPS can draw students back. Minor said he thinks one of the challenges facing the district is a loss of school spirit and community support. He believes better sports programs will help with this problem. I think that the community spirit and support would come back if sports programs were revitalized, he said. Minor said in addition to his work with the alumni foundation, he was also involved during the Project Schoolhouse efficiency initiative, attending planning meetings and offering feedback. The REAL IRON MAN from Indonesia! How many of us could really have the power and courage to fight disability? Or more, put in efforts, enough to overcome it! Doesnt such a person deserve a huge round of applause! Heres the story of real life Iron Man both physically and at heart. Definitely, the story of this Indonesian welder is a motivation for all of us. His courage and hard work have paid him well. Who is this Iron Man from Indonesia? Kompas TV shot a video of a man in Bali. He has been reported to control a robotic arm with his brain. Woah! Definitely technology overload! I Wayan Sumardana of Karangasem, Indonesia, has become famous as the Iron Man. He used to work as a welder before an unfortunate incident occurred and things went out of control. It was just about six months ago that a stroke led to his left arm being paralyzed. Yet, as they say where there is a will, there is a way! Unlike most people who would begin to curse situations and fate, I Wayan Sumardana, the Iron Man from Indonesia was determined to put everything back into place. With poverty spreading itself at home, he simply wouldnt make excuses. In a short time of six months, he created a robotic arm using metal scraps and successfully hooked it up with his brain. Yes, he restored what illness took away! The functionality of this robotic arm is controlled by his brain and this allows him to continue working as a welder and earn the daily bread for his family. Real Life Superhero! Advertisements Quitting is easy; working harder to overcome problems is the difficult task. All of us must take inspiration from the story this Iron Man from Indonesia. If he can have the will power to stand strong and fight back against a serious medical condition like paralysis, then why do we call it quit when life throws challenges at us? We must have courage! It is a compelling narration. Resourceful problem solving intelligently put to use, to overcome an injury by a modest protagonist. Yet, we would prefer waiting for a more reliable confirmation of the reality of this science by experts. If it is really true that he can control the robotic arm with his brain, this is a commendable invention in itself, let apart the determination he displayed for overcoming this challenge in life. Better have it confirmed by experts rather than depending on the reports of Indonesian media about the Iron Man from Indonesia. Also, a simple engineering or scientific feat is not being appreciated here. As much as we would love it to be true, we must acknowledge that even the incredible Tony Stark is fictional. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84eCgiJ9DrY [Source: Reuters #stocks-summary Seoul shares down for 2nd day on rate hike woes South Korean stocks retreated for a second straight session Thursday, as investor sentiment worsened on concerns about aggressive rate hikes. The Korean won fell against the U.S. d... The electric car company denies previous rumor that it will launch two of its new models. Tesla will build a new platform, a third generation one to support its sedan and SUV instead. The news broke out when Electrek reported that Tesla will announce two new models in March. Electrek also published a photo from Elon Musk's presentation, where the CEO displayed two cars under black wrap. Tesla denies that it will launch two new cars in March. According to Electrek, "A Tesla Spokesperson called this report "wrong" and that only 1 of the vehicles would be announced in March. Tesla is indeed working on [at least] 2 different Model 3 platform vehicles which we reported previously." After Tesla denies the rumor, The Verge reported that new Model 3 will be a traditional sedan with crossover as its companion. It is because JB Straubel, Chief Technology Officer of Tesla, in June last year, showed a teaser of a Model 3 crossover version. While four months later, Elon Musk tweeted a new model to accompany Model 3 called Model Y. However, Elon Musk deleted its tweet later, while people are waiting for what new model will be prepared and launched by Tesla. The Verge wrote that there is so little to know about the Model 3, and less on Model Y. It is possibly Model Y would be built on the same platform as the Model 3. It seems that for its new car, Tesla will use the same approach as its previous Model X and Mode S, where Model X is essentially the Model S sedan with an SUV-style frame on top. In order to confirm new model will be built with the same platform in different variants, Tesla spokesperson told Mashable, "Tesla will be able to build multiple variations on the third generation platform, specifically a sedan and, later, an SUV." Mashable also suspected the new model is sedan with SUV as the other variants, just as what Elon Musk's tweeted and deleted October last year. Although denying the two models will be launched in March, but Tesla did not deny the new model will be able to travel in longer distance. Also it will cost more. The Model 3 will likely be able to reach 240 mile (380 km) and will cost around $35,000. Its crossover, the Model Y will probably cost around $40,000. However the price and other specifications are still rumors because Tesla has not made an official announcement. It is possible that Tesla still feel jittery to make official announcement for Model 3. Following a production delay of its Model X, which took three years to deliver its first car, Tesla takes a more careful step for its new cars. That includes denying news and speculation regarding its plan to launch two new cars in March. Google paid $200,000 to Android security researchers last year. The amount is part of the $2m grand total Google had spent to secure its applications and services during 2015, including Android, Google.com and YouTube. The Vulnerability Rewards Program is awarded to researchers who find weaknesses in Google's products. This program began in 2010 and has paid over $6 million since then, according to the Android Headlines. The $200,000 reward for Android security researchers is only ten percent of the last year overall amount paid for all Google's products security as much $2m. As for the $200,000 reward, $37,500 was given to an individual researcher, "the largest individual payout the program had yet seen for any one researcher." Sanmay Ved is one of the most remarkable receivers for the 2015 program. He is an ex-Googler who managed to buy Google.com for a full minute before the sale was reversed. He spent $12 and as a return, Google paid him $6,006.13. This amount was then doubled when he gave the reward for charity. A similar case also can be found with Tomasz Bojarski who is the most productive researcher in the 2015 program. He has helped with the 70 different bugs found in Google's application and services. He also happened to discover a vulnerability in the vulnerability submission form itself, which is quite an irony. Meanwhile, Kamil Histamullin, another researcher who accepted a grant and used it to investigate a bug found in YouTube Creator Studio that could permit anybody to remove YouTube video. He then received another $5,000 reward. As mentioned in ZD Net, Google's Vulnerability Rewards Program for Android was introduced in June 2015, and the timing was just right as a month later the first Stagefright bugs were found. It led Google, LG, and Samsung to have regular security updates every month for flagship Android handsets. Eventhough Google does not always report the monthly rewards to individual researchers, it is stated that the company will spend no less than $8,000 for a bug report and patch for Android. Eduardo Vela Nava of Google's Security team said, "Android was a newcomer to the Security Reward program initiative in 2015 and it made a significant and immediate impact as soon as it joined the program." Android Authority stated that at first, Google included Android in the reward program. And then, it offered grants for qualified researchers even before the works started, in order to guarantee if researchers received payments although they did not find any vulnerability. It can be seen that the Vulnerability Reward Program has been successful not only for Google, but also for the researchers. The company's expenditure for security is even higher than the other platforms. Google's expectation in 2016 is for the program to go on and strengthen its reputation. SHARE OCallaghan Kanongataa OXNARD Planet Fitness signs lease for new gym Planet Fitness has signed a lease to open an 18,252-square-foot location at the Lemon Grove Plaza on Oxnard Boulevard. The gym has more than 1,000 locations throughout the United States. Other tenants include Smart & Final Extra, AutoZone, Burger King and Jersey Mike's. Bill Hagelis and Rob Devericks, of the Hagelis Group, represented both the landlord and the tenant in the 15-year lease. Hagelis Group The Retail Property Advisors is a full-service commercial retail real estate firm at 4227 E. Main St., Suite 220 in Ventura. For more information visit www.HagelisGroup.com or email retailsites@hagelisgroup.com. THOUSAND OAKS Logix Credit Union gives $10K to kids Logix Credit Union has donated $10,000 to The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley. Logix Credit Union, a financial institution serving Ventura County, presented the check at the Marion & John E. Anderson Club in Thousand Oaks. According to officials, the funding will help support the youth programs and scholarships. Logix will also serve as the event sponsor for the group's Family Fun Run in April. For more information, call the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley at 818-706-0905. VENTURA Employees honored at credit union Ventura County Credit Union employees, Gina O'Callaghan and David Kanongataa, were recently recognized as top producing financial advisers. The pair are registered representatives with broker dealer and registered investment adviser CUSO Financial Services, LP. O'Callaghan was the highest performing adviser in the Silver Pacesetter category, and Kanongataa was recognized with a Bronze Pacesetter award. CFS and Sorrento Pacific Financial, LLC present the annual Pacesetter Awards to acknowledge top advisers for delivering investment services to clients. O'Callaghan and Kanongataa were recognized among hundreds of representatives. The Ventura County Credit Union was chartered in 1950 and has seven branches and more than 70,000 members. To learn more about the Ventura County Credit Union, call 477-4000, or go online to www.vccuonline.net. WESTLAKE VILLAGE Insurance agency brightens holiday Westlake Risk & Insurance Services, Inc. for the second year in a row granted the Christmas wishes of students from the Child Development Resources Head Start Preschool in Thousand Oaks. As part of its Santa Project, Westlake Risk reached out to clients, family and friends asking for contributions and matched all contributions. Staff members delivered 36 shopping bags with personalized gifts of clothing and toys to the preschool a week before Christmas. Westlake Risk is committed to community service. The agency is an affiliate of the United Agencies group and will celebrate its seven-year anniversary in November. For more information about the company, go to www.westlakerisk.com or call 413-0250. To share news about your company or business-related organization, email dajustesen@VCStar.com. If there is an event involved, please email the information at least three weeks in advance of the event. Bill Husted There are plenty of free programs out there. Instead of paying big bucks for commercial software, you can choose from literally thousands of them that can be downloaded at no cost to you. What a deal. The trouble is that, even though they are free, some aren't worth the price. And it gets worse. Others are so filled with hacker software that they can instantly turn your computer into an overpriced paperweight. In the last few years I've seen an increase in both categories the useless free programs and the dangerous. And there's still a third problem. Sometimes really good free programs stuff that does work is bundled with an unwanted payload, stealthy programs that deliver spyware and adware to your machine as part of the bargain. That's mostly a problem when software is downloaded from aggregator sites places that offer an assortment of free programs from various manufacturers. It's safer by far to download legitimate free programs directly from the site of the folks who created them. Even then you need to be on guard. That's why I don't recommend as many free programs as I once did. But I hate to ignore the few good ones. Today I will offer up some of the free programs I still recommend. But please pay attention to this disclaimer. I make no guarantees other than this: I have downloaded each program that I recommend and then checked to see if anything harmful came along for the ride. But I could make a mistake. Or you could make an honest mistake when trying to download it clicking on the wrong link or not using the address I furnish. I'll feel bad if that happens to you but odds are I won't be able to fix it. In short proceed at your own risk. All that lawyerlike talk done, let's get started. Belarc If I was forced to recommend just one free program, this would be the one. It takes a complete inventory of your computer and gives you a long list of the hardware you have and the software you have installed. If you ever need to call tech support and are asked as probably will happen questions about your computer's hardware and software you'll be able to answer like a true computer genius. Or if you need to check how much RAM you have, or need to know how your hard disk is doing, this program will help. The download is from the manufacturer. So that eliminates a lot of risk please only use this address if you download Belarc Advisor http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html. CCleaner If you spend more than 15 minutes on the Web you'll come across all sorts of programs that claim to fix problems with your computer. Some of these programs are commercial ones. Others are free. Almost without exception these are horrible programs. Instead of fixing anything they get you in a fix. They claim to find thousands of problems that's to impress you with how good they are. Instead they create problems when none were there. So stay away. There's one exception a program that really can get you out of a jam and it's called CCleaner. Download it here: https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download. Make sure you select the completely free option, not the for-pay one, or the free trial. While you are on the website check out the instructions for using the software. There's a learning curve and you could get in trouble if you use CCleaner without learning how it works first. Malwarebytes I have and still do recommended several free anti-malware programs. And I use those programs myself. But there are times when one of my standard programs doesn't catch a problem and I need to get things right again. That's when I turn to Malwarebytes. It's available in several flavors, including commercial versions. But even the free version is a terrific program. You can download it directly from the manufacturer here: https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/. Again, pay attention to what you are downloading if you want the completely free version. Despite the troubled waters for free programs in general, I do think each of these programs is great. Just do me a favor and double check what you do if you download them. Use the address I offered and then give them a try. One last thing, these programs are free. But with the exception of Belarc Advisor they also come in for-pay versions. If you use one of these programs and like it, consider moving up to the commercial version. Bill Husted writes about technology. Contact him at tecbud@bellsouth.net. Sandra Sunken SHARE If you're an applicable large employer, you may be required to file a new tax form this month. Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage, is required for each full-time employee. The form discloses information on the group health insurance coverage you provide. The filing requirement applies to applicable large employers (ALEs). You're an ALE if you have a combination of 50 or more full-time employees or full-time equivalent (FTE) employees in the prior year. A full-time employee is anyone working on average 30 hours or more per week, or 130 hours per month. You'll also need to count "full-time equivalent" employees. These are employees whose actual working hours are less than 30 per week, but whose total combined hours meet the equivalent of full-time. Keep in mind that special situations may be subject to other rules. For example, a group of companies under common ownership may need to count employees for the entire group. New businesses and those that hire seasonal employees also have different requirements. Finally, remember that if your business offers a self-insurance program, you must file Form 1095-C regardless of the number of workers you have. The 2015 Form 1095-C is due to your employees by March 31, 2016, and to the Internal Revenue Service by May 31. The IRS deadline is June 30 if you file electronically, which you must do when you issue 250 or more forms. The penalty for not filing Form 1095-C if you're required to is $250 per form, up to $3 million per year. You may also have another health insurance payroll reporting requirement to remember. When you have 250 or more employees, you need to report the value of health insurance coverage on Forms W-2. For more details, call your accountant. Sandra Sunken is principal of Sunken Accountancy Corp. in Ventura. photos by TROY HARVEY/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Linda Braunschweiger, president of Ventura County Market Research, speaks with a small group during a Young Entrepreneur Association of California meeting held at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center. SHARE Ivan Escalera introduces himself at the start of a Young Entrepreneur Association of California meeting held at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center on a recent Saturday afternoon. TROY HARVEY/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Linda Braunschweiger, president of Ventura County Market Research, talks about the importance of a logo during a Young Entrepreneur Association of California meeting at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center. TROY HARVEY/SPECIAL TO THE STAR From left, Annika Paseta speaks with Linda Braunschweiger, president of Ventura County Market Research, during a Young Entrepreneur Association of California meeting at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center. By Michele Willer-Allred After Santa Susana High School junior Annika Paseta decided to start her own business, she wanted to meet and network with other young entrepreneurial-minded individuals. The 17-year-old Simi Valley resident recently co-founded the Young Entrepreneur Association of California, or YEAcal, for all middle and high school students in Ventura County. The goal of the nonprofit group is to create a businesslike environment that aims to educate future entrepreneurs with the skills to become successful business owners and innovators. "We inspire innovation, creation, and collaboration among others," said the group on its website at http://www.yeacal.org. The group is small, but growing and they've been meeting twice a month at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center, where they network with professionals in the business world and discuss topics such as marketing, business law, and fundraising. "It's so cool uniting everybody. We're all unique," Paseta said about the group. Paseta was born in Peru and moved to the United States when she was 2. As Paseta was growing up, her father would talk to her about his business investments and work, and she was "intrigued by the complexity of owning a business and problem solving." Her niche for creativity and fashion led her to start her own business called Anikiu, which sells redesigned and embellished backpacks and shorts Paseta said as she started involving herself in the community, she realized there wasn't an organization for young individuals pursuing business and schools did not provide business classes. Her limited amount of business knowledge motivated her to read books about entrepreneurship and economics, and eventually form YEAcal. "I was involved in other clubs, but none were oriented toward businesses owned by young people and I wanted to meet other individuals that were entrepreneurs," Paseta said. "I really liked the idea of this group. It motivated me with my own business," said Amina Ghorob, 13, of Westlake Village, who makes her own natural soaps and products for the home. Ivan Escalera, 16, of Camarillo, has a business reselling books, and said he likes learning from the speakers that come to the group's meetings and getting business connections. Haley Hamilton, 17, of Simi Valley, said she doesn't currently have her own business, but said she hoped being in the group will help her with her plans in the medical field. Paseta said she has been trying to reach out to different schools in Ventura County, and the biggest obstacle has been promoting and spreading the word about the group. Linda Braunschweiger, president of Ventura County Market Research, spoke at a recent meeting about her business background. When she was a student herself, she started a line of greeting cards for college students, which was later bought by a larger company. Braunschweiger advised the group to use social media to spread the word about YEAcal and to encourage their friends to also start their own businesses. She also encouraged them to consider internships in fields in which they are interested in starting businesses. "Internships are a really awesome way to kind of stick your nose under the tent of a business and see if it really fits with what you're thinking about, and also to test the waters," Braunschweiger said. She told the students that graduates today face a different business climate than previous generations, and that a job with a salary after graduation is not guaranteed. "So, being creative and entrepreneurial right now puts you guys so much further ahead than your classmates because you're figuring out how to do it on your own, not waiting for some corporate guy to come to you and telling you what you're going to do next. You're dictating yourself where you're going," Braunschweiger told them. "I look at that as very exciting, and I'm very impressed you guys have figured this out." RICHARD QUINN/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Mike Morrison (from left), Scott Chenoweth and Seth Gibson are the co-founders of MadeWest Brewing Co. in Ventura. Lisa McKinnon Columnist SHARE RICHARD QUINN/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Brewer Mike Morrison pulls a small amount of cream ale from a tank at MadeWest Brewing Co. in Ventura. Morrison is opening the brewery with co-founders Scott Chenoweth and Seth Gibson. 01/24/16 Ventura, CA RICHARD QUINN/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Taps stand at the ready at MadeWest Brewing Co. in Ventura. RICHARD QUINN/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Investor Chris Parkin moves a pallet of hops to cold storage at the MadeWest Brewing Company in Ventura. RICHARD QUINN/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Brewer Mike Morrison checks the residual alcohol in his cream ale at MadeWest Brewing Co. in Ventura. Morrison is opening the brewery with co-founders Scott Chenoweth and Seth Gibson. As Ventura County's newest microbrewery, MadeWest Brewing Co. opened its doors at 3:30 p.m. Thursday for a small but thirsty crowd. I counted eight people waiting for the telltale jangle of the keys in the lock before the group moved en masse to the taproom counter. There they consulted the movie marquee-style menu board before ordering glasses and taster flights of the four brews currently on offer. The turnout, which gained serious momentum as the evening progressed, was due more to a conscious social-media blackout on the brewery's official Instagram and Facebook pages than to lack of interest. "We were just looking not to get slammed, to make sure our training was in order," said co-founder and CEO Seth Gibson. "We still ended up a little busier than expected." MadeWest is the fifth brewery to open in Ventura in as many years and the sixth if you include a rural facility that isn't open to the public. At least two more Sessions Brewery and Ventura Coast Brewing Co. are in the planning stages. MadeWest could just as easily have been dubbed MadeVentura. Gibson was born and raised in town, while co-founder and head brewer Mike Morrison comes close to native status: He moved to Ventura at age 2 and met Gibson at Ventura Missionary School. Gibson was still attending Buena High School when a shared love of surfing helped introduce him to then-Ventura High School student and current MadeWest co-founder and art director Scott Chenoweth. After forays to San Diego for college and careers, Gibson and Morrison have both returned to Ventura. Chenoweth, who went on to launch What Youth, a magazine and website devoted to surfing and skateboard cultures, now lives in Long Beach. But he was back last weekend to put the semi-finishing touches on a MadeWest taproom mural that depicts the brewing process. The floor-to-ceiling artwork ends with several Crowlers a trademarked cross between a "can" and a "growler" used to transport beer sprouting wings and taking flight over a doorway. "I think it would be fun to have them flying up into the hallway. But that's a bit ambitious for today," Chenoweth said during the pre-opening visit. The brewery's local connections extend to its investors, 90 percent of whom are "people we've known for 10, 20 years," said Gibson, who works for a real estate investment firm. "I've been through the capital-raising stage before, and, I have to say: Raising money for a brewery is a lot more fun," he added. MadeWest has joined the Off Market Street Tasting Trail, a promotional project that includes Surf Brewery set to mark its fifth anniversary in June along with Beacon Coffee Co. and the nearby wineries Plan B Wine Cellars and Four Brix Winery. Such banding together is typical of the craft-brew industry, Morrison said. "It really is a 'the more the merrier' situation, with people being really generous with their time and expertise," said Morrison, who started homebrewing about 10 years ago. Morrison later became friends with and got pointers from the brewing team at Ballast Point in San Diego. He also got inspiration from winning several first- and- second-place awards in brewing competitions. He has found similar support in Ventura, where fellow brewers have been quick to help with equipment and materials, Morrison said. MadeWest already is the largest brewery in Ventura in terms of square footage. Its taproom and 30-barrel system occupy a remodeled, 14,000-square-foot building surrounded by business and industrial parks. Gibson and company have added an outdoor patio with distant views of the Channel Islands. Inside, a room just off the main taproom gives patrons the option of a private-party space with a roll-down door and access to their own row of beer taps. At the back of the building, a 1,500-square-foot keg storage cooler is in place to help fill future distribution orders. "In talking with other breweries, the one thing we never heard was, 'We wish we'd started smaller,' " Gibson said with a laugh. Food service is BYO. One table of revelers on Thursday was seen taking delivery of a pie from the nearby Toppers Pizza. Opening-weekend festivities will include appearances by chef Tim Kilcoyne and his Scratch food truck from 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. MadeWest's opening lineup of beers includes an IPA, a pale ale, a porter and a Pilsner-style hybrid ale dubbed the MW Standard. (Still to come are a Red Rye IPA and Pre-Prohibition Ale.) Four-ounce tasters are $2 each, or $8 for a flight of four served on wooden trays created by Ojai Oaks Fallen Wood. Beers also are available in 8-ounce ($3-$4) and 16-ounce pours ($5-$6.50) and in 40- and 64-ounce growler fills ($10-$17). The brewery's taproom hours are 3:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 3:30 to 11 p.m. Fridays, noon to 11 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 7 p.m. Sundays (1744 Donlon St., 805-947-5002, http://www.madewest.com). OPEN, SHUT AND IN BETWEEN The Ventura version of CJ's Barbecue entered soft-opening mode Monday in the Montalvo Square shopping center space that previously was home to Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen. Owner Chris Patterson is the "C" and son Jason is the "J" in the name of the order-at-the-counter barbecue spot, which also has a location in Oxnard (480-B S. Victoria Ave., 805-815-3024). Patterson will continue to operate both sites, despite the fact that they are less than 5 miles apart. "The Oxnard people don't go to Ventura and the Ventura people don't go to Oxnard," Patterson said with a laugh. "But it only takes me five minutes to go from one to another if we need something." Beer and the same menu are served at both locations. Barbecue meals featuring Louisiana hot links ($11.99) or pulled pork or baby back ribs ($12.99) come with a roll and a choice of two side dishes (selections include coleslaw, collard greens, yams, and red beans and rice). Catfish po'boys and barbecue tri-tip are among the sandwiches available in half and whole sizes ($7.99 and $9.99, including one side). "Mama's Seafood Gumbo from Nawleens" is sold by the pint and quart ($13.99 and $19.99.) Hours at the Ventura location are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Patterson recommends calling in dinner orders before you arrive (1708-B S. Victoria Ave., 805-676-1905). After an escrow that dragged on for more than 10 months, Familia Diaz in Santa Paula quietly reopened under new ownership on Jan. 23. There were a few loose ends to tie up as of this week: The restaurant's website no longer exists, and calls before and after business hours still are answered by an outdated recording of former owner Dan Diaz advising would-be diners that the restaurant is temporarily closed as the new owners prepare to take over. On Thursday, a non-dining visit to see what Familia Diaz looks like in the era of new owners Everado and Maria Ramos revealed the following: The dining room light fixtures have been replaced and the carpeting, salsa cart and numerous hanging plants are gone. The menu looks the same, but a server told me that some of the dishes have been changed to "make them more authentic." That includes changing up the rice and making the corn tortillas in house, she added. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays (245 S. 10th St., 805-525-2813). The original Ventura County location in the Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que chain closed sometime last weekend, 10 years after its debut in Simi Valley. The Famous Dave's at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard is now the chain's only restaurant in Ventura County. For a previous Star story about the closure, click on http://bit.ly/1lLRvqO. But in a net gain for barbecue fans in the region, It's in the Sauce BBQ owner Wayne Stevens this week announced plans to reopen the bricks-and-mortar version of the restaurant at its former home in midtown Ventura. The space was vacated last weekend by Top Hat Burger Palace. Stevens closed the order-at-the-window restaurant across from Ventura High School back in 2011, when he decided to go into so-called retirement. He instead launched a food trailer, which will continue to appear at food truck events with Stevens' twin brother, Dwayne Stevens, at the helm. "I'll retire when I go off to glory land," Stevens said Thursday. A mid-February opening is anticipated. For updates, drive by and look at 2050 E. Main St. and/or check the Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/20yirKB. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Tomas Cafe in downtown Oxnard will mark its 15th anniversary by offering freebies of two of its best known menu items: house-made cinnamon rolls and fresh-squeezed juice from oranges grown in Fillmore. Both will be available on a first-come, first served basis from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday. (622 South A St., 805-483-6633, http://tomascafe.com). Lisa McKinnon is a staff writer for The Star. Her Cafe Society column also appears Fridays in the Time Out section. For between-column updates, follow 805foodie on Twitter and Instagram and "like" the Facebook page VCS Eats. Please send email to lisa.mckinnon@vcstar.com. Colleen Cason These are anything but the best of times for squid crews fishing off the Ventura County coast. The fearsome El Nino scientists dubbed "Godzilla" is forcing the mollusks into deeper water where nets can't reach. Making things worse, Ventura Harbor is all but shut down for the first time in more than 30 years. One of the largest squid harbors on the West Coast, its channel is bedeviled by treacherous currents and a million cubic yards of sand that needs dredging. That's bad news for local captains hoping to profit from the rumblings of the world's ever expanding belly for calamari. That the tide should be turned against squid fishermen on this day of all days strikes me as particularly poignant. Sixteen years ago on this, the last day of January 2000, was for squid fishermen their finest hour and their longest night. Just before sundown that day, Alaska Airlines Flight 261 slammed into the sea a few miles off Anacapa Island. Between the crew and passengers, 88 people were aboard the flight from Puerto Vallarta bound for Seattle when it lost stability for want of maintenance to a jackscrew, the FAA would later rule. In its final, terrifying moments aloft, the jet flipped over in midair. "At least upside down we're flying," the captain said, as captured by the cockpit voice recorder. Out at sea, a squid fisherman watched the plane nose-dive into the Pacific a mile away from his location and reported it to authorities. The squid were plentiful that year; there was money to be made. Still, an armada of skippers answered the call to search for survivors. "The natural instinct was to help out," Joe Villareal told The Star in 2010. Villareal worked squid back then. Today, he operates a sport fishing business out of Channel Islands Harbor. As darkness fell, more than 15 squid boats braved the high seas in hopes of rescuing survivors. It would be three hours before the vessels coming from the harbor approached the crash scene. The stench of jet fuel fouled the air and penetrated their clothes. The biology of squid makes the boats built to catch them particularly useful for a nighttime rescue operation. Squid are the moths of the sea, drawn to their demise by bright light. Squid boats brought 30,000 watts to bear on the task. When the scene was illuminated, though, hope of rescuing anyone faded. The plane along with everyone and everything it carried had been smashed to pieces by the impact. Almost nothing was bigger than a paper plate, skipper Brian Koerner of the Squid-A-Lot told me a couple days after the crash. Fighting an unforgiving wind, Brian and his dad, Bruce, plunged their nets into the rough sea and gathered up what the ocean would release, including a sandal and pieces of the fuselage. After hours of this grim business, the pair made for port only to have their water pump fail, clogged by wreckage. Kevin Marquiss, then 21, found one of the few bright spots in those dark hours. Of it, he would later tell The Star, "If I don't do anything else the rest of my life I know I did something important." In the hours after the crash Marquiss pulled nets full of wreckage, including human body parts, onto the deck of his boat. While rinsing the jet fuel off the deck the next morning, he spotted a gold Masonic ring. With the help of his aunt and uncle, he traced the ring to Bob Williams, a Washington state resident who perished with his wife in the crash. He personally delivered the memento to their children. Their daughter told Marquiss the family had a pact. The first one to get to heaven had to tell the others what it was like. She felt the ring was that sign from her dad, and his message was their connection would never be broken. The ring that might have fallen to the seafloor reminds us that everything does come full circle. Ventura Harbor could reopen within a couple of weeks. The El Nino that holds the promise to save those who make their living off the land will fade away. And after what the squid fishermen did on that dark night 16 years ago, I hope they are again awash in black ink. Email Colleen Cason at casonpoint101@gmail.com. START FILE PHOTO The Simi Valley City Council. By Mike Harris of the Ventura County Star By Mike Harris mharris@vcstar.com 805-437-0323 The Simi Valley City Council has reversed course and now will join most other cities in Ventura County in banning personal cultivation of medical marijuana. The council introduced an ordinance Jan. 11 that called for allowing personal cultivation by qualified patients. Under California Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 that was approved by 56 percent of statewide voters, cities cannot prohibit residents from using medical marijuana if they have a serious health condition and a physician's recommendation. But the courts have ruled that cities can ban personal cultivation, even though it is permitted under the state health and safety code. The council voted at its meeting Monday to amend the ordinance to prohibit personal cultivation. "I think there was a lot of soul-searching done that ultimately lead to the change in course," Councilman Glen Becerra said Saturday. "There is so much concern about the unknowns of people growing marijuana in their backyards. Are you growing it for yourself? Are you growing it to sell? I'm worried about youth having access to it. There are all sorts of questions." Simi Valley residents who are legitimate medical marijuana users can buy it at legal dispensaries in the nearby San Fernando Valley, he said. Councilman Mike Judge was the lone dissenting vote, noting that personal cultivation is permitted under state law. "I don't think the city should be overreaching and telling them that they can't grow their marijuana," Judge, a Los Angeles police officer, said Saturday. "I think personal cultivation is the safest way for people to acquire medical marijuana." In Ventura County, only Moorpark, Ventura and unincorporated areas will permit personal cultivation. The Ojai City Council will take up the issue in February, but the city currently forbids personal cultivation. The Simi Valley ordinance is scheduled to be adopted by the council Feb. 22 to meet a March 1 deadline under a new state law, the California Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act. The city ordinance also will clarify Simi Valley's existing ban on medical marijuana dispensaries and the commercial cultivation, processing, distribution and delivery of medical marijuana. The county's nine other cities, plus the county itself, also are expected to adopt similar ordinances by March 1, although delivery will be permitted in Moorpark and unincorporated areas. Cities that do not have such ordinances in place by March 1 will lose the authority to regulate or prohibit commercial medical marijuana uses. The state Department of Food and Agriculture then will be the sole licensing authority under the state's new comprehensive medical marijuana licensing and regulatory framework. STAR FILE PHOTO Residents of the Texas Tract neighborhood of Simi Valley throw their annual garage sale in July. SHARE By Mike Harris of the Ventura County Star A planned drug detoxification house in a Simi Valley neighborhood is drawing stiff opposition from residents. About 100 of them packed City Council chambers last week to protest the project on Cisco Court on the city's east end. But under state law, as long as the house has no more than six residents, the city essentially has no authority to regulate it. "The state about 10 years ago pretty much exempted six or less people staying in a house from any extraordinary land-use controls by local government," Peter Lyons, Simi Valley's environmental services director, said Friday. Under state Health and Safety Code guidelines for alcohol and drug programs, "the city cannot regulate 'group homes' of six or less if they're just living there and physically not changing the house," Lyons said. The residence is being bought from Simi Valley businessman Sandy Bass by Shawn Miller, a former heroin addict who spent nearly 24 years in prison for crimes including armed robbery and car theft before being released a few years ago. Miller, who recently founded the for-profit Set Free Drug and Alcohol Centers of America, said he plans to have no more than six clients at the Simi Valley location at a time. It will be his company's first center and be fully licensed by the state, he said. Most clients' stays will be covered by medical insurance, he said. The uninsured can pay out of pocket. Simi Valley High School teacher Russ Martin is one of the more outspoken critics of the detox house in the city's Texas tract neighborhood. He, his wife and three children live next door. Martin, 56, said Friday that the project will degrade the neighborhood's quality of life. "There's not only going to be drug addicts there wanting to dry up, but my girls' bedroom is within, I would say, 60 feet of the front porch where these guys will be hanging out, detoxing from heroin," he said. "Shawn Miller has asked me to trust him that he will manage six heroin addicts at a time," Martin said. "I said, 'I don't know you. I have to figure out who you are.' So I figured out who he was" an ex-convict. Miller said he can understand the community's concerns. "It's a quiet neighborhood with good people with children," he said. "They have some perceptions that drug addicts are going to be running all over their streets and things like that. But I think most of their fears will go away after we've been there a couple of months. "This is something that Simi Valley needs," Miller said, although he conceded that some of his clients could come from out of state, as critics of the project have charged. Like many other communities throughout the country, Simi Valley has grappled with heroin use in recent years, especially among young people, sometimes with deadly results. A local grass-roots organization, Not One More, was formed in 2012 to tackle the problem. Its vice president, Krissy McAfee, said Friday that Simi Valley needs the detox house and that the group supports it "as long as they're good neighbors and not causing any problems and following all laws." Bass, meanwhile, said the residents' outcry is "unfortunate. They (drug abusers) have to go somewhere. And everybody says, 'not in my backyard,' and I understand that. But they're entitled to rehabilitation and to try to be a functioning part of society. "What are you going to do with them?" he said. "Kick them to the street?" Simi Valley Councilman Glen Becerra said he has contacted the city's assemblyman, Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, "to look at helping us address some legislation on the state level, because I have grave concerns about this." Wilk said Friday that he's coordinating with the city to schedule a joint community meeting at which residents can voice their concerns. He said he has also contacted the League of California Cities, which he believes is going to propose legislation to address the issue. The city has also reached out to its Sacramento lobbyist. "This particular issue is problematic across the state," Wilk said. SHARE As the mayor of Simi Valley, I would like to share a few noteworthy items that occurred in our community in 2015. The year witnessed much anticipated changes at the Simi Valley Town Center. The first Studio Movie Grill in Southern California opened in October and quickly became a popular destination. Buffalo Wild Wings opened shortly before in September and just as quickly became a hot spot. New stores, including Charming Charlie, opened and more new tenants are on deck for 2016. The mall has a refreshed look with more convenient parking, new directional signage and a new illuminated sign along Highway 118. All of this has led to more shoppers at the Town Center, and there are more changes scheduled for this year. Staff is aggressively showcasing the community to demonstrate why Simi Valley is an attractive place to do business. As a result, the city has attracted approximately 600 new jobs over the last 18 months. With this, we are attracting high-tech companies, supporting our local aerospace businesses in their expansion efforts, and continuing to provide an environment where all businesses have the tools to be successful. The city's financial position remains strong and we continue to hold the highest credit rating issued by Standard & Poor's Investor's Services, an AAA rating. We share this distinction with only approximately 27 other California cities. As the city balances the need to maintain, and replace, aging infrastructure and deliver a balanced budget, our fiscal policies remain conservative. In the first few days of 2016, due to generous support from the Simi Valley Police Foundation, the city was able to place nearly 20 signs throughout the community that say "Simi Valley Supports Our Cops" with a "thumbs-up" icon. While many cities' police officers are facing a severe lack of support and even violence, I'd like to invite you to give a "thumbs-up" to our officers when you see them throughout the community to remind them they have all of our support. While public safety remains the number one priority of the City Council, our Police Department doesn't just need support from the City Council, but from the community at large. According to the recently released FBI Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, there was a slight uptick in crime in 2015. This increase is attributed to the impacts of Prop. 47. However, the Simi Valley Police Department remains vigilant in keeping crime low in an ever-changing environment. In preparation for the highly anticipated El Nino, staff worked tirelessly making preparations to ensure minimal impacts to the city, including checking and clearing drains and detention basins to decrease flooding risk. As a result, during the first major storm event, there were no significant incidents. The City Council held its second annual retreat in 2015 to reaffirm its priorities and review efficiencies and cost-saving measures put into place to maximize productivity at City Hall. In partnership with the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, in July, Simi Valley was a host town for the athletes of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games. Simi Valley hosted athletes from Zambia, Peru and Sri Lanka. In true Simi Valley spirit, the community welcomed the athletes with open arms as we shared our local points of pride with them. As the state continues in its historic drought, in 2015 the city expanded its presence on social media to include water conservation. The city's Facebook page and Twitter feed for water conservation are SimiValleyH20. I'd like to invite you to like and follow the pages for water-saving tips and updates. Once again, it was a busy year at City Hall. The City Council and I, the city manager and staff, all worked toward the common goal to enhance Simi Valley for our residents. And I would like to thank our residents for all they do to make Simi Valley a special place. Bob Huber is mayor of Simi Valley. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., left, takes a question from a member of the audience during a town hall at the Iowa State University Alumni Center in Ames, Iowa. SHARE Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets diners at Riley's Cafe in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Why Iowa? It's that time, every four years, when good, patriotic Americans ask variations of that question. What makes Iowa so special? Why do they get first shot at winnowing down the presidential field? Is this lilywhite, ethnically homogeneous state filled with pig farmers, corn growers, meat packers and insurance executives really representative of the rest of the country? Is this any way to run a democracy? Why Iowa? As a reporter, I've done two tours of duty on the back roads to the White House, tromping through the Hawkeye State as a student journalist before the 1988 Iowa caucuses and returning for 10 months of non-stop barnstorming before the 2008 contests. Through it all, the question about Iowa's birthright has bothered me, too, but after seeing the process up close, I've found the justifiable answer. Somebody in this country has to take our democracy seriously. So why not Iowa? You really don't know if an attack line or a policy promise is breaking through until you hear regular folks repeating it at the diner in Marshalltown or the saloon in Cedar Rapids. There, you're likely to find savvy, perceptive, homework-doin' voters who've heard it all, read it all, and sometimes asked the candidates about it themselves. They've gotten a chance to see all the pretenders, usually multiple times if they're still giving someone a chance. A surprising number have raised their hands at intimate, small town hall gatherings, often without any television cameras present, to ask about issues big and small. That includes parochial matters (like subsidies for grain ethanol or public immunization mandates) that don't interest pundits but have a surprising effect on moving public opinion out in the hustings. In an ideal world, every state would get this chance for voters to get close enough to stick out their tongues at the candidates when they're making no sense. Nobody would get to become president without shaking hands with virtually voter. But it's not an ideal world. It's a big world and a big country. If every state voted at the same time, all at once, the "Next Presidents of the United States" wouldn't have to test themselves in front of any real people whatsoever. They could just sit in those ivory towers, buy a bunch of television ads and slick, targeted mailers, and play with voter sentiments like a video game. Fine, you say. But let's start with another state. My state. Or rotate it every four years, so every state gets a turn to go first. That's where you need to understand Iowans. They stumbled into this leadoff status by accident, but over time they've come to take their responsibility very, very seriously. They don't take this role for granted. They treat caucus preparations like a form of jury duty that stretches out for a year or two until they finally get to show off all they've learned. Going into Monday's pot-luck gatherings where they'll help decide the fate of the Western World, I still have faith in Iowa. I still expect surprises, like a third place surge from some Republican who's barely registering in the polls, or a shocking margin of victory on the Democratic side fueled by something one of the candidates said in Dubuque that never got noticed inside the D.C. Beltway. I love Iowa. Why? If you're ever low on patriotism and wonder where our democracy is heading, then four years from now, plan your vacation to a place like Ottumwa. Sit there. Look grumpy. Wait for a presidential candidate to show up and approach you. Then give the chump a piece of your mind. M.E. Sprengelmeyer is reporter and publisher for the Guadalupe County Communicator in Santa Rosa, N.M. From 1995-1999 he was a reporter for The Star, covering Oxnard. He was working for the Rocky Mountain News when he covered Iowa. SHARE Weather permitting, a marine dredge should pull into place this week and start sucking the sand off the bottom of the Ventura Harbor entrance. That work by the Manson Co. dredge, under contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, should begin to clear out the port entrance to allow boats, commercial and recreational, to begin to come and go. But that will not solve the problems that El Nino has already created for Ventura's port. The Army Corps contract, awarded last year, calls for the operation to dredge out 460,000 cubic yards of sand. That certainly will clear the entrance. But it won't come close to touching the estimated 1 million cubic yards of sand that has overflowed the harbor's sand trap thanks to the heavy swells of El Nino that have stripped sand from beaches above the port and dumped it there. Ventura Port District officials have been lobbying hard for the Army Corps to provide another $2 million or more in funding. Because the cost of getting the dredge in place has already been paid, the additional money, port officials said, should be sufficient to bring the total amount of sand removal to about 800,000 cubic yards, which they believe will be enough to keep the harbor operational until next winter. The Corps has the money to do the job. But it doesn't have enough to do all the jobs for all the similar water projects throughout the nation that are now requesting additional work this year. Congress kicked in the additional pot of money for Corps water projects in the current budget, on top of the Obama administration request. But Congress prohibited itself from designating how or where the money was to be spent, leaving the decision to the Corps bureaucrats. This is another example of where the House Republican decision to abandon the process of earmarking greatly limits the opportunity to focus federal dollars where they are needed. The port officials have been working with regional Army Corps officers and say they have that support for the additional funding. Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Westlake Village, says she is working in Washington to convince the Corps to increase the funding. They are all cautiously optimistic. But they won't know until the Feb. 8 decision by the Corps and, even then, they worry whether the money will be freed in time to get it to Manson Co. before the dredge is pulled out, now scheduled for March 15. The argument to fully fund the project is easy to make. This port is a major economic engine for the regional economy, generating $250 million a year. It is a key harbor for commercial boats, home to hundreds of recreational boats and local tourist haven for its recreational fishing fleet as well as its access to Channel Islands National Park. The dredge has already been paid for. The additional funds will clean it out further and minimize the cost of future dredging operations. It is clearly in no one's interest to only partially fund a dredging operation at this port. In the face of potentially greater sand buildup from the continuing El Nino in coming weeks, all efforts should be made to dredge as much sand as possible from the harbor. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should know that the community fully supports this emergency funding. The Pioneer Saloon showcases a variety of musicians and live bands numerous days/nights every week, ranging from rock, country, blues, blue grass, and more with no cover charge (Pictured: Country singer/songwriter and guitarist Chris Heers). Wednesday 6 p.m. features the Big Willies open jam hosted by singer/guitarist Tom Sheckells and friends. Friday 5 p.m. is Krazy Karaoke. Most weekends Saturday and Sunday there is live entertainment. For current info. visit the website Event Calendar at: pioneersaloon.info/events. Live Music February 3 to March 6 as follows: 3, 6 p.m. Big Willies, hosted by singer/guitarist Tom Sheckells with surprise special guests (country) 5, 5 p.m. Krazy Karaoke with Dave 6, 11 a.m. Bill May (country and folk) 6, 5 p.m. Chris Heers (country, singer/songwriter and guitarist) 10, 6 p.m. Big Willies, hosted by singer/guitarist Tom Sheckells with surprise special guests (country) 12., 5 p.m. Krazy Karaoke with Dave 13, 11 a.m. Tommy Rocker (rock) 13, 5 p.m. Ernie (country) 14, 12 p.m. Three Blind Mice (rock and heavy metal) 14, 5 p.m. Bud Mickle (rock, blues and dash of country) 17, 6 p.m. Big Willies, hosted by singer/guitarist Tom Sheckells with surprise special guests (country) 18, 7 p.m. Dinner/Show in historic Carole Lombard Memorial Dining Room with Michael DeGreve and Kris (singers/guitarists) 19, 5 p.m. Krazy Karaoke hosted by Dave 20, 11 a.m. Jeffrey Michaels (acoustic variety) 20, 5 p.m. Bud Mickle (rock) 21, 12 p.m. Rick Bell (country) 24, 6 p.m. Big Willies, hosted by singer/guitarist Tom Sheckells with surprise special guests (country) 26, 5 p.m. Krazy Karaoke 27, 11 a.m. Seth Turner (country) 27, 5 p.m. All Togethers (blue grass fusion) 28, 12 p.m. Bill Tracy (country and blues) 28, 5 p.m., Bud Mickle (rock) March 3, 6 p.m. Big Willies, hosted by singer/guitarist Tom Sheckells with surprise special guests (country) March 5, 5 p.m. Krazy Karaoke hosted by Dave March 6, 11 a.m. Chris Heers (country, singer/songwriter and guitarist) March 6, 5 p.m., Bill May (country and folk) Thursday Feb. 18: Dinner & Show, in the intimate Carole Lombard Memorial Room, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Dishes range from Steak & Lobster, Pecan Crusted Trout, Signature Burgers including the famous Ghost Burger, rack of ribs, desserts, full menu, and wine, cocktails, beer. Live music by musicians Michael DeGreve and Kris (singers/guitarists). Reservations recommended, call Noel Sheckells at 702-290-8325; Groups of six or more for dinner contact Shelley via email: tandsventures@gmail.com STAR JOURNEY at the Pioneer Saloon. Whether youre looking for a unique place to take your sweetheart on a romantic night out, or seeking an escape from the daily grind, STAR JOURNEY is your destination. Theres no better place near the Neon mecca of Las Vegas than the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings, NV for an evening away from the lights to set your eyes to the sky and to stargaze. With its rich 100-plus year history, its ideal for star gazing being only a 30 minute drive from the Strip and yet far enough away from the lights to let the nights sky reveal herself and all her beauty. STAR JOURNEY is a three hour star gazing tour that will take you on a journey through space and time itself as every tour is designed with a unique focus and socially for the person(s) or group attending. Space is vast, vaster than we can begin to comprehend or know. STAR JOURNEY will never begin to run out of new and exciting focuses for each customized experience. Price includes: Dinner and Drink, Virtual Presentation, and Viewing through 18 telescopes and Binoculars. Star Journey never gets cancelled for bad weather. If bad weather prevents the viewing through 18 telescopes and binoculars, the tour will still provide Dinner and Drink, Virtual Presentation, and then everyone will get a Galileo Telescope that we will build and you get to take home with you. The Galileo telescope is a $100 telescope that is the replica of what Galileo used in 1610, and it allows you to see everything he saw back then, including the rings of Saturn. So whether the weather is good or bad, the tour will be astronomical! Price per person is $129.95. For reservations visit the website for availability on group tours at: https://www.starjourney.net/tickets.aspx, or for private tours of four or more call 801-382-STAR (7827) for your personalized tour. Shuttle service may be available upon request. The Haunted Lockdown presented by the Pioneer Saloon. Experience the thrill of being locked down inside the haunted Pioneer Saloon that opened over 100 years ago in 1913. According to the History Channel, theres several ghosts that haunt this famous and historic old Saloon. The Pioneer Saloon houses bullet holes in the side of the building and the official letter by the coroner describing how they were created back in 1915. The Saloon is said to be haunted by the gun shot victims ghost, as well as the spirit of an old miner, and the ghost of movie star Carole Lombard who is believed to haunt the womens restroom. Over the years, all three ghosts have been seen by many employees and saloon visitors alike. In 2013, the Pioneer Saloon was featured on the Travel Channels popular Ghost Adventures. featuring an all-night lockdown with the shows hosts Zak Bagans, Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin who not only made contact with the known resident spirits, but discovered a fourth specter named Ruby. Since that show aired, countless requests have been made by people from around the world who want to be locked down in this famous landmark and experience its haunted secrets. Hours of the lockdown event are 11:45 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. Use our Ghost Hunting equipment or bring your own, and be a part of your own paranormal investigation upon request. Photography is permitted. Price is $99 per person, includes snacks, coffee, soda and water. Reservations in advance only by calling Noel at 702-290-8325, or online check schedule and book tickets at https://www.hauntedlockdown.com/tickets.aspx. Groups & Events: The historic Pioneer Saloon offers a stunning and beautiful desert and authentically western surroundings. Were a unique venue and perfect for Private Events, Corporate Events, Biker Events, Car Events, Birthday Parties, Off Road Parties, Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties, Weddings, Vow Renewals, television and movie productions, and much more. We offer thousands of square feet of space. You bring the crowd, up to 600 persons accommodated, and well deliver the fun and arrange all the details, from great old west-style food, music and entertainment, and games, too, like horseshoes and chicken-shit bingo. We have a full-service commercial kitchen and Menu to serve up Cowboy-style BBQ, and can price per person available upon request for groups small and large. RV Parking available, too. The steel horse cowboys with dirt bikes and ATVs are welcomed. For groups and event bookings of six persons to 600, email Shelley Mansholt at tandsventures@gmail.com. The Pioneer Saloon is the first & oldest bar in Clark County Established 1913. Travel back in time 100 years to the world famous Pioneer Saloon, only 35 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. From Las Vegas, drive south on I-15 20 miles to Exit 12 Jean, turn right and travel seven miles to Goodsprings. The Pioneer Saloon is on the right. Comme Ca, the modern French brasserie by acclaimed Chef David Myers at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, will commence its Le Barbecue summer grilling series on the patio with a Bastille Day celebration on Saturday, July 14 (Pictured above: From left to right, Comme Cas house-made charcuterie, Merguez Sausage and Skirt Steak au Poivre). Myers, chef and owner of the celebrated restaurant, along with Executive Chef Brian Howard, have created a Parisian-inspired barbecue menu of selections made to order from the wood-fired grill on Comme Cas patio, including freshly-made Leg of Lamb, Skirt Steak au Poivre and Beer Can Chicken. No barbecue would be complete without ample sides, and Comme Ca will feature an elaborate spread of French picnic staples like artisanal cheeses, house-made charcuterie with violet mustard and assorted pickles, Provencal Spring Vegetable Salad, Potted Steak Tartare with traditional garnishes, Smoked Salmon Rillette, Basque Cake and an assortment of seasonal fruit tarts. Unlimited libations priced at $25 per person include house champagne and the Prohibition Punch cocktail made with dark rum, Grand Marnier, passion fruit, fresh lemon and champagne. The mouthwatering menu, priced at $49 per person, will be available from 3 until 7 p.m. on Bastille Day. Additional dates are planned for the Le Barbecue series through the end of September. With Boko Haram, Al-Shabab, a recent attack in Burkina Faso and the growing influence of the Islamic State group, terrorism is a serious threat to the already fragile peace and security situation on the African continent. Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, speaking Saturday at this weekend's African Union summit, called on his fellow heads of state to work together to counter terrorism in Africa, including the threat posed by Islamic State, also known as ISIL. The arms that are coming in must have been purchased by someone and handed over to ISIL, or any of these terrorist groups," Jammeh said. "We must, as a continent, look at which countries are collaborating and stop it." Burundi, a country dealing with a violent political conflict since last year April, is part of an African force fighting the terror group Al-Shabab in Somalia. At the same time, African leaders are expected to come up with a solution to the crisis in Burundi, which has refused to allow in African peacekeeping forces. Some countries, including Gambia, share Burundi's concerns and say no peacekeepers should be deployed to a country without its consent. The theme of this years summit, human rights, has been overshadowed by discussions of terrorism and the situation in Burundi. But U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the issues of terrorism and human rights are closely linked: Counterterrorism strategies that lack due process and respect for the rule of law will be counterproductive," he said. "Extremism flourishes when rights are violated, political spaces shrink and people are marginalized and excluded. Kenya and Nigeria, each of which has faced numerous terrorist attacks, have both been elected for a three-year term on the African Union Peace and Security Council. The African Union wrapped up its heads of state summit Sunday, without a decisive action on Burundi. The African Union did not gather enough support during its summit to deploy troops to Burundi, without the country's consent. Despite a decision from the AU Peace and Security Council in December, to send in troops to halt violence. Peace and Security Commissioner for the African Union, Smail Chergui said the continental body will send a high level delegation to Burundi, to continue consultations and a possible deployment. He says that if Burundi would accept deployment the force would focus on disarming militia, protecting protect civilians, facilitate the work of human rights observers, and collect illegally circulating weapons. Burundi's position Burundi's foreign minister Alan Nyamitwe said the summit ended with a clear understanding the high level delegation would not focus on deploying troops. "Since the government has indicated several times that we are not interested in that force, I believe it is clear that, that delegation will not engage on the force, because we have made our announcements very clear several times, he said. U.N. Security General Ban Ki-Moon told reporters its basically up to the African Union, in consultation with the Burundian government. Assistant Secretary of State Linda Thomas-Greenfield says sending in peacekeepers would be in the interest of the Burundian people. Our understanding is that this is still under discussion. ... So I do not think its off the table and that is a very good thing. We think it is in the interest of the Burundian government to have peacekeepers that will provide eye witnesses to what is going on, she said. Chadian President Idriss Deby closed the summit on Sunday with a call for closer cooperation on terrorism, respecting human rights and keeping African youth from migrating to Europe through illegal ways. Islamic State has claimed a triple bombing in a southern Damascus suburb Sunday that killed at least 60 people. Two suicide bombers detonated explosives as rescue efforts were underway after a car bombing in the Sayeda Zeinab district of Damascus, near a revered Shi'ite shrine. The violence occurred before Syria's main opposition group met with U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura in Geneva. Mistura is attempting to get warring Syrian factions to the negotiating table for a political solution to the country's nearly five-year civil war. In a statement Sunday, European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the bombings were "clearly aimed to disrupt the attempts to start a political process." Shi'ite fighters are among the dead in this predominantly Shi'ite city, according to an AFP report. The area has come under attack before, with several bombings near the shrine in recent years. Europe's police agency says more than 10,000 unaccompanied migrant children have disappeared in the past two years. Europol chief of staff Brian Donald told Britain's Observer newspaper that organized crime rings and sex traffickers may be involved. "We just do not know where they are, what they are doing or whom they are with," he said Saturday. Many missing after registering Even before last year's surge in migrants to Europe, several European agencies documented that up to half of unaccompanied children seeking asylum on the continent went missing after registering with state authorities. IOM and UNICEF data for 2014 indicates more than 23,000 asylum applicants in Europe were unaccompanied minors or children separated from their families. But in the first 10 months of 2015, Sweden alone received applications from over 23,000 unaccompanied and separated children. Asylum statistics, however, do not account for all migrant children. Missing Children Europe (the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children) notes that while some children flee reception centers with a planned destination, others become victims of organized crime gangs. A 2009 report by the Swiss organization Terre des Hommes documented unaccompanied migrant minors in Belgium, France, Spain and Switzerland indicated that some children left juvenile facilities within 48 hours of arriving. In a series of recommendations, the group urged greater multinational coordination in Europe to monitor disappearances, as well as prosecute those responsible for exploiting minors. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Sunday for a more "sober" approach towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in dismissing a French peace initiative as only encouraging Palestinians to shun compromise. The proposal on Friday by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius for an international peace conference was the latest sign of Western frustration over the absence of movement toward a two-state solution since the collapse of U.S.-brokered negotiations in 2014. Fabius said that if the French plan did not break the deadlock, Paris would recognize a Palestinian state. Such a step would raise concern in Israel that other European countries, also long opposed to its settlement-building in occupied territory, would follow suit. In public remarks to his cabinet, Netanyahu did not explicitly reject the notion of an international conference an aide said Israel would examine such a request once it was received - but he made clear that reported details of the plan made it a non-starter. Netanyahu said a "threat" to recognize a Palestinian state if France's peace efforts did not succeed constituted "an incentive to the Palestinians to come along and not compromise." "I assess that there will be a sobering up regarding this matter," Netanyahu added. "In any event, we will make effort so that there is a sobering up here, and our position is very clear: We are prepared to enter direct negotiation without preconditions and without dictated terms." On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the French proposal, telling an African summit in Ethiopia that "the status quo cannot continue." But Washington responded with caution to the French move, saying it continued to prefer that Israel and the Palestinians reach an agreement on final-status issues through direct talks. While aware the initiative may struggle to get off the ground, French officials said Paris had a responsibility to act now in the face of ongoing Israeli settlement activity and the prospect of continued diplomatic inaction as the United States focuses on a presidential election in November. And, the officials said, Netanyahu had gone a step too far in accusing U.N. Secretary of State Ban Ki-moon of giving a "tailwind to terrorism" by laying some of the blame for four months of stabbings and car rammings by Palestinians at Israel's door. Ban angered Israel by saying last week that it is "human nature to react to occupation." The United States, European Union - Israel's closest allies - have also issued unusually stern criticism of Israel in recent weeks, reflecting their own frustration with the policies of Netanyahu's right-wing government. The criticism, particularly about the settlements, where some 550,000 Jews live in around 250 communities scattered across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, has raised Palestinian hopes that world powers might finally be minded to support a U.N. resolution condemning Israel's policy outright. West Bank attack Since October, Palestinian attacks, partly fueled by tensions over the freeze in peace talks, have killed 26 Israelis and a U.S. citizen. In an incident on Sunday, a Palestinian gunman wounded three Israelis near the West Bank settlement of Beit El and was then shot dead by soldiers, the Israeli army said. Palestinian officials said he worked as a bodyguard for a Palestinian prosecutor in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Shortly after that attack, a Palestinian motorist was shot and wounded when he tried to run down soldiers at a military checkpoint in the West Bank, the army said. Over the past four months, Israeli forces have killed at least 152 Palestinians, 98 of them assailants according to authorities. Most the others have died in violent protests. "I don't see anything that warrants living as long as the occupation smothers us and kills our brothers and sisters... You were first and I am following you," the Beit El assailant, Amjad Abu Omar, wrote on Facebook. Palestinians seek a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, parts of which have been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war. Palestine has non-member observer status at the United Nations and its flag flies with those of member states at UN headquarters in New York. Sweden became the first EU member nation to recognize the Palestinian state in 2014. A total of 136 U.N.-member countries, mostly in Africa, Latin America and Asia, now do so. Scientists from the U.S. and Europe have a new eye in the sky monitoring the world's oceans.The Jason-3 satellite, launched on January 17, is the latest satellite to monitor rising sea levels. Scientists say data collected by satellites over the last two decades shows sea levels rising at an accelerating rate, which they say is an indicator of climate change. Josh Willis, Lead Project Scientist for the Jason-3 mission at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory said rising sea levels were one of the factors that contributed to the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Hundreds of people died and the storm surge devastated gulf coast communities as Katrina became one of the deadliest storms in recent U.S. history. "The rising ocean winds up causing problems when it comes on top of things like storm surges, high tides, and rare events which bring very high sea levels," said Willis. Jason-3 collects data by pulsing radar off the ocean surface several thousands of times a second and returns it back to the satellite. "Our satellite records of course only go back about 25 years. But we have measurements of how the oceans have been changing that go back thousands of years and in fact the past 2000 years have been very stable in terms of sea level and climate change. Its only in the last hundred or so years that rapid sea level rise has begun, driven by the warming of the planet," Willis said. Any material, including water, expands when heated. The Jason-3 satellite measures the height of the sea surface, allowing scientists to calculate how much extra heat is stored in the ocean. Lee-Lueng Fu, the project scientist for the Jason-2 mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said the ocean covers 70 percent of the Earths surface, and more than 90 percent of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases ends up in the ocean. "So we are entering a very unique time that greenhouse gas is increasing at an unprecedented pace --50 percent increase in less than 150 years so thats just a fact," he said. "So a lot of warming happening in a very short time and sea level is rising at a pace [that is] very rapid." The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Eric Leuliette said sea levels are an expression of climate change for two reasons. "One is that excess heat that goes in the ocean is causing the ocean to expand," he said. "On top of that, as the glaciers and ice sheets melt due to global warming nearly all that water runs into the ocean also causing the ocean to rise." Leuliette said the data collected from the Jason-3 satellite will help them to continue to monitor the global impacts of rising sea levels, including increased floods.The information collected by the satellite will also help meteorologists better forecast the intensity of big storms such as Hurricane Katrina. "When hurricane Katrina was passing over we could see the spot of warm water using the Jason data that caused the hurricane to intensify from a category three to a category five hurricane," said Leuliette. Once the Jason-3 Satellite retires in three to five years, scientists plan to launch another satellite to continue the mission of building a satellite record of sea level rise on Earth. President Barack Obama on Saturday discussed his plan to give all students across the country the chance to learn computer science in school. In his weekly address, Obama noted that with the rapid shifts in the U.S. economy, knowledge of computer science has become a new "basic skill, right along with the three R's," necessary for economic achievement. "Todays auto mechanics arent just sliding under cars to change the oil; theyre working on machines that run on as many as 100 million lines of code. Thats 100 times more than the space shuttle," the president said. "Nurses are analyzing data and managing electronic health records. Machinists are writing computer programs. And workers of all kinds need to be able to figure out how to break a big problem into smaller pieces and identify the right steps to solve it." The president said that 90 percent of parents want computer science taught at their childrens schools. "Yet right now, only about a quarter of our K-12 schools offer computer science. Twenty-two states dont even allow it to count toward a diploma." Obama then emphasized the need for his Computer Science for All Initiative, which would provide $4 billion in funding for states and $100 million directly for districts in his upcoming budget, and would invest more than $135 million beginning this year through the National Science Foundation and the Corporation for National and Community Service to support and train computer science teachers. The goal of the initiative, he said, is to give "every student in America an early start at learning the skills theyll need to get ahead in the new economy," and he said he would be calling on "governors, mayors, business leaders and tech entrepreneurs to join the growing bipartisan movement around this cause." Americans must all do their part "to make sure all our young people can compete in a high-tech, global economy," Obama said. "Theyre the ones who will make sure America keeps growing, keeps innovating and keeps leading the world in the years ahead. And theyre the reason Ive never been more confident about our future." With only two days remaining until Iowa voters hold the first nominating contest of the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, a closely watched poll is suggesting tight and largely unchanged Democratic and Republican races. The Iowa Poll, conducted by The Des Moines Register and Bloomberg Politics and released late Saturday, showed Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton hanging on to their narrow leads in the Hawkeye State. Trump, the billionaire businessman, came in first with 28 percent, compared with 23 percent for his closest rival, Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Since early January, Trump has risen 6 percentage points in the poll. In keeping with most other recent polls, Florida Senator Marco Rubio came in third in the GOP with 15 percent, and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson came in fourth with 10 percent. All other candidates polled in the single digits. On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Clinton led the way with 45 percent. Her main challenger, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, was next with 42 percent. Former Maryland Governor Martin OMalley secured the support of just 3 percent of likely Democratic voters. Influential poll The poll is closely watched by experts and is seen as one of the most accurate indicators of whom voters will choose on Monday in Iowa. The survey famously predicted that then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama would win Iowa in 2008. He eventually did, defeating Clinton and going on to win the presidency. However, unlike previous election cycles, the poll this time did not appear to suggest any last-minute surprises, instead revealing too-close-to-call races on both sides. Final sprint Candidates from both parties on Saturday made a final sprint in Iowa, holding campaign events across the rural Midwestern state. Trump returned to Iowa, after having held rallies the previous day in New Hampshire, which holds the nations next nominating contest on February 9. If a lot of people come, Trump wins by a lot. If they dont come, I dont win. And if I dont win, bad things happen, he said. Sanders offered a similarly blunt assessment of his chances. At a campaign event in Manchester, in the next primary state, he called the primary battle a tossup. We will win the caucus on Monday night if there is a large voter turnout. And we will lose the caucus Monday night if there is a low voter turnout, Sanders said. Snowstorm coming? Turnout could be affected by a major snowstorm that forecasters expect to hit Iowa starting late Monday, as the voters are caucusing. Forecasters say the storm could dump nearly 12 inches (30 centimeters) of snow on parts of the state, along with strong winds that could create blizzard-like conditions. If the bad weather hits, experts say, candidates with better-organized ground campaigns or with more passionate supporters stand a better chance. Clinton focuses on guns Clinton spent Saturday trying to protect her narrow and apparently shrinking lead over Sanders. At a rally in Ames, she appeared with former U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords of Arizona, who was the victim of a gun attack in 2011 and is now a gun control advocate. "How can we continue to ignore the toll that this is taking on our children and our country?" Clinton said. "When you go to caucus Monday night, please think of this." Clinton has repeatedly tried to appeal to Democratic voters by saying she will enact tougher gun restrictions than Sanders. Cruz mailer criticized Meanwhile, the Cruz campaign is taking heat in Iowa over one of its campaign mailers, which seems to threaten recipients. The mailer appears to be designed to look like an official document and includes the names of the recipients, as well as those of their neighbors. You are receiving this election notice because of low expected voter turnout in your area," it reads. "Your individual voting history as well as your neighbors are public record. Their scores are published below, and many of them will see your score as well. CAUCUS ON MONDAY TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORE and please encourage your neighbors to caucus as well. A follow-up notice may be issued following Mondays caucuses. Iowas secretary of state, Paul Pate, issued a statement calling the flier misleading and a false representation of an official act. There is no such thing as an election violation related to frequency of voting, Pate said. Any insinuation or statement to the contrary is wrong, and I believe it is not in keeping with the spirit of the Iowa caucuses. Polls earlier this month showed Cruz closing in on Trump. But he now appears to be struggling, especially after this weeks shaky debate performance in Des Moines. Iowa is seen as a particularly crucial state for Cruz. It has a large number of evangelical Christians, which make up a significant part of Cruzs base of support. Trump appeals to evangelicals Eager to gain some of those votes, Trump on Saturday made a last-minute appeal to evangelical voters with a video posted on his Facebook page. I really appreciate the support given to me by the evangelicals. Theyve been incredible. Every poll shows how well Ive been doing with them, said Trump, holding up a Bible given to him by his mother. I will never let you down. Reminiscent of the Charles Dickens classic, A Tale of Two Cities, the presidential campaigns of Republicans Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush seem to be in very different places ahead of Monday's first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses. Cruz is busy chasing front-runner Donald Trump and trying to prevent rival Senator Marco Rubio of Florida from overtaking him in the final stage of the Iowa campaign. Rubio has accused Cruz of a variety of kitchen sink attacks in the wake of the latest debate, which saw the two men clash sharply over their shifting views on immigration. Large Cruz crowd One of Cruz's several campaign stops Saturday was Ames, Iowa, home of Iowa State University. After introductions by U.S. Representative Steve King of Iowa and talk-show host Glenn Beck, Cruz got down to business. This is your time," he told the crowd. "This is for the men and women of Iowa and the time to make a decision. Cruz drew a large crowd that crammed into a hotel ballroom to hear the Texas senator harken back to the days of former President Ronald Reagan and his vision for a new American future. We have faced these challenges before," Cruz said. "We have faced the abyss before and the American people came together and pulled this country back. We have done it before, and if we stand together we can do it again, and we can restore that last, best hope for mankind that is the United States of America. Out-of-state observers After the event, two men engaged in an intense discussion about Cruz. Paul, a local organizer for Cruz who did not want to give his last name, said he was committed to supporting Cruz at his caucus. He's a consistent conservative, he's trusted and he does what he says what he's going to do, Paul said. Paul was discussing Cruz with Michael Bruce, who had traveled from Kansas to try to ask the candidates questions. And what I appreciate about Cruz is that this young man has started a people's revolution, he said. Low-key gathering for Bush Compared with the frenzy of activity at the Cruz rally, the campaign scene a day earlier and an hour to the west in the small town of Carroll was far different. There, several dozen Iowans waited patiently to ask questions of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. The modest crowd seemed to symbolize Bush's struggles in Iowa, where he lags far behind Trump, Cruz and Rubio. When he meets Iowa voters, Bush emphasizes his experience as governor and family background. When you are a leader, you have a focus on moving towards the fire to take it out, to solve the problems, and that's what we need in Washington, D.C., right now, he said. Bush also seeks to distinguish himself from other, more angry voices in the primary battle by trying to win over voters with an upbeat message. I think first having a proven record of accomplishment and being thoroughly vetted and campaigning with a hopeful and optimistic message with your arms wide open," he said. "We are never going to win as conservatives if we are the reactionary party. Mixed reaction Bush has success with some Iowans, like Cindy Bruggeman, who traveled 50 miles with her husband to attend the event in Carroll. We are going to go to a caucus for the first time Monday night, and that is where we'll put our faith in him, she said. But another woman, who declined to give her name, turned her face into a scowl when asked whether she was ready to support Bush. Well, I, I'm not saying, she said. When asked whether she had made up her mind about her caucus choice on Monday, she blurted out a quick Nope. Opposite directions With the caucuses drawing ever nearer, Bush and Cruz find themselves in different positions. Cruz is battling with Trump for the top spot in Iowa, and a Cruz victory here would make him a serious contender for the party nomination, fueling his drive in the upcoming primaries. Bush, on the other hand, is hoping to stay relevant. Candidates who can survive Iowa get to compete in New Hampshire and the primaries beyond, and the Bush family has a record of success in some of the early primary states, especially South Carolina, which votes later in February. But watching the urgency with which Bush and Cruz cultivated voters at their rallies, it was clear that the candidates realize that the time for talking is almost at an end. On Monday night, the voters of Iowa will have their opportunity to render their judgment and fire off the first official salvo of the 2016 presidential campaign. WATCH: Some Iowa Victors Go All the Way, Others Fade Away Swazilands workers unions petitioned the government of King Mswati III, to release of a salary review report that highlights working conditions of public sector workers across the country. Union leaders, backed by pro-democracy and civil society groups, warn that if the government continues to refuse to release the report, they would organize a series of nationwide demonstrations to put pressure on the administration to do so. The report, workers union leaders say, calls for an increase in salaries for workers. The government initially said the report is being considered by the cabinet, insisting that it was not for public consumption. But in an about face, a senior official at the ministry of public service asked union leaders to give the government time to deliberate on the report before releasing it to the public. But the union leaders say this is yet another attempt by the administration to stall and thwart attempts by workers to demand pay increases and better working conditions. Wandile Dludlu, national coordinator for a pro-democracy group known as the Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF), says the workers have issued an ultimatum to the government as a warning of actions to be taken if it continues to refuse to release the report. The report has to do with the quality of working conditions of workers in general, so how on earth do you then refuse workers from having access to such a report? So we have only given them until next week to release the report, said Dludlu. We have all agreed in principle that lets not sit back to organize and mobilizing and raising as much awareness to public sector unions around the need that very soon we may need to take a national activity in as far as petitioning the cabinet directly now, the office of the prime minister So we are not relaxed, we are not sitting on our laurels. We will hit the ground to prepare for a much deeper a more serious punch. Because the government needs to be pushed in Swaziland. It never listens, until its kicked around. The government in the capital, Mbabane, has often blamed the recent global economic downturn for its inability to raise the pay of public sector workers. Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini and other senior government officials have said there is a need for belt tightening in the coming year. The administration usually accuses the pro-democracy groups of fomenting trouble by engaging in violent activities including acts of terrorism to destabilize the country. Supporters of the government say pro-democracy groups including SUDF often hijack issues to destabilize the country. Well we expect any kind of response coming from the state. Historically, they have never had good words for situations in times like these But what is important is the quality of life of the ordinary worker who is a recipient of a system that does not take serious the basic needs of workers, said Dludlu. The government plans to buy new cars for use by visiting heads of state and government when Swaziland hosts the Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting next year. Pro-democracy groups say the planned purchases, which they estimate at more than $11 million, reflect misplaced government priorities. Supporters of the government insist the administration has an obligation to host the summit as a member of the regional bloc. But Dludlu argued that the government cannot legitimately spend extravagantly on the summit while claiming it cannot afford to increase the pay of public sector workers. The reason why we are putting this demand is that on one hand they are saying the workers must tighten their belt, but they at the top are loosening their own belt, by spending more, buying new cars, a fleet of cars (to host) the SADC meeting. The expenditure of the monarchy is going up, but they are saying to the workers, we must tighten belt. It is on the basis of that is why we are not listening to them at all, because they seem not to walk their talk, said Dludlu. The summit cannot be done at the expense of the abject poverty that continues to ground and grind Swazis. A military general who opposes Uganda's longtime president has been arrested, according to his lawyer. He says General David Sejusa, who has called President Yoweri Museveni a dictator, is being detained at a military barracks in the Ugandan capital Kampala. Sejusa's arrest is likely to raise tensions before the presidential elections on February 18. Neither the government or military has commented on why Sejusa was detained. Museveni has ruled Uganda since 1986, when he led a group of rebels, including Sejusa, against a government they accused of rigging elections. Sejusa now openly accuses Museveni of violating the ideals for which they waged that guerrilla war. In 2013, Sejusa wrote a letter to the domestic spy chief urging him to investigate allegations of a plot to kill high-ranking government officials seen as being opposed to the political rise of Museveni's son, a brigadier who commands the country's special forces. Facing likely arrest, Sejusa, who, was traveling in Europe at the time, sought asylum in London. He quietly returned home in December 2014. A triple bombing in a southern Damascus suburb killed at least 60 people Sunday. Two suicide bombers detonated explosives as rescue efforts were underway after a car bombing in the Sayeda Zeinab district of Damascus, where Syria's holiest Shi'ite shrine is located. The violence occurred before Syria's main opposition group met with U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura in Geneva. Mistura is attempting to get warring Syrian factions to the negotiating table for a political solution to the country's nearly five-year civil war. Before participating in peace talks with the Syrian government, the High Negotiations Committee is demanding an end to government sieges and Russian airstrikes in rebel-held areas. An HNC spokesman said Saturday the group is in Geneva primarily to talk about humanitarian issues, and only then would move to further negotiations. The U.N.-mediated talks that opened Friday are the first international effort for a peaceful settlement in Syria since the last round of U.N. negotiations broke apart in 2014 with little progress. De Mistura has met with the Syrian government delegation headed by the country's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari. Kurds leave Geneva Representatives of Syrian Kurds fighting against the Syrian government said they were not invited to join the Geneva meetings, and will not be part of the peace talks. Turkey opposed the Syrian Kurds' participation, contending they are linked to the Kurdish fighters who have fought with Turkey for 30 years over control of Kurdish-majority areas of southeastern Turkey. The civil war in Syria has dragged on for nearly five years, killed a quarter of a million people and displaced millions more.The conflict has also seen the birth of the Islamic State militant group and triggered a massive wave of refugees to western Europe. The battles in Syria have intensified since September when Russia began airstrikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad, countering the efforts of opposition groups supported by the United States, some members of the European Union, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The complicated backdrop makes the peace process especially difficult. Significant gains for Assad's forces With Russian support, Assads forces have made significant gains.Analysts say the government has little incentive to negotiate with an opposition that is weak and fractured. Despite the opposition coalition's move toward joining the Geneva talks, analysts are pessimistic.Nadim Shehadi of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston sees little chance of success. We are pressuring the opposition to prove that they are united, coherent, that they have a strong leadership and that they have a vision, and a policy and a certain consensus on what the future will be," Shehadi said." And I do not think they do, I do not think they will in the near future, and I do not think they can. After boycotting the start of indirect peace talks, representatives of the main Syrian opposition group met Sunday with the U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, in Geneva, with both sides saying there had been progress in resolving some of the issues that had the opposition threatening to leave. De Mistura told reporters he is optimistic and determined that the opposition will join the peace process that got underway Friday, five days behind schedule and with opposition representatives boycotting the first day. A spokesman for the Syrian opposition said the discussions on Sunday were encouraging and positive concerning humanitarian issues, referring to the groups demands for an end to airstrikes on civilians and the lifting of sieges that are preventing humanitarian aid from reaching rebel-held areas. Earlier in the day, the group said it was in Geneva to meet with U.N. officials and not to enter into negotiations, even indirect ones, with the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Late Sunday, the opposition spokesman said his delegation will have another meeting with U.N. officials Monday. The so-called proximity talks are meant to lay the groundwork for eventual direct negotiations. With no face-to-face encounters scheduled between Assad government officials and opposition representatives in this round, the plan is for the U.N. envoy to consult with each side separately and shuttle between the two to relay proposals and positions. US urges push In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged the Syrian government and the opposition to push for an end to the nearly 5-year-old conflict that has killed a quarter of a million people and displaced millions. He described the war in Syria as an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe unmatched since World War II. WATCH: US Secretary of State John Kerry's statement "I appeal to both sides to make the most of this moment, to seize the opportunity for serious negotiations, to negotiate in good faith with the goal of making concrete measurable progress in the days immediately ahead,'' Kerry said. Representatives of the opposition group, the High Negotiations Committee, arrived in Geneva Saturday, saying they would engage only in talks with U.N. officials, but not negotiations. The Saudi-backed group has been meeting in Riyadh and demanded a halt to airstrikes by Syrian government and Russian forces on civilians, and the lifting of sieges on rebel-held areas, before it would enter into negotiations. Delegates decided to travel to Switzerland only after receiving assurances their demands would be heard. "We only came to Geneva after written commitments on the fact that there would be serious progress on humanitarian issues," HNC spokeswoman Basma Kodmani told reporters. 'Historic occasion' After Fridays shaky start, U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura was determined to make this round succeed. It is an historic occasion not to be missed, he said, as he left a Geneva hotel after meeting with the opposition. U.N. officials described the meeting as informal and hoped the HNC officials would agree to a formal meeting later Sunday. The Islamic State extremist group was not invited to the Geneva peace talks because it, along with the al-Nusra Front, is designated by the United Nations as a terrorist organization. Limited talks The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad considers all rebel groups that want to depose Assad terrorists, but agreed to proximity talks with some opposition groups the international community recognizes as moderate. On Sunday, a senior Syrian government official said Assad would never accept the inclusion of Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam groups. The statement presents a possible snag for the talks because many in the moderate opposition believe both groups should eventually be included, while the Syrian government and its Russian backers see them as extremists with whom Damascus should not negotiate. Boko Harm militants attacked a village in northeastern Nigeria, killing at least 50 people. Witnesses said Sunday the Islamic extremists stormed into Dalori, near Maiduguri, late Saturday night shooting people and burning down homes. One soldier told The Associated Press three female suicide bombers blew themselves up among a crowd of people, causing more casualties. Meanwhile, the human rights group Amnesty International said the reinstatement of a Nigerian general suspected of crimes against humanity shows what it calls a mockery of the Nigerian government pledge to investigate war crimes. Major General Ahmadu Mohammed was reinstated in January, more than a year after he was retired form duty following a mutiny of his soldiers. Amnesty said the general was in command of army operations when soldiers killed more than 640 unarmed suspects following a Boko Haram attack on an army barracks in Maiduguri. Amnesty Secretary General Salil Shetty said it is "unthinkable" that Mohammed could be returned to duty even before the promised investigation began. "Young men and boys, rounded up by the military were either shot, starved, suffocated or tortured to death, and no one has yet been held to account," Shetty said. There has been no response so far from the Nigerian government. Amnesty said senior Nigerian military commanders are responsible for the deaths of more than 8,000 detainees since 2011. The Zika virus outbreak in Latin America could be a bigger threat to global health than the Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people in Africa. That's according to several public health experts who spoke with the Guardian and Examiner newspapers ahead of an emergency meeting of the World Health Organization on Monday, which will decide whether the Zika threat should be rated a global health crisis. Brazilian public health authorities are reporting an increase in cases of microcephaly, a fetal deformation where infants are born with abnormally small heads. The incidence of the normally rare birth defect is 10 times higher than normal. The cause is under investigation, but there appears to be a correlation between the condition and Zika infections in expectant mothers. Silent infection "In many ways the Zika outbreak is worse than the Ebola epidemic of 2014-15," Jeremy Farrar, head of the Wellcome Trust, told the Guardian. "Most virus carriers are symptomless. It is a silent infection in a group of highly vulnerable individuals, pregnant women, that is associated with a horrible outcome for their babies." There is currently no prospect of a vaccine for Zika, in contrast to Ebola, for which several are now under trial. "The real problem is that trying to develop a vaccine that would have to be tested on pregnant women is a practical and ethical nightmare," said Mike Turner, head of infection and immunobiology at the Wellcome Trust. The World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Pan American Health Organization warn the Zika virus is spreading rapidly through the Americas and could affect as many as four million people. Threat to US Dr. Peter Hotez told the Examiner newspaper that the Zika outbreak in Brazil poses a "far greater threat to the United States than Ebola," A Zika outbreak has "never been seen on this scale," Hotez said, despite its prevalence in Africa, Asia and the Pacific islands. Zika is a viral illness spread from human to human through the bite of a mosquito. Two species of mosquito are known to carry the virus, the Yellow Fever mosquito and the Asian Tiger mosquito. Both species are found throughout most of the Americas. The Yellow Fever mosquito can be found along the Gulf Coast of the United States while the Asian Tiger mosquito can be found as far north as New York City. Avoiding affected countries Meanwhile, health authorities in several Asian countries have advised travelers, particularly pregnant women, to avoid trips to Central and South America. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned pregnant women against traveling to areas with Zika virus outbreaks. They have asked people coming or returning from those areas, who display symptoms such as fever and rashes to immediately report to health centers. Doctors are also required to immediately report suspected cases. Colombia's National Health Institute has recommended couples delay pregnancy for six to eight months. US, Brazil agree on joint efforts Faced with the Zika outbreak, the presidents of the United States and Brazil have agreed on "the importance of collaborative efforts" to combat its spread. Barack Obama and Dilma Rouseff recognize the significance of working together "to deepen our knowledge, advance research, and accelerate work to develop better vaccines and other technologies to control the virus," the White House said. In the meantime, Brazil has turned to a British company, Oxitec, for help. According to The New York Times, Brazil recently approved the release of multiple groups of genetically modified Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes, created by Oxitec, throughout the country. The idea behind the release of the mosquitos is for the mature modified males to mate with females. Their offspring who inherited the modified gene would die, causing the mosquito population to dwindle and, hopefully, lower the threat of the disease. The WHO says the virus has grown rapidly to a public-health threat of "alarming proportions." Julius Lutwana, a virologist at the Uganda Virus Research Institute, told VOA Zika was long thought to pose only a small risk to humans. Protecting against mosquito bites The WHO says people with the Zika virus have a mild fever, skin rash and conjunctivitis (red eye) with symptoms lasting between two to seven days. The best prevention against Zika virus, experts say, is protection against mosquito bites. Outbreaks in Brazil, which reported its first Zika case in 2015, and elsewhere in southern and Central America have led to extensive spraying of insecticides to eradicate mosquitoes. The WHO's regional office in the Americas said the most effective ways to stop the virus from spreading are to reduce mosquito breeding sites and for people to protect themselves from bites with insect repellent, nets, screens and clothing that covers as much of the body as possible. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe ended his year-long term as the chair of the African Union body, with a nearly hour-long speech that seemed to indicate an increasing intolerance for the Wests involvement in Africas affairs. President Mugabe instructed United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, who was in attendance, to tell the West to shut their mouths, in voicing its opposition to his 35-year rule, or that of other revolutionary parties like Tanzanias Chama Cha Mapinduzi, which recently retained control of the government through an election. Regime change, Mugabe should not be there, we want someone else, Mr. Mugabe mocked, referring to U.S. and other Western countries that he has accused often of trying to oust him by strengthening the opposition and civil society groups. While rumors of ill-health due to his advanced age, and infighting in his Zanu-PF party have raised speculation about his ability to remain in power, Mr. Mugabe, who turns 92 next month, said as long as he's alive, he'll be in charge. "I will be there until God said come, and join the others. But as long as I am still alive, Ill still have the punch, said President Mugabe to rousing applause. A long-time critic of the UN, President Mugabe, however, spared Mr. Ban of any wrong, despite the fact that Ban, who is from South Korea, is nearing the end of his second and final five-year term as UN Chief. But you [Ban] have done a good job for us. You have visited our countries, you have wept with us where disease has visited us, whether it was Ebola, or some other, where calamities have occurred, where fights have taken place, where terrorism has also affected us. We thank you for that, said Mr. Mugabe, adding, of course you dont come from those countries. Among President Mugabes biggest gripe with the UN body, is the absence of Africa in the crucial decision-making Security Council, which comprises five permanent members with veto power the U.S., France, Britain, China and Russia while the rest of the countries serve on a rotational basis, with little influence. President Mugabe and other African leaders have been pushing for Africa to have at least two permanent seats in the Security Council, with equal veto power, arguing that Africas 54-member countries justify the need for a say in crucial decisions, many of which affect the continent. But no, two members, 54 countries here, this is the body, the body of respected people. The body of Africa, President Mugabe stressed, again urging Mr. Ban to deliver his message. Tell them, tell them we are not ghosts, that we also belong to the world part of the world called Africa, and Africans shall no longer tolerate a position of slavery, slavery by any other name. By denial of rights, slavery by being treated in a manner we regard as not equal to the manner in which they treat themselves. Failure by the UN to reform per Africas request, President Mugabe suggested a mass exodus of African countries from the body, as was proposed in the case of the International Criminal Court, which has been accused of targeting African countries, though many are members. If we decide as we shall certainly do so one of these days, that down with the United Nations, we are not members of it, others are real members of it, we are artificial members of it, and we, we cant continue to be artificial members of it, said Mr. Mugabe. If the United Nations is to survive, we must be equal members of it. Equal members, members who can say when we go to the body, that we can now, speaking truly as members with a voice that is understood, respected and honored. Taking the argument further, President Mugabe, who was interrupted often with loud applause and at times standing ovation from the member countries, questioned the location of the UN headquarters New York saying it should be where the majority of its members are, namely Africa and Asia. Where do you have most of the people? Mr. Mugabe queried, after calculating that more than three billion just in China, India and Africa, alone. Now put us together, just us three, and then put those with the white faces and pink noses, put them together against us. How many are there, even man to a man? And do we allow that that group should continue harassing us, even in our independent countries? PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: In attacking the West, President Mugabe has been specially critical of the U.S. which has imposed targeted sanctions on the country as a pre-condition for better governance and human rights practices. While in the past Mr. Mugabe was quick to attack by name, former U.S. President George Bush who signed into law the controversial Zimbabwe Democracy And Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) in early 2000, the name of current U.S. President Barack Obama, has been used more sparingly. However, in his speech, President Mugabe took a swipe at the U.S.s first president of color, insinuating that President Obama, has no real power because of his race. There is (President) Obama today, yes, but what is he? What is he? A voice to speak their language, to act their act. And not our act, but their act. They are still superiors. President Mugabe referred to a predominantly African-American neighborhood in New York city, Harlem, where he said not much is said about the injustices against blacks there, while Western countries are quick to raise alarm over similar situations in African countries. The blacks, when you go to Harlem, youll shed tears today, said Mr. Mugabe. There is no education for all. No health (care) for all. Blacks in the streets, and nobody seems to talk about it. But they (whites) instead, still want to talk about us. President Mugabe accused the West of falsely using its advocacy role against injustice as a means to enter African countries and force change of governments. They are everywhere in Africa. If not physically, through NGOs (loud applause) through spies, through pretenders who come to us and say they are here in Africa to assist us. Even in groups, armed groups in some of our territories. What help is coming from them? Regime change, Mr. Mugabe concluded. A SELF-SUFFICIENT AFRICA President Mugabe and his government adopted a Look East policy a few years ago, to counter its growing isolation from the West and the assistance that came with it. President Mugabe in his speech, indicated a similar trend across Africa, where he referred to enhanced cooperation between Africa and its strategic partners, in 2015. Several big forums took place in 2015 between African countries and India and China, namely the 3rd Africa India Summit, which took place in India, and the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), in South Africa, immediately following Chinese President Xi Jinpings to Zimbabwe. President Mugabe described the partnerships as important platforms to advance our (Africa) agenda, with a view to ensuring mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. Beyond the partnerships, however, President Mugabe also stressed on the importance of the African Union members to be current in their member fees, and also take more financial ownership of the AUs own initiatives such as long-term Agenda 2063, that sets development targets for Africa over the next 50 years. The Assembly took a principled position to progressively meet from our own resources, the bulk of our budget in order to ensure and safeguard the ownership of African Agenda and processes by Africans, said President Mugabe. By the end of the next 5 years, beginning in 2016, we must meet 100% of our operations budget, 75% of our programs budget and 25% of the peace and security budget. Mr. Mugabe noted that the implementation of this commitment would be a clear demonstration of our will and commitment to our organization, the African Union and will enable Africa to occupy its rightful place in the community of nations. He also stressed the need to step up industrialization which the Zimbabwean leader said is the key to uplifting the lives of citizens by creating unemployment and ending poverty. We must not spare efforts to push for the industrialization of our countries and regions with value addition and beneficiation at the core. Implementation of the African Industrialization Strategy should be prioritized. Despite challenges that Africa faces in terms of hot spots such as Libya, Somalia, South Sudan and several others, President Mugabe said overall, "Africa has come of age and that democracy is alive on our continent." President Mugabe handed over chairmanship of the AU to Chadian President Idriss Deby. Viola Davis took home her second SAG award in a row for her performance in How to Get Away With Murder last night, which many might call a trend toward better recognizing nonwhite actors in Hollywood, especially considering the debate over diversity that has come to dominate this awards season this year. But Davis, who spoke to reporters backstage after her win, was careful to emphasize that the push for diversity is a ongoing battle, which actors of color have been fighting, and will continue to fight, for years. We have become a society of trending topics, Davis said. Diversity is not a trending topic. Its just not. Ive always considered myself an actor since I got my equity card in 1988. Ive never put any limitations on myself. I felt like I can play Chekhov any character in Chekhov in Shakespeare, in Miller, in August Wilson. Davis went on to say that, despite the (very white) performances awards and studios might celebrate, actors of color will continue to do the powerful work they have put out before. All of the actors of color that I know dont place any limitations on themselves either. Regardless of what is going on with the Academy, regardless of what is going on in Hollywood, they will find a way to be excellent. We always have and we always will. Watch Daviss backstage comments above and her acceptance speech below. The Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization will host several public events this week as it works to develop a plan for the future of U.S. Business 77. The MPO strongly desires input from the community and property owners along the corridor as it develops a plan for the corridor that is sustainable, fits within the surrounding community and serves the entire Waco region. Events include: Public meetings from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and Thursday at the city of Waco Multi-Purpose Center, 1020 Elm Ave. Open house programs from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at the Texas Department of Transportations Waco District Headquarters, 100 South Loop Drive. The open houses will allow the public to visit with the team, view the progress it has made and share input. Decorative arts course Historic Waco Foundation is conducting registration for its annual Barnes Decorative Arts Course, scheduled to run from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through March 22 at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum Education Center, 100 Texas Ranger Trail. Cost is $75 for the seven-course lecture series presented by experts in the fields of decorative arts, local architecture, American fine art and regional history. Participants can pay an additional $50 to take a trip to tour Bayou Bend. To register, call 753-5166. St. Olaf Choir concert The St. Olaf Choir will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Jones Concert Hall in Baylor Universitys Glennis McCrary Music Building. Founded in 1912, the choir is internationally recognized as a creative force behind Americas a cappella choral tradition. The program will include sacred and secular masterpieces, works for chorus and organ, and a group of spiritual arrangements, with works by Mendelssohn, Bach, Herbert Howells, Alberto Ginastera and others. Tickets cost $30, or $10 for students, and are available from the St. Olaf Choir website at stolaf.edu/stolaf-choir. For more information, visit www.baylor.edu/music or call 710-3991. HCGS meeting The Hill County Genealogical Society will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the Hill County Courthouse Annex, 126 S. Covington St. in Hillsboro. Guest speaker Patti Huff Smith, of Dallas, will discuss her deep roots in Hill County and her adventures in tracing her family history. Smiths great-great-great-grandfather, John W. Crook, was sheriff of Hill County in 1857. Allergan, which makes pharmaceutical products for the eyes and skin at its plant on Mars Drive, will already have a $450 million impact on the Greater Waco economy this year. It may see that influence grow if the company chooses the local plant for an expansion that would double its capacity and create the need for a few hundred more employees. Brent Saunders, president and CEO of Allergan, delivered that message Friday during a media briefing at the 400,000-square-foot facility. It attracted state and U.S. elected officials and representatives of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and the economic development division of the Texas Governors Office. Also attending was Tom Kelly, a Baylor University economist, who prepared a report for Allergan titled The Economic Impact of Allergan on the Central Texas Economy in which he noted that Allergans local operations had an aggregate impact on total spending in Central Texas of $406 million in 2015. The economic impact was a direct result of the companys strong employment and labor force earnings at its Waco facility, with employment increasing 27 percent and its labor force earnings increasing 38 percent in the period between 2010 and 2015, Kelly wrote in his report. The local facility now employs 750 people whose average annual compensation totals $78,965, including benefits. Kelly predicted that the total impact of Allergans capital investments and operations will reach $450.3 million this year, operating at the same capacity. Allergan, which has operations in more than 100 countries, is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with New Jersey serving as home base for North American operations. It was from New Jersey that Saunders traveled to Waco to meet with employees, tour the plant and discuss Kellys findings. Flagship In an interview, Saunders described Waco as the flagship plant of the companys operations in the United States and said it is being considered as the production location for several new products we now have in the pipeline. He said Allergan is considering other locales but indicated Waco remains high on the short list. This plant is full to capacity and runs 24/7, so doubling its capacity would require an expansion and more employment, Saunders said. He described as meaningful the size of any increase in personnel Allergan might enact, though I cant qualify it other than to say a few hundred people. Fortunately, Saunders said, the plant has had no trouble filling positions during its 27 years in Waco, thanks to the quality education provided by area high schools, including nearby Midway High School, as well as Baylor University, Texas State Technical College and McLennan Community College. Their presence is one reason Allergan is considering the plant in Waco for expansion to handle new products. We serve patients in 110 countries with products made here with the help of our 750 employees, Saunders said during his presentation. Kelly, the Baylor economist, said the company chose Waco for expansion in the late 1980s following recruiting visits by Curtis Cleveland, who then was the industry recruiter for the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, and longtime industrial real estate specialist Bland Cromwell. They negotiated a deal that helped mitigate the devastation of General Tire & Rubber Co.s closing, a move that eliminated about 1,400 well-paying union jobs. Allergan came to Waco because they were made to feel welcome, Kelly said, repeating a claim made Friday by several company executives. He contrasted that move to General Electrics recent decision to leave Fairfield, Connecticut, for Boston, Massachusetts, following fierce competition among several states. What Waco got, Kelly said, is a company that spent $234 million on machinery and equipment, site improvement and construction engineering between 2010 and 2015 all of which contributes to city, county and school district tax revenues and likely will spend $83.3 million more in 2016. Employment increase Also between 2010 and 2015, the company saw employment increase from 588 to 750. That 27.5 percent increase means Allergan actually boosted local employment from 1,835 jobs to 2,340 jobs, when applying a multiplier that takes into consideration jobs created outside the plant because of spending by the plant itself. During that period, Allergan received nearly $3 million from the Waco-McLennan County Economic Development Corp.s incentive fund. Since 2010, Allergan has also contributed $713,500 in charitable contributions to Waco organizations in the form of grants and disaster relief, Kelly wrote in his report. The year 1989, when Allergan selected Waco as a production site for innovative eye care products in the pharmaceutical industry, marked the beginning of a 27-year period during which many local businesses and households have been able to share in the firms success in the global marketplace. U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, R-Bryan, whose District 17 includes Waco, congratulated Allergan for nearly three decades of producing employment and fine products. Were talking about an economic impact of nearly half a billion dollars, Flores said. You may not be as famous as Fixer Upper, but youre making a huge difference. He was referring to the popular television show on HGTV in which Chip and Joanna Gaines remodel local homes, generating millions of fans nationwide. Flores said he would do everything in his power to continue creating an attractive work environment in Texas for companies such as Allergan. That would include supporting scientific research, keeping taxes as low as possible and urging the Food and Drug Administration to work more efficiently in approving medicines. There is no reason drugs should be approved more quickly in Europe than in the United States, he said. State Rep. Charles Doc Anderson, whose district includes Waco, said, Were blessed to have Allergan here, as they have been great corporate neighbors. McLennan County Judge Scott Felton said Allergan is the type of economic development success story officials hope for. Working with the Waco chamber, we pray for companies like you, Felton said. Youve raised the bar well above what we expected. Matt Meadors, president of the Waco chamber, said, We not only welcome you but celebrate your presence. We will serve as your champion, helping you grow and prosper. The Allergan plant in Waco probably is best known for its production of Restasis for the treatment of chronic dry eye and Latisse, which promotes longer and fuller lashes. Allergan also produces the wrinkle relaxer Botox and two drugs to improve Alzheimers disease symptoms, though not in Waco. Baylor Universitys Student Senate voted last week to support administrators plans to continue banning guns from campus. A new state law taking effect Aug. 1 requires public colleges and universities to allow concealed handgun license holders to carry guns on many parts of their campuses, but private universities can opt out. Before private schools make a decision, officials are legally obligated to consult faculty, staff and students. Baylors Student Senate voted 30-6 to opt out and continue banning guns. Student Body President Pearson Brown said he will present a portfolio of student perspectives to President and Chancellor Ken Starr soon. Starr said at a Texas Tribune symposium in November that he is certain Baylor will opt out of the campus carry requirement, which is part of Senate Bill 11. We have made it clear all along that the university believes that guns on our campus are not a good idea in general, spokeswoman Lori Fogleman said. We believe they would introduce potential challenges to campus safety and make more difficult the work of our public safety officers. She also said Starr intends to discuss his plans for campus carry at a board of regents meeting in February. While the new law requires administrators to consult students, the Student Senates authority is limited to making suggestions to university officials. Its such a complex issue that we need to hear students voice their concerns on both sides of the argument, Brown said. The final report to Starr will have all student feedback the group has collected, including a poll emailed to all students asking if the university should continue to ban guns or change its policy when the new law goes into effect. Out of 3,327 responses, 62 percent said Baylor should not allow guns on campus, 34 percent said Baylor should allow guns and 3 percent were unsure. The responses represent 22 percent of Baylor students. Brown cited the survey results as he presented his bill suggesting Baylor opt out of the campus carry requirement. When we were first approached with this idea knowing that Baylor, in order to reach a decision, was going to have to consult students, we wanted to provide an outlet for every student to voice opinions and concerns, Brown said at the meeting. I look at the first line in every senate bill we read: Student senate is elected by the student body to represent and voice the opinions of students. As part of student consultation, student government members hosted information tables in the Bill Daniel Student Center, focus group meetings with student organization leaders, a discussion with university officials and a public deliberation. After the deliberation, just over half of the 35 students there wanted the university to allow campus carry. In the focus group meetings, two organizations wanted to allow campus carry, three wanted to continue banning it and two were split on the decision. Deliberative process We truly appreciate that our students are discussing these kinds of important and complex issues, Fogleman said. Our student government has provided multiple opportunities for our students to engage in active conversations this semester about campus carry. Thats the democratic and deliberative process that we encourage. Senior senator Chase Hardy said he supports campus carry and offered a compromise measure for the other student representatives to consider. Hardy proposed allowing certain groups, including veterans, to carry guns on campus. He said veterans on campus are qualified to carry guns, and it would be wrong if the university bans guns completely. I think that with the failure of this bill, were creating an environment of Baylor bait for those who seek harm to other human beings, Hardy said. Before Senate debate, Austin Ng of Baylor Democrats said allowing guns on campus would make existing problems worse. Guns would only make things such as impromptu shootings, suicides and domestic violence ending in murder more likely, Ng said. The blue Air Force car pulled up to the curb of a house in the American compound in Korat, Thailand, on a normal Saturday in January 1971. From the window, Kathleen Brown watched as the wing commander, flight surgeon and a few of friends got out and headed to the house. She knew the news couldnt be good . . . It had begun when Rayford RK Brown was a Boy Scout years earlier in Wanette, Oklahoma. He had attended the 1960 National Boy Scout Jamboree, near the U.S. Air Force Academy north of Colorado Springs, Colorado. They were shown a construction site on the top of a hill. Just visible was the spire of a chapel, which would be completed in 1962. I had always wanted to be a pilot, Brown said. I got a catalog and started trying to be everything they (the Air Force) wanted. It worked, because Brown was appointed by U.S. Rep. Tom Steed of Oklahoma to the Air Force Academy. Brown was 18 years old. The day after he graduated in 1968 as a second lieutenant, he married his sweetheart, Kathleen McVehil. Because his eyesight had weakened while he was at the academy, he was assigned to navigation school. As a distinguished graduate, he had his choice of aircraft. He selected the F-4 Phantom II. After training, Brown went to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, for upgrade training and was sent directly from there to Southeast Asia, one of the first of his class to receive that assignment. It was a one-year, unaccompanied tour of duty, but his wife was able to join him for the last three months of his deployment. Flying the highway patrol Brown, the backseater, and the pilot, Capt. Harvey Weir, were part of the Tiger Forward Air Controllers, based at the Royal Thailand AFB. From there covert interdiction missions were flown into northern Laos near Route 7, a supply route into North Vietnam. By this time, Brown was a first lieutenant. Regarding their assignments, he said the men jokingly referred to themselves as the Laotian Highway Patrol, because their job was to keep the roads closed and take out as many truck-hiding revetments as possible. It was a routine day on Jan. 2 when Brown and Weir were cruising in the barrel roll area. They had just refueled in mid-air and proceeded to the Plaine des Jarres region in north central Laos, an area where communist guerillas, the Pathet Lao, were fighting to overthrow the Royal Lao government. Things went terribly wrong in a matter of seconds. Suddenly alone in the jungle Brown was busy passing coordinates by radio for an assignment. When he looked up, he told the pilot they were flying too low. Ahead was the vertical face of a limestone mountain. He knew they couldnt clear it. The decision to eject was a split-second decision, Brown said. Brown, along with others who had served with the Tigers, wrote a bit about his experience of that day in the book, The Tiger FACs: A Dance with the Devil. His is a gripping tale told over 22 pages: Suddenly I was tumbling and disoriented. The chute opened smoothly and I automatically looked up to check the canopy per my jump training at Fort Benning five years earlier. I was surprised there were several blown panels in a white and orange parachute. Whattt? (sic) I thought it was supposed to be olive drab. I felt the survival kit deploy and suddenly to my left was a large greasy black orange fireball. I thought to myself that at least the jet wasnt going home without me and I had made the right decision. I didnt know if Harvey had gotten out or not. Before I could look back from the fireball rising I was hung up just under jungle canopy. No feet together, toes on top of each other, chin tucked in and arms crossed over my chest like they taught me at jump school. My parachute canopy and survival kit were snagged across the top of the jungle canopy. I was hanging in the clear about three feet from the 8- to 9-inch trunk of a tree. My sunglasses and oxygen mask were still on. It was just like the jungle survival movie I had watched at Clark. Brown eventually made his way down from the tree and was able to establish radio contact. He quickly put distance between himself and the parachute, climbing a nearby hill to the military crest (a third of the height of the hill from the top). He wasnt far from his chute, approximately 65 yards. What Brown didnt know then was that he was in for a long night. And, as far as he knew, no one left overnight in the jungles of Laos had come out alive. Find out how Brown was able to make his way to safety in next weeks Voices of Valor. Voices of Valor, which features stories about Central Texas veterans, runs on Sundays. To suggest a story about a Central Texas veteran, please email voicesofvalor@wacotrib.com. Local businessman Ralph Patterson, 58, of Waco, is challenging Congressman Bill Flores in the March 1 Republican primary election to represent District 17, which includes Waco. The former McLennan County Republican Party chairman lists as issues border security, protection of the unborn, veterans affairs, repeal of the Affordable Care Act, abuse of presidential power, overregulation and blocking settlement of Syrian refugees in the United States. The Trib editorial board interviewed Patterson on Jan. 18. Q So what prompts the McLennan County Republican Party chairman to want to run against the top Republican in the congressional district? A As Ive told you on many occasions, I gave up my First Amendment rights to some extent (to talk about individual Republicans) and, of course, I believe all of our rights are important freedom of the press, freedom of speech but being the county chairman, my job was to get these guys elected and keep them elected. I have always tried to be up-front, but there were things I couldnt express. Over the past couple of years, however, it got harder and harder for me to suppress some of the things that I knew were going on. And as we started looking at voting records well, I hate to jump straight to the omnibus [government spending] bill [passed last month], but thats the latest example. You know, you can have a positive voting record on all of this stuff, but then when you come to a bill thats not going to get rated on anything [by watchdog groups regarding specific issues] you know the pro-life people arent going to rate (the omnibus bill), the Second Amendment people arent going to rate it well, people are coming to me and saying, We were sold out by our congressman. That is just the latest example. His record has involved questionable things such as supporting (Speaker) John Boehner over time. And its been harder and harder to justify supporting our congressman in the decisions hes been making. It seems like he was making friends in Washington and forgetting about the people who sent him to Washington. Q Youve heard Speaker Paul Ryan about the omnibus bill that in divided government nobody gets everything he or she wants. In this case, for instance, the Republicans wanted to get the ability to export domestic crude. They got it. They wanted to clamp down on gun control. They got it. But to get those, they had to concede other things or force a shutdown of the U.S. government. A Theres a difference in us compromising on tactics versus compromising on our principles and our values. Congressman Roger Williams [who represents a neighboring district], whos not a wild-eyed, right-wing fanatic, and Texas congressmen Louie Gohmert and Brian Babin and Lamar Smith all voted against this omnibus bill because they said there were things in there that made it impossible for them to support it the way it was. Q So if all the Republicans had voted against it, wouldnt we have had a government shutdown? A I dont know. Q Thats sometimes the option it comes down to. A Heres the thing. We waited till the last week, the last day, to pass the omnibus bill. These are things we should have addressed throughout the year when we could have had good debate on them. We could have had compromises on each of those and we could have done this. Instead, they come up with a $1.1 trillion spending bill that has all this bad stuff in it. You know, at some point, the Republican leadership has to tell us how much bad stuff can be in there and yet it still be palatable. The truth is the Texans in our district arent willing to fund government-funded abortion at any level. One of the things that they said that you left out, they were talking about sending another thousand agents to the border. It seemed a little inconsistent and hypocritical to me that were going to send a thousand agents to the border to stop people from coming across the Mexican border and yet were going to fly 10,000 Syrians in and bus them into the American Heartland. I mean, is there anybody who argues that they can be vetted at this point? Theres no way to vet Syrians or, as Louie Gohmert said, alleged Syrians, because we dont know who they are and we cant tell where theyre from. At some level, you reach a point where many of these guys who are conservatives in Congress could not vote for this bill. If you were willing to go along to get along with Paul Ryan and the leadership I mean, my point is our congressman touts how he is the head of the Republican Study Committee and, you know, hes in with Paul Ryans leadership, but if were not getting the things that our citizens want, then theyre not leading us in the right direction. Q Immigration has surfaced as a major issue in the presidential campaign. How would you comprehensively reform immigration? A If I had a full congressional staff to do full investigation into all possible combinations . . . I dont have a full immigration plan for one very important reason and that is . . . well, you know how the discussion goes: We have one side that says everybody should get amnesty and the other side says everybody gets deported and no matter which side of this equation youre on, you can have a discussion with someone and five minutes into it someones going to call the other one a name. So lets just say for arguments sake that we find some middle ground that a couple of us can agree on. All of these people are mad that you got too much amnesty in it and all these people are mad youre deporting too many people, so theres two or three of us in the middle who come up with a plan. There has to be more of a plan than give everyone amnesty or deport everyone. Q Some people protested about the issue at some of Congressman Flores town-hall meetings, which is why I ask about it. A Well, youre assuming Im smarter than everyone else. Q I have to assume you think youre smarter than Bill Flores. A This is how I feel about it. There are some people in Congress who are willing to step up and do the right thing. Im not narcissistic enough to think I can go up there and change the world. But heres what I do know. If I go and I give support to the Roger Williamses and the Louie Gohmerts and the Lamar Smiths, maybe I can give them support enough that they know Ive got their back, so that somebody else knows weve got their back that knows somebody else that weve got their back and we can make a change in these things. What weve seen in Congress is cowardice in addressing this. I think we would all agree if the Donald Trumps, Ted Cruzes, Marco Rubios and all these other presidential candidates had not brought up the immigration stuff Donald Trump in particular we still wouldnt be talking about it. Its the third rail of the political system. We need to have people with courage that will go up there and fight these battles and quit being cowards about it and stand up and do it. And what has Bill Flores done to fix it? I would argue nothing. Its time that somebody did. Q Did I interpret you to say youve got somebodys back and theyve got somebody elses back, and that youd be open to a compromise plan that is neither all deportation or all A Im open to getting the discussion out of the shadows just like these people. We have to come up with a solution. We cant continue to have 11 million, 12 million, 30 million people whatever the number is we cant have those people in the country. We have to come up with something. If its deportation fine. If its amnesty fine. Q So dump the somewhere-in-betweens on this issue? A Well, again, Im willing to talk about what the problem is and us coming up with a solution. What Im not willing to do is continue to let the problem roll along and us not address it anymore. Everybody wants to find something else to do. Its like everyones got attention deficit disorder when we start talking about immigration. Its Oh, uh, look, theres rabbits. Were always going off. At some point weve got to make the hard decisions and step up and do it. Q Your campaign material says we are spending money we dont have. Non-defense discretionary spending is quickly approaching our annual deficit, including Social Security and Medicare. How would you address those issues? Are we ever going to balance the budget? A Thats all the red-meat issues that everyone wants to hear about. Q Surely we cant cut taxes and spur growth to the point of balancing the federal budget. How are we going to fix, say, Social Security? A At some point we need to address the tax problem so were not being punitive on the people out there trying to create jobs. Obamacare is another one of those areas were going to have to address. I was buying some stuff for the campaign and the couple that owned this business said, We have always provided health coverage for our employees and this year we dont think were going to be able to do it, and not only that but were probably going to have to lay some people off because the cost of doing business has gone up. Our welfare systems, all our entitlement programs, have become a hammock instead of a safety net. We have to get them under control. We have to change things to where having a job is something people are proud of again. And we have to make it more beneficial. Here in Waco, one of our more liberal social workers went out and was asking (some people) about 12- and 13-year-olds having babies and how upset were they about it, and the mother-now-grandmother said, Were not upset about it, we celebrate it. And again, this wasnt some right-wing Republican over there asking them. They said its a $500 raise. She said, We dont celebrate jobs because were the ones who lose the jobs. And we dont celebrate graduating because were the ones who drop out. Look, we have to grow the economy, theres no doubt about it. But again, all these guys . . . again I dont want you to get the idea Im the smartest guy thats going to Washington. Theres a lot of smart guys up there that havent figured out the answer. The truth is, until we get some kind of coalition of people that are willing to make the hard decisions (Bill Flores) is not that guy. All of these votes this week theyve been voting to defund Planned Parenthood, Im sure theyre going to do a Second Amendment one, theyre going to do something . . . I think they voted to defund Obamacare again. None of those votes you cant repeal something thats got the guys name on it. Youre not going to repeal Obamacare and get him to sign it. Q So what would you do? A Again, you have to come in with a plan that is a better plan and come in and fix some of these problems. Forcing everyone into a (health care) plan (with legally required elements of coverage), you and I probably dont need maternity care right now. I dont know, maybe you do, but I dont need maternity care anymore. It still comes down to in the last five years things have gotten worse, not better. Were on the verge of turning our country over to our children and our grandchildren in worse condition than we got it. Q You have vowed to file a bill to repeal all federal laws that violate the 10th Amendment. But wouldnt that mean gutting federal laws that ban things like segregation, condoned by many states at one time? A Im also saying Im going to do the ones that are legitimately states rights Q According to whom? A The problem is that we continue to have the overreach of the federal government. You cant put every nuance into campaign literature, but Im going to resist and compel the federal government to only do what its supposed to do, only enumerated things in the Constitution. You know, kind of like the IRS. The IRS theres really only one IRS rule. Its everythings taxable and nothings deductible. Thats the rule. And then theres the regulators who say, Here are all the exceptions to the rule. Im concerned about the things that the federal government shouldnt be doing like funding abortion, like bringing Syrians in that cant be vetted. Q While there are shifts to and fro, at any one time it seems half the country wants to protect a womans right to abortion and half wants to prohibit that right to save lives of the unborn. I know this is an issue you care deeply about. Is there a compromise somewhere in all this? A Well, my basic tenet of government is protecting the vulnerable and the innocent. And in most cases I narrow that to the very old and very young, the unborn, the mothers of these unborn children. We have to protect them and those individuals in between who need extra help because of their circumstances. But I believe government should leave the rest of us alone. But heres the thing. Since Barack Obama became president, there have been 9 million unborn children sacrificed for whatever Q Thats not what Im asking. A There are families out there who want to have children and there arent children available or weve made the law, you know, to where there would be privacy concerns or that adoption has become horribly complicated and expensive. It seems to me that weve got a problem that already has a solution, and that is we give the choice to the mother to have these children and match them up with someone on the adoption side. Thats just one of the options. I have met through my life many people who were the result of incest, who were the result of rape. They were the result of a lot of these things that we always have the exceptions for and, of all those people, not one wishes their mother would have aborted them instead of having them. Q Lets say Ralph Patterson goes to Congress. How would you reach out to the other side and say, Hey, listen, we dont need to fight a civil war over this too. Lets find a package that gets to what youre concerned about and what maybe the other side is concerned about. A Well, youre probably not going to like my answer but if were going to fight a civil war, it should be about saving 9 million unborn babies. If were going to fight a civil war, we have to step up and (ask) whos going to speak for them. At some point we have to say whos going to speak for protecting the vulnerable and innocent. Interview condensed and edited by Bill Whitaker Retired oil & gas executive Bill Flores, 61, of Bryan, is running for re-election to Congress representing District 17, which includes Waco. Victory in the March 1 GOP primary election and then in the fall would bring Flores his fourth term. His platform includes limited government, addressing the national debt, border security, energy security, repealing the Affordable Care Act, protection of the unborn and definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman. This interview with the Trib editorial board was conducted on Jan. 21. Q Given your frustration at gridlock in Washington, why are you running for a fourth term? A Despite limitations on our ability to get bold things done, there have been small steps that have been victories for the American people. If you look at discretionary spending, weve really bent the curve and reduced the size of the annual deficit by 70 percent. Now, its still too large. And weve had some success blocking some of the regulators. And then in some key areas where Congress hasnt been successful in blocking things, the courts have done the right thing. I mean, the presidents DACA actions [expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, deferring deportation of certain undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children the case will be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court this year] are one example. And the Waters of the United States rule [by the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers] the courts have put an injunction on that. And the Bureau of Land Management decided to go way outside its statutory boundaries and imposed some regulations on hydraulic fracturing. At least two judges have stopped that in big swaths of the country. And one of the ones Ive stopped and people dont realize this involved the presidents signing an executive order back in 2010 where he was setting up this scheme to zone the ocean and theres no statutory basis to do so. And even in the omnibus [government spending] bill [passed last month] that so many people hate, my rider (battling that) is still in there. Q I see the omnibus bill also delayed the so-called Cadillac tax and medical device tax components of the Affordable Care Act. A Right, so weve had some small victories that are quite often overlooked and sometimes we dont do a good enough job of marketing them. But the thing that excites me about 2017-2018, the 115th Congress, is that if the district sends me back, I think Ive got a really good opportunity to work with a Republican White House and thats where I can really do the things I said were going to do when I decided to run in 2009. So Im optimistic. Q I dont know who you support in the ongoing presidential sweepstakes in the Republican Party, but is there a certain quality that you think is vital in the GOP nominee? A I want to see the next Reagan. I want somebody who brings out the good in Americans and challenges us to aspire to that North Star, someone who wants to empower our families and individuals and communities and let them be free to achieve their dreams. Thats whats going to make this country again. Its not somebody saying, I will make America great again. Its the person who comes out of this as a statesman. Q So youre talking about Reaganesque optimism? A Its optimism but its someone who challenges people to look up. You know, House Speaker Paul Ryan has actually started using a phrase lately Raise our gaze. Hes exactly right, too. Thats what Id like to see in a presidential candidate. I dont like the bricks being thrown back and forth. Thats not inspiring to me and to most of our electorate, I think. Some people get a charge out of it, but I want someone who challenges us to be all that we can be. Regarding our broader consensus for the future this year, were looking at three things. First, rebuild national security. The second is provide economic opportunity. Weve got to have comprehensive tax reform. And weve got to have a new health-care bill. We need to have our conservative version of what health care looks like and that will include a repeal of Obamacare. The third one is to restore our Article I powers of Congress. Q You drew two opponents in the March 1 Republican primary who say youve compromised too readily with Democrats or establishment Republicans. They say youve joined forces too tightly with the speaker, and they cite as an example the omnibus bill, including what they say is its allowing funding for Planned Parenthood. A It has surprised me in terms of the types of claims theyre making and in one case the vitriol thats being put behind it, which is not true. When you look at the whole pro-life issue that bill didnt fund Planned Parenthood. The bill says abortion about 30 times and it says, No federal funding shall be used for abortion except in the case of rape, incest or life of the mother. And thats just what it says. And the good thing about the 112th Congress is we said these bills have to be machine-readable. So if someone searches for Planned Parenthood in this (omnibus) bill, they wont find it. And if they want to search for abortion, theyd find it and also find whats wrapped around that word. I mean, National Journal has rated me the 20th most conservative member of the House, today the NRA said they were going to endorse me, Citizens Against Government Waste gives me a 91 and the American Conservative Union gives me a 93 and the National Right to Life gives me a 100 percent score and they endorsed me also today. The Family Research Council gives me a 100 percent score as well. What Im trying to say is there is no basis for my opponents claims. Now if you only read the media on the Internet, you might come to the conclusion that if I vote a certain way, I have abandoned our principles. But the problem with their claim is its not true. Q I suppose the broader claim by your critics is that you have become a part of the so-called Washington cartel. A Here are the issues that these two men have not looked at. The omnibus bill was really a national security bill because we are in a very difficult security situation in this world and this bill right-sizes funding for our military and provides the right authorizations we need (to do that). Now, we didnt get everything we wanted (in the omnibus bill), but the No. 1 thing that the federal government is supposed to do under the Constitution is provide for the common defense and thats what this bill does. If this bill had gone down, the federal government would have shut down on Dec. 23 and there would have been no pay for our military none. Now, Ive been to Afghanistan three times, Ive been to Iraq once and Ive been in the Baltic states [where fears about Russian domination are strong] and then all around the world where our troops have been. I look at these young men and women who make a commitment to defend this country, up to and including giving their lives, and I cannot with any sense of taking my own oath seriously allow them to not be paid. Q One of your opponents said there is some kind of provision to make sure they would get paid. A Oh, weve tried. We passed a defense appropriations bill in the House. The Senate tried four times to pass it, but [Senate Minority Leader] Harry Reid blocked it four times, so there was no backstop. Its like Ive told some audiences before [and Flores pulls out a congressional voting card]: When I drop this voting card in the slot, Ive got a yes vote and a no vote. I dont have a perfect vote and so I have to look at what the outcome is of a yes and what the outcome is of a no. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who say, Well, Im voting no, Im standing up for conservative principles, Im standing up for God, grass and country because its not good enough. Well, good enough doesnt happen, so I have to make a choice. And if I had voted no (on the omnibus bill), I was voting to defund the military. And Ive told audiences: If you want somebody whos going to let our military fight with no pay, then you need to elect somebody else because Im not going to go there. Q You oppose extending tax breaks for the wind and solar industries. I was listening to you on The Duke Machado Show and you said a smarter thing would be to, say, offer tax breaks on research for solar power to make it more affordable in the long term. Given we reportedly have enough oil and gas for most of this new century, how does solar and wind fit into our nations long-range energy plan? A We (have to) pay attention to our traditional sources of energy coal, oil & gas and nuclear but we also know that there needs to be a place for biofuels, other renewables, and we need to harden our grid. We also need to provide for research and development for the energy of what might be the 22nd century. You know, a lot of what we do in the federal government we dont do very well, but two things we do well: defending the country and our basic research is second to none around the world. I think we need to spend more money on basic research to find the technology that produces that 50 percent solar efficiency instead of the 13 percent we have today, or to find a way to produce a less intrusive wind turbine, or maybe something else nobody has thought of yet. I believe that would be better than spending on (tax) credits to subsidize something thats highly inefficient. Ethanol is a perfect example. Believe it or not, there is a liberal Democrat from Vermont named Peter Welch, and he and I are working to undo the renewable fuels standard [which forces the blending of corn ethanol into gasoline]. Corn-based ethanol is horrible. I mean, its raised the average cost of food for a family in this country by about $2,800 a year. Q What does the city of Waco get out of having Bill Flores in Congress? A By the way, my deepest level of support is here in McLennan County. I spend a lot of time up here. Waco is the center of my universe. In order for Waco and McLennan County to be healthy, we need to have a healthy America. Its got to be economically healthy, its got to be secure, weve got to have opportunities for our kids. And weve got to have a solution for poverty. If we get those macro things right at the national level, those things will impact us right here at home. I work on those all the time. Now when you zoom in to the local level, weve tried to address things that are important to the local community. For instance, Baylor University gets GEAR-UP grants [Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs] when they work with Waco Independent School District. Im not always 100 percent successful in getting those, but I have had some success. We have the Hatton Sumners Foundation Grant for Baylor that helps education [$30,000 for its iCivics program teacher training and iEngage Summer Camp for high school students] and a couple of other research grants. And if you look north in West more than $32 million in federal funding came to help rebuild that community [after the 2013 ammonium nitrate blast] and that came because of what we did. Mart is having significant issues with its water system and so we got $22 million, mostly loans but some grants. And weve been trying to work down in Falls County with the city of Marlin [on water infrastructure issues]. Q You talked at one point about reforming Congress, and we understand thats an uphill battle. Among other things, you proposed limiting consecutive terms of office to two for senators and six for representatives, tying their pay to the federal deficit and compelling our lawmakers to live under the laws that they pass. Are such reforms dead forever? A I dont think were going to get there till a couple of things happen. First of all, I think we have the right speaker (in Paul Ryan) who can help get us there. Second, in order to make some of those reforms, I think youre going to have to have a Republican president who will help jawbone those reforms. Q Do you like working with Speaker Paul Ryan? A Oh, yeah, I do. Q In one of our earlier conversations, you referred to the president as having a sort of distant, professorial air and being hard to reach. Does President Obama have a legacy given the lack of chemistry and policy agreement between the White House and Congress? A Looking at just the over-arching issue we face in terms of national security, he would have been well-served to pay a lot more attention to his military commanders. Second thing, he would have been well-served to try to work with Congress. One of my friends who I went to school with Fred McClure was a legislative liaison for Bush 41 and his team of people in the West Wing. And their objective was to touch every member of Congress at least once a week. Well, Ive seen my legislative liaison (from the Obama White House) twice since weve been in Congress. Yeah. Once they came in January 2011, said Welcome to Washington, and then they came in January 2013 and said, Heres your inauguration tickets to pass out to your constituents. And the Democrats feel the same way on that one. So when the president was trying to jawbone them on this Iranian nuclear deal let me say this, incidentally. This will go down as one of the worst mistakes ever made. It will be seen as bad as what [British Prime Minister] Neville Chamberlain did prior to World War II. Q You really think so? A Absolutely. I see it every day already. I see what Iran is doing in terms of proliferating terrorism. Theyre going to proliferate nuclear weapons. And I see the angst in the eyes of Israel. I was with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in all this and other folks in the Middle East and, to a person, they talk of the danger of Iran. Q In late 2014 U.S. Sen. John Cornyn came by the Trib office and said that, with Republicans taking over the Senate and thus the entire Capitol Hill now being under Republican control, the Republicans were going to have to show that they can actually lead and govern for two years. Do you think you guys have done that? A I look at last year and think that, despite the fits and starts we had, we made a lot of progress. I mean, we did the first significant Medicare reform in 25 years, the SGR repeal [scuttling a much-maligned formula for Medicare physician payment] that was great. If you look at things in the omnibus bill to rebuild national defense, if you look at the National Defense Authorization Act, the bill that authorizes spending for our nations military, that we passed in September that began to set the military back on the proper path and give them resources. And its not just the resources they want but weve got reforms in acquisition and getting rid of the inefficiencies in terms of the heavy civilian workforce component of the Pentagon. So there are a lot of things we did well. In divided government, we did make some progress. Interview condensed and edited by Bill Whitaker. I am not a religious person. I do not care for the ethereal. I refuse to pay the admission so many churches in Europe dare to charge visitors. And yet I have flown half-way around the globe and purchased a three day visitor pass to explore a cluster of temples. What just happened? For one thing, the buildings in question were not associated with the global organization headquartered in Rome. Also, they are located in a far-away land that I had long been meaning to visit. They are significant and beautiful enough to be featured on the UNESCO world heritage list . And instead of haggard bodies hanging from crosses, they are populated with smiling gods and topless celestial dancers. Clearly, a pilgrimage was overdue. Upon arrival in Cambodia, it quickly became clear that others had heeded the call, too. For better or worse, the town of Siem Reap is on track to host over 5 million tourists this year, with large Chinese and Korean tour groups surpassing western shoe-string backpackers and French colonial nostalgists. This mass influx inevitably brings with it a degree of tackiness, as evidenced by a few sleazy pubs and massage parlors in downtown Siem Reap, and a clutch of hawkers outside the main attractions. But it remains less pushy and garish an environment than the nether parts of Thailand, not to mention the gift shops in the cathedrals of Europe. We were offered neither a splinter of a dead saint's bones nor a live teen girl. Nudity remained strictly confined to the apsaras, the bare-breasted nymphs carved into the sandstone walls of Angkor's temples. Despite having had to withstand the tropical elements for a thousand years, many of the intricate details and spectacular architectural features remain visible. Bas-reliefs tell the stories of victorious battles and everyday life of the ancient Khmer, while the grandeur of the structures speaks to the power and progressiveness of their builders. Over the centuries, some temples even switched back and forth between Hinduism and Buddhism, or served both concurrently. That, too, seems enlightened. The 20th century saw ample archaeological and restoration work, notwithstanding the very troubling track record of the most recent, Pot-headed Khmer Empire . Its demise ushered in the time of mass tourism. But there remain chances to get away from it all: Seeking solitude, we coaxed our guide and tuk-tuk driver into taking us to a more remote, unspoilt and half overgrown temple, which we had all to ourselves. It was there, scrambling over fallen stone slabs, peering into ancient relief galleries and admiring massive banyan trees growing through crumbling temple walls, that the explorer's epiphany set in. This was a truly magical place - in an Indiana Jones kind of way. Or, rather more appropriate given the busty apsaras, in Tomb Raider fashion. Watch, don't touch the signs in churches used to say. Even I can believe in that: I'm getting the DVD now. Labels: Asia, travel The Commemorative Air Forces Utah Wing is making rapid progress with the restoration of their Boeing-Stearman N2S Kaydet in their hangar at Russ McDonald Field in Heber City, Utah. Their Kaydet rolled off the production line in Wichita, Kansas during 1941. She served as a trainer with the US Navy at NAS Corpus Christi in Texas during WWII. After the war, the government sold her on, and she soon took up civilian duties as a crop duster. By 1980, the Kaydet had joined the air show circuit following a complete restoration back to military configuration with a new owner. Sadly, the aircraft suffered major damage during a cross country flight to California in August, 1986. She crashed into trees in the Oquirrp Mountains near Salt Lake Valley. Luckily, the CAFs Utah Wing purchased the wreck, and set about a complete restoration, which they completed in 1988. Now registered as N1387V, the Kaydet has flown regularly ever since. She has attended countless air shows, given hundreds of rides to members of the public, and honored veterans in numerous parades and other such events. After nearly 30 years of near continuous flying, the Utah Wing decided the N2S needed some TLC, and began a thorough overhaul on November 1st, 2015 with the removal of her wings. To prevent the aircraft from being down during air show season, the Utah Wing planned her restoration in stages, repairing specific components during winter maintenance, before re-installing them in time for the aircraft to participate in the next years flying events. The original plan was to restore the lower wings this winter, the upper wings during the following winter, and then the fuselage and control surfaces during the winter after that. However, stripping the lower wings of their fabric revealed less damage than expected, and the strong volunteer turnout expedited progress with the repairs. Steve Guenard, the Utah Wings leader remarked, The bottom wings were in pretty good shape. We had some minor water damage on the trailing edges, and a few gussets had to be replaced, but other than that we were ready to cover. Volunteers began re-covering the lower wings on December 1st and completed their task by the end of the year. Daves Custom Sheetmetal, also located at Russ McDonald Field, began repainting the wings soon after. Our volunteers werent ready to quit! said Beth Ann Schneider, Project Manager. Bring it on, they said, and so we did! The volunteers removed the old fabric from the upper wings on January 2nd, and were happy to find the wooden ribs and spars in perfect condition. They began recovering the wings immediately and had completed their efforts within a short time. The upper wings are now awaiting their turn in the paint shop. Schneider noted that, We have had an unbelievable amount of volunteer support from our unit for this project. It has moved beyond the restoration of a very cool historic airplane. Friendships have formed and our membership has unified around a common cause. They are anxious to get started on the final phase of the restoration. The restoration team plans to re-install N1387Vs wings in the next few months and get her flying again shortly thereafter. The Kaydet is already scheduled to attend a number of air shows this summer, and she is a popular choice with the public for rides, not to mention parade and cemetery flyovers. The N2S will also participate in a few local events at Russ McDonald Field. The overhaul process for the rest of the aircraft will begin following the 2016 air show season. The wings will come off again on November 1st, so that the fuselage can receive attention. The restoration team will strip it down to its basic components, sand-blasting the steel-tube frame, and repairing where necessary. They will then begin the reassembly process, with fresh wiring and a new exhaust system already planned as part of the effort. The team hopes to have completed re-covering the fuselage and control surfaces by March 2017; a full year ahead of schedule. This project is partially funded by a grant from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums, Park City Rotary Club, the Jack Wells family, and Watts Enterprises and has received sponsorship from Polyfiber Aircraft Coatings of Riverside, California. If you would like to donate to this project visit www.cafutahwing.org/ Now that ADIFF '16 is only a couple of weeks away and the programme has been officially launched, people have been snapping up tickets left and right for some of the key events this year. There's a pretty wide variety of films on offer this year, but with so many to choose from it, you could easily run out of ink in your highlight marker. Not to worry because we've gone out and done you a friggin' service by picking out sixteen of the must-see films at this year's festival. Here's our top picks in no particular order... 16. GREEN ROOM (Cineworld, Screen 9, February 24th - 6:15pm) Blue Ruin featured highly in our Top 10 of 2013 and with good reason - it's utterly brilliant. Since then, director Jeremy Saulnier's been offered all manner of high-profile gigs, including directing a key episode of True Detective's second season. He passed on all these, instead opting to make a horror-thriller with Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin about neo-Nazis attacking a punk band. Green Room has been called this generation's Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Get excited. 15. ANOMALISA (Light House Cinema, Screen 1, February 23rd - 9:00pm) Charlie Kaufman's made a career out of genre-bending, mind-warping films that truly stand the test of time. Whether it's Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Adaptation or Synecdoche New York, Kaufman's films stay with you for many years. His latest work, Anomalisa, tells the story - via stopmotion animation - of a man who's trapped in the rat-race and mundanity of life and tries to escape with a young woman he meets at a lonely hotel. 14. HIGH-RISE (Light House Cinema, Screen 1, February 22nd - 8:15pm) With an all-star cast that includes Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Jeremy Irons, High-Rise is a psychological horror set in a '70s sci-fi dystopian apartment block. Yeah, try saying that in one breath. Basically, the apartment block / high-rise is a microcosm of society. Toffs live at the top, poor people at the bottom and just about everything is self-contained in the high-rise. However, when power and electricity breaks down, so to does people's grasp on their sanity and pretty soon, BAD things happen. 13. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (Light House Cinema, Screen 1, February 22nd - 2:00pm) Sergio Leone's classic Western runs for a grand total of 170 minutes - that's ten minutes shy of three hours. Sure, it's an endurance test, but what you get in return is, hands down, one of the greatest Westerns ever made. In fact, it's probably one of the best films ever made. A sweeping saga that sees a retired prostitute (Clauda Cardinale, who'll be attending the screening) arrives in a desert backwater as the owner of a prime piece of land that's wanted by a railroad baron. Violent, epic, iconic - Once Upon A Time In The West is a classic in every sense of the word. 12. DEMOLITION (Cineworld, Screen 9, February 23rd - 8:30pm) Jake Gyllenhaal teams up with the director of Dallas Buyer's Club for this personal drama. Gyllenhaal is a successful investment banker who completely unravels when his wife dies suddenly in a car-crash. He begins to write a series of increasingly personal letters to a customer service representative of a vending machine company as a means of dealing with his issues, culminating him attempting to destroy his home and life. 11. TIME OUT OF MIND (Savoy, Screen 1, February 26th - 7:30pm) Richard Gere stars as a homeless man who's struggling to survive, one day at a time. Caught in the revolving door of homelessness and men's shelters, he eventually tries to put himself back on course and reconnect with his daughter, Jena Malone. Richard Gere's performance is said to be one of the best of the year and, by all accounts, proves just how versatile an actor he really is. 10. THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (Light House Cinema, Screen 3, February 21st - 8:30pm) The original conspiracy thriller, Angela Lansbury, Frank Sinatra and Janet Leigh star in this genuinely disturbing tale of brainwashing and Reds under the bed. A platoon of US soldiers in the Korean War have been brainwashed by Communist psychologists in an apparent plot to install a sleeper agent at the very top of the US Government. Homeland, The Parallax View and basically every conspiracy thriller owes a debt to The Manchurian Candidate. 9. THE PROPAGANDA GAME (Light House Cinema, Screen 3, February 20th - 9:00pm) Speaking of brainwashing, this documentary on the lengths North Korea will go to promote themselves as a tolerant nation really is something. Spanish documentarian Alvaro Longoria travels to the Hermit Kingdom and, inexplicably, finds himself being guided by a fellow Spaniard who is a true believer of Kim Jong-Un and his regime. Bizarre beyond belief, The Propaganda Game shows how far people will go to stay in control. 8. ZOOTROPOLIS (Savoy, Screen 1, February 28th - 2:00pm) Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin star in this animated comedy caper about a sly fox and an over-eager rabbit cop who are at opposite ends of the social order in Zootropolis, a city where animals all live together as one. When several mammals start going missing, it's up to one intrepid bunny and her cunning fox partner to solve the case. Witty, knowing and full of comedy, Zootropolis is the perfect easy-going film for a Sunday morning. 7. SING STREET (Savoy, Screen 1, February 18th - 7:00pm) The early word on John Carney's follow-up to Once and Begin Again has it as an ode to the likes of The Commitments and Dublin in the '80s, all New Romantics and bottles of TK Red Lemonade. A young boy is pulled from his leafy, Southside school and thrown into an inner-city school after his parents happily admit that they're basically broke. However, it's not all bad as he soon discovers a beautiful girl and tries to create a band to get her attention. Smart, funny and a fantastic soundtrack to boot, Sing Street could easily be mentioned this time next year for Oscar glory. 6. SURPRISE FILM (Savoy, Screen 1, February 28th - 5:00pm) It's always one of the highlights of the festival and never fails to be a real event for film fans. We've got a few ideas about what'll be the surprise film this year that we'll share later on. Suffice to say, we think we have this year's film cracked. We're almost sure of it. 5. TRADERS (Light House Cinema, Screen 1, February 20th - 6:30pm) Love / Hate's Killian Scott and Game of Thrones' John Bradley star in this Fight Club-esque satire about the world of cutthroat capitalism, taken to its extremes. In the aftermath of the Financial Collapse, an investment banker comes up with a new way to make money - 'trading'. Two people empty out their bank accounts, liquidate their assets and meet in a remote location where they'll fight to the death. The winner takes the loser's winnings. Brutally effective, Traders is a look at the financial market from an entirely different perspective. 4. TRUTH (Cineworld, Screen 8, February 20th - 6:30pm) Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett star in this dramatisation of the investigation by Dan Rather and CBS's 60 Minutes programme and the eventual fallout resulting from it. Redford stars as Dan Rather, the veteran broadcaster who revealed on his primetime news programme a shocking story concerning George W. Bush's war record in Vietnam. Under extraordinary pressure from both CBS and political elements, the story is investigated with unexpected outcomes for all. 3. VIVA (Savoy, Screen 1, February 28th - 7:45pm) Closing out the festival is Viva, Paddy Breathnach's take on Cuban drag culture. A young man, Jesus, is scratching a living together in Havana when he is drawn to the glamour and glitter of drag culture and adopts a new persona, Viva. However, when his criminal father returns from an extended prison sentence, his life is thrown into chaos as his father not only condemns his lifestyle choice, but forbids him from frequenting the nightclub where he acts. 2. HAIL, CAESAR! (Savoy, Screen 1, February 20th - 11:30am) The Coen Brothers' return to Old Hollywod for this caper-comedy about a missing actor (George Clooney) who's kidnapped by The Future. Really. Josh Brolin stars as Eddie Mannix, a "fixer" for a Hollywood studio who must try to collect $100,000 to rescue the kidnapped Clooney and keep the production of Hail, Caesar! going. 1. MICHAEL COLLINS (Savoy, Screen 1, February 20th - 2:00pm) Neil Jordan's sweeping epic on the life and times of Michael Collins and the birth of the state, Liam Neeson stars as the Big Fella whilst the sadly-departed Alan Rickman plays DeValera. Sure, it's not exactly accurate or even remotely historically correct, but it sure is a huge amount of fun. Charles Dance plays the treacherous leader of the Cairo Gang, sent to wipe out Neeson's band of rebels whilst Stephen Rea plays a double-agent in the Dublin Metropolitan Police. The Canberra Labor Club Group has relodged its plans for a $22 million Braddon apartment complex after severe criticism from an adjoining neighbour - the representative body for Australian lawyers. The Law Council of Australia submission, written by chief executive Michael Brett Young, said the original development application would create a building too high for the area and wrongly focused solely on residential accommodation, overshadowing its two-storey Torrens Street offices. An impression of the apartment complex planned for the corner of Torrens and Elouera streets, Braddon, included in the renotified development application. "The proposed development does not meet, and is in most respects completely alien to the stated objectives for developments in the [relevant] Braddon precinct in the National Capital Plan and the Territory Plan," it said. Mr Brett Young said the original documentation for the proposed development contained a number of errors and provided a "gloss" to the proposal which it did not have. He said the complex would significantly overshadow the council's property on the winter solstice, and criticised the reliance by the developers on outdated traffic data from three years ago. Perhaps because of this, the nature and purpose of schools has been a persistent matter for political and public debate. Unfortunately, the debate is often undermined by misinformation and destructive stereotypes. Chief among them are inaccurate characterisations of government, Catholic and independent schools and the misconception that each sector serves a different, distinct population of students. Australias combination of government and non-government schools did not happen by design. It is the result of 220 years of policy decisions, largely precipitated by changes in demography since English settlement. But these stereotypes are often far from reality. There are unpretentious independent schools serving our most disadvantaged students, and elite public schools with state-of-the-art facilities. Schools in each sector serve a range of students in a range of settings. It is important to recognise this in the context of discussions about funding and regulation. Analysis of statistics and observation of real schools challenge the notion there is a "typical" government, Catholic or independent school. The range of students and types of schools within each sector is larger than the differences between the sectors. Each sector enrols students from across the socioeconomic scale, in all geographic locations, from all cultural and language backgrounds, and across the ability spectrum. The range and diversity within each schools sector means that broad-brush comparisons of a so-called "average" school in each sector are unhelpful for policy decisions and for parental choice. Analyses of NAPLAN data showing little difference in the average performance of the school sectors are useful insofar as they indicate no sector is systemically underperforming, but they do not portray the range of performance in each sector. Funding for schools in each sector reflects the diversity in school populations. Data from the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) shows the bulk of schools in all three sectors 50 per cent of government schools, 83 per cent of Catholic schools and 87 per cent of independent schools receive total government funding of less than $12,000 a student. School funding is based on the principles of need and entitlement. All students in Australian schools are entitled to some public funding for their education, and students with greater need receive greater funding. The larger proportion of government schools in higher funding brackets reflects the larger proportion of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds as well as state government funding policies that favour government schools. When funding from both government and private sources (from tuition fees and fundraising) are taken into account, the amount of funding in the three school sectors is still similar. ACARA data shows that about half the schools in each sector have per-student funding in the $10,000-$14,999 funding bracket. In fact, very similar proportions of government and independent schools fall into this funding bracket (47 per cent and 48 per cent respectively) with a larger proportion of Catholic schools (57 per cent). Has there ever been a time when workers face more distractions? The internet and social media have added a vast array of new diversions to go with traditional time-wasters like gossiping in the tea room. It's no surprise that researchers have discovered an alarming level of "cyberloafing" in modern workplaces. A study by American academics Joseph Ugrin and John Pearson published in 2013 found between 60 and 80 percent of people's time on the internet at work had nothing to do with work. Their survey of American office workers found older employees tended to spend time managing their finances online while younger workers spent more time on social networking sites like Facebook. "We found that that for young people, it was hard to get them to think that social networking was unacceptable behaviour," says Ugrin, who studies behavioural and ethical issues related to accounting and information systems. Monika and Duane get hitched at the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The couple appear in ABC's new series Hatch, Match & Dispatch. Credit:ABC We might scoff at rude or selfish contestants, says Relationship Australia's Bill Hewlett, but in doing so, we're refining our own social norms. "It's a fantastic opportunity to observe people, in a safe way, as they go through their rituals," says Hewlett, a clinical services specialist in NSW. "It's a chance to work out what your values are; what you will and won't tolerate." He sees this as a modern version of village gossip, which helped communities learn which behaviours would be rewarded or punished. Contestants on the un-pixelated German dating series Adam Looking for Eve, airing later this year on SBS. Credit:SBS All of which is fine if generosity is valorised, say, or bigotry is condemned. But our expectations can be skewed by a focus on the "happily ever after" myth, or a belief your life will fall into place with the "right" partner. "Traditionally, romance novels have done a similar thing," Hewlett notes. "They end with the couple riding off into the sunset." Remember Lauren? She and Corbin share an awkward dinner on Channel Seven's First Dates. Credit:Channel Seven For TV producers, the "will they or won't they?" dance of potential love has inherent dramatic value. For most of us, the drama peaks years down the track, when the infatuation has (inevitably) faded. There is "enormous value", Hewlett believes, in programs that probe long-term relationships, such as ABC's 2013 documentary series Making Couples Happy. Most shows, however, have a critical flaw. When contestants feel angry or unhappy, they tend to look around at their job, appearance, and especially their partner and conclude these things are to blame. It makes for compelling viewing, but it's not especially illuminating. "Your life didn't fall apart because your last relationship didn't work out," Hewlett says. "Your predisposition to fall apart was set 30 years ago. We're all pre-destined to have a particular view of life, and ourselves, based on our childhood experiences." Television's power is limited. Still, if it can address this societal blind spot, in some small way, Hewlett considers this useful. Not least because we find these shows so enthralling. "Our emotions and our brains are very active while we're watching. It's as if we're there, like we're experiencing it ourselves." All you need is love First Dates Seven, Starts Feb 3, 9pm. Aussie singles are sent on blind dates and filmed with remote-control control cameras. Awkward, sweet, funny but mainly awkward. Watch for: The unbelievably cocky guy foisted upon poor Caterina. Is she being trolled on national television? Kiss Bang Love Seven, later this year. Ten people "skip the awkward dates" ... and pash 15 strangers each. Because that's much less awkward. Romance ensues, apparently. Watch for: Whatever the "bang" part of the title is meant to mean. Married at First Sight Nine, later this year. Four expertly-matched couples meet for the first time on their "wedding day" (though they are not legally hitched). After living together, and with guidance from psychologists, they decide whether to continue their relationship. Watch for: A same-sex couple? Producers have been hinting at it. The Farmer Wants a Wife Nine, Starts Feb 1, 8.45pm Eight marriages, ten babies, three long-term relationships: Farmer has more runs on the board than its competitors. And this season yields more success stories. Watch for: Farmer Lachlan, the former Married at First Sight contestant now trying his luck on a different Nine dating show. The Bachelor, US version 9Life, Tuesdays 8.30pm In Australia, The Bachelor is billed a "family show". In the US, it's unashamedly adult. Which explains the "fantasy suite", a camera-free room where the star and his lady-of-choice can spend the night. Watch for: Token casting. White women named Amber or Lauren usually around comprise about 80 per cent of the contestants. The Bachelor Australia Ten, Starts in August or September. One bloke takes his pick from a harem of women. Appalling, if it weren't for the fact everyone watches ironically. Watch for: The rose ceremonies, each one a masterpiece of amplified drama. The Bachelorette Australia Ten, Starts in October or November. A woman taking her pick from a bunch of blokes. Last year's debut out-rated all three seasons of The Bachelor, though it ran for a paltry 10 episodes. Now, it gets the full season it deserves. Watch for: The identity of this year's bachelorette. Ten could do worse than go with firecracker Laurina, a former Bachelor contestant. Dating Naked Eleven, later this year. A pixilation-heavy program in which nude heterosexual couples go on dates. Awkwardness, hilarity (and occasionally sex) ensues. Watch for: The things that get stuck on, or in, uncomfortable places. Proof that clothes are less a social construct and more a requirement of comfort. Adam Looking For Eve SBS2, German version starts April 29, Dutch version starts June 10. A bit like Dating Naked, but more European in both language and sensibility. Which means no prudish pixilation. Watch for: Ahem... If You Are the One SBS2, later this year This compellingly-frank dating show drew 50 million viewers in China, with one contestant telling a suitor she'd "prefer to cry in a BMW" than laugh on the back of a motorcycle. Watch for: The Australian-made specials. Flight 920 SBS2, Starts March 21, 6.30pm The Amazing Race meets The Bachelor, with 20 singles roaming nine exotic destinations. They proceed to the next stop by winning challenges, and the victors get to choose their dates. Watch for: Pretty scenery and pretty contestants. Sex Diaries SBS, Starts in March Why do couples use webcam to broadcast themselves having sex? Why do men become gigolos? Billed as an "intricate and warm-hearted study of modern love", this series is hosted by Emmy winner Charlie Russell. Watch for: The exhibitionists. Hatch, Match & Dispatch ABC, Starts February 11 at 8pm Narrated by actor Marta Dusseldorp, it follows the intimate milestones that occur inside the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Watch for: Activist Norrie, who won a High Court battle to be classified as "sex non-specific", demanding an official marriage interview with partner Sam. Luke Warm Sex ABC, Starts in March Comedian Luke McGregor, 33, has had sex three times ... two, if he's honest. So he goes on a journey to get better at it. Watch for: The "home tips and suggestions". Newlyweds: The First Year Arena, Thursdays 9.30pm Follows the ups and downs of the first year of marriage for four couples. Watch for: "Celebrity hairstylist" Brandon, married to "celebrity fitness expert" Craig. Untying the Knot Arena, Tuesdays 9.30pm This is "conscious uncoupling", reality TV-style. Vikki Ziegler, who presents herself as a "celebrity divorce attorney" promises "dignity" to couples who are "deadlocked in divvying up their most-prized possessions, ranging from the family pet pig to a Lamborghini". Tony Abbott is not a "wrecker" and his decision to stay in Parliament won't destabilise Malcolm Turnbull's government, a senior Liberal frontbencher says. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has rejected former Howard government minister Amanda Vantone's warning that Mr Abbott's continued presence will harm the Coalition despite his pledge of no sniping or undermining. "I don't agree at all that Tony Abbott is a destabilising force," Senator Cormann told ABC television. The federal government's troubled myGov website is set to be taken over by the Prime Minister's pet public service project the Digital Transformation Office. Fairfax understands that moves are already under way for the DTO to take over the management of the web portal from Commonwealth service delivery workhorse the giant Department of Human Services. Users of the MyGov website have been reporting problems for months. Credit:Michele Mossop Neither agency would confirm that a takeover was under way but one government IT expert said the move would be a chance to make a real difference for the digital change project which has so far produced little more than "wishy-washy" statements. RSPCA chief executive Steve Coleman said that when inspectors arrived at the location on Thursday they were told the business was "closing". Resulting raids by NSW Police and the RSPCA confirmed a string of animal welfare breaches. Dogs were rescued. Notices were served. Eight months on, not only have those squalid conditions worsened, the government inquiry has tabled recommendations which, if approved next month, do not empower the RSPCA to close non-compliant sites or seize dogs because they are found at such locations. Last year, a joint investigation by The Sun-Herald and animal rights group Oscar's Law exposed a puppy farm near Inverell, in northern NSW, where conditions were so deplorable, dogs were living inside old portable water containers. Their only purpose, to pump out never ending litters of "pure bred" pups being sold online for as much as $1500 each. In May 2015, the squalid scenes at this unlicensed puppy factory at Inverell triggered a NSW parliamentary inquiry. Eight months on conditions have worsened and yet there is nothing written into the inquiry's recommendations that would enable these dogs to be seized and the site closed. Credit:Oscar's Law He said that under the current legal framework, there was "nothing" stopping the proprietor from "re-establishing" elsewhere. "We eagerly await the government's response to the inquiry because what we don't want to see is an opportunity for someone else to relocate, set up without a DA and then sail under the radar for six months, 12 months or five years, as so many others have," he said. After The Sun-Herald's original expose last May, the RSPCA removed 16 neglected dogs from the factory. The veterinary reports for those animals detailed a host of preventable health issues including mammary tumours, ear infections, fluid on the lungs, deformed feet, rotten teeth and one dog suffering a twisted spine. While the RSPCA served the Inverell breeder with a "notice to comply", she is still operating without DA approval. Her online adverts, meanwhile, continue to mask a house of horrors. In one classified currently appearing on Trading Post, she describes a pair of "much loved" Pugalier babies both "raised in our home" around "small children". But when the NSW and Queensland branches of Animal Liberation inspected the property last weekend alongside Oscar's Law, they found no attempt had been made to improve conditions. Oscar's Law founder Debra Tranter observed approximately 70 dogs residing in rat infested housing with no clean sleeping areas or bedding provided. Some were still floundering in old water tanks. Elsewhere, puppies were huddled in wall cavities littered with sharp, rusty old nails protruding from the wood. Floors were littered with faeces and urine. One wall was leaning at a 45 degree angle and part of the roof had caved in. Ms Tranter reported that the only water available to the animals was filthy and in some cases "green". Access to a drug lauded for halting the spread of HIV will be provided to more than 2500 people in a push to wipe out new infections. A major expansion of a trial for the Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PReP) drug will begin later this year for people at high risk of contracting the disease. PReP has proven extremely effective when taken properly in trials overseas and locally. Credit:Michel O'Sullivan The state government has revealed it will increase the number of participants in the trial from 100 to 2600 people. PReP is available in tablet form and taken daily. It is given to people who are HIV negative but at risk of contracting the virus, including men whose partners have HIV. Minneapolis: A US federal judge has awarded damages to three women who sued after they were dismissed from their chauffeur jobs in the US because a Saudi prince wanted only male drivers. US District Judge Joan Ericksen warded $US130,000 ($183,590) each to Gretchen Cooper, Barbara Herold and Lisa Boutelle. A Saudi woman drives a vehicle in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2013, as seen on a video published by the then Oct26thDriving campaign. Credit:Screengrab In November, Judge Ericksen ruled in favour of the three women, who filed a gender discrimination lawsuit in 2012 in Minneapolis. The women received $US100,000 each for mental anguish and suffering under the Minnesota Human Rights Act, the Star Tribune reported. The news earlier this morning of Terry Wogan's passings has sent waves through both the broadcasting community and the ex-pat community in England. Wogan, who emigrated across the sea in 1967, was fondly remembered by both his Irish and English colleagues, as well as those who were interviewed by the late broadcaster. Chris O'Dowd shared a moving anecdote on Twitter about Wogan's cameo on Moone Boy, saying that the Limerick native arrived on set with a suit he'd worn in the '80s and, afterwards, insisted on bringing the cast and crew out for dinner afterwards. Terry Wogan was a busy man. But he kindly gave up a day to film some scenes for Moone Boy. He brought and wore his own 80's mustard suit.1/2 chris o'dowd (@BigBoyler) January 31, 2016 2/2 I felt guilty as our day ran long, but when we finished, he still insisted on taking us all out for pizza. He was, and is, a class act. chris o'dowd (@BigBoyler) January 31, 2016 Meanwhile, Dermot O'Leary, whose parents are from Wexford, added his voice to tributes, calling Wogan a "generous, funny, clever, life affirming man." Frankie Boyle made a bit of a Wogan-esque joke on Twitter, saying that if he didn't care about a celebrity's death, then he wouldn't comment. Of course, by him commenting, that's him acknowledging the fact he cares. Yeah, it's a weird one. Remember, if I don't comment on a celebrity death, it's because I don't care. Frankie Boyle (@frankieboyle) January 31, 2016 Larry Gogan, who was a personal friend of Wogan's, tweeted a message just after midday before he began his weekly show on 2FM. Deeply saddened at the news of the death of my dear friend Terry Wogan, one of the best broadcasters I ever knew R.I.P. Larry Gogan 2FM (@LarryGogan2FM) January 31, 2016 Later tonight, RTE One will broadcast Gay Byrne's interview with Terry Wogan for The Meaning Of Life, in which Wogan admitted that he was an atheist, explaining that he was "extremely resentful" of faith and religion in the aftermath of his daughter's death. Many have shared Wogan's sign-off, which included a touching message to his many listeners down through the years, with a visibly-upset Wogan talking about his career before ending the message, thanking people "for being my friend." US awards $2.8B in grants for EV batteries in 12 states including Kentucky By West Kentucky Star Staff Jan. 31, 2016 | 08:04 AM | PADUCAH, KY Bill Ford is visiting Paducah schools and senior living neighborhoods to encourage them to use their creative juices to color in his books. Ford's latest project in his Beaux Ties for the Arts charitable endeavor is "Color PADUCAH Wall to Wall". With permission from Robert Dafford and Paducah Wall to Wall, he partnered with Paducah Bank, the Visitors Bureau and the mural board to publish the first in a series of three coloring books that feature images in the 1st block of floodwall murals in downtown Paducah. The second coloring book will be available in April and the third in November.....all to support Dafford Mural maintenance. "I believe we need to make sure the Dafford Floodwall Murals are maintained by the original artists. This is the 20th year for Paducah Wall to Wall so I thought this would be a fun way to support their maintenance. I want to encourage others to be part of this effort. We are a generous and caring community and those murals are such a big part of our town. Every time I'm downtown I see people walking along the floodwall, reading about our history and enjoying our beautiful murals. Now they can color them as well and learn even more about our marvelous river town." This past week Ford visited Brookdale Senior Living on Holt Road to color with residents who expressed an interest in this popular activity. He also visits local schools and colors with students of all ages. To find where to purchase one of his coloring books, visit the link below: On the Net: Full Dan Hull Interview by Mirriam Seddiq and Assorted Sidekicks at new NGNW Podcast Show. | Main | Against the Great Neutering: Mr. Cage, thank you for being a Man. January 31, 2016 J. Dan Hull, II (March 11, 1900 - October 13, 1987) J. Dan Hull, II, 1933. Above is his Yale Ph.D picture. Class act. American dream overachiever and gentlemen's gentlemen. Authentic and honest--and never went out of his way to trumpet either trait. My Grandpop. First Hull in Virginia-Missouri line to even go to college. His dad self-educated John Hull (JDH I) made his first stake as a laborer building railroads out West and ended up owning a drug store in Mountain Grove, Missouri. Grandpop, who fought with his own dad a lot (as I did with mine), entered University of Missouri at 16 years old and and got his Masters degree from University of Chicago at age 20. Grandpop's family were relative newcomers to the colonies compared to my Mom's side of the family, who got to Massachusetts in 1634. Born in Mountain Grove, Missouri, he ended his career as a player in the Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations, author (including co-authoring the standard text for many years on secondary American education), Renaissance man and member of the Cosmos Club, the merit-based club for D.C.'s intellectual elite. Grandpop's great-great-great grandfather came to America as a teen with his own father from Germany and landed Middlebrook, Virginia in about 1750. Three generations later, just before the Civil War, another earlier Dan Hull, a miller and farmer, moved his large family from Virginia to Missouri in a what sounds like an ingenious "tricked-out" family carriage reputedly-handy old Dan had built especially for the trip. Old Dan drove the carriage. A wagon hitched to a four-horse team driven by a Bill Argenbright hauled the family goods. The journey to Missouri took 2 months, with then teenage Bill Hull--my great-great grandfather--serving on horseback as scout and advance man for supplies and campsites. Old Dan's other two sons, also on saddle horse, helped guide the trip. Just before making the trip, the family freed the slaves (at least 2) they had. They rested once a week to do washing, rest and attend church if possible. Old Dan's wife, who I'll write about some other time, was a devout Lutheran, as were all the 100 years of German-descended kin they were leaving back in Middlebrook, Virginia. Two generations later, Grandpop was born in 1900, 50 years after that westward trip led by his grandfather Bill. Given his roots and his low-key, always-dignified personality, his career and unpretentious leap into elite American circles is amazing. Educator. Diplomat. World Traveler. Teacher. Manager. Executive. Musical. Great card player. Sportsman. Fisherman. He had taste, too. Aggressive and strong but often quiet--sometimes too quiet, with a tinge of melancholy that moved me. Like me, not completely knowable. Well-read and well-traveled. Effortlessly well-dressed at all times. (Slim but well-built, he looked more elegant in T-shirt than most men do in a tux.) Loved, admired and respected by the cream of Missourians and Washington, D.C. Member of DC's famous merit-based Cosmos Club. Hung out with John Kenneth Galbraith and Elliot Richardson. Not bad for an Ozarks mountain boy. And great, I'm told, with women folk. Raised 3 sisters after his young mother, Nancy Susan McQuitty--who he adored--died in 1917 on Christmas Eve, when he was always strangely quiet. He lived 87.5 years. (March 11, 1900 - October 13, 1987). Both his Dad JDH I and his granddad Bill (a confederate soldier) lived even longer lives, dying in 1929 and 1953. His wife--and my pistol of a grandmother, Alene Oliver Hull--died in their house in Springfield, MO at 101. Grandpop taught me a lot. I miss him a lot. If it were not for 3 Missourians--Pat Bevier and Mary Helen Allen, my Dad's first cousins, and my marvelous new-found cousin, Super-Mom and Walmart exec Kristi Towe--I would have had a very hard time putting all this together accurately over the past few years. (Well, I may never have; it's time-consuming and I was always doing it half-assed and guessing based on things Grandpop told me, the Internet and 3 "mysterious" not-so-mysterious wills dating back to the 1700s my Dad John Hull gave me.) But 99.5% of the German Hulls is knowable--just not as well-kept as the history of my Mom's family (Holden) who've been keeping accurate records through the Colonial Dames organizations for several generations. Thanks for the work, you 3. Posted by JD Hull at January 31, 2016 05:33 PM Post a comment The first thing you need to know about the Global25 is that I update the relevant datasheets regularly, usually every few weeks, but they... Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/01/2016 (2454 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. With a couple of days of rough weather and a little seasickness along the way, the Canadian warship HMCS Fredericton and its crew have joined their allies in Turkish waters to participate in NATO measures in Central and Eastern Europe. There, according to its commanding officer, the Canadian frigate and its crew of 260 will spend the next months patrolling, communicating with and sometimes visiting other ships, and making NATOs presence known in the area. The ship sailed from Halifax January 5 as part of Operation REASSURANCE, the Canadian Armed Forces contribution to a NATO effort to counter Russian-backed unrest in Ukraine. HMCS Fredericton leaves Halifax on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. With a couple of days of rough weather and a little seasickness along the way, the Canadian warship HMCS Fredericton and its crew have joined their allies in Turkish waters to participate in NATO measures in Central and Eastern Europe. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan The vessel will also conduct counter-terrorism patrols and generally be ready to take on any mission required, from search and rescue to anti-air or anti-submarine warfare and everything in between, Cmdr. Trevor MacLean said in an interview. Since joining a German-led NATO task group, the focus has been on integration training, or making sure the vessels from different countries will communicate well in the event of a threat. Our ability to operate with each other at sea is something we really focus on whenever we get together, MacLean said. MacLean said the toughest part of training for the deployment was mentally preparing to spend six to seven months at sea in an enclosed space with 260 other people. But once you get away and get into a routine at sea and get into the day-to-day of doing something were all proud of doing, it gets a little easier every day, he said. The routine for crew members at sea consists of 12-hour shifts, with the rest of the time dedicated to meals, administrative work, fitness and sleep. A civilian from the personal support program is on board to organize fitness classes and activities that stave off boredom. Every few weeks, the NATO ships stop in different ports, which means the crew can go ashore, and sometimes can get together with crews from different ships for sporting events and social activities. After a few weeks at sea we can go a little stir crazy but you always have that next port of call to look forward to, MacLean said. Last June, the Fredericton and its previous crew made headlines when the vessel was shadowed by two Russian frigates during a visit by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife, Laureen. This time, MacLean says that although the crew has seen some Russian ships at sea, there have been only standard, cordial encounters. Nevertheless, he describes the eastern Mediterranean as a busy spot. This part of the world is at a critical point in its history with the events in Syria, with the Russias involvement and of course the human side of that are the refugees and migrants blowing across the land and using the sea as well, MacLean said. So its a very interesting place in the world right now. He said the toughest part of deployment is the separation from friends and family, although technology has made it much easier to stay in touch by internet and phone. The best part of being at sea, according to MacLean, is representing Canada on the global stage. You forge yourselves into a team over a few months and then you take that team to the far side of the world underneath the Canadians flag, and you get to show on a world stage what 260 well-trained, motivated, dedicated Canadians can do, he said. Its amazing, its an amazing experience. Follow @Lowrie219 on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/01/2016 (2454 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A century ago, the residents of Brandon were bidding farewell to the darkest month in the citys history. The year began with the First World War raging and hundreds of families dreading the arrival of a telegram informing them a loved one had become a casualty. At least one Brandon soldier was killed, and two were injured in the first few days of January. The city was also experiencing one of its worst winters on record. By mid-January, Brandon had received more than 105 centimetres of snow, three times the amount that fell the year before, and the city was also in the midst of a cold snap. Daly House Museum The building was gutted in the blaze. The adverse weather shut down the citys streetcar system on numerous occasions. It was also considered a prime cause of the Brandon train disaster of Jan. 12, 1916, the citys deadliest day, when 19 rail-yard workers were killed when two trains collided in the heart of the city. Just four days after that tragedy, the city experienced what is believed to be its deadliest fire when the Syndicate Block burned to the ground, taking four young lives with it. The Syndicate Block was constructed in 1892 at the southwest corner of Rosser Avenue and Seventh Street. At three storeys and 110 feet wide, it was an imposing building at an important intersection. One of the blocks first retailers was Wilson, Rankin and Company. Originally a furniture and carpet shop, they soon expanded into clothing and dry goods to become a full department store. They used the slogan Brandons greatest store, advertised regularly in Winnipeg newspapers and distributed a catalogue throughout Western Canada. Over the decades, partners in the store came and went, with the exception of Andrew Douglas Rankin, a Scottish immigrant who cut his retail teeth working at the Hudson Bay Co. in Winnipeg and co-owning a dry goods store in Calgary. By 1916, the Brandon store was known as Doig, Rankin and Robertson and took up more than half the block, sharing it with furniture dealers McPherson and Bedford and H.W. Ball and Company, purveyor of gents furnishings. Just after 9 a.m. on the morning of Monday, Jan. 17, 1916, some employees smelled smoke coming from the staff cloakroom, followed shortly after by the sight of flames. Within 10 minutes the interior of the store was completely ablaze, sending the nearly 40 employees on duty scrambling for their lives. When 16-year-old elevator boy Reggie Wells heard saw the fire burning, he took his elevator up to the third floor to call out to the dressmakers working there. He stayed for about a minute, thinking he could hear their machines working, but he could not get their attention. He didnt have the time to leave his post to get them because flames were already starting up the elevator shaft. Wells stopped at the second floor on his way down, where he was able to pick up a number of employees. When they reached the ground floor, the main staircase, in flames, was beginning to collapse. People on the upper floors, now trapped, scrambled to the buildings fire-escape ladder, but flames and thick smoke pouring from the buildings windows soon blocked their route. They had no choice but to jump to the ground below. A roll call was done after the evacuation, and four employees were missing. Fighting the fire was difficult because the cold temperatures had frozen two key fire hydrants near the intersection. A number of firefighters suffered frostbite to their feet. Fire Chief John Melhuish had a close call when he nearly collapsed from heat exhaustion while searching another store within the block, and also suffered a cut to his leg. He was helped out by some of his men. A number of soldiers from the 79th Battalion, some of whom had assisted at the train crash in the CPR yards just a couple of blocks away, lent a hand. Among them were a few Winnipeg firefighters who worked with the Brandon crews. Others acted as crowd control and tried to save merchandise and wagons from neighbouring businesses. COURTESY DAVIDSON STUDIO / WINTERBOS ON FLICKR Crews battle the blaze in the Syndicate Block, at the southwest corner of Rosser Avenue and Seventh Street in Brandon, on Jan. 17, 1916. At its peak, it was reported the flames rose as high as 10 metres above the roofline and threatened buildings across Rosser Street. Area businesses such as Aagards Cafe, the Palace Hotel and Dowling & Creeman provided the men with soup and sandwiches, warm drinks and changes of clothing as the battle wore on into the afternoon and late evening. Two charred bodies were found in the wreckage that afternoon. Clarence Walker, 27, was manager of the furniture department. He was married and had a 14-month-old child. Witnesses said he had escaped, but when he saw the scale of the fire he rushed back in to try to save employees. Caroline McCort, 22, lived on Seventh Street with her parents. For them, the death must have been especially shocking. Their son was overseas fighting with the 45th Battalion and likely couldnt have imagined it was their daughter, a dressmaker, who would be killed. The remains of the other two victims, also dressmakers, were found side by side the next day. Mary Marsh, 23, lived on 21st Street. The body of Sadie Eggertson, 25, was found by her fiance, who came to help with the search. The Winnipeg Tribune reported that when the charred remains were discovered, (he) became prostrated with grief. The blaze completely destroyed the block and its businesses. The damage was estimated at $350,000. It also ground Brandons downtown to a halt as it took more than a day to fully restore power and gas service. A number of streets had become skating rinks, which took days to grind down enough to allow for vehicle and streetcar traffic. The first inquest into the fire was conducted by Brandons coroner, Dr. More, and began Jan. 19. Because of the frozen state of the buildings remains and the fact six employees were still in hospital and too injured to testify, the coroners jury had little to say about the cause of the fire. Their findings, though, reflected some of the complaints they heard from the dozen or so witnesses they spoke to. They recommended easier access to fire escapes, such as doors or hinged windows, rather than having to push open a heavy, timber-framed window. They also called for more fire alarm stations, bells in large buildings and mandatory staff training on how to use them. The second inquest began Jan. 21, led by assistant provincial fire commissioner Harry OConnor of Winnipeg. Brandon city council wrote to the commissioners office asking for someone of his calibre to come to do a full investigation so they could ensure such a tragedy never happened again. McKee Archives, Brandon University The block before the fire. It took until June for OConnor to submit his findings, which gave him time to examine the scene in detail and interview dozens of witnesses. OConnor found despite the fact smoking was officially forbidden inside the building, employees did so in the back rooms, including the cloakroom. There was also a large, uncovered waste bin in the cloakroom. Earlier that morning, the floors were swept in preparation for the stores opening, and the debris and Dustbane, a compound for cleaning floors, were emptied into the bin. His conclusion was a smoker discarded a match into the bin, which eventually ignited the sweepings and other debris inside. He did not identify the employee, but some witnesses testified the companys accountant, a smoker, was the last person they remembered seeing in the room minutes before the fire started. The City of Brandon, OConnor noted, had to take contributory responsibility as the requirements for fire escapes and the method of accessing them were, anything but what one would expect to find in a city like Brandon. In the aftermath of the fire, Brandon made improvements to its fire code, even closing down the citys opera house for weeks until a new fire-escape system could be installed. A couple of months after the fire, Doig, Rankin and Robinson opened a temporary store on 10th Street and vowed to rebuild on their original site, which they did. Their new, custom-built and virtually fireproof store opened on Rosser Avenue on July 10, 1916. Christian Cassidy writes about local history on his blog, West End Dumplings. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/01/2016 (2454 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba has decided not to allow its nominee to run for the party in Selkirk. Its candidate selection committee on Friday decided that the candidacy of David Horbas would be seriously problematic and not in the best interests of the party. A copy of the decision obtained by the Free Press said the party is dropping Horbas based on a review of demonstrated and ongoing shortcomings with regards to Mr. Horbass participation in the partys election preparedness program and campaign planning efforts, and his overall performance as a candidate since his original nomination in November, 2014 Horbas, a businessman from the RM of St. Clements, said in an email Sunday morning that he was not prepared to comment just yet. Aspirin has been an amazing drug ever since it was marketed by Bayer Dye (yes, they sold dyes) and Chemical Company in Germany in 1899. First synthesized in 1853, the drugs history is fascinating. Aspirin was Bayers brand name for acetylsalicylic acid, which everyone now calls aspirin. It stuck in common parlance, like Kleenex for tissues, and is used as a generic term. One use for aspirin that has come into practice in the last three to four decades is taking a low daily dose for heart attack and stroke prevention. For clarification, primary prevention means treating someone who does not have a disease to prevent them from developing it. Secondary prevention means treating people with a disease to prevent them from developing more of it. In this discussion, the disease is cardiovascular disease or CVD. If referring just to heart disease, it is called coronary artery disease or CAD. But who will benefit from daily aspirin? Everybody? Apparently not, if you dont have enough cardiovascular risk factors. An article in the January 10, 2015 Minneapolis Star Tribune discussed a newer program from the University of Minnesota called Ask About Aspirin. The program is trying to foster preventive aspirin use for those who may benefit from it. Aye, theres the trick. Who are they? And, can they take it without risk? Quite a long time ago doctors realized that people taking aspirin could bleed more easily. It was found that aspirin kept platelets from clotting as well. Platelets are the cell fragments from bone marrow that clump together to stop bleeding initially for any of a variety of reasons. Even one dose of aspirin can reduce clotting capability until new platelets are formed every two weeks. In heart attacks and some strokes, plaque build-up in arteries, rust if you will, can break off, knock platelets around, and stimulate clotting. When aspirin is present, clotting doesnt happen nearly as much. Once that was understood, it became quite fashionable to take aspirin for primary prevention of heart attacks and strokes. In the late 1990s and early 2000s studies were begun to see how well it helped, and who benefited from it. On May 5, 2014 the FDA issued a statement that said there was no increased heart attack primary prevention in people who had no cardiac risk factors. But for those who already had either heart attacks or strokes, it certainly decreased chances of more developing, this being secondary prevention. The provocation for this judgment was a request to the FDA from Bayer Healthcare, LLC, for a change in the prescribing information for healthcare professionals for aspirin. They wanted to market the product for prevention of heart attacks in patients with no prior history of CVD. After reviewing studies from the previous decade, the FDA denied the request because of lack of proof of benefit. That created quite a flap for a while. People taking aspirin plus other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen and naproxen over the counter, can experience bad, even fatal, digestive system bleeding. If there is a chance of a brain artery rupturing and bleeding and producing a hemorrhagic stroke, aspirin can worsen it. A small number of folks are allergic to aspirin as well. Aspirin can interact with other medications, too, and augment bleeding chances a lot if youre taking other anti-clotting Rxs. For a person with little chance of CVD, it was felt these were serious enough reasons not to take aspirin without justification. The CDCs Million Hearts Campaign and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute agree with the FDAs position. So does the American Heart Association. Even though the tone of the newspaper article seems to plug more aspirin use, the Ask About Aspirin campaign agrees also. On their website it prompts you to answer questions about cardiac risks factors. These include prior heart attacks or CVD, high blood pressure, diabetes, having a stent in a heart or peripheral artery, any so called peripheral artery disease (mainly rust in leg arteries), etc. It will tell you if you may or may not be a candidate for daily aspirin. Every reference ends with, Discuss taking it with your doctor, which really is the best idea. And this is not one of those mega-expensive, new drugs in some million-dollar TV ad. Its cheap! It can be a miraculous and dangerous drug in the right and wrong uses and doses. So, check with your doctor is good advice. The old joke, Take two aspirin, and call me in the morning is probably not what you will hear now from your doctor. Taking an aspirin a day doesnt always keep the doctor away. But an apple a day will, if your aim is good, and you throw hard enough. Dear Pope Francis, 10-year-old Mohammed begins, Will the world be again as it was in the past? Signed Respectfully yours, the boy wrote from a Jesuit-run school for refugee children in Syria and was treated to a long and personal answer from the pope himself. So were 29 other children who posed questions to Francis in letters from around the globe for a new book poignantly illustrated with their own artwork. The book, Dear Pope Francis, is out March 1 from Loyola Press in Chicago. Its a project that likely wouldnt have materialized without the help of Father Antonio Spadaro, a Jesuit like the pope and the director of La Civilta Cattolica, a Roman Catholic journal published in Rome. Tom McGrath of the Jesuit-founded publishing house co-edited the book with Spadaro after reaching out to the priest for help. Spadaro brought about 50 letters with questions to the pope so he could select 30. Spadaro sat with the pope as he responded to each. Francis often complimented the artwork of the children. He knows Pope Francis very well, McGrath said of Spadaro. We tried to make it as easy for the pope as possible. The popes response to Mohammed spoke in part of suffering and the people who inflict it: There are those who manufacture weapons so that people fight each other and wage war. There are people who have hate in their hearts. There are people who are interested only in money and would sell everything for it. They would even sell other people, he wrote. More to Mohammeds point, Francis answered: No, when the time comes, the world will not be as it was. It will be far better than it was in the past. Once the pope agreed to participate in the project, Loyola reached out to priests and lay people around the world to connect the publisher with children to write the letters. The 30 kids in the book range in age from 6 to 13. In all, about 250 letters were received in 14 languages from 26 countries around the globe. The pope wound up with about 50 letters from which to choose. He loved the project right from the beginning, McGrath said. He has this great affection for children, who have a great affection for him. He was surprised at the depth of the questions. There was no condensing or editing of the popes responses. In a 90-minute session with Spadaro last August in Rome, Francis responded verbally in a mixture of Italian and Spanish. Spadaro served as transcriber in addition to connecting Loyola Press with the Vatican. These are the popes exact words, McGrath said. At one point he mentioned, These are tough. He realized that he owed the kids a deeper answer than right off the top of his head. Loyola will publish the book in English and Spanish. As an international Jesuit project, it will also be published simultaneously around the world, including in Brazil, Indonesia, Slovenia, Mexico and India. Arrangements were still being made but Loyola Press plans to bring 10 of the children included in the book to Rome to meet the pope in person, hopefully in February before its March publication date. The pope is eager to meet them, McGrath said. He was quick to say he would like to make that happen. Theyll be traveling with their parents from China, Ireland, Argentina, India, Canada, Kenya, Singapore, Australia, the United States and the Philippines. Mohammed will not be among them, but 8-year-old Natasha from Kenya will make the trip to Rome. She asked the pope in her letter: I would like to know more about Jesus Christ. How did he walk on water? The popes response? You have to imagine Jesus walking naturally, normally. He did not fly over the water or turn somersaults while swimming, he wrote. He walked as you walk! ... Jesus is God, and so he can do anything! While one child wanted to know why parents fight and another why the pope wears such a tall hat, 7-year-old William of the United States asked: If you could do one miracle what would it be? Dear William, the pope said. I would heal children. Ive never been able to understand why children suffer. Its a mystery to me. I dont have an explanation. Change is in the air at Minnesota State CollegeSoutheast Technical! We are now in the process of completing an application to expand our mission and offer an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree. As a technical college, we currently offer certificates, diplomas, Associate of Science (A.S.) and Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees. Most of these programs revolve around business, health care, the trades and technology. Southeast Technical has enjoyed a rich 64-year history in Winona and 42-year history in Red Wing. We have always endeavored to serve the educational needs of both communities. The technical education that our college is recognized for in its long history is at the heart of our mission and will continue to be our focus. In the process of expanding our programming, our mission will include not only preparation for the workforce but also the credit transfer component of the colleges program offerings. The Associate of Arts degree is especially designed as an option for students who are pursuing transfer to a four-year college or university. We are justly proud of our instruction in the liberal arts, humanities and sciences. Since 2009, Southeast Technical has offered the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum and students have enrolled in these courses to transfer to four-year institutions. In the future, a student who successfully completes an Associate of Arts degree at our college will be able to transfer to a four-year institution as a junior. Without an A.A. degree, the transfer of two-year programs is not always guaranteed. As we explore this exciting new opportunity, we are confronted with yet another major change. If our application to offer the Associate of Arts degree is successful, we will need to consider changing the colleges name. With an expanded mission comes a dual purpose we would become both a community and a technical college. Southeast Technical belongs to the Winona and Red Wing communities indeed to the entire region and we treasure the role we play serving your educational needs. For that reason, as the administration, faculty and staff work towards expanding our programming and updating our mission, we are seeking your suggestions for a new name for the college. We have created a simple online form and ask that you use it to submit your ideas for a new name. We value your suggestions and feedback. You will find the form at www.southeastmn.edu/name. As this process will evolve quickly, we will keep the form open until Feb. 10. Official approval of the new Associate of Arts degree, mission and name will not occur until April 2016. Thank you for your support of Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical! Please know that we are here to serve our students and our communities, now and in the future. Two years ago, immediately following the train wreck and fireball outside of Casselton, North Dakota, Houston County Protectors held a town hall meeting to discuss our deep concerns about increased rail traffic through our own communities, an increase that is all about frack sand mining and fracking. We invited Tim Walzs transportation specialist, first responders and fire departments from around the region, emergency management personnel, county commissioners, conservation officers and concerned citizens. Several important things came out of that forum. First, there were recommendations to improve rail safety. Sadly, because of our obstructionist Congress, these were not adopted. Other information from this meeting that people should know about: booms to contain" oil spills in water must be delivered from a distant storage location. Booms are not just laying around at-the-ready in every community fire hall. Moreover, booms only remove about 10 to 20 percent of oil from the water. Not exactly a success story. The most horrifying thing was this: Someone asked an emergency management worker, "What happens if a train derails in the winter, crashes through the ice and spills oil under the ice? What do booms do then? I will never forget the look on this poor mans face as he answered because he looked like he was going to faint. That, he said, "is my worst nightmare! There is basically nothing you can do. Earlier this week, a train derailed in our National Wildlife Refuge near Reno in Houston County. Rail cars crashed through the ice into the Mississippi. If this had been crude oil, like the man said, there is basically nothing you can do. If the tankers leaked under the ice, nothing you can do. Or, like in Casselton with a Bakken crude oil-induced fireball, nothing you can do. Emergency responders would not even approach the inferno because of the heat. Houston County cannot prepare for these train wrecks, no matter how well-intentioned our emergency responders are. We can stop enabling the problem, though. We can ban frack sand mining. The sheer weight of the sand cars ruins the rails and weakens the rail beds. Feeding the fracking industry leads to increased train traffic and further damage to this infrastructure. A friend of mine says, "If people are shooting bullets at you, you dont have to wait until you are actually hit before you do something about it!" Eventually, there will be a bullet we will not dodge. I am writing to sing the praises of the city of Beaver Dam. I grew up in Beaver Dam and graduated from Beaver Dam High School in 1990. I moved away shortly after graduation. For 20 years, Ive worked as a TV journalist, first for CNN, and later for ABC, as a producer for Good Morning America. Today I live with my husband and four children in New York, and rarely have the opportunity to visit my hometown. That changed on Jan. 13, when I had the pleasure of returning to Beaver Dam to make a presentation at Beaver Dam Community Library in conjunction with the publication of my book, White Dresses: A Memoir of Love and Secrets, Mothers and Daughters. I was stunned at the show of support for not only the book, but also for the library. A crowd of nearly 200 turned out on a cold weeknight to pack into a lovely new meeting room Id never known existed. (The basement meeting room is a great addition to the library). The questions asked were thoughtful and intelligent and the people in attendance clearly love books. In a day and age in which more and more bookstores are closing and in which publishers are having to compete with the distractions of smart phones and social media, I was heartened to see so many gather in library to talk about literature. My publishers at HarperCollins were equally pleased when I told them about my visit. It is a special community that cherishes books and libraries especially now, in a century in which people are arguably busier and more distracted than ever before. Thank you, Beaver Dam, for continuing to love books and for continuing to support and gather in your library. It speaks volumes about who you are as a community. And thank you to librarian Anita Streich for organizing the Jan. 13 program and for overseeing (in such a wonderful way) a library that first introduced me to my lifelong love affair with books. I look forward to returning to Beaver Dam - and to taking my own children to a library I shall forever cherish. Mary Pflum Peterson, Beaver Dam High School Class of 1990, Producer, ABC News/ Good Morning America Author, White Dresses: A Memoir of Love and Secrets, Mothers and Daughters Nearly 4,000 children in Wisconsin were diagnosed with elevated levels of lead in their blood in 2014, although the extent to which they were poisoned by lead in drinking water versus other sources is not known because the government doesnt require testing tap water in such cases. Officials at the nations Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Wisconsins Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program attribute childhood lead exposure almost exclusively to deteriorating lead-based paint and lead dust in older homes. But lead paint is not the only hazard of old housing stock. For decades beginning in the late 1800s, lead was a commonly used material in the service lines that carry drinking water from municipal water mains to homes. There are an estimated 176,000 such lead pipes in Wisconsin. Yanna Lambrinidou, a researcher and instructor at Virginia Tech, said the CDC and public health community are doing tremendous damage by failing to require testing for lead in drinking water when a childs blood shows elevated levels. Its putting generations of kids in harms way for absolutely no good reason, she said. The percentage of lead-poisoned children among those tested in Wisconsin 4.5 percent is not far off the 4.9 percent of children diagnosed in 2015 in the region of Flint, Michigan, where state and federal officials have declared a state of emergency over the spike in lead in drinking water and childrens blood. In Milwaukee, the percentage is even higher: 8.6 percent of children tested in 2014 had blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter, the level at which children are known to suffer health problems, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Even those percentages likely understate the magnitude of the problem, said Marc Edwards, the Virginia Tech professor whose team helped identify the lead problem in Flints water. Standard testing for lead in blood begins around age 1, a time when children become mobile and may be exposed to lead paint or dust ignoring infants on formula who may be ingesting large amounts of lead-tainted tap water. Neither in Flint nor in Wisconsin is the greatest at-risk group being tested, Edwards said. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acknowledged the contribution of water to the nations lead exposure in 1991 when it estimated that drinking water accounts for about 20 percent of average lead exposure, but as much as 85 percent of exposure for infants consuming formula made with tap water. Because of the dangers of lead, the United States started phasing out leaded gasoline in 1973 until it was virtually eliminated in 1988. The use of lead-based paints steadily decreased after 1950 until the additive was banned from the market in 1978. The use of lead for plumbing was outlawed in 1986, although until January 2014, lead-free indoor plumbing components could legally contain up to 8 percent lead. In 2014, 3,922 Wisconsin children under age 6 had blood lead levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter or higher. About 20 percent of Wisconsin children are tested in a typical year. Almost 60 percent, or 2,244, of the states lead-poisoned children in 2014 were from the city of Milwaukee. Milwaukees Social Development Commission is wrapping up work on a $3 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-funded project to identify and remove lead hazards from 231 low-income housing units. Yet drinking water is not part of the program, said Ramona Jensen, lead liaison for the group. We just quite honestly dont consider the water, she said. If youre not testing the water when youre doing a (lead) investigation, how do we know if it is or is not an exposure route? Public water utilities are required to take remedial action under the EPAs Lead and Copper Rule only if more than 10 percent of household tap water samples exceed the federal standard of 15 parts per billion. No remediation is required for even exceedingly high readings if the 10 percent threshold is not met. In Wisconsin, 725 tap water samples, or 3.5 percent of almost 21,000 household samples tested between January 2010 and April 2015, exceeded 15 ppb, according to a DNR database analyzed by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. Applying the 3.5 percent estimate to the 176,000 known lead service lines in the state suggests that some 6,200 Wisconsin households may drink public water that exceeds the federal standard. That does not account for the unknown number of homes with lead fixtures. In addition, an estimated 940,000 Wisconsin homes get their water from private wells. Private wells are largely unregulated, meaning those property owners are responsible for the safety of their own water. In 2013, the Department of Health Services analyzed almost 4,000 private well samples and found that 1.8 percent of them exceeded 15 ppb of lead. Applying this estimate to all homes on private wells adds nearly 17,000 households to the at-risk total. In some Wisconsin communities, the percentage of public water samples that tested above 15 ppb was much higher than 3.5 percent, such as Lake Mills (20 percent), Columbus (18 percent) and Mount Horeb (16 percent). The states highest value was recorded in one test in 2012 in Mount Horeb: 9,370 ppb. Lambrinidou, the Virginia Tech scientist, said regulatory agencies are not only failing to examine lead in water; theyre also not alerting homeowners of ways to protect themselves, including installing filters costing as little as $40. The outrage, Lambrinidou added, is that for many households, the prevention of miscarriages and of irreversible brain damage is $40 away. Fifteen years before lead contamination of a Michigan citys drinking water became a public health crisis, Madison was on its way to eliminating its worst risks through a costly effort that replaced more than 8,000 lead water pipes. There are cheaper ways to meet federal standards, but none as effective, said the consultant whose work helped drive the effort. Wherever there is a lead pipe in any city, it should be replaced, said Abigail Cantor, an independent consultant whose tests on old pipes sparked the citys 11-year, $15.5 million effort to replace every lead pipe in the water system. Madison is believed to be the only community in the country to have taken such a radical step. Cantor has been honored in Wisconsin and nationally for her research, and the citys solution has caught the attention of experts and utility officials elsewhere. But an update the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is making to its lead and copper regulations isnt likely to substantially change an approach Cantor says is dangerously simplistic. The federal rule doesnt take into account the complex nature of drinking water systems, which can deliver hazardous, temporary spikes in lead levels that arent detected by infrequent federally mandated sampling, Cantor said. Even water systems that are in full compliance with federal standards can still have up to 10 percent of tested households exceeding the federal action level for the toxic metal. The stakes are high because lead causes irreversible brain damage. Scientists have grown more concerned recently about its effects on children. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control cut by half the blood level that is considered high. The metal has also been linked to heightened risk of fetal death and other problems. The first step toward addressing risks from tap water should be to do what Madison did, said Cantor, who continues to investigate water supply problems for clients from her West Side office. When samples show too much lead in more than 10 percent of samples, the EPA calls for adding chemicals that create a coating on pipe interiors that prevents water from absorbing the poisonous metal. Cantor said it works well on new lead pipes. But the problem is the pipes in this nation are not nice clean new lines, Cantor said. They are filled with a lot of precipitants ... what I call a soup of metals and microbiological issues. Even after Madison replaced most of its lead pipes, spikes in lead content were discovered. The city countered the problem, but it illustrated one of scores of complex, difficult-to-predict interactions that occur in water supplies. The chemistry and biology of water varies widely depending on its sources in hundreds of lakes, rivers and underground aquifers. Variable factors such as purification methods, temperature, storage time and materials that have accumulated for decades in pipes add another layer of unpredictability, Cantor said. Madisons decision to replace its pipes was anything but easy, with strong objections to the cost and scale of the effort. Even nearby communities with similar water chemistry have not opted for a similar approach. Even if the chemistry is right, economic sustainability is another hurdle, said Gregory Harrington, a UW-Madison professor who specializes in water supply engineering. In other words, is the community willing to pay for that solution? Differences in Flint What happened in Flint, Michigan, has commanded international attention in part because state officials misled the public about lead levels after tests showed serious problems. In Wisconsin, after samples of Madisons drinking water found too much lead in 1992, the state Department of Natural Resources issued a series of consent orders to make sure Madison found a solution. Nearly 10 years later, rather than using the conventional and relatively inexpensive solution of chemical additives, the city persuaded the DNR that it should replace every lead pipe in the city, said Joe Grande, the Madison Water Utilitys quality manager. EPA rules can require limited, gradual pipe replacement, but only if chemicals dont work, and only until standards for 90 percent of tested taps are met. It was a very unusual route, Grande said. I dont know of any utilities that have opted to do lead service replacement instead of corrosion control. Lead pipes connecting homes to iron water mains were installed in the early part of the 20th Century. Leads flexibility meant it resisted cracking when the soil shifts. But over the years, evidence mounted showing the metal leached into the water and caused permanent health problems. A 1991 EPA rule required sampling of water from homes known to have lead connections. Water systems needed to take steps if tests showed more than 10 percent of samples had lead concentrations exceeding 15 parts per billion. Madisons showed 16 parts per billion or less in 90 percent of samples in 1992, and the water utility began testing chemicals to reduce pipe corrosion and keep the lead in check. Cantor worked for a private consultant the utility hired, conducting trials with the chemicals on sections of old pipe. Basically I just questioned authority, because what the regulation was telling us to do didnt match up with what I was seeing in the field, Cantor said. The unique and complex chemistry and biology of Madison water and the residue in its pipes didnt react as expected. One type of phosphate that was supposed to reduce lead actually increased it fourfold, Cantor said. Another phosphate did lower lead levels to some extent, but there were concerns because phosphates act as plant nutrients. Pumping nutrients into the water supply at the front end would tend to boost the fertilizing potency of sewer water discharged at the other end. The areas sewage treatment plant had recently spent millions of dollars to reduce the areas nutrient discharges, which cause excessive algae and weed growths in lakes and streams, and officials didnt want to offset those gains, Grande said. But the alternative, replacing lead pipes, would be costly, and the water utility was legally responsible only for the lead pipe that ran from the iron water mains under the streets to the property line of a home or business. The rest of the lead connection leading to the tap was the property owners responsibility. Grande said the DNR insisted on a guarantee that all the lead would be replaced, so the city passed an ordinance requiring residents in older properties to replace their pipes, setting off a backlash over costs that would run to thousands of dollars for each homeowner. We had to figure out a way, particularly for low-income people, how they were going to be able to afford that, said Sue Bauman, who was mayor from 1997 to 2003. It was controversial, and we went around and around about it, Bauman said. People didnt want to pay to have their laterals (pipes) done, but they also didnt want the chemicals put in the water. In the end, the city agreed to pay up to $1,000 of the property owners cost. An agreement was signed with the DNR on Dec. 21, 2000, and work was soon underway. Lead levels rose again Even after most of Madisons lead pipe had been replaced in 2007, tests were showing surprising spikes in lead concentrations in some areas, Grande said. The utility determined that the culprit was manganese, a metal component in material that accumulates on interior surfaces of water pipes, Grande said. Manganese was absorbing small amounts of lead that appears naturally in the water. Over time, it concentrated the lead until it reached levels that posed health concerns. The utility began a program of flushing water through the pipes to remove clinging contaminants. Cantor said flushing programs are an important step. Iron and manganese in mains and inside a homes plumbing can concentrate lead and then release it, she said. She recommends that homeowners have samples tested for lead at private or state laboratories. Many water utilities across the country wrestle at one time or another with lead problems. Some Wisconsin water systems outside of Madison are considering replacing at least some pipes, including connections on private property, but most use phosphate additives to control lead, DNR spokesman George Althoff said. Some communities have considered a half measure: Just replacing the public portion of the lead service lines while leaving the property owners portion untouched. But research suggests it should be all or nothing because disturbing one end of the pipe can shake loose hazardous sediments at the other. Grande said he didnt expect to see many emulate Madisons approach because of the price tag. Estimates to replace the lead water service lines in Flint, for example, start at $60 million and go up dramatically from there. But Madison officials say it was money well spent. Hopefully our example will be spread widely and it will provide an alternative approach, Grande said. We found it very successful. Rolling onto the scene of a womans murder in February 2014 in Mazomanie, Dane County Sheriffs Deputy Scott Lehmann took one look at the exterior of the old and rambling two-story house and his heart sank. Lehmann is a crime scene investigator, and he knew from that initial glance at the 2,200-square-foot home that it was going to take a long time to do his job. He would have to document the entire house as a crime scene using just the traditional documentation tools of a tape measure and pencil and paper, he said as well as collect evidence. That can be risky early in an investigation, when its not always clear whats most important. It only became more daunting inside, as Lehmann picked his way through the homes many rooms, each one cluttered with furniture and other objects that might help find the killer of 43-year-old Cheryl Gilberg, who had suffered two gunshots to the head in a bedroom upstairs. You have to measure every wall, the height of every ceiling, in every room, Lehmann said. On top of that, you have to position every piece of furniture or other item thats in each room as close to precisely as you can, to create a diagram that portrays everything accurately. With such a big job in front of him, Lehmann opted to pick up the phone rather than his tape measure. He knew there was a better option: 3-D laser scanners, touted as the latest, best tools for faster, easier and exponentially more detailed crime scene sketching. And he knew his then-boss, Lt. David Karls, had been making valuable connections with early adopters in the state. Through Karls contacts, Lehmann was able to talk with professors and academic staff at UW-Madisons Living Environments Laboratory at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. They had a potent 3-D laser scanner powered by lidar in use in the lab since 2013, as part of a $2.5 million federal grant for a research project studying how virtual reality tools can help people manage their health better at home. The university agreed to loan out the scanner to the Sheriffs Office for a day, along with the technical expertise of programmer Ross Tredinnick, who completed 37 scans over about 10 hours at the house a job Lehmann said would have taken a team of investigators two to four days the old-fashioned way. It was a really unique experience, Tredinnick recalled. They had me go through all the precautions they do I wore the booties, I didnt touch anything. It felt good to be using our technology for another purpose to help the public. A lidar scanner uses a combination of lasers and a camera to create detailed, three-dimensional models of entire physical environments. Its a lunchbox-sized device that sits on a tripod and slowly rotates 360 degrees, documenting a single room typically with one 10-to-12-minute scan or capturing the whole interior of a house by stitching several scans together using provided software. Its the amount of data you can collect, Karls said. We collected almost 800 million points of data in about 10 hours of work at the (Mazomanie) homicide scene. Beyond the tape measure, other traditional crime scene sketching tools include high-resolution scanning cameras and electronic measuring systems similar to what surveyors use that police agencies call total stations. But their typically 2-D scene drawings pale in comparison to the seamless renditions of a 3-D laser scanner, Karls said. You have a finished product that can be used in court proceedings, Karls said. You can basically walk the jury through the scene without them leaving the courthouse. Lidar itself is a remote sensing system that works like radar but with light, the two words that form its name. It uses repeated pulsed lasers that reflect into a space off an angled mirror in the device to hit objects in the surrounding environment and then bounce back. Distance measurements are recorded based on the time it takes for pulses to bounce back. That data is then plotted onto a panoramic photograph of the space to create a data set of full-color 3-D points, known as a point cloud. Point clouds from several locations produce a full 3-D model of the environment when several scans are stitched together with special processing software. Lidar was developed in the early 1960s as a weather forecasting tool, but it has grown to have a host of industrial and academic applications, including uses for mining, robotics, agriculture, self-driving cars and archaeology. Crime-scene sketching is one of lidars newer uses, with a small but growing number of law enforcement agencies purchasing scanners as their cost has come down in the past 10 to 15 years. Prices have dropped from around $250,000 to $50,000 for a tripod-mounted scanner now, with smaller hand-held scanning devices that offer much the same punch plus increased mobility now selling for about $17,000. Impressed by the 3-D model produced by the scans of the murder house in Mazomanie which ultimately wasnt needed in court because a plea bargain averted a trial the Sheriffs Office purchased its own handheld scanner in early 2015. Lehmann said its been used around 25 times for training and at crime or crash scenes. The Madison Police Department expects to buy a 3-D scanner in the next two to five years, Lt. Karl Strassburg said, with help from the Wisconsin State Patrol an option if the need for a 3-D scanner arises sooner. The State Patrol has been leasing a tripod-mounted scanner as needed for about four years, with a purchase of one expected very soon, said Trooper Ryan Zukowksi of the State Patrols Technical Reconstruction Unit. The State Patrol has used leased scanners to document crashes and assist at several crime scenes, including the September 2012 house fire in Argyle that killed three young boys in an arson set by their father, Armin Wand III. We refer to the scanner as another tool in the toolbox, Zukowski said, noting it doesnt work as well as some other methods in bright light and certain outdoor scenarios. At a 700-foot-long, multi-vehicle crash scene, for example, a tripod-mounted scanner would collect far too much data. Between the scanner and total station and tape measure and airplane (photography), it kind of depends. The scene dictates what the best choice is. Because the processing software in 3-D scanners allows users to delete objects in produced images, law enforcement use of the technology also must include chain-of-custody protections adapted for electronic records. Those familiar with the technology said the database would show any changes and who made them, among other easy tells. Youre also still taking photographs at the scene, for example, noted Tom Morris, a consulting crime and crash scene reconstructionist on contract with the St. Louis Police Department since 2003. If you have a photograph in the case file that shows a gun on the floor, but its not in the 3-D drawing, you have some explaining to do. The police were sent in an attempt to arrest Rabbi Berland on Shabbat [sabbath] night. This is a very serious crime. [Jewish law] speaks extensively on the rodef, a person who goes and tries to imprison his fellow in the hands of non-Jews. There is a commandment to stop him at all costs. And the law refers to a simple Jewwhereas we are dealing with a great Rabbi, a great Torah Sage [Berland]. Above: Rabbis Eliezer Berland, left; Warren Goldstein, right Breslov Hasidim Issue Death Threat Against South Africas Chief Rabbi Shmarya Rosenberg FailedMessiah.com Rabbi Eliezer Berland, the head of the Breslov hasidic Shuvu Banim sect, isnt living openly and peaceably in South Africa as his disciples have claimed in the Israeli haredi media. Instead, hes on the run inside the country and in hiding after South African Police Service officers, acting on an arrest warrant from Interpol, tried to arrest the 78-year-old Berland on January 22 after Shabbat had already begun. That arrest attempt enraged Berlands 40 or so local adult followers who are Israelis, many of whom are ex-cons, who fled Israel with (or shortly after) Berland just before Israeli police moved to bring Berland in for allegedly committing a string of sexual assaults against his young female followers, some of whom were married and at least one of whom was a minor at the time her alleged assault took place. They believe the police were tipped off to Berlands location a rural resort hotel in Samrand, north of Johannesburg by South Africas chief rabbi, Warren Goldstein, and said on the sects website that Goldstein himself haredi Orthodox was a rodef (pursuer) and should be judged as such, the Johannesburg Sunday Times and Ha'aretz reported. In halakha (Orthodox Jewish law) a rodef can be killed by anyone to stop him from killing. Assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was labeled a rodef by right-wing Orthodox rabbis from Chabad, Kahanist and Zionist Orthodoxy in the months before his assassination by a right-wing Zionist Orthodox extremist. After last Friday nights raid, his followers issued death threat against Goldstein and complained police had traumatized their children during the raid. Basing itself on the ruling of well-known Johannesburg haredi rabbi (who is, for some reason, not named in by the Johannesburg Sunday Times or Haaretz), the Berlands Shuvu Banim Breslov hasidic sect reportedly posted the following on the groups website. The police were sent in an attempt to arrest Rabbi Berland on Shabbat [sabbath] night. This is a very serious crime. [Jewish law] speaks extensively on the rodef, a person who goes and tries to imprison his fellow in the hands of non-Jews. There is a commandment to stop him at all costs. And the law refers to a simple Jewwhereas we are dealing with a great Rabbi, a great Torah Sage [Berland], the sect wrote. The official South African Jewish community lashed out at Berland and his followers in statement. The South African Jewish community calls on Rabbi Eliezer Berland to return to Israel immediately to face the serious criminal charges laid against him and for which there is an international warrant of arrest against him. We further condemn the baseless malicious lies and incitement to violence aimed at our Chief Rabbi, including the libellous accusation that the Chief Rabbi was responsible for the police raid on Berlands compound, the statement said. Left unanswered by South Africas official Jewish body, which claimed to speaking for the full spectrum of the countrys Jews, is why anyone should be ashamed of reporting a wanted molester and rapist to police. Berland has been on the run from Israel since 2012, and has run for country to country during that time. He was most recently in the Netherlands for almost one year as he fought extradition to Israel. He jumped bail and went into hiding when he exhausted his legal ways of stopping the extraditionand resurfaced in South Africa several months later. Related Posts: All Rabbi Eliezer Berland Posts. She did not intend to become the heretic of the checkout line. But as she watches her food bill skyrocket, Deborah feels compelled to make snarky remarks. "Why bother eatingkosher?" she asks those behind her. The patrons tut-tut in agreement and discuss how expensive kosher food has become, and on top of the "tuition crisis" -- the exorbitant expense of Jewish day schools -- how can anyone afford to shop in Glatt markets? But the reality is: the price of kosher is the least of it. "For the record, most items with a kosher certification are not more expensive," says Menachem Lubinsky, an authority on the kosher food industry, CEO of Lubicom Consulting and Founder of Kosherfest, "What are more costly are the specifically produced kosher foods that require extra kosher certification, particularly in meat and dairy. Prices may be 10 percent to 20 percent higher than non-kosher items." He adds that despite higher fuel and commodity prices in recent times, costs of most kosher ethnic foods have either stayed the same or gone up by no more than 3 percent to 5 percent. Lubinsky's information confirms that the cost of kosher food is nothing when compared to the exorbitance of Jewish day school tuition. Deborah is a young mother who is paying $16,000 per year for one of her children to attend a Jewish day school. She asked that I change her name for this article because, as she phrases it, she feels "priced out" of her religion. However, she's determined to figure out this problem because she loves Judaism, she is spiritually connected to every facet of her Modern Orthodox lifestyle, and she should not have to feel this way about costs. When I ask a tuition-paying friend of mine if she feels stressed by religion, she replies "I don't feel stressed. As a matter of fact, religion is my oasis from stress. The cost of Jewish day school is not a product of our religion, rather a malady of sorts that we as a community need to work together to cure. The Torah tells us that for every illness, the cure is already provided -- we just need to work together to find it." Rabbi Saul Zucker of the Orthodox Union explains that "the average price of Jewish day school tuition for grades K-12 is $15,000 per year (as compared to the average Catholic school tuition of $3,383, according to NCEA). For four children that would mean $60,000 per year post taxes, which indicates that one would have to earn approximately $200,000 per year (the top 3 percent of earners in this country) just to support their children's education." Zucker says that Jewish day schools aim to provide the very best possible education, with fine arts curricula, the newest in technology, stellar guidance counseling services, after school programming and other "frills," but that the model is "unsustainable" in the long run. That is why many are seeking other solutions. Recently, the Shalom Academy (SACS), a Hebrew-immersion charter school, was approved for Englewood and Teaneck, N.J. Some Jewish day school parents have decided that a Hebrew language and culture education (despite it not being a Jewish education) is a great secondary option, and have enrolled their children, who were admitted through a lottery, in SACS for this coming September. Others are outraged that their friends would opt for a "non-Jewish" education, and despite struggling with tuition themselves, they are keeping their kids in yeshiva. Many of them also wonder if they'll ever be able to retire. And that's only elementary school. "If you think you're getting off at only 18k per kid with four kids in high school, I have somebaaad news for you," says my friend Josh Lipowsky, a former Assistant Editor at The Jewish Standard. "One high school that I looked at had a base tuition of more than 22 grand and after all the building fees and the annual dinner fee, it is well over 25k. The application fee alone is about $800. We're talking about New Jersey. Manhattan is a whole other story." In fact, Manhattan Jewish high schools cost significantly more. One in particular, known for its stellar academic and extracurricular provisions, costs over $30,000. "Unlike the public schools, the day schools have to raise the majority of their money, Lipowsky explains. "There is very little available from the state -- a few hundred per student for nurses and books, but that's about it. As for the higher costs, it actually costs, according to Agudah N.J., less to educate a day school student than a public school student, but day school parents get the double whammy of paying for both Jewish and secular studies. Starting in the 1970s, day schools began competing not only with each other but with public schools. In order to attract top teachers, they had to offer comparable salaries and benefits. In order to keep students, they had to start offering other services that the public schools offer -- art, music, clubs. And they also had to keep up with the latest in technology in order to compete. You can look at schools with price tags half of other elementary schools but fewer services. They don't have the same number of guidance counselors or music teachers and rely on parental volunteers for special things to keep costs down." A number of Jewish day schools offer scholarships to families below the middle income bracket, largely based on one's tax returns. Those scholarships are often difficult to obtain and involve a lengthy approval process. It is a wonderful option for those who qualify, but not without risk to the recipients, who report feeling singled out and scrutinized by the rigorous and ongoing investigative process to determine worthiness. One mother told me that she is always eager to volunteer her time to the school and goes above and beyond to do so, but she once received a letter that strongly advised her, "as a scholarship recipient," to man the help desk at an event. Word quickly spread throughout the parent body about the tone of the letter. "The letter was very specifically addressed to scholarship families," she laments, "but someone blabbed, and once the event rolled around, those of us volunteering felt like 'Hey, see us behind the desk? We're the scholarship families.' I didn't really want to be outed in this manner to other parents. Don't get me wrong -- I love to help the school. I just didn't love being singled out as the 'poor woman.'" "I didn't grow up around here," one father of Jewish day school children told me, "I feel it's New York and New Jersey that are so expensive." But those from the tri-state-area are certainly not the only ones feeling the crunch. Naomi Sandberg of Silver Spring, Md., breaks it down for me: "40,000 for two kids in Jewish day school, 5,000+ for two kids in Jewish day camp (who can afford sleep away camp?), 1,000+ synagogue dues, the high price of kosher food, the high price of housing in 'Jewish neighborhoods,' Passover food, Purim baskets, High Holiday seats, 500 for school or synagogue banquet, donations to school, synagogue and mikveh, no vacations (who could afford to pay for one even if one has the time off?), no home improvements, except for critical maintenance." When I pose the question "Why don't you just send your kids to public school?" Sandberg says "Day school education immerses kids in Jewish tradition, culture, history and literature. Our kids need to learn not just what we do as Jews -- kashrut, shabbat, mitzvot -- they need to learn why. A good day school education integrates Jewish values and history throughout the curriculum. In P.E., students should be learning the importance of physical fitness, sports skills and good sportsmanship -- being a mensch! When studying American History, they need to be looking at what was going on in the American Jewish community as well." Yitzi Flynn, who I found through the 200K Chump Blog (www.200kchump.blogspot.com) where all sorts of gripes about North Jersey yeshiva tuition are expressed, switched his son from a religious day school to a local public school. He says that his son, who was having difficulty with the fundamentals in reading and comprehension at his former yeshiva, is now thriving in public school. In fact, he recently made honor roll. "The backbone of religiousity and the majority of who the child is comes from the home," Flynn says, explaining that his son prays in the mornings, eats completely kosher, and that teachers and friends' parents bend over backwards to accomodate his religious needs (i.e. kosher food at birthday parties). "200K Chump," who would not reveal his identity via email, says that he started his blog "to give the thousands of families struggling to pay Yeshiva tuition in Bergen County an outlet to come and discuss how the tuition crisis is affecting their lives and to search for real solutions and alternatives to the overpriced legacy yeshiva institutions." He explains that he is an average day school parent paying full tuition and he "got fed-up with the silly band-aid solutions that people in town would talk about which - even if they were successful - would do nothing to lower the cost of tuition and at best would slow the tuition increases." When one administrator told him that despite tuition being unaffordable to the masses, there were no plans to ever lower it, and the best he could hope for was that tuition increases wouldn't outpace the overall rate of inflation, he "knew that we needed to search for real and radical alternatives to these institutions." That is when he began to blog. "As far as reaction, it has been a mixed bag. I have been contacted by so many wonderful supporters who applaud me for my efforts and back me and the blog 100%. However, I also have been threatened, chastised, and called every name in the book. I have been compared to such people as Hitler, Stalin and others." Chump has brought the words "Jewish day school tuition" to the blogosphere in a big way. If you simply input that phrase into google today, his blog and the many reactions (ranging from supportive to skeptical) to his posts are what you'll see first. Many members of the North Jersey orthodox Jewish community who I spoke with admitted to "hating to admit" that they read his blog. Some, active in initiatives to combat the crisis, are avid readers as well. In addition to the Orthodox Union, organizations like UJA Federation and Yeshiva University say they are committed to figuring out a solution to the "tuition crisis." Also, smaller non-profits have formed and are partnering with these larger institutions to help the Jewish day schools. Rabbi Shmuel Goldin of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood, N.J., founded Jewish Education for Generations (JEFG): "We regularly have representatives of eight local North Jersey Jewish day schools meet, review budgets and try to figure out how to get things under control," he explains. One of the first things JEFG did was establish NNJ Kids (Northern New Jersey Kehillot Investing in Jewish Day Schools), a communal fund that raises money for local yeshiva day schools. "We set up a fund to which anyone and everyone from all the synagogues can contribute to offset tuition needs," Goldin explains. "The money is distributed to the schools for the purpose of scholarship funds and it is spread responsibly. The 'tuition crisis' is a problem that will last past the recession and this fund is something we should have begun working on years ago. Individuals have contributed since we begun, but even $1 million, which sounds like a lot, is a drop in the bucket to tackle this problem." He says that JEFG is in the process of creating another fund, similar to an endowment, in which money will be raised for the middle income bracket of people who can not get scholarships but are struggling with tuition payments. Rabbi Goldin calls the tuition situation "overwhelming." Rabbi Zucker says, "There is no magic bullet." Both know there is a long way to go, a lot of work to be done and are committed to ensuring that kids stay in Jewish schools. For her part, Deborah will be sending her older child to Shalom Academy come September, though she is nervous about the social changes involved in switching from a yeshiva to a charter -- not just for her child, who has friends in yeshiva, but for her as she is friendly with their parents. She plans to supplement the Hebrew education her child will receive with daily after-school tutoring in Judaic studies. Socially, the route she has chosen is the "road less traveled by" in her community. "I'm tired of complaining," she says, "Hopefully, this will make all the difference." SOURCE China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page By Pamela Toler (Regular Contributor) Dragon Dix is a shadowy and controversial figure in the opening scenes of the PBS series, Mercy Street. The historical Miss Dix was just as controversial. For those of you who dont have the details of the American Civil War at your fingertips: the war began at 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861, when troops of the two-month-old Confederate States of America fired on Fort Sumter, in Charleston, South Carolina. Almost before the echoes of the first gun shots died away, President Lincoln called for 75,000 militia volunteers to serve for ninety days, certain that would be enough time to put down what he described as a state of insurrection, not a state of war. The publics response was immediate and overwhelming. Men thronged the armys recruiting offices. The first two Massachusetts regiments marched toward Washington and Fort Monroe two days after the presidents call; two more followed within the week. Individual states filled their recruitment quotas and offered more. Citizen soldiers were not the only volunteers to respond to the presidents call. Even though Lincoln had said nothing about nursesand had certainly not called for women to come to their nations aidDorothea Lynde Dix, a fifty-nine-year- old reformer dedicated to improving the treatment of prisoners, paupers, and the mentally ill, set out immediately to volunteer her services to create an army corps of female nurses to care for wounded soldiers. By the time the Civil War began, Dix had spent twenty years working to change the way people thought about the mentally ill. She traveled almost continuously at a time when not many people traveled more than a few miles from home and women seldom traveled alone. Railroad companies gave her free passes, and freight haulers carried her packages to prisons, hospitals, and asylums at no charge. Most importantly, she had convinced politicians at every level of American government to support prison reform bills and to build insane asylums. She had even worked for reform at the federal level. In 1848, she lobbied for a bill to grant the states more than twelve million acres of public land to be used for the benefit of the insane, deaf, dumb, and blind. The bill passed both houses of Congress. President Franklin Pierce ultimately vetoed the bill, but Dix made important connections in Congress in its pursuit, a fact that meant her proposal for an army nursing corps got a fair hearing. Dix was taking a well-deserved rest with friends in Trenton, New Jersey, when she heard the news that Sumter had fallen. Without hesitation, she packed her bags and left that afternoon for Washington, DC, on a trip that would be marked by troop movements, patriotic crowds, packed trains, wild rumors, and a secessionist riot in Baltimore. When Dix reached Washington, the city was on high alert. Pickets guarded public buildings and bridges. Soldiers were billeted at the White House in anticipation of a Confederate attack before morning. A less determined woman might have have hesitated, but Dix went directly from the train station to the White House, where she volunteered her services and those of an army of nurses, yet to be recruited, to support the Unions troops. If any other woman had appeared unannounced at the White House with such a scheme, she might have been turned away. But Dix, soft-spoken and physically fragile but mentally tough, was preceded by her national reputation as a humanitarian, crusader, and lobbyist. She was used to working with powerful politicians, and they were used to working with her. Even with the threat of the Confederate army at the door, she and her proposal received a warm reception. Dixs offer to create an army corps of female nurses was revolutionary at the time. She envisioned a nursing corps of respectable women similar to that pioneered by Florence Nightingale but on a much larger scale. She shared Nightingales belief that a nurse should not simply be a doctors assistant but a patients primary advocate within the hospital, similar to the role she played for the mentally illan idea that would inevitably put Dix and her nurses in conflict with the doctors they worked with. Three days later, Secretary of War Simon Cameron accepted Dixs offer, without taking the time to define what her position would entail or how she would fit into the military medical bureaucracy, which was itself in a state of transformation. The Armys Medical Bureau immediately began to attempt to undermine her authority, a process made easier by the fact that she lacked both administrative skills and tact. Dix had always worked alone. As a lobbyist, she knew how to work the political system. As a reformer, she knew how to inspire action in others. But she had never run an organization, and she didnt try to run one now. Instead she treated the nursing corps as a web of personal relationships with herself at the center. With no organization to back her up, she handled every detail herself, and was seemingly incapable of distinguishing between the important and unimportant. She had no system in place for finding and approving nurses. George Templeton Strong, definitely not a fan of Dragon Dix, summed up her personality accurately as energetic, benevolent, unselfish and a mild case of monomania; working on her own hook, she does good, but no one can cooperate with her for [she] belongs to the class of comets, and can be subdued into relations with no system whatever. Despite her personal limitations and all attempts by the Armys medical bureau, hostile surgeons or independent nurses to undermine or sidestep her authority, over the course of the war Dorothea Dix appointed more than three thousand nurses, roughly 15 percent of the total who served with the Union army, and more than any other person or organization involved with nursing in the Civil War. Wonders and Marvels is pleased to have several copies of The Heroines of Mercy Street by our own Pamela Toler for giveaway. Sign up below before 11:00 PM EST on February 29 for a chance to win. Please note can only ship to US addresses at this time. The two unrepentant brothers proudly pleaded guilty to the hate crime. But the plea deal did not have a specified prison sentence and the Jerusalem District Court originally sentenced the brothers to two relatively lenient sentences, one to 24 months in prison and the other to 30. Above: The two Twito brothers and Gabby Supreme Court Extends Prison Sentences For 2 Haredi Hate Crime Arsonists Shmarya Rosenberg FailedMessiah.com Israel's Supreme Court rejected the prison sentences of two hard-right-wing Jewish brothers who tried to burn down the Arab-Jewish Max Rayne Hand-in-Hand school in Jerusalem in November 2014, Ha'aretz reported. Shlomo and Nahman Twito set the school on fire and painted racist slogans on its walls. The two unrepentant brothers proudly pleaded guilty to the hate crime. But the plea deal did not have a specified prison sentence and the Jerusalem District Court originally sentenced the brothers to two relatively lenient sentences, one to 24 months in prison and the other to 30. The state prosecutor appealed those sentences, which it said were too lenient, to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court agreed with state prosecutors and added eight months to each sentence. In December the third Orthodox right-wing extremist convicted in the school arson, Yitzhak Gabbay, was sentenced by the Jerusalem District Court to three years in prison after Gabby refused to sign on to the Twitos plea deal. All three men are young Sefardim from haredi families. The graffiti they painted on the school and nearby in part read "Kahane was right," "There's no coexisting with cancer." The three men were linked to the Lehava anti-religion-mixing Kahanist group. Related Posts: All Max Rayne hand-in-Hand School Hate Crime Arson Posts. All Lehava Posts. All Rabbi Meir Kahane Posts. Tareena Shakil By: Tanya Malhotra (Scroll down for video) A mother was arrested on a charge of encouraging acts of terror after fleeing the country to join ISIS in Syria, police in the United Kingdom said. Now, 26-year-old Tareena Shakil of Birmingham, was convicted of encouraging acts of terror despite claiming that she was forced to send terror messages on Twitter by ISIS fighters. According to the police investigation, Shakil traveled to Raqqa, after radicalizing herself by watching extremist material on the Internet. The mother of one child took along her 1-year-old son to join the terrorist fighters. In court, Shakil said that she was just trying to find a better life for her son under Sharia law. Prosecutors told the court that Shakil had clear intentions of terror as she sent tweets to encourage the public to acts of terrorism. She also posted photographs posing with a gun and wearing an ISIS uniform. Shakil had incited others to commit terrorist acts on social media sites and has spent months living under ISIS. Shakil claimed that her extremist messages were being monitored by ISIS fighters and she had no choice but to send them. Shakil eventually fled from Syria by bribing a taxi driver with $50. The taxi driver took her to Turkey. Shakil turned herself in to soldiers in Turkey, and she was detained for six weeks. After six weeks, she was set free and she returned to the United Kingdom. When she got home, she was arrested. .cbs-link {color:#4B5054;text-decoration:none; font: normal 12px Arial;}.cbs-link:hover {color:#A7COFF;text-decoration:none; font: normal 12px Arial;}.cbs-pipe {color:#303435;padding: 0 2px;}.cbs-resources {height:24px; background-color:#000; padding: 0 0 0 8px; width: 610px;}.cbs-more {font: normal 12px Arial; color: #4B5054; padding-right:2px;} A young man wanted to make a point about racism in the United States, but his plan backfired when he was exposed for a liar by police. 20-year-old Khalil Cavil of Texas was working at the Saltgrass Steak House in Odessa when he claimed he was discriminated against because of his Muslim name. Cavil took Joel Wright By: Feng Qian (Scroll down for video) A man was arrested after he attempted to adopt a baby girl from Mexico, so he can rape her. 23-year-old Joel Wright was arrested after he flew from Ohio, to San Diego, California. Wright was a student at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, where he studied to become a priest. However, he was banned from the school after officials learned about the allegations. According to the criminal complaint, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) received a tip that Wright was trying to adopt a baby girl. An undercover officer took over an email account and began corresponding with Wright. He believed that he was still communicating with a Mexican-based male tour guide whom he met after placing an ad on Craigslist. During the email chats with the undercover investigator, Wright allegedly stated that he wanted to travel to Tijuana, to adopt a child under 3 years old for sex. Subsequently, Wright booked his flight to San Diego, and made arrangements to meet a friend of the tour guide. Investigators said that the plan was for Wright and the tour guide to travel to a hotel in Tijuana, where he would meet the female infant. However, before he left the airport, Wright was taken into custody. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Over 200 students gathered on Florida State's campus today to discuss police brutality, racial discrimination, and other social justice issues. The two day multicultural summit was put on by FSU's Center of Leadership and Social Change. The event was geared towards enhancing student leadership in the areas of multiculturalism and social justice. This year's theme: lives, liberty, and the politics of happiness. The featured speaker at the event was Black Lives Matter Activist, Shaun King. The event also provided students with an opportunity to break into small groups and brainstorm how to build a more inclusive and accepting community of their campuses. Israel has rejected an ultimatum set by France over the weekend to recognize a Palestinian state if Paris' efforts to break the deadlock between the warring sides fail. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter France announced on Friday its intentions to organize an international peace conference to bring together Israel, the Palestinians, and their main partners - the US, EU and Arab states. A diplomatic official wondered on Saturday night whether France was also planning on "calling for an international conference with ISIS, which commits terror attacks in Paris." Prime Minister Netanyahu meets with French President Hollande (Photo: GPO) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the French initiative, saying it is "an incentive for the Palestinians to come (to the international conference) and not make any compromises." He said he believed the French will "sober up" about this initiative, and stressed Israel was willing to enter direct negotiations without preconditions. Hamas also rejected the French initiative, with senior official Ismail Radwan saying international calls to renewed Israeli-Palestinian talks were useless and unacceptable. Radwan said world powers were simply trying to bring back solutions that have already failed, and warned the PA not to accept agreements that would detract from the Palestinians' rights. Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, welcomed the French initiative, saying at a speech in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa that the current situation could not continue, and reiterated his position that the Palestinians were not willing to negotiate just for the sake of negotiations. He also noted the Palestinians would not accept any interim agreements either. On the other hand, Israeli officials said that if France does organize an international conference, Israel will consider attending despite the "twisted" French logic, which they said was a desperate attempt by the French foreign minister to leave his mark before he steps down. "The French know their initiative is hopeless, but they're doing anything to leave their marks and show they're a relevant player in the international arena," an Israeli source concluded. The French claimed the idea for an international conference attended by Netanyahu and Abbas was the Palestinian president's idea. "Unfortunately, (Israeli) settlement construction continues. We must not let the two-state solution unravel. It is our responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council," Fabius told French ambassadors on Friday. A US official commenting on the French initiative said that "The US position on this issue has been clear. We continue to believe that the preferred path to resolve this conflict is for the parties to reach an agreement on final status issues directly." Fabius, who will finish his tenure as foreign minister soon, has repeatedly raised over the past few years diplomatic initiatives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, all of which have been rejected by Israel. Recently, Fabius raised a draft resolution at the UN Security Council to place international observers on the Temple Mount due to the high tensions in the complex, but both sides rejected the proposal. In April 2014, Fabius raised a draft resolution at the Security Council calling to renew peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and limit the talks in 18 months. If no solution can be reached within that period - the Security Council would recognize Palestine as a member state. Even though the proposal failed, the French continued submitting different versions of it. The proposal was finally shelved over objection from the Obama administration, that did not want the proposal to hurt chances of reaching a nuclear deal with Iran. However, this did not dissuade the French, who submitted several other proposals on the issue, including ones to condemn settlement construction. 'French coordinated initiative with Herzog' Sources in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's close circle claimed that the French coordinated their initiative with Opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union), who visited Paris last week and met with French President Francois Hollande and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. But Herzog rejected the allegations. "I completely deny it and in any case, nothing will come out of it because both Netanyahu and (Palestinian president) Abbas are cowards and don't want to move forward. An international conference to restart diplomatic moves is not necessarily a negative thing, but it's clear to me they're both cowards who don't want, nor are they capable, to move forward." MK Tzipi Livni added: "Only an Israeli diplomatic initiative will ensure Israel has control of its future, and get us out of the grip of international pressure, which is becoming tighter and tighter still around our necks. As long as there's no initiative from us, the Palestinians will continue noting achievements in the world." Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid slammed the initative, saying Israel will not be coerced into negotiations. We wont be dragged with threats to the negotiating table. No sovereign nation would accept that. We need to enter negotiations on our terms and according to our timetable with an understanding that we do not want, and must not try, to absorb 3.5 million Palestinians. But it wont be like this. This points to a serious deterioration in our international standing. It wouldnt have happened in the past. A permanent member of the United Nations Security Council would not have announced unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state without discussing it with us first. In the past the United States Customs would not have joined the campaign to label products. In the past the European Union would not have labelled Israeli goods including from the Golan Heights. The United States and United Kingdom's intelligence agencies managed to break the encryption on Israel Air Force drone transmissions and for years have been watching what the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have been transmitting to their operators. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Americans and Brits were also able to breach other Israeli defense system, such at the Air Force's F16 fighter jets, the Arrow missile-defense project, and Israel's military satellites. The breach was revealed for the first time on Friday morning in documents and photos leaked by former NSA and CIA analyst Edward Snowden, and were exposed at the same time by The Intercept, Der Spiegel and Yedioth Ahronoth. The release of the document caused an international outcry, and Israeli officials called the US-UK spying operation "a severe blow to our security." An Israeli drone According to the documents, Israel is operating a large fleet of UAVs. These drones collect intelligence on the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and across the Middle East, and have even been used to collect intelligence for a possible Israeli strike in Iran. At least two models of these UAVs are armed with missiles and bombs used for targeted killings. The aircraft operate out of a number of bases in Israel, including Tel Nof, Palmachim, and Ein Shemer. The documents provide a glimpse into Israel's world of secrets: its list of targets, objectives, preferences and capabilities, as well as a look through Israel's eyes at its enemies. In effect, the US and UK have been enjoying Israel's advanced intelligence capabilities, seeing everything Israel saw. According to a senior intelligence official, "This is earth shattering. It means that they stripped us naked and, no less importantly, it likely means none of our encrypted communication measures is truly safe from them. This is the most serious leak in the history of Israeli intelligence." Codename: Anarchist This massive American-British intelligence operation has been ongoing since 1998. Its goal is to crack codes and intercept transmission of major militaries in the Middle East, their air forces, and their advanced weapons systems and radars. American and British intelligence agencies were able to break the encryptions on advanced fighting and surveillance systems used by Hezbollah, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, and Syria, but the most resources and efforts behind the operation, codenamed "Anarchist," were invested in Israel. The operation was run by the American NSA (National Security Agency) and its British counterpart, GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters), out of two bases: Menwith Hill in Britain, a joint surveillance base used by both the UK and US, and the Royal Air Force base in the Troodos Mountains, the highest point in Cyprus. This is a massive base, filled with antennae and interception and decoding apparatus, some located deep underground. The secret base in Cyprus The extent of Anarchist's operations is described in the files Edward Snodwen took from the NSA. The files include screenshots from videos recorded during the drones' operations, which document everything the powerful cameras saw. Among the files are also PowerPoint presentations and internal memos and tasking orders - apparently for and from senior commanders - about the progress of the operation. In some of the cases, the Anarchist technicians and analysts knew how to ascertain where the photos were filmed, by decoding a special part of the transmission between the aircraft and the base, in which the drone "updates" the base as to where it was. So, for example, on June 24, 2009, the Cyprus base documented the movement of Israeli UAVs near Nablus, and near the Palestinian village of Azzun. In April 2010, they identified drones near Attil. Spying on Netanyahu After the 1997 Naval Commando Disaster, in which 12 commandos were killed while on a mission to assassinate a senior official in the Amal Movement, Nasrallah claimed that it wasn't a coincidental ambush that led to the commandos' death, but a planned operation based on accurate intelligence it had obtained. The IDF mocked Nasrallah, saying he was lying and that there was no way for him to know anything about the Naval Commandos top secret operations. But it turns out it was actually Nasrallah who was accurate. With a cocky smile, he later presented photos at a press conference from drones that were surveying the Syrian Coastal Mountain Range in the weeks before the raid. Hezbollah could intercept the drones' communications and figure out which areas the IDF was showing particular interest in. In the wake of the Naval Commando disaster, the defense establishment invested "unprecedented efforts and resources," according to an official familiar with the issue, in order to encrypt the frequency of the transmissions between the drones and the base. This was happening while the drone became one of the main tools, if not the central one, used by the Israeli defense establishment to gather intelligence and launch special operations. There is almost no operation in the IDF today, nor many operations in other intelligence agencies, in which a drone does not take some part. Israel on the radar Except that now it turns out these efforts were in vain, at least when it comes to the US and Britain who were able to break the sophisticated encryption. A 2008 British intelligence document states with enthusiasm that "This access (to Israel's fleet of drones) is indispensable for maintaining an understanding of Israeli military training and operations and thus an insight into possible future developments in the region." The document further states that "In times of crisis this access is critical and one of the only avenues to provide up-to-the-minute information and support to US and Allied operations in the area." The document, of course, does not deal with the fact that Israel is also among those allies. The documents show that the US has invested a lot of effort into monitoring Israeli preparations for a possible strike on Iran. The documents also show the immense American concern that Israel, during Prime Minister Netanyahu's tenure, decides to make significant military moves in the region without coordinating with the US, which could lead to instability. Last month, the Wall Street Journal revealed that the US has not stopped spying on Netanyahu and his close aides despite President Obama's decision, in the wake of the leaks from Snowden, to stop spying on friendly heads of states. According to a former senior official in the American intelligence community, President Obama "ordered to continue, all the more forcefully, spying on several leaders, primarily Netanyahu. We all understood what that order meant: Obama doesn't view Netanyahu as a friendly leader." The new documents only serve to further strengthen the Wall Street Journal's report, and reveal that since 2009, at least, the US has not only been spying on the prime minister of Israel and his close circle with a constantly expanding scope, but also has been working to collect particularly confidential information on IDF and intelligence community operations on the most sensitive subjects. The London headquarters' instructions to the Anarchist technicians were clear. For example, on July 29, 2008, an order was received to follow the operations of Israeli drones in the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and the borders of Lebanon and Syria. Operations in these areas were important, the order said, "so that assessments can be made on what possible actions maybe (sic) taking place." Elsewhere it said that the operations against the Israeli drones should alert the Americans and British of the "outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas ... our ability to collect and track and report this activity is important for the initial detection and tip-off for any potential pre-emptive or retaliatory strike against Iran." In addition, the documents state, Israel "provide(s) many countries with their UAVs," such as India, so its drones' operations and capabilities must be monitored. The Americans and the British were interested in knowing exactly what type of radar had been mounted on these drones, and not necessarily out of intelligence considerations - rather possibly out of commercial considerations. Secret armament The Intercept writers Cora Currier and Henrik Moltke, reported that the IDF censor enforces a strict policy on Israeli media, barring any reports on the use of armed drones as a central part of its targeted killings in the territories, unless when citing non-Israeli media. This time, the site's report provides unequivocal proof in the form of internal documents and photos from Operation Anarchist. Some of the photos taken by the Heron (Eitan) UAV during takeoff and landing, released for the first time on Friday morning, clearly show missiles attached to the wings of the massive aircraft. According to its specifications, the aircraft is also capable of carrying a payload of up to one ton. This is a big and powerful drone, even more so than the Reaper - the largest drone in the American fleet. Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, confirmed to the Intercept that it's possible the images are documenting drones that can carry payloads. "The images offer rare visual evidence to support reports that Israel flies attack drones an open secret that the Israeli government won't acknowledge," the Intercept concludes. The Hermes 450 drone has been sold to several other countries, and was even used by British forces in Afghanistan and by the American Border Patrol on the Mexican border. In August 2009, the Anarchist technicians documented a big spike in Israeli drone operations in the Gaza Strip, during which Israel bombed one of the tunnels Hamas had dug on the Israel-Egypt border. Three Hamas militants were killed in the strike. It was not just transmissions by drones that were decrypted, intercepted and documented. On January 3, 2008, while IAF pilots were conducting a series of strikes against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, they were unaware of the fact someone else was sitting in the cockpit with them. This was the first time the Americans and the British managed to decrypt Israeli F16 jets transmissions and see everything the pilots could see. The NSA's internal newsletter proudly told its handful of readers that day that the organization's analysts were able to crack the transmissions which "showed a target on the ground being tracked." That day, nine Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza. An Israeli drone Chris Woods, a world-renowned expert on drone warfare, told Intercept that "There's a good chance that we are looking at the first images of an armed Israeli drone in the public domain." According to Woods, "it's incredible that it took 12 years since the first reported Israeli drone strike in 2004 until these photos came to light." In 2012, a British intelligence analyst reports "regular collects of Heron TP (drones) carrying weapons." In addition, it was revealed that the US and UK's intelligence service were monitoring the Black Sparrow missile, the target missile used by the Arrow missile-defense program. This allowed the Americans and Brits to gather valuable intel about Black Sparrow. Black Sparrow is a target missile launched from F15 planes, and in its most common version simulates the launch and flight path of a ballistic missile or a cruise missile. Black Sparrow is produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems along with the American Raytheon. The Black Sparrow's job is to simulate missiles for Arrow tests, and well as other missiles used against Israel. For example, the defense establishment reported that during a special test conducted on April 1, 2015, the David's Sling missile-defense system was able to intercept a Black Sparrow missile in flight. The monitoring of Black Sparrow was part of a sub-operation of Anarchist, which was codenamed "Runway." The Arrow missile interceptor. The documents reveal the many technical details used by the powerful computers in Britain along with the base's antennas in Cyprus, in order to intercept the drones' transmissions, and how the analysts there match the way each transmission is decoded to the type of transmission in order to decode it in the best possible manner. But alongside the intelligence agencies' extensive capabilities, it was revealed that a part of the decoding process is done with commercial off-the-shelf software anyone can easily obtain and operate. A document titled "ISUAV Video Descrambling," which includes instructs to new soldiers stationed to the base, lists video descrambling programs that should be used in order to improve the quality of the image, include AntiSky and Image Magic. Der Spiegel raised questions in its Friday issue on a recent deal signed between the Israel Aerospace Industries, Airbus and the German Defense Ministry to lease Heron TP UAVs for German army operations, as from now on all German activities might be exposed to American and British intelligence agencies. German authorities said in response that they intend to use a different encryption system. The Operation Anarchist documents also expose wide-scale interception of transmissions from Hezbollah, Syria and Iran's air forces. So, for example, Anarchist technicians monitored Iranian Ababil III drones flying over Syria as part of the aid Iran gives the Assad regime. This information was immediately passed on to the White House. A short while later, the Anarchist technicians received orders from the commanders in Washington that there is "presidential interest in further samples of the Regime launching attacks upon the general populous (sic)." Later, unnamed US officials leaked to the press that the US has unequivocal proof that Iran was providing military aid to Syria, which at the time was dramatic news. A British intelligence report from 2009 determined that "Iran also has an effective UAV industry and their technology has been exported to a number of terrorist organizations." France on Saturday night arrested four Lebanese citizens, including Mohammed Nur al-Din, who was added to the US Treasury Department's most recent sanctions list for transferring funds to Hezbollah. The French government does not have specific charges to level against the four, Al-Safir newspaper reported, with their arrest coming following an order that was issued by the US. According to Al-Safir, this is the first time that France has arrested Lebanese citizens on this basis since the EU added Hezbollah to its list of terrorist organizations. The report also said that the US claims that Mohammed Nur al-Din uses a company he owns in Beirut to funnel cash to businesses connected with Hezbollah. The head of Hamas' political arm, Khaled Meshaal, is staying in Jordan for a rare visit, a news website in the Hashemite Kingdom has reported. Meshaal arrived after the government granted him permission to visit his mother, who lives in Jordan and who is sick. Meshaal's visit, which had been kept a secret, is expected to last until Wednesday. Meshaal was deported from Jordan in 1999 along with other senior Hamas officials. Hamas' political wing was transferred to Damascus. Since then, he has only been allowed to enter Jordan twice, most recently in 2013 when he met with King Abdullah II in an attempt to develop ties between Hamas and the Jordanian government. Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk has verbally attacked Iran, claiming that the country has not provided his movement with any aid since 2009. In a recorded telephone conversation that was subsequently leaked, Abu Marzouk said that any warnings with regard to Iran's support for Hamas are lies. The recorded conversation was leaked just a few days after a report emerged stating that Hezbollah is trying to generate closer ties between Iran and Hamas in order to try and get renewed support in Tehran, in the wake of the spat with Saudi Arabia. Three IDF soldiers were wounded in a shooting attack on Sunday morning at a checkpoint south of the settlement of Beit El in the Samaria region of the West Bank. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The terrorist, who arrived at the checkpoint by car from the direction of Ramallah, was shot dead by IDF troops at the checkpoint. He was using a handgun to commit the attack. One of the wounded soldiers, 21 years old, was taken to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem's Ein Karem in serious condition with a gunshot wound to his neck. His condition was later updated to moderate. Another soldier, 31, was in serious condition and taken to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem's Mount Scopus with gunshot wounds to his stomach and extremities. The third soldier, 20, was also taken to Hadassah in light condition after being hit in his extremities. The checkpoint where the attack occurred (Photo: Gil Yohanan) A source in the Palestinian security services told Ynet that the terrorist, Amjad a-Sukari, 34, from Jamma'in, was part of the Palestinian security forces and worked as the driver for the Palestinian attorney general Ahmad Hanoun in Ramallah. The source said the Palestinian security services view this as a very unusual incident both because of the shooter's job and because of the fact he was married with four children. However, a-Sukari is not the first member of the Palestinian security services to commit an attack - Mazen Aribah of Abu Dis, an officer in the Palestinian security services, moderately wounded an Israeli civilian and lightly wounded a soldier in a shooting attack near the Hizma checkpoint outside of Jerusalem. A third Palestinian security officer opened fire at an IDF force near Silwad, but did not hit the troops. He was caught and under arrest in Israel. Amjad a-Sukari in a photo taken this morning before the attack. The last post a-Sukari wrote on Facebook said: "A morning of victory. There is no god but God and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah. There is nothing worth living for on this land. Unfortunately I don't see anything worth living for as long as the occupation makes our souls disappear and kills our brothers and sisters. Have mercy on our martyrs, heal our wounds and release our prisoners. You came first and we, Allah willing, are following in your footsteps." A source who knew the a-Sukari told Ynet that reason for the attack was the terrorist's serious financial problems. According to the source, a-Sukari was in serious debt to several different people, and was only making NIS 2,200 at his job. Hamas issued a statement saying the attack "was a natural response to the crimes of execution Israel commits. This attack represents a clear sign there are nationalistic individuals within the security services who oppose the security coordination with Israel." The central checkpoint where the attack occurred connects the area of Beitin, Silwan and Al-Bireh to Ramallah. It is located close to the Judea and Samaria Division headquarters and the Binyamin region's Civil Administration. Senior officials of the Palestinian Authority go through this checkpoint on their way to Ramallah, and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas lives close by. On Sunday afternoon, a vehicle with Palestinian license plates attempted to burst through a checkpoint near the village of Beit Ur al-Tahta in the West Bank, and tried to run over soldiers standing guard. The soldiers shot and neutralized the driver, who was taken to hospital for treatment. No other injuries were reported. A senior Hamas official, Mousa Abu Marzouk, attacked Iran in a taped phone conversation that was leaked online on Sunday morning. Abu Marzouk can be heard saying that Iran has not provided Hamas with any aid since 2009 and that any Iranian declarations to the opposite are lies. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Furiously reacting to Iran's statements that it supports Palestinian resistance, Abu Marzouk said in the conversation that "the story is not as they describe it. Hamas senior official Mousa Abu Marzouk (Photo: Reuters) "They are incredibly manipulative people. We've received nothing from them since 2009. Everything they're saying is a lie." Abu Marzouk also addressed Iran's excuses for halting weapons shipments to Hamas' armed wing in Gaza. "For every boat that they've lost since 2011, they claimed that it was on its way to us, for example the one that was caught by Nigeria," he said. He also spoke about the improvement in Iranian-Russian relations following Russia's entry into the Syrian civil war. "Right now (the Iranians) are trying to make agreements with the Russians. The Iranians are cunning, and we are the victims," Abu Marzouk said. He also stated that Iran made its support for Hamas conditional on the organization's exploitation of its ties with numerous countries, such as Sudan, in order to improve Tehran's relations with those same states. Abu Marzouk's conversation was leaked to an al-Aswat newspaper reporter in Ramallah. The timing is significant, coming just days after a report emerged about Hezbollah's attempt to renew close ties between Iran and Hamas by setting up a meeting in Beirut between Abu Marzouk and senior Iranian officials. The aim of the meeting was to try and win back Iranian support for Hamas in the wake of Tehran's spat with Saudi Arabia Hamas sources refused to confirm or deny the authenticity of the conversation, only saying that it is solely the intelligence services of countries such as Israel that are able to intercept phone calls. At least 60 people were killed and dozens wounded on Sunday in a terror attack at a southern district of Damascus where Syria's holiest Shi'ite shrine is located. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter There were three explosions near the Tomb of the holy Zaynab, the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Taleb, the cousin of Prophet Mohammed whom Shi'ites consider the rightful successor to the prophet. The dispute over the succession led to the major Sunni-Shi'ite schism in Islam. The heavily populated area is a site of pilgrimage for Shi'ites from Iran, Lebanon and other parts of the Muslim world. A Syrian Interior Minister official told the state news agency SANA that a car bomb first went off at a bus terminal, and two suicide bombers then blew up among the people who gathered to help the wounded. The scene of the attack. The Sayeda Zaynab shrine area witnessed heavy clashes in the first few years of the conflict, which began in 2011, but has since been secured by the Syrian army and Shi'ite militias led by Hezbollah, which has set up protective roadblocks around it. In addition to being an important religious site for Shi'ites, the site of the attack has become a point of gathering for Hezbollah fighters and fighters from other Shi'ite militias who are fighting alongside the Assad regime in Syria. The Islamic State organization claimed responsibility for the attack. The Amaq news agency, associated with ISIS, said the group committed the attacks in order to hurt the most important stronghold of the Shi'ite militias in Damascus. In the past, Hezbollah justified its fighting in Syria by saying it seeks to defend the tomb of the holy Zaynab. Jews in France live in fear of Islamic terror but are not prepared to hide their faith , according to a recent comprehensive survey of France's large Jewish community. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Most French Jews define themselves as religious or traditional, according to the survey, and nearly 50 percent of young male Jews wear a yarmulke. Benjamin Amsalem, who was attacked by an Islamic extremist in Marseille The statistics, published by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP), also revealed that 53 percent of France's half a million Jews lead a religious lifestyle to some degree or other and that the level of observance increases as their age goes down. Thus, for example, 41 percent of male Jews aged 35 and under responded that they cover their head according to tradition a significantly higher proportion than older respondents. According to the researchers, this points to the community's continued isolation in the face of the changing social climate in France. The older generation was more secular and identified more with the values of the French Republic, whereas the younger generation adhered more to Judaism, maintaining a religious lifestyle and sending their children to separate educational institutions. Differences between the various groups were also, naturally, expressed in their contrasting approaches to Jewish religious holidays, but the researchers said that aliyah to Israel was also a meaningful indicator. For example, 69 percent of religious respondents expressed readiness to leave France for Israel, compared to 29 percent of France's secular Jews. Racism and discrimination against Jews Another section of the survey dealt with French Jews' personal safety. Sixty-eight percent of respondents agreed that they do not feel safe in the country, with 40 percent saying that they see Islam as a threat (compared to 32 percent of the general population). Sixty-three percent of those surveyed said that the increase in the number of Muslims and the activities of extreme right- and left-wing activists had created an atmosphere of racism and discrimination against Jews. Reports from the ground back up their sense of hostility: 63 percent said that they had been insulted at least once because of their Jewishness, 51 percent had been threatened and 43 percent had been physically assaulted In total, 87 percent are worried by the wave of Islamic terrorism that has struck France. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they had family members or friends who had left France over the last few years, most of them for Israel, and they estimate that around 30 percent of them are happier than they were before they left. Among those who made aliyah to Israel, around half did so in order to increase their feeling of personal safety. Only nine percent moved for ideological reasons. According to researcher Dr. Dov Mimoun, "this proves that Zionism alone is no longer enough these days." Currently around half of France's Jews about 250,000 people are considering emigration. Of those, about a quarter are looking to countries such as the US, Canada and the UK, and 20 percent (100,000 people) are considering Israel Mimoun identifies in these statistics "tremendous potential for a wave of aliyah, which would be the first in history to arrive from a developed Western country. "In order to make that happen, we must put in place a strategy that will make it easier for olim to continue working in their professional fields here, and propose a package that will make it attractive for businesses to bring their centers of operation to Israel from France," Mimoun continued. The government approved on Sunday the creation of a mixed prayer area at the Western Wall in which both men and women can pray together. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter According to the proposed arrangement, a new prayer area will be set up south of the existing separate prayer areas. The new prayer area will be modeled on the one set up at Robinson's Arch two years ago where Women of the Wall could worship, and will allow Reform and Conservative Jews to pray according to their custom. This is an achievement for the Women of the Wall group, which has been fighting for women's prayer rights at the Kotel, aided by both female and male MKs. The Women of the Wall group wishes to pray and read from the Torah collectively and out loud at the Western Wall, while also wearing prayer shawls. Women of the Wall praying at the Western Wall (Photo: Gil Yohanan) The compromise agreement, which was formulated by a team headed by Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit and signed by Women of the Wall and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, ensures that "the Western Wall will be open and accessible to any Jew seeking to pray in a manner that befits his identify and beliefs." The new prayer area will be made "respectable, accessible and visible, and serve as an integral part of the Western Wall site." However, the new area will not be connected to the existing separate men and women sections, as it is on a lower level, and located on the other side of the Mughrabi Bridge leading to the Temple Mount. In addition, because of the political sensitivity over construction at the site, it is not possible to create contiguity between the different prayer areas, but the three areas will share an entrance. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation will not be responsible over the new area, as it is on the existing one - it will instead be managed by a public council formed at the Prime Minister's Office. Among the council's members will be representatives of the non-Orthodox sectors and Women of the Wall. In return, the Chief Rabbinate will have full authority over the prayer customs at the existing separate men and women prayer sections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the proposal "a compromise on this delicate issue in a place that is supposed to unite the Jewish People. While I know that this is a delicate issue, I think that this is a fair and creative solution." While voting against the plan, ministers from the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism decided not to use their right of veto to thwart the plan, which would have led to a crisis in the coalition because they view it as "the lesser of evils" compared to previous proposals that allocated larger areas of prayer for the mixed section. The haredim are worried of the precedent set by the plan, which will in effect serve as state recognition of Reforms and Conservatives as legitimate Jewish movements. On the other hand, the agreement does enshrine in law the ultra-Orthodox control over the existing prayer area, keeping liberal entities away from it. Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel (Bayit Yehudi) said ahead of the vote that he intends to oppose the plan, saying it is "unnecessary and hurts the Jewish tradition, which is important to all of us. The reform Jews from Israel, and mostly from abroad, are intentionally harming the values we hold dear, and allowing them into the Western Wall (on its southern side) will offend traditional Israeli citizens." But it's not just members of the religious factions that opposed the proposal. The project is estimated to cost over NIS 30 million and according to government officials, three Likud ministers - Ze'ev Elkin, Yariv Levin and Miri Regev - all refused to allocate funds for the prayer area from their ministries. Because of that, the Prime Minister's Office, the Finance Ministry and the Diaspora Affairs Ministry allocated a total of NIS 25 million from their respective budgets to set up the prayer area and its access paths to the Western Wall, while the Jewish Agency will add NIS 10 million for the project. An additional NIS 10 million are still needed and a solution for that will be found in the coming month. Dr. Shahab Davidfor, a 32-year-old Iranian Jew, always wanted to be a doctor. After graduating from high school in Isfahan, Iran, he studied medicine and at the end of his internship he joined the Iranian army, serving for a year and a half. Iran is a very religious country and not a great lover of Israel, to say the least, but it turns out that the Davidfor family lives in peace with its Muslim neighbors. "The people there are very nice. Most of my friends are Muslims. However, every now and then there were those who called us dirty Jews," he recounted. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Four years ago he received a draft notice and was assigned to be a doctor at an Iranian Air Force base. The Iranians knew that his older sisters made aliyah to Israel 25 years ago, but that did not bother them. "For a year and a half I treated patients at the clinic there," said Shahab. Dr. Shahab Davidfor (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) "They knew I was a Jew, and from time to time I would undergo investigations to make sure I was not a spy and not passing secrets to Israel," he said. "Once they even sent me to be interviewed by members of the Revolutionary Guards, and they asked me about my family in Israel and my relationship with them, but after their investigation they allowed me to continue working." Shahab stated that the Iranian people are actually interested in making peace with Israel. "No one there believes leaders who say they want to attack Israel," he said. "Contrary to what leaders of both countries say, people want peace and to live their lives quietly." In recent years, he and his family felt the effects of the economic sanctions imposed on Iran due to its nuclear program. "People in the lower economic brackets were actually hungry for bread. It was precisely those in power who remained very rich and did not feel the economic impact," Shahab imparted. Two years ago he made aliyah via Turkey. "We packed our things and went to Israel. We didn't have to hide it. Those in power knew about our aliyah. When we arrived, I decided to live in Jerusalem and began to study for licensing tests in order to be able to practice in Israel. I failed the first test due to my difficulties with the language, but I passed the second test", he related. A week ago, he was hired by the Terem clinic in Romema, Jerusalem. He said that he was overwhelmed on the first day but he learned to get along and the doctors, nurses and patients helped him acclimate. He misses Iran."I have many friends there, and we talk on Skype. Unfortunately I can't go back for a visit. If they catch me I could executed, so I guess I'll pass on that. I'll wait for there to be peace," concluded Dr. Davidfor. Relatives of 18 terror victims, mostly from the wave of terrorism that began in autumn 2015, on Sunday issued an open letter to government ministers, in which they demanded a harsher response deporting terrorists' families. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "The real punishment the murderers deserve is death," read the letter. "But Jewish compassion prevents us from using it. Therefore, we demand of the Israeli government to at least deport the terrorists' families forever." The bereaved families stated that "the family that raised the murderer, educated him, and taught him to hate Jews and murder must pay the price, and not only because of the deterrence created by deportation." Eliezer Rosenfeld, among the signatories, seen at left at the funeral of his son, Malachi (Photo: Ido Erez) The open letter also stated that the families "are crying out and demanding that the Israeli government do everything it can in order to halt this bloodshed. Murdering Jews cannot be tolerated. A society that teaches its children that the highest achievement of all is to be a "martyr" cannot be tolerated. Families that encourage their sons to murder cannot be tolerated. "Unfortunately," the letter said, "we believe that all the actions taken by the Israeli government do not stop the incitement and killing sprees. . . We ask of and demand all members of Knesset and all ministers to support this action, which will never be 'proportionate', because the response deserved by the cruel murderers and their families must be much more severe, painful, and deterring." Funeral of American teen Ezra Schwartz, whose mother signed the open letter (Photo: Dana Koppel) The relatives wrote that "there is no and never will be any comparison between the suffering of the victims' families and the inconvenience caused to terrorists' families. There is no and never will be any comparison between murder and bloodshed on the one hand, and economic damage to families removed from their homes on the other. But deportation is the minimum that the Israeli government should do to stop this murderous wave of terror." Addressing the ministers, the relatives wrote: "Remember, our relatives who were murdered did nothing bad. They were murdered because of their ethnicity. They were butchered because they were Jewish and nothing more. Israel must make it clear in no uncertain terms that it will not in any way tolerate the murder of Jews, and will therefore do everything to thwart this murderousness. And if there is currently no possibility of truly doing 'everything' then deporting families and economic damage are the minimum." Jim Marzilli from Facebook, according to NECN. UPDATED, Jan. 31: Former state Sen. James Marzilli pleaded guilty to violating his probation at a brief hearing Wednesday, Jan. 27, New England Cable News (NECN) reported. Marzilli, who pleaded guilty in 2011 of sexually harassing four women, volunteered last year at a school in Burma, and it later banned him for inappropriate conduct, reported NECN, which broke the story about overseas travel in November. The probation violation focused on his travel and not what happened at the school. A judge had authorized Marzilli to travel to Burma, but prosecutors argued that a trip he took to Thailand was not authorized. Marzilli's attorney had argued that he satisfied the probation condition by sending an email saying that he might need to go to Thailand for a medical condition. The probation department accepted $1,000 in court fees Jan. 27, which will be donated to the Hope & Healing charity. Marzilli, formerly of Arlington, was released and his probation continued to the original end date of Feb. 22. NECN report in November that Marzilli had been allowed to leave the country five times in the past four years while serving probation. In an investigation, the station said Marzilli vacationed and taught civics in Burma, where his behavior apparently turned bizarre. His requests for travel have been denied by the probation department but approved by a judge on appeal each time, the station reported. Marzilli served a three-month sentence after pleading guilty to charges of sexually harassing four women. In a Nov. 20 story, The Globe's Frank Phillips wrote of the "serious, often annoyingly wonky, legislator" that in 2008, after police chased him down in a Lowell garage, he identified himself as Marty Walsh, the future Boston mayor. NECN reported Marzilli recently surfaced at a school in Myanmar, where he successfully taught a 10-week civics course two years in a row. But in the third year, the school's director described his behavior as belligerent and said he began talking about inappropriate subjects. "Ultimately the school barred him from returning," NECN reported. "Instead of returning directly to the United States, as the conditions set by the courts for his travel to Myanmar required, Marzilli who is on probation until 2016 took off for Thailand and Kuala Lumpur, according to the news report. "He bragged on Facebook about drinking, hanging out on beaches and ogling local residents." The Globe reported: In 2008, "Marzillis self-destruction was one of the stranger political stories in some years. He attributed it all to a bipolar condition and even checked into McLean Hospital after his arrest." He was a longtime member of the House (he served less than a year in the Senate), where he took on complicated issues. Read the full NECN report here >> This report was published Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, and updated Jan. 31, 2016. THAT THERE MAY BE A FAIRER SOCIETY IN GHANA - ONE IN WHICH ALL THE PEOPLE, NOT JUST A POWERFUL AND GREEDY FEW, BENEFIT FROM THE NATION'S WEALTH! Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad created a stir when he turned up at the function organised by Homeopathic Science Congress in Patna instead of his son. As per a report in NDTV, the RJD chief's son and Bihar Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav had been invited to be the chief guest. BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav said that the incident showed as to who was running the government and the department. He also said that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar should give Lalu the designation of 'super chief minister' officially. Earlier, the RJD chief had visited Patna's Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Science. Creating a controversy, Lalu had verbally ordered the retrenchment of four sacked workers. The report added that the RJD chief had also visited a couple of other hospitals. At the same the BJP has also slammed the move to invite Lalu at a government function for the start of work on a bridge on river Ganga. BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi asked as to why was a person who was neither minister nor MP or MLA invited to an official function. The Grand Alliance of RJD, JD(U) and Congress swept the Bihar Assembly polls. However, Lalu cannot contest the elections or hold public office as he is convicted in fodder scam case. But both his sons were given top ministries in the Nitish government. New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia has decided to reserve five per cent seats for wards of its employees despite Delhi High Court having quashed such an arrangement in 1997, prompting few faculty members to raise the issue with President Pranab Mukherjee , Visitor to the varsity. In a petition to the President, Obaid Siddiqui, Professor at Jamia's Mass Communication Centre has said, "The High Court had in 1997 quashed the five per cent reservation given to sons/daughters/spouses of permanent employees of Jamia Millia Islamia, as unjustified. "For about a decade such reservations were rightly discontinued, but the university has once again started the process despite a judicial verdict in place," the petition said. A decision in this regard was recently taken by university's Executive Council which granted approval for reservation of 5 per cent supernumerary seats (over and above the existing seats) to the wards of Jamia employees in all programmes of study, excluding Bachelor programmes in Dental Science and Architecture. "This reservation has been resorted to by a resolution of the Executive Council. This is in violation of the Jamia Millia Islamia Act. The Ordinances relating to admissions and reservations have not been amended. The university has deliberately and with malicious intent, followed a back door procedure to justify such reservations," the petition submitted. Another teacher of the university said on condition of anonymity, "There are other universities which have a certain reservation in place for wards of Grade C and D employees but granting such a benefit to professors and top officials of the university is unjustified". Jamia authorities, however, say that the seats will not be reserved from the existing strength but will be added extra. "These will be supernumerary seats and not reserved from the existing strength. Also, the merit and eligibility conditions will apply the same as that of general category," Jamia spokesperson Mukesh Ranjan said. "If the university has infrastructure to accommodate more students then it should increase the number of seats for general public. Such special provisions for admission will amount to misuse of taxpayer's money," the petitioner added. While Delhi University has a "ward quota" for children of non-teaching staff, Jawaharlal Nehru University is in process of introducing a similar quota for Grade C and D employees from the upcoming academic session. Ahmedabad: Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday revealed the 'reason' behind the Dr BR Ambedkar's resignation from Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet. The Bihar Governor Ram has said that Dr Ambedkar readily resigned as the law minister from Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet when the government refused to back the reformist Hindu Code Bill. Kovind while addressing students at the Gujarat National Law University at Gandhinagar during a seminar on Ambedkar said, "Jawaharlal Nehru had told Babasaheb Ambedkar that nation is not ready for your modern thoughts on the issue of giving rights to Hindu girls in family property." "Ambedkar replied that as the country has become independent, it is our duty to create that type of awareness through a law. However, when Nehru went back on (introducing) the bill, Ambedkar resigned," Kovind added. The Bihar Governor also said that Dr BR Ambedkar's aim was not to get political power from the British but the uplift of the people. "On the one side were Nehru, Gandhi and others who aimed at getting power (by throwing off the British rule), while Ambedkar never aimed at getting power," Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind said. "He believed that if ills present in the society are removed, the country will progress on its own." New Delhi: A day after the dead body of 6-year-old student Divyansh Kakrora was found dead inside a water tank in his school in South Delhi Delhi's Vasant Kunj on Friday, her mother today alleged a foul play behind her son's death. Mamata Meena, Divyansh's mother raised several questions over the circumstances under which her son's body was found. "His body was found in a naked state. We could not find his clothes," said Meena. Divyansh mother told Ibnlive.com that the school authorities did not tell her about the circumstance under which her son died. "She (principal) just informed us and left. She didn't tell us the cause of his death. I repeatedly asked her but all my pleas went on deaf ears. The principal asked me to keep quite. We went to the spot and found that there is a locked pump room and there was another smaller room inside. One has to crawl a bit to reach the lid of the septic tank which was around 20 kilograms," she said. "I suspect that someone killed my son and threw him in the septic tank," she alleged. Amid growing pressure in the case, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia called a meeting with the state education department to discuss the case. Divyansh Kakrora, a student of class I at Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj died on Friday after allegedly falling into the water tank inside school premises. New Delhi: Condemning the BJP's "insensitivity" over the death of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, the Congress on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shedding crocodile tears over the issue. "External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has raised doubt about Rohith Vemula being a Dalit student. This is condemnable. This also makes it clear that whatever the prime minister said (about Vermula`s death) during a programme in Lucknow recently was fake and he shed crocodile`s tears over it," Congress leader Anand Sharma told media persons here. Modi, in a speech at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow on Friday, said he was deeply saddened by Vemula's suicide. The prime minister also choked while referring to Vemula`s January 17 death in Hyderabad University after being suspended for allegedly assaulting an ABVP leader. "I am not going into the reasons, the politics of the issue. But I empathise with the family which has lost so much," Modi had said with tears in his eyes. Anand Sharma said accountability over the issue should have been fixed and people responsible punished. "The prime minister did not carry out his moral and constitutional duties in this case," he alleged. Sharma said Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, Labour and Employment Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and University of Hyderabad Vice Chancellor P. Appa Rao were being given shelter by the prime minister. He said Vemula, who struggled for his rights when alive, was being humiliated even after his death. London: A UK website set up to catalogue the last days of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on Sunday claimed that his gold-plated tooth is likely to be found in his last remains held at Renkoji Temple in Tokyo. Bose's trusted aide de camp Colonel Habibur Rehman, who was involved in the same air crash that is believed to have killed Bose in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, had told his son he had dropped the tooth in the urn containing Netaji's ashes when he went to collect the remains after the cremation. It had apparently been extracted before the body entered the furnace and given to him by one of the officials associated with the last rites, www.bosefiles.info claimed today. The Netaji Papers declassified by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 23 confirm that the creator of the website, Ashis Ray, brought the matter to the attention of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, Leader of the Opposition Atal Bihari Vajpayee and West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, among other Indian political leaders in 1995. Colonel Rehman passed away in 1978, leaving the information, among other details, with son Naeemur. Rehman junior shared what his father had told him with Ray when the latter met him in Islamabad in the 1990s in course of his investigation of the tragedy. In turn, Ray brought the disclosure to the notice of Rao, Vajpayee, Jyoti Basu, President of Janata Dal SR Bommai and General Secretary of the Forward Bloc Chitta Basu. File G-16(3)/95-NGO in the Netaji Papers, released by the Indian government, reveal Ray wrote to all five on 11 August 1995. In it he said Colonel Rehman had "put a gold-plated tooth belonging to Netaji (Subhas Bose) given to him by Japanese officials after the cremation in the urn containing the 'ashes'". In the same letter, Ray informed the leaders that in course of his probe he had visited "the son of Colonel Habibur Rahman". "The veracity of Naeemur Rehman's claim can easily be determined by a scan of the urn. The existence of an un-cremated tooth will virtually guarantee success of a DNA test," he said. Another telling piece of information provided by Rehman junior to Ray was that his father was devastated by people in India disbelieving his story about Bose perishing in the tragedy and the remains at Renkoji Temple being his which Colonel Rehman had carried from Taipei to Tokyo. Naeemur further disclosed to Ray that his father, because of the suspicion with which his testimony to the Shah Nawaz Khan Netaji Inquiry Committee in 1956 was received by Bose's followers and relatives, refused to come to Delhi from Islamabad to appear before the Justice GD Khosla Commission in the early 1970s. "Why would I lie?" Colonel Rehman is said to have told his son. Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday regretted the absence of a Sikh regiment contingent in this year's Republic Day parade even as opposition Congress termed it as a "grave omission". Describing the absence of the Sikh regiment from the Republic Day parade as "sad and regrettable", Badal has urged the central government to issue necessary instructions and guidelines to ensure that the regiment is never kept out of the parades in future. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Badal said, "A widespread feeling of hurt and resentment has been caused by the non-inclusion of the Sikh Regiment in the Republic Day parade where French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest." Badal said the parade was always regarded as a great occasion to showcase India's multi-cultural and multi-religious identity, highlighting its secular ethos. "As a vibrant and fiercely patriotic minority community in the country, the Sikhs are always seen as the most powerful symbol of this multi-dimensional identity and secular character of the country," he wrote. He said Sikhs have made unparalleled sacrifices not only for the freedom of the country but also for defending that freedom against foreign aggression. "They have a strong presence in the armed forces and their patriotic and martial traditions are something on which the entire country rightly takes pride," Badal said. "Because of these factors," the Punjab Chief Minister said, "The presence of the Sikh regiment in the Republic Day parade is regarded as a natural part of our nationalistic symbolism." Washington: Radical extremists today are countering Mahatma Gandhi 's teachings with "hate, violence and war", an eminent Indian-American entrepreneur said as he cautioned community members that such ideology could make democracy a distant memory. "Without Mahatma Gandhi, there would have been no Republic Day for India and without his influence on others, the United States and the world would be a far different place," said entrepreneur and philanthropist Frank Islam in his key-note address to the India Republic Day celebrations here as community members gathered in large numbers. "As you know, Gandhi's teachings centred on love, non-violence and peace. In 2016, radical extremists are countering Gandhi with preachings of hate, violence and war. If they are successful, Republic Day in India and in places around the world that celebrate democracy will become a distant memory," Islam said. 63-year-old Azamgarh-born Islam was awarded the Uttar Pradesh Ratna Award earlier this month to recognise his achievements and outstanding contributions in a foreign country. Indian-Americans, with their connections to both India and the US, should try to understand that values of a free society can prevent that apocalyptic vision, said Islam. "This is our responsibility as concerned citizens. It is my responsibility. It is your responsibility. It is our responsibility as citizens with connections to two great nations and republics - India and the United States," he said. Islam founded IT firm QSS in 1994 with him as the sole employee and expanded it to over 2,000 employees and sales of USD 300 million before selling it in 2007. He has donated USD 2 million to alma mater Aligarh Muslim University for construction of a new school of management, and currently heads the FI Investment Group, a private investment holding company that he established in 2007. The event was organised by National Council of Asian Indian Associations in partnership with over 15 community organisations representing a cross-section of the Indian-American Community. Hyderabad: Union Minister and BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said the RSS stands for 'Ready for Selfless Service' and thus the Opposition has no moral right to criticise the 'most patriotic organisation in the country'. Naidu, while delivering a speech here, alleged that the Congress Party was just doing 'tamasha' politics over PhD scholar Rohith Vemula' suicide in the Hyderabad University and was trying to divide the educational campus on the basis of caste and religion. "Only Congress Party and its allies can do cheap politics. The BSP, SP and AAP all are doing politics over Rohith's death. Parties like SP and BSP are preaching us, they are criticising the RSS. The RSS means 'Ready for Selfless Service'. It is the most patriotic organisation in the country. We are all proud that we are brought up by the RSS," Naidu said. "The Opposition has no moral right to criticise the RSS. Your party follows divisive agenda. Your party has followed politics of hatred," he added. He also hit back at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who yesterday sat on a fast with the protesting students at the University. "This is all 'tamasha' going on. The Congress Party is doing 'tamasha' politics. What Rahul did yesterday was natural fasting. Everyone does that. They are doing drama. Coming one day and keeping a fast wouldn't help. They have been ruling for more than 50 years. What did they do then?. Now as the Congress is idle after losing the power, they are suddenly coming to show sympathy and condolences. Is this some kind of joke?" he said. "It is the long misrule of the Congress Party, it's divisive and vote bank agenda that has spoiled the social harmony and that's why incidents like Hyderabad University are happening. Rohith's suicide is not the first incident. Ten such incidents have happened in the recent days during the Congress regime but then nobody had time. No Sonia, no Rahul and no Digvijay could come to Hyderabad University to console and condole," he added. Gandhi, who sat on a fast yesterday along with the protesting students at the Hyderabad University, alleged that Prime Minister Modi was trying to crush the spirit of Indian youngsters by imposing one idea from on top. Addressing the protesting students at the university, he said, "When you let what has happened to Rohith happen in the country, it will happen to you one day, no matter who you are. You will one day find that the same people, who crushed Rohith, will be blocking your path to freedom, to progress." The students have been agitating after Rohith, a PhD student at the university, committed suicide by hanging himself. Rohith and five other students were suspended by the university in connection with an alleged attack on an ABVP leader. New Delhi: "Truth is stranger than fiction," these words of Mark Twain aptly fit in the case of Krishna Mohan Tripathi from Gorakhpur. The 28-year-old from Gorakhpur got married last week and the ceremony was attended by a surprise guest. The wedding guests were left surprised when they saw 60-year-old Deb Miller on the sides of the groom. The Krishna Mohan Tripathi and Deb Miller's relationship goes back four years ago when the he stumbled upon Miller's profile while surfing social networking site Facebook. Soon both of them started exchanging their feelings. Tripathi's mother had died when he was a teenager and Miller, a resident of California, also do not have children. During the course of interaction on Facebook, both of them developed a mother-son relationship and Miller accepted Tripathi as her son. Tripathi was surprised when Miller accepted his wedding invitation and agreed to come to India and attend the ceremony. Miller also brought jewellery worth Rs 25 lakh as gift for the newly-wedded couple. Krishna is currently pursuing MSc from Awadh University in Faizabad and wants to become a lawyer. Deb has also invited the couple to US after the wedding. Deb, dressed in a Banarasi saree, was impressed by the Indian tradition and culture. Deb said she has bought about two dozen of sarees to take back home. She left for Delhi on Saturday evening and will leave for the US on Sunday. Shivamogga: A youths' organisation have been denied permission by Karnataka police to hold the 'Kiss of Love' campaign in Shivamogga on Valentine's Day, February 14, as per a media report. According to Mail Today, a local youths' organisation wanted to hold the campaign and had approached the Shivamogga district administration. Shivamogg is a BJP stronghold. However, Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists and the Bajrang Dal submitted memorandums to the district administration and urged them not to grant permission. The VHP and the Bajrang Dal reportedly were of the view that the event could lead to a law and order problem. But, as per the report, the police have not given any specific reason for denying permission to the organisers of the 'Kiss of Love' campaign. It is being said that the event has been shifted to a different date in March. Bhopal: A former office bearer of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and nine of his relatives have been booked under the tough National Security Act (NSA) for slaughtering cow and storing beef in their house in Madhya Pradesh. Anwar Mev was an office bearer of the BJP's Minority Cell before he was expelled from the party. The arrests were made on suspicion that Mev and his relatives were involved in a slaughtering of cow and storing beef in their house in MP's Dewas area, according to a report in India Today. The development comes after Arunachal Pradesh Governor JP Rajkhowa cited cow slaughter as one of the reasons for recommending President's Rule in the state, which was ruled by Nabam Tuki-led Congress government. Kolkata: A Trinamool Congress leader was on Sunday detained by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Kolkata airport for trying to board a Chennai-bound flight with an unlicensed gun, police said. Naren Chakraborty, a member of the Durgapur Zilla Parishad and Pandabeshwar Block Trinamool Congress president, had boarded a chopper from Andal airport and landed in NSCB airport in Kolkata in the afternoon, the police said, adding he was scheduled to leave the city for Chennai on a SpiceJet flight in the evening. "CISF detained Chakraborty at the check-in point after it was found that he was carrying a gun and some cartridges but had no arms licence. The CISF then contacted us and handed him over. We are investigating the case," said a senior police officer at Airport police station. Kabul: At least 44 militants were killed in past 24 hours as Afghan security forces conducted clean-up operations, the country`s defence ministry said on Sunday. A total of 27 militants were injured and one militant was arrested during the operations which were launched in Wardak, Kandahar, Helmand and c provinces of the country, Xinhua quoted the defence ministry as saying in a statement. The statement also confirmed the loss of three army personnel during the same period of time. Afghan security forces have pressed on clearing the militants in restive provinces. The Taliban responds by bombing and armed attacks. On Saturday, four security force members, including a district police chief, were killed after a roadside bomb struck a security convoy in Kunar province. Maiduguri: Dozens of people were feared killed when Boko Haram Islamists armed with guns and explosives attacked a village in northeastern Nigeria, officials said on Sunday. Suicide bombers also carried out deadly attacks on Sunday in the Lake Chad region, an area frequently targeted by Boko Haram fighters, a local security official said. Nigeria's army said the jihadists attacked Dalori, some 12 kilometres from Maiduguri late yesterday, and burnt down the village. Dalori is near camps set up for people displaced by the seven-year Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast. "During the incident lives were lost while some people sustained injuries," army spokesman Colonel Mustapha Anka said in a statement. Residents claimed at least 50 people were killed in the attack which happened after evening prayers late yesterday. Anka said the jihadists arrived the village in cars and on motorcycles "before they started opening fire and burning houses". He said three female suicide bombers trying to mix with the villagers were "intercepted and subsequently got blown up". And in the Lake Chad area, three people were killed and dozens wounded in two suicide bombings, a security official said. In the first attack in Guie, a bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up, killing one person and injuring 32, while the second attack in the village of Miterine left two dead and 24 wounded, the official said. Boko Haram, which seeks a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has killed some 17,000 people and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since 2009. Beijing: China urged the US to respect and abide by its laws, and not to undermine the mutual trust and regional peace and stability. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on Saturday made the remarks as reports said a US Navy guided-missile destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of Zhongjian Dao, Xisha Islands, Xinhua reported. According to China's law on the territorial sea and contiguous zone enacted in 1992, foreign warships entering China's territorial waters must be approved by the Chinese government. "The US warship violated Chinese law and entered the country's territorial sea without authorisation. The Chinese side conducted surveillance and vocal warnings to the US warship," Hua said. Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun also said the US act severely violated Chinese law, sabotaged the peace, security and good order of the waters, and undermined the region's peace and stability. The Defence Ministry is firmly against this, he said. Yang said China's law on the territorial sea and contiguous zone accords with the international law and practice, and that many other countries have similar laws. The Chinese government also issued a statement on territorial sea baseline on May 15, 1996, which announced part of the baseline of the territorial sea adjacent to China's mainland and the baseline of the territorial sea adjacent to the Xisha Islands. "The US side is fully aware of this, yet it still sent its warship into China's territorial sea without authorisation. It is a deliberate provocation," Yang said. According to Yang, Chinese troops on the islands and Navy vessels and warplanes took actions immediately. They identified and verified the US warship, warned and expelled it swiftly. For many years, the US side has proposed measures to ensure navigation safety of ships and aircraft of all parties, but it repeatedly sent vessels and planes into China's territorial sea and air space regardless of the country's opposition, leading to close encounters of navy and air force troops of the two countries, Yang said. He added that the move on the US side is very unprofessional and irresponsible for the safety of the troops of both sides, and may cause extremely dangerous consequences. The Chinese armed forces will take whatever measures necessary to safeguard China's sovereignty and security, no matter what provocations the US side may take, Yang said. Cairo: ISIS has reportedly beheaded over 20 of its fighters in full public view for trying to flee a war zone in Iraq's Mosul city, sending out a chilling warning to others in the terror group against desertion. Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) captured a group of its own militants who tried to escape the battlefront in Mosul city of Nineveh province, and executed them in public, Ara News reported. "The dissidents were arrested at a checkpoint in the vicinity of Mosul on Friday evening. After being identified as fighters who have left their positions at the fighting front in western Mosul, they were transferred to the Sharia Court for prosecution," a local source cited an ISIS "official" as saying. "Subsequent to a brief interrogation, the Sharia Court decided to behead the dissidents on charges of treason," the source was quoted as saying. Observers said the beheadings were made in a bid to terrorise ISIS members who may leave their posts in the war-torn region. The jihadis were beheaded in central Mosul in front of hundreds of people, mostly ISIS members and commanders, the report said. "Witnessing the brutal punishment has caused a state of panic among the members of the group," the source said. ISIS considers jihadis who leave their posts without permission as traitors and enemies of its so-called Caliphate. This is not the first time that ISIS has executed its own militants on charges of treason. Earlier, it was reported this month that ISIS militants who lost a key town to Iraqi forces were burned alive in full public view by their own men after they fled to the group's stronghold of Mosul. Several Mosul residents claimed that when the black clad jihadists made it to Mosul, over 400 km north of Ramadi city retaken by Iraqi forces, they were set on fire in the town's main square. They were reportedly made to stand in a circle and set on fire. In December, the extremist group had beheaded ten militant fighters "convicted of high treason" for evacuating their post at the battlefront without the group's permission. In November, ISIS executed 73 militant fighters for escaping battles with the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Shingal (Sinjar) district in northern Iraq, the report said. ARA News is an independent press agency reporting on local developments across Rojava, Kurdistan Region, Syria, Iraq and Turkey. London: The Islamic State terror group has warned Britain of an attack more severe than the Paris assaults, saying the country will receive the "lion's share" of the slaughter for its "declaration of war against Muslims". In the latest edition of its Arabic newspaper 'al-Naba' (The News), ISIS warns that the UK should be prepared for an attack more severe than in Paris last November which claimed 130 lives. According to 'The Sunday Times', the article eulogises Mohammed Emwazi, the British murderer dubbed Jihadi John who was killed by a US drone strike. It said "his words will never die" and that his message of slaughter did not end "with the blood of the soldiers of the caliphate who sent it to France in their own special way". Britain will receive the "lion's share" of the slaughter "in response to its declaration of war against the Muslims", the group said in reference to last month's UK Parliament vote on airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. An attack on Britain will be so severe, it claims, "that it will turn children's hair to white". The warning refers to a Quranic verse outlining the horrors of the Judgement Day. ISIS had released a video last week that featured nine of the Paris attackers, including ringleader Abdelhamid Abaaoud. By examining the montage frame by frame, 'The Sunday Times' has identified a string of potential targets, including Buckingham Palace and the National Gallery in central London. A palace spokesperson said, "We never comment on security matters." The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is visited by more than 6 million people a year. The fact that ISIS may have the gallery in its sights is reinforced by a new Europol report that says the terrorist group prefers "soft targets with a potential to cause mass casualties". "We routinely monitor and review our security procedures," the gallery said. Scotland Yard said, "We want the public to be alert, not alarmed. The current threat level across the UK from international terrorism remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely." "UK police and security and intelligence services are working tirelessly to confront this terrorist threat and keep the public safe," it said. Damascus: The Islamic State group on Sunday claimed responsibility for bombings near a revered Shiite shrine outside the Syrian capital Damascus that killed at least 45 people. In a statement circulated on social media, the jihadist group said two of its members had detonated suicide bombs near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine. "Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120," the group said. Syrian state media earlier reported 45 people had been killed and 110 injured in the attacks, which it said involved a car bomb and two suicide bombers. State news agency SANA had said that the first blast was caused by a car bomb that detonated at a bus station near the shrine. It said two suicide bombers then detonated their explosive belts when people gathered at the scene. An AFP photographer at the scene said the blasts caused massive damage, shattering windows and ripping a huge crater in the road. Smoke rose from the twisted carcasses of more than a dozen cars and a bus damaged in the blasts, as ambulances ferried away the wounded and firefighters worked to put out blazes started by the bombings. The shrine south of the capital contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has continued to attract pilgrims from Syria and beyond, particularly Shiites from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, throughout the war, and has been targeted in previous bomb attacks. In February 2015, two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint near the shrine. Also that month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people, in an attack claimed by al Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The area around the shrine is heavily secured with regime checkpoints set up hundreds of metres away to prevent vehicles from getting close to Sayyida Zeinab. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, members of Lebanon`s powerful Shiite militant group Hezbollah are among those deployed at the checkpoints. The Britain-based monitor said 47 people were killed in the blasts, including a car bomb that targeted a checkpoint, and included non-Syrian Shiite militants without specifying their nationalities. Hezbollah is a staunch ally of Syria`s President Bashar al-Assad and has dispatched fighters to bolster his troops against the uprising that began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. Early on, the group justified its intervention in Syria by citing the threat to Sayyida Zeinab. More than 260,000 people have been killed in Syria`s conflict, which has also displaced over half the country`s population internally and abroad. It has evolved into a complex, multi-front war, involving rebels, jihadists, regime and allied forces, Kurds and air strikes by both government ally Russia and a US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group. Damascus: The Islamic State terror group on Sunday claimed responsibility for three deadly bombings that rocked a Shiite district south of the capital Damascus earlier in the day killing over 76 people. The triple bombings rocked the sprawling Sayyidah Zaynab district, which was guarded by the Shiite Lebanese Hezbollah group, in the southern countryside of Damascus. The first explosion was caused by a booby-trapped car that targeted a passenger bus on the al-Sudan street in that area, state news agency SANA said, adding that after the first bombing, two suicide bombers detonated their explosives-laden belts in the crowed that gathered at the blast site. Meanwhile, a source familiar with the incident told Xinhua that 76 people were killed in the explosions, adding that the death toll could rise as tens of wounded people were critical. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitor, said 25 Shiite fighters were among those killed. The IS militant group holds deep grudge against the Shiite people, who are considered as "infidels" by the IS. The enmity toward the Shiite people also emanates from the terror group's battles against Hezbollah and the Syrian army across Syria. The Sayyidah Zaynab tomb became a centre of religious studies of the adherents of the Shiite sect of Islam and a destination of mass pilgrimage by Shiite Muslims from across the Muslim world. On June 14, 2012, a suicide car bomb tore through that district, wounding around 14 people. Since mid-summer 2012, the district has been under frequent attacks and shelling by the ultra-radical rebels, who aim to attack the Shiite people due to their supportive stance towards the Syrian government and their religious background of the Shiite-Sunni conflict. As the district holds religious significance for the Shiite people, Hezbollah sent fighters to protect the shrine and manned checkpoints surrounding it. London: After going through repeated sexual abuse and humiliation in the hands of the notorious Islamic State militants, young girls from the Yazidi community are now forced to undergo traumatic virginity tests in Iraqi courts. The rt.com citing the Human Rights Watch said that Yazidi girls and women are forced to undergo these tests to prove to Iraqi courts that they were raped. The news article, posted on the human rights organizations website, was based on a research on the post-ISIS fate of Yazidi women in Iraq. According to the report, one of the girls named Luna was kidnapped by Islamic State militants, sold four times, and raped by all of her owners. Survivors my colleague and I interviewed, described organized rape, sexual slavery, and forced marriage by ISIS, researcher Rothna Begum said. Although the victims needed psychological help, health care and other services, Iraqi officials still forced the girls and women to undergo traumatic virginity tests to confirm that they had been abused. These tests were seen as evidence of rape by Iraqi courts, Begum wrote. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), though virginity tests are being conducted in some countries it has no scientific validity. Fortunately, the Kurdish officials in Iraq has given assurances to the Human Rights Watch that they will stop the practice of virginity tests. The health directorate in Dohuk adopted a new medical examination report on sexual violence based on UN recommendations, consistent with human rights and best practice, the report quoted Begum as saying. Geneva: The future of the biggest push to date to end Syria`s brutal civil war looked highly uncertain Sunday with the main opposition group threatening to walk away before planned peace talks even begin in earnest. Representatives from the umbrella body for mainstream opposition groups, who arrived in Geneva late Saturday, are refusing for now to enter the hoped-for talks with President Bashar al-Assad `s government. The High Negotiations Committee (HNC), set to meet with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura on Sunday, are demanding that humanitarian aid first gets through to besieged towns, that bombing of civilians ceases and that hundreds of prisoners are released. "If the regime insists on continuing to commit these crimes then the HNC delegation`s presence in Geneva will not be justified," coordinator Riad Hijab warned in a statement in Arabic posted online Saturday. "The delegation will inform de Mistura of its intentions to withdraw its negotiating team if the UN and world powers are unable to stop these violations," he said. Highlighting the dire humanitarian situation, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Saturday said 16 more people had starved to death in Madaya, one of more than a dozen towns under blockade by regime or rebel forces. More than 4.5 million people with "immense humanitarian needs" are living in areas extremely hard to access because of fighting, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). On Friday, the scheduled start of a planned six months of talks, protesters in Geneva highlighted the plight of ordinary Syrians with "siege soup" of grass and leaves.The war that has killed more than 260,000 people since 2011 is a complex conflict sucking in -- on different sides -- Turkey, Iran and Gulf states and also Western countries and, since September, Russia. A fresh spat between Russia and Turkey, two of the many outside powers embroiled in the conflict, erupted Saturday after Ankara accused Moscow of violating its airspace two months after it shot down a Russian jet. The chaos in Syria has allowed the extremist Islamic State group to overrun swathes of Syria and also Iraq, giving it a launchpad to launch attacks the world over, most notably in Paris on November 13 with 130 dead. Half of Syria`s population have fled their homes, forcing million to seek refuge in neighbouring countries and also in Europe, where the influx is proving to be a major political and social headache. On Saturday, dozens of migrant men, women and children, including Syrians, drowned when their boat sank off of Turkey -- adding to the almost 4,000 who perished trying to reach Europe by sea in 2015.The intra-Syrian negotiations, if they get going, are part of an ambitious roadmap set out in November in Vienna by all the external powers involved. The process envisions elections within 18 months but leaves unresolved the future of Assad, whose regime has been making gains on the ground since Russia began supporting him with airstrikes in September. Another thorny issue is which rebel groups will be involved in the talks, although all sides agree on the exclusion of extremists from Islamic State and the Nusra Front tied to Al-Qaeda. Ahrar al-Sham, one of the most controversial groups in the HNC because of its ties to Nusra, was not represented in Geneva, HNC spokesman Riad Naasan Agha said. And the powerful Army al-Islam rebel group "is here, they are a negotiator," he told reporters, but said HNC chief negotiator and Army of Islam member Mohammed Alloush had not arrived yet. "There is every reason to be pessimistic, and there is no realistic scenario in which a breakthrough would be reached," said Karim Bitar, analyst at the Paris-based Institute of International and Strategic Relations. If you plan to cancel the tropical vacation you've booked to avoid coming down with the Zika virus, you're probably in good company. Worries over travel have picked up in recent days with the news that at least 31 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with the virus including a pregnant woman in New York City, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But canceling raises more questions. Will you be hit with cancellation penalties? Will you be able to get a refund? The good news is that some major airlines and cruise lines are bending their usually strict rules on cancellation for passengers with tickets to the affected areas. But at the same time, you may also need to negotiate for a refund to cancel travel plans. Airlines JetBlue, which was rated the most highly among airlines in our 2015 airline Ratings, has the most forgiving policy among the five largest U.S. carriers we contacted. Customers concerned about Zika and holding tickets to affected areas can cancel travel for a refund even if they purchased non-refundable tickets. Re-bookings can be made without penalty. United and American provide similar options, but only to women who are pregnant or attempting to become pregnant, and their travel companions, and their policies doesn't apply to non-refundable tickets. American requires a note from a doctor and refunds are limited for travel to only 11 countries, including Brazil, Mexico, Panama, and Puerto Rico. Southwest Airlines, also highly rated by our subscribers, has no specific Zika policy, but it never charges penalties for changing flight plans. So any traveler concerned about Zika is free to avoid problem destinations. If you have non-refundable tickets, their full value can be applied to travel elsewhere on Southwest. Delta did not respond to our request for comment, but the airline's website says customers may be able to change their destinations and travel dates without being charged a fee. They may also qualify for a refund if they cancel travel plans. Changes need to be made by February 29. Story continues What you should do. If you're not pregnant or trying to become pregnant and still prefer to cancel, getting a refund may be more difficult. If you bought travel insurance that has a rider that permits cancellation for any reason, that should protect you. If you don't have the insurance, we recommend that you negotiate for a refund from the airlines. That may require that you argue that canceling your trip helps prevent the spread of the virus to the U.S. It is especially advisable if you expect to be in contact with anyone who is pregnant (there are still questions as to how easily this disease gets transmitted). Cruises Consumers who buy tickets for a cruise are typically subject to stiff penalties if they change or cancel travel plans. Payment in full is usually required 90 or more days before departure. If you later want to cancel, you can lose up to 100 percent of your payment depending on when you make that decision. But if the reason for canceling has to do with the Zika virus, the cruise lines are being unusually lenient. Carnival, the largest cruise line, Disney Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises are letting pregnant women cancel travel or change their itineraries to exclude Zika-prone destinations. They can also request credit for a future voyage.* The new policies do not apply to those planning to become pregnant. What you should do. If your cruise line isn't willing to help you avoid cancellation or change fees, remind them of the policies set by the other cruise lines and ask for similar treatment. As with the airlines, if you purchased travel insurance that has a rider that permits cancellation for any reason, that should protect you. We suggest that you don't automatically take the limited insurance policy offerings that the cruise line sells. You're likely to get better coverage and lower fees if you shop the market more broadly by using an online broker such as InsureMyTrip. Lodging Hotel chains have more consumer-friendly cancellation policies and routinely require 48 to 72 hours notice to avoid a charge equal to one nights stay. However, if you cancel a prepaid stay during a peak period, you could forfeit the entire amount. Some resorts may bill you for three nights if you cancel your trip. If you've booked a private vacation home rental through online marketplaces such as Airbnb, HomeAway, or VRBO, the homeowner sets the cancellation policy. What you should do. Given the severity of the warning from the CDC, negotiate for a full refund or a reduced penalty waiver. It can help to contact the hotel or travel agent and explain that your doctor has warned against travel to the area. For private vacation home rentals, check your contract for the owner's cancellation policy to see if you can get out of the deal within the rules. If you are unable to break the agreement, appeal to the owner on a personal level and try to negotiate a fair refund, given the new health threat. *Correction: An earlier version incorrectly stated that Norwegian Cruise Lines allowed women expecting to become pregnant to cancel or change their itineraries if traveling to a Zika-prone area. That benefit applies only to women who are already pregnant. More from Consumer Reports: 8 Ways to Boost Your Home Value Why your cable TV bill is going up Get the Best Cell Phone Plan for Your Familyand Save up to $1,000 a Year Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright 2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S. Canada's History magazine has compiled a list of the country's most important women in their current issue but not one of them is from Newfoundland and Labrador. Melony Ward, publisher of Canada's History, said the list was created to mark the anniversary of the first women winning the vote in Canada. They are now seeking help from the public to add more names. The magazine selected a panel of women, including Adrienne Clarkson, Michele Dagenais from the University of Montreal, Charlotte Gray, a popular history writer, and several others to compile a list from which they chose their top 20 women. Now readers can vote for one of 30 nominees or add a selection of their own. Little documentation "For a variety of reasons there are few records and I mean there are still more women we need to recognize and that's where we want people in Newfoundland to come in and help fill in that record," Ward told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show. "There's a website, www.canadashistory.ca/GreatWomen, they can go there and you can either vote for one of the ones on the list, or you can put in your own." It took more than a year for the group to decide on their top 20, and while an effort was made to document many of the women who have not traditionally made the history books, Ward said it's hard to make a list that's "perfect" and will please everyone. "I only know that there are many, many women who contributed to local economies and raised children and salted fish and worked in factories and were involved in the war effort," Ward said. "It's quite a diverse group, there are politicians, we've got quite a few artists on the list so it's a real mix of people and the more traditional people you would expect that would be on this list like, Therese Casgrain, who was a politician and activist in Quebec." Making the list While the list includes well-known names like Nellie McClung and Lucy Maud Montgomery, there are also some that may not be so familiar, Kenojuak Ashevak, Annie Mae Aquash and Helen Armstrong. Story continues Once the vote concludes on Feb. 21, you may see names like Cassie Brown, Grace Sparkes, Armine Gosling and Elizabeth Penashue added to the list. These women all sparked change in Newfoundland and Labrador by breaking ground in journalism, politics, the arts and academic life. Newfoundland features There are however, a few stories to reflect this province on the magazine's website. Canada's Pirate Queen is one feature It's the story of Maria Lindsey Cobham, who Ward said, was a pirate with her husband on the west coast of the province in the eighteenth century. "She's not in the magazine, we pulled that story out of our archives to go along with this and for us that's going pretty viral," said Ward. "She was described as a homicidal maniac, we weren't going to put her to the 20 great women list but she certainly was a significant woman at the time." Others featured are The story of Labrador Inuit taken to European zoos and a story about Bell Island's role in the Second World War. "We try to cover a real variety of stories and our history isn't always something we necessarily want to celebrate, there's things that happen but you've got to acknowledge them and understand them," said Ward. You can visit Canada's History Magazine website to cast your vote or read about their features. LONDON (Reuters) - An EgyptAir mechanic whose cousin joined Islamic State in Syria is suspected of planting a bomb on a Russian passenger plane that was blown out of Egypt's skies in late October, according to sources familiar with the matter. So far Egypt has publicly said it has found no evidence that the MetroJet flight, which crashed in the Sinai Peninsula after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh airport, killing all 224 people on board, was brought down by terrorism. A senior security official at the airline denied that any of its employees had been arrested or were under suspicion, and an Interior Ministry official also said there had been no arrests. But the sources, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation, said the mechanic had been detained, along with two airport policemen and a baggage handler suspected of helping him put the bomb on board. "After learning that one of its members had a relative that worked at the airport, Islamic State delivered a bomb in a handbag to that person," said one of the sources, adding the suspect's cousin joined Islamic State in Syria a year and a half ago. "He was told to not ask any questions and get the bomb on the plane." Another source said of the other suspects: "Two policemen are suspected of playing a role by turning a blind eye to the operation at a security checkpoint. But there is a possibility that they were just not doing their jobs properly." None of the four have been prosecuted so far, the sources told Reuters. The crash has called into question Egypt's drive to eradicate Islamist militancy and hurt its tourism industry, a cornerstone of the economy. Islamic State's Egypt affiliate is waging an insurgency in parts of the Sinai, although mostly far from the tourist resorts along its Red Sea coast. Russia and Western countries have long said that they believe the flight was brought down by a bomb smuggled on board. Egypt however has so far publicly said it has not found any evidence of foul play. Any formal charges or official Egyptian confirmation that a bomb brought down the Airbus A321 could potentially expose Egypt to compensation payments to the families of the victims. The EgyptAir senior security official said state security police had investigated all workers at Sharm el-Sheikh airport without finding any evidence implicating any of them. The official said state security traced the family connections of all the employees and they were cleared. "Any employee who shows sympathy to militants is prevented from going to work in any airport," he told Reuters. An Interior Ministry source also said no one had been arrested in connection with the crash. "We are awaiting results of the investigation." Islamic State's online magazine carried a photo of a Schweppes soft drink can it said was used to make an improvised bomb that brought down the Russian airliner. The photo showed a can of Schweppes Gold soft drink and what appeared to be a detonator and switch on a blue background, three simple components that if genuine are likely to cause concern for airline safety officials worldwide. (Editing by Peter Graff) After all the hype, media appearances and debates, the official launch to see who will succeed as the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees begins in earnest on Feb. 1, when the first party supporters will cast their votes in the next race to the White House. "Unlike just about any other election in the democratic world, the nomination process is a sequence of elections," says Elaine Kamarck, author of Primary Politics: Everything You Need to Know about How America Nominates Its Presidential Candidates. "Each contest then builds on the previous contest, which is why Iowa and New Hampshire have such outsized support." - CBC IN IOWA | Ted Cruz, likable or not, wins over Christian Iowans The whole process lasts until June, culminating in each party's national convention. To win the nomination, a candidate must secure 50 per cent of the delegates plus one. The Democrats have not yet finalized their delegate numbers but they are estimated to be 4,764. The Republicans have 2,472, so a candidate must win 1,237 delegates. As the first state to go, the results in Iowa are of particular importance, setting the tone for the primaries and caucuses to come. On the Democratic side, we will learn whether Bernie Sanders, the self-proclaimed "democratic socialist," will be able to squeak out a victory over Hillary Clinton, who long ago was thought to have had the race wrapped up. But the Republican Iowa caucus results may prove much more compelling. With all the hype and strong polling numbers around Donald Trump, Iowa will give us the first clue whether the New York real-estate magnate has been able to convert this support into actual votes. Iowa, which holds a caucus, is followed by New Hampshire, which holds the first primary. The results can effectively help clear the field, weeding out lesser candidates who may drop out if they receive low support. To better follow along with what can be a confusing process, here are six things to know about the U.S. primaries. Story continues Difference between a primary and a caucus The difference between a primary and a caucus is that the state itself conducts a primary, while the state party runs a caucus. A primary takes the form of a traditional election, with a broad group of voters casting secret ballots at polling stations that are open all day. This also means primaries are government-funded, making them the preferred choice for many states. But caucuses typically held in churches, school gymnasiums, libraries, community centres and, increasingly rare, at people's homes meet to openly discuss the candidates before voting. Caucuses also use the meetings to conduct other party business, such as selecting delegates. Difference between an open and closed primary Most primaries are closed, meaning registered Republicans must vote in the Republican primary and Democrats in the Democratic primaries. But in some states, regardless of one's political affiliation, a registered voter can choose to vote in either primary. But not both. So why would a true blue Democrat, for example, want to vote in the Republican primary? It may be a strategic vote. Joshua Putnam, a political science professor at the University of Georgia, said there was some anecdotal evidence in the 2012 Michigan primary that with Barack Obama running unopposed, some Democrats instead voted for Rick Santorum in the Republican primary, thinking he would be a weaker candidate for the president to face off against. What is Super Tuesday? Super Tuesday is the day on which the largest number of states hold their primaries and caucuses. This year, Super Tuesday falls on March 1, with 14 states and America Samoa taking part. "The dynamics of the race change on Super Tuesday. Instead of looking at who won a state and who came in second or third, it will be the first time that a large number of delegates are selected to the convention," Kamarck said. "And so what will matter coming out of Super Tuesday is not just who won which state, but how many delegates they picked up on that day." In 2008, Hillary Clinton did very well on Super Tuesday in some big states. But Kamarck notes that Barack Obama came out with a delegate count almost equal to hers in the end. - Neil Macdonald: Can America's political discourse get any cruder? "Super Tuesday can be the beginning of a long, contested race that goes to June, or it could be the end, particularly if one candidate sweeps it up," Kamarck said. How delegates are awarded Delegates are usually active members of the party or party supporters who have been chosen to represent their state at the national convention. They then cast the votes that will determine the final presidential nominee. Since how these delegates vote is decided during the primaries and caucuses, much of the national convention is somewhat of a roll call, with all of the states pledging their support behind a candidate. The number of delegates each state gets is determined at the national party level. Both parties have a different formula for arriving at this number but it's primarily based on population. California has more delegates than a state like Wyoming. But the process also builds in a party loyalty bonus, meaning if your state is traditionally more Republican, it will get an extra allotment of delegates, Putnam said. How delegates are allocated Again, the Republicans and Democrats have different rules. The Democratic National Committee requires proportional allocation from all its states: basically if a candidate gets 40 per cent of the vote in a state's primary or caucus, then they get 40 per cent of that state's delegates at the national convention. But a candidate must receive a 15-per-cent qualifying threshold to receive any delegates. With the Republicans, it gets a little more complicated, as each state has different rules. The first four states to go Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada are not bound by rules of allocation and can choose any method of allocation. These methods include proportional, winner takes all or a hybrid. However, in the first two weeks in March, the 14 states that hold that their contests on Super Tuesday, along with four other states, have to be "proportional." But as Putnam points out it doesn't necessarily work out that way. "It doesn't work out in a way [that] if you win 40 per cent of the vote, you get 40 per cent of the delegates," he said. "It's more complicated, it varies from state to state. Some states don't have a threshold for qualifying for delegates, others allow for a threshold of 20 per cent of the vote to qualify for any delegates." After March 14, for the Republicans, states can choose whatever delegate allocation method they want. Bounded, pledged and 'superdelegates' Most Republican delegates are bounded, meaning if they have been allocated to a particular candidate, they must support that candidate at the national convention. However, each state is awarded so-called "RNC delegates," unbounded delegates who are party officials with automatic credentials to the convention. This presumably gives an establishment candidate a leg up, according to RealClearPolitics. On the Democrat side, there are pledged and unpledged delegates, Putnam said. However, unlike the Republican process, the candidates have the final say over the delegates who are pledged to them. "That right of refusal means that the delegates end up being quite loyal to the candidate to whom they are pledged," he said. Superdelegates, however, are unpledged delegates, meaning that they can throw their support behind whomever they choose. But the bulk of the superdelegates are found in the Democratic party, with more than 700 selected for 2016. These superdelegates are party brass and elected officials, such as senators, members of congress and governors. In the 2008 primaries, Hillary Clinton led the superdelegate count over Barack Obama, prompting speculation that the close race could come down to these unbounded votes, regardless of Obama's victory in the primaries and caucuses. In the end, Obama had secured enough superdelegate support, and Clinton conceded defeat. 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 William Ackman, founder and CEO of hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management, speaks during the Sohn Investment Conference in New York May 4, 2015. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (Reuters) - Two government probes into the conduct of longtime antagonists Pershing Square Holdings and Herbalife have failed to find sufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing by either party, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter. The probes included an investigation of claims that Herbalife, a nutrition and weight loss company, has a fraudulent business model, and an inquiry into allegations that investment firm Pershing Square manipulated Herbalife's stock, the Journal said. The queries mark yet another point of tension in the feud between the two parties. Pershing Square's chief executive, William Ackman, has bet $1 billion of his firm's $15 billion in assets under management against Herbalife and has been one of the company's most vocal critics, comparing its business model to a pyramid scheme. The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the probes with help from the feuding parties, each of which hoped that investigations into the other would bear fruit, the newspaper said. The Journal added that the investigations could be rekindled if additional evidence was brought to bear, citing people familiar with the matter. (Reporting by Carl O'Donnell; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) nigeria oil Nigeria has asked the World Bank and African Development Bank for a $3.5 billion loan, according to The Financial Times. The request comes as Africa's largest economy grapples with a $15 billion budget deficit in the wake of the oil crash that has seen prices fall about 70% in the last year and a half. The FT's Shawn Donnan and Maggie Fick report that Nigeria's finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, told the FT these loans aren't an "emergency" measure, but merely the cheapest way for the country to shore up its finances. Nigeria produces about 1.8 million barrels of oil per day and 35% of its GDP comes from the oil and gas sector; 90% of Nigeria's export revenue comes from the sale of petroleum, according to OPEC. The important takeaway, however, is that while the crash in oil prices seen during 2014 and 2015 was stunning, it isn't until this year and beyond that we'll start to see the real impacts on both private corporate and government budgets from the sustained decline in prices. And so here we are. According to Donnan and Fick, Nigeria's package would be composed of $2.5 billion from the World Bank and $1 billion from the African Development Bank. The loans would likely be priced at below-market rates. Earlier this week, Nigeria was in focus as Business Insider's Elena Holodny looked at research out of RBC Capital Markets that said there is a rising risk of violence inside the country disrupting its oil production, a development that could boost international prices but would certainly further stress Nigeria's financial position. And so while the FT's report notes that the proposed package of loans made to Nigeria wouldn't come with the strings usually attached with a loan from the IMF which often include extensive "structural reforms," which is basically short-hand for coming up with additional revenue to ensure repayment the IMF will be expected to endorse a loan from the World Bank. Story continues Read the full story at the FT here NOW WATCH: Astronauts found something troubling in these shots from space More From Business Insider donald trump Real-estate mogul Donald Trump strongly objected at a Tuesday-evening press conference when a reporter did not provide the full context of one of his quotes. The reporter noted that Trump is being criticized on the campaign trail because he said on "Meet the Press" in 1999 that he was strongly in favor of abortion rights. Critics say the quote is evidence that Trump, who has since changed his position, is untrustworthy on the issue. "Read the full statement of what I said," Trump said as he took questions in Marshalltown, Iowa. "Read the full statement. No, no, you're not reading the full statement. Read it. ... Read the full statement." The Republican presidential front-runner then simply said that he was pro-life and moved on to other questions. A few minutes later, the same reporter tried to ask Trump again about the candidate's critics on the abortion issue. This time, the journalist was armed with the full 1999 quote, in which Trump also said that he hated the concept of abortion despite his belief that the government shouldn't ban it. Trump repeatedly asked why that context wasn't included in the original question. The reporter explained that he had just pulled up the quote and the wireless internet was shoddy at the press conference. "Then you got to get Wi-Fi, OK?" Trump said as they talked over one another. "Don't ask me questions like that. You're not a very good reporter doing that." The two had yet another testy exchange later in the press conference. Trump demanded an apology as the reporter started to ask a question. "Do you have a question that now is a legitimate question? Do you apologize?" Trump asked. "Do I apologize for reading your words?" the journalist replied. "No, no, for not reading my words. No, do you apologize for not reading my words? Excuse me, do you apologize for not reading my exact words?" Trump asked as they again talked over one another. "Excuse me. You quoted me and you took out the main part of the quote. I'm just asking: Do you apologize?" Story continues The reporter started to ask his question, saying, "Even if you hated abortion ..." But Trump cut him off. "Forget you," Trump said, moving on to take questions from someone else. Watch part of their exchange below: NOW WATCH: Watch Trump go head-to-head with a reporter and attack Megyn Kelly for being a lightweight reporter More From Business Insider Refusal to sign international treaty and lack of leadership hurting Americas potential to extract commodities from region, Scott Borgerson says. Refusal to sign international treaty and lack of leadership hurting Americas potential to extract commodities from region, Scott Borgerson says. Scott Borgerson is concerned the United States is falling behind when it comes to exploration and development of the Arctics natural resources. Borgerson, a senior fellow at the Boston-based Institute for Global Maritime Studies and expert in ocean governance, says the U.S is missing a crucial opportunity to extract commodities from the region that includes Alaska. Borgerson took time recently to talk with HAI Managing Editor Drew Voros about the region and its potential for natural resources. Hard Assets Investor: You are an advocate for the U.S. to increase its role in research and development of natural resources in the Arctic. How did you get started on this path? Scott Borgerson: The beginning of it was purely sort of a political, geography and economic exercise I conducted while in graduate school in 2001. I was researching how policymakers after World War II had to totally change their mental maps with air travel and intercontinental ballistic missiles in regards to the Arctic. Of course, missiles and airplanes dont fly east or west along the Arctic latitude. They go over the Arctic. It caused a total re-imagination of ones world view, to think of the world centered around the North Pole, not around the Atlantic or the Pacific. What I am trying to do is take how people changed their thinking about the world then and how it worked in the late 1940s and early 1950s and transfer that to a maritime perspective today. And so, as the Arctic ice melts, and this whole region opens up, it has the potential to be an important new player in globalization. HAI: Whats behind your sense of urgency? Has this been something thats been building up? Borgerson: Whats been brewing and building is the climate change itself. Its gradual, but relentless. And the ice is melting. But thats not sort of a deadline with a clock. What is a deadline with the clock thats undermining the United States national interest is that there is a commission established under a treaty called the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. And under that treaty, you have to join it in order to claim resources on your extended continental shelf. Every country in the world except for North Korea, Iran, a few others and the United States has joined it. Countries around the Arctic are submitting claims for their resources on the seabed outside 200 nautical miles of their coasts. Story continues The United States cannot participate in that process because weve not joined the treaty, even though we helped write it. Canada, Russia and Norway are claiming big chunks of the Arctic, and were on the sidelines. Its not like it's the Wild West. There's a rule book for how this process unfolds. We just cannot participate in the process, because weve not joined the treaty. And in general, other nations are awakening to the Arctic potential, while the U.S. remains essentially asleep at the wheel. HAI: Most people understand there's oil there. What other commodities should investors realize are there? Borgerson: Beyond hydrocarbons, there is renewable energy potential, and in particular, geothermal. Iceland has massive geothermal projects under way. The Arctic has some of the biggest tidal ranges in the world. So its a huge tidal potential, which is renewable. And of course, theres wind. But I think probably whats most exciting, however, are the mineral resources up there. There are tremendous rare mineral deposits and the worlds largest zinc mine is in the Arctic. Thats in Alaska. The worlds largest nickel mine is in the Arctic. Thats in Russia. Alaska also ranks in the top 10 for a number of single precious metal in the world, in terms of proven reserves. There's a lot of timber, a lot of fish the Bering Sea Fishery is the largest resource in the United States. Alaska is also actually starting to export fresh water. What else? The sea lanes themselves, the Northwest Passage and the Northeast Passage, are becoming thought of as a resource. The Northwest Passage may never happen, but the Northeast Passage is happening. Year-on-year, Ive seen tremendous growth in the number of ships Russia is sending from the North Atlantic and the Barents Sea over to the Pacific and to the Bering Strait. Shipping lanes should be viewed as a resource. HAI: In regard to Alaska what is the holdup there? It doesnt seem like Alaska is anti-mining. Borgerson: What it fundamentally boils down to is a lack of leadership historically, frankly. The state has been living off of Prudhoe Bay since its founding, essentially. Alaska was banking on a big natural gas pipeline, which has some famous history, including with Sarah Palins governorship. That gas pipeline hasnt been built. Theres a big question mark if itll ever be built with discovery of shale gas in North America. Crude oil has been driving the states growth up to now. But Alaska is not a petro state. It can't hope to bank its future on just North Slope oil and gas. So whats Act Two for Alaska? Alaska is having this moment where it has to look in the mirror and say, OK, whats beyond oil and gas? And thats what they're trying to figure out. The states got to figure out where its economic engine is going to come from and thats a no-brainer when it comes to commodities. Lets figure out a model. Maybe it involves using some state capital. Alaska is sitting on $53 billion of capital reserves, which is rather unique in 2011. Thats a lot of money in this day and age. HAI: How do you deal with environmentalists opposed to Arctic and Alaskan development? Borgerson: There's one sort of extreme view, that they would rather make it a park, despite what Alaskans believe. And if they had their way, there would be zero development. You're never going to be able to make those people happy. And you just have to sort of try and deal with it. Your mainstream environmentalists appreciate were not going to turn back the clock on progress and improvement in standards of living, and that development is OK long as its done sustainably. Norwegians have proven this the best investments are those that often are also environmentally sustainable. Lets bring in the environmentalists and the Native groups at the beginning. Then get into the genesis what these new products would be. Then pursue things that are both environmentally sustainable as well as those that advance Alaskas and the nations economy. I dont think they have to be mutually exclusive; you can have both. Maybe the railroad zigs instead of zags to protect owl habitat or animal migration routes important to local indigenous populations. We could figure that out by having them be part of the planning process HAI: Were at peak gold prices right now. Why arent mining companies moving into Alaska? Borgerson: Alaska is forgotten. Alaskans have been so focused on Prudhoe Bay that they have not done a very good job telling their story and attracting investors. Alaska has massive potential unlike the developing world where you always have the rule of law, transparency and things investors like before taking on big projects. It has that going for it. Its still the United States. But it has been a quagmire, politically. Its provincial. The whole state doesnt have that many people in it and the political elite are even fewer. You get into these family feuds in Juneau. Its easier to get stuff done in China, frankly. So Alaska has huge resources, but is a political quagmire at the same time. Recommended Stories Permalink | Copyright 2016 ETF.com. All rights reserved DUBAI, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The chief of Bunge Ltd. said on Sunday the Brazilian sugar and ethanol industry was at a turing point but although better times were ahead and expansion set to take place, they may come later than the market needs. Speaking at the Dubai Sugar Conference, Soren Schroder said at a panel Brazil was the only country of origin with the potential to fill the demand gap in sugar. "We can argue that it is the uncertainity of the last 7-8 years that will make it very difficult to get that expansion," he said. "The industry is very fragile...it needs a period of stability to meet that expansion." Schroder said in order to balance global demand, Brazil needed to increase crushing by over 200 million tonnes by 2025. (Reporting By Maha El Dahan and Rania El Gamal; Editing by Nick Macfie) By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Sunday for a more "sober" approach towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in dismissing a French peace initiative as only encouraging Palestinians to shun compromise. The proposal on Friday by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius for an international peace conference was the latest sign of Western frustration over the absence of movement toward a two-state solution since the collapse of U.S.-brokered negotiations in 2014. Fabius said that if the French plan did not break the deadlock, Paris would recognize a Palestinian state. Such a step would raise concern in Israel that other European countries, also long opposed to its settlement-building in occupied territory, would follow suit. In public remarks to his cabinet, Netanyahu did not explicitly reject the notion of an international conference - an aide said Israel would examine such a request once it was received - but he made clear that reported details of the plan made it a non-starter. Netanyahu said a "threat" to recognize a Palestinian state if France's peace efforts did not succeed, constituted "an incentive to the Palestinians to come along and not compromise". "I assess that there will be a sobering up regarding this matter," Netanyahu added. "In any event, we will make effort so that there is a sobering up here, and our position is very clear: We are prepared to enter direct negotiation without preconditions and without dictated terms." On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the French proposal, telling an African summit in Ethiopia that "the status quo cannot continue". But Washington responded with caution to the French move, saying it continued to prefer that Israel and the Palestinians reach an agreement on final-status issues through direct talks. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Abbas and the two discussed the French initiative and "the tense political situation in the region," WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency reported on Sunday. While aware the initiative may struggle to get off the ground, French officials said Paris had a responsibility to act now in the face of Israeli settlement activity and the prospect of continued diplomatic inaction as the United States focuses on a presidential election in November. And, the officials said, Netanyahu had gone a step too far in accusing U.N. Secretary of State Ban Ki-moon of giving a "tailwind to terrorism" by laying some of the blame for four months of stabbings and car rammings by Palestinians at Israel's door. Ban angered Israel by saying last week that it is "human nature to react to occupation". The United States, European Union - Israel's closest allies - have also issued unusually stern criticism of Israel in recent weeks, reflecting their own frustration with the policies of Netanyahu's right-wing government. The criticism, particularly about the settlements, where some 550,000 Jews live in around 250 communities scattered across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, has raised Palestinian hopes that world powers might finally be minded to support a U.N. resolution condemning Israel's policy outright. WEST BANK ATTACK Since October, Palestinian attacks, partly fueled by tensions over the freeze in peace talks, have killed 26 Israelis and a U.S. citizen. In an incident on Sunday, a Palestinian gunman wounded three Israelis near the West Bank settlement of Beit El and was then shot dead by soldiers, the Israeli army said. Palestinian officials said he worked as a bodyguard for a Palestinian prosecutor in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Shortly after that attack, a Palestinian motorist was shot and wounded when he tried to run down soldiers at a military checkpoint in the West Bank, the army said. Over the past four months, Israeli forces have killed at least 152 Palestinians, 98 of them assailants according to authorities. Most the others have died in violent protests. "I don't see anything that warrants living as long as the occupation smothers us and kills our brothers and sisters ... You were first and I am following you," the Beit El assailant, Amjad Abu Omar, wrote on Facebook. Palestinians seek a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, parts of which have been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war. Palestine has non-member observer status at the United Nations and its flag flies with those of member states at UN headquarters in New York. Sweden became the first EU member nation to recognize the Palestinian state in 2014. A total of 136 U.N.-member countries, mostly in Africa, Latin America and Asia, now do so. (Additional reporting by John Irish in Paris, Dan Williams in Jerusalem, Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Editing by Stephen Powell) (Bloomberg) -- Vietnam wants to reassure investors that new leaders chosen last week by Communist officials at its party congress will press ahead with economic reforms as policy makers aim to boost growth to the fastest pace in nine years. Policy makers will continue refining and modernizing the financial and banking sector," further privatize state-owned companies and upgrade its infrastructure, said Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, who was re-elected last week to the powerful central committee of top 200 Communist officials who will oversee the partys affairs. "The message is that we will continue with our economic reforms even though we know there are challenges, Trung said Jan. 28 at the close of the party meeting that takes place every five years to chart the countrys direction. The reforms have brought about historic and significant results, so we would go forward with it. Its also the wish of the public. Vietnams Communist party officials gathered last week to choose a new slate of leaders who will lead the country until 2020 and set a growth path that avoids a repeat of past mistakes, including soaring credit growth that saddled banks with bad debt and preferential treatment of state companies that created inefficiencies. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was re-elected to the position for a second term while Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was nominated to replace premier Nguyen Tan Dung when his term ends in July, raising questions whether the political transition will slow the pace of reforms. Vietnam operates under a consensus-based decision-making framework, and therefore changes in personnel will not immediately alter the policy trajectory, Andrew Fennell, Hong Kong-based associate director of Asia Pacific sovereign ratings at Fitch Ratings wrote in a research note released today. Vietnams commitment to a structural reform-oriented policy including a focus on macro stability and market liberalization will remain important factors for the countrys macro outlook, according to Fennell. Story continues Shun Boldness Still, the new leadership will probably shun bold initiatives and may slow reforms needed to meet the conditions of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, such as allowing for independent labor unions, said Tuong Vu, an associate professor of political science at the University of Oregon. They want stability for regime security, said Vu. That does not create an open environment for more reforms or faster reforms. The new leadership is going to tell people to keep believing in the party. Vietnam is forecast to expand at 6.7 percent this year and to be among the worlds fastest-growing economies, as rising local demand and surging foreign direct investment are helping the nation counter global threats thats sparked a wave of stock selling and currency depreciation. A cloud over the countrys economic picture is a trade deficit, widening public debt, and the governments failure to meet its goal to privatize 289 state companies last year. During the congress, several leaders including Trong, expressed concerns that Vietnam is at risk of falling behind regional peers. Average growth in 2011 through 2015 was 5.9 percent, lower than the 6.5 percent-to-7 percent target that the government had set. The congress also passed Jan. 26 a five-year socioeconomic plan that calls for supporting the private sector with "equal access" to credit, land and other resources -- the level playing field companies have been seeking for years. State Companies Equitization of state-owned companies is a very difficult process in any country, said Trung, adding that Vietnam has made strides in increasing the number of state companies that were privatized and their categories. Policy makers would go forward with it, he said. The socioeconomic blueprint sees the nation targeting as much as 7 percent average annual expansion and gross domestic product per capita at $3,200 to $3,500 by 2020 from the current International Monetary Fund estimate of about $2,170. If Vietnam meets these goals, it will be one of the fastest growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the IMF. We are now trying to change to a new development model that aims for sustainability, Trung said. We would continue with our policies of trying to mobilize international resources including foreign direct investment. Outgoing Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told the legislature in October that economic reform is still slow, including restructuring of state companies, while high budget deficit threatens macro-economic stability. The government estimates the country will post a trade deficit of $200 million in January after registering a total $3.5 billion shortfall in 2015. The countrys public debt has risen about 20 percent annually in the past five years. --With assistance from John Boudreau. To contact the reporter on this story: Nguyen Dieu Tu Uyen in Hanoi at uyen1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: K. Oanh Ha at oha3@bloomberg.net; Stephanie Phang at sphang@bloomberg.net Stanley James, Ravil Shirodkar The UN special envoy for Syria fought Sunday to keep alive the biggest diplomatic push yet to end the Syrian war as Washington urged both sides in fragile peace talks to seize the moment. Highlighting the urgency, a triple bombing near a revered Shiite shrine outside the capital Damascus killed 71 people in the latest bloody attack claimed by the extremist Islamic State group. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the attacks were "clearly aimed to disrupt the attempts to start a political process" to end a conflict that has killed more than 260,000 people. In Geneva, UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura held separate talks with representatives of President Bashar al-Assad and with the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) opposition umbrella group. He said he was "optimistic and determined", but comments from both sides laid bare the enormity of the challenges ahead for ending a highly complex and bitter conflict. The HNC delegation reluctantly arrived late on Saturday in Geneva and immediately threatened to turn around and leave again unless Assad's "crimes" stop. Among its demands are that humanitarian aid be allowed to reach hundreds of thousands of people stuck in besieged towns, a halt to the bombing of civilians and the release of hundreds of prisoners. "We only came to Geneva after written commitments on the fact that there would be serious progress on the humanitarian issues," HNC spokeswoman Basma Kodmani told reporters. "We are here for political negotiations but we cannot start those until we have those gestures." - 'Not serious' - But Damascus's chief negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari denounced the opposition as "not serious". "We do not know who is the other side. They don't even have a final list," he told a packed news conference. US Secretary of State John Kerry urged both sides "to make the most of this moment" in a statement from Washington. Kerry urged the opposition to drop their preconditions, but also had hard words for their foes, accusing Assad's forces of deliberately starving besieged towns. He described the talks in Geneva as being at a "pivotal phase" and said the HNC represented an "inclusive opposition". De Mistura's office said Sunday that further separate talks would be held on Monday with the opposition and government delegations. HNC spokesman Munzer Makhous told AFP that the group would stay in Geneva for at least three or four more days. - Five years - The Syrian conflict, which began in 2011, has sucked in a wide range of actors from Turkey, Iran and the Gulf states to Western nations and since September, Russia. The chaos has allowed IS militants to overrun swathes of the country and also in neighbouring Iraq, giving it a launchpad for a series of deadly attacks across the globe including the Paris massacres on November 13 which left 130 dead. Half of Syria's population have fled their homes, forcing millions to seek refuge in neighbouring countries and also in Europe, where the influx has sparked a major political and social crisis. The Syrian peace talks, meant to last six months, are part of an ambitious roadmap agreed by all the external powers embroiled in the conflict in Vienna in November, a day after the Paris attacks. This "Vienna Process" envisages negotiations followed by a transitional government, a new constitution and elections within 18 months, but leaves the question of Assad's future unresolved. Another thorny issue is which rebel groups will be involved in the talks, although all sides agree on the exclusion of extremists from IS and Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda's Syrian branch. The powerful Army of Islam rebel group is part of the HNC's delegation to Geneva, and the HNC's chief negotiator and Army of Islam member Mohammed Alloush told AFP Sunday that he would be in Geneva the next day. The choice of Alloush has been controversial, with Syria's ally Moscow saying it considers the Army of Islam to be "terrorists" and other opposition groups insisting it was unacceptable for the delegation to be led by a member of an armed group. In a potentially positive sign for the talks, sources said late Sunday that HNC head Riad Hijab, a former Syrian prime minister, was expected in Geneva on Monday. By Aaron Maasho and Edmund Blair FEDETO/ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (Reuters) - On a treeless plain in eastern Ethiopia, thousands of destitute pastoralists have set up camp outside the tiny village of Fedeto. Over the past six months the camp has swelled as one of the worst droughts in decades has decimated herds, dried up pasture and made even drinking water scarce. "We wandered for three months, losing every single animal apart from two donkeys," said Saido Ahmed Keyat, a 29-year-old mother of five, whose family had boasted 200 sheep and goats, 15 cattle, eight camels and seven donkeys. "All my children are malnourished. They need milk, they need many things." Ethiopia's failed rains, which meteorologists blame on the El Nino weather phenomenon, have created a drought in some areas of the country worse than the 1984 crisis. Back then, water shortages and conflict combined to cause a famine that killed an estimated one million people. In the years since, Ethiopia has transformed under a government that promotes rapid economic development, although it is criticised for limiting many political freedoms. One of its signature schemes is a rural support programme designed to keep Ethiopians from starvation. The new drought is putting that model to the test. More than 10 million people are now critically short of food, according to figures compiled by the government with its humanitarian partners. That is putting a strain on the government as well as the budgets of international aid groups and donors. "The scale of the need is really huge and has outstripped the Ethiopian government's ability to do this on their own," Carolyn Wilson, chief executive of charity Save the Children told Reuters after touring some of the afflicted regions in the country's north and east. In all, an estimated $1.4 billion is needed for food and other resources in 2016, according to the government and aid partners. The government said about 30 percent of that had been raised from donors so far. The WFP said last week about $500 million was needed by the end of February to extend the aid effort beyond April. In a world facing the demands of the migrant crisis and conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, that won't be easy. "It's not that donors have not responded," said WFP Country Director John Aylieff. "But they have not managed to keep pace." NEW VISION Today's needs would be far greater were it not for the massive changes in Ethiopia over the past three decades. In 1984, the then-communist government known as the Derg tried to hide the famine, while conflict and social engineering projects like farm collectivisation exacerbated the scale of hunger. Rebels toppled the Derg in 1991 and the government that followed has delivered stellar economic growth rates, hitting double digits in some years, visible from endless construction in the capital and new highways crossing the nation. In 2005, Ethiopia started the Productive Safety Net Programme, which was helping 7.9 million people facing chronic food insecurity even before the latest drought. Those people receive food or cash transfers in return for community work. To deal with the drought, the government allocated $272 million extra spending in 2015 and a further $109 million this year, Mikitu Kassa, head of the National Disaster Risk Management Commission, told Reuters. To put that extra spending in perspective, it is roughly equivalent to Ethiopia's entire state budget two decades ago, he said. The government says no one has so far died from starvation. Some of those in the worst affected area contradict this. One woman in Fedeto said 20 had died in the past two months, though it was not possible to verify this. Mikitu said the government would spend what it takes if aid did not flow, although he said it could mean cutbacks on other projects. But he said the government's "mega projects" new national railways, roads and dams would go ahead. Those projects are part of plans to industrialise Ethiopia. Eighty percent of the nation still relies on agriculture, mostly rain-fed pastures or subsistence smallholdings. The better transport links have already proved vital, allowing easier access for relief workers. "The nature of the government that we had in 1984 is quite different from the current government," Mikitu said in Addis Ababa, where Sub-Saharan Africa's first metro system opened last year and now snakes its way above traffic-clogged streets. SAFETY NETS The architect of modern Ethiopia, rebel leader-turned-prime minister Meles Zenawi, told a 1991 news conference in Addis Ababa that his gauge of success would be "if Ethiopians were able to eat three meals a day." Ethiopia has not yet achieved that goal. Critics of the government Meles died in 2012 but many of his policies continue under successor Hailemariam Desalegn say it is authoritarian and stifles opponents. No opposition party won a seat in last year's parliamentary election. The U.S. State Department said then that it remained "deeply concerned by continued restrictions on civil society, media, opposition parties, and independent voices and views." Ethiopian officials deny restricting freedoms. But in their determination not to let fresh images of hunger overshadow the government's development credentials, some ministers sent conflicting signals early in the crisis about how bad it was and how much help was needed, aid workers say. "We have to walk on egg shells in terms of what we can say," said one international aid worker, who has followed Ethiopia's progress since the 1980s. Disaster management chief Mikitu blamed any confusion on the speed at which numbers of those facing critical food shortages grew. In January 2015 it was 2.9 million but swiftly rose - often in increments of several million - to 10.2 million by December. But even the government's ability to gather such figures is testament to the way Ethiopia has changed. Fedeto, in a remote area of the hard-hit Sitti region, has benefited from that change. A tiny clinic, one of thousands built around the country over the past two decades, doles out rations and treats the malnourished. The village also has a water tower and a school. That helps, though only up to a point. The administrator of the village of 600 people said he was struggling to meet the needs of 7,500 exhausted arrivals who are now camped nearby. "There is a lot of pressure on us," Dahir Omar Hosh said. "People are still coming. (Aaron Maasho reported from Fedeto, Edmund Blair reported from Addis Ababa; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Simon Robinson and Janet McBride) By Umaru Fofana FREETOWN (Reuters) - More than 100 people have been quarantined in Sierra Leone after coming in contact with a woman who died of Ebola last week, highlighting the potential for the disease to spread, just as the deadliest outbreak on record appeared to be over. The World Health Organization (WHO) last week declared that "all known chains of transmission have been stopped in West Africa" after Liberia joined Sierra Leone and Guinea in going six weeks with no reported new cases of Ebola. At the same time, it warned of possible flare-ups as survivors can carry the virus for months. Just after the WHO announcement on Thursday, tests revealed that Mariatu Jalloh, a 22-year-old student, died of Ebola on Jan. 12. Her death has concerned health experts because authorities failed to follow basic protocols, according to a health report seen by Reuters last week. The report stated that she lived in a house with 22 people while she was unwell. Five people were involved in washing her corpse, a practice that is considered one of the chief modes of Ebola transmission. The Ministry of Health and the Office of National Security said in a joint statement that 109 people have so far been quarantined, 28 of whom were high-risk cases. "An active case investigation continues in the four districts where the young woman was known to have traveled," the statement said. The source of the transmission remains unclear, though in late December the woman traveled near to the border with Guinea, one of the country's last Ebola hot spots before it was declared Ebola-free on Nov. 7. The case is a blow for Sierra Leone which, alongside Guinea and Liberia, has borne the brunt of a two-year epidemic that killed more than 11,300 people. It has also caused anger. In apparent frustration at the latest case, the homes of some high risk patients were attacked this weekend in Magburaka, the city about 200 km (120 miles) east of Freetown where Jalloh died, and in one case a hut was burned down, according to a local leader. Paramount Chief Masakma III told Reuters that a barricade around two quarantined homes was dismantled. "We do not know who is behind this, but we are shocked that anyone would do this in view of what Ebola has done to our country," the chief said. The unrest comes after demonstrators last week accused the health department of negligence at a local hospital that saw Jalloh as an outpatient before she died. (Reporting By Umaru Fofana; Writing by Edward McAllister; Editing by Ros Russell) LIMA (Reuters) - Peru said Friday a Venezuelan man in Lima, who recently traveled through Colombia, had contracted the mosquito-borne virus Zika, in the Andean country's first confirmed case of the disease that is rapidly spreading across the Americas. Health Minister Anibal Velasquez said he expected other cases of people who had been infected with Zika abroad to appear in Peru in the coming days. Peru shares borders with Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil, where President Dilma Rousseff called for war on the virus that has caused severe birth defects in thousands of babies.Zika is also spreading in Colombia and Ecuador. "It was inevitable that cases of imported Zika would arrive to Peru," Velasquez said at a news conference. "The patient is isolated and we're taking steps to prevent its spread." The Venezuelan man passed through the northern coastal city of Tumbes before coming to the capital, and health authorities there are bolstering efforts to eradicate mosquitos, Velasquez said. Zika is linked to severe birth defects and is "spreading explosively" in the Americas, according to the World Health Organization. Venezuela has reported some 4,700 cases of potential infection. (Reporting by Mitra Taj; Editing by Bernadette Baum) The Swiss attorney-general should not have made public his request for Malaysias help with its investigations into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He said such details should have been kept private between the two governments. I had hoped that information like that would be conveyed through official government channels because it is on a G-to-G (government to government) basis. By making a public statement, in my opinion, it is not good because it not only strains ties between the two countries, but also creates bias in media reports, Zahid told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today. Switzerlands chief prosecutor released a statement saying he had asked Malaysia for help with his probe into possible violations of Swiss law by 1MDB, saying suspected misappropriations amounted to about US$4 billion (RM16.8 billion). Some of the money was found transferred into Swiss bank accounts held by former public officials from Malaysia, and both former and current public officials from the United Arab Emirates. Swiss prosecutors also said they had asked help from Malaysian authorities through international mutual legal assistance. Zahid said today Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali would be meeting his Swiss counterpart to obtain more information. We will hand over the task of getting more of the aforementioned details to our attorney-general, who will meet with the Swiss attorney-general, Zahid said when met at the closing of the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association Fair in Kuala Lumpur. Yesterday, Apandi said he was willing to cooperate with the Swiss on the investigation, but would first need to review their findings, along with findings of other relevant authorities and internal investigations to determine the appropriate course of action. Apandi had earlier this week decided not to charge Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who chairs the 1MDB advisory board, of any criminal wrongdoing over the US$681 million (RM2.6 billion) deposited into his personal bank accounts in early 2013. Investigations into 1MDB were separate from probes into the bank deposits, Apandi said in his statement. January 31, 2016. January Brings a Flurry of Activity for Microsoft: Key Updates (Continued from Prior Part) InMobi could boost Microsofts presence in the smartphone space So far in this series, weve discussed Microsofts (MSFT) recently announced acquisitions in 2016. Weve also touched upon strong rumors of InMobi becoming a part of Microsoft. The data and analytics collected by InMobi could provide Microsoft with deeper insight on consumer demand in India (INDA) and China (MCHI), where InMobi is quite popular. Also, as smartphone penetration is rapidly increasing in these regions, InMobi could enhance Microsofts presence in the smartphone space, which is targeted towards emerging markets (EEM). Microsofts recently launched Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL were the first smartphones to have the companys recent Windows 10 Mobile operating system. However, the launch of Windows 10 and Lumia phones did little to improve the companys foothold in the smartphone industry. Through its Windows 10 Mobile, Microsoft aims to compete with Apples (AAPL) iOS and Googles (GOOGL) Android. Though Microsoft has announced the release of web tools that enable developers to migrate apps from Apple devices and Googles Android devices onto Windows smartphones, PCs (personal computers), tablets, and Xbox consoles, it has yet to happen. Microsoft wants Windows 10 to become a common platform for all computing devices. China has the largest smartphone market China will remain the largest smartphone market in the world, but Indias market is growing fast enough to secure the second spot in this market by 2017. India could overtake the US smartphone market by 2017, according to a report from Strategy Analytics and as the above chart shows. InMobi provides an avenue to Microsoft to not only enhance its presence in the smartphone space but also in China, a country actively pursued by tech players. Recently Microsoft proposed a joint venture to provide a tailored Windows 10 OS (operating system) to Chinas government. Realizing Indias potential in the smartphone space in August 2015, Foxconn announced its intention to invest $5 billion in the country over the next five years. Browse this series on Market Realist: By Isla Binnie and Crispian Balmer ROME (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of Italians staged a mass rally in Rome's Circus Maximus on Saturday to urge the government to drop legislation that offers homosexual couples legal recognition and limited adoption rights. The much-contested bill was presented to parliament last week and is due to be voted on in February, but the government itself is deeply divided over the issue and opponents are hopeful they can sink it, as they have done it the past. Trains and buses ferried in protesters from around Italy to take part in the event, staged in Ancient Rome's famed chariot racing stadium. A group of black-clad Roman Catholic priests danced the conga, while children rushed around the grassy arena. "We want the whole law to be withdrawn, no ifs and no buts," said one of the organisers, Simone Pillon, sporting a red bow tie. He took particular offence at a clause in the law which would let gays adopt the biological children of their partner. Critics say this would encourage surrogacy, which is outlawed in Italy. "We cannot let children pay for the desires or caprices of adults. Children need to have a father and a mother," said Pillon. Showing how polarised the nation is, Saturday's rally came a week after thousands of people took to the streets of Italy to demand that the "civil union" bill, which relates to both homosexual and heterosexual couples, be approved. Organisers said two million people joined the Circus Maximus rally. Police did not give any crowd estimates, but city authorities have said the arena can hold some 350,000. CHURCH INFLUENCE Italy is the last major country in Western Europe that has not offered rights or recognition to same-sex couples and has been criticised regularly by the European Court of Justice for failing to act. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi promised to pass a law by the end of last year but has faced fiercer opposition over this from within coalition ranks than any of his other reform plans. Several government officials, including many from the small New Centre Right party (NCD), took part in Saturday's demonstration, while others cheered it on from the sidelines. "I fully adhere to the aims of this gathering," Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, who is also the head of the NCD, wrote on Twitter, underscoring the difficulties Renzi faces in trying to secure a majority in parliament. Italy is a heavily Roman Catholic country and although the church's influence has waned over the years, it remains a formidable social force. The Italian Bishops Conference has come out firmly against the bill and many of the banners on display had overt religious overtones. A week ago Pope Francis issued a strong reminder of the church's opposition to gay marriage, saying that the traditional family was "the family God wants". Some protesters echoed his view. "I am a grandfather and this law goes against God and goes against the bible," said Franco Pantuso, 71, a retired waiter from the central city of L'Aquila who had came to Rome especially. "Our children and grandchildren must be protected." Latest opinion polls say that 70 percent of Italians believe that same sex couples should be granted legal protection, such as inheritance rights. However, only some 24 percent think that any adoption rights should be granted to gay couples. (Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Stephen Powell) Almost 1,400 civilians have died in Russian air strikes in Syria since the bombing raids began last September, say reports. The aerial attacks have also killed at least 965 Islamic State fighters and 1,233 others from different insurgent groups, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It comes as UN-brokered peace talks are being held in Geneva, Switzerland, to try to end Syria's five-year-old civil war, which has claimed the lives of over 260,000 people and displaced more than half the population. The main Syrian opposition group at the talks, the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC), has demanded a halt to Moscow's bombing campaign, which is aimed at helping Syrian President Bashar al Assad. Moscow says it is targeting IS jihadists - but rebels and residents say the Russian aerial raids are causing hundreds of civilian casualties in indiscriminate attacks. Meanwhile, 16 more people are believed to have died of starvation in the government besieged Syrian town of Madaya - despite a UN aid convoy entering earlier this month. It brings the number who have died there since December to 46. The HNC said it will press for immediate action on the humanitarian front. The peace talks are not expected to be face-to-face but will be through UN mediators. But major obstacles remain including differences over the fate of President Assad, who has been strengthened by recent territorial gains with Russia's support. Western countries have moderated their previous insistence that he must step aside immediately amid fears of a power vacuum that could benefit IS and push more refugees towards Europe. World powers have been intensifying their diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis. They have pinned their hopes on an ambitious UN-backed plan for negotiations in Geneva, followed by the creation of a transitional government, a new constitution, and elections within 18 months. Experts say there is a huge challenge ahead because the conflict involves moderate rebels, Islamist fighters, Kurds, and regime forces backed by Moscow and Iran. Story continues Syrian Kurdish figures hoping to take part in the talks have left the Swiss city after not receiving invitations to negotiations, sources told the AFP news agency. Middle East analyst Karim Bitar said of the discussions: "There is every reason to be pessimistic, and there is no realistic scenario in which a breakthrough would be reached. "For the time being, the disconnect between the Geneva process and the realities on the ground has never been bigger." Some commentators say the atmosphere for these talks is even worse than a previous round of failed negotiations in Geneva in 2014. One expert, Agnes Levallois, said: "Assad is feeling stronger and stronger so is being inflexible." Another, Yezid Sayigh, said: "If anything, Russia and the regime will feel that they are slowly grinding down the opposition, that the trend from now on will not be unfavourable to them." donald trump Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump polled his audience members at a Saturday event on which of his two favorite attack lines was more effective against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Trump particularly delights in questioning whether Cruz's birth in Canada could disqualify him from the presidency. "He was a citizen of Canada. I called him an 'anchor baby' the other day, right?" he told his supporters in Clinton, Iowa. "Anchor baby" is a derogatory term for birth tourism, or people entering the US for the purpose of having a child born on US soil, which grants automatic citizenship. The real-estate mogul also pounced after The New York Times reported this month that Cruz didn't report two loans used to finance his 2012 Senate race in Texas. Cruz dismissed the issue as a paperwork error. "Let me ask you something: Which is a bigger problem, the Wall Street or the anchor baby?" Trump said as his audience gave mixed signals. "What do you think? You think Wall Street?" he continued. "I'd be curious because a poll came out and said Wall Street's a bigger problem than Canada, that he was born in Canada. I would have said Canada is a bigger problem, personally." He then raised the Canada and bank-loan issues separately to gauge his audience's reaction. "Just out of curiosity, ready: I'm going to go Wall Street first. I'm going to go Canada second, all right? Which is a bigger problem," Trump asked. "Wall Street?" he offered, pausing for effect. "Canada?" he inquired, eliciting more cheers. "Yeah, I'm telling you. I'm telling you: The poll has it wrong. ... I just think the Canada thing is a very big problem," he reflected. Cruz was born in Canada to an American mother, and most legal experts believe he meets the Constitution's requirement that presidents are "natural-born" citizens because the senator was a US citizen at the time of his birth. But as Cruz surged over the past month to challenge Trump's dominance in Monday's Iowa caucus, Trump has questioned Cruz's eligibility on a daily basis. Story continues "Ted has a couple of things. No. 1: He was born in Canada, OK. I think that's it's a problem, all right? I think it's an a problem," Trump said Saturday. "You want to have a cloud over your head? ... You got a cloud. It's called a cloud. He's got a cloud. You don't know that he can even take office. You don't know that he can run," he added. Trump further claimed that "many great lawyers have said, 'No, it is settled law. He cannot run.'" That could be a reference to a January op-ed from a law professor at Widener Universitys Delaware Law School. Trump previously hailed the professor as "highly respected." The Cruz campaign responded to Trump's remarks by mocking him on Twitter: Doesn't bode well for Tump's AG pick if he's listening to crackpot lawyers https://t.co/AJCdTmxCHL Brian Phillips (@RealBPhil) January 30, 2016 NOW WATCH: Watch Tina Fey take on Sarah Palin's Trump endorsement speech on SNL More From Business Insider This halt to offshore fracking is a huge victory for Californias coastal environment, said Kristen Monsell, a Center for Biological Diversity attorney. Offshore fracking is a dirty and dangerous practice that has absolutely no place in our ocean. The federal government certainly has no right to give the oil industry free rein to frack offshore at will. Photo of oil rigs off the California coast courtesy of Drew Bird Photography 2015. Offshore fracking moratorium off California Coast spurred by lawsuitsby Dan BacherIn one of the biggest environmental conflicts of interest in recent California history, a Big Oil lobbyist led a state panel to create so-called "marine protected areas" in Southern California ocean waters at the very same time that the oil industry was conducting offshore fracking operations in the region.That's right - Catherine Reheis-Boyd, the President of the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), chaired the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative Blue Ribbon Task Force to create so-called "marine protected areas" in Southern California from 2009 to 2012 as the oil industry was fracking South Coast waters with little federal or state or federal government oversight. ( http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/brtf_bios_sc.asp However, the "rubber stamping" of fracking operations by the federal government has at least temporarily stopped. The federal government has agreed to stop approving fracking from oil platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel until it conducts environmental studies to determine whether the controversial practice is safe for marine life and the environment, according to two separate legal settlements filed in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Environmental Defense Center on Friday, January 29.A press release from the Center for Biological Diversity stated, "The agreement resolves a Center for Biological Diversity lawsuit that challenged the U.S. Department of the Interiors practice of rubber-stamping fracking off Californias coast without engaging the public or analyzing frackings threats to ocean ecosystems, coastal communities and marine life, including sea otters, fish, sea turtles and whales." ( http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2016/fracking-01-29-2016.html This halt to offshore fracking is a huge victory for Californias coastal environment, said Kristen Monsell, a Center attorney. Offshore fracking is a dirty and dangerous practice that has absolutely no place in our ocean. The federal government certainly has no right to give the oil industry free rein to frack offshore at will.The agreements reached by the two environmental groups apply to operations off Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, where the Exxon Mobil Corporation and other oil companies operate platforms.Oil companies fracked over 200 wells in state and federal waters off Long Beach, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach and the Santa Barbara Channel during a 20 year period, as revealed by an Associated Press investigation and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by the Environmental Defense Center in 2013.The oil industry has "federal permission" to dump more than 9 billion gallons of wastewater, including chemical-laden fracking fluid, into the ocean off Californias coast every year, noted Monsell.The federal government permitted the dumping of fracking wastewater into Southern California ocean waters at a time when Big Oil, the Western States Petroleum Association, and other corporate interests have captured the regulatory apparatus. ( http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/12/27/1464053/-The-five-ways-Big-Oil-and-WSPA-have-captured-California-politics The Center agreement requires the Interior Departments Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to analyze the environmental dangers of offshore fracking and acidization under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). "The settlement also prohibits federal officials from authorizing these inherently dangerous practices in federal waters until that analysis is concluded," the Center said.The settlement requires a programmatic environmental assessment to be completed by May 28, 2016. It also requires the public to be given at least 30 days to review and comment on the draft assessment. You can read the settlement document at: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/offshore_fracking/pdfs/Offshore_Fracking_Settlement_Agreement_1_29_16.pdf Monsell said the settlement follows the city of Long Beachs decision in December not to proceed with 13 planned offshore fracks that would have been the first offshore fracking operations in state waters since 2013. Center scientists have found at least 10 fracking chemicals routinely used in offshore fracking in California could kill or harm a broad variety of marine species, including sea otters and fish.Some of the many fish species that could be harmed by fracking pollution include white seabass, sand and kelp (calico) bass, lingcod, sheephead, ocean whitefish, yellowtail, bonito, barracuda, yellowfin tuna, sculpin, yellow croaker, barred surfperch and dozens of species of rockfish.Every offshore frack puts coastal communities and marine wildlife at risk from dangerous chemicals or another devastating oil spill, Monsell said. Once federal officials take a hard look at the dangers, theyll have to conclude that offshore fracking is far too big of a gamble with our oceans life-support systems. Theyll have to stop authorizing it for good.Monsell also said that the settlement agreement could also impact the oversight of all federally permitted offshore fracking, incuding fracking operations in the Gulf of Mexico."Oil companies are also using offshore fracking in the Gulf of Mexico, including in the vicinity of the disastrous Deepwater Horizon spill. Fracking in the Gulf of Mexico has also never had meaningful environmental review. Todays agreement could affect oversight of all federally permitted offshore fracking," she concluded.The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) case challenged the issuance of 53 permits authorizing offshore well stimulation from six offshore platforms. Two of these platforms (Gail and Gilda) are located off Ventura County and the remaining four platforms (Harmony, Heritage, Hondo, and Irene) are located off Santa Barbara County."Platforms Harmony, Heritage, and Hondo are owned and operated by ExxonMobil, and oil from those platforms feeds into Plains All American Pipeline 901, which burst last year near Refugio State Beach, releasing hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil into the local environment," EDC said in a news release. ( http://www.environmentaldefensecenter.org/programs_press_type/parent-room/offshore-fracking-and-acidizing-settlement/ This settlement is an important first step in addressing the use of dangerous well stimulation techniques including fracking and acidizing from oil platforms located off Californias coastline, said Brian Segee, Senior Attorney with EDC. These practices are currently being conducted under decades old plans with out-of-date or nonexistent environmental analysis, and this settlement will finally force the federal government to consider their impacts in detail with a transparent process open to public review and input.Moratorium is a big step forward, but MLPA of 1999 needs to be fully implementedWhile this offshore fracking moratorium is a victory for marine life, the environment and the people of California, the many flaws of the "marine protected areas" created under the privately funded Marine Life Protection Act Initiative have never been resolved. California waters can't be fully protected until the Marine Life Protection Act of 1999 is fully and justly implemented and enforced.First, the marine protected areas created under the MLPA Initiative still fail to protect the ocean from pollution, fracking, oil drilling, oil spills, military testing, corporate aquaculture and all human impacts other than sustainable fishing and gathering. The moratorium on offshore fracking is a big step in the right direction, but much work needs to be done to fully protect ocean waters both inside and outside marine protected areas.Second, the state still fails to acknowledge the fishing and gathering rights of the Yurok Tribe, the largest Indian Tribe in California, and other Tribes in State Marine Reserves. Tribal fishing and gathering is only allowed in the State Marine Conservation Areas created under the privately funded process.Third, the terminally flawed science and false assumptions of the process have never been addressed nor has a long-needed investigation of the role that a convicted embezzler, Ron LeValley, played in crafting the initiatives science ever been conducted. LeValley, who served a 10 month federal prison sentence for conspiracy to embezzle over $830,000 from the Yurok Tribe, co-chaired the MLPA Initiative "Science" Advisory Team for the North Coast.( http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/a-birder-takes-a-fall/Content?oid=2576836 Fourth, a long overdue investigation of the numerous conflicts of interest that plagued the MLPA Initiative process, including the leadership role that Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President of the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), played in the MLPA Initiative as offshore fracking was taking place in Southern California waters, has never been initiated. WSPA has effectively captured the state's regulatory apparatus, along with agribusiness and other corporate interests.Fifth, state officials originally pledged to conduct a regional review of the so-called marine protected areas created under the controversial MLPA Initiative every five years, but they have now reversed course and plan to do the reviews only once every 10 years. Everybody who cares about real marine protection and science must demand that the reviews be conducted every five years, as was originally planned. ( http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/1/18/1471630/-CA-regulators-plan-to-do-regional-reviews-of-MPAs-only-once-a-decade For more information about the "Inconvenient Truths" about the MLPA Initiative, go to: https://intercontinentalcry.org/the-five-inconvenient-truths-about-the-mlpa-initiative/ As Israeli illegal settlement construction continues, a child and two youth were killed this week by Israeli gunfire. These stories, and more, coming up, stay tuned.The Nonviolence ReportLets begin our weekly report as usual with the nonviolent activities organized in the West Bank. an international supporter was injured, scores others treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation on Friday as Israeli forces attacked nonviolent protests organized in West Bank villages. IMEMCs Majd Batjali with the details:An international activist was injured in his foot and many other villagers were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when soldiers attacked the weekly protest in the central West Bank village of al Nabi Saleh on Friday.Troops attacked the protest at the village entrance using live rounds, tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. Later troops stormed and fired tear gas at residents homes, many residents were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation as a result.At the nearby villages of Bilin and Nilin, Israeli soldiers attacked the protesters as soon as they reached the gate in the wall that separates local farmers from their lands. Many protesters suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation and were treated by field medics at both locations.In the meantime many civilians were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation as Israeli troops attacked the weekly protest organized by the villagers of Kufer Kadum in northern West Bank.For IMEMC News this Majd Batjali.The Political ReportThe United States reiterated this week its stance regarding Israeli settlement products sold in its markets, in the meantime illegal settlement construction continues in the West Bank. IMEMCs George Rishmawi has more. Following Israeli media furor, the US State Department has clarified that recently announced US guidelines prohibiting settlement products from being labeled 'Made in Israel' were not new, but a "restatement of existing requirements." US State Department spokesman Mark Toner made the clarification following confusion over a statement, released earlier in the week by US Customs and Border Protection, which said that West Bank products may not be labeled "Made in Israel."This guidance was simply a restatement of previous requirements, Toner said. It in no way supersedes prior rulings or regulations, nor does it impose additional requirements with respect to merchandise imported from the West Bank, Gaza Strip, or Israel.Several media outlets reported the move was initiated by the Obama administration, in line with a recent European Union decision that prohibits settlement products -- as well as any other goods made in the occupied territories -- from being labeled as Israeli. According to Palestinian media sources, the Obama Administration supported the EU decision, but did not take steps toward similarly far-reaching measures.Toner did not clarify the reason behind the decision by US Customs to publicly restate the guidelines. The US Customs guidelines on labeling West Bank products initially originated alongside the Oslo Accords in 1993 and was intended to stimulate growth of the Palestinian economy by differentiating between Israeli and Palestinian products.The Israeli Ministry of Defense, on Monday, approved plans to build 153 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank. Dozens of settler units have been approved in at least four settlements in the West Bank, in areas that include Jerusalem, southern Bethlehem, and the Jordan Valley area.According to Peace Now, the move marks the end of an informal construction freeze in the Palestinian territory which lasted 18 months. The rights group said, on December 28th, that Israel was working to revive and extend plans for new settler houses in the contentious area of the occupied West Bank known as E1.In a report said to be based on government data obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request, the group stated that the housing ministry was seeking to build 55,548 units in the West Bank including two new settlements of which more than 8,300 housings would be in E1.There are an estimated half million settlers who illegally in Palestinian territories identified by the United Nations as illegally occupied by Israel. Thus all the settlement construction in the West Bank, whether recent or old is illegal and violates the International Law. The settlements are swallowing large areas of land that belong to Palestinians, most of which were agricultural land that constitutes a main source of living for many Palestinian farmers.Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled for several reasons, mainly the Palestinian demand to stop all settlements activities in the West Bank, a demand that Israel insists to ignore.For IMEMC News, this is George RishmawiThe West Bank and Gaza ReportThis week Israeli forces killed three Palestinians during separate attacks in the West Bank, meanwhile seven Palestinian fighter died in a tunnel accident in Gaza. IMEMCs Ghassan Bannoura reports:A Palestinian child was killed after being shot by Israeli security guard on Saturday north of Occupied East Jerusalem. Ruqaya Abu Tabeekh, 13, was killed at the entrance of Anatot illegal Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem.Israeli sources claimed that the girl had a knife and wanted to stab the guards at the gate after having a fight with her family. Abu Tabeekh family said that Ruqaya was killed in cold blood and did not have a knife with her and had no intention of stabbing anyone.Later in the week, Israeli soldiers shot and killed two Palestinian youth on Monday after stabbing settlers at the illegal settlement of Beit Haron near the central West Bank city of Ramallah.The two killed youth were identified as Ibrahim Allan 23, from Beit Our al-Tahta, southwest of Ramallah, and Hussein Abu Ghosh 17, from Qalandia refugee camp, north of Jerusalem. An Israeli woman was killed after sustaining critical wounds in the attacks of the two youth.Also this week, Israeli forces conducted at least 73 military invasions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. During these invasions Israeli troops kidnapped 47 Palestinian civilians, including seven children and a Palestinian lawmaker.Moreover, Israeli troops demolish two Palestinians homes this week. Israeli soldiers invaded, earlier Wednesday, a Palestinian home in Shufat neighborhood, north of occupied Jerusalem, and demolished the property that was built 15 years ago. Also Wednesday, the soldiers demolished an under construction Palestinian home, in Jabal al-Mokabber town, in Jerusalem.In the Gaza Strip, The al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said seven of its fighters were buried under the rubble when a border tunnel collapsed on them, on Tuesday evening. The Brigades stated that the tunnel collapsed due to heavy rain while the fighters were conducting maintenance work.Elsewhere, Israeli war jets fired, on Monday at dawn, several missiles targeting two areas in the Gaza strip, causing damage. Israeli attacks comes shortly after a shell was fired from Gaza, on Sunday evening, landed in an open area in the Negev, causing no damage or injuries.For IMEMC News this is Ghassan Bannoura.ConclusionAnd thats all for today from This Week in Palestine. This was the Weekly report for January 23, to the 29, 2016. From the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For more news and updates please visit our website at http://www.imemc.org , This weeks report has been brought to you by Maher Qasiess and me Eman Abedraboo-Bannoura. French soldiers patrol Yaloke in 2014 as part of the 'Operation Sangaris' peacekeeping mission to the Central Africa Republic (AFP Photo/Issouf Sanogo) Paris (AFP) - France said Sunday its stretched military would pull out of the troubled Central African Republic as it fights on multiple foreign fronts and is increasingly called on for anti-terror operations at home. Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told French media on Sunday that the government was aiming to wind down Operation Sangaris, the military operation it launched in CAR in December 2013 at a time when thousands were dying in brutal ethnic violence. "The aim is to bring Operation Sangaris to a halt. I hope this is done during 2016, with small units remaining on Central African territory as was the case beforehand," Le Drian told French media. He said he wanted the force reduced from its current level of 900 soldiers to around 300. At its peak France had some 2,500 soldiers deployed, mostly in the capital Bangui, supporting around 10,000 UN peacekeepers. But with violence down and presidential elections underway, France is eager to redeploy its troops, who are increasingly needed to combat jihadist forces in the Middle East and other parts of Africa. It also needs manpower in mainland France, where around 10,000 troops have been deployed to protect sensitive sites following terror attacks in Paris last year. International operations in CAR have been dogged by sexual scandals after a slew of accusations of child abuse against French and UN troops. Fresh allegations of child sexual abuse surfaced on Friday. Le Drian has ordered an investigation into the new cases, which are said to date to 2014 but have only been discovered in recent weeks as a result of a UN probe. French soldiers are already being investigated in their home country over allegations they forced children in CAR to perform sexual acts in exchange for food. Le Drian also said on Sunday that he hoped the European Union would agree to train a Central African Republic armed force when the bloc's defence ministers hold informal talks on February 3 and 4 in Amsterdam. Story continues The CAR plunged into chaos in March 2013 when mostly Muslim Seleka rebels ousted President Francois Bozize, a Christian, and installed their leader Michel Djotodia in power for 10 months. A transitional government was installed under international pressure in early 2014, and a presidential run-off election is due to take place on February 14, pitting two former prime ministers against each other. Experts and Central African leaders have criticised Operation Sangaris for failing to disarm all armed groups, as they vowed at the start of the mission. Although relative peace has returned to Bangui, this is partly the result of the extensive ethnic cleansing that led many targeted groups to flee the capital. Meanwhile, powerful warlords and criminal gangs continue to hold power over vast stretches of the desperately poor country. Mohaymen Exhibits Superiority in Holy Bull Win: Is this the year that Tapit could be the Kentucky Derby winning sire? So far, his top offspring is the undefeated, in now four starts, Mohaymen. A three-time stakes winner, Mohaymen added another ten points to his Kentucky Derby leaderboard spot. He now has 20 points toward a potential start in the 2016 Kentucky Derby. The Holy Bull, contested over the main track at Gulfstream, is run around two turns, covering 8.5 furlongs. Mohaymen was the only horse in the field that has actually contested a race at a longer distance. So far, Mohaymen has proven that distance is not an issue thus far in career. Could he be a top horse at ten, or even 12, furlongs? The Holy Bull began pretty evenly. Mohaymen broke a half step slow, letting horses Perfect Saint and Greenpointcrusader to go out for the lead, leaving Mohaymen to sit third for the beginning travel up the backstretch. By the , Mohaymen was with Perfect Saint and Greenpointcrusader, covering the first two quarters in 24.64 and 49.06. Quickly, however, Perfect Saint faltered, leaving the two big guns to battle it out. Greenpointcrusader did his best to fight on with Mohaymen, with the two increasing their distance from the rest of the field and having a shirt battle. The two battled through in 1:12.52 before Mohaymen began to show why he is the current Kentucky Derby favorite. He completed the mile in 1:36.64 and took off, winning the Grade II Holy Bull by at least five lengths, with a final time of 1:42.07. Mohaymen is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and owned by Shadwell Stable. Mohaymen was a $2.2 million yearling purchase at Keeneland September of 2014. Mohaymen is quickly fulfilling his expectations, not only as being an expensive horse, but being better than his older half brother, New Years Day (Street Cry). New Years Day was winner of the Breeders Cup Juvenile in 2013 before sustaining an injury and being retired to stud. Mohaymen is likely to rest until the Florida Derby, but it is possible he could target the Fountain of Youth, pending how he exits the paid workout he exhibited in the Holy Bull. Holy Bull Stakes 2016 Replay: - Militants hijack foreign vessel and kidnap its foreign crew. - Kidnappers demand release of Nnamdi Kanu within 31 days. - Threaten to kill hostages in 31 days, despite previous demand, if federal government acts too slowly. A group of supposedly former militants has hijacked a ship off the Bakassi Peninsula coastline and threatened to blow it up along with its foreign crew if the detained Director of Radio Biafra and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu is not released. The group of hijackers has given the federal government a 31-day ultimatum to release Kanu or deal with a destroyed ship and murdered crew. The militants said they enjoy the support of local residents and of pro-Biafra agitators in the area. Nnamdi Kanu in court The groups spokesman, identified only as General Ben, even said the militants might not wait for the expiration of the 31-day ultimatum to carry out their murderous threat. We cannot wait till the end of the 31 days to tell the federal government that we are serious. The vessel and the crew are in our custody. Any noise, any delay from government, we will blow up everything. We will blow the vessel and everybody in the vessel will go down, the so-called general said. READ ALSO: Biafrans across Europe storm EU parliament We are not interested in the country that owns the vessel. What we know is that the vessel was coming to Nigeria to lift oil. We are not interested, once it is blown up, let the country and Nigeria resolve the matter. The supposedly retired militant said his group remains well informed about Kanus detention and condemned the courts for denying him bail based on his dual nationality. This is provocative; hence we did not waste time to go into action. We are in support of the Biafra struggle. We will not retreat or surrender. The federal government might have taken our ultimatum as an empty threat. But, we will surprise them, General Ben said. READ ALSO: Court grants leave to Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer Source: Legit.ng MILAN, Jan 31 (Reuters) - General Electric said on Sunday it had signed an agreement to invest $600 million in Italy in research and development projects in the oil and gas sector over the next five years. GE Oil & Gas said the money would be spent on developing a facility to build turbines and compressors in the central region of Tuscany. The project, dubbed "Galileo", will increase GE Oil & Gas volumes in Italy by 50 percent and boost revenue by $1.7 billion over the five years. "GE has been operating in Italy for about 100 years and today's operation confirms our strong commitment to invest and grow our business in the country," said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. Immelt was present at a signing ceremony with, among others, Italy's Industry Minister, Federica Guidi. According to a document seen by Reuters, General Electric will invest $400 million in Galileo while the remaining $200 million will be public funding. In the statement, GE said another agreement had been signed in previous weeks by aviation unit Avio Aero to invest 200 million euros. That brings the overall investment programme to more than $800 million, it said. GE said its Oil & Gas division had also signed on Sunday an agreement with Italy's SACE, a state-owned export credit insurance agency. It said SACE could provide assistance of up to $6 billion over the period 2016-2018 to support its exports to areas such as Latin America, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Asia. (Reporting by Silvia Ognibene and Stephen Jewkes, editing by Louise Heavens) - Group says President Buhari is bias with Nnamdi Kanu's case - IPOB says it is being pushed to the wall - Justice reportedly believes Kanu is a threat to national security Nnamdi Kanu in court during one of his trials. Photo: Yinka Adeparusi The United Kingdom branch of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has reacted to the bail judgment on its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The group, according to Vanguard, faulted the reasons given by Justice John Tsoho of the Abuja Federal High Court Abuja for not granting the bail application of the Radio Biafra director Emma Nmezu and Dr Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya who issued a statement on behalf of the group said the justice had three reasons for the judgment. READ ALSO: Why Abuja federal high court denied Kanu bail The statement read: "The reasons according to him are, that Mazi Kanu was a threat to national security, secondly, that if released might commit the same offence again and thirdly, that there was a probability that Nnamdi Kanu might jump bail because he possessed dual citizenship. "While the first and the third reasons are very clear, but unsustainable statements, we are at loss with the second reason and do not know exactly what the Hon. Justice meant by 'might commit the same offense again'. "To the best of our knowledge, Mazi Kanu has not even been tried in the court not to talk of being convicted, therefore, we do not understand the offence he was found guilty of committing and for which he will likely commit again if released, according to Hon. Justice Tsoho. READ ALSO: How Well Achieve Baifra Independence Without Violence MASSOB "Is it a possibility that the Hon. Justice Tsoho misspoke or that he never actually uttered this travesty of a statement. On the first reason adduced, we are yet to get detailed information on what the Judge meant by 'threat to National Security' because we know that Mazi Kanu is not associated with Boko Haram or any terrorist organization. Again we are pushed to believe that Hon. Justice Tsoho misspoke. "We are however shocked on the third reason, to hear that a denial of bail will be based on the accused persons dual citizenship, even though the Honourable Judge did not mention the other country to which Nnamdi Kanu is a citizen, we know he was referring to Britain. "But we also know that there is extradition agreement between Nigeria and Britain and extraditing Mazi Kanu to Nigeria, should he flee to Britain will not be a problem for the Nigerian government,therefore, we conclude that the judgment of Hon. Justice Tsoho is inappropriate, biased, wrong, and must be overturned by an Appeal Court Judge." Emma Powerful, who is the publicity secretary for the Biafran group faulted the denial of bail to Kanu, saying that the entire south eastern Nigeria is being indirectly deprived of their right. READ ALSO: PHOTOS / VIDEO: Kanu Appears In Court With Changed Cloths He said: "We are being pushed to the walls, our members who were engaged in peaceful protest in Aba, Abia state and Port Harcourt Rivers State were shot by the Army and taken to Military barracks in Afikpo Ebonyi state and Bori camp in rivers State with bullet wounds. "The victims are undergoing torture and other inhuman treatments, as they bring them out every morning, torture and engage them in all manners of hard labours and ask them about their missing guns as if IPOB members carry guns. "We do not carry guns and do not intent to carry in the nearest future, we are therefore calling on Amnesty International, all human rights organizations and the international community to prevail on the Nigerian government respect the rule of law and the orders of the courts, as at the last count our members arrested in Aba are 25 while those in Port Harcourt are 18 in number, totaling 43 people detained in the two Army barracks in Ebonyi and rivers States respectively." Reports emerged yesterday that Goran Sluiter, a lawyer at Dutch human rights legal firm Prakken dOliveira, filed the complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Friday, January 29 against President Buhari. Speaking with journalists, Sluiter said that there has been an intensification of violence and crimes committed against Biafrans since Mr Buhari became the Nigerian president." Source: Legit.ng bernie sanders On the final day before the Iowa caucuses, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) traded blows over who has a better chance to defeat the Republican presidential nominee in a general election. In a Sunday ABC interview, Clinton suggested she agreed with Democratic leaders like Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri). She has said Republicans "can't wait to run an ad with a hammer and sickle" against Sanders, an avowed "democratic socialist." "That certainly is what a lot of Democratic leaders are saying, and I take them at their word," Clinton said when asked about concerns about how Sanders would affect Democrats down the ballot. "They know their states. They know the country. They know we have to take back the Senate," she continued. "They want to make some advances in the House as well as at governor and legislature levels across the country." Sanders fired back, claiming his potential nomination would generate excitement from first-time voters seeking a populist, anti-establishment candidate. "I think in fact, Hillary Clinton will be the problem," Sanders told NBC's Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press." "Because I think our campaign is the campaign that is generating excitement and energy that will result in a high voter turnout. Republicans win when voter turnout is low. Democrats win when voter turnout is high," he continued. "I think our campaign is raising issue about a rigged economy, a corrupt campaign finance system." As Sanders has gained on Clinton nationally and in key early states, both candidates have attempted to position themselves as the more electable option in November. Clinton's campaign released a television ad earlier this month making the case that the former secretary of state was the best candidate to take on possible Republican presidential nominees like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) or Donald Trump. Theyre backward, even dangerous," the ad's narrator said. "So ask yourself, who is the one candidate who can stop them? The answer: Hillary Clinton, tested and tough. To stop them, stand with her. Story continues Sanders has aggressively rebutted Clinton's questions about his electability, repeatedly touting that he fares better in some polls against Republican presidential candidates like Trump in hypothetical head-to-head matchups. "I would urge those voters, the voters all over this country, to take a look at recent polls in which Bernie Sanders is matched with Republican candidates," Sanders said during a recent ABC interview. He added: "If people are concerned about electability and Democrats should be very concerned, because we certainly do not want to see some right-wing extremist in the White House I think Bernie Sanders is the candidate." hillary clinton For their part, some Republican candidates have already started to cast Sanders as a far-left, radical candidate. During last week's Republican presidential debate, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) garnered one of the biggest applause lines of the night by knocking Sanders' democratic-socialist beliefs. "Bernie Sanders is a socialist. I think Bernie Sanders is a good candidate for president of Sweden," Rubio quipped, in a line he often repeats on the campaign trail. "We don't want to be Sweden, we want to be the United States of America." And last week, Trump suggested he wants to run against Sanders so much that he won't criticize the Democratic candidate so as not to weaken him in the polls. "I mean here's a guy who's a they say socialist, but some people say he's a communist," Trump said. "I shouldn't hit him too hard though, because if I hit him too hard then he'll go down, and it'll be a fight with Hillary, and maybe we want a fight for a while. So I'll say, 'Isn't he a wonderful guy?'" NOW WATCH: Watch Tina Fey take on Sarah Palin's Trump endorsement speech on SNL More From Business Insider Thank you for reading The Cascadia Advocate, the Northwest Progressive Institutes journal of world, national, and local politics. Founded in March of 2004, The Cascadia Advocate has been helping people throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond make sense of current events with rigorous analysis and thought-provoking commentary for more than fifteen years. The Cascadia Advocate is funded by readers like you and trusted sponsors. We dont run ads or publish content in exchange for money. Help us keep The Cascadia Advocate editorially independent and freely available to all by becoming a member of the Northwest Progressive Institute today. Or make a donation to sustain our essential research and advocacy journalism. Your contribution will allow us to continue bringing you features like Last Week In Congress, live coverage of events like Netroots Nation or the Democratic National Convention, and reviews of books and documentary films. Become an NPI member Make a one-time donation Yamaha Motors quarter-litre inline-twin YZF-R25 makes roughly 35.5bhp and 23.6Nm of torque Ahead of BS6 implementation, Yamaha Motor India discontinued its entry-level twin-cylinder sportsbike, YZF-R3. The faired motorcycle received an update in global markets last year but changes were mostly cosmetic and its mechanicals remained mostly untouched (still Euro 4 or BS4). In India, the Yamaha R3 has never been a volume seller and was sold as a CKD product. We do not see any possibility of the parallel-twin motorcycle returning in the near future unless it receives a major overhaul in global markets. Powered by a 321cc DOHC inline-twin (not to be confused with a parallel-twin), the Yamaha YZF-R3 was good for almost 42bhp @ 10,750rpm and 29.6Nm @ 9,000rpm. Although India has not got any twin-cylinder motorcycle at the moment, several other Asian markets (such as Indonesia) has a lesser Yamaha YZF-R25 in their portfolio. The 2020MY Indonesia-spec Yamaha YZF-R25 carries a starting price tag of IDR 61.7 million (INR 3.30 lakh) ex-showroom. Indonesian motorcycle enthusiasts have been waiting for the Yamaha Tracer 250 adventure tourer for a long time. The Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer has never made a quarter-litre avatar of its popular sport touring series, which currently includes the Tracer 700, Tracer 900 and Tracer 900 GT. Meanwhile, an R25 owner from Indonesia (@huzni8 on Instagram) has modified his motorcycle into a convincing Tracer 250 design. It is hard to ignore the level of effort he put in its conversion project. With no example to take as reference, his Yamaha Tracer 250 build sports an adjustable windscreen, top box, raised handlebars, extra engine protection and more. It rides significantly high from the ground as well. The modification strikes a decent balance between form and function. The Yamaha Tracer 250 would most likely share its power plant with the YZF-R25 but could come in a slightly different state of tune. In the R25, the 250cc DOHC inline-twin pushes out around 35.5bhp @ 12,000rpm and 23.6Nm @ 10,000rpm. As you may observe, it is quite rev-happy. A high-revving low-displacement multi-cylinder motorcycle may not seem the most desirable on paper but it is a perfect choice for those who wish to ride on the absolute machine-limit. A prime example of this is the all-new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R. Lower-capacity adventure tourers are becoming increasingly desirable in emerging markets. In our market, KTM India has set a benchmark among single-cylinder dual-sport or adventure tourer motorcycles with the 390 Adventure while Royal Enfields Himalayan and Hero MotoCorps Xpulse 200 are good alternatives. Meanwhile, BMW Motorrad Indias G 310 GS could come in BS6 format at a massive discount over its BS4 counterpart. In Fall 2015 Congo political opposition leaders warned that president Kabila was putting everything in place politically to violate the constitution and run for a third term. And they had good reason to believe this. Kabila was clearly delaying preparations for the November 2016 national elections. The opposition calls this glissement (sliding or slippage). Now several opposition party leaders and some former Kabila allies are arguing that that rather than lose power Kabila will risk another civil war. Opponents say the new election timetable Kabilas government published January 14 supports their accusations. Several of them have formed a coalition to stop Kabila, the Citizen Front 2016. Kabilas supporters turn that argument around and say that having credible elections in 2016 is not possible and Congo needs at least two more years to organize credible elections. Kabila and his supporters are essentially arguing that if Congo wants peace, elections must be delayed. What would a new Congo civil war look like? The general media consensus is much like the Great Congo War (1998-2003). But that civil war included major interventions by neighboring countries. Uganda and Rwanda both suffered penalties because of their interventions. If civil war ignites the UN will work hard to stop or minimize outside interventions, especially usual suspects like Zimbabwe. The war would still be deadly. Another possibility is an intra-provincial civil war (conflicts within Congos provinces) fought on tribal and political lines. This makes the province of Katanga particularly important and a wild card actor. Katanga is comparatively wealthy. It also has a secessionist streak. Katanga seceded from Congo on July 11, 1960, 12 days after Congo became independent of Belgium. Kabilas father, Laurent Kabila, was Katangan (of the Luba tribe). He was born in South Kivu province, but he remains a Luba. So Joseph Kabila now faces stiff opposition from his home province. The biggest wild card is the UN and its peacekeeping force. The UN says it intends to draw down peacekeeping forces. Many UN contingents are very professional, especially those serving with the IBDE (Intervention Brigade) and some of the rapid reaction units operating in eastern Congo. The UN effort has been a partial success. If Kabila undermines the partial success, even though the UN is not supposed to take sides, he runs the risk of making UN peacekeepers an adversary if not quite an enemy. (Austin Bay) January 28, 2016: The UN said that the Congo governments election timetable (published it January 14) makes it all but impossible to hold the November elections as scheduled. MONUSCO and the Congolese Army (Forces Armees de la Republique du Congo, FARDC) have agreed to resume joint military operations against the Rwandan Hutu rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). UN peacekeepers withdrew from joint operations because two Congolese generals involved in the operation have been accused of human rights abuses and possible war crimes. The situation was politically difficult. UN forces continued to cooperate in other operations in eastern Congo, including against the Ugandan rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The no cooperation line blurred at times. The UN continued to provide some limited logistical support to Congolese forces involved in anti-FDLR operations because the Congolese were also providing protection to vulnerable civilians in North Kivu province. The new joint cooperation agreement says UN forces can provide the Congolese Army fighting the FDLR with logistical aid and armed support. Congo and the UN will also establish a formal mechanism for investigating the allegations against the suspect Congolese generals. January 27, 2016: A religious group in the Central African Republic (CAR) claimed that the Ugandan rebel Lords Resistance Army (LRA) remains active in the CAR. The group charged that the LRA enslaves villagers and forces them to serve as load bearers and sex slaves. January 24, 2016: The Burundi government claimed that the local situation is stable and there is no need for the African Union (AU) to deploy a force of 5,000 peacekeepers in the country. The statement followed a visit by UN officials on January 22. The U.S. UN ambassador was part of the UN delegation. Burundi also claimed that most of the rebels its forces have captured in the last few weeks were armed and trained in Rwanda. January 22, 2016: The UN reported that attacks on aid convoys and aid workers have increased in Congo. The increase in attacks has delayed food deliveries and essential relief operations. January 20, 2016: UN peacekeeping force commanders and senior UN administrators in Congo said the response of South African peacekeepers to rebel attacks in early January was flawed. Rwandan rebels (FDLR, Democratic forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) launched attacks the first week of January. The UN investigation indicated the peacekeeper response to the attack on the village of Miriki January 6-7 was slow and inadequate, January 19, 2016: This marks the first anniversary of the so-called Telema Uprising (January 19, 2015). The name refers to a series of protest demonstrations by young Congolese and college students who oppose President Joseph Kabila. Kinshasa witnessed the biggest demonstrations. Several dozen protestors were killed by security forces -- no exact number of casualties was ever released. At the time the government was trying to pass legislation that required a new Congo census before holding national elections. The name Telema Uprising is redundant. Congolese point out telema means rise up in Lingala, which is Congos national language. January 17, 2016: In Burundi president Nkurunziza is confronting more accusations of pushing his country to civil war. Around 450 people have been killed since April 2015 when he decided to run for a third term. Around 230,000 Burundians have fled the country because of the violence. January 16, 2016: Congolese opposition leaders rejected the National Independent Electoral Commissions voter registration timetable. They contend the timetable is another excuse for President Kabila to delay elections and remain in power. January 14, 2016: The political opposition in the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) tentatively agreed to have a candidate contest the March 2016 presidential election. The opposition had threatened to boycott the election because the current chief executive, president Nguesso, changed the law so he could run for a third term. The opposition boycotted the October 2015 referendum that let Nguesso make the constitutional change. Nguesso has run Congo-Brazzaville for 31 of the last 36 years. Across the Congo River in Congo the National Independent Electoral Commission released a timetable that said it will take another shows it will take another 13 months to register and verify voters for the national elections. This is a problem, since the elections are scheduled for November 2016. January 13, 2016: Ugandan ADF rebel fighters killed four Congolese soldiers and wounded seven in a firefight in the east (North Kivu province). At least two rebels were killed. The army is conducting operations against the ADF in the area. January 12, 2016: The Congo government claimed that the Congolese Army had killed over 1,000 FDLR rebels during 2015. An estimated 400 FDLR rebels remain active in the field. The Congolese Army claims that these were operations independent of UN forces. January 11, 2016: Suspected ADF rebels fired on a UN helicopter in North Kivu province. The helicopter landed safely. January 9, 2016: The UN has made it official. After a study announced in late 2015 the UN has asked Congo to withdraw its peacekeepers from the Central African Republic (CAR). The UN said that the battalion of Congolese soldiers serving with UN peacekeepers did not meet UN training and operational standards. Rape accusations made against three Congolese peacekeepers in August 2015 spurred the investigation. January 7, 2016: FDLR rebels have killed at least 15 people and wounded at least eight in an overnight attack on a village in North Kivu province. The attack was in Nande territory and there is a history of tribal friction between the Nande and Hutu. The FDLR was founded by radical Rwandan Hutus who were involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. January 6, 2016: It recently became known that in December 5-6 2015 the Simba Mai Mai militia launched a couple of attacks in the isolated Mambasa area of Congos Ituri province. This involved kidnapping 47 people. There was also at least one gang rape. The Simbas left leaflets threatening further attacks. The Simbas original commander, Paul Sadala (also known as Morgan), was killed in April 2014. He was replaced by two of his lieutenants. In 2015 civilians in Mambasa reported new Simba activity. January 3, 2016: The joint operation by UN peacekeepers and the Congolese Army against the Ugandan rebel ADF in eastern Congo is continuing. The operation began in November 2015 after the ADF launched an attack that killed 24 civilians. The ADF is in need of food supplies and looting is the usual way to deal with that. The operation against the ADF contrasts with the Congolese Armys go-it-alone operations against the FDLR. UN peacekeepers are still reluctant to cooperate with that operation because the Congolese commander may have been involved in war crimes. January 2, 2016: An unidentified Mai Mai militia attacked in the city of Bunyakiri (South Kivu province) leaving seven rebels and a civilian dead. It was rumored that the militiamen were mostly Hutu tribesmen. If that is the case, it suggests the Nyatura militia might be responsible. The Nyatura is a predominantly Hutu outfight that operates in the Ziralo area. South Kivu has several other active Mai Mai militias. They include the Raia Mutomboki, the Mai Mai Kifuafua and the Mai Mai Kirikicho. These militias are mainly from the Batembo tribes which refer to them as self-defense militias. The Mai Mai sometimes serve that function. For example, the Raia Mutomboki have fought several battles with FDLR fighters who have attacked villages in the Bunyakiri area. January 1, 2016: A South African Defense Forces (SADF) senior officer, Lieutenant General Derrick Mgwebi, has assumed overall command of UN peacekeeping forces in the Congo. Mgwebi has extensive peacekeeping experience. He served as head of the UN mission in Burundi from 2004 to 2006. He replaced Brazilian Army Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz, who commanded MONUSCO forces for two years. Mgwebi has commanded SADF infantry and special forces units. December 31, 2016: Rwandan president Kagame has joined the third term club as he announced that he will run for a third presidential term in 2017. Congos president Kabila is considering a third term, though it violates Congos constitution. Burundi changed its constitution so that president Nkurunziza could succeed himself. Burundi is now convulsed by a slow civil war. The Congo Republic (Brazzaville) changed its constitutions so the current president could succeed himself. There was some vocal opposition in the Congo Republic but little violence. (Austin Bay) donald trump On Monday, more than a year of bluster and posturing will come to a head, as the first votes in the presidential-primary process are cast and the first delegates are allotted in Iowa. Almost 20 presidential candidates have cooked pork chops with state lawmakers. They've blanketed the airwaves with advertisements. And they've made a few ideological concessions that happen to appease in-state voters. But behind the scenes, the campaigns understand that Iowa's complex nominating process means that simply winning a voter's support before the caucus is only the first step. That's because Iowa's caucus system, the first nominating contest in the nation, is a fairly complicated process. The state will be followed by Nevada, Alaska, Maine, and Wyoming, among others, which all hold closed caucuses within the first six weeks of voting this year. But in the minds of many, the system is not particularly democratic. "This event is a party run, party administered affair. No voting equipment is being used, and professional election administration officials are not managing the process," The Associated Press said in a disclaimer about its 2012 coverage. In Iowa's case, the state allows anyone who will be at least 18 years old on Election Day to caucus in February at one of Iowa's 1,682 precincts, starting at 7 p.m local time. The vast majority will caucus with either the Democratic or Republican parties, which run quite different processes. Democrats Democrats have a much more complicated caucus that focuses on a concept called "viability." Once caucus-goers have arrived, precinct chairs determine a threshold for the amount of support that a candidate this time, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), or former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley needs to be considered "viable." Viability is calculated based on a formula that considers how many delegates that precinct awards. Story continues For example, viability for a caucus with two delegates is the number of attendees multiplied by 25%. Caucuses with a single delegate award the delegate based on which candidate achieves a majority support. Attendees then divide themselves into "presidential preference groups." If a candidate doesn't meet the viability threshold, supporters can then join another group or attempt to lobby supporters from viable candidates to defect. Once the groups are solidified, the precinct awards its delegates proportionally. hillary clinton Republicans The Republican process is somewhat more straightforward, as the race in Iowa looks to come down to real-estate magnate Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). After campaign surrogates are given the chance to speak briefly in support of their candidate, caucus-goers vote by paper ballot or by show of hands, and the tallies are sent to the party's state headquarters and relayed to the media. Though the process commits delegates to different candidates, the delegates are by no means prevented from switching to other candidates. Though individual state-delegate counts do not matter if there is an overwhelming favorite for the nomination, the fact that delegates are not committed could become important if the race on either the Republican or Democratic side is close come each party's convention. Criticism Critics assert the system is unorganized and not especially democratic. Voting is not anonymous in many cases, which studies have shown can influence voters to gravitate away from their original choice if pressured by neighbors and friends. With no absentee-voting option, turnout is also low. As Politico noted during the last presidential-election cycle, of the 120,000 Iowa Republicans who showed up in 2008, many were older and wealthier than the average Iowan. The results weren't much better in 2012: Only just more than 147,000 of the state's 2,250,000 eligible voters actually showed up, according to The Huffington Post. Some caucus-goers also find the system confusing. Writing for Slate, Christopher Hitchens noted in 2007 that then-Sen. Hillary Clinton dispatched campaign staffers to supporters' homes with DVDs explaining how the caucuses worked, because some of her potential supporters found the process to be "intimidating or baffling." And in 2012, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and then-Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) offered explainers of how the system worked on their campaign sites. Defenders of Iowa's system say the caucuses allow for discourse that serves as a check on candidates with high name recognition. "I think the caucuses are what democracies are built on. The idea that a group of neighbors will get together to talk and debate and decide who they want to be our next president or our next nominee in this case gets at the very essence of what America is built on," Charlie Szold, the Iowa GOP's communications director, told Business Insider late last year. He added: "They ensure that these campaigns aren't just about name recognition or TV ads or radio spending. It's about meeting people, and convincing them and organizing them to come out at a specific time." But a larger issue in recent years has been the disorganization of the system itself. In 2012, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania) ended up defeating Romney in Iowa but only after the state-party chair reversed his original call following the discovery of massive amounts of miscounted ballots at more than 130 precincts. According to The New York Times, several precincts were not certified and misrepresented the percentage of votes picked up by the two candidates. Rick Santorum iowa caucus 'Upgrades' Iowa officials caution that the caucus shouldn't be held to the same standard as an official primary. They argue that it should instead be treated as a bellwether for where voter sentiment lies in the state. In 2012, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) commended the process, noting that the caucus is staffed by volunteers, not government officials with training and experience overseeing elections. I think they generally did a good job, Branstad said, according to The New York Times. Remember this is a caucus, not a primary. So you dont have all the professionalism that you have with the county auditors and all of those people handling it. You have volunteers. Nevertheless, Republicans are working to ensure that this is not a problem in 2016. "We've made some serious upgrades to the process this time around," Szold said. Instead of reporting their results via telephone, the Republican and Democratic parties in Iowa are both using a Microsoft-supported mobile application to report precinct results. The tallies will be reported in real time as they're submitted. Szold said the app includes functions to input the number of votes cast and the number of votes each candidate garnered, and prevents precinct captains from submitting results unless the numbers reconcile. He argued that this counts as a major improvement over the automated phone system that was used in 2012, because precinct captains can actually see the results they report. "In 2012, the way that people reported results was they would call a number and they would literally tap in the results on a keypad in their phone. So a voice would say 'Mitt Romney,' and you would have to look at your phone and physically tap in 34 votes or whatever it was," Szold said. "The app works very similarly. The huge difference is that you can actually see what you're typing in." NOW WATCH: Donald Trump's 'strange' morning habit tells you everything you need to know about him More From Business Insider For its Washington debut, Seattles Spectrum Dance Theater brought along a string quartet, treating the audience at Sidney Harman Hall on Saturday night to an uncommon luxury. Then again, you can expect surprises of that sort from Spectrums artistic director, Donald Byrd. Is there anything Byrd hasnt delved into in his long and richly varied career? He earned a Tony nomination for his choreography in The Color Purple. He toured the world with an earlier troupe, Donald Byrd/The Group. His funky and poignant Harlem Nutcracker crisscrossed the country swinging to the Duke Ellington-Billy Strayhorn arrangement of Tchaikovskys Nutcracker Suite. That production, from the mid-1990s, was terrific fun, and a spectacle; as I recall, in one number, the ladies balanced champagne glasses on their hips. Saturdays program, presented by Washington Performing Arts and CityDance, was titled Rambunctious. The New York-based Attacca Quartet joined Spectrums eight dancers onstage. Byrds wide-ranging appetite was evident in his choice of composers, including Charles Ives, Aaron Copland and Charles Wuorinen. The evenings highlight was Vincent Persichettis String Quartet No. 2, Op. 24, which accompanied Byrds work for four dancers, I from myself am banishd. The line comes from Christopher Marlowes 16th-century history play Edward II, describing an emotional farewell between the king and his dear friend and lover. Byrds other dances were abstract, but this one was about human connection and separation. It had a beating heart. You rooted for this foursome as they locked arms around one another like best friends against the world, or knelt to support one who stood alone. Persichettis music was deep-toned and searching. Reflecting its unsettled quality, the dancers engaged in some well-crafted struggles; at times, one of them would tumble gently and in slow motion and the others would be knocked sideways a bit, rattled. Theyd step over their colleague with care. And theyd dance on, making the best of it. Life is like that. After enrollment in Baltimore public schools unexpectedly dropped following years of growth, officials are bracing for nearly $30 million in funding cuts and investigating whether hundreds of students were mistakenly kept on the rolls. City schools chief executive Gregory Thornton said he launched the internal investigation into student rolls after he noticed discrepancies between attendance data and what he saw when he visited schools. He said he expected to find overcrowded classrooms a common complaint from teachers but often did not. It didnt add up, Thornton said, noting that students were on the rolls but werent present. Maybe they were just luckily absent that day, but it got to the point of having to have conversations about data integrity, because we cant build this organization on false numbers. Theyve got to be real. Among some educators in city schools, the phenomenon has a name: ghost students. State funding for Baltimore public schools would decline by about $25 million under Gov. Larry Hogans proposed budget because of the drop in student population and other factors, including a formula that measures an areas wealth. City funding is expected to decline as much as $4 million in per-pupil funding. District officials said they discovered irregularities and the extent of the problem about 1,900 pupil slots will no longer be funded by taxpayers when they took the annual student count Sept. 30. The district is required to report that number to the Maryland State Department of Education to help determine budgeting. Although fewer students were enrolled in Baltimore schools, officials also believe mistakes were made. For instance, they said teachers might not have taken attendance consistently. The number of students could have been incorrect because the citys computerized attendance program automatically defaults to present, and teachers must manually note absences. Principals also could have made mistakes when confirming student rosters before sending them to the central office, district officials said. They must determine whether students meet attendance and age requirements and other criteria to qualify for state and city funding. School officials are still investigating why the student count was wrong and for how long. Union leaders representing teachers and principals said it is the districts responsibility to ensure that student rolls are correct when reported to the state. They also noted that educators have felt pressure from the central office to keep enrollment up even if that meant keeping students on rosters when they were not attending school regularly. The issue could have huge implications for one of the states largest school districts, which has nearly 85,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade and a $1.2 billion budget. The district has had years of budget problems, including an unforeseen deficit of $60 million that grew to $100 million last year, forcing the first layoffs in more than a decade. The budget cuts will drastically impact a number of activities were actively pursuing, not the least of which is the 21st-century plan, said Marnell Cooper, chairman of the city school board, referring to a $1 billion plan to consolidate, renovate and rebuild schools. Still, Cooper cast the discovery of the enrollment problem as the result of improved accountability in the district. He noted that the school closure and renovation plan is aimed at making the district more efficient by creating an infrastructure that matches enrollment and student needs. I can confirm that Dr. Thornton and his team found discrepancies, but as a result, our processes are better, he said. I get [that] the initial shock will be painful, but at the same time, we are really trying to right-size this district. Thornton, who has been CEO since July 2014, said that when district officials began closely examining the rolls last spring, they determined that about 230 students should have been withdrawn for that school year but were still being counted and funded. When students returned in the fall, district officials began a more thorough review of the rolls. Each school district must count the number of students who meet funding criteria every year. For instance, district officials said they found 864 students who did not meet the states attendance requirement last fall, compared with 114 the year before. Among the criteria, students must be present one day in September and one day in October without 10 consecutive unexcused absences. District officials also said they did not heed red flags. Hundreds of city students on the rolls had no grades or standardized test scores recorded for them, according to Theresa Jones, chief achievement and accountability officer. She said those students should have been flagged and removed from the list earlier. There were protocols that may have been in place that werent followed through, she said. Some teachers have referred in recent years to ghost students being on their rosters. District officials said they had not heard the term but continue to investigate. Thornton declined to be more specific about what he called irregularities that officials found in past practices. Rachel Kennedy, who taught at Chevy Chase Elementary School in Maryland for more than two decades before her retirement in the mid-1980s, died Jan. 21 at her home in Washington. She was 91. The cause was complications from a series of strokes, said her son Randall L. Kennedy, a Harvard Law School professor and author. Mrs. Kennedy joined the Montgomery County public elementary school in the early 1960s and primarily taught third grade. For much of her career, she was one of the few African American teachers at the school, her son said, and she co-wrote a guide for educators on teaching in integrated classrooms. Rachel Spann was born in Great Falls, S.C., on Feb. 16, 1924, and grew up in Columbia, S.C. She was a 1946 graduate of what is now South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, S.C., and later received a masters degree in education from New York University. She settled in Washington in 1957. Mrs. Kennedy belonged to the Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington and to the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Mrs. Kennedy died at 91. (Family photo) Her husband of more than five decades, Henry H. Kennedy Sr., died in 2002. Survivors include her companion of 11 years, Paul Williams of Silver Spring, Md.; three children, Henry H. Kennedy Jr., a retired judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and Angela Acree, a lawyer, both of Washington, and Randall L. Kennedy of Dedham, Mass.; and nine grandchildren. After last weekends blizzard, a mound of snow was piled up in the Osbourn High School parking lot. Prince William schools were closed for several days during and after the storm. (Sarah T. Lane/The Washington Post) The chairman of Prince Williams Board of County Supervisors said last week that he was frustrated with how long public schools were closed in his locality as a result of the recent snowstorm. Students have been out of school for weather-related reasons since Jan. 21 and will miss an additional day Monday for a teacher work day. They are expected to return to classes Tuesday, Prince William schools spokesman Phil Kavits said last week. But that makes for an awfully long time for classes to have been canceled, said Corey A. Stewart (R), who chairs the Board of County Supervisors, calling the issue the main negative effect of the storm that pummeled the Washington area Jan. 22 and 23. I mean, its ridiculous, he said. Stewart said that school administrators need to put on their big-boy pants and stop closing schools so often. The school division aims to make sure that students are safe when getting to classes, he said. But, he added, Theres no such thing as zero risk. And, Stewart said, if parents had to go back to work and leave children home alone, additional safety risks could have resulted. He said this issue is a pet peeve of his and also was a concern among some parents. If the schools really did need to be closed all of last week, Stewart asked, why didnt administrators announce that plan earlier, so families could make plans? Kavits said school decision-makers main focus was on making sure students and staff members werent put in an unsafe situation. That is the number one concern that drives everyone, he said. Even after some school grounds were cleared of snow and main roads were made passable, numerous sidewalks and some private roads were still covered, Kavits said. Kavits praised the work of school facilities staff members who had been working steadily since Jan. 23 to get buildings and grounds back to normal. As for Monday, he said that the work day is necessary for getting grades and report cards finished for this school years second grading period. The teachers really need the time, Kavits said. In other snow matters, Stewart spoke highly of the Virginia Department of Transportations work in ridding county streets of snow piles that ranged from 18 1 / 2 inches to more than 32 inches, according to unofficial observations reported by the National Weather Service. I was really impressed with VDOT overall and the job they did with clearing the roads, Stewart said. Despite that work, some transportation-related crashes occurred during the storm. Between about 2:30 p.m. Jan. 22 and 9 p.m. Monday, Prince William police responded to 66 wrecks that resulted in injuries or a vehicle not being able to be moved, Officer Nathan J. Probus said. During that time, officers also responded to 123 calls for motorist assistance and 136 calls for traffic obstructions, Probus said, which included abandoned cars, fallen trees, stoplights not working and water blocking roads. He emphasized that the numbers were rough estimates and that some incidents could have gone unreported. Police were concentrating their efforts on the most significant cases during the snowstorm, he said. Three local men a 40-year-old from Haymarket, a 73-year-old from Woodbridge and a 69-year-old Gainesville resident died after shoveling snow, Probus said. But he emphasized that there has been no official determination that the physical activity caused the deaths. Another man found himself handsomely rewarded after working in the snow in Prince William. Gerald Fincham, a snowplow driver from Hughesville, Md., took a break from his task Monday to buy a drink at a Food Lion in Woodbridge. He also bought a scratch-off Virginia Lottery ticket. He won the $225,000 top prize in the Pirates Treasure game, lottery officials announced Thursday. Hunley is a freelance writer. Montgomery County, Va., Commonwealth's Attorney Mary Pettitt and Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson at a news conference concerning the disappearance of Nicole Madison Lovell, 13. (Matt Gentry/Roanoke Times via AP) An 18-year-old Virginia Tech freshman from Columbia, Md., was arrested Saturday and charged in the death of a girl from Blacksburg, Va., who had gone missing last week, the Blacksburg police said. David E. Eisenhauer was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Nicole Madison Lovell, 13, who was reported missing Wednesday, police said. Eisenhauer, an engineering student, was a track champion at Wilde Lake High School in the Howard County, Md., community of Columbia. No information was available Saturday night about any connection between the two, and no cause of death was given. The girls body was found a few miles south of the border between North Carolina and Virginia, police said. The discovery was made about 4 p.m. in Surry County, N.C., about 80 miles south of Blacksburg. On Saturday afternoon, the police announced that Eisenhauer was being held in the abduction of the girl, whose body had not then been found. This has been an extremely fast investigation within the just past 12 hours, said Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson. He said it was continuing. The girl was reported missing Wednesday and was last seen in Blacksburg between midnight and 7 a.m., police said. A report issued after her disappearance said she had undergone a liver transplant and required prescription medicine daily. The police flier asking people to look for her said she was without her medication. Several agencies helped in the search, and Virginia Tech students also took part. Blacksburg police said in the afternoon that new developments in the inquiry late Friday had led to Eisenhauer and to his arrest early Saturday at his residence on campus. The developments were unspecified, and it was also unknown what led searchers to the body. Attempts to reach Eisenhauers family by telephone at their home were unsuccessful. Newspaper reports published while Eisenhauer was at Wilde Lake identified him as an outstanding runner. In 2014, while a junior, he won the class 3A Maryland title for the 3,200-meter race, according to a Washington Post account. That was apparently only one of his attainments. Wilde Lake school officials and coaches could not be reached. In a statement, the university said the entire school community extended its support to the family and friends of the missing girl. A Facebook page had been created to support the search for Nicole, and in the afternoon it bore the words KEEP HOPE ALIVE. A comment posted on the site under the name of David Lovell said he was the girls father. [Devastated] to learn that my daughter has been found dead! Im so in shock I know nothing more to say, Im broken! the posting said. A 20-year-old man died after being shot inside an apartment building Saturday in Annapolis, police said Sunday. Jordan J. Davis, 20, was gunned down in an apartment building hallway or stairwell in the 700 block of Newtowne Dr. at 6:46 p.m., police said. He had been taken inside an apartment when police arrived to find him suffering from a bullet wound of the neck, according to Cpl. Amy Miguez of the Annapolis Police Department. He died later at the Anne Arundel Medical Center. Police said the apartment complex is in a neighborhood where drug trafficking arrests are commonplace. Police did not say the shooting was drug related, but: Theres a lot of drug activity in that area. There are a lot of [drug] arrests there, Miguez said. Davis pleaded guilty to drug distribution charges in Anne Arundel Circuit Court in 2014. Cliven Bundy stands along the road near his Nevada ranch after talking to media in late January. (John Locher/AP) Two of Cliven Bundys sons sit in an Oregon jail, their protest over government land policies crushed by federal lawmen. Yet, when the rebellions patriarch surveys the land around his Nevada ranch, he sees only signs of victory. Gone now are the federal officers who used to show up at his door asking about the $2 million he owes for grazing his cattle on U.S. property. The rangers in their white pickup trucks are rarely seen since the night last summer when two government workers were chased from the area by gunfire. Theyre leaving me alone, the 69-year-old Bundy said on a late-January afternoon as he took a break from rounding up stray livestock on a parcel of desert scrub an hours drive northeast of Las Vegas. In this part of Clark County and on Bundy Ranch, we say were the freest place on Earth. By outward appearances, Washington appears to have indeed given up on the fight with the man who started the protest movement that erupted in violence last week near Burns, Ore. Some locals have taken to calling the area Bundystan, a kind of rebel enclave on taxpayer-owned land. Makeshift signs erected by Bundys supporters welcome visitors to enjoy A free land, by the people. [More protesters leave Oregon wildlife center as standoff winds down] Ammon Bundy and a group of armed supporters, including his brother Ryan, were arrested in Oregon on Jan. 26. Here's a look at the Bundy family's history of anti-government actions. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) Whether Bundy and his ranch will remain free is unclear. Obama administration officials say they are moving forward with the case against the cattleman, whose sagebrush revolt became a cause celebre for groups opposed to federal ownership of Western lands. But U.S. officials also are anxious to avoid violence, particularly in the wake of the arrests last week outside a wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon that left one protester dead. In April 2014, government officials backed away from a confrontation with Bundy after his armed supporters threatened to go to war over an attempt to round up livestock that had been grazing on federally owned land for years without a permit. Nearly two years later, there has been no attempt to arrest him or collect the fees he is reckoned to owe. They have no jurisdiction or authority, and they have no policing power, Bundy, ever defiant, said in an interview. They have no business here. Officials for the Interior Department, the federal agency that manages most of Nevadas public lands, declined to discuss plans for resolving the case or to comment on ongoing investigations stemming from the 2014 standoff. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has repeatedly said that Bundy broke the law and will eventually be held to account. The wheels of justice move at their own pace, Jewell said during a visit to Nevada last summer. But others, including some former Interior employees, say the reluctance to confront Bundy has only emboldened the ranchers followers. Over the past 21 months, government employees have faced a barrage of threats and occasional harassment from those opposed to federal ownership of any Western lands, said Edward Patrovsky, who worked 28 years as a law enforcement officer for the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service. The atmosphere seems a lot more toxic than it was before, and some of it comes from the Bundy confrontation, Patrovsky said last week. The government backed down. And when they did, the militia groups sensed a victory. 1 of 23 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad The infamous Bundy family View Photos The war has just begun, Ammon Bundy said during his familys 2014 dispute with the government over grazing rights. Ammon and one of his brothers were part of an armed group that took over a building at a wildlife refuge in Oregon in January to protest a pair of ranchers prison sentences for arson on federal land. Heres a look at how the 2014 confrontation unfolded. Caption The war has just begun, Ammon Bundy said after his family won the spat with the government over grazing rights in 2014. Ammon and two of his brothers were part of an armed militia that took over a building at a wildlife refuge in 2016 to protest a pair of ranchers prison sentences for arson on federal land. Heres a look at how the 2014 confrontation unfolded. April 11, 2014 Cliven Bundy ignored the Bureau of Land Managements orders to stop grazing in a protected desert tortoise habitat and incurred hefty fines as a result. In 2014, the bureau said that Bundy owed $1 million in fees and informed him in March that his cattle would be rounded up and potentially sold. Jim Urquhart/Reuters Wait 1 second to continue. [How Bundys social media machine helped fuel protests] Bundy, who had predicted no government interference in the standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, appeared agitated when asked about the FBI operation that led to the arrests of two of his sons and six others, plus the fatal shooting of activist LaVoy Finicum. But he showed no signs of wavering. My sons and those who were there were there to do good. No harm was intended, he said in a video posted Thursday by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. This will be a wake-up call to America. The standoff that thrust Bundy and his family in the media spotlight was over livestock specifically, where and how a few hundred Bundy cows would be allowed to graze. Western ranchers have long paid fees to the U.S. government for permission to fatten their cattle on taxpayer-owned territory. But two decades ago, Bundy abruptly stopped paying. His explanations have differed over time, but the one today is philosophical: He believes the government illegitimately holds property that rightfully belongs to states and private citizens. His bill now exceeds $2 million, and he still wont obey orders to stop his cows from roaming on federal land. A solidly built son of Mormon cattlemen, Bundy speaks with the conviction of someone who believes the Constitution is on his side. Standing by a wind-swept desert highway in late afternoon, he patiently walked a visitor through his interpretation of Article 4, which delineates responsibilities for federal and state governments. He spoke in a soft drawl, wearing boots soiled with mud and manure. The land belongs to We the People, Bundy said. We own the rights, like the rest of the public, to go out there and fish and camp and hunt. The federal government does not have that right. Theyre not citizens of Clark County. Courts and legal scholars have repeatedly rejected such views. The land where Bundys cows graze has been owned by Washington since 1848, when the territory that is now Nevada was annexed following the U.S. war with Mexico. Federal agencies own and manage more than 80 percent of Nevadas land, the most of any state. [The importance of a martyr to the Oregon protesters] Bundy thinks the federal government should turn over all of it, with a small exception granted for Nevadas military installations. He also argues that the BLM and other federal agencies have systematically mistreated landowners, such as Dwight and Steven Hammond, the ranchers whose legal issues helped to trigger activists Jan. 2 takeover of the Malheur refuge building. The Hammonds were convicted of arson charges after setting a fire that spread to nearby federally owned land. The federal government has been overreaching and abusing the citizens of the West mainly the ranchers but also miners and loggers, Bundy said as two grandchildren played in the back of his SUV. Theyve been abusing us for such a long time that were tired of it, and were not going to put up with it anymore. While some dismiss such talk as harmless venting, others say Bundys confrontational rhetoric has consequences, not just in Nevada. The longer the federal government delays a reckoning, current and former employees say, the worse things are becoming for the thousands of park rangers, BLM lawmen and others charged with policing the land. Some face constant harassment, according to Jeff Ruch, executive director of the nonprofit watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. A third of the Fish and Wildlife Services employees said in a survey that they had been threatened, he said. The irony, Ruch continued, is that the anti-government rhetoric paints government employees as armed oppressors when its now the government workers who are intimidated and often outgunned. Officials are pointing to the peaceful resolution of the [2014] Bundy case as a success and a model, he said. The reality is that, by avoiding violence, we may have created a recipe for bringing on even more of it. Map locating the Sayyida Zeinab Shiite shrine just south of Damascus, the target of deadly bomb attacks Sunday. (AFP Photo/) (Graphics/AFP) Beirut (AFP) - The Islamic State group on Sunday claimed responsibility for bombings near a revered Shiite shrine outside the Syrian capital Damascus that killed at least 45 people. In a statement circulated on social media, the jihadist group said two of its members had detonated suicide bombs near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine. "Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120," the group said. Syrian state media earlier reported 45 people had been killed and 110 injured in the attacks, which it said involved a car bomb and two suicide bombers. Sayyida Zeinab, south of the capital, contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has continued to attract pilgrims from Syria and beyond, particularly Shiites from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, throughout the war. The area around the shrine has been targeted on several occasions, and heavy security has been set up around it in a bid to protect it from damage. Sunni Muslim extremist groups like IS consider Shiites heretics and have frequently targeted them in attacks. A memorial for Robert LaVoy Finicum was assembled where he was shot and killed by law enforcement on a highway north of Burns, Ore. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters) Heeding calls for daily protests after Tuesdays shooting death of a man who had been occupying a nearby national wildlife refuge, a rolling rally of dozens of vehicles clogged the streets of this tiny rural town Saturday evening. The cars and trucks, many of them the oversize, rugged models favored in this rough desert terrain, roared around town bearing U.S. flags, Confederate flags and passengers brimming with rage. I feel we are living in a very corrupt government. Right now, people are getting pulled out of their car, getting guns pointed at their heads, and they killed an innocent man, said Judi Rodgers, a resident of Harney County, who came carrying a sign that read, Welcome to Nazi Germany. The protesters were marking the death of LaVoy Finicum, who had been a spokesman for the armed activists who have been occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge since Jan. 2. He was fatally shot by an Oregon state trooper Tuesday during an operation that resulted in the arrests of most of the occupations key leaders. FBI officials released a video that appears to show Finicum reaching for a weapon just before he was shot. But his followers insist that Finicum was murdered by police. Editor's note: This video contains graphic content and has been edited for brevity. The FBI released aerial footage from Jan. 26 of the fatal shooting of LaVoy Finicum. (FBI) His death has created new energy among the anti-government extremists supporting the occupiers, who took over the refuge to protest what they call government overreach in land use and other matters. [Killing of an Oregon wildlife refuge occupier has re-energized protesters] Finicums death comes as the refuge occupation seems nearly over, with just four armed people still holed up there. The renewed protests are unwelcome news for most people in Burns, the town nearest to the refuge, who have opposed the occupiers from the beginning, calling them outsiders who were pressing their extreme anti-government agenda without regard to the wishes of local people. We live here, this is our community, and we dont want them here. We asked them to go home, said Jen Hoke, adding that the occupiers and the right-wing militia members who have come to support them have driven wedges between friends and divided the community. This is ripping us apart, and it needs to end, she said. I thought the death of Finicum would bring closure, but more [militia members] are coming. [Family: Rancher killed in Oregon hated federal tyranny, loved kids] The occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon continues, even after a shootout with authorities and arrests. These are the key people involved. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) Militia members and other anti-government activists, almost all of them carrying weapons, have called for daily protests in Burns as well as the arrests or resignations of officials and law enforcement authorities involved in the case. Militia members toting anti-government signs gathered at the local McDonalds parking lot, where talk among the camouflage-clad crowd ranged from Finicums death to what they called harassment and unwarranted searches of local residents. Tony Atencio of Burns started his own one-man rally outside the Safeway supermarket before joining more than 50 protesters who drove past the county courthouse whooping, hollering and honking horns as police looked on. Atencios sign bore a photo of Vinicum with the words, All lives matter, scrawled underneath. Im out here to show respect for LaVoy Finicum and what he stood for, and the Constitution and our rights, he said. At least I can stand here now. LaVoy Finicum has no voice, so Im here. TURKEY Russians accused of violating airspace Turkey warned of consequences Saturday after saying a Russian SU-34 jet had violated its airspace, despite alerts. Russia denied that there had been any incursion. Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, said that Turkish radar installations were not capable of identifying a particular aircraft or its type or nationality and that no verbal warning had been issued. Turkeys Foreign Ministry said in its statement that the Russian ambassador had been summoned late Friday and that the violation was a clear sign that Russia wanted issues between the two countries to escalate. We are making a clear call to the Russian Federation not to violate Turkish airspace, which is also NATO airspace, the statement said. In November, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane flying a sortie over Syria that it said had violated its airspace, triggering a diplomatic rupture in which Russia imposed economic sanctions. Reuters Israeli officials debate French peace talks: Israel would consider a French invitation to peace talks with the Palestinians but believes France has made a mistake by saying it will recognize a Palestinian state if the talks fail, an Israeli government official said Saturday. On Friday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told foreign diplomats that if the conference he proposes hit a wall, well . . . in this case, we need to face our responsibilities by recognizing the Palestinian state. Two Israeli cabinet ministers, both allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel should boycott such a meeting. Merkel expects many Syrians, Iraqis will go home after war: German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she expects many of the refugees who have flooded into Germany from war-torn countries to eventually return home once the hostilities end. Speaking Saturday to members of her Christian Democratic Party in the northeastern city of Neubrandenburg, Merkel said that many of the 1.1 million asylum seekers who entered Germany last year would return home. Thousands rally against same-sex marriage in Italy: Tens of thousands of people opposed to gay rights rallied Saturday in Romes Circus Maximus against legislation that would permit civil unions for same-sex couples and grant them legal recognition as families. The coalition government of Premier Matteo Renzi is pushing for the legislation granting civil unions and other benefits for gays and lesbians. From news services MANY ISMS have been invoked to describe Donald Trumps presidential campaign, or to define its ideology: nativism, protectionism, racism and, of course, fascism. Theres an element of truth, as well as hyperbole, in each of these descriptors; but none quite captures the essence of Mr. Trumps improbable, troubling, run. For that, you have to bring in another ism: cynicism. Obviously, politics is not for the ingenuous, and never has been. Politicians have been spinning and manipulating voters since George Washingtons time. Few, though, have done so quite as brazenly as Mr. Trump has. Early on, he touted his unprincipled past as a demanding financial supporter of both parties I give to everybody; they do whatever I want as if acknowledging participation in corruption qualified him to fix it. He disdained any serious attempt to lay out his policy plans, offering preposterously simplistic solutions instead (e.g., a wall on the southern border to keep out Mexicans, paid for by Mexico). And when confronted with reasonable challenges from the media or other candidates, he responded with schoolboy insults or outright lies (e.g., denying that he had advocated a 45 percent tariff on Chinese goods, despite a New York Times audiotape proving otherwise). In short, the Trump campaign seems built on proving H.L. Menckens observation that no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people. Or, as Mr. Trump rather chillingly put it: I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldnt lose voters. We would hardly absolve his Republican rivals in this regard; they have responded to the Trump phenomenon with varying degrees of denial, avoidance and, alas, imitation. Still, Thursday nights GOP debate, which Mr. Trump boycotted in a fit of pique at Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly, offered a ray or two of hope that GOP candidates are capable of appealing to the publics better angels. With Mr. Trump occupied at a bizarre purported fundraiser for veterans elsewhere in Des Moines, former Florida governor Jeb Bush blasted the front-runners proposed temporary ban on Muslim immigration, saying it creates an environment thats toxic in our own country. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky spoke in affecting detail of the plight of African Americans in Ferguson, Mo., calling on his party to tackle their concerns and thereby broaden its appeal. The less Mr. Trump dominates the debate, the more room there might be for this kind of discourse. It may indeed be the case that most Republicans or, someday, most Americans will take Mr. Trumps offer to be a bully on their behalf. But Mr. Trumps supposed mind-meld with the electorate, though documented in polls, has yet to be tested in actual voting. Citizens have not confirmed, in a binding way, their desire to be led by a man who so manifestly does not respect them. There is still time to prove otherwise; the GOP caucuses open in Iowa on Monday at 7 p.m. LAST MONTH Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D) cracked down on concealed-carry gun permits in the state. On Friday, Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) undid that decision, striking a deal with the odious National Rifle Association, which is based in Northern Virginia. Anti-gun groups such as Everytown for Gun Safety blasted the governor for rolling back the progress the state seemed to be making on concealed-carry permits. We, too, wondered why Mr. McAuliffe would give up on tightening blatant loopholes in the concealed-carry system. The answer is that he got some decent gun-control measures in return. We do not blame anyone for their skepticism. But Mr. McAuliffes deal deserves support, even if it is grudging. On the negative side of the ledger, the deal will make it easier to carry a concealed handgun in Virginia. Using a law that has not been enforced properly before, Mr. Herring last month ended Virginias practice of recognizing concealed-carry permits from 25 states with lax standards. Mr. McAuliffes deal will restore concealed-carry reciprocity. It will not allow Virginians who have had their permits revoked to get one from another state. But, anti-gun groups warn, Virginians who know they would not qualify for a Virginia permit will be able to get an out-of-state permit that Virginia will have to recognize. This will also allow Virginians with concealed-carry permits to pack heat in Pennsylvania and other states with which the commonwealth will restore reciprocal permit recognition, which was one motivation for the pro-gun side to bargain. On the positive side, Mr. McAuliffe unfroze a couple of gun-control efforts that the Republican General Assembly had on ice. Most significant is that the state will now bar Virginians subject to two-year domestic abuse protective orders from keeping guns. It will be a felony for such people to fail to turn over their firearms within 24 hours of a judge imposing a protective order a felony that would bar them from owning guns in the state for life. State officials argue that they have examples of domestic abusers using guns to murder loved ones, whereas they do not have similar examples of crimes committed by out-of-state concealed-carry holders. If Virginia law enforcement officers and judges enforce the new restriction, lives could be saved. Mr. McAuliffe also wrangled some small improvements in the background check system. Small-time private gun sellers do not have access to the relevant federal database, making it impossible for them to run checks at gun shows or anywhere else. Going forward, the state will have police available at every gun show to run background checks, should private sellers request them. This reform has major weaknesses. Background checks should be mandatory for all sales no matter who is selling or where the transaction takes place. But it is obviously better than leaving things as they are. Mr. McAuliffes deal is nothing like the gun policy Virginia should have. But it looks like a small net improvement. Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders pulled up to a supporters garage in his hulking campaign bus, prepared to give a pep talk to a few dozen devotees who had been tirelessly knocking on doors for him in the final days before the Iowa caucuses. But first he had something to get off his chest. Visibly agitated, Sanders teed off on a television ad being aired by his chief rival, Hillary Clinton, implying hes on the wrong side of two key issues: gun control and womens reproductive rights. Those are inaccuracies, and we can do better than that, the senator from Vermont told his huddled supporters, wagging his finger for emphasis. Secretary Clinton and I have differences of opinion. Lets debate those differences of opinion, but lets not go around distorting a record that I am very proud of. [Heres how 6 Iowans are deciding whom to vote for] With an Iowa win on Monday within reach, Sanders is suddenly running a gantlet of criticism from Clinton and her allies, many in the media and even President Obama, all of whom seem to have awakened to the looming reality that a 74-year-old self-described democratic socialist could, at the very least, damage the Democratic front-runner and turn her march to the partys nomination into a long, costly slog. 1 of 42 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Highlights from Bernie Sanderss campaign, in pictures View Photos The senator from Vermont has become Hillary Clintons chief rival in the contest for the Democratic nomination. Caption The senator from Vermont is Hillary Clintons rival in the contest for the Democratic presidential nomination. June 14, 2016 Bernie Sanders arrives at the Capital Hilton to meet with Hillary Clinton in D.C. Matt McClain/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. These forces are trying to push Iowa Democrats to reexamine the race and ask themselves whether Sanders is truly the better choice for the nomination. In recent days, he has fielded questions about whether his health plan is too fanciful, whether someone tagged with the socialist label can win a general election, whether someone of his age is fit to serve, whether hes been a strong enough champion for women and whether hes the person to protect Obamas legacy. All of it has pushed Sanders into a defensive, and political, crouch. The senator, who can come across as testy and stubborn under the best of circumstances, has grown even more so in the final days of the Iowa campaign. He has lashed out at his critics and laced his campaign speeches with more talk about raw politics than he did during his ascent this summer, when thousands of people came out to hear his policy prescriptions for rebuilding the middle class. Dismantle health care? Sanders shouted Sunday at a rally in Waterloo. His voice raspy, he took Clinton to task for suggesting that he wanted to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. Ive spent my life fighting for universal health care for every man, woman and child. The new dynamic could frame the rest of Sanderss race against Clinton. While his die-hard supporters say theyre emboldened by what they see as attacks from the establishment, it remains unknown how undecided voters will respond, as well as those still weighing whether to caucus on a night when Sanders has said he will need a big turnout to prevail. [Heres how the Iowa caucuses work] These maps show how Iowa voters are split between two types of GOP candidates The traditional two-lane model of Iowa used to work. But Trump doesnt fit in. Theres some evidence that the Sanders brand has been dinged. A poll released Saturday found that over the past two weeks, the percentage of likely Democratic caucus-goers viewing Sanders favorably had dipped from 89 percent to 82, while the percentage of those viewing him unfavorably had risen from 6 percent to 12. The poll, sponsored by the Des Moines Register and Bloomberg Politics, showed Clinton and Sanders in a statistical dead heat heading into Mondays caucuses, underscoring how even small shifts in how candidates are viewed could determine the nights winner. Tad Devine, a longtime Democratic strategist who is advising Sanders, said it is important for the campaign to offer some reassurance to supporters when the senator is attacked. But he insisted that Sanders is continuing to run his own race. Playing the victim is not part of the strategy for us, Devine said. If we start to get bogged down in the critique against us, thats how the other side wins. It would be easy to get frustrated but for the fact that theres so much positive going on right now for our side, Devine added. A slice of that was on display Saturday night at a boisterous rally at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, where Sanders was joined by the popular band Vampire Weekend. Estimates of the crowd size ranged from 3,800 to more than 5,000, which would make it the largest Democratic campaign rally in Iowa in this election cycle. The attacks are baseless and cynical, said Veronica Tessler, a 30-year-old activist in attendance who had hoped Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) would run but turned to volunteering for Sanders when not busy at the frozen yogurt shops she owns. The establishment doesnt want to see this happen. I dont think its going to shake any supporters. In fact, theres no better way to inspire them. A noticeable shift in Sanderss tone toward Clinton was first detected in an interview with The Washington Post a week ago. Sanders said Clinton was running a desperate campaign incapable of generating the kind of excitement his has. He raised questions about her motives and character. He said he expected Clinton and her campaign to throw the kitchen sink at him in what he described as a craven attempt to avoid an embarrassing loss in Iowa. Sanders questioned Clintons association with David Brock, the head of the pro-Clinton super PAC Correct the Record, whom Sanders called a hit man. In recent media interviews, Brock had questioned Sanderss commitment to African Americans and derisively labeled the senator, who self-identifies as a democratic socialist, as a socialist. Brock also reportedly planned to make an issue of the 74-year-old Sanderss fitness for office and demand that he release his health records. Aides say Brocks comments in particular got under Sanderss skin. Asked in the Post interview about what personal impact such attacks have on him, Sanders said: After a while, you just dont watch it anymore. Am I going to say its not painful to hear people saying dishonest things about me, somebody who spends his entire life fighting sexism and defending a womans right to choose, to be called soft on that issue, to be called soft on gay rights? . . . Does it bother me? Yeah, sure. But Im a big boy, and thats the world we live in, and if I win the nomination, I expect worse will occur. A few days later, Obama suggested in an interview with Politico that Clinton was better positioned to build on his legacy. An editorial in The Post last week also irritated Sanders. Posted online late Wednesday, it was headlined, A campaign full of fiction. Sanders shot back Thursday at a breakfast with reporters in Des Moines hosted by Bloomberg Politics. People are telling us, whether its the Washington Post editorial board or anybody else, our ideas are too ambitious cant happen, he said. Too bold really? For a few days afterward, Sanders peppered his speeches with similar barbs, telling audiences that he was under attack from the establishment, including the corporate media. He remained unapologetic about his policy proposals. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), one of just two members of Congress who have endorsed Sanders, said the candidate has encountered plenty of criticism before in his long political career and persevered. If I would guess whats going on in Bernies head, its the fulfillment of a dream, Ellison said. Hes been talking about these things for decades. As Republican front-runner Donald Trump arrived in Iowa this weekend for a final burst of campaigning ahead of the Monday caucuses, he did so in his usual over-the-top fashion: rolling his jet to a stop in front of an airport hangar filled with supporters in this eastern Iowa river town. The arrival set to the theme song from the movie Air Force One captured the surreal theatrics that have defined Trumps candidacy, attracting attention in a way that prompts many to ask: Is this for real? Is he for real? In any other election year, with any other candidate, Trumps consistently high poll numbers and massive rally crowds would earn him the title of presumed nominee. But this year is unlike any other and Trump is unlike any other GOP candidate a thrice-married billionaire real estate developer who has never held elected office, wears white shoes to the Iowa State Fair, curses at his rallies and gives rides to children in his Trump-emblazoned helicopter. Yet Trump is on the cusp of something historic: A candidate who has broken nearly every rule of traditional campaigning is favored to win the Iowa caucuses and several primary contests to follow. The prospect has continued to baffle political pundits, strategists and party leaders, many of whom dont seem to want to believe what is happening until they see some proof. The Monday caucuses provide Trump with the opportunity to provide some. Its very frustrating because if anybody had the numbers and the turnout and the support that Donald Trump has, I dont think the media would have any problem saying the normal stuff that hes a shoo-in, said Ted Hacker, 39, who lives in Dubuque and started a trucking company with his wife a year ago. He plans to caucus for the first time on Monday, casting his vote for Trump in hopes of proving that the candidates supporters arent just fans looking to be entertained. Its very frustrating. The private Boeing 757 jet owned by Republican front-runner Trump taxis next to a crowd during a campaign rally at Dubuque Regional Airport. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg) [For Donald Trump, its always about control] After landing in Iowa, Trump held three rallies Saturday in eastern Iowa and two Sunday in the western part of the state, with two more planned for Monday. A poll released by the Des Moines Register and Bloomberg Politics on Saturday showed Trump in the lead with 28 percent of likely Republican caucus-goers saying they will vote for him, compared with 23 percent who would pick Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and 15 percent for Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. On Sunday morning, Trump fired off a round of attack tweets before the sun had come up in Iowa, then was interviewed on three of the five major morning talk shows and went to church with his wife. His message to Iowans throughout the weekend: You have to caucus. Unless I win, I will consider this a big, fat, beautiful and, by the way, very expensive waste of time, Trump said of his historic candidacy during a 35-minute speech at an airport hangar here on Saturday. I really believe that, just a waste of time. So youve got to get out and caucus. You have to get out there. A year ago, the Republican field was crowded with politicians battling over which camp was better prepared for the White House governors who had run a state or senators who had worked in Washington. This was supposed to be the election that allowed the Republican Party to reinvent itself, attracting a broader diversity of voters and shifting away from divisive issues. Trump was everything the party didnt think it wanted, with his plans for mass deportation and a great, great wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. But he seemed to be exactly what many Republican voters wanted: an outsider who has never held elected office and is pumping his own money into his presidential campaign rather than relying on a super PAC. He wasnt afraid to attack the Republican establishment, his GOP rivals or Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. Plus, he made debates fun to watch. [Here are 76 of Donald Trumps many campaign promises] Trump speaks to guests during a campaign rally at Clinton Middle School in Clinton, Iowa. (Charles Ommanney/The Washington Post) Hes got everybody stirred up, and thats a good thing, said Vickie Hagen, 57, a school bus driver who lives in Davenport and went to Trumps last event on Saturday. She plans to caucus for the first time Monday, voting for Trump so that he can win her state and prove his doubters wrong. Hes an anomaly, so its like: Lets find out if hes really real. I know he can do what he does. Hes a great businessman. As Trump tweeted, attacked and gained in the polls, he grew increasingly frustrated that the media and the party were not taking him seriously. At the third Republican debate in Colorado in late October, moderator John Harwood of CNBC listed off some of Trumps more outlandish promises building the border wall and forcing Mexico to pay for it, deporting 11 million people and cutting taxes by $10 trillion without adding to the debt. Is this a comic book version of a presidential campaign? Harwood asked. As the debate audience laughed, Trump responded curtly: No, not a comic book, and its not a very nicely asked question the way you say that. Since then, Trump has had to continue to answer such questions, especially after he went on a 95-minute-long, deeply personal rant about one of his rivals, retired surgeon Ben Carson, during a town hall in Iowa. And after he stumbled through questions about whether or not he would set up a database to track Muslims. And after he called for a temporary ban on allowing nearly all foreign Muslims into the country. And again, just last week, when he skipped the last GOP debate before the caucuses. A lot of people have laughed at me over the years, Trump said at a rally in New Hampshire on Friday, the morning after the debate. But theyre not laughing at me anymore. With candidates vying neck-and-neck for support in Iowa, the Posts David Weigel walks through what it will take to win the Iowa Caucuses. (Alice Li/The Washington Post) With candidates vying neck-and-neck for support in Iowa, the Posts David Weigel walks through what it will take to win the Iowa Caucuses. (Alice Li/The Washington Post) The Iowa caucuses are upon us. Ive spent the past two years or so reporting, writing and thinking about this day. So, here are seven things I think I know about the race in Iowa before a single vote has been cast. 1. Establishment Republicans need not apply. The race for first is between businessman Donald Trump, who has proudly touted his hard-line stance on immigration, and Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.), who has positioned himself as the leading choice of social conservatives. The likes of former Florida governor Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich three of the leading establishment choices took a combined 7 percent in the Des Moines Register/Bloomberg News poll released Saturday night. Combine those results with the fact that the past two winners of contested Iowa GOP caucuses Mike Huckabee in 2008 and Rick Santorum in 2012 were social conservatives who didnt wind up as the nominee and you are left with one conclusion: Skipping Iowa may well be the only course for future establishment candidates. Speaking of which . . . 2. Bush should have skipped Iowa. Way back in May, when Bush was still the races front-runner and Trump was just a twinkle in the eyes of Republican voters, I wrote that the former governor should take a pass on Iowa for exactly the reasons outlined above. A man dressed as Uncle Sam walks outside a costume shop in West Des Moines, Iowa, just days before the state holds its first-in-the nation caucuses. (Larry W. Smith/European Pressphoto Agency) The Bush people laughed. But the eight months that followed that column have made it clear that Bush never really had much of a chance of convincing a socially conservative electorate that looked askance at dynastic politics of his merits. In a concession to that reality, Bush will spend caucus night in New Hampshire the state he always had a better chance in. 3. Iowa isnt Hillary Clinton country. On the Democratic side, the former secretary of state may well win narrowly over Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) on Monday night. But it wont be nearly as easy at it looked six months ago. For Clinton, it must feel like deja vu all over again, facing a more serious-than-expected challenge from a lesser-regarded rival running to her ideological left. And, like Barack Obama in 2008, Sanders has managed to position himself as the heart candidate to Clintons pragmatic head candidacy. Remember that the Clintons have never had much success in Iowa. Bill Clinton skipped the state entirely in 1992 because of the candidacy of native son Sen. Tom Harkin. 4. Cruz mismanaged the expectations game. Cruz has run one of the best and most disciplined campaigns. And, for months and months, he and his team were pitch perfect about keeping expectations low in Iowa even though his profile as a southerner and a social conservative were an obvious fit for the state. About six weeks ago, that discipline went out the window amid a series of polls that showed Cruz surging past Trump in the Hawkeye State. Suddenly, the idea that Cruz was putting Iowa away and positioning himself as the favorite as the race turned southward after New Hampshire was everywhere. All of which leaves Cruz facing potential disappointment under every scenario except a clean win over Trump. Should Cruz get passed by Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) for second, he will spend the eight days between Iowa and New Hampshire insisting he remains viable. Speaking of which . . . 5. Rubio feels very confident about Iowa. The senator went on every Sunday chat show he could find to proclaim that he is right where he wants to be. We know its a tough hill to climb, but we feel very good about our campaign and very positive about what it means going into New Hampshire, he said on CBSs Face the Nation. You dont talk a big game like that and have your campaign send a press release to reporters noting that you talked a big game unless you are supremely confident that momentum is behind you and that there is a very high likelihood that you will overperform the public polling (and the expectations). For Rubio, leapfrogging Cruz into second place would be a major boost heading into New Hampshire, and probably would make him the favorite to finish in the runner-up slot behind Trump in the Granite State. A muddled second-third result in Iowa Cruz ahead but barely also would work to Rubios advantage although less so than a clean second. 6. The Iowa way of campaigning may be no more. Eight years ago, Iowa reasserted the cliched-but-mostly-true idea that even the most famous candidates had to earn every vote by planting themselves in living rooms and VFW halls for months leading up to the caucuses. Rudy Giuliani was never a factor; Clinton finished third. Trump has eschewed almost all of that sort of campaigning, preferring to fly in on his jet, give a speech, shake a few hands, and then fly back to his home in New York City that night. (Trump has spent slightly more nights in the state in the final few weeks of the campaign.) A Trump win would be validation that social media and wall-to-wall cable coverage might be a substitute for moving your family to Iowa. (Chris Dodd!) Of course, its also possible that Trumps celebrity is the secret sauce here which is harder for another politician in the future, with the exception of Kanye West, to replicate. 7. Martin OMalley is the most important person in the Democratic race. The former Maryland governor isnt going to make the viability threshold in lots and lots of caucuses around the state. (Hes at a meager 3 percent in the final Register/Bloomberg News poll.) Once OMalley doesnt reach viability in these caucuses, his supporters will be offered the chance to re-caucus with either Sanders supporters or Clinton backers. Has the governor made clear to his key organizers whom he would prefer his support to go to? And if not, what do his people decide to do: Choose Clinton or Sanders or simply walk away? The margins between Sanders and Clinton in the caucuses look likely to be quite close. That means how the OMalley supporters choose between the two front-runners could be decisive. The Sunday morning before the first votes in the 2016 were set to take place in Iowa, both Democratic and Republican candidates launched jabs at each other on televsion. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) The Sunday morning before the first votes in the 2016 were set to take place in Iowa, both Democratic and Republican candidates launched jabs at each other on televsion. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) With campaign events all across Iowa on Saturday overflowing with voters, the Republican and Democratic contests have been reduced to the same question: Can the muscle of traditional and methodical organizing overcome the energy and enthusiasm of a pair of unconventional candidates in this unconventional race? After a year in which voter anger and dissatisfaction with Washington have propelled insurgent candidates and shaped the political terrain, Iowa voters will offer the first clues as to whether what has taken place up to now was an aberration or a new normal in American politics that will continue to course through the election battles until November. In the Democratic race, Hillary Clinton is seeking to fend off an unexpectedly strong challenge from Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.). Among Republicans, the principal battle pits Donald Trump, who has broken almost every rule of how to run an Iowa campaign, against Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.), whose campaign is a textbook example of what is known here as the Iowa way. The latest Des Moines Register-Bloomberg Politics poll, released Saturday night, showed Trump leading the Republican race at 28 percent, followed by Cruz at 23 percent, Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) at 15 percent and Ben Carson at 10 percent. Among Democrats, Clinton held a statistically insignificant lead over Sanders, 45 percent to 42 percent. The Iowa poll has had an excellent track record in past caucus cycles, particularly in its final measurement of the race. The most important unknown in the final hours was how many Iowans will turn out for the caucuses Monday evening. The bigger the numbers, the better for Trump and Sanders, according to projections by several campaigns. View Graphic These maps show how Iowa voters are split between two types of GOP candidates Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said he cant envision his party not beating its previous turnout record of about 122,000, set four years ago. He said telephones at party headquarters have been ringing constantly for the past week, day and night, with people wanting to know how and where to caucus. It is just nonstop here, he said. Weve got literally hundreds of calls a day. . . . Ive got a hunch a lot of these folks are going to show up. Trump returned to Iowa in grand fashion, roaring his private jet low over a huge crowd in Dubuque before rolling to a stop at a hangar. He implored the crowd to go to the caucuses. I dont care what it is, he said. If you dont get out, were wasting time. . . . We have a chance to do something so historic. Cruz, in Ames, made a similar plea. There is an awakening that is sweeping this country, he said. Hours later and a mile away, Rubio sought to generate fresh, late energy by saying, Were going to bring the conservative movement together. Clinton, her husband, Bill Clinton, and their daughter, Chelsea Clinton, staged big rallies across the state, seeking to match the enthusiasm that has been evident throughout the week at Sanderss events. Sanders countered by mobilizing young people with a campus concert in Iowa City featuring the rock band Vampire Weekend. If Kaufmanns hunch about turnout is correct, that bodes well for Trump, the New York billionaire who has eschewed traditional interactions with voters in favor of huge rallies. His organization, say the other campaigns, is far more opaque, leaving open the question of whether the tens of thousands who have come to see him will be motivated to attend the caucuses. Douglas Burns, co-owner of the Carroll Daily Times Herald, said the anger among voters would almost certainly produce a record turnout Monday. There is a level of anger . . . that Trump connects with that I dont see with Cruz, he said. Cruzs campaign has been built on a mountain of metrics and modeling that has produced an extraordinary amount of granular detail about the electorate. The Fix's Chris Cillizza previews the Iowa caucuses, looking at what the outcome could mean for both Democrats and Republicans. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) We know the names of the people that are choosing between us and Trump, between us and Rubio, between us and Carson, said Jeff Roe, Cruzs campaign manager. Roe laid out the challenge in pinpoint detail at a breakfast with reporters Friday: The Cruz operation believes there are exactly 9,131 voters trying to decide between him and Trump, 3,185 between him and retired neurosurgeon Carson, and 2,807 between him and Rubio. But in the final days of campaigning, Cruz has been forced to contend with another challenge, this one from Rubio. The Florida senator started slowly in Iowa but has made a late push and is airing a flurry of television ads, some tailored for religious conservatives. Rubios goal is to finish as close to Cruz as possible and as far ahead of the other establishment Republican candidates as he can. Matt Strawn, former Iowa Republican chair, said that Rubio has wind at his back but that he still faces obstacles. It would require some significant erosion from Cruz and require those that have stuck with [former Florida] Gov. Jeb Bush and [New Jersey] Gov. [Chris] Christie to move, he said. Another obstacle for Cruz: the opposition of Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R), who has not endorsed anyone but has said repeatedly that Cruz is bad for Iowa because he opposes special treatment for ethanol and tax credits for wind energy. Branstad said in an interview that he fears a Cruz win would be a death knell for the states renewable-energy industry. Jeff Link, a veteran Democratic strategist, said the Democratic race could go either way. It felt last week like Sanders had an opportunity to create a little distance between himself and Clinton. I think thats leveled off a bit. Sanders advisers said their own assessment suggested that, whatever leveling took place earlier has been replaced by fresh energy behind their candidate. Sanderss campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, joined other headquarters staffers in canvassing Des Moines-area neighborhoods Saturday. This is a tight, tight race, he said by telephone. So were just stepping on the gas here and pushing it to the end. Asked whether he believes the thousands of people who have attended Sanderss rallies would show up at the caucuses, Weaver said: I have a lot of confidence in Bernies supporters. They come to his hour-and-a-half-long rallies and listen to his speech about the rigged economy and the corrupt political system, laden with a lot of specifics and details and policy proposals. So I think theyll come to caucus as well, absolutely. But advisers to both of the leading Democrats privately agreed that Clinton was narrowly ahead. Neither campaign expects turnout to top 200,000, although that would be high enough to give Sanders a real opportunity. Its going to be close, said Robby Mook, Clintons campaign manager. This is in the hands of our precinct captains and volunteers at this point, and I could not feel more confident in how prepared they are to turn out people on caucus night, to be leaders in the caucus room and to deliver. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller (D), who was one of Barack Obamas earliest supporters in 2008 and is backing Clinton, predicted that the former secretary of state would prevail, however narrowly. Shes more comfortable with herself than Ive ever seen in terms of her speaking and dealing with people. Shes put together a terrific organization; shes done everything she could do, Miller said. But hes right there. Norm Sterzenbach, a Democratic strategist and former executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party, said that Clinton and Sanders are focused on the same tasks this weekend as they prepare for Monday night, but that the similarities end there. Clintons team is the very model of what a modern field operation should be in identifying traditional caucus-goers. The bar is much higher for Sanders, he said. Theyve got to find them, identify them, mobilize them to turn them out. It doesnt leave a lot of room to do caucus strategy, how to win delegates in the room. Former Iowa senator Tom Harkin (D), a Clinton supporter, said: This is not a primary, okay? Its a caucus system. It tests your ability to get support broadly around the state. Brad Anderson, another Iowa Democratic strategist, said: From the outset [the Clinton campaign] knew they needed a 99-county, 1,681-precinct organization. They had 30 people on the ground in April. . . . Meanwhile, the Sanders campaign was drinking out of a firehose. They had massive events with thousands of people, but only a handful of staff able to capture the data and make the phone calls to capture the organization. Sanders has the challenge not only of finding and turning out new voters, but also distributing his support broadly across the state in order to maximize the delegate haul Monday night. His support is heavily concentrated in college towns and other Democratic areas, but whether he has support in rural Iowa is a question. Sanderss advisers say caucus rules give added delegates to precincts where Democrats did best in recent elections, which they see as helping them. To reach rural Democrats, the campaign started running ads in November in weekly and small-town daily newspapers across Iowa. He utilized advertising in weekly newspapers in a way Ive never seen in my career, said Burns, the co-owner of the Carroll newspaper. Jenna Johnson in Dubuque contributed to this report. By Nadia Saleem DUBAI (Reuters) - Kuwaiti low-cost carrier Jazeera Airways (JAZK.KW) could set up a long-haul service with a foreign partner as an alternative to buying a stake in national carrier Kuwait Airways, whose privatisation has hit long delays. Jazeera Chairman Marwan Boodai told Reuters he would still prefer a stake in loss-making Kuwait Airways, but that he was preparing an alternative strategy. "Plan 'B' is tying up with an international player to go long-haul. We're seriously considering this now," he said in a phone interview. Kuwait Airways' privatisation was ratified in 2008, and both Jazeera and logistics firm Agility expressed an interest in buying a stake. However, Kuwait Airways' weak finances and bureaucratic hurdles have delayed the process. The carrier is currently in the midst of a restructuring aimed at returning it to profit, a step required ahead of privatisation. Jazeera currently only has short-haul regional operations and buying into the national carrier would give it exposure to the more lucrative long-haul market. Privatisations are being explored with greater urgency in some Gulf countries as a way of boosting state finances hit by a slump in oil prices. LONG-HAUL Because of the delay, Jazeera is exploring possible routes for future long-haul operations. Once these are determined, Boodai said it could then identify possible international partners and seek a long-haul joint venture. Last year, Jazeera paid off all of its debt in order to move ahead with investment plans. It has $105 million in cash on its books, Boodai said. About 10.7 million passengers travelled through Kuwait International Airport from June 2014 to June 2015, up 8 percent year on year, according to the country's civil aviation authority. A large portion of the traffic is on long-haul routes, Boodai said. "Jazeera covers about 5 million passengers in the region. There is another 6 million to tap into if we have strong operations," he said. Story continues In order to focus on its passenger airline business, the carrier last year sold its capital-intensive aircraft leasing unit for $507 million. Jazeera made a net profit of 14.5 million dinars in the first nine months of 2015, up 11.7 percent year on year. Boodai expects to deliver a double-digit percentage rise in full-year profit, driven by an expanding Kuwaiti market and lower fuel costs. ($1 = 0.3036 Kuwaiti dinars) (Editing by David French and Mark Potter) Bill Hartzell, whose wifes grandmother was murdered by an undocumented immigrant in 2013, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (Aaron P. Bernstein/For The Washington Post) Illegal immigration makes Bill Hartzell seethe. The memories are fresh from the afternoon in October 2013 when he saw his wifes 93-year-old grandmother bloodied and unconscious, after being beaten and raped in her house by a 19-year-old Mexican who crossed the border and never left. His outrage is driving Hartzell to vote in Mondays Iowa presidential caucuses for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), who has vowed to battle the sanctuary cities that refuse to help the feds deport illegal immigrants. Cruz has said that he would block these localities from receiving federal funds for law enforcement an idea that makes perfect sense to Hartzell. Except for when it applies to the place where he lives. Pottawattamie Countys sheriff adopted a sanctuary policy in 2014. Hartzell knows the sheriff. He trusts the sheriff. And he is uncomfortable with how his county, which includes Council Bluffs, would lose at least a million dollars should a President Cruz carry out his threat. For us in Council Bluffs, its a little more tricky issue, he said. This isnt San Francisco. With illegal immigration roiling the GOP electorate, the partys presidential candidates have spent months blasting sanctuary cities as bastions of liberal naivete and bleeding-heartedness gone awry. No place symbolized this mind-set better, they have said, than San Francisco, where last year, 32-year-old Kathryn Steinle was allegedly murdered by an illegal Mexican migrant. But there is an awkward, and unstated, element to the hostility toward sanctuary cities. In Iowa, at least 26 of the states 99 counties are deemed sanctuaries including some of the states most conservative. The designation is an informal one, assigned by activists on both sides of the immigration debate. Governments are generally considered sanctuaries if local officials refuse to honor requests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold onto suspected illegal immigrants arrested on minor charges while federal agents figure out their status. After a federal appeals court ruled in 2014 that these requests known as detainers were optional, the American Civil Liberties Union alerted local sheriffs departments that they would be subject to lawsuits if they held a citizen without a proper warrant. Nearly 300 jurisdictions nationwide, conservative and liberal, have opted not to take that risk. Typically, the decisions that lead to a community earning sanctuary status are made without fanfare or public debate. Instead, the refusal to cooperate with ICE usually comes from a police chief, a sheriff or a government attorney not necessarily a politician looking to extend an act of mercy toward illegal immigrants. Republican presidential contenders on the campaign trail have avoided such details. Others have joined Cruz in demanding that local governments face penalties for not assisting immigration officials. At times, the candidates have blasted sanctuary cities while standing in one. Sofia Sandoval, family support services coordinator at Centro Latino, at her office in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (Aaron P. Bernstein/For The Washington Post) We will finally, finally, finally secure the borders and end sanctuary cities, Cruz said to applause recently in the public library in Onawa, Iowa in a county that has a sanctuary policy. If you are a sanctuary city, you will lose your federal funding, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) declared this month to an eager audience at a hotel in Coralville, Iowa, which also has a sanctuary policy. Crap is the word that Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner, has used across the state to describe sanctuary cities. The dynamic illustrates the disconnect between hard-edge, campaign-year rhetoric on illegal immigration and the complications of enacting policies in local communities. Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker said that he did not want his jail to keep anyone without a proper warrant. Keeping someone longer for the sake of immigration officials, he said, could be a civil rights violation. The presidential candidates are threatening to take millions of dollars from local communities over a relatively small disagreement, Danker said. ICE only issued 13 detainer requests between November 2014 and November 2015 in Pottawattamie, according to a Syracuse University study. The local jail here received about $1 million in federal funds last year. Danker, who describes himself as a conservative, said he hoped the presidential candidates focus on sanctuary policies was just political bluster. When you bring things down to a local level, things are not so clear-cut, he said. Over the next few days, Danker expects a flurry of phone calls and visits from presidential campaigns. Trump is expected to visit Council Bluffs, as is Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. The city, which has a dual identity as a small town nestled beside endless rows of cornfields to the east and as a suburb of metropolitan Omaha to the west, is vote-rich and not particularly ideological. Twenty-seven percent of voters were registered as Democrats, 37 percent are Republican, and the rest are affiliated with no party at all. In a county of 93,000 residents, about 6 percent are Hispanic or Latino, according to census data. Those immigrants have largely supplemented an aging workforce on farms and in factories as younger white residents decamp for cities, according to Melvyn Houser, a corn and soybean farmer who serves on the countys board of supervisors. Houser, a Republican who said he plans to caucus for one of the former governors in the field, said that he believes GOP candidates who talk about having the federal government punish sanctuary cities are contradicting traditional conservative values of limited government and local control. This isnt Texas or Arizona, where there are issues at the border and its more of a burden on the local schools and hospitals, Houser said. If the federal government wants something done, they should get their act together and do it. They shouldnt try and take away funding while we get stuck with all the work and responsibility. But anti-illegal-immigration activists say the issue is far simpler than the sheriff or his backers suggest. Thats a clear sanctuary policy, said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the conservative Center for Immigration Studies. This county is choosing to obstruct the work of the government. Vaughan acknowledged that there is no settled law on the legal risks of detaining immigrants. Still, she added that a plethora of other local governments including in such cities as Dayton, Ohio, and Salt Lake City have insisted on complying with federal requests because its the right thing to do. Lynne Branigan, a former Council Bluffs City Council member, expressed shock when a reporter told her that her own community was deemed as having a sanctuary policy. Based on what happened in California, I absolutely dont agree with sanctuary status, Branigan said. Im not versed in all it means, but believe me, Im going to find out. In Iowa, immigration can be a messy and sometimes ethereal issue. Politics and practicality are often discussed at Barleys bar and grill in downtown Council Bluffs, where owner Matt Johnson has hosted town halls for several candidates, which explains why there are Jeb! and Bernie Sanders 2016 stickers on a bar table. But few people seem to want to work in the kitchen at $10 an hour, explaining the Kitchen Jobs Available sign. We need immigrants here because we dont have enough people for these jobs, said Johnson, who has supported former Texas congressman Ron Paul and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in past Iowa caucuses. When it comes to such issues, Johnson tended to be as conflicted as his customers. But Christie was here talking about enforcing the rule of law, which no one seems to be doing anymore. Further down, at the bar, a man who feared Bernie Sanders is gonna break our hearts if he doesnt win, said he had no problem with the sheriffs departments stance on cooperating with federal officials. It seemed unfair to him that anyone, even an undocumented migrant, could be detained without a warrant. Is that even legal? asked Tim Moon, 65. The problem with illegal immigration is in the first word: illegal. So we should make sure that we are acting legally. At another table, business owner Bill Letuli, 49, said he felt bad for the kids who were here who would be sent back to dangerous places. And yet, he worried about the impact of a mass migration if the country did not use more deterrents. Already, he said, nearby meat-packaging towns such as Denison have seen significant demographic shifts as companies employed more immigrants who would accept lower wages. Many are working hard, no doubt, but also we dont fully know how many are illegals, Letuli said. We dont know who they are and what they are giving back in taxes. We can fix these problems, but someone needs to do it. That place has completely changed. He wondered whether Pottawattamie would some day change, too. Locals estimate that since 2000, the number of Hispanics living in the city of Council Bluffs has doubled to about 4,000. Stores offering authentic Mexican food with menus in Spanish are popping up, and the Latino community center in 2014 expanded its office spaces to have more citizenship classes and teach English. In a wood-paneled hall at El Centro Latino on a recent day, three women practiced English with one another. All feared revealing their full names might get someone they know in trouble. I became citizen because I want to make things easy for my kids, said Maria, 38, who moved from Mexico six years ago. And now, I get to vote even though many of my friends cant. The English soon turned to fluid conversation in their native language. An undocumented woman from Mexico named Maricela, 26, mentioned how she recently saw a deportation raid at a nearby house. At the very mention of a raid, Laura, 34, became so anxious that she could not sit down. She said that she had temporary protective status from El Salvador and married a man who was here illegally. Now her family lived in so much fear of a deportation raid that she moved the television to the back of the house, so ICE officials might not hear any noise if they decided to knock on her door. Six years ago, Laura recalled, her husband got pulled over for driving past a stop sign. The following morning, ICE knocked on their door and asked for him while he was in the shower. And they arrested him, naked, she said. They served him an order to leave the country. He never did. Why him? He lives a good life. He just wants to make things better for his kids, Laura said. As the three women spoke, a family coordinator Sofia Sandoval walked in to calm things down. She told them a story about an undocumented man who was arrested at a traffic stop in a nearby town a few weeks ago. He stayed in jail for a day. Then they let him go, she said. ICE never came back for him. Laura said it was a nice thing to happen, if its true. Maricela said that she had heard of policies like that on television. Ah, sanctuary, she said in English. I didnt know it was like that here. Have they been keeping it a secret? Karen Tumulty, Katie Zezima and Sean Sullivan contributed to this report. Hillary Clinton is seen aboard the campaign bus in Cleveland on the third day of a bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio. July 31, 2016 Hillary Clinton is seen aboard the campaign bus in Cleveland on the third day of a bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio. Melina Mara/The Washington Post The former secretary of state, senator and first lady is the Democratic nominee for president. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton campaigns in key states in her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton campaigns in key states in her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president. When Hillary Clinton reached the stage of the Col Ballroom, 58-year-old Mark Hammes shouted himself hoarse. Give em hell! he roared in a rasp that turned heads. After the speech, he rifled through his wallet for the document he uses to defend Clinton against her multiplying critics a list, clipped from a newspaper, of the many attacks on American embassies. All of them were worse than the 2012 Benghazi attack, so why did people keep attacking Clinton? Heres Lebanon 275 Marines killed, said Hammes, pointing to a disaster that happened under President Ronald Reagan. Somebody had the audacity to tell me, Well, none of them were diplomats. Come on! One diplomat is worse than 275 soldiers? You can be stupid, but not that stupid. Another Clinton backer, Margie Schwaniger, 64, sounded exasperated at what she thinks is an unfair obsession with the email scandal that has haunted the Democratic presidential front-runner for months and has now escalated. Its the media, she said. Even today ooh, the emails! . . . Theres no new information on that story, but if you listen to NBC, theyre all after the drama. View Graphic Catch up on the controversy and read the emails As the Iowa caucuses near, Clintons supporters here are feeling defensive. What once seemed to be a coronation in the making has turned into a real battle, exposing weaknesses that could hamper her through future primaries and, if she wins the nomination, a hotly contested general election. The challenge from Sen. Bernie Sanders, once welcomed as a way to tune up the presumptive nominee, has highlighted her ties to unpopular Wall Street banks and accentuated her image as an establishment politician in a year of anti-establishment fervor. Her handling of the email controversy, which reemerged Friday when the State Department said that 22 emails that passed through Clintons private server when she was secretary of state contained top secret information, has laid out a road map for Republicans to tear away at her commander-in-chief credentials. A lingering FBI inquiry into whether the server put national secrets at risk adds to a sense of uncertainty. Many Democrats who plan to caucus for Sanders worry that the perception by some of Clinton as dishonest has made her less electable than the democratic socialist from Vermont who honeymooned in the Soviet Union. On Friday night, at a Sanders stop just blocks away from Clintons, the complaints tumbled forth. As a woman, Id love to have a woman in the White House, but shes not the one, said Spring Briggs, 36. Her trust has been ruined, time and again. All these lies. And its not gotten better. She seems too pre-scripted, said Jerry Miller, 40, a worker at the nearby John Deere plant. Her and Bill made their way to the White House, and dont get me wrong, things were running really well. But they forgot how everyday Americans deal with certain things. Millers 18-year old stepdaughter, Alyssa McCorkle, did not remember the Bill Clinton era. Yet she has absorbed negative stories about Hillary Clinton. When I hear about Benghazi and I hear about the secret emails. I dont want a candidate for president to maybe be indicted, she said. The email scandal was fresh again, but Millers phrase everyday Americans harked back to Clintons April 15 launch video. She had followed it with a road trip to Davenport, which set the tone for the coming bruising. A campaign aide made sure to invite some locals to a coffee shop, which drew mockery. Campaign staff DROVE ordinary Iowans to Hillarys first campaign stop, screamed a headline in the Daily Mail, a British tabloid. The Fix's Chris Cillizza previews the Iowa caucuses, looking at what the outcome could mean for both Democrats and Republicans. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) At the time, Clinton enjoyed a net favorable rating of six percentage points in the Gallup poll down from her highs at State but better than any Republican seeking the presidency. Among Democrats, her net favorable rating was in the high 50s. Both numbers waned all year, bouncing back after Vice President Biden belatedly decided against a primary challenge, then more surprising to Democrats waning again. The email story has wounded Clinton without any effort from Sanders. He helped Clinton deflect the issue during an October debate when he said that Americans were sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails. In a statement Friday evening, Sanders called the investigation a legal process in place which should proceed and not be politicized and urged Iowa to continue its serious discussion of the issues. Sanders was able to say that because the issues have cut his way, and Republicans see a general election where they could exploit that. To their surprise, the Sanders who is seen only though the prism of a Clinton challenge and a populist agenda the Sanders not easily shoved aside as a socialist has become broadly popular. If somebody had told us a year ago that Sanders would be the most liked candidate in the presidential race, we would have told them they were crazy, said Stuart Stevens, a strategist for Mitt Romneys 2012 GOP campaign. When Sanders entered the race, many Clinton supporters welcomed him as a grandfatherly figure who could nudge the front-runner to the left but who lacked the cross-demographic appeal to defeat her. Instead, to many liberals, Sanders had made Clintons policy shifts look timid and insincere. She praised early versions of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, only to turn against it amid criticism from the left. She liked the idea of states and localities setting minimum wages, then came out for a national increase to $12. She held off until September before opposing the Keystone XL Pipeline, a position that lined up with Sanderss. In Davenport, although Sanders did not mention Clintons name, activist and intellectual Cornel West called her out repeatedly in his introduction. We know the difference between a small D Democrat and a Wall Street Democrat, capital D, said West, with a vigor that bordered on ecstasy. Republicans have begun to exploit the liberal disquiet surrounding Clinton. In Iowa, the Ending Spending Action Fund, largely bankrolled by Chicago Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts has put $600,000 into an ad cheekily describing Sanders as too liberal. Dan Backer, treasurer of the conservative Stop Hillary super PAC, said that Republicans could take advantage of how many in the Democratic left feel uneasy. When you say shes in Wall Streets pocket, thats the sort of thing that will hurt enthusiasm among liberals, Backer said. Progressives dont see the difference between her and any Republican. In Davenport, and in all of her closing rallies, Clinton has tried to change that by portraying herself as a reliable progressive with feet more firmly planted than Sanders. He spoke in broad terms, with national statistics on poverty. Clinton told granular, ripped-from-the-evening news stories of local companies letting Iowa down with tax inversions absolutely un-American. Id rather under-promise and over-deliver, she said, one of several elliptical references to an opponent who assured his 3 million donors that they had joined a political revolution. Die-hard Clinton supporters say that they appreciate her will to survive. I just think Hillary has stood for the values that I am for for a long time, said Mary Stevens, of Marshalltown. Asked whether any of the negative headlines that have emerged during the campaign give her pause, Stevens shook her head. She has withstood a lot, and she has admitted when shes made some mistakes, just like everybody, Stevens said. As Clintons supporters left the venue, they got a hard, well-lit look at a banner someone had draped across an abandoned building. Hillary lied. Four people died. Anne Gearan and John Wagner in Iowa contributed to this report. As the eyes of the nation train on Iowa and voters here prepare to make their final choices, Democratic and Republican presidential candidates began Sunday racing to set expectations for Mondays caucuses. With Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas close on his tail, businessman Donald Trump continued Sunday morning to try to blunt Cruzs appeal among Iowas powerful evangelical voters and the GOPs hard-line conservatives. I think the big factor, if you look at Iowa and this one, is how well Im doing with evangelicals. Im leading with evangelicals. Im leading with Tea Party, he said in a telephone interview on ABC Newss This Week Sunday morning. Trump also knocked Cruz, who has emerged as his primary rival in the Hawkeye State, for failing to work with his colleagues in the Senate. Nobody likes him you cant run a country that way, Trump added. It will be a total mess. It will be worse gridlock than you have right now. With Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders virtually tied ahead of Monday's caucus, things are heating up on the ground in the Hawkeye State. Both candidates made a splash with large rallies over the weekend, but behind the scenes is where the real action is taking place. (Alice Li,Dalton Bennett/The Washington Post) Front-runners Trump and Hillary Clinton both cling to tenuous leads over their principal rivals, Cruz and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont on the eve of the caucuses. Meeting or exceeding expectations here could provide a slingshot of momentum into the New Hampshire primaries, which are just a week away. [Poll shows statistical tie three days before Iowa Democratic caucus] Cruz, seeking to close the gap with Trump, worked to chip away at support for Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who may be benefitting from a last-minute surge of interest after a strong debate performance on Thursday. A vote for Marco is a vote for amnesty, Cruz said on CNNs State of the Union. And I will tell you this, if we nominate a candidate who supports amnesty, who has the same position on amnesty as Hillary Clinton, we will lose. Rubio has struggled gain footing in Iowa, but he remains widely seen as the Republican establishments best hope to stop either Trump or Cruz. Rubios aides say that swelling crowds show that momentum could help him finish comfortably in third place. But he still faces the challenge of overcoming Cruzs broadside against him on immigration policy, an issue that has in the past put Rubio out of step with much of the Republican base. The lie that his whole campaign is built on is that hes the only conservative and everyone else is a sellout and a RINO [Republican In Name Only], and its absurd, Rubio fired back at Cruz on CNN. I think as people learn more about his record, theyll realize that he really is very calculated. Hes always looking to take whatever position it takes to win votes or raise money. You know, were not going to beat Hillary Clinton with someone that will say or do anything to get elected, he added. [The big Iowa test: Can Trump and Sanders turn enthusiasm into votes?] Whether Clinton emerges victorious over Sanders seems headed to a battle between her superior organization and his groundswell of enthusiasm. Clintons campaign remains confident that the grassroots juggernaut they built over more than eight months will pull them through, with an extra boost from former president Bill Clinton, who has traversed the state for his wife in recent days. But hanging over Clinton is the specter of the ongoing investigation into her use of a private email server while she served as secretary of state. Just days before the Iowa caucuses, the revelation that 22 e-mails stored improperly on her private server may have contained classified information has reignited the controversy. It was not the best choice, Clinton acknowledged in an appearance Sunday on This Week. I wouldnt be here talking to you about it. Id be talking about what people in Iowa are talking to me about, about affordable health care and jobs and rising wages and all of the concerns that are on their minds. Appealing to Democrats weighing the potential political liability posed by Clintons controversies and his self-identification as a democratic socialist, Sanders volunteered that the email controversy has already proven to be a weight on Clintons general election prospects. Well, look, in terms of what people are going to get slapped with, look at the front pages today in terms of what Secretary Clinton is getting slapped with, Sanders said. You know as well as I do, it has to do with emails. The Sanders campaign still hoping for an upset has organized massive rallies in the state in recent days, full to the brim with young Democrats or first-time voters who are by their very nature less reliable voters, but who have been drawn to his populist message and pledges to eliminate the cost of higher education. On both sides, the math and strategy of succeeding in the caucuses has made their data intelligence crucial. The Sanders campaign, for example, has urged their college-aged supporters to Go Home for Bernie, an effort to move votes from densely populated urban college towns to less populated suburban and rural communities where Sanders could benefit more from marginal support. In the last week, Cruzs campaign laid out in meticulous detail exactly how many voters they must capture from Trump, Rubio and others to win here. Cruz is banking on a robust ground game he has rolled out over many months. Right now, the campaign said there are 12,000 volunteers on the ground in Iowa - but the Texas Republican stresses that he is running a national campaign. We dont view any state as a must-win, Cruz added. I think were positioned to do very well in Iowa, he said. Jose DelReal in Des Moines, Sean Sullivan in Clive, Iowa, John Wagner in Iowa City and Katie Zezima in Sioux City contributed to this report. From left to right, Inmates Jonathan Tieu, 20, Hossein Nayeri, 37, and Bac Duong, 43, are seen in an undated combination photo released by the Orange County, California, Sheriff's Department. (Handout/Reuters) CALIFORNIA Citizens tip leads to capture of escapees After a week of SWAT raids and a gang dragnet, it was a tip that led police to the two remaining fugitives who broke out of a California jail eight days ago using a Google Earth map and a rope made of bed linens. A citizen flagged down officers near San Franciscos Golden Gate Park just before 9 a.m. Saturday and pointed out a parked white van that looked like one believed to be stolen by a trio of inmates during the brazen escape, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said at a news conference. The man also said someone who looked like one of the fugitives was in the area. Police approached and Hossein Nayeri whom officials have said was probably the mastermind in the escape was captured after a short foot chase. Police discovered the second fugitive, 20-year-old Jonathan Tieu, hiding in the van with ammunition but no gun, she said. A third inmate, Bac Duong, 43, surrendered Friday after walking into an auto repair shop in Santa Ana just a few miles from the jail where the trio had been housed. Associated Press FLORIDA Toddler killed in drive-by shooting A 22-month-old boy sitting inside a car was killed in a gang-related drive-by shooting in Florida, the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said on Saturday. Neither the child nor the other occupants of the car appeared to be the intended targets of the gunfire, authorities said. Shots were fired about 6:10 p.m. Friday, striking the child at least three times, the sheriffs office said. The child, Aiden Michael McClendon, was taken to a hospital but died. Authorities were searching for a white vehicle that drove off from the scene. Aiden was in a parked car with his mother and grandmother, according to local media. Reuters ECONOMY 1 million could lose food-stamp benets More than 1 million low-income residents in 21 states could soon lose government food stamps if they dont meet work requirements that began kicking in this month. The rule change in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was triggered by falling unemployment rates. But it is raising concerns among some about an influx of hungry people. The change applies to able-bodied adults ages 18 through 49 who have no dependents in their home. It requires them to work, volunteer or attend education or job-training courses at least 80 hours a month to receive food aid. If they dont, their benefits are cut off after three months. Those rules were waived when unemployment was high, but many state waivers have ended. Associated Press One dead, seven injured at Denver motorcycle expo: One person was fatally shot and seven others were injured Saturday in a shooting and stabbing at a motorcycle expo, Denver police said. Police Chief Robert White told reporters that it was unclear what prompted the incident at the National Western Complex, where the Colorado Motorcycle Expo was being held this weekend. Investigators believe there was an exchange of gunfire about 1 p.m. In addition to the person who was shot and killed, three others were shot, another person was stabbed and three others suffered injuries from a fistfight, White said. Longshoremen end walkout in N.Y., N.J.: Longshoremen returned to work in New York and New Jersey after a walkout that halted work at the busiest port on the East Coast. The International Longshoremens Association members walked off the job Friday over concerns including the possible outsourcing of work as well as automation of other work. San Francisco police take pledge against intolerance: San Francisco police officers are being asked to combat racism in the ranks and take a pledge to turn in colleagues displaying intolerant behavior, such as slurs and jokes targeting people of color, gay people and women. The pledge is part of a broader public-relations campaign by the embattled police department to repair frayed relations with minority neighborhoods and community activists. From news services People walk past burnt houses after Boko Haram attacks at Dalori village on the outskirts of Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria. (Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) A survivor who hid in a tree says he watched Boko Haram fighters firebomb huts and heard the screams of children burning to death, among 86 people who officials say died in the latest attack by Nigerias homegrown Islamist extremists. Scores of charred corpses and bodies with bullet wounds littered the streets after attacks Saturday night on the village of Dalori and two nearby camps housing 25,000 refugees, according to survivors and soldiers at the scene three miles from Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram and the biggest city in northeast Nigeria. The shootings, burnings and explosions from three suicide bombers continued for nearly four hours in the unprotected area, survivor Alamin Bakura said, weeping during a telephone conversation with the Associated Press. He said several of his family members had been killed or wounded. The violence continued as three female suicide bombers detonated their explosives among people who had managed to flee to the neighboring village of Gamori, killing many people, according to a soldier at the scene who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to journalists. Soldiers arrived at Dalori about 8:40 p.m. Saturday but were unable to overcome the attackers, who were better-armed, said soldiers who also spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Boko Haram fighters retreated only after military reinforcements arrived with heavier weapons, they said. Journalists visited the scene of the carnage Sunday and spoke to survivors who complained that it had taken too long for help to arrive from nearby Maiduguri, the military headquarters of the fight to curb Boko Haram. They said they fear another attack. Eighty-six bodies were collected by Sunday afternoon, according to Mohammed Kanar, area coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency. An additional 62 people are being treated for burns, said Abba Musa of the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri. Boko Haram has been attacking soft targets, increasingly with suicide bombers, since the military drove them out of towns and villages in northeast Nigeria last year. The six-year Islamist uprising has killed about 20,000 people and driven 2.5 million from their homes. Associated Press Umar reported from Abuja, Nigeria. A lone office worker is doing an overtime shift in downtown Seoul. (Jun Michael Park/For The Washington Post) Dont be fooled by the bright lights, the zingy K-pop music, the ubiquitous technology. South Korea is, in the minds of many young people here, a living hell and theyre not going to take it anymore. Its a place where, according to a growing number of 20- and 30-somethings, those born with a golden spoon in their mouths get into the best universities and secure the plum jobs, while those born with a dirt spoon work long hours in low-paying jobs without benefits. This Korea even has a special name: Hell Joseon, a phrase that harks back to the five-century-long Joseon dynasty in which Confucian hierarchies became entrenched in Korea and when a feudal system determined who got ahead and who didnt. Its hard to imagine myself getting married and having kids. There is no answer or future for us, says Hwang Min-joo, a 26-year-old writer for television shows. Hwang often goes to work on a Monday morning with her suitcase, not leaving again until Thursday night. She eats at her office, takes a shower at her office, sleeps in bunk beds at her office. If I finish work at 9 p.m., thats a short day, she said. Paychecks come irregularly or not at all, if the show gets axed and because she doesnt have a contract, Hwang wonders when she goes to sleep each night whether shell still have a job in the morning. She can make this life work only by living at home with her parents when she goes home, that is. If you have enough money, South Korea is a great place to live. But if you dont . . . she trails off. Kim Hyeon-min, 22, works for a lawyer as a contract worker. He worked as an intern at the National Assembly after graduating from college. If your congressperson doesnt like you, he or she can easily lay you off. Job security is volatile at best. Still, Im hopeful. I would like to gain more experience at the National Assembly and run for it someday. (Jun Michael Park/For The Washington Post) Hwang Min-joo, 26, is a TV writer. When I go to sleep, I dont even know whether I will have my job tomorrow. I can be laid off with a single text message from my producer. If my program doesnt air, I dont get paid. I live with my parents, and thats how I am able to survive. (Jun Michael Park/For The Washington Post) Such complaints are common among Hwangs generation. Their parents lived through South Koreas astonishing economic rise during the 1960s and 70s and then saw democracy arrive in the 80s. But those born after that period of rapid improvement see only the downside: megalithic businesses that provide status and good pay for their employees, with everyone else just muddling through. Since the 2008 financial crisis, many people around the world have lost jobs, homes and hopes. But in South Korea, such losses are felt especially acutely because of the sharp contrast with the heady days of industrialization. The economy is sputtering growth slowed to 2.6 percent last year and its slide has been accompanied by an increase in irregular jobs that offer no security and no benefits, a trend felt keenly by those trying to get on the job ladder. Almost two-thirds of the young people who got jobs last year became irregular workers, according to Korea Labor Institute figures. Even people at the conglomerates are feeling the pinch, with big names such as Samsung, Hyundai and Doosan laying off workers or calling for early retirement. Workers occupy brightly lit offices and do overtime shifts in downtown Seoul on a Thursday night. (Jun Michael Park/For The Washington Post) Amid the gloom, more and more young Koreans are taking to social networks to complain about their plight. Theres a Hell Joseon group on Facebook that boasts more than 5,000 members and a dedicated Hell Korea website that posts graphic after graphic to illustrate the awful state of life in South Korea: the long working hours, the high suicide rate and even the high price of snacks. Numerous online forums offer advice on ways to escape. Some help South Koreans apply to the U.S. military, a move that can offer a fast track to U.S. citizenship. Others offer advice on training programs for aspiring welders, a skill that is reportedly in demand in the United States and Canada. And its not just an Internet phenomenon. Novelist Jang Kang-myungs Because I Hate South Korea a fictional work about a young woman who emigrated to Australia shot to the top of bestseller lists last year. When writer Son A-ram published a piece titled The Declaration of a Ruined State in the Kyunghyang Shinmun newspaper, it quickly went viral. If my life continues this way, I dont really see much of a future, says Lee Ga-hyeon, a 22-year-old who has taken time off her law studies to work at a union for part-time workers. In South Korea, part time means working full-time hours at the minimum wage. While she was studying, Lee worked at McDonalds and then at a bakery chain, often working six hours a day, five days a week, in addition to studying full time. The rent on her shoe-box-size room cost almost half her monthly earnings of $450. I want to become a certified labor lawyer so that I can help others in similar circumstances, she said. Not that those with more stable jobs are much happier. In this working culture, 14-hour days are the norm. In 2012, a left-leaning presidential candidate ran on the slogan: A life with evenings. Song, 34, works at a small company and has a 13-month old daughter. It is difficult to dream about the future and raise children here. Workers cant get off work on time because of peer pressure and companies almost take overtime work for granted. I used to work for a big company. My boss always said, The company comes first; your family comes second. (Jun Michael Park/For The Washington Post) Chang Han-sol, 21, is a journalism student. I used to live in Germany when I was very young. My parents were studying in Germany, and after South Koreas democratization, they decided to come back. I think I grew up in a middle-class family, but I dont know whether I can ever afford to live like my parents. (Jun Michael Park/For The Washington Post) Song, a 34-year-old whose wife had to quit her job when they had their daughter last year, switched to a less-prestigious job because he was regularly working from 8 a.m. one day until 1 a.m. the next. My boss always said, The company comes first; your family comes second. said Song, who asked to withhold his full name for fear of getting into trouble at work. Most frustrating of all, many young people say, is that their parents, who worked long hours to build the Korean dream, think the answer is just to put in more effort. My parents think I dont try hard enough, said Yeo Jung-hoon, 31, who used to work for an environmental nongovernmental organization but now runs a Facebook group called the Union of Unskilled Workers. One time after a meeting, my boss said in front of everyone, I dont think youre suitable for this job. I felt humiliated, but I couldnt quit because I needed the money. It is a hell without an exit. Read more: In South Koreas president, some see echoes of her repressive father In South Korea, a rehab camp for Internet-addicted teenagers Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Yoonjung Seo contributed to this report. Syrians gather where three bombs exploded in Sayeda Zeinab, a predominantly Shiite Muslim suburb of Damascus on Sunday. The triple bombing claimed by the extremist Islamic State group killed at least 45 people. (SANA via AP) A triple suicide bombing in Damascus clouded the already shaky peace process that was still struggling Sunday to get off the ground here. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombing, which took place near the Shiite Sayeda Zeinab shrine on the southern outskirts of the Syrian capital, killing least 45 people and wounding over 100. The peace talks officially began Friday, but the Syrian opposition has not agreed to formally participate. Most members of the High Negotiations Committee, formed to participate in the talks, have, however, arrived in Geneva to discuss their concerns about the process with U.N. officials. The Syrian government, speaking publicly for the first time since the talks began, suggested Sunday that even if the opposition does agree to join in the process, the government may not accept all members of its team as negotiating partners. Bashar al-Jaafari, the Syrian envoy to the United Nations and head of the government negotiating team in Geneva, said the team will refuse to hold negotiations with any members of the opposition whom the government defines as terrorists. In a brief statement Sunday, Jan. 31, Secretary of State John Kerry called for the continuation of Syrian peace talks in Geneva and for immediate steps to increase food aid and other humanitarian assistance to Syrians. (U.S. Department of State) We dont know yet who will be sitting with us, he said. We dont deal with terrorists. [Syrian opposition arrives in Geneva without visas, but with demands] The government is pressing for the inclusion of a separate group of individuals who are considered opponents by the government and have called for reforms, but not the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The main Syrian opposition team continued to stand by its insistence that steps should be taken to implement clauses in U.N. Security Council resolutions dealing with the delivery of humanitarian aid to towns besieged by government forces, the release of political prisoners and a halt to the aerial bombardments of civilian areas. Opposition members met Sunday with the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, to air their demands. Secretary of State John F. Kerry sought on Sunday to reassure the opposition that its concerns about the dire humanitarian conditions in Syria are taken seriously by the United States. [Russian airstrikes are working in Syria enough to put peace talks in doubt] The Syrian regime has a fundamental responsibility all the parties to the conflict have a duty to facilitate humanitarian access to populations in desperate need, not in a week, not after further discussions, but right now, today, he said. Under U.N. Security Council resolution 2254, which mandated the peace process, the government and all parties have an obligation, as well, to cease bombings and other attacks against civilians. Jaafari said the government was prepared to discuss the delivery of humanitarian aid, but not as a precondition for starting the talks. The Syrian governments priority is to push for the implementation of a different Security Council resolution, 2253, which calls on the international community to battle terrorism. Carol Morello in Washington contributed to this report. Francisco Flores, a former Salvadoran president whose five years in power were tarnished by accusations of corruption and elitism, died Jan. 30 in the capital city of San Salvador. He was 56. The cause was a cerebral hemorrhage, said officials with his political party, the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance, better known as Arena. Mr. Flores, who led El Salvador from 1999 to 2004, was under house arrest on charges of embezzlement and illegal enrichment. He was accused of diverting more than $15 million, which Taiwan had donated to help the victims of earthquakes in 2001. A court said $10 million of that went to the party backing him and the remainder to him. Loyda Robles, one of the plaintiff lawyers against Mr. Flores, said last week that his death would end the criminal prosecution, but that the civil litigation would continue. Robles also said plaintiffs had asked the countrys Supreme Court to add the charge of money laundering to the case. That could expand the criminal prosecution beyond Mr. Flores to include the possible involvement of others. Mr. Flores had a meteoric rise to the presidency, but once there gained a reputation for being arrogant and distant. He became El Salvadors first president to be charged and put on trial for acts of corruption during his time in office. The people will remember him for the terrible dollarization, for the Firm Hand [to combat crime] and as corrupt, said Angelica Rivas, who works with a nonprofit organization promoting womens rights. Jeannette Aguilar, of the University Institute of Public Opinion at the Central American University Jose Simeon Canas, said various studies showed Mr. Flores presidency to be among the worst based on public opinion. He was a leader with an arrogant style, a lot of hubris, not close to the people, who responded to the interests of the economic elite who at that time dominated Arena, Aguilar said. Francisco Guillermo Flores was born in Salvadoran city of Santa Ana on Oct. 17, 1959, and grew up in a well-off, conservative and anti-communist family. He married Lourdes Rodriguez, and they had two children. A list of survivors was not immediately available. Mr. Flores rose quickly through the ranks of Arena, which ruled El Salvador between 1989 and 2009. Mr. Flores was still in his 20s when he started in the government of Arenas first president, Alfredo Cristiani, in 1989. Just a few days into his new position, a guerrilla attack killed his wifes father. In the 1990s, he served as an Arena legislator and in 1997 was elected president of the legislature. He won the presidency in 1999, beating former guerrilla commander Facundo Guardado. Mr. Flores took office at the age of 39 as Arenas third consecutive president. He left office in 2004. During his time in power, El Salvador was hit with successive natural disasters. Earthquakes in January and February 2001 killed more than 1,000 people and left 200,000 homeless. Later, a severe drought destroyed coffee crops. The corruption scandal and alleged theft of the earthquake-relief funds sealed his reputation with many. The switch to the U.S. dollar as the countrys currency also received a huge popular backlash. Salvadorans were encouraged to see the attempts to bring Mr. Flores to justice, but he did not live long enough to see out the process. Our justice system has been slow, has obeyed the interests that do not obey the interest of justice of the people and some try to make him out to be the victim, said Miguel Montenegro from the El Salvador Human Rights Commission. Associated Press Women of the Wall wearing prayer shawls sing as they walk toward the women's section of the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, in Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday. (Jim Hollander/European Pressphoto Agency) Israel on Sunday approved a plan that would dramatically change the layout of Jerusalems Western Wall plaza, one of the holiest sites in Judaism, creating a space for egalitarian prayer and mixed-gender ceremonies for non-Orthodox Jews. The new area, which will enable men and women to pray side by side, is to be adjacent to the existing plaza run by stringent ultra-Orthodox rabbis. That area is split into prayer sections for men and women, although women are not allowed to read aloud from the Torah, wear prayer shawls or sing there. Along with creating a change to the delicate status quo, this marks an unprecedented move by the Israeli government to officially recognize the rights of Conservative, Reform and other Jewish denominations to hold organized prayer at the site. Jewish groups in Israel and the United States hailed the decision as a historic step toward religious pluralism in Israel. American Jewish organizations, many of which feel that their religiosity is sidelined in Israel, have been integral in pushing the plan forward and ensuring that it remains on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus agenda. The Jewish state has always held a promise that it is for all Jewish people, and the Wall is such an amazingly spiritual and inspirational place, said Jerry Silverman, president of the Jewish Federations of North America, an organization representing hundreds of Jewish groups. Now, to have a space that will recognize the way the majority of Jews practice their religion at least Jews from the United States is a monumental step forward, he said. After long-running negotiations with several Jewish groups, the plan was drafted by former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky, head of the Jewish Agency for Israel, and outgoing Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit. The evolving plan has gone through numerous incarnations and faced high hurdles. [Over protests, Israel plans to double prayer space at Western Wall] The ultra-Orthodox rabbinate, which enjoys a monopoly on religious Jewish life in Israel from births and marriages to places of worship, was unwilling to allow any changes at the site. Archaeologists expressed dismay that more development at the Western Wall could destroy precious artifacts and change a visitors view into the past. The area around the ancient wall, part of the first and second Jewish temples, is also a sensitive spot for Muslims, who consider the adjacent al-Aqsa mosque compound the third-holiest site in Islam. Administered by the Islamic Waqf trust, it is overseen by Jordan and has been a flash point of violence in recent months. Netanyahu, who brought up the proposal for a vote during the weekly cabinet meeting, commended the plan, saying that the area was a place that is supposed to unite the Jewish people. While I know that this is a delicate issue, I think that this is a fair and creative solution, Netanyahu said. [Israeli court allows non-Orthodox prayer by women at Western Wall] But five ultra-Orthodox members of Netanyahus cabinet, including Religious Affairs Minister David Azoulay, did not vote for the plan. They also did not fight it or threaten to bring down the government. I am gratified that the cabinet voted this plan into existence, said Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, head of the Rabbinical Assembly, an international association of Conservative rabbis. At the same time, there are opponents to this plan and to religious pluralism within the government, and we have to continue working to make sure this plaza is built. Anat Hoffman, director of Women of the Wall a feminist group that has been pushing for a solution to allow egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall said government approval of the plan was a wonderful gesture. We will offer an option to all Israelis and Jews from around the world to express their Judaism, she said. We had a vision 27 years ago that the holiest site of Jewish people needed to be run different, and today the government has taken a step towards it, Hoffman said. Of course, there are still a thousand hurdles and many ways for this to be sabotaged, but we will not stop moving until the new plaza is ready and fit for us. Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, said that he received the decision regarding the new prayer arrangements with a heavy heart and a sigh of relief. Ever since the fringe and vociferous group of Women of the Wall started its mass-media activity, the Western Wall went from being a unifying site to one of incessant quarrels, he said. Using a Hebrew phrase referring to the defamation of Gods name, he added, The chilul hashem that this group and its supporters have caused is terrible, and it will take years to repair it. steven avery jury guilty making a murderer netlfix.PNG Since Netflix's "Making a Murderer" aired in December, a lot of information that wasn't included in the series has come to light. On Saturday, Investigation Discovery special "Steven Avery: Guilty or Innocent" went over the case once again with new interviews with the attorneys, experts, and reporters who covered the trial of Avery, who is currently serving a life sentence for the 2005 murder of photographer Teresa Halbach. Avery's defense centered on the theory that the Manitowoc County, Wisconsin man was being framed for the murder by local police. Previously, Avery had been exonerated for the assault of a female jogger after already serving 18 years of his sentence. At the time of the investigation into Halbach's murder, he had an ongoing $36 million civil suit against the county that also included the policemen involved in his conviction. "What I feel like, they're going to railroad me again," Avery told a reporter during the investigation. "They set me up the first time. I had to do 18 years to prove my innocence. Now, they want to redo it and see if they can get me, plant evidence so I don't get back out." One of the defense's biggest findings to support its theory was a vial of Steven Avery's blood from the previous crime's investigation. To the defense team, it showed evidence of tampering a small hole was found in the lid and could have been used to plant Avery's blood in Halbach's car. Steven avery blood vial making a murderer netflix But since the documentary aired, we've found out that the prosecutors had a witness, a nurse who would say that she made that hole in the lid and that it was the typical way to fill a test tube. That would seem to take away any proof of framing the evidence provided. But on Saturday's ID special, Avery's defense attorney Jerry Buting explained why the blood vial had other evidence of tampering. "This evidence tape had been cut, by who? When?" Buting said of the tape on the box that held the vial. making a murderer steven avery blood vial ID Story continues He also pointed out, "If you look carefully, there's blood in between the stopper and the glass, which you can only get if the stopper was taken out. That looked suspicious." Dassey is currently appealing his conviction. On Friday, NBC's "Dateline" aired its own special about the case. On it, Avery's new attorney, Kathleen Zellner, said that new forensic testing could lead to another exoneration for her client. NOW WATCH: The lawyer from 'Making A Murderer' describes what's wrong with America's criminal justice system More From Business Insider A big delegation representing Syrian opponents of President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Geneva Saturday, raising hopes that the group will soon agree to join peace talks aimed at ending the war in Syria. The opposition stayed away from the first day of the talks on Friday, citing concerns that promised measures to halt the bombardment of civilian areas, release political prisoners and deliver humanitarian aid to starving civilians had not been implemented. Their absence made for a rocky start to the peace process, with the U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, who is hosting the talks, meeting only with the Syrian government delegation. The Obama administration is hoping the negotiations will bring to an end the nearly five-year-old Syrian war, which has emerged as a significant obstacle to U.S. efforts to step up the fight against the Islamic State while also killing around 250,000 people and creating millions of refugees. [Russian airstrikes pave way for Syrian government gains] Syria's main opposition body briefs the press upon their arrival on January 30, 2016 in Geneva for Syrian peace talks. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images) Under intense international pressure to participate in the talks, the opposition said late Friday that it would send a small team of three representatives to discuss their concerns with de Mistura. Instead, 24 representatives showed up on a flight from the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, where they had spent the past five days debating whether to participate or not. At least three other representatives arrived earlier in the day from other cities, meaning that most of the members of the High Negotiations Committee the name given to the body formed to participate in the talks are in Geneva. The group got held up for several hours at the Geneva airport because many of them had not been issued visas for Switzerland, despite the fact that world leaders, including Secretary of State John F. Kerry, had been telephoning them throughout the week to beg them to show up, according to diplomats involved in efforts to secure their entry to the country. [In a besieged Syrian town: Were still starving, and its getting colder] Delegation members arriving at a Geneva hotel after finally getting the visas said they had come to press their demands for steps to alleviate suffering in Syria before they would agree to join in the negotiations. We will talk to de Mistura, and then we will decide, said Monzer Makhous, a spokesman for the group. That meeting is expected to take place Sunday, he said. Another spokesman, Salem Muslat, told reporters that the opposition did want to participate in the peace talks, but only after receiving assurances that its demands will be met. We are keen to make this negotiation a success. But we should ask the other side. The other side is pretending to represent the Syrian people. In fact, he is killing the Syrian people, Muslat said. Even if they do join the talks, the opposition and the government will not meet face to face. Because Russia and the Syrian government have labeled members of the Syrian opposition team terrorists, de Mistura downgraded the planned format of the talks to proximity talks, meaning that the factions will be in separate rooms and he will shuttle between them. Russian objections had focused mostly on one man, Mohammed Alloush, the political representative of a major Islamist rebel faction, Jaish al-Islam. Alloush was not among those who arrived in Geneva Saturday, but opposition members denied that was because Russia had exerted pressure to keep him away. Read more Syrian talks are set to begin, but no one is sure who is coming U.S.-backed rebels lose a key town to Russian airstrikes in Syria Russian airstrikes are working in Syria enough to put peace talks in doubt Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have agreed to participate in four more debates, starting with a New Hampshire event next week. According to Politico, the events still need to be approved from the Democratic National Committee. The events would take place in February, March, April and May. The final negotiations have yet to be ironed out, but the move comes after days of wrangling in public and behind the scenes, as both candidates sought to pressure each other on the topic of adding debates, wrote Politico. Also Read: Hillary Clinton Wins Ringing Endorsement From New York Times Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has faced some harsh criticism for scheduling a low number of debates, with several airing during low-rated weekend nights. Both OMalley and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders have argued that the limited number of debates so far have stacked the deck in Hillary Clintons favor. Also Read: Red Hot Chili Peppers Set to Play 'Feel the Bern' Benefit Concert Supporting Bernie Sanders Clinton and Sanders are tightening in several polls on Friday, a RealClearPolitics poll showed that Clinton was only 3.4 points ahead of Sanders on average. The next official debate is in Milwaukee on Feb. 11, two days before the New Hampshire primary. Related stories from TheWrap: Hillary Clinton Joins #OscarsSoWhite Debate: 'The Academy Has to Catch Up' Hillary Clinton Scolds Bernie Sanders Over 'Establishment' Wisecrack Jennifer Herold and her husband have two sons, ages 1 and 3. (Image via Jennifer Herold) Ohio state Senator Tom Patton is a term-limited Republican whos now going after an Ohio House seat, and hes running against a real sweetie. At least, thats what the 62-year-old called his chief Republican opponent in a radio interview last week, but its a separate comment he made about Jennifer Herold that has drawn the most fire. In a Jan. 18 interview with Ed Ferenc on the Americas Work Force radio show, he questioned why Herold is running while being a young mother, reports the Columbus Dispatch. The gal thats running against me is a 30-year-old, you know, mom, mother of 2 infants, he said. I dont know if anybody explained to her you have to spend three nights a week in Columbus. So, how does that work out for you? I waited until I was 48, til my kids were raised, and at least adults. Herold, who has 1-year-old and 3-year-old sons, took to Facebook with a lengthy response in which she asked whether the current legislators with children, mothers and fathers alike, are all unfit to serve. She added: Tom, only one man in my life is allowed to call me 'sweetie. From now on, I respectfully ask you to refer to me as Jen, Jennifer, Ms. Herold, or your opponent." Cleveland.com reports Patton has followed up with his own statement in which he "sincerely apologizes and says his comments were misunderstood. He notes that millions of women balance work and family every day, including his own daughters: I used a poor choice of words to express what I know first-handraising young children and working is tough. The two will face off in the March 15 GOP primary. By Elizabeth Armstrong Moore More From Newser: Dad Stands Trial for Taking Daughters iPhone Away Car Thieves Find Boy in Backseat, Take Him to School Story continues Meet Youngest Woman Elected to Congress When It Comes to Mood Disorders, Girls May Be Like Mom 4 Celebs Whove Come Out as Sexually Fluid This article originally appeared on Newser: Ohio Politician Questioned for Running as a Young Mom A day before the Iowa caucuses, presidential candidates hit the Sunday morning political talk shows to make their final pitches before the first votes of the 2016 election cycle are cast. On ABCs This Week With George Stephanopoulos, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump said his experience as a real estate mogul makes him qualified to be commander in chief. Frankly, when I was in business, I got along with Democrats, I got along with liberals, I got along with conservatives and Republicans, Trump said. I happen to have a conservative way of thought. I happen to be a Republican. But when youre a businessman, you have to get along with everybody. You cant just say, Im going to get along with this small group, because you wont be able to function that way. Trump called his closest GOP rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a nasty guy. Ted is a liar, Trump said. This is why nobody likes him. This is why he doesnt have one endorsement from one senator. Not one. The former Celebrity Apprentice host dismissed Cruzs assertion that a vote for Trump is a vote for Obamacare. I have a heart. I want people taken care of. If people have no money, we have to help people, but that doesnt mean single payer, Trump said. And I mean, maybe hes got no heart. And if this means I lose an election, thats fine, because, frankly, we have to take care of the people in our country. We cant let them die on the sidewalks of New York or the sidewalks of Iowa or anywhere else. Also on This Week, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton compared the fresh controversy surrounding her emails to the one surrounding her response to the attacks in Benghazi. This is very much like Benghazi, Clinton said. The Republicans are going to continue to use it, beat up on me. I understand that. Thats the way they are. But after 11 hours of testimony, answering every single question, in public, which I have requested for many months, I think its pretty clear theyre grasping at straws, and this will turn out the same way. Story continues On Friday, the State Department refused to release 22 emails from Clintons time as secretary of state because they contained top secret information. Clinton said the email chain in question contains no classified information and wants to see it released. Lets just get it out, Clinton said. Lets see what it is and let the American people draw their own conclusions. Meanwhile, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said hes best positioned to defeat the Republican nominee in a general election despite carrying the democratic socialist label. Will they throw the kitchen sink at me? They sure will, he said. [But] weve got a lot to throw at them. On NBCs Meet the Press, Sanders suggested a Clinton nomination would hurt the Democratic Party in House and Senate races. Hillary Clinton will be the problem, Sanders said. Because I think our campaign is the campaign that is generating excitement and energy that will result in a high voter turnout. Republicans win when voter turnout is low. Democrats win when voter turnout is high. The Vermont senator, who trails Clinton by three points among Democratic caucusgoers in the latest Des Moines Register poll, downplayed the importance of winning Iowa. Theres no question, you know, that what happens here is very, very important. And if we can win and pull off a major upset, it will really be a springboard, I think, to other states, Sanders said. But at the end of the day, I think in terms of the division of delegates, whether you win by two points or you lose by two points, its not going to matter a whole lot. On CBS Face the Nation, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio attacked Cruz, accusing the Texas senator of flip-flopping on immigration and pandering to Iowa conservatives. When he was in the Senate, he talked about wanting to pass immigration reform, about bringing people out of the shadows, et cetera, Rubio said. Hes not what he portrays himself to be. The lie is that Ted continues to try to portray himself as the only conservative in the race, Rubio continued. He goes to New York and raises millions of dollars and then goes to the rest of the country and attacks New York values. These are the things that over time people start to realize that theres a real calculation here politically. And it just catches up with you. Rubio added: In the end, this election is in Gods hands, as everything is. And so were going to do our very best. And were confident about where that leads. On Fox News Sunday, Cruz suggested Trump is not a real conservative. Hes the height of chutzpah, Cruz said. Its astonishing. Hes not honest. Trump, for his part, again raised the issue of Cruzs Canadian birth. He didnt even know he was a citizen of Canada until 15 months ago? Trump said. Give me a break. On CNNs State of the Union, Cruz criticized Rubios support of a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants and the Florida senators refusal to immediately rescind President Barack Obamas executive action immigration. A vote for Marco is a vote for amnesty, Cruz said. And I will tell you this. If we nominate a candidate who supports amnesty, who has the same position on amnesty as Hillary Clinton, we will lose. Cruz told State of the Union host Jake Tapper he doesnt think Trumps boycott of last weeks Fox News GOP debate was really about the Republican frontrunners ongoing dispute with moderator Megyn Kelly. I dont think it was because he was afraid of Megyn Kelly, Cruz said. I think it was because Donald did not want his record challenged. Its the same reason, actually, that Donald engages in insults, because he cant defend his substantive record. This is a job interview, Cruz added. If I was interviewing with you, and I called you up and said, Im not willing to show up at the job interview, you wouldnt hire me. And I think thats what Donald said to the people of Iowa, that he wasnt willing to submit to the scrutiny. But Cruz, who trails Trump by five points in the latest Des Moines Register poll, also downplayed the importance of winning the Iowa caucuses. We dont view any state as a must-win, he said. I think were positioned to do very well in Iowa. I think we have worked very hard. We will have been to all 99 counties in the state of Iowa. We will have stood in front of the men and women of Iowa and simply asked for their support, looked them in the eyes and asked for their support. I think thats what it takes to win Iowa, but were going to find out tomorrow night. Democratic presidential candidate former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley leads attendees in a song after holding a town hall at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, Wednesday. (Photo: Patrick Semansky/AP) DES MOINES, Iowa On Monday night, former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalleys tiny band of supporters will be the center of attention in Iowa precincts across the state. OMalley had only 3 percent support in the final Des Moines Register-Bloomberg Politics poll, but because of the Byzantine rules of the Democratic caucusing process, his supporters could end up deciding the incredibly close race between Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders. In each of the states 1,681 caucusing locations, a candidate must get 15 percent of voters to be considered viable during an initial count thats taken at the beginning of the evening. OMalley isnt expected to reach that threshold in the vast majority of precincts, which means his supporters will be up for grabs they must either choose another candidate, or their vote will not count. SLIDESHOW On the trail and down to the wire in Iowa >>> Wooing voters who back candidates that fail to meet the threshold has made a big difference in elections in the state in the past: John Edwards finished a surprise second in 2004 thanks in part to Dennis Kucinichs supporters defecting to him. And Bill Richardsons backers joined Barack Obamas camp in 2008. The Clinton campaign is arming its precinct captains with special software to help them figure out how to keep OMalley supporters from defecting to Sanders camp, BuzzFeed News reported Saturday. Meanwhile, Sanders precinct captains are being told to beef up on their OMalley knowledge so they can entice his fans over to their side and to offer them delegates for the county convention as inducement. You might have to cut a deal, said Mitch Henry, a Democratic activist who was leading a small training for Sanders precinct captains Saturday afternoon in a coffee shop in Des Moines. Lets say in this case you have 10 OMalley supporters. You would maybe offer them a delegate. You could say to them, OK, you 10 come over, we give you a delegate. Story continues This is a largely symbolic concession the OMalley supporters votes would go to Sanders in the caucus, but in the county conventions later on, their delegate could switch back to supporting OMalley. If horse-trading fails, theres always the power of persuasion. I would definitely beef up on the OMalley top 5 issues, see what they are, Henry told the precinct captains. Henry, who supported Sanders until a little more than a month ago, added that he believes most OMalley supporters second choice is Sanders. Talking to a lot of OMalley supporters, there are a lot of ways Bernie lines up on the issues. A lot of them will say the environment [is their top concern], and Bernie is clearly superior to Hillary on the environment, said Bri Steirer, a precinct captain for the Drake University area. But the Sanders plan to convince OMalley fans with delegates and issues may not be able to compete with Clintons scheme. The Clinton campaign has trained its precinct captains to use software that calculates when it benefits Clinton to give OMalley supporters a few of their votes in order to block them from defecting to Sanders. That means Clinton supporters would help OMalley become a viable candidate in precincts where she would still carry the day. A Sanders precinct captain, Darlene Lawler, asked Henry about whether Bernie supporters should be trying to do the same thing helping OMalley become viable in cases where it would help Bernie. I would not give them three or four people to be viable because you just dont know what could happen, Henry said, adding that the math can get complicated as the night goes on, and its easy to make a mistake. Clintons campaign has an app that will help caucus leaders calculate the risks, however, which means they dont have to worry about mistakes. Tim Benton, Mary Benton, Karen Doland, and a friend posing for a photo with Jake Tapper and Tom Brokaw. (Photo: Hunter Walker/Yahoo News) DES MOINES, Iowa Mary Benton was screaming in the lobby of the Des Moines Marriott Downtown on Saturday night. Benton just had her most exciting moment in 16 years of what she describes as Iowa caucus stargazing. She got her picture taken with CNNs Jake Tapper and former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw. Benton was with a group of her friends in the hotel, which is the epicenter of the political media scene that converges in Iowa ahead of the caucuses that take place Feb. 1. They came to the hotel to meet and mingle with the journalists and politicos who crowd the lobby bar. Its a regular ritual for Benton and her friends. Theres a rounds, You make the rounds, Benton said. The Marriotts been big, though. Benton is an attorney. Her boisterous, beer drinking group included her law school classmate, Karen Doland, who is a judge, and her husband, Tim. We did not coordinate this meeting tonight, Doland said. Were just political nerds and we happened to run into each other tonight. Iowa on our minds, as the campaign nears its climax >>> Benton said their stargazing circuit also included the downtown restaurants Centro and 801 Chophouse. 801 Grand is the place to really see people, Benton said of the steakhouse. We saw Larry King 12 years ago. Larry King, Tucker Carlson, and many others. Mark Halperin we saw tonight, Doland said. I saw Jennifer Epstein on the way in. I follow her on Twitter. Shes been following the campaign. Its just nice. These are the people who are the celebrities, Benton added. Doland is from Des Moines and Benton said she lives nearby. We were just talking about whether were just political nerds or if everybody feels this way, Doland said. To see Tom Brokaw, to see Jake Tapper here in Iowa you have a chance to meet them. Were honored to do that. Not everyone gets to do that. Story continues And truly it is the journalists were more excited about than the politicians, Benton said. Benton was wearing a popular t-shirt from the local shop Raygun that is festooned with the face of Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) However, Benton claimed that she and Doland are undecided voters. I dont think either of us have truly decided yet, but I saw this and had to have it, Benton said of the shirt. The pair said they dont favor a particular news outlet. When youre a news junkie, youre a news junkie, Doland explained. So, CNN, Bloomberg, everything, Twitter. Jon Stewart, Benton piped in. Though they clearly enjoy a wide selection of media, the pair was adamant that meeting Brokaw on Saturday night was their best moment. Hes a legend, Benton said of Brokaw, To hear his voice, Doland added before being interrupted. This tops when I talked to Chris Matthews twelve years ago, Benton said. The group eventually left the Marriott and went over to 801 Chophouse. A few hours later they returned. Benton rushed over to this reporter to share the news of her latest success. Youre not going to believe who I just shook hands with Chris Matthews, she said. I told Chris Matthews, I said, I saw you sixteen years ago. And I saw Tom Brokaw earlier tonight. Benton let Matthews know where he ranked on her list. I told him that now my meeting you had been surpassed that I got to meet Brokaw, Benton recounted. Benton said Matthews responded to this by joking that Brokaw is so competitive. I can die now, Benton added. I can die now. But Bentons night wasnt done. She spotted CNN and ABC contributor Ana Navarro walking across the lobby. CNN! Benton shouted at Navarro. Navarro nodded at Benton and kept walking. She was a bit standoffish dont you think? Benton declared. Some of them are gracious, but some are a bit standoffish. UPDATE (10:42 p.m.); After seeing this story Navarro reached out to Yahoo and asked for Bentons phone number. Navarro called Benton to say hello. She was so nice, Benton said. For Petes sake, she didnt have to apologize to me. Slideshow: On the trail and down to the wire in Iowa >>> Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP) DES MOINES, Iowa Hillary Clinton wants Iowa voters to consider gun control when they caucus in two days. At her event on Saturday, Clinton was joined by gun control activists Mark Kelly and Gabby Giffords. Emotions ran high as Giffords, who was wounded in a mass shooting and still struggles to speak, suggested Clinton is the best candidate to stand up to the gun lobby. For her part, Clinton, who is normally far more subdued even when making a forceful point, raised her voice in anger and incredulousness as she argued Americas gun laws must change. When Ive traveled around Iowa the last couple of months, I have heard about what happens when children, young children, toddlers, kids in elementary school find that loaded gun in the closet or under the bed, Clinton said. Ive heard the stories. Ive seen the news reports about the ones who are killed. What is wrong with us? How can we continue? Slideshow: On the trail and down to the wire in Iowa >>> Clinton was introduced at the event by her daughter, Chelsea, who said she couldnt imagine a stronger president to keep us safe. After Chelsea spoke, Kelly, an astronaut, took the stage. Kelly said he and his wife believe there is only one candidate that is willing to take on the tough fights. He also alluded to the struggle that Giffords, a former congresswoman, has gone through in the five years since she was shot. Gabby served for about two-and-a-half years in Congress; then she was injured, Kelly said. You know, its tough for me to talk about this, but often one of the last things Gabby will say to me before she gets in the car to go to an appointment to do some grueling physical therapy, speech therapy, shell say, Fight, fight, fight. She doesnt give up. Afterward, Giffords made a brief statement. Speaking is hard for me, Giffords said. But January, come January, I want to say these two words: Madam President. Story continues Her words came slowly. Hillary is tough. Hillary is courageous, said Giffords. In the White House she will stand up to the gun lobby. Thats why Im voting for Hillary. Gabrielle Giffords, with her husband, Mark Kelly, embraces Hillary Clinton during a get out the caucus event at Iowa State University. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Though she didnt mention his name, the elephant in the room was clearly Clintons top rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.). Painting Sanders as not being a strong supporter of gun control has been one of the main attacks from the Clinton campaign during their primary fight. Clinton said her gun control policies would be consistent with the Constitution and claimed she is regularly approached by gun owners and hunters who agree with her stance. I agree with President Obama. The steps that he announced are ones that I fully endorse, executive action, put more resources into the work of doing the background checks, going after the gun dealers who are so irresponsible, Clinton said. But none of it will stick if its not a voting issue and, as you go to caucus Monday night, please think about this. Eric Holder, former U.S. attorney general, attends the 2016 Tina Brown Live Medias American Justice Summit at Gerald W. Lynch Theatre on Jan. 29 in New York City. (Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) Former Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. yesterday used a criminal justice conference in New York City to settle some scores with political rivals with whom hed clashed during his six and a half years of service in the Obama administration. In a series of comments heavy with scorn, Holder took on congressional Republicans for their role in blocking gun control measures in the wake of the Newtown massacre and for obstructing Obamas efforts to close the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But Holder reserved his most stinging comments for those who opposed his decision to try 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in federal court in New York, a decision that the White House reversed under bipartisan pressure from members of Congress and New York politicians. I was mad then, Im mad now. I was damn right and the people who opposed me were damn wrong, Holder told Tina Brown, who interviewed him at the American Justice Summit. Holder singled out Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., for placing politics above national security and implored New Hampshire voters to ask her about the issue on the campaign trial where she is engaged in a tight re-election race. Without naming names, Holder said that multiple Republicans have said that they received their biggest applause lines in calling out Holder for affording the same due process rights enjoyed by all Americans to the 9/11 defendants. But Holder said the fact that KSMs case remains mired in the military justice system with no signs of going to trial after more than six years proves that he was right, and his critics were wrong. If the decision to try the 9/11 defendants in civilian court had stood, Holder told Brown, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his confederates would be on death row right now instead of waiting for their first pre-trial hearing. Story continues Eric Holder talks with Tina Brown at Tina Brown Live Medias American Justice Summit on Jan. 29 in New York City. (Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) Holder was equally caustic about Congresss lack of action in the wake of the Sandy Hook mass shooting that left 20 school children and six adults dead. He called his visit to the Connecticut school, where he saw the blood-spattered walls directly below the art work of first-graders, the worst day of his tenure as attorney general. He added that if the American people had seen the what he had seen, even the cowards in our Congress would have been forced to do the right thing. But Holder also acknowledged that the Obama administration should shoulder some of the blame for its failure to achieve meaningful gun-safety legislation. I do think in retrospect we should have pushed harder, Holder said in response to a question about why the administration did not make guns a priority during President Obamas first term. And Holder called the issue my biggest failure especially in light of the mass shootings we saw all the time. Holder also spoke out passionately about the need to bolster voter protections in the wake of the Supreme Courts Shelby v. Holder decision, which struck down key provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Holder put the trend toward instituting voter ID laws in starkly political terms. Its an attempt to retard the growth of, lets be honest, the Obama coalition, which is very scary to some people. He observed that elements of the country are unsettled by the major demographic changes taking place, pointing out that the United States will no longer be majority white by 2043. He was subdued but more somber when the questions turned to the frayed relationship between law enforcement and the African-American community, a major focus of the conference. Holder recalled his visit to Ferguson, Mo., and the shock of learning how under siege black residents felt by the police. It was striking not to hear almost any defenders of law enforcement there, he said. He also retold his own experience of being racially profiled by law enforcement. One evening, he and his cousin were late for a movie in the affluent Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Georgetown. As they were running toward the theater, the police ordered them to stop, shined a light in their faces and asked what they were doing. Guilty of being black and running to a movie in a white neighborhood, Holder said dryly. At the time he was a young federal prosecutor. The conference was the second annual American Justice Summit, which explores efforts to reform the criminal justice system and is put on by Tina Brown Live Media. This years summit was held at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Scroll to 5:57 to watch the Eric Holder interview with Tina Brown. Kagame The 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which a tottering government spurred members of the Hutu ethnic group to slaughter as many as 800,000 of their Tutsi neighbors, has been the subject of numerous books, dramatic films, and documentaries aimed at a general audience. The atrocity's messy aftermath hasn't inspired quite the same interest. Rwanda's post-genocide government helped touch off multiple region-wide conflicts in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, as Paul Kagame, the commander of the eventually victorious Tutsi forces in 1994, molded Rwanda into one of the most thoroughgoing dictatorships in Africa. Rwanda's post-genocide trajectory, and Kagame's construction of a seemingly stable, prosperous and internationally lauded authoritarian state, is one of the most fascinating and morally vexing foreign-policy stories of the past two decades. But it's largely remained inaccessible to nonspecialists which is why "Bad News: Last Journalists in a Dictatorship," author Anjan Sundaram's recently published book recounting his time in Rwanda, is so important. Screen Shot 2016 01 29 at 5.47.47 PM Sundaram's first-person account of his experience working as an instructor in a journalism-training program in Kigali, Rwanda's capital, is one of the first explorations of the post-genocide Rwandan dictatorship aimed at a general audience. From 2009 to 2013, Sundaram watched as his students were swept up in Kagame's crackdown on the independent media a terrifying decompression of the political and intellectual space that did not trigger any noticeable reduction in western support for Kagame's government. Sundaram's book will be of interest even to readers who know nothing about Rwandan history, or about Kagame's leading role in the labyrinthine conflicts that have frequently convulsed Africa's Great Lakes region over the past 20 years. The book's details and narrative are solely focused on Rwanda, but its major themes have a tragically universal character. Story continues "Bad News" is a jarringly intimate record of how an oppressive government's distortions of the truth play out on the level of an individual mind. It's a book about the denial of freedom of conscience about how a dictatorship's wholesale reconstruction of reality corrodes and then co-opts the psyche, molding citizens into timid reflections of their doubts and fears. As Sundaram told Business Insider, Rwanda under Kagame "was a world in which [people] could trust almost no one, where ... they would disown friends, disown family, isolate themselves" based on even the vaguest perception of danger from an omnipresent government. "And the power of the system was that people did these things to themselves." Sundaram hopes that his book "will make it more uncomfortable" for foreign governments "to lie about what they know and force them to speak more openly about the cost at which their support to Rwandas government comes." His book ends with an appendix listing scores of journalists who have been harassed, persecuted, or killed by Kagame's regime. Above all, he hopes his book will preserve at least some of their stories, which are little known both inside and outside the country. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Screen Shot 2016 01 29 at 5.50.53 PM BUSINESS INSIDER: Early on in the book you argue that Rwandas vaunted development statistics [see here] are actually badly distorted, noting that they come from the government or are based on surveys of an intimidated citizenry. Do you think the worlds entire view of the development situation in Rwanda is totally skewed by the problems you identify? ANJAN SUNDARAM: I think the numbers are skewed. I wouldnt trust any government in a country in which theres no free press ... In Rwanda there is no free press, so the government has free reign to say whatever they want and whatever they say becomes the truth. And the problem is that the world has blindly, unquestioningly accepted their word, so that when the Rwandan government says economic growth is at 8% the world believes it and publishes it and without saying according to the government Almost all of the research projects documenting the economy in Rwanda have proceeded with the explicit approval of the government and have been shaped by the government in important ways. Researchers are talking to government-sanctioned subjects. Theyre getting government permission to access the countryside, which is highly controlled. I also think a lot of the worlds view on Rwanda is shaped on peoples impressions coming in. You arrive in Rwanda and youve been told the story of the genocide but you see the roads, the streetlights, the skyscrapers. I think the emotional response is so powerful that people tend to slack off on the actual evidence and the facts. People want to believe Rwandas story, of a successful country rising from the ashes of genocide. And so its easy forget that most of the information that we have about the country and most of the survey data comes from one source: the Rwandan government. And its a highly repressive government. Rwanda rally BI: One theme of the book is the idea that in such an oppressive country you have to figure out whats going on based on what youre not seeing, while figuring out how to interpret what you are seeing everythings a code in a way, pointing to stories the government doesnt want told. When did you get to the point where you could figure out the significance of what you were observing and experiencing? AS: When I arrived in Rwanda in 2009 I was largely oblivious to the extent of repression and control. I knew about Kagames forces war crimes in Congo but I had read much of the same positive news that everyone reads about Rwanda. I read nothing almost that told me about the stories of the many journalists and politicians and academics and military figures who had fled the country or been killed because they had opposed the president. These stories are just suppressed. These people are forgotten. One of the purposes of writing this book was to put on record some of what these journalists stood up for. They saw the country heading in a direction, and they stood up to what they saw was problematic. And they suffered for it. Theyre unspoken of in Rwanda today except in extremely derogatory terms. I wanted to put on record what they stood for, what they saw. They saw clearly, they saw early and they fought for it and they suffered. Rwanda congo When I began to teach these classes among the first things the students said to me was tell us how your countries won their freedom. Your countries were not always free. How did you win your freedom? That began this journey of trying to understand my students experiences I guess the culmination of that process was when Gibson, one of my students took me outside the house where I was staying in Kigali and he showed me the road across the hill. And this road was one of Rwandas cleanest, best roads, one of the roads that every foreigner and donor would point to as a sign of progress: It was well-paved, the streetlights were all working, they were spaced closer even than in Dubai, which is a resource-rich country and Rwanda is not resource-rich. It gave an impression of a country that was wealthy, calm, orderly, beautiful, and growing. Gibson showed me that people didnt use that road. The road was completely empty. People were walking along a different local road, which was unlit and unpaved, and apparently people viewed the well-paved road and well-lit road with fear: They saw it as a place where the government could keep watch on them, and they avoided it. That raises a question about development. What we see in Rwanda and how the people there see it can be completely the opposite. We see a memorial for the genocide and think its commemorating the genocide and ensuring it doesnt happen again. But they see it as a place where trauma is spread within the country by the government as a means of control. We see a well-paved road that people can use. They see it as a method for government surveillance and they avoid the road My students took me into a country that is completely divorced from what a foreigner or a visitor would experience. And the more I explored that world the more terrifying it seemed. It was a world in which they could trust almost no one, where people performed a kind of theater in order to please the government. They would disown friends, disown family, isolate themselves. And the power of the system was that people did these things to themselves. Kigali BI: Throughout the book you seem to detect a continuation of the genocide-era mindset in the country, and inevitably your book appears to suggest that Rwanda actually isnt stable, and that a catastrophic historical pattern is reproducing itself in a way. Is Rwanda actually a powder keg, and will its current stability one day appear fictive? AS: Theres a very granular level of government control in Rwanda. If someone comes and stays at your house your neighbors will inform the local chief who lives just two streets down, and that chief will have a direct connection to a line of authority that reaches all the way to the center in Kigali. This structure was the reason why the genocide began so quickly and proceeded so efficiently in 1994 after the government gave the order to kill. I dont think that Kagame has transformed the country from what it was during the genocide. In fact the situation today is extremely worrying. Theres only the governments voice. People who criticize the government are killed, imprisoned, tortured, force to flee the country fearing for their lives taste of success When no one confirms what youre saying you can begin to question what you saw and felt. This is the power of dictatorial system. People question themselves. And truth becomes elusive in your own mind, things that you know to be facts and felt in your skin can come to seem like figments of your imagination. And thats an experience that I wanted to communicate in the book. Much of the book is not only to criticize the government but also communicate some of what it feels like to live in a dictatorship and how disorienting and jarring and transformative it can be. BI: With Kagame recently amending the constitution to be able to stay in power until 2034 [see here], where do you see Rwanda going in the next 20-odd years with no free press and the government as entrenched as it is. AS: Its looking very unlikely that power will transfer from Kagame without violence. Thats also the academic consensus. There are competent, intelligent, experienced Rwandan politicians. Unfortunately Kagame has alienated all of them or killed them hes directly responsible for building a system in which he holds total power And historically Rwandan included when countries have leaders whose power is absolute, transitions of power are accompanied by violence. Kagame stadium BI: Yours is one of the first books for a general readership about the dictatorship in Rwanda. What ideally would you like the impact of this book to be, given the ground that it breaks for a general audience? AS: I wrote this book from a place of affection for my students. It would have been very difficult to write this book without that affection. Its a very hard place, and a hard topic to write about. The propaganda is so powerful that its difficult even to think outside it. I was writing drafts of this book while my journalists were being harassed. I saw students photos in the newspapers with their heads shaved and looking really weak and sad. In those moments I would sit down and write, and I would wake up the next morning and often find that what I had written was less interesting because it was reacting to the repression and I was trying to undo or challenge the Rwandan governments narrative. And thats not what I want to do in this book. What I want to do is tell the stories. I arrived in Rwanda in 2009 to teach a new corps of journalists. None of them are practicing today. One of my students was shot dead on the day he criticized the government. Two women were sent to prison, at the time for 17 years, for insulting Kagame. Two others fled to Europe fearing for their lives. Others joined the presidents propaganda team or simply dropped out of journalism. One of them went mad. My motivation was to tell the stories of these brave Rwandan journalists who saw where their country was heading, tried to challenge it, tried to do their jobs in a peaceful and largely constructive way and were squashed, crushed by Kagame in his drive for power Kigali minibuses BI: Do you suspect that youre now barred from entering Rwanda? AS: I expect people I knew in Rwanda to make up things about my private life, about the private lives of people near and dear to me. I expect the government to produce false documents implicating friends or people that I know. I expect them to just go after me; they might try to find out whom I was associating with, or figure out who my sources are, and Im pretty sure that those people will feel a need to distance themselves from me. Now, with the release of my book, its a problem for people inside Rwanda to say they even knew me or were my friend. BI: Even not being in Rwanda the book handcuffs you in a way you dont want there to be consequences for the people you interacted with when you were living there. AS: Exactly. I think the physical security of people has to come before any other consideration. I cannot even say that this person was my friend. It would be a problem for them This is something I was very aware of when I was writing the book. I knew that in writing this book I would be breaking all my ties with Rwanda. Rwanda is the place in which I have lived for the longest since I was 10 years old. Its the closest thing to home that Ive known in my adult life in some ways, as far as an independent home, a home I made myself. It hasnt been an easy decision to know that in writing this book I would be forsaking that that I wont be able to go back, that the friends Ive made will have to be forsaken, and that they might forsake me. Anyone who criticizes the government of Rwanda has to confront these very serious personal questions, and many people within Rwanda understandably choose not to confront them because the consequence would be so great. Im a foreigner. I have a degree of freedom; Im not totally tied to Rwanda. So I felt I had lived through some of the worst repression in Rwanda in recent times and that there was an obligation to write about it and come to terms with the fact that Im going to lose friends and am going to continue to lose friends and friends are going to accuse me of things and smear me. Kagame soldier BI: And the idea is that it will have been worth it to get the story out. AS: Absolutely. As a journalist I feel our job is to hold power accountable. And the Rwandan government has abused its power and almost no one has held it accountable. They praise Kagame, they praise the economy, but the press, both local and foreign, has not held Kagame accountable for his abuses of power. NOW WATCH: Dramatic video shows desperate migrants being rescued in the Mediterranean More From Business Insider WEST DES MOINES, Iowa The idea came to George Davey like a vision. In his backyard, which overlooks one of the busiest streets in this bustling suburb of the Iowa capital, he would build a giant sign a mini billboard, if you will. And it would feature the photo of his chosen candidate in the upcoming Iowa caucuses: Donald Trump. Last fall, Davey, a 49-year-old computer engineer and father of two, casually mentioned his plan to his wife intentionally leaving out the key detail that it would be a very large sign. He knew shed probably stop him if she knew exactly what he was planning a full-on pedestal propped up against their wooden fence complete with lighting. Better to do it and ask for forgiveness later, he thought. Davey, as he explains it, isnt a super-political person, though he did once help lead a fight to block an increase in the local sales tax. But he was a longtime fan of Trump, having followed his career since he was in college. Hed read all of Trumps books and even posed with a wax figure of the New York real estate magnate turned reality television star a few years ago at a wax museum in Branson, Mo. A picture of him and his icon became a cherished possession. When Trump announced he was officially running for president last summer, Davey was thrilled. He not only sees Trump as one of the great business figures of the modern era, but also as someone whose story is distinctively American. Hes a great dreamer, someone who has vision, Davey said. Sometime around October, Davey began to put his plan in motion. He scouted pictures of Trump on the Internet looking for that perfect one. He settled on an image of Trump that, as he sees it, is a bit ambiguous. Is he yelling at someone, or is he just talking? Its up to interpretation, Davey said. He sent the image to a sign company in California, where he ordered a 4-foot-by-8-foot vinyl sign that could withstand an Iowa winter. When it arrived a few weeks later, Davey couldnt believe how amazing it looked, but he quickly rolled it back up and hid it from his wife. Story continues The Friday after Thanksgiving, Davey finally began to put his plan in motion. With his wife out shopping at the Black Friday sales, he ran into his backyard. There, with the help of his father-in-law, he secured the vinyl sign on the pedestal hed designed, and they lifted it up, securing it to his fence so it wouldnt blow over. He saw neighbors peering out their windows, puzzled looks on their faces, while cars on the nearby Jordan Creek Parkway began to slow down. Slideshow: On the trail and down to the wire in Iowa >>> It wasnt until we stood it up and went around to the other side to look at it, that were like, Oh my gosh, this is going to be wild, Davey recalled, a huge grin on his face. He ran back into the house to grab his camera, but by the time hed returned, cars were already lining up to take photos. It was only the beginning. Now cars are often stopped on Daveys block, as people jump out to take photos or selfies with the sign. And reporters from all over the world have come to photograph it. Some have tried to vandalize the sign. Some have thrown eggs, which largely bounce off the vinyl. It was trickier to remove the chocolate syrup a group of kids threw on the sign a few weeks ago. Since then, Davey has installed two security cameras one that he can monitor from inside the house, and another that records video, which hes saving. The only person who hasnt shown up is Trump, but Davey is still hoping. A few weeks ago, a Trump campaign aide dropped a thank-you package on his doorstep, which included a few T-shirts and a Trump yard sign, which he held up for his wife. They gave me this? he said. It was minuscule compared to the one in his backyard. Seriously, they gave me this? (Videography and cover tile photo: Khue Bui for Yahoo News) Shaybah oilfield complex is seen at night in the Rub' al-Khali desert, Saudi Arabia, November 14, 2007. REUTERS/ Ali Jarekji DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia was not the source of a proposal to cut oil production that Russia was studying, al-Arabiya television reported on Sunday, quoting an unnamed Saudi source. But the kingdom, the world's biggest oil exporter, wanted to cooperate with other producers to support the oil market, the source also told the Saudi-owned and Dubai-based satellite channel. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday that OPEC had proposed output cuts of up to 5 percent to help reduce a glut of crude and prop up sinking prices, in what would be the first such deal globally in over a decade. It was not clear if Novak was referring to a months-old proposal by OPEC members Venezuela and Algeria, or a new one backed by Saudi Arabia. Sunday's Arabiya report implied the proposal was not new. The Saudi source's comments were in line with remarks made by a senior Gulf OPEC delegate to Reuters on Thursday. Saudi Arabia has long said it is willing to act to stabilise prices but that the other countries, particularly higher-cost producers, must also reduce their output. The possibility of supply restraint by producers boosted oil prices to almost $36 a barrel last week from a 12-year low close of $27. But there is widespread scepticism that a deal will happen, especially since Iran is keen to boost its market share now that sanctions on it have been lifted. (Reporting by Hadeel al-Sayegh, Writing by Andrew Torchia; editing by John Stonestreet) Turkey warned of consequences on Saturday after saying a Russian SU-34 jet had violated its airspace despite warnings, once more stoking tensions between two countries involved in Syria's war, but Russia denied that there had been any incursion. In a similar incident in November , Turkey shot down a Russian warplane flying a sortie over Syria that it said had violated its airspace, triggering a diplomatic rupture in which Russia imposed economic sanctions. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov denied that any Russian plane had entered Turkish airspace, and called the Turkish allegation "pure propaganda". He said Turkish radar installations were not capable of identifying a particular aircraft or its type or nationality, and that no verbal warning had been issued in either English or Russian. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in its statement that the Russian ambassador had been summoned late on Friday, and that the violation was a clear sign that Russia wanted issues between the two countries to escalate. "We are making a clear call to the Russian Federation not to violate Turkish airspace, which is also NATO airspace," the statement said. "We are emphasising once again that the unwanted consequences of such irresponsible behaviour will belong fully to the Russian Federation." NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the violation had taken place, and urged Russia to "take all necessary measures" to ensure NATO airspace was not violated again. "Previous incidents have shown how dangerous such behaviour is," his statement said. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after the incident. "I told our Foreign Ministry to convey my desire to meet Mr Putin personally. There has been no answer on this yet," Erdogan told reporters at the airport before departing for a visit to Latin America. Story continues The downing of the Russian warplane in November left relations between the two countries in tatters. Russia responded with economic sanctions that have hit Turkish exports and tourism revenues. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. More From CNBC By Anthony Boadle RECIFE, Brazil, Jan 31 (Reuters) - For scores of women in the epicenter of the Zika outbreak in Brazil, the joy of pregnancy has given way to fear. In the sprawling coastal city of Recife, panic has struck maternity wards since Zika - a mosquito-borne virus first detected in the Americas last year - was linked to wave of brain damage in newborns. There is no vaccine or known cure for the poorly understood disease. In about four-fifths of cases, Zika causes no noticeable symptoms so women have no idea if they contracted it during pregnancy. Test kits for the virus are only effective in the first week of infection and only available at private clinics at a cost of 900 reais, more than the monthly minimum wage. At Recife's IMIP hospital, dozens of soon-to-be mothers wait anxiously for ultrasound scans that will indicate whether the child they are carrying has a shrunken head and damaged brain, a condition called microcephaly. The hospital has already had 160 babies born there with the deformity since August. "It's very frightening. I'm worried my daughter will have microcephaly," says Elisangela Barros, 40, shedding a tear behind her thick-rimmed glasses. "My neighborhood is poor and full of mosquitoes, trash and has no running water. Five of my neighbors have Zika." Women like Barros, who live in crowded, muddy slums of Brazil's chaotic cities, have little defense against the Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries Zika, as well as other diseases such as dengue and yellow fever. They often cannot afford insect repellent and have little access to family planning. Shocking images of babies with birth defects have made many women think twice about getting pregnant. Doctors worry the outbreak will lead to an increase in dangerous clandestine abortions in the majority-Catholic country. Under Brazilian law, terminating pregnancies is illegal except in cases of rape and when the mothers' life is at risk. The rapid spread of Zika to 22 countries in the Americas has prompted some governments to advise women to delay having children. El Salvador recommended women not get pregnant for two years. [http://reut.rs/1JwW4AT] Story continues It has also triggered debate on liberalizing abortion in the region, where many countries have strict laws. "Fear is growing among women because this is a new disease that we know little about. We don't have many answers," said Adriana Scavuzzi, a gynecologist at the IMIP hospital. THALIDOMIDE TRAGEDY Brazil's health ministry said as of Jan. 23 there were 270 confirmed cases of microcephaly and a further 3,448 suspected cases since October are being investigated -- by far the most in the Americas. World Health Organization officials say there is no scientific proof that Zika stunts the development of the fetus, causing microcephaly, but it is strongly suspected. Ninety percent of children born with the condition will have retarded mental and physical development, and will need specialized care for the rest of their lives. There is no certainty what they will be able to see or hear, or when they will learn to walk and talk, Scavuzzi said. Scavuzzi compared the emergency to the Thalidomide tragedy of the 1960s when thousands of children, mostly in Europe, were born with deformed limbs due to the use of the pill to help pregnant women with insomnia and morning sickness. "It will be worse than the Thalidomide generation because then the cause could be withdrawn from the market," she said. "But how do you withdraw from circulation a mosquito that has lived with us for so long?" Zika, first identified in Uganda in 1947 and unknown in the Americas until discovered in Brazil last year, causes a mild fever and body aches, symptoms that disappear in five days and can be mistaken for dengue, a virus that infected 1.6 million Brazilians last year. With a health crisis on its hands, Brazil's government says women who want to get pregnant should discuss the risks with their doctors but has stopped short of telling them to delay. Instead, it plans to hand out insect repellent to tens of thousands of low-income pregnant women and is stepping up an offensive to eradicate the mosquito with the help of the army. ABORTION ILLEGAL Public health experts expect Zika will lead to an increase in illegal abortions. An estimated 1 million are already carried out every year in Brazil. Botched procedures in clandestine clinics using sharp tools, over-the-counter medicines and no sterilization are already a major cause of maternal deaths. "Zika is a health catastrophe and a terrifying menace for pregnant women," said Daniel Becker, a pediatrician and public health expert in Rio de Janeiro. "People will look for an abortion." Women's rights organizations are advocating legal abortion in the case of women who contract Zika, a move that so far has been only taken by Colombia's health ministry. In Brazil, a group of researchers, activists and lawyers plans to petition the Supreme Court to allow abortions for women who have the virus, by-passing an increasingly conservative Congress where Evangelical lawmakers are backing a bill to restrict abortion even in cases of rape. The same group won a ruling in 2012 to extend legal abortion to anencephaly, a defect in which the baby is born without parts of the skull and brain and almost always dies shortly after. With Brazil's health care system already over-stretched, the future for many mothers could be grim if the Supreme Court does not act, said Debora Diniz, a law professor leading the campaign. "We will soon have a generation of poor women whose destiny will be to look after extremely dependent children full-time," she said. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Additional reporting by Antonia Eklund in Rio de Janeiro and Julia Cobb in Bogota; Editing by Kieran Murray) The first type of testing we will study is the Proof Test . The idea behind such a test is to verify the strength of the barrel, breech and ... Want to share an article or opinion? Unlike some other Pacifica blogs, Fix Pacifica won't bury viewpoints we disagree with. Send your submission, along with your name, to fixpacifica@gmail.com People may comment anonymously, but any comments that degenerate into 1) personal attacks against individual blog participants; 2) incomprehensible gibberish; or 3) attempts to turn conversations into grade-school playground brawls, will be removed. We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. 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Hodapp is the author of Freemasons For Dummies, the worldwide, best-selling introduction to the Masonic fraternity; Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C. ; and Deciphering the Lost Symbol. His most recent book, Heritage Endures, was published in January 2018. Since 2009 he has been on the Board of the Masonic Library & Museum of Indiana, and serves as its Associate Director and Treasurer. In 2021, Chris was named as Public Relations and Marketing Director for the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana. Chris is also the co-author with Alice Von Kannon of The Templar Code For Dummies and Conspiracy Theories And Secret Societies For Dummies. As a Freemason, Chris is a Past Master of Broad Ripple Lodge No. 643 and of Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 under the Grand Lodge F&AM of Indiana; he is a member of Indiana's Schofield Lodge 1818 U.D.; and of Internet Lodge No. 9659 in the Province of East Lancashire of the United Grand Lodge of England. Most recently, he was named the Worshipful Master of the Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research U.D. in Indiana for 2019-21. In 2018 he was awarded the Caleb B. Smith Medal of Honor by the Grand Lodge F&AM of Indiana for his "distinguished service to Freemasonry in Indiana and worldwide." Chris is a 33 Mason in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (NMJ), Indianapolis Valley. He is a Past Sovereign Master of Imhotep Council No. 434 of the Allied Masonic Degrees. He is a founding member of Levant Preceptory, a medieval Knights Templar period recreation degree team in the York Rite, and he is an officer of the Indiana College of the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis. He belongs to numerous other Masonic appendant organizations. As a Masonic author, in 2012 he was named as Friar No. 101 in the Society of Blue Friars. Chris is a Founding Fellow of The Masonic Society, and was the founding Editor in Chief of The Journal of The Masonic Society. He remains a regular contributor today, and its Editor Emeritus. He was the editor and a contributor in 2004-5 to "Laudable Pursuit: A 21st Century Response to Dwight Smith" by the Knights of the North, a Masonic leadership think-tank focusing on modern lodge solutions. He has written for Indianapolis Monthly, Heredom, Masonic Magazine, Templar History, the Scottish Rite Journal, the Knight Templar Magazine, the Indiana Freemason , the Phylaxis, and numerous other publications. Chris was a commercial filmmaker for twenty-three years with Dean Crow Productions in Indianapolis. Hodapp and Alice Von Kannon developed scripts for the History Channel program, Brad Meltzer's Decoded in 2010, and contributed material on conspiracies and secret societies for TruTV and the American Heroes Channel. They have both appeared on National Public Radio, the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and the American Heroes Channel - most recently in 2017 on America: Facts vs Fiction. Chris and Alice live in Indianapolis with Sophie the Flying Poodle who has them both answering to basic commands. However, they can frequently be found alarming the wildlife and dazzling the rustics in their Airstream trailer as they crisscross the country. Appropriately, their newest book together is RVs and Campers For Dummies, released in June 2021. Turkish Airlines and Boeing share a long history that goes back to 1945, with the arrival of the airlines first DC-3/C-47 airliners and today they signed a collaboration agreement that will strengthen Turkish Airlines long-term industry leadership. In the agreement, Turkish Airlines and Boeing identified several potential areas of new cooperation, expanding on Boeings already-significant investment with Turkish industry. Boeing is proud to further our strong, committed relationship with Turkish Airlines in ways that support both companies profitable growth and Turkeys long-term development, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President CEO Ray Conner said at the signing ceremony held in Seattle. Together, Boeing and Turkish Airlines will identify and develop new, mutually beneficial business opportunities that build on and complement our mutual strengths. Suppliers across Turkey currently support all five Boeing Commercial Airplanes programs delivering Turkish-made components valued at more than $120 million annually. Building on these strong industrial ties, the new agreement between Boeing and Turkish Airlines identified several additional areas of long-term cooperation. They include development and training, activities to enable the global competitiveness of Turkeys aviation manufacturers, and support for Turkeys research and technology capabilities and aerospace infrastructure. The Boeing Company has maintained a long-standing and mutually beneficial relationship with Turkey since the mid-1940s. In addition to providing commercial jetliners, Boeing is a supplier of defense products to the Turkish armed forces and a significant and trusted partner of the Turkish aerospace industry. The Strategic Alliance Agreement is signed during a visit by the airlines executives to Seattle for the delivery of their new Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) and two Next-Generation 737-800s. The 70 kg Quetzalcoatlus debate Last week, a press release went out from Texas Tech University on some findings that were presented recently at Geological Society of Ameri... Pterosaurs are not dinosaurs! This post isn't the kind of post I normally do, but it stems from a conversation I had with someone at Science Borealis when they share... People-snatching pterosaurs I'm sure by now everyone has seen the recent Jurassic World trailer and palaeontologists and dinosaur fans alike have been salivating o... The evolution of the "lightweight" skeleton of birds We often read in the literature, or hear it in popular science shows that birds are able to fly because of their lightweight skeleton, but i... DES MOINES Donald Trumps campaign has defied almost all the conventional wisdom regarding what it takes to win the Iowa caucuses. With Iowa Republicans set to caucus Monday night, several important questions will remain unanswered until all the secret ballots are counted. Iowa campaign veterans and experts say these are the five most pressing keys to the caucus: 1. Trump turnout Will Trump turn those huge crowds into caucus supporters? That was easily the top question posed by the experts. Trump frequently drew hundreds, sometimes thousands to his campaign events. But often, the crowd was a mixture of Iowans and out-of-staters, and some said they were there for the spectacle, not as supporters. Whether Trump can turn those crowds into caucus-goers will go a long way toward deciding what polls say is a close race in Iowa between Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. The larger the turnout of new caucus attendees, the higher the probability of a Trump caucus night victory, said Matt Strawn, a former state party chairman. Some media reports have suggested Trumps campaign lacks the organization to churn out caucus supporters. But Robert Haus, who has worked on several campaigns in Iowa and also has been a political consultant, said Trump has a solid Iowa campaign team. The candidate who has built his campaign around the concept of winning cant afford to lose, Haus said. His events have been huge, his team is knowledgeable, and they know how to organize. They will need to deliver those new voters to contend with Cruzs ground operation. 2. Cruz organization Experts and observers have lauded Cruzs campaign infrastructure, which has been described as expansive and technologically savvy. If those observations are true, it could make the difference between gold and silver on caucus night for Cruz, Strawn said. Is conventional wisdom that Cruz has the most robust organization in the state accurate? If turnout resembles recent history, rather than a significant increase, then his organization may well be the difference, Strawn said. 3. Cruz vs. corn Gov. Terry Branstad said a Cruz victory would be tragic for Iowa given the candidates opposition to the federal ethanol mandate that benefits Iowas agricultural economy. Cruz, who said he opposes all federal energy subsidies and mandates, said he would phase out the ethanol mandate over five years. Cruz has the much better ground game, but hes also been hit hard on the (ethanol) issue and whether hes flip-flopped on some issues, said Timothy Hagle, a political science professor at the University of Iowa who wrote a book on the 2012 caucuses. Will that hurt him relative to Trump? Might some go with (Florida Sen. Marco) Rubio instead? Cruz will want as much separation from Rubio as possible here in Iowa because he will want some momentum for New Hampshire, where (Cruz) hasnt been polling as well. Doug Gross, who has been Branstads chief of staff and chaired Mitt Romneys 2008 presidential campaign in Iowa, said the ethanol issue could be Cruzs deciding factor. I think (the ethanol issue) has had some impact, Gross said. It will be interesting to see whether that (limited) his potential vote. It probably will make the difference between whether he wins or loses, I think. 4. Moderate lane Trump and Cruz, who hold a comfortable lead in the polls in Iowa, are considered so-called outsider candidates. Trump, a billionaire businessman and reality television star, has never held elected office and frequently decries political correctness. Cruz is a tea party firebrand whose tactics have rankled some of his fellow U.S. senators, including Republicans. The expansive GOP field thus far has not coalesced around a more traditional or moderate candidate. Current and former governors Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and John Kasich, for example, remain mired in the middle or bottom of the pack in the polls. With no moderate candidate emerging, the outsiders are running away with the race in Iowa. Right now, those (moderate) Republican voters are largely split among Bush, Christie, Rubio and to a lesser degree Kasich, Strawn said. Can one candidate consolidate that support into a strong, top-three finish and a boost of momentum into New Hampshire? Gross thinks one of the moderate candidates will surge late and finish strong Monday night. Its between Bush and Rubio and Kasich and Christie. I get a sense here in the 11th hour that there is some movement (in the polls), Gross said. Well see if that occurs. John Stineman, who works as a political consultant and managed Steve Forbes 2000 presidential campaign in Iowa, said because the field of moderate candidates has not been winnowed, there may be more than the traditional three tickets out of Iowa. With a crowded GOP field and much uncertainty in the establishment lane of the race, a strong showing by Bush, Christie or Kasich all of whom are doing reasonably well in New Hampshire in the fourth-place slot could give them enough energy to prosecute their case in the Granite State, he said. 5. Rand Paul In 2012, libertarian supporters of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas took the Iowa GOP caucuses and even the state party structure by storm. This year, it does not appear those libertarians have automatically shifted their allegiance to Ron Pauls son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who is in the middle of the pack in polling on the race. Rand Paul has been courting younger voters and pitching less common GOP campaign issues such as criminal justice reform and an opposition to bulk data collection by federal surveillance programs. He wont do anywhere near as well as his father did, but they are still very well organized and have been working campuses very heavily, Hagle said. I expect that he will do better than what the polls show, but it will be interesting to see how close he comes to double digits. Experts say Iowa caucus results are as much about exceeding or failing to meet expectations as they are the one-two-three finish. So if Rand Paul successfully turns out young voters, he could enjoy a caucus night bump. If the Paul campaign is successful in finding 10,000 new votes among college students as they have boasted, he could be poised for a top-five finish, Strawn said. While not enough to grab major headlines, it (would be) enough to keep him alive in a field that is sure to winnow. All for ourselves, and nothing for other people, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind. Re: After performing poorly on multiple tests and receiving a failing grad [ #permalink 1 Kudos 1 Bookmarks Expert Reply Re: Recently, some critics of the U.S. government have pointed out that [ #permalink 45 Kudos 19 Bookmarks Here is a post that I came across online from a guy who had a 610 GMAT, got wait-listed at Cornell and eventually admitted.---------------------------------------Sakira:Ok guys, here's what I did. Lol maybe I shouldn't have picked a username that's my FIRST NAME, since there goes all anonymity haha.I applied to Tuck (darmouth), Columbia, Tulane, Rice, and Cornell. But please keep in mind that I applied VERY LATE--at or after the last de@d lines for all of these schools. I do not suggest you do this--almost all of the seats are filled up by this time. I waited this long because I wanted more time to prepare for my GMAT, but in the end my score didn't go up much and packaging the rest of your application is much more important. I was rejected from Columbia and Dartmouth outright--this could be because of my GMAT, or it could be because of how late I applied. In the case of Tuck, they invite everyone to come interview beforehand and I never did that, so this could have hurt my case there too.You have to treat your application like a marketing project. How will you market yourself? What are you trying to draw attention to? Don't just do the prototypical ap and hope they'll notice your strengths--draw attention to them, cleverly. I had a 2-prong strategy with my applications: use my essays to not necessarily sell them, but at least generate enough curiosity to nab an interview. Then use the interview to sell them. In the case of Johnson, they only allow 3 essays with 400 word counts, so this was difficult. They are not looking for flowery writing--they want to see what you can do in this limited space. It's like working on a commercial during the superbowl--you have a 30 second time slot to pitch to your market. How are you going to do it?I was kind of a troubled kid when I was younger, so I used my optional essay to paint a very dramatic picture of that, but then used it to show how far I've come. When you do things like this, DO NOT MAKE EXCUSES, and ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY for anything in your past. Then show how it made you a stronger person. You have to be yourself.What helped me was a book called "How to get into Top MBA programs". There are a million sample essays in the back. The reason this is helpful is that you can see what EVERYONE else that is successful does--and then NOT do it. If you do this, you won't stand out, and if you have a lower GMAT score, you need to stand out on something else. Avoid the wording everyone uses, cliche phrases like "to gain broader perspective" or "I want to hone my skills". Everyone says things like that. Use your essays to really show them a little bit of yourself.Use your personal unique experiences to show why you're a different candidate. You don't have to show you're better than everyone else--just show what's different about you. MBA Admissions teams want to build diverse classes and the more unique strenghts you bring, the more forgiving they will be if you aren't up to par on the conventional ones.Lastly, apply a little psychology. Think about this from the admissions committee's perspective. They have to read thousands of essays on people trying to sell themselves. They get bored of all of the people bragging about the same thing. If you can hit an emotional cord with them, or make them smile or best of all laugh out loud, you've instantly made yourself stand out. But don't be fake or cheesy. Just be natural. Think about if you had to read a million essays on virtually the same thing. What would you appreciate? What would entertain you? What qualities would you look for if someone didn't have the highest GMAT or GPA?An article that I highly suggest was written by a senior admissions rep at Virginia. Granted he doesn't work in MBA admissions, but I think this is great advice for ANY admissions essay-writing:One last note. I didn't get right in, I was waitlisted. Along with over 170 other people. Now I had to stand out more than ever before. In the case of Johnson, they accept updates on your grades, goals, recommendations, whatever. I knew everyone would do this--but I had to do it creatively. So I made them a brochure on why they should accept me, with pictures and such. It was just something different for them. I don't suggest everyone do this--now that it's already been done. But the point is, think of something creative and personal to do that's not flamboyantly over the top.I also got into Tulane with a scholarship. You'll find that in general some sschools appreciate creativity and unique experiences more than others. MBA programs really are about fit. Do your research and see which ones jive best with your personality. Another one I interviewed at was Rice--and honestly, that was a terrible experience for me. I had a student interviewer, and we didn't connect at all. The interview was awkward and uncomfortable, while my interviews at Tulane and Johnson were conversational and full of laughs. The program at Rice seemed Rigid, the students seemed conservative, and most of their candidates work in the oil industry. That's the antithesis of me: a little entrepreneur, an environmentalist, and a huge liberal. How well you connect with other students is important, and this comes across in your interview.On a side note, the Rice application process was generally a miserable experience. They don't respond to emails, they're rude on the phone, and they're disorganized. When you go to their info sessions the adcom says feel free to call but if you do you'll never get past the front desk. They didn't even give me a decision until over a week after the date they were supposed to. Johnson, on the other hand, was amazingly responsive, very efficient, and extremely warm and approachable. Tulane was a great experience too. I highly recommend you tailor the schools you're applying to in light of what your strengths and goals are and not just look at names and rankings. This will give you much more to say in your essays and interviews.This whole MBA process has been a HUGE learning experience for me. I didn't even tell my parents I applied at first because my dad was so convinced I didn't have a chance. But I wanted to take a chance, and along the road I found so many people that supported and believed in me. I've never felt more confident about a decision I've made in life. I really feel like the adcom at Johnson got to know me personally and accepted me for that, and that's a great feeling. It shouldn't have to be about them taking you because of some frosted image you put on. I encourage all of you to think about what's uniquely positive about you, and then sell it. I'll be happy to answer any other questions you have.Good luck everybody!!------------------------------------------------------------- AmoyV wrote: Time taken: 9:08 mins 1. It can be inferred that the "ownership gap" (see highlighted text) would be narrowed if which of the following were to occur? A. Minority entrepreneurs received a percentage of government contracts equal to that received by nonminority entrepreneurs. Nothing like that B. Middle- and high-income minority entrepreneurs gave more assistance to their low-income counterparts in the business community. Help is to be given by the govt not only to low-income people but also to middle and high income people in some cases C. Minority entrepreneurs hired a percentage of minority employees equal to the percentage of minority residents in their own communities. Question is to increase % of self-employed. Not the % of employed D. The percentage of self-employed minority persons rose to more than ten percent of all self-employed persons. This increases the % of self-employed and decreases the gap E. Seventeen percent of all persons employed in small businesses were self-employed. We are concerned about minorities here not the total population. 2. According to the passage, in 1970 funding to minority entrepreneurs focused primarily on which of the following? A. Alleviating chronic unemployment in urban areas We are concerned about self-employment and not total employment B. Narrowing the ownership gap Yes C. Assisting minority-owned businesses with growth potential This was a thing of the past and subsequently was adopted again in the future. But is not part of our time frame in question. D. Awarding subcontracts to businesses that encouraged community development No mention of community development E. Targeting the most economically disadvantaged minority-owned businesses Take out the "most" and this could be the right answer. 3. Which of the following best describes the function of the second paragraph in the passage as a whole? A. It narrows the scope of the topic introduced in the first paragraph. It gives a part of the history of enactment of the assistance B. It presents an example of the type of change discussed in the first paragraph. It is an example of the many changes that the execution of the law went through C. It cites the most striking instance of historical change in a particular government policy. Yes. It is the first of the many historical changes D. It explains the rationale for the creation of the government agency whose operations are discussed in the first paragraph. Doesnt do that E. It presents the results of policies adopted by the federal government. Doesnt do that 4. The passage mentions which of the following as a basic consideration in administering minority-business funding programs? A. Coming up with funding for the programs It is govt funded. No problem mentioned in the passage reagrading funding B. Encouraging government agencies to assist middle and high-income minority entrepreneurs No problem with this mentioned C. Recognizing the profit potential of small service businesses in urban communities Nothing in the passage to support this D. Determining who should be the recipients of the funding There were a lot of times the policy changed and each time the policy changed, it changed wrt who would receive the funding. E. Determining which entrepreneurs are likely to succeed Nothing to support this in the passage 5. The primary purpose of the passage is to A. discuss historical changes in a government policy Yes. It does that B. describe the role of Congress in regulating the work of the SBA Nope. The Congress is not even mentioned after the 1st paragraph, where it passed the policy. C. contrast types of funding sources used by minority businesses Here only 1 type of funding ie govt funding is discussed. No mention or contrasting different funding D. correct a misconception about minority entrepreneurship Passage shows the ways a policy was enacted. There is nothing in the passage to support this option E. advocate an alternative approach to funding minority entrepreneurs There is no mention of any other funding in the passage and hence govt funding may not be the "alternative approach of funding minority entrepreneurs" 3rd question OA is B not C Getting locked out of your apartment on a day your landlord's not around is unpleasant, to say the least, and shelling out major money for an emergency locksmith is even less fun. But if you do find yourself in such a predicament, be wary of who you Googlethe Times reported this weekend on the proliferation of fake online locksmiths who send out contractors that'll jack up the cost of a door lock. Apparently, some locksmith results on Google present themselves as physical stores nearby, but are really "lead generators," or out-of-state call centers that send subcontractors to your home once you place the call. Though you'll get a certain estimate on the phone, the contractors will jack that up into the hundreds. It was very late, and it was very cold, one victim told the Times. This guy shows up and says he needs to drill my door lock, which will cost $350, about seven times the estimate Id been given on the phone. And he demanded cash. Lead generators game Google's algorithm to get on the front page of search results in ad listings. They use fraudulent addresses, and the Times reported on one lead gen company that went so far as to photoshop an address on Google Maps to look more legit. Locksmiths have been suing Google in the hope of getting the fake addresses off the site, but so far no dice. A lot of lead gens come from Israel, per the Times, and listings for jobs in the U.S. are frequently posted online. One Israeli transplant to New Jersey says his lead gen boss, who was also Israeli, told him "to size up each customer and ask for as much money as possible." If you find yourself in need of a locksmith, it's a good idea to look up a locksmith's business address to make sure it's legitimate, check the company service vehicles, ask for identification, and check the price quotes. If a locksmith tries to charge you more than you were quoted over the phone, don't hire him, and don't pay him cash up front. New York City has long been the domain of supermarket, farmers markets and stock markets. But some urban farmers would prefer to turn SoHo into sow-hoe and reclaim empty, unused city space for the sake of fresh, uber-local produce. Now, a new multimillion development in Staten Island will house NYC's first live-in urban farmer. Zaro Bates has been hired as the resident farmer at Urby, a 900-unit, $150 million development in Staten Island's Stapleton neighborhood. She's described by the Post as "a Brooklyn woman with extensive urban farming experience, [who] will get a salary of around $40,000 and a free apartment." Bates will be in charge of growing herbs, greens, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, and heirloom tomatoes on a small farm at the Urby site, and will also tend to rooftop beehives and a composting operation. Bates's bounty will be stocking the shelves at an on-site Coffeed outpost, and will also be sold to tenants at Urby's on-site grocery store. She'll also be in charge of organizing volunteer farmhands, which will both teach local residents the value of growing one's own food and provide free manual labor for management. Everybody wins! Here, try this radish! The Post reports that "plans call for a full-acre farm in another year or two." Let's have a look at some home-grown renderings! Studio, one, and two-bedroom apartments at the Urby development will reportedly rent for $1,700-2,700 per month, but Stapleton has nothing to worry about according to Coffeed's Frank Raffaele. "People keep asking, is this the next Bushwick? The next Williamsburg?," he told the Post. "I say no, it'll be its own vibe." Raffaele's statements hint at worries over gentrificationworries that are not misplaced. Urban agriculture has exasperated already dire housing prices in places like San Francisco and Austin, Texas. "Having a real farm there is a whole lot better than an ugly piece of grass," Ed Pollio, co-owner of 5050 Skatepark, which is located close to Urby's soon-to-fully-functional-farm, told the Post. "But the developer seems to be thinking this is Manhattan or Brooklyn. I'm not so sure Staten Island is ready for that." Sophomoreand seniorsoared to Big Sky auto marks in the men's long jump and high jump, respectively, as the Portland State track & field teams concluded the UW Invitational Saturday at Dempsey Indoor.Schmidt and Tufty's auto marks were part of a banner day for the Portland State men, as senior heptathletealso crushed his personal best in the heptathlon while scoring 4,684 points.Schmidt finished the men's long jump with a mark of 23-06.00 (7.16m), beating his old indoor personal best in the event by over six inches and tying his outdoor PR. Schmidt's mark, which came on his second attempt of the day, also ranks him second in the Big Sky this season, as well as third all-time in the indoor long jump at Portland State.Tufty, meanwhile, tied his personal best in the indoor high jump, as he cleared 6-08.75 (2.05m), tying the PR he originally set at the same meet last season. Tufty cleared the height on his first attempt at the distance, and took three attempts at what would have been a school record height of 6-10.75 (2.10m). Tufty didn't clear any of those attempts, however, but his mark Saturday still moves him into a tie for third in the Big Sky this season.Robinson also moved into Big Sky contention in the heptathlon, as his score of 4,684 points ranks fourth in the conference this season. Robinson set heptathlon personal bests in all three events Saturday, giving him heptathlon PRs in six of the seven events over the two days.Robinson started Saturday on a strong note, as he tied his overall personal best in the 60-meter hurdles with his finish in 8.53 seconds. That time earned Robinson 853 points, the most points Robinson has scored in any one event within the heptathlon while at Portland State. Robinson added to it with another personal best in the pole vault of 11-01.75 (3.40m), and then concluded the heptathlon with a nine-second PR in the 1,000 meters. Robinson finished the 1,000 meters in 2:51.40, well ahead of the 3:00.82 he ran while finishing the heptathlon at the Ed Jacoby Invitational two weekends ago.All told, Robinson finished the heptathlon with 315 points more than he scored in his first heptathlon at the Ed Jacoby Invitational, while his score of 4,684 points also moved him up to seventh all-time in the event at Portland State.Outside of those three, freshmanlowered her personal best in the 400 meters for the third straight week, finishing in 57.15 seconds. Junioralso set a seasonal best in the 400 meters, as she placed right behind Vinjamuri at 57.21.Additionally, freshmancouldn't quite match the PR of 47-00.75 (14.34m) he set in the triple jump at the Bronco Invitational last week, but the young Portland State jumper still surpassed 14 meters in the event for the second straight week, finishing with a mark of 46-02.00 (14.07m) Saturday. Sophomorealso set a new seasonal best in the women's triple jump, finishing with a mark of 36-11.75 (11.27m).The Vikings will now turn their attention to a rare indoor meet in Portland, as the University of Portland hosts the Portland Indoor Invitational Thursday at the House of Track in Northwest Portland. The Vikings will also return to Nampa, Idaho, for a third time this season later in the week, as they'll compete at the Jacksons/NB Indoor Invitational next Saturday. Genna Settle 200m 24.48 Bronco Invitational (1/23/16) ChaQuinn Cook Triple Jump 38-00.25 (11.59m) Bronco Invitational (1/23/16) Sheldon Prince 400m 48.84 UW Indoor Preview (1/16/16) Long Jump 23-06.00 (7.16m) UW Invitational (1/30/16) Jean-Luc Toku Triple Jump 47-00.75 (14.34m) High Jump 6-08.75 (2.05m) UW Invitational (1/30/16)20., 7.85.9., 25.04; 21., 25.44; 22., 25.59.12., 57.15; 13., 57.21.20., 9.17.10., 17-09.75 (5.43m).16., 36-11.75 (11.27m).27., 22.76; 33., 22.97.15., 49.44.T-3., 6-08.75 (2.05m).5., 23-06.00 (7.16m).5., 46-02.00 (14.07m).15., 4,684 points (60m: 18. 7.46, 726 points; Long Jump: 11. 21-00.50 (6.41m), 677 points; Shot Put: 19. 32-00.25 (9.76m), 471 points; High Jump: T-6. 6-04.25 (1.94m), 749 points; 60m Hurdles: 8. 8.53, 853 points; Pole Vault: 17. 11-01.75 (3.40m), 457 points; 1,000m: 16. 2:51.40, 751 points) A Few of My Favourite Things Tour with Cheong Liew Chef Cheong Liew, Ambassador for Tasting Australia 2016 History of food and textiles Cheong Liew in an Asian grocery store Shelves of spices Morning coffee in Adelaide Central Market Cruffin, a croissant and muffin lovechild Kangaroo Island free range eggs Cheong Liew in his favourite Malaysian eatery Yong tau foo tofu stuffed with fish paste Iced teh tarik sweet Malaysian tea Hainan chicken Pan mee Hakka-style noodle soup >> A Few of My Favourite Things with Cheong Liew will start at 10.30am on 6 May. Bookings can be made You can also go on a Favourite Things tour with the legendary and (MasterChef Australia 2015). Housemade chilli sauce Table settings Cured kingfish with naartjies, oxalis and smoked leek Charcoal beef short rib with biryani carrots >> Lunch in the Company of Benjamin Cooper at Africola will be held on 8 May at 12.30pm. Bookings can be made High Tea with Belinda Jeffery at the Mayflower Restaurant Freshly shucked Coffin Bay oysters with champagne mignonette dressing $4 each Butter roses! Classic prawn cocktail with baby gem lettuce $22 $20 $34 $35 $36 $10 Dessert trolley >> High Tea in the Company of Belinda Jeffery at the Mayflower Restaurant will be held on 6 May at 2pm. Bookings can be mad e Embark on a Wine Adventure The Nebbiolo in the Joseph range is made from a single hectare of dry grown vines in Clarendon, about twenty minutes drive from the Primo cellar door. $15 (or credited against a Joseph wine purchase) >> Wine events at this year's Tasting Australia include , a and a For a full list of events, tick the "drinking" option Friendly faces of EcoCaddy Like a pedal-powered rickshaw EcoCaddy in the city will be held 1-8 May in Adelaide and its surrounding regions. For a full list of events Grab Your Fork visited Adelaide as a guest of South Australia Tourism for a preview of Tasting Australia 2016. This week-long festival offers a comprehensive program of one-off events and collaborations in food, wine, cooking and touring. For previous visitors and locals, it's a chance to try something new.Tasting Australia will be held 1-8 May 2016 with events in Adelaide as well as regional areas including the Barossa, Clare Valley, Fleurieu Peninsula and the Flinders Ranges. Tasting Australia was the first food festival for Australia, originally conceived as a biennial festival in 1997 but will now be scheduled as an annual event from 2016 onwards. The theme for Tasting Australia this year is Landscapes.I was flown to Adelaide late last year for a media preview of the festival. What's in store this year? Here are a couple of my favourites from the festival program.You can't beat a food tour with a fellow food afficionado.is one of Adelaide's finest food legends, a Malaysian student who came to Australia to study electrical engineering in 1969 before turning his hand to the kitchen. Hearing him talk is surreal and inspiring. He says he discovered cooking as a necessity for work, starting first in a Greek restaurant. "I didn't have an apprenticeship. I just bought a lot of cookbooks and tried to remember what my grandmother did," he says with a smile.Liew is most known for his head chef role at The Grange within the Adelaide Hilton Hotel, but as we have a cup of coffee with him in the morning, Liew tells us about how hired Tim Pak Poy to work for him at the hugely popular Nediz restaurant. When he found out he was vegetarian,. Liew shrieks with laughter at the memory. "I did it. I swayed him with lap cheong."Pak Poy, of course, would go on to become head chef and then owner of Claude's in Sydney.As part of the media preview, we follow Liew to a few of his favourite places around Adelaide. I won't say where exactly where we went to avoid ruining the element of surprise. Locals might be able to guess some of the locations but, having said that, the tour may well have evolved by the time May rolls around.We trail behind Liew into an Asian grocery store where he points out his preferred brand of soy sauce and his favourite fish sauce. He happily and patiently answers any questions posed. It feels like we've just discovered an uncle we never knew we had.He leads us into a bulk foods store where he talks about grains, pulses, flours and spices and the things he likes to use in his cooking.And it's no secret to anyone that he takes us to Adelaide Central Market - everyone's favourite market - where we pause at fruit shops and butchers and bakers and more.And even though we'd already eaten lunch together (I won't say where), he insists we have second lunch at a Malaysian eatery that has all the dishes he misses from home.is such a great dish but so hard to find, even in Sydney. This was a mix of tofu and vegetables stuffed with fish paste, as well as soft and quivering cubes of steamed silken tofu.I love the sense of energy you get as soon as you walk into. This South African eating house is an uplifting riot of colours, repurposed brown bottles, old-fashioned school chairs and woven straw lampshades hanging above.Benjamin Cooper, group executive chef for the Lucas Group (Chinchin, Gogo, Baby, Kong and Hawker Hall in Melbourne), will be mashing things up in a collaborative five-course dinner. South African flavours going head on with South East Asia sounds like a wild ride ahead.We sample a number of dishes from Africola's standard menu. There's the heartiness you expect from, but also a surprisingly elegant touch in lighter dishes likeand smoked mussels withAnd thein reused glass Coca Cola bottles can't help but bring a smile to your face.Award-winning cookbook author and celebrated food stylisty will be talking all things cake and more during a special high tea event at the Mayflower Restaurant in the Mayfair Hotel.We don't get a chance to meet Jeffery during our media preview visit but we do have dinner at the French-leaning Mayflower Restaurant one evening. The first thing everyone sees upon entry is the dessert trolley, parked teasingly at the front of the dining room. It's deliciously old skool, a heavy trolley with every kind of sweet confection you could possibly dream of, retro choux swans included!The temptation of dessert would almost make you want to skip savouries, but the unashamed celebration of classics likeandalongsideandmakes us sit up to attention and soak up every moment. And calorie.Our table of twelve end up getting practically one of everything to share between us - enough for a spoonful or two so we can taste some of each. They're all good but I especially love the religieuse. The desserts are all made in-house by a dedicated pastry chef.You can't visit Adelaide without visiting a vineyard. The city is surrounded by wine regions. You can reach McLaren Vale from the Adelaide CBD in about forty minutes - you'd barely make it out of Sydney in that time!Our group visits Primo Estate in Mclaren Vale, hiking up the steep hills in shimmering heat. At the top of the hill, wine bottles and opened and glasses are handed around. Soon we've tasted several bottles before the clock has even hit 11am.I've had plenty of wine tastings at the cellar door but drinking wine in the field, surrounded by rows of grape vines that stretch on endlessly, is a completely different experience. There's a surreal sense of gratitude as you swirl the wine in your glass, right next to the grape flowers on the vine beside you waiting to reach their destiny.We drive onto the Primo Estate cellar door, where we sit down in cool air-conditioning for a full wine tasting from their Joseph label.The bread, olive oil and cheese are the ideal accompaniments for our progressive wine tasting.The outdoor wood oven - imported from a village in Umbria - is fired up to cook our pizzas for lunch.There's a whole heap of events scheduled, curated by creative directors Chef Simon Bryant and wine expert, Paul Henry. I'd be keen to go on a wild mushroom walk do a cheese making class with Udder Delights and jump on the free hayride tour of Nangkita Olives at their open day We had an action-packed 36 hours in Adelaide and one of the highlights was getting around town with the guys from EcoCaddy These are hybrid electric passenger tricycles that can be hired by SMS or via their booking app. Any journey within the city square costs $5 per person, increasing to $10 for crossing into North Adelaide.The EcoCaddys get up to 25km/hr and it was an exhilarating ride as buses and cars rushed past us. The drivers rarely have to use the electric motor as Adelaide is relatively flat, and yes, they do have female drivers! News Al Ain court of appeal fines man Dhs50,000 for insulting others on twitter The convict used his account on twitter to post inappropriate images that not only clearly offended the fans of a sports club but also had nothing to do with sportsmanship and honorable competition among UAE clubs and fans. 404 Oh, the places he's gone. This week, Lt. Tim Coleman looked back as he closed the book on a 25-year career with the Helena Police Department. "I've gone places and done things I probably wouldn't have done in a normal life," he said. As a component of his parting gifts, Helena Police Chief Troy McGee gave Coleman a copy of Dr. Seuss' "Oh, The Places You'll Go." As one of the creators of the Montana Junior Police Leadership Academy, Coleman would read that book with the teens after a ceremonial hike to the top of Mount Helena. The lessons of making the right choices in the book also rung true for Coleman. His youth was in no way auspicious. Coleman, admittedly, was a punk and hellion. He was quite familiar with the back of a cop car. Police were well versed with Coleman as well. A pivotal moment in the young Coleman's life came when an officer asked when he was finally going to be sick of being in the back of a patrol car. Coleman, inspired by that interaction, turned his life around. He returned to school and later became a detention officer at the jail. In 1991, he was hired on as a Helena police officer when he was 25 years old. Since then, Coleman has served as a bicycle officer, motorcycle patrol, SWAT team leader and as a firearms instructor. It was when he served as a school resource officer that he helped form the junior academy. "He's always done an outstanding job," McGee said. "He's a dedicated, loyal officer." Helena Municipal Court Judge Bob Wood said he's always enjoyed working with Coleman, starting back when he was a prosecutor and Coleman was a rookie. "Even then, he was just a good guy," Wood said. "He's always had thoughtful views on what his job was and never lost his sense of humor," Wood added. "He's a class act -- and a damn good cop." When asked what he'll miss most about being on the force, Coleman answered without hesitation "definitely my staff." "I've got to see a lot of officers come. I've got to see a lot of officers go," he said. "It's been a long journey." Above all, Coleman will miss helping others. "That's the part that kept me here," he added. As McGee gazed at the ample turnout for Coleman's going-away gathering Friday, he voiced his impression. "You have a lot of people who think very highly of you," McGee said. Alan Hughes, SWAT team leader, said Coleman has served as a mentor and also a friend. "You are definitely an inspiration," Hughes said to Coleman. "Whether he knows it or not, he's always driving me." Hughes said he's especially impressed with all of Coleman's accomplishments and the valuable teaching he gave to newer recruits. "They are going to keep going. And because of you they're going to keep going," Hughes said. For Coleman, the transition to civilian life will likely be strange. He does look forward to turning off his cellphone and learning to sleep. Coleman plans on spending the next year getting healthy and spending time with his family, including Marci, his wife of 20-plus years. "It's hard to leave," Coleman told his cohorts. "This was a home." At the end of McGee's speech and dedication to Coleman, the chief read the last few lines of the gifted book. "Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting," he read. "So ... get on your way!" Entrepreneurs Jena and Andy Sabatini adored going to dueling piano bars in their travels so much the couple decided to bring the fun times home to Helena. "It's a nice way to do something," Jena Sabatini said at the annual fundraiser, the fourth they've put on in Helena. "It always is full and a good time." At last year's event alone about $18,000 was raised for two local charities. As it has every year, Saturday's Dueling Pianos Fundraiser sold out. The official tally of funds raised will be determined soon. All of the money collected will go to Lewis and Clark Humane Society and Prickly Pear Land Trust. The featured performers, Steve Dakin and Gary Giampaolo, are from the national touring group 176 Keys. Dakin was taking requests to raise money for PPLT, while Giampaolo was playing for the humane society. It was the first time not only in Helena, but in Montana, for both musicians. "We're Montana virgins," said Dakin, who lives in Houston. "It's beautiful." Dakin said his fellow pianists were jealous that he got the Helena gig. "Everybody was so mad I'm doing this. They all love it here," he said just before taking the stage. For the performers, the mystery of the gig adds to the excitement. They don't know what songs they'll be playing in advance since it is all based on requests. It's part musical performance and part improvisation. "It's such a unique fundraiser," said Sherry O'Donnell, ticket chair person. "It's fun all of the way around." Do your elected leaders reside in the district they claim to represent? It's a question frequently asked and answered in states and municipalities around the country. Except perhaps in Montana, where a public records analysis conducted by the Independent Record shows more than half of the state's residents are represented by a state legislator who lives outside their district. Some of those 55 lawmakers live dozens of miles from the heart of their "home" district. Others live within just a few hundred feet of their nearest constituents. What most have in common is that theyre not breaking Montana law, which doesnt always require legislators or judges to live in the district they represent. But the law is clear that some lawmakers, and most elected judges, must reside in the district or county of their election or appointment at some point before or after taking office. What's also clear is those provisions are likely to go unenforced, at least in the absence of a formal complaint. Meanwhile, political experts say there are good reasons other states take candidate residency requirements seriously, including concerns over ensuring lawmakers have a stake in the decisions they make on behalf of their constituents. It's reasonable for Montanans to assume their elected representatives live nearby, or at least hold some common interest in their community, said University of Montana political science professor Rob Saldin. In some cases, he said, it's fair to wonder whether that assumption is correct. I would sure think Montana has to be kind of unique, Saldin said of the states loose residency requirements. I'm hesitant to say it makes a difference (to constituents), but it's something you could argue. A little-known law Four Montana lawmakers legally required to reside in their district listed an out-of-district mailing or physical address on 2015s legislative roster. Two of those legislators, termed-out state Sens. Christine Kaufmann and Bradley Maxon Hamlett, are what Deputy Attorney General and former redistricting commission appointee Jon Bennion referred to as casualties of the statewide redistricting process. A third lawmaker, state Sen. Eric Moore, confirmed he resides at a physical address that appears to fall just outside the borders of Senate District 19. Bennion said Moores residence in Miles City does, in fact, lie within that district, even if some of his surrounding property does not. The fourth legislator, outgoing House District 17 Rep. Christy Clark, said she lived in-district for most of her life ahead of a January 2015 move to Helena. The three-term Republican from Choteau recently took a job with the Montana Department of Agriculture and does not plan to seek re-election. The state constitution requires only that she and other lawmakers be a resident of the state for at least one year preceding their election and a resident of a multi-district county, or multi-county district, for six months ahead of that race. A 1973 attorney general opinion interpreting that provision clarified a candidate may run in another district wholly contained within their county of residency, but may not run in a district that bleeds into another county. Redistricting forced a fifth lawmaker, term-limited state Sen. Jim Keane, afoul of that opinion after his last re-election campaign. Keane -- who lives in Butte, and whose Senate District 38 includes parts of both Silver Bow and Jefferson counties -- does meet residency requirements for his upcoming run in House District 73. It's hard to say how much those requirements matter to voters. State officials suspect many Montanans dont even know the rules exist. They said candidates themselves don't always know which voters they're allowed to represent, citing "one or two cases per (election) cycle" when an otherwise qualified office-seeker has to be removed from a race theyre not qualified to win. Compliance lax Montana lawmakers dont always make it easy to check their compliance with campaign residency requirements. More than a third of legislators listed a PO box on the states most recent legislative roster, and well over a dozen listed physical addresses that could not be confirmed through state or county property records. It stands to reason that some or all of those lawmakers rent a home or live with a family member. That said, state officials dont always bother to do much checking. Jorge Quintana, chief legal counsel to Secretary of State Linda McCulloch, said addresses listed on candidate filings amount to a legally actionable sworn statement. He also said his office merely accepts those statements at face value, leaving enforcement to Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl. Motl, after looking up the statute to confirm it was his offices responsibility, had to go back to 2009 to find the last time that office had tackled a complaint regarding candidate residency requirements. Motl has the authority to seek a candidates removal from the ballot, should that person be found in violation of residency rules. He said he wouldnt hesitate to do so, provided a complaint with sufficient merit. 'A good rule' State law requires that judges, once elected, reside in the district or county of their election or appointment. It's difficult to tell how Motl or anyone else could readily enforce that provision. Shannon Stevens, a legislative specialist with the Secretary of States office, said jurists are not required to put their physical address on candidacy forms, largely for security reasons. The vast majority of judges who filed for a district court seat between 2008 and 2014 gave an address anyway. Four of those listed a residence outside their judicial district. Only one, District Court Judge Jim Wheelis, won a seat. Wheelis did not immediately return requests for comment on whether he eventually moved into Judicial District 19. Quintana did not respond to requests for further comment on who, if anyone, upholds post-election residency rules applied to Montanas judges. At least one-third of state legislative hopefuls who have filed to appear on Junes primary ballot listed an out-of-district address on their initial campaign filings. Five of those challengers are hoping to fill a seat that requires an in-district office holder. State officials and political experts suspect Montana would have a much harder time putting together a Legislature if each of those candidates was forced to live among their constituents, not least because such rules could make it harder for political parties to recruit candidates. That would mean fewer contested races in a state where Deputy Attorney General Bennion said some legislators have been known to go several election cycles without facing an opponent. Given the advantages to incumbents and political power brokers, it seems unlikely Montanas current office-holders will gin up the political will to reconsider candidate residency requirements anytime soon. For me, its a good rule, state Sen. Kaufmann said of existing law. Im there, in the Legislature, to make policy for the state of Montana. I dont think its a big concern. To me, if youre in the county, you can certainly represent the needs of your community. BILLINGS - The electric bills of Eastern Montanans could rise $178 a year to improve Montana Dakota Utilities coal-fired power plants. But, MDU is being asked whether the plan makes sense with new pollution regulations coming. At issue is whether Montana customers of MDU should pay for upgrades to coal-fired power plants that could be shut down in a few years under the Environmental Protection Agencys Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan is the EPAs 15-year road map for cutting carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Beginning in 2020, the nations existing power plants will have to begin cutting carbon dioxide pollution. Some power plants will be upgraded with new pollution controls, while others beyond affordable improvement will be shuttered. States are required to submit compliance plans to the EPA by September. Extensions may be granted, but federal plans could also be issued in states were plans arent submitted. Montanas Public Service Commission will meet in Glendive on Feb. 9 to decide whether to approve the increase, which would be a 21 percent rate hike for MDUs 26,000 electricity customers in Montana. None of the MDUs natural gas customers would be affected. You shouldnt want to make large capital investments in power plants that are then subject to other regulations that could shut them down, said Travis Kavulla, PSC commissioner for most of the Montana customers in the MDU case. MDU is arguing that it isnt clear that its power plants wont survive the Clean Power Plan regulations expected to kick in in 2022. The upgrades for which MDU wants its customers to pay is for have already been done. Kavulla said this is the first time the Clean Power Plan has been an issue with rate increases tied to coal-fired power plants, but it probably won't be the last. NorthWestern Energy, Montana's other regulated gas and electric utility, would have to explain how the Clean Power Plan would affect Colstrip Power Plant Units 3 and 4, if it asked consumers to pay for pollution upgrades there. MDU spent millions adding pollution controls to its power plants to comply with existing rules. When the work was began, the Clean Power Plan wasnt even around to consider, the company argues. What made sense was complying with the pollution laws on the books. The construction costs were substantial. At Big Stone coal-fired power plant in South Dakota, upgrades meet pollution haze and mercury regulations cost $348 million. MDU has a 22.7 percent share in Big Stone and is passing its share of the bill onto consumers with rate increases. There were also $16 million in mercury pollution controls planned for the Lewis and Clark Power Plant in Sidney. The Lewis and Clark plant was built in 1950 and is within the age group of power plants that are struggling to remain operational under the Clean Power Plan, as are Colstrip Units 1 and 2, built in the 1970s. Sidney, Glendive and Miles City make up the bulk of MDUs electric customers in Montana, which is why the Feb. 9 hearing on the rate increase will take place in the Dawson County Courthouse basement in Glendive. MDU filed its rate increase request last summer, but public comment on the issue has been minimal. A few Eastern Montanans early in the process balked at a net metering arrangement written into the plan, which would have made it difficult for people with solar panels. The actual rate increase has drawn little response. The PSC will have to decide if the likelihood of the Clean Power Plan driving up costs for the MDU customers in the future means that Montanans would be better served by MDU finding another source for its power, most likely on the open market. There are two appointed consumer advocates, one for small customers and the other for large commercial customers, arguing against the size of MDU rate increase. Both are asking the PSC to limit the rate increase to roughly a fourth of what MDU wants. The service area in question includes the Bakken oil field, and there are doubts, given the economic slump in the oil business, about whether the future demand for MDU electricity will grow as the utility estimated it will. And critics argue that if the power isnt needed, consumers shouldnt have to pay to expand the MDUs production. Though several Helenans are already preparing their vehicles to be Uber drivers, some of the community's existing transportation providers are questioning whether there will be enough local business to support them. San Francisco, California-based Uber Technologies Inc. uses a smartphone application to connect people who need rides with independent contractors driving their own cars. The company already operates in 300 cities worldwide, and the Montana Public Service Commission on Dec. 15 approved its license to operate here. Uber has announced its intention to operate in a few core Montana cities, including Helena, though an official start date has not been set. Uber requires strict vehicle inspections as part of its safety and insurance package, and the Helena auto shops that have partnered with the company recently reported about 15 people have received them so far. J&J Tire Factory at 1250 Prospect Ave. completed about a dozen of those, and Eagle Tire at 1101 Argyle provided about three. If all goes as planned and those drivers end up working for Uber in Helena, they will be sharing the roads with several transportation providers. Among them is Capitol Taxi and Courier, a private business that provides door-to-door transportation when requested all day every day, as well as courier and other services. Owner Mike Hruska said his business provides about 40 passenger trips per day, which is down from about 180 per day several years ago. Though he has two taxis, he said, I have demand for one most of the day. Another private transportation business in town, Helena Town Car also provides rides on demand. Owner Michael Spreadbury said the recent startup business, which often contracts with riders for events and activities that require multiple trips rather than just one, has worked with up to seven clients in a day. Its always good to have competition or another service to choose from, but I just dont see that theres a lot of demand for ride services, said Spreadbury, adding that he believes most Montanans prefer to drive themselves. In addition to the private providers, Helena is served by the government-run Helena Area Transit Service that offers weekday routes in Helena and East Helena and curb-to-curb services for those with disabilities. HATS, which also partners with Rocky Mountain Development Council for senior transportation and Head Start for preschoolers, reported total ridership has declined from 106,989 in Fiscal Year 2012 to 95,465 in FY2015. Helena also has transportation programs operated by Spring Meadow Resources and West Mont Habilitation Services, which provide transportation for developmentally disabled people involved in their programs. While Uber representatives have not responded to questions about whether they believe Helena has enough demand for their services, company spokesperson Zara Rahim said Helenans have been requesting them. Uber is seeking opportunities for expansion in a number of cities across the country and residents of Helena have been opening the Uber app and asking us to come to town and we look forward to exploring opportunities together, she wrote in an email to the Independent Record. Though cabbies in some cities view Uber drivers as a threat to their business and have even tried to shut them down, Helenas private transportation providers seem to think differently about the company. Spreadbury hopes to have a conciliatory relationship with the Uber drivers, he said, but To me, theyre not a competitor. We all have to work and live in the same town, and hopefully theyre going to be targeting different people than what my clientele are, he said, adding that his VIP service does not fit the definition of a taxi. I hope theres not going to be any infighting. Hruska questioned whether Uber will be able to launch in Helena at all and said he doesnt consider the company to be a threat. I concentrate so little on the taxi that I dont think they can do it, he said, noting the difficulties of operating in the highly regulated industry. The insurance industry is so punitive right now. DECATUR To an adult, the problem seems simple enough. One building is 68 feet tall. The other is 43 feet tall. What's the difference in their heights? That same adult would subtract 43 from 68, probably in her head, without undue difficulty. But adults have learned over the years how to think in terms of tens and ones and estimate and round off and connect difference with subtraction, and no longer have to work out the steps one at a time. In Holly Kitson's second-grade class at Harris School, the children approached the problem by first figuring out what it was asking them to do, and it didn't take long to decide it was a subtraction problem. Then they took turns going to the Promethean board, drawing a diagram of lines and dots to represent the bigger number. After that, they crossed out lines and dots to equal the smaller number and what was left was their answer. It looks like a lot of steps, Kitson said, but that's how they learn the process that is instinctive in adults. We do a lot more problem-solving, I think, because the expectation is that they solve the problems in ways that they can do it, she said. I give them different strategies to use, but I don't tell them, 'You have to solve it this way.' That means that if a student understands and prefers the method an adult would use, she is welcome to solve it that way. If a different student prefers using a number line, that's OK, too. Everything for second-graders is place-value based, she said. I don't teach the algorithm to the kids. I don't put 68 over 43 and subtract in columns. What we want is to build a stronger understanding that that is six 10s and eight ones. It's number sense, really, to know that place value. Common Core has changed instruction this year. The new state test, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), measures student achievement in an entirely new way, based on those Common Core standards. Those standards, adopted by a majority of states, outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade level in English language arts and math. After two years of state tests that were a transition to the PARCC, the results of the tests in March will set the baseline by which student performance will be measured in years to come. Results were not released to districts and the media until December. December is also when President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaced No Child Left Behind and removed the escalating consequences imposed on schools that did not meet standards each year. The Every Student law is too new for the Illinois State Board of Education to have offered districts much guidance yet on how it will affect them, but the U.S. Department of Education describes it as returning more power and control to state and local authorities for helping struggling students catch up. PARCC results were not what educators had hoped for, even though they were prepared for lower scores due to all the recent changes. The state board had been warning districts for months that this first year would yield low scores. How few kids have met (goals) is important to acknowledge, said Tony Smith, Illinois state superintendent of education. But so is how many kids did (meet goals) and what that significant shift in readiness is. It's a different kind of assessment, and I want people to hear this in the state from me. This new moment has to be part of how we go forward to solve questions, get kids ready for work and higher learning. We can't afford not to be prepared, and when you have such a high remediation rate and they have to pay for time in things they should have been exposed to when in our care, we need to change that. How we go about and address this in the state, this test is an important tool. The number of college freshmen who are not prepared for college-level work has risen nationwide, and those students, as Smith said, have to pay for remediation courses to bring them up to speed. The PARCC is designed to catch those gaps in skills at earlier ages, so that students leave high school prepared for college without the need for remediation. Maroa-Forsyth Superintendent Mike Williams said administrators are still sorting through the PARCC information. The scores were down, as we expected, but when looking at how Maroa-Forsyth compares to area schools, we compared well, he said. We will continue to monitor our performance and take steps we feel necessary to improve our performance. Looking ahead, one issue that is troubling the test is changing format again this year. While I agree a shorter, less-extensive test is needed, the change will not allow for a fair comparison from year one of the PARCC to year two of the PARCC. Another change coming to this year's tests, which will be in April, is that fifth and eighth grades and high school tests will include science. More changes, Williams said, means that next year, again, comparisons will be difficult if not impossible. All districts can do is strive for improvement, but they're chasing a moving target. It's the uncertainty each and every year that brings anxiety, not knowing what's expected or what they're going to do with the data, he said. The PARCC is given online, and while schools prepared for that with practice tests, some districts still had problems with server capacity and technology issues. In addition, a lot of students, particularly in Chicago, didn't take the test at all, either by refusing or because they were absent. Smith said that amounted to 4,000 refusals and 15,000 absences in Chicago public schools, though more than a million students statewide did take the test. In spite of state budget woes and underfunded schools, Smith said, it's important for school districts to serve the whole child in order to help each one reach his or her full potential. What superintendents have done in the face of fewer resources, when you don't control finances, all the things out of your control, yet these people are committed, Smith said. They give their lives every day to meet the needs of children. Our kids are not where they need to be, but the story needs to be told and we have to use that to change. One thing that struck Chief Instructional Officer Ed Moyer about the Decatur schools' results was that struggles in reading are likely at the root of performance in other areas, too. Decatur students averaged 21 percent below state averages, and Illinois is 3 percent below national averages. And across the board, students are struggling to read at or above grade level, with 70 percent to 75 percent of students failing to meet that mark. If you struggle to read at an appropriate level of complexity, it has an impact on everything else, Moyer said. Decatur school board member Alida Graham said the results were disturbing, but she also said that, as a retired teacher, she knows that many students don't take standardized testing seriously. Moyer agreed that's sometimes the case, and that educators must impress upon children how important it is for them to do their best. We are all teachers of literacy, Moyer said. He suggested to the board of education a three-year plan to improve literacy levels, with all teachers of every subject making literacy part of their daily lessons. Rather than another initiative or program, he said, he envisions everyone, even students, sitting together and coming up with ideas that will challenge kids and raise their reading levels naturally. Yet in spite of the PARCC results being less than he'd hoped for, Moyer said, he is more interested in looking at the bigger picture. He also looked at the number of eighth-graders passing algebra, freshmen on track to graduate on time and results of other standardized assessments. One test, and a new one at that, which was an unfamiliar challenge for children to navigate, isn't the only measure. Looking at one data point is a futile exercise, Moyer said. It will tell you nothing. You have to look at the same phenomena from multiple perspectives. International Holocaust Remembrance Day is always a somber time for Auschwitz survivor Irene Weiss. But this year's observance had an additional layer of grief: For the first time, Weiss is worried about her adopted homeland. "I am exceptionally concerned about demagogues," the 85-year-old Weiss told me at Wednesday's commemoration at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. "They touch me in a place that I remember. I know their influence and, unfortunately, I know how receptive audiences are to demagogues and what it leads to." She knows better than just about any person alive. The Czech-born Jew lost her parents and most of her siblings in Hitler's death camps. Now, when she hears about plans to register Muslims and to ban Muslims from entering the United States, "I'm worried about the tone of this country," she said. To Weiss, the ugly political environment in 2016 has an ominous precedent. "It has echoes, and maybe more so to me than to native-born Americans," she said after lighting a candle for Hitler's victims. "I'm scared. I don't like the trend. I don't like how many people are applauding when they hear these demagogues. It can turn." This year's Holocaust remembrance comes at a time when Donald Trump, the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, retweets to his nearly 6 million followers a message from @WhiteGenocideTM based in "Jewmerica," and a time when his nearest challenger, Ted Cruz, brandishes the endorsement of a minister who says Hitler was a "hunter" sent after the Jews by God. "It's really frightening," said Al Munzer, hidden as an infant in the Netherlands with a Dutch family and their Muslim nanny. "When you see these mass rallies that Trump is able to attract, you really wonder: How are they buying into this message of hate?" Munzer, who lost two sisters and his father to the Nazis, said he never thought such things could happen in America, but now he's not so sure. "Thinking that Germany was somehow unique is wrong," he said. Wednesday's ceremony was in a hexagonal atrium with the names of death camps on the walls. The participants recited Kaddish, the Jewish mourning prayer, and listened to the Hymn of the Partisans, the Yiddish ballad of resistance: Never say you are walking your final road. At this time of open hostility to Muslims in America, museum staff arranged for Johanna Gerechter Neumann, who fled with her family to Albania after Kristallnacht, to talk about how Muslims protected them from Hitler. Her father, a patriotic German and World War I veteran, "certainly thought that it could never happen in Germany," she said. "It did happen. Slowly, but it did happen." And now the aging survivors worry it is beginning, slowly, to happen again. "It is repeating itself, and it is again the inattention that people pay to real cues that one should understand," said Margit Meissner, almost 94, who fled on foot through the Pyrenees from occupied France. "It's not Weimar," she said, "but it could become Weimar Germany if you have Mr. Trump here and people keep believing what he says. ... I think one has to speak up. And that's the one lesson from the Holocaust: Do not be a bystander." In Wednesday's ceremony, German Ambassador Peter Wittig gave a moving tribute to Martin Weiss, 87, who survived Auschwitz as a 15-year-old but lost most of his family. Wittig read aloud Weiss' recollections: "We could also smell flesh burning, and then we saw the chimneys, the big five chimneys with black smoke coming out." Now an American presidential candidate has made scapegoats of immigrants, Muslims, Latinos, African-Americans, the disabled, women. And for the first time, Martin Weiss hears echoes of his youth. "The guy scares me," he said after listening to the ambassador's tribute. "I don't want to make any comparison to Hitler, but believe it or not his delivery and the way he conducts himself is very similar to Hitler's way of doing things. He discredits everybody who disagrees with him. He's insulting. He discriminates against everybody." Weiss continued: "Sooner or later, you know what happens in a case like this? That's how Weimar Germany went to hell, because when Hitler came in, if somebody disagreed with him guess what he put them in prison or he had them shot or he opened the concentration camp." We are still far from that in America. But if anybody has the right to make the comparison, it is a man who saw the ovens of Auschwitz. Here's the News. All the news worth reading. (To me anyway) Note that this is a news clippings blog. Articles (mainly from Straits Times) are NOT written by me. Due to spam comments, comments are now moderated. Please read "This Blog" and "Before you comment". Report on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) Today, the European Union has published a comprehensive report on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) for the period 2014-2015. The report is a prime example of how the European Union strengthens trade relations with partner countries, such as Armenia while insisting on sustainable development and governance reforms. The EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) is designed to help partner countries develop their economies through benefitting from international trade. It grants reduced or zero tariffs on imports to the EU, making access to EU markets easier. Thus the GSP helps generate new business opportunities and trade revenues, which contribute to boosting economic growth, creating new employment opportunities and reducing poverty in beneficiary countries. In particular, the GSP+ Special Arrangement for Sustainable Development and Good Governance provides additional support (full tariff removals) to countries which ratify and effectively implement 27 core international conventions on human rights, labour rights, good governance and environmental protection. Since the GSP reform applied as from 1 January 2014, the EU undertakes enhanced monitoring of the GSP+ beneficiaries' compliance with these obligations with a view to support their efforts to improve the implementation of the conventions. Armenia benefits from the reformed GSP+ as from the start of its application. The present first bi-annual report on the reformed GSP+ functioning examines how Armenia implemented its binding commitments made when entering the GSP+, in particular ratification and effective implementation of the relevant international conventions, reporting to the international monitoring bodies and cooperation with the EU side in its monitoring process. The report concludes that during the first GSP+ monitoring cycle, Armenia demonstrated genuine efforts to comply with its commitments. At the same time, Armenia has to continue and in some cases step up its work to further improve its implementation of the conventions - not least striving to ensure that Armenian citizens experience human rights protection improvements in their everyday life - in order to keep the GSP+ benefits. In particular, in 2014-2015, Armenia made an overall effort to address the shortcomings identified in its implementation of the conventions, primarily related to missing or inadequate legislation and awareness rising. At the same time, Armenia needs to further step up its efforts to effectively address several persisting human rights problems, in particular regarding the independence and integrity of the judiciary and of the political system as a whole, the insufficient legislative and enforcement framework against torture and ill treatment, widespread corruption, discrimination against minorities, discrimination and violence against women and child poverty. Regarding labour rights, Armenia's legislation and practice on the official labour market are broadly in line with the ILO fundamental conventions. However, both should be improved on a number of points, in particular the freedom of association for employers and workers, more regular and effective labour inspection and prevention of discrimination at workplace. Armenia should also make more efforts to curtail unregulated employment. Armenia continued to make efforts to protect the environment through implementation of the legal framework and introduction of new specific legislation in several sectors (e.g. air, water, nature protection). Overall, Armenia takes good advantage of the EU substantial assistance on environmental protection and tackling of climate change and intends to continue doing so also to support its future priorities and objectives in these areas. Based on the reports findings, priority actions will be identified at the beginning of the next two-year monitoring cycle in 2016. While these may reflect deep-rooted and long-term issues, clear evidence of concrete progress to tackle these shortcomings will be expected over the next monitoring period. A number of projects can be launched to build Armenia's capacity in meeting its GSP+ obligations. Close cooperation with a wide range of partners is crucial to the success of the GSP+,. Apart from the Armenian authorities, the EU works with local and international human and labour rights experts and engages in an active dialogue with the civil society organizations in Armenia. In many cases, the civil society has welcomed the GSP+ arrangement as an incentive for change. The next report on Armenia's compliance with its GSP+ commitments will be published by November 2017. The conventions covered by the GSP+ are grouped in the following four themes: 1) seven conventions on human rights protection (against torture, anti-discrimination, rights of women, children, and minorities, civil and political rights including freedom of expression and association, right to a fair trial and judicial independence); 2) eight International Labour Organisation's conventions on labour rights (against forced labour and child labour, workers' rights to collectively organise and bargain, against discrimination at work and equal pay for men and women); 3) eight conventions on environmental protection and climate change (to monitor hazardous waste and harmful pollutants, to safeguard biodiversity and endangered species and to tackle climate change); and 4) four conventions on good governance (to support countries to strengthen their governance and institutions - the UN convention against Corruption, as well as three UN conventions seeking to control illegal drugs). GSP+ has a significant trade and economic importance for Armenia. In 2014, approximately 60 million EUR (equivalent of 32 billion AMD) worth export, which constituted 26% of the total Armenian export to the EU (228 million EUR or 120 billion AMD), benefitted from the GSP+ preferences and so were exported with zero tariffs. The picture further improved in the first half of 2015 when 58 million EUR (31 billion AMD) worth Armenian export to the EU benefitted from the GSP+ arrangement. This represents already 41 % of the total Armenian export to the EU (144 million EUR or 76 billion AMD). Moreover, a large majority of the Armenian businesses exporting to the EU that can make use of the GSP+ actually used that opportunity and were granted duty free market access in 2014-2015. Armenia uses the GSP+ in particular in these export sectors: clothing, aluminium, crayfish, juices, jams and other processed food, nuts and other seeds. This story was produced as part of The Confluence, a collaborative project involving the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication reporting classes. The nonprofit Center (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates. Nothing ruins a picnic like mad bees. But the Dane County Beekeepers Association (DCBA) also known as Madbees is teaching budding beekeepers how to raise bees and help stabilize Wisconsins dwindling bee population. Jeanne Hansen, DCBA secretary, is marking her fifth year teaching beekeeping classes in the city. An eight-year beekeeping veteran, Hansen gathered together eight newcomers in her East Side home Saturday for a day of Beekeeping 101, complete with beekeeping boxes, honey samples and various honeycombs. The city requires only a $10 permit to keep bees. Residents can legally keep up to six hives, as long as they do not become a nuisance to neighbors, Hansen said. Madbees community, which boasts over 500 members in their Google group, offers online support to answer members questions and help hives thrive. Wisconsin dropped out of the top 10 honey-producing states in 2014 after 55 percent of the states hive population was wiped out during a particularly harsh winter. Local beekeepers contribute to increasing the number of hives and amount of honey production. The necessary equipment for hobbyists is fairly easy to come by and economical. Hansen made her hive boxes by hand out of wood she found on curbs around the neighborhood. She also makes her own beekeeping veils out of tulle, recycles toilet paper tubes to burn in hive smokers metal cans that release smoke to calm the bees and foregoes a formal beekeeping suit in favor of clothing she has on hand. Beekeeping suits arent entirely necessary, Hansen said. White long-sleeved shirts with collars, white or tan pants, any type of glove, and sturdy shoes will work just fine as long as pant and sleeve cuffs are securely fastened so no bees can climb in. Even with all of those precautions Hansen still gets stung Always, she said, laughing. But, Hansen said, bees arent inherently dangerous. Bees sting to protect their hive and honey, she said. When bees go to sting, theyre on a suicide mission. They dont generally want to. Non-beekeepers can also benefit from knowledge about bees to appreciate the little buzzing pollinators and to respect hives that occur in nature or through hobbyists cultivation. If you do find yourself near agitated bees dont run, Hansen said. Move slowly and calmly, she said. Walk away while making 90-degree turns. Bees are also less likely to strike smooth, white fabrics, so avoiding colors is another way to discourage unwanted attention from any nearby bees. But going overboard to avoid bees usually isnt necessary, Hansen said, adding, You dont need to dress like a bear. Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Urban affairs, investigations, consumer help ("SOS") Follow Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal 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 Any program that for 20 years has put some 20,000 volunteer tutors into Madisons public schools to help the most at-risk students cannot be considered a failure. At the same time, if its ultimate goal was to close the achievement gap between white students and students of color, Schools of Hope led by the United Way of Dane County is a long way from hitting the mark. It also seems possible that if it were Madisons majority white students who were consistently behind academically, the communitys demand for programs and reforms far more robust than Schools of Hope would have been deafening both 20 years ago and today. Its not as if options dont exist for changes to public education in Madison. Something as simple as starting school later for middle schoolers and teens is one possibility, given that their developing brains dont always learn so well early in the morning. Year-round school is another, given that nearly three months of summer break provide a lot of opportunity to forget what youve learned in the previous nine. One of the most important factors in the success or failure of a child in school, especially if he doesnt get that support at home, is the teacher, said Enis Ragland, who played a key role in the creation of Schools of Hope. We need teachers that understand they are teaching many students who have grown up in generational poverty. Although teachers will regularly say they dont do it for the money, jettisoning the one-size-fits-all salary schedule for paying teachers could free the district to pay the best teachers more and thereby encourage more talented, ambitious people to go into and stay in the teaching profession. Charter schools that overhaul the usual public school model such as the proposed Madison Preparatory Academy, which the school board rejected in 2011 are another approach. Madison has not embraced the charter school movement with nearly as much vigor as some other districts with race- and income-based achievement gaps. This is not to say other districts that have adopted these or other more radical changes have shown consistent success. Some ideas for improving public education have a basis in research, while others have proven only anecdotally effective. Carol Carstensen, a former Madison School Board member who also was instrumental in getting Schools of Hope started, said shes not aware of evidence that charter schools, on the whole, make more progress than traditional public schools. By contrast, the summer slide and need for remedial education in the fall, especially for low-income students, have long been documented and seem a pretty good rationale for year-round school. Researchers have also long known that years on the job stops being a predictor of student performance after about a teachers fifth year in the classroom, and that collecting more academic degrees doesnt necessarily make for a more effective employee in any profession. And yet Madison has long based decisions on which teachers get retained or transferred based on how long theyve worked for the district and what training they have. Theres a lot of belief that somehow, somewhere there is a magic approach to closing the achievement gap, said Carstensen, and there isnt. Thats true. At the same time, there would seem to be little downside to trying a range of new things given that what the district has been doing hasnt worked that well. So why havent Madisonians been loudly calling for some of those things? Kaleem Caire, who as the former head of the Urban League of Greater Madison proposed the failed Madison Prep, said Madisonians are benevolent but tend to think they have all the answers. We do not like to acknowledge in this community that we dont know something, he said. Call it Madisons own particular brand of white privilege. Ragland and United Way of Dane County president and CEO Renee Moe expressed optimism that Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham, hired in 2013, is leading the district in the right direction for closing the achievement gap. In Dr. Cheatham, I see action, rather than talk, Ragland said. I see meaningful changes she and her staff have implemented that will make a difference in the achievement gap. He pointed specifically to a new district standard for teaching literacy and a collaborative approach at La Follette High School that is helping to boost graduation rates for black students. Moe pointed to initiatives since Cheathams come aboard to cut down on absenteeism and address how a students home life and economic situation could be affecting school work. I hope theyre right. Twenty years is a long time when it comes to a childs education. YOU TOON 'And if I sit on his shoulders and look through his hair, I can see Russia' -- Paul Matyas wins this week's You Toon caption contest Madison365, a nonprofit online magazine, published a list of the most influential African-Americans in Wisconsin in October.(tncms-asset)7fb9c17c-c6b7-11e5-86ca-00163ec2aa77"}} We wanted to highlight the diversity in our community and to give kids in Wisconsin a chance to see role models who are succeeding, to know its possible for African-Americans to achieve great things here. Several other local media outlets, including the Wisconsin State Journal, graciously assisted us in spreading that message. The list wasnt exhaustive, but it was the first of its kind. It started a conversation that had never really been had before. It went from, Are there truly influential African-Americans? to Who got left off the list of most influential African-Americans? And very soon after that, it went to Why is it only African-Americans? Before the full list of African-Americans was even published, I knew wed be doing a list of powerful Latinos, as well. And Im proud to present that list today, titled Si, se puede, which means, Yes, we can. As with our list of African-Americans, many of the people youll get to know here work tirelessly to improve the lives of people of color especially their fellow Latinos. But we also highlight people wielding power and influence in other sectors who are Latino: leaders in law, finance, government, business and education. I feel that is especially important to do now. Sadly, much of the public conversation about Latinos right now focuses on immigration and the hot-button political debate surrounding immigration which comes with a lot of negativity. I want to highlight some Latinos doing great things in spite of all that noise, to show that Latinos touch every sector of our economy and our lives in positive ways. My prayer for those I missed or neglected is forgive my head, not my heart. Madison365 will do this list annually. Please nominate people you think should be on the list next year. Or people you feel I should meet. Also remember this list is part of the overarching mission of Madison365: to let all voices be heard, and to bridge divides between communities. I hope were well on our way. Illinois will never have enough revenue to sustain adequate funding of essential social services if our lawmakers dont implement reform. We must grow jobs and the size of our economy. As Illinois newest state senator, I took on this challenge because of the horrible condition of our state government. I continue to be saddened by the suffering of millions of Illinoisans. Countless opportunities for achievement have also been lost due to poor management for the past two decades. Gov. Rauner did not cause the epic problems of Illinois. When he got to Springfield, our state was ranked in the bottom three in almost every category. He offered his candidacy to shake up Springfield. He has proposed a host of reforms strongly supported by the public, such as term limits, redistricting reform, and measures to jump-start job creation. Expecting Gov. Rauner to capitulate by increasing taxes and overspending, while enacting no reforms, is akin to asking him to pour kerosene on a burning building. If legislators have true long-term compassion for those most in need of state services, they must compromise with the governor. The path to recovery starts with addressing the problems and implementing solutions. Our legendary House speaker, Michael Madigan, has ruled with an iron fist for most of the past 30 years. Voters mandated a change in the election of 2014. If Speaker Madigans political obstinacy is allowed to override that mandate, our most needy citizens will suffer for decades to come. Shortly after my swearing-in, I was astonished that Speaker Madigan refused to meet with the governor and the other leaders. He has offered no movement to inch toward a compromise with stalemate as a result. This week the governor presented in his State of the State address examples of his bipartisan efforts with Senate President John Cullerton, a Democrat from Chicago. President Cullerton has stepped up to work with the governor on education funding and pension issues. This can be the beginning of much-needed compromise. The governor will be giving his budget address in three weeks. This week, Gov. Rauner unveiled new proposals moving the state away from 1980s technology and adding business-like government procurement procedures which have already generated widespread support. Also, the governors proposals on criminal justice reform and decarceration are thoroughly bipartisan. Implementation can save our taxpayers millions of dollars while allowing thousands of nonviolent offenders a second chance to lead a productive life. As long as public safety remains the primary concern, this initiative will find support on both sides of the aisle. It is easy to see that entrenched special interests have controlled our state government for decades and have ruined the states finances, economic competitiveness, and education funding. Those forces have fought tooth and nail to preserve the destructive status quo, and they must be stopped. Moving forward, our complete focus needs to be on economic growth rather than preserving the political power of those who got us in this mess. We need citizen pressure placed on Democrats and Republicans to resolve this impasse. That pressure needs to come with the wisdom that continuing business as usual is not the answer. Citizen activism is essential as we see the governor and Senate president finding common ground and a willingness to compromise. The time is now to meet the needs of our state and move Illinois forward in a sound and sustained manner. Shane Watson struck the second-highest Twenty20 international score ever but his 124 not out went in vain as a combined batting effort helped India score a thrilling last-ball victory to complete a 3-0 whitewash. Australia captain Shane Watson struck the second-highest Twenty20 international score ever but his 124 not out went in vain as a combined batting effort helped India pull off a thrilling last-ball victory to complete a 3-0 whitewash on Sunday. Opener Rohit Sharma (52), Virat Kohli (50) and Suresh Raina (49 not out) helped India reach 200 for 3 in reply to Australia's 197 for 5. Rohit and Kohli added 78 runs for the second wicket to keep India in the hunt and then Raina produced a composed but attacking 25-ball knock to take the team home in the company of fellow left-hander Yuvraj Singh (15 not out). advertisement India needed 17 off the last over bowled by Andrew Tye which was achieved in style as Yuvraj struck a four and a six off the first two deliveries. Raina completed the win with a four on the off side. Rohit scored 52 off 38 balls with one six and five fours before he was caught by Watson at midwicket off legspinner Cameron Boyce. Scorecard | As it happened | Match in pics Boyce almost got another wicket in the same over but wicketkeeper Cameron Bancroft failed to collect the ball when Raina was yet to score. The legspinner also dismissed Kohli for a 36-ball 50, his third consecutive half-century in the series. "A lot of credit (goes) to the bowlers," India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said. "The batsmen have taken it up a notch but it is the bowlers who have done their job better. There might be one or two changes based on the conditions in the World T20, but this is roughly what the side will look like." Earlier, Watson, who led after first-choice captain Aaron Finch was ruled out due to a hamstring injury, smashed six sixes and 10 fours off 71 deliveries. Finch holds the record for the highest individual T20 score of 156, against England at Southampton in 2013. Watson, who was dropped by Kohli off medium-pacer Hardik Pandya on 56, became only the third captain to score a century in Twenty20 internationals and it was also the highest ever score by a skipper in the format. Watson added 53 runs for the second wicket with Shaun Marsh (nine) and 93 for the fourth with Travis Head (26). Watson was quick to punish anything short from the pace bowlers and anything pitched up by the spinners, clobbering the ball with ease on the leg side. He struck three sixes off Ravindra Jadeja, whom he hit for 19 runs off five deliveries in the left-arm spinner's last over. "They (India) certainly are special," Watson said. "We put up the big score but couldn't get ourselves over the line." Australia, which tried a number of players in this series while sending many frontline players to New Zealand in preparation for upcoming tests, handed T20 debuts to top-order batsman Usman Khawaja and Bancroft. advertisement India won the first game at Adelaide by 37 runs and the second at Melbourne by 27 runs. --- ENDS --- It was four years ago that 28-year-old Krishna Mohan Tripathi was browsing through profiles on Facebook when he stumbled upon Deb Miller's. Gradually, they started interacting and he began sharing his feelings with her. By Rajat Rai: At a time when the globe is brimming with stories about the bad world of the Internet, a 60-year-old American woman has done almost the 'unthinkable' by attending her 'Facebook son's' wedding in Gorakhpur. It was four years ago that 28-year-old Krishna Mohan Tripathi was browsing through profiles on Facebook when he stumbled upon Deb Miller's. Gradually, they started interacting and he began sharing his feelings with her. Krishna's mother had died when he was a teenager. advertisement Deb, a native of California in the United States of America, began emotionally supporting him and to his surprise, also accepted his wedding invitation. "I was surprised to receive a call from her on January 20. She informed me that she had reached Delhi and was enquiring about details of trains to reach Gorakhpur," Krishna said. Expressing their gratitude to Deb for her kind gesture, Krishna's relatives and neighbours went to Gorakhpur railway station to receive her. Upon her arrival in the Uttar Pradesh city, Deb said: "I do not have children and when I interacted with Krishna, I felt god had fulfilled my wishes. He is a very nice person and I pray to god that all his wishes come true." Krishna is currently pursuing MSc from Awadh University in Faizabad and aspires to become a lawyer. After his marriage to one Neha on Saturday, he said: "Mom (Deb) has invited us to America and soon we will go there." Deb's arrival proved to be only the first surprise for guests at the wedding. Little did they know they were in for another one. They were left astounded when Deb gave Krishna jewellery worth Rs 25 lakh and a 125-year-old ring, which she had purchased from an auction house in Britain, as wedding gifts. The American, dressed in a golden Banarsi saree, said she had fallen in love with India. "I used to see Indian women (wearing saree) on TV and always wondered how they carried it. However, it is a very nice and suave dress. I am taking back two dozen sarees as return gifts. I will come back to India and visit the Taj Mahal with my son," she said. Deb left for Delhi on Saturday evening and will leave for the USA today. --- ENDS --- A group of boys, who were taking bath in the canal, accidentally found the ammunition. The police swung into action and immediately reached at the spot which is located at a distance of 15 kilometres from Pathankot near Sundar Chak area under Pathankot Bamial sector. Police today found a cache of ammunition dumped in Upper Bari Doab canal at Malikpur, the district which is on high alert since the attack on the airbase in Pathankot earlier this month. A group of boys, who were taking bath in the canal, accidentally found the ammunition. "As the water level was low, the boys discovered the ammunition lying at the bottom of the canal and then they raised an alarm," Pathankot DSP (Rural) Kuldeep Singh said. advertisement The police swung into action and immediately reached at the spot which is located at a distance of 15 kilometres from Pathankot near Sundar Chak area under Pathankot Bamial sector. Among the hoard there were two magazines along with 59 live cartridges of AK-47 rifle, two magazines and 29 live cartridges of INSAS rifle and 16 rounds and two shells of 315 rifle. Security had already been stepped up in the surrounding areas following the terror attack at Pathankot Airforce station on January 2 in which seven security personnel were killed. Few days back, Punjab police had arrested a resident of Madhya Pradesh from a railway station here and recovered a country-made pistol along with two live cartridges. Also on January 28, a 25-year-old Afghan national was caught by railway police for travelling without ticket at Pathankot Cantonment railway station. Also found: Pathankot railway station evacuated after suspicious bag found After Himachal man's murder, another driver killed in Haryana --- ENDS --- A quarrel between Anupam Kher and Shashi Tharoor caught social media by surprise on Saturday evening. It all started with the Congress MP's response to the actor's recently reported remark that he is scared to openly say he is a Hindu. The spat between the Congress MP and vocal supporter of Narendra Modi came at a time when the battle lines are drawn between the two principal parties. By Mail Today: A quarrel between Anupam Kher and Shashi Tharoor caught social media by surprise on Saturday evening. It all started with the Congress MP's response to the actor's recently reported remark that he is scared to openly say he is a Hindu. Shashi Tharoor, former minister and MP from Thiruvananthapuram, took to Twitter to rebut Kher. "Come on Anupam. I say it all the time. I am a proud Hindu. Just not the Sangh's kind of Hindu," tweeted Tharoor. advertisement He got an immediate response. "Come on Shashi. Never thought you will misinterpret my statement like trolls do. And behave like a Congi Chamcha," Anupam Kher shot back. Tharoor, who has a huge social media following, returned the compliment by saying: "Abuse @AnupamPkher, is what you use when you run out of arguments. I am a proud MP of @INCIndia &I don't't resort to insults #CongiChamcha." (sic) The last word was left for Kher, who was recently honoured with a Padma Bhushan. "Sadly, you forgot that you brought in your kind of Hindu & Sanghi Hindu first," replied Anupam Kher. The spat between the Congress MP and vocal supporter of Narendra Modi came at a time when the battle lines are drawn between the two principal parties. The Congress, joined by anti-BJP parties, has held the government responsible for the growing intolerance in the country. The BJP, backed by supporters like Anupam Kher, has hit back at the false perception being created by the political opponents maligning the country's image. The Padma Bhushan awardee was also at the forefront leading a march against the intolerance brigade, rubbishing it as selective outrage. --- ENDS --- The businessman, Vasanth, who supplied water to garment industries in Bengaluru, befriended an orphan girl (employed in a garment near his home). He pestered her for marriage for the last few months, but the girl avoided him. By Mail Today: The police arrested a businessman for raping a 17-year-old girl, who worked in a garment factory in Rajagopalanagar in Bengaluru on Saturday. According to the police, the businessman, Vasanth, who supplied water to garment industries in Bengaluru, befriended an orphan girl (employed in a garment near his home). He pestered her for marriage for the last few months, but the girl avoided him. advertisement On January 25, when the girl was on her way to the factory, Vasanth kidnapped her in his car and took her to a desolated place. He allegedly raped her in the car and dropped her to the factory. The scared girl, who lived with her relatives, returned home late. On inquiring, they found out the truth and lodged a complaint with the police. Vasanth and the girl were subjected to medical tests, which confirmed the rape. The accused has been remanded into judicial custody for two weeks. --- ENDS --- A minority cell leader of BJP has been booked under the stringent National Security Act in view of his "criminal record", days after he was charged with slaughtering a cow at his house in Dewas district, leading to his expulsion from the party. "The National Security Act was slapped on Anwar Mev on January 28 in view of his past criminal record," Dewas District Collector Ashutosh Awasthi said. advertisement BJP's state unit spokesman Hitesh Bajpai confirmed the development, saying "we have expelled Mev from the party". Mev, former vice president of the BJP's minority cell in Tonkkhurd Mandal in Dewas district, and nine others are facing a criminal case under the Madhya Pradesh Cow Slaughter Ban Act and the Indian Penal Code, according to Dewas additional superintendent of police Rajesh Raghuvanshi. Meanwhile, the Congress has accused BJP of "dividing" society on communal lines in the name of cow. "According to reports, the BJP men, some of them Hindus, are involved in slaughter of cows. BJP is diving society in the name of cow. The export of beef has increased manifold under the NDA government," said Congress leader Bhupendra Gupta. When contacted, BJP leader Shailesh Kesarwani said, "The (district) administration must have imposed NSA after seeing Anwar's record. Cow slaughter won't be tolerated at all." Carcass of a cow was allegedly recovered from Mev's house in Maniyarpura locality in Tonkkhurd Nagar town on January 27, leading to protests by right-wing organisations. Mev was arrested and shifted to Ujjain Central Jail. ALSO READ Kolkata group starts new trend with selfie with cow campaign Man held in Bengaluru for cow slaughter --- ENDS --- According to the registrar of the Hyderabad central University, the university is set to function normally from February 1. Amidst protests the Hyderabad university is set to function normally from February 1 According to the registrar of the Hyderabad central University, the university is set to function normally from February 1, after massive protests erupted due to the suicide of Dalit student Rohith Vemula earlier this month. The decision was made after the interim Vice Chancellor M Periyasami held a meeting with the JAC delegation. Classes and other activities at the university have been hit ever since Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula committed suicide. Protests have been on since then at the university campus. advertisement Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi visited the Hyderabad University campus on Saturday to participate in a candle march organised by students. Union minister Venkaiah Naidu later lashed out at the Rahul Gandhi and accused him of politicising the entire issue. He accused Gandhi of using the university campus as a political platform for partisan interests. Also read: Modi and RSS trying to crush India's spirit: Rahul Gandhi at University of Hyderabad --- ENDS --- Amid political uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has called a meeting of top party leaders at her Srinagar residence today. PDP leaders will hold an internal meeting to discuss the government formation. By India Today Web Desk: Amidst political uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP spokesperson Naeem Akhtar today said that party chief Mehbooba Mufti will take the final call on the basis of the agenda of the PDP-BJP alliance. Akhtar asserted that the PDP wants to continue on the vision of late Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, but wants to form a government only after assurance on a few points from the Centre. The points include talks with Pakistan, special employment package for Jammu and Kashmir, transfer of central power projects to the state, amongst others. advertisement PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had called for a meeting of top party leaders at her Srinagar residence today. The internal meeting was held to discuss government formation. The party members have authorised Mehbooba Mufti to take a final decision on the matter. The alliance with BJP is highly consequential to the formation of the next government in the state. The chief minister's post in Jammu and Kashmir remains vacant after the sudden demise of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7, 2016. Sayeed was heading a coalition government with BJP since March 1 last year after the Assembly elections threw up a fractured mandate. Mehbooba was seen as the successor to her father, but she has maintained suspense over the issue and not yet staked claim to form the government. Days back, she held a meeting with senior leaders who authorised her to take a decision on the formation of the next government but she has still not revealed her cards. Some PDP leaders had said that Mehbooba wanted a review of the work done during Sayeed's 10-month tenure, especially with regard to implementation of 'Agenda of Alliance' framed with BJP. BJP, with 25 MLAs in the 87-member Assembly, has made it clear that it wants the alliance to continue and were waiting for 27-member PDP to elect its Legislature Party leader. Also Read Will PDP-BJP form govt in JK? Farooq Abdullah says no political party closes its doors Power projects may decide fate of PDP-BJP alliance --- ENDS --- Kamal Haasan, in an exclusive chat with TS Sudhir from India Today, answered many questions placed by the Twitteratis under the hashtag #SpeekonFreedom There is a famous comedy dialogue about Kamal Haasan which goes like this "Kamal Madhuri puriyamayae pesikitu", which loosely means that don't talk in riddles like Kamal Haasan. ALSO READ: Kamal Haasan is all praise for Vetri Maaran's Visaaranai ALSO READ: Fans demand Kamal Haasan tweet in Tamil. Here's the actor's kickass reply Yes, when you ask the veteran actor a question, expect an answer that will not even sound remotely relevant to the query. But if you know the actor, and read between the lines, you will know your question has been answered. advertisement Kamal Haasan, in an exclusive chat with TS Sudhir from India Today, answered many questions posed by the Twitteratis using the hashtag #SpeekonFreedom. The actor spoke on intolerance, Rajinikanth and FTII students' protest. When the actor was asked about the whole 'go to Pakistan' quarrel, Kamal Haasan said that even if he goes to Pakistan, he will be doing films on his native place because his 'buoyancy is always towards people of India'. Talking about India-Pakistan issue, the filmmaker said that he is like an old grandfather of a family, who is waiting to see a broken relationship patch together. Many Rajinikanth fans expressed their displeasure on Twitter that Kamal Haasan is not following the superstar. In reply to this criticism Kamal assured he will indeed follow him and they have been following each other in real life. The Padma Shri Awardee, who is against the Award Wapsi propaganda, called it hypocritical. In the fourty-five-minute interview, Kamal made some bold statements such as 'English is out National language'. He also stressed that religion should be treated as a personal thing like sex, and nobody should dare ask about one's caste or god. Here is the full interview: --- ENDS --- Eight bogies of the Ratnachal Express were set on fire by violent protesters seeking inclusion in the Backward Class list. Protests held by members of the Kapu community seeking reservation turned violent when they set the Ratnachal Express on fire today, at Tuni railway station in Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Several bogies of the Ratnachal Express were set on fire by violent protesters seeking inclusion in the Backward Class list. The agitators also damaged police vehicles in the area. The protesters resorted to stone pelting, injuring several railway and police officials. An emergency helpline (0891-2575083) has been set up at the Visakhapatnam Railway station. advertisement According to sources, one police constable sustained injuries in stone pelting at the spot. The incident forced authorities to stop all trains running between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada stations, causing huge inconvenience to passengers. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said, "I am appealing all to maintain law and order. Appealing protesters to cooperate with police. Government will deal firmly with the violators, no question of compromise." Earlier, members of Kapu community took to the streets and blocked railway lines and highways in Andhra Pradesh. The protesters have also blocked the Chennai- Kolkata national highway affecting vehicular movement. Last year, the Andhra Pradesh government announced inclusion of Kapu community under Backward Classes category and set up of a panel to study the proportion of reservation to be granted to them. The government has also decided to constitute a commission to study the issue of reservations to be provided for the community. --- ENDS --- The police have not specified any reason for rejecting the application of the organisers of the 'Kiss of Love' campaign. The Karnataka police have refused to grant permission to a youths' organisation to hold the 'Kiss of Love' campaign in Shivamogga, a BJP stronghold, on Valentine's Day (February 14). A local youths' organisation had approached the Shivamogga district administration seeking permission to hold the campaign. However, the same day, activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal submitted memorandums to the district administration urging it to not to grant permission on the grounds that the event could lead to a law and order problem. advertisement However, the police have not specified any reason for rejecting the application of the organisers of the 'Kiss of Love' campaign. Now, the organisers intend to shift the event to a different date in March. Also Read: VHP, Bajrang Dal oppose Kiss of Love campaign in Karnataka --- ENDS --- Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor are in news for their break-up. The gossip mills have been churning out stories based on speculations around their split. Ranbir and Katrina's dating rumours started doing the rounds when they were shooting for the 2009 film Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. In an interview with Times Of India, Katrina Kaif talked about her break-up rumours, her professional life and her upcoming film Fitoor. Katrina was asked about whether all what is written or spoken about her break-up affects her or not and on this Kat said, "Whether it is a snippet or it makes headlines, it is still speculation. I can't get carried away by the magnitude of what is spoken and written. I have taken a stance to not comment on my personal life. I can either change that stance or see it through." advertisement On being asked about her views on infidelity, the Fitoor actor stated "I would never be disloyal to the person I love. My loyalty would be only to that person." And when asked about what qualities she believes her partner should have, she expressed, "Integrity, humour and kindness; I don't like dishonesty and indecisiveness." Katrina will next be seen in Fitoor alongsife Aditya Roy Kapur. The film is passionate love story between Noor (Aditya) and Firdaus (Katrina). Talking about the film and her on screen love story, Katrina said, "Sometimes the person who is your salvation, who is meant to bring the completion in your life, is often the very person you fight against for the longest time. Or the very person you are so set against in your mind, like my character in my upcoming movie." Katrina also admitted to what Salman said on his TV reality show. Salman had said that Kat is the strongest woman he has ever met. "I believe I know my mind, my wants and desires. I know I have the strength and whatever it takes to stand by it. I have the strength to see my desires and dreams through good times, stormy times and opposition. If that's strength - I have it. There is also a part of me that is vulnerable and emotional, and it is open and easily accessible," she added. Directed by Abhishek Kapoor, Fitoor is all set to hit the screens on Feburary 12 this year. --- ENDS --- Lego has introduced its first-ever figurine with disability at a toy fair in Germany. By India Today Web Desk: Looks like the winds of change (for the better) are blowing all over the toy land. As a new line of Barbie dolls came into the market with three new body shapes, different skin tones and hair textures, Lego introduced its first disabled figurine. This new character, a hat-wearing male toy in a wheelchair accompanied by a dog, was spotted at the Nuremberg international toy fair in Germany on Thursday as part of a new Lego CITY set. advertisement Lego brought this new character along following a social media campaign that asked the company to have more diverse options. The Change.org petition called #ToyLikeMe had garnered more than 20,000 signatures, nearly a year after which the new figurine came along. "We've got genuine tears of joy right now," said Rebecca Atkinson, the woman behind the petition, adding that the company "rocked our brick built world". Atkinson had written a long post to Lego about a year ago, asking the Danish toy-maker to be more inclusive. "Please, Lego, put some wheelchair vroom vroom into the toy box and help generations of kids, (both with and without disabilities), grow up with a more positive attitude to human difference," read her post. This new toy set, which includes the wheelchair-riding mini-figure along with 14 others, a carousel, a picnic bench and a lawn mower, is scheduled to be released in June. In 2014, Lego had beaten the maker of Barbie, Mattel, to take its place as the 'biggest toy company in the world'. Take a quick look at this new toy in the block: --- ENDS --- Dhanush is wrapping up for Tamil political thriller Kodi. From June, he will start working on his international project The Fakir. The sequel to Dhanush-starrer Tamil entertainer Maari, which released last year in cinemas, is in the pipeline and will go on the floors later this year, a source said. ALSO READ: Dhanush's Hollywood debut doesn't excite him as much as this does "Director Balaji Mohan has been working on the script of Maari 2 over the last few months. The project is expected to go on the floors around October this year. By then, Dhanush will be relieved of all his commitments, including his Hollywood project," a source close to Dhanush told IANS. advertisement In Maari, Dhanush played a lungi-clad, moustache-twirling local don. "He will reprise the same role in the sequel. The team is waiting for Dhanush to grow back his handlebar moustache for the film," the source said. Meanwhile, Dhanush is wrapping up for Tamil political thriller Kodi. From June, he will start working on his international project The Fakir. The source added that he also has a film with Raanjhanaa director Anand L Rai in the offing. --- ENDS --- Speaking for the first time on the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir after her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's death on January 7 this year, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti took a strong position saying that her party wouldn't form a government just for the sake of power. Speaking for the first time on the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir after her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's death on January 7 this year, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti took a strong position saying that her party wouldn't form a government just for the sake of power. She sought assurances on political initiatives as spelled out in the Agenda of Alliance and said if the progress was made on peace and reconciliation it would take her ten minutes to become Chief Minister. advertisement The PDP president, however, made it clear the party will not burn fingers for nothing and said, more than a government Jammu and Kashmir today needs the political will and statesmanship to pull the State out of the morass, which no government in the State could do amid recurrent rumblings over the issues that have already been settled in the constitution, thus alluding to statements given by BJP leaders about Article 370, Article 35 (A) and the state flag. "We can't form a government just for the sake of power," she said and added that if a Government is to be formed it will have to address the core political and economic issues confronting J&K to ensure lasting peace and prosperity of the State and its people. "We hope the Government of India will take concrete measures towards the implementation of Agenda of Alliance in the interest of peace and stability of the State and the region," she said addressing the meeting of party legislators, MPs and zonal presidents. According to sources, she said, she would fight for her father's vision even if left alone. Mehbooba said amid recurring contestations and controversies, her father worked tirelessly and tried his best to carry everybody along and bring some relief to the people on the governance front and unfortunately, this taxing overdoing ultimately took a heavy toll on his health. "He (Mufti Sahab) tried his best to do something for the people and we will have to reassess whether we can make some real difference on the ground by carrying forward his mission, which needs a congenial political atmosphere," she said. She said her father took a courageous, although unpopular, decision of aligning with BJP with the hope that the Central Government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take decisive measures to address the core political and economic issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir and its people. "Unfortunately, instead of partnering with and implementing Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's vision of bringing peace, stability and prosperity to Jammu and Kashmir, certain quarters, both within J&K and in New Delhi, started overtly and covertly triggering frequent controversies over avoidable contentious issues resulting in wastage of the State Government's energies in firefighting and propitiation. She was alluding to the petitions filed by the BJP leaders in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir against the state flag and in support of beef ban. advertisement "In such violative circumstances around, we will have to reassess whether we can absorb the shocks which Mufti Sahab had to do so frequently in his effort to forge reconciliation between the regions and the people of the State," she said. Laying out conditions for an re-alliance, Mehbooba said the government of India will have to take substantive measures towards implementation of the PDP-BJP "Agenda of Alliance" in the interest of peace and stability in J&K and for this PDP needs a set timeframe to be worked out. "The PDP will have to reassess whether the Central Government is ready to trust the people of Jammu and Kashmir and carry out implementation of 'Agenda of Alliance' with sincerity of purpose," she said and added it has been made clear in the very preamble of the 'Agenda of Alliance' that the document is an effort to seek national reconciliation on J&K and facilitate formation of a coalition government in the State that will be empowered to catalyze reconciliation and confidence building process and create conditions to facilitate resolution of all issues of J&K. She said the Agenda of Alliance had made it clear that the present position will be maintained on all the constitutional provisions pertaining to J&K including the special status in the Constitution of India," she said adding that it has been made clear that the coalition government in the State will seek to support and strengthen the initiatives taken by the government to create a reconciliatory environment and build stakes for all in the peace and development within the sub-continent including normalization of relations with Pakistan. advertisement Mehbooba said while real progress was made during the past 10 months towards the implementation of good-governance practices listed in the "Agenda of Alliance", there was little movement forward on implementation of political and economic initiatives. She said PDP was expecting tangible measures from the present government at the Centre to carry forward and take to the logical conclusion, the reconciliation process which was initiated and worked effectively between 2002 and 2005. "We hope the government of India will take concrete measures towards the implementation of Agenda of Alliance in the interest of peace and stability of the State and the region," she said. --- ENDS --- Idris Elba, Queen Latifah, Kevin Spacey, Viola Davis, Uzo Aduba, Jeffrey Tambor were among the individual TV winners. Dascha Polanco, Emma Myles, Uzo Aduba and Elizabeth Rodriguez pose backstage with the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for Orange is the New Black during the 22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles Picture courtes By India Today Web Desk: The 22nd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were held on Saturday, Jan 30, in Los Angeles, California. Idris Elba, Queen Latifah, Kevin Spacey, Viola Davis, Uzo Aduba, Jeffrey Tambor were among the individual TV winners. Idris Elba was probably the only winner who walked away with two trophies for two different roles, one in a movie (Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture prize for Beasts of No Nation), and one in a TV Miniseries (Luther). advertisement The ensemble cast awards were bagged by Orange Is the New Black and Downton Abbey. Here's a complete list of TV winners. Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Drama Series Downton Abbey Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Comedy Series Orange Is the New Black Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Kevin Spacey, House of Cards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries Idris Elba, Luther Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries Queen Latifah, Bessie Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series Game of Thrones --- ENDS --- Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin spied on 'Chairman' Mao Zedong and other world leaders in the 1940s by analysing their excrement to construct psychological portraits. Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin spied on 'Chairman' Mao Zedong and other world leaders in the 1940s by analysing their excrement to construct psychological portraits, a former Soviet agent has claimed. Former Soviet agent Igor Atamanenko claims to have uncovered this unusual project while doing research in the archives of the Russian secret services. The secret lab was headed by Stalin's henchman Lavrenti Beria. advertisement Under this, special toilets were allegedly installed for the Chinese Communist Party leader Mao to use when he visited Moscow for 10 days in December 1949. During those 10 days, Mao was piled with food and drink and his waste products whisked off for analysis. The toilets were not connected to sewers, but collected his waste in secret boxes to be taken to the lab and studied for varying levels of potassium and amino acids, which were thought to aid psychological profiling, the BBC reported. Once Mao's stools had been scrutinised and studied, Stalin reportedly poo poo-ed the idea of signing an agreement with him, the report said. "In those days the Soviets didn't have the kind of listening devices which secret services do today," Atamanenko told the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper. "That's why our specialists came up with the most extravagant ways of extracting information about a person." "When I contacted Atamanenko, he told me what the Soviet scientists had been looking for in faeces. "For example, if they detected high levels of amino acid Tryptophan," he explained, "they concluded that person was calm and approachable." But a lack of potassium in poo was seen as a sign of a nervous disposition and someone with insomnia." The Pravda reports that Stalin's successor, Nikita Khrushchev, scrapped the project and closed the laboratory. When asked if it could confirm Stalin's secret stool project, Russia's Federal Security Service told the BBC: "We cannot comment on this story." --- ENDS --- Investigative reporting from the inner city to Wall Street to the United Nations This is the blogspot version InnerCityPress.com Blog Archive Oct 2022 (41) Sep 2022 (60) Aug 2022 (61) Jul 2022 (55) Jun 2022 (60) May 2022 (73) Apr 2022 (60) Mar 2022 (58) Feb 2022 (65) Jan 2022 (69) Dec 2021 (106) Nov 2021 (84) Oct 2021 (58) Sep 2021 (67) Aug 2021 (62) Jul 2021 (54) Jun 2021 (50) May 2021 (58) Apr 2021 (44) Mar 2021 (57) Feb 2021 (64) Jan 2021 (93) Dec 2020 (82) Nov 2020 (62) Oct 2020 (50) Sep 2020 (45) Aug 2020 (51) Jul 2020 (56) Jun 2020 (53) May 2020 (70) Apr 2020 (66) Mar 2020 (169) Feb 2020 (211) Jan 2020 (184) Dec 2019 (54) Nov 2019 (56) Oct 2019 (55) Sep 2019 (63) Aug 2019 (54) Jul 2019 (69) Jun 2019 (56) May 2019 (65) Apr 2019 (68) Mar 2019 (72) Feb 2019 (76) Jan 2019 (62) Dec 2018 (55) Nov 2018 (69) Oct 2018 (90) Sep 2018 (82) Aug 2018 (58) Jul 2018 (36) Jun 2018 (47) May 2018 (44) Apr 2018 (64) Mar 2018 (63) Feb 2018 (68) Jan 2018 (92) Dec 2017 (85) Nov 2017 (64) Oct 2017 (82) Sep 2017 (54) Aug 2017 (89) Jul 2017 (60) Jun 2017 (86) May 2017 (84) Apr 2017 (62) Mar 2017 (86) Feb 2017 (91) Jan 2017 (113) Dec 2016 (109) Nov 2016 (100) Oct 2016 (82) Sep 2016 (95) Aug 2016 (84) Jul 2016 (84) Jun 2016 (99) May 2016 (93) Apr 2016 (106) Mar 2016 (145) Feb 2016 (125) Jan 2016 (103) Dec 2015 (83) Nov 2015 (80) Oct 2015 (100) Sep 2015 (111) Aug 2015 (94) Jul 2015 (98) Jun 2015 (151) May 2015 (125) Apr 2015 (109) Mar 2015 (122) Feb 2015 (113) Jan 2015 (135) Dec 2014 (131) Nov 2014 (115) Oct 2014 (146) Sep 2014 (112) Aug 2014 (128) Jul 2014 (94) Jun 2014 (104) May 2014 (140) Apr 2014 (132) Mar 2014 (81) Feb 2014 (89) Jan 2014 (141) Dec 2013 (100) Nov 2013 (96) Oct 2013 (99) Sep 2013 (94) Aug 2013 (95) Jul 2013 (95) Jun 2013 (91) May 2013 (139) Apr 2013 (179) Mar 2013 (73) Feb 2013 (76) Jan 2013 (85) Dec 2012 (59) Nov 2012 (71) Oct 2012 (85) Sep 2012 (70) Aug 2012 (71) Jul 2012 (53) Jun 2012 (51) May 2012 (52) Apr 2012 (52) Mar 2012 (69) Feb 2012 (76) Jan 2012 (70) Dec 2011 (60) Nov 2011 (54) Oct 2011 (57) Sep 2011 (75) Aug 2011 (72) Jul 2011 (64) Jun 2011 (76) May 2011 (56) Apr 2011 (73) Mar 2011 (114) Feb 2011 (71) Jan 2011 (80) Dec 2010 (92) Nov 2010 (82) Oct 2010 (73) Sep 2010 (95) Aug 2010 (86) Jul 2010 (81) Jun 2010 (76) May 2010 (71) Apr 2010 (74) Mar 2010 (74) Feb 2010 (82) Jan 2010 (101) Dec 2009 (108) Nov 2009 (182) Oct 2009 (136) Sep 2009 (102) Aug 2009 (120) Jul 2009 (151) Jun 2009 (136) May 2009 (180) Apr 2009 (145) Mar 2009 (113) Feb 2009 (113) Jan 2009 (124) Dec 2008 (108) Nov 2008 (69) Oct 2008 (89) Sep 2008 (76) Aug 2008 (75) Jul 2008 (87) Jun 2008 (80) May 2008 (99) Apr 2008 (93) Mar 2008 (115) Feb 2008 (147) Jan 2008 (162) Dec 2007 (124) Nov 2007 (95) Oct 2007 (67) Sep 2007 (42) Aug 2007 (78) Jul 2007 (75) Jun 2007 (123) May 2007 (110) Apr 2007 (108) Mar 2007 (92) Feb 2007 (136) Jan 2007 (119) Dec 2006 (41) Nov 2006 (34) Oct 2006 (12) Sep 2006 (13) Aug 2006 (13) Jul 2006 (16) Jun 2006 (12) May 2006 (21) Apr 2006 (38) Mar 2006 (27) Feb 2006 (25) Jan 2006 (18) To the best of my ability I write about my experience of the Universe Past, Present and Future What You Can't Discuss: This is a partial list of taboo topics within progressive-left venues around the Arab-Israel conflict. You cannot discuss this material because it undermines the "Palestinian narrative" of perpetual victimhood. This narrative is a club used by the Arab and Muslim enemies of Israel, along with their western progressive allies, to delegitimize that country in preparation for its eventual dissolution. 1) The centuries of Jewish dhimmitude under the boot of Islamic imperialism. 2) The recent construction of Palestinian identity, its connection to Soviet Cold War politics, and how this is an Arab people with a Roman name that refers to Greeks. 3) Arab and Palestinian Koranically-based racism as the fundamental source of the conflict. 4) The ways in which contemporary progressive anti-Zionism serves as a cloak for gross anti-Semitism. 5) The Palestinian theft and appropriation of Jewish history. 6) "Pallywood." 7) The historical connections between the Nazis, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Palestinian national movement. 8) The perpetual refusal of the Palestinian-Arabs to accept a state for themselves in peace next to the Jewish one. 9) The progressive portrayal of terrorists as those fighting a righteous war of "resistance." 10) The Arab-Palestinian indoctrination of children with Jew hatred. 11) Human rights violations against women, children, and Gay people in the Muslim Middle East. 12) The fact that violent Jihadis call themselves "Jihadis" and claim to love death above life. This is only a partial list, so please let us know the many more that we are missing. I WRITE NEWS ABOUT AND PUT NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM PERTAINING TO BIBLE PROPHESY HAPPENINGS.JOEL 3:20 But Judah (ISRAEL) shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.(THATS ISRAEL-JERUSALEM WILL NEVER BE DESTROYED AGAIN)-WE CHRISTIANS ARE ALL WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE TO OCCUR.SO WE CAN GO TO JESUS AND GET OUR NEVER DYING BODIES.SO WE CAN RULE OVER CITIES OURSELVES.WHILE JESUS RULES FROM DAVIDS THRONE FOREVER IN JERUSALEM. Moshe Marzouk and Samuel Azar had headed secret cells formed to weaken the warming ties between Egypt and the West. They were caught due to a turncoat. On January 31, 1955, Moshe Marzouk and Samuel Azar, two Egyptian Jews who had been convicted of espionage and acts of sabotage on behalf of Israel, were executed in Cairo. Marzouk and Azar were among 13 defendants rounded up by the Nasser regime in the wake of Operation Susannah, a series of bombings of foreign-owned properties in Cairo and Alexandria in July 1954, executed by agents working for Israel. Coverage of the events was heavily censored in Israel at the time, but even so, they led to a major political scandal, known generally as the Lavon Affair, that to this day has not been completely unraveled. Defending the Jews Operation Susannah was planned by Unit 131 of Israeli Military Intelligence, which in the early 1950s recruited and trained Egyptian Jews to develop defensive capabilities, as anti-Semitic activities became more common, and to encourage them to prepare for immigration to Israel. The unit stepped up its activity in the summer of 1954, when the Egyptian and British governments began negotiating the U.Ks withdrawal from the Suez Canal Zone. This and other signs of lessening tensions between Israel\s Western allies and Egypt, even as Israeli-Egyptian cross-border confrontations were escalating, caused anxiety in Jerusalem. That summer, Avri Elad, an Israeli of Viennese origin, arrived in Egypt to activate the two cells of Jewish agents that had been organized several years earlier. Their assignment was to carry out attacks against British and American institutions in Egypt, making it appear as if the perpetrators were Egyptian in order to set back any improvement in relations between Egypt and the target countries. Moshe Marzouk, who headed the Cairo cell, was born on December 20, 1926. He was the son of Lito Ibrahim Marzouk and the former Rachel Menashe, both members of the Karaite Jewish sect. (Karaite Judaism is an offshoot of pre-rabbinic Judaism that recognizes the authority of only the Hebrew Bible, and not the Oral Law, or Talmud.) He had belonged to the Maccabi-Hehalutz Zionist youth group growing up in Cairo, and had studied medicine at King Fuad I University there. He was employed as a surgeon and anesthesiologist at the citys Jewish Hospital. The leader of the Alexandria cell, Shmuel Azar, was the son of David Azar and the former Adela Kadan, and was born in that city on November 22, 1929. He was unusually gifted, both in academic subjects and as an artist, and had undergone agricultural training on a kibbutz in Israel before studying electrical engineering at the University of Alexandria. Primitive bombs The first bomb was detonated at an Alexandria post office on July 2, 1954. Two weeks later, on July 14, bombs were set off at the offices of the U.S. Information Agency in that city and in Cairo. An additional bomb, intended for the Rio Cinema, a British-owned theater in Alexandria, went off prematurely. Finally, on July 23, fires were set at several public buildings in Cairo. The bombs were as primitive as could be, and all were timed to go off when the targets were empty of people. And in fact, the only injury caused by the operation was to Philip Nathanson, an Israeli agent, when the phosphorus bomb in his pocket detonated before he could plant it at the Rio Theater. The fact that Egyptian police were present to arrest Nathanson when he had his mishap led to the conclusion that someone had tipped them off. In time, it became evident that the double agent was Avri Elad, who was arrested after being caught trying to sell information to the Egyptians. He was tried and convicted for illegal contacts with an enemy. The Egyptians arrested another 11 suspects, two of whom died in custody, with the remainder going on trial in December 1954. Six were sentenced to prison sentences of various lengths, two acquitted, and Marzouk and Azar were condemned to death. Though Nasser received many appeals, both formal and unofficial, to show mercy for Marzouk and Azar, he was unmoved, and the hanging went ahead on this day. In April 1977, the remains of both men were transferred to Israel, and were reinterred on Mt. Herzl, in Jerusalem. J/Boats News is a digest of worldwide events, regattas, and news for sailing enthusiasts and members of our J Community. Contributions regarding your racing, cruising or human interest stories on-board J's are welcome- please send to "editor@jboats.com". . . . the candidate who is currently drawing the most enthusiastic response from young voters is also the oldest person running. . . . Baby Boomers should pay close attention to what is going on here: the '60s mantra about not trusting anyone over thirty doesn't apply to many Millennials. Indeed, it is tempting to draw a parallel between young voters' support for Ron Paul and the affection that many young Catholics have for Pope Benedict XVI, an even older man who impresses youthful audiences with his genuine personal humility and his willingness to deliver a challenging yet inspiring message. To say the very least, it is striking that many of the most engaged and committed members of the Millennial Generation are looking beyond the Boomers and taking their inspiration from leaders who came to maturity in the 1940s and '50s. Tomorrow is the Iowa Caucus, the first vote in what promises to be a raucous presidential election year in the United States. Around this time four years ago, I posted something in this space about Millennials and Ron Paul , noting the enthusiasm that many Americans born in the 1980s and '90s had for a presidential candidate who was born during the Great Depression but nevertheless managed to speak to the interests and priorities of young voters in a way that many Boomer politicians evidently could not. Here is a bit of what I wrote at the time:Moving forward to 2016, it seems that Millennials are once again lining up behind a feisty septuagenarian who presents himself as an anti-establishment maverick, albeit of a very different political persuasion. The support of many Millennials for the insurgent Democratic presidential campaign of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has been noted by the media for months , with polls suggesting that Democrats under 45 favor Sanders over Hillary Clinton by a thirty-point margin . In Iowa, where recent polls have shown a nail-bitingly close race, Sanders is hoping to eke out a win on the basis of his popularity among Millennials and an aggressive GOTV operation focused on turning out college students and those high schoolers who are eligible to vote.Regardless of how the Sanders campaign performs tomorrow in Iowa, it seems that the septuagenarian socialist has struck a chord with many young voters. Noting the candidate's Millennial-friendly views on issues like education, healthcare, and campaign finance, Bre Payton of The Federalist opines that "Bernie Sanders is a champion of the millennial cause. He has taken up the issues that affect young people the most and is using them as a battering ram against milquetoast candidates who do nothing more than shill for the status quo." Sanders' social democratic policies set him at odds with the libertarianism of 2012 Millennial favorite Ron Paul, but I can't help but notice some affinities between the two, even if only on the level of style and the sense in which both present themselves as the principled outsiders challenging the powers-that-be.In the short term, strong Millennial support for particular candidates may not yet be enough to turn elections - it certainly didn't do so for Ron Paul - but the long term implications of all this still fascinate me. Is Millennial enthusiasm for candidates like Ron Paul and Bernie Sanders a harbinger of major shifts in political attitudes among a rising generation of American voters, or does it merely reflect the passing fancy of idealistic young people who will move on to "status quo" issues and "milquetoast" candidates as they grow older? I wish I knew the answer. AMDG. CHARLESTON -- The desire to do more for others was a common theme among those honored at the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce's annual banquet Saturday night. Included in that were the comments by Elizabeth Stark, who received the organization's Diplomat of the Year award that recognizes the Chamber's volunteers. Stark is the manager of the Charleston branches of First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust. She said she worked at one of the bank's Mattoon facilities for several years and said she agreed to move "providing I can give back to the community." Since then, she's not only worked with the Chamber but also taken part in efforts such as starting the Charleston Kiwanis Club. "It takes all of us to give back," she said. In presenting the award, Chamber Executive Director Cindy White described Stark as "eager and enthusiastic" and "very deserving." "We rely heavily on volunteers," White said. "They act as our ambassadors in the community." While the Diplomat of the Year recipient isn't announced before the dinner, Saturday's recognitions also included those that were made known ahead of time. In accepting the award for Outstanding Citizen of the Year, Lyla McGuire said she was humbled by the recognition. "I hope I've learned from the experience that I need to do a better job," said McGuire, executive director of CCAR Industries. She credited the developmentally disabled clients that CCAR serves and challenged others to look for ways to make a difference. Doug Bock, president of the CCAR board, presented McGuire the award and said she represents what's listed on the organization's logo: care, compassion, acceptance and respect. "Lyla cares a great deal about the community," he said. "We want to be perceived as a good neighbor." Also, Ed Thomas, owner of Bike & Hike, accepted the Small Business of Year award by thanking the community's support that led to the business' success. "It really does take a village to build and grow a small business," he said. Chamber member Marko Grunhagen presented the award and noted that Bike & Hike now has a second location in Effingham and its employees are involved in developing biking and walking trails in both areas. "Bike & Hike is an outstanding example of what embodies the Small Business of the Year," he said. A collection of essays, anecdotes and poems by James C. Parker. 1. Comments must not be racist, misogynistic, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted. 2. Comments must not involve little more than name-calling and insulting remarks. 3. Comments must not be made by "anonymous" or "unknown". 4. Comments must not try to sneak in some free advertising for themselves (like spam). I invite anyone who wishes to comment on this blog to do so. I enjoy the comments, whether you agree with what I have said or not. But some people want to abuse the right to comment, and since this is my blog, I have decided to lay down the following rules. If your comment violates these rules, it will not be published. Special Notice: This site apparently uses cookies, however, none are edible, at least as far as I know. Seriously, all websites you visit have access to some of your data. For example, the time of your visit, your general location in the world, your IP Address, etc. Be aware and be careful of where you go on the World Wide Web. Tecumseh State Correctional Institution employees are the unhappiest among Nebraska prison workers, according to a survey by the state Ombudsmans office. A high percentage of workers at the maximum security prison who responded to the survey last month said they felt unsafe at work, didnt feel they could discuss concerns with supervisors, and that they either didnt know what direction the Department of Correctional Services was heading or that it was headed in a negative direction. And 66 percent of those employees said that the Legislature doesn't value them. At the time of the survey, Tecumseh employees were seven months separated from a May 10 riot that left two prisoners dead at the hands of other inmates, a few other inmates and staff injured and a housing unit extensively damaged. Doug Koebernick, state inspector general for corrections, contacted staff and administrators at the prisons by email in December, providing a link to the Web-based survey. About half of the 1,035 staff, and more than 35 percent of 404 administrators, provided anonymous responses. Some responded by mail. Koebernick said the survey met his goals of gaining valuable insight from staff and introducing himself to them. He shared the results with Corrections Director Scott Frakes. Frakes said that while he appreciated and shared the Ombudsman office's concern for employees, and thought the survey was anecdotally interesting, he would not comment on it. The methodology was questionable, he said, in that users could potentially take the survey more than once, and employees could view survey data before taking it. Results of the survey are based on 606 responses, including 101 responses from workers at Tecumseh. Of those responding, 363 employees said they had worked between one hour and more than 24 hours of overtime in the two weeks prior to completing the survey. Forty of those employees had worked more than 24 hours of overtime in that time. Tecumseh employees reported the lowest job satisfaction. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest satisfaction, nearly 90 percent of Tecumseh respondents scored their satisfaction 1, 2 or 3. The Omaha Correctional Center was next lowest with 84 percent of 75 employees rating satisfaction between 1 and 3. Salaries were the biggest obstacle listed by workers, with 61 percent saying they did not believe the starting salary provided by the department was appropriate. Slightly more than three-fourths of Tecumseh respondents said their starting salary was not appropriate. The minimum pay for corrections officers as of July 1 was $15.49 an hour, according to the state. The majority of administrators and employees department-wide -- 68 percent -- said the primary change the department could make to keep people from leaving would be salary advancement each year. Salary increases far outpaced hiring additional staff, reducing overtime and providing more opportunities for advancement as keys to employee retention. The majority of respondents to the inspector generals survey -- 64 percent -- said they generally felt safe at work. But only 32 percent of employees at Tecumseh said they felt safe in the month prior to taking the survey, compared to 60 percent working at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln. On the question about whether senators seemed concerned about Corrections employees, less than 1 percent of employees and only about 3 percent of administrators believed they had their support. Omaha Sen. Bob Krist, a member of the special investigative committee for Corrections, said he has told Frakes senators are ready to fight for more funding for increases in wages and benefits, but the request hasnt come. Krist said he hoped the Corrections staff understands that part of the focus of the prisons investigative and study committees in the past three years has been on taking care of employees. I dont know what else we can do except continue to offer our help in appropriating the right amount of money, he said. On the question of the Legislature needing to make a better effort to engage employees, Krist said each employee has a representative in the Legislature. And the Ombudman's office works on behalf of the Legislature on Corrections concerns. "We would encourage them to contact their senator or to contact me or the Ombudsman's office. I'd be happy to take any calls," he said. Frakes launched a culture study of the staff in July, randomly selecting more than 300 department employees to interview. A higher number than expected of other employees also requested to be interviewed, pushing completion of the study to mid-January, according to a memo from Frakes to the department's staff. The research team will analyze the results and then a final report will be shared with staff, along with plans for follow-up, he said. Koebernick said he intends to send out surveys on a regular basis. TULSA, Oklahoma -- When one thinks of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the first thing that comes to mind is oil. The next is maybe Route 66, which runs through town. Or cowboy/author/actor Will Rogers. But one of the largest collections of Art Deco architecture in the world, probably not. When oil was discovered in the area in the early 1900s, the people of Tulsa found a way to show off their new-found wealth: They built skyscrapers that rivaled those in the major cities. The Tulsa Art Deco Museum explains it this way: Art Deco began as a style that exemplified luxury and the new notions of modernity and urban sophistication. Tulsa was rich and saw itself as a modern city. The Tulsa movers and shakers took that philosophy and ran with it, spending $1 million a month developing downtown into a showplace of their opulence and wealth. The Deco District downtown features buildings designed in the Art Deco style in its many forms. However, thats not the only place one can see the artistic influence. Scattered throughout the city are churches, schools, gas stations and even the Pavilion at Expo Square, the site of the Tulsa State Fair. The Deco District is about a 30-square-block area that runs from First to Eighth streets and Cheyenne to Boston streets. You can easily walk from one end to the other, and will be left in awe. Maps of the area are posted on many street corners, and the Deco District has guided and self-guided tours. What I found intriguing was that nestled among the early-20th century buildings, most of which have been restored and/or adapted for new use, glass edifices rise above the skyline. Its a unique blend of new and old oil money, and 1900s architecture meshed with 21st-century design. One place you shouldn't miss is the Philcade Building. Its lobby has been converted into the Tulsa Art Deco Museum. The shop windows in the lobby, which is shaped in a T for Tulsa, are filled with exhibits that tell the story of the Art Deco movement in Tulsa. But its the ceiling that draws the eye. Gorgeous chandeliers hang from a ceiling covered with gold leaf and mosaic tile. The effect is stunning. Another building that just blew me away was the Midcontinent, which was Tulsas first skyscraper. The 16-story building was built in 1918 and renovated in 1984. It was one of the nations first reinforced concrete structures and the tallest one west of the Mississippi River. The facade is Venetian gothic terra cotta veneer, but its the extravagant lobby that takes your breath away with marble columns, floors and walls and a gorgeous stained-glass wall showing the skyline of Tulsa. I felt like Id been transported to New York or London. So, Tulsa, mission accomplished. Architect Thomas Rogers Kimball of Omaha designed nearly 1,000 houses and buildings in his career. Of those that still stand a number are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and one of the most important is the Hall County Courthouse in Grand Island. Hall County, named for territorial Chief Justice Augustus Hall, and which originally included what later became Howard County, was defined by the Nebraska Legislature in December 1858 and organized by action of territorial secretary and acting governor, J. Sterling Morton, who also appointed county officers. Not until a decade later, in October 1868, was the question of a county seat on a ballot, with Grand Island Station winning the site. The same year, Judge Lorenzo Crounse sought a site for a courtroom and asked for the largest hall available in town, which proved to be the dining room at Michelsons Hotel. He was, however, informed that they had to vacate the room in time for use by dinner crowds. Two hundred Hall County men petitioned the county board in 1871 to call for an election to build a proper courthouse where a $15,000 county bond was approved by a 150-vote majority to finance it. Bids for construction were awarded to John Graham the following year in the amount of $15,750, but in less than a month a new bid for $16,500 from Anderson, Plunster & Tout was accepted. The two-story, brick-and-stone building with tower/cupola was completed in 1873 as one of only three masonry courthouses in the entire state, which meant county offices could finally move from various rented quarters. In August 1901, a special election, which passed by 107 votes, gave the county authority to issue $100,000 in bonds to build a new courthouse and jail. The second question, which passed by 113 votes, moved the courthouse site to block 947. Five architects submitted bids to design the building including James Tyler and George Berlinghof of Lincoln, but Thomas Rogers Kimball of Omaha prevailed. Thomas R. Kimball was born in 1862 in Ohio. His father Thomas Lord Kimball, ultimately vice president of the Union Pacific Railroad, moved the family to Omaha in 1871, building a home at 1225 Park Wild. The younger Kimball graduated from high school in 1878, then attended the University of Nebraska for two years before moving to Boston, where he studied privately at the Cowles School. From 1885 through 1887, Kimball attended, but did not graduate, from the architectural school at MIT, then moved to Paris to study art with Henri Harpignies. After returning to Boston, he joined C.H. Walker and Herbert Best in establishing an architecture practice in 1891. Later that year, he and Walker located a branch of the firm in Omaha, where he designed the Omaha Library at 19th and Harney streets, probably winning the commission with the influence of his father. In 1898, Walker & Kimball were appointed architects for the Transmississippi Exposition in Omaha, and in 1901, Kimball won the bid to design Hall Countys courthouse in Grand Island. Contractors Falldorf & Kirschke completed the Beaux-Arts, two-story building at West First and Locust streets and the jail to the south for $131,140 in January 1904. The old courthouse was abandoned to become Pioneer Park and used for the citys 50th anniversary celebration in 1907. In 1977, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and though an annex has been constructed, continues to serve as the Hall County Courthouse. Kimball designed the Electricity Building for the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair and the following year completed his own three-story, 20-room home in Omaha at 2450 St. Marys Ave. In 1918, he was elected president of the American Institute of Architects and the following year was appointed to the Nebraska State Capitol Commission, where he wrote the rules for the design competition for the present Capitol, which was ultimately won by Bertrand Grosvenor Goodhue. Although his house in Omaha was razed in 1940 for a grocery store, he had nearly 900 commissions to his lifetime credit. Among his more important buildings were the Omaha Country Club, the University of Nebraskas Administration Building and the first phase of the never-completed University Museum, St. Cecelias Church, the Fontenelle Hotel, the Lincoln Telephone Building, Omahas Burlington Depot, the U.S. Treasury Building in Kansas City and the Hall County Courthouse. Thomas Rogers Kimball died in 1934 in Omaha from an appendicitis, nearly penniless after the Great Depression, but many of his houses and buildings survive, with a number of them listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Temperatures soared to 51 degrees in Lincoln on a sunny Sunday. The perfect day for a walk outdoors and a shopping trip to prepare for a blizzard. Yes, Mother Nature is taking us for a roller-coaster ride this week. National Weather Service forecasters on Sunday pinpointed the corridor from south-central Nebraska to west-central Iowa -- including Lincoln and Omaha -- as the area most likely to see at least 8 inches of snow on Tuesday. With strong north winds a sure bet, blizzard watches and warnings were issued for a wide swath of Nebraska beginning Monday evening. "Out in the open, travel will be extremely hazardous, if not impossible," said Weather Service meteorologist Becky Kern. "We're talking over 8 inches of snow, a foot in some places. "With the wind, there's going to be some huge drifts." The worst of the conditions won't arrive until early Tuesday, but preparations for the storm got a jump-start on Sunday. Carrie Ray, an employee of Walgreens at 1301 O St., said she spoke with a man from South Carolina in town for a conference, and helped him find hats, gloves and other winter gear. Elise Coorough, also a Walgreens employee, said she had a weather-related encounter over the weekend with a few girls from Los Angeles, in town for a conference at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. They were complaining about how cold it was here, Coorough said. They have no idea. Temperatures on Monday will hold in the 30s, with initially a mix of rain and snow in the afternoon before changing over to all snow sometime Monday evening. Lincoln's snowfall total will depend on a number of factors, Kern said, especially how much rain falls before the precipitation changes over to snow. Forecasters expect a dramatic decline in snowfall totals on the south edge of the system, meaning Falls City might only see a couple inches while the I-80 corridor is slammed. The track the storm ultimately takes will determine where the heaviest snow falls, but forecasters are confident that the Groundhog Day storm will be a major issue over most of the state, with heavy snow at times and winds gusting to near 40 mph by 4 a.m. on Tuesday in Lincoln, causing near white-out conditions. In preparation for the storm, Lincolns street maintenance crews set out Sunday evening to pretreat emergency snow routes, school routes and StarTran bus routes. Omaha, where Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore was headed to set up shop during the storm, went so far as to declare a snow emergency for Tuesday, even as residents enjoyed a pleasant Sunday afternoon. Joe Shreve, an employee at Glenns True Value hardware store in Lincoln, said they've been busy preparing for the storm for days, stocking up on ice salt, sand, shovels, snow blowers, hand and toe warmers and ice scrapers for those in need. A lot of them wait until the last minute, Shreve said. Agricultural land owners in Nebraska have seen spikes in agricultural land values, causing property taxes to surge in recent years. As a result, our research shows rural Nebraskans now pay up to 40 percent more per person in combined property and income taxes than their urban counterparts. A bill before the Legislature, LB 958, attempts to address this issue by capping statewide agricultural land assessment growth to 3 percent, thereby preventing future spikes for agricultural property owners. This approach, however, does not address Nebraskas heavy reliance on property taxes and low level of state support for our schools, counties, cities and community colleges. Furthermore, the measure would have unintended consequences similar to those created by other recent proposals to tax agricultural land at a lower rate. First, the cap would create large shortfalls for schools and other local governments. If the assessment cap had been in effect this year, it would have created a $212 million shortfall for schools and other localities, including a $144 million shortfall for K-12 schools alone. The shortfalls would have had to be addressed by cuts to schools and other local services or through levy increases which would have wiped out much of the tax reduction from the assessment cap. Second, the bill would shift property taxes from agricultural land to residential and business properties, causing property taxes for many Nebraska residential and commercial property owners to increase significantly. Third, the cap would have a disparate impact among agricultural land owners. The largest tax reductions under the cap would go to agricultural land owners who live near urban areas, as property taxes in these areas can be shifted and shared with nearby residential and business properties. Such tax shifts cannot occur in more rural parts of the state, which means property tax levies would either increase, offsetting the property tax reduction for agricultural land owners, or schools and other vital services would need to be cut. To illustrate how the proposal would work, if the cap had been in place this year, in Lincoln County, where property taxes can be shifted and shared with relatively large amounts of commercial and residential properties, agricultural land owners would have seen their property taxes reduced significantly ($208 per $100,000 of valuation). Property taxes on other property types would have increased about $104 per $100,000 of value. In contrast, in neighboring McPherson County, where there is relatively little residential and business property, average levies would have had to increase almost 30 cents to avoid cuts. This would have resulted in a tax reduction of about $26 per $100,000 of agricultural land value less than 13 percent of the tax cut experienced by Lincoln County agricultural land owners. McPherson County residential and business property owners, meanwhile, would have seen their property taxes increase almost $298 per $100,000 of value nearly three times greater than the tax increase experienced by Lincoln County residential and commercial property owners. Consequences such as shortfalls, tax shifts and the disparate impact across the state are why the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy wrote in a 2008 report that assessment caps are among the least effective, least equitable, and least efficient strategies available for providing property tax relief. Finally, there has been some confusion about how the proposal actually will work. Its important to note the cap holds statewide growth of agricultural land to 3 percent but it will not hold assessment growth on each piece of agricultural property to 3 percent. The states Property Tax Administrator projects that if the proposal becomes law, agricultural land valuations in 2016 would increase by 13.6 percent in the northern region of the state and would actually decrease by 2.1 percent in the southern region of the state. A better approach to reducing property taxes would be to address our low state support for K-12 school and other local governments. Compared to other states, we are the 2nd most reliant on property taxes to fund K-12 schools and 49th in the percent of K-12 funded by the state. We rank 47th in the country in our state support for local governments. Policy proposals like the assessment cap, which fail to acknowledge the link between property taxes and state support for schools and other localities, will likely just create more issues than they solve. Proponents of the charter school movement are making an oddly timed push to put Nebraska on the list of states that permit public dollars to be diverted to schools that operate outside the usual public school system. The concept has never really gained much traction in Nebraska. One reason is the strong local connection that most Nebraskans feel with their local public schools. More on that later. Another important reason is that the concept has never had a strong proponent in the governors office. That has changed with the election of Pete Ricketts, who signed a proclamation Monday declaring Nebraska School Choice Week and appeared at a rally at the Capitol. The push is oddly timed because the movement has plateaued nationally due to a series of scandals and failures around the country. Taxpayers in other parts of the country have grown tired of seeing millions of dollars flow into independently run schools that failed to make good on their promises to provide a better education. In Ohio the Akron Beacon Journal last year reviewed more than 4,000 audits released by the state and declared that, No sector not local governments, school districts, court systems, public universities or hospitals misspends tax dollars like charter schools in Ohio. The newspapers story said that since 2001, state auditors have uncovered $27.3 million improperly spent by charter schools, many run by for-profit companies, enrolling thousands of children and producing academic results that rival the worst in the nation. A study by the Brookings Institution reported that on average, charter schools in Arizona do no better, and sometimes worse, than traditional public schools. In Nebraska public schools remain a key hub of community life. Earlier this month the Journal Star reported on how residents of the Crete community, along with staff and students, volunteered their time and muscle farmers loaned their trailers for the big items -- to help move desks, books, computers, theater costumes, robotics equipment, art supplies and all the other accoutrements of modern education to a new high school building across the street in the middle of the school year. The high school was built with the proceeds of a voter-approved $33 million bond issue. Crete has no community center. The gyms in the school building will be booked for public use. We cant keep up with the demand the public has for using our gymnasium space, said Crete Superintendent Kyle McGowan. I think that helped us pass the bond. Advocates for charter schools often borrow the anti-public school rhetoric used in other parts of the country. That negative language, however, doesnt resonate with reality in many parts of Nebraska, where residents feel a strong connection to their local public school, and where its a source of pride. I want to offer some comfort to those that believe that President Obama wants to confiscate your guns. There are two key Supreme Court decisions that says he cant. The first is District of Columbia vs. Heller which, protects an individual's right to possess a firearm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home, in federal enclaves like Washington DC. The District of Columbia passed a law banning the ownership of handguns and requiring significant limits on the possession of rifles and shotguns. While the Court of Appeals struck down much of the law, it was reviewed by the Supreme Court and was rephrased in the above quoted language and the DC law was held unconstitutional. The second decision is McDonald vs. Chicago which extended the Heller decision to the states and cities. Chicago passed a city ordinance to ban the ownership of handguns and after an Appeals Court upheld the ordinance, the Supreme Court said that the Chicago ordinance was unconstitutional and the findings in Heller applied to the states. It doesnt matter what any President wants to do. All that matters is what he can do under the law without the risk of being impeached and removed from office. So relax, the NRA is simply playing you for fools but it is important to understand there are limits to the possession of firearms where such rights conflict with other parts of the Constitution, just like there are limits to the right of free speech. Bert Peterson, Hastings Bryan Health is hosting multiple events during February to highlight American Heart Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about preventing cardiovascular disease, the number one killer of men and women in the United States. Online HeartAware Screenings Bryan Health offers free, confidential online heart screenings that will let you know, in the privacy of your own home, if you are at risk for heart disease. To take a screening, visit bryanhealth.org/heartmonth. Cardiovascular Screenings Bryan Medical Center is offering cardiovascular screenings Feb. 18 from 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. These are available by appointment. Four screenings will be offered: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Ultrasound Screening, $40; Carotid Artery Ultrasound Screening, $40; Peripheral Arterial Disease Screening,$20; and Atrial Fibrillation Screening, $10. To register, call 402-481-5121. Atrial Fibrillation Community Education Program Bryan Community Health Education presents "My Racing Heart: What Does It Mean?" on Feb. 9 from 6:30-8 p.m. Dr. Robert Percell gives an overview of atrial fibrillation (Afib), diagnosis and treatment options. This free program is at the Plaza Conference Center at Bryan East Campus, 1500 S. 48th St. To register, visit bryanhealth.org/calendar or call 402-481-8886. Videos, Podcasts and Twitter Chat Bryan Health is producing several multimedia items to help educate people on heart health. Bryan Health will also host an interactive Twitter chat titled "How Does Running Improve your Heart Health?" with Dr. John Steuter, Bryan Heart cardiologist, on Feb. 23 from noon-1 p.m. at twitter.com/bryan_health. 1876: Lincoln's new library was opened with Mrs. Van Pelt in charge. 1886: The claim was put forth that cancer could be cured with salt from Lincoln's artesian well. 1896: The deputy sheriff was called to Lincoln Park to prevent strikers from keeping other ice workers from going on the job. The workers were asking for a 5-cent increase to their 25-cent-a-load wage for hauling ice. 1906: The independent telephone interests of Nebraska declared a boycott on Omaha because it would not permit their lines to do business within its boundaries. 1916: More than $1,500 was raised in Lincoln in one day for the relief of Jews suffering in the war zone. 1926: A delegation headed by Nebraska Secretary of Agriculture H. J. McLaughlin was on its way to Des Moines to attend a corn conference. The delegates had adopted resolutions approving the establishment of a federal farm board with power to deal with agricultural surpluses. 1936: Papers for resubmission of the Nebraska Highway Department project for construction of a $1.2 million toll bridge over the Missouri River at the Dodge Street site in Omaha were sent to Washington. The bridge was never built, but the Douglas Street bridge eventually was made toll-free after it was acquired by Ak-Sar-Ben, an Omaha civic society. 1946: State Sen. Edwin Schultz of Elgin was elected secretary of the State Fair Board. 1956: Creighton University in Omaha announced a $14 million building and expansion program. The third mural for the Statehouse rotunda, "Works of the Mind," showing scientists at their studies, was mounted in the Nebraska Capitol by the artist, Kenneth Evett. 1966: Subzero temperatures hit Nebraska, shattering records in many places. Some readings: 25 degrees below zero in Norfolk, 19 below in Crete, 17 below in Omaha,16 below in Grand Island, and 18 below in Lincoln. 1976: The Lincoln Police Department ended a summer program of hiring University of Nebraska-Lincoln athletes as back-up patrolmen after more than 25 years. 1986: Actor Gordon McRae passed away at Lincoln's Bryan Memorial Hospital at 64. He was best known for his role as "Curly," the lovesick cowboy in the film version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Oklahoma!" 1996: A potent winter storm dropped 5 inches of snow in Lincoln, prompting a shutdown of many Lincoln businesses, banks and government offices. 2006: Police tracked and killed an escapee, but not the kind from a prison or jail. A black steer escaped from UNLs Animal Science Complex on East Campus. The animal was being unloaded from a livestock trailer when it pushed through an unlocked gate. Lincoln and University police tried for two hours to contain the animal before they made the decision to shoot it for safety and damage reasons. Work on widening O Street has not begun, but the project has forced TGIFridays to close its Lincoln restaurant. Weather elements of thunder, lightning and small hail gave Lincoln its first dose of spring weather in the middle of winter. In Jefferson County, one to two inches of hail covered the streets. WIND POINT A local father and filmmaker is working on a documentary to share the stories of special needs children, and the lessons they have to teach us about life. A public speaker and self-described media maker, Wind-Point resident Joey Papa, 36, loves to share ideas. He also likes to talk: His personal website is aptly titled Joeytalks.com. He created the website and accompanying project about a year ago in an effort to inspire people to lead a life that mattered. But it wasnt until a few months into the effort, that Papa realized what he actually should be sharing was the story of his special-needs daughter, Canaan, and the struggles and joys she brought to his familys life. In daily video blogs, Papa shared the daily ups and downs, and lessons of caring for the sunny, yet fragile toddler; chronicling trips to the hospital, rough nights of caretaking, and finally her death on Oct. 30 at the age of 3 from pneumonia. Documentary After the funeral. Papa knew he needed to do something to start advocating for special-needs children like his daughter, and the idea to make a documentary about Canaan, and other special-needs children, was born. I feel like she has sent me on a mission to kind of to care for her brothers and sisters, if you will, he said recently. She had a message. Called In the Land of Canaan, the feature-length documentary is slated to begin production next month. In addition to exploring Canaans life, Papa will profile five other families with special-needs children two families in Colorado, a family in Florida, a family in Oklahoma and one family in Mount Pleasant. Papa and his filmmaking partner, Jack Roberts of Colorado, plan to begin filming in February, with hopes of releasing the documentary in May. Papa has envisioned the film as intimate one in which he will invite viewers into his life but also into the lives of the five other families and their children. Lessons The Papas fourth child, Canaan never had an official diagnosis, but she was born with abnormalities and struggled with brain seizures. She was also nonverbal. She never walked or crawled, and she used a feeding tube to eat. Papa and Canaan had a unique bond, Papa said. He was her primary caretaker for much of her life, he said. While his wife, Nikki, focused on caring for the familys four other children Judah, 9, Zion, 6, Eden, 5, and Torah, 17 months Canaans nursery was moved into Papas office to ensure she had eyes on her all the time, he said. It was during those hours the hard ones, and the happy ones that Papa says Canaan was imparting her valuable lessons about life, strength, and vulnerability. People in my community always joked that we were best friends, because we were together all the time, he recalled. Mike Reuwer said he and his wife, Meg, of Mount Pleasant, agreed to be part of the project to help give people a better sense of what their life is actually like, and show people how their children have changed their lives in a positive way. The couple have four children. Their eldest son Rowan, 8, is healthy, but 6-year-old Phoenix and 2-year-old Genevieve have spina bifida, and 4-year-old Penelope has a heart defect and an auto-immune disorder. I think a lot of times people can look at families, or just people with special needs, and kind of pity them, Reuwer said. We cant imagine life without (our children), he said. Advocacy In addition to challenging assumptions, Papa also sees the documentary as his first step toward advocacy. Once the documentary is done, his hope is to establish the Canaan Foundation a nonprofit aimed at connecting people and families with special needs to society. I want to help as much as I can to normalize the conversation for the special-needs world, and really that begins by changing peoples perspective that these children and these people are not less than, or second class, but they actually possess something in them that, in many ways, is greater than what we normal people have, Papa explained. I feel like I have a mission is to give a voice to those that dont have one. Withering on the Vine The Demographic Time Bomb is Most Marked in Japan The demographic time bomb whereby the elderly population assumes a greater and ... Government Sexual Libertinism Coming to a Government School Near You Further to our piece yesterday on the promotion of sexual libertinism in government schools, we rep... Some Random Observations The Aftermath of Mass Pre-Mediated Murder A few observations on the murder of 14 people in San Bernadino and the wounding of many more see... Letter From the UK (About State Tyranny) Ta-ta UK freedoms! Miranda matter outs vindictiveness of wounded police state Annie Machon is a former intelligence of... The Big One The Panoptican State Is Actually Operational Yesterday the "big one" dropped. The Guardian reported that the US and UK spy age... Fraud Central German Professor: NASA Has Fiddled Climate Data On Unbelievable Scale by James Delingpole BreitbartLondon A German professor ha... Statist Groupthink More and More Fashionable The Rise of Liberal Intolerance in America Edward Luce Financial Times I t ought to be a triumphal moment for American liberalism .... Vacuous Greenism Anti-Fracking Luddiocy Think of any technology that involves carbon based energy and its utilisation, and the lunatic fringe can be found ... "It is Finished": the Sixth Word from the Cross It is Finished: our Lords Sixth Word from the Cross What is history? That simple question covers a multitude of complexity, profundity... The Prosecutors Office of Sao Paulo has subpoenaed former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva [BBC profile] as they investigate a possible money laundering scheme linked to the Petrobras [corporate website] scandal. Prosecutors in the Petrobras investigation allege that businesses paid a total of over USD $2 billion [JURIST report] to obtain Petrobras contracts, which they then exploited by running up costs and delaying completion. The prosecutors are concerned [AP report] about an apartment Silva was planning to purchase in a building that was owned by a construction company that was also allegedly involved in the scheme. He never purchased the apartment, but prosecutors say the parties attempted to keep the sale a secret. Silva and his wife will be questioned on February 17. More than 100 individuals and 50 politicians have been arrested in connection to the Petrobras scandal, including the chief of staff under Brazils former President Jose Dirceu, former speaker of the house Eduardo Cunha [JURIST report], and the former President Fernando Collor de Mellon [Britannica profile] in various kickback schemes. Attempts to impeach [JURIST Report] the current president, and former chairwoman of Petrobras, Dilma Rousseff [BBC Profile] were also made last month, but the parliamentary commission found no proof implicating her in the Petrobras scandal. In November, Brazils highest court ordered [JURIST report] the arrest of Andre Esteves, the chief executive of the countrys largest investment bank, and that of Delcidio do Amaral, a powerful senator of the countrys ruling party, both accused of bribery and corruption affiliated with Petrobras. Mass graves in Iraq are being disturbed [HRW report], which could lead to destroyed evidence in proving possible genocide committed against the Yazidi, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] report released on Saturday. Dozens of Yazidi people are believed to have been killed by the Islamic State (IS), actions many believe may amount to genocide. Yazda [advocacy website], a support group for the Yezidi people, also contributed to the report. Yazda has said that on numerous visits to Mount Sinjar, they have observed mass graves that were completely unprotected and say that people regularly take items from these sites. In one instance, a bulldozer was used at one site to cover the grave with earth. HRW is urging authorities in Iraq to have forensic experts analyze the graves for evidence of any possible crimes and to preserve any evidence found. IS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has perpetrated war crimes on a massive scale in Iraq and Syria. In December, Iraqi government officials ordered Turkey to withdraw [JURIST report] hundreds of troops deployed near Mosul, the largest city currently controlled by IS militants. Iraqi President Fouad Massoum stated that the deployment was a violation of international norms and law and may be considered a hostile act. In November, IS claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated attacks in Paris that killed more than 120 individuals. That same month, President Obama ordered [JURIST report] an assessment of whether intelligence reports from US Central Command were changed before formal submission to present a more optimistic picture of the American military campaign against the IS. In September members of Iraqs Yazidi community met with International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and urged the court to open a genocide investigation [JURIST report] into IS actions in Northern Iraq. Also in September France launched its first airstrikes [JURIST report] against an IS training camp in Syria and acknowledged that combating IS is now the main objective in both Iraq and Syria. [JURIST] A group of UN experts on people of African descent stated [press release] Friday that ideology ensuring the domination of one group over another continues to negatively impact the civil, political, economic, social, cultural and environmental rights of African Americans today. Following a tour of several US cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, Washington, DC, and New York, the group expressed concern over police killings and violence in the African American community, racial bias and mass incarceration in the criminal justice system, and the criminalization of poverty, which disproportionately affects African Americans. Led by Mireille Fanon Mendes France and comprised of Sabelo Gumedze and Ricardo A. Sunga III, the experts opined on discrimination in almost all human development indicators. Discrimination issues take many forms [JURIST op-ed] in the US. In late January the Obama administration announced new efforts to close the gender pay gap [JURIST report] in the US. Earlier in the month a federal judge ruled [JURIST report] a North Carolina voter ID law, one that rights groups have criticized as disproportionately impacting low-income individuals, can go into effect in March. At the beginning of January, Alabama chief justice Roy Moore instructed [JURIST report] state judges not to issue same-sex marriage licenses. The Alabama Supreme Court had ruled in March 2015 that the states ban on same-sex marriage is legal, and Moores order states that ruling remains in effect despite the June Supreme Court ruling finding such bans unconstitutional. Comedy of political errors Every drop of Chinas free oil will prove to be doses of opium for tiny Nepal DPR integration to complete by March Wapcos India Limited, which has been assigned the task of integrating the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Pancheswar Multipurpose Project, is likely to complete the job within March 2016, Nepai and Indian officials have said. Jaleshwor customs resumes Jaleshwor Customs Office has resumed operations after nearly five months, with agitating Madhes-based parties have called off their sit-in at the border crossing. They have removed the tents from the no mans land. Regulator mess hampers I/NGOs quake rehab bid Amid a slow start to the government-led reconstruction process, a turf war between the line minster and the head of the Social Welfare Council has likely affected coordination and approval of reconstruction works by I/NGOs in earthquake-affected districts. System upgrade It seems the three democratic political awakenings Nepal witnessed just provided an illusion of democracy; good governance, accountability, and participatory democracy have been largely missing TIA ignored orders on dress code, says CIAA Commission for Investigation and Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has said its directives have been ignored by the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) authority to implement dress with no pockets for loaders. Turkey says Russia violated its airspace near Syria border Turkey has accused Russia of again violating its airspace and warned it would "face consequences" if such infringements continue. With vehicular movement nil, porters raking in the moolah Local traders are forced to pay hefty amount to carriers as sit-ins continue at the major border crossing No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results You didnt know where to turn. Sometimes, its bad enough standing up to an impossible decision, but acting on it can be the bigger challenge. You dont know where to turn and so, as in the book Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye by Marie Mutsuki Mockett, maybe its best to ask your ancestors. Until March 11, 2011, the biggest great tragedy that befell Marie Mutsuki Mocketts maternal family was World War II. Theyd survived Nagasaki s bombing through coincidence and good fortune. On that spring day five years ago, they hoped their luck held when Japan was hit with an earthquake, followed by a tsunami. Mocketts cousins ran a Zen Buddhist temple that her mothers family owned in Japan and, concerned for their safety, Mockett spent hours frantically phoning for word, her feelings exacerbated by other familial losses and by grief she couldnt let go. Shed been struggling, and she wanted to move on. Shed hoped that the help she sought might lie in the country of her mothers birth and so, three weeks after the disaster, on a mission to bury her grandfathers bones, she traveled to Japan with her mother and son. Because of the radiation that had seeped into the ground, it would be months before that mission was completed; in the meantime, Mockett went in search of a release for her grief in a way that made sense. She spoke with Buddhist monks, blind mediums, and Mountain Women. She reached back to experience ancient Japanese religions, visited temples and learned that being present lent strength, and that silence and meditation were refreshing and mind-clearing. She began to understand the Japanese belief in ancestral ghosts; she visited Sai no Kawara, where the dead go to wait; and she participated in Oban, in which the Japanese call their dead home. I thought that of all the cruel and futile things that can happen , she says, the very worst is when we are separated. And yet, The love we have for people, after all, never truly goes away, even if they leave us in owakare, the great parting. Now out in paperback, Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye is as lovely and calming as the Zen Buddhist temples it features so elegantly. Its a tale youll want to read slowly; in fact, speedy reading may be impossible. The reason, ultimately, is that this book consists of many stories. Author Mockett offers her familys history, as well as that of Japan and of Japanese culture and religion. Though thats integral, there are pages where youll read details that seem to have been stated before, particularly in the middle of Mocketts journey. Theres a lot to absorb and, when added to the quietness of the narrative, it can crawl. Still, if you stick around, youll be rewarded with an ending thats insightfully refreshing and definitely worth the time. Stay with it, because Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye is, at last, a good turn. WEST SALEM Coulee Region art lovers visiting the gallery at West Salems Marie W. Heider Center of the Arts in February will get the chance to see what some of the areas most fearless creators have been up to. Art teachers from throughout western Wisconsin have been invited to submit up to five of the best pieces theyve seen from students this year. The West Central Region Youth Art Month Exhibit is sponsored by the Wisconsin Art Education Association. Its a preliminary to the State Youth Art Month Exhibit every Wednesday from in February and March in the state Capitol rotunda in Madison. As the WAEEs vice president for the West Central Region, Lynnae Burns, an art teacher at Lincoln Middle School in La Crosse, has been busy the past month gathering all the artwork for the Heider show. Burns said there will be at least 170 pieces on display chosen by more than 30 area art teachers Were going to fill the halls at the Heider Center, Burns said. One of the appealing things about the show is that it represents all ages. The beauty of this show is that all work is presented as equal kindergarten work is displayed alongside eighth-grade and high school work, said Quenten Brown, art teacher at West Salem High School. It shows that no matter what the age, artists possess the power of creation they all go through the creative journey to make the pieces of art hanging on the walls. Just like the adults artists who exhibit during the year at the Heider Center, the young artists are celebrated at a reception. According to Burns, students are often taken aback by having their works chosen by the teachers and then seeing them in an actual art gallery. Sometimes theyre amazed and shocked to see their pieces with the pieces of so many other students from other schools, Burns said. The impact of seeing their work alongside 170 other kids can be kind of mind-blowing. Burns added that the mind-blowing aspect of the whole process can be kicked up another notch if the students art is chosen to be displayed at the Capitol in Madison with works by 500 other students from throughout the state. This years statewide Youth Art Month exhibit at the capitol runs from Feb. 27 through March 11. Awards are presented from each region as well as an overall grand prize, the Sargent Award. A little creativity can go a long way, as the winner of the Sargent Award gets a free trip to New York City with his or her art teacher and a parent. Last years Sargent Award winner was second-grader Aubrey Froman from Harry Spence Elementary in La Crosse. MADISON LAKE, Minn. When Larry Kortuem gives a presentation about life in a log cabin, he can talk about the experiences of pioneers a century and half ago. Or he can talk about his own observations from a recent January night. Since Ive got it warmed up, I might stay tonight, said Kortuem, standing in the 148-year-old cabin built by his pioneering great-grandfather Bernard Kortuem. Hed been stoking a fire in the large wood-burning stove in preparation for giving a tour, and the one-room cabin was comfortable despite the late January chill on the other side of the oak logs. The open loft where Kortuem would sleep, as did Bernards 10-member family in the 1870s, was downright toasty as the stoves heat rose upward. Kortuems wife Trixie quickly made clear her husband would be sleeping alone. Ill come in the summer, she said. Both Kortuems, though, have a clear interest in the history of their rural Madison Lake community and in the immaculately restored cabin that was the seedbed of a Kortuem clan that spread across southern Minnesota and beyond. All of the Kortuems in the whole U.S. come from here, Larry said of the cabin. He wonders about how much in peril that bountiful crop of descendants might have been in the earliest days. Bernard, a German immigrant who first lived in Michigan, is believed to have arrived in rural Madison Lake in 1867, his wife Francesca, their first four children and all of their possessions in a wagon drawn by a pair of oxen. Larrys best guess is that they spent their first winter in a hole dug in the side of a hill with the cabin being constructed in 1868. Its a large home by pioneer standards, and it needed to be as Bernard and Francesca shared it with eight children within a few years. While Bernard spoke only German when he arrived, he was Roman Catholic and appeared to have gotten along well with the Irish Catholics that preceded him in the Marysburg community west of Madison Lake. By the time he learned English, he spoke with an Irish accent, Larry said. The Irish immigrants were fond enough of their new German neighbor that it appears three of them helped build the cabin. The ax notches in the logs give clues to the relative strength and the dominant hands of the cabins builders, leading Larry to believe his great-grandfather had three men working beside him. There are no journals or letters from Bernard to provide clues to his familys experience in those early years. He was likely illiterate, not to mention overwhelmed by work, Larry said, so the only information comes from scattered government and church records and a bit of oral history passed down through the generations. Thats part of the reason that Larry spends time in the cabin, including on nights where temperatures dropped to minus 10 or minus 20 degrees and on hot summer days. Living in the same building as did his great-grandfather, his grandfather and great aunts and uncles even if its just a day here or there provides a visceral connection to history that supplements his research on pioneer life. His conclusion? The practicalities of living in a log cabin is a whole lot different than the b.s. they put in the movies, he said. He knows, for instance, that on a windy sub-zero winter night that its almost impossible to keep the indoor temperature above 50 degrees even when feeding the stove as much wood as it can take. On typical January nights, the stove needs to be stoked every two or three hours to keep the temperature from plunging. Youd have to have a pile of wood about the size of this place to heat it through the winter, Larry said. When a family Thanksgiving was held in the cabin in 2010, with six adults and eight grandkids, they learned some lessons, too, about cabin life. Thank God the kids were outside a lot, Trixie said. I dont know how those people could take it. And, during meal preparation, sending the kids up to the loft wouldnt work. Because when people are tromping around up there, a steady stream of dust settles down on the food. Sleeping 14 in the cabin, using both the main floor and the loft, they understood better the closeness of the quarters and how tuberculosis spread from one child to the next, ultimately killing three of Bernard and Francescas offspring. Larry guesses the 10 Kortuems also had some guests living with them most of those 19th century winters. Farmers were so dependent on their seed supply that, fearing theft, they often kept it in the cabin over the winter, which undoubtedly attracted a variety of rodents. And the oxen would have been of such irreplaceable value that he wonders if they were invited into the cabin when wintertime temperatures got dangerously low. The continued existence of the cabin, as a teaching tool and touchstone to the Kortuems past, is somewhat remarkable. Bernard lived in it only until 1915, when his wife died and he moved to Madison Lake. Rather than being torn down, the cabin became the south wing of a new barn that year, large holes sawed into the north and south walls for cow doors. But even when the barn was torn down in the 1960s, Larrys father, Francis, didnt dismantle the cabin. I think my dad left it just because it was Granpas, Larry said. And then he put a tin roof on it because he wanted to keep it. The cabin was home for hogs until the 1980s, at which point the next generation of Kortuems adopted it. Larrys brother Frank did some of the major work first, jacking it up to make foundation repairs, restoring logs to the gaps where the cow doors had been, putting thousands of hand-cut cedar shingles on the roof. Then Larry, just retired from his work as a certified mechanic, took on the final restoration. He must have worked on it two years, and I worked on it for four years, Larry said. That was just about all I did. The home is in extraordinary condition now, and Larry and Trixie are happy to share it with people who are interested in pioneer times. They even allow people to stay overnight or longer. One guy, who said he always wondered what it would be like to live in a long cabin, stayed for three months. He moved in here in February and stayed until the end of May, Larry said. He said the only thing he didnt like about it was there was no way to take a bath. Having worked in the Wisconsin aquaculture industry for more than 20 years as University of Wisconsin Extension specialist, a senior aquaculture program analyst with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, a member of the Governors Northern Natural Resource Council and as a fish farmer, I feel compelled to set the record straight about the proposed aquaculture legislation, Senate Bill 493 and Assembly Bill 640. Aquaculture is agriculture, and its recognized as such worldwide. However, in Wisconsin, aquaculture is not always treated as agriculture. This bill cleans up the statutes and ensures that all statutes consistently define aquaculture as agriculture. This bill also brings the state into compliance with the Clean Water Act and the Environmental Protection Agencys guidelines for aquaculture. These guidelines have been in place since 2004, and they are the result of more than four years of rulemaking and data review. The final guidelines allow fish farmers to use best management practices to meet water quality and provide flexibility for producers to incorporate evolving science and innovation based on site-specific factors to protect water quality. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of misinformation about the bill. Some say that this bill would allow fish farmers to be paid to keep their operations foul runoff out of our waterways. This is simply not true. Aquaculture is a point source, meaning that water runs out of a pipe into waterways, and its regulated under the Federal Clean Water Act. Others have said that this bill would allow unregulated construction in navigable waters, natural water bodies or springs. Again, this is not true, and the nonpartisan Legislative Counsel said so during a Senate committee hearing. And fish farms are not factory farms, but instead they are a source of safe, sustainable and healthy food. Aquaculture is hurting in Wisconsin. Even though aquaculture is the fastest-growing segment of agriculture worldwide, during the past several years Wisconsin aquaculture has contracted by $1.8 million. This is due in large part to the inconsistent treatment of aquaculture in Wisconsin law. Fish farmers protect the water they use because they need high-quality water to grow their fish. If the water is polluted, the fish will die. It is really that simple. As a result, fish farmers act as stewards of the watersheds where their farms are located. In fact, many farms actually improve stream habitat conditions. Wisconsin fish farmers are not asking for a free ride that will expand aquaculture into waters of the state but rather to clean up regulations that have hindered aquacultures growth, while preserving the quality of the lakes and streams where they exist. Syrian opposition arrives GENEVA The main Syrian opposition delegation vowed Saturday not to participate in U.N.-sponsored peace talks with the government unless their demands are met, including lifting the siege imposed on rebel-held areas and an end to Russian and Syrian bombardment of regions controlled by opposition fighters. The oppositions warned that if these conditions are not met, there will be no reason for the team to stay in Geneva. The nearly five-year conflict has left at least 250,000 people dead, forced millions to flee the country and given an opening to the Islamic State group to capture territory in Syria and Iraq. 37 drown trying to reach Greece ANKARA, Turkey A boat carrying Syrians attempting the short sea journey from Turkey to Greece struck rocks and capsized at dawn on Saturday, causing at least 37 people to drown, among them several babies and young children. Images of dead children on a beach on Saturday were another soul-searing reminder that Europes migrant crisis keeps destroying lives and families by the day. They recalled the photo of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi lying face down on a Turkish beach last year. By contrast, the heartbreaking images Saturday met a muted response, perhaps a sign that many have grown weary of the unending reports about the suffering of migrants even though the number of people dying at sea is rising. Thousands protest state of emergency PARIS Thousands of people marched in the Paris rain on Saturday to denounce plans to renew Frances state of emergency and revoke the French citizenship of dual nationals convicted of terrorism. Human rights groups, politicians and unions joined the march in the French capital, and in other demonstrations around France. The protests came just days before the Cabinet plans to review a measure on Wednesday to prolong the state of emergency, first imposed after the Nov. 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people. The state of emergency gives more power to police and administrative authorities, allowing for searches without warrants, house arrests and other measures. My France of liberties, where are you? read one banner. The current state of emergency expires Feb. 26. Aid group reports Syrian starvation BEIRUT The international aid group Doctors Without Borders says people in the besieged Syrian town of Madaya are starving and criticized the government for blocking medical supplies. Madaya is one of the last rebel-held areas between Damascus and the Lebanese border. Since July, the town has been under siege by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad and allied Hezbollah fighters. Eighteen people have died in Madaya in the past two weeks, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. An estimated 400 people who urgently need medical help are waiting to get out of Madaya, according to the Britain-based group. Police say 2 Palestinians stabbed teen JERUSALEM Police say two Palestinians stabbed an Israeli teenager in the back before running away near Jerusalems Old City. Spokeswoman Luba Samri said the 17-year-old Israeli was rushed to hospital in light condition. Officers are searching for attackers who fled the scene, she said. Saturdays violence is the latest in four months of near-daily Palestinian attacks on civilians and soldiers. Cameroon denies killing civilians YAOUNDE, Cameroon Cameroon is denying reports that its soldiers have killed dozens of civilians in cross-border raids pursuing Boko Haram extremists into Nigeria the third such report from Nigerian villagers in two months. The Nigerian-based extremists frequently stage attacks in Cameroon, which is contributing to a regional force to wipe them out. On Monday, four suicide bombers killed 35 people in the border town of Bodo. In response, Cameroon said its soldiers crossed into Nigeria and killed 17 insurgents. You have the power to keep local news strong for the coming months. Your financial support today keeps our reporters ready to meet the needs of our city. Thank you for investing in your community. Stories like these are only possible with your help! Start your day with LAist Sign up for How To LA, delivered weekday mornings. Subscribe No pets, no pets, no pets. So go the listings for the majority of rental housing in Los Angeles where, according to the American Humane Association, 62 percent of the rental units do not accept pets. But the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted on Thursday to change this, in hopes of making landlords more open to accepting pets at their properties, with the eventual goal of reducing the number of animals who live in shelters. The motion dictates that the city will begin soliciting input from landlords and other stakeholders on methods to expand the number of people living in rental properties adopting animals. The motion originated from Paul Koretz office, after councilmember met with No Kill advocates who believe the propensity of Los Angeles landlords to refuse pets at rental properties leads to more shelter animals getting killed, according to KPCC. Where 62 percent of Los Angeles rental properties refuse animals completely, 98 percent of Denver properties accept cats, and 93 percent accept small dogs, according to the city council motion. "We want to see if we can get to the point where our shelter system is no-kill," Koretz said to KPCC. In particular, the council motion lays the framework for a collaboration between Los Angeles Department of Animal Services and the Housing and Community Investment Department. On the table for consideration are programs to make tenants more aware of their rights to own animals in rental properties, while also keeping the potential damage concerns of landlords in view. The council document cites instances where landlords have insisted existing tenants get rid of their animals or face eviction, despite the condition not being in the lease. At the same time, the two departments are to also examine other cities that have developed programs to get animals out of shelters, and into peoples homes. The goal is to reduce the number of animals living in kill shelters dramatically enough that Los Angeles can eventually consider itself a No-Kill city. Hello Lake Forest! This is Bill Worsley and I'm writing to you on behalf of the 22 men from Lake Forest who have traveled together to Pena Blanca, Honduras to love and serve the children and staff of the Honduras Life Center (HLC). Stay tuned to the Missio Dei blog all week for updates, pictures, and if technology cooperates, regular video blogs from my blogging partner Campbell Worsley!Obviously since I'm writing, you know we made it (despite a delayed flight out of Charlotte and almost missing our connecting flight in Atlanta to Honduras). We arrived yesterday afternoon and are just wrapping up our first full day.A little bit of background for you...The primary purpose of this men's trip is to focus on needed construction projects at the center. Over the past years our teams have helped build the facilities that are now the home of 13 beautiful children (10 girls and 3 boys), children who needed a home and need the love of Jesus Christ in their lives. This year's main project is building a wall and today was filled with carrying 100 pound bags of cement, passing cinder blocks from the block pile to the edge of the future wall, mixing cement, and laying the first courses of cinder block on what will be a wall that runs along the remaining unprotected boundary of the property.Let's just say after a full day of construction, my body is sore and my heart is full!Why is my heart full?Because we were used by God today... we spent our day being the hands and feet of Christ.I wish I already knew all of the children's names... Give me another day or two. But I can testify that Daniel experienced the love of Jesus today from the team YOU sent Lake Forest. So did Gerson (aka Lightening McQueen). So did precious Leticia (who goes by the nickname Leti and graciously served us water today while we worked), and Carmen, and Daisy, and Carolina, and Lourdes, and...These children have a home, hope and future and daily experience the love of Jesus because ordinary people like you and me have allowed an extraordinary God to use us as HIS hands and feet here in Honduras. It is a privilege to be his hands and feet.Looking forward to sharing with you regular updates throughout our week. Please pray for our team and talk to you tomorrow! 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emerging matters The United States recently launched a campaign to expel illegal immigrants from Central America. The Obama administration targeted people who stayed after they were told to leave the country. Government agents detained 121 Central Americans, many of them women and children. VOAs Carolyn Presutti recently spoke with a number of undocumented migrants just after their homes were raided. They came to the U.S. mainly for economic reasons. Their full names are not made public because of the sensitivity of the issue. Maria, age 8, said she was cleaning her teeth and preparing to go to school, when she heard a noise at the door. She opened the door and found eight immigration agents. I said, Who are you? and they didnt tell me their names. They said, 'Is there a grown-up here?' And I said, 'Yes,' she continued. Maria said she was trying to be brave, knowing they would never get my family because my family hasnt done anything bad. But Marias Aunt Sofia is in the United States illegally. So are other adults who were not at home when the agents arrived. Sofia hid in a ground floor bedroom with her three baby boys during the raid. Agents went room to room, but never looked in the basement. I thought they were going to enter the room with my children there and take me, Sofia said. While she was able to avoid getting detained by the immigration agents, Sofia said she is still full of fear. Now, I dont know what I can do. Im not even going to the grocery store anymore. Im scared to go, she said. The Obama administration said the raids are designed to send a message to people in Central America. It wants to prevent more mass migration to the United States. The administration wants to avoid a repeat of the 2014 immigration crisis. Two years ago, tens of thousands of Central Americans were traveling across the Mexican border. Many were children. Jeh Johnson heads the federal agency that organized the raids. Our borders are not open to illegal migration, said Johnson, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. If you come here illegally, we will send you back consistent with our laws and values. Immigrant advocates call the raids inhumane. Cecillia Wang is director of the American Civil Liberty Unions Immigrants' Rights Project. She says The administration is doubling down on a system that is rigged against these families. Many of these mothers and children had no lawyers because they could not afford them. "Without counsel, traumatized refugees don't understand what is happening in court and cannot get their legitimate asylum claims heard." But two candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, want to do much more. Both said they would try to expel all estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. Trump also promises to build a fence along the Mexican border and get Mexico to pay for it. You're going to have a deportation force, and you're going to do it humanely," he said on MSNBC. Don't forget that you have millions of people that are waiting in line to come into this country, and they're waiting to come in legally. And I always say the wall, we're going to build the wall. It's going to be a real deal. It's going to be a real wall." Immigration activists have reacted to the recent raids by holding meetings and handing out Know Your Rights cards. The cards have the following message in both English and Spanish: I do not give you permission to enter my home based on my 4th amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution, unless you have a warrant. Maria tells VOA she does not plan to get to that point. Ive learned to never open the door and to look out the window, she says. Im Mary Gotschall. Carolyn Presutti reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in this Story migrant n. a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work basement n. the part of a building or house that is entirely or partly below ground doubling down v. moving ahead with a program or policy with energy rig v. to control or affect something in a corrupt way afford v. to be able to pay for something counsel -- n. a lawyer who represents a person or group in a legal matter traumatize v. to cause (someone) to become very upset in a way that often leads to serious emotional problems deportation n. to force a person to leave the country warrant n. a document issued by a court that gives the police the power to do something Scientists say they have captured photographs of one of the most mysterious known animals: bush dogs. Bush dogs live in Central and South America. They are a rarely seen and threatened species. But the photos suggest they may be more common than scientists thought. Scientists used cameras that take photos in the forest when an animal passes by. Photos of the bush dogs were taken in wild areas of Panama. The traps can be found across the country from its Costa Rican border to its border with Colombia. Ricardo Moreno is a research associate for the Smithsonian Institution. He and a team of biologists from Yaguara, Panama are studying large, wild mammals in that country. He says, The bush dog is one of the rarest species that we photograph. The researchers describe the animals as short-legged and stubby, standing only about a foot (30cm) tall at the shoulder. Like other dogs, bush dogs hunt in packs of up to 10. They are known to communicate to each other using high-pitched whines. They eat mostly large forest rodents. The bush dog is so elusive that photos of the animal were made only 11 times over 32,000 camera days. That is the number of cameras multiplied by the days in operation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says bush dog populations have dropped by up to 25 percent over the past 12 years. It is considered a near-threatened species. Humans do not hunt or directly threaten bush dogs. But, habitat loss is affecting their numbers. They live mainly in rainforests. Scientists think the animals may require large forest spaces to survive. It is estimated that Panama lost 15 percent of its rainforest from 1990 to 2010. Im Kathleen Struck. Caty Weaver adapted this story from a VOA news report. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to know what you think of this story. Post a message in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story pack - n. a group of usually wild animals that hunt together whine - v. to make a high, crying sound rodent - n. a small animal (such as a mouse, rat, squirrel, or beaver) that has sharp front teeth elusive - adj. hard to find or capture habitat - n. the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows Its the biggest craze in Thailand. Life-size dolls believed to possess the spirits of child angels have become popular in recent months. The dolls, known in Thai as luk thep, are believed to bring good fortune. These dolls are purchased for hundreds of dollars and are blessed by Buddhist monks. Many owners attend to the dolls as if they are their children. Shops are selling clothing, jewelry and beauty treatments for the dolls. A buffet restaurant in the Thai capital, Bangkok, offers them children's meals. But the privileges spent on them have also drawn concern and warning from authorities and psychologists in Thailand. Nattasuda Taephant is director of psychological wellness at Chulalongkorn University. She says if the dolls help their owners feel better, then the fad is rather harmless. "But if it crosses the boundary of reality, and they believe they can talk to the luk thep doll, that would be something concerning in terms of mental health," she said. Thai mental health officials have issued an appeal for people to stick to mainstream religious values and reject such unbelievable things. But the belief is rooted in ancient Southeast Asian superstitions. Traditionally, when babies were stillborn, some spiritual leaders in Thailand and other countries in the region took the babies away. They roasted the bodies, blessed them, and covered them in gold leaf. In Thailand, such household divine effigies are known as kuman thong for male figures and hong phrai for female ones. The practice has mostly stopped. But the dolls might represent a return to a more superstitious age. "I'm really wondering how part of Thai society has come to this point," said Sermsuk Kasitpradit, a veteran editor and popular blogger. "As a Buddhist I am feeling much shame as it is totally against the teaching of our Lord Buddha who preached not to believe in superstition," Sermsuk told VOA. Others worry that the modern incarnations may be put to evil use, according to authorities. Nearly 200 "yaba" methamphetamine pills were found Monday stuffed into the chest of a girl doll. The doll had been placed in a suitcase for retrieval in the airport at Chiang Mai, said police Lt. Col. Kom Chetkhuntod. Another police official said the dolls give criminals "a new way to smuggle drugs, into the country. Now, all officers at airport and border checkpoint are instructed to screen dolls. Police officers on Tuesday carried out raids in Bangkok against doll vendors suspected of avoiding import taxes. Three vendors were arrested and authorities seized more than 100 luk thep dolls, mostly imported from China. Im Christopher Jones-Cruise. Steve Herman reported on this story for VOANews.com. Marsha James adapted the report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you have superstitions in your country? Would you have a luk thep doll? Please leave us a Comment and post on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story fortune n. the good and bad things that happen to someone fad n. something that is very popular for a short time boundary n. something that shows where an area ends and another area begins superstition n. a belief that certain events or things will bring good or bad luck effigy n. an image of a person incarnation n. one of a series of lives that a person is believed to have had in the past in some religions You probably saw Concepcion Picciotto if you visited the White House over the past 35 years or so. She lived in a camp, in Lafayette Park, right across the street from the official home of U.S. presidents. Picciotto was a peace activist. Holding up homemade signs with anti-war messages, she kept a vigil in the park through rain and snow and heatwaves. She opposed war, nuclear weapons and violence against children. She died January 25 at N Street Village, a shelter for homeless women in Washington. The Washington Post says she had the longest continuous act of political protest in the United States. When she died, Concepcion Picciotto was believed to be about 80 years old. She was also known as Connie or Conchita. She came to the United States as a Spanish immigrant when she was 18. Through the years she spoke English with an accent. The small woman wore a wig and a scarf over a metal helmet. Walt Palmer worked for ABC News in Washington. Sometimes he was sent to the White House. I remember talking to her one spring day in the mid-1980s, Palmer says. She had particularly big hair. Asking about it, she removed the wig she wore to cover the cooking pot on her head to protect from the 'government X-rays.' '' It was a story Picciotto told many people. She thought the government was trying to hurt her by aiming X-rays at her head. Only a few people would believe that to be true, and many people questioned her mental health. Others thought she had a clear mind. Either way, she provided food for thought for people coming to see one of the most famous houses in the world. Susan McQuillin Bonney works in Washington, D.C. In 2001, she took two children to see the White House. They were much more fascinated with Concepcion Picciotto and how and why she lived outside than they were with the White House, Bonney says. They asked her how she ate and where she went to the bathroom. She told them how a group of people took care of her and the other activists on the vigil. I remember it was hard to explain later what nuclear weapons were. It would be impossible to know how many times Picciotto spoke with people passing by. But many people who saw her protest signs would talk about them. Some were even inspired by her peace vigil. She was married once and had adopted a child with her husband, according to the Washington Post. She was separated from her family and the newspaper says she last saw her child when the girl was very young. She met a man named William Thomas on the streets of D.C. Together they started the protest in Lafayette Park. Others joined them, including a woman who later married Thomas. He has since died and his wife moved away. Others have worked with Picciotto to keep the vigil. U.S. Park Police rules say that a temporary shelter must be occupied or it will be taken down. Once, years ago, when Picciotto had let others stay at her camp, they left it empty. The Park Police took it down. Eleanor Holmes Norton stepped in to help Picciotto. Norton is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Saying the Park Police action was outrageous, Norton picked up the telephone, called the police and had Picciottos home put back in the square. Norton says Picciotto was successful in influencing efforts to limit the production of nuclear weapons. Norton says Picciotto is an inspiration to her and her fight for D.C. statehood. She inspires me and the great struggle of the people of the District of Columbia for statehood, and she inspires all of us who want peace in this world, and a world free of nuclear arms. And what about the future of the vigil? A spokesperson for the U.S. Park Police, says it can stay as long as it is occupied. And for now, the group of peace activists who had kept the vigil with Concepcion Picciotto are still there -- right across the street from the White House. Im Anne Ball. Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think of Concepcion Picciottos more than 30-year vigil for peace? Write to us in the Comments section and post on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story vigil n. an event or a period of time when a person or group stays in a place and quietly waits, prays, etc accent n. a way of pronouncing words that occurs among the people in a particular region or country wig n. artificial hair that you wear on your head because you are bald or in order to change your appearance scarf n. a piece of cloth worn around your head food for thought phrase. something that should be thought about or considered carefully inspire v. to make someone want to do something helmet - n. a hard hat that is worn to protect your head adopted - v. taking a child of other parents legally as your own child according - adv. as stated in or by I received this email Wednesday afternoon, from what I thought was out of the blue. Ben Schwartz Shark is an activist group that was recently stopped by eff (sic)Franklin, the sheriff of Clay County, Nebraska. This was an illegal stop and they faced harassment and lies from this individual. When SHARK reached out to you for help showing that they were activists and not terrorists YOU (BEN SCHWARTZ) decided to not cover the story or even communicate with SHARK. Obviously you have lost your moral integrity and are now a part of the establishment propaganda. You had a chance to just stand with SHARK that the stop was illegal but you wouldn't even do that Steve Cillian Man! That guy nailed me! I lost my moral integrity AND Im now part of the establishment propaganda? Ouch. The problem was I had no earthly idea what this guy was on about with all this talk of SHARKs and sheriffs and terrorists. Then I received a second email. Dear Mr. Schwartz, Please investigate the drone incident that happened at the US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) and the subsequent illegal abuse of authority by local sheriff Jeff Franklin against SHARK personnel. The video posted on YouTube by SHARK clearly shows corruption by local law enforcement and the subsequent corruption by you and other local media. Please do your job and show respect for the people of Nebraska!! Sincerely, Mr. Marques This second email told me a couple of things: it gave me a little more insight into what these silly people were talking about, and it let me know that this was going to officially be a thing that I was going to have to deal with. Still I didnt really want to know anything about the story itself, because I dont care. But I did want to know why exactly this was now my problem. As it turns out, two months ago we picked up a World-Herald News Service story about this incident and put it on the regional news section of Lexch.com. Actually, to be accurate, the story wasnt about this incident. It was about a letter Gov. Ricketts wrote to the Sect. of Agriculture which said meeting with animal rights groups like the United States Humane Society is a waste of time. The Clay County story was thrown in at the end. Anyways, picking up that story is how I imagine I came to be on SHARKs radar. Or sonar. Get it? Sonar? Because SHARK? Actually I think its dolphins that have sonar so nevermind. I didnt pick the story out and I didnt even realize we ran it, but I am the editor and I am responsible for what we publish, so thats on me. Looking through my email inbox I found that yes, SHARK did indeed send me an email. I ignored it just as I ignore most of the hooting and hollering that shows up in my inbox from out-of-the-area interests. Incidentally, SHARK stands for SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness. You cant make this stuff up. Since I didnt respond to their email, SHARK went ahead and posted my email address in a Youtube video, which is why I received the emails. Like this one from Janet Enoch titled What happened to Fair and Balanced Reporting? While reading the articles about Sheriff Franklin and his claims about the USMARC observers on November 6, 2015, I was appalled to find out that the reporting by your publication was disgustingly biased. This leads me to wonder what other "reporting" by your publication was also biased? When will there be a correction article published with the facts and not the rantings of an unstable and unworthy "Sheriff?" I await your reply. Sincerely, Janet Enoch You know Janet I cant help but feel that you are being a little unfair here. I mean, no one in our office actually reported anything on this story. We just had the remarkably poor luck to fill a spot on our website with s story that landed us squarely in the sights of these people. I even got an email from a guy who claimed to be from the United Kingdom. This next one though is my favorite. Its more of a press release than a letter. Im only including the first paragraph because, and I cant stress this enough, I do not care about this story. CLAY COUNTY,NEBRASKA An international animal protection watchdog group is accusing prominent Nebraska newspapers including the Clay County News, Lexington Clipper-Herald, Omaha World-Herald and Hastings Tribune of unfair and biased reporting of a November incident near the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC), located in Clay County, NE. Did ya catch that? They called us a prominent Nebraska newspaper! HaHAAA! YES! Cue the Jeffersons theme song because we are movin on up, to a de-luxe apartment in the sky! We finally got a piece of the pie! Now, the press release went on to call for my resignation and blah blah blah it doesnt matter. Getting down to business, here is the portion of the World-Herald story we ran in November that SHARK has its undies in a twist over: Clay County Sheriff Jeff Franklin said he responded to a report Friday of a drone flying over the center property, which covers thousands of acres on a former Naval ammunition depot. After stopping to talk to the drone operator, he said he found himself looking at three cameras, operated by members of an Illinois group called Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, or SHARK. Over the weekend, the sheriff said his office also received reports of a civilian helicopter flying over the center as well as privately owned livestock yards in the area. They were unable to determine who was flying the helicopter. Additionally, a commercial feedlot operator reported to authorities that internal gates in a cattle yard were opened, which caused the mixing of animals that had to be resorted and returned to their pens. No arrests were made and no tickets were written, but Franklin said area livestock producers were on edge that the situation could escalate. You have the right to protest peacefully, the sheriff said. But when you go to other means and you start damaging, burning, intimidating or threatening, youve crossed a line. Thats the portion that SHARK president Steve Hindi complained about in his email to me, the one I ignored. In his email he denies any illegal activity, including speeding. Marvelous. So let the record forever show that SHARK disagrees with the statements made by the Clay County sheriff. They have videos out there on the internet, if you would like to view them. I have not watched them, because I dont watch anything on Youtube besides funny pet videos. And I dont care. Now that this has been addressed, Im going to go back to not knowing or thinking about this ever. Disclaimer: Some of the links and banners on Life in Israel are ads, and some are affiliate links. Affiliate links are links that will earn me a commission off any purchases you might make after clicking on the link/banner, though you will not pay more because of that. HOHHOT -- Twenty-seven officials were penalized over the wrongful conviction and execution of a man 20 years ago, authorities in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region said in a statement Sunday night. One of the blacklisted officials responsible for the wrongful conviction of Huugjilt, Feng Zhiming, was suspected of job-related crimes and was subject to further investigation, it said. Feng, formerly deputy chief of the Xincheng District branch of the public security bureau of the regional capital Hohhot, may face criminal charges, according to the statement. The other 26 officials received administrative penalties including admonitions and record of demerit. On the blacklist were 11 former police officers with the public security bureau of Hohhot and its Xincheng District branch, including Wang Zhi, former chief of the bureau. Seven were former officials with the people's procuratorate of Hohhot, including Wen Da, former chief procurator. Five were former officials with the region's higher people's court, and three were from the intermediate people's court in Hohhot. The wrong conviction of Huugjilt is one of the most notorious cases of judicial injustice in China in the recent decade. The teenager was declared guilty of raping and then murdering a woman in a public toilet. He was posthumously acquitted of the crimes in December 2014. Blog Archive Feb 2018 (3) Jan 2018 (8) Dec 2017 (12) Sep 2017 (2) Aug 2017 (7) Jul 2017 (17) Jun 2017 (18) May 2017 (20) Apr 2017 (10) Mar 2017 (18) Feb 2017 (19) Jan 2017 (25) Dec 2016 (18) Nov 2016 (24) Oct 2016 (30) Sep 2016 (25) Aug 2016 (31) Jul 2016 (32) Jun 2016 (26) May 2016 (24) Apr 2016 (20) Mar 2016 (27) Feb 2016 (30) Jan 2016 (23) Dec 2015 (27) Nov 2015 (14) Oct 2015 (23) Sep 2015 (21) Aug 2015 (22) Jul 2015 (24) Jun 2015 (25) May 2015 (26) Apr 2015 (21) Mar 2015 (31) Feb 2015 (26) Jan 2015 (31) Dec 2014 (29) Nov 2014 (24) Oct 2014 (27) Sep 2014 (29) Aug 2014 (32) Jul 2014 (31) Jun 2014 (27) May 2014 (22) Apr 2014 (28) Mar 2014 (29) Feb 2014 (22) Jan 2014 (30) Dec 2013 (31) Nov 2013 (29) Oct 2013 (27) Sep 2013 (24) Aug 2013 (31) Jul 2013 (22) Jun 2013 (29) May 2013 (29) Apr 2013 (30) Mar 2013 (30) Feb 2013 (27) Jan 2013 (33) Dec 2012 (22) Nov 2012 (27) Oct 2012 (24) Sep 2012 (25) Aug 2012 (15) Jul 2012 (6) Jun 2012 (7) May 2012 (11) Apr 2012 (21) Mar 2012 (25) Feb 2012 (26) Jan 2012 (28) Dec 2011 (27) Nov 2011 (22) Oct 2011 (16) Sep 2011 (10) Aug 2011 (4) Jul 2011 (8) Jun 2011 (21) May 2011 (14) Apr 2011 (25) Mar 2011 (41) Russia is waging a disgraceful war on Ukraine. Stand With Ukraine! Enter Shalimar by Achint Thakkar When Achint Thakkar's Enter Shalimar, from his album Shalimar plays, you start to think it's going to circle around the spiritual aspects of India and flow like a Hilight Tribe song, but then, you're mistaken. Thakkar's tracks seem like they are made to be heard in concert halls, or should adorn a visual as a background score. Achint Thakkar was recommended to me by people who told me that he experiments mid-song and I should listen to him with headphones on and with a lot of patience, so I did. The outcome, now, is the fact that I listen to at least one of these tracks before I start my day. - Siddharth Aalambayan Ten Sepiroth by Obscura Ahead of the 5 February release of the Akroasis LP, German progressive metallers Obscura dropped the first single Ten Sepiroth on Thursday and it doesn't disappoint. Marrying intricate guitar noodlings with the sort of sonic heft only a fretless bass can provide, Ten Sepiroth a reference to the 10 attributes of Kabbalah is a brutal journey through slow parts, fast parts and everything in between. On the strength of this track alone, picking up Akroasis next week should be a no-brainer. - Karan Pradhan Lose it by Oh Wonder Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West of Oh Wonder chose to introduce themselves to the world gently one song per month for one year. Their breezy synth-pop numbers have loyal fans; I discovered them on a rainy evening in Stockholm last year perfect for those 3 pm autumn sunsets. For the first time listener, the songs in Oh Wonder's debut album are fresh, but on the second listen they seem way too familiar and monotonous. The singing duo released a new video for their jazzy number Lose It, where they invited artists for an audition but the audition itself is the music video. Give Technicolour Beat, Livewire and Drive a listen too. The songs are fresh, breezy, soft and comforting, you might play them on loop for a day or two, but after that you will realise that there is not much to distinguish one song from the other I don't really know if that is a good quality to have in a music album. - Vishnupriya Bhandaram Work by Rihanna and Drake The official VEVO video was made unavailable, so go and buy the music here. A day before the official release of her eighth studio album Anti, Rihanna made the link of the album public, with a free code to download the tracks. Surprisingly, it's a completely new album with her earlier singles (Bitch Better Have My Money, Four Five Seconds, American Oxygen) nowhere to be seen. Work, feat. Drake is entirely reminiscent of his earlier social media hit Hotline Bling. It's mindless, catchy, hum-able and perfect for when you don't really want to think. Given both the artists' penchant for cannabis, we're not entirely surprised. - Swetha Ramakrishnan Send My Love (To Your New Lover) - Adele Yes! We're still listening to her. For an album (and artist) largely focused on break-up, Adele's 'Send My Love (To Your New Lover)' is peppy and liberating song. For once, Adele sounds like she is genuinely ready to move on from whoever it was that broke her heart so bad, it lead to three albums, global fame and several Grammys. The song is is unusual in terms of its tone as well- it is upbeat and actually makes you want to tap your foot instead of lounging with a glass of wine. - Zenia D'cunha Haminastu by Zebunissa Bangash (Fitoor) Amit Trivedi is best know for incorporating different instruments and musical styles. Haminastu from Fitoor is perhaps one of the best examples. With lyrics inspired from Emperor Jehangir's description of Kashmir Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, haminastu, haminastu, haminast (If there is a heaven on earth, its here, its here, its here) and the Rabaab playing in the background, the song is absolutely mesmerising. -Rohini Chatterji Routine by Steven Wilson Music videos are things that British prog rock genius Steven Wilson is not as prolific with, as he is with his music compositions, writing songs, live concert tours and the multiple side-projects he is part of such as Porcupine Tree. Routine is a beautiful melancholic song from his latest solo album - Hand.Cannot.Erase - meditating on the vacuum left behind by the loss of a child/partner/family member and the coping mechanism that follows. The music video, directed by Jess Cope who Wilson has collaborated with in the past (Drive Home, The Raven That Refused To Sing) brings back the puppet - stop motion aesthetics which tell a story loaded with grief. Supporting vocals by Ninet Tayeb are addition to the original song, in this music video. -Nimish Sawant Watch this space, every week for the Firstpost Playlist an eclectic collection of music from the myriad and atypical minds at Firstpost. KOLKATA, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A court in Kolkata sentenced three men to the death penalty for raping and killing a 20-year-old woman in a case that sparked massive protests against the state government of West Bengal and led to calls for greater safety for women. Three other men involved in the attack in 2013 were sentenced to life imprisonment while two of the nine men charged were acquitted due to lack of evidence and one died in jail. "We are happy with the verdict and sentencing," said the brother of the victim after the sentencing was announced by judge Sanchita Sarkar of the Bankshall Court in Kolkata on Saturday. Public prosecutor Anindya Rout said: "The is a rarest of rare case owing to the brutality inflicted on the victim. So the death penalty is justified." Rout said they would appeal the acquittal of two of the accused. The rape and murder of the college student in Kamduni village in the eastern state of West Bengal was shocking in its brutality and reminiscent of the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a moving bus in Delhi a year earlier. That case turned a global spotlight on the treatment of women in India, where police say a rape is reported every 20 minutes. India has since introduced tougher laws against sex crimes, and lowered the age at which someone can be tried for rape and other crimes to 16 years from 18. But there has been no letup in crimes against girls and women, with the number of rapes rising by 9 percent in 2014 from the previous year to 33,707. Rape victims in India have to contend with an archaic, poorly funded and insensitive criminal justice system and an often lengthy judicial process. The West Bengal incident, in which the woman's throat was slit and her body dumped in a pond, led to the formation of a local activist group called the Kamduni Protibadi Mancha, which campaigned for quicker legal action. The case was moved to the city sessions court in Kolkata after protests and alleged death threats to the accused and their lawyers. Villagers calling for harsher penalties clashed with police outside the court during the trial.Mausumi Koyal, who is a part of the Kamduni Protibadi Mancha, said they were happy with the support received from various groups to fight for justice. "But the acquittal of two was possible because of poor investigation into the case by police and its special CID [Criminal Investigation Department] arm," Koyal said. (Reporting by Sujoy Dhar, Writing by Rina Chandran, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. For instance, Yarls has no one to challenge bail conditions or negotiate prosecution for him which a private attorney would likely do, possibly gain him freedom from jail. Without a lawyer to order an investigation, evidence could disappear. Surveillance videos from nearby stores could be wiped clean, for instance, or potential witnesses could start to forget facts. With every hour without an attorney, you may forever lose invaluable opportunities to build your defense, Buskey said. The damage to your case can be irreparable. Yarls isnt alone, and without immediate recourse, the problem is only expected to grow, Buskey said. The lawsuit was filed within a week of the announcement that the OPD would no longer take certain felony cases, and by then, seven people had already been arrested and put on a waitlist for representation. As of Thursday, Buskey estimated, 20 defendants remained in jail without an attorney. Although the lawsuit targets Bunton as well as James Dixon, the chief state public defender, Buskey said the ultimate goal is to combat the dysfunctional state funding setup that mandates how public defender offices are paid. In Louisiana the majority of local public defender offices budgets are cobbled together from defendants fines and fees, mostly from traffic tickets. In the past year, cuts in state-appropriated funding, combined with a decline in revenue from local fees, have affected how those district offices can represent the poor. So far, four Louisiana parishes, including Orleans, have established waitlists for the indigent. The OPD handles the vast majority of the citys cases serving more than 22,000 indigent clients last year and needed 70 lawyers and an $8.2 million budget to protects its clients constitutional rights, according to estimates found by an American University report in 2006. As of December, it had about 50 lawyers and a $6.2 million budget. The unreliable funding scheme has led to emergencies like the one in Orleans Parish, forcing offices to resort to measures like refusing clients, according to Buskey and other lawyers behind the suit. We do hope in the end to help OPD and other defenders throughout the state, he said. We hope to ensure a guaranteed and stable funding system for public defenders so we dont have these recurring crises every few months or every year. This wasnt the first time the public was warned of impending constitutional crisis due to what Bunton termed an unreliable user-pay system. During a December hearing with Criminal District Court Judge Arthur Hunter, Bunton made an unusual request for judicial mercy, asking the judge to stop assigning new indigent defendants to his office until the caseload crisis is resolved. Ultimately, Hunter refused to grant the request, but not before several witnesses testified on Buntons behalf. They included renowned defense lawyer Barry Scheck, a co-founder of the Innocence Project. He cited his own research on the effects of inadequate defense on wrongful convictions. The failure to have an adequately funded defense team not only endangers the innocent, but it undermines public safety, he said. On Thursday, Buskey said the expert testimony speaks volumes about whats going on in Louisiana and elsewhere in the country. Similar lawsuits have been brought in the past year against public defense systems in California, Idaho and Washington. I think we agree wholeheartedly. The summary of the whole testimony is you cant run a public defender system like this, he said. You cant seriously call this a functioning criminal justice system. A week after the ACLU lawsuit was filed, Lindsey Hortenstine, the director of communications for the OPD, said it comes as no surprise. Any kindergartner looking at our criminal justice system particularly our system of public defense can see it is unfair. While this lawsuit is not necessarily welcomed, OPD welcomes reform, she said. It is our hope this lawsuit leads to lasting reform and a more fair, more just criminal justice system. Now Buskey said hes waiting for Buntons office to get an attorney and make the next move. Ultimately, if a judge sides with the ACLU, the current public defense system could be found unconstitutional, forcing the state to overhaul public defense funding. In the meantime, risks are high for Yarls, who has multiple convictions, including one for felony armed robbery. Given his history, the statutory maximum for his latest charge is 30 years in prison with hard labor. Buskey said that when Yarls does get a lawyer, there are a number of questions that should be asked, such as why the defendant was arrested so long after the wreck and what exactly his toxicology report looked like. Those answers could be relevant to his ultimate defense, Buskey said. The real fear here is not that nothing happened, but this could be a case where he is not guilty of what he has been charged or he has been overcharged. Imphal: The driver of school van was killed and 21 others, mostly students, were injured on Saturday after the van collided with another vehicle at Kwakeithel junction in Imphal West district, the police said. The driver of the school van identified as Koijam Mangijao (33) was badly injured in the accident and later succumbed to his injuries. The injured, including 18 students were rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal for treatment. A Village Defence Force (VDF) personnel, who was on traffic duty during the accident, was also injured and was undergoing treatment, the police said. PTI Geneva: A triple bombing claimed by the extremist Islamic State group killed at least 45 people near the Syrian capital of Damascus on Sunday, overshadowing an already shaky start to what are meant to be indirect Syria peace talks. Syria's state news agency SANA said that the blasts went off in Sayyda Zeinab, a predominantly Shiite Muslim suburb of the Syrian capital. SANA said attackers detonated a car bomb at a bus stop and that two suicide bombers set off more explosives as rescuers rushed to the area. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition group that monitors both sides of the conflict through a network of activists inside Syria, said at least 47 people were killed in the explosions, and that the death toll was expected to rise because a number of people were seriously wounded. An IS-affiliated website said the blasts were carried out by members of the extremist group, which controls large areas in both Syria and Iraq. UN-hosted peace talks in Geneva are part of a process outlined in last month's UN resolution that envisions an 18-month timetable for a political transition in Syria, including the drafting of a new constitution and elections. The talks got off to a rocky start Friday, with UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura meeting only with a Syrian government delegation. A delegation of the main opposition group said it will not take part in the indirect talks until its demands are met, including lifting the siege imposed on rebel-held areas and an end to Russian and Syrian bombardment of regions controlled by opposition fighters. "It's the duty of the responsibility of members of the Security Council to put the pressure on Russia to stop these crimes in Syria," opposition spokesman Salem al-Mislet told The Associated Press on Sunday. "It's enough killing our children, killing civilians. They pretend to fight terrorism. In fact they don't fight terrorism because they bring terrorism there and ISIS is spreading in many areas in Syria more than before because of these Russian strikes," al-Mislet said, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group. The opposition delegation is to meet with de Mistura later Sunday, al-Mislet said. Meanwhile, a senior Syrian official said President Bashar Assad's government will "never accept" the inclusion in the peace talks of two militant groups it considers terrorists. Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam, two Islamic groups fighting to overthrow Assad, agreed to take part in the Geneva talks. The ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham is not part of the team sent to Geneva, but the delegation has named Army of Islam official Mohammed Alloush as its chief negotiator. Assad's government has long referred to all those fighting to overthrow him as terrorists, but has agreed to negotiations with some armed groups in the latest talks. A U.N. Security Council resolution adopted last month tasked Jordan with compiling an agreed list of terrorist organizations that would be excluded from the talks. Work on the list is still underway. While virtually all parties agree that both IS and the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front should be excluded, the two sides are divided over Ahrar al-Sham and the Army of Islam. The mainstream opposition views both groups as fellow rebels, despite their ideological differences, while the Syrian government and its close ally Russia view them as extremists. "We will neither sit down directly with terrorists, nor have dialogue with them," Syrian Information Minister Omar al-Zoubi told state TV Saturday evening. AP Maiduguri, Nigeria: A survivor hidden in a tree says he watched Boko Haram extremists firebomb huts and heard the screams of children burning to death, among 86 people officials say died in the latest attack by Nigeria's homegrown Islamic extremists. Scores of charred corpses and bodies with bullet wounds littered the streets from Saturday night's attack on Dalori village and two nearby camps housing 25,000 refugees, according to survivors and soldiers at the scene just 5 kilometres from Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram and the biggest city in Nigeria's northeast. The shooting, burning and explosions from three suicide bombers continued for nearly four hours in the unprotected area, survivor Alamin Bakura said, weeping on a telephone call to The Associated Press. He said several of his family members were killed or wounded. It was the third attack in a week suspected to have been carried out by the insurgent group and the most deadly. Since it started losing control of territory, Boko Haram has reverted to hit-and-run attacks on villages as well as suicide bombings on places of worship or markets. Pakistan expects half of the USD1 billion its seeking for clean-energy projects this year to come from China after an agreement between the two nations aimed at helping the government in Islamabad develop its infrastructure for years to come. Syed Aqeel Hussain Jafri, director of policy at Pakistans Alternative Energy Development Board, said 90 percent of the money for renewable power plants will come from overseas, with China the biggest benefactor. Excluding hydro, the ambition is to add about 800 megawatts of renewables this year, double the current installed capacity. Pakistan relies on hydro-electric units and traditional fossil-fuel plants for almost all of its 25 gigawatts of generation capacity, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Many of its 183 million people suffer routine blackouts. Last year, the two nations signed a USD45 billion program known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to upgrade Pakistani infrastructure. Its easier to get Chinese financing due to CPEC so we expect Chinas investments to continue propelling the clean energy space in future as well, Jafri said. The deal has bolstered investor optimism in Pakistan and has the potential to lift long-term growth, according to a report by the World Bank. The agreement would boost investment in energy, port and transportation projects across Pakistan in the next few years. Pakistan currently has about 308 megawatts of wind-energy capacity through six projects working in the Sindh province, according to Jafri. That may grow to 800 megawatts by year-end as eight projects in the same region get commissioned. The official said overseas development banks probably would provide much of the remainder of the funding needed. The Quaid e Azam solar park in Punjab province will add 300 megawatts of capacity to the existing 100 megawatts by March or April, he said. Chinese firm Zonergy Co Ltd. will set up 900 megawatts in this 1-gigawatt solar park. Renewable energy in Pakistan has attracted maximum investments compared with all sectors at $2 billion over the last two years, of which 90 percent has been foreign investment, Jafri said. Anindya Upadhyay, Bloomberg The lifeless body of Yemen's top Salafi cleric in the southern port city of Aden was found disfigured on Sunday hours after he was abducted following a sermon against groups like the affiliates of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Yemen, security officials told The Associated Press. Government forces repelled Shia rebels from Aden last July, but have been unable to restore order there ever since. With government forces now pushing north toward the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, the vacuum in Aden has given rise to affiliates of Al-Qaeda and ISIL, who have grabbed lands and exercised control in various parts of the city for months. The influential cleric, Samahan Abdel-Aziz, also known as Sheikh Rawi, had delivered a fiery sermon against the Al-Qaeda and ISIL branches on Friday, the officials said. His body was found bloodied and bearing signs of torture in Sheikh Othman, an area largely controlled by armed groups, they added. Abdel-Aziz was kidnapped by gunmen outside his mosque late Saturday in the pro-government neighborhood of Bureiqa, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media. They remain neutral in the war that has splintered the Arab world's poorest country. Also Sunday, Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense said in a statement that a rocket fired from inside Yemen toward Saudi Arabia's southern border region of Najran landed on a Saudi home, killing an 11-year-old child and wounding nine others in the family. Saudi forces frequently fire rockets at rebel positions in Yemen from just inside the kingdom's border and the Yemeni rebels frequently fire ballistic missiles at Saudi border guard positions, killing dozens of soldiers and civilians. Yemen's conflict pits a loose array of forces fighting on the side of the internationally recognized government against the Shia rebels and troops loyal to a former president, who together control the capital and much of northern Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition backed by the U.S. intervened on the government's side last March. Earlier in the day, Human Rights Watch said the rebels, known as Houthis, have for months restricted food and medical supplies to Yemen's third-largest city, Taiz, in what it described in a statement as "serious violations of international humanitarian law." "The Houthis are denying necessities to residents of Taiz because they happen to be living in areas that opposition forces control," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "Seizing property from civilians is already unlawful, but taking their food and medical supplies is simply cruel." The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Yemen said Saturday his organization is seeking ways to ensure unconditional access to Taiz, a city of about 25,000 that has been under Houthi siege and shelling for months. World Food Program Deputy Director Adham Musallam said his group managed to bring in enough food supplies for 3,000 families in the city. Taiz, which lies on the border between northern and southern Yemen, could be a major turning point in the civil war, potentially cementing the Houthis' loss of Yemen's south. The Associated Press A Chinese ship equipped with advanced sonar equipment will soon join the search for the Malaysian airliner believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean almost two years ago, an official said on Friday. The Dong Hai Jiu 101 was expected to leave Singapore yesterday to join the hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 over a 120,000-square-kilometer expanse of deep seabed by late February, Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said. The ship brings the state-of-the-art Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS), which some experts say is more accurate than standard 75 kHz side-scan sonar devises that have been used to scan most of the area searched so far. With standard acoustic sonar, the image becomes less clear the farther a seabed object is from the equipment. But with SAS, the image remains sharp regardless of an objects distance. Fugro Survey, the Dutch underwater survey company hired by Australia to find the Boeing 777, has defended its choice of sonar and maintains the search has been thorough. Fugro search director Paul Kennedy has described SAS as developing technology with some questions about its reliability. Because the search was in such a remote region, Fugro opted for established technology with ready supplies of spare parts. The Dong Hai Jiu 101 will join two Fugro ships, Furgo Discovery and Furgo Equator, which will continue to search with standard sonar equipment. The Fugro Discovery lost its sonar unit plus 4.5 kilometers of cable at the weekend when the ship towed the equipment into an underwater volcano. The ship was headed back to the Australian port of Fremantle to collect new cable to deploy with a spare sonar unit. A fourth ship, Havila Harmony, is equipped with a maneuverable deep-sea drone that has been fitted with a camera and high-resolution sonar for searching difficult terrain and for taking a closer look at potential clues. The drone was also recently damaged when it struck a fish net but has been repaired. The ProSAS-60 sonar equipment aboard the Chinese ship will be operated by marine services companies Phoenix International Holdings, based in Maryland, and Seattle-based Hydrospheric Solutions. Both companies gained experience searching for Flight 370 when they operated Go Phoenix, a ship which was contracted by Malaysia to take part in the search for eight months until June last year. More than 85,000 square kilometers of the search area have been scoured since late 2014. The Chinese ship is the first time China has agreed to share the financial cost of the search with Malaysia and Australia. Truss on Friday thanked China for the contribution. Most of the 239 people aboard Flight 370 were Chinese. The plane vanished on March 8, 2014, after mysteriously flying far off course during a flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Beijing. A wing flap found in July on the other side of the Indian Ocean when it washed up on Reunion Island is the only debris recovered. Rod McGuirk, Canberra, AP The latest bid to end five years of war in Syria gathered some momentum as the main opposition group arrived in Geneva for United Nations-sponsored talks, after lifting its threat to boycott the peace process. The Saudi-backed High Negotiating Committee arrived in the Swiss city on Saturday, said Khawla Mattar, spokeswoman for UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura. The HNC welcomes the opportunity for a political process that will end the crisis in Syria, and stop the bloodshed, it said in an e-mailed statement. The U.S. and European countries welcomed the oppositions decision, which boosts the most serious effort so far to end the conflict after two previous failed peace conferences. The Syrian war, which has killed 250,000 people, has left Europe facing an escalated threat from terrorist attacks and a growing refugee problem. The HNC had demanded that air strikes by Russia and government forces against insurgents end before the talks. De Mistura, who met a delegation sent by Assad on Friday, said the oppositions participation was the best way to secure their demands, which also include prisoner releases and the lifting of sieges of rebel-held Syrian towns. The peace efforts to end the conflict come as Assads forces, backed by Russian air power, are making progress against Islamic State militants as well as the rebel forces supported by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations. The UN-sponsored negotiations, which are envisaged as stretching over several months, are being held in a so-called proximity format. This will involve de Mistura shuttling between the government delegation and two opposition factions a second opposition grouping is made up of Moscow-friendly figures. The U.S. on Friday welcomed the decision of the HNC to attend the negotiations. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on both sides to achieve results in the days ahead, according to an e-mailed statement. The conflict has forced millions to flee their homes, provoking the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. Its also helped the rise of Islamic State, a militant organization with a stronghold in Syria and Iraq that has spread into regional neighbors including Yemen, Egypt, Libya and Afghanistan, and poses a growing threat further afield. The group claimed responsibility for attacks last year that brought down a Russian airliner in Egypt in October with 224 people on board and killed 130 people in Paris in November. The U.S. and Russia, which have taken the lead in promoting the Syrian peace process, secured an agreement among major powers in November for a timetable that would see a power-sharing government by mid-2016. Elections would follow a year later after changes to the constitution. The warring sides must also agree to a nationwide cease-fire, except for offensives that target Islamic State and the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front. It will be an achievement if the talks do actually get underway with the government and opposition, though with neither side willing to make concessions, that does not mean its prospects of success are very high, said Dan Smith, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Henry Meyer, Bloomberg 45 killed in damascus area blast The Syrian government says that the death toll from a triple explosion in a suburb of the capital of Damascus has risen to 45. A website linked to the Islamic State group said yesterdays explosions were carried out by IS supporters. The state news agency SANA said the attackers detonated a car bomb at a bus station, followed by two blasts set off by suicide bombers as rescuers rushed to the scene of the first explosion. "The trouble with life is the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent full of doubt." --Bertrand Russell Never be a spectator of unfairness or stupidity. The grave will supply plenty of time for silence.--Christopher Hitchens To find out more visit this post: What is magic realism Magical Realism is a literary genre that incorporates fantastic or mythical elements into otherwise realistic fiction. KUNA January 29th marked the 19th anniversary of Chris Tapps time behind bars 6,940 days. During that time Tapps father died. He couldnt go to the funeral. And, three weeks ago, Lori Hollandsworth a Tennessee woman who advocated for his release and married him in a short 2013 prison ceremony died in a car accident. She was my voice, Tapp said, wiping away tears. Tapp is serving a sentence of 30 years to life for the 1996 rape and murder of Angie Dodge. He was convicted because he confessed. He says it was a false confession, that he knows nothing about the crime except what was fed to him by police during a series of long interrogations and polygraph tests. The Murder A slew of reports from former FBI investigators, a polygraph expert, DNA experts and false confession experts have come to the same conclusion: Tapp falsely confessed under coercion. Angie Dodges mother, Carol, has reached the same conclusion. Carol Dodge says her motivation isnt to get Tapp out of prison. She wants her daughters murderer to pay for his crime. She has reviewed the evidence for years, prodded police and prosecutors relentlessly, demanded new DNA testing and sought outside experts, but she hasnt found one piece of scientific evidence that points to Tapp. And as long as Tapp is behind bars, and as long as police continue operating under the theory that he and two other men did it, she doesnt think the killer will face his reckoning. The science points to one man, she says. The man who left semen, hair, fingerprints and skin cells at the scene. She doesnt know who that is. I am at the mercy of the city of Idaho Falls and the prosecution to find the one and only killer of my daughter, she said. They need to do their job. The Bonneville County Prosecutors Office hired Stuart Robinson, a former police officer and private investigator based in Twin Falls, to review the investigation and outside reports. He says he has finished his initial review of the case, and is prepared to begin looking at the outside reports. He doesnt have an exact date when he expects to release his findings. Prison Wednesday morning, retired Judge Mike Heavey arrived at the Boise airport. Heavey is the co-founder of Judges for Justice, an organization that investigates potential wrongful convictions. He has been looking into Tapps case for the last few years, spending hundreds of hours reviewing interrogation tapes, looking at evidence and investigating people he thinks could have committed the Dodge murder. Heavey has just released a two-hour video documenting how he believes Idaho Falls Police Department detectives coerced Tapp into a false confession. He has flown in from Seattle to show Tapp the video. He arrives at the Idaho State Correctional Center in Kuna around 10 a.m. After checking in, a guard leads him toward a property room to meet Tapp. Tapp enters a short time later, dressed in a white T-shirt, khaki pants and white shoes. He is currently in close custody confined to a cell with another man for 22 hours a day. Tapp sits hunched forward, grasping his elbows as he watches the video on Heaveys laptop. Hes mostly silent, though he laughs bitterly at times, such as when then-Detective Jared Fuhriman tells the 20-year-old Tapp that hes on his side, that he can trust him. Thirty-nine-year-old Tapps hands turn red from constant wringing as he watches the video. The Video The video isnt a dramatic documentary. Its a slow, plodding examination of key moments in the interrogations. The video posits that Tapp told six separate stories to police between his first interrogation in early January 1997 to his final confession later that month. Tapps first story is that he doesnt know anything; its the same story he tells today. His final story is that he, a friend named Benjamin Hobbs and an unknown third man went to Dodges house; that Hobbs and the third man argued with Angie, raped her, stabbed her, and then forced Tapp to cut her so that he couldnt testify against them. Hobbs was arrested, and later convicted, of a rape in Nevada. That made him an early suspect, though he was never charged in the Dodge case. Steve Moore, a retired FBI supervisory special agent, reviewed the case and wrote: There was not one piece of credible evidence, physical, circumstantial or testimonial of Hobbs involvement in the Dodge murder. The videos thesis is that each of the shifts in Tapps story can be explained by information that was fed to him by interrogators, along with the dual pressure of a possible death sentence for not cooperating and full immunity for giving police information on the crime. Repressed Memories The video makes another suggestion: That police convinced Tapp he had repressed memories of participating in the crime, and that a polygraph machine could unlock these memories. At several points, Tapp is asked to confess to something, and he responds: But I would remember that, wouldnt I? At one point, Detective Steve Finn, the polygrapher, tells Tapp he was deceptive when he denied involvement in the murder. Finn tells Tapp that he could face life in prison or the gas chamber. Tapp says he doesnt remember being at the apartment. He says hes scared. The reason why is because you subconsciously, you remember, Finn tells Tapp. In a recent report, Boise State University professor and polygraph expert Charles Honts concluded police used the polygraph as a psychological rubber hose rather than as a tool to detect deceptiveness. The sensors used by the machine are improperly placed, Honts wrote, and the questions aimed at Tapp diverge wildly from accepted procedure. This line, that Tapp was there but he repressed all memory of it because it was so brutal, is repeated by Fuhriman in a subsequent interview. Tapp is again asserting that he wasnt there. I know this, Tapp says, holding his head and weeping. Promise to God, I know this. Fuhriman responds that he represses memories himself. Some of the brutal stuff we see on the streets? he says. My mind shuts down on me because I dont want to remember it. OK? The Confession A few days later, with an offer of immunity, Tapp is prepared to say he was there with Hobbs. But he seems unsure of any details and he begins to offer whatever comes to his mind. Detective Ken Brown asks in what room the murder took place. The only thing that comes to my heads the living room, Tapp says. I dont know why. Its just the living room popped there. Anything that pops in, Im gonna say. . I dont know if its right or not. Its not right. The murder took place in Angie Dodges bedroom. Tapp gets lots of details wrong: where the house is located, where the bedroom is within the apartment, where the killer ejaculated on her body. The moment when 20-year-old Tapp says he cut Angie Dodge finally comes, and inmate Tapp hangs his head and closes his eyes, not moving for several seconds. Hes asked about seeing his 20-year-old self speak the words that two decades later still have him behind bars. He looks around at the concrete floors as shouts ring through the hallways and says, This is where I might wind up spending 30 years of my life. Lying Actually, it could be much longer. Since being incarcerated, Tapp has twice attempted to re-confess and give police new names for the third man in exchange for a reduced sentence. Once he named a federal prison inmate he met. Another time he gave a name, Steve Price, that he says he made up. False confession expert Steve Drizin reviewed these confessions and wrote that they didnt change his view that Tapps confession is false. Tapp never offered any information that indicates he knew anything about the crime, just that he wants out of prison. The Idaho Falls Police Department says its an indication Tapps guilty. Police Chief Mark McBride declined to comment for this story. It will be another 11 years before Tapps first parole hearing. And if he is innocent, it will present him with a conundrum that often faces the wrongfully convicted. Parole boards want to hear that a convict has accepted responsibility. That requires saying youre guilty. Tapp says he wont lie again. That may mean I never get a chance to go home, he says. So be it. Tapp is asked if theres anything he wants to say to the people of Idaho Falls. He says he wants to thank Carol Dodge. If it wasnt for her relentless search for her daughters killer, he says, he wouldnt stand a chance. And he apologizes for lying. TWIN FALLS COUNTY FELONY SENTENCINGS Zachary Scott Cantu, 24, Boise; DUI excessive, $202.50 costs, $500 fine, $75 public defender, 180 days jail, 170 suspended, two days credited, one year drivers license suspension, 24 months supervised probation, attend court alcohol school and victim impact panel. Zachary A. Wollstenhulme, 34, Twin Falls; DUI excessive, $202.50 costs, $1,000 fine, $75 public defender, 365 days jail, 355 suspended, one day jail, guilty withheld sentence, one year drivers license suspension, interlock device, attend court alcohol school. William P. Sigloch, 55, Riverside, California; DUI, $202.50 costs, $1,000 fine, $12 workmans comp. fee, 180 days jail, 177 days suspended, one day credited, 180 days drivers license suspension, run concurrent to ALS. Chaz Livingston Golding, AKA Greg Melton, 28, Twin Falls; criminal possession of a financial transaction card or number to purchased goods or services, $245.50 costs, $500 public defender, $308.28 restitution, five years penitentiary, two determinate, three indeterminate. Two other charges of fraud by criminal possession of a financial transaction card or number to purchased goods or services charges dismissed. Taylor Renea Kirkdorffer, 25, Twin Falls; possession of a controlled substance of marijuana in an amount greater than three ounces in any prepared form, $285.50 costs, $1,500 fine, $100 DNA, $60 workmans comp. program fee, four years penitentiary, one determinate, three indeterminate, credit for time served, sentence suspended, two years supervised probation, 100 hours community service, pay restitution. Courtney Adrian Ehrmantraut, 23, Twin Falls; possession of a controlled substance, $285.50 costs, $1,000 fine, $100 DNA, $60 workmans comp. program fee, $125 restitution, four years penitentiary, two determinate, two indeterminate, credit for time served, sentence suspended, three years supervised probation, 100 hours community service, drug problem solving court. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE SENTENCINGS Derek Lynn Cantrell, 55, Buhl; DUI, $500 fine, $300 suspended, $202.50 costs, 90 days jail, 89 suspended, one day credited, eight hours community service, 90 days drivers license suspension, six months supervised probation with three months to be supervised, attend victim impact panel and court alcohol school. Consume or possess open container of alcoholic beverage by driver charge dismissed. Tracy Marie Larkins, 32, Twin Falls; DUI second offense within 10 years, $400 fine, $202.50 costs, 365 days jail, 330 suspended, 35 days credited, 365 days drivers license suspension, 24 months supervised probation. Possession of a controlled substance, $400 fine, $400 suspended, 365 days jail, 330 suspended, credit for time served, 100 hours community service. David Lee Rasmussen, 51, Twin Falls, DUI, $400 fine, $202.50 costs, 180 days jail, 178 suspended, one day credited, guilty withheld judgment, 180 days restricted drivers license, to run concurrent with ALS, 12 months supervised probation. Ramon Marin Perez, 36, Gooding; DUI second offense, $1,000 fine, $800 suspension, $202.50 costs, 365 days jail, 355 suspended, one day credited, 365 days drivers license suspension, 24 months supervised probation, attend victim impact panel and court alcohol school. Thomas Julius Cuison Sr, 42, Stockton, California; DUI excessive, $400 fine, $202.50 costs, $75 public defender, 365 days jail, 355 suspended, 10 days credited, 365 days drivers license suspension, 12 months unsupervised probation. DIVORCE CIVIL PROCEEDINGS Jeffrey Thomas v. Nanci Halverson Rebekah Kinney v. Kristopher Kinney Joshua Smith v. Shannon Jones Chauncey Standlee v. Jessica Standlee BOISE When the Magic Valleys lawmakers went to Boise this year, they knew that funding recharge of the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer was going to be one of their top priorities. House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, who helped to broker last years historic agreement between surface- and groundwater users, said that although the state might not be part of the deal, it needs to send a strong message of support to the parties, such as the farmers who sacrificed some of their allotment to make the deal work. We need to fund a robust managed recharge program, he said. Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, co-chairwoman of the budget-setting Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, said aquifer recharge funding was one of her top priorities for the session, along with education and wildfire funding and getting money for a crisis center in the Magic Valley. Bedke said recharge would require both some additional one-time funding in the 2016-17 budget year and long-term funding preferably something other than cigarette tax revenue, which is falling every year as people quit smoking and is also part of the funding the governor wants to use to extend primary care coverage to the uninsured. Its going away anyway; its time to move it (recharge) to a general fund account that is stable year in, year out, Bedke said. It looks like that funding is on track, if the increases Gov. C.L. Butch Otter recommended last week pass. Otters original budget proposal included $2 million a year in ongoing funding for sustainability projects, $10 million in one-time money for the Aquifer Planning, Management and Implementation Fund, and $546,100 specifically to implement and enforce the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer settlement agreement, including hiring four people and funding to install flow meters on about 4,000 wells. Last week, though, Otter proposed boosting the $2 million a year in ongoing funds to $5 million and upping the one-time allotment from $10 million to $16.5 million. I think the governors (recommendation) will be very good news for the Magic Valley, Bell said. This action will accelerate crucial water recharge efforts and enhance our aquifers so they become truly sustainable resources for Idaho citizens, municipalities, businesses and agriculture, Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot, said in a news release. Bair chairs the Senate Resources and Environment Committee and helped to broker the water deal along with Bedke. The extra money isnt just about the Magic Valley. The Eastern Snake is furthest along in terms of data and projects ready to go, and more will probably be spent there initially. But the aquifers elsewhere in Idaho are depleted too, and the state needs to collect data elsewhere and identify recharge projects, said Mathew Weaver, deputy director of the Idaho Department of Water Resources. Otter in his State of the State address urged water users throughout the state to use the Eastern Snake deal as a template for resolving their differences. And Bedke said that, as well as funding, the Legislature this year should pass a resolution recognizing the settlement and the need for similar settlements elsewhere in the state. Bell said taking aquifer money from the general fund would make it easier for state water officials to plan because they will be able to rely on the money in future years. She credited Bedke and Bair with helping Otter to understand the magnitude of the aquifers problems and the need for funding. The alternative, Bell said, would be drying up acres of farmland. I cant even imagine what that would do to the whole irrigated structure of southern Idaho, she said. JFAC is scheduled to take up the Water Resources budget the first week of February. After JFAC sets the departments budget bill, it moves on to the full Legislature. MONDAY Gov. C.L. Butch Otter announced a major boost in his budget request for aquifer funding, to the tune of an additional $6.5 million this year and $3 million in ongoing money above his original request, which will help recharge efforts in the Magic Valley and throughout the state. Also Monday, House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, told the Idaho Chamber Alliance he is looking at funding the governors Primary Care Access Program a $30 million proposal to extend primary care coverage to the uninsured with indigent health-care savings and Millennium Fund money, rather than through cigarette and tobacco taxes as originally proposed. This might have an easier time passing, because the state wont have to come up with general fund monies for the programs cigarette tax money is funding now. It also means that when people tell me to quit smoking, I can no longer answer that Im just trying to help the state fund PCAP. Monday also kicked off education week in the budget-setting Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, which spent the week holding hearings and listening to presentations on all the states education-related budgets. TUESDAY, Health and Welfare Director Dick Armstrong gave a presentation on PCAP to Senate Health and Welfare. Also on Tuesday, Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, introduced a proposal to modify the Blaine amendment to the state Constitution to ensure students at religious schools can use state scholarships. Blaine amendments are part of the constitutions of more than 30 states, and Congress required new states to adopt them at the time Idaho entered the Union. Named after Maine politician James Blaine, who also lent his name to Blaine County, they were originally intended as a way to bar funding for Catholic schools in an era when the public schools were explicitly Protestant. Today, they are commonly cited by opponents of school vouchers and of funding for parochial schools. Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, raised the question during the print hearing of whether the amendment could open the door to a voucher system in Idaho. WEDNESDAY saw a bill surface that would require community college districts to draw zones within which the trustees would have to live, sponsored by Rep. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell, whose district is in the College of Western Idaho district. The idea isnt new similar bills have been introduced in past years and geographic representation has come up in past College of Southern Idaho elections, whose current trustees mostly live in Twin Falls. THURSDAY was full of news, perhaps the biggest being that Senate Health and Welfare Chairman Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday on Sen. Dan Schmidts two Medicaid expansion bills. Heider said he is holding the hearing as a courtesy he thinks Schmidt, who as a Democrat cant generally get his bills through the Legislature, should be able to go home to his constituents and tell them what he did the same way a Republican lawmaker generally can. Idaho Republicans have resisted Medicaid expansion the past few years, on fiscal grounds and on opposition to Obamacare, and it remains to be seen what the committee will do after the hearing. Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra gave her almost hour-long presentation on the proposed public schools budget to JFAC a bit longer than her 17-minute presentation last year. And Twin Falls Sen. Jim Patrick introduced a bill for Idaho to join the 19 other states that dont require a front license plate. Later Thursday, the Public Defense Reform Interim Committee met again and adjourned again without a bill, deadlocked on whether to include a mechanism to take over the public defense system of and get money back from counties that dont comply with the states standards. The committee is expected to meet again next week, and Co-Chairwoman Rep. Christy Perry, R-Nampa, asked the members to come back with some compromise ideas and proposals that could, hopefully, get the support of a majority of them. FRIDAY the House cleared a tax conformity bill that became controversial because the original included language allowing same-sex couples to file joint tax returns. The Legislature passes a bill every year to conform Idahos tax code to the federal one, but this years bill contained the same-sex marriage language because of court rulings that have legalized gay marriage in Idaho, in spite of language in the state Constitution barring it. Lawmakers settled on compromise language that would let gay couples file jointly but still notes the state Constitutions definition of marriage. Friday was also the cutoff for House members to introduce personal bills, or bills that can get printed without a committee hearing. And Friday saw a flurry of them, including two from Reps. Ron Nate and Heather Scott to get rid of the requirement from a pistol permit in city limits and one from Democrats Mat Erpelding and John McCrostie to remove the constitutional language defining marriage as between one man and one woman. NEXT WEEK, so far it looks like Tuesday will be the big day, with a hearing on Medicaid expansion scheduled in Senate Health and Welfare. A PCAP bill or bills, it might be split into a program bill and a financing bill is also expected to surface next week, although Health and Welfare officials say it will likely be later than Tuesday. BOISE Gov. C.L. Butch Otter is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the six-member Idaho Parks and Recreation Board representing south-central Idahos District 4. Charles H. Correll of Jerome announced his resignation from the Board earlier this year. Charlies devotion to the department and the State of Idaho will be missed, Otter said, as he thanked him for his service. The Idaho Parks and Recreation Board provides citizen oversight for the IDPR. Board members are appointed by the governor to six-year terms. No more than three members can be from the same political party. Each member represents one of six districts in the state. The Board appoints and supervises the IDPRs director. Board appointments must be confirmed by the Idaho Senate. IDPR manages 30 State parks throughout every region of Idaho and the registration programs for boats, snowmobiles and other off-highway vehicles. Money from these registration programs goes back to users to develop and maintain trails, facilities and programs. IDPR also provides free education courses for boaters and off-road operators. Applicants for the vacancy must reside in District 4, which includes Camas, Blaine, Gooding, Lincoln, Jerome, Minidoka, Twin Falls and Cassia counties. Anyone interested may contact Ann Beebe in the governors office at 208-334-2100 or by email at ann.beebe@gov.idaho.gov. Applications via email must be received in the governors office by Feb. 12, or postmarked by Feb. 12 if mailed. This appeared in the Idaho Falls Post Register: On Jan. 27, Secretary of State Lawrence Denney introduced bill H. 388 into the Statehouse. Rep. Thomas F. Loertscher's State Affairs committee has already scheduled a hearing for the bill on Monday. The apparent fast-tracking of this bill reeks of the way Denney used to do business when he was Speaker of the House. The bill is boldly straightforward. It would exempt from disclosure "Any cellular telephone number or electronic mailing address contained in a record that is filed with the secretary of state's office pursuant to title 34 or chapter 66, title 67, Idaho Code." Those sections of code deal with the rules of running for office. Why would our Secretary of State wish to make the contact information of people running for office exempt from public disclosure? We don't know, because people who advocate for government openness haven't had a chance to meet with the Secretary of State's representatives to understand their intent. For starters, the bill is way too broad, applying to one complete section of Idaho code and a portion of another. Access to information about people wishing to run for public office has, in the past, helped bring to the public domain politicians ethical and moral violations, or their questionable personal conduct. Why make it harder to discover that information? Its vague wording has wide implications, and we havent begun to scratch the surface on the amount of damage that could be done if such a bill passes. H. 388 could obliterate the publics ability to vet professionally and morally - those they elect to lead Idaho. Obviously, it can be embarrassing for the details of a persons personal life to be in the spotlight. But, you dont have to be a member of the media to understand why its important to burden our public administrators with meeting lives that meet public standards. This bill should be pulled until anyone with interest in public records can discuss the wider implications with those who crafted it. We need to further understand its purpose before it is even debated. In late 2014, sleeker incarnations of established restaurants began appearing in Newark International Airports United Airlines terminal. When I visited at the start of this year, iPads were integrated into nearly every table at every bar and restaurant, including the new (and depressing) CBGB-themed restaurant. At a revamped wine bar, I overheard an irate man mutter, Did they literally take over every restaurant in the concourse? Well, that sucks. Servers greeted patrons, helped them navigate the system, and brought them their food, but the usual ordering protocols had disappeared. OTG Management, the company behind the transformation of Newarks United terminal, is on the cutting edge of a corporate niche known as farm-to-terminal, where customers use iPads to pay a premium for local, seasonal meals and craft cocktails while trapped at the airport. Similar dining establishments exist in airports in New York, Toronto and Chicago, so the novelty of ordering from smart devices rather than from humans will soon fade. These establishments reflect nascent changes to the structure of service labor itself. Airports, after all, are microcosms of broader cultural shifts. J.G. Ballard even dubbed them the cities of the future. Companies like OTG and Concessions International, the entity behind a similar iPad ordering system at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, say their methods provide greater consumer choice and maximized pleasure. But they also represent the growing divide between elite global travelers and the low-wage workers who serve them. In New York in 2009, after OTG began an early version of the iPad system in John F. Kennedy International Airports Jet Blue terminal, airport concession workers protested OTGs failure to sign a labor peace agreement with their union. Casino-like splendor and cutting-edge technology often mask low-tech union busting and old school worker disenfranchisement. Ordering from iPads theoretically improves the consumer experience by preventing human error, thus reducing wait time. Likewise, it streamlines workers tasks and allows staff to cover additional tables. But the transition to the iPad system has not necessarily made ordering or serving easier, even if it alters how patrons view wait staff. IPads appear to reduce servers workload, even if this is not the case. A Yelp review of Newarks Oeno wine bar asked, Why am I tipping if I have to do all the work? Indeed, while the default tip setting is 18 percent, customers can easily scroll down and leave a 5 or even 0 percent tip. The iPads themselves are susceptible to glitches, meaning that wait staff often revert to their former order-taking roles. The systems underlying mechanisms devalue the emotional labor performed by service workers, who converse with patrons and provide personalized recommendations. Automating the ordering process in the interest of user experience has the unintended consequence of undermining this sort of exchange. Perhaps the harried traveler would rather connect with a bartender instead of staring at a device. Meanwhile, employees are told to focus on hospitality. At Newark, I saw one young woman reprimanded by her manager for failing to adequately project friendliness when instructing patrons on how to use their iPads. The system serves another purpose: Both staff and customers are tracked by OTGs Flo software. The iPad sits prominently in the center of the table, obstructing dining companions faces as they attempt to communicate and distracting them with free games. Like a slot machine, its placement is designed to encourage customers to buy more. Customers do spend more money when using the iPad thanks to the recommendation engine embedded in the software, which uses analytics to predict what else a customer might enjoy given her previous choices. In this way, customers are performing labor while ordering, providing valuable data for the company to mine. Lawmakers last week began laying the groundwork for their end of one of the largest and most significant water deals ever reached in Idaho. Last summer, House Speaker Scott Bedke gathered surface- and groundwater users in a room without lawyers in a secret meeting meant not to settle old scores but find a path forward and save the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer, the complicated sponge-like water network that gives life to southern Idaho. The aquifer is what makes the Magic Valley magic, allowing desert to be transformed into farmland and cities and businesses to thrive in the regions sea of sagebrush. Miraculously, an agreement was reached after some tears and shouting and a whole lot of back and forth. It was clear to all, Bedke told the Times-News at the time, that irrigators simply couldnt continue doing business as usual. Soon, the aquifer would be depleted, spelling disaster for everyone. Something had to change. Under the deal, groundwater users will surrender a staggering 13 percent of their water for protections against future water calls. In effect, groundwater users will not only have to use less water but will need to plant different crops and idle some acreage. As Times-News reporter Mychel Matthews wrote in todays edition: Someones about to pay a huge price. But its an arrangement that saves anyone from losing it all. To save the aquifer and, in turn, the Magic Valley and Idahos agriculture industry the parties agreed to pump vast amounts of water back into the aquifer during winter months in a process called recharge. The aquifer has reached its lowest levels in a century, and water users are aiming to get the aquifer back to levels last seen in the 1990s by 2026. That will take a massive investment by the state including huge amounts of infrastructure work to divert the water to locations that will most quickly replenish the depleted pockets. Last week, Gov. C.L. Butch Otter doubled down with a revised budget proposal calling for boosting the $2 million a year in ongoing recharge funds to $5 million and upping the one-time allotment from $10 million to $16.5 million. For a long-term financial fix to stick, recharge funding needs to be moved from the cigarette tax into the general fund, a more reliable and stable pool of money. The proposal has broad support and not just from Magic Valley legislators. The deal brokered by Bedke could serve as a foundation for other water arrangements in all parts of the state, and lawmakers see it as a promising template that could help avoid the millions of dollars in lawsuits and courtroom battles that have been the hallmark of Idaho water disputes for decades. Most important, however, is what the deal means for all of us living and working in Idaho now and how it will safeguard our states most precious resource for generations to come. Its about ensuring our children and grandchildren and their grandchildren can continue to thrive in our special corner of the world. No doubt this will be the legacy of House Speaker Bedke. While thousands of Idahoans deserve credit for reaching this deal, it could not have happened without Bedkes leadership and political wrangling. Bedke and all involved in the deal deserve our thanks. About Me Mohd. Kamal bin Abdullah I am Mohd. Kamal bin Abdullah, who resides in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. I hold a post-graduate law degree from the United Kingdom. I blog to tell MALAYSIANS THE TRUTH. View my complete profile Blog Archive In the run-up to Mondays Iowa caucuses, presumed Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton at last admitted something that has been clear for months: Sen. Bernie Sanders is beating her in this campaign. He may not lead many polls, but hes climbing, and hes making it hard for her. She wont say this outright, instead resorting to a cliche, saying, You campaign in poetry, you govern in prose. Setting aside the insult to both poetry and prose I certainly hope this article, for instance, is more functional than Congress Clinton is telling Democratic voters that she knows they like Sanders more but that they should vote for her anyway. And they should do so because, though she lacks the aesthetic appeal she grants him, she is a no-nonsense pragmatist who would get things done. If you cant get excited, be pragmatic, she said. Influential liberals such as New York Times columnist Paul Krugman are much taken by her hardheaded realism. But Clintons appeal to prosaic pragmatism is, alas, an empty one. True, her opponent for the nomination who has captivated voters by pushing a revolution predicated on free college tuition, tax hikes on trust-fund millionaires, Medicare for all and a $15 federal minimum hourly wage is something of a fantasist. But so is Clinton. Anyone who thinks a Democratic successor to President Barack Obama would bend Congress toward his or her agenda sounds more Robert Browning than Brookings policy brief. No one gets things done in Washington anymore, at least not legislatively. Though Sanders talks occasionally about reaching across the aisle on veterans health care, for instance he doesnt seem all that concerned about how his ideas would work in practice. Clinton, on the other hand, has made Can do her mantra. It is therefore she, more than the romantic siphoning her votes, who needs to be brought to earth. This is not to say that if the next president is a Democrat, he or she will be powerless, but his or her influence would be felt principally in areas where congressional approval either is not needed or is customarily easier to obtain. Democratic voters are electing a vetoing, executive-ordering, Supreme Court justicenominating, foreign-policy-making machine. In the case of Clinton versus Sanders, the crucial differences really come down to the last of these. Expect similar veto tactics from these two. Neither one would kill the Affordable Care Act, defund Planned Parenthood, make Mexico pay for a border fence or approve any other large-scale schemes emanating from a GOP-controlled Congress, which is curbed by Senate Democrats. As for executive authority, it is highly constrained. For all the bleating about Obamas executive power grabs on issues such as immigration and environmental protection, his extralegislative activity has been less than extreme. Supreme Court appointments are critical, but neither Democrat would get away with a radical nominee. The Senate must still approve Supreme Court justices. Put Clinton or Sanders in the White House, and either way, the next Earl Warren is not walking through the chamber doors. Matt of All Trades blog, like the title suggests, is by a Vermont author and offers offbeat musings on pop culture, media, journalism, humor, weirdness, stupid people, smart people, my life as a journalist, landscaper, photographer, married gay man, dog lover and weather geek and more. It's run by me, Matt Sutkoski, a native Vermonter living in St. Albans, Vt. By Allison Johnson Introduction Misused Oil Revenues Lack of Transparency Human Rights Violations Opposition Movement: Light at the End of the Tunnel A New Presidential Candidate Throughout my 25 years in and out of Africa, working in international development, democratization, economic, social and political development, I have come across, time and time again, the deplorable results of bad governance, inexistent rule of law and rampant corruption across the continent. Yet, the case of Equatorial Guinea is particularly acute.Since it only gained political independence from Spain on October 12, 1968, it is a relatively young nation, yet in its short history the country has been riddled by brutal dictatorship and extreme deprivation and poverty. In 1968, the then political leadership chose Francisco Nguema as President, who subsequently declared himself President for Life in 1972; and who was betrayed by his nephew - Lieutenant Colonel Teodoro Obiang - a low ranking military official, who graduated last in his class at the military academy in Zaragoza, Spain, prior to his return to what was then known as Spanish Guinea. On August 3, 1979 there was a coup detat in which Obiang became the ruler, making him now the longest dictator oppressively serving, in Africa.After the discovery and extraction of oil in 1995, by a small Texas oil company called Walter International, which would be later be acquired by ExxonMobil, the dictatorship became even more entrenched in its brutal, despotic governance, as. The legacy of both the uncle Nguema and the nephew Obiang has taken African kleptocracy to its greatest lows.According to Transparency International, the country is ranked as number 172 out 183 countries in terms of being one of the most corrupt in the world. There is no transparency in this government, nor accountability as to how the profits in oil revenues are being used and distributed. In point of fact, President Obiang has declared that the petro revenues are a state secret, thereby precluding the public from knowing the exact amounts filling state coffers. Meanwhile,in a country that, in 2013, had one of the highest per capita incomes in the African continent. Moreover, there's a clear misappropriation of the peoples money, particularly in a country which makes an estimated $3.3 billion dollars a month from oil revenues. With a small population of just over 700,000 and a size equivalent to the state of Maryland in the USA, it is discouraging to see how this dictatorship has used these funds to enrich itself and squander the wealth on its own vices and whims.The French Government, in cooperation with the USA in 2012, seized over $4.9 million dollars of luxury goods from the President's son, Teodorin, which is only a small fraction of the close to $4 billion under his suspected control, all of which is believed to have been secretly stolen and stashed in banks all over the world by the Obiang family and regime.The abuses of the dictatorship have been well documented by the Human Rights Watch, during Equatorial Guineas false and rigged elections. Amnesty International has. Even the US government has voiced its opposition to the Obiang regimes human rights abuses, killings of opposition leaders and unlawful detentions of nationals and foreign nationals.So, at this point, one might ask what is the international community doing to aid a population in such dire straits. It must be taxing on the USA, after so many challenges across the Middle East and Central Asia,. An estimated 15 percent of USA oil imports originates from Africa - after Nigeria and Angola, the third most important country is Equatorial Guinea.Now that globalization has pushed the oil market to a level of importance for countries like China and India, there is little political pressure from the international community to end this reign of terror; but something must be done, in order to usher change on the African Continent; and Equatorial Guinea is a perfect place to start, with a manageable geography, coupled with its strategic location in the Gulf of Guinea, it is a prominent trading zone in Central West Africa.When I first began my career working in Africa, I served briefly for an advisory firm that represented the interest of dictators in Gabon, Cameroon and Nigeria, and after a short stint of pure frustration about how global politics really works, I vowed that the future of Africa was not in dictatorship. I proclaimed that I would no longer serve the interests of despots, while the people of Africa were suffering. But that was 22 years ago when I left that firm and unfortunately not much has changed when it comes to the crisis of democracy in Central and West Africa.But there can be a beacon of light in the small central west African nation of Equatorial Guinea. There is an opposition movement swelling across the world ofThey are organizing themselves to raise a united flag for democratization and a clarion call to put an end to this dictatorship. It is my hope that they can spread the call for true democracy and pressure the international community to demand the ouster of the Obiang Regime. It is time for a new Equatorial Guinea. It is time for a new democracy in Africa.Since 1991, there is a champion for human rights, democracy and dignity for the people of Equatorial Guinea and that is Gustavo Envela Jr . who has been fighting tirelessly to usher in regime change in his country. He calls on the USA and the global community to end the rampant rage and unaccountable scourge of dictatorship in his country, and bring an end to the dictatorial pandemic across the continent of Africa, which has infected the continent since colonialism.We are now jointly appealing, both here in the North America as well as in Europe and Africa, to the entire opposition landscape across the world, to join forces and resources in creating an environment in which democratic space will be achieved; where the tenant of good governance, rule of law, respect for human rights and human dignity and instruct that free, fair, open and transparent elections be mandated as the standard for the will of the people to be expressed in Equatorial Guinea and throughout the African continent.. The future of Equatorial Guinea will be determined by the actions or inactions that we take this year to organize the opposition movement in a massive coalition to push for elections and finally transition this ruthless, vindictive and corrupt regime out of power. The will of the people must triumph. Those who have died for true freedom and democracy, in Equatorial Guinea, must not have died in vain. The new US Navy Littoral Combat Ship designed to operate in shallow waters showed shortcoming and vulnerabilities during the tests. The flaws were revealed by head of the Pentagon weapons testing team, Michael Gilmore, in an annual report on major weapons to the congressional defense committees. The Pentagon official doubted the capability of the new combat ships after they struggled at-sea drills wherein small boats similar to that were used by the Iranian navy in the Persian Gulf. The strategic Persian Gulf is one of the highly contested waters in the world. 26 ships are currently under contract in a $23 billion U.S defense program but the report highlighted that the two versions made by Lockheed Martin Corp and Austal for shallow waters showed vulnerabilities during tests and the crew couldnt rely on them. Gilmore noted that during the drills, attacking boats were able to penetrate the ships keep-out range raising doubts about its ability to deal with more challenging threats. The crew also struggled with repeated network communications defaults that disrupted information to gun systems thereby interrupting firing more than twelve times. Generators, water jets and air conditioning units also had repeated failures. The report did not name Iran but it is the only country that uses small ships in the Persian Gulf. According to Tehran, these ships provide an advantage in maneuverability, speed and agility in combat situations and are more efficient than big ships if used in significant numbers. The Iranian nuclear program is being perceived as threat by the Saudis, where Riyadh has reportedly considered the option of launching its own nuclear program, as its enemy is pursuing it. The ties worsened after the Shia cleric Sheikh Baqir al Nimr was beheaded along with other 47 persons in Saudi Arabia. The Iranian response resulted in the attack on Saudi embassy in Tehran was attacked by violent mob and the furniture was set on fire. This led to Saudi Arabia severing the diplomatic ties with Iran. Several other countries like Bahrain and Sudan also cut diplomatic ties. This led to more tensions in the region. Pakistans civil-military leadership visited Saudi Arabia and then Tehran so that the tension between the two countries could be resolved and a middle way sorted out. The regional dynamics are changing as Iran is improving its ties with the West. After the nuclear deal has been signed Iran expects to receive billions of dollars that were confiscated by the world powers due to sanctions. Saudi Arabia on the other side is not at all happy with the proceeding of the Iranian nuclear deal, as it perceives this as a threat for the region. The rise of Iran would make the region insecure as the power dimensions would be disrupted. This rise would also threaten Israel, which is often being criticized by the Iranian leadership. Iran supports groups beyond its boundaries . Assad regime in Syria is constantly supported by Iran, where the latter is also assisting the Shia-led government in Iraq and helping them fight ISIS. Al-Quds brigade is operating in Iraq for quite some time. Hamas labeled as a terrorist organization is also being backed by Tehran. Moreover, this network of assistance extends all the way long to Lebanon and Yemen where they are supporting Hizbullah and Huthi tribe. Thus, the Iranian involvement is there in the entire Middle East. Similarly, Saudi Arabia also does not have its hands clean. KSA has reportedly been supporting al-Qaeda . Bin Laden belonged to Saudi Arabia. Saudis are reportedly supporting the ISIS with its network spread across the Middle East. Saudis had also helped Taliban in making roots in Afghanistan. They were funded by Saudis. They also financially assist the countries who follow their religious doctrine and political dictation. The US invasion of Iraq played a pivotal role in disturbing the balance of power in the Middle East . One of the most significant effects of the Iraq war is Irans seemingly unprecedented influence and freedom of action in regional affairs, presenting new strategic challenges for the US and allies. Although Middle ME governments and the US are in agreement about diagnosing Tehrans activism as the wars most alarming consequence, they disagree on how to respond. The conventional US view suggests that a new Arab consensus has been prompted to neutralize and counter Tehrans rising influence across the region in Gaza, the Gulf, Iraq, and Lebanon. Parallels to Cold War containment are clear. Indeed, whether consciously or unwittingly, US policy has been replicating features of the Cold War model by trying to build a moderate Sunni Arab front to bolster US efforts to counter Iranian influence. Despite signals that the Obama administration intends to expand US engagement with Iran, the foundations of containment are deeply rooted and engender bipartisan backing from Congress. Even if the Obama administration desires to shift US policy toward Iran, containment policies will be difficult to overturn quickly; if engagement with Iran fails, reliance on containment will only increase. The containment strategy seems to be founded on what many US officials and analysts perceive as one of the Iraq wars few silver linings: the removal of Saddam Hussein as the eastern flank of the Arab world laid bare Irans longstanding malevolence towards the region and spurred Arab states towards greater activism in line with US strategy. Yet, this premise is dangerously flawed. It is the result of misreading local politics and the nuanced ways Arab states are managing and, in some cases, exploiting the challenge from Iran and the broader effects of Iraq war. The events over the past two years in the Gulf, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon suggest a different picture. Arab states are certainly alarmed about growing Iranian influence in the region, particularly about alleged Iranian activities within their own states . Gulf states with Shia population, like Bahrain, feel especially vulnerable to Iranian intervention. Moreover, Iranian support for Hamas during crises such as the Gaza war in 20082009 burnishes Irans pro-Palestinian credentials among Arab publics and challenges the authority and legitimacy of pro-Western Arab states such as Egypt and Jordan. This alarm, however, does not translate into unequivocal balancing against Iran or a wholesale embrace of US regional containment policy. Instead, Arab states are more likely to blend confrontational policies towards Tehran with elements of conciliation, engagement and accommodation, thus hedging against sudden swings in the US policy towards Iran while maintaining deeply rooted economic and cultural ties with their neighbour to the east . For some, the threat of US military action against Iran is as worrisome as a potential nuclear threat from Iran itself. There is also little evidence for broad-based support for a single Arab balancer against Iran, despite the best efforts of Saudi Arabia and its assertive new diplomacy. Indeed, for some observers, the consequences of Riyadhs response to Tehran are a cause for greater concern than the Iranian challenge. Finally, some Arab leaders have skillfully exploited Washingtons preoccupation with Iran and its wariness of democracy in the region to further entrench their authoritarian rule and defer much-needed internal reforms. In this atmosphere, Washington needs to be clear about its priorities if it wants to get anything done with Riyadh. The United States should cooperate on issues where common interests are clear, such as stabilizing Yemen, containing Irans regional power, destroying al-Qaeda and its regional affiliates. It should encourage the Saudis to reconsider policies such as isolating the Iraqi government and stoking Shia-Sunni animosities that could harm both US and Saudi interests in the future by making clear that overall cooperation on security issues requires these steps. Finally, US policymakers should make clear that nuclear proliferation by Saudi Arabia would put at risk any future collaboration on security issues. Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Access unlimited news content and The Canberra Times app. Premium subscribers also enjoy interactive puzzles and access to the digital version of our print edition - Today's Paper. For years I've been trying to point out that UKIP is a Tory Trojan Horse political party to facilitate the interests of the hard-ri... Guatemalan health officials said Saturday that at least 105 people there had been infected with Zika, the virus suspected of causing grave brain damage in newborns. Health Ministry epidemiologist Judith Garcia told the newspaper Prensa Libre that the 105 confirmed cases emerged from a total of 200 suspected cases, 68 of them from 2015. For each confirmed case, Garcia said, there may be three more patients who have not come forward or who are asymptomatic, meaning the ultimate numbers could be much larger. Zika is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also spreads dengue fever and the chikungunya virus. It provokes flu-like symptoms including a low-grade fever, headaches, joint pain and rashes. "Guatemala's humid climate is quite favorable" to the virus, said Garcia. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned this week that the virus is "spreading explosively" in the Americas, with three million to four million cases expected this year. Hardest-hit so far has been Brazil, with more than 1.5 million cases since April. Health authorities there are investigating the possible linkage between Zika and more than 3,400 suspected cases of microcephalyabnormally small skulls and brainsin babies born to infected mothers. Colombia announced earlier Saturday that it has 20,297 cases of Zika infection, including 2,116 in expectant mothers. Zika is present in 21 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to WHO experts. It was detected for the first time in Uganda in 1947 and was named for a forest south of that nation's capital of Kampala. 2016 AFP A political blog commenting on Sunday's "Meet The Press" on NBC and the state of the country in a broader sense. Please Note: This blog is in no way affiliated with "Meet The Press" or NBC. It is purely an opinion piece about the television program that this blog considers the "TV Show of Record." WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DEMOCRAT PARTY? I can no longer remain in todays Demo Party that is now under the control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue and stoke anti-white racism, actively undermine our freedoms, are hostile to people of faith, demonize the police and protect criminals at the expense of law-abiding Americans, believe in open borders, weaponize the national security state to go after opponents.TULSI GABBARD @PatriciaMazzei SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- Presidential candidates spend hours upon hours aboard hulking SUVs and swanky buses motoring across the snowy prairies of the countrys midsection ahead of Mondays Iowa caucuses all to try to win just a handful of votes. In 2012, some 121,500 Republicans caucused in the entire state. Thats only about 6,000 more people than the 114,700 Republicans who cast ballots in the presidential primary that year in Miami-Dade County. Rick Santorum won the 2012 caucuses with 29,839 votes. Thats about how many votes Mitt Romney got in Miami-Dade absentee ballots alone. But this is how the nation picks its presidents. Which is why Miamians Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush spent the better part of the past week in places like Sioux City, asking Republicans for their support. Some of them dont even live in Iowa. Im from Nebraska, one woman attending Bushs Friday afternoon town hall sheepishly admitted. A couple at Rubios Saturday morning town hall declined to give their name, because We came from South Dakota. The Sioux City metro area, on the banks of the Missouri River and once part of Lewis and Clarks exploration trail, touches all three states. The city proper, however, has a population of 82,500 smaller than Miami Beach and is Iowas fourth-largest city. Voters expect to see their candidates in person. More here. Photo credit: Patrick Semansky, Associated Press via @learyreports DES MOINES -- Marco Rubio isnt expecting to win the Iowa caucuses Monday night the first test in the 2016 presidential election but the state is crucial to his strategy of building momentum in what he is convinced will be a drawn-out battle for the Republican nomination. A strong showing will propel him into New Hampshire and South Carolina while a weaker one could hobble his chances, underscoring his risky gamble of not focusing on one early nominating state. No other candidate may have as much riding on Iowa, and Rubio, who has failed to deliver the breakout moment many projected months ago, showed it in recent days. He went on a tear, holding town halls, injecting his stump speech with urgency and highlighting his faith in an appeal to evangelicals. Ive got more to think about now, said an impressed Jay Jackson, 44, who showed up Tuesday to see Rubio in Marshalltown, one of four town halls the presidential candidate held that day. Jackson likes Ted Cruz, who is ahead of Rubio in the polls, but said questions about Cruzs temperament left doubt. Angry is a buzzword, Jackson said. Rubio has sounded angrier, too, but overall presents an optimistic message and vows to unite the GOP, a line that resonated with Jackson. Rubio needs Jackson and hordes of other Cruz supporters to caucus for him Monday. If Rubio can come in second to Donald Trump, it would be a major boost heading into next weeks primary in New Hampshire, perhaps making it a two-man race for the nomination. More here. 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Let us know here , we're looking for contributors! When grief is so heavy that we need to set it down, poetry is a good place to set it. Here's a fine poem by Minnesota poet Sharon Chmielarz from her book with photographer Ken Smith, Visibility: Ten Miles, published by North Star Press of St. Cloud. Playing His Heart Out That day we were trapped between chartreuse living room walls and the godly cleanliness of afghans saving sofas and chairs. *** We were talking about anything except Uncle Carl gone, how we'd miss him when Uncle Gus came down the hall and stood in *** the archway, his wiry body strapped under a black accordion. "Haven't played," he said, "for a long time." So he played a waltz and I *** squirmed in my chair under the slow flow of grief. He played a polka and I heard my sister clapping lightly for the mourner bending over *** the keys. His cheek-bones, red as Helgoland's cliffs on the North Sea. Gulls whirled and screamed around the black load on his heart. *** We do not accept unsolicited submissions. American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (poetryfoundation.org), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright 2015 by Sharon Chmielarz , Playing His Heart Out, from Visibility: Ten Miles, (North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc., 2015). Poem reprinted by permission of Sharon Chmielarz and the publisher. Introduction copyright 2015 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. Montana Rail Link wont be hiring this year. BNSF Railway's system-wide capital expenditures plan for 2016 is a 25-percent cut from 2015. BNSF isn't saying how many of its Montana workers have been laid off this winter. A spokesman said MRL has furloughed two dozen as we adjust employee levels to meet our customers needs. For now at least, those needs are dramatically fewer than a year ago. Montana Rail Link is a short-line railroad headquartered in Missoula and owned by billionaire Dennis Washingtons Washington Companies. Texas-based BNSF, one of the nations Big 4 railroads, is wholly owned by Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which bought it for $44 billion in 2010. Though neither claims to be in crisis mode, both are feeling the pinch of a freight recession thats battering the rail industry. The Bakken oil boom has busted. Even as the Obama administration imposes a moratorium on new coal leases on federal lands a move already being challenged in Montana and elsewhere overseas markets for coal from southeast Montana and Wyoming are turning to dust. China alone reduced coal imports by 30 percent last year. Nationwide, coal shipped by rail was down by nearly 700,000 carloads in 2015 a decline of 12 percent from 2014. And its only going to get worse in 2016. At this point we expect coal shipments on MRL to decrease 50 percent over volumes experienced in 2014, said Jim Lewis, Rail Link's chief sales and marketing manager. If that comes to pass, Montanans along the Rail Link's main route through Billings, Bozeman, Helena and Missoula will see 70,000 fewer carloads of coal this year than they did two years ago. Compounding the outlook is the global call for renewable energy. The spending bill passed in Congress late last year extended two key federal tax credits supporting wind and solar energy. In his final State of the Union address this month, President Obama said, Weve got to accelerate the transition away from old, dirtier energy sources, and asked, Why would we want to pass up the chance for American businesses to produce and sell the energy of the future? As a pundit pointed out, you cant haul sunshine on a train. *** The 2015 numbers are startling. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) said this month that freight rail traffic in the U.S. in 2015 was down more than 900,000 carloads 6.1 percent from the year before. In the first three weeks of 2016 its dropped 16.6 percent compared to the same three weeks in 2015. Other than a rock-bottom year in 2009, when U.S. rail carloads dropped below 14 million, the 14.3 million loads shipped last year were the fewest since the AAR started keeping track in 1988. The peak year of 2006 leading up to the nations recession was the only one above 17 million carloads. For MRL, the 2015 plummet was steep 15 percent fewer coal cars and 10 percent of its total volume of the year before. That, said Lewis, was before Cloud Peak Energys Spring Creek strip mine in Decker announced it wouldnt be shipping 4 million tons of coal to export destinations in 2016. And it was before the same company laid off 66 workers from its underground Signal Peak Mine in Roundup at year's end, and nixed the shipment of 1.5 to 2 million tons of coal. According to Lewis, that equates to some 50,000 fewer carloads a 42-percent drop from even a lean 2015. BNSF, which operates in Montana and 27 other states as well as three Canadian provinces, reported relatively flat freight volumes in 2015, Matt Jones, the company's director of public affairs for Montana, said in an email Friday. However," he said, "we have experienced lower than expected freight-transportation demand from our customers, and the economic outlook is uncertain as we head into 2016. The weakening demand isnt limited to coal, but the coal industry faces several significant headwinds that are reducing U.S. coal transportation demand, said Jones. Those headwinds include additional regulations, low natural gas prices and a strong dollar, and Jones said they impact rail demand for other commodities like grain, steel and crude oil as well. BNSF is adjusting (its) workforce demand numbers down to match volume and the work required to move that volume, he said. Consequently, in 2016 we will satisfy additional needs by bringing back furloughed employees. Jones said he doesn't know the numbers of workers BNSF has furloughed, but they arent concentrated in any one geographic area. The railroad began handing out furloughs last April. News outlets reported in December that 100 BNSF employees had been laid off at three locations in North Dakota and Minnesota. *** Ron de Yong worries that Montana railroads will use declining volumes to justify raising their rates. Everythings relative, the state's director of agriculture said Friday from Helena. When you say not a good year for producers, theyre actually losing money. Not a good year for railroads means theyre not going to make quite as much profit as they did before. Just a couple of years ago the railroads were having entirely different challenges, DeYong pointed out. They shipped huge volumes. They couldnt keep up with volume, he said. Coal, oil, agriculture we were all having service problems, and the railroads made a lot of money. But their rates didnt go down. The rail industry tracks carload numbers in 20 commodity groups, and across the U.S. all but five showed declines in numbers in 2015. The biggest single exception was grain, which shipped some 36,000 more carloads than in 2014, an increase of 3.4 percent. Carloads in grain mill products also showed a slight increase. The temptation is to balance the books and, as DeYong said, satisfy shareholders demands by charging more when youre hauling less. He fears grain trains are attractive targets. Lewis said that even though MRLs regional shipments were down, its 150 on-line customers in Montana experienced 5-percent growth in 2015. One of his short lines biggest hits is in intermodal cargo, those big industrial containers and trailers. To compete with the Union Pacific Railroad, its Big 4 rival in the West, BNSF spent nearly $3.5 billion during the past few years to provide expedited service for intermodal and standard traffic between Chicago and Seattle. It launched the service in September. Lewis said BNSF is now routing a majority of intermodal traffic along its Hi-Line route instead of the tracks its leases to MRL across southern Montana. Its no coincidence that Rail Links intermodal shipments fell 17 percent in 2015. *** Both of Montanas largest railroads stress their investments in capital improvements and focus on safety. President and CEO Carl Ice unveiled BNSFs capital expenditure plan for 2016 on Tuesday. The $4.3 billion budget is a big drop from the $5.8 billion spent last year. Our railroad is in the best shape it has ever been, Ice insisted in a press statement. Each year our capital plan works to balance our near term need to regularly maintain a vast network that is always in motion with the longer term demand outlook of our customers. Its not yet known how much money BNSF will spend in Montana in 2016. Jones, whos based in Bozeman, expects to have those numbers in coming weeks. He said BNSF spent a record $15.3 billion in capital investments in 2013-2015, including $450 million in Montana. According to Lewis figures, Montana Rail Link invested $50 million in capital improvements and maintenance in 2014 and $62 million in 2015. That will be trimmed to $40 million this year. He said that will cover the cost of such items as replacing 133,000 ties, installing 22 miles of new rail and resurfacing another 245 miles of track despite rail volume being on a downward trend, he said. He called the investment in infrastructure evidence of MRLs commitment to the people and land of the state we call home. *** Montana's two biggest railroads say theyll ride out their freight recession just as they did an even bigger one following the peak in 2006. MRL is accustomed to the peaks and valleys of the U.S. and global economy, Lewis said. Although the current economic environment will certainly be a challenge for us, and some changes will likely be necessary to adjust to current freight volume levels, we will continue to be focused on safety, efficiency and providing the best rail service in the industry. Lewis is not alarmed about plummeting costs and government incentives for wind and solar production. We value the global and local environment in which our employees live, work and play, he said. MRL hauls many different commodities, including wind power towers/blades and other products related to renewable energies and recyclables. Typically, when volumes of one commodity shrink, growth occurs in another sector. MRL stands ready to haul whatever commodity groups are in demand, Lewis said. The great stabilizer, de Yong said, is agriculture. The railroads got started with agricultural commodities, and at the end of the day there are going to be agricultural commodities again, he said. Thats what built the railroads. POLSON Warren L. Hommas Jr., 85, died peacefully in his home Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. He was born Feb. 23, 1930, in Reading, Pennsylvania. He received a B.S. in engineering from Penn State and was called to active duty into the U.S. Air Force in 1955. He transferred between various Air Force bases from 1955-56 for flight training and then remained stationed at Malmstrom AFB from 1956-58. Released from active duty in 1958, he joined the Montana Air National Guard, serving from 1958-1985. He was stationed briefly at Maxwell AFB for training at the Air War College from 1970-71. He married June Haagenson on June 12, 1959, and they remained married until his death. Warren achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel, retiring in 1985. Following his retirement, he invested and developed as an independent business owner and consultant. He was an accomplished pilot, talented performer, gifted musician and a skillful woodworker. He was preceded in death by his parents, Warren Sr. and Ida Hommas; and his brother, Gerald. He is survived by his wife, June; children, Karla Hanson (Gregg), Scott (Evelyn) and Diana Johnson (Robert); nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Memorial gifts in Warrens memory may be sent to First Presbyterian Church in Polson or First Congregational UCC in Great Falls. Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at First Presbyterian Church in Polson and also at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at First Congregational UCC in Great Falls. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com. Arrangements are under the direction of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory. Ninety nine years ago, the Montana Legislature established a Board of Railroad Commissioners to regulate railroad activities in the state. A few years later, the board was folded into the new Public Service Commission, which these days consists of five elected members and their staff charged with regulating railroads and other transportation companies; telecommunications; energy, water and sewer utilities; and pipeline safety. The Board of Railroad Commissioners was abolished by the Legislature in 1971, but the Public Service Commission still ensures that Montanas railroads meet established safety standards. Sort of. A recent legislative audit found that, in reality, the Public Service Commission is not actively pursuing rail safety and does not have adequate safety inspector coverage for the state. The audit listed several steps the commission should take to resolve these concerns, and the PSC should take them to heart by turning a great deal more attention to the issue of rail safety in the coming months. In order to comply with the audits recommendations, the PSC will have to play a larger role in railroad safety in Montana, rather than leaving inspection and enforcement up to the federal authorities or trying to pass it off to another state agency. The commission holds authority to ensure railroads are in compliance with safety protocols in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration, which has itself been criticized for lacking sufficient inspection resources. In addition to meeting federal regulations, railroad companies devote their own resources and employ their own inspectors to ensure their trains and tracks are safe. They dont want an accident to happen anymore than anyone else does. Yet the majority of states with any significant railroad activity have their own rail safety inspection programs, which allow them to focus on areas and issues of unique importance to their state. Montanas varied geography, which includes both plains and mountain ranges, is reason enough to develop a unique state railroad inspection program. However, Montanas status as a resource state means special attention should also be paid to certain kinds of rail cargo be it coal, crude or other commodities. Its true that devoting more resources to rail inspection will mean paying additional dollars and either railroad companies or Montana taxpayers will end up footing the bill. However, settling for the status quo could end up costing a whole lot more in damages, injuries and even lives. *** Its been less than three years since the tragic lesson of Lac-Megantic, the little Canadian town of about 6,000 residents that saw its downtown destroyed when a train carrying crude from the Bakken derailed. The resulting explosion left 47 people dead. In 2014, Montana counted a total of 31 train accidents, not including incidents at highway railroad crossings. These accidents tallied damages of more than $10 million. According to the Legislative Audit Divisions railroad safety report, nearly 20 percent of Montanas population lives within an oil train derailment evacuation zone. In addition to more than 180,000 residents, this zone includes more than 350 schools and nearly 50 medical centers. The audit went on to fault Montanas Disaster and Emergency Services for not meeting its statutory responsibilities relative to coordinating emergency management or ensuring local emergency response agencies can respond to a train derailment with hazardous materials, but also found that the Montana Department of Transportation is adequately managing highway-rail crossing safety within resources. Local communities can do much more to prepare for rail accidents, and the Department of Military Affairs, which administers Disaster and Emergency Services, plans to start holding hazardous material exercises for local governments starting next year. However, when it comes to rail accidents in Montana, prevention should be the top priority and Montanas PSC should be making sure it is treated as such. The commissions safety inspections are funded primarily through annual fee assessments on the rail companies that do business in Montana. It employs only two inspectors to cover the entire state, and the audit recommended that it hire at least three more rail safety staff. The audit also noted that even though Bakken oil production has slowed recently, a new oil transfer facility in North Dakota will likely help boost the number of crude oil shipments through Montana to as many as 40 trains per week. *** With this in mind, its heartening to see signs that the Public Service Commission is willing to pay more attention to rail safety. It has reportedly opened a docket to discuss the issue in the months leading up to the 2017 Legislature, and earlier this month, the commission PSC held a roundtable discussion in Helena on the topic. Also this month, commission Chair Brad Johnson told the Energy and Telecommunication Interim Committee that the PSC is already working to comply with the recommendations in the audit, which include: becoming more active with the Association of State Rail Safety Managers; conducting a state rail safety risk assessment; actively engage with Montana Disaster and Emergency Services and other state and federal agencies to address emergency planning; and increase inspection coverage and frequency. If the commission "is unwilling or unable to prioritize its railroad safety activities, the audit suggests, legislators should consider transferring this important duty to a state agency that can. Indeed, at least one member of the commission seems open to that idea. Thats putting the caboose before the railcar. The Montana Public Service Commission should devote more of its attention to railroad safety and be prepared to present any necessary requests for support to the next Legislature. A proposal to divest itself of its authority to ensure the safety of Montanas railroads shouldnt be one of them. "Doomsday Clock" reflects grave threat to world: Scientists In this Jan. 22, 2015, file photo, climate scientist Richard Somerville, member, Science and Security Board, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, right, unveils the new "Doomsday Clock," accompanied by Sivan Kartha, member, Science and Security Board, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and senior scientists at the Stockholm Environmental Institute, right. Scientists behind a "Doomsday Clock" that measures the likelihood of a global cataclysm are set to announce Tuesday Jan. 26, 2016, whether civilization is any closer or farther from disaster [Credit: AP/Cliff Owen] Perry raised concerns about rhetoric from Russia about the use of nuclear weapons and said the threat of nuclear disaster was greater today than during the Cold War. Shultz said the U.S. needs to engage Russia and China. Brown warned about "tipping points" in the fight against climate change. "And around a tipping point, we may not be able to come back to a stable planet or one we'll find very comfortable to live in," he said. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was founded in 1945 by University of Chicago scientists who helped develop the first atomic weapons. The clock was created two years later. TANN you might also like Rising tension between Russia and the U.S., North Korea's recent nuclear test and a lack of aggressive steps to address climate change are putting the world under grave threat, scientists behind a "Doomsday Clock" that measures the likelihood of a global cataclysm said Tuesday.The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that the minute hand on the metaphorical clock remained at three minutes-to-midnight. The clock reflects how vulnerable the world is to catastrophe from nuclear weapons, climate change and new technologies, with midnight symbolizing apocalypse."Unless we change the way we think, humanity remains in serious danger," said Lawrence Krauss, chair of the bulletin's Board of Sponsors.Krauss said the Iran nuclear agreement and Paris climate accord were good news. But the good news was offset by nuclear threats, including tension between nuclear-armed states India and Pakistan, and uncertainty that the Paris accord will lead to concrete action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.The scientists behind the bulletin adjusted the clock from five minutes-to-midnight to three minutes-to-midnight last year. They cited climate change, modernization of nuclear weapons and outsized nuclear weapons arsenals as "extraordinary and undeniable threats to the continued existence of humanity." The clock was previously at three minutes-to-midnight in 1984, when the bulletin said talks between the U.S. and Russia virtually stopped.From a climate change perspective, if midnight on the clock represents the disappearance of humanity, three minutes-to-midnight is overly dire, said Michael Oppenheimer, a professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University who is not affiliated with the bulletin.On the other hand, Oppenheimer said if midnight means humans have emitted so much greenhouse gas that dangerous climate change is inevitable, then three minutes is a "fair analysis.""I think the jury is out as to whether the Paris agreement will make a significant difference," he said. "The key is whether countries over the next couple of years are able to agree on some important details that were left out."Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine examining social and scientific controversies, said in an email that the Doomsday clock is "an exercise in pessimism and PR with little connection to the reality of moral progress made in the past half century." Shermer cited reductions in the number of nuclear weapons since the 1980s and the absence of war between Europe's great powers since World War II.California Gov. Jerry Brown joined former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz and former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry for a discussion at Stanford University after the unveiling of the clock.The decision to move or leave the clock alone is made by the bulletin's science and security board, which includes physicists and environmental scientists from around the world, in consultation with the bulletin's Board of Sponsors, which includes more than a dozen Nobel laureates.The closest the clock has come to midnight was two minutes away in 1953, when the Soviet Union tested a hydrogen bomb that followed a U.S. hydrogen bomb test. WEST FORK Trapper Creek Job Corps had something big to show Regional Forester Leanne Marten when she stopped by for a visit recently. The centers director, Chris Feutrier, happily guided Marten and her entourage of district rangers and other officials into his office where a large new sign awaited them atop a table. The high-density polymer sign had just recently been made by Trapper Creek students in the centers new sign shop. Feutrier proudly told the gathered group that a sign of similar size would have normally cost the government $1,200 to create. We can do it for $275, he said. We are able to create signs for about 30 percent of the cost. The Washington office sent the Job Corps site a huge table and router and told its instructors to show their students how to make signs from a material that fares well with weather and bullets. Its self-healing, Feutrier said. It takes the students about 30 minutes to complete the setup to create a new sign and about 45 minutes to do the rest of the work. Along the way, they have the opportunity to learn a new skill. Were going to build that into the curriculum, Feutrier said. To get started, Feutrier said the center is required to buy 63 sheets of the polymer material at a cost of about $36,000. By the time its students finish making signs from that purchase, the U.S. Forest Service will have saved an estimated $120,000. Marten said she was certain that the agency could keep the centers sign shop busy, especially considering the savings. The Trapper Creek Jobs Corps site was the first of three stops on Martens first visit to the Bitterroot National Forest since taking over the Region 1 forester post in July. She also stopped in Darby to look at the Fuels for Schools project and then journeyed out to Lake Como to visit a timber sale. Feutrier gladly offered to tour the Trapper Creek Job Corps site, where Marten met Jesse Casterson, the centers education principal in the middle of a construction zone. The centers students have been busy remodeling the 50-year-old education building as they chatted. We are always working to install pride in this place, Feutrier said. We tell ourselves that if its not good enough to send our kids here, then its not good enough. Casterson told Marten the center works with young people ages 16 to 25. They come here from a variety of circumstances. What happens here is we tell them, some for the first time, that theyre not dumb, Casterson said. Once we give them consistency and structure, then we just watch them take off. We see almost every one of our students exceed their own expectations here. The students work to obtain a high school diploma, which comes only after they complete their trade. We know high school isnt enough, Casterson said. We put a lot of effort into training. Its all about employment here. They come from all walks of life, he said. Its a very diverse place to work and learn. Its also a job thats very rewarding. Last night the Sundance film festival had their awards ceremony and to my surprise the ceremony was streamed live but started when the SAG awards were still on, so watched very little. Nevertheless decided to include the winners as there are some films that I'm sure will travel the fest circuit during 2016 and will end-up with honors in the 2016-2017 awards season. The ceremony is the culmination of the 2016 edition, which presented 123 feature-length and 72 short films -selected from 12,793 submissions- to independent film-loving audiences. Jury prizes were awarded by six groups of film and culture leaders, who screened all films in their respective sections and jointly decided which standout artistic and story elements to recognize. This years jurors were: Simon Kilmurry, Jill Lepore, Shola Lynch, Louie Psihoyos, Amy Ziering, Mark Adams, Lena Dunham, Jon Hamm, Avy Kaufman, Franklin Leonard, Randall Poster, Fernanda Solorzano, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Mila Aung-Thwin, Tine Fischer and Asif Kapadia. In addition, Festival audiences voted for their favorite films to receive five Audience Awards in each of the U.S. and World Competitions and NEXT. Will share most of the official press release as there is a list of winners but also some info about each film; if you wish to read only the list of winners at the official site go here. The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Louis Psihoyos to: Weiner / U.S.A. (Directors: Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg) With unrestricted access to Anthony Weiner's New York City mayoral campaign, this film reveals the human story behind the scenes of a high-profile political scandal as it unfolds, and offers an unfiltered look at how much today's politics is driven by an appetite for spectacle. The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Franklin Leonard to: The Birth of a Nation / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nate Parker) Set against the antebellum South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nats preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom. Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Asif Kapadia to: Sonita / Germany, Iran, Switzerland (Director: Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami) If 18-year-old Sonita had a say, Michael Jackson and Rihanna would be her parents and she'd be a rapper who tells the story of Afghan women and their fate as child brides. She finds out that her family plans to sell her to an unknown husband for $9,000. The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Apichatpong Weerasethakul to: Sand Storm / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Elite Zexer) When their entire lives are shattered, two Bedouin women struggle to change the unchangeable rules, each in her own individual way. Cast: Lamis Ammar, Ruba Blal-Asfour, Hitham Omari, Khadija Alakel, Jalal Masrwa. The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary, Presented by Acura was presented by Matt Ross to: Jim: The James Foley Story / U.S.A. (Director: Brian Oakes) The public execution of American conflict journalist James Foley captured the worlds attention, but he was more than just a man in an orange jumpsuit. Seen through the lens of his close childhood friend, Jim: The James Foley Story moves from adrenaline-fueled front lines and devastated neighborhoods of Syria into the hands of ISIS. The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, Presented by Acura was presented by Matt Ross to: The Birth of a Nation / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nate Parker) Set against the antebellum South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nats preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom. Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Rose McGowan to:Sonita / Germany, Iran, Switzerland (Director: Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami) If 18-year-old Sonita had a say, Michael Jackson and Rihanna would be her parents and she'd be a rapper who tells the story of Afghan women and their fate as child brides. She finds out that her family plans to sell her to an unknown husband for $9,000. The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Rose McGowan to: Between Sea and Land / Colombia (Director: Carlos del Castillo, Screenwriter: Manolo Cruz) Alberto, who suffers from an illness that binds him into a body that doesnt obey him, lives with his loving mom, who dedicates her life to him. His sickness impedes him from achieving his greatest dream of knowing the sea, despite one being located just across the street. Cast: Manolo Cruz, Vicky Hernandez, Viviana Serna, Jorge Cao, Mile Vergara, Javier Saenz. The Audience Award: NEXT, Presented by Adobe was presented by Taika Waititi to: First Girl I Loved / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kerem Sanga) Seventeen-year-old Anne just fell in love with Sasha, the most popular girl at her L.A. public high school. But when Anne tells her best friend, Cliftonwho has always harbored a secret crush on herhe does his best to get in the way. Cast: Dylan Gelula, Brianna Hildebrand, Mateo Arias, Jennifer Prediger, Tim Heidecker, Pamela Adlon. The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Amy Ziering to: Roger Ross Williams for his film Life, Animated/ U.S.A. (Director: Roger Ross Williams) Owen Suskind, an autistic boy who could not speak for years, slowly emerged from his isolation by immersing himself in Disney animated movies. Using these films as a roadmap, he reconnects with his loving family and the wider world in this emotional coming-of-age story. The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Mark Adams to: Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan for their film Swiss Army Man / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan) Hank, a hopeless man stranded in the wild, discovers a mysterious dead body. Together the two embark on an epic journey to get home. As Hank realizes the body is the key to his survival, this once-suicidal man is forced to convince a dead body that life is worth living. Cast: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Mila Aung Thwain to: Michal Marczak for his film All These Sleepless Nights / Poland (Director: Michal Marczak) What does it mean to be awake in a world that seems satisfied to be asleep? Kris and Michal push their experiences of life and love to a breaking point as they restlessly roam the city streets in search of answers, adrift in the euphoria and uncertainty of youth. The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Randall Poster to: Belgica / Belgium, France, Netherlands (Director: Felix van Groeningen, Screenwriters: Felix van Groeningen, Arne Sierens) In the midst of Belgium's nightlife scene, two brothers start a bar and get swept up in its success. Cast: Stef Aerts, Tom Vermeir, Charlotte Vandermeersch, Helene De Vos. The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Lena Dunham to: Chad Hartigan for Morris from America / U.S.A, Germany (Director and screenwriter: Chad Hartigan) Thirteen-year-old Morris, a hip-hop loving American, moves to Heidelberg, Germany, with his father. In this completely foreign land, he falls in love with a local girl, befriends his German tutor-turned-confidant, and attempts to navigate the unique trials and tribulations of adolescence. Cast: Markees Christmas, Craig Robinson, Carla Juri, Lina Keller, Jakub Giersza, Levin Henning. A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Editing was presented by Jill Lepore to: Penny Lane and Thom Stylinski for NUTS! / U.S.A. (Director: Penny Lane) The mostly true story of Dr. John Romulus Brinkley, an eccentric genius who built an empire with his goat-testicle impotence cure and a million-watt radio station. Animated reenactments, interviews, archival footage, and one seriously unreliable narrator trace his rise from poverty to celebrity and influence in 1920s America. A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for For Social Impact Filmmaking was presented by Simon Kilmurry to: Trapped / U.S.A. (Director: Dawn Porter) American abortion clinics are in a fight for survival. Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws are increasingly being passed by states that maintain they ensure womens safety and health, but as clinics continue to shut their doors, opponents believe the real purpose of these laws is to outlaw abortion. A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Writing was presented by Shola Lynch to: Kate Plays Christine / U.S.A. (Director: Robert Greene) This psychological thriller follows actor Kate Lyn Sheil as she prepares to play the role of Christine Chubbuck, a Florida television host who committed suicide on air in 1974. Christines tragic death was the inspiration for Network, and the mysteries surrounding her final act haunt Kate and the production. A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Verite Filmmaking was presented by Shola Lynch to: The Bad Kids / U.S.A. (Directors: Keith Fulton, Lou Pepe) At a remote Mojave Desert high school, extraordinary educators believe that empathy and life skills, more than academics, give at-risk students command of their own futures. This coming-of-age story watches education combat the crippling effects of poverty in the lives of these so-called "bad kids." A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award was presented by Lena Dunham to: As You Are / U.S.A. (Director: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Screenwriters: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Madison Harrison) As You Are is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation. Cast: Owen Campbell, Charlie Heaton, Amandla Stenberg, John Scurti, Scott Cohen, Mary Stuart Masterson. A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance was presented by Avy Kaufman to: Joe Seo for Spa Night/U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Ahn) Los Angeless Korean spas serve not only as meeting places but also as a bridge between past and future for generations of immigrant families. Spa Night explores one Korean American familys dreams and realities as each member struggles with the overlap of personal desire, disillusionment, and sense of tradition. Cast: Joe Seo, Haerry Kim, Youn Ho Cho, Tae Song, Ho Young Chung, Linda Han. A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Individual Performance was presented by Jon Hamm to: Melanie Lynskey in The Intervention / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Clea DuVall) A weekend getaway for four couples takes a sharp turn when one of the couples discovers the entire trip was orchestrated to host an intervention on their marriage. Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Cobie Smulders, Alia Shawkat, Clea DuVall, Natasha Lyonne, Ben Schwartz. A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Individual Performance was presented by Jon Hamm to: Craig Robinson in Morris from America / U.S.A., Germany (Director and screenwriter: Chad Hartigan) Thirteen-year-old Morris, a hip-hop loving American, moves to Heidelberg, Germany, with his father. In this completely foreign land, he falls in love with a local girl, befriends his German tutor-turned-confidant, and attempts to navigate the unique trials and tribulations of adolescence. Cast: Markees Christmas, Craig Robinson, Carla Juri, Lina Keller, Jakub Giersza, Levin Henning. A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Debut Feature was presented by Asif Kapadia to: Heidi Brandenburg and Mathew Orzel for their film When Two Worlds Collide / Peru (Directors: Heidi Brandenburg, Mathew Orzel) An indigenous leader resists the environmental ruin of Amazonian lands by big business. As he is forced into exile and faces 20 years in prison, his quest reveals conflicting visions that shape the fate of the Amazon and the climate future of our world. A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematography was presented by Mila Aung Thwain to: Director and cinematographer Pieter-Jan De Pue for his film The Land of the Enlightened / Belgium (Director: Pieter-Jan De Pue) A group of Kuchi children in Afghanistan dig out old Soviet mines and sell the explosives to child workers in a lapis lazuli mine. When not dreaming of an Afghanistan after the American withdrawal, Gholam Nasir and his gang control the mountains where caravans are smuggling the blue gemstones. A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Editing was presented by Asif Kapadia to: Mako Kamitsuna and John Maringouin for We Are X / United Kingdom, U.S.A., Japan (Director: Stephen Kijak) As glam rock's most flamboyant survivors, X Japan ignited a musical revolution in Japan during the late '80s with their melodic metal. Twenty years after their tragic dissolution, X Japans leader, Yoshiki, battles with physical and spiritual demons alongside prejudices of the West to bring their music to the world. A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting was presented by Fernanda Solorzano to: Vicky Hernandez and Manolo Cruz in Between Sea and Land / Colombia (Director: Carlos del Castillo, Screenwriter: Manolo Cruz) Alberto, who suffers from an illness that binds him into a body that doesnt obey him, lives with his loving mom, who dedicates her life to him. His sickness impedes him from achieving his greatest dream of knowing the sea, despite one being located just across the street. Cast: Manolo Cruz, Vicky Hernandez, Viviana Serna, Jorge Cao, Mile Vergara, Javier Saenz. A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Screenwriting was presented by Randall Poster to: Ana Katz and Ines Bortagaray in Mi Amiga del Parque / Argentina, Uruguay (Director: Ana Katz, Screenwriters: Ana Katz, Ines Bortagaray) Running away from a bar without paying the bill is just the first adventure for Liz (mother to newborn Nicanor) and Rosa (supposed mother to newborn Clarisa). This budding friendship between nursing mothers starts with the promise of liberation but soon ends up being a dangerous business. Cast: Julieta Zylberberg, Ana Katz, Maricel Alvarez, Mirella Pascual, Malena Figo, Daniel Hendler. A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Unique Vision and Design was presented by Fernanda Solorzano to: Agnieszka Smoczynska for The Lure / Poland (Director: Agnieszka Smoczynska, Screenwriter: Robert Bolesto) Two mermaid sisters, who end up performing at a nightclub, face cruel and bloody choices when one of them falls in love with a beautiful young man. Cast: Marta Mazurek, Michalina Olszanska, Jakub Gierszal, Kinga Preis, Andrzej Konopka, Zygmunt Malanowicz. The following awards were presented at separate ceremonies at the Festival: Short Film Awards Jury prizes and honorable mentions in short filmmaking were presented at a ceremony in Park City, Utah on January 27. The Short Film Grand Jury Prize was awarded to: Thunder Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jim Cummings). The Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction was presented to: The Procedure / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Calvin Lee Reeder). The Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction was presented to: Maman(s) / France (Director and screenwriter: Maimouna Doucoure ). The Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction was presented to: Bacon & God's Wrath / Canada (Director: Sol Friedman). The Short Film Jury Award: Animation was presented to: Edmond / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Nina Gantz). A Short Film Special Jury Award for Outstanding Performance was presented to: Grace Glowicki for her performance in Her Friend Adam. A Short Film Special Jury Award for Best Direction was presented to: Peacock / Czech Republic (Director: Ondrej Hudecek, Screenwriters: Jan Smutny, Ondrej Hudecek). The Short Film jurors were star and co-creator of Comedy Centrals Key & Peele, Keegan-Michael Key; development executive at Amazon Studios, Gina Kwon; and chief film critic for MTV, Amy Nicholson. The Short Film program is presented by YouTube. Global Filmmaking Awards The winning directors and projects of the 2016 Sundance Institute Global Filmmaking Awards in recognition and support of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world, are:< August (Cuba) / Writer-Director: Armando Capo In August 1994, Carlos comes of age during the Cuban Raft Exodus. He loses his first love, his friends leave the country, he discovers sex, and for the first time feels afraid about his future. Insha' Allah (India) / Writer-Director: Geetu Mohandas 11 year old Mullakoya, tired of living in the shadow of the colorful, magical-realist folklore that surrounds his missing older brother, sets off on a treacherous journey from the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea to the Indian mainland to search for him. Sicilian Ghost Story (Italy) / Writer-Directors: Antonio Piazza, Fabio Grassadonia When a local Mafia dons son is kidnapped, a young Sicilian girl refuses to accept the sudden disappearance of the boy she loves. Based on real life events at the height of the Mafias reign in Palermo, Sicilian Ghost Story is a striking and unique look at the power that love has to survive in the darkest of worlds. The Treasure (Morocco) / Writer-Director: Abdellah Taia Janine, a French woman born in Morocco, accompanied by her building manager, Mohamed, set out on an adventure in search of a hidden treasure in the mountains of Atlas. The journey into her past becomes an exploration of post-colonial identity in Morocco. Sloan Science in Film Awards The 2016 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, presented to an outstanding feature film about science or technology, was presented to Embrace of the Serpent directed by Ciro Guerra. The film received a $20,000 cash award from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Sundance Institute - Amazon Studios Producers Awards The recipients of the the 2016 Sundance Institute | Amazon Studios Producers Awards are Sara Murphy and Adele Romanski, producers of Morris From America and Julie Goldman, executive producer of Weiner and Life, Animated. The award recognizes bold vision and a commitment to continuing work as a creative producer in the independent space. Check the video with the complete awards ceremony. HELENA As a former classroom teacher in Big Sandy and later a school board member, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, may have more insight into the challenges public schools face than many a member of Congress. On Friday, he took the opportunity to shine a spotlight on new education legislation he worked to pass in Congress and also draft legislation hes championing. Speaking to the Montana Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals conference at the Great Northern Hotel, Tester lauded the demise of the controversial No Child Left Behind Act. He noted overwhelming bipartisan support for the replacement bill, Every Student Succeeds Act, and talked about legislation he is sponsoring to help recruit more classroom teachers. I know that many of your classrooms are struggling to find and keep good teachers. ... In 2013 there were over 1,100 teaching positions across Montana that needed to be filled, he said. In rural schools, half the math and science teaching positions are considered very difficult to fill each year. And to be honest, these difficulties are going to get worse. Thirty percent of the teachers in this country will retire in the next 10 years. This will not only have an impact on classrooms but also the availability of quality principals, he said, which makes recruiting and retaining educators critically important. Thats why this past October I introduced the REST (Rural Educator Support and Training) Act, he said. It provides for those who are getting degrees in education or school administration who contract to work in rural schools for at least three years to be eligible for scholarships to pay for their education, Tester said. Those who commit to work in rural schools for five years can receive $17,000 in student loan forgiveness after fulfilling their commitment. I know why you are struggling to get qualified teachers, he said, citing appalling pay. When Tester was teaching in the late 1970s, he made more money cutting meat on Saturday than he had made all week in the classroom, he said. Thats not right. Today teacher attrition is at an all-time high, and 55 percent of our teachers are leaving the classroom to pursue another career. How could you blame them? he asked. They can make better salaries as truck drivers and in retail, he said, which is a huge loss to the teaching profession. When a good teacher leaves town ... it impacts the whole community, he said. He promised to work in Congress to get the REST Act passed. Its been referred to the Senate Education Committee. He also focused on new federal legislation that recently became law. It would be an understatement to say that No Child Left Behind was a failure, he said. The new education bill, ESSA, provides more local control and passed with an overwhelming number of votes. One key thing it does is replace the annual statewide test for highschoolers with the ACT or SAT, thus reducing the amount of time students spend taking standardized tests. It moves us away from some of the failed high-stakes testing we have come to know, he added. It also includes a Tester amendment for the Department of Education to work with local stakeholders in developing rules and regulations. And it has provisions for Montana to get more funding for professional development for teachers and administrators. Unfortunately, there are folks in Montana and Congress who do not see the value of public education, said Tester, and they fail to see the link from successful public education to vibrant local economies. The middle class has been shrinking rather than growing, he said. On a local level, these are the people who vote down school mill levies and bonds, he said, and in Congress they fail to provide adequate funding for educational reforms. Important programs like Title 1 and Impact Aid have gotten flat-funded over the past few years, he said. When people talk reform without resources, what theyre really trying to do is starve public education, he said. They want to turn our schools ... over to private hands. So we have some work to do, he said, educating folks about the value of public education. He urged those present to resist attacks being made on public education by speaking up in the community about its value. Tester comes from a family that values public education, he said. They believed that bringing kids together from diverse backgrounds in one classroom was a good thing for the community and for society. It fostered creativity; open minds; innovation; success; and maybe most important, tolerance. They knew that an uneducated society cannot support democracy, and it cannot. We cannot maintain our place in the world as a world leader if we do not value public education. Alongside a quiet dirt road south of Silver Star in Madison County, the wind now howls around five miles of rail cars that came to rest on a disused rail line more than a week ago. Migratory ducks and geese land in the All Nations ditch a 2-mile waterway that snakes alongside the Jefferson River, heading north toward Whitehall in the spring. Although no one knows for sure yet how long the rail cars will continue to be parked on the track, come springtime, ducks and geese could find empty tank cars throwing a shadow over their watering hole. About 12 households along Bayers Lane are close to the nearly 500 tanker cars sitting on a line that hasn't been used since 2001, resident Jeanne Elpel estimated. Shes concerned more cars are coming, and no one knows how long they are all going to be there. Elpel owns five acres on Bayers Lane, nestled in a valley between the Highland and Tobacco Root mountains, about 10 miles north of Twin Bridges. Her patio overlooks All Nations ditch. In the distance, from her patio, the snow-capped Highlands are within sight. And now, on the other side of the ditch is a long line of unloaded tank cars. Montana Rail Link, a Dennis Washington-owned company, owns the rail line, but not the cars. The railroad company, based in Missoula, declined to say who owns the cars other than saying they belong to "regional rail shippers." Madison County receives more than $280,000 in annual tax revenue from Montana Rail Link, according to Madison County online tax information. Madison County commissioner Ron Nye, whose district includes the five miles of rail line being used for rail tanker storage, said the tax revenue comes from the 20 miles of disused track that parallels Highway 41. "We may not like the purpose (of the rail line), but we like the revenue," Nye said. "We need all the revenue we can come up with to survive." Nye said the state would receive additional taxes thanks to Montana Rail Links rental income from the tracks. The states Department of Revenue public affairs specialist Molly Peterson said the income Montana Rail Link will earn from renting the tracks would become part of the companys 2016 income tax, which wont be filed until 2017. Income taxes, she said, cannot be disclosed. Nye said he's received complaints from residents along Bayers Lane, and he's been in contact with Montana Rail Link to find out more about it. He said the tanker cars are temporary. Montana Rail Link, in an emailed statement to The Montana Standard, said it is unknown how long the tanker cars will be there. "At this time, it is unclear how long the empty cars will be in storage (on the rail line along Bayers Lane). Regional rail shipments, including coal and crude, have slowed in the past nine months due to various market conditions. It is MRL's hope that these markets recover soon," Jim Lewis, chief information officer of MRL, said in the email. The Federal Railroad Administration in Washington D.C. confirmed that 491 tank cars are sitting in storage on MRL's track in Madison County. Marc Willis, deputy director of public affairs for the FRA, said the tank cars might contain residual amounts of oil, but the cars are considered empty. Elpel worries whether the small bridge some tank cars are resting on alongside Bayers Lane is structurally sound. The All Nations ditch runs underneath. Elpel floats the ditch in the summer. Willis said railroad bridges are inspected by the companies that own them in this case MRL and the FRA audits the company's inspection report, but no information was immediately available on that specific bridge. Logan Schendel, who lives north of Elpel along the track, is also upset over the rail cars. Schendel owns 40 acres and shoots whitetail deer in the area. Both Schendel and Elpel are concerned the rail cars will affect wildlife, disrupting the animals ability to move across the land. Schendel says he depends on deer for his winter meat. Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife biologist Dean Waltee agreed that moose and whitetail deer in that area could feel an impact. He said how much of one depends, in part, on how long the train cars will continue to be there, which is unknown. How much of an impact the resting cars could have on wildlife is also dependent on whether the cars cut across wildlife bedding and feeding areas, Waltee said. But that is also unknown. Waltee said that while such a long line of rail cars could put some stress on the moose and deer, it would not likely cause a decline in the wildlife population. Another concern voiced by residents along Bayers Lane is how the rail cars may affect their ability to rent out their houses for vacation summer homes. Nick Jaynes, who owns a house just north of Elpel, said he is not as upset about the rail cars since he talked to Montana Rail Link directly, but he is still worried about how the rail cars will affect his ability to rent his home. The tanker cars are visible from his back door. Its not a pleasant view. It looks like Billings. It looks like an industrial railroad yard. Jaynes said. We dont know if itll have a negative impact (on renting this summer). Not everyone who lives along Bayers Lane is disgruntled over the rail cars. Patty Miller, who said the rail cars are right outside her window, isnt bothered by the sight. Her father used to work for the railroad, she said. Its their (Montana Rail Links) property. Theyve got a right to do what they want, Miller said. On February 11, Oulu (Finland) will host the Fulbright Arctic Symposium, which will be attended by 300 participants, including scientists, students, entrepreneurs and representatives of both government and NGOs.. The international team of Arctic researchers participating in the Fulbright Arctic Initiative (FAI) Program will hold a one-week plenary meeting in Oulu on February 8-12. On February 11, the FAI scholars will present their ongoing research. Scientists and high-level policymakers will address changes in the Arctic, particularly through the topics of the FAI program (energy, water, infrastructure and health), and contribute to developing strategies and policies for a sustainable Arctic future. For more information, visit www.fulbright.fi/en/fulbright-seminars/fulbright-arctic-symposium. Registration is open until January 31, 2016. Mary Anne Hardies, 92, of Bozeman, passed away Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016. Mary was born April 9, 1923 to Louis and Mary A. (Popish) Vidic in Butte, Montana. She graduated from Butte High School. She moved to Seattle, Washington following graduation and worked for the War Department during World War II. She married Arthur J. Hardies in 1949 in Seattle, Washington. They eventually moved to Butte and then to Sheridan, Montana. Mary worked for Chas. Walter IGA in Sheridan for 25 years, retiring in 1988. She traveled to Alaska, floated the Grand Canyon, explored New York City and visited England and Paris. She was preceded in death by her husband, daughter Diane and brother Ray Vidic. She is survived by her brother, Louis Vidic of Helena; daughters and sons-in-law, Janet and Don Baum of Billings, Montana, Lou Ann and Russ McKenna of Bozeman, Montana; grandsons, Craig and Jason Baum of Billings; granddaughters, Stephanie Clapper of Bozeman and Courtney Sand of Brier, Washington; great-grandsons, Josh and Colton Baum of Billings, Marcus and Alex Clapper of Bozeman and an unborn great-grandchild due in August of 2016 in Brier, Washington. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Interment of the urn is at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 3, at Holy Cross Cemetery in Butte, Montana. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.dahlcares.com or www.mtstandard.com. This week, we learned, the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices has cleared the overworked offices backlog of complaints regarding political candidates and campaign committees for the first time in 18 years. This, despite the fact complaints have come in thick and fast over the past few turbulent years of Montana politics. Beyond the efficiency that achievement bespeaks, commissioner Jonathan Motl is to be congratulated for the professionalism he has displayed in the controversial office. After a bitter confirmation fight, Motl is clearly a lightning rod for criticism. Some Montana Republicans believe the way the office is structured leaves too much power in the hands of the commissioner, and they believe Motl is too partisan to run the office fairly. Similarly, Motl was sharply criticized by Democrats after ruling that Republican now-gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte did not violate any campaign laws by touring the state to promote his Better Montana Jobs program before announcing his candidacy. Its clear that any holder of this position is not going to win any popularity contests. But we believe Motl is doing his work fearlessly and well. Particularly praiseworthy is Motls aggressive stance against dark-money groups like American Tradition Partnership (formerly Western Tradition Partnership), which has operated extensively in Montana. Money in politics has been a lightning rod in Montana since the days of the Copper Kings, and rightly so. We are proud that Montana was one of the first states to adopt an anti-dark-money law, and Motls efforts are key to the correct implementation of it. Keep it up, Commissioner. I met John Kasich on the Flathead Lake tour boat, then named the Retta Mary, in the early 90s. He was a young Ohio Congressman, and along with a few of the other passengers, I intruded on his Montana vacation to engage him in conversation. I remember that he was concerned about corporate welfare. His view was that government shouldnt play favorites among business and economic interests, and that the economic system functions better if government establishes general guidelines, and allows businesses to compete within them. I was impressed by his genuinely jovial and outgoing demeanor. He liked everybody on the small tour boat, and everybody liked him. A year or two later I had a conversation with the president of the Ohio State Senate, and I asked him if he knew Kasich. He said he did, and that he had actually served with Kasich in the Ohio Senate before Kasich went on to Congress. He described him as independent-minded, outspoken, and sometimes out of line with party leadership. He commented that the young state senator frequently arrived for senate sessions on his motorcycle. Though now characterized as part of the establishment I doubt that term ever fit John Kasich. Ive followed his career since meeting him. Hes been more of a maverick than an insider. I remember when he made the news by teaming up with activist Ralph Nader to reduce tax loopholes for large corporations. In researching to write this column I learned that Kasich grew up in a lower middle class family, the grandson of southern European immigrants who couldnt speak English. Hes been described by a long-time Ohio political observer, as a solid Republican, but a biological Democrat. Perhaps that observation helps to explain why he is hard to define on the political spectrum. In his time in public office, Kasich has sometimes been criticized by the NRA, abortion rights groups, the Sierra Club, defense contractors, the Tea Party, public employees unions and the AARP. The common people of his congressional district who knew him, however, liked him and in eight races for reelection, he never won by less than 60% of the votes. This, in spite of the fact that he was no middle-of-the-roader, compiling a solidly conservative voting record over his 18 year in Congress. The main thing Kasich has been is effective. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee he was repeatedly instrumental in reducing or eliminating wasteful and unnecessary defense spending. In doing so he was able to form alliances with liberal California Democrat Ron Dellums, and then Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney. As Chairman of the House Budget Committee he is best remembered as the chief architect of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, which created the only balanced federal budget in a sea of red ink extending back to the Eisenhower administration. Kasich was elected Governor of Ohio in 2010 when the state was $6 billion in debt. By the end of his first term the state was two million in the black, and in 2014 Kasich was rewarded for reelection by Democrat as well as Republican Ohio voters, carrying 86 of the states 88 counties. Kasichs not colorful or charismatic. He just knows how to unify people and get things done. Too bad hes not a colorful huckster, more bombastic, a tougher talker. It will be too bad indeed, if the people never come to recognize the trustworthy and effective leader they have been looking for, because hes not a better showman. How do you stop a train? The short answer is you don't. Longtime residents of Jefferson Valley recently became aware of this when 300 big black oil tanker railroad cars rolled into their rural neighborhood, turning it into an industrial zone. Dennis Washington founder of Washington Companies owns Montana Rail Link (MRL) which has railroad track from Whitehall to Sheridan. Much of the track has not been used since 2001. For 15 years the track has set idle, deteriorating. Washington contracted with a large oil company (believed to be Shell Oil although MRL is not talking) for the purpose of renting storage space for railroad cars on this rural stretch of track in Madison County. These oil tankers cost about $120,000 each, totaling $36 million in inventory. Unfortunately, nobody knows how long the oil tanker cars will be stored here. What if Madison County or Montana Departments of Transportation parked maintenance equipment on a road right in front of your house? I imagine you'd be outraged since roads are intended for transportation, not for equipment parking lots. MRL argues it's their railroad, they can do what they want. Railroad cars should be stored in an industrial train yard. There must be laws regulating train yard safety. Is MRL skirting these laws by parking oil tankers on rural stretches of track? Are they "hiding' rail"cars in wooded areas while compromising our wildlife corridors and lowering our land values? These railroad cars service the Bakken oil field, which is a highly flammable crude oil. MRL has told local residences that cars are empty. However, an "empty" oil tanker car may have as much as 200 gallons of oil, slowly evaporating, filling the tanks with highly volatile vapor. I question the wisdom of locating volatile gas filled balloons near highly flammable juniper trees and within dense hunting areas. Two nearby houses have already been hit by stray gun fire. Wild fires frequently jump the Jefferson River, casting hot embers into the notorious Silver Star wind, igniting trees and grass quite a distance from the original fire, creating a fire situation that is very hard to control. Are our volunteer rural fire departments trained to fight these fires when oil tanker railroad cars are involved? Aside from jeopardizing the Jefferson Valley watershed by parking crude oil tankers on canal bridges largely unmaintained for over 15 years, losing wildlife corridors and our rural way of life, our property values have been negatively impacted by the industrial equipment. Madison County should be deeply concerned about losing property tax due to MRL's profit venture. -- Jeanne Elpel, Silver Star Clarifying his position on rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, Republican candidate for governor Greg Gianforte endorsed nondiscrimination for workers Friday, but not for customers. Gianforte, who spent more than an hour with The Billings Gazette editorial board discussing his campaign, said it was a step too far for government to prevent businesses from deciding who they refuse to do business with. The candidates stance on nondiscrimination ordinances, or NDOs, for LGBT people, has become a point of attack for Democrats, who point out that Gianforte opposed an ordinance passed in 2014 by Bozeman, home to one of Montanas modern business success stories RightNow Technologies, which Gianforte created. Gianforte told Bozeman leaders the ordinance would be bad for business, advice Democrats are drumming into campaign messaging. Last week, Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock went to a Bozeman coffee shop to extend non-discrimination rights based on gender identity or gender expression. Bullock specifically identified the discrimination reported by 40 percent of lesbian, gay and bisexual people as well as the 90 percent of transgender people reporting harassment, mistreatment or job discrimination. The announcement came days before Gianforte officially launched his campaign for governor. Gianforte said he supported the spirit of Bullocks executive order. Discrimination is wrong and should not be tolerated. In our business, RightNow Technologies, we hired strictly based on peoples ability. They got promoted based on their contribution, Gianforte said. Theres a big difference between what was done in the executive order and the NDO that was ultimately proposed and passed in Bozeman, because the one in Bozeman went a lot further, particularly in the impact it had on businesses. I believe we have too many regulations in this state. These NDOs have passed in a number of these communities in the state. They have never been used, but they add the threat of increased cost for businesses. Billings was one of the few cities in Montana where the City Council voted against an NDO. Several businesses came forward saying they wanted the right to refuse service to LGBT people, based on their religious beliefs, or out of concern for offending preferred customers. Turning away LGBT customers has already proven a losing proposition for businesses around the country. In Colorado, a District Judge in 2014 ruled against a Lakewood bakeshop that refused to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple. In Portland, Ore., a court fined a bakery $144,000 for discriminating against a lesbian couple who wanted a wedding cake. Marriage has been legal for same-sex couples since a June 2015 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. Gianforte said he would side with a baker in a similar situation. In May 2014, when the Bozeman City Commission was considering its NDO, Gianforte suggested a religious exemption for businesses that objected to providing wedding services based on religious beliefs to gays and lesbians. That idea was not adopted. This is a very sticky issue, because our First Amendment guarantees freedom of conscience through the freedom of religion, Gianforte said. The challenge of the NDO is that it goes beyond regulation burdens, it also puts in law not so much elimination of discrimination, but forces participation. This country was founded on a freedom of religion basis and we have to respect individuals rights to believe as they choose. Gianforte recalled an instance when RightNow Technologies decided against doing business with the topless news Canadas Naked News, a subscription news service featuring nude newscasters. RightNow decided the affiliation would be bad for its brand. Gianforte founded the software company RightNow Technologies in Bozeman roughly 20 years ago. RightNow software enables governments and companies to answer frequently asked questions online. The companys workforce ballooned to 1,200 before it was sold to Oracle for $1.8 billion in 2012.